Chapter 1
Warning! Blue eyed beast.
Pain.
Grimy cobblestone. Thick rusting bars. The musty smell of a water cistern.
An eye snapped open and he tried to move, but chains restricted movement. The pain burrowed into his bones and nestled there, forcing his eyes to droop and retreat into the comfort of sleep.
The door to the crypt creaked open and Link gingerly stepped inside; the triangle birthmark on the back of his hand glowed like a beacon. Whipping his head around, he shut the heavy stone door and panted from exertion. Groping, he found a piece of flint and lit a branch. Excitement and fear bubbled in his chest. Tiptoeing, he lit the torches at the entrance and the fire cast a warm glow over his face.
A semi-circle of men studied him and Link hid behind his father's legs. The captain of the Royal Guards stammered, his words galloping over each other. Link did not understand what they talked about. The semi-circle of men broke their formation and their ghostly white robes billowed in an unknown breeze. He reached for his mother's dress but the moment his twiggy arm shot out from the protective shade of his father's body, one of the sages clamped wire thin fingers around his arm. Gasping and trying to tug free of the snake like grip, Link desperately looked at his parents, they mirrored his helplessness and confusion.
They mirrored his pain.
The metallic cuff weighed heavily on his leg and Link tried to tug it off through half opened eyes. He shifted and forced himself to wake up and take stock of his surroundings. He reached for the cuff and faltered. Fur covered his arms.
Dark, blue-grey fur.
"No please, don't remove that glove. Our son," Mother choked, "he suffers from an undignified birthmark...Please!" The water sage ignored the blonde woman and peeled the velvet, fingerless glove off. Another grey patch of material obscured the back of the child's hand and the boy tugged fiercely, eyes taking on an animalistic gleam.
An ancient blade, half sunk in an equally ancient rock, lay in an alcove at the far end of the vault. Seeking comfort in the capering shadows, Link hiked up the batholith steps leading to the rusted sword. He should not be here and if princess Zelda found out, the consequences would not end well for him. But curiosity cannot be tamed. Casting his mobile torch aside, he stared at cluster of three triangles marking the back of his hand and etched on the sword. A sound echoed behind him and he whisked around, eyes darting for intruders and heart drumming a staccato in his chest. Breathing heavily, he turned back to the rock and studied it from all angles. A voice beckoned him. The blade wanted to be free. Gripping the sword handle between sweaty palms, he strained and the blade smoothly slid out. The sanctuary shuddered, soil rained from the roof and the blonde teen gave the eaves a passing glance. When he looked back at the rock…
He froze.
Link hardly screamed. The rusted sword dropped from his grip and he scrambled back. An involuntary yell of terror exploded out of his mouth and he screeched till his voice grew hoarse. Till he ran out of the tomb and till he reached the castle basement. Grey walls and a guard, startled out of a chair by the scream, greeted him. Swallowing fear, Link surveyed his surroundings; he brushed questions off and broke into a run.
A malicious cackle wormed its way into his ears and despite the excruciating pain, Link opened his eyes, ignoring his arms, which appeared too different to be human; and focused on the iron bars separating him from the outside world. Wearily, he struggled to his feet and the laughter echoed from all sides. His eyes roamed around, seeking for the one making the sound. The watery light filtering from above burned his retinas and a tiny creature with a bloated, pale abdomen swam in the periphery of his vision. Blinking, he snarled.
The demon giggled, holding a petite hand in front of a mouth filled with razor sharp teeth. "What was that doggy?" she trilled sarcastically and spun. "I'm sorry, I didn't understand you." An ornate piece crowned her head and covered one of her mischievous eyes.
"How do I get out of here?" Link asked one question out of the many bubbling on his mind. A chorus of barks and growls rebounded in the cell as he spoke and the imp's nefarious grin stretched wider. One ivory fang poked from beneath her top lip. How, he barked, do I get out of...Here...
The creature twirled gaily. "I told you I don't speak doggy," she squealed. "But I sense you want to get out of your cell." Her smile split her face in half when Link launched at her with a howl but stopped short of the bars and collapsed when the chain yanked him. Glaring balefully at the little demon, Link turned around to gnaw on the chain. "It's no use doggy; you need my help to get out of here." Pausing in his gnawing, Link threw the creature a look which clearly suggested she was crazy. "It's either my help or you rotting in this dungeon." She purred. The human turned animal stopped gnashing his teeth on the chain and settled on the floor.
I'll rot. He stubbornly decided.
