The Magic of the Moment
The last couple of temples are going to end up out of order for plot-sake. I usually finish the Spirit Temple before the Shadow Temple anyway.
Requiem of Spirit
Link woke the next morning, feeling healed, but alone. Trunks was nowhere in site inside the Tower. He struggled to his feet, and wandered outside to look for the purple-haired young man.
"Link! Feeling better?" Trunks' voice called. Link glanced around, but could not see the source of the call. "Up here!"
Link looked up, and saw that Trunks was sitting on the roof of the Tower.
"How did he get up there!?" Navi exclaimed, as she had emerged from her place in Link's pack when she heard Trunks call.
"I…I suppose he climbed," Link mumbled, very much impressed by Trunks' stunt. However, they were both to be surprised as Trunks floated gently down from his perch and landed in front of them. Link shook his head to remove the shocked look, and asked, "How did you…?"
Trunks gave a sheepish laugh and scratched the back of his head (a habit he had picked up from too much time with Goku). "You mean the flying thing? My best friend taught me when I was a kid."
"That's incredible! No one in Hyrule can fly!"
"I can!" Navi said, offended.
"I meant none of the big people." He corrected himself to Trunks. "Only the fairies can fly in Hyrule."
"Well, not everyone in my world can fly either," Trunks admitted. "In fact, now I'm probably the only one. But in the Past, as I call in, there are about a dozen or so people who have the ability. We do it by channelling our ki."
"Ki? What's that?"
"It's what we call our life-force, where we get our energy from." Trunks powered up to Super Saiya-jin. "I just increased my ki, but going to 'Super Saiya-jin'."
Navi giggled. "Now he really looks like you, Link. He's blonde now and everything!"
Trunks laughed, and powered down. "Very few people can do that. You have to have Saiya-jin blood in you."
"What's a 'Saiya-jin'?" Link asked.
"An extinct race of fighters. Well, not completely extinct. My father was the prince. He and a man called Goku are the only pure blood Saiya-jin left, though in my world, I'm the only Saiya-jin period. My father and Goku both died when I was a baby."
"My parents died when I was young too. And I was raised with the Kokiri, by the Great Deku Tree. I never knew that I wasn't a Kokiri until I grew up. The Kokiri remain as children forever."
"Seems we both have interesting stories." Trunks motioned to the Master Sword, which was visible over Link's shoulder. "Where did you get your sword?"
Link pulled it from its sheath. "This is the Master Sword. I guess you could say it's the key to the Sacred Realm. Only one with a pure heart may wield it."
Trunks took the sword from Link's hands and inspected it. "It's a beautifully crafted weapon. It holds a lot of power in it." He handed the sword back. "You deserve a great weapon like this."
"Are you any good with yours?"
Trunks smirked, and unsheathed his own sword. "Is that a challenge?"
Without warning, Link charged, but Trunks blocked the blow. The sound of metal against metal rang through the Ranch. Trunks matched Link's attack with his own, and Link blocked. The fight continued, both fighters careful not to attack in a way which could injure his opponent.
"What are you doing!?" Malon's concerned voice cried. The young men stopped fighting and looked at her running towards them.
"We were sparring," Trunks answered when she was standing red-faced in front of them.
"Oh, I thought you were fighting." She frowned. "But still, Link is in no condition for this sort of activity."
"Actually, I feel perfectly fine," Link stated. "I was planning on headed off later today."
"I thought we should check out the desert in the West," Navi chirped. "That's where Ganon comes from after all."
"Let me come with you," Trunks urged again.
But Link declined once more. "I told you, I cannot ask you to defend this world. But I will ask this – will you stay and take care of Malon?"
Trunks knew that Link was just searching for an excuse, but he nodded anyway. He couldn't force the young man to accept his help. Besides, Link seemed quite capable, and Trunks could sense a great deal of power in him. And their recent spare had proven that his power was matched with skill.
"Please be careful, Link," Malon begged.
"Hey, it's me." Link grinned as he mounted Epona. He kicked her flank gently, but sharply, and rode off.
"That's what I'm afraid of."
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Over the next few days, Trunks passed his time by helping out around the Ranch. Malon had tried to teach him a song to urge the cows to produce better milk, but Trunks didn't have an instrument, and his singing voice was not particularly good. Link had not returned during this time, but Trunks had not worried. He knew that the blonde young man was capable of looking after himself.
