「35」 A New Dawn At The End Of Winter

Epona whinnied softly when her master appeared in the stables, and she instantly knew that he had not come to only say hello. Link opened the door to her box and placed the saddle that hung nearby over said door. He stroked her soft fur and dug his nose into her mane, breathing in the smell of hay and horse, the smell of home. Home, he thought bitterly, this place on earth that is forever gone. And since a long time, he felt a tear roll down his cheek and he softly sobbed into Epona's mane.

"Are you leaving again without saying a word?" asked Sheik as he strode over the market place, a basket filled with bread tucked under his arm, and ran into Link.

Link felt guilty as he turned around and looked into a pair of red, unreadable eyes, keeping the bundle with Sheik's lyre hidden behind his back.

"I have to accomplish one last task," he murmured, "a plea from the Goddesses."

"You don't have to do it alone, do you?"

"Yes, I do Sheik. I need to do it alone, and I want to do it alone." He unconsciously grabbed the reins tighter.

Sheik bit his lower lip as he tried to keep his anger under control. For weeks, Link had barely spoken a word to him, had locked himself away in his room. He wanted to take him by the shoulder, shake him, talk some sense into him. He wanted him to remember that he had friends who would do anything for him, and he wanted Link to care for him as he once did. He lowered his eyes. "I understand," he said as calmly as he could, "good luck then. And take care."

Link nodded as he put one foot into the stirrup and lifted himself up into the saddle. "I will." With one last glance at the Sheikah, he softly pressed his heels into Epona's sides and rode out of Castle Town.

Ganondorf's reign had left a swath of destruction in the lands of Hyrule, and it would take months, if not years, to rebuilt the broken buildings, to put the shards back together, to replace the deeply rooted fear in people's hearts with a new strength and happiness. Winter had barely reached its half time and Link knew it would still last long, delaying the reconstruction of the villages further. The snow crunched under Epona's hooves as they rode through the open field, for the first time after a long time without the fear of running into enemies. Yet, the feeling of freedom that Link had been seeking for so long failed to appear. Instead, only oppression was ever present. The dead trees stretched their broken and burnt branches into the cold winter air, and only every now and then, Link heard a raven croak as it flew over his head.

He slept under the stars, curled up against Epona, or in the abandoned barns of destroyed villages. It was only after days that he encountered people again, yet their company did not provide him with a warm feeling. He felt as cold as out in the open, and not even the hot food he was served could put a smile on his face. They worshipped him like a God, let him sleep in their beds and eat their food, and yet he wished they would treat him like a complete stranger. Only leaving the villages in the morning put some ease to his mind, and he continued his journey to the desert. By the time he reached the Hylia bridge and looked down to the lake, he decided he would head straight to the Gerudo valley rather than stop by Fyer's house, and he urged Epona forward to the narrow passage down to the lake. The water surface was clear of ice and temperatures rose a little the further he approached the lake. Epona was tired and snorted as Link led her away from the place, instead forcing her to take the dark passage to the valley. She stopped and shook her head stubbornly, but he dug his heels into her sides even more stubbornly and pulled the reins to the right.

"Don't make me fight with you now!" he grunted as Epona refused to follow his order. The mare snorted as a response and threw her head back, taking one step forward to the left.

"No!" he grumbled and tried to make her walk the other way, but it was futile. Epona refused to go into the dark passage, and there was nothing that could change her mind. Link sighed and finally gave up. "Fine!" he said as he climbed down, "do as you please!" He left her standing and walked down the slope to the lake, to a spot where he was out of sight of the colourful house, and he sat down on the dead, brown grass. Epona trotted behind him and eagerly drank the cool water, satisfying her thirst. Link sighed as he rose again and released his horse from the heavy saddle, taking out a bunch of carrots and some hay to feed her. Then he got some hard bread for himself and chewed on it, lost in his own thoughts. He had expected to see some Zoras but the waters were still, and only the shadows of fish appeared under the surface of the lake every now and then.

After another night out in the open, Link stretched his stiff limbs, fastened the saddle around Epona's belly and rode back to where he had lost the fight against his horse. The mare still wasn't happy about marching through the abandoned valley once again, but obeyed this time. Once they left behind the deep gorge, the sun eventually found its way out to warm their tired limbs. The air was dry but warmer, and only the lack of water made their ride less agreeable, yet it wasn't as bad as in summer.

