Disclaimer - None of these characters belong to me, they belong to,
well, thats not important, the only important thing is that they are
not mine, don't sue me, you'd waste your time and get nothing for it.
*Note - I know that Link is not a Disney character, but I think he is
really cool and I thought it would be cool and original to pair Kingdom
Hearts and Zelda. The story takes place a couple years after Kingdom
Hearts; Sora and Kairi are 18 and Riku and Link are 19.
This is my first fan fic., hope you enjoy, read and review please!
**Special Note- Thank you to all for your kind reviews. Special thanks
to Karen0 for the kindest review I have received yet. Thank you also
to my mum and my sister for reading my story and for her help with my
memory of Hyrule. Hyrule is as seen in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of
Time. Last, but not least, and extra special thanks to my best friend
William for all his encouragement and support.
Dedication: Thank you Trisha for your enthusiasm. This chapter is
dedicated to you.
************************************************************************
Chapter 5: The Portal
After the warrior had left, Sora turned towards Link and Zelda and said,
"All right, well, lets go and find the keyhole so I can get out of
here."
Sora, with Link and Zelda following him, walked into Death Mountain
crater. As the three made their way into the crater, Sora had an ever
increasing feeling that he was being watched. Sora pulled out his
keyblade and turned towards Link and Zelda:
"Be on your guard, I think we are being watched."
Link pulled out the Master Sword and Zelda just gave him a nod. The
three continued walking into the cavern until Sora passed a small cave
off to his left, then Zelda stopped and called out to him, "Wait."
Sora turned and, seeing Zelda looking into a small cave, walked over to
where the cave was and peered inside. He couldn't see anything in the
darkness. Sora turned to Zelda and asked her, "You think this is the
one?"
"Most likely this is the cave, because this cavern has few outlets and
this is the largest, or so I've been told."
"Do you have anything that could light the cave?" Sora asked Zelda.
"I could make a torch, hold on." Zelda walked out of the cavern and came
back in a few minutes with wood shaped into the form of a torch. She
placed her hand near the top of said, "Fire!" The upper part of the
torch caught fire and she handed it to Sora.
Sora took the torch, looked at Zelda and Link, and said, "Stay here for
a second, I'm just going to look inside and see if I can find the
keyhole."
Without waiting for a reply, Sora ducked his head under the low entryway
and slipped inside the cave. Once inside, Sora gratefully noted that he
wouldn't have to crouch the whole way through the cave, as the cave was
a little higher than his head. Sora walked a short ways and rounded a
bend to the right and then he saw it: the keyhole.
"Hey guys, I see the keyhole, I'll be out in a minute," Sora yelled back
out of the cave.
"Ok, we'll be here waiting," Link replied.
Sora, keyblade already in hand, walked towards the keyhole and aimed the
keyblade at it. Sora had to avert his eyes as a beam of brilliant white
light shot out of the keyblade towards the keyhole. When the light
finally faded, Sora looked at where the keyhole was and saw that it was
gone. Sora turned around to walk out of the cave and froze: before him
was the same hooded figure that had opened the portal to this world.
"You? Why did you take me here? Who are you?" Sora asked, he had a
million questions and this hooded figure was the only one who might be
able to provide him with some answers.
"Isn't it obvious, you needed to seal the keyhole to this world, and you
discovered some much needed information. For one who knows nothing, can
understand nothing."
"You...you're Ansem?"
"Yes."
"Why are you helping me?"
"To thank you Sora, for you saved my heart from darkness and helped me
find the light in my heart that I thought was lost."
"Uh, your welcome, I guess. Can you tell me who it was that attacked me
and Link?"
"His name is Siris. He is a son born to me from a woman I cared nothing
for. I gave her money and told her to keep quiet as to the identity of
the boy's father. Yet somehow Siris found out I was his father and
pursued me in as I pursued the darkness. One day I received a letter
from the woman saying that my son was taken by the heartless. I found
out later that he was not taken, but chose to go with the heartless of
his own accord. Under the guidance of the heartless, he delved deeper
into darkness than any before him, including me. Now he has discovered
the secret of the Dark Heart and the prophecy surrounding the one who
shall release him."
"Me," Sota muttered weakly.
"Yes, you."
Sora stared at the cave wall for a second and then, getting angry,
defiantly said, "No! I don't believe it, I can't. Will knowing about
the prophecy save me from the prophecy's fate?"
