Prologue ( what happened before)



When he got to his little hut he was surprised to see the door wide open. He slowly moved inside and looked around. When his eyes adjusted to the darkness he noticed a figure standing in the shadows. Link tried to pierce the blackness and see who it was. He was about to call out when the figure stepped into the light, it was Malon. " I was hoping I could stay with you tonight" she said. Link smiled and walked over to her and kissed her on the lips. " Sure you can" he said. She hugged him and they walked together to get some sleep. They had a long road ahead of them, but for tonight they held each other in their arms and for a fleeting moment felt happiness and peace. The morning would bring hardship and pain, who knew when it would end. For tonight however none it mattered as they slept holding each other and becoming one.

Chapter 17



That night was the greatest sleep Link could remember getting. He had not slept that soundly sense time immemorial. As he awoke Link opened his eyes and looked at Malon as she slept next to him. He was transfixed by how peaceful she looked in slumber. Her soft lips parted ever so slightly as she breathed. Her chest and sides moving up and down so gently with each breath. He noticed how the tiny wisps of hair on the nape of her neck, were the single most beautiful thing he could remember. She stirred and rolled over, and Link got out of bed. He put on his tunic and boots and went out into the early morning air.

The morning air was chilly and crisp and Link gave a small shutter as the chilled air hit him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jim and Ganondorf sitting by a fire cooking some breakfast. Link walked over to them and sat down. No one spoke for several minutes. Each of them were in their own little world. Jim cooked them some eggs and bacon and they ate in silence. After the meal was over Jim cleaned the plates and put them away. Ganondorf went into the woods for a bit and Jim and Link began to discuss in more detail how they were going to attack the sorceress.

"I do not know if she will be able to see us coming or not. I can only assume that she will have magic traps set up around her lair. Even if she does not, it is a safe bet that she will be able to sense us coming. This will not give us the advantage of the element of surprise, so we need to come up with a plan to divert her attention else where so we can get close enough. So how do you think we should do this Link."

"I am not sure yet Jim. I think we need to have a group meeting before we go. Get everyone opinion on this. Maybe someone else will have a plan. I would like to wait for the other from town and see who we have, but we can't wait. We need to go today. Let's wait until everyone is up and then see what they say."

Jim nodded his head in agreement and he invited Link to do some morning workouts with him. Jim taught Link a few moves that were new to Link. Link in turn taught Jim how to draw magic into his blade and release it out in front and all around. In a matter of about an hour or so everyone was up and milling about. Some were cooking their breakfast. Some were exercising and some were sharpening their blades and checking their bows. The tension in the camp was high, they all knew the risk they were taking. This was a extremely dangerous foe they were going to face. After a few hours Link had everyone meet at the central camp fire. As everyone gathered around Link noticed that Mason was not there. In fact Link didn't remember seeing him all morning. Link figured that he was still sleeping and had Kid go look for him and wake him up.

" Now, while Kid is doing that I want to begin by telling all of you what we know so far. First of all, for those of you who don't know him, this is Jim. He is a old friend of mine from here. We meet while I was here in Termaina the first time. He is the leader of a very elite group of young men and women. He is at least by my standard one of the greatest fighters I have ever seen. He does know some details about the creatures lair, so he will be the leader for this quest. Treat him as you would treat me. He has my trust and he should have yours as well. He will also be the one to get close to kill the creature. Now, here is the problem. The sorceress will undoubtedly be able to sense us before we get there. Therefore we need to create a plan so he attention will be focused on something else. Does anyone have any ideas."

Everyone sat and looked around. No one had any ideas. Everyone sat for a few moments hoping someone would come up with a plan. Just then Kid came running to them with a slip of paper in his hand. He handed it to Ganondorf who read it.

"That stupid....Well it looks like we have our distraction."

Ganondorf handed the sheet of paper to Link who read it.

It said: " Dear Link and Party,

I know that I am a clumsy fool, who gets in the way more then not. I seem to be of no help to you right now, and you no doubt think the same way. I however must prove to you that I am not just a burden you must shoulder. I am therefore going to find this sorceress and destroy her myself. By the time you find this I will have been gone most of the evening. I hope to prove myself to you, and live to see you again.

