A/N: Thank you so much for reviewing this story. I have no idea who you are, Guest, but you took the time to read my previous Author's Note, and I'm very appreciative. So, you'll get to read my little theory. But first, to avoid issues with Nintendo, I do not own The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo, or any of their stuff. This story is merely a wishful fanfiction.
Alright, Guest, here's the theory for you. In Twilight Princess, you get the Master Sword around the middle of the game, then you return to the Temple of Time in the past and sheathe the Master Sword to create those blue steps and access the dungeon section of the Temple. STOP! You've gone to far. Notice how you returned to the past and yet the Master Sword is missing? You drew it from the present...yet it's gone from the past? We all know that Link is the only one who can draw the sacred blade, so one of the Heroes has to have it. The most likely is Ocarina of Time Link, but due to the fact that it would be incredibly inconvenient if the two Heroes were to encounter one another, I believe OoT Link was asleep...hence this. The game itself would also kinda allow this because Hero's Shade is OoT Link and the Hero is always reincarnated. Reincarnation involves moving the spirit to a new body, yet there are two Hero's Spirits roaming Hyrule simultaneously... OoT Link and TP Link. They would have existed at the same time before because of when you enter the Temple of Time. Both of them were alive...so what's stopping them from meeting again? This could be why only these two Links meet. I wanted a fanfiction of this but I seemed to be the only one who realized this...so...I made the fanfic. That's the theory. Sorry it's so long. But anyway, enjoy the chapter! EDIT: I finally understand what you meant, Guest, when you said this theory wouldn't work... But I still wanna know who has the Master Sword in TP Link's past! I think it's some sort of adventure OoT Link went on that we don't know of... His DEATH journey!
Chapter Two
The Shaft of Death
Link had no idea what to make of past-day Hyrule. The moment he'd entered the barren wasteland, he had tripped over himself from surprise and was forced to do a double-take. Needless to say, he couldn't believe how much better Hyrule looked in his time, rather than this one.
"No wonder that Sheik character asked your help," Midna said. She rose out of Link's shadow and rested on his shoulder. "This place is a nightmare!"
Link couldn't argue with that. He couldn't blame the mysterious Sheikah for his strange behavior. If present-day Hyrule looked like this and Link couldn't fix it, he would definitely search for the person who could. He tried to understand what this place once looked like, but he was unable to come up with an answer. Partly because the image was so ghastly he wanted to run off and make sure he never came back, and partly because of the screaming monsters all around him.
When the first piercing shriek arose, Link's first thought was, Unhgh! What was that?! His body immediately locked up and he stood there, completely defenseless, frozen in shock. It reminded him of a gibdos scream, but much more shrill and terrifying. It was as if a woman was wailing in agony, like she was being brutally murdered. Even Midna didn't like the sound, and instead dropped into Link's shadow: to safety.
Then, to Link's horror, the most hideous and frightening creature began to walk towards him. Its appearance was similar to what Link guessed people looked like when they didn't eat. Leathery skin covered its body, and its bones protruded sharply from its body. Its ribs were outside of its skin, showing Link the creature's skeleton. He couldn't tell if what he was seeing around its waist was part of its body, like its veins or intestines, or if it was just something else the creature had stumbled upon. He didn't want to know.
But, the most horrifying thing about the monster wasn't its voice or body, or even its face—which looked like a wooden mask with empty holes for eyes and a single hole to expose its teeth. Instead, the most horrendous thing was what the creature did. Link wasn't sure what was happening until the thing leapt onto his body, almost dragging him to the ground from its weight. It didn't look like it was very heavy, but it had to have weighed the same amount as an Ordon goat. It wrapped around Link in such a way that he couldn't even free his arms.
Then came the pain. The thing bit down onto his skull, forcing a yelp from Link, who reached up and took hold of its wooden face.
"Get off of me!" he snarled, tearing it off of his body and throwing it to the ground in front of him. He began to repeatedly slice at the thing, blood dripping from the wound on his head. He wouldn't allow it to do that to him again. His body was trembling from the shock of being bitten. Was that the first time that a humanoid monster his size had tried to eat him? He couldn't remember. He was too busy trying to keep himself safe.
