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Story so far: -
Tai, a gerudo, summoned the power of her god Nura and used the power to free Ganondorf Dragmire. Ganon captured Nura's power and used it to destroy Hyrule. However, Zelda and Link awake in the alternate dimension of Nurai, the land that Nura created, and also the homeland of the gerudos.
Tai also wakes up in Nurai, but discovers that Ganon who she always supposed to be her king, is actually not that role any more. He has not been for the last 17 years. Instead she decides to join a group of incredibly skilled warriors called the Xi, who may be able to tell her where the real gerudo king is. However, instead she finds that she no longer cares about the Gerudo king and just wants to learn about the Xi ways from her teacher Bren. While completing her second task she finds that for a brief moment that her body seems to control itself without her input.
Link is awakened by a priest of the Nuran church who is called Nala. However, while Link is still confined to bed a Kalen (a mysterious group who all the Nuran people seem to hate) breaks in a gives Link a mysterious broach.
Nala reveals that Link's coming and also the emergence of a mysterious pirate queen called Hail are all part of a prophecy. This prophecy predicts that the world will come to an end in a time called the Distile. The only chance Link has to stop it is to find the six sages who are somewhere in Nura. Hoping to recruit more help Link and Nala travel to Nurai's capital Asreal where they are due to meet in the Glass Temple. Link meets an Xi calling herself Tanya and the two become uneasy friends.
Nurai's history is revealed to Link in a meeting inside the Glass Temple, however half way through an earthquake (one of the prophesied signs of the Distile) strikes. While trying to evacuate the building a huge D'Ran knife that long ago had been used in sacrifices falls to the floor. To the horror of Nala and Tanya it falls on Link, crushing and killing…
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Nine
It was a sea. Before it had been pain; his whole body conspiring against him. Even its memory seemed to be fading away and join into and become the nothingness
How to describe the nothing – a sea of consciousness? For that was what he was floating through, filled of nothing but knowledge and... And...
"Life?"
It wasn't a thing speaking to him, it was an all; a crystal with unlimited facets that looked different from every side. At once it was Rauru and his wisdom; Malon and her sense of fun, even Ganondorf and his sneering. It could surround him and be individual at the same time, or even live through an object as simple as a field of grass. It seemed to him that he himself was choosing what it looked like, yet whatever it was wasn't unaware of the form it was taking. It wasn't controlling his eyes directly but maybe it could influence his mind.
"Where am I?" he asked.
"Everywhere," said the now scornful form of Tanya.
"Tanya?" from him.
"No, silly," laughed Saria. They were on the bridge from the Lost Woods. As before, he knew that the reason he was there because he expected to be there. Somehow, this it was beyond simple places
Link was glad that his mind, or its or whatever had chosen Saria. It made him feel safe and comfortable and he couldn't help hoping that the image would stay like this. "You've got to let go of her," told Malon in the same voice as when she challenged him to a race. It was almost a metaphor for his life he reflected ironically. At first the safety of Saria and then the independence and games of Malon.
"Looks like I'll have to help you." This from Navi while the were still outside the Deku Tree. He smiled, there was one voice he hadn't heard for a while even before he had come to Nurai. His memories of his first quest were infested with her unstoppable voice. Somewhere along the line he must have actually got fond of her.
Now it was Zelda's courtyard and the princess herself - "This will help."
And then it came:
*–*
Dark lightning split down through the sky as the wind battered by. The old man cowered against the small stone wall that protected him from the vicious rain. The dry soil of yesterday had turned into a river of mud and, unsurprisingly, he did not feel like sitting down in it.
He swallowed hard and tried to think of what he should do next, where his next hiding place would be. The idea of simply letting it all end came to him once again, but with difficulty he pushed it back down, his survival spirit just winning.
He began to side-step around the edge of the great stone building he had found, looking for an entrance. He began to uselessly wish that the rain would just stop for five minutes so he could actually look properly. A howl broke out in the air from the east and the man, shuddered, knowing that he would not have long to escape in.
The howls got closer and closer as he edged round, until finally he saw the black hound walk fiercely from the bushes. It growled menacingly and jumped towards him, barring its teeth. The man shrank back, but kept moving. The wolf slowly stepped nearer again.
The man walked into a branch of a sharp spike covered tree and winced in pain. Keeping his jaw clenched he broke off a long section of the branch, and swung it wildly at the wolf. The wolf yelped in pain and jumped backwards, but was soon marching forward again.
Desperately the man wildly tried to keep the wolf back while he made his way round, looking for a way in. The black shape flung itself forward and with its sharp teeth managed to bite off most of the branch, although not without obvious pain in its mouth. But the ploy had done its purpose – the short branch he had now would be of little use.
The old man suddenly stopped and wondered where the rest of the pack was. Why was the wolf hunting alone? Sweat broke out on his forehead as the wolf got even closer - its teeth right next to his coat. He closed his eyes and waited for death, trying to remember the proper prayers to make.
The wolf jumped and its teeth connected with the mans throat, even as destiny occurred. For a large bolt of electricity had from the clouds jumped down to their, frozen in this moment, connected vessels of life. The man screamed in pain as the heat poured through his skull and down his neck. The agony was more than he had ever known, and his whole being just wanted it to end.
