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The Mercenary (Beautiful_Disgrace and I)

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Broomhandle45

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Tellius was a long, faded dream. But that was a good thing, he thought. It allowed him to see the world with fresh eyes. The Mad King was dead, Tellius saved from disaster...and all Ike wanted to do was travel. What a world it was out there, and someone of his talents had more than enough to get by. There were cultures and civilizations that he never thought possible, places that had never heard of Tellius, or others wondering what kind of language he spoke.

He had fought over a hundred battlefields for different causes, but the end result always was the same: he left when the job was done, and when he was paid. It was the true life of a mercenary, and there was no greater ally or partner than Ragnell. The massive sword rested against his shoulder in it's well used leather sheath, the sun beating off the tanned hide. All he had to his name was his armor and pack, his cape billowing gently into the wind. And so, Ike walked...with nothing but his own skills to keep him alive for camping and hunting. It was cathartic, something he desperately needed...he felt that he had lost his connection with who he was, what he wanted out of life. It was a bitter sweet realization that the life of the mercenary suited him...it was what he was, what his father was. He didn't want to lose that...and he felt selfish for simply leaving. But he knew Soren and Titania would have everything in good hands.

Here, Ike found himself in the land of Hyrule. A place he had never heard of, nor understood. His only knowledge of the name came from a passing merchant. The air was thick and heavy as he moved through the precarious and rocky path that surrounded Death Mountain. The clouds overhead were dark and foreboding, with a rumble of thunder that gave no rain. Ike wondered if it was a bad omen, but he would soon find the answer out for himself.

Heading further down the path was when he saw a gorgeous plain, spreading as far as the eye could see. Banners were raised at every angle and corner. Ike narrowed his eyes in curiosity as he moved down towards the valley, where he saw green skinned creatures chattering orders at one another, formations of them astride giant boars. That's when he realized that the clouds were not natural, because from them came creatures that he had never seen before...lancing magic into the opposite formation in dark bolts of energy.

His blue brows furrowed in thought, his cape whipping in the wind. He was never one to wade into a battle without knowing what was going on, but his gut churned, watching the display. He tightened his traveling pack against his back, and smoothly drew Ragnell out of the worn sheath. It's golden blade gleaming, he didn't hesitate as he moved down the mountain and leapt into the air. The green skinned Bulbin astride a boar had no idea what hit him as Ike sliced him in two and landed with a heavy thump. The back lines turned and scattered in surprise as Ike's eyes narrowed, and he readied his sword.

And suddenly, the front lines of the opposing side were not so heavily assaulted.
 
Queen Zelda was at the front of the Hyrulian army, leading her people into battle with Impa very close by, watching her back. She had extremely weary of this day, when Ganondorf decided to launch yet another attack on Hyrule. However, she would do everything she could to defend it alongside Link, the Hero of Time. He was an amazing swordsman, and an even better friend. However, he was only one man. If she truly wanted to protect her country from evil, she had to fight too. So fight she did, and the display of her skills was quite literally brilliant.

Flashes of light and magic exploded into the air as she used her greatest techniques to chip away at the force of bublin grunt soldiers on their boars. Her rapier was shining gold as it slayed dozens upon dozens of dark creatures, banishing them back ot the darkness where they belonged. Only she and Impa could take down so many of these little minions at once. So when Zelda saw another force mowing them down from the east, she was completely taken aback. As far as she knew, Link was defending the south gate and was no where around there. Had some other hero joined the fray?

"Queen Zelda, we'll hold down the fort here, if you want to check out what is coming from the East."

As if one of her best generals read her mind, Zelda gave him a smile. It seemed that he wanted to know who the surprise reinforcements were as well. She gave him a nod, and then started to make her way over to the east, slaying anything that attempted to get in her way. Since whatever had joined the fray was slaying the monsters so fast, it didn't take long for her to spot the source of all the destruction to the enemies forces. A single man, with blue hair and a brilliant sword. Zelda sensed great magical potential in that sword that rivaled the Master Sword.

