"The Destiny Stone"
Disclaimer: (I'm gonna leave this one up for a bit) I don't own Zelda or any characters, places, or events thereof, so there! Of the original characters, I came up with Timbre, Kat, Aka, Benz, Vulcan and some various bit characters here and there. Sond owns most of the rest. Thanks Sond! Rej is © FogFrontier, now go read The Kindred, King of Pawns, and Grifter and Snatch!
*****
Author's Note: Still snowed in. Wowzer. I mean, it just started snowing again, and we already have over a foot or twohaven't had this much snow in about five or six years. Heh, I likes it, though it screwed royally with my college schedule. Let's just say that some teachers still insist on holding classes even if the school's been shut down. Eh-heh.
*****
"The Destiny Stone" — Chapter 16: Spelunkers. Ghosts, and Sales Pitches
The two witches circled lower and lower through the blizzard, homing in like wayward arrows on the single dark trail that marred the otherwise flawless snowdrifts. The creature slogging through the snow was clearly a Goriya; it's reddish fur as obvious against the snow as a bloodstain on white silk.
It was crawling on all fours; its back curled painfully like a longbow as it fitfully struggled against the elements. As it sensed another presence, it looked up, shivering, as Koume and Kotake suddenly swooped in upon it like twin hawks. Its ears went back and it bared its chattering yellowed teeth, looking to be in bad shape.
Kotake sat at ease despite the swirling maelstrom, however her sister Kotake was looking decidedly uncomfortable as uncountable snowflakes hit her in the face. No matter how she turned her head, the pesky wind seemed to always be there to fill her eyes and nostrils with the accursed stuff.
"Blech! I hate snow!"
Kotake just rolled her eyes and focused on the Goriya. "Whatsss thisss?"
The sole survivor of the three Goriya sent to notify Ganondorf stood up straight, though the wind beat at its head. "Base," it rasped, pointing eastward. "Tell"
Neither witch spoke fluent Goriya, but the creature's brief Hylian phrases, coupled with its hand gestures, were enough. "That way?" Koume demanded, pointing in the same direction.
"Yah, canyonMusic Houseothers " it clarified, swaying in place. "We were" It winced, but not from the cold.
"What is it babbling about?" Koume asked her sister impatiently.
"It's ssssaying the other Goriya are at Ikana, where the basssse probably issss. The Musssic Box Houssse. What happened to you?" Kotake asked the Goriya.
"Boss Blind sahbut" The Goriya paused, trying to find the right word. After a moment, its eyes lit up. "'Tacked."
"Tacked?" The Fire Witch groaned. "What?"
"I think it meansss, attacked,'" Kotake clarified for her impatient sister. "If sssomethingsss attacking Goriya" The Ice Witch prompted their contact.
The Goriya coughed, it's eyes vacant with weariness. The storm was beginning to wear the small monster down. "'Tackednot Wolfos"
Koume tried to comprehend this. "A Wolfos attacked you?"
The Goriya slowly nodded, then shook its head, much to the Fire Witch's annoyance.
"Well, which is it?" she demanded.
The Goriya tried its hardest to explain, stumbling over both fatigue and language. "Man sittingfield. T'ree Goriya uswe go tack man. But mango wayWolfos come, tack us back. Othersdead."
Kotake snorted. "Isss thisss the truth?"
"Yah," agreed the Goriya, groaning with the effort to speak. "One it snap neck, he die. Other" it shook its head and sunk to its knees in the snow, trying hard to clear the memory. "Bad. Dead too."
Kotake seemed distant. "Which way did it go?" The blizzard had since covered tracks completely, making a direction imperative.
A clawed hand stretched out, shaking, and gestured eastward. "Tha' way." Next moment, the hapless creature collapsed face first into the snow.
Instantly both witches kicked off from the snowy ground, rising steadily and totally ignoring the fallen Goriya. Koume and Kotake looked at each other in confusion.
"That's odd," Koume murmured as they gained altitude. "Wolfos haven't been in Termina at allthey all migrated south years ago when the pickings became slimwhy would a loner of its kind just randomly appear again?"
Kotake shrugged. "A rogue, probably. And from what I've heard, a dangerousss one. Mossst Goriya, if in a team of three, would easssily take down a sssingle Wolfosss."
"Huh, I think that Goriya's brains were frozenthe little it had, anyhow. Well, let's at least get to the canyon," Koume said, dismissing the subject. "We'll need to investigate. And if those insolents are there, I'm gonna set em on fire."
As Koume zoomed off, Kotake streaked after her. "Hey, why do you get to do thisss?"
"Because, sister, you got to make the blizzard!"
Both headed off into the blizzard, snowflakes ripping their robes as they flew.
The Twinrova sisters were in possession of very speedy magical brooms. Even though they had had to cross the ocean separating between Hyrule and Termina, they'd managed the feat in less than two days. Therefore, it was a very brief time before they quickly arrived at the entrance to Ikana Canyon.
Although the snow had been falling for a while, the tracks made most recently were still somewhat visible as little smooth pits. The witches skimmed low to the ground, following the half-hidden tracks.
"Thossse tracksss," Kotake observed, "Aren't human tracks. The pattern is all wrong."
As they apparently neared their destination, the tracks became less and less indistinct. Slowly it was revealed that the tracks they had been following were indeed, paw prints.
"Hmm, looks like a Wolfos in theory," Koume said. "But the size is all wrong, proportionally. The claws aren't nearly large enough."
