Disclaimer: I do not own Legend of Zelda, Nintendo, or anything else worth owning.

~Hero of Winds~

This is my novelization of Legend of Zelda: the Wind Waker.

~Chapter 2~

~From Out of the Sky~

I shut the door behind me, pulling until I felt the door slide into place. Making my way back to the lookout tower, I started the long climb back to the top, deftly stretching one hand over the other in a rhythmic manner. Reaching the final bar, I pulled myself over the top. Aryll leaned against the railing, staring out at the sea with a small group of seagulls by her feet. I approached her, startling the birds, who flew off, squawking loudly. Noticing my arrival, she turned.

"Ah! 'Hoy, Big Brother!" She saw my preposterous clothes, the knee-length tunic, white trousers and silly green hat, and, suppressing a giggle, asked me "Did Grandma make that outfit for you?" I snorted, once again looking down on the repulsively bizarre attire that made me stick out like a black sheep. Sticking my fingers in my belt, I muttered "Yeah. I look like a damned idiot." Her expression morphed from one of amusement into one of sympathy. "But wow... you look like you'd be way too hot in those clothes..." She paused as I shook my head and wiped a bead of sweat from my brow. You have no idea... "...I guess they're pretty neat though!"

I suppose she was right. Besides the fact that I looked like a royal fool, and that they were completely unsuited to Outset's tropical climate, they were a comfortable fit, and they gave me no trouble moving my arms and legs. I guess, once I got over the humiliation of parading myself around in this monkey suit, I would eventually come to enjoy wearing the costume and begin to appreciate my grandmother's delicate handiwork.

She changed the subject. "So, anyway, Link..." she turned her eyes upward. "...could you... close your eyes and hold out your hand?" I raised my eyebrow, noticing that she held something behind her back. Not wanting to be the victim of some cruel prank, I eyed her suspiciously. She giggled, knowing what I was thinking, and clarified "Just for a second! I'm going to give you my most treasured belonging... but just for one day!"

Deciding to humor her, I complied, shutting my eyes and holding my hand, palm turned upward, a few feet in front of me. She giggled again and stepped forward. I felt her place a cold, metal object in my hand and close my fingers around a smooth, cold tube. She stepped away, and in her small voice, called out "Happy Birthday!". I took this to be the signal to open my eyes. I focused on the thing she had placed in my hand, and brought it closer to my face, surprised. "Your telescope?"
It was cylindrical in shape, and was larger at one end than at the other. It was an orange-brown color, with rings of gold at both ends and at the center. A small number of dials and switches were clustered at both points, and the image of a flock of seagulls was engraved into the top half.

The telescope which I now held had once been used by my father, the town lookout. That may not sound like a very important position, but that's because you don't live on the Great Sea. Besides the occasional merchant or traveller, there was also the threat of pirate raids, Giant Octos, tempests, wrathful spirits, and every other hazard imaginable in a magical ocean world. The town lookout had to have keen eyes, vigilance, and had to keep watch for all hours of the day. Occasionally, Mesa, My Mother's distant cousin, would relieve him to allow him to rest, eat, and visit his family; but, for the most part, being a lookout in these dangerous times required dedication and vivacety.

One day, a trader came to our Island from Greatfish. My parents traded away a few of the goods mother had crafted; some pots, blankets, baskets, and an assortment of other commodities; and had in turn recieved a sophisticated, intricate telescope. Far superior to the old telescope he was used to, he used the device to it's fullest abilities to the end of his days. When he came down with the same affliction that had taken my mother, he had given my infant sister the telescope, perhaps a premonition of what was to come. He passed away shortly after, leaving me and Aryll alone, with only our grandmother to look after us.

That she would lend me the only reminder she had of our parents showed how highly she thought of me.

She nodded, looking to me expectantly. "Do you like it? I'm letting you borrow this special gift just because you're my big brother! Aren't you lucky?" She giggled again. I noticed that she was giggling a lot today.

Turning my attention back to the gift, I ran my eyes over the expertly constructed gadget, and brought the item down. I looked at her, grinning, and raised my arms invitingly. She returned the grin, and stepped into my embrace. I held her tight to my chest for a few moments, then released her. I continued to examine the mechanism she had lent me. "I don't know what to say, Aryll; This means a lot... thank you."

Aryll, evidently pleased with my answer, made a suggestion; "Ooh, why don't you try it out! Right now! Try looking over at our house from here!" She turned in the direction of our house and placed her hands on the railing. I moved to stand beside her and brought the small end to my eye, an inch separating the two.

