!~Warning: This chapter contains gore and blood. Let me know, if it's too much for T rating.~!
Snowflakes gently swayed down to the earth and joined many others to form a thick blanket of snow.
All of Hyrule was covered in white beauty, only Death Mountain looked unchanged.
Heat rose steadily from the rocks of the volcano, melted the snowflakes into water and let them evaporate before they reached the ground.
A small group of Gorons rolled down the paths of the mountain and gathered below. They exchanged a few words before each went their own way.
The entrance to the mine was still closed - at least that's what it looked like to unwary wanderers, for insiders knew, that it was only an illusion. Anyone could enter and leave at any time.
Inside the mine a lot had changed in the last weeks. It had been converted into a fortress. Large parts of the lava fields had been covered with robust stone slabs to form training grounds on which Gorons improved their punching techniques. Among them was a young Hylian who struggled in a wrestling match against one of the stone-eaters. His tunic lay untouched in a corner of the room, yet the sweat ran down his face. Despite the stone slabs it was still hot in here.
A woman stood on one of the footbridges that once ran across the lava at a few meters height to allow safe passage, but now - thanks to the stone slabs - were rarely used.
Seymara watched the young Hylian, who alternately ducked away under blows and dealt punches. Muscles flexed under his sweaty skin and the blond hair stuck to his forehead.
She only turned away when another person appeared behind her. A young man not much older than Link. He was wearing a dark blue cape and a scarf that he had pulled all the way up to his nose, covering half of his face. He lowered his gaze to greet her, his brown hair falling over his forehead, briefly covering his red eyes.
"What is it, Yae," Seymara asked without a greeting.
"I have a message from Castle Town." He handed her a letter, bowed once more and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
Carefully Seymara opened the letter and read the words that had been written down there in scrawling male handwriting.
Yae was a mysterious man who appeared shortly after they had fled Ganondorf. It was his intervention, his dagger, that had allowed Link to escape. When Seymara had escaped with the Ordonian and Enora, it was he had found them to join their group.
Seymara's gaze drifted to Link, who, with a final powerful blow, pushed his opponent out of the ring painted on the ground.
"Enough for today," she shouted to the Ordonian before turning away and disappearing from the room.
Relieved, the young man helped his opponent onto his feet, thanked him for the match and went to the corner where a bowl of water stood next to his tunic. He drank part of the water and poured the rest over his head. The liquid was not as cool as Link had hoped, so the refreshing effect did not occur, much to his disappointment. He took the cloth that lay beside the bowl and used it to dry his face.
His gaze fell on the bandage he was wearing on his left hand. Underneath there was no wound, but pearls, which he hand't taken off yet. In fact, he didn't plan to. Seymara had advised him to wear them and keep them hidden.
He tossed the towel into the empty bowl, put on his tunic and left the room.
They had been hiding here for three months by now. Three months that he had spent almost exclusively in the training room. Three months that Ganondorf had time to bring suffering and destruction upon Hyrule. Every day, Link learned from Yae about the misery that his henchmen were causing in the city, the attacks that Xera and her partner Lugh were responsible for.
There was no escape. No standing up to them.
Peevish, he left the mine behind and leaned on the railing of a ledge that had been turned into a terrace. From here one could see all the way to Kakariko.
The snow was still falling, but here, right next to the mountain, the heat was suffocating.
He hid like a coward behind Seymara's back, while death and destruction struck the people he was supposed to protect.
Yet he had to admit that it was necessary. He had changed in the last three months. He felt stronger, braver, tougher. Slowly he found back to his old self and could gradually come to terms with the events that lay behind him. He owed all of this to Seymara.
At the thought of her his gaze fell back onto his arm.
Thoughtfully he looked at the bandage that hid the pearls he had been wearing since they had been rescued by the silver bird. Until now he had not found out what they were. He began to have a quiet suspicion, but there were hardly any clues to confirm it. Should he go to Seymara and ask her? The silver being had not appeared since he had freed the daughter from her prison. Perhaps that was an obvious clue?
Right now Seymara was probably with Enora and he was not allowed to disturb them.
Since the girl had learned of her true identity as the master sword, she had been instructed by Seymara. She learned how to summon magical bans, perform attack spells and break curses. Just like Link, who had learned that magic flowed in his veins as well. Though he was far less talented than Seymara or Enora.
Enora had become much more skilled in recent weeks. She picked up new things quickly.
