Eh, felt like posting two installments in a row, go fig.
Lizai: Majora's mask doesn't take place in this timeline because I never played it.
......Just work with me here....
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Link awoke the next morning to the sunlight that poured in from the window. He slowly sat up and and rubbed his eyes with his right forearm. He slowly rose from the bed and dressed himself in his own clothing. He was very thankful for the old woman being able to mend his usual clothing. He didn't mind the clothing given to him but he still preferred his own. He dressed quickly, making extra sure to put on all of his gear this time. He placed the sword in its sheath on his backside but most importantly, at least to him, he wore his white gloves and gauntlets. Link allowed himself a small smile at the weight resting against his arms again.
Link walked out of his room and began to just walk. His mind was torn in many different directions, the most prominent one being the offer of the King. I do wish to aid Hyrule and to keep those monsters away from Hyrule, but is this really the best way to approach the situation? I have the Triforce of courage, should I really allow myself to be dragged into such a state? Will I merely be a tool to politicians? The goddesses did not choose me for that to happen. The proof is the mark on my hand.
Link was broken out of his reverie when he heard a voice call out his name. "Master Link!" Link turned around to see the elder woman that had called on him the previous day walking towards him with a frown on her face. Link paused and waited for the woman to catch up to him, wondering why she looked so angry with him. She stopped before him and placed her hands on her hips, a frown still covering her face. "And where do you think you're going?"
Link found himself becoming very uncomfortable under her stare. "Just for an late morning walk in town Madam." He said uncertainly, trying to figure out just what it was that was bothering the woman.
"You haven't eaten anything yet, have you Master Link?" She asked, a tone of annoyance evident.
He waved her off. "Don't worry about it. I'll pick something up in town, I don't want to trouble anyone." He could see that she was about to say something but he quickly added, "Besides, I'd rather get out of this place for a little while." With that Link turned and continued to walk away.
Link left the castle grounds and walked towards the town with no real intentions. He merely sighed as he enjoyed the late afternoon air. He walked around on the path that led from the castle gates to town, taking the time to enjoy the fact that he was still alive for that part. That feeling or merriment soon vanished as memories of the alternate future began to plague his mind. He still remembered how desolate and destroyed the area was during the imprisioning war. He remembered having to avoid all the Redeads that swarmed around the town, not stopping his movement in fear of having his life sucked away.
Link shook off those thoughts as he entered the town itself. As he expected, it was bustling with activity of the late afternoon. He saw several small children running around the square playing a game of some sort. Their parents were probably waiting outside one of the small stands, trying their best to buy the food that they would need for dinner that night. A few chickens also moved through the crowd, causing a small grin to cross Link's face. Link merely walked through the town without a care in the world, once again rejoicing at the results of imprisioning the male Gerudo who would've destroyed all of this life.
After a while, Link found himself outside the Temple of Time. He paused for a moment, wondering to himself why he had walked here, or if he had done it just by instinct. A small, yet sad smile crossed his face as he walked towards the entrance. He paused and took a deep breath before entering.
The inside of the Temple remained just as he had left it seven years ago. The three pedistals that were the keyholes to open the Sacred realm remained empty, as Link had intended. He remembered the first time he had entered this temple, as well as the first time he had left it. The change then had been, shocking, to say the least. Link shook his head, trying to dispel those horrible memories. I know I'll never forget that time, nor should I. But it would be nice to not have to think about it for a while.
Link's hand trailed to his left side, stopping when he had reached the familiar pouch. A sad smile covered his face as he reached into the pouch and pulled out one of the familiar 'keys.' He brought his clentched hand up in front of him and opened his hand, revealing the first of those keys to the Sacred Realm. The Kokiri Emerald shone brightly, reflecting even the slightest rays of light. The bright green color caused a calming effect upon the young man as he closed his eyes and once again sighed. He then opened his eyes and frowned. Without turning, but while replacing the jewel back into his pouch, he said loudly, "What is it Princess Zelda?" Link then turned and waited for his shadow to appear.
