ch.7 Uninvited guest part 2

"Father, wait!" Zelda called out as she, Link and Impa chased after their worried king. Ruto, Niva and Dauria followed the trio with great haste.

The king ran through the dark halls of the castle before reaching the outside garden. He ran through the wall of vines and down the stone steps, finally stopping at the great fairy fountain. The king went down on his knees with his hands on the stone floor, breathing heavily from the running.

"Great fairy." He whispered through his breath. "I need you to guide me."

The water within the fountain began to glow and bubble. The great fairy slowly rose of the water and looked down upon the king.

"Is something the matter, my lord?" She questioned, noticing the anxiety in his voice.

The king took a deep breath before answering.

"Ganondorf has returned." He breathed shakily. "He's declared war on Hyrule, and he's going to attack in three months."

The great put her hand over her mouth as she listened. The king looked up at the mystical being as he breathed heavily.

"He's coming for Zelda and possibly Link. He must be stopped!" He shouted as he slammed his fists against the stone floor.

"Calm yourself my king." The great fairy consoled before looking down to think. "Perhaps it is time to show them the prophecy."

The king looked up at the fairy in disbelief.

"The prophecy? No, they are too young!" The king argued.

"What prophecy?"

The King quickly turned to see Link, Zelda and Impa standing there. Ruto, Dauria and Niva quickly followed. The king stared at the group with still breath as Impa crossed her arms.

"You would've had to have told them someday, your majesty." She said firmly. "Now seems to be the right time."

"Tell us what?" Zelda asked, confused.

"Is it about that man?" Link added.

The king took a deep breath before answering.

"I will explain everything." He told the two teens before speaking to Impa. "Tell the guests that the party is over."

Impa nodded before running back up the steps with lightning speed.

"Now, all of you. Follow me." The king ordered.

Link and Zelda looked at each other with looks of uncertainty. But they followed his majesty anyway. Link stood next to Dauria as everyone walked.

"What's going on with the king?" Link asked, looking up at the Goron.

"I'm not quite sure, young one." Dauria answered with a worried look on his face. "I've known his majesty for a long time. But I've never seen him act this way."

Link looked towards the king as he led the group to the throne room, now empty with only Impa remaining. She gained the group as they made their way towards the throne. The king turned around to face everyone with a firm look in his eyes.

"What I am about to show all of you will be the key to stopping Ganondorf." He said as he placed a hand on the top of the throne.

The king pulled the throne back, slowly and slightly lifting it from the ground.

A light rumbling noise arose from the stone wall behind the throne. Everyone watched in awe as the stone wall came apart and opened like a door, revealing a completely different room. Everyone looked in wonder and awe as they entered through the new door. Everyone but Zelda and Impa. Zelda never set foot in this room, or knew about it. She turned to Impa with a gobsmacked expression.

"You knew about this and I didn't?" Zelda questioned, shocked by this discovery.

"Your father didn't think you were ready." Impa answered with her arms crossed.

"I didn't want to show you this tell you were older, Zelda. But recent events have swayed me." The king explained in a serious tone.

"What is it?" Link and Niva asked at the same time.

The king did not answer. He turned around and made his way into the room, making everyone follow him. Link looked at the stone white walls of the room in awe. All of them had ancient drapes with images sewn into them. All the images had a warrior in green fighting an enormous boar-like beast, or a man that shared a striking resemblance to the man named Ganondorf. Link peered closer at the warrior in green. He also looked familiar, but Link could not put his finger on it. He turned back to face the king, who stopped in front of a stone pedestal and turned to face the group.

"This is the master sword." The king announced as he moved out of the way.

Link, Niva and Zelda took a close look at the object placed within the stone pedestal. It was indeed a sword. The blade was polished shining silver, with a carving of the triforce close to the metallic violet handle of the blade. Link looked down to see six key holes engraved into the stone pedestal, becoming quite curious of what they were.

"This sword has been used in the hands of the hero of courage since the dawn of time." The king explained, looking down at the sword. "It has been used in the fight against evil many times. Only one who bares the mark of courage can wield it."

