Kakariko Village- Seventeen years after the Battle of Hyrule Field
The Cuccos woke the village early that morning, before the sun had even risen, bringing the whole village out of its deep sleep. Well, except for one. In a small, one room house on the edge of Kakariko, Link slept in. This, of course, was perfectly normal. It was a well known fact that the child of one of the wars greatest heroes never woke up on time for anything.
His uncle, however, would have none of this. "Link, wake up." He said, shaking his young nephews' body in a desperate, if flawed, attempt to snap him out of his dream.
"Five more minuets." Link responded, still not fully awake.
"Sorry, not today. Don't you remember what today is?" No response from Link, who appeared to have fallen right back asleep. "Today is your birthday, remember? It's the day you head off to Castle Town."
Link shot out of bed at a speed Akos, the towns self proclaimed "Running Man," could only dream of mustering. How had he forgotten about that? Today he would start his training to become a knight, just like his father before him. He had been waiting for this moment all his life.
"Sorry, uncle. I completely forgot" He said, hoping his uncle wouldn't mind.
"It's fine. You have an hour to get ready. Then we leave. Be ready by then." Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
"I'll get it." Link said, hurrying to the door. Opening it revealed his friend, Koji.
Koji was a bit younger then Link, as well as quite a bit shorter. He had short, brown hair with matching eyes, with nowhere near as much muscle strength. He wore a green tunic, patched together with strips of brown cloth and had a small, brown ocarina in his pocket. Playing it was the only thing he was good at, making him the laughing stock of the Kakariko males. He was often not called by his own name, instead being referred to as "Flute Boy." Koji never seemed to mind. Or notice, for that matter.
"Good morning, Link. And, uh, happy birthday." He said. Koji never was much of a talker. Nor was he particularly good at it.
"You're here early today." Link said, yawning.
"I've been up for a while. Couldn't sleep. Decided to come over before the Cuccos called." He looked at Link's still slightly groggy expression. "How long have you been up?"
"A little over a minuet. What can I help you with?"
"Um, well, I thought that since today's the day you head off to castle town, I would… actually we thought… actually it was mostly Malon's idea." Koji stammered. "We wanted to see you off the right way. Also, I think Malon wants to give you something."
Link sighed. Malon was his oldest friend, almost a sister to him. There was no way she would have let him go without saying goodbye. I should have expected this, he thought.
Koji looked around as if in a trance, preoccupied with a strange thought that went through his head. "Uh, Koji?" Link asked, confused with his friends sudden lack of attention.
"Right. Come along. It wouldn't be right to keep Malon waiting." Koji said, grabbing the sleeve of Link's shirt and breaking into a run. The duo ran down the dusty trail leading from Link's house around the village, soon leaving the house far behind.
Kakariko Village sat on one side of a large gorge carved out by Zora's River. The dusty trail led straight to this ravine, reaching a crossroads at a large wooden bridge spanning the ravine, which led right to the Lon Lon Ranch. Another path led into the village, built at the foot of Death Mountain, and eventually led up the side of the mountain. A third found across the rugged terrain to Hyrule Castle and its surrounding town. Far to the west, the castles' blue spires peaked up from behind the hills.
Standing, or rather leaning on a signpost pointing in all directions was Malon, illuminated by the orange glow of sunrise. Link had to admit she looked pretty in the dull glow, which complimented her flame red hair. She was humming a familiar song, one which Link knew well.
"Good morning, Malon." Koji said, attracting her attention.
Malon barely seemed to notice Koji, instead turning her full attention towards Link. "Happy birthday" She said, wrapping her arms around him. When she finally let go, she spoke. "So when are you leaving?" she asked.
"Soon," Link responded. "My uncle said I had an hour." Link could see the look of anticipation in his friend's eyes. "Don't worry. I'll come back soon."
"I'm not worrying. It's just hard to think that after all these years, are adventures together are coming to an end. Remember the fish?" she asked.
"How could I forget?" Link remembered the incident fondly. They had been fishing in Zora's River several years back when a large fish stole his fishing pole. Later, the same fish leapt out of the river and spit the fishing pole back. It scared me, he thought, but Malon would never stop from ridiculing me about it. I bet it would be different if it happened to her. A faint smile grew on his face.
