A/N: I'm not sure if this is my shortest chapter yet, but if it is, sorry about that, it's just that I think we have reached a point in the story that no longer requires setting up so many elements, at least for the moment. In any case, it is still over 3000 words long, so who's counting, eh?

Let's get going.

Chapter x

The Niche for Lights

The soldiers were on to him. As the boy in green fled across the land, the men clad in armor followed after him. Sweat trickled down his face, and he was gasping for air. The breeze was swift, hitting him in the face like a goddess' kiss. His blue eyes darted from place to place, looking for respite. If they caught him, they would fight him. He would fight them. He would rebel, he would oppose. They would crack him, they would break him. Their bending would have no end, until he met his. He had to run away from them, there was no going back.

Soon, he found a nearby grove for him to hide. The roots of the trees rose above the ground, providing him with cover from the oncoming enemies. As he felt his clothes sticking to his chest from the heat, he tried to once again to catch his breath. This time, he was a bit more successful than when he was running. His ears, long and pointed, located the nearest sources of sound, eager for some news:

"I don't think we'll ever find him this way." Said one soldier, utterly exhausted.

The leader said, "Check his house again, maybe he has returned."

"We might as well. How about the forest over there?"

There was silence. "Send three of your men to the boy's house, I'll go check the woods with Alistair and Bronson."

Link cursed inwardly. He was officially pinned down. He tried to check his surroundings. The forest was a little deserted, with not much room for hiding. All he could ever do was to keep lying down among the tree's roots, and pray to the goddesses. As the footsteps of the careful soldiers came into his ears, he started trembling. There was no going back from this. He could barely handle one man. Maybe two of them, like in the castle. But he was just an inexperienced apprentice. Three of Hyrule's finest were out of his league.

That's when he heard her.

"Link… Keep yourself hidden. Stay still."

Zelda? It had been days since they last spoke.

"I can't speak to you for long… The distance is too great for me to handle. Keep yourself hidden, and wait for my signal."

What signal did she speak of?

"You'll understand. After you see it, run straight to the east. The canyons you seek… Are not very far."

He did not understand too well what was happening, but he obliged. The soldiers were already coming into view. They were far away from him, but if they turned around just slightly, they would spot him. He did not move, or breathe. His sword was back in his scabbard, he felt like an innocent bunny just hopping along the forest, about to be hunted.

"Did you hear that?" The leader of the group said. Link backed away even more into the branches.

"Yes sir, I did hear it."

"I think it came from over there. We should go and check for a little bit."

"What do you mean? I don't hear a thing!" The third soldier replied. The others looked at him incredulously.

"Well, Bronson", the leader said, "Obviously your ears must be getting worse off with that helmet of yours sticking so close to your head. Come on, follow me you two."

The soldiers moved along, heading west, but not without Bronson sneaking one more glimpse into the forest, and barely missing Link. Disappointed, he followed his cohorts. Link knew this was his cue, and wasted no time in running to the other direction: eastward.

The canyons of Hyrule were unlike any other kingdom's. Suspected to be man-made, this vast network of tunnels and trenches extended for miles. Travelers from all around the world came to this holy place for knowledge, redemption or simply to find oneself. It was only appropriate that the elder had come here as part of his hiding spot. The royal guard wouldn't enter here normally out of respect, since the people who made the pilgrimage to this area were not very welcoming to trespassers with weapons. However, a young boy such as Link would not be preyed upon.

His welcome was that of a series of columns, ancient and cracked, which upon further inspection appeared to be old, massive statues. He had come and rested under the shade of one of them, knowing he was near his location. His uncle had once told him of this spot, but he had never made the pilgrimage. Link wasn't one of extreme religious views, and his knowledge of the ancient myths and stories of yore were not vast in their nature. He did know that this place was a pseudo-forbidden area, and that he would normally be close to the Witch's Hut, the one whose potion he carried in his bottle. Basically, this area was one for recluses. He soon found out he had not eaten since the morning, when he had left Kala's house. He had not bothered to pack any food, and he was beginning to regret that.

