The Age of Time began as the land flourished under the guidance of the Triforce's blessing. The goddesses smiled upon their children, watching them grow and flourish. But as complacency sets in, so does darkness grow. This is the story of the child who became the Hero of Time.
It's dark again.
The sky was cloudy. He couldn't tell if it was from smoke or the darkness, but he knew the feeling of terror well. He had too, it always permeated this nightmare.
Who's on the horse? Wait, she threw something-an ocarina?
He hated this part the most.
It's that man again.
Farore watched as Hyrule prospered through the ages.
But the stirrings of darkness, of Demise's curse, weren't to be ignored. After all, when the darkness stirred, so, too, must her Hero.
"Hey! Wake up!"
The fairy's light was warm and soft, much unlike the sharp pitch of the voice that woke him. He sat up, looking around slowly as his eyes focused on the small being talking to him. "Oh, good, you're up."
Wait. A fairy?
"The Great Deku Tree is in danger! He's summoned you."
"I have a fairy?" The shock was too real, too unbelievable. Him, the no-fairy Kokiri, finally had a
fairy!
"What are you waiting for? Hey, listen!"
He stopped, staring at her as his glee twisted into horror.
"The Great Deku Tree is in trouble? But why me? Surely Mido-"
"I don't know, either, but he's called for you, so we have to go!"
"What's your name?"
"We have to go to the-"
"I can't say 'hey, fairy.'"
"Navi. Let's go, already!"
"I'm Link," he told her, heading for the ladder and dropping down. Navi reminded him a lot of when Saria fussed at him. Maybe that's why he didn't mind how bossy she was. He still couldn't shake the dread that had coiled in his belly.
He missed the brief twinge of sorrow on Navi's face.
Saria didn't waste time in sending him on his way-after squeezing him in a hug. Mido, on the other hand, was a meanie.
A big, deku scrub meanie.
But he was right, there wasn't much he could do if he couldn't fight off the deku baba, the mouthy plants that ate whatever came near, that now lined the path to the Great Deku Tree.
Which was why he was currently running from a boulder as Navi screamed at him.
"This is stupid!"
He agreed, but telling her meant using breath that was currently better put towards running. Fast .
"Here, Link! A space!"
He dove for it without hesitation, desperate to avoid being crushed. Kokiri were immortal-they could be kids forever! They never died. But he didn't want to know what being crushed felt like!
"We made it," Navi gasped, clutching his hat with her blue-white knuckles. He nodded, chest heaving as he choked down air. "Hey, there's the treasure chest!"
Link got up, reaching into the chest to retrieve the sword. He swung it clumsily a few times, frowning. Much to his growing dismay, Navi noticed his frown.
"What's wrong, Link? You're actually okay with a sword. That's weird."
"I've-I've only used wooden sticks," Link mumbled as his frown deepened. His thoughts wandered off as a memory sprung to mind.
the man had fiery hair, something he could never forget. he rode a black war-stallion that was charging towards him. he had to raise his sword, his shield, something-
"Link!"
He blinked.
"Are you okay? Did you hit your head or something?"
"No, I-I'm fine," Link found himself stammering, shaking his head as he let the sword rest as his
side. He looked at Navi, giving her a bright smile. "Come on, let's hurry."
"You're a terrible liar, Link."
He didn't answer her.
Mido refused to move, even with the sword in hand. Navi was arguing with his fairy. Link glared at the Kokiri in front of him.
"It's your fault the Great Deku Tree is sick!"
Link couldn't find the words for the ugly feeling he felt. The familiar mop of green hair caught his eyes, surprising him when she reached up and decked him.
"No, it's not! And don't you dare say that ever again!" Saria's snarl was uncharacteristic but no less terrifying as she stalked towards Mido with unbridled fury. Link took a step forward. Sure, Mido was mean, but that didn't mean he had to be hurt.
Even if his words hurt a lot.
"Saria, it's okay," Link told her, grabbing her arm. "I just need to get through."
Navi floated down to his hat, holding on as he walked by Saria. Mido glared, but moved. The Deku Baba along the path were scary, but it wasn't as concerning as seeing the pale trunk of the Great Deku and the yellowing of his leaves.
"I brought the child, Great One."
"The Great Deku Tree, are you-"
"It is as you saw, my child. I have been cursed by Ganondorf, the man in your nightmares. You must journey inside to remove the curse."
Link could feel something was wrong, but he couldn't focus on that. Not when the being who'd been his parent, the person he could look up, was dying in front of him. He was grateful that Navi wasn't making fun of him right now.
"If I go inside, can I remove the curse?"
"You must, Link," Navi spoke up then, expression grim though she didn't look at him.
Link only nodded mutely as the sense of wrong grew.
