Author Notes:

To any of the JLR suscribers or new readers.

Some of you have already checked out "Rise". Some haven't. If you're still interested in the sequel for this story, you might wanna check it out. It's already being posted right now, so you can find it easily =)

Asides that, I was thinking of a way to make a text so that FF couldn't blame me and/or ban me for submitting A/N's alone. So I decided to compile segments of some of my favourite scenes from Rise into one chapter. KEEP IN MIND THAT SOME OF THESE SCENES HAVE YET TO PASS, AND MIGHT BE SLIGHT SPOILERS!

So basically, if you have a susbcription to JLR, you get a bonus that the non-subscribers who are reading Rise don't =P If you don't want any spoilers and just want to go read, no one's stopping you. Rise is in my profile, the first or second updated story (18/07/09), so have fun with that.

So here we go. The scenes go by chapter, one scene per chapter. The star breaks note a differen't chapter's start/end. The first five segments have already been posted, then rest haven't =P

******************

"Hey Zelda?" he asked as he pulled the covers up.

"Yes, dear?" I asked, turning around to meet his worried blue eyes.

"You… You do know… That if we get involved in this… I'm gonna… have to go… you know…?" he asked uneasily.

My heart started beating faster, but I kept my unshed tears back.

"Like you said, we'll talk about it tomorrow." I whispered icily, avoiding his question. Then, I turned away so that he could not see the icy drops of water rolling down my cheeks.

"Alright… I'm sorry if I bothered you." He sighed. "It's just so stressful, I can't believe this is happening." He groaned tiredly.

"Come on, love. Relax and sleep, like you said, we'll discuss it further tomorrow." I sighed.

"Today."

"Fine, smart ass. Later today." I chuckled, wiping my tears away.

***********

Ugh. I want to break someone's neck. I'm serious. Whoever's in my path better walk away right now.

First came the disappointment phase, then the sorrow phase, then the pleading phase, now the anger phase. I'm suspecting a depression phase to follow my anger phase.

Oh, sorry. I lost you, didn't I? Oh come on, it's not THAT hard to guess. Yep, Hyrule's officially involved in a war against Labyrennu and its provinces. And worst part is, Link and Sheik have to go.

I cried harder, pounding my fists on the walls harshly. Suddenly, a gentle hand held me back, and I felt someone nearing my ear. "Zelda… relax…" the male voice whispered.

I put down my bleeding knuckles and turned around to face him. "How can I relax when you're going somewhere with a fifty percent chance of coming back?" I whimpered as I scrutinized my husband's traits.

"It won't help if you break your knuckles. Come on, let's go get those treated." He pulled me by my wrist towards the infirmary.

"Link… Please, one more time, do you HAVE to go?" I asked, knowing full well the answer.

[...]

"No it's not! How do you expect me to relax and calm down when you're going to get riding towards your doom in three hours?" I screamed, wetting his tunic even more with my tears.

"I'm a Sheikah, Zellie." He chuckled at the pet name he stopped calling me a long time ago. "I can just disappear into the shadows and flee if anything bad happens. I promise I'll do that." He swore.

"Hah. As if you'd keep that promise." I lifted my head and pointed accusingly at him. "You'd keep fighting until death for your country. It's a very noble thing to do, but think what you're leaving behind…" my tone became gentle again. "Link, I don't want Kairi to never have the chance to meet her father. I don't want to raise Roxas alone. Think what your death will do to Aryll. Think what it will do to ME." I demanded sorrowfully.

"But if we fail, not only you'll lose me, but you'll lose everything else you cared for. My life is a small price to pay to keep everyone I love safe." He whispered, kissing me gently.

************

I smiled back. Such awesome friends I had. They all cared. Right now, I could only see and talk to Sheik, but every second of the day, I felt their reassuring presences floating around me. Not all of them were here right now, but I couldn't help but feel gratitude for everything they'd done for me. I sighed, and love for them erupted in my chest. I closed my eyes and enjoyed this feeling. The words rolled off my tongue on their own.

"Friendship is precious, friends are priceless.

True friendship doesn't need to be put to the test.

Friends'll be there when you're lonely, they'll be there when you're sad.

They'll be there when you're angry, they'll be there when you're mad.

They'll be there when you're joyous, they'll be there when you're happy.

They'll be there from the beginning until the end of eternity."

I finished with a slightly sad note and sighed, smiling nostalgically.

"Where'd that come from?"

