Distant Shores
By Mr. Crash
Chapter One
I woke up with a pit in my stomach. Something was very, very wrong.
I rolled out of bed and stood up, stretching, unable to shake the sickening feeling I had. I went to the window, and looked outside; I saw only the clear blue sky and the rich green woodlands. The Kokiri Forest was completely devoid of all things horrifying and terrible.
At that moment in time, I was living in my house in Kokiri Forest. I'd been living there for the nearly six years it had been since the War with Ganondorf had ended. The one-time hut was much bigger now, as I'd expanded considerably. The house was still in a tree, but I'd made it much, much bigger. Bathroom, living room, kitchen; all the essentials of a house. Plus, I'd made the roof higher. Over time, I'd gotten sick of hitting my head whenever I stood up. All the additions were nailed on and connected to the tree. Steps led from the original room, the one room my hut had had, and went up to everything else. All in all, I quite enjoyed my home living.
After my stretch, I changed out of my night clothes - just boxers, as I sleep shirtless - and into some acceptable day clothes. I threw on a loose-fitting shirt and corduroy pants.
After I changed, I went upstairs, intent on having breakfast. Though I usually skipped breakfast (and then ended up eating a huge lunch), I figured that maybe some food would settle my stomach. Once in the kitchen, I started up a fire underneath a large metal plate. Once the plate became extremely hot, I cracked two eggs and put the innards of them on the plate. I'd always liked having eggs for breakfast.
Whilst the eggs were being made, I reached into a drawer and pulled out a loaf of bread and began slicing it into pieces. I went to the cooler and got some butter. Yes, I had a cooler. They're one of the newest ideas. You take a large metal box and fill it up halfway with ice. There are two shelves above the ice, and you can store anything you need to keep cold on the shelves. Though very useful, they're quite expensive, as it's very difficult to obtain ice; the Zoran Domain is the only place where ice is present year round, so you have pay a lot to buy ice that is available in stores.
I got the butter from the cooler and spread it on the slices of bread. I also got some milk and poured myself a tall glass. I've always found that there is nothing like a homemade breakfast to calm the nerves.
Sitting down at my kitchen table, I began to eat. But despite the relaxing nature of the meal, I was just unable to shake the feeling of sickness. It's the kind of feeling you get when you drop your keys in the sewer, or learn that your best friend has moved to another part of the country without saying goodbye. It was a feeling of great loss.
After finishing breakfast, I decided to go for a walk. I figured that some fresh air would do me some good.
I went back downstairs to the main room, exited out onto the front balcony, and climbed down the ladder from my treehouse. When I was only a few steps away, everything went white. It was as though a bright white light was blinding me. Everything faded away in a white haze, and I was soon floating in an infinity of light.
A normal person might have been terrified, but I'd already encountered this exact same thing. Only one person could be doing this: Zelda. Zelda was contacting me telepathically.
Zelda and I share a special bond, what with us both holding pieces of the Triforce. We've never been exactly close, but there has been many a time when, in times of need, she'd contacted me via telepathy. The first time it'd happened, when Zelda had escaped Hyrule Castle with Impa, I was disoriented and shocked. Now, I was able to take it in stride.
I was very surprised that she was contacting me now, though. Normally, she only contact me with the psychic link when there was a threat facing Hyrule, and the land of Hyrule had been free from evil for over two years now (excluding various minor incidents that had arisen).
Only a few moments after standing in the great whiteness, Zelda floated into sight. She'd changed her appearance from when I'd last seen her; her hair was short, and she gained some color, as though she'd been outside a bit more than usual.
"Greetings, Zelda!" I said, as cheerfully as possible. "You look good."
Zelda frowned. "Link, this is no time for joviality. I need you to come to the castle as soon as possible." The castle had been rebuilt in the years since Ganondorf had destroyed it four years ago, and was nearly identical to in design and architecture.
I was put off a bit by the normally optimistic Zelda's response. "Well, of course, I'll be there in just a bit, but what is it? I mean-"
"Link, there is no time to explain. You must come quickly. Bring the Master Sword and the Ocarina of Time."
I was shocked. "Is this some sort of a joke?" I asked, my voice incredulous. "What could you possibly need those two things for?
She looked saddened. "My deepest apologies, but there simply is no time. I'll explain everything to you once you arrive."
I sighed. "Alright, Zelda, I trust your judgment. Is there anything else?"
She looked me up and down. "Well, you might want to wear clothes more fitting to the Hero of Time. I'd wear what you wore during the War."
I raised my eyebrows and gave a disheartened shrug. "I find myself baffled by these requests, my Queen, but your wish is my command."
"Thank you. I'll see you in a few hours. And remember: hurry!"
