"I…I need it…"
"You cannot win,"
"Help me…I need you…"
"Take me…use me…"
"It cannot help you. Do not take it."
"I need it…"
"Link, NO!"
Zelda awoke screaming. Her sheets were soaked in her sweat, those that were still on the bed despite her thrashing. She was shivering, deathly afraid of the dream. The images were fading from her memory already, but the voices…the voices…
The dream was not of herself; it was of Link, of something he would soon do. Unlike her other dreams, this one did not hold the promise of being altered. What would happen was determined, etched in stone. She couldn't remember what it was exactly, but she knew Link was behind it, and it would be horrible.
Still shivering, she lifted her sheets back onto her bed; she was dressed only in her slip, and despite the warm night she was cold. As she lifted the sheets from the floor, she gasped as she saw what they revealed. Thousands of large black spiders were crawling around the floor. She gasped in disgust, as they scurried around together. Then something strange happened. The spiders began separating into four groups, piling on top of each other. The mounds continued to rise and take shape. The shape of men.
"Guards! Impa!" she shrieked, but the spiders had already melted into four large men. They were scruffy and ugly, assassins. Zelda backed away to the other side of the bed and reached under her pillow, withdrawing a short sword. She held it in front of her, ready to defend.
"Oy, look at this, chaps," one said, "The little princess is going to prick us with her little toy."
Another grinned with a mouth full of blackened teeth. "I'm already shakin' mate."
Zelda heard cries from the other side of her door, and heard the thuds of bodies hurling against it. Of course, she had to have put the crossbar over the door. As there was no way to reach the door without fighting through the men, she decided she may as well bring the fight to the assassins. She raised her right hand, and a bolt of golden light leapt from her fingers and nailed the nearest man in the chest. He fell unconscious to the floor, and his companions stared in disbelief. Zelda used the distraction to her advantage. Using the bed as a springboard, she leapt into the air, sword raised high above her head. The limp body fell to the floor, his head hitting a moment later.
The other two assailants weren't caught off guard again. They came at either side of her, circling her. She stood in the middle, watching both in her peripheral vision. The one to her right attacked, and instinctively she moved to block, too late realizing she left her back completely open to the other. She tried to turn, but it was too late; he had his sword raised and ready to strike.
Suddenly there was a shattering of glass as a figure came crashing through the window. Shrike landed in a crouch, his sword already drawn. He rose and slashed at the attacker, and the man fell to the ground. Remembering her own opponent, Zelda turned, blocked his attack, and stabbed him through the chest. He gasped, spitting blood, and fell dead with the others. She turned to face Shrike. "Impeccable timing, Shrike, as always."
"I try," he said, sheathing his sword. He surveyed the carnage. "Your swordsmanship is improving, your highness. You almost had them all."
"I almost got myself killed."
Shrike lowered his mask from his face. "But you didn't. It's just a shame that they're all dead. We could have used one for questioning. Do you think Rolondrof sent them?"
"I do," Zelda agreed. "But he did not expect them to succeed. This was meant as a reminder that he can still get to me, that he is still dangerous. And not all of them are dead." She pointed to the first man she had hit, who was just beginning to stir. She smiled, almost wickedly. "I'm sure he'll come in handy."
* * *
"So why are we going to Lake Hylia? What does that have to do with your father?"
Link and Malon were riding through a small thicket, Epona picking her way along the old path. They had been traveling for over half a day, heading directly south. They had left early, after picking up supplies. They had enough food and water for several days, and they could always catch wild game if they ran out. Malon was now dressed in leather slacks and her leather riding boots, more practical than her dress. She also wore a dark blue cloak, warmer and more practical for long journeys. It had been drizzling rain for most of the afternoon, so she had her hood pulled up over her head.
"Nothing, that I know of." Link replied, also cloaked and hooded. "But it's the quickest way to Zora's Domain, and their records are almost as thorough as the city's. There's a chance they have some record of my birth."
