A year has passed, nothing special occurred, the same pattern each day, a very enjoyable and fun life, once we are 10 we will start attending school, well, the Hyrule siblings will, I have no need for it but I still will follow them since, well, I may find another legend there, Leona will not attend any school, I guess out of fear of the Hakkesshu, Samus will too…if today wasn't that day
I long since learned of where her home is and how to get there, so when I took a shower after a good session of training, I was getting in my pajamas when…
"Master! Ridley has been detected! Full speed towards Samus home!"
-!!! Dammit!
Ridley…the space pirate, resembles an emaciated pterodactyl crossed with a dragon, had red glowing eyes and black scales…or were they purple? Either way, his…hands or claws I guess and feet consist of 3 fingers with very sharp claws, he also posseses a tail that is like a sharp blade, easily able to skewer and impale, he is a very cunning and dangerous foe…if that is what I will face, I can't afford to hold anything back, any trick I have will have to be played
I took my sword and leaped out the window and rushed down the emergency stairs, I found a lot of useful things in the supplies room of my home, including a real sword, thanks to my training with Rhoam, I can use it, so I pulled it out of my inventory and looked at my stats
"Eric"
"Rank: D"
"Age: 9"
"Strength: D"
"Agility: D+"
"Magic: E"
"Endurance: D+"
"Charisma: C+"
"Luck: F-"
"Perception: C+"
My training with Rhoam, Leona and my personal training has all paid off! So I rushed full speed towards Samus home, only to realize I was already late, the surroundings were on fire, once I saw that, I rushed in and saw my first opponent, some sort of Lobster man with an armor that was just like the space pirates!
"Space Pirate (Monster)"
"Rank: E+"
Nothing else? Fine!
The monster saw me and fired at me some lasers from it's claws, they were…pretty slow, I deflected the laser back at it and then sliced it in half, it died instantly, I…didn't feel anything after killing it, hell, I just kept going, too focused on saving Rodney and Virginia Aran, and possibly Samus too
I also saw other people fighting back, some with martial arts and others with weapons and even magic, I couldn't focus on them since the pirates were weak, but Ridley wasn't
I managed to get to Samus's home, it was half destroyed but I could see blaster shots, it's not too late yet!!
I rushed in and followed the blaster shots, the fire and smoke were suffocating but I didn't care, and once I reached them, Samus was being hugged by Virginia while Rodney was taking on Ridley like an absolute madman, (The man has guts!) I rushed in and analyzed Ridley
"SPACE PIRATE LEADER: RIDLEY (BOSS)"
"Rank: A"
A…I expected as much, Ridley is a legend too, evil perhaps, but a legend regardless, also, he does have black scales and his wings are red…regardless, I got behind it, jumped and sliced a wing, I couldn't cut it, but the fucker felt it as he roared in pain and looked behind, I sliced his eye as I was passing and landed right besides Rodney
-Uncle!
-Eric?!
I looked at Samus and Virginia who were also surprised, I smiled gently then turned around to face the angry dragon
-I lost my family already to something like you MONSTER, I won't allow my friend to suffer like that!
-I WILL SLAUGHTER YOU CHILD!!
Right he could talk! Whatever!
-Uncle! Fire!
I rushed to fight Ridley, and it went how you would expect, I got destroyed
Ridley used it's claws to give me shallow cuts, enjoying my pain and bloodloss, I sliced and sliced but all my attacks barely made Ridley react, Rodney kept shooting at Ridley but to no avail, the pirate was too strong, even at one point, impaling me with it's tail
-GAAAHH!!
-ERIC!!
They screamed my name as Ridley then tossed me aside like a rag doll, my entire stomach had been obliterated, I felt my consciousness hazy…my body was in so much pain…
"Master!! You can heal yourself remember! You should be able to heal your wounds once!"
[Right…Monica…thanks…]
I casted "Heal" and my stomach wound began closing, I coughed up blood but I opened my eyes
-That's…
-Magic…
Virginia and Samus were before me, Rodney also looked hurt… I had to get up
-Wait!
