Link slowed Epona to a trot when he reached the entrance to the
village. It was eerily quiet and Link didn't want to drown out any noises
that might be made by Epona's heavy hoof beats. It was dark as midnight
here. There were no Poe ghosts lighting the way with their lanterns. In
fact, Link couldn't find evidence of any creatures, good or bad. The
buildings were still intact, the windmill was still running, and nothing
seemed to be out of place. Nothing except for the distant clucking of the
cuccos he had helped to capture time and time again, the sound of cheerful
chatter amongst the neighbors.
Link left Epona at the gate, and noticed that the Hylian Guard that was usually posted there was missing. The place seemed abandoned. Link made his way to one of the first houses and knocked softly on the door. No one came to answer it. He turned the knob and the door creaked open. The room was empty. Well, at least he thought it was. It was almost too dark to tell. He wished that he had Navi. Her tiny shimmer would be enough for Link to see by.
He walked forward a few steps and an awful stench reached his nostrils. He covered his nose with his hand before tripping over something on the floor. Link knelt down, and to his horror, was staring at the face of a dead young woman. Her red, curly hair was matted with her blood, and it had trickled down her forehead and dried there. Her skin was icy cold to the touch and felt unnaturally stiff. Her clothes were also stiff and dirty. Link could now hear the sounds of flies buzzing in the room.
Link stood up quickly and backed up. Was this the reason the town seemed almost abandoned? Had everyone here met the same fate as this young woman? He left the house and took a deep breath of somewhat fresh air. He wanted to flee this ghost town, he wanted to run back to his horse and bolt away. But he knew that he had to check every house, every building, every nook and cranny, for a survivor.
In house after house Link met with the same sights. Men, women, and children, all of them sprawled out on the floor, dead. He made his way to the house where the girl who raised cuccos lived. Feathers from the annoying birds were everywhere in the house. Link wondered if she would have even been able to survive the feathers, since she claimed to have an allergy. But she too had been struck in the head.
Tears gathered in Link's eyes. He had known these people. This poor girl had rewarded him time and again for rescuing her cuccos. The old woman in the potion shop had always made sure that he was well stocked with her medicines. The generous villagers had always made room for him in their homes when he was weary from his travels. Now they were all dead.
But then he remembered something. The windmill had been turning when he arrived. Perhaps that odd organ grinder, the one who had taught him the Song of Storms, was still alive. Link rushed up a set of stairs and burst into the windmill. And there he sat, turning the handle on the organ grinder, playing that song. "You're not going to make it storm again are you?" he asked Link.
"You're alive!" was all Lin could think to say. It didn't seem to register with him that the man hadn't commented on being rescued, had gotten to his feet, hadn't even asked if anyone else had survived. He just sat, playing his tune and asked if Link would make it storm again.
"Yes. Don't make it storm. It shouldn't rain indoors. Around, around, and around it goes!" he cried. Link's eyes widened. The man was mad.
"Fool! Tell me what happened! What happened here? Why are you the only one left?" asked Link. The man just started rocking back and forth and giggled. Link went over to him and started to shake him wildly. "Tell me what happened here!" he shouted.
"Oh, it's you. Don't make it storm, you mischievous little devil you. I've had enough surprises for one day," he said before howling with laughter again.
"You're insane!" whispered Link.
"Do you know, you remind me of someone," the organ grinder said. "Yes. He came just this morning. He was tall, and white, and carried a giant instrument. He didn't want to make music with me. He just wanted to destroy my windmill. Much like you and your storms. I made him leave. He couldn't come back here. I think that made him mad. He fled to the graveyard. But that's where he belonged. Still, who wouldn't want to stay in such a wonderful place? Round and round we go!" the man said.
"Come with me," Link said, stretching his hand out for the man to take. But he seemed to recoil the nearer Link got. "Please, we need to get you some help. You can't stay here. You can't stay in a town all by yourself. Who knows what may come by here again! Come with me now."
But the organ grinder wouldn't budge. "Around and around and around! Isn't it wonderful? Round and round and round we go!" he cried. Link sighed and gave up. He was getting nowhere. He made his way out of the windmill and took a moment to think about what the crazy fool had said to him. You remind me of someone. He was tall, and white, and carried a giant instrument. He fled to the graveyard.
Link wondered if in his own, twisted little way, the organ grinder had revealed the whereabouts of the monster that had destroyed the village. He made his way back to the entrance of the village to get Epona. He wanted her near him in case he needed to make a quick getaway.
