XVII
When they arrived, the old lady gasped. "My lady!" She immediately knelt, showing her respect, but Zelda urged her to get up. There was no time for formalities. "Sir Link here requests your help. I would like you to show him the Orb."
She looked at her, and then at Link. She connected it in her minds suddenly, and smiled. "Yes, my Lady. Sir Link, come this way, please." She led him forward, him obviously reluctant to the whole ordeal, until they came to a crystal ball. What good would this be. "Place your hands on it and relax. All should be revealed to you." Inwardly sighing, he did as he was told. And felt himself falling out of his body.
When he regained his senses again, he was inside Hyrule Castle. A hallucination? No, it was far too real, except he was not corporeal. As if a shade, he floated through the hallway. And there was Aron, vainly fighting off multiple moblins. As Link involuntarily shouted for his comrade, Aron fell after a vicious stabbing. Link felt himself moving closer, as Aron waited for his inevitable death. His lips moved breathlessly, one last time. "Good luck, Link."
Suddenly he was back further, inside the chamber where Aron volunteered his sacrifice. Once again, Link saw the devotion in Aron's face, as he lingered in front of Link. Why? What did he see? I'm not a hero; I'm not a legend. Did he sacrifice his life for me? Did he waste his life on a false hope? He was pushed back again, this time to Roam's tent. He, too, expressed his hope in Link. Just because I defeated Ganon once doesn't mean I can do it again. There are others as skilled as I am. Why me? Reni the fairy was next, willing to heal him twice at great expense to herself. She barely knew me, and she didn't seem that altruistic. But why would she do this? I'm not special. Zelda appeared then, as he saw her talking to his body the day Roam proposed his quest so long ago. "You will be able to use it," she said. The Triforce. But she was only hoping, right? She was only guessing. She doesn't know what it's like, to feel such power and know you cannot control it.
That must be it, he thought. They know I am the only one who can use the Triforce, and think that means I am omnipotent. But I'm not, I can't use it. I don't know why, but it doesn't matter. But they think I can, and have placed all their hope in me. And I'm letting them all down. He saw Reni again, as she struggled to find words to explain why she stayed with Aron even as she herself didn't know. No, she knew nothing of the Triforce. But it doesn't matter. I'm not worthy of it.
The orb pushed him back further in time, showing him a time years ago. It was before his 16th birthday, when Impa told him of the Legend of Zelda and the Triforce of Courage. Link saw himself standing there, reading the scroll that told of the third Triforce. "You who'll control the Triforce of the future... When these three are brought together, the Triforce will show its maximum power. Not everyone can use the Triforce. It requires a strong character with no evil thoughts. But an inborn special quality is also necessary." But is that me? What sort of inborn quality do I have?
Now he went further back in time, to periods long ago. He soon found himself floating above Hyrule, although he didn't recognize it. No, it wasn't Hyrule; it was a warped replica. He found himself being drawn closer to a giant pyramid, and finally inside. Ganon! But he wasn't the only one. A young man was fighting him, valiantly deflecting the beast's attacks and responding with mighty swings of the Master Swords. He looks familiar, almost like... me? Could this be my ancestor? The image faded, and others took its place. He saw his ancestors fighting Ganon in numerous times, throughout the history of Hyrule. Was it fate for me to come to Hyrule? But if Ganon is still alive, then my ancestors must not have been strong enough to totally defeat him.
He then saw a little boy, whom he also recognized as one from his family, leaving a forest for the first time. Memories of that boy's journey were jumbled together, and Link caught pieces of conversations. "It seems the time has come for the boy to begin his journey." "Thou must never allow the desert man in black armor to lay his hands on the sacred Triforce..." "That is your fate." "You're the only one who can complete this quest." "Let's get the Triforce before Ganondorf does, and then defeat him!" "You must protect the Triforce!"
The Triforce... so did he have this quality too? The scene shifted to the boy in a temple, walking towards The Master Sword. The ruined temple in the Lost Woods? He grabbed it, and blue light enveloped him. Link instinctively knew that the boy was going to retrieve the Triforce. But another man entered the view. Although he did not recognize the man, Link felt a familiar presence. Ganon? Yes, it had to be him! Ganon entered the light as well.
So that's it. That's how it all started. My ancestor, this boy, tried to claim the Triforce in peace, yet Ganon stole it from him. And in all these years, all these centuries, my family has tried to gain it back. Yet we never could, or at least not for long. And maybe not all of them were worthy, or why else would the Triforce of Courage be hidden away? They were all waiting for a time when someone could reclaim it. But Ganon returned a few years ago, and now he's back again. I must fight him again, I know that now. But is it enough? Am I worthy of the Triforce?