He approached the edge of the land, near the riverbed that led to Lake Hylia, Hyrule's greatest and largest water repository in the world. It was another mystical place, filled with the Zoras, ancient and mysterious water people that had warred against the hylians for centuries now. The essence of those wars was lost to Link too, as all he knew about the subject was that previously, in years long gone by, they had all been allies once. He remembered the words of Sahasrahla once, who had said during a town meeting that Hyrule, though enjoying a precious calm, was being torn apart from the inside. They had forgotten to be kind to their neighbors, and they had pilfered the sacred treasures of their ancestors. Their land was in a state of decay, but nobody noticed anymore. The cracks were there, and soon, the kingdom would be broken.

Link shuddered at that memory as he approached the turbulent waters, looking for some fish to catch. While he did not possess a fishing rod at the moment, for he had left it in his house, his skills with catching fish with his bare hands were quite optimal, if he did say so himself. He saw large, red, blotches on the water. Moving ones. He recognized the large salmons that normally inhabited the river, trying to reach the lake in order for their real lives to begin. Link was not one to dwell and ponder much on the nature of fishing, or anything really, so he instead just went and tried catching the fish with his fingers. It didn't take him too long before he caught one, squirming vigorously, the small animal still wondering what was happening to his entire world, broken by the intrusion of an unknown agent into its environment. Its situation was quite similar to that of Link's, but, as mentioned before, he wasn't one to really notice his surroundings.

Which is why he did not notice the large beast lunging at him from the side.

Before it was too late, a big, reddish thing tackled him to the side, and tried to grab the salmon still in his hand. Link noticed a large tentacle grabbing him by the arm, and gazed in horror at the creature it belonged to: it was an octorok, a species of tentacled monstrosities with large eyes and gaping maws. Link quickly pulled away from the creature, hurting it, and created some distance in between it.

Now, the octorok wasn't one to attack creatures similar in size to it, but that is why it had developed over the years an offensive mechanism. It stored minerals in the back of its mouth, and, over time, formed a rocklike formation within itself, which it later used against any adversary it encountered. The creature, relying on instinct rather than wits, instantly tried this technique, but Link was agile and prepared. Using his own instincts, he raised his shield to block the heavy stone thrown at him. He backpedaled a few steps, but he kept his ground. The creature did not. But it wasn't a necessity, for other Octoroks came out of the water and started surrounding Link. He kept them at bay using his sword, and raised his shield in preparation for the incoming attack. He blocked them with perfection, and when the monsters had left their guard down and proceeded to get too near him, he slashed them and ended their lives. The rest of the animals fled, including the original attacker, but Link was satisfied: he had caught more than just a salmon.

He was beginning to prepare to cut off the precious bits of the beasts in order to keep them in his pouch, when a voice came near him.

"Link, nephew of Rusl the brave. Can you hear me?"

"Who are you?" Link said, suddenly standing up. "Where are you hiding?"

"Well, I think you already know the answers to those questions. But I can answer new ones that may serve you on your quest."

Link skipped a beat. "Sahasrahla? Is that you inside my head?"

"Yes… I had been watching your efforts for quite some time now. It seems you are in need of guidance."

"I… I need your help, elder. There's a calamity, and only you know the answers… What should I do?"

"If you seek the truth, then you should enter the abandoned canyons, and venture into the niche for lights. This is a sacred place for people on a pilgrimage. It is located at the highest and deepest point of the canyons. If you can make it, then I'll know without a doubt you are ready for me to teach you."

With that, the voice was gone. Link tried calling to him, to no avail. A little stumped by the sudden intrusion inside his brain, Link stood there for a moment, until he remembered he needed to eat his food while fresh. He proceeded then to cut in a quick and methodical manner bits and pieces of the monsters' flesh and body parts and to store them in his pouch. He devoured the remaining pieces, the freshness of the product becoming apparent to him. Link hadn't felt so relieved in so much time as to when he ate for the first time that day.

After he had gorged on the Octorok remains for a bit, he straightened himself. He needed to continue his trek; there wasn't any room for distractions now.

The old rock walls looked upon him, as he walked between dilapidated columns and ancient statues that crumbled upon touch. The grass was sparse in this region of Hyrule, and few animals ventured inside the tomb-like trenches. It was oddly melancholic, though, as he felt as if he was on some kind of ancient battleground, where blood had been wasted. Maybe they had built the shrines hidden here to honor those who had passed to a better life. Link continued his ascent up the rocky formations, using some natural ridges in the walls sometimes. Other times, he found that something resembling stairs had been built in order to make his passage more bearable. He saw a wild animal jumping along the rocks, a Tektite perhaps, but they quickly vanished from sight.