Inside the Great Deku Tree was not a pleasant experience. In fact, it was a terrible experience.
But the only way to save the Great Deku Tree was to press on.
So he did.
Navi warned him about the monsters, told him the weak points she knew of or spotted from her vantage point.
They quickly learned that Skullutulla were an enemy they hated. They liked eating fairies-most monsters did-and one lying in wait almost always tried to take a bite out of her. Link hated them simply because he was afraid of spiders.
Link liked the Deku Scrub siblings, after beating them at their riddle. Navi could only shake her head at how quickly he chatted them up after beating them, but it led to the key to the boss so she couldn't really complain.
Navi really liked complaining.
Thankfully, her complaining was helpful, especially when he was running for his life in the dark from a really big skullutulla-thing with a very red eye-
"Link! Shoot here!"
He shot, his cheers dying as the creature crawled to the top of the room and started dropping eggs.
He didn't have time to process Navi's disgusted shrieks, swinging his sword in time with the hammering of his heartbeat. He didn't want to die. He didn't want to die to skullutulla . The creature dropped down with a deafening whine as the creature's mandibles scraped in a display of anger. He assumed it was anger. He didn't have much time to figure it out, it was-
"Ah!"
It had Navi, his fairy, his friend-
-and then his sword plunged into the red eye with a guttural cry as the beast writhed underneath him in its death throes.
Navi didn't say anything about the blood that covered him. She didn't say anything about his crying, either.
She was crying, too.
The Great Deku Tree was dying, and there was nothing either could do about it.
"Link."
He looked up, wiping his eyes and looking on. The leaves rustled softly, drawing a smile from his face as he looked onto his father.
There was a soft step further back, but he didn't dare turn around. Not when the Great Deku Tree was-
"Our forest, our land, is blessed by the Goddesses Din, Farore, and Nayru through the Triforce. You know this tale, child, for I have told it to your brothers and sisters for several festivals. The man in your dreams cursed me because I would not give him the gem he needs to unlock the Triforce. There...are three... You must stop him from getting the other gems, Link."
The red hair was the color of blood, of the flames that ate the town-
"You are not forest-born, Link. Your mother brought you here, to me, before she died. She asked I care for you. But your destiny is greater than a child of the forest. Navi?"
She floated up his boughs, fluttering there as leaves started to fall. Link took the chance to turn away, gaze resting on where Mido hid behind the wall as brown leaves fell across the clearing.
He heard Navi before he saw her, the gentle trill of her wings stopping as she floated in front of him.
Mido ran.
Saria gave him her ocarina after teaching her song to him.
"So you can always reach me!"
He waited till he'd gone round the corner, tears in his eyes, before he allowed himself to cry.
Kaeopora Gaebora was the talkiest thing Link had ever seen.
Ever.
Navi didn't even talk that much!
But, the owl did have wise words and even told him where to go next. He said something about a "princess" in a "castle." She was the one who knew where the other keys were.
"Link, look! It's a flying carrot!"
A few minutes later, and a lot of running and screaming, they made it into the castle gates, gasping as the flying carrot finally flew off at the threat of the guards' spears. Navi clung to his hat, absolutely silent. The guard just stared, taking a step back.
"Where are you from, boy?" a guard asked, kneeling by them. Link looked up, blinking for a second at how different the man was from the Kokiri he was used to.
"So this is what Hylians look like," Link murmured, shocked, before shaking his head. "I'm from the forest! Where's the castle?"
"Just ahead of you, boy," the guard told him, tilting his head. "Take care in the fields-the monsters have been getting bolder these days. Don't get caught out at night."
"Thank you!" Link got up, finally able to breathe, and dusted himself off before striding into Castle Town.
Castle Town was busy.
There were so many people, so many sights, so many sounds, so much of everything.
Navi flew through the sky, using her vantage point to help him reach the water pooled in the center of the market. He leaned against the cool stone in relief, sitting on the edge as he looked at the sky.
"It's so different," Link found himself whispering, watching the people wander by. Navi perched on his shoulder, taking in the sights as they sat there.
"Are you okay?"
The question caught him off guard.
Navi pressed a hand against his cheek, wings fluttering softly. Link held a hand up, letting her sit on it while he looked at her. She looked up at him, azure blue eyes meeting his own cobalt gaze as he watched her.
"I'm fine. Just a little tired."
Her gaze searched his soul. He wasn't sure what she was looking for, but she seemed to find it. She flew back into his hat, looking around. "Oh, there's a girl coming. She's dressed differently." Link looked at the girl approaching him, tilting his head curiously as she stopped in front of him.
"You have a fairy!"
Navi hid within his hat.
"Y-yeah, but-why don't you have one?"
"Kids don't just have fairies! That's only in the stories."
"But Mido and Saria have fairies, and they're kids, too!"
