Okay guys, I'm back with the next chapter, which will get that damn sword out of the stone, and get the REAL plot going. Sound good? Let's go!
"Oh no," Kagome said. "The bridge is already closing!"
"We're never going to make it!" Shippou lamented.
Even as everyone sprinted in their valiant attempts to reach the walls before nightfall, the wolf's howl mourned the death of the day, and the clink-clank of the chains warned of pulling up the drawbridge.
"Wait, over there!" Miroku pointed to a structure off to their left. "Maybe we can avoid the stalchildren if we seek shelter in there!"
They changed directions and darted through the wood archway just as the churning of soft earth alerted them to followers. They did not slow down until they were well inside the complex, and the sounds of digging went silent. When deemed safe, the travelers slowed to a stop and breathed out a collective sigh of relief.
"So much for getting them back tonight," InuYasha muttered as he adjusted his robe. "That's what we get for doing things 'diplomatically'."
"I think things turned out well, all things considering," Miroku said. "Link and Shippou still managed to get the sapphire for our efforts."
Shippou grimaced and shuddered in remembrance. "Don't remind me."
"And the Zora still like us," Kagome added. "We should at least be able to leave on good terms, right?"
"You mean they still like you." InuYasha 'tch'ed. "I swear, I thought they were gonna make you grow gills and become one of them."
"I told you, the scale doesn't actually grow gills! They just thought I was a good swimmer. It's not my fault they appreciated my skills."
"I'm just glad we got out of there when we did." Sango stroked the kitten perched atop her shoulder. "Kilala was restless around all that water."
She mewled and rubbed into the hand.
"Either way, we certainly do owe Saria for the information," Miroku glanced down to Link. "I trust your visit with her after we left the domain went well?"
He grinned and nodded emphatically.
"Still wanted to meet her," Shippou scuffed his foot on the floor. "I wanted to meet who was playing."
"Yeah, that's too bad." Navi bobbed up in her version of a shrug. "You couldn't swim that deep, it couldn't be helped."
"But you both still need another bath," InuYasha huffed and covered his nose with his sleeve. "You still reek of fish."
Both boys looked at each other and shuffled self-consciously. It was not their fault they were too light to stay grounded when Lord Jabu-Jabu sucked them in.
"Where are we, anyway?" Kagome looked around in curiosity.
Sango had taken a few steps ahead, and stopped when she could see past the two buildings on either side of them. "I think… we're on a farm."
The steady clip clop of hooves and echoed inside of the complex, and a cow's impatient mooing blared through the open vents in the building to their right. The odor of musty hay, animal, and dung assaulted them from all around.
"Should have figured that out from the smells," InuYasha said to himself. "No matter what world you're in, an animal still smells like an animal."
The others went silent when they heard a melody. A soft, sweet voice lilting through the night guided them to the corral, where they met a familiar face.
"Oh! It's the fairy boy again." She turned to InuYasha suddenly, and perked up. "Hello mister demon."
His brow twitched. "The name's InuYasha."
"How did you like the castle, did you ever get inside?"
"No, but we got what we needed."
"Did you see the princess?" She giggled at the outlandish thought. "Dad thankfully woke up and came back right after you went in. Maybe you're my good luck charm. He's in the house right now, taking care of the cuccoos."
"Really?" Miroku asked. "In that case, would he mind speaking with us about us staying here?"
"Sure, go ahead," she said easily. "Oh yeah, I have to introduce you to my friend! She's this horse, her name is Epona. Isn't she cute?"
Link had stepped forward curiously, never having seen a horse before. The others decided to let Link have his time with his friend, and left the corral together to search for the Ranch owner. Link looked curiously to the colt, and reached a hand out to say hello. Only to have the horse bolt the moment he reached out, making him look after her in confusion.
"It seems like Epona is afraid of you, Fairy Boy…" Malon observed curiously, just before she started humming her song again.
Link pouted as he looked after the running horse. He did not mean to be scary. That was InuYasha's department.
"That's a pretty song," Navi noted.
"Thank you," the girl glowed. "My mother wrote it. Want to sing together?"
Link looked horrified.
"Erm," Navi flittered. "Singing's not really his thing. He's more of a player than a singer."
"Oh?" Malon looked curiously. "What do you play?"
Link shuffled in his pack, until he brought out the fairy ocarina.
"Oh, cute ocarina! Are you going to play with that?"
Link figured there was no harm. Plus, it was always nice to get new songs. So he nodded.
"All right, follow me."
Meanwhile, with the others, the talk with Talon had been brief exchange, more of a series of grunts for his part, but he gave them permission nonetheless. (So they assumed. It was a little difficult to tell, but Miroku was absolutely convinced that it was confirmation. At least he had fallen out of the habit of "evil spirits plaguing your house" while they were here.) They walked upstairs to see the room available, but only saw two beds, presumably for the people already here.
"Tch, I'd never be able to sleep with all this racket anyway," InuYasha complained. "Why the heck does he keep those things inside?"
"It's just as well," Miroku sighed. "To be honest, I'd feel a bit melancholy to be trying to sleep right now. This might very well be our last night here."
The revelation was like a curtain drawn shut.
"Well, when you put it like that," Kagome said softly, "It seems like a bad idea to try to sleep now."
"How so?" InuYasha asked. "We have to get back to our world. We knew this would happen."
"I know, but," Kagome fidgeted, "it's a whole other world. We wouldn't be able to see them then."
"With the others, we could see them, if we really wanted to," Sango reminded. "In this case, once we leave, we leave for good."
Shippou lowered his eyes. "It's not fair. Now we're gonna miss them."
"It's selfish to say, but I find myself hoping they'd miss us as well." Miroku admitted. "But this does not have to be a sad occasion. Once we prevent Gannondorf's uprising and find Naraku's influence, we will be able to part in good spirits, as we have for our past acquaintances."
"It'll just be harder," the demon slayer petted the feline meaningfully. "They became as much a part of our group as we were."
"Different ends, same means." InuYasha he sighed quickly as he crossed his arms. "They had the same interests we did."
"This is…" Kagome lowered her eyes. "This is going to be really hard, isn't it?"
"I think it is." Sango murmured. "This place was really starting to grow on me."
"In some ways, me as well." Miroku admitted. "It was almost a breath of fresh air, to worry about something else for a while."
"I don't see how it was any different," InuYasha huffed. "In our world, it's the Shikkon no Tama. In this world, it was the stones. No matter where we go, we're always going after jewels."
The observation made Miroku laugh. "I suppose you're right. We seem to be treasure protectors wherever we go."
Sango chuckled as well, despite herself. "Should we say that as our title, to the next world we wind up in?"
"Perhaps," Miroku said lightly. "We'll probably be welcomed much more easily."
Shippou kicked the floor, not feeling the cheer. "Still. I kind of wish we had a little more time here."
"Oh, come on now," Kagome comforted. "Let's try not to be sad, and try to leave happy. Who knows, maybe we will get one more night here. The only thing we can do now is enjoy what time we have left."
"Kagome's right." Miroku smiled. "Let's get through tonight with a smile. For their sakes, as well as ours."
When Link finally learned the melody Malon taught to him, he looked in bewilderment at the instrument. The Ocarina was doing it again, sparkling with a mysterious magic the song itself seemed to possess. He lowered it and held the treasure close to his breast, renewing his silent vow of help and protection, not realizing the flight of a guiding bird that flew mournfully over the ranch.