Malon was still confused. "But isn't Zora's Domain in the northeast? Wouldn't it have been faster to just go back the way we came?"
"Normally, yes. But as long as those mercs are looking for me, I'd rather stay as far from the north as possible. And before you suggest it, I'm not taking you through the Lost Woods; Hylians don't belong there, and most likely never will. There's a secret way to the Zora's through Lake Hylia. You'll understand when you see it."
Malon nodded, a little disappointed that she wouldn't be seeing the Lost Woods. "If Hylians don't belong there, how is it you manage survive in the Woods with the Kokiri?"
Link didn't answer right away. "You know," he said finally, "I don't really know why. I think it must have to do with the fact that I was accepted by the Great Deku Tree as a Kokiri. Also, it might have to do with my involvement with the Triforce."
"What involvement?"
Link stopped talking. He had said too much. "Uh…" he stammered, absently glancing to his right. "Hey! What's that?"
Malon turned to see what he was staring at. There was a fairly large group of people coming from the west. They were on foot, and even from their distance, Malon and Link could hear them chanting, and several of them were holding long poles with unfamiliar standards flapping in the wet wind. "Who are they?"
"I don't know," Link replied, as he turned Epona in their direction. "But I think we should find out."
Within minutes, they were within speaking range. "Ho, brother and sister," said the apparent leader, a middle aged man with long shaggy hair and a thick beard. "How may we or our lord help you this fine day?"
"Actually, we're just traveling through, and we saw your party," Link said, sounding completely casual, but also ready for anything. "We were wondering what you were doing so far from any towns."
"We are on a pilgrimage, my brother, to the Temple of Time. It is there our lord will return and lead the sheep out from the darkness and into his holy light."
"And who is your lord?"
The man raised his hands to the cloudy sky in praise. "His most mighty and powerful one, the Lord Ganon."
Link sucked in air, and Epona whinnied in surprise. Malon didn't know what got them so spooked; she had heard of the Church of Ganon, a fanatical cult that had become popular over the last couple months. As far as she was concerned, it was a harmless fad that would fade away in a matter of months. Link and Epona didn't seem to think so, however. "Ganon is gone, friend. He is never coming back."
"Heathen!" the man shrieked, his eyes wild with fury. "Thou must never speak such sacrilege to a disciple of our Lord. He will return, and only the faithful will be spared."
Link pulled back on Epona's reins. The horse reared back, and they sped away, the man yelling "Heathen! Heathen!" after them.
Epona continued to sprint south until they were out of sight of the pilgrims. Only then did they slow down. "Link," Malon said, "What was that all about? What's wrong?"
Link didn't seem to hear her. "It can't be…it can't…"
"Link…"
He snapped back into reality. "Nothing. Don't worry about it. We better hurry if we want to get to find a decent place to rest for the night."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure. C'mon Epona." And again they were off, Malon worrying and Link thinking. First Skorn, then the chase, and now this. Even the messenger who had first sent him from the forest was starting to look like more than just chance. Something was going on, and Link needed to get to the bottom of it before things got out of hand. The Zora's would still be a good place to start; their spy network was the best in Hyrule.
Ganon couldn't be back. He couldn't.
But what if he was?
* * *
Rolondrof sat in deep meditation in his tent, located in the center of what was once the town of Barsmill. Skorn entered through the flap, waiting for his brother to awaken. Rolondrof's eyes snapped open. "Is all well, brother?" Skorn asked.
"Yes," the smaller man replied. "The attack on Zelda was successful, and the boy has made contact. Is our little surprise in Zora's Domain ready?"
"Yes. All is set. Our brother's plans are proceeding perfectly."
"Of course they are." Rolondrof closed his eyes again and smiled. "They are all so predictable. Zelda will question the assassin she no doubt kept alive. Link will continue south to the Zoras, and then to the north, where he'll find the Gorons in disarray. Everything is going perfectly. It will not be long now, brother. Not long at all."