"Why are you wearing all green?"
"This is what I always wear. Why are you wearing that?"
"It's a dress. Have you never seen a dress like it?"
"It's pretty. But, everyone wears some kind of green in the forest."
"You should come visit me and tell me more stories! I live in the castle."
"How do I get in there?"
"I'm in the garden-follow the moat till you see the side. Be careful not to get caught! Father doesn't let me have friends. I'm Zelda! You'll be my friend, won't you?"
"Yes! Oh, my name is Link!"
Link smiled brightly, waving as she walked away.
Sneaking into the castle meant meeting Malon, who was really happy when he told her that he was trying to wake her father.
"Make sure to put the cuccoo by his ear!"
Link scrunched his brows as the egg hatched, holding it by the sleeping man's ear while the shell fell away.
The crowing was deafening.
The man woke up with a start, the sudden motion sending him falling into the river.
Navi laughed.
Sneaking past the guards was a lot like playing hide and seek with Mido, except without him trying to sling mud pies or some of the stones he'd find as he searched.
The girl was sitting in an open garden, looking into the window as he walked up to her. Navi flew ahead of him, fluttering about the girl as he ran up to her. The girl turned around, her face breaking into a beautiful smile.
"You came! Hurry, come see-"
Link could only blink as she dragged him towards the window, pointing out a man in dark clothes with fiery red hair and a sharp nose.
"Give me the Ocarina, boy!"
"This curse-"
"Link? Link!" Zelda shook him. "Your face is pale. Are you all right?"
"I-I'm fine, it's just," Link began, looking down as he breathed quietly. "I see him. In my dreams. He always-"
"Leads the world to destruction," Zelda finished. Link stared at her, feeling the pit of terror coiling in his belly. "He wants Father to give him more lands. But I don't trust him! He's dark and scary and these nightmares have only started since he's come. But father won't listen to me-"
"Why does he want the lands?" Link pressed, watching the man kneel. Suddenly, the man looked at Link, causing him to startle and fall back from the window. "He is scary."
"He says that Father has slighted his people, that they need the lands so they can survive the harsh deserts and bring back their pride as Gerudo. His greed knows no bounds. If he is the one to touch the Triforce, Hyrule will fall into darkness."
the sky was black and covered in the flickering red of flames
"Then what do we need to do?" Navi finally spoke up, sitting on Link's shoulder and putting a small hand on his cheek. It was the coolness of her hand that distracted him from the flames and darkness lurking in his mind's eye. "The Great Deku Tree gave us a stone, the Kokiri Emerald. He said there are two more that seal the door to the Triforce."
"The Kokiri-you really are from the forest!" Zelda chirped, smiling. "The Gorons and the Zora have gems, too. They're called the Spiritual Stones. If we can get their gems, we can stop Ganondorf from getting his hands on the Triforce!"
"The Zora live in a sanctuary further down the river," spoke a new voice. Link and Navi jumped, whirling about to face the owner of the voice.
The woman towered over them, but it was the steely firmness in her gaze that surprised him. Her muscles were defined, and her skin tight uniform revealed the strength that lay coiled under her impassive stance. Her stony gaze cracked into a faint smile as she gazed at them.
"Who-who are you?" Link asked, relaxing as she stood there.
"I am the princess' guard, child," she told him, smiling warmly. "It seems I'll have to work on training the guards more. My name is Impa, Link. I implore you, seek out the Zora and Gorons. Retrieve their gems. Bring the princess peace."
"I will," Link nodded, recalling the dying wish of the Great Deku Tree. Zelda took his hand in her, a relieved smile on her face.
"Take out your ocarina, Link," Zelda asked him, pulling her own out from her pocket. Hers was a sapphire-colored instrument, glimmering in the light and radiating magic. "The song I'm going to teach you is a lullaby passed down through my family."
"It is a song of great power," Impa told him as he pulled out his ocarina. "There are places where one must prove their connection to the Royal Family. This song proves that. There are other songs that have similar powers. In time you will come see this."
Navi rested on his shoulder as he learned Zelda's Lullaby.
He enjoyed the delicacy of the song, but he couldn't help the sorrow that filled his chest at the coldness of the song.
Farore, Nayru, and Din watched them with no small amount of dread.
"It's started again," Farore whispered, clasping her hands against her chest. She didn't have to be a goddess to know that child was her Hero. But it hurt nonetheless, seeing him about to embark on this next campaign against the darkness.
It hurt even more that this time, he was truly a child thrust into an adult's war.
"It will be fine, dear sister," Nayru murmured, pulling Farore into a hug. "We know what to expect this time, and this time, Hylia isn't not standing against us."
"No, but even now she covets him," Farore whimpered. "How can we intervene?"
