This chapter is going to be a little more laid-back. Instead of jumping straight into the Fire Temple, Chapter 10 is going to be Link's day off in post-apocalyptic Kakariko. That's fun.
RRRP:
ChangelingRin (FF): The Forest Temple is pretty maze-y, although Link already knows the basic layout. I never thought of it as a game of hide-and-seek, although now I can't get that out of my head. Honestly, MQ Forest Temple is the most boring one, at least in this fic; Deku Tree and Dodongo's Cavern have Link's confusion, Jabu Jabu has the cows, and the other adult era temples have other unique stuff that I pumped into them.
In truth, Ivan's always been weird. He hasn't really gotten himself into something unusual so much as the fact that it's only now that we're seeing it. This is actually based on a relatively little-known theory about the original game, though I'm not spoiling what. It's got a good payoff, though.
Chapter X: A Rather Brief Break from Dungeon Crawling
!0*0!
Link awoke the next morning, groggy and confused, before remembering that he was at New Lon Ranch. Malon and Anjou hadn't been kidding about hospitality; they had quickly converted an entire back room into a dormitory for Link and Ivan. Of course, Link had opted to sleep on the floor as opposed to in the actual bed because it was too soft, but neither Link nor Ivan minded. The sprite was especially happy with the situation, as he got to sleep inside of a comparatively huge bed.
He snacked on a shriveled apple from the Kokiri Forest before getting up and sipping water from his canteen. When the flow of liquid dried, the swordsman dressed himself, walked out of the room, and into the abandoned hallway.
The crash of china breaking caused Link to turn. He saw that Anjou was also in the hallway, staring at him with her mouth slightly ajar. To be more accurate, she was staring at his Stalfos hand.
"Uh, Link?" the woman said quietly.
"Okay, I know what you're thinking," Link said as placatingly as possible. "Yes, I'm part skeleton. Yes, I've had this for the last seven-odd years or so. Yes, it does let me use dark magic. No, it's not contagious. No, I am not going to hurt anyone with it. Unless they deserve it. Then I might."
"Oh, hey Link," Malon greeted as she walked past him. She clearly saw the Stalfos Hand, but since she had known about it beforehand, she didn't pay it too much thought.
"Malon has known about it for quite a while. Seven years, actually. So-"
"Oh… oh! I hadn't made the connection until just now! You're that Fairy Boy she used to keep talking about!"
"Does she still use that nickname?" Link asked, hoping the answer would be no.
"Only when she's really mad at you," the redhead responded. "It used to happen more often a few years ago, before you came back. Then I think she accepted the fact that Talon was gone, and… well, she kind of stopped."
"I see," Link sighed. "I guess I should have grabbed my gloves on the way out. That's on me. I'm sorry for bothering you."
Before she could say anything more, Link had disappeared.
!0*0!
"What are you doing?"
"What does it look like I'm doing?" Link said nonchalantly. "I'm saying hello to Epona."
"Yeah, it definitely doesn't look like you're about to hop on and gallop off," Malon shot back, flashing him a quick grin before schooling her expression, walking into the stable with a wagon full of hay. She dumped the hay in front of the few cows, which eagerly began to partake in their meal. On closer inspection, it became clear that it wasn't hay, but dead wheat from the farm.
Death Mountain had erupted earlier that morning, just before the dawn. The cacophonous explosion threw Link out of a nightmare, fortunately, only for him to mistake the ashes for falling snow. He was confused; it was nearly halfway through the summer! Why was it snowing? Then the Hero had realized that it was volcanic dust, and he understood.
The worst part was that nobody in Kakariko seemed to mind much. It was like this was a normal occurrence. Like the ring of fire around the volcano was normal. Like the overrun Hyrule Field was normal. Like this apocalyptic world was normal.
Another resounding rumble made Link flinch, right hand involuntarily reaching for the Master Sword that he had kept slung across his back. Malon didn't seem to hear it, only to see his expression and stance and give him a weary, sympathetic look.
