The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Aftermath

Chapter Four

It had been nearly three days since Link had set out from Outset, and he had been making good progress. The weather had not been particularly bad, and the wind had been with him so far. Now on this night however, the wind suddenly died down and Link found himself sighing as he leaned against the back of the boat, the sail drifting lazily, no wind in sight. To make matters worse, it had begun to rain.

Link sat at the edge of the boat, his green tunic now becoming soaked as he sat exposed in the rain. Looking around he saw water surrounding him on all sides, and no sign of land he could guide the ship into. Grumbling quietly he muttered, "Damn it, and me without the Wind Waker either…some hero of Winds I am." Sighing he flopped down and stretched out. His muscles felt a bit stiff from his lack of movement, and he sighed deeply as the stretching gave him some relief from the tension. Looking out over the ocean again Link sighed again and closed his eyes, "Tetra." he murmured as he felt start to overcome him, "I will find you…I promise." With that, the Hero of Winds slowly dozed off and into the land of dreams.

"Link…" he heard suddenly in his mind. Or was it his mind? He couldn't tell. Opening his eyes he looked around, bewildered. The boat was gone, and he was no longer on the wide ocean. He was once again inside the Palace of Hyrule.

"Who…what?" Link stammered as he pivoted on his foot, looking around in startled disbelief. He found himself crying out, "What's going on!"

The voice called again, "Link…down here…"

Suddenly a golden light shone forth from his hand, and the Triforce symbol on the ground once again lit up, sliding the Hero of Times statue out of the way, revealing the passage he was all to familiar with: the very one that led to the Master Swords resting place, and the King of Red Lions gravestone. Looking at his hand again, Link saw that the Triforce of Courage now shone even brighter than before, through his gloved hand. Steeling his nerves from the eeriness of the now silent palace, and the voice that seemed to be speaking to him from nowhere, he stepped forth once again into the passage way.

His boots seemed to make no noise as he slowly descended the many steps and it seemed like an eternity of descent, until finally he ended up in the very chamber he had left six years before. This time however, it was different. The chamber was not dark like he remembered it; instead, all around him light seemed to fill the room, as if the sun was shining into it. Looking at the center of the room, he saw the Master Sword ablaze with light, and as he did so it grew in intensity.

As it did so, he heard the voice again whisper, "Link, the chosen Hero of Courage…"

Grimacing, he steeled his nerves again and stood straight as he could while shielding his eyes form the swords light, replying, "I am here! Who are you?"

The light suddenly shifted into a gentle green, and then began to pool and coalesce around the Master Sword. Then slowly it began to take form: arms, legs, feet, hands, and a slight, but beautiful, female body, dressed only in green, somewhat modest yet almost on the verge of being completely see through shift. The last part to form was the head, green lips, long green hair that fell to the ground, yet seemed to flow out and around her figure, and deep green eyes. Stretching the figure smiled at Link quietly then slowly descended down the steps until she was nearly face to face with the young Hero.

Swallowing hard, and trying not to blush Link stammered, "Mi…Milady, who are you?"

"Oh Link, my Link…" she replied in a soft, serene voice, taking his face into her hands. He could feel her skin was flawless, unlike his own which was rough and somewhat calloused from all the sword training he'd put himself through, and he found himself staring into her eyes, his face red with embarrassment.

"I'm sorry…I don't know you." he winced slightly, trying to get free of her. Yet the grip remained strong and he found himself unable to tear away from the deep green eyes that bore into his.

The green figure smiled and then dropped her hands and took him into a gentle hug, replying, "You have known me all your life. I have always been with you, from the beginning, to the now." She stepped back, breaking the hug and took his hand into her own. Looking at it he saw the Triforce of Courage shone with an utmost brilliance and he suddenly found himself remembering back to a time when he was very young.

It had been a long day, and Link, who was only just four, was coming in from playing with his friends on the beach near his parent's house. His Mother and Father, who lived just across from their grandmothers, were at home, his Father having just recently come back from a long fishing trip he had taken to the outlying sea, to gather food for the villagers of Outset. It was a hard life, yet he enjoyed helping everyone on the Island, and he was very much well liked. As Link ran toward the house, suddenly the sky grew dark and lighting split the sky, rain pouring from the heavens. Link found himself running even faster, but as he ran up the hill to where his house was he saw a dark figure and his Father, holding the family sword at the figure.

The figure, whom Link could not make out, let out an evil chuckled and purred evilly, "Tonight, the bloodline ends! Tonight I shall have my revenge!"

Links father had grimaced and yelled inside to his wife, "Protect Aryll Arianna, and run!" Link had stood silently as he watched his father then launch himself at the figure. The figure had only laughed then brought his hand forward, a red triangle glowing upon it, and lightning lashed out seemingly from nowhere, striking his father, who fell, his sword shattering to pieces.

