CHAPTER TWO: A NEW QUEST
Link and Zelda looked around, as did Navi and Tatl. "Everything has...started over..." Navi murmured. "Link...did the Song of Time do that?"
"It...must have." Link said. "I have no other explanation."
"Hey!" Tatl squeaked. "Now you have your instrument back! The Mask Salesman can change you back to normal!"
"Hey, that's right!" Link exclaimed. "Let's go!" At that, they all hurried to find the Salesman.
The Mask Salesman wasn't far from where they'd reappeared. "Oh?" the Salesman said. "Did you get your precious object back already?"
"Yes, I did!" Link exclaimed.
"Wonderful!" the Salesman declared. "Now to return to normal, play this melody. It's a song I use to heal evil magic and troubled spirits, sealing them into masks – it's been a great help to my collection! Remember this, the Song of Healing." He put two fingers to his lips, and whistled out a soft, soothing melody, which made all the pain in the world seem to melt away. Link took out his Deku Pipes, and played the Song, etching its notes into his memory. Once its tones echoed away, he began to feel drowsy, his sight getting dark...
When his vision cleared, he heard a clank at his feet…and he was now looking the Salesman in the eye. He checked himself over – he was back to normal, not a hair out of place, exactly as he looked before! "I'm me again!" he laughed; even his voice was normal again. He turned to Zelda, returning her smile, before he lifted her up by the waist and spun with her, loving the sound of her happy laugh, and then embracing her.
"Oh, I've missed this." Zelda cooed, cuddling into him.
Link chuckled. "I thought you said you loved me no matter what I looked like." he teased.
"I do!" Zelda laughed. "And it is nice to cuddle you when you're the size of a teddy bear," she cuddled deeper into his embrace, "but it's even nicer when you cuddle back. I love you, no matter what."
"I know, sweetheart, and I love you, too." Link replied, and he punctuated the sentence by giving her a loving kiss, which she eagerly returned. When the kiss ended, Link turned to the Salesman, still holding Zelda in his arms, happy to once again hold the woman he loved. "Thank you, sir; thank you very much."
The Salesman held out what had fallen at Link's feet – a Deku Mask, resembling the face of the Deku Scrub body he'd once had. "Wear this to return to Deku form whenever you like." he said. As Link took the Mask, the Salesman held out his hand. "Now, as you promised, give me my mask, please."
Link's face fell. "Uh..." he began.
"You do have it...don't you?"
"Um...I'm working on it." Link admitted.
"What have you done to me?!!" the Salesman wailed, wringing his hair in despair. "I worked day and night to get that rare mask, to make sure it was never misused! If you leave it out there, something terrible will happen!!!"
"You...were protecting that mask?" Link inquired.
"Yes, and now everyone is in danger from its horrible power!" the Salesman cried. "If you don't get it back, I don't even want to think about what will happen!"
"We'll get it back." Link promised. "So don't worry." Then, all of a sudden, a bright light flashed, and Rauru, the Sage of Light, and leader of the six Sages of Hyrule, appeared. Rauru seemed to be in his late fifties, but was, in reality, much older, having led the first Sages. He was the same height as the King was, with the same build, and he had short, white hair, a white beard, and frost-blue eyes, which gleamed with timeless wisdom, and he was clad in golden robes.
"It seems, Link, that you have found an unexpected power of the Song of Time." Rauru said. "Your Time Magic seems to have given you – with the Ocarina and the Song – the ability to affect time permanently, as well as to re-set time up to three days. Every time you play that melody, you will travel back in time to this point, and any changes you and Princess Zelda affect will be permanently ingrained in the time line."
"Rauru, Tael mentioned four areas." Link said. "What did he mean?"
"He must have meant the four Temples on the edges of Hyrule's borders." Rauru answered. "I do not know exactly what lies there, but I believe that the power there, if summoned, can stop Majora and the Dragon Star."
"Just how powerful is Majora?" Link asked.
"He's no god, if that's what you're wondering." Rauru said. "He is indeed powerful, Link, but you may have deeper powers than any of us here knows."
"What do you mean?" Link asked.
"You know the legend of the power that lies hidden in your lineage?" Link nodded; all those of the family of Wingnar, the Imperial bloodline, held the potential to become a Master Magi, a Magi with powers rivaling that of the Triforce. The last – and only – Master Magi had been Link's ancestor, the Grand Magus, the first Emperor of Aldare, who'd lived over 5000 years ago, before Aldarian civilization had fled its dying birth-planet, Aldare Prime, and came here. "All those in your family hold that potential, Link. Keep it in mind. Regardless, you must find the Temples, and stop Majora. Good luck, Hero of Time." Then, Rauru vanished in a flash of light.