"I keep forgetting that you left," she explained. "Everyone's gotten used to the eruptions. We set up massive ditches by the mouth of the volcano to keep the lava from falling into the village for now, but we're not sure when they'll give out. When they do, we're done for."
"And you have nowhere to go…" Ivan realized. "Ah. That sounds like a problem."
"Commander Rusl says that we could maybe get to Labrynna through the mountains," Malon informed. "But nobody knows for sure."
"Maybe," Link said wistfully. "You know, I've heard a lot about this Commander Rusl. Where can I find him?"
"He's not going to meet you," the ranch girl said. "He's busy trying to find a safe route through the mountains."
"So… I can talk to him after the Fire Temple," Link assumed. "Got it."
"Ivan does not see why not."
They stood in companionable silence for a few minutes, before Malon turned and grabbed more dead grasses from her wagon, dumping it in front of the various livestock of New Lon Ranch. They ate and then dispersed.
"Here, let me help you with that," Link insisted, reaching for the now empty wheelbarrow that had once held the grasses.
Malon narrowed her eyes. "For the last time, Fairy Boy: you're the guest. You don't get to work. You get to sit back, relax, and take a break."
"With all due respect, Miss Malon," Ivan countered, "Link is more comfortable if he is doing something than if he is doing nothing, especially if that something helps another person. Therefore, relaxing for him would entail helping you."
The ranch girl seemed to consider it. "Fine. Just sidle it along that wall."
Link did so.
A resounding howl filled their ears, making Malon jump. At first Link assumed that she didn't know what it meant, but he was quickly proved wrong when the ranch girl sprang into action, grabbing a butcher's knife from behind the stable door and running outside.
"Anjou! It's another Wolfos pack! Go get Rusl!"
Vaguely, Link watched the older ranch hand sprint into the stable before jumping on top of a palomino horse and galloping into Kakariko proper.
"Don't just stand there, Fairy Boy! You said you wanted to help, so help!" Malon's voice rang out. Jostled from his stupor, the Hylian and his fairy proceeded to sprint out of the stables, sword drawn and shield summoned.
!0*0!
Link was greeted by no less than twenty-five Wolfos and Malon with a knife.
"What are you doing?" Link yelled. "Get inside! I'll take care of this!"
"Shut up, Fairy Boy! I've been doing this for the seven years you spent putzing around in the Temple of Time, twiddling your thumbs! You couldn't have broken out of one of the windows or something?"
"I wasn't technically- You know what? I'll tell you later!" Link yelled back. "We've got bigger fish to fry!"
The pack was nearly on them. It was clear that their target wasn't the Hylians; rather, it was the stable behind them that housed New Lon Ranch's livestock.
Link and Malon had situated themselves between the wolves and the stable door, forcing the Wolfos to fight through them. Their eyes gleamed with primordial hunger, and the desire to satisfy that hunger with blood.
Link cut down the first one, dodging another by inches as Ivan Mind Hacked a third, causing the Wolfos behind it to entangle itself with the mind controlled wolf. Neither were dead, but both were dazed and otherwise taken out of the fight.
Time passed. The Hero spared a glance to check on Malon, only to see that she was doing just fine. Her knife gleamed in the morning sun, or at least as much as it could gleam when it was coated in the crimson bodily fluids of her enemies. While her kill count wasn't quite as high as Link's, she was certainly doing work. He mentally noted once again to never get on Malon's bad side.
There were only a few Wolfos left. Three, to be exact. One of them was a rare White Wolfos with glowing red eyes. Link assumed that the White Wolfos was their pack leader, given that Wolfos packs were generally controlled by the strongest.
An arrow proceeded to sprout from the other two Wolfos' heads, each flailing madly before dying in a blue inferno. The albino wolf, upon seeing that its cohorts had all fallen to the two Hylians, howled in rage before turning and running in the opposite direction. From the corner of Link's eye, he could see several more armored Hylians arriving at the scene, a few wielding bows and arrows.
