AN: IMPORTANT! Here's some information that you might need to understand about what will happen in this chapter and future ones. If you're still confused, say so. If you DON'T want to find out but want to work this out for yourself, ONLY read the very last paragraph.
Ok, my theory is that when Zelda sent Link back in time at the end of OoT, she turned back time for all of Hyrule, therefore resulting in this story's Link and Zelda being the same ones from OoT (despite what I said in chapter 1). Now here is where things begin to get a little tricky. Technically I'm telling two stories at the same time: Dead Letters, and what I believe happened in order to link all the games together. This is why so far Link and Zelda have been taking on different personalities, because they've been transported into the past/future and have become their past/future self, with memories etc from that time too.
Now Link, as I said in the last chapter, left Hyrule and like in the Wind Waker legend, the Triforce spilt and Ganon returned. But Zelda remained in Hyrule and is the same person throughout this story, therefore changing in character to fit the time when Link and her are in the future. However, Link, because he left Hyrule and it's magical boundaries, retains his body and doesn't inherit any new memories (although really there is his future self out there somewhere). But now being within Hyrule's magical boundaries, he is now completely separate from the events happening, much like a new person born into the world. In some cases there will be two Links, because a new Link (in that time) has arisen to save the Princess, but these two Links are NOT the same person.
Oh, before I forget, there's also some maps you people should look at in order to explain this. If you go to the link on my profile you'll find that in the combined Legend of Zelda and Link's Adventure (the very first Zelda games on the NES) game map, Death Mountain, the graveyard and the Lost Woods are almost in an identical position to where they were in OoT, with the exception of Zora's Domain which I'll explain later. To try and keep things simple, I'm calling the OoT map, Central Hyrule, the Legend of Zelda Map, Eastern Hyrule, and the Link's Adventure Map, Northern Hyrule. Right, I think I tried to explain that in the most coherent way possible. On with the story!
Chapter 4 - Reunited Times
Link's POV
"Hey, young man, are you all right?" an old, but concerned voice shook me from the heavy slumber in which I found myself in. I opened my eyes and saw a long waterfall of white hair tumble untidily down into my face, and small grey blue eyes peering down at me from its peak. Sitting up, an old man withdrew and knelt down beside me steadily, his bones creaking ever so quietly as he bent his knees. He was veiled completely in a red cloak, something I would have thought would have been a little too predominant in this…seemingly wooded area. Only his head poked through the top of the billowing scarlet creases, but even then there was a hood to otherwise conceal his face.
"Do you remember what happened lad?" he said, staring curiously at my face. I shook my head, wondering how I'd been transported to the forest. I was meant to be in the castle!
"Umm…Do you know where Hyrule castle is?" I asked.
"Hyrule Castle? What in the goddesses' name do you want to go there for? No one's been to central Hyrule ever since Lord Ganon overthrew the monarchy. The castle's gone, the King and Princess have deserted us…even here in the east it's not safe. Up north is where you'll find the towns and villages. There ain't nothing worth over yonder my lad," He said gesturing his head westward. "Not since that accursed Hero abandoned us all." He added grumbling. "Who would have thought leaving the country would have allowed Ganon to be resurrected eh?"
"W-What did you just say?" I stammered, observing the old man's last sentences. Was he speaking of the 'Hero of Time'? My thoughts flew momentarily back to my dreams. Ganon had called me that…I had been this Hero but how was this really all my fault?
I couldn't understand it; I hadn't done anything except live through those awkward yet peaceful moments with Zelda and fought the Great King of Evil, all while I was sleeping!
"Ah, I hear folk have been saying that the very moment the Hero left us, Ganon broke out of his prison and with no Hero to stop him, he took over the entire castle! The princess and her father were lucky and they managed to escape, but no one knows where they are now." He said, his voice growing quieter as he continued.
Then it hit me, smacking my face like cold water.
The dream I had had earlier, that must have been when it happened. The breaking of my Triforce must have destroyed the barriers the sages created in the Sacred Realm, and Ganon must have escaped during that moment of weakness…which means that I need to find those Triforce pieces and seal him away again! Those horrible dreams that had been recurring over and over again finally made sense. The battle… when Zelda sent us back in time… All of that must have been in the past, and now…with the crest not appearing on my hand…this must be…the future!
"But if it's not safe here, then why are you all alone?" I said, bringing my mind back to the problem at hand.
"Ah," he said smiling, narrowing his wrinkled face into a relaxed grin. "I be an old travelling wise man from the north, seeing that I help such people as yourself find their way to safety."
'Surely he's far too old to be protecting people? I don't think he'd be able to protect himself, let alone others.' I thought, soon casting it away as he helped me up from the ground, handing me a sword.
"Here, take this. It will help you find your way." He said, pushing the gift into my hands. I thanked him gratefully and stared at the long blade with awe. It was a shining silver sword, looking as if it had never been used as it glimmered in the sunlight. Its red copper hilt was rich and vibrant, and as I grasped it in my hands I felt a small shock of electricity dash up my arm. I smiled; turning round to show Zelda…who up until now I thought had been with me. But I turned round to empty air.
