COUNTING STARS

Chapter 38: Savior

Castle Town watched as the bodies were cleared out from the castle, the fallen knights carried out on gurneys with their faces covered by white sheets. No one suspected that beneath those sheets, the knights' skin had been melted away, leaving only their skeletons. CTPD officers slid the gurneys into large, black vehicles, before slamming the doors and driving them off to the morgue.

As the scene carried on, Castle Town's citizens watched, their eyes glued to their TVs and the JumboTrons. The city had fallen into a collective melancholic silence.

Eventually, all knights had been removed. What came next gave the onlookers chills—officers were dragging handcuffed individuals out of the central gate, two men and a woman, all conscious, but beaten and bloodied. Their eyes were wild, yet defeated and hopeless. The city watched in eerie silence; these lunatics must have been the ones responsible for the carnage.

Then, two more bodies were taken out on gurneys—these, however, were not given the same respect as the fallen knights. Their faces were left unconcealed, their eyes open and unblinking, and their bodies were bloody with gruesome stab wounds. They were treated like mere objects, not fallen men. Their faces were exposed to the world, so the citizens could condemn them with their bitter hatred. It was chilling, but it felt right.

Lastly, a final body was taken out of Hyrule Castle. A man so large that it required an extra large gurney and six men to support its weight.

This was the body of Ganondorf Dragmire, the long-coveted fugitive and murderer of their king.

As the city watched, they cheered. The terrorist had been defeated, somehow. Never again would their freedom be stolen away. Never again would they bow to a usurper king, and be forced into submission by another tyrannical madman.

They didn't know who to thank, so they thanked the heavens.

Wednesday, January 9th

Ordonia is always unforgiving in the winter. Each year, for these frigid few months, the small farming village's economy plummets. Families must preserve some of their harvest to sell during the wintertime, and strategize how they should spread out their sales of livestock.

As the midwinter breeze bites at the skin of my neck and face, I hug my puffer coat closer to my body, fighting a shiver. On a clear night like this—or morning, rather, since it's just past four—there's no cloud cover to trap the heat, so it's well below freezing. My boots crunch into the snow-dusted grass. I turn to watch as the taxi that brought me here starts its engine back up and drives off, heading northward to the city, leaving me alone in the dozing village. It took a lot of convincing and a generous tip for the driver to agree to take me all the way out here.

I cross the main dirt road and walk past my old house, toward the little clearing in the woods behind it.

It's silent; serenely so. It would've felt eerie to me, normally, but not now. Now I'm safe. Everyone is.

I step into the clearing, a pretty setting of greenery and flowers that somehow survived the harshness of the winter. This is the only area of the woods that has been so mysteriously preserved. Save for the great evergreens, the forest's trees have been reduced to dull, dead brambles. But not here. The natural clearing is beautiful, teeming with life in a struggling forest.

A single gravestone stands in the center of the clearing.

I reach into the inside of my jacket, pulling out the plastic bag I'd been carrying. My hand shakes as I kneel down and gently dump its contents out in the grass in front of the tombstone. A handful of carrots drop plainly to the ground, and I stare at them ruefully.

"The flower shop was closed this late," I explain, unable to keep my lip from quivering. "So I—I finally brought you those carrots."

I lower my head, realizing how stupid I sound.

"It... took me awhile. I'm sorry."

I stare at the etched-out name of my uncle on its weathered stone surface, trembling in the cold, watching as the name slowly starts to blur.

"...I wanted to avenge you," I choke, forcing my eyes shut. "And I'm not proud of who I've become."

The clearing remains silent.

"I lost myself. I killed people. I thought I was doing it for you. But I know you never would have wanted that." I slowly lift my head and blink the budding tears away. "I didn't... I didn't know how to act when you left."

My heart squeezes in my chest as I choke out my next words.

"I'm sorry... for letting you down..."

"Link."

I lift my head, staring at the tombstone, then realize the voice came from behind me. I stand up and whirl around, my eyes landing on a concerned Mayor Bo. I steel myself, guarded, wondering how much he overheard.

Holding his gaze, I swallow.

"How did you…?"

"I heard a car drive up," comes Mayor Bo's steady reply. "We don't get a lot of those, so I figured it could've been you."

I say nothing, turning back around. My eyes fall once more upon the grave of my uncle.

I feel the mayor's presence approach. He comes up beside me, heaving a sigh.

