Author's Notes- You can call me out for it. I lied. I said I'd be able to upload the rest of the story quickly, yet I went almost four months without any work. I knew I'd have a busy semester, but I thought I could whip this all up as the base draft was already there. The reason for the delay, then? I had a lot of essays to write this time around almost nonstop, and I simply couldn't bring myself to work on any writing that wasn't school related- it just didn't feel right. Maybe it helped my performance on those, but I doubt any hypothetical reader is all that thrilled about it. Oh well.
The story really accelerates in this chapter, and I personally think it is for the better. I guess that's what happens once you finally have your characters set up!
As I tend to do, I only read through this once to get it out as soon as I could (and the loss of the fantastic spell checker this website once had is unfortunate). Accordingly, please be on the lookout for dumb grammatical and spelling mistakes and either email me if you are worried about embarrassing me or just leave them in a review. I wouldn't mind that, either, as it means I would finally have one!
Even though feedback has been pretty silent, it does appear that a few people have read this, so please enjoy!
Chapter Seven
The first expedition began the next day with Link, Marin, and Richard making the journey to the Yarna Desert. Link had to send his companions back to Animal Village due to the number and strength of the monsters they quickly encountered within the hostile desert, but he was able to fight through every adversary alone. Link returned with a key for what was called the Angler's Tunnel before sundown.
Unlike the previous dungeons, neither Marin nor Richard knew where to find the Angler's Tunnel. Given this, the speed at which the first three dungeons were found and cleared could not be matched. What had taken hours before took weeks as the three followed the leads they could find across Koholint, whether that lead took them looking for information in Mabe's library or reading text from the many ancient ruins they found scattered throughout the island. In her free time, Marin had already sketched some limited yet surprisingly accurate maps from her experiences exploring the island, and the team was able to expand on these as a way of inventorying where they had been and where they needed to go. The process was at times engaging and at other times frustrating. Finding hidden chambers built into the island's mountains was exciting, but the number of dead ends made Link question whether or not he'd actually find what he was looking for. One particularly annoying case was a book he found in the library promisingly titled Dark Secrets And Mysteries Of Koholint. Link was suitably enthusiastic about his discovery, only to find that the manuscript was entirely useless. Despite its thickness, every page between the covers was completely devoid of text with the exception of a single page mentioning passageways and giving a nonsensical set of norths, wests, easts, and souths. Link ripped the page out and stored it in his bag in case it might ever serve a purpose, but it remained one of a long set of major disappointments for him.
Eventually, though, their luck turned. They were investigating what remained of an ancient pillar on the east side of the island just south of the Tal Tal Mountains when Richard noticed what appeared to be a small keyhole built into its side. The site's small size was a key reason it took the group a long time to find it, as an adjacent river had washed away the rest of the ruins. Across the river, a waterfall poured down from a cave system in the mountain's cliffside into the river below. When the wind was blowing strong enough, as was the case when the three found the pillar, droplets from the waterfall would be cast far enough to rain on the ruins, further wearing down any evidence the site once held. As a result, there was nothing to actually suggest that the keyhole had anything to do with the Angler's Tunnel, but there was no reason not to try. When Link turned the key for the Angler's Tunnel in the lock, there was no immediate noise or rumbling of the ground. The first sign that anything happened at all was the gradual diminishment of the water pouring on their heads. The three craned their heads up to watch a small wooden wall rise that dammed the waterfall, becoming increasingly audible as the noise of the rushing water was halted. Though the dam blocked the cave from which the waterfall originated, a second cave was revealed below it, once hidden by the veil of falling water. Marin jumped, cheered, and gave both her companions hugs who, while too reserved themselves to engage in similar activities, couldn't help but express relieved smiles.
As the cave was too high on the face of the mountain to approach from the river, the three had to climb up the mountain range from the more accessible west and hike to the location of the waterfall. From here, Richard and Marin gingerly lowered Link by rope down the cliff until he secured himself at the tunnel's entrance, untied himself, and yelled out that they were good to go. To get back from the dungeon, Link could simply jump into the river below.
A still-drenched Link returned to Tarin's house that night with the Surf Harp in tow. Marin awaited him, who had been safely escorted back to Mabe by Richard. Though the two came across a few monsters, Richard dispatched the weaker ones, and they were able to sneak by those that looked stronger.
