Chapter Two: A Phoenix Rising

"She comes from the ashes of time, her fate intertwined with that of her hero."

Three months had crawled by, not a thing. Not a single lead. Link was baffled by the fact he hadn't found a shred of information; sure some elder in the Gerudo Desert had another line of the legend for him, but that was nothing – hardly a lead at all. It was night, and by this time Link was comfortably seated atop a bar stool in the Osterf's tavern. The smell of smoke and alcohol was over powering, choking the oxygen from the occupants lungs.

"What'll you have tonight Link?" came the familiar voice. He could see him though his eyes did not move from their distant gaze upon the hardwood counter top. The man before him was tall, rather slender and handsome, he had shoulder-length black hair and brown eyes. "The usual?" the note in his voice seemed a little on the worrisome side as he poised his hands over the ingredients to make the poisonous concoction.

Link smiled as if he knew what the man was thinking. "No, just a small glass of vodka, Devea." He waved his hand a little, dropping a few golden coins onto the cherry-oak fashioned bar. The man seemed surprised by Link's request, but he did not question him, for that Link was thankful for. The memories of being trashed everyday wasn't something he was exactly proud of now. Where the hell am I going to find this girl? He pulled from the leather embroidered satchel at his side, the Phoenix engraved pendant that was safely tucked into it's confides. It seems to hold some intense mystery about it… the glittering of the gold held Link's attention intensely.

The sound of glass against wood.

He looked up suddenly, his concentration shattered as the drink he ordered arrived. "Link! Hey buddy how the hellhave you been?" Link rolled his eyes in irritation – Kiron. "Damn, it's been ages since I have seen you floating around in here." Kiron was the local barkeep, he owned several of the bars here in the Hyrule Market, though he was not as well built as Defta was, the man was kind and had always had an eye out for Link ever since he was a small child. Kiron pulled himself up atop the bar stool next to Link; he was a rather large man, and generally wore an apron over his dark colored clothes. "Any luck with your search yet?"

"No." Link replied in a dejected sort of way – as if he was disgusted with matter. "Not a damned thing. A little bit more to the legend, but nothing more then that, you heard anything?" His lips caressed the smooth glass rim of the vodka, as if he was unsure if he should really take a sip. Alcohol and Link really didn't mix well, and he always seemed to fall into a pit when he started again…

Kiron turned his emerald colored eyes toward Link, studying intensely… thinking. "For once," he paused taking the small glass of vodka from Links palm before he continued. "I have, ever hear of the weeping maiden?" A short smile flashed across his thin lips, as he awaited Link's reply. He wasn't surprised that Kiron took the glass from him, and in fact, he was a bit grateful. "No, tell me more…" Link crossed his arms across his chest, watching him with an arched brow.

The friendly barkeep smiled in delight as he continued his story. "'Other night, we had some guy in here raving about a statue in the woods, right outside the Gerudo Desert. Anyway, this guy, swearing up and down she is carved out of a cliff face just as perfectly as if she were a 'livin' breathin' creature!" Kiron paused trying to contain his excitement, and to lower his voice. "She weeps." Link was a little confused, and surprised by his friend's answer to his problem. "She cries, then?"

"Yes Link, but you do not understand me, she literally cries. Watery tears, the sounds of sobbing." Kiron was trying to make his point clearer to Link as quickly as possible. "Take your pendant there and go to the rock maiden in the woods just outside Gerudo Desert. Perhaps there you will find some more clues to what you're looking for." Slowly and with a subtle grunt the barkeep stood from the stool to returned to his duties.

A grin came over Links face. "Thanks Kiron." The man simply waved to him from behind as he began to deal with some unruly guests. Gathering up his things, placing the Phoenix pendant back into the pouch from which it came, Link exited the busy tavern, and slipped into the deserted streets of the empty market. He walked with a new found confidence, Kiron had probably stopped him from making a horrible mistake, and at the same time he received information that he couldn't have found anywhere else in all of Hyrule!

First he would need to return to the castle stables and retrieve Epona from her stall. He would travel back to the boarder of Gerudo Desert and look for this woman carved out of the cliff face. The town was unnaturally quiet as he strode casually down the abandoned streets, everyone having gone inside for bed. There wasn't even a breeze to be carried through the evening air… this bothered Link intensely for some reason, and he wasn't sure why. Finally, he reached the stables, Epona happily whinnying for the return of her master.

"Hey there girl." He whispered, undoing the latch to the barn Link entered the dimly-lit structure. "I think we're ready to head out here pretty quick…" He spied a bag full of carrots and other such essential forms of sustenance for his loving friend; pulling the bag from its resting place, Link attached it to the inside of a random pocket. Patting Epona down, he inspected the saddle, making perfectly clear that it was all in order before he mounted. Pulling a heavy silk lined woolen cloak from the hook, Link pulled his leather riding gloves over his fingers as he began to lead Epona from the stables. The air was thick and chilly protection to keep warm was paramount.

You wont find her… from the shadows came a voice, a male voice, subtle and smooth, it chilled Link right down to the bone. Snapping his head around, he saw a figure shrouded in darkness and only moments before he was sure he had been alone…. Dark forces were at work here. "What did you say?" Link managed to snap back at the shadowy mass. You wont find her. this time the voice was more firm with his venomous tone.

