(Edit 05/02/18: fixed grammar)

(Updated: 01/04/17)

Hi everyone!

I'm so sorry I couldn't stick to my weekly uploads... I've been really quite busy! My boyfriend and I are moving house, and it's taking up a lot of my energy. I also took and failed my driving test, and then retook my driving test and passed two weeks later! I've also been attending a lot of sixth form meetings, I said about before I had a breakdown and was forced to leave my old sixth form, so I'm trying to get a place at another one. Two places have offered me courses! I'm also investing a lot of time into finding a steady job... So US unfortunately took a back seat. But hopefully now I will be uploading each week, if not each fortnight.

Thank you for bearing with me, and enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 10

Link had literally no idea where the first object could be. This was ridiculous. It seemed like it was impossible. How was he supposed to finish the task, and get home to Zelda if it was impossible?

"We have some old maps," one of the men said, pushing them towards Link. "They date back around about three-hundred years. One of our ancestors went out and documented the areas they thought the item may be in."

Link thanked him, and opened up the maps. Zelda would've loved to be here to see this, he thought. Gaepora even more so. The maps were very simple, and easy to read. Understanding the scrawls that had been added by hand was a little more difficult, though.

"It says you have to find the objects in order," Dariil told Link, his eyes scanning the page. "The items are hidden with a clue to find the next item. It says to find the first item, you must look to the ground from the highest point, and it shall appear."

"Right," Link nodded. "The highest point. Where could that be?"

"We assumed it must be the place in the Sky," a young warrior spoke up. One of the older ones glared at him for the act of insubordination, and the young warrior sat back, looking down.

"But, how could it be?" Link asked, his head cocked to one side thoughtfully. "If it is true that these maps were made three-hundred years ago, how could the person have got to the sky?"

"That is a good point," Dariil replied, rubbing his chin in thought. "It must be on the surface then."

"Does it say what area it could be in?" Link asked, "If it was the woods, it could be a tall tree. If it's the area around the volcano, it would be that."

Dariil pushed the map back to Link, and pointed to marker. He immediately recognized it.

"That's where Eldin Volcano stands." Link told him.

"That's where we must head, then." Dariil decided. "We must make haste. What are your orders, Brother from the Sky?"

"We need to suit up and get ready to go," He told the men. The sooner they had found the items; the sooner he could get home.

The journey to the volcano would take about a week by foot. The Hylians did not use horses as a method of transport, which was strange to Link as it was much quicker and less taxing than walking on foot. Link thought for a moment about asking if they would consider it; Horses were much quicker and less tiring. He shook his head forcing the idea out of his mind. It would be more comfortable, but it would take a long time to catch more horses and train them. He would just have to endure the journey on foot.

In the kit room, Link saw a warrior around about his age struggling to find some of his kit. He walked over, and introduced himself.

"Need any help?" He asked the warrior. When he looked around a Link, he recognized him as the younger warrior that had spoken up earlier only to be glared at. He looked extremely young.

Much too young.

"They've stolen my chest piece again," The boy sighed, almost resigned to it. "It's just not funny anymore. I'm trying just as hard as everyone else, and yet I get picked on because I'm the youngest."

Link frowned. He knew how it felt to be the underdog after all his years being pushed around by Groose. Teasing was one thing; Link and the knights had had their fair share of clothes and equipment go 'missing', but straight up bullying was another. And he was not about to stand by and let it happen under his watch.

"Right, everyone," Link shouted, gathering the attention of everyone in the room. He was still quite self-conscious at being in charge, as these men had kidnapped him. The shift in power he had experienced was still taking time to get used to. "I want it to be known; whilst I am in charge petty bullying will not be tolerated. We have a mission to do, and it will only be hindered by such childish behaviour."

There was a mumbling in the crowd, and the chest plate belonging to the young warrior was thrown forwards. Link picked it up, and handed it to the rightful owner.

"Thank you very much," He smiled "My name's Finlaay, by the way."

"It's nice to meet you, Finlaay. I'm Link."

"I know. I mean, we all know. The Elders told us."

"Interesting," Link nodded. A little voice in his head told him something was not right. He pushed the thought away. "Pardon my asking, Finlaay, but aren't you a little too young to be a warrior?"

