The Legend of Zelda: The Dream Walker
Chapter 14
"What haunts the past"
By MEGAMANX411

Link slowly stood up in front of Sybill's grave. He sadly bowed his head in reverance of the departed girl. No one should have to bury one so young. Link's mind was filled with vengeance, yet he wanted to keep his thoughts pure. He needed to concentrate on the task at hand, and he had matters to attend to. With that, he bid Sybill one last farewell, and pledged that he would make sure she lived on in his memory. Link left the graveyard, and met Septimus by the entrance to Inoa.

"Are you ready Link?" he asked.

Link nodded slowly, still a bit shaken from what happened.

"Yeah, I think so," he replied.

Septimus placed a hand on Link's shoulder.

"Listen, we'll find Sybill's killer, I'm sure of it," he added.

Link already knew who it was. He had no evidence to support his claim, but he knew.

"Well, I think we'd best attend the matters at hand," Link replied.

With that, Link and Septimus quietly and stealthily moved their way on to Myra's house, where Meia was staying. It turned out that Myra was standing outside the door to make sure no one would disturb her. Septimus took note of this from a distance, hiding in the bushes along with Link.

"This may be more difficult than I thought..." he observed. "Let's just--" Link began, before being cut off by Septimus.

"I'll go distract Myra. You sneak in, and go into Meia's dream."

"Yes, but--"

"If Myra happens to go back towards the house when you're still there, I'll signal you."

"And what is--"

"The signal will just be me ending the conversation with 'nice talking to you Myra!' or something like that, ok?" Septimus added, completely oblivious to the fact he cut Link off numerous times.

Link just stood there, with a blank expression on his face. Septimus eyed him strangely.

"What?" he replied, curious of Link's silence.

"I hate it when you do that," Link replied.

Link then shrugged, and stood up.

"Alright, let's get moving."

Septimus rushed out on cue, confronting Myra in order to give Link safe passage.

"Myra!" Septimus shouted, waving his arms. "How good to see you on this fine day!"

Myra merely snorted in response.

"Hello Septimus," she replied, her voice rather sarcastic (at best).

Septimus eagerly greeted Myra, and met her response with a smile.

"May I speak to you a minute?" he asked pleasantly.

Myra shrugged, and clearly didn't want anything to do with the young man. She was no doubt still sour at Link, and because Septimus was Link's friend, it was fair to assume she didn't like him either. Myra didn't exactly have a reputation as being the most hospitable lady towards younger males in the village to begin with.

"Whatever it is, make it quick," she replied gruffly.

Septimus took Myra by the hand.

"Would you come with me this way please?" he asked.

Myra gave him a hard stare, and wrenched herself out of his grip.

"Why? You can say whatever you want right here," she countered.

Septimus quickly shook his head.

"Yes, but this conversation needs to be private. Please," he pleaded, trying his best to sound convincing.

Myra sneered, and just decided to be done with it.

"Oh fine. But make it quick," she muttered.

Septimus turned his head and winked at Link.

"I guess that's his signal," Link muttered, quietly and stealthily making his way over to the door.

Link quickly rushed into Myra's house, and stood by Meia's bedside. Link stopped for a moment to note her appearance. He almost became dazed. She really was a rather beautiful woman. Her fairly long, elegant red hair flowed down gracefully, and her skin was very soft and blemish free.Link was almost lost in amazement, but he quickly broke himself out of his trance. This was no time to deal with such trivial matters!

"I gotta do this," Link whispered, reminding himself that he needed to investigate whether or not this girl was on his side.

He slowly placed his hand over hers, and closed his eyes as he focused inward and readied himself for the journey into her subconscious. Link arrived in a small field, and he was standing before a young Meia. Perhaps in around ten years old. She was dressed in robes, and looked rather content, with a large smile across her face.

"Do you want to play with me?" she asked, giggling promptly afterward.

Link raised an eyebrow. That's certainly not the greeting he expected.

"What?" he asked.

Meia smiled happily.

"Come on! Let's play tag! You're it!" she exclaimed.

Link sighed and rolled his eyes.

"I don't have time for this..." he muttered.

Meia giggled and ran off, and Link gave chase. He followed her around a field for quite some time, trying his best not to lose her. He came to a door, and Meia stood in front of it. She disappeared, and the door opened.

He went inside, and he saw the normal Meia sitting down, wrapped up in chains. Link's eyes widened at the sight of this. Of course, symbols are prevalent in dreams, so this must represent something for Meia.