When the towers of the Arbiter's Grounds finally emerged from behind the valley, Link couldn't recall how long he had been gone from Castle Town, but he knew that his destination was close. What would happen after he destroyed the wheels, he did not know. He rested in the desert until nightfall, and when the sun disappeared from the horizon, he crossed the sands and led Epona down the slope to the old prison's access path. The mare's ears straightened up as they approached a camp, one that hadn't been there the last time they had visited. Link furrowed a brow and reached out for the hilt of the Master Sword, bringing Epona to a halt, dropping down to the ground. He knelt beside the died out camp fire and held his hand over the ashes. They were still lukewarm. Alarmed, he walked back to Epona and mounted her again, then carefully led her towards the entrance of the prison. All seemed quiet, no one was to be seen, yet he did not let his guard down. When they reached the staircase, he dismounted his horse again and brought her to, what he assumed, was a safe spot for her to wait for him.

He gently rubbed her soft nose and gave her an apple, and some water from a canteen.

"Wait for me here girl," he murmured.

The air inside the prison was still as dry as he remembered, and the corridors were dark. The torches were still lit, as they somehow always seemed to be, no matter how deserted this place looked. Link assumed that someone -maybe the Goddesses' guardians- came here regularly to check on the place, but it was a perfect hide-out for deserters as well. With the sword still drawn, he made his way down into the dungeons, and halted. The place seemed different from the first time he had been there, yet it looked the same. He shook his head and moved on, past quicksand and over time-withered stone tiles until he reached the main hall, lined with terracotta statues of ancient Gods or Saints -Link could not tell- and two doors on each side, plus a staircase to a massive door that led on further into the prison's core. The door, however, was now closed, and when Link approached it, he realised it would not open, not even with all the strength he put into pushing it open.

"What the...," he murmured and looked at it puzzled. A draught of cold air then brushed against his cheek and he heard a low laughter. He spun around and stared into the dimly lit room. The four torches that framed the room suddenly began to spit and the flames turned blue and shot up into the air. Link instinctively yanked his shield up to protect his face, but the lights died down and everything was quiet again. Only the temperatures had dropped dramatically within a few moments, and Link shuddered.

"Poes?" he asked into the darkness. He had never seen a Poe before, but they were said to haunt places like this. Unfortunately, he had never fought one, and had no idea how to defeat them. Slowly, warmth crawled back into his limbs, and he took it as a sign that they were gone. However, the main door was still closed, and there was no way around it. He had to choose one of the side doors if he wanted to move on. Shrugging, he opted for the one to the east and pushed it open. It creaked and dust fell from the roof as it opened. He walked through but left it open, taking one of the torches on the wall of the main room to light his way. Walking around the new room, he found nothing but empty cells, sand and dirt, and he returned to the hall, changing direction. The west door opened more easily and the corridor was lit as well.

"There we go," he murmured to himself. He had expected to come here, walk down into the basement, destroy the wheels and walk back out again, but instead it seemed like there was more waiting for him in the dark dungeon. There was only one door at the end of the corridor and he walked through, coming to a bigger room with yet again lit torches and a golden statue in a niche on the far east wall. He raised one eyebrow and approached the statue. His foot stepped on something hard but brittle, and it broke with a nasty sound under his weight. He looked down and noticed the broken skull and the dry bones that lay bare on the sandy floor, shuddering as he averted his eyes and stepped up to the golden statue. It was the portrayal of a Goddess, sitting in her niche with legs crossed and arms stretched out. In her hands two red flames flickered and let her body shine like liquid gold. A huge snake wound around her body and rested it's head with the open mouth on her shoulder. There was an inscription on top of the niche but it was written in old Hylian and Link could not read it. Shrugging, he turned around to move on, when he suddenly found himself surrounded by sharp spears pointed at him. The creatures that held them were small, like children, and purely made out of bones.

"Oh no," moaned Link as he stared at the Stalkins. He slashed at one that was closest to him and it fell back into its components. In a matter of seconds, the hero had sent them all back to where they came from and let out a sigh of relief. They would be nothing but a nuisance if more of them appeared, yet they were no real threat. One strike with the Master Sword and they were gone.

The further Link followed the path of the west, the colder it became, reassuring him at least that we has on the right way to find the Poes. His premonition proved to be true when, in the last room, he could see his own breath in the air, and four blue lights floated around the room. They then combined, seemed to merge and flew straight into the object stuck in the ground. Keeping the shield up before his body and the tip of the sword pointed at the object, he approached it and realised that it was a sword; a huge black blade whose tip was engulfed into the tiles. Ropes held the hilt in place and runes had been placed all around the weapon. Is this sword actually sealed? he asked himself as he analysed it further.