"Rusl was a good friend of mine, Link. And unlike many of us, he was actually pretty wealthy. Did you know that?"

"Yes," I answer quietly. "I didn't expect the check to be so big."

"He was once a knight, you know."

I frown. I hadn't known that.

"But after your parents passed, when he was to become your guardian, your uncle rounded up all his money and quit on the spot. He had the funds to live elsewhere—Hyrule has good military benefits, you see. But instead, he took you out here. To our poor yet charming little village. Do you know why?"

"No, not exactly."

"He wanted you to grow up appreciative," he explains. "He cared far more about your character than material stuff, y'know. A good man."

I lower my head, a single tear streaming down the skin of my cheek.

That only adds to my grief. My uncle gave up so much for me. Raised me as his own child. Taught me how to be a man. And when he passed, I threw all of his lessons on character out the window.

In my quest for vengeance, I lost track of what really mattered. I failed him.

The air in the clearing is deathly quiet. I try to find words to say to the man beside me, but my throat tightens in refusal. I intake a shaky breath instead, closing my eyes.

"My parents," I say finally. "Do you know how they died?"

The mayor only sighed, and then he shook his head.

"I'm sorry. Rusl never spoke of them. It was too hard for him." The mayor sighs. "But your uncle loved you like his own."

I spent the rest of my sleepless night on the rooftop of my childhood home, counting the stars until the sun rose from above the distant trees. I remained up there in solitude, stuck in my own thoughts for hours.

At around noon, a knock comes at my door below, snapping me out of my stupor.

I frown. Mayor Bo again? Ilia, maybe? Or even Talo—he could've already moved back home, after all.

When another knock comes, I pick myself up and lean over the edge of the roof, glancing down at the door. My eyes land on a head of blonde hair, and I blink back surprise.

She found me. Of course she found me.

I clear my throat audibly.

Zelda jumps, startled, her head snapping up to meet my eyes. "Din, you scared me."

I watch as she disappears in a swirl of wispy golden light, then reappears behind me. She sits with her back against the brick chimney, and she taps the space beside her, inviting me to sit.

I join her, and she rests her head on my shoulder. Sighing heavily, I wrap an arm around her and close my eyes, finding myself very grateful for her presence. Running away was a stupid idea.

"How did you do that little trick?" I ask.

Zelda holds her hand out for me to see. Three golden triangles glow brightly, and she smirks. "There's a lot of cool stuff I can do now."

"Like what?"

She shrugs against me. "I don't want to know. I'm too scared to find out. That's why—"

I watch as her hand glows with a blinding white light, and I cover my eyes. When her hand slowly dims back down, I look again. Only the left triangle glows now, with the other two a lifeless, dull color.

Lifting my hand, I see my own Triforce piece return to where it once was, the right triangle gleaming with divine light.

And we lift our heads skyward as the third triangle, the Triforce of Power, soars up to the heavens.

"—I'm giving them back."

I stare at the luminous polygon on my skin, stone-faced, feeling its warmth return to my chest and its power flowing through my veins. All of that death and destruction—for this. It makes me hate it.

"Why did you leave?" Zelda asks, not lifting her head from my shoulder.

I shut my eyes, sighing.

"I wanted to talk to my uncle."

Zelda squeezes my hand with her own. "What did you tell him?"

"I…" My throat tightens, and I clear it. "I told him it was over. That we did it." I hesitate before adding, "But…"

Zelda lifts her head, facing me. "But what?"

"I just... can't get over this guilt I'm having." Unable to meet her eyes, I shake my head. My voice drops to a weak whisper. "I've killed *five people, Zelda…"

Her eyebrows raise slightly, enough for me to notice. She must not have known about Ghirahim and Agahnim, but regardless, she chooses not to question.

"I wouldn't count Yuga or Ganondorf as 'people,' Link. And I'd say you get a pass for the rest of them."

"Because they're 'dangerous to the public?'" I ask with air quotes. "That's what jail is for. I didn't need to kill them, I—they weren't even allowed to kill me. I acted out of emotion. It's what Nayru always tells you about me. It's…"

I look at her.

"It's not what Rusl would've wanted."

Zelda's eyes sadden. "Maybe it isn't," she says, nodding solemnly. "But hey. You're only human. You have flaws. Your uncle knows that. And I'm sure he's very proud of everything you've done for others."

She places her hand on my knee, rubbing it compassionately. Looking into her eyes, I stay silent.

