The Legend of Zelda: The War of Power
Chapter 24: The Cursed Forest
Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda is property of Nintendo.
-See note on name change at the end of the chapter.
"Go, Epona!" Malon yelled, "Run fast!" The horse obeyed and dashed frantically, Strike alongside her, desperately attempting to stay ahead of the swarm of Coshraks pursuing the companions. Malon mentally scolded herself for thinking that they would be able to make it across Hyrule Field without being detected by the enemy. She had thought that Epona and Strike could get across the open plains quickly enough to avoid trouble, and because of this the horses were nearing the point of complete exhaustion after running strenuously for the past hour and a half.
Malon approximated that it had only been about ten minutes since a group of about twenty Coshraks had spotted the companions racing across the plains and had given chase, though it seemed longer. She marveled at the speed and persistence of the beasts, and realized that if she did not reach the forest soon her journey would be over.
"Come on, Strike!" Alria yelled, ducking low atop the horse.
"Keep going, Epona!" Malon shouted over the roar of the Coshraks. The girl removed her bow from the pouch at her back and swiftly fit an arrow to the string, looking briefly toward the edge of the field. She could see the dead forest a short distance away, and estimated that they were only another ten minutes away going at their current speed. They would reach the forest soon, if only Epona and Strike could last until then. Pushing these thoughts out of her mind, Malon twisted atop her horse and aimed the tip of her arrow at the nearest Coshrak. The bowstring hummed as she loosed her arrow, and the projectile lodged itself in the chest of the beast. The creature did not relent in its pursuit, though, seemingly not feeling the attack.
"These things are tough!" Malon shouted to Alria, "We have no chance if we have to fight them!" She loaded her bow with two arrows and fired them simultaneously into the same beast she had previously attacked. She struck the Coshrak in the neck with both projectiles, causing the creature to fall to the ground with an agonizing roar and lay still.
"We're almost there!" Alria shouted, "We can make it!"
Malon heard her friend's comment in the back of her mind but concentrated on loading her bowstring once again. The twin arrows lodged themselves in the chest of another beast, slowing it down slightly as it struggled to breathe through its punctured lungs. Malon didn't relent in her attacks, barely keeping the tide of Coshraks at bay as the tired horses struggled to outrun the beasts.
"Here it is!" Alria yelled, though was unsure if she was relieved to have arrived in the dead forest. Malon briefly looked forward to see Epona surging into the depths of the woods, then watched as the Coshraks halted at the border of the forest, their instincts telling them that they should not enter the cursed place. The beasts sniffed the air and looked after their prey, but soon decided that they would rather not risk death in order to pursue their hunt and turned back toward the field, walking away slowly.
"We made it," Malon breathed in relief as Epona and Strike slowed to a walk.
"That was close," said Alria, "Now what?"
"First," the farm girl began, dismounting her horse, "We let these two rest. They got us through that mess out there, and they both deserve a break." Strike neighed happily as Alria dismounted and walked beside him, holding the horse's reins. "The bad part is," Malon continued, "We have to keep moving while we're in the forest. Looking at a map, I've estimated that we'll be in the forest for approximately two days, and that's traveling at a fast pace. I didn't expect that the journey across the field would be so strenuous on Strike and Epona, though, so it may take longer."
"That's great," Alria said sarcastically, "We're doomed."
"The forest can't be that bad," Malon said, observing her surroundings. The once green and luscious trees of the forest had been charred and were now grey, dead, and leafless. The ground, which was once covered with green grass and shrubbery, was blanketed with grey dirt and dust. The forest was shrouded in darkness, though the sunlight should have illuminated the open woods. Though it was not pitch black in the forest, Malon could still see quite well, the entire area was covered with a grey mist, seemingly coming from the darker clouds of fog hovering over the woods. The entire atmosphere suggested death and sorrow, and Malon suddenly realized why these woods were so feared.
"It feels…cursed," Alria said, "There's no other way to describe it."
"I can't believe I thought we could do this," the younger girl said, "This place makes you want to turn around and run just looking at it. It's hard enough not following that instinct." A strange wind, carrying the faint sound of an inhuman cry, suddenly passed the companions, sending Epona and Strike into fits of terror. The Gerudo mare reared on her hind legs, nearly throwing Malon from her back, while Strike bucked violently, forcing his rider to hold on desperately.
"Epona!" Malon yelled, "Calm down!" She patted the horse's neck gently and quietly hummed Epona's song, lowering her head to rest beside the mare's ear as she slowly became subdued.
"Strike!" Alria boomed, though the horse did not register her call in the midst of its terror, "Strike, look at Epona! She's calm! I know you can do this, too!" Strike's eyes flew to Epona, and the horse suddenly calmed upon seeing the mare.
"He really wants to be as good as Epona," Malon noticed, looking at the black horse, "You don't have to be so competitive, Strike." The horse neighed proudly as Alria stroked his dark mane.
"So, I guess we go further in from here," Alria said.
"We need to go straight south to get to Calatia," Malon said, "But I don't know how we're supposed to know which direction we're heading when we can't even see the sun. There's nothing in this dead forest that we can use as a compass, so we could end up wandering around in here until we die of hunger or something."