The initial view was blurry and caused me eye strain, but after some adjustment, found the settings for the many dials and knobs that best suit my eye. I could finally look through the lens without giving myself a headache, and pointed the far end of the tube to the west.

Aryll nudged me. "Hey, what's that? Link! Are you looking at the red postbox?" Glancing at her, I tilted the tube down a few degrees, towards the red speck near the front of our cottage, turning a small dial near the eye-piece to enlarge the mailbox near the front of our house.

I saw a dark-skinned Rito, dressed in traditional Rito robes, placing the Island's mail into the red, talking box. The Rito were a hybrid race. They were, on average, about the same height as a human, and walked erect, on two legs. However, what makes the Rito different are their wings, beaks, and taloned feet. Basically, they were birdmen. Because of the fact that they could fly for miles without a ship, they were often employed as the great sea's postmen, delivering letters and packages back and forth between the Isles, and placing them into automated talking mailboxes. It was convenient, and helped information spread across the ocean, giving a sense of unity and cooperation to what would otherwise be a number of small, isolated atolls in the middle of an ocean.

The postman was placing a letter into the box, but stopped. Obviously hearing something, he turned his head in both directions, before looking up. Dropping his bundle of missives, he began frantically waving his wings, squawking agitatedly. Aryll spoke uneasily; "The postman looks kinda weird, doesn't he?" I said nothing and kept the telescope trained on the distressed avian.

Aryll shrieked, startling me and splitting my ear drum. My ear ringing, I was ready to reprimand her, when she pointed her finger into the air, telling me to look.

I did, eager to see what everybody was freaking out over.

"What the Hell?"

What the Hell indeed, for magnified through the glass lens of my sister's telescope was a giant bird. Easily the size of a cottage, the thing had a black body and a golden tail, though the feathers on the inner edges of the bird's wings were white, as were those on a design on it's chest. It's neck was red, and It had a prominent crown through which yellow eyes glowed.

As odd as it was to see such a creature near this Island, this wasn't what caused Link to shout; the shocking thing about this bird was that, in it's feet, he saw a small plume of blonde hair. He adjusted the zoom, and saw that the creature clutched a small girl, around his age, in it's talons. Growing worried, I decreased the lens' amplification, hoping to notice should the girl fall from the fowl's grasp. Instead, I saw a grey object streak through the air, missing the animal by a few yards. I saw It again, this time missing more narrowly, and I turned my gaze to the north to find the origin of the projectiles.

What I saw was a ship, larger than any other I have seen, from which the ship's crew used a catapult to launch large boulders at the animal. The ship looked to be the same length as the eastern side of the Island, and was painted a shade of brownish-red. They flew a banner embroidered with a crossed sword designthe traditional skull icon flew from a smaller standard atop the crow's nest. A figurehead, crafted in the shape of a serpent, adorned the bow, which cut gracefully through the ocean like a blade through butter.

Directed by a large looking man in a green shirt and sporting a red bandana, whom I guessed was the captain, the crew loaded stone after stone which were flung at the creature; It seemed that they were trying to rescue the young girl It held. Speechless, I watched their efforts to bring down the winged beast through the glass tube for a few seconds, before returning my attention to the bird.

The pirates missed every shot they launched. The bird spread It's wings, keeping them outstretched as it banked to the right. Several stones flew by, seemingly too rapidly to be launched from the catapult I had seen.

The thing turned It's head to face It's pursuers, only to find a particularly large projectile streaming right toward It's face. For some ungodly reason, the creature did not move, only stare at the slab as it flew, making a shallow arc, gravitating right for the monster's head. The bird opened It's beak in shock; seconds later, the crude missile connected with It's crown, knocking the creature in the other direction and loosening It's grip, causing It's prisoner to slip from It's grasp. As the bird started to descend, out cold, the girl slid from the Bird's talons, and started to fall.

Now that my view was unobstructed by her captor's claws, I could more easily examine the girl's features as she plummeted towards the earth. Like us, her ears were pointed; she looked to be slightly shorter than me, with tan skin and blonde hair tied up in a bun near the back. She wore white, baggy pants, a white shirt, and a blue, sleeveless vest. A red sash was tied about her waist, and a bandana of the same color hung from the hem of her shirt. Her wrists were bandaged, and at her waist she kept a small, slightly curved dagger.

She fell for a few seconds, unconscious, before she disappeared amongst a mass of trees. I reduced the telescope's magnification, and saw that she had landed right in the middle of the Fairy Woods.

