Okay. what made me continue this? I'm not sure. maybe I'll actually get
some good reader feedback. or bad, I've not really cared about that for a
very long time. I just wanna see more action/adventure Zelda stories that
give credit to the sages while keeping good ol' Link the hero and without
adding a new character as a love interest for Link! ^_^.
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Chapter V: Unusual Circumstances
His memory shot back to him like a rocket, flooding his mind with faces and the sweet smiles he used to see all the time. Link allowed every vision to flow through clearly, the thought of seeing his old friend taking a smaller precedence over the scream that continued to ring through Hyrule field. Fortunately he didn't have to worry too much, he body was already running towards the scene, moving on its own accord, as if he was used to it. His body cut thru the wind like an arrow, his sword already in hand and in position for a quick strike.
"Let that girl go you rotten scum!!!" cried out a female voice from the south of the action.
Link's view was very small at the moment, but from what he could see there were more than just Malon and her captors. There were 5 Stalfos holding her small form up now as she kicked and screamed bloody murder. Three had come up to their aid almost immediately as if the entire sequence was planned. But to the south of her, two people stood. Well, not just people, they were a little too blue for that. Two child-like Zoras stood there, one with a spear in it's hand and another screaming as it hid behind the other one.
"Princess! I told you to stay in the lake while I checked this out!" the guy shouted behind as a few of the Stalfos broke off of the group to take care of the young Zoras.
"I couldn't let you go alone!" she cried out, hanging onto him now, "You wouldn't have even been there in the first place if it wasn't for me!"
"Yeah." he growled, "You should have been back in the domain, like your father ordered! Not out in the lake trying to get yourself killed by these monsters!"
Kasuto managed to slowly pry Ruto's fingers off of his torso and then pushed her backwards, growling even further, hoping to scare the girl.
"Go. Home. Now."
"But you need me help!"
"You need a life, Princess! Go home!"
With that, she picked up a stick and stood in a defensive position, looking only at the skeletons in front of her. She wasn't going to let some guard tell her what to do. She was going to help, whether the stubborn Zora wanted it or not.
"Damn it! Your father is going to hear about this!" he turned back in time just to see a sword coming right down on him.
As quick as possible, Kasuto barely side-stepped the huge blade and stumbled back. Once he gained his ground again, two swords flew at him this time, but again he managed to slide past each. As he dodged the second one, he brought his spear up into the torso of the first Stalfos. He turned it quickly so that the sides locked onto it's rib cage and yanked as hard as he could. The skeleton's entire midsection came apart, and with it, the rest of the body followed. This action left him pretty vulnerable though, and he could sense the wind of the second's sword coming back for another round.
"KASUTO!!!!" Ruto screamed out as she threw the stick his way, but it missed it's target entirely.
The Zora bodyguard closed his eyes and prepared for the final blow. but it never came. The next sound he heard was the rush of air behind. a boomerang? After that, he could hear Ruto gasp. Looking up, Kasuto saw the nature of her shock. What seemed to be a child was standing a top of the hill, but he was wearing kokiri clothing? The bodyguard shook his head because he knew it couldn't be an actual Kokiri, one of those would already be dead! The child starting running down the hill and charged after the other three Stalfos. In shock, Kasuto stood there he took two of them down with incredible ease, as if he had been doing it his entire life. Once the shock faded, he immediately ran to the side of the child, who was now prepared to strike again, but the Stalfos actually had the intelligence to hold the girl hostage.
"What's going on with these things? They're only supposed to come out at night and usually only attack, not ransom!" Link growled frustrated towards the figure he felt beside him. He tried to lighten his glare when he met Malon's eyes to assure her he was calm enough to get her out of there alive.
"I wish I could tell you, they've been killing Zora in the lake for the last week or so," Kasuto brought his spear up towards the Stalfos, "In the daylight as well."