The owl had appeared to Link after his departure from the Angler's Tunnel and hinted that the next dungeon could be found in Martha's Bay. Finding the dungeon was significantly easier this time, as everyone on the island knew of the Catfish's Maw, a structure much resembling an angry catfish with its mouth open, which protruded out of the water in the heart of the bay.
Since Marin and Richard were not needed on this particular expedition, Link departed for Martha's Bay alone and swam out to the Maw with the assistance of some flippers he had found in the Angler's Tunnel.
Clearing the Catfish's Maw took longer than any of the previous dungeons. Link spent much of the time wandering aimlessly through its halls trying to figure out just where he was supposed to be going. The monsters seemed smarter, too, which only further slowed him.
Though he had left early in the morning for Martha's Bay, it was late afternoon before Link made much forward progress. It was at this time that he came across a chest containing a hookshot. The Hylian smiled broadly, knowing how useful the device had been in his fight against Agahnim and in both Holodrum and Labrynna.
The hookshot greatly expedited the journey, though the puzzles and barriers Link still had to deal with using the tool were not simple. By the time Link was drying himself on the side of Matha's Bay and admiring the Wind Marimba he had collected, it was under the moonlight rather than sunlight.
Link flicked the keys on the handheld marimba as he thought. Marin and Tarin were assuredly worried about how long he had been gone, but Link was too absorbed in his thoughts to care.
It was something the Maw's boss said before dying. First of all, it was strange that the monsters even spoke to him, which was not something the Hero of Hyrule had experienced in his previous adventures. Not only were they speaking, though; the words they spoke were thoroughly vexatious. For example, this monster, the Slime Eel, laughed at Link for being a fool and mocked him for not knowing what kind of island Koholint was.
Indeed, Link didn't know what kind of island Koholint was, but the Slime Eel was wrong if he thought Link was ignorant that something was amiss. Link recalled reflecting on how peculiar Koholint during his search for BowWow, and things had only gotten stranger. Talking animals. The bizarre dream with the ocarina. Kids not having a concept of age. Not to mention that despite how many dungeons Link had already cleared, the number of monsters scouring the island hadn't gone down a bit.
Link sighed as he finally slid the marimba into his satchel. It was obvious he wasn't going to understand what was wrong on his own. The more Link explored, the more insistent the prognostications were. If that logic were to continue, the answers Link sought for could only be found by going forward.
Link hurried his pace as he jogged back to Mabe. Yes, he would have his answers. And when he finally grasped what he was dealing with, he would resolve whatever challenges he faced. He was the Hero of Hyrule- he had not been defeated yet, and he was not going to be now.
With renewed confidence, Link strode into Tarin's house with poise. Tarin was already eating dinner, while Marin sat across from him picking at her food. The father jumped up upon seeing Link and embraced him, while the daughter buried her head in her hands and let out a deep breath.
"Link! What took you so long! We were both worried sick!" Tarin said for them.
"The dungeon was larger than usual. Nothing to worry about."
Tarin patted him on the back and laughed. "Nothing to worry about, ehh? What if these dungeons get even longer, and you have to spend the night in one of them? Bring your mat next time!" Tarin was amused with himself, though it didn't seem to lift Marin's spirits much. She did comment that she was glad he was all right, though, after Link joined them at the table and Tarin plated some food for him. As Tarin reached over his plate, Link noticed that the man had bruised one of his fingers pretty seriously.
"Tarin… what did you do to your finger?"
"Ehh, I hit it with a hammer. Doesn't really hurt that much."
"Hammer? When were you using a hammer?"
Tarin looked almost guilty before leaning back in his chair chuckling. "You got me! I guess the secret is out. It's as good of a time to mention it as any, and I'm almost done, anyways… I've been working on a boat for you, Link."
Link's mouth opened slightly in surprise. "Boat?"
"You don't think I've spent the last few weeks either goofing off and picking mushrooms or toiling in the crop field every day, do you? You told me you wanted to build one to get off Koholint, and you have been too busy to do it yourself. I could have asked, but I didn't want to sidetrack you from what you're doing. Don't worry, I've been getting some design suggestions from some of the other residents- even Marin helped! Though most people's only experience of boats comes from that fisherman who lives under the bridge to that small island in Martha's Bay."
Now that he thought of it, it was probably Tarin with a hammer that Link heard while he was on the beach with Marin. And it also explained why Tarin was taking his tool kit with him whenever he left the house.
"Tarin… I should have been there to help."
