"But then, when all hope had died, and the hour of doom seemed at hand... a young boy clothed in green appeared as if from nowhere. Wielding the blade of evil's bane, he sealed the dark one away and gave the land light."
-Story of the First Great Cataclysm
Chapter One: Aboda Village
After delivering the final blow, the Hero Chosen by the Gods, Link of Ordon, was exhausted and gravely injured. He stumbled towards the crown princess of Hyrule, Zelda, as she congratulated him and the duo remembered the Twilight Princess', Midna, sacrifice. Before Link could open his mouth to thank her, four lights appeared behind him and saw the Light Spirits.
"Huh?" Link said, looking in awe.
He saw a small figure in the distance that looked like the impish Twili. The hero ran, limping on his way there and hoping that it was her after seeing the Dark King Ganondorf crushing the Fused Shadow. When he arrived, he saw someone that didn't look at all like the imp. Instead, a tall, pale-skinned, red haired and ruby-eyed woman stood up. Robes of black and green were scantily clad on her body and emerald tattoos covered the exposed parts of her legs and arms.
"What? Say something! Am I so beautiful that you've no words left?" the woman asked.
"M-Midna? Is that…Is that really...?" Link asked, bewildered.
His words were cut short as the Hero suddenly collapsed, falling to the ground with a loud thud. The execution sword of the sages, once wielded by Ganondorf, impaled his chest and glowed menacingly. After looking around for the madman in the sunset-covered battlefield, Princesses Zelda and Midna saw no one. The Master Sword, its edges dull and powerless, lied on the ground where he was originally standing.
"You need more power to defeat me," a dark voice said.
Ganondorf reappeared, standing over the dying Hero.
"H-How…? How are you still alive?" Princess Zelda yelled, shocked.
"The Master Sword should've killed you! It's the Blade of Evil's Bane!" Midna added, utterly enraged.
"There are things that have been forgotten about that sword. Including how its power is produced and contained. But, enough of that," Ganondorf smirked, pulling the Sages' Sword out of Link's back.
The Evil King grabbed Link by his collar with his left hand and he could sense the Sacred Power within him resonating, trying to keep him from death. The man stabbed the Sages' Sword he held in his right hand into the dirt and glared at the boy.
"No, you will not! Darkness, rend the very soul of my enemy to shreds, 'Animi Fracti'!" he said.
The Evil One grabbed the still dying Hero and threw him right into the air. As Link sailed upwards, Ganondorf launched a magical orb of darkness at his being. The spell made contact, pulling the dying Hero into the darkness.
Ganondorf turned his gaze to Princesses Zelda and Midna and began to stride slowly towards them. The two princesses backed away, turned and started running when he reappeared in front of them.
In a desperate attempt to flee, Midna grabbed Princess Zelda and the two disappeared using Twili Magic. When the battlefield was empty, Ganondorf turned his attention to Hyrule Castle Town.
"Well, they'll follow me like the helpless little lambs they are…since their princess abandoned them," he said, smirking.
He then turned to the Master Sword and saw the sword's appearance had changed. The hilt had changed from purple to azure and the blade's length was shortened. Small flickers of light came from it and tried to intensify as the Evil King walked closer to it.
Ganondorf took off his cape and carefully picked up the sword with it, not wanting to get injured. To his surprise, the flickering glows died. Not wanting to take any chances, the Evil King headed for the area's edge and looked down.
He could see the abyss and could hear running water. Looking at the sword that was Evil's Bane with pure contempt, Ganondorf tossed it, hoping to never see it again. After the sword was out of sight, he turned and yelled, "Darknut forces, to me!"
Multiple dark flames appeared, taking the forms of very tall men, clad in armor of various hues. The Evil One then faced in the direction of Hyrule Castle Town to reconquer it.
Eight years ago, Snowpeak Mountains…
"Link? Link! I don't like this! We should go back home…"
Seven-years-old and wide-eyed, the young Link of the Nodor clan looked with bright blue eyes at the steep and rocky side of one of Snowpeak's westernmost mountains. The frigid mountain winds whipped through his short, thin, blond hair. Heavy winter gear of a fur coat, hat, boots, thick pants and gloves covered his being and the young boy felt awfully warm.