The monster collapsed back to the ground, lying there for an agonizingly long time. The only noise Link could hear was his own panting, the groans of the other monsters, the angry wind howling, and the constant dripping of his blood to the cobblestone ground. He glared at the monster on the ground, now holding his breath in anticipation.
The monster took its dear sweet time before finally exploding. Link took note of the single green rupee left on the ground in front of him. It looked slightly different than he was used to, but that was fine. He slipped it into his pouch nonetheless and turned to study his surroundings.
All around him, the world of Hyrule lay in ruins. In every direction, he saw decrepit buildings with peeling paint and fading reddish-orange roofs. Some houses had even collapsed entirely and now blocked off a path from him. Other buildings were no more than wooden-beam skeletons. He couldn't tell if one structure was burned or not, but he supposed it didn't matter.
The ground was the color of ash mixed with soot, and the fountain was completely dry and cracking. Several wooden piles lay strewn about. Dark clouds rolled lazily overhead, blotting out the light of the world. The wind continued raging through the streets.
Link noticed a path far away from him, seemingly leading to freedom. He quickly dashed down it. He wanted to get away from this nightmare, and he wanted to do so before he became an old man.
Midna didn't even protest at the fact that they were getting farther and farther away from the only way back to present-day Hyrule. Perhaps she was thinking about her fellow Twilis, silently mourning for them. Or, just maybe, she had decided to think about the residents of this world. After all, this Hyrule occurred before Twilight was even created…right? She would definitely be considering everything about it, no doubt searching for the reason of her ancestors' banishment.
Link passed by a wooden door before stopping. This was the only building he had seen that even looked remotely stable. He opened the door and closed it behind him, finding himself in a strange room. The floor and walls were made of grey bricks, and several purposeless walls jutted out on his right side. Around twenty pots littered the floor, uselessly lying around. Link would have rushed forward to smash them but he realized he was not alone. He glared forward at the stranger in the room.
The figure wore tattered cream-colored robes and a purple hooded cloak. Around his waist was a sash-like belt with the Triforce and a few other strange markings on it. His face was hidden by his outfit, and all Link could see of it was a single, red glowing orb in the center of the darkness. The stranger sat on a bed, kicking his feet, and that red orb was focused eagerly on Link. Above the figure was a cage mounted to the wall, and multi-colored flames blazed above him, some beginning to burn away from their imprisonment.
With a jolt, Link realized something horrifying: the flames had faces! He had never seen such a mysterious thing before, and it wasn't pleasant to see it now. Link tensed up, eyes glaring forward at the strange person and his odd company.
The creature across from Link spoke, his voice unlike anything the Hero of Twilight had ever heard. "Oh…you are quite an energetic young man. You're brave and handsome, too."
Link stood there awkwardly. Was he supposed to fight this person? Smash his pots? Turn and leave him alone for all eternity? He wasn't sure.
"Heh, heh, heh, your name is Link, isn't it," the thing asked, but his words were more a statement than a question. "Heh, heh, he…don't be surprised. I can read people's minds."
Link stood there, dumbfounded. He hadn't even been thinking his name. Suddenly, he looked down at his shadow, a realization dawning on him. Could this creature be reading Midna's mind as well?
The creature startled Link out of his thoughts by saying, "If I looked as good as you, I could run a different kind of business…heh he heh…"
What?! Link thought, looking at the creature. He was obviously stunned, and this thing— person, whatever it was—knew it too.
"My shop is the only Ghost Shop in Hyrule. Because of the Great Ganondorf, it is a fine time for a business like this…heh, heh, heh..."
Ganondorf? Link wondered. He narrowed his eyes, glaring at this mysterious shopkeeper. How could that person ever be great? He's horrible and cruel…
"Oh…I can only hope the world gets even worse!" the thing said, making Link feel even more anxious. "The ghosts, called Poes, are spirits of concentrated hatred that appear in the fields and graveyard. They hate the world!"