Wind whispered through the grass at Ordon springs and he watched Ilia tend to Epona. Water lapped over her bare feet and he smiled when their eyes met. Irises veering to the sky, Link rose when an erratic portal opened up in the blue. His head snapped backwards when the gate to the springs blew apart. The coppery whiff of blood hit his nose and simultaneously, Ilia's cry of help and Colin's body, dangling from a monster's spear shaft, overtook him. Dropping into a fighting stance, he prepared to tackle King Bulblin off its perch but...
All he remembered was a sharp blow to the back of his head. Pain. Being dragged over the ground for miles. More pain.
And pain. Both physical and ones whose scars remained unseen.
The chain snapped and he whirled around suddenly free. "Listen here doggy," the imp's voice morphed into a dark and sinister tone. "Princess Zelda wants to see you." Link perked. "Something about Hyrule being overrun by Twilight and needing some saving. If you don't want to come, I understand. Sit there and chew a bone." She turned to leave and a whimper stopped her. Link stood behind the bars, majestic even when smeared in blood and mud. Two piercings adorned one ear and a symbol marked his forehead. "Oh, suddenly interested?" The wolf nodded. "Find your way out then, if you can't do such a simple task, I have no use for you."
Grumbling under his breath, Link pawed the heap of dirt in the cell's corner and damp air brushed his whiskers. Inhaling, he burrowed through the earth and emerged on the other side of the tunnel. Right next to the smirking demon. He shook soil off his fur, taking extra care to project it towards the creature.
"Now, you will do exactly as I tell you," she crowed and landed on his back. A displeased rumble erupted from the pit of the wolf's throat and he snapped, jaws closing over air. "Hehehe, you can call me Midna," Midna smugly laced her twig arms behind an oversized head, "and you are-"
Link. He snarled.
"Doggy," she finished as Link furiously barked at her.
Ghostly blue specters dotted the waterless sewer. Breath catching at the overpowering musty damp and his bizarre, overly clarified sense of vision, Link raced underneath arches of bricks begrimed with moss and water stains. A gurgle reached his ears and jumping on a raised passage of stone, the wolf blanched when a dark stream of filthy water separated him from the next passage. Paws fastened to the edge of the pavement, he peered into the canal, wrinkling his nose at the mounds of brown bobbing on the water's surface. The stench watered his nose and he crept away, hoping the infernal imp will not order him to jump in the festering slop. A whiff of metal ensnared his attention and he stared at the thick floodgates clamped over the duct. Padding closer, he blearily stared at the chain, hanging teasingly above his reach.
By some grotesque miracle, in which Midna's hair morphed into an orange limb of appropriate demonic proportions, the demon snagged the chain and the stagnant water flowed away, leaving a glistening trail of slime.
Wolf and demon descended into the slime slicked duct. Fur fluffing at the foreign feeling beneath his paws, Link rocketed through the waterless channel, humbly obeying every snappy command issuing from his companion's mouth. Her shrill tone grated on his ears but he kept quiet and followed. After navigating through an underground tunnel, and here, Midna conveniently vanished to Din knew where, the wolf emerged, fresh air threaded between his stiff white whiskers and Link inhaled, clearing his mind of fetid thoughts. A spiral stairway rose before him and urgency overriding the need to observe his surroundings, the sacred beast jumped on the stairs. Stone crumbled beneath his paws with alarming rapidity and huffing, he scrambled up, muck coated paws slipping off the surface. Basalt, worn by the passages of time, broke in chunks and Link howled when the entire staircase gave way beneath him and he fell, plummeting painfully on hunks of black rock.
The imp materialized at the top and giggled at his expense. "Let me help you up," she said, "and as was the agreement, you do exactly as I say."
Animals should not be able to leap these distances, Link grumbled soundlessly whilst slicing through the air. His heart jumped each time he cleared a portion of empty space and he slumped at the top of the stairwell, refusing to look down and see what death traps he escaped. Instead, he sniffed the surroundings. Cool air rushed through the cracks in stone and drove away the clammy heat. The imp helped him through a high window and Link tumbled on the slate roofs of Hyrule Castle.
He squinted at the pale golden light assaulting his retinas, and opened his eyes slowly.
Dawn? How many days passed whilst he slept on the dank cell's floor? Golden light and squares of red veined shadows danced in the air. Grey washed the area and Link rooted to his spot.
This could not be Castle Town! Where was this?
Greyscale bled into his vision from every corner of the area, whipping around to his floating acquaintance, Link barked: Where are we?
Unsurprisingly, Midna did not answer, she looked at the leaden landscape and her mouth curled at the ominous, golden glow.