"Well, we'd better go." Zelda said. "And don't try to talk me out of it, Link. I'm not letting you do this alone. Besides, I have better control over my magic, now – I can help!"
"Okay." Link agreed, smiling, knowing enough not to try and argue with her; her mind was made up. "So, where do we go, now?"
Navi darted out of Link's cap. "Tael mentioned a swamp." she said. "I remember hearing about a swamp south of the Forest Temple, called...Woodfall, I think. Maybe that's where he meant."
"It's as good a place as any." Link agreed. "Well, let's go!" Then, taking out the Ocarina of Time, he played the Minuet of Forest, transporting himself, Zelda, Navi, and Tatl to the Forest Temple.
Arriving at the Forest Temple, Link and Zelda headed south towards Woodfall, with Tatl circling Zelda's head – she'd chosen to accompany Zelda as Navi did with him. The path through the woods was fairly level, easy to traverse, with plenty of space between the trees. They hiked until it got dark, and then they stopped for the night, and Link began building a campfire. "We'll get going again at sunrise." he said.
Zelda nodded, as she conjured a blanket, wrapping herself in it. "Link?" she asked, a bit shyly. "Could I...sleep with you?"
Link's eyes widened. "P-Pardon??" he asked, not sure if he'd heard right.
"Oh, no, I didn't mean like that!" Zelda exclaimed, blushing. "It's just...I'd feel safer if you were with me."
"Oh." Link said, and then he smiled. "Of course you can, sweetheart." Zelda returned the smile, and she moved to his side. Link held her close, letting the blanket cover them both, letting her relax into him, and Zelda soon fell asleep. Smiling, Link kissed her forehead, before falling asleep himself.
Link was lying in bed with Zelda, his new wife. Their wedding had been today, a beautiful ceremony. But now, all that mattered was this peaceful moment, their clothing left in piles at the bedside, the bed-sheets the only thing covering them.
Zelda was smiling at him happily, her crystal eyes sparkling with love for him, pure love. Smiling back, Link took her in his arms, holding her close to him, savoring the feel of her silky skin on his, listening to the tiny, blissful gasp from his beautiful wife as their bodies began to meld together. Then, her hands rested upon his chest, as did her head, as she willingly surrendered to him, trusting him completely – a trust he would never betray. Link lovingly kissed her once, before slowly moving her to the side, moving atop her. She was so delicate, so fragile...and so breathtakingly beautiful...he had to make this special for her. As he leaned down, to kiss her, Zelda's beautiful eyes closed, in perfect trust and blissful surrender, as her head leaned up, toward his face, in sweet anticipation. Slowly, Link leaned down, to seal her perfect lips with his own; in seconds, pure bliss would be theirs...
Link woke up with a start, still at their campsite, still holding the sweetly sleeping Zelda in his arms. He took extra care in holding her, as he contemplated the dream.
That dream had been too real, almost...prophetic.
Link had been considering asking her to marry him for a while, now. And he did find her incredibly attractive, but he would not dishonor her that way; he loved her too much. Whatever that dream was, in real life, it would have to wait until they were properly wed. Still, to be safe, Link didn't go back to sleep.
He was glad that the sun was almost up.
The sun soon rose on the second day, and Link and Zelda rose with it, setting off in the direction they'd been heading before. Before long, the ground began to show signs of getting marshy. Soon, they were in a swamp, with the water an eerie violet color. "Be careful!" Navi squeaked. "That water is poisonous! It will hurt you if you touch it! The Deku Scrub Tribe must live somewhere around here!"
"How can they live among poisoned waters?" Zelda asked.
"We'd best ask them." Link said, and he pointed to a large wooden palace in the center of a lake of toxic water – the Deku Palace. "I'll go." Link said. "I can get across the water safely." With that, he donned the Deku Mask, becoming a Scrub once more. Running towards the water, he leapt off, hopping on its surface, once, twice, three times, four times, and then landing on the entrance-dock on the fifth. He then hurried inside.
In the Palace, Link saw numerous Deku Scrubs, and they were all very sick, their leaves withering – they were dying. He walked to the largest Scrub – their King, he assumed. "What's going on?" he asked.
"The waters from the sacred Woodfall Swamp..." the King moaned. "Something must have happened at Woodfall Temple...the waters became poisoned...if nothing changes...all the Deku will die..."
"How can I stop this?" Link asked. "Surely the waters can be cleansed!"
