THE LEGEND OF ZELDA:
THE DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT
Chapter one: A Friendly Welcome
The young man crouches in the shadow, a bow in his hand, slick with water from the heavy rain falling around him, pattering on the street before him. He grasps it harder, realizing quietly that rain will not make the conditions ideal for shooting a bow. Nevertheless, he stays exactly where he is, shielding the bow as best as he can from the heavy downpour. He has a black cloak wrapped around him, concealing his rather outlandish clothing – a green tunic and an oddly shaped hat with spiky, blond, slightly too-long hair spilling out the front like a kettle. It is unkempt, as it usually is these days, and it draws more attention than necessary to himself, which he has never liked. He has kept his title of Hero of Time hidden ever since he left his homeland seven years previous, but even now, after not a single person guessing who he really is, he remains cautious, slightly nerve racked at the possibility that someone might figure out who he is and tell the wrong person. Then trouble could descend on him like nothing he had ever had before.
Despite these conditions, Link does not move from his spot. He has promised the local tavern keeper to hunt down and slaughter the poe who has been stalking his top floors during the night for weeks on end, upturning tables, wreaking destruction and terrifying his own customers, making business less fruitful than would be hoped. Link feels it is his duty, since it is what he has been doing for seven years. From the tavern keeper, whose name was Daread, he has been given the direction that the sinister poe always seems to enter the town. So Link is now crouching just inside the gates, where any second now, he believes the annoying ghost is sure to appear, and begin to float toward the tavern, expecting that business will continue as usual, this rainy night.
As he pulls the dark traveling cloak further around him, he ponders, yet again, just how far away from Hyrule he really is. He dwells upon his home country much, and misses it grievously, but tries to keep his mind off of his homeland, for the pain that it is sure to cause him.
Even as he is thinking these thoughts, a wavering wind waxes into existence around him. He grips his bow tighter, quietly notching an arrow, twanging the string softly under his cloak. He quickly thinks everything over, knowing that he will have to bring the bow out and shoot fast, so the rain can’t get in the way of the draw string. He hears the wind getting stronger, recognizing it as the traditional sound surrounding oncoming poe’s. Link readies himself, letting tension take him over, even though there is nothing for him to fear. Poe ghosts have never been a problem for him.
He quickly sees it, although it is tougher through the pouring rain, which is now pouring down so hard that it is like buckets of water being emptied repeatedly from the sky. A small dim glow surrounds the ghost, and its drifting quietly down the cobblestone street in front of him, hovering about two feet off the ground. It has rags hanging from its destroyed and tattered remains of its body, and Link keeps inconspicuously in the shadows, readying himself for the perfect shot. It drifts closer, about to pass his hiding spot. It’s head is still turned away, its lantern that is clutched in bloody fingers moving in tiny circles …
Link whips out his bow, tightens on the string, and releases. Unexpectedly, it seems the poe is waiting for this move, and disappears just in time. The arrow zooms through the spot where it just was. All Link can see now through the huge gale is the lantern. He throws off his cloak, and draws out his sword and shield, readying himself. Poe’s can be tricky when they are invisible. As he crouches down into a fighting stance, he can’t help but feel annoyed that he couldn’t have just pierced it with one arrow and ended it. Now he has to get messy.
The lantern hovers softly, turning ever so slightly, in Link’s direction. Link wanders out on to the main street, watching the lantern steadily. As he nears closer, he gets to seeing the small candle burning through the glass sheets …
Without warning, the lantern whirls up in a frenzy, and a cackle fills the air. It shoots forward as fast as an arrow, and Link throws up his Hylian shield. The lantern smashes against it, and goes out, crashing to the ground. There is an angry screech, and the poe appears again in a flash, glaring with hatred at the Hero of Time. Link realizes quickly that this is a much bigger poe than the one’s he has usually seen in Hyrule so many years ago. Even bigger, in fact, than the poe’s that haunted Dampe’s Gravesite in Termina. It is around three feet tall, and four feet wide, with gleaming yellow eyes that are fixed menacingly on Link’s face. He registers this fast, then rolls to the side to dodge a swipe with the dark claws of the enormous poe. As Link rolls, he dimly notices himself and his tunic getting soaked in the massive puddles that have gathered on the street. Another swipe flashes out at Link, and he catches the arm with his sword, a rather unremarkable, yet sturdy and well forged blade. The poe howls as blood drips from the tiny wound on its forearm, and swipes multiple times at the elf, desperate to get in at least one hit … apparently revenge for its broken lantern. Link can’t help but chuckle inwardly at this as he dodges several more swings.
The poe seems to be in a frenzy of anger, for the lanterns are always kept close to traditional poe ghosts. And since this is a rather bigger poe, losing its lantern will make it feel like it could defeat anything that broke it. This is not a comforting thought, but Link still feels confident. Being in a rage filled frenzy such as the poe’s current means that it has no control of its swipes – it is swinging blindly, the easiest tactic to dodge. Link moves left and right, smiling as the poe tries harder and harder, screeching even louder in protest. Finally, when Link pokes it jokingly in the side with the very tip of his sword, it grows even angrier. It swoops down and seizes a large chunk of broken glass from the lantern. It’s jagged, gleaming end glints even through the heavy rain. Link realizes what its about to do half a second before it does it. He ducks down just as the poe hurtles the sharp glass at his neck. It soars over him, but with the slippery road beneath him, Link slips and goes down hard on his back, dropping his sword and shield. He scrambles to get up, realizing that this is just what the poe was counting on, but isn’t fast enough. He feels both dead hands of the poe close around his ankle, and feels himself being dragged across the road toward the brick wall where he was just previously hiding under. He clutches desperately at the wet bricks, but his fingers are too wet to grasp a single stone.
He is lifted off the ground, yelling, and slammed hard against the brick wall. Not hard enough to go through it, but enough to cause him sufficient pain. The poe lets him fall to the ground, moaning, and reaches down to do it again. Link hasn’t time or energy to react, and the poe hurtles him across the road, again in its blind frenzy of anger. Link rattles across the rough brick, and comes to rest on the very other side. At the back of his mind he sees lights being flicked on from the houses only blocks away. The poe is about to get more victims. In the front of his mind, Link sees the poe flying quickly toward him, rage boiling in its yellow tinged eyes …
Link rolls over onto his stomach and grasps his sword with slippery fingers. He spins himself off of the ground with his final dreg of strength, and stretches out his sword. The poe’s eyes widen as it is cut horizontally across its middle, blood spurting out of it in torrents, splashing Link with the dark, putrid liquid mixed with the rainwater. Link drops the sword again, and it clatters at his side on the street. He sees the poe screech one final time, then disappear out of existence, never to terrorize this small town again. He breathes hard, and clutches at his back, groaning in pain. There is slight dust from where he hit the wall, but it is quickly washed away as he lays there, poe blood running down his face, which is also quickly washing away.