The tracks led them on a haphazard winding trail, through snow-covered ravines and across frost-scoured bare areas. Around them the blizzard continued to howl, though the tracks were becoming clearer at every step.
The whiteout was so thick that the witches did not even notice the Music Box House until it was nearly in front of their noses.
"Here?" Kotake turned to her sister.
"This would be the Music Box House," the Fire Witch commented, peering into one of the windows. "Though it looks completely deserted. She turned and surveyed the slightly out-of-focus scene in the general area. Several motionless dark shapes stood contrasting the snows like tombstones. "And from the looks of it, they flew the coop."
Kotake hissed through her teeth. "Yesss, sssee the footprints? Bootsssthossse mussst be the inssssolentsand thesssseGoriya tracksssit looksss asss if the sssurvivorsss fled
"Pity. I wanted to set something on fire. What about the paw prints?" Koume searched around.
"Hmmthey sssseem to ssstop here" Kotake said, confused. "Almossst asss if it"
She blinked as the dark blue shape she hovered over suddenly gave a large groan. Sweeping her eyes over the fallen Goriya, she smirked. "Bosss Blind?"
The blue Goriya was in appalling shape, a dark sticky mass coagulating from the base of his broken skull. The snow sucked up the creature's lifeblood hungrily, staining it a deep crimson. The Goriya's once shiny fur was now riddled with frost patterns. One of the agonized eyes opened slowly, and Boss Blind bared his teeth at the Ice Witch. "Haaar!"
Koume arrived on the scene, and stared down at the body. "So, how the mighty one has fallen. I take it you failed, Blind."
Boss Blind could barely move his frozen lips. "Theymy Goriya"
"From the Wolfosss?" Kotake asked.
"Not" mumbled the Goriya slowly. "Town criminalhim and the otherhe was the onewho scared them away. By howling." The eyes rolled madly. "Heard them talkingthey thought I was dead."
"You look pretty dead to me," Koume mumbled.
"What did they ssssay?" Kotake interrupted, elbowing her sister sharply in the ribs.
Boss Blind licked his lips, tasting blood. "They're goingunderground. Saidsomething about caves."
"An old area like Ikana is practically riddled with ancient caves," Koume said. "It'll be like chasing rabbits through a warrenThey won't come easy We're going to need help."
"I sssuppossse we ssshould round up the Goriya who fled," Kotake replied. "They cannot have gone far, with the sssstorm"
Boss Blind chuckled dryly. "Cowards, every last one of themleft me brokenmy boomerang gone"
"What? The metal one?" Koume looked confused. "We enchanted that thing to never miss a target!"
"He deflected itthat boy from Clock Townand then he and the refugee from Town earliervanquished the troopthey took my boomerang"
Kotake and Koume exchanged furtive looks.
"Sister," Koume began, "That was the boomerang with the that piece of the Master Sword, wasn't it?"
Kotake nodded slowly. "If it were completely ssseperatethere would be no way to unssseal the Sssacred Realmor access anything within it"
"They know, thenotherwise they wouldn't have realized its importancethis is bad, sisterthe Triforceof Courage is waking up."
"I concur, sssisster"
"Courage? Triforce?" Boss Blind coughed fitfully. "We have to tell Ganondorf-"
"Hush!" hissed Koume. "We shall not speak of this."
"Do you mean to betray Master Ganondorf?"
Kotake looked at her sister and slowly nodded. Realization dawned upon the Fire Witch's face, blooming like an ugly rotten bulb. "Perhaps we do, Blind."
Boss Blind spat. "I'll be sure to tell him of your treachery when he returns!"
"Ah, but Ganondorf is no longer in Termina," Koume said smugly. "You shall never have the chance to speak with him. Ikana is the land of the dead, Blind. And the dead do not speak." With these words, the Fire Witch summoned her powers.
Both witches turned their backs to the roaring flames, and the death screams of the Goriya as he was burnt alive, despite the freezing snowflakes swirling about the canyon. Kotake wrinkled her huge nose in distaste as the smell of burnt flesh reached her nostrils, but she ignored it.
"I do believe we have some rounding up to do, sssisster."
"I concur."
*****
Cyrus was in a complaining mood, and he twitched every so often. "Geez, the outside world is so openI feel like I'm going to be squashed flat by the skytell me again why we're doing this?"
Sond shouldered the pack that carried all her equipment and some travel rations and scowled. "Because we've got a job to do. Are you gonna complain the whole way?"
"Probably. Where are we headed?"
Sond kept her sedate pace down Hyrule Field, noting everything from the stiff wind to the dead grass with distaste. "They said the Temple of Time, cause that's where the Master Sword is."
"How far is that? We've been going for a few hours now"
Sond squinted up at the new afternoon sun. "A good day's travel or soyou could probably make it faster if you ran, though."
"Ugh!" Cyrus clapped a hand to his brow. "That's too far! And how do you know they're still in Castle Town, anyway?"
"I don't," Sond said matter-of-factly. "I'm just assuming that's where they are, that's all"
"They aren't there."
"Now, don't be so pessimistic-heydid you just say anything?"
The fairy blinked. "Er, no"
Both girl and fairy turned around, looking towards the sound of the third, unfamiliar voice. Sitting cross-legged on a nearby lichen-covered rock was a female figure whose face was completely concealed by the hood of her cloak. Sond blinked, then stared.
"Erhello?"
The figure just waved absently, though it was hard to tell what she was looking at.
