A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
A Pair of Time
Chapter 57- Requiem of Spirit, Part 4
Spirit Temple; Day
Once they advance forward by obtaining the Bombchus and shining light onto the sun symbol, our heroes find the next room to be a large chamber, and what sets this antechamber from the rest is a large statue of the desert goddess against the wall carved of the ancient desert dialect. Most of the puzzles are unreachable, and the heroes manage to only grab the Dungeon Map and find a way forward. After a short set of stairs, they enter a room that has enough problems to entertain Malon and Link from the antechamber. After unbarring the advancing door by feeding another sun symbol, they collect Silver Rupees, which fires up a torch, obviously a base to light other torches.
"Nah-uh!" Malon sticks her lower lips out. "I'm not lighting those torches! Those spiky traps are around!"
"… I WAS going to say we can stop them with these blocks so you can go around safely." Link then takes the Deku Stick out of her hands. "But since you're scared…"
The reward is a Small Key, which is used to unlock the giant door at the end of the next stairway. The room after is a large hallway, with brick pillars lining the patterned walkway. At the end is a wall with axes, but the most intimidating sight is an adobe chair with an organized set of heavy armor perfectly sitting on it. In its gauntlets is a giant battle-ax, still in position. Strangely enough, the ax is held up as if the panoply has somebody living in it.
"Then it does, then," Link affirms. "Something's inside the armor."
"How would you know, anyway?" Malon asks.
"Most of my assumptions are always correct."
"Oh? And mine ain't?"
"Yeah."
For a blind reason, Malon walks up to the heavy armor with Gerudo cloth on it. "Well, here's a dent in your assumption today, pal!" She kicks the ironclad suit, but nothing happens. She turns around to Link with a smug look on her face. "Ha, see? Here's an assumption of yours that's wrong!"
A few seconds later, Link's expression changes. "Uh, Mal…"
"What? What, fairy boy? Ya think you can talk your way out of this one? Well, I see nothing moving!"
"Malon, beh-"
"Nope! Whatever it is, I ain't gonna believe it, fairy boy!"
"Malon! Lo-"
"Look where? Up there? I always thought you were dense, Link, but I didn't think you were this dense!"
Link sighs, then Navi flies up and said, "You really need to listen because look behind you, Malon."
Confused, the redhead turns to find full horror staring down at her. The suit of armor has indeed come to life, with a breathing person inside. And no doubt comes into mind that it can wield the ax in its hands easily and deadly. The warrior snorts, which becomes a big blast of air to Malon. Frozen by shock, she gulps, then smiles weakly and facetiously. "Uh… Uhhh… Nice… Nice, um… suit of armor… you got there…" As a friendly gesture, she pokes at the leg to lighten the tense air. "Uh… I bet you polish it every night before going to sleep, do ya?"
A screeching scream goes off in Malon's head as the warrior thunders before her, swinging the ax around like a twig. Still paralyzed, she helplessly watches as the weapon spins fleeter with every turn. Link reacts quickly and snatches Malon from her spot before the battle-ax comes down in a fell swoop, literally slicing through the stone floor. The Heroes of Time look in surprised awe and astonishment at the warrior and at the ax in the ground.
DAAAAAMN…! They both thought before Link picks up Malon and flees with her from the site under the mercilessness of another godly blow. Finding a random pillar, he takes refuge behind it.
"By the goddess…!" Link pants heavily. "That was… so cool!"
"COOL?" Malon loudly gripes. "I ALMOST BECAME HALVES!"
"Quiet!" Navi hushes them. "Oh, Nayru, I never thought I would live to see an Iron Knuckle! Oh, why…? Why do we have to face one?"
"Well, Navi…?" Link starts.
"Oh, goddess, just use the damn 'attack at openings' technique! Do I have to make it sound easier than it is!"
"Well, you saw how it split the ground with that ax…"
BAM! The pillar behind the three breaks apart to the Iron Knuckle's ax like butter. The party stares in feared awe again at the warrior.
"Mwaaah!" It brings the ax up to attack.
"AAAAAH!" all three of them scream. Link dashes wildly from the spot, quickly followed by Navi. The moment his feet run away, the air behind him feels finely cleaved.
"STILL THINK YOU SHOULDN'T BE AFRAID OF DEATH?" Malon yells to Link.
"I TAKE IT BACK! I TAKE IT ALL BACK!"
They race over to another pillar, taking very profound breathers.
"Din!" Navi said. "I'm too small to have my heart beat like this without suffocating!"
