Chapter 1
Their feet shuffled slowly…limply, like walking corpses all in themselves. And yet everyone was in cadence with a large procession of bodies. A death stream. Afloat in the wake of their arms was an ivory casket, emblazoned with the crest of the royal family.
A dreary afternoon…
On a stormy day…
Under the lightest of ice cold drizzles…
On either side of the procession, hushed masses huddled. They formed two walls of sick, shivering souls. It was as if the blinding casket sucked the life out of each and every one of them. Nothing more outspoken than a cough or a shudder emanated from their frozen ranks.
Bottomless sorrow was returned with mouthless mourning…
That is the way it’s always been; whether royal or righteous…
And yet a seething pain in the hearts of every prince or pauper…
The casket drifted downstream of the Kakariko Graveyard. Each footstep the robed carriers made caused the damp earth to splash and tear a little bit more than before. At the end of the sorrowful current, the unmistakable headstone of the Royal Family loomed. Its mouth, freezing and fuming with death-stench, awaited yet another appetizer in as many hundreds of years.
Gathered besides the headstone were the highest of blood…
The most elite of Hyrulian hierarchy…
And heroes whose lives outshined the laud they earned from their kingdom…
In a somber line stood those paying their deepest of respects; the honorable Big Brother Darunia, the Regal King Zora, and the Desert Matriarch Nabooru. Across from them—and closest to the headstone—the friends, servants, and remaining family of the deceased monarch gathered. Towards the right side of the front line, Impa of the Sheikah and Guardian to the Royal Family stood at full attention. Her violet eyes battled the brightness of the casket’s ivory; for something about its very existence threatened to burn straight into her soul; like a latent stab of guilt and responsibility. But to mourn at a royal funeral would be the least of a Sheikah’s duties; an insult in that day and age. Impa could only pity those of who still lived by their emotions.
She glanced at her left side; at the figure huddled beside her. His head was bowed and his face shadowed by the hood of his cloak. It was all the boy could do to avoid the freezing touch of rain, or maybe to hide drops of a saltier nature. Impa felt a connection to him, like he was the last child in what was only recently an ever-promising family. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder to ease his spirit. Whether or not she succeeded was not her place to anticipate or judge. But from under her touch he looked up. And when he did, the shine of the casket seemed to highlight the pale sadness in his face; and the thin curtain of tears sneaking down across them. With hollow blue eyes, Link watched the casket reach its destination at the end of the stream.
And a new name had been etched into the headstone…
The name seemed whiter and purer than any stone engravings could match…
And the name was that of the Princess of Destiny…The Sage of Wisdom…
Dead and gone.
======
The wind stung against Link’s face as he rode Epona. Like a red and green lightning bolt, he blurred across the vast field of Hyrule. The sunset was turning the land into a blood-red cauldron by the time he reached the city’s gates. The guards immediately recognized him and made no complaints when he leapt off his young steed’s saddle and ran full-speed into the city.
His desperate lungs heaved. His heart balanced between beating and breaking. Through his bobbing vision, Link saw a huddled mass of soldiers and servants in the center of Hyrule Market. Commoners and city dwellers had formed an outer ring around them; and were already sobbing.
That was the sight Link needed to open his mouth. And in spite of all the pain leaping forth from his throat—even then, no words came out.
Out of the crowd, a haggard Impa saw him. She caught Link’s body before it could fly into the huddle.
“Don’t look, Link,” she breathed. He struggled in her strong arms, and she tried to wrestle him down. “She’s gone….don’t look, please….”
Link’s whole body spun in her grasp. His damp eyes clenched shut, and he dashed the last two or three steps needed to pierce the wall of bodies and see that which was in the center….
And Link saw her…
And his face died for the first time…
But not the last time…
^^^^^^
~*~*~*~
“There’s something I absolutely love about Autumn,” Anju smiled at the open door to the Stock Pot Inn. “It finally brings the cool air into this humid Termina of ours. Gods know, we could use this sort of refreshment all year round.”
“Yes, honey,” Kafei stood behind the lobby’s counter. He lifted his eyes momentarily from the reservations list and smiled. “But if it *was* all year round, we wouldn’t have a reason to love Autumn so much, would we?”
Anju hummed and hugged herself. “Perhaps,” she stared out into the courtyard of East Clock Town. “You’re right. But I do wish it’d last longer here.”
“I’m more of a fan of Summer myself,” said Kafei.
The lady rolled her eyes, “Because all you did when you were a kid was play sports and games around town with the rest of the Bombers your age! A warm day was your greatest ally! How could you appreciate the comfortable feeling you get from snuggling by the fireplace inside on a winter’s day??”
Kafei shrugged with that trademark, handsome smirk. “Forgive me for being a boy…”
“Yeah, well….,” Anju gave the afternoon sky one last breath before shutting the door and walking over to her husband. “I kinda sorta wished I could have been joining you on all those summer days of play.”
“Hey! I-It’s not like I didn’t invite you to join us!”“But you were so silly about it,” Anju moaned. “Leave it to boys that age to treat a girl with clown’s manners.”
“That was Tingle’s job. Not mine.”
“Brrrr…..that man scares me….even today.”
“You’re not alone,” Kafei said and returned his gaze to the reservations. “Too bad it’s not so busy this time of year.”
“Mom always figured that tourists from the cold, north regions would come down here to enjoy Clock Town’s warm wonders,” she smirked. “But all we seem to be worth nowadays is the yearly Festival.”
“Well, ever since the Moon Incident, it’s been the talk of the Coastline from here to Jeslem.”
“Yes…,” Anju nodded slowly in remembrance of the near-apocalypse that transpired a little over two years ago. “I often wish we weren’t popularized by such a gruesome event.”
“It’s helped us out financially….big time…,” Kafei glanced up. “Ya know….in the last two years.”
“Is that all you can think about?! Money?!”
“S-Sorry,” Kafei chuckled. “Blame it on my blood. It’s the politics in me.”
Anju upturned her nose. “Your father is elected mayor every two years because he’s had that position almost longer than most people here have lived!”
“Yeah….ain’t it cool?”
Anju giggled. She leaned in and gave Kafei a kiss on the cheek.
“What was that for?” he glanced at her curiously.
“For existing.”
And he smiled.