"Were you talking to us?" Sond prompted, feeling slightly awkward.
The benefactor spoke up again. "They aren't there anymore."
"What, you know about Link and Timbre?"
"It was too dangerous, they had to leave. Just thought you'd like to know."
"But whe-"
"They left for Kakariko. But they've already left there as well."
Sond blinked.
"they left Hyrule not too long after that. They're looking for the missing piece."
"The what?"
The figure paused a moment, then said mysteriously. "The Key to the Sacred Realm has been shattered. One part of that Key was separated from the rest, and brought far over the ocean. That is their goal."
"The Keyoh, you mean the Master Sword!"
The figure nodded once.
Sond looked at Cyrus. "Well, that changes things."
Cyrus looked hopeful. "Does this mean that we can go back home now?"
Sond's brow wrinkled in a frown. "Uh, no. But stillI guess we'll either have to follow them, or wait for their return"
"They will return to Kakariko Village eventually," the mysterious figure said quietly. "Though they might not like what they find when they returnbesieged by Ganondorf's heir."
"Huh? So we should go to Kakariko?" Sond couldn't help but feel like she was being subtly maneuvered. "Who are you, exactly?"
"Wish I knew," she said. Then she changed the subject like a whipcrack. "Hyrule Field is very dangerous. I would not linger here any longer than necessary."
Sond nodded. She didn't feel like fighting off monsters left and right. She bowed her head, staring intently at the ground as she tried to think. What was the fastest way to get to Kakariko Village — there had been warps once upon a time, but they had only existed in an alternate timeline. Ever since the end of their first adventure, the songs that called those warps into existence had ceased to function. A similar event had occurred with the Song of Soaring in Termina. The moment their adventures ended, all modes of travel related to that adventure suddenly disappeared. It was frustrating, but Sond figured it was unfair to expect such advantages.
Then again, there were less spectacular ways of traveling, and certain songs that still worked-
Sond stuck her hand into her pack and pulled out her flute. It was a delicate carved thing, very similar to the ones she'd seen Skull Kids playing in the Lost Woods. Brushing it off, she put it to her mouth and blew a few experimental notes. It had been a bit since she'd used it, after all.
Cyrus fluttered and landed on top of her head, watching intently. He had no insight into his ward's train of thought, after all.
Closing her eyes, Sond brought the flute up to her lips.
"Heh, good thing Timbre isn't here"
Three notes in a slight decrescendo flew from the flute, the notes dancing like butterflies over the vastness of the field. Then the same three notes played again. It almost sounded like the flute sang the name of the equine it was to call:
E-po-na,
E-po-na
"Pretty, but what's it supposed to do?" Cyrus said. "That won't get us anywhere."
"You'll see" Sond murmured. She turned to thank her mysterious benefactor, but found the lichen rock bare, and not even a footprint to show where the cloaked person had gone.
Malon was just stepping out to bring Epona in from Lon-Lon Ranch's fenced in field when she was witness to a rather spectacular sight. The roan-colored mare, which had been sedately grazing, suddenly jumped as if she had been bitten or startled. The horse's head snapped up, dark ears turned forward like furry compass needles.
That's odd, Malon thought. Normally she's not fazed by anything.
The mare snorted, and her head turned slowly eastward, ears swiveling as if listening for something. Then, as if hypnotized, the mare started walking in that direction.
"Epona?"
The mare seemed to gain some hidden confidence, as her walk steadily increased in speed, turning into a trot, and then gradually into a full gallop, still headed directly east.
"What are you doing, there's a fence in that direction!" Malon's jaw dropped.
The powerful animal charged the fence madly, and at the last possible moment, jumped fluidly over it, landing on the other side with a satisfied thud of hooves. Malon stared as Epona snorted, shook her head at the sun, and continued in the eastward direction.
Malon wasn't worried about the Wolfos attacking Epona, as the large creature was not only faster than them but also more powerful. What she did worry about was her father's puzzled reaction when he would discover his best horse had suddenly and for no particular reason - escaped.
Cyrus whined and squinted against the sun. "Why are you just waiting there? You heard - whoever that was — they said we had to get where we're going as quickly as possible!"
"And we shall," Sond said patiently. "Just wait."
Cyrus groaned, aggravated. "I don't know why I even hang around you-"
"Because the Deku Tree assigned you as my guardian. And I'm very thankful to have you around, Cyrus."
The blue fairy's glow blanched, and his demeanor showed that he was slightly taken aback. "ErI suppose you know what you're doing-hey"
"Eh?"
"You hear something? Kind of thumping noise-"
"Oh. Hoofbeats. That's our ride."
"What?"
"I told you that song did something," Sond reprimanded. "It's Epona's song, and Epona-"
The mare crested the hill in a strong gallop, but immediately scooted to a halt at the sight of her summoner.
"-is our ride."
The mare stared forwards with ears perked, obviously confused as to why she'd suddenly been summoned. Sond realized with a jolt that Epona must have, like the rest of Hyrule, been affected by the spell. In fact, it made sense, as the spell would probably affect all living things, human or not. After all, the Deku Sprout and fairies had all been affected, even though they weren't human in the technical sense. Sond approached the horse carefully, and reached into her pack. Selecting an apple, she offered it forward as a peace treaty.
Epona stepped forwards, stretching her head forwards and tentatively sniffing at the apple. Then, deciding this stranger wasn't a threat, she approached and accepted the apple, allowing Sond to pet her head.
"Hi Epona," Sond said, smiling.