His same-age companions, Karane and Pipit, shivered near violently, despite wearing nearly the exact same attire. The red-headed Karane turned to Pipit and yelled, "Why are we here again?"
"We're here to 'esplore'," Link told her.
"Uh...what? Why? It's cold and I'm hungry!" Karane complained.
"Yeah! I wanna go home!" Pipit yelled.
Link shook his head and turned his attention back to the mountain. He could see a small marker at its snowy top and wanted to know what it was. Pipit and Karane wanted to return to the village as the trio had left without permission, originally wanting to play in the icy ravine.
"I'll race you!" Link chirped.
He rushed forward with Pipit yelling, "Wait!"
The boy started his ascent, taking care of the ice and hidden pits underneath the snow. Since he was in his very thick winter clothes, the sub-zero temperatures and frigid winds barely affected him. After climbing several feet, he turned to look down and saw that his friends weren't following.
"Hey! C'mon! Get up here guys!" he called out.
"I…I don't know about you guys! B-But I'm going home! It's too cold!" Karane yelled.
Link shook his head again, thinking she was being a wimp and kept climbing. Pipit looked on in worry, especially after Karane's departure.
"Be careful, Link!" he shouted.
The young Link knew and didn't see what the big deal was. He continued, being careful to pull up on the rocks and not any ice, and quickly made it to the top. After pulling himself up, he looked down and saw how high he was.
He could see the massive southern ravine that was the border between Hyrule and Holodrum's mountain terrains. Due to the empire being at war with the Holodrumi, a massive wall with several connecting towers blocked most of the western border. The river of ice cut through the area, leading to a mostly frozen lake. Many spies from Holodrum were said to have fallen through the ice, never to be seen again.
The sight of the area never ceased to amaze the young child and he bade for Pipit to join him at the top. Pipit refused.
"Aw…I thought you and Karane wanted to be 'esplorers'! You gotta be brave to be a 'esplorer'!" Link yelled.
Pipit looked around and whined, "I…I don't wanna fall and die!"
"Well, I didn't! C'mon!" Link yelled.
Pipit was terrified and Link sighed in disappointment. He turned to the nearby stone marker and walked towards it. The marker itself was a bit odd looking as there was an etching of an eye on it. The iris was hollow and the sound of a howling wind came from it. In its hollow was a small, green pendant, floating perfectly in it. Seeing that, the curious child decided put his hand in, wondering if he could take it out.
Moments passed and the boy was able to obtain the emerald charm. Just as he did, rumbling shook the usually stable mountain and Link looked around, trying to find the source. He saw that it came from the monument and decided to get out of the area quickly. The stone marker started to crack as the boy started to climb down. Seconds after he started his descent, the stone exploded in light.
Black rock shards were sent flying everywhere and one hit Link in the forehead. He was dazed and lost his grip, falling and tumbling, receiving many gashes and bruises. After being , Link hit a large boulder near the ground headfirst, blacking out instantly.
Year 1015, 7th month of Nabooru of the 6th Era of Water, mountain village…
"And that is why the current age is called the 'Endless Frost'," Elder Sahasrahla of the Ulrira clan said, writing on a chalkboard.
The older man took a look around the classroom and saw many of his students, numbering 20, sleeping. Some had nodded off. Others had placed their heads on their desks. One of them put one of his books to make it look as if he was reading. Another snored loudly, being obnoxious.
Irritated, as he didn't like anyone sleeping during his lectures, Elder Sahasrahla put his nails onto the chalkboard and slid them down, causing for a high pitch sound to make everyone wake up screaming. Almost everyone.
"AAH! OW!" the class cried out in pain.
"Man, what was that for?" a lone Gerudo male yelled.
"That was for sleeping during my lecture, Groose. Now, as I was saying..." Elder Sahasrahla tried to resume.
He stopped his lecture again after hearing a snore. The class turned their attention to the only one still asleep, a student sleeping behind his books that he stacked on his desk. Elder Sahasrahla, even more irritated, walked towards him and took one of them. He slammed it onto the desk and the teen yelled, "Huh? W-Wha...? Who?"
"This is the fifth time you've been sleeping in class this week. Please stay awake during the lectures, Link," the elder told him.
The teen looked down in shame as the class had their eyes on him. Elder Sahasrahla, bring their attention back, went back to the chalkboard and asked the class, "And what started the current age?"