A bell jingled.
Both husband and wife looked immediately at the door; which was now open. At the entrance stood two men.
The first man—whose hand was on the knob—was a large fellow with both girth and muscles combining to produce a strong, walking rock of a figure. He was slightly balding, and the lower rim of his round face was adorned with a dark black beard and mustache; prominent—yet not of the outlandish, unkempt kind. His eyes were the most striking thing of all; most likely due to the message they gave, and it was that of benevolence and leadership sort of thrown into one.
The second man—all but cowering behind the frame of the first—stood with four large pieces of luggage hung precariously under his arms. He had a very lank, thin frame and the meek eyes of a servant. Beads of sweat formed under his mat of brown hair. All in all, he presented himself as no greater than the might of a mouse under the shadow of the strong one ahead of him.
“Greetings,” boomed the first man in some curious mix of charm and chivalry. “I am Mordun, with the Ladies of Feordia. I believe I sent a messenger here three days ago to reserve us a room in your lovely Inn.”
Kafei stared at him. “Ummm….,” he blinked. “OH! Yeah….r-right! I’m sorry.”
The man smirked. “Caught you off guard, did I fella?”
“We usually don’t receive customers this late in the day,” stated Kafei as his eyes and fingers ran down the list. “Yep! Here you are, Mr. Mordun. Party of Five. The Eight Room, upstairs. I was wondering when you people would come in.”
“Well, sorry we were so late,” Mordun said with a scratch of his beard. “This land is quite strange to us, and we have come a *long* way in hopes of visiting it. May we come in? We have quite a bit of luggage on us.”
“By all means!” gestured Kafei.
Mordun spun about, “All right, Therald. Bring those bags and tell the ladies it’s okay to come in.”
“Okay…,” said the thin man breathlessly. He trucked in the bags, dropped them in a corner, and rushed over to the door like a royal servant, holding it open.
In a slow and graceful procession, two heavily cloaked figures drifted into the lobby from the autumn exterior. They wore thick, woolen hoods that shadowed any and all recognizable features of their faces. One was somewhat taller than the average height a Terminian male, and the second contrasted greatly for she had the short stature of an aged dwarf underneath all the cloth. Together they seemed like monks or pious scribes. Anju and Kafei—even the most polite couple known in Clock Town—couldn’t help but stare…
That is, until Mordun cleared his throat: “Ahem….these ladies are religious students of The Grand Teacher of Feordia. They are highly dedicated to the Spirit of the Heavenly Gold, as my comrade Therald and I have been told. We were merely hired to give them safe passage to the location of one of the Gold’s ancient resting places; the Land of Ikana.”
Anju suddenly smiled. “So we’re still Ikana, I see. It’s about time we had someone visit us for the glory this land once was, rather than the festive youth it is today. My husband and I are deeply honored to assist you in your stay,” she addressed the four as a whole with a curtsy.
“Oh, so you’re married, huh?” Mordun smiled. “I must give you congratulations then.”
“W-Why thank you, sir.”
“I give blessings to all newlyweds.”
Anju blushed and Kafei smirked. The young man hooked an arm around his wife and said, “Actually, Mordun, we’ve been married for a little over two years now.”
“Ah…but you still have the youth in you,” Mordun sighed. “An old man such as myself still sees it in others when he can. I’ve experienced it once before, and how I miss those days. See them, Therald? Don’t you see the youth blossoming in the couple?”
“Uhm….y-yes, sir,” Therald said shyly. He, himself, was rather young. “I-I do see it. They l-look nice together…”
Anju giggled. “Looks like we have ourselves a couple of winners, Kafei.”
“Yes,” the man nodded. “And they’ve just won themselves a peaceful stay in our humble inn.” He glanced once more at the two ladies. They haven’t spoken a word since they arrived. “Ahem….I’ll get our Helping Hand to assist you with your bags.”
“Thanks,” Mordun said, patting Therald’s bag. “But I think we’ve got it.”
“Oh, it’s the least we can do,” said Kafei, raising a cow bell from under the desk. “Besides, it’s the boy’s way of ‘earning his stay’ here….or so he thinks.” With that said, the blue-haired fellow rang the bell and called out to the ceiling: “Link?? We’ve got customers for the Eight Room!”
Everyone was silent as an ever-increasing pitter patter of feet bounded its way across the second floor, ambled down the steps, and came circling around and into the lobby. Suddenly a thirteen-year-old boy dressed in a green tunic and with blonde hair shuffled up to attention. His mannerisms were quick, polite, and—above all—silent. Dead silent. And yet there was nothing less than life in his face when he smiled, bowed, and gestured towards the bags.
“Your bell boy?” Mordun smiled.
“Our everything-boy,” Kafei shrugged.
“Go ahead and take the bags up, Link,” Anju said, tossing him a key. “And if you can, escort these two ladies to the room so they won’t get lost….”
The boy nodded. He wandered over to the corner and picked up the bags Therald had dropped.
“You got th-them?” asked the young man.
Link nodded, gestured something quick with his fingers, and took off with two pieces of luggage. He looked back and slowed down just enough for the two ladies to follow him at a comfortable pace up the stairs.
Therald looked inquisitively at the young innkeepers. “He’s a quiet one…i-isn’t he?”
Anju’s eyes trailed.
Kafei scratched the back of his neck. “That he is, yeah.”
“The boy’s mute…,” Mordun said suddenly. He lifted his eyebrows to suggest an innocent curiosity. “Isn’t he?”
Anju nodded. “More or less. He’s been with us for two years now. He’s practically like family.”
“Remarkable,” Mordun stroked his beard. “And those clothes he’s wearing….they don’t look native with the styles of this region.”
“Ah….we do believe he was an outsider before he….,” Anju stopped in mid-speech.
“I’m sorry, did I pry too much?” Mordun asked.
“Not at all,” Kafei smiled assuredly. “It’s just that….Link has blessed us in ways that would take an afternoon and a night to explain.”
“Well,” Mordun grinned. “If it ever eases you to know, we’re all ears.”
Anju chuckled. “Well, good for you. Just about everyone we’ve told thinks the story is downright precious…..”
***
The key fit into the lock. The knob clicked free. And Link gently swung the door open for him to walk through with two large bags in tow. He walked halfway down the length of the room and set the things down amidst four pairs of bunkbeds.