Link was pushed forward now, back to his own time. He saw himself running along the plains, towards a mountain range. Chasing down Sefia. Why is this important? But he remembered what it was like, to feel no need for food or rest. And knowing the path out of the Lost Woods. The scene shifted, and Link found himself in the woods looking for Roam's camp. He saw the lone guard, despite how well hidden he was. But he remembered it - he never saw the guard. He only sensed his presence. As soon as Link remembered, he was brought to his battle with Ganon in the castle. As Link saw the battle replayed before him, he grimaced, remembering the pain. Yet, the pain wasn't as much as it should have been. Ganon should have killed him with those blasts, yet he survived and was soon running down the corridors without any apparent injury. What happened to the pain? I don't feel it. I didn't feel it. As he moved forward in time, he saw that he had kept moving, kept pushing himself. When was the last time I slept, or ate? A dawning realization came over him. The Triforce?
The battle with Ganon again. "You were fused with the Triforce when I was revived. Your blood had its power within it." He saw again the evidence from the past. It was always there; I can use the Triforce. Or at least, I have this special quality the scroll spoke of. It is helping me and strengthening me. But why can't I control it?
In response, he was pushed back further, to a couple weeks back. Roam was at the meeting, convincing Zelda to send Link on that quest for the sword. And he felt the self doubt he had, the feelings of unworthiness. He remembered thinking that he was nothing special; that he merely was lucky against Ganon. Was that the only reason? Because I didn't think I could? Because I was worried it might corrupt me as well? I was holding myself back, afraid of the Triforce and my own insecurities. But I know now. I saw. He felt it then, the power of the Triforce flowing through him. It wasn't entirely new; in fact, it seemed oddly familiar. It was always there, since he found the Triforce of Courage. Yet he had never recognized it for what it was, and had buried those feelings. But now, now he was in control.
He opened his eyes to see the old lady and Zelda watching him expectantly. The woman looked worried. "No one else had ever stayed in a trance so long or so deep. We tried to bring you out of it, but you just sat there..." But Link ignored her, and smiled at Zelda.
"Did it work?" she asked hesitantly.
"Yes. Thank you." He stood up, and held her hands in his. "But if you'll excuse me, my lady, I have a beast to hunt." He turned to leave.
"Link, wait! You've barely rested since I saw you last. And your wounds, you're in no position to meet Ganon now!" He turned to her, and smiled again.
"I'm fine. The Triforce protects me now. Tell Roam to prepare. Ganon's army is marching to Rauru now. There's no time to lose." And with that, he was gone.
When they arrived, the old lady gasped. "My lady!" She immediately knelt, showing her respect, but Zelda urged her to get up. There was no time for formalities. "Sir Link here requests your help. I would like you to show him the Orb."
She looked at her, and then at Link. She connected it in her minds suddenly, and smiled. "Yes, my Lady. Sir Link, come this way, please." She led him forward, him obviously reluctant to the whole ordeal, until they came to a crystal ball. What good would this be. "Place your hands on it and relax. All should be revealed to you." Inwardly sighing, he did as he was told. And felt himself falling out of his body.
When he regained his senses again, he was inside Hyrule Castle. A hallucination? No, it was far too real, except he was not corporeal. As if a shade, he floated through the hallway. And there was Aron, vainly fighting off multiple moblins. As Link involuntarily shouted for his comrade, Aron fell after a vicious stabbing. Link felt himself moving closer, as Aron waited for his inevitable death. His lips moved breathlessly, one last time. "Good luck, Link."
Suddenly he was back further, inside the chamber where Aron volunteered his sacrifice. Once again, Link saw the devotion in Aron's face, as he lingered in front of Link. Why? What did he see? I'm not a hero; I'm not a legend. Did he sacrifice his life for me? Did he waste his life on a false hope? He was pushed back again, this time to Roam's tent. He, too, expressed his hope in Link. Just because I defeated Ganon once doesn't mean I can do it again. There are others as skilled as I am. Why me? Reni the fairy was next, willing to heal him twice at great expense to herself. She barely knew me, and she didn't seem that altruistic. But why would she do this? I'm not special. Zelda appeared then, as he saw her talking to his body the day Roam proposed his quest so long ago. "You will be able to use it," she said. The Triforce. But she was only hoping, right? She was only guessing. She doesn't know what it's like, to feel such power and know you cannot control it.
That must be it, he thought. They know I am the only one who can use the Triforce, and think that means I am omnipotent. But I'm not, I can't use it. I don't know why, but it doesn't matter. But they think I can, and have placed all their hope in me. And I'm letting them all down. He saw Reni again, as she struggled to find words to explain why she stayed with Aron even as she herself didn't know. No, she knew nothing of the Triforce. But it doesn't matter. I'm not worthy of it.