"You saved the world twice, Link. Our friends literally idolize you." She flashes a consoling smile. "We all know you aren't perfect. But we're still so proud of you, you don't even know."

I tear my eyes away, giving a small nod. "They might idolize me now. But if they saw what I've done… I don't think they'd look at me the same."

"I think they'd understand it was necessary. Or at least they would understand how desperate you were at the time."

Zelda gently grabs my chin and lifts it, turning my head to look her in the eyes.

"You were just trying to protect me. To save me. And hey, you did." Another smile. "And if it helps at all, I've seen what you've done, and I don't look at you any differently."

I stare into those beautiful eyes, longingly, searchingly. I yearn to tell her I love her, but I hold back. Never will I say that when either of us is feeling emotional; never will I guilt her into saying it back if she isn't yet ready to.

"Thank you."

Zelda beams. "Don't mention it. What are girlfriends for?"

"Chasing their boyfriends down, apparently."

"You got that right. Don't think you're gonna get away from me anytime soon."

Fado stands with his arms crossed, a stern frown creasing his sweaty brow.

"If you fall asleep on the job one more time, I'll be forced to fire ya. Understand?"

Talo nods vigorously. "Yes sir!"

"Good. Now go take inventory of the sheep."

Talo's face goes white. "Uh oh."

Fado's eyes flick my way as I approach them, and his lips curl into a surprised smile.

"Oy!" he calls. "Would ya look who it is!"

I greet them with a grin, leading Zelda into the wide, grassy pen. Talo turns, his eyes growing wide.

"Link!" he shouts, rushing over and crashing into me for a long-overdue bro hug. "You came back!"

I chuckle, forcing him off of me. "Sure did."

"Did you do it? Was that you who—?"

I nod.

Talo's jaw drops in awe. "You're a tank. I don't know how you do it."

"Well, I wasn't alone," I say, turning to Zelda and wrapping an arm around her. She smiles at me.

"'Sup blondie."

Zelda smirks. "Hey farm boy."

From behind him, Fado comes up to join us. "Link," he says with a wide grin, "it's really good to see ya. Looks like you're doin' well."

I smile, nodding once. Despite the remorse that grips my heart, I find myself agreeing with him. Zelda's visit, of course, can be attributed to that.

"So it's all over, right?" Talo asks between bites of a long-expired Pop-Tart. "Like, no more monsters? No more terrorists?"

Leaning on my kitchen counter, I nod at him. "Yup. It's all over."

Talo shakes his head in awe. "Crazy," he exhales. "But what now? Isn't the castle destroyed? Didn't that giant dude kill the king?"

Zelda and I share a look from across the room.

"I guess we haven't thought of that," she says. "But Hyrule will go on, I'm sure. There must be a council that takes over for the time being, or something. What matters now is that everyone's safe."

Talo finishes the pastry and points to me. "You know what that means, Link? You don't have any more worlds to save. Looks like you're free to join the basketball team now!"

I roll my eyes. "I think I'll pass."

"Why? Girls think athletes are hot."

"I have a girl."

"He has a point though."

"Zelda," I protest.

She giggles. "Why not? I think it would be good for you. Talo's right—there aren't any monsters for you to beat up, so you gotta put that athleticism of yours to use somehow."

I shrug. "I can think of a couple ways."

"There's a child in here."

"Hey, I'm fifteen!"

I put up a hand, trying to hide my grin. "Look. It's really tempting to join our zero-win team. But if I joined, it would hardly be fair for all the other ones."

Talo snorts, then quickly realizes I wasn't joking. "Uh, Link, you're pretty good, but like… not that good."

Naturally, Talo only thinks so because he's unaware of my… abilities.

So, with a smirk, I pull out my phone and scroll through my camera roll, picking out the video of me executing a front-flip dunk and sliding my phone over to him. He watches it, and his jaw drops to the floor.

"What the hell?!"

"I got a little better."

"You—I never—What in—" Talo shakes his head vigorously. "Join that team right now!"

"I'll think about it."

Zelda giggles.

"If I even go back," I add.

At that, Zelda's smile falters.

"Huh?" she asks, meeting my eyes.

I open my mouth to reply when a loud, obnoxious knocking comes at the door.

Talo shoots up from his seat. "I'll get it!" he announces, racing to the entrance and swinging the door open.

Immediately, a mob of teens barge into the home, barreling over Talo and hollering, "Surprise!"

