Disclaimer: I do not own anything in the Zelda Franchise... I wish I did.
Chapter 2 - Awakening
"I lived for countless years In fear of this very moment." A deep and wise voice resonated within the ghostly chamber. 'Yet, in anticipation, I waited… for the boy of the prophecy.' Tired blue eyes traveled to the glistening crystal coming to life in the sacred chamber between time itself. 'Link… the chosen one.'
Rauru, the Sage of Light, stared at the brave boy, who unlocked the Door of Time, with hope and worry in his gaze. As the prophecy had foretold, the chosen one opened the way to the Sacred Realm, as a light to bring hope. But in doing so, he also brought along the same calamity he will have to stand and fight against.
With a courteous nod, Rauru rubbed two fingers against his white mustache. As much he dreaded to think about the unspeakable evil Ganondorf will bring to Hyrule, his ascension to power also is the will of the goddess, for only then their chosen one can banish the evil forever.
'And he will do so.' The elderly Sage thought with resolution.
His faith is placed not only on the small boy, who he guided through his first steps out of Kokiri Forest as a giant owl; but also in the instrument of justice and light resting in front of the young hero's unconscious form. 'The Master Sword will lead the boy to fulfill his destiny. The ultimate weapon against evil, a beacon of…'
A pause came to Rauru's unspoken words. His pensive gaze fell on the pristine sword floating above the ethereal ground.
'This… this cannot be.' Rauru's eyes trembled in fixation at the glowing symbol of the Triforce at the hilt of the sword.
The Master Sword is reacting, in a way it was not supposed to be, not in this place, not in front of its champion.
"What has he done…" Rauru spoke out for the first time, his soul diving to the shining spark of the boy's essence only to find lingering darkness in there. "The monster… What has he done to you, young Link?!"
A fickle of panic surged in the old man's chest. As sad and soul-crushing as the fall of Hyrule was, the kingdom's initial fate is a necessary evil to accept. However, if by any means, the Hero of Time were to lose his path…
'I will not think of it!' Rauru shook his head in utter denial.
Pressing both hands together, the old Sage raced through his thoughts. He would never let Ganondorf win this battle, as it would cost too much for everyone. Then, a glint of hope appeared in his eyes.
"Link…" Rauru projected his words to the sleeping boy in front of him. "My powers are limited and rapidly diminishing… keeping you here, safe, until the day you are ready to face the Evil of the world… is taking so much out of me."
Echoing whispers sounded on the chamber as if the realm itself was recognizing the meaning of the Sage's words.
"I desired to stay at your side and guide you towards the path that the Goddesses wish for you. But I cannot allow the spot of darkness within you to grow further beyond." A look of determination flashed on Rauru's face, his brow wringing in a thoughtful ache. "I will use what is left of me to purge this stain from you."
Raising both of his hands, the elder man closed his eyes and focused all of his power onto the boy frozen in time. Then, a flash of light crossed from him to Link, tugging at the boy's chest and pulling out a small but vibrant spot of pure darkness.
With violent spams, the darkness fought against the light, desperately trying to go back to where it came, to its true self sleeping cluelessly right below. But with a final flicker, it was cast aside and banished away from the Temple of Light, disappearing in a cry of anguish.
Rauru fell to his knees, painful gasps escaping him. "Link… I leave you now with heavy heart, but I did what needed to be done… and so will you when the time comes."
Slowly, the old Sage's body began to fade back into the Temple he helped create, his essence returning to the Goddesses themselves. "I wish… to leave you… with at least a few words…" Rauru stood back up with great effort, taking his right hand to the magic crystal surrounding Link's body. "Stop the King of Evil… save Hyrule… you are our only hope…"
Having one last moment left with the young hero, Rauru closed his eyes and smiled.
"Never falter before the darkness, Hero of Time."
A moment later and Link was left all alone in his refuge. Without knowledge of anything past the point of taking the Master Sword in his hand, the young boy stood locked in time until the day he would be released to confront the darkness his actions unleashed on the world.