It wasn’t long before two other footsteps echoed through the room. The two ladies in dark gray entered behind him. They paused—as if taking in the sights of the room from under their black hoods. And then they made themselves at home; as much as two stoics could.
Once Link was finished unloading the first half of the luggage, he turned around and headed towards the door with hopes of heading downstairs for the second half. He remembered to pause, smile, and point downward with his finger as if to let the customers know that he wasn’t permanently bailing out on them. But once that was done and he made for the door, he was rather surprised when suddenly the short woman in gray stood out before him.
“You are a kind heart…..I can tell,” breathed the woman. Her voice came soft and hoarse out from under the dark hood. Link stared at her, blinking. He was more curious than surprised. And yet, she continued with her scratchiness: “It is people like you who make us happy for having come to this land. Undoubtedly, the treasure that left us so long ago will reappear in magical ways to award our patience.”
Link seemed confused. He made a gesture, not really expecting the woman to understand.
But she whispered on, “Why…the greatest treasure there ever was! It once glorified our land, but long ago it made a journey elsewhere…in search of other places to shine. And shine it did. We are not saddened by this. Instead, we are made proud.”
Link swallowed. Rather nervously he nodded and gave an expression of luck and good will.
Suddenly, the taller cloaked woman spoke with a voice much firmer than the shrunken lady. “You may go now and grab our other bags. Do not feel the need to make extreme haste. We plan to be in this land as long as it takes for the treasure to reappear.”
Link bowed, smiled one last time, and left.
As he traveled down the hall, he took a deep breath and glanced out of a passing window on his right.
Termina seemed bright enough on its own…
~*~*~*~
^^^^^^
“I’m only going to be gone for a little while!” Navi giggled. “You don’t have to worry about me so!”
Link let out a huge sigh and slumped back in his bed. After what felt like a soundless moan, he raised two hands up and gestured.
Navi ‘read’ what he had to say and placed her hands on her hips. “It was not two weeks last time! If I remember correctly, it was only eleven days! That’s hardly two weeks! So what if I wasn’t so accurate on when I’d come back last time?”
She hovered across the inside of Link’s treehouse as the boy stood up and signed something rather fervently.
“Mmmmm,” Navi hummed exasperatingly. “It’s family business. You wouldn’t understand.”
Link glared at her.
“Oh for crying out loud! Don’t take it so personally when I say that!” Navi pouted. “It’s just true! I have about twelve sisters that I must keep track of and check in with! You, on the other hand, have no siblings! You can’t POSSIBLY understand what responsibilities a faerie like me has!”
Link looked down at his feet depressingly. A breath of forest wind flew into the treehouse, kicking at the leather doorflap to the room.
“Awwww…..Link,” Navi fluttered over and landed on his shoulder. She proceeded to ‘hug’ his face. “Don’t worry. I won’t be gone long. I promise, ‘kay? Just….just….don’t use that lonely face on me. It makes me feel bad.”
Something about Navi’s thin, dragonfly wings brushing against Link’s neck must have made him happier. Ticklish, he giggled and he stroked a loving finger down the faerie’s back.
Navi smiled and let loose a glow that warmed the young Hylian’s neck. “I knew you’d come around! Hehehe….now, you wait here. I need to get a few things. Ya know…a faerie’s gotta pack!”
Link waved her on, and the small pixie fluttered her way out the door….and into the forest….
And Link was alone.
^^^^^^
~*~*~*~
Link’s hand guided the pen along the deku paper. In simple, Hyrulian text he wrote out a basic word.
Tatl was perched at the head of the sheet. She eyed Link’s handwriting quietly. When he was done, she read the word upside down: “Light…”
Link nodded. He put the pen in the ink well and gestured a single symbol with his hand.
“Okay….I get it,” Tatl nodded, pointing at his fingers. “That sign means ‘light’.”
Link nodded. Gracefully he reached for the pen, dabbed off some excess ink using the rim of the well, and proceeded to write another word across the paper.
It wasn’t the quietest writing atmosphere in the world, but what can one expect from the churning, wooden bowels of the Clock Tower? Link and Tatl sat a few yards away from the waterwheel and the rushing, underwater stream of Termina. Every now and then a cool mist rose to blanket their figures, and an even cooler gust of air came from the land’s labyrinth of underground caverns. It was a great place to relax….as well as to strategize how to save the world from a falling moon.
Link finished writing his next word.
“Hmmm,” Tatl read. “Hehe….’faerie’…”
Link smiled, placed down the pen, and demonstrated his hand sign for that.
And Tatl learned. Like all faeries, she had a magical wealth of knowledge and knack for memorization. “Who taught you all of this stuff?”
Link merely smiled.
“Oh…fine. Be that way. I never really liked mysterious men.”
Link glared at her amidst writing the next word. But he was soon back on task.
“It must be hard trying to be some sort of hero or savior of a kingdom when you can’t talk. I mean….does that ever strike your mind?”
He shrugged and continued writing.
“I mean….heck….I know I’ve heard of you,” she flew up to eye level with him, even though he wasn’t looking at her. “Many tongues have spoken of a ‘Hero of Time’ back in Hyrule! What with all your sword swinging and time warping, I wonder if there’s any way you DON’T match that hero’s description?” She finished her statement with a know-it-all-smirk.
But when Link finished writing, he jabbed a thumb down towards the paper.
“Hmm?” Tatl looked down and read. “’Chatterbox’…HEY!”
Link giggled and did a ‘talking mouth’ with his left hand.
Tatl swiped him a little punch in the shoulder. “So you’re not all that innocent after all! You little creep!” She then smiled. “I think something tells me you’re used to a faerie’s personality….”
At that, Link stopped giggling. His expression turned just sort of somber, and his eyes glanced down.
“Oh?” Tatl hovered lower and glanced up at him. “Sore subject? Tell me, just who was your faerie before I bumped into you?”
Link responded quicker than she anticipated. Almost frantically, he produced a sign with his hands.
Tatl merely blinked at him.
Sighing, Link brought pen to paper and wrote down a strikingly simple name:
“Navi….,” Tatl mouthed. “Hmm…..almost sounds familiar.”
Link’s face brightened.