The horse flickered an ear, recognizing her name and returning the greeting in the same gesture.
The blue fairy hovered about like a fretting mother bird. "You're gonna ride that thing-"
"-to Kakariko, yes." Sond said, walking up alongside the mare's flank. "Boy, she's become a lot tallerluckily I have too"
Epona looked sidelong at Sond out of one eye, almost bemusingly. She seemed to understand what was wrong and bent her forelegs down into a bow, allowing Sond to easily climb up onto her bare back. Cyrus looked on, amazed as the horse stood up again.
"It's"
"Horses are." Sond said matter-of-factly. "Most animals are, if you know how to talk to them."
Epona snorted, apparently in agreement.
"Could you possibly take me to Kakariko, please?" Sond asked sweetly. "I've got more apples-"
No sooner had the words left her mouth than the horse obediently turned an about face, heading in the northerly direction that would take them to the small village. Cyrus stared, then realized he was being left behind as the horse quickly picked up speed.
"Hey, wait for me!" he squeaked, following his ward as fast as his wings could carry him.
*****
Link sighed, and walked back into the larger cavern that they were using as a temporary base of operations. Considering the cave to be rather dank, large, and full of echoes, the small fire that Pamela had built was actually making the place halfway cozy. The Bombers and their affiliates sat in various positions of waiting, and all looked up expectantly as Link entered.
"Still snowing," the Hylian said, and was answered by half a dozen groans and bowed heads. "Timbre's sitting out at the entrance, he said he'd give the heads up if anything interesting happens."
Out of everyone, Daray seemed to be the most content. The fact that he'd been reunited with both his uncle and his goggles had put him in a happy mood. He was currently seated in a corner, with a brown blanket wrapped about his head like a cloak, bespectacled head peering out at all of them.
"I can seethe firewow that's brightan' I can see the fairies. Hi fairies!" Here he waved at Tatl, Tael and Keeto. "An' I can seethe Keaton!" The boy grinned at the fox sitting straight across from him. According to Daray, the Keaton was especially visible, from what he called the magic of good luck.'
Link and the others couldn't help but smile. Even Kafei was grinning, though he still skirted the fire's light like it was diseased. The shadow Hylian's throat had recovered quickly with the administration of a red potion Pamela had stored in her emergency kit. The spelunking party never went anywhere unprepared, after all.
Pamela's father was touching up on a few notes with the small light provided by the fire. "Well, some good news, anywaywe've got a good amount of this cave system mapped. From what I've seen, these tunnels run all through Ikanaand from my calculations, they might actually run further than that!" The scribe pulled out his map. "Some of these tunnels aren't as stable though," he explained. "Not that we're in any danger or anythingtoo bad we can't contact some Gorons to help us outgood at judging the grade of rock, they are"
Link nodded, and turned his head back towards the tunnel that led to the surface. Now that they had the missing shard, he was frustrated to find the blizzard bottling him up. Nick had promised to return, but how would he be able to reach the ship in time with the snow? In factLink wasn't too sure that Nick would even be able to make it to Great Bay, especially if the snowstorm reached as far and wide as it seemed to.
Kafei stood and walked over, leaning against a particularly stable stalagmite, picking at some phosphorent growths on the calcium rock. While he wiled, he glanced sidelong at his friend.
"Rupee for your thoughts."
Link nearly groaned at the cliché. "Just frustrated, that's allhow're we going to get back to Hyrule with this infernal storm in the way? It's like someone thinks this is funny, or something."
"It'll work out," Kafei said encouragingly.
"What about you?" Link asked.
"Huh?"
"You're worried about something too."
Kafei left off picking at the stalagmite and ran a hand through his hair. "It's just this stormif it's this strong, it must be over Clock Town as welland I'm just worried about my parents, and my brother. I mean, what if they're trapped? They'll be okay for a day or sobut I don't want to think they're completely out of reach."
Link hated having to admit to an earlier obligation. "Seems we both have problems."
Kafei looked at Link. "Yeah."
Link just grunted, flipping the boomerang in one hand over and over. "I dunno how we're gonna find Nick in this weatherbesides, wouldn't it be too dangerous to sail?"
Kafei was about to reply when Timbre's head poked down from the entrance tunnel, face flushed from the cold.
"Erthere's someone outside."
"Huh?" Kafei turned towards his friend. "Who'd be out in this weather? Is it a person?"
"I think soit a bit dark out and there's too much snow whirling around to tell, but it's definitely too tall to be a Goriya."
"That doesn't necessarily mean it's a friend," Kafei said darkly. "So we'll have to assume for the moment it is an enemy. Are they coming towards the entrance? I'd hoped we'd hidden it enough"
"Well, the way they're moving," Timbre said, blinking, "is a straight line. They're bound to run straight into us unless something stops them."
Link stood up, suddenly glad for some action. "Guess we'll have to stop them, then," he said, thrusting the boomerang into his belt, shouldering his sword and heading towards the cave entrance. "The rest of you can sit tight, we shouldn't be too long."
"We?" Timbre looked puzzled.
Link grabbed Timbre by the shoulders. "Yeah, you're gonna help me out," Link said, spinning his friend around and marching him back up the tunnel.
Timbre opened his mouth to protest, thought better of it, and allowed himself to be steered back into the blizzard-swept cave entrance. "Er, alright then."