Tap… Tap… Tap…
A continuous stream of gentle noises sounded within the silent and hallowed halls of the grand Temple of Time. A sole presence warms the otherwise cold and desolate chamber, a shadow in the corner waiting for any change.
'I am wasting my time here?' Thought the slender young man standing at the far wall behind the Pedestal of Time. 'She said I would find him here, but…'
Tap… Tap… Tap…
Sheik stared at the empty pedestal, his ruby eyes scanning the holy triangles on the floor, his mind racing at full speed, and the back of his right foot tapping on the floor in a nervous tick.
'Seven years… we have been fighting for seven years. So many people died, so much chaos and depravity in the world… Is one person truly capable of stopping all that by themselves?'
A doubtful frown grazed his features hidden behind his mask and turban. In his life experience in this living hell, no one person could change the fate of this war. Sheik witnessed a few brave souls climb through the strife, arm themselves with swords, and inspire people to charge against the tyranny of the Evil King.
All of them failed. Each one of them was broken, killed, or sometimes… worse.
Sheik grew up with the tales of the Sages, his aunt telling him countless times about the prophecy of the Hero of Time. In those simple times, where he would just climb over the castle roofs, he used to believe those stories.
Now after enduring so many scars, both mentally and in his lean body, he cannot elude himself with false hopes anymore. This harsh reality has a way to break people out of their childish hopes.
"Is this really the right thing to do, Zel?" Sheik closed his eyes in exasperation, and then he remembered the look of hope his close friend gave him. Just a few nights ago, she came to him with a bright smile on her face, one that she never wears anymore, to tell of her last dream. That their hero was coming back to save Hyrule.
In a hush of hot air, the entire room seemed to change all of a sudden. The floor trembled with a gentle shake; the walls groaned in the cracks between the rocks. A stream of blue light descended from the ceiling, hitting the floor, giving life to the giant triangles carved in the grey stone.
Sheik felt his heart stop for the moment, his eyes widening as a blurred form descended upon the large pedestal. It was impossible to breathe normally, to speak, or even think.
Even for someone as skeptical as Sheik, seeing the Temple of Time coming back to life after so many years left in darkness, it is like a spark of hope came to life in a flaring rage inside his heart.
As sudden as the grandiose light came to existence it also disappeared into nothingness, leaving behind a tall figure standing in front of the empty socket meant for the Master Sword.
Legs stiffen with hesitation, Sheik took a soundless step forward, one hand reaching to the unknown person standing a few paces in front of him. 'H-Hero…' The words came to his mind, but they never crossed his lips, and before he got the courage to call out to his charge, the other man began to move.
One step forward in this "new" world and Link's knees traveled harshly towards the ground. Both of his hands falling fast to bring support as he stared with wide eyes to his new form.
Sheik observe quietly as their Hero, stood back on his feet with some difficulty, just to try and take a few steps forwards and fall again.
The brief sparkle of hope that had flared in the young Sheikah's heart got snuffed away by a feeling of dread. 'Is that one supposed to save Hyrule?' He thought bitterly at the man unable to stand on his feet on his own.
"Hero," Sheik called out this time, once his initial awe disappeared his words came back to him.
Rolling to the side in a startled jump, Link turned to the strange person standing behind him, drawing the Master Sword in his hand and pointing at the red-eyed young man.
"Are you ill?" Sheik asked in a subtle concern, his eyes scanning the form of the green-clad man for any injures and not finding none.
Link stared at the stranger for a few seconds, his eyes studying Sheik for the odd picture he is to someone that never saw him before. Then, he shook his head and looked down at himself. "My legs…" Link replied in an embarrassed tone, jumping slightly in surprise at the change of his voice. "My legs are too big. I am not used to it."
Giving a sympathetic glance to the other man, Sheik stepped forward and offered a hand to help the young hero stand up again.
Looking at the offered hand, Link smiled in that sunshine sparkle of innocence that so few carries around these days, startling the young Sheikah even if a bit. He then grabbed the extended arm and pulled himself back on his feet.
"Thanks." He said warmly, giving the blond at his side another short smile.
