Zora's Domain

It was unnatural.

Frozen eyes staring, the Zora patriarch's condition gave him the chills. Link stared up at King Zora, sitting regally atop his throne, encased in red ice.

He'd tried many times to break it or melt it, but nothing had worked. Navi had deduced that only magic could melt what appeared to be magical ice. Link didn't have anything powerful enough to do the trick. Even the Din's Fire spell had failed.

At last he turned away from the sight, feeling frustration well up inside him. Navi shivered inside his hat, but said nothing; she didn't like the cold.

Link followed the winding rock ledge down into Zora's Domain, casting a sad look at the waterfall, frozen by natural ice, which poured into a large pool at its base. It was under this thick sheet of ice that the Zora were held prisoner. Although it was not the magical red ice, it was unyielding, too thick to penetrate.

He felt a sense of unease, staring down at their petrified forms. Their arms were outstretched, fins extended as if they were swimming. The expressions on their faces were blank, their eyes glassy. Navi had assured him they were all still alive beneath the ice, but she wasn't sure for how long.

Sheik had been right—he did hate this situation. He could do nothing to help them, and the one person who might have answers for him was missing.

Princess Ruto was not among those trapped in the ice. Sheik had mentioned that the curse on the Zora probably came from the Water Temple, their sacred ground. The location, however, was unknown even to the Sheikah youth.

Link rubbed his temples in exasperation. Ganondorf's influence was spreading too far, too quickly. If he couldn't break this latest curse, he would never free the Zora.

~oOo~

Termina Field

West of Clocktown, the road to Hyrule crept steadily northward, boasting the scenery of Snowhead's peaks. It was the main passage between Hyrule and Termina.

Dark and Sienna found themselves on one of the less traveled roads that passed further south, near the top of the Great Bay. Their captors intended to skirt the main roads and travel through the forest, and then north towards Castle Town.

As they edged towards the south, the terrain became flatter. In the distance Dark could see the blue circle of water, smell the saltiness in the air. He stopped a beat to take in the view, having never seen the bay before. The moment was short-lived.

"Get moving," the Gerudo captain ordered, prodding him in the back with the butt end of her spear.

With his hands bound, all Dark could do was stumble. His knees hit the ground sharply. He sprung up and rounded on the Gerudo, Imara. With a mocking laugh, she easily knocked him back onto the ground.

"Dark!" Sienna cried, fighting her own guards to come to his aid.

"Shut up!" her guard ordered while two more hauled Dark back on his feet. They circled the pair rather than flanking them now, keeping them locked within a tight circle.

Imara moved to his side. "At least you're not boring," she remarked, shooting a sly grin in his direction. "It's no fun when we don't rough up the prisoners a bit."

The other Gerudo laughed, and Sienna gave him a worried glance, but Dark resolutely ignored them, staring straight ahead.

"Such a shame," the woman continued, hazel eyes glinting as she moved so close to his side that she brushed his shoulder. "Lord Ganondorf already has plans for you. It's too bad. We could always use a good servant. They're so hard to come by these days."

The other guards burst into peals of laughter and Dark nearly ground his teeth into powder in annoyance. Imara stuck her boot in front of his feet, stopping him. He halted, but he refused to look her in the eyes. She grinned, amused, and seized his chin between long, sun-darkened fingers. Her nails bit into his jaw and she forced his face upwards. She was a tall woman, standing head to head with him.

"Truly a shame," she told him.

The other guards continued to laugh as they passed by them. He still didn't raise his eyes to meet her gaze. She grunted.

"Keep up that stubborn attitude, boy. It's hard to find, especially in you Hylians." He looked up, and she smiled triumphantly. "Normally, I find Hylian men rather dull and weak," she remarked as her eyes studied his face.

Dark didn't answer her. He prayed to the goddesses that Imara could feel the hatred he felt searing the skin of her face as he glared at her. She looked much the same as any Gerudo woman: sharp, proud features, light hazel eyes that bordered on gold or amber, fiery red hair. They were exotically handsome, with their noses just a tad too long for their faces, and lips that were broad and almost masculine. But their eyes struck like daggers, and their skin was a dusky bronze that shone like the desert sand.