As if they started to read each other's minds, both began slowly moving in the opposite direction, drawing the attention of the Stalfos off of at least of them for a moment. This was all the time both of them needed. Now following each other's moves, Kasuto slide down and took out the skeleton's legs at the same Link brought his sword up and cut through the bone of the arm holding Malon. She dropped out of his hold just in time to duck as Kasuto's second blow sailed over her head, ripping through its neck area. The skull fell off the body like it wasn't even attached, the gold helmet it wore shattering along with the skull once it hit the ground. Both of them looked confused.
"It was a magic enhancement?" They looked at each other, eyes meeting for the first time in the whole situation, but Link was the first one to speak up, still suspicious, "What's a Zora doing in Hyrule field?"
Kasuto quickly glanced back to see Ruto, on her knees still in shock, then to the child, "What's a Hylian doing out here dressed as a Kokiri child?"
Meanwhile, Malon stood up between them, dusting herself off like nothing had happened at all. She smiled at both of their faces and blushed like a normal kid. It wasn't every day you had two men come to your rescue after all!
"Um. I know you guys are busy questioning each other, but can I at least show my gratitude for what you did?" She looked at them both innocently.
"Uh. why. yes. I guess. of course!!" Both of them stuttered at once. This was going to be the start of one unusual relationship.
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A huge Goron squinted up at the sun from his point atop of Death Mountain. The entire mountain had been quiet for 3 days straight. As he pounded on a piece of thick metal he was going to make into a wondrous sword one day, the eerie silence got to him. Even the lava flow had slowed down, as if it knew something were up. Biggoron kept his work up though, because he knew he would never meet his personal deadline for the sword if he didn't continue his work. Looking out as he continued, a thick, black cloud was settling itself over the Kokiri forest, something he had never seen before. Usually the forests had perfect weather since their protector, the Great Deku Tree supposedly had magic beyond anyone in Hyrule. His mind wasn't left to wonder too long though.
Only a minute later, a female Goron came running out onto the plot of rocky surface that led to the entrance to the center of the mountain, the lava streams. She started jumping up and down, a rumbling bigger that even her big body could create coming from below. Looking up excitedly at Biggoron, who was rubbing his eyes now, she managed to calm herself down for a moment just to speak.
"Great Biggoron, I bring BIG news from our leader!" She shouted up to him.
"Did you bring my eye drops?" Biggoron asked, rubbing harder as the dust from the ground rose up with each increase in shaking intensity.
"I have something better! Leader Darunia has a boy goron now!"
"What?? Leader Darunia's wife had a child? The labor must have been easy, only 3 sunsets!" He talked softly back down to make sure he didn't blow out her eardrums, "Now, my eye drops!"
"Oh yes, some weird professor pro."
A bony hand tapped on her shoulder as she stopped her words mid-sentence. The professor had already made his way up the mountain and being inside for quite a while, he wanted some fresh air.
"I have brought them my dear Biggoron." As the professor said this, Navi looked at him questionably. first he acted like old buddies with Darunia, now Biggoron? How well known was this guy? As she continued to think, the professor tossed up the eye drops to the huge Goron and looked back at the female, "You may return, the wife needs help and could use more of you down with her!"
The female bowed her head and left almost as quickly and excitedly as she came. Profellor on the other hand, was not to happy bouncing up and down from the mountain's now constant shaking. It wasn't because of a nearby eruption, but of the joyous celebrations that were taking place in Goron City. He took a couple of awkward steps closer to the Goron and looked at the piece of metal in his hands.
"When will it be ready?" The professor asked as the Goron finished squinting his eyes downwards.
"About three more years it should take, this metal is not easy to form as others!"
"I see. well either I or another man of 17 with more eye drops shall return to receive the sword, your payment of course shall be eye drops for life." Navi's eyes instantly lit up.
She started the flutter in his face, crossing her little arms.
"You mean Link right? He's going to come back and get this sword, right?" She frowned as the man ignored her, "Hey! Listen to me, old man!"
