Chapter Two: Dark Tidings
Hyrule Field…
A horse and young pony silently galloped across the plains of Hyrule as the white moon slowly began to dip below the horizon to make way for the morning. Atop the adult horse was Nabooru, and next to her was Link upon his trusty steed, Epona, who, to Nabooru's surprise, he chose to ride bareback. The Kokiri girl Saria sat behind him, her arms clasped around his middle in an effort to hang onto him. Nabooru could see how close horse and rider were, and found herself impressed, for the Gerudo were unequaled in horsemanship in the whole of Hyrule through the bond of trust that existed between horse and rider.
Nabooru stifled a laugh. Were he not a boy, this child would make a fine Gerudo.
Abruptly, however, Link stopped, a look of unease flashing across his face. "Link?" Saria asked worriedly, casting her wide eyes all around the area.
Nabooru slowed her own horse and pulled up beside him. "What's the matter?" she asked gravely as she noted Link looking around, his elfin ears pricking slightly.
Perhaps there was some truth to the Hylian claim that their hearing was so precise they could hear the voices of their own gods, for Link replied, "We need to move. NOW. I think we're being followed!"
As those words left his lips, Nabooru abruptly heard a distant, and horribly familiar sound from far behind them; a chorus of wolf-howls as the Warg-riders took up the hunt. Saria gasped in fear at their cries, for they contained a sense of deliberate malice she had not heard ever before.
"Damn!" Nabooru cursed. "They must have been waiting for us somewhere outside the forest! I thought the Deku Tree scared them off!"
"C'mon, Epona," Link whispered in his horse's ear. "Give it all you got. We have to get to Hyrule Castle!"
Epona whinnied and reared before she shot off towards Hyrule Castle with a speed that belied her youthful size. Nabooru followed after as the distant silhouettes of the Warg-riders emerged over the hills, pursuing the scent of their prey. The slavering hounds and their gruesome riders snarled and screeched as they took up the chase.
"Ride!" Nabooru cried. "The beasts are gaining!"
Even as Link and Nabooru galloped across the plains of Hyrule, more and more howls joined the growing chorus as other Wargs and Warg-riders joined the hunt, numbering well over fifty. As the two parties thundered across Hyrule Field, night gave way to dawn, and finally to morning as the rays of the sun fell upon them, bathing the world in rich, warm hues. With the rays of light came a ray of hope, as the distant spires of Hyrule Castle stood out against the horizon, casting a long, early-morning shadow across the ground. But the Wargs were tireless, well-accustomed to such pursuits, and ever so slowly they were closing the distance between predator and prey.
Nabooru looked over her shoulder at the Warg-pack bearing down on them before she turned towards Link. "Can we make it?" she cried out over the thundering of their horses' hooves and the distant baying of the Wargs. "We might not have much choice other than to fight them!"
Link looked over his shoulder as well before swearing under his breath. "There's too many of them, and I don't want to risk Epona or Saria getting hurt! Just a little more! I don't think they'll dare enter the city!"
Nabooru grimly nodded as she dug her heels into her own horse, spurring it onwards. Soon, they were close enough to make out the morning guard detail lowering the oaken drawbridge that allowed access into Castle Town, the heavy creaking of the chains as they pulled the drawbridge down growing more and more audible. Saria looked behind them and breathed a shuddering sigh of relief as she saw the Warg-pack abruptly break off and turn back, finally giving up the chase.
"T-thank Farore," she said. "They're turning back!"
The others sighed in relief also, but taking no chances, continued to ride hard into Hyrule Castle Town. A few peasants grumbled irritably as they avoided the two horses barreling into the town square. The three of them eventually dismounted as Nabooru led them over to the town stables where horses were looked after while the owners conducted business in the city. Both Link and Nabooru paid the stable owner a handful of rupees for each of their horses before venturing out into the town proper. Casting their collective gazes at Hyrule Castle, Nabooru finally asked out loud, "So, you have any plan on how we're going to gain an audience with the King and Princess? They're notoriously difficult to get a hold of, especially if you're a commoner…or a Gerudo," she finished bitterly under her breath.
