"You're leaving already, Brother?" Darron questioned concernedly. We were currently congregated in Darunia's "office," discussing the plan Sheik and I had concocted after I had learned what Sheik had called "Saria's Song." We had to head to the Kokiri Forest, just south of the Lost Woods.
Sheik nodded, resigned. "We have to. The fate of Hyrule is at stake, and we can't let Ganondorf trace us back to Goron City. He would slaughter everyone, and things would be worse than if Volvagia had gotten loose. Besides, we have to talk to Saria." He lifted his hood over his head and secured his cowl more firmly, concealing the majority of his face.
"And I would have loved to come with you all, but I must protect the brethren," Darunia stated, "which is why I will be sending you, Darron. You are to join the Wanderers in their quest." He gave Darron a hard pat – or slap – on the back. "You're ready, Son."
I froze. Son? Darron was Darunia's son? Successor? What if something happened to him? What would the Gorons do? Would they have to choose another Goron to take over Darunia's position when he passed?
Darron bowed his head solemnly. "You really think so, Father?" he questioned.
Why had he not called Darunia "father" in the first place? I supposed that it was some weird Goron tradition or cultural thing.
"I do, Son," Darunia responded, pulling Darron into a hug. "Now you be careful, you hear me? If something – happens to you like your –" Darunia stopped abruptly, holding back a sob.
Darron embraced his father in return. "I know, Father. You don't need to relive any of those memories. I understand."
Brows furrowing, I resolved to ask Sheik about this whole situation later because, frankly, it confused me. What had Darunia been about to say? And why had Darron silenced him like that? Aqua nudged me discreetly. "Link, we're about to head out."
I nodded absently, the words of the prophecy echoing within my head. Two beams of light. Shadow native to light. Two tears. Burning rage and steadfastness. A shy yet cheerful joy. It puzzled me to no end, and I forced my wobbly limbs to move forward, following my companions.
"Hey, Link," Darunia called, placing a heavy hand on my shoulder. I turned to face him. "You can keep the hammer. It seems to have chosen you. Oh – And bring the Princess over here to see me one day when all this is over, you hear?"
Breathing in deeply, fighting to speak, I nodded shakily. "Sure will, Darunia."
"That's my boy," Darunia spoke fondly. He passed his son a salute, which Darron returned readily. "And there's my son."
Leaving the comfort, warmth, and security of Goron City and Death Mountain, we began our descent down the main incline of the mountain. Rings of smoke puffed from Death Mountain Crater, almost as though wishing us farewell. I couldn't help but feel rather sorrowful that we were leaving so soon, but every moment we stayed left more opportunity for Ganondorf and Ren to find us. We had already had to leave Zora's Domain for the safety of the Zoras, as well as Zelda, Nabs, Aziz, and Nabila; the same now had to be done for the safety of the Gorons.
Lifting one weary foot up after the other repeatedly brought us to the bottom of the Mountain after little effort and exertion. We were tired, but the downward path helped provide rest for our fatigued bodies. Aqua and Marine chattered constantly like the good twins they were, and Darron and Cove were walking ahead, talking amiably. Sheik had his hood up and was gazing up at the bright blue sky, kicking rocks with his eyes downcast.
Sighing, I felt the lump in my pocket: my Ocarina. Withdrawing the magical instrument from my pocket, I lifted it to my lips, beginning to play Zelda's Lullaby softly to myself. An image of Zelda, in tears, drifted to my mind – the memory of our departure. She had been so downcast, looking so hopeless. I wanted to bring a smile to her face – to make her laugh. I wanted to see her joy. I loved her laugh and missed it terribly. I missed her terribly! The journey from the Desert to the Domain had been a long and tedious one, and now we were miles apart, the distance growing all the time.
The melody of the song lulled my thoughts, soothing me. I allowed myself to be pulled into the vibes the song gave and found myself drawn into an image – or a memory – or something – a young man in a green tunic standing confidently next to a huge Castle. A young woman was by his side, and her countenance was one of distress. The man pulled her close, and in an instant, the Castle fell to the ground in ruins. My lips parted in shock, and I began breathing heavily.
