Chapter Eleven
Tomorrow

Ralis held his head high as he strode along the narrow cobbled street. Tall stone buildings rose high on his left and right, with oak doors and lead-laced windows. The sky was overcast and the rain drizzled down on him as much as it ever did, making him wet and cold and miserable. "The town Elder will not be best pleased to see a Hyrulian in his chambers," said Captain Arella haughtily, beside him. The golden ornaments around her neck and hung from her ears jangled as she walked. A blood red coat with slashes of purple velvet at the cuffs over a brass-buckled black tunic marked her out as high ranking military amongst the simple townsfolk of this harbour town. Her three-pointed hat with its plume of dyed blue and purple feathers created the illusion of height, such that she looked as tall as Ralis even though he was half a foot taller.

Ralis looked drab and insignificant by comparison in his rough brown cloak and hood, with a plain shirt and torn breeches and shoes in need of a good cobbler. Arella had not let him out of her sight since they docked in Oardan and he had taken his first steps into Kaira, insisting that she escort him to the Elder of the town. He knew of no-one and nowhere to go in this strange new country so he did as she asked purely because he had nothing else to do. She had not let him out of her sight ever since learning his name, though she pronounced it ra'Alis for reasons unknown.

"Who would of thought that I, Captain Arella of the Storm Chaser would be the one to find you." Hawk eyes smiled up at him over a hooked nose. She was about forty years old, and Ralis thought she might even be pretty if not for the way she dressed. He had never heard of a woman being a soldier, much less a ship captain. Not that there were female infantry soldiers in the Kairin army, but he had seen several women in posts of command.

"Yes," said Ralis darkly, "indeed."

…the world flickered…

"Rael, don't lose him. Show him to me. Show me the other."

Rael wrestled with his sleep, but then fell deeper into his own mind and let Ralis consume him.

…the world flickered…

"This is it," said Arella, stopping at a small dome-shaped building set aside from the streets. There was a gold-patterned archway at the front for an entrance, surrounded by grass and trees and flowers. "The elder will know if you are the one."

"The one what?" asked Ralis.

Arella simply chuckled and led him inside the building. The inside of the Elder's shrine was ornately furnished with intricately patterned rugs, polished lamp stands and wall murals. Beneath the rugs the floor was laid with white and green tiles. The air was thick with the smell of wax and alcohol. He was led down a narrow corridor through to a wide open space beneath the centre of the dome.

There was a man sitting at a desk scratching furiously at pieces of parchment with an ink pen. His hair was thin and white, and one of his eyes was pale, but he looked like he was strong, or used to be very strong. Arella stood Ralis before the desk and coughed loudly. The old man started to speak without looking up. "If you want my attention, Captain, I suggest you address me properly."

"Elder Tradon, I present to you Ralis al'Resh, a Hylian of Taran Kaey, Hyrule."

The old man looked up at Ralis, his good eye shining with bewilderment. "Light be praised," he whispered, "you have returned."

…the world flickered…

"No!" Rael shouted as Ralis slipped away from him, and the world melted into the night of the Gerudo desert. Sweating and gasping for breath he looked about desperately for any sign of his usual watcher in the night. The river gushed nearby, and the small campfire crackled. He had felt another presence briefly as he slept. Jolane had been here and he had heard her voice!

He leapt to his feet, boots already on his feet having left them on in anticipation of this event. He ran straight for the darkness, away from the firelight, across the dark of the desert. Breathless, he scanned the night for any sign of movement or sound. But there was nothing. "Burn you, Jolane," he growled into the darkness.

"Rael?" said a female voice behind him. For a moment he thought it was Jolane, but realised it was Elane's voice when he spun around and recognised her silhouette standing nearby.

Sighing, he dragged his feet as he walked towards her. "I'm all right. I thought I heard something, that's all. What are you doing up?"

Elane's pretty blue eyes shined in the firelight as he drew close. "You woke me," she said quietly.

Rael shifted irritably, "Oh, sorry."

Elane shook her head and took his shoulder, leading him back to his blankets. "Sit down, Rael."

"I'm all right, really," he said, as he slumped down onto his bedroll. He folded his legs and leaned backward on his hands as she sat down beside him.

She rubbed his squeezed his hand gently. "You don't need to tell me anything."

Rael laughed and loosed his hand free of hers awkwardly. "Thank you."

