Chapter One
The Great Wolfo Hunt
A cold, high voice pierced Link's thoughts as he fell into the blue vortex beneath him. "Well-done, hero," it jeered. "You have altered the course of history. I applaud you. However, you have accomplished nothing." Link thrashed about, turning his head side to side. Beyond the murky vortex surrounding him, he saw the recent events of his life moving backwards. The Master Sword returned to its pedestal, the Spiritual Stones returned to his possession, and he crept backwards out of the Temple of Time. "Does it disturb you, hero? To see the undoing of all you have done? There are many worlds, hero, and many timelines. All of your doings are vanity. Meaningless." Link felt the vortex shift sideways, and his body lurched on its new course. "Ganondorf has won, and lost, and never been born, all at once, and all throughout existence." A sharp pain like a burning sensation shot throughout Link's body. He felt himself stretching and contracting, his body slowly being torn apart. "This is my world, hero; and my story. You, the princess, Ganondorf, even the goddesses…you are all but pawns in my grand playground." A final tug, and Link was torn into infinitesimally small particles. They swirled about, and then rocketed towards the center of the vortex at incredible speed. "Let me show you another path, Hero of Time. You are nothing. A footnote to all of existence at best." Link saw himself asleep in his bed back in the forest. Yet, it was not him. He was older. A young man. He barreled directly towards the forehead of himself. Then, there was darkness. Motionlessness. Silence. "I," said the voice, "am the Master of All Things." And Link slept.
Link opened his eyes. He could hear the ladder outside of his door creaking and groaning under a great weight. He sat up and swung his legs over the side of his bed, only for one to be jerked back. He looked at his footboard to see a rope tying his ankle to it. He wracked his brain to remember why he was trapped there. "It's always been this way," he told himself. "You are a prisoner here." Yes, that was right. He was a prisoner, and always had been. He shook the cobwebs from his brain. His memory was fuzzier than it normally was upon waking up. The cloth at his door swept back, and a tall, muscular man stood in the doorway. The man wore a white fur coat over his rough green tunic. Connected to his tunic and sitting atop the man's messy red hair was the head of a white wolfo. The man sighed.
"Today is the day of reckoning for you, friend." He procured a stone dagger from a leather sheath under the coat and walked to Link's bedside. The man knelt and severed the rope around Link's ankle. Link leaned down and rubbed the red spot it made. The man then stood up and held out his hands. Link grabbed them, and the man pulled him up and into a bear hug. "I regret that this ever happened." A jolt shot up Link's spine and into his head. Suddenly, memories came flooding back. He returned the man's hug in kind.
"We do what we must, Mido." Mido released Link from his vice-like hug and began tying Link's hands behind his back. Once finished, he grabbed Link's collar from behind. Mido frowned.
"We have to make it look convincing," he said. Link nodded.
"I understand." Mido walked Link to the door, threw the curtain back and guided him onto the porch. The morning mist had yet to clear, but Link could make out a crowd of silhouettes stretching through the thick forest, far beyond the edge of his vision. The low rumble of their chatting gave way to silence when Mido and Link emerged from the doorway. Link felt his legs give way when Mido delivered a swift kick to the back of his knees. He fell to kneeling position, and Mido released Link's collar. He walked to the edge of the balcony. Link glimpsed someone to his side. He turned to see Saria standing in a long gown of golden leaves, with a golden garland resting atop her long, green hair. Her face was stern, and she stared off into the distance, refusing to looks at Link. In her hands rested the Kokiri Sword.
"Used for ceremony," Link recalled. "Ceremonial execution." Mido held up a hand and addressed the crowd below.
"Brothers and sisters," he bellowed, "today, we gather to witness the execution of our former brother, Link Hyliana." He motioned to Link. "Our former brother has been accused with conspiracy to usurp Queen Gohma and replace her rule with a ridiculous scheme for a Kokiri Republic. Queen Gohma has been our protector and leader for years now, and Link is thus also guilty of endangerment of the public. These crimes are punishable by death. Yet, our benevolent queen has ordered me to give one last opportunity for an appeal on behalf of Link Hyliana. Any who would do so, speak now." Mido stepped back from the edge of the balcony. The crowd remained silent. Saria shifted her eyes to cast a side-glance at Link. Her eyes met his. He had been watching her all along.
"Please?" Link mouthed. Saria continued to stare. Then, she looked away. Link's face fell. She'd betrayed the plan.
"I appeal!" rang out a voice. A tall, blond woman squeezed through the crowd. Fado stood before the onlookers, glaring up at her kneeling husband and stone-faced brother.
"Your husband has committed a serious crime, sister," Mido said. "Your evidence had best be compelling."
"I do not protest the crime," said Fado. "My husband has made clear his loyalties. I only protest his punishment."
"His punishment is what has been deemed appropriate by the law," said Mido.