I blink, my gaze flicking between the beaming faces of Dark, Midna, Mikau, Mido, Pipit, Karane, Sheik, and Malon.

"Uh, hey guys."

Dark pouts. "Gee, don't get too excited to see us."

"I saw you yesterday."

"Yeah, in a pit of rubble and fried bacon!" he cries.

Sheik nods. "We didn't drive all the way out to the middle of yeehaw-ville to be met with an 'Uh, hey guys.'"

In spite of myself, I can't help but smile. "Alright. I guess it was pretty cool that you guys came all the way out here for me." I glance at Zelda, then back to them. "Thanks," I add.

Dark crashes into me in a tight bro-hug, nearly taking the wind from my lungs. "I knew you'd come around!"

"Sleepover in Link's room!" Pipit exclaims, and he's met with a chorus of cheers.

Zelda is the last to fall asleep. I turn my head and make sure that all eight bodies on the floor of my bedroom have dozed off, then silently crawl out of bed, being careful not to wake the sleeping blonde beside me. I open the window and climb out into the chilly night air, shut it, and clamber onto the roof above.

I don't know why exactly I'm going back up here. I should be content. Happy, even. I guess I'm just in a mood.

The stars are out again, and with them a bright full moon. I hug myself to fend off winter's bite, looking down upon the townscape.

Though I didn't show it at first, my friends coming all the way out here for me meant a great deal. No one ever wants to visit Ordonia; nor can I blame them, if I'm being honest. But they did. For me. To check on me, to see how I was doing after such a trying, traumatic, monumental turning point in my life. It meant a lot.

Thinking this way, again, only leads me to feel remorse. This is what life's about: relationships, friendship, love. Not vengeance or justice or whatever you want to call it. We were made to love, plain and simple. I lost myself, and it just pains me to think about.

What now, then?

Even I know I cannot stay here and mope my years away. My days of grief should be over. So what's next?

A familiar head of blonde hair pops up above the roofline. "Link," she says, half-relieved and half-reprimanding.

"Do I have an ankle monitor on, or something?"

She grins, climbing up and sitting beside me as we did just that morning.

"Can't sleep?"

I shrug. "I didn't really try."

Zelda only hums, finding my hand in her own and locking our fingers.

My heart swells at her touch. She never fails to make me feel better.

"Hey. About what you said earlier…" she begins.

I raise an eyebrow.

"What did you mean by 'If I even go back'?"

I shrug, huffing. "Well... I was just being dramatic. But I definitely thought about… y'know, coming back here."

Zelda's face flashes with sadness; hearing that must have hurt her. "Why?"

"It has nothing to do with you, I swear," I backtrack. "I've just been… emotional, is all. The city's a traumatic place for me now. Everywhere I go, I see—" My voice falters. "My uncle. And I see all of them."

Zelda stays quiet.

"And… you could've wished anyone back," I continue, lowering my eyes. "Like your stepmother. But you… you wished me back."

"I don't regret that for a second," she says, cutting through my tangent.

"Zelda, don't say those things."

"Mom would understand. If she could, she would've ordered me to save you instead of her." Zelda squeezes my hand and stares into my very soul. "Link. Yes, our history was rough. But I am so incredibly thankful for every step of the way, because it led us to right here. You're the light of my life, and I mean that."

I blink back surprise. That was the closest she came to saying that magical four-letter word. I stare back into her eyes, as some force squeezes my heart.

"We're leaving tomorrow," Zelda continues. "Come with us, Link. We miss you. I miss you."

"I—" The words fail me, and I sigh. "The last time I was in Castle Town, I broke—well, the castle."

"Well the last time I was here in Ordonia, I drugged and robbed the mayor. And look, here I am."

Finally, a smile stretches itself across my lips, and I lean in to capture her own in mine. Zelda returns my kiss with a new passion and a sense of longing, as if pleading for me to come back to the city with her. When I pull away, I hold her gaze, then nod.

"Okay. I'll come with you."

As she blesses me with another beautiful smile, I find myself coming to a rather strange conclusion.

I blame Ganondorf Dragmire for the worst and best things to ever happen to me. He murdered my uncle in cold blood, leaving me with nothing. But after the shock and heartbreak, in a fortunate twist of fate, I was granted the opportunity to meet the love of my life.

Of course, I wish my fortunes could have come to fruition under different circumstances. But life goes on, and I will be forever grateful for the long list of amazing people who helped me through it.

And at the very top of that list, without a doubt, is Zelda.