"That's encouraging," the elder girl said bitterly.
"Sorry, but I figure I shouldn't try to make things look better than they are. If we were in a normal forest, I could easily tell which direction we're going, but this place isn't exactly normal. I guess we'll just have to move south while we can still see the edge of the forest and try to stay on as straight a path as possible."
"You realize this is suicide, right," Alria asked, raising an eyebrow.
Malon ignored her and directed Epona deeper into the forest, "Well, we better get going," she said cheerfully.
"You're insane."
***
"So you're basically saying that…we're all going to die?" Lunari said after hearing the story behind the three companions' journey to Halthierien.
"You could look on the bright side," Dek sighed, "We might survive."
"Or we might end up enslaved by some supreme evil being and our lives will be torture," Link said nonchalantly. Zelda raised an eyebrow at the boy at her side before turning to Lunari sitting across from her in the main room of the elven dwelling.
"I can't believe that there's not a way we can stop this," the princess said, "There has to be something we can do to go against the prophecies."
"We're dealing with destiny, though," Lunari pointed out, "It doesn't matter what we do, it will just play into destiny's hands."
"No need to be so sad," Link said to the two girls, "We might as well enjoy our last hours of life and freedom before the destruction and enslavement of the earth's nations." The three present in the room looked at Link skeptically as the Hylian smiled, "What's wrong with a little optimism?" he asked.
"What you're doing is not optimism," Zelda pointed out, "Optimism is thinking that there might be a way to change destiny, not happily embracing it."
"You three need to lighten up. What I mean is that we're staying in this place for a little longer, and we should enjoy our time here before we trudge once more into danger."
"He's right," Lunari said, sighing, "No reason for us to worry about this just yet. We're safe here, for the time."
"Foods' ready," Hamadil said sourly, appearing in the doorway of the room, "And you better enjoy it." Only then did Link notice that the elf was covered with various forms of dough and meats, and his clothes were stained with the juice of an unknown fruit.
"You're a mess," Link said, forming his companion's thoughts into words and causing the room to burst into laughter.
"Quiet, boy!" the elven commander boomed, "Unless you'd rather go hungry!" The four immediately ceased their laughter, though Link looked like he was about to explode once more. "That's better," Hamadil said, "Lunari will lead you to the dining hall while I go…clean up." Lunari nodded and took the lead, Dek, Zelda, and Link following as they exited the room and emerged onto an outer walkway. Link stopped for a moment in the doorway and put his hand on Hamadil's shoulder as he smiled mischievously.
"I understand," he said, grinning, "Sometimes you must sacrifice your pride to please the woman you love." The boy immediately bolted toward his companions as Hamadil exploded in rage, yelling and running after the Hylian. Link slipped inside the room that he had seen his friends enter just before the enraged elf would have descended upon him. Hamadil stopped abruptly before entering the room, deciding that he'd rather not damage his pride any further, and walked away, silently fuming.
"Link," Zelda said suspiciously, "What did you do?"
"Nothing," the Hylian said, smiling innocently and looking around the room. The dining room, like the many rooms of the house, was adorned with small, delicate glass sculptures, and four pillars in each corner supported the roof. Lunari, Dek, and Zelda were seated at the large table in the center of the room, and Link could see Aldamiel in an adjacent room preparing the last of the food.
"Aren't you going to sit down?" Lunari asked, "We left a special spot for you," she finished sweetly, batting her eyelashes and gesturing to the open seat beside Zelda. Link turned slightly red and seated himself beside the princess, glaring at Dek and Lunari across the table. His thoughts were disrupted, however, as Aldamiel entered the room carrying large plates of various elven foods, ranging from cooked meats to sweeter dishes of fruit. Link was lost in the aroma of the food and stared expectantly as more trays were set before him upon the tabletop.
"It's just food," Zelda said, looking at the boy.
"It smells better than anything I've ever had," Link said, his eyes sweeping the table.
"We're company here, so don't eat too much and make a fool of yourself."
"I've never done that," Link said defensively.
"Would you like me to name off the instances?" Zelda said, counting off on her fingers as she began to speak.
"Alright," Link interrupted, "I get the point."
Aldamiel reentered the room then and placed the last of the drinks on the table, taking her seat at one end, just as Hamadil appeared in the outer doorway, glaring at Link as he took his seat at the other end. Link smiled at the commander before noticing that there were still empty seats at the rather large table.
"Dauries and her family usually eat with us," Aldamiel explained, noticing the boy's gaze, "But they haven't returned yet and you three are probably hungry, so I don't think she'd mind if we began without her." Link envisioned the taste of the delicious foods, excited to have his first home-cooked meal since his journey began.
Link leaned back in his chair after filling himself to the brim with the elven food, and sighed happily. "Man," he started, "That is some good stuff."
"I told you," Hamadil said, "She's the best cook in the city."
"I'm surprised you could even taste it," Zelda said, "You ate so fast I thought it was just passing straight through."