The king turned to Link, getting a stare from the boy. Everyone else turned to Link curiously. Links' eyes went wide when he realised what was happening.

"No. No, I'm not a hero." He protested, backing away.

"We need to see if he has the mark." Dauria said as he stopped Link.

"It's on his left hand." Impa added, grabbing Link by the arm.

"Let go of me!" Link growled, pulling out of Impa's grip. "I told you, it's just a birthmark!"

Niva flew in front of Link's so she could talk to him.

"You were acting weird at the party! Like you were in pain!" She argued, turning bright red. "Has it got something to do with your birthmark?!"

Link gave the fairy a cold stare. He looked down at the floor and muttered something.

"Pardon?" Ruto asked with her hands on her hips.

"It was glowing!" Link answered. "It was glowing and burning before Ganondorf came."

Zelda gave a Link a concerned look as he spoke. Her birthmark didn't glow when Ganondorf came, not even when he was near her. The king walked up to Link and looked down on him, putting a firm hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Link." He began with a serious tone. "I know this may seem shocking to you. But you must understand. The fate of all of Hyrule depends on the choice you make now."

Link kept shaking his head out of disbelief.

"Your majesty, I'm not trying to be disrespectful towards you or your daughter." Link protested kindly. "But I'm not a hero! I'm just a farm boy."

The king just sighed and shook his head. He was not sure what it would take to make Link stop being self-doubtful and change his mind. He glanced upon the drapes hanging on the stone walls. Then back to Link.

"Let me show you something." His majesty said as he looked down at the young man.

The king pointed towards the drapes with the fine stitching of battles sewn into them. Link looked up at them, not knowing what the old man was trying to prove.

"Look at the warrior in these stitching's, Link." His majesty said as he looked up at ancient drapes. "Does he look familiar to you?"

Link looked closer at the green clothed warrior. He noticed that some of the features of the warrior looked similar to his own; right down to the hair colour and pierced ear.

"He, almost looks a lot like-"

"You."

Link blinked a little before looking up at the king, who still had his eyes on the drapes as he spoke.

"There were many heroes who held the power of courage. The power to defeat evil and fight for light."

His majesty looked away from the drapes and looked down at the young man.

"You could be one of them."

Link looked away from the king and began thinking. He thought about what his father said to him before he and Niva left for Hyrule castle.

'Perhaps this could be a sign. The goddesses might have big plans for you. It just doesn't look that way because they work in strange ways.'

With a deep breath, Link turned back to face the man towering over him.

"I'll do it." He said his he breathed out.

Hearing those words made everyone cheer excitedly apart from Impa and the king, who just nodded in approval.

"Well." Link Began, making his way towards the sword. "Let's get this over with."

"The sword won't come out." Impa added, making Link stop dead in his tracks.

Link and Zelda turned to their elders in question.

"Would do you mean?" Zelda questioned towards her caretaker.

"It's a sword, I'm sure it's not that heavy." Link added in disbelief.

"That's not what I mean." Impa answered with a firm tone. "You need the keys."

"Keys? What keys?" Ruto questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"The six keys of the sages." The king added with his arms crossed.

Everyone set their eyes onto his majesty curiously.

"Many years ago when Zelda's great grandmother ruled Hyrule," he began with his arms behind his back. "The Kingdom was under attack by dark forces. When the darkness was defeated by the last hero, the master sword was placed back into the stone for the next hero. As a way to know if he was worthy to wield the sword, she casted a spell on the pedestal; creating six keys to unlock the seal if evil were to rise again."

The King turned to his subjects when he paused.

"It seems that time is now." He said with a solemn face.

Link and Zelda just looked at each other with uncertainty looks in their eyes.

"So we just need the keys then." Ruto commented over-confidently.

"That's right!" Nivea agreed, also sounding over-confident. "Let's unlock the seal then!"

"The keys are scattered across the land." Impa interrupted, making everyone silent.

After a few Seconds, Niva turned bright red and flew straight in front of Impas' face.