Without warning, Link shot across the gables, streaking past turrets and leaping neatly from one section of the roof to the other. A flock of shadow keese descended on the sacred wolf and without pausing in stride, he tore through them, leaving tiny squares of darkness to spiral into oblivion. A larger target loomed beyond the spiked roof of the northern tower. A shadow kargarok bulleted into the speeding Link and the wolf tumbled sideways, fur and skin tearing on the uneven roof tiles.
"You insolent beast!" Midna bellowed and Link got up, growling and pouncing on the creature. "I told you to listen to me, get back here, Hylian!" she called when the wolf sped away, its own agenda clearly shining through icy blue irises. Muttering under her breath, she teleported in front of Link and smirked when the beast skidded to a crashing stop. Fear crept in his eyes as Ilia, mocking smile and hovering in the air, queried. "Don't you care about me? Don't you want to save me?" The image morphed into Colin, the boy's mouth open in fear, his entire body trembling. "Link..." the child piteously wailed, "save me."
The beast edged away.
"Hehe," Midna cackled when Link lowered his face to the ground. "How awful of you to run away when your precious ones are in danger. But that is all you are good for aren't you?" She patted a clammy hand on his furry forehead and he jerked back, growling. "Let's get going, Zelda awaits." An unsatisfied rumble emerged from Link's chest and he meekly followed the demon through the window of a tower, past basalt steps which thankfully held his weight and entered the throne room where double doors concealed hefty secrets.
Like the rest of the scenery, the chamber, once flooded in light and buzzing with importance, turned into an achromatic painting. The strip of red velvet carpet cutting through the room and ending at the base of the throne seemed like one continuous blood stain. At the back, past the cluster of stone goddess effigies; stood a cloaked figure, fingers gripping a window trellis. Warm perfume wafted from the obscure individual and after a lengthy pause, the person turned and let down a hood.
Muscles tensing and flushing to the roots of his blue-grey fur, the wolf desperately avoided the princess' all knowing gaze. Sheepishly, he tried to muster the courage to face her however, a few seconds later, the white washed tiles of the floor held greater mysteries. Zelda's visage, calm and collected even in the face of death, pulled him back to a time when he screamed and fumbled backwards, watching a ghost free itself from an ancient rock beneath a sealed crypt. And before he explored the castle's forbidden secrets, her presence reminded him of torturous hours spent in the barracks, a child amongst men, honing his sword skills with stubborn tears streaking his cheeks. Comfort and soft living melted away, the soldiers and castle guards beat into him a spine of steel and here he cowered, afraid the princess might finally found out who released the curse.
"And here we are," the imp shattered the silence. "I present to you the Twilight Princess." A malicious smile revealed her fang and she leaned against Zelda's shoulder.
Twilight...Princess?
The princess glided closer, bent down and brushed her fingers through Link's fur. "Your presence in the castle is much missed," she daintily stated and looked up. "Midna, did you explain the events to him?"
Stripped of all forms of social decorum, the demon prodded Zelda's cheek and rolled her eyes. "I told you I don't speak doggy, you do the honors, princess," she snidely commented and opted to stare out of the window. Straightening, Zelda looked straight into Link's eyes and began a tale.
"We apologize," she said as Link's heart stiffened for the task ahead. "But we are born to do our duties." The sacred wolf nodded, fully prepared to shoulder his destiny. "But let me warn you, this journey will not be easy. The Twilight realm has taken over most of Hyrule."
Fire torches cast an amber glow over the wholesome Ordon village and squatting into the darkness, nose tickled by large patches of wild grass, Link crept low to the ground and spied on a man. The Ordona shield, the pride of the province, now served as a mask for Midna. Inwardly ashamed to have the heirloom demoted into a demon's plaything, he turned his attention back to Rusl. The wounded man patrolled the entrance of his house zealously whilst his pregnant wife stayed at the Mayor's home. Bile soured Link's throat when Rusl's sword whistled in the air. The cries of wolf kept the entire hamlet on guard and it pained him to see the disgusted looks in the villager's eyes. Creeping out of the cover, he crawled directly into Rusl's line of vision, the man would understand, Link hoped.
He had to understand.
A sharp tug on his ear forced him to pause. "Don't you dare think about it doggy," Midna hissed in his ear. "The moment that human sees you, he will either slice you or you will be forced to maim him. Get the sword and we move to Faron woods," she commanded and pushed the shield mask on her head. Gritting his teeth, he sniffed around the house, found a tunnel leading directly to it and dug inside. The warm interior of the comely house greeted him and without wasting time on sentiments, he grabbed the sword, lying on a chair and paused at the disgrace of his actions. "Move!" The imp dug her thighs in his ribs and startled, Link climbed out, spared a last glance at Rusl hobbling on the stone path, at his village and its prized pumpkins flickering in firelight, and he ran away.