And then it stopped. There was no more pain, no more weariness. He was not afraid of the wolf any more. He was not cold any more. But he did live. He did not know how, but he was still conscious. But where, and so much more importantly, what was he?
*–*
"But later." The astronomer from Termina welcomed him back, the familiar Goron mountains to the north and across the gentle hills the Deku Swamp to the south..
"In time you will understand," explained Shiek, answering the unasked question.
"You wish to seek the Princess of Destiny?" The Deku Tree, its bark not yet grey asked.
"Then there I will take you," offered the being whose name would always be more simply remembered as just the 'owl'. And once again Link felt the familiar rush of feathers and exhilaration as he sped upwards.
*–*
Ganondorf found that he spent most of his time marching along corridors. In a way, he was glad that he had finally destroyed Hyrule, but that was only a first step. This other annoying land which had appeared seemed to be just as full of potential heroes as Hyrule had.
The first step would be to try and get the local chief bad guy to serve him. The pirate called Hail would be a valuable servant indeed. She could be his primary defence.
And second of course, he had their God.
He used the sceptre to call her and smiled as a Gerudo woman appeared on the other side of the room. Instinctively he knew the truth about the image she has chosen..
"Ahh...Nura," he said, still smiling.
"What do you want?" she asked, not bothering to keep the annoyance out of her voice.
"You have a small gift, that is not granted to us..." he paused for an instant and then, "'mortals'."
"What?" she asked sarcastically.
"Can't you remember?" he laughed at her.
"What... what do you mean?"
"I've been reading up on these Kalen. It is of no matter. As you did before for one of my kind, you will do now."
"What?" she said, her voice dangerous.
"You will tell my future," he replied.
Nura laughed in contempt but obediently closed her eyes and thought for a few seconds. "It is hazy... I can not see anything specific."
"My future!" roared Ganondorf angrily, "First, will I ever rule a land again like I did before?"
Nura paused, sighed, and then answered, "Yes."
Ganon was much brightened by this statement. "And will Zelda or Link stop me?"
"The Hero of Time will not stop you."
"Do not play games with me," Ganon said quietly, "What of Zelda?"
Nura laughed. "How could she?"
Ganon smiled again. "Why?"
And so she told him. And Ganondorf laughed, finally happy to wait, and do his role in this long prophesied play. It would be fun indeed..
*–*
"The future is never clear." This time it was Impa warning him, and to his surprise he found for the moment that her image stayed constant. This wasn't the same as before, instead of an all this Impa seemed to be an individual. He was felt separate and on his own, almost lonely.
"Then I can stop this happening?"
"Possibly you may. Remember Link, we are but pawns in this great game. You are luckier than the others and the gods have given you the symbol of their power. You are given the gift of being free of time."
Link nodded. "I know. I can travel between different years or days."
"That's not what I mean," said Impa shaking her head. "Have you ever fallen down a cliff or been beaten by one of Ganondorf's monsters?"
"No."
"I tell you that you have, perhaps many times yet you do not remember it. You are able to fall off a bridge fifty times and still try once again as if nothing has happened.
"But you are being noticed by others – o their powers and it can not last. Your protection will not hold for long. The spirit that is protecting you can give you perhaps one more chance and then it all will be over and done. You will recognise her symbol when it comes."
Link looked at the old woman and the whiteness that surrounded them and asked, "Where am I?"
"This is where everything that is not physical is stored. Facts, dreams even those who call themselves gods. To here all that are dead travel."
Link stared into those eyes and wondered who was really speaking to him.
"Are they really gods?" The question was inevitable.
"They believe so. But they don't control their own destiny – and they are not as absolute as they would seem. All I know is, if their is some ultimate power we were not chosen to know about it."
He considered for a while. "Can I return to Nurai?"
"When you do," Impa answered, "you will hardly remember any of this. And you will not be able to return, at least until your real death. I will have to release my control and cast you into the knowledge, I am sorry for that, for it will hinder you. But it is the only way for them to realise that you do not belong here."
He nodded, wondering why she regretted it.
"But first," she finished, "there is someone you wanted to see."
*–*
A seagull flew lazily by as Hail let herself be supported by the cool ocean water. She was resting in a deserted small bay while on the other side of the small island that they had discovered a few hours ago the ship anchored.. The crew would have their own leisure time later, but until then Hail had ordered no one to even come in sight of this side of the island. For the first time in months she had peace and privacy to allow her to consider. And yet, not even now she seemed to ever be able to relax.
Her mind was constantly in a whirl, spinning between three ever returning states. First there was a cold tactical mind that dominating, twisting between future lines of attack and possible victories. Those were always the easy times. Then there was the times that made her panic – the moments when castles and lakes and even huge mountains with a fiery ring at the top came back to her. Or the boy in green, he was always returning to her dreams and thoughts. The weirdest thing was that she knew that she should know these places and people, but try as she might she could not recall any details of them.
