Nine chapters into the fic, and we're finally getting some answers!

So sit back, relax, and prepare for quite a big chapter! :)


Chapter Nine: Divulgence


Through the darkness the four children had found themselves in, their entire world twisted around and in front of them, shrouding their view in shadows and clouding their senses with confusion and fear. The blast of shadow magic flung from the boy who had called himself Shadow had effectively engulfed the four boys on the ground- yet, instead of ridden with pain or sunk into despair, instead the magic swirled around them, blinding them and flipping their senses in all directions.

It took several minutes before the clouds of shadowy darkness began to fade, and the four boys were able to once more regain their senses, slightly stumbling on their feet and their eyes blinking as they tried to adjust to the harsh, suddenly bright sunlight. Red and Green lifted their hands to their foreheads, trying to keep the intense rays away from their eyes, while Blue and Vio instead took a step outwards, their heads turning and their eyes blinking as they tried to come to senses with their new surroundings.

Birds chirped, and a soft breeze blew across the plains, swirling gently around each of the four boys. And on the breeze was carried the faint smell of grass and trees, and flowers in bloom- and finally, as the world began to come into focus and their eyes grew accustomed to the brightness around them, each of them looked around in wonder at just where they were.

The damp, dark prison they had awoken to hours before was long gone- instead, in its place, the four boys now stood in the center of a lush, green forest- the bright rays of sun shining through the holes in the top canopy and lighting up the ground around them. Small birds fluttered from branch to branch above them, and the strong, heavy trees around them blocked their view of further outside the forest. It was clear to all of them where they were- yet each of them wore faces of confusion as they tried to understand the reason behind this new fact.

"Where the hell are we?" Blue was the first to speak, narrowing his eyes, frustrated by not understanding what had happened.

"Obviously, some sort of forest," Vio answered dryly, his eyebrows raised lightly over at the other. His gaze returned to the outside as he took another step forward, looking carefully at the trees and wildlife in hopes of more accurately defining their surroundings. However, he noticed with a frown, he couldn't find any place he remembered similar to the one they were in now.

"How in the world did we get here?" Red whined sadly, also looking at the others in confusion. He knew none of them knew the answer any more than he did, but... He still felt the need to ask, hoping to find some sort of comfort in the others' answers.

Lastly, Green frowned as he remembered what had just happened in the prison chambers. "That kid..." he muttered, crossing his arms, deep in thought. "Who called himself 'Shadow'. He blasted us and then..." His gaze returned to the woods around them.

"Oh, yeah!" Blue shouted, his eyes widening as he remembered. However, his eyes once more resumed their angry glare as he spat, "That prick! What the hell did we ever do to him?-!"

"And yet, curiously enough," Vio spoke calmly, looking back at the others, "He didn't kill us as he said he would. Instead..."

"Here we are," Red finished with a weak smile and a nod. He then grinned and gave a nervous laugh, looking around them. "Er... wherever 'here' is, that is..."

"Hell, wherever 'here' is, I'm glad it's not still that damned dungeon," Blue scoffed, shaking his head. His eyes then lit up, and before the others could say anymore, he gave a lopsided grin and turned to the others, crossing his arms and smiling smugly.

"Speaking of which," he continued with a nod, "Thanks for the help back there, guys. We did good. And now that I'm out of there, I'm going to head on out." He grinned boldly and turned outwards, facing the forest. "And figure out what the hell is going on," he finished, shaking his head. Looking over his shoulder, he smiled as he called out, "So, yeah. Nice meeting all of you, I guess. See ya."

Red's eyes snapped open- as did the others- and, before Blue could take any more than s few steps away, the boy ran up to the other's side, almost clinging to his arm as he protested, "H-Hey! Wait, Blue! Don't leave!" He frowned, looking back towards the others, and back up at Blue. "We should stay together!"

Regaining his senses, Green shook his head and took another step forward. "Red's right," he said firmly, "We still need to stick together and find out what's going on. We've got just as many questions as you do, Blue, and we're not gonna find our answers by splitting up."

Narrowing his eyes, Blue turned around and faced them indignantly, crossing his arms. "And just why do we need to be all in one group for that?" he huffed angrily.

"Have you forgotten already?" Vio answered dryly, raising an eyebrow in surprise at the bull-headed boy. As the silence grew around them, he sighed, reaching behind his back. The sound of silver glistening against metal rang out from behind him, and he held out his sword in front of them, frowning. "Not only do we all like alike, as Red pointed out earlier," he said, shaking his head, "We all even have similar swords. This can't be a coincidence. Like I said- it's highly possible we even knew each other before we lost our memories."