Only in fields and graveyards? Link wondered. How was that possible? He'd seen them everywhere they pleased! They tended to avoid people, but were incredibly ferocious around them. They only came out at night, but they could appear anywhere they wanted to. If the location they occupied was far from civilization of any kind, then the ghosts were known to be present at all times. They also enjoyed dark or bleak locations that imitated nighttime, so Link tended to hunt for them whenever he wasn't collecting bugs for the Princess of the Insect Kingdom, Agitha.
"Young man," the shopkeeper in front of him started, "if you catch a Poe, I will pay a lot of money for it… Heh, heh, hee!"
Above the shopkeeper, the flames began to completely escape their confinement. The shopkeeper swung his stick, and above him, the escaping flames quickly shot back into their cage. His lack of additional words told Link that the strange creature was done talking to him. That didn't matter. Link began tentatively smashing the pots around the room, looking for rupees and health; anything that could possibly be beneficial to him, he was going to bring along. The shopkeeper didn't mind, either. In fact, the creature seemed to like chaos, which was exactly what Link was causing.
After destroying all the pots, Link headed back outside, relieved to be away from the strange shopkeeper. The wind hurt his face, but he didn't mind. He was no longer in the same building as that creature, which he found pleasant. He continued heading for the outside world, trying to distance himself as far as he could from the crumbling town and the monsters that plagued it.
Why was Hyrule in such turmoil, anyway? What had caused this disaster? Perhaps if Link had explored the town further, he could have found the answers to his questions, but when it was only inhabited by monsters that wanted to eat his face or mimic his appearance for a "different kind of business", he decided there was no way to learn any information from the crumbling city. He would simply have to head to Kakariko and hope someone there could explain the situation to him.
But that raised another question in his mind. Where exactly was Kakariko? His map of present-day Hyrule was completely useless. The terrain here was unlike what he was used to seeing, and there was no way for him to know where to go.
"Midna," Link called softly.
"What is it, Link?" came the reply. Midna appeared out of Link's shadow, waiting patiently in front of him.
"Speak," Link commanded. "Where do you believe we need to go?"
Midna considered that. She looked around and said, "Well…the terrain here isn't anything like our Hyrule… I'm sorry. I don't know. Maybe you should wander around and explore until you find someone to ask."
"It couldn't hurt," Link agreed.
Midna nodded and dropped back into Link's shadow.
Link scanned his surroundings. Past-day Hyrule had probably seen better times. The grass was trampled and yellowed. The sky was covered in sand-colored clouds. He could see a well-worn path leading far ahead of him, but he wasn't ready to follow it just yet. It ran alongside a tall wall of dirt and stone, which could probably house civilization. Link could go there if his search for Kakariko was unfruitful.
To the Hero of Twilight's right stood some trees and a tall boulder he could doubtlessly blow up, but he didn't see such a need. To his left he spotted the first thing he found truly useful: a stone bridge spanning a watery gap. He had noticed the collapsed drawbridge behind him was underwater because of the stream that surrounded the town, but he hadn't bothered considering where it might lead to. If someone had taken the time building the stone bridge, then it was safe to assume that people resided there and wanted to continue trading with anyone that they could retain business with.
Link headed in the direction of the bridge, noticing stairs far ahead that could lead to a town. He dashed across the stone arch and trotted up the steps with ease, his eyes taking note of the tall, fiery mountain barely peeking into his view.
Is that Death Mountain? Link wondered. He entered the town, his eyes absorbing the scenery. In front of him was a high fence with a sign strung between two poles. There was no gate, which was surprising. How could the town fend for itself when it had no way to enclose itself from outside attacks? Then again, Link had witnessed firsthand what could happen if the gates were barred from the outside. Perhaps it was better that the village didn't keep itself encompassed.
He squinted at the sign, trying to read what it said. He found that he was unable to understand it. Was it written in Hylian or not? Was this just old Hylian? Why was it so different than what he was used to reading? It looked similar to what was written on the gravestones in Kakariko Graveyard, but not close enough for Link to be able to translate it. He decided that the sign wasn't important. For all he knew, it could be encouraging the promotion of Cucco eggs.