When he joined the others in the house, the merry man Shippou was speaking with laughed heartily.
"Wanna find my super cuccoos? If you win, I'll give you something nice."
"Really?" Shippou asked excitedly. "Like what?"
He laughed again. "Well, you'll have to win and find out."
"How about it, Link?" Shippou grinned cheekily. "One who finds them the fastest gets the prize. Sound good?"
Link nodded and grinned right back. "I'm gonna w-w-…win."
"We'll just see about that. I'll let you go first, since I'm such a good friend, and you probably need a head start."
"You're gonna reg… regret saying that."
"Ready? Go!"
And without another word, the three cuckoos that had flanked Talon flew out to the clucking, squawking, molting, flapping mess of cucoos in the farm house.
"You can do it, Link!" Kagome cheered.
"Kagome!" Shippou complained.
"Oh don't worry; I'll cheer for you too."
"Have fun," InuYasha turned promptly around and strolled out. "Too much of a racket in here."
"Actually, I think I'm with InuYasha on this one," Sango admitted. "I'd rather be outside. We'll meet up with you later."
"You three have fun now," Miroku cheered.
Link paid them no heed, focusing on capturing those evasive little cucoos. Once the three closed the door behind them, Sango smiled.
"I'm glad to see Link and Shippou getting along better now."
"Indeed." His smile turned gentler. "It seems their time together was beneficial. It's good to hear him talking a little more. Though I suppose we really have InuYasha to thank for that."
He blushed at the mention and scoffed. "I just told him what he needed to hear, that's all. Anyone could have done that."
"Yes, but it did mean more coming from you. I'm sure he will carry the memory very close to his heart for the rest of his life, even when we leave."
Sango's smile faltered. "Do you… really think gathering the stones will help send us home?"
"If nothing else, it will get us closer to Gannondorf and Naraku and find a way home. Either way, I think we made the right choice staying awake."
The winner of the match was, unfortunately, Link. Not because he was faster, but because he cheated and used his new technique, and Talon would not let Shippou try again and do the same. But a kitsune was always up for a few tricks, and Link's stunt gave him an idea for a prank that cheered him up fairly quickly. Kagome warned them not to take it too far, and Navi claimed she would watch out for them, but she still felt better coming out to watch, just in case.
Sango and Miroku were in the horse corral, speaking with Malon and looking at the happy and cooperative steeds. InuYasha remained on the outskirts of the field. He propped himself up against the wall by the entrance to give himself some time to think. He glanced over when Link walked in front of him, and stopped to look at him.
"Hey." InuYasha greeted. "Finished with your game?"
Link did not answer. He just stared down at InuYasha, almost unblinkingly. It made him uneasy.
"What? Do I have something on my face?"
Still no answer. Then, Link tugged down his lower eyelid and stuck out his tongue. InuYasha gawked.
"Huh?"
Link turned it into a raspberry, just before he reached over and tugged one of InuYasha's ears.
"Ow, ow, ow- quite that!" he barked and bopped him over the head. "What's your deal all of a sudden?"
He froze when the image of Link vanished in a puff of smoke. Shippou popped out from around the corner.
"InuYasha, I can't believe you! You broke Link!"
"Just what sort of idiot do you take me for?" He snapped back. "I know it was just another of your stupid illusions. Which means you are so dead!"
"But I didn't do it, honest!" Shippou exclaimed.
It was just then that a curious Link peeked around the building corner. He walked right beside InuYasha and looked back and forth between the arguing demons.
"Please, Link isn't nearly as annoying as you." InuYasha huffed. "If he was, I wouldn't be able to stand him as-"
He stopped when he felt a tug on his belt, but by the time he looked down, his pants were already at his ankles. At least his robes were long enough to reach his thighs. Sango gaped and covered her eyes anyway, out of respect to her friend, and Kagome blushed brilliantly before covering her face, but Miroku only gawked.
"Did he really just do what I think he just did?" He asked in a sort of awed and stunned disbelief.
"You brat!" InuYasha barked. He pulled his pants back up and tied the bow tightly back around, but it was sloppy in his haste. "Get back here!"
He dashed right after him, but not before giving Shippou a good whack over the head, and discovering the illusion did not disappear. Kagome and Sango peeked out from under their hands to see if it was safe. A third Link appeared from where he had been hiding behind the wall and Navi fluttered around excitedly.
"So, part three?"
"Part three." Shippou affirmed.
The onlookers watched as copy-Link led an irate InuYasha in a chase around the corral fence. When the pair passed by Shippou again, Link ran after them, InuYasha too focused on the clone to notice. The half demon finally reached him, and made him disappear with a good whack to the head. Right when the smoke vanished, the third Link jumped on his back.
"Hya!" he shouted.
"What the- I'm not a damn horse!" he shouted.
This time, the others could not help but laugh as the demon spun around in circles to try to dislodge the overexcited kokiri. Navi giggled as she jingled and bounced around.
"Just wait until I get my hands on you!" He shouted.
Link held on with his knees, and hands on his shoulders. He leaned and kept away from the claws that reached for him, ducking just out of his reach. He grinned the whole time, a stark contrast from InuYasha's annoyed and determined expression. He threw up his arms with a shout of "faster". Link yelped suddenly when a hand clamped around his ankle yanked him forward. He blinked slightly with disorientation as he looked upside down at InuYasha.
"Guess you didn't see that coming, did ya?"
His eyebrow twitched, just before he raised the child up a little more, and made an uppercut to his head. Link flinched and held his head, even as InuYasha flipped him over and plopped him on the ground. He stomped away without another word, and Link rubbed his head as he watched him go. Navi snickered as she neared him.
"You knew that was coming, didn't you?"
Link nodded, and shrugged as he smiled in resign.
"Was it worth it?"
His smile turned into a grin. "Def-f-finitely!"
A tiny mewl made him look over. Kilala tilted her head curiously, and he reached out his hand. She nuzzled under his palm, and he picked her up and brought her to his chest. She reached up to nuzzle under his chin and he giggled as he scratched behind her ears.
"Miroku…" Sango murmured from the fence as they watched. "Do you think they'll be all right?"
"Link has proven himself a capable fighter on more than one occasion."
"That's not what I meant. After we leave, will they be traveling all on their own?"
"Well, after we manage to stop the threat here, I imagine he will return to the forest. After being named a hero, I doubt he will still have any problems. The other Kokiri are fond of him. I'm sure Navi will keep a good eye out for him."
"I suppose that's true. I guess I'm worrying over nothing."
"Sango," the man reached out to put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It's good for you to worry. We are all concerned for each other. It's nothing to be ashamed of."
"You're right again, Miroku." She sighed a little, and smiled fondly at Kilala tormenting Navi again, making Link snigger almost nonstop. "You're always good to have-"
She arched forward, and went rigid at a very familiar sensation running down her back and over her rear.
"Miroku!" she whirled and slapped him hard. "Why can't you be serious for one minute?"
Link jumped and the three looked up from their game to watch Sango stomp off. Navi muttered in aggravation, while Link just gaped wide-eyed. Kilala licked his finger and nuzzled his hand impatiently to pay attention to her again. Link went back to petting her, starting to have second thoughts about his plan. But after a few more minutes of inner pep talk, he decided he had already come this far. He might as well do it while he had a chance.