I lowered the tube, running over in my mind what I had just seen. I didn't understand it: a demonic-looking bird had appeared over outset, from out of nowhere, holding a girl in it's claws and a group of what appeared to be pirates in pursuit; It had been struck in the face by a rock launched from a catapult on the ship; and It had dropped the girl into the Fairy Woods...

Crap. The Fairy Woods. Those woods were dangerous; that girl wouldn't last an hour in there.

"Link, this is so terrible!" Aryll vocalized my worries, grabbing my attention; "That girl fell into the forest! She needs help!"

I said nothing, pondering the matter in my head for a moment. This was bad, this was very bad; if we did nothing, that girl would certainly be killed by the forest's wicked wildlife. Something had to be done. I thought it over some more, and soon saw that three facts were obvious.

First, none of the other Islanders could help me; they were all either unsuited to anything that might require proficiency in combat, or exceedingly old and feeble. Second, I realized that I was the only suitable candidate for such a task. As of today I was of age to be considered an adult; I had the right, in the villagers' eyes, to wield a weapon, and I had been trained by Orca, sturgeon's brother, in basic sword usage a year prior. I was physically fit, for an islander with relatively scant food, and would be able to look after myself should there be trouble.

Third, I would need a weapon.

I looked up to the forest: the endless sea of trees covering a world of shadow; the dilapidated, undoubtedly hazardous bridge which spanned from one cliff to another; and, steeling my resolve, faced my sister.

"Aye," I said, knowing that I might regret what i said next, but that there was no way around It; "and it will be me who gives it."

At first she was shocked, but, slowly, comprehension dawned on her face, and she nodded her head in understanding. "But," she objected, "it's too dangerous for you to go in there without something to defend yourself with!" I looked from her to a house on the other Island, directly adjacent to ours;"Orca."

I embraced my sister once more, and bidding her farewell, walked to the ladder. I pocketed the telescope, crouched, and dropped, rolling upon contact with the wooden pier, and sprinted to the house Sturgeon and Orca shared. My feet moved faster than than they ever had before; every second I wasted was another second that the blonde girl could be killed. My hat flopping behind me, I reached the cottage that I had passed twice previously that day, this time twisting the brass knob and pulling the wooden door around me.

I entered to see a somewhat plain room with a brown floor. A circular rug decorated the center of the floor, and a large, blue board in the shape of a shark lay against the far wall. A few clay pots sat upon the ground, and a few pieces of furniture; chairs, tables, a bed; could be seen at several points around the perimeter of the room. A number of strange objects sat upon shelves attached to the walls; many appeared rare, exotic or foreign.

Standing near the room's center was an older, shirtless man wearing purple leggings held up by a red belt. His skin was tan, his hair white with age, and his mouth lay hidden behind a similarly colored beard. He was somewhat large around the stomach, but was otherwise fit. A tattoo was inked onto his left bicep; In his right hand he held a long spear tipped with iron.

He noticed my entrance, and I bowed respectfully. "Orca, sir," I said, slightly winded from my sprint, "I am sorry to disturb you, but I have need of your help."

"Oh! What is the matter, Link?" the old warrior addressed me, his voice tinged with concern, "You have an urgent look about you... Has something happened? Whatever It is, from the look on your face I suspect it is no laughing matter... What say you, Link?"

I nodded. "I apologize, Orca, but I have not the time to recount the entire story. Therefore, I will simply say this; something very unsettling has occured, and I have need of a weapon. I ask to use one of your blades."

He nodded in understanding. "Ah. Have you come for some serious instruction in the way of the sword?"

"Yes, sir."

A look of deep thought covered his features. Seconds later, he replied; "Very well. On my desk is the blade I used during my travels aroound the great sea; take it, and stand at the opposite end of the room."

I walked across the room to the desk he had referenced. I saw a small sword lying on the surface of the table, covered by an ornate sheath. I took the weapon, sheath first, into my right hand, and with the left gripped the hilt. The sharpened edge slid against the leather smoothly and soundlessly. As more of the sword became visible, I examined the fine craftmanship that had been put into forging the metal blade, the tempered steel that had gone into the weapon's construction, and the smooth texture of the blade's face.

The sword measured, tip to tip, approximately two and a half feet, of which the blade made up two feet. At the pummel, the blade was three inches in width, and remained constant along the length of the fringe until 20 inches up, at which point it curved into a fine, acute tip; lengthwise, the blade was one inch at the core, narrowing into a wicked edge capable of cleaving straight through fleh and bone.

