Disclaimer: see the first chapter

- ORIGINS -
Chapter III – Lost Clues

As Link held the sword in his grip he felt the calling get stronger by every passing second and his heart beat rapidly within his chest. His ears were filled by strange buzzing that kept growing louder all the time as he held the sword by the hilt. He had almost forgotten how different Master Sword was from all the other swords, radiating such pure power only Goddesses were able to create. Startled by one especially loud buzz Link let go of the sword and looked dazedly around the woods surrounding him. Perhaps the sounds were caused by monsters that had returned back from the very pits of Evil Realm, about to attack him? Perhaps… Link shook his head and spared one glance at the ancient sword put to rest. The lone knight straightened his green cloak and walked down the small stairs that had led him to the pedestal about to start his inspection of the Grove.

"Perhaps this is just the Goddesses telling me I have no business left here," Link murmured as he sat down to take a quick look around the Grove. Time had already taken its toll on the old ruins – the grey stone walls were broken, torn apart, and slowly being covered by vegetation with only tree branches giving some shelter for the sacred sword. But yet there seemed to be no clues hinting towards the presence of an ancient temple. Only the old door leading to Temple of Time, long forgotten and fully searched by Link during the War. Neither were there old writings nor pictures to tell the knight where to go or what to expect. Just an old sword glinting in the light of the setting sun and the ruins surrounding it. Time had destroyed everything but Master Sword. Maybe there really was nothing, Link thought as the rustled through his bag to retrieve the map collection. Maybe it was a fake, made by some old loon. Or maybe the First Hero was a liar, crazy or just an idiot. He had probably forgotten that such temple never even existed! This all was just a divine joke on his expense. Whatever it was they were getting a good laugh on his expense.

Still he couldn't quite get rid of the lingering doubt that there was something waiting for him. That he was not yet nothing. The Grove had to hold one last secret for him to find out, a puzzle to solve. Maybe a battle to be fought.

Leaving his bags on the stairs Link searched through the Grove twice, turning every stone and inspecting every remain of the ruins for anything remotely useful, but finding nothing. He even climbed a tall tree, hoping to see farther and find something temple-like, but he saw nothing. If the map collection was a fake that would mean that Auru had been wrong, which, mind you, just wasn't possible and Link wouldn't want to deliver these news to the old man.

"Wanting that to be true doesn't make it so," Link said to himself while sitting down on the stairs again, pulling a fallen leaf out of his hair. He ruffled his hair and placed the map collection he had abandoned earlier into his bag, letting wind mess his hair some more. Maybe that weird feeling he had gotten earlier really was his imagination, he must have been getting crazy to even think that there would still be something in Faron. He had grown here! He should know this place perfectly! Letting out an irritated sigh Link walked back to his bags, his footsteps echoing around the Grove.

As he prepared to leave the Grove for good Link cast one last glance at the Master Sword. Fighting the urge for a second Link dropped his bag and started walking towards the blade, reaching his hand for the hilt. The buzzing started once again, his fingertips millimetres away from the hilt. Link's heart started beating fast again as he enclosed his hand around the hilt and ignored the noise. "One swing couldn't hurt anyone," Link mused as he started to pull the sword out of its pedestal. His hand felt like it was burning, but he kept slowly pulling it still.

MASTER LINK!

A loud scream accompanied by a sudden burning sensation in his palm made Link jump back and let go of Master Sword. Link shook his hand in the air, hoping to cool it off. "Faron damn it!" Link swore as he pulled off his glove, looking at his reddish left hand, quickly dumping the contents of his water bottle onto it.

Link turned and never looked back as he ran out of the Grove, not sure what to think of the accident. The Grove fell into utter silence once more as the sound of Hero's footsteps grew quieter and quieter.

Link ran until he saw Epona, peacefully eating some grass on the ground and called her to him. Epona loyally trotted towards her master, neighing softly and looking almost concerned. "It's okay, girl, we're leaving for Castle Town," Link said as he petted Epona's mane with his right hand and climbed on her back.

Riding out from Faron, Link looked at his hand which had started to develop some big clear blisters and was throbbing painfully. He took his pocket knife and shredded his cloak, creating a makeshift bandage for his trip to Castle Town. Now he was sure there was something and all he would have to do was to find the means to see it. He even had a hunch of what he might need.

