Chapter 10:
Link and Zelda rode into Ordon Village and they looked around the peaceful village as Link guided Epona towards his house, which was not far from the entrance to the village to the right as he walked in. It was a tree house that was built into a large hill-like tree. There was a ladder that led to the house on the top of the first layer and Zelda had a feeling that the hill actually served as a basement to Link's house. There was a green flag with a golden triangular symbol hanging above the entrance to his door that seemed to be connected to a hangar or possibly a doorbell of some sort. Above that, on the top of the house there was a window that the occupant could look through. Next to the house was a simple sign that said: Link's House.
Link pulled up to his house and when he was close to the ladder, dismounted from Epona. Zelda quickly followed him and he handed her his bow and quiver. "Take this," he told her. "Ordon Village looks peaceful, and it's unlikely that Ganondorf has sent any of his forces to attack it, but we should be prepared just in case he did send some of his minions after us."
Zelda nodded as she accepted the bow and quiver. "I'll keep watch while you go and get your gear."
She then slung the quiver over her back and stood next to Epona, who went to nibble at some grass near the house. Link patted her on the head, causing Epona to raise her head and rub it against his face before going back down to nibble on more grass. He smiled and then walked the necessary few steps towards his house's ladder. He then climbed the ladder all the way up to the porch and proceeded to walk on in.
The interior of Link's house was furnished with a number of tables and even a bookshelf. While the walls looked to be made of brick, there were signs that the house was built into the side of a tree, such as the branches that outlined the doorway leading into the house. There were also other areas that looked to be lined with wood. There were a couple pictures of Link with his ranch hand, Fado, from the time he worked as a wrangler at Ordon Ranch. There were also other items hanging in the wall, such as a pitchfork and a fishing rod. To his right, there was a ladder that led to a platform that had that had a series of pictures on it, along with a small bed. On the other side of the platform was another ladder that led to the top of his house, where there was a window that allowed him to look out over the rest of the village. In the middle of the floor was a blue chest that his friend, Rusl, had left for him. It contained a wooden sword that had been the first weapon that Link had used when he had gone on his adventure to save Hyrule from Zant and the Twilight Invasion. Link had no use for the sword now, so he left the chest alone. Behind the chest was a fireplace that had a pot over the fireplace, though there was no fire due to Link having been away for so long. He took a quick look around to make sure that everything was still in order, and to make sure that his lantern was still in the house. He quickly found the lantern near the kitchen area. Going over to it, he grabbed the lantern, knowing that he would need it in order to see once he entered the basement of his house. Once that was finished, he went to the far end of the room.
At the far end of the first floor was a ladder that led down to the basement of the house. He headed over to the ladder and quickly climbed down it. As he climbed down the ladder, it got progressively darker and darker until he was unable to see anything. Once he reached the bottom, he got out his lantern and lit it. The lantern sprang to life and cast a glow around the entire room. There was large mirror in the room that cast back Link's reflection. He did not stop to admire himself, though, as he scanned the area for the equipment that he had stored down here in the various treasure chests that were now visible. He went to each chest and opened them, one by one. After opening each chest, he got out their contents and placed them in the strange sack, whose magic allowed him to store such a large array of items and equipment. Once he was finished gathering all of his equipment, he went back to the ladder and climbed it. Once he climbed the ladder, he reappeared on the first floor of his house, where he quickly extinguished his lantern. Having gathered what he needed from his house, he proceeded to leave the house, giving it one final check to make sure that everything was still in place.
Upon exiting his house, he returned to Epona to check on her and Zelda. Zelda maintained her disguise as a Sheikah warrior, not bothering to remove it due to not wanting to draw attention to herself from anyone in the village. Had she gone down to the town center where all of the activity was, though, she would have found that her attire would have drawn a lot of attention from the local population. He went over to Zelda, prompting her to turn back to him, informing him, "So far, there have been no traces of any of Ganondorf's minions pursuing us into Ordona Province."
Link nodded. He then proceeded to take the path that led to the main center of the village. As he proceeded, Zelda called after him, asking, "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to see if there's anything new in Sera's shop," he called back.
Zelda saw no problem with that, but she was concerned since she wanted to him to get the Master Sword and take down Ganondorf as quickly as possible. She simply nodded, indicating that she did not have a problem with his plan, as he headed down towards the village center.
When he entered the village center, he noticed that several of the villagers were out doing various jobs and chores. He instantly spotted two children, Colin and Talo, participating in a mock sword duel, each using blunt wooden swords. Talo wore a white tunic and blue short-like pants along with a red headband and had brown hair. He was also finely muscled for his age. Talo had a confident to almost arrogant expression on his face. Colin, on the other hand, looked somewhat meek and mild, but he was still string, parrying Talo's thrust expending minimal energy. Colin had blond hair and blue eyes and wore a white tunic with black short-like pants. Despite Talo's aggressiveness, he was not making much headway against Colin's defense. The younger, and more defensive minded boy was easily able to avoid or parry Talo's strikes. It was getting so Talo's aggressive strategy was beginning to take its toll on him.
"Come on!" Talo called, which almost sounded like a whine, to Colin, breathing heavily. "Stop playing defense and go on the attack already!"
"Why?" Colin replied mildly. "My plan's working perfectly. It would be stupid of me to go charging in against a stronger opponent like you."
Talo gave a smug smile as he neared the milder boy. He then went to perform a thrust but telegraphed it too much, giving Colin ample time to avoid it and perform a counterattack, allowing him to lightly slap his sword across Talo's back. The other boy turned and glared at Colin, who did not smile, but did not frown either. He gave a strained smile and looked at Colin, asking, "How is it you always manage to beat me in these sparring sessions?"
"It's because you're overly aggressive," came a familiar voice from behind the boys. Link looked over at source of the familiar voice and found Rusl standing next to Uli, Rusl's wife. She had short blond hair like Colin and was holding Colin's baby sister in her arms. "You're strong, but you're too aggressive and predictable. You have good form and technique, but your predictability and over aggressiveness allows a more defensive opponent to wear you down."
"Got it," Talo answered. He then gave a grimace to Colin, who simply smiled kindly at the boy.
Rusl then looked up and noticed Link standing there. "It looks like you two aren't the only swordfighters out and about in the village."
Colin and Talo turned around and saw Link standing there, gazing at the display. Talo immediately dropped his wooden sword and ran to Link, exclaiming, "Wow, you're back! How were your adventures? What were they like? Did you learn anymore moves to teach us?"