I turned to look at my best friend, who was looking back at me, surprised.

"Deep from inside my heart. I just felt like I needed to express my love and gratitude for everything you guys have done for me these past five years." I sighed and laid back, looking at the deep orange ceiling.

[...]

Friendship doesn't come and go like a season's trend.

True friends stay by your side until the very end.

**************

I couldn't stop my momentum, though. My arms extended in front of me on their own and I got ready to jump and hug him. I noticed his awkward glare as he saw me coming, and I realized my cover was blown. The burst of energy in my veins was too strong, and I couldn't stop myself right now.

But all I could do was detect a slight disturbance in the air. My ear twitched as I turned around, spotting a half-dead enemy soldier, pointing a smoking gun's barrel at Link. Only when he fell dead and the whistling got stronger, I realized the gravity of the situation.

Link. MY Link, was targeted by that very last bullet. Unaware of the situation, too concentrated on my behaviour to notice, he just stared at me as his impending death came closer and closer.

So I changed my course. Instead of hugging him, I took one last jump filled with adrenaline and brought my arms closer, pushing him out of harm's way just as the bullet hit its target. I screamed in pain, in a girly scream might I add, as I felt the metal penetrating my right arm and hit the ground. I only felt my helmet leaving my head as I crashed before I blacked out.

****************

"Here, we'll help." Onox snapped his fingers, a guard from all around us advancing. Before any of us knew what was happening, the guard snatched Kairi from Aryll's arms, holding her in his own, a gun pointed right at her little head.

"NO!" I screamed

"Jee, it's fun seeing you suffer." Onox laughed. "I wonder what'll happen when we kill everyone you love in front of your eyes." He grinned sarcastically. "Oh well. For now, let's take care of the little girl, shall we?" he turned back to me. I was too busy crying to notice.

"PLEASE! PLEASE DON'T DO IT!" I begged, finally falling to my knees in front of them, tears dripping down the corners of my eyes. Anything. Anything to protect my children.

"Too late." Veran smirked as the gun locked and loaded.

"NO!" Link's scratched voice melted into mine as we both watched the trigger being pulled back.

There was the gunshot. And Kairi stopped crying.

*************** (spoilers start here)

Taking out the keys, I chose the one that looked most like it would work, and inserted into the lock. After a few unsuccessful tries, I found the right key, and the lock clicked open.

The prisoner's head slowly moved up. In the dim light, I'm sure he couldn't see me, but the rough voice that followed proved I got the right person.

"I… I won't tell you… Anything…"

My heart shattered, and I fell to my knees in front of him, splashing in… ewww…

I turned back to the man. His arms were chained above his head in a fix shackle. He had folded his legs and was lying sideways, leaning on the wall. His head, previously drooped on the side, was now moving up to look at me.

"Sheik…" I whispered, slowly crawling to his side.

Just like Link, Sheik looked like he'd been to Hell and back. The very same slashes, whip marks and bruises covered his naked torso. I contained the urge to cry, seeing my protector and best friend in such a state.

"Sheik, it's Zelda…" I whispered comfortingly as I slid next to him and lifted his chin up to help him see me.

"Zel… Da…?" he panted. I could hear every trace of pain laced in his voice. I bit my lip and slowly circled my arms around him in a loose hug, as not to hurt him any more. I dug my face briefly in his dirty, blood-streaked hair, then got back up.

***************

These things had spikes in them. It hurt. A lot.

I screamed. I screamed like there was no tomorrow, my back burning like I had never felt before. My hands finally dropped, and I faintly saw the shield dropping as well before the only thing I could see was red. I started crying, biting my lip to avoid screaming again.

"ROXAS!" I heard two voices screaming from behind me, the two of them full of worry.

"NAMI, DO SOMETHING!" I heard Aryll pleading. And I heard soft sobbing.

"Nami…" I gasped in pain, hearing people running for us, metal clanking around them. "Nami…" I opened my eyes and I faintly saw them, staring horrified at me. "You guys can go… I'll… catch up, or something…" I assured them, gulping down another scream of pain, doubling my tears as a result.

"NO, ROXAS!" Naminé screamed. Suddenly, I felt two hands on my left arm. "I WON'T LEAVE WITHOUT YOU!" she cried and hugged my arm. I tried smiling, but found I couldn't. Instead, I just frowned again and dropped more tears.

"Please… You're gonna get hurt…" I pleaded weakly.

