Link crawled around in the grass, slowly inching towards a small village in the distance. He'd been crawling for about sixteen minutes. He reached the fountain outside the town and pulled himself up onto it. He cupped his hands and reached down for a drink, but then his tiredness took over and he collapsed on the ground. The last thing he saw was a girl with long, wavy black hair and emerald-colored eyes coming towards him. Then everything went black

"Wake up…please, wake up," a female voice whispered.

"May, just give up. He's obviously very hurt. He's probably dead," said another voice. Link blinked his eyes open. The girl from the village was sitting on a bed that he was lying on, and a woman who looked like her mother stood in the doorway. Link closed his eyes again, content just to listen.

"But Mother," the girl said. "I think he might be the One." Link heard footsteps, and when the woman spoke again, it sounded much closer.

"How do you know? He's a foreigner, May. It can't be him," the woman whispered harshly.

What are they talking about? Link wondered. He lifted his head and opened his eyes just in time to see the woman standing up and walking off.

"He doesn't seem to want to speak, Mother," the girl said. The woman said nothing. The girl turned around just as Link plopped his head back on the pillow. "Hello?" the girl whispered. Link smiled weakly. The girl grinned. "Mother!" she called.

"Now what, May?" the woman sighed.

That girl must be May, Link thought.

"He's awake," May replied, grinning.

The woman came in the room and gasped. Link lifted his head and smiled weakly again. "He's not dead…" the woman whispered. "But he's so weak! How did he survive?" Link's smile vanished, replaced by a scowl.

She wouldn't be saying that if she saw me battling Yuriel! The only reason I fainted was because he flung me and I was tired and hurt, he thought. He tried to raise his arm to wave and winced at the pain in his shoulder from when Yuriel had flipped him by the arm.

"Are you OK?" May asked, a look of genuine concern on her face.

"Of course not! He's weak and half starved, oh, you poor, poor thing!" May's mother gasped. "May, be good to our guest and go get him some food and water. Does that sound good, dear?" she asked Link. Link gave a slight nod. Pity shone in May's mom's eyes.

She feels sorry for me? I can take care of myself. I'm not a child! Link thought again. May came back with some food and water.

"Mother, you can leave now," May said.

"Oh-um, OK. But, you tell me how he turns out, alright?" the woman asked. She glanced at Link and shook her head. "The poor dear," she muttered before getting up and walking off. Link rolled his eyes. May giggled.

"I saw you at the fountain," she remarked after her mother had left. "Are you thirsty?" Link nodded. May took the cup and helped Link sit up. "Here, drink," she ordered. Link took the cup in his unhurt hand and drank. May reached down for a loaf of bread. "Sorry about my mother, by the way," she said. "I'm an only child."

"May? How is he?" came the woman's voice. May rolled her eyes while handing Link a slice of bread.

"He's fine, Mother," she called.

"Where is he from?" May's mom called again. May glanced over at Link.

"Hyrule?" she guessed. Link nodded.

How did she know? he wondered.

"He's from Hyrule, Mom," May called.

"Are you sure, May? That's a very long way from here," May's mom called.

"I don't think he would lie," was May's reply.

"Well, Hyrulians have been known to lie."

"Yes, but I don't think he would."

"You never know, May. You never know who you can trust these days!"

"And gone with the pity phase," May said to Link. "Get ready for her to hate you and try to kick you out of the house with a broom." Link rolled his eyes again.

I don't know which one would be worse, he thought. May giggled.

"Good one," she whispered. Link's eyes widened and he raised one eyebrow. "I can read minds. My great-great-great-great-grandmother could too. It's something special in our family that happens to every child born under the light of a comet," May explained. "Some of the stone is detached and, if we're lucky, it will hit a star when it passes and gather up stardust. The stardust catches on fire and hits us. It's painful for a while, but once the burn heals, we have the amazing ability to read minds," May finished, gasping for breath.

A bit of a mouthful…? Link thought.

"Yeah," May said. She paused for a second. Then came the last question Link expected to hear. "Are you mute?" Stunned, Link thought no reply. "I thought so," May said. Link blinked. May said nothing. For a while, they just stared at each other. Then May spoke again.

