The Legend of Zelda: Goddess of Secrecy - amelias_hart (2024)

Chapter 1: The Legend

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Legend speaks of a hero, called forth when Hyrule needed him most.

This hero, born from necessity for courage and the Goddesses’ ultimate design, has been waited for through the ages.

He is to be a symbol of the end of a long-hated curse and the return of a power from the Creation.

If he should succeed, then Hyrule will endure peace forever.

If he should fail, then the Dark Lord will consume all.

Legend speaks of the Creation. The three Golden Goddesses descended from the Sacred Realm. With Their divine light, They created the world and all that endured there.

Din, Goddess of Power, created the earth.

Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom, gave law and order to the land.

Farore, Goddess of Courage, birthed all the races that would live there.

And this is the legend passed down by the ages.

But.

There is an error to this tale. Nothing to blame the people of Hyrule, since they could not stop it passing from history. An error all the same though, and something that is shaping the face of Hyrule as we know it.

Over the past eras, the Goddesses have allowed Their will to break, and Their land take on its own shape. Their heroes have walked their own paths, pulling further away from the original divine design as time itself unweaves.

Yet, the omission in the legend intends to change that. Its return has been slow, and so the collapsing timelines have begun to merge again. Histories are being blended. Now, a Shrine stands in the middle of Hyrule Field, honoring all heroes of legend that have defeated the Demon Lord.

Now, that omission has decided to end his cycle. To do this, it must birth the Hero of the Fourth Goddess.

And so our tale begins…

Chapter 2: Overworld Chapter 1 - Stable Boy

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…in a town called Eveningale Village. Eveningale was small, a farming village, nestled on the outskirts of the Deku Forest. Normally, people would pass by a village like Eveningale. What spared it this fate was because it housed the Knights’ Academy, the training grounds for the Royal Knights of Hyrule.

Young would-be’s would flock to Eveningale in the summer months, when traveling was easiest. The railroad and the roads were clear snow and spring melt, and the Field itself was filled with bright summer rays and cool moonlit nights. Cadets would arrive on foot and horse and rail and anything other means that would bring them.

Now, in the late months of spring, Eveningale was preparing itself for this rush. Shopkeepers ordered extra stock from Castle Town. Farmers harvested their spring crops, and prepared to take their animal produces in for the market. The Rustle Creek Inn cleaned its bed and board, ready for the tired young cadets, and many of their wealthier accompaniment to fill during the first weeks and trials it would bring.

Not to mention the Academy itself. The Academy hired stable hands and farm boys from throughout the local farmhands, preparing for the new arrivals. Knights began to polish their armor daily again, practice in the field. Masters reviewed their notes and lessons, debating on how to improve since last year.

There was, of course, the problem of Link.

This wasn’t to say Link was considered a problem to anyone in Eveningale. He was by far the best help anyone could hire. Nearly all the children looked up to him, and envied him (having a hollowed-out tree as a home did gather some attention). And as a pupil, Link learned quickly from anyone who would teach him, particularly when it came to work with his hands, fieldwork and swordcraft in particular.

But Link was nameless, bearing no family name, and according to the customs of Hyrule, Link could never be a knight, and could not train at the Academy. Which was a genuine shame, because the orphaned young man was a master with the blade. No one understood why combat came so easily to him, or ever considered that it could be because he shared the namesake of every hero in the history of their country. A lot of people shared the same name, though few also had a natural skill for combat.

The people of Eveningale were, after all, a simple kind of people. They weren’t eager to stick their heads into the troubles that plagued their country, and they locked their doors at night to keep the creatures out. Most of the villagers didn’t know how to fight at all, despite the Academy being so central to many of their lives. Which made it an even more frustrating shame that Link was not allowed to train at the Academy.

Link was allowed to work on the Academy grounds though. Some people thought this was so he could train in secrecy, and that Head Master Kaepora, the Old Owl as he was nicknamed, trained with Link at night. No body mention this though, and certainly not to the Head Master. It was probably because no one had an argument with Link learning to fight. As monsters became more common these days, available fighters, even nameless ones, were welcome.

Now, on the eve of the summer rush, Link groomed Sir Duwan’s battle horse. It was a pretty, light gray charger, a little larger for the extra weight the knight had put on since his position at the Academy. The horse snorted, and Link chuckled under his breath, before hiding a pair of apples beneath the hay in the horse’s trough, as if to say, “My condolences.”

The horse followed with something that sounded like laughter, but only Link would have imagined something like that. He had figured that sooner or later he would travel to Lon Lon Ranch, northwest of Eveningale, to work horses. He had a way with animals, a simple gift that let him settle even the unruliest of creatures. And if there was no road to pursue here, there was becoming less of a reason to stay.

“Link!”

Looking up from his work, Link watched as a member of the senior class walked up. The tall, suave, redheaded young man went by the name Bruce, and normally, he would be the cause of waking nightmares for Link. More because of the grueling chores Bruce made Link do than out of terror or fright. Link was quietly very confident he could handle Bruce in a fight.

Bruce smirked, noticing a somewhat dejected look crossing Link’s face. He asked, “Thought you wouldn’t see me today?”

More hoping to get some sleep tonight, he thought. Link replied calmly, “No. Anything I can help with?”

“Help! You read my mind then,” Bruce said, a less than friendly smile spreading over his face. “Wind’s stall was starting to look a bit filled.”

Wind, or The Wind, was the fastest horse anyone in Eveningale had ever seen. It was only natural that the stallion’s rider was Bruce. Link would have loved the chance to ride that horse, if it hadn’t been for Wind’s pompous attitude that matched his rider’s. The two worked well together.

“Don’t forget,” Bruce added as a final jab, “that the new cadets will be here in just a few days. And being a senior, I need to look like I’m about to be a knight, don’t I?” Bruce patted Link on his shoulder as he laughed, and headed back towards the dorms.

Link shook his head. Bruce was a senior alright: a senior for three years now. There was no doubt that Bruce was a good fighter, but Bruce was impulsive. He had failed the Final Trial for the past two years. It wasn’t uncommon for cadets to need to repeat a year, but only a year. Bruce didn’t have a lot of excitement about improving his “weaknesses,” as he saw it. And each failure was something Link would end up having to deal with eventually, what with Bruce’s targeted agenda.

Patting the gray charger, Link walked towards Wind’s stall. The horse didn’t greet him like the other horses did. Wind intentionally ignored Link when he felt like being irritating; it was a conscious effort on the horse’s part, Link knew it.

There was nothing for it though. Despite Wind’s protests, Link did his best all the same. Eventually, even the attitude faded as Link showed the same attentiveness he did with all the horses. For all their riders’ influence, most horses could be bribed with a good brush and a nice treat, both of which Link was happy to supply.

The sun had sunk behind the trees when Link finished. Link set the stable equipment back in the shed, searching for the short sword of his, and his lantern. It was dark and dangerous on the path between here and his tree house. Keese and baby Skulltulas swarmed the dark corners of the woods. Even if they weren’t strong, they were still a nuisance and an enemy. Not to mention they liked to swarm lightless travelers, and that would become a problem.

He found his blade leaning against the fence around the riding arena, not where he’d left it. As he leaned down to pick it up, his long, pointed ears twitched, causing a slight jiggle with his blue-gray metal earrings. In one fluid movement, Link pulled his blade free of its cloth sheath, turned, and parried the Head Master’s swing.

Kaepora grinned, complimenting, “Good.” He pulled his sword back. Link knew it was only a matter of time before another blow came, but he relaxed his arm a bit, as if to pretend he didn’t. The sword still rested in his hand, ready for action if he needed it.

Surprisingly, Kaepora sheathed his own blade, the iron broadsword whistling as it slid back into its casing. Link watched the Head Master with interest. Link asked, “Have I done something wrong, Head Master?”

Shaking his head, Kaepora replied, “Nothing you can help, my boy.” Link’s stomach knotted. Someone had seen them, had reminded the Head Master that Link was nameless. Yet, the response he got was worse, “I heard you’ve been having nightmares.”

Link paused. The statement wasn’t false. Lately, he had been having dreams of an evil man he didn’t recognize, and a regal young woman about his age, running from something. Link remained silent to this, not eager to confirm any suspicions.

There was a hesitation from the Head Master as well. It wasn’t common for people to be plagued by nightmares for more than a few days, much less in the middle of summer, the safest season of the year. He said, “I’m holding off your training until they pass, Link. It’s not good for you to practice when you’re hardly getting any sleep when you can. Someone will notice you’re training with a sword if you do that.”

The Head Master sighed, before adding on justification that didn’t center Link. “And I’m sure it’s for the better. The summer is upon us, and more cadets will be here. New cadets wouldn’t understand the fact that you’re a skilled fighter even if you’re nameless. They’re young, and thoughtless, and many of them still trapped in the stigma that brought back that old title.” He gripped Link by the shoulder and shook him slightly, before adding, “We’ll see how you’re feeling in the autumn.”

With that, the Head Master began to walk away. Link sighed, but knew that nothing could be done. He didn’t dare argue with Kaepora, not after all the risks the Head master had gone through just to train him. And he was sure that the effects of his restless nights would catch up with him soon enough, particularly with the work he spent his day doing on top of the secret training. Even though he loathed to see the outlet go. He’d been feeling increasingly tease, likely a side effect of the nightmares, but swordplay had a relief to that tension. Now it would be stuck to coil.

Link twisted the knob on his lantern and a flame sputtered to life inside the iron cage. A warm orange glow followed Link as he walked home, sword in hand in case something crossed his path. Nothing did, nothing had. Yet. There was always the yet.

Less than a quarter mile out of town, nestled up again Nestle Creek, was the old oak Link called home. It was hollowed out, and he had wondered for a while if it could have been a Deku Tree, once, long ago. The idea was, of course, preposterous, since it was far too small to be a Deku Tree. Not to mention it seemed young. Despite his home being in it and much of the wood removed, the tree still seemed to grow every year.

Climbing the short ladder to the front door, Link hung his lantern on a branch extending beside the door. He turned the blaze down, knowing that by morning the oil would run out, but through the night it would keep creatures away from his home.

Link sheathed his sword and hung it over his back as he climbed to the highest level of his house. The tree groaned and creaked from the movement, and the wind tossed the leaves outside his windows.

Despite its comfort, the soft straw mattress was the last thing Link wanted to see. Even with his fatigue, Link didn’t want to sleep because of what would follow. Particularly not at the sore reminder and his training being taken until the autumn. But that would help nothing. He leaned his sword against the narrow, wooden frame, dropped into the bed enough to bounce once, and fell asleep…

Chapter 3: Overworld Chapter 2 - The Guide Appears

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…but sleep is a dangerous thing for young heroes.

A fiery air buffeted the grassy expanse Link found himself on. Using his arm to block the hot air, Link tried to look around where his dream had sent him. On the horizon, a white marbled platform rose out of the ground. A lone figure dressed in deep purple and black stood in the center.

Almost uncontrollably, Link started towards the platform. Pillars rose up, each one with a unique style. As Link came closer, the lone figure could be heard playing the minor notes in some ancient ballad on a violin. The song made the pillars glow with a faint purple light, and Link noted as he stepped foot on the platform that there were inscriptions on each of them.

Hero of the Sky.

Hero of Time.

Hero of the Sea.

Hero of Twilight.

Hero of the Fall.

And so many more. Link knew where he was, even if he had never been there. He stood in the middle of Hero’s Shrine, the dedication to heroes past, resting in the middle of Hyrule Field.

There was something different about this dream. It felt more lucid, more in control. Even as the fire pressed on the ends of his senses, this moment felt different. Not peaceful, but unbuffeted as his mind had been for so long.

One long note played on the figure’s instrument, before Link heard the figure move. He looked up from the pillars to the dark clad figure. A hawk swooped in from the sky, gliding gracefully on the hot currents to its master. As it landed overhead, the figure spoke, “We are pressed for time. The night only lasts so long, and there is much you and I must accomplish before we can meet.”

Lowering the cowl around their neck, the figure revealed themself, ageless, tall, and graceful, with the long, pointed ears like Link’s. They dipped their head, the bow laden with respect that Link felt out of place. Their said, “My name is Endeavor. I apologize for how long it took me to reach you. I fear our time has nearly run out.

“I would come to Eveningale, but our enemy is fast approaching the Castle as we speak,” Endeavor went on. “His party is slow, but it will not be long until he will reach there, under the guise of friendship from the nomadic northern tribes of the Gerudos to offer to the King. For that, I must warn another Guardian that their Princess is in danger.”

They lifted their hand, and the hawk walked down their arm to it. Endeavor explained, as if it were common knowledge, “You know this man, yourself, Link. It is the same man who has been troubling your dreams for so long now. He calls himself by only a surname of his past life at present, and thus to all others he is merely Sir Dragmire. I would speak his name, yet I fear it would only alert him of your presence.”

Endeavor sighed, finishing, “I would tell you more, and this has been a great deal to say in so little time, but there is too much to tell in one night. There is only the hope you will believe me and travel south when the Goddess ordains it is time. She will send you a sign soon, surely, for time is short and evil comes to our doorstep, harder than Eveningale would care to believe. When the sign comes, travel into the depths of Deku Forest and find the Temple of Courage. There your questions will be answered.”

Link would rather have answers now than later, but before he could asked anything else, Endeavor raised their hand and the hawk took flight. His dream began to fade as they spoke one last time, “Yore will find you, and the blessing of the Goddess with him. You will no longer need to fear troubled sleep while he is with you, for as long as I am able to pass on this blessing.”

The world turned black, all of the images and sensations of the dream washed away. Yet, it was peaceful. Despite the absolute whirlwind of information that he’d been given, so much he believed that this must have been a dream, his mind grew easier as the presence faded. And truly, for the first night in weeks, Link slept well until morning.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

It was a very quiet noise, but it was enough to break Link from sleep. He blinked awake, not eager to leave the blissful comfort of his bed after so long being without it. The dream still hung in his mind, oddly intact for all of its eccentricities.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Turning over on his side, Link looked towards the noise above him. His eyes got a little wide as the dream seemed a little less dreamlike. Perched on the rim of the glass was a brown hawk with golden tipped wings. If it had been any other morning, Link would have let it peck at that window to its heart’s content. But it wasn’t any other morning. This morning had proceeded last night’s dream.

Standing up, Link opened the circular window for bird. It tilted its head and fluffed its wings, before it leaned down and pecked Link hard on the back of his left hand. Though, the small action hurt more like being caught between a hammer and the anvil. Link retreated his hand in agony as the hawk flew away.

Confused, Link wondered what the creature could have possibly done to make his hand hurt that much. And why? It seemed awfully malicious for a wild animal. He shook his hand, and the pain slowly ebbed away. Raising the back up to his face, he examined what should have been a wound based on the pain it elicited, only to see no cut or break in his skin. Well, no ordinary break.

Instead of a gash or blood, there was a golden outline of a triangle, broken into four smaller triangles. Link watched at the edges and the lower right triangle began to shine a bright gold before fading into a brown outline on his skin.

That was a holy mark. That was the symbol of the Triforce, straight out of every storybook tale Link had ever heard in his life. There was no higher power than the Triforce in Hyrulean belief. And there it was, sitting on Link’s left hand, his sword hand. What was odder is that if felt as if it’d always been there. The hawk’s peak had been less to grant him the mark, but rather reveal it again.

“Link!”

The voice shocked Link back to reality. He dropped down to a larger platform, before extending his head out through a much larger window with a better view of the road.

Standing far enough away from the house so he could be seen was Fer. Fer owned a small goat ranch, which Link worked on when he wasn’t needed at the Academy. And while Fer was a common visitor to Link’s house, notably by knowing how far to stand out to be seen, this was not an expected visit. The urgency and the frequency of these appearances was starting to pick up much faster than Link had gotten used to in his slow, country life.

“Link, get down here! There’s a cadet gone missing! Sir Wilmer’s son.”

Sir Wilmer was the head of the King’s Royal Guard, and his son was the most expected member of this year’s new class. It had been in Eveningale’s rumor mill for months now that such a high titled cadet would be joining the ranks, but Link and Fer knew something that the town didn’t.

