Chapter 1-The Arrival
There was an air of solemnity with in the cathedral. The congregation was waiting peacefully in the pews. There were a few children shifting uncomfortably, impatiently waiting for the mass to be over so they could get back to playing. Mothers of those children shushed them and urged them to be quiet. The priest, a large and wizened white-haired man named Rauru approached the altar. He extended an aged, yet strong arm forwards, to place it upon the dark green cover of an ancient tome. Upon its cover was etched, in gold, design made up of three triangles with their corners touching to create a larger triangle. Rauru opened the dusty book, and turned its yellowing pages to a particular passage.
"A reading from the Book of Mudora," He began, in a deep, booming voice, "And thus said the goddess of courage, 'I have made all living things, so that they may serve good and uphold the laws of my sister goddess, Nayru. May you continue to multiply and prosper until the world's time is over. But there are creatures of this world that I have not made, beings with all the intention of disobeying the laws of my sister. There will come a time when evil shall come forth in it's most blasphemous form, and it will try to destroy the world which we have made for you, our children. He will wreak havoc upon the land for seven years. On the end of that last year, we shall bring forth a Hero clad in green, bearing the seal of we three goddesses of virtue upon his left hand. He will come forth from the Doors of Time wielding the blade of evil's bane, and he will strike down the dark one and then throw him to those who cry out and gnash their teeth in the Dark World. We shall bestow upon him power over time itself, and thus will be recognized as the Hero of Time."
Rauru bowed his head, and then finished with, "May the way of the Hero lead to the Triforce."
"Thanks be to Din, Nayru, and Farore," responded the congregation.
A figure was watching the whole thing from a balcony on the floor above. He was massaging the end of one of his long, pointed ears. He was trying to stay as hidden as possible from the people below, for if he was caught, he would surely be swarmed by them until he was smothered beneath a pile of people trying desperately to touch him. They would do this, because he was named Link. He was clad in a green tunic, which he always wore, with white undergarments. A long, pointed green hat hung over his shoulder. He sighed. It was not easy being him. He really wished he could be down with the rest of the congregation, praising the Goddesses of Virtue. Rauru had warned him that the next time he came down from the high balcony, he would have him removed by the soldiers, even if he was the savior, and even if he was the commander of all the troops of the Hylian army. He withdrew his head a little, to prevent a little girl with brown hair from seeing him. He breathed another sigh, as the mass continued. His thoughts turned to his adventures. He had had a lot of fun running around, killing demons and monsters, going head-to-head against dark beings, and saving the world more then once. The first time it was against Mandrag Ganon, formerly known as Ganondorf Dragmire, the dark Lord whom Rauru had been speaking of moments before. The second time, he went to the neighboring land of Termina, where he had stopped an accursed mask's power from causing the moon to crash into the Earth. The Third time it had been to help a weird kid who looked just like him for some odd reason to defeat an evil sorceress named Veran, who had claimed the body of a young oracle named Nayru, after the Goddess of wisdom. His journeys had been long and hard, and all of the experience was valuable. But it still didn't help him with his problem of having to stay hidden. In fact it only worsened it. Sometimes he wished he had never decided to pull the Master Sword from its pedestal.
No, no, don't think like that! He suddenly yelled at himself, that's not the way to think! You are an example of the power of the Gods. If you doubt your own power you put your doubt in them. He couldn't doubt his own power, he himself was evidence enough. He turned his attention back to the mass continuing below.
"Now begin the Chant of the Golden Power," said Rauru.
"In a land beyond sight, the sky shines gold not blue, there the Triforce's might makes mortal dreams come true. In a land beyond sight, the sky shines gold not blue, there the Triforce's might makes mortal dreams come true."
Link knew this chant. He had used it as a clue to enter the Doors of Time. He sighed. And looked nostalgically upon the great stone seal behind Rauru. There was an engraved image upon the stone of the sun shining down upon the land. He remembered the time he had been standing in this very temple, playing upon the Ocarina of Time, the mystical instrument of music that was the most prized possession of the Royal Family, and opening those very same doors to enter the unexplored Sacred Realm.
