Chapter 162 - Island of Dreams
Summary: Queen Zelda inspects the Akkala Citadel and plans to visit Zora's Domain the following day. Mipha and Link return to Eventide Island and the shrine atop Koholit Rock, leading them to a mysterious island that involves an ancient story.
Spoiler Warning: This chapter discusses events from 'The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.'
It was early morning at the Royal Ancient Tech Lab west of Hyrule Castle, and Purah was speaking with Link's younger daughter Lapha in Zora's Domain.
"No, I was already awake, Princess Lapha, it's fine. You know me. But yes, I see it now that you point it out," said Purah as she looked at the picture that she herself had taken inside the Eventide Island Shrine. "In our defense, it is subtle, just that one small part of the dried pool of blood showing the leakage. But you're right. There is definitely a crack in the floor there. I will let Her Majesty know and thank you for being so observant."
They ended the call, and Purah turned to Robbie.
"You overheard?" said Purah.
"Yes, I heard," said Robbie. "It's a shame we didn't notice it while we were there. But I'll confess I was quite eager to leave, as there was an unsettling aura about the place. But what we see in the picture may truly be nothing more than a simple crack in the floor."
"You may be right, but I will let Zelda know," said Purah. "I just don't want to worry her over something that may be trivial after we just got over this terrible ordeal. I know it took a toll on her, the loss of life and all."
Robbie nodded, then Purah placed the call. She caught Queen Zelda as she was about to leave.
"I see," said Zelda after Purah explained the situation. "But you don't sense any danger or cause for concern?"
"No, nothing like that, Your Majesty," said Purah. "Just something we didn't notice while we were there."
"I am about to get an early start for the Akkala Citadel, as I have decided to travel by horseback," said Zelda. "But thank you, Purah, and let me know if you learn anything else or feel I need to do something. Oh, and let Link know about this as well. His daughter may not have mentioned it to him."
"I will, and have a safe journey, Your Majesty," said Purah as they ended the call.
Princess Zelda was with her mother, saying goodbye when the call came.
"Are you sure you don't want me to inspect the Akkala Citadel instead, Mother?" Princess Zelda asked. "I don't mind at all. I remember Father used to go there in your place."
"No, sweetheart, I'll go," said Zelda as she smiled at her. "When Horwell is older, I'll be more than happy for you to take on some more duties. But enjoy your time with him while he's still young. Besides, I like to experience things firsthand, and I'm looking forward to a horseback ride through Hyrule. And this trip is not all business. The commander there, General Gorman, was good friends with your father. He attended our wedding, and I'd like to see him in person again."
"Whatever you say, Mother," said princess Zelda. "Have a safe trip."
"Where is Horwell, by the way?" said Zelda.
"Astra and Randall took him to the park. Astra is teaching him how to sail her toy sailboat, the one Uncle Link gave her when she was small," said Princess Zelda.
"That's cute," said Zelda. "If you have no pressing tasks, join them, dear, and take some pictures to share with me. I'm off now then."
Mother and daughter embraced, then Zelda nodded to two Royal Guards who accompanied her to the Castle entrance, and they each mounted a horse.
"You still know how to ride a horse, right, Captain?" Zelda asked as they prepared to depart.
"I admit I don't do it often, Your Majesty, but it's still part of our training," said the Captain.
"Well, our ride should be an easy one," said Zelda. "I'd like to enjoy the scenery as we ride, and there's no hurry. I expect we will get to the citadel around lunchtime."
They followed the road east through the Romani Plains and across the Hylia River. Then the road climbed between Crenel Peak and Crenel Hills, and the sky shone a bright blue with occasional white clouds. When they reached the highest point, Zelda paused to rest her horse for a moment and enjoy the view. You could see Death Mountain clearly in the distance, spewing smoke into the air.
They resumed their journey as the road sloped downward toward the Zora River and the Trilby Plain. They crossed the Thimms Bridge and then followed the road south along the Zora River's eastern bank. Birds and crabs scurried away as they rode single file along the narrow strip of land between the river and Zelo Pond.
