Chapter 7

Link stood in the middle of the room thinking about what had just happened. Sometimes Zelda made no sense to him at all. She could be really difficult at times but Link liked the challenge that she posed. Link thought about telling Lance about this most recent Zelda event. Giving it a second thought Link realized that all this would just cause Lance to laugh at his situation. Link was tired and stressed out and having Lance laugh at him just wasn't something that Link felt like doing at the moment. Link walked over and closed the door to his room and headed for his bed. He flung himself on his bed, ripped the blanket over his face, and let his head crash into the pillow. Link relaxed and hoped for pleasant dreams. The worries of the day sunk into the back of Link's mind as he fell into a deep sleep.

Link looked around and all was dark. A human figure emerged from the shadows. She was a girl about Link's age with long red hair and a simple blue dress. A large red tropical bloom jutted out of her hair. It seemed that Link had seen her before, but he really sure where he knew her from. She started to sing. Link stood and watched her singing she appeared very kind and soft-spoken. Her voice was enchanting as her song streamed through Link's mind. Link began to listen more closely to her song; it was the same song that Link had played earlier on his ocarina. He started to its name "The Ballad..." Link paused searching his memory, then a high note from the girl's song jolted the song's name from the depths of his mind. It was the "Ballad of the Windfish." With the title of the song came a whole bundle of forgotten memories. Link now remembered his adventures on Koholint Island.

Link was overjoyed to see the girl, Marin again and to her voice once more. After he had woken the windfish he had thought that it had destroyed her and that she was lost forever.

"Marin!" Link thought her name as loud as he could but he couldn't

speak. To Link's horror all he could do was lift his ocarina to his lips and begin to play her song. Marin stopped her song and glared at Link as he began to play, her eyes full of anger.

Link was terrified, it was not suppose to be like this. As he played on against his own will the flesh burnt from her body. As the flames consumed her, the stench of her burning body forced vomit up Link's throat.

"I loved you, but you destroyed me just to return to your world," Marin shouts mingled with her screams of pain.

The tears ran down Link's face, but despite it all he could not stop playing. He never wanted to hurt anyone went he left the island, all he wanted was to get back home. Marin's flesh was charred black with blood running down what was left of her skin, but the flames just grew with every note that he played.

"You can not help the ones you love," Marin said with her last breath.

Link was regaining consciousness but something kept pulling him back into the dream realm. Link fought with all his might against this unknown assailant. The force of the battle felt like it was ripping him in two. Part of him seemed light and easily moveable while the other part was extremely heavy. Link slowly began to realize that these parts were his mind and his body. Link tried to keep the dark force from ripping him apart. In the end, his struggle gained him nothing and the darkness overtook him. The nightmares had won.

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