A figure wearing a dark purple cloak stepped forwards from the doorway. As it approached, a slender arm and hand came up and pulled the hood off to reveal the Princess Zelda. She walked up to the young man and stared at him questioningly. "How did you know? I could've sworn that you never saw me."
Link smirked and began to walk past her. He paused as he passed her and said, "I heard someone trailing me since I left the castle gates. Somehow I figured you would try to find more out from me directly." He then walked past her without another word.
"Wait!" Zelda cried out, reaching out to stop him. Link stopped after a few more steps and looked over his shoulder. She bowed her head and said, "I didn't come here to interrogate you. I came here to thank you." Link raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. She continued, her eyes lowered. "Like you said last night, the only reason I'm alive right now is because of your warning. I don't mind thanking you for saving my life, but I am far more thankful for bringing us the information about the enemy. I am so happy to know that we can prevent our villages on the edges of Hyrule's borders from being destroyed. I thank you, Master Link." Zelda then raised her head, awaiting for Link's reaction.
Link turned back and looked in front of him. Even in this time, she puts her subjects first. At least that part of her hasn't changed. He started to walk away but paused. He looked over his shoulder with a small smile and asked the lovely young woman behind him, "Please, walk with me milady." Zelda offered the young man a small smile and pulled her hood up. She walked up next to him and the two walked out of the Temple of Time in silence.
Zelda slowly walked beside the young adventuer, her eyes constantly looking from the path they were taking to his face. He seemed as if he was not paying attention to anything as he walked in random directions throughout the castle town. In fact, other than his intial invitation to her, he had not spoken. Zelda had tried to start conversations with the enigmatic young man, but he either wasn't paying attention to her, or he was ignoring her completely. She sighed in a small degree of annoyance as he continued to wander with no real direction.
She did notice two things as the two wandered around throughout the afternoon. The first that the young man seemed plagued by something as he walked around the castle town. His face was strangly neutral for most of the time, but every now and then he would freeze as if he saw a ghost. He also seemed to pause as he watched children play in the public square, a small serene smile on his face when he did take those few moments. To Zelda, it seemed as if something haunted the young man, as if everytime he looked somewhere he saw something horrible from his past. The other thing was that he consistently scratched the back of his left hand. Zelda tried to look to see what was there, but the hand was covered by a white glove and the edges of what seemed like a metal gauntlet the likes of which she had never seen before.
Through some act of fate, the two found themselves in the royal garden later that afternoon. Link paused to savor the location, a pleasant memory coming to mind. This was where I first met her… right before she asked me to gather the spiritual stones… where Impa taught me that melody… Zelda watched the young warrior zone out once again and left his side to sit down on a nearby stone bench. She looked up at the young man, expecting for him to finally break his silence.
Finally after a long period of silence, Link pulled out his ocarina. Zelda's face lit up with recognition once again but before she could ask anything he began to play the small enchanted instrument. The tones were rich and deep, reaching a level of purity the likes of which Zelda had never heard before, not even from the mistrals that would play at the large banquets that the castle tended to have every now and then. However, the song itself seemed as if it carried a burden. The overpowering feeling of sadness could be heard with every note played. Link had his eyes closed as he played, once again losing himself to the power of the small ocarina. He merely played, his feelings and memories of the past leading him as the stunned Princess watched on silently.
When he finally finished, he opened his eyes and let out a small smile. He leaned against the stone wall, lowering his hands and his eyes. When he heard a small sniffle, he looked up to see that Zelda was wiping tears from her eyes. "What was that song?" She asked, trails of tears evident on her face. She wiped her eyes, thoughts of where the ocarina had come from being the furthest thing on her mind.
Link shrugged and brought the ocarina up to his face to examine it more closely. Its strange oblong shape had always caused him to think of it as being special. The power that ran through the small instrument was for the use of the hero of time only; this he knew very well. He raised his eyes and spoke, "It is something I wrote a long time ago."
"It seems so sad. What is it about?" She asked, staring at the mysterious young man.
