A/N: Here's chapter 2. Thanks again to my Beta Reader WolfsLegend! Please R/R :)
Chapter 2
Enemy Unknown
The Temple of Time, a gateway between reality and fantasy- Hyrule and the Sacred Realm- stood tall as it always had. Its steeples reached for the skies, covered the temple grounds with an eerie shadow. It was an imposing structure, a reminder of Hyrule's rift in time and the could-have-beens. Its stones that lined the walls and made the floor were untouched, neither time nor man had entered the temple since the Hero of Time's last visit so many years ago.
After the energy faded and Link materialized from a yellow burst of light that came and went like a breath of cold air, he stood in awe at the expansive sanctuary. It looked as he'd left it, thirteen years ago. The three Spiritual Stones sat upon the pedestal where he had placed them, each shining radiantly. Such glorious treasures of Hyrule. He walked up to them, almost hesitantly and brushed a hand against the Kokiri Emerald. It burned his hand and pulsed harshly with a vibrant light that forced him to look away.
Good, the emeralds were still here, safe and sound. He'd expected as much but he'd heard that the gorons and zoras had wanted them returned; however, after what he witnessed in the forest, he was more than relieved to find them here. It may have been the Deku Tree who snapped, but Mido had said others had attacked, and if they had gotten their hands on the Kokiri Emerald... that would not have been good. Could that have been their goal? No, if they knew of the emerald then they would have known that it had been taken from the forest over a decade ago. As for the gorons and zoras, the king could deal with them. After all, the royal family and the soldiers of Hyrule could protect the spiritual stones better than they could.
His gaze shifted around the stone floors, over the tapestries of past heroes, and past the monochromatic, glass windows before settling on the Door of Time. Even from his position in front of the pedestal, he could feel the sword's presence. The Master Sword, the sword of evil's bane, called to him with a slight pull to his heart. That sword had been his lifeline, his savior, and only friend.
Unlike last time, he could draw the sword without worry of going into the future, but there hadn't been a real need to do so until now. With some sort of evil infesting the Deku Tree, he had a feeling that he'd need it and he'd rather have the blade with him anyway. However, he'd have to ask the princess first, but that would be easier said than done. He could only speculate what had happened as there was no name of the evil that had laid ruin upon the Deku Tree and its realm. If only her father would be as agreeable as her and not so… well, pompous. Nevertheless, since his last meeting with the king, he had a feeling that Daphnes wouldn't take well to his premonitions either. Link knew he had offended him by refusing the title of Great Knight of Hyrule, but he neither deserved the title nor did he want it. He still accepted and favored the rank of one of Hyrule's knights so that he could continue aiding Hyrule and exploring the lands. It was much better than sitting around the castle having to deal with politics and foreign dignitaries.
"Probably only my title of Hero of Time that saved me from the chopping block," he said bitterly. He shook his head, that wasn't fair. King Daphnes was a strict man and at times unreasonable, but he wasn't a tyrant.
Outside the temple, Castle Town had flourished since the end of Ganondorf's reign. Many who had left for Kakariko City returned, and immigrants came from across the kingdom to celebrate their victory. Over the years, Hyrule had expanded into more territory, incorporating large swaths of land into its borders. It was for expansion, but also to bolster the kingdom's economy by taking their wealth. The natives didn't like it, but what could a mere hero do? The last time he disagreed with the king he had nearly been sent to the dungeon, and that had been because Link wanted to have the Master Sword with him at all times. The Hero of Time needed his sword and as for the natives of the new land, they'd flourished under Hyrule's rule. They'd be better off.
Despite how urgent he needed to see the princess, he couldn't help but mingle with some of Castle Town's citizens. He smiled and waved at the people who passed. Several waved back, while others went with all the bowing nonsense. He gritted his teeth, but managed to keep a slight smile. He wasn't a king and he was definitely not a god as some claimed him to be, but no matter how much he told the people not to bow down, they always did. He'd always be their hero, and thus would always take the time to wave back and mingle with them.
He strolled through the east side of Castle Town, glanced over at his home as he went toward the pathway that led to the castle. His home was far greater than his treehouse in Kokiri Village. He loved it here and as much as he wanted the village and his house to be restored, he couldn't dream of living anywhere else. The building stood two stories high, the top window gleaming with a small stained-glass section of the Triforce. Truly, like much of Castle Town, the building was a spectacle to behold.
Normally, there would be a few guards at his house, but as he'd been away for most of the year, they had been momentarily relieved of the duty. Besides, he doubted anyone would dare to assassinate him. Most, if not all, of Hyrule revered him. They'd never try to kill their beloved hero. He paused for a moment outside. Mido said they had tried to contact him, and for all he knew, he could have letters there. That could wait, after all, he had talked with them. Then again… for all he knew, Saria had also written him. Unlikely, but there could always be the chance that she would want to contact him, especially since she no longer used her song.
After a quick look inside the red mailbox posted at his door, he forced himself to continue down the path to the castle. There were letters there and as much as he wanted to read and catch up on them, he had more important matters to attend to first.
It was a bit unnerving, so much had changed in years since he defeated Ganondorf. The castle had grown larger, its facade refurbished with new stone and its size devouring what had once been Castle Town's square. Its towers were taller too, reaching higher than the Temple of Time's steeple. Yet its courtyard was much smaller despite the additional number of guards that were posted along the perimeter. From the highest tower perched a crimson flag. Its ribbons caught in the wind as the seal of the Royal Family flashed in the sun.
"Welcome back, Sir Link," a voice grated over his thoughts, resonating with a clink of metal and chain.
Link snapped his eyes to the guard closest to him, acknowledging the armored man's salute with a salute of his own before giving a brisk nod. The guard eased himself then, hand relaxing on the tall spear that he held within arm's length. Although only his eyes were visible, a vicious color of peridot, Link recognized him. Perhaps it was the man's stance or his voice, but if Link remembered correctly, the man had been a part of an underground movement that resisted Ganondorf. Link hadn't known about them until after Ganondorf's demise, but Zelda said she had worked closely with them. They weren't as known or as glorified as he was, but they did their part. Not that they killed Ganondorf, but they had helped a lot by fighting his forces throughout Hyrule.
At the center of the small courtyard stood a large statue made of marble. The statue, made in his likeness, had been constructed shortly after Ganondorf's reign. He had been asked to oversee the construction, but he felt no need to because he had found more interest in finding Navi. Then again, maybe if he had done as asked, then they would've gotten his nose right. The statue's nose was crooked, the nostrils much too big, and its form was much too sharp. He would've stared at the imperfection for ages, would've felt his own nose to compare, if it weren't for the soft, familiar voice that erupted from the right of the statue's feet.