He sees villagers rushing up to him, crouching down, muttering in worry. Among them, Link notices Daread, the tavern keeper whom he promised he would dispose of the foul ghost, pushing through all of them and supporting Link’s head with a hand.
“Are you alright, there, sir?” asks Daread, his thick accent as always making Link have to think about the words he is speaking. “Was it that damn ghost thing that has been terrorizing my tavern that did this to you?”
Link nods weakly, and says “but it won’t be terrorizing you anymore. You have nothing to worry about, Daread.”
The tavern keeper grins, but then notices all the poe blood splattered about Link’s body, which is being washed into the street by the still down pouring rain. He cringes, but says “well done, sir. You are our hero, indeed!”
Hero … a title I am not worthy to uphold. Here I am, in a foreign country, fighting minor little poe’s that are attacking taverns, when I should be off fighting greater evil’s that are no doubt threatening the world. I should not be here …
Link’s thoughts whirl about in his head. The villagers stay with him while he lays there, collecting himself. After a few minutes, he pulls himself upright and rests his sword and shield across his back. He turns to the crowd, and says “I thank you all for your hospitality. This feat that I have done for you needs no paying back, I have done it by choice, and do not regret it in the slightest. I have been happy to help you fine elves out, but now I must go … there are other matters I must attend to. Perhaps one day I may return, and when that day comes, please remember me. I am off now … good night to you all.”
The villagers mutter their deepest thanks and regretful goodbyes, and slowly recede back to their homes through the still raging gale. Daread is the last to leave, and he clasps Link’s hand and gives him a hug before retreating back to the tavern. Link smiles, then turns and hurries over to the brick wall, retrieving his traveling cloak. As he whirls it around himself, he hears a whinny in the distance. He reaches out with his mind.
I am coming, Epona, my faithful companion. We are leaving this village … for a place neither you nor I have seen in quite some time.
Although his faithful horse does not understand all the words, the meaning of them is quite clear. Link believes that she even knows where their next destination is. When he finally leaves the road and traverses across the small stretch of open field toward the trees of a massive forest stretching for miles north, he sees his horse. Epona, tied to a tree where he had left her only hours before. He greeted her with a hug and a pat on the head, smiling at her as he rubs her head. She whinnies softer, and nudges him.
“Okay, we shall depart, now,” whispers Link to her, swinging himself up into the saddle. He takes a quick drink from his flask, fills it up again with the rainwater, then nudges the horses sides, and they take off back onto the main street, cross quickly through the small town, and out onto the road curving through the wilderness, heading south, homeward bound.
Deep in the unknown reaches of the underground …
A figure cast in shadow, sitting on a rock throne with his armored fingers curling menacingly over the arms stares with a penetrating gaze at a subject, who is kneeled before him with an arm over his chest. The subject shivers violently, for it is very cold in the small, rocky room, but also for fear of what his master will do to him if he did not choose his words right.
“Ulvarth,” rumbles the figure sitting upon the throne, tall, foreboding, and sounding not pleased at all with the elf before him, “what have you to report from the surface?”
“A-All the proceedings are going well, my L-Lord,” stammers the elf called Ulvarth. “Neam has kept a steady watch to the formation of the guards, and of the time that they switch shifts at the castle gates. He will strike mere hours after twilight.”
“And how many guards are expected to be murdered?” demands the huge shadowed figure, sounding a bit more impatient than before.
“At least twenty-five, my Lord,” replies Ulvarth. “Perhaps more, if he can work fast en-”
“NO!” shouts the shadowed being, cutting off Ulvarth so suddenly that he jumps in terror, cringing back as his voice radiates with power throughout the room. “UNACCEPTABLE! HE MUST SLAUGHTER EVERY GUARD THAT HE SEES, NO MERCY, AND NO EXCEPTIONS! IF HE IS TO DIE, THEN HE WILL DIE WITH A PURPOSE!”
The echoes bounce off the walls, screaming through the subjects mind. He nods feverishly, and says “it will be d-d-done, my L-Lord!”
He bows low, and sprints from the room, pure horror flying through his shaky mind and body. The supposed “Lord” sitting on the rocky throne smiles to himself after inflicting such terror into his elf servants. “Everything is going as planned,” he murmurs softly to himself, then chuckles menacingly, again, with the deep voice reverberating off of the walls surrounding him.
Jaccfall Port, two leagues north of Lake Hylia Port
Link hands over twenty rupees to the elf running the dock. It is a small port, with just one wooden raft, which is relatively big, but that he is supposed to navigate himself, but it is sturdy enough to support both his and his horses weight. The man nods to him with a smile, his greasy hair bouncing on his head, and mutters “enjoy your ride, my comrade at Lake Hylia Port will take her back to here for you.”
“Very well,” says Link, returning the smile as he leads Epona onto the raft. “I shall not forget your kind service, sir. Good day to you.”
As the rope tethering the raft to the dock is thrown off of it, Epona whinnies quietly with pent up fear, but Link places a hand on the saddle, calming her. “Don’t worry, my faithful companion,” he whispers to her. “I have plenty of food, and it will only take a few hours. Have no fear.”
She is not fully soothed, but manages to calm herself with Link’s presence. The minutes slowly slip by, with Link slowly steering the boat with a paddle, feeding Epona piles of grass that he has gathered from near Jaccfall Port before they left. The food helps calm her, and before long, Link can tell that Epona is completely calmed down, and collected with herself.
As the hours slip by unnoticed, Link begins to fee a strange pressure emanating from the south … from Hyrule. It seems to feel like a physical force trying to keep him from arriving in his homeland. He does not take notice of it at first, but after a while grows weary of it. As they draw nearer to Lake Hylia Port, the physical force turns into a foreboding force, what seems to be a supernatural warning. Had Link been traveling to any other part of the world, he may have heeded this strange warning, but his mind is set on reaching Hyrule, and nothing will stop him now. Even so, as they draw close to only a few miles away, the warning is so strong and fierce that even Epona begins to feel it, and she stomps her feet softly on the wooden surface of the raft uncertainly.