"Y-You didn't happen to see a young woman around here did you? She's about the same age as me… Long blonde hair, about…this tall?" I said levelling my hand just above my shoulder to indicate Zelda's height, mentally slapping myself for not noticing or asking sooner.
"Ah, no, I'm afraid not lad. I only saw you here when I came by." He said, his face dropping to an anxious despair. I too felt my eyes lose their happy gleam they had possessed just seconds ago.
"Are you sure? Do you remember anyone at all like her that you've seen today?" I pleaded, my feet itching to run and find her. The old man rubbed his chin as he looked to the sky, deep in thought.
"Hmm…Now that you mention it, I think I saw someone running in the forest a while back, but they were a little taller than that and much older than you my boy. I'm sorry I can't be anymore use to you."
It wasn't much, but that could just have been his misinterpretation. "How far back?" I asked.
"If you keep going in that direction," he said pointing north-west. "I'm pretty sure I saw them around those parts. But I'll be warning you lad, strange things have been happening up with the Zolas. Ever since that star came from the sky, they've been acting mighty strange." He said ominously, and as he turned to be on his way, I called him back, wanting to hear more about these Zolas and what danger I might be letting myself in for.
"Sir, what are Zolas? Don't you mean the Zoras?" I questioned. The Zoras had always been a friendly race. Strange I'll admit, but amiable to be in company with.
"Zoras? Ah, that be their old name when they were civilised folk. Ever since Ganon took over the castle, they've begun attacking people, and even each other! Why, they even destroyed their own home! Now they run wild in the rivers and streams. All that's left is the old faerie spring by the cemetery. I'd be careful young lad."
"What about the star you were talking about?" I said.
"Ah, not too long ago a bright, golden star fell from the sky, landing right up by old Zora territory. I don't know what it was, I couldn't get a good enough look, but it was mighty strange it was."
"Thank you, thank you so much for everything. Take care." I said hurriedly, patting the old man on the back as I ran north-west toward the foot of the ever familiar Death Mountain, waving over my shoulder. I realised now for the first time that I was truly in Eastern Hyrule, a place I'd never ventured quite far enough to explore. I looked down at the sword I held tightly in my hand… I was going to need all the guidance I could get.
"And you lad," He called after me. "And you."
Zelda's POV:
The only sound I could hear was the panting of my own breath searching desperately for air and the stamping of leaves and twigs underfoot as I ran through the crowded woods, dodging the tall trees and shrubbery that littered the forest floor. My eyes darted in every direction, watching for dangerous tree roots that might threaten to pull me down to the ground…and for that monstrous creature that had been stalking me nearly all day now. Its dry, wet slobbery pant was enough to make my skin crawl with chills even though the sun was blazing in the sky above me.
The monster seemed to enjoy playing this idle game of pursuit, then crawling away into thin air again, only to leap out of the bushes every time I paused for breath. This time I had kept running, not wanting to fall victim to it's trap, and I certainly didn't want to be the Zola's dinner. If I could just get to Death Mountain, I could meet Impa and then we could safely cross over to Northern Hyrule and wait this reign of tyranny out in the Northern Palace Ganon hadn't yet penetrated…hopefully.
I would more than gladly have transformed into Sheik at this present moment, but Ganon had already seen through that disguise, and it would be indeed foolish to try and elude him again. So instead I had cut my hair shorter, with nothing more than the small sword I always kept with me while I travelled, so it fell a little way past my shoulders, and donned a simple peasant garb that was turning out to be quite comfortable.
Suddenly I found myself whirling forward, falling hard onto the earthen floor as pain seared through my head and my ankle. I guessed the hard, knobbed surface on which my head now rested upon was similar to that which had tangled itself with my foot, snaking its wooden coil around it. I cried out in agony as my hand shot to my forehead, holding it carefully as I propped myself up on my elbow. A thick red liquid oozed onto my fingers, trickling down the digits as well as my cheeks, slithering coldly against my shaking face. My ankle throbbed in pain too and I felt it swelling to double its size right there and then, as it lay trapped within the arching and curved roots.
But no sooner had I uttered the cry, the gushing and groping of the Zola's breath hissed through the silent air. I gasped, covering my mouth and dared not to breathe. I could hear it creep closer and closer as bushes rustled and seethed noisily, letting the creature push through the hedges of green leaves without so much as a fight. Within seconds I could smell the polluted and watery odour of it's amphibious scales and I cringed, crushing my eyes closed as I heard it gasp with delight having pushed back the branches veiling my lying and snared form. It's slimy wet fingers trailed their webbed fins over my face and I felt as if I would throw up that very moment as it slipped its bubbled tongue across my neck.
I struggled and writhed in disgust, feeling the overwhelming pain boil within my foot, and the sickening lump fester in my throat as the Zola continued its assault, scratching and carving at my arms as I cried out for help. Gathering all the hatred and loathing that I felt for the beast, I tried punching it square in the face with a tightly clenched fist, but it only seemed to encourage the creature further.