"Umm...Wasn't it the execution of the traitorous 'Kingslayer' by the First Hyrulian Emperor? Like he unleashed a freezing curse or something?" the teenaged Karane asked.
"No...Not quite. According to the Temples of Hylia and supported by facts from the Imperial Ministry of Natural Sciences, the endless frost started 100 years after the death of the first emperor, a natural occurrence known as climate change. When the frost first started, many thought it was a curse from the evil Kingslayer. Others believed it was from the lamentations from the water spirits, in protest of the newly established empire. All we know is that the landscape of the country changed."
"Many places in the northern areas of this country have been under permafrost, even places that usually never see snow, such as Death Mountain and most of the Lanayru Province. Zora's Domain was moved farther south, turning the former village of the Zoras into a series of ice caves. Death Mountain has been covered in snow all year, just like our section of Hyrule here in Snowpeak."
"And does anyone know what happened to the ecology of Hyrule proper since the frost started," Elder Sahasrahla asked everyone.
Link wanted to raise his hand, but he decided not to answer. He had very good reasons for not doing so and turned to Pipit, who sat in a desk to his left. The teen raised his hand and answered with, "Uh...Didn't the Zoras have to leave for the oceans?"
"Yes. The Zoras left Hyrule proper, leaving the Zora's Domain and River for warmer waters, such as the seas of Labrynna. Many birds and animals used to warmer climates headed south as well. The Gorons, due to being made of rock, have retreated farther underground in the Death Mountain region. The many human tribes of Hyrule adapted, but were content in staying in their ancestral lands."
"And can anyone tell me what happened to the Hyrulian socio-economic structure?" Elder Sahasrahla asked.
Another of Link's classmates, a girl named Fado, said, "Um...people started making more things related to weapons of war, such as arrowguns powered by Mystery Seeds, the flying ships and cannons. They also created the things that keep our homes and citadels lit and warm, the furnaces and gas lamps."
"And what?" Elder Sahasrahla asked.
"And...um...poverty in the nation lessened as people moved from villages to the cities of Kakariko and the capital for better employment...but..." another student replied.
"But there are many who still haven't passed the poverty line. His Imperial Majesty plans to change that, make things easier for those who live in the slums of the cities..." Elder Sahasrahla added.
The town chapel's bell rung and the class was dismissed. As Link started grabbing his books, Elder Sahasrahla approached him. He seemed worried and asked the teen, "Are you alright?"
Link nodded and Elder Sahasrahla said, "You can speak. It's alright. All that would make fun of you are absent."
Link really didn't want to, but the elder insisted that he should. For therapy purposes, he would always say. With heavy stuttering, Link said, "I-I...w-wa-was...t-t-tired."
"But you can't sleep in class. I know that things haven't been the same since the accident, but I do expect you to pay attention and to answer questions. One word answers will do," Elder Sahasrahla told him.
Link nodded and suddenly felt dizzy. His vision faded and returned moments later. He was then given a stern look by the elder.
"And its effects on his psyche still persist..." he muttered to himself, sounding very angry.
Link hadn't a clue what happened but was told to go home. He headed out into the halls and was stopped by Pipit and Karane. The two asked him if he was fine and Link nodded.
"Man, you've been sleeping more often recently...Are you sure you're okay?" Pipit asked.
Link nodded again.
Karane sighed and said, "You know we're your friends, right? We won't make fun of you over your stutter."
Link smiled and was about to speak when the trio heard, "Oy! Pipit!"
The only one of Gerudo descent at the school and in town, Groose of the Eldirani clan, rushed to the three and noticed Link. He frowned up at Link and asked, "What's up with all the sleepin'? Didn't get enough sleep last night?"
Link shrugged and that irked Groose.
"Okay, you know I'm your friend too, right? So, say somethin'. You know Elder Aginah said you gotta practice speakin' again," the redhead said, growing frustrated.
Link still rather not say anything, as other students were nearby. He turned, leaving the somewhat frustrated trio.
"What happened?" Link's mother, Lydia, asked Pipit.
After Link's fall, Pipit had rushed back to the village and cried out for help. A team of villagers, that included Link's parents, headed for the ravine. Once they arrived, Link's father, Sigmund, grabbed the unconscious child and headed back, taking him to the local hospital.
