Chapter 19

Hide not the madness

He wiped the persistent drop of blood and his footsteps echoed with the thudding of stone. Expertly twirling the Dominion Rod, Link animated a small herd of statues and traced a path with his map.

Reeling, Midna followed him, the scrape of stone on stone roared in her ears. She still refused to believe it took the adolescent only one minute...one measly minute to get rid of the Darknut. While he figured the Rod in his grasp, she warped to the chamber bathed in shadows and the oppressive stench of copper filled her nostrils. Stripped clean of its armor, the Darknut lay in a mangled heap on the floor, blood sluggishly oozing from a deep stab under the left ribs.

Excitement and terror flooded in her veins and she viewed the human with resentful respect.

When she materialized back into the airy, open spaces, he waited for her near a bell shaped statute. Lime green ribbons pulsed on the structures and they hummed with life, resonating with the rest of the temple.

"A teleporting device," Link bumped the bell with the Dominion Rod. "I sent the statue ahead; I need to position it at the foyer." Poking his head under the teleporter, he hunted around, sniffed and whipped out his map, consulting the twisting paths.

Without warning, the human disappeared. Having no grasp on his thought, she drifted after him and dived in his shadow just as a pair of doors slung closed. Link emerged in a rectangular room populated by gold fences; he stopped to admire the decor, mutter to himself and paused cautiously near a gateway rimmed by two golden posts.

The Twilli smirked, let's see how much brains this brat got.

Raising the stone staff, he bashed the winged edge against one of the golden rods and expertly jumped back when an electrical storm cackled. Hair raised in a halo, Link waited for the fizz of sparks to die down. The air smelt of ozone. Vaulting over the mangled metal, he breezed through the rooms, stopping to run his hands delicately over the walls.

Slightly disappointed at the traps for not scratching him, Midna perked when he walked into a room full of armos statues. The human paused as the ancient weapons glimmered to life, sputtering and flashing with cyan lines. Link calmly unslung the bow from his shoulder, inspected the arrows and grinned bemusedly at the bomb arrows.

The statues shuffled into ranks and advanced, their undersides chafing the granite of the floor. Taking aim, Link let a bomb arrow soar and it sailed over the first three ranks and detonated against a pillar.

Emerging from his shadow, Midna laughed. "The bumbling twelve year old I hung out with had better aim than you," she stated bitterly and bared her fang when the first armos exploded, raining gears and chunks of slate. "Hmph, I have to admit, you are impressively calculated in battle. You barely flinch." She watched him string more bomb arrows and blast the armos statues apart. His eyes shifted, tracking, seeking and exploiting. When the last of the glowing statues erupted in a blast of shrapnel, he picked the Dominion Rod and started forward. "Let me hold to that for you," Midna offered and Link reluctantly let the artifact go, watching fascinatedly as it vanished into hyperspace. "Not one to trust easily are you?"

"No. You will have to earn my trust," he quipped. "I wonder...why I came back?" he whispered out loud and frowned, casting a surreptitious glance at the Twilli.

"Regretting coming back to your home realm?" Midna teased, but did not dare to get close. She loved her arms, even if they were deformed.

Guiding the stone idol and using it to crush baby gohma with its axe blade, Link ushered his pet stone to the vestibule and reunited it with its partner. "I'm not regretting anything," he droned. "Simply put," he studied Midna, "Daphnes makes a better companion than you." She raised a questioning eyebrow at the name. "My talking boat," Link answered and chuckled at the absurdity of such a thing, he held the Dominion Rod aloft. Magic, he mused. The Temple of Time was infused in magic and to think he used to scoff at such a thing. "I miss Daphnes," he confessed and exhaled tiredly. Perhaps resting before tackling the dungeon was a preferable idea, but he could not stop now. The double doors leading to the sealed areas whined open, and Link grinned to himself, the red boat's admonishing tones ringing in his ears.

Sobering at the whistle of golden blades, the hero cursed his own carelessness. He pulled his mind back from the thoughts of spear fishing in the sea and checked his surroundings. A corridor of sandstone, with giant blades swinging in the air, trapped him. Standing back, he counted the seconds between one blade swing and the next and like yarn weaving through a loom, bypassed the blades without as much as a terrified screech or an unnecessary movement.

Breathing hard, he emerged on the other side and rammed the big key into the giant padlock, barely pausing to rest.

The doors opened to a humungous chamber tiled in ivory. Boots squeaking, Link crossed the threshold, eyes darting to the statues. Large windows, set at equal intervals, allowed grey light to flood the room, preserving its timeless character. Searching for the elusive dungeon boss, Armogohma, according to the books; Link strolled to a window, fingers gripping the trellis. The world outside, suspended in time. Neatly trimmed hedges boarded the Castle edge and low trees provided cover, their leaves the color of flint. Breath frosting on the glass, Link spun, stalked to the statues and examined them.