"I do not know, for prophecy is an art I am not familiar with. I do know
that there is a way to defeat the Dark Heart, but there are only two
people with that kind of knowledge: Siris and King Mickey."
"Well then, I have to find King Mickey, but how do I get out of Hyrule?"
"I already have that arranged, have Link take you the entrance of the
Forest Temple at noon. I shall be waiting for you there. Now go, your
friends are looking for you?"
"Sora? Are you ok? What's taking so long?" Zelda and Link were both
yelling into the cave.
Sora tried to ask Ansem a question but he disappeared, so instead, Sora
just yelled back, "I'm fine, hang on, I'll be right out."
"Sure, but hurry up, we were getting worried."
Sora thought about what Ansem said for a second and then walked out of
the cavern. As soon as he did, Link and Zelda bombarded him with
questions:
"Are you all right?"
"So how'd it go?"
"What took you so long?"
"Were you talking to yourself?"
"Did you close the keyhole?"
"How--"
"Guys! Slow down, give me a minute. Everything went fine, the keyhole is
closed. Sorry it took so long, but I was talking to...an acquaintance,
lets just put it that way. He was the person who opened the portal for
me to come to Hyrule."
"Where is he?" Zelda asked suspiciously.
"He's gone, but guess what Link, his son, Siris, was our attacker."
"Was he really, wow, so did this guy-"
"Ansem," Sora interrupted.
"Did Ansem tell you anything about Siris, the door, your prophecy, or how
you are going to leave Hyrule?"
Sora, not really feeling like explaining all that Ansem told gim, just
said, "All he said was how I was going to leave Hyrule. I need to be at
the entrance of the Forest Temple at noon today. Can you take me there?"
"Sure thing, we can leave now if you'd like and wait at my house until
noon."
"Really," Sora said grinning, "that'd be great."
"Sure," Link said as he turned to look towards Zelda. "Did you hear?"
"Yes, I heard. Well, lets begin to head back," Zelda said as she headed
out of the cavern. "Can you trust Ansem?" Zelda asked Sora as both he
and Link followed Zelda out of the cavern.
"Yeah, I think so. Well, I have no choice, he's the only way I am going
to get Kairi, and Riku, back. If I don't trust him, I'll be stuck in
Hyrule forever."
"I guess you're right."
By the time the three reached Hyrule field, the sun had risen two hours
ago. The three paused as they were going to split up and go their
seperate ways.
"Sora," Zelda said, "I just want to wish you good luck and, much as I
wish I could go with you, I am the Princess of Hyrule and I can't
abandon my duty to my people. It was a great pleasure to meet you, and
I just know that you'll get Kairi back. Thank you Sora, for everything."
Sora, slightly bewildered by Zeldas emotional goodbye, grinned one of
his trademark grins and hugged Zelda. "Thank you for all your help. Even
though I most likely will never see you again, I'll never forget what
you did for me, Kairi, and Riku. Thank you."
Zelda just smiled and nodded.
"Hang on a second Sora, give me a minute with Shiek," Link said as he
and Zelda walked out of Sora's hearing range.
Link whispered, "I'm going with him Zelda, he's going to need my help
and I can't just let him go and face Siris and any other dangers by
himself. For while he may the Keyblade Master, he can't do this alone."
Zelda stared at Link for a moment and, seeing the determined look on his
face said, "All right, but have you told him? Or Saria for that matter?"
"I haven't told either, yet, but it's not Sora I'm worried about, it's
Saria."
"Yes, I can see the problem there, well, good luck, you're going to need
it," Zelda said with a wink as she turned towards the castle and made
her way home.
Link watched her for a moment, then turned to Sora and said, "Ok, lets
go." With that, Sora followed Link as he led the way to the Kokiri
Forest. As they reached the log bridge leading into the Kokiri Forest,
they could immediately tell something was wrong.
"Oh no, I think there has been another attack," Link said, drawing the
Master Sword and running into the forest. Sora called forth his keyblade
and followed suit. What they saw was mass destruction. There were no
heartless to be seen, but it could easily be seen that they had been
here. The houses everywhere were either fallen, falling, or burning.
Link looked around and, running to his house, yelled, "Saria!"
Link ran to his house, with Sora following close behind, and barged in.