Link did not fail to hear that last part, but pushed it aside as he fingered inside his pack. "Don't worry; I have a way."
"So that's a castle," Saria marveled as she followed Link and Nabooru towards the majestic structure. "I'd heard tale of them, but never seen one…it's so big!"
Link smiled. "I was pretty impressed too, first time around. But this place pales in comparison to Stone Tower, as far as size goes."
"Stone Tower?" Nabooru repeated, having never heard of such a place.
Link shrugged his shoulders. "Kind of a long story there. I could tell you when we have time, but right now, we've gotta see Zelda."
Nabooru quirked an eyebrow at this as they passed through the marketplace and the hordes of shoppers out to get the best morning deals. "You called her by her name. Do you normally address the Princess so casually?"
Link chuckled nervously as he rubbed his shoulder, a slight blush tinging his cheeks that Saria thankfully failed to notice due to her attention being diverted by her new surroundings. "Aha, well, s-she and I did kind of go through a lot together. Most of it only I remember, though, thanks to all those time-bending shenanigans I did. But she knew I was a person she could trust, and we've had a few secret meetings ever since I put everything right."
Nabooru saw an opportunity and she took it. Smirking knowingly, she remarked, "Secret meetings with the Princess of Hyrule? In a few years, bachelors and married men alike would kill for that kind of privilege."
Link's face promptly went red as a tomato at the implications, and Nabooru allowed herself a moment of laughter. "You know what? I like you, kid! You're refreshing!"
Link fiercely shook his head before he muttered, "Why do girls always act like this around me?"
Nabooru laughed again. "Ha! You'll understand in a few more years, kid!"
Unbeknownst to any of them, a single figure watched them from afar, out of sight, and as they approached the guardhouse, the figure vanished from view.
As the guard saw them approach, he stood straighter and announced, "Halt! Do you have some business at the castle?"
"Yes," Link answered. "We're here on behalf of the Great Deku Tree of the Lost Woods, who bid us come here to speak to the King and Princess Zelda about matters pertaining to the good of Hyrule."
"That's a pretty bold claim there, kid," the guard responded curtly, thinking this to be some elaborate, childish hoax. "Since when did the Great Deku Tree consort with the desert thieves and name a couple of little kids his messengers?"
Nabooru bristled at the insult, but before she could reprimand the guard, someone abruptly leapt down next to the man, making the soldier nearly jump out of his skin.
"AGH! L-Lady Impa!" he stammered as the Princess's personal attendant stood up straight and folded her arms.
"Let them pass," the Sheikah commanded sternly without looking at the soldier. "Princess Zelda is expecting them, and I was sent to receive them."
The guard hurriedly bowed. "Y-yes, Lady Impa! Right away!"
Without further ado, the guard opened the gate and stood back at attention. "And, guardsman?" Impa spoke up as an afterthought.
"Y-yes, ma'am?"
"Show the Gerudo more respect. It is not by choice that they must live such lives. Remember that well."
The soldier wilted under Impa's stern, unwavering gaze and muttered an apology, after which he said no more. With that out of the way, Impa inclined her head at each of them in greeting. "Nice to see you again, Link. And I greet you as well, Nabooru of the Gerudo and Saria of the Kokiri. Come; Princess Zelda is waiting."
"Zelda knew we were coming?" Link asked in surprise.
"Yes," Impa replied as she led the way towards the castle. "And she is also, to some extent, aware of this newest threat creeping into our fair land."
"She's been having dreams again, hasn't she?" Link queried.
Impa nodded. "Recently, she received a dream in which she was in some fell, ash-choked land, surrounded by monsters and men of evil mind, over which loomed a stone tower with a fiery light sweeping over them all like some infernal lighthouse. But when the light fell upon her, she saw that the source of the beam was no mere torch, but a great, flaming eye, lidless and slit like a cat's."
Link involuntarily shivered. "That sounds creepy."
Nabooru, however, recalled something at this. "When the enemy breached our defenses, a great war beast laid waste to our fortress. All around it were markings and standards depicting snakes, as well as a stylized eye symbol. This flaming eye…could it be their leader?"
"Not precisely. More like…a manifestation of this leader's power, from what the princess understands."