"What a beautiful day!" Zelda exclaimed.
It was such a pleasure to be on horseback riding through Hyrule again. The fossil skeleton by Bone Pond was visible as they took the northern fork in the road toward Trilby Valley. Deer could be seen foraging for food and scampering away as they approached. The trees were evergreens now, and they turned right along the Ternio Trail just north of Upland Zorana, then took the left fork that led to the Akkala Span. It was a little after 11 in the morning when they finally arrived at the Akkala Span and saw General Gorman waiting for them along with three guards.
"Welcome, Your Majesty," said Gorman as Zelda pulled up and dismounted.
"General," said Zelda. "It's good to see you again!"
"I've arranged for lunch," said Gorman. "And lunch is ready for your Royal Guards as well."
"I'm sure we could all use it," said Zelda.
The three citadel guards took care of the horses, and they walked the rest of the way into the fortress. The General accompanied Zelda to a small private room where a buffet lunch had been prepared.
"I hope you don't mind the informality, Your Majesty," said Gorman.
"Not at all," said Zelda. "You know me, and this is a military base, not a resort."
Gorman laughed, and they helped themselves to food, then sat down.
"I have arranged for your inspection of the citadel whenever you are ready," said Gorman. "Please let me know if there is anything in particular that you wish to see."
"Thank you. But how are you, and how did our forces here fare?" said Zelda as they ate. "I saw the official reports, of course. I'm asking about your personal experience."
"Well, we were sorry to lose anyone, of course," sighed Gorman. "But we had our hands full trying to protect Tarrey Town on short notice. Once we got the shrines bottled up, we held our own. Well, we held our own until just before the end, when the monsters grew much stronger. I don't think we could have lasted too much longer after that."
"Yes, I've heard the same thing from other locations," said Zelda. "Thank Hylia that Link and I were in time to prevent more harm."
"Will you be staying the night, Your Majesty?" Gorman asked. "We have accommodations ready, but your itinerary was left open."
"Yes, I was undecided at that time," said Zelda. "I think I will spend the night here and journey to Zora's Domain tomorrow."
After lunch, Zelda toured the citadel and stopped to examine the canons.
"Have we fired these recently?" Zelda asked.
"Yes, at some monster hordes early in the battle," said Gorman. "We didn't need them once we bottled up the shrines."
"I see. As you know, they built this fortress to repel invaders from the sea," said Zelda. "I wonder if there are any enemies of Hyrule still out there?"
They continued their inspection, which ended with a review of the troops on the parade ground. Zelda addressed the troops and thanked them for their bravery and dedication. Then she had a quiet dinner and retired to her room for the night.
Her room faced the northeast, and you could see the spiral of the Rist Peninsula to the left and Eventide Island in the distance to the right. She knew from past conversations that this was the room Rudin would stay in when he visited Akkala Citadel. He used to enjoy coming here to see his old friend, Gorman. The citadel staff had been careful to remove any traces of his past visits, though she wouldn't have minded. She looked out the window for a while, thinking about her late husband.
Then her Tab buzzed.
"Astra and I just wanted to wish you goodnight, Mother," said Princess Zelda.
"Yes, goodnight, Mom," said Astra. "We had a lot of fun with Horwell today. I wish you could have been there."
"Let me send you some pictures, Mother," said Princess Zelda.
She sent some pictures of Astra playing with Horwell at the park.
"Adorable!" said Zelda. "Thank you and thank you both for your goodnight. I was feeling a bit melancholy at the moment, and you helped me get over it."
They ended the call, and Zelda retired for the night.
Meanwhile, earlier that day in Zora's Domain, Link was speaking with Purah about the shrine on Eventide Island.
"I see," said Link. "Well, I would prefer to clear this up at once and not cause Zelda any worry. I will speak with Mipha about it."
They ended the call, and Mipha agreed to investigate the shrine with him.
"I know you, and I know you won't relax until we settle the matter, sweetheart," said Mipha. "Plus, it's a chance for us to get away together."