-x-

Finally reaching the gates of Castle Town, Link left Epona into one of the stalls, not talking with the stable boy as he started hurrying towards one of the eastern streets. It was already a late night and Castle Town felt nearly abandoned expect for a few guardsmen occasionally walking by and muttering polite greetings at Link. Turning to East Main Street Link held his left hand against his stomach to avoid it from hitting anything and ran as he saw a short man by the Medical Clinic, locking the doors.

"Doctor Borville! Wait!"

Borville, an old man with huge glasses, turned around to look at Link running, scoffing at him. Borville and Link hadn't really had the best start, with Link bothering him about his debts and being a general bother. "What is it, lad?"

"I got hurt," Link gestured to his left hand, taking the shredded cloak off of his hand and showing the doctor his angry red hand.

"The clinic is closed for the night," Borville said as he turned to walk away.

"But what about Nayru's Oath? Haven't you sworn that you'd heal those who are hurt?"

"Hah, only you backwater Hylians even care for that." Borville hooted and kept walking down the street, leaving Link behind.

"…I'll pay for you?"

Borville stopped and turned to look at Link, suddenly very interested. The doctor might not have been very pleasant, but he was always ready to help when he would get paid for it. Well, as long as the one receiving the help was a Hylian.

"Come, then, let's take a look at that," Link was a bit taken aback by the professional tone Borville used, but followed the man into the clinic nonetheless. "I only do this because I know that you've gotten a job working for the Queen. I wouldn't do this if you didn't have proper income to pay for me!"

Link didn't bother saying anything as he sat down by Borville's desk, waiting for him to turn on a lantern to be able to see his hand. "This looks like a pretty bad second degree burn, how did you get this?"

"I was working," Link shrugged and watched as the doctor went to get some medical supplies and water.

"Didn't know that knightly duties involve playing with fire…but who even knows what goes around with that government of ours anymore. Ever since the Queen got the throne she's been attacking my business nonstop! I'll tell you, she has something against my methods-" that much was true, Link had been the one informing her about the rather unfair treatment and she was not happy about it, "- but to think that she would seriously consider I take care of all those street rats for free! This clinic doesn't pay itself!"

Borville returned with everything he needed and kept rambling about his situation. "But it's not like you can help me, you just work for her."

Link was about to answer but instead he hissed when Borville started washing his hand with lukewarm water. "Just what have you been doing? You don't know much about proper first aid, do you? You should have instantly come to me; these kinds of burns can get nastily infected, if you're not careful!"

"I really wasn't nearby when this happened," Link said while watching Borville wash his hand carefully. He actually looked like a doctor when he was actually taking care of patients.

"I've amputated hands for far lesser reasons," Borville muttered as he started applying something onto his hand. Surprisingly Link hardly felt any pain, as the cool substance was added. Next the doctor reached for the bandage on his desk, and started wrapping it around the knight's hand. Borville's hands worked swiftly for an old man and soon Link's hand was perfectly bandaged.

"Now, you'll need to change this bandage daily, since your hand is oozing some fluids. But this bandage let's your skin breathe while protecting it from infections, so you'll have to take care of your hand. Otherwise I may have to get my knives ready," Borville said as he started to clean up his desk. Link got up and started walking out from the clinic while Borville turned off the lantern. "You also should take some Red Potion for the pain, but I think you're more than used to that…"

"Thank you, doctor-" Link ignored the doctor's implications, but was soon interrupted.

"Oh, I don't care for such incessant babble; I'd like to get my payment."

"Ah, about that, yeah, currently I…" Link started to ramble, but Borville scoffed at him.

"It's not so nice to be on that side of these arguments, is it not, Mr. Heavy? I want my money. I do not work for free," Borville looked at Link; his glasses making his eyes look enormous.

"What if you send the bill to the Castle? They'll take care of it," Link tried explaining and Borville shook his head.

"This wasn't for free, remember that. I absolutely will send the check to the Castle and they will pay for this. With an extra night shift bonus, too," and Link was sure he would remember. If there was one thing you could trust about Dr. Borville it was that the only time he forgot anything involving money was when he was the one who should have paid. "But I better get paid, without any reminders about letting the Zora into my clinic, okay?"