Pipit was questioned in the hospital's second floor waiting room and he told them everything he knew. He told Lydia that he tried to stop Link from climbing the mountainside, but he didn't listen. Pipit also told her of a bright light coming from the top and Link's tumbling down moments later. The small boy, worried for his friend, tried to keep himself composed, but...
"It's alright...You're not to blame. But...why would he...?" Lydia said.
"I don't know. Me and Karane told him that it was a bad idea to climb it and it was too cold and..." Pipit said, giving in and crying.
The conversation was cut short as Sigmund entered the room. His face was that of a sad one and he told them, "The doctors say that Link will live...but..."
"But what?" Lydia asked.
"He's suffered near irreparable brain damage. They don't know its effects, but they told us to prepare for the worse," Sigmund said.
"So you're still not comfortable speaking to others?"
Link looked up from his sitting position on a small couch, seeing the elder Aginah. Aginah, Sahasrahla's twin brother and one of the twelve elders of the fortified village of Aboda. He, under his doctor and mother's orders, was required to visit the elder as he served as a psychiatrist/speech therapist for him. The elder would ask many questions, trying to coax the teen Hylian to speak, but Link refused most of the time.
"I know you're listening, Link. You can speak. It's safe here," Elder Aginah told him.
Link turned away from the elder, looking around the room. He was in the central room of the small home of two bedrooms, one for Aginah and the other for his wife Umma, one bath, a small kitchen and the front-most meeting room. The decor was sparse as many things weren't available due to fashion-conscious areas, such as the capital, had a hard time sending things to smaller villages like Aboda. Bookshelves filled with tomes of unintelligible languages lined the walls and the few bits of furniture was the small couch Link sat on, a small wood table with a few cups on it and the rocking chair Elder Aginah sat in.
"Well, I guess we can speak on the reoccurring nightmares and drastic changes in your personality," Elder Aginah said, pulling out a book and pen.
Lady Umma entered, holding a tea kettle. She poured the piping hot contents into the cups and said to Link, "Please. My husband is trying to help. If you speak, especially about what your mother told us, it can help with both the stuttering and your memory loss."
"And the mental breaks he has suffered, causing those nightmares and drastic and near dangerous personality shifts," Elder Aginah told her.
"And that too," Lady Umma said.
Link felt a massive headache and gripped his head in pain. His vision suddenly dimmed and his conscious faded. Moments later, he opened his eyes to see Lady Umma with her jaw dropped in shock and Elder Aginah glaring.
"Um...W-W-What h-happened? Di-Did...Did I s-s-say s-s-something bad?" Link asked, finally saying speaking.
"You...You said that..." Lady Umma started.
"I do not think that we should repeat what he said...as it was not him that spoke those words," Elder Aginah told her, glaring at Link.
The elder changed the subject, wanting to work on Link's speech therapy. Lady Umma gave him a local newspaper and Link was to read it aloud as best as he could without a single stutter. The teen hated the exercises as he felt that he wasn't getting better. The older couple would constantly assure him that he was, always saying that he was much better than when he first woke up from his coma.
Link remembered that day. He didn't know his name, he hadn't a clue how old he was nor could he remember who the people around him were. His mother, Dame Lydia, nearly cried and his father, Sir Sigmund Nodor, seemed ashamed. When they were allowed to take him home, his younger sisters by two years, twins named Agitha and Aryll, were horrified to find out that their brother couldn't remember them. His friends, Karane, Pipit and Groose, had to adjust to his refusal to speak and his trying to relearn many things.
Everyone, including himself, had to adjust to the constant migraine and his blacking out. After waking up from those blackouts, Link would always see his friends and family with horrified, offended or shocked looks on their faces. They wouldn't tell him why, but he knew that it was always something terrible he may have said or done.
"Well, tomorrow's another day..." Elder Aginah told Link, who felt defeated.
The young Hylian left the elder's home, heading to his own dwelling in the snow. He took a look around the village and many of the villagers paid no attention to him. They went about their business, working at local shops, gathering wood for the night and returning to their homes.
The village of Aboda with its population of 400 was a fortified one as it was encircled by a stone wall. The village was segregated into three districts. The first was the marketplace in the south, where a few merchant stalls, shops, a small hospital and an inn were located. The district was closest to the town's gate and included a series of horse stalls for the villagers, travelers and their caravans that were brave enough to venture into the mountains. Cobblestone streets crisscrossed the town, giving the town a slightly respectable look to outsiders.
