Link's Infinite Quest
A/N Yes, I know, real original chapter title. I think I may change the name of the story, I'm
not exactly sure how I'm gonna factor in the "inifinite" part of the title. Oh well, we'll
see ^_^
Link's Infinite Quest
Chapter 1: The Town
I stepped through the large main gate and into the town, kicking the dust off my travel worn boots. The town was bustling in the midmorning sun, with people buying food, trading goods, and spreading gossip. If you crossed one eye and squinted the other it looked almost like clock town, minus the clock and that freakish moon with the face. Although I still felt mad at pretty much the whole world it was nice to see civilization after two months of travelling in the wilderness.
"Excuse me sir, but where am I?" I asked a burly man walking past.
"You're in the town of Ultak, laddie, welcome!" he said, slapping me on the back, "How are ye? You've obviously been through quite a bit fer such a wee lad," he said, eyeing my dirty tunic, dusty boots, and ripped hat, courtesy of a dinolfos I had tangled with along the way.
"I'm fine," I replied, slightly concious of my disheveled appearance, "Although I would be glad for a place to clean up and get a drink, if possible."
"Aye, I suggest you check in at the Old Man Tavern over there then," he said, motioning towards a cheery looking building on the other side of the square, "Tell 'em Hugh sent ye, and they'll be happy to give ye a bed and a meal. But now, I must be off, I'll be seeing ye!"
"Thank you very much sir," I waved to him as he hurried off in the direction of the southwest gate. Ultak, huh? Well the people are friendly enough. I began to make my way to the Old Man Tavern, observing the people of the town as I went. Many of them spoke hylian, however some spoke other languages that I had never heard before. I bought an apple from a produce vendor and was chewing on the succulent fruit as I walked through the door of the tavern. The second I opened the door I was assaulted with pleasant aromas; Fresh baked bread, soup, ale, and hay all blended to form a very pleasant smell. There were several tables inside the cozy tavern, with a bar on the left hand side and a food and drink menu above it. Two of the tables were filled with men, every now and then bursting out in roaring laughter having a genuine good time. Up at the bar a mother sat with her husband and daughter, all three enjoying delicious looking sandwiches. I licked my lips as I saw the father take a big bite of an enormous ham steak. I hadn't eaten anything but bread and the occasional rabbit or squirrel for weeks now, and my stomach grumbled horribly.
"Hello there, may I offer you a seat and something to eat?" A cheery voice yanked me out of my hungry reverie. I looked to see a girl about my age standing there. She wore and apron, with brown hair tied back in a bun and cheery green eyes looking at me expectantly.
"Uh...yes, I was looking for a possible place to clean up a bit and Hugh said-"
"Oh, Hugh!" she cut me off, "You'll want to speak to Daddy then! Come with me," She grabbed my hand and led me over to the bar, "You wait here and I'll go get him, back in a second!" She wizzed off through a curtain behind the bar. A moment later a large man with white hair and a long white beard stepped through the same curtain.
"Why hello there!" He smiled, shaking my hand vigorously with a hand that looked like it could wrap around my head it was so large, "Hugh sent you, huh? You must be quite a boy then, Hugh doesn't take a liking to just anybody. How ya doin, I'm Michael, but you can call me Big Mack, everyone else does."
"It's nice to meet you Big Mack, I'm Link."
"Well that's a bit of a strange name, Link, but who am I to say, I go by Big Mack," he broke out in a deep belly laugh, "Where're ya from?"
"Hyrule."
"Ahh, Hyrule, beautiful place. My wife was from Hyrule..." he appeared wistful, as if remembering something he had lost, long ago. However, it only lasted for a moment, as the jovial look returned to his face, "But you're far from there, what brings you all the way out here?"
"Something that happened in Hyrule...I'd rather no speak of it, at least not yet," I muttered, looking down at the ground.
The man was instantly understanding, "That's okay son, you don't have to speak if you don't want to. So, can I get ya something to drink? Some ale, perhaps?"
"No thanks" I replied, glad for the change in subject, "I'd like a glass of milk and...," I eyed the menu for a moment, "...The Old Man special."
"A very good choice, that one's my favorite. One special, coming right up!" He dissappeard behind the curtain again. I heard the sound of a knife chopping, the opening of several cabinets and the running of water. Big Mack reappeared a moment later, with a huge glass of milk and a sandwich that looked as big as my head and as long as my forearm. And I was ready for the whole thing.
"'Ere ya go," he said, thrusting the platter in fron of me, "One special and a glass of cold milk all the way from Romani Ranch." I smiled, recalling briefly little romani and our escapade with those ghost things.
"How much do I owe you?" I asked, pulling out my rupee pouch. But Mack pushed the bag back down.
"For a friend of Hugh's, it's on the house," He smiled. I smiled back and lifted the enormous sandwich, taking a huge bite. I enjoyed the flavors of mustard, lettuce, tomato and sliced meats before swallowing and lunging in for another bite like a hungry wolfos. I had barely taken three bites when I heard roars and thuds coming from outside the door, followed by sreams of fear.
A man burst into the tavern. "Three moblins and a group of tecktites are loose in the square, take cover!" He shouted before diving under a table, slamming the door shut behind him.
"Everyone, stay calm! Move to the back of the room and duck behind the tables!" Mack shouted, taking control of the situation. Everyone quickly did as he said, while he ducked behind the bar. I, however, got up and walked towards the door, unsheathing my sword and readying my shield.