Before she even finished her sentence, she began to fade from my sight. The white haze which had eclipsed me began to dissipate, and slowly, my vision returned to normal.
I shook my head. "Looks like it'll be one hell of a day," I said to myself.
Fifteen minutes later, I'd changed into my 'Hero' outfit: Green tunic, white leggings, leather boots, and leather gloves. My green cap was tucked into my belt-buckle. I climbed the stairs upwards.
At the very top of my treehouse, I had a small room that I almost never went into and never allowed visitors to enter. I climbed up a ladder and opened the hatch leading to my attic.
I use my attic to store all my relics from the War.
There are two chests in the room, and a large mantle. The chests are loaded with items left over from the war; masks, my boomerang, slingshot, the Lens of Truth...anything and everything that I'd had. On the wall were mounted various weapons, such as the Biggoron's Sword and the Megaton Hammer. I know historians and craftsmen who would cut off a limb for the chance to examine the artifacts in this room.
Above the mantle were mounted two sacred objects, two things that had meant more to me during the war than anything else: The Master Sword and my Hylian Shield. The Sword was pointing straight downward, and the Shield covered it – a very majestic sight. I reached up and pulled down the two legendary items from my wall.
A warm feeling spread through as I touched the Master Sword. Since the War, I had only needed it a few times, and it'd been almost a year since I'd last used it. It was good to hold it again. It was just as perfect as I remembered it; I'd never needed to maintain it, as it never rusted or lost any of its luster.
On the mantle was a small, wooden box. It was completely blank, except that it had the symbol of the Triforce on its cover. I picked it up, opened the lid, and removed the Ocarina of Time.
I could feel the magical power swirl through the air when I removed it from its container. It radiated magic. I put it in a small pouch on my belt.
A strong feeling of deja vu washed over me. Memories came rushing back as the magic of the Master Sword and the Ocarina of Time began flowing over my body. Everything I'd done during the war...the Spirit Stones, meeting Sheik, the temples, the Sages, and Ganondorf…
I shook my head, coming out of the temporary haze I'd been caught up in. Zelda had urged me to hurry, so I preceded with haste; it was not wise to keep the Queen of Hyrule waiting. I left the room and headed for Hyrule Castle.
I was just about to cross the drawbridge into Hyrule Market, and the sick feeling I'd had since the morning hadn't left me. It wasn't some intense feeling, just a general nausea. While the feeling had abated slightly when I'd gotten my Sword and the Ocarina, it had returned once I'd gotten on Epona and begun riding to the castle. Even now, as I rode across the drawbridge, it was there.
The Market was as busy as ever, and hundreds crowded the streets. Hyrule Market had been restored and expanded since the War, and was practically twice the size it had been pre-War.
Once I entered the Market, I turned and headed for the nearest stable to keep Epona while I visited Zelda. Anyone else might've had trouble getting through the throng of people...well, it's not everyday the Hero of Time visits Hyrule Market, decked on in battle gear and riding a huge war horse, is it? The crowd parted in front of me, and I almost laughed at their practically religious reverence of me. Those surrounding me began muttering to the ones around them, and I heard the whispered words 'Link' and 'Hero' filter through the crowd as I made my way across the town square.
After arriving at the stable, I paid for a stall to keep Epona in. It was a humorous event, as the man working behind the desk became very nervous when I arrived, stuttering and trying hard not to do anything wrong.
After tying up Epona in a stall, I began weaving my way through the crowd towards the castle. It was harder to get through the crowd, as I wasn't as conspicuous as I had been while on Epona; still, I managed.
Getting through the guards was very easy. I hardly needed to do more than nod at them before they leapt out of my way. I crossed the moat surrounding the castle and entered.
The first room in Hyrule Castle is very large, with doors and steps leading to all parts of the fortress. When I entered, I was startled to find Rauru there.
"Rauru!" I exclaimed, flabbergasted by his presence. "What in the world are you doing here? I haven't seen you in-"
"No time for pleasantries, Link," he said, interrupting me. "Time is of the essence. You have the Ocarina of Time and the Master Sword?" he asked.
"Well, yes, but look, why won't any one explain to me what's going on?"
"There's no time, Link. Follow me." He beckoned, and then turned and began to head towards a door.
I took a few steps before stopping, angry. "Now you listen to me! What the hell is going on? You and Zelda keep urging me on, telling me how vital it is I move with speed, and yet still I still am in the dark. I want to know what's going on, why you needed me here, and why it's so important for me to have the Master Sword and the Ocarina of Time."
Rauru stopped and turned back towards me, a deep frown on his aged face. "Link, if you will just follow me, all will be revealed in a few moments. Please, come."
I sighed. "Alright...I trust you, Rauru." I followed him.