"WHAT!?" She shouted in her small voice. "YOU DON'T HAVE THEM!?"

"No. The queen had them scattered as a test for the next hero." Impa answered, unaffected by Nivas' outburst. "We already have one of them, leaving five to find."

"So, Link has to go and retrieve them?" Dauria asked with his arms crossed.

"Yes, But not alone." The king answered as he took a scroll from the wall. "This time, he must have company on his quest."

"What kind of company?" Link asked, stepping away from the pedestal.

The king took a glance at the scroll in his hands before answering.

"Well, it is written that the chosen hero will be accompanied by the following. A protector of the royal family."

Impa smiled lightly at the sound of her title.

"A leader and sworn brother."

Daruia grinned and crossed his arms.

"A maiden of the tides."

Ruto shrugged a bit at the sentence.

"The descendent of a Goddess. A fairy of the forest. And one who has cheated death."

Everyone nodded in agreement, thinking they had everyone on the list.

"That seems like everyone." Niva commented, now calm.

"But there's something that I'm not sure about." Link added as he joined the group.

"What?" Dauria asked, waiting for the boy to answer.

Link stared at the group before answering.

"What does descendent of a Goddess and one who has cheated death mean?"

Everyone looked at each other in thought before looking down at the ground.

"Perhaps I can be of service."

Everyone in the room jerked their heads up when they heard a voice come out of the air. In the middle of the door way, a man in purple appeared before everyone's eyes out of the air as he took something off his face that made him invisible. Link and Zelda stared with wide eyes when they recognised the man. It was the man from the mask shop. Impa stared with disgust as she drew her sword.

"Who are you!? How did you get passed the guards!? Tell me!" She demanded, ready to charge.

"Now, I won't tell if you don't ask politely." The mask salesman said playfully with a grin.

Impa growled as she held her sword in the air, about to charge at the intruder. Zelda rushed to her caretaker and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Impa don't, he's not an enemy!" The princess said in the salesmans' defence.

"He's just the guy from the mask shop in town." Link added, running to Zeldas' side.

Impa gave the teens a questionable stare before lowering her weapon. The king stepped forward with his hands behind his back.

"Well, we know who you are." He stated in a firm voice. "But how did you get passed the guards?"

"Long story short, I was wearing a mask that made me unnoticeable with its enchanted properties." The salesman explained, holding up a stone textured mask in his hand. "I put it on when your bodyguard was ordered to throw everyone out. But that's not why I'm here."

The salesman began to walk closer to the group with his hands behind his back.

"I have a strong belief that I am the one who has cheated death." He proposed.

Everyone looked at the man in disbelief upon his sudden statement; the king and Impa especially.

"What makes you say that?" His majesty questioned with suspicion in his tone.

"How do we know if you're not a spy that is working for Ganondorf?" Ruto added, crossing her arms.

"I assure you, I have no relation to that monster." The salesman answered with a serious tone. "But I had a feeling that darkness was brewing. It was that that feeling that could make your hair stand on end. Besides, we can all agree that the gravity of the situation is quite high. Even if I'm not a warrior or the descendent of a hero, you'll still need all the help you can get if you wish to stop the Gerudo king from starting a war."

Everyone but Zelda and Link started discussing if the man could be trusted. Zelda walked forward towards the salesman with Link watching. Soon everyone had their eyes on the princess as she stood in front of the salesman with her hand out.

"Give me your hand." She ordered calmly.

"Very well, Aryll." The salesman grinned, holding out his hand.

Zelda ignored the comment and took hold of the salesmans' hand and held it for a few seconds. She closed her eyes as she did so, seeming like she was trying to concentrate on something. Zelda released the salesmans' hand and turned back to face her father.

"He's telling the truth, father." She informed quickly.

The king gave his daughter a questionable look.

"How are you sure?" He asked as he crossed his arms.

"I could sense it. He speaks the truth."

"And he's right." Niva added. "We need all the help we can get if we're gonna stop Ganondorf."

Everyone looked at each other knowingly and nodded. Dauria stepped forward.