"Sango? Can we g-go fl-l-lying on Ki…ki…lala?"
Link was fidgeting and had his eyes averted as the woman looked down at him.
"I don't see why not. We have a little while before sunrise. Do you mind, Kilala?"
She mewled her consent from the boy's arms.
"Well then, go right ahead."
But Link did not hurry right outside.
"Is something the matter?"
"I… I m-m-meant with y-y… you."
Everyone blinked at his statement, and he felt his cheeks burn at the attention.
"…Oh. I'm sorry, I thought you meant with Navi."
"No," the fairy muttered, and glided back and forth in her version of pacing. "He said he wanted me to stay here."
"Oh? How come?"
"I…" he swallowed and plowed on. "I wanna t-try mys-s-self."
"I see. Of course, I'll be right there."
After Sango had fetched her Hiraikotsu, Kilala transformed and sent Navi fleeing into the house. The boy brought out his map, looked at the compass, and pointed in the direction he wanted to go. Even before they took off, his heart raced with the thrill of the ride when Sango used her free arm to wrap around his middle after she climbed behind him. He could definitely get used to this.
In the sky, there was no worry about the Stalchildren chasing them down and tearing them to shreds. In the sky, the moon was giant and round and breathtaking in its glory, brightening the land below. In the sky, Sango and Link became masters of the silent world, with Kilala as their fiery chariot as they sailed over the field.
"Wow…" Sango breathed. "What a view."
In the sky, Link smiled a little sheepishly, already feeling free.
The moon and stars reflected on Lake Hylia's surface like a giant mirror. The border of grass was pale blue-silver, and the shadows were mercifully short because of the angle of the light. Two buildings of unknown purposes threw off the secluded mood, but their dark windows promised no interruptions. At first, Link had been worried about bringing her here when it was not day time, but he thanked his lucky stars that she seemed happy with it just the same. He just wished that she knew how to swim like Kagome, he would have had a lot of fun with her down there too. He leaned over the furry head and pointed to the tiny island in the middle of the giant mirror.
"You want to land down there? All right, take us down, Kilala."
With a slight tilt she complied, bounding to the piece of land with a single tree.
"Oh, what's taking so long?" Navi grumbled, and flit back and forth in irritation. "I shouldn't have listened to him. I can't believe I actually let him go off on his own like that. What if they run into some stalchildren on their way?"
"Navi, they're going for a flight on Kilala, high out of range of any stalchildren." Miroku reminded. "Besides, even if they did encounter anything, both Sango and Link can handle themselves. Worst case scenario is that they find themselves overwhelmed and retreat on Kilala back here. No harm, no foul."
"I know, I know, it's just… he looked really desperate, and I felt bad saying no, but I'm supposed to stick with him no matter what. And the way he's been acting kind of worries me…"
"How so?"
"Well, when we went to go see Saria, he started asking me all these weird questions about the outside world and Hylians. Stuff about family and marriage, things like that. I think you guys got him to start thinking about it."
"Well, he has an ever curious mind. It was only inevitable he would want to start asking."
"Yeah, it's just…" Navi flittered about nervously as she wondered about the sudden complications of this. Kokiri never had feelings of romantic interest, they emotionally never grew to that point. What had been the change with Link? Was it his exposure to the outside world? His fighting that had matured him to a level beyond most kokiri? The mystery did not sit well with her, and she wished the Deku tree could confer with her and try to shed light on this. She did not know how this would affect him once he returned to the forest. "…bah, never mind, I'm thinking too hard on this."
"If you ask me," InuYasha cut-in. "He'll probably do better without the annoying little firefly distracting him with her stupid little "Hey, listen!" every minute."
"I do not! Only if he's getting sidetracked! If anyone's distracting, it's a certain loud-mouthed dogbreath that goes charging into everything without a second thought!"
"Hey, my charging saved your sorry butt more than once, how about showing a little gratitude!"
Navi grumbled. "I guess you're right about that." She flew across the room. "Kagome, thank you so much for being there for us when we needed it. We couldn't have done it without you."
"Oh will you two knock it off?" Kagome huffed. "Honestly, you're not helping anyone."
"S/He started it!" Came the protest.
Shippou sighed. "Here it comes. Hope Link and Sango get back soon."
"As if I can help it!" InuYasha yelled. "Who wouldn't be aggravated by someone like you?"
"Oh, like you're much better! I can't even stand to look at you without getting annoyed!"
"Funny, I couldn't have said it better myself. Maybe we just shouldn't look at each other then."
"Maybe we shouldn't!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
They promptly turned away from each other, leaving only the sound of the cuccoos clucking in the house. The stubborn silence lasted for almost ten seconds. Then Navi sniffled. InuYasha turned to her in confusion.
"I'm gonna miss you!" she wailed. "Who else am I going to bicker with? Link's no fun, he just goes along with everything I say. I need someone to pick on!"
InuYasha was stunned, disturbed, and a little wary. He looked to the others, and only saw Kagome waving to urge him on. He sighed and admitted begrudgingly: "Yeah, I'm going to miss you too."
She wailed and suddenly flew to InuYasha, hugging his face. He stiffened, looking for support at the others, and finding none. So he raised a hand, thought better of it, and awkwardly pat her back with his finger. She quieted down some, with the occasional hiccup. This felt sort of nice… then she backed away.
"Thanks," she said bashfully, before patting his cheek and fluttering off.
"What was that all about?" He asked in confusion, but the others had no answers.
Sango slipped off first, with Link down right after her. Kilala stepped forward and shrunk to her smaller size, and stretched out her hindquarters.
"It really is lovely out here." Sango murmured. "Thank you, Link. For inviting me out."
The boy swallowed. "You're welcome. Sango? D-do you l…l-like me?"
"Of course, I'm very fond of you. After all this time, how could you still need to ask me that? We're all friends now, aren't we?"
"Th-that's not… what I meant…"
She tilted her head slightly. "Oh? How did you mean?"
He winced, knowing his mouth would fail him yet again. Instead, Link fished out something from his pack, and gingerly cupped it. It was a flower chain, linked in a little circle with tiny colorful blossoms. He held it out in front of her.
"For me?" She smiled before carefully taking it. "Oh, thank you, Link, this is very sweet of you."
The boy swelled with pride and itched the back of his scalp, before digging his toe in the floor. "It's an eng..enga… engagem-ment ring."
"An engagement ring? Oh, how-" Sango froze.
She looked at the bracelet.
Back at the kokiri.
And everything started clicking into place. "Well, Link, I…"
"I w-want you to be w-w-with me. I… I l-like you."
"Oh, Link, I… I like you too, it's just… this can't work." She smiled gently, a little nervously as she spoke carefully. "I come from another world. Once the others and I find a way home, we won't be staying here."
"B-But… can't you stay if we d-def-f-feat Na..Nar-r-raku? I c-can g-get str…stronger."
"I'm sure you could. But, it's still my home. It's where I belong, just as you belong here. I can't accept this."
He looked dolefully at her. She put a hand on his shoulder and looked at him beseechingly.
"Link, you're very kind, and I'm flattered that you think so highly of me. You should find someone else you're fond of. I'm sure another girl would like to receive this better than I would."
Link looked to the bracelet, but did not reach out for it.
"Is it… cuz I'm… small?"