"Oh," Link said, looking around the table and seeing everyone, minus Dek, with food remaining, "I guess I did."
"It's okay," Aldamiel smiled, "I'm glad you enjoyed it. Now that you and Dek have finished, though, I was hoping you would tell us your plans for your journey now that you've learned of the prophecy. I was kind of curious, and I hope you're not going to do anything too dangerous."
"Well," the Hylian began, "I'm not sure what everyone else wanted to do, but I figured that we'd still head to Calatia. Hyrule is still in desperate need of reinforcements, and maybe we can persuade the king to help."
"That makes sense," Dek said, "We're nearly through the Emerald Mountains, and we should be able to reach Calatia within the week after leaving the city."
"How soon are you leaving?" Lunari asked the elf, her eyes betraying the hope that he would remain in Halthierien for a good length of time.
"I'm sorry, but we can't delay or Hyrule really will be doomed. But, since we could all use some rest, I guess we'll wait to leave until the morning the day after tomorrow."
"So soon?"
"I'd love to stay, Lunari," Zelda interjected, "But Dek's right. Hyrule really is in need of aid, and I must try to help my country."
"I apologize for not being any assistance in your war," Hamadil said, "I would lead the elves to your aid if I were not bound by the laws of our people." The room grew quiet as the elf finished speaking, the elves and Hylians dwelling on the fate of their country and their world.
"Well," Aldamiel began cheerfully, "There's no need for us to worry about this now. You three should enjoy your stay here, so if you're finished with dinner, Lunari can show you around. It's really beautiful here, but make sure you don't stay out too late. You could all use some rest, I'm sure."
"Alright," Lunari said, "Then, let's go!" She bolted from the room, dragging Dek by the hand as Link and Zelda quickly rose and followed. The elven girl soon reached the base of the tree that supported the house and continued running, her companions just behind.
"Where are we going?" Dek asked from beside the girl.
"You know," Lunari replied, smiling.
"Well, I don't," Link pointed out, running beside Lunari with Zelda on his left.
"You'll be surprised."
"I don't like surprises."
Lunari ignored the boy and continued leading the companions through the massive city at a fast pace until they reached the base of the mountain that towered over Halthierien. Lunari finally stopped as she looked at the cliff face, finding the path that she was searching for carved into the rock wall. She walked toward the mountainside and silently ascended a narrow path which curved on its way to her destination. After a good amount of tiring climbing, the elven girl finally stopped between a set of massive boulders and turned to her companions.
"This is it," she said, focusing her attention to Link and Zelda, "My favorite spot in the city. I used to take Dek up here sometimes, so he should remember it; but for you two it will be a surprise." Without another word, the girl turned and walked forward, Dek, Link, and Zelda just behind her.
The two Hylians gasped as they emerged from the narrow path onto a precipice that jutted just out from the steep cliff. Before them lay the most beautiful picture they could imagine; they could see the continent of Ahras, north of Halthierien, full of mountains and forests, that stretched to the endless ocean in the west above which the sun had nearly set, bathing the landscape in a magnificent orange light. Overhead, the infinite stars shown in the increasing darkness and the moon, in its beauty, rose slowly over the land. Link's eyes looked north to the realm of Hyrule, distant on the horizon, then to the Emerald Mountains which stretched out before him, the moonlight reflecting off of the green of the hills so that the mountains produced their own emerald light. The boy's eyes darted across the land, amazed at all that he could see, and gazed upon the wonders of the continent.
Lunari smiled at the awestruck look upon the two Hylians' faces and pushed herself up against Dek, sighing happily. The elf hesitatingly put an arm around her, staring at the scene before him.
"It's nice seeing this with you," Lunari whispered, "I'm lonely when I come up here myself."
"I'm sorry," Dek said quietly.
"It's okay, now," Lunari comforted, then looked to Link and Zelda at the edge of the precipice, "Why don't we go back and leave them alone. We've seen it before, but this is their first time." Dek nodded and Lunari gripped his hand tightly in the dark, leading him down the mountain.
"Wow…" Link finally said, his eyes never leaving the scene, "It's amazing."
"I can see Hyrule," Zelda said, squinting her eyes, "Everything looks so peaceful, it's hard to believe that our doom is approaching."
"There's still hope," Link said quietly after a time, "Just don't forget that."
"I try not to," the princess replied, "but the future seems so dark after what's happened." She sighed and stared into the starry sky, "I'm afraid, Link," she said sadly, "afraid of the future, and of destiny. I'm afraid that there's nothing we can do to change the course of fate, and its tearing me apart. The prophecies say that Hyrule is doomed, and I can't stop myself from believing that after all the evil we've seen." She turned suddenly to the boy, her eyes filling with unshed tears, "And I can't do anything to stop it. Father's…gone, and Impa probably is, too, and…" Zelda could not finish as she broke down, weeping uncontrollably and tightly clutching Link's arm.
"It's okay," Link said gently, "You haven't had much of a chance to mourn. It's okay." The boy slowly put his arm around the weeping princess, hoping to comfort her, and gazed into the heavens. Zelda's sobbing slowed down and became quieter, though the tears continued to fall.