Luckily, only half his roof was missing and, while in a general state of
disrepair, would be able to be fixed without to much trouble. "Saria!
Try as he might, Link couldn't find Saria or any of the other Kokiri
throughout the entire forest. There was also no sign of the heartless.
Link sat down dejectedly on a log stump and thought, I wonder where
they could be, I should of been here. Maybe I could have prevented
this. He stood up and, glancing at the log, had a sudden idea. "That's
it!" Link said as he broke into a run.
"What? Whats it?" Sora said as he hurried off after Link.
Link, yelling for Saria the whole way, ran to the Deku Tree (formerly
Deku Sprout) and, not seeing the Kokiri, asked the tree, "Have you seen
Saria, or the rest of the Kokiri?"
"Link? Is that you?" A voice said from behind the tree.
"Saria?"
Saria walked out from behind the Deku Tree and, seeing it really was
Link, ran towards him, wrapped her arms around him, and buried her face
in his chest.
"Oh Link, it was horrible, those creatures, they just..." Saria cried
into his chest.
"Shh. Its ok now. Your safe, it's all over." Link reassured her as he
stroked her hair. As Link and Saria stood wrapped in each others arms,
the rest of the Kokiri, reassured by Links presence, slowly came out
from behind the Deku Tree. Link broke away from Saria and called out to
the Kokiri, "It's ok now, you can come out. Is anyone hurt?"
The rest of the Kokiri came out from behind the Deku Tree and gathered
around Link. "No one has been hurt by those...uh...what were those
creatures?"
"Those creatures that attacked you today are called heartless. They do
not come from this world and, thanks to Sora here, will not be coming
back," Link said as he pointed at Sora.
They all just stared Sora for a moment and then suddenly burst out
cheering, laughing, and dancing. Sora just grinned.
"Thank you Sora," Saria said as she walked up to him personally and
looked up at him. "For protecting Hyrule, the Kokiri, and Link."
"Aww, it was nothing," Sora said he looked at Saria. She was dressed
like all in other Kokiri (and Link), in green forest garb. The only
distinguishing feature about her was a silver medallion she wore around
her neck decorated with what looked like rays of light emanating from a
sun in the upper left hand corner. Sora was going to comment on the
medallion when he was interrupted by Link.
"Sora, it's almost noon. We need to go."
"Go? Go where? No, Link, you can't leave. We...I need you here," Saria
said as she looked up at him with pleading eyes.
Link drew her to him and said, "I'm sorry, but I have to go. I'm sorry
that I wasn't here to protect you, but I have to go with Sora to make
sure that what happened to all of you today doesn't happen to anyone
else. Do you understand?"
"As much as I don't like, and as much as I wish you wouldn't go, I
understand why you have to. Please be careful Link."
"I will," Link said as he pulled away and started to walk away from
the Deku Tree's meadow.
"Bye Link, I love you," Link heard Saria yell behind him. He turned
around and yelled back at her, "I love you too."
Sora followed Link as he led him through the remains of the village
into a forest that Sora thought was very confusing to navigate.
"Where are we?" Sora asked as he tried to remember they had come.
Left-Left-Right, no, Right-Left-Left, no, oh man, he was hopelessly
lost.
"The Lost Woods," Link replied as he made his way through the woods
without faltering. After a series of more confusing woods, a maze,
and what seemed like never-ending stairs, Link finally announced:
"We're here. This is the entrance to the Forest Temple."
Sora looked up at the sun and commented, "It's noon. Where is he?"
"I'm right here," Ansem replied from the center of the small meadow
that Sora and Link arrived in.
"Geez, came out of nowhere," Sora said grinning.
"Are you ready, Keyblade Master?"
"I'm ready."
"I'm going with you Sora," Link stated matter-of-factly.
"No you're not!"
"Yes I am! Sora, what would you do if you were in my boots? How can I
just sit here while you are out there facing innumerable dangers all
alone. I have to go with you Sora, I can't let what happened to Hyrule
happen to anyone else."
Sora watched Link for a second and then said, "Ok, you can come."
With that Sora turned towards Ansem and nodded. Ansem raised his hands
and muttered some incomprehensible words of magic as what seemed to be a
swirling black mass of clouds appeared before him. Sora looked back at
Link and with a nod, turned and walked into the portal. Link smiled
grimly and followed after him.
well, thats not important, the only important thing is that they are
not mine, don't sue me, you'd waste your time and get nothing for it.