"Perhaps you have some Gerudo blood in you, hmm?" she asked. It wasn't an attempt to rile him; she sounded almost curious. Her hawk-like eyes were skittering over his face.

He fought the urge to recoil from both the woman and what she was implying. His features were reminiscent of Hyrule's nobility, given by his mother's side. There was a touch of his father, in the hair color and a skin tone that was a few shades darker than most Hylians. He had no idea who his father's ancestors were. For all he knew, they might well have come from one of the desert tribes that frequently mingled with the Gerudo.

Imara smirked at his obvious displeasure at the comment. "Don't look so affronted," she said. "Your eyes are those of a Gerudo. You should be proud to have a little of our blood in you."

"Proud?" he asked, speaking for the first time. She arched a brow, clearly amused. "I should be proud to have the blood of killers, thieves and tyrants in me?"

Before he could blink, her fist had shot out, striking his temple. Her leg snaked between both of his and knocked him flat on his back. Kneeling next to him, she lowered her head until her lips were right next to his ear.

"Don't speak of things you know nothing about," she whispered, her tone chilling. "You know nothing of our people. You may hate Lord Ganondorf, but he is the finest of our warriors, and commands respect. You have warriors' blood in you, boy. Be proud of that, if nothing else."

Her voice never wavered above a hush. She straightened, grabbing hold of his forearm and pulling him up beside her. One hand still holding him, she dragged him along to rejoin the others, who were busy mounting their horses.

Imara didn't look at Dark again, and the expression on her face didn't invite further comment.

~oOo~

Hyrule Field

Before him the trees were starting to thin out, letting in light—not that there was much obstruction from the trees to begin with. Instead of turning back and taking Death Mountain Trail, Link had cut through the Lost Woods, taking the shortcut from Zora's Domain.

He'd hoped to find a clue of where to go next, so he'd sought out the fairy's fountain he knew of in the ancient forest. When he'd arrived, though, the fountain had been empty. The red fairies, that had resided there, ready to lend their wisdom and aid, were absent. Further frustrated by his situation, Link had taken Navi's advice and changed course towards Hyrule Field. He would return to Kakariko for now.

At last the trees on the perimeter of the woods fell behind him, and he stepped out onto the vast plain that dominated central Hyrule. What he saw caused a pit of unease to drop in his stomach, though he'd seen it before.

Hyrule Field was a mere shadow of what it had once been. The lush plain with gently sloping valleys and hills had dried up, leaving infertile ground and browning, dead grass. The roads were no longer maintained as they had been; weeds and rocks made passage inconvenient to the few who still used them. Those who did tread carefully, as monster attacks weren't uncommon.

Perhaps it didn't matter. Link and Navi hadn't seen another soul in over two days.

There were a handful of stray villages between Zora's River and Kakariko, but they were all empty, deserted by their inhabitants. Some had been overrun by monsters, others had been razed to the ground by the Gerudo and their desert raiders.

To add to the loneliness and the desolateness, it was hot. Unbearably hot. The sun mercilessly baked the earth when it was free of the habitual cloud cover that had plagued Hyrule as of late.

They were still about a day from Kakariko, and Link had run out of water. It seemed ridiculous, being that the river was right there. But it had dried up; the pair found themselves walking in the river bed itself to avoid the heat.

Link stopped under the shade of a tree, though it didn't provide very much—its leaves had withered away. There was a small pool of water in the dirt that hadn't managed to evaporate.

Link knelt and cupped his hands, gulping down what he could. It wasn't nearly enough, but it would have to suffice.

Navi shot him a concerned look. "You can't go on like this much longer, Link."

"I know," he responded without looking at her.

He shoveled the wet dirt aside, hoping there was more moisture to be found in the sandy river bottom. He felt desperate, but there wasn't much else to do. It felt as if the gods were taunting him.

"Kakariko isn't far away," he continued. "We can make it."