"Are you alright, Link?" Marine questioned concernedly. She and Aqua had stopped, watching me curiously, and Darron and Cove had continued to walk. It was only then that I realized that Sheik wasn't present.
I scratched my head; Sheik's disappearance was the perfect distraction from the odd image that had embedded itself in my mind. "Where's Sheik?" I asked, scanning the area for the Hylian Prince turned Sheikah warrior.
"Right here, Link," Sheik's telepathic message echoed through my head, and I knew that he was in my shadow.
"Oh, OK," I said aloud. Aqua and Marine looked at me strangely, and I remembered that they couldn't hear Sheik when he was within my shadow. Only I could. Sheik had told me that the only time we could communicate telepathically was when he was within my shadow. The only other time we could communicate like that was using Sheik's Song when he was far away. "Um… Sheik's fine. He had to go for a bit," I stammered, trying to construct a response.
"What?" Aqua knew that something was up. I could tell by the way she glared at me.
"Just tell them, Link," Sheik commanded. "Things will be easier if they know anyways."
"Fine," I responded. "Sheik is in my shadow," I stated aloud, shrugging.
By now, Darron and Cove had stopped in their tracks, turning to face us. "What did you just say?" their expressions mirrored each other's – confused.
"Sheik's in my shadow. As a Sheikah warrior, he has the ability to slip into the shadows of others," I explained.
"Oh," Cove shrugged. He and Darron continued walking ahead, and Aqua and Marine joined them, leaving me behind.
Dark thoughts flooded my mind. Betrayal. The word echoed through my mind, but I wasn't sure why. Forcing myself to focus, I heaved the Megaton Hammer over my shoulder and walked behind my companions. Although I was surrounded by friends, I couldn't rid myself of the feeling of being completely, utterly alone.
After a period of walking and thinking (at least in my case), we came to a large wooden gate, and Sheik slipped out of my shadow. "Kron!" he called.
"Sheik?" a young male Sheikah whipped around to face our small group. "You're here?"
Sheik nodded and laughed. "Where's the boss?" he questioned.
"Right inside! You should go say hi to her, otherwise she'd be very upset that her favorite student came through without saying hello, assuming, of course, that you're not here to stay," Kron responded. He joined us quickly, performing some complicated traditional Sheikah handshake with the shadow native to light.
"Unfortunately, I'm not. We're headed to the Kokiri Forest to see Saria," Sheik answered, leaning against the gate lazily.
Kron sighed. "That's too bad. We've missed you around here – especially Impa. She envisions you as another son and hates it when you leave."
Nodding, Sheik spoke again. "I know. I hate to do it, but I have to care for Zelda and listen to my 'father.'"
"Well," Kron began, "some introductions are due now, aren't they?" He eyed us oddly, and I supposed that we were a strange bunch. Three Zoras, a Goron, and a really tan Hylian.
"Ah, that's right now," Sheik nodded. "Meet the Wanderers: Link, Prince of the Gerudo; Darron, Successor for Darunia, Patriarch of the Gorons; and Aqua and Marine, the Princesses of the Zora. We're making our way to the Kokiri Forest to visit someone," he turned to face us. "Guys, this is Kron, the son of my mentor."
"Pleasure to meet you," Kron stated, holding his hand out cordially.
I accepted, and he pumped our interlocked hands up and down. "The same here."
"We should head over. Mom's going to be excited that you're back – You should have brought Zelda with you!" Kron spoke. He set a steady pace, leading us into his village. From my limited knowledge of Hyrule, I guessed that this was Kakariko Village.
"I wish I could have!" Sheik responded. "But she's safe at Zora's Domain, and I didn't want to have to worry about her too much. I mean, she's a perfectly capable girl; I'm just the over-protective big brother."
"I feel you," Kron agreed. "Let's pretend that I'm big brother number two," he joked. "But in all honesty, I worry for her sometimes. I know that she's perfectly capable of defending herself, but I just – I don't know. I've seen her go through so much pain, and I want to protect her from that at all costs." He knew Zelda? I supposed that that made sense – After all, Sheik had trained with his mother, so it would be natural for Zelda to know his family.
