Disclaimer: *is trying to sound like this is her first time saying this*
Zelda, Wind Waker, and all related material is copyright of
Nintendo...*frowns* So stop calling me! *stomps away*...well I tried...
A/N: OMG! So many reviews! I can't even count them! Oh wait...fanfiction.net does that for me? ...oh...well ok then. Thank you so much for the lovely reviews! *goes into a more serious tone* Ok I'm going to be direct with you all on a certain subject since I don't feel like waiting until the summary to tell you. Now I don't want to disappoint anyone...but unfortunately there is not going to be a kiss anywhere in the story...*waits for flying tomatoes* Ack! I know I know you all were really expecting one! But there really was no need! Besides, if I did add a kiss, what will be left for a sequel if I make one *winks* Oh dear I think I just started something...I shall delay you no longer! *throws the next chapter at everyone* Enjoy! (I really need to stop saying that...)
Chapter 18: Reviving the Hope
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The sound of heavy rain against the cold stone floor of Ganon's Tower echoed throughout the remains of Hyrule Kingdom. That's basically all you could here, except the occasional crack of thunder that managed to seep its way down through the endless wall of water surrounding the battlefield.
Only the drops of rain was heard...until the sound of glass shattering broke its rhythm...
Somewhere close to the center of the waterlogged arena, Princess Zelda had taken notice of the noise, and was now beginning to recover from Ganon's enraged quick attack on her. Holding her arm as she slowly stood up from the cold, wet ground, her eyes trailed over to the only other people present on top of the tower.
Ganondorf, the King of Evil, and Link, the Hero of Winds, were not too far away. Both were motionless, and remained still in the positions they put themselves in from those last few seconds of the fight. Link stood right on Ganondorf shoulders, still gripping the hilt of the Master Sword while the man did nothing but stand frozen in position.
Ganon remained motionless...because the mighty blade was driven right
into his skull...
Blood began to trickle down the man's dark face as he slowly fell to his knees, uttering not a single word as the power within the legendary blade started to overcome his body. His quickly dimming vision stayed focused on the tired eyes of the boy over his head...and a defeated smile crept it way onto his face.
"Heh heh..." he weakly stammered. "...the...wind..."
"...it's...blowing..."
He silently started to make a weak and quiet laugh, as the overwhelming sensation in him grew too much for the evil king to handle. The area around where the Master Sword lay stuck in his head suddenly started to harden into a strong layer of rock, covering his blood and spreading to the rest of his head.
Link quickly leapt off, and both he and Zelda watched with exhaustion and wonder as Ganondorf's fate was literally sealed before their very eyes. The strong layer of stone spread over the fiend's entire form and soon, only the sound of the soothing rain broke the quiet silence that followed.
Princess Zelda made a quiet but relieved sigh as she placed a hand
over her chest.
"It's over..." she silently whispered. "...it's finally over..." She lifted her head and looked over at the young hero. "...you did it, Link."
Ignoring the pain she was feeling in her arm, the Princess of Hyrule slowly started to walk over to the boy clad in green, who remained oblivious to her approach and did nothing but continue to stare up at the now stone figure of his opponent.
Eventually, it sunk in that he had finally won this grueling fight, and he let out a deep relieved breath that he just realized he was holding in. He slowly touched his right arm and looked to floor with half-open eyes, taking in the quiet silence that he didn't want to end.
Just then, a small hand placed itself on his shoulder, and he slowly opened his eyes to see a part of Zelda's dress drag its way beside his feet. Her quiet voice soon followed.
"Link...?" she whispered, concern lingering all throughout his name.
The sound of her voice quickly made him more relaxed, and he closed his eyes, feeling all the tension that kept him standing start to leave. His small legs quickly became weak from exhaustion, and he slowly started to fall forward.
Zelda gasped and quickly reached over to halt his fall, throwing her hands around his back and holding him up lightly by his heaving chest. The wounded hero now quietly hung limp in her arms, as the princess used her strength to keep him from falling onto his face.
For a few short moments, they stayed this way, listening to each other's breathing and the soft beating of their hearts.
Eventually, Zelda knew she couldn't keep him standing for much longer and as gently as she could, she laid the boy down on the cold ground, doing her best to get him in the driest spot possible.
Kneeling next to his still form, the young girl peered down at his closed eyes, seeing nothing but pain and exhaustion on his small, moist face.
"Link..." she quietly whispered, trying not to let tears choke up her words. "...don't worry, Link...you're going to be alright...we'll get out of here...somehow..." The young princess closed her eyes and lowered her blonde head, letting the water from her hair fall onto his torn chest.
She knew very well that the wall of water was blocking all means of escape. But she wasn't about to tell Link that...not now...
"...it's...it's not going to end this way..." she continued. She then slowly and gently placed a hand on top of his, and added. "...please...don't die..."
Kneeling even further over Link's beaten form, she suddenly allowed the tears she was holding back to escape her blue eyes, quickly realizing how an escape was now impossible and that both their lives could very well end here in the very kingdom they had descended from. She quietly began to sob, trying not to let the hopelessness of their survival sound in her voice.
For the next few moments, she silently cried next to the young hero...praying that they, but mostly him, will somehow live to see another day...
Just then, the sound of soft splashes created by footsteps slowly arose behind the crouching princess.
Princess Zelda slowly opened her eyes.
