Chapter 8 – Things Get Serious
When they had first been stranded, Shepherd had told himself and his men that he'd been in this situation before and that it wouldn't go on forever. He'd been stuck in the sanctuary with a cloister of wanna-be ancients for six months and it all worked out. He felt confident at the time that they wouldn't have to remain stuck for long; that McKay would pull something out of his hat like he always did and find a way to open the stargate and get them home again in short order. After six years, his faith in his friend was beginning to be strained.
When they, Zelda, and Link realized that it would be longer than they had planned on, Zelda offered them all jobs in the castle. That was after they had accompanied Link in scouring every ancient site they could find, and more than a few that were off the beaten trail. It was Zelda's idea to involve them in Hyrule's military affairs, not his, but he didn't complain when she did. It was only supposed to be temporary. That was six months after they arrived, and by that point in time he was happy for the diversion. At first, he was just helping train their troops and bring them up to snuff. As things wore on, however, it was clear that Hyrule's generals had no idea what they were doing, and Zelda then gave him command over all of her armed forces, with Davidson, Johnson, and the other two acting as his lieutenants to continue training and schooling them. It was a position that traditionally went to the Hero, she said, but Link had no objections and it kept Shepherd busy. His uniform may have changed to something a bit more medieval (the breastplate of his armor often chafed), but his duties really hadn't.
He looked at the men training in front of him as he passed by and nodded with approval. When they arrived, he wouldn't have trusted the Hylian soldiers with guarding a toilet. Now, he would put them up against anyone. They just needed proper teaching and discipline. If he had to lead these men into battle against Demise, Ganondorf, or any Ori army, he knew they wouldn't let him down. He stopped to watch one of them practice with the new rifles McKay and some other of Zelda's court alchemists came up with. It may not have been strictly by the book to introduce a little industrial technology to this place, but given their history he didn't want to be caught unprepared, and Zelda agreed. They weren't P-90s, and they were only single shot, but they would give Hyrule the distinct advantage over swords and bows. Aside from the rifles, they had also developed cannons, steam engines, and a few other goodies. They had tried developing some basic aircraft as well that ran on alcohol distilled from local grains. They weren't fully ready yet. Still, if this was going to be their final battle, he wanted it as heavily in their favor as possible.
He left the training area with Link and headed to McKay's lab. He liked the sixteen year old kid that walked next to him. Heck, he even thought of him as the kid brother he never had. Sure, he was a little undisciplined, even a little lazy at times, but when it really mattered, there were few other people he had known that he could really count on when everything hit the fan. He learned that on their first excursion to some temple in an old forest where Link remembered there might have been a library. Link saved his bacon from some undead skeleton warriors more times than he could count that day. The kid instinctively knew what they were up against and didn't hesitate. He had only been ten years old then. He only got better after that. Shepherd was pretty certain that he could have given his friend Ronan a run for his money, even then, and that was saying something. He wasn't sure who he would place bets on in that contest.
Ronan, Teyla, Jennifer, even Woolsey... He wondered what they were doing. It had been six years. No one had encountered any additional search teams from Earth, which was unusual, although a part of him was glad they hadn't tried to send anyone else through the book. That way no one else was trapped here with them. Although, another part of him was peeved that they hadn't sent anyone else through looking for them. What happened to "we don't leave our people behind"? He thought on occasion.
They entered Rodney's lab and found him staring at a chalkboard... again.
"We need to talk." Shepherd told him.
"Yes, we do." McKay turned as looked at both of them, then addressed Link, "Do you know anything about a city in the sky?"
Link thought a moment, then said, "yes. Although I don't know how we'd get there now. The past life time I was there involved a huge cannon and a rough landing." He said. "There are portals that can take you to parts of it, but it would be a time consuming search."
Shepherd jumped in, "a search we don't have time for right now, Rodney." the frustration was building in his voice.
"What? Why?" McKay asked innocently.
"The Demon King is rising." Link told him ominously.
"What? That's not possible, the sages would have called us back, wouldn't they have?" McKay asked.
"I don't know, but we're going to find out. Pack your gear, bring the sangraal jewel. I'm going to round up Davidson, Johnson, Billings, and Samuels. We're heading out for the Temple of Time tomorrow morning."
Zelda hadn't offered to go with them. She knew it would be more prudent for her to remain. The Demon King was still out of Hyrule as far as they knew, so she and her part of the Triforce would be safe. She had offered them a larger contingent of soldiers to escort them, but Shepherd turned her down. "We need to travel light and fast," he had said.
She hadn't expected anything different. They were dressed, mostly, in the gear which they had brought into Hyrule with a few, distinctly Hylian additions. Each of them now carried a shield and sword with which they had all become proficient in their time there, with the exception of McKay who devoted himself to his research. In addition to their flak jackets and body armor, they wore light metal breastplates emblazoned with the Hylian crest and chain-mail as well. The princess lent them all horses with the exception of Link who always rode on Epona, who had grown into a magnificent mare, faster and stronger than any other horse in Hyrule. With her permission, Shepherd had turned over his command to Sir Williams. He was the most competent of any of the Hylians Shepherd had trained. He was confident they would be in good hands from then on, whatever happened, he didn't think he would be returning.
The journey the next morning was thankfully uneventful. The bokoblins hadn't made it that far into Hyrule's territory. They reached the edge of the Faron woods by nightfall and had to make camp. It still wasn't wise to travel in the woods at night if they could help it, and the horses were tired. Samuels agreed to take the first watch while the rest of them bedded down for the night.
After midnight, Link was woken for his turn to stand watch. He did it without grumbling, but he always had a difficult time waking up. He sat up and tended the fire while Johnson, who had taken over after Samuels, laid down to get some sleep.
