Ilia was stunned by his forwardness, but eagerly returned the kiss. The two eased apart, smiling tenderly at each other, before going in again, for more heated, passionate kisses. Both knew how long they had waited for this moment, and boy, was it worth it. Melting into each her, Link tightened his grip around her waist, and Ilia moved her arms up and around his head, never wanting to let go.
Their little moment was quietly interrupted by Epona snorting, who had carried on into the spring water, awaiting her wash. Link broke off the kiss, leaning Ilia's head against his shoulder, and glared at Epona. "Can't you wait? We're sort of… busy here." Epona tossed her mane, her message clear. Link sighed playfully, and gave Ilia another short kiss. "You want to wash her? I've got one thing I need to do around the woods…"
"What do you mean?" Ilia asked, gazing up him.
"I gained many items during my travels…" Link began, gently rubbing Ilia's back. "Some more useful than others, but I have one item that is not mine alone. It belongs to the hero, in whatever incarnation he comes, so I must return it, for future use."
"What is it?"
Link sighed and gestured with one arm towards his back. "The Master Sword. My task is done; I should return it, to rest until it is needed again. That means going to the sacred grove… and facing the skull kid again…" he shuddered at the thought of the skull kid's smiling face.
Ilia cocked her head in confusion, as if to ask more, but was stopped by a now impatient Epona. Link chuckled, and gave her a final kiss. "I'll explain later, ok? I've got to go, girlfriend…" he teased, before casually walking out of the spring, leaving a flushed Ilia and deeply irritated Epona.
Link walked slowly into Ordon village, a huge burden off his chest. He had been thinking about kissing Ilia for a long time, but never knew when it would happen. The sun was still in the sky, but was on its way down for the day, only a couple of hours before night. He walked past his house, and caught sight of Colin, pointing into the forest with Rusl standing behind him.
"I saw something dad!" Colin was saying. "It was sort of… hovering there."
"I doubt it son…" Rusl sighed. "Getting paranoid?"
"No!" Colin protested. "I know I saw something staring at me with open eyes…" With this he turned around to protest further, but stopped when he saw Link standing there, his eyes widening. "Link!"
Rusl turned as well, and broke into a wide grin. "Well, well, you finally did it! Welcome home, Link!"
"Thanks guys!" Link replied, smiling. "I've done everything that needs to be done, apart from something I need to return. I'll be able to talk more once I've gone to the lost woods."
"Can I come with you, Link?" Colin asked, catching Link off guard.
"Sorry Colin," Link said gravely, giving him warning eyes. "This is a final task that needs to be done 'alone', understand? I'll happily talk later."
Colin looked disappointed, but nodded, looking down.
"Get back soon, then." Rusl said as he clapped his hand on Link's shoulder, before whispering in his ear, "Ilia was waiting for you…"
"Oh yeah, I know…" Link replied, smirking. He got a mischievous grin from Rusl, and then carried on into the woods.
Before long, Link made his way into the sacred grove, the resting place of the Master Sword, and ruins of the ancient Temple of Time. He shuddered, remembering the fight with Armogohma, and all the spiders. That had creeped him out. He slowly walked past the guardians, mercifully asleep. Slowly walking up the steps, he started unsheathing the Master Sword. He looked at its shining edge, its purple handle. So many fiends ended their lives at the tip of the blade, yet it always shone brightly, especially after he had plunged it into Ganondorf's chest.
Approaching the pedestal, he glanced around the silent grove, the sun slowly dimming behind the trees. A single ray of light was shining on the pedestal, as if guiding Link in. He stopped, and raised the Master Sword upwards, steadying himself. "Farewell, old friend," he thought, and then brought the weapon down.
Sword now intact, the pedestal emitted bright white light, partially blinding Link temporarily, forcing him to shut his eyes. The light dimmed, and Link opened his eyes, stepping back. As if he had never moved it, the Master Sword now slept, ready for the next hero. Link smiled, looking up at the sky, now darkening. Ceremoniously, he turned around slowly, and walked out of the grove, alone. Or so he thought.
Bored, Majora's mask had decided to test its newly found power. It spiralled in the air, and summoned a shadow of itself, a clone. Seeing everything that the shadow saw, Majora sent it out into the surrounding woods, to scout the area, and cause mayhem. What it didn't expect to find was a village, and several young children.
Link stopped, and got his bag out, searching for the Ordon Sword, which he had stowed in the bag after getting the Master Sword. "Better this than no sword at all…" he thought. "Although I probably won't need it…"
As soon he said this, his hand closed around a familiar handle, and he pulled the sword out. Strapping it to his back, he set off again in a jog, night closing in fast. He heard shouting ahead, and thought that Beth or Malo had probably spotted him. Looking ahead, he was shocked at the sight that he saw. A giant floating mask was advancing towards a small figure on the ground, who was trying to crawl away, but was stuck. He heard adult voices shouting at the figure to get away. "Colin, run!" he heard Rusl and Fado shout.
"SILENCE!" the mask hissed, stunning the villagers. "I take this one. He 'intrigues me..." It released a long slimy tendril, reaching towards Colin's foot.
"Don't take him!" he heard a familiar female voice shout. Ilia?
"I take who I please!" the Mask shouted, about to wrap around Colin's trapped foot. Link snarled, and reached back into his pouch, withdrawing his ball and chain. "Time to smash that thing…" he thought, and started quietly circling the heavy ball.