*Note - I know that Link is not a Disney character, but I think he is
really cool and I thought it would be cool and original to pair Kingdom
Hearts and Zelda. The story takes place a couple years after Kingdom
Hearts; Sora and Kairi are 18 and Riku and Link are 19.
This is my first fan fic., hope you enjoy, read and review please!
**Special Note- Thank you to all for your kind reviews. Special thanks
to Karen0 for the kindest review I have received yet. Thank you also
to my mum and my sister for reading my story and for her help with my
memory of Hyrule. Hyrule is as seen in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of
Time. Last, but not least, and extra special thanks to my best friend
William for all his encouragement and support.
Dedication: Thank you Trisha for your enthusiasm. This chapter is
dedicated to you.
************************************************************************
Chapter 5: The Portal
After the warrior had left, Sora turned towards Link and Zelda and said,
"All right, well, lets go and find the keyhole so I can get out of
here."
Sora, with Link and Zelda following him, walked into Death Mountain
crater. As the three made their way into the crater, Sora had an ever
increasing feeling that he was being watched. Sora pulled out his
keyblade and turned towards Link and Zelda:
"Be on your guard, I think we are being watched."
Link pulled out the Master Sword and Zelda just gave him a nod. The
three continued walking into the cavern until Sora passed a small cave
off to his left, then Zelda stopped and called out to him, "Wait."
Sora turned and, seeing Zelda looking into a small cave, walked over to
where the cave was and peered inside. He couldn't see anything in the
darkness. Sora turned to Zelda and asked her, "You think this is the
one?"
"Most likely this is the cave, because this cavern has few outlets and
this is the largest, or so I've been told."
"Do you have anything that could light the cave?" Sora asked Zelda.
"I could make a torch, hold on." Zelda walked out of the cavern and came
back in a few minutes with wood shaped into the form of a torch. She
placed her hand near the top of said, "Fire!" The upper part of the
torch caught fire and she handed it to Sora.
Sora took the torch, looked at Zelda and Link, and said, "Stay here for
a second, I'm just going to look inside and see if I can find the
keyhole."
Without waiting for a reply, Sora ducked his head under the low entryway
and slipped inside the cave. Once inside, Sora gratefully noted that he
wouldn't have to crouch the whole way through the cave, as the cave was
a little higher than his head. Sora walked a short ways and rounded a
bend to the right and then he saw it: the keyhole.
"Hey guys, I see the keyhole, I'll be out in a minute," Sora yelled back
out of the cave.
"Ok, we'll be here waiting," Link replied.
Sora, keyblade already in hand, walked towards the keyhole and aimed the
keyblade at it. Sora had to avert his eyes as a beam of brilliant white
light shot out of the keyblade towards the keyhole. When the light
finally faded, Sora looked at where the keyhole was and saw that it was
gone. Sora turned around to walk out of the cave and froze: before him
was the same hooded figure that had opened the portal to this world.
"You? Why did you take me here? Who are you?" Sora asked, he had a
million questions and this hooded figure was the only one who might be
able to provide him with some answers.
"Isn't it obvious, you needed to seal the keyhole to this world, and you
discovered some much needed information. For one who knows nothing, can
understand nothing."
"You...you're Ansem?"
"Yes."
"Why are you helping me?"
"To thank you Sora, for you saved my heart from darkness and helped me
find the light in my heart that I thought was lost."
"Uh, your welcome, I guess. Can you tell me who it was that attacked me
and Link?"
"His name is Siris. He is a son born to me from a woman I cared nothing
for. I gave her money and told her to keep quiet as to the identity of
the boy's father. Yet somehow Siris found out I was his father and
pursued me in as I pursued the darkness. One day I received a letter
from the woman saying that my son was taken by the heartless. I found
out later that he was not taken, but chose to go with the heartless of
his own accord. Under the guidance of the heartless, he delved deeper
into darkness than any before him, including me. Now he has discovered
the secret of the Dark Heart and the prophecy surrounding the one who
shall release him."
"Me," Sota muttered weakly.
"Yes, you."
Sora stared at the cave wall for a second and then, getting angry,
defiantly said, "No! I don't believe it, I can't. Will knowing about
the prophecy save me from the prophecy's fate?"