Profellor shook his head and turned away, not paying attention to his little friend. As they began to walk away, without a good bye to the Goron as it always was, she still begin to bother him, but he would never answer her, he couldn't. The future would have to take place without her knowledge. This in part because no matter what, she would be placed along side the fates of the most important people in Hyrule. And for the fates to accept her, she had to be ignorant of any situation.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small red stone. not just any stone, but the Goron's Ruby. He had no problem asking for the spiritual stone as a stressed out father-to-be was comforting his wife while in labor. The other rock, which was in his bag because of its large side, would have to stay there until its use was needed. Glancing at the shining ruby, he knew that time was slowly running out. He had to retrieve the emerald and the sapphire in a hurry. Profellor looked out to see the village of Kakariko and then the forest itself. The dark cloud lit up every so often, meaning a storm was raging there now. The storm was very localized over the largest tree in the forest. Yes, Hyrule was already starting to crumble to the power of darkness. The biggest magical power was almost about to fall. He smiled to himself for a moment though, despite the pessimistic thoughts. "Good thing the kid remained there."
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A very long talk and 10 gallons of milk in their stomachs, Link, Kasuto, and Ruto all sat down around a small campfire her father built in the middle of the horse's pen. He was so grateful the moment they had returned with his daughter safely that there was a huge party. Well, it was only them, Talon, Malon, and Ingo, but the party was lively enough for a hundred people. They ate huge steaks and got all the milk they wanted for free. Malon had gone to bed a little bit ago and the three of them were offered a place to sleep for the night. If it began to rain, they were told to sleep in the barn, but if not the grass was only provided as pillows for them and the fire for warmth.
Each of them looked out in the night sky, thinking separate issues that were coming upon them. For Link, though, it was a little different. All he could think about was Malon now. It seemed his puberty-ridden mind never left after Princess Zelda returned him to Hyrule as a kid again. This created a force in his head that seemed to jump from girl to girl. Although his feelings were true for Saria, they remained very questionable towards the ranch maiden. Despite the battle and the circumstances it came at, why was a girl all he could think of?
"Hey, weirdo!" Ruto tapped on his shoulder a couple of times, which caused a bit of a jump start. He blankly glanced at the Zora, very glad he never thought about her that way. It helped that her attitude showed no touches of girlish charm. "Kassy was talkin' to you!"
Link shook his head and decided not to answer her at all and just turn to Kasuto, who had the biggest grin on his face. Knowing that the Zora had to face this girl all of the time, the hero of time felt so much pity onto him, but at the same time his tolerance of the girl made him respect him that much more.
"Yea?" He answered back in a casual fashion. After both boys had exchanged stories, they realized together that perhaps the situations they were both in could have been connected. Although the talk about it was scarce due to the presence of the girls, each boy brought up certain issues every so often to keep their minds up about it.
"Didn't you say something about a dream before? Green skin and orange hair right?" Kasuto was still looking up at the stars as he talked.
"Yeah, I had a friend who had the same dream too."
"That's not coincidence is it?" Kasuto spoke again. As he looked over at Ruto, her gaze had strangely turned to the sky too. He knew she had the exactly same dream as well, but she refused to talk about it, even with him.
"Probably not, but there's only on person who will know why we did have it." Link turned his head in the direction of the castle, sighing. "You guys might want to head back to the Domain soon and warn your people of the increasing strength of the skeletons."
Kasuto shook his head for a moment, thinking of all of the dead bodies he already saw due to the Stalfos that were intruding on Zora land.
"No, my mission was to address the Princess of Hyrule as per orders of the King of the Zoras. his daughter was not supposed to be my guest but tagged along anyway."
"I see, she's. um. I mean she seems like the type that would always get in the way." Link laughed slightly but stopped when he saw he was getting no response out of her, probably thinking too hard, "Why would the King send out such a. if you don't mind me saying, young bodyguard to carry out such a task?"
The Zora guardian seemed to get a kick out of this and smirked. He kept thinking that this boy was a little strange, but completely misinformed as well? Even somewhere in that forest, news must have reached!