The second was the residential district in the northeast. Many of the villagers made their snow-covered homes there, including Link's family. The stone dwellings were quite small, usually having only four to five rooms. Families up to seven people would cram into the homes, hardly ever complaining as the alternative was sleeping out in the cold.
The last of the districts was in the west and had the chapel dedicated to the spirits of the mountains and the town's school. The chapel itself was rather large and in the famed "Hylia" style, similar to that of the ancient Temple of Time, with the school connected to it. The ones who frequented the chapel were the clergy assigned to it and the twelve elders.
The village's income was dependent on the mining of metals and the harvesting of a variety of mystical seeds called Ember Seeds and ice blocks from the ice caves. Many of the adults worked for those industries, with a few being in business for themselves. Others, like Dame Lydia, were soldiers and helped in the defense of the mountainous village and their working neighbors, receiving occasional help from the fortress near the border.
The elderly served as teachers and kept the youths of town in line while their parents were away in the mountains. They also served as medics, a few working at the village's hospital. They tended to the wayward travelers headed for the fortress, but their clientele was mainly the townspeople.
The youths were expected to go to school, lest they were to be flogged and scolded by the elders. Some were occasionally allowed to joined the adults in work, but they had to prove they were mature enough through their schoolwork and everyday behavior.
Link stood watch at the town's gate, seeing the caravans full of exhausted townsfolk returning from work. They left, one by one, heading for home. The sturdy horses, used to the cold conditions, were also tired and was led to the stalls.
Not seeing anything else interesting, Link turned for home, only to run into the local bully and headache for everyone, Mido, and his entourage. The green-clad teen hobbled towards him, along with his sister Fado and three others.
"Hey, 'Mr. I-Can't-Speak'!" Mido yelled.
Link regretted staying in the area longer that he should've. The five surrounded him and began chiding him. Mido and Fado, Mido's twin sister, made many jokes and called him names such as "Mute Boy", "No-Speak-Da-Hylian-Boy" and "Link the Dumb", using the word's old definition in making fun of his muteness.
Mido pushed Link and said, "C'mon, say something!"
Fado laughed and chided him, saying, "Are you going to st-st-stutter again?"
Link frowned up, not wanting to show weakness. Another of the twins' flunkies pushed the silent teen onto the ground and began laughing. As they kept up the bullying, a small crowd of students gathered and joined in.
"OY!"
The five stopped their chiding and turned to see Link's sisters, the twins Aryll and Agitha. They pushed through and helped their brother up.
"Why are you making fun of Link again, Mido?" Aryll asked.
Mido huffed and said, "Because we can."
"And you know you'll get beat up by Groose and Pipit when we tell. And after the pummeling you received the last time, it would be a shame if you had another now," Agitha told him.
Fado,the reasonable one, said, "Okay. Okay. Don't tell them. We had our fun. We'll go. But it doesn't change the fact that your brother's cursed."
She pulled her brother away from the area, with Mido loudly protesting. Their friends followed them and the crowd dispersed. The siblings headed for home, where the twins questioned his progress with Elder Aginah.
"Hey, how did it go?" Aryll asked.
"Did you speak with Elder Aginah?" Agitha asked.
"Did you practice speaking?" Aryll questioned.
"Or did you say something...off again?" Agitha asked, staring at her brother.
'Say something...off...again? What does she mean by that?' Link thought.
He was a bit overwhelmed with the questions, but hadn't a clue what Agitha meant. Aryll shushed her and Link knew that they were trying to hide something from him, albeit horribly. She pulled Agitha farther into the home and Link sat on the front room's couch.
The home of the Nodor family was among the few larger houses in the region with four bedrooms, two baths, a kitchen, dining room and the front room. Due to their mother's occupation as a knight in service to the empire, the family received a nice pension. That allowed for them to have nicer things and decor, mostly from the capital. That also was a source of jealously among several of the villagers towards the family. But none, with the exception of Mido, Fado and their flunkies, confronted the Nodor's about it.
"Ah, you're home," a blond-haired woman, wearing blue clothing and silver armor overlay, said with a smile.