The figure smirked and grinned, "Pathetic…so many years have passed, and it has weakened so much…and without the Golden Power of Courage you are NOTHING!"

Link remembered screaming for his dad, then dashing forward to confront the dark man. As Lightning flashed, he remembered seeing the mans face, dark brown skin twisted by rage and consumed by power, he looked nothing more like the a human being and more like a creature of pure and utter evil. Bravely he grabbed the remains of his father's sword, and brought it to bear against the man, and then blinded by anger, he had hurled himself at him.

"Foolish child…now die with your father!" came the evil mans reply, and he outstretched his hand and Link felt the same power that had felled his father strike him. The world went bright for a second and he could feel the life beginning to drain from his body. Groggily, he looked up and the man smirked and walked inside his house. Link could do nothing as he heard his mother scream, and knew, she would be dead before him. He then had collapsed, his world falling into darkness, his body knowing nothing but pain from his wounds.

Suddenly he had heard a voice that called to him from distance. It was soft at first, but then slowly gained intensity, and slowly, Link found his eyes opening groggily. In front of him, he saw a beautiful woman, dressed in green, smiling at him. Slowly it had bent down and kissed his forehead, then smiled at him again and quietly said, "Child of Destiny…thou shalt not die tonight…sleep now, Farore shall always be watching."

And so he had, falling asleep, as he felt almost cradled by this mysterious woman. When he came too, he found himself sitting up in the bed of his grandmother's house. She was crying, but he did not ask why. In his heart he already knew: his mother, and father were dead, and now, she would have to look after him and his sister, whom he heard quietly snoozing in the cradle across from him. He knew she would be too young to ever remember their parents. Wincing he wondered why this had to happen to them, and slowly, found himself breaking down again and crying himself to sleep.

The Hero of Winds found himself against the green woman and crying his eyes out. It had been many years before his adventures with the King of Red Lions and Tetra, and he had forgotten. He had let his parent's memories die, just like they had when he was four. The green haired woman gently smiled and then took his hands again, replying, "its alright, my Hero, I was there for you then, as I am now, when you have suffered similar loss."

Link looked up at her, his eyes bloodshot from crying, yet slowly he recognized her and the words came from his mouth before he even realized he had spoken them, "F…Farore..m.. my Goddess.." he stumbled with the words, trying to pull himself together. "I remember now, tales of you, and your sisters…the creator of this world…"

She leaned down and took the vulnerable Hero again into a loving embrace and smiled, "yes it is I…I have come when you have again of need of me…as I have come to also deliver a message of great dread." Her expression hardened slightly, yet he could tell it was still warm and loving, he was her Champion after all, and for some reason he could tell she loved him immensely.

"You must steel yourself again my Hero, the Swords of Evils Bane must be drawn again, and you must wield it again, for the King of Evil returns, his powers strengthened again by the powers of the sacred Object which he stole, then lost, and has again regained." Farore looked at him intently, and then continued, "He has escaped even my sight, and my sister Din refuses to tell me and Nayru where he now hides, her love for him as her Chosen strong as my love for you is."

Link looked at her, and replied darkly, "Ganondorf has revived, so soon? But how is that even possible? He was defeated only six years ago!"

Farore nodded, and replied, "True, but he has found a way to reclaim the Triforce of Power, just as you did the Triforce of Courage. His time in exile from Hyrule when he was banished by us from the land we flooded, stripped him of its powers just as when the Hero left our borders and disappeared. It was only a matter of time when he returned to Hyrule and his Castle that he reclaimed its Powers. It didn't go to anyone else, except him, for as long as the Triforce remains separate only those who hold the greatest of all the Triforces aspects of Courage, Wisdom, and Power of the people on this land, can be Chosen. As such, its powers have fully awakened him, the King of Evil, what he once was, and has now become again…on top of that, he is seeking the pieces again, intent on claiming the Power of Gold for himself."

Link hesitated then replied quickly, "you mean, Tetra she has one of the pieces!" He then hesitated then narrowed his eyes as it dawned on him, the storm that followed her disappearance. The Pirates had said it seemed evil and unnatural. "It was him wasn't it!" he growled clenching his fist tightly.

Farore nodded, and then sighed quietly, folding her hands into her lap, "yes, that storm that washed her overboard was not of natural making, it was the King of Evils doing, it was Ganondorf. And so was the great storm that came that night long ago, the very night your parents died."

Link gasped and clenched his fists even tighter, trying to hold back the tears of the memories that night, and tried to make sense of it all, "But, but…what I saw that night, it was something hideous, something evil…it was nothing like the Ganondorf that Tetra and I fought against!"