Tarin smiled knowingly as he leaned forward to take a couple bites. "You're our guest, Link. Besides, I've had a fun time doing it! … When do you think you'll need it done by, anyways?"
Link reached to the floor to retrieve his satchel and pulled out the marimba. He handed it to Marin, who smiled faintly as she tested its keys.
"That there is the fifth of the eight instruments," Link explained. "It's hard to say how long it will take to find the last three. If they turn out like the Catfish Maw, I'll be finished in a matter of days. If they turn out more like the Angler's Tunnel… well, it could be as long as a month, maybe more."
Tarin nodded. "I can't promise I'll be done in a few days, but I can promise it will be finished within a month. As long as it takes, though… you're welcome here. You've been a perfect guest, and seeing you find all these instruments I've only heard of in the legends is remarkable... And I've never seen Marin so happy before."
Marin looked up from the marimba. "Tarin-"
"- Don't tell me it isn't true," Tarin interuppted with a raised hand. "I know you love me, but Link provides something I can't- a friendship with a peer… a hope for change…" Tarin slowed as his eyes began to water.
Marin shook her head as she set the marimba on the table and embraced her father from behind. "Don't ever think I would replace you with Link… Both of you mean so much to me..."
Tarin smiled sadly. "And if he means a lot to you, he means a lot to me. Marin...maybe not now, but someone will have to replace me someday. I won't be around forever. Maybe it's for the best. You need to spread out your wings and fly…"
"Not without you," his daughter muttered.
The exchange felt personal enough that Link swallowed the rest of his food in three rapid-fire, oversized bites and walked outside. He waited out there gazing at the moon until Marin quietly came out to join him.
"I'm sorry you had to listen to that," she began. "You didn't have to eat you food so fast, you know."
"Don't fret about it. I ate fast because I was hungry. I haven't eaten all day, if you remember."
"And you walked outside?"
"Because it was getting hot in there."
Marin laughed. "You might be right about that. You should tell me, though, was the Catfish Maw really not bad? You had me a little bit worried."
"… It was worse than usual, admittedly, but yes, I'm fine. Another instrument in the satchel."
"And the owl?"
"Said something about a shrine."
"Hmm… he's probably talking about the Face Shrines. There's supposed to be two of them, one to the north and another to the south, though I've never actually seen either of them."
"Where can I find them?"
"Based off what I've read, they should pretty close together. If you cross over the river to the other side of Martha's Bay, instead of going south towards Animal Village, go north along the river. You should be able to find them from there."
"You? … You aren't coming?"
Marin chuckled as she rubbed her arm. "I… I don't think so. There's a lot of rocks and boulders in that part of the island that would make it difficult to navigate and see any enemies in advance, and Richard mentioned to me earlier that he could spy a lot of flying monsters circling in the air coming from that area. Based off the tone of his voice when he told me that, I wouldn't waste your time stopping by Kanalet to see if he wants to tag along. There's a reason we've never gone that way, even after all that time we spent looking for the Angler's Tunnel."
"Well," Link said as he put an arm around her, "if there are two of these shrines, don't be surprised if I come back late. I hate going two days in a row without hardly seeing you, though."
"Ha! I'm sure you'll survive. I do appreciate it, though… You know, my father does like you. He just might be a little slow adjusting to… well, whatever happens."
"Marin," Link began more seriously, "If we were to leave Koholint… would your father want to come with us?"
Marin's smile evaporated. "I… I hadn't actually thought of that… He wouldn't want to leave me, though, so yes, I'm sure he would."
"If he did, I could have him set up well. Being the Hero of Hyrule has some utility," Link boasted.
"Ahh, based off what you've told me, you're more than that," Marin joined in. She turned to him and dramatically took both hands into her own. "You're also the Hero of Holodrum and Labyrnna… and now of Koholint!"
Link leaned back slightly. "Koholint? How exactly have I been a hero?"
"Solving the ancients mysteries, saving people's pets, giving hope against invading monsters, reconquering castles, forming new friendships… and giving substance to what was before nothing more than a girl's dreams."
Link, uncharacteristically, pulled Marin into an embrace and gave her a soft but long kiss on her forehead. The two looked into each other's eyes silently before Marin finally whispered, "We should get some sleep."
Marin was awake to send Link off the next morning, even providing a little food for him to take so he wouldn't repeat the previous day's experience.