"When the Great Deku Tree drove off the monsters that were pursuing us," Nabooru explained, "he claimed to have looked into their thoughts and gained some information about who they are, where they come from, and what their goals are. And I don't think you're going to like any of it."
"I thought as much," Impa replied in resignation. "Despite all our best efforts, it seems peace is determined not to last in our fair land."
"And on that note, what of Ganondorf?" Nabooru abruptly demanded. "How fares my lord?"
Impa's gaze became steely as she answered, "It is not my place to discuss the legacy of Demise. But I will say that, for the time being, he remains alive."
Nabooru's eyes narrowed. "For the time being?"
"…I can say no more," Impa answered sternly. "If you wish to hear more, you will have to speak to the Princess, as we both know King Harkinian wouldn't even grace you with a response."
"Does he know I'm here?" Nabooru bitterly asked as they neared the castle gates.
"Not yet," Impa answered. "It is Princess Zelda who wishes to see you, and after you have spoken, she will bear your tidings to the King. I can only hope he listens, but the years of peace and his own arrogance have made him complacent."
Link blinked in surprise. "I thought you were loyal to the Royal Family…"
"I am. But that does not mean I condone every act they have done in the name of Hyrule. I for one attempted to dissuade Harkinian from attempting to unify the land, but his lust for glory would not be denied. Ah, we're here."
Link, Saria, and Nabooru looked away from Impa as they approached the drawbridge that led to the castle proper. Wordlessly they waited as the heavy drawbridge lowered, allowing them access into the castle. Impa led the way, while Link and Saria cast their eyes this way and that, taking in the scenery. Link had only ever been to the courtyard where he and Zelda had first met, and Saria had, of course, never been in a castle at all. Nabooru, on the other hand, stared stonily ahead as she walked, pointedly ignoring the looks and occasionally suspicious glares sent her way.
After several minutes of maneuvering through the many halls of Hyrule Castle, Impa finally led them over to a particular door and stopped in front of it, turning to face them. "This is Princess Zelda's personal bedchamber. Know that I have only allowed you to be brought here because the Princess feels she can trust all of you."
"How can she trust us?" Saria spoke up quizzically. "I've never even met her before!"
Impa cast a knowing smirk Link's way. "All of us here are special in a certain way. Link here knows, and I suspect you have been told some aspect of it."
"I'm supposed to be a Sage, apparently," Nabooru replied, still not certain she believed it.
"Indeed, as is young Saria here. And myself."
Nabooru and Saria's eyes widened. "You're a Sage-to-be too?" Saria asked.
Still smirking, Impa opened the door as she said, "Come, let's not keep the Princess waiting."
XXXXXX
Hyrule Castle Dungeons…
Behind steel bars enhanced with enchanted runes, and clad in binding chains and cuffs that restricted magic, a dark man lay slumped against the ground, bitterly thinking to himself.
Curses…how long have I been here now? Ganondorf, King of the Gerudo, thought miserably to himself, glaring at the damned cuffs keeping his arms chained against the wall. It's been so long since I've seen the sunlight…only this oppressive darkness keeps me company now. No one has come to see me. None of my sisters…not even my mothers. Have the Hylians forbade them from seeing me? Or have they forgotten me altogether?
The thought of that, whether true or not, made him bristle with anger. After everything I did to keep them alive, they have done nothing to free me of these accursed chains!
He struggled for a futile moment against his chains, but stilled quickly, knowing it was a waste of effort. He took a deep breath to calm himself. Patience, you fool. Our loyalty to each other is what's kept our people alive for so long. They have not abandoned me; they couldn't have. All of us just know too well the strength of the Hylian army. Damn those pigheaded louts! Them and their imperialistic ambitions!
My, my, aren't we upset, my son?
Ganondorf's head shot up in surprise. "What…?" he spoke out loud, but could see nobody in the darkness.
Oh dear, I think his time in the dungeons has affected our poor boy, sister…
Ganondorf started as he realized he was experiencing telepathy, and that the "voices" he was hearing were familiar.
Twinrova…
Oh good, so your wits haven't been dulled after all. That's my boy!