Link pulled out his Hookshot and latched onto the Wolfos' fur, yanking the Hero through the fields and onto the snow-colored wolf. Once he was within range, Link pulled out his Fairy Bow and loosed an arrow into the Wolfos' brain, killing it instantly. He then squatted by the corpse, lifting it over his shoulder as he returned to the Ranch. At the very least, they had scored some meat out of the attack.
Back at the Ranch, Link saw Malon, Anjou, and Anjou's brother talking with the armored men Link had noticed earlier. He correctly assumed that this was the Kakariko Guard that Anjou had mentioned, and that the fellow with the bow was this esteemed Commander Rusl everyone kept talking about. He was blond, and had an oddly square jaw, but it was clear beneath that calm countenance was the mind of a soldier.
"...fared better than last time, Miss," the Knight was saying.
"Thank you," Malon replied. "There were at least twenty of them. If it weren't for Link, it would have been much worse."
Even from across the farm, Link could see the knight's eyes narrow a bit. "Link?"
"Oh, you wouldn't know him. He's an old, old friend of mine- There he is! Just across the field!"
Link waved, an awkward task given that he was still carrying the Wolfos.
Rusl turned to say a little bit more to Malon, but in such a hushed tone that Link couldn't quite hear him. The man probably didn't trust him, which Link could hardly judge. After all, it wasn't every day someone shows up with a Master Sword strapped to their back alongside a fairy, wearing typical Kokiri garb. It simply wasn't done.
"So you're this… Link?" Rusl said, careful to school his voice and expression.
"Yes," the Hero responded as soon as he was in earshot. "Let's get this out of the way: You don't trust me."
The guardsman blinked. "Am I so transparent? I must apologize. Newcomers are rather rare, except bandits. And that sword had me on edge."
"I suppose that makes sense," Link accepted. "No hard feelings."
"Anyway, I must commend you for your assistance," Rusl continued. "If you hadn't been here, who knows how bad it would have been."
"If I hadn't been here, none of it would have happened in the first place," the Hero of Time grumbled quietly.
"What was that?"
"Nothing," Link hastened to say. "I'm just a bit on edge. Being locked in the Temple of Time will do that to you."
"Locked in the…"
"For seven years," Link confirmed. "I only just got out recently. I would have left earlier, but… well, the Master Sword didn't let me."
"... Aye," Rusl agreed hesitantly. "Now, I mu-"
Another cataclysmic boom swept across the village, making Link jump instinctually. The volcano had had another minor eruption, but Malon, Anjou, and the Guard had acted like nothing had happened. Rusl just laughed.
"Wow! You really aren't from around here!" he chuckled. "We've all grown used to the eruptions. I'm worried that one day, the volcano is going to really erupt and the lava will overwhelm our defenses. There's-"
"The eruptions are being caused by a resurrected ancient dragon," Link said automatically. "Just kill the dragon and you'll be fine."
The knight-captain blinked again. "Is he always like this?" he asked quietly, turning to Anjou.
"That's what Malon said," she replied in a similar tone. "According to her, he's a Kokiri, which explains the getup, but aren't they-"
"To answer your question, I'm adopted," the Hero drawled. "I'm actually Hylian. The Great Deku Tree told me a long time ago-"
"No he didn't," Ivan interjected, stiffening. "The Great Deku Tree told leetle man that yesterday."
"Semantics," Link replied. "Yeah, this is Ivan. He's my partner. I take it that's good enough proof that I'm not lying, or delusional, or both?"
"I suppose," Rusl sighed. "Well, seeing as everything is back under control here, my men and I should be returning to our posts. Let's head back."
At their captain's command, the Guards rotated on their heels and marched out of the Ranch.
Malon turned to face Link, with a grin that appeared sickeningly sweet. "So… you told me that Ganondorf locked you in the Temple of Time. But you just told Rusl that the sword wouldn't let you out. Link, I want an explanation."