He opened a large, engraved door that I'd never seen before. We went through hallway after hallway, until at last, we arrived at a small side passage that I'd never been down before. Opening a small door, he stepped through and invited me in.
I stepped through, and was shocked at what I found.
The little door was very deceptive. Inside was a massive room covered with dozens, if not hundreds, of bookshelves and bookcases. It was a gigantic library. In the center of the room was a large table, and those sitting at the table were the biggest shock of all.
It was all the Sages. Zelda, Saria, Ruto, Darunia, Impa, and Nabooru, each sitting, browsing through books. I hadn't seen them all together in one place since the end of the War! It was truly a magnificent sight, to behold six of the most powerful people in Hyrule, all gathered at one table.
I was completely thrown by their presence. What in the world could be so important as to call them together?
"My Goddess! Zelda, Saria, Impa, what in the name of the Triforce are you doing here?"
They all placed down their books and turned to face me. Nabooru stood from her chair and stretched. "Yes, truly, what in the name of the Triforce."
I let out a sigh of frustration. "Farore, will someone just tell me what's going on?" I insisted, frustrated. "You all have been carrying on with such a mysterious attitude, and yet still I know nothing! Tell me what's happened!
Eyebrows raised, a look of surprise was upon Nabooru's face. "No one has told you what's happened?"
"No!" I practically shouted.
She shot a glance at Zelda. "It seems as though Ganondorf has escaped."
The look of horror, shock, and disbelief on Link's face was very familiar. It was the same look that'd appeared on the other Sages faces once I'd told them the same thing.
Link took off his cap, and ran a nervous hand through his hair. He took a step back, as though the Gerudo woman's words were something an assault upon him. "You can't possibly be serious," he replied, a sort of finality in his voice.
"It's no joke," I said, rising from the table. "We called you here to inform you, and to tell you what you'll need to do to defeat Ganondorf again."
Link remained surprisingly calm, though I could tell my words rocked him to his core. "This can't possibly be right. Ganondorf has been banished to the dark realm; surely there is no way he could ever escape." His voice was cold, emotionless.
I walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Have a seat, and I'll explain everything to you." I gestured at one of the empty seats at the large table we were sitting at. He seemed to be in a daze.
After he sat down, I began. "Link, this morning, I woke up feeling very sick." He glanced up at me when I said that, but stayed silent. "At first, I thought nothing of it, but over time, I realized that this was more than a simple sickness. Something very wrong had happened. It was only a short while later that Rauru arrived at the castle. He told me that Ganondorf had escaped," I continued. "At first, I was like you; I didn't believe a word of what he was saying. But then, he showed me this." I pulled off the glove on my right hand, and showed him the back of my hand.
With a loud exclamation, Link practically fell out of his chair. "Holy Farore...Is this for real, Zelda?"
He was, of course, referring to the Triforce symbol on the back of my right hand. However, it had changed. Instead of the three triangles, touching one another and forming the symbol of the Triforce, there were only two triangles. The top triangle was gone.
"Check the back of your hand, Link," I told him.
He did, and seemed dumbfounded when he found the same thing on his hand. "That...it wasn't like that this morning..."
"In order to escape the Dark Zone that he was banished to, Ganondorf blew a hole in the fabric of reality, and escaped back to our world."
Link put his face in his hands. "How?" he asked in a hushed voice. "How'd he do it?"
"At a terrible cost," I answered. "The price of his escape was his Triforce piece. Do you understand?" I implored, my voice resolute and my tone encouraging. "The reason the birthmark on the back of your hand is missing the top triangle is because Ganondorf no longer has the Triforce of Power."
A look of hope crossed his face. "He doesn't have the Triforce of Power anymore?" he asked.
"No. He's quite weakened right now."
Link leapt to his feet. "Then we must find him immediately and kill him! Before he can wreak any more damage on the world! Just tell me where he is, and I'll hunt him down and -"
"Link," I interrupted, "sit down and let me finish. Even without the Triforce of Power, he is still incredibly powerful and still incredibly dangerous. You cannot just go chasing him. He'll kill you if he finds you."
"And how could he possibly do that?" he snapped, skepticism on his voice and a sense of being insulted in his demeanor. "If I could beat him when he did have his Triforce piece, it's certain I'll be able to beat him now."
I sighed. Link had never really understood the importance of the Triforce pieces. "Link, when Ganondorf is in possession of the Triforce of Power, the only way he can be defeated is if all the Sages, as well as the wielders of the Triforces of Wisdom and Courage, unite and battle him as one. Power trumps Wisdom or Courage, but it doesn't trump Courage and Wisdom," I began. "However, outside of giving you protection against most forms of magic, there is no tangible use for the Triforce of Courage. It doesn't give you infinite power, or infinite wisdom, it gives you infinite courage. And even if you are the most courageous person in existence, it doesn't help if you attempt to defeat someone stronger than you."
