AN "Blah"- Normal speech
'Blah'- Thoughts
"Blah"- Memories
The Legend of Zelda: Heart of a Thief
Chapter 2
There was a big celebration going on in the Gerudo Valley, the whole of the Gerudo village was alive with the sound of the music, song and battle cries, and the hero of the raid was Link, the boy Gerudo, master thief and swordsmen. Everyone herded the tale of how their newest recruit took on Impa, Zelda's nanny and bodyguard and beat her; there was a cheer as this tale was spread around the valley. But away from the celebration in a small room which over looked the village was Link himself, staring up at the stars.
He was thinking about how the Princess and that fairy knew his name 'How could they have known who I was, Could I really have known them, no it's impossible. I'm a thief, a rouge, a Gerudo. She's a princess, royalty. She's probably had wanted posters with my face on put up all over Hyrule by now.' "I told you to put those thoughts from your mind", Link spun round to see Aveil, leader of the Gerudo's and master thief, "great Aveil" gasped Link quickly falling to his knees "I am honoured to be in your almighty presences", "Yes, quiet" she said "You have disobeyed an order, I told to forget about what the princes said and enjoy the celebration" "I know" said Link " But you see a couple of day's ago I snuck into to the great library, place of all Gerudo wisdom and went through the archives but I could find no record of my birth and it troubles me that I seem to come from nowhere." "Look," said Aveil "Even though it is said that the archives are never wrong it is not a complete record, there are gaps in it. Your mother died not long after you were born so she never recorded you or the document is lost. But don't tell anyone or the Gerudo order will most likely collapsed." "But it still doesn't explain how the princess and that little light with wing knew who I was." "I don't know either, and for disobeying orders you will the desert challenge tomorrow along with other who have disobeyed direct orders now to the celebration and enjoy it whilst you can because at dawn the challenge begins". Aviel left the room to joined the celebration; Link gave one more look at the stars and then ran after her.
In Hyrule castle the king was furious "How did they get in with out us noticing? if I find out who was responsible they won't live to see their next pay check." no one was going to tell him that it was his fault for not making sure that there was a guard posted at the drawbridge. Up in one of the castles towers was Zelda still in disbelief at what had happened and still clutching the scarlet velvet material which Link had used for a mask, over head was Talt the fairy who's efforts to comfort Zelda had gone unnoticed. Suddenly there was a knock at the door and a guard came in to tell her that Impa was alright and she'd be back to work in the morning "Thank you." said Zelda feebly.
When the guard left Zelda sighed and got off her bed and walked over to the window. "Zelda I know your upset but you have to face up to the fact that we have a problem," said Tatl "If you don't it'll just eat away at you.", "Upset, I'm not upset because there's nothing to be upset about." Zelda said "Zelda are you ok?" Tatl asked "Perfectly why do you ask?" Zelda replied "Because the only people I've know who talk like that are the ones you are who are about to go mad." "Mad. You can be funny sometimes Tatl, I'm not going mad." Zelda giggled "Well as long as your sure!" said Tatl with a hint doubt in her voice.
It was now dawn and Link was about to take the dessert challenge, he'd not had much sleep but he knew that he had to do this. The dessert challenge was the most gruelling obstacle course in the whole of Hyrule, basically new recruits and Gerudos who disobeyed orders were sent into the dessert with nothing but a sword (in Links case a sword and shield) a crossbow, a quiver with fifteen crossbow bolts, rope and a days worth of water and see if they could survive three weeks in the desert and then make there way back whilst all the time fighting off all the things that live there.
Link and the other five Gerudos waited for the signal for them to head into the dessert, then a firework was set off and the second it exploded they headed off into the vicious sand storms and shifting dunes. Between the poor visibility, viscous wind and the darkness Link had no idea were he was going but he struggled onward until he reached the large vortex of sand, suddenly there was a flash and he saw a hand in front of him with a strange gizmo which shot a spike across the vortex on a long chain then he was pulled along after it then with another flash he found him self on the same side of the sand vortex wondering what was that, then suddenly he could just see a strange object moving towards him, when it moved closer to him he saw a strange man sitting a carpet which was hovering over the vortex, "Ah," he said "Another for the desert challenge I see." "Yes." said Link suspiciously "You do now the only flaw in the this challenge?" said carpet guy "They don't actually tell you how your supposed to do this challenge, you see far beyond the storm is the dessert colossus and the spirit temple is in side it. You can easily spend your three weeks there and I can take you there for a price of 250 rupees, but be warned there are many kinds of monsters that live in there." "Just take me there if you want your money." snapped Link, carpet guy lowed the carpet and then sped himself and Link off to the desert colossus.