Sweat covered his noggin, and his feet were aching. He looked into the distance, and all he could see was the tall structure known to him as the Eastern Palace. The name had been misused, since the structure really was a temple of sorts, built to honor the goddess Farore, but age and religious persecution had simply turned it into an antiquity. Fear of religious extremism and war had made radical changes to his kingdom, he just hadn't noticed it yet.

As he approached the top of the canyons, he could see a vast network of abandoned pathways and stairways. He could see something resembling an old battleground a little below him. He started to make the new trek downwards, heading for the old, abandoned area. Stone statues of what appeared to be horned warriors lined up the edges of the small battlefield. They possessed angry faces, along with the decorations for a noble warrior, including a sword and shield. The markings on them looked centuries old, but there was something about their eyes…

Their eyes looked alive.

Silence had been his only companion thus far, but something stirred near him. The cracks of ancient mechanisms activating were heard by his ears. Eras long gone by had been reawakened. As he set foot on the ancient battleground, and afternoon sun appeared right before him, enveloping him and his surroundings in a golden light, a swarm of colorful insects flew past by him. But this was not the only change to the area. No, something else stirred. The statues, yes, he could see it now: their eyes were not only alive, it was them. Slowly, the hands holding the swords began to grip them harder, the shields began to be raised once again. Like an old song that was never forgotten, these ancient statues began moving, lifting their feet one by one, approaching him. Link had been so entranced by the magic of the place that this did not surprise him in the least. He felt oddly at home here, away from the mortal perils of the world. He raised his sword and shield in accord, and prepared for the battle.

There were six of them that he could count, and they looked wise and powerful, though they were made out of ancient rock. Their faces, uncaring, studied him, and he studied them. He could hear a faint echo across the canyon, calling to him. The spirits of the world had realized someone was there with them, and they clamored to hear his name, to know more about him. So they tested him, they sent these statues after him. One of them began circling him, but he knew this was a trap, he had been taught that way. Quickly, he turned and avoided narrowly the slash of one the stone statues' swords. He returned the favor with a powerful strike from his sword, shattering the stone warrior into ancient dust. With renewed sense of purpose, he looked at the remaining five.

Two of them could be easily isolated, so he approached them. He blocked and parried their attacks for a bit, but just enough for them to leave a spot open for attack. His sword was quicker than them, and so, he easily demolished them too. This left the remaining three. They each circled him like vultures. The fight was clearly just beginning for him. And so, they each practiced a secret dance of swords made of metal and ancient materials. His shield had been useful so far, but he feared for his life. He tried to move away, trying to create some distance, but they would just leap up in the air, landing quite close to him. Link was at a loss on what to do at this point.

It didn't matter, he would keep fighting. The statue on the left lunged at him, and he rolled on the ground to avoid its strike. His knees had been scraped during the evasive maneuver, but other than that, he was fine. Another statue from the right came to him, and he blocked it with his shield, feeling the full impact of the blow on his arm. The pain was so high, that he fell to the ground, just in time for the third statue to approach him directly, lifting its sword high in the air, ready to impale him. Link used what remaining strength he had to jump right back up, and parried the attack with his own sword. The statue's blade shattered upon impact, leaving it defenseless. The boy wasted no time, and decapitated the stone soldier with one swift strike. He knew he had no time to waste: his right arm, the one he used for defense, was feeling numb from the impact. He began to run away from the two remaining enemies. They were fragile, but they had the experience to match him in combat. Link climbed over a few more rocks to the north of the battleground, against the coming dusk, with the statues behind them. One of them jumped ahead of him, trying to make yet another ambush for the boy in green, but he knew better. He turned a left, deeper into the ruins, where the walls were narrow, forcing them to track him by foot, one by one. Link turned around to meet them.

The first statue tried to go with the direct approach, using simple sword moves to try and defeat Link's defenses. While a soldier of Hyrule might have found them quite easily, these statues were just enchanted objects of an era long gone. They didn't adapt as well to new strategies. The statue tried to parry Link's blows and to strike him at the knees, but his shield helped block the attacks, even if the hand holding it barely had any strength left. Link's fury and frenzy prevailed after some time, when he managed to trap the statue's sword between the wall and his shield, leaving him with ample opportunity to put his sword square into the armored attacker's chest. The enchanted rock fell to the ground, now an incorporeal mass of dust.

