It had been about a year since Ci-Ci met Matiyan. She actually became friends with him. She had been at lon-lon ranch for a while now, but then, Matiyan shakily asked, "Would you like to go to the Marketplace and the castle with me tonight?" Ci-Ci thought for a moment and replied, "I'd be honored to."
That night at the Marketplace, Matiyan was siting on an oak bench, waiting. He started to here a familiar voice cry for help in the distance. Matiyan rushed faster than the wind to see what was going on, and there stood a band of Gerudo thieves attacking Ci-Ci!
"Quiet, give us all your money or you're dead!" one of the thieves demanded,
"I've only got 20 rupees." Ci-Ci replied,
"Not good enough."
The Gerudo raised her sword about to attack, but then, out of no where, Matiyan came, "Get away from her, or I'll report you." He threatened, "To who, kid?" The Gerudo said. They paused and he said "My sword."
Matiyan slowly pulled the Giant Slayer out of its sheath and confidently said, "Walk away, crawl away. Your choice."
Immediately the thieves ran at Matiyan. He took the sword and swung it, but missed and hit the building. A part of the structure fell down! The thieves saw the power of the Giant Slayer and ran for their lives. "Are you okay, Ci-Ci?" Matiyan asked, "Yes." she replied, "I can't thank you enough. I owe you my life." "Let's just go." He said.
"Yes,
okay," Ci-Ci replied, still a little shaken, but not entirely
because of the attack. It was very clear to her that those were
Gerudo thieves... Could this have been a sign relating to her old
friend's prophecy?
"Oh well," she thought to herself.
These matters should only be spoken of when she was alone. As much as
she liked and trusted Matiyan, she hadn't told him about her visit
with the psychic, or what he had said. This, in her opinion, was
enough to scare anyone away.
But this was probably just her
inability to trust people. When you're alone for that long, you
learn to only trust yourself.
Even so, she took a strong liking to
Matiyan, stronger then she wanted to, but she couldn't help it.
Ci-Ci and Matiyan were
almost at the gates to the city. As they were about to enter,
something clicked inside of Ci-Ci.
Involuntarily taking Matiyan's
hand, she pulled him into the shadows made by the high walls that
surrounded the Marketplace and castle.
She didn't realize that she
was holding Matiyan's hand for a while. Blushing, she let go.
"I'm
sorry," she began, "it's just that...I've been meaning to
tell you something. I think that those thieves were a sign of some
sort. You've become my best friend, and I trust you as much as I
trust myself, but if I were to tell you something right now, could
you keep it a secret?"
A cold shiver went throughout Ciarra's
body. Just thinking about that strange prophecy made her wish she'd
never heard it. She just wanted to forget it. Ci-Ci could never
imagine herself saving the world-or anything at all, for that matter.
But still, if Matiyan helped her, she could do whatever it was she
had to do. Even face her mother again... "Yes, you can tell me any
thing." Matiyan replied, "What is it, Ci-Ci?" by this point
Matiyan was wondering what was going on. 'Why is she holding my
hand? Is she scared? What could this sign be?' were just a few
thoughts running in his head. Ci-Ci gathered her courage and said, "
I've had this dream for about 4 years now. And, a monster is above
me. It chases me into nothingness, and no one is around to do
anything. I hate it!" They stood there for a bit, "Why does that
trouble you?" Matiyan replied, "I, just don't like it."
Though she told him that much, the prophecy couldn't be yet spoken.
"Do you think it means some thing?" he asked, "I, don't want
to talk about it." She said, "That's okay. Let's go before
the night is over." After all that Ci-Ci almost forgot why they
where there.
The place was awesome, and lavish beauty made the market. The sapphire and ruby roof's shined in the moonlight. But the castle was no different. The marble stones of gray looked as hard as diamonds, spires of red made the moon glisten. "Wow!" Matiyan exclaimed, "The hour grows late. Let's sleep at the inn."
That night, Matiyan got
up, but Ci-Ci was still asleep. He was walking by her room, when he
saw a symbol on the locket! I looked like:
.
..
TSH'RE
It was something in old Hylian most
likely. But, what could it mean?
Ciarra woke up and
immediately broke into a cold sweat. Where was she? How did she get
here? She couldn't seem to remember anything after that dream.
Then
she saw Matiyan in the doorway of the room that she was staying in,
and it all came flooding back to her.
Ci-Ci, half lying on her
side, propped herself up on one elbow, causing her dark hair to fall
around her face like a funeral veil.
She caught a glimpse of
Matiyan passing her doorway, and called out to him in a
whisper.