Colin went up to him and said, "It's good to see you again, Link. And thank you for earlier. We would never have survived without your help."
"It was no problem at all," Link answered.
"Anyway, thank you for the help. Is there anything I can do to repay you?"
Link smiled. "Just live a good and happy life," he answered, not able to think of anything better to say. It was then that Talo came back.
"Are you staying for long?" Talo asked.
Link shook his head in a melancholy fashion. Colin noticed his expression and asked, "What's wrong Link?"
"An enemy I thought to be dead has returned. My stay here will be short. I only came back to get my equipment from my house. Now that I have it, I'm just going to check out Sera's Sundries in order to see if she has anything new that could help on my journey."
"Who's the enemy?" Colin asked.
"A Gerudo thief named Ganondorf," Link answered.
"Ganondorf," Rusl stated, thinking back to the invasion of Twilight. "Isn't he the guy who was pulling the strings behind Zant?"
Link nodded.
"I thought he was killed," Rusl stated.
"He was, for a time," Link answered. "Apparently, the Master Sword was withdrawn before his death was irreversible."
"Well, you're in luck regarding access to the Sacred Grove," Rusl told him. "When Shad, Ashei, and Auru went to the Sacred Grove, they built a system of bridges that spanned the large tree branches between Faron Woods and the Sacred Grove so you won't need a Golden Cucco in order to cross the span."
"That's good to hear," Link stated, suddenly elated that he had relatively easy access to the Sacred Grove and the Temple of Time. "Did they have any trouble with the Skull Kid?"
Rusl shook his head. "Their trip, both in and out, was very smooth so you shouldn't face any difficulty. However, that was before Ganondorf returned. Who knows what you might face now. If you need any help, I could accompany you."
"I'll be fine," Link said. "Besides, if we fail, Ordon Village will need a protector."
Rusl smiled and looked at Colin and Talo. "They've got two very talented future fighters right there."
Link returned Rusl's smile. He shook Rusl's hand and waved to Uli as he proceeded to wave goodbye to Colin and Talo, who immediately started another mock battle, with Talo taking Rusl's advice and fighting much more evenly with Colin than he had the first time. He then looked out into the town, quickly spotting Sera's Sundries.
As he approached the store, which was a small single floor building made out of wood. He saw by the sign that it had yet to be bought by Malo Mart. He did not know whether or not it was because Malo did not want to buy out the store due to the fact that it was in his home village and he knew Sera, or if he simply did not see any value in buying it out at this point in time. He went to the store and proceeded to enter.
The interior of the store was made of wood, though it did have a glossy finish. Sitting behind the counter in front of him was the shop's proprietor, Sera. Sera was a large woman with brown hair and she wore a white shirt. There were a couple books on the table, along with a picture of the cat that was sitting near her. The cat, named Link, after the hero, had brown and black fur on its back along with a white underbelly and paws. Link, the cat, was sitting on the table next to a bowl, eating a fish. Link remembered getting the cat a fish so that he and Sera could be reunited after a disagreement. At the far end of the table was a large jug that likely contained milk. Link noticed the picture of Sera's daughter, Beth, hanging on the wall as well. Thinking about it, he was surprised that he had not seen Beth with Talo and Colin when he had entered the village. Behind Sera was a wall full of merchandise for customers. Sera looked up and noticed that Link was standing at the entrance.
"Well if it isn't Link," she blurted as she shot up from her place at the table. "How long has it been? Six months?"
Link nodded. "How has everything been in the village?" Link asked.
"Just fine," Sera answered. "It's been quiet, which is just how we like it here." She then focused on Link and asked, "And with you?"
"I'm here on business," Link answered in a dour tone.
"I take it things are not so great outside of the village."
Link shook his head.
"So, what may I do to help?"
"Have you gotten anything new in the store in the six months I've been gone?" Link asked.
Sera smiled. "We have several things," she answered.
She then directed Link to the wall behind her. On it, he found the usual merchandise such as lantern oil, milk, and bee larvae. She also had some sticks. When Link took a look at them, she told him, "These are one of the new items we have here. They are called Deku Sticks. They make good torches and a good weapon in a tight situation should your sword be unavailable." Link looked at them but figured that they would not be all that useful considering the fact that he already had a lantern. Seeing that he was not interested, she quickly added, "That's not all I have here, though." She then directed him to a supply of bottles on the wall. "We have some new empty bottles that just came in, along with a supply of potions. Normally, the bottles would be fifty Rupees, each, but for you, they're on the house."
Link thanked her and indicated that he wanted to get a bottle. She then went over to the shelf and got a bottle for him. She handed him the bottle and then said, "We've just got in something special, too."
"What is it?" Link asked.
She then went over to the large jug on the table and revealed its contents. It was pearl-colored and it sparkled "It's a rare form of jelly that comes from Chus," Sera explained. "When you drink it, it restores all of your health and also doubles the strength of your sword for a brief period of time. You can only store one of these Rare Chu Jellies at any one time, so make sure you save it for occasions when you really need it. The Rare Chu Jelly costs one hundred Rupees, but you'll need an empty bottle hold it."
Link had no problem producing the Orange Rupee that would pay for the Rare Chu Jelly. He presented Sera with the Rupee and she went over to the jug and took out a serving of the jelly. She then carefully poured it into Link's bottle. Once that was finished, she put the cork back on the bottle and handed it over to him. He then took the bottle and stuffed it into his sack. Once Link was finished, Sera asked, "Is there anything else I can get for you?"
Link shook his head. "No, thank you," he answered after taking one final glance around the shop.
He then turned to leave and as he did so, Sera called after him, "Thanks Link. Don't stay away from the village for too long, ya hear? Everyone really misses you."
He smiled and then departed from the shop. Once he left, he turned to head back to his house, and Zelda, when he heard a familiar cry. "Heeeey!"