"Now I do recall, we have a few announcements before we end the mass," said Rauru, "I have been informed that there are a few concerns going around about those who have begun to doubt the Way of the Hero. I must urge you to remain faithful. Without our faith, we have nothing." He said. Link looked back down to the little girl with brown hair he had seen earlier. She was fidgeting, eagerly awaiting the end of the mass. Then, to Link's great surprise, she looked up.right at him! Link's eyes grew wide and he nearly dropped his hat. His mind suddenly switched to panic mode, and he began to sweat.
What are you doing? You're letting yourself be seen! Withdraw your head NOW! Now you idiot! He screamed in his mind. But for some reason he couldn't move. All he could do was hope she didn't.
"Mommy! Mommy! Look! There's a boy up there!" she giggled girlishly, tugging her mother's hand and pointing upwards at him wildly.
"What?" he mother exclaimed, and she looked up as well. She looked at him for a moment, confused, and then she gasped as a sudden surge of realization exploded onto her face.
"It's the Hero of Time! It's our savior!" She exclaimed, raising her hands up, and crying out so that the whole congregation could hear.
Damn, thought Link. Just what I need.
In the next few seconds, the entire congregation was pointing and yelling, as well as bowing and crying out for mercy and healing. They began to swarm towards the balcony.
"It's our savior!"
"Have mercy on me, Hero of Time!"
"Please! Let me touch your hat! Heal me!"
"Cure me master, please!"
The roar of cries overpowered Rauru's shouts to the congregation to sit back down and be quiet. But he was pushed aside by an old lady who was chanting and crying towards Link to heal her of her arthritis. Link was now up on his feet, only able to look upon the screaming mass of people. He sighed, shook his head, and did the only thing he could do. He raised one hand, and spoke to them.
"I bless you all in the name of the Goddesses of virtue. Please go in peace." He said with the air of a great teacher. And with that, they all proceeded to exit the temple, still crying out and praising him. As the last person closed the doors, he let his hand fall to his side, and he leaned over the balcony to See Rauru at the altar, looking at him, and shaking his head.
* * *
"I am really, really sorry about that." Link was apologizing a few minutes later, in front of the altar, "I didn't mean to be seen.."
"Link, you know you don't need to keep coming to the mass! I told you that myself didn't I? I said that because you're the Hero, well, you can't worship yourself, now can you?"
"No, I can't, and that's why I come here! I want to listen to the words of the Book of Mudora and listen to the mysteries of the Gods! Even if I am the Hero.I just wish sometimes that I could." He cut himself off. He shouldn't have said that.
"Be.normal?" Finished Rauru, sighing. "Link.I know you're having a hard time being the Hero, but Listen to me. Even if you are the Hero, you don't have the power to do that. In the meantime, all we can do is keep you in hiding."
He rounded the altar, so now he was on the same side as Link. He put a giant hand on Link's shoulder.
"Boy, you must remember that it is a blessing that you are the Hero, not a curse. You need to stay faithful. What would people think if they knew that the great Hero was doubtful? I say it wouldn't help the fact that more people are becoming atheists and leaving Triforcism. Right now, the church needs all the help it can get. And you can help by remaining faithful." He finished, removing his hand from Link's shoulder.
"Well.thanks, I guess." Said Link. He put on a large hooded cloak so as to prevent himself from being recognized, and left the church.
Outside the Temple of Time, it was hustle and bustle as usual in the Hyrule Castle City Marketplace, under a beautiful cloudless sky. Peddlers and shopkeepers were constantly yelling to potential customers, children were playing in the cobblestone streets, and many people were walking about, doing their business. Link kept his face hidden underneath his hood as he made his way through the crowds of people over to a small shop that sold masks. As he opened the door and entered, the door hit a bell placed over it, alerting the shop owner to the visitor. A red-haired, green-skinned Hylian with an enormous, almost spooky grin upon his face came forwards across the dusty, creaking floorboards, motioning to the walls. He had a purple robe on with sequins sown into the edges, and the light coming in through the window glinted off them onto the myriad of masks upon the walls, causing them to appear as if they were enchanted. Which, some of them, in fact, were.