"Matiyan? What's wrong?"
"There were markings," Matiyan replied "on your locket. Old Hylian writing that I couldn't read." "Markings?" Ci-Ci asked, "That's strange, do you know anyone who can read Hylian?" "No," he replied, "but I heard of a person who could help us: The Great Fairy at the Fairy Fountain. I've heard some Gorons say that that they heard it! But," he paused, "it's on Death Mountain. The way is always gated off, and I don't know of another way."
They walked back to the ranch, gloomily. The little hope they had seemed lost, and the black and gray smoke of Death Mountain made it worse. As the two walked, a small person bumped into Matiyan. She looked as the Kokiri did but had a sword! "Pardon me." She said, " But I 'm looking for a job, can I help with anything?" "Well," Matiyan began "you can help us, but I'll need your name." "Lan." She replied, "My name is Lan."
"Okay Lan." He said, " we need to go to Death Mountain. Do you know a way?" "Yes," she replied " Yes I do."
Ciarra introduced
herself to Lan, but not without noticing the strange feeling in her
stomach. Right now she didn't want to be bothered by some Kokiri
claiming to know how to get to Death Mountain. As a matter of fact,
she didn't really want to go to Death Mountain. But perhaps it was
her destiny, and it was impossible to cheat destiny.
"Matiyan,"
she whispered," Are you sure?" The Kokiri hearing her
wasn't much of a problem, since there was a great difference in
height.
"Sure of what?" he replied.
"About going
to death mountain, about my locket, about all...all this! Why are you
so concerned about my locket? And should we trust this girl-"
"Lan.
Her name is Lan," he interrupted.
"Yes, of course, but
how do you know that we can trust her?"
Ciarra wasn't just saying this to get out of the long trip to Death Mountain or to avoid getting her locket read. In the time she had spent alone, she'd learned not to trust everyone as soon as you meet him or her. What Matiyan was doing now was-by her rules and standards-completely insane.
"Well," He replied,
"why shouldn't we? I'm willing to do anything to find out what
it means."
"Well," Lan started, "the way is in the lost
woods, so I'll have to guide. Stay close, my kin don't like
outsiders much."
That really made Ci-Ci mad. Not only did she
have to trust Lan, but she also had to FOLLOW her. It seemed crazy to
her, but, to her own surprise, she agreed to go. So they went to the
Kokiri village and had some things thrown at them and, not just
words.
'Get out of here' and 'Take my hat, why don't you' Where just a few things they said especially at Ci-Ci. They had seen Ganondorf's destruction of Hyrule, so they didn't like Gerudos much. After having words, and pots, thrown they were in the lost wood
After walking for what seemed like hours, Ciarra had had it. Especially when they passed a very familiar tree. Or at least that would be her story, even if they hadn't seen the tree before. She knew how similar trees looked...she just needed an excuse. Letting her temper get the best of her, she stepped in front of Lan, crossing her arms and blocking the way.
"Lan, dear," she began in an obviously fake sweet, motherly tone," would you mind explaining why we've passed this tree four times already!?" She held her hand out towards the tree like a game show host would present the grand prize. "We've been in the cursed forest for hours, and we've passed this tree a few times. I'm a smart girl; smart enough to know that we're lost."
"Ci-Ci. we're not-"Lan began, but was soon cut off.
"Yes we are! And it's either "Ciarra" or "Miss" to you. I didn't even want to come here in the first place, and I didn't want to trust you, but I did. And see what happens? I also didn't feel like being insulted, "she continued," even though, believe it or not, I'm not even related to Ganon."
Ci-Ci turned away as a tear formed in the corner of her eye and made its way down her face, dripping off onto the mossy, leaf covered ground.
"I don't want to have my locket read, and I don't want to know anything about the painful nightmare that is my past."
Flashing one more quick, pained look at Matiyan, she ran off into the dense continuations of the Lost Wood, not thinking, or caring ,if she ever saw either of them again. She was mad at Lan,f or getting them into this, and Matiyan, for ignoring her pleas and letting them get dragged into this. She had trusted him, much to her own dislike, and most likely would never trust anyone again.
Stopping to rest, she sat on a tree stump, realizing the horrible reality she had cast herself into. Now she was lost. She had known that they weren't lost in the first place. She was just upset and looking for an excuse to start letting out her anger on Lan. But now she was lost, both physically and emotionally, and she wished she hadn't don't what she had done. Strangely enough, she missed Matiyan. She just wanted to be near him again, and she hoped that he wasn't mad at her and was searching for her right now. Ciarra whispered his name to somehow reassure herself, to tell herself that everything would be all right, just as it always was when he was around.