Just then, Link's face goes to physical dismay. "Mal…" he said, "you better have a canteen that has a loose cap on it."
Malon realizes what her friend means and her face goes blank. It then reddens deeply just like the moment in the earth room before. "Um… sorry to say this, fairy boy, but… all my canteens are closed tight."
The dismal expression goes to miserable grimace. "Ughhh…" He shudders noticeably.
"What's wrong, Link?" Navi asks.
"Malon just…" He grits his teeth, "went loose on me."
"Hmm?"
Link motions his head towards Malon's lower body. There, the fairy sees droplets dripping from underneath, mostly coming from Link's hand. "Oh… uh… déjà vu?"
"Worse, because it's on my hand…" Link trembles again, "and it feels so hot and sticky…"
"LINK!" Malon screams. She hops off, her face turning purple from embarrassment and rage. "DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, SAY THAT TO A PERSON WHO JUST WET HERSELF!"
"You tell that to my hand." Link waves the marked hand at her, then shakes it to dry.
BAM! The second pillar suffers the same horrible fate as the first one, terrifying the heroes into another scream. Malon jumps back from the attack, while Link dives forward. He fluidly shoots a stab, but to his second-guess the Kokiri Sword only dints the armor. He rolls to the side for cover, holding his shield up.
"Ahhh…" Link shakes his left hand to comfort the pain, the one wielding his sword. "And that was my best stab…"
Malon still is stricken by the cogitation of being split in two to notice the Iron Knuckle plodding towards her. She quivers at first recognition, the Deku Stick in her hand multiplying the involuntarily movement. As the enemy warrior trudges on, the redhead's feet becomes feathery, and she almost collapses to her weakness.
Wait! A quick idea molds in her head loosely like wet clay. Feet! It ain't the best plan, but it'll work!
Malon sucks in the dusty air to regain control, then waylays for a strike at opportunity. She catches Link's eye off behind the Iron Knuckle, and fires a subtle nod at him. With an answer back with a nod of his own, the boy in green tiptoes in the steps of the monster, gaining upon it in pace and closing the distance between them. Malon continues to await, await the opening to appear. It comes with a rear of the Iron Knuckle's ax, sending the girl into rapid puffing. At the first movement of the fall of the giant weapon, she skids forward, aiming her foot at the opponent's own. She slams into it, but for a moment, it doesn't budge. Requiring more of the push, Malon digs her other foot onto the floor and drives her body forward, feeling a yield of grip and weight from the Iron Knuckle's ankle. As soon as the monster is off equipoise, Malon rolls on her side away from the inclining panoply. The Iron Knuckle attempts to stabilize itself, but the weight of the armor and the ax leaning in the falling direction are too much to oppose. In one second, the monster is still in the air. The next, a loud crash of metal banging against the adobe floor echoes throughout the edifice, causing a small quake along the floor the monster is on. Too hefty to even move itself, the monster groans to the common deceit Malon pulled.
"Huh." Link goes with the flow and does a down thrust on the Iron Knuckle, feeling the back armor giving through to his weapon. Soon, a yell follows a meeting of his blade against flesh. As the death scream subsides, so does the monster's slight movements Link feels against his blade.
"That was very cruel," Malon chides, staring at Link as he draws the bloody Kokiri Sword out.
"I suppose it isn't cruel to be sliced in half then," he reminds nonchalantly.
"Yeah, but still, that doesn't give us the right to kill things in this… grim way."
"Well, what other way should we kill the Iron Knuckle, then?" He shrugs.
"Um…" Nothing other than a sword in the back during the down position comes into Malon's head.
"Because if there is, I would have taken it for you, since you seem to not like me killing monsters this way."
"Ah, forget it." She quits with a loose, indifferent wave. She starts for the unbarred door behind the brick chair. "Let's go, I wanna get outta here."
"First…" Link takes out one of his canteen, "this."
"What?"
"Wash my hand. Did you really think I would walk around with my hand covered in your…?"
One of Malon's brows twitches considerably. "JUST… WASH IT… Never… speak… of it… again…" she forces the sentences through her teeth.
Desert Colossus
"Hey…" Dry, flaring sunlight greets Malon as she steps out of the opening. "We're outside!"
"Well, that explains why it was starting to feel hot again…" Link follows suit outward.
Malon glances around, surprised to see that the opening leads them to a place she least expected: the hand of the Colossus's statue. She never thought it's possible, but being so close up to the mammoth statue reveals so much details. Her head spins at the many visual, carven marvels that cover the smooth rocks of the sculpture. Malon takes another look, which results in a more surprised state as on her right is someone she never thought she'd see again: the large, sepia owl that aided the Heroes of Time during their early years. The creature observes them rigidly, then emits a hoot, "Hey, what's up, Malon? Surprised to see me?"