"Welcome!" Greeted the shopkeeper almost exaggeratedly, "Welcome, customer, to the Happy Mask shop! We have the finest selection of masks, magical and non-magical in all the continent of Zildross! How may I help you?"
Link raised a hand and uncovered his shadowed face.
"It's only me. You have no customers today, do you?"
"OH! LINK!" Cried out the shopkeeper, suddenly flustered. He dashed to the windows and closed the curtains on them, and then switched the sign that said, "We're open and happy to serve you!" to, "Please go away, we're either not open or not happy." The shopkeeper turned to Link, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Fancy you, coming into my shop! Uh.you want some tea? I can get some if you're want any."
"I'm not here for tea, I'm here for that special order I told you about," he said, leaning forwards and putting a look on his face that said "Don't aggravate me", "You know, the special order? The one I need now?"
"Yes! I know! That order! I'll get it right away!" He cried out, running behind the wooden counter and leaping into the back room. Link took a moment to look around for a moment. There were all sorts of masks on the walls, ach with a price tag attached. He looked closely at one particular mask on the wall. It was round and made of wood. It had leafy stuff that could have acted like hair atop it. The eyes of the mask were large and a burning red color. In the place where the mouth and nose would be, there was a large snout, like a short elephant's trunk. Link removed it from the shelf and examined it from all sides. A look of suspicion crept across his face. Could it be.? Only one way to find out. He pushed back the rest of his hood, turned the mask around, and pressed it onto his face.
There was a sudden rush of energy that swept from the mask into his body, a feeling that reminded him of a sudden Icy wind. He could feel his body shrinking, his skin turning an earthly wooden texture. His face became one with the mask, and soon he found himself the size of a small child. He walked over to a mirror to examine himself. There was no doubt about it. The ember-like eyes, the yellow leaves for hair, the wooden face.this was the Deku mask. How come the Mask salesman wanted to sell this mask? It was his, after all. He was reaching behind his ears to find the groove where the edge of the mask was so that he could remove it when the mask salesman rushed back in carrying a medium-sized pink box. He almost dropped it when he saw the Deku boy staring at him from the floor.
"And what, may I ask, were you planning to do with this mask?" asked Link, his voice muffled slightly and sounding nasal from speaking through the snout. He was frowning, but with this weird mask on it was hard to show that kind of emotion.
"Umm.I was going to.well.I was keeping it for you and.um."
Link removed the mask, and he became his old self again. This time, with suspicion etched across his face, he pressed the matter a bit more forcefully.
"Tell me what you were going to do with my mask. Why was it on the wall with this price tag on it?"
The Mask Salesman let out a loud sob and dropped the box to the floor.
"Alright! I admit! I was thinking about becoming an atheist! I mean, what if you were just coincidence.?"
Link found himself a bit confused for a second. He was beginning to doubt Triforcism, as well. It seemed everybody was beginning to doubt, with the exception of some, like the screaming, praising people who had been in the Temple of Time. Now, he had to help keep Triforcism alive. It was, after all, a true religion.
"Why do you doubt the Gods? I myself am an example of that. I wield the Master Sword. I have the crest of the Triforce of Courage upon my left hand, don't I? I did defeat the King of Evil, Ganon, didn't I?"
"I.I.yes, I know, you're right." said the mask salesman apologetically. "I should not doubt the Gods."
"Good. Now, please pick up the box you've dropped and give it to me."
"Yes, Master."
He bent over, picked up the box, and before getting back up, he kissed the tip of Link's boot in reverence.