"You have enough on your plate," Link replied callously.
"And one of those things is that my best friend doesn't seem to trust me," she shot back. "Explanation. Now."
Link sighed in defeat. "I wasn't lying. Seven years ago, De- Ganondorf told me that every day in which I refused to draw the Master Sword-" he showed her the sacred blade for emphasis- "he'd destroy a village and immolate everyone inside. Old Lon Ranch was… an example. Something to ensure my cooperation because he knew I cared about the people who lived there.
"So I did. I went back to the Forest, grabbed the Spiritual Stones, and came back. I said goodbye to you, and then went into the Temple of Time and drew the Sword. That opened the way into the Sacred Realm, where Ganondorf was able to get a part of the Triforce and become the King of Evil. Unfortunately, drawing the Sword caused me to be sealed in that Sacred Realm for seven years. So for me, the change from normal Hyrule to post-apocalyptic Hyrule was just like that."
He snapped his fingers.
"And now I'm here. To pick up the pieces. To set everything right in Hyrule again. I've already done so for the Forest, and my next stop is Death Mountain. Do you understand why I didn't want to stay here? All of this-" he waved his arms around at the overflowing Kakariko- "it's all my fault. All of this. Hate me if you want, I don't blame you. Just-"
Suddenly, Link felt completely out of control, like his consciousness had been forcibly ejected from his body. He watched dumbly as his right hand slowly rose without him putting any thought into it. A flicker of confusion crossed his mind.
It was at that moment that he realized that he had no clue where Ivan was.
His hand came crashing down across his face, causing the Hero to reel away from the not-quite self-inflicted blow. He staggered, glaring at his fairy as his borderline violet form exited Link's body.
"Stupid, stupid leetle man!" the sprite castigated. "Don't you dare blame this on yourself again! What's done is done, and you're trying to fix it. That's all anyone can ask of you."
He then felt a pair of warm arms surround him, as the ranch girl wrapped him in a tight embrace.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I had no idea. At least stay for the rest of the day, though, okay? You still need the rest."
"I think I'm the one who should be sorry," Link refuted, returning the hug. It felt right, his face warping into an honest, weary smile.
!0*0!
It was quiet for the rest of the day. Link had spent it helping to build a fence through Hyrule Field that would- hopefully- allow Kakariko to have access to water from Zora's River without having to fight through any hordes of demons. The water wasn't for drinking, though; rather, it was going to be used as emergency defenses in case of a particularly violent eruption of Death Mountain. Link had also learned that the stronger beasts lived closer to Hyrule Castle; the strongest enemies that lived out here were apparently Aracha, whatever those were, and the occasional lone Lynel.
Now, he was heading back to New Lon Ranch to pick up his stuff and buy a few bandages in case he got injured when he noticed the elderly carpenter walking into the village with his carpenting troupe. Weren't they supposed to be down at Gerudo Valley?
Whistling Epona's Song, Link galloped all the way to the Ranch and found Anjou. When he informed her and her brother that their father had returned to the village, their reactions were… different.
Anjou herself seemed happy, evidently having been worried that her father had died in Hyrule Field somewhere. Her brother, on the other hand, threw a temper tantrum, forcing Link to avoid his flailing limbs and drag him into the house. He then followed Anjou to the gates, but trailed well behind.
"Father! What happened! I thought you were going to rebuild the bridge that led to the Gerudo! You shouldn't be back for another month!"
"Yes, but there's a problem," her father stated. "The Gerudo've all been brainwashed!"
Link's ears twitched as he perked up. Brainwashed? Like Nabooru?
"It was crazy! If they even saw a shadow so much as twitch, they'd just run up to you with a spear and demand Gerudo identification! And then they'd gut you then and there! I lost some good men trying to build a bridge, but eventually I just had to cut our losses and head back. Some of them were wearing these massive suits of armor and we couldn't do anything to them!"