Your Friend,

Mason"

Link was aghast. He knew that Mason would never survive an encounter with the sorceress. Link knew his only hope was that they could find him and catch up to him before he found the sorceresses lair. Link told the group what the note read and they all agreed that they should leave at once.

They packed their gear and was off in a matter of about a half an hour. Jim was in the lead with Link taking the rear. They traveled the entire day and did not see Mason or the Creatures lair. They made camp and rested for the night. That night Malon stayed with Link again. Link was beginning to really enjoy holding Malon as he slept. He felt calm when he did that, and he felt a warmth he could never remember feeling before. Link began to think that when this was all over he would ask Malon to be his wife. He knew that he cared very deeply for her and she felt the same way for him. Link was hit by a odd thought, this was the first time in his life he was thinking about the future. Link smiled and sighed to himself, " it was bound to happen eventually" he thought.

That night Link awoke to some movement outside of his tent. He checked to make sure Malon was still asleep and then put on his sword and snuck outside. When Link got out there he had a hard time seeing anything. The moon was hidden by the trees, which made the forest very dark. Link squinted into the blackness waiting for his eyes to pick up on some light so he could see. Link heard some movement coming from by his left and in front. He drew his sword and advanced forward. As he moved the thing in front of him stopped. Link stopped and listened. He was frustrated that he could not see what it was that was in front of him. He head it move again, so he moved. Once it stopped he stopped. It went on like this for what seemed to Link to be hours, but in reality was only about a minute or two. Link could tell that he was getting close, he head the thing move at him. Link drew a breath and swung his sword downwards. He head the whoosh of the sword on the wind and then the clang of it hitting metal. Link jumped back and yelped. The impact surprised him. After a moment he heard the thing in front of him mumble.

" Is that you Ganondorf. I what are you doing out here?"

" Same as you investigating what was moving around out here. I came out to check and then I herd it move so I moved in that direction. I thought it had gotten behind me, but it turns out it is only you."

Link was about to say something, when a bright flash of light hit the ground and blinded him. In the split second of that flash of light Link saw what looked to be a large wolf by him. He jumped back and feel into Ganondorf. They both lost their balance and fell down. Link heard the creature charge and let out a large growl. Link could not see anything, so he prepared to be attacked. Just then Link head a arrow go whizzing by, and the creature let out a large yelp of pain. He heard something, or someone run past him, and the creature let out another yelp of pain that turned into a death rattle. Link was trying to see when he heard jim call out to him.

" Are you guys all right" he asked.

" Oh were just peachy" Ganondorf retorted. " What the hell was that thing that blinded us?"

" Oh that, that was a sort of metal that burns very brightly. I rigged it so it would go off 5 minutes after I put it down. I knew that there was something in the camp so I came out here, but I could not see. So I put that thing down and waited in one of the trees to wait for it to fire off. I covered my eyes at the appropriate time so I would not be blinded as well. It burns for a few second which gave me enough time to see you two and the beast. I fired one of my arrows into it's chest, but it did not fall, so I jumped down and buried my sword into it's neck."

Ganondorf was rubbing his eyes. " So when does this stuff wear off" he asked. " Well I will build a fire, the low light will help your eyes get re adjusted." Jim set about building a fire and Ganondorf and Link sat down. Once the fire was built and their eyes became re adjusted to the light, the three of them took a torch and looked at the creature that Jim had killed. Link thought he saw a wolf at first when the light went off, but up close it looked more like a man. It had the fangs of a wolf, and it had the nose and a half human half wolf head. It was covered in fur from head to toe.

" This is undoubtedly one of the sorceresses creatures. She smut know that we are here. We must hurry and find your friend before she does. I suggest that we go to bed again. I will keep watch for the remainder of the night. If I need to I will wake one of you to relive me if I should get tired. I suggest we leave before sunrise."

Link and Ganondorf nodded their agreement and went off to bed. As Link slipped back under the covers Malon stirred and mumbled. " Where did you go" She asked. " Just out, I had to take care of something." Malon gave a half smile and fell back asleep. Soon after that Link fell asleep himself.