The orb pushed him back further in time, showing him a time years ago. It was before his 16th birthday, when Impa told him of the Legend of Zelda and the Triforce of Courage. Link saw himself standing there, reading the scroll that told of the third Triforce. "You who'll control the Triforce of the future... When these three are brought together, the Triforce will show its maximum power. Not everyone can use the Triforce. It requires a strong character with no evil thoughts. But an inborn special quality is also necessary." But is that me? What sort of inborn quality do I have?
Now he went further back in time, to periods long ago. He soon found himself floating above Hyrule, although he didn't recognize it. No, it wasn't Hyrule; it was a warped replica. He found himself being drawn closer to a giant pyramid, and finally inside. Ganon! But he wasn't the only one. A young man was fighting him, valiantly deflecting the beast's attacks and responding with mighty swings of the Master Swords. He looks familiar, almost like... me? Could this be my ancestor? The image faded, and others took its place. He saw his ancestors fighting Ganon in numerous times, throughout the history of Hyrule. Was it fate for me to come to Hyrule? But if Ganon is still alive, then my ancestors must not have been strong enough to totally defeat him.
He then saw a little boy, whom he also recognized as one from his family, leaving a forest for the first time. Memories of that boy's journey were jumbled together, and Link caught pieces of conversations. "It seems the time has come for the boy to begin his journey." "Thou must never allow the desert man in black armor to lay his hands on the sacred Triforce..." "That is your fate." "You're the only one who can complete this quest." "Let's get the Triforce before Ganondorf does, and then defeat him!" "You must protect the Triforce!"
The Triforce... so did he have this quality too? The scene shifted to the boy in a temple, walking towards The Master Sword. The ruined temple in the Lost Woods? He grabbed it, and blue light enveloped him. Link instinctively knew that the boy was going to retrieve the Triforce. But another man entered the view. Although he did not recognize the man, Link felt a familiar presence. Ganon? Yes, it had to be him! Ganon entered the light as well.
So that's it. That's how it all started. My ancestor, this boy, tried to claim the Triforce in peace, yet Ganon stole it from him. And in all these years, all these centuries, my family has tried to gain it back. Yet we never could, or at least not for long. And maybe not all of them were worthy, or why else would the Triforce of Courage be hidden away? They were all waiting for a time when someone could reclaim it. But Ganon returned a few years ago, and now he's back again. I must fight him again, I know that now. But is it enough? Am I worthy of the Triforce?
Link was pushed forward now, back to his own time. He saw himself running along the plains, towards a mountain range. Chasing down Sefia. Why is this important? But he remembered what it was like, to feel no need for food or rest. And knowing the path out of the Lost Woods. The scene shifted, and Link found himself in the woods looking for Roam's camp. He saw the lone guard, despite how well hidden he was. But he remembered it - he never saw the guard. He only sensed his presence. As soon as Link remembered, he was brought to his battle with Ganon in the castle. As Link saw the battle replayed before him, he grimaced, remembering the pain. Yet, the pain wasn't as much as it should have been. Ganon should have killed him with those blasts, yet he survived and was soon running down the corridors without any apparent injury. What happened to the pain? I don't feel it. I didn't feel it. As he moved forward in time, he saw that he had kept moving, kept pushing himself. When was the last time I slept, or ate? A dawning realization came over him. The Triforce?
The battle with Ganon again. "You were fused with the Triforce when I was revived. Your blood had its power within it." He saw again the evidence from the past. It was always there; I can use the Triforce. Or at least, I have this special quality the scroll spoke of. It is helping me and strengthening me. But why can't I control it?
In response, he was pushed back further, to a couple weeks back. Roam was at the meeting, convincing Zelda to send Link on that quest for the sword. And he felt the self doubt he had, the feelings of unworthiness. He remembered thinking that he was nothing special; that he merely was lucky against Ganon. Was that the only reason? Because I didn't think I could? Because I was worried it might corrupt me as well? I was holding myself back, afraid of the Triforce and my own insecurities. But I know now. I saw. He felt it then, the power of the Triforce flowing through him. It wasn't entirely new; in fact, it seemed oddly familiar. It was always there, since he found the Triforce of Courage. Yet he had never recognized it for what it was, and had buried those feelings. But now, now he was in control.
He opened his eyes to see the old lady and Zelda watching him expectantly. The woman looked worried. "No one else had ever stayed in a trance so long or so deep. We tried to bring you out of it, but you just sat there..." But Link ignored her, and smiled at Zelda.
"Did it work?" she asked hesitantly.
"Yes. Thank you." He stood up, and held her hands in his. "But if you'll excuse me, my lady, I have a beast to hunt." He turned to leave.
"Link, wait! You've barely rested since I saw you last. And your wounds, you're in no position to meet Ganon now!" He turned to her, and smiled again.
"I'm fine. The Triforce protects me now. Tell Roam to prepare. Ganon's army is marching to Rauru now. There's no time to lose." And with that, he was gone.