Where are you? Why have you let me rot in this cesspit for so long?!
Ho ho ho ho, I assure you, my child, though the rest of the faithless Gerudo have abandoned you and now look to that fool Nabooru for leadership, we are more loyal than that!
What? That cannot be!
Oh ho ho ho, but it is, child! Nabooru has sought your throne for a long time, and now she has taken it in your absence! Did we not warn you this would come to pass as long as she was permitted to live?
That…that traitor…
And the worst part? She's even begun cozying it up with those treacherous Hylians! Pledging an oath of fealty to the very king who led such a brutal campaign against us!
Ganondorf said nothing as the feelings of betrayal burned in his chest, seeping deep into his heart, where a hidden darkness began to feed and draw strength from it, ever expanding outward in its inexorable mission to consume his very soul.
Hee hee hee hee! We warned you! We warned you! And the rest of them accepted the change without question or hesitation!
No…you lie…
When have we ever lied to you, my child?
Ho ho ho ho…have a little more faith in us, dear. After all, you are our son, and it is your destiny that matters, not theirs!
Unfortunately, we cannot free you yet. We must wait for the right time, when they're distracted and vulnerable…
…and when will that be?
Hee hee hee hee…not long, our son. Not long…
Ho ho ho…you see, our dear child, a new opportunity has arisen. One that we intend to work to our advantage…
Hyrule has a new enemy in its midst…one who would dare claim your rightful place as ruler of all Hyrule!
Ganondorf gritted his teeth. Unacceptable…I…we need the Triforce for ourselves. It is the only way we can bring our people out of the dark ages and back into prosperity.
At this, both the elderly sisters cackled madly. "We"? There is no we! The Gerudo are a lost cause! They're unimportant! What is important is that you rise from their ashes and reign as king over all the known world, as master of the Triforce!
I am doing this for our people!
Don't lie to us, boy, or to yourself! Deep down, you know you want that Golden Power all for yourself! You lust for it, thirst for it…Omnipotent power…that is what you desire. That is the destiny we have been grooming you to pursue. Not salvation, DOMINATION! Ho ho ho ho ho!
Ganondorf bit his tongue, knowing they were right and hating them for it. Though he truly wanted to see his people prosper, somehow, he knew deep within the core of his being that he could not possibly contain himself should such power fall into his hands. Why then, was he pursuing it so adamantly?
Because it is your destiny, Ganondorf…
Hee hee hee…yes, it is your destiny to seize the Triforce and become the absolute ruler of the world! The King of Darkness!
I did not ask for this destiny…
DO NOT QUESTION WHAT YOU ARE DESTINED TO BE!
At this, Ganondorf unconsciously flinched, as anyone being so harshly reprimanded by their parental figures would.
We raised you better than that, our child…
Ganondorf did not respond, glowering bitterly at thin air.
All in good time, though, child, you will rise and become who you were born to be…
And resurrect the glory of Demise's ancient conquest!
Ganondorf could feel the witches fading from his mind, but they had one last thing to say before they receded completely.
When our new enemy strikes at Hyrule Castle, we will free you and bear you to safety where you can gather the strength you need to conquer all who would dare stand against you…
XXXXXX
Princess Zelda's chambers…
The Hero and the four Sages-to-be entered the room, which was illuminated by the soft light of the early morning, as well as a fire crackling merrily in the nearby fireplace to ward off the morning chill. Seated in the middle of the room at a round table with five chairs around it was the Princess of Hyrule herself, Zelda.
She looked almost exactly as Link remembered her, but it seemed she had forgone her royal headdress, allowing her lustrous, golden hair to fall down her young shoulders with slight curls. She smiled slightly at their entrance.
"It's good to see you again, Link," Zelda greeted. "I trust you have kept it safe since last we met?"
Link nodded eagerly, knowing what she was referring to. "It helped me a lot in the last adventure I was on."
"Good," Zelda answered before turning her attention towards her other guests. "Greetings, Saria of the Lost Woods, and Nabooru of the Gerudo Desert. It's an honor to meet you both in person."
The Kokiri and Gerudo nodded their heads in thanks before Zelda indicated the empty seats around her. "Please, have a seat. There is much we all must discuss."
