A Shadow from the Past
A FanFic by Sheik
I won't even say it this time.
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"What's wrong?" Asked the woman.
She and Impa had paused briefly on the landing of the Stair. Breathing heavily, Impa clutched a stitch in her side that didn't want to go away.
Gray-faced and teary-eyed, the worried woman looked back up the stair, towards the town where her husband's fate was still unknown.
"The Stalchildren," Impa stated as though the fact should have been obvious.
"They won't be a problem. I'm light on my feet; I can avoid them as much as possible until we get to the town."
"It's not that.." Impa trailed off.
"Then what is it? You said something about the Stalchildren."
"Yes, I did. They're not out tonight, even though they should be everywhere by now."
"Isn't that a good thing?"
"No!" Cried Impa. "Something out there is holding them back. Something out there, that wants you dead!"
The woman's clear eyes went as wide as the Hylian moon.
"Was it to protect those Gerudo?" She asked Impa. "Otherwise, they would have been attacked."
"No, I don't think it's that. They would have been allowed to come back now, and besides: the Gerudo are more than capable of handling the Stalchildren by themselves."
"Then what is it?"
"I'm almost positive it's to lull you into a false sense of security, to make you think you're perfectly safe. We must be more wary than ever. Come on. We'd better---"
"What is it?" Asked the woman.
"Hush!" Whispered Impa. "Listen!"
It was clear what Impa had heard: cries and the clashing of weapons could be heard farther up the stair, coming closer, until the noise had nearly swallowed them like the fog that settled over Hyrule field at night.
"RUN!" Screamed Impa.
"Where?! The drawbridge is up!"
"Run to the forest."
"WHAT?!"
"Ask to speak to the Great Deku Tree. Explain what happened."
"To whom? Who do I ask to talk to this tree? And why?"
"To the air: I know, but just trust me! The Great Deku Tree is the Guardian Spirit of the Forest. He can help you."
"What about you?"
"I'll try to head them off. Stay to the edge of the wood; it will guide you to the Forest. And remember: stay out of sight and hearing as much as possible. And don't stop, no matter what, until you get there. Take Link with you."
"But I..."
The cries were getting louder. Soon the Gerudo would be upon them.
"Take these," said Impa, shoving some Deku nuts into the woman's hands. "If you get in trouble, close your eyes and throw this on the ground. It will momentarily stun your enemy. Now GO!!!"
With one last desperate look at Impa, the woman took off down the Stair. Little did Impa know how many lives her decision would save.
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"What's wrong?" Asked the woman.
She and Impa had paused briefly on the landing of the Stair. Breathing heavily, Impa clutched a stitch in her side that didn't want to go away.
Gray-faced and teary-eyed, the worried woman looked back up the stair, towards the town where her husband's fate was still unknown.
"The Stalchildren," Impa stated as though the fact should have been obvious.
"They won't be a problem. I'm light on my feet; I can avoid them as much as possible until we get to the town."
"It's not that.." Impa trailed off.
"Then what is it? You said something about the Stalchildren."
"Yes, I did. They're not out tonight, even though they should be everywhere by now."
"Isn't that a good thing?"
"No!" Cried Impa. "Something out there is holding them back. Something out there, that wants you dead!"
The woman's clear eyes went as wide as the Hylian moon.
"Was it to protect those Gerudo?" She asked Impa. "Otherwise, they would have been attacked."
"No, I don't think it's that. They would have been allowed to come back now, and besides: the Gerudo are more than capable of handling the Stalchildren by themselves."
"Then what is it?"
"I'm almost positive it's to lull you into a false sense of security, to make you think you're perfectly safe. We must be more wary than ever. Come on. We'd better---"
"What is it?" Asked the woman.
"Hush!" Whispered Impa. "Listen!"
It was clear what Impa had heard: cries and the clashing of weapons could be heard farther up the stair, coming closer, until the noise had nearly swallowed them like the fog that settled over Hyrule field at night.
"RUN!" Screamed Impa.
"Where?! The drawbridge is up!"
"Run to the forest."
"WHAT?!"
"Ask to speak to the Great Deku Tree. Explain what happened."
"To whom? Who do I ask to talk to this tree? And why?"
"To the air: I know, but just trust me! The Great Deku Tree is the Guardian Spirit of the Forest. He can help you."
"What about you?"
"I'll try to head them off. Stay to the edge of the wood; it will guide you to the Forest. And remember: stay out of sight and hearing as much as possible. And don't stop, no matter what, until you get there. Take Link with you."
"But I..."
The cries were getting louder. Soon the Gerudo would be upon them.
"Take these," said Impa, shoving some Deku nuts into the woman's hands. "If you get in trouble, close your eyes and throw this on the ground. It will momentarily stun your enemy. Now GO!!!"
With one last desperate look at Impa, the woman took off down the Stair. Little did Impa know how many lives her decision would save.