Their stone fists were raised high in a static salute and the adolescent mirrored their stances, a smile winding across his face. Midna gawked from the shadows. Link's first impression was of a tight lipped weapon of destruction; however, from the first meeting to the next, the iciness in his eyes seemed to soften.

Bumping the statue's fist with the Dominion Rod, the human moved to the next one and ran his fingers over the groves, he stepped back, noted the placements and finally, tilted his chin up, irises zeroing on the arachnid clinging to the roof.

Webs of silk clung to the corners of the roof and Armogohma studied the human with all of its eyes. It ran across the roof and the giant, amber eye embedded in its body, never left Link.

Drawing his bow Link fired several arrows in rapid succession, clucking his tongue in disappointment when his arrows glanced sharply off the armored spider. Aiming slightly to the right of Armogohma's position, Link fired another arrow and the glinting weapon sliced through the air, burying in a giant pupil.

Shriveling, Armogohma crashed to the floor, its stone clad legs shattering the tiles. Whipping his ball and chain, Link pummeled the insect till it skidded to a stop at the foot of the statue and pondered. As the arachnoid stirred, its armor barely scratched, Link twirled the Rod and the lime green pulse of light animated a dead statue.

The fist mashed downwards and his teeth glinted in the half light. Pieces of stone bounced everywhere and the hero slowly raised his hand, observing the smashed arachnoid clicking it mandibles frenziedly. Armogohma sprang to its intact legs and broke into a dash and Link swung the rod sideways hissing in satisfaction when the fist pinned the monster's abdomen.

At the edge of the chamber, Midna yawned; having no part of the action, she preferred to stare at the greyscale landscape outside.

Three statue smashes and numerous pieces of broken tile later, Link circled Armogohma's twitching body. The monster leaked blood and foul odor. Using his sword, he served the appendages at the joints and kicked them away, the barbs snagging his boots. Link turned the insect upright and whipped out his shield to block a red hot laser from searing his skin. The residual light burned a line on his cheek and created a black scorch stripe on the aegis. Armogohma scuttled a few paces, convulsed and hatched a mass of chattering, baby gohma. Dragging their soft abdomens across the floor, they defended their mother's amber eye and Link tracked their progress, fascinated by the herd mentality. He twirled his sword and followed the baby insects, feeling sorry for what he was about to do.

A silver blade torpedoed into the single eye and the baby gohma collectively scattered. Stringing a bomb arrow, Link rocked the chamber with several detonations and lowered his bow when the smoke cleared.

"Boring," he breathed. A panel at the back of the room switched open and a platform of marble slid out with a grating noise. Both Link and Midna bolted towards it and he grabbed the Twilight Mirror shard before the imp could properly see it. "So this is the infamous Twilight Mirror?" Link inspected the quicksilver glass, chapped fingers tracing the orphic symbols. "Feels heavy," he tossed the shard and caught it, the jagged edge biting a ruby line in his palm. Clamping a hand on his throbbing neck, he fished a potion from his backpack and drowned it, sighing in relief when the pain subsided. "...I have a responsibility to..." Link broke off and moodily shuffled to the hidden door at the back. "Frankly, the Temple of Time was…disappointing."

They stepped out into a cool, late afternoon breeze and as soon as he passed the archway, guarded by stone warriors clutching spears, the structures disintegrated. Tensing, Link searched the clearing for other signs of change but only decay greeted him. He wandered aimlessly; restlessly flitting from tree to tree and at long last, sat on a broken column, the rough pieces digging into his behind.

"Why don't you go home and recuperate?" Midna asked and pointedly stared at the hand fastened to his neck, "the doctor said you need absolute bed rest if you want to fully recover, you have a broken neck."

"How unfortunate," Link drawled and put the horse's call to his lips. The notes rang shrill and crisp in the damp air and before long, Epona's hooves clattered on grass breaking through stone floors. She stopped next to Link and he brushed her coat fondly. "Where are the children?" he asked and Midna informed him about Kakariko village and Renado the shaman. "And Ilia? Where is she?"

Midna suppressed the feral smile threatening to split her face in two. "Your girlfriend suffers from amnesia, she's forgotten everything, even poor little you." She floated; a little disturbed by the way the human's face paralyzed, stone white in fear. "Don't worry," Midna assured, "I'm sure a visit from you will set everything right." Link's features tightened into an ugly glower and his expression mellowed as he vaulted on Epona. "...What's eating you?" she prodded, "you don't look especially thrilled to be back." Midna rotated lazily in the air. "You are not fooling me," the Twilli shrugged, "I've lived longer than most humans, and if I can accurately read Zelda...I can most certainly decipher what you are thinking." She carefully perched on Link's shoulder, grinning when he did not twitch. "Someone's Grandma said it's best to let everything out," she waved her hand nonchalantly in the air when the hero's eyes rested contemplatively on her, "or something along those lines. If you don't want to speak to me then talking with the villagers-"

"This does not concern you, Rusl or anyone. Thanks for worrying." The words seeped between gritted teeth and Link urged Epona into a canter. "What's the location of the next shard?" he asked, "never mind that, I want to see Colin and the others." A smile broke across his lips and he eased in the saddle. "I'll head for Kakariko at first light tomorrow, are you coming with?" He tilted his head at Midna and she scoffed before diving in his shadow. "Great, a companion I can't get away from," he mumbled. "...Embarrassing."

