Disclaimer: I do not own anything in the Zelda Franchise... I wish I did.
AU: I'm so sorry for the amount of time it took for me to update the story. Not only this last month was crazy busy, but I will had to rewrite this particular chapter a lot of times. I wasn't really sure on how to properly advance the story in a good pace, or at least skip ahead a little so events could make sense, but I think I found a good middle ground for it.
Chapter 27 - Step to Step
Sitting quietly, way past the time of a shining moonlight of midnight, Link is awake once again with only his thoughts as his steady company.
Unable to sleep, the pale young man confines himself to the small tent provided to him. At this time, when everyone else is sleeping or simply resting after a long day, Link is instead battling with his inner demons.
In front of him, laying plainly on the top of a wooden crate, is a mostly blank book with only a few pages written.
The book is a small gift given to him by Malon. One night, the caring young woman noticed the troubled look on the blonde's face, after much pestering on her part, Link finally admitted his troubles.
After freeing himself from the prison inside the Water Temple, the world around him doesn't feel the same anymore. Link himself doesn't feel the same. For when he sleeps, he never dreams. At least, he never has normal dreams, instead, he relieves memories that are clearly not his own.
His own body is moving on those memories; his voice sings in the air and even his fears are present there. But deep down none of it feels as if they belong to him.
And so, by Malon's advice, Link has now started to write his living memories in the book. He records his day, from the most mundane of mornings to the most chaotic nights he has experienced.
At first, he wanted to refuse. It felt stupid. Weak of him to need to write his memories because he might lose them at night.
But by now, this little session has become something of a habit for him.
Letting out a long sigh, Link glanced down at the book open on a random page filled with his handwriting.
Tracing one finger across the first line, Link tried to recall the event.
Reading a few letters he frowned, it didn't… felt right. He doesn't quite remember what is inscribed in blank ink.
Frowning harder, he bit his lip and tried to concentrate once again.
Closing his eyes to take a long and desperate breath, Link then opened his scarlet eyes and stared at the top of the left page.
With a low voice, he read it out softly. "Day five…"
Day Five – Log.
It's getting harder again… I woke up, feeling the taste of Sheik's lips.
So real, so intense.
Deep down, I know nothing of that happened. Normally, I would call it just a hopeful wet dream, maybe my feelings getting the better of my thoughts.
But after having so many, after watching me living a second life every night in my dreams. My real life…
Am I going insane?
Stop it. Marlon said to keep writing my memories. How my day went, so how did my day go…
.
.
.
El'Azul called me rookie again.
The self-entitled boss of our group came early to my tent. He kept nagging at me to get up, that we should have the debrief about last night's raid.
He annoys me, that Zora. But I don't feel the urge, that deep urge that was always there. Even if he keeps getting on my nerves, I… I don't want to kill him.
.
.
.
I noticed something when discussing the raids today. El'Azul marked the camp we destroyed today on the map, like all the others it looked very random and occasional; as if he had just picked the easier target for us to pounce.
But… there is something there. Yes, I saw it. An invisible crossing from dot to dot, no one seems to have noticed, they are just too happy to have dealt a blow to the legion, and have some loot from it as well.
However, I know it is there on that map, a line that is parting a little piece of Hyrule.
El'Azul doesn't look any different. Same cocky attitude after dealing with Ganondorf's soldiers.
Maybe I can try to take the truth out of him. Just don't know how yet…
Day Five- Log end.
Reading the last line, Link felt a throbbing on his left cheek. With a small grin on his lips, he felt the phantom pain on his face backing up the memories in his head.
A day after he wrote this page, he went after El'Azul and tried to push the Zora to spit out what he was planning.
Things got so out of hand that they ended up wrestling on the dirty ground of their hideout, with El'Azul managing to knock one strong punch onto the blonde's face.
"Cheeky bastard, he got lucky with that one." Link said to himself, snickering at the memory of their brief brawl.
To this day the blond feels that had not El'Azul surprised him with that punch, Link would most likely have beaten him easily onto submission.
