Chapter 2: Bad news and Good news
Hey sorry this took so long but I wanted to make sure to get the story rolling. there is a change of plans since this one is so long Zelda's part got moved. the next chapter is going to be long since the plot gets going.
enjoy!
"Morning Sugar" says Telma with a wide smile as Link takes a seat at the bar. "Now how is the grate Hero and most eligible bachelor of all of Hyrule doing this fine day" she says with a smirk.
Link shakes his head "I'm fine Telma" he reply's with a sheepish smile. Ever since he and Midna saved the kingdom from Zant and Ganondorf his status as a 'Hero' has been made public knowledge, much to his embarrassment. For the first Two weeks he couldn't go anywhere without a mob of people hounding him for a autograph or a fight to see if the hero lives up to the hype. Not to mention all the marriage proposal's from almost every noble house to wed there daughters, single young lady's as well as some men to. It got so crazy that princess Zelda herself had to step in and tell them all that anyone who continues to harass Link will be thrown in the dungeon for ten days no exceptions. It pretty much stop'ed after that and now he can walk around town without the threat of being mobbed. Now its just Telma and the other former resistance member's who like to poke fun by reminding him of the whole incident.
'I should get Zelda something for doing that for me' he muses. "You are never going to let me live that down are you?" Link says with a smile and a raised eyebrow.
"Not a chance in hell. Sorry honey." she says with smirk that says she's not sorry. "So will it be your usual again today?" Telma asks getting to work.
"Yes please" Link reply's and Telma begins filling a mug with milk. While she dose that Link once again takes notice of the eyes staring at him. Looking over his shoulder he stars at the cloaked figure out of the corner of his eye. Glancing toward the table he sees that the mysterious stranger hasn't moved. There still in the same position. Head tilted at an angel to block any light so to not show the face, hands probably folded in the lap and plan black cloak closed so that the only part of the body Link could see were the black boots. Normally he's not too put off at people burning holes in the back of his head. When you kill two 'Gods' some people do become a bit apprehensive of you. But unlike those times he couldn't sense any kind of intent be it good or bad. Turing his head back around he decides to ask Telma about them.
"Hey Telma whats the deal with the guy in the hood at Jovani's table?" Link inquiries as he takes the mug form her.
"'Guy in the hood?'" Telma repeats furrowing her brow in confusion as she brings her eyes up to the said table. "Link,honey" Telma begins slowly like shes trying to solve a puzzle. "There is just Jovani at that table, no guy in a hood".
"...What?" Link says in confusion as he looks back at the table and just as she said Jovani is there all alone no mysterious stranger to be seen. "Your sure he didn't just get up and leave?" he asks Telma as he swings his head back around.
"Link i'v been down hear all day and not a single person has come in here with a hood on they all know the rules, much less sit with Jovani." Telma says with a shake of her head. Her face then gained a concerned motherly look as asked the worry'ed hero "how are those nightmares? Are you getting enough sleep?
Shaking his head Link try's to focus on her question."Still bad. And no not really. Between looking through every book related to the Twilight Realm and the nightmares i haven't gotten vary much sleep" he says with a sheepish smile while looking into his mug to avoid Telma's disapproving stare.
Right before Telma is about to tare into him about getting the proper amount of sleep (again) they hear a women shout form the main door to Links left.
"Well if it isn't the fairy boy!" says a black heard young women in her early twenty's "They let your kind in here!? a smirk makes its way onto her face as she walks into the bar followed by two men.
"Ashei please, must you be so rude to him every time?" said a light brown headed man with glasses in his mid twenty's
"Come now Shad we both know she's just still upset that Link beat her in there last duel" laughs an older man in his mid sixty's with dark gray hair.
"Oh stuff it Auru nobody asked you!" said Ashei with a light tint of red on her cheeks.
"Yes and nobody asked you to make fun of Link's last name being kokiri" Aura says with a smirk.
"Auru, Ashei, Shad, its good to see you guys" Link intervene's before they get into a round verbal sparing that will last an hour (again). Getting up form his seat he gives them all a quick handshake and asks the question he's been worrying about over the past week ever since he asked them for help. "Have you guys found anything?" Link asks.
