Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction ❯ Happy Nation ❯ Enter Talon ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Zelda series. Although some characters are mine.

A/N: A special thanks to my reviewer, Biggoron, your comments are much appreciated. Here's chapter 5.

Happy Nation

Chapter 5: Enter Talon

Damien's aunt placed a hand on the door of the old warehouse. She had seen her nephew enter the building, after leaving the cemetery, earlier. “I hope he's still here.” She said as she pushed the door open. The rusty hinges creaked as moonlight flooded the room.

The moment the door was open, she was overwhelmed with a terrible odor. She quickly covered her nose, blocking out as much as she could. As she entered the room, her hand dropped to her side and her eyes grew wide. The sight that greeted her was appalling.

Disembodied corpses littered the dirt floor of the warehouse. Blood still seeping from large gashes in the carcasses. They were all in pieces, decapitated and disemboweled. She gagged and choked as she struggled not to vomit.

Taking a deep breath from behind her shaky hand, she proceeded to try and find her nephew. “Damien?” She managed to choke out as she waded through the rancid mess.

In a cold, dark corner of the warehouse, Damien raised his head to listen. He had heard the voice again, “Damien? Where are you?” It called weakly. Could it be the man from his dream coming to get his answer?

`I need to get away.' He thought frantically. He looked around him, calculating a possible escape route. Where could he run? He froze… remembering something his mother had told him.

(flashback)

“Damien,” the woman began, holding her young son tightly in her arms. The boy looked up at her, signifying that he was listening. She smiled down at him and continued. “You remember when you asked me about your father's death, don't you?”

The boy nodded, now looking forward. “Yes,” he answered, his eyes directed toward a picture of his father hanging on the wall. His mother placed a warm hand on his cheek, “And you told me that he died from an illness.” His mother's body tensed; Damien turned to look his mother in the eyes. “Are you alright?” He asked her worried.

She smiled and answered, “Yes, I am alright.” She lowered her gaze and sighed. “But…” she paused to look at the picture of her late husband. “I must clear something up about that, son.”

The boy looked confused, “Clear what up, mother?”

“About your father's death.” She answered softly. Looking back at her son, she saw the confusion in his eyes. “He did not die from an illness. In fact, he did not die at all.”

Damien was shocked. “So, all this time, my father has been alive, and you never told me? You lied to me?”

His mother nodded her head sadly, “Yes, but you must understand, Damien. Your father was not… normal when he left.” She stroked her son's pale cheek and went on. “Over time he had become obsessed with this far off land. He began speaking of conquering it and becoming its king. But, not a good king. He desired to be the dark master of the land. To bring chaos where there once was order. He wanted to rule over its people using fear instead of trust.” She looked at her son. “Do you understand why it was unsafe for him to stay here, Damien?”

The boy was wide-eyed. Tears streaming down his now flushed cheeks. “But, why?” He wiped away the tears, “He looks completely normal in all the pictures you have of him, Mother?”

His mother sighed and got to her feet. She took a wooden box from her bedroom closet and pulled a picture out of it. As she handed him the picture, she said, “This is what your father looked like when he left.”

Damien gasped, this man in the portrait was not his father. He didn't even look human. His skin was a dark green, his eyes a fiery orange. His red hair spiked up like low flames and he had a sinister smile across his face. “No,” Damien said, in a shaky voice. “That is not my father!” He threw the picture to the floor and fled the room.

(end flashback)

His father had left him to conquer the light in another world. But… why?

Damien was brought out of his thoughts by a hand placed softly on his bony shoulder. He looked up, fear in his eyes, to find his aunt standing over him. Concern plastered across her pale features. “Are you hurt, Damien?” She asked. When he shook his head, she pulled him into a tight hug.

He looked around, over her shoulder and tears welled in his eyes once more. This had been his doing; he was responsible for the chaos that had taken place here. He cried himself to sleep into his aunt's shoulder as she carried him out of the old warehouse.

She took him to her home and laid him on the guestroom bed. She placed a damp cloth on his forehead to try and lower his temperature. For the rest of the night, she sat at his side, stroking his cheek, until she too fell asleep.

(Dream Sequence)

Damien stood in the large field once more; it seemed peaceful again. The sky was blue and the sun shined brightly from behind a light cloud. He was in the center of the field, this time. A tall circular stone wall stood around what appeared to be someone's home.

He stood on a dirt path leading to the entrance to the property. A sign stood at one side of the path, at the other, there was a tall fir tree. The sign read, `Lon Lon Ranch'.