Over the previous weeks, Link had become increasingly familiar with the island, so finding the road Marin spoke of took no time at all. Once there, Link quickly deemed Richard and Marin's aversion to the area to be justified, as Link struggled fighting his way through mazes of boulders that were too large to see over or around- all the while having makeshift explosives dropped around him from zirros above and being pounced by tektites from hidden holes tucked in the dirt just about everywhere he wasn't looking for them. By the time Link finally stumbled into a clearing, he had to admit that his clothes would need another sewing job when he got back.
Needing to take a breath to recover, Link leaned against a nearby statue that looked much like a knight. As he did, Link thought to himself how convenient it was for the statue to be there at the end of all of those hazards. He couldn't think long, though, before his eyebrows furled as the statue began to shake.
It was then that he remembered the armos statues he had encountered and nearly been killed by many times before. Link was too tired to do anything but groan while he stumbled away as the statue came alive and drew a real metal sword. As Link backed away, his hand ran against another armos, causing it to start after him, too.
Link was concerned enough by how quickly these statues were moving after him that he failed to realize that he had backed up into a whole field full of armos until he brushed against a third one. Having left a maze of rocks, he had awoke a maze of statues trying to kill him.
By this point, Link had no choice but to keep on running forward as the approaching assailants now blocked the way back. Seeing a stone building ahead, which was very likely one of the two shrines, Link dodged the statues as he passed them, hoping to not run into a dead end, managing to only awaken two more before reaching and leaping into the building to safety. The pursuing arms stopped at the staircase that led up to the enterance.
Link fell sprawled out on the floor gasping for air and chocking on the dust he had kicked up during his frantic escape. He had just enough strength left to study his surroundings. It looked much like any other dungeon he had seen on Koholint, with its bare, stone walls dimly light by eternally-burning torches. As he turned, though, he noticed that the size of the room was smaller than usual and that it's layout was much more linear and open. Rather than there being archways to other corridors, the room he was in opened to a small arena sunken in the floor. From Link's position on the ground, he couldn't see what occupied it.
When Link felt strong enough to face another opponent, he begrudgingly struck his sword into a crevice in the floor and used it to help pull himself back up. From his new vantage point, he could see a dark form standing motionless in the arena. The shape was easier to make out as Link descended down the short staircase leading to the arena, dragging his sword behind him.
For as weak as Link felt, he lifted his sword and shield to the ready almost instantaneously as the massive object ahead of him suddenly leaped into the air. Link jumped out of the way and hit the bottom of the arena with a crash as the monster landed where he previously stood. The force of the landing sent bits of rock and dust spewing into the air and caused the whole dungeon to shake to such a degree that Link momentarily couldn't stand back up.
Link now realized what he was up against- an enormous armos much stronger than those he'd run away from outside. It wasn't his first time facing one, but he wasn't ready for such an opponent. He backed away in horror before clumsily returning to his feet.
The armos turned almost mechanically before spotting Link. The statue planned another leap at the young hero. Link was better prepared and made a swift hop out of the way, this time managing to keep his feet.
As powerful as the armos was, it lacked speed. Before the armos was able to spin around again, Link was taking hacks at it with his sword, slowly tearing the menace down piece by piece before jumping away again to a safe distance with the use of the Roc's Feather, the title of which he had come across while doing research to find the Angler's Tunnel.
Link continued this process with increasing precision. On one of his offensives, though, Link received a deep cut on his lower thigh just above his right knee while he tried brushing dust out of his eyes, which was filling the air with increasing concentration. Link was irritated enough by this injury that he took a particularly hard swing at the armos the next time around, which sliced one of the statue's arms clean off and imbedded into its chest. Link would have had difficulty removing his sword had it not dislodged itself when the armos tipped over. During this event, the armos's feet and much of its lower body disintegrated as it hit the floor.
Link chuckled to cover his pain as took a seat on one of the arena steps and agonizingly removed his satchel. He grunted as he pulled out a bottle of potion and dumped its contents on his cut, doing his best to not cry as he rubbed it into and around the injury.
It was not a normal potion, but a rather expensive one he had bought for situations much like this off a rather eccentric woman who lived not so far away from Syrup on the Koholint Prairie. If it didn't work as promised, he was going to be making a return trip for a refund.
Evidently, the potion was at least somewhat effective, as the pain quickly subsided enough that Link could stand back up. Ahead, he saw a door at the far end of the arena that must have opened after his battle.
"You might wish to have this."