She hugged him and scanned him with her emerald eyes. Link smiled and said, "H-hi, M-M-Mom."
His mother, Dame Lydia, smiled and asked him, "Did it go well?"
"Um..." Link started.
"I think he left early, Mom!" Aryll yelled from Agitha and her's room.
Lydia turned to Link and asked, "Did you?"
"H-He...t-t-t-told me th-that I-I w-was s-s-su-supposed to go. H-He...was m-mad at m-me for s-s-s-some r-reason," Link told her, quickly getting frustrated as most of what he said came out in near uncontrollable stutters.
His mother listened patiently as he recited more of his tale. He told her how he tried to practice, only to get frustrated. Link also told her of how the twins Mido and Fado, along with their followers had did their usual of making fun of him. After he was finished, Lydia said to him, "Just...don't pay any attention to them. People aren't used to others who are...different. Just keep up with the therapy sessions and be yourself."
Link didn't get why he had to take the sessions. He was content with not talking for the rest of his life. He also didn't see why he needed to remember what happened before the accident. Link remembered his mother, sisters, friends and his deceased father after several months, but he had to relearn many things about the village and his own life. That, including the horrific stutter he gained after emerging from his coma, caused for many in the village to distance themselves from him, as if he was a bad omen or cursed.
The elders agreed to help him, but every time they did, Link would blackout and wake up moments later with them looking offended. He would ask what happened, but they would refuse to say anything about it.
"Well, if you're hungry, Granny's made some goat stew. I have to go and make a few rounds outside of town. I'll be back early tomorrow morning," Lydia said.
With that, she left.
"So, Big Brother don't remember us?" the five-year-old Aryll asked Lydia.
Sigmund and she sighed and nodded. They had hoped to ease the girls into the new knowledge of their big brother's amnesia. But the elders told them that they hadn't a choice.
Link's friends, which included Pipit, Karane and the new arrival to the village, Groose, were also in attendance. They were genuinely sad, as their friend couldn't remember them. The trio told the family that they had no intention in not being Link's friends anymore, much to Lydia's relief. She believed that if they had done that, Link would never recover.
The last in attendance was the elders and included Sigmund's mother, Elder Matilde Calais-Nodor. The Labrynnan-borne elderly woman was speaking with the others on Link's condition and they saw it as a bad omen. When Lydia asked why, they were being quite secretive and refused to say why.
"Yes, Aryll. He doesn't remember us, where he is or even his own name. So, when you see him, don't get mad or anything," Sigmund told the girls.
"We won't get mad. I'm just sad," Aryll said.
"Well, I'm mad! Why did Link go all the way out there? We can't because we're little, but he did! And he got hurt really bad because he did! He's so stupid!" Agitha said, glowering.
The doctor that treated Link allowed them to see him. She left them with a warning, saying, "Please don't do anything that will cause further mental trauma. So that means, do not bombard him with questions or try to make him remember too quickly."
They vowed to heed her, but had the intention to help Link remember as quickly as they could. The group entered the room within the small, 40 room hospital and saw Link. Bandages covered his head, arms and exposed torso. The fall bruised his ribs, cut up his arms and legs and nearly cracked his skull open. The greatest damage was to his brain, despite his head wound healing.
The boy was awake, after being in comatose for a week. He had a lost expression on his face and looked around as if everything was brand new. Lydia took a seat next to him and he panicked.
"W-W-W-Who are you?" he asked.
With great fear in his big, blue eyes, he looked at the others that entered and started inching off the bed. That broke Lydia's heart and she started to cry. Aryll and Agitha tried not to and Sigmund reintroduced himself and the others to Link.
"A 'f-f-father'? A 'm-m-mother'? Wh-What...i-is...?" Link asked.
"We'll answer those questions when the time comes. Until then, just get better," Lydia told him.
Link turned his attention to Groose and started glaring. Angry, he yelled, "Y-You! Gerudo! G-Go away! Get away!"
Groose was hurt and ran out of the room, terrified as Link had started tossing anything he could at him. Pipit and Karane followed him out as Link had started attacking everyone with a flurry of tossed items, punches, kicks and...faint traces of magic.
The elders tried to use some of their own to calm the boy, but he unleashed a shockwave from his being that launched everyone back. Some of them, like Aryll and Agitha, were pushed out of the room as they ran out. The others, like Lydia and Sigmund, hit the room's walls.