Many days later in the castle Zelda was beginning to act very strangely, she had take to look behind herself very few minutes and had been seen criticizing both the guards and the soldiers that the castles security was ineffective, but as with before when Tatl confronted her about it she assured her that nothing was wrong, "I'm serious about this Zelda," pleaded Tatl "You have to face up to what's happened or it going to completely take over and you'll descend into madness." "I'm touched by your concern Tatl but you have this all wrong, I'm not denying anything and I'm not being paranoid." Zelda replied.
Over time Tatl saw Zelda's condition get worse, now it wasn't just denial and paranoia, Zelda now claimed to here voices in her head (but this might be her telepathic abilities that Link told her about) and one night the night watch found her standing in the middle of the courtyard during torrential rain claiming she could here the voices of the gods telling her that a great shadow would descend upon the land and consume them all.
Unfortunately the worst was still to come. Zelda's madness was effecting every one else in the town and all Talt could do was sit back and watch it all helplessly with Impa "My Sheikan abilities will protect me for awhile but very soon I too will be consumed by her madness." "What can we do?" Tatl asked "The town is in chaos, the king is was consumed by this madness awhile ago all because Zelda was too stubborn to face the reality, if Link wasn't a Gerudo he might be able to help."
While all this was happening Carpet guy and Link had made it to the spirit temple "I'll be back here in three weeks to pick you up if your still alive and the return trips going to cost you 500 rupees." carpet guy sped off laughing "You lousy stinking rip off" Link who ripped off mask and shouted after him. Still fuming Link made his was into the temple, for some unknown reason Link seemed to know his way around, he knew ware the booby traps were and was able to get past all the Iron knuckles, Wolfos, Skulltulas, Floomasters, Torch slugs and many other monsters with ease. He made his camp up in one of the rooms an Iron knuckles had been in after he destroyed it which turned out to be just before another room which led out side and turn out to be the right hand of the giant statue out side the temple.
During the next three weeks Link searched the temple and was able to find enough rupees to pay carpet guy when he came back then one day while exploring the temples he found a large chests, when he opened it he found a strange pair of gloves which appeared to be made out of a really tough red material and silver, 'Very nice,' thought Link 'These could be worth a lot, better try them just to see what their like...', the second Link tried the gloves on which came down to his elbows he felt the automatically tighten and just as quickly as the started they stopped the gauntlets had attached them selves to him arms and he began to feel stronger then he'd felt before and automatically got to put them to the test.
Suddenly an Iron knuckle burst through the wall, swinging it's huge axe, it got closer and closer to the young Gerudo, then suddenly a flash of inspiration crossed his mind, he looked at his fists and then punched the floor and the shock waves knocked the Iron knuckle to the floor, then Link jumped on top of it, pulled the axe from it's hands and began hacking at it. After he'd reduced the Iron knuckle to scrap metal Link left the temple, after a while carpet guy came back "Oh you are still alive, but what are you wearing on your arms, they must be solid silver," he gasped "You know they could be worth quiet a bundle.." "Exactly that's why you ain't getting them. Now here's your 500 rupees, now take me home." snorted Link, grumbling to himself carpet guy loured the carpet to allow Link to get on and they sped off towards to the raging sandstorms.