Link nearly jumped at the sound of the fallen armos speaking to him. Fortunately, the armos had not recovered and was still lying helplessly on the ground. It had, though, raised its hand that was still attached to the stone body. In its grasp was a small key. As Link removed it, a few more fingers crumbled off. The hand slowly lowered as laughter began to emit from behind the statue's metal helmet. Link could have removed the helmet to see how the sound was being produced, which was of much interest to him, but instead took a few steps back in horror.
"Your journey is about to end, Messenger of Awakening."
Link noted that was the same title the owl had once bestowed to him. He smirked a little, feeling more confident with the extra distance between him and the armos, answering, "I'm looking a little rough, but I'm not dead yet. You gave me a good fight, but if I can defeat you while half out of breath, I think I can handle whatever else you throw at me."
The armos only began to laugh louder. It was a hollow, unnerving echo. "Us? It is not us you should worry about! It will be you yourself that will prevent you from finishing your task."
"And why is that?" an agitated Link questioned.
"You shall see."
The armos continued to cackle for a few moments before falling silent. After pocketing the key the armos had given him, Link limped his way through the open door and proceeded down a dark tunnel until it opened to a small chamber.
The room was as dark as pitch, forcing Link to fumble around his inventory until finding a small pouch. It was the same one that had been given to him by Syrup to help treat Tarin's bizarre "condition." It wasn't until later when they were searching around a cave that he and Marin realized the powder had the additional benefit of glowing in the dark.
Link grasped a handful of powder from the pouch and cast it across the room. Each grain of powder let off a soft glimmer. Together, the effect was strong enough that the entire room was moderately well-lit.
The room itself was barren, with the exception of a strange piece of artwork on the back wall of a large whale. As Link approached it, though, he saw there was more to the engraving. The creature wasn't a whale, exactly, as it also wings and some sort of ornamentation. Above the whale was a smaller creature that Link quickly identified as an owl.
Link's pulse hastened when he realized it was probably depicting the mysterious owl that had been visiting him after every dungeon. Next to the owl were letters engraved in the stone. Link squinted to make out the words they formed. He read them out loud under his breath.
"To the finder… the Isle of Koholint, is nothing but an illusion… human, monster, sea, sky… a scene on the lid of a sleeper's eye… awake the dreamer, and Koholint will vanish much like a bubble on a needle… castaway, you should know the truth…"
Link backed away from the wall with shaking hands. "What… illusion…?"
The boy looked at his sword as he thought. Castaway… it was speaking directly to Link.
It was impossible.
Except that it wasn't. In fact, it made a painful amount of sense. The quadruplet didn't know his age because he was never actually born. All of the seemingly unreal creatures and places he had encountered were exactly that- unreal. The dream where he recovered his ocarina was not a dream at all- it was Link stirring in the real world. The only real beings on the island were the two that were sleeping- himself and the Wind Fish. And they were the only two that would outlast the dream when it ended.
Link looked remarkably calm as he walked step by step back the way he came, the only sign of his wrath being his grip on his sword hilt.
As Link stepped out into the light outside, a fluttering of wings to his right caught Link's ear. Within an instant, Link whipped out his sword and placed its point right in front of the owl's beak, which had taken his position on the arm of a thankfully inanimate statue.
"Move one inch and I slice you clean in half," Link gritted between his teeth. To his surprise, the owl did not even react.
"I see you have read the relief."
"Yes. And now it's time that you actually speak with me. No more games."
"While it does say that the island is but a dream of the Wind Fish, no one is really sure… Just as you cannot know if a chest holds treasure until you open it, so you cannot tell if this is a dream until you are awaken… The only one who knows for sure is the Wind Fish."
"You're lying. Again... This whole time, you knew." Link couldn't help but giggle. "And you didn't tell me because you knew what my response would be."
"It is not my task to lie to you, nor is it in my nature to do so. My one purpose is to see the completion of yours, Messenger of Awakening. You have been told what you needed to be told."
"Ahh! Actually, I am not a 'Messenger of Awakening.' I'm the Hero of Hyrule… You see, Mr. Owl… a hero doesn't kill innocent people. He saves them."
"And you shall save the Wind Fish and your own self."
Link shook his head. "No. Why would you want me to do this terrible thing? You know what doing this would mean? ... No, let the Wind Fish's eternal slumber endure. And I do not need saving." Link smiled as he sheathed his sword. "I am no longer the 'Messenger of Awakening.'"