"Easy, Farore," Din spoke up then, patting her sister's head with a wide grin. The grin faltered as she continued. "He will need our gifts. Ganondorf is stronger this time, fueled by righteous anger and wrath at what has become of his people. It does not help that Zelda's father has perpetuated the laws that force my children's hand."
"What of the sages?" Nayru mused, releasing her sister from her grasp and tapping her cheek thoughtfully. "Mind you, this descendant has, for now, not earned the wrath her ancestor has. Perhaps by saving this child, too, we might avoid total destruction?"
"Your people still remain her guards, Nayru," Farore pointed out, drying her tears. "Perhaps one of them also bears the tied soul?"
"He does, actually, but it is not his time yet," Nayru told her with a smile. "In time, he will step in to take his place."
"The darkness already sleeps in my Kokiri's woods," Farore sighed, her emerald eyes glowing with smoldering wrath. "I fear the same has already happened to their cousins."
"Where do we want to go after we visit Kakariko Village?" Navi asked him, peering at the map. Link hummed thoughtfully, looking up at the mountain that towered over the village.
"Well, a lot of the villagers said there's something in the graveyard. Death Mountain is closer. We can visit there!" Link decided, rolling the map up and putting it back in his bag. "A graveyard is-what is a graveyard?"
"It's a place where the dead rest," spoke a man's voice.
Link turned around as Navi shrieked, diving into his hat. The person that spoke to them was an old man hunched over a spade and wearing worn clothes. His hair was wispy and stark white, much like the remnants of clouds in the clear sky.
"The dead rest," Link mused, face scrunched in an adorable pout. "I'm Link. What's your name?"
"I am Dampe, boy," the man told him, a toothless grin on his face as he nodded to the boy. "Some of them don't rest."
"But I have to find a song here," Link frowned. "How can I find the song and not wake them?"
"Song, you say?" Dampe cackled, leaning on the spade. "Up ahead is a Royal grave. You know the Royal song, don't you?"
"It's okay?" Link's voice pitched up in surprise.
"I give you permission," Dampe told him. Link shuddered as he felt an old, dark magic settle around him. "Some of the dead won't like it, so you'll have to be careful. Good luck, Hero."
"Thank you!"
"Why-why is it storming? It was sunny just a second ago!" Navi poked her head out as he made his way to the Royal Grave, squeaking. Link shrugged, looking around cautiously before pulling out his ocarina.
They weren't expecting the lightning bolt.
Link grunted as he hit the ground, whining softly as he got back up. Navi floated around him, poking at the bruises.
"Does that always happen?" he muttered, staring at the blackened earth surrounding the gaping hole in front of them.
"Not in the forest," Navi mused, flying around the hole. "But that song has a lot of magic in it. We should be careful when we use it. Come on, let's go learn this song and get you patched up."
Time passed differently underground.
Navi hated it. She'd told him a lot. She was a fairy. Fairies were meant for the bright, open spaces of the forest, not the stinky, cramped, dirty underground.
Link thought it was annoying, but he understood. He didn't like how dark everything was. He especially didn't like how it smelled.
But the worst were the things walking around. They were tall, wrinkly, and very slow. They didn't have eyes, but they made a horrible crying sound. He'd never seen dead things that could move. Navi said they were called "Redeads," which meant they were the things that Dampe had warned them about. He'd gotten too close to one, and it had grabbed him. It wasn't as bad at first, but then it started trying to eat him!
Navi suddenly got really bright, though, and the creature let him go. Link took off, running for the next room, keeping much further away from the creatures.
The song was called the "Sun Song."
It was warm and happy, just like spending days playing in the sun underneath the Great Deku Tree's boughs. Remembering that brought a tear to his eye.
"Hey, listen!" Navi told him, tugging his ear. "Look-the Redead's are frozen!"
Link pocketed his ocarina, tucking the warmth of the song in his heart as he ran back to the entrance.
No matter how dark the night, the sun would always rise.
"I need a letter?"
Link stared up at the guard, frowning as the guard stifled a giggle. Did he really think he was playing? He needed to go up the mountain!
"Not just a letter, a metal shield. That wooden one will go up in flames, fairy boy," the guard told him. "If you get a letter from the princess and have a metal shield, I'll let you through."
Link nodded, turning around and heading for Castle Town.
"He didn't have to make fun of us like that!" Navi fumed as they walked away. Link just shrugged.
"Don't worry, we'll show him," Link murmured with a grin.
The guard shuddered.
"You need a letter from me?" Her expression was pensive as she wrote it out. Link watched her, marveling at how pretty the letters were. He still couldn't read, though. "Why can't they see? Ugh. Here."
"Thank you, Zelda," Link told her. "I think he was just worried, though? He sounded a lot like those people in the market, when they're trying to keep their kid safe."