This only left one more statue. It looked at Link, trying to assess the situation for a minute. It started to walk towards Link, as if nothing really mattered anymore.

Sword and shield ready, the boy in green knew this was the most crucial part of the whole ordeal. There was no going back. He lunged at the statue and dealt blow after blow, trying to shatter its sword. But the statue didn't even recoil nor flinch. It started attacking his shield, as if it knew that his hand was feeling weaker. The sword made of stone began to crack, and the shield started to drop. Link had no idea who would last longer. He tried to use an opening to end the fight once again, but this statue was too fast for him. The creature raised one leg and gave him one final kick in his shield, making him finally drop it. Link was only able to parry one more sword strike before he fell to the ground, defeated.

Just as the statue was about to end him, a flash of light erupted in the skies, and headed for the stone statue. This light engulfed it, and cracks started appearing around it. It dropped its sword, and clasped its own head in its hands, almost as if it was in pain. Once the statue was on its knees, Link knew what to do. He grabbed his sword, raised it above his head, and gave the final strike, shattering the final statue once and for all.

He looked around for the source of the magical aid, half expecting it to be Zelda again, only to find the silhouette of an old man in the distance, looking right back at him. Link dropped his own sword and fell to his injured knees, for he had found whom he was looking for.

"You drop your sword at the first sign of help, young one? It seems you have much to learn. Come with me."

The recluse lived in an abandoned shrine, located near the Eastern Palace. The small temple had been built in the past to honor the lesser gods of healing, but now, it was a dilapidated, dirty old structure, with small rats crawling along the walls, and little light entering through the windows. It was a miserable abode for such a strong man.

Sahasrahla himself looked weak from the trip to the canyons, but Link knew better. His old appearance was just a façade to fool intruders and attackers. The man had not become the leader of Kakariko village without earning it first. Almost as if on cue, the old man began to talk.

"Why have you come here, Link?" His back was turned to him.

"I seek… The answers, master Sahasrahla."

Suddenly, the elder attacked him using his wooden cane. Link used his sword to hold it back.

"But, the question is, young Link", Sahasrahla said, still holding the cane against him. "Do you deserve to know them?"

Link didn't back away either, though he was in a weakened state. "I do… I believe I do. I come from far away, on behalf of princess Zelda. Hyrule is in need of your knowledge, master."

With this, the old man backed away with a chuckle. "Oh, so naïve, and so young… Link, the kingdom has no need of an old man's delusions. It is in need of a hero. It needs wisdom, power and courage. And no one in this kingdom seems worthy of those qualities."

"So what are we supposed to do? Are you telling me I came here for nothing?"

"No… Hope is not yet lost. I sense great promise in you, lad. There may be great things hidden within you, and you might be worthy of my training. I promised you that I would teach you and train you if you reached the Niche for Lights, and here we are."

Honestly, the sacred place didn't look so marvelous, and Sahasrahla seemed to know, judging by his smile.

"I said, long ago, that Hyrule was cracking, ready to tear itself apart. That day is coming, believe me. It will come, unless a hero unites us. The question lies in determining in who is ready for that title and burden to bear."

The old man continued. "If you wish to know the answers, and to begin your training, there is one task you can do at this very moment, without resting. It is essential if you wish to bring Agahnim to justice, and to help princess Zelda. Are you ready to begin?"

Without missing a beat, Link answered with a resounding "yes".

"Very well. Just a few steps from here, lies the Eastern Palace. You must venture deep inside the old building. It is a forbidden place, not even the ones who make the pilgrimage enter its abandoned halls, for fear of angering the Goddess Farore. However, a special power lies hidden deep inside it. If you can manage to obtain it, your first test will be complete, and I will tell you the truth of what is going on."

Link was exhausted, hurt, and could barely stand. He knew he had gone beyond his physical means at this point. But he also knew that this old man standing in front of him knew what he was talking about, and if the only way to proceed was to enter the Eastern Palace and brave its dangers, then so be it.

He took out his red potion and gulped it down, before setting out of the Niche for Lights.