The faerie grimaced, “Er….I-I can’t say for s-sure. Ya know, th-things just get around in the forest….heheh….”
Again, Link looked down.
Tatl was silent….staring at him. Finally she said, “That’s why you came here….in the first place, wasn’t it, Link?”
He looked up at her. There wasn’t exactly affirmation in his eyes. But she felt good enough about her assumption.
The faerie swallowed. “And look what me, Tael, and the Skull Kid dragged you in….”
Link shrugged. She was touched in how little he wanted to blame her…..or people in general. Did he ever get mad?
“Well,” Tatl suddenly perked up and sat back down onto the paper. “I’ve got a lot to learn of this ‘hand language’ thingy. Cuz something tells me that, before this whole thing is over, I’m gonna have to find out more about you…”
Link nodded….and he went back to pen.
~*~*~*~
^^^^^^
“What do you mean, ‘Navi hasn’t come back’??”
Link looked at Zelda, then to the floor. He let out a huge sigh, then signed something desperate.
“Four weeks?!” the princess nearly jumped. She walked across the royal library to where the boy in green stood. “Well, now maybe I can understand your reason for concern. Has she ever been gone this long, before?”
Link slowly shook his head.
Zelda swallowed. After a pause, she produced a hopeful smile and placed a hand on Link’s wrist. “Link…don’t worry. I’m sure she’s just busy. Faeries owe important duties to their families. You know that.”
Link nodded and stared dazedly out the window.
Zelda stared at him from behind. The setting sun cast a dying amber through the windows, and it almost made his blonde bangs more golden. Even though she was holding his hand, he seemed so far away. He was like a treasure dropped out of the forest, and it honestly frightened her so much to think that he was going to….
“You’re planning on searching for her, aren’t you?” the princess asked quietly.
Without looking, Link gave a somber nod. He glanced at her and removed his hand to gesture something.
Zelda read. She responded, “All by yourself? I-I mean….I know you’re more than capable but….”
Link looked at her patiently. Whether or not he knew the gravity of her coming statement, it didn’t matter. He was just waiting for her to speak.
And, with a sigh, she did: “….but….it’s going to be very……very lonely here without you, Link.”
Link gave an assuring smile and gestured.
“Well,” Zelda forced a chuckle. “I’m sure your word is better than Navi’s. I don’t expect you to be gone for long. It’s just that…..that….”
The boy didn’t need to sign. Just his eyes alone asked: “What is it, Zelda?”
And yet, the princess was faltering. She stammered more than talked, “…we’ve gotten so close….over the last few months…..y-you…and I…..e-ever since I learned…..I learned how to talk to you…..really talk to you…….”
Link’s lips parted ways a bit; as if he wanted to say something but forgot the ever-present fact that he couldn’t. That he wouldn’t. That something stung and seethed within his soul, preventing him. He drew his mouth closed and looked down. Navi was on his mind again.
“Then you are leaving this land….,” Zelda went on. She suddenly struck a regal smile. “I want to give you something to remember me by….”
Link looked up in time to see Zelda duck out of the room. After a few moments, she walked back. There was something in her grasp. Something bright and pristine. Something very familiar.
“Here, Link….take this,” she said, offering him the Ocarina of Time. “It will guide you safely through whatever lands you must cross in search of your lost friend. And as long as you have this, you’ll always have something to remember our….our friendship by.”
Link stared—almost unbelieving—at the sacred relic of the Royal Family. He looked at her with humble eyes. “I can’t…,” said his face.
Zelda smiled. “But you must, Link. In times of trouble, you can count on the Goddess of Time to save you. And you will be in my prayers. But always remember this song, Link. For this reminds me of us…”
And with that, she placed the ocarina to her sweet lips, and played…
^^^^^^
~*~*~*~
The last few notes rang out into the void between the past and the present. And soon Link was standing before the door of the Clock Tower. With closed eyes, he pulled the Ocarina from his lips and slowly breathed in the moist, morning air.
And it was the beginning of the first day, all over again.
“Link?………..Link?……Are you okay?”
The boy’s eyes fluttered open. Tatl hovered at eye-level, her wings giving off a sympathetic glow. “We did it….Link….well, you did it,” she simpered. “The curse was removed from Snowhead….and we released another one of the Gods…”
Link looked down. He appeared almost sad as he reached into his sack and produced the Goron Mask in his hand. He stared at it; the last legacy of Darmani. The mask never felt more hallow than it did now.
Tatl had so far learned to read most of what was in Link’s eyes. “Yeah….,” she huffed. “I know it’s depressing.” She spun about in mid-air and looked at the workers building the Carnival Tower. The dog prancing about and barking its head off. The mysterious little boy in a Keaton Mask putting a letter in a mailbox. “After all we’ve done, after all the happiness and victory we’ve wrought….just one simple little tune brings us back here….and everything turns into nothing….and starts all over again.”
Link gazed at her, then returned his stare to the mask.
Tatl shook her head and then faced Link. “B-But we mustn’t give up! Th-This is all going somewhere! I know it! The key thing is to keep working! To keep on the goal! And that is to free the curse of all these kingdoms! We’ve already helped two out…the others should be a cinch! Are you with me?”
Link was silent.
Tatl looked down. “Well….anyways….we’ve got to go West, now. The next destination is the Great Bay. I only hope we can figure out a way to get over that stupid wall…”
Suddenly, Link’s face brightened. He looked up from the Goron mask as if stunned by a new revelation. He put both it and the Ocarina away and gestured like mad.
“Whoah whoah whoah!” Tatl waved her arms. “Slow down! I-I’m not as good as Navi, remember?!”
Link repeated what he had to ‘say’ slowly this time.
Tatl blinked. “Th-The Bomb Shop?! But why do we have to go to the bomb shop?!”
Link rolled his eyes and motioned something else.
“Remember?! Remember what?”
Link smirked and ran off towards West Clock Town. He motioned Tatl along.
“Link! Wait up! For crying out---why do we have to go to the Bomb Shop?!”
::::::
Tatl gasped. “Link! Look! I-Isn’t that…..your horse?”
Link did a double take and slapped on a grin of joy. He ran across Romani Ranch to the pen where Epona was corralled. He gripped the fence separating them with two hands and pressed his face as close towards his young steed as he could. He whistled and smiled when the pony paid him attention. Epona neighed and nudged her head against Link’s face between the fence posts.