Nearly a week ago, Derek, Wilmer’s son, had ridden into town on a Hylian draft horse. No one was looking for a knight’s son to be riding on a work horse, they were all looking for a white charger. This was where Derek already showed promising signs of his future training.

Link and Fer though did recognize him, or partially. Not by name, but from being from Castle Town. Derek had told them he had wanted to visit a childhood friend south of them, in a forest village in deeper in the forest. Neither of them had a problem with this, and when the Head Master asked who the visitor had been, Link had told him that it was a cadet traveling south to visit an old friend before training. It was only with the passing inquiry that Link had put two and two together. Seeing no harm in the visit though, he hadn’t passed on an update when he’d made the connection to anyone save Fer.

Now, Link was produced with two issues: a problem and a sign. No doubt the Head Master would be wanting a straight answer on who the cadet was this time. Even more certain was the fact that a search party would be sent out after them, regardless of that information.

Second was that now everything in his dream was beginning to feel too real. There had been a lot that this Endeavor person had said, and he wasn’t entirely sure how much of it he had straight in his head yet, but they had told him to wait for a sign. This seemed as sure a sign as any.

Link grabbed his sword, hardly climbing all the way up, before racing down to the ground floor and out the door. If the Head Master was going to send a search party, Link had to go. This was a problem in the south. His thoughts were only confirmed as the golden winged hawk cut across the sky as he left his house.

Fer put up his hands, “Woah, woah. Slow down, Link. Where are you heading?”

“South of here.”

“You mean to follow him?” Link nodded as Fer tried to bar his way. “Link,” Fer replied, still attempting to stop Link. “The knights say he was captured by monsters, taken into the Deku Fortress. You mean to go in there with only your short sword?”

Hanging the sword belt across his chest, Link gave Fer a curious look. Fer knew Link was a good swordsman, and he had almost confirmed that the Head Master had been teaching Link. But from Fer’s perspective, Link was still the best stable hand in town, not to mention a good friend. He wasn’t excited about seeing the young man wander off into the depths of the woods, possibly to his own demise.

But the expression on Link’s face was set. If Link had any doubt, he hid it well. Fer shook his head, saying, “This is impossible. You’re going to get yourself killed. I hope the Head Master and his party have already set out, Link, for your sake.” He pulled something out of his belt, “Here, take this. It’s won’t last long, but it’ll help in a pinch. Not to mention you can refill the bottle with oil when you’ve finished.”

The glass bottle was filled to the brim with Fer’s ranch’s goat milk. It was thicker than cow’s milk and not nearly as sweet, but it was strong enough to knock a man back to his senses. Retrieving his lantern, Link slid the bottle into his pouch. “Thank you.”

The man nodded, “Just be careful. I need you this season.” He grinned, but there was serious concern in his eyes. Link simply nodded and jogged past him. The trail that led deeper into the forest was closer to his house than the town. Soon, he was traveling at a steady, brisk pace deeper into the woods.

As the morning grew late, he heard the steady trot of a formation. Rounding the bend, Link caught sight of the white and gray chargers of many of the knights, and the one brown charger he was hoping not to see. Though neither Wind nor his rider had seen Link just yet. He wondered why Bruce, as a cadet, would be along for this mission at all, until he spied a few more of the senior cadets, likely called to mustered a thinned summer number.

The Head Master had spied Link though. Pulling his horse to a stop, Kaepora watched Link as he approached. Stopped beside the procession, Link caught his breath and tried to avoid whatever expression Bruce was giving him.

Kaepora asked, “Link? What are you doing here?”

Link lifted his head a bit, saying, “I’m going to help you rescue Derek.” There was a murmuring around them at the thing Link had just confirmed. Most of the knights already knew, but the idea that Kaepora had broken the tradition was still alarming, and, for most peoples’ concerns, Link had asserted he was going to fight beside knights as a nameless, even as the law would protest it.

The Head Master leaned back, a little startled. He played it off as well as he could, asking, “What makes you think you could be help to this mission?”

“I’m good with a sword.”

There was a sneer from Bruce. Sir Duwan replied, “Yes, but being a good with a sword does not make you a master of it. Or a knight.” The last part was a barb, and a warning.

Link held back a comment about the cadets among the ranks, deciding it was best as a few other knights closed ranks beside Duwan. Right or wrong, Link was going to help.

Suddenly, Kaepora let out a gasp of shock. Everyone turned to look at the Head Master as he slid out of his saddle. He snatched Link’s left hand, almost knocking Link off his feet to meet their height difference. A few other knights pressed forward, recognizing the sign on Link’s hand easily and with surprise. Kaepora gave Link a stern look, asking, “How long have you had this?”

Link started to open his mouth and tell them about the hawk, when Bruce shoved his way through. The senior saw the mark, and like the other knights, he showed signs of shock. But he quickly replaced them with anger, demanding, “You think because you drew a dirty triangle on your hand, we’ll all think you’re the next Hero?”

Kaepora corrected, “Bruce. If he is the next Hero, then it is the ordinance of the Goddesses. I would be careful until we know for sure if he is or not.”

Bruce retorted, “You’re too easily turned by this ‘sign.’ How could he be the next legendary Hero? Why not one of us? Actual knights, surely, the Goddesses would choose first.”

The Head Master equally held back a comment about Bruce’s not being a knight at this point, largely in fear that his bias for Link would show too strongly. Remaining straight-faced, Kaepora released Link’s hand, saying, “Bruce, you do not know the Goddesses’ will.”

“Just dunk his hand in some water, and it’ll wash off,” Bruce insisted.

Kaepora ordered, “Bruce, show some respect.”

“Do you plan to send your Hero into the Fortress to save Derek then?”

“If he is indeed the Hero of Legend,” Kaepora returned,” then yes.”

Bruce turned red with fury. He clenched his fist, before plowing his way back to Wind. Throwing himself into the saddle, he kicked the horse, urging it forward. Kaepora shouted, “Where are you planning on going?”

“To show you how wrong you are!” Bruce retorted as Wind thundered down the path, around a ridge, and out of sight.

Kaepora turned to Link, worry now plain on his face. He said, “Head on after him, Link. If you are the Hero, then Goddesses know you’ll find out what’s inside the Fortress. We’ll be close behind you.”

Duwan asked, “Head Master, I would be thrilled if he was the Hero, but how can we be so certain so quickly?”

“Well, Duwan,” Kaepora answered, “we don’t have much of a choice.” He lifted a wooden shield up off the back of his saddle pack. Handing it to Link, he said, “Don’t let it take too many heavy blows, and it should hold off almost anything that comes at you. When you reach the Valley, you can buy some repairing oil to mend it if you do happen upon more than you can handle.”

The knights exchanged nervous glances. The Head Master let out a deep breath, “Best of luck to you.” Link nodded, hefted the shield over his back and onto his sword belt, then turned and began to follow the shaded path further into the forest.

He had little expectation about what he might meet on his way, but he doubted it would be Bruce, unless something had happened to the senior cadet. With that thought, he felt the cold wind of the Lost Woods seeping down, and he hurried on to escape their wind and shadows. A golden gleam followed him over head as he went on…

Chapter 4: Overworld Chapter 3 - Into the Forest

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…but that gleam was no sun. There was no need to check overhead to see if the hawk was still there. It hadn’t left Link’s sight for more than a second. It was reassuring to know that it was there, despite having a disturbingly painful peck. With everything happening so fast, the hawk was the one last touch of mundanity that Link needed to keep his head straight.

The forest rolled by as Link continued deeper into the woods. The trees grew taller, and their bark darker red. The ground began to slope down. Link slowed to a stop at the top of a hill the last hill before it sunk to its deepest to look down at the land below. Two massive Deku Trees stood in the middle of the Valley, bridges strung between them. Even from here, Link could see figures moving around the trunks and to the buildings nearby.

This was the Valley of the Forest. The many Forest races lived here: the Kiwiki, the Koroks, the Deku Scrubs. It was peaceful and well protected by the two trees swaying in the breeze.

Following the trail, Link made his way into the village. The forest-folk didn’t mind him. Link was dressed like a farmer from Eveningale, save the sword and wooden shield with the Hylian crest on it.

“Mister!”

Link looked up at the owner of the voice as the Korok hovered down on its magic leaf propeller. It rattled when it landed, asking, “Who was that that man on the horse? He nearly trampled half the village with that mad riding.”

“Which way did he go?” Link asked in response.

The Korok pointed south of them, further into the Deku Forest. It said, “Towards the Fortress. I hope you catch up with him before he gets there. Bad things have been happening in the deep woods. One of the knights was taken last night.” Turning back to Link, the little sprite went on, “The Scrubs left there for a reason, you know. Something’s in there, Mister.”

“I know.”

“You’re pretty brave to still going then, Mister,” the Korok replied. “Good luck!”

A wind tumbled through the Valley. The Korok extended its propeller again and glided off to deal with whatever matters the Korok dealt with in their sheltered valley. The hawk glided down and rested on Link’s shoulder. He jumped, the creature so silent even he hadn’t heard it.

“The Demon Lord is already at work then, if the temple is already filled with monsters.”

Link looked at the hawk, who just tilted its head. That…wasn’t normal. He asked, “Can you talk?”

“It is Endeavor, Link. We do not have time for fooling around. You need to hurry and get through the Temple.”

“Why am I going into the Fortress? Other than to save Derek and Bruce, that is. You sound like there’s something in there.” Even as he asked, Link was starting to move down the path again.

“More than just something, Link. Somethings. There is a shrine to Farore that you must reach. I will help you as much as I can through Yore, but it is dire that you find it. Now hurry!”

Link looked at the path ahead. There was no turning back at this point. Yore took flight as Link started jogging again. He went beneath the branches of the Deku Trees, when he felt the compulsion to stop. Link turned and looked up at the trunks of the tree.

Like all true Deku Trees, these trees were more than just alive. They were considered minor deities by the forest-folk, and as parents. Their presence before Link was unignorable.

The tree on his left moaned and yawned. He looked down at Link. “What are you dressed in, Hero?”

Shaking its branches, the other Deku awoke and answered, “He doesn’t have time, Kiwiki.” Link guessed that each tree housed one of the forest races, and used the name of that race to go by.

“That doesn’t mean he should carry on like that. The Demon Lord’s minion will never realize who he is dressed like that,” the Korok tree countered.

“They are speaking of the Hero’s Garb,” Endeavor explained. “All heroes prior to you have had it by the time they reach the first temple.”

Kiwiki said, “If you’re so eager for him to be dressed like a Hero, then tell him where to find it.”

“I will then,” Korok answered. Link had the feeling that these two were rather young Deku trees, or of very different opinions. “Your friend, the horse rider, should be finding the place soon. Or his horse will. There are still some old spirits left in the world, who will happily help you dress yourself for your quest ahead.”

Link nodded, seeing no better response at the moment. He wasn’t sure how to reply to trees. But the bow of his head seemed to be enough for the quarrelling Deku trees. Kiwiki said, “Always the silent type, aren’t they?”

Without waiting for the response, Link hurried on to the trail. The trees began to grow smaller and darker again. He heard a forest brook bubbling along somewhere off the path, though he didn’t dare waste time looking for it. Not with Yore close on his heels and the hawk’s owner clearly inclined to answer.

He heard a nicker up ahead. Picking up his pace, Link hurried along the path to see what he might find. Wind was pacing in a clear spring, unsaddled and angry. Link approached the horse, and despite its original retreat, Link was able to pat the horse on its nose to sooth it. While still disinclined to Link, the treatment did abate its anger.

Something had happened to Bruce, that much was clear. It was also apparent that Wind would not go any further into the forest, which had likely been the source of the horse and rider’s parting. Link guessed he was getting close to the Fortress if even the animals retreated from here.

Something splashed and Link looked up. A little girl stood in the middle of the pool, a surprised look on her face. She tilted her head, “You can see me, can’t you?” Link nodded, the day spinning on faster and more storybook like by the second. She smiled, “Good. I’ve been waiting for someone who could see me. As the Spirit of this spring, I’ve been tasked to assist the one who can see me by giving him these.”

The little girl waved her hand, and a flash of light covered the air. Link covered his eyes, and pushed Wind’s head down to try and block some of the light for the horse.

“Hehe, they look good on you. The water will refresh you whenever you come here now. Try to find some of my sisters, and they’ll do what they can to help too. Farewell, Hero.”

When the light faded, Link looked around for the little girl. It was a hopeless effort. She was gone.

“Where’d she go?” he asked idly.

“She is a Great Fairy, Link. That is just their nature.”

Deku Trees, Great Fairies, signs from the Goddesses, this was growing more and more into something Link wasn’t sure he could handle. And all of them attesting him the Hero when he was really just some farmhand trying to make up for a mistake he’d made. He’d never felt more awake, but surely this must have been a dream.

Link let go of Wind’s reins. The horse eagerly tugged the reins a bit as well, hurrying to get away from Link as his attitude returned. Link bent down to the water, filling his hand with the cold liquid and drinking his fill, before splashing it in his face. Like the fairy had promised, he felt himself restored with a single handful. It didn’t make him feel more awake though.

Something green fell over his face as he leaned in for another handful. Link pulled it off, only to feel his hair pull a bit as well from the action. He looked at the green thing now in his hand and saw it was a cap. The brown half gloves and bracers were a new addition as well.

Link remembered the final words of the Great Fairy. He bent over the water. He had no idea what had happened to his own cloths, but now he was dressed in a rich green tunic, the same color as the cap, near white leggings, and brown boots. A shirt of gold-bronze chainmail hung over a padded, long-sleeve white shirt beneath the tunic. A new sword belt held Link’s sword and shield on his back, along with a regular belt and a new pack.

“That is the Hero’s Garb, Link. And that pouch is among one of the most valuable and useful in all Hyrule. It can hold anything in it, not matter the size, without affecting you.”

That was indeed useful, even if he didn’t believe he would ever have a large amount of anything that would need to be stored in it. Link pulled the cap back on, refreshed. This Hero’s Garb was incredibly well fitted, comfortable, and vaguely familiar. Though, Link was sure it was just his mind at work with everything else going on.

Refreshed, Link walked back away from the water and started down the path again. Wind watched Link go, though Link knew it was no use trying to coax the horse any further. He was sure to be too close to the Fortress, and a horse was no use in a place like that.

And Link was right about being close. Soon, Link saw a massive tree above him. It was no Deku Tree, even if it shared the red-brown bark with the Trees in the Valley. It must have been ages old, long forgotten over time and allowed to grow. And the power that hung over the Valley did not extend here.

Its roots were covered at one section, by a stone building. Though, the more Link looked at it, the more he saw how the tree had grown through the building over time. Parts of the walls had been smashed through by enormous roots, and Link began to question the integrity of the building.

Still, Derek was in there for certain, and possibly Bruce. Link had liked Derek, for the few minutes he had met him. Not to mention Link felt guilt that part of this was his fault. He had kept the cadet’s secret, and if he hadn’t, then Derek would have been well protected. Even if Derek was a cadet to be, he was still a kid, however close in age that left him and Link.

“There is no time to stall, Link. You must keep moving.”

Link reached the building shortly after. He was glad, or partially glad, to find Bruce sitting outside the Fortress. A big ornate door sat on its hinges, rusted over from years of weathering. It was cracked, and easily large enough for Bruce to get through. But Link figured that the cadet was outside for other reasons.

Once Link was close enough, Bruce noticed him. For a moment, he didn’t recognize Link. When he did, his eyes narrowed, asking, “What are you doing here? And where’d you get a stupid outfit like that?”

Walking up to the door, Link replied, “I’m going to save Derek.”

Bruce extended his arm, stopping Link. He said, “Oh, no, you’re not. If you somehow manage that, then the Knights will never stop believing you’re the next Hero. I’m saving Derek.”

Something a little braver came to mind. It was likely the lack of sleep. Link asked, “How long have you been sitting out here waiting to do that?”

The cadet jumped, surprised it seemed to see Link stand up for himself for once in the years they’d known each other. “Goddesses, where did that come from?”