"I suppose," she groused, frowning and folding her arms. "Still, if you're important business for me, they have no right to stop you." "You could have stopped this-"
Link was silent as he left.
That very same guard was staring at him. "You got a letter from the princess?"
Link nodded.
"And the Hylian shield?"
He jerked his thumb towards his back, the large shield engulfing his small body.
"You-you may pass. Just be careful."
Link couldn't help the smug grin as he strode through. After a few steps, he turned, waving to the guard still watching him.
"Thank you, mister!"
The smile on the guard's face made it worthwhile.
Climbing up the mountain wasn't as bad as it could be.
The Hylian Shield was a blessing, because it kept a lot of the hot rocks from hitting them. He was still smarting from the last one that hit him a few hours ago. Now that he was on top of the mountain, though, he was surprised.
"It's-it's all so small!" Link gasped, leaning back on his hands as he watched everything go by.
"Wait, is that rock rolling?"
"Gorons are a people that eat rock," Navi told him. "Maybe they look kind of like the rocks they eat?"
"I guess," Link mused, getting up and dusting himself off. "Hey, can you feel that magic?"
"It's a Great Fairy!" Navi squealed, flying towards it. "Ooh, it feels like she's one of Goddess Din's disciples. Let's go meet her! Please?"
Link laughed, getting up and walking into the cave. The cave was dark, but it didn't have that
heavy feeling like the Redead cave did. Instead, this cave was...warm.
"Hey, look, it's one of the Royal Family crests," Navi pointed out. She floated out over the water, dancing with some of the fairies. "Play the lullaby, Link!"
He was already pulling the ocarina to his lips, following the tug of magic. The notes of the lullaby echoed softly in the cave, but were suddenly drowned out by a woman's loud, sharp laugh that came from the eruption of water and fiery magic.
"Oh, look, a visitor-a fairy child, no less," the fairy trilled, floating above the fountain.
Link gasped, blinking in surprise. She was huge!
"Hmm, you're not a fairy child, yet you have a fairy," she mused. "You must be the one, then. Tell, what's your name, boy?"
"Link, ma'am," he answered, remembering Impa drilling him on manners on the way out from his last visit to Zelda. "I was curious since the magic in here felt kind of like home."
"Aren't you the sweetest little thing?" she trilled, pinching his cheek. "Your on a mission to save Hyrule, aren't you? Let me give you a couple of gifts."
"Gifts? Thank you!"
"First, magic, all your own-I can't give you magical gifts if you can't use your magic," she explained as he was suddenly engulfed in a bright wash of fairy light. "If you pull on it as you unleash a powerful spin with your blade, the magic will turn into a wave of energy that can also attack. My sisters and I are across the land. One of them carries with her Din's blessing. She's by Castle Town. You'll be able to visit her after this."
"Thank you, Great Fairy!"
Meeting the Gorons was a shock.
Their living area was nothing but rock. Not a single plant in sight. Even the mountain had the occasional bits of grass and the like, but this-
Well, there was one plant. They called it a "bomb flower." It did have a flowery shape, but the explosions made it dangerous. He had several cuts and bruises to show for it. But he was able to get through the big rocks!
He didn't like getting rolled over, though. He really wished he knew that Gorons traveled by rolling before trying to wave them. It didn't help that Navi laughed the entire time.
"How do we get him to laugh?" Navi asked for a third time.
Link just looked at her, rolling his eyes as he continued to pace the room. In front of them, the Goron Elder stood impassively, expression as stony as the rock-like formations on his back.
The Elder was named Darunia. He couldn't help them because his people were in danger-Link was starting to wonder if there was anyone not hurt by the man. They ate the rocks that were found in the nearby cave, but because of the monster Ganondorf had put in there, his people weren't able to harvest the rocks or bomb flowers. The Goron outside the door told him that Darunia liked to dance.
So maybe if he got him to dance, he'd let him help with the Dodongo problem?
"What would Saria do?" Link muttered, pulling out his ocarina. It had been a while since he'd seen her. He missed her, terribly. After a few more moments of turning the ocarina over in his hands, he started playing Saria's Song. The music was lively and playful, just like the festivals. It made missing her easier. A rhythmic thumping drew his attention.
"Link, look! Darunia is dancing!" Navi exclaimed.
Sure enough, Darunia was hopping and twisting to the tune of the beat, grinning and laughing suddenly. Link smiled as he played, dancing as he had been with his friend. They continued that way for some time, till Link tired and flopped on the ground with a happy sigh.
"That song is the perfect thing!" Darunia rumbled, patting Link on the back. Well, Link assumed he was patting-the force of the blow almost knocked him over. "Thank you, fairy child. Why are you here?" Navi groaned.
