CHAPTER 1
"You're starting to worry me, Link."
I raise my head from the book I've been reading and blink a few times to make my eyes focus on the door. I see lavender hair, so it must be Vael. "What do you mean?"
Vael sighs. "I've been trying to get your attention for a good five minutes now, and you apparently didn't hear a word I said. I saw your light on and thought you'd forgotten to turn it off, but clearly you're still using it."
"What time is it?" I pull my watch out of my pocket, flip it open, and cringe. It's after nine, now - I meant to leave over three hours ago. So much for watching the sunset; there's not even twilight left now.
I mark my place and close the book, tossing it on my desk before leaning back in my chair and stretching. I spend too much time in here lately. When was the last time I actually left the building while there was still light outside? It's been a couple of weeks, I think.
No, it's been over a month since the Project met at the tavern for our anniversary. The new semester here started two weeks ago; that's why campus is so busy during the day. Time just keeps getting away from me.
"Come on, Link. We should go. I know from experience that these offices are no place to sleep. You'll end up with all kinds of aches and pains."
"I know. It would be easier if we could take these with us." We can't. That's what happens when old books are involved. We're not allowed to remove them from the premises, and I'm lucky enough that this one is allowed to leave the archives; it means I'm not stuck in the basement. "What time does the last bus run?"
He looks out into the hallway. "I've already missed it. Would you be willing to give me a ride?"
"Sure." I load my bag and pull on my jacket. "Are we the last ones here?"
"Aren't we always?"
Not always, but most of the time, yes. I really wish I could take more of my materials home. Then I could work from the comfort of a couch or my bed. Maybe I should use some of my vacation time and just go somewhere. I don't even care where, just somewhere away from my office and the historical studies complex and the museum...
I grab my helmet and we leave, locking the door behind us. It's quiet outside. Of course it is. Everyone else has gone home for the weekend, so both the building and campus itself are empty. Music drifts on the breeze from the taverns and pubs over on University Avenue.
"We should do something one of these weekends," Vael says, looking off towards University Avenue. "We could go to some live music or grab a couple of drinks or something."
"Yeah, we should." I remember that weird vision thing I had at the anniversary party. I really should stop referring to it as a vision; that makes it sound important or prophetic. It was a hallucination, nothing more. Nothing but my imagination, overwhelmed by music and alcohol and possibly something else, manufacturing images to go along with some of the legends that I've studied. Even if some of them don't match.
I don't know why it bothers me so much. But then I don't really know why Chambers calling me 'hero' bothers me so much, either.
"Are you all right?"
"I'm just thinking."
"Ah, I see."
When we reach my motorcycle, I open the tank bag and pull out my riding goggles. "Here you are."
"Thanks." He tucks his glasses into a jacket pocket and then slides the goggles on with practiced ease. I hand him my shoulder bag, climb onto my bike, and slide on my helmet. I feel movement against my back as he climbs on behind me and makes himself comfortable. Once he seems settled, I head out.
Traffic is exactly what I expect it to be: heavy near University Avenue and lighter once we leave campus and Old Town. Well, it's as light as it ever gets in this part of Northcastle; even outside of Old Town, there's always some traffic. I need to decide which way I'm going, don't I? The turnpike is faster time-wise since it cuts across, but it's a little out of the way distance-wise. I know Vael prefers the turnpike because I can go faster and he seems to like it fast, but... No, tonight is one of those nights where I want to try to outrace my thoughts, and I really don't need to be going that fast with a passenger, especially one who insists on not wearing a helmet.
So I stick to the surface streets. The traffic lights are as much of a pain as they always are. I really wish I knew why I always have such bad luck with the lights in this part of town. Even with all of the red lights, it feels like it takes no time at all to get to his apartment complex. I don't really understand. It should feel like more than a couple of minutes, right?
No, I keep losing track of time; this is just me doing it again. I work my way to the tall building at the back of the complex where Vael's apartment is, dodging around the numerous and large speed bumps dotting the parking lot, and ease to a halt in front of his building.
I flip up my visor so I can hear him. "Here we are."
"Thank you, Link. I appreciate it." He gives me back my bag and the goggles; I store the goggles and adjust my shoulder bag so it's snug and comfortable.
"It's all right. I don't mind giving you a ride." I smile, but I know he can't see it with my helmet in the way.
He nods. "I want to make sure you know I'm not trying to take advantage of you."