Link stood a little taller as the hawk landed behind him. “I’m doing something. Someone has to, and it’s not you. So I will.”

Bruce, now livid at Link’s stand, answered, “Yeah, right. Like that’s going to happen. You can try to keep up with me, if it’ll make you feel better.” It was a weak comeback, but Bruce did enter the dungeon this time. Link bitterly commended Bruce that action.

The moment’s rest was short lived as Endeavor’s voice came yet again from the hawk, “Best follow him. There are darker creatures in there than Keeses and Skulltulas, not to mention the Shrine in need of finding.”

“Right.”

This was a lot. It was a lot, right? A night ago, Link was a farmhand secretly training in swordcraft, and now he was standing at the doorstep of a dungeon dressed up as the Hero. And everyone kept insisting that he was. That didn’t sit quite right, but that wasn’t going to be the thing that stopped him from moving forward.

Link took a deep breath and followed Bruce through the doorway…

Chapter 5: Dungeon Chapter 1 - Deku Fortress

Chapter Text

…into the musty ruin that was the abandoned fortress of the Deku Scrubs. The hollow chamber had trunks for supports, and other than the stone walls, it was made entirely of wood. Vines and cobwebs hung from the rafters, pressing in where the wood had thinned. A few pots littered the corners, one of the few things that plant life hadn’t settled on yet.

Link pulled his sword free of its sheath and hoisted his new shield on his right arm. Kaepora hadn’t trained him very much with the defensive item, but he knew that this was a study piece. It would hold up to anything that lurked in these woods.

“The Deku Scrubs knew about all the rooms in this fortress. There should be a map around here somewhere they left behind before fleeing.”

Yore perched himself above Link, far enough away to not be in Link’s way, but close enough to see. The hawk was smart, smarter than any of the birds Link had dealt with up until now. Granted, most of those were Cuccos, and Cuccos could hardly do anything on their own.

Scanning the room, Link tried to guess where he might need go next, or for any signs of the two knights to be lost in here. The chamber was two stories with four doors between them. There was one staircase, which split off and wrapped around the walls. It looked like a hub for the whole building from where Link was standing.

Cautiously, Link walked further into the building. It was almost too peaceful for a place rumored to be filled with monsters, to the point that nothing lurking here yet was curious. Which was why Link wasn’t completely surprised when something shot out at him.

The Deku Nut split open on the ground, its yellow sap flowing out of the dark brown shell. Link twisted his shield arm around, the next projectile bouncing off and landing on the floor with a soft thud, still in tact.

Yore swooped in towards a corrupted Deku Scrub, a warped shrub of a creature with an extended snout, sitting on a ledge above them. His talons dug into the side of the monster, making it screech in pain. Link quickly grabbed the fallen Deku Nut and lobbed it at the Scrub. It stiffened, before hardening into a husk and dissipating into a dark cloud of smoke.

Link scanned the room, looking for any other monsters. A few baby Skulltulas hung in the corner on some vines, but there wasn’t anything immediately dangerous anymore. Link moved to one of the doors on the ground floor. As he reached the door, the stone slab lifted up. Link stepped back, the door slamming down as he stepped away.

“It is an enchantment in the Temples throughout Hyrule. It helps keep the Demon Lord’s minions at bay as to only open for non-monstrous creatures.”

Sitting on this for a moment, Link stepped back up to the door. It swung open again, remaining open so long as he remained near it.

With Yore close behind, Link continued into the next room. A few Keeses fluttered around on the far end, but Link saw a new enemy much closer to him. It was about his height, with wrinkly purple skin, wielding a club, and only covered by a loincloth. Yore glided over the monster, his wings gleaming even in the weak torchlight.

“That is a bokoblin. They are a standard minion of the enemy, but not particularly powerful.”

Link twisted his sword around in his hand, before walking a bit closer to the monster. He whistled to Yore, then glanced at the Keeses in the back of the room. The hawk seemed to get the message and quickly flew off to the other corner to keep the bat-like creatures distracted.

The bokoblin let out an awful skrieking noise in surprise as Link’s sword swiped past its face. It would have hit if it hadn’t moved at the last moment. Link slid back, his boots bringing him to a halt quickly before he launched himself back towards the monster.

This time, his sword did hit. The blade wasn’t as sharp as Link hoped it would be, but it still did noticeable damage. The bokoblin swung its club, which Link sidestep and brought around another swift slash. Another cut opened and the bokoblin tumbled backwards.

Link leapt, raising his sword overhead. The stroke would have been fatal if the monster hadn’t ducked out of the way again. Link ended up with his sword partial embedded in the loose dirt floor of the room. The bokoblin charged, its crude voice calling out some kind of battle cry.

With one sharp jerk, Link’s sword broke free only moments before. Almost unintentionally, Link’s sword arced in a wide swipe in front of him as he wrenched it from the floor. The cut caught the bokoblin in its gut, and it dissipated much like the Scrub had.

“Do not be so reckless. The monster may have been weak, but you are not invincible.”

Link suppressed a groan from Endeavor’s comment. He was getting a little tired of their remarks, even if they were right. It wasn’t entirely Endeavor’s fault though. Link had plenty of experience training for a fight, this was his first practical though on something more sizeable.

Yore screeched and Link watched as the hawk dived towards him. He brandished his sword, the remaining Keeses following Yore smashing into the blade. Most of them tumbled and fell off the steel. A few required a second swing from Link’s blade or an attack from Yore before they broke into the purple-black smoke like all the other creatures.

As the smoke settled, Link looked around the room. There were a few chests, open with their hinges so rusted that they were stuck that way. There has to be something important in here, Link thought, otherwise they wouldn’t post a guard. Even a weak one.

A small wooden chest sat tucked away in the corner. Link kicked the lock with his boot, shattering the rusted iron, and it popped open. He stooped down and pulled out a small metal key. It wasn’t interesting, and it could probably open just about any lock, but that was a door he hadn’t been able to open before. Link shoved it in a pouch along his belt, figuring that there would be a place to use it soon.

Other than a few stray rupees in some of the pots, the room contained nothing else of importance. He headed back to the main room. Still, nothing of interest was in this room. He climbed the stairs to the other unlocked door.

There was a skittering noise on the walls. Link paid little mind to the defensive baby skulltulas. They wouldn’t be a problem until he bothered them, if he bothered them. If was their parents were around though, he would give a little more caution.

As Link followed the curved room further back into its depths, he heard a noise further in the passage, on another floor up. He found Bruce looking around nervously from the platform his was on deeper in the room. A barred gate was beyond the young knight, three unique eyes around its frame. Bruce had positioned himself in front of it, scanning around the chamber from the elevated height.

It’s some kind of mechanism, Link thought. Now…how does it work?

Looking around the room, Link saw a pool of burning oil. Pulling out his own lantern, Link turned the blaze on before swiping it through the flammable liquid. As the blaze in the pillar caught fire, Link heard something. It was like a chime, subtle but there.

Something whizzed across the room and landed smack against the eye on the left of the door. The eye design slammed shut with an audible thud and the bar quivered a bit. There must be more puzzles like this around the fortress, Link thought.

“Who’s there?”

Link looked back up at the platform Bruce was standing on. The senior cadet was shaking a bit, clearly anxious. Link didn’t blame him, despite some internal satisfaction. Something must be in this place to have grabbed Derek so quickly. There was a ladder between the two levels. It wouldn’t be hard for Bruce to reach Link once he climbed down.

Tapping his sword on his shield, Link pulled Bruce’s attention down to him. The cadet frowned and composed himself, “What are you still doing here?”

“Helping.”

Yore landed on a branch extending across the room. Bruce’s scowl only increased at the sight of the winged creature. “I would very much like to see you try threatening my bird, cadet. You should leave and allow the Hero deal with this.”

“I’m not going to be shown up by some nameless stablehand,” Bruce retorted, glancing at Link at the end of the statement.

Link shook his head, before turning to examine the walls. He spotted a small tube, which he was sure was where the pellet had come from. Soon after, he found another one. With no other levers on the walls, Link guessed that this one must be connected to another part of the fortress.

As Link headed back towards the hub, Bruce raced down the ladder and passed Link. The young knight said, “You best leave now, while you’re alive.”

Brushing passed the cadet, Link considered where the next lever would be. It was probably behind the other door in the main hall. He wasn’t quite sure, but Link thought he remembered the door being locked. He hoped that the small key he had found would hold up to his earlier speculations.

The door opened for Link and Yore. Bruce grumbled something to himself, still a few feet behind. Link kept his head forward, listening to the creaking of the wood for any change worth concern. As Yore dove through the doorway though, Link paused. That rustling was just a bit—

The spider’s suspension cord broke, and the adult Skulltula fell on its back, its eight legs thrashing around in the air. Link dropped his blade into its stomach before extending the cut down to ensure it didn’t get back up. Its legs extended straight out, before crumbling into a tight ball. Link removed his blade as the monster vanished.

Bruce had been frozen in place, pointing blankly at the air where the Skulltula had been. Link began to walk away, leaving the senior to figure out what had just happened on his own. He did keep an ear out. No point in rescuing one cadet only to true around and have to do it again.

But the cadet was back to his normal self before Link would have guessed. He darted through the open door, and back into the main hall. Link followed behind, only to find it not as empty as he left it.

Yore landed near the ceiling, wings tipping out to the floor below as three or four bokoblins wandered the space. Bruce pressed himself back against the wall, trying not to be seen. Not to be shown up, when Link made a move to deal with them, Bruce made his counter.

Bruce charged down the stairs before Link could catch up with him. The young knight sent one of the bokoblins flying back against the wall with a wide right hook, where it shriveled up and vanished as the others had.

The dead bokoblin’s companions weren’t too happy about that though, and now alerted to danger. They charged Bruce, blindly, but so were Bruce’s counter attacks. As Link approached the fight, it was already over. One of them hit Bruce on the head, and the group began to drag him off.

Link followed closely. A panel opened up in the wall for the minions, closing behind them before Link could catch up. He skidded to a halt. I’ll have to find another way, he thought.

He raced back up the stairs, going two at a time. He pulled the small key out and wriggled it around in the lock. It worked, but like Link guessed, it broke as age finally caught up. As the lock and chains that blocked the door fell lose, Link dropped the bit remaining in his hand to the floor and raced through the door…

Chapter 6: Dungeon Chapter 2 - A Well-Placed Puzzle

Chapter Text

…only to immediately attempt stopping before he slammed into a Skulltula’s back. The squishy underside launched him backwards, slamming Link into the stone door of the room, which suddenly decided not to open. He winced a bit from the shock, before pushed himself back to his feet.

The massive spider spun around to show off its skull shaped exoskeleton. Link drew his sword and shield, moving to a ready stance. He bounced on the balls of his feet, waiting for the creature to make the first move.

Before long, the creature grew impatient and broke itself away from its web. Its pincers clicked together and venom dribbled out. Eight black legs clattered across the floor, rushing across the room with concerning speed. Link steadied himself, letting out a slow breath as he held his ground.

The Skulltula lunged, and Link raised his sword to block first. The monster run into the edge of the blade, cracking into its shell. It hissed and began to retreat in surprise. Link went on to berate it with blows, mostly, if he could help it, from the right side. After a few aimed strikes, the massive spider lost its balance, and fell over to its side, then on to its back as its curved back tipped it over. Its legs danced franticly, trying to turn back over, but Link’s finishing blow came too soon.

As the monster curled up and died, Link hurried by and began to study the room. A shallow pool covered most of the bottom. Parts of branches had fallen off into the water. On the east side of the room, there was another locked door. There were three bokoblins on the northern side of the room, up a short staircase and blocked by parts of fallen trees. Behind them, was a pillar much like the one in the room Link had found Bruce in with a brazier on top. Link figured that it was part of the puzzle.

Link jumped from log to log, trying to make as little noise as possible. The water rippled beneath his weight as he progressed across the room, but there wasn’t enough noise to be heard. The monsters continued on their idle chatter, not even the slightest bit concerned.

That is, until he landed on the platform beneath theirs. The moment Link’s boots hit the stone again, the bokoblins were at attention. They charged at him, running head on to his sword. Link’s blade cut one, and it shuffled back to let its friends take care of Link.

While he prepared for another blow, something whizzed past his ear. The noise was familiar, and Link had enough wit to dodge as the Deku Nut splintered against the floor. He wasn’t as fortunate as a second Deku Scrub fired at him while he was moving.

The hard shell made Link stumble as it caught him in the head. One of the bokoblins swung, and sent Link back into the water. His head groaned, and he quickly raised his shield as the whizzing sound resonated again. This time, the Deku Nut fell off harmlessly, and Link heard the rustle of leaves as the short wooden creatures burrowed back down to hide.

Link turned his attention back to the bokoblins. They had little interest in swimming out to fight him, even if it barely came up to his waist, so they wandered back to their post. Link glanced up at the ledge where the Deku Scrubs were nested. Three bush headed Deku Scrubs sat on the ledge, just out of range of a reflected attack.

As Link waded through the pool to a small ledge, Yore made his way down to Link’s shoulder.

“I see no progress to be made against those at present. You will need to press deeper, deal with the monsters some other way.”

There was already a welt on Link’s right arm where his armor had smashed against the muscle, and a bruise was growing on his cheek from where the Deku Nut had hit him. He sat down for a moment on the ledge to attend the injury. As he massaged the wound, he asked, “Me?”

“Yes, you. I can provide you no physical assistance and Yore’s combat abilities are limited.”

“But why me?”

“We have already discussed this. You are the Hero, it is your duty to Hyrule.”

Link sighed and pushed himself back up to his feet. He looked back at the ledge the Deku Scrubs were on. From here, if he had something to throw at them, he could stun them long enough to deal with at least two of the bokoblins. Still, that left him open with one bokoblin and three Deku Scrubs firing at him.

His eyes went to the locked door. He didn’t have another key. Link looked around for something in the room, something that might provide a different route forward. He noticed it as he saw a Skulltula dangling over it: an underwater flight of stairs. Though Link had no idea where it led, it at least led out of the room to somewhere he hadn’t been.

Taking a deep breath, Link dove into the pool. The Skulltula dropped as he went beneath it, and hung there, swinging slightly back and forth. As it did not pass the water, Link swam through to the underwater passage unhindered. Most of the connecting halls were cut off, letting Link go only a short while down the tunnel before it ended. Not that he had the ability to hold his breath much longer.

Link let out a huge breath as he resurfaced. It announced himself in the room. It was a big room, with two floors. Link guessed that he was on the first again, his quick swim bringing him back down a level.

A walkway went around the top floor, but with the exception of a single bokoblin, it was unarmed. The main floor had four guards, and guard was a suiting word. This room was a prison, with one huge cell. Moss and vines covered almost everything as it chewed through the iron, but it was still well enough in tact to keep a prisoner or two.

Behind the guarding bokoblins and the green covered iron bars was Bruce. His sword and shield were thrown aside against the wall, but shortly after, one of the bokoblins moved towards the weapons. In their chattery language, the creatures cheered and raced out of the room, following their new leader with its new toys.

As the foursome left the room, the remaining bokoblin climbed down the ladder to the main floor. The secret passage its friends used closed behind them, and the bokoblin hefted its club over its shoulder, a sign of boredom it seemed as it idled about.

Link hoisted himself out of the water. His blade slipped out of its sheath as he prepared himself for a fight. The bokoblin saw Link before he had expected and began shouting. Another entrance opened, and a two more bokoblins walked in as Link began to deflect the blow of the first on.

Before the new enemies could attack, Link had the first bokoblin knocked to the floor, fading to ash. He moved to the next, catching its swing, and slamming his shield against its face. The bokoblin stumbled back, and Link followed with a quick blow to its side. It followed suit as the last had.

The final bokoblin had moved around to Link’s side. Instinct told Link to move, a feeling so deep set he didn’t know where it came from. His sword spun out to meet the creature, cutting into it just as severely as the force pushed it back. The monster stumbled, fell to the floor and crumbled into smoke like its companions. A few rupees fell where they had died, which Link scooped up quickly with confusion.

