AN: Hey guys! As unfortunate as it is to say, updates might not happen as quick as they have in the past. As if it wasn't already sadly obvious. I will try to not let it go over a week, but I can't guarantee two day update intervals like I have done. Life, you know? It tends to get busy when you least expect it.

But anyways, here's chapter twenty one! It's a bit of a shorter chapter, but I'm going for quality.

Enjoy!

[LINK]

The last of the crisp morning air dissipates as the sun hits high noon sending warmth down to the surface. There is a subtle breeze blowing the long grass in the field and spring is in the air.

But all I feel is nothing; nothing but a need to end the darkness that consumes the skies, regardless if the sun is up.

Nothing, but a need to find Zelda.

I shift the bag to better rest on my shoulders as I look out over the horizon. We are in Hyrule Field, a seemingly endless vast of tall grass and little puddles from the recent rain. At least the terrain isn't completely flat; otherwise I might fall asleep standing up. Impa and I move at a slightly quickened pace. Seeing that we are walking all the way to—well, wherever we are going—we need to keep our strength at as high of a level as we can while traveling on foot. Not an easy feat while carrying baggage.

"Let's rest here for a bit," Impa says. I nod, falling instantly to my knees in the tall grass. Impa sits next to me and laughs.

"Not one for walking?"

"Well, when you have a Loftwing, you kind of get used to the luxury of flying everywhere you need to go," I say. She laughs.

"I suppose," she says as she opens her canteen of water. I follow her lead and let the cool liquid soothe my dry throat.

"So where are we going, anyway?" I look at her over my shoulder. Impa shrugs a bit.

"We're heading to Kakariko. That's where the Library I use is located. If I can just figure out what that spell Ghirahim used to transport Zelda exactly is, then we can find a way to trace it back to where she was transported." She leans forward, examining me a bit. "I think it will lead us straight to Ghirahim."

I nod, but stay quiet. If I start letting out my anger now, I won't stop until I have literally run myself into the ground looking for answers and a way to find Zelda. I need to keep my head.

Impa grunts a laugh in approval, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"I know it wasn't a long break, but we need to keep moving. Kakariko is a day and a half's walk."

I nod again, gripping my bag over my shoulder and standing up. We begin walking again, but stop when we hear someone yelling behind us.

"Yo!"

I turn around to see who is trying to get our attention. I see a wagon not too far behind us being pulled by two horses, and the horses in turn are being steered by no other than—

"Zelda," I breathe. I begin to start running, but Impa holds me back.

"Link," she says, almost apologetically, "that young woman does indeed bear a striking resemblance to our Zelda, but she is not her. I would know if my own daughter was the one in front of us."

I look back to the girl again and can't see the difference at first. The blonde hair and her physique are exactly the same. Until they get a bit closer and I realize the truth of Impa's words.

I can't deny my spirits sank a bit.

"Yo," the girl says as they close the distance between us. She brings the wagon to a stop just in front of us, examining us.

"You lot aren't from around here, are you?" She has a bit of a southern drawl in her voice, I notice.

"No," Impa chimes in, "we're actually on our way to Kakariko Village."

"We are, too!" I look in the back of the wagon and notice someone sitting up in back. The girl looks at him, smiles, and turns her attention back to us.

"We'll give you a lift!" She jumps down from the seat and walks around back. "You can place your bags here and jump on! One of you will have to sit up in front with me; otherwise we should have plenty of room." She pulls back the canvas and moves aside so we can load our things.

"I'll sit in the back," I say. Impa nods.

"Fine," she states, walking to the front with the girl. The girl whips her head around the corner and laughs.

"I'm Dazel, by the way, but everyone calls me Tetra," She makes her way to the front again as I smile. She's quite the outgoing girl. I laugh a bit and jump in back, putting the canvas back into place as I sit.

We start to move when the man begins to speak.

"Funny, I could have sworn you knew Tetra, the way you were looking at her," he drifts off, scratching the back of his neck.

"No, but I know someone with a strikingly similar face." I couldn't say it without a pang of worry.

Zelda.

The man could sense my discomfort, and gives a light laugh.

"Oh," he states, "I'm Gonzo, by the way," He lays himself down on the mat and before we went another five feet he is out.

I sigh and look up to the top of the canvas, at the small circle of light caused by the sun, feeling the steady bounce of the wagon beneath me as we make our way to Kakariko.

The only thing I know is dust.

It twists and turns erratically in every direction causing our little group to choke and blinding us instantly. Impa said it was a wind storm and that they happen regularly here. I would hate that. There is zero visibility and, even with magic, it was hard to tell left from right. Impa lead the way, and we followed her like hawks so we wouldn't get lost. We parked the wagon just outside of the town so the horses wouldn't scare. The sun is starting to set on top of everything else, so what light we do have to see with is slowly dwindling into the horizon.

