Opia: -shifty eyes- Hey all... I just happened to realize I already had this chapter typed up, so I'm sneeking this update in on my very limited computer time. Shhhh, don't tell my parents:P Anyway, this chapter's a little longer... I hope you enjoy
Cari: -is taking a vacation-
Opia: I'm all alone... : (
Link leapt to his feet, "Where's Ruto?" He yelled.
Dark Link just smiled tauntingly then bolted down the corridor.
"H-hey!" Link gave chase.
Down endless hallways full of priceless statues, vases, and paintings they ran, their footfalls echoing off the marble walls. The shadow was fast and Link soon lost him in the maze of the castle. Pausing near an old suit of armor to catch his breath, Link punched the wall.
"No! He got away!"
"Who got away?"
He whirled around to see Zelda standing right behind him. There seemed to be a dark veil draped over her and her eyes were cold.
"You aren't planning to leave again," The tips of her fingers crackled with electricity, "Are you? Not again."
"Well, I… uh," Link backed away from her.
"You cannot leave. You will never leave. I WON'T ALLOW IT!" Lightning flew out of her fingers and collided into Link, knocking him off his feet and onto the floor.
"Z-Zelda," He coughed, struggling to sit up, "W-why?"
"Why?" Zelda pushed him back down, straddling him and pinning him to the ground, "Because… I love you."
She bent down to kiss him. Link jerked his head away and kicked her off. Standing up he found the heaviest blunt object he could find, the helmet of the suit of armor.
"I'm sorry Zelda, I hope you forgive me," He smashed the thing into the princess's head, instantly knocking her unconscious.
..-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-..
Link pulled the hood of his cloak closer to his face. He figured it would be best to travel unrecognized. It was a good idea, for all the villagers seemed to be looking for him. Even the inseparable couple had gone their separate ways to brandish their knifes, rakes, and other potentially lethal household items in search for him. Luck was with the boy, as he slipped through the town's borders unnoticed.
They are all being controlled by the curse.
It moves them as one massive body.
Like how a queen ant controls her colony.
"Oh," He paused on the field just outside the drawbridge, "You three again…"
Oh I'm sorry, did we scare you?
There was a hint of mockery in the Goddess's voice.
Hush sister!
There is no time for this…
Jeze, it was only a little tease… No harm done!
If you haven't noticed the world we created is in jeopardy, there is no time for your foolishness Din!
Foolishness! It's just a little fun! But then the great Farore doesn't know how to have fun!
Din… Farore…
I can so have fun!
Bettcha can't!
DIN! FARORE! You're acting like children!
STAY OUT OF THIS NAYRU!
"Hey…" Link cut in, "Sorry to interrupt your conversation, but why are you talking to me again?"
I'm so sorry… My sisters can get out of hand at times.
Link could almost hear the two goddesses glaring at each other.
We've decided you will probably need all the help we can give you… So we will keep in contact with you all during this quest.
Unfortunately, we won't always be able to help you.
"You sound like Navi when you say that…."
Huh… I guess we do.
"Navi?… Wait!" Link looked up at the sky, "Has the Lost Wood been affected? Saria!" He got ready to run.
Stop right there.
Did we not tell you to be cautious?
Besides, we have news.
"News?"
Yes, it turns out we weren't completely correct when we told you the curse had affected everyone.
The curse was formed from the after effects of the spell and began to infect those the spell had not touched.
In other words, those who were changed by the spell have not been turned evil.
But that does not mean the curse hasn't had any effect on them.
"Really?… Do you know how many have been changed?"
No clue
We're still evaluating the effects of the spell.
But we're working on it.
You may find some allies at Lon Lon Ranch.
"How so?"
It doesn't reek of evil.
"Oh, okay," Link took out his ocarina and played Epona's song.
The notes hung in the air for a few moments, but no horse appeared. He ventured farther out into the field, looking for his faithful companion.
"Epona?"
A fierce neigh was let out behind him. Emerging from behind a hilltop was Epona. Or at least it looked like Epona at first glance. Its fur was pitch black where it should have been dirt red and its eyes shone with a heated fury that would send most grown men running.
Link was one of those.
The curse seems to have consumed her.
"No, ya think?" Link yelled as he ran for his life, the horse pursuing him.
Faster! Run faster! She's gaining!