He looked down then, meeting a sea of blue that didn't quite match his own irises. Zelda stood by the statues foundation, burgundy materials of satin and cashmere cascading around her legs. Strawberry blond hair danced in the breeze, framing a rounded face of snow paired with thin lips and big eyes. As always, she looked breathtaking. She was talking with a small gathering of her court, of which he didn't recognize, and Impa. Well, the new Impa as the old Impa had to spend most of her time within the Sacred Realm. Of all the sages, only Zelda could remain outside the Sacred Realm without permission from the Royal Family or the goddesses. The rest could only leave for a week or two once a year. The small cluster of royal officials turned when he approached.
"Link!" Zelda beamed. She ran toward him and almost tripped over her skirts as he caught her in an embrace. Her laughter resounded, causing a small smile to split across his stoic face. Yet as he pushed her at arm's length, allowing himself to get a good look at her, she failed to meet his gaze. Instead, she looked off to the side, looked above them, and looked to the ground. She looked everywhere but at him. "I can't believe it's been so long. How have you been? I trust your time in Termina went well. I meant to come visit, but unfortunately I had duties elsewhere." Lies. No matter how much time passed, he knew of her like the movement of a blade. At his narrowed gaze, she frowned and nodded glumly, "I know, I had a dream you would be coming. We need to talk."
"We do," he agreed with a glum nod of his own. About many things, but the situation in the forest stood out the most. "But first, who are they? Other than Impa."
"Oh, you know, just some advisors and old friends. It has been lonely here without you. How was Termina?"
"Great, Clock Town has grown a lot. They have even begun settling Ikana Canyon. The old tower there would make a great stronghold."
"I've heard."
"Welcome, Hero of Time," the new Impa said. Like the old Impa, she too was a Sheikah, but the similarities between the two disturbed him. Probably a sister, as there weren't many Sheikah left after the Great War and the genocide against them after they betrayed the Royal Family.
The War and the genocide… The Shadow Temple had taught him a lot, and honestly, it bothered him greatly, but that had been in the past. He liked to think that the current Royal Family was more civilized, more honest and understanding. As far as he knew, King Daphnes and his father had not tarnished the name of the royal family as their ancestors had. Nevertheless, that didn't excuse King Daphnes for his transgressions. He had much to answer to, not as much as the kings before him, but like them, he wasn't a saint either.
"Greetings, Impa. It is nice to formally meet you," Link shook her hand. He couldn't get passed the strange feeling of meeting someone for the first time that he had seen before, especially looking so similar to the person she replaced. Did she know that the Old Impa became the Shadow Sage? Probably, but something about her eyes and facial features seemed off, her skin didn't look fully natural. He couldn't exactly explain why, but something about her appearance didn't sit well with him.
"You as well, Hero of Time." She bowed her head briefly before addressing Zelda. "Princess Zelda, should we go somewhere private to speak with Sir Link?"
"I would like to speak with him alone. You may be dismissed, Impa. Thank you for your help."
She nodded quietly as she reached into her pouch, pulling out a quaint deku nut. Without warning she threw the deku nut and vanished into the plume of smoke. Link stared wide-eyed. Always having to put on a show. Maybe he shouldn't judge her for that. If he could perform a stunt like that he'd probably do so in public, too. Link smirked and approached Zelda, trying to straighten himself out as he did so. How long had it been again since they'd been alone together? The answer evaded him as he suddenly became quite insecure of how his hair must look, of how his tunic and breeches must look. She looked at him then, catching him trying to smooth out his hair, and shook her head before grasping his arm. He tried not to blush.
"Should we go the castle?"
"No," Zelda said as she led him out of the castle courtyard and back onto the path toward Castle Town's east wing, toward his house.
Well, that was unexpected. Nevertheless, he allowed her to drag him along, smiling all the while. Goddesses, it felt great to see her again. Skull, Tatl, and Tael would always be amazing to be around, but in all honesty, he'd rather spend more time with the person who helped him save the world. Heck, if it wasn't for her, he wouldn't be in his current position and not Hyrule's famed Hero of Time or Termina's Lunar Hero. He'd probably be stuck in Kokiri Village or stuck six feet under. He tried not the think of that last part, but being stuck in Kokiri Village, that wouldn't be too bad, but he would have to leave when he aged and what he would have done from there, he didn't have a clue.
Once they reached his house, he took a moment to look over her. She looked even more radiant than he remembered. Perhaps it was due to the solitude that they now faced, just them and no one else despite the few that wandered down the east wing. Perhaps it was her smile, that melodic smile that made her eyes seem to glow. Truly she was the incarnation of the goddess.
Zelda looked up at him in a beat of welcomed silence, but then she sighed and her radiance vanished with a frown. Her gaze fell and her hands dropped from his arm only to clasp together. He watched her, caught her fingers twisting a ring on her left hand.
His eyes widened. "You're engaged?"
She nodded. "Something I needed to talk with you about, but yes I am."
He tried to hide his disappointment with a subtle cough. He hadn't tried courting her, something now he wished he would have, but he always expected them to marry in the future. After all, he was the hero and she the princess. Not that other women didn't interest him, but he always expected to rule the kingdom with her. Selfish, maybe, but that didn't mean he couldn't be disappointed. Either way, he did smile.
"I'm happy for you, Zelda," he said, trying to lift his voice an octave in an act to hide his discomfort.
She nodded and looked back up at him. "It's mostly a political marriage. I've only met him a few times, but he's nice and well-learned. Anyway, the engagement is to Wulfrick, Prince of Termina."
His eyes narrowed, "Termina has a prince? Since when? I thought you said you couldn't make it to Termina. You could have visited me and told me about this."
Her eyes narrowed in return and she put her hands on her hips. "Lose your tone. You know how busy I've been. Prince Wulfrick came to Hyrule for most of the past year, not that it's any of your business. Anyway, yes, Termina does have a royal family. I'm surprised you didn't hear about it, especially being their Lunar Hero." She shook her head.
The citizens of Castle Town were starting to gather and it made Link slightly annoyed. Royalty or fame, why couldn't they be left in peace? Then again, they were standing in the middle of the street...
"You know I don't pay attention to politics."
"Really? I never expected such ignorance from you. Especially how you go gallivanting around both kingdoms proclaiming your greatness."
"Oh, come on," he said, finally opening the door to let her in, "you know I don't do that. Yeah, I use the title to my advantage at times, but you know I don't do that."
The door groaned as it shut behind them, closing them in a vast den that was painfully bare of personality. Wooden floors, white walls, and green curtains. At the middle sat a table, its feet carved with notes from the songs he'd used to sing with his ocarina. Against the wall, farthest from the door stood a large expanse of a bookcase that was devoid of any sign of literature. He'd once had chairs that rested in a spot against the staircase, but he'd gotten rid of them long ago and filled the spot with a piano that had been worn with time.
Zelda loftily sat down at the table, her skirts devouring the small chair. He rounded her and moved to the kitchen area through the stone archway. It had been a while since he'd been in a kitchen, especially his own, but thankfully he'd remembered the whereabouts of everything that the cabinets and drawers held. It took a moment before he returned through the archway with two glasses of tea in hand.