"No!" she assured quickly. "It's not that at all." Though that certainly played a part, but the poor boy did not need to know that. "I told you, you're a kind boy, but… the truth is, I'm afraid I'm rather taken with someone else."
His shoulders slumped as his worst fears were confirmed.
"He may not always live up to his vows, and he may put his own interest before others, but he is a good comrade, and very knowledgeable. He is… someone I have found myself falling for, despite everything." She smiled to Link softly. "I'm sure you'll find someone like that too, someday. But I cannot be that one for you."
She held the bracelet out to him, and he looked at it dolefully, before he held up his hand and shook his head.
"But Link, I can't accept this."
He shook his head again, and this time stepped back.
She considered it, trying to think of a way to salvage without destroying it.
"Well, what if this was a friendship bracelet instead? Is that all right?"
He considered the statement carefully. Then he nodded slowly. And only then did she reverently put it on.
"Thank you, Link. This is the most beautiful friendship bracelet I've ever received. Do you want to stay longer?"
He shook his head, and Sango finally stood. Only when she looked up did she see the state of the sky.
"I suppose we couldn't stay even if we wanted. All right then, let's head back."
During the trip back, it was complete silence, worrying Sango for a reason she could not fathom, and only after contemplating it more did she realize it was because he stopped talking. He had practically been a chatterbox. Before she rejected him.
"Link?" she tried hesitantly.
He turned his head down slightly, but gave no other indication he was listening.
"I didn't tell you before, but I thought that was very brave of you."
He peeked hesitantly over his shoulder.
"Not very many people are brave enough to do what you did, to lay themselves on the line like that. It's much more difficult than it should be. I admire your courage."
Sango could see just a small hint of pink over his cheeks before he turned away quickly. He did not say anything, but she had seen enough to make her think that she had left him with a better impression. The last thing she wanted was to see him close up again because of this.
She admires my courage, he thought. She thinks I'm brave…
If only he wasn't so small. Sure, she said that it wasn't because he was little, but he had seen how this outside world worked. The big people always went with the big people. And the little people seemed to look at the little people. (If Princess Ruto's infatuation with Shippou was any indication.) He had never seen big and little together. No wonder he didn't have a chance. If only he was not a kokiri.
As though the weather wanted to cruelly reflect the hopelessness of the situation, lightning flashed in the clouds, and a roar of thunder nearly deafened them. The first warning droplets fell.
"At least we're close by," Sango said, then stopped when she saw something over the wall. "What's that?"
The town square seemed to be at the center of the storm. A peculiar orange glow flickered from behind the walls. The drawbridge fell to the floor, and a white stallion galloped through the mud and rain. For just the moment in passing, the pair on Kilala made eye contact with the pair on the stallion below them, and they saw Impa and a little girl in pink and white clothing riding the saddle. Sango took Kilala down and turned her around to ride alongside them.
"Impa," Sango called, "What's going on?"
"A revolt. The castle is under attack, and I must get the princess to safety! The King has already fallen!"
"Please!" The girl called. "You must protect the townsfolk! The demons are attacking!"
It took Link a moment to recognize the princesses Zelda, and another moment to register what she had just said.
"Naraku!" Sango muttered darkly.
"I'll take care of the princesses," Impa assured. "Protect the people!"
"On it."
"Wait, Link!"
The boy looked to Zelda just in time to see her toss an item to him. Lightning fast he caught it, and looked at it for a moment to see it was a blue ocarina.
"Keep it away from Gannondorf! Don't let the others see it!"
"Good luck!" Sango called.
"Same to you!" Impa replied.
The warriors veered away to their goals, charging with the children hanging on for the ride.
"We have to get the others," Sango said. "We might not be able to handle whatever Naraku has in store for us on our own. He has a penchant for setting traps."
"Sango!"
Both parties turned in surprise to see the missing portion of their team.
"We came out to make sure you'd find your way back in the storm, and saw Kilala charging for the castle." Kagome breathlessly explained.
"Oi," InuYasha called, "just what's going on out here?"
"It's Naraku!" she called. "Demons are attacking the castle!"
"What of her highness?" Miroku asked.
"She's all right, Impa's taken her."
"Link!" Navi flew right to him. "Are you all right?" She stopped and stared at the new item in his hand. "What's that? Is that an ocarina? You better put it away before it gets damaged, for where we're going."
At least everyone was here. Link opened his pouch, and shoved it hastily in, knowing Navi had a point. Actually, it would probably be a good idea to do the same with Saria's ocarina. He unclipped it from his belt, and pulled out his newest weapon to switch it in preparation for the upcoming battle.
"Hold on!" Kagome warned.
Kilala stopped sharply. Link lurched from the halt, and held on to the demon cat's head for safety. A man was charging for the bridge just as they approached, and reared the same moment they stopped.
Navi jingled. "The ocarina!"
The smooth clay instrument arced through the air from the hand he had used to hold on to the fur.
'Saria,' Link called only in his mind.
And looked on in horror as it landed just under the landing black stallion, crunching the clay into jagged pieces deep in the mud.
"Oh," Navi gave a mournful little moan, and fluttered next to Link's face. "Are you all right? I'm sorry."
The boy could say nothing.
"Out of our way!" InuYasha warned and drew his blade as he ran. "Otherwise we're taking you down too!"
The man on the horse was tall, broad, and dark with black armor, with red hair to cut through the darkness. He sat mounted on top of a black stallion.
The moment Link saw him, he gasped. "Guh…Gan-nondorf…"
"How do you know that's him?" Sango asked.
"The... The d-dreams…" he murmured.
Miroku had also heard nearby, looked to him. "Dreams? You mean like the prophetic visions her highness has?"
Link looked between them hopelessly, unsure of how to answer and convey what he needed.
Gannondorf laughed from atop his stallion. "So, this is the infamous troupe I've heard so much about. I was expecting something more impressive. But you're in my way. There's something I need."
"He's probably going after Impa," Sango realized. "I'll stop him. Link, go with the others into the castle Town and help the people."
He slipped off dutifully, but instead of running with the others, he drew his sword and pointed it to Gannondorf. It made the man laugh.
"You've got guts, kid, I'll give you that. Unfortunately, I don't have time to play with any of you."
He held out his hand, and the arm morphed into a tendril and shot out. Link ducked down to use his shield, but Kilala had jumped in front, and Sango swung down Hiraikotsu to chop the limb.
"He's a demon puppet!" Kagome realized.
"That must mean the real Gannondorf is inside with Naraku!" InuYasha reasoned. "Come on!"
"Come on, Link," Shippou urged. "Sango can handle one demon puppet, we have to get inside."
Link hesitated, but Shippou whispered hoarsely to him.
"We can't let them get the stones!"
He was right. She was ten times stronger than he was anyway. Link cast one regretful look to Sango before running. The Gannondorf puppet did not even glance their way. For a single moment, Link looked at the hooves of the mighty black horse, seeing the broken pieces of brown clay in the dying light, before looking pointedly away, and sprinting through the gates into the castle.
Or, more accurately, through the gates of Hell.
Townsfolk screamed as the demons raged, sending the main square into a panic. Fire roared in their climb to the sky. The storm clouds glowed angry orange and red as the smoke plumed up to join them. The monsters roared and cackled as the human fighters cleared the way, yelling at the folk to get out of the way if they didn't want to get hurt. The Hylian knights fought valiantly against their opponents, keeping the dark wave at bay and battling with as much vigor as they could muster, trying to bring civility to this chaos. Tails and claws smashed the wood buildings, and decimated signs into splintered pieces.