"The King of Hyrule is out on an important expedition to ensure peace in our land and others." Kasuto looked pretty proudly knowing this information, "Since the princess is only a child of 13, the my King thought it would be less threatening if a younger guardian went to present our case instead of an older one. I am to simply on this mission make her aware of the situation in Lake Hylia and await a response. She will probably debate it with a few elder advisors and then get back to me within a day." He then tried to turn the attention around to Link, not wanted to reveal more than necessary, "Surely this attack on the Deku tree will force the royalty to act soon, right?"
Link already knew the answer to that question. If his intuitions were right, the princess and even Impa shared the same dream that the rest of them did. And if Zelda had the dream, something was definitely up. The other question, next to his curiosities about Malon, in his mind was how Kasuto got the dream. Perhaps it was just a coincidence or the guardian's destiny was tied in with his or Ruto's, but Link could never be sure. All he could worry about was what he saw. The forest gone, the kokiri dying, Gannondorf. There was a name that sent chills down his spine. Could Gannondorf really be plotting something again? He could only wait and find out for himself.
"I suppose it would, I'm not sure how she will react," Link leaned back and started to count the stars mindlessly. As he looked upon the other two, both were already doing the same. Ruto was already asleep, thank the goddesses, and Kasuto seemed to think very much alike with Link, which began to scare him more and more each time they did execute something the same way. "We should get some sleep like the princess has already treated herself to, we have a good long journey to the castle still ahead, this place is only the half-way mark."
"I know that, well good night, Link." Kasuto closed his eyes and began to drift off himself, not wishing to delay his rest any longer than he should.
"Yea, good night, Kasuto."
Slowly, his eyelids grew heavily and sleep took over his battle worn body. Blackness swept over his whole body, making him believe that he was floating into an abyss. But suddenly his body landed. He didn't know how long he had been floating, but dark coating of his surroundings faded in and out. He saw the same exact thing he saw before. Trees. All of them grey, petrified. Yet, it was different. He was in the Sacred Forest Meadow this time. No Gannondorf it seems. but atop the broken balcony of the Forest temple, the woman who was there before returned. The only color in the entire area was her eyes, which were glowing with a strange sapphire blue like color.
Link could see. no he could feel her grinning from there. The woman jumped down and stepped up to Link, holding in her hand the remains of a broken ocarina. the ocarina of time!
Link growled and slowly backed up, drawing whatever sword was equipped on him at the time. He didn't know what it was, but he didn't care either.
"Who. Are. You." Link managed out through clenched teeth.
"I am your demise. your downfall.your route to failure." she smiles and dropped the pieces to the ground, then crushing them on the ground, "The phantoms shall be here when summoned by the one who holds the Triforce of Power, fate will not allow anything else to take place but that."
The woman's long hair began to flow in front of her as she backed up, that smile still biting at Link's ears with the same acid as before. Bringing up one hand. the place seemed to change. growing darker and lifeless with each second.
"This is the future. in seven years."
"No! This can't happen! The sages will.!!" Link couldn't even finish has he voice suddenly vanished.
"The sages will die, one by one, starting with her. and you know who that is."
The woman brought her other hand out and suddenly Saria came into view. on her knees with her head hanging down. Behind her was what seemed to be the woman again. They were both of the balcony.
Seeing this, Link immediately tried to move towards them, but he body now as well as his voice was paralyzed. He was no longer in control of his own dreams. This scared him a lot more anything ever had before.
The woman on top of the balcony held the master sword in her hand, its blade touching Saria's neck gently. The same sapphire eyes were laughing at Link all over again, just like in the last dream. As the master sword swung up, and then back down at the young kokiri's neck, both disappeared. The vision ending as abrupt as it started.
"This is the future. in seven years. that is the time you have to prepare. for the end."
Just like the last dream, Gannondorf's clear laugh echoed in the area.
"And he will be the castor."
Then she looked down at the crushed ocarina.
"And this shall be the key."
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Reader feedback is strongly requested! Flames, praise, I don't care! Please!!!! Chapter VI: The Phantoms of Echoes -- Link, Kasuto, and Ruto are in for the story of their lives when they learn the truth to the mysterious dreams. And possibly the reason for the suddenly outburst in Stalfos activity. do they have an actual, competent leader?