But the third type was the strangest, and normally she was so curious that she had no time to be worried. It came much less frequently and was always the faintest as the times came perhaps once or twice a week. Sometimes there would be the green fields and mountains again, the same locations but somehow different times. But the scene that came the most was a desert, a ring of stones and a strangely terrifying knife.
Her logical mind was never scared as it was too thinking of events ahead, and the strands of time left. Somehow she would have to find the way to predict what everything was doing and then overcome them all. So far she had been using basic tactics. Yet the army of a country which had not seen war for so long was untrained, and Hail found it easy to elude them all. But now the confrontation was coming.
She had not needed all the reports to tell her that Black was coming after her. And that was bad news. Black was a con artist and that helped him inspire people when needed. The latest reports said that he had 50 ships under his command. Whichever way you looked at it, 50 ships was 50 ships, a few hundred men and women and almost as many cannons aimed right at her..
Yet there was still hope – there would always be hope as long as she was alive. She still had two weapons that Black was unaware of, and she meant to keep it that way; for they were strong, but only in secrecy. Besides, she sensed that she still had a role to play beyond this battle. Yet another mysterious man of green occasionally called to her.
Dizkre's family had served generations in waiting just to give her the precious Calalite and she could not help feeling slightly grateful. For it was undoubtedly more valuable than gold or diamonds, and many would have risked their lives for the fortune it would bring if found.
Only now were the memories of the great conflict it had started were beginning to fade. Yet a few questions to some of the crew or even a stranger would quickly unblock a stream of anecdotes.
As far as she had learnt it all started after Calalite's property had first been discovered. Its secret was simple – nothing else known on the planet was as explosive. When fire was held near it would seem to absorb the heat easily for a few seconds. But then, an instant later it would all change – the stone would annihilate itself and everything in the surrounding area. It was said that a gram of the material could destroy a tower.
Soon the rich houses had quickly stockpiled the material as quickly as it could be mined. Everyone was afraid of what a few rebels would do with the explosive. The stones themselves were mined in the snow lands, where using a special process the explosive power could be gradually leaked out until they were relatively harmless. But disaster struck before the procedure could become common place.
After stealing two tonnes of the material from a royal ship the long feared rebels tried to destroy every stone left to give themselves a powerful monopoly in the material. Every rebel had a standard method - cover the ground of the target with fuel, run and throw a burning torch. Many of the rebels didn't survive, but neither did the stone. The rich houses found themselves in a dangerous situation, they could buy no more Calalite. All the mines had been deliberately caved in. It was a nightmare inducing time.
The rich became poor, the poor became rich. Only the priests kept neutral, protected by the Xi from any harm. Great monuments were shattered, falling to the rebels. Separate groups split off from the main army and became terrors of the their own. Any person with a gun and Cala powder could hold back a normal army. Nothing was safe.
Eventually the original two tonnes ran out and the loyal followers of the old king took back their normal rule. The king's first demand was that any surviving grain of Cala powder was to be destroyed, no exceptions. The king's guards, the Kalen, soon destroyed every piece and all was thought to be well. Then years later the king's son discovered that the church still held a ton of the rock. Furious he demanded that they gave it to the king's guard to be destroyed. The church refused. Which of course led to the war between the Xi and the Kalen, the king's execution when the Xi won and finally, the eventual rule of the church over the country.
And now that power had come to her. Hail swam back to the beach and lay in the sun for a while, letting it dry her off. Black was playing a dangerous game and that could be exploited. The first thing to do was to contact the Actor's Guild...
*–*
The sea flooded back in, over and around him but this time there was no form to focus on or shield from this knowledge.
Information floated through him, so quickly that he couldn't possibly remember it, and had to let it move further away from him. Occasionally he'd pass huge beings like great whales in an ocean, their mouths open wide swallowing as much as they could.
Through his head went more feelings, opinions, and points of view then he could ever hope to understand. In his head for an instant he would know the life story of a person, and then a few minutes later he would see their death.
A few times in the great torrent that swept through his head he would find a drop of information about him and he would hold this for as long as possible before it was swept along out of his head once again.
In his mind for an instant he knew his birth, his death, the girl he would marry, the people he had saved, the lives he had ruined. Scenes familiar, and scenes distant mingled so he was not sure which was which, which was truth and which was destiny. He only knew for certain that he was himself; the only fact he could keep sacred.
And then the great forces came closer, like a net beginning to surround him, and push him out. The net began to shrink and the knowledge was forced into his head as it had nowhere else to go. And as he was pushed out and down out of the ocean his mind desperately searched the knowledge for facts about himself.
Only one fact came to him which was relevant and it was both refreshing but familiar. He was still alive. But he knew not for how long.
Author's Note:
Ahem - sorry, yes I'm not quite putting up a sign with RIP Link on it quite yet. Originally, Link's 'death' occurred in the middle of the chapter so as not to confuse people, but in the end it was just too good a cliff hanger not to use. Anyway, hopefully you all understand why it was used - to highlight the fact that he is not immortal. Sorry for that and for this chapter really, personally I felt that it wasn't that good. Anyway, I promise that from now on, what you see is what you get, no more nightmares or whatever. Well, maybe a few more - got to keep you guessing...