"Uh…" Malon nearly laughs for some reason, as if the owl is a close friend she hasn't seen in a long time.
"I am," Link replies when he heard the owl's voice. "What are you doing all the way out here, Kaepora Gaebora?"
"What?" The redhead gives a sideway glance at Link. "Kae… Kaepo…" Her gaze falls on the owl again. "Is that your name?"
"It is indeed my name, Kaepora Gaebora."
"But… you never told us your name."
"I never did, here today. But I have a strong feeling I told Link somewhere in the future."
Link nods. "Yes, sir, you did. Heh, I could remember it like it was some hours ago."
"A long time in this world is almost nothing to you, is it?"
"No, sir, not with our ability."
"When did he tell you, fairy boy?" Malon asks him.
"I think it was a little before Saria called me to head for the Temple of Time to you." He turns back to Kaepora. "You paid me a last visit after seeing off Malon, sir. During that, you told me your name, and who you are, an incarnation of an ancient Sage…"
"Indeed I am, Link," Kaepora hoots. "I see my future self hasn't faltered in its duty."
"So… Kaepora… you… you're a Sage?" Malon asks.
"Once. I was one of the first seven Sages of Hyrule, the ones who created these temples to keep sacred the power of the element each represents… I am the rebirth of the first Sage of Spirit, an owl, a bird who is wise beyond that of anything in its mortal life… I have forgotten my name of my former existence… but it is of no importance anymore. As long as my feats as the Sage of Spirit remain today and are remembered, there is no need to remember my old nomenclature."
"Oh… Could… Could you be…?"
"No, if I am reading your mind correctly, Malon. I am not the Sage you are searching for, if the legends are true about you and Link."
"… You know we're legends?"
"Not at first…" the owl whistles in disagreement. "Before I saw of your entrance into the Temple of Time, I had living doubts at first. I knew it was Fate that brought you and Link together to commit great acts for Hyrule, but I thought that the tales of a boy and a girl who could travel back and forth through time were merely a legend. Even as heroes as you two were back then, I honestly didn't think you were the Heroes of Time from the legend of the Royal Family that has been passed down throughout generations."
"Well, this is the one time you were wrong, Kaepora," Link said with a smirk.
"I'm very glad that I was wrong, Link, for it seems as if the young Hylians that I had guided throughout their childhood adventure have become the great people that fill in Hyrule's most prominent legend."
"Now you're just flattering us…" Malon adds. "Are we really that important?"
"Ah, that's one thing I truly admire from the two of you: your faithful modesty. No matter how difficult or life changing your journey may be, you always put forth above your personal needs the land that made you legends. Even after countless shocking events and battles that will degrade a person drastically, you two push on with the thought of saving Hyrule and its entire people. That, my young friends, is a trait of a true hero. And that is how I know… I have done my part of Fate for you, the Heroes of Time."
Malon never truly knew that, never knew Kaepora helped them in such a way that developed them into what they are and made it possible for them to be the Heroes of Time. "Th-Thanks… Kaepora. Hee, I… I never really said thanks to you… until now."
"It takes the right moment to recognize what is there beyond what is not, Malon…" Kaepora's eyebrows lift in memory, "which reminds me, I have one more advice for you two before I am done filling my part for the Heroes of Time." He rotates his head sharply to the statue of the desert goddess. "Two witches inhabit this temple, defilers of Gerudo lore. Be on your utmost guard when facing them, for they are the surrogate mothers of Ganondorf. His powers derive from them, which is to assume the witches are as potent as well."
"What about how to defeat them?"
"You will have to turn their own magic against them," he answers, coming back to the two. "Another treasure chest of the Spirit Temple contains the necessary item, the Mirror Shield." He then glances over to the other hand of the statue. "The only way to be grant access to it is to use the Silver Gauntlets, which are in this box." He motions with his head to the nearby chest. "Still, be careful, because the witches are deceitful in their ways and nothing is for sure when it comes to dealing with them. Hoot hoot!"
"Thanks… again," Malon giggles. "Second time."
"It is great of you to smile." Kaepora emits a sort of a chuckle. "Never look down when things are down itself. Now I must say farewell… forever… It's not my time anymore. Fate is done with me aiding the children of destiny and so I must soar the sky to leave you two be for the last time."
