The moon was red in the night sky. It was an unusual color for the moon to be, yet for many it fortold death and war. Few of the soilders in the castle were superstitious though. So most of them paid the sky little more then a curious glance. Yet there was still an air of deep tension.
Rumors had been spreading through the land. One of a demon who struck down those lords who were... too abusive of their power. While most of the soilders were loyal to their leader to the point of refusing to see anything else, others could see that the local lord whom they served was harsh. Harsh to the point of cruelty, in most cases. The fact that many of the lords in neighboring regions had suddenly vanished, their castles razed to the ground, at seemingly random times and patterns, did not help. Some merely brushed the rumor of the demon off as a panicked fantasy, stating that it was merely the normal wars that the lords of the land engaged in. Yet others were not so sure... it seemed to sudden to be the product of battle. So there were now two groups in the castle, those who beleived in the demon, and were fearing they would be next. And those who dismissed it all as mere paranoia.
The beleivers were proven right, on the night with the red moon.
The stone gates of the castle grounds suddenly blew in. Being shoved forward by a brust of red fire. The gates, now glowing with heat, slammed into a small armory, crushing the building. The reaction was instant, all the soilders, the warriors, the mercernaries, all gathered together to fight off whatever had invaded their space.
The demon calmly entered the grounds. His cold blue eyes looking out to them, two blades were in his posession. One was held in front of him, it glittered with a golden light. The other one was sheathed, strapped to his back.
"It's the demon!" One of the soilders shouted in panic, he turned and tried to run, yet his supeiors cut him down. Killing him for the crime of wanting to survive.
The demon looked at the general who had cut down the fleeing man so coldly. He calmly held up his empty hand. "You all follow a wicked man." He said quietly, yet all could hear his voice as if he were right next to them, "I see that some of you even wish to be this wicked man." A red ball of flame appeared in his hand. "So... prepare to greet your leader in Hell." The ball of flame shot forth from his hands, striking the general. A moment later only ashes remained.
"Kill him!" another general commanded. It was the same as always... those who know nothing but war follow those who are masters of it. Those who spend their lives studying the methods of battle. Those who's sole purpose for living is to kill other human beings.
They all rushed towards the demon, eager to strike him down.
The demon watched them with apathy, he stood there and waited for them. One soilder brought his sword down, aiming for the demons head. There was a flash of gold, and the soilder fell. Two thrust their spears at him, within a second both were impaled on their own weapons. More and more charged, yet none could even touch the demon.
The demon did not care who it was, all he did was march forward, cutting down anything that stood in his way with the brutal efficancy of a machine.
Finally, someone landed a blow on the demon.
An archer shot an arrow, somehow the demon made a mistake and failed to deflect it like all the others. It plunged into his shoulder, the next moment a soilder kicked at the demons arm in desperation. The golden blade flew out of the demons hand, landing a few feet away. The clang of the demons weapon hitting the ground brought silence to the bloody fortress. Everyone stared at the demon, the shock of him being injured temperarily stopping the battle.
The demon looked at the arrow in his shoulder, and for the first time showed emotion. It was a look of annoyance. He grabbed the arrow and pulled it from his body, before throwing the bloodied shaft to the ground. The demon reached behind him and drew his second sword. This blade was different the the golden weapon, it seemed... unreal. It seemed to glisten with all the colors humankind could concive, a long stemmed black rose was ingraved into the swords side. The demon then cut the soilder who had disarmed in a moment ago. A second later there was nothing more then dust.
The battle began anew, the demon still marching towards his goal. One man was knocked down by the demons stike, barely avoiding a death blow. "Please! Spare me!" the man sobbed as the demon loomed over him.
The demon looked at the weeping form of a man for a moment, before pointing towards the shattered remains of the gates and speaking once more. "Go." He ordered, "Go and never follow those who desire to do evil to their fellows."
The man looked at the demon for a second, before running towards the gate, away from the bloodshed.
And the demon marched on.
By dawn, the castle was razed to the ground.
There was no trace of the demon.
"Hey Link? Is something wrong?"Saria walked over to Link, he was sitting on the staircase to the Forest Temple, looking at the night sky. There was a haunted look upon his face.
Link turned to look at her, he sighed sadly. "Just thinking about the past... it's... not pleasent."
Saria wrapped her arms around him, "Don't worry about it. What's done is done."
Link smiled slightly, "Maybe you're right..."
"I know I am." Saria giggled, looking up at the sky, "Well, you don't see that everyday!" She smiled, "A red moon? That's gotta be rare."
"Yeah..." Link whispered, "it is..."
The End