I held the sword in my hand, loose yet firm; I experimentally tightened my grip, testing the weapon's weight, adjusting my hold slightly to acquire optimal comfort. Once all akwardness had been eased, I held the sword point-down, and turned to Orca. "I'm ready."

He motioned for me to take my stance opposite him. We bowed in respect, and we jumped away; he began his instuction; "Very good! Your first lesson will be the horizontal slice..."

"That was a fine display!" Orca chuckled good-naturedly.

Fifteen minutes later, I had reviewed the basic strikes and movements, in addition to learning a few intermediate level maneuvers. I was panting; the training had proved tiring, and I was sweating profusely. I was not used to this kind of exertion; It was made no better by my uncomfortably warm tunic. I was relieved and thankful when he ordered me to resume my position opposite him, indicating that we had finished for the time being.

I stood at the same spot as when we had started, breathing loudly yet keeping my posture all the same. Two seconds passed, and Orca began to speak.

"I do not know what has happened," he started in his gruff, tired voice, "But I have faith in you. Somehow, I doubt you will misuse that sword..." taking this to mean that he has given me possession of the sword, I bowed a second time, breathlessly voicing my thanks, exhausted yet refusing to appear disrespectful.

"Since the olden days, this sword has been used to fend off evil," he continued. "Its blade is infused with the desire to be strong and righteous." He dismissed me. "Be strong, Link." I returned the sword to It's sheath on my back, easing it in slowly, allowing the blade to slide into place. Once it had come to fit comfortably, we bowed a final time; once formalities were out of the way, I spoke one more time before leaving. "Thank you, Orca."

I turned to leave, turning the handle and pushing the door forward. I stepped back out into the sun; the Island breeze cooled my moist neck and forehead, granting me some relief from the burning heat and stuffiness that I had felt minutes earlier.

I was almost set: my sword rested comfortably upon my back, ready to be drawn in an instant; I was warmed up, loose at the joints, and recovering my stamina rapidly; I had been given all of the necessary skills to strike down anything that stood in my way.

All that remained now was to convince myself to go.

I looked back up to the top of the Island, at the Fairy Woods. From this angle, the Woods appeared even more menacing then before, looming above me, causing me to feel somewhat minute.

There was much superstition surrounding the fairy forest; rumors say that the Hero of Time himself occasioned those woods to rest after battle. It is said that a mystical Fairy tended his wounds and eased his weariness; her fountain possessed supernatural qualities which refreshed even the most tired of travelers, allowing whoever dived into the pool to recover instantaneously; this allowed the Hero to battle Evil perpetually, until the Dark One himself lay defeated.

However, the rumors have never been put to the test; It was for that very reason that, years ago, a band of explorers constructed and crossed the Bridge to the Fairy Woods decades past. They had disappeared and were presumed to be dead, and now everyone kept well away from the Woods in fear.

Ignoring the feeling of dread building in my chest, I crossed the Island, this time remaining on the path past the watchtower. A crude sign, reading "Fairy Woods" was placed at the side of the road; I paused, faced the forest one more time, and inhaled deeply. I stepped past the sign, and looked ahead. I was ready.

The trail now entered a narrow crevice between two high rock faces, winding upwards a short way before turning around the corner, out of sight. The path had not been maintained for years; the dirt seemed faded, and plants grew from several spots along the trail.

I continued on, the steep, jagged, stone crevice surrounding me on both sides, giving me a slight feeling of suffocation; It was as If I was at the bottom of a large pit, one with no way out. Ignoring the claustrophobia, I hiked on for a short way, unenthusiastically breathing in the stuffy, stale air.

The path soon grew much more challenging to walk, as plant life became much, much more common; tree roots grabbed my feet, tripping me; the thick stalks of various plants had to be pushed aside; and overhead, the canopy thickened; sunlight grew fainter and fainter, until I reached a point from where, try as I might, the overgrowth was simply too thick to continue. Branches and vines stretched across the now invisible path, forming a barrier which I could not cross.

I hadn't anticipated this. The visibility here was too poor for me to climb the obstacle, and it was too firm to push through. I sat, at a loss as to how I would proceed. I ran the matter through my head, when I remembered.

I had a sword.

Feeling like an idiot for not remembering the sword earlier, I stood and drew my blade. The silver metal gleamed in the sparse sunlight as I clutched the smooth handle; the blade glimmering brightly in the darkness. I raised it above my head with one hand, and, taking a deep breath, brought it swiftly down. The edge easily cleaved through the offending vegetation, and after three successive swings, the branches and vines crashed to the ground in heaps, clearing the way. I returned the weapon to It's sheath, and, stepping over what remained of the blockage, I resumed my hike to the Fairy Woods.