"Everything seems so hopeless," she said quietly, "How can we change destiny?"
"I don't know," Link said, his eyes locked on the stars above, "I don't know if we can, but I know we can try. Nothing is certain, and fate cannot control the events of time. We have to believe that there's still a chance to change things, and that fate can be altered if only we have the courage to try. We won't let the world slip into evil's grasp without doing everything within our power to change the events of the future." The two lapsed into silence once more as they gazed into the night sky.
"Thank you," Zelda whispered finally, "You're right. Thank you." The princess, the battles and events of the previous days finally catching up to her, silently drifted off to sleep, forcing Link to lift her in his arms.
"Sleep, now," he said, quietly, beginning the walk down the mountain with Zelda in his arms, "You deserve it."
"What happened to her?" Dek asked as Link emerged from the mountain path, carrying the princess carefully. Lunari was seated beside the elf on a bench near the slightly hidden trail, and the two seemed to have been waiting for the Hylians to come down.
"Everything's finally caught up to her," the boy explained, "She just needs some rest."
"She fell asleep in your arms, I noticed," Lunari said sarcastically, and she could tell Link was blushing despite the darkness.
Suddenly, though, Link's head snapped to the right and his eyes studied a large bush carefully. He then spoke in a low, serious voice, "Dek," he began, "Take Zelda." Without another word, the boy handed the princess to his friend and turned to face the shrubbery that had caught his attention.
Before Dek or Lunari could inquire as to why Link was studying the area so carefully, the Hylian dived to the ground and rolled to his left. Dek's elven eyes could see the glimmer of steel on the small daggers that passed over Link's head as he dodged, lodging themselves in the trunk of a tree. Link leapt gracefully to his feet and lunged toward the bush, and the mystery hidden inside, with amazing speed. As the boy neared, though, a dark figure flew into the air in a graceful arc, forsaking his hiding place and landing a small distance from Link's left.
"Who are you?" Link asked, reaching for the sword that he realized wasn't there. He had removed his equipment, not suspecting that he would have any need for it in the hidden city, and now he silently scolded himself for it.
The figure, Link assumed it was a man by the way he moved, did not answer, but charged the boy, and the unsheathing of a weapon could be heard. Although Halthierien provided its own light, the four companions and the stranger were located on the outskirts of the city, just far enough so that the darkness of the night remained. Link, forced to rely on his senses other than sight, suddenly heard the faint whisper of steel cutting through the air, and leapt to the side as three knives missed him by inches.
The man, using the knives as a distraction, charged in and swung his larger weapon toward the boy's midsection. Link, barely hearing the attack once again, flew into the air, leaping over his opponent's head and kicking off of the man's skull as he did so. The figure stumbled but quickly regained his balance and pivoted, swinging at the boy before he had landed. The Hylian twisted his body in midair, avoiding the blow, but was forced to land hard on his side because of his position. Link rolled upon hitting the ground, and flipped himself up onto his feet. Only then did he feel the trickle of blood on his midsection and notice that the last blow had not missed him completely. He glared at the shadowy figure, dropping into fighting stance once more, and prepared for another attack.
Link was surprised, then, when the man raised his hands in defeat and surrendered. "I give in," he said, "Do with me as you wish."
"I'm not going to kill you," Link replied, "I think that Galdel would like to speak with you and ask how you discovered the location of this city. Drop your weapons. You will come with us." The shadow of the man nodded and the sound of many items of steel could be heard hitting the ground. Link walked toward the man, still wary of an attack, and picked a knife off of the ground before pointing it at the figure's chest. "Just in case," he said, regarding the knife, then pointed toward the city, "Let's go. Lunari," he added, looking back, "Get his weapons." The elven girl nodded and proceeded to pick up the discarded blades, surprised at the amount of weaponry the strange man had been carrying. The group said not a word as they led their new prisoner into the city.
"Who are you?" Galdel questioned, looking at the man that had attacked Link on the outskirts of the city. When he was taken into the light of the city, he was revealed to be a young, tan-skinned, man who looked as if he was not yet twenty, with deep green eyes and red hair which was tied back in a short ponytail. He wore a black coat that nearly reached his ankles, and a black tunic with matching pants underneath. His entire wardrobe seemed as if it was designed to conceal as much weaponry as possible.
"I am called Rayen," he said, "There is nobody that knows me by my true name, and I have nearly forgotten it." Galdel nodded, accepting his answer.
"Why did you attack him?" the high elf asked, gesturing to Link who stood, knife in hand, at the prisoner's side.
"I was instructed to," Rayen answered.
"You are a bounty hunter?" Galdel questioned. Rayen nodded, and the elf continued, "How did you find this place?"
"I followed the Hylians," the hunter answered, "I stayed out of sight of the elves that found them and brought them into the city, and then I followed their path and found the city."
"It should not be so easy for one to find Halthierien," the high elf said quietly, almost too himself. "Why did you not attempt to kill the boy and his companions earlier?" he asked, "Why did you wait until they were in the city?"
