Conqueror

You are a Hylian and were always bound to leave this forest. You have learned your own destiny…so now you know what you must do. You must save the land of Hyrule!

-Deku Sprout

Chapter Five

"Return peace to Hyrule!" The voice startled Link and he awoke from his sleep. Where were these voices coming from, anyway? He shook his head and scratched his back. Perhaps a walk in the cool night air would help him to clear his thoughts. As he paced through the higher parts of the village, he noticed the strange glow again. This time, it wasn't coming from the castle, it was coming from the graveyard.

Intimidated, but filled with adrenaline and a new sense of adventure and curiosity, Link headed towards the graveyard.

Impa watched in silence from her hiding place and grinned secretly. He was starting to figure it out.

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The graveyard was dark, empty…cold. Link always got the chills when he entered the graveyard, even in the midst of a summer's day. He rubbed his bare arms to ward off the cold and looked around. His eyes were no longer picking up the strange glow, but there was definitely something there.

Shaking his head in defeat, Link turned and returned home. "What a weird week this is turning into," he muttered to himself as he entered his house and returned to bed.

Impa sighed. He was starting to remember. It was almost time.

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Saria shook in fear. "Who are you?! What do you want from me!?" The monster said nothing but approached her, a grin spread across his lips, venomous drool pouring from pointed teeth that jutted out from the jaw. A cackle escaped the disgusting mouth and Saria screamed as it leaped upon her.

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Link awoke with a start. "What now?!" he demanded. He noticed his Ocarina glowing. "Seriously, what the heck is going on?" He stood, dressed himself and prepared to return home. "I need some answers…and I think the only place I can get them is the Deku Tree."

Impa spoke up from where she sat on her bed. "I'm not so sure that's a good idea, you being equipped as you are."
Link looked behind him, up the stairs, at her. "What do you mean by that?"

"What I mean is that you're unequipped. Look at yourself, boy. You have no weapons. If you find something menacing in the Forest, how are you going to take care of it? You can't beat it with your fists if it attacks you with razor-sharp teeth. How can you defend attacks without a shield?" She paused and stood, walking down the stairs until she was level with him. Link had finally caught up to her in height. By then, he'd long outgrown his tiny sword and shield he'd come to Kakariko with.

The young man frowned. "I'll…ask Tait's father. He'll…sell me a shield."

"Will he?" Impa asked, raising an eyebrow. She was trying to convince him that of which he already knew. There was no way Tait's father, the bazaar owner, had a shield to sell to him.

"Well, what am I supposed to use for weapons?"

Impa paused, a knowing smile growing on her lips as she went back upstairs. Digging through a drawer in her dresser, she dug out a small dagger and returned to Link's side.

"It's a Sheikah dagger. When you take it to the Forest, use it. Use it only when you need to, Link. It's your duty to avoid unnecessary death, understand?"

There was urgency in her eyes. What was she talking about? He hadn't killed anything in his entire existence!

The fifteen year old nodded. "When shall I leave?" he asked, tucking the dagger into his belt. Impa smiled secretly. He was starting to look more and more like the image they all knew from the legends…

"Leave when you're comfortable, Link, just remember: the night is much more dangerous than the day. Travel by day when you can; seek shelter at night."

He nodded again. "Got it. I want to leave now…because this," he nodded towards his ocarina, "won't let me sleep. Something's…going on and I don't know what it is."
"It's tearing you apart, isn't it, young Link?" Impa asked, crossing her arms across her chest. He shook his head in affirmation.

"It's…Saria. My best friend, she's…I don't know. I just…keep having these dreams."

Impa put her hands on Link's shoulders. "Go to her. See if she's okay."

Link averted his eyes, for her gaze was piercing. She knew something he didn't, and it frightened him. He laced up his boots and bid his farewell. "Thank you, Impa. For everything."
Impa nodded her blessing. As the door closed behind him, Impa felt emotion swimming in her eyes. She knew she wouldn't be seeing the boy again for a very, very long time, and when she did, things would be different.

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