"Not before nightfall," Navi argued. "There's a village that's closer, maybe they'll have some water."

"I can't expect them to hand over their water," Link countered. "They most likely don't have enough for themselves."

"If you perish of dehydration they won't have anything ever again," Navi snapped, frustration darkening her mood. "Hyrule can't afford to lose you. I promised the Great Deku Tree I would watch out for you, now come on."

Link sighed and followed the tiny blue fairy up the river bank. The nearest village turned out to be the small hamlet of Ezoren.

Although it was deserted, Link's search for water was successful; he found two full canteens of spring water in a secret storage space of an abandoned home. Link seized one, taking a deep swig before storing the remainder in his pack. If they camped here for the night, they would have plenty to get them to Kakariko.

"What was that!?" Navi said, her wings fluttering anxiously.

Link's boot halted before it crossed the threshold of a village house. His keen ears picked up the sounds of stomping. Whoever was making their way into Ezoren was big, and there was more than one.

He ducked inside, crouching under a window in order to listen to whoever was outside.

For a long while there was just the sound of heavy footfalls. Metal clinked; they were probably wearing armor and weapons. Link guessed they must be one of Ganondorf's guard patrols.

They might've been a group of vigilantes—there were many Hylian soldiers who had escaped the castle and banded together—but Link couldn't take that chance. The newcomers halted a few feet from the house, and the closest one made a sound that could only be described as a snort.

Daringly, Link raised his head to peer out the broken window. What he saw made his blood run cold.

A Moblin stood mere feet away from him. It resembled a giant boar of sorts, with the legs and face of a pig but the torso of a man. The beast was heavily muscled and reinforced with a thick hide. Sharply curved tusks protruded from its mouth, with its nose raised high in the air like it was...scenting.

Link panicked; he bolted for the door a second before the moblin locked onto his human scent. With an earth-shattering roar, the beast swung the massive club it held at the house, shattering the building into firewood.

Covering his head to protect him from flying debris, Link ran flat out, not looking back.

Moblins weren't invincible, but there were two of them and fighting them face-to-face was suicide. His best bet was to fire an arrow into their sensitive eyes, striking them dead with a shot to the brain. That would be an incredible feat, however, with two of them charging him.

"Link! Over there!" Navi shouted, trying to keep up with him. The moblins were hot on their trail, their snorts and snarls piercing his ears.

He rushed towards the trees his fairy had pointed out. He couldn't outrun them—he'd have to lose them in the trees and hope for the chance to take them by surprise.

Link's hairs stood on end as he felt the moblin's hot breath on his back, its hooves tearing up the dirt. Clumps of earth hit him like shrapnel, heightening his panic. He pushed his body into a dead sprint, amazed at the speed he could accomplish.

Fingers outstretched, Link grazed the rough bark of a tree and captured a low-hanging branch. The moblin thundered past him as he pulled himself up, muscles straining, and clambered into the tree. The second moblin charged the same way as its companion; they hadn't realized where their prey had escaped to.

"Do you think they've forgotten about you?" Navi asked, her voice hushed.

The moblins scented the air again, snuffling and snorting. They swiftly relocated him. Link cursed as the giant beasts hurled themselves at the tree, shaking its roots in the earth.

Their tusks viciously tore at the tree's trunk, and Link knew it was only a matter of time before they ripped into his own flesh. Making a drastic decision, Link jumped, landing hard in the dirt and rolling to avoid the swing of a moblin's spear.

If there was one advantage Link had, it was knowledge of the forest. He sprinted, easily dodging obstacles that the moblins struggled with. As a child this had been play, and he'd quickly tired. But now his energy was fueled by survival, and his adult's body sustained his need to keep running.

He leapt over rocks and fallen trees, dodging pitfalls and swinging branches without disturbing so much as a resting butterfly. The moblins crashed through the woods like two wrecking balls after him, howling with a ferocity that set his teeth on edge.

He tried not to think about what would happen if they caught up to him—Link wasn't sure if moblins actually ate humans or not. He wasn't about to find out.

