The Legend of Zelda: On the Brink

Chapter 3: A New Bearer

Nab, the sprite had left the Gerudo fortress in a fit. She flew fast across the bridge, and into the fields once again. She never looked back at the place she now loathed. The young woman she had talked to was so bitter, so cold. How does one get that way?

Nab looked into the sky and noted that the sun was beginning to set and she would have to find a place to sleep. There were trees and rocks, but Nab had a feeling that it would rain, and she did not wish to drown herself in the middle of the night as she lay with her mouth gaping open. As she continued further into the fields of Hyrule, the sprite noticed a faint light in the distance. Maybe she could find shelter there?

As she neared the light, it grew bigger, and walls started to erect around it. Once she was close enough to get a good look, she saw that it was a house that was giving off the light. A huge fence surrounded to house, which seemed to be sitting upon a hill, along with a silo and another building. Nab quickly headed to the ranch, as the first drops of night fell.

Lifting herself over the elevated wall, Nab didn't bother using the front entrance. Right away, Nab found the spot she would stay. In the corner of, what seemed to be the barn, there was an opening. A small hole had been made, probably by a bird, and the light of a dim lantern poured through.

Silvery hair popped it's way into the small hole, followed by the body of the sprite. Several cows and horses were standing in their stalls, chewing on hay that had been set out for them to eat. As the rain beat against the roof of the stable, Nab laid herself down on the single table, right next to the lantern that warmed her chilled skin. The moos and whinnies of the livestock mingled with the tapping of the rain, coaxed her into sleep.

The sound of a cucco awakened the slumbering sprite. She lifted her head from her crossed arms and blinked several times, adjusting her eyes to the light. The horses were gone, Nab guessed that they had been led out into the corral to graze, but the cows were still chewing in their stalls. Standing up, Nab wiped the crust from her eyes, and shook her wings several times to return them to their original shape.

When she lifted herself up off the table, her magical light shone bright startling the cows slightly. She exited the room the same way she came in, flying through the small hole in the corner of the wall. The sun was already fully exposed above the horizon and the birds were busily flying overhead. A slight breeze blew through Nab's silver hair, the strands wavering to the side. It was the perfect day.

Nab's thoughts were then disturbed by the humming of a high, soft, sweet, soothing, feminine voice. The sprite looked down from the stable roof, where she chose to sit. She saw a head of bright red hair swaying gracefully back and forth with a bucket in her hand. Her dressed swayed with the motions of her body, the towel that hung on her thin fabric belt threatened to slip away under her feet unnoticed by the cheerful girl. Grain swooshed back and forth in the bucket that she swung carelessly at her side.

Nab watched and listened to the enchanting song, totally lost in the comforting melody. The girl rounded the corner and stuck her hand in the bucket, grabbing a hand full of grain. Then she sprinkled the yellow crumbs and seeds around on the ground. The cuccos gathered around the food, pecking at the ground, and others to get them to move out of the way. Nab giggled as she watched the strange behavior of the poultry.

Suddenly, from the corral, one of the horses was spooked by something and it started charging the young woman. Nab nearly screamed in fear for the girl. Apparently though, she had everything under control. As the horse came closer, the girl moved to the side and reached out her arms. "Shh," she said trying to calm the animal. "Ghost, it's okay. I'm here it's okay."

The brown horse slowed down and stopped in front of the girl. "That's right. It'll be okay."

Nab exhaled for the first time since the charge, relieved that everything was fine. She lifted herself off the roof, and proceeded forward so that she could talk to the girl. "Good Morning!" Nab said with pleasure.

"Oh!" the girl squealed in excitement clapping her soft hands together in front of her. "A fairy! I'm sorry," she apologized. "I don't mean to be rude, I'm just overjoyed that you're here. My name is Malon Lon," she said the bright smile never leaving her face.

"I'm Nab," the sprite responded. She was delighted to finally meet someone who was glad to see her. The courageous girl didn't ignore her, shun her, or pick a fight with her. The young woman actually was glad she was there, and continued to start a conversation with her.

"Are you from the forest?" Malon asked eagerly. "I know a boy, well he's not a young boy anymore…well he's from the forest and he has a little fairy that follows him around."

"No actually," Nab started wondering how she was going to explain where she was from. "I'm a sprite from the Temple of Time." She settled for a very vague description of where she was from and hoped that the girl wouldn't press the matter.

As if she could tell that there was more to the story that Nab didn't want to tell, Malon shrugged her shoulders and changed the topic. "So what are you doing out here at Lon Lon Ranch?"