"If the evil in the Temple is purged, then the toxins might vanish." the King said. "But, to enter the Temple, you will need the Sonata of Awakening. I will teach it to you...you are our last hope." With the last of his energy, the Deku King whistled out a quick, uplifting tune, one that could rouse any soul. Then, the Deku King collapsed into exhausted slumber. Etching the notes into his memory, Link left the Palace.
Returning to Zelda and Tatl, Link removed the Deku Mask, returning to normal. "They're dying." he said. "Majora's evil must have tainted Woodfall. If the poison doesn't leave soon, they'll not last long."
"We have to get to Woodfall, to save them!" Zelda exclaimed. "But...where is it?"
"I bet if we follow the flow of the poison water, we'll find it!" Tatl exclaimed.
"Good idea!" Link agreed. "Let's go!" With that, they began to follow the trail of the poison water.
The water led them to a swampy cove, full of the toxic water, with one large tree in the center, the poisoned swamp dotted with large tree stumps, and a wooden, ceremonial altar at the far end of the swamp.
Woodfall.
Link began to leap from one stump to the next, heading towards the altar, as Zelda changed to her Fairy-form and flew to it. When Link and Zelda reached the altar, Link could look down at the entire swamp.
The poison was flowing from the large tree.
Looking upon the altar, he saw that the image of a Deku Scrub was carved into the wood. Link instantly understood, and donned the Deku Mask, becoming a Scrub once more. Taking out his Deku Pipes, he played the Sonata of Awakening, its tones now a bit more screechy from his Pipes. At once, the tree began to rise up, revealing a stone temple wrapped in its roots, its only entrance a fair distance from the altar, well out of reach.
Woodfall Temple.
As the Temple rose, a bright pink, large blossom – a Deku Flower – sprouted before Link's feet. Zelda promptly flew to the Temple's entrance, but paused, wondering how Link could get there. Link, however, was ahead of her; he burrowed into the Flower, and shot out of it towards the entrance, holding two pink helicopter-flowers, allowing him to stay aloft. As he touched down at the entrance, the flowers vanished, as he no longer needed them. Then, Link and Zelda entered the Temple together.
The first chamber was very dark, only sparsely lit by several torches, and interspersed with large tree branches from the walls, each with a Deku Flower. Link noticed that Zelda was at ill ease, and he understood; as a Fairy, Zelda's powers weakened in the darkness, and, as a result, she was a bit afraid of it. To encourage her, Link took the lead, flying from one Deku Flower to the next, crossing the room and landing before the next door. He removed the Deku Mask, becoming normal once more, and held out his hands to her. "You can do it, Zel." he called. Zelda took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and flew as fast as she could towards him, her lovely wings fluttering rapidly, until she was safely in Link's waiting arms. Link gave a few seconds to focus, before they headed into the next chamber.
The next room was much larger, and, to Zelda's relief, much better-lit. They were on a platform overlooking a large poison-pool, with a large wooden flower in its center, its petals folded up. Spotting an unlit torch in its center, Link took out his fine, oaken Fairy Bow and fitted a Fire Arrow to it. He let it fly, and the enchanted, fiery projectile ignited the torch. At once, the flower began to open, rising up to their level, slowly turning in place. As it did, the water began to de-toxify, becoming normal water.
Link then noticed three doors now available to them; with the flower spinning, they could reach them. The one directly ahead was barred by iron bars, but the other two on the sides of the room were not. Link hopped on one petal, letting it take him to the left-hand door, before somersaulting off, landing before it. Zelda flew after him, and they headed in together.
The next room was a dead-end, with a few small puddles of water. Link and Zelda were about to turn around, when the door sealed itself with iron bars! Link turned around in time to see a pair of humanoid lizards. Clad in armor and brandishing swords, leap down from the rafters – Dinolfos.
As Zelda took to the air, Link drew his Sword and Shield, closing on the Dinolfos. As one Dinolfos swung at him, Link blocked the attack with his Shield, and countered with a stab-attack. The Dinolfos leapt back, and breathed flame at Link, who rolled clear of the fire, moving to the side. Link then holstered his Shield on his back, and drew his Grapple-Hook-Launcher, clipping it to his shield-arm. He fired the Hook at one Dinolfos, snagging its weapon, and reeled it in, destroying it with a back-spin slash.
As the other Dinolfos began to close on Link, Zelda, from her vantage-point, quickly cast a spell, throwing miniature flares of light at it, blinding and injuring it. Link coupled her magical assault with his own attack, as he drew two of his Spell-Strikers, and threw the crystalline blades. The first one set the monster ablaze, and the second froze it solid...and then the interaction of fire and ice blasted the monster apart.
As Link sheathed his weapons, Zelda touched down beside him. "You've been practicing." he said to her, smiling.