Link sighed and walked over to the bench. He didn't sit down, but he did stand next to it. "Of someone who gave everything he had and saved those he cared of but still lost to fate." Link turned to the princess and asked, raising his eyebrow as he did so, "Would you like to hear a story Princess?"
"I'd love to."
Link sighed and slowly turned the small instrument in his hands as he began his tale. "As I'm sure you know, long ago the world was created by the three goddesses. Din... With her strong flaming arms, she cultivated the land and created the red earth. Nayru... Poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world. Farore... With her rich soul, produced all life forms who would uphold the law. The three great goddesses, their labors completed, departed for the heavens. And golden sacred triangles remained at the point where the goddesses left the world."
"You speak of the beginning, and of what we have come to know as the Triforce." Zelda stated uncertainly, wondering about the rest of the story.
Link nodded, "Indeed Princess, that is exactly where this story begins." He slowly began to walk back and forth, looking to the Princess as he spoke. "Time passed and the age of a prosperous kingdom began. It was a peaceful land, being friend to all others and other being the gentle country in times of unrest. "Things continued this way for many years. But as all good things, it came to an end violently and abruptly." He turned and looked at the Princess and said, "There was a young boy, no older than the age of ten who had grown up far away from his fellow man. The young Princess of this land called to him to help protect the kingdom, somehow sensing that this boy was the destined hero."
Zelda interrupted him at that point. "Destined hero... Is this the story of the hero of time?"
Link blinked and asked, "You know about this?"
Zelda nodded and added a self-assured smile, "Yes. This story has been passed down in the royal family for many years. A legend saying that if Hyrule should ever fall into the depths of destruction that one with the power to travel both ways through time's river would come to our aid." She then looked at him curiously and asked, "How do you know of it? It's not a widely known tale."
Link merely returned an enigmatic smile and continued. "In their foolish acts to save their lands, they ended up opening the way for the demon king to gain power. He entered what was known as the Sacred realm and attempted to seize the Triforce. In his lust for power and greed, he didn't realize that the boy was within the sacred realm in a state of sleep. When the demon king touched the Triforce, it broke apart into three pieces. Each piece represented the goddess that it derived its trademark from. Power from Din, wisdom from Nayru, and courage from Farore."
Zelda raised an eyebrow, her interest raised. "This is different from the legend I know."
Link smiled and remarked, "Then I am glad that I can reveal the rest of the story to you milady." She chuckled at the young man's self-assured air and placed a slim hand over her mouth to hide it. He smiled at the reaction and continued his story, "The demon king was given the Triforce of power, seeing how it was what he most desired. However, the other two pieces of the Triforce were sent to their destined holders. One being the young man who was trapped in the sacred realm. The other went to the Princess of destiny; the young and naive Princess who had tried to save her kingdom with the boy. "The boy awoke seven years later, grown up and confused. He had no idea what had happened to him as he looked around and saw himself all grown up. He was in for an even bigger shock when he entered the land he loved. It had been devastated by the demon king, everything had changed into a dark and perverse shadow of its former glory and beauty. The young hero, with the aid of some powerful sages and the Princess of destiny, challenged the demon king and fought him. In the end, using the two Triforces of courage and wisdom, they were able to imprison the demon king away in the Sacred realm."
Zelda smiled, "So the hero of time saved the world from the demon king. Sounds like a nice legend to pass on. I don't see how this story inspired that woeful song though."
Link shook his head, as if scolding a small child. "Ah my dear Princess however that is where the rest of the story comes into play." He noticed her curious expression and continued with a small but sad smile. "In the end, the Princess and sages used their power to allow the hero of time to reclaim the lost youth he had spent locked away. He returned to his homeland, only to find out that no one remembered any of what had taken place with the demon king. Even the Princess of destiny, who had held the Triforce of wisdom during that horrible and dark time, remembered nothing. She did not even remember the boy who had come to her aid at her request. "The boy, feeling alone and dejected left his land. He still carried the Triforce of courage, so he alone knew the truth of how close the world had come to destruction. He wandered for the rest of his days as a figure trapped outside of time's continual flow." Link sighed and walked around the bench to stand next to the Princess again. "That is the full tale of that legend, milady. That song is to remind those from the story that remembered nothing about everything that had been saved, at the expense of the young man's lost time. The sadness the boy must have felt when he was remembered by no one, not even the one he would give his life for."