Finally, after much waiting and worrying, Link sees through the darkness of night, the small dock that indicates the entrance to Hylia Lake. He sighs in relief, as he sees a group of men gathered at the end of the dock. People to usher me in and bring the raft back, no doubt, reasons Link.
The raft bumps to a halt at the dock, and Link takes a closer look at the men as they tether it to the dock. There are five of them, all wearing dark cloaks with their hoods folded behind their heads. They all have swords strapped to their sides in leather sheathes. As soon as its tied firmly to the dock, they all fall silent, staring at him silently. They aren’t smiling, but they don’t glare either.
“Are you the comrades from Jaccfall Port two miles north of here who seek to take this raft that I ride on back to the port?” inquires Link. He starts to get a bad feeling in his heart about these men. One of them steps forward, unshaven and dirty looking.
“Whoever you are, whatever your business here in the land of Hyrule is, leave now, if you wish to live,” says the man firmly.
Link frowns quizzically. They want him to leave? What could be going on in Hyrule that outsiders are being denied entrance? These are not guards of the King Daphnes, he works out quickly. His thoughts immediately jump to his lost and best friend, Princess Zelda. If anything has happened to her … he knows he must find out.
“Are you threatening me?” asks Link calmly. “Do not stand in my way, or you will die. I have no quarrel with you, sir.”
“Turn this raft around now, and leave!” snarls the man, drawing out his dagger viciously with a rasp. All four men behind him do the same. “If you do not obey us, we will slay you and your horse where you are.”
This threat to Epona drives Link over the edge. With lightning fast moves, he seizes his bow off of his back, notches an arrow and lets it fly straight into the man’s chest who has just threatened him. He sets his bow back without looking to see the man’s reaction to his mortal wound, and lunges forward, drawing out his sword, slicing the rope tethering him to the dock. The four men dive for the rope, but the raft sails just out of their reach. They curse audibly, and Link glares stiffly at them. He watches them turn and begin running all the way around the lake, attempting to beat him to the other side.
If I can just get to shore and ride Epona out of here before they reach me, I’ll be safe! Link thinks quickly. He paddles frantically, speeding the raft up considerably. Epona whinnies loudly as the raft increases speed. Link shoots a quick look to the men. They are nearing the halfway point, and Link isn’t. He realizes that paddling isn’t enough. He must call upon magic to speed the boat up.
In the ancient tongue, he mutters a few choice words, and with his paddling and the magical boost to his strength, his arms move lightning fast, shooting the water up in a spray behind them. The speed increases dramatically, and Link and Epona shoot across the clear surface of Hylia Lake. As they near the shore, Link looks again at the men pursuing him. They are almost all the way around the lake. He panics, and when they hit the shore he leaps up onto Epona’s back and kicks her sides hard before the raft is at a complete stop. His faithful horse panics also, and makes a large leap, landing partway on land, her back hooves sinking into the water. She flounders for a second, then gallops out of the lake, spraying water up behind them, and darts toward the exit to Hylia Lake. Link urges her to go faster. The men are dashing full out toward him, closing ground rapidly. Thinking fast, Link nocks yet another arrow and lets it fly, allowing for wind target advanced movement. One of the lead men is struck in the temple by the arrow, and falls forward, not even making a sound. Link realizes that it must have pierced his brain. Good, one more I don’t have to worry about.
Links urges Epona to her fullest extent, and just before the remaining three mysterious guards reach the fence, Epona leaps full out, at least five feet into the air, landing down on the other side of the gate. They take off at full speed, flashing across the dark plains of Hyrule Field under the infinite stars. The three guards curse loudly, whacking each other angrily.
The Hero of Time looks up at the familiar constellations, his breathing ragged, but with a sense of safety. Finally, after seven years of wandering and saving people from minor problems, he is home in Hyrule, where his loyalties will always lie, where his best friends reside, and where, most importantly, he was born. But with these strange men attempting to deny him entrance, he wonders just what is going on in his homeland at the moment. He knows that those guards could not have been set there by the Royal Family, else they would have the armor of the traditional guards, and they didn’t. He knows he needs to work this out, and decides to do it tomorrow, when there will be less dangers out hunting him. What he does not know is how many more men are scattered about the other entrances of Hyrule, and how fast the men at Lake Hylia could spread the word that he has made it inside.
So he comes to the conclusion that the most sensible place that nobody would look for him at is Lon Lon Ranch … where his old friend Malon, the farm girl from his childhood, he presumes, still lives.
Already in the distance Link can see the windows glowing like eyes beckoning him to hurry closer, for danger lurks nearby. This he already gets, but even so he urges Epona to move faster. Despite the fact that he is back in his homeland, he still feels uneasy while out in the open, since Hyrule Field is such a vast place.
It takes him about ten minutes to gallop into the ranch with Epona on quiet hooves. He leads his horse to the door to the only real house on the ranch. As Link dismounts, he notices that the nearby circular stable that takes up the heart of the ranch is motionless and empty. No horses are out on that field. He feels even more unsure, and knocks hastily on the door, hoping it isn’t too late that Talon will hate him for knocking.
He waits a few minutes, knowing that it may take a second for someone to wake up and get down to the door. Sure enough, he hears hasty footsteps hurrying down a set of stairs, and straightens up, hoping he won’t look too flustered. The door opens before him, spilling light all over his face. He squints in the bright light of the lantern that a figure in front of him is holding, for a swift transition from darkness to light is not friendly. He can tell that the figure holding the lantern is feminine.
“Malon,” Link says in a quiet voice. “Is that you? And if it is, could you please lower the lantern? It’s kind of bright.”
The lantern lowers and Link blinks several times to clear the glare from his eyes. Indeed, it is Malon, his long lost friend. She is looking at him in puzzlement, and he sees with some sense of humor that she is now squinting at him.
“Do I know you? I’m getting the strangest sensation of Déjà vu …” she mutters.
“Malon, its me, Link! Fairy boy, remember? From seven years ago. I left Hyrule when we were eleven.”
Realization seems to strike her with his words, and she throws her arms around him, crying out “Link! Oh in the name of the goddesses, where in Hyrule have you been? It’s been so long! I thought you were dead!”