Trying very hard to push away the unflattering first impression of the other man, Sheik took a few steps back and held his gaze in a neutral but respectful way. "I've been waiting for you, Hero of Time. We suffered so much and for so long in this cruel and terrible war, hanging on just with the hopes that one day you would return and bring peace back to Hyrule."
Link's expression grew cold, a look of horror spreading over his face. "War?" He repeated at first. "For seven years?! How… what happened?!"
One long sigh escaped Sheik. He never liked reviving the memories of these horrible years, but it is necessary for someone that missed all of it like the hero in front of him. "Ganondorf happened," Sheik replied coldly. "Seven years ago, he invaded the kingdom of Hyrule. Followed by the Gerudo army and an even bigger army of mercenaries, the Thieves King usurped the Throne of Hyrule, killing our King on that day…"
Silently staring at Sheik, Link tried to wrap his head around that information.
Seeing confusion still plaguing the blond man's mind, Sheik sighed again and continued. "The day you opened the Door of Time, you also unlocked the Sacred Realm. Ganondorf used this opportunity to invade the realm of the Goddesses and steal the power of the Triforce. With it, he has been unstoppable to this day."
"W-Wait… he entered the Sacred Realm?" Link said in shock. "He used the door I opened to do it… Is this all my fault?" He lowered his gaze down to the floor, confusion, and shame plaguing his thoughts.
'I wonder about the same thing.' Sheik thought with a coldness that startled even himself. "No, Hero. You've done just as the prophecy foretold; you have trailed the path which you were meant to travel. If the Goddesses knew about Ganondorf's plans or not, that is not my place to say."
"I-I… have to stop him." With quivering lips, Link brought his gaze up in a swift movement of his head. His cerulean eyes sparkling with a glint of tears in their sides. "That day... I remember it. Navi. She saved me, she stood in front of that ball to protect me." His right hand flew to his chest, clenching at the soft fabric of his tunic. "My heart still hurts. This sadness is the same as that day. But the worse part is the emptiness I feel, like something is missing from here." He tapped at his chest.
Recognizing that painful expression from the numerous faces the evil tyrant has tormented in the kingdom, Sheik felt a bit of sympathy for the young man supposed to save the world. "Ganondorf killed many in his rise to power. His soldiers murder even more innocent people every day. You are the only person with the power to stop him." The lingering doubt still plagued the Sheikah's thoughts, even as he repeated the same words Impa made him memorized for this moment only. "You are the Hero of Time. Your mission is to destroy this evil, and mine is to guide you on your journey."
"I will do it!" A renewed look of determination crossed Link's eyes as he wiped the tears away. "Ganondorf will be stopped no matter what!" He declared boldly, punching his right fist forward.
A faint smile crossed Sheik's lips, even though Link couldn't see it past the mask.
"But…" Link continued with a quieter voice. "I don't know what I have to do."
And then Sheik's smile faded away in favor of a frown. "To confront the King of Evil, you will need the power of the Ancient Sages. When evil rules all, an awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destine to be Sages, who dwell in the five temples."
Link stared at the other man with dutiful concentration.
"However, they cannot hear the call under the heavy fog of evil hovering over Hyrule. You will need to brave those temples and awaken the Sages. Only then this Evil can be banished forever." Sheik finished with a nod, giving the young hero time to process all of it.
"Where do I find those Temples?" Link asked innocently, his eyes pure and sincere.
"A friend of yours awaits in the Forest Temple…" Sheik stopped, his thoughts traveling to the chaotic state of the Kokiri Woods. A place of many wonders and mystery, but often peaceful in the past, now overrun with monsters and scum that are even worse.
"Let's go then!" The young hero replied in an oddly excited tone.
Sheik looked with widened eyes at the other man wobbling in awkward paces towards the exit. "Wait!" The Sheikah called out with an out of character high-pitched voice. "With the equipment you have right now you will never reach the temple. And even worse, the Castle City is overrun by soldiers and monsters of Ganondorf's army. You can't just walk out of here."
Link turned to him with a frown and a pout, he tried to look angry with his expression but he only managed to look cute in that way.