"That doesn't prove much," Blue scoffed, shaking his head. "I picked up mine and Red's swords on the table by my cell. Doesn't mean they were ours originally," he added. He uncrossed his arms, pointing a finger at Vio, "Besides, we don't even know if-"

"Hoot!"

The four boys paused, suddenly silent, snapped out of their conversation by a sudden sound. Blinking, the four of them all turned their heads upwards and to the side, where the noise had come from. Sitting on a branch on a tree by the boys, a large, brown and beige owl looked down at all of them through wide, piercing yellow eyes. Its feathers were ruffled lightly, and its massive, hooked talons curved around the branch where it was perched.

Blue snorted. "So it's just some bird," he snapped, ignoring it and looking back at the others. "Ignore it. Now, as I was saying, I don't think-"

"...'Just some bird'? Well, now, that's rather rude!"

Once again, the boy in blue was silenced in an instant, his eyes wide in surprise. But this time, each of the four boys looked back suddenly at the tree branch above them, their eyes wide and unbelieving. Had that owl just...?

The tall owl hooted once more, leaning forward and tilting its head to the side as it looked down at the children.

"I'll have you know, I'm no ordinary owl!" the bird hooted indignantly, its fierce gaze unwavering- though its towering presence more protective than intimidating as it lightly lifted its wings, the feathers blowing gently in the breeze.

The four boys were silent for a few moments as they looked up in shock at the talking owl.

Finally, Green was the one to talk, shaking his head and rubbing his forehead. "Now I've seen everything," he mumbled to himself, looking back up warily at the bird. The others seemed to have gained their senses once more, so, frowning, he continued to speak, this time looking up at the bird. "Um..." He tried to say something, but found himself faltering. Was he really talking to a bird?

"Wow!" Red chirped up, grinning widely as he also snapped out of the amazed trance the shock of the talking bird had put them into. He jumped up excitedly, looking up at the bird as he spoke, "A talking owl! I didn't know owls could talk!"

"They can't," Vio stated simply, frowning and crossing his arms. "Or at least, they shouldn't," he added, eying the bird curiously. "But then again, he did say he was no ordinary owl...?"

"Hoot! Quite correct, young one," the owl continued, eyeing Vio for a moment before once more leaning over his branch and looking at all four of them in turn. After inspecting each of them, the owl leaned back up, once more ruffling its feathers and shaking its head, hooting as if satisfied at what it saw.

"Yes, yes... You Four do seem to be the ones I'm looking for!" the owl hooted again, though this time his eyes lighting up. Spreading his wings, the owl suddenly and unexpectedly leapt off from his perch on the branches- slightly startling the boys below as they each took an instinctive step backwards- and, just as quickly, landed on another branch slightly closer to the ground.

"It's an honor to finally meet you Four," the owl hooted cheerfully, raising its wings as if to bow. "I am Kaepora Gaebora," he continued, "A messenger sent to guide you heroes down the right path. And I must say, I'm rather surprised at meeting you here, I've been looking for quite some time and really, you couldn't blame me for not looking here, it's only natural that-"

"HOLD it!" Blue roared suddenly, startling all of them and quickly silencing the owl- who had seemed about ready to go on a running tangent. He was near fuming in anger, his fists tightened as he stared up at the owl- the one called Kaepora. "What the hell is going on, anyways?-!" he shouted, furious and at his wit's end. "What are you talking about, "messenger", and "heroes", and "Four" and crap?" he snapped, still angry.

"Now that I think of it," Green said curiously, blinking in sudden realization, "That's what that Shadow kid had called us. "Heroes", that is." He looked back up at the owl, confused yet serious. "Why are you calling us that, too?"

"Um... do you maybe... know who we are?" Red piped up quietly, a bit nervous and confused himself- though not driven to the anger of Blue or the seriousness of Green.

There was a quiet silence between them once more, where the owl on the branch above them seemed to falter, its excitement falling and its gaze looking off to the side.

"Hm... I certainly was not expecting this," Kaepora muttered to himself, looking off to the side in thought. However, looking back at the boys, he fluffed his feathers once more and repeated, this time as serious as the boys below him, "Are you telling me you cannot remember anything? About the Sword? ...About who you are?"

The four boys, saddened by the truth, looked away, unable to answer the question or meet the gaze of the owl. But they did not need to- their silence was enough.