Tatl watched each day as Zelda's madness grew worse and now even Impa had been consumed by it as well, because she was a fairy Tatl couldn't be infected by it. Knowing that she'd need a miracle to bring Zelda back from the edge, that night she made her way across Hyrule field towards the Koriki forest, she knew she wouldn't be attacked as no monsters dared attack any one from the town in case they might be infected as well. Apon entering the forest she made her way past all the forest children, Dekus and the paddock were Epona was kept when she was in the forest to Links new tree house. All over the walls were mementos of Links adventures on a shelf were the three spiritual stones of forest, water and fire, framed on the wall s were the six medallions from the temples, the fairy slingshot, heroes bow, Longshot, the three magic arrows of fire, ice and light, the three magic spells Din's Fire, Floras Wind and Nayru's Love, his Zora tunic, his Goron tunic, his Iron boots, his hover boots, Megaton hammer, his bomb bag, a case of bombchus, his Mirror shield, Great fairies sword, Guilded sword, a powder keg, the Rod of the Seasons, the Harp of Ages, a telescope, the Tatk were all scattered around the room and on the walls the mask Link had picked up in Termina the All Night Mask, Bremen's Mask, the Bunny Hood, the Captains Hat, the couples mask, the Garos Mask, the Gidos Mask, The Giant's Mask, the Great Fairy's Mask, Kamaro's mask, the Keatons mask, the Mask of Truth, the Stone Mask, the Four Remains Mask Odolwas, Goht's, Gyorg's and Twinmold's and more importantly the Deku mask, the Goron mask, the Zora, mask, the Fierce Deity mask as well as the now powerless Majoras Mask, and in a small locked box near the bed was the Ocarina of Time.
When morning came, Tatl flew out of Links house and went to the only person she could talk to, Saria, and to find her Tatl had to go all the way through the lost woods, through the forest maze to the forest temple were she found Saria sitting on a tree stump playing her ocarina, but when she noticed the fairy she stopped "Hello Tatl," she said "What's wrong?"
So Tatl told her every thing that had happened "I see, the only I can see to bring Zelda back is to tell her that there a way to bring Link back, I hope you can find a way because Link swore to protect the forest…"
"Wait a minuet," said Tatl "There might be a way, why didn't I think of it before. Remember when Link told you that story of that creature that had lost it's memory?" "The Cando monster, yes I remember." Saria replied not initially sure where this was going "Link said he found a melody he could play on the Ocarina to help him recover his memories." said Tatl excitedly "You mean" gasped Saria "Yes" said Tatl "The Song of Lost Memories." they said together
"Listen you go straight back to Hyrule castle and try and get Zelda to come to her senses I'll look for the key which Link locked the box with." said Saria "Will do, I just hope I can get through to her." Tatl replied.
Link had been travelling on the carpet all night and it was dawn by the time he reached the Gerudo village but decided not to show up it much later so not to look suspicious, so he laid down next to the wall in a place were he say hidden by the storm but the wind wasn't so harsh. After a couple of hours Link heard a scream coming from the village, Link ran towards the village to see the Gerudos were being attacked by five Wolfos then looking beyond them he could see their leader Aveil was being attacked by a viscous Greater Black Wolfo. Link charged at it, he threw his rope around the creatures snout and jumped on it's back. The Wolfo bucked and roared, doing everything it could to force Link off but he hung on and slashed at the creatures back with his sword whilst desperately trying to keep his grips, then suddenly he jumped from the black monsters back and swung round to it's front took aim and swung his blade at the creatures throat. Blood flew from the creatures throat and finally fell to the ground dead. The other Wolfos, seeing the Greater Black dead ran before they ended up the same way. Aveil approached Link who was drenched in sweat and blood "You saved me young worrier for that I honour your courage" she clicked her fingers and two slaves appeared "Take him and clean him up and after that prepare food for two, I'll shall join later."
Tatl raced towards Hyrule castle, she managed to set in quiet easily as all the guards were still affected by Zelda's madness and found Zelda in her garden which she'd obviously not been taking care of, she was sitting on the marble steps "Hello little fairy," she said in a sort of singsong voice "How's everything in the big wide world today?" "Not good Zelda," said Tatl playing along "The whole of the castle and town have delved into madness and your pretty much the course of it." "Oh, how come?" Zelda replied "BECAUSE YOU WON'T FACE UP TO REALITY, WE HAVE A PROBLEM, BUT YOU'VE KEEPING TRYING TO DENIEY THE WHOLE THING, NOW WAKE AND LOOK AROUND AND SEE WHAT YOU'VE COURSED." bellowed Tatl at her "Sorry, I didn't mean to shout at you but I have to do something to bring you back from the brink before I, we lose you.", suddenly Zelda started crying "Your right, I've spent so much time denying it to my self that I lost all sense of reality, when I saw Link as a Gerudo I was so shocked I didn't want to believe it. You must hate me so much." she said with tears running down her face "I could never hate you Zelda, your kind, gentle, warm and loving and a temper that's as hot as death mountain but now we must work on a plan to get Link back." said Tatl "How?"
