It's the Poes that told me about it. To you, they just sound like they're cackling, but I always understood every word they said. I guess it's because I'm a magic being too, being a fairy partner.
I'm glad you could never understand them. They were cruel, and at first I thought that was all there was to it. I figured they were making it up. I'm not sure when I realized they weren't... I think it was just a bit at a time.
I asked Rauru about it while you slept for seven years. Rauru's way older than you probably think, and he's been in the Sacred Realm for a long time... he knows stuff. Bad stuff for the most part... some good too, but when it comes to you, mostly bad.
Not that you're bad. You're not bad at all. You know that, right? You're good. You're real good. And that just makes it worse because even a silly little fairy like me can tell it's really unfair.
What I'm trying to say is that all the cruel scary stuff the Poes were saying is true. They told me about your first lifetime, and about your afterlife.
Rauru tried not to tell me. He said I was better off not knowing. He said that once you believe Poes, they can do more than talk, they can make you see the stuff, and hear it, like you were right there.
He was right.
We've run into a lot of Poes. Did you ever notice? They're all over the place. Most times you didn't even bother fighting them and you just ran past them, but they always had enough time to say something to me, to show something to me.
They showed me when you defeated a Demon called Demise. He was the Demon King, apparently. It wasn't quite you, I guess, but it was sort of you. What I mean is that it was your past life, your first life. I saw Demise curse your spirit and Hylia's blood to always find yourself faced with his hatred, over and over again for all eternity. I don't remember his exact words. Doesn't matter because I know what happened out of it.
The Poes showed me when you died too. That first life I mean. It was of old age, it was peaceful and painless, but... I forgot to tell you. You were really, really in love with Hylia... the first Zelda. She was the actual Goddess but she'd made herself a mortal because it was going to help defeat Demise or something... I never understood the details but they don't matter. You guys really loved each other a ton. She died before you did and when you died too, you were glad you'd finally be reunited.
They showed me your spirit leave an old body and rush towards her. She was waiting to embrace you, and you were both so happy. You both looked like grown ups that weren't really old yet, and you almost made it to her. I knew something bad was going to happen because remember, the Poes told me about this before I actually saw it. And I was still smiling and happy too because you were both so happy and it just made me happy too and it made me forget for a second.
And then, when you were just a step away or so, you were suddenly in a cage that flew away from her. I think she figured out what was happening right away because her eyes widened and she started crying and screaming your name right away. You reached out between the bars, and she reached out too, and she was running towards you, but she couldn't catch up and she disappeared.
You were just really confused at first, and trying to get out of the cage. I saw Demise appear to you then and gloat. He said this was the result of his curse – she was in the normal afterlife, she was moved on, and you never would be. In between lifetimes of fighting the spawns of his hatred for you and Hyrule, you'd be here, alone, waiting.
And I guess you remembered the curse, and you understood what was happening because you started screaming Zelda's name, and you tried and tried to break the cage, and you tried to attack Demise, but you were both just spirits so he just laughed and vanished.
And I saw a bunch more time where your past lives died, too. You'd be there again, in the cage, every time. And you'd remember again after a bit, and you'd hurt again. And you'd be alone.
That's the part I couldn't take. You'd be alone, completely alone in this cage, and you'd just want to be with the people you love again. And with each lifetime, there's more of them, even though it's the first one that always seems to hurt the most. I think you were real soulmates, it's all I can figure, and your souls got separated forever so of course that hurts. Or maybe it's because you saw how hurt she was too, and you never get to see anyone else. All those other times, you'd just be in the cage right away, alone already with nobody around.
I got so mad. I hid it from you, I did my very best to make sure you didn't find out any of this because then you might at least enjoy the time you were alive once you got done defeating Ganon. But I was so sad, and so angry, that I couldn't hide it from everyone. Someone else noticed.
You know about four Goddesses. The three golden ones, and Hylia. But there are a lot more gods and goddesses in Hyrule and outside of it. And there's this one, he's the God OF the afterlife. He just calls himself Death.
He found me because I was so angry about something related to him that it was like I was telling him off personally. I wasn't, didn't even know he existed. But anyway, I told him what I was mad about, and he looked at you and just said "Ah, yes. Him." You're kind of outside the norm, so I guess he knew about you because you stand out.
He didn't mind helping, but he said that with this stuff, he can't give for nothing to one mortal, or two, or whatever. He has to be 100% fair, he can't do anyone any favour. I don't know if he was saying the truth, but I think he was.
He also said he couldn't break the curse. I must have asked him to think harder, and begged him to find a way, about a dozen time in the few minutes we talked. But he said there was absolutely no way for him to do that. Do you think that means there'd be a way for someone else? I hope so.
I was really upset and I told him how you were all alone in a cage, and that wasn't fair, and he said that part, he and I could help with. The alone part. But it would cost me because he had to be fair.
The deal was that I could be with you when you were there. Between lifetimes. I could be there, I could be your friend and be there for you forever, but only when you needed me most because nobody else was there. And it had to start as soon as my oath was done, and I had to respect the deal – I had to just vanish from your life without a word, without a good bye, because as long as you were alive, you didn't need me. You had others around for you.
It's lucky I promised the Great Deku Tree I'd help you defeat Ganondorf, otherwise I think I would have had to leave right away. Instead I was able to leave only once it was all over.
I'm sorry it made you sad when I disappeared. I know you went looking for me. But I had to. You understand, right?
I'm telling you this now before you get here because I don't want to explain why I did it once you do get here. You'll remember and you'll understand quick enough, you don't need me to spell it out, but I needed to. Because sometimes it's hard.
The life we spent together was so long ago, and each time you come back, you don't know who I am at first. You're upset at losing other people, and I get that, and that's why I want to be there at least, and I still do. But it's still sad because you're still sad. Even once you remember me, because then you remember Hylia too, and the other Zeldas, and a bunch of other people, and I'm glad I'm here to be a friend but I hate that you need me still, after all this time. I've never been the jealous type, I guess that's why I'd be really happy if you barely ever talked to me anymore because you were finally able to be with everyone else, and with Hylia.
*.*.*
Navi stopped her monologue to the dying man who couldn't hear it when his soul finally left his flesh. In his sleep again, peaceful and painless again. There was that at least.
The soul was in the cage without transition, and as usual, looked around in complete confusion until he saw her.
"Hey!" Navi said in greetings, glowing in lieu of a human smile he wouldn't have seen anyway. "Nice to meet you again, Link. I'm Navi, and I'm your partner, and I'm your friend! Forever!"