"Is...he going to be alright, King of Hyrule?" she questioned sadly, knowing without turning around who was standing behind her.
The King smiled, and answered. "Thanks to you, he will."
The young girl lifted her head and turned to look up at him, unsure as to how he could sound so calm when they were clearly trapped in a soon to be underwater kingdom.
"So..." The King began while slowly lifting his gaze and setting it on the mountain of water surrounding them. "...the wish that was set upon the Triforce is being fulfilled...just as the legend said it would."
Zelda lowered her head again, knowing it must have been hard for him to see his very kingdom get reburied underwater.
"Why did Ganon have to do such a horrible thing to this kingdom...?" she quietly asked, wondering how anyone could want to destroy such a lovely land.
The King didn't answer her immediately, and merely kept his eyes on the water until he finally answered.
"It was not the King of Evil that wished for the washing away of Hyrule..." he replied quietly.
The young princess reopened her eyes and stared at the floor for a bit before she looked back up at the royal being, confusion written all over her face. If Ganondorf didn't wish it, then who else would have? Or a better question would be...who could have wished it?
The King of Hyrule merely looked to his side over at the stone statue of the once mighty Ganondorf.
"...King..."
Both the King and Princess Zelda looked back over at the owner of the voice who just spoke.
Zelda immediately got a half relieved but worried look, when she saw that Link was now trying to prop himself up on his own.
She quickly saw how hard it was for him to even sit up by himself, and she quickly reached over to help him. He held on to her arm for support, as she lent him her strength and lifted him onto his feet.
"...who wished...for this to happen then...?" the boy managed to say as Zelda helped to keep him standing. "...I mean...if both Zelda and me were knocked out...only Ganondorf was left to touch the Triforce...so..." he paused, suddenly feeling a shooting pain run through him for a brief moment. He winced and shut his eyes to tolerate it before he continued. "... so who...made the wish?"
The King's expression grew blank, as he closed his eyes and
replied quietly.
"I did."
Zelda and Link went into a stare.
"You? You wished for Hyrule to go back underwater?" the princess questioned, a little shocked and also confused.
He nodded slowly.
"But...why?" Link asked.
The man in red reopened his eyes to look down at the two
youngsters.
"It was for the good of the future..." was his only response. He was hoping the two would understand his decision, but when he only received even more puzzled looks, he knew he had to get them to understand. Lifting his head, he fixed his eyes on nothing in particular and began to speak.
"This land has seen many hardships over the course of time..." he explained. "...it would be foolish of me as its king to allow it to see anymore hardships."
Somewhere during his short explanation, Link and Zelda must have caught the hint that Hyrule was doomed, since they were now looking at the ground. This made the king's expression dim even more, despite the fact that he still wore a smile on his face.
"Please do not grieve over the lost of Hyrule, my children." He requested. "Hyrule cannot and never will be the same prosperous land like it was many years ago if it were to live on." He lowered his head. "What's done is done...and no one can change that."
The King moved his head back up with a half serious, half joyful look.
"But all is not lost..." he stated.
Link and Zelda lifted their heads in unison, and a look of slight confusion spread across their wet faces.
Nodding his head to the two of them, he quickly added.
"The future will be preserved...for you will live to create it."
This made the hero and princess' expressions change to that of slight puzzlement mixed with hope.
"We're going to make it out of here alive?" Zelda wondered in her head. It sounded almost too good to be true. But...how was that possible? How could they escape when all the possible exits were blocked?
The King must have read her and Link's expressions like a book, since he gave them a reassuring smile that somehow made both of them believe him fully.
"I want you to live for the future." He requested, then turned his eyes to Zelda. "With the bloodline of Hyrule alive and well, the kingdom's future can still be created."
Zelda perked her head up a little; not with interest, but with the realization that she was the last heir to the throne, other than the King of course.
The Hero of Winds straightened a little too. But not for the same reason that Zelda did...
"Wait a minute...King..." he began to question. "...you're still the King of Hyrule...where will you go when your kingdom is gone?" The boy sounded a little earnest; almost as if he was fearing what kind of answer he was going to receive from the King.
The royal majesty of Hyrule merely made a half smile, along with a grim look that made the boy's eyes look worried.
"I have been the king of this land for many long years..." He stated slowly. "...and during that time, I grew a special bond with it in a way no one can explain, not even myself." He paused. "But like all good things, my reign as its king had its flaws. I did many things that I ended up regretting...things that I could not undo even with the help of time."
Lifting his eyes to the young boy, he attempted to make a happier smile, which he really didn't succeed in doing.
"I have lived bound to Hyrule..." he said slowly. "...and parting with it even under these circumstances is something I cannot do..."
Not only did his words make both Link and Zelda gasped a little, it was enough to make the young hero in green want to change his mind. They both knew what the King meant by his words.
"You mean...you're not...coming with us?" the boy asked, finding the energy in him to no longer use Zelda as support and take a few tiny steps toward the royal king. The princess looked at the boy and then back at the king, wondering the same thing.
The King merely lowered his head.
The Hero of Winds stood stiff for a moment, quickly realizing what the King intended to do.
"No...you...you can't!" Link said earnestly. "You'll die!"
"Your lives are more important for the future than mine." The king in red replied, wishing the boy would try and accept his decision.