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Chapter V: Unusual Circumstances
His memory shot back to him like a rocket, flooding his mind with faces and the sweet smiles he used to see all the time. Link allowed every vision to flow through clearly, the thought of seeing his old friend taking a smaller precedence over the scream that continued to ring through Hyrule field. Fortunately he didn't have to worry too much, he body was already running towards the scene, moving on its own accord, as if he was used to it. His body cut thru the wind like an arrow, his sword already in hand and in position for a quick strike.
"Let that girl go you rotten scum!!!" cried out a female voice from the south of the action.
Link's view was very small at the moment, but from what he could see there were more than just Malon and her captors. There were 5 Stalfos holding her small form up now as she kicked and screamed bloody murder. Three had come up to their aid almost immediately as if the entire sequence was planned. But to the south of her, two people stood. Well, not just people, they were a little too blue for that. Two child-like Zoras stood there, one with a spear in it's hand and another screaming as it hid behind the other one.
"Princess! I told you to stay in the lake while I checked this out!" the guy shouted behind as a few of the Stalfos broke off of the group to take care of the young Zoras.
"I couldn't let you go alone!" she cried out, hanging onto him now, "You wouldn't have even been there in the first place if it wasn't for me!"
"Yeah." he growled, "You should have been back in the domain, like your father ordered! Not out in the lake trying to get yourself killed by these monsters!"
Kasuto managed to slowly pry Ruto's fingers off of his torso and then pushed her backwards, growling even further, hoping to scare the girl.
"Go. Home. Now."
"But you need me help!"
"You need a life, Princess! Go home!"
With that, she picked up a stick and stood in a defensive position, looking only at the skeletons in front of her. She wasn't going to let some guard tell her what to do. She was going to help, whether the stubborn Zora wanted it or not.
"Damn it! Your father is going to hear about this!" he turned back in time just to see a sword coming right down on him.
As quick as possible, Kasuto barely side-stepped the huge blade and stumbled back. Once he gained his ground again, two swords flew at him this time, but again he managed to slide past each. As he dodged the second one, he brought his spear up into the torso of the first Stalfos. He turned it quickly so that the sides locked onto it's rib cage and yanked as hard as he could. The skeleton's entire midsection came apart, and with it, the rest of the body followed. This action left him pretty vulnerable though, and he could sense the wind of the second's sword coming back for another round.
"KASUTO!!!!" Ruto screamed out as she threw the stick his way, but it missed it's target entirely.
The Zora bodyguard closed his eyes and prepared for the final blow. but it never came. The next sound he heard was the rush of air behind. a boomerang? After that, he could hear Ruto gasp. Looking up, Kasuto saw the nature of her shock. What seemed to be a child was standing a top of the hill, but he was wearing kokiri clothing? The bodyguard shook his head because he knew it couldn't be an actual Kokiri, one of those would already be dead! The child starting running down the hill and charged after the other three Stalfos. In shock, Kasuto stood there he took two of them down with incredible ease, as if he had been doing it his entire life. Once the shock faded, he immediately ran to the side of the child, who was now prepared to strike again, but the Stalfos actually had the intelligence to hold the girl hostage.
"What's going on with these things? They're only supposed to come out at night and usually only attack, not ransom!" Link growled frustrated towards the figure he felt beside him. He tried to lighten his glare when he met Malon's eyes to assure her he was calm enough to get her out of there alive.
"I wish I could tell you, they've been killing Zora in the lake for the last week or so," Kasuto brought his spear up towards the Stalfos, "In the daylight as well."
As if they started to read each other's minds, both began slowly moving in the opposite direction, drawing the attention of the Stalfos off of at least of them for a moment. This was all the time both of them needed. Now following each other's moves, Kasuto slide down and took out the skeleton's legs at the same Link brought his sword up and cut through the bone of the arm holding Malon. She dropped out of his hold just in time to duck as Kasuto's second blow sailed over her head, ripping through its neck area. The skull fell off the body like it wasn't even attached, the gold helmet it wore shattering along with the skull once it hit the ground. Both of them looked confused.