Outside, the winds flew wildly against the vaguely circular cave entrance, whistling across it as if the land were a massive ocarina and the winds the breath of a wandering minstrel. The cave entrance itself hung halfway up a rather impressive slope, as if it were the maw of some huge stone golem. The two friends peered out from between snow-covered, toothlike rocks, and Timbre pointed quietly down the basin's path.
"See that brownish-blackish lump a ways back, down in the valley?"
Link peered, and could see the vague shape slowly climbing up towards the cave's path. It was slightly hard to see as the day wore on, for the half-twilight they were nearly among halved even their reduced visibility. However, it was quite clear that if the traveler continued on normal course, whoever it was would eventually run into the cave, no matter how concealed.
"Okay then," said the Hylian busily, "We're going to have to either scare them away or capture them. Hopefully the former will do."
Timbre just nodded. "Okay"
"And that's gonna be your job, Timbe."
The youth flinched. "Why me? You're the one with the impressive sword skills."
"Yeah, but you're the one with the claws and teeth. Besides, if they're scared away, it should be by an animal, not by a person-erno offense" Link quickly apologized. "Didn't mean it that way."
Timbre snorted.
"What I mean is," the Hylian continued. "If a human pops out of here, they might be more suspicious than if a big scary wolf were to pop out. We don't wanna let on that there are people-er, humans up here."
Timbre nodded. There was logic in Link's explanation. "Fair enough."
"Yeah, so when whatever that is gets close enough, you should walk out of here andI dunno, bark at him or something. Look intimidating. Pretend you're defending cubs or something."
Timbre chuckled at that, though Link wasn't quite sure why. "Alright."
The figure seemed to turn its head up slightly as Timbre emerged from higher up the path in wolf form, though the traveler's face remained hidden, as it was wrapped up completely in some sort of cloak in feeble protection from the blizzard. For a brief jolting moment, Timbre thought it was the mysterious cloaked benefactor, before he realized this figure was too large.
Putting ideas out of his mind, Timbre set himself to the task at hand, and threw his ears aggressively forward, letting a growl rumble down through the darkening air towards the trespasser. The sound carried well, as the wind was at the wolf's back.
Predictably, the trespasser halted. Timbre noted casually the figure was carrying a walking stick. The wolf took another step forward, accentuating the movement with another bare-toothed growl.
Go away
The figure did back up a few steps, then it dug the stick resolutely into the snowy ground and yelled something back. The wind carried away most of the word's meaning. Being upwind was suddenly becoming a great bother for Timbre. While it might carry any sound he made easily to the traveler, it hindered any responses. And worse yet, he wasn't able to scent the stranger.
The stranger, in fact, was moving again. Timbre barked loudly, but the figure continued to approach. Timbre was hoping that he wouldn't have to tackle down the stranger, but the way things were looking-
Just then, something tackled the trespasser from behind like a green-colored thunderbolt. Link, who'd been quietly creeping round while Timbre acted as a distraction. The figure jerked and shouted a note of alarm, but Link had already wrestled the stick from the figure's grasp. Timbre slid down the incline as Link pulled the stick directly across the trespasser's throat, effectively holding him at bay.
The figure continued to kick and swear, and as Timbre drew near, he could suddenly understand the words that had been carried away before:
"Gerroff, ya crazies! Ah'm a frien'! Tell im t' gerroff me, lobo!" The rest of the shouts were in fluent Volcanian, and rather ripe language at that. Timbre winced, changed form, and yelled.
"Link, let go, it's alright!"
The Hylian looked puzzled.
"Yes! Let go!"
"Y'heard th' fuzzballlemme go!"
This time Link heard his captive speak, and immediately released his hold. The figure crumpled to the ground in an angry heap, and Link flinched as Nick turned a rather irate green eye on him.
"This' th' thank I git f' traipsin' hal' th' lan'?"
"Sorry," Link apologized, helping the Volcanian up. "It's justit's been a rough few days."
Nick stood up and shuddered, and Link suddenly realized how blue Nick looked. "T-tell me bout it" he stuttered, as adrenaline flow was replaced by shivers.
"How did you get yourself here, anyway?"
"S-s'a lon' story" Nick shivered again, and drew his snow-saturated cloak closer.
Timbre looked over at Link with concern.
"There's time for stories later. We'd better get him inside before he freezes to death."
*****
Benz, Aka, and Kat all leaned back-first against the tree that marked Kakariko Village proper, in plain sight of the river that now served as their barrier against the outside world. Darkness was quickly falling, and visibility was at a low. The wicked ember-glow of the Poes' eyes and lanterns hovered along the other bank like angry hornets, always watching. The one called Rej was among them. He stared, watching the three as they stockpiled what appeared to be small walnut-like seeds.
"Deku nuts," Benz squeaked. "It's a *squeak* fortunate thing that Sheikah like to use these as smoke bombs," he said, counting quietly to himself as he sorted the Deku Nuts into piles of five. Kat, who was also counting them out, nodded. "Yeah." Although she didn't possess dark-seeing eyes like the Deku and Skull Kid, she was managing with the glow of Dink, who was currently dozing on her shoulder.
"These *squeak* things are great for projectile *squeak* weaponry. Ya hear that?" The Deku called out cheekily to the Poes.
Rej didn't respond, though he crossed his phantasmal arms, his lantern hooked at an elbow.
Aka just smirked. "It's not nice to pester them," he said, luminescent eyes closed as he leaned back first against the rough bark of the tree. "Besides, m tryin' to think."
"You? Think?" Benz scoffed. "That's *squeak* a new one!" The Deku yawned and shoved aside another pile. After a beat, he spoke up again. "Aka, exactly what are *squeak* you thinkin' about?"