"But we still need the descendent of the goddess." He reminded as he stood in centre.

"I may or may not know who 'she' is."

Everyone had their eyes on the salesman, who was picking a piece of fluff off from his clothes.

"Is it not written that the royal family is descendent from Hylia herself?" He smirked, eyeing the princess.

Everyone turned their eyes to Zelda, who had her hands over her mouth. She took her hands away before she spoke.

"You, mean... I'm going to go on the quest?" She questioned, sounding excited through a smile.

"Absolutely not!"

Zeldas' smile faded as everyone turned their gaze to the king when he yelled.

"I refuse to put Zelda in harms' way!" He protested fiercely. "Ganondorf will have goons on the hunt for her! She won't be safe out there!"

"With all due respect, your majesty." Impa interrupted. "But Zelda isn't safe here in the castle neither."

"Impa is right, father." Zelda added as she stepped forward. "Besides, I can't just sit on the sidelines and do nothing when my people are in danger. I could be capable if you just give me a chance!"

His majesty stared down at his daughter before looking back at Impa; unsure of what to do. He simply sighed before looking back down at Zelda.

"Get your supplies ready for tomorrow morning." He sighed, giving in.

Zelda started smiling as she ran up to her father and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you, father." She said as she looked up at the towering king. "I'll make you proud."

The king smiled and nodded at his daughter before turning to the others.

"All of you get some rest." He recommended. "You will prepare your supplies for the journey and start the quest first thing in the morning."

Everyone nodded in agreement before leaving to rest and prepare for tomorrow morning. Link yawned as he walked.

"Link." The king called out to the boy. "Come here."

Link looked back to the king before looking back at Niva.

"I'll catch up in a minute." He said to the fairy before she flew away.

Link turned back to the king before he spoke firmly to the young man.

"I want you to promise me something." He spoke to the boy in front of him.

"Yes, your majesty?" Link answered, waiting for the answer.

The king took a deep breath before answering.

"Promise you will protect Zelda." He answered as he breathed out. "I know she could protect herself, but I just want to make sure. She is all that I have left. Can I count on you, Link?"

Link looked unsure at first. The king just placed a great weight upon the young mans' shoulders, but saying no was not something that Link could not do. He looked up at the king and nodded.

"I'll do my best."

"Thank you." His majesty smiled down at Link. "Now get some sleep. Tomorrow will be the start of a long journey."

Link took a bow out of respect before leaving to go to his chambers and get ready for the morning.


"Well. That got pretty heavy back there." Niva commented, sitting on her pillow. "I knew you were gonna have a responsibility protecting the princess, but I never thought you would have to save all of Hyrule."

"Don't remind me." Link responded, sitting on his bed with his sword in hand.

Niva raised an eyebrow at her friend with concern.

"You okay, Link?" she asked softly.

"I'm fine. Just a little worried." Link admitted.

"Well, try not to worry too much. I'm sure everything's gonna turn out fine."

Niva stretched her little wings and let out a light yawn.

"G'night." She muttered, falling onto her pillow and fell asleep.

"Night." Link quietly replied.

The young swordsman stared at the sword in his hands. He sighed as he put the blade down and picked up a piece of paper, a quill with ink and began to write.

'Dear father
Me and Niva have arrived at Hyrule castle. It is as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside. We even got to meet the king, and the princess. His majesty is kind, but he can be quite firm and strict when he needs to be. And princess Zelda. She is everything I pictured her to be, and more. I could tell you more about Impa or the great fairy living under the palace. But I need to get something important out of the way. Tomorrow morning, I'm going on a quest. A quest so important, it may or may not decide the outcome of the future. I hope during this quest, I can get the chance to write to you as much as I can and tell you of my journey.
Your son, Link'

When Link finished the letter, he folded the paper in half and placed it under his bed; reminding himself to have it posted first thing in the morning. Link pulled the covers and sheets on top of himself; hoping the goddesses would bless him with much needed rest.


AN: Sorry for the long wait. been quite busy and I had a bad case of writers block.