Hooting as he sighed, Kaepora shook his head. "Well, this is certainly a setback," he hooted, looking back at the four, "But we must carry on, either way." His fierce gaze returned to the four children, and even he fell silent for a moment- before speaking quietly as if mumbling in thought, "I wonder..."

Vio's eyes lit up as he looked back up at the owl. "You wonder... what?" he pressed, curious and anxious. Red's questioned seemed to hit the spot- by some strange reason, he knew, this bird knew who they were. It had the information they needed- and he was going to make sure he got it, one way or another.

"Perhaps... perhaps, if anything, it may help," the owl hooted thoughtfully again, though this time openings its wings and jumping once more of its branch, floating idly to the ground. Though the children took another step back, they were no longer startled by the bird's wings as it beat against the air, lowering it gently to the ground. The owl was still tall, however- almost as tall as the children themselves. It tilted its head, its impressive stature leaning forward, as it looked over them once more.

"I think I may know a way to restore your memories," Kaepora hooted, tilting its head back and forth until finally settling on a leveled vision of the boys.

"R-Really?-!" Red shouted out ecstatically, his mouth spreading into a wide grin and his eyes widening. The others had also looked in shock at the bird's words- and as Red spoke again, neither of them argued against his words. "Th-then please, take us!" Red burst out eagerly, nodding, willing to follow the bird.

"...Hoot! Follow me, then," Kaepora replied, raising his wings and lifting his talons, turning around and beating down on the ground with his wings once more. In an instant, the great owl was lifted high into the sky, its wide wingspan casting a visible shadow on the grass below. Without wasting a second to talk to each other, instead ecstatic with the prospect of regaining their lost memories, the four boys instantly ran forwards, following the rapidly moving shadow across the ground. They continued to run through the forest, leaping over fallen logs and rushing through large, hilly patches of grass, barreling through the forest as a team and following the direction of their guide.

Finally, the shadow of the owl grew larger and larger as it began to descend back into the woods. The eyes of the boys widened- they must be getting close. And sure enough, the four boys soon found themselves running up to a seemingly sold wall of trees and bushes- but at the last moment, the great owl turned on its side, flying in between the barricading trees and disappearing on the other side. Crashing through the lone of trees and bushes, the four boys quickly ran after the owl- and as soon as they had broken through the woods, each of them stood still and silent, looking wide-eyed in surprise and shock at what was in front of them.

The four boys stood silently in the center of a large clearing, with the sun shining brilliantly down upon them and alighting the grass beneath them. However, what lay in the center of the clearing drew each of their eyes- a scattered assortment of stone-walls, some half-crumbled to the ground and others covered in ivy, bordered the edge of the clearing, enclosing the precious site within it. Four pillars stood tall on each corner of the ruined walls' border, and in the center, with the stone path beneath them leading up to a small series of stairs, stood a small, pentagon-shaped stone. And though the four boys stood quite a ways away from it, each could see the small slit on its top, and recognize it for what it was: a pedestal.

Lastly, their eyes trailed upwards to the great owl, who had perched himself atop one of the ruined walls, its gaze still locked patiently and wisely upon the four young children. Once more, its head tilted as it hooted quietly, "Do you Four remember this place?"

Though each of them slowly shook their heads, on their faces were looks of quiet astonishment, their eyes lightly narrowed as if trying to concentrate on something. To each of them, it seemed so familiar... yet neither of them could place its name, nor find its location in their memories.

Upon the silence, the owl sighed once more, hooting, "Very well... I will do what I can. Four Sword Heroes," he spoke boldly and firmly, raising his wings and spreading them out wide. "Approach the pedestal!"

The four boys looked at each other in confusion. And yet... though none of them spoke it to the other, each of them felt as if they had to obey the words of the owl. The place felt so familiar to them... and the pedestal itself seemed strange, as well. Without another word, still staring at the block of stone at the center of the clearing, the four boys found themselves slowly approaching it, gathering around it in a small circle, with the pedestal in the center.

Finally, it was Green who narrowed his eyes, staring at the slit in the stone below them. Slowly, his arm reached behind him, and, as he pulled out his sword, so he heard the others doing the same. He held his sword out in front of him, and his eyes glanced to the other three, who also held out their swords. For some reason, though the opening in the pedestal was there, none of the boys felt the need to set the blade inside its slit. Instead...

Without even realizing what they were doing, instead letting something inside of them take over, the four boys slowly looked up, raising their blades high above them and arcing the tips to where the met with the tips of the other three swords. And in almost an instant, after the four swords met together above the four boys...