The trip to Eventide Island was uneventful, and Link once again made his way through the shrine, this time with Mipha at his side. They paused when they reached the room with the corner traps.
"I remember this kind of trap from our adventure in North Hyrule," said Mipha.
"Yes, very good," said Link. "We didn't have our Sheikah Slate back then as Sopha had confiscated it."
They followed the route through the shrine to the lower level and the patch of blood on the floor.
"You lost a good deal more blood than I thought," said Mipha as she stared at the floor.
"Yes, well, I had to finish the battle, and Zelda and I couldn't stop the bleeding right away," said Link. "Anyway, here it is, the mysterious crack in the floor. Let me see if I can probe it with a knife."
Link used a knife to cut at the opening, and it offered little resistance. The slit in the floor was only caked with dirt and came away readily. Link was able to clear three sides of a square block.
"It looks like a trapdoor in the floor," said Link. "Let me open it."
"Be careful," said Mipha, holding her trident at the ready.
Link pried the block open, stirring up some dust, and they both peered down. Below them was a short ladder that led to a tunnel.
"Well, we came to explore," said Link as he put away his knife and climbed down, Mipha following him.
The tunnel was dark and musky and led in only one direction. The passageway was unobstructed, and they walked in silence, listening for anything unusual. But there was no noise, nothing to cause any alarm. They walked for a bit over an hour when Mipha finally spoke up.
"I can hear the sea more clearly now," said Mipha. "I hear waves."
Link stopped to listen.
"I think I can too," said Link. "It seems to come from straight ahead."
They continued walking forward until they saw daylight in the distance, and upon reaching it, they found themselves at the entrance to a cave built into an orange-colored cliff face. They were standing on the shore of what was presumably an island as waves rolled onto the beach and seagulls flew overhead. The surrounding land was tropical and dotted with coconut trees. Toward the sea, only water was visible all the way to the horizon. A curious seagull flew over them, landed briefly on a nearby coconut tree, then flew away.
"Obviously, I do not know where we are," said Link. "There are no landmarks visible, and, of course, our Tabs are useless for navigation or communication here since we are out of range of the Sheikah Towers. We're probably facing away from Hyrule."
"Yes," said Mipha. "Though the foliage and trees look different from anything in Hyrule that I recall. And there are a lot of blue butterflies."
"Well, we should explore this area next," said Link.
"I recommend we follow the shore," said Mipha. "That way, I can bring you to safety in the water if necessary."
"Fine," said Link.
They walked along the beach but kept glancing at the tropical forest to their left.
"There seem to be an awful lot of animals here, like rabbits and squirrels," said Link as he pointed. "And some of them let us get quite close like they are not afraid of us."
"Yes, that's interesting," said Mipha.
Just then, Link saw what looked like a boy approaching from a distance along the beach.
"It looks like we have company," whispered Link as he reached back to feel his sword.
He and Mipha watched the figure approach, and it turned out to be an unarmed Hylian boy. He was dressed in green and had blond hair and blue eyes, and he approached them in a friendly manner.
"Hello," said the boy. "Are you both all right?"
"Yes, we're fine," said Link. "This is my wife, Mipha, and my name is Link. Do you know where we are? We came here from Hyrule through a tunnel in the cliff face back there."
"Ah, I see, that explains it," said the boy, nodding. "I knew there was a tunnel there but never explored it. And your name is Link? That's interesting. As for where we are, that's a good question. I don't know that this island even has a name. My wife and I are the only two people who live here. Are you hungry or thirsty? Please, follow me to our home, and I will get you something to eat."
"You don't know where we are?" said Mipha. "But how did you come here if you did not arrive the way we did?"
"That's a rather long story which I can share with you later," said the boy.
"And I'm sorry, but did you say your name?" said Link.
"Link, just like yours," said the boy with a laugh. "Come, follow me."
They followed the boy to a small house in the woods near a freshwater pond.
"Please, come in," said the boy. "My wife will return shortly. Please, help yourself to some fruit, and the pitcher is fresh spring water."
"May I ask how you knew where we were?" Link asked. "You found us soon after we arrived."