Not that he had any opportunities after that day, since Malon had yelled at them for hours straight and even after so many days she keeps checking on them to see if the two are close to trading blows again; and if so, she quickly comes in to push both away from each other.
Flipping a few pages on his book, Link felt his eyes scan through a specific word, and quickly he settled down on the page.
"Brat…" He read it a little louder, snickering at the following words.
Pulling his eyes back to the start of the page, he began again.
"Day nine… this goddesses-damned brat." He snorted a laugh out, shaking his head quietly. This is not a memory that he would ever forget or confuse with the ones from his dreams…
How could he?
Day Nine – Log.
This goddesses-damned brat. Spirits, that little troll, that annoying bundle of trouble. Blasted hells, why I'm stuck with a child? Why is the child, this child?
Fie… Just the name makes me go insane. How can they put up with this… THING!?
This won't help. I can't remember this day if I only write my rant against the absurdly annoying brat.
.
.
.
Today we had one of the biggest raids yet. El'Azul found out about one hidden storage of the Legion in the Fields. Something about this storage being the way how the army resupplies out in the open.
We agreed on a two fronts assault. First El'Azul led the rest of our group in an ambush, taking out the small patrol they sent to keep the perimeter around this larger camp. Then I was supposed to come in with Epona and charge at their main force, pushing with brute force to give them an opening to finish the job.
A sound strategy. It worked clearly on paper. It worked… mostly in execution.
Spirits, I don't think I can write this up normally. Should I just write exactly what happened?
.
.
.
It all happened when I got the signal to move in. Epona was restless most of the way, something was bothering the horse during our travel. She kept making noises, shaking her head in protest.
I should've trusted her. Epona has yet to get something wrong, I should have just trusted the horse and stopped before getting there.
When I was preparing to push with my part of the plan, I felt something behind me, a stir within the bag tied to Epona's saddle.
After checking, mostly for paranoia, I found Fie hiding within the empty sacks and rugs in the bag.
I…
Spirits, is just easier to write in full.
"What are you doing here, brat?" I remember yelling first thing when she so casually popped her head out from within that rugged bag.
"I hid." The brat said with the most neutral tone I've ever heard, her expressionless face only adding to my frustration.
"I know you hid, that's not what I asked." This was probably the first time I raised my voice so loudly against a child. "How did you manage to sneak yourself in that bag? Wasn't Malon watching you?"
She stared at me… Spirits she just sits there in that bag staring at me. It felt like an eternity before she replied. "You left to get sword… Malon was worried about Boss… I jumped in then."
Touching my mouth, I can still feel the sensation of my teeth grounding together, my jaws still hurt a little.
"Fine, you are a sneaky little fiend. But this is not a place for you." I remember chastising her as I pulled the girl from the bag and settled her on Epona's back.
"I fight too." She said as defiantly as her monotone voice can sound.
"No, you don't fight. I will fight, you will stay right damn here, is that understood?" Growling loudly, I jumped off from Epona, guiding her towards some small hiding between a group of trees. "Here, stay hidden with Epona. I'll come back for you after this is over."
"No! I fight!" The pipsqueak had the gulls to yell at me. She even managed to glare, that surely was a surprise.
"Listen, BRAT. This is not one of those stupid little pretend fights you have with Teddy. This is real life; you fail and you die. I don't have the time to take care of you in the middle of a battlefield."
She went quiet again, but only for a moment this time. "I know. That's why I'll fight." Munching on her little lips she glared at me one more time. "I fight to protect. I don't want anyone to die."
"You don't want anyone to die? Good. Then STAY and do as I tell you. El'Azul will nag at me for a week if he sees you there."
It was at this point that I tied Epona's reins to a tree, a very firm knot to make sure neither she nor the kid could untie it.
"You proved that you can hide and sneak very well. Can you prove to me that you can listen?" I asked… in futility I even asked.
The Brat just glared at me; she didn't respond. I should've known… I should've.
Leaving Epona to take care of the child, I run on foot towards the target base. By the time I got there my legs were killing me, it made it so hard to fend off those soldiers.
Spirits, I still can't believe, but a few minutes into the battle, Epona jumped from behind some trees with the Brat on her back.