But Link, much less Zelda, didn't find sense in any of this. The young hero continued to stare up at the royal man, trying to once again accept a fact he really didn't want to accept.
But like he had done before, it finally sunk in that he couldn't change his mind, and he sadly hung his head.
Both the King of Hyrule and Princess Zelda got a depressed look themselves, upon seeing how sad the boy was about all this.
"I'm sorry, my boy." The King said quietly. "The world above the waves is all that your ancestors and I were able to leave you..." He drooped his head again, low enough the shadow his eyes as he silently added. "...please...forgive us..."
The next few moments stayed in silence, allowing everyone to gather their thoughts and consider what was happening, and also if they could somehow change it into something better.
As she watched the Hero of Winds from behind, Princess Zelda couldn't help but feel his pain...and it wasn't physical.
"I know just how you feel, Link..." the princess said to him in her head. Though she really didn't know how close the two were, she somehow knew that him and the King of Hyrule had some sort of bond that the boy apparently didn't want to break. It was enough to remind her of her relationship with her mother in a way.
Quietly, the princess clasped her hands together and held them up to her lips. There had to be a way so that the King could live. Perhaps this way of escape he was indirectly referring to could only work for her and Link. Or maybe he thought there wasn't enough room for him on the surface in terms of transportation.
"That must be it." Zelda confirmed. She lifted her head and a smile formed on her face, since she knew how to solve that problem.
"W-wait!" the young girl said aloud cheerfully, grabbing both of their attention. "You can! You can come with us!"
The King gave her a wondering look, as did Link. That is, until the boy heard what she said next; then a hopeful smile appeared on his face.
"Yes! We have room for you! We have a ship!" The princess stated happily. "And with it, we can find it; no...we WILL find it! The land that will be the next Hyrule!"
"Yeah. Yeah! That's right!" Link happily agreed, turning to the King with a hopeful smile.
"So...will you come with us?" Zelda asked, stepping forward until she stood next to Link.
At first, the King didn't answer her, staying silent as if he was pondering an answer. For a while he just stood there, peering down at the young princess with the same expression he had when she first spoke up.
Finally, a wise smile formed under his white mustache.
"Ah...but child..." he stated quietly. "...that land...will not be
Hyrule..."
Link and Zelda's smiles quickly faded into sad glances. Defeated in their attempts to change his mind yet again, the two lowered their heads in dismay as the fact sunk in again and stayed firm in their minds.
Just then, the two youngsters felt a hand on each of their shoulders, causing them both to look up and meet the King's warm, reassuring smile. Staring into their eyes with his ancient gaze, he quietly but sternly finished his statement.
"...it will be YOUR land."
Just then, all three of them heard the sound of rushing water, causing them to look all around to see what was happening.
The wall of water surrounding them was already closing in, peeling large streams off itself and spraying it across the stone ground, forming wave after wave of water that was just now roughly lapping at their feet. The rain immediately got harder, and in no time flat, the drops were as large as an orange.
Princess Zelda made a slightly frightened gasp as the water rapidly submerged the tip of her dress and feet. Along with Link, she lowered her head to shield her face from the stinging drops, while also trying to keep her balance.
Before any of them gave in to gravity however, the King gently tightened his grip on their shoulders and lightly pushed the hero and princess toward each other.
"You must stay together...my children." He called over the loud rain.
When their shoulders touched, Link and Zelda looked into each other's faces, staring into each other's eyes in slight fear.
Without questioning the King request though, the young Princess of Hyrule slowly reached down and took him by the hand, squeezing it lightly as the rain got even more loud and rough on her head. Through the pounding rain, her eyes grew soft, as she gave him a small determined smile.
Link tightened his grip in return and gave her a smile back, before he shut his eyes again to prepare for what was going to happen next.
Shortly after Zelda followed Link's lead, the booming sound of even more rushing water was heard...
Princess Zelda squeezed even tighter, when she quickly felt the rushing water at her feet move more rapidly. The pouring rain quickly made it feel like she was standing directly under a waterfall, as it stung her ears and even the top of her head. It wasn't until the noise became so loud that it hurt, did the princess take in one large breath, preparing herself for the longest underwater swim she would hopefully never have to make in her life!
She didn't know how she and Link would make it to the surface in one breath, but she trusted the King's words that they would make it to the top.
Just as soon as she finished inhaling, a loud rushing sound resumed that could have only been the sound of the watery sky caving in completely, and with one continuous downpour of salt water, all the remaining air down in Hyrule vanished...
...and water quickly replaced it...
Right when the sky collapsed, Zelda suddenly felt the rushing water at her feet grow too strong for her to keep her balance. The young girl was immediately washed upward in a swirl of bubbly water, twisting and turning in the crazy currents that clashed from the sudden elimination of air.
After only a few seconds of crazy churning through the currents, Zelda felt the hand she was holding on to suddenly slip out of her grasp, forcing her to open her eyes despite it being salt water she was swimming in.
It wasn't until now that she realized she could actually breathe an see underwater, because a clear thin layer of strange film was surrounding her body, keeping the water out and the air in.
But she didn't care about that right now, and without thinking twice, she reached down into the black waters below, hoping it would somehow finding its way to Link's hand since she couldn't see anything in all the darkness of the blue water.
All of a sudden, the princess felt her head become tight under the extreme pressure at the depth she was at, and she closed her eyes back up again to try and endure the sudden pressure.