"It was a magic enhancement?" They looked at each other, eyes meeting for the first time in the whole situation, but Link was the first one to speak up, still suspicious, "What's a Zora doing in Hyrule field?"
Kasuto quickly glanced back to see Ruto, on her knees still in shock, then to the child, "What's a Hylian doing out here dressed as a Kokiri child?"
Meanwhile, Malon stood up between them, dusting herself off like nothing had happened at all. She smiled at both of their faces and blushed like a normal kid. It wasn't every day you had two men come to your rescue after all!
"Um. I know you guys are busy questioning each other, but can I at least show my gratitude for what you did?" She looked at them both innocently.
"Uh. why. yes. I guess. of course!!" Both of them stuttered at once. This was going to be the start of one unusual relationship.
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A huge Goron squinted up at the sun from his point atop of Death Mountain. The entire mountain had been quiet for 3 days straight. As he pounded on a piece of thick metal he was going to make into a wondrous sword one day, the eerie silence got to him. Even the lava flow had slowed down, as if it knew something were up. Biggoron kept his work up though, because he knew he would never meet his personal deadline for the sword if he didn't continue his work. Looking out as he continued, a thick, black cloud was settling itself over the Kokiri forest, something he had never seen before. Usually the forests had perfect weather since their protector, the Great Deku Tree supposedly had magic beyond anyone in Hyrule. His mind wasn't left to wonder too long though.
Only a minute later, a female Goron came running out onto the plot of rocky surface that led to the entrance to the center of the mountain, the lava streams. She started jumping up and down, a rumbling bigger that even her big body could create coming from below. Looking up excitedly at Biggoron, who was rubbing his eyes now, she managed to calm herself down for a moment just to speak.
"Great Biggoron, I bring BIG news from our leader!" She shouted up to him.
"Did you bring my eye drops?" Biggoron asked, rubbing harder as the dust from the ground rose up with each increase in shaking intensity.
"I have something better! Leader Darunia has a boy goron now!"
"What?? Leader Darunia's wife had a child? The labor must have been easy, only 3 sunsets!" He talked softly back down to make sure he didn't blow out her eardrums, "Now, my eye drops!"
"Oh yes, some weird professor pro."
A bony hand tapped on her shoulder as she stopped her words mid-sentence. The professor had already made his way up the mountain and being inside for quite a while, he wanted some fresh air.
"I have brought them my dear Biggoron." As the professor said this, Navi looked at him questionably. first he acted like old buddies with Darunia, now Biggoron? How well known was this guy? As she continued to think, the professor tossed up the eye drops to the huge Goron and looked back at the female, "You may return, the wife needs help and could use more of you down with her!"
The female bowed her head and left almost as quickly and excitedly as she came. Profellor on the other hand, was not to happy bouncing up and down from the mountain's now constant shaking. It wasn't because of a nearby eruption, but of the joyous celebrations that were taking place in Goron City. He took a couple of awkward steps closer to the Goron and looked at the piece of metal in his hands.
"When will it be ready?" The professor asked as the Goron finished squinting his eyes downwards.
"About three more years it should take, this metal is not easy to form as others!"
"I see. well either I or another man of 17 with more eye drops shall return to receive the sword, your payment of course shall be eye drops for life." Navi's eyes instantly lit up.
She started the flutter in his face, crossing her little arms.
"You mean Link right? He's going to come back and get this sword, right?" She frowned as the man ignored her, "Hey! Listen to me, old man!"