He turned and saw a blue-furred Ordon Goat charging towards him, the antlers that formed a complete circle over its head giving it away as an Ordon Goat, rather than an ordinary goat from the various provinces of Hyrule. Link braced himself and held out his hands, ready to intercept the charging goat. He had done this many times before, and not just with goats, but with charging Gorons as well. The goat lowered its head as it charged and it headed straight towards the Hylian hero. The goat charged straight into the waiting hands of Link, who braced himself once the goat made contact and held firm. He was forced back a few feet but planted his feet down and skidded to a halt. Try as the goat might, it was unable to budge the hero. Link then turned his grip to the right and wrestled the goat to the ground gently enough so that it did not sustain any injury. He then lay on top of it, pinning it to the ground until the goat calmed down. Once it was calm, Link retreated from the goat, allowing it to rise, which it did. It then slowly paced around the area, nibbling at some of the grass in the area. Link then looked back from where the goat had come from and saw his old friend Fado, a human man of around his age running after him. He had a very muscular build and wore a tan tunic as he came charging after the goat. Once he was within sight of the goat, he noticed that his friend and ranch hand, Link was with the goat. He quickly went up to Link and thanked him, saying, "Thanks for stopping that goat. It's just like old times, huh, Link."
Link agreed, nodding. He looked at his village wistfully. He had missed it during his adventuring, and yet, he still felt as if there was something missing here, as well as out in Hyrule as well, and he could not quite put his finger on it. Fado looked at his friend's musing and noticed his expression. "You're not staying long, are you?"
Link shook his head. "I'm just about ready to go," he replied. "An evil is gaining strength and is putting a plan in motion. I have to stop it."
"Just like last time," Fado said, remembering how Link had been the one to stop the Twilight Incursion. While Ordon Village had been spared being placed under Twilight during Zant's invasion, the stories told by Rusl and the children, particularly Colin and Ilia, had been enough to convince everyone that things had been really bad out in Hyrule. "Do you know when, or if, you'll be coming back?"
Link shook his head again. "I see," Fado answered. He had suspected as much. Not only had he viewed Link as a good friend, but he could not deny the Hylian's wrangling skills, as demonstrated when Link stopped the runaway goat. Not only that, but Link had a great rapport with the other children in the village, particularly with Ilia. He always had time to help the other children in the village. Things had been different with him gone.
Before Link went to depart, he assisted Fado in putting a collar and leash on the runaway goat one last time. Once he was finished, he went to leave, but not before Fado called after him, "Good luck on your journey, wherever it takes you."
Link looked back at Fado and answered, "Thank you, Fado. And good luck at the ranch."
Fado gave a smile. "Maybe I'll be able to teach one of the other kids how to be a wrangler," he mused aloud as Link turned to head back to Zelda. He then went to lead the goat back to the ranch.
Meanwhile, Link departed the village center and made his way back to Epona, taking the short path back to his house. He did not meet anyone else from the village on the way back. He figured that they were busy with their own chores and work. Inwardly, he felt that it was better that way. He had wanted his return to be as quick and quiet as possible, for he did not want to disappoint his friends.
As he got within sight of Epona and Zelda, he noticed that there were two other people with them. He instantly recognized both of them: one, the older muscular, yet heavyset man with gray hair wearing a white tunic, being Bo, the mayor of Ordon Village; the second, a girl of about sixteen to seventeen years of age. She had dark blond to almost light brown hair and blue eyes. She wore a cream colored sleeveless tunic and brown pants. Link smiled and stood in awe for a second as he gazed at his childhood friend, Ilia. There was no denying that she was beautiful. However, her physical beauty was only part of the reason why Link was so close to her, as well as the other children, particularly the boys in the village, liked her so much as well. She was a very nice person and was close to nature. She was kind, gentle, and thoughtful of others, much like Link. She gazed back at him and she looked downcast.
"I take it that your quiet return means that you are not going to stay here for long, if at all," she said in a melancholy tone.
Link regretfully shook his head.
"Something has come up in Hyrule again, hasn't it," Mayor Bo said, glancing towards Zelda. "Otherwise, you would not have come here with the Queen of Hyrule."
Zelda's eyes flashed from underneath her bandages as she gazed at the Ordonian mayor. How had he deduced that she was Zelda? Link was also surprised that he had made the connection. Bo looked at Zelda and told her, "News of the events of Hyrule Castle and the rest of Hyrule have reached ears even of those outside of Hyrule. Rusl told us that there was an attack on the castle a day ago and I heard that you and Link knew each other. Besides, you bear the same mark as Link," he added, looking at the Triforce mark on her hand.
Zelda looked down at her hand and saw her Triforce mark glowing. Link did the same and for a moment, they dreaded that Ganondorf had found them. Their fear subsided when the marks stopped glowing. Ilia turned to Link and asked, "How bad is it?"
"Very," he answered. "Ganondorf has returned."
"Ganondorf?" she asked in a surprisingly controlled tone, despite her eyes going wide, betraying her surprise. "I thought he was dead."
"We all did," Zelda said, not bothering to disguise her voice. "Hopefully, we'll be able to remedy the situation soon enough."
"Be careful in your travels," Bo cautioned. "There have been reports of a number of monsters in Faron Woods, as well as the Lost Woods, and not just the usual Bokoblins, Bulblins, or Skull Kid Puppets, either. There have been reports of Wolfos, Stalfos, and Deku Scrubs in those areas as well. Be on your guard."
"We will be," Link answered.
"You be careful on your journey, Link," Ilia told him. "We don't want to lose you."
While Ilia was, indeed, speaking for everyone in Ordon Village when she made that last statement, Link could tell that she meant it just as much for herself as she did for the others in the village.
"Don't worry, Ilia," Link told her. "I don't intend to die anytime soon."
Ilia smiled. She then looked over at Epona and thoroughly checked the horse from head to toe. Once she was finished, she noted, "At least Epona seems to be in good shape." Focusing back on Link, she added, "You take good care of Epona on your journey." She then whispered into Epona's ear, "And you take good care of Link, too."
She then pet Epona, who rubbed her nose against Ilia's torso and gave a ruffle of affection. She then backed away, allowing Link to mount the horse. Once he was on Epona, he directed her towards the exit of the village. As he gave Epona a light kick to get her going, Ilia called out to him, "Go get him, Link."
Link turned back and smiled, nodding. He then turned around and he left the village, heading directly towards Ordon Spring. As he departed the village, Ilia gave a sigh and looked downcast at the ground. Bo, seeing her reaction, asked, "What is it?"
"Oh," she said, rocketing her face up to try to look natural, her father's question surprising her. After a few moments, she answered, "I just have a feeling that I'm not going to see him again."
Bo then went over to her and wrapped his right arm around her. She then hugged him in return, smiling. As they went to head to their home, though, Ilia still could not shake the feeling that that would be the last time she would ever see Link.