All of them, including Impa, did so. Once they were all seated, Zelda leaned forwards and steepled her fingers together. "Now, I'm certain Impa has already spoken to you of my dream."
"Yeah," Link replied. "But that's not all. The Deku Tree sent us here because the new enemy that you had a prophetic dream about has already landed troops in Hyrule."
After a long moment of silence, Zelda finally croaked, "W-where?"
"The Gerudo Desert," Nabooru spoke up. "We were driven from our own fortress by their vastly superior numbers. Some scouts pursued us all the way to the boundaries of the Lost Woods, but the Deku Tree drove them off. In doing so, he also said that he had been able to see into their minds and was able to gain some valuable information about what we're all up against."
Zelda sighed, bracing herself for the worst. "Alright, let's hear it."
"This enemy," Nabooru began, "is not of our world. They came from another realm, where the forces of evil conquered the defenders of good. They serve an individual who calls himself the Dark Lord Sauron."
"Sauron," Zelda murmured beneath her breath, the act causing her to involuntarily shudder.
"Indeed," Nabooru continued. "We were told that this 'Sauron' individual's legions are vast, and that he has already invaded our world through a portal somewhere in the Gerudo Desert with an army hundreds of thousands strong, of which this is but one of several such armies at his disposal. All manner of beasts and black-hearted men make up these foul legions, along with creatures and demons of fearsome might and dreadful presence. It is an army the likes of which has never before been seen in Hyrule since the Demon Wars of ages past."
Zelda released a shuddering breath at these evil tidings. "Even with all the peoples of Hyrule working together, this is a battle we would be hard-pressed to win. There is no doubt in my mind; they are here to seize the Triforce in Sauron's name. We need to reawaken the power of the ancient Sages." At this, her eyes darted over each of the Sages-to-be. "Three of you possess the qualities necessary to inherit this great power. But in order to gain it, each of you must travel to one of the ancient Temples of the Sages and pray at their respective altars. Saria, you know the location of the Forest Temple, do you not?"
Saria nodded. "I go there a lot to play my ocarina or just to think. But the way in long ago broke apart. I don't know how I would be able to get in."
Link smiled. "I can help with that. I have something that can get you in there."
"What's that?" Saria curiously inquired.
"Hookshot," he replied, showing it to her. "There's an old, gnarled tree growing over the entryway. Shoot this into the wood directly over the door and it should pull you up to it."
Saria took Link's Hookshot and began inspecting it in wonder.
"Impa, I must ask you to leave my side for a time in order to accomplish your task," Zelda continued. "You must go to the Shadow Temple in Kakariko Village and pray at the altar."
Impa merely nodded solemnly at this.
"And Nabooru, you must go to the Spirit Temple and do the same there." Then Zelda leaned back in her seat and sighed. "There is a problem, however. After countless centuries of disuse, all the old temples have been infested with all manner of creatures. The Spirit Temple in particular, I fear, is the base of operations for a known enemy of the kingdom, one you and your people know very well…the Gerudo witches known as the Twinrova Sisters."
Nabooru's eyes widened. "We banished those old hags from our lands before Lord Ganondorf was even born! They were practicing evil magic and kept talking about resurrecting the 'glory of Demise's conquest'. We knew no good could come of that, so we banished them. To think they now lurk in our most revered temple…" Suddenly Nabooru realized something. "That…that's why Lord Ganondorf would disappear for days on end when he went to the Spirit Temple! He must have encountered them there, and they started sinking their shriveled claws into his mind! I always wondered why he seemed to change more and more each time he returned…"
"Yes," Zelda spoke up. "The Twinrova were awaiting the time in which the legacy of Demise would manifest in our world. When Ganondorf went to the Spirit Temple the first time, they knew him to be that legacy, and immediately began nurturing the evil power lurking in his soul in order for him to realize their dream; to bring a new Demon King into the world. And for a time, they succeeded, until Link here defeated Ganondorf in the future and returned the past back to the way it was before he began his terrible conquest. Link and I both knew that, if we left Ganondorf to his own devices, that all those horrible events would play out again, so we had him imprisoned in the name of the Kingdom. Even though, in doing so, he never managed to lay his hands on the Triforce, Demise's hatred continues to slowly erode whatever soul that man has left in him. It's only a matter of time before Ganondorf is nothing more than a shadow of Demise, mindlessly pursuing the Triforce as the Demon King did so long ago."
