Across the Ocean
By Dominus Princeps
Chapter Four
"No way! I sealed Ganondorf!" Link stammered, stepping back a few paces.
"You did indeed...but you overlooked one of his swords. After many long, hard submarine trips, I found it...and now it has given me all the power I'll need to rule this world...but I want the next, too! The Sacred Realm!" the Black Knuckle cackled. The Prism Sword flashed an indignant red.
"Not if I can help it!" Link growled. He leapt at the Black Knuckle but was forced to retreat as the Black Knuckle turned and attacked. Though he had only one of Ganondorf's swords, he was still fearsome and deadly. Link countered an attack with a jump and a flip-slash. Magma flowed from the Prism Sword and coated the Black Knuckle. The warrior made a puzzled noise and then cried out as the lava seeped into his armor. It hardened quickly, and the Black Knuckle was unable to move.
"Nice trick, Link. How'd you do it?" Tetra raised an eyebrow. Link looked at the Prism Sword and shrugged.
"This is definitely the weirdest sword I've ever seen," he muttered. Link tried to wrench Ganon's sword from the Black Knuckle's grip, but even immobile, the Black Knuckle wouldn't let go.
"Makar, send a Floormaster to give me a...hand," Link grinned. Everyone groaned at his pun, but Makar summoned the familiar black hole, which slid over to Link's side. The Floormaster arced from his hole and gripped the blade of the sword while Link grabbed the handguard. Together they yanked the saber from the Black Knuckle.
"Come on, let's get out of here!" Link said, grabbing Medli's hand. Everyone sprinted for the stone ramp save Komali. Tetra turned to Komali as she left.
"Well, aren't you coming?" she yelled. Komali shook his head as if dazed.
"Sorry. Yeah, let's go!" he said.
"Remind me why we're running away?" Medli asked Link as they dashed down a flight of stairs.
"I know he's way too powerful for me to fight, but I bet if we seal this sword, he'll be just like the White Knuckle: tough, but not invincible," Link replied.
"But why are we running?" Medli pressed. The tower shook with a roar as the Black Knuckle broke free of his rock prison.
"...That's why," Link winced. They knocked a door open and dashed past a surprised Moblin guard. Tetra flip-kicked the guard to move him from her way and sprinted to catch up with Link and Medli.
"So how do you plan on sealing the saber if Hyrule's beneath the waves?" the pirate asked.
"Well...we'll ask the King of Red Lions that; he's an expert on this sort of thing," Link replied. Tetra sighed and pointed.
"It's another Iron Knuckle!" she cried as the heavily-armored warrior clanked around the corner, axe at the ready. Link unsheathed his sword and circled the fearsome Knuckle. It was wearing gold and red armor, and had a red axe. It wound back and swung its axe in a powerful horizontal arc. Link leaped over the axe and stabbed his sword into the Iron Knuckle's helmet. The helmet split, and electricity coursed through the warrior. Link lopped his head off as a finish.
"I thought it made lava..." Tetra frowned.
"It changes every now and then. It shot fire in the Wind Temple," Link shrugged. They continued their run.
"Hey, where's the other Rito?" Makar asked, looking around from his perch on Medli's ponytail.
"He probably flew off, leaving us," Medli glowered as Link kicked a door open.
"No time to worry about that; there's the harbor!" he pointed. The King of Red Lions and Tetra's white sailboat were docked neatly side by side. Link and Medli leaped into the King of Red Lions and quickly hoisted sail. Tetra did the same, and the two boats shot out of the harbor.
"You won't get away so easy!" a booming voice roared. Medli turned and screamed. A huge, cannon-riddled black ship was bearing down on them. Bombs churned the water all around them. Link left the tiller and took out the Wind Waker.
"Tetra, hold onto your mast!" he called. Tetra gazed at him and gripped the mast of her boat. Medli did the same to the mast of the King of Red Lions, and Makar held on tightly to Medli's shin. Link swept the baton down, right, left and then up. The wind around them became wild and powerful. They were swept up into a cyclone.
"Link! What did I say about cyclones?" Medli yelled over the wind. Link grinned at her as he wrapped his arms around the mast and, because she was pressed against the mast, her.