Impa eventually points to our right. I look and can barely make out the shape of a large two story building. Realizing that they are walking without me, I run to catch up. I miss the first step, jamming my toes in the process, and eventually stumble up the stairs and to the doors. Impa opens it a crack and slips through. We all follow her lead.

"The trick is to open the door that resists the wind so less sand is tracked inside," we hear a deep voice say in the large, almost pitch dark room.

The room has a massive fireplace and torches lining the wall of the stairs heading up to the second floor. Otherwise, it is completely submerged in darkness.

"You taught me well, Shaman," Impa responds, bowing her head a bit.

"Impa," he says. I turn to look at him. He carries a lantern, and wears traditional robes. They were definitely made to withstand the wear and tear of dust being blown into them constantly.

"Who are your fellow travelers, Impa?" He looks us over.

"This is Link," she gestures to me. I nod, "and we met these two on our way here. They are Delza and Gonzo."

"Tetra, please," she shakes the Shaman's hand. Gonzo, too.

"I have a few rooms available for you. This storm isn't going to let up anytime soon. I hope you weren't planning on a short visit."

Tetra shakes her head.

"We heard there was work available here and made our way over from the neighboring kingdom."

"Well, I can find you something; otherwise Castle Town would be a good place to start looking as well."

"I wouldn't go to Castle Town at the moment," Impa mutters. Tetra raises her eyebrows.

"Why not?"

"Let's just say it isn't safe right now," she folds her arms. "I would stay here in Kakariko until things smooth over."

Silence falls between everyone. After a short while, the Shaman grabs some keys from under a counter and hands them out.

"Rooms correspond with the numbers on the keys just in case you forget. The rooms are on the second floor. Meal times are at nine, noon, and six thirty here in the main room. You can't really go anywhere right now, so you might as well enjoy your stay, right?" He chuckles a bit. Tetra and Gonzo take their bags and head up to their rooms. Impa and I hang back for a bit.

"Now," the Shaman turns his attention back to us once the hallway was empty upstairs. "I know there is a reason you are here, Impa. What can I help with?"

"I need to use your library again." She doesn't elaborate any farther. He nods.

"Very well; I trust you will treat it with respect as you have in the past. Now, Link, allow me to properly introduce myself. My name is Renado. I am the Shaman of Kakariko, and an old friend of Impa's."

"In other words," Impa cuts in, "we can trust him."

"Impa," he turns to her, "I could not progress any farther on the theory from your last visit here. My apologies."

Well that was vague.

Impa nods.

"That's perfectly fine, old friend; all in due time. Now, I'm heading to the library. Link, why don't you go get some rest? I'll notify you if I find anything."

I nod. I don't know what else to do, but my legs move for me. I didn't notice how tired I actually am, and navigating that storm outside didn't do me any wonders, either.

I push the key into the tumbler and turn it over, unlocking it with a click. I don't even take the time to look at the room before I fall down onto the bed.

My head hasn't even hit the pillow yet, and I already feel the pull of sleep dragging me under.

I wake in the middle of the night. It seems the moment we got here we have been fully enveloped by darkness, and that in itself makes me feel exhausted. I roll over in my bed and find that I have tangled myself up in the sheets, making me fall onto the floor. I land on my back facing the ceiling with my legs still tangled in the mess of sheets.

The wind howls outside as the sandstorm rages on. I think that's what caused me to wake up. That's when I hear the thud of something large crashing with the roof. A fallen tree, if I have to make a guess. The groans and creaking of the building echo everywhere and never cease. The chaos is almost soothing in a way. I move to get up but am caught off guard when a sudden pale light shines in the corner of my eye. I turn to see what caused it, and my throat instantly goes dry.

It's a mirror. It is a form of magic used when using magical communication. And this mirror is showing me my worst nightmare. I step closer as I take it in.

There are chains stretching from the bottom to the top of a damp, dark room. The only light source comes from something pale beaming down into the room. The moon, I assume. As I look around the picture more, I make out more and more details. It looks like a cavern, there is a water pool in the very center, and off to the side, where the chains meet in one localized spot, sits Zelda.

Her bloodied hands are tied above her limp head. She is kneeling on both knees, but it looks like it is taking all of her effort simply to do it. Her hands are tinted the slightest shade of blue from lack of circulation. My heart wrenches in my chest. I reach out to touch her, but remember it is simply a mirror.

"Link," I hear her hoarse voice whisper as a tear escapes her sleeping eyes. Then the mirror disappears.

Rage wells up inside me. Zelda summoned the magic to contact me in her sleep. My hands ball into fists, leaving indents in my palms from my fingernails. Then it hits me.

I know that cavern.

After all, I did spend a lot of time in it when I was little.

I turn around, grab my shirt, and try to find Impa.

I head to the library.