The Legend of Zelda: Darkness Within

[ZeldaMaster]

Well, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! May I present you with Chapter 5!!!

Chapter 5-


    Zelda awoke to the sight of a small campfire working hard to fend off the cold night air bring warmth to its makers. Zelda was still a little groggy and this sight pushed her into a state of daydreaming, she was reminded of the first time she had ever set foot outside the castle walls. Her nurse and bodyguard Impa, had thought it time she saw some of the outside world. She did not take her very far, only to the lone tree outside of Kakariko Village. Impa pitched a tent and made a campfire much like the one in front of Zelda at this very moment. As they sat there Zelda listened to marvelous stories of the Sheikah  and their long service to the royal family of Hyrule. She also heard stories of the tragic Imprisoning war and the dark times that led to most of the Shiekah's deaths. This sudden revelation brought Zelda back to reality, to realize that Impa was gone and this was not a childish camping trip. She took a brief moment to grief the loss of her beloved nurse, then moved on. She brought her hands up to wipe the lone tear rolling down her cheek, and when she lowered it she did not see friendly faces looking back at her, rather she saw the faces of a very large man and that of a more slender one in black robes.

    She looked at the man staring back at her until he finally spoke "Hello Princess. Are you feeling alright?" Zelda studied this man until she was satisfied she was not in any immediate danger, then she replied "I have a minor headache, but other then that I am feeling fine." The black robed man then replied"Good I'm glad." Her paused and looked off into the distance, then continued to speak "I suppose you are wondering who we are. My name is Sashani and my counterpart here is Crion.I am a wizard of the Order of Black Robes. I was also a member of the Thieves Guild in Terminia not two years back." He was about to end all conversation there when he saw the confused look upon the princesses face. "You have a question Princess?" He asked. Zelda nodded her head and said "I didn't know any of the Orders still existed. I thought they vanished years ago. Are they really still around?" Sashani put on a shifty grin and said "Oh yes Princess, they are very much so. Everything from the Red Robes to the White Robes. In fact, the only ones that have vanished are the Silver Robes that served the Royal Family." Zelda didn't except this information immediately, but after some pondering she finally accepted it as fact.

    She then noticed that the large man named Crion was no longer present in camp. She was about to announce her discovery when Crion came lumbering out of the woods clutching his shoulder, form which three arrows were protruding. Sashani ran to Crion and helped him remove the embedded arrows using a small healing spell to speed his recovery. Once he was tended to, Sashani put out the fire and said "We have to move from here Princess. Goblins attacked Crion on his watch and are headed this way. So please, do not resist us." The Princess really didn't think she had a choice in the matter because Crion roughly hoisted her on his good shoulder and ran off.

  They stopped a few miles later and hid behind some rather large rock formations. Sashani was panting heavily as he peered over the boulders "Damn! They have Boar Riders!" He said as he came back down. He looked at Crion and then at Zelda "Crion we need to buy ourselves some time. Zelda stay here and wait for our return. If we do not return...run." Sashani ended his statement by hurling himself over the boulder and sprinting towards the goblins. Zelda watche anxiously as the wizard and his brute charged towards the goblins. Strangely she felt an attachment for her captors and did not wish for them to die. She coudl not understand it, but something was odd about these two. She tore herself from her thoughts and turned to watch her captors battle. She saw Sashani torch a Boar Rider with his Din's Fire and Crion ripped apart three archers limb from limb. Sashani flipped over Crion and unleashed his deadly flames on two helpless goblins. Crion then smashed into a boar rider about to rip the wizard apart. Zelda marveled at how well the two worked together, They protected each other almost flawlessly! After about two more hours of the battle the two returned. "I was so worried that you might actually..." Zelda caught herself. Was she actually sympathizing with her captors? She looked at Sashani and he answered her with a wry grin and said "Don't worry Princess. Crion and I can take care of ourselves just fine. But we can't afford your sympathy as we must be going. There is a river not 5 miles from here, we will meet our ummm...uh..transportation there." He quickly avoided further explanation by motioning to Crion and running off.