She didn't have time to talk, as more grunt soldiers attempted to close in on those two. So, she had to deal with the oncoming wave, summoning her light magic once again. It took the form of a giant arrow, and it completely destroyed the platoon of enemy soldiers that were attempting to stop the new threat. For now, they had a chance to speak. "Warrior! May I ask your purpose is in joining this fight?!" She called out to him, keeping her distance but attempting to not look hostile. She didn't need a man of his strength to be an enemy, but rather an ally.
 
They just kept coming, in a steady stream of green and red beady eyes. Every swing sent handfuls of them flying, energy spraying across the ground. Ike had pushed himself towards the center, where the dark, swirling clouds seemed to be pouring out floating creatures that reminded him of demons. Arrows howled into the sky, sending small groups of them plummeting to the ground. This fighting was savage and ruthless, people were fighting for their lives out of desperation. The army on the opposite side was a competent group, they had to be...the enemies numbers seemed almost limitless.

It wasn't hard to catch the whip of blonde hair that was surging through the battlefield in a shower of light and swordplay. He parried a blow and slammed his Ragnell into the gut of the bublin, taking two with him as he drew it out in an arc of blood. There was another shrill hiss of a formation, and Ike turned to see them as a spear of bright, powerful light slammed into the group and obliterated them. He stabbed his sword on the ground, both to appear as if he was resting and to steady himself from his minor exertion. Whoever it was, she was beautiful. Clad in gilded armor and all manner of filigree. A noble? A Lord perhaps? He supposed it didn't matter.

"To fight," Ike said, pulling Ragnell out of the ground as a cavalry group of boar riding Bublins started to thunder through the central line to Zelda's forces, dirty spears pointed forward. Whatever these creatures were, they knew military tactics well enough. "At your service, my lady...we can talk payment later, where am I needed?" he said, Ragnell's blade starting to glimmer with energy. They were surrounding the two of them with a renewed sense of vigor...which meant that she was definitely someone important.
 
The mans answer surprised her. It was simplistic...but noble. He was a brave man, and obviously knew what side was to be on. Though he didn't strike Zelda as a hero of justice like Link. He was different, but noble nonetheless. She nodded and then looked towards the black clouds that these things were spawning from. She needed to take care of that before the enemies numbers were too overwhelming. "Very well, warrior. I need you with me. I am Queen Zelda. You may tell me your name at any time." She pointed her rapier at the source of the enemies reinforcements.

"That is where we are headed. I must destroy those clouds, or this battle will never end." Zelda took off, once again striking down any bublin that got in her way, but not letting any one slower down. She would need Ike to protect her while she gathered the necessary force to destroy the cloud with her magic. Impa and Link were better left where they were, if she pulled them away now there would be far more casualties, something that Zelda wanted to do her best to keep to a minimal. These creatures were not strong on their own, in fact their strength simply were in their numbers.
 
"Ike," He replied in return, following after Zelda. Not by choice, but mostly by her own doing. She was determined, interesting...a Queen who took to the field like this? Nontheless, he moved up with her as his blade struck down many. They were parting for them, but not because they wanted to do so...because they were reforming their ranks to attack them. Rushing headfirst into the battle, as Queen? Risky...reminded him of far too many people. "Mind yourself, your majesty." Ike said, even if he felt like it didn't matter. She was on her own mission right now...and his job? Well.

His job was the horde surrounding them as they drew closer to the thick, dark clouds hanging in the air. Ike held Ragnell in a two handed grip and took a step in front of her, ramming his blade into the fat gut of a rushing greenskin. They came in all shapes and sizes, it seemed. He tore the blade out and pivoted to his side, his swings hacking through them like wheat to be harvested. "Whatever you need to do, do it quick!"
 
Yes it was risky, but if this man got overwhelmed she would definitely have a back up plan. The magic she was gathering to destroy the cloud could easily be redirected to the enemy forces to blow them away. However, that would just lead to more enemies falling from the sky. Once she was in range, Zelda took a deep breath and then once again focused her magic into a single arrow. Though this one was much larger than the last she used to decimate the earlier platoon. It didn't stop there, however. Two smaller arrows appeared next to the middle one as she concentrated more energy into her attack. She ignored the bublins approaching in attempts to stop her, but she trusted this stranger to keep her safe.