Link waited for a response. It didn't come.
"As persistent as you've been so far, owl, you seem fine with allowing me to quit."
"The Wind Fish is patient. You can run as far as you want, but you cannot avoid your destiny."
Link mustered all the strength he could to not redraw his sword right then and splatter the owl's blood as far as the ocean. The only way he was able to keep himself from doing so was by turning around and retracing the steps he had taken on the way to the shrine. Before he left, though, Link couldn't help but add one more word.
"I don't care if you say the only way off the island is to wake the Wind Fish. I'll find a way. I always have." Link smiled to himself victoriously.
The swings meant for the owl instead went to some of the armos in the sprawling field. Compared to the one he had faced in the shrine, they were as strong as dried sticks cast on the ground. His rampage continued through the boulder field. Link found some of the shorter boulders and then used the Roc's Feather to launch himself onto the larger ones. From here, Link was able to swipe at the flying zirros that had harassed him earlier.
"If I'm going to leave, the least I can do is get rid of some of these for everyone that stays," he justified.
After killing everything in sight, Link's eyes fell on another target- a series of columns just across the river on a small peninsula blocked off on all land bound sides by cliffs. Link could discern one that appeared to have a keyhole, likely fitting the gift of the dying armos. Link quickly deduced that it was for the other Face Shrine that Marin had spoken of. He laughed as he jumped from his perch and navigated that direction.
"I promised Marin I'd come back with an instrument, and I don't think there are any monsters more worthy of dying than those that rule the Face Shrines… they may have made that mural themselves." Link said these words aloud after asking himself why he was going to another dungeon after already having resigned his title of Messenger of Awakening.
After wading across the river and using his key, the ground rumbled as a stone structure rose from the ground before his eyes. It was the Northern Face Shrine.
Link was completely silent as he went from chamber to chamber methodically slaying everything in his path. Not only was he using his sword and bow- he also crushed his enemies with many of the large decorative statues that littered the dungeon. He even used these statues to break down locked gates. He was so steady in his pace that he never even thought of touching the meal that Marin had packed for him.
Besides his physical display, Link's mind was sharper than ever. Security puzzles and traps that often would have taken Link hours to solve, such as having to hit switches in complicated patterns to proceed, were figured out in a matter of minutes.
The Face Shrine lived up to its title. Its layout was in the shape of its face, and its master, called Façade was nothing more than a large mouth and a pair of eyes moving, disappearing, and reappearing in the floor.
This strange form was not capable of performing direct attacks. Instead, Façade used some sort of force to launch projectiles at Link, whether they be pots or floor tiles. Link was able to block them with his shield, but the resulting scatter of sharp debris was still an issue. He received minor cuts on his arms and legs, even on his back from pieces ricocheting off the walls, but he realized it was only a matter of time before one got him on the neck or managed to slice a vein or artery.
The only way Link was able to damage Façade was by lugging bombs he had bought in Mabe wherever he showed his face. When they exploded, the face would contort in pain and disappear before reshowing himself somewhere else.
The battle lingered, but the longer it did, the fewer objects remained to be hurled at Link. Accordingly, it became easier to predict what was going to be thrown and from what direction it would come. After multiple direct hits with the bombs, Façade disappeared and this time did not return.
A voice then screeched out, "Listen to me! If the Wind Fish wakes, everything on this island will be gone forever! And I do mean everything! We are its protectors! Consider that before you continue!"
Link spoke for the first time in hours, answering him, "Then you will be glad to know that I am not."
Almost as if Façade was satisfied with his response, a slab in the wall was raised up to allow Link into the Instrument Chamber. Link muttered, "Thanks," before entering and retrieving the Coral Triangle, yanking a small sherd of ceramic from his forearm on the way there.
"So, you see, I was hammering in a board on the stern when I hi- … My goodness, what is that horrible creature?!"
Tarin had been explaining the story behind his bruise to Madame MeowMeow while sitting outside on the square when he saw Link returning to Mabe. The warrior was walking towards the house when he must have seen Tarin, as he redirected his course after looking in the direction of the square. Tarin didn't recognize Link until he was almost right in front of him. Link's face was painted with dirt and dust, and much of his body was caked in dried blood, particularly around his leg wound. His clothes were similarly dirty and also torn in multiple locations on his back, chest, and shoulders.
"Link, my boy… what happ-."
"The boat. Is it finished?"
"Why… no, why do you as-."