"I do not know, for prophecy is an art I am not familiar with. I do know
that there is a way to defeat the Dark Heart, but there are only two
people with that kind of knowledge: Siris and King Mickey."
"Well then, I have to find King Mickey, but how do I get out of Hyrule?"
"I already have that arranged, have Link take you the entrance of the
Forest Temple at noon. I shall be waiting for you there. Now go, your
friends are looking for you?"
"Sora? Are you ok? What's taking so long?" Zelda and Link were both
yelling into the cave.
Sora tried to ask Ansem a question but he disappeared, so instead, Sora
just yelled back, "I'm fine, hang on, I'll be right out."
"Sure, but hurry up, we were getting worried."
Sora thought about what Ansem said for a second and then walked out of
the cavern. As soon as he did, Link and Zelda bombarded him with
questions:
"Are you all right?"
"So how'd it go?"
"What took you so long?"
"Were you talking to yourself?"
"Did you close the keyhole?"
"How--"
"Guys! Slow down, give me a minute. Everything went fine, the keyhole is
closed. Sorry it took so long, but I was talking to...an acquaintance,
lets just put it that way. He was the person who opened the portal for
me to come to Hyrule."
"Where is he?" Zelda asked suspiciously.
"He's gone, but guess what Link, his son, Siris, was our attacker."
"Was he really, wow, so did this guy-"
"Ansem," Sora interrupted.
"Did Ansem tell you anything about Siris, the door, your prophecy, or how
you are going to leave Hyrule?"
Sora, not really feeling like explaining all that Ansem told gim, just
said, "All he said was how I was going to leave Hyrule. I need to be at
the entrance of the Forest Temple at noon today. Can you take me there?"
"Sure thing, we can leave now if you'd like and wait at my house until
noon."
"Really," Sora said grinning, "that'd be great."
"Sure," Link said as he turned to look towards Zelda. "Did you hear?"
"Yes, I heard. Well, lets begin to head back," Zelda said as she headed
out of the cavern. "Can you trust Ansem?" Zelda asked Sora as both he
and Link followed Zelda out of the cavern.
"Yeah, I think so. Well, I have no choice, he's the only way I am going
to get Kairi, and Riku, back. If I don't trust him, I'll be stuck in
Hyrule forever."
"I guess you're right."
By the time the three reached Hyrule field, the sun had risen two hours
ago. The three paused as they were going to split up and go their
seperate ways.
"Sora," Zelda said, "I just want to wish you good luck and, much as I
wish I could go with you, I am the Princess of Hyrule and I can't
abandon my duty to my people. It was a great pleasure to meet you, and
I just know that you'll get Kairi back. Thank you Sora, for everything."
Sora, slightly bewildered by Zeldas emotional goodbye, grinned one of
his trademark grins and hugged Zelda. "Thank you for all your help. Even
though I most likely will never see you again, I'll never forget what
you did for me, Kairi, and Riku. Thank you."
Zelda just smiled and nodded.
"Hang on a second Sora, give me a minute with Shiek," Link said as he
and Zelda walked out of Sora's hearing range.
Link whispered, "I'm going with him Zelda, he's going to need my help
and I can't just let him go and face Siris and any other dangers by
himself. For while he may the Keyblade Master, he can't do this alone."
Zelda stared at Link for a moment and, seeing the determined look on his
face said, "All right, but have you told him? Or Saria for that matter?"
"I haven't told either, yet, but it's not Sora I'm worried about, it's
Saria."
"Yes, I can see the problem there, well, good luck, you're going to need
it," Zelda said with a wink as she turned towards the castle and made
her way home.
Link watched her for a moment, then turned to Sora and said, "Ok, lets
go." With that, Sora followed Link as he led the way to the Kokiri
Forest. As they reached the log bridge leading into the Kokiri Forest,
they could immediately tell something was wrong.
"Oh no, I think there has been another attack," Link said, drawing the
Master Sword and running into the forest. Sora called forth his keyblade
and followed suit. What they saw was mass destruction. There were no
heartless to be seen, but it could easily be seen that they had been
here. The houses everywhere were either fallen, falling, or burning.
Link looked around and, running to his house, yelled, "Saria!"
Link ran to his house, with Sora following close behind, and barged in.