  This trip was a bit more enjoyable for Zelda because she was not thrown over Crion shoulder, he just merely let her sit atop his shoulder. After two hours of the journey they at last came to a shimmering river.  Zelda couldn't recall this river on any of the maps in Hyrule, but figured she must have just overlooked it. When they got to the bank she was told to sit by the bank and wait until they called her. There wasn't much else for her to do really, save for watch the wildlife and her captors go about whatever chore they had. She saw Sashani take an odd whistle shaped like a serpent's head out of his pocket and begin playing it. It let out a calming but shrill call that went right into one's very being. She wondered what it was for, and her answer was not long in coming. For a few moments after the whistle had been blown a bluish gray creature descended from the clouds. It looked like a serpent, but it had four legs and two large wings. Perched atop the creature was a man wearing black armor. He said something to Sashani then turned back to his saddle. Sashani came to Zelda and found her paralyzed with awe. "What's the matter Princess? Never seen a dragon before?" He said playfully. Zelda tore her eyes from the dragon and said "Well...I...I haven't seen a dragon in Hyrule since Volvagia, and I have certainly never seen a man riding one!" "Well Princess, the dragons have always been in Hyrule, they have just been very elusive. You see after Volvagia's defeat the dragon's influence on the population ended. The people no longer had a fear for them and the result of this was the death of many more dragons. If you people had any sense at all after the dragonfear had been broken you would have allied yourselves with them and harnessed their great power. But instead you chose to kill them rather then embrace them." Sashani responded. Zelda felt shocked and a little offended by Sashani's remark. She shrugged him off and began to wonder what else had kept itself hidden form the knowledge of the Hylians. 

  Her thoughts were interrupted by the large hands of Crion hoisting her on top of the dragon. "Everybody hold on tight!" The dragon rider said. Almost as if rehearsed the dragon reared its head and flapped its great wings until it had risen off the ground and taken flight. Zelda looked in awe at how beautiful Hyrule looked from the air, she continued to do so until it seemed a cloak had been thrown over the sun and blanketed the land in a dreary black silence. Sashani turned to Zelda with a pained look on his face and said "Zelda we are no longer in Hyrule. Where we are is of no importance, what is is that you must know that the master will probably not treat you kindly or well. You must be prepared for whatever he does to you...are you ready?" Zelda was about to answer when she was interrupted "We have arrived!" The dragon rider said. As he said this a large dark castle appeared in front of them. Zelda was rendered speechless.

  As Zelda flew to what seemed her impending doom, Link regained his consciousness.....

 

[Ales]

hmm interesting...i wonder who this master is. Also judging from what i've seen so far this story seems to take place in the adult timeline...am i correct?

This also had my thoughtsgoing to Eragon with the dragon rider and all(but that's quite obvious why )

Now i'm also wondering if Link has gone permanently evil or not so i'm REALLY looking forward to your next chapter ;D

[ZeldaMaster]

Well, to your Eragon comment. Its not like in my fan-fic only "chosen ones" can be dragon riders, anyone can. I mean what else are you going to call someone who rides dragons? But it seems this chapter left a lot of questions in the reader's minds, maybe they will get answered soon...or maybe some will wait for chapters to come.

Next chapter will hopefully be up this week.

[Hyruleansoldier]

Teh suspense! I like what you did with the story, ZM. Keep up the good work! ^^

[ZeldaMaster]

Thank you for all the comments guys. I'm working on chapter 6 right now, so be looking for it over the next few weeks.

[Sheldon Cooper PhD]

Good work ZM!

BTW ZM: Our bet is now off.

[Ezlo's Apprentice]

Damn you two and your cryptic off topic messages.

Sorry it's taken me a while to get back with the feedback, ZM. Insanely distracted most days now. It's looking really good.

Zelda riding to impending doom... Impending doom is a much underappreciated plot device. Don't let us down.

[Sheldon Cooper PhD]

Trust me he wont.....

[ZeldaMaster]

I appreciate your input guys, I am working hard on chapter 6 so I hope it doesn't let you guys down.

[ZeldaMaster]

Well here is Ch. 6 for those you have been waiting. Ch. 7 shouldn't be too far behind so keep on the look out.

Chapter 6-

   Link awoke with a start. He took a glance around and after much effort, still failed to identify his surroundings. The room was dark and cold. Despite temperature, he found himself sweating profusely with his head throbbing.Wiping his forehead with a clammy hand, his hair fell into his eyes. Normally he wouldn't have payed any attention to this, but this time the hair that fell into his eyes was not his normal blond hair, but it was white!  He began to perspire even more as he discovered more abnormalities. His tunic was not green, instead it was gray and covered with an armored breastplate. He saw a large sword lying next to him that was not his own and as he began to take in these changes, the room began to spin. He brought his hands to his face in an attempt to remove that which held him captive. He pulled with all his might, but no matter how hard he pulled, The Mask would not release him. The Mask; that Fierce mask. That Fierce Deity. Why wouldn't it come off? The thought left him bewildered. He was left in his confusion for only a short while because he heard a dark voice in his mind ".....I thank you, my dear Link. You have awakened me and at last  allowed me too return to this world on my own terms." Link, now accustomed to this voice, did not hesitate to answer it "I don't understand. Who are you? Why are you in my head?" Link appeared to be answering himself when the voice spoke "Why Link! Are you really that stupid? I am the Fierce Deity. I am  not in your mind.....but in you very soul!" At that moment Link sat straight up and arching his back in pain, let out a horrible scream. He rose from his bed with a menacing laugh, grabbed the sword and proceeded to leave the room.