"Don't worry! I know what I'm doing!" he winked. Medli looked to her right and saw Tetra's boat whirling next to theirs. A few minutes later, they were set down gently in front of a huge tower...Medli recognized it as the Tower of the Gods.
"Why are we here?" she asked.
"This is how we'll get to Hyrule. Hey, King of Red Lions!" Link got the boat's attention.
"Yes, Link?" it/he asked.
"There was an Iron Knuckle called the Black Knuckle that had one of Ganondorf's swords. I have the sword now, but how can we seal it and thus seal his power?" Link asked. The King of Red Lions sighed.
"That is very troubling news to hear. Unfortunately, I already sealed Hyrule beneath the waves...to seal this last bit of evil magic, I fear you'll have to open the Sacred Realm. And to do so, we'll need the other two Sages plus Princess Zelda," the boat eyed Tetra before adding, "And the two Medallions."
"Two more Sages? And what are these Medallions?" Link asked.
"Yes. You'll need the Sage of Water and the Sage of Shadow. Zelda herself is the Sage of Light," the boat replied. "As for the Medallions, I do not know. They are gifts of the gods, but I am unaware of their locations."
"Hmm. Sages of Water and Shadow, huh?" Tetra frowned, thinking. She raised her finger.
"Hey, let's go find my crew and the pirate ship so we can check my books on this subject!" she suggested. Link shrugged.
"Sure. Let's go; they said they were headed south-southwest," Link said.
"Well, then they're going for one of our old hangouts. It's an island that's not on any of the charts, and we intend to keep it that way. Here, take us to Outset and I'll show you the way from there," Tetra instructed. Link conducted the cyclone again and took them to Outset Island.
"Make the wind go southwest," Tetra instructed. Link conducted the wind and followed Tetra as she sailed southwest. Medli sighed and leaned over the side of the boat, dipping her fingers in the water as they sailed after Tetra. Link came over and put his hands on her back, pressing slightly. Medli shrieked, whipping up. Link was laughing as she growled at him.
"You almost pushed me in!" Medli said. She then let out a sigh and chuckled.
"Okay...so it was a little funny, but still..." she sighed. Link cupped her cheek.
"Atta girl," he grinned. They sailed on after Tetra. Link checked his clock.
"It's like four in the morning, but I'm not tired at all," he muttered. Medli nodded. Link sat on the side of the boat near the tiller, and Medli stood next to him. Link put his arm around her waist and rested his head on her hip. Makar was sitting on the King of Red Lions' head, watching the sea fly by. Link stood up suddenly.
"What's up, Link?" Medli asked. Link narrowed his eyes and ran a hand through his tousled blond hair.
"I don't know...something just doesn't feel right," he frowned. He looked up.
"Hey, look! Is that Komali?" Link pointed at a figure in the sky. Medli squinted to try and see better.
"I can't tell...hey, it's gone!" she exclaimed. True enough, the winged figure had disappeared.
"Weird..." Link sighed. He turned to Medli.
"Hey, would you mind telling me how you found your summoning powers?" he smiled. Medli blushed and scuffed her feet.
"It's kind of..." she began. Link had a curious expression on his face.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Well...it happened because a Knight was about to...ah...you know, take me," Medli said quietly. Link blinked, then a look of comprehension washed over his face.
"Oh, Farore, Medli, I'm so sorry," he pulled her in a tight, warm hug. Medli sighed and closed her eyes.
"You're nice and comfortable," she smiled as she rested herself against him. Link kissed her hair.
"I'm glad," he responded. She opened her eyes and looked up at him to find him watching her intently. Tentatively, Link kissed her. She closed her eyes and kissed him back. Link pulled back to look in her eyes. Her red eyes met his blue ones. Then, he kissed her hard, pushing her up against the mast. Medli moaned into his mouth as the feeling rushed through her body. Her hands gripped his head, his shoulders, anywhere they could find as they roved his body. Link held her at her waist, lifting her from the deck of the boat slightly. Medli gasped as he parted from her mouth, taking breath for the first time in a while. He bent to kiss her neck, and she sighed as his soft lips caressed her neck and collarbone. She played with his messy hair as he kissed her up and down her neck. She pulled his head up and kissed him furiously, pressing her hands to his cheeks. Link's hands stroked her sides as he returned the passion.