The sages tore him from his mother's embrace. Screaming and kicking, he thrashed in their grip. They finally uncovered what they searched for, three accusing triangles marked the back of Link's hand and while he viewed the world through a film of tears, they dragged him away. Mother and Father rushed after him pleading with the sages but they, with their detached faces, robes of light and singular purpose of sealing the great evils of Ganondorf, pulled the child to hone him for his destiny.
Vessels of light.
An otherworldly race practicing the forbidden art of magic.
Twilight which was powerful enough to reduce the Spirits into mere silhouettes of themselves.
All this sang in the wolf's head as he scoured for the Tears of Light. Rotting floor boards creaked under his paws and he slithered in the umbrae whilst Midna kept up an inane, running commentary on how to best attack the shadow beasts. Tuning her high pitched voice out, he pounced on crusty shells, biting through organs filled with tissue fluid. Finished with the critters rummaging in the dilapidated house, Link bounded out, ignored the specter sitting solemnly and turned north. A copse of trees loomed and along with it, an ominous, lilac fog spread over the area. Deciding not to tangle with unknown substances, Link skirted around and paused when Midna floated near a jutting tree branch. Begrudgingly, he leapt heroic distances through the air and crushed insects when he landed. The imp finally flung him when they neared a stone platform and yelping indignantly he managed to land on all fours instead of skidding across. Barking in outrage, Link clammed when four shadow beasts materialized in the area.
He squared his shoulders, eyes darting back and forth, noting movements, weaknesses. The one to his left stumbled.
And Link launched from the ground, burying teeth in the creature's shoulder, it howled in pain, an ear piercing, paralyzing screech. The shadow wilted in Link's grasp and he pulled off, diving into the other one with outstretched claws. Midna crash landed on his back and together, they finished the beasts off. The foreboding barrier around them disintegrated and the wolf laid his eyes on intricate slabs of carved stone. Briefly forgetting about the Tears of Light, he marveled at the antediluvian shrine. Cobwebs, dusted in dirt, slung in corners and wooden poles, carved with looping circles, rose from the floor. A giant, sticky web of skulltula silk obscured the entrance and he sniffed around, searching for ways inside the temple. A sharp command from Midna had Link skulking back to the two insects hiding in plain sight and he snapped his jaws over their exoskeletons. Acrid liquid gushed into his mouth and he licked his lips.
Disgusting.
Midna held the Vessel of Light, flinching at his pearlescent brilliance. "You know doggy, we make a good team, don't you think?" she asked as they trudged back through the forest, the Ordona shield firmly fixed on her impish face.
The sooner I get rid of you, Link vowed to himself, the better it is for my sanity.
XXXXX
Birth of a new hero clad in green.
Eyes heavy with sleep and groggily climbing down the ladder leading to his cozy, top bunk bed, Link registered the smell of Elixir soup, a thin line of sticky drool ran down the corner of his lips and not bothering to change out of his crumpled, crayfish printed pajamas, he waddled to the kitchen, salivating all the way. In the hearth, suspended over a fire, a cast iron pot bubbled and the heavenly aroma of his favorite soup wafted out in palls of transparent smoke. Mouth inching into a vapid smile, he stood next to his grandma whilst she turned around and pressed him into a warm embrace. Fully awake and burying his face into a loving hug, Link separated and his pitch irises shone mischievously. Obviously grandma would never forget. She smiled, happiness radiated from the corners of her wrinkled eyes and presented a set of clothes to him.
"Happy Birthday my boy." Grandma's fragile voice boomed and Link stood taller, hair disheveled but face bright. "You are a twelve year old man today!" she exclaimed and he burst with pride. "And in honoring our tradition, go, put on these clothes and let me see what a handsome young fellow you are." Eagerly, he took the set from his grandmother and unfolded them.
Eww.
Lips twisting into a grimace, he held the unfashionable tunic and tights away from him. And the cap, surely grandma did not want him to wear this...Floppy...thing. Face morphing into a cute scowl; he moaned, "Do I have to wear this?" Link picked the belt and the near transparent skin tight pants. "This looks old and hot and ug-" he complained but the elder shushed him.
"It's just for one day my boy," she stirred the soup, "and the tradition, we mustn't break it least tragedy befall us." Unable to say no to her expectations, he hobbled back to his room and rolled his eyes on nearing the mirror. Pensively, Link hovered to the side and with a resigned sigh, stepped in front of the looking glass.