The tendril had nearly wound itself around the now petrified Colin when Link charged forward, yelling, and unleashed the ball and chain. The heavy ball slammed into the shadowy mask, flinging it backwards. A fire was on in the middle of the town, probably celebrating Link's return, but right now Link thanked it, as it illuminated the monstrosity before him. The mask had been thrown backwards, but was back up and shaking violently, it's spikes extending.
"You dare stand up against Majora?" the Mask screamed, before lunging at Link, tendrils blazing. It whipped two tendrils forward, attempting to wrap around Link's legs. Link had already leapt up, the tendrils snapping at thin air. Link dropped the ball and chain, unsheathing the Ordon Sword and Hylain shield. He bashed the mask backwards with his shield in mid-air, the fire showing the cracks in the mask. The Mask was flung back towards the ground, tendrils writhing Link wasted no time in going straight into a fatal blow, driving the Ordon Sword straight through the cracked mask. The mask's tendrils stopped moving, and the whole body started fading to black, dissolving. Link leapt backwards in a flip, ripping the sword out with him. He landed, and lifted his shield in a defensive stance, the Ordon Sword pointing out to his side, protecting. The mask had now faded into the ground, and disappeared.
Link sheathed the Ordon sword, and looked down at Colin, who had fainted from fear. He heard Rusl rushing forward, picking him up. Rusl shot Link a grateful look, but just hurried back into the village, back home. He heard soft footsteps behind him, and he turned. He saw Ilia, standing wide-eyed, along with Mayor Bo, Fado and the rest of the villagers.
"What, what was that?" Ilia asked, trembling. Link walked over to her, drawing her into a tight hug. "I have no idea." He whispered, kissing the top of her head gently. "But it sure wasn't friendly."
"Link!" Bo's voice boomed over. "I would have welcomed you home earlier, but it seems like there is a more pressing matter. We need to know what that thing was…"
"It said it was called Majora when I smashed it with my ball and chain." Link replied, stroking Ilia's hair. "Speaking of which…", he continued, breaking of Ilia's hug. He walked over to where he had dropped his ball and chain, and put it back in his bag. He paused, thinking. "It would be safest if all the kids were with someone at all times now…" he sighed. "I know everyone here wouldn't want to risk losing one of them to that… thing."
"I agree." Fado replied, stepping forwards. "We all saw the look of terror on Colin's face, and after all they have been through, they deserve comfort."
"It will also help if we get more information on what exactly this 'Majora' is." Link replied, walking back over to Ilia. "The more information we know, the better we can defend against it. Problem is, there isn't anywhere near hear which would have that kind of information. Apart from…" Link paused, realising the implications of what he was about to say.
"Where?" Bo asked, although he needn't have, seeing the look of distraught coming onto Ilia's face.
"Don't say it…" she whispered tearfully. "Don't leave!"
"Hyrule Castle." Link finished grimly. "The Princess will know something about this. But that means me leaving, already." He heard Ilia sob, but continued. "Probably best if I were to leave in the morning, so I can get to Castle Town by noon…"
"I'm so sorry Link." Bo replied, reaching out to clap his shoulder. "You've only just got here…"
"I care too much about Ordon…" Link began, before he glimpsed Ilia run off towards the spring. "I'll leave tomorrow morning!" he shouted, chasing after her. "I'm going after Ilia!"
Link ran past a bemused Epona, who was waiting idly by his treehouse. She snorted, sensing the danger that had just occurred. For the time, Link ran past her and into the spring. He slowed down, seeing Ilia sitting down by the water's edge, head in her hands. Quietly, he walked over, and sat down next to her, pulling his arm around her. She moved into his lap, her head drooping sadly onto his shoulder. "Why do you have to go?" she cried, pulling him close. "I thought we would have time together, rather than a few hours…"
Link interrupted her by kissing her fiercely, which she responded similarly. Link pulled away briefly, whispering 'I'm sorry…', before Ilia pulled him back in. They stayed like that a while, consoling each other, before Ilia began to grow cold. "I'll take you home…" Link whispered, before pulling her up and carrying her. Slowly, he began trudging back to her home, when an idea popped into his head. "Do you want to come with me tomorrow?"
"What do you mean?" Ilia asked, wiping a tear away.
"I mean, coming with me to Castletown tomorrow, and meeting the Princess for information." He whispered. "Plus, I could also get you anything from the markets, plus visit Telma, since she will by dying to see you…"
Ilia perked up at the possibility of spending more time with Link. "If my father thinks it is safe, I will come with you…" she replied happily, kissing him gently.
Back by the portal, Majora's mask hissed. Its shadow had been defeated by a youth. Clad... in green. Could it be? The hero he sought to destroy? While contemplating this, Ghirahim appeared in front of him, a deep scowl chiselled into his face. "No sign of the hero in Castletown, or any other region. A few people saw me, but they were too terrified to come up to me."
"Well, it seems like I have a remedy to our solution…" Majora spoke, intriguing Ghirahim. "I created a shadow of myself to scout out the local woods, and came across a village. As I was about to 'test' my powers on one urchin, a youth wearing a green tunic managed to defeat it.
Ghirahim began to smile. "Now it would seem fit that this youth would go and seek advice on what he saw. And where better than the wielder of the Triforce of Wisdom?"
"What about the village?" Majora asked. "I wish…"
"We can get more out of it if we follow this 'hero', and see where he goes tomorrow." Ghirahim leered, flicking a hand through his white hair. "Let's see if he truly is the one we seek revenge on. Oh, I dearly hope so!"
A/N: Alright, a lot happened in this chapter. I also put the rating down to T for the time being, may change as the story goes on.