Aka paused for dramatic effect. "Sales pitches."
"Huh?"
"Sales pitches, Squeaks. Ya know'cause we're gonna be merchants." The Skull Kid had become rather enamored with the idea, ever since Kat had informed him about the last discussion.
"Oh," Benz said, shoving another group of five aside and leaning back. "I *squeak* suppose that's a good idea. Need *squeak* something to attract customers"
"You thought of anything yet?" Kat asked curiously.
"Just one," Aka murmured, opening one eye with a wicked smile. "But it's a good one. You wanna hear it?"
The Deku looked at Kat, then back at his friend. "Alright then."
Smiling broadly, Aka jumped to his feet. Clearing his throat importantly, with gloved arms akimbo, he puffed out his chest importantly. Then he just stood there.
"well?" Benz looked impatient as he tapped his feet together. "If that's your *squeak* sales pitch, it's not very *squeak* good-"
The Skull Kid frowned. "Gimmie a second, okay? I have to build this up. Ok, here it is." Aka cleared his throat again, and took another deep breath. He then narrowed his eyes and declared in a deep gruff voice: "Buy somethin' will ya!"
Kat blinked.
Benz froze, then silently smacked himself on the forehead.
"Well," Aka said, grinning. "You like it?"
"Er," Kat said finally. "It's certainly a verybold approach."
Benz continued to hit himself repeatedly on the forehead.
Aka grinned. "Well, Benz only does that when I say something very great, so I'm guessing he likes it too."
Kat laughed quietly as she started sorting again. Aka, tired of thinking of sales pitches, joined them. "Something on your mind?"
Kat looked up at the Skull Kid. "What do you mean?"
Aka shuffled, then sat down next to her. "I dunnoyou just have this kind of distant look in your eyes, like you was thinkin' bout something. You're not thinkin' of sales pitches too, are ya?"
Kat shook her head. "I dunno, just been thinking aboutthings lately. You ever have that weird feeling that you're missing or forgetting something, but you don't know what it is?"
"Sometimes I forget my hat an' then Squeaks says I look like a bowling ball, whatever that isis that what you mean?"
"Noit's more likeI'm dreaming but I'm still awake, just a bit zoned out."
"Daydreamin'?"
Kat chewed her lip. "Kind of like thatonly it seems too realIt's like a flash or a memory or something. Like when Chiron was yelling at those Wolfos when the barrier went upOr at least that's what Benz saidI dunnosomething about that is familiar, like it's happened once before. Wolfos" The brown-haired woman shuddered involuntarily. "I don't know why I'm scared of them so much"
"Well, you have a right to," Aka said comfortingly. "They're not very nice."
"Yeah I've seen them from a distance," Kat said. "But I've never been in danger from them before or at least I think I haven't I'm so confused sometimes, I think I've been mixing up dreams with what's real." Kat's face twisted to the side in deep thought, looking down at the sleeping fairy on her shoulder. "You ever feel like that?"
Benz had finally stopped hitting himself, and looked quizzically at the both of them. "What're you two goin' on about?" he squeaked.
"Nothing much," Kat replied, looking pensive. "Do Dekus dream when they sleep?"
"'Course we do," Benz declared proudly. "Every night."
"Skull Kids dream too," Aka claimed. "But I think I know what you mean, Kat. Then again, I get confused very easily."
"Do you ever," Benz agreed, shoving another set of five Deku Nuts aside.
All three of them laughed, until a sound reached Aka's ears.
"Hey, y'hear that? Sounds weird"
Dink yawned, and sat upright, stretching her wings. She mumbled aloud. "Hoofbeats? But who'd be riding around at this time of the eveningand why around here?"
"From th' *squeak* sound of itthey're in a hurry, whoever they are"
"An' they're coming from th' other side of th' river, too." Aka butted in.
The Poes didn't turn around at the sound, diligent as they were with following Chiron's orders. The young assassin had asked them to watch the border. What was it to them if something else happened? Kat smirked.
"Those Poes aren't going to cross Chironand speaking of" Kat waved cheerily as Chiron's form appeared from the twilight, Pedro's small orange light bobbing behind him like a faithful pet.
Chiron's lip curled as he looked across the river at the girl, though he didn't bother answering. Instead, he looked up at the Poe Rej. "Hey!"
The Poe's cloaked head turned towards Chiron. "Yes?"
"Those hoofbeats." Chiron stated.
Rej shrugged. "What about them?"
Chiron sighed. "Who is it?"
The Poe shrugged. "How am I to know? Your orders were to guard anything from exiting this border, not chase random strangers around."
Chiron gritted his teeth, and the fairy beside him perched jauntily on his shoulder, one hand propped against the spiky hair.
"I'll go look for ya, boss"
"Don't bother." Chiron flicked the fairy off his shoulder and turned his face towards the ever-increasing thunder of hoofbeats. "They're here."
Kat and her companions were craning their necks as the unmistakable dark form of an equine and rider materialized from the dark of the Field. "It's headed straight for us," Kat murmured.
Chiron stood, arms akimbo as the horse and rider made a beeline for the ruined bridge. "Hey there!" He yelled. "Stop, in the name of Lord Ganondorf!"
If the rider made any reply, it was to goad the horse into an even faster gallop.
Dink smirked from her perch. "If he ain't careful, he's going to get run over."