"Oh… well… it was great… meeting with you… for the last time, Kaepora," Link said with a hint of a downcast tone.
"Yeah…" Malon smiles sadly. "To think, I used to not like having… you around. Now… I'm sorry to see us never meetin' again… I guess ya never know who ya care for until a thing like this happen. Never thought I would say this, but… I'm gonna miss ya, Mister. Glad we could have this meeting one last time…"
"As it is… with you two, my friends… You have fully matured as adults… From now on, the future of all the people in Hyrule is on your shoulders." Kaepora expands his wings, then flaps them to hover for a moment. "Remember, I will continue to watch you… Adieu, Malon… Adieu, Link… Hoo hoo hoo hoot!" He gives one big push with his wings to reach a comfortable level to fly from. A few more flaps, and he is seen soaring the sizzling sky, disappearing by the seconds into the faint horizon. The Heroes of Time watches the area where Kaepora Gaebora shrank into for several minutes, contemplating for the owl that helped them reached certain goals during the starting times of their adventure.
"He was a good person… wasn't he?" Malon finally speaks after the prolonged moments.
"Yeah… I think we didn't give him the respect he deserved back then… But I feel better knowing that he now does."
"Really gonna miss that owl…"
"C'mon, let's get the gauntlets and give them to Nabooru."
They open the chest, and lying inside, just like Kaepora told them, is a pair of gauntlets, enhanced by the magical silver plating on each that tremendously increases strength to the wearer. For a moment, both of them begin to slightly admire the part of the pair they're holding. Like any item infused with energies of enchantment, they could feel the aura of the gloves producing raw power that is little compared to when the Silver Gauntlets are worn. But alas, it's not for them; it's for Nabooru.
"Well, the temple was fun…" Malon remarks as they head inside the opening, "while it lasted."
"I don't know why there's no shortcut to get down to the first room."
"Meh, unless you wanna jump down from the hand…"
Link is about to respond when a scream shatters the dull air. "Hey! Where are you taking me!" The source comes from outside, and so the two rush out the opening again, hearing another shriek. "Yeearggh! Let me go!" Malon and Link become shocked at what greeted their eyes. By the blunt arch near the Spirit Temple's patio is Nabooru, but the lower half of her body is engulfed in a purple vortex in the sand. Two hags, dressed in black clothes that have Gerudo runes of elements on them, circle around Nabooru on levitated brooms, both in a state of concentration to uphold the spell they're casting. Nabooru tussles against the vacuuming magic, but her struggle is in vain as her body slowly inches down into the abyss on the other side. "You, you fiends! Ganondorf's minions!"
"Nabooru!" The Gerudo catches her name from the two yelling kids above on the statue's hand.
Knowing it's useless to escape, she grunts as she lifts an arm at them and shouts, "Link! Malon! Get out of here! Now!" Her neck becomes next to begin submerging into the darkness. With a final endeavor, she continues, "These witches! They're using black magic on me!" With that, the portal shadows her eyes and then she could not see the world anymore, a world that is lighted up by the hot sun. It's a little moment later when she could feel nothing at all, ultimately on the conclusion that she has fallen under the witches' influence.
"Hee hee hee he!" the witch of the red runes cackles. "That wasn't so hard, eh, Kotake?"
"Hee hee he, no, it wasn't at all, Koume!" the witch of the blue returns.
"But, oh, look!" Koume goggles at the Heroes of Time, squeezing a startle from them. "We have some pesky kids, Kotake!"
"Oh, now, we can't have them interfering, can we? They're going to be bothersome!"
"Let's make sure they don't come back!"
Once aware that the witches heading up to them are intent to cause trouble, Malon and Link dart for the opening back inside the temple, but Kotake zooms in and blocks the way. Koume hovers up at them, laughing horrendously. "So what do you think we should do with them, Koume?"
"Hee hee hee! I say let's take them and use them for our brainwashing experiments!"
"Oh, the great Ganondorf will certainly like that!"
They both begin a silent chant, only noticeable by their black-lipped mouths moving. Link and Malon back up to each other, knowing that time is running out.
"Link, any good ideas?" she mutters to him.
"This is the one time that I don't."
"Great…"
"… Mal, when they're about to finish their spell, I want you to jump off the hand and aim for the sand. Run when you reach there, whatever you do, run."
"What? Link, no! I'm not gonna leave you!"
One of Koume's hand glows red, indicating near completion. Kotake's hand holds blue, going at the same rate as Koume. "They're going to take us both, but one of us can escape. And…" Link hesitates, then finishes, "I want that person to be you."