Sheik shook his head, there are more pressing matters at hand than finding the Hero of Time, another man, cute.
"You should travel to Kakariko Village… There you may find more about Hyrule as how it is now and maybe some means to reach the temple in the lost woods." Turning to the side, Sheik pointed to a thin rope sliding down from one of the large open windows at the top of the temple. "You can use that exit to sneak away from the city, going down the slope next to the temple you will land exactly on top of the road to Kakariko."
Link glanced from the dangling rope to the mysterious young man, his eyebrows furrowing. "You're not coming?"
A gentle shaking of the head as the answer. "My role is to guide you where I can, but I cannot travel at your side… for the road you take, no one else can."
Once again, that pout came back to the Hero's gracious features, making it very hard for Sheik to keep his cold and neutral expression from turning into a mild blush.
"Sure… I'll go alone, I guess." Link shrugged, now walking with a bit more poise as he stepped back to the large chamber, demonstrating how quickly he can adapt even to the strangeness of having a grown-up body out of a sudden. "My name is Link, by the way." Link said as he passed by the Sheikah. "Can I know yours?"
"Sheik, one of the surviving Sheikahs." The red-eyed young man responded, giving a cordial bow of his head.
A grateful smile appeared on the hero's lips, his eyes drifting from his new acquaintance to the rope at the wall. "Sheik, are you sure that you can't…" Link looked at his left side just to see that nobody was there, his eyes widening in surprise. "I guess not…" He said deflated.
With no other option left, he marched towards the wall and grasped the rope in his hands. His head still trying to wrap around the fact that his right arm was healed with no scar and that his body is now big too.
Taking the words of the strange Sheikah to heart, he climbed the wall of the temple and left to go towards Kakariko.
Standing on top of the temple's roof, Sheik watched as the naïve hero sprinted his way down the slope and onwards towards the Village on the east. Looking at the sight of the green-clad warrior marching towards his fate, the young Sheikah felt something very familiar, a dear memory coming back to him.
'Link…' He repeated the name in his mind, then a soft and sincere smile crossing his lips. 'The cute little boy from that day in the courtyard. Our hero…'
Shifting his gaze down to the hazed city below him, Sheik's expression hardened to the reality of life. Now that the hero was on his way forward, there was another mission for the Sheikah to take care of. Leaping from his spot, the spy and assassin, went down into a hidden place within the streets, using all his nimble flexibility to stay hiding and out of reach from any bystander soldier or monster.
Prophecy or fate aside, on this day, the blasted army of the Evil King will suffer a heavy loss. Because even if it cost his life, Sheik will see through his mission. An enemy commander who stole so much life from Hyrule will lose his today, as per the command of his Princess.
While the trip was at most uneventful, it ended up being very troublesome. Link tried to run at the top of his speed, which landed him on quite a few stumbles. And so, took him longer than what he remembered to reach the small town. Now there is little sunlight left to guide his roadless path.
Hot sweat drips from the golden locks of hair, leaving a stinging feeling in those cerulean eyes. Link stopped just in front of the narrow entrance to the village, both hands resting on his knees as he tried to get back his air.
A quick glance around the now heavy gate guarding Kakariko, one can notice the reality of the passage of time. In his journeys to acquire the Spiritual Stones, Link passed by the happy and lazy little town more than a couple of times. There was never a gate here, even more one made of large pieces of metals nailed together.
On the surface of said gate, it is more than noticeable that Kakariko went not unnoticed nor unharmed by what befell Hyrule. There are multiple black marks in the base and the middle of the gate, heavy dents in the sides, and one big one at the center as if something was trying very hard to get in with forceful bashes.
'No use standing here…' Link brushed the sweat away from his forehead, taking one last long breath before jogging up towards the gate.
"Ah… Hello?" He calmly clapped his hands in front of the imposing door. "Anyone home?"
Not long after his simple call, the sound of rustling could be heard from behind the messy gate.
"Erh? Who's there?" A grumpy and surly voice sounded in an inquiry. Then a bald head popped above the tip-point of the gate. "Not a usual sight, are ya?" An older man with a very wrinkled face looked down at Link. "Hail from where, boyo?"