"I just said it's all right. Besides, I remember what it's like to have to deal with the whims of buses."
Something moves on one of the third floor balconies, something small but fast-moving. I snap my head up for a better look, but I don't see it anymore. Wait, top floor, third from the left... That's Vael's apartment, isn't it?
"Is something wrong?" He turns to follow my gaze.
"I saw something move on your balcony." Is it an animal? It's definitely too small to be a person...
"Ah, it was probably just a Keese."
Huh. It did move like a Keese would, but... "I've seen Keese before, Vael. This looked a little too big for that."
He chuckles. "I'm no stranger to Keese, Link. It's nothing to worry about. It will be back in its little perch by sunrise."
I'm not sure I'd be quite so calm if it was flying around my balcony. Especially since Mikau would practically force me to go outside and chase it away. "You're probably right. I should let you get inside, shouldn't I?" And I shouldn't sit here idling. "See you next week."
"Assuming we don't get together this weekend, you mean. See you later." Vael gives me a wave and heads for the stairs.
I watch him until he opens his door; it feels like someone's watching me back. Once he walks inside, I flip my visor down and leave. I should probably just go home, but... I'm restless. The sky is clear and moonless, the weather is finally starting to cool off slightly, and it's just all around a nice night to be out doing something. This is perfect camping weather, but I don't feel like taking the time to swing by my apartment and load my gear.
Still, I can at least head out to Parapa Desert and stargaze a little. At some point, I should head out to Mount Parapa or the Stone Circle again. I'd much rather go to either of those than the shore; they're peaceful and ancient. It's a weird thought, but they're just comforting places.
The desert isn't quite so comforting, but there's next to no traffic at night, and there are several pull-offs and overlooks and rest areas. The mountains between the desert and Northcastle cut down on the skyglow, too.
Besides, I need to get out of Northcastle and go for a nice, long ride, and this is a perfectly good excuse to do just that. It's silly - I should probably just go home and do something mindless like watch TV - but I need to do something silly before I have another vision.
No, hallucination. That's all it was. And all the parts that seemed so real were just my imagination filling in the gaps in the legends. Nothing more.
"Link, I'm not thinking about this anymore," I mumble into my helmet.
It doesn't take long to reach the edge of town and the Parapa Highway, especially on the turnpike. From here, it's nothing but miles of nearly empty highway between me and the Desert Tunnel. I speed up purely because I can. There's no traffic to dodge or toll booths to navigate, and it's been a long time since I got the chance to just let Epona run. That's a shame, really. All of the time and effort Mido put into making Epona faster and more reliable than the decent-but-not-noteworthy little tourer she was when I bought her, and all I ever do with all that speed and maneuverability is ride around Northcastle, running errands and going back and forth to work.
At least Mido got an incredible senior project out of it.
The highway is practically empty tonight. I haven't seen a single vehicle for miles now. That means there's no harm in opening up the throttle a little bit, is there? My thoughts are still keeping pace; I need to go faster.
It doesn't take long to reach the Desert Tunnel. The lights lining the walls seem bright after driving alone on a dark highway. The Tunnel is completely empty, but of course it is. It's empty for the same reason as the road itself - who travels to or from the little resort villages and state monuments in the Parapa area at night?
Light gleams off something behind me, something moving. Okay then, I'm not the only one in the Tunnel. I hope it's not a highway guardsman; just in case, I slow down to the speed limit. No, it's not a car. It's a motorcycle, a dark motorcycle with all its lights off. The Tunnel itself is well-lit, but the highway itself isn't, so who in their right mind would drive this late with no headlights?
The motorcycle easily catches up to me and starts to go around me, only to pull up beside me and match my speed.
He's pacing me. Why is he pacing me? He caught up to me, so he was clearly speeding a moment ago. Why did he slow down? I only slowed down because I thought his motorcycle was a guardsman's car from a distance...
Light gleams off the rider's helmet as he glances over at me.
I glance back. He's dressed entirely in black, except for the deep red stripe running down the sleeve of his jacket. And now that I can actually get a decent look at it, his motorcycle looks a lot like Epona. Weird. Epona's base model is really hard to find nowadays; I've seen a lot of bikes over the last eight or so years, and I've seen Epona's base all of twice.
He stares at me. I can't see his face, nor he mine, but even with the distance and the lights, I can still feel his gaze locked onto me. Who is he, why does he just so happen to have such a similar bike, and why in Farore's name is he pacing me?