'If only I could get my dagger,' I thought angrily. It was lying underneath me, clipped securely to my belt. I cried out one last time, knowing that in truth my time was very near, but my ears sang when a strong shout answered my call.
"Zelda? Is that you?" a masculine voice called, still some way off, but my heart stopped when I heard his lost voice.
"LINK!" I cried again and again like mad woman each time getting louder, flailing my arms around even more than before. I couldn't believe it…He'd come back!
"Zelda!" his voice was much closer, and suddenly the Zola shot up into the air briefly before falling limply across my stomach, a sharp sword driven into its back.
I looked up toward my saviour, shielding my eyes from the shining sun. Could it really be him? As I squinted in the bright light I recognised the green tunic and the green hood seated proudly atop his golden hair, falling in front of his beautiful blue eyes and I knew at once that it was him…Link. Truth be told, I knew it was him the second I heard his voice, but after these long months of being alone, I had begun to wonder if I would ever see Link again. That fateful day a couple of months ago, since he had left in search of his friend Navi, he had never returned, not even with the news of Ganon returning and of him extending his empire all over Hyrule that was running like wildfire through my fallen country… But now that he was here, everything would be all right. I knew it would.
In my excitement I grabbed Link's hand and pulled him down to me, engulfing him in a fierce hug. It seemed like years since I'd held him in my arms and I felt tears pricking in my eyes from the sheer overwhelming sense of him being right here with me.
"I missed you," I whispered. "I missed you so much, but now you're finally here. I thought I'd never see you again!" The tears broke the walls of my eyes, and cascaded down my cheeks in a glorious stream of happiness. I kissed his face all over, leaving the hot trail of my lips in a random pattern across his startled face.
But something wasn't right.
Link's POV:
She looked like Zelda …she felt like Zelda…and her name was Zelda. But I knew with a dreadful truth that she wasn't MY Zelda.
All of a sudden this woman that was at least ten years older than myself pulled me violently down to the ground and my face was stuffed into her short, choppy hair. If I hadn't had seen her before, I would have sworn blindly that it really had been Zelda when I heard her voice speak so softly against my skin. The sweet tone of her words was almost enough to drive me to insanity as I knew without a doubt that this was actually the Zelda I knew and loved… but she had changed so much…
Her ivory skin had been coloured a raw but healthy peach, and her once sparking sea coloured eyes were a dull grey blue, sunken into her hardened face, tired and weary from what seemed days of travelling. It was a rare occasion when I saw Zelda without her ruby head ornament too, and it was probably the biggest shock, apart from her mauled hair, to see her forehead so…bare.
"What happened?" I said placing my fingers over the naked skin of her face, shuddering as I felt that all the delicacy had vanished.
"Ganon…H-He came back and…and…oh Link!" she cried, sounding on the verge of tears. She couldn't continue any further and she pulled me closer to her again, snaking her arms around my back. "I'm so glad you're back." She whispered finally. "I thought I lost you…I was so afraid. Please…don't ever leave me again! Promise you'll stay here with me." Her voice was nothing more than a mere breath, floating on the wind's breeze.
"I promise." I said as she pulled away to look at me.
"You haven't changed at all." Her voice still wavered as she brushed away my dishevelled hair out of my face. But as she moved, pain shot through her face as she cringed, bearing her teeth down to the ground as her supporting elbow crumbled beneath her. Spying her trapped foot I knelt from my place on the ground and heaved my new blade out of the Zola's hide and hacked carefully at the stubborn root curling defiantly around her ankle.
Zelda struggled through the earth, and muttered something as her foot slid from the suspended branches, falling hard onto the ground. I watched her try to stand up, but her leg had been rendered lame and useless and I caught her clumsily before she went crashing down once more. Her hands reached out for support, leeching onto my green sleeves as I tried to steady her and suddenly I became increasingly aware that our faces weren't all that far away from each other. I didn't quite know why she had changed so much, but with her age Zelda had nearly grown taller than myself, and as I helped her stand, her dull blue eyes regained their life and vitality.
There she stood, leaning ever so slightly against me as she rested her limp foot lightly against the earth and though there was no real reason for us to be standing so close now, I couldn't help but remain rooted to where I was, relishing the comfort of her presence. There was something so much more mature about her, and I could see it in her smiling eyes.
Our noses hovered together like indolent fireflies, brushing each other's face with the gentlest strokes and I felt a growing confidence from when I had last tasted the sweetness of her lips. I wasn't afraid anymore, and boldly I silenced her grinning mouth with my own, the exact same scent and intoxicating aroma filling and flooding my senses again.
"Are you all right to walk?" I murmured against her. Zelda opened her eyes and nodded briefly before sliding her hands down the length of my arms to my hands, locking her fingers tightly in mine. "We shouldn't stay here any longer," I said. "More monsters may be lurking about. We need to keep moving."