The Legend of Zelda: The Return
Chapter 7
Don't you just love those big awkward silences?
The ones where there's a room full of people just yapping away until you walk in the door?
And then they shut up?
And stare at you?
And wait for someone else to say something?
Me too.
"Uh . . . morning Link!" Saria says brightly from her position behind the table. Brave girl. "Did you sleep well?"
"Like a baby," I lie, eyeing everyone warily. Damn nightmares. Not only do they scare the living daylights out of me and prevent me from getting any sleep at all, but they make me paranoid.
Why do I get the feeling they were talking about me?
"Where's Navi?" Zelda asks curiously.
"Where else?" I reply, sitting down at the end of the long table. "Under my hat."
"You say it like I spend all of my time under there," Navi mutters, reluctantly leaving her hiding space and floating around my head.
"You do," I answer flatly as Naboruu sets a plate in front of me. I frown down at what's on it. I have this sudden sinking feeling that it's my breakfast. I pick up my fork and jab at it warily.
"What is it?" I demand suspiciously.
Maybe they were planning on poisoning me when I came in . . .
"It's a Leever," Naboruu says. "They're cactus-type things that inhabit the desert wasteland. They're a pain in the ass if you don't know how to avoid them. But they taste pretty good. Eat up, kid." I take a bite with a frown and quickly come to the conclusion that Gerudo's wouldn't know what tastes good if a giant chocolate cake flattened their little fortress. Doing my best not to gag on the tough, bitter tasting plant . . . animal . . . whatever it is, I wait until Naboruu's turned her back before I lean over to spit it out into the napkin by my side.
"I hope you like it, Link," the Gerudo says. "Because you'll be eating a lot more of it for a while." I pause before I can spit it out and look at her.
"Come again?" I ask around my mouthful. She takes a seat on the other side of the table and looks at me seriously.
"We've been talking – "
"Really?" I say sarcastically, giving up on spitting it out now that she's looking at me. Damn this thing is hard to chew. "I never would have guessed."
" – And we think the best thing to do would be for you to come with me back to the Gerudo Desert."
Now I really do spit out the Leever.
"You think what?" I cry, staring at her in shock. Everyone else around the table is carefully avoiding my gaze. I really wish everyone would quit doing that.
"I said we think the best thing to . . ."
"No, no," I say, shaking my head. "I heard you. I heard what you said. Why did you say it?"
"Link, Gannondorf's minions are after you," Zelda points out. "If they get you, then Gannondorf will be able to fully return to this world."
"Woah, woah, woah!" I cry, forgetting the desert thing. "Fully return? He's partly returned?" I glower at her. "You left that part out last time."
"We left a lot of parts out last time, Link," she says. "You had enough to deal with just handling the issues of the past. Now it's time to bring you up to speed on the present." I cross my arms and slouch down in my seat.
"Why do I get the feeling I don't want to know?" I demand of no one in particular. I frown darkly as I look around suddenly. "Hey, where's Sheik? Why isn't he here?" I shake my head dismally. "Nevermind. It doesn't matter. Go on." Zelda looks irrationally guilty about something for a minute before she continues.
"All right, you remember Dark Link?"
"Who?" I ask, blinking. "Oh yeah, you mean the guy who looks like me, and sounds like me, and chased me all over Castletown, and beat me up, then ran me through. Is that the guy you mean?" I stare at her. "Because you know how easy it is to forget someone like that." I think she's getting used to me. She only rolls her eyes this time and continues her story.
"Dark Link was created by Gannondorf a long time ago. He's what is called a Shade, taken from the corrupted Dark Realm – created by Gannondorf when he gained access to it – to this world by powerful dark magic."
"A Shade?" I ask with a startled frown. I've heard some nasty horror stories about Shades. I didn't think they actually existed. "I thought Shades lived for killing. Why didn't it kill Gannondorf?"
"Because of the Triforce of Power," Impa said. I turn to look at her. "The Triforce gave Gannondorf the strength he needed to not only control the Shade, but to give it a physical form. And warp its sadistic hungers to a specific purpose. The Shade is trapped here now, in the physical Realm. It's tied to it's body – a body created by Gannondorf in your image – and cannot return until it has fulfilled its purpose." A cold feeling has spread through my body and a lead weight has settled in the bottom of my stomach. The sunny kitchen is warm, but I'm suddenly chilled to the bone.