"So have you." Zelda replied, and Link saw the admiration and love in her eyes. Returning her smile, Link opened the door, and he and Zelda were about to leave the room...
"Wait!! Don't leave me!!"
Startled, Link turned to see a tiny sphere of winged, neon-pink light flutter over to him and Zelda – it was a small Fairy. "Thank you for saving me!!" the tiny pixie squeaked.
"Link," Zelda said, "that's a Stray Fairy! Stray Fairies are the 'scouts' for more powerful Fairies, like the Great Fairies. Stray Fairies are always bright in color, and their colors reflect the Fairy they serve!"
"You're right, Princess!" the Stray Fairy squeaked. "But I don't serve a Great Fairy; I'm one of the servants of Queen Epheremelda, herself!"
Zelda gasped, and Link understood why. Zelda's mother, the late Queen Alara, was the youngest daughter of Epheremelda, the Queen of the Fairy Race, making her Zelda's grandmother. Link and Zelda had never heard any word sent from the Fairy Queen.
Until now.
"Why...are you here?" Zelda stammered, nervous about talking to an emissary of her grandmother, one who would surely tell her grandmother about how she acted.
"Those horrible monsters kidnapped me!" the Stray Fairy wailed. "We Stray Fairies often carry out errands for our elders. Her Majesty instructed me to investigate three of the Great Fairies on Hyrule's borders; they had reported that they each were missing a Stray Fairy. But, after this incident, I'm convinced that evil forces have captured them like they did with me!"
Link nodded. "We're going to be traveling around the borders in the next little while." he said. "We'll have an eye out for these Stray Fairies."
"Oh, thank you!! Thank you so much!!" the Stray Fairy exclaimed. "Her Majesty will be so happy to hear that this crisis is being resolved by the Hero of Time! And I bet the Great Fairies will reward you for returning their Stray Fairies!"
"No reward is necessary." Link said. "I'm only here to help."
"Oh, but I think you can use the reward a Great Fairy can give!" the Stray Fairy said. "Great Fairies often hold all sorts of magical tools and relics; I'm sure any of them would gladly give any of these to help you in your quest! Well, I'd best go report to Her Majesty! Good luck!" Then, the Stray Fairy flew off, out through the door, to leave the Temple. Link and Zelda then left that room, using the wooden flower to cross to the next one, the right-hand door.
The next chamber showed two target-like switches: one with a bow-and-arrow insignia, the other marked by a pair of fairy-wings. Acting on a hunch, Link drew his Bow and shot an arrow at the bow-target; sure enough, as the arrow hit it, it illuminated. Zelda promptly charged a spell-ball and threw it at her target, which instantly lit up. Then, a new target appeared, marked by the face of a Deku Scrub. Link donned the Deku Mask and fired a bubble at it.
Once all three switches were illuminated, iron bars sealed the door, and a large, spiked-shelled turtle appeared, and charged at Link, whirling its deadly shell. Using his Spin-Dash, Deku-Link zipped out of the way, before he removed the Deku Mask and returned to normal, drawing his Sword and Shield as Zelda took to the air. Link circled the beast and, when it stopped, unleashed a leaping slash...only to have his blade clang uselessly against its shell. Zelda unleashed a shower of flaring lights to distract it as Link backed up to re-group. "Link, that's a Mad Snapper!" Navi squeaked. "It's only vulnerable on its underside!"
Spotting a Deku Flower, Link got an idea. Darting over to the Flower, he donned the Deku Mask and burrowed into it. When the Snapper passed over him, he popped out, flipping the Snapper over. Link then changed back to normal and unleashed a leaping-attack on the Snapper's belly, destroying it. Then, the bars on the door lifted, letting them leave.
Outside, Link and Zelda saw the bars on the last door lift, and they used the flower to get to it, opening the door and going through. The next room was over a pool of water, with several stone pillars leading to a larger door on the far side. Zelda easily flew across the room, and Link effortlessly leapt from one pillar-top to the next, pausing only on one with a Deku Flower – he had to fly to the next one, which was on fire. Zelda looked around, and spied another fairy-wing switch, and she fired at it, dousing the flames. Link used the Deku Mask, burrowed into the Flower, and flew across, changing back as he landed. With two more leaps, he landed before the door, as Zelda touched down next to him. Opening the door, they headed in.
The last room was large, a wide-open space, with a golden Deku-Flower in its center. "I don't like the looks of this..." Link muttered, drawing his weapons. Then, all of a sudden, the sound of drums began to echo through the room, and a 10-foot-tall man, clad in a loincloth and moccasins, dropped from the rafters. He was coated in war-paint, wearing a fearsome war-mask with three feather-trails on its top. He held a large diamond-shaped shield in one hand, and a massive machete-type sword in the other.