"You seem worried," Ivan noted.
"This didn't happen last time," Link answered simply.
Having heard all he needed to hear, Link started to go back until he noticed a broken Biggoron sword jutting out of his case of carpentry supplies. Figuring he could get it later, the Hero of Time headed back to New Lon Ranch to grab his stuff and depart.
"You're leaving, aren't you?"
He stopped, and turned slowly to see Malon standing in the doorway, watching him. "Yeah. I have to drop by the Temple of Time to meet with my guide. I'll be back tomorrow and head up Death Mountain."
"Take Epona," the ranch owner offered. "She's been pretty restless recently. Besides, she seems to like you."
Link grinned at the thought of his old steed. "I think I'd like that."
Soon, the Hero of Time and his faithful horse were galloping across the vast expanse of Hyrule Field.
!0*0!
Sheik was still standing there, in the Temple of Time. Link was unsure whether she'd actually stood there in that exact spot since he had first left the Temple and only left when he had reached the Forest Temple, or if she had seen him leave Kakariko and come back. It didn't matter.
"You destroyed the wicked creatures that haunted the temple and awakened your friend," she started. "But there are still more Sages who need your assistance. In order to awaken every last Sage, you must become even more powerful. You must travel over mountains, under water, and even through time itself…"
So is this just another facet of my first quest? Link thought cynically. A warping of reality to create new challenges for me? Was fighting Ganondorf not the end, and now I have to fight what made him evil in the first place?
"If you wish to return to your original time, place the Master Sword in the-"
"- in the Pedestal of Time, I know," Link said. "I don't mean to be rude, but can you just teach me the Prelude of Light already? The sooner I awaken all the Sages, the better, right?"
Zelda blinked. Then she let out a long sigh. "I suppose the time will come when you must return here quickly… I ought to teach this to you for when that time comes. The song to return you to the Temple of Time… the Prelude of Light."
With that, she procured her gilded harp and played the six-note tune. Link followed suit with the Ocarina of Time and repeated the melody, vibrant memories of using the song instantly coming back to his mind.
If only he hadn't forgotten in the first place.
"As long as you hold the Master Sword and the Ocarina of Time, you hold the flow of time itself in your hands," Sheik said cryptically.
"So I could go back to before I drew the Master Sword the first time?" Link asked slowly, a flicker of hope mounting in his core before he shoved it back down again. He was beyond that. The past he had had was gone; all he could do was pick up the pieces, and maybe even make them better.
"Unfortunately, no. No, you cannot," the Sheikah answered curtly. "The sword can only transport you a set distance through time upon its removal and replacement with the Pedestal of Time. Link, I'll see you again…"
"Hang on! Can I ask one more thing?"
"Yes?" Sheik asked tersely. She was obviously tense due to her proximity to Ganondorf.
"Could you teach me all of the teleportation songs now? It would make all of our lives a whole lot easier," Link suggested.
"No," the former princess refuted. "I can only teach the teleportation songs in very particular places of power, usually in close proximity to their respective Warp Altars. Anyway, I must be going. I'll see you again…"
With that, she disappeared with the flash of a Deku Nut, and Link was left alone in a barren temple, alone with his thoughts and his worries. Well, he wasn't really alone. He had Ivan, and the three fairies in his bottles. They had to count for something, right?
Welp. That was Chapter 10. Hope you all enjoyed it, and if you haven't already, leave a review!
NOOTTD: 1. Rusl is a character from Twilight Princess. I've never actually played TP, but I think he's Link's adoptive father or something. Please don't crucify me. Actually, if I'm wrong, could you tell me in a review or something?
2. The brainwashed Gerudo idea comes not only from Nabooru in the Spirit Temple, but also because Gerudo models can be found inside of Iron Knuckles. Don't worry, Link will be fine come Gerudo Valley. [Not "fine" as in "of high quality," but "fine" as in… well, you know what I mean.]
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