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Kaenryu

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Sheik's twin

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To Find The Future, Find The Past

Chapter Twenty Seven

A Royal Grave

Zel leaned against the wall in the pitch-black, terrified. She was deathly afraid of the dark. It was made even worse due to the moaning and groaning that could be heard echoing around her.

Zel had two options. She could either use her magic to light up the room, or she could sit alone in the dark and wet herself with fear. Examining the two opitions, the latter seemed less appealing. She closed her eyes, and clicked her fingers. She could see the bright light throught the lid of her eyes, but she didn't open them.

It was strange. All the noises had stopped, and the only thing that she could hear was hear own breathing. She cautiously opened her eyes, and screamed.

There, looming right in front of her, was the ghost of a woman. She had blonde hair and blue eyes, a long, lacey white dress, and stood regally, a diamond-encrusted golden tiara resting on her head. The perfect vision of purity and innocence. Zel fell to her knees in front of the awe-inspiring vision.

"Stand up, Zel." The apparation spoke in frustrated tone. She stood obediently, but kept her head down. She closed her eyes, and felt a cold hand on her shoulder. When she opened them, she saw Zelda looking her in the face. She blinked. Surely the vision of purity was not one of her imaginings?

And when she looked closely at Zelda, she noticed that the only thing missing from the vision was the aura of light that seemed to surrounded her. She still wore the same, regal garments, the same tiara, and even stood the same way. There was little doubt in Zel's mind that she was standing face-to-face with Zelda Hilyan, Princess of Hyrule. Yet the facial expressoin was different.

"What happened, Zelda?" Zel blurted out, seeing the tear tracks that lined her cheeks.

"He -- Angahim -- He --" Zelda spluttered, "He locked me in here. I woke up in here!" Zelda dropped to the ground and began to cry again.

"He did that to me when he kept me prisioner in the castle." Zel said simply, "Locked me up, he did. I couldn't get out till Linn rescued me." She had tried so hard to repress the memories for so long, but it was impossible. He had scared her forever.

"Do you know the way out?" Zelda asked, breaking the akward silence that had befallen them. Zel pointed up. Zelda's eyes followed the direction in which she was pointing, and saw the covered hole in what was now the roof.

"Oh." Was all she said, then she brightened, "Well, there is another way. I found it on the way here. I'll show you where it is." Zelda led Zel through the next room, to a chamber just before where the burial chambers were. She pulled a secret lever, and a wall sprang open, revealing a secret pathway.

"Where does it go?" Zel asked, eyeing the path with uncertainty. It was way too dark to see anything, and there was an old musty smell to it. She did not like it at all.

"Look," Zelda said, as if reading her mind, "It's either we take a chance and go in here, or we wait and die here of suffocation or starvation, whichever comes first."

"Well," Zel said, clearly upset, "When you put it that way... I vote we take the path and see where it leads us." Zelda nodded and, without a word, they stepped into the dark corridoor.

LATER

Zelda and Zel had been walking for hours, possibly even days, and they still could not find the way out. They rounded corner after corner, following the stone passageway through the underground.

"Zelda," Zel said, holding out the magical flame that she had been holding, "I can't hold it anymore, you take it." Zelda held out her hand, and Zel tipped the fire into the palm of her right hand. It continued to burn steadily. They had been doing this, to use their magic to keep the flame alight, for ages.

"Is that a light over there?" Zelda asked suddenly, pointing towards what appeared to be a pinprick in the disance.

"I don't know..." Zel trailed off, and they both unconscoiusly sped up a little bit. The pinprick gradually got bigger, and they sped up even more.

"It is!" Zelda exclaimed, and it was all either of them could do not to break out in a sprint towards the light. It grew bigger and bigger with every step, and soon they felt the cool, night breeze on their hot, sweay faces, and were breathing in all the fresh air that the world had to offer them.

It was Zelda who first took any notcie of their surroundings. They were in some form of a miniature oasis, hidden deep in the forest. Zelda had passed this space before, and knew exactly where they were.

"Lets stay here for the night." Zelda suggested, "We can make a fire and I'll kill us something to eat?" Zel nodded, excited. Despite their situation, she was anticipating her first night camping.

THE NEXT MORNING

Zel bolted up. She had somehow forgotten to tell Zelda about what had happened to the guys when she was gone. It weighed heavily on her conscious, and she decided that she would tell Zelda as soon as she woke up.

She got up, walked throught the trees, over to the little pond, and splashed some water on her face, clearing the sleep from her eyes. When she got back to the fire, Zelda was up, and tendning to it.

"Zelda..." Zel trailed off, "There's something that you need to know..." Zelda looked up.

"What is it?" Zelda sounded afraid. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know.

"Well..." Zel trailed off, now sure how to word it, "How should I say this?"

"Just spit it out." Zelda said, anxious, "Don't sugarcoat it."

"OK..." Zel readied herself, "After Angahim knocked you out, I'm guessing that's how you wouldn't know, he started a fire in the house. The entire ranch burnt to the ground. Everything in it was destroyed."

"That's no too bad..." Zelda looked thoughtful, but Zel hadn't finished.

"Listen to me." Zelda shut up, and brought her attention to Zel's story, "Link was trapped inside the house. No, come on, don't zone out on me, let me finish. He was pinned under a beam from the ceiling, from when Angahim knocked it down. We didn't know where he was, and then we heard him call out from the top of the building. By then it was burning rapidly. Come on, Zelda, stay with me..." Zelda had begun to cry. She thought that Link was dead.