Link and Zelda rode through Ordona Province, quickly passing Ordon Spring. As they passed the spring, a brilliant flash of light appeared from the spring. Link and Zelda immediately dismounted from Epona and went to investigate the flash. They went towards the spring and saw an enormous shining golden Ordon Goat standing in the spring. There were also golden markings on the body of the goat and had a golden ball of light between its large horns, which like an Ordon Goat's, came together to form a complete circle above its head. Link and Zelda recognized the spirit as being Ordona, the Light Spirit of Ordona Province. Ordona walked towards them and they immediately stopped.
"Do not be alarmed," Ordona said in a calming tone. "I have come to give you something that was destroyed earlier."
A brilliant flash of light shown around them and soon, the bow that had been destroyed earlier reappeared in Zelda's hands, completely repaired. There was also a Light Arrow already strung to the bow. "Use these Light Arrows for when Ghirahim returns."
"Ghirahim?" Zelda blurted, her eyes wide with surprise. "But he's dead! The sword was destroyed!" Link merely scowled and clenched his hands into a fist.
"Evil like that is never so easily destroyed by conventional means," Ordona answered sagely. "You will need the Master Sword in order to destroy Ghirahim permanently."
"Can Ghirahim revive Demise?" Zelda asked. "His ritual failed when he used it on me."
"No, it did not. Not really," Ordona answered. "While Ghirahim's initial attempt to revive Demise was unsuccessful, he was able to get what he needed in order to bring back his master should he be released from the Master Sword." Turning to Link, it continued, "Link, you must be more careful than anyone who has ever wielded the blade before, for Ganondorf wants Demise to be revived as well, albeit for very different reasons from Ghirahim."
"What will happen if Demise is summoned?" Link asked. "If he is summoned, can he be beaten?"
"Demise is beatable," Ordona answered, "but only by weapons with the Power to Repel Evil. And there is still Ganondorf to deal with. Ganondorf also wants Demise to be revived, though, as stated before, he has a different purpose for the Demon King. Be on your guard. Your enemies will come at you from sideways, rather than face you directly, especially Ganondorf. He knows more about the legends of the Master Sword than he did before, and he has been planning this battle for quite a while. But do not despair. You will be able to defeat your enemies and save Hyrule, as well as your friends."
Link nodded, but also looked quizzically at the Light Spirit. From the way it was speaking, it appeared to know something about the outcome of his adventure despite the fact that he had not fought or defeated Ganondorf yet. He would not worry about this right now, though. He just looked over at Zelda, who accepted the Light Arrows and the bow. He then watched as Ordona retreated back into the spring. Once it was gone, Link and Zelda went back to Epona, mounted her, and they continued towards Ordon Bridge.
Link and Zelda arrived at Ordon Bridge and saw two Bokoblins guarding it. He took out his Hero's Bow and notched an arrow to the string. He pulled back on the string and let fly with a single arrow. The arrow flew from the bow and struck the Bokoblin squarely in the chest. The Bokoblin fell over, dead, the arrow protruding from his chest alerting his companion to the fact that they were under attack. Before the other Bokoblin could act, though, Link fired once more and took down the second Bokoblin. Before continuing and crossing the bridge, though, Link wanted to make sure that there were no other enemies waiting for him. He took out his Hawkeye and put it on. Looking ahead across the bridge, he found several Purple Bokoblins that were closely grouped together. Link suppressed a smile as he realized that it would be easy to deal with them with a single Bomb Arrow. He tied a bomb to an arrow and pulled back on the string. He then took aim at the gathering of Bokoblins and let fly with his Bomb Arrow. The Bomb Arrow arced through the air, smoke trailing the arrow as the fuse burned. The arrow landed among the Bokoblins and immediately detonated, engulfing the Bokoblins in the blast. What was left of their bodies were hurled from the center of the explosion before they darkened and exploded into what looked to be woodchips. He then scanned the surrounding area to make sure that there were no other enemy forces up ahead of them. Once they were sure that the way was clear, Link guided Epona across the Ordon Bridge.
After crossing the bridge, Link and Zelda rode back into Faron Province. Not too far ahead, they came across a group of Bokoblins. As soon as Epona came trotting along the path through Faron Woods that would eventually lead them to the Temple of Time, a group of Bokoblins heard Link and Zelda approach and glanced at each other, issuing several grunts in their own language. They promptly rose and picked up their clubs and turned towards the source of the sound and saw a horse with two riders approaching. Despite seeing that both riders were armed, they thought that the riders would be easy marks for mugging, and even if they were a little harder than usual, a horse of Epona's pedigree looked like it would be a very valuable prize. Wasting no time, they rushed towards Link and Zelda, holding their blades high in the air, issuing whoops of pleasure and intimidation. Link and Zelda merely glanced at each other and shrugged as Link drew his sword and Zelda, her dagger. Link then spurred Epona forward, having her pace increase until it was a full on canter. It was now that the Bokoblins realized their folly, for the two riders were not only armed, but they were also ready to fight. The Bokoblins did not back down, though, and prepared to swing their cleavers when Link got within range in order to knock him and Zelda off the horse and hopefully allow them to capture the horse, as well as rummage through their person to see what valuables they had on them. Their plan did not go well as Epona did not slow down in the slightest. At the last second, the two Bokoblins stepped aside, or tried to since one of them failed to do so and was trampled beneath the hooves of Epona. The one that did step aside did not last much longer, for as he tried to swing his cleaver at Link, the Hylian hero took one swing with his sword and promptly cut down the imp-like monster. With the first two Bokoblins having been dealt with, Link ushered Epona forward so they could deal with the rest.
The rest of the Bokoblins were no challenge for Link and Zelda, either. They mostly just let Epona ride over them, allowing her to trample them beneath her hooves. Those that were wise enough to step aside but still foolish enough to continue to attack were dispatched either by timely and powerful sword swings from Link, or well-aimed arrows fired by Zelda. By the time they had ridden past, not a single living Bokoblin remained in the area.
As they rode past, Zelda noticed several plants along the side of the path that Link was doing his best to avoid. They had green stems with large blue bulbs that opened vertically into mouths. They were stuck to the spot they were planted in so they were not all that great a threat to Link. Still, they were something that Zelda had never seen before. "What are those plants?" she asked.