   This structure appeared to be an inn, and as he entered in to what looked like a bar, the innkeeper walked up to him and said "Oh it's you......." His statement was cut short by a sword run through his chest and the gurgling of blood in his throat. As the man fell, Link shouldered his blade and let out a heinous laugh as he made his way outside the inn.

    "M'Lord, there have still been now signs of the princess. Many of the soldiers are getting the notion that she is no longer in Hyrule." The King, Daphnese Nohanssen Hyrule II looked at his general with worried eyes. After checking his emotions he said " General Memnon, are you most certain that your men haven't discovered anything? Anything suspicious or out of place?" The general felt a little offended by the king's questioning of his intelligence activities, but nonetheless he answered him with the respect due for a king "Well, my king, there was a scout of mine that reported on a blue dragon near the River Delta. What most interesting was that was that the dragon was ridden like a horse by a man in strange armor. Aside from that he picked up three passengers. One exceptionally large and well built, the other smaller and dressed in black robes. The third, was a girl appearing to be a prisoner dressed in a night gown." The general felt a little pride as he made his announcement, but when his gaze fell upon the red face of his king, he realized his mistake.

  "You lie! You say you know nothing and yet you know this crucial piece of information! Do you care not for your princess! Her life is in danger and you neglect her!" the king shouted, "Tell me Memnon, who would be wearing a night gown at midday?" Memnon did not answer in words due to his shock, he merely shook his head. "You don't know...you don't know!" The king responded "Well, allow me too fill you in. It is my Zelda! She was kidnapped in the black of night, and I can assure you she was not dressed and waiting for her captors!" The king paused for a moment to collect himself, then continued "Now that you realize you error, how answer you?" No answer. "How answer you!?" "My Lord!" Memnon shot in. "I sincerely apologize for my error, and I pray you give me a chance to regain my honor." The king smiled and said "Very well. I want you to lead 500 of you best soldiers and march in the direction that dragon flew. You will continue in that direction until you find Zelda. When you do make all haste back to Hyrule." Memnon grew pale and objected "But my lord, that is the Unknown. It could be..." "My orders are complete general!" The king interrupted. "You will leave at once." Memnon knelt on one knee and said "Yes my liege."

  The king of Hyrule watched as his general departed. Once he had gone, the king said to his guard "Guard, make sure all my appointments for today are canceled. I'm afraid all this excitement has left me ill, so I must retire." The guard nodded and left him to retire.

  King Daphnese made his way to his quarters. The room was dark and at a comfortable temperature. Good, I could use some sleep. he thought. He went to lie down and as he did so a lantern was lit. He abruptly turned around to confront his intruder. The intruder was sitting at his desk fiddling with a small dagger. He wore a black shirt and brown pants, atop his shirt he wore a brown breastplate adorned with a black cape. The king tried to get a good look at his face, but he wore a sort of mask over it. The intruder grew weary of the kings curiosity and spoke "Hello my good king....it's been a long time hasn't it?" The man removed his mask as he spoke. What the king saw under it made his heart pace quicken and fear grow in his mind. The intruder laughed and said "What's the matter? Have you grown so old, that you forget an old...how do you say...acquaintance?" The king stared into the man's eyes and uttered a single word ".....Ganondorf."

[Ezlo's Apprentice]

Who? 

Lookin good ZM. Lookin very good.

[ZeldaMaster]

Ha! I like the "who?". I'm glad that you are enjoying it EA and I hope that the rest of my chapters can still keep your interest.

[Hyruleansoldier]

Kuddos to you, ZeldaMaster!

I was glad to read the next instalment. Fierce Deity's back, and a great cliffhanger... Ganondorf.

[ZeldaMaster]

Glad to hear it HS, that was the effect I was looking for with the cliffhanger and all.

[Sheldon Cooper PhD]

Lookin good ZM!!

[ZeldaMaster]

Thank you, I am around the middle of Chapter 7 so it shouldn't be too far off.

[Sheldon Cooper PhD]

Have you forgotten us ZM?


Or do you just want me angry?j/k

I know yove been busy but please get it up sometime soon.

[Mr Goron]

You know, my fan fiction was originally going to be called the darkness within. But when i joined here, i saw you with this name so i changed it to sorrows of the wicked. i even had a banner made for it.

[ZeldaMaster]

Ok. Nice banner I will check it out. As for my readers, I sincerely apologize for the delay, I got so sidetracked and busy that I just sort of forgot to write. I am hoping it will be up in the next week or so.

[Ezlo's Apprentice]

Did somebody say "Kick"...?

How's it all going behind the scenes, ZM? I'm currently dangling from one of the finest cliffhangers in Zelda Fan Fiction history...