I slow down; he slows down. I speed up; he speeds up. This is starting to get creepy. I cringe inwardly as we reach the end of the tunnel. It's going to be a lot harder keeping track of him now.
Wait, I have the perfect solution. Mido enhanced Epona in practically every way. I can just outrun this guy.
Or at least, I try to outrun him. I keep accelerating, but he accelerates with me, still trying to match my speed. Is he trying to ruin his engine? He has to be redlining that thing just to keep up with me!
Then, finally, he starts falling behind. At first, it's not by much, just enough to let me pull ahead of him, but then he starts losing speed fast. As I pull away from him, he hits his lights and flashes them several times.
I ease to a halt on the side of the road and turn so I can look back at where I last saw him. He managed to reach one of the overlooks; I can see him underneath one of the dim streetlights, his hazard lights blinking. Is he all right? I'm not sure why he stopped. Is it because he wanted to stop, or is he having engine trouble?
I watch him for a few minutes. He doesn't do much. He walks around his bike, kneels beside it at a couple of points, and then starts digging through a saddlebag.
I sigh. I want to say it serves him right. There should be an emergency phone at the tunnel, so he can walk back to it and call for a ride. We left the tunnel moving fast, so we're not exactly next to it. It seems mean to make him walk all the way back. But it serves him right for insisting on pacing me. But that's a long walk, especially if he's pushing his bike...
He's back on his bike by the time I reach him, sitting leisurely in the saddle with his arms loosely crossed and his visor up. I pull up beside him and flip up my visor. I leave Epona running, just in case.
"Do you need a telephone?"
"I'm good."
"Are you sure? Weren't you pushing your bike too hard?"
"Nah. This thing can fly when I want it to. I just felt like stopping, that's all."
Maybe his bike has been upgraded as well? That's certainly possible. It would explain how he could keep pace with me, but it doesn't explain why. "Then why did you turn on your blinkers?"
"I wanted to make sure you could see me." He chuckles. "I knew you'd stop."
"How could you know I'd stop? I don't even know who you are." Did I just say that out loud?
He shrugs. "Like I said, I knew you'd stop."
I narrow my eyes. "Really? Can I ask how you knew that?" Should I leave? All I need to do is throw Epona in gear and go, but I'm curious. Farore help me, I'm more curious than concerned. I unzip my jacket, partly to let some air in and partly to put my knife in easier reach.
"The same way I know you're armed."
"What makes you think I'm the kind of person who carries around a weapon?" How does he know?
He reaches up and pats the right breast of his jacket. "Because I've got a knife right here."
He has a knife, too? How? I had to have my hidden sheath sewn in because I couldn't find any jackets that had one. No, it's still perfectly reasonable. I had a sheath put in, so clearly he could have one put in, too. Knives are small and easily hidden, so they're perfect for this. It's why I have a knife and not something larger; he probably came to a similar conclusion. As for placement, well, it's certainly possible he's left-handed, too.
Certainly possible, and certainly understandable. But it still doesn't answer my question. "So you have a knife. That doesn't explain why you think I'm riding around armed."
"It doesn't? Hm. I could've sworn it did." He shrugs. "Eh, whatever. I'm not planning on whipping out a blade, for what it's worth."
That would be a lot more reassuring if I knew whether or not I could trust him.
"Hey, I just said I'm not going to attack you. Mind turning that thing off so we can talk?"
He wants to talk? Is that why he wanted me to stop? Now that I think about it, it does make sense, in a way. We've got similar bikes, and we're both out riding at the same weird time. He isn't acting hostile, and besides, if he knows I'm armed, too, then he knows I can defend myself.
Or maybe I'm just trying to rationalize why I'm still here. I sigh to myself and turn off Epona. "So what do you want to talk about?"
He pulls off his helmet, shaking his shoulder-length black hair free. His skin is dark. His eyes are red and vivid in the streetlight, noticeable even from my bike. I don't think I know him, but I swear I've seen that face before...
He sees me staring and grins; his smile practically glows compared to the night around us. "You okay over there?"
"Do I know you?"
"You just might." He climbs off his bike, unzips his jacket, and stretches. "So. What brings you out to the desert this time of night?"
I knowI've seen him. On campus, maybe? "I could ask you the same thing."
"Ah, but I asked first."