Link let out a giggle and smiled at Tatl.
“Uhm….yeah….all well and fine,” the pixie stated nervously. She took a look around. Three nights had passed since they last warped back with the Song of Time. The sky was blood red; cloudy and nightmarish. Above, the moon was careening ever closer. You could practically taste its demonic grin. The earth shook and crumbled and the apocalypse seemed just about everywhere at once. What was worse, an unearthly chill swept across Tatl’s beating wings.
“Th-This is great, Link…b-b-but I think we could pick a better time for a reunion with your horse,” Tatl said. She rubbed her shivering arms and looked around. “Quite frankly, this looks like a scene out of the Shadow Temple. Brrrr….can we go now?”
Link gestured towards Epona and motioned some frantic words.
“Well, he’s just like everyone else!!” Tatl shrieked. “When we play that stupid song, we’ll go back in time and he’ll be here all the same! Of course that boulder’s keeping us from coming here earlier….but frankly, who needs this place?! I enjoy the end of the world a heck of a lot better from a courtyard in Clock Town than an open field! Of course, that is Ground Zero but—dang it, look what you’re doing! You’re making me ramble! Now pet, ride, or kiss your horse all you want….but do it quickly so we can get out of here and find out just what’s going on in the Southern Swamp!”
Just like that, Tatl was silent. It wasn’t so much because she was done with her speech as it was that a strange, foreign sound had caught her attention. And she wasn’t alone. Link had already leaned his pointed ears towards the front of a barn just besides the nearby farmhouse. There was a little redhead girl, sitting on the edge of a crate, sobbing her eyes out.
Link’s face exploded in shock. He mouthed something.
Tatl read his lips. “Malon?? Who’s that?”
But before she could ask anything else, Link dashed over and knelt before the sobbing girl. Rather sympathetically he looked into her eyes, then at Tatl, then at the girl again.
The faerie knew that the mute boy needed her help. So she cleared her throat, hovered up, and uttered: “E-Excuse us, little girl. But that’s our horse you have stolen--“
Link glared at Tatl.
“Err….I-I mean, what’s wrong? Why are you crying? We only want to help!”
But the redhead gave no answer. The world shook under the falling moon, and the little girl kept on sobbing. She rubbed her eyes, glanced at Link, and went on with her sad self.
Link stood up slowly. His eyes were trailing the landscape around them. For the first time, he noticed the oddest thing; scorch marks covering the grassy field in random places. It seemed almost as if rings of fire flew down and burned the landscape. But most—if not all—of the burns converged in one place; the structure of the barn.
“Um…..wh-what on earth happened here?” Tatl mumbled.
Link paced his way slowly towards the barn. He placed his hand on one of the doors, but jumped—startled—when it simply fell away. The whole inside of the barn seemed charred….black…near demolished. He stepped inside and gasped when he felt cool air coming down from above. He looked up to find that there was no ceiling…no roof…only pieces of shattered wood here and there.
Tatl fluttered beside him and gulped. “D-Did it burn down?”
Link slowly shook his head. He gestured something, his jaw dropped the entire time.
“A r-raid??” Tatl exclaimed. “What kind of a raid?”
“All the cows…..all gone…”
Both Tatl and Link were startled. They looked to a corner where a tall, slender redheaded woman stood. The sight of her made Link do a double take and glance out the broken doorway to the little girl then back to the lady.The woman was beyond depressed. She was almost comatose. She stood in the corner with her head shaking lifelessly. Now and then the words would come from her mouth: “The cows are gone….it’s my fault…..I should have believed her…..Romani….”
The earth shook again. This was all that Tatl could take. She faced Link to beg him to play the song. But when she looked at him, she stopped near-dead in her speech.
For the first time—and certainly not the last—she saw tears in the little hero’s eyes…
***
“Remarkable story…,” Mordun remarked. By his side, Therald also seemed blissfully captivated…in his own nervous way. “Did this all actually happen simultaneous to the Moon Incident?” asked the large man. “That must have been a hectic time indeed!”
Kafei, holding hands with Anju besides the lobby desk, said: “Well, if not just for us…then for all of Clock Town. Heck, for all of Termina even!”
“Do tell….”
“We believe that the Moon falling towards the land was only part of the problem Termina was facing,” Kafei explained. “For you see….in all four kingdoms surrounding Clock Town, there were innumerable events of ugly proportions going on.”
Anju nodded. “Princesses being kidnapped…freezing temperatures…blinding fog….even the unrest of long-deceased spirits!”
Therald shook a bit. “Y-Y-You mean….u-undead??”
“Or so I’ve heard,” assured Anju with a smile.
Therald gulped.
Mordun glanced at his companion, then back to the couple. “If you ask me—and I don’t mean to sound hexing—but it sounds like your land was under something to the extent of a curse! Do you agree?”
“Wouldn’t doubt it for once,” said Kafei. “The only thing is, we don’t know how we got it or where it came from! Somebody was really, really, ticked off at Termina!”
Just then, a pitter-patter of leather boots announced Link’s presence. Everyone—more or less—looked to see him reach the bottom of the stairs, round the corner, and gesture to Anju.
Anju smiled and replied: “Of course it’s not too late. Run along.”
Link smiled, bowed slightly to the two customers, and made his way out the front door with a jingle of the bell.
“Where’s he off to?” Therald asked.
“Getting something back that I lent to Crow,” said Kafei. A beat. “A f-friend of mine.”
Anju rolled her eyes.
“Remarkable how well you can communicate with him,” Mordun said, scratching his beard. “Is that language written somewhere? I think I’ve heard of that before.”
“No….actually,” Anju smiled bashfully. “H-He sorta….taught us himself.”
“We think he invented it,” Kafei said.
“Oh….well, that’s remarkable all the same,” Mordun grinned. “I bet that makes his past less mysterious?”
The couple’s eyes trailed off.
Finally, Anju said: “No….quite the contrary, actually.”
***
Link smiled as he walked. Clusters of people chattered and chuckled the autumn evening away. As always, it was a pleasant day in Clock Town. A few members of the Bombers chased each other straight across Link’s path. He grinned at them and continued along. The cool air kissed his forehead and kicked at his golden hair.