"I'm eighteen," He replied "So no really. Besides, I had to become a warrior; my girlfriend, I want to propose to her. But to even be considering marriage, you have to prove to the Elders you have enough money to support your wife and the resulting children. We have limited resources down here, you see, so everyone has to be useful. So I joined up to prove I can earn."

"That's very commendable of you," Link grinned, clapping Finlaay on the back.

"Thank you, Sir." He replied.

The next morning, they set off for Eldin volcano.

Before they left, though, Faale had pulled Link aside.

"You must be careful," she told him "This journey, it will not be without monsters that will try to stop you. They may even try to kill you. So be careful. I know you have a wife and children at home. I would hate to see them without a husband and father."

Link was slightly taken aback by the words, but thanked the girl. He didn't have the heart to dismiss her words by explaining that all the monsters had left the land when Demise was defeated. After all, he had really grown fond of Faale. She had seemed stoic at first, but she was actually a girl with a huge heart.

He was still curious as to her relationship with the young girl, Abrel. But Faale had been clear that the only way he would find out is if she told him, and she wasn't comfortable talking about. Link wondered if they had lost their parents in a cruel way, as he had lost his. He could understand why she didn't want to bring it up.

They had a map of how to get to Eldin volcano from where they were, but it did not allow for the undergrowth. The warriors usually travelled in the trees, and whilst some of them did on this excursion anyway, a few stuck with Link to get him through the thick bushes since he had proved not quite a nimble. One of the men by his side was the young warrior from earlier, Finlaay.

"You helped me out earlier," he had said, brandishing a small knife from his boot, "So it's only fair that I help you out now."

As the other warriors leapt from tree to tree, they cut through the bushes, moving quickly and efficiently towards the burning land. Eventually though, night fell and they had to make a camp.

They had caught a few small wild animals to eat for dinner, and these were skinned and gutted before being roasted over a small fire. Link only realized how hungry he was when he smelt the meat. He was so grateful when it was cooked, and he ate as slow as he could, trying not to wolf it all down. A small flask of alcohol was passed around, and Link took a small sip, letting the burning liquid heat his stomach.

"So, how long do you think it'll take up to find this item once we get to the volcano?" Someone piped up. It took Link a moment to realize everyone was looking at him, waiting for his answer.

"It could take any amount of time, really," Link decided. He didn't want to say he had no idea. Rule number one about being a leader: Never be unsure. "I mean, if the clue in the notes is right, then we should find the necklace straight away. Hopefully, then we will get a clue to the next place, and we can be finished in as little time it takes to get from each place to the next."

Link hoped it would be that simple. He could remember all the dungeons he had to go through before to even get a slight clue on where Zelda would be. He also thought about what Faale had said, and he groaned inwardly. He had a bad feeling it was going to be much more than just walking in, picking up the damn necklace and waltzing out again.

Link was glad for sleep when it came.

The next morning, they set of bright and early. It was still a long way to the volcano, but they had made good time the day before, and it seemed like now it would only take about four or five days to reach the summit instead of the week they originally thought.

As they walked, they heard a strange noise. It sounded, much to Link's dismay, like one of the monsters he had faced before. The warriors all regrouped, and they moved forwards carefully, weapons to hand, ready to attack whatever they found.

They came out into a small clearing, and just as Link had suspected a Moblin stood there, bumbling about. Quickly, the warriors took it down with carefully placed arrows. The Moblin was not much of a match, but that did not stop Link from having an uneasy feeling in his stomach.

"They should've all been turned back into nothing when Girahim and Demise were defeated, and the dark magic left this land," Link muttered, looking at the ground where the Moblin had stood just before.

"Maybe that wasn't the case?" Finlaay appeared beside him. It seemed that because he had stopped the boy getting bullied, Link was his new best friend. Link was not against this, but he hoped Finlaay had a concept of personal space and would leave him alone when he needed to be.

"No, I'm sure all the evil was wiped from this world. Demise was the evil feeding the land. Once he was defeated, and the power stopped, they would've gone too."

Finlaay offered up some more suggestions, but Link knew what was happening. After all, there was only one real explanation for the Moblin. Demise had taken the evil with him when Link had sealed him, that was certain; but now, something had come along, and was having the same effect on the land as Demise had. There was no doubt about it.

Evil was back in the land.