With a swishing sound, the ropes then broke loose and the sword began to glow in a blue light, in contrast to the red markings that appeared on the blade. Link jumped backwards and yanked his shield up as the sword released itself from its seal and seemed to fly up into the air. His heart was pounding in his chest as he stared at the blade, a translucent form now building up around the weapon. Red eyes stared at him from a skull-like face with sharp fangs and twisted horns, and long fingers grabbed the hilt. Link had never seen a Poe in his life, but he was sure that this creature was none. It looked like a demon from the past, an ancient evil that had been banned into the depths of the Arbiter's Grounds long ago and had been released now.

The strength of the creature's attacks threw Link back as he came too close to the black blade, but he quickly recovered and got back on his feet, shooting arrows at it to keep it at bay. As soon as Link found out its attack patterns, he moved along accordingly, shooting arrows every now and then, or jumping to the side when the large weapon came crashing down at him. He used the chance to hit the demon with his holy blade. Every time the sword hit, smoke arose from the wound it caused, and the creature would howl in pain. It suddenly changed direction and floated directly towards Link with a speed that he could not match, and he felt his back hit the wall behind him hard as he was pinned against it. The foul breath of the creature filled his nostrils and Link turned his head to the side to avoid further gases to creep directly into his nose. Yet, he felt wobbly all of a sudden and the ground seemed to turn as the toxic gases invaded his head and wound around his brain convolutions. He felt his legs go limp and he glided down the wall. The black blade was lifted again and crashed down on him, but Link managed to roll his body away with all the willpower he had left, and thrust his sword deep into the creature's side. It went through his torso and his heart, and it fell back with a cry. When it hit the ground, its body dissolved into a million flies which escaped through tiny holes in the ceiling.

Link coughed as he fought against the nausea and tried to regain full control over his body. Minutes passed until his sight and brain finally cleared again, and he could move his limbs. He stood up from the ground, his legs still slightly wobbly, and stared at the ground. The blade still lay there, but the red markings were gone, and it felt cold as he touched it. Cold and dead. He shuddered and after realising that there was no other way out of this room than the way back, he made his way to the main hall again. To his surprise, the door to the north was no longer closed, and he sighed out of relief. Whatever had opened it, it probably was related to the fight with the ancient demon. Just why, he thought as he walked up the stairs, why does it appear now? Ganondorf is gone, Zant is gone. What broke the seal? Feeling uneasy, he marched on. The way to the basement was finally clear, and Link still prepared to take up more fights if necessary. Apart from a few Stalkins that turned up, and a ReDead knight, that made Link run and cry out in terror, he did not encounter any further enemies. When he eventually stepped into the huge basement hall, he found the place untouched. Ganondorf's coffin was still open and empty, and the sound of the rotating wheels was to be heard. As he turned around the corner and walked through the opening in the wall to enter the chamber of the wheels, he tensed up as he suddenly noticed that he wasn't alone. A figure stood beside the wheels, bent forward with a huge pack on its back. Link drew his sword anew. At the sound of the metal brushing against the sheath, the figure froze.

"Who are you," said Link as he walked forward.

The figure then turned around and Link looked into the grinning face of a man with sleek, chestnut-coloured hair, pointed ears and squinted eyes that barely allowed Link to see his pupils. He was wearing a purple shirt, purple trousers and a purple coat with golden embroidering. His pointed shoes reminded Link of those the court jester used to wear and he was taken aback by the strange appearance of this man.

The man clasped his hand and gave Link, what he identified as an apologetic gesture, a huge smile, showing his straight white teeth. "I am merely a traveller, Sir," he said as he wrung his hands, "a traveller in search of rare items. It has come to my ears that a great legendary relict was residing in the desert, and when I saw this astonishing building, I took my chance. Though it seems like I was wrong, indeed."

Link lifted one eyebrow. The man's story seemed not very credible and he had a bad feeling in his stomach from merely looking at this strange, ever-grinning person.

"I don't know if you are telling the truth or not," said Link, "but this is no place for a traveller. Leave!"

The man bowed deeply and apologetically to him. "I guess you are right, Sir. My apologies, Sir. I did not mean to disturb the peace of this place."