Light exploded in a cascading waterfall out of the tips of the swords, and the boys watched with wide eyes as the light doused over them, flooding the clearing and wrapping everything in its holy, warm embrace. The light was golden- comforting, and caressing- but even still, slowly, it began to grow brighter and brighter, until it was nearly blinding, and the boys had to shut their eyes against the light.

And yet, when it finally began to fade, each of the boys began to blink their eyes open once more... something in them was beginning to move. Shaking, stirring, and- for the first time- speaking.

Link... Link, the hero of Hyrule... The wielder of the holy Four Sword...

...I am... Link...

...We are Link.

Their swords had been lowered, and instead, in each of their right hands they looked, raising their eyebrows in surprise, at what was sitting lightly in their grasps.

Green looked, in quiet awe, at the smooth, curved surface of the wood, his fingers gently wrapped around its edge. A golden-silver metal was lightly fitted around the edges and gave the boomerang an added, glistening effect, the rays of the sun bouncing off the snugly-fit metal and shining on the smooth surface of the deep brown wood. He couldn't place it exactly, but this boomerang... it felt so familiar...

The deep, blue eyes of Red shone as he looked over the majestic rod grasped in his small hand, its beautifully smooth surface leading upwards to a shining, red orb sitting at its top. Just the sight of the strange rod stirred something inside him, telling him a story without words he could only barely make out... But through it all, he was smiling, feeling the weapon raise his heart and spirits- even if its name eluded his mind's grasp.

Grinning as he looked over the sturdy surface of the wooden handle and the tough hunk at the end, Blue looked smugly over at what was firmly grasped in his hand. Its handle was thick and short, and the head end of the hammer was large and sturdy. It was slightly unpolished and not as glamorous looking as the others- but he could still feel that it was a powerful, something other than his eyes affirming that he had even used it once before in combat.

Lastly, his eyes examining the long, smooth surface of the arced bow, Vio scanned the weapon in his hands as it curved opposite ways, ending on each side only to connect back to the other with a single, sturdy string. It, too, had golden and silver armaments, and a sturdy cushion through which to hold it. And though he didn't look, he could feel the quiver of arrows hanging over his shoulder at his back- and both the quiver and bow felt right at home in his hands, and he, right at home with these weapons.

The four boys were silent as each examined their weapons, trying to come to terms with their new weapons and with the words that had been spoken into their minds. Finally, their gazes drifted back to one another- and the silence was broken by the voice of another, accompanied by the soft sound of flapping wings.

Landing on the the stone next to them, having flown off his perch by the walls, Kaepora tilted his head as he looked at the four boys. "Hoot... I don't suppose you all remember anything, do you?" he asked quietly, but also curious.

"No," Vio was the first to talk, narrowing his eyes slightly in frustration. However, as the others looked at him, he returned their gaze, nodding solemnly as he added, "But... I did hear... a voice. Almost as if it were my own thoughts, all along..."

"Same here," Green added, and the other two also chimed in with agreement. "It said... 'I am Link'..." He then frowned, shaking his head. "No... it said... "We are Link"..."

"Guys, I... I think that's us," Red spoke quietly, a small smile creeping along his face. Though he was unsure of himself, of these words he was positive of, and gave another, firm nod. His eyes slightly narrowed in concentration and thought, too, as he added, "I don't know, but something about those words... and these weapons..." He looked back at Kaepora. "We're... heroes?"

"Maybe... maybe you were right, Vio," Blue grunted, also frowning, as he lowered his hammer and looked at the others. "Maybe we did know each other, back then..." He couldn't shake the feeling of nostalgia upon holding the hammer, standing in the clearing, and the feeling of the sword in his hand...

Kaepora sighed with another hoot. "Well, perhaps it is for the best," he said, shaking his head once- as best an owl could- and turning around, flying back up to his perch to look down on the heroes.

"Yes... you are the Four Sword heroes," Kaepora spoke to each of them. "You are Link, the chosen hero. The magic of the Four Sword splits you into four upon drawing it from its pedestal. And right now... Hyrule is in grave peril." His fierce gaze drifted outwards, into the forest- and, after a moment of silence, it returned back to the children below. "The kingdom has been taken over, by a dark sorceress named Veran and an evil knight named Onox. Unless they are stopped, their reign will bring all of darkness into the light. They have imprisoned the people and kidnapped their Princess... And you four are the only ones who can save her- save all of Hyrule."

The four children below remained silent for some time as each came to terms with what they had been told. The wise owl was silent, as well- letting them have their thoughts. However, finally, each of them looked up, their faces written in serious determination.