The imp popped from his shadow and leered at him suggestively. "Don't worry," she patted his scarred knuckles. "I took the liberty of bathing you when you had a fever." Epona stopped as Link glared at the demon; cheeks flushing in indignation. "Though the boy was pretty shameless," she continued relentlessly, "he kept on asking me to towel him dry because I'm a century old demon and he doesn't mind old people seeing him naked."

Midna cackled as Link defensively crossed his arms over his chest, mind short-circuiting on mental picture of him streaking naked across the fields. The scars on his chest were enough for everyone to fret, but what if they saw the wounds lacing his inner thighs? He'd never hear the end of it from Uli or Sera and once Sera knew something...the whole village was bound to find out.

"...What else did the child do?" he asked in a deceptively calm tone and Midna's too wide smile dipped.

"Nothing, he cried day and night for his sister and Grandmother and struggled to walk in boots too large for him," she informed and he nodded in understanding.

A breeze played with the end of his cap and he pressed against Epona, urging her to go faster. The sun dipped behind the treetops and rays of amber sunshine struck his face. Brooding, Link numbly slid off his horse, eyed the path leading to Ordona village proper and reluctantly, climbed into his house.

Late that night, he stared into the Twilight mirror shard, disappointed at the reflection staring back at him.


Dust seeped into his mouth and nested into his hair. Tying Epona securely at a cracking wood post, Link offered his horse some sugar and stroked her muzzle as she crunched, her breath fanning his forehead. He grimaced at the sight of the dusty hamlet. At this rate, the children will develop chest problems from breathing in all this grit. Another gust of wind sprayed a handful of gravel in his eyes and Link sneezed.

Riding to Kakariko took approximately two days and drained him in more ways than one, Link mechanically chewed the sandwiches Uli graciously packed for him. For some reason, they did not taste the same. The layers of cheese and whole-wheat bread did not appeal to him any longer and after nibbling on half a slice, he fed the rest to Epona.

Dust devils chased around his boots and he eyed the dilapidated buildings in disdain. Did people seriously stay here? Windows, missing glass, were taped shut by sheets of tin or cardboard. Pausing near the porch of a relatively maintained building, Link squinted at the shop's creaking sign, lips breaking into a bemused smirk when he read the words through a layer of grime. The doorbell chimed when he walked in and he chuckled when Malo regarded him from behind the counter.

"Standing on a box aren't you?" Link teased and eyed the impressive collection of weapons displayed behind the midget. He also noted the presence of two elderly Gorons, dozing near the door. Malo eyed him disinterestedly and stepped aside, his little round head vanishing behind the wooden counter.

"Coming from a guy who can barely spare two hundred rupees for a shield," the midget retorted flatly. "Go feed your goats...and I missed you," the boy declared emotionlessly, large eyes widening when Link pressed a covered parcel in his hands. "What?" Malo questioned and sniffed, "its honey pudding, did you make this?"

Link held up his hands in mock surrender. "Don't insult my kids," he stated and walked out, the door banging shut behind him. On the porch, he shaded his eyes and scanned for Renado's house, the imp told him it was a circular sanctuary. Head snapping, he swiped a seed bullet out of the air and sidestepped when several brown kernels rolled to a stop by his feet. "Talo, enough. Slingshot one more of those seeds at me and I'll let Malo have your share of pudding." A sharp intake of breath revealed the spirited boy squatting in the branches of a nearby tree; he jumped down, bare feet kicking up dust and wrapped his hands around Link's waist. "Here, courtesy of your Mom, everyone is very worried about you," Link announced and handed a woven basket.

Peeling his face away from Link's chest, Malo stared at him. "Did you get your memories back?" Link nodded without missing a beat. "Thank Din, these past few months with you felt...unreal. It was like someone else took over your body." Laughing, the adolescent, waved the absurdities away and ruffled Talo's hair. "Oh yeah!" the child exuberantly exclaimed and tugged Link to the sanctuary. "You gotta see Colin and Ilia, although, she's lost your memory like you." Halting suddenly in midstride, the boy adjusted the bandana on his head and asked, "How did you get your memories back anyway?" Link shrugged offhandedly and shook his head.

I never lost my memories.

I just wasn't here.

They crossed the dirt road and Link's mind temporarily bounced to Ooccoo.

