Summer Blossom

Chapter 1

Fateful Storm

"It's a three week journey, Link. You sure you up to it?" The gruff voice of his uncle was riddled with worry. The young man across from him put his back into carrying another crate, and handed it to one of the sailors on the ship.

"I'll be fine, Uncle," Link told him, wiping the beads of sweat from his brow. "The sailors told me that some of Ganon's minions are still causing trouble in the north."

It had been only a few days since Link's perilous quest to rescue Zelda had come to an end. He had been commended and rewarded handsomely for his services to Hyrule and the Royal Family. But he knew until all of Ganon's forces were dealt with, Hyrule wasn't truly safe. It was for this reason that he volunteered to sail out to the northern regions. He couldn't take the fabled Master Sword with him, but in its place was his uncle's trusty blade, the very same sword that helped him through so many battles at the start of his journey. It felt like so long ago...

"I understand your desire to help the princess, Link," continued his uncle. "But she has plenty of soldiers left to take care of this! You've done your part, why not take a much deserved rest!"

His body could use it, and Link wouldn't deny it. Wading through the countless creatures and monstrosities under Ganon's command would take their toll on even the most hardened soldier. And Link wasn't a soldier to begin with; not to mention what he had gone through over the past few weeks was more than any Hylian had ever experienced. Not since the Hero of Legend, anyway.

"Sorry, Uncle," Link said, busying himself with yet another crate. "I just can't sit still. I know what those monsters are capable of, and I don't want them to cause anymore trouble for anyone."

And that wasn't entirely a lie, either. His body desired rest, but his mind feared slowing down. After so much time in the heat of battle, going from one life-or-death situation to the next, Link couldn't even begin to fathom a normal life in the countryside again. When word came of the troubles in the north, Link jumped at the opportunity to keep fighting.

"Looks like I won't be changing your mind," came his uncle's defeated voice. Link was silently thankful he had given up. "But at least promise me you'll be careful out there. Don't know what I'd do if you were to meet your end after everything you've endured."

Link smiled at his uncle, and went around the pile of crates to give him one final embrace. The older man didn't care that his nephew was drenched in sweat; he even had to fight back a tear. And it was a good thing he did, otherwise Link would be shedding tears himself.

"I'll be fine, Uncle. I'll be back home before you know it!"

And as if to break up this touching departure, Link heard the captain of the ship call out for the sailors to board and prepare to leave port. The other crewmen scrambled to load up the last of the crates Link had neglected. Link went to help, when his uncle held him back by the sleeve of his tunic.

"Hold up, son. There's someone here to see you off!" Link looked up from his uncle's face. The surprise on his face matched that of everyone else on the pier. Gasps and murmurs broke out as Hyrule's very own Princess Zelda made her presence known.

"Princess!" Link finally managed, before dropping to one knee. "To what do we owe the honor?"

"Please, stand," she instructed, bringing up his face with her index finger. The rest of the sailors stayed perfectly still, while Link's uncle merely kept his head down. His old bones wouldn't take kindly to kneeling like the rest of the men.

"Is there something you need, Princess?" Before Zelda could answer his question, the captain of the ship started screaming out from onboard his vessel. Everyone turned their attention towards him.

"What's the hold-up, you worthless-" his voice trailed off once his eyes caught a glimpse of the regal lady standing on the pier. Ashamed momentarily by his utter lack of manners, he removed his hat and bent his body in half from the deck of the ship.

"My apologies, Princess! I did not know you were there!"

"It is alright, captain. You and your men may carry on, I only need to speak to this man for a moment." Her voice was serene, almost angelic compared to the rough sounds produced by the male-dominated pier. Without hesitation, the crewmen got right back to work.

"What is it, Princess?" Link asked, eager to know why she paid a personal visit to the pier.

"I know you were the first to volunteer for this, Link. Your dedication to Hyrule is beyond admirable. But you still have time to reconsider."

"Forgive me, Princess, but you're not the first person to try and convince me." Link shot a glance at his uncle, who quickly turned his gaze elsewhere.

"I have a few of Hyrule's finest soldiers ready to depart. You don't have to feel obligated to take on this task, Link. You don't even have to do it alone."

First his uncle, now even the Princess was urging Link to remain in Hyrule. By now, anyone would think something was up. You could chalk it up to a sign, a warning that if Link got on that ship, something terrible would happen. And while the Link of yesteryear would consider all this a sign, the Link of today would hear nothing of it.

"Don't worry, Princess," he told her with a smile. That same, cheerful smile with which he first met the Princess in the Hyrule Castle dungeon.

"I'm happy to help the kingdom out."

The Princess was about to say something else, but stopped herself at the last possible moment. Link looked at her quizzically, but the Princess would not share whatever she held back. The captain called out to Link from the deck of the ship; the preparations for their departure were complete.

"Link," Zelda finally spoke, keeping the young man on the pier for just a few more seconds. "Take this."

Hidden in her hands this whole time was a small, blue trinket. Link hadn't noticed it until now. It was an ocarina, engraved on one side a Triforce. He took it in his hands, the instrument bringing up memories of a similar one he had used during his quest recently.