I gazed around me, interested in everything this village had to offer. It was composed of small cottage-like houses with red shingled roofs. A large windmill could be seen in the distance, jutting into sight above the roofs of the houses. It seemed like a nice place. I remembered reading a rather large tome Nabs had given me that had mentioned Kakariko in brief, saying that it was home to many Sheikah. That also made sense; there were many Sheikah walking about, enjoying their day.
There were fields used for training, and young children were being pushed to their limits, competing against each other, trying to be the best. I had read about this too. Young Sheikah began training at very young ages in order to prepare themselves for service for the Royal Family, whether it be a personal or simply keeping fellow Hyruleans in line. That came after the Selection. The Selection was always a very important moment in a young Sheikah's life. That was the event that decided their future – their fate – their purpose in life.
Young Sheikah teens would battle against their mentors, masters, and each other, determining who would be best suited for a certain job. The most coveted job of all was Guardian. If you were a Guardian, you were the protector of a member of the Royal Family; being a Guardian was a position of high honor and respect in the Sheikah community and was the position all young Sheikah children dreamed about.
Watching them fence and throw daggers at incredibly tiny targets was crazy. I was amazed and impressed as I saw the accuracy of those children; they couldn't have been more than ten or eleven, but they were skilled.
Adults also sparred and practiced dart throwing without breaking a sweat. I could tell that they had experience, battle worn yet still fighting. Their dedication to the Royal Family and their own people was admirable, and I recognized it.
We walked down a winding dirt path that led to the houses. I wasn't sure where we were going but guessed that we were going to visit Sheik's mentor. We stopped before a specific house, close to the windmill. Heading inside after Kron knocked, I gazed at my surroundings, taking everything in.
An older female Sheikah stood in the small foyer, supposedly waiting for her son. Her white hair was pulled into a tight bun, and her piercing red eyes fell on us upon our entrance. "Kron," she stated. Her eyes then landed on Sheik. "Sheik!" she exclaimed, drawing him into a motherly embrace.
"Hi, Impa," Sheik chuckled, returning the hug. "I feel like I've been doing this a whole lot more recently. You know, the whole being chased by love-sick female Zoras, crushed by ginormous Goron brethren, and now being in the death grip of my Sheikah mommy."
Impa smacked the back of his head affectionately. "Shut up, you hear? I'm not a 'mommy.'"
"What am I?!" Kron asked. "Chopped cucco?!"
Impa responded by pulling Kron close lovingly. "You'll always be my little baby."
"Ah, mom!" Kron shook her off humorously.
"Will you make up your mid already, boy?!" Impa responded by smacking him on the head, similar to how she done so to Sheik.
Darron, the twins, Cove, and I watched the reunion awkwardly, shuffling our feet and clearing our throats. "Don't get used to this," Sheik hissed. "She's never like this," he motioned to Impa. "She's normally very strict, stern, and scary."
Kron nodded, agreeing. "We call it the three s's of a Sheikah mom."
After the initial welcoming, Impa reverted back to "normal" self with a straight face, arms folded. "Why are you here, Sheik? I love you dearly, but I would like to know what's going on with you that you would crash my house with no warning with guests."
"Sorry, Impa," Sheik apologized. "We're heading to the Kokiri Forest to talk to Saria."
Impa's red eyes flashed with recognition. "We'll go with you," she breathed quickly.
"What? Impa? You want to come with us?" Sheik's brows furrowed at the unexpected turn of events.
"Yes; take us with you. This can be a part of the completion of Kron's training. You'd be helping us, and we can help you. Besides – What's here for me anymore? I'm getting older; there's no denying that, but I believe that I still have a good amount of fighting years in me still. Sheik – Let us go with you," Impa requested.
I could tell that Sheik's resolve was wavering. Moments of silence followed for a bit before he finally sighed. "Fine; if you insist," he relented.
"I do," Impa stated; her voice firm was and strong. She left the room to pack, I presumed.
"Kron?" a feminine voice came from outside. A pretty female Sheikah entered the house. "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't realize you had guests," she meekly withdrew from the doorway, turning to exit.
"Wait –" Kron called, touching her extended arm gently. "Sheik, everyone, this is Zilla, my fiancée." The girl turned around to face us, a smile lighting up her pretty face.
