Prologue

A/N: This is the sequel to "Guardians Arise!". I highly recommend reading that first before you dive in here. Most of the concepts can be confusing to new readers.

If you are new to the GA universe, welcome. If you are familiar with it, welcome back. Today I present you with the long-awaited sequel to Guardians Arise! This story shall focus on the Guardians that I very, very sadly did not give as much screen time to as others. But know that while this particular prologue does indeed focus a bit on "main" Guardians from the last story, future chapters will not be as such.

Without further ado, enjoy.

"Seven years have passed."

At the mere mention of those four words, Cimar could have sworn that the air around him grew colder. It had been seven years since the fall of Tabuu, the Subspace Lord and Prince of Darkness. Seven years had passed since he and his King said goodbye to their Smashers and fellow Guardians and returned to Hyrule.

Seven years had passed since Hyrule began rebuilding.

Seven years was an awfully long time, and yet he still had a long ways to go before he could enter the Sacred Realm. Cimar knew he was still in his mid-twenties, yet never before had he felt so old. From the moment he set foot upon Hylian soil for the first time since the Second Subspace War ended, he had seen with his own eyes how rapidly everything could change.

The war and the years that passed did little to affect his appearance. He was still tall and broad-shouldered, brunette locks well-kept and calloused hands from handling a sword all day. The muscles on his back were especially developed, for he had picked up archery not long after his return to Hyrule. His blue eyes were piercing and deep, reflecting the unbound wisdom he possessed. However, if one chose to gaze close enough, they would find a spark of laughter in there. It had only recently returned to him, however, as in the world of post-war Hyrule, there was little time for laughter.

There were numerous scars all over his body, where many a sword had pierced his armor. There were also many scorch marks and small cuts from his recent fiddling with magic and dueling with his King. Of course, the most obvious mark on his body was, in fact, the mark printed on the back of his right hand. As the Guardian of the former Princess Zelda of Hyrule, he had inherited the Triforce of Wisdom from her. Although neither of them were quite sure why, the Triforce had chosen to stay within him once he and Zelda were separated.

He missed her. There was no use denying it. The last time he saw her had been at the Temple of Time, when she married the Hero Link. She had been quite beautiful then, her face glowing with happiness as Cimar delivered her to the Hero. No words were spoken between them since then, but they did exchange countless letters between the years.

The time during which his soul and Zelda's inhabited the same body was rather peculiar, to say the least. Indeed, as Rinku had once said, there was quite possibly no one in the world that knew the Princess of Destiny better than himself. Even Link, her new husband, most likely did not know everything about her. The bond they shared and communicated with during that time was something he treasured, but it had been shattered long ago.

At least, that's what Master Hand said.

It was this bond that had brought him here, to the newly rebuilt Royal Library. As of late, Cimar had been feeling… strange. There would be occasions where he would simply be sitting down to dine one second and the next thing he would become aware of, he would be waking up in a bed three days later. What was more, he had also been lately have bouts of nausea, not at all helped by the fact that his Triforce Hand was throbbing so harshly it hurt.

It was a nuisance, in fact, when it came to searching for a book. Every time he tried to choose one off the shelf before him, he would always be forced to drop it. He would then have to clutch his hand, biting back the pain until it faded, then pick up the thing again. It was a vicious cycle, one which he knew he could never win.

Thunk!

Cimar's pointed ears twitched slightly at the noise. He had been developing a migraine as well, after having to argue with the fools on the Royal Council- which thankfully did not include his King- against the use of chewing gum rather than cement to hold citizen houses together. Frowning in annoyance, he let out a low sigh.

"Rinku, I know it's you. If it's about that rematch, I'm going to have to decline," he turned around. "I have a serious mi-"

There was no one behind him.

The Royal Advisor gritted his teeth in annoyance. "Rinku, now is not the time to play games. I am quite irritated…"

No answer.

"Rinku? Do you hear me?" Cimar asked. "I'm not here to play games!"

Silence.

"… Rinku…? Your Highness? Are you there?"

The light pattering of footsteps answered him. A flash of something metallic caught the candlelight for a brief moment before it disappeared. Cimar's pointed ears twitched with every sound, his heart hammering in his chest as his hand clenched and unclenched. A faint heat spread through his sweaty palms as he readied Din's Fire.

The footsteps suddenly stopped somewhere off to his right. Cimar's breath caught in his throat as his eyes shifted in that direction. This was it. It was now or never. If he did not react quickly, he would be dead in seconds. Counting each and every beat of his racing heart, he whirled around and unleashed the Sacred Flame.