Before he left the Temple of Time the bird appeared and asked for the Dominion Rod. Reluctantly, the hero handed it over and remembered why it would not work in current circumstances.

The creation of the Twilight realm led to a power imbalance, anyone seen utilizing magic, whether for personal gain or otherwise, was exiled. Little by little, the Hylian Royal Family seized control of all forms of magic and publicly stamped out such beliefs.

Boots dragging over loose soil, Link entered the sanctuary and stopped face to chest with a Goron; bowing respectfully and eyes adjusting to dim light, the adolescent regarded Renado and next to him, Ilia. She looked at him vacantly and offered a shy smile, and returning the gesture with an uneasy one of his own, Link ducked when the Goron attempted to pat his back and the rocky hand sailed over his head, catching the cap and wrenching it off his head.

"..." Darbus bent to pick the cloth cap off the floor and offered it to Link, who absentmindedly jammed it back on his sandy locks. "It's good to see you again hero," the Goron boomed and the human drew a blank. "You saved me from the corrupting influence of the Twilight shadow?" Darbus attempted to cajole the wide smile back on the boy's face, the last time; Link stuffed his cheeks with rock cakes and swam like a fish in the hot springs, flicking water at Gor Coron.

Gor Coron grinned widely, his cottony hair waving with his movements. "Don't tell me you forgot boy!" he boomed and Link paused in the involuntary rocking on his feet. "You promised to visit but it has been ages, those rock cakes won't wait around forever!"

The shaman, standing in the shadows cast by wooden support beams, held a letter and after politely nodding to the over friendly Gorons (weren't they supposed to be a conservative race?) Link exchanged pleasantries with them whilst Talo squeezed him tighter around the waist.

"I've been sleep deprived lately," the hero confessed and pointed to the shadows ringing his eyes. "Not thinking properly," he grinned and nearly kissed the dirt floor when Darbus smacked him jovially on his back. The elder Goron merely patted his head with a gnarled, twig like hand and muttered something about rock buns. "Now, I'd like to get down to business," Renado's eyes gleamed at the statement, "How do I-"

A clatter of falling objects and muffled curses prefaced the appearance of Shad. The Hylian tripped over his boots, denim blue eyes shining behind round glasses. A chorus of giggles erupted in the next room and Link recognized Beth's high pitched laugh. Caramel brown hair dusted with silver cobwebs, Shad sat on the floor, the wood creaking under his weight, and untied his knotted laces.

"Shad?" Link asked bewilderedly and knelt to help the man, fingers scrabbling with the intricate knots. "Are you okay? What are you doing here?"

The man removed his glasses and polished them. "I found one of the Owl statues," he explained and the hero's fingers became slack. Statues? "Yes old boy, Rusl told me you're going to the Temple of Time and that place is imbued with magical energy of the old." Shad fumbled with his book, opening it to a map. "The Temple of Time was at first, Hyrule Castle."

Giving up with the laces, Link motioned for a stool and Talo eagerly dragged a rickety one over. Helping Shad on the chair, he listened.

"The Castle fell in ruin after the passing of the Queen." The entire room held its breath. "And following her demise, the Hero of Time, who was a bit deranged in the head," Talo heard a sharp intake of breath and reassuringly squeezed Link's hand, "grabbed his only daughter and disappeared to..." Shad squinted at his notes, "a place called Termina." The man looked up. "I'm not sure where that is." Slumping, Link attempted to digest this information. The Hero of Time had a few screws loose? Unthinkable. "In any case, he came back years later, alone and roamed around like a nomad. Wherever he stayed, the local population built an owl effigy to commemorate his courage and wisdom and these became dormant sites of light magic. Later on, the Castle was transformed into a temple for him but he died under mysterious circumstances and was never heard of again."

Silence gripped the company listening to Shad's tale. Anxious, Ilia returned from the kitchen with a glass of water and the scholar gulped it down. "Perhaps I should make some tea?" she offered and shrunk when Link glowered at her. "Or pumpkin pie?"

Colin burst into the room at that moment and his droopy eyes landed on Link. Grinning widely, a contrast to the adolescent's souring mood; the boy flung his pale arms around the hero and greeted happily. Ruffling his shock of fine hair, Link redirected his attention to Renado.

"The Owl statues are important," Link stated, "but I'm more concerned with getting Ilia's memory back." Colin's grin inched wider while Shad adjusted his glasses and pored over his coffee colored map.