“How did you…?”

Link shook his head. No time, magic was already rampant in this place. He turned to Bruce in the prison. The young knight seemed in complete shock that Link had actually been able to defend himself so well. Link sheathed his sword, hung his shield onto the sword belt, and began to look for a door to the cell.

Bruce lingered to watch Link. Link finally looked up at the cadet, asking, “What?”

“How do you know how to use a sword so well?”

“Head Master Kaepora has been teaching me.” It’s not like the information could hurt him at this point. It was a well circulated rumor, and moot to keep it a secret. Half the Academy already knew.

Bruce gripped the bars, demanding as he shook against them, “You can fight like that and you’ve not once stood up to me? What kind of coward are you?”

“What good would that of been?” Link looked up, nothing but flat honesty in his voice, “You’re right. I am nameless. If I ever showed anyone I could fight, what do you think would happen to me? Or to the Head Master? It wasn’t worth it.” He went back to his work at finding the door.

There was a pause, the cadet seemingly stumped. After a moment, Bruce said, “Don’t bother with finding a door.” Link looked up and met eyes with Bruce. The cadet seemed genuinely shaken, and no longer attempting to hide it. “I’m about to be in a lot worse trouble than a cell. They’ve got some kind of creature living in here. Some giant…plant thing…I saw its roots everywhere when I started coming to in those tunnels. And it looks hungry.”

Bruce gestured to the wall behind him. He said, “There’s an arena behind there. It’s how they brought me in. There’s a crowd of those things in there. I’m pretty certain there’s going to be a fight between that ugly mug with my sword and me. If you can find another way in to the arena though, maybe I won’t get skewered by those things.”

Link remembered the locked door in the previous room. He asked, “Did any of them have a key?”

“Yeah, back in that room,” Bruce said pointing to the room the two bokoblins had come from earlier. The door was still open, and Link walked into it. Something darted out beside him, and Link sidestepped out of the way as the plant monster launched itself towards where Link had been. A glean of gold flickered distantly above him, out of the top of the fortress.

“A Deku Baba. Their stalk is their life support. Cut them off from the stem and they will be dead in moments.”

The plant had a head like bud, with teeth. More like fangs, Link noted. Its blue bulb opened in two petal shaped halves, and a long, red tongue licking its pale brown teeth. Link slammed his shield into its head, then cut the head from the stalk in a swift flick of his sword. The remainder of the vine snapped around for a bit, before the thing stopped moving completely.

Link stepped by the remains of the creature and looked through the small room it had been protecting. There was a shelf, emptied by the monsters who had taken over the fortress. One bokoblin had been foolish enough though to leave behind a wooden chest with a small key inside. Link grinned as he pulled the key from its box.

As he shoved the item into his pouch, Link walked back into the prison room. Bruce glanced at the wall behind him. It was starting to open. Bruce said, “I’ll put up a fight, but hurry. There’s going to be a lot of them.”

Without another word, Link raced back across the room and dove into the pool. Swimming upstream was a little harder than his trip down, but he reached the end as his chest began to ache for air. But before he could get a good deep breath, the Skulltula dropped down a little closer to the water again. Having forgotten it was there, Link gasped quickly and went back under. The huge spider’s web snapped and it fell into the pool. To its own demise though, as the water corroded it to ash in an instant.

The body vanished, and Link forced himself to the surface again as his chest began to give. He took in a deep breath, bobbing on the surface for a moment to collect himself.

Breath restored, Link swam to the door at the eastern end of the chamber. He forced the key in, and the lock fell to the ground. Link walked into the room this time, trying to prevent another face-to-face with a Skulltula underside, even as he was eager to hurry to catch up with Bruce.

Two Deku Babas wove their way up from their weed-like roots, their blue head swaying and their tongues dancing. Link flicked his sword out, cutting them through both their mouths in one long swipe. He barely looked as the collapsed, already hurrying on.

The room turned into a hall, and then into a tunnel, and then into a room again. A much larger room though. More like an arena. In fact, exactly like an arena as he saw the rows of filled seats overhead. Link heard something slam behind him, and saw a grate of iron bars blocked his passage out of the room.

Two bokoblins shoved Bruce into the arena from another tunnel nearby. The bokoblin with Bruce’s gear race into the center of the arena and a cry went up through the arena as the purple monster waved the weapons around aimlessly.

Bruce made his way over to Link. He stated, “I have a bad feeling. Either he’s a lot better than he appears to be, or there’s something worse somewhere in this room.”

The ground shook and the cheer grew louder. Link had the feeling that it was something much worse than the lone bokoblin. An iron gate was pulled up from across the arena, a dark shadow pouring out of it…

Chapter 7: Mini Boss 1 - Bear Warrior Bark-Bite

Chapter Text

…soon to be replaced by a massive, hulking figure. Parts of a bearskin hung around the eight-foot tall, five-foot wide monster that came out of the tunnel. Skulls hung around the creature’s belt, bleached white at some point, though they were splattered and stained once more. Purple skin was showing beneath the pelts, distantly linking this creature to the bokoblin.

It was the massive wooden club that concerned Link more though. It had to be at least three feet thick, and twice as long as his sword. One swing from that and you probably wouldn’t get back up.

A screech went up through the crowd, the spectators finally taking notice of Link…and his sword. The bokoblin in the center of the arena stopped his pointless waving to follow the crowd’s outcry. When it saw him still armed, it roared, before charging at Link, swinging aimlessly as it tried to land a blow in its fury.

The wild cuts were easy to parry. Link’s sword staggered the monster for a moment, stumbling back a half step in its stupor. Before he could finish the bokoblin off, a massive fist slammed into the purple skinned monster’s jaw. It stumbled over itself, releasing the blade from its hand.

Bruce bent over and gripped his hilt, and swung the blade through the bokoblin’s chest. He’s found his nerve again, Link thought with relief. Which was good, because the crowd was starting to pour in. Link found himself back-to-back with Bruce as the massive bokoblin came at them from one side, a mob of enemies pooling out of the stadium on the other.

“Which one do you want to take?” Bruce asked, as if either was a good choice.

Link pushed forward towards the massive bokoblin, unsure how long Bruce’s new confidence would last. He heard cries of pain from behind him as bokoblins started to fall to Bruce’s blade. He whistled, and Yore dove down from above, pecking at the heads of bokoblins.

Slowing down, Link stared up at the enemy before him. He tried to find a weakness as the monster came towards him with thundering steps. The bokoblin rose its club over its head, before swinging it straight down. A tremor rolled through the ground and Link had a hard time regaining his balance as he turned back around to face the creature.

The stroke had left the monster with a jarred arm from shock. It released its club for a minute, rubbing its arm to try and wake it back up. Link took the moment to race towards the club. He hefted it up over his shoulder, before releasing it in a wide swing.

Releasing the weapon as it came back around on the swing, Link ducked as the club flew off into a corner of the arena. The bokoblin had tumbled over, a huge welt on its exposed stomach. Link raced forward to close the distance, taking the opening to berate the stunned creature with his sword.

Something rumbled in the bokoblin’s stomach, and Link jumped backwards as the beast’s gut punched the air where he had just been. The bokoblin stumbled to its feet, turning around with its arms flailing in wide circles around it as it searched for its weapon. Once its eyes found it, the monster broke into huge strides across the arena to reclaim it. It barreled forward at such speed, Link didn’t even think to try and stop it without fear of being flattened.

Link watched as it hefted the huge club up and turned back towards him. Again, it came at him, but just a bit quicker this time. Link dodged the swings, waiting for it to slam the club back into the ground and try to smash him.

Sure enough, the monster grew irate at Link’s swift evasions and slammed the weapon into the ground again. The wooden club fell to the ground as the bokoblin massaged its arm. Link grabbed the club as it began to reach for its weapon again. He swung blindly, landing a blow on the bokoblin’s extended stomach once more and sending it tumbling over its feet.

The club went flying across the room. Link cut his blade across the monster’s stomach in a series of rapid cuts while he had the time. The gut of the monster bounded, the growing slack an indication it was taking serious damage.

When the punch came this time, it wasn’t just from the stomach. Link leapt sideways as the monster swung one of his massive fists towards Link. It roared in a deep, bestial voice, and then charged at Link. Link retreated towards Bruce for a moment, before the creature gave of pursuit and searched for its weapon. Thoroughly enraged, it went faster than ever before, reaching the club in a matter of strides.

Upon gripping the weapon, the bokoblin-like monster was bent on putting an end to Link. It charged him, swinging in front of itself with its club. Link dodged each attack, but there was no chance to break onto the offensive, and he was wearing himself down dodging so much.

Soon, he found himself back-to-back with Bruce again. The cadet seemed to be holding his own, his brawn a stalwart wall despite the odds behind him. Link twisted his sword in his hand as the monster came closer. He saw it heaving, having given up on the exhausting charge attacks.

“Sure you want to keep fighting that thing?” Bruce asked as he dodged by another strike, before punching the offending bokoblin back into the horde.

Link grimaced as he watched the now sluggish beast still hulking towards them. Maybe not, he thought. He looked over his shoulder. “You want a turn?”

“Let me at ‘im,” Bruce replied with a grin.

Weary, the monster looked near collapse as it approached Link. Still, it found the strength to raise its club overhead, intent on one final strike. At the first sign of movement, Link shouted, “Now!”

Someone would have thought it rehearsed how easily the two moved on Link’s signal. He and Bruce switched places, a true knight’s rotation. Link parried two bokoblins as he turned to find Bruce’s attackers, and sent them tumbling back with one swift stroke. Bruce grabbed the club with his hands, his sword and shield clattering to the floor as he tried to grip the huge weapon.

Link swung wide, scaring back a row of bokoblins. Some space to work with, he ducked beneath the club, and drove his sword into the massive monster’s stomach. The monster stumbled backwards, releasing its club. Bruce twisted the weapon around in his hand, turning it against the smaller minions in the arena as he swung it as ruthlessly as their massive champion had.

With another bear-ish roar, the monster tried to make one last stand. But it was an ill time to lower its head. Link had sent another thrust towards its gut, only to have it drive into the monster’s head. The cry stopped halfway through its normal length. Link yanked his blade out as monster collapsed in front of him.

A huge puff of purple smoke poured into the room from where the monster died. Link coughed and waved a hand to get it out of his face, before turning to check on Bruce. With the bokoblin boss’s club, he seemed to be doing very well against the remaining numbers of the bokoblin crowd. Those that hadn’t run off already, at least.

The wooden weapon fell to the floor and Bruce let out a huge breath of relief. He was lifted his own weapons, and sheathed them as he surveyed the emptying arena. He said through heavy intakes, “Nice work.” Link nodded quietly as he turned to look for danger himself.

Something shimmered behind them. Link turned to face it watched as a blue and silver chest formed in the center of the arena out of rays of light. Curious at its appearance, Link walked up to the chest, and lifted the lid. The inside glowed, outlining a shape in the bottom of the chest. Link reached in and pulled it out.

“You got the Slingshot. This weapon may have a small range, but it’s useful for stunning enemies. Large pumpkin seeds work best as ammunition for this item. Seeds can be enchanted to have different properties, like poison and extended stunning effects.”

“You got a Slingshot Wallet. Carry your pellets for your slingshot in here. Slingshot wallets can be enchanted to give special properties to the seeds inside of them. This wallet can carry 30 seeds at a time.”

“You got a Poison Enchanted Slingshot Wallet. This wallet enchants your seeds with a toxin that can kill small monsters and make larger enemies take damage. Use it wisely, this wallet can only carry 5 seeds at a time.”

Link held the two pouches in one hand and looked at the slingshot in the other. It was just a small wooden toy, probably something every kid in Eveningale had had at one point in their life to scare off baby Skulltulas. That’s all he would have thought it was until he went to draw it back. The rope was taught and strong, designed to fire its missiles with a powerful force. Definitely not a children’s toy.

Bruce crossed his arms, asking, “How is that supposed to get us out of here?”

“I’m not sure. But it was a magic chest, so maybe there’s something nearby,” Link offered, beginning to scan for something.

Looking around, Link spotted a large crystal on the wall above one of the doors. He loaded the slingshot, and let the seed fly in a high arc. There was a high pitched TINK as the seed bounced off. The crystal dulled and the iron bars rose on the tunnel Link had come through.

“Maybe this can be useful,” Bruce said.

Link had a feeling that he knew exactly where that use would be. He slid the slingshot into his bag, and headed out of the room…

Chapter 8: Dungeon Chapter 3 - Your Sword, My Shield

Chapter Text

…he had come in by. The roots of the weedy Deku Babas had turned brown, blue beetles already eating through their leaves.

With Bruce behind him, Link returned to the previous room. The four bokoblins stood around guarding the pillar, still. It was hard to tell if they had even moved.

Bruce asked, “Is there a reason why you didn’t handle those?”

Link gestured to the ledge the Deku Scrubs were sitting on. One of the bush-headed monsters peaked up for a moment, its yellow eyes glowing against its dark brown bark. It twisted back and forth in its perch before burying itself back into the ground again.

As they crossed the logs, Bruce murmured as he swung his shield off his back, “I guess I’m on defense then.”

Like before, the moment Link set foot on the stone platform, the bokoblins were aware of him. The one he had injured earlier seemed to have pulled off an astonishing recovery in his absence.

Bruce raised his shield behind Link, preparing for the Deku Scrubs when they decided to attack. With Bruce guarding his back, Link drew his sword and rushed the closest bokoblin. His sword twisted around the club and flung it off into the water, before Link followed with a slash across the bokoblin’s now defenseless front.

The wide slash on the first bokoblin carried on into a second, sending it tumbling into another. As the two monsters stumbled to their feet in an attempt to recovery, Link slammed his shield against the other’s face, before sending his sword straight through.

While Link was moving towards the two tangled bokoblins, he heard the first THUD against Bruce’s shield. The cadet was moving back slowly, flashing his sword to distract the plant monsters from Link’s battle. So far it was working. The Deku Nuts bounced off harmlessly and splashed into the water.

Link cut the two bokoblins apart with a leaping slash, quick to get into and out of the air with Deku Nuts continuing to press Bruce back. His sword grazed them both, but the monsters managed to dodge out of the way before Link’s attack could hit them. Link waited, an enemy on each side of him.

Disliking this attempt to flank, Link loaded and aimed his slingshot, quickly turning to fire it to his right. The light brown sphere smacked against the bokoblin’s face, which it grabbed as it stumbled backwards. Link switched back to his sword, and berated the other monster until it fell before turning to its dazed partner as it began to come to.

The monster shook off its confusion only seconds too late. Link’s sword sent it tumbling to the ground in defeat, before it blackened to ash and died.

With the closer problem handled, Link pulled his slingshot back out. He aimed a seed above him at the Deku Scrubs’ snouts. The projectile landed in the monsters’ mouths just as they were preparing to fire another round of Deku Nuts at Bruce. The small seed was enough to set off the tender shell of the Deku Nuts, and the golden filled objects exploded and killed their senders.

Bruce put away his weapons as Link lit the pillar. As the flame grew, he heard the little chime again in his head. Something rumbled on the other side of the fortress, back in the direction of the room Link had first found Bruce in.

The sunlight flickered for a moment as the creatures were dispelled, before concentrating on the platform by the door back into the fortress’s hub. The outline of a chest formed, followed by a chest appearing beside the exit.

Crossing the room to the platform, Link opened the chest. The inside shimmered, but not as brightly as the one Link had gotten his slingshot from. From inside it, Link pulled out an age-worn map. There were two small blips on the map; one was green and the other was red.

“Now here is a useful relic. This map appears to be enchanted. It will show you where you are, where any companions are, what rooms you’ve been into, and locked doors.”

Link found a locked door that was on the third floor of the main room. He didn’t have a key, but it was at least worth it to check it out. Rolling the map up, Link processed back into the main room, Bruce shortly behind. He looked up at the wall of vines in the back of the room that he had otherwise avoiding up until this point.

While Bruce caught up, Link fired pumpkin seeds at the baby skulltulas skittering around on the vines. Each one crumpled up and fell when hit, until finally the wall was clear.