Navi suddenly piped up. "Look, Link! There's a cave over there!"

He didn't slow to see how far behind his pursuers were. Link slid down an incline, diving underneath some dense underbrush. Landing on his belly, he crawled. The cave's mouth was so close. Overhead, the moblins were getting closer, their rampaging growing louder.

Cool air enveloped him and shade welcomed him as he slid into the crevice on his stomach. It was cramped. It was less a cave and more the space under several boulders. But it was safe.

His heart slowed only several minutes after the sounds of the beasts faded away. Huddled under the rock, Link closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. By the time he dared look outside, night had fallen.

Knowing it was better to risk running into more moblins than freeze to death, Link eventually went out to collect firewood. After he'd gathered a decent pile, he made a fire just outside his hiding place, sitting with his back against the rocks and warming his hands.

Navi rested on his shoulder, her head lying against his cheek. Having mustered up an appetite, Link reached for his pack. Jolted awake by the movements of his jaw as he chewed, Navi flew down to sit on his knee.

"That was a close one," she commented, crossing her legs.

Link grunted, swallowing. "I should've been more careful, I guess."

Navi shook her small head. "I was careless. I should've noticed their presence."

"Don't be too hard on yourself," Link replied. "We had other things on our minds." Navi sighed, and Link noticed the dejected look on her face. "What is it?"

The blue fairy looked up at him. "Link, I feel awful. I'm supposed to help you train, but…I just don't know that much about swordsmanship."

"Navi," he said, giving her a sad look. "You're not a bad teacher. I just need more practice."

She shook her head. "No, you need an experienced teacher. Someone who knows what they're doing."

"Where am I going to find one?" he asked, shrugging. "I have to find a way to help the Zorans. I don't have time to find someone to train me."

"You must!" Navi insisted, flying up so she was level with his nose. "Link, Ganondorf has many monsters at his disposal, and when you finally face him, you'll need to know what you're doing. Those moblins are just the beginning. If you can't defend yourself…" she trailed off, not wanting to finish.

Link reached up to catch her as she started to float back down again. She curled up in the palm of his hand, avoiding his gaze. Tiny specks of water formed in the corners of her eyes, and she impatiently brushed them away.

"I'll look for someone," he promised. "And I'll double my training."

Navi laughed, brushing a tiny hand along the bridge of his nose. "You're a good friend, Link, even if you don't mean that. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Find another forest kid without a fairy, I suppose," he joked, grinning.

Navi's mood improved, if only slightly. Link finished his dinner and banked the fire, taking care that it wouldn't extinguish during the night. His hat he laid on the ground inside the cave for Navi to curl up in.

The fairy quickly fell asleep, exhausted from the long day of traveling. Link stayed up a while longer, sitting by the fire and looking up at the stars. They were easy to see now that the green ceiling was gone.

They were as bright as ever, the stars. It was a small comfort to him, knowing Ganondorf's influence had blotted out their light, that the darkness overtaking the world had not yet reached the heavens. Their beauty still shone brightly, giving the people of Hyrule hope.

The fire crackled as it devoured a dry branch and Link shifted, his eyes momentarily drawn to the flickering flames.

"You know what they say about the stars, don't you?"

Zelda's voice drifted to him from the distant past. For him, it seemed like weeks ago. For her, it had been years since they'd last met.

Not for the first time, he wondered where she was. If he met her now, would she remember him? How different would she be? Link closed his eyes. He remembered a night before all of this they had spent in the castle courtyard, observing the night sky.

She laughed and stretched out on the grass. He lay beside her, trying to pick out the constellations she'd told him about. He didn't see how she could keep track when there weren't any lines connecting the thousands of little white dots in endless black.

"I never get to do this anymore," she said. "Princesses aren't allowed to be out so late," she mimicked her father's condescending tone.

Link laughed. "Nothing wrong with being out late," he told her.