All three share a quick look between each other a silent conversation taking place. Then Auru speaks up as he's glancing around the bar at the other patrons. "Lets discuss this at our table in privet" he says as he begins to make his way over to the back room with the others following behind him.
"I'll have drinks for you guys in a moment" Telma says as she heads through the doorway behind the counter. But not be for shooting Link one more look that tells him he's not off the hook yet.
As the other three of sit down at the table Link goes over to pull the curtain closed so they can talk in privet, with that done he goes to sit down as well. In his seat he notes the placement of the others Auru is to his left with his elbows on the table and fingers laced together with his chin resting on them, Shad is right across form him flipping through a book while muttering some things under his breath, Ashei is to his right with one hand thrown over the back of the chair the other resting on the table while drumming her fingers with her seat being a little closer to Shad he notes. Link sits with his back to the curtain and both arms resting on the table. Nobody talks for a few minutes and Link is to nervous to start the conversation for these three are pretty much is last hope to seeing Midna again. noticing some movement out of the corner of his eye Link turns his head to the left but there's nobody there, two heart beats later Telma walks into the small room with the others drinks and his mug a milk he forgot. Placing everyone's drinks down and receiving thanks from the four of them Telma heads back out to man the bar.
Turning back around Link takes a breath to brace himself and clears his throat to get there attention and addresses the elephant in room. "I guess by everyone's silence that you guys have had as much luck as me"
They all stared down at there drinks hearing that.
Auru sighs and turns to face him "I'm sorry Link but are information network has come up with nothing about the Twilight Realm"
"Nobody we asked has even heard of it" say Shad looking up to meet his eyes
"Most of them thought we have gone crazy" grumbles Ashei
Link tilts his head down with a dejected look on his face 'I had hoped they would find something but it looks like it is truly hopeless. I'll never see Midna again' over the pass week he has been having them look for any information on the Twilight with there network, even checking other kingdoms around Hyrule
Seeing the state the green clad hero is in they all try to think of something to say to lift his mood
Ashei leans foreword to speak "Hey its not like we were your last lead. You said yourself that there was one more thing on the list right?. So what was it?
Link didn't respond for a few minutes. Slowly he begins to remove the glove on his right hand and speaks in a low voice "The only two ways to get into the Twilight Realm were the Mirror of Twilight and the Triforce" Link looks at the back of his hand which has the mark of the three goddesses with the bottom right triangle being a darker shade of brown then the other two showing that the triforce of courage rests within him. Bringing his hand up he shows the back to them. "but we don't know where the Triforce of Power went. After i killed Ganondorf it did not come to me like it should have. Princess Zelda said that it either found a new host or it went back to the Sacred Realm. I had Rusl look into it and nobody has been found with the piece, so it must have gone back. But the keys to open the door to get there were lost somewhere in the two century's since The Hero of Time. so i'm truly out of options" he said looking back at the table.
"We are truly sorry Link we know how much she means to you but surly this isn't the end there's got to be something else right?." said Auru hopeful
"Don't worry i'm sure you will find a way, you have done the impossible before why is this any different?" Shad said with a smile
"YEAH WHAT THE BOOK WORM SAID!" Yelled Ashei with a smirk of her own
Link lifts his head up and looks at his friends. Hearing there kind words they said and he remembers all the 'impossible' trials he went through on his journey, from freeing Hyrule from the blanket of twilight, to traveling across the scorching desert, frigid mountain, back in time, and to the sky itself. All leading up to when he faced and killed not one but two self proclaimed gods. He didn't let anything stop him, not the hordes monsters that where after his life, not the labyrinth like temples and the behemoth's at the ends of them, not even Zant scattering the four mirror pieces to the ends of Hyrule and turning him into a wolf permanently could stop him.
He has let nothing stand in his way from achieving his goals from the beginning of all this, so why start now?
letting a smile work its way onto his face he speaks "Thanks guys and your right, i'm not done yet i will find a way to the Twilight Realm and i wont stop until i do. Even if it takes the rest of this life and my next one i will see Midna again and nothing is going to stand in my way!" he says with determined fire in his eye. The other three give a shout of agreement
"So what do we do next?" said Ashei
before Link can answer a clock rings out from somewhere in the bar and the four of them all look up at the sound.