"They say," she continued, keeping her voice relatively low despite the noise around them, "that music has a profound power over things. That it's a magic all its own. Remember that for me; it might prove useful if you ever find yourself in trouble."

"I will, Princess," Link responded, clutching the ocarina and keeping it close to his chest. "Thank you."

"Your highness, we're all set to cast off!" The captain's voice echoed throughout the harbor. Link knew it was time to depart.

"Very well, captain!" She called out to him. "May your journey be blessed by the goddesses!"

"Aye! Alright, men! Open the sails!"

As the captain continued to shout commands to the crew, Link suddenly felt uneasy. Naturally, it had to happen now. He looked at the Princess, whose eyes displayed a fierceness unmatched by even the most valiant warrior. He could not fail those eyes. Steeling his resolve, Link turned around to board the ship. Once he was on, the drawbridge was retracted, the sails dropped, and the anchor raised.

From the pier, the Princess Zelda watched as the ship slowly pulled out from the harbor. Standing next to her was his uncle, waving proudly as his nephew shrank in the growing distance. Link waved at them both, watching with a heavy heart as they faded into the background. Once they were no longer visible, Link let out a heavy sigh.

He took the ocarina in his hand, and stared at the Triforce engraved on the side. He put it to his lips and blew some air into the instrument. As his fingers methodically covered and uncovered the holes on the side, a sad tune carried in the wind.

~o~

Another crack of thunder pierced the ears of every sailor on the ship. As the rain poured down on them like an angry waterfall, they scrambled about, desperate to keep the vessel afloat. This storm had appeared out of no where, a gathering of clouds right above their position in the middle of the night. It was as if the storm was sent by someone to strike the ship.

The captain was barking orders left and right, his hands glued to the steering wheel to keep their course steady. Link was up on the mast, trying his best to keep the sail restrained. Between the strong gusts, and the torrential downpour, Link was barely able to see more than a few feet in front of him. He could hear the captain screaming about something, but his ears were so clogged up with rainwater it was as gibberish. It only made the violent shake of the ship all the more surprising.

A powerful wave struck the ship's starboard side, and the impact threw Link off the mast. He clutched onto a loose rope, however, and was dangling off the side of the mast. Blinded by the rain, he could hear some of his fellow crew calling out his name. Clutching onto the rope for dear life, Link could feel his heart race as his grip on the rope was slipping.

It was in that moment that everything became visible. A bolt of lightning illuminated the entire ship for just one whole second. It was as if time slowed down; Link saw with his own eyes as the bolt touched down on the mast of the ship. With a deafening explosion, the wooden mast erupted, launching Link into the ocean. The damage reached down to the deck, tearing the vessel in the two. The rest of the crew abandoned ship en masse, with every man for himself.

Meanwhile, Link's body floated away from the wreckage. Clinging to a piece of wood, Link watched as the ship went under the surface of the angry sea. His eyelids growing heavy, Link collapsed on the fragment of the ship. His consciousness drifted away, as if into a dream.

~o~

Not only was the breeze on the beach relaxing that morning, but the tides had also brought Marin a gift. Tucked away in her satchel was a strange instrument, something she intended to inspect once she returned to her home in Mable Village. As she strolled down the beach, something else caught her eye. Sticking out of the sand was a blue rock of some sort.

"Wonder what this is?" She said to herself, as she tried to pull the strange rock out of the sand. The harder she pulled, the more she realized it wasn't actually a rock. With every tug, the item became more apparent. Finally, she freed heavy thing from the sand.

"A shield? What a strange thing to find," she mumbled to herself, inspecting the metallic object. Engraved on it were three triangles, arranged in such a way that they created a small pyramid. Marin had never seen such a marking in her life.

"What could it mean? Where did it come from?"

She turned the shield over, and found something else engraved on the opposite side. Etched into the wood were a few letters. Letters she could read. Passing her finger over them, she whispered the name they formed.

"Link..."

At that moment, something else washed up on shore. The body knocked her over as the tide forced it onto the beach. She let out a small yelp as she fell into the sand. She looked at whatever had washed up on shore, and promptly screamed when she realized it was a body. Once the initial shock had died down, she approached it slowly. The body was that of a young man, probably a little older than herself. Marin leaned in close, and realized he was still breathing!

"Father! Help! Someone's washed up on the beach!" She cried out to her parent in the distance. She looked down at the young man, finally taking into account his green tunic. This was the first time she had ever seen such strange clothes, and yet, there was a sense of familiarity about it all.

The man shook his head a little, as if he were having a nightmare. Marin kneeled down beside him, lifting his head gently and resting it on her lap. Her father, the stout Tarin, was jogging towards her position as quickly as his old legs could carry him. With him still a few moments away, Marin leaned in close to the young man's ear.

"Shhh..." she whispered into his ear. "It's okay. It's just a bad dream. I'm here, now. Please, wake up, Link."

In some small way, Marin's words reached Link. His face eased up, as if the nightmare in his mind's eye was being quelled. If only Link realized his nightmares were only just beginning.