"The townsfolk are in danger!" Kagome cried.
"Then let's take care of the small fry!" InuYasha roared, and yanked Tetsaiga to life in an explosion of flame as he charged.
In the field of Hyrule, the battle had taken an unexpected turn. Sango brandished her weapon, prepping herself on the growling Kilala.
"Ready or not, here we come!"
She charged and swung back her weapon. The Gannondorf puppet had spurred his stallion into a head on charge, but veered left when the Hiraikotsu whirred toward him. He shot out his tendril arm, Kilala took to the sky. They met with the Hiraikotsu just as the arm had arched and flicked like a whip to take them down. Kilala evaded each swing, and sprinted over the dark soldier. Sango pushed off the demon-cat's flank with one hand and swung her leg over to sail down. Ganondorf saw the move, but the horse could not move quickly enough to safety, and The Hiraikotsu crashed into his shoulder armor with an echoing ring. He yelled from impact and backhanded in retaliation. The same arm reaction surprised Sango, and she took the hit, and skid several feet away, just in time for Kilala to swoop in with a deadly bit to his arm to tear it off.
Sango went to her feet, and brandished her weapon.
"Your horse doesn't seem to be of much help to you," she taunted. Kilala joined her side, and she pulled back the boomerang in preparation again. "You'd be better off without it."
"You're right," he conceded, but there was an odd smirk as he said it. "Your demon-cat is a much better suited steed for battle."
The ease of which he said it put her on edge. Just what was he planning? "Tell me, why has Naraku sent us here? You're obviously working with him."
"To help me in my own endeavors." His smirk turned into a full-out grin. "Out of the goodness of his heart."
"You should know it's going to do you more harm than good. Naraku will only do what works best for him."
"Oh, I think his payment will more than suffice for what he needs. All I need to do is take advantage of the favors he's sent my way. Naraku was right in sending you to me."
"That's only because he can't defeat us himself!"
It was obvious she would not get answers like this. She needed to take him down, join the others, and get to him in the castle to end this once and for all. So she charged at Gannondorf with a battle-cry, hell-bent on cleaving the puppet right in half.
Until she froze.
She tried to pull her feet from the grass, but her muscles could barely strain, let alone move. Kilala growled beside her from her own statuesque pose. Her fur stood on end as she growled, but her legs could only manage a twitch.
'What's going on,' Sango thought in panic. 'Why can't I move?'
"Well, it seems he was right," the Gannondorf puppet chuckled as he dismounted the horse. He took a few leisurely steps forward to the fighting pair. "You two are quite the pair. I can already think of a few uses for you. Especially you, my fiery demon-cat."
Sango and Kilala could only glower in response as Gannondorf approached. Sango looked past him, and attempted to see past the bridge to find her companions through the haze of smoke. She knew she had to warn them of something, tell them that something was very, very wrong, before it was too late.
The chains of the drawbridge clanked slowly as they reeled to bring up the bridge. Sango could do nothing but watch as the wall behind him sealed with finality.
"Link get down!"
Shippou's cry made Link crouch instantly as a whorl of Fox Fire sailed over him to incinerate the demon behind him.
"Way to go, Shippou," Kagome complimented.
"Looks like someone got some fight in him." InuYasha jabbed.
"Of course," he huffed. "How do you think we survived in the belly of such a beast all by ourselves? I naturally had to call on my great demon strength."
"Left!" Navi said as she shot over him.
Shippou dove to the right, just as Link chucked a weapon to where Navi had locked on to a double headed demon, knocking the second head against the first. Shippou had taken out a bomb from his bag, and threw it at the beast as well, charring it nicely. The weapon that Link had thrown whirled back to him in a circle and he caught the miniature Hiraikotsu he decided to more conveniently call a boomerang, before switching to his sword and delivering the final blow.
"Well, you two make quite the pair." Miroku complimented.
"Got that right." Shippou jumped behind Link so they were back to back. "After all that practice, we've got each other covered."
"Almost wish I had seen it," InuYasha muttered, before focusing back on his battle.
One giant demon reared over a simple man that had tried to use a shovel to beat it off and protect his family. The shovel was knocked away without any effort. The child sobbed and the mother cradled him to her chest, just as the husband threw himself over them all to hold them in their final moments.
The demon's claws clanked against the holy staff. The family looked up hesitantly at the back of Miroku's straining form as he held the beast at bay.
"Take your family and go," he called back. "Tell everyone to get to the town center."
"Of course," the man said shakily, and he helped pull up his wife as she hoisted the child into her arms. "Thank you, thank you, sir!"
"Don't thank me just yet," Miroku grunted, and pushed off his staff to slash at the demon.
The other fighters had given the same orders, and the townsfolk ran to the square center. The inter-dimensional fighters formed a barrier around the tiny crowd of people. The barrier thickened from the Hylian knights that joined them.
"You don't have to fight!" Kagome called out. "You'll just get hurt!"
"This is our town!" A soldier called back. "It's our duty to protect the royal family, and the citizens!"
A demon brandished its claws and charged at the soldier that had just spoken. He raised his spear, and the knight next to him did the same. With a battle-cry, they impaled the demon from two sides and ripped their spears out to repeat the motion.
"They'll be all right, Kagome," Miroku called out. "We have to worry more about the ones behind this uprising."
"Knowing Naraku, they'll be in the castle," Kagome reasoned.
"Then we don't have any time to lose," InuYasha asserted. "We have to get in there. I'm going ahead."
"I'm going with you!" Kagome said as she ran up beside him.
"You'll just get hurt!"
"I'm not letting you go alone!" She grabbed a hold of his sleeve. "I'm going with you, and that's final!"
He 'tsk'ed. She was a stubborn one. If she wanted to go, there was no talking her out of it, and they had no time anyway. He crouched down. "Get on."
She jumped on his back, and he bound away. Link saw them go, and ran forward with an outstretched arm, but Miroku's hand on his shoulder stopped him.
"We can't, we'll be bringing the stones right to them. I don't like the idea of splitting up either, but we must keep them safe."
Link turned his pleading face from the monk to where red, white, and green disappeared into the haze in the tiny valley that led to the castle. First Zelda and Impa, then Sango and Kilala, now InuYasha and Kagome. He hated not knowing where everyone was headed. Why did everyone have to leave?
"Leave the knuckle-head be," Navi said. "We'll catch up to them later, and get them out of whatever trouble they find themselves in."
"This way," Mioku urged. "I know where the door lies."
Link had a terrible, awful feeling about leaving. But really, what choice did they have? He was the protector of the stones, he had to make sure they did not fall into the wrong hands, and that the Triforce would be free from evil influence. So he ran after Miroku, slicing after demons in their paths.
"Hey, wait for me!" Shippou called, racing after them.
They raced up the stairs, Link and Shippou barely noting the impressive white architecture, before a horde of buzzing insects reared up from the bushes.
"It's the saimyosho!"
"Saimwhato?" Navi asked.
"Naraku's poisonous insects," Miroku clarified. "And if they're here, then that must mean Naraku is too!"
"And right you are, monk."