By now she had her powers under control and could use them as she pleased. She could even be touched by people without them wincing in pain if she allowed it. Again and again the Ordonian had the feeling that his little partner grew and matured with every lesson she learned. She was no longer the little weak child who lay in Ilia's bed and couldn't remember anything. She still behaved childish most of the time, but Link knew that she was already growing into a young woman.
Seymara had explained to him that the master sword had never before taken human form. Enora had to learn everything from scratch, just like a real child, and she wanted to live her life to the fullest, running, romping, laughing. Link could relate to that. How nice would it be if he could turn back the clock. To a time before Zant's shadow creatures had infested Hyrule. A time when his life was still peaceful and simple. Tending to the goats, playing with the children, fishing in the creek... he missed everything.
A soft hiss filled the air. It was an unnatural sound, yet rather familiar. He remained motionless. He didn't even flinch when something appeared next to him out of thin air.
"Boo," Enora yelled. "Scared, huh?"
"Almost," he replied with a smile without looking at her. H wanted to pay tribute to the memories of the past just a second longer.
"I was too loud again, wasn't I," she murmured and kicked a stone to the side, which rolled under the railing and dropped down the slope of the mountain.
'Well, no daydreaming today, then,' Link thought somewhat disappointed.
"Just a little," replied Seymara, who had just joined them. "But that improves with practice."
Enora looked briefly from the woman to Link and back again before nodding, "I'll try."
With the same hiss she had appeared with, she disappeared into a bright flash of light.
Seymara and Link stood like this for some time before the woman slowly leaned against the railing beside him.
"What's wrong," she asked. "You look gloomy."
Link glanced to her, before turning his eyes back to Kakariko, or some place farther away.
"I just wonder how long we have to stay here and leave Hyrule to fend for itself."
"Until whenever you're ready," replied the magician.
Link snorted imperceptibly. "How will I know when I am?"
"You will feel it," Seymara replied, looking at him expectantly.
Link did not return the gaze. He kept watching Kakariko and so they stood next to each other in utter silence for a while.
"Xera was in Kakariko yesterday," Seymara remarked.
Link startled. "Is anyone hurt?"
Seymara shook her head. "Luda told her we were out of the country."
She waited a moment for his reaction, but his expression remained unchanged.
"I know something that will cheer you up," the woman continued after a pause. "I must go to Castle Town and you will accompany me."
Surprised, he lifted his head to reply when his hand shot up and caught the black cloth that Seymara had thrown to him.
"Yes, immediately," she answered his unvoiced question as she draped a black cape over herself. Link did the same.
He hadn't been back to the city since their escape. Yae had told him everything he knew about what was going on in Castle Town. According to him, the city had mostly become a ghost town. Link had no idea what to expect.
"I must warn you... ...things have changed since you last visited." Seymara took out her silver ocarina and played a tune. The surroundings blurred for a moment and re-formed. At first his surroundings were foggy, but soon it became clear. The pearls around his wrist began to itch on his skin.
They found themselves in a dark room. Several candles lit up wine bottles and barrels, which were stacked in shelves next to and on top of each other.
Without thinking twice, Seymara turned to a staircase leading up to the floor above.
Link curiously followed her as she entered another room, also lit by candles and filled with crates. In one corner were baskets of vegetables - a storage room.
For a while Seymara stopped and listened. The Ordonian took the opportunity. "Where are we", he whispered.
Seymara smiled slightly when she silently asked him to follow her and walked through a door that was the only one leading out of the room. She did not answer the question.
Before he knew it he found himself in the firm embrace of a somewhat chubby, red-haired woman.
"Link! Has Seymara finally taken you with her," she asked happily.
"Telma, we are here for a reason. I suspect Yae has already told you," Seymara began without a greeting.
The landlady left Link, who could now finally take a look around. They were probably in the kitchen of the inn. In the middle of the room was a large stove on which food for the guests simmered in pots of different sizes. Along the walls were cupboards, which certainly contained food, spices and cooking utensils. The door through which the two visitors had come looked exactly like one of the cupboard doors and was therefore difficult for the uninitiated to make out.
"Link, are you coming?" Seymara stood questioningly in the other door leading to the dining room.
"Of course," he mumbled hastily as he hurried to join her.
Telma gave him an encouraging smile as he left the room and she followed him.
In the inn, a few men were sitting around one of the tables, disgruntled. They did not even raise their heads when the three entered the room. They hardly moved at all. The beer mugs before them stood there untouched. The foam of the beer had already settled. It was a bleak sight.
Telma, Seymara and Link left the inn and crossed the courtyard where the stables were located. Travelers who stayed with Telma could put their mounts there.