Placing the tea before her, he couldn't help but brush his gaze over her once more. Her lips had settled to a small pout, strawberry bangs obscuring her eyes from view. Damn, she truly was beautiful. And to think engaged now, he should have acted faster. She looked up, turned her head to leer at him, and he forced himself to look away.
He huffed, earning another glare. "Seriously, Link?" She shook her head and gave a dramatic roll of her eyes. "No wonder Malon finds you insufferable."
Link sat down opposite her and muttered a halfhearted, "sorry." Contrary to what she may think, he didn't only find her attractive because of her beauty but also for her intelligence. Zelda was among, if not the most, the few intelligent people he knew. He really hated how some women pretended to be stupid to attract a man. Zelda didn't apologize for her brain, and that only made him more attracted to her.
"Right, anyway," she smiled. That was something else that drove him to appreciate her. She didn't like to dwell in negativity or anger like most. "Despite you being, well, yourself, how have you been? I still want to know how Termina went, even if you didn't know about their royal family."
"Clocktown is a small town."
She rolled her eyes again. "Not really. You're not just playing ignorant, are you?"
Truth be told, he was. He had known about them, the royal family of Termina, though not during his first time in Termina. Until recently, after the whole fake moon about to destroy the country incident, they had been nothing more than a figurehead. Afterward, they went through a civil war as the king forced his dominance over the realm.
"Skull, Tatl, Tael, and I had a wonderful time, especially Skull. Terminians tend to be more accepting of skull kids than we are in Hyrule."
She nodded, "I can understand why. We haven't had a good relationship with them and the stalfos, but it truly is a shame. After meeting him, I've begun to appreciate just how remarkable of a people they are." She took a sip of the tea. She looked at Link for a moment as she sipped before settling the glass back down and sighed, shaking her head as if knowing he had poured that kind of tea to try and woo her. Well, to be fair, this also happened to be his favorite kind of tea in Hyrule. Termina had a couple more varieties he preferred, but not here. This particular brand of tea was one he had missed daily.
"Lake Hylian Tea is the only kind I have."
"You don't need to defend yourself. Speaking of Skull, I don't recommend you bring him here again. The guards and my father had a fit. I had to do a lot of damage control."
"Come on, he's a great friend."
"That may be, but skull kids and stalfos are still classified as enemies of Hyrule. You know this."
Like many others. Gerudo, stalfos, and on paper, Sheikah, though in practice, Sheikah were no longer an enemy of the kingdom, as their betrayal had been met with a merciless genocide until they once again submitted to the throne. As much as he loved the realm, he couldn't get passed the obsession the royals had about announcing their enemies to the world and using propaganda to get the peasants against them. Zelda and her father tended to be different, to an extent. Or so Link told himself. That aside, Zelda was a huge improvement over her father.
"Stop acting like the king. You're the Sage of Time, not a racist."
She leaned across the table. "And you wonder why my father has issues with you. I have nothing against Skull or his kind, I just ask that he not come to Castle Town. I don't want a riot in the streets."
"Fine." He took a sip of tea. "Anyway," he said, with only a little spite, "I assume you know what happened in the forest?"
"Yes, Mido and Darunia informed me."
"Darunia?"
"Correct, until a suitable replacement for the Forest Sage can be found, we cannot aid those in the forest."
He nearly spewed his tea. A replacement? That couldn't be. Saria always did an amazing job as Forest Sage. As far as he knew, according to Hyrule's history, a sage had never been replaced. He forced himself to not storm out of his house and demand the king to reinstate Saria as the sage, or to contact the goddesses or whatever he needed to do to get her role back. Or, she could be… no, she wasn't dead. He refused to accept that. Then again, he couldn't bring himself to accept that the Royal Family would dishonor her so greatly.
"I take it you don't know," Zelda said sympathetically as she circled a thumb over the edge of her glass. She frowned and looked down at the tea with heavy eyes. She looked troubled, more so than Link had seen in years.
"Unfortunately, that does not surprise me."
"What do you mean?" Link asked. "What happened to Saria? The Great Deku Tree hinted that something bad happened."
She looked at him, and he caught sight of a bit of moisture and anger in her eyes. "Tell me Link, what did you two last talk about?"
"How does that matter?"
She gave an exasperated sigh and an aggressive wave of her hand, "Never mind, but all you need to know is that Saria is no longer the Forest Sage."
"And why did you and your father take that away from her?"
"You really believe I would do that? That my father would do that?"
"With the way you and your father act as of late, yes."
She leapt up, dropped her glass which shattered against the table. Link shrunk back at her fury and his fingers twitched around his own glass out of instinct. A look of pure rage twisted her beauty, as she took a couple of breaths and forced herself to sit back down. For an instant, Link had thought she'd come across the table to smack him.
"Tell me, Link. While off gallivanting in Termina with two fairies and a skull kid, were you aware of the issues my father and I faced at court? Do you know how much stress I go through for being a princess, a sage, and having the Triforce of Wisdom? Especially with a knight whose goal in life seems to be to infuriate my father as much as possible?"
Oh, she had it hard? What about him? What did this have to do with Saria? Despite the question that burned his tongue, he instead spat back, "I'm not that bad, it's him. I… No, you're right, I am out of line. I just wish you two would stop pestering me about being the Great Knight."
"With how you parade yourself around Castle Town, I thought you'd love the title. Maybe the people would be better off without you as the Great Knight."
"What's that supposed to mean."
She folded her arms. "That we found a Great Knight, also, for the past several years I started to doubt you'd be suitable for the role."
Well, just great. Not that he wanted the role, but now someone took it? As a knight already, and one that had sort of a free reign, it didn't matter, but it still annoyed him. "As long as I don't have to take orders from him."
"Really? That's all you have to say? Oh, don't worry mighty hero, you don't have to take orders from us mere mortals." Zelda stood up and marched off toward the door.
"Where are you going?" Link asked.
"I thought this conversation would go somewhere. You're worse than Darunia thought."
"You were the one who got off topic." He didn't quite understand it. Why bring Darunia into this? Had he had more say over the sages than Link thought? Now that he thought of it, he hadn't seen him for a couple of years. The goron and him had grown a lot closer since Ganondorf fell. Though some like Zelda might find it surprising, he learned a lot and begun to appreciate what being a sworn brother to the gorons meant.
"Zelda, please, I'm sorry. I've had a lot on my mind. Please, sit down."
She sighed and returned to the table, doing well to steer clear of the broken glass and tea covered table yet when they were met with silence she stood up and vanished through the archway. When she returned, she had a new glass of tea in hand and two towels. Carefully, she picked up the glass with one towel and wiped down the table with the other. When she'd finished, she sat down and watched him with a perturbed frown. He looked down from her stare, doing his best to ignore her and try to take in the sweet aroma of the tea. Maybe he should have lit a few candles, mainly those that smelt like the forest. As much as he loved it here, he loved the smell of the trees and the spring rain. It calmed him, and right now he needed calm more than anything else.