All three fighters sprung back to face the way they had come. Link thought his heart would jump into his throat. This was him. This was Naraku, the man that had stolen everything from everyone, that had made his friends suffer, and had come to this world to make it fall under a similar fate.
So Link was honestly confused as to why the figure was wearing an animal pelt. It didn't exactly fill him with the terror he had been expecting. All the bigger monsters he had faced so far scared him more than this Naraku person.
"Still hiding away, I see." Miroku noted in distaste. "Still find it fit to merely send one of your puppets to greet us?"
"I assure you, monk, if I had the ability, I would cross over the border of worlds to say hello myself. We haven't seen each other in a long time, after all."
"Save the sentiment." He kept his eyes forward, but murmured out of the corner of his mouth. "Link, you and Shippou need to get inside the temple. I'll stall him to give you time to get through the door."
"But Miroku," Navi jingled in protest. "Why do you have to fight by yourself? We can all take him."
"I'm merely stalling. I'll take care of one puppet. That place is sacred, I can sense it. You two should be fine in there, now go."
The younger fighters looked at each other anxiously for a moment, before nodding in begrudging agreement.
"All right," Shippou finally said as Link pushed open the door. "We'll be right out!"
The moment the door closed behind Miroku, he planted the rod firmly in the ground, and grabbed a hold of his rosary.
"Oh? Is that the real reason you sent the children away?" Naraku asked with a hint of amusement. "So the children would not see you sacrifice yourself?"
"You insult me. I can easily handle the poison from just these insects. You, on the other hand, cannot stand up to my WINDTUNNEL!" He screamed, as he whipped off the rosary and threw out his hand.
Within the temple, the sacred hymns of the spirits echoed through halls. Link and Shippou ran along the crimson carpet to the altar in front of the massive stone carving. The moment they did, the boys froze when the three stones emerged from Link's satchel. The glittering and translucent gems rotated around Link's head like a halo, their magic sparkling even brighter within the holy light of the temple. They descended slowly onto the cracked black surface of the altar, spinning slowly by their own unnamable force. The boys looked at each other in the resulting silence as Navi hovered over the stone and read the inscription on the altar.
"Well, this is definitely where the stones are supposed to go," Navi said. "But I think there's another step we need to take. Something about the royal family."
"But, Princess Zelda is gone," Shippou pointed out. "How are we supposed to open the door without her?"
At the mention of her highness, Link remembered her message, and pulled out the item. Then he went rigid, and the whole world went white.
"Huh?" Shippou blinked and leaned in for a closer look. "Link, what happened to your ocarina?" When he received no answer, he looked up at his face. He jumped. "Whoa, Link, what happened?"
The boy was completely still, his eyes still on the instrument, but wide and unfocused. He hardly seemed to be breathing.
"He's in a trance," Navi realized. "I think that ocarina is doing something to him. Or it's showing him something. A vision."
As soon as she said that, his hands came up of his own accord, and brought the piece to his mouth. The spirits of the temple went silent. Navi and Shippou quieted, watching with a sort of unconscious rapture as the first high note lilted through the emptiness of the temple. The boy's breath was steady, making a single stream that wove and turned with each rise and fall of his fingers. Only when he hit the final note of the verse, did he pause. He blinked, coming out from his trance. He looked to the ocarina, took a slow breath, only to start again.
With the first flying note, the spirits celebrated, the tune rolling from the clay to be carried ever higher from the support of the chorus. The river of music dove into the hearts and souls of the listeners, and bounced off the stone walls filling the emptiness with the waves of the melody. The waves of music culminated stronger, stronger, until the crescent peaked at the highest notes, and crashed into the low notes of the finale. And then the wave rolled back, the tide pulling open the carved doors behind the altar.
The trio stared into the hidden dark room of the temple, and the ray of light illuminating its centerpiece. Stone steps ascended to the pedestal, with a sense of beckoning and awe.
"Hey, there's something in there," Shippou realized. "Is it the way to the Triforce and the Sacred Realm?"
"Indeed," a dark voice reverberated. "And I can't thank you boys enough for leading me to it."
The three whirled and stared up at the huge, imposing figure of the Gerudo thief sneering down on them. Link drew his weapon automatically, and Shippou reached into his vest to bring out the bomb bag. Gannondorf let out a low chuckle through the still air.
"I see you've both got guts. Too bad you're standing in my way." He raised his hand, gathering dark energy into his palm. "You might have grown up to be capable."
"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Shippou called, and reached into the bag. "RAINING-"
The boys flew apart with a shout at the blast. Shippou skid across the floor in the room while Link knocked against the door. The back of his head slammed against the stone, loosening the sword from his hand and sending it clattering down the steps.
"Afraid to say I don't have time to play," he said. "But, I will take care of you, before you become too much of a nuisance."
Gannondorf had stopped in front of Link. Navi flittered nervously, and tried to fly around Link's face.
"Link, Link, wake up, now is not the time for a nap!"
The boy groaned, and blinked open his eyes against his now pounding headache, following the light until his eyes rested on Gannondorf's outstretched hand.
"Say goodbye, boy."
Shippou raised his head from his own momentary unconsciousness, saw the predicament of his friend, saw the evil man standing imposingly over him, stretching out his hand, gathering energy again, and the little fox flew into action.
"Link, no!"
Link noticed too late his lack of sword, just as the dark magic burst forth.
"FOX FIRE!"
Link saw the spiral of fire, but realized in horror that it was flying right at him instead of Gannondorf. He closed his eyes and cringed in expectance of the burn. He felt a wind, and the sound of singeing, but oddly enough felt no heat.
"YOU!" the man roared. "Stay out of my way!"
Link peeked open his eyes, and found he was stunned, yet again. The blue will-o-wisp flames had him completely surrounded, engulfed in a flare of flame, yet there was no heat. He looked up and saw Gannondorf glaring at an almost equally stunned Shippou, and bringing back a scalded hand.
"I… I can't believe I did it!" The little child said in exuberance. "I actually made a protective flame! Wahoo!"
"It… protected us?" Navi said in disbelief. "It can do that?"
"At first I thought you were just a pest," Gannondorf seethed. "But now I see you're going to be a real pain!"
He left Link to stomp over to the child, and Shippou instantly shot out his hand.
"Fox fire!" he shouted, only for a tiny little flame to puff out. "Oh no, of all the times to run out of magic! WAH!"
He yelped as the man swiftly picked him up by the throat, as easily as a little rag doll. The fox feet kicked out as he clawed at the meaty hand, but his struggles were harmless little taps in comparison. The flame died around the pair.
"Shippou, no!" Navi cried.
"I guess I'll need to get rid of you, first," he seethed.
Link watched, and his eyes darted around for his sword, only to find that he couldn't see where it had fallen. Where, where? Where had it gone? He needed his sword!
He looked behind him to the pedestal light. That was a sword, right? So he put his shield back and raced for the sword. Gannondorf heard the steps behind him, and turned to watch. As soon as he saw where Link was headed, he released his hold on Shippou's neck.
"Link!" Shippou cried. "Don't leave me here!"
I won't, Link swore as he bounded up the stairs. I'll save you.
He reached the top, and he grabbed the sword handle. It almost devastated him to see it was taller than him. He had to step onto the pedestal just to reach the top. Obviously, the sword was not meant for someone small like a kokiri, but he wrapped both hands around the handle just the same. He would not let that stop him.