The trip into the Dodongo Cavern was a long, hot, and stinky one.
First, it was underground, something Link was quickly learning he didn't like. Then there was the fire everywhere. He was grateful for the Hylian shield, but it was hard and it got hot. Too hot. He was almost out of red potion at this rate, Then there were the dodongos, hungry lizards that had a taste for Gorons and fairy children. Fighting them was simple enough, but they exploded as they died. There were also the the single eye statues-Navi figured out that they could be destroyed with bomb flowers, but those lasers burned.
But none of that had anything on the King Dodongo roaring in their face.
"Link?"
He could hear the fear in her voice. The King rolled itself into a ball.
"Run!"
Link shook himself free of the worst of the debris clinging to his tunic-he was looking forward to a bath in Kakariko-as Navi cautiously flew out over the lava.
"Is it safe, Navi?" he asked, watching warily. He looked around, frowning. "Hey, Navi, did you hear that whine earlier? it was when the King was rolling around over here."
"Whine? Oh yeah, there was something," she agreed, fluttering back to him. "I thought it was you."
"I do not whine!"
"Do too."
"Do not!"
They froze when a small, furry lizard tumbled in between them.
"Don't tiny animals have parents?" Link asked after a moment.
"Grab the container and run!"
"He's growing into it well," Din noted, watching Link grab the heart container in his dash from the small lizard.
"It is still a pity that he cannot have a childhood," Nayru said softly, her sapphire eyes dark with emotion. "A child should not be fighting this war. What will we do if his memories of the previous life come back to him?"
"Have more faith, sisters," Farore chided them, smiling softly. Link had landed outside the cavern, and was laughing in between gasps for breath. "He is still our Hero, and he has Din's blessing of strength. Even if he is not Kokiri, he is still one of my blessed."
"This is true," Nayru admitted. "He does have your wildness."
"I wanted to give him something a bit more, but Din already gave him strength," Farore admitted glibly, her slight shoulders raising in a faint shrug. "For now, he is Hylian. I want him to try to enjoy this, at least."
"What of your wolves guarding the Forest Temple?" Din pressed, raising an eyebrow. Farore caved, twiddling her fingers.
"He might have a little bit of wolfos in him," Farore hedged. Nayru shook her head, laughing. "What? Hylian he may be, he's still one of my blessed! They've always been the wolves that roam the land and the Kokiri!"
"What of the little dragon he just ran from?" Din asked her, pouting. "He would do well with a dragon. You saw how he killed Gomorrah, the demon spider."
"In time, my dear sister," Nayru told Din with a gentle smile. "You will have the chance to give him a gift, and yours will be the most potent. Just wait."
"I just hope he doesn't need it," Din murmured, letting Nayru pat her head. "It's terrible when that happens."
After a long, cool shower in the nice lady's house, Link was back on the road.
"She said follow the river," Navi muttered warily, "but that water is going really fast."
"Maybe we can-" Link mumbled as he inched along the thin back, just as the piece he stepped up on crumbled. With a short, but sharp, scream, he fell into the river, righting himself as the current swept him along.
"Link, are you okay?" Navi called out, keeping up with him as she continued flying. "I'll fly ahead and mark a spot you can climb out!"
Link just nodded, more focused on keeping his head above water.
The waterfall was huge. Even better, there was a deep pool nearby.
Navi had gotten mad, but he swam to the bottom of it and through the tunnel. It had led back to the Lost Woods, the forest that surrounded the Kokiri's home. The trip was short, but sweet. He was just glad he could see Saria again.
"Link!"
"I'm playing, I'm playing," he grumbled, pulling out the ocarina. The Royal Crest was under his feet, so he figured it was a good place to play it.
What he didn't expect was the waterfall to part open. He looked around a bit, noting the strange fish-like people peeking up from the bottom of the fall. After a few moments, he took a couple of steps back. It was a short jump, and if he missed, he'd just fall into the water below.
"Wait, how did-Link? Link, what are you-Link!"
The Zora were interesting. And completely different from the Gorons.
Gorons were loud and lively-they were rough, but very kind people. Zora were more quiet, but no less lively; like the Gorons, they danced, but it was cool and graceful.
They even had games! Inside the domain, there was a waterfall and pools of water surrounding the bottom of the cavern. The game was to dive from the waterfall and scoop up all the rupies. Navi frowned, watching as Link tried the game several times before finally collecting all of the rupees. He was rewarded with a Zora Scale. The person who told him the game said that it let him breath under water longer.
They also had fish.
Link had fished in the pond in the forest, but this was something entirely different. He scooped one into a bottle to eat later. Navi wasn't happy with that.
"My father says that we need a warrior to help Lord Jabu-Jabu."