"Please, hold on! No one's leaving without you! Aneki is gonna get you out! Don't worry, we're not leaving!" she kept crying, hugging my arm tighter.

*******************

My thoughts about Link were broken when the heavy door of the third level swung open and I heard the clanking of metal and the gruff shouts of guards.

"You'd better get going." Sheik smiled sadly.

No. I didn't wanna go. Not this time. I wouldn't be as weak as to give in every time I was confronted with an obstacle.

"I'm staying." I growled lowly as the shouts came closer.

"And... Do you intend to knock those guards out with your nonexistent karate skills?" he chuckled sarcastically.

"No... I'm not gonna run..." I toughened up and took a deep breath, steeling myself as I heard the guards turning the corner. "I'm gonna hide." I quickly breathed, rolling away from Sheik, ducking in the shadows of a nearby pillar just as the guards slid to a stop in front of the cell.

"Not gonna run alright." I heard Sheik mutter lowly as a guard checked the lock.

"It's open!" he exclaimed.

"I told you she came here!" the other one exclaimed.

*************

Zelda simply gulped down at that. Onox started walking closer, an evil smile plastered on his face.

My name is nonexistent...

A memory bubbled in Zelda's mind.

I am a being of darkness...

"You disobeyed me again, Zelda." Onox looked at her in all seriousness.

A hunter in the shadows...

Zelda shook slightly, disturbed. What did he want now? What would he do this time?

But if you require my help again…

Zelda blinked the tears out of her eyes as Onox slowly forced her to back up against the wall, where Sheik was silently and weakly watching what was happening, his temporary strenght having left him.

Fair ruler of Hyrule…

"Who will I punish this time? Maybe I'll kill this beloved boy of yours in front of your eyes?" Onox mused out loud.

All you do is send for…

"I like that idea." Onox gave a wry grin and reached out towards Zelda. "Come here so I can feel your blood drip off my fingers." He snarled.

Oni…

"ONIIIIIII!" Zelda screamed out loud, crying his name out in utter desperation.

***************

I shivered again and looked around. The moonlight shone through the windows. I turned around and saw Tetra, sleeping blissfully next to me. Looking the other way, I spotted the door leading to the balcony.

The pale blue curtains that covered the glass door that lead to the balcony were flying to a breeze. Apparently, the doors were open. I shivered again and slowly got up, wondering why it was open. Unless Tetra had opened it, I don't remember seeing the doors open when I drifted off to sleep.

In any case, it was getting slightly chilly in here, so I decided to close the doors. Getting completely up and grunting in pain from my recent injuries, I headed for the doors.

Grabbing their handles, I was about to close them when I noticed something. A piece of paper, scotch taped to the left glass.

Raising a brow, but my heart fluttering, I forgot the doors for a second and reached for the note, gently taking it off the glass. My name was written in bold letters on it. I delicately opened the folded paper as if it was a precious package and stepped outside to read in the shining moonlight.

*****************

"Isn't there a note?" I asked, doing the same for mine.

"Wait." Tetra ripped the paper bag open. That's when we saw two extra belts of ammunition. Raising a brow, I pushed those aside to grab the crumpled paper underneath.

"Dear Zelda.

Three rebels in the dark wish to speak.

They will reveal a secret so deep.

But this secret to yourself you must keep.

This secret shall remain unnamed.

When you solve the riddle, the answer you shall obtain.

Be ready, for here comes the light.

Advancing among the darkness with all its might.

First comes the subtle glow.

Then the blinding shine shall follow.

May the roses with thorns be ready.

May the help provided come in handy.

We hunters in the shadows shall be on our guard.

For the approaching challenges will be hard.

As the sun starts to lose its shine.

The gardener will walk into the garden he left behind.

Finding the thorny roses in the grassy fray,

He shall cut them, then take them away.

And as this love poem reaches its end,

I hope it does not fall into Labyrennian hands."

I read the note over and over again. Then, I finally sighed out.

*****************

Author Notes:

YOU DON'T NEED TO REVIEW HERE!

And that's about all you get for now =P Because that's all I've written till now xD The last segment was from chapter 10, and if you're still reading this, you've read so many spoilers, it's unbelievable xD

In any case, hope this was okai. I didn't mean to spoil anything for you guy, so don't flame me if you read and didn't want spoilers, BECAUSE I WARNED YOU!

So yep. All this to say that you're welcome to read Rise =)

All the action, adventure, romance, and hardcore drama from Just Like Royalty is back...

...in Rise.