Climbing was no trouble. The vines were strong enough to hold Link up, and had plenty of handholds to grab on to. He soon found himself at the top of the wall, above the door up here. Letting go, Link bent his knees to soften the fall. Once he was sure his feet would support him, Link examined the door in front of him.

It was bigger than he had thought, with a massive gold frame. Pale green laced the frame, though the soft color was beginning to fade after years of neglect and abuse by the fortress’s occupants. A huge lock in the design of a giant circle with three curved lines coming out from its right side sat on the door, barring the way through.

Yore landed on Link’s shoulder, and fluttered his wings excitedly.

“I can sense the Goddess of Courage’s relic beyond this door. This is the symbol of Farore here. You will need to find a key to open this lock.”

As Link began to leave, Endeavor let out a gasp of surprise. “Has he gotten here that soon?

“Link, I sense something of terrible evil behind this door. I fear that the Demon Lord’s magic has already tried to enter the sacred shrine of this temple.”

Link looked at the door again. He remembered the massive roots running through the tunnels Bruce had been dragged through. He had hoped when they faced the giant bokoblin that that was the worst thing inside the fortress, and that those roots were part of the massive tree he had seen outside. He had the sinking feeling that it wasn’t.

After climbing back down, Bruce asked, “Find anything?”

“A locked door.”

“Where do you think we can find a key?”

Link looked back towards the room where he had started the lantern puzzle. After a short trek of retracing his steps, he stopped and studied the eyes on the wall. Another had closed, and Link guessed it was due to the pillar he had lit in the other room.

Pulling out the map, Link made sure he hadn’t missed anything. But other than the massive door back in the main room, there wasn’t anything else besides the tunnel behind this puzzle. He would have to find a way to activate the third eye.

Bruce walked up beside Link. He looked up at the three-eyed lock. He scrunched his face, before saying, “You know…those seem pretty sensitive. I wouldn’t be surprised if that slingshot of yours could set it off.”

Link weighed his pellet wallet in his hand. He would need to restock soon or he would have to resort to his more powerful poisoned seeds. It seemed pointless to waste those when the regular ones stunned things quite nicely.

Still, with no other ideas, Link pulled back the draw on the slingshot and let a seed fly. The little missile bounced off the white surface, and for a moment, Link didn’t think it worked. A moment later though, and the lid shut over the eye design, and the grate blocking the tunnel climbed up into the ceiling.

Bruce smiled to himself, crediting himself with solving the puzzle solution under his breath. Link let him enjoy the thought. After all, he was sure the cadet’s ego needed a boost after being captured by bokoblins.

Link asked Endeavor, “Can Yore help me find items? Like more seeds for my slingshot?”

“I do not see why not. Ask him to find an object, and Yore should be able to find it and bring it back to you so long as it is not too heavy for him. If he cannot carry it though, he will wait for you to retrieve it.”

Pulling out a few of his remaining pellets, Link showed the hawk the seeds. He asked, “Think you could find some of these?” The bird flew off, following its new search orders.

With Yore on the way to help replenish Link’s stock, Link climbed the ladder up to the newly opened tunnel. It was dark, and Link pulled his lantern back out so that he and Bruce could see.

A keese shrieked somewhere down the tunnel, and Link became aware of the sounds further into the fortress: the flap of wings, the spindly footsteps of skulltulas, a bokoblin on patrol. Wind flowed through the newly opened entrance, carrying all the noises closer to him.

Still, they had no where to go but forward. So, Link raised his lantern up to eye level, and carried on into the dark, infested passage…

Chapter 9: Dungeon Chapter 4 - Leaks and Holes

Chapter Text

…and further into the dungeon. Keeses flew foolishly close to the warriors, and were quickly cut down by a sword or grasped by Yore’s talons once the hawk returned. With more pellets for Link as well. Any skulltulas Link had heard scrambled into the darkness as the lantern’s flame drew nearer to them but remained out of sight.

Yore screeched and retreated back behind Link. Raising his lantern to see, the light revealed a massive spider web blocking the entire pathway.

Bruce brushed in front of Link. “I can handle this.” Bruce’s sharp iron blade cut through the silvery strings with faint snaps as the threads hung limp around the gash Bruce had made in the spiral weaving.

As Bruce went on to hack his way through the web, Link put the flame of his lantern up against the slender blockade. Orange flames danced across the white threads, before dying out and leaving the passage open to travel through. Link glanced at Bruce, who murmured, “That might be a better way to go about it.”

The group proceeded down the tunnel once more. Other than a few Deku Babas and a handful of keeses, which were light work for the two now, nothing challenged their progression. Shortly after, the walls of the tunnel ended and revealed a much larger room.

This room made Link think of a temple to one of the Goddesses. Its walls were a pale gray stone, with high columns. Tree roots and vines still broke through the walls from years of waste, but there was a note of beauty among the limbs and wild greenery.

“What…what has happened here?”

Yore flew to the eastern side of the room, where a massive cave-in had occurred. The gray stone wall was hidden behind a wall of dirt that dripped with water. At one part in the muddy face, a large portion of the wall had collapsed completely. Water gushed out in a great torrent, bouncing off the bit of wall it had broken through, before covering part of the floor with murky water turned pure by the divinity of the building.

Link felt a connection with this building, and with the Goddess it honored. Glancing at the symbol on his hand, he figured that it suited. He looked around the room some more. There was another door that led deeper into the building, guarded by a few stray bokoblins and a set of iron bars.

Pulling his slingshot out, Link began to look for a crystal or some other kind of trigger for the iron bars. Before he could take little more than a step though, Bruce grabbed him by the arm and gestured towards the water.

Though there was purity in the building, the water spilling out from the dirt wall yet to reach that purification was filled with evil. A large amount of that collected together to become a slimy, green entity. Bruce said as the mass of goop made its want to solid ground, “Those are chus. Master Siria orders batches of potions for new cadets made from their remains.”

“What’s your point?” Link asked, a little skeptical. Monster parts? He knew potions came from somewhere, but from this creature?

“My point is,” Bruce went on with irritation, “is we can use it. There are a lot of potion makers who wouldn’t mind getting a little more of the stuff they leave behind.”

Link pressed his lips together in concern. “You want to sell it? It’s a monster.”

“Well, if it’s dead, it’s not hurting anyone, is it?” Bruce asked. “There’s no point in wasting it. Some of the potions Siria brings in can keep a knight on his feet all day, in full armor, even in the middle of summer. Considering what we’ve already been up against, something like that might not be too bad.”

Link glanced at the chu for a moment, grimacing a little at the thought. “Of course,” Bruce added, his tone growing suddenly more enthused as he talked, “you’d have to have something to collect it with, like a spare bottle. Though chu jelly isn’t the only thing I’ve seen vendors look for. There are a lot of monster related items they’re looking out for. More from stronger ones than these purple guys, but you might want to start looking out for these things, Link. A few extra rupees in your wallet might save you in a pinch later on.”

Bruce hoisted a pouch from his belt. “I know I am. Plenty of pieces around here had all kinds of combat uses too. I’ve got a whole slew to try when we get out of here.”

Yore landed nearby. “This can wait. Right now, you need to reach the Farore’s Shrine and cleanse this place.”

Link waited for the chu to grow closer, before slashing out at it as it leapt. It collapsed into water, dissipating as it intertwined with the cleansing of the temple. A little residue was left behind, but it slowly faded away into water as well. Bruce asked, “Farore’s Shrine? No body ever said anything about a shrine. What’s going on here?”

As Yore preened himself, Endeavor answered, “This is a temple erected in honor of Farore. The Temple of Courage before the Deku Scrubs moved here.”

“So, what does this shrine have to do with anything?” Bruce inquired. “And why aren’t you here?”

Again, Endeavor intervened to answer, “Link has been tasked with confront Sir Dragmire is. I assume the Academy still teaches who that is.”

By stepping the conversation, Link moved to face the two bokoblins as they tried to close in on Bruce and Endeavor’s conversation. Distantly, he heard Bruce shouted, “I know who Sir Dragmire is! That’s Ganondorf’s sir name!”

A tremor rocked the temple, and an eerie feeling passed over Link. It was like a dark presence crept over him. After what seemed like ages, the feeling left, leaving everything a shade brighter. He’d never felt anything like it. Not in the waking world at least. It sent a chill down his spine as he turned back from his brief fight to the conversation about him.

Bruce paused, the chill clearly not only imparted to Link. “You don’t really mean…he’s really the…Gan-…he’s returned?”

“Unfortunately, so. Were you not prepared for this? The Demon Lord’s soul is bound to return until he defeated once and for all, or he succeeds in his conquest of Hyrule, as are the Hero, the Princess and...another,” Endeavor replied, though trailing off in the end that left Link with more questions. As if he didn’t have enough already, and Endeavor’s rapid insistence hurdling him further forward. He wasn’t sure how he’d ended up here. He'd just started going. Now the conversation behind him seemed to have weight.

Link, ignoring them to shift aside those feelings, drew back his slingshot, and fired it at a crystal above the door. The crystal chimed, and the iron gate lowered in front of him. He glanced back at Bruce, still arguing with Endeavor through Yore.

“You can’t be serious. You think this is the Hero?” Bruce jabbed a thumb at Link, not seeing Link’s flat look in response. “And who’s this other?”

“We do not have time. We need to get to the Shrine so that the Demon Lord no longer has hold on this sacred place.”

“Alright, alright,” Bruce answered, and joined Link by the doorway. The door slid open as they approached, dust sweeping up as it did so. Bruce coughed, waving the distilled dirt out of his face.

Link looked around the room they had entered. It was round, bowl-shaped room, and filled with water at the bottom. A makeshift drain had been built in by crude hands, suggesting that the flooding going on was due to the infestation and not the prior occupations of the fortress. The overgrowth covered the walls, leaving the room in a hue of green.

The wall had collapsed to their right, revealing an identical room through the gap. But the collapsed wall had also left a bottomless pit between them, offering no path over to the other side.

As Link took a step into the room, an iron grate blocked the exit. Link looked back around the room. The water was in no way divine in here, and he watched in disgust as the murky water bubbled upward and concentrated into a substance.

A chu three times as big the one Link had just seen rose out of the water. Its green, slimy body squirmed across the room towards them. Link slashed, trying to cut away at the creature. He noticed as he came closer to fight it, that the monster had something inside of it.

Keeping it away from the drain, Link hacked at the giant, with Bruce helping on the other side. Slowly, the monster began splitting into smaller and smaller pieces, until finally the pieces were no larger than the chu in the previous room, and then non-existent. As the last of the chu collapsed, the iron gate lowered allowing them to leave again.

The thing inside of the chu fell to the ground. It tumbled over itself, until it sat right side up on the edge of the drain. Link left the disintegrating chu remains and walked down to the chest. It was a large dark blue chest with ornate gold designs. Despite the large garnet resting where a key hole should be, there was no lock. Which was good, because Link hadn’t found any kind of key.

Lifting the lid, Link reached in to fish the contents out. He found something in the back, and pulled it out into the light.

It was a large metal object, made of gold and traced with a pale green material. The top was in the shape of three leaves forming a triangle with the middle empty. The bottom was the shaft of a key.

“This key should open the door in the entrance room of the temple.”

“Then we better hurry and open it,” Bruce replied grumpily as he waved off Yore, “so you can stop reminding us.”

Without seeing them, Link knew that Endeavor was livid from that comment and wisely remaining silent. Link and Bruce returned to the main room, without much confrontation, other than a few Keeses they had missed, and a few chus who were starting to brave the open.

Link led the way up the vines to the door. Yore landed on his shoulder, handing Link a few more seeds for his slingshot. Bruce pulled himself up onto the ledge. He whistled. “Well…this looks exciting. What did you say was behind here?”

“If only I knew. All I know is that it is evil, and the temple will try to keep it in there. This door will close behind you once you have gone in to keep it sealed. Neither of you will be able to exit this way until the temple is rid of this thing or you find another way out of there.”

“Good to know,” Bruce mumbled.

Link asked with surprise, “You’re coming?”

“Derek’s in there still,” Bruce replied. “You’ve already gotten that new toy of yours, and something tells me this voice that I’ve never gotten the name of is going to make sure you get the rest of what’s left in here. I ought to get something out of this.”

“What about your life?” Endeavor mused.

“I think credit for rescuing Derek is good enough,” Link stepped in. He noticed that there was no reply from Endeavor. If it meant any protection for Kaepora, Link was happy to give Bruce the credit though.

Bruce grinned. “Thanks, I think I’ll take that. Now, how about we take out what ever this is and get out of here?”

Link pulled the big key out and lifted it up to the lock. Before he even reached it, some force lifted it from his hand and slid the key into the lock. The huge piece of metal fell to the ground with a large dramatic thud, before rolling off the cliff entirely.

The huge stone doors swung open. Link felt the darkness Endeavor had been talking about force its presence out of the room, and he couldn’t help but raise his arm to shield himself from it. The feeling passed quickly, and he walked down the dark hall into the room on the other side…

Chapter 10: Boss 1 - Parasitical Overgrowth Vinios

Chapter Text

…only to have to pause as a horrible stench intruded his senses as he passed beyond the threshold. Holding his arm up to his nose, Link looked around the room for what could possibly be creating such an awful smell as the doors swung shut behind him.

The room had been covered in dirt, a haphazard construction built in the grand hall of the temple. The fanged peaks of granite pillars stuck up through the base of the floor and a purple water that covered almost everything else between the brought in dirt mounds. Vines coiled around almost anything they could touch.

Link noticed long hollow roots gaping near the ceiling of the room. Fresh water poured in from them, helping revive the putrid pool of filth. How plant life survived in this environment, Link would never know. Yet, something did live in here. Beside the vines, wide lily pads drifted around the pool, their roots catching on anything underground.

In the center of the room was an island. It was big enough for about five horses to move comfortably on, and covered in dark green grass. Lying in the middle of the island was Derek. Even without seeing the young man’s face, Link recognized the tattered sigil of the Royal Guard hanging over his chain mail, a token from Derek’s family rank.

Bruce gripped his nose as Yore flew in behind them. “Goddesses, what is that smell?”

“Toxin. Very dangerous toxin.”

Link turned his attention to a vine hanging above the room. A slender, pale shape hung from it, swinging gently back and forth. It was a woman, or so it appeared. She had night black hair, with vibrant streaks of white that seemed to be spreading and bright cyan eyes.

“Zeal!”

“I am indeed,” the woman replied lazily as she continued to swing. “It’s a hard thing to fool the Drex, so wise as you are.”

Yore grew frantic overhead. “Link, this woman is beyond your ability. Find a way out of there! Quickly!”

“Oh, hush, now,” the woman said, waving her arm in muted frustration. “I’m not here to fight him. I’m just making sure he’s alive. See what there is to report. A proper age for a Hero. Already dressed the part. Supposing you haven’t found a poor imitation.” Zeal leaned out on her swing towards Link. “You are the Hero, aren’t you?”

Link opened his mouth, to answer, only to be cut off.

“Do not answer her.”

“Now you’re no fun, dear,” Zeal stated with a tip of her head. “But, like I said, I’m not here to kill him. That would be simply too easy. Come back and visit me when you have a powerful sword, Hero, and maybe we’ll cross blades then. If you survive this, of course.”

Zeal snapped her fingers, the noise much higher pitched than it should have been. It resonated throughout the room, and something stirred inside the water. Link watched the surface slowly drain of the side of something, a large mass rushed to the surface from where it had been lying on bottom of the infected pool.

The island in the center of the room began to move, shifting further away as the form raced to the surface. Link knew that once he jumped in, there would be no turning back. But as Derek began to be pushed further away, he didn’t see having much choice.

“Have fun, Hero,” Zeal chuckled, her form slowly disappearing into nothing. “Hope we meet again.”

