Part 2: The Journey Begins
Chapter 8: The Travels of the Hero
Link held Majora's Mask in his hands as he walked toward the Castle. Ereb walked closely behind him, frowning.
"Link, do you remember what I told you about that mask?" He asked, still feeling ill.
Link nodded slightly, still deep in thought.
"Yes, Ereb. I remember. But you have to trust me. The Ghost King told Old Majora to have us take the mask to his nephew, because it would help us. I don't know how it will, but I have to believe him."
Ereb nodded. "I suppose so, Link. I don't like it, but I will trust you."
Link nodded. I just hope that I'm right. he thought.
When Link and Ereb reached the Castle, they headed to Link's chambers. Link gathered clothes and equipment, while Ereb went to his own chambers and did the same. They put their things into small bags, and slung them onto their backs. Link carefully slipped Majora's Mask into his own bag, to Ereb's relief.
"I'm hungry, Link." Ereb said as they walked away from the Castle. Link nodded, his own stomach growling.
They stopped by a stall in the marketplace, and bought some bread, cheese, and two legs of meat. They ate the meat and packed the bread and cheese, and then they looked back at the Castle, for what both of them thought would be the last time.
Ereb smiled on his home, and then they headed for the gate. But when they reached there, Sir Marcus was there, fully armed, as if awaiting some command. Sir Marcus looked around, and saw Link and Ereb. He smiled.
"Link! Ereb!" He called out, and gestured to two saddled horses.
Link was puzzled, but walked over. Ereb's eyes were huge, and all color was drained from his face.
Sir Marcus dismounted, and gestured for Link and Ereb to follow him. He led them to a small alley near the gate, and smiled again, this time more seriously.
"Link, I don't understand why you are healed, or what is happening, but I had a dream last night, where the King told me to help you. He said that you are a Hero of legend. I do not understand any of this, but I swear to help you as long as I draw breath."
Link was overjoyed, and Ereb nearly laughed he was so relieved at not being alone. Sir Marcus led them back to the gates, and they mounted the spare horses. Link took one last look at the Castle, and smiled at Ereb, more relieved than he. They turned to the countryside, and with the sun on their faces and the wind blowing from the east, they galloped away.
They rode south until nightfall as Link told Sir Marcus about the Sacred Chamber, Majora's Mask and the Kokiri. When the sun sank, they made camp within a large cave they found near the southern forests. The cave was barren inside, nearly pitch black save for the dim red light of the lanterns and torches of the Knights. Strange shadows danced on the stone walls, and Sir Marcus reached into his pack, pulling out some food. They cooked meat over their campfire, and after all had eaten their fill, they lay against the cave walls and fell into deep slumber.
Ereb awoke in the middle of the night. He tried to get back to sleep, but for some reason, nothing would help. He tried to lie on his side, on his back, he stood, he sat, but no matter what, he could not sleep again. Something was not right. He felt the doom of the mask around him again, and shook his head.
"It is just a mask, Ereb." He whispered to himself, but still, nothing he did could shake away the feeling. He decided to step outside the cave for a moment. Maybe the cool air would help him relax.
He stood and walked to the mouth of the cave, and leaned against the cold stone. He almost felt tired now. He could almost fall... Fall asleep...
He awoke suddenly, his heart pounding. Something was out here. He listened intently for any sound, and for a moment, he thought it was his imagination. But then, a wolf howled out of the darkness, piercing the silence with its mournful call. Sir Marcus stirred, but then his steady breath continued. Link was exhausted, and remained sound asleep. Ereb glanced at him, his heart racing. But then, the wolf howled again. This time it sounded like it had come closer. Ereb walked back into the cave, and strapped his belt back on. He fingered the hilt of his sword, and peered out into the blackness, afraid of what he might see.
And then, the pack appeared.
Dozens of huge grey wolves came out of the dark, snarling, baring their teeth. They growled and snapped at Ereb, who drew his sword. He unslung his shield, and for a brief moment, he remembered the inscription.
Trust the Blade when shadows await thee, and know thy strengths, whatever they may be.