I slide my helmet off and rest it on my tank bag. No real point leaving it on now; I know what he looks like, and he seems to know me, even if it's just in passing. All my helmet is doing right now is making me sweaty.
"I just felt like a good ride," I say. That's a good mix of being truthful and leaving out important details.
"Yeah, I know that feeling. I'm on my way to Parapa Temple to check on some stuff."
"Parapa Temple?" Okay, that is not a name I hear people using outside of old texts.
"Huh? Oh, damn, sorry. I've got a really bad habit of calling places by their old names. I meant Mount Parapa."
I shake my head. "It's all right; I knew what you meant. I'm just not used to hearing people call it that. Everyone considers it a mountain."
"Yeah, I know. I keep calling it a temple, and people keep looking at me like I'm an idiot." He grins. "Good to know I'm not the only one who knows my history."
"It's less history and more legend, really." Ganon's Slayer turned six temples overrun with monsters into mountains to seal away the evil within. It's one of many seemingly-impossible tasks he's said to have performed. "You don't really seem like someone who'd be interested in old stories."
"Eh, I don't have much faith in old stories. They always exaggerate the boring parts and downplay all the fun." He walks over to stand next to Epona's front tire.
The exaggeration part I can agree with; even stories based in fact are ultimately stories, and most people want their stories to be entertaining. "What do you mean, 'downplay all the fun'?"
"Well, see, the stories love talking about how the hero could do all of these incredible things - shatter boulders with his bare hands, make solid walls out of sand, see things no one else can see, shrink himself to fit through a keyhole, call down lightning or fire, set off an earthquake by stabbing the ground - but they never say how he managed to pull off any of them."
Those aren't all the same hero. He's referencing Ganon's Slayer and several older legends at the same time. "He's the Chosen Hero, right? I've always assumed he used magic."
"Hah! He wasn't that good with magic."
Why does he say that like he's talking about a friend? "What?"
"Well, it's usually the princess who's good with magic, right? And you can't hear about the hero without hearing about his sword, so he has to be more of a warrior than a mage."
"You've really thought this out, haven't you?" How much time has he devoted to this? He really doesn't look like someone who'd put this much effort into it... Then again, I probably don't, either.
He must be a student. I bet that's why he looks familiar. I probably pass him in the historical studies building all the time, though shouldn't I remember him better? I don't know.
"Eh, what can I say? It's a topic that's near and dear to my heart."
That's an odd way to phrase it, but I can understand the sentiment. "I can tell. There aren't many people with a personal interest in history or the hero's legends. Most people don't even realize there's more than one hero in the legends."
He laughs. "Yeah. Y'know, that's why I wanted to talk to you. We can swap stories. What do you think?"
"I don't know if I've got any interesting stories."
"You can tell me about what you do at work. I'm interested."
I shake my head. "There's not much to tell. Lately I've been doing a lot of translating."
"Really? And here I thought you had an exciting job." He grins. "I would've thought you spent your time out searching for whatever the heroes left behind."
I sigh and look down at my helmet. "I want to, but I don't know where anything is. And even if I did, I can't risk wandering around dangerous, crumbling ruins in the middle of nowhere by myself." And who am I supposed to take with me? I really don't think I can convince anyone else that it's worth the risk.
"I know where to look. I can show you things that would make the Royal Historian jealous, and I can watch your back so you don't get hurt exploring them."
"What kind of things?"
"The old, decaying dungeon where Ganon fell. A lonely island with a palace hidden within its stones. The Great Palace that once housed the Triforce of Courage." He grins at me. "Maybe I've even seen the hero's sword."
Then that means it does still exist! But only if he's telling the truth. Anyone can say they've seen it, but that doesn't mean anything. As for the others... Having concrete places behind the legends would certainly help me connect the tales to history, but... just like with the Hero's Blade, anyone can claim that these places exist out there somewhere...
None of it is proof. I want to believe him, but... I just can't."Those are some bold claims you're making. If you know where the Great Palace and the Hero's Blade are, why not tell someone? Any one of those would be the find of a lifetime, so why would you sit on that?"
"Why indeed?" He gives me an odd look, as if he expects me to know his answer. "Maybe I'd rather keep it my personal secret."
"Then why tell me?"
"Isn't it obvious? I want to let you in on the secret."