"Hoy! There it is!" Tetra shouted back from her boat. Surprised, Medli pulled back and hit her head against the mast.
"Ow!" she winced. Then, she and Link shared a laugh.
"Ow, that hurt!" Medli chuckled. Link set her down on the deck and kissed her as a last thought. Medli smiled dreamily at him as he ran his fingers through her hair. She stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. Link turned to the sea ahead of them. A few hundred leagues ahead was an island with a tower-like mountain on it. Tetra had stopped, and Link and Medli unhooked and folded the sail before cruising to a stop next to Tetra.
"Why are we stopping?" he asked. Tetra turned.
"There are whirlpools all over the place just beneath the surface of the ocean. That's why we pirates like this island: it's protected. However, the whirlpools all just go away at a password...but I forgot the password," the pirate scratched her head and blushed. Medli shook her head. For a pirate, she's a little soft... she thought. Link groaned.
"Tetra! Why are you always like this about important stuff?" he sighed. Tetra jumped.
"I remember! Hylia!" she shouted. Medli heard something stir, then heard a rumble, then nothing.
"Come on, let's go! I think I see the ship!" Tetra said, hoisting sail. Link did the same and set out for the island. They sailed around the coast and came upon a hidden, natural harbor, where the hulking pirate ship was docked.
"Miss Tetra!" a collective cheer was raised from the crew.
"We missed you, Captain!" Gonzo cried.
"Get in line, ladies! What are you talking about, missed me? You're pirates, not little children whose mother has left for the day!" Tetra snapped, climbing up the rope ladder and pulling herself onto the deck.
"If this is how you've been acting the whole time I've been gone, then you're a sorry bunch who only deserve to be shark bait!" she snarled at the crew. Then, she broke into a grin.
"It is nice to be back, though," Tetra smirked, crossing her arms. Her crew let out a collective sigh. Link dropped anchor, and he, Medli, and Makar hopped out of the King of Red Lions and climbed up the rope ladder to the deck (Medli used the ladder instead of flying because Makar was still unsure of Medli's ability to fly). Link nudged Tetra.
"C'mon, let's check your books," he urged. "This is pretty important."
"Right," Tetra nodded. Medli followed the two into Tetra's cabin. The pirate rummaged through a bookshelf full of old books; Link helped her. Medli looked around the cabin. It was well furnished, with a nice bed and an ornate desk. An engraving of the Hero of Time was set above Tetra's desk. Medli peered at the desk. There were pictographs of all kinds of things, from ChuChus to islands. There was one pictograph of Link and Tetra on Outset, apparently having lunch. They're so young... Medli grinned.
"When was this taken?" she asked, curious. Tetra glanced up and blushed.
"Um...that was way back when Link was just starting out. See, he still has the Hero's Sword and his dinky old coat of arms shield," Tetra pointed. She grinned.
"He was so innocent," she snorted.
"Was not!" Link growled.
"You were, what, fifteen and a half?" Tetra asked.
"Exactly fifteen. That was my birthday," Link sighed.
"I was only eighteen then. Wow, time flies," the pirate shook her head. Link cuffed her.
"Don't get soft on me, Tetra," he grinned. Medli watched them and knew that Link was clearly trying to stop Tetra's advances on him. Link pulled a book from the shelf.
"Uh...'The Sages of Hyrule'. This should help," he set the book on Tetra's desk. Medli examined it and opened to the first page. A map was printed on the page. It had the names of areas that Medli didn't recognize: Death Mountain, Kokiri Forest...Lake Hylia. Wait—wasn't Hylia the word that Tetra yelled for the password? Medli thought, curiosity piqued. Tetra slapped another book to the desk, and then another.
"I think that's all of them," Link said after five more minutes of searching.
"Well, then, we'll each look through a book," Tetra suggested. "Look for the Two Medallions and anything on the Sages of Water and Shadow."
"What about Zelda?" Medli asked. Link and Tetra grinned at each other, then turned to Medli.
"Seeing as you and Makar are Sages, I guess it's okay to tell you. Uh...how can I say this?" Link began.
"I'm Zelda," Tetra smirked. Medli blinked.
"You're joking," she said skeptically. Link shook his head.