"Those are Deku Babas," Link answered. "They are carnivorous plants that grow out of the ground as you approach and lunge towards you. They can't walk so we should be fine as long as we don't get too close."
Just as he said that, though, he got a little too close and a Deku Baba popped out of the ground and opened its mouth as it attempted to lunge at Epona. A quick slice from Link's sword neutralized the threat, cutting the head off of the stem. Link continued to keep a sharp eye out so that he could avoid most of the Deku Babas on the path, noticing that there were a larger number of the enemies than he had encountered before, at least in this area of Faron Woods.
Link followed the trail through Faron Woods and eventually came to a dark cave known as the Lantern Cave. The trip was free of any real incident, with only a couple of Bokoblins patrolling the trail. They were easily cast aside when Epona rode over them. Still, Zelda and Link were wary as they continued on towards the Lantern Cave since there were several areas that would be good spots to set up ambushes. It was not long before Link managed to spot the cave off in the distance. There was also a small stall there set up by a man Link knew as Coro. Coro was not there, at the moment, so Link decided that it would not be a bad idea to have Epona stay while they went through the cave and later into the Lost Woods. He turned Epona towards the small stall, which sold Lantern Oil for the trip through the cave and marsh up ahead, and directed her to it. As soon as they arrived near Coro's, Link pulled in Epona's reins and slowed the horse to a stop. Zelda looked over at him and asked, "Why are we stopping here?"
"The Lantern Cave is dark and we'll need a light in order to see while we. There are also areas of it that are narrow too narrow for Epona to fit."
Link and Zelda then dismounted Epona. After dismounting from her, Link went over and pet Epona, telling her to remain here unless there was danger and if there was, to go back to Ordon Village. Once he was done, he walked over to Zelda and the two of them proceeded to make their way to the cave, the lantern lighting their way. As soon as they came to the cave, they did not stop for a moment and, instead, went on through.
True to its name, the Lantern Cave would have needed a lit lantern in order for one to navigate it successfully, for it was exceedingly dark. Fortunately, Link had his lantern already lit. However, even with the light of the lantern, they could only see several feet in any direction. Upon entering the cave, Link drew his sword and remained alert, for he knew that the cave was home to numerous rats and bat-like Keese, for the sounds of the animals echoed throughout the cave. Despite having a bow, he did not want to waste the few arrows he had remaining on rats and bats. As such, he readied his slingshot since it would be perfect for dealing with any rats or Keese that tried to attack. The first of the rats soon scurried out onto the path. The rat looked emaciated and desperate for any type of food, and it looked like it would try Hylian in a heartbeat. Link's suspicions of the rat were soon confirmed when it scurried towards him and Zelda, heedless of the size difference between the two. He ended the rat's charge, though, with a single swipe of his sword, cutting the rat in half. "Be careful," he told Zelda. "There are a lot of rats and Keese in this cave."
"I'm ready for them," Zelda answered, transforming into her Sheik disguise and readying a volley of needles for dealing with any rodents or Keese that came her way.
The duo proceeded to make their way through the cave with Link leading the way since he was familiar with it and knew the path to get through. He constantly held his slingshot and out in front of him, having a seed in the cup, as he led Zelda through the cave, shooting down any bat or rat that came too close to them. Navigating the cave was not too difficult for the duo, since Link was always ready and any vermin that tried to come up from behind were cut down by either Link or Zelda. The rest of the way was not too difficult and Link even found a few treasures in the cave, such as several chests full of Rupees.
After the brief trek, they emerged from the cave and came upon a swamp not too far away. After emerging from the darkness, the two made their way away from the cave. The swamp was full of dangerous gases and would have been impossible to cross without the assistance of Zelda as she conjured another Fire spell to burn away the gases. Straight ahead, across from the swamp, was a path that led to the Forest Temple. To the right of the swamp, though, was a bridge that led across the roots of gigantic trees that overlooked a large chasm that separated Faron Woods from the Lost Woods. Ignoring the swamp, Link and Zelda headed towards the bridge.
When they arrived at the bridge, two Wolfos, wolf-like enemies that had glowing eyes, emerged from the ground and came right at Link. Link had encountered White Wolfos before, but he had never seen the normal type before. Despite strongly resembling wolves, there was none of the nobility of the former in these creatures. Their expressions made them look like mockeries of wolves. Link drew his sword and waited for them to strike. The two Wolfos came at him and reared up onto their hind legs and slashed at him with their front paws, each of which had long, sharp claws. They missed with their slashes and spun around, revealing their backsides, but still standing upright. Link took this opportunity to perform a jump attack and killed both of the Wolfos with single hits. As soon as he inflicted fatal damage to them, they burst into an unnatural green flame that promptly consumed them.
When the Wolfos were beaten, Link and Zelda proceeded to cross the bridge. Not too far ahead, Link spied a Stalfos standing in front of them. The Stalfos was nothing more than a skeleton armed with a sword and a shield. Zelda, not wanting Link to get stuck in a swordfight with the skeleton, powered another ball of flame. Link moved to the side as she unleashed her fireball upon the Stalfos. The ball of flame rocketed towards the skeleton faster than Link would have expected. It soon struck the Stalfos and it exploded, engulfing the Stalfos in flames. Despite being made of bones, the bones appeared to be quite flammable and the Stalfos was set ablaze. The skeleton must have been highly vulnerable to Fire magic, or it promptly fell to the ground and let the flames burn it until it was reduced to ashes. Both Link and Zelda grinned as they saw the Stalfos get incinerated by the flame, especially Link since he knew that he would not have to use up any of his bombs in order to destroy them as long as Zelda was with him and she could use her Fire magic to destroy them. Once the Stalfos was beaten, they continued along the bridge.
The trek across the bridges that led into the Sacred Grove was incredibly easy. Link cut down any Keese that got too close to them, while Zelda dealt with the Stalfos using her magical fireballs for even those that wore armor besides their shields would still burst into flames and be reduced to ashes. Each enemy fell with ease and the trek seemed more tedious than dangerous. After crossing the third bridge, they eventually came to the Lost Woods.
The trees that made up the Sacred Grove were incredibly large. Each branch could easily support multiple people, making both Link and Zelda aware of the fact that the woods were easily defensible. Zelda had heard rumors that one of the exits to the Sacred Grove led into another area of Faron Province called the Kokiri Forest, where a race of children that never aged lived. She did not know if the legends were true or not, but there had been rumors that the Hero of Time had been raised in the Kokiri Forest before coming to Hyrule. Not only were the trees in the forest large, the forest was also incredibly dense. Despite the size of the trees, there was little room to walk off the trails that had been made through the woods.
