Memories of a Hero
Chapter 1
(First and foremost it should be known that I DOin fact own Nintendo and thus have the privilege of using these characters in any way I see fit. HA! This statement is pure lies and I shall burn in hell for writing it. )
He began to raise his head, slowly at first, afraid to face his past. She looked at him, curiously.
"I didn't think one so courageous as yourself was ever nervous, Sir Hero of Time." She said sarcastically, a grin on her face. "What causes you to be so coy?"
He smiled softly, saying nothing. Some things were better left unsaid. He knew, no matter what would happen, he would never forget this past. Yes, his years may be taken from him, but these moments would remain with him forever.
She studied him, with intrigue.
--How puzzling-- she thought. --Even one so great as he had his own demons to face. --
She thought back to that time, seven years ago. Still a child, unsure and afraid. Oh how she loved him. She knew it when he first looked into her eyes. Now he would be gone, and none of this would have happened. Things would be right. Peace would be restored, the kingdom would prosper, but she would never know the love she had waited for, for so long.
--Kiss me. Please kiss me-- she begged, though no word left her mouth.
--I want to tell you, Link, I want to tell you that I love you. Want to tell you to be mine. Dammit! Can you be so blind?! Can't you tell me you love me?! Do you ever say anything! Don't you realize I'll give you everything: My life, my heart, my soul! You'd be a king! Ah, what a glorious king, indeed......but you don't want that, do you? You know this can never be. You know what has to happen. The past. You deserve that. You deserve those seven years I took from you so long ago.--
--Because I love you, love you so much, I will give you that and never tell you of the turmoil I feel inside--
She smiled weakly and her eyes began to mist.
"Are you ready to go back?" she said in a whisper, her eyes staring at his feet. She swallowed hard and attempted to compose herself.
"Oh, of course you are. Time to live the life that so rightfully belongs to you." she said raising her head.
"And her. She doesn't know, you're aware. None of them do. You'll have to tell her, Link, tell her you're not the person you thought you were. You are a Hylian. You will grow and they will not. But I know she will understand. She's a smart girl, no, a woman. And though her body may not show it, she is much more ripe with knowledge than I will ever be."
He stared at her blankly, slightly confused. What made her act so strangely?
--Why was this so hard to tell him? What could she possibly hide after all they'd been through?--
He felt a rush of emotion. He had never faced anything like this before. No, not since...he left. Even then he was too frightened to say a comforting word. He just turned, and ran. Courageous indeed. He was but a coward in his mind.
--I was just a boy-- he thought. --I was immature and infantile. I've grown since then. She understands, she must. Fate had pitted them against each other. Time had pitted them against each other. It wasn't meant to be. But now, he had a second chance, fate had turned in his favor. He finally could go back and tell her how he felt, tell her why their love could never be anything more than just a friendship, and this time, be the comforting shoulder he meant to be, on that bridge seven years ago.--
But now he must face Zelda. He didn't understand why he felt so torn. Why did he feel this way, what had changed between them? It appeared as though he would always be alone. He fought to save a love he, himself, would never experience. Was this the ultimate sacrifice of a true hero?
He nodded in response to her question as she quickly turned away, as if to make the hurt somewhat less painful.
She stared at the heavens, then briefly skimmed over his body one last time, yearning to take a piece of this moment with her.
"Then I guess this is goodbye."
Still, he said nothing.
"Link, please hand me the Ocarina of Time."
He extended his arm and opened his hand concealing the instrument of their departure. She slowly moved to grab for the ocarina and in the brief moment their hands touched, everything they wanted to say became clear. She leant over and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. He could feel her tears brush against his face as she bid him her final a due.
With one final sigh she put her lips around the ocarina, and began to play a song that would erase everything that brought them here. As each note echoed through the air he slowly began to feel himself become nothing more than a distant memory.
And as he slowly faded into darkness he could barely hear her say,
"Goodbye my hero."