"Hyaaaah!" Like a war cry, her voice pierced the air as she released the three arrows into the apex of the black clouds. For a moment, the arrows disappeared into the clouds. Though the a few seconds later the sky lit up brightly and the clouds dispersed almost immediately. Zelda's rapier reappeared in her hand, though it was not glowing like it did before. She had to recover that magic, and it would take a little while.

"Ike, let's fall back!" She called out to him as she stabbed her sword into the heart of a nearby enemy, killing it almost instantly and then going onto the next spot as she attempted to move passed them. She had succeeded in her mission but they needed to rejoin with their group. They were too far into the heart of the enemy alone.
 
Ike had seen a lot of insane magic in his time; but that was something else. He kept her well protected, the Bublins were unsure of what angle to actually approach the blue haired man as he cut down groups of them like he was harvesting wheat. His handband fluttered in the wind when the massive arrow plunged into the dark clouds, and suddenly...it was all the more clear just how many enemies there were on the field.

"Stay back!" Ike said, moving forward as Ragnell's blade started to glimmer brightly with energy. He swung it upwards with a focused cry, a shockwave of magical energy scattering the Bublins and parting a path for them. Ike didn't hesitate, because they were already piling in behind them and trying desperately to move in front, but Zelda's forces were pushing forward to give them a way through. He grabbed her hand and tugged her with him, pushing her forward. "Go! Go!"

He had lived a life of close calls...but running from an entire army with a queen on the battlefield? That was a new one on him.
 
Zelda was taken aback when she watched Ike send out such a strong shock wave of magic. Did that come from him? No..it was his sword. For this man to have such an artifact along with great strength and skill..he had to be some kind of hero unknown to Hyrule. Ike...that name sounded somewhat familiar as if she had heard it once before. But she couldn't place where she had heard it.

Her thought process was cut off when he grabbed her hand, being rougher than she was used to as he tugged her along. Then he pushed her, as if she couldn't stand and fight by herself. Even temporarily without her magic, Zelda could do well enough on her own. This man must not have known much about her, because he was treating her like she was fragile and in need of protection. It was true she needed him to escort her but only so she could concentrate or ridding the sky of that dark cloud that was summoning so many bublins.

Though she said nothing to him, she merely continued on so she could join up with her forces. It took a little bit and they had a few close calls, but they were out of the frying pan for now.
 
Ike was impressed by the competency of her forces. Waves of bublins crashed against their shields, but they held formation behind them as Ike was finally allowed to catch his breath. "A bold Queen to lead from the front," he complimented, resting Ragnell back on his shoulder. He was...different looking, compared to everyone around him. That was a stark realization when he finally had the moment to breathe. He noted that many of the men were similar to what he had seen everywhere else, but others had pointed ears like Zelda. There seemed to be no real difference or sense of difference around them...they all functioned equally. Tellius could learn a lot from this place...

But he was broader than most of them, and his hair was vastly unique compared to everyone else around him. Add that with his golden blade...and he stood out tremendously with his blue armor pieces with the rank and file Hyrule Army. Without the harassment from the air, the army was getting back into formation to meet the force head-on. Ike did not excel at strategy like his good friend Soren, but he knew an incoming rout when he saw it.
 
As soon as Princess Zelda regrouped with one of the generals, he asked if she was okay. She was a bit feisty in her words, but she let him know that she was fine and told him to focus on the battle at hand. She had stopped more reinforcements, but they still had a lot of monsters to clean up. Then she heard Ike's compliment and gave him a simple grin. "Help us win this battle, Ike. And we will have a handsome reward for you." She told him before her sword began to glow faintly once more. Her magic was returning, she needed to feed it by slaying more of these dark monsters.

That was her last order to Ike. He didn't need to particularly be anywhere, he just needed to help. Impa and Link were doing well on their own, and it seemed like the morale of her army boosted now that the sky was clear and an end of the enemy force could be seen. The battle raged on for what seemed like hours, but eventually the bublin army was wiped out. Zelda was exhausted, but once the battle was won, she was extremely pleased with herself. Ganondorf would not have his victory today.
 