"I agree," she murmured. "But it's nice to have someone to do it with." Link glanced over at Zelda and noticed her cheeks had flushed. "I mean, it's nice to have a friend. I don't make them easily," she said, flustered.

Link was surprised. "But you're a princess. Doesn't everyone want to be your friend?"

Zelda shrugged. "Most of the girls my age don't care about the things that I do. And the boys are too intimidated to talk to me. They would never do something like this."

"That's silly," Link said. "I don't think you're intimidating."

Zelda giggled. "What about you? What are your friends from the forest like?"

It was Link's turn to shrug. "Saria was the only one I was ever close to. The other Kokiri think I'm different, I guess."

"You are different." Link looked over at her. "But in a good way," she added. Link shrugged again and looked back up at the sky. A moment of silence passed before she spoke again.

"You know what they say about the stars, don't you?"

Link looked over at her, curious. He shook his head.

"They say that the stars are the tears of the ancient Goddess of Time. When the Old World disappeared, she cried a thousand tears, creating the stars, the beginning of our world…"

His eyes opened. The fire had died down to embers, and an unseasonably cool wind sliced through him. Within moments, rain began to fall, drenching his hair and clothes. The fire hissed and sizzled as the rain struck it.

Droplets dripped from the ends of his hair and slid down his nose. He sighed lightly, closing his eyes and enjoying the cold, soothing rain. It was a balm to his overheated, overexerted self.

Sliding into the cave a few moments later, he lay down with his head next to Navi. Resting his head on his arms as a makeshift pillow, he found himself unable to sleep.

Link's mind was plagued with thoughts of her. Worries, anxieties, guesses and possibilities. He knew that saving Hyrule was his primary concern, but he couldn't help wanting to find her, to make sure she was still alive.

Justifying it by saying that without its future ruler, Hyrule could not be saved wasn't a good enough excuse. He didn't want to find her for Hyrule's sake.

He rolled onto his back, staring but not focusing on the rock above him. "Where are you?" he wondered. Zelda, he mentally added, not saying her name out loud.

Link knew he should put her out of his mind. The looming task of defeating Ganondorf rested with him. He had to find a teacher. He had to find the remaining Sages. He had to defeat Ganondorf. He had to save Hyrule.

Finding the realm's missing princess simply wasn't one of the tasks assigned to him. He closed his eyes, a frown creasing his features. He would put her out of his mind—for the time being.

There was no other option, no other way but forward. He was the Hero of Time, and was duty bound to protect this land. And so, he would do what was needed, and keep walking the unseen path that lay ahead.

~oOo~

The Lost Woods

Hushed.

Not an absence of sound, but the presence of a thousand whispering voices. They had no source, yet flowed from every direction, indistinct and constant.

The murmurs of the Lost Woods all seemed to congregate here, in this forgotten grove. This kind of serenity could not be found anyplace else.

He stood in the centre, facing the ruins that had survived millennia of Hyrule's history without ever being discovered. Eternity had settled over this abandoned paradise in the woods, lifting it away from the world that continued to move through the river of time.

It was the oldest place. The most sacred place. It was here that it had all began.

Fierce had spent many hours here, unmoving, observing his surroundings as they seemed to observe him. Shadowy creatures, hidden in the trees, watched him with curiosity. Birds would land on the stone under his feet, their songs quieted as if they knew the reverence awarded the ruins. With a delicate flap of wings, they would alight, leaving him alone.

Cracked stone, once polished and purest white, had been eroded by the forest. Grass grew in patches here and there, wildflowers blooming. Behind him was only overgrown rubble—what remained of the stone walls that had once stood here.

The structure would have been mistaken for a castle, perhaps left over and abandoned from old times. But it had once been a small temple. Most of the arches above were still intact; broken arms trying to reach their partners across the open space where the roof had been. Vines twirled around the beams, as if trying to bind them together once again. The delicate green fingers of the vines reached the end of their beams and fell down towards the floor.

He finally inched forward, his feet barely grazing over the symbol of the Triforce etched into the floor. Miraculously, the symbol had remained untarnished, glowing softly golden. Fierce continued up shattered steps, dislodging pebbles and dust.