Zelda watched the young man finish the story with great interest. Link's face had taken on a sorrowful expression, as Zelda was reminded of the haunted look that she had seen on the boy's face all day. There was a long silence where both parties were lost in their own thoughts. Zelda however was the first to speak as she raised her face to look at Link. "Somehow I think you would make a better storyteller or musician than an adventurer." She said with a small smile.
Link smiled back and laughed gently, "Thank you milady. However, is there is any better way for the source of new stories than to go on such an adventure? Such adventures are the source of such meaningful tales."
Zelda laughed at the young man's statement, showing her agreement. There was a long pause in which both of them merely smiled at each other. Finally, the question was posed to Link. "Will you join us, Master Link?"
Link turned away from the Princess after the question was asked. In reality, he had been thinking it over ever since the King had presented the offer to him. Should I do this? Am I ready for this? Without looking at the Princess he answered, "I don't know."
"Why not? You would be helping the people of Hyrule and your homeland." Zelda asked, her voice gentle and somewhat.... concerned?
Link shook his head. "There are many things to consider before I make such a decision. I've always lacked in wisdom, and I have no desire to act as a pawn for political figures."
Zelda sighed and stood up. She walked in front of the young man and faced him. "Were you acting as a tool of politics when you risked your life to deliver us news of the attack?" Link looked away from her at that statement, as if ashamed of his actions. "Master Link, you have the power to help Hyrule. All that you need now is the will do to so."
"I only have the power to help those in need. It is not my place to decide who is right in the coming conflict." Link stated, turning away from the Princess again. Nothing could betray Link's shock when he felt himself being spun around to face the Princess. A look of desperation seemed to cover her face. What could create such a look for her? Link thought idly as he listened to Zelda.
"Hyrule needs people like you Link. Fight for us! For Hyrule!"
"Is that your wish?" Link asked, looking directly into Zelda's eyes. There was a long, tense silence as the words echoed in the garden. The silence was oppressing as Zelda looked away from the young adventurer, unsure of what to say. Link also turned away, silently cursing himself for acting this way. She doesn't know you! How many times does it need to be thrown in your face for you to understand it? The long silence was finally broken when Zelda turned back to Link with a determined look on her face. Link smiled at the expression, That's a good face. A look of determination that rivals that of those who fought against the 'demon king.'
"Yes, it is what I want Master Link. Somehow I have a feeling that you will be a driving force for Hyrule in the future, even though I don't understand where that comes from. Will you join us?" Link didn't answer her, only turned away from her. He scratched his head in frustration, not wanting to turn down the one he had served so well in the Imprisoning war. She may no longer carry the Triforce of wisdom, or be the so-called Princess of destiny, but you know her to be right and just.
There was another long silence as Link walked back and forth, appearing for the first time to the Princess as nervous. She watched him walk back and forth with the visage of someone being pushed into a cage. That had not been her intent in the slightest, but she could not know how much her words meant to the former hero of time. I wonder why he seems so torn about this? It seems like he would jump at the chance to serve Hyrule in this nature. She paused for a moment and then thought, I wonder where that feeling came from? Could it be because he has the Ocarina of Time? Such a treasure would never be given to one who did not have Hyrule's best interests at heart.
Finally she watched as he stopped pacing and turned to face her. He slowly walked over until he was directly in front of her. A stone-faced expression was obvious being shown as Zelda's eyes locked with the young man's. The young man then slowly lowered himself to one knee and bowed his head. A single phrase was uttered in that garden before the Princess of Hyrule. It sealed the young man's fate within the current passing of time.
"Consider it done."
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Sorry for posting this twice, first time the formatting screwed up.