Link sighed and continued running through the town. He encountered two people laughing and playing in front of a tall, odd-looking tree. One wore a red shirt with white pants, and the other a blue shirt with white pants. They appeared to be twins, but Link wasn't sure what to make of them. He approached them.
"Do either of you know where Kakariko is?" Link asked.
The young men stared at each other for a moment before the one in red replied to Link, "This is Kakariko. This is where the refugees of Hyrule Castle Town have all fled to, as well as anyone who has stood in the way of the vicious Ganondorf. He doesn't consider us very threatening, so he allows us to stay here, but…"
The blue one finished his statement. "It's a rough time for soldiers. Ganondorf won't allow them to reside anywhere, and instead sends his monsters after them again and again. You won't find any knights here. They're all in hiding."
Link was stunned. Ganondorf was purging the world of Hyrulian soldiers? He couldn't imagine Castle Town—his version of it—with none of the "knights" around. His Kakariko was already devoid of any soldier's assistance…was this the reason why?
"How did…" Link tried to think, carefully considering his words before they left his mouth. "When did Ganondorf first take control, and how did he do it?"
"It was so long ago," the man in red answered.
"I'd say about seven years," the blue twin followed with.
"He overthrew the King of Hyrule and claimed the throne for himself, with the help of a strange, undefeatable power."
"Launched an attack on Hyrule before any of us even realized what was happening."
Link nodded. "Were the citizens spared?"
"Spared?!" The red one demanded.
"No, we fled! Ganondorf wasn't in a sparing mood that day." The blue twin looked to the sky, mournfully. "He killed anyone in his way—men, women, children—but he was after the soldiers to be sure. If he wanted anyone to perish, it was them."
"Look…we're incredibly busy. We don't have time to bother answering your questions. Surely you know the answers of them already. Why should we have to go digging up the past again?"
Link understood that these people weren't really in the mood to remember the bloodshed that day. He politely excused himself and continued exploring the town. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but at least he had some information. He was in Kakariko already, so now he had to go find the item of this place and use it to get into the deep woods.
Speaking of which, how was Link even supposed to find the item? It wasn't as if he could ask anyone. Even if he obtained the item, he had no directions on how to enter the woods. He wasn't able to ask around, either. How could he do that when no one even wanted to talk about the tragic history that brought them to this village? Requesting instructions of the path to the woods would be even more trivial.
Link scanned the multiple red brick houses with their blue roofs. He noted a watchtower on a hill to his left, as well as an enormous windmill in front of him. He also spotted a well up some stairs, and curiously approached it, bypassing a house that looked relatively new compared to the others. He cautiously approached the well. He hadn't seen these except in drawings. Not even his small hometown Ordon used these anymore. All the water in Hyrule came from Lake Hylia, Zora's Domain, or the villages themselves. No one needed wells anymore.
Apparently, this town only kept this around for decoration. Link couldn't read the sign in front of it and instead walked straight over to the well and peered down. The well was completely dry. Far below him, he noticed a stone slab blocking the entrance somewhere. Perhaps Link could go down there and blow it up. He may even find the item he needed…
Before he could jump down, he noticed a woman to his right. He turned his attention onto her. She seemed normal enough. She had red, shoulder-length hair and dark eyes. She wore a red, short, vest-like top over a white shirt, as well as a blueish-green skirt. However, there was a look in her eyes that Link recognized: distress. He stopped himself from leaping down into the well and instead walked over to her.
"Hello!" he called cheerily.
The woman immediately perked up at his approach and also smiled. She spread her hands wide and greeted him. "Hello, young man!"
"Are you having a pleasant day?" Link asked.
"Yes!" the young woman immediately replied. "I have just bred a new kind of miniature Cucco! I call it the Pocket Cucco! I'm allergic to Cuccos, but I don't get goosebumps from this baby."
"That's very nice," Link said.
"Cuccos are very good at getting lazy, late-risers out of bed. Haven't you heard of them before?"