"Come with me. You have to see the cave!" She dragged Link out of the bed and to the front door. May's mother was in the kitchen holding a broom.

"Oh, you're leaving," she said when she saw them. She narrowed her eyes. "I thought I was going to have to hit you with a broom." May rolled her eyes again. Link stepped out the door with her. They ran to a large cave at the end of the village. There was nothing inside except for darkness.

"This is the Tunnel of Darkness," May explained. "It's really dangerous in here, because no one can see what's inside. There's rumored to be a huge treasure at the end. Many people have gone in to find it, but not one has come back out again. There is a prophecy inside, though," she added. "'The path will be lit when a mute hero finds their voice.' I think it might be you who can light the way," she finished, glancing at Link. "What do you say? Do you want to go inside?" she asked.

It's worth a try, I guess, Link thought. By the way, my name's Link. Nice to meet you. He walked into the cave. May followed, a candle in her hand. As soon as she entered the cave, however, a random wind blew out the fire. Suddenly, there was a puff of smoke and an eerie pale blue light floated in front of them. Yuriel appeared inside the light.

"Surprise," he said, grinning evilly.

Yuriel! What does he want? Link thought, drawing his sword May dropped the candle-holder. It clattered to the floor. She scooted behind Link. Yuriel's eyes drifted to where she now stood, only her emerald-colored eyes visible against the shadowy gloom.

"A new friend, no doubt?" Yuriel asked, glancing at Link. Link gritted his teeth, glaring at Yuriel. Cackling viciously, Yuriel reached out with a tentacle and grabbed May.

"Hey! Get off me! Link, help!" May shrieked. Link lunged towards her. Yuriel swiped him away.

"You must join the side of darkness," Yuriel demanded.

And if I don't? Because I won't, Link thought. May glanced at him. Then she turned to Yuriel.

"And if he doesn't…?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Then I will kill you."

May gasped. "You wouldn't…really kill me…would you?" May asked. Yuriel smiled.

"Say no and you can watch me," he said, staring at Link. "Oh, yes. And I won't let her go unless I have a spoken answer." Link froze.

Tell him I said never in a million years, and that if he doesn't let you go in three seconds, I'm going to rip his tentacles off and feed them to the tigers, Link thought.

"He says no," May said. She glanced at Link and winked. Yuriel just gazed at Link.

"If he says no, he'll have to tell me himself," Yuriel said.

"B-but he can't speak!" May gasped. Link winced. He could feel May's terror as if it were his own. "Let go of me, you monster!" May screeched, wiggling. Yuriel squeezed. May stopped squirming. "Ow," she whimpered. Link charged towards Yuriel again. Yuriel squeezed more. May squeaked. Link froze. His eyes widened.

"Do you believe me now?" Yuriel asked, laughing. "And since you have chosen not to tell me weather or not you will join me, I have no choice but to kill this lovely girl!" He squeezed harder.

No! Link screamed in his mind. He had to find a way to speak. May opened her mouth to say something, but it closed a second later along with her eyes. He can't kill her, Link thought again. "May!" Link cried, rushing forwards. A light flickered on. Link froze. "I did it…" he whispered. The light blazed on, brighter than the sun.

"Augh!" Yuriel screamed, dropping May to cover his eyes. A second later he vanished. "You have not won yet…" his voice echoed. The light died down a bit. May was lying on the floor, unconscious. Link ran over and knelt beside her.

"May…please wake up. You can't die," he whispered. A tear slid down his cheek. After all I went through to save her, she died after all! He cried in his head. Then May's eyes flickered open.

"Link?" she whispered. "Did…did you die? Why is it so bright?" Link smiled.

"I'm not dead, and neither are you," he whispered back.

"Then this is a dream," May said quietly. "It has to be. You're speaking!"

"It's not a dream, either. You're awake."

"But…but that means…"

"Yes. I've found my voice," Link said, still smiling. May smiled as big as she could.

"Th…thank you, Link. Thank you; you saved me," she whispered. Her eyes closed again.

"Come on, May. Let's go find that treasure," Link said, helping May stand up. May leaned on Link's shoulder and they walked on to the room at the end of the tunnel.