-I WON'T LET ANYONE ELSE DIE!!!
I rushed again to Ridley's shock and I managed to this time drive my blade deep in his left eye
-GRAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!
Rodney shot again and this time Ridley found himself annoyed
-PEST!
He grabbed my face and took to the skies, then did a U turn, lowered his height and I knew what would follow, so I prepared myself for ungodly pain
Ridley crashed my face against the floor and began dragging me through the floor, scraping my flesh and forcing me to scream in agony, this pain is unlike anything I have ever felt in my life, it was so atrocious, I actually wanted to die so it would end, but my will quickly shut off those thoughts and I once again stabbed Ridley
-HOW THE HELL ARE YOU NOT DEAD?!
-YOU WON'T KILL ANYONE ELSE!!!
Annoyed, he arrived back at Samus house and tossed me at Rodney, we crashed and got sent towards the wall
-Enough! DIE!!
He breathed his plasma breath attack and I forced myself up one last time
-FLARE!
Fire emerged from my hand and it matched Ridley's breath for a few seconds, but I was losing ground fast, until suddenly, I heard Rodney scream
-VIRGINIA!
Then a blaster hit Ridley, allowing my spell to consume him, for a second I thought we won, but once my spell ended, Ridley was there, looking annoyed
-ANNOYING INSECT! DIE ALREADY!!
I lost hope for a second but I refused to back down and prepared another spell but…
-Lord Ridley!!
Ridley looked back in anger at his subordinate
-Strong enemies are arriving! We need to escape back to the gate!
-WHAT?!
-We have to go!!
-DAMMIT ALL!!! I PROMISE YOU THIS YOU BUG! I WILL KILL YOU!!!
He said that while glaring at me before flying off, suddenly mages and warriors arrived fighting off the pirates, I turned around and looked at the family before asking
-…Are…you…ok…?
They barely could nod, likely disturbed by how absolutely decimated I was, I smiled rejoiced
-Then…I…did it…mom…dad…
Then, I fell, my consciousness fading
…
…
…
When I awoke, I was in a sterile white room, surrounding me were the Hyrule family and the Aran family, they looked concerned and sad, so I spoke up
-…Uncle…? Aunt…?
-! He is awake!
-Eric! Eric my boy how do you feel?
-…Like…Like I got dragged for…half a mile…
-Eric!
Suddenly I was pulled in for a hug by 4 people, the siblings and Samus, all hugged me in relief, but while it hurt a bit, I touched my face, I couldn't feel half of it
-Huh…?
It was bandaged
"Half your body was destroyed master, it's a miracle you didn't die after being dragged like that and overusing your mana you know?"
[…But it worked]
"It did, Rodney and Virginia have survived"
Oh thank Erizabeth…
I looked at them and smiled
-You…are ok…
-…We are…thanks to you boy
-Thank you so much…
Then I looked at Rhoam and smiled
-Your lessons…saved me…thank you uncle Rhoam…
His eyes became teary, clearly overwhelmed with pride before he pat my head
-You did well boy, very well
I gave a big smile as I checked Bonds
"Rhoam"
"88 (Like a son)"
"Rodney Aran"
"85 (Young hero)"
"Virginia Aran"
"88 (Young savior)"
"Samus Aran"
"90 (Fire of hope)"
[Fire…of…hope?]
"Your flames left an impact on the young heroine, as all hope seems lost when the plasma breath attacked, you miraculously got back up and used flames to combat that despair, eventually overcoming it"
Heh…good…
I looked at everyone still worried sick and smiled
-Sorry to…worry you
-What were you thinking boy?!
Rodney flared up
-You didn't think it was a bad idea to attack a monster like that?! Were you trying to die?!
-Dad! He saved us!
-It was luck Samus! Pure luck! Had the warriors not arrived we would have all died! What were you thinking?! You think your parents would want you to die?!