I cross my arms. "This has to be some kind of a trick. The thought that we would just randomly meet up like this, and you just happen to be claiming to find not one but several of the things that prove the legends real, and you're willing to tell me about them, and..." Not just little things, either, no. Actual physical places and the very sword that slew Ganon. Does he realize what that would mean? I'd have proof that the legends were based on real events and that there really was a hero who wielded a sacred blade.
"There's no way this is a coincidence."
He shrugs. "Maybe it's destiny."
"Do you really think I'm going to fall for something like that?" I sigh. "I don't appreciate being tricked, and I really don't appreciate that you think I'm stupid enough to fall for that!" He probably thinks this is funny, doesn't he? Is he one of Ralph's friends? This whole thing seems a little too cruel to be Ralph's idea, but I can't think of anyone else I know who would pull something like this.
"This isn't a trick. I mean it. I've seen all of those things. I can show them to you."
I groan and pull my helmet back on. "I've heard enough. Tell Ralph that if he ever does this again, I'm going to stop holding Vael back." I mean that, too. Ralph can just take whatever tongue-lashing Vael wants to give him. Besides, it's not like Vael's going to hurt anything but his ego, and if this is Ralph's idea of a joke, then he deserves to be taken down a peg or two.
"Whoa, hang on." He holds his hands up. "I'm not here because someone put me up to this. What if I have proof, Link? Would you still leave?"
That changes things. If he actually does have proof of what he's claiming, then... No, I shouldn't get ahead of myself. This is just a prank. "Do you have proof?"
"Well, I don't have the Great Palace in my back pocket or anything, but..." He pulls something out of one of his saddlebags and holds it out to me. "Here. This is a start."
It's a bracelet, a bright red-orange cuff with a white inset. I reach out and take it, and then I almost drop it. It's magical, really magical - I can feel it humming through my gloves! "Wh-what is this?"
"It used to belong to a hero."
I want to believe that. I really do. I shouldn't be able to feel the magic at all with my riding gloves on; why does a bracelet have this much magic on it? But I also need to keep my wits about me. "I can't just take that claim on face value."
"I'm not asking you to. Take it with you. Give it a good, long look. Figure out what it does. Then you'll see what I mean."
He wants me to take it with me? "You're just giving me this?"
"I'm letting you borrow it."
"If this is what you say it is, then..."
"We'll worry about that later. Give it back to me next time we run into each other, and until then, you can examine it to your heart's content."
This is absurd. He claims this belonged to one of Hyrule's heroes, but he's treating it like I'm borrowing his spare jacket or something. Is this really happening? "Next time we run into each other? When will that be?"
He shrugs. "Eh, I figure it won't be that long. I mean, I see you around here and there, even if you don't notice me."
He knows I've got some connection to the university. He can easily see my little golden University of Hyrule parking sticker from where he's standing. Come to think of it... I glance over at his windscreen; yes, he has a matching sticker. Yes, I'm right. That must be where I've seen him before. "You're a student, right?"
"I take a couple of classes, yeah. Like I just said, I see you around."
"Okay. Are you sure you're all right with this? What if I damage it?"
"If I didn't want you touching it, I wouldn't have handed it to you, would I? I know I can trust you with it."
"How? I don't even know your name!"
He grins again. "My friends all call me Dark. It'll work for now. Besides, if I don't tell you my real name, that gives you another reason to meet me again."
As if giving him back what he's lending me isn't reason enough? I'm really confused. This still doesn't make sense. Whether this is what he claims or not, where did he find something like this? "Why are you doing this?"
"Because I want to. Do I need another reason?"
"I just..." This doesn't make sense.
"Yeah, I know. It's a pretty big thing to just spring on you like this." He shrugs and zips up his jacket. "It's the only thing I've got on me."
"You mean you have more?"
"I have all the proof you could ever want that the hero really existed, as long as you're willing to accept it." He doesn't sound like he's bragging; he's just stating a fact.
Is this a trick? Or does he really mean that? If he's telling the truth about the places he's been, then what other artifacts does he have?
No, I'm getting ahead of myself. "Let me examine this first."
"That's fine. I'll see if I can find something else for when you're done with the bracelet."
"I'm not promising anything."
"The only thing you need to promise me, Link, is that you'll examine that bracelet. If it doesn't interest you, then I won't bother you any more. If it does interest you, well... Like I said, I've got plenty more where that came from." He climbs back onto his bike. "I should get going. I still need to get to Parapa Temple, and you probably want to get home."