A lean built adolescent stared back at him and Link blushed. The man inside the mirror possessed a shock of sandy hair, icy blue irises and a perfect, well-muscled figure draped in inconveniently thick clothes. Link never understood why he saw this person and when he was young, he excitedly dragged Aryll and Grandma to say Hi to the stranger. His family exchanged puzzled looks and declared that only the gaping expression of Link reflected at them. From there, he kept this secret to himself. The adolescent in the mirror copied his movements and Link hoped, dearly hoped he would grow up to be as handsome as his inexplicable reflection. After admiring the stranger and the tenacity in his eyes, he grudgingly stripped his pajamas and pulled the so called 'Hero's Garb' on. The tunic smelled of mothula balls but fitted him snugly and a belt cinched at the waist. Face twisting into despair, he slipped inside the tights and frowned when they stretched over the legs. The worn leather boots were not so bad but the cap. Jabun no, he's not going to wear this windsock!
Unfortunately, Grandma smoothed the material over his puffy locks and beamed so brightly, Link swallowed his misgivings and waited impatiently for his bowl of soup. Alas, she told him to meet up with Aryll and they could sit for breakfast together.
But first things first.
Birthday rupees.
The inhabitants of Outset Island opened their doors to firm but insistent knocking. Sunlight rested on Link's puff of golden hair and he stood on the threshold, tiny hand expectantly outstretched and an impish smile showing blinding white teeth. People laughed, the infectious smile on the birthday boy's face spread to them and they eagerly heaped rupees into his pudgy hands. Green, crimson and the occasional orange fell into Link's fingers and he gleefully whooped, exhibiting his treasure to the other kids. Zill tried to reach for the little chest Link carried and horrified by the growing amount of snot leaking from the young boy's nose, Link shrilly screeched and ran off to the beach.
Resisting to go for a swim early in the morning, he skipped to the western side of the village. A white picket fence sheltered a vegetable patch and inside it a man, blue rings stamped under hollow eyes, lazily weeded the garden. Rushing through the fence and trampling a cabbage and maybe a couple of turnips along the way, the blonde boy held his chest out and grinned smugly. Mesa straightened, slung his sickle on a shoulder and wiped dirt stained fingers on grubby overalls. Trilling laughter he handed a purple rupee and delighted, Link ran off, jumping to dodge sea spray from dotting his tunic.
"Link!" Orca, belly puffed and rib bones creating a sharp outline on his chest, framed the doorway. The weapons master twirled his spear in the air and stabbed the ground when Link refused to heed his call. Pouting, the birthday boy protectively clutched his trove of money and stared at the old man. "Come to practice!" boomed Orca, silver grey hair billowing dramatically in the wind. From above, Sturgeon screamed at his brother to leave the boy alone and dropped an orange rupee before waddling back inside the house. Exuberant, Link tried to dodge the surly form of his sword's teacher but the old man did not budge. "A warrior must hone their skills all the time," Orca pressured and beckoned him inside the house, "you are a man now and your sword skills are basic at most. Birthday or not. Oi!"
Sniggering quietly, Link zoomed past the aghast old man. "No practice for me today!" he sang, hat sailing in the air. "It's my birthday today and you didn't even give me any rupees." He stuck his tongue out and gallivanted over a wooden bridge spanning over the inlet of water. The watchtower loomed and he squinted at Aryll, moving at the top. Clopping over the bridge, he stopped to accept a heap of green rupees and lodging the little chest between his belt; he began the arduous climb upwards. Weather-beaten rungs rubbed his skin raw and the wind whipped into a stiff breeze. Although, the stupid cap failed to drop from his head. Hauling himself into the tower and panting, Link stumbled backwards when Aryll hugged him tightly, her eyes shone and he drew taller with a self-important air.
He was a man today.
"Happy Birthday big brother!" His adorable sister pecked him on the cheek. "Since it is a special day for you, I have a special gift," Aryll declared and held her telescope out. Forgetting his box of rupees, Link held the slim spyglass reverently and smiled softly. "And don't think I'll give it to you permanently." The smile drooped. "I'll lend it to you just for today." Shaking his head at his sister's shenanigans, he nevertheless accepted his temporary gift and at her prodding, put one end to his eye. "What do you see?" she queried excitedly. "Tell me, aren't seagulls the cutest birds in the world?"
A large bird with a two toned plumage and a vivid tail, soared into view and Link stared. "Um...I see a very colorful and big bird." His voice pitched in excitement. "It's huge, I don't think this is a seagull Aryll."