"To be honest," Rayen began, "I wasn't trying to kill them. I was instructed and would have been paid to do so, yes, but I decided against it after following them for a while. Despite what you may think and although I am a bounty hunter, I have honor, too. I would not strike someone down who was so young and who has done nothing wrong."
"Then why did you attack?"
"I…wanted to test the boy's skill. After deciding not to kill them, I continued to follow them, out of curiosity and because I found their quest interesting, and I discovered who the boy was. I wanted to test myself against the Hero of Time, I guess, but I would never have killed him. He proved himself to be quite the excellent fighter."
"I did?" Link said, confused, "You could have easily defeated me, though."
"But you had no weapon," Rayen said, smiling, "I suppose in a way it was cowardly for me to attack you while you were unarmed, but, as I've said before, I never planned on killing you."
"Can you tell us who hired you?" Galdel asked, "This boy and his companions have been attacked numerous times, and it appears that someone wishes for their death. It would aid us greatly to know who has been behind the attacks."
"I could tell you his name, location, and anything you wanted to know about him," the bounty hunter said, "I make it a point to always know everything about those who hire me. But, the information wouldn't do you any good. The guy who hired me was just a pawn, working for somebody much higher up."
"You're sure?"
"Yes. The man who hired me; he doesn't have any motives that suggest he'd want this boy's death. I followed him for a week and learned all I could about him because I was curious as to why he would want children dead. Everything about him suggested that he was being manipulated."
"How can we trust you?" Link asked, suspicious.
"He tells no lie," Galdel said, studying the man carefully, "One of the skills of the elder elves is to be able to read one's words and actions and interpret them for what they really are. This one speaks the truth."
"Did your hirer say why he wants me dead?" the Hylian asked, looking to the hunter.
"It wasn't you," Rayen said, "It was the princess he was after, but I was told to destroy you if you interfered. I wasn't given any information other than where to find you."
"It must be the same guy doing all of this," Link said thoughtfully, "He somehow knows where we are and what we're doing, and he's sent his minions to attack us three times already. What I wonder, though, is why someone that powerful hasn't come after us himself. My only guess is that he's trapped somewhere, in a bondage similar to the seal that holds Ganondorf in place," Galdel nodded while Rayen looked confused, having only heard rumors of the Hero of Time and never knowing of Ganondorf's existence.
"A wise inference," Galdel said, "But while that is likely, you must not disregard the idea that this enemy is fully able to come after you. You must be prepared at all times."
"I understand."
"Good. Now, I have decided what we shall do with you, Rayen," the elf said, looking to the bounty hunter, "You will accompany this boy and his companions on their journey. You will follow the Hero of Time to your death."
"What?!" Link and Rayen yelled in unison.
"This is my decision," the high elf said, "Under normal circumstances the penalty for entering Halthierien is the removal of your freedom; one would be forced to remain in the city for life. I believe that you would much rather accompany the hero on his journey than that alternative. Am I correct?" The bounty hunter nodded, and the elf continued, "And Link; do not fear this man. He will not kill you or forsake you; I will see to it." He looked to Rayen once more, "Kneel," he instructed, and the hunter obeyed, "Now swear your allegiance to the Hero of Time, so that your punishment may be complete."
"I hereby swear to follow Link, the Hero of Time, and his companions wherever their road will take me," Rayen said hesitantly, his head bowed low, "Until death take me."
"You are an honorable man. You will be held to your oath. May you be a worthy companion of the hero and his company, and may you do them good. Go, now; you both should rest."
"Thank you," Link said as the Hylian and bounty hunter bowed, then exited the hall. They walked nearly half of the distance to Lunari's house in silence before Rayen finally spoke.
"Well, kid," he started, "I guess I'm stuck with you."
"Don't think I'm happy about it," Link said bitterly.
"I guess it could be fun. I'm in need of some adventure."
"I'm in need of some relaxation."
"You know, if we're going to be traveling together we should probably try to get along."
"Whatever."
***
"We're completely lost."
"Not necessarily," Malon told her companion, "I haven't seen that boulder before, so we're not going around in circles."
"For all we know," Alria began, "this forest could be endless."
"That's not exactly comforting."
"Comfort doesn't exist in this place."
"I guess you're right," Malon sighed, looking over the dead landscape. The condition of the forest was depressing; trees were decaying, ashes blanketed the ground, and the grey fog covered everything.
Every area of the dead forest looked the same, minus a few details, which was why a certain formation stood out to the girl's eyes among the ghostly wasteland. It appeared to be a cave of some sort, formed by an immense boulder that jutted up from the ground.
"That looks like a cave," she said to her companion, gesturing toward the rock.
"Maybe we can spend the night in there," Alria suggested, studying the formation, "It'd be nice to have a change of scenery." The two dismounted and slowly walked toward the cave. Malon reached the mouth of the cave first and kneeled on the ground, peering into the darkness.
"It looks like a hole," she said. Alria nodded, studying the cave as well.
"Well," she started, "I guess we can't stay in there. There's no way to tell how deep it is, so we can't risk entering."