Link nodded. He didn't know Cuccos did that, but he had seen them before. Every time he wanted to explore the world and fly around for a moment, he would attack one and momentarily see through its eyes. He wasn't sure how the process worked, but that was what he remembered them being good for. Getting lazy people out of bed was a new concept to him…or was it old since he came from the future of these people?
"It makes them very happy to crow CUCCKOOOO!" the girl said, startling Link with her outburst. "Especially when it wakes a very heavy sleeper," she continued, completely oblivious to Link's surprise.
How Link had even confused her for a distressed person was beyond him. He was about to excuse himself from the conversation to jump down the well where he belonged, before the young woman voiced her plight.
"However, my Cucco is not entirely happy right now…"
She really is in distress, Link thought. Looks like I'm not completely stupid after all. He hesitated. I've been with Midna for far too long…
"You…," the woman continued. "You look like you're good at handling Cuccos… Here, take this egg. After the Cucco hatches, bring it back to me after a while, and I'll check out its mood. What do you think? Will you try and ensure its happiness?"
Link nodded. He enjoyed his side quests. After all, what was the point of saving the world if its residents were still unhappy with their lives? The least he could do was bring this woman back her Cucco in a good mood. Maybe if he did that, she could tell him where to find an item that would allow him access to the deep woods.
The woman placed an egg in his hands, which Link held curiously. I borrowed a Pocket Egg! he thought. The Pocket Cucco will hatch from it overnight. I'll need to be sure to give it back when I'm done with it.
The young woman smiled at Link, which he returned, before he spun around and began to wander back through the town. What could he do? Who did he need to talk to in order to learn how to reach the forest?
"Well, that was useless," Midna said from Link's shadow. She appeared in front of him, completely invisible to the townsfolk around them. "What do you intend to do with that, Link?"
"I intend to give it back to her when it's happy," Link quietly replied.
Midna rolled her eyes. "Great. Link, the goat-herding, horse-riding, monster-slaying, Cucco-raising Hero. What a lovely title…"
Link gave her a mildly annoyed stare. "If I return the Cucco when it's happy, maybe the young woman will tell me how to access the forest without driving me away."
Midna considered it. "Make it happy then give it back," she agreed. She returned to Link's shadow and allowed him to continue exploring.
Link took note of the building he was right beside. It was the one that was slightly newer than the rest, and it had a wooden target nailed into the bricks. An archery practice store? Link felt like he was a good marksman. Surely he could go and test his skills just to see if it was easier or harder to pass archery tests in past-day Hyrule…
Deciding that he had plenty of rupees, Link opened the door and entered the building. The least he could do was try and collect his thoughts while he practiced.
Besides, he thought, I do have a little spare time to wait around for this Pocket Cucco to hatch… He reached into his rupee wallet, ready to pay any price. He needed to calm himself and prepare himself for the challenges this world may present to him. He needed to be ready…
. . . . .
The Hero of Time had never been so disappointed with Hyrule. He sat at the edge of the cliff, watching the lava bubble and gurgle below him. He looked up, gazing longingly at the floating Hyrule Castle, far out of his reach. There was no way he could ever get there. It was hovering above the lava, and there were no bridges to connect the land Link stood on with the Castle.
Hyrule Castle was nothing more than ruins now. What had once been a pleasant road was now covered in rubble from large columns. Mountains of earth pierced the sky, too steep for Link to climb. Debris was scattered everywhere. A broken stone arch was down the path to Link's left, but he didn't care. He had already been that way and learned that it was blocked by heavy boulders and an enormous stone column. He couldn't move anything around here to assist him to the Castle.
The actual Castle itself now had spikes protruding from any available area, forming a dreadful-looking palace of darkness. The entrance yawned like the jaws of a hungry monster, inviting Link, but the lava far below him told him to ignore the Castle's beckoning.
"Link…" Navi whispered. "We need to go, Link."
Link knew she was right. The longer he stared at the ruins of Hyrule, the more hopeless he began to feel. He was truthfully still a kid, but his years had been stolen from him by the Master Sword and the Sacred Realm, so now he was forced to be an adult. But what exactly did an adult do? He wasn't sure. Regardless, he had to get going.