"Big brother!" Aryll shook him violently and he nearly dropped the prized telescope. "Look, a person...She-" fear prevented her from speaking and she latched on Link. Transfixed, the brother and sister watched a girl dangle from the bird's hooked talons whilst a gigantic ship, the likes Link never saw before, tailed the creature and shot cannonballs. A thunderous crack pulsed against his eardrums and he protectively swept Aryll closer to him. She fidgeted and pointed again when the girl dropped from the bird's talons and plummeted into Fairy Forest. "We have to help her!" Aryll looked at Link hopefully. "We can't leave her alone."
What would that man in the mirror do?
Confidence gleamed in icy blue eyes. His stature screamed of strength, honor and duties.
"Let's go help her," Link announced, squared up and made for the exit. "Climb down after me, I'll go into the woods and you stay with Grandma." Aryll squeaked a protest. "No," the boy told her firmly. "I'll do this on my own, just wait for me okay?" He smiled reassuringly to his sister and she returned it with a watery one of her own.
Standing in Orca's house, Link's eyes roamed over the array of weapons stacked against the wall, his practice sword seemed awfully tiny and useless in comparison and therefore he hefted a bulky, broad blade off the rack. The weight of polished steel hurt his skinny wrists and grimacing, the blonde placed it back on the shelf. Link could not fight with spears, a customary twirl with one of Orca's ones had him careering wildly and splintering a wooden stool in half. Praying for the owner not to return, Link guiltily replaced the spear and picked his sword. He sidled out of the house, ran to the beach where the entire island congregated and making a sharp turn, climbed the ridge leading to Fairy Forest. Legs trembling but determined to prove to the village that he possessed warrior spirit, Link sprinted along the rocky ledge, pacing his breathing. The wind atop the mountain nearly knocked him off his feet but fists clenched; he forged forward, crossed the dangerously swaying rope bridge and entered the forest.
A blue, weird thing with a skull belt guarded the entrance to the forest and Link nearly wet himself in fear. Focused on the monster leering at him, he failed to see a rock jutting out from the ground and tripped, nearly smashing his front teeth. Scrambling up, he stared at the monster and the roar of blood filled his ears.
The short sword whistled out of its leather sheath and Link hoped the shiny blade will scare the monster away. Unimpressed, the bokoblin brought out a club and the sword nearly slipped from the wielder's sweat drenched grasp. Sucking in a deep breath and coal eyes hardening with purpose, Link clumsily stabbed, his brain rewinding and digging through sword lessons. A battle cry rend the air and he twirled, not really aware of his surroundings, something wet splashed on his face; Link paused, cringed and relinquished its sword, sticking in the monster's chest. Swallowing thickly, he touched his face and screwed his eyes shut when red painted his fingers.
Wiping the sword blade on the overgrown grass and retching, Link pressed forward. To his relief, no other monsters greeted him. Searching the undergrowth frantically, he stumbled over fallen logs, backtracked and floundered over rocks and sweat plastered the tunic to his body. Breathless and falling over a log Link knew wasn't there before, he looked up and blinked. A young girl swayed from a tree branch above him and the bough cracked. Pushing himself into an upright position, the boy scrutinized her features, sun kissed skin, pointy ears and was she getting closer?
Oompf!
Link gasped when the stranger landed squarely on him. Fortunately, the fall shook her from unconsciousness and she daintily woke up and took a moment to survey her surroundings. Beneath her, Link's heated protest fell on deaf ears and he heaved. "Get off!" he screeched, words muffled, "you're heavy and crushing my...Ow!"
"Tetra!" A rough voice pierced through the forest canopy and the girl jumped up. A man with a strawberry nose, red bandanna and a tuft of chest hair peeking from beneath a v-necked vest, barreled into the clearing and immediately fell upon the ungrateful female known as Tetra. "I'm so sorry for not shooting down the Helmarock King, our aim was off because we were afraid we might hit you." He turned his bear like gaze at Link who merely sniffed at him. "And did this boy rescue you?" he asked and Tetra nodded absentmindedly, she marched to the entrance of the forest and Gonzo fell in step behind her. "You have my thanks young boy." The pirate boomed and Link held his hand out.
Pay up, he trimly demanded.
Walking out of the sinister shade of Fairy Forest and into the golden rays of sun, Link immediately perked when Aryll waved from the other side of the bridge. Heartbeat returning to normal, he laced his hands behind his head and smiled wanly. His sister waved again, skipped to the middle of the swinging bridge and a shadow fell over her. Face losing color, Aryll turned and crouched down to the wooden slats, making herself small, however, the Helmarock King tore through the flimsy bridge, grasped the squealing girl into a dirt begrimed talon and glided off to the west.
No...
No.
NO!
Link blindly careered forward, driven by one goal only. Run after the damned bird and rescue his sister.