“I have been all around the world,” responds Link. “But perhaps explanations are best left for later. I have a problem. There are men out hunting me, and I don’t know how long it will take them to track me here. I came here because this is was the closest place. If they arrive here, I may be able to take care of them, but could I take shelter here for the time being?”
Malon seems more than slightly surprised by this desperate plead, and says “yes, of course! Where should you put your h … horse … oh Din’s Fire, is that Epona?”
“Malon, please! I will put Epona in the stables, but we must hurry,” says Link. She nods, remembering her promise to him.
“Go, put her in the stables. But hurry back, please.”
Link brings Epona to the empty caged in area, again staring around in puzzlement as he pushes the gate open and lets her trot inside. As he closes it, he finds himself frozen in place, gazing raptly at the deserted place in the darkness. Epona gallops with glee across the familiar plane, scooping up mouthfuls of grass at will. Link is transfixed by the odd sight, but quickly shakes himself back to reality, and runs back to Malon’s house, shutting the door behind himself. Malon is sitting on the couch before him, and he sits down beside her as well. She stares at him with interest, and says “as I asked before, what has delayed your return so much, and for what reason did you leave in the first place?”
Link considers the question. “Well, I left in the first place because there was nothing for me here. Where have I been? Many places, doing deeds for random villages and towns. Just a few nights ago I helped a tavern keeper named Daread rid the town of a troublesome poe ghost. Things like that, you see.”
“Ah … saving people, as always, Link. Why do you do deeds as such?” she inquires. Link once again ponders the question.
“Because I feel that it is my job,” he answers simply. “But tell me, where are all of your other horses? The cage is empty!”
“Oh, that,” says Malon darkly. The change in her tone surprises Link a bit. “That started about a month ago. Someone has been slaughtering our horses. We don’t even know how. It can’t be by blade, for the holes are in their sides, and they are cauterized on the insides, and they are in far too perfect of a circle for any normal blade … or any weapon, for that matter. So now we keep our horses locked in the stables out back. The problem has finally stopped, but we lost many horses before solving it.”
“And you never caught the culprit?” says Link in outrage. “How horrible! That could put Lon Lon Ranch in debt like you have never seen before!”
“We know,” replies the farm girl with dismay. “If any more horses are slaughtered we could go out of business. So we have to keep the horses locked up all night, and some of the day when we aren’t around them, just in case the perpetrator returns for more. Hopefully we will catch him one day soon. But I’m not so sure, for this person is smart – they leave no tracks or fingerprints. Whatever powerful magic they are using, they have made sure that they are untraceable. And it is working.”
Link frowns. “Well, rest assured that this person will not get away. I will track them down eventually. But it may take a while, since I am being tracked right now, as well.”
“Yes, and what is all of that about?” inquires Malon with curiosity emanating from her voice.
“When I sailed into Hylia Lake Port, there were five men who tried to stop me from entering. I took down two of them with my bow and escaped the other three. But I am sure that they are still hunting me, and I’m also sure that there are more out there, helping them. I don’t know how long I can avoid them, and I don’t know what they want. Do you have any idea why they were there?” inquires Link. Malon shakes her head sadly.
“I have not heard of any violence in Hyrule for some time, now, Link,” she replies with a frown. “What could these men be up to that they must not have any outsiders entering Hyrule? If there is something happening in here, I should probably know about it, or anyone at all should know about it. But I don’t, and I don’t believe anyone else does either, for I have heard nothing of any strangeness in the papers lately. So the Royal Family must not know about the men, or else they would have dealt with them accordingly by now.”
“Depending on how long they have been here,” reminds Link. “It must be important to threaten to kill an elf over. Whatever it is, I can guarantee that it is something bad … and I will investigate whatever it is with all of my wisdom, courage and power.”
Malon smiles. The three sides of the Triforce. “Will you stay here, tonight, then? You are more than welcome,” the farm girl offers. Link smiles.
“Your hospitality is very much appreciated, Malon,” says Link, grasping her hands in his. “I thank you to the fullest. If you would permit it, may I sleep down here on the couch?”
“Absolutely,” responds Malon at once. “You may rest wherever you like. I will see you in the morning, I guess.”
And with that, Malon gives him one final hug, and hurries up the stairs again, blowing out her lantern as she does. Link lays himself softly down on the sofa, kicking his boots off as he does. As he sets his hat on the table beside the sofa, he reflects on all that has occurred over the last few days. Much questions have been left unanswered, and he feels determined to unravel them as soon as he can. Yet, at the same time, he feels a sense of comfort … he has arrived home at last, his place of peace.
Unfortunately, it is all but peace that he is feeling.
Hyrule Field, the next day
Link pats Epona’s side as she gallops hard across the rolling plains of Hyrule Field, bound west, toward the distant Hylia City, where the tall spires of Hyrule Castle were already visible. He has left a note on Malon’s door, explaining where he has gone. Although he has done this, he still feels guilty not saying goodbye to her in person. But he forcibly pushes these thoughts out of his mind and continues on, unheeded by the clouds above. It is a gray, overcast day, yet sun is still shining through. Not exactly ideal conditions for his first day back in his beloved homeland.
He is still about a mile away, but in the distance he can see the drawbridge being lowered slowly down, creaking in the crisp morning air. He can’t help but smile at the familiar site … his mind returns to the first time that he was running across the field at ten years old, his first time out of Kokiri Forest, with a feeling of openness as he saw the vast field before him. Now it was as normal as a walk across a road for him. And it was even more comforting and gave him a feeling of being home when he saw the bridge being lowered to admit weary travelers. He is a weary traveler.
The ride to the bridge is uneventful, or as uneventful as it can get riding a horse across a vast plain. When Link arrives at the gate and gallops over it, he can already see the townsfolk bustling about the main square, chatting animatedly with big smiles on their faces. A few chickens are squawking and running about with children chasing after them, dogs are barking and wagging their tails, and there is an auctioneer’s voice rattling off a list of prices. It is the center of activity for Hyrule. All races are here – gorons, zora, elves and gerudo. They all coexist in harmony in Hylia City, there has never been conflict here, aside from the nonexistent future that Link remembers quite well, when Ganondorf took over. And since that future now does not exist, Hylia City is his favorite place in all of Hyrule, aside from the forest, his original home inside his home.
As he trots into the main square, he is greeted with cheery waves and calls of “hello!” with random people he did not even know. These people have no conflicts in their lives, and everything to live for. Link almost feels that they are luckier than him, but decides not to go into that sort of thing – he never has and never wants to.