"And what is its purpose?" I hear my voice ask of its own accord. I don't want to know.
I already do.
"To destroy you," Impa says without a change in expression. "Utterly." I swallow thickly and lean my head back over the back of the chair. My hand unconsciously goes to the scar on my stomach in an unspoken question, which Zelda answers.
"It tried to do so in the Temple of Time," she says. "When it ran you through. It thought it could kill two birds with one stone. It could destroy you, and free the man who had trapped it here all in one go. As much as it hates Gannondorf, it's still controlled by his magic, and would have difficulty disobeying him. Even from beyond the realms." I feel sick all of a sudden.
"So why didn't it?" I ask, looking back at Zelda. "Why didn't it destroy me? Din knows it could have."
"It made a mistake," Zelda replies. "It misunderstood what was meant by Seal. It thought the Seal to Gannondorf's prison was the Pedestal of Time, where the Master Sword sleeps when its not with you. But the Pedestal of Time is simply the gateway to the flow of Time, not to the Sacred Realm, and the Void between Realms."
"That still doesn't explain why I'm still alive," I point out.
"As you fell, you managed to grab hold of the Master Sword," Zelda says. "It recognized you. And it recognized Dark Link. It's fought it before. They don't call it the Sword of Evil's Bane for nothing. You pulled it out of the Pedestal when you fell and opened the gateway to the flow of Time. The Sword kept Dark Link back as you were swept up in the Flow, and I was able to pull you out of the Flow and into the Sacred Realm."
"And then you took me to the Kokiri Forest and paired me back up with Navi and set me back on the path of the living," I finish. I poke at the Leever again with my fork. For a moment no one speaks. Everyone concentrates on their breakfast. "What are the odds of Dark Link getting bored of me?" I ask in a small voice.
"Those odds don't even exist, Link," Zelda says gently. I notice for no reason at all that she's got a Leever on her plate too. Hers is all cut up and she keeps pushing it around her plate without actually eating it. "Dark Link will not stop until you are destroyed." I set my fork down with a sigh and Zelda hesitates. "It gets worse," she says. I slip my hands under the table and clench them into fists. Goddess I wish Bruiser was here.
I could do with some irritating over protectiveness right now . . .
"I would be surprised if it didn't," I answer, without looking up.
"Dark Link knows you, Link," she says. "Knows you better than you know yourself – because in a twisted way, it is you. It is everything you hate about yourself. It is everything dark and dangerous and lethal about you. It is the sadistic, twisted, brutal part of you that you keep hidden and oppressed inside you. Everyone has that part to themselves, Link. It's a part of being who we are. But Gannondorf took that part of you, perverted it farther, and then made it manifest, through the power of the Triforce. Dark Link knows each and every inch of you. It knows your every thought, your every desire, your every wish, and more." She's looking at me with an oddly penetrating stare, trying to gauge my reaction. Trying to see if I understand what she's talking about. I do. Farore help me, I do. "It remembers, Link," she says softly. "It remembers everything you don't. It can't die. It can only remember, and continue its hunt."
"Are you trying to boost my confidence?" I ask, looking up at her finally, falling back on my sarcasm as a last defense against a reality I don't want to face. "Because you suck at it." For once, Zelda seems to understand. She doesn't roll her eyes. She doesn't glare at me. She doesn't purse her lips.
She just looks at me with those eyes.
And she understands.
I can't get over how pretty her eyes are. They're so clear. I lean forward.
If I squint a bit I can almost see . . .
"That's why you're coming with me," Naboruu says. Zelda and I both blink and look away from each other. I look at the Gerudo.
"What does Dark Link being my dark side have to do with me going with you?" I ask.
"He's after you, kid," Naboruu says. "He can't do anything else. That's his purpose. And Gannondorf is using him to his full potential. Even from the Void."
"How can Gannondorf do that?" I demand. "What good was sealing him away if he can still manipulate this Realm?"
"He couldn't before, that's the problem," Saria says. I look down at her. "When Dark Link attacked you and spilled your blood in the Temple of Time – on the Pedestal of Time – it didn't free Gannondorf. But it made him stronger, and it weakened the Seal just slightly. Gannondorf isn't much more than a Shade himself, now, and Dark Link is the only creature he can sort of control, so he's using it to get to you. He needs you. Your blood is capable of breaking the Seal of Gannondorf's prison, but it has to be done correctly. Dark Link's half crazed attempts to kill you are, believe it or not, a hopeful sign. It means that Gannondorf isn't yet fully able to control it entirely. Otherwise the world would have been doomed by now."