"Thank you for being so merciful, O Hero of Time!" he said, as Link took the package.
"Hmm. See to it that you continue to be faithful."
"Yes, Master!"
Link tossed the Deku Mask back to the Mask salesman.
"And keep this in a safe place, or I'll be back."
Link put his hood back over his head and left the Mask salesman to his business. His pace was a bit hurried as he weaved through the crowds again towards the castle. After walking for about a half hour, he approached the grand gateway that opened up to the pathway to Hyrule Castle, a vast, gleaming castle with white towers and spires. At the gate there where two members of the Hylian Guard. In their chain mail and shining armor, carrying long and sharpened spears, they were very intimidating. Link approached them unmoved. They crossed their spears, blocking the entrance from Link.
"Relax, guys, its me." Said Link, uncovering part of his face so that the guards would see.
"Uh.okay sir." said one of them. He opened the tall steel gates so that Link could enter. He made his way up the hill to the lower gardens as the guards shut the gate behind him. He took of his cloak. It felt good to get out of it; it was always so hot and stuffy. He closed his eyes as a light breeze played across his face. He inhaled deeply, letting the purifying air fill his being with relief. Here, he was safe from the crowds and the pleading people begging for healing. A voice caused him to open his eyes.
"Link! Over here!" shouted Kirk. Kirk was Link's best friend and the only member of the Hylian Guard who he would truly trust with his own life. They had been friends ever since they had met after Link had come back after his journey to find Navi, and had draw swords to fight against a few monsters together.
"Hey, Link, everything okay? You took a bit longer then I thought you would. What took you?" he said, running past the flower bushes, his cape flowing behind him and his blue-and-gold armor clanking.
"I had to pick up something.for you-know-who."
Kirk scratched his black hair. "You mean, Zelda?" he said, his voice lowered. "What did you get for her?"
"This," said Link, opening the box. Kirk looked inside. There was an ornate, silver and gold mask inside.
"Hey, wow, you got that one? It's supposed to be really expensive.how many rupees did you spend on that?"
"Five-hundred. It was shipped directly from Termina"
"Zelda will like that, hands down. You really like that girl, don't you?"
"Yeah.But with all those people worshipping me, I can't be around all the time." Link looked to a sundial that was positioned among some rose bushes. "Oh, I've got to get going. There's going to be a banquet tonight in the grand hall. The Royal Family of Calatia are making a visit. Zelda's gonna need her bodyguard!"
"Go get'em, bud!" said Kirk, "I've gotta get to the outer wall of the city. See you later!"
Link tore up the stairway to his room in east tower. He was opening the door when he tripped over a pile of scrolls on the floor. The box with Zelda's Mask fell and luckily enough, landed on his four-poster bed. Link grumbled, getting up to see who had left the scrolls out. There was a giant owl perched on the chair in front of the table where more of the scrolls were spread out. The owl had a pair of spectacles upon his beak, which he had apparently had been using to read the scrolls. His head turned to Link.
"Link! Good to see you!" spoke the wise old owl with a voice much like Rauru's, "Sorry about the scrolls, I had to look up something quick. Are you alright?"
"Fine, Geabora. May I ask what you were thinking when you could have checked the Royal archives instead of the scrolls in my room?"
"Well, your scrolls here are the ones you used to map the other lands during your travels. I was checking to see if they match the lands I've seen during my flights. That, and it has a very nice view of Death Mountain. Does this smudge mean something here?" He asked, pointing with a large talon at a black spot in the land of Termina.
"Oh, that? I think that's the Astral Observatory.I think. Or is that a tree? I forgot to mark that spot. Oh, wait, now I remember, that's where I marked the impact site of a moon's tear when the Moon was falling."
"Ah, well then I guess I was correct, then. I see you have something over there in a box. A present for Zelda?"
"Yes, it is. I was going to present it to her before the banquet."
"And I'm sure she'll enjoy it." said Geabora. Then, he had an odd look on his owlish face. He clicked his beak, then asked, "Bee in your bonnet, Link?"