"Kron – You're engaged?" Sheik exclaimed happily. "That's wonderful! Doesn't it feel like everyone is moving on in life? I mean, there's Nabs and Aziz – and…" he threw a meaningful glance at Marine and Cove's entwined hands.
"Zilla," Kron breathed softly, his red eyes flitting to hers. He wore a cowl of his own so his speech was slightly muffled like Sheik. "I'm going to be joining Sheik and his friends, the Wanderers, as well as my mom. We'll be back soon, though, I'm sure."
Zilla's eyes widened worriedly, and they mirrored the expression of mixed fright and concern that Zelda had worn for me before we had left. "Kron – You can't go. Not so close to our wedding day. And I don't want you to go."
Kron pulled her closer, her lithe form flush against his sturdy and slim frame. "Zilla," he whispered. I figured that that was going to turn into a private moment, and I turned away, remembering how awkward it had felt when I spoke with Zelda in a similar manner and someone had burst in on us.
I took the opportunity to gaze around the house. It was small yet cozy. The hardwood floor had hardly a speck on it and looked as though it was definitely taken care of. There were several windows with shutters in the foyer, letting in sun, but giving the option of closing them for more privacy. Near the door were neat lines of shoes all in a row, and everything was put in its place.
"I'm going with you," Zilla declared loudly. Her arms were folded, and her eyes showed pure determination as well as love for her fiancé. She wore her traditional Sheikah bodysuit with chest bindings and a cowl. Her ensemble was a combination of both blue and green and was made for quick getaways.
Kron wore something similar Zilla's with more of a masculine look. Right now, his arms were crossed as well, and his brows furrowed. I couldn't see his expression because of his cowl, but I could tell that he did not want Zilla to come with him, and I didn't blame him. I hadn't wanted Zelda to come with us because I wanted her to remain safe. "Zilla – You can't come with me. You don't understand –"
"No, Kron," Zilla cut him off. "You don't understand. I need to go with you. And you won't be able to stop me." She kicked at the hardwood floor vehemently, eyes downcast, glaring angrily.
Kron growled at the back of his throat. "Zilla – I have to stop you. You can't come with me," his voice rose then fell. "What would I do if I lost you?" his voice broke, and he sunk to the floor on his knees, sobbing.
Zilla immediately dropped to her knees as well, throwing an arm around her love. "We'll make it, Kron. I promise."
I then looked away from the private moment. Everyone had turned away, not making a sound, looking around awkwardly. Impa stepped into the room with supplies, "Are we ready to go?" her eyes then fell on Kron and Zilla. Sighing, she walked over to them, handing the supplies over to Sheik. "I know, Kron. I know," was all she said to her son. "Let's go." She took back the supplies from Sheik, exiting her home.
I followed behind her with the twins, Darron, and Cove. Sheik and Zilla helped Kron stand, joining us outside. "I'm coming," Zilla declared softly, making her decision.
I spotted a group of cuccos, receiving a bright idea from the very back of my mind and deciding that I would try it out before we left Kakariko Village. In the end, I found out that ideas from the back of your mind are at the back of your mind for a reason – Let's just say that I ended up running from a flock of extremely vexed cuccos. Not a pretty sight, that's for sure.
Ah, those fond memories of being chased by a flock of angry cuccos. ^^ Thanks to everyone that has faved and followed this story. Things are definitely going to be hard going from now on, so please subscribe. ;) Thanks to everyone that has subscribed because you are awesome. ;D
Oh – By the way, the guys at Gerudo Fortress are Gerudo. I forgot to mention that; I know it seems weird, but this is an AU… Yay! Impa's in! Along with some more OCs. -_- How did they get in here? *wink*wink*
Song Obsession: "Sing Me a Love Song" and "Beautiful Ending" by the BarlowGirls
Sorry for the wait, by the way. ^-^ But that's what you get when you put me in front of YouTube with a bag of chocolate. ;)
Anyways… if you feel so inclined, please drop a review down below. It makes you even MORE awesome – Is that even possible? O_O *smiles* and LOVE ;D
~Elsie {Zelda}
Total Word Count (excluding Author's Notes):
3,119