Link crawled back from the drop far below and began ambling down the path. If Hyrule needed him to be an adult, that was what he would be. He had accepted this quest, and he was going to see it through. No complaints could be uttered regarding the difficulty of his mission. No one cared about that. Whining wouldn't save his beloved homeland, or rescue Zelda, or return his missing years to him. No, only actions would. This world was longing for a Hero, and it was crying out for someone like him. He had no choice in the matter. He could not sit idly by and watch the world be destroyed because of him.
He had to cast aside all feelings of cowardice. So that was what he did.
Link traveled down the path, returning to the dreary Castle Town. He noted the Redeads, but they weren't giving him much trouble. They were groaning as usual, but that was easily ignored. He found his way along the broken drawbridge and began heading for Kakariko. There would be time for detours later. He needed to find clues on how to locate the weapon that would allow him access to the Forest Temple.
He raced over the arched stone bridge and up the stairs to Kakariko, disregarding the sign above him. He saw the two young men playing and dancing in a strange manner, but they didn't look like they wanted to talk, so he quietly passed them by.
Link spotted the Kakariko well and approached it. He peered down, awestruck by the fact that it was now empty. The water used to rise almost to the top, and it looked twenty-five or more feet deep. It could be that he was staring from the top of the well that his perception of distance was skewed, or perhaps it really was that deep, he wasn't sure. Even so, the fact that the well was empty surprised him. He could see a stone wall blocking a passage somewhere, so there was no need to jump down and explore it. His bombs weren't strong enough to blast that wall, and even if they did, would more debris take its place, or would segments of the ground collapse all around Kakariko? The results were not something he wished for.
Turning away from the well, Link looked up at the windmill. He stared at the door in the wall. Hadn't he met a strange man there before? Curious, Link dashed up the steps and entered the door, wondering if that unique person was still there.
Unfortunately, he was.
Link was stunned to see the man, looking incredibly angry. He was quickly winding his music box, his eyebrows low on his face, which was set to a permanent angry glare. He was completely bald and had no hair except for his dark brown beard. He wore a wrinkled blueish-green shirt and blue shorts, and had no shoes whatsoever. Link wasn't sure what to make of him now that he was very angry.
Link approached the man. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"Grrrrrrrrr…!" the windmill man replied. "I'll never forget what happened on that day, seven years ago! Grrrrrrrrr! It's all that Ocarina kid's fault! Next time he comes around here, I'm gonna mess him up!
Ocarina kid? Link wondered. He retrieved the Ocarina of Time from his inventory and held it to his lips, waiting patiently for the man to speak.
"What the heck!" the windmill man exclaimed. "That reminds me of that time seven years ago! Back then, a mean kid came here and played a strange song. It messed up this windmill! I'll never forget this song!"
He played the notes to Link, which sounded low at first, then became even lower, before transitioning to a higher tone altogether. The man repeated the three notes to Link, still part of the same song. He then played the song again, so Link wouldn't forget it either.
Link played the melody back to him. A thought triggered in his mind. I played Song of Storms… Outside, thunder boomed and lightning crackled. The day grew dark, and it began to pour.
"Oh no! A storm again!" the windmill man exclaimed as the rain began to seep into the room as well. "You played the Ocarina again, didn't you?! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"
Link turned around, feeling slightly guilty. Why had the man taught him the song if he didn't want him to play it? He noticed the windmill gradually gaining speed as it spun around.
What kind of calamity did I just cause? Link wondered. He started slinking towards the door, only to end up spinning endlessly on the windmill. It was kind of fun, but he couldn't remain there forever. He watched, waiting for his opportunity to step off. He saw it approaching rapidly, so he dashed forward and darted for the door.
Once outside, Link began to take note of his surroundings. Where did he need to go to find this item that Sheik spoke of? He was used to locating weapons in dungeons, and the only place he could think of that was even remotely similar to a dungeon was the Kakariko Graveyard.
It can't hurt to explore there, Link thought, racing over to the Graveyard. He wasn't sure what to expect in this new form of Hyrule, but it was not this.