"Fine, just mind your manners, Link."
A disgruntled sight, "I will, again, I apologize. Anyway, what happened to Saria? Why did— What happened?"
She smirked childishly. The look in her eye telling him to be glad he didn't finish the sentence how he meant to. "All you need to know is that she is no longer the Forest Sage."
"Why?"
"I will answer your question, Link, but first, I have my own question. You've talked with her, correct? You say she is your best friend. Why don't you know?"
"All I know is that she's been unhappy. Our last conversation didn't end well, either." Or the one before that. The last time she came to the village the two had a rather bad argument. They made up for that, but it still bothered him that their last few meetings always ended on a sour note.
"No, I can't imagine that it had. Not that it's any fault of yours."
"What do you mean?"
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Saria voluntarily left the position of forest sage."
"She wouldn't do that," Link snapped. "I know she wasn't happy, but it wasn't due to being a sage. She took that seriously. She knew how important being a sage is and how important it is to watch over the seal on Ganondorf."
"Keep thinking what you want, but she left on her own will. It caused some upheaval in the Sacred Realm, as you can imagine."
"If she really did, yes, but she wouldn't leave, Zelda."
"And you say you're her best friend. Not that you've had a pleasant conversation with her in years."
"And you know this, how?" Not that it was really her business.
"I try to keep a good relationship with all the sages."
"Right, yeah, sorry I snapped at you." His cheeks reddened. "She still wouldn't leave on her own will. Is that even possible?" Stupid question, Zelda was basically the leader of the sages. She'd know the possibility of anything doing with their role.
"It is very possible."
"Then why would she leave?"
"You'll have to figure that out on your own."
"You can't just tell me? I've already told you, I'm sorry for my attitude. Will you tell me now?"
She stood up once more. "I was going to tell you myself, but with how this conversation has gone, you'll have to find out on your own. As I said before, as her so called best friend, you really should be more aware of how she feels." She sipped loudly, childishly at her tea. "Anyway, enough about Saria. I already have people looking for her, and you clearly don't want to believe that your so called friend left on her own will. We're getting nowhere with this."
"She wouldn't have—"
"Anyway!" She paused and said in an oddly sweet voice. "Tell me about the forest. As I said, Darunia told me a little, but he doesn't have full access and knowledge of events there as his domain is still Death Mountain and the mountain chain beyond Kakariko."
Link frowned. A part of him wanted to end their little talk, to throw her out onto the streets and revel in complete solitude, but he didn't. Hell, he couldn't even if his life depended on it. He'd missed her too much, liked her too much to dismiss her in such a way. With a long exhale, he began to explain what had happened the best he could, starting from him, Skull, Tatl, and Tael entering Kokiri Village. He knew telling her would be hard, but after explaining what happened, what they saw, and the destruction of Kokiri Village and how the Deku Tree went mad, he couldn't help but choke back tears. So much suffering there, and he could do nothing to help.
For her part, Zelda sat silent the whole time he explained. She nodded at some points, likely bits she had heard from Darunia. What peeked her interest the most was the Deku Tree and the survivors in the Forest Temple. To his surprise, the Deku Tree's powers disturbed her more than those at the temple, considering her and her father's dislike for stalfos. He nearly told her what he expected about the tree's new powers, but he didn't want to say anything that may implicate Saria. He refused to believe she would just get up and abandon her position as sage.
"No one seemed to know who did this or what happened," Link said. "The Deku Tree hinted others came. I though it may have been him spewing words as something made him go crazy, but Mido confirmed what he said. Do you think those others who came could have done this to the Deku Tree?"
"It's, possible."
"Wouldn't Saria have known? Or Darunia?"
"Before she left-don't give me that look-she had been increasingly distant from us for months, even Darunia, the sage I believe her to have been the closest with. If this happened before she left or not, I cannot say. Darunia only has enough insight into the affairs of the forest to say something happened, but not what."
"Any idea about the Deku Tree?"
"No, though what you've said is very disturbing. I can only assume Saria gave him her powers, though why, I'm not sure. As only a sage can handle such powers."
"Maybe since she's no longer the Forest Sage the title passed to him? He is the voice of the forest. And if you and your father didn't force her out of the position, then who did?"
"The sage position wouldn't have gone to him, or anyone, without our approval or the approval of the goddesses. The powers, I am not sure, but he isn't the new forest sage, he can't be." For a second, Link could have sworn he saw a glimpse of terror cross her face. "We're still looking for a new forest sage. If by chance he somehow did become the replacement, one of us would have known. We should have known." She muttered under her breath.
"If by chance he did become the sage, or gained the powers of the sage, could that have driven him mad?"
"No. Maybe his insanity has to do with those who came before he attacked the village."
"You don't know of any rogue soldiers or bandits that could have?"
"Not in that area. I may have to have one of the sages leave the Sacred Realm to investigate."
"Wouldn't that weaken the seal further? We are already down a sage."
"No, we can still tend to the seal outside the realm, it only becomes more difficult. However, we do need to send soldiers to the Forest Temple, to help protect those inside."
"We could try talking again to the Deku Tree," Link said. "Maybe we can try talking sense into him, figure out what happened."
"If you want, though judging by how it went last time, that wouldn't be advised, not until we can figure out what happened with him."
"Are you sure it doesn't have anything to do with Saria?"
"I hope so, I mean, yes, I'm sure. Trust me, if I believe her to be responsible, I would have told you."
"Okay, good."
A few minutes passed in silence other than them drinking more tea and Link leaving to grab a small bowl of deku nuts for them. Their conversation hadn't gone far, to the extent that he wanted anyway. All he learned was that Saria was no longer the Forest Sage, that Darunia acted as a sort of temporary replacement, and that Saria may be somehow responsible for what happened in the forest. The worst had to be Zelda's ignorance of the affairs in the Sacred Realm. Of course, without Saria that would be more difficult, but he thought she would have known more. Unless there was more she wasn't telling him, which always seemed to be the case. She and her father kept so much from him. Some, he could understand, but right now, it was a great annoyance.
"Mido said he tried contacting you. Did the letters say anything more than what I've said?"
"No, only that they needed help," Zelda replied. "I was about to send a few soldiers to scout out the area before you arrived. I'm still sending soldiers, but my main concern is to protect those inside the temple from the forest creatures."
"What about your father?"
"He knows, but he hasn't acted as much as I'd like. He's more interested in the newly acquired areas of the kingdom and stopping any rebel groups that want to regain their independence. Once I tell him what you told me, I'm sure he'll take a more active role. The Lost Woods and Kokiri Village are a rural part of the realm, but an attack on our territory and kidnapping of our people needs attention."
"And you have no idea who is responsible?"
"As I said before, I have an idea, but it wouldn't make sense. You remember me telling you about Avina, right? The kingdom to the west of the Gerudo Desert?"