"What's the expression? A little bird told me?" laughed the boy. "But seriously, I was out walking along the shore as I often do, and I saw you."
It was another half hour before Link heard a girl's voice outside the cabin, apparently talking with someone. The boy was still inside, so that seemed strange to Link. A moment later, the girl appeared, carrying a basket of fruit.
"Hello, my name is Marin," said the girl, putting the basket down and extending a hand.
She was about Link's height, with reddish-blond hair and brown eyes. After introductions, they all sat down. Link thought it was odd that she did not appear at all surprised that he and Mipha were there as if she had already been told or knew somehow.
"Forgive my curiosity," said Link. "But I thought you said you were alone here. Yet I just overheard you speaking to someone, Marin. Or so it sounded to me."
"Oh, yes, I see," laughed Marin. "Living alone on the island, we've gotten into the habit of talking to the animals here. We think of them as people, our friends."
"But it sounded as if you were waiting for them to answer you and then responding to them," Link persisted.
"Well, we sometimes pretend to have conversations," said the boy as he glanced at Marin. "You can imagine what being here alone might do."
"I guess so," said Link doubtfully.
"Now, please tell me about Hyrule," said the boy. "How is it faring, and how is Princess Zelda?"
"It's been Queen Zelda for some time now," said Link. "How long has it been since you left Hyrule?"
"You know, I don't actually know the answer to that question," laughed the boy. "It must be a long time if so much has changed. But it's not important. I just wondered if Hyrule was doing well."
"It's doing fine. Why do you not return with us to Hyrule if you're curious?" said Link.
"I am afraid that's not a good idea," said the boy.
"But you and Marin are both young. You cannot have been gone from Hyrule all that long," said Mipha, puzzled.
"Yes, well, I knew we would eventually get to that point," said the boy with a smile. "I have something to give you that will explain that and am actually glad for the opportunity to have you return to Hyrule with my story. But if you have finished eating, it might be best for you both to leave now. I don't mean to sound rude, but this place is strange, and both Marin and I do not understand it. I do not know what staying here too long might do to you."
"You think there is some danger?" said Link.
"Not to Marin or me. We are perfectly safe," said the boy. "But beyond that, I honestly do not know, and I would feel terrible if you somehow could not return to your home."
"Well, if you think it best, we will be off then," said Link as he and Mipha stood up and prepared to go.
"I know you must have many questions," said the boy. "You will find some answers in this book. I ask that you wait until you return to Hyrule to read it. Farewell then and have a safe journey home."
The boy handed Link a book that he took from a desk. It looked like a small diary.
"Farewell, and thank you," said Link, and Mipha expressed her thanks as well.
"Marin and I will walk you back to the cave," said the boy as he took Marin's hand.
"This is a beautiful island," said Mipha. "And you both seem quite happy here."
"Yes, it is a wonderful place, and we are both delighted to make this our home," said Marin as she and the boy exchanged a smile. "We're living our dream here."
When they reached the cave, they said farewell one more time, then Mipha and Link began the long walk back to Eventide Island. When they reached the shrine, they climbed back up the ladder, and Link closed the trapdoor. Then they left, taking the elevator to the shrine entrance. It was a sunny day when they emerged onto the peak of Koholit Rock.
"That was strange," said Link finally.
"Yes, indeed it was," said Mipha, taking out her Tab. "Now, hold me tight."
"Are you nervous or in a romantic mood or something?" Link asked.
"No, I'm going to use the teleportation rune to return to Ruta," laughed Mipha. "Lapha told me that would work if we held each other close."
"I'm glad to hear you said Lapha told you," said Link. "If it was Purah who told you, I'm not sure I would dare try it."
Link and Mipha embraced as Mipha activated the rune on her Tab. They dematerialized and materialized on Ruta seconds later.
"Hello Ruta," said Mipha. "Just a surprise visit. We'll be going home now."
Ruta bellowed hello.
"I'm happy that worked," Link exclaimed as he stopped holding his breath. "I'm eager to read this book and try to make some sense of that island and what we found there."
"Yes, let's go home at once," said Mipha.