I griths on my nerve so much that she ignored my advice, what makes me even madder is the fact that if Epona hadn't jumped in and knocked a guy away, he would've probably got a nasty hit on my leg.
It doesn't help that El'Azul kept yelling at me for bringing her with me, only for Malon to repeat it after we got back.
By the Goddesses, if that stupid kid pulls another stunt like that, I will strangle her.
Day Nine - Log end.
Link stared at the hastily written words in the book, his handwriting barely recognizable by the angry manner they have been inscribed.
Strangely, looking at the number of emotions put into these pages by the memories of that day gives him a sense of reassurance. It makes him realize that this is real, the book and the events registered in it are his real life.
Trailing one and then a second page to the left, he eyed a small entry on his journal.
"I don't remember this…" He sighed out quietly, letting his gaze sweep across the black ink.
Clenching his fists in a continuous motion, Link tried to feel the pulse of his own body. Flexing the muscles of his arm, he checked for the smallest hint of awareness, even the rush of blood coursing through his veins is enough to tell him that he is awake.
Glancing down at the open book once more, he eyed the first paragraph, the shadow of a frown twisting his facial features.
"Why don't I remember you?" He trailed the very tip of his index finger over the little bumps of bloated ink.
Allowing himself to breathe, letting go of the small sense of anxiety, he started to read again.
"Day Eleven…"
Day Eleven – Log
Nothing much happened today.
Teddy got hurt yesterday during one ambush he tried to pull with Lars, so no movements today.
They were reckless and stupid. They got lucky to get out of there alive or something worse, like having the Legion trailing after them to this place.
El'Azul keeps staring at me funny, I think it has something to do with all the attention Malon keeps giving me.
All of this is very… annoying. The girl is clearly just fussing over my lapse in memories, but she does that to everyone. Still, the Zora keeps glaring at me… why doesn't he grow a pair and go talk with the woman?
.
.
.
Today… Spirits, today I walked in on Swift and Lars naked. By the goddesses, that got extremely awkward very quickly. To this day, I can't control the negative effect Swift's presence has on my mood, but this time my reaction may have given the poor bastards the wrong impression.
Lars is avoiding me at all costs. Nova yelled at me right after, she and probably the other two, think I hate them because of their relationship. How stupid and ironic… if only they knew for whom my heart beats so rapidly at night.
This day was not only boring but also very annoying… Spirits, sometimes I hate this stupid cave.
Day Eleven – Log end.
After reading through his account of the day, Link feels a light tingling of recollection about it.
This event… It was the only instance where Link ever felt not welcomed by these people. Until he cleared up the misunderstanding about the situation, most of the group kept away from him, only coming closer if very necessary.
Strangely enough, when Link had enough and came yelling at them that he just dislike Swift, which has nothing to do with his situation with Lars, then everyone just laughed it off and got back to normal. It baffled Link that despite his very angry tirade about the man, they did not give a care about it anymore, as it seems their only problem was his alleged prejudice.
"These people are so strange." Link muttered to himself. "They don't care how much of a ticking bomb I am, but if I had something against someone's love life, that's where they draw the line… hah, ha ha. Spirits."
Figuring that his mind decided to forget the day on purpose, rather than being on his… condition. Link did the same and flipped the page over, quickly glancing over a more interesting and less upsetting topic.
"Oh, this one I definitely remember." He grinned.
Day Twelve – Log
Malon is sick today. The entire camp is fussing over her, El'Azul is yelling even more than he does normally… which is a lot.
Since Malon was undisposed, Teddy was in charge of making food. And since everyone else was stuffed into that tent looming over the girl, it fell to me the task of watching so the fat Goron doesn't poison everyone.
If Malon was not sick and also eating this awful grub, I would've let Teddy put as much salt and rocks into the soup as he wanted to. Alas, annoying the wits out of the Goron was too a very fun activity.
.
.
.
With people preoccupied, namely El'Azul, I could sneak into his things and find the map he always brings in our reunions.
I knew I wasn't delusional. With a piece of charcoal, I drew a line all over the spots we have attacked. The sneaky Zora thought no one would notice it, but I caught on to him.