Link nodded. Once he had returned from Termina after the fall of the moon, Zelda, the new Impa, and the king explained to him about Hyrule's neighbors and the politics between them. Granted, that had been when they had wanted him to take up the role as the Great Knight, but he still maintained that information and studied the books and scrolls they had given him. Avina was a sworn enemy of Hyrule and their western neighbor. Though wars between the two kingdoms were rare, Avina had tried their best to sabotage Hyrule's economy by placing embargoes and even bribing other lands to not trade with them. To be fair, Hyrule always returned the favor. To make tensions worse, Avina rejected the practice of worshiping the three golden goddesses and Hylia. Instead, they worshiped a god named Avis and his children, Leigh, the so-called goddess of nature, and Torn, the so-called god of the will. In the distant past, Hyrule had launched a holy war to bring them under the worship of the golden goddesses, but it had failed.
"You think Avina could have done this?" Link asked.
"It's," she paused, "possible. Tensions have escalated between our realms over the past several years. We may have recovered from the war with Ganondorf, and my father may be expanding the kingdom, but we are still weakened from that grave time. It's possible Avina could be trying to exploit this. My only reason to doubt is the distance between the desert and the forest, and the fact the Deku Tree called them Hylians."
"He could have been using the world hylian to refer to us as a species, not our ethnic group."
"That's possible, still wouldn't explain why they'd march so far across the kingdom to do so. And one would think we'd fine some sign of an enemy force marching through."
"Any other ideas?"
She shook her head. "No, but I'll ask Nabooru and have her keep a closer eye on the desert. She'd be first to inform me of an army moving across the desert."
"It's hard to imagine an army moving across the desert and not be weakened from the heat and lack of supplies. The Gerudo may have been an enemy of Hyrule for a time, but they dislike Avina more than they disliked us."
"They could have taken ships around the coast. That would make more sense than trying to cross the desert, and may explain why they struck a far target, to make it appear to be from somewhere else, possibly Termina or bandits. Still, it's best not to be too hasty with accusations, especially with our limited knowledge of the situation."
"Have any envoys been to Castle Town recently?"
"Only one. Father kicked him out after we learned that he was spying on us."
"Why didn't he get hanged?"
Zelda shrugged. "Hanging him likely would have started a war. As I said, we aren't fully ready for a war with Avina. If one did happen, I'm sure the new territories would revolt. My father doesn't want to take that risk."
That would likely happen, but Link wouldn't have minded a war. Not that he'd be happy with people dying, but he'd get a chance to show off some more. If anything, it would allow him to do something productive. Truth be told, he missed the songs of war. If anything, maybe he could stop a war from reforming or save the kingdom again. Not that the ruler of Avina was a tyrant like Ganondorf, that he knew of, but Hyrule would be better off with that man dead. Hell, maybe he'd get Zelda to break off her engagement with Prince Wulfrick. Doubtful, there really wasn't much a point in wishful thinking.
A long period of silence passed, the interruption offered from a sip of tea or a bite of deku nuts. Funny really, as a child, Link hated the taste of them- deku nuts. However, after his time trying to save Hyrule and the exploding nuts being the easiest sources of food to find, he had grown extremely fond of them. He tossed another handful into his mouth and watched Zelda. She seemed fixated on a small crack on a wall where a picture must have fallen from when he had been gone. Her narrowed eyes and frown told him she was either in the middle of an intense internal debate or conversing and conspiring with one of the sages.
The other sages should be able to help, now that they knew more of what had happened, and since the issue had been brought to Zelda's attention. With Saria gone and a possible problem with Avina brewing, he didn't know what to do. He wanted, needed, to return to the temple, but he found it best to first scout out the border that neighbored Hyrule with Avina and head to the Gerudo Desert. He was a knight after all which meant he could report back to the king easily, and his status as a hero would make getting into areas and asking questions much easier. Most importantly, to him anyway, he needed to look for Saria. Yet as much as he wanted to find her and ask what had happened and why it had happened, a hero's duties were realistically more important, a necessity almost. His heartfelt concerns would have to wait.
In the silence, his mind wandered further. Avina… Maybe Avina also didn't matter too much, especially if whoever attacked the village was Hylian born. Why would Hylians attack the village? Goddesses, he needed more information, they all needed more information.
He hated to think that Saria could be involved in the attack, but if the king had stripped her status as sage, she'd be angry. Angry enough to assemble a small force and attack her home? No, she wouldn't do that. He knew her better than that. Besides, the Deku Tree, even in his state, hinted that she had been wronged. Unless his madness had descended further than Link feared. He would have realized she wasn't a Hylian anyway. Or would he? He did say Hylians plural, as if somehow mistaking Skull, Tatl, and Tael as Hylians.
`"Zelda," Link found himself saying. "About this Prince Wulfrick, what is he like? I mean, I have never met him."
"Why would you?" She asked, after chewing on a deku nut that she'd been working on for a solid minute.
"I saved Termina, and I have been called by the royals there, even after they seized control."
She huffed and said condescendingly, "Oh, so since you're the hero there too, you deserve more recognition?"
There she went again. "I didn't mean it like that!" He leaned back in his chair and set his empty glass down on the table with a scowl. "Forget I asked, I just wish I had met him."
"There's a reason I kept this secret from you."
His eyes twitched. "What do you mean?"
She put her hand to her face, cutting her eyes from his gaze. "Never mind."
He hadn't seen her in so long, and this meeting was definitely not something he had been hoping for. If anything, it made things difficult and uncomfortable, more than he could have imagined. "Um, yeah, anyway. I should probably get headed back to the temple. Unless there is more you want to discuss."
"Link," she said quietly. "It's not that I want you to go. I enjoy your company, but you can be a bit overbearing at times."
"I'm sorry…" he spoke softly, sighed as he readied to stand from his chair. As an added effort to lessen the tension that had built a distance between them, he added, "I love you, Zelda."
"Don't give me that self-pitying crap. I love you too, Link, but not like that. Please, let it rest. You aren't the one."
Disdain, dread, hurt, or a sick feeling of relief, he wasn't quite sure what swarm of emotions had begun to boil within him, but he replied with a shrug, "No, I guess not." He stood then and added, "I do want to meet the prince though. Don't worry, I'll behave myself."
She gave her usual endearing laugh and stood up to put away their dishes. "He'll come back soon. You can meet him then."
Link nodded. Though he didn't know much about Termina's royal family, he knew a little of their history, outside of the Terminian Civil War. Legend said they descended from an empire that dominated most of the eastern half of the continent and much of what is now Hyrule. Some said them to be another line of the goddess Hylia, when the ancestors of Hylians and all other Hylian ethnic groups left Skyloft.
"One more thing, Link," Zelda said. He brought his mind back to her when she returned to the table. "With Saria no longer a sage, you're not going to be able to use the songs to warp to each of the temples for much longer."
"Why?" He asked. "I could use them before I awakened the sages. Saria no longer being a sage shouldn't affect that."