"Anyway, it's just sad to think that all of our adventures are over. I'll be stuck on the farm while you're out, slaying monsters or whatever it is that knights do."
"I'll still be here." Koji said helpfully, aware that Malon continued to ignore him, and that she would always ignore him.
"I have something for you. A gift." Malon said, pulling a small package out from, well, seemingly nowhere. Nowhere on her was a spot to hide something. Link had a few ideas. None of them where great.
Link opened the box. Inside was a small, brown ocarina, similar to the one Koji owned. "It was all my idea." Malon tried to say, though it was rather obvious it was a blatant lie.
"Actually, it was my idea." Koji corrected. "Malon helped make it, however it still was mostly my work."
"Shut up Koji" Malon said quickly, and under her breath, hoping Link didn't hear her. Koji smiled. Malon acknowledged my existence! He said to himself. That almost never happened, unless the subject was about Link.
"Thanks." Link said, holding back a laugh. He slipped the ocarina into the folds of his tunic for safe keeping. Suddenly, there a voice rang out from behind him.
"There you are Link. I was wondering where you ran off to."
"Hello, Mr. Shigeru." Malon said. Shigeru grabbed his nephew by the shoulder.
"Good morning, Malon. Link, it's probably about time to say goodbye. You still need to get ready. Imagine heading to Castle Town in your pajamas!" Link sighed. He had completely forgotten to change. Koji's interruption had delayed that from happening.
Link looked over to his friends. I'll see them soon, he promised. He tried to think of what to say. He wanted something good. All he could make out was "Well, goodbye."
"Goodbye Link." Malon responded.
"Have fun and don't die." Koji added. I'll try not to. He placed his hand over the ocarina, before turning around, reluctantly following his uncle back to the house.
"All you ready yet?" Shigeru asked. Link was sitting on his bed, pulling on a pair of boots. They were mementos of his father, as was the green tunic he had put on. According to his uncle, it was what the hero of legend, who had destroyed the evil god and established Hyrule, wore. It's not that comfortable, he thought, or practical. He had very reluctantly put the outfit on, and wore a suit of chain mail on underneath.
"There. Done." Link said, pulling the boot up all the way. He noticed his uncle rummaging through a drawer. "What are you looking for?"
"This." His uncle pulled a faded, vaguely triangle shaped piece of green cloth out of the drawer. "Your father wore this in combat. I think he said if gave him courage." He tossed it to Link, who looked at it with disgust.
"What is it?" he asked, curious.
"It's a hat. Put it on."
"It looks ridiculous."
"I realize that, and don't care. It's part of the outfit. Put. It. On."
The hat was, for one, old. It also smelled like it hadn't been washed in seventeen years, which, in all honesty, was probably the truth. Opening it revealed it to be a very floppy cone. He put it on his head. A bit small, he thought. The hat flopped down. Probably supposed to do that.
There was a knock on the door. "That'd be Grog. You ready yet?" Shigeru asked.
"Grog? Why?" Link knew Grog. Everyone did. He was the village loner, a pale, sickly man who spent his days sitting underneath a tree. Not even his own father cared for him, and thus he hated people. "Why would he be here?"
"He's taking us. Apparently he has a wagon and a horse. And needs money." Shigeru shrugged, opening the door. There was Grog, leaning up against the door frame.
"Are you ready yet, or not?" he asked, rudely.
"Yes we are. Link, get in. I'll be right out."
Slowly, Link walked out off the house and towards the raggedy old wagon. Why couldn't we just walk? He asked himself. The wagon looked ready to fall apart if it hit a tiny bump. Just like its owner. Link took one last good look at the house he had spent so much off his life in. Sure, it had its problems. The shutters here falling apart, for one, and the inside was a bit cramped, but it was home. And now, he was leaving. Link got a bit nostalgic just thinking about it.
Grog didn't seem to care. "Well? Get in!" he snapped impatiently. Link seated him self in the back of the wagon, followed quickly by his uncle. Shigeru held a large shield under his arm. Soon, they were on the way, the house, crossroads, and the village itself soon lost in the dust.
Link took a minuet to notice his surroundings, which consisted of the large, rocky hills and mountains of the Death Mountain chain. The road followed the gorge, which slowly got smaller the farther out they got, and the further down hill they went. Eventually, the mountains and hills gave way to lush green fields dotted with multicolor flowers. The river sat by their side, a rich, dense forest on the opposite bank. All the while, the gleaming white stone of the far distant castle got closer.