"If only I w-was buh-bi-big-g-ger," he muttered, and pulled it with a cry.
The metal sang against stone. Instantly, the pedestal glowed ethereally, and engulfed the boy in a column of light. Link's gaze locked onto the ceiling, watching the white triangle glow against the stone.
"Link!"
Snapped to reality, the boy turned and saw Gannondorf standing merely a few steps behind him, still holding a kicking Shippou by the scruff of his kimono. The thief did nothing, but he threw his head back and laughed. Laughed long, hard, and loud, as the light grew and everything started fading.
"Link…" came Shippou's voice again, this time from a place much farther, even though he had not moved.
Shippou reached out with his short arm and tiny fingers, and Link desperately reached out to meet him. His moves were sluggish, like moving in thickening water. He stretched, and strained, pulling him closer to the edge of the column of light. And just before their fingers touched, his world went white.
The world fell to chaos. With the lock removed, Gannondorf entered the sacred realm, and stole the great power for himself. And unleashed a torment like none could imagine onto the land. And the alien forces known as demons multiplied by a process no one could know or explain. Dark beasts grew in power, and evil curses touched all corners of the world, no place was spared. No place, except for one town on the bottom of a mountain trail, where the Hylians all fled. Even then, the ring of fire around the great mountain was a constant reminder that they lived on borrowed time. It was an era of fear and despair, with no hope of salvation.
Until seven years later, deep in the forgotten chamber of the Temple of Time, the sacred realm opened again, to finally release a chosen hero from his slumber. A courageous person deemed worthy by the blade of evil's bane, because of the nobility of his lineage and the strength of his old soul- a spirit chosen time and time again through the ages. With a ray of salvation, he stood before the sword's pedestal, in the same exact spot he had been ripped away from seven years ago. Taller, older, with a shield that now fit him, and a sword now more than suitable to be wielded in a single hand.
But when he opened his eyes, he was far from happy.
"Sh-Shippou?"
The pristine purity of the chambers felt cold and empty. The stuttered inquiry amplified off the stone, and died into the spirit's chorus.
"Link," Navi said hesitantly. "You heard Rauru. He's not here."
Link attempted a run down the steps, but stumbled and skidded on the floor.
"Careful! You're not used to that body yet."
He got back to his feet without stopping, and kept running anyway, taking heed of his longer legs, and awkward gate. He slowed at the second set of step just to be safe, but ran to the temple door.
"Link wait, it won't do any good." She said before flying after him.
She could not be right. Not this time. Seven years could not have possibly passed. The Goddesses had simply answered his prayer. They had to be here, he refused to believe that he had truly been asleep for that long. That he had left them out here to battle on their own. That he had ran away and left them behind. That he had failed them.
"Miroku?" he called through the doors as he flung them open. "Miro
Death.
The pair froze in their induced paralysis, the reality of their sight far more disturbing than Rauru's words. Perpetual black clouds stole away the sun, leaving only cold. The wind moaned through the barren land, more chilling than any silence. But there was one feature that stuck out most, leaving them sick and dizzy: a scent that permeated the air; sour and sharp that somehow reminded Link of rotting fish. He held back a grimace, but the scent made his mild sense of vertigo worse.
"Miroku?" Link tried again, his voice small. He looked around again, taking his steps out into the world. "M-Mir-roku?"
"Link…" Navi said despondently. "I don't think they're here."
He bolted.
"Link!"
He stumbled in his awkward body. He had more length than he knew what to do with, and he cursed his clumsiness, but did not slow. The moment he reached the bottom of the stairs, he saw the charred and broken remains of the town. He also saw people standing in the town square. They were simply standing, with no demons around, and felt a little relief. This battle had ended. That must have meant the others were in the castle, fighting Gannondorf and Naraku now. He ran to the path for the castle, seeing a person in the way, but knowing he did not have time to ask what was happening. All he needed was to catch up and join the ranks-
A blood curdling scream stopped him in his tracks. The person he had been running toward slowly turned and took a leisurely step for him. And Link realized with horror that thing was not a person at all. Its scream was not a scream, but a wail of agony that drilled into his ears and burrowed into the very marrow of his bones. His heart beat faster, he shook as his skin prickled, but he remained uselessly frozen as the curse seized his very heart, making it impossible to breath, even as he shivered. The gaping maw of the nameless monster never moved from its lethal, ravenous yawn, and its gaze trained onto him, two soulless black pits. And as it limped closer, the scent that saturated the air engulfed him completely with a vengeance, and Link realized that it was the source of the scent. Of rotting flesh. The scent of death.
Yet he could not. Look. Away…
"Link watch out!" Navi cried. "It's a re-dead, it is gets too close, you're done for!"
His blade came out faster than he could think, and he swung. The thing was too far, but he jumped forward and practically bludgeoned it as quickly as physically possible, hacking and slashing with a desperation born from the drive of survival, until it finally collapsed to its knees. Link heaved as he watched it warily. It still wasn't moving. It had not disappeared like the other monsters.
'It's going to get back up,' Link realized. 'I can't kill it. It won't die!'
Because it was never alive to begin with.
"Link, we have to go! It's too dangerous here!"
He bolted. For the castle.
"No! Not that way!" Navi cried. "We have to get out of here!"
Re-deads plagued every part of the city. And slowly, each turned toward the commotion, but Link kept running, barely grazing out of their peripheral vision until he reached his destination. He could barely recognize the area, wondering if he had reached the little valley path to the castle, or is he was still in the remains of the town.
And then a whole new wave of disbelief and horror washed over him when he was confronted with the answer.
The castle was immense, gigantic, titanic in every sense of the word, just as he remembered it. But the gothic architecture had turned dark, the once bright stone hazed by years of ash that erupted from the lake of magma under it. The pointed towers skewered the clouds, and loomed as a sinister beast above them, instead of the awe-inspiring stature it had once been. No path, no bridge, not even a rail gave any sort of way to travel across the expanse. It was isolated, unreachable, and ghostly with the howling wind.
"Kag-gome?" He called out, born for the desperation of reaching for something, anything. "In-nu…In-nuYasha?"
"Link…" Navi said softly. "We have to go. Even if they were in there, how could we get across?"
Link looked down into the sulfurous bubbling red and yellow. No matter what protests, no matter what disagreements he wanted to say, nothing could change the truth of her words.
"We're going to have to get out of the town. We'll have to get through the Re-Deads."
The grip around his sword clenched. Blast it all.
He thought he had already seen hell. But the battle with the demons had been a cinch compared to the terror he plunged into. In the beginning, he had tried to avoid the redeads by going down the alleyways, only to find that they had taken over every corner, not just the town square. He did not sheath his sword and kept it on the ready as he plunged in. Each wail of agony chilled him, throwing in images of the horror that this town must have suffered in his absence, yet the curse was temporary, and not a single one had managed to actually get hold of him. Perhaps it was a thin ribbon of divine mercy in this agonizing situation. Yet they still neared enough to stretch gangly limbs and display black rotting nails in the decayed brown skin to Link's terrified face. By the time he reached the bridge, he shook, and heaved, and nearly toppled from his ordeal.