He's leaving, just like that? I guess that really is all he can do. I can't believe anything he says without proof, and I can't accept the supposed proof I'm holding until I know more about it. I don't know his name; I don't know how he knows me; I don't know anything about him except what he claims. That should bother me more, shouldn't it?
"Wait! When are we going to meet up? You can't just be expecting us to run into each other somewhere."
"Actually, I was, but if you'd rather set the date, then..." He drums his fingers against the handlebars. "Hmm. Let me think... It'd probably be easier for you if we met near campus. We could meet up for a meal and some conversation." Why does he say that like we're going on a date? "So, what's a good time for you?"
I shake my head. "Shouldn't I ask you that? As long as I don't have any meetings, I can take a break whenever I want. You've got classes, right? When do you have time?"
He looks at me and laughs. "All right, if you're going to leave it up to me... How about Midweek at 1 pm? That time work for you?"
Midweek... that gives me four days to examine the bracelet; that should be enough time to figure out something about it. And I don't have any meetings until the end of the week. "I can do that."
"Good. So, how about we meet at the King's Town Tavern?"
That's close enough to campus that I could walk; that makes it easier. "That's fine."
"All right, then." He grins. "It's a date."
"This isn't a date. I'm only meeting you because of this." I hold up the bracelet.
He grins broader. "You never know. You might end up enjoying spending time with me. See you in a few days, Link." He pulls on his helmet, starts his bike, and rides off towards Mount Parapa.
I watch his lights disappear into the distance. Was he flirting with me? Is that what all of this is about? But he seems to know a lot about the legends, too, so... I look down at the bracelet. This will all make so much more sense once I figure out what magic this bracelet holds and how old it is. I can't prove it belonged to anyone in particular, but it's clearly powerful. I just need to determine that it's old enough and that it might be connected... just enough to show that Dark could be telling the truth.
And then I'll go from there. If he is telling me the truth, then there are a lot of questions he'll need to answer. If he's lying, then... I slide the bracelet into my tank bag. If he's lying, I'll give him back his bracelet and tell him to stop bothering me.
I slap my visor into place and start Epona. I don't know what to think about this. This seems too convenient, too coincidental, too suspicious. This happened for a reason; I'm sure of it. I just need to figure out what that reason is.
I pull out onto the highway and head towards Northcastle. First thing is to get back to my apartment and give the bracelet a good once-over under better lighting. Vael can tell me how old the magic on it is and hopefully give me some idea of what it does. Then I can compare it to the legends, and... well, I'll see what happens from there.
Even though I don't see any lights behind me, I keep checking my mirrors. He claims he's heading out to Parapa, but I wouldn't exactly be surprised if I saw Dark following me. Why is he doing this?
No, I need to stop focusing on the questions I can't answer. All that's going to do is frustrate me. I'm going to try not to dwell on this. I'm just going to go home, grab something to eat, and get some sleep. The last thing I need is to stress myself out over this when I have a plan.
Everything's under control.
I get all the way to the edge of Northcastle before it hits me: How does Dark know my name?
Did I tell him my name? I don't remember mentioning it, but... No, I'm sure I didn't tell him. But he called me by name, more than once, even. How does he know?
I spend the rest of the ride home trying and failing to answer that.
The apartment is dark and empty when I get there. Oh, right; Mikau is out playing a show, so he probably won't be back until tomorrow. I turn on the light and lock the door behind me, and then I kick off my boots and toss my jacket over a chair.
So much about Dark and our meeting just doesn't make sense. Just who is he, and how does he know me? And why does he seem familiar?
I groan. I'm not getting anywhere with this. Instead, I wander into the kitchen. There's still pizza. Good, I don't feel like cooking after all of that. I grab a couple of slices and take them into my room. I know I should eat in the kitchen, but I'd rather just eat at my desk so I can examine the bracelet at the same time.
The bracelet isn't a watch; there's no timepiece. It's carved out of a single piece of some kind of red stone streaked with shades of orange. I think it's agate. Here and there, thin bands of gold or rose gold are wrapped around it, and inset in the center is a large, oval-shaped white stone. It's opal; I know that sheen anywhere.
It's definitely unusual. I've only seen bracelets carved out of a single piece of stone a few times before, and those have all been considerably thinner and free of any other ornamentation. It doesn't seem damaged at all, but if this belonged to a hero, then it has to be several hundred years old. Shouldn't it have at least a few scratches?