Zelda asked, "A while ago Link found a song to play on the Ocarina of Time called the song of lost memories," said Tatl "If you play the song in front of him he'll be able to remember everything the only drawback is after twenty seconds he'll also remember all the things he's done but it's our only shot." "Where is the Ocarina of Time, I've not seen it since Link departed for Termina?" Zelda asked "Link locked it in a box in the Koriki forest, at this moment Saria should have found the key, as soon as Impa recovers her sanity we'll go get it." said Tatl.
Aveil enters Links chambers and sat down on a large cushion and helped her self to some food "I see you are rested, bathed and feed" she said to Link "Listen Link, I want thank you for saving so I went to the treasury and got these for you, first except this." she handed him a gem which was black and had gold encased around it in the shape of the Gerudo symbol "Its beautiful." said Link "Next except this," said Aveil and handed him a quiver of arrows "These are silver arrows" said Aveil "They are crafted by a race that live to the far north, they can also be fired by our crossbows, I give these to you because It shows what the master thief and swords man you are, and we need the likes of you in our next raid on the market town which I will be leading my self. So are you in? Will you join us?" "Any ware you lead I will follow." Link stated "Excellent, the raid is tomorrow."
Zelda, Tatl, and Impa made their way towards the Koriki forest in hopes Saria had found the key to unlock the box that contained the ocarina of time, "I hope that you can learn this song, rumor has it there's to be enough Gerudo raid on the town tomorrow" said Impa "Let's hope Tatl can still remember how the song goes" said Zelda in a small voice (still ashamed of what she caused) "Hey, Ill have you know that I remember that song like the back of my wing" said Tatl slightly hurt "Ah, there's the entrance to the forest, Saria will meet us at Links tree house.", they passed through the entrance and Zelda began too feel a little nervous, "Tatl is it true people who get lost here get turned into monster" she asked "Yes, but there mostly idiots with no sense of direction." replied the fairy, after that the didn't say anything until they reached Links house "There's Saria I'll talk to her, you two stay here" are you telling a princess to stay put?" asked Zelda defiantly "Errr yes." replied Tatl then she went over to Saria "So did you find it?" "Yes, but I must admitted it was really well hidden," said Saria before bringing the Ocarina of Time out of her pocket as well as a piece of paper "And here's the song it's self, good thing Link wrote it down." As soon as Zelda had gotten the Ocarina back she was riding as fast as the horse could run back to the castle 'Hold on Link,' she thought to her self 'We'll get you back.'
It was close to the time for the Gerudo's raid on the market town, this was going to be risky because the expected the soldiers to be ready for them this time. Aveil showed up riding a black stallion already dressed in travelling robes "It is time" she yelled "Grab only the things we will need and put on your robes and saddle up, let go kick some male ass." "HAZARE..." shouted every Gerudo in the valley.
"Be ready," said one of the guards "The attack will come any time now.", the whole castle was in an uproar preparing for the attack and Zelda was up in her room trying to memorises the song of lost memories, "This is hopeless." she yelled tossing the Ocarina across the room "Why couldn't the person who wrote this song have kept it simple." "Look you think Link founds this song easy to learn first time he played it" said Tatl "No but he kept playing it over and over until he got it, and that's what your going to do." "Your right." said Zelda "If Link didn't give up on remembering this tune then I shouldn't either" she said as she strolled over to the other side of the room, picked up the Ocarina of Time, dusted it off and kept practising till the small hours of the morning.
By this time the Gerudo's were on the move heading toward the castle, "Be ready for trouble," shouted Aveil "The people here may be stupid but even they will have remembered to put a guard at the drawbridge this time."
It was now wide spread panic though out the town, they knew that they were going to be attacked at any moment and they wouldn't be speared by the onslaught that was about to come, and at this moment Princess Zelda who had finally memorised the song was kneeling over a large chest in her room, she opened it and pulled out a sword and a shield "Link was teaching me how to use these. It was supposed to be a game but I guess thats all changed." she said to herself "Looks like it's time for that 'exam' Link mentioned, I just hope I'm good enough, all I need to do is to wear Link down then play the song in front of him and he'll be back to normal.", she then made her way out of the castle, evading all the guards she met and headed for the temple of time where she would wait for Link.
AN Chapter 2 done, chapter 3 will be done as soon as I've made some corrections