"Then I'm going to take over from here. Where is it, exactly?"
"Down on the far east end of Toronbo Shores, not so far away from that abandoned house near Martha's Bay." Link turned around to leave, but Tarin grabbed his arm. "Really, though, Link, you need to clean yourself up before anyone else sees you."
"BowWow might even think you're a monster and try attacking you," Madame MeowMeow added.
Link paused for a second to let them know that he heard them and then walked away. Though he didn't clean off, he did intentionally keep his face turned away from anyone that might see him and stayed a healthy distance away from BowWow.
Once Link reached the place mentioned by Tarin, he was thankful to see that Tarin had left his toolkit leaned up against the boat under construction. Link studied the craft for a few minutes to get an idea of what Tarin's plan was for the final design before setting to work. As it was already nearly completed, it didn't take too much imagination.
The boat wasn't that large, but it was better built than the small catboat Link had left Labrynna in. It was just tall enough that average sized waves wouldn't dump enough water onto the boat that Link would be forced to constantly bail water, and it was wide enough that rogue waves shouldn't capsize it. The ocean was supposed to be calm enough that larger ships weren't necessary, but the rogue storm Link ran into obviously disproved that argument.
The ship had a small mast with a makeshift sail made out of sewn blankets with a boom attached, allowing the direction of the sail to be controlled by a hanging rope. The boat was also fitted with a small, freestanding shack bolted to the deck in which its occupants could sleep or get out of the sun. Link assessed that it should be adequate, as finding land should take no more than a couple of days, and he could probably find a merchant ship to hitch a ride on before even that long.
The framing of the boat was complete, and Link had little to do other than finish boarding some of the hull and the deck and adjusting the boom. Tarin had obviously been using a small patch of trees just off the beach as his source of lumber, with an axe half-buried into a tree and a saw lying nearby. Some of the trees had already been reduced to stumps, with logs leaning against those that were still alive.
Link initially approached the work with the same intensity that he had in the Face Shrine. As the sun began to set, though, the last reservoirs of his strength gradually depleted. The adrenaline that had kept him going couldn't last forever.
Even so, Link didn't rest until finally finding a log, pulling it out to the waterline at the beach's furthest point, and turning it to the west to watch the sunset. He finally pulled out his satchel and threw it back into the sand after removing the sack of food Marin had prepared.
After his meal, there was only another hour of sawing and hammering before the job was complete. Link was about to head back when he decided it was probably best to follow Tarin's advice. Link walked directly into the ocean fully clothed and pressed forward until he could no longer touch the sand below. He ducked his head underwater to allow the water to carry away the dirt and remained under the surface for as long as he could hold his breath.
Link made sure to grab Tarin's tools before returning to Mabe. As he advanced towards the house, he could hear multiple voices through the window. He opened the door to find half the village circling the table, some standing and some sitting- Tarin, Marin, Madame MeowMeow, the quadruplets and their parents, even Grandma Ulrira.
"Link!" Tarin laughed as he saw him enter, "Showing up to dinner late two nights in a row? This is starting to become a habit!"
Link tried to smile as he sauntered to his mat and laid down he and Tarin's belongings.
"Lucky you, we were waiting for you to get back before we started!" one of the quadruplets shouted to him.
"I actually just ate."
The excitement in the room died down a bit.
"You didn't want to eat with us?" one of the other brothers asked.
"I didn't know it was going on. I've been at the beach."
"Oh!" Tarin gasped. "I forgot to bring it up when I saw you earlier. Don't worry, this is all my fault! Madame MeowMeow had mentioned wanting to do it before, and we worked out the details earlier today. I guess I was distracted when I saw the way you- well, never min-"
Tarin's words were buried under the sound of Marin pushing her chair back from the table.
"Link, what happened to your leg?"
The accused looked down to realize that his quick soak in the ocean had not adequately cleansed the area around his injury of blood. Marin forced Link to lay down on Tarin's bed while she kneeled beside him to examine it.
"What did you do to yourself?" she sighed.
"Oh, it was noth-."
"- Don't pull that one out this time, Link. This must have been bad."
"It looked worse earlier. I had to use that potion we bought from Crazy Tracy."
The special balm that Link applied had actually worked quite well. The bleeding had long since stopped, and Link was able to walk on it without feeling much pain. However, it left a jagged scar behind, and the only partially closed wound was still oozing.