Farore looked at Link a bit sadly then walked over to him again and looked at him, her green eyes again boring into his blue as she replied softly, trying to help him with the pain he now felt, "The thing you faced so many years ago was him, just a more twisted and powerful version. As his power grows, so does his influence over land, sea, and air, the same things that make up your world. However, his dark heart twists his form into a darker thing, creating the King of Evil, Ganon, and his form twisted by malice and hate for all things good. He hates the Royal Family and your Bloodline most of all and will go to great lengths to destroy both…if I had not interceded that night long ago…even against my sisters wishes, he might have succeeded."

Link hesitated as he remembered what the man had said that night about the "bloodline" being destroyed. Looking at Farore he stood, as did she, and asked a puzzled look on his face, "Bloodline I don't understand. What was he talking about? And why my father?"

The Goddess only gave him a sad smile then leaned over and kissed him gently on the lips lovingly, "Only when you have learned the truth of things, will you understand, my Hero. Time teaches us many things, be patient and the answers you seek will come to you. Now begin your new quest, draw the master Sword again, become the hero again, and restore what was lost. I will be watching you, my hero." With that Farore smiled at Link once again, then slowly he formed vanished. As she did so, Link felt a force beckon him toward the Master Sword.

Heading the call, and walking up to the pedestal confidently, Link touched the handle of the sword and felt the surge of power he had become accustomed to when he wielded the blade six years before in the service of Hyrule, and those who were brought to despair before the powers of darkness. His second hand then gripped the pommel and with a mighty heave he pulled the sword free from the pedestal, it sliding effortlessly from its place of rest. As he did so, the room when white, and there was nothing again.

Sitting up with a start, Link found himself breathing heavily, the sun dancing upon his face and alight wind now blowing. As he looked around he remembered the events that had transpired. The dream had felt so real, like he was actually there, a place he had gone many times before. Sitting up on the boat he again surveyed his surroundings. It was then that something caught his eye. Sitting in the middle of the boat was the Master Sword, sheathed at near where his feet had been as he slept. Looking at it, he touched it hesitantly at first. Feeling the familiar surge of ancient power he murmured, "but how, it was…a dream…"

And then something else caught him by surprise, the eyes of the Red Lion opened and the boat let out a loud yawn. Link, stood up and let out a gasp, almost immediately and fell out into the water. Gasping as he surfaced he coughed, and sputtered, "K…King Hylia?"

"Oh, Hello Link." The boat let out its version of a smile and chuckled, "its good to finally be able to see you after all these years, my how you've grown!"

Climbing into the boat, Link found his clothes again soaked, this time by seawater and not by rain. Sighing he muttered, "and they just dried too. Ah well." He then looked up and at the Lions head, "I thought you fell to rest, but what are you doing here?" he asked.

"Well, when you pulled the Master Sword there it unsealed Hyrule again, and so I awoke again." The Lion boat then let out another yawn and looked at Link, "And so it seems with you once again possessing that sword Hero, that times have called upon your services again…long have I sensed the shifting of the tides as I slumbered, and they have spoken of dark times again, tell me Hero, what have you heard?"

Link took the time to recount to the King the events of what had happened that night, and of his dream. The King listened intently then nodded as Link finished his tale. "interesting, I seem to recall mention of the Goddesses making appearances in this land of ours, and looking after their Champions. It could be that the dream you experienced was real, made reality by Farores making. If what you say about Ganondorf once again becoming the King of Evil, Ganon, is true, then things are dire indeed. Come, we must make our way to the Island of the Great Deku Tree. There we can decide what to do next with his council and guidance."

Link nodded, and then strapped the Master sword to his back and set the sail, replying as the boat glided toward the Great Deku Tress island "alright, and I swear, this time…I will defeat him…for my parents…and Tetra…I hope she's all right."

The King of Red Lions nodded slightly a serious look on his face as he replied, "Yes, I hope so too Link, I hope so too" With that the little boat glided off on the winds and toward a small island that was rising in the distance…

(to be continued!)

From the Desk of RyuDraconis-

Ok all a few things to note if ya review. A) Yes I know I altered the ending of Wind Waker (I beat it a few weeks after I got it P) but I started this fic BEFORE I knew the ending, so consider this an "alternate ending" to wind waker k?

B) Yes I goofed on the Pirates names. I kinda got mixed up. But again, that's ok, it happens, besides I think Makos a cooler name for the big old looking pirate, gives him a bit more wiser look

C) Typo on chp 3, I stated chp 5 was coming next, sorry my bad 9this is chp 4 after all ehhe)!

D) Review and have fun reading this! More will come soon! (Chp 5 :D )

E) thanks for all the reviews and support! It really helps me to write more so keep em coming (and no this is not a beg for reviews, just a thank you to all those who have!)

and finally F) backstory for Link of Wind waker, yay! Flare for the dramatic plus since its for plot sooo, stay tuned, and for those who don't like it, so what :D my story (also kinda explains why they're with their grandma...whatever happened to their parents in the game? lol)

Thank you all again!

RyuDraconis