"Meia!" he shouted, rushing over to her.

Link quickly beat the lock off of the chains with one strong swipe of his sword, and then removed the chains. Meia was freed, and a flashback was presented to Link. He saw a vision of a young Meia and what seemed to be her mother standing in a crowd of religious worshippers. They were chanting in unison, apparently in prayer of some god-like figure, but Link didn't know what was going on. He couldn't quite comprehend it.

Link left the room, and the young Meia was back again.

"You're it again!" the little girl exclaimed happily, grinning eagerly.

Meia ran off once again, and Link set out to find her. She was a bit harder to follow this time around, however, she seemed to pick up the pace, and her movements were much more random. He turned a corner and she was out of sight. He couldn't seem to locate her.

"Maybe this will help," Link observed, taking note of a nearby platform.

Link got on top of the tall platform to try to see farther, and he saw her over by another door.

"There she is!" Link shouted, pointing over to the young girl.

He then saw another platform leading over in that direction, and he started readying himself for a jump.

"Whew..ok, I can do this," Link muttered as he braced himself.

Link drew back his legs for running speed, and then leaped over, landing on the platform. He jumped down, and stood in front of the young Meia once again. She disappeared, and the door opened. He saw the normal Meia once again wrapped in chains, and Link rushed in to free her in the same fashion as before.

Another vision swallowed Link up, and he saw the young Meia and her mother in a library. Books were scattered everywhere as Meia's mother frantically researched about some religion. She had presumedly found some information that she wanted to pursue, but in the vision, Meia seemed rather confused as to her mother's intentions. Meia was badgering her mother about what she was looking at,but her mother seemed dead set on her research. Once again, the vision left Link entirely befuddled.

Link left the room, and sure enough, the young Meia once again appeared before him. Link gave chase to another door, and once again became entangled in one of Meia's flashbacks. And this one filled Link with terror. Meia's mother was being burnt at the stake. Roasted alive in the fire of judgement, as gawkers took witness, and only one person had the decency to cry out--Meia.

The very image sent a sharp jagged sense of pain the pits of Link's soul as he witnessed the poor woman being burnt alive, her flesh deteriorating in the engulfing flames, while her daugher, Meia, was frantically crying her eyes out in protest of this horrendous act. Link knew what had happened. Meia's mother had learned too much about this supposed "religion", and was deemed a heretic. And the idol of this religion? Melzas.

Link left again, and followed the young Meia to another door. He had become rather accustomed to this pattern, actually. He saw another vision, one that made him feel great sympathy. The young Meia, after witnessing her mother's death, was hiding in a room as two cloaked figures searched frantically for her. They ransacked the room with reckless abandon, not having one scrap of decency as they mocked the girl. Their search proved unsuccessful, and as they left, and Meia began to cry. How could you expect her not to cry? Her mother had been savagely murdered. She mentioned her sadness over the loss mother, and her resolve to not let anymore evil in the world.

And finally, Link came to the final flashback. The Meia he knew had just arrived to Inoa.

"I have traced the evil presence here..." she muttered.

Melzas appeared in her flashback, as he loomed over the village of Inoa.

"I will save these people from evil," she pledged, her voice firm. "I cannot let anymore lives be lost."

Link was in awe of Meia's past and her determination. No wonder why she was so dedicated. Her life was filled with tragedy at the hands of Melzas. Link quickly left the world of Meia's subconscious, keeping in mind that he didn't need to waste time. As he left her mind, Link held her hand firmly in his for a moment.

"Continue to be strong, Meia," he muttered, smiling at her.

With that, he rushed downstairs to see that Septimus was successful in distracting Myra. He waved to Septimus, and he quickly ended the conversation. Septimus eagerly greeted Link.

"So?" he asked, obviously anticipatin the results of Link's espionage to be positive. "What did you discover?"

Link placed a hand on Septimus' shoulder.

"She is definitely NOT our enemy," Link replied. "She can be of great help."

"That's most excellent news!"Septimus replied. "I was a bit worried about her at first, to be honest. But, considering what we did today, I suggest you get some rest Link. You've had a long day, and you seem tired."

Link hadn't really noticed how much time he spent in Meia's dream.

"Yeah, I think I will," he replied, yawning a bit afterward. "Thanks Septimus."

Link went back to Jess house, said some pleasantries to the kind old man, and proceeded upstairs for some much deserved sleep. Thoughts of Meia ran throughout his mind.