The line was not just an arbitrary zone of power vacuum we made. Each spot we attack weakens Ganondorf's position on the south, more accurately we made a giant black zone around Zora's Domain entrance.
El'Azul is planning something and it is something big. I wonder if anyone else has noticed it.
.
.
.
The Brat came over to me again. She was awfully quiet and sneaky for the entire morning, not even Teddy was aware of her skulking over the ember of the fire trying to snatch a handful of ashes.
It took some time, spirits the girl knows how to test my patience, but I finally learned what she was scheming.
Apparently, she wanted to boil the ashes with moss she scraped out of the cave's walls and some herbs Malon uses for salves. I had half the mind of putting a stop to it, but the brat looked very serious.
I kept an eye on her. She boiled her things quietly over the running water and then ran away towards Malon's tent with a steaming cup in her hands…
The kid is probably playing doctor, I don't blame her. This place is boring, and without the person that plays with her the most, she must be even more bored than normal.
I hope Malon just found a way to toss that ash-flavored goo away without the brat noticing it.
It would break her little heart.
Day Twelve – Log End.
"Thinking back on it, Malon probably drunk from that cup." Scratching his elbow, Link remember the booming noises that woke him up the following day, people were even louder than the day before. "I don't blame them; the girl just woke up with not a trace of the flu on her."
Cracking his knuckles as he felt the increasing fatigue over his eyes, Link flipped a few more pages, feeling at least the need to reassure himself of his most recent memory with the registered diary.
Closing his eyes he feels two lives being lived in front of him. One of his own and the other a taunting illusion, or maybe a wishful delusion of what he so desperately wants to have.
Frowning deeply, he took the book in his hand and focused his mind away from the increasing feeling of insanity looming over him, instead, putting it on the words written by his own hands.
Day Twenty-Four – Log
I felt better today.
Spirits, it feels strange to write this down like this. Our morning was a proper mess, and that is putting it lightly.
I woke up to Teddy's loud shouts. Fie had disappeared and no one could find her. For someone so small and young, that girl has a talent for brewing problems.
Teddy and Malon got so worked up that Nova and Lars had to accompany them outside, to at least keep them busy searching for her.
It was a little past noon when Fie crawled out from a small hole she found in the wall. People didn't know if they had to yell at her or to hug the life out of the little brat.
She stayed with me for the rest of the day. Maybe she thought I would keep everyone else away from her with my scowl, or maybe… Maybe she just enjoys the silence of my company.
Sometimes, just a little, I enjoy the girl's company too.
.
.
.
Nova pulled me aside today. She has noticed El'Azul's plan as well, it took her long enough.
She's scared. Understandably so. These people are used to the hit-and-run tactics. We crash on a Legion's camp before they can organize themselves and cause as much chaos as possible.
To brute force our way into Zora's Domain… People can die.
I don't think they are ready for this. I don't think they will ever be ready for it.
These people… my… friends… they are not like me. They can't kill, not in cold blood.
I tried to ease Nova's concerns, she smiled before she left. But her eyes were still heavy with worry.
I hope El'Azul knows what he is doing.
.
.
.
Lars and Swift appeared in my tent, just a few minutes ago, before I could get ready to sleep. They wanted to talk without anyone else listening to us.
So, Swift has confessed to Lars about his life before this place. He even told his lover about what happened in the Forest Temple.
I always considered Lars a cowardly pitiful man, but he is taking this with a lot more stride than I expected of him.
He looks pained and hurt. But he didn't push Swift away. It looks quite the opposite, ever since they walked into my tent, the brunet held his lover's hand with so much effort, it was like if he let go, they would lose each other.
Lars was the one doing most of the talking, for all of us. He asked me to forgive Swift. That he now understands why I look in such a bad mood whenever I see the man.
I don't know how I looked during that conversation, but I can still feel the throbbing on my face, that was probably one fierce glaring they endured.
But Lars didn't cower away, he kept nagging at me until I promised to consider his words. In a way, he made me admire him a little bit. For someone so scared of his own shadow, he stood up for Swift.