"Why did Angahim want me?" Zelda demanded, shaking her head, "Why did he hurt us like this?"

"Listen Zelda... It's alright, for now. Linn got him out." Zelda looked up hopefully, "But it's not looking good for either of them. They both might not make it, and even if they do, they're minds might have been damaged." Zelda broke down again, "But Nabouru and Ruto took them to a 'hospital' in the 'Outside World', what ever that is."

"It doesn't matter..." Zelda weeped, "The doctors there can only do so much. If the burns are too bad, then they'll just pump 'em foll of morphene... and... and..." Zelda began to cry even more hysterically. She could not finish that sentence, for fear that it would ring true.

"You know about the 'Outside World'?" Zel was astonished. She should have been comforting Zelda, but she desperately wanted to know about the place that they had taken Linn. To her surprise, Zelda giggled.

"Yes," She was now laughing, "That's where Link and I are from!" And now it wasn't just laughter. She was wiping tears out of her eyes. Zel wasn't sure if they were tears of laughter, or tears of sadness.

"Oh." Was all that Zel could say. How could she be laughing? The ones that they loved were almost dying, and she was laughing! There was something wrong with the woman. She needed to be admitted to an asylum.

When Zelda stopped laughing, she became thoughtful and contemplative. Zel couldn't even to begin to think of anything that Zelda could be thinking of. After a few minutes, Zelda stood up. Zel eyed her curiously.

"Come on, Zel, let's go." Zel nodded, and, without a word, they extinguished the fire completely, and threw the rocks away, covering the charred area of ground with dirt and leaves. There was no trace of them ever being there. When their work was done, they began to trek through the forest.

LATER

Zelda had led Zel to Kokiri Village, on the outskirts of the forest. Zel looked around at the ruins.

"What is this place?" Zel breathed, "What happened?"

"This is Kokiri Village," Zelda explained in a whisper, "It was attacked by Dark Link and his cronies last year." Zel looked around nervously.

Zelda passed through the village, and into the lost woods. She knew where the Kokiri were, and how to get there. Zel followed her closely, sensing the strong magic that pulsated from this place.

After about an hour of trekking on no apparent path, they emerged in what was known as the Sacred Forest Meadow. Zel looked around, and it cost her. She has hit in the side by something. Hard. And it hurt!

Zel was brought to her senses rather rudely. She looked around, and saw Zelda hiding in a crevase of the rock walls, motioning for her to hurry up. Zel ran to the opening, and gasped at what had been etched into the stone.

"The Kokiri carved this so they wouldn't have to keep getting attacked by the Deku sprouts. Zelda explained, and began to climb the stone steps. Zel followed at the same brisk pace. They emerged on top of a maze. however, to stop themselves from getting lost, they had simply built bridges across the walls, making it an almost straight path. Zel marvelled at their craftmanship.

On the other side, there was a ladder, and then another staircase. This staircase, however, was overgrown with moss and vines, and you could hardly see the original marble blocks. The next thing they came across was what looked like a little market. There were miniature stalls, with things like rare berries or dried flowers , or even animal pelts. That in itself was remarkable, but perhaps the people that lined the street was what surprised Zel even more.

They were all children. Every single one of them. It kind irked Zel out a little bit.

"Where are all the adults?" Zel asked, incredulous. Zelda smiled warmly at a few of the little girls that stopped to curtsey them.

"There are no adults." Zelda walked calmly as you please through the swarm of children.

"So all these children are orphans?"

"No." Zelda looked at her like she was crazy, "Do you think I'd let orphans wander around the forest? Of course not! The Kokiri are a child race. They are the Forest's Children. They know no birth, nor do they see any death. The only thing that they know of is this forest, and that they will disappear forever if they leave." Zel was amazed.

"Princess Zelda!" A sing-song voice floated from over all of the others. Both girls turned to the one that had caled their name. They set eyes on a small girl with gren hair. Saria.

"Ah... There you are." Zelda smiled, honeying up her voice, "Saria, I was wondering if you could do me a favour?"

"Depends on what it is..." She cocked her head, and Zel smiled. She surely every bit as wise as she had been assured.

"We need you to contact Nabouru or Darunia. Whoever's free." Zelda pleaded, "I wanted you to tell them to come and get Zel and I, and to bring some extra clothes with them. Please, Saria?" Saria seemed to think about it.

"Alright." She agreed, "Right now?"

"Please?"

Saria disappeared in a green flash, but very few people took any notice. After about five minutes, she reappeared with a large bundle in her hands. She handed them to Zelda.

"Nabouru will be here as quickly as she can. She sent these. Put them on now." She said, sadness twinkling in her eyes, "If Link wakes up, tell him that I wish him a full recovery." Zelda nodded, and Saria led them to a large building. She took them trough the long corridors, and they came to an empty room.

"Change here." was all that Saria said. Zelda grabbed her arm as she turned to go.

"Thank you." Saria nodded.

"I'll come and get you when they arrive." Zelda nodded.

Will Link and Linn even be alive when Zelda and Zel make it to their destination? You'll have to wait for the next chapter to find out!

Now, review, and I'll acknowledge you in the next chapter. How's that for incentive. Questions and comments are welcome. I'll answer any that are answer worthy in the next chapter, OK? I mean it!