They made their way back to their house on Mikau Lake and sat down alongside each other. Link opened the book as Mipha looked on, and they began to read.
My name is Link, and I write this to record some fantastic things that happened to me. You will find this story very hard to believe, though my life has been full of fantastic adventures. However, except in passing, I will not repeat what is already recorded in Hyrule's history.
For example, my long adventure in the land of Labrynna and eventual triumph over the evil witch Twinrova and the king of evil himself, Ganon, is well chronicled elsewhere in a chapter titled "Oracle of Ages." Therefore I will not waste time elaborating on it here. Suffice it to say that I was thrilled at the triumph of good over evil, and I left Labrynna in high spirits after my victory. The weather was fair as I set sail to return to my beloved land of Hyrule.
On my sea voyage back to Hyrule, however, I encountered a terrible storm. The waves and wind were enormous and unrelenting, and I held onto the rigging for dear life as the boat struggled to stay afloat amidst the turbulent seas. Finally, a massive bolt of lightning struck, and I lost consciousness. When I awoke, I found myself in bed, cared for by a sweet girl named Marin, who lived with her father, Tarin.
Again, I will not waste time recounting my mysterious adventures on what I learned was a place called Koholint Island, as that too has been well documented in Hyrule History in a chapter titled "Link's Awakening." Instead, I will tell the story of what happened later.
After my adventure on Koholint Island, I awoke to the sound of seagulls and the sun shining down on me, hanging onto a piece of the shattered mast from my boat, and floating in the middle of a now calm blue sea. My once sturdy vessel had been reduced to little more than debris floating around me. My most urgent task was survival, of course, and so I looked around for whatever I could use to aid me. I was able to retrieve another section of the broken mast floating nearby, and using the rope in hand, I tied the two pieces of mast together to form a makeshift raft. I was also fortunate enough to spy a barrel of provisions bobbing in the water and swam over to retrieve it, placing it on the raft as well. Then I pulled myself onto the raft and sat, my legs dangling in the water, and pondered all that had happened on Koholint Island.
I had been told that my whole adventure there was but a dream of the Wind Fish, a deity in the form of a gigantic whale. Everyone and everything was gone now. And I confess I felt heartbroken at that, for it had all seemed so real to me, and I had grown close to some people there, especially the girl who had rescued me, Marin.
Marin had opened up to me about her thoughts and feelings during my time with her. We often traveled together. We shared a secret spot on a small rock outcropping near Toronbo Bay. We performed a duet as I played my ocarina while Marin sang. Marin would wait for me and worry about my health after I completed a dungeon. We even did crazy things like jump down into a well together. Marin had asked me to remember her and the song she loved to sing on more than one occasion. Once when we sat on a log watching the sea together, she said, "Link, someday you will leave this island… I just know it in my heart… Don't ever forget me… If you do, I'll never forgive you!" And on another occasion, Marin said, "Please, don't ever forget this song… or me…"
So, the loss of her company pained me, of course. But besides the loss itself, I was also forced to accept that I was the one who caused it. For it was my own actions that awoke the Wind Fish, thereby ending its dream and my time with Marin.
In any case, that's what I had been told. But then I wondered if everything I remembered had simply been my own dream, though I could not imagine how my mind could have possibly conceived of something so fantastic as Koholint Island. It was not long, however, before I sensed a shadow from something passing overhead, and looking up, I could see the Wind Fish flying past me and then off into the heavens.
So, the Wind Fish was real! It was not my dream after all, but the Wind Fish's dream that I had somehow been part of. That was a relief in one sense. And before the Wind Fish vanished from sight, I made a wish of my own.
But even though the Wind Fish was real, it was all still a dream, just not my dream. Everything, including Marin, was still completely gone.
And then something else incredible happened. I heard a sound as of a faint melody like the song Marin sang, and I looked up to see an image of Marin in the sky. It was clearly her, with her shoulder-length reddish-blond hair, a red flower tucked over her left ear, and wearing the blue dress and ruby diamond-shaped pendant I remembered so well. She seemed to look down at me, then closed her eyes in a cheerful smile. I shook my head and blinked my eyes, wondering if I imagined it. Perhaps I was growing delirious from lack of water. Marin's image was gone, but in its place, I saw a lone seagull flying off into the distance, and then I remembered what Marin had told me once.