Taking a few steps sideways, his backpack bobbing up and down as he moved, he squeezed himself past Link through the opening of the chamber, and hurried away. Link watched him as he ran up the stairs to the upper level like a fleeing squirrel, shaking his head. When he was out of sight, the young Hylian returned to the rotating wheels and placed a hand on the cold stone. With the other, he removed the bundle he was carrying from the belt around his waist and unwrapped it. The lyre lay in his hands as if it did not belong there. The metal frame felt cold on his skin and when he plucked one string, it vibrated under his finger without emitting a sound. He closed his eyes and remembered Din's words as she taught him the melody that would either activate or deactivate the wheels, and the warning should he try to use the wheels for his own purpose. Guided by the Goddesses, the chosen hero played the tune that no human ear was able to hear, and when he finished, the wheels stopped rotating, and they burst into millions of tiny pieces, not bigger than a grain of sand. Link covered his nose and eyes as the dust rained down on him, coughing to get it out of his lungs. When he opened his eyes again, the wheels were forever gone, and their remains covered the old tiles of the prison basement. No man could ever attempt to lay hands on them again.

Epona was still waiting for him outside when Link left the Arbiter's Grounds and she snorted with relief when she saw him. For some reason, she seemed alarmed about something, and she nudged his side with her nose to keep him going, to take her away from that place.

"What is wrong with you, Epona?" he asked as he stroke her neck, wondering if she felt the presence of something evil that still dwelt behind those old stones.

"Let's go my girl," he said, and mounted her, not looking back as he left the building behind. Epona's hooves whirled up the sand as she ran, and before the sun set anew, they had reached the border of the desert.

The ride home was not much different from getting there, except that the sudden temperature drop, and the thoughts in the back of his mind made him feel uneasy. He had to get to the queen as quick as possible, and tell her about the secrets that the Arbiter's Grounds held. If he had indeed encountered an ancient demon, the matters were pressing. Epona seemed to fully agree on the idea of getting home early, never showing any signs of fatigue except when night drew nearer. They would rest only for a few hours, and resume their journey even before the sun was up.

Zelda was excited when she heard the news about Link's return, and without paying attention to what her counsellor was explaining to her, she rushed out of the room and ran down the stairs to meet him as he came all the way up to the inner court.

"I should slap you for leaving without a word!" she said in an upset tone, but hugged him instead.

"I am sorry, my queen," he answered, and received a playful slap on the shoulder instead.

"You look exhausted and perturbed," she said as she looked him over, "come inside."

After gulping down the rest of his meal with some mead, Link leaned back and rested his head against the wall behind him.

"Did you succeed?" asked Zelda, leaning slightly forward, her breasts making contact with the table.

"I was able to destroy the wheels," he replied, "but I am afraid I do bear unsettling tidings nevertheless."

"What do you mean?" Her brows twitched and a line of worry appeared on her forehead.

"What do you know about ancient demons?"

"Ancient dem...dammit Link what happened down there?" Her face now showed her worry openly.

He bent forward again, resting his elbows on the table and his chin on the back of his hands. He told her about the camp fire, the Stalkins and ReDead knight, about the sealed sword and the creature that he assumed was a demon. Last but not least, he mentioned his encounter with the strange man in the basement. Zelda listened attentively, and when Link ended his story, she looked even more troubled than before.

"I knew that the old prison bore many secrets, but I didn't think they would have sealed demons behind its stone walls. Did you find anything else that seemed strange to you?"

"The fact that evil creatures have returned to this place. But most disturbing was that man who talked about finding something of much value inside the Arbiter's Grounds. He was sneaking around the place, then left in a hurry when I told him to." He shrugged.

Zelda sighed. "I don't know, Link. Everything seems to be getting too much lately. First rebuilding the city, reassuring the people that their villages will be restored, all the people asking for food and money. On top of that I am required to marry, for they think a queen can't rule alone and needs heirs. And now this." She looked desperate.

"I am glad you are back," she whispered, taking his hand in hers, "Aveil left Hyrule few days ago."

Link looked surprised. "She did?"

"With Sheik."

His facial expression just seemed to drop when he heard her words, and he stared at her as if someone had slapped him in the face.

"Sheik is gone? Why?" he asked, his voice slightly trembling.

"He said he did not belong here. He is still not remembering his past, Link, and with you gone, he felt like he had to get away. To search for his memory in the land he grew up. I am sorry, Link."
"He could have waited for me!" he whispered desperately, "how long has he gone?"

"He left together with Aveil four days ago."

"Then I can still make it," he murmured, ready to jump up and get ready for yet another journey. He was angry at himself for acting like a dick and leaving Sheik like that when he clearly needed him.

"Link!" pleaded Zelda, getting up as well, "please, do not leave me too. Please, I need you." Tears welled up in her eyes as she put all her hope in her plea, wishing that the hero would not leave her side as the Gerudo woman had.

"I...," he began, "I need some time to think. I am sorry, Zelda."

She nodded. "I am sorry, you are tired from your journey. Please rest first."

He gave her a short nod, walked out of the dining room, and was headed to the bathroom to soak his tired limbs in a hot bath.