"Oh.it's just the situation with the rising levels of atheism. I'm getting a bit concerned."
"Worrying that people won't praise you for being the Hero?"
"No, it's more like.I sometimes doubt it myself, even though I always tell myself it can't be true because of what happened that day when I defeated Ganon. I could feel Din, Nayru, and Farore themselves among us. And yet.well, you know. I even had a run-in with an atheist today. I managed to set him straight, but.He said 'what if it's just a coincidence', and it made me wonder as well. But I know I shouldn't doubt. I mean, there's no other true religion, right?"
Geabora was about to speak, when he suddenly jerked his head around in a full circle, displaying the back of his head to Link. No matter how many times he did that, Link would always find that surprising.
"What is it, Geabora?" asked Link.
"I see.a caravan.nearing the city.and I think it could be the Calatian Royal family. Zelda will be going to greet them to Hyrule. She'll need her bodyguard."
"Right. Should I take the mask with me?"
"I would say, not yet. It would be rude to interrupt when the attention should be on our guests."
"Thanks. See you later, Geabora," said Link, grabbing his shield from the wall. Then he went over to a chest at the end of the bed and reached inside for his sword-the Master Sword. He drew it out of its sheath, and it rang with power as it began to glow a vivid electric blue. He inspected it to check to make sure it was presentable, and then, after deeming it worthy, he placed it back in the sheath and placed it on his back. He then left his room to go down to the grounds. The Royal Court was assembled at the foot of the castle, in their best robes, ready to go to greet the coming caravan. Link joined them and looked for his principal. He found her next to her father, the King. It was Zelda, dressed in her trademark rosy pink and gold dress, atop her cloudy-white horse. His heart leapt. Even though he was often told to keep his relation with her professional, it Link considered that particular task even more difficult then having to fight off an entire army of Moblins. Zelda was so beautiful that many stories about the princess with such beauty that men had fallen into despair at looking upon her face. Her long, shining, golden hair flowed in perfect unison with the wind, much like a vast field of wheat on a summer's day. Her blue eyes were an enchanting crystal blue, by which if a man made contact with, would make him the prisoner of a twinkling instant. Her skin was as smooth as the water's surface, and as soft as the down of the most elegant of swans. All in all, she herself was the most treasured gem in all of Hyrule. Link made several apologies as he made his way to the side of Zelda's horse to lead it. Zelda turned her head to speak to Link, and Link felt a jolt run through him that was almost painful. But it was a good kind of pain. The kind that would let you know that you were alive.
"Link! It is good that you are here! Any later and we would have missed you entirely." She spoke with a wondrous, melodic voice that calm a child of his deepest fears.
"Yes.uh.do think I look.umm.adequate enough? I know I checked, but, well, you never know.heh."
Zelda smiled, and the same feeling from earlier surged through him again. "You're fine, Link. Just be glad you're not late. The Calatian Royal family is very friendly and my father wishes that our two countries can begin an alliance."
"That'll be really good. You can never have enough allies, I guess."
Zelda laughed. I made her laugh! Thought Link, laughing as well on the inside, as the court began to move forwards down the path to the castle gates.
"Umm, Zelda?" asked Link, beginning to sweat.
"Yes, Link?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
"Would you.um." Link couldn't bring himself to say it. Nice going, hero.
"Are you.unable to find the correct words to what you wish to ask me?"
"Something like that."
" Perhaps I can assist? Does it have anything to do with the banquet?"
"Uh.yeah." Link was feeling really stupid now.
"And does it." Zelda stopped in mid-sentence for a moment, as if it were hard for her as well to say what she was saying. She then continued in a slightly lower voice, ".have.anything to do with those words that we spoke to each other in the temple all of that time ago?"