"So what are you saying?" I ask bluntly. "This is all well and nice, but this doesn't explain why I have to go anywhere with anyone." Ruto frowns at me.
"You're not a very smart boy, are you?" She demands imperiously. Goddess I hate that. "If Dark Link catches you he will be able to use you to break the Seal. Not only will you die, but Gannondorf will be able to return to this world, and then this world will die as well." I glare at her.
"Gannondorf is only one man," I point out. "Even without me, I'm pretty sure the world still stands a decent chance of survival."
"Gannondorf is one man, yes," Impa says. "But he is one man who wields the Triforce of Power. And you are the Hero of Time. You wield the Triforce of Courage. Should you die Gannondorf will have two parts of the Triforce instead of just one. Picture what he could do with that." I don't want to. I open my mouth to argue, but she interrupts me. "Even so, perhaps the world would still stand a chance. Zelda still possesses the Triforce of Wisdom at least, and we Sages still have our power, and the people of Hyrule are brave." She meets my gaze, daring me to agree with her. I want to . . . it all sounds good . . . but there's something in her eyes. Something that tells me she's not done yet. "But without you, Link, that all falls into nothing. You are the Hero of Time, and without you, Time is defenseless. The Master's Sword is the one weapon with the power to defeat the King of Evil, and without you there is no one to wield it." She reaches over suddenly and plucks an arrow out of my quiver. She holds it up, examining the point. "Picture it like this. This arrow, is the people of the Hyrule. The feathers, the shaft, those parts of it are the various people from the various races. Sheikah, Gorons, Zoras, Kokiri, Gerudos, Hylians, and any else who dare to stand against Gannondorf. The head of the arrow, the part that does the damage, is us, the Sages. Zelda, Darunia, Naboruu, Ruto, Saria, Rauru, and I. And this part, right here – the very tip of the arrow, that's you Link." She passes the arrow back to me and I examine it in an attempt to glean her point from it. "If you take away the Shaft, all you're left with is an pointed arrow head, but you can still kill with that if you're desperate enough. Take away the arrow head and all you're left with is a stick with a point on the end, but again, you can still kill with that. Take away the Shaft, and the head, and all you're left with is a point. And yet even that, in the hands of the right person, can kill." Her eyes are intent upon me as I study the arrow. "But if you take away the point, Link, what are you left with?"
"Just a dull arrow," I reply, looking up at her.
"Not even," Impa says. "What you have left is a rock tied to a stick. It can hurt – maybe even seriously – but it can't kill. It's a weapon no longer." I reach back and slowly slide the arrow back into my quiver.
"I don't want to leave," I say slowly.
"Link," Naboruu says seriously, surprising me. She didn't call me kid. "You can't stay. I think you understand, deep down, that you have to leave. You can't allow yourself to be captured by Dark Link out of sentimentality. You've got to see that." I shake my head.
"No," I say. "No, I can't leave. I can't just leave! Bruiser . . . and Malon . . . and everyone else . . . they're still in Castletown. I can't just leave them there . . . I can't . . . I can't just abandon them!" Naboruu's look is sympathetic, but unbending.
"You'll do them no favours by offering yourself up to Gannondorf, kid," she says. "That would be the same as betraying them. We're trying to protect them too. By protecting you. Not just to protect ourselves, either, before you suggest it, but because we've all grown to like you. I know you don't remember it, but everyone here counts you among their highest friends. None of us want to see you die." She takes another bite of her Leever, like this isn't a life-changing, world-altering conversation we're having here. "Darunia, can you pass the water?" For love of Nayru, does nothing phase this woman? Doesn't she know what this is doing to me?
"Why the desert?" I ask. "Why do I have to go to the desert?"
"Because it's the last place Gannondorf would look," Zelda says. "He's from the desert. He knows we know that. He's not going to think of looking there."
Darunia hands me the pitcher of water to hand to Naboruu. I wrap my hand around the handle and everyone's faces suddenly get warped and distorted as I look at them through the water and the glass . . .