Cold and clammy, with his heart never slowing down and the goose bumps still prickling his skin, Link kept his life-threatened grip on his new sword, which already felt heavy and bulky in his hand. His shield was almost impossible to hold up anymore. He stumbled down the broken piece of the bridge, splashing through the water and finally coming onto the field. To safety. From afar, he could see daylight, but here, at the very edge of Hyrule castle wall, it was still gray and dreary. But he could smell grass, and that was enough. He inhaled deeply to cleanse out the scent of death, never being so grateful to see the field in his life. He put the shield back on his balderdash tiredly as he wished he had flight as a means of travel again, but stopped before putting his sword away.
"Kil-lala…" he murmured.
"I know. I miss her too."
"No," he shook his head emphatically. "Kil-l-lala."
"Link, I don't get you…"
Of course she didn't, it was impossible to explain in words. But Kilala could fly! If she could hear him, she could get him, and bring him to the others. She was the ticket to the castle. Why had he not thought of that before? He took a breath.
"Ki-la…la!" He called out. "KILALA!"
He called, holding his hand by his mouth for amplification, and turning every which way in the hopes to see her form barreling toward him on the horizon. This time, Navi remained silent, knowing nothing she could say would change his mind. So he yelled, screamed out the name of the beloved feline until he felt his throat go hoarse, and his eyes begin to sting. The more he screamed, the more the empty sky taunted him.
"KILALA!" He begged the heavens. "KILALA!"
But the skies remained silent.
He doubled over, more out of breath then when he started. He started to feel lightheaded and felt the blood rush to his head.
Navi heaved as well, almost as exhausted as her partner after the ordeal. "Maybe you should rest for a second. Sit down."
He knelt down, holding onto his head as he steadied his swaying and closed his eyes in response to his blackening vision. Still unused to this body, he was starting to feel nauseous from the post-adrenaline rush. He put his hand to the floor to remind himself it was flat. After a minute to get his vertigo back under control, he opened his eyes again, and the grass no longer swayed under his him. He looked at his hand, bigger, with a strange leather glove he was unused to, and easily fitting around the blade handle. He was bigger now. Just like he wanted. Something jabbed under his fingers from the grass, and without conscious thought, his fingers curiously scratched at the ground, even as his mind wandered dangerously back to the rotted town. He paused when he felt something unnaturally smooth. He dug a little harder, and pried it out to take a look at. It was glossy under the patches of dirt dried to it. And only because it had been mere minutes since he had last seen it, did Link realize it was a small piece of his shattered ocarina. He raised his eyes to look out onto the fields again. The same fields he had left seven years ago, to try to make everything right, but leaving behind the woman warrior that had stayed behind to take the enemy's eye.
"S-sango," he croaked. He hiccupped. "Sahango…"
"Hm?" Navi hovered closer to his face. "What did you say?"
He raised the blade high and chucked it to the ground with a broken cry.
"Link!"
He dropped down again and pounded the ground with his fist. The stinging in his eyes finally blinded him.
"Ihi'm sorry," he coughed. "I'm soho s-sor-r-ry…"
The boy buried his face in his fists. Navi landed on his shoulder, putting her tiny hand on his ear in an attempt of comfort.
"Link… Link, it's not your fault."
"I'm sohorry. I'm so, soho sor-r-ry…"
He hiccupped, shaking and rocking on his heels as he grieved. It was his fault. He let Saria's ocarina shatter right before his eyes. He willingly left Sango and Kilala to fight out of the castle walls. He let Kagome and InuYasha break away and disappear. He left Miroku to fight alone. Even when Shippou was right in front of him, he could not reach out and save him. He failed everyone.
"I'm so sorry…"
"Rise, chosen hero. It wouldn't do well to have your enemies see you like this."
Navi jingled and circled around the source of the voice instantly. Link grabbed his sword and whirled, the blade stopping inches away from the stranger's neck. A single dark crimson eye stared down from ragged blonde bangs, the only visible portion of a face. The stranger wore a blue cloth mask with gray bandages, with the rest of his body covered in thin blue armor and gray jumpsuit.
"That's much better. But you can rest easy. I am not your enemy."
The fairy kept circling and the blade did not move. It was only when the mysterious stranger took a moment to truly look at the fighter still on his knee, to take in the heave of his chest, the tremble of his arm, the strained determination in that pained gaze, that he realized it was because it was taking all of Link's strength to hold up the sword.
And if the tearing red eyes were anything to go by, he doubted the child-man could even see him clearly.
"Link… I understand this will be difficult to ask, but you must trust me." He said, in a much softer voice. "I've come to help you."
He could see Link working to get his breathing back under control, but Navi flittered around defensively, still not moving from her place around the stranger's crown. "Oh yeah? And just why should we trust you?"
"I know why you are upset. I have information that will ease your heart, if you'll listen."
Link and Navi glanced to each other uncertainly, before Link finally let the sword plop onto the dying blades of grass.
"While it seems as if all the people have passed, they have merely fled this place. Everyone here has gone to Kakariko village, one of the few places still safe from the black magic cursing the land. The friends you made on your travels are not gone."
Link's eyes widened, suddenly riveted onto the Shiekah's next words.
"There are five more sacred sages that hold the key for helping to defeat Gannondorf once and for all. They are all locked away, sleeping to the power resting within them. If you seek these sages, then you will find your friends."
Link got to his feet. Shaky, weak, but alert. He wiped at his face quickly, and looked to the mysterious stranger, not bothering to hide his desperate hope.
"But be warned, all of them are being held captive by the alien powers that first invaded this land seven years ago. Listen well if you want to know where to find them..."
And he did. Link drank in every word, even when he did not understand everything right away, and even when he knew Navi was listening just as intently and probably trying to remember for him. He still hung onto every word until he managed to wrench it from the air and bury it deep in his psyche, because he knew it held the key. He dropped the now useless piece of clay from his hands. This time, he would make a new promise. This time, he would not dare to swear on something so frail. He had learned his lesson last time.
"…Do you understand, Hero?" The Shiekah asked when he was done.
Link nodded. His cheeks were still pink, but his eyes were dry. He held up the sword of evil's bane and watched it gleam in the sunlight. By the very blade he held in his hand, he would set everything right.
Okay, who loves me right now? Who hates me now? Who absolutely wants to drive a stake through my heart after torturing the information of everyone's fate? Any takers? Leave your votes in the reviews, lol.
Well, good news for you guys, it's summer for me! Bad news, I'll be working on other projects too. I have a goal, once a month, so you'll at least get three more chaps by the end of summer.
So, slightly curious... can anyone guess where everyone ended up? I'd love to see if anyone can correctly guess. Tell you what, I'm feeling generous, (and mischievous) so, if anyone can correctly guess where everyone is, I'll grant a request for the fic. Not to change something plot-wise, but any event you'd like to see, any line, any scene (comedic, romantic, or otherwise) I'll write it out. If it's something that's absolutely impossible to work into the story, then I'll write a little "spin-off" one shot for it. Maybe tack it onto one of the chapters. If there's more than one winner, I'll have them duke it out! Just kidding. I'll figure it out, depending out how many people actually get it.
Rules! Be specific, no generalizations, because... well, that's too vague, and can be interpreted a number of ways. I guess you don't have to give reasons, but an explanation never hurt anyone. You get one real guess; an in-depth answer. I'll give you a hint: think a little bit outside the OoT box. Think of it as a final. (I know, you must hate me now. But hey, the prize is a lot more fun.) Let's see if any of you were paying attention to foreshadowing in English class, kids!