Sheik would not come back. Link realised that the more time he spent inside the castle walls once again. He turned the small lyre in his hands, rubbed gently over the smooth golden frame and plucked one string. It emitted a sound as clear as a ringing bell, yet it sounded wrong. Link's heart weighed heavy with the guilt it bore, the guilt for taking the instrument away from Sheik without telling a word, and the guilt for pushing him away when he was needed. He let out a deep sigh and put the instrument away, carefully wrapping it up in the soft leathers, and placing it behind his pillow. It was the only thing he had left of Sheik, the only solid memory he had. One day, he would return it to its rightful owner, one day, he would go to Termina and search for Sheik. As much as he wished to go, he could not leave yet, not after promising Zelda to stay with her, to support her. The queen had insisted that Link's quest was over, and that he would not ride back to the Arbiter's Grounds. In his stead, she had sent some of her best swordsmen and scholars to investigate the prison further. She knew that none of them were as capable as Link, but she wouldn't have him risk his life in her name any further. He was to stay safe and sound, for once, with her behind the castle walls.

Although Link appreciated her worries and her orders, he felt useless. If he had a quest, a mission, anything useful to do, he might have been able to distract himself, but instead he found himself sitting in his room or in the castle yard all day long, thinking about Sheik. It made him sick. So sick at heart that, after three months, he decided he would ride south and help rebuild Ordon. It was time to come to terms with the fact that he could never return to his life before the arrival of the queen, and although he knew that it wasn't her fault, he still felt resentful at times. When he heard that Rusl and Uli were to return to their home village, he asked the queen for the permission to accompany them. Zelda knew that this meant Link would not be back at the castle for weeks, maybe months, yet she could not deny his wish, giving him her blessings instead.

"Promise me to send word from time to time," she asked as they hugged goodbye.

"I will," he promised and closed his eyes, breathing in her delicate scent.

"You know," she said as they let go of each other, "I've been wanting to ask you to become king, as I see no one else but you as a rightful king, but I know that I could never bind you to this place." She bit her lip. "And I know you could never love me they way I love you."

Link said nothing. The silence was still a better answer than a hurting one.

"I promise I will visit from time to time," he said instead.

She nodded and forced a smile on her sad face. "Good luck," she whispered.

Her heart felt heavy as she watched him walk out of her grasp once again, and this time, it felt like he was leaving her forever. When he was out of sight, she walked back to her room, locked the door with a key, and sat down on the windowsill, burying her face in her hands. As hot tears ran down her cheek, she wished she had never been born an heir to the throne.

Winter was slowly coming to an end, and the further south they travelled, the less snow was to be seen, and the more grass the horses welcomed under their hooves. The first spring flowers craned their necks towards the sun, and birds were chirping in the crowns of the trees. Nature was awaking and it was a good sign. Hyrule was coming back to life.

They stayed for nearly two weeks in Gamelon, relieved to find the village untouched by the enemy, ate and drank to their hearts' content, finding old and making new friends. The city was still crowded and many of the residents were longing to live in their old villages again. And as their time in Gamelon came to an end, they left the town with many men and women, who were eager to build up a new life in the south, and rode towards the Faron woods.

Ordon will bloom again, thought Link as he led the group through the dense forest to the bridge behind the clearing, and set foot in his destroyed home village for the first time after months. He dismounted Epona as he stood before the ruins that were once his house, breathed in the fresh morning air and the familiar scent of the pines, and whispered: "I am home."

From the hill behind Link's house, hidden behind the huge stump of an old pine, a pair of mischievous red eyes was watching him, a malicious wide smile distorting the strange face.

A/N: After almost 2 years, I finally managed to finish this story, leaving you with a open ending. Hehehe, I guess you all know what that means though :)

Yes, I have planned a sequel to this story, and I am already excited to get it started, to collect and arrange the ideas floating in my head!

I don't know if any of you see this as a happy, or rather a sad ending. I have never planned to really write a happy ending, though, leaving all of my characters yearning for something they can not have. Such a mean person I am :

Well, the games are so full of elements that require more attention, or can be used an combined so well, that I could probably still write an endless number of stories without writing the same again and again. Although this story was based on Twilight Princess (my favourite Zelda game so far) there is still so much in this game I haven't explored or mentioned in this story and I could probably write more and more and more chapters, but it has to end somewhere or else I will only lose the thread.

Anyway, I really hope you liked the story, and since this is the very last chapter, I would be very grateful to hear from my readers what they think of it. So please please review if you have liked and followed it. Thank you so much to everyone of you! I hope to see you in the sequel =D