Ereb almost chuckled, despite his fear. Shadows awaited him now, alright. He ran into the cave, shouting for the Knights to awake. They woke up, and dashed to their weapons. Link reached Ereb's side, sword drawn. Sir Marcus stood beside them, wielding a large bow. He nocked an arrow to the string, and pulled back, aiming for one of the larger wolfs.
For a moment, a tense silence fell over them all.
But only for a moment.
The wolves charged at the Knights, growling and howling their anger of intruders in their territory. Sir Marcus loosed his arrow, which struck a large wolf between the eyes. Link ran at the nearest wolf, and hit it with his shield. The wolf howled in pain, and baring its teeth, leaped at Link. He raised his sword at it in defense, and it landed on top of it, killing itself on the blade. Link yanked the sword out of the wolf, and again attacked.
Ereb was using his shield to defend himself, meanwhile, and as a wolf bounded at him, he spun around as it passed, and swung his sword. The blade met the wolf's neck, and it fell to the ground with a yelp. Ereb ran to Link's side to help him fight two wolves that were attacking him.
The battle was over as soon as it began, and the wolves that had not been killed by the Knights had fled after Sir Marcus had slain their leader. They agreed to take shifts on watch, and to his dismay, Ereb was chosen for the first watch.
The rest of the night passed without incident, and Ereb finally fell asleep. When he awoke the next morning, only Sir Marcus was up, eating a hunk of bread from his pack.
"Good morning, Ereb." He greeted warmly, and Ereb smiled. Link was still sleeping.
"I wonder why he is so tired." Ereb thought aloud, and Sir Marcus frowned.
"He has been through much these past days." He answered, and left it at that.
An hour later, when Link had awoken and eaten a bit, they rode south again. The forests loomed near them as they rode on, and the closer they came, the more uneasy the Knights felt. Link was the only one who was not fearful. He was surprised at this, as he was not the bravest person, in his opinion. But for some reason, the sight of the forest cheered him. He took in the scenery of Hyrule Field as he rode, not wanting to miss anything before the evils he would have to journey through.
The field itself was vast and lush, seeming endless with its tall, rolling hills and bright warm sunshine. Nothing was in sight beside the dense forest ahead and birds in the blue cloudless sky, and a light breeze whispered wordlessly through the air. Link's dirty blonde hair blew across his brow, and he felt at home, somehow.
But the placid morning could not remain that way for long. At that moment, the air filled with the distant pounding of dozens of feet. The feeling of uncertainty grew stronger within the Knights, and Link's eyes filled with fear. He peered into the distance. Something was approaching. A large group of monsters bounded at them, swords drawn, eyes bright with hatred. Link's memories flashed before his eyes. The Royal Graveyard and the attack of the Miniblin were vivid now, and as he stared at the charging mass, his eyes narrowed.
Link and Ereb's time for revenge had come.
The monsters charging at the mounted Knights were more than a rabble of mindless beasts. They were Bokoblins, far larger and more powerful than Miniblin. They were green and blue in color, and they had long snouts with sharp teeth. They had small, beady eyes, and long arms. They wielded short curved scimitars, and almost always were found in groups. Bokoblins were far more powerful than Miniblin, and far more intelligent as well. It was for these reasons, and their larger numbers that they had decided to attack the three Knights.
Link and Ereb drew the Twin Blades, and strangely, the sun shone brighter somehow. The sunlight glinted on the sharp blades, and the two warriors wielding them, along with the Shields of the Order, appeared to be Great War Lords to the Bokoblin swarm. The Knights shouted the name of their dead King to the heavens, and galloped their horses at the attackers. The Twin Blades rose in their wielder's hands, and for the next few moments, time once again seemed to move in slow motion. Link and Ereb, ahead of Sir Marcus, jabbed their stallions with their heels, and with one final shout, the two groups clashed.
Bokoblins were crushed beneath the steel of the horse's shoes, and the warriors riding them struck them with their swords. The moment ended. Link's horse's leg was struck, and as it toppled to the ground, he rolled off, barely able to keep from landing on his arm. He used the Shield of the Order to break his fall, and scrambled to his feet, with a dozen Bokoblins before him, shouting in their horrible scraping voices. Link ran one through, getting cut in the process, and as he pulled his sword out, another would have killed him right there, if Ereb had not galloped by, trampling it. The smashed corpse of the Bokoblin tripped another into the path of Link's swing, chopping it in half as Link blocked another blow.