It seems, even a coward has the moment when he musters his courage for the things he loves.
Day Twenty-Four – Log End.
With a soft hustle of a cloth at the entrance of his tent, Link closed the book and turned his attention towards the incoming silhouette.
"Hm, I got the hunch you were not asleep yet." El'Azul said with a small grin.
"Can't do it without sorting this out first." Link waved the book in front of him.
The tall Zora eyed the book and his expression grew a little softer. "How is the head? Feeling any better today?"
The blond glanced down, the palm of his right hand tracing the rough texture of the book's brown cover. "Not completely insane yet, if that's what you are curious about."
El'Azul snorted a short laugh. Pushing the long curtains aside, he stepped in and moved towards the derailed rugs Link uses as a bed. "So, this is where she has been vanishing at night, huh?" He gave a little nod to the small bundle curled in the makeshift bed.
Following the Zora's big black eyes, Link saw Fie peacefully sleeping with her small wooden toy pressed against her face.
"You know this brat; she just does whatever she wants." He said with a little frown, but his lips twitched in a short grin. "I gave up trying to keep her away from my things, it only makes her try harder."
"Funny, I still remember when could barely stand to look at her." With a playful tone, El'Azul smirked at the blond. "Now look at you, the kid has warmed her way into that ice-cold heart of yours."
Link shrugged, tossing his book onto the crate. "Maybe it's because I'm weak to Sheikahs."
"Still calling Fie that?" The Zora eyed him from the corner of his eyes.
"The hair and eyes are a dead giveaway. Even so, there's no way I could spend so much time around her and not notice… the Sheikah in her." Link glanced at the sleeping girl and smiled softly behind his curled fist. "The brat can find any shadow to hide in when she wants to, there's no denying her heritage."
"Whatever you say, Rookie."
"Can you please stop calling me that?" Link glared at him.
"No." The Zora smiled, finding a comfy spot for him to sit next to Fie.
"Hah… annoying Zora."
"Cheeky Hylian, remember who the Boss is."
"Sure Boss. I hope you didn't come here just to get on my nerves tonight." Link said simply.
El'Azul went silent for a little moment, enough for Link to stop whatever he was doing and look back at the other man. The blond has learned that a quiet El'Azul is a troubled El'Azul.
"Link…" He started, his big eyes going to a lot of places but nowhere near close to Link's piercing red gaze. "About what we talked…"
"I thought I was very clear last time." Link states firmly, making the Zora look at him surprised. "Look, I'm having memories problems but I'm not senile yet."
"Man, listen… this is not that easy." El'Azul started, his face twisting with a painful expression.
"No, El'Azul, it is very easy. You can't do this." Link said and then shook his head. "Let me rephrase this, they can't do this. They will get killed in that place."
"Don't you think I haven't thought about that?! That I didn't give my best to prepare them, to make them ready for anything?" Raising his voice slightly, El'Azul stood up, walking closer toward Link.
"YOU CAN'T PREPARE THEM FOR THIS!" Link's voice boomed inside this tent, loud enough to make Fie stir and grumble in her sleep. "El'Azul, you can't turn peaceful people into soldiers. You can make them into fighters, yes. You can help them learn to stand up against the thugs that would try to trample over them. And you did that. They have survived, they have been safe in here. But you can't ask them to fight a war for you. It is not the same."
Feeling the strength leaving his legs, the tall Zora tumbled to the side. "I know… deep down, I…" His right fist came crashing down into the hard ground, his teeth gritting painfully. "But I have to save them, Link. Ever since I run away, everything I did was to try and help my people… to rescue them from that hell. If I can't do it… what was the point of it all?"
"Everyone in here trusts you. They are your people too." Link said calmly. "That's why I told you to leave the plan behind and just allow them to stay here." Standing up he walked towards El'Azul. Pushing his hand towards him, Link sighed but smiled. "They are not made for this. But I am."
"Link?"
"Please don't get sappy on me or I will sock you on the face." He said playfully.
Giving a firm nod, El'Azul grabbed Link's hand and allowed the blond to pull him up. "Do you mean it?"