As the sound of bubbling water danced around her turning body, Princess Zelda quickly felt everything around her grow darker and felt a warm sensation quickly overcome her body. She shuddered under this sudden feeling, but quickly relaxed when a small, light voice softly echoed its final words throughout the remains of the great kingdom of Hyrule...
"I have scattered the seeds of the future..."
Then...she mysteriously fell unconscious...
~ ~ ~
The soft sound of small waves...
It was a soothing melody for the young girl to hear as she slowly regained her senses. Like before, it started off with her hearing, followed by her sense of touch. When her feeling did come back, she could feel warm water bathing her from the neck down, giving her a sense of calmness and peace that she couldn't help but give in to. She allowed herself to drift lightly on her back with the weak currents a little while longer, taking in the warmth and peacefulness and letting it ease her small body.
She knew, for sure, that she had reached the ocean's surface.
Longing to see the familiar waters of the Great Sea, she slowly closed her mouth that was hanging open and tilted her head sideways to look upon the small waves that lapped at her cheeks. Opening them slowly so she wouldn't be blinded by the sun's rays, her blue eyes focused on the shimmering outlines of the waves dancing around her, as if they were welcoming her back.
"I'm...back..." she silently said in her head. "...I'm...back on the Great Sea..." Slowly looking up into the clear blue sky, she closed her eyes and lightly smiled with satisfaction. "I'm finally home..."
As she lightly drifted on the warm current, she suddenly noticed that she didn't feel...how could you say...weighed down by accessories. In fact, she could feel that most of her skin was actually touching the water instead of feeling it through cloth, and her hair didn't feel like it was loose either.
Without opening her eyes, the girl made a quiet sigh upon realizing that she was no longer Princess Zelda...
She had somehow changed back into the pirate leader, Tetra.
The transformed pirate merely let her head rest in the water, listening to the familiar sounds of the waves and the quiet squawks of seagulls calling out to one another. As she took in all the sounds and smells of the sea, her waterlogged ears suddenly but faintly picked up the sound of light breathing.
Reopening her eyes slowly, she turned her head in the other direction, and a smile crept onto her face upon seeing the boy that was floating beside her.
Link, the young Hero of Winds and now also the hero of the Great Sea, was drifting lightly in the same manner she was, his mouth and chest moving in sync with his breathing. He had a somewhat peaceful look to him, though she could tell by how his eyes were tightly shut that his wounds were still present and perhaps hurting.
Not wanting to disturb him however, Tetra merely closed her eyes back up and relaxed her head, allowing the two of them to drift undisturbed in a comforting silence.
That is, until a quiet young voice called over to them from a great
distance...
"Link!"
Tetra reopened her eyes and blinked a couple of times, wishing that they weren't disturbed but too curious as to who was calling to them. When the voice quickly called Link's name a second time, the pirate watched with half open eyes as the boy slowly came back to life.
Not even bothering to move even the slightest, he slowly opened his eyes and vaguely stared up into the sky, regaining the last of his senses and blinking a couple of times to adjust his vision. He then turned his head in her direction and, after searching her face, created a tired smile.
"T...Tetra. You're...back..." He said quietly, noticing the spiral bun on her head and the red bandana around her neck.
The pirate did nothing but reflect his expression.
"No..." she replied silently. "We're back..." she added, putting emphasis on the word we're.
The young hero's expression went soft as he quietly looked into her blue eyes, relieved that they both had made it back to the surface. Tetra did the same back at him, and the two quickly found themselves gazing fondly at each other.
"Link! Miss Tetra!"
Upon hearing the young familiar voice getting closer, the two suddenly broke their stares and looked in the direction it was coming from. Their eyes grew wide with either surprise or happiness, when they saw the young Rito, Prince Komali, flying in their direction.
The winged boy's happy expression widened as he got closer, slowing down a bit before he hovered just in front of the two youngsters.
"Hoy, Link! Miss Tetra!" Komali stated happily as he glanced at each of them when he said their names.
The Hero of Winds smiled as did Tetra, who by now was fully awake and floating just below her shoulders.
"Miss Tetra! Over here!"
The pirates pointed ears perked up at the sound of more familiar voices coming from her left.
Both her and Link slowly turned around in the water to pin point the owners and, to their surprise and relief, they saw Tetra's crew, along with Link's little sister Aryll, waving down to them from their scattered position atop the mighty pirate ship. All of them bore the exact same expression of happiness, relieved that they had finally found the boy and pirate captain that went missing for a couple days.
Link and Tetra couldn't help but feel very relieved to see the ones they left behind, and the biggest smiles formed on their faces as the ship gradually pulled itself to a halt beside them.
"My lands, Miss Tetra!" Niko called down from his perch on the lower beam of the sail that hovered over them. He leaned over more to get a better look at them and said. "We've been searching for days! We'd just about given up hope of ever finding you-whoa...wha...whaaaaaaaa!"
He obviously leaned over too far, and in an instant, the small clumsy pirate slipped right off his perch and landed in the water with a splash!
Link and Tetra turned their heads to shield their faces from the resulting splash, and looked back over as Niko quickly poked his head above water and gasped in shock.
Immediately the two began to laugh, and in no time at all, everyone was joining in on the silly moment...even Niko himself.