Sir Marcus dismounted, being a better fighter on his feet than on a horse, and slashed several Bokoblins with one long swing of his mighty sword. Ereb trampled most of his opponents, defending himself with his sword when necessary.
But at that moment, disaster struck. The ground shook with the running of a huge monster approaching...
A Darknut, the leader of the Bokoblin group. The Darknut was clad in thick heavy black armor, with a black helmet. Long, curved steel horns were set into the sides of the helmet, and its face was hidden. It had a long thick red cape, and carried a massive sword. The sword was broad and sharp, with strange markings engraved into the sides. It roared fiercely, and then ran into the battle.
Ereb's eyes widened as he saw the size of the Darknut. It was nearly twice as tall as himself, and even Sir Marcus was dwarfed beside it. To his dismay, the Darknut turned at Link, who was locked into combat against several Bokoblins. The Darknut raised its blade to strike, and Link saw his life flash before his eyes...
And then, Sir Marcus sprinted at the Darknut, and leaped onto its back, clinging onto its cape. The Darknut roared again, clawing at its back, trying to get Sir Marcus off, but Sir Marcus knew that he had a job to do. No matter what happened to him, Link must be protected. He drew his sword, and nearly losing his balance in the process, he plunged the long blade into the Darknut's head. It wailed in agony, and toppled to the ground, just as Sir Marcus leaped off of its back.
The Battle was over, and the Darknut lay dead. The Bokoblins that had not been killed had fled. Link, Ereb, and Sir Marcus had survived with cuts and bruises.
That night, all was silent around the campfire. They ate in silence and the next morning they continued, with the forest before them. Within two hours, they were in the shade of the tall trees. Birds flittered about high above their heads, singing their morning songs. They walked in silence, weapons in hand, eyes keen. Suddenly, a figure darted through the trees far ahead. Link unslung his bow and notched an arrow to the string, aiming at the distant figure. Sir Marcus stopped him before he shot.
"No, Link! There may be more, and if there are, that will attract them!"
Link nodded, and eased the bowstring back.
"I don't like this," said Ereb.
"Yes, Link. Maybe we should turn back," said Sir Marcus.
Link shook his head. "We can't. Remember what Old Majora said."
Ereb nodded hesitantly, and suddenly, another figure dashed through the trees far off. It paused, as if it was looking at the Knights, and then ran off. The Knights froze, and all was silent for a few moments.
Suddenly, something approached behind them. Link whirled around, and was surprised to find himself face to face with a strange creature. It was short, and looked almost like a tiny tree with short, stubby legs. It had a huge leaf over its face.
"Welcome, Hero. We have been expecting you. I am Mido, a Korok. We were once Kokiri, but the wicked Dark Power changed us into these hideous creatures."
Link smiled. "So, you are a Kokiri? Good." He said, relieved.
"Yes, yes! We are truly Kokiri!" Mido exclaimed, jumping up and down for joy.
Ereb nearly laughed at the way Mido talked, but kept a straight face.
"We?" Link asked.
"Yes, yes! We are Kokiri, Kokiri!" Mido exclaimed with glee. "Come, Koroks! Come, Koroks! Gather! Gather! The Hero has come!"
Suddenly, dozens of Koroks appeared. They dropped from the trees, they popped out of the leaves of bushes, and they ran up all around the Knights. They danced and sang and jumped, and one took up a violin crafted of twisted reeds and wood. It struck up a merry tune, and all the Koroks joined in, singing,
Hurray! Hurray! The Hero is come! Be happy! Be merry! Come here, everyone! From tree, from house, from leaf, from hut! The Hero has come! Cast away your fear, your doubt, and your worry! Rejoice, Koroks! Be welcome! The Hero has come!
The Koroks danced around the Knights, and Link laughed. The Koroks, or Kokiri, or whatever they were, were much nicer than he had pictured from Old Majora's description of a strange, hostile tribe. The Knights joined in with the Koroks, and that night, they forgot their troubles.