Epona, who had been warily approaching the formation, looked toward the cave and suddenly reared back violently, neighing loudly and backing away.
"Epona?" Malon asked worriedly, turning to the horse, "Epona, what's wrong?" The horse responded by shaking her head roughly, her mane waving in the air, and she seemed to be staring at something just above the mouth of the cave. Malon noticed this and turned her gaze back to the cave, noticing the strange markings that seemed to have grabbed Epona's attention.
The markings appeared to have been roughly chiseled into the rock face, and they seemed to depict a crude picture. As the girl looked closer, she could distinguish the figures of four beings, but the scene had been eroded over time, making it extremely difficult to interpret. The two larger figures were standing side by side while the two smaller hovered just over them, and Malon could tell that the latter were fairies. One of the larger looked somewhat like a Kokiri; the girl based this off of Link's appearance when he was a child, but the second creature she could not label. It was equal in size to the Kokiri, but wore something like a large, straw hat, and appeared to be faceless. Both were smiling, and she derived that they must have been friends.
Just as suddenly as she had finished analyzing, though, the picture faded away and Malon was staring at a blank rock face once more. Turning to Epona, she noticed that the horse looked just as confused as she felt.
"Oh well, let's move on," Alria said, snapping Malon out of her thoughts. The farm girl nodded and the four pressed on into the forest.
Malon decided not to mention the occurrence with the picture to her friend.
***
Link awoke to Lunari's smiling face and her hands upon his shoulder, shaking him violently. He groaned and pushed her away, rolling over and closing his eyes.
"Come on, lazy," the elf said, sighing, "It's late enough as it is, and Dek and Zelda are waiting for you in the dining room."
"I'm tired," the boy said, yawning, still facing away from the girl, "I'm sleeping for as long as I want."
"Get up," Lunari said, throwing the sheets off of the boy's back, who was still wearing his tunic, "Couldn't even change into something to sleep?" the elf asked, receiving another grunt in response, "You need to wash that thing more often. It's starting to smell."
"Are you ever going to leave me alone?"
"Nope. Now, let's go; it's your last day here, and you're not going to ruin it for the rest of us having some fun. Besides, Zelda will be lonely without you."
"Shut up," the boy groaned.
"Not until you get up," Lunari said indignantly, "If you don't hurry you're going to miss breakfast."
"I'm too tired to be hungry."
"Oh, come on. Zelda says your always hungry. And you've tasted my mom's food. Can you really force yourself to go without one of her meals? Her breakfast is especially-"
"Alright!" Link said angrily, rising slowly to a sitting position.
"I knew you'd come around."
"Just take me to the food," Link stood tiredly and rubbed his eyes.
"You should take a bath first."
"I'll do it after breakfast."
"You're so stubborn!" Lunari said angrily, placing herself in the doorway and blocking the exit, "No breakfast until you don't smell so horrible. I'll bring you some clothes and my mom will wash that dirty tunic of yours."
"Do you get some sort of sick pleasure from making me suffer?"
"Maybe…"
As Link walked out of the bath and into the small adjacent changing room, a towel around his waist, he noticed that Lunari had done as she said she would and taken his old tunic and pants and left some fresher clothes on the floor. He grudgingly dressed in the elven clothes, which he was not particularly fond of, that consisted of a long white shirt that tied together across his chest and matching pants. He stared at himself in a large mirror, deciding that the elven style did not suit him and was far too elegant, and left the room. As he turned and began to trek across the walkway, to what he hoped was the dining room, a voice from behind stopped him.
"Wrong way," Lunari said, smiling, "You're lucky I decided to wait around or you'd end up completely lost."
"I'm so grateful," Link said sarcastically, standing rather awkwardly, unaccustomed to his new wardrobe.
"Those don't look that bad," the elven girl said, looking over the boy, "Personally, I never was really fond of fancy elven clothes, and I guess you aren't either. But it's all we have, so you're going to have to live with it until your tunic gets cleaned."
"So I suffer once again."
"Yeah, I guess, but it's not that bad. I wear elegant type clothes every day, and I've gotten somewhat used to them."
"At least you've got some color in yours," the boy said, gesturing to her blue dress, "White doesn't suit me; it's too bright."
"Well, you're going to have to live with it," Lunari said, "At least for a little while. Now, let's go; everyone's getting sick of waiting for you. If they already ate, it's your fault that I didn't get to join them."
"Whatever," Link said, giving up on arguing with the girl as the two made their way to the other end of the large house and into the dining room, where Dek, Zelda, Hawehn, and Rayen were seated, their plates devoid of food.
"See," Lunari whispered bitterly, "They already ate, and now our food's going to be cold."
Link ignored her and looked around the room, noticing that both Zelda and Dek had changed into elven clothes as well, their traveling clothes most likely being cleaned. Zelda wore a dress nearly identical to Lunari's, while Dek had been given an outfit similar to the hero's.
"I see you've met my friends," Link said darkly, speaking to Rayen as he seated himself.
"Sure have," the hunter answered, "And I must say; you're lucky to know such people. Lady Hawehn makes wonderful food. It's too bad you missed out."