"If I was a seagull," Marin said. "I would fly as far as I could. I would fly to faraway places and sing for many people. If I wish to the Wind Fish, I wonder if my dream will come true."
She told me later that she had made a wish to the Wind Fish, but she said it was a secret when I asked what it was. Had her wish really come true? It was all very confusing.
In any case, dream or not, right now, my priority was survival. I noticed which direction the seagull had flown. And so I hoped that would lead to land and began paddling in that direction on my raft.
The weather stayed fair, and by being prudent with my provisions, I survived for several days, paddling during the day and resting at night. I was blessed with fair weather the whole time. The days were calm, and the night sky was beautiful, so full of stars. It was around the middle of the fourth day that I saw a fishing boat. I stood and hailed them, and the two fishermen on board rescued me, taking me onto their ship.
"Are you Link?" asked one of the fishermen almost immediately.
"Yes, but how do you know who I am?" I said.
"Her Highness, Princess Zelda, sent a notice to all of us fishermen to be on the lookout for you. She reported you as missing since you hadn't arrived from your journey. Once we return and you feel fit enough, you must contact her at once and let her know you are all right."
"Yes, yes, of course, I will," I muttered.
We reached shore, and after giving me a meal and a bed to rest in, the next day, I made the journey to Hyrule Castle and was reunited with Princess Zelda.
"Link, I've been worried sick about you," said Zelda when I arrived. "What happened to you? You've been missing for days!"
It was then I recounted all that had happened, or thought had happened, and Zelda had the Royal Historian record it, write it all down for posterity.
I remained at Hyrule Castle for a brief time, but I could not put what happened out of my mind. I had grown quite fond of Marin and believed she was indeed a seagull now. And I recalled there was a magic powder on Koholint Island that could turn animals back into people. Perhaps the Wind Fish had the power to do that too. I decided I would try to find Marin if I could. A seagull would be by the sea, of course, and so that meant a return to the fishing village.
No doubt, at this point in my story, you think me mad. And frankly, that was the reaction of anyone I told my plans to, starting with Princess Zelda herself.
"I won't stop you, Link," said Zelda. "But you yourself admit this was all a dream. And there must be hundreds if not thousands of seagulls all across Hyrule. Even if this Marin person exists, how can you possibly find a particular seagull, or know which one it is?"
"I guess I will have to trust that she will know me, or I will recognize her somehow, Your Highness," I said. "You're right. This may well be a fool's errand. But I will always regret it if I don't try."
I said farewell and made my way back to the fishing village. It was a pleasant enough place to live. The people were friendly, and there was plenty of fresh fish to be caught and fruit to pick from the trees. Each morning and night, I said a prayer to the Wind Fish that I might find Marin someday.
I made it a point to seek out seagulls wherever I could find them and hum or whistle Marin's song to them. I could not hope to follow seagulls into the sea, so I would try to approach them either first thing in the morning or at sunset when they would rest for the evening. I would bring some fresh fish to feed them so they would not fly away upon my approach. I quickly learned that seagulls like to rest away from people either along the shore or on the nearby cliffs, and sometimes in pools of water.
So, I spent my time traveling wherever seagulls could be found. I acquired a boat and visited nearby local islands spending time there in case that was where she was. Needless to say, days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, and months turned into a year. It was discouraging, of course, and I sometimes overheard children making sarcastic comments behind my back about the crazy man who sang to birds. But I didn't care. I enjoyed humming the sweet song that Marin loved so much and kept her memory alive by repeating it.