"Well it looks like we will have to continue this another time. I have a meeting to get ready for " said Auru as he got up from the table
"Ya and i have to report in to the general before the counsel meeting later" said Ashei standing up as well. "What about you two?"
"I'm not to sure. I'll probably look over the books i have to see if i missed anything that can help me. But there is something i would like to spake with you about Shad if you have time" said Link
"certainly Link, i don't have to be back at the academy until tonight" said Shad with a nod.
"Then we will leave you to it" said Auru as he and Ashei leave the back room.
After biding them both goodbye Link turns to Shad "I had another nightmare" Link said cutting right to the chase.
Shad doesn't look surprised at this beyond the raising of an eyebrow
"My, it must have been quite ordeal then, for you to tell me about to this quickly. Ordinarily it takes some prodding on my end to get you to discuss them, so what happened?" he says giving Link his undivided attention.
"Your right this time was different" leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms Link stars at the roof as he recalls the dream. "Everything was so clear and so vivid, like i was there i could feel the cold of the snow, the pounding of my heart, the exhaustion in my limbs, and the fear of being hunted down" and so Link tells Shad everything that happened in the nightmare
"...Well that is definitely something" Shad he says with a wide eye look after about ten minutes of silence
"Yeah i know. So can you help me figure out what it means?" asked Link looking back at him but he already knew the answer
"I'm sorry Link but again this is out of my field of expertise" said Shad with a shake of his head "Six unknown figures draped in shadow, a frozen forest that I have never heard about, and a sword that could spell doom for us all if they get it. All this is so different from when I was just researching the Ooccoo and the sky races"
Link lets out a sigh expecting that answer its the same one every time, As much as Shad wants to help prophetic dreams are not his strong suit but it dose help him to talk about them with someone 'And he should bring her up right about now' he thinks
"I know you don't like me saying this, but I really think you should go see Princess Zelda about this dream. She is the leading expert in the mind in all of Hyrule after all and these nightmares seem to be getting worse" Shad says taking a sip of his mug.
Its true Shad has been trying to get Link to go see the princess every since he first told him about the nightmares, but Link has always refused not wanting to bother the princess why she is trying to get the kingdom in order with what he thought were just some bad dreams. However thinking about the last one and it felling so real, and so terrifying.
And there was one thing he didn't tell Shad. The warmth form the sword felt exactly like Midna's magic
"I think I will go see the princess, your right they are getting worse and I need to get to the bottom of them so I can focus on finding a way into the Twilight Realm" said Link
A big smile made its way onto Shads face "A relief to hear, do be sure to tell me what the result is. And hopefully you're sleep gets back to normal before you start hallucinating and seeing things that are not there" he says as he gets up to leave
'Yeah wouldn't want that' Link thinks as he stands as well and says to Shad "I will you listened to me the past three months so its the lest i can do"
Shad gives a nod "I have something to discuss with Telma so I will see you later Link" he says as he gives Link a hand shake and heads to the front counter while Link gives a wave to Telma heads to the front door and out onto the street. Right before the door swings shut Link can hear Shad say something about Ashei. As Link begins to make his way up the stairs he wonders when they are going to stop dancing around each other and get together. They have been like this so long he, Rusl, Auru, and Telma have all made a bet on it, Link has 200 rupees on them getting together before the festival of The Black Moon next month.
Walking onto the south main street and mixing with the crowds of people going about there day to day he starts making his way to castle town center. As he's walking Link looks up at the clear blue sky and wonders not for the first time if Midna is doing alright in the twilight realm.
Unknown to Link from beneath a black hood a cloaked figure's purple eyes watch him go from the side street leading to the bar
It is said there exist both The realm of Light and the realm of Darkness, two sides of the same coin. One to represent good, the other evil. and like a coin these two sides should never meet. But as with all things there needs to be a in between, something to connect the two opposite's and keep them in balance, and that is where the realm of twilight comes into play.