The graveyard was a mess. Tombstones had been torn out of the ground and carelessly tossed aside. Some had obviously been hit with something, giant gashes gracing their once smooth surfaces. Mud was everywhere. It was as if the grass refused to grow. Even the tomb of the Royal Family had been defaced. Link shook his head. What kind of creature would want to destroy the final resting place of so many? A noise from Dampé's hut startles Link.
The door was creaking open, and something was making its way out. Link's eyes widened as a giant stalfos crawled out of the hut on it's hands and knees. It eyes Link, and (if it's possible for a skull to do so) seemed to smile. It made for it's sword, and Link grabbed for his. So this was what had killed the villagers. Link would make sure that the evil being paid.
Link didn't waste a second. He grabbed a bomb and hurled it at the stalfos, waiting for it to explode. It did, and Link ran forward, hacking at the pile of bones. But this knight was not to be easily defeated. It quickly got up and lunged at Link. The sword cut through the shoulder of his tunic, grazing his skin. But Link had no time to notice the pain. He hurled another bomb at the stalfos and waited for it to collapse again. Link used all of his might to chop at the monster as tears streamed down his face. This thing had killed good, kind, caring people who had never done anything to deserve what he had done.
The creature got up and angrily swiped at Link, gashing his leg. Link fell to the ground and the stalfos moved over him, adjusting his sword so that he could plunge it into :ink's chest. But Link was too quick, and instead of human flesh, the stalfos's sword met the ground. As the dumb creature attempted to retrieve his sword, Link threw a third bomb, this time killing the beast. But he wasn't through with it yet. He hacked and chopped and sliced at it, trying to relieve all of his anger and sadness and guilt.
He soon ran out of energy and collapsed on the ground in exhaustion. He didn't seem to notice his bleeding leg or hurt shoulder. Sobs racked his body. He had been too late. An entire village had been wiped out. He had known a week ago that he should leave the forest, that they could handle things, and still, he stayed. He would have stayed longer if Saria hadn't pushed him to go. If he had done his duty, he may have been able to save them all. What kind of hero was he now? He hated himself.
A ray of light shot down next to him and Saria appeared, worry etched on her face. "Link?" she asked, looking down at him. Her eyes took in the dead stalfos and Link's wounds. "Does it hurt that bad?" she asked, noticing his tears as she rushed to his side. Link shook his head. "Then what is it? I could feel your pain. It's so intense. What happened?" she asked as she pulled out a bottle of healing potion for him to swallow.
Link pushed the bottle away. "They're all dead," he whispered.
"Who?" asked Saria, trying to force him to drink.
"The people of Kakariko! All of them! All of them except for that cracked organ grinder in the windmill. I came too late. I could have saved them all, but I came too late!" he cried.
Saria sat down on the muddy ground and took Link into her arms. "It's not your fault, Link. You got here as fast as you could. You had no way of knowing what was going on out here," she said, smoothing his sweaty blonde hair away from his face.
"Oh, yes. I could have left the forest a while ago. I could have done my duty as the Hero of Time and saved Hyrule. I could have but I didn't. I didn't! And look what has happened because of it!" he screamed. "I am the monster here."
"Shhhh! Link, you should hear yourself. You're just upset, that's all. It must have been terrible to walk into this, finding all of these innocent people like that, many of them your friends. I can't imagine how horrific an experience that was. But Link, who's to say that they weren't killed at the same time that you were off finding the children that had wandered into the woods? Or back when you were saving the Kokiri children from certain death themselves when that incredible league of keese flew in? Link, you cannot blame yourself for this. None of this is your fault. None of it.
"Now come with me. We need to take you home so that you can rest. You need to sleep some of this off. You'll feel better then," said Saria as she slowly stood up and helped Link to do the same.
"I can't go home yet. I can't. I need to check on the Gorons. I need to check on the Market, and Princess Zelda. I need to make sure that Ruto and the Zora King and their people are safe. I can't go home until I have fulfilled my duties. I won't allow something like this to happen again, Saria, I won't," said Link, making his way towards the entrance to the graveyard.
"Link, you can't help anyone in that state! You need rest!" cried Saria, grabbing his arm.
"Get off of me, Saria! Go home! Do you hear me? Go home! Go where you are needed! There is nothing for you to do here."
Saria backed off in shock. Link had never spoken to her like that. Ever. Tears stung her eyes and she had to blink furiously to keep them from falling. She walked up to him one last time and put a hand in her pocket. She drew out the bottle of healing potion and handed it to him. "At least let me give you this. You really can't do anything in the condition you're in. That gashed leg and that cut shoulder need to be helped. Drink this," she said. Link took the bottle and Saria turned away before lifting her arms to the sky and heading home alone.