Profellor shook his head and turned away, not paying attention to his little friend. As they began to walk away, without a good bye to the Goron as it always was, she still begin to bother him, but he would never answer her, he couldn't. The future would have to take place without her knowledge. This in part because no matter what, she would be placed along side the fates of the most important people in Hyrule. And for the fates to accept her, she had to be ignorant of any situation.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small red stone. not just any stone, but the Goron's Ruby. He had no problem asking for the spiritual stone as a stressed out father-to-be was comforting his wife while in labor. The other rock, which was in his bag because of its large side, would have to stay there until its use was needed. Glancing at the shining ruby, he knew that time was slowly running out. He had to retrieve the emerald and the sapphire in a hurry. Profellor looked out to see the village of Kakariko and then the forest itself. The dark cloud lit up every so often, meaning a storm was raging there now. The storm was very localized over the largest tree in the forest. Yes, Hyrule was already starting to crumble to the power of darkness. The biggest magical power was almost about to fall. He smiled to himself for a moment though, despite the pessimistic thoughts. "Good thing the kid remained there."
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A very long talk and 10 gallons of milk in their stomachs, Link, Kasuto, and Ruto all sat down around a small campfire her father built in the middle of the horse's pen. He was so grateful the moment they had returned with his daughter safely that there was a huge party. Well, it was only them, Talon, Malon, and Ingo, but the party was lively enough for a hundred people. They ate huge steaks and got all the milk they wanted for free. Malon had gone to bed a little bit ago and the three of them were offered a place to sleep for the night. If it began to rain, they were told to sleep in the barn, but if not the grass was only provided as pillows for them and the fire for warmth.
Each of them looked out in the night sky, thinking separate issues that were coming upon them. For Link, though, it was a little different. All he could think about was Malon now. It seemed his puberty-ridden mind never left after Princess Zelda returned him to Hyrule as a kid again. This created a force in his head that seemed to jump from girl to girl. Although his feelings were true for Saria, they remained very questionable towards the ranch maiden. Despite the battle and the circumstances it came at, why was a girl all he could think of?
"Hey, weirdo!" Ruto tapped on his shoulder a couple of times, which caused a bit of a jump start. He blankly glanced at the Zora, very glad he never thought about her that way. It helped that her attitude showed no touches of girlish charm. "Kassy was talkin' to you!"
Link shook his head and decided not to answer her at all and just turn to Kasuto, who had the biggest grin on his face. Knowing that the Zora had to face this girl all of the time, the hero of time felt so much pity onto him, but at the same time his tolerance of the girl made him respect him that much more.
"Yea?" He answered back in a casual fashion. After both boys had exchanged stories, they realized together that perhaps the situations they were both in could have been connected. Although the talk about it was scarce due to the presence of the girls, each boy brought up certain issues every so often to keep their minds up about it.
"Didn't you say something about a dream before? Green skin and orange hair right?" Kasuto was still looking up at the stars as he talked.
"Yeah, I had a friend who had the same dream too."
"That's not coincidence is it?" Kasuto spoke again. As he looked over at Ruto, her gaze had strangely turned to the sky too. He knew she had the exactly same dream as well, but she refused to talk about it, even with him.
"Probably not, but there's only on person who will know why we did have it." Link turned his head in the direction of the castle, sighing. "You guys might want to head back to the Domain soon and warn your people of the increasing strength of the skeletons."
Kasuto shook his head for a moment, thinking of all of the dead bodies he already saw due to the Stalfos that were intruding on Zora land.
"No, my mission was to address the Princess of Hyrule as per orders of the King of the Zoras. his daughter was not supposed to be my guest but tagged along anyway."
"I see, she's. um. I mean she seems like the type that would always get in the way." Link laughed slightly but stopped when he saw he was getting no response out of her, probably thinking too hard, "Why would the King send out such a. if you don't mind me saying, young bodyguard to carry out such a task?"
The Zora guardian seemed to get a kick out of this and smirked. He kept thinking that this boy was a little strange, but completely misinformed as well? Even somewhere in that forest, news must have reached!
"The King of Hyrule is out on an important expedition to ensure peace in our land and others." Kasuto looked pretty proudly knowing this information, "Since the princess is only a child of 13, the my King thought it would be less threatening if a younger guardian went to present our case instead of an older one. I am to simply on this mission make her aware of the situation in Lake Hylia and await a response. She will probably debate it with a few elder advisors and then get back to me within a day." He then tried to turn the attention around to Link, not wanted to reveal more than necessary, "Surely this attack on the Deku tree will force the royalty to act soon, right?"