Epona and him quickly exit the main square and trot up the path leading to the meadow in front of Hyrule Castle. They draw closer to the familiar place, and Link reminisces about the days when he had to sneak past all the guards just to see Princess Zelda.
When he rounds the corner, however, a new problem faces him. Since his thoughts have been so cluttered since the previous night, he hasn’t thought about how he is going to get into the castle to see Zelda. Now the gate before him is shut firmly, and two guards stand in front of it, permitting no entrance to civilians. And Link is a civilian to everyone except the sages. He leads Epona up to the gate, and the guards stand up stiffer, grasping their pikes a bit harder. Link grimaces, already knowing that they will refuse to let him through.
“Please, I would like to gain access to Hyrule Castle in order to consult with –”
“Were you invited?” cuts in the guard to Link’s left, not even turning to look at him. Link grits his teeth, and says “no, I do not sir. But I must see the Pr –”
“Then you shall not gain entrance to the Royal Families Castle, under order of King Daphnes, henceforth when –”
A second voice cuts through the guard who is deliberating at Link. A feminine voice … the most welcome voice Link has heard since he left Hyrule seven long years ago. The voice of a Princess of Destiny.
“Open the gates, Fulst,” orders the voice. “He is with me.”
The guard named Fust falters, then glares with hatred at Link, and slides the gate open. Link nods to him, and he and Epona trot through the gate. It slams shut behind him with a jolt.
Link leaps off of Epona, seeing the figure of a skinny, blond haired woman wearing regal pink clothing with Triforce shapes embroidered in gold upon their surfaces, standing in the middle of the dirt road before him. Her unmarked, perfect face is smiling with joy at the sight of her old friend and savior as he jumps off his steed and sprints toward her. Dangling from both earlobes are Triforce shaped earrings, also shining gold. The Princess Zelda, the only other elf aside from the sages who knows who Link truly is, embraces her old, lost friend with pure happiness and cheer, glad that he has finally returned to her at last. She has thought to herself over and over the years that he was gone from Hyrule, what her true thoughts toward him are, and came to a simple conclusion, though she knows she would never work up the courage to tell him straight forward. Link is the elf with the mark of courage.
Link has often thought the same thoughts about Zelda, and has come to the same exact conclusion, but for all the courage bestowed upon him, he can not bring himself to tell her. A secret that he believes will remain with him for the rest of his life. But he does not curse himself. At the moment, all thoughts have left his head, and he is simply overjoyed to be holding the woman he has known since childhood once more. He breathes in her rose scent with reverence, rubbing her back with his mail-backed hands, something he has been waiting to do for seven years.
“… and I shot one more in the head with an arrow, and just barely beat them out of Lake Hylia. Then I took refuge at Lon Lon Ranch last night and left this morning … and here I am.”
Done telling his story, Link leans back on a couch in Zelda’s Quarters and sighs, releasing the tension from his bones. It has taken him two long hours to tell what has happened to him since he left for Termina to Zelda. The princess seems to have listened throughout the entire thing, raptly sucking in every detail from the story. While Link has been progressing through his story, he has noticed that he is starting to lose himself in her eyes … so much like he had done after defeating Ganondorf. He has found himself periodically stopping in mid-sentence and just staring at her beautiful face. But he quickly shakes himself out of it, knowing that staring is impolite … especially to a crown princess of Hyrule.
“Oh, Link, so much that has happened,” whispers Zelda, awestruck by his story retelling. “You have faced more dangers than I have ever known … some more dangerous than Ganondorf himself. And yet you return here to me unscathed, and ready to help with this mysterious band of goons trying to deny you entrance to your homeland!”
“As I have said before, I feel it is my job to help out those less fortunate than myself,” replies Link. “Ganondorf was one incident. A more serious and deadly incident, but just one more thing that I felt was my duty to rid Hyrule of.”
“That was not just duty … it was your destiny, and you have embraced it so openly that it is stunning to see you here without a touch of insanity,” says Zelda in wonder. “Most would try to run away, but you face it without fear … you truly do represent Courage, in all of its aspects. The goddesses have chosen you to stand on one side of the Triforce, and you do it without cause for anger, worry, or wonder of profit in it for yourself. You are truly stunning; a physical icon for this day and time.”
Link is surprised to hear this praise from Zelda. He finds it strange … they have spent so little time together, yet he finds himself unable to stop thinking about her. The changes and abnormalities that they have faced together seem to have drawn them together closer than any person Link has ever known. He feels bound to her, knowing that whatever fate she is to befall, it will be the same as his own.
“I just do what I am here to do,” replies Link, shrugging off all of the appraisal. “Majora’s Mask may have been more powerful than Ganondorf, but it seems like yet another part of my destiny … fulfilled like all the other parts. However, returning to this place, I feel that my destiny is not yet fully complete … like there is a missing piece … like my work is not finished yet. And it seems to be emanating from the men who tried to deny me entrance last night. I have rolled this over several times already in my mind, and have come to the conclusion that the slaughtered horses at Lon Lon Ranch are tied to them.”
“Lon Lon Ranch has been attacked?” gasps Zelda in astonishment. Link chides himself, remembering the fact that he had not informed Zelda of the goings-on at Malon’s home. So he simply nods.
Zelda lays back next to him, and puts her arms around him. Link tenses up, unprepared for such a move, but quickly relaxes. He does not mind … he puts his arms around her as well, drawing her close to him. He cannot stop himself, and once again softly breaths in her rose scent.
“Something is happening in Hyrule,” whispers Zelda quietly so only he can hear. He rubs her arms softly, trying to comfort her in some small way. “Something inexplicable, yet I or my family should be informed about it … but we are not.”
“That is what Malon said,” replies Link. “And I do believe that as well. Although, of course, I cannot explain just what it is or why it is happening. Those men must have a master that they respond to … no group just runs about without someone to confide in and give them orders. Our top priority must be to find this master, and unveil him. I have a feeling that whatever is happening here in secret from the Royal Family is not something good. And with that in mind, I must search for whoever it is who guides those men.”
“But how will you find … whoever it is?” questions Zelda, secretly hoping that he will stay with her. “I mean you just returned to Hyrule after seven years of absence … surely you could take one day off and take a rest from your labor?”
Link shakes his lead stubbornly. “Not if it is a matter this serious. It must be dealt with immediately. If I can find whoever leads those men, I can put and end to this before it grows beyond our control … and if that is possible, the chance must be seized.”