Marin shook her head as she examined it, only looking up when Madame MeowMeow addressed her.
"Marin, are you going to eat with us, or can we start now?"
"… No, no, that's fine. Go ahead, I'm not hungry."
Though the people dining made a holler of noise, Marin and Link were secluded enough in the darker corner to block the others out. Marin grabbed a towel from the kitchen and poured it in a bucket of cold water. She washed off some of what remained of the blood and then handed it to Link finish the job himself, as the top of the wound actually reached under his tunic, and Marin was too uncomfortable to reach in herself.
Once they were done, Marin took a seat next to Link and held his hand. She hummed softly while Link closed his eyes.
When he opened them again, only Marin and Tarin remained, sitting at the table by the light of a single candle. Tarin was using a knife to carve some sort of wooden cylinder, likely to be used as a handle for a tool or utensil. Marin sat to his side eating what remained of the dinner she had skipped.
Link quietly grabbed something out of his bag before joining them at the table.
"The Coral Triangle. Enjoy it, because it's the last one."
Marin hesitated. "Last one…?"
"I'm leaving Koholint tomorrow."
The girl sat in stunned silence, while Tarin's calmness suggested that he had already caught wind of Link's intentions.
"Marin… You've talked with him about it, right?" Link said slowly, almost accusatory.
"About wh… oh…." Marin bit her lip nervously. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't bring myse-."
"- You want my daughter to go with you," Tarin stated plainly.
"… I do. And you are welcome, too, of course! We'd both love for you to come. It's just… I must be getting home, and I know Marin wants to see the outside world. This might be the only opportunity she has."
"Why so sudden, Link?" the redheaded girl inquired.
"It's just that, well… after today, I decided that it's too dangerous to try recovering any more instruments."
"Because of your injury?" she asked.
"What else could I be referring to?"
"But why tomorrow?"
"The people of Hyrule must think me dead, which could have a number of consequences. The sooner I return, the better. I can only apologize for the suddenness, but I do think it is important."
Both Link and Marin then turned to Tarin to await his judgment. He clasped his hands together before speaking.
"Link, Koholint is my home. This is where my people, my friends are. And I'm too old and out of shape to be going exploring… However, I want my daughter to have a future. I entrust her to you."
Marin's eyes began to water. "Tar-."
"Marin," he said as he laid a hand on her shoulder, "You know this is what you want. So do I. And I'm sure you'll be able to come home at some point! See this as a new adventure, not a parting! This should be a celebration! I'd love to tell all the others that my little girl is leaving the island. Wouldn't that be quite the story! Someone leaving Koholint! No one will even believe it until they see it happen... But I can't make you go. This is your decision."
Link looked down out of shame, knowing that the two would probably never return to Koholint. Marin looked down, too, but she wore an embarrassed smile on her face while also wiping a few tears from her eyes.
"I… I do want to go. Thank you for understanding… it means a lot… I promise we'll come back! Don't you doubt it!" she said, overstating her confidence to lighten the mood.
Tarin wrapped her in for a hug. "Now if you are leaving tomorrow, you had better get your belongings together!"
Marin nodded. She first grabbed the Coral Triangle and carefully set it on a shelf where the other instruments were on display. She then skipped to the closet and started removing everything she thought she would need.
Link and Tarin slowly stood up from the table together.
"I know I don't have to remind you Link, but take good care of my girl. She's my treasure."
"And treasure isn't to be lost… I'll make sure nothing bad happens to her, Tarin."
Tarin smiled as he shook Link's hand. "I'm glad you came to us, Link. Now I'm going out to tell the news to everyone who's still awake!"
While Tarin looked predictably sad, there was also a twinkle of proudness in his eye. After he left, Link sat back down on the table. He studied his sheath as he gripped it tightly.
He was done with killing. The owl was lying to get Link to do what he wanted, and what was truly sad was that Link actually listened to the old bird. Link allowed himself to be used as a pawn. Now that he thought about it, he had been used as a pawn his whole life. He was a "hero" that was summoned up by the political powers whenever they wanted him, half of whom lied to him, too. They were no better than the owl. He was sick of politics and of those who played its game- he was done with it. Link just wanted to go home and explore the world with Marin, and maybe even his uncle, without people telling him to do things he didn't want to do. The requests he was given as a "hero" had gone from too much to bear to outright immoral.
He smiled as he saw Marin still playfully laying things out on her bed. This was his chance to finally break the cycle.