One hand going up to the back of his head, Link scratched his hair with enough care to not mess the position of his cherished hat. "Kokiri… I guess?"
"Urh…." The old man growled pensively. "The old woods? That's unusual alright." He then gave a long and hard look at the young man yet again. "But your clothes look fairy enough. Never saw one of the Kokiri folks, can't really tell if you're being honest or not." Squinting his eyes very hard, the old man squirmed back down from his spot above the gate and right then the giant lock holding the thing steady fast began to turn and wiggle.
With one part pushing forward to open the way, Link stepped back and watched as the old man came out and walked right in front of him. "It doesn't matter much, right boyo? You don't look like one of those mercenaries and certainly not a monster." The man said with a hint of playfulness. "Name's Flint, nice to meet ya."
"Link." The young blond replied in his usual cheerfulness, earning him a single toothed smile from Flint.
"Weird name too, huh?" Flint teased Link, giving him a friendly slap on the back. "Well, welcome to Kakariko, Link. The place isn't very organized at the moment, but it is warm and safe… as safe as anywhere can be these days."
Link nodded and followed after the old gatekeeper.
Flint, as spirited as he looked with his little chuckles and few attempts of jokes, was visibly worse for wear. His face was marred with a look of worry that was clear enough for anyone caring to look at him and see. As a man of very small stature, he appeared to be even smaller with his hunched back, a demeanor that showed a lingering sadness.
Wearing clothes that looked timeworn and very battered, he walked funny with his right leg as if he was constantly stepping on a pointy little stone.
"Boyo, I would love to give you a tour around the place. Know of a few places to have a little fun your old friend Flint does." A playful grin crossed the bald man's cracked lips. "But gotta keep eyes on that gate. A few ruffians already tried to sneak in just yesterday, can't be too safe, can we?"
Link nodded back, smiling even if faintly at the older man.
"But, can't have your pretty face wandering around the wrong places, can we?" As playful and jovial as Flint's words sounded, his expression is very serious. "Feel free to explore and find a place of your own. Just keep clear of the houses at the back of town..." He sighed deeply as if just the topic was enough to dry his good mood away. "Those on the left of the old well. Even if the Evil King's lackeys didn't make to Kakariko yet, there are still a few who try to explore the desperate."
"I wouldn't worry about that." Link declared proudly. "Let's just say I can take care of myself." His gloved right hand tapping the handle of the Master Sword resting on his back.
"Oh, I am sure you can hack that pointy thing in the air very good, boyo." Flint replied in good humor. "But there are things ya can't cut with a sword, heh. Just be wary of shady people. They are as likely to strip you out of your things with swords at hand, as they are to swindle you with sweet words."
A slight frown crossed Link's expression. He was grateful for Flint's thoughtfulness but he just finds it unnecessary. From his experience growing up, the young Hero thinks of him as someone used to people trying to trick him; as some of the Kokiri would try to trick him just to make fun of him. There's no way the people in here would be trickier to deal with than the masters of pranks that are the children of the forest.
"Like I said before, have to get back on my post," Flint said with a wave of his hand. "Hope to see ya around again, boyo."
Watching the old gatekeeper walk away, with his arms folded against his chest, Link tried to keep the advice to his heart. Glancing around at Kakariko, he barely recognizes the once small but very cheerful village. Now Kakariko is a full-blown town, with way too many improvised homes built everywhere, people wandering around and some even cast on the ground with a look of hopelessness in their eyes.
A deep sigh escaped the young hero. Maybe it is good to stay clear of trouble this time.
Then a thought sparkled in his mind.
'I wonder how that funny guy Dampé is doing.' Link smiled to himself, remembering one of the unique people he met here on his previous adventure.
The old Gravekeeper was odd enough to startle the common person, but to the young and adventurous Link, he was just a very interesting character to get to know.
Clinging to the one sense of familiarity he found in this now strange new place, Link set his gaze to the other side of town.
A graveyard is not a place people go to cheer themselves, but maybe all that he needs at the moment is to see a friendly and known face.