I run in through the door and slam it shut behind me, relieved for once to see the iron bars slide down and block my way out. At least it'll keep those stupid spider things from jumping on me anymore. I collapse with a sigh into the ankle deep water all around me. What's ankle deep water compared to the stuff I've been swimming through ever since I entered this stupid Temple? It's not like its' making a difference in my non-existent state of dryness.
At this rate I'm looking forward to finding the Temple in the desert. The Goddess in the Sand or whatever Sheik called it. Man that guy is weird.
If I never see another drop of water it'll be too soon.
Shaking my head – I can't stop now – I push myself to my feet and take in my surroundings.
Hmmm . . . Memo to Self: Take in surroundings before collapsing next time.
I'm lucky this time though, there's nothing here. It's just a wide room, filled to ankle height with water. Right across from me is a door. Navi's fluttering nervously around my head.
"I don't like this, Link," she says, eyeing the empty room warily. "This isn't right." I brush off her nervousness with a derisive pffft.
"Relax," I say as I jog over to the door. "So there's an empty room for once. No puzzles to solve, no monsters to fight, no water to drown in – well, no major water to drown in anyway – I happen to like this room. I think it's my favorite one yet." I frown when I reach the door. There's bars on this one too. I look around and my frown deepens. But there's nothing in here to kill. No puzzles to solve. Nothing!
Just that tree right there.
I do a double take.
There wasn't a tree there before.
Navi's right.
I don't like this either.
I pull the Master Sword out of its sheath and scowl in alarm when I hear someone else do the same. I approach the tree slowly, sword out and Shield on and notice, with a start, a black figure doing the same thing.
"Watch out!" Navi cries. She zips past me and over to the figure, hovering above it (out of its reach) and illuminating it so I can see it. Yellow light sparkles through her normally sapphire glow. Whatever it is, it's definitely an enemy. I squint at it as we continue our slow walk towards each other.
It's carrying a Hylian Shield – identical to mine except that it's completely black. It's sword as well looks almost exactly like the Master's Sword, only, well, black. It's wearing a black tunic – same style as mine – and black leggings and boots. And to top it all off, he's wearing a black version of my hat.
Farore! This is creepy.
It flashes a psychotic grin at me.
And then I see it clearly for the first time.
That thing's got my face!
It's me!
It's a Psychotic me!
A Psycho me!
A Dark Link!
I've had more than enough of this.
I scream a battle cry and throw myself at the thing. But it was somehow expecting that and it blocks me. I swipe at it again, it blocks, and counters this time. I bring up my shield and take the blow there, then swing at it again. It's ready for that too and blocks it.
10 minutes later I'm still fighting it, and I haven't landed a single hit.
"Link it's not working!" Navi shouts at me. I can hardly see her, her aura's sparking so brightly.
"Thank you for that!" I shout at her, leaping back from Dark Link's sword and sheathing my sword. I throw my shield on my back.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" She shrieks as Dark Link grins triumphantly and lunges at me. I don't answer. I'm too caught up in the magic suddenly pounding through my veins. Like liquid fire.
"DIN'S FIRE!" I scream, releasing the magic. It sears out of me in an ever widening circle, burning through everything in it's path, leaving a hissing trail of steam behind it as the water evaporates. I smirk to myself. Dark Link gives a scream that sounds eerily like mine as the fire strikes him. He vanishes.
"Ha," I say smugly. "Take that." I brush off my hands and turn around only to discover that the bars are still on the door. "What?" I cry. "But I killed him!"
HERO OF TIME! Something screams behind me. I whirl around in time to see Psycho Me lunge at me, sword drawn. For Nayru's sake, he's still smoking! He strikes me and we go down – sending water flying into the air . . .
"Kid?" Naboruu asks with a frown. "Hey kid! Gimme the water!" Saria pokes me. I snap back to reality with a gasp and drop the glass pitcher. It strikes the table and shatters, sending water everywhere. Everyone cries out in surprise and they all look at me, but all I can do is stare at the water, running off the table.
Well, at least I know for sure what those visions are now.
They're flashbacks.
I clench my eyes shut tightly.
How can I just leave?
"If it's all right with the rest of you," I say, my voice thick and uneven. "I think I'm going to go ride Epona for a little bit. I'll be back." I get up and leave without waiting for a reply.
"Don't leave the ranch!" Zelda shouts after me. I don't answer her. "I mean it Link! Don't you dare go anywhere near those gates!"
"Fine!" I shout back at her. "I won't go near the gates! Promise!" I shake my head and leave the House.