That time in the temple. That was the one moment that Link treasured above all. If he had any memories that he treasured and would have paid anything to live over and over again, it was that time. It was that time, before he left, when He and Zelda had shared one moment of affection, holding and caressing each other before Link had made the risky move of placing the Master Sword in the Pedestal of Time in order to reverse the negative effects of Ganon's power, as one of the effects of the process involved him returning back to his childhood to relive the seven years he had lost being trapped. It had been so painful for both of them because Link had to wait another entire seven years to be with Zelda again.
"Yes, Zelda.it does."
"Are you asking me to."
"Please dance with me at the banquet," said Link, exhaling so loudly it was almost rude. It was so relieving for her to have brought it out of him. Zelda blushed and put a hand to her face. She smiled and turned to him.
"Yes, Link, I will." Link's heart leapt so high it could have made him jump and cry for joy.
They continued through the streets to the great south wall that separated the capital city from the rest of Hyrule. They came across the drawbridge onto the edge of the vast plains of Hyrule Field. The caravan was now much closer. Link squinted to see them. So far all he could make out was the maroon flags they had raised up. Link let an old tracking sense kick in, which magically enhanced his vision to see them a bit clearer. He could now see a coat of arms on an ornate carriage that was probably the one carrying the Royal Family of Calatia. There was another carriage behind that, and it was this one that caught Link's attention. It was very shabby for a royal caravan, constructed of wood and steel, an eyesore compared to the gold, ivory, redwood and ebony of the Royal Family's carriage. Upon it was a particularly odd symbol that resembled an eye.He could not bring any real words to describe it.it almost scared him. He guessed these people were very powerful. As they came level, the approaching caravan slowed until it made a complete stop before the Hylian court. A king with a great bushy black and gray beard poked his head out of a window.
"Daphnes!" he laughed heartily, "You old dog, you! Look at this beautiful countryside you've got! I could almost be jealous!"
"King Hagris, welcome to Hyrule." Hailed the Hyrulian King, "I trust your journey was alright?"
"By your silver beard, yes it was! You have a wonderful land, splendid, splendid indeed!" He laughed again, as an attendant opened the door to his carriage so that he and his family could come out. The Calatian queen and son as well as the King were all dressed in light green clothes.
"Daphnes, may I have the privilege of introducing my wife, Genina, and my son, Yeref!" They bowed to the king. Link noticed they all had black hair. Then something caused his attention to shift entirely. It was a voice that came from the other carriage, the shabby one.
"King Hagris, are you not going to introduce me?" said a strange, high-pitched voice.
"Oh! Attendant, please let Father Agunem come from his carriage so that we may introduce him." Said King Hagris to the attendant.
"Father Agunem.?" said Link quizzically.
"He must be an important member of the church if they brought him along," said Zelda. "But I have not heard of such a name in the church of Triforcism."
The attendant opened the carriage door, which squeaked on its hinges so loud and suddenly that Link nearly fell covering his ears to the ground. A withered, old hand protruded from the depths of the carriage. Link was shocked to see that the hand was a pale blue, like moonlight on a dark night. Attached to that hand was a man as big as Rauru. He was wearing a long, crimson cloak that shrouded his entire body, with the exception of his hand. He hobbled over to the King, and bowed.
"Daphnes, allow me to introduce you to Father Agunem. He is a distinguished missionary from across the eastern sea."
"Well, I am pleased to meet a man who is a man of faith, are you a teacher of Triforcism?" asked The King of Hyrule.
"Must be. What other religions are there?" asked Link.
Agunem paused for a moment, and then lifted his head up to reveal his tattered old face, which, like his hand, was a pale blue. His eyes were pure white and had no pupils. The light from the afternoon sun reflected off them, making it appear as if they glowed. In that same high-pitched voice from the carriage, he said,
"I am no member of your church of golden triangles. I am the founder, high priest, and head missionary of Gonanism."
"Gonanism? I've not heard of it." Said Kind Daphnes.
"Maybe not. But when I am through, the entire world will know the beauty, power and truth of Gonanism."