As the happy sound filled Tetra's ears, the young pirate looked around with an expression of pure satisfaction.
It certainly was good to be back.
A/N: OMG! So many reviews! I can't even count them! Oh wait...fanfiction.net does that for me? ...oh...well ok then. Thank you so much for the lovely reviews! *goes into a more serious tone* Ok I'm going to be direct with you all on a certain subject since I don't feel like waiting until the summary to tell you. Now I don't want to disappoint anyone...but unfortunately there is not going to be a kiss anywhere in the story...*waits for flying tomatoes* Ack! I know I know you all were really expecting one! But there really was no need! Besides, if I did add a kiss, what will be left for a sequel if I make one *winks* Oh dear I think I just started something...I shall delay you no longer! *throws the next chapter at everyone* Enjoy! (I really need to stop saying that...)
Chapter 18: Reviving the Hope
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The sound of heavy rain against the cold stone floor of Ganon's Tower echoed throughout the remains of Hyrule Kingdom. That's basically all you could here, except the occasional crack of thunder that managed to seep its way down through the endless wall of water surrounding the battlefield.
Only the drops of rain was heard...until the sound of glass shattering broke its rhythm...
Somewhere close to the center of the waterlogged arena, Princess Zelda had taken notice of the noise, and was now beginning to recover from Ganon's enraged quick attack on her. Holding her arm as she slowly stood up from the cold, wet ground, her eyes trailed over to the only other people present on top of the tower.
Ganondorf, the King of Evil, and Link, the Hero of Winds, were not too far away. Both were motionless, and remained still in the positions they put themselves in from those last few seconds of the fight. Link stood right on Ganondorf shoulders, still gripping the hilt of the Master Sword while the man did nothing but stand frozen in position.
Ganon remained motionless...because the mighty blade was driven right
into his skull...
Blood began to trickle down the man's dark face as he slowly fell to his knees, uttering not a single word as the power within the legendary blade started to overcome his body. His quickly dimming vision stayed focused on the tired eyes of the boy over his head...and a defeated smile crept it way onto his face.
"Heh heh..." he weakly stammered. "...the...wind..."
"...it's...blowing..."
He silently started to make a weak and quiet laugh, as the overwhelming sensation in him grew too much for the evil king to handle. The area around where the Master Sword lay stuck in his head suddenly started to harden into a strong layer of rock, covering his blood and spreading to the rest of his head.
Link quickly leapt off, and both he and Zelda watched with exhaustion and wonder as Ganondorf's fate was literally sealed before their very eyes. The strong layer of stone spread over the fiend's entire form and soon, only the sound of the soothing rain broke the quiet silence that followed.
Princess Zelda made a quiet but relieved sigh as she placed a hand
over her chest.
"It's over..." she silently whispered. "...it's finally over..." She lifted her head and looked over at the young hero. "...you did it, Link."
Ignoring the pain she was feeling in her arm, the Princess of Hyrule slowly started to walk over to the boy clad in green, who remained oblivious to her approach and did nothing but continue to stare up at the now stone figure of his opponent.
Eventually, it sunk in that he had finally won this grueling fight, and he let out a deep relieved breath that he just realized he was holding in. He slowly touched his right arm and looked to floor with half-open eyes, taking in the quiet silence that he didn't want to end.
Just then, a small hand placed itself on his shoulder, and he slowly opened his eyes to see a part of Zelda's dress drag its way beside his feet. Her quiet voice soon followed.
"Link...?" she whispered, concern lingering all throughout his name.
The sound of her voice quickly made him more relaxed, and he closed his eyes, feeling all the tension that kept him standing start to leave. His small legs quickly became weak from exhaustion, and he slowly started to fall forward.
Zelda gasped and quickly reached over to halt his fall, throwing her hands around his back and holding him up lightly by his heaving chest. The wounded hero now quietly hung limp in her arms, as the princess used her strength to keep him from falling onto his face.
For a few short moments, they stayed this way, listening to each other's breathing and the soft beating of their hearts.
Eventually, Zelda knew she couldn't keep him standing for much longer and as gently as she could, she laid the boy down on the cold ground, doing her best to get him in the driest spot possible.
Kneeling next to his still form, the young girl peered down at his closed eyes, seeing nothing but pain and exhaustion on his small, moist face.
"Link..." she quietly whispered, trying not to let tears choke up her words. "...don't worry, Link...you're going to be alright...we'll get out of here...somehow..." The young princess closed her eyes and lowered her blonde head, letting the water from her hair fall onto his torn chest.
She knew very well that the wall of water was blocking all means of escape. But she wasn't about to tell Link that...not now...
"...it's...it's not going to end this way..." she continued. She then slowly and gently placed a hand on top of his, and added. "...please...don't die..."
Kneeling even further over Link's beaten form, she suddenly allowed the tears she was holding back to escape her blue eyes, quickly realizing how an escape was now impossible and that both their lives could very well end here in the very kingdom they had descended from. She quietly began to sob, trying not to let the hopelessness of their survival sound in her voice.
For the next few moments, she silently cried next to the young hero...praying that they, but mostly him, will somehow live to see another day...
Just then, the sound of soft splashes created by footsteps slowly arose behind the crouching princess.
Princess Zelda slowly opened her eyes.
"Is...he going to be alright, King of Hyrule?" she questioned sadly, knowing without turning around who was standing behind her.