Century's ago the realm of twilight was once used to house the worst criminal's the light realm had ever seen. From a tribe of mages who try'ed to use there dark magic to take the power of the three goddesses, to a clan of shadow folk who turned against the royal family, to a king of thieves and the loyal members of his desert people. All of them have been judged and sentenced to eternity living in the light of dusk never again to see the light of day. Over to century's bathed in the eternal orange light of the days end the people became gentile and tranquil. The descendants of these criminal's came to be known as the Twili.
Midna the princess of the twilight sat on her throne leaning to the side with her head resting in her hand staring out the window counting the number of black clouds that pass along the orange sky in a attempt to distract herself from the report that is being giving. It's been the same progress report on rebuilding for the last three weeks 'everything is moving slowly but steady'. The Twili took some time to recover from Zant's coup and being turned into shadow beasts, but Midna's glade to see things are getting back to normal. Mindna picks this time to tune back into the report.
"And with the west part of the city complete we only have the south and a few handful of houses left" says a man with spiky pink hair and black eyes in dark brown pants and a grey tunic with a bow strapped to his back reading off a piece of paper.
"Thank you for the report Max if there is not anything more you can go" Minda said siting up straight in her throne not giving away that her mind was somewhere else for the past half hour.
Folding up the report Max reply's "There is one thing your highness. The outer island's have reported some strange activity on there outskirts. It seems some Lizalfos have been seen close to the towns"
Giving Max her full attention Midna mulls that over. Why it is not strange to see monster in the twilight, it is uncommon of them to venture to close to any city. A common Twili has enough magic power to deal with three of them by themselves so any monsters just keep to the godless lands.
Crossing one leg over the other and threading her fingers together to rest in her lap Midna says "Haves anyone been attacked yet?"
"No from what we can tell the lizalfos have just been stalking around the outside of the city limits" said Max
Nodding her head Midna says "If they are not activity causing harm then we will leave them for now, we are still trying to fill back up our ranks of knights after all but make sure to keep a eye on them so we can deal with them anything changes. Now if that is everything I believe your shift is over Max so go rest you have been up all night, you earned it." She says rising from her throne and walking to the door
"As you wish your highness" Max says bowing as Midna passes and following after her. Max is the son of one of the knights of the royal guard and one of Midna's oldest friends. She remembers when they were kids playing together with Mia and Zant. Back then he and Zant where like brothers always getting into trouble and being so inseparable her and Mia would joke that they had a thing for each other. He was such a lively kid back then always smiling and going on about how he would become a knight and protect the people. But ever since Zant's coup he has begone to take his job so seriously Midna has begone to worry.
Walking out into the main hall Midna senses Max stiffing up behind her and looking ahead she doesn't need to guess why "Good afternoon Princess Midna, Sir Max all done for the day?" says a women with long blue hair braided down her back and blue eyes wearing a maid uniform.
An evil idea pops into Midna's head "Yes Mia we are all done today, I was telling Max hear that he should go rest. He had the late shift last night and I doubt he has had anything to eat yet, right Max?" she looks back to him with a raised eyebrow.
"Well...I..I..would...not say...nothing" Max sputtered with red cheeks not making eye contact "I had some bread at the beginning of my shift so i'm fine" he gets out
Going around the princess Mia gets right in Max's face with a fire in her eyes "Oh no you don't! I know you didn't eat anything yesterday and got pretty much no sleep the night before!" turning back to Midna who is holding a hand to her mouth trying to not burst out laughing Mia asks the question that will decide Max's fate "May i have the rest of the day off so I can make sure this dumbass takes care of himself?"
Midna takes a look at Max's frightened face and drops the hammer "Of course Mia just make sure to make up any missed work tomorrow" she says with a impish smirk.
With his fate decided Mia swiftly turns around, grabs Max by the wrist and starts dragging him towards the mess hall "We are going to get you some real food and then you are going to sleep even if I have to tie you to your bed" Max looks back at Midna with a look a betrayal while she just smirks and waves.
lowering her right hand she begins to rub the sore back a little. heading to her room Midna fells glad that she could get them to spend some time together. She just wishes she see the one she loves again. 'I miss you Link'
Somewhere that light is never found Five shadows sit around a table "Its just about time, soon are two Century's plain will begin and one will stop us this time!
And thats it see you back hear next time for:
friend or foe