Ike had seen a lot of charismatic women in his day, but she was something else. Perhaps it was the fact that she brought some kind of youthful, almost innocent air to a bloody, reality soaked battle. It lifted spirits, raised morale. But a job was a job, so Ike was back on the front lines within the hour to assist in the rout. Her men were hardy, and kept in pace with everyone else as Ike lead the way. By the time the sun was setting, the fields were filled with the bodies of the fallen.

It seems that Ike would have a very good reason to stick around as he flicked the blood off his sword and sheathed it, resting it against his shoulder, heading to the castle in the distance. Time to collect his first reward...
 
Zelda found Ike before they even got back to their castle. She had seen his skills first hand and she knew that he would be a wonderful asset to them. Not just in as a soldier but...well maybe he'd be willing to help her with something much more threatening then a massive army of Bublins. "Ike," Zelda called out when she joined him. Impa trailed after Zelda, though she hadn't revealed her presence to the Queen yet. "Thank you so much for your help. Once we get back to the castle, I will reward you for your assistance, but..." Zelda looked at him up and down. He was covered in blood.

"How would you like to rest for the night at my castle in addition to your reward?"
 
Ike scratched his cheek just a little in surprise, glancing down at the Queen. It felt more than a little strange...but it wasn't the first time he was taller than royalty. "...I'd be flattered, your majesty, thank you. It's been a long journey since I've slept in a bed." he said, tilting his head respectfully. "Who were those creatures? Why were they attacking?"
 
"Those creatures were Bublins. They are servants of Ganondorf, an evil man bent on taking over Hyrule. You're not from here, are you Ike? What land do you hail from?" Zelda asked him. Wherever he did come from, he definitely seemed to be used to speaking to royalty. Zelda eyed his sword once again. She seemed very interested in it and where he came from, but one question at a time for now.
 
"...Nowhere important," Ike murmured. "Somewhere far away...I've seen many places since then, each far more different than my homeland. Where I come from doesn't matter, I'm here now...and I will offer my services for as long as you need them, Queen Zelda. This Ganondorf sounds like bad news, especially if he can bring an army of monsters to your gates like that." Somewhere to rest for a while...it would be a nice difference, there was so much of him coming and going. He was hoping he'd be away from such...marked battles of good and evil, it made things complicated. But there was always injustice somewhere.
 
"I am glad to hear of this, Ike. I do have another mission that I think you are perfect for." Hmm, that was curious. Not wanting to reveal where he came from? Well, Zelda wouldn't push. The only thing she cared about was having him on her side. As they marched back to the castle, Impa decided to show herself to her Queen and this new stranger that apparently turned the tide of battle for them..at least sooner than they had expected.

"Queen Zelda," Impa said as she walked up to Zelda's side, eyeing the stranger with a suspicious look. She didn't trust outsiders, and this man was definitely not from this land. "Are you alright? Who is this man?"
 
"Nobody important, just a mercenary," Ike said after a moment, sizing her up. That was...a tremendously large sword she had on her back, more importantly...where in the world did she come from? He didn't feel as if they were being followed and yet here she was. Something to keep an eye on, to be sure. A place that seemed so idyllic and peaceful housed powerful warriors, he supposed there had to be in order to maintain that peace.

It probably didn't hurt that the Queen appeared to be strong herself, either.
 
"..Is that right?" Impa asked, though Zelda immediately changed the subject.

"Ike, this is Impa. And yes, I'm alright. I did do something reckless, but it had to be done, and I felt this man was capable. Look at his sword, Impa. Does it not look like a powerful sword that a hero would wield?" It seemed like Zelda was attempting to justify her reckless behavior. Impa was probably someone who normally stayed by the Queens side, but in such a dire situation she had to separate.

"...Sure. I guess. Though it seems a bit odd that he just came out of the blue to save us."
 
