False Gods

"Just stay hidden Link. I'll let you know when the cost is clear."

Link remained silent. Granted, he wasn't much of a talker anyway, but considering that Agaheim's cronies were right outside Hama's house, he didn't want to risk his voice being heard. And while nodding usually worked for his silent communication, he doubted the old woman would be capable of seeing it anyway."

"Quiet Link," she whispered. "They near."

And apparently she wasn't alright in the head. Either he'd spoken without knowing or she was starting to 'hear the voices' as his uncle had once put it.

What wouldn't I give to hear his voice right now?

Taking off his cap, the teen slumped down against the wall, keeping out of sight thanks to the jars before him. Only a few days ago he was living his life normally. He ate, he slept, and did everything else in-between those two facets of existence. The next, he'd lost his uncle, he'd rescued a princess from an evil wizard and had become an outlaw, hunted by soldiers and shunned by the majority of Kakariko's citizens. Up until now, part of him had enjoyed it. Heck, even embraced it. But now, hiding from Agaheim's ever widening, ever tightening hand, he longed for his old life. Days where the most dangerous foe he could face was a rampaging cucco. Days where, silence aside, there was someone for him to talk to.

Sometimes he dreamed of Zelda's voice. Sometimes his uncle's. Sometimes he even dreamed of a blue ball of light that kept shouting "hey, listen!" over and over, but he was sure that had no grounding in reality.

"They're moving on," Hama whispered, breaking into his thoughts, as if to grant him the wish of hearing another person's voice. "But stay hidden. Best you wait until nightfall."

Link remained silent. He didn't know what to say-"thank you for believing in me and hiding me?" "Sorry, but I really need to find the town elder?" "Dammit, I'm a hero and heroes aren't meant to hide?" It was as if some unseen hand was guiding him and intentionally restricting his dialogue options.

Din's, probably, Link thought to himself. Something's got power over me at least. And it certainly isn't courage.

The teen smirked as the thoughts of the goddesses entered his mind. He couldn't remember the last time he'd ever given them much thought-they were relics of a bygone age, the same age that the tales of the Golden Power belonged to. Every so often he might see a small household shrine devoted to them or just one, but it was the exception rather than the rule. Out of slight curiosity, he glanced at the back of Hama's house. Would he see Din, Nayru, Farore or all three of them?

He did see something. But it wasn't a deity. It wasn't even female.

"Well now, the soldiers have gone," the old woman said. Link heard her shuffling feet making their way over to him. "I'd still wait until nightfall, but…"

She trailed off. Maybe she was seeing her…thing for the first time.

"Ah, you've found my shrine."

Or for the umpteenth time. Somehow, that seemed more likely.

"The one true god," Hama intoned. "The one who watches over all of us."

Link kept staring. Her words were crazy, but the…thing before him even more so.

And just when I thought this quest couldn't get any stranger…

It was a man. A black moustached man. A man with a red cap, blue overalls and a big M on said cap, shining out for all the world to see. He stood there, smiling…and for some reason, Link felt quite insecure wearing green. Like he was about to sprout a cap and moustache of his own and be overshadowed by this…thing.

"The creator," Hama intoned, walking over to Link and standing by him. "The creator of the multiverse. The first being."

What on Hyrule is she blathering about?

"The one from whom all worlds spread," Hama continued. "Apes. Anthropomorphic foxes. Bounty hunters that turn out to be female. Even our own world."

"Um…sure…"

"You'll meet him, you know," Hama whispered, looking down at Link. "At the end of days. In the tournament. Where your brothers and sisters will fight to the bitter end in at least three tournaments, each with higher resolution than the last."

"I'm sure," Link said, not sure at all. "But I really should be going."

And with that he left. He didn't want to be with this woman. Or her painting. He gave one last glance back, seeing both worshiper and supposed deity. Saw something inscribed beneath the shrine that made him want to keep on going.

It's-a-me! Mario!

And run, for that matter.

A/N

Did a playthrough of A Link to the Past recently. Probably stating the obvious, but for the first time I noticed (or had perhaps forgotten) that portraits of Mario can be found in Kakariko Village. It was an observation that inspired this at least.