"I told you we needed to hurry!" Lunari whispered loudly, seating herself at Dek's side across from the Hylian, "This is your fault."
"Well, somebody could've let me bathe after breakfast," Link shot back.
"Relax, you two," Hawehn said, rising from her seat and heading toward the kitchen, "We saved some for you, don't worry."
"It better not be cold," Lunari growled, glaring at the boy who quickly returned the stare until he noticed Dek smiling off to the girl's side.
"What's so funny?" he asked the elf.
"You two are so similar," Dek pointed out, still smiling, "So when you're together it's like a constant battle of wills."
Link opened his mouth to reply but Zelda stopped him, "Don't start arguing again."
"Fine," the boy replied grumpily, though his face lit up when the food was placed in front of him. He quickly devoured the meal, not giving himself time to wonder what kind of elven dishes he was eating, and leaned back after he had finished.
"So, what are we going to do today?" he asked, smiling.
***
"That sound is getting louder," Alria said as the howling wind blew by them once more, "I don't know if that's a good thing."
"It has to just be the wind going passed the trees," Malon said, unsure, as the howl sounded again, "Right?"
"I'm starting to think not," her companion answered, "Maybe we should-" she was cut off by the wind once more, though this time the wailing was louder and more agonizing than before.
Epona and Strike reared back as the sound continued, growing in volume, and the powerful wind made Malon's long hair flail out behind her. She placed her arm in front of her eyes for protection from the gusts, and looked forward, gasping in shock.
As she watched, the fog that surrounded them began to take shape, forming into the faint figures of many undistinguishable creatures. She continued to look as the wind died down, and a stillness settled around the area.
Before her floated the ghostly figures of beings she assumed were once creatures of the forest. Some looked like immense flowers with a gaping maw, others she knew to be the weak Deku scrubs. She recognized more to be Stalfos warriors; huge skeletons that wielded jagged blades, and there were even Kokiri among them, as well as creatures that looked similar to the figure in the scene that had been chiseled above the strange cave. There were many more beings that Malon could not identify, and all of the seemingly endless apparitions stared at them with blank, ghostly eyes.
"The spirits of the forest," Alria whispered, in awe, "So the rumors were true." The companions continued to stare at the spirits, frightened beyond speech and unable to believe what lay before their eyes, until Malon recovered her sense.
"Run!" she shouted. The horses immediately obeyed and bolted away, in the opposite direction of the endless apparitions. Looking behind, Malon could see that the ghosts gave an agonizing wail and pursued the companions, their screams constantly piercing the thick air.
"This isn't working!" Alria shouted above the roar of the spirits, "They'll catch us!" The girl's words were true, Malon realized, as she turned her head and watched the undead seemingly fly over the rotting landscape, brandishing crude, ghostly weapons in their hands. She quickly fit an arrow to her bowstring and fired into the Stalfos at Epona's heels, though the projectile passed through the ghost's body without causing harm.
Malon silently cursed and faced forward, only to see that the apparitions were making their way in front of the horses in an effort to surround them. Epona and Strike quickly stopped as the ghosts blocked their path, and Malon and Alria looked around fearfully at the beings that seemed ready to kill them at any moment.
"Why do you enter into this forbidden land?" a ghostly Kokiri spoke in an eerie voice, "Why do you not let us rest?"
"We…we…didn't know that we were bothering you," Malon stammered, "We were…trying to help our friends."
"We do not care for your troubles," the forest child replied, "We have not been able to rest since the forest was burned and our spirits were doomed to reside in these woods for eternity."
"I'm sorry," Malon said flatly, unable to think of another response.
"We do not wish for you to feel sorry for us. We wish for revenge upon those that destroyed us; you and your people."
"What…are you talking about?"
"The outsiders, ones like you, they are the reason we have perished. Nothing but revenge can satisfy our tortured spirits. We thirst for the blood of outsiders, but we cannot leave this forest. So it is that all who enter must perish." The ghosts roared and wailed in agreement, their blank eyes still staring at the 'outsiders'.
"Wait!" Alria yelled, gaining the attention of the spirits, "Can we not do something to aid you so that we may be spared? The fate of the world may depend on us; we must live."
"Your world means nothing to us," the Kokiri child said coldly, "We care only for revenge."
"Is there a way to free you from your torture?"
"There is no way for the curse to be broken; we cannot be destroyed, and so we are doomed to haunt this forest until the end of time."
"There is one thing that could free you," Malon said quietly, drawing the blank eyes toward her. The farm girl took a deep breath and addressed the Kokiri, "The Triforce…the power of the Triforce could free you."
"Nothing can break the curse."
"The Triforce is the most powerful artifact in existence. It could free you."
"But there is no way to know this for sure. You do not have it with you."
"But I know who does. Let us go free, and we will bring you back the one who can release you from your bondage."
"We cannot trust you. We can trust no one."
"I will give you my word," Malon spoke firmly, "I swear that I will return, and your souls shall be able to finally rest." The ghostly Kokiri thought this over carefully as the spirits stood, restless, eager for the blood of their enemies.