"I'm trying!"
Coming up on the Hero's right was the entrance to Lon Lon Ranch, its large iron gates creaking softly in the breeze. Link leapt into the entrance, slamming the gates shut and closing the latch securely. Epona crashed into the gate, sending Link flying, but the latch held fast. Safely behind the metal bars, Link sat there on the ground panting and watching his horse glare angrily at him from the other side.
"Link?" Said a soft, disbelieving voice behind him.
The voice was familiar, but there was something about it…
"Link! It is you!"
Link looked over his shoulder at the approaching footsteps. He blinked dumbly at what he saw. A boy about his age ran up to him.
"Um… hi?" Link said.
The boy laughed, "Is that all you gonna say to me after all this time?"
His blue eyes twinkled as he brushed a strand of bright red hair behind his ear. Realization dawned in Link's mind.
"M-Malon?"
"That's my name," He smiled, "I'm insulted! You forgot me already!"
"You… you're a guy!"
"Yeah… so are you," Malon looked at him funny, "You feeling okay Link?"
Link, the girl has been altered by the spell.
With it, so have her memories.
In some cases this whole Kingdom's history has changed!
"Oh…" Link whispered.
"What was that?"
He flashed a smile at Malon, "Nothing, I'm just tired from the running exercise Epona had me do."
"Epona?" Malon got up and walked over to the gate where the crazed horse still thrashed at the bars, "Away with you! You are not welcome here! Begone, demon horse!"
With an irritated snort Epona left, but not without one last burning glare at Link. Malon turned back to the Hero of Time.
"I see you're still trying to tame that horse," He said with a smile, "Soul of a devil that one. You're lucky she hasn't killed you by know. Come on, let's get you inside."
He helped Link up and led him into the farmhouse, where Malon poured some homemade stew into bowls and set them on a table. Link sat down and looked around the empty room.
"I haven't seen any of your cuccos around," He commented, "And where is Ingo and Talon?"
"Cuccos?" Malon asked as he brought two bottles of Lon Lon Milk to the table, "They're locked up in their coops of course, no one would ever let vicious fowl like that loose," He sat down opposite from Link, "And my father and Ingo are out looking for you," Scooping up a spoonful of the stew the redhead blew on it, "Eat, it's good stew," He popped the morsel into his mouth.
"Looking for me? Why?" Link scooped up a spoonful as well.
"Now don't tell me you don't know," Malon raised his eyebrows at the blank expression on Link's face, "You sure you're feeling okay?"
"Just… answer the question."
"Why are they looking for you? Because you're a murderer Link."
The spoon fell from Link's fingers, "W-what!" His eyes were wide in shock.
"Oh, don't fret!" Malon smiled sweetly, "I know you were forced into it. I would never turn a kind soul such as yourself into the authorities."
"Wha-I…" Link stuttered, "I… I'm sorry, I've seemed to have forgotten more than just your face… Could you please… tell me about Hyrule and its history… as far back as you can?"
Malon leaned forward and placed a hand on Link's forehead, "You're not warm…" He sat back down, "What did they do to you this time, brainwash you?"
"Malon…."
"Okay, okay I'll tell you, but none of this should be news," He cleared his throat, "The land was created by the three golden goddesses Din, Nayru, and Farore. When they ascended up into the heavens they left behind a relic, the Triforce, which held within it the power of the goddesses themselves. The Sacred Realm in which it dwelled was protected by the temple that was built around it, the Temple of Time. Unfortunately the power to guard this sacred place was given to the Royal Family of Hyrule. Over time the family became corrupt and threw open the Sacred Realm to claim the Triforce's great power for themselves. I reaction the relic broke off into three pieces. The Royal Family managed to keep the Triforce of Power, but the Triforces of Wisdom and Courage vanished without a trace. So for years the Triforce of Power was passed down to the eldest princess in the family. At this time the kingdom was divided into many domains between the races, and wars were common place. Then one day, many years ago, a man from the desert appeared bearing the Triforce of Wisdom…."
"Ganondorf," Link said.