The second room, larger than the first, felt different. Here was a connection to another time, another place. The pedestal stood quiet and empty, covered in crawling flora. Fierce knelt next to it, observing the shadows on the floor, formed by the sun's rays striking against the broken arches above.

It was a beautiful place. A forgotten place. Sealed away by time.

"Feeling nostalgic?" Female, softly spoken. Somewhat brisk. Familiar.

He rose to his full height, his pale lips stretching into a smile before he turned. "It would seem so. It is one of the few places it feels truly peaceful in this world, as of late."

"Hard to argue with that," she responded.

The goddess's features were finely carved, regal. Almond-shaped eyes sparkled with intelligence and a gentle disapproval as she looked at him. A heart-shaped face sat atop a tall, delicate neck. Her eyes were bluer than he remembered. He sensed her tension and uncertainty.

Out of character, he held his arms out and opened them wide. Quite unlike her, she rushed into them.

"I missed you." The brisk tone was gone, replaced by warmth.

"I as well," he replied, one hand stroking the deep blue tresses that trailed over her back. "Your sisters?" he inquired, loosening the embrace somewhat. She didn't immediately reply, but he felt her apprehension. "Nayru," he prompted.

She frowned, fine brows drawing together. "Farore will not come. We have not seen you in years," she said accusingly.

He sighed, thumb stroking her cheek affectionately. "I do what I must."

"As we all do," she pointed out. "We've been worried. It's not right for you to spend all this time as a mortal. What good will it bring you?"

He laughed ruefully. "I fear it hasn't brought any good, my dear."

Nayru crossed her arms over her slender frame. The long, pale blue dress she wore rustled around her bare feet. "You've accomplished what you set out to do. He is on the right path. It is up to him, now. Not you."

Fierce didn't reply. His heart was heavy with the guilt of all that had happened. All that he had chosen not to prevent.

Nayru sighed with frustration. "Why have you spent so long in this place?" She gestured to the arches above them.

"It's quiet."

"That's no excuse."

Fierce sighed, glancing upwards. "This temple has been here since the Old World. It is a single thread, connecting all the many weaves and tangled webs of Time herself. This place reminds me of the beginning, before all the chaos."

Nayru tilted her head, observing him shrewdly. Those eyes narrowed as intuition sparked in them. "Do you really have so many regrets? You'd rather the world return to darkness? When Time itself didn't exist?"

Fierce looked back at her. "You misunderstand. I have no regrets," he corrected her. "None that you're implying. I simply find it helpful to look to the past when faced with an uncertain future."

She was shocked. "Uncertain? But…that's impossible. How can you not see what is to come? How can you not know what will happen?"

His frown deepened with worry. "I do not have that answer."

Her voice turned anxious. "You must return with me. Immediately." Her eyes had narrowed again, this time in urgency.

He held up a hand to calm her. A reassuring smile spread across his face. "This change is not permanent, I don't think. I cannot return yet."

Returning to the other room, he seated himself before the carved image of the Triforce. She watched him with disquiet.

"I do not agree with this," she noted. He nodded in reply.

"Please tell Farore that I wish to see her…and that I will return when this is finished."

"Of course."

"And Nayru," he interjected, stopping her as she turned to leave. She waited, but he seemed unsure of his next words. "Din."

It was Nayru's turn to pause. When she couldn't come up with a response, Fierce let out a sigh. His shoulders fell, and she felt concern. Her hand slid across his shoulder for a moment before she disappeared. Fierce sucked in a steeling breath, concentrating on his position and breathing.

Darkness was returning to this land, he knew. Forces beyond even the reach of the Evil King threatened to destroy Hyrule. And it was his fault. Because of his actions, darkness would once again cloak the world he had helped bring into light. He felt it approach as surely as if he had foreseen it. Though he was blind to the future, he would heed the warnings of the Goddess of Time.

For a long time afterward, he felt the comforting warmth of her slender hand touching his shoulder, bringing him a condolence he could not accept.