Pedro was flickering, and pulling on a strand of his ward's hair. Apparently he was having the same idea. "Er, erwe should probably get away"
Chiron swatted at the fairy, which backed away. Meanwhile, the rider was quickly closing in.
"I'll say it again, whoever you are." Chiron roared. "Stop in the name of Lord Ganondorf!"
This time, Kat, Aka, and Benz were able to hear the rider's shouted reply: "Get out of the way!"
Too late. Chiron had stood his ground too long for escape. Instead, he was forced to throw himself flatfaced on the ground, twisting his arm as he did to shield his face. The huge thundering hooves roared over him like a tidal wave, and although his eyes were closed tight, he felt the ground shake and the air whoosh from a hind hoof that struck the ground mere inches from his skull.
Although it felt a lifetime, the whinnying equine was past him moments later, miraculously leaving the youth untrampled. Chiron choked on flying dust, and looked up in time to see the equine bunch powerful muscles, jumping for the ruined wreck of bridge.
SPLASH! Horse and rider hit the water with a colossal wave, sending Poes scattering from droplets of river water that scattered through the air at them. The horse plugged tirelessly for the other shore, right towards the barrier-
And Chiron's jaw fell open in shock as the barrier admitted both horse and rider as if the wall simply didn't exist. Angrily, the assassin picked up a stone from the ground, pulled himself to his knees, and flung the rock at the fording rider. The stone clacked harmlessly off of the barrier, which remained undeniably solid to him.
"What-" Chiron swore and tore up the grass around his knees.
Pedro watched him furtively from a distance, hovering alongside Rej, who was wringing out his wet cloak with a grimace. Rej gestured at Chiron, his lantern squeaking as it swung.
"Dangerous person for Twinrova to put in charge of this operationor does he usually get this upset about things?"
Pedro just shrugged.
Even as Chiron continued to curse, the horse and rider were slowly climbing up the Kakariko side bank, the equine snorting and shaking its hide of the trickling dampness running down its legs. Kat, Benz and Aka all stood, on their guard but puzzled that the barrier had let the visitor through.
"What should we *squeak* do?" Benz whispered, looking up at Kat. "Should we notify Impa?"
Kat nodded quietly, and the Deku immediately slunk off, snout pointed towards the village square. Aka narrowed his eyes and stood defensively between Kat and the stranger, brandishing a Deku nut. "Identify yourself! Or you'll have to deal with Aka the Mighty!"
"Woah, calm down," Sond slid off of the barebacked mare and smiled. "I'm a friend, really."
Epona tossed her slightly damp head and whinnied, looking at Aka.
"Heyyy" Aka relaxed his guard and smirked. "That's Epona!"
The horse snorted and pawed the ground.
Sond smiled when she saw Kat. "Hey, long time no see."
Kat just blinked, not sure what this apparent stranger was talking about. "Eryou might have the wrong person."
Sond shook her head. "Oh, I forgot about that. Never mind me. Is Impa here? I think I need to speak with her." She shivered and looked down at her pack, which was shaking of its own accord. Moments later, an irate and soaking wet blue fairy threw the flap open, coughing.
"You could've warned me about that last jump!" Cyrus said venomously. "An' whoever this Impa' is, I hope that they have towels. I'm soaked!"
Kat shook her head. If she'd been confused five minutes ago, it was nothing compared to her perplexity now.
*****
Nick was wrapped up in two blankets, and seated comfortably next to the small fire in the cave. Anything larger, and the smoke would quickly choke out all the air. As it was, the small wafts floated harmlessly to the ceiling, finding escape through miniscule cracks and faults.
The light played across the Volcanian's face as he stuttered out his story, all the refugees listening intently as he did so.
"'Ell, my ship got ere round midmornin', fore th' infernal cold set up. I wen' alone t'shore in th' small boat, tol' m' crew I'd be back wi' you soon."
Link nodded, as he cleaned his sword properly. After the combat and the run to the caves, there hadn't been enough time to. "But how did you end up halfway across country?"
"I wa' gettin' to that," Nick said patiently, sipping at a mug of soup Pamela had prepared. "Mmm, tasty, bu' needs more spice"
Link coughed.
"Heh, sorry bout that. Any'ow, there I wa' on th' tideline, I search' th' whole area lookin' for you two. But there ain' any sign of ye, so I figure y'mustv'e gone back t' Clock Town."
Timbre nodded.
"So, tha' bout th' time I decide t' go'n check things out f' myself," Nick finished his sentence with another swallow of soup. "An' bout then's when th' col' snap started. Lucky f'me I'd brought m'cloak n' stick, bu' unlucky f'me, th' entire bay started freezin'"
"What? Just like that?" Pamela's father looked shocked. "Great Bay's salt water. It shouldn't freeze all up like that"
"Yah, that's wha' I kep' tellin' myself," Nick agreed. "Bu' there were icebergs a' firstthen th' whole bay jus' started solidifyin' before m'eyes"
"That's a magic spell all right," wheezed the Keaton. "I knew this storm wasn't natural. But who cast it?"
Link and Timbre exchanged furtive glances. "We've got a hunch," the Hylian said finally. "But please continue."
Nick coughed. "So I'm stuck on th' shore, an' m' mates're stuck at sea. I gave em th' signal t'wait for me, an' struck out f'Clock Townt'was bout then that th' snow started." He shivered. "I'll tell ye now, there's a reason Volcanians like th' heat; tis cause we don' like th' cold. I'm strikin' out eastward wi' th' accursed white stuff flyin' everywheret'th' point I can' see squat bu' m own walkin' stick in front o' me."