The King smiled, and answered. "Thanks to you, he will."
The young girl lifted her head and turned to look up at him, unsure as to how he could sound so calm when they were clearly trapped in a soon to be underwater kingdom.
"So..." The King began while slowly lifting his gaze and setting it on the mountain of water surrounding them. "...the wish that was set upon the Triforce is being fulfilled...just as the legend said it would."
Zelda lowered her head again, knowing it must have been hard for him to see his very kingdom get reburied underwater.
"Why did Ganon have to do such a horrible thing to this kingdom...?" she quietly asked, wondering how anyone could want to destroy such a lovely land.
The King didn't answer her immediately, and merely kept his eyes on the water until he finally answered.
"It was not the King of Evil that wished for the washing away of Hyrule..." he replied quietly.
The young princess reopened her eyes and stared at the floor for a bit before she looked back up at the royal being, confusion written all over her face. If Ganondorf didn't wish it, then who else would have? Or a better question would be...who could have wished it?
The King of Hyrule merely looked to his side over at the stone statue of the once mighty Ganondorf.
"...King..."
Both the King and Princess Zelda looked back over at the owner of the voice who just spoke.
Zelda immediately got a half relieved but worried look, when she saw that Link was now trying to prop himself up on his own.
She quickly saw how hard it was for him to even sit up by himself, and she quickly reached over to help him. He held on to her arm for support, as she lent him her strength and lifted him onto his feet.
"...who wished...for this to happen then...?" the boy managed to say as Zelda helped to keep him standing. "...I mean...if both Zelda and me were knocked out...only Ganondorf was left to touch the Triforce...so..." he paused, suddenly feeling a shooting pain run through him for a brief moment. He winced and shut his eyes to tolerate it before he continued. "... so who...made the wish?"
The King's expression grew blank, as he closed his eyes and
replied quietly.
"I did."
Zelda and Link went into a stare.
"You? You wished for Hyrule to go back underwater?" the princess questioned, a little shocked and also confused.
He nodded slowly.
"But...why?" Link asked.
The man in red reopened his eyes to look down at the two
youngsters.
"It was for the good of the future..." was his only response. He was hoping the two would understand his decision, but when he only received even more puzzled looks, he knew he had to get them to understand. Lifting his head, he fixed his eyes on nothing in particular and began to speak.
"This land has seen many hardships over the course of time..." he explained. "...it would be foolish of me as its king to allow it to see anymore hardships."
Somewhere during his short explanation, Link and Zelda must have caught the hint that Hyrule was doomed, since they were now looking at the ground. This made the king's expression dim even more, despite the fact that he still wore a smile on his face.
"Please do not grieve over the lost of Hyrule, my children." He requested. "Hyrule cannot and never will be the same prosperous land like it was many years ago if it were to live on." He lowered his head. "What's done is done...and no one can change that."
The King moved his head back up with a half serious, half joyful look.
"But all is not lost..." he stated.
Link and Zelda lifted their heads in unison, and a look of slight confusion spread across their wet faces.
Nodding his head to the two of them, he quickly added.
"The future will be preserved...for you will live to create it."
This made the hero and princess' expressions change to that of slight puzzlement mixed with hope.
"We're going to make it out of here alive?" Zelda wondered in her head. It sounded almost too good to be true. But...how was that possible? How could they escape when all the possible exits were blocked?
The King must have read her and Link's expressions like a book, since he gave them a reassuring smile that somehow made both of them believe him fully.
"I want you to live for the future." He requested, then turned his eyes to Zelda. "With the bloodline of Hyrule alive and well, the kingdom's future can still be created."
Zelda perked her head up a little; not with interest, but with the realization that she was the last heir to the throne, other than the King of course.
The Hero of Winds straightened a little too. But not for the same reason that Zelda did...
"Wait a minute...King..." he began to question. "...you're still the King of Hyrule...where will you go when your kingdom is gone?" The boy sounded a little earnest; almost as if he was fearing what kind of answer he was going to receive from the King.
The royal majesty of Hyrule merely made a half smile, along with a grim look that made the boy's eyes look worried.
"I have been the king of this land for many long years..." He stated slowly. "...and during that time, I grew a special bond with it in a way no one can explain, not even myself." He paused. "But like all good things, my reign as its king had its flaws. I did many things that I ended up regretting...things that I could not undo even with the help of time."
Lifting his eyes to the young boy, he attempted to make a happier smile, which he really didn't succeed in doing.
"I have lived bound to Hyrule..." he said slowly. "...and parting with it even under these circumstances is something I cannot do..."
Not only did his words make both Link and Zelda gasped a little, it was enough to make the young hero in green want to change his mind. They both knew what the King meant by his words.
"You mean...you're not...coming with us?" the boy asked, finding the energy in him to no longer use Zelda as support and take a few tiny steps toward the royal king. The princess looked at the boy and then back at the king, wondering the same thing.
The King merely lowered his head.
The Hero of Winds stood stiff for a moment, quickly realizing what the King intended to do.
"No...you...you can't!" Link said earnestly. "You'll die!"
"Your lives are more important for the future than mine." The king in red replied, wishing the boy would try and accept his decision.
But Link, much less Zelda, didn't find sense in any of this. The young hero continued to stare up at the royal man, trying to once again accept a fact he really didn't want to accept.