"DIN'S FIRE!"

A flash of silver clouded his vision. This was soon followed by a searing pain right across his palm. Before Cimar knew what was happening, he was crying out, clutching his hand as blood spurted from the deep cut across his palm. But if there was one thing the former Guardian of Zelda could be known for, it was keeping a clear head. Desperately fighting through the intense pain from the cut and the Triforce, he turned tail and dashed into the nearest set of bookshelves.

He could hear the sound of rushing wind as his attacker unfurled powerful wings and took off after him. With every step he took, he could clearly hear the sounds of his pursuer gaining on him. Summoning every bit of energy he had left, he whirled around and unleashed yet another Din's Fire…

Only to have it reflected back at him!

Cimar was thrown off his feet, the sacred flames licking his heels. A new cut opened up on his right cheek where his face had scraped against the floor. He rolled over on his back, watching in horror as his pursuer landed before him. A golden blade, covered in scarlet, gleamed menacingly in the uncertain light.

"Y-You…" Cimar stammered, his voice no louder than a whisper. "Y-You… you're supposed to be… dead…"

"I am dead, boy," his attacker sneered. "I am dead and alive!" the voice Cimar knew him to possess in life was… different. There was a snide quality to it, an almost childish tone. Yet underneath all of that, he could feel a coldness that could only come right out of the tomb itself.

"I-I… I don't-"

"Don't believe, do you, Little Cimar?" the thing before him taunted. "Thank you're so knowledgeable? Well, how about I tell you about your little friend, hm? See, he may be King of Hyrule and all, but in the end, he's just like everyone else. He cried when I was finishing him off, can you believe that? The guy with the Triforce of Courage! He cried!"

Anger roared through his veins. Rinku? Crying? There was no way. Summoning up everything he had, he found his voice.

"You lie!"

"Me? Lie? Well duh, of course I lied… about the part of finishing him off, at least. See, I think it'd be much better if I finish you off first, then make you finish him off, you know?" the creature nodded. "Yes, I do believe that is what I will do…"

Cimar spat at it. "I will not go down without a fight! And I would never kill my King!"

"It's disgusting, you know," the creature remarked. "The way you two are oh so loyal to each other and stuff. I think I'm breaking out in hives just thinking about it." Cimar saw it shift slightly as it dragged something into the light. "You know, I'll be nice and let you two say your final goodbyes…"

Someone with golden hair and bloodstained clothing was thrown right next to Cimar. Dressed in garments of forest green and crowned with a simple gold circlet, Rinku looked every inch a King. But with his clothes and face splattered crimson, he looked little more than a soldier fresh from battle.

Cimar gasped. "No! My King!" he grabbed Rinku by the shoulder, shaking him fervently in an attempt to capture a response. "Rinku! Rinku please, answer me! Rinku!"

The former Guardian of Link coughed, slowly opening his eyes. Cimar let out a low sigh of relief as Rinku stirred. Such relief was soon replaced by anger and fear as their attacker raised his blade.

"… Any last words, Guardian of Zelda?"

Cimar bit his lip. Yes, he did have some last words. He couldn't use them before, since he would never abandon his fellow Guardian to this monster. But here was Rinku, and here he was. He glared defiantly at their attacker before he opened his mouth, allowing Ancient Hylian to flow forth.

"… Oh youth, guided by the servant of the goddess…"

A deep, rumbling sound came from their attacker. It was all too evident that he was laughing. Cimar continued, undeterred, knowing that if he did not complete the spell, all would be lost.

"Unite earth and sky, and bring light to the land…"

"Oh youth, show the two whirling sails the way to the Light Tower…" the voice was weak, strained so that it was little more than a whisper. Cimar looked to his King, an encouraging smile crossing his features as he continued to speak.

"And before you a path shall open…"

Their voices rose in pitch and volume as they sent this prayer to their goddesses, a biting wind surrounding them in a bubble. Their attacker, realizing what was happening, let out a cry of rage and charged. Cimar felt a rush of red hot magic flowing through him as his and Rinku's Triforces glowed, lifting their bodies into the air. As he saw worlds upon worlds rushing past him, he finished the final line.

"And a heavenly song you shall hear."

Want to play a part in GA2? PM me...

Existing Guardians: If you wish to revamp your character in any way, please let me know. Remember that seven years have passed.