The Graveyard was always a bleak place to be sure, but now it was raining from his earlier song. Dark clouds had gathered in the sky, blotting out the sun and making it difficult to see. Fences rose out of the ground in random patterns. Gravestones formed neat rows, lining the walls of the Graveyard. Far ahead of him was a hole in the ground he'd traveled to when he was still a child to get the Song of Passing. Above that was a mysterious fence that guarded…
Link squinted. Absolutely nothing. That fence was meaningless. Even as an adult he couldn't see its purpose. Maybe it was some sort of art.
He glanced to his right and saw Dampé the Gravekeeper's cabin. In front of that was a sign that said something about the time the tombstone game was open. Link continued looking around the graveyard for clues. He tried to remember what the diary in Dampé's shack used to read. Hadn't it mentioned something about a cool weapon that went boing! or something? As he wandered past one headstone, still considering that memory, he spotted a strange creature.
The monster wore a white hood over a purple cloak, both of which were in tatters. Around its neck was a thick pendant with a skull on it. It had inky black, bony arms, and it didn't appear to have feet. Its face was shrouded in darkness, which was strange considering that it carried an intricate lantern in its right hand. Regardless, the only part of its face Link could identify was its glowing, demonic golden eyes. He noticed only after a few more seconds of silence that it had a nose, so perhaps it wasn't cloaked in shadows; its body was made of them.
And then it laughed.
Link flinched before spinning around and running into Dampé's hut. He slammed the door shut and waited. Would that thing follow him in here? What was it about the creature that was scary anyway? It looked awesome! But it was definitely a monster and Link wasn't really in the mood to go challenging strange things. He would rather find the weapon of Kakariko and return to his home in the Kokiri Forest.
Besides, that girl Sheik mentioned had Link thinking. It was somebody he knew, huh? The first person to come to his mind was Saria…but there was no way she was the Sage. She was just his friend who was nice to him and kept Mido from bullying him. There wasn't really anything Sage-like about her.
Link peered into Dampé's hut. He had last visited this place seven years ago. He had read the diary once before, so surely he could read it again and find the information about that strange boing! object.
The room was even smaller than Link remembered it. It had a window to his right that was closed up tightly, and on the opposite end of the room from it was a desk with the journal of the Gravekeeper open on top of it. It was surprising to realize that the Gravekeeper didn't own a bed, or anything in this hut besides his desk, chair, and journal.
Where is that Gravekeeper character anyway? Link wondered. He was always in here when I was just a kid…
He looked around, but there was nowhere the mysterious Dampé could be. The hut just wasn't big enough to hide a human being. Deciding that the Gravekeeper was simply absent, Link ambled over to the journal and began to read.
The entry wasn't what he remembered from seven years ago…
Link could slightly recall something about Dampé saying he would never give his treasure to anyone, no matter what. He had said that it was too fun and that it shrunk and expanded, and that it did amazing other things too. Now, the journal displayed a disturbing message that left Link feeling weak. He began to read.
"Whoever reads this, please enter my grave. I will let you have my stretching, shrinking keepsake. I'm waiting for you."
Navi fluttered out of hiding and peered at the journal. She landed softly on top of it and gently flapped her wings. "He's…dead?" she asked, her voice disbelieving.
"But I only saw him yesterday!" Link protested. He realized his mistake and hung his head. "Well, yesterday, seven years ago…"
"I guess we can't expect everyone we knew seven years ago to still be alive." Navi shot into the air and glided over to Link's shoulder, where she waited. "Let's get out of here, Link! We need to find Dampé's grave…"
Link turned and staggered out the door. He wanted so desperately to regain those missing years. He had no idea what had happened to the poor Gravekeeper. Was opening the Sacred Realm one of the leading causes of Hyrulian deaths? Probably.
Link exited the building and was about to begin wandering around the graveyard when he heard the dreaded laughter again. It was so terrifying, like bones popping, but it was definitely laughter. No creature would look at him with those eyes and make that noise unless it was cruel giggling. Or it could have been telling him about how the price of gravestones in Kakariko was going up due to the Hyrulian economy, but the first option was more likely.