For a second, he breathed in and relaxed because he felt…he felt….that this was indeed home.
He felt….
~*~*~*~
^^^^^^
Link trotted off on Epona. But after a few spaces, he had to glance back. If he craned his neck up and looked high enough, he could spot the fair image of Princess Zelda, standing in the window. She gave him a beautiful smile and waved like any royal daughter would.
That brought a grin to his face. Satisfied with the thought of her, he had the fuel to go on into a potential unknown. He set Epona off down the path towards Hyrule Town at full sprint.
Not knowing it’d be the last time he’d ever see her….
^^^^^^
~*~*~*~
“Not interested in buying things? Why, I sell only the finest and rarest of antiquities this side of the Northern Mountains! I kid you not!”
Link shook his head and pointed—with emphasis—at the books behind the counter.
Crow, the single employee/owner of the Curiosity Shoppe, realized he had no choice but to give in to the messenger’s request.
“Fine! You strike a hard bargain! I don’t know why Kafei needs these books back so bad. It’s not like he’s that big a fan of horse riding anymore!”
Crow reached over and grabbed a handful of the books before dumping them into Link’s awaiting arms.
“There. You got a hold of that, kid? Didn’t mean to pound you there.”
Link nodded and mouthed: “Thanks,” with a slight bow of the head.
Crow scratched his back, “Ya know….I’m not that bad of a person. I hope you know that. I mean, I saw you lookin’ for Kafei way back during the big Moonfall and all, and I figured the best I could do was help you find him. So we could build trust, ya know? I mean, a friend of Kafei is a friend of mine. And you make a very good friend, I kid you not!”
Link blushed ever so slightly. Bringing a chuckle to the shoppe owner.
“Ah…but if only you knew how much you make those young birds happy,” he said. “I don’t mean to get sappy or nothin’, but if it weren’t for you…they wouldn’t even be together now.”
Link’s eyes drifted over, as if he actually was putting that into consideration. Then again, it wasn’t the first time he was told that.
“You take care now. And always remember…..them birds are glad to have you in that inn. I kid you not!”
Link nodded, and left in a hurry.
***
“Well, then,” Mordun looked at his partner and then back to the couple. “Something tells me we’re needed upstairs. Not only are Therald and I to escort the ladies to this land, but we’ve also been enlisted as bodyguards…..I guess you could say.”
“Bodyguards?” remarked Anju with a little surprise. “Are people after these women?”
“Their culture is a little too paranoid at times,” Mordun said. He leaned in and whispered, “Just don’t tell ‘em I said so.”
Kafei chuckled. “I gotcha. The truth is safe with us.”
“Come, Therald,” Mordun headed up the stairs. “Let’s get this over with so we can raid the milk bar!”
Therald smiled bashfully and followed suit, “I-I’m quite thirsty myself, sir…”
They headed upstairs, and the sound of their footsteps ended with the shutting of the door to the 8 Room.
Anju let out a sigh and looked towards her husband, “I’m glad we didn’t get carried away. They’re very nice people….but we just can’t tell them everything….”
Kafei nodded silently. “That’s something for us alone to remember….”
::::::
The Carnival of Time was in high gear. Fireworks sent showers of sparks every which way. There was dancing…singing….mask exchanging…all the glories of a Terminian holiday, once delayed; but now finalized.
“And to think that a week ago, it looked like the end of the world,” Kafei mused. She and Anju walked hand in hand up a sparsely populated section of Eastern Clock Town. Most of the celebrators had gathered in the central portion of the city. The newlyweds had a chance to be on their own. “I’ve never seen a festival this happy…and belated, even…”
Anju giggled and gave him a light kiss on the neck. “It’s just a runoff feeling, Kafei. We’re starting our life together. What could be happier?”
“Hmmmmm….,” Kafei hummed, then grinned. “A glass of chocolate milk?”
Anju shoved him. “Did I marry you or your stomach?” she smirked.
“Well, you married more than one part of me….that’s for sure…”
“Ah ha ha ha ha…”
Suddenly, a figure ran up to them. A small figure.
“Kafei! Anju!! You gotta come see!”
Anju blinked. It was hard to make out the figure until a bright firework exploded up above; revealing the youngster to be Jim of the Bombers.
“Jim??” the lady knelt down in her dress. “What’s the matter? Is something wrong?”
The kid had a panicky expression; something not usually found on the face of the Bomber-boss. “P-Please! You just gotta come with me! It’s our new friend….he’s in trouble or something!”
“Trouble?” Kafei asked. “Who is this person, Jim?”
“H-His faerie called him Link!” Jim said.
Both Kafei and Anju gasped simultaneously.
“Oh gods…”
“Link?! He’s here?”
“Y-You know him?” panted Jim.
The new couple exchanged glances.
Anju stood up. “Show us where he is, Jim.”
Jim led them. They followed him down the rest of East Clock Town, up behind the Milk Bar, and towards the entrance to the city sewers…
“He’s….i-in there?” Anju asked. “Why on earth would he be in there?”
“H-He really looked bad!” Jim said, wringing his little hands. “I-I’m afraid for him. Cuz he’s cool, ya know?? He’s a good Bomber too! I don’t want anything bad to happen to him!”
“Jim, I tell you what,” Kafei said. “You go run off and fetch Doctor Feral. Anju and I will have a look and see if…if Link is all right.”
Jim looked up at Kafei, shivering.
Kafei smiled and placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Listen to me, Jim. I was once a Bomber myself! I was once second-in-command! In fact, I think I was the longest running member of the club! So I *know* how important it is to help a fellow Bomber out. I promise you, we’ll see to it that Link’s okay. You just go get Doctor Feral, you think you can do that?”
Another firework went off, along with a throng of cheers. Jim’s face was momentarily lit up as he nodded. “O-Okay, Kafei. I-I can do that.” He ran off with his little feet.
“That’s a tough job,” Anju remarked when the boy had left. “With all those people in Central Clock Town? I’m surprised if Doctor Feral doesn’t have his hands full.”
“We’ve got a tough job of our own here too, Anju….,” Kafei said softly.
Both were very quiet then. For it hit them….just what they were about to do. They owed it to themselves to return a favor to someone who had made sure—on the brink of Terminian destruction—that they united their love forever. They had to seek out and rescue a boy named Link.