"I understand but won't you look at the statue in the basement?" the scholar insisted. "We cannot trace one of the mirror shards and I came here to investigate when Ilia mentioned something about a Dominion Rod?" Again, Link's head turned to her and she held his gaze, marble green eyes glimmering with a trace of her old defiance. "The rod is said to be the key to awakening the statues and-"

Link stalked towards Renado, footsteps silent on the wooden floor. Sunlight barely shone through the cloth draped windows and burning candles, placed in dusty sconces, shimmered permanently, casting long shadows on the people's faces. "Memory is a funny thing," he rasped, the dust of Kakariko Town choked him. "It often comes back when we revisit old places." Link's fingers itched, he wanted to grab the front of the shaman's robe and shake him. "I would appreciate it if you told me where Ilia was found." He sensed a question forming on the shaman's bewildered expression and pressed, "I have a lot of things on my mind, no questions, just tell me where I need to go."

Renado, sun kissed dried by the dusty atmosphere of Kakariko, handed Link a letter. "Telma and I are good friends," he concurred. "It's a shame I can't bear her presence." He shook his head, beaded dreadlocks winking in candle flame. "Go to Telma's bar in Castle Town, she will give you more information."


Hugging Colin and Talo warmly to his chest, he handed the rest of the food parcels and waved. "But Beth?" the blonde boy prompted and Link smiled sadly. "Oh, don't worry, I'll tell her you will come by soon, you can depend on me." Both boys eagerly offered their heads for a last minute hair ruffle and watched the tunic clad male walk off, becoming one with the end of Kakariko's main road.

Leaning against an old post, Link massaged his forehead furiously. "Couldn't wait to cure your girlfriend huh?" Midna clattered in his head, "The Twilight Mirror is of utmost importance, you should be chasing after it, your girlfriend is under good care, her problem can be tackled later."

"What I should be doing," the human growled, "is splitting my skull open and ridding myself of you."

"Hmm? Ahahaha, and here Zelda told me you operate with an objective mind." The Twilli cackled. "What happened to living up to the hero's legacy?"

Striking his head against the post, Link breathed a sigh of relief when the demon quieted, but now, his ears rung and a pounding headache throbbed his temples. Holding the post and rocking on his heels, he pulled the Twilight Mirror shard and scrutinized his face in it.

Please...Please...

He thought he saw a glint of pitch black irises, but the cloud cover broke and a sandy haired youth stared back, hair messy under his cap. Sighing, he leaned against the mast and closed his eyes.

Lulled to sleep by gentle waves.


XXXXX


Brave and quiet in suffering

A talking boat...

Domed arches, tops clouded in darkness, rose over his head.

A talking boat...

Link, hanging over the side of a little red boat, stared at his reflection, rippling on the water. His lips quirked into a smile threatening to split in face in half. At last, no more Mr. Handsome guy and his icy blue irises; just him and his chubby? No wait, his jaw became angular. Pulling his once pudgy cheek, Link leant closer to the dark, mirror-esque surface of the water and frowned at his skin. A shade darker than normal...he felt like a roasted peanut. Speaking of peanuts…his stomach growled and the noise echoed in the confines of...wherever this was. Clamping his child hands over a soft stomach, the boy unbuckled his belt and pulled his tunic upwards, pouting at the jiggling folds, he poked his abdomen and his finger sunk without resistance. Sighing, he grinned again and turned, searching for his companion.

"Midna, I'm hungry," he called and sniffed the air. Strange, he could not smell so clearly anymore. He waited for the inevitable snark issuing from her mouth but no pre-giggle graced his ears.

Oh...He finally realized as his eyes landed on the dragon head boat. No Midna.

No Uli...Or Rusl or...the children...Agitha.

Or Midna.

"Are you alright?" The King of Red Lions asked.

A talking boat.

Link wondered why he did not jump out of his skin; instead, he rotated to examine the boat. Tiny; perfect for a lone sailor. "I'm fine," he replied evenly, "My name is Link..." he offered and smiled sweetly. For reasons unknown, the figurehead's blue eyes lost color and a queasy sensation forced Link to crawl to the side of the rocking boat. He threw up a mouthful of bitter fluid and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "I can't believe I'm vomiting!" Exclaiming, he hunted for a bottle of water and reached into a large sack. His hands brushed against the organized contents and marveling, he peeked into the bag, impressed. Uncorking a bottle of water, he extracted a jar of thick soup and opened it.

The heavenly aroma of Elixir soup prompted tears to his eyes.

"Grandma..." His breath hitched and he hugged the jar. "I can finally see Grandma again!" His high pitched voice bounced back from gold paneled walls. He barely noticed anything, imagination running wild at the thought of visiting Outset Island; he remembered Midna saying something about the other Link. Hyrule's Link. Who probably rescued his sister in record time. "Aryll..." He breathed her name and dug in the sack, upsetting jars and scrolls and pulling out a familiar handkerchief. "Grandma's," he told the boat and wept into it, greedily inhaling the scent of pressed flowers and fire warmed logs. Sitting on the deck, he cried, unable to believe he was home again. "I'm home," he said shakily to no one in particular and heard the creak of wood as the figurehead rotated to the front. "I'm home," he repeated to the dragonhead, trying to diffuse the overwhelming happiness crushing his heart. "I'm HOME!" Link screamed, tears tracing wet lines on his cheek. "I'm going to to meet Grandma," he declared and grabbed the oar, dipping it into the water and paddling effortlessly.