"No! There has to be another way!"
"There isn't… Not that I can think of…"
"No…" Malon's hand suddenly slips into one of Link's. "No, I can't… I can't go on… Not without you, Link…"
"You'll…" He tightens his grip around her hand. "You'll have to…"
"No… Link…" Her voice and her body quaver, feeling how unfair everything seems to her right now.
The witches cackle again when their chanting is complete. In each of one of their hands is an orb of converged energy, the color reflecting the element of the witch that holds it.
"Hee hee hee hee he! Lights out, kiddies!"
"We'll have fun brainwashing with you!"
As they rear back to let their spell loose, Malon's heart becomes overwhelming, not just for her life, but how she would be if Link isn't there to help her, to encourage her, to talk with her, to… be with her. It begins as unbearable sorrow, then becomes a feeling so strong that the redhead takes action. She grabs Link's arm and pushes him away, out of the area under target by the spells. A shocked Link gazes back at her for a second, seeing a tearful expression on Malon, sad but joyful that she would do this, take her friend's place, take her close buddy's spot, take her… love's blow.
WHSING! The enchantments blast onto the farm girl, blinding the air for a second, then taking her away from the physical world. All that's left is a rain of multicolored sparks, slowly falling onto the hand and onto a shattered boy in green. The witches are nowhere to be found.
"Malon!" Link dashes about the spot, frantically searching the surrounding. "Malon! No! Malon! Where are you!"
"Oh, goddess, Malon!" Navi pops out. "She's been taken by the witches!"
"No!" Link goes back into the opening, but finds the door leading inside barred shut. "No! This can't be! I have to save her!" He relentlessly tackles the door, but finds to no avail a crack. "No! Malon, I'm coming!" He runs outside again and is about to jump off the stone hand when Navi blocks him in the face.
"Link, it's useless! Malon's in another area of the temple! We can't reach it, not without using the Silver Gauntlets!"
"But that means I have to… I have to go back to the future! I can't do that! Who knows what those witches will do to her while I'm gone! No, I have to save her now!"
"We can't!"
"Move out of the way!"
"Link!" Navi smacks her body against his face. "Calm down and think!"
"Calm down? Mal's in danger, we can't waste our time calming down!"
"Trying to save her now is a waste of time! We can't go on to the other half of the temple without using the Silver Gauntlets, and right now, you can't use them!" Despite her plead to hearken, Link pushes Navi away, but she quickly catches him and hits him again. "Link, shut up and calm down for a moment! That's all I'm asking!"
He doesn't want to, but seeing as the fairy will continue bashing him if he doesn't stop, he gives in. "Fine! What's your plan, then!"
"I said calm down! Nayru, you are out of control!"
"Grr…" He trembles for a few instants, then breathes deeply, ceasing the blind anger in his body. "Alright… how are we going to save Mal, Navi?" he questions with still an unsound, burning quake.
"Link, I know it's hard to hear it, and believe me it's hard for me to hear it too, but we cannot rescue Malon in our current state and equipment. Do you understand me?"
Link quavers some more, but he manages to allay it. "Yes… but Navi, are you sure there isn't another way to get to Malon right now?"
"I'm sorry, Link, but there's nothing I can think of that will allow us to come to Malon's aid at the moment. We'll have to do the inevitable and painful thing: travel seven years into the future so that we can use the Silver Gauntlets."
"Oh, goddess…" He groans dispiritedly, almost coming close to crying. He couldn't stop a tear from falling out of his eye. "Seven years… That's… That's… It's like Kaepora said, it may seem like nothing to me, but to Malon while she's here... Damn… It's wrong; I… I can't keep her in here for seven years, Navi, I can't."
"I know, Link, and I don't want Malon to stay in the temple for that long any more than you do. I wish it wasn't so… but…" Navi nudges one of his cheeks, "we have to. It's the only way."
He doesn't know how long he and Navi have been standing there cogitating, but Link knows it seems like forever. After a few more breaths, he nods at Navi. "Okay… It's the only way, then… Travel seven years into the future…"
"I know it hurts, Link. Don't count me out of this, too. I care for Malon and this is affecting me as much as it does to you. We just have to pull together and do our best to make sure our friend comes back safely."
He permits another deep breath before shakily pulling out the Ocarina of Time. "I hope you're right, Navi…" He takes one more look at the statue of the desert goddess, muttering, "Hang on, Mal… Hang on for seven years… because we're coming to get you, no matter how long or how difficult it will be… No matter what…"