As they entered the Sacred Grove, the first thing they did was listen for any music. Link took a few tentative steps forward, not wanting to walk into an ambush. He continued to walk into the center of the small area of trees to see if the Skull Kid would try to play any games with him, or if any ambushes would be sprung. When he arrived, he heard no music and no puppets came down from the massive trees to attack. Looking back at Zelda, he called, "It looks clear, but be careful. There could still be traps in the forest."
Zelda nodded and went to join him, quickly rushing towards him as she looked around, making certain that they were not being watched. When she joined Link, the forest was still clear of enemies. The two glanced at each other, each one wondering if this was the beginning of a game being played by the Skull Kid, or if by some miracle, the area was free of enemies. Seeing that it would be useless to remain here waiting for any traps to be sprung, Zelda told Link, "If there are no enemies here, we should take advantage of our good fortune and get to the Temple of Time as quickly as possible. You lead the way. You know the forest better than I do."
Link nodded and proceeded to take Zelda deeper into the forest. He went through the first makeshift cave, which was only a cave due to the fact that they went through a tunnel of tree roots and emerged in another area of the forest. Zelda followed Link as he made his way up a tree and followed its branches to another section of the forest. This time, though, they encountered a group of puppet-like enemies descend from the tree branches above. Both Link and Zelda could see the strings connected to various parts of the puppets. These puppets looked just like the ones used by the Skull Kid during Link's last trek through the Lost Woods. As the puppets descended, Link noticed a young woman out of the corner of his eye, but she ducked back behind a tree before he could get a closer look. And he would not search for her right now due to the puppets that were dangling before them.
"What are those things?" Zelda blurted.
"They're puppets controlled by the Skull Kid," Link answered.
"Who is the Skull Kid?"
"I am!" a voice exclaimed from above. Link and Zelda looked up and saw what looked to be a young being with a gray face shaped like that of the moon, wearing what looked to be a red cloak and hat that with several multicolored feathers in it standing in a tree. The Skull Kid held a trumpet in his right hand, while holding a lantern with a bright white light in his left. "I'd love to play games with you, but I can tell that you're in a hurry, and I've got things to do, too, so here's the deal. Beat me in a short fight and I'll let you go through the forest. If you can reach me and hit me three times, I'll let you go through."
Link then rushed towards the nearest stump that would take him up the tree. As he did so, four more puppets descended and slashed at Link. He blocked the slash with his shield and he retaliated with a spin attack. The attack was strong enough to bisect each of the puppets that were accosting him. He soon spied the Skull Kid and rushed up the tree and made a beeline towards the Skull Kid. As soon as he found the Skull Kid, he attacked, hitting the Skull Kid with the flat of his blade. The Skull Kid merely smiled. "First blow goes to you, Link. Follow after me if you wish to make it through the woods."
The Skull Kid then vanished and Link went to hurry towards the nearest exit when Zelda stopped him, calling out to him, "Wait!"
Link looked down at her wondering why she called up to him. He could already hear the Skull Kid playing the same song he had during his last trek through the Lost Woods. He also saw a light coming from the tunnel straight ahead. "Link, I can hear a trumpet playing. It sounds like the music is coming from the tunnel on the right."
Link was surprised, for he could see the light coming from the tunnel straight ahead. Still, he decided to follow Zelda's advice and he made his way over to the tunnel on his right. As soon as they entered the next tunnel, they saw the gleam of his lantern shining from behind a tree. Link went over to the Skull Kid and gave him a light tap with his sword. The Skull Kid jumped and he looked back at Link, almost scowling. He then gave a piercing laugh before vanishing. Link looked ahead and saw only one exit in front of him. Carefully listening to his surroundings, he heard the sound of the trumpet coming from the exit in front of him, as well as seeing the light from his lantern. Link and Zelda pursued the Skull Kid and went through the log-like opening into the next chamber.
Link went through the opening and quickly found himself near a hill. At the base of the hill, he saw the Skull Kid. The Skull Kid smiled and he then went up the hill and through a small archway and through the exit to the next area. Link and Zelda could see him make his way up the tree stump and exit through the tunnel up above them. They then followed the tree platforms up to the top of the stump where they could see a bridge leading to the next area of the woods. As they crossed the bridge, more puppets came down to accost them, but they were dealt with by a single spin attack.
Entering the next area, they found the Skull Kid standing on tree in the distance. Knowing that his arrows would not reach the Skull Kid, Link glanced over to Zelda. She gave a nod and stepped forward, cupping her hands and forming a ball of flame. The flame was not all that powerful, but it would be strong enough to get the Skull Kid's attention. She soon let loose the fireball and it streaked towards the Skull Kid, scoring a direct hit on him. As soon as he was hit, he frowned and called down to Link, "Hey, that's not fair. The girl can't be the one to hit me."
"You never said I could not participate in this game," Zelda called back in retort. After all, I, too, wish to make my way through the Lost Woods."
"Ugh," the Skull Kid groaned, still sore about having Zelda's fireball manage to hit him. Eventually, he decided, "Fine, the girl can play, too. But I won't make it easy for you."
He then disappeared once more. Link and Zelda, however, continued to follow the Skull Kid, crossing the large posts that were sitting on top of the lake that the stump they were standing on was overlooking. After crossing the posts, they found themselves in another area where Link saw a small treasure chest. Opening the chest, he found a small packet of bombs. He immediately tied the five bombs to arrows so he would have some additional firepower until he could head back to Ordon Village to rearm. Seeing a light coming from the log-like opening to the left, he and Zelda followed it.
They soon found themselves on a treetop platform with a bridge that led to another area of the woods. Link immediately spotted the Skull Kid and he rushed towards him and hit him with the back of his Ordon Sword. The Skull Kid gave a low grunt and he then headed underneath the tree bridge to another chamber. Link and Zelda gave swift pursuit but a group of four puppets soon descended from the trees and attacked. Link raised his shield to block the attacks and then performed a spin attack, cutting the puppets to pieces. With the puppets having been dealt with, they continued following the Skull Kid to the next chamber.