Minutes later, I emerged, welcoming the sunlight, light breeze, and fresh air tinged with the salty scent of the sea. The stone pass levelled out here, and I was once again standing in the open. A feeling of relief washed over me, giving me the strength to carry on.

I now stood atop the high ledge I had viewed from below minutes earlier. I moved to stand on the precipice, and surveyed the Island from east to west. I had never seen the Island from so high up before... at least, not when awake. Everything looked so small from here: my neighbors looked like ants; our cottages seemed the size of my fist.

I soon abandoned the amazing view, replacing It with the image of the entrance to the Fairy Woods on a cliff opposite me, across an old wooden bridge. I set my foot on the piece of wood cautiously; it had been unused for years, and for all I know could collapse under the slightest of disturbances. The board swayed precariously, but held; slowly easing more and more iof my weight until It supported my entire . Still apprehensive, I waited a few seconds before raising my second foot and placing It onto the next board.

After I had successfully stepped forward a second time, I increased my pace, now confident in the bridge's integrity. I had gone more than halfway across when I came upon a gap in the bridge; now going at a jog, I made a few quick steps and leaped; I easily made the jump, avoiding the hundred foot plunge and further proving the bridge's miraculous resilience when the adjacent board held under the weight of my landing.

I was now nearly to the end of the bridge; I collected my courage in the face of the fast approaching entrance to the only place on the Island I had ever feared, and walked the last few steps until I felt solid earth beneath my feet once again. I fell to my knees, breathing hard, happy to be back above a stable surface. My head bowed, I closed my eyes, trying to convince myself that I had really done what I just did, that It wasn't a mere dream like the one I'd had the night before and that I had to do the task that now lay before me.

I looked up and opened my eyes; I now kneeled at the entrance to the Fairy Woods, the place where I had been warned as a child never to enter. The way into the woods was a cave in the face of the cliff, A deep, black tunnel through which nothing was visible. The rock wall rose upwards for a short way until It cut off a dozen feet up, which is where several treetops became visible.

I rose to my feet, stared down the black void, and made ready to enter; to brave it as I had the old bridge; but, I hesitated.

Once I had entered the Woods, there was no turning back; I would be committed, and would either save the girl or die trying.

To this day, I don't know how I did It, but, summoning all my strength, I took several steps forward, pushed onward. I refuse to let that girl die when It's in my power to prevent it.

My last thought before I disappeared in a shroud of darkness was sarcastic; Din, When did I become so valiant?

A/N: And there you go; chapter two! 5114 words total, not bad, not bad. And three days before I said you would get it, too; aren't I great? ^^

Link enters the Fairy Woods, ready to face any danger that may come his way.

A thing about Link's personality; While I try to only make him talk when necessary, there are some times when It just wouldn't make sense for him to stay silent, and when It would be improper not to give some kind of verbal response.

Therefore, when Link talks to other characters, I'll try to follow this formula; around normal characters, he'll talk occasionally, preferring to allow his expressions, particularly raising his eyebrows, do the talking for him. However, When he talks to those who command much respect, or when the talks are very serious in nature, he will speak more actively, normally giving detailed responses to others' questions, and his mannerisms will be very polite, proper, intelligent, and sophisticated.

I know the game portrays him as a child, but If you pay attention closely to the dialogue, it is implied that he is actually around the age of the Link in Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess. Since Ocarina of Time Link was still a child inside, he may have acted somewhat like a younger kid, but Twilight Princess's Link, who grew properly, was kind, humble, proper, serious, and graceful in combat. So, in a nut shell, I'm going to base this Link's character more on his Twilight Princess counterpart, except not quite as silent.

Since posting the First chapter, I've edited It several times, correcting a few mistakes and wording some parts better. It's a lot more readable now, in my opinion. Be warned that I might do the same to this chapter, and the ones after it as well; It'll probably be next year before I've perfected this story.

One last note. Yes, there will be a small amount of swearing, even if it seems out of character for Link. Imagine, though, that you were in his scenario; I don't care how proper or serious you are, If you see a giant bird holding a girl flying over your Island while having boulders shot at it from a catapult on a pirate ship, you're going to be a bit shocked.

And, that about does It. Expect Chapter three before the 18th.

I will see you next time.

~Jetpak Clam