"Yes, but I believe my alternative would accomplish both his execution and serve the public in a better way," Fado replied. She turned to face the audience. "A large wolfo has been terrorizing us for months, has it not? And the queen's noble guard has been unable to hunt it successfully." Fado again looked up at the balcony. Her eyes met her husband's. There was love there. More love than he deserved. He was indeed a traitor, and a traitor against queen and commoner alike. "My husband is the greatest hunter these woods have known," she said. "Send him to the Lost Woods to hunt the wolfo. If he dies at the hands of the beast, then his original sentence has been carried out. If he leaves, he must still find his way out of those woods; otherwise, he dies, and his sentence has been carried out. If he survives both the wolfo and the woods, then surely he has merited another appearance before our queen." At the side of the balcony, a green bud unfurled to reveal a purple flower. From the eye of the flower, a figure slowly rose. First emerged a wooden helmet, with gleaming amber eyepieces. Then his wooden plated armor followed. His ascent came to an abrupt halt, and the Deku Soldier walked towards the edge of the balcony. Captain Scrubb, leader of the queen's Deku Guard strode to the edge of the balcony. Fado looked to him. "I implore you," she said, her pleading blue eyes beginning to tear up, "my husband is an honest man who made an honest mistake. The day that the queen outlawed worship of the Deku Tree, our icons were burned just like everyone else's. His words have been misunderstood. Give him this chance." Captain Scrubb turned to Mido.
"The queen has given you the final say. If he both kills the wolfo and emerges from the Lost Woods, he'll have his hearing. If, however, you'd rather expedite this impossible quest and kill the traitorous bastard right now, you may do so. The decision is yours, governor."
Mido looked at Link just seconds before Link broke eye contact with Saria. He swiftly turned to look at her. Saria winced. Then, Mido looked to his sister. "The hunt begins at sunup tomorrow."
Mido circled about Link, making adjustments to the wood plate armor covering Link's body. Torches lit the bedroom of Mido's mansion. Weapons long out of use decorated the walls, hearkening back to the Golden Age of the Kokiri and the great achievements of Mido's ancestors. "My sister thinks very much of you," he said. Link nodded.
"She's a good woman. A good wife. I truly couldn't ask for better." Link shifted his eyes to Saria as he said this. She no longer wore her golden ceremonial dress. She sat in a plain green and brown tunic, crossing her legs and puffing gently on a large pipe. She frowned when he said this.
"I would hope that's the case," said Mido. He stepped in front of Link and placed a heavy hand on Link's shoulder. "And I truly hope you aren't out looking for better." Link gazed deeply into Mido's eyes. They were full of fire in their younger days. Now, they were distant and defeated.
"If there were a doubt in my mind," Link said loudly enough for Saria to hear, "today has removed that doubt. Who else would have come to my defense?" Mido smiled, and crushed Link in another bear hug.
"Please live," said Mido. He let go and walked to the door. "I'll have Captain Scrubb prepare to lead you out." He turned and looked from Link to Saria, then back again. "Be prepared to go when I return." With that, Governor Mido exited the room. Link and Saria simultaneously whipped their heads around and locked eyes.
"You've quite literally thrown me to the wolfos," said Link. "Why didn't you speak up?" Saria slowly drew from her pipe.
"Adultery is punishable by death as well," she said. "I would have vindicated you only to give up my own life."
"And that's not a trade you'd make?"
"Who's being selfish now?" Saria said, raising her voice.
"I didn't want this to happen," Link growled. "I was content with my life at home. The only reason I ever gave you the time of day was because you are my way to them." Link gestured towards the window, where crowds of Kokiris went about their day. Saria stood and marched over to Link. She slapped him hard enough to send spittle flying.
"How dare you put all of this on me," she said as tears welled in her eyes.
"My," a voice drawled, "I certainly hope that I'm not interrupting anything." Captain Scrubb stood with his thumbs in his belt.
"I'm just saying my goodbyes," said Saria. She walked to the door. Captain Scrubb stepped aside to let her out. She didn't look back.
"Well, Mr. Hyliana," said Captain Scrubb, "if you're prepared, we'll head out now." Link started towards the captain, who held up a hand and a length of rope. "You know it's not that easy." Link frowned as Scrubb bound his wrists.
Captain Scrub rode horseback with Link's leash in one hand. A company of Deku Soldiers followed close behind. "It's a damn shame your loyalties lie as they do, Mr. Hyliana," he said. "You're a good hunter, and would've made an excellent assassin."
"I will never do harm to my fellow Kokiri," said Link, looking ahead. "My apologies, captain." Scrubb smiled.
"I don't think you understand the extent of our operations, Mr. Hyliana," the captain said. "We currently have a contract with the Gorons that nobody has taken yet. Or will take, for that matter. It's a dangerous job, but the pay is excellent. When you're done with this silly little hunt, perhaps you'll be interested." Link glanced at the captain.
"You have more faith in me than my own friends," Link said.
"Oh, are we not friends?" asked the captain. "I see much potential in you. The Kokiri are not an ambitious people, Mr. Hyliana. They have the potential to be great, but not the drive. They'll forever remain secluded in these woods, pining for the days when they were a sovereign nation. You are ambitious, and skillful. You only need direction."
"You praise me and would befriend me in spite of my dissent?" asked Link. The captain raised a gloved hand and the company halted. He dismounted his horse, drew a blade and cut Link free.
"Because of your dissent," said Captain Scrubb. He handed Link a quiver and bow, and a dagger. "We'll camp here," said the captain. "The Lost Woods begin just up the hill, as you are aware. If you haven't returned in three days, we'll begin searching for your body. If…when you do return, I will guarantee your audience with the queen. Best of luck to you, Mr. Hyliana." Link nodded. He turned from the captain and began making his way up the hill into the mists of the Lost Woods.