Link already knew the answer to that question. If his intuitions were right, the princess and even Impa shared the same dream that the rest of them did. And if Zelda had the dream, something was definitely up. The other question, next to his curiosities about Malon, in his mind was how Kasuto got the dream. Perhaps it was just a coincidence or the guardian's destiny was tied in with his or Ruto's, but Link could never be sure. All he could worry about was what he saw. The forest gone, the kokiri dying, Gannondorf. There was a name that sent chills down his spine. Could Gannondorf really be plotting something again? He could only wait and find out for himself.
"I suppose it would, I'm not sure how she will react," Link leaned back and started to count the stars mindlessly. As he looked upon the other two, both were already doing the same. Ruto was already asleep, thank the goddesses, and Kasuto seemed to think very much alike with Link, which began to scare him more and more each time they did execute something the same way. "We should get some sleep like the princess has already treated herself to, we have a good long journey to the castle still ahead, this place is only the half-way mark."
"I know that, well good night, Link." Kasuto closed his eyes and began to drift off himself, not wishing to delay his rest any longer than he should.
"Yea, good night, Kasuto."
Slowly, his eyelids grew heavily and sleep took over his battle worn body. Blackness swept over his whole body, making him believe that he was floating into an abyss. But suddenly his body landed. He didn't know how long he had been floating, but dark coating of his surroundings faded in and out. He saw the same exact thing he saw before. Trees. All of them grey, petrified. Yet, it was different. He was in the Sacred Forest Meadow this time. No Gannondorf it seems. but atop the broken balcony of the Forest temple, the woman who was there before returned. The only color in the entire area was her eyes, which were glowing with a strange sapphire blue like color.
Link could see. no he could feel her grinning from there. The woman jumped down and stepped up to Link, holding in her hand the remains of a broken ocarina. the ocarina of time!
Link growled and slowly backed up, drawing whatever sword was equipped on him at the time. He didn't know what it was, but he didn't care either.
"Who. Are. You." Link managed out through clenched teeth.
"I am your demise. your downfall.your route to failure." she smiles and dropped the pieces to the ground, then crushing them on the ground, "The phantoms shall be here when summoned by the one who holds the Triforce of Power, fate will not allow anything else to take place but that."
The woman's long hair began to flow in front of her as she backed up, that smile still biting at Link's ears with the same acid as before. Bringing up one hand. the place seemed to change. growing darker and lifeless with each second.
"This is the future. in seven years."
"No! This can't happen! The sages will.!!" Link couldn't even finish has he voice suddenly vanished.
"The sages will die, one by one, starting with her. and you know who that is."
The woman brought her other hand out and suddenly Saria came into view. on her knees with her head hanging down. Behind her was what seemed to be the woman again. They were both of the balcony.
Seeing this, Link immediately tried to move towards them, but he body now as well as his voice was paralyzed. He was no longer in control of his own dreams. This scared him a lot more anything ever had before.
The woman on top of the balcony held the master sword in her hand, its blade touching Saria's neck gently. The same sapphire eyes were laughing at Link all over again, just like in the last dream. As the master sword swung up, and then back down at the young kokiri's neck, both disappeared. The vision ending as abrupt as it started.
"This is the future. in seven years. that is the time you have to prepare. for the end."
Just like the last dream, Gannondorf's clear laugh echoed in the area.
"And he will be the castor."
Then she looked down at the crushed ocarina.
"And this shall be the key."
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Reader feedback is strongly requested! Flames, praise, I don't care! Please!!!! Chapter VI: The Phantoms of Echoes -- Link, Kasuto, and Ruto are in for the story of their lives when they learn the truth to the mysterious dreams. And possibly the reason for the suddenly outburst in Stalfos activity. do they have an actual, competent leader?
