A/N: Oh, hi! I don't think we've met. I've never written Zelda fic before. Well, it'd be rude of me not to introduce myself. My name is Lumi and I've been gaming since I was four years old. I've written fic for an otome game before and for a *coughcoughyaoicoughcough* game before, but never anything more…Traditional, for lack of a better word. Where better to start than with a game that proceeds to rip my heart out and put it back in my chest over and over and over again? In case you're curious, overall, my favorite is Twilight Princess (especially in HD. I can't gush enough about it in HD. GOD it's a pretty game!). Breath of the Wild is incredible. Ocarina of Time is ICONIC. Clearly, I know what I'm talking about. It's my absolute favorite franchise and I don't think I'll ever be over it.
Now! I had an idea a while back that I thought would make a hell of a storyline for a co-op Zelda game. This, my dear friends, is that storyline. (Also, if those crazy kids at the Treehouse happen to see this and want to make it happen, hit a sister up!) Enjoy!
"Please…" a woman's voice, hoarse from crying, shook with fear, "Take him. He can't have them together."
"Find peace, my dear," a deeper voice rumbled, hoping she'd relax, "I will care for the boy. For his is no ordinary child, is he?"
Images of the Great Deku Tree flashed through my mind. All of a sudden, a roaring fire swept through the forest. Everything burned…The woman…The Great Deku Tree…The Lost Woods hardly stayed standing. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said about the village. The entire Kokiri Village had turned to ash. Everyone I ever knew and loved, swallowed by flames. I could almost feel them. Then, I saw the face of a blonde girl with a light dusting of freckles on her cheeks. And the most shimmering blue eyes. They were angry, but scared. Where was she? And who was she?
I burst out of bed, pouring out a cold sweat. My bed, my house, the view of the Kakariko Village out my window. A dream…It's just a dream. But it's been the same dream every night for the past week. Maybe it was a sign. It was getting to be that time of the year again. Has it really been that long already?
Five years. Five years since the Kokiri Village was burned down. The rumor was that the Gerudo King had something to do with it, but in even more hushed whispers, the Gerudo King hand an apprentice. His right-hand man…Or should I say his princess? She was more ruthless than he could ever be. I had heard some of what the Gerudo King has done. How could anyone be worse? All I hope is that I never cross paths with her.
I got out of bed and laced my boots. The Kokiri Forest had served as my home for as long as I could remember. I missed it, but after the Great Deku Tree burned and the land had been permanently scorched, I couldn't bring myself to go back. However, something about today felt right, though. It was finally time.
According to some of the soldiers from the tavern in Kakariko, the Kokiri were not entirely lost in the fire. The remaining sought refuge throughout the Lost Woods, forming clans and smaller villages in different corners. Before I went into the Lost Woods, I needed to face the one thing I had been truly dreading.
The entire village wiped out like it was nothing. The sight of the charred ruins was enough to make my stomach turn. What was once a bright, beautiful, bustling village had been reduced to a pile of darkened rubble. The smell of woodfire still hung in the air. On the ground, in one of the burned houses, a small, terra cotta flute laid in the ashes. This handmade ocarina…This was the same one Saria had given to me so many years ago. You shouldn't be here in this condition. I wiped off the thick layer of soot and slipped it into my pocket. Hopefully, if I find her in the Lost Woods, I can return it to her and she can play for me like she did back then. I remember the sweet sound it made like it was yesterday. It didn't sound as clear as mine, but in its own way, it rang so gentle through the trees. I missed her.
The Lost Woods didn't feel the same. At one time, Saria and I would run around here, playing hide and seek, following the soft notes of her ocarina. It always kept us from getting lost or too far away from each other. Saria knew these woods like the back of her hand, so I was never worried about us getting lost. Never in a million lifetimes did I ever think it would turn into a refugee camp like this. The Lost Woods for the truly lost. There was no music in these woods anymore
As I got deeper into the woods and daylight was fading quickly, they started playing tricks with my mind. I could hardly keep my eyes open. The little imp that inhabited these woods before the Kokiri found refuge here liked to make its fun by using magic to get them to lose their way. Sometimes, it'd even make one see things that weren't there before. Saria and I had fallen victim of the imp a time or two before. All he wanted was a friend, though. If we indulged him, eventually, he'd leave us alone. Maybe he never left.