"Nope. It is one-hundred percent the truth. I mean, yeah, she is an ugly ninja pirate, but deep down she's a good person," he jabbed. Tetra grinned and shoved him. Link fell back onto her bed and laughed. He stood and picked up one of the three books: "The Magical Temples of Hyrule." Tetra took the remaining one: "The Sacred Realm and Its Contents." Medli perused the book she had picked up off Tetra's desk. She checked the table of contents for anything on the Sages of Water and Shadow. She found the section on the Sage of Water.
"Hey, I found the Sage of Water!" Medli said.
"Read it," Link instructed.
"'The Water Temple at the bottom of Lake Hylia is the traditional worship center for the Sage of Water. The Sage of Water is often seen playing a guitar; perhaps it holds special power. The Sage does not disclose this. The Sage of Water seems to have the ability to summon sharks, Blue Tektites, Spikes, and can make a strange doppelganger of any subject he is presented with. The Sage is often characterized as "quirky", and has a unique, if that is the word, sense of humor. The seal of the Sage is...' There's a page missing..." Medli looked up from the book.
"Is there anything else?" Tetra asked. Medli flipped through the pages.
"No. From there, it's about the Sage of Wind," she shook her head.
"It's got the Sage of Shadow too," Medli said.
"Well, read it too, then," Link hit her leg playfully.
"'The Sage of Shadow is often reclusive and does not like making public appearances. His temple is the Temple of Shadow, located in the Graveyard of...Ka-ka-ri-ko Village,'" Medli stumbled over the unfamiliar words, "'He does not use an instrument; instead, he appears to prefer whistling or singing. The Sage of Shadow does not appear to be able to summon monsters, but instead has stranger powers of illusion and resurrection of dead things. His seal is that of an eye with triangular eyebrows, more commonly seen as the seal of Truth that is stamped on official documents. The Sage of Shadow is often referred to as the "Dark Sage" because of his unknown activities, frightening powers, and utterly terrifying dungeon. However, while the Shadow Temple is a terrible and fearful place, it is because the whole of Hyrule is a fearful place, and its fear and horror are concentrated in the Shadow Temple and in the Sage of Shadow in order to keep Hyrule a joyful land. In short, the Sage of Shadow is nearly always pale, gaunt, and haggard from supporting the weight of Hyrule's sins on his shoulders."
"Wow...that's pretty, uh..." Tetra tried to say something, but the words of the book had silenced her. Medli shut the book.
"And that's it. You guys found anything?" she asked.
"Not so far, but I'll tell you when I do," Link replied. Tetra nodded, and the two of them dove into their books again. Medli sat down on the bed next to Link and played with his hair. Link looked at her with an amused expression, then turned back to his book. She twisted his messy blond hair, tugged it, and sculpted it, but it never quite did what she wanted. Frustrated, Medli gave up and lay back on the bed. She picked up Makar and tossed him up and down. The Korok cheered and made generally pleased noises as Medli threw him into the air and caught him over and over. She grew tired of this and got up and left.
"Call me in when you get something, okay?" Medli sighed, walking from the cabin out onto the deck of the ship. She leaned against the rail of the ship and watched the sunrise out in the east. She felt a presence behind her and whirled...then screamed.
"What's wrong, Medli?" Komali asked.
"You surprised me, Komali," Medli gasped, putting a hand on her heart. Komali snorted.
"So did you, Medli. So did you..." he sighed. She cocked her head.
"What do you mean?" she asked. Komali narrowed his eyes.
"You're so beautiful...I thought...when you and I went through Dragon Roost Cavern, I thought there was something...and then when you hugged me when I gave you that Golden Feather...I waited for so long to see you after I saw Link leave with you...and then this. How could you, Medli?" Komali growled, stepping forward. Medli stepped back and backed against the rail.
"Wh-what are you talking about? Komali, you're a good friend of mine, probably my best friend, but why are you acting like this?" she stammered, frightened of the wrathful prince.
"This whole thing! Link isn't even of our race! And you run off with him like a silly girl! You, with your powers, should marry one of royal descent!" Komali snarled. This time, it was Medli's turn to glare.
"How dare you? I am two years your senior and also your mentor. Without my help you never would have your proud wings and beak, and I am the Sage of Earth and thus deserving of your respect. You can't tell me whom I should marry, and you certainly shouldn't judge Link by his race!" Medli growled. Komali chuckled and shook his head.
