Chapter 11
The travel home is so far remarkably
easy. Nothing stands in our way, so we take the time to rest and heal.
I am shaken awake.
"Link, yo, Link- I wanna tell Fi
something!"
It's Maltzar.
"Why?" I groan, rolling away.
"Is she sleeping? How do I get her
out of the sword?"
"Is it important?"
"Yes!"
With a sigh, I reach over and touch the
hilt of the Master Sword.
"Yes, Master?" Fi flips out
with a flash and hovers daintily. "What is your will?"
"He wants to talk to you." I
jerk my thumb sleepily over my shoulder. Somehow she seems to glimmer a little
more brightly, though the embers of the fire are low.
"Yes, Mal?"
Since when did she call him that?
"Come on." he cocks his head
toward the trees with a grin. Fi glides with him into the neighbouring clearing
out of ear shot. I lay back down, but a nagging feeling keeps me up. I find
myself hiding behind a tree, an ear cocked toward their conversation.
"Are you sure?" Fi asks.
"Positive!" Maltzar says with
glee. "This isn't any ordinary dream!"
"What did he look like?"
"Red hair, just like me and he was
covered in soot- probably from working at the fire all the time...I couldn't
see his face- the sun was really bright, see? But he's a black smith! He made
swords! It makes sense. I'm a sword hunter because my father made swords!"
"Do you remember his name?"
"No, but-"
"Do you remember yours?"
"Not yet-"
"I'm glad you had a dream that could
unlock your past, but honestly Maltzar that's not much to go on."
"But it's something!" He says
and she hushes him. Their voices drop and I lean in to hear.
"How can you find your father when
all you know about him is he is a black smith with red hair?- from a
dream!" Fi asks.
"I heard my mother's voice."
Maltzar speaks so low I have to strain to hear. "And I know it was her.
You know that warmth you feel, that safe feeling that tells you deep down in
your deepest core that it's alright?...I guess I'm talking to the wrong person-
the point is I heard her singing- singing me to sleep. And every child, even if
they are taken at birth always remembers their mother's voice. It's the key to
finding her. Who knows, she may be singing the same song now."
"What did she look like?"
There is a pause.
"Maybe, we lived in the desert! Ha!
That's it. The dreams are so bright because I was raised in the desert!"
Silence. "What?"
"You're going to go looking for them
aren't you?"
"Yes...but not until this is
finished." he says.
"Finished." Fi sighs. She
sounds empty. "I would like to meet them."
"You will-"
"But as a human." Fi turns to
him. "If this is finished... I will be in the sword, a sleep for eternity."
Again silence.
"No." Maltzar says, "No, I
won't have it."
"Mal."
"You listen here, Fi. You deserve
better- No, you do....And I think there is a way to fix this."
"How?" Fi asks. I can hear the
lament in her voice. "How can you go against Hylia's will."
"Uh, she's sleeping right behind
you."
"And do you think she has the power
to change the way of the ancient swords now? As a human. I was created eons
ago. There is no reforming my design now."
I hear Maltzar growl a sigh. Crickets
fill the emptiness.
"My father, made swords."
Maltzar says. "And he taught me about you, the legendary blades..."
His tone is thoughtful, as if on the edge of a cliff, ready to take flight.
"Maybe it was never the blade I was interested in...Maybe it was the
spirits. Fi, there may be a way to separate you from the blade! And my father
might know!"
"That's like taking the head off a
body!" Fi snaps. "It can't be done without killing us both."
"But it's worth a try."
"Mal, no." Fi states.
"MAL?" I jump.
"No, I will not stand here while
your time with me ticks away. I'll bring back my Father, and he will help you.
You'll see." his voice is much farther off. I jump to my feet.
"Mal wait- no!" Fi calls.
"What?" I pause hearing his
voice draw nearer. "We saved the desert. I'll check through the villages!
It will be easy. And I'll be so much more of a use to you once I know my past.
Once I know why I was hunting the Ether Blade. Why I was fighting Ghirahim.
Maybe my father can even come with us and help!" He sounds so
enthusiastic. I'm not used to hearing him sound like that.
"Mal, think." Fi commands.
"You could be chasing a dream- just a dream. What if you go and find that
you were wrong, what then?"
"Then I'll just have to dream
again." He says.
"Stop!" Fi says. "I don't
want you to go."
I peer around the tree to see Maltzar
running for her and-
My jaw slides open. They are kissing.
Hard.
"I promise I will free you." he
murmurs against her lips. "I will be back- with my family! Who knows I may
have brothers!" Maltzar runs off.
"HEY!" I dash out, not caring
they'd know I was eavesdropping. "MALTZAR!" I race after him.
"MALTZAR!" He is fast, with those long legs. Panting hard, I stop in
the dark of the forest. I have lost him. What on earth am I going to tell
Zelda?