Background sounds fell away and he jumped. "Aryll." he screamed. "Aryll!" He writhed and turned, trying to twist free from a grasp holding him back.
"Are you out of your mind?!" A voice smacked him back to reality and he shivered on looking downwards. "If I didn't hold on to you," Tetra groaned with effort and pulled him up, "you would've died."
The birthday boy was not listening. Irises dilated in fear, he mechanically sprung to his legs and searched for another way downwards. Falls and scrapes bloomed on his hands, bluish bruises mapped his skin. Winded and stumbling to the beach where the entire island congregated around a colossal ship, Link ran to his grandma and buried his aching body in her comforting one.
"It took her," his stated and quivered. "Is it because I didn't wanna wear this stupid tunic?" Link blathered; the morning's events became a fog in his mind. "Are the gods punishing me? Has tragedy befallen us?" Grandmother gently soothed him but refused to speak and Link knew, if she spoke, her soft, gentle tone would crack.
Eyes shining with unshed tears, Grandma watched her precious grandson stiffly sitting at the dinner table.
He did not eat.
A bowl of elixir soup gradually grew cold in front of Link and he blinked.
A teardrop plopped into his soup.
And he refused to change from his filthy, green 'Hero's Tunic'
Another teardrop joined the first one, burrowing through vegetables and rich, creamy broth.
The setting sun painted the kitchen's checkered curtains into blood and amber.
Seagulls squawked outside. Sorry whispers and condolences poured from neighbors' lips.
For once, Orca did not pester him to train.
"Night Grandma." Link tautly laid his spoon beside the uneaten bowl of soup and treaded out of the kitchen. He wrenched off his cap, climbed the ladder to his bed and buried himself under a handmade quilt. Wide eyed, he stared at the ceiling and the day's events played like a slow motion pictogram in his mind. Aryll, waving cheerfully at him and crossing the rope bridge. An ominous shadow...how did he miss that? Aryll screaming and screaming and screaming for help as the gigantic bird soared into the vast blue sky.
Screams plagued his dreamless sleep.
When Link woke the morning, he stared at the spot above his bed. It missed a shield. Frantically, he jumped down, smoothed the floppy cap over tousled locks and searched the house for the family heirloom. Hearing raised voices; he sprinted outside to find a commotion. Tetra and her pirate crew kicked up a fuss on the beach and their ship cast a long shadow over the island's inhabitants. A sense of dreadful urgency seeped in Link's movements and he dove back inside the house, upending beds, searching underneath the table and peering into the hearth. The aegis failed to turn up. Wondering if Grandmother somehow read his thoughts and hid the shield, Link doubled back to the bedroom and halted at the mirror.
The confident, handsome man stared back at him through eyes holding an animalistic purpose. Shrugging his reflection off, the blonde boy searched to no avail and finally scampered out of his humble home.
Grandma stood alongside the villagers, in her varicose veined hands, Link glimpsed the shield. She turned around and the duo paused. "Why would anyone..." Grandmother trailed off, beckoned Link closer and pressed the oversized sheet of decorated metal into his hands. "I know you need it," she whispered. "Take it my boy and here, this as well." Link's breath hitched when she produced a bulging sack of money. "These are my savings, use them wisely." Grandma pressed a feathery kiss on the boy's forehead and tears welled up in his eyes. Furiously blinking the moisture away, he marched to the pirate ship and stood square shouldered in front of Tetra.
"I want to come with you," the boy in green stated and Tetra scoffed. "You must take me," Link insisted. "Aryll is there and I must rescue her." His tone assumed a pleading quality. "She's my sister, she trusts me to save her."
The pirate captain rolled her eyes. "Oh really, and why would I want to take a pipsqueak like you on board?"
Link did not smile but he held a wooden chest. "I got rupees."
Gonzo and Tetra exchanged glances. Deal. They both nodded.
Climbing up the gangplank, a violent bout of nausea seized Link and he crawled on deck, fighting his way across the swaying floor and standing right next to the railings, where he drunk in the view of Grandma's withered face and pinprick eyes full of tears. The ship lurched in the water and a sailcloth billowed in a north-westerly wind. Shouts, orders and curses, which would make Aryll flush in shame, peppered the deck and men scrambled about, ready to set sail. The hubbub soared over Link's head as he waved solemnly to his grandma. Tears coursed down his cheeks and he tasted salt.
"I'll be back," he blubbered. "I'll come back with Aryll, so wait for me Grandma!" he wailed and gulped in air as the pirate captain watched him unsympathetically. "And when we get back, make sure to make my favorite soup!" Wind whisked his words away and Grandma hiccupped.