"Of course, you'll get the money as soon as possible," Link said as Borville harrumphed and pushed Link aside to walk by. The knight shrugged a bit and pulled his hood on to cover his face, stepping into one of the quieter side streets. As Link passed a small gang of four playing with a green Rupee and eyeing him suspiciously he pulled his cloak tightly around him to cover the emblem of the royal family on his sword strap. He knew that he wasn't in a condition for a surprise attack right now and the shadier folk would love the chance to attack anyone representing Hyrulian army.

Hell, he felt like punching the next person who looked at him wrong, with his hand pulsing painfully beneath his cloak. Biting the inside of his cheek and getting past some passed out man with a strong scent of alcohol surrounding him. At last Link managed to get into the corridor leading to the damp underground waterway filled with rats and keese, stopping by in a small hall to take a sip of Red Potion. The hero felt the effect instantly, a warm surge through his entire body, relaxing his muscles and making the pain slowly fade. Looking around himself Link decided to take another sip, just in case. You could never be too sure, after all.

Continuing walking and avoiding stepping on any rats Link navigated through the sewers, remembering his route perfectly by now. Stepping into one particularly big underground hall Link saw the familiar man with a brown bowl haircut.

"Ooh, a customer!" Beedle yelled, but as he opened his arms, about to show his wares his smile turned into a frown as he recognised this particular customer. "Oh, it's you again…"

"Nice to meet you too, Beedle," Link said with a far too happy tone. "How's business?"

"I know that you do not care much for my business – what do you want?" Beedle glared at Link.

"Remember that thing earlier I asked you to save for me? That … lens of…something? What, secrets?"

"Lens of Truth, you secular simpleton! Yes, I remember, what of it?" That bastard never was the brightest Rupee in the wallet – and that was saying it nicely.

"I could use it now," Link ignored the insult and just smirked at Beedle's irritated demeanour. "I might need it, so maybe you could borrow it for an old friend?"

"I never borrow anything," Beedle said as he rummaged through his wares and took the purple lens from a small, silver box. "Are you planning a ghost hunt?" his eyes gleamed a bit. "I could use a few extra Poes, my man."

"I don't know what I'm planning," Link had never been the one for plans. He just did things and something worked out. Midna had always cursed that quality. "But I may come across some Poes, you interested?"

"I might, that last one was really useful," Beedle chuckled at some inside joke Link wasn't a part of.

"Does it really work? This lens, it looks pretty mediocre at best," Link took the Sheikah artefact from the merchant and weighed it in his hand. "Doesn't feel powerful."

"Well a fool like you would never recognise true power anyway. It works. You see, I told you it was created over a hundred years ago! Sheikah train their mind's eye for years to achieve the ability to gaze into the world of the dead – but this one man had his own way of dealing with things. He infused a lens with ancient magic, making it possible even for the lowest of all secular trash to take a peek. And now you're holding it," Beedle finished with pride.

"Lazy people always come up with creative solutions, huh," Link threw the lens and caught it, watching as Beedle was about to get a heart attack.

"Lazy? You mean genius! Hylians simply do not-"

"Beedle, how much?" Beedle looked a bit insulted at the interruption, but oohed once he could get some money.

"10 000 Rupees."

"Ten thousand… What?" Link yelled, looking surprised. "Seriously, you weren't joking?"

"I never joke."

"But…" Link kept looking between the lens and Beedle, trying to come up with a solution. "…I'll pay you later?" He would get killed. Dragged into the castle dungeon and beaten to death or thrown into the streets where he would spend an eternity begging for money to pay off his debt…damn, he was turning into Borville.

"You, as surprising as this is, are my most loyal customer," Beedle rested his head against his hand, judging the situation. "But I don't know…"

"I could work?" Link offered, giving Beedle a desperate smile.

"Hah, the last time you 'worked' you caused a nasty Keese infestation! The guards were here for a week! Almost got me caught." Beedle looked at Link angrily, still bitter over that incident.

"Send the bill to the Castle?" Link wanted to hit himself as that sentence came out, knowing full well that Captain Talus would be extremely mad. Damn…and he would have to explain this to the Council and the Queen. Who, mind you, might just send him to the castle dungeons. He could almost hear her nagging how the money wasn't meant to suit his every whim.