But Malon seemed very concerned, and her worry increased with each passing day. Each morning she would stand by the entrance of the Ranch and sing.
After three mornings of this, Trunks finally confronted her and asked. "What's the matter, Malon?"
"I was singing for Epona, and she didn't come. That song should call her to whoever sings or plays it."
"She's probably with Link. If he was riding her, he'd stop her from leaving."
Malon shook her head. "Link would not be able to ride her across the Haunted Wasteland, nor would he try. It is no place for any beast."
"She's waiting for him then."
"No, I told you that Epona isn't a tame horse. She will not wait. If she was left somewhere, she would have run to explore, and when I sang her song, she would have returned here. The only reason that she would ignore the song was if she or Link was in trouble."
Trunks suddenly understood Malon's concern. "Why would Link being in trouble make her ignore the song?"
"She has a bond with him, and would know, even if he wasn't with her, that he was in grave danger." Malon looked up at Trunks, her eyes twinkling with tears. "Oh, Trunks, what can we do?"
Trunks carefully placed an arm around her. "Don't worry, Malon. I'm sure Link is just fine."
"Actually, Malon is quite right to worry. Link is in great peril."
Trunks and Malon spun to see the owner of the voice, and there stood Sheik. Again, despite his face being covered, they could see the concern in his eyes.
But Trunks frowned. "You seem to know a lot about Link's business. You wouldn't happen to be responsible for his current situation, would you?"
"Trunks, I can understand your suspicion, but Link trusts me, so I would ask that you trust me also."
"How can I trust someone that will not show his face?"
"I do not hide my face from you, from Malon or from Link. It is because of another that I must disguise myself as such. When the time is right, I shall reveal myself. But for now, I ask only for you to extend the same trust to me, as I have extended to you."
Trunks had to give Sheik that. He was a stranger in this land, and yet, Trunks, Sheik and Malon had all trusted him, and even cared for him. The least he could do was extend Sheik the same courtesy. He nodded to the blue-clad young man.
"I thank you." Sheik bowed his head. "And now, back to Link. I fear that he may not be able to defeat the two evil witches that guard the Spirit Temple. I myself, cannot enter the Temple, so I must ask a favour of you, Trunks."
"You want me to go and help him out?"
Sheik nodded. "I know that you hold a great power. In your own world, I am sure that you are a hero in your own right. Link's pride prevented him from letting you be a hero here also."
"That is understandable. So, where is Link?"
"The Spirit Temple. It is held within the Desert Colossus, on the furthest reaches of the Haunted Wasteland. I can take you there."
Trunks shook his head. "I can fly there quicker myself. The desert is in the west, right?"
"So, you possess your own magic?" Sheik's eyes let on that he was smiling. "I thought as much. I knew that you were not a normal man when I first met you. Yes, the desert is to the west. Please hurry, and save or Hero."
"I must ask something of you, first. Link asked me to stay and take care of Malon; now that I must leave, could you do that for me?"
"It would be an honour," Sheik replied. "Now that this Ranch is free from Ganon's rule, it is safe for me to dwell here. Good luck to you, Trunks, Hero of Earth."
"Trunks, take this!" Malon ordered, throwing a jar of milk, which Trunks caught. "You both might need it."
Trunks smiled, then took off, startling Malon. The minute he was in the air, he searched for Link's ki. He found that it was indeed in the west, and it was starting to decrease. Without wasting another moment, he shot off towards the desert.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Link felt the freezing pain creep over his body. He hadn't been quick enough to dodge the combined witch's icy blast, and now his feet we frozen to the floor. The ice was spreading up his legs, and Link didn't want to think what would happen if it reached his body and head. It can't be over so soon! Who will save Hyrule?
The witch floated above him, grinning menacingly. She raised her ice wand to deliver a finishing blast, but without warning, something crashed through the roof of the temple, and hit her, sending her flailing across the room.
Link, with limited mobility, looked up to see what the projectile had been. It was Trunks, in his blonde and powerful form.
"Heard you could use a bit of help," Trunks commented.
"Get me out of here!" Link managed to cry, teeth chattering.
Trunks nodded, and floated down beside his fellow fighter. He held his hand close to Link's icy prison and radiated a small amount of ki to melt the ice. Link was quickly freed. Trunks handed over the jar of milk.