Actually, I didn't see any signs of the Kokiri anywhere. Was the imp playing his games? Or worse…No. I couldn't think like that. Everyone's ok, I'm sure. They're just not in my path. I'll find one clan eventually. I have to, right? All of a sudden, I heard some rustling in the trees. Instinctively, I grabbed for my sword. Perhaps I'm just being paranoid. In the old days, it wasn't exactly uncommon for the Kokiri children to hide up in the trees.
Out of nowhere, a pack of moblins jumped out, teeth bared, weapons ready. I wasn't expecting a fight today, but if they're going to start it, I might as well finish it. The moblins and I had a standoff. Who was going to attack first? Me or them? If I leave them alone, will they leave me alone? Doubt it. I've dealt with plenty of moblins and bokoblins in my time. These guys seemed like low level fighters. Until they started attacking. Thank Hylia I had a good shield. They all started inching toward me, ready to beat me into the ground.
Just before they could begin their attack, a voice shouted from the trees, "Stand down! No harm shall come to this boy!"
A girl…? She jumped out of the tree she was perched in. Even more troubling, all of the moblins started to fall back. Although I was grateful for the rescue, I couldn't help but be nervous. Why would they have listened to her? How was this girl able to control all of the moblins that, at a moment's notice, would be more than happy to tear me apart limb from limb? Regardless, I can appreciate the small victories for now.
"Thank you," I bowed, keeping my guard up.
In one fluid motion, the girl drew her bow, resting the tip of her arrow on my throat. Almost comical how much smaller she was than me, yet this girl showed no fear or hesitation, "Who are you and what are you doing here?"
"Please, my lady," I pleaded, sheathing my sword, "I mean you no ill will. I'm merely passing through."
"That tells me nothing," she kept her position, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"
"I used to live here a long time ago," I explained myself, slowly lowering her arrow, "In the village."
"You're not Kokiri," the girl pointed out, "If you were, you could be a hundred years old and not look a day over six. You age differently. You're lying to me."
"No lies pass my lips," I assured, "I understand how it may seem that way, but I promise, my lady. I'm not. I did live in the Kokiri Village before it burned. I'm only looking for any of the refugee camps."
"You're here for no other reason?" she began lowering her bow.
"No," I shook my head, "I just want to see if any of them have made it."
"You're Hylian," she poked at me, "Aren't you?"
"Yes."
The girl studied me closer, "You said you lived here once. Where do you live now?"
"Kakariko," I told her, "Just across Hyrule Field."
"I know where Kakariko Village is," she scoffed, "At the foot of Death Mountain in the Eldin Province."
"That's right," I nodded, "If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to go now."
"I'm sure you would," a little smirk stretched across her face, "But that would be a little bit of trouble for me. What did you say your name was, Fake Kokiri?"
"I didn't," I introduced myself, "My name is Link."
"Well, Link," she slung her bow across her chest, "Come with us."
"Do you know where any of the refugee camps are?" I perked up.
"I know these woods," she started walking off, "And I only know of one refugee camp. So, come with us."
"Why?" I reached for the hilt of my sword. I didn't want to fight this girl, but if I had to, I would.
"Because," she skipped ahead, "You don't strike me as the type that doesn't value his life. Nor do you come off as stupid, so put your toys away, ok?"
How did she…? If she had control over these moblins, I'm sure she had to have eyes in the back of her head. They all looked at her like she was an afternoon snack. One strong gust of wind could probably knock her over. My head told me to start running far and fast in the opposite direction, but my gut said otherwise. So, I followed her along with the small group of moblins.
"Hold on," I caught up to her, "You're the one asking all the questions, but I have no idea who you are. Or how you managed to control those moblins."
"The moblins are mine," the girl flashed a pin from the lapel of her deep green cloak. A diamond shaped pin with two circles on opposing corners. That was a Gerudo crest. Once we got into some better light, I noticed she had come by the pin honestly. Her bright, flaming red hair she had pulled back shined in the moonlight, "And you call me Captain Luna."
A/N: *in JonTron voice* I have several questions. And I'm sure you do, too. All of which will be answered in due time. You'll see. It's been so nice hanging around with you guys for the brief time we had together. I promise the next chapter will be a bit longer and things will pick up a little more. Link's weird dream, the shattered remains of the Kokiri Village, the Captain. I promise it'll all make sense. Just hang with me. See you next chapter. xx