"She and the rest were already chosen, just not awakened. If a sage is missing, the songs are useless. They only work when all of the sages have been chosen."
"Do you know why? How much longer do I have? If it's a matter of hours, I need to get back soon."
"You should still have a couple of weeks, maybe three months at the most. With most of the sages still here, the songs will take longer to fade."
"I see, that's good to know." A pain, but still good to know. Oh well, if he ended up not being able to warp, there was always Zelda. Zelda could only extend the magic to allow three extra people to warp with him, bringing the limit to four. One more thing he'd bring up with the king once he figured this all out. He may not always need it, but being able to warp around Hyrule made traveling much easier.
"Who will you be sending to the Forest Temple? I can lead them there if you want."
She shook her head. "No, I'm sorry Link, but I've already gave this order to the Great Knight."
That knight? Why not just allow him? He could easily do this task, no matter who the Great Knight is. Not only could he pull the mission off, he also had personal reasons to want to lead a force to defend the Forest Temple and fight back the beasts. Zelda never said he wasn't capable, but he had more of a right to do this than some so-called Great Knight. No point in trying to argue with her though. She made her mind and he wouldn't be able sway her.
"Okay, fine. Who is he anyway?"
Before Zelda could respond, frantic knocking reverberated from the door. Link grimaced and marched his way over to the door to tell the knocker to leave. Yet when he opened the door, his jaw dropped. The man in front of him wore the garb of Hyrule's knights like he did, but he also had a sword strapped to his side and three golden triangles stitched above his heart. Immediately, Link recognized him and to be shocked, angry, happy, or a combination of three, he didn't know.
"Rickard?" Link asked, his eyes narrowed with both surprise and annoyance at the recognition. How had the boy who once idolized Dampe become the Great Knight of Hyrule? Link still remembered as a kid the two would occasionally play in the graveyard. Link even gave him a mask while doing a job for the Happy Mask Salesman.
Even in his Great Knight armor, Rickard's face still resembled that of a young man. His face was much to round, a dead sign of his youthful age. The two generally got along well, but how did the whiny boy three years his junior become Great Knight of Hyrule? Link shook his head. "This has to be a joke."
"Hello to you, too, Link," Rickard said in a chiding voice, standing casually despite being in the presence of the Hero of Time. He straightened into an alert stance when Zelda approached. He bowed his head gently, his gaze never quite leaving Link. "Your majesty, I'm sorry to interrupt, but the king wanted to make sure you were safe. There has been an attempt on his life."
"What?" Link and Zelda said. Link pulled out his sword, ready to shove past Rickard and storm for the castle to hunt down this assassin.
To their frantic looks he said, "Don't worry, the king is fine. We captured the assassin. His majesty wanted to make sure you were unharmed."
"Who is he?" Link demanded hotly, blade still brandished.
Rickard narrowed his gaze but only addressed Zelda, as if trying to provoke Link. Link hissed but remained silent. Zelda needed to be informed more than him. He had no reason to doubt or question Rickard, even if he still wasn't thrilled about the choice.
"He wouldn't give his name. He swallowed a small pill of moth poison before we could question him."
"Is he Avinian?"
"No, your majesty. He's Hylian."
"Hylian?" Zelda asked. "Any idea who? I know some of the noble houses have issues with my father, but I can't imagine they'd send an assassin."
"It's doubtful, your grace. Before he took his life, he said, 'The iniquities of the golden land will not go unpunished.'" He shifted in his armor awkwardly, "I can't imagine a noble would say that."
"Or any Hyrulean Hylian for that matter." Zelda frowned as she wept a hand under her chin.
Link mimicked her faltered expression. He had been fully aware of many of the evils done in the name of the royal family, but to kill a man who wasn't responsible for any of those didn't make sense, especially as all those wrongs had been done in the past. Sure, King Daphnes wasn't his favorite person, but Link would never wish death on him.
"Could he be from one of the new provinces, Rickard?"
"General," Rickard said.
"What?" Link asked, looking rather dumbfounded.
"We are on duty, Link. I am either General Rickard or Great Knight."
"You're kidding, right? We've been friends for years." In all honesty, Link didn't want to use such titles for someone that he deemed unworthy of the Great Knight position. In addition, why should he, the Hero of Time, have to resort to such formalities to someone who was undoubtedly beneath him?
"Have we?" Rickard asked, "I guess I must not have noticed." He turned his attention to Zelda, ignoring Link's gritting teeth. "I sent guards and soldiers out to try and gather more information and find any leads, anyone he may have talked with."
"Could he be from one of the new provinces, General?" Link tried again, the title sounding more like a curse than a formality.
"Oh, sorry, Link," Rickard said. "I forgot about your question. Anyway, no, at least, I don't think he is. His accent would put him around Lake Hylia, and we've had that region under control for decades. Not to mention his weapon wasn't like any of those we've seen in the new provinces, a throwing star… if you can believe that."
"A throwing star?" Zelda blinked, her eyes starting to grow in size, "That would normally be a weapon used by a Sheikah."
"Exactly. I've sent an additional group of men to speak with the few remaining Sheikah, to see if any remember a man fitting his description being trained in their ways."
Zelda stood quietly for a moment, her hand slowly dropping back to her side until she eventually nodded. "Very well, I will go speak with my father about this. Thank you, Great Knight."
"Yes, your majesty. Would you like me to escort you back to the temple?"
"That will be fine, General, but I can do that," Link spoke briskly as he sheathed his sword.
"No, Link," Zelda said. "I appreciate the offer, but you need to return to the Forest Temple. Sir Rickard can escort me."
"But—"
"Oh, yes, that reminds me," Rickard spoke in such a way that it derived a hiss from Link, "I almost forgot. He also said one other thing before he died, 'The forest was only the first.'"
"You forgot to mention that? That's an important detail, Great Knight," Link spat, taking a threatening step toward Rickard. How could someone "forget" a detail like that? He turned minutely then to look at Zelda incredulously only to flinch as she slapped him. He forced himself not to swear. Yeah, he probably deserved that. That aside, Rickard should have known better than to forget such an important detail.
For a second, Link thought Rickard would cry until his face hardened to annoyance and anger. "I will forget you said that, knight."
Link folded his arms and turned back to Zelda, "since he decided to give that now, I really should be returning back."
"Yes, you should. And for the love of Nayru, Link, be respectful."
He would, but he could still question her and her father's decision. Seriously, Rickard as a Great Knight? He had joined the knighthood after Link, and honestly, Link didn't think he matched up with what a good knight, let alone the Great Knight, should be. Sloppy at sword play, wimpy, not to mention his ever present obsession with Dampe and ghosts, he was the last person in Link's mind to deserve such a role. To be fair, Link hadn't heard much of him over the past few years, but he couldn't have changed that much.
"Yes, your majesty," Link said. Zelda rolled her eyes. "In all due respect though, I would rather not leave after the attempt on your father's life. I know how important it is, but I want to see you properly protected, along with your father for that matter."