Zelda nods reluctantly. “I suppose you are right,” she sighs regretfully. “But is there no way that I could help you?”
“What you can do for me right now is stay here at the castle,” replies Link, although he gets a twinge of guilt saying it; he feels as if he is giving an order. “While I go and investigate. If all goes well, I will be back by sundown. If all does not go well … then you will know.”
The princess, not liking the sound of his words, hugs him tighter. “I lost you for seven years,” she whispers passionately. “I am not going to lose you now, when you have finally returned here. I have missed you more than I could possibly express these past years, and now that you are here … I cannot bare to have you die.”
“I will not die,” says Link with confidence. “I am simply searching for the man –”
“Or woman,” Zelda adds.
“Or woman,” Link agrees, “who is responsible for whatever is going on with denying travelers entrance. No matter what happens, I will return to you, princess.”
Link strokes her cheek with a finger tenderly, then stands up. Zelda looks at him sadly, and says “be careful. Even if it is only minor, I want you back here without a scratch on you.”
She says it in an orderly manner, and Link smiles, knowing she is joking. “I will,” he says simply, then turns, and strides out of Zelda’s Quarters, shutting the door behind him.
Epona’s hooves thud across the drawbridge heavily, making a noise slightly irritating; Link is glad when they land on the soft grass of Hyrule Field again. The sun is high in the sky, shining glorious daylight down upon the wondrous, lush plains in front of him. The Hero of Time takes in the scene with reverence, before turning, and trotting slowly north, toward the stream, and Kakariko Village. He has decided to start there.
As Epona gallops, however, steadily faster, Link’s head subconsciously turns toward the outer marble walls of Hylia City around twenty yards away. As his eyes skate its shining surface in the dazzlingly bright light, he notices an oddly colored patch of ground nearly right under foot of the wall. Curious, he steers Epona around and trots closer to it. More patches catch his eye, all in clusters. They are about two feet in length, and in height as well, with upturned, dark soil laid down thickly along it, though carelessly, as though it had been done in a hurry. He hops off of his faithful companion, gives her a swift, distracted pat, then rushes over to the upturned ground, and examines it closely. From what he can deduce, it does not look to be dug either by shovel, or hand.
Magic made … he quickly decides. But for what purpose had they been dug? Was it a hole of some sort? And if so, how far down did it reach? He sifts a hand through the wet earth, his brow furrowed. This is a very strange finding for him, and he begins to get an ominous feeling for the spots before him.
A few minutes later after staring and lightly moving his hand over the circles, he returns to Epona and they gallop off for Kakariko Village.
“Evening, Tarnag,” says Link to the owner as he strides into the small, smoky bar within Kakariko, past tiny tables where drunken elves glare suspiciously at him, as though searching for any trinkets on him. Tarnag, the zora behind the bar at the very end of the room, glances up, and his eyes widen in shock.
“Link? Din’s Fire, where have you been? It’s been seven years!” he murmurs in astonishment, his strange accent echoing off the walls in a familiar sort of way. He offers him a seat directly in front of him, and pours him a free mug of milk. Link takes the seat gladly and drinks heartily from the mug, refreshing his system from the day’s previous ventures. The man beside him glares at him for getting a free alcoholic milk drink, but Tarnag snaps a fin roughly, and says “shoot one more look like tha’ and yeh’re out of here fer good! Now get back to yer drink and don’t look at me friend again, filth.”
The man looks as though he would dearly like to slit Tarnag’s throat at the moment, but simply goes back to his mug, chugging it deeply. He then slams it down hard on the counter, cracking the base slightly. Tarnag frowns. They both watch him slowly slide off his stool and collapse onto the floor of the bar, spittle leaking from the corner of his mouth.
“Anyway,” says Tarnag, ignoring the man, “where in the goddesses names ‘ave you been, Link? You were me favorite customer! Where ‘ave you gotten to, aye?”
Link gives a quick summary of his exploits, mentioning Termina, and the numerous other lands he has journeyed to, but not the evil mask he had been forced to confront those many years ago … that would have raised more questions, and he has more pressing matters to deal with instead of dwelling on the past, no matter how painful it was.
“Well, glad yeh’re back ‘ere, anyway!” the zora grins broadly. “I’ve missed you, I ‘ave! You always had the most fascinating tales to tell me! Anyway, wha’ brings you ‘ere on this fine morning?”
“Investigations,” replies Link, trying to make his voice deep and full of reason. “Suspicions, guesswork, all such things. A group of men tried to stop me from entering Hyrule last night when I arrived at Lake Hylia dock, and I had to kill two of them before I escaped. They wore dark cloaks and had rather well made swords, and looked pretty tough. It looked like they would kill me as soon as look at me.”
“Argh, no doubt,” mutters Tarnag with his eyes narrowed. “Yeh know, strange folk’ve been comin’ in ‘ere lately … well, stranger folk than normal, I mean. All dark and suspicious they are, wi’ swords like yeh told me about. They jus’ order a drink’re two, then they be on their way. Don’ like the looks of ‘em, if yeh ask me. Up to no good … wha’ you jus’ said proves it, don’ it? Somethin’ be up that doesn’t smell right. Argh, King Zora’s getting’ a bit flustered as well, what with his daughter gone missin’ …”
“What?” yells Link without warning. Several men from around the bar turn at him with surprised, and drunken looks on their unshaven faces. He lowers his voice hastily. “I mean, what do you mean, gone missing?”
“Jus’ wha’ I said!” answers the zora with quiet sorrow. “Bin missin’ for ‘bout a bloody fortnight, now. Yeh wouldn’t believe the ruckus it’s caused, ‘ow many searches they got out right now. Not really sure they’ll find a sack ‘a dung, in my opinion. Never ‘ave. Ruto be kidnapped, mark my words.”
Link leaves the bar a few minutes later, feeling even more uncertain, if that were possible at the moment. He hurries over to the stables and leads Epona out onto the main road of Kakariko, prepared to ride out of the village and back to Hylia City to report his findings to the princess. However, as he mounts her and she begins to trot toward the exit, his eyes swivel to the left, and he sees multiple spots of churned, circular ground … the same as he saw at the outside of Hylia City’s walls.
His nervousness increases tenfold.
