The Return

The Return

Chapter 10

Power

"Link, wake up, I think I hear something." Malon said, patting Link's shoulder in the plain wood bed they were in.

"I can hear it too Malon. It doesn't sound friendly." Link slipped out of the covers and leaned over to kiss Malon's forehead. "You stay here sweetheart, you need to rest after yesterday." He grabbed his sword and shield and slowly opened the front door, noticing everyone in their respective spots. Ingo passed out with a mug in his hand at the table, Chari asleep in the arm chair, and the other cloaked figure still in it's bed. No one else but him and Malon heard the soft breaths and patter of ninja-like feet.

Before Link even knew what happened, his hand shot out and grabbed the thin wrist of a young man with a knife in his hand, pointed at Link's throat. "So fast…" the boy whispered, his other hand brushing the long black hair out of his face.

The other hand then shot out quick as a snake to wrap around Link's neck only to be met by Link's hand crushing the fingers like nothing. "Its like you are moving under water to me." Link mentioned to the boy and finally noticed the blue tights and white body armor he wore with the picture of an eye. "Well mister sheikah, mind telling me what you are doing here?"

"I can't let that fish back home. I must keep the Hero out of our home." He said and struggled with his arms to get at Link, but Link held him at bay like he was nothing. The awkward position of the sheikah's feet left his limbs useless. Just to be safe, however, Link kicked the back of the boy's knees, and let the joints fall to the dirt.

"Such a pathetic excuse for a ninja." A voice said from the window. Chari had opened the window from his slumber and let one of his scrawny arms hold up his head as he watched the boy struggle uselessly against Link's might.

"I'm a sheikah you fucking FISH." The boy shouted, the oddly violet colored eyes looked at the Zora lord like he was a bad taste.

"I may be an aquatic humanoid, yes, but you are a poor assassin. Link, dispose of him." Chari began to turn from the window when he felt a rock hit him in the head.

Link stood, one hand now holding both of the boy's wrists and his other hand free and pointing out in the distance. A man was standing there, holding a devilishly long and curved blade. "Wake up your body guard for protection, I have work to do." With one hand he swung the lad into the distance. The boy would be fine, if he was a sheikah for real.

If not, then survival of the fittest.

The master sword was out of its scabbard before Link could really understand why he was going to fight. He rushed up to the figure as it rushed towards him with the ease and speed that came with practice. The swords met in a clash, sparks flying and link saw the face of the challenger, a grin of insanity plastered on the scarred face. His face was scarred, numerous scars of different shapes and sizes, some different colors as they had hit different depth, it was hard to tell his true skin tone. The eyes were empty and black; no light shone in them, like the most emotion he could feel was during battle. The nose had been bent to the side awkwardly and his size was tremendously muscular.

The swords swung off each other and then clattered again as they met in a flurry of rushed assaults. The calculated attacks were ringing loud into the sky as the large, slightly curved blade met the master sword in each paralleled blow.

"You are pretty good kid." The voice of the man was deep and strained, like he was having a hard time keeping up with Link. His black eyebrow, the one that was left, held back some of the sweat from his forehead.

"Thanks." Link said as he had hardly broke a sweat. Something was weird with him in the dim light. His speed, his reaction time, his perception of time and movement had gotten monumentally better. He wasn't the same man as the day before. "However why are you attacking us?" Link leaned forward as their swords locked, trying to push the man back.

"Nothing personal, just been hired to kill your whole group, me and the boy you easily tossed out." He guffawed at the memory. The man steeled himself and pushed back with all his might, evening out with Link's push. "I am sorry kid, but I have to end this."

The man pushed forward with a sudden jolt to knock Link off balance, which Link let happen. He fell on his back and watched as the man jumped back slightly to jump forward again with his sword meant to chop Link down the middle. He rolled off the side, grabbing the back of the blade with his hand and he stood up, gripping his hand, the long sword broke in half in Link's grip. "Well that is new." The man said and stared at Link in disbelief.

"You don't get it. I am the hero of time." Link said and didn't even turn to face the man as he walked away, half of the blade in his hand still.

The man charged at his back and the blonde haired hero dodged out of the way easily. "Backlash." Link said aloud and turned the pivot into a spin, the stolen blade up high, it swung at such a speed, the man didn't even register it.

The body hit the sand, as the head was still balanced on the man's own blade.

What is happening to me? Link thought to himself as he watched the back of the head stand stable on the blade. He dropped them both like he had just been burnt by the blade.

"A lesson in life Link." The owl's voice said from a cloaked figure's arm. "With power of a mage comes understanding and wisdom, Malon used her powers to save a life worth more than that bandit, you on the other hand used your new power to end the life of a man who was neither good nor bad."

"You see, the power of the body comes with rage and arrogance." The hooded figure talked for once, in a feminine voice Link knew. "I will put you down if you don't learn to control that arrogance and rage." The hood had slipped off the figure's head.

--

Malon sat at the table, trying to wake the inebriated Ingo. Ingo was a hard worker, but he could drink something fierce. She sighed and leaned back into the chair. She wondered where Link was. "Malon." Came a voice she recognized. The Fierce Deity's Mask.

She went to the sack where the mask was held and gently lifted it. "What?"

"Link has issues to work out." The mask stated, the brow screwing up like something was wrong.

"He always had issues to work out." Malon mentioned, referring to his pain at losing the innocence of childhood.