Chapter 2
Cuccos rustled through the streets as the noise of the chattering townsfolk filled the air. The market was a busy place (what with shoppers, loafers, merchants and thieves all out to make, or save, a ruppee) and the sunny day was one to be enjoyed. Mothers, dressed in aprons of white, went to the bakery to buy a loaf or two, then to gossip on cosmopolitan subjects as fathers gathered round beer barrels and told of successful battles. Children played with pups near the square and the older children listened to stories they didn't understand. Town guards stood on all edges and talked to, laughed at, or cursed the bumbling mass of villagers while the elderly citizens hissed from afar. In the distance, one could hear the sound of a beggar's hands beating against her lap or of the town jesters exchanging humorous tales.
This was a town of excitement. Not a day went by without something new. The land was home to many different types and races of people. The shops smelled like wine and fruit and the roads like earth, as a gentle breeze blew pines trees slightly to the east and rustled the cloth curtains covering windows. The shops were arranged in neat little rows in a square pattern divided by section: The grocers, the artillery, knick-knacks, festivities and challenges, each with it's own individual impact on the town.
"Hurry up Malon, the milk's going to sour!" a distant voice yelled above the crowd
"I'm coming, I'm coming, just wait a second." she replied, stuffing her apron full of apples.
"What's going on? Why are these people here? The market's normally never this crowded" she whispered to herself.
"HAVEN'T YOU HEARD?!" thundered the shopkeeper next to her.
"Huh!" she squeaked, not realizing anyone could hear her.
"I SAID 'HAVEN'T YOU HEARD?'" he repeated in a loud but playful tone.
"Heard, what?" She said, still caught off guard.
"I'LL TAKE THAT AS A NO. BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!"
She smiled out of nervousness.
"C'MON SWEETHEART, I WON'T BITE! ANYWAY, THEY'RE SAYIN THERE'S A NEW RULER IN HYRULE. N' SOMETHIN ABOUT THE KING GETTIN OVERTHROWN, ERR SOMETHIN. BUT DON'T YOU WORRY, IT'S ALL JUST TALK. CRAZY TOWNSFOLK DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE HELLS GOING ON!!! HMPH!! A GERUDO MAN THEY SAY. IF YOU ASK ME, ALL THEM GERUDO'S IS MEN. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHH!!!"
"What! That, that can't be right." she rushed in disbelief.
"HON, I'M JUST TELLIN YOU WHAT'S GOING AROUND! THEY SAY THIS GUY'S AWFUL MEAN. CORSE, SOME OF THINK HE'S SWELL TOO! BUT I GUESS SOMETHIN'S GOING ON CAUSE ITS GOT ALL THESE PEOPLE SCARED. BUT I DON'T MIND, I NEVER HAD SUCH A GREAT BUSINESS DAY!!! THEY DAMN NEAR BOUGHT THE SHINGLES FROM THE ROOF! BWAHAHAHA!! YEAH, THEY THINK SOMETHIN BADS GONNA HAPPEN SO THEY BUYING EVERYTHING THEY CAN!! BUT, LIKE I SAID, WHO CAN ARGUE WHEN THEY'RE MAKIN THIS MUCH MONEY???!!!"
"But, this, this can't be right. There's just no way, this just happened! Has everyone gone insane?!" she was speaking quickly and her voice was beginning to shift from concern.
"Hon, listen" he said in the most calming way he could, "I tell you, it's just talk. These folks think it's funny to make up little stories, n' normally, it don't do no harm. But I guess they got a little carried away this time an it scared em some. That's all."
"You're not listening to me, I said THIS HAS ALREADY HAPPENED!!!! IT JUST HAPPENED!!! DON'T YOU REMEMBER??!!! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS?!!!" She screamed to him, her hands clenched against his forearm, with fear in her eyes.
He stared down at her, unable to say anything back. He could see how upset she was, she obviously believed everything she said.
He could feel her trembling. "Listen Hon, I, I don't know what to tell you..."
"YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE ME! GANON! DON'T YOU REMEMBER GANON! DON'T YOU REMEMBER THE TERRIBLE THINGS HE DID?!!"
"GANON?!! OH MY GOD! GANON'S COMING!!!!" screamed a random voice from the crowd.
"OH GOD IT'S GANON!!"
"NOT GANON!"
"RUN!!! WE GOTTA GET OUTTA HERE?!!"
The crowd burst into a petrified mob. People scattered in every which way trying, desperately to escape the non-existent evil. Women ran for their children, families rushed towards the town gates. There was screaming and pandemonium, but Malon could faintly hear a voice she recognized through the swarm of townsfolk.
"Malon? Malon where are you?"
"ANJU! ANJU, WHAT'S GOING ON?!!" she ran to her friend.
"I DON'T KNOW! I DON'T UNDERSTAND! IS GANON HERE?!" she said, almost trembling.
"GANON? NOT YOU, TOO. DON'T YOU REMEMBER, GANON CAN'T BE HERE, GANON WAS DESTROYED!!!"
"MALON, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"
"Never mind, we'll talk about this later. Right now we just need to get out of here, something strange is going......OH MY GOD!!!!!" Her eyes were fixed at the sky. What had just earlier been a heavenly blue had turned to a mix of purple and red that looked like the sky was decaying. The clouds were black and enclosing the village much too quickly to be normal. Lightning crashed in the distance but the roar of the thunder sounded as if it were right behind them. The crowd screamed more and began to throw themselves against the wooden drawbridge that had somehow closed itself.
"LET US OUT!"
The horrific sky began to rain, but what fell wasn't water. The drops looked like blood and burnt the skin, but they continued to grow in number. It showered over the mass of civilians and began to scald blisters onto their arms and cheeks. But they had nowhere to go. The smoldering drops had ignited the hay roofs of the buildings and now there were little places to hide. Yet the town members still rushed to what little areas of refuge they could find until there was no room left. Not more than ten minutes after the rain had begun, the city was nearly destroyed and a large number of citizens lay unconscious in the street being plagued by drops of fire.
"AHHHH!! SOMEONE HELP ME!!!! SOMEONE, GET IT AWAY FROM ME!!!!" A woman shrieked hysterically from the square.
Malon forced through the collection of survivors, to an opening in their nook where she took refuge.
"Oh God." she gasped with little air in her chest. "What's happening?"
Her unblinking eyes had fixed themselves on one of the cataleptic victim's arms. It....it twitched. Violently.
It suddenly became very quiet.
"What is she doing?! Where's she going?!" Malon interrogated Anju.
"Her child. He's, he's on the other side." she replied.
All eyes were on the lifeless body. It thrashed again, this time throwing itself closer to the hysterical woman in center of the road. The woman stood completely silent, paralyzed by fear as she stared at the creature scrambling towards her feet.
It hissed lowly and jerked closer toward the woman.
Then came a grunt from one of the other bodies. Then another. Another twitch. Now one from a different body. A moan, then a scream.
Malon stared in disbelief.
"Oh my God, they're turning....into.....monsters."
Chapter 3
"Link?"
"Link, is, is that you?"
The voice sounded familiar. He slowly rolled over in his bed, not opening his eyes.
"Link, I need to speak with you."
The voice was calm and patient, but from his slumber it sounded as though it were miles away.
"Ugnnnnnh." he moaned as he fought for consciousness.
He was very tired. His entire body ached all over. It was hot and exhausted. It felt like it had been ages since he had rested well. His blood had nestled on the lower horizontal half of his body and his limbs were now numb. But his bed was comfortable and he did not want to wake.
"It's okay. Rest. I can wait."
He heard foot steps softly thump against the wooden floor, then his door quietly close.
"Huh?" he mumbled
--No! Wait!-- he thought.
He rose to his feet, his eyes jutting open, desperate to discover who's presence he had missed. But he rose too quickly. His knees locked in place and all the blood was trapped in the lower half of his body. He fell back into his bed, unconscious.