And why is there so much magic on it? I don't think I've ever heard of a piece of jewelry this heavily enchanted. Maybe some of the magic protects it from damage? I know that can be done, but what else can it do? Who enchants a bracelet?
I can't answer these questions until I know more about the magic. There's no way I'm calling Vael this time of night, but maybe he can look it over for me this weekend. I don't think I want to show this to anyone else until I have a better idea what is happening, but I can trust Vael.
I should sketch this, just for my own records. It might just be habit, but... This feels important. I can't explain why, but at this point, I'm just going to accept that and not question it. Not tonight, at least.
My good color pencils are still here, aren't they? Yes, here they are. Good. Hopefully sketching this can help clear my head a little.
I work on my sketch until my eyes get heavy and my vision starts blurring. Then I rub my eyes and lean back in my chair with a yawn. It feels late. A check of my watch confirms that - it's almost three. I shouldn't still be awake.
I stretch and yawn again. There's not much else I can do with tired eyes, so I'm done for the night. I change out of my work clothes, turn off the light, and flop into bed. Sleep sounds good, and if I'm lucky, things will start making sense tomorrow.
xXx
"Oh, joy, the Lizalfos are still here. Why haven't we just burned these damned walls yet?"
He insists on calling them that on purpose; I know he does. I don't know if he's trying to annoy me or if he just prefers it. "The walls were here long before the Geru claimed them. I don't know who built the walls or why, and since the Geru don't attack anyone else..."
"I don't care if they attack anyone else, Link. They attack us, and I'm sick of dealing with their shit. Seriously, just let me raze the damned walls and be done with it."
"How many of them are back there, Dark? They might be waiting for us to breach the walls so they can rush us." I sigh. "And the smoke will make it a lot harder for me to see where they are."
"Lizalfos are too stupid to set a trap."
"And yet they're smart enough to set an ambush." Granted, it'shard to call itan ambush at this point. We know exactly where they are, and we know exactly how they're going to attack: as soon as we get close enough, they'll start throwing rocks over the wall at us. They do this every time we pass through here. I don't know why they lurk here waiting for us to pass. I know they want to kill me, but I don't understand why they keep waiting here. It just doesn't seem like the best plan, especially since I'm still alive.
"Let's see how they like dodging rocks." He lifts the biggest rock he can find over his head and starts walking towards the wall. It's more of a boulder, really.
"Must you do that?"
Apparently he must. He keeps walking towards the wall. The Geru watch him; a couple of them throw rocks at him, but the rocks bounce off of the boulder he's carrying.
He yells and hurls the boulder. It crashes through the top of the wall, punching a hole in the top edge before slamming into at least three Geru and knocking them from their perches. The other Geru just stare at where their allies fell.
Since they're all distracted, I take the chance to run past the wall. A couple of the Geru at the far end throw rocks at me, but neither rock gets close enough to hit me. Dark isn't as lucky; he turns to follow me, but one of the Geru shrieks and the others all start raining rocks down at him.
"Dark!"
xXx
The sound of ringing wakes me up. I blink up at the ceiling. What was that? Just a dream? It seemed... familiar.
I sit up and look around at my room. I know where I am, but the dream was so vivid that my bedroom seems strange and unfamiliar. That was just a dream. Sometimes dreams feel real, don't they?
Then why doesn't it feel like a dream? It feels more like remembering something I haven't thought about in a long time. That shouldn't be possible. How can something I've never done feel like an old memory?
I still hear ringing. I think it's the telephone, but I really don't feel like getting up and going all the way out front to answer it. Instead, I fall back onto my pillow. Just leave a message, whoever you are, and I'll call you back later. I need a chance to collect my thoughts and wake up.
The dream and last night are blurring together in my head. How much of what I remember actually happened? Maybe it's all a figment of my imagination? After all, it won't be my first hallucination.
I climb out of bed and stretch. My watch says it's almost noon; I didn't sleep as late as I thought I would've. Then again, I think the telephone woke me up, so if not for it, I'd still be asleep.
I pull on some jeans and the first shirt I find. As I do, I notice a red loop on my desk. It's the bracelet. The magic on it hums against my hand before I even pick it up, and once I do, it practically vibrates against my palm.
It wasn't a dream. It really happened. I really met Dark, and he really gave me this bracelet to examine, and he says he knows where the Great Palace and the Hero's Blade are. What else does he know?
Who is this Dark, and what does he want from me?