"Don't come near me, and I won't come near you," Link muttered under his breath, glaring at the strange creature.
It made that noise again and began floating up and down the graveyard, gliding through fences as if the planks weren't even there. It was hovering along the right half of the graveyard, so Link chose the left to explore. He could remember that kid who used to pace this place once told him not to disturb the graves. Could he do that now?
Link wandered around to the back of a grave that was growing Triforce-like flowers in front of it. There had to be something special there. Those kinds of flowers didn't sprout for no reason. He took hold of the stone and began to pull, not sure what results to expect. Surprisingly, the grave was easy to move out of the way. Link pulled it back as if it were no more difficult than opening a door.
Then it got stuck. Link was halted so abruptly that he ended up releasing the grave and sitting on his rear in the dirt. He stared at the grave, confused, before crawling around to the front. He saw a hole in the ground, leading to who-knows-where. It was so deep that he couldn't see the bottom, even squinting. He blinked for a few moments, debating whether jumping down was worth his time and effort. Besides, there was no way to know if Dampé was buried here. He could have the wrong gravestone, right?
The bone-popping noise startled Link to his feet. He shot back and looked up, finding himself face to face with one of those dreaded ghost monsters. It laughed at him and began spinning its lantern like a deadly weapon.
"Don't come near me!" Link squeaked, running around the gravestone and trying not to get hurt by the ghost thing. It missed him by no more than a few inches. He felt heat sear across his face, but he was too stunned to cry out. Why was this thing after him? He hadn't done anything to make it mad!
"Link!" Navi exclaimed.
The ghost spun around and prepared for a second attack. Link backed up to the fence, terror in his eyes.
"Your sword, Link!"
"Why do I have to fight everything I stumble across?" Link whined, drawing his weapons.
"Because everything wants you dead!"
Link would have protested more, but a hot wind from Death Mountain greeted his face like a dreadful kiss. He gritted his teeth.
An adult… he reminded himself. He needed to be an adult… He needed to cast aside all fear. Hadn't he done that already? Then again, fear was a recurring element in everyone's life. If he wanted it gone forever, he would have to die. Otherwise, it would always return when he was least prepared for it.
This world was a perfect example. Not a single person besides himself, Zelda, or the other people being adversely affected by Ganondorf, had any idea that catastrophe was about to claim the world. And that was when it was plunged into its darkest time. That was when it became a world of fear.
And more cowardice wasn't going to get Link, or the people depending on him, anywhere. He was the Hero of Time. He was the only Hero this world had. He needed to be that Hero or everyone would continue their perpetual suffering.
Brandishing his sword, Link charged the ghost. He tried swiping at it but it laughed at him and quickly spun its lantern. Pain seared through Link's body as the lantern slammed into his chest and he was knocked back. He slid on the ground, digging at the grass and trying to stop himself. His back collided with the tombstone behind him and he grunted in pain. The muscles in his body tensed, trying to keep him steady.
Why do I have the same feeling I get when I almost fall off my bed? Link wondered. He tried to relax, only to find himself sinking. After a moment, he realized that there was nothing but a void below him.
"Aah!" he cried, releasing his sword as he slipped into the hole. Somehow, he managed to grab hold of the wall before he fell to his death. He glanced down at the pit below him, staring into the thick darkness.
Did the person who made this grave decided that anyone who tampered with it should die too? Link mentally demanded. He tried to pull himself up. Please don't knock me back. Please don't knock me back! he repeatedly thought, hoping that the ghost wouldn't strike him as he climbed out.
It laughed at him and began to spin its lantern again.
Please!
Flames burned his fingers and Link yelped as he was knocked back into the hole. He was unable to grab anything, plummeting far too fast into the darkness. He cried out in surprise, but no one heard him.
And it was likely that no one would again…
A/N: I bet you people hate me and my cliffhangers by now. XD But if you want the next chapter, I want another review. I don't get anything for writing this, and it consumes large amounts of my time, so the least I want is a comment, alright? It doesn't hurt y'all...so please?