Dazed, Lydia shook her head and saw a light coming from her son's left hand. His eyes started to turn a golden color and he grabbed his head in pain. Lydia could feel a buildup of magic and those that remained rushed out of the room as quickly as they could. The nurses on the hospital's top floor, many of them being magic users, summoned barriers to guard the other patients' rooms. Link's pained screams were heard and the room exploded, sending wooden shards and bricks flying everywhere.
What surprised everyone was that Link was unharmed. He seemed even more confused as he stood in the ruined room. Terrified, he rushed to Lydia's arms and embraced her.
All the woman could say was, "Don't worry. You're safe. You'll be safe with us."
Link entered his room and collapsed onto the bed. He was quite tired and, after eating his Grandmother Matilde's stew, wanted to go to sleep.
His room, the smallest room in the house, was modest. It had the usual furniture of a bed, desk and a small oil lamp that lit his room. Windows covered in thick curtains were at the north and east walls, since his room was at the back of the house. A small wardrobe held his clothes of green and coats. Six pairs of thick brown boots were at the wardrobes left and his book bag was at its right, near the door.
Wallpaper of horses covered the wood walls and they were faded. His school books were strewn about the area and some of his dirty laundry were in the corners. He noticed and thought to clean soon. But since he was so tired, he wasn't motivated to do anything.
Just as he started to close his eyes, he remembered that he had to write an entry in his journal. Link saw the book lying on the desk and he really didn't feel like moving. Groaning, the teen got up, headed for the desk, grabbed the book and returned to his bed. He found a pen, opened the journal and gasped as he saw that there was an entry for the day already in it.
'I...I don't remember writing anything today. So...?' Link thought.
The handwriting looked like...his, but something was off. The way the script was shaped didn't look like the modern Hylian language used in the empire. The writing also looked as if it was written in anger and high aggression. And what was written, Link thought he would never say or write such things.
The entry was, "'I don't like it here. It's too cold, too much snow and nothing to do. And those twins...who are they? They look familiar, but...I don't know who they are and they're very, VERY annoying. But I got a feeling that if I leave, they'll fall to pieces...'"
Link paled and started checking the other entries. Yesterday's entry was different, with similar calligraphy to his, but the entry had a much nicer tone and seemed as if it was written in a relaxed state.
What was written was, "'I kinda like it here. The food's good, but it's kinda cold. I'm still not used to it even after eight years. Aryll and Agitha seem okay, with Aryll being very nice and optimistic and Agitha being very logical and a killjoy most of the time. But I really don't like that they keep calling me 'Link'. That's not my name. I really want to tell them that, but I got a feeling something bad will happen if I do.'"
'Wha...? What is this?' Link thought.
He flipped more pages of the journal and found one that was written six months ago. The writing style was the same as the others, similar to his but the words used were quite formal.
Link read, "'I've been researching that pendant that the boy carries around his neck. Based on what I've found, it's a special pendant that is said to be connected to the lost Spiritual Stones held by the differing tribes of Old Hyrule. The emerald stone apparently was cut from the Koriki Emerald thousands of years ago. Why? Well, I would probably find out faster if not for the blackouts. But I can't say much of anything, can I?'"
The teen started trembling, scared to read any further. Against his better judgment, he turned to the very beginning of the journal, whose first entry was written by him three years ago. He sighed in relief as he remembered writing about how he was getting frustrated with the lack of memories and his difficulty speaking.
When he turned the page, he saw that the entry was very different. It looked like he had fallen asleep while writing and the next entry was on wondering why he had blonde hair. The writings were the same as the other odd ones, written as if the person was...timid.
"'Uh...I thought it'd be a good idea to write this down. I don't know what's going on. Um...why is my hair blonde and my eyes blue? Why do those girls look the same? They look like...no. I don't know what's going on...I'm...scared...I could run, but I need rupees to do it,'" Link read.
Terrified as he hadn't a clue what was going on, Link threw the book towards his door, where it hit it and landed on the floor. He trembled and cowered, not knowing what else to do.
Okay, here's the first chapter of the story. It was originally called Chronicles of the Sword, but I thought that the title made no sense. So, here's the new and improved story.
-miano53