After half an hour of riding, Link got up the courage to ask his uncle about the shield.
"I was wondering when you would ask. This was your father's, and our father's before that. Legend has it the hero of old wielded this shield when he fought the great evil. It was crafted for him by the legendary thunder dragon himself. You are descended from that hero."
Link looked at his uncle is disbelief. "How come you've never told me this before?" he asked.
"It was never the right time. Tradition has it that it shall be handed down from father to son on their seventeenth birthday, the age of that hero. I take this responsibility now. The shield is yours."
Shigeru handed the shield over to Link, who took a minuet to gander in its appearance. The shield itself was blue, surrounded by a silver border. In the center was an image of a great red bird with its wings spread wide. And above that, was the unmistakable shape of the Triforce. The three triangles appeared to be gold, and were flanked by two silver swirls.
"I… I don't know what to say." Link stammered, marveled by the design. Shigeru grabbed Link's shoulder, gripping it tightly.
"Then don't say anything. Besides, I think we're almost there." As if on cue, the wagon stopped. The back curtains flung open, and Grog stood there, waiting.
"Ahem." He coughed.
"Oh, right. Your pay." Shigeru dug around in his pocket until he found a small sack. He opened it up, and pulled out two small gems; one red, one blue. "There. Twenty-five rupees. Don't go spending them all in one place."
"Humph. Whatever." Grog mumbled, before mounting the wagonand riding off.
"How will you get back?" Link asked his uncle.
"I'll just walk. To be honest, I only hired him because Mutoh asked me to make his kid do something. He refused to do carpentry, so this was the next best option. He only does one way though. At the very least Mutoh will be happy. I hope." He took a look at the city walls, which towered over Link and Shigeru. The great wooden eastern gates, which protected the town from monsters, were wide open and inviting. The duo walked in.
Inside the walls, the buildings in town were largely made of stone, and mostly sat to the left hand side of the street. The right hand side was largely a great, stone building, that appeared to be some sort of temple. It was surrounded by gardens filled with flowers of every color. Behind the temple, the mountains that formed the back wall of the town could be seen.
Link tried to remember the last time he had been in the town. It had been several years, and little had changed since. The streets were bustling with life, citizens running from their homes to the market street in the southern part of town. Even in the early morning, people were wandering everywhere.
As they wandered down the crowded streets, Link couldn't help but notice some of the more interesting stores in town. One store had what appeared to be a large mask over it, another was a large tent located a little ways down a small side street, with a group of screaming girls in front. This town is weird, he thought.
It was only a short walk to the town square. Four roads led out of the square. The south and east, which they had just come down, was the shopping district. The western road appeared mostly deserted. Link assumed this must be the residential district. All the residents would be shopping. The north road led up some steps, before leading down a long path across a bridge to the castle itself, which towered over the town.
Shigeru guided Link through the crowded square to a large fountain in the middle. Leaning upon the fountain, was a man. "Hello, old friend. It's been a while." He said, seemingly directing his focus to Shigeru.
"Same to you, Rusl. How's the family?" Shigeru responded.
"Good. Actually, Uli's pregnant." Rusl looked over to Link. "And this must be Satoshi's son." He said.
"Yes. Rusl, this is Link. Link, Rusl." Shigeru indicated to his friend. "He's going to be your teacher."
At first glance, Link could have mistaken Rusl for some one Shigeru's age, about forty. However, after getting a good look, Rusl seemed quite young, about thirty. He had blond hair, yet strangely his scruffy facial hair appeared black, or at least a very dark brown. He wore a white head band and a tunic, with sandals. A large sword hung on his back.
"Nice to meet you, Link. Shigeru's told me a lot about you. We were friends during the war." Rusl extended his hand, which link gladly shook.
"I trust you know what you're doing?" Shigeru asked.
"Of coarse I do! Shigeru, I've got it from here."
Shigeru gave Link one last encouraging look, before slipping back into the crowd without saying anything. Rusl got up from the fountain. "Link, today begins your training. Just not yet There is someone who would like to meet you first." He began leading Link northward through the crowded square towards the northern street.
"Someone would like to meet me," Link repeated. "Who?"
"Why, the King of Hyrule, of course!"