“I saw the same holes when I left Kakariko! Princess, something is going on, and I know that the men, Ruto’s disappearance, and those holes are all linked in some way. I ruddy well know it!” says Link to Zelda, once back in her quarters a half hour later.
“Yes, I believe that also, but without further information we cannot make any well conceived guesses. And call me Zelda for the last time!” she replies. She again leans into him for comfort, and he automatically puts his arms around her.
They sit there for several minutes, until Zelda whispers softly, “I need to go see the chief knight of the guard. He’s also an advisor of mine, maybe he’ll know something about the holes in the ground, or Ruto’s disappearance. Come, let us go speak to him.
Zelda’s advisor, and the chief knight of the Hylia Guard’s office is in one of the underground levels of the castle, the gloomier parts. When Zelda and Link arrive there and open the door to the small, cluttered office, the man behind the desk stacked high with papers and portfolio’s jumps in surprise, looking flustered.
“P––Princess Zelda!” he said, calming down slightly, and clutching his chest, as if his heart was skipping beats too rapidly for his comfort. “For what reason do I owe the pleasure?”
“Roosta,” says Zelda, “do you know anything about the princess of the zora’s going missing? Princess Ruto?”
Roosta raises an eyebrow, and delves a hand into the biggest pile of papers to his left, sifting his hand through the scattered parchment. “Files on the races of Hyrule,” he explains. A few more seconds transpire, then Roosta yanks out a yellow folder with a satisfied look on his face. He opens the file and fishes the papers out, then quickly sifts through them, tossing them down one by one onto the folder, his eyes whizzing back and forth like lightning. Finally, the last of the papers are thrown out of his hands, and he looked rather surprised, looking at his hands in confusion, as if not expecting them to be empty.
“I am afraid not, your highness,” he says shakily. “There are no files on Princess Ruto disappearing.”
Zelda shoots a look to Link, who shrugs, which clearly means Tarnag is right, they just must not know about it yet.
“Fine. What about churned, circular holes in the ground?” Zelda persists.
Another furious minute of papers flying through the air ensues, until at last, there is success. Roosta throws down all the paper around him, some fluttering into the air, but he ignores them, and reads out triumphantly, as though all of their problems are solved, “unknown churned ground in the shape of ovals have appeared in numerous places around Hyrule, the only places that are empty of them being Gerudo Valley and Kokiri Forest. Thousands continue to appear each day, their origins and purposes remaining anonymous. Attempts have been made to cover up the holes, but each participant attempting to rid the earth of the holes has not been able to do a thing to them. Many are guessing that there is magic cast around the holes, and these rumors have made many races uneasy.”
“Well, at least we know that other people know,” snorts Link. Zelda looks disapprovingly at the hero, then snatches the paper from a startled Roosta’s hand.
“Find out more about the holes, and if possible, gather at least some information about Ruto’s disappearance,” orders Zelda. Roosta nods hastily, then dives once more into the mountains of paper, his quill already in his hand, and scrawling furiously across parchment. Link and Zelda depart back to her quarters, both with the same thoughts on their minds.
Twilight descends upon Hyrule Castle, the sun slowly sinking below the horizon. The castle is shrouded in a deep shadow, and the guards look up to see this, some with looks of relief on their face, others with looks of pure boredom. Slowly, they all turn in a slow formation and file back into the front castle entrance over the moat bridge. There will be a five minute period where not a single guard will be on the front grounds of the castle.
Once the last of the guards is inside the castle, a tall, shadowy figure detaches itself from the surrounding forest, leaving his black horse there, and quietly slinks across the open ground, a well crafted longsword in his hand. The elf crouches low and scuttles like an animal over to the front of the castle, a grim smirk on his face.
“Fools,” he murmurs to himself, then dashes full tilt into the castle, his sword high above his head.
“They can’t be clueless, it just doesn’t work that way!” protests Zelda to Link, as they sit together yet again in her quarters on the second floor. “Either Tarnag got it wrong, or the zora are keeping the news quiet!”
“Tarnag was not wrong, he’s never wrong,” says Link stubbornly, remembering quite clearly the hundreds of times that Tarnag has warned him about certain dangers roaming Hyrule in numerous places, and every time when he went to investigate, he had been right. Link grasps her hands, as if trying to inject some of his own sense into her through his hands. “Tarnag knows what’s going on, he’s like an inside man! Er … zora. The fact is, he is one of the few who most likely has to know about it. He is in close contact with the King, he used to be his personal executive, like Roosta. He knows what goes on, and if he says Ruto has gone missing, then she has.”
“Of course,” Zelda replies. “I already knew that. Tarnag was not wrong. What I’m saying is, Roosta really did not know about it … the zora must be keeping it a secret for some reason … but why they are eludes me.”
“Aye,” says Link with a grimace. “I agree with that as well. Maybe tomorrow I’ll go to Zora’s Domain and see if I could––”
The door to Zelda’s Quarters bursts open with a slam, and a guard stumbles inside, covered with blood and one of his arms sliced very deeply. “Princess!” he gasps. “Intruder in the castle! We must transport you to safer ground!”
“Fulst?” says Zelda in surprise, and she helps support him to his feet. “Don’t worry about me! I can control my magic, I’ll be just fine. What does the intruder want?”
“BLOOD!” screams Fulst with a rather insane air about him. “He wants us all dead! He’s slaughtering everyone on ground floor! Someone’s gotta stop––”
But Link is already sprinting out of the Quarters, across the long hallway, and down the stairs to the ground level, hoping that Zelda will stay where she is. He is horrified by what lays before him––
Bodies. Everywhere, there are just bodies. Many are cut deeply in the chest and face, laying in pools of their own blood, others with sword inflicted holes in their stomachs and chests, laying against the wall with wide, blank eyes, their blood still slowly dripping down their skin.
A trail of bloody footprints leads into a room to Link’s right. He throws himself down the stairs and runs as hard as he can after the footprints … into total carnage.
The room appears to be a lounging place for the guards, with furniture, a fireplace, even a copy of Hyrule Weekly on a desktop or two. It is now in complete disarray, guards are running everywhere, screaming to each other. In the midst of all the chaos, Link glimpses an elf with dark skin whipping his sword about faster than he had ever seen someone swing, cutting down the guards as if they were paper. Crimson droplets sprayed everywhere whenever his sword flew down, and guards toppled to the ground, crying out in pain, their own blood blinding the elf’s next victim and bringing about their own death.