Four huge vines shot up out of the water, connected with the largest hollow roots. The thick, green-brown creepers lifted an even larger mass out of the water. It had a big, brown body, secreting filth into the water. An ugly purple head waved itself above the island, drooling a vile liquid through brown fangs like a grotesque Deku Baba. Through one yellow eye resting atop the purple head, the creature watched Link from the platform, its head swaying back and forth, and its tongue beginning to find its way out of the mouth.

Link leapt from the platform down onto the island, rolling to help absorb the impact. He heard Bruce following hesitantly behind him. The mass of plant and poison lowered its head down to Link’s face, and roared. Link raised his shield to block the toxic spit and remains tossed out in the billow of wind, and slashed his blade to ward it off.

The head retreated. As it did, Link gauged the creature before him. He guessed that that eye was a weak point. It would be soft, and if he could get a clear shot to it, it should bypass the creature’s man defenses. If he could get a clear shot.

Yore danced around the roots, easily dodging the snapping vines that the creature threw at him.

“This creature is still a plant. It is drawing life from that water. If you deal with the roots when the creature removes them to move, then perhaps you can unseat it.”

As he hefted the unconscious Derek over his shoulder, Bruce replied, “On it. Find me a safe place for him though?”

Yore dropped down from the roots, searching for a better place for Derek. Link didn’t watch long as the creature slammed its head down into the floor. It shook its head, slightly dazed, but the eye was too high for Link to reach.

“This creature seems accustomed to creating poison, but I do not think it can tolerate it as well. If something coated with its secretions were to get down into its system, I believe it would be dazed long enough for you do damage it.”

Link pulled out his slingshot, loading it with one of his toxic seeds. A purple mist rose up from it as Link aimed for the creature’s slacked mouth. The seed rolled down the tongue beyond where Link could see it.

Finally, the creature shook its head, waking up. It tilted itself back before turning to face Link. Suddenly, it froze, and its head fell down onto the platform, its vines fell out from where they were attached to the ceiling. Link almost went to deal with them, but he saw Bruce jumping out on the lily pads towards them, Derek still slung over his shoulder. The cadet found a wider hill to hide Derek behind before he drew his sword and shield at the edge of the room.

With Bruce targeting the vines, Link raced towards the head. His sword bashed the eye, sending it spiraling around in its socket, and beginning to turn red. As he had guessed, the spot gave way under the blade, seeming to do real damage to the monster.

Link flipped back as the monster lifted its head once more, slowly bringing itself back up to its former position. It hung on one less vine. Confused, the monster swung its head around, missing Bruce as he leapt behind the body of the creature and then a mound for cover.

Link prepared another seed as the creature swung itself around. He dodged the swinging vines as the creature lashed out at him with renewed energy. Out of rage, the creature swung its head around, hitting one of the extending pillars. Link leapt out onto one of the lily pads, launching his poisoned projectile into the slacked mouth again.

Like before, the head tumbled to the ground and its supports fell out into the water. Without hesitating, Link raced to the now orange eye and berated the sensor with his blade, sending it reeling inside the monster’s head.

The monster shook its head, and rose again. Only two vines connected to the roots, the other two hanging limply in the water as Bruce leapt for cover with Derek still slung over his shoulder as he moved them for better cover.

Link had to jump out to the lily pads himself for a while, as the vines consumed almost the entirety of the island. As the monster began swinging his head around, Link moved back in and loaded his slingshot. The overgrowth slammed its head into the ceiling, making the roof shake from the impact.

Link’s seed flew in a high arc. Yore flew under it, giving the poison bullet a burst of wind to launch into the monster’s mouth. It rolled in and the head began to plummet, leaving an indent in the grass on the island.

Regaining his bearings, Link went at the eye again. He heard Bruce leap across to another lily pad as the vine he had been attacked went slack. Link drove his sword into the eye again and again, unlike finally, it struck through. With its final roots dead, the monster pulled back, only giving Link a moment to draw back his sword.

Bruce came over onto the island as the head went under the water. “Is that it?”

Looking at the water, Link had a sinking feeling. It was still vile. Something wasn’t right.

He heard it, but Link knew that Bruce hadn’t. Sidestepping, Link dodged a thick vine as it shot out of the water and at them. Bruce dodged only moments after, but the owner of the vine sent it waving, slamming into Bruce and sending him and Derek tumbling to the floor.

The head burst out of the water, letting out a terrible, gurgling roar. Lowering its head, Link saw that the eye was completely swollen red. One good hit, and it was dead.

Vines swept back and forth at Link. He took to the lily pads and heard the swishing noise of the monster moving as it chased after him. Quickly, Link returned to the island, trying to devise a way of getting it to lower its head down into the reach of his blade.

As Link landed on the island, the monster opened its mouth to roar again. Without hesitating, Link loaded his slingshot and fired. In his rush, he had grabbed a regular seed, but as the small pellet flew through the revolting breath of the massive plant, it was consumed with the most horrible toxin imaginable. And that went tumbling down into the monster’s gut.

The head slumped to the ground. Link leapt forward slammed his sword at the eye once, and the lid was forced open. In a second stroke, his sword went through the eye completely. The monster reeled back in horrible pain, releasing a high-pitched scream.

Wrenching himself free, Link watched as the head swung back and forth, slamming into almost everything left standing in the middle of the chamber. Three new holes were made in the ceiling in its rampage, causing clean water to come in and overpower the deadly toxin of the water.

Overcome with defeat, the overgrowth began to turn black and shrivel up into a husk. The long neck bent in a wrong angle and then the body froze. From the bottom up, the body vanished into dark purple smoke until nothing but the head was left. When the head burst, an object glided down into Link’s hands.

It was a crystal in the shape of a heart. Its edges were silver, with a layer of blue before a bright red heart in the center. Raising it up to the weak light, Link studied it for a moment. The crystal suddenly broke into light and rushed into him. He took a step back, suddenly feeling revived, a sensation of great vitality coursing through him. Yore coasted overhead as Link flexed his hands in response to the sensation.

“A heart container. This is a blessing from the Goddesses. With this, your body will resist more blows before you become tired.”

Link watched as Yore glided down to land. Ignoring the hawk for a moment, Link walked over to Bruce. The cadet was rubbing his head, a bruise forming on his forehead with a nasty green tone to it. Bruce glanced at Derek, who was still not awake. Bruce shook his head. “He’s out of it. He needs a good kickstart, but where are we going to get one of those?”

Pulling out his bottle, Link handed Bruce his bottle of goat milk. Bruce held it up to his noise and then leaned back. “Yup, that should do.” He poured the slightly soured liquid into Derek’s mouth.

The knight’s son leapt forward. “Get back you—Where am I?” He blinked, and looked between Bruce and Link, before ending on Link. It took him a moment longer to put the pieces together. “You’re…the farmhand, from Eveningale.” Link nodded. “Good to see you, I guess…now…where am I?”

“Deku Fortress,” Link answered.

Derek sighed. “So, it wasn’t a dream then? I’m glad someone noticed I was gone though, or I might have been in here forever.” He looked at Bruce. “And you are?”

“Bruce,” the cadet answered. “I was sent out to find you on behalf of the Academy.”

Link remained silent, letting Bruce tell Derek how he had noticed that Derek was late to arrive, and about the monsters he had fought to get here. The cadet left out the part about being tossed into a prison cell though. Well, if it protected the headmaster, who was Link to complain?

“Ah…I see,” Derek murmured as Bruce finished. “And what was it that you used to wake me up?”

“Goat’s milk,” Link said as Bruce handed Link his bottle back.

Derek nodded. “Right, Eveningale’s special. I didn’t know it was so potent, but I really can’t complain for the smell if it saved my life.”

A gust of wind came in through the door, forming a pillar of blue light on the island.

“That leads back outside,” Endeavor said through Yore. “And this young man needs to see a medic.”

Bruce stood, helping support Derek as he went. “Sounds good to me.” The two headed to the exit. Before they went through, Bruce turned back to Link. “Hurry up. I need to talk to you once we get out of this.”

The light remained as they passed through. Link turned back to the room, getting the feeling his work here wasn’t quite done. Yore flew down to the back wall. A door appeared with the same symbol as the lock had been. Link followed the bird through.

At the heart of the temple, there was a proper spring. Age hadn’t had much effect on it though. Grass and flowers grew through the cracks in the white stone path up to the spring, but the rest grew in gardens. Birds and bugs flew through the air as the clear water flowed out into the temple.

Link walked up the white path to a round pedestal. The spring bubbled off somewhere behind it, but here there was a tree. It wasn’t old or young, it just was. It had the red bark of the massive tree he had seen outside and green leaves like Link’s tunic.

The tree twisted, becoming two trees out of the trunk of one. One was old beyond years, and the other was a new youth. In between the two trunks was a medallion of the same pristine green that the ageless tree had been.

Picking it up, Link studied it for a moment. It bore the same mark, the mark of Farore, on it. From his fingertips, he could feel an ancient power thrumming through it.

“This is Farore’s Medallion, the relic She left here. Give it to Yore for a moment. He knows how to use it here.”

Yore landed on Link’s forearm. Link extended the medallion out to the hawk. The bird took flight again, gripping the medallion in its talons. He flew up into the sky, his golden tipped wings turning that symbolic green of Farore.

Flames burst from the tips of Yore’s wing, encasing him entirely. The flames doubled, tripled, quadrupled his size until Yore’s shadow could have covered the fortress as a whole. The flames leapt from his wings, coating the temple with their power. Link noticed as it fell that it wasn’t fire at all though. It was leaves and plant life dancing so rapidly that it looked like a kindling flame.

Circling down, Yore danced in the air as the flames began to die out. Before they did though, a surge of green light spread out beyond them, through the temple, and into the woods beyond. What Link could not see was how that light brought the beginnings of restoration to the forest.

“This is Farore’s Flame as the Goddess of Courage. This medallion symbolizes Her power. Show it to anyone, and they will recognize that you have great courage, Link, for being able to acquire it. A testament to your legend.”

Yore released the medallion and it landed in Link’s hand. He looked at it for a moment as the last of the flame died away, and the last leaf blew out into the wind. Link slid it into his pack with the utmost delicacy.

“Good. Now, I need you to get Castle Town. Sir Dragmire will be here within the next day and the Princess is in even more danger that ever, as is the rest of Hyrule. Zeal must have reached the Demon Lord by now, and he will only move his plans forward. Monsters will risk the day now. Get what you need from your village. I do not know when you may be able to return there.”

A second gust of wind formed beside Link as Yore sailed back into the chamber before. Link followed after, until he watched Yore fly through the portal that had opened. Not wanting to be left behind, he quickly followed suit…

Chapter 11: Overworld Chapter 4 - See You Soon

Chapter Text

…and found the surrounding area far more dangerous than he had remembered. Either by the act of expelling them from the fortress, or from complete lack of attention upon entering, Link found the forest outside filled with enemies.

The entrance rested a little higher up from the rest of the forest as the forest floor sloped back down into the Valley of the Forest, giving Link an outstanding view of everything in his way. Deku Baba’s grew in patches of grass that hid their roots. Chus sunk in and out of the ground. Bokoblins ventured aimlessly around the open glade around the fortress, though few wandered close to the road.

On the road, Link saw Bruce guiding Wind. The horse was finally brave enough to come close to the fortress, though still under great coaxing. Derek sat slumped in the saddle, gripping the horn for support. The knight’s party approached under the shade where the trees came back in and covered the path. They sat up in surprise as they saw Bruce approaching, Derek waving weakly beside.

Link smiled as Bruce’s voice drifted through the air, retelling their adventures in the Deku Fortress, centralized on Bruce in a more favorable light than perhaps what truly happen. He thought he heard his own name once or twice in the story though, which was an addition he didn’t expect.

The group of knights began to move back towards home. If anything noticed them, it did well to stay away from the well-defended party. Link followed behind, wanting to give the group its berth to avoid conflict.

As he walked back under the shade of the trees, something stopped him. “There’s our Hero.”

Link stopped to look for the voice, finding Head Master Kaepora. He stood beside his horse, patting it as he went on, “I presume Bruce didn’t speak the whole tale, but that’s perhaps a teacher’s intuition. I can tell you saved him more than once in there based on some…creative details.” He chuckled, running a hand through his beard. “I’m not surprised, though I suppose letting Bruce keep all his credit will save you some trouble. Us some trouble. Perhaps it’ll do him some good.”

After a moment musing to himself, Kaepora pulled out his sword. “Give me your blade, Link. You will need something sharper for what you’re about to face.”

Drawing his sword for its sheath, Link handed over his blunt weapon. Kaepora set his own iron blade in Link’s hands. “I hope it serves you well. It certainly has done me good in its time.” Link paused, before reaching to hand the blade back. Kaepora raised his hand. “This was mine, and those who might ask questions will know it. Let no one say I didn’t do what I could to help our Hero, regardless of his title.”

Link looked down at the blade, his reflection showing in the flat of it. He bowed slightly. “Thank you.”

Kaepora waved the comment off, turning instead to pat down his sides as he searched for something. After a minute, he pulled something out of his robes. “And this. It’s a map of Hyrule as recorded by the knights we have stationed across these lands. I’m sure you can fill in any blanks along your adventure.”

“Definitely,” Link concurred as he unfolded the map for a moment. Hyrule, in its full, spanned so much further than his small corner of the world could have ever shown.

The knight’s party was almost out of range. The two looked down the path. Kaepora said, “Unfortunately, that’s all I can give you for now. If you ever want to practice your skills again, I’ll be at the Academy, trying to put some discipline into these new cadets.”

The Head Master swung into his saddle. He waved. “Safe travels, Link. I pray for success in your quest.” He spurred his horse into a canter, and took off to catch up with the other knights.

Link gripped the blade in his hand. It was heavier than his own, but it was sharper and stronger. Monsters would find a far more serious threat in him now.

Sheathing it, Link followed behind the knights towards Eveningale, maintaining a good distance. The sun was already rising when Link reached the edge of his home village. He wondered how long he had been in the temple, and figured that it couldn’t have been any more than a day, considering that the knights had never caught up with them. Now, a day after his adventure had begun, he was getting ready to leave again.

He was beginning to regret not stopping in the Valley when a firm hand gripped his shoulder. In his tired state, Link nearly jumped out of his own skin. Bruce laughed. “You look exhausted.”

“It is urgent that he continues moving.”

Link noted that Endeavor’s voice was sounding a little drained from exhaustion as well. Bruce replied, “I’m sure. You’ve got this whole world saving adventure. But I’ve got this idea that I thought you’d like to know about, or know that I’m thinking about. I’m not quite sure how it’s going to work out, but I want to use that arena back in the fortress for something. Now that it’s cleared out.”

“You are keeping us from our business for a half-completed idea?”

“I suppose I am,” Bruce replied with a smile, somewhat prideful in fact of it. “Well, when I get it worked out, I’ll send you a letter. I guess I was just trying to tell you about it because I thought it could be useful for you. After all…” He quickly covered his vacant expression with a grin. “You need to get on that quest of yours, don’t you?”

“I guess I do,” Link replied, a small smile of his own. This was beyond his pale. A day wasn’t enough to unravel all this. But if what Endeavor had said was true, he didn’t have time.

Link shook his head of the thought, waving goodbye to Bruce, and continued north towards the Hyrule Field. Castle Town was a nearly a day’s walk from here. It would be a long day, and he hoped for a warm bed before the day was over if he could put the distance in.

Stopping outside the Eveningale train station, Link looked back over his shoulder towards home. He didn’t know when he would see it again. It could be years from now for all he knew. Yet he had never gone this far from home before. And he didn’t have time to properly say goodbye. That no one saw him was a gift as the new sword hung over his back.

“You have a long way to travel today. I have left a bedroll for you at the Hero’s Shrine on the north end of the Fields. It may not be an inn, but it is somewhere to sleep for the night. Do not try to go any further than the Shrine today, and be sure to remember your map.”

Link pulled out the brown parchment from his pack. Hylian runes were sketched in across the map by all sorts of hands, some more legible than others. But all places of importance were marked well enough. Link located the Shrine, waited for the next train to pass and stepped beyond the edge of his life up until then.