Why on earth would I go near the gates?
Epona can jump the walls.
I pull out my ocarina and only have to play the first six notes of Epona's Song before she comes running towards me. I pull the flute away from my lips as Epona trots the last few steps. She nips at my hat affectionately and I stroke her muzzle – more to soothe me than to soothe her. She instinctively understands my need for comfort and rests her head on my shoulder in her version of a hug. I smile and bury my face in her fur, breathing in the scent of her. Navi hovers worriedly around my head.
"Are you all right Link?" She asks in concern. I shake my head wordlessly. Navi settles herself on my shoulder as I mount Epona.
"Come on, girl," I say, snapping the reigns and touching her flank with my heels. "YAH!" She needs no more encouraging and immediately takes off at a gallop. We make a beeline for the wall (Navi screaming about slowing down and clutching at my tunic for dear life) and Epona leaps into the air.
For the briefest of instants as we fly over the wall nothing is the matter with the world. Everything is right, and peaceful, and happy, and nothing and no one can touch me.
I am invincible.
But then we hit the ground again and Epona slows herself down to a canter.
"You said you wouldn't leave the Ranch!" Navi shrieks, struggling back up onto my shoulder (she'd slid somewhere down my back in the flight).
"No I didn't," I tell her as I release the reigns and let Epona go where she wants. I reach back and grab Navi, settling her back on my shoulder. "I said I wouldn't go near the gates. And I didn't. No promise breaking involved."
"You're horrible," Navi says. I grin. She looks nervous though. "We really shouldn't be out here, though, Link. What if Dark Link . . ."
"I don't want to hear it," I snap. "I haven't had a moment to myself since we got here and there's a lot of things I have to get straightened out in my head. I can't do it at the ranch when there's a Sage peeking over my shoulder every two seconds." And a flashback every three, I can't help but add bitterly to myself. "Come on, girl," I say, grabbing the reigns. Navi, realizing what I'm doing, zips up under my hat where she can get a better grip. "YAH!" Epona lunges back into a gallop, enjoying herself immensely. We haven't been for a ride like this in a long time.
She's not the only one who's enjoying this.
If only it could last forever.
We slow down and I dismount around noon near a little stream at the bottom of a hill – still close to Lon Lon Ranch at Navi's (irritating) insistence, but far enough away that I no longer feel like I'm suffocating. Epona wanders away to munch on the grass while I lie down in the grass right by the riverbank. Navi flutters around my head for a moment, unable to relax. I swat at her and tell her to lighten up. She sulks for a minute but I make faces at her until she laughs. She shakes her little blue head at me and moves over to the stream to play with the tiny waves and the droplets they make.
"Navi?" I ask after a moment of watching her.
"Yes?" She asks, looking over at me. A renegade droplet hits her in the head and she sputters for a minute before flying up above me and shaking herself. "What is it?" She asks when I hesitate.
"I just . . . I was wondering if you . . ." I shake my head in frustration. It's a stupid question anyway. She probably doesn't know. No point in getting my hopes up. "Nevermind." I say. "Do I know everything now?" I ask instead. "Is there anything left the Sages haven't told me?" Navi scratches her head and frowns.
"No, I don't think so," she says. "They've covered the stuff you don't remember, told you about Dark Link, and Gannondorf . . . I think that's pretty much it. Why, do you have any other questions?" I sigh.
"Navi all I've got anymore are questions," I say in defeat, rolling over to look up at the clouds in the sky. I can't count the number of times I've done this with Malon. Even once with Bruiser. He just complained the whole time, though, about the money we could have been making instead of staring up at clouds that didn't even look remotely like bunnies, or keatons, or horses, despite my insistence. He said they looked like clouds, pure and simple. Everything used to be pure and simple. "I don't understand any of this. I don't have a clue what I'm supposed to do about it. How am I supposed to be who I have to be, when I don't even know who I am?" Navi flutters down in front of my face, wearing a gentle expression on her own.
"If it makes you feel better Link," she says, "you asked me the same thing the last time you fought against Gannondorf and his followers."
"What did you tell me?" I ask. She smiles slightly.
"You are who you are. Even if you don't know who that is, you're it. And really, that's all you have to be."
"Hmm," I say noncommittally, looking back up at the clouds. That one looks kinda like Zelda . . . no, no . . . now it looks more like Sheik. Navi snickers. "What?" I demand. She grins at me.