The next chamber looked quite plain and was not all that large. The Skull Kid was standing in front of them and Link swatted him on the side with the flat of his sword. The Skull Kid then chuckled and proceeded to flee through the exit on the right. Link and Zelda followed him and they immediately recognized the chamber they entered as one that they had previously been in before. They followed the chamber to the exit and found themselves back in the chamber with the tree and bridge. The duo climbed the tree stumps until they got up to the tree bridge. They then went to the center of the bridge so they could have a good look around the chamber. They soon saw the Skull Kid hanging from a tree branch on the left. As Link went to ready a Bomb Arrow, several puppets came down and attacked Link. As he performed a spin attack to deal with them, Zelda summoned another magical fireball and she fired it at the Skull Kid. The ball made contact and he gave a yelp as he jumped up onto the branch and gave a frown. He then proceeded to open a tunnel on the bridge and went on through. Link and Zelda followed him through the tunnel and soon found themselves on a balcony overlooking another chamber. The two jumped down and followed the Skull Kid through another opening to a ruined area.
The ruined area was very plain with no outcroppings, only ledges on the walls. As they scanned the ledges, they found the Skull Kid land on one of them. "Very good," the Skull Kid congratulated. "You're just as good as before, save for the help the girl gave you," the Skull Kid muttered under his breath. "Still, it's not over yet. Now you have to beat me in order to progress. And I won't make it easy!" he yelled.
As soon as he made his yell, eight puppets descended around Link and he performed a spin attack. He destroyed the puppets with the single attack, but he knew that the Skull Kid would only be on a ledge for a short time before jumping away. "Cover me," he told Zelda. "I'll focus on the Skull Kid. My Bomb Arrows travel faster than your ball of flame."
Zelda nodded and drew her sword while Link readied his bow and arrow. Despite it being a Bulblin Bow, he felt that it would suffice for his purposes. As he readied his bow, more puppets descended around the duo and attacked. Zelda stabbed her sword and performed a series of cuts and thrusts in an attempt to destroy the puppets. However, for each puppet she destroyed, more kept descending and attacking. Link, however, was quick to notch a Bomb Arrow to his bow. He soon pulled back on the string and fired the arrow at the Skull Kid. The Skull Kid was quick, though, and jumped away from the arrow before it hit.
Link grimaced and then scanned the other ledges until the Skull Kid reappeared. As soon as he did so, Link spotted him. More puppets came to attack Link but Zelda intercepted them and gave Link a chance to fire another Bomb Arrow at the Skull Kid. Link notched the arrow to the string and pulled back on it. As soon as he did so, he let fly with the arrow. The arrow scored a hit on the Skull Kid, causing him to give a grunt of discomfort. As he was hit, the other puppets that were attacking Zelda disappeared. He then jumped up and disappeared.
Link scanned each ledge quickly until he saw the Skull Kid land on another ledge a few spots away. Link rushed over to the ledge and was soon accosted by more puppets. Zelda lent her help in dealing with them by incinerating them with a Fire spell. Link then notched another Bomb Arrow to the string and fired once more. Again, he scored another direct hit.
"Hmmm, you are good," the Skull Kid admitted. "But it's not over yet. This time, I'll make it a lot harder for you to beat me!"
He then jumped up and disappeared once more. Link scanned each ledge for any sign of the Skull Kid. Sure enough, the Skull Kid soon appeared and immediately upon his appearance, more puppets attacked Link and Zelda. While Zelda incinerated the puppets, Link fired his next to last Bomb Arrow at the Skull Kid. Surprisingly, though, the Skull Kid summoned a series of puppets around himself. The Bomb Arrow struck the puppets and exploded, but did nothing to the Skull Kid. "I told you it wouldn't be so easy," he teased. He then jumped up and disappeared for a moment.
Link was not finished yet, though. He soon found the Skull Kid settling in on a ledge not too far away. As he landed, more puppets attacked Link. He dealt with them with a single spin attack and then went to notch a Bomb Arrow to his bow. "No, wait," Zelda cried. "He'll just raise another defense."
Link looked at her and by the expression in her eyes, he could tell she had a plan. "Let me deal with the Skull Kid," she told him quietly. "You cover me and if you see an opening to attack, you take it."
Link nodded and went to cover Zelda as she powered a ball of flame in her hands.
"Not this again," the Skull Kid condescended, finishing it with a chuckle.
Zelda gave no response as she fired the ball of flame at the Skull Kid. The ball of flame did not travel as fast as the Bomb Arrow and, thus, the Skull Kid saw it coming and was better able to react to it than he was to the Bomb Arrows. The Skull Kid merely jumped away from the ball of flame and into the trees, allowing it to detonate harmlessly. Zelda grunted as she realized that the Skull Kid was fast enough to evade her fire. If she wanted to force him to summon a defense, she would have to fire her Fire spell at a closer range.
Both Link and Zelda scanned the ledges and when they spotted the Skull Kid, Link pointed to the ledge and the two charged towards him. More puppets descended to attack them but Link dealt with them using a single spin attack. Zelda then made her way closer to the ledge, ignoring the puppets that were attacking her, and readied another Fire spell. Link went over to cover her, picking off puppets with arrows from his bow and arrow. Zelda powered her spell and prepared to fire it when the Skull Kid summoned a series of puppets to use as a shield. Zelda's Fire spell reached the puppets and struck one of the puppets, exploding on contact. The explosion engulfed the targeted puppet in flames, instantly reducing it to ashes. The fire soon spread to other puppets, setting them ablaze, too. The puppets that were set ablaze were soon reduced to ashes. The Skull Kid gave a chuckle and told Zelda, "Your fire won't be able to reach me."
What he did not realize, was that Link was waiting for the opportune moment to fire his Bomb Arrow at him. The flames from Zelda's spell were not only destroying the puppets, but also creating a cloud of smoke that was difficult for the Skull Kid to see through. He suddenly had a feeling that something was wrong. He was right, for while Zelda had used her Fire spell, Link had strung a Bomb Arrow to his bow. When the smoke was too great for the Skull Kid to see out of the cloud, he let fly with his last Bomb Arrow. His aim was true and the Bomb Arrow scored a hit on the Skull Kid.
As soon as he was hit, the Skull Kid gave cry of defeat. He fell to his knees and moaned, "Oh come on. Not again. I thought I was really going to win it this time." He then shrugged. "Oh well, a deal's a deal. You want to get to the Temple of Time, here you go."