Green gripped tight his sword. "Tell us what we need to do," he said quietly, his eyes narrowed in determination. All of this... was so familiar... But he couldn't ignore what the owl was telling him. If it were true... He could not turn away from it. Was this all really true? About the Four Sword... Hyrule... And them being heroes?

Without waiting a beat, the owl responded calmly, "How you are right now, you will not be able to reach the evil sorceress and knight. You have all been cursed- the Four Sword's power, drained." Surprised by the owl's words, the four boys raised their swords and looked at them curiously. Neither of them had noticed anything off or odd about the sword- but as their eyes glanced to the hilt, at the gem, each noticed that the colored jewel, matching the shade of their own tunic, was faded and dull.

"The key to restoring the blade's power," the owl continued wisely, "Lies in four temples hidden across Hyrule. The Four Elements are the only things which will restore the Four Sword's true power." He looked back over at them. "You must find and retrieve these elements- only then will you be able to break the barrier the villains have placed over the castle, and defeat them- before they take over all of Hyrule."

The owl's long explanation sunk into each of the boys as they remained silent, taking in all what had been said. Finally, one of them spoke up.

Glancing once to the others, Vio spoke calmly, "If this is the truth... then we have no other option." He, too, then returned his gaze to the owl. "I will go," he finished simply, giving another nod.

"Me too! Don't forget me!" Red added brightly, quickly after the others, nodding. The whole idea of darkness and evil sorceresses and knights secretly terrified him, but... like the others, he couldn't shake the urge that he had to do what he owl said... That somehow, he was meant to do it all along.

"Well, hey, don't everyone leave without me," Blue snorted with a tough grin, crossing his arms confidently. However, he shot a look at the owl, his face growing serious as he demanded, "I'll do it, too. This all sounds insane, but what's even more insane is that it seems almost familiar. But I wanna know this- will getting those elements restore our memories, too?"

There was another silence.

"I cannot be certain," Kaepora finally replied, quiet and calm. "However, one thing I do know is this- those Four Elements- of Fire, Earth, Air, and Water- must be retrieved and used to empower the Four Sword. Only then will you Four be able to confront the darkness, once and for all."

The four boys- heroes- looked at each other, still soaking up the new information. The silence stretched on between them- but was soon ended by a calm, humorous voice.

"... I told you we knew each other," Vio said quietly with a soft smirk.

The tension was broken, and the four heroes, the four Links, laughed easily at the joke, grinning widely at one other. They were back to being four, twelve-year old children- even though they were heroes, they were also kids. And in the midst of the drama and seriousness of their grave situation... they needed these few seconds of youthful normalcy.

Unfazed by Vio's joke, Blue instead gave a good-natured sneer back at him, "Yeah, yeah, Sir Know-it-All." He then flashed a grin over at the owl. "Tell us, then! Where do we go first?" he asked with a laugh, throwing his hammer up in the air and catching it eagerly.

The owl turned his sights east, ruffling its feathers. "Death Mountain lies in this direction," he hooted, looking back over at the Links. "You all must make haste," Kaepora urged, lifting his wings slightly, "I fear the Fire Temple inside may soon succumb to the volcano's eruptions."

"Then what are waiting for?" Blue continued with an eager grin, putting away his hammer and drawing his sword out in front of him. "To Death Mountain!" he roared in laughter, turning around and instantly charging forward, headlong, back into the forest.

Still laughing, though also trying to call out for the other, the three heroes instead grinned, having no other option, as they ran after the headstrong and over-eager boy. Not bothering to look back, the four heroes, wide grins in their faces, instead charged straight through the brush, their aim steady and true, and their eyes unafraid, looking always forwards and determined to complete their mission.

And as the sight of the Four Sword Heroes finally disappeared through the brush of the trees, the last creature standing in the Four Sword Sanctuary, the wise owl Kaepora Gaebora, slowly lifted his wings. His yellow gaze followed the heroes as they left... and when they were no longer in his sight, he once more cast his shadow over the grounds, lifting off the stone wall and soaring into the sky- the great owl disappearing in the clouds, yet his watchful gaze continuing to watch over the four, young heroes.


Now that some things have finally been explained to the Links, it's time for them to start on their journey. ^_^

And yet, many questions still remain.

How were Veran and Onox able to take control of Hyrule Castle?

How will the Links be able to regain their memory- if they will at all?

And also- who was that strange, mysterious boy called Shadow? How is he important to the story?

You'll just have to keep reading to find out! Stick around for tomorrow's chapter, Chapter Ten: Anguish!