Both Pamela and Jim made noises of admiration. "Bravin' a complete white out," Jim commented. "Either you're very brave, or very daft."
The Volcanian shrugged. "Prolly bit o boththen gain, what're m'options? Keep goin' or sittin' still, an' if I sat still, I'd be a goner f'sure."
Link snickered. "A Nick-sicle."
Nick snorted, but nodded. "Righ'. So I jus' kept goin' more or less straigh' east'ard. Must've been goin' f' a good dayan' freezin' slowly th' whole way. I tell ye, th' col' makes y'see funny things. Well, th' terrain started gettin' kind o' rocky n' angular, an' I found m'self wedged unn'er a lil alcove, jus' t' get out of th' blizzard long enough f' th' feelin' t'return to m'face. Must've dropped off for a bit. Any'how, nex' thing, I come to an' starts earin voices. Igh scratchy voices."
"That's never a good thing," Tatl remarked from her lounging perch across Link's cap.
"An' tha's what I was tellin' m'self," Nick said. "But when I took a peek ou', I foun' th' source o' those voices. T'wasn't m'crazed brain after all. T'were th' voices of two ol' hags floatin' in th' air, jus' outside m'berth."
Timbre and Link exchanged a second glance. Then Timbre spoke up. "How would you describe these two hags?"
"Oh, scary b'yond all rec'nition, f'sure," Nick replied, shuddering. "Bi' bulbous eyes lik' saucers, wrink'led skinny ands like a Redead, an' big ook noses like a snake fang. An' ridin' on brooms, no less!"
"Koume and Kotake!" Link and Timbre said at the same time, as the Destiny Stone turned bright green.
"I knew they were behind all of this," Timbre commented, staring at the stone. "And a blizzard, that'll be Kotake. Master of the arts of ice and all."
"Any'ow, I'm lyin' low an' listenin' in to these ol' bats," Nick picked up where he'd left off. "An' they're talkin' down t' someone, or somethin', hard to tell. An' th' wind was a bit on th' loud side, so a lot've it got lost. I did pick up them talkin' bout some tracks, an' a cave system, an' something about th' Triforce, an' chasin' after someone." Here he looked at Link. "I put two an' two together an' figured they'd been chasin' you, an' that you'd be found in th' caves. An' blast me if I wasn' righ'!"
"Did the witches say anything else?" Kafei finally spoke up from his place far from the reach of the fire's glow.
Nick shook his head, his red hair flapping about. "Nothin' too importan', though I did ear a lot've screams af'er that, th' soun' of a fire, an' then nothin'. I came ou' when th' coast was clear, an' lef' that area really quickly. It stank, whoever they'd been talkin' to'd been burnt to a crisp, weren't nothin' left bu' a pile've charred bone fragments an' one awful smell."
"Sounds like Koume alright," Link shuddered. "Well, now we know one thing. Those two're on our trail. If th' Goriya weren't enough, of course."
Everybody sighed resolutely. Finally, Kafei spoke up again.
"Alright then, everybody up. We're going to have to go deeper into this network. At least we might evade them a while."
"Then what?" Pamela looked exasperated. "They'll find us sooner or later."
"I'm hoping later," Tael cut in quietly.
"Hush!" The Keaton's wheezy bark stopped any further argument. "Kafei is right. We need to get moving. And Pamela is right. We need to escape, not merely evade."
Kafei squinted at the fox, the darkened parts of his face contorting as he did so. "You speak as if you knew something."
The fox nodded. "I know there is a solution. However, I do not know of its exact nature. I'm a Keaton, not an oracle. Either way, that is not what is important. What is important is that we remove ourselves from immediate danger, and quickly."
There was a general murmur of assent. Pamela's father helped Nick to stand up, who resembled an old grandmother as he was bundled up so much. "You going to be alright there?"
Nick was still shivering, but put on a brave face. "I'll b' fine, n'worries."
Five minutes later, everything of use or value had been packed up or stowed away in portable form, the small fire extinguished and the embers, still warm, scattered. Pamela's father held the map, so he found himself in impromptu lead of their very odd party. Unrolling his parchment, he chewed on his lip, searching for inspiration. "How about this left forked passage? It leads to a rather large connector which leads to the most options of side shoots. And it's one of the most stable routes."
Link nodded. "Lead on!"
With on the lights of the Destiny Stone (still around Timbre's neck) and the three glowing fairies to guide them, the dozen people and one fox strode boldly down the suggested tunnel, deeper into the cave. As they walked, the echoes of the cavern grew stronger, the howling dirge of winter wind swallowed up by the more immediate network of cavernous hollow.
Link hung behind, and couldn't help but glance over his shoulder from time to time.
If the way of water was currently barred, how were they to get back home to Hyrule?
*****
Took me long enough, didn't it? Sorry about the big delay, it's just been crazy, what with the snow (which we're supposed to get MORE of on Thursday, darn you Kotake) and classes, and Spring Break (which I'm currently enjoying. More time for studying, woo!). I will update as often as I can, but as always, schoolwork before fun stuff (and yes, this does count as fun' for me. Writing is a very good way for me to relax). So here's the deal: I'll try to make a biweekly update, maybe even more than that if inspiration strikes me with its mighty clown hammer. Otherwise, I'll apologize profusely and try to make it to the next deadline. Oh, and see if you can spot the second original LOZ in-jokeUntil then! ^_^