Her eyes snapped shut and swaying, she collapsed to the ground as the villagers rushed to her aid.
A sailor's bellow startled Link out of his catatonic state. Limbs stiff, he wearily followed the voice and stood next to Tetra. The pirate crew regarded him with dismissive stares and he blanched at the fortress rising from the flat horizon of water. Powerful search lights pierced the dusky sky and the Helmarock King roosted in a nest fixed to one of the rocky outcroppings of the stone tree-like building. Another abandoned ship tangled in the turrets and ignoring the pieces of rotting wood, Link fixated on the fort entrance. Tetra and her group conspired in whispered voices and when they fell silent, the blonde turned to find them all staring at him.
"Yo-you can't be serious!" Link sputtered and squirmed inside the barrel. The rest of the pirates gathered on the other end of the catapult and sniggered.
"Do you want to save your sister or not?" Tetra demanded and winked. "We can't get in any other way and besides, this is a stealth operation, you see all those search lights?" She pointed to the eye watering beams of light. "A ship of this size will be spotted immediately, so your mission is to infiltrate, switch off those lights so we can get in and rescue your sister. Easy for a legendary hero such as you, right?" She grinned like a cat and nodded to her crew mates. Left without a choice, Link stopped wriggling and tensed. "Don't worry, my men are experts, we will vault you smoothly in one of the upper rooms," Tetra pointed to a glassless window swarming with seagulls, "there, in the very same cell as your sister." Her face became business like. "Is everything ready?" Gonzo nodded and saluted. "Fire!" The mistress commanded and the catapult sprang with a creak.
Airborne, Link trailed an ear curdling scream which scared the giant bird off its perch. Still screeching murder and praying to Jabun to save his sorry hide, he face planted against the side of the main tower, the impact jarred his sword from its holster and the weapon flew and clanged to Nayru knew where. Dizzy with pain, Link peeled off the stone facade and dropped. A stream of blood diffused into the seawater.
The cold numbed him. Was this worth it? Link wondered and flopped to the raised pavement. Salt stung his open wounds and everything became blurry. A whistle sounded suspiciously close to him and he immediately whipped his shield out and cowered underneath its protective surface.
"It's me, Tetra." A disembodied voice spoke and Link jumped, he felt a weight in his pocket and brought out a luminous stone threaded in rope. "I'm sorry for the landing," Link rolled his eyes at her apology, "and I saw your sword flying to the top most tower, you must retrieve it," the captain stressed urgently. "For now, I suggest you avoid the glare of the searchlights, monsters, sentries and the Helmarock King. Don't try to engage anything without a weapon."
The voice died and he put the rock back into his pocket. Wiping away tears, which involuntarily surfaced each time he thought of Aryll and Grandma, Link hardened his resolve and ascended the steps.
Weapon or no weapon, Link decided he was not going to confront any beast prowling the towers. Their sizes frightened him and they carried spears twice his height. Shuffling behind a barrel and avoiding the dimwitted stare of a moblin, the boy squinted to see further. His vision clouded from the previous impact. Scooting out of the barrel's cover, he attempted to rocket across the bridge of stone but unaware of his surroundings, Link came to a screeching halt when a moblin spotted him. Lantern swinging, the beefy monster gave chase and the young hero streaked into the gloom, arms flailing, cap whipping and heart beating. Legs running faster than ever before, he tripped and cracked his skull on the unforgiving granite. A searing pain blotted his senses and fighting against the impending unconsciousness; Link eventually got a close up of the Moblin's grinning mug and passed out.
Sweet relief.
Waking up to the mother of all headaches, Link swiftly cursed and gauged his surroundings. A crude wooden shelf filled with pottery vases, cropped in his blurry vision and a low table, beset with three-legged stools, dominated the center. He whirled around, clutched his head and retched. Thick steel bars roped the room and he slumped.
In a jail cell, again?
Frowning, he crouched and searched for an exit but found none. One other thing nagged the boy.
Where in Hyrule was Midna?
A/N: Another LOZ fanfic that is not a cross-over. I miss writing cross-overs, why did I even start writing in the first place? If this fic reminds you of Kingdom of Zelda, please note that it won't cause cancer of the eyes while reading.
Hopefully.
Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated and please read and review. Most importantly, enjoy, life is too short to be reading stuff that hurt your eyes and brain.
Disclaimer: I do not own Legend of Zelda. I didn't even play Breath of the Wild!
This fic is for Eevee, I hope you are happy, wherever you are. And for Jack54311 for all the support and listening to my rants and for being there. This fic is also for Yeniffer Walker, thanks for the silent support