They sat for a moment, watching the river glimmering in the moonlight. The night sky had never seemed to full of stars and alive. The world was so still and calm as though oblivious of the war between the peoples on the land. Rael's father Resh had once told him that the stars were the souls of the dead, watching down on the living from heaven. Rael had argued with him that there even the thousands of stars above could not number the millions of dead of the ages. Resh had said that was because some were further away beyond our sight. Perhaps Resh was only joking with him as parents do with their children, or maybe he was telling the truth. Was his father looking down on him now? Was Mara?

"Elane did you have a family in Taran Kaey?" he said, gazing up at the night sky.

Elane waited for a few moments, before turning to face him. "My mother abandoned me as a child." she said distantly, "I never knew my father."

Rael just smiled, "I never knew my mother." He thought about Zelda when he said that, the woman who now claimed to be his 'true' mother, but she was not really his mother, as Link was not really his father, regardless of blood.

"All I have of my mother is this," she said, taking Rael's hand and holding it to her chest. He felt a necklace, or pendant, there; a fairly large carved object hanging from her neck. "I've had it since before I can remember."

"What is it?" he asked, taking his hand away.

"A family heirloom," she replied.

Rael nodded slowly. He had nothing to remind himself of his mother and father. Nothing except Ralis. "I hope I'm not interrupting," said Tabett, who was suddenly there. He sat down opposite Elane, and chuckled to himself. "It's quiet tonight, isn't it?"

"Yes, quieter than usual," said Rael, "despite the river."

"It certainly is," said Daran, striding into view, and dropping into place next to Tabett, opposite Rael.

"Is anyone actually asleep?" said Rael.

"Light, no! Not after your shouting fit," said Daran.

"Fit?" said Rael, surprised.

"You were thrashing in your sleep," said Tabett.

Rael looked at the three faces, all nodded in agreement. Rael was sceptical, but felt embarrassed. "I have no idea why. Do I do it often?"

Elane shrugged. "A couple of times before tonight, we didn't want to say anything though. We guessed you knew and were keeping quiet about it. We're worried about you."

"Don't be," said Rael quickly. "Let's just be quiet for a while."

The others nodded, and said nothing else. Usually the best was to describe the air in the desert at night was to say it was thin. Thin and dry; hot by day and freezing by night. Tonight was different though; there was a certain warmth in the air that he could not quite articulate in his mind, nor could he describe the chill that ran through the warmth, or the humidity of the dry in the air. His skin felt alive with extremes. Perhaps his three friends did not feel it in the same way but he knew what he could feel, and he knew it was significant.

"I fear tonight may be the last night we are all together," said Rael.

"What's that, Rael?" said Tabett.

"Tomorrow, by sunset, everything will have changed. Don't ask me how I know, don't ask me what will change. I just know. I feel it under my skin and in my bones. Our lives as we know them will change forever tomorrow." A tear trickled down Rael's cheek, which was joined by another tear from his other eye.

"Rael?" said Elane, softly.

"I love you all," said Rael, "so much." He climbed to his feet and wandered away into the darkness. Behind him he could hear murmurs, but he paid no heed to his friends any more. In his mind he was mentally preparing himself for the dawn. Twilight was upon Hyrule, a terrible Twilight, a Twilight of travesty. Tomorrow he would face the darkness.

His feet led him into the dark, scuffing his boots through the sandy desert floor and pieces of brittle rock. Tomorrow. His heart was hardened and his mind was resolved. Whatever tomorrow held for him, he would face it with courage and steadfast determination. If he was really a chosen man, then he was ready.

"…told him enough for now. He knows what he needs to know." Rael froze where he stood. That was Link's voice, somewhere in the dark, he could not see him. "We're close now, do not let this fail." Rael could barely believe what he was hearing… Link was talking to somebody in secret?

"He's too suspicious of me," said a second voice in reply, "everything will be ruined!" That was Jolane…

"Stop watching his dreams, then," snapped Link, "We are learning nothing from them."

"His dreams are becoming clearer!" said Jolane, angrily, "The other has reached Kaira! Surely this means the time is near."

Rael remained as still as he could. He could tell where the voices were coming from. He dared not move, for though they had not heard him approach, he feared they would hear him if he tried to get away, and he did not trust himself not to trip on a rock in the dark. Then they would know he had been listening.

By the gods, Link and Jolane were scheming together! He cursed his stupidity for not realising earlier. He trusted Link, after all the man was a Hero wasn't he? Why was Jolane reading his dreams though, and how?

"What will be, will be," said Link quietly. "Go, but stay close to the camp. Danger is not far away."

"It will begin tomorrow," said Jolane, then she was silent. Rael heard hurried footsteps disappear into the sand dunes and remained silent as Link began to walk back towards the campfire.