He began thinking of his mother, Saria. He wondered what she would think of the kind of man he had become. Did she know what was in store for him? Would she have been proud of him? He gazed into the embers of the fire.
Off to his left there was a motion. His senses honed in on it even as he stayed perfectly still. The leaves rustled high in the branches as a gentle breeze moved through them. He relaxed a little. The breeze moved through the trees and then turned to move past him and around him. It felt warm and friendly, it reminded him even more of Saria. The breeze brushed past his face as though it was caressing his cheek lovingly.
"Link..." He heard his name in the breeze. He looked around him. All the other men were sound asleep. "Link..." the voice said again. It sounded like a woman's voice.
"Who are you?" He said, looking around the camp, and into the trees. "Show yourself."
There was a gentle laughter, and the breeze around him moved and danced through the trees and picked up green leaves as it did so, then blew through and across the campfire and began to materialize with a greenish glowing smoke or mist. It took the shape of a woman with long hair, and kind eyes. He knew the face it was forming.
"Mother?" He asked.
She laughed lightly and reached out a misty hand to caress his face again. "Oh, my sweet, brave Link. Look at the man you've become. I'm so proud of you."
"Mother, what happened to you? Are you a ghost?" He asked.
"No, young one. I am far more than that. I have always watched over you, since the first time I chose you as my champion. I am no less proud of you today than I was then, so many eons ago." She said.
"I don't understand." He said, tears were forming in his eyes.
"Don't you? Many say my sisters and I left this world after we created it. But how could we do that? How could we leave you knowing what lay against you?" She said.
"Farore." Link said with awe. The ghostly green woman nodded.
"And I have been watching over you for all of your life, even after my mortal form fell ill. Oh, it was necessary, my brave son. You wouldn't have grown to the man you are now if I hadn't." She said.
"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, angry and hurt.
"It would have been complicated, my son." She answered. "Your greatest challenge lies ahead of you, and it will take you beyond Hyrule, and beyond even Terra where these good people are from. This is the final battle, my son, and not even I can tell you how it will turn out. Up until now, the fate of Hyrule was balanced on the edge of a knife. Now, it must fall to one side or the other. It is up to you, and only you, to ensure that our world, and every world, is not destroyed. This is why you were born, my son."
"Do you know where the book Doctor McKay has been searching for is?" Link asked. He was amazed he had the presence of mind to remember it.
"It is where it has always been since the first days of Hyrule, where time and the elements cannot harm it. It will be your way back to Terra. Now you must rest, there are more challenges yet to come for you and your friends tomorrow. I love you, my Link." And with that, the leaves scattered, and the breeze traveled off.
"Good-bye, mother." Link said softly.
Link kept his experience to himself for the better part of the morning as they traveled through the forest towards the bridges which had been built to reach the sacred grove. Link was often silent on the journeys they had been with him. It was nothing new. The forest was cool, and quiet except for the occasional birdsong. A light breeze carried the smell of the trees across their path.
They reached the bridges by midday and began their long, treacherous descent into the grove. They didn't have Impa to guide them this time, but Link remembered the way through the grove. His one worry was the skull-kid. He had caused Link quite a bit of trouble in the past with his games. It never seemed to occur to the skull-kid that Link might have something better to do than to play with him. They reached the caves and tunnels which were the entrance to the grove, and all was quiet.
"It's too quiet here." Link remarked, speaking for the first time in hours.
"What do you mean?" Shepherd asked.
"There should be music." Link responded.
"Music?" Johnson asked. "Why would there be music?"
"The skull-kid likes to play games." Link said as he sat up on Epona and scanned the scene around him, listening intently. "He'll lead you through the tunnels if you follow his pipe and find him. He'll also try to kill you with his puppets."
"Who's the skull-kid?" McKay asked.
"He's the guardian of the grove. He's here to ensure no one enters who's not supposed to. He gets bored and wants to play." Link said as he looked carefully around him. It was too quiet. No wind. No birds.
"Deadly puppets, huh?" Samuels piped up. "And I thought I'd seen everything since coming here. There's always something weird to watch out for."
No music. No lantern tempting him through the tunnels. What was happening? This wasn't like the skull-kid. "Something's wrong. The skull-kid is supposed to be guarding the grove, but he's not here." Link pronounced. "We need to keep moving."
"Can you find your way without him?" Shepherd asked.
Link nodded.
They continued on. Link led them through door-like tunnel after door-like tunnel. The horses became jittery. The only sound they heard was the horses' hooves striking stone. Their senses were on edge as they strained to see or hear anything, any movement, any signs of life. Nothing was forthcoming.
As they passed through yet another tunnel, it opened onto a ruined courtyard where grass grew. In the center of the walled courtyard was a pedestal where something seemed to be draped over it. Link nudged Epona closer to inspect the sight.
"What is it?" Samuels asked.
It was a small body that had been smashed and broken like an old rag doll. At the base of the pedestal there lay a flute which had been broken in two. Link couldn't tell how long he'd been dead, but it had been at least a few days.
"It's the skull-kid." Link told them.
"What does that mean?" Samuels asked.
"It means we need to get to the temple, right now." Shepherd responded.
They all dismounted and left the horses to graze on the grass. Other than the skull-kid's lifeless form, there didn't appear to be any more immediate danger to them, and they didn't want to have to announce their presence by climbing steps with the horseshoes. They slid silently off their horses and Shepherd and the four soldiers unstrapped their P-90 rifles from their backs. Link slowly drew his sword and shield. McKay, having no talent for either drew his pistol from its holster. They all crept quietly towards the stairs and up them into the Sacred Grove.