"I just did what anyone would do in my situation," Ike assured. "I expect nothing other than my payment for services rendered." As much as he had no honest reason to hold secrets from them, it was less about keeping a secret and more about maintaining his anonymity. There was a simplistic, almost childlike pleasure in being an unknown mercenary again...like when his father had ran the Greil Mercenaries. He could be whatever he wanted here, he could take whatever payment and they would accept it. He would not force a village to think he needed all of their life savings to dispel a group of unruly bandits...he could be...himself, in the most purest since of the word.

And he would keep that for anything. Zelda, however...had different ideas. She looked at him differently, like she saw true potential. Or she saw what Ike really was...neither of which were very appealing to him. But he supposed he had to stop running from it eventually. That didn't mean he was going to speed up the process. "Your graciousness to me is too much, Queen Zelda. I don't need any special praise."
 
"Of course you don't need special praise," Zelda said with a bit of sarcasm in her voice. This man definitely interested her, though she could sense the mistrust that had Impa glowering at the man. She couldn't blame her, mercenary types weren't very trustworthy around these parts. Especially when their enemy, or rather Zelda's arch nemesis had money to give just as much as they did. Still, Zelda trusted him, and she wasn't sure why.

"Impa, I need you to stay here with Link and guard Hyrule. I am going to hire this man to escort me on my journey. Gannondorf must be found and punished for his actions today, and no doubt the future actions he will be behind." When Impa opened her mouth to protest, Zelda held up her hand. "No objections. You are the best general I have. I can't afford to pull you away from here. Work with Link. I will be back soon enough."
 
Ike paused a moment to retard the two of them, before letting out a faint sigh. "...If that is your wish, your majesty. I will go with you." What was it with royalty and their desire to throw themselves directly into the worst possible situations? Still, Ike wouldn't berate her for wanting to take a proactive approach. And he really had no way to actually dispute her offer due to his previous desire of wanting to be as unattached to his status as possible. The worst double edged sword that he knew of.

"We leave tomorrow, then? It's been a long trip for me."
 
"Of course. I need to pay you for your service today, and of course...well we've been fighting for hours so I'm quite exhausted and you should be too. Even though you aren't showing it." Zelda seemed to be completely amused by Ike's passive attitude. He was obviously a hero but he didn't seem to want the recognition. It was definitely..interesting. Though, just because he didn't want it, didn't mean Zelda wouldn't show her appreciation to him. Especially through the generous amount rupies she planned to give him. Hopefully Link, who did everything for basically nothing, wouldn't get too upset. Though she didn't think he would. Mainly because he got whatever he wanted and needed from Zelda.
 
"My thanks, your majesty." Ike murmured, draping his sword over his shoulders with a heavy breath. Queen Zelda...eh? Following them towards the castle, which had a town nestled into the walls. It was easy to see why she was so dedicated. The people seemed to love her...Ike? Ike was just dreading what being her bodyguard actually meant...the last time he did that, well...it was a story and a half, to say the least.

But, now he was here...he felt as if he would help her anyway. She seemed determined to do it without help anyway, and Ike was just her excuse.

...He was getting a little too much deja vu already.
 
"Please, call me Zelda, Ike." She didn't like "Your Majesty" or "Your grace" or anything that implied she was higher than her people. Though she still had some people call her that. Zelda sometimes wished she could go back to her Princess days. It was less intimidating to others being Princess Zelda.

Once they got to her castle, she escorted Ike to the treasury room. She gave him ten red rupees. "I hope this payment is sufficient enough for your efforts today, Ike." She told him, not really sure if she was under paying him or overpaying him. This was really the first time she paid anyone for their fighting services.
 
He took his offered payment in mild surprise, examining the currency. Interesting, they didn't use gold...they used some kind of remarkably clean cut diamond of some sort? A crystal? They seemed to go in a rainbow of colors, and he felt like it would be rude to actually ask his payment until he knew more about Hyrule properly. "I take it you don't get many travelers...Zelda?" That was going to take some getting used to, on second thought...most of Hyrule felt like it'd be an adjustment. This place was vastly different from what he had usually traveled through.
 
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