But like he had done before, it finally sunk in that he couldn't change his mind, and he sadly hung his head.
Both the King of Hyrule and Princess Zelda got a depressed look themselves, upon seeing how sad the boy was about all this.
"I'm sorry, my boy." The King said quietly. "The world above the waves is all that your ancestors and I were able to leave you..." He drooped his head again, low enough the shadow his eyes as he silently added. "...please...forgive us..."
The next few moments stayed in silence, allowing everyone to gather their thoughts and consider what was happening, and also if they could somehow change it into something better.
As she watched the Hero of Winds from behind, Princess Zelda couldn't help but feel his pain...and it wasn't physical.
"I know just how you feel, Link..." the princess said to him in her head. Though she really didn't know how close the two were, she somehow knew that him and the King of Hyrule had some sort of bond that the boy apparently didn't want to break. It was enough to remind her of her relationship with her mother in a way.
Quietly, the princess clasped her hands together and held them up to her lips. There had to be a way so that the King could live. Perhaps this way of escape he was indirectly referring to could only work for her and Link. Or maybe he thought there wasn't enough room for him on the surface in terms of transportation.
"That must be it." Zelda confirmed. She lifted her head and a smile formed on her face, since she knew how to solve that problem.
"W-wait!" the young girl said aloud cheerfully, grabbing both of their attention. "You can! You can come with us!"
The King gave her a wondering look, as did Link. That is, until the boy heard what she said next; then a hopeful smile appeared on his face.
"Yes! We have room for you! We have a ship!" The princess stated happily. "And with it, we can find it; no...we WILL find it! The land that will be the next Hyrule!"
"Yeah. Yeah! That's right!" Link happily agreed, turning to the King with a hopeful smile.
"So...will you come with us?" Zelda asked, stepping forward until she stood next to Link.
At first, the King didn't answer her, staying silent as if he was pondering an answer. For a while he just stood there, peering down at the young princess with the same expression he had when she first spoke up.
Finally, a wise smile formed under his white mustache.
"Ah...but child..." he stated quietly. "...that land...will not be
Hyrule..."
Link and Zelda's smiles quickly faded into sad glances. Defeated in their attempts to change his mind yet again, the two lowered their heads in dismay as the fact sunk in again and stayed firm in their minds.
Just then, the two youngsters felt a hand on each of their shoulders, causing them both to look up and meet the King's warm, reassuring smile. Staring into their eyes with his ancient gaze, he quietly but sternly finished his statement.
"...it will be YOUR land."
Just then, all three of them heard the sound of rushing water, causing them to look all around to see what was happening.
The wall of water surrounding them was already closing in, peeling large streams off itself and spraying it across the stone ground, forming wave after wave of water that was just now roughly lapping at their feet. The rain immediately got harder, and in no time flat, the drops were as large as an orange.
Princess Zelda made a slightly frightened gasp as the water rapidly submerged the tip of her dress and feet. Along with Link, she lowered her head to shield her face from the stinging drops, while also trying to keep her balance.
Before any of them gave in to gravity however, the King gently tightened his grip on their shoulders and lightly pushed the hero and princess toward each other.
"You must stay together...my children." He called over the loud rain.
When their shoulders touched, Link and Zelda looked into each other's faces, staring into each other's eyes in slight fear.
Without questioning the King request though, the young Princess of Hyrule slowly reached down and took him by the hand, squeezing it lightly as the rain got even more loud and rough on her head. Through the pounding rain, her eyes grew soft, as she gave him a small determined smile.
Link tightened his grip in return and gave her a smile back, before he shut his eyes again to prepare for what was going to happen next.
Shortly after Zelda followed Link's lead, the booming sound of even more rushing water was heard...
Princess Zelda squeezed even tighter, when she quickly felt the rushing water at her feet move more rapidly. The pouring rain quickly made it feel like she was standing directly under a waterfall, as it stung her ears and even the top of her head. It wasn't until the noise became so loud that it hurt, did the princess take in one large breath, preparing herself for the longest underwater swim she would hopefully never have to make in her life!
She didn't know how she and Link would make it to the surface in one breath, but she trusted the King's words that they would make it to the top.
Just as soon as she finished inhaling, a loud rushing sound resumed that could have only been the sound of the watery sky caving in completely, and with one continuous downpour of salt water, all the remaining air down in Hyrule vanished...
...and water quickly replaced it...
Right when the sky collapsed, Zelda suddenly felt the rushing water at her feet grow too strong for her to keep her balance. The young girl was immediately washed upward in a swirl of bubbly water, twisting and turning in the crazy currents that clashed from the sudden elimination of air.
After only a few seconds of crazy churning through the currents, Zelda felt the hand she was holding on to suddenly slip out of her grasp, forcing her to open her eyes despite it being salt water she was swimming in.
It wasn't until now that she realized she could actually breathe an see underwater, because a clear thin layer of strange film was surrounding her body, keeping the water out and the air in.
But she didn't care about that right now, and without thinking twice, she reached down into the black waters below, hoping it would somehow finding its way to Link's hand since she couldn't see anything in all the darkness of the blue water.
All of a sudden, the princess felt her head become tight under the extreme pressure at the depth she was at, and she closed her eyes back up again to try and endure the sudden pressure.