Link frowned. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean."
I thought for a moment. "Imagine, just for a second, that someone like Malon had the Triforce of Courage. She would have infinite courage. Do you think she'd be able to defeat Ganondorf?" Link shook his head. "No, obviously not, because Ganondorf is so much stronger than she is. The same thing applies to you. You have infinite courage, but Ganondorf is still so much stronger than you are. Do you see what I'm getting at?"
Link nodded.
"But," I continued, "you can defeat Ganondorf if we all work together and focus our power through you. It's a case of the sum equaling more than the parts combined."
"Link," Rauru remarked, "Ganondorf is the most powerful being on the planet. Alone, there are none that can hope to contend with his will. However, his loss of the Triforce of Power gives us an advantage we didn't have during the War. It will take less to defeat him than before; also, he has lost some of his magical strength, and is no longer magically aware of what is going on in the world."
Link nodded. "Alright, what am I to do?"
"When Ganondorf gave up his Triforce piece," I began, "the Goddesses shattered it into eight pieces. These pieces have been scattered across eight temples of worship all across the land. It is up to you to find and recover these eight pieces."
Link appeared confused for a moment. "What, the temples I was at before? Well, we should get through those in only a few moments!" He paused and looked at me. "What's the trouble, then? With you seven helping me, we'll find and recover the eight pieces before the day is done!"
Nabooru sighed. "Don't be so thick. There are only five temples in Hyrule."
Link frowned. "Then where are they?" he asked.
The Gerudo woman rolled her eyes. "Obviously, not in Hyrule."
"Holy Farore, just tell me where they are!" he shouted, rising from his seat. "If they aren't in Hyrule, where are they? Some other dimension?"
"Please calm down," Saria interjected. "You have to keep in mind that Hyrule is not the only landmass on this planet."
Link stared uncomprehendingly. "There's...somewhere else?"
"Yes," I said. "There is a land out over the Western Sea. That is where the temples are. That is where you must go."
Link sat back down with a great sigh. "Let me see if I've absorbed all this. Ganondorf has escaped from the Dark Realm, but no longer has the Triforce of Power. The Triforce of Power has been shattered into eight pieces, and scattered to eight temples. These temples are not part of Hyrule, and are in some land that I've never heard of, and so now the eight of us have to go to this land and recover the pieces?"
I nodded. "Mostly right," I said.
Link sighed again. "How come I've never heard of this land across the sea?"
"Before that, there is something you should know," Ruto cut in. "None of us will be able to go with you."
"What!" Link exploded. He leapt up from his chair so fast that he knocked it over. "Why in the name of all that is holy not!"
"Link, calm down!" Darunia said in a commanding tone. "Do not think for an instant that I would not leap at the opportunity not to go with you! There is much more to it than that!"
Hoping to calm the two, I said, "Keep in mind, with the exception of Saria, Impa, and Rauru, we all have kingdoms to run."
Link looked shocked. "What, the empires can't survive for a few weeks on their own? Surely this is more important than that!"
I nodded. "Yes, it truly is more important than that. However, we cannot let anyone become suspicious as to what has happened."
He frowned. "Why?"
"You already know the answer to that," I said in a dark tone. "Can you imagine what would happen if the general populace learned that Ganondorf has returned?"
A defeated look appeared on his face. "There would be chaos," I continued, "and you know it. Panic would sweep Hyrule; terror would grip the peoples. Not to mention the fact that there are still creatures loyal to him, and who knows what they'd do. We cannot let anyone find out that Ganondorf lives."
"And there's always the escalated bigotry the Gerudos would face," Nabooru chipped in.
"And secondly," I pressed, "you have to remember that Ganondorf is looking for the eight pieces as well. If any of us travels with you, Ganondorf will become aware of it."
The Hero of Time looked confused. "How?"
Once again, I realized that there was much about the nature of magic Link simply did not grasp. "We Sages all give off a great deal of magical energy. If we travel with you, Ganondorf will sense our energy. By knowing our location, he will be able to confront us at his leisure; perhaps when we are divided, or perhaps when we are sleeping. He could pick us off one by one until none remained." This was complete truth; Ganondorf was a wise and crafty foe.
Link sighed. "I understand, but...I still can't believe you're going to send me on my own to do this...I mean, before, during the War, we had no other choice. But now, we're on the advantage, so surely..." He seemed wounded, pained. There was a tremendous sadness about him.
I allowed myself a small smile. "You're such a pessimist. Even though we cannot accompany you, you won't be without help."
I turned to the other Sages. "Come, let us go get Link's companions."