Link stared at the Zora girl in front of him. He was used to bossy-Saria and Navi could be very bossy. But this girl took it to a whole other level. The Zora were having problems just like the Gorons were. This time, though, it was their guardian, Jabu-Jabu being sick rather than a cave.
Navi and Link shared a private sigh of relief when they heard that.
"Why are you trying to go inside, Ruto?" Navi asked her, frowning. This reeked of trouble.
"Shouldn't you stay with your father?"
"Lord Jabu-Jabu ate my mother's gem! I have to get it back!" the girl shrieked.
Ruto was the Zora princess. Like her Zora brethren, she had long fins on her arms and legs, and gills on her neck. But unlike her kin, her head had a crown-like shape to it. It reminded Link of Zelda's tiara. But she was-
"-bratty."
"I am not a brat! How dare you!" Ruto snarled, glaring. "Fine, I don't need your help. I'll go and get it myself!"
She turned towards Jabu-Jabu as he opened his mouth, sucking her in. Link held onto the ground, watching the entire ordeal in shock.
"We-we have to go in there, don't we?" Navi asked, peeking her head out from Link's hat. He nodded, gulping, as he looked at the fish bottle. "You're going to give him fish?"
"What else can get him to open his mouth?" Link asked, pouting. "The Zora guy said that he really likes fish! And we have to rescue her-we need the Zora gem, too."
Navi groaned as he dumped the fish onto the ground, screaming as they were sucked in.
"What do you mean, I have to carry you?"
Link ignored Navi's snickering, saving his glare for the brat sitting on the ground in front of them.
"I'm a princess, and princesses don't walk on this icky ground," Ruto explained. "I'm not leaving until I get my gem, and I'm not walking around in here."
He muttered a curse he heard a guard say while trying to find him, growling as he picked her up. "Wow, you're strong!" Ruto exclaimed, giggling. "This is great!"
Navi caught his look, shrugging.
This was going to be a very long rescue.
Link had enough of the tentacles and the painful shocking things. Enough.
But no, Ruto just had to run off into a whole forest of them.
"Ruto, get back here!" Navi yelled as he killed yet another jellyfish with his boomerang. There were so many of them.
She jumped into one of the holes.
"What are you-aaah!"
"Are you sure he's not Din's Hero?" Nayru asked Farore, leaning on her sister's shoulder as they watched Link swear before diving after Ruto. Farore hummed, patting her sister's head.
"We are sisters, so perhaps it something I picked up?" Farore offered, wincing when Link hit the ground, howling in pain. It was a far drop. The fairy floated around him, nudging him to pull out the red potion in his pack. He growled, the sound soft but no less angry, as he pushed the bone back in place, chugging red potion after he did.
"Maybe that dragon isn't such a bad idea."
"Link, look!"
He grunted. How was he supposed to look when his arms were shaking from having to carry her everywhere? Navi flew up.
"It's a blue gem!"
"That's it! That's my mother's gem!" Ruto squealed, kicking and flailing. Link stumbled, almost dropping her. "Let me go, let me-"
Link could only wince as she bit him. She leaped out of his hands, hitting the ground running before she jumped onto the platform. The platform went up as she squealed over her reclaimed treasure. In place of the platform was a giant creature with several long, squishy arms and large eyes. To make it worse, it looked hungry.
Navi didn't have to tell him to run.
Link considered considered himself a nice person. People didn't usually have a problem with him. Malon always smiled, Zelda liked talking with him, Dame didn't mind him-even the little furry lizard enjoyed traveling with him, and it had hated him at first.
But he wanted to smack Ruto.
She charged right into the big, open room filled with evil, hungry magic and got herself in trouble. Again.
And now he was running for his life, praying to Farore he caught the boomerang because he really needed to hit the main piece so he wouldn't get stunned again.
"Link, now!"
He dove forward, feeling the electricity crackle near his skin as he narrowly dodged the shocking bolt of energy, catching the boomerang.
When all of this was over, he was going to smack her.
"Thank you, fairy boy!" Ruto crowed, holding the gem close to her. "This Zora Sapphire is all I have left of my mother."
Link focused on staying afloat. He was too tired to be angry, and the burns from the electricity hurt a lot. Navi flew above him, watching him worriedly. He wanted to sleep. And never see a jellyfish again. Ever.
Ruto swam closer to him. He snapped to attention, watching her warily. Her cheeks were a flushed dark blue. It reminded him of the berries he sometimes ate.
"I'll give it to you," she pressed the gem into his hands. "Among the Zora, it's an engagement ring. When we get older, we'll be married!"
"Aren't you a little young for that?" Navi asked drily. "Besides, we're trying to save the world!"
"So you can marry me afterwards!"
Link and Navi looked at each other.
Din laughed, clutching her stomach as she continued to giggle helplessly while she watched Ruto fawn over Link.
