The Legend of Zelda: Transient (third book in the Timeless series)

Chapter 10

He paced back and forth, a smile pasted on his face. Sure, it wasn't what he had originally wanted, but it was better. He couldn't pull the boy from him, because of the bond he now shared with the light nuisance. It was one of the few good things his son had done before he was taken from him. His parents may think he was a golden ray of hope that shined through in the dark times they were facing, but as he grew older they would be proved wrong, and Dayfos couldn't wait to see their own son betray them. He whispered the incantation he knew well under his breath, and the air above his raised claw shimmered and shifted, a man coming through the fog and looking around and things unseen with an irritated expression. The ends of his once-honey hair were black, as were the tips of his ears. One eye remained the grey-blue it has always been, but the other had long given in to the beautiful bright red Dayfos' children had once bore. The Dark King grinned. This look into the future of the irritating hero's son brought him satisfaction. He couldn't wait for the years ahead.

Now, all that was left was to make sure his pathetic excuse of a father didn't have a chance to influence him.

~~~

Erick sat alone inside his closet, ignoring the calls of his mother. The demon he saw before kept flashing behind his closed eyes, somehow managing to morph into something more frightening each time.  Tears stained his frozen face. Somewhere, back in the far corners of his mind, he was aware that his mother sounded distressed. Even though he knew that she was panicking, who was most likely assuming the worst at this point, he couldn't force himself to move. He needed her comfort, though, so after a few more minutes, he managed to squeak out,

"Mom. I'm here." It wasn't very loud, but it was clear that she heard it,

"Where?" She called, her voice a mixture of relief and leftover fear. He slowly pushed the door open, and she was over to him in an instant, "Oh my goddesses," She breathed, pulling him into her arms quickly. He sagged against her, insanely grateful for her comfort, "What happened to you?" She asked as she picked him up and brought him out of the closet, carrying him over to the bed. He pulled back and looked at her intently. Confusion blossomed in her eyes,

"How do I know you're actually her?" He asked quietly, pushing slightly away from her,

"What are you talking about Erick?" She asked. She looked concerned. He then remembered what the beast had told him while it was still cloaking itself as his mother,

"Your sense of foreign magic and danger is well advanced. I expect you'll far surpass your parents at that skill. Something to treasure."

He grabbed her hand and looked at her eyes, which were wide with worry and confusion. Her hands were warm and gentle in his, but more than that, he noticed that there was an absence of energy that had washed over him with the monster. After a moment, he relaxed. He believed with every ounce of his being that he was finally reunited with his true mother. He then wrapped his small arms around her neck,

"What was that? What happened?" She pressed again after several long moments, putting her hands on his shoulders and looking at him,

"I was playing, a-and the maid...The maid! Is she okay? Is she back to herself?" He asked, worried for her. Zelda nodded,

"Don't worry, she's alright. We found her unconscious in the kitchen. She's been brought back to her quarters, and she's being attended to right now." He felt like she was leaving something out for his sake, but he didn't press. Instead he nodded, taking a deep breath.

He then told her about what happened, and she listened intently, silent tears visibly pricking at the corners of her eyes. When he had finished, she hugged him again,

"From this point forward, I want to be with you at all times. I will protect you from this ever happening again." She assured him, brushing his growing hair out of his eyes,

"But Mom, it looked exactly like you! How will I know?" He asked, and she thought for a moment before getting up and walking over to a nearby dresser,

"I haven't worn this in ages," She murmured as she looked through it's contents. When she returned to him, she had a pendant in her hand. It had a bright blue orb being clutched by the claws of a metal owl in flight swinging from the end of the chain. The orb seemed to glow once it touched her skin, seeming to awaken in response to her,

"This pendant was given to me when I was a small child. It was blessed to me by the most powerful sorceress to protect me. I stopped wearing it when Ganondorf took the land, because I had lost hope, and then it was lost for a great time. Luckily, it was returned to me a few years ago. I had hoped the worst of this situation was behind us, for your sake, but it appears I was wrong. This will shield my mind from any intruders, and heal me to a small extent. It also is impossible to clone, so if I am impersonated again, you will know it is not me, because they will not have this." She then clasped it around her neck, and it shone brighter for a second before resuming it's previous state, "Now, come with me."

"For what?" He asked as they stood up,

"To have one created for you." She said simply, and he nodded,

"Why is there an owl?" he asked as they walked,

"An owl represents who I am as a person. Some call it a spirit animal. Yours will likely be something different. " She answered,

"Does dad have one to protect him too?" He then asked. She nodded,

"His is a wolf. No surprise there." She chuckled,

"Will I ever get to see him as a wolf, Mom?" he asked, grinning. He had always thought it was the coolest thing that his father had been able to transform into a wolf, but he had never showed him.

His mother hesitated before finally answering,

"I don't know. Certain...circumstances happened with a dear friend of his, so the ability for him to transform into the beast is now questionable." She said sadly, looking down at him. He nodded, not sure how to answer.

After a few minutes, they walked into the stables. A man looked over from brushing the Queen's mare, confusion clear on his face,

"Your Majesties?" He asked, bowing quickly,

"Could you prepare my horse, please?" She asked. He nodded and walked away quickly.

"Where are we going?" Erick asked, looking up at her. She smiled slightly down at him,

"To see an old friend,"

Sooooo sorry everyone!! This has been a ridiculously long wait for this chapter, but it's the same excuse as it's always been- super busy! I had just enough time to finish up this chapter, though! It was kind of slopped down, so sorry DX. In the next chapter, I'll be introducing an OC of mine, so I hope you all like her!! The picture included with this chapter is all of their pendants, so ya, spoilers I guess for Erick's spirit animal. Oops XD The only thing changed is Link's gem is a bright green, and Erick's is a white, but it will darken as he ages, until it will swirl with black and white at adulthood. Also, I'm still planning on putting up concept art for him, but of course it's taking me awhile to finish lol sorry again!!

I think that's everything! Thanks!!

-Miki