"This is your chance," Alria spoke, "Your one chance to be freed from your agonizing torture." The forest child continued to think, until finally she spoke.
"I agree to your terms," she said, causing Malon to let out a breath of relief, "The power of the undead will hold you to your oath. Now go, and return quickly." The farm girl watched as the fierce wind blew again, sweeping away the cursed spirits as suddenly as they had appeared.
Malon nodded to her companion, neither uttering any words, and moved in the direction they hoped was south.
***
The day passed quickly, much to Lunari's disappointment, and before the companions realized what was happening it had become very late. Link, Zelda, and their new companion, Rayen, had already retired for the night, but the elven girl found herself unwilling to let Dek go just yet, and she led him to the edge of the city.
Lunari and Dek seated themselves upon a large rock at the mouth of the river, gazing upon the large waterfall that supplied the city with water. Lunari held the elf's hand tightly, as if she was afraid he would disappear if she relinquished her grip.
"I'm not going anywhere," he said, noticing her tight grip, "At least not yet."
"But you will be," Lunari said sadly, "And once again I'll be left to wonder if you're even alive and if I'll ever see you again."
"I'm sorry, Lunari," Dek said, "but I have to go. I can't sit here while the rest of the world fights and dies for their cause. I have to help."
"I…" the elven girl began, "I want to go with you."
"What!?" Dek exclaimed rather loudly, his voice piercing the darkness, "I mean…Lunari, you can't go. I-"
"Why not?" she interrupted him, "Why can't I go? You're granted permission, so why-"
"I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you got hurt," Dek cut her off, "It's too dangerous."
"I can take care of myself…you know I can."
"I know," the elf said, "But this will be unlike anything that the world has ever faced before. You'll be safe if you stay in the city, and you'll survive this age. You and the elves may be the only ones to live it out, and…" He broke his sentence, realizing his error as Lunari sighed and looked at him, her eyes full of sadness.
"So…" she said, her voice quaking, "You…don't expect to…come back?"
"I…" Dek began, searching for words, "I…don't know…"
"So you're just going to go out there and get yourself killed, and leave me here!?" Lunari rose to her feet, glaring at the elf.
"I wouldn't be doing this if I could live with myself sitting by and letting the world plunge into darkness!" Dek yelled, rising as well, "But I can't, Lunari…I can't. I may return, and I may not, but you have to go on. You have to survive. It was a mistake for you to…" he stopped again, looking at the ground.
"It was a mistake for me to what?" Lunari asked, her voice rising, "For me to give my affection to you? Is that what you're saying!?"
"You knew I would have to leave," Dek said slowly, "But you still chose me. That was a mistake, and its only caused you pain. I'm sorry…for causing you pain."
"Dek," Lunari said, as tears fell from her eyes, "You're right…I've known that you would eventually leave, but that does not stop me from…loving you. I knew this day would come, but I was never prepared for it. I'd always hoped that something would change, that you'd be content to stay with the elves and give up your morals."
"Lunari, I can't promise you that I will come back, but I can promise you that I will fight to the best of my abilities and try with all my strength to return, and I will always remember you." Then, suddenly, as if pulled together by an unseen force, the lips of the two elves met under the moonlight, before the magnificent falls. How long the kiss lasted neither could tell, but finally Dek pulled apart and walked toward the village, his silhouette outlined by the light of Halthierien.
"Goodbye, Dek," Lunari said, softly, watching him disappear into the midst of the city.
Author's Notes:
I've decided to start putting the author's notes at the end of the chapters, since it seems like a better location.
First off, it's time for my announcement regarding the change of name for this story. The new name I've chosen is…(drum roll)…Chronicles of Zelda I: Darkness Rising! Thanks to Sareth for his idea of a name, I liked it and I twisted it around a bit to form a different name. My stories will be called the Chronicles of Zelda series, and this is the first book in the series, hence the Roman numeral I. So, everybody note the name change, and I'll probably change it by the next chapter.
And now, I'd like to celebrate! I've reached 100 reviews! I've been looking forward to this day since I started this story, and it's awesome that it's finally here. Honors go to Regulus Deathstorm for posting the one-hundredth review! I'd like to address that review now:
Thanks for approving of the alarm system. It was an idea I came up when I realized that the Gorons wouldn't really have a way of knowing when sunrise came while they were underground. And don't worry; there's going to be some immense battles throughout the story!
On another point, after posting this chapter, this story will have reached 100,000 words. This is great! Now I can finally do a search for stories greater than 100,000 words and mine will come up. It's funny, but that's been one of my dreams involving this story. I used to pick the stories that I would read by going to the 100,000 word page, and it's cool that mine's going to be up there now.
The Dual 100 thing, as I've decided to call it, inspired me to write an incredibly long chapter. If you hadn't noticed, this chapter was about twice the length of my normal chapters. I guess it's kind of a gift to all my loyal readers and reviews, so I hope you enjoy. It's a chapter with everything; from action to 'horror' to romance, so it should please a lot of people. And don't forget to review!