Nabooru laid her hands on the table as she silently took this information in.
"Now," Zelda said, returning to the matter at hand, "while there are three Sages here, two more still need to be brought together; Princess Ruto of the Zoras, and Darunia of the Gorons. Once all five of you have prayed at your respective temples, you must go to the Temple of Time here in Castle Town and enter the Chamber of the Sages to speak with the Sage of Light, Rauru, who will instruct each of you in how to use your newfound powers."
"What then?" Nabooru asked.
"Then all of us must lead our people into battle against Sauron's forces," Zelda responded. "With your Sage powers, we might stand more of a chance against Sauron's more powerful servants."
"I-i-into battle?" Saria whimpered. "I-I'm no leader, and I c-couldn't possibly ask all my friends to leave the safety of the forest and march right into that kind of danger!"
Zelda's expression became sad. "I do not desire it any more than you, but we must all be in this together if we are to repel this swarm of evil. Even with all our peoples together, we are outnumbered several times over. We need all the help we can get, no matter where it comes from."
"Princess, I must ask you," Impa interrupted. "If, while we are gone, Sauron chooses to attack, what will you do? The years of peace have made our soldiers complacent, and their gumption is not as it once was. We have at most ten thousand soldiers in our city, most of whom haven't even seen any sort of action and think of the military as easy pay rather than performing their duty to the kingdom. Hyrule Castle could not hope to repel such an assault if it comes to pass."
"I remember where the entrance to the catacombs lies," Zelda replied. "If the attack comes and we cannot hold the city, we will evacuate through there and flee to Kakariko."
"And leave the Temple of Time unguarded?" Link asked worriedly. "If Sauron does manage to take Castle Town, we won't be able to reach the Temple of Time to confer with Rauru once the Sages' power has been reawakened!"
"I know," Zelda solemnly answered. "But we are very much on the defensive here. We are ill-prepared to face a foe such as this. In fact, the only ones aware of this threat apart from the Kokiri and the Gerudo are right here in this room. I will have to tell my father of this threat, and he may not be inclined at first to believe me. Adults put so little faith in the words of their children…"
Link bowed his head, all too familiar with that sentiment. In the midst of his training, he had ventured around Hyrule, competing in swordfighting tournaments and challenging various knights, and he was never taken seriously unless he showed them the treasure Zelda had entrusted to his safekeeping, the Ocarina of Time. And then, during his adventure in Termina, when the Skull Kid had turned him into a Deku Scrub, no one took him seriously, and the soldiers wouldn't even let him leave the town walls.
"Which is why all of you must make haste, and pray at your temples as soon as possible," Zelda continued grimly. "Nabooru, your journey will be fraught with the most peril, not only due to Twinrova's occupation of the Spirit Temple, but because of the desert being where Sauron's hordes are crossing over into Hyrule. Do you think you can embark on such a dangerous mission?"
The Gerudo leader took a deep breath. "I will do what I must, but…I admit, I've never had the odds stacked this much against me. It will take all of my skills to elude the servants of Sauron, not to mention how I will deal with those cursed witches…"
"She can't go alone," Link abruptly spoke up.
All of them turned towards Link with varying degrees of surprise on their faces.
"The first time I met you, Nabooru, in the timeline I prevented, I found you in the Spirit Temple, trying to find a hidden treasure that would help you in your planned rebellion against Ganondorf. But the only way in was through a hole you couldn't fit through, so you had me go through for you to retrieve it."
"The Silver Gauntlets…" Nabooru realized.
Link nodded. "When I finally got up to where the treasure was, I reached it just in time to see you being sucked beneath the sand by Twinrova down below. The next time I saw you, seven years later, you were clad in the armor of an Iron Knuckle and I had to fight you off in order to free you from their possession. If you go there alone, Twinrova will do it all again, I know it."