Excited neighing resounded as the three entered the stable, followed by a loud crackling and something big jumping on Link. The blond lost his balance and fell. He inelegantly landed on the ground. He had no chance to straighten up again, however, when soft warm nostrils nestled his face.
Incredulous, the Ordonian stared into the brown horse's eyes, which looked at him faithfully.
"Epona?" He sat up and patted the velvet nostrils.
It had been over three months since he had seen the mare. When they fled, she had to stay behind, and he thought she'd fallen into Ganondorf's hands. He didn't expect to see her ever again.
"Oh, Epona!" Back on his feet, he snuggled his face into her mane. Overjoyed, he embraced her and patted her neck.
"Where did you find her," he turned to Telma.
The landlady smiled. "It was not I who found her. A friend picked her up outside the gates of the city and brought her in. Since his own stables were destroyed, he asked me to put her here with all his other horses."
As if to confirm her statement, another horse stomped its feet while happily mumbling on some hay.
"What happened to his stable?"
Seymara threw a warning glance at Telma to silence her before answering the question herself, "Ganondorf has allowed his minions to rage in the city. It's not uncommon for buildings to be destroyed in the process." Her gaze became dull for a few seconds. "Come along."
She left the stable, threw the hood over her head and stepped to the stairs leading up to the southern street.
Curiously, Link followed her pulling his hood deep into his face as well. The itching of the beads became stronger as they approached the main street. The sky above him was covered with heavy black clouds that boded no good.
He stepped on the street.
Only a few of the citizens lingered there, most of the stalls were closed and red splashes stuck to the walls of the houses. Doors and shutters of most of the buildings were hanging off their hinges. In the houses themselves only darkness reigned.
"Ganondorf's minions feed on the blood of the people and attack them on the open street," Seymara whispered to him. Her voice echoed little emotion. Was she so callous that she didn't care about all that?
They followed the street to the center of the city.
A grey veil hung over the city. The desolation and despair were almost palpable. A few passers-by crept past them with crooked backs and bowed heads. They had to be the last inhabitants, who either could not leave or were too stubborn to run.
Nobody gave them a glance as another group passed them by.
Seymara and Link continued their way.
"Look around. These people are the last ones left behind. The shadows have spared them so far. Why? Probably to save them for later. The shadows are multiplying. Spreading. There are only few areas of Hyrule left untouched by them."
Link listened intently as he looked into the vacant faces of passersby. They had given up. Could he have done anything about it? Could he have given them hope? Could this hope have helped them? These and many other questions flashed through his mind.
His breath stopped as they reached the center of the city.
Blood-red water was sloshing in the basin. The Triforce on the top of the well, surrounded by the coat of arms of the royal family of Hyrule, was likewise sprinkled with blood. A human head was stuck on one of the golden wings. The blood lined eyes were sunken deep into the sockets. In the water, on the edge of the pool and around the well, lay ripped off arms and legs, bloody shreds of skin and soaked tufts of hair. A tattered corpse leaned against the pool. The head hung lifelessly to one side, exposing the neck, which was missing a shred of skin. Muscle fibers and parts of the spine were clearly visible. The blood on his clothes had long since dried. No one had bothered to clean up and bury the dead. The fountain was avoided by the Hylians.
Seymara's eyes gleamed angrily from under her hood. "As you can see, they do not even stop before this sacred place."
Link nodded, not knowing exactly why she was showing him all of this.
"Defeating the Shadows will not be easy. They are difficult to beat with normal weapons. They have no solid form. Therefore it is essential that you continue your training, strengthen your body and mind and most importantly, improve your magical abilities."
Link nodded. He felt the burden that lay on his shoulders all the more at that moment. Was he up to it? Would he withstand the pressure? Would he be ready in time, before the last Hylian had fallen victim to the blood lust? He could not allow himself to make any mistakes.
"We have to go back," Seymara admonished, and Link nodded, unable to turn his gaze away from the horrible sight he was confronted with.
He watched the scene closely. The blood, the body, the fountain. He didn't want to imagine the cruel way in which the inhabitants of the city had perished.
Seymara touched his shoulder and snapped him out of his thought.
"Yeah, let's go."
Hi everyone,
I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
I'm just letting you know that from now on uploads might be delayed. I don't have many translated chapters left and work is keeping me busy. I'll try to keep up biweekly uploads but I can't promise anything from this point on.
Regardless, I hope you have a nice time and enjoy the summer.
Stay healthy!
~Freiha