“I’ll go in first….okay?”
“Okay, Kafei…”
Slowly, the newlyweds crept in.
It was a dank and dark descent into the foul atmosphere of the underground passageways. A few torches were lit; and the two managed to creep their way through; howbeit awkwardly. They walked over cobblestone, hopped from ledge to ledge to avoid the flowing streams of water beneath, and made a few uncertain turns in complete shadows. But so far, there had been no remote sign of Link.
“This place goes on forever…,” murmured Anju as both of them came to a stop. “Link’s a foreigner, isn’t he? The way he dressed and all….he couldn’t possibly know more than we do about these tunnels. He’d be lost!”
“Why would he run down here in the first place?” remarked Kafei. “None of this makes sense! Link is an intelligent person!”
“We hardly know him, Kafei,” stated Anju. And that made them both silent. They felt young and inadequate for a split second. The lady swallowed and added, “But….he never talked…..he had to have been hiding something…”
“Something that would make him come down here? I still don’t get it…”
Anju lifted a finger, silencing her husband. “Shhhh…,” she stared off into space and craned her pointed ear upwards. “Listen…….”
Silence.
“You hear that?”
Kafei shook his head.
Anju looked off towards a dark tunnel. “Somebody……is crying…..”
~*~*~*~
^^^^^^
Link was just at the bridge in the Southern Forest that led into Kokiri Village. At the familiar site he saw an even more familiar figure….and of course, he smiled.
Saria stood at the far end of the bridge. At first sight of him, the emerald-haired girl gasped and waved a frantic arm: “Link!! Link!! Thank the goddesses you’re here!”
Link grinned. But when Epona trotted a few spaces forward, his face turned to stone. Saria wasn’t happy. She was….she was…
A tear rolled down the Forest Sage’s face. She wrung her hands and avoided Link’s gaze. “Link….it’s…..it’s Zelda….”
The boy stared at her from atop Epona. For a moment, his heart stopped.
Saria’s voice shook. “The other Sages contacted me. Rauru knew of it first. You see……Link….”
Link lifted his hands from the reign and did a desperate sign: “What happened?”
Saria took a breath and let out a whisper. And the whisper told Link. And the whisper shook through Link. And the shaking turned to quaking and turned to making a U-turn and---
“Link!! Come back!!” Saria ran halfway across the bridge after him. He was speeding off on Epona as quickly as the wind could take him. “Don’t go back!! It’s too late!! It’s too late!!!!”
^^^^^^
~*~*~*~
“Don’t you hear it, Kafei?!” Anju exclaimed, staring down the tunnel. “I-It’s coming from way down there!”
“Hang on a sec…,” Kafei walked towards the edge of their platform and leaned in. He strained his ear to the best of his ability. And yes….he heard it. Like a falling snowflake, it came to him. Like a mouse on an empty stomach it rolled over and died before him, only to come back to fight for life every shuddering half-a-second that followed.
“Oh gods….could it be…..Link??”
Anju blinked. “I dunno.” A beat. “Come on.”
She stepped--fully dressed—into the knee-deep waters of the tunnel.
“Whoah! Anju! Wait up!” Kafei jumped after her. “I-I could have gone first! Hey! Not so fast—“
“Link?” Anju called out towards the weeping sound. “Link? Is that you?”
~*~*~*~
^^^^^^
The wind stung against Link’s face. Like a red and green lightning bolt, he could be seen streaking a blur across the vast field of Hyrule. The sunset was turning the land into a blood-red cauldron by the time he reached the city’s gates. The guards immediately recognized him and made no complaints when he leapt off his young steed’s saddle and ran full-speed into the city.
======
“Here, Link….take this,” Zelda said. “It will guide you safely through whatever lands you must cross in search of your lost friend. And as long as you have this, you’ll always have something to remember our….our friendship.”
======
His desperate lungs heaved. His heart balanced between beating and breaking. Through his bobbing vision, Link saw a huddled mass of soldiers and servants in the center of Hyrule Market. Commoners and city dwellers had formed an outer ring around them; and they were already sobbing.
^^^^^^
~*~*~*~
Anju and Kafei waded their way down the sewer. The closer they came to the sound of the weeping, the quieter it seemed to become. It was as if the entire universe wanted to stifle the saddened voice from existence….
“Link??” Anju asked, ahead of them both. “Link—“ Her eyes locked onto an open ledge towards the left. She cupped a hand over her mouth. “Oh my….”
::::::
Tatl awoke from the midst of her slumber. Tiredly, she stretched her tiny limbs across the floor of the Clock Tower’s interior. She yawned, sat up, and looked around. How long had they chosen their rest break to be this time? She couldn’t quite remember.
Then she glanced to her left and saw Link sleeping quietly, peacefully on the hard floor. Despite the roughness of his surroundings, the forest boy was uniquely capable of adapting and making himself comfortable.
Somehow, that brought a smile to the little pixie’s face. But upon seeing the scrambled bits of deku paper lying around besides the pen and inkwell, the faerie became curious.
“Just what was he working on before I drifted off?” she thought aloud. On dragonfly wings she fluttered over and stood at the foot of the first paper she saw.
What the words said brought a mixture of confusion and concern to her heart…
~*~*~*~
^^^^^^
That was the sight Link needed to open his mouth. And in spite of all the pain leaping forth from his throat—even then, no words came out.
Out of the crowd, a haggard Impa saw him. She caught Link’s body before it could fly into the huddle.
======
Zelda smiled prettily. “In times of trouble, you can count on the Goddess of Time to save you. And you will be in my prayers. But always remember this song, Link. For this reminds me of us…”
^^^^^^
~*~*~*~
Tatl stepped over the pages, reading the words beneath her bare, porcelain feet as she paced.
“Dear Goddess of Time……bring her back……please……Dear Goddess of Time……bring her back……please……Dear Goddess of Time……”
::::::
Lying there on the ledge, before Anju and Kafei, was a miserable Link. His clothes had been soiled. His hair has been tossed around. And his whole face was flushed with emotion.
He rested, curled up in the corner, where he shook and shivered like a dying animal. He was sobbing like the pain of the world was on his shoulders, and yet he was quieter than a pin drop.