Link gulped down the healing potion, felt somewhat refreshed, and mounted Epona. He was determined to not allow anything like the terrible massacre at Kakariko Village happen again.
Link left Epona at the gate, and noticed that the Hylian Guard that was usually posted there was missing. The place seemed abandoned. Link made his way to one of the first houses and knocked softly on the door. No one came to answer it. He turned the knob and the door creaked open. The room was empty. Well, at least he thought it was. It was almost too dark to tell. He wished that he had Navi. Her tiny shimmer would be enough for Link to see by.
He walked forward a few steps and an awful stench reached his nostrils. He covered his nose with his hand before tripping over something on the floor. Link knelt down, and to his horror, was staring at the face of a dead young woman. Her red, curly hair was matted with her blood, and it had trickled down her forehead and dried there. Her skin was icy cold to the touch and felt unnaturally stiff. Her clothes were also stiff and dirty. Link could now hear the sounds of flies buzzing in the room.
Link stood up quickly and backed up. Was this the reason the town seemed almost abandoned? Had everyone here met the same fate as this young woman? He left the house and took a deep breath of somewhat fresh air. He wanted to flee this ghost town, he wanted to run back to his horse and bolt away. But he knew that he had to check every house, every building, every nook and cranny, for a survivor.
In house after house Link met with the same sights. Men, women, and children, all of them sprawled out on the floor, dead. He made his way to the house where the girl who raised cuccos lived. Feathers from the annoying birds were everywhere in the house. Link wondered if she would have even been able to survive the feathers, since she claimed to have an allergy. But she too had been struck in the head.
Tears gathered in Link's eyes. He had known these people. This poor girl had rewarded him time and again for rescuing her cuccos. The old woman in the potion shop had always made sure that he was well stocked with her medicines. The generous villagers had always made room for him in their homes when he was weary from his travels. Now they were all dead.
But then he remembered something. The windmill had been turning when he arrived. Perhaps that odd organ grinder, the one who had taught him the Song of Storms, was still alive. Link rushed up a set of stairs and burst into the windmill. And there he sat, turning the handle on the organ grinder, playing that song. "You're not going to make it storm again are you?" he asked Link.
"You're alive!" was all Lin could think to say. It didn't seem to register with him that the man hadn't commented on being rescued, had gotten to his feet, hadn't even asked if anyone else had survived. He just sat, playing his tune and asked if Link would make it storm again.
"Yes. Don't make it storm. It shouldn't rain indoors. Around, around, and around it goes!" he cried. Link's eyes widened. The man was mad.
"Fool! Tell me what happened! What happened here? Why are you the only one left?" asked Link. The man just started rocking back and forth and giggled. Link went over to him and started to shake him wildly. "Tell me what happened here!" he shouted.
"Oh, it's you. Don't make it storm, you mischievous little devil you. I've had enough surprises for one day," he said before howling with laughter again.
"You're insane!" whispered Link.
"Do you know, you remind me of someone," the organ grinder said. "Yes. He came just this morning. He was tall, and white, and carried a giant instrument. He didn't want to make music with me. He just wanted to destroy my windmill. Much like you and your storms. I made him leave. He couldn't come back here. I think that made him mad. He fled to the graveyard. But that's where he belonged. Still, who wouldn't want to stay in such a wonderful place? Round and round we go!" the man said.
"Come with me," Link said, stretching his hand out for the man to take. But he seemed to recoil the nearer Link got. "Please, we need to get you some help. You can't stay here. You can't stay in a town all by yourself. Who knows what may come by here again! Come with me now."
But the organ grinder wouldn't budge. "Around and around and around! Isn't it wonderful? Round and round and round we go!" he cried. Link sighed and gave up. He was getting nowhere. He made his way out of the windmill and took a moment to think about what the crazy fool had said to him. You remind me of someone. He was tall, and white, and carried a giant instrument. He fled to the graveyard.
Link wondered if in his own, twisted little way, the organ grinder had revealed the whereabouts of the monster that had destroyed the village. He made his way back to the entrance of the village to get Epona. He wanted her near him in case he needed to make a quick getaway.
The graveyard was a mess. Tombstones had been torn out of the ground and carelessly tossed aside. Some had obviously been hit with something, giant gashes gracing their once smooth surfaces. Mud was everywhere. It was as if the grass refused to grow. Even the tomb of the Royal Family had been defaced. Link shook his head. What kind of creature would want to destroy the final resting place of so many? A noise from Dampé's hut startles Link.