To not bore readers any further and get to the point, it happened that one day as the sun was setting and a full moon was rising, I made my way up a nearby mountain to a small heart-shaped pond near the summit. I knew seagulls sometimes rested on the mountain as it was peaceful and secluded, but being high up afforded them a good starting point to fly from in the morning. As I approached the pond, humming Marin's song, at first, I could not believe my ears. I heard a bird answer me, making a seagull sound after each stanza. I approached slowly, and a beautiful white seagull was floating in the pond. It watched me cautiously, but I hummed the song I knew so well, and it answered me in its own way. It had to be her! I cried out her name, and my eyes filled with tears as the bird approached me, taking some of the fresh fish I offered it.
"I know it's you, Marin," I said as I gave silent thanks to the Wind Fish. "I just know it!"
Marin, for so I will refer to the bird now, returned with me to the village and stayed near my hut overnight. Cynics will say the bird stayed with me for the free food I provided, but I knew there must be more to it. In any case, I did not want a pet bird. I wanted to be reunited with Marin as a person. The question was what to do next. My only thought was to find the Wind Fish somehow.
"Can you help me find the Wind Fish?" I asked Marin the next morning. "If you can direct me, guide me somehow, we can sail together."
I stocked the boat with provisions and set sail as Marin took to the air. I followed her by day, and when night came, Marin would rest on board.
We sailed for three days, and I wondered if we would ever find what we were seeking, when one morning, Marin began cawing and circling excitedly overhead, then landed on the boat. I covered my eyes and squinted, staring up into the sunlit sky. And then I saw it. It was the figure of a whale, and it was slowly descending from high up in the sky until its massive shape hung over the boat and blocked the sun.
"We meet again, brave one," said the Wind Fish. "Thou art the young lad who defeated the nightmares and awoke me. Thou hast prayed to me every day. What dost thou wish of me?"
"I wish to be with the one I grew to love in your dream," I said. "You know of whom I speak."
"Thou art sure that is what thou wish?" said the Wind Fish.
"Yes, with all my heart," I said.
"And dost thou wish to no longer be a seagull?" said the Wind Fish, I assumed to Marin.
Marin made a noise.
"Then I shall create an island home for thee," said the Wind Fish. "But thou canst not leave it, or the spell will be broken. My magic is only so powerful. I will also leave a path back to Hyrule should thee change thy mind. Dost thou understand?
"Yes," I said.
Then there was a bright light, and I covered my eyes. When I sensed the brightness had stopped, I opened my eyes. The Wind Fish was gone, and Marin was standing before me and smiling that pretty smile of hers. And we were just offshore of an island.
"Marin!" I cried. "You really are here!"
"Yes, it's me," said Marin. "You remembered me after all. I sang my song throughout Hyrule. I am ready to sing only with you now."
"I am so happy!" I said as we embraced. "For I too made a wish as the Wind Fish flew into the heavens that day I awoke from his dream. I wished I could be with you once more."
"You're lucky I wished to be a seagull no longer, or the Wind Fish would have turned you into one," Marin laughed.
"If that's what it would take to be with you, I would gladly accept it," I said, laughing.
"Do you remember when I told you that I made a wish to the Wind Fish, and you asked me what it was?" Marin asked.
"Yes, I remember," I said. "It was by the weather vane, and you said it was a secret. But you told me once before you thought of wishing you could fly away and sing to many people. I assumed that's what you wished for in the end."
"I did wish that," said Marin. "But I also wished that I could be together with you someday. That's why I was too embarrassed to tell you when you asked me."
We made our home on the magical island, of course, and I know our life together will be a happy one. Dreams sometimes do come true!
Link
"Wow!" said Mipha. "Another love story with a happy ending. That warms my heart. This hero of a long-ago era is somehow still alive on this magical island?"
"Yes, and which hero it was will have to be answered by the Hyrule history experts," said Link. "Perhaps we should read about the portions of Hyrule history he mentions. I don't recall any of it, though I'm sure Mila does."
"Yes, Mila will be thrilled to explain it to us," said Mipha.
"I wonder what else lies far off across the sea?" Link asked.
"I wonder too, and perhaps we can explore some more sometime. But after a romantic tale like that, I feel we should spend some time together."
"I agree," laughed Link as he closed the book, put it on the table, and joined Mipha in their slumber pool.