"That's the same thing you said last time too," she says, landing on my chest and laying down herself. "It'll all work out, Link," she says. "You have a knack for making things work out. I can't count the number of times I was sure you were going to die . . . and you proved me wrong." I raise an eyebrow at her.
"Was that a compliment or an insult?" I ask.
"Bit of both," she answers.
"Hmm," I say again. We lay there in silence for a while as the afternoon sun moves on. As much as I try to forget about it however, my mind keeps returning to the question I had actually wanted to ask Navi. I can feel my eyes starting to fall shut as the sun lulls us towards sleep. Even Epona's settled herself into the grass close by.
"Navi?" I ask after working up enough energy.
"Hmmm?" She says sleepily.
"I'm not a Kokiri," I say.
"Mm-hmm," she replies.
"Do you . . . do you know what I am?" She stretches and opens one eye to look at me.
"Sorry," she says. "I don't know for sure." My heart falls and I sigh. Navi looks sympathetic. "When we defeated the Forest Temple, the Deku Tree Sprout said that during the war, about 18 years ago, a woman came to the Deku Tree. She was mortally wounded, but had managed to bring her son to the Kokiri Forest in the hopes that he'd be safe there. She died as she was begging the Deku Tree to take you in."
"Did you ever see her?" I ask, trying to picture what she might have looked like. Navi shakes her head.
"I wasn't born yet," she says, her eyes falling shut again. "I was born just after. The Fairy without a Child, they called me. But it didn't matter to me. I didn't care. They could call me what they wanted, and it wouldn't bother me, because I knew someday, I'd have you." I manage a small smile as my eyes fall shut again, feeling a little bit better about things.
Maybe I'm not a Kokiri . . .
But I got the best damn fairy of the bunch . . .
xxx
I come awake with a cough.
Several coughs in fact.
I wake up right in the middle of a coughing fit. I open my eyes and immediately regret it as they immediately begin to burn and sting. Acrid smoke is all around me.
"Navi!" I cough. "Navi! Where are you?" It takes me a minute but I finally hear her musical voice from somewhere above me. She's coughing too.
"I'm here! Link! What's happening?"
"I don't know," I say, struggling to get my ocarina out of my pouch. It takes me a moment, and then I can't play it because I'm coughing too hard. "Epona!" I finally settle for shouting between coughs. "EPONA!" I hear a panicked whinny in response from somewhere to my right. Sticking low to the ground in an attempt to avoid the smoke I crawl for what seems like forever, but suddenly the air is clearer and I can almost breathe again were it not for the coughs still racking my body. I'm suddenly aware of Epona's warmth, nudging my head in concern. I reach up and stroke her muzzle comfortingly as I draw in a shuddering breath.
"Where's Navi?" I ask in panic, pulling myself to my feet. "Navi? Navi!"
"Here!" Navi cries with a cough, her blue light appearing suddenly out of the smoke. "Here I am!"
"Are you all right?" We both ask at the same time, and give simultaneous grins as answer. The grins fade instantly however, a more pressing question on our minds.
Here's the smoke.
But where's the fire?
I turn my face into the wind and follow the smoke back to its source. Or try to. The tiny stream we're at is down a hill, we'll have to climb to the top of the rise to see. I mount Epona quickly and urge her into a gallop, Navi trailing close behind. I cast a quick glance at the sky as we run. Can't see the sun anywhere, but it's still kind of light out. Must have just set. How long did I sleep for?
Too long, I realize as we top the rise and for the first time see the flames. Way too long.
Lon Lon Ranch is burning. Navi and I watch in horror as what's practically a sheet of flaming arrows arc up from somewhere behind the ranch and rain down on Malon's home. The flames soar higher and sparks leap up into the air.
That's no accidental fire.
The Moblins are attacking.
They're looking for me.
What are they going to do when they find out I'm not there?
Images of Castletown burning and memories of screams of dying people echo in a horrifying answer: the same thing as last time.
My face hardens and I fight the panic threatening to overwhelm me. There's a simple solution to this.
They just won't find out I'm not there.
I dig my heels into Epona's flanks and she leaps into a run.
"Link! Don't be stupid!" Navi shrieks. I ignore her.
This is what I'm supposed to do, isn't it?
This is my destiny, right?
Isn't that what they told me?
My face hardens.
Time to make like a Hero.