Blessed

Chapter Three: Reincarnations

A/N: What is this? Two updates in two days??? (don't expect a chapter tomorrow)

Dedicated to haleyperkins23 

"F...Fate, that was your name, correct?" Ghirahim assumed, his brow furrowing slightly.

She gave a dip of her head, her crimson eyes seeming to glow softly. Her ivory cloak encompassed nearly her entire body, with a high collar, and her arms were stowed away temporarily within it. A dark line much like the one on the sword was etched into the bottom of it. Her ebony skin had the same metallic sheen as the sword she came from.

"Hello. Yes, the name given to me by my creator is Fate." She faced Link. "I sense that it's been a long time, Master - more than one hundred years, if I am correct. I was not aware that human beings were able to live for so long, but I sense that a few of your acquaintances have aged thus far, as well. Have you failed at what you were attempting?"

"M-Master?" Link spoke the words, his brow furrowing. For some reason, it seemed as though Ghirahim's mind pieced that word together with something - a light lit in his brown eyes, and he shot another glance at Link.

"Yes. My creator, Demon Lord Ghirahim, gave me the instructions to serve you. I've already relayed this information to you, Master Link. Have you forgotten?"

Link scowled. "Um...Fate... Let me fill you in a little. I got this sword from a merchant a couple years back after he found it set beside some warrior who died more than a hundred years ago. I just met Ghirahim last night under strange circumstances, and I've never spoken before then."

Ghirahim cleared his throat and examined his nails for a moment before doing the same. "I am called Ghirahim, but it is said that I am not the original, and that I merely look a lot like him. They always tell me I'm missing something, but they never know what. I had only ever seen flashes of Link in my dreams for weeks until finally finding him last night, again, under strange circumstances."

Fate paused to process the information, then gave a short nod. "I see. It seems there is a reason that neither of you recall your past memories. I doubt it would be a good idea to tell both of you the tale now, so I'll leave it for when I think you're ready. My apologies." Her crimson irises turned towards both of them in turn. "If ever you need me, just call my name." With that, she vanished from sight, returning to the sword that she came from.

Ghirahim let out a soft sigh. "Fate, what are we? Can you tell us that?"

"I sense that you are the same two people that I knew, my master and my creator, but your aura signatures are slightly different now. I didn't see the differences at first. The two of you are the reincarnations of Link and Ghirahim, from a little over one hundred years ago."

Link set the sword on the table and sat back down, noticing absently that the pain in his back had faded entirely. "Reincarnations?"

"Evidently," Ghirahim replied, sitting down next to him and resting his head on the blonde's shoulder.

"...sword spirit?"

The demon nodded. "I know the spell to make one, but I don't recall ever using it. I hear it's exhausting if you're not very powerful, and they never turn out well, but this one - she's flawless."

"Well, you created her, so clearly you must also be flawless."

Ghirahim chuckled. "I think 'fabulous' is the more accurate term." This he stated with a flip of his hair.

Link grinned in response. "I'd better go check up on Kiara's little brother." He sat forward and pulled on his shirt. "I'll be right back."

Ghirahim nodded, and Link started to head up the stairs. Jaden was walking out of his room, yawning and rubbing his eyes.

"Hi, Link," the boy greeted, holding his arms up in the air. Link pulled him up and started to walk back down the stairs, towards the kitchen. He realized now that it was getting late. The boy would want dinner.

He decided halfway down that he didn't mind much if Jaden met Ghirahim, so he gestured for the demon to stay when he started to go and mimed zipping his lips.

"You can't speak in front of the child?"

"Didn't I say that I'd never spoken until yesterday? He might freak out if I suddenly start talking to him after staying silent for the seven years he's been alive."

"Ah...right."

Jaden yawned again and Link guided him to the kitchen. The child hadn't yet noticed Ghirahim. "Did the burning stop? Are you okay now?"

Link nodded and shifted him into one arm, pulling out a chair by the table and setting him down before turning to root through the cabinets and quickly plan something to make for dinner, and maybe dessert. Something interactive that he would enjoy helping with while Link tried to figure out a few more things.

He decided on the pumpkin spice cake for dessert, since they had batter mix sitting in the cabinet, and spaghetti with meatballs for dinner.

Jaden finally noticed Ghirahim when he came towards the kitchen and offered to help.

"Link! Who's he?" Jaden squeaked, tugging at Link's sleeve. The blonde made a soft laughing noise, without vocals, as best he could.

"Hello, child," Ghirahim greeted, extending one of his gloved hands. "My name is Ghirahim. May I ask what yours is?"

"I'm not allowed to talk to strangers," Jaden hollered. "Stranger danger! Stranger danger!"

"I'm not a stranger," Ghirahim countered. "I just introduced myself, didn't I?"

Link rolled his eyes and Jaden stopped hollering. "Yeah...and you're friends with Link, right? So I can trust you. Right, Link?" The blonde nodded. The brunette, likewise, reached over to take Ghirahim's hand and shook it. "Nice to meet you, sir! My name is Jaden. He's my big brother and if you hurt him I'll make you pay."

The demon almost laughed at the idea. "Noted - not that I would dare. You underestimate his power."

"I don't think so. I've seen him help out the city people sometimes. When he helps no one gets hurt, so they ask him to a lot."

"Really?" Ghirahim turned to look at Link, surprised. "I've heard it's an honor to fight among the city guard here. They have few, so to be called in - do they pay you?"

Jaden answered before Link had the chance to mess something up. "He never comes home with any money, but they drop it off when he's not looking. Daddy doesn't make very much at work, so Link helps out lots. Mommy always says 'we'd never have this house if not for him'."

Link smiled to himself and turned away to fill a pot with water, then another one with spaghetti sauce, and set them on the gas stove to boil as they chattered.

Yes, being on the guard made him a lot of gold, but he never wanted to accept it. He wanted to help - and he especially didn't need it for himself, so he didn't want to just take it and go. Instead, he let them drop it off with Kiara's parents, and when they tried to give it to him he pushed it back and shook his head.

He knew that Kiara's father, Jo, struggled to find a steady job, and her mother, Lea, had no work experience, so it was difficult for them to earn money. Kiara was a mercenary for hire, same as Link, but, needless to say, she wasn't quite as naturally skilled as he was.

They had taken him in, so he felt like he had to pay them back somehow - and if it was giving them a bag of money after every battle, he was all too willing to do so.

He pulled out the package of noodles and slipped them into the boiling water. It wasn't long before he had finished the entire meal and stuck a plate in front of Jaden, then gestured to it and tilted his head to the side for Ghirahim.

"Yes, thank you," the taller man answered, accepting a plate and sitting down across from Jaden. Link sat next to the boy and they started to eat in relative silence.