Journey

Link stood in the center of Hyrule Castle throne room, panting heavily as he and Zelda returned from the clouds. His tunic was torn, blood dripping from various cuts on his body. "Link, it's time to go." she called from across the room, pointing to the exit. With a harrumph, the young hero turned, slipping his sword and shield onto his back.

Anger boiled in the man as he made his way down the steps, leaving droplets of blood behind him. He had come all this way and fought for seven years for what? Nothing. Zelda had tossed him aside like a dirty rag after she was done with him. The fairy floated silently beside him, sensing his anger. She knew better than to try and console him. He had wasted so much time and energy for nothing at all.

Once he was outside of the castle, Link reached inside his pack, bringing out a jar of red liquid. Swirling it around for a moment, he surveyed the potion which would heal him immediately. Perhaps he should just pop the cork off and take a swig of it so he could continue with his lonely walk? Weighing the options in his mind, he let a small smile slip through. His fight was over. He could take all the time he wanted to do anything he wanted. Moving off to the side of the road into the cluster of boulders nearby, Link took a seat, stripping off his tunic afterwards. The Master Sword and his shield lay next to him, now a relic of a war dead and gone. Opening the travel pack he had kept throughout the adventure, an old, sealed pack of bandages was brought out. "L-Link? Why not just take the potion?" Navi whispered to him, concern lacing her tinkling voice. "I'm doing it my way for once, Navi." he said calmly, his eyes closed as he unpackaged the bandages and began to wind them around his torso, the healing solution on them cleaning the wound of any infection that had been settling in.

A few hours later, Link was on his walk to the Lost Woods once again, reliving childhood memories of spending time with Saria here. "Hurry, Link! If we make it in time, we can see the flowers begin to bloom!" she laughed, grabbing his hand and dragging him along. Back then, he didn't know how blessed he was to have her. Maybe… Maybe she was still there? He had to know. The woods were silent besides the songs of birds and the cacophony raised by the hundreds of crickets just near the edge of the forest. "I wonder if she's still running around the forest…" he whispered, his fairy floating close to him. "And if she isn't?" she asked. "I don't know."

Once inside the forest, Link began to wander aimlessly. His brown boots stepped on the grass and over logs that had fallen years ago without a sound. "Link, we've been in here for two hours. We're not going to find her." Navi grumbled. "I have a final plan." He said, pulling an older ocarina out of his pack. It was the same one Saria had given to him years ago. The ocarina had been kept in fair condition, acquiring a few slight scratches. He had planned to give it back once his adventure was done, but he couldn't even see her now.

"What are you planning to do, Link?" "Shh…" Link's lips closed around the ocarina's mouthpiece, and he began to play the song Saria had taught him. The slow, melodious tone brought stinging tears to the hero's icy blue eyes. Why did he, of every man in Hyrule, have to be the one to leave and fight? He could've stayed here and maybe had what he had wanted with Saria. A relationship beyond what they already had. It was futile, he knew, but it was the only thing that kept him going through the hardest of his trials. Perhaps after the fight was done and he had cleaned the blood from his blade and hands, he could've come back and taken Saria away from the village and just propose…

Stop thinking like that, you idiot, he thought to himself, squeezing his eyes shut to stop the flow of tears. A soft thump signaled something landing in front of him. "She's gone, you idiot. You came here for nothing." a familiar voice spoke. Link's eyes shot open, now full of rage and a deadly intention. Skull Kid stood before him, arms crossed and tapping one foot. "Oh, did I make you mad, hero? Boo hoo hoo." he laughed. Slipping the ocarina back into his pack, Link sighed, pretending to be calm and serene. The adult let a vicious backhand on Skull Kid, missing just barely as he jumped away. "You'll pay for that one, hero." he shouted as he sped back into the depths of the forest.

The hero walked slowly back to the village he grew up in, head down and crestfallen. He had given it his all to save the land, but had gotten nothing in return, not even a last glimpse of her. Rain began to fall upon his capped head, only helping to harm his already downtrodden mind. With a growl of anger, Link ripped the green cap from his head and threw it as far as he could, revealing his golden hair. "I just can't take this place anymore!" he howled, tearing off in a mad sprint towards his home.

The villagers were all inside with windows closed, sparing them from seeing their hero falling to the depths of depression and a broken heart. Reaching the ladder to his home, Link quickly made his way up it, not breaking his fast pace. He needed to get out. He needed to get out of Hyrule. Away from the village, away from the memories of Saria, away from Zelda, away from Navi, away from it all! Grabbing his old sword and shield, the hero threw the Master Sword and shield under his bed, forcing them out of his sight. Quickly grabbing the spare saddle bag packed with his change of clothes, Link assured everything was in its proper place.

Running out onto his balcony, Link whistled sharply against the torrents of rain falling across Hyrule. Epona came running, her long, adult legs pounding the dirt and mud as she came to heed her master's call. Jumping off the balcony, he landed in the saddle, spurring her on. Loosening the Ocarina of Time into his hand, Link began to play the Song of Time as he rode against the wind. His own body began to shrink, along with Epona's, as he reversed the aging process. Eventually, they were both their younger selves, just as they were seven years ago. Reaching into a saddle bag, Link took out another green hat and slipped it on. Epona had a destination in mind, and Link knew exactly where. Termina.