Alarmed, the King of Red Lions turned, surprised when they hysterical boy nudged the boat out of the tower and into the sun.

This will not do.

He tried to derail the boy by turning sideways; however, the child, possessing a rudimentary knowledge of sailing, neatly paddled the other way, setting the prow on a course to the south. The Tower of Gods blotted the sun but Link barely glanced at it and continued rowing furiously, cheeks ruddy and out of breath. The King of Red Lion's compared the boy's face with the pink clouds on the western horizon; any hopes of a storm remained small.

Pausing in his rowing, the boy tottered to the back of the boat and searched in the chests, astonished at the abundance of food and fruit laying the caskets. Extracting a slice of cheese, he mashed it into his mouth and continued hunting, leaving oily fingerprints everywhere. Uttering a triumphant cry, he extracted the sea chart and a compass and the sight of the walnut sheets prompted the King of Red Lions' nonexistent heart to plummet further. Clutching the compass, the boy squinted at the sun, swept pitch black, innocent irises, at the flat plains of water and rotated.

The compass wheel pointed to true north and Link shaded his face from the sun. The sun rose in the east? Yes the east, he remembered Midna teaching him how to read a map. "So that must be the west," he mumbled and peered at the rolling clouds. "North is opposite of south," he spun again and checked the map, "so that means Outset Island is in...South West." The child mentally patted himself on a job well done. "I'm facing South East so I'll just…" Still muttering, Link adjusted the horizontal boom and scrunched his face at the sail, pointing to it, he asked, "What's up with the sailcloth? You won't sail smoothly with it." He approached the figurehead warily, did wooden dragons bite?

The boat silently studied the child, missing the hint of experienced intelligence buried deep in ebony irises.

"My boy, you cannot go home," the King of Red Lions stated and a flare of anger turned Link's cheerful eyes into inkwells of wrath. "I'm sorry." In response, the child grabbed the paddle and determinedly rowed to his destination. "Sailing requires air currents, if you keep on rowing, it will take us months to reach Outset Island." Whispering under his breath, Link angled the sail and it snagged a breeze, shooting forward in white foamed waters. "Link, please listen to me, you've just returned from Outset Island," the boat pleaded, "going back there will arouse suspicion. Also, you need to use the WindWaker." The boy stilled, bottom lip jutted out in confusion. "It is an ivory baton allowing you to change wind currents."

The boy rifled through the sacks. "I'm searching for it now," he hissed and upended the contents of the bag on the deck. A mason jar unrolled from a length of cotton fabric and bumped to a stop on his...mutilated boot. Grimacing at the condition of his clothes, Link lifted the jar and shook it. "Where is the WindWaker?" he asked and uncorked the bottle, coughing at the acrid tint of plant juice. Raising the jar, he parted his mouth for an experimental sip.

"Don't drink that!" the King of Lions bellowed and Link jumped. The liquid splashed on his lips, dripped down his chin and soaked his forearms. "It's hemlock, and it's deadly, wash your face and make sure none of the liquid touches the inside of your mouth!" The boat stressed and shook his head, worry straining his voice.

Obediently, Link did as he was told, his lips tingled and he bit on them, trying to shake of the numbing sensation.

"As for the WindWaker," the figurehead jerked his chin near a pile of towering wooden boxes, "it's in a tin cup...next to Link's toothbrush."

Gargling his mouth one last time, Link waded through the sea of objects on deck and halted at the shiny mug. A toothbrush stood opposite a tube of teeth cleaning paste, but no WindWaker.

Shaking his head, the boy called, "Boaty, the WindWaker is not here."

Boaty? Remembering the respect laced in the other Link's words each time he spoke, such a casual name came as a shock. Boaty...only his deity friends and the one cheeky Fishman called him that. "You can refer me as...The King of Red Lions." The boy's eyes sparked and he mouthed the word King under his breath. "...Or Daphnes, whichever you prefer. As I said, you cannot revisit-"

"Daphnes, the WindWaker is not here." Link whined and rattled the contents of the cup.

The boat sighed.

This was going to be a long, long day.


By the time the King of Red Lions managed to summarize the requirements of Link's task, the boy fell fast asleep, mumbling incoherently and head resting on the piles of things rolling around the plywood deck. His chest rose and fell, a beam of scarlet sunlight painted his hand and the ocean pitched gently. His expression belied little, but if his serene face was any indication, Link dreamt of pleasant things, or he did not dream at all.