Link shrugged. "Sure… it's not like haven't charged headfirst into a fortified place guarded by the Legion before. But, if we do this, we do it just the two of us." Pulling back, Link walked towards the entrance of his tent and took a peek outside. "Last time I checked your map, we had made a big enough vacuum that it would take time for the rest of the Legion to notice something wrong in there. How ready do you think we are?"
"Ready enough to push in and break the curse holding everyone there." El'Azul replied with a determined fire in his eyes.
Rubbing his forehead with one hand, Link closed his eyes. "Then we go tonight. I don't know how long I can go with this… problem in my head. So, it's best if we act now."
"I can get the horses ready at the beach," El'Azul affirmed. "Just keep an eye on the camp, make sure that no one notices it."
"Fine." Link nodded as he moved to grab his sword resting on the side.
"Meet you outside in a while. Don't be late." With that, the Zora began marching towards the exit.
"El'Azul." Link called out to him, making the other man stop and look at him. "When this is over, I will take you to see your sister."
El'Azul stared at him for a while. "You sure? Didn't you say that she was in a place off-limits?"
Link smirked at him, fixing his weapon on his back. "Yeah, it is. But screw it and screw them. I've been laying low for too long. I had enough of living in the shadows of this cave."
Looking at the blond, El'Azul studied his friend as the tall warrior smirked at him. "I would wish you good luck. But I don't believe in luck anymore. In this blasted world, we made our own destiny." With that said, the Zora walked out, racing to get the horses ready for the journey up the fields.
Standing there looking at the swinging cloth, Link clenched his fists and snorted quietly. "That we do, friend. That we do…"
Whistling leaves dangles softly with the breeze, as the branches swing up and down. There are not a lot of sounds deep into the night on Hyrule's desolate fields, only the nocturnal predators skulking for their prey, be it animals or men.
Existing in the shadows of this different side of the world, a lone Sheikah is sitting on a firm bough from one of the strongest and tallest trees.
Using the moonlight to light the parchment in his hand, the blond youth writes gently with the feather on his fingers. His scarlet eyes trace each word, making sure they match the perfect script he has formulated on his mind.
At each sentence, his thoughts flicker with the faint feeling of something. Hope? Or perhaps trepidation of an uncertain event unfolding. Be as it may, these last days of scouting have stirred something on Sheik.
From a little higher in the sky, a beautiful cry of a hawk sounded loud in its proud performance.
Folding his parchment in a neat scroll, Sheik smiled behind his mask as he extended his arm forward for his friend to land.
Gracefully gripping the slender arm with her powerful claws, the beautiful bird tilted her head at him and chirped.
"Hello, girl." Sheik said tenderly, stroking two fingers over Pyra's feathered head. "You have something for me today too?"
Sheik had not to ask twice, as Pyra quickly shuffled on his arm, raising one claw at him to show a piece of green cloth stuck in her talon.
Slightly different from the other two nights, this time Pyra didn't bring him a letter from Zelda or a request for a report from his master. This time she only carries a silky reminder, a message without words.
Plucking it with his fingers, Sheik pressed a soft touch on the torn green fabric, a sense of longing tugging at his chest.
Letting out a few more chirps, Pyre tackled her head softly onto Sheik's chest, their little code for him to give her what she needs.
Smiling at his small friend, Sheik pressed a tighter hold onto the fabric and then glanced at the scroll on his other hand. "Sorry girl, but I think this one I will deliver myself."
Pyra cried out loudly, shaking her head a few times before taking flight and ascending high to the sky.
Giving the bird one quick smirk, Sheik stared at the green fabric one more time, his cheeks turning slightly red for a moment. "I miss you too, silly."
Allowing himself a few moments to dream about a certain blond, Sheik then quickly shifted into his Sheikah mode. Putting every tool, he has used into a bag, the young spy prepared himself for the swift journey he has to make back to camp.
Still, a little sense of trepidation stirs inside his chest over the contents of his new report. Clenching the scroll firmly, his thoughts fixate on the last sentence he has written in there.
'The way to Zora's Domain is clear.'