"Medli...he's cast some kind of spell on you, that Link. I didn't think you'd be so deluded. But I guess I can expect as much from a half-breed," Komali smirked.
"H...Half-breed?" Medli stammered. Komali grinned maliciously.
"You ever wonder why your skin's so pale? Why your hair's copper, not white? Why you can't fly as far and carry heavy things while flying? It's because you're not a Rito, born and bred," Komali sneered.
"Wh-what? No! I'm just as much a Rito as you are, if not more!" Medli protested. Why are you doing this? Medli thought worriedly. What he was saying was really hurting her feelings...
"Lies. I checked the royal records because I was curious...you were found here on the shore when you were three or four. And you were raised as one of us, and you were given the honor of wings. But you aren't a Rito, and you never will be," Komali snapped. Medli buried her face in her hands.
"No...no, that's not true...no," she sobbed, his words stabbing her like knives could.
"And so, you're weak. You can't hardly fly. And look at you! You run off with some kid!" Komali shook his head.
"'Some kid'? What the hell are you saying?" Komali's eyes widened as he recognized the voice.
"Ah, the bastard of the hour!" Komali snickered. Link walked over to stand in front of Komali, intimidating the Rito slightly. Link was several inches taller than Komali, his shoulders were broader, and Link was muscular where Komali was wiry.
"I heard what you were saying to Medli, you little rat," Link snarled.
"Yeah? It's all true," Komali shrugged. Link grabbed Komali by the front of his robe and pulled him up to eye-level. Medli sniffed and began sobbing again as she remembered what Komali had said.
"Whether or not it's true, she's still more of a Rito than you could ever be. She abandoned her home to save Hyrule, she's honorable, and she didn't shirk her duties merely to hurt someone's feelings!" Link growled. "And don't you ever talk to her like you did!"
"Or else what?" Komali smirked. Link set him down.
"That's what I-" Komali began. Link's fist stopped the sentence as it crashed into Komali's beak. Komali's world exploded in stars, and then his consciousness was no more.
"Or else I'll punch your fucking lights out, you punk bitch!" Link snarled to the unconscious Komali. Komali fell backwards, hitting Medli, who, surprised, table-topped over the rail of the ship. She hurtled down into the water.
"Link! I can't-" she screamed. Water filled her mouth. I can't swim! Medli thought as green water filled her vision.
"Hang on!" Link yelled, diving over the rail into the water. He swam underwater, grabbed Medli's arms, and wrapped them around his neck. He broke the surface, swam powerfully for shore, and laid her out on the beach. She coughed and spat up water.
"Are you okay? Breathe deep and let me listen for water," Link instructed, laying his head against her chest. Medli coughed again, but no water came up.
"Nothing. Good," Link said. He picked her up and laid her head against his chest. She turned and sobbed into his already wet clothing.
"Link...Link, it can't be true...oh, Link..." Medli moaned, emotion washing through her. Link's comforting arms wrapped around her shoulders. She sobbed and sobbed into his soaked, salty lobster shirt. Link stroked her back with his fingers and whispered soothing words to her.
"You'll be okay. It'll all be okay. I'm here, Medli. Just cry, I'm here," he whispered, kissing her wet hair and stroking her back. She sobbed and moaned into his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist for comfort. Link ran his fingers through her hair and tightened his arms around her.
"I just...I've known him...and he...what could make him...oh, Link..." Medli sobbed nonsensically. She tried to get a sentence out that made sense, but the words wouldn't come. So she settled with sniffling and sobbing into Link's chest. Eventually, her tears dried. Medli sniffed and blinked her eyes. They were red-rimmed and a little puffy from crying. Link smiled sadly at her.
"Feel better?" he said softly. She nodded wordlessly and kissed him with thorough feeling. Link returned her kiss and stroked her back. Medli pulled back and let out a deep sigh.
"I can't believe...can't believe he would say all those things..." she said quietly, rubbing her eyes. Link ran a finger along the lines of her face.