The figurehead angled prussian blue eyes back to the safety of the Tower and cruised. A clatter of falling objects resounded from the deck and the child woke, rubbing his fists into swollen eyes. Bright blonde hair parted into unruly spikes, Link yawned, feebly tried to tug his cap out from underneath a barrel of freshwater and gave up. Wiping lazy tears, he stood in the boat and grabbed the paddle. After a moment's hesitation, he nudged the boat inside the gloomy tower interior and stopped at the previous landing space.

"I can see Grandma and Aryll after I finish this tower right?" he confirmed. "So when I finish defeating the final boss, I'll get the Triforce of Courage?" The boat hesitantly nodded. "...When I was stuck in Hyrule...I had it at the back of my left hand, they said...well Midna said actually," he listlessly gathered the objects and threw them haphazardly in sacks and boxes, "that the Triforce of Courage, Wisdom and Power are reincarnated every few milli...Melleni...Me-"

"Millennia," Daphnes offered and Link nodded vigorously.

"Yeah, that." A crash of glass sounded from the bag and he guiltily checked the inside. "Nothing's broken," he said with a smile. "So...the Triforce bearers are always locked into a struggle for power and Ganondorf is really bad. He's always the one with the Triforce of Power and he wants the other pieces for himself...He's greedy." Link concluded and tied the ends of his bag.

"That he is," the King of Red Lions agreed softly. "But so are other people."

The boy perched on the taffrails. "Hmm...I wanted them too," he confided softly and gripped the rails. "I thought if I got all the pieces, I'll be able to figure out and prevent what is happening. In Hyrule, there was this shadow invasion..."

He remembered the cold bite of Arbiter's grounds as he sat on the floor and watched a memory, projected by the last Twilight Mirror shard. It showed a brown skinned man, orange red hair rolled into tight curls atop his head. Forgetting the gravity of the exile, Link focused on Ganondorf's clothes, jet black armor trimmed in gold and offset by a rich, burgundy cape.

Goddess Farore, that man dressed to impress.

Seven sages of light, swamped with robes of fluttering porcelain, surrounded the Gerudo. Link's eyes hurt at the contrast of sheer brilliance and shadows. Splayed vertically against a giant slab of stone, Ganondorf's golden eyes speared into the sages, gaze lingering on the faces and diffusing murderous intent. Shivering, Link shuffled against Midna, who remained enraptured by the cinematic display. Runes and chains of silver bound the Triforce holder of Power, yet, he showed no signs of defeat. One of the sages withdrew a warlock sword, its surface shining with a retina searing light. The blade sheathed into Ganondorf's chest, in the hollow right beneath his breast bone and the sages retreated, robes rippling. The dark skinned man became limp, blood flecking his chin. His head hung and the sages waited.

Link held his breath.

The Triforce of Power pulsed gold. Forcing its half dead wielder back into the realm of living. Ganondorf's eyelids snapped open, pupils shrinking into beastly pinheads. He snapped the chains binding him, grasped the hilt of the warlock blade and with his palm smoking, killed one of the sages. Examining the blade, teeth bared in glee, the dark King turned, his cape whirling majestically behind him. Smirking, he voluntarily walked into the realm he was destined to die in.

The Twilight realm.

"A few years after that, the invasion stared. Midna, who is the Princess of the Twilight realm, got her powers ripped off by her..." Link's expression twisted. "By this moron who tried to kill her later on. He led a coup against Princess Zeldy...She's the-"

"Zelda," the boat corrected wistfully. "I know, she is the princess of Hyrule."

The boy paused at the sudden interjection. "Yeah, Zelda...But she's dead," the King of Red Lions creaked, head jerking in horror, "although Midna says otherwise, apparently Zelda is living inside her or something." Brow creased, the child contemplated. "How does someone live in other people anyway?"

Outside the domed arches of the Tower of Gods, the last rays of the sunlight struggled, bouncing off water and lighting the dim, catacombic confines. "If you leave a legacy, you live on in other people's minds and memories."

Again, Link frowned. "Doesn't sound much like living to me," he retorted and peeled a tangerine, lobbing the segments of fruit in his mouth like an expert marksman. Silence descended on their conversation and the distant screech of seagulls slapped against alabaster pillars. "Aryll love seagulls," he explained and stood, ears cocked to hear the bird cries. "...Do you think, she'll remember me?"

The King of Red Lions arched an eyebrow. "Your sister? Of course, she knows the lengths you went to when you tried to rescue her. You struck an alliance with the Pirate's for Nayru's sake, that should convey the importance of the situation."

"No..." Link trailed off. "I mean Midna; do you think she'll remember me forever?" He squatted on the floor, sticky fingers finally cajoling the cap back into his hands. "I mean, I've helped her for a while but she says I'm a whiny brat and I'm a good for nothing but I really tried my best."

"It's the best that counts child." Daphnes quietly assured. "And yes, she will always respect and remember your efforts. Only heartless people will forget favors done to them."