As the sound of bubbling water danced around her turning body, Princess Zelda quickly felt everything around her grow darker and felt a warm sensation quickly overcome her body. She shuddered under this sudden feeling, but quickly relaxed when a small, light voice softly echoed its final words throughout the remains of the great kingdom of Hyrule...
"I have scattered the seeds of the future..."
Then...she mysteriously fell unconscious...
~ ~ ~
The soft sound of small waves...
It was a soothing melody for the young girl to hear as she slowly regained her senses. Like before, it started off with her hearing, followed by her sense of touch. When her feeling did come back, she could feel warm water bathing her from the neck down, giving her a sense of calmness and peace that she couldn't help but give in to. She allowed herself to drift lightly on her back with the weak currents a little while longer, taking in the warmth and peacefulness and letting it ease her small body.
She knew, for sure, that she had reached the ocean's surface.
Longing to see the familiar waters of the Great Sea, she slowly closed her mouth that was hanging open and tilted her head sideways to look upon the small waves that lapped at her cheeks. Opening them slowly so she wouldn't be blinded by the sun's rays, her blue eyes focused on the shimmering outlines of the waves dancing around her, as if they were welcoming her back.
"I'm...back..." she silently said in her head. "...I'm...back on the Great Sea..." Slowly looking up into the clear blue sky, she closed her eyes and lightly smiled with satisfaction. "I'm finally home..."
As she lightly drifted on the warm current, she suddenly noticed that she didn't feel...how could you say...weighed down by accessories. In fact, she could feel that most of her skin was actually touching the water instead of feeling it through cloth, and her hair didn't feel like it was loose either.
Without opening her eyes, the girl made a quiet sigh upon realizing that she was no longer Princess Zelda...
She had somehow changed back into the pirate leader, Tetra.
The transformed pirate merely let her head rest in the water, listening to the familiar sounds of the waves and the quiet squawks of seagulls calling out to one another. As she took in all the sounds and smells of the sea, her waterlogged ears suddenly but faintly picked up the sound of light breathing.
Reopening her eyes slowly, she turned her head in the other direction, and a smile crept onto her face upon seeing the boy that was floating beside her.
Link, the young Hero of Winds and now also the hero of the Great Sea, was drifting lightly in the same manner she was, his mouth and chest moving in sync with his breathing. He had a somewhat peaceful look to him, though she could tell by how his eyes were tightly shut that his wounds were still present and perhaps hurting.
Not wanting to disturb him however, Tetra merely closed her eyes back up and relaxed her head, allowing the two of them to drift undisturbed in a comforting silence.
That is, until a quiet young voice called over to them from a great
distance...
"Link!"
Tetra reopened her eyes and blinked a couple of times, wishing that they weren't disturbed but too curious as to who was calling to them. When the voice quickly called Link's name a second time, the pirate watched with half open eyes as the boy slowly came back to life.
Not even bothering to move even the slightest, he slowly opened his eyes and vaguely stared up into the sky, regaining the last of his senses and blinking a couple of times to adjust his vision. He then turned his head in her direction and, after searching her face, created a tired smile.
"T...Tetra. You're...back..." He said quietly, noticing the spiral bun on her head and the red bandana around her neck.
The pirate did nothing but reflect his expression.
"No..." she replied silently. "We're back..." she added, putting emphasis on the word we're.
The young hero's expression went soft as he quietly looked into her blue eyes, relieved that they both had made it back to the surface. Tetra did the same back at him, and the two quickly found themselves gazing fondly at each other.
"Link! Miss Tetra!"
Upon hearing the young familiar voice getting closer, the two suddenly broke their stares and looked in the direction it was coming from. Their eyes grew wide with either surprise or happiness, when they saw the young Rito, Prince Komali, flying in their direction.
The winged boy's happy expression widened as he got closer, slowing down a bit before he hovered just in front of the two youngsters.
"Hoy, Link! Miss Tetra!" Komali stated happily as he glanced at each of them when he said their names.
The Hero of Winds smiled as did Tetra, who by now was fully awake and floating just below her shoulders.
"Miss Tetra! Over here!"
The pirates pointed ears perked up at the sound of more familiar voices coming from her left.
Both her and Link slowly turned around in the water to pin point the owners and, to their surprise and relief, they saw Tetra's crew, along with Link's little sister Aryll, waving down to them from their scattered position atop the mighty pirate ship. All of them bore the exact same expression of happiness, relieved that they had finally found the boy and pirate captain that went missing for a couple days.
Link and Tetra couldn't help but feel very relieved to see the ones they left behind, and the biggest smiles formed on their faces as the ship gradually pulled itself to a halt beside them.
"My lands, Miss Tetra!" Niko called down from his perch on the lower beam of the sail that hovered over them. He leaned over more to get a better look at them and said. "We've been searching for days! We'd just about given up hope of ever finding you-whoa...wha...whaaaaaaaa!"
He obviously leaned over too far, and in an instant, the small clumsy pirate slipped right off his perch and landed in the water with a splash!
Link and Tetra turned their heads to shield their faces from the resulting splash, and looked back over as Niko quickly poked his head above water and gasped in shock.
Immediately the two began to laugh, and in no time at all, everyone was joining in on the silly moment...even Niko himself.
As the happy sound filled Tetra's ears, the young pirate looked around with an expression of pure satisfaction.
It certainly was good to be back.