"I'm looking for someone," the sprite answered wondering if this farm girl could be the one she was looking for.

"Hmm… Say, I'm going out into the field in a couple of minutes to ride and maybe shoot some arrows, your welcome to join me." Nab nodded her head in excitement. "Okay, let me go change first." With that the red-headed girl turned on her heel and entered the house.

Five minutes later she emerged from the small house in a whole different wardrobe. The long pink and white skirt she had worn minutes earlier had been disregarded and replaced with a green Kokiri like tunic and a blue denim skirt that reached to the top of her knees. Her ruby hair was pulled back behind her head in a white ribbon and a new pair of sandals covered her feet. In her hand she carried a bow and three arrows. The bow was much smaller than the Gerudo's had been and Nab guessed that it must have been a present since it was not made the right size for her.

"Let's go," Malon said cheerfully walking to the corral where she grasped the rein of one of the brown horses. Without even giving a thought to her skirt, she mounted the horse, straddling it's back like a normal rider would. When Malon noticed Nab looking at her skirt she spoke. "Isn't it nice? The Princess gave it to me as a birthday present."

"You know the Princess?" Nab asked, interested to know how that came to be.

"Yes, I guess you could say we are friends, or we share one at least." Malon's mood suddenly went down slightly and the cheerful smile she had turned upside down, but only for a quick second. "Well…Are you ready to go?" Nab nodded as she took a seat on the horses head. The two galloped out of the ranch and into Hyrule Field.

Malon didn't go far, only around the back of the ranch. There she stopped and dismounted the horse she called Bear. She didn't even bother tying the horse up, but instead went straight to setting up the targets that laid on the ground. There were three, all of them different heights on the wall. Once they were set up in a column, Malon backed away from the wall. "After this, I should probably head to the Market to buy some more arrows," Malon said smiling. "I tend to break them."

She giggled and then prepared for her first shot. Nab watched from the horse's head as Malon released the arrow. She was no where near as talented as the Gerudo she had watched, but Malon hit the highest target pretty well, about three rings away from the bull's eye. "If you don't mind me asking," Nab started after Malon released the second arrow. "Why do you shoot? I mean what got you interested?"

"Well," Malon started. "My cousin in Termina shoots, one of the best archers I've ever seen. It saved their family's milk supply before. A couple of years ago she came to visit and she gave this bow to me. She showed me how to shoot some and, well I guess I just enjoy it. Plus one day, I might need it to fight off someone trying to steal our horses or cows." With a smile, Malon released the last arrow into the bottom target, hitting the bull's eye. "Yes!"

After collecting the arrows, it was Malon's turn to ask a probing question. "So, who is this person that you are looking for?" she asked, preparing to shoot.

Nab scratched her head, trying to think of something to say. "I don't really know…" Should she tell this girl who she was, who sent her, and who she was looking for? Nab didn't see any harm in it. "Well, I'm looking for someone who is…brave, smart, level-headed, slow to anger… A rarity, I've found out. Haven't spoken to any for two days…until right now."

"What?"

"You."

"Me?" Nab nodded. "Well…" Malon shrugged and shot an arrow. "I guess I'm smart. Maybe not the smartest but I'm surely not stupid. I guess I have a good head on my shoulders, Link always told me that. I don't know about slow to anger, I get mad at my Dad when he falls asleep."

Nab slapped the thin air in front of her as to disregard Malon's last statement. "Would you come with me to the Temple of Time? The…I mean…My Masters wish to speak with you."

"I guess so…" Malon agreed hesitantly. "Let me go tell my Dad I'll be gone for a couple of hours…"

"It will probably take longer than that…" Nab responded.

Malon had ridden to the Temple of Time, and was then escorted into the sealed part of the temple. When she first entered the room, Malon had passed out. The holy lights and the rush of everything happening had gotten to her and she couldn't stand it anymore. When she finally woke up, the three woman were huddled around her, coaxing her back to consciousness. When she first saw them, Malon knew who they were. They were the Goddesses, Din, Nayru, and Farore.

Three hours passed by, Malon sitting cross legged on the floor before the deities. They explained to her why they had sent Nab in search of someone like herself. Malon had passed out again when she first heard. Eventually, she came back around and the lecture had continued. It all seemed so fast to Malon. One minute she was shooting arrows at a target and then the next…she walked out of the Temple of Time, the sun setting under the horizon, with the Triforce of Power imbedded on the back of her right hand.

A/N: Sorry the ending was so abrupt I just want to get going with the story! I'm so excited!