"No, that new power you two gained has changed the both of you. Malon I know you feel it, the wisdom of facts you never knew before swirling in your head, the power and arrogance radiating off Link, I know you feel it."

Malon was perturbed, she hadn't even told Link of how she felt different and how Link himself felt very different. "With your magical powers you gained, you have gained wisdom and morality, while Link has gained indifference and cunning. Such is the fate of the power of the body."

"I am confused. So the stupid seed I swallowed gave me magical abilities and wisdom?"

"Yes and the decisiveness to make quick morally correct choices."

"And Link got enhanced physical abilities, but it comes at a cost rather than a bonus?"

"Basically, yes. However it's something that he can control if he has the willpower. This test is turning out to be really interesting. I never thought the seeds would come into the mix." The mask said and chuckled deeply.

"You really are sadistic." Malon scoffed and put the mask back into the sack, and put Link's spare tunic on top of the mask.

The mask started talking muffled nonsense and Malon ignored him.

"Come at me. NOW." Maria shouted and drew only one blade. Link charged, and almost as if he had been blasted by a huge magical force, he was flown backwards. "You'll have to try better than that."

Link growled and charged harshly again, his power activating and he dodged the initial force of the magical blow, sidestepping to the left and brought his sword down in what should have been a mortal blow. His sword swung easily in the wind.

Maria stood behind him, her thin blade pressed to the back of Link's neck. "You cannot beat me link. Not this time." Link rolled out and slashed up, through Maria's thick cloak.

The swordswoman floated in thin air, easily. "You cannot beat me Link. You will never be able to beat me. That day, at the battle-" the blonde boy jumped up, enraged and Maria disappeared again.

Link continued to slash, a frenzied ball of split air and grunts as his sword swung around and over, high and low, through and out. "Tired out and drained yet?" Maria asked, finally reappearing without Link going into a frenzy. "Like I said. You cannot beat me. That battle we were in, that day, I died. I am no longer in the world of the living. My energy is inexhaustible, I cannot be harmed physically." She looked at her hands, floating in the air, while Link struggled to lift his sword. He was so very tired.

"When I died I was approached by the sages as I was passing." She continued her story watching as link finally gave up and sat down. She floated down to a rock, sitting gently. "They were concerned for you Link, very concerned. They sent a child in a man's body to do the job of saving the world. They robbed you of your childhood."

Link only turned his head away and scowled. He remembered that. The mentality of a seven year old in the body of a 17 year old, trying to figure out how his new body worked, what changes he would go through. His sexuality blossomed so fast, so quickly while he was an adult, he couldn't take it all in appropriately. "So what?"

"You aren't the same as you should be Link. You're angry, upset, slightly confused. In short, YOU are dangerous." She pointed a sword at him.

"Dangerous of what?"

"Becoming the next Ganondorf. Wielding the triforce for evil, instead of good. You are a detriment to the Goddess' greater plans. They have plans to make Hyrule so much more. To make it better."

"You can shove your preaching where the sun don't fucking shine." He scoffed. He didn't want to hear this. The blonde hero was going to be the blonde villain? "Saria would never allow you to hurt me."

Maria took no insult to that. "She is but one sage. Do you think you could stand up to six of them? The only reason we have not bothered to dispose of you yet, is that you have found a way to insight peace and tranquility in you, in a young girl, no, woman. Malon."

The thought of Malon brought a smile to his face. The anger of losing washed from him. He truly loved her. He's loved her for more years than he has actually been alive.

"She weighs you down Link from being harmful. And that seed in you will make your anger grow. And your aggression skyrocket. You will be a completely different person by the time the seed is fully grown. But we need you again. A dark power is growing in the place we are headed. We think…" She trailed off as Link stood tall before her.

He got up real close, his face right next to her deathly pale one. "Tell me. Who has bested YOU in battle?"

"You."

"Who has slain Ganandorf?"

"You."

"Who has stopped the moon from falling?"

"You again."

"Who can overcome the power of the seed if not me?"

Maria smiled. "That is what we wanted to hear. Not arrogance, but confidence. Still, I am here to watch you. And put you down if need be."

Link stepped off her as Maria replaced her hood and bounded away into the night. He sat and thought. He thought, and thought, and thought some more. About the seeds, his life, what he lost, what he gained, and his thoughts always drifted to Malon. She is so beautiful to him, and she is beginning to become a powerful sorceress.

Is he really a danger though? Yeah, he is angry. Yeah, he is harmful to others. But is he really a dent in the Goddess' plans? "Whatever." Link said aloud and got up, stretching his back. The sun was beginning to come up and Malon would worry about him. Again, the thought of the fiery magic wielder brought a smile to his face.

He knew he would be just fine. Link would always overcome. He always would.

Malon was getting worried. It was almost dawn and link was nowhere to be seen. Her seat by the window was growing uncomfortable and her eyes were drooping as sleep started to win the battle.

In a matter of moments, sleep won. She dozed in her chair, head up against the wall.

The door swung open easily and closed quietly as the blonde lad stepped in. He turned and saw her, his Malon. Gently lifting her, his legs brought them to their bed, where he gently placed her before slipping off his boots and sliding in behind her.

"I love you Malon." He murmured in her ear and kissed the back of her neck.

Author's Notes

So tell me what you guys think. It has, indeed been a while. But college and a full time job get in the way. Give me any feedback you can on how I can fix this or make it better. Thank you!