"I know, Medli. He's your friend...but he's hurt. Komali loves you, or thinks he does, and this is his anger at being denied. He's immature, Medli—he's just fifteen. I'm sure in two years, when he's as old as we are now, he'll look back and be really embarrassed by what he said, but for now he's hurt and he's angry," Link said, sighing. He kissed her forehead and helped her stand.
"But it's near breakfast—we should dry off, get something to eat, and return to our studying of the books so that we can find the two Sages we need," Link suggested. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately, melding her body with his own. His hands rested on her hips. Medli wished the moment could last forever...but no. Slowly, she broke from him and took his hand.
"You're right, Link. We've got work to do," she nodded.
"Yeah...sorry," he grinned slightly. Medli glided over the water to the rope ladder and climbed up. Link swam over and climbed after her.
"By the way, Link...nice punch," Medli grinned, lacing her fingers with his. Link squeezed her hand.
"I've always got a glove for a lady in trouble," he smiled, kissing her hair. Komali groaned and stirred. He opened his eyes and put a hand gingerly on his beak.
"A-ahh..." the boy-prince winced, shutting his eyes in pain.
"How's it feel, you rotten buzzard? Like it?" Link glared. Komali returned the glare.
"How dare you treat the Rito prince as such?" Komali snapped. Medli released Link's hand and stalked over to Komali. Her red eyes locked with his red eyes. Though he was taller by almost half a foot, Medli was unimpressed by his height. She shook her head and turned to walk away. Komali stuttered a few noises out and reached out to grab her. Medli whirled and punched Komali in his beak. Komali cried out and fell backward, crashing to the ground again, holding his injured beak.
"That felt good," Medli smiled, taking Link's hand.
ooo
"It's been three hours and I still got nothin'...why did Medli get the one with the table of contents?" Tetra groaned, playfully pushing Medli. Medli grinned from where she sat tuning her harp. When she had fallen into the ocean, the harp had struck something and gone horribly out of tune. Using Link's Wind Waker, she was tuning the ornate gilt harp while sitting on a stool. Her largest string kept untuning itself...
"Ugh!" Medli groaned out loud as the lowest string lost tune again. She tuned the other out-of-tune strings carefully, then tried out the large one again. Finally, it was in tune.
"Hey, play us something, Medli!" Link looked up and smiled from where he was perusing his heavy volume of legends and research.
"Sure. Here goes," Medli shrugged. She stroked the strings of the harp, and beautiful chords and melodies followed her touch. Medli closed her eyes and lost herself in the music, letting her fingers find the strings by themselves. Something stirred in the harp. Medli could feel it. Suddenly, a definitive melody spoke from the harp, guiding Medli's fingers. Link and Tetra were gaping as Medli played the melody. Medli played it again to make sure she had it right, and the harp glowed.
"What...what was that?" Link asked, awestruck.
"I'm pretty sure that was the Nocturne of Shadow..." Tetra said slowly.
"Uh...what's that?" Medli asked.
"It's a song that's been forgotten by most. I saw it scrawled on a wall in Hyrule Castle under the stained-glass window of Impa...the Sage of Shadow," Tetra replied.
"What does it do?" Link asked eagerly.
"Well...it transports the player to the Shadow Temple, but I think it works only when the Hero uses it...that would be you, Link," Tetra answered. Link nodded.
"Well...if we have that, then let's head for the Shadow Temple, find out who we're looking for, learn the special song, and then get the new Sage and awaken him or her!" Link pounded his fist into his palm.
"How did the song go, again?" he asked Medli. She played it for him as he took out the Wind Waker.
"I wonder if I can get that on this Wind Waker...here's a shot," he muttered. Link moved the baton around, and voices like the wind itself responded. Purple sparkles appeared and whisked the three of them into the air. When they rematerialized, they were standing on the beach facing the gaping maw of a skull carved into the rock.
"No wonder people called this guy the 'Dark Sage'..." Medli said, shaking her head. She laced her fingers with Link's and walked into the mouth of the skull with him. Tetra looked behind them uneasily and walked after the two of them. They entered the antechamber and gasped. The rubble of what was once the sealing stone of the temple was scattered around the cave.
"How is this possible...?" Tetra said, looking around.
"No time to waste, then. We've gotta get moving!" Link urged. He ran to the hole that led to the temple, and he and Medli jumped in. Tetra took one last look behind them and leaped into the hole after them.