Malon nodded, "He came with a plea; he wished for the fighting to end and that all races could come together as one. It was his one dream to reunite the broken kingdom. The king grew fearful of this man, frightened at the thought of loosing his seat of power. So he commanded his daughter to use the power of her Triforce to find someway to stop this Gerudo. After a few days the princess had a vision of a boy who lived in a village of runaway children who had the power of the Triforce of Courage. Delighted in not only finding what he wanted, but in finding the last Triforce in a boy that could be easily manipulated, he sent out his soldiers to capture the boy and bring him back. There he gave the boy one command: kill Ganondorf or he would burn down the forest and kill all of the self-proclaimed 'Kokiri'. The boy had no choice but to obey. Soon the king realized the boy was much too young for the job. Without a second thought he sealed the boy up in a large stone chamber in the Temple of Time with only some equipment and just enough food and water coming in to keep him alive. There the boy stayed for seven years, completely isolated from the outside world. To keep himself sane he did the only thing that could preoccupy him, he trained. But this did not keep him from going a little mad, for seven years without hearing another's voice can do things to ya even if you can keep yourself entertained. Forever afterwards the boy always thought he had a fairy, though there was nothing there. I figure she was created from the need to talk to someone, he also thought his ocarina was magical, but that is a completely different story and I'm not quite finished with this one… When he was finally released from his prison he was immediately given his instructions on the whereabouts of Ganondorf and when to kill him. The boy did not wish to do this, but with his home and friends on the line he set out to perform his terrible deed. Much had changed in seven years, and Ganondorf had almost every race supporting him by then. But, hours before the great man was going to speak to his followers, the boy killed him, as swiftly and as painlessly has he could manage. Of course, word quickly broke out and the hatred of every person in the entire kingdom was directed at the poor boy. The king reassured his people that the boy was being dealt with, but he had really imprisoned the boy once again to wait until the day his Triforce's power was needed again."
Link's stew had gotten cold, but he didn't touch it, he hadn't he stomach, "How… How do you know all this?"
"The history is common knowledge, but the parts about the boy…" Malon gazed at Link over the top of his milk bottle, "I learned from you."
Link was silent.
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The Hero of Time stared up at the ceiling, listening to the cawing of night birds outside and the soft sound of Malon's breathing just a few feet away. He lay in a bed next to Malon's, thinking too much to go to sleep. Sleep had already taken the rancher boy.
What the Hell!
Sister! Watch your language!
But that whole story can't be right!
Din has a point Farore, there is no way the history could have been changed that much…
But she doesn't have to swear!
"Excuse me." Link whispered, "You mean that tale was news to you as well?"
Well, duh!
"But you're Goddesses!"
That doesn't mean we can see a past that doesn't exist.
Yeah! If we could see every alternative past that was ever created by anything we would… Well, we'd be very confused.
But we can usually feel if it is in a real time stream… but this one doesn't feel like that…
That would be because it is not.
Huh?
If that history was created by the spell then Dark Link would have been changed in a completely different way, and his memories were not altered, neither were Ruto's
"What are you saying?"
The curse.
"You mean the curse planted that history into everyone's mind?"
Yes.
But the two of them seem out of its reach.
Maybe the curse doesn't spread well without contact.
"What about Dark Link, he was at the castle…."
I don't believe the curse will affect him.
Huh?
He has always been able to detect evil easily, and knowing that it is there would make it easier for him to fight it. And I am certain that him being a creature of shadow would make it more difficult for the curse to take a hold of him.
"You three don't seem to know much more about what's going on here than I do. I thought Goddesses were supposed to know everything."
We do know one more thing than you do.
Din's voice was smug.
"And what would that be…."
Ruto and Dark Link are in a cave in the mountains.
"What!" Link bolted upright, "Why didn't you tell me this before! Where in the mountains?"
We are not going to tell you at this time. So lay back down.
You need your rest!
"No! I have to find her!"
Suddenly the boy felt something push him back down onto his pillow. Nayru's calm voice seemed very close.
Do you really wish to find out what in this changed world lurks after sundown?
Link thought for a moment then relaxed, shaking his head, "You're right."
Get some rest.
Tomorrow should prove to be interesting!
And with that the Hero of Time closed his eyes and drifted off into a deep, dream-laden sleep.
Opia: Ehehehehehe... This chapter was fun to write!
Cari: -suddenly appears- Excuse me! What the heck happened here!
Opia: -sweatdrop- Umm... Imagination?
Cari: Oh... Okay... -goes back to her vacation-
Opia: Review please!. :D