"I have that under control," Rickard replied with a glare.
"You let an assassin slip in."
Rickard grit his teeth but looked down. "We caught him, didn't we?"
"The last Great Knight didn't have—" Link stared and fell silent. The last Great Knight had been partially responsible for Ganondorf's rise to power. "My apologies, sir. You're in good company with the role. Anyway, I'll report back to you, Zelda, with once I return to the castle."
Before Zelda or Rickard could admonish him again, he pulled out the Ocarina of Time, played the Minuet of the Forest, and teleported away in a flurry of wind. He knew he'd pay later for his rudeness, and he did feel sorry for Rickard, but he truly didn't think the man deserved the position. Link wasn't saying that out of pure jealousy either. There had to be better candidates.
"Or maybe I'm just being a fool," he said to himself. Rickard had acted meekly anyway, barely raising his voice to Link. A true Great Knight would have- no. Link shook his head. Who was he to judge? After all, he did decline the position when offered. Yet none of that mattered, what did was his return to the Sacred Forest. Once again, he put the ocarina to his lips before remembering that Saria gave control of her song to Mido.
"Of all the things you had to do, Saria." He grimaced and sat on the stump.
With her in his mind, he stared off to the stairs that lead to the maze. As much as he wanted to search for her, his duty remained, for the time being, at the temple. The temple... damn it, he forgot to grab his gear. He'd have to return now. If only Rickard hadn't distracted him, he'd…
Ksssshoooom!
He leapt up from an explosion of green energy that made his skin tingle. In front of him lay several of his weapons, masks, and other items he had collected throughout his travels.
He rubbed the back of his head and said sheepishly, "Thank you, Zelda."
On making sure no one was near, he changed out of his clothes and put on his green tunic. Thanks to the magic infused into it by Zelda, he could carry a lot more than he normally would be able to. Granted, it took time finding a proper pocket for each of the items, but he managed.
With all the gear in his pockets, he climbed the ladder and entered the temple. Thankfully, Skull, Tatl, Tael, Mido, and two of the stalfos waited for him in the foyer, standing just outside the area with the magically powered elevator. Upon sighting him, Skull and the two fairies hurried toward him.
"How did it go?" Tael asked first, dancing around his head as if to assess him for any wounds.
"It went," he paused and looked around, not really wanting to tell them the truth. Tatl would probably know he wasn't being completely honest, but oh well. "Well to say the least, Zelda said she'd be sending a few soldiers here to help out and gather evidence. Also, Rickard in the new Great Knight."
At their questioning stares, he told them who Rickard was, along with going into detail of what they had all discussed at his house. Like him, they doubted Saria left voluntarily. Good, he expected as much, but part of him worried they'd side with the princess on this. Mido looked even more disturbed than Link felt. He couldn't blame him. To just turn on their friend like that, and for Zelda to lie to his face seemed so cruel and out of place of her. A straight up lie like that wasn't like her. Maybe she wasn't fully involved in ousting Saria. Maybe Daphnes, the other sages, or even the goddesses had more to do with it than she did.
"So, no word on where she may be?" Mido asked.
"No, I'm afraid not," Link admitted weakly.
Mido looked down and shook his head only for Orion appear before him and attempt to comfort him. The relationship between Kokiri and fairy… Times like this made Link miss Navi even more. He looked over at Tatl and Tael. Both such great friends, but neither of them could compare to Navi. Unlike them, she had been the closest friend he'd ever had. Maybe he was living in the past, but to him, despite now being twenty-three years old and having spent two lifetimes in two timelines, the day he finally received a fairy companion ranked as one of the best days of his life. She'd made his life have meaning. She'd made him feel loved and accepted. No longer could Mido and other Kokiri call him the boy without a fairy. She had been his anchor, his rock. In part because of her, he became the Hero of Time, and even the Lunar Hero to an extent. Truly, he owed her so much, but now, she was gone.
"What about those who attacked the village before the Deku Tree did," Skull asked, pulling Link from his thoughts. "Mido, do you remember anything about them?"
"Nothing more than Link told me. I didn't see them. When they started attacking, I—" Mido fell silent. Link thought he'd start to weep again. Instead, Mido looked down and shook.
"Mido, it's okay. You were afraid, no one is blaming you," Orion finally spoke.
"No, you're wrong. It isn't okay. I shouldn't have run away to hide like a coward. Link, you were right about me. I am just a coward. I claim to be the leader of the Kokiri, but, I'm only a stuck-up cry baby."
Link nodded, his mind still elsewhere, and he said without thinking, "You really are."
"Link!" Tatl shouted. She flashed to his side, and he cringed as she slapped him.
Mido shrunk back further. Link wasn't sure what made him feel worse, the broken look in his eyes, or Orion's rage. Mido's fairy flew at Link, halting right in front of his nose. "How dare you! Can't you see how upset he is? First the attack, then Saria, and now you acting like this? I know you two didn't get along, but you need to grow up."
Link didn't respond. He couldn't. Surely if he did, he'd regret his choice of words so instead he turned from them and addressed the two stalfos. "What made you two and the others come." The duo stared at him in silence, as if perplexed, but it was hard to tell their expressions when their faces were made of nothing but solid bone. Oh, wait, perhaps they didn't know of him? He shook his head. "Sorry, I should introduce myself. I am Link."
The first stalfos, the taller and lankier of the two, approached him and shook his hand. It felt awkward, which made sense, as he doubted stalfos were used to the Hylian custom. "We've heard all about you, Hero of Time. I am Hades."
The other stalfos, shorter and somehow much curvier in the bones, rattled a hand bones. "I am Lucamine." A grating feminine voice met his ears. He couldn't help the momentary look of surprise that slipped across his face. Sure, he should have expected the stalfos to have both genders in their race, but he'd never met a female stalfos until now. At least, he was sure he hadn't met one until this moment.
Link dipped his head, "It is a pleasure to meet both of you." He glanced at Hades. "You, you're Skull's father, correct?"
Hades' gaze turned to Skull, his hollow eye sockets seeming to squint. The skull kid stepped back from his father's stare until the stalfos turned his attention back to Link. "I am. I guess 'Skull' didn't tell you about his useless father, did he? Not that I blame him."
"It's not like that, Father," Skull muttered, his voice weak and muffled.
His father grunted, the brow ridges of his skull narrowing. "We'll talk more about it later, Skull." Hades spat, his sudden change in mood making Lucamine and Skull both flinch. "Anyway, Link, we can tell you more of what happened. Some of my people saw them as they attacked, we even tracked them as they fled through the forest."
"I would be very grateful. Thank you," Link said with another bow of his head.
Lucamine looked at him, red eyes pulsing with raw energy. He read the heavy gaze as anger. He'd seen that many times in the stalfos he fought. "Many of us died keeping your people alive. In both the previous attack and when the Deku Tree attacked. I only hope you will pay us the same respect we've paid your people, despite our lack of good relations."