I pretended to be hurt for a second, earning Rod a glare from both Virginia and Hilda, but then I said
-No, they wouldn't
-Then why-
-Every day…I wake up alone…every day I walk to their bedroom…in a foolish idea, a fantasy that one day, they will be there…they will greet me with a smile like they used to…every day I go to their room…it's empty…I know they will never come back…but I still go there every day…every day I am reminded of what I lost to those monsters…it hurts…it hurts every day
Rodney now had a regretful look on his face as everyone else was looking at me with pity, and that is when I said
-That pain…that awful pain…
I looked at Samus
-I didn't want you to experience it
-!!
"Rodney Aran"
"95 (Hero)"
"Virginia Aran"
"95 (Heroic broken boy)"
"Samus Aran"
"120 (Fire of hope)"
"Rhoam"
"90 (Young hero)"
"Hilda"
"94 (Like a son)"
"Zelda"
"95 (Prince from fairy tales)"
"Impa"
"95 (Noble hero)"
"Link"
"95 (Role model)"
[Jeez…that's a hell of a jump…]
"You did just claim you nearly died just to ensure that Samus wouldn't have to endure the pain you have"
[I feel bad since I lied to them]
"…Did you?"
[Of course I did! My parents aren't dead, they-]
"But you can't see them again"
[…One day I will]
"…You didn't lie"
[…I lied]
"Master…"
[Monica please…I lied, end it there I beg of you]
"…Ok"
As everyone saw my sad smile, I saw a resolution on Samus's eyes, she looked at her father and claimed
-Father!
-Samus?
-I want to learn how to fight!
He looked surprised, then he sighed
-Yeah…I had a feeling you would
-Eh?
-You see…during my job, I met some of the descendants of that race of bird people, the ones you like to read about, the Chozo
-!
-They told me that one day, my daughter would want to learn how to fight, and I should prepare a way to tell you since I was not going to see that day
-…
-Dear…
-Yeah, I guess we were supposed to die last night…but…Eric changed it
He met the Chozo huh?
-We will need a new place to live while the gate is being shut…the Chozo have a place and offered to train you Samus, but are you sure this is what you want?
She looked at me, regret in her face before saying
-Yes, I am certain
-…Ok, I won't stop you then, Virginia?
-I won't stop her either, I think I know why she wants to learn
-…
-Ok…for now, let us let Eric rest, we already handled the bill so don't worry about it ok?
-Is that ok uncle Rodney?
-You saved us you fool, let us pay you back
He said as he ruffled my hair, I laughed a bit as he did
-…Seriously though…thank you Eric, for saving us
I smiled
-Any day uncle!
-…Truly, what a lad
[Mission one! Accomplished!]
"Well done master"
-Still you might not see your friends for a while if the Chozo plan to train you Samus, are you sure?
-! Eric! Zelda, Impa, Link! You guys got a cellphone?
The three looked confused while I raised mine from my inventory
-Right here
-?! Where did that come from?!
-I know magic Zelda, this is called "Inventory" it allows me to store things in another realm and take them out at will
-So cool!-Zelda claimed
Link's eyes shone when he heard that
-I'll teach you guys later ok?
They nodded
-Thank goodness…
We traded numbers and then we spoke for a long time before visiting hours ended and they asked everyone to leave, due to the nature of my injuries and the treatment, I was to be discharged tomorrow
So next day, I left, Samus texted me that she had to move a far distance away and begged me to keep in contact with her, so we promised to call each other at least once a day to explain how our days went, then she asked me that once the Hyrule siblings got a phone, to share the number with her, so I promised
Without Samus, it's going to get a bit lonely, but I will be ok, as I checked the bonds, I realized something scary, at the end, was a new name
"Vicious space pirate leader: Ridley"
"-100 (Sworn enemy)"
Ah shit…it also keeps tabs on them huh? Oh well, I knew what my choice implied, if I see him again, I better be ready…they won't bail me out a second time