"Black Market merchant billing the Castle? Like that wouldn't get me caught!" Beedle screeched, shaking his fist at Link. "Are you just planning to get me imprisoned?"

"Of course not! I'll...take all the blame; I promise I won't mention you anywhere, okay?" Link tried to smile again, knowing that Beedle wouldn't care for polite manners.

Beedle was about to say something but instead just screeched and looked as if he was about to catch on flames. "You…if I don't get my money I will make sure that that Poe from earlier makes a visit to you."

"Sure, sounds like a deal?" Link said innocently and extended his right hand. Beedle just slapped it away and kept glaring at him. "Hey, don't be mad, you will get your money."

"I am sure I will," Beedle tapped the fingers of his right hand against the old table and when Link didn't instantly leave he asked, "What are you still doing here, scum? Scram."

"Oh…I think I'll need some Red Potion."

"No-"

"…I will pay for those now," Link pulled his wallet out from his bag, throwing a couple of red Rupees at Beedle. "You can keep the change."

"Don't even think I'll count that to your debt," Beedle said and gave a couple of bottles of Red Potion to Link. "Here, you need to give me ten more Rupees."

"That was more than enough," Link muttered.

"Oh, no it wasn't. Give me my money!"

Link decided that fighting against Beedle never was the brightest idea, especially when he was acting like a maniac. Surprise rises in price were a regular happening in Beedle's Black Market Shop and it was useless to complain. At least to officials, since what Link was doing happened to be illegal also.

"Mr. Customer! Take this Membership Card!" Beedle handed him a faded yellow paper with a far too flattering picture of the merchant himself. On the card there were a couple of empty boxes, and one had a stamp mark in the shape of Beedle's face giving an extremely exaggerated toothy smile on it. "You can collect bonuses if you buy stuff often! My new idea, you like it?"

"Bonuses?"

"Yes, you can even get a discount!" This would be the normal price, when you had that special 'bastard bonus' added to everything you bought. "I thought it might help get more customers. The regulars here might be nasty people, but who doesn't want bonuses?"

"I'll keep this in mind," Link pocketed the paper, bid goodbye to Beedle and left the underground hall. All the time Link kept thinking what that mysterious scream had been back in the Grove and why Master Sword suddenly had burnt his hand… On the Main South Street Link took off his sword strap to switch it to his right shoulder, just in case he got into a battle. He was better with his left hand, but could use his right when he needed to.

Link went to get Epona and rode into the night to South where the Grove was waiting for him. Again.

-x-

Stepping into the Sacred Grove and looking at Master Sword still left in the pedestal Link gulped. His left hand ached a bit, reminder of previous events here, but he kept walking forward. Digging the lens from his bag he looked through it and saw nothing but reddened landscape of the Grove. Was there really nothing, had Beedle lied to him? …No, Beedle wasn't the lying type, maybe conniving, but certainly he wouldn't cheat his customers? Or had he forgotten to ask instructions, did the lens need some special magic word in order to work?

Looking around Link noticed one of the ruins have some glowing writing on them.

In the Hero's mark is the Answer. Don't-

The rest was obscured by missing pieces of the wall, but Link walked forward to the Hero's mark, Master Sword. It felt ridiculous to think that a sword he had used to fight his way through enemy armies, to bring an end to the War would still hold some secrets left behind for him. That sword had been his only way to survive! Determined to find out the truth, Link grabbed the sword a bit more carefully and heard the buzzing. Link looked through Lens of Truth once again and was shocked by what he saw.

A blue humanoid creature, bowing its head down to Link lifted its head and looked with dull, emotionless eyes right at the knight.

"Master Link… …Good…morning…"

-x-

AN: And here is the third chapter. Things are starting to advance quite nicely, now that most of the crucial build-up is done. :)

What? It has been nearly four months since my last update? Sorry about that, didn't have the time, shouldn't have said anything about trying to update weekly, though. The next chater will be up...some day, I think. No, I promise it won't take nearly as long as this one! Well anyway, thanks to everyone who reviewed, faved or alerted! C:

Concrit always appreciated.