Link dives into the fray immediately, pushing guards aside to get to the mad elf. Most guards seem keen to get away from him, and look at him like his is crazy for wanting to get near him … he quickly emerges into an open area as the guards quickly retreat, shouting orders to each other. The room clears.
Link and the elf stand in a sea of bodies, staring each other down. The Hero of Time’s sword rasps as it leaves its sheath, and his shield slips onto his other arm. They say not a word to each other, only stare.
They slowly pace around each other, Link stepping over bodies, the elf stepping on them. His eyes are glowing purple, his dark skin radiating in the light of the fireplace. Link glares angrily at him. There must be thirty victims underfoot … all clearly dead.
Then the elf mutters something in a strange tongue … a half second later, Link realizes too late that it is the ancient language … a heavy pain bursts to life in his head, and he collapses, screaming in agony, clutching at his skull, as if trying to rip in from his shoulders. The dark magic that the elf has just performed on the Hero of Time makes him thrash harder as the pain increases … for a full five seconds the pain is totally unbearable, then it recedes, and Link’s eyes crack open, tears rolling down his face.
The elf is sprinting toward the exit.
“No!” cries Link, wrenching himself up, the Hylian Guard’s blood splattering his green tunic, but he makes no move to wipe it away.
Link chases him all the way out to the grounds, running as hard as he can possibly muster with the pain still fresh in his head. He sets his sword and shield onto his back once more, knowing it will be no use unless he catches him. The dark elf every once in a while turns and fires balls of what appear to be green fire at him, which Link dodges angrily. Cheap shots!
Ten feet away, the elf heaves himself up onto his horse, and kicks it in the sides. It rears up, whinnying loudly, then takes off at full speed. Not losing his chance for information, Link goes full horizontal, diving through the air further than he has ever done, and catches on to the horses tail. He is dragged roughly down the main road, and through the market, which was quietly emptying itself of people. The few remaining turned and gasped as they saw the elf being dragged across the ground, his tunic and skin tearing up from the rocks and bumps in the ground. He is oblivious to the pain, however, and concentrates on getting himself up onto the horse.
Then he hears the sound.
A slow, metallic creaking, and wood turning … lots of wood. The drawbridge! He won’t make it outside the city! Link thinks with glee.
But the elf does not slow his horse’s hectic pace. He continues hard toward the bridge, and is soon galloping along it as it slowly turns upward. The hero feels the force of gravity turning against him, and grips the tail harder, fear jolting through him … the smooth wood underneath him is getting harder to slide along. Link looks around the horses kicking feet, trying his best to dodge the flying hooves, and yells in fright … the bridge is nearly all the way closed, they are high above the ground …
Then the elf’s horse makes a gigantic leap, clearing the bridge just as it slams shut loudly through the night air. They are over fifty feet in the air, rapidly descending. Link still clutches the horses tail, and his feet rise into the air behind him.
The elf is chanting in the ancient language again … and their descent slows down quite a bit. They are lowered safely to the ground, and as soon as they touch the soft grass of Hyrule Field, they take off again. Link growls in anger, and for the first time, the elf looks back. He sees the hero clutching at his horses tail, and yells in fury, punching out at him. Link dodges the flying fists, growing angrier and angrier as he does.
Then, with all the strength he can muster at the moment, with all of his fury and Triforce power, he yanks himself up off the ground, flies up for a nanosecond, then lands down on the horses back, behind the elf. Immediately both spring into action. The dark elf goes for his sword, but Link seizes his wrist and twists it sharply. The elf aims a punch for his face, which unluckily makes contact. Link’s head jerks back, but he shakes away the pain, and wraps his arms around the elf, yanking him hard, trying to throw him off the rampaging livestock. The elf remains resilient, however, and merely elbows Link hard in the ribs. The air flies out from between Link’s parted lips, and he feels a sword skin across the front of his tunic. He slowly tilts back, then feels one final fist smote upon his chest, and he flies off the back of the animal, landing hard on his back. All his remaining air leaves his lungs, and he gasps, panting hard.
Blood cakes his tunic. His head is pounding with pain. He feels his own warm blood dripping from the cut in his chest he has received just moments before. His weariness creeps into him at last as he looks up at the starry night sky, and he quietly lies back on his shield, and everything goes dark.
“Damn,” says someone’s voice far away. “You took a pretty big whacking.”
Link’s eyes flutter, and pain rushes through every inch of his body. He groans, and opens his eyes all the way, but does not sit up. Red hair floats into his vision, and a smiling face. “Hello, Malon,” he rasps weakly.
“Welcome back,” she whispers quietly into his ear. “Here, take this.”
His vision still blurry, Link feels a colt mug pressed into his palm, and slowly brings it to his lips. He feels cold, refreshing Lon Lon milk rush down his throat, soothing his irritated throat.
Feeling a bit stronger, the Hero of Time opens his eyes, and his vision clears. It is indeed Malon, and he is laying on the couch he slept on just one night ago, a blanket draped over his injured body. He moves slightly, and feels odd fabric. He realizes his blood soaked tunic must have been washed. He thanks Malon profusely, then tries to pull himself up. A hand flies out, and pushes him back down, but he does not need it, pain still flares in his body.
“You are staying here,” the farm girl orders. “No way are you taking a beating like that, then getting up and trying to hurt yourself again!”
“I must speak with Zelda,” he protests, but Malon pushes him back down again. “No,” she orders.
Link sighs in annoyance, but does not glare at her. She is only trying to help him, he realizes. He moves slightly to his left, ignoring the fiery pain in his body, and relaxes, his muscles aching. “How did you find me?” he asks her, as she goes to refill his milk glass.
“I was leading my horse, Whitefire back into the ranch for the night, and I just saw someone laying out on the field,” she replies, sounding sad. “What in the world happened to you?”
“Long story,” he says, not wanting to go into it, for he doesn’t feel he has the energy to tell stories. “I would just like to rest for the time being.”
“Okay,” she says kindly, setting the milk down on the table beside the couch. “Well, if you need me, just give me a call.”
She retreats upstairs to her bedroom.
Link groans in pain, but keeps his voice quiet. He wishes that he could be back at Hyrule Castle to help Zelda clean up the mess and discuss the attacker with her, but knows in his mind that he could not even muster the courage to get up. And even if he could, there was no way he could get past the now tightly shut bridge leading into Hylia City.
So he rests himself back down, resigning himself to a quiet, but mystery filled night.
Moments later, he is sound asleep.
