Against All Tides
Chapter 5: The Rising Tide
In the past few days, I decided to practice refining my skills with a sword in our local graveyard. There were plenty of poes to use as target practice and they were worthy opponents too. With my sword held tightly in both hands, I steadied myself for the ghostly figure to reappear. As soon as I heard its taunting cackle, I piveted around on one foot while my other moved in sync with my body. My sword sliced through the poe in one swift movement as it cried out in pain and floated away in fear.
I wiped the sweat from my brow and sheathed my sword carefully, "That should be enough for today."
Rain drizzled down on top of the tombstones as I walked through the graveyard to the exit. Mud puddles were littered across the ground that I carefully avoided along the way. A splash reverbirated through the empty graveyard as I stepped over a puddle. I instinctively grasped the hilt of my sword and glanced around the area. But with the rain and the light mist that hovered above the ground, it was hard to see much. I shrugged it off and continued through the graveyard with my hand ready to draw my sword if need be. By the time I reached the gate at the entrance, the rain had cleared and the sun shined brightly against my drenched body.
The sun was now setting as I hurried home to get dried off before dinner time. When I made it inside, the house had been completely ransacked and my parents were nowhere in the house. Panic started to rise in me as I looked outside at the moon that was growing more vibrant as the sun slowly disappeared on the horizon. It was a full moon. My mind reeled through the endless possibilities as I ran to each of my parents' businesses and found them empty. I proceeded to look everywhere in town that I could possibly think of before I thought of Madame Sybil. Even though my feet still ached from my training and all the searching, I continued to run as fast as I could and reached her shop within a few minutes.
As I burst through her doors, I wasted no time to get to the point, "Madame Sybil, they're gone! My parents are gone!"
Her startled figure appeared behind the counter along with a very surprised fairy. As soon as they saw me they calmed down and the old woman answered, "I'm sorry, Stella, but everything has been set into motion and it's up to you to find and rescue them. There is nothing my powers can do to help you find them."
Fear and anger boiled inside of me as I screamed in fustration, "How can I possibly save them when I don't even know where to begin to look for them?!"
"Stella, dear, you must remain strong and calm for you are the only one who can save them. Anger will only blind you and fear will only immobilize you." She spoke with confidence and wisdom.
I dropped to my knees and cried while Elpis floated around me and comforted me, "Don't worry, Stella, I'll help you find them. You can count on me!"
"Really? You would help me even if it puts your life in danger?" I hiccuped as my tears ceased and I rubbed my face clean.
"Of course! You're my friend and fairies are very durable. I'll also be able to heal you when you're badly injured." she explained as if it was the most obvious thing in all of Hyrule.
"Then off with you both! There's no time to waste!" Madame Sybil urged as she shoved us out the door. Before she shut the door, she advised me of one more thing, "And I would recommend starting at Lake Hylia."
Elpis and I stood before the closed door with stunned expressions before we remembered the task at hand and set forth. After gathering some supplies we would need, I tacked up Topaz and we headed for the lake. Clouds rolled across the night sky and covered the moon and the stars. Lightening was our only source of light as it danced across the sky and thunder boomed through the night air. Soon rain pelted down on us and made it nearly impossible to see even with the lightening.
"Maybe we should go back and wait until morning!" Elpis shouted above the rain and thunder.
Determined to find my parents I refused, "No! I've got to save them before they get hurt...or worse!"
Elpis begrudgingly agreed to continue but only if she could ride inside of the saddle bag since the rain had rid the use of her wings. Topaz hesitantly bid my command and continued through the rain as lightening lit up the sky as our only guidance. But we were soon lost as we came across a plank that served as a bridge across a small creek and crossed it. With no visibility it was impossible to see where we were or where we were going. So I slowed Topaz to a walk until we came to an old bridge that shook in the stormy night.
As I observed the rickety old bridge, Elpis flew out of her hiding spot and over to me, "Where are we? You aren't going to cross that are you?"
"I'm just going to check if it's sturdy enough to hold us." I reasoned with her while I checked every plank before I put my full weight on it.
"Be careful, Stella!" she yelled as lightening crashed to the ground and startled Topaz into sprinting off.
While running back across the bridge to catch him, the planks beneath my feet broke away and I fell through with a loud cry. Elpis shouted my name and followed after me as I plummitted through the air screaming. Attempting to help save me, she grabbed my shirt and pulled with all her strength to keep me from falling. But her attempts were in vain as I continued to fall and soon plunged into a rushing river. I fought against the current to reach the surface and succeeded as I inhaled what little air I could before being pulled under again. Elpis was frantically trying to keep track of me as she fluttered above the surface of the water. Memories flashed before me of a similiar encounter as water began to fill my lungs. I fought with all my strength to reach the surface, but my vision began to blurr and my eyelids grew heavier by the second.
Before I lost conciousness, an arm wrapped around my waist securely and lifted me above water. I held on tight to their arm as we broke the surface of the water. While gasping for oxygen and choking up the water that had filled my lungs, I noticed the arm wrapped around me belonged to a Zora. Elpis spotted us and quickly followed along as the rushing river carried us to Lake Hylia. The storm raged on as the Zora carefully carried me to shore to gently set me down and Kaelin's familiar charcoal eyes met mine as he looked at me worriedly.
"Are you okay, Stella?" Kaelin asked loudly above all the noises of the storm. My throat burned from all of the water I had swallowed so I simply nodded. He then picked me up in his arms and carried me over to the lake. "It's too dangerous out here. I'm going to take you to my domain."
My eyes filled with fear from the thought of having to go under water once more, but Kaelin reassured me all would be fine. Elpis reluctantly agreed to get in any empty bottle long enough to travel underwater with us. After wrapping my arms around his neck securely, he dove into the water and expertly swam through the torrents caused by the storm. We reached some underwater ruins where there was an entry way that Kaelin swam through. It was completely dark for a few seconds until we appeared on the other side where the water was very calm. Kaelin reached the surface and swam over to shore as I took in the appearance of our surroundings.
We were in a damp cave that held a body of water on one side and small acloves on the other side. The water was even more beautiful than the lake water as it sparkled like stars against the walls and ceiling of the cave. A waterfall crashed down into the body of water from one wall causing a loud noise to travel throughout the cave. A few Zoras that were nearby didn't seem to mind the noise but were more interested in their comrade and his company. Kaelin gently set me down on my feet as I continued to stare at the beauty of his home.
"It's absolutely breath taking, Kaelin! Is this where you and the other Zora's live?" I admired from beside him while he smiled and slightly blushed at my reaction.
"Yes. This is Zora's Domain where all Zoras, guardians of the water, reside peacefully and happily." he proudly welcomed me to his home.
Zoras Domain had completey blown me away with its beauty and had caused me to also forget why I had ended up here in the first place. Kaelin proceeded to show me every part of his home as I listened and observed in amazement.
OoTOoTOoTOoTOoT
Meanwhile, back in Kakariko village a mysterious figure stomped through the dark streets while the villagers slept the night away peacefully. As the figure searched through every part of the village, they grew angrier and angrier while turning over every crate and stone.
"Where is she!" they roared and punched the tree that was located near the entrance of the village.
Villagers peeped out of their windows and opened their doors to find the source of the noise. But, where the figure once stood was now empty while the only signs left of his presence was a disipitating mist. The residents shrugged it off and retreated back to their warm beds, completely unaware of the danger the figure possossed or what his future plans held in store.
SailorSunstar: Kaelin seems to always be there to save Stella, but will he be able to protect her from this mysterious person? Just who is this mysterious person anyway? Find out as the story progresses and secrets reveal themselves. Thanks for reading and please review!