Hyrule Fields was a vast expanse at the heart of Hyrule. It was a space of great stillness, left largely to the wilds to grow as it would. Link passed several herds of horses, a few roaming herds of sheep, and more bands of monsters than he thought. The latter he elected to deal with where he could as he progressed.

The Hero’s Shrine sat at the northern end of Hyrule Field, near where the path turned again to enter the capital. From its crown a traveler could see to the edges of Port City and Kakariko Village, Castle Town, and even the Gerudo Desert’s golden sands beginning to the west.

It was a little strange for Link walking up into the Shrine. In a sense, it was dedicated to him, if he understood the legends right. If he truly was the Hero. Yore, his constant companion, moved to land on one of the decorative columns around the space.

“This a place of great importance to the Hero. It is said those Heroes that could be found were brought here in to be buried beneath this construction.”

That set everything on an even more awkward feeling. Link stepped onto the white platform and picked up the bedroll that sat in the Shrine, and the flask and bread that sat next to it.

Link laid out the bedroll before he went on to enjoy his small meal. The bread was a simple loaf of wheat bread, but the flask was filled with a honeyed liquid that woke Link back up a bit. He set the flask down after a few sips, wishing for some water instead.

The sun set over Hyrule Field as he finished. Monsters began creeping out, unfortunate proof that his efforts through the day had been little help. Link watched Stalfos pull themselves from the ground with hollow, red eyes that flashed across the landscape. Keeses and black-feathered Guays perched in trees, watching grey-green Bokoblins patrolling the Field.

“Those are Bulblins, Link. They are stronger than the Bokoblins by a considerable amount. They have only been seen at night though. The Demon Lord is not ready to risk his more powerful minions in the daylight.”

Pulling out a whetstone that had been tucked into the bedroll, Link studied the green-skinned creatures as he set to work on his blade. Most of them toted around heavy wooden clubs, a few having crude bows in their hands. They all covered their skin with tattered rags and crude leather, leaving Link only wondering where they could have gotten the material. He decided to leave it to his imagination.

As the moon began to rise, Link looked across Hyrule Field, comparing everything to his map. A red glow stood out even this far from the peak of Death Mountain, the relatively-inactive volcano rumbling off on the horizon. Mountains dotted the horizon on to the north, and if Link listened carefully, he could hear Zora River tumbling down its banks to the north.

Reluctantly, Link turned his gaze south, down passed the distant coast, and boggy border of Grim’s Vale in the southeast, towards his home due south. He could see the outline of the Deku Forest appear just on the horizon, no taller than bushes from this distance.

An arid wind drew his attention to the west. He couldn’t see far into it, but he knew the entrance to Gerudo Desert rest beyond the ridge and Lake Hylia below. He wondered if his adventure would take him there.

The moon hung high at its peak before Link decided to sleep. The air was cold with only an occasional eastbound wind to keep it from being freezing. Link slept better than he had in weeks, even on the hard surface of the Shrine, as Yore kept watch.

As the sun cracked over the horizon, the sound of travelers woke Link. He glanced off to see a pair of riders, cadets most likely, racing across Hyrule Field, coming closer and closer to the Shrine. Link folded his bedroll and stuffed it beneath his shield as he finished off the rest of the bread and took another swig of drink, before electing against having anymore. He’d find fresh water when he could instead.

The two riders halted beside the steps to the Shrine, dismounting. If they saw Link, they didn’t stop to say anything to him. The two went on babbling to each other about how they were going to become the greatest knights in all of Hyrule and how the Hero would guide them in their quest. Link left these ideas to their imagination, not sure what his appearance would do for their plans.

Link noticed a third horse behind the two knights. It was a Hylian draft horse, built for plowing, not riding. It was loaded with luggage and gear, a young woman with red hair sitting in the saddle. No sign of a weapon anywhere on her person.

Stopping next to the horse, Link waited to see what the woman was doing. She turned around, finding a strange young man in green watching her. The woman jumped back, startling her horse as she tumbled out of the saddle. Link gripped the reins his hands, and patted the horse on the nose to calm it down.

The young woman came storming around after she found her footing. She demanded, “Who are you?”

Link replied quickly, “No one, just a worried traveler.”

“Oh is that it? Just a worried traveler who thinks the farm girl can’t take care of herself?” the woman retorted, swinging a punch at Link.

Normally, Link would let her blow land, to let her feel more confident about herself. But in the middle of Hyrule Field, overconfidence wouldn’t help her. It could kill her. Instead, he caught the punch and quickly let her arm go, saying, “I didn’t say that, but there are monsters in the Fields. I won’t want you to get hurt.”

The woman was taken aback by his reaction, and then his response. Link hadn’t meant for the comment to be rude, he was simply trying to be practical, but her reaction suggested there was perhaps a better way to say that. The two cadets noticed them, and shouted, “Oh, not you again. Go home, already! You’d never make it!”

She turned around and shouted back, “We’ll see about that when I tan your sorry hides!”

One of the cadets spotted Link. He said, “You’re a knight. What do you think about her?”

Link looked at the woman. He felt a bit awkward as he sized her up. Her red hair was cut short, framing her freckled face and blue eyes. She had a farmer’s tan and the hands of a rancher worker. She was short, but there was definite muscle definition in her frame.

Then, he glanced at the two cadets. They were lordlings, and probably hadn’t worked a day in their life. They weren’t fat, but they weren’t fit. The first six months were going to be pure agony for them. He responded honestly, “I think she’d last longer than either you.”

Their faces paled before turned bright red. The woman shouted, “You hear that? Grasshopper here thinks I’m the better fighter.” She laughed as she put her hands on her hips in success.

The two cadets waved it off, and remounted. They quickly rode off, too embarrassed to admit. The young turned back to Link, saying, “Thanks for that.” She extended her hand, “I’m Rana.”

“Um…,” Link muttered as he shook her hand. He was right about her being strong, her firm grip confirming his judgment.

“Well, I need to get off to training, Grasshopper, so I can show those two buffoons up,” Rana said. “But I appreciate the honesty, and the warning. I owe you one.” She paused for a moment, looking around for something she clearly didn’t find. “Say, my dad works on Lon Lon Ranch. If you ever need a horse, be sure to stop by. I’ll send him a letter to tell him about you.”

Rana swung into her saddle, and spurred her horse on. She waved. “See ya, Grasshopper!”

Link stood there for a moment in wonder. He wasn’t really sure what had just happened. He put a hand to his head, confused how a little warning could earn him a horse. Not that he’d complain, but he doubted Rana would actually be able to turn one into the other.

“That was kind of you, but time is still short. Hurry up!”

Adjusting his path, Link pressed on across the remaining distance to Castle Town. The walls loomed above him as he approached, Zora River crashing far below the bridge between. A metal gate stood at the entrance of the bridge, and then on the other side. As Link stepped up onto the stone bridge beyond the first gate, Yore darted around his head.

“Castle Town is massive, and we do not have time at present for a tour. Keep close to Yore, and he will guide you through.”

Distantly below, Link could make out Zora’s River now. It cut a sheer path around the island Castle Town sat on. The drop spanned for hundreds of feet from the path he now took. Ahead loomed the buildings of the city, rising above the second wall protecting them even as they rose far too high for anyone to reach across the long bridge. The second gate neared.

Looking up, Link saw why the walls had to be so high. Otherwise, the iron gate behind it wouldn’t be hidden when it was raised. He looked back ahead of himself, walking through the second gate…

Chapter 12: Overworld Chapter 5 - A Lively City

Chapter Text

…into the hustle and bustle of the lower city. The roar of the trainyard went on somewhere off to Link’s right, down a smaller road than the main boulevard.

Link tried hard not to shove his way through the thick crowd, but it proved difficult as he made his way further into the city, Yore not keen to way. A few people veered out of his way when they saw him coming, perhaps noticing his equipment and mistaking him for a knight. Either way, he found his way over to the edge of the road to avoid having to push his way through the rest.

Lining the wide street were hundreds of little stalls selling all kinds of wears, save on the corner where there were larger shops and businesses. Link looked down some of the other roads that broke off from the main street to see houses of increasing quality the further he went into the city, smaller shops, and a few parks filled with people. So many people, more than he’d ever seen together in his life. And from all walks of life.

As he reached the center of Castle Town, the street opened up into a huge circle with a fountain in the middle. Restaurants lined the sides of the row, their smells blowing down across the roads to lure in more customers. A few vendors were peddling around the fountain, but the edge of the fountain was mostly lined with artists painting the citizens as they went by.

It was here in this open place that Link finally noted the different races in Castle Town. A Goron nearly plowed him over in their rush to get somewhere. A few Zora were soaking themselves to keep from drying out in the hot afternoon sun. Several Sheikah passed by, only identifiable by their red eyes compared to the humans and Hylians all around.

“I understand the allure of the city, but I do need you to press on now.”

Link continued north under Yore’s direction. The noble’s district was laid out around him. Not even the quality shops along the street could hide the tall buildings. The upper class lived here, a place Link didn’t think he could ever enjoy. The houses may have been huge and beautiful, but they were too open and empty for Link’s taste. His tree house still looked better to him. In fact in the sea of people, he was starting to miss it a little.

As the wall of the city appeared again, Link noticed that Yore had disappeared. He paused and looked around for the bird. But the crowd surrounded on all sides. Even with a hawk like Yore, it was hard to keep up with the city so full.

Instead of finding Yore, Link found a cloaked follower. They kept, if not clung, to the shadows, but Link knew they were following him. A speciously large dog trotted at their heels, its silver pelt dulled by the shadows its master clung to.

Link turned around and went on towards the wall. It was nothing. Just a chance passing. Yet they were still following him.

As he went under the high arc out of Castle Town towards the castle, Link briefly glanced back. They were still there, still a good distance behind in the shadows. Link turned around, only to have to stop as he stared across at the sight before him.

A few locals laughed at him as they watched Link gapping at the huge sight ahead. There was a long, white stone bridge spanning across the rest of Zora River to the bank on the far side, where a white castle stood, taller than a grown Deku tree. It was probably as big as his village in its entirety. It was breathtaking! Maybe the trip was worth it after all.

“Move!”

Link jumped out of the way as guards plowed their way through across to the castle. He watched as a dark cloud formed over the castle, and storm clouds rolled overhead. Something wasn’t right.

Pushing the crowd, Link raced after the guards. He looked up at the air above the palace, and saw Zeal with her arms out wide, casting some kind of spell into the air as she remained suspended there. Link hesitated. He knew he wasn’t a match for Zeal yet, but someone needed his help in there. He could feel it.

Civilians rushing past him for safety back towards the city. Link pulled out his sword and continued on the path. Zeal must have noticed him, because all of a sudden, her hand cast out towards the bridge. An orb of dark magic raced towards Link.

A light shone before him. Link watched as a dome rippled over top of the castle. In its wake, Zeal’s magic was snuffed out before it could even reach him. Link lowered his shield as awe replaced his alarm. He watched the mage float higher into the air, forced back by the barrier. That only seemed to encourage her efforts though.

Zeal repealed her attack with a brief laugh, before returning to her storm cloud. Link almost expected her to consume the entire castle in the shadows, despite the barrier, when a brilliant light shot straight out from one of the towers.

The origin was a dot on the horizon, near impossible to see, but Link did. Perched in one of the tower windows, Link watched a blonde-haired girl ready a second arrow as the wound she had created in the black cloud began to close again. She fired with trustiest aim, sending her arrow and the rope tied to it through the gap and down to the bank below.

There was a golden flash as the girl strung her bow over top of the rope and began to zipline down to the water. A tall, slender Sheikah produced herself in the window, sliding down moments after. After the girl had landed in the water, the Sheikah turned around in the air, and tossed a thin, razor-sharp blade at the rope. The rope splashed against the water as the two raced off along the bank far below. Zeal must have heard it, because she paused. Then, there was a brief laugh, and she vanished as she had done in the temple. As she left, so did the clouds.

“What were you thinking?”

Link was jerked around, the hood falling off of his follower. He blinked, recognizing the face with a hint of disbelief. He didn’t think they were real. “Endeavor?”

“Of course! Who did you think it was?” they retorted.

“You were dressed in all black…” Link muttered, not exactly the meeting he’d expected it to be.

They snarled with frustration. “It is dark navy, it is not black.” They turned away to pace a step, their large canine companion close at their side. “Mistaken as a common thug, unbelievable.”

Link ignored the fact that Endeavor’s clothes were next to black, though he began to notice the blue with her hood down. He asked, “Why didn’t you say anything then?”

“Because you were walking away! I did not intend to shout our business over the entire city,” Endeavor replied. They groaned as Yore landed on their shoulder, pinching the bridge of their nose. “The Goddesses’s Chosen and I end up a babysitter.” They shook their head. “We do not have time for this. The Demon Lord left this morning back to his Dark World. Zeal was trying to capture Princess Zelda here, before she and her guardian escaped. Since we are here, we will inform the King.”

“That was the princess?” Link asked.

“Yes, it was,” they said as they looked down the river. “It seems Impa has taught her something on how to defend herself at least. That should give us time.”

Link said, “She was amazing. That shot was impressive, and magic. I didn’t know she could do that.”

“I imagine the princess can do a lot more than fire arrows at the water. Perhaps you will finally have a chance to see that.”

Link caught a glanced of Endeavor’s left hand as they went on towards the castle, Link close behind. Their gloves covered most of their hand, but for a moment, he saw a familiar sight as the fabric slid up. Why would Endeavor have the symbol of the Triforce? “So…who are you exactly? How do you know I’m the Hero?”

Endeavor paused, debating what seemed a great deal of information before they decided on an answer. “I am your Guide, a task oft overlooked in legend. Never assuming great power because it was not there to take. Until very recently.”

“Is there another piece of the-” Link began.

“I mean that this is not the place to talk about it,” Endeavor replied as they stopped, though with a slight hint of curiosity as they adjusted their glove. Were they impressed? “Nor are you ready to know it. You will be though. We need to visit the King, then we will travel on to Death Mountain to visit Din’s Temple.”

With their wolf loping beside them, and Yore hovering overhead, Endeavor went on towards the castle. Link followed steps behind, not sure what to think of this lanky, darkly-clad figure that had been helping him now that he had met them in person.

The steps before the castle weren’t a pretty sight. Bodies were strewn across the floor, some unconscious, others not as fortunate. A new routine of guards were patrolling the castle while medics hurried others off to their quarters. In all the commotion, not one bothered to stop the two of them. Link didn’t think Endeavor would let them be stopped as they headed through the gate into the courtyard of the castle. There they found the King of Hyrule.

The King was a big man, and his robes made him look heavier than he probably was. A broadsword hung at his hip, a hand on it as he continued to survey the sky. He grumbled something in frustration before turning to a much smaller man at his side. Based on his robes, he was likely some kind of councilman. The king near shouted, “I want to know where he is! His ‘band of rabble’ as you called it bested more than half my men in a matter of minutes. I want renewed forces to Fort Lanayru in a week, anddesert searches as far as the Scar.”

The councilmen bowed, nervous at the King’s growing wrath. “Of course, Majesty.”

Link and Endeavor waited as the storm of orders fell from the King, each more urgent than the last. When they got tired of waiting, Endeavor spoke up, “Your Majesty.”

“What?” the King demanded as he turned to face them. His eyes narrowed. “Who are you?”

Endeavor answered, “I am Endeavor Westwind, of the Drex. I come as an ambassador of my people.”

“A Drex, hmm…” the King muttered. He pointed at Link. “And you. Who are you? Are you a knight?”

Link replied, “I’m Link, of Eveningale Village.”

“What’s your sir name?” the king demanded.

“I don’t have one,” Link answered, turning to Endeavor for help.

“You’re a nameless, and you bear a sword? Who authorized that?” the King demanded. “Which one of my instructors is training nameless sons?”

He hesitated, before answering. “Head Master Kaepora.”

Endeavor added, “And with good reason. This is your Hero, King Deopon, chosen by the Goddesses Themselves.”

“He’s the Hero?” the King asked. “Prove it then.”