The door was creaking open, and something was making its way out. Link's eyes widened as a giant stalfos crawled out of the hut on it's hands and knees. It eyes Link, and (if it's possible for a skull to do so) seemed to smile. It made for it's sword, and Link grabbed for his. So this was what had killed the villagers. Link would make sure that the evil being paid.
Link didn't waste a second. He grabbed a bomb and hurled it at the stalfos, waiting for it to explode. It did, and Link ran forward, hacking at the pile of bones. But this knight was not to be easily defeated. It quickly got up and lunged at Link. The sword cut through the shoulder of his tunic, grazing his skin. But Link had no time to notice the pain. He hurled another bomb at the stalfos and waited for it to collapse again. Link used all of his might to chop at the monster as tears streamed down his face. This thing had killed good, kind, caring people who had never done anything to deserve what he had done.
The creature got up and angrily swiped at Link, gashing his leg. Link fell to the ground and the stalfos moved over him, adjusting his sword so that he could plunge it into :ink's chest. But Link was too quick, and instead of human flesh, the stalfos's sword met the ground. As the dumb creature attempted to retrieve his sword, Link threw a third bomb, this time killing the beast. But he wasn't through with it yet. He hacked and chopped and sliced at it, trying to relieve all of his anger and sadness and guilt.
He soon ran out of energy and collapsed on the ground in exhaustion. He didn't seem to notice his bleeding leg or hurt shoulder. Sobs racked his body. He had been too late. An entire village had been wiped out. He had known a week ago that he should leave the forest, that they could handle things, and still, he stayed. He would have stayed longer if Saria hadn't pushed him to go. If he had done his duty, he may have been able to save them all. What kind of hero was he now? He hated himself.
A ray of light shot down next to him and Saria appeared, worry etched on her face. "Link?" she asked, looking down at him. Her eyes took in the dead stalfos and Link's wounds. "Does it hurt that bad?" she asked, noticing his tears as she rushed to his side. Link shook his head. "Then what is it? I could feel your pain. It's so intense. What happened?" she asked as she pulled out a bottle of healing potion for him to swallow.
Link pushed the bottle away. "They're all dead," he whispered.
"Who?" asked Saria, trying to force him to drink.
"The people of Kakariko! All of them! All of them except for that cracked organ grinder in the windmill. I came too late. I could have saved them all, but I came too late!" he cried.
Saria sat down on the muddy ground and took Link into her arms. "It's not your fault, Link. You got here as fast as you could. You had no way of knowing what was going on out here," she said, smoothing his sweaty blonde hair away from his face.
"Oh, yes. I could have left the forest a while ago. I could have done my duty as the Hero of Time and saved Hyrule. I could have but I didn't. I didn't! And look what has happened because of it!" he screamed. "I am the monster here."
"Shhhh! Link, you should hear yourself. You're just upset, that's all. It must have been terrible to walk into this, finding all of these innocent people like that, many of them your friends. I can't imagine how horrific an experience that was. But Link, who's to say that they weren't killed at the same time that you were off finding the children that had wandered into the woods? Or back when you were saving the Kokiri children from certain death themselves when that incredible league of keese flew in? Link, you cannot blame yourself for this. None of this is your fault. None of it.
"Now come with me. We need to take you home so that you can rest. You need to sleep some of this off. You'll feel better then," said Saria as she slowly stood up and helped Link to do the same.
"I can't go home yet. I can't. I need to check on the Gorons. I need to check on the Market, and Princess Zelda. I need to make sure that Ruto and the Zora King and their people are safe. I can't go home until I have fulfilled my duties. I won't allow something like this to happen again, Saria, I won't," said Link, making his way towards the entrance to the graveyard.
"Link, you can't help anyone in that state! You need rest!" cried Saria, grabbing his arm.
"Get off of me, Saria! Go home! Do you hear me? Go home! Go where you are needed! There is nothing for you to do here."
Saria backed off in shock. Link had never spoken to her like that. Ever. Tears stung her eyes and she had to blink furiously to keep them from falling. She walked up to him one last time and put a hand in her pocket. She drew out the bottle of healing potion and handed it to him. "At least let me give you this. You really can't do anything in the condition you're in. That gashed leg and that cut shoulder need to be helped. Drink this," she said. Link took the bottle and Saria turned away before lifting her arms to the sky and heading home alone.
Link gulped down the healing potion, felt somewhat refreshed, and mounted Epona. He was determined to not allow anything like the terrible massacre at Kakariko Village happen again.