Chapter Two
The Great Hylia Bridge was a rare masterpiece, still holding much of its original structure from when it was built more then a century ago. Unlike its companion, the Eldin Bridge, the Great Hylia gave a grand view of both the lake underneath and the desert to the west. Link gazed to the desert, where he could just make out the Arbiter Grounds, a mixture of a Prison and a temple. His thoughts briefly traveled to that of his Twili comrade, Midna, and wondered how she fared. He pushed the thoughts away when he heard another horse's neigh behind him. It sounded different though, causing him to halt Epona and gaze back.
Like its rider, the horse was phantom in appearance. Although Link recognized the Hero's Shade, he was surprised to see him.
"No rest for the weary?" Link asked in greeting, pulling the cloak closer to him as the wind picked up briefly.
"How can I find rest when the madman of a King sits in the Princess' throne?" the Shade replied, "Ten years abroad with roughly three visits leaves one to wonder what his plan is."
"Did you know him in life?" Link asked as they trotted along.
"I first met him when he was no more then 3 or 4 years of age, and no wisdom within him."
"And yet he was crowned King?" Link was baffled.
"His parents were killed when he was an older teen, his grandmother was too weary to lead, with no other heir, he was crowned, wed a fair lady of a neighboring land, then when your Princess was about eleven, went abroad." Link figured the shade identified Zelda as such because he himself knew one, stories went that the Hero of Time knew the Princess of that time, and together they convinced her father of Ganondorf's intentions.
"So what do you know of the coming enemy?" Link asked as they veered towards Castle Town.
"Only that it's darkest lord can only be killed by the holiest of Light." the Shade replied, "and that King of yours is somehow aligned with them." the Specter Horse vanished as they dismounted. Link led Epona to the stables. The people seemed awed and uneasy around the Hero's Shade as the duo headed to the southern thoroughfare, where Telma's bar was located, as well as the Resistance Committed and where King Markus had taken up station. They both entered, and the guards who were off duty quickly sat straight.
Link ignored them and went straight to the back room, where King Markus and Ashei were going over training schedules and plans with Auru. They paused when the two heroes entered.
"Who's the ghost?" Ashei asked.
"You may refer to me as the Hero of Time, or Shade." came the specter's reply.
"The magic has faded, huh?" Markus said, gazing at Link. The lad merely smiled.
"I never said completely diminished, just faded." Link replied.
"Auru." the Shade said, gazing at the older man, "I believe we met briefly."
"Seems forever ago now." the old man replied, "I was but a lad exploring the ranch." the Shade nodded as he gazed at the plans they had.
"Let us prepare."
...Goddess Plume...
The feeling of falling was present. The fact she could feel something in the endless darkness was a small improvement. How long had she been trapped in this darkness was one of few thoughts that passed her muddled mind.
Faded nightmares taunted at her, and pain was a consent companion. There was no anchor in the sea of her mind, images flashed to quickly for her to grasp, to recognize. The pain was twofold, the physical, phantom pain her body felt through years of abuse, and the heartache of the lost of love ones. There was no bridge to connect the pain with their assorted memories, as they remain the furthest from her.
So she let herself fall and to be absorbed by the darkness.
"So easily?" a voice echoed through the darkness. It was familiar, yet one she had not heard since her youth. Her mind flared, flinching away from such memories, she had long since taught herself to lock those memories away, not wanting to remember. "Come back to the light, child."
All feeling faded again. No longer was she falling.
No longer was she aware.
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