Though Link had not dismounted, he was ready to at any moment should the figure make any slight movements. "Who are you? Who do you think you are?" He glared toward the unmoving figure. I am Zelda's tormentor. The voice became light hearted, as if it took pleasure in the fact, a low sadistic chuckle just barely audible escaped the unseen lips. For a moment, he was unable to comprehend what that meant. "You're…" Link's voice trailed, his hands becoming numb and his muscles like jello.

I am… and wither you like it or not… I will be watching you, very, very closely.With the abruptness of the voice, Link knew he was gone, the dark presence let alone the chilling temperature was now gone. Shaken, Link wasn't sure what to make of the warning. Was it really Zelda's killer, or someone playing games? He wasn't really in the kind of mood to find out, nor was he simply going to brush the warning off. All he was really interested in was getting to that cliff, for the moment - it was all that mattered. Link tore out of the palace stables his fingers clenching the reins of the stead beneath him, he was angry with himself now. If it really was Zelda's tormentor, he foolishly let him get away. No matter... eventually they would meet again if it was...

It was nearly dawn of that morning when Link reached the small clearing just beyond the boarder of the Gerudo Desert. That damned Kiron… Link thought to himself, the cliff was nowhere near where he said it was supposed to be… But sure enough, there she was. Her body was beautifully carved from the cliff, her facial expression contorted into one of sorrow, and pain. She seemed to be trying to pull from her rocky prison, her hands a feet lost somewhere inside the mountain. The gown she wore was an off shoulder-lacy thing that was form fitting and well shaped. When Link arrived the statue was not crying but as he neared the lovely lady of the rock, she began to shed tears, crystalline, and blue they rolled down the mournful expression she wore.

As Link farther approached the statue, the tears slowly turned to that of crimson, with each and every step he got closer they turned to tears of blood. The sobbing came shortly after the tears started, they were soft and subtle, but as he moved closer they began to grow in sharpness and intensity. Just as he stopped his tracks, the tears that fell to the earth now hissed with furry as if they burned red hot. A little taken back, Link recoiled, trying to keep the spirit that obviously inhibited this statue, happy. "Please, dear maiden of stone, I mean you no harm."

She spoke, though her lips did not move, nor did she stop her sobbing in between. You come, just as he said you would…

"Just as who said I would?" Link was puzzled, but stood his ground.

The man… in shadow… her voice was just above a whisper.

He was stunned, this man did mean to put a stop to his search. Well whom ever this man was, Link was not about to let him interfere with his mission. "I promise I mean you no harm… I actually come seeking your help. Please, I beg of you, who ever this man was, whatever this man said, I did not come here to bare you any ill-will."

There was a great pause before the spirit answered him again, she sure did take her time in deciding. And to whom is it…. I am speaking…?

"My name is Link, of the forest people, I am barer of the Master Sword and the Triforce of Courage…"

The Hero of Time. Tell me, oh hero… what is your request?

Again Link was puzzled by her sudden willingness to help. "And what prompts you to be so accommodating?" the question was a bit blunt, but it wasn't like Link to beat around the bush, so to speak.

She needs you.

Turning his head to one side, he relaxed a little. "She who? The woman I am supposed to be searching for? The new Princess of Hyrule?" His hands that lay at his sides, where now balled to fists in nervous habit. The shrill tone of his voice made it quite obvious of his anxious excitement.

The spirit no longer wept, and she even chuckled at this. Yes. her reply was simple, and she offered no extension. So Link pressed the matter.

The question seemed to roll off his tongue before he even knew he'd said it. "Where do I find her?" the tone was desperate, it was a kind of desperation he had not experienced in his life before this moment.

She will find you. The spirit had directly quoted Zelda, just as she had spoken from his dreamy premonition.

Link glared at her in an aggravated fashion before retorting. "That isn't good enough! I need to know where she is!"

Once more the spirit took her time in answering Link, and for a moment Link wasn't sure if she was going to answer him at all. She is trapped.slowly a blue-glowing tear dropped to the earth, and as it rippled, the ground molded into a newer glossy material. A mirror… Inside the mirror that rose from the earth, was the image of a young woman, a slumbering woman. The woman's face was pail, her features slender and perfectly shaped. She looked so peaceful, her dark thick eye lashes shrouding the eyes that lay hidden just beneath the surface of the ivory colored flesh. Silken strands of raven drenched hair cascaded across the sides of her face and neck, she was lovely.

You will have to burn her alive to awaken her.

His attention snapped quickly at this notion. "What do you mean? Burn her? I am to murder the new Princess of Hyrule?!" Link was absolutely disgusted with the very thought, and even considered turning from his ill-fated quest. Link's curren emotional state quickly became distraught.

Yes. You must burn her to bring her from her slumber. It is an unnatural sleep that keeps her bound as a prisoner to her nightmares. The Princess needs you to go to her. Go to her Link… go to her.

"How do I find her! I don't even know where she is!" He was becoming increasingly irritated with her avoiding his question completely.

The mountains above Lake Hylia.

--End Chapter Two--

Please R&R! D W00t Cliff hangers. Sorry I'll promise to have the new chapter up asap.