He then jumped down off the ledge and went to a door and opened it for Link and Zelda. As he did so, he looked back at them and said, "That was fun. We'll have to do this again some time." With that, he ducked through the door and vanished.
As soon as he vanished, they heard a flute-like instrument begin to play the same song that they had heard the Skull Kid play during the hide and seek game. As soon as they started hearing the song, they noticed a beautiful young woman with long orange hair tied up into a ponytail, wearing a pink sleeveless leotard and golden bracelets. She appeared to be dancing to the music. Zelda was about to go up to her and ask her something but something held her back. She looked at the back of her hand and noticed her Triforce mark glowing. As she took a step closer to the young woman, she noticed the glow become brighter and chime began to sound. The woman glanced over to Zelda and Link but continued to dance. However, she appeared to be motioning through her dance that they should continue to make their way to the Master Sword. Without asking any questions, or stopping to talk to the woman, they made their way through the entrance.
Upon entering the path, they found themselves in the Sacred Grove and were at the Temple of Time. To the right, they saw the trail that led to the grove. Without any hesitation, they proceeded to follow the trail into the grove, where the pedestal that housed the Master Sword was located.
As they walked along the trail, they heard the strumming of a harp and the voice of a woman singing an enchanting song in an alien language. The voice was beautiful, far more so than any normal performer either of them had heard of. After walking a bit, they found the source of the music and singing: a young Hylian woman standing along the path with long blue hair, wearing a blue sleeveless shirt and pants, holding a small harp. The song appeared to be both joyous and sad at the same time. As Link and Zelda approached, the woman's tune quickly changed into a melancholy song that was both sad and hopeful. It soon changed into one that seemed to be sad a full of regret, as if the singer was singing about a mistake that had been made in the past. Still, without understanding the words, Zelda was uncertain if that was the case, but she had the impression that her guess was close. As they got closer, the woman continued to sing, but motioned them forward. Just as with the dancer, the singer was incredibly beautiful. Still, they could not afford to stop and admire her singing. They had a mission to accomplish and they would do so. With that, they continued down the path.
Along the way, they came across a single young Hylian woman with green hair tied into two buns that looked like bushes wearing a green shirt and skirt walking along the trail. She carried a book with her, indicating that she was a librarian. She then opened the book and began to read it. As the two approached the woman's position, she looked at them and continued on her way. Link looked down at his hand as he passed her, though, and noticed his Triforce mark glowing. Not thinking about it too much, and attributing it to being close to the Temple of Time, he continued on his way.
As soon as the duo proceeded, they made their way up towards the Master Sword. As they did so, though, they saw the blue-haired woman standing along the path, something that surprised them since they had already met her before. They did not think that there were any shortcuts leading to the grove. As they approached, the woman came out to meet them. She gave them a warm smile and then stared at each of them, but it was clear that she was focusing closely Zelda. As she stepped out to meet them, the two had strange feelings come over them. Looking down at their hands, they each found that their respective Triforce mark was glowing, just as it had with the dancer and singer. Zelda's was glowing brightly, far more so than normal, even when they had been in the presence of the Triforce of Power. The woman then stepped forward and turned her focus towards Link saying, "I know what it is you want. Know this, Hero of Twilight: the path you are taking is fraught with risk and should you fail, it will be to the ruin of Hyrule.
"I can't stop now!" Link blurted. "I have to stop Ganondorf once and for all."
The woman then spoke again, saying, "But if you are successful, then the greatest threat Hyrule has ever faced will finally be destroyed once and for all, and all incarnations of the Demon King's hatred will finally be able to be destroyed once and for all."
"The why are you stopping us?" Zelda asked.
"Who said I was stopping you?" the young woman asked in return. "You are free to pass, but this is the entry grove to the Temple of Time. Strange things happen here," she told them cryptically.
"Who are you?" Zelda asked, not being able to fathom who the mysterious woman was.
"My name is Nayru," the woman answered. "I am one of three sisters that are visiting Hyrule. My sisters, Din and Farore, are examining other areas of the country as well. You met them on your way to the temple. We are looking for places to live and I was drawn to this temple's power. I have an interest in the attributes of the Temple of Time and its power.
Zelda looked at the woman skeptically, for she knew that one of the old gods was named Nayru. Nayru was associated with the flow of time and singing. The Triforce of Wisdom was strongly associated with being her piece of the Triforce, the same piece that was in Zelda's hand. "Is there a problem?" Nayru asked.
Zelda did not know. She was suspicious of this woman, but not as a potential enemy. Instead, she felt as if the woman was hiding a great deal of power. The woman gave them no challenge as she stepped aside, allowing them to pass. Zelda quickly walked by the woman, flustered for the first time in a long time, while Link calmly walked past, looking back at Nayru. Nayru gave a smile as he walked by. "If you continue on this quest, you will have the ability to break the endless cycle, but you will also learn things about the gods that may change your opinion of them," she cautioned cryptically. "But also be warned, Ghirahim knows that you are in Faron Province. While he is not as strong as Ganondorf, he is still quite powerful. You will need magical weapons in order to defeat Ghirahim. And if Demise is restored, the Master Sword will be necessary."
With that final statement, Nayru walked back towards one of the entrances to the grove. "I'll be here if you need my assistance."
Link then walked past and joined Zelda. They made their way to the pedestal in the grove. When they arrived, they saw the Master Sword inside the pedestal. The Master Sword was a double-edged longsword that had a purple hilt and wing-shaped crossguard with a ricasso and no fuller. An image of the Triforce was engraved on the lower part of the blade and a yellow gemstone was embedded in the crossguard. Link then made his way towards the sword to grab it. He stepped towards the pedestal, looking around for any sign of Ganondorf, for he expected the Gerudo King to show up at any moment so as to attempt to either stop him, or free Demise so that the demon king could be destroyed. Seeing no sign of the Gerudo King, though, he went up to go up to the sword, but as he stepped forward, he found that he was getting no closer to the sword. He looked back at Zelda, who had a confused look on her face as well. She then stepped forward, the mark of the Triforce of Wisdom glowing on the back of her right hand. She attempted to reach the sword, itself, only to find herself unable to reach it, too.
"What's going on?" Link asked. "Why can't I get to the Master Sword?"
"I don't know," Zelda answered, as confused about the situation as Link was.
"Because the Master Sword isn't here," came a familiar voice from behind. The two turned to find Nayru standing a few meters away from them, a friendly, yet also knowing, smile on her face.