But then, as if an answer to her prayers, two figures emerged from the lining of the clearing. Ciarra's breath caught in her throat as she jumped up.
"Thank you…I'm sorry...so, so sorry..."she managed to say. She ran up to Matiyan and locked her arms around him. At that moment in time she didn't care what he or Lan thought. She wasn't letting go anytime soon.
"Uh, Ci-Ci, you can
let go now." Matiyan said kind of surprised.
" Okay," she
replied.
They walked and came back to village. "What?" Lan
said, "How'd we…" she thought then said, "Oh, we walked the
wrong way, BUT," as if at Ci-Ci, "I found a shorter way when we
found you, so we can get there faster."
They followed her until
they found a rock formation. They walked through it and then saw
Goron City. It was full of vivid life like a rose field in
springtime. It was of strange design. It was in Death Mountain and
very warm at that. Then Matiyan remembered what he read once.
'The
7 sages were of the tribes of Hyrule' he thought, 'Grass of the
Kokiri, Fire of the Goron…' this is where the sage of fire once
lived! The three asked a Goron if he knew where the Great Fairy was.
He said that you had to climb the mountain. They started up it and
Ci-Ci had some thoughts. 'Wow. Lan… was right. Matiyan was right.
And I think, I want to have this read now."
They started up the mountain, with Ci-Ci still thinking. Maybe Lan wasn't so bad. Ciarra definitely owed her a sincere apology.
But along with her thoughts of guilt came thoughts of frustration. Matiyan was her friend, and obviously nothing more. However years of always getting her way with her father made her even more determined, and she wasn't giving up.
Eventually they cam to a break in the vertical climb. Ciarra nervously looked down from the narrow ledge that she was standing on. Everything was so small from here...and so scary. The few Gorons she could see were but mere dots on the barren landscape.
They moved slowly, their backs to the wall. They were almost done with their spiral ascent when Ciarra heard a loud cry from overhead, that of a bird, and a very large one at that. She looked up, careful to keep her balance.
The bird was a hideous thing, not meant for their world. In fact, Ciarra wasn't exactly sure if it could be called a bird. Its feathers were of several dark colors, its wings ragged and torn, evidence that this bird was very experienced in fighting...and killing.
It began a lightening fast descent down towards Ciarra, who was obviously offending it with her stare. She drew her sword, ready to fight it, but was taken by surprise when it swooped down under her, knocking her off the cliff.
As her heart skipped a beat, she thought fast and shoved her sword into the side of the mountain. Devising a makeshift plan in her mind she calmed herself and waited for the beast's return.
When it neared her Ciarra grabbed a nearby branch, hoping it would hold her, and pulled her sword out from beneath her with her dangling feet. She reached down with her free hand and retrieved it just in time for her eyes to meet her charging opponent's.
Using her sword as best she could with her one hand, she sent the bird flying with a blow from the flat of her sword, as oppose to slicing it. Knocked unconscious by the blow to the head, it fell straight down, just as Ciarra would have if it had not been for her quick thinking.
Ciarra sheathed her sword hoping there weren't any more of this creature nearby. Grasping the strong branch firmly with her now free hand, she called up to Matiyan and Lan. "A little help here...! Please!?"
"Here you go."
Matiyan said politely.
"Thanks." She replied.
When they
made it to the top, he got a rope he made, tied it to his sword
handle, and stabbed the blade into the ground. The three walk into
the cave and saw the fountain. It was beautiful with the reflecting
water shining and shimmering. Its walls were lined with red and blue
fuzz.
"Hello there." A beautiful voice said,
"Who's
there?" Ci-Ci replied
"I'm the great fairy, and you wish to
see me, right?" she then came out and had red long hair. She had to
have been 9 feet high and was the most beautiful sight they had seen.
"Yes," Ci-Ci replied again, "I have this locket, it
sometimes has ancient Hylian writing on it. Do you know what it
says."
"Toshare a smboe (to-sh-r a sm-bo) that means
'Hakroesa is here' and 'Hakroesa' is translated to 'Haksa'.
An evil man who is said to have been a magician taught by the king.
Then the sprit of Ganon himself over took him and he went to Termina
and reeked havoc on the land. Legend has it a man from the line of
the royal, but not the hero of time, is the only one who can slay
him. This is a sign that you have or will soon meet this
person."
"So," Matiyan asked, "what do we do now?"
" You go
to Termina and find this man."