Anju’s hand dropped from her mouth. She reached it forward gently, “Link….what’s wrong??”
At first sign of them, Link gasped. His blue eyes flew open, and if it was at all possible he tried scooting further away from them into the corner.
“L-Link! It’s okay!” Anju exclaimed. “It’s us, A-Anju and Kafei….r-remember?”
“Link….what are you doing here?” Kafei asked, leaning over his wife’s shoulder. “What on earth happened to you??”
Link clenched his wet eyes shut. He hiccupped for breath, but he couldn’t summon a voice. As much as he shook and heaved and struggled, no words could roll forth. But his lips moved…and Anju saw this. She could almost see the words.
~*~*~*~
^^^^^^
“Don’t look, Link,” Impa breathed. He struggled in her strong arms, and she tried to wrestle him down. “She’s gone….don’t look, please….”
^^^^^^
~*~*~*~
“She’s gone……I can’t go back…,” Link’s lips mouthed. He shook all the more as Anju and Kafei walked up and kneeled beside him. “I can’t go back……she’s gone…”
:::::
“Dear Goddess of Time……,” Tatl read, growingly anxious. “…she’s gone…please bring her back……please……Dear Goddess of Time……she’s gone……I can’t go back…please…”
~*~*~*~
^^^^^^
Impa struggled with Link. “She’s gone….don’t look, please….”
Link’s whole body spun in her grasp. His damp eyes clenched shut, and he dashed the last two or three steps needed to pierce the wall of bodies and see that which was in the center….
^^^^^^
~*~*~*~
Link’s whole body shook. Anju placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. That brought a whimper from the little boy. And ever so quietly, he squeaked forth: “She’s gone……I……don’t want to go back……”
Anju looked at Kafei, and her husband returned no more than a look of sympathy.
The lady swallowed back her own tears and said: “It’s okay….Link. You’ll be safe here. You don’t have to go back….”
Link suddenly stopped shaking. His eyes opened wide, brimming with tears.
And Anju’s words echoed: “You don’t have to go back…”
~*~*~*~
^^^^^^
And Link saw her…
And his face died for the first time…
But not the last time…
^^^^^^
~*~*~*~
Tatl looked squarely at Link’s form. His body twitched once or twice, but otherwise slumbered peacefully. Was there any rest for him in the dream world?
The faerie sat in her own spot to go back to sleep. And as her restless mind started slowing down to rest…she wondered for the first time:
Why is he here? Why is he saving our land…?
::::::
Link let out a huge breath. His tears came as freely as before, but they were warm, peaceful tears this time…
“Link…,” Anju reached over and grabbed ahold of his shoulders.
The eleven year-old wasted no time. He flung his arms around the lady’s neck and cried into her shoulder quietly.
Kafei knelt down and joined the embrace. For the second time, the couple was united; but this time it was with the same soul that had made their joy possible to begin with.
Joy and sorrow……hand in hand……
After a while, Link grew still and quiet. The doctor came, and found nothing wrong with the boy on first examination. But he was exhausted…vented…and alone…
Almost without speaking, Anju and Kafei made a decision. The husband lifted Link into his arms, and carried him to a spare room in the Stock Pot Inn.
And thus began the promise of a new life….and new home…
::::::
Link stood…with an armful of books in his hands…staring at the entrance to the sewers. The path seemed much smaller now to his thirteen-year-old frame. But the memories were crystal clear. All of Link’s memories were crystal clear.
The breath of Autumn and the sounds of happy Terminians brought him back to the present world. He had no choice but to smile.
The promise was true to itself.
He took a glance at the rooftop of the Milk Bar. He then looked at the books in his hand. Smiling, he made a decision. He walked calmly and quietly towards the Milk Bar’s rooftop…just as the sun was beginning to set.
~*~*~*~
^^^^^^
A dreary afternoon…
On a stormy day…
Under the lightest of ice cold drizzles…
On either side of the procession, hushed masses huddled into clusters. They formed two walls of sick, shivering souls. It was as if the blindingly bright casket sucked the life out of each and every one of them. Nothing more outspoken than a cough or a shudder emanated from their frozen ranks.
Link watched, and at one point, he felt Impa’s hand on her shoulder. He felt it an atrocity to take his gaze off of the casket for one second. Until, under the hushed drone of Hyrulian mourners surrounding, the slender white object was carried into the Royal Tomb…safe beneath the earth….and cut off from the Hero of Time’s sapphire sight.
The boy closed his eyes. The hood fell off from over his head and he lowered his face to the muddy grown. The drizzle turned to rain and formed trails of liquid that dripped and dribbled off the ends of his blonde bangs. Everyone around him; the royal attendants, the guards, Impa, even the King himself wandered over towards the tomb, leaving him all alone.
Alone in the memory of a princess who blessed him with her existence.
Alone in the freezing realization that her existence was no more.
Princess Zelda was dead.
^^^^^^
~*~*~*~
Anju was sweeping the front entrance to the Inn, and Kafei was moving a few pieces of furniture to newly assigned spots in the lobby.
When all of the sudden; out from the sun-kissed, amber evening sky…a sweet whistle sung itself into existence.
Both young spouses looked up, and smiled at the immediate recognition of the music’s identity.
Link’s voice……
Together, the two crept to the doorway. They hadn’t a need to look too far. Up above, perched on the edge of the railing along the Milk Bar’s rooftop, stood Link with his mysterious blue Ocarina.
Other Terminians took a glance or two—and a few were content enough to watch intently. This had become a regular sight, and an altogether pleasing sound. When the voice of Link—the mysterious green stranger—serenaded their pleasant town into the night.
It was a new thing for Mordun and Therald, servants to the ladies from Feordia. They opened a window along the second story of the Stock Pot Inn and watched with curious amusement at the mute boy making sound.
***
Link had felt eyes on him in the past. He knew that his routine for announcing the coming of night had become about as popular as the traditional, evening gong of the Clock Tower itself.
But he wasn’t necessarily playing his heart out for them. And for that, the quiet boy felt somewhat selfish.
All he had to do then was remind himself who had given him that very instrument. And it was for an unfathomably perfect cause that he chose to use it every night.
For on the death of each day, he hoped….he truly, secretly hoped….that the Goddess of Time would hear his cry, and answer his prayer….
To be continued…
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