"Link, what are ya doing?" Mack called out as I opened the door, "You'll be killed!"
"Hero time," I muttered under my breath, as I leapt through the opening.
Chapter 1: The Town
I stepped through the large main gate and into the town, kicking the dust off my travel worn boots. The town was bustling in the midmorning sun, with people buying food, trading goods, and spreading gossip. If you crossed one eye and squinted the other it looked almost like clock town, minus the clock and that freakish moon with the face. Although I still felt mad at pretty much the whole world it was nice to see civilization after two months of travelling in the wilderness.
"Excuse me sir, but where am I?" I asked a burly man walking past.
"You're in the town of Ultak, laddie, welcome!" he said, slapping me on the back, "How are ye? You've obviously been through quite a bit fer such a wee lad," he said, eyeing my dirty tunic, dusty boots, and ripped hat, courtesy of a dinolfos I had tangled with along the way.
"I'm fine," I replied, slightly concious of my disheveled appearance, "Although I would be glad for a place to clean up and get a drink, if possible."
"Aye, I suggest you check in at the Old Man Tavern over there then," he said, motioning towards a cheery looking building on the other side of the square, "Tell 'em Hugh sent ye, and they'll be happy to give ye a bed and a meal. But now, I must be off, I'll be seeing ye!"
"Thank you very much sir," I waved to him as he hurried off in the direction of the southwest gate. Ultak, huh? Well the people are friendly enough. I began to make my way to the Old Man Tavern, observing the people of the town as I went. Many of them spoke hylian, however some spoke other languages that I had never heard before. I bought an apple from a produce vendor and was chewing on the succulent fruit as I walked through the door of the tavern. The second I opened the door I was assaulted with pleasant aromas; Fresh baked bread, soup, ale, and hay all blended to form a very pleasant smell. There were several tables inside the cozy tavern, with a bar on the left hand side and a food and drink menu above it. Two of the tables were filled with men, every now and then bursting out in roaring laughter having a genuine good time. Up at the bar a mother sat with her husband and daughter, all three enjoying delicious looking sandwiches. I licked my lips as I saw the father take a big bite of an enormous ham steak. I hadn't eaten anything but bread and the occasional rabbit or squirrel for weeks now, and my stomach grumbled horribly.
"Hello there, may I offer you a seat and something to eat?" A cheery voice yanked me out of my hungry reverie. I looked to see a girl about my age standing there. She wore and apron, with brown hair tied back in a bun and cheery green eyes looking at me expectantly.
"Uh...yes, I was looking for a possible place to clean up a bit and Hugh said-"
"Oh, Hugh!" she cut me off, "You'll want to speak to Daddy then! Come with me," She grabbed my hand and led me over to the bar, "You wait here and I'll go get him, back in a second!" She wizzed off through a curtain behind the bar. A moment later a large man with white hair and a long white beard stepped through the same curtain.
"Why hello there!" He smiled, shaking my hand vigorously with a hand that looked like it could wrap around my head it was so large, "Hugh sent you, huh? You must be quite a boy then, Hugh doesn't take a liking to just anybody. How ya doin, I'm Michael, but you can call me Big Mack, everyone else does."
"It's nice to meet you Big Mack, I'm Link."
"Well that's a bit of a strange name, Link, but who am I to say, I go by Big Mack," he broke out in a deep belly laugh, "Where're ya from?"
"Hyrule."
"Ahh, Hyrule, beautiful place. My wife was from Hyrule..." he appeared wistful, as if remembering something he had lost, long ago. However, it only lasted for a moment, as the jovial look returned to his face, "But you're far from there, what brings you all the way out here?"
"Something that happened in Hyrule...I'd rather no speak of it, at least not yet," I muttered, looking down at the ground.
The man was instantly understanding, "That's okay son, you don't have to speak if you don't want to. So, can I get ya something to drink? Some ale, perhaps?"
"No thanks" I replied, glad for the change in subject, "I'd like a glass of milk and...," I eyed the menu for a moment, "...The Old Man special."
"A very good choice, that one's my favorite. One special, coming right up!" He dissappeard behind the curtain again. I heard the sound of a knife chopping, the opening of several cabinets and the running of water. Big Mack reappeared a moment later, with a huge glass of milk and a sandwich that looked as big as my head and as long as my forearm. And I was ready for the whole thing.
"'Ere ya go," he said, thrusting the platter in fron of me, "One special and a glass of cold milk all the way from Romani Ranch." I smiled, recalling briefly little romani and our escapade with those ghost things.
"How much do I owe you?" I asked, pulling out my rupee pouch. But Mack pushed the bag back down.
"For a friend of Hugh's, it's on the house," He smiled. I smiled back and lifted the enormous sandwich, taking a huge bite. I enjoyed the flavors of mustard, lettuce, tomato and sliced meats before swallowing and lunging in for another bite like a hungry wolfos. I had barely taken three bites when I heard roars and thuds coming from outside the door, followed by sreams of fear.
A man burst into the tavern. "Three moblins and a group of tecktites are loose in the square, take cover!" He shouted before diving under a table, slamming the door shut behind him.
"Everyone, stay calm! Move to the back of the room and duck behind the tables!" Mack shouted, taking control of the situation. Everyone quickly did as he said, while he ducked behind the bar. I, however, got up and walked towards the door, unsheathing my sword and readying my shield.
"Link, what are ya doing?" Mack called out as I opened the door, "You'll be killed!"
"Hero time," I muttered under my breath, as I leapt through the opening.