Luckily, only half his roof was missing and, while in a general state of
disrepair, would be able to be fixed without to much trouble. "Saria!
Try as he might, Link couldn't find Saria or any of the other Kokiri
throughout the entire forest. There was also no sign of the heartless.
Link sat down dejectedly on a log stump and thought, I wonder where
they could be, I should of been here. Maybe I could have prevented
this. He stood up and, glancing at the log, had a sudden idea. "That's
it!" Link said as he broke into a run.
"What? Whats it?" Sora said as he hurried off after Link.
Link, yelling for Saria the whole way, ran to the Deku Tree (formerly
Deku Sprout) and, not seeing the Kokiri, asked the tree, "Have you seen
Saria, or the rest of the Kokiri?"
"Link? Is that you?" A voice said from behind the tree.
"Saria?"
Saria walked out from behind the Deku Tree and, seeing it really was
Link, ran towards him, wrapped her arms around him, and buried her face
in his chest.
"Oh Link, it was horrible, those creatures, they just..." Saria cried
into his chest.
"Shh. Its ok now. Your safe, it's all over." Link reassured her as he
stroked her hair. As Link and Saria stood wrapped in each others arms,
the rest of the Kokiri, reassured by Links presence, slowly came out
from behind the Deku Tree. Link broke away from Saria and called out to
the Kokiri, "It's ok now, you can come out. Is anyone hurt?"
The rest of the Kokiri came out from behind the Deku Tree and gathered
around Link. "No one has been hurt by those...uh...what were those
creatures?"
"Those creatures that attacked you today are called heartless. They do
not come from this world and, thanks to Sora here, will not be coming
back," Link said as he pointed at Sora.
They all just stared Sora for a moment and then suddenly burst out
cheering, laughing, and dancing. Sora just grinned.
"Thank you Sora," Saria said as she walked up to him personally and
looked up at him. "For protecting Hyrule, the Kokiri, and Link."
"Aww, it was nothing," Sora said he looked at Saria. She was dressed
like all in other Kokiri (and Link), in green forest garb. The only
distinguishing feature about her was a silver medallion she wore around
her neck decorated with what looked like rays of light emanating from a
sun in the upper left hand corner. Sora was going to comment on the
medallion when he was interrupted by Link.
"Sora, it's almost noon. We need to go."
"Go? Go where? No, Link, you can't leave. We...I need you here," Saria
said as she looked up at him with pleading eyes.
Link drew her to him and said, "I'm sorry, but I have to go. I'm sorry
that I wasn't here to protect you, but I have to go with Sora to make
sure that what happened to all of you today doesn't happen to anyone
else. Do you understand?"
"As much as I don't like, and as much as I wish you wouldn't go, I
understand why you have to. Please be careful Link."
"I will," Link said as he pulled away and started to walk away from
the Deku Tree's meadow.
"Bye Link, I love you," Link heard Saria yell behind him. He turned
around and yelled back at her, "I love you too."
Sora followed Link as he led him through the remains of the village
into a forest that Sora thought was very confusing to navigate.
"Where are we?" Sora asked as he tried to remember they had come.
Left-Left-Right, no, Right-Left-Left, no, oh man, he was hopelessly
lost.
"The Lost Woods," Link replied as he made his way through the woods
without faltering. After a series of more confusing woods, a maze,
and what seemed like never-ending stairs, Link finally announced:
"We're here. This is the entrance to the Forest Temple."
Sora looked up at the sun and commented, "It's noon. Where is he?"
"I'm right here," Ansem replied from the center of the small meadow
that Sora and Link arrived in.
"Geez, came out of nowhere," Sora said grinning.
"Are you ready, Keyblade Master?"
"I'm ready."
"I'm going with you Sora," Link stated matter-of-factly.
"No you're not!"
"Yes I am! Sora, what would you do if you were in my boots? How can I
just sit here while you are out there facing innumerable dangers all
alone. I have to go with you Sora, I can't let what happened to Hyrule
happen to anyone else."
Sora watched Link for a second and then said, "Ok, you can come."
With that Sora turned towards Ansem and nodded. Ansem raised his hands
and muttered some incomprehensible words of magic as what seemed to be a
swirling black mass of clouds appeared before him. Sora looked back at
Link and with a nod, turned and walked into the portal. Link smiled
grimly and followed after him.
