The War Begins
Chapter 10: The Horse from the Future
The two heroes stood on the ground, watching the ship sail off. Tetra waved back at them as the ship sailed out of sight. Medli flew off, but something was up with Makar. The little, tiny creature called a Korok was now taking human form. The Hero of Winds remembered the Greak Deku Tree saying that the Koroks used to take human form, but later changed due to the sea. Makar seemed to be taking his original form.
After a minute of the King and the two heroes watching, Makar finished transformation. Makar was gone. In his place, there stood a boy. The boy was as tall as the heroes, wearing green clothing like them. Instead of blond hair; however, he had green hair.
"I'm, a Kokiri," Makar said slowly, looking at himself.
"Yes, a child of the forest, and should return to just that!" Daphnes announced. He raised his arms. Slowly, a beam of light surrounded Makar and he disappeared. "His old forest friends, along with the Deku Tree, should be in the forest. Kokiri forest, child, is your next destination," he said to the Hero of Time. "That's for friends though. Spend time first, showing your friend around this obviously strange land."
The King disappeared. The two heroes looked at each other, as if waiting for one another to speak. Finally, the Hero of Time did so. "So, to get started on the little tour of this blessed land, we'll need transportation!"
"There's transportation besides a boat, which is obviously useless on land?"
"Of course, haven't you heard of horses?" the Hero of Time asked, astounded.
"I might be new to this place, but I'm not stupid," the Hero of Winds replied. "Of course I have, but they're ancient. They walked the earth centuries ago."
"Well, now that Hyrule is back, horses are no longer drowned," the Hero of Time said, putting his Ocarina to his mouth. He slowly played another song, Epona's Song.
The song sounded throughout the distance. A beam of light shone from afar, and galloping sounded. A horse ran up, and placed its head on Link's.
"Epona, a horse from the future," The Hero of Time said happily, patting her back. "She'll take us around."
Once they were on, and galloping, the Hero of Time explained many things, "Normally, the song wouldn't summon the horse from the future, but since the Ocarina of Time is in my hands, and with you conducting, it makes the songs powerfully better. Epona's here, now. Time traveling won't be needed, hopefully! Now, if we can get to Lon Lon Ranch, I have something to show you."
They arrived. The ranch no longer stood. Instead, it was like a village. A large gate stood. The Hero explained, "This used to be a prosperous ranch of horses. Fortunately, the horses galloped away, sensing the danger the humans could not. Ganondorf destroyed the place soon after a miraculous return he made once. While I still put him back in place, the ranch was destroyed, with no way to bring it back. All residents were killed. Now, since then, the King had constructors build another village called Faraya Village."
"That's"-
"I know, it is sad," the Hero of Time said, wiping his eyes a bit more.
The horse ran off again, and the Hero started talking more loudly over the galloping, "This is the way to Gerudo Valley. It's a dangerous place, and lies far to the west! That is the home place of Ganondorf! The Gerudo fortress, he now obviously controls, is also dangerous. Don't mind that place much. I doubt Ganondorf has any presence in Hyrule just yet, but it's wise to keep away!"
Hours passed as the Hero of Time showed the Hero of Winds around the place. "This is the foot of Death Mountain, which you used to know as Dragonroost! The Rito are taking residence at the top. Their village still stands, but shall break. That's what we shall do! While we can't stop the village decaying under the lava that might very well fall on it, they will shortly take residence at another island mountain."
"You said they'll live!" the Hero of Winds yelled over the galloping.
"They will, and as the Great Sea has gone back to its original form, new islands have formed! Some as mountains! They were always around. One is perfect as a replacement of Dragonroost! A volcano, perfect residence for Valoo, and the Rito, and a village can be built within weeks. They have that capability! It's east of here, beyond Death Mountain and a short distance away. Now, at the foot is a village called Kakariko Village."
"What's over there, the draw bridge, going down?"
"That's the way to Hyrule Town Market, and Hyrule Castle itself!" The Hero of Time said. "It's like my second home! It usually enjoy a dinner there with the royal family. Now you're here, you will too!"
"Great!"
"Yes, now, if you go to the east, you'll see a Grand Lake, filled by the Great River which flows from the Great Sea"-
"Lake Hylia?"
"How'd you know?"
"An ancient Hylian name I know," the Hero of Winds replied.
"You catch on quick!"
"So, this is all Hyrule? It's huge for an island!"
"It's a vast island," the Hero of Time said, looking up at the sun. "It's prosperous and all surrounding islands are our territory! All residents of the islands are Hylains, even by ancestry. Yes," he added, catching the look on Link's face. "You are Hylian too."