“I wonder if anyone lives here” he said as he entered the ranch. There was a two-story house on the left and a large barn on the right. A wooden fence stood in the middle of the grassy pasture. Horses stood inside the fenced area, accompanied by a young red-haired girl who was singing a song. One young horse seemed quite attached to the girl.

As he walked toward the fenced area, he was intercepted by a rather large man with messy black hair and a black mustache. He wore purple overalls with patches in the knees, and a red shirt. He also had a strange charm at his neck.

“Hello.” The man said, a huge smile on his face. “The name's Talon.” He held out his massive hand. Damien placed his much smaller hand in Talon's and the large man shook hands with the small boy. Damien had to hold himself as still as possible so he wouldn't get knocked down by the sheer force of the gesture.

“Nice to meet you, sir. My name is Damien.” He told Talon upon freeing his now sore arm.

“I see ya've spotted my little girl.” Talon slapped Damien on the back. “Perty little thing, ain't she?” He said with a wide grin. Before Damien could answer, Talon grabbed his arm and pulled him into the house.

There were chickens scattered around the floor. They clucked loudly as Talon entered the room. “These are my cuckoos.” He said proudly. He turned to face Damien, now holding three of the chickens in his massive arms. “Say,” he began, his eyes sparkling, “would ya like to play a little game?”

Again, before Damien could answer, Talon shouted, “O'course ya would, my boy.” He walked over to the staircase and sat on the bottom step. “This is how it works, then.” He began, petting one of the chickens. “These are my prized cuckoos, my super cuckoos,” he gestured toward the three chickens he held, “if you can pick `em out of a flock of cuckoos in 30 seconds, then you win.” He grinned even wider than before. “So, what d'ya say, ya wanna play?”

“…okay…” Damien answered quietly.

“Great!” Talon cried. “Get ready, then.” He blew a whistle and the three chickens scattered into the group. “GO!”

Damien scrambled, picking up a bunch of chickens and throwing them back if they were incorrect. “That's one of `em!” Talon yelled excitedly. Damien scurried around the room picking up more chickens. “That's two!” Talon cried. Damien hurried around the room, bustling through packs of annoyed chickens. “That's three!” Talon shouted. “You win m'boy!”

Damien walked over to Talon, who once again, held his prized chickens. “Well, that was fun… I guess.” Damien said, short of breath.

“O'course it was!” Talon slapped him on the back again, this time knocking him to the floor. “Since you won the game, you get a prize.” He placed a large finger on his chin, squinting his beady eyes in thought. “I've got it!” He exclaimed. “How's about marryin' my little girl?” Damien stared at him, in shock.

`You'd marry your daughter off to the first person who comes along that can pick out your cuckoos from a flock?' Damien thought, confused. “No, thank you.” He answered, to Talon's disappointment.

“Oh,” Talon began, with a frown. “Well, then. How's about a bottle of our famous Lon Lon Milk instead?” Talon held out a large glass bottle of milk to Damien. “Go ahead! Take it, m'boy!”

Damien took the bottle of milk and examined the label. It read, `Lon Lon Milk' in large red letters. “Thank you.” Damien smiled at the man.

“Ya're very welcome, m'boy!” Talon grinned back at him, “Ya've earned it!” He stood and walked over to a small table. Pulling out two chairs; he sat in one and gestured for Damien to sit in the other. The boy sat next to Talon.

“So,” Damien began, “Your milk is… famous?” He asked confused, still examining the bottle.

“Sure, it is.” Talon bellowed, excited that someone was interested.

“Why?” Damien asked, looking at Talon. “Is there something special about it?”

“Well,” Talon furrowed his brow in thought, “I s'pose it's `cause ours in the only milk in Hylia.”

“Oh,” Damien began… wait. He looked at Talon again, “Hylia? Is that the name of this land?”

“Yep, sure is.” Talon answered. “Ya're not from `round these parts are ya?” He asked.

“No, I'm not.” Damien said sadly, tears began to well in his eyes. “I don't know how I got here, or even why I am here.” He placed the milk on the table and whipped his eyes with his shirt sleeve.

“C'mon now. Don't cry m'boy.” Talon rubbed Damien's back with one of his massive hands. “It'll be okay.” He thought for a moment. “Hey!” He exclaimed. “I've got a great idea!” Damien looked up at him, “Ya can stay here with us as long as ya're gonna be here.”

Damien stared at him. “That would be great, thank you.” He took a deep breath and smiled at his new host.

“C'mon,” Talon stood and walked to the door. “I'll introduce ya to the rest o the family.” Damien followed Talon out the door to meet his family. He was smiling the whole way; he finally felt like he belonged somewhere.

End Chapter.