"Don't worry, Link, you'll find your pack."
After all, she still had a gift to give.
Link finally set out a week later, fully recovered from exhaustion and the electrical burns. King Zora insisted on giving him the finest treatment, as befitting a future husband and powerful warrior. The wounds took a while to heal, but he was finally free of bed rest and Ruto.
It had taken a while, but it was almost over. Soon, he'd be able to go home again.
The dark clouds over Castle Town were all too familiar.
"Link, we need to hurry!"
He knew that, that's why he was running, he had to get there before-
Zelda, reaching for him as Impa urged the horse forward
-the man with red hair was coming. The nightmare wasn't a nightmare, it was a warming. And now it was coming true.
"Link!"
He turned Zelda voice, seeing the naked terror on her face as Impact flicked the reins. She held his gaze as she pulled out her ocarina and threw it past him.
"Link, run!" she screamed, reaching for him. In moments, she was too far, the horse's tail fluttering in the wind.
"You're the fairy boy. Give me the Ocarina!"
A deep, rumbling voice shook his bones. He whipped around, staring in a mixture of horror and rage at the man that had haunted his nightmares.
Ganondorf.
"Your eyes-reminds me of someone from a long time ago. You've got the same look. Which way did she go?"
Link mutely shook his head, reaching to draw his sword.
"Fool."
The next thing he knew, he was sent flying as the world turned dark.
He didn't know how long he'd been out, but he knew Navi was worried. He couldn't make out what she was saying, but he could hear her crying.
"Link! Please! Link, get-you're alive? Oh, thank the Three!"
She fluttered about as he got up. It was hard to see, and his head hurt terribly.
"Zelda, where is-"
"Impa took her and ran. She-she threw her ocarina, though. We have to continue-we have to put the gems in the Temple!"
He nodded, shambling towards the moat. There was something shining in there, almost like-
"The Ocarina."
If Link had been asked what he where he would be a few moons ago, this would be the furthest thing from it.
Yet here he was, standing in the Temple of Time in front of the raised dais with each gem bearing witness to the Ocarina of Time in his hands.
this song opens the Door of Time
His hands raised the instrument to his lips unbidden, the notes playing in his mind as he started to play. It was a soft, but it continued unhindered, unmoved.
"The Stones are glowing!" Navi shrieked. Link nodded, raising his arm up as the glow turned into a blinding flash.
My beloved Link, know that Farore and her sisters love you.
Link and Navi stood silent, watching the doors behind the dais melt in a spray of light. He stepped around it, walking along the dark hallways with a mix of anticipation and dread. A smaller room with a singular ray of light shone down on a particular object.
"Is that-" Navi breathed, her normal energy muted in the face of what they both knew was a turning point.
"It's the Master Sword."
He didn't know how he knew, and in later years, he wouldn't be able to explain, but he quietly walked up to the sword, whispering a prayer to the Three before he placed his hands on the hilt.
"Please," Link prayed, "help me save them."
He pulled the Master Sword free.
"I should have known you had the keys."
No. It couldn't-
"You were always their chosen. I ought to thank you. You led me to my goal. The Sacred Realm
is mine!"
In the space between reality and nothingness, he howled in anguish.
I missed you, Link. Sleep. You're not big enough. Not yet.
Who-who was talking? The voice was familiar. Wait-how was he not big enough?
But you will be.
That's right, he wasn't a Kokiri. He was a Hylian, and they grew up.
In seven years time, you will be the Hero of Time.
Seven years? That was too long!
And we'll be able to reunite with him.
Him?
You'll see. I'm sorry, Link.
Hyrule, without its rulers or heroes to fight for her, dissolved into a land of darkness and monsters.
Ganondorf rose to power, warping the ruined remnants of Hyrule Castle into an iron fortress, surrounded by fire and brimstone. That became his seat of power, and he ruled from there with an iron hand.
Farore watched him sleep, quietly weaving the garments that would mark him as her champion when he awakened. Nearby, Nayru crafted the last of her magics, imbuing a particular set of robes with with one last wish before setting them by the crystallized spell. Din hammered away at her forge, a shield forming under her fire.
Link would wake in seven years' time.
This time, he would not be without his Goddesses' blessing.
It's taken a while to get back to this, but I promise I haven't forgotten this fic. So the flying carrot refers to this large orange monster that's in Hyrule Fields. As a kid, that thing terrified me because it looked like a big orange plant-thing. Then it flew. I was not having it. I screamed as the controller got thrown to the side and I dived away from the game.
The next chapter will have a bit of an awkward segue because of having to explain how the hell this Link went from plucky kid to highly skilled swordsman that knows immediately how to use all of the tools he gets while an adult.
Anyway, read and review!