Link looked at her with a raised brow. "I thought the Kokiri and stalfos enjoyed good relations?"
"Only with the children. When we age, the Kokiri begin to fear us, though I speak more of the Hylians. Besides, these forest children, they won't remain children for long. The magic here is weakening."
"What do you mean?" Skull asked, looking as baffled as Link felt. "The magic here is strong. Before Saria had been chosen as the sage it—"
"You are not fully matured, Skull," Lucamine interrupted harshly, "you'll understand more when the process is complete. In time, you will be able to feel the tingle of magic that flows through the temples and regions. The magic here weakens, how, I am not sure, but since the Deku Tree went mad, it has begun to fade. Maybe the sages will fix this, maybe not, but eventually the effects on the Kokiri will fade."
"We— we're going to die?" Mido asked.
Lucamine looked down at him, seeming startled at first as if she had forgotten the boy's presence. "No, Kokiri do not die when they leave the forest. Besides, you said you left it before."
"Yes, but that was under the sages' protection."
Lucamine and Hades exchanged stoic glances. "What must they protect you from? You won't die if you leave, at least, not immediately. You'll simply age. Look at the hero, for example. Link, you shouldn't be surprised, you aged, didn't you?"
Link looked at her. He did, but shouldn't that have been obvious? Also, how did it matter? He wasn't born from the forest, he wasn't Kokiri. "Yes, but that's because I'm Hylian, not Kokiri."
Both stalfos laughed. It sounded like shattering glass and it made all those in the foyer cringe. "Of that you are. One of the few Hylians who respects my people, but that is not the point, neither is the fate of the Kokiri. The magic will take time to fade, and their protection along with the protection of the skull kids is more important."
"I agree," said Link. "You said you were there when the village had been attacked and had managed to track the attackers. Did you see who did it?"
"We arrived late into the attack," Hades admitted with a slump of shoulder blades, "Normally, stalfos do not venture to the edge of the forest, but a vision came to me, a dream telling me to make way toward the edge of the forest, to the Kokiri Village." His bones rattled. "Initially, I thought the dream came from the Stallord, but I suppose that is not the point. What matters is that we arrived as they attacked. We saved many Kokiri from death or capture, and drove the invaders off. I don't know what their goal had been, but they eventually fled after the fire had consumed much of the village."
"You'd think seeing a small army of stalfos would terrify them enough to surrender," Tael spoke up from beside Skull who nodded in agreement.
"One would think, but they didn't seem fazed by us. Maybe they scouted out the area and knew of us. Either way, what is important is that we saw them. Hylians, almost all were Hylians."
"Almost all?" Link asked.
"Correct, some weren't. Some appeared to be Sheikah, others Gerudo, male Gerudo."
Male Gerudo? No, Ganondorf should have been the last for one hundred years. Along with Sheikah? The last few resided in Kakariko or lived as hermits in and around Death Mountain. There shouldn't be that many of them. That aside, what the stalfos told him matched up oddly well with what Zelda said.
"How could there be male Gerudo?"
"Don't all Hylian ethnic groups have males and females? All other races I can think of do."
"No," Link said, his voice coming out slowly. "The Gerudo are an only female race. They have to capture men to survive." Or do they? This didn't make any sense. Male Gerudo, many more Sheikah, and Hylians attacking? Maybe he should contact Nabooru, or inform Zelda and she would contact the Spirit Sage.
"Your people really do have a lot of secrets," Lucamine said.
"We do," Link admitted darkly, shamefully. As an afterthought, and a need to draw away from the dark secrets that Hyrule held, he added, "Oh, yes, I grabbed more of my supplies from my house in Castle Town." Before anyone could respond, he began pulling out his weapons and masks. They all stared at him, even Skull, Tatl, and Tael looked amazed by just how much he had accumulated through his travels. His friends had already seen what he had gained in Termina, but he had gathered a few other trinkets throughout the years.
"These masks will help you the most," he said, handing out the goron, zora, deku and blast mask. "The goron, zora, and deku mask will allow you to transform into either of those races. The blast mask acts as a bomb. If you put up a shield before the mask explodes you won't be hurt." He also handed over his bomb bag although with a bit of reluctance. As he pulled out more items, Lucamine left and returned with another stalfos, a few skull kids, and a handful of Kokiri to take the offered gear.
"Take them to our armory," she instructed.
They had an armory? He didn't see any room that would function as one when he came here and defeated Phantom Ganon. Then again, that had been seven years ago, and that would make sense to have an armory really. With the forest creatures running about.
Once his bombs, the three masks, hammer, the great fairy sword, one of his hookshots, a bow and quiver of arrows, Nayru's Love, Farore's Wind, his boomerang, slingshot, and a few other items had been taken, he looked down at the rest of his masks. Most of them wouldn't be useful for fighting and defense, but a few did come to mind.
"The All Night's Mask will help for guard duty, the Stone Mask will make the wearer invisible when on stone, the Bunny Hood will let you run fast, and the Giant's Mask obviously turns you into a giant. The rest won't help too much, but if you don't mind I'd like to keep them here."
"I'll take them to the armory then, Link," Skull said briskly as he scrambled to Link's side, plucking the masks from the hero's hand. Link had the feeling he wanted to get away from his father.
"Good," he looked at Mido. "Mido, are you trained with any weapons? What about the other Kokiri?"
"Yes," Mido said. "I used the Kokiri Sword. You and Saria left it here and when the attack came, I tried to fight with it."
"Yes, they may still be children, but everyone here must learn to defend themselves and fight in case of attack," Hades said.
Of course, they'd have to. Link wasn't really thrilled about the idea of so many kids fighting, but they did have to defend their home in some way. Besides, he fought and killed when he was only ten. They could manage. They needed to manage.
"Will you stay and help us train them?" Hades asked.
"You do need me, but..." Link said quietly, not sure who he was addressing. Hopefully, they'd be fine without him. Yet his gut told him otherwise. "I will stay for a few days, but I will have to leave to try and track down this enemy. Besides," he smiled, "we still need to find Saria."
"Any idea where she is?" Mido asked as he took the boomerang from Lucamine, brushing his fingers over the blade in its elbow.
"No, but I plan on searching for her. One of the other sages may have an idea. Anyway, I need to write a letter to the princess. Tael, would you deliver it for me?"
"Of course!" The fairy flew to him, spinning around his head eagerly.
Link laughed slightly, "Good." With that, he walked deeper into the temple, Tael following him to help in the search for parchment and ink. Yet Lucamine had called the fairy back to help in transporting the supplies, leaving Link to wander through the maze of halls.
They may not know who had attacked, but he'd be damned if he let these strangers and assassins attack another settlement, or make another attempt on King Daphnes, or Zelda for that matter. He'd failed his first home, and failed Saria as a friend. He wouldn't fail her. "I'll make sure you are protected," Link said to himself and advanced further into the refurbished temple.