Link turned to Endeavor again. They tapped their hand. Link nodded, before he pulled back his glove to reveal the Triforce marking on his left hand. It began to glow. Out of the corner of his eye, Link saw a faint glow beneath Endeavor’s glove, but he said nothing.

“So it’s true…then that man was…” King Deopon muttered.

“It was, Majesty,” Endeavor replied. “But it is still best not to speak his name.”

“Then my Zelda is…” He suddenly stopped, before turning to his men gathered around him. “Were they here for her?”

Endeavor nodded. “They were, but they were unsuccessful. She and her guardian have escaped up the river. The Zoras praise Nayru highest of the Goddesses, and your daughter will be called there. Their queen will protect her until Link and I can reached her.”

“And why would you not be going now?” the King asked, his face darken.

“Because I do not serve you, King Deopon of Hyrule,” Endeavor replied smoothly. “Nor do the Goddesses. And the Goddesses have ordained that Link must visit Their temples in distinct order. We have been to Farore’s, now we go to Din’s.”

The King demanded, “Why not go to Nayru’s temple and rescue my daughter?”

“That is not what the Goddesses have told me will happen,” Endeavor answered. “And Link is not ready for the Temple of Wisdom.”

“Then get him ready!” King Deopon shouted. “Am I understood?”

“In time, Your Majesty,” Endeavor replied.

He looked at Link. “And you?”

Link nodded. “Yes, King Deopon. I’ll do whatever I can.”

The King nodded, before using his finger to motion one of his councilmen over. He said, “I need you to write something for me. Now! Hurry up!”

The councilmen scrambled to get something to write with. He offered a weak smile as he set a quill to the paper. The King began, “This is a permit to the soldier of Hyrule, Link of Eveningale, to use any resource he needs to progress in his quest. It is also permit that despite title he may carry any weapon he needs to bring peace to the kingdom.”

Endeavor asked, “Why not simply name him, Your Majesty?”

“I have not seen that he has earned one,” the King said as he watched the permit being written.

“Is his title as Hero not enough?”

The King’s eyes grew dark as he turned to face Endeavor. “No.”

“This wastes times, Your Majesty, something you are not in ready supply of.”

“Do not insult me, Drex,” the King answered. “You are on foreign land. You may not serve me, but I have men who do.”

Pulling out a teal and yellow double helix dagger, Endeavor retorted, “Do not threaten me, King Deopon. We may not be your enemies, but it would be wise not to make enemies out of us.”

“Where did you get that blade?” the King asked with growing concern.

“It is a knife,” Endeavor answered, before returning the blade to its sheath. “A strong knife, and that is all you need to know.”

The King’s face turned red with anger. “I am the King of Hyrule, not some fool off the street.”

“There are still things that even kings should not know, Your Majesty,” Endeavor replied. “Now, we will be off towards the Temple of Power. Death Mountain is a hard climb at night.”

“Yes, but that—” the King went on, confusion on his face.

Endeavor bowed shortly, then turned and exited. Link glanced at the King, bowing as well, before following Endeavor as quickly as he could. He asked, “Was that really a good idea?”

“Yes,” Endeavor replied. “Because maybe he will actually think about what he is doing before he does it.”

“I guess have more opinions about the nameless,” Link said.

“Whatever gave that away?” Endeavor questioned, looking at Link as they exited the building. They whistled, the shrill noise floating through the air. Yore and their wolf reappeared in moments of course, patiently waiting for their master’s return.

Link was about to ask why they were still standing there when a black horse with a silver mane and tail galloped up to them. He tossed his head as he came to a halt in front of Endeavor. “This is Quicksilver.” They mounted the horse, Yore and their wolf preparing to move out.

Endeavor extended their hand out to Link. Link stared at it for a moment. “Umm…”

“Link, we do not have time. Get on,” they stated.

“I’d rather walk.”

Endeavor replied, “I do not care what you would rather do. We do not have time for rather. Get on.”

Link sighed, before he reached up and gripped Endeavor’s hand, and swung over the back of the saddle with them. He hesitated, looking for something to hold on to. Endeavor sighed, “Take the sides if you must.”

Link gripped the sides of the saddle, not sure he was up to using Endeavor as support. Endeavor didn’t ask. They turned Quicksilver around, and sent the horse into a gallop. The stallion was incredibly fast, faster than The Wind even. They plowed through the crowd, and were back in Hyrule Field in less than a half hour.

As Death Mountain grew taller on the horizon, Link thought about taking Rana up on that offer. He would suggest it later. Right now, he felt Quicksilver climbing up towards the mountains…

Chapter 13

Chapter Text

…and then on higher into the mountain pass leading higher up. They continued for most of the day, arriving near sunset at a village. They passed under a wooden arc that marked Kakariko Village’s entrance. A rooster crowed at them as they went by, marking the hour.

Endeavor slowed Quicksilver, taking the citizens into consideration. Link looked around the red, earthen town as they trotted into. Most of the houses had stone bases, followed by cream plaster walls turned an orange-ish color from the dust. Most of the roofs were made of metal. With the mountain looming overhead, he didn’t have to imagine why

Death Mountain shot up at the edge of town. A narrow path had been carved out of the side up to a plateau, threading dangerously through the cliffs. As the sun began to set, Link agreed that he didn’t want to climb that at night.

“You wait here,” Endeavor ordered.

While Link didn’t see much reason to argue, he asked, “Why?”

Endeavor replied, “You are not a knight, though you are dressed like one, and the King will forget to send out any word to his knights about you being the Hero, even with that permit of his. That is for the best, in some ways, but for now if you present yourself to enter a battleground, it will not go well.”

“A battleground?” Link inquired as he slid off Quicksilver’s back to the ground.

“I suppose Eveningale is reserved enough that you would not know that state of your country,” Endeavor answered, “but currently Death Mountain is being overrun by monsters, and the Dark Lord’s return has been no help to the noble soldiers’ cause.”

“Then what should I do?”

“Find a better shield for one,” Endeavor instructed. “Din’s Temple is filled with fire, and that wooden one with burn before it finds any good use. I will signal you through Yore when I have found a way for you to get through.”

As Yore landed on Link’s wrist guard, Endeavor kicked Quicksilver back into a trot, and then into a canter as they began to climb up the side of the mountain with their wolf behind them.

Link looked at Yore once, before walking on into Kakariko to work on the task he was given. A small trainyard stirred up dust on the edge of town, but then again, so did everything. There were a few cucco huts nestled on the border, behind a thin outcrop of farming land. Mostly wheat and corn, from the looks of it, but several of the houses had herb gardens set up behind them.

Wandering into town, Link passed several desolate shops. With the news Endeavor had given him, he wasn’t surprise to find the village mostly empty. It was also getting late in the day, and danger and darkness liked to follow each other. Link managed to slip into one shop before it closed. The shopkeeper looked up, saying, “Be quick, son. I’m closing down shop for the night.”

The wares were general for a town: food, clothes, a few weapons that would be good for the evenings, lantern oil, and so on.

In the back of the shop, Link found a metal shield. It had a gray rim, with a blue base and the royal red bird flying into the air. Above the bird was the Triforce in gleaming gold. Beneath the bird’s talons was an upside down triangle. Link studied it for a moment.

Looking up from where he was cleaning his counter, the shopkeeper said, “It’s a nice piece. A knight brought it in from Castle Town the other day. Too heavy for most of the locals, and all of the knights are issued metal works before they arrive here. Seems you’re behind the curb, son.”

Link tensed, not sure what to do. Not thrilled about it, he answered, “I was just promoted. And I’m not really here to reinforce the knights.”

“Heading on to Ol’ Rock City?” the shopkeeper inquired. “Good luck then. The Gorons have been cut off from us for months since the battle began on the side of the mountain. You’ll definitely need something like that if you’re planning on dealing with them though.”

“How much for it?”

“For that? Eighty rupees,” the shopkeeper answered. Link checked his wallet for how much he had on hsnf. The shopkeeper raised a brow. “A bit short? Tell you what. I can tell you’re right out of the Academy. First mission and all. I respect the knights and what you do for us here in Kakariko. I’ll hold on to this until you get the money, and I know someone who might be able to help.

“Our village healer has been having a bit of trouble with business since the soldiers came in. All the trained medics have been conscripting her reasources,” the shopkeeper went on. “She’s been looking for help since her apprentice got ill. You can ask her for some work, and then come pick it up tomorrow.”

Link smiled. “Thanks.”

“Yeah, of course,” the shopkeeper said, waving his hand. “Just come back tomorrow with that money and we’ll have a deal. You can find the healer’s house near the road up the mountain. Keep going west until you hit the path up to the hot springs. You’ll know the building when you see it.”

Again, Link gave his thanks to the shopkeeper, before heading on outside to follow the man’s instructions. Dusk was sweeping over the land quickly, and a red glare was slowly floating down from the top of Death Mountain.

Yore landed on his shoulder once more as Link headed west.

“Unbelievable! They will not let us through!”

Link looked at Yore as he went on. He said, “That may not be a bad thing. I’m not quite prepared for this temple.”

“What do you mean ‘not prepared?’ How hard is it to get a shield?”

“They’re a bit expensive, and I’m really just a stable hand,” Link replied. “The shopkeeper said he’d hold on to it for me until I get the money. He sent me to help the local healer here. You could come back down the mountain. Healers don’t typically turn away travelers.”

“Very well. I will be there soon.”

The path up the mountain didn’t take long until it reached his destination. Link stopped in front of a huge, red clay building. A zig-zag pattern was painted around the base of the building in dark blue. The door was made up of strands of weaved herbs.

Gently, Link pushed the strands aside. He looked around at the cots set up for the sick inside the building. An older woman looked up as he walked in. She asked, “May I help you?”

“I actually heard you were in need of some help,” Link said, adjusting his sword belt.

“I have no interest of help from knights,” the elderly woman answered. “They are very brave, but they are blundering through here, taking more than the land has to give.”

Link replied, “I’m not a knight.”

“You dress like a knight,” the woman said. “Are armed as one of them would be.”

“Looks can be deceiving.” Link looked back at Endeavor as they appeared in the doorway. They went on, “My companion is nameless. He cannot be a knight.”

The woman tilted her head, walking closer to Endeavor. “You are…not one of the Sheikah, but…your dress is very similar.”

“I am part of a lost tribe that was once Sheikah,” Endeavor said. “But fate has brought me here for a spell. My companion and I need to reach Goron City quickly, but my companion is not prepared for the journey.”

Link added, “I hate to ask you for work when you’re doing so poorly with the medics, but we do have an urgent errand atop the mountain.”

The shaman looked at Link. A smile appeared on her face. “Even if you were a knight, I would have to say yes to that. Never had someone be so considerate of an old woman’s troubles.”

She waved her hand, gesturing to a set of stairs. “I have a spare room up there. Young man, I need some herbs from town. You can help me with that.” She looked at Endeavor. “I have a feeling you have something more urgent at hand.”

Endeavor replied, “The guards at the gate to the mountain pass will not allow us on. I must find a way for us to get on. My apologies for not being more helpful for my lodging.”

“No, of course,” the healer said. “I’m not sure if I have enough money to pay the both of you.”

With a bow, Endeavor went on upstairs. After the door had closed, the healer asked, “They’re a better person than they act, yes?” Link nodded. He hoped at least, but Endeavor was new. He still had a lot to learn about them. “Good. They must have a lot on their shoulders. The both of you must with such an urgent quest ahead.”

The healer used a finger to beacon Link closer. Link walked up to the woman, leaning in as she asked. She took his left hand, pulling his half glove down a bit. She smiled a little wider and for the first time, Link caught sight of her crimson irises. “Ah, yes, what a quest you have ahead.”

She began to waddle back over to her patients. She called, “You best get some sleep. I’ll be working for a while. Be up early though. I don’t have time for slouching.”

Link walked up the stairs to the bedroom. Endeavor was sitting in the bedding, their eyes closed, lost in some kind of trance.

As Link began to sit down on his bed, he started to ask. Without opening their eyes, Endeavor answered, “I am speaking with my people. Go to bed. You have work to finish. There is still the mountain to climb after that.”

Lying down in his bed, Link closed his eyes and tried to get some sleep. Sleep was a funny thing though lately, and it didn’t come as quickly as he would have liked.

Link heard the sound of water rushing beside him. He sat up, expecting the cot he’d laid down in and not finding it. He rose, trying to figure out where he was. He found that he was inside some kind of cave. Odd.

Walking to the end of the cave, Link stepped out into the light. Zora River raced passed in front of him, a huge waterfall crashing above him as the river flowed further down its banks.

“Hello?”

Link turned to see the girl he had seen in the tower window. He remembered then her name, and began to kneel.

The girl waved her hand. “I’m glad that you know who I am, but none of that. Who are you?”

“Link, of Eveningale.”

“You’re nameless?”

Link nodded. Zelda frowned. She asked, “Why did my dream show me a nameless?”

“Why did my dream show me a princess?” Link replied more sharply than he intended. He flushed after that, before he started to apologize. He didn’t get the chance.

Zelda looked surprised at first. Then she smiled brightly. “I like you. You’ve got courage.” She paused, a thought coming to mind. “Courage…you wouldn’t…happen to have one of these would you?”

Lifting her right hand, Zelda showed a Triforce mark like Link’s own. It began to glow in its bottom left corner with a faint blue glow. Link lifted his left hand, and pulled his glove down to show his mark. The bottom right corner began to glow with a faint green shine.

“Then, you’re the Hero?” Zelda asked, her eyes lighting up.

“I guess,” Link replied. “This is the second dream I’ve had about that.”

“That man must have been…” Zelda shook her head. “Shouldn’t say it, not yet.” She stood there, staring off into the distance for a long time. Finally, Zelda gathered her wits again, asking, “Where are you?”

“I’m in Kakariko Village, headed for Goron City,” Link replied. “I’m going to visit Din’s Temple. Why? Are you in trouble?”

“Me? In trouble?” Zelda asked. “Ha! I may be a princess, but I can take care of myself, Link. I’ve been practicing with my bow since I was little. Nothing is going to get close to hurting me.”

Link frowned. Zelda scowled. “You don’t believe me?”

“No, I believe you,” Link answered, putting up his hands. “But…he’s…sent one of his underlings after with you. She was the one who attacked the castle.”

“That woman!” Zelda shouted angrily at the river. “Impa said we needed to leave and then I saw her over the castle. Well, suppose I know why she showed up.” She turned back to Link. “Who is she?”

“Endeavor called her Zeal,” Link replied.

“Who’s Endeavor?”

“My Guide.”

“Oh…” Zelda murmured. “Well, I suppose you need someone like Impa to keep you company. You’ll be coming to Nayru’s Temple next then? After you visit Din’s?”

Link nodded. “Good! Then we can take on this threat together after you’ve completed it.”

“If it’s that simple,” Link replied.

“Don’t be a spoil sport,” Zelda said. “Of course it will be that easy. I’ve got my bow, and you’ve got…well, you’re the Hero. You should be able to find the Master Sword, and we’ll be able to defeat him for good.”

“Then I better get to work,” Link answered, offering a smile. It was hard not to around the princess.

“Good luck, Link!” Zelda shouted as his dream began to fade. “Hurry up, and get here!”

Link blinked awake. It was hardly passed dawn. Endeavor had disappeared, but Yore sat on the windowsill. Link wondered how long Endeavor had been gone, but figured not to worry about it. He had work to do. And promise now he had to keep.

Walking down stairs, Link asked, “Sorry, didn’t mean to sleep in.”

The healer looked up. She laughed, saying, “You’re from Eveningale, aren’t you?”

Link stopped, and clearly his confusion showed. She replied, “You’re a farmer. Only someone who’s worked on a farm most of their life would think that this was late in the morning.” She laughed as she fished out a list from her robes.

“Here, take this. These are all the herbs I need. Everyone will be expecting me by now, so just tell them that Heytha sent you, and you’ll be fine,” the woman said.

Looking over the list, Link asked, “Is this all?”

“For now,” Heytha replied. “You’ve got that big quest and all. I wouldn’t want to hold you up for long.”

Link headed out the door and back towards the village, in search of the homes on his lists…