"Got milk?" he joked, but Link didn't seem to get it. Trunks nearly hit himself. You're not on Earth remember, you moron! "A present from Malon."
"Great, I really need this." Link sculled half the jar. "Better save some just in case."
"So what happened?"
"I was fighting these two witches, one shot fire at me, and the other ice. I was doing all right, using my shield to shoot their blasts at the other one." He held up his brand new shield. Its polished surface reflected Trunks' image back at him. "But then, the combined together, and that's when things got ugly."
"Twinrova shot an ice blast at Link, and hit him," Navi cried. "We're so lucky you came, Trunks!"
"No, I'm so lucky he came," Link admitted, swallowing his pride. "How can I thank you?"
"Let's just beat this bitch first, okay?" Trunks suggested, seeing that Twinrova, or whatever Navi had called her, was pulling herself out of the hole she had made in the wall upon impact. "Any suggestions?"
Link shook his head. "Navi?"
"Trunks, when you freed Link, what did you use?" the fairy asked.
"A ki blast," Trunks answered. "Only a small one though. I didn't want to hurt him."
"Great, so you can make a bigger one! Hit her with it, then Link can slash her up!"
"No problem." Trunks held his hands in front of him, and shot at Twinrova before she even had the chance to realise what was going on. "Burning Attack!"
The blast hit her right in the chest, and she fell onto the platform in the centre of the room. With a sadistic grin on his face, Link jumped onto the platform and brought his sword down onto her, slicing her clean in two. Blue smoke poured out, and suddenly where there had been one beautiful witch, there were two ugly, old witches. But they both had halos over their heads. Trunks, Navi and Link watched in utter confusion as the two witches argued, before they faded into oblivion, screeching, "I'll come back to haunt you!"
Link looked at Trunks and smiled. "I owe you one."
"No you don't," Trunks replied. "I owed you one, remember. Now we're even."
"Wanna come meet the Sage of Spirit?"
"I guess. Where do we have to go?"
Link pointed to where the witches had been. There was an eerie blue light radiating, which Link lead Trunks to. The three of them stood in the centre and were slowly lifted upwards.
Before a moment had passed, Trunks realised that they were no longer in the Temple. They were in a strange place, surrounded by six pedestals: one red, one yellow, one green, one blue, one purple and one orange. On the orange pedestal was a woman wearing bagging white pants and a small piece of material across her chest.
"Whoa, I must be more messed up than I thought!" The woman exclaimed. "I'm almost seeing double!"
"Nabooru, I'd like you to meet Trunks," Link said. "Trunks, this is Nabooru, Sage of Spirit, and leader of the Gerudo."
"Nice to meet you, Trunks," Nabooru greeted. "How crazy is that? I'm the Sage of Spirit. Guess I have the two of you to thank for that. By the way, Link – sorry about attacking you before. Those witches had me controlled by black magic."
"No need for an apology."
"Well, take this anyway." Nabooru handed a small orange medallion to Link. "Remember how I said I'd give you something good – I guess you'll have to settle for this. It contains the power of the Spirit." She winked at him. "I would have preferred to give you something else, since you ended up being so handsome, but oh well."
Link blushed. "Uh…we'd better go."
"Good luck boys!" Nabooru called, as she disappeared.
The strange room faded, and was replaced by the desert landscape. When his feet were firmly on the ground, Trunks glanced around.
"That was amazing! We're were we?" he asked.
"The Sacred Realm, or what's left of it anyway. That was the Chamber of the Sages." Link looked at the medallion Nabooru had given him, then placed it in his pocket.
Trunks smirked at him. "Another girlfriend? You really are the ladies' man."
"Shut up!" Link shielded his eyes against the sun. "Where's Sheik when you need him? I don't want to go back through the desert."
"Sheik's at Lon Lon Ranch. But who needs him – I can fly remember."
"Of course! How stupid am I?"
"Do you really want me to answer?" Trunks floated into the air, and grabbed the back of Link's shirt. Navi, shot back into her hiding spot, knowing she'd never be able to keep up flying by herself. "Let's go!"
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
A/N: A nice long chapter to make up for the last one being so short. I had a couple of reviews asking for Trunks to get involved, but I always planned on having him help out. Next chapter: Now that Trunks has proven himself to be a powerful ally, will Link accept his help?