Nabooru couldn't help but shiver a bit at the thought of being possessed against her will by those evil hags. "What do you suggest then, Link?" Zelda asked.
"I'll go with her," Link answered without hesitation. "I have something I know will defend us from Twinrova's attacks. There's another one in the Spirit Temple, though; if we find it, both of us will be able to hold our own against Twinrova."
"Are…are you talking about the Mirror Shield?" Nabooru incredulously asked. "You have a second Mirror Shield?!"
Link unslung his shield from his back and held it up for them to see. Disturbingly enough, it had the effigy of a face screaming in agony, but other than that, its surface was pristine like a mirror, but definitely of metal make.
"I found this in Ikana Canyon in the land of Termina," Link explained. "It helped me get through the Stone Tower Temple and Ikana Castle, and I've kept it ever since. A Mirror Shield suited to my size, unlike the one in the Spirit Temple, which is for an adult."
"But then who will bring word to the Gorons and Zoras of what must be done?" Zelda pointed out. "I cannot go, and there is no one I can spare for the task. I need you for this, Link."
Link thought about this for a moment before he finally answered, "You're right. In that case, you can borrow this for the time being."
He then handed his shield over to Nabooru. Blinking in shock, Nabooru stammered, "Y-you're just giving this to me? Do you even know how much something like this could be worth?!"
Link just smiled good-naturedly. "You need it more than I do at this point."
Nabooru managed a breathless laugh. "Kid, you are either the most naïve, or the most selfless person I have ever met. Giving something like this to a thief totally willingly, without hesitation…"
Link's smile never faltered. "I know you'll take good care of it for me. Also, I have something that should be able to get you past Sauron's minions."
As he said this, he reached into his pack and pulled out what looked like a mask painted to look like a crude carving of a face on a block of stone. "I also got this in Termina. This is the Stone Mask. Wearing it will enable you to move virtually unseen. You literally become plain as stone so you can blend into your surroundings, and hide in plain sight."
Nabooru took the offered mask and inspected this. "A thief would kill for something like this. You could walk right into a guy's house while he's right there and steal all his valuables without him ever noticing!"
Link paled a bit at the implications, but Nabooru only laughed. "I'm kidding, Link! We Gerudo may be thieves, but we don't steal from those who can barely provide for themselves! I'm not a pure villain like that old shapeshifter Blind!"
Link sighed with relief. "Seriously, thank you for these, Link," Nabooru said sincerely. "Your honesty, generosity, and kindness are refreshing after the many years of jeers and unwelcome attitudes I've faced by other Hylians. Never lose that."
Link blushed a little at the compliment. "A-are you sure you're okay with us taking these, Link?" Saria asked, holding up the Hookshot. "What if you end up needing them?"
"I'll manage," Link answered with a shrug. "Besides, I don't need them in order to get to Goron City or Zora's Domain. I'll be fine."
Saria looked down at the Hookshot uncertainly. "I-if you say so, Link."
Link smiled at her, glad that she understood the situation.
"Now that we know what course of action we must all take," Zelda spoke up, interrupting their thoughts, "it's time we set to work. Time is of the essence, and I suspect Sauron will strike us sooner rather than later."
Zelda stood from her seat, prompting the others to do the same. "Good luck out there, all of you," she declared. "May the way of the Triforce light your path."
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Gerudo Fortress…
Standing tall in a balcony overlooking the whole Gerudo Valley, the Witch-king of Angmâr observed the roiling masses seething below. Orcs, Men, and other beasts were all awaiting his command, while those who had not been chosen to partake in the initial assault were tending to their own affairs in their own crude, sometimes violent ways.
"Servants of darkness," the Witch-king cried out in his high, cold voice, "we stand upon the cusp of victory! Our enemies are few in number, and they are ill-prepared for our incalculable might! Tomorrow we march! We march on Hyrule Castle, and when it falls, we will seize the Golden Power of the Triforce, and our lord Sauron shall reign supreme over this new world! He has promised you the future, my servants! New lands, new spoils, new victims! We will have it all when the sun rises next! Now prepare yourselves, for tomorrow, we march to war!"