At this, Link laughed. Buckling the sword and shield on his back, he gathered his supplies in a tiny bag and leapt off the boat. "Midna was pretty heartless," he tilted his head, "but that's because she lost everything. Doesn't excuse her personality though." Another bark of laughter echoed in the chamber. "How are you gonna follow me?" The King of Red Lions drew a blank, follow? "I mean, you are a boat, should I carry you inside?" Link pointed to the gold glint of a door. "But my arms will ache; can't you dissolve in my shadow like Midna?" Mind reeling from the rapid fire questions, the boat tossed his head at the Pirate's charm around Link's neck. "So I can communicate with this?" He sounded deeply unsatisfied. "Okay...then I'll contact you if I need anything, Daphnes."

The boy beamed brightly, stood straight with his chest puffed out and rotated, cap sailing in the night. He held a lantern and the bobbing circlet of light stopped at the door.

A group of yellow chuchus patrolled an area with a box, eyeing them warily, Link weighed the boomerang in his hand (the banana yellow weapon appeared crude compared to his ivory feathered one) and the weapon tore through the jelly masses. They squealed in unison and Link scooped them in a bottle, storing the oil away for later use. Studying the imprints on the boxes, he pushed it in front of a higher platform. A section of wall, craggy unlike the rest of the building, was framed by gold and he stared at it, waiting for Boaty to instruct him on what to do. When no such advice poured forth, he suspiciously peered some more and hopped to the upper landing. A chest, dark blue accented with silver, opened to reveal the dungeon map. Gulping, Link hopelessly stared at the diagram, breath catching in his chest. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he attempted to understand the plans laid on the rice white parchment.

Back tracking to the Red Lions, he jumped on the boat and the figurehead's eyes shone intently in the dark. Wordlessly, Link paddled to the next room, jumped off and imparting a curt, careless nod, sailed through a stone door leafed in gold.

He stopped dead. A sea of water lapped at his boots and wooden boxes, surfaces swollen into waterproof caskets, bobbed on the surface. Craning his neck, he found another stretch of wrinkled wall above a small ledge and pondered. The setup reminded him of the Lakebed Temple.

Bombs!

Face brightening at the sudden brainwave, he searched his bomb bag and the smile on his face turned upside down, no water bombs? That sucked. Sniffing disdainfully, he slung the bomb bag over his shoulder and carefully hopped on the first box. The container sunk under, dampening his boots with saltwater before surfacing and floating erratically. Biting his lip, Link paddled with his hands, propelling the unorthodox craft to the tiny ledge. Balancing precariously, he lit a bomb and placed it on the mini ledge before furiously propelling away from the blast radius. The blue bomb flashed red. A hazard. And Link hunkered, clapping palms over his ears. The detonation sprayed water, air and silvers of rock in his direction and wiping dust from his forehead, he stared forlornly at the empty space.

Spirits sinking, he surveyed the rest of the room, his reflection rippling on the cerulean water. The mini sea lapped hungrily against the walls, leaving a white outline of salt.

Back with the King of Red Lions, Link traced his scarred finger on the map and his stomach growled.

Time for dinner.

With the watercraft's preternatural eyes following his every move, Link raided the food boxes stored near the mini deckhouse. An impressive array of meat, cheese and bread, lay in the casks and he spied butter and biscuits, mouth watering at the wide selection. Thank Jabun for Link, may the gods and goddesses give him a long and fruitful life, he prayed.

Lifting a slice of smoked meat, Link eagerly sniffed it; again, his sharp sense of smell failed him. Smacking the slice between two thick slices of buttered bread, he munched, washing the morsels down with fruit juice. Burping after his meal, he adjusted his belt and resumed poring over the map, eyelids closing. Jolting awake, he rubbed his eyes, regarded the boat and shot to his feet.

The King of Red Lions sensed the boy's eager approach and turned, wooden neck creaking, the child thrust a convoluted map under his chin and grinned pleasantly, professing his illiteracy when tackling charts.

Daphnes stared; he searched the child's eyes, not knowing what he looked for. This boy belonged to this world. He is the chosen hero of the Great Seas. The Hero of Winds. "I'm surprised," the King of Red Lions remarked at long last, "I thought you could read maps, you certainly pinpointed Outset Island quickly enough."

The blond boy, cheeks ruddy in the gleaming torch light, smiled. "Of course." He smirked. "Home is where the heart is."

Gazing at the map, the King of Red Lions did not want to think about how the gesture reminded him of Hyrule's Link.


A/N: And here we see WW Link, still struggling in his natural habitat. For all of Midna's cruel snark, he actually misses her. As for the other Link, he's having it worse, missing Boaty so much its breaking his poor, beating heart. If any of you are missing someone, let them know. Even if they don't miss you; let them know.

Please read and review, constructive criticism is very much appreciated and so are random remarks unrelated to nothing. I'm craving a milkshake though.

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