Navi darted out. "Link, that's Odolwa, the Masked Jungle Warrior!" she squeaked. "He has different war-chants for all of his attacks – know the chant, and you know the attack! I can't remember all of his attacks, but I know this – the faster-paced the chant is, the more dangerous the attack is!" At that, Link readied himself, as Zelda took to the air.
Odolwa didn't move, keeping to one spot, staying at the ready, his motions slow, loose, and fluid, those of one who had fought many battles. He began chanting, loud, but slowly, warily, as if studying his new foes. Then, he began to bounce in place excitedly, his chant's pace picking up a bit. Hoping to intercept the attack before it started, Link charged at Odolwa, but the jungle-warrior back-flipped away, coming back with a leap-strike, but Link rolled to the side. Then, Zelda, having been given enough time, peppered Odolwa with a spell-salvo, distracting him, and giving Link the opening he needed. Link closed on Odolwa and unleashed a stab-attack, then whirled into a back-spin strike and a horizontal cut.
Odolwa screeched, and countered with a spin slash, nicking Link's shoulder, before leaping away, and then began a different chant – one with a faster pace. Odolwa then came at Link with two low stab-strikes, which were evaded, and then a leaping high-slash, which was blocked, but the impact knocked Link back. Recovering, Link closed on Odolwa, then feinted, causing Odolwa to defend left as Link attacked again on the right with another slashing salvo.
Now, after leaping away, Odolwa raised his hands into the air, and began chanting very rapidly, now. Link then felt a breeze beneath him, and leapt aside just as a miniature tornado formed where he'd just been, vanishing moments later. Odolwa then became a whirling dervish, spinning with his blade, trying to hit Link. As Odolwa approached, Link somersaulted over him, striking the warrior's head with a somersault-slash, before landing perfectly.
Now Odolwa began running about the room, blade flailing. Spying the Deku Flower, Link got an idea, and signaled to Zelda. Link ran for the Flower as Zelda kept Odolwa off-balance with her magic. Donning the Deku Mask, he burrowed into the Flower as Zelda drove Odolwa to the center, making him stand over it. Link then popped out, with far more force than any other Flower had produced, tripping Odolwa and sending him sprawling. Link changed back in mid-air, driving his blade downward into Odolwa's heart, destroying him utterly.
As Link withdrew his blade and sheathed it, Odolwa's body began to crumble, leaving only his mask – Odolwa's Mask – behind. As Link picked up the Mask, a bright light left the Mask, though Link could still sense the dark force that had been Odolwa within it; somehow, Odolwa's body had been a prison for whatever had just escaped. Zelda instantly hurried to Link's side, noticing that he'd been hurt. Link was about to assure her that he was fine, but Zelda simply placed her hands over the injury, and a soft light pulsed from her hands…instantly mending the injury. Link looked at his mended shoulder, and then smiled at Zelda. "You're quite handy." He complimented.
Zelda smiled. "Healing is one of the first magic arts that all Fairies of any size have to learn." She replied. Then, a bright light flashed, just as Link put the Mask away for safekeeping, transporting Link, Zelda, Navi, and Tatl away.
They arrived on an enormous stone pillar in a sea of mystic green clouds, the very air echoing with power. Then, all of a sudden, in the distance, behind the cloud-barrier, stood a being; clearly, it was easily ten times as tall as Hyrule Castle, with powerful legs and arms, strong yet spindly, and as it came into view, they saw that its head and body were as one, with light green hair down the back of its head, with dark red skin, black eyes, and a pointy nose.
This was the gentle soul that Odolwa had held captive – this peaceful giant.
The giant raised its hands, and let out a long, mournful song-call, loud yet gentle, making every note clear. When it finished, it just started over.
"Its cry..." Navi murmured, "...it...sounds so sad..."
"Hey..." Tatl piped up, "...could its crying...be a song it's trying to teach us?" Flying forward, Tatl began to ping out each note of the song – a slow, mournful melody, sounding like a cry for help. As Link etched the notes into his memory, he felt the giant's mind gently brush against his own, enough to tell him the song's name.
The Oath to Order.
Once the giant knew they'd understood, he called out in his powerfully gentle ancient voice. "Hey, I think I can hear what he's saying!" Navi exclaimed. "'Call to us'. That's what he's saying! But...what does he mean?"
Suddenly, a green light flashed, and a large, green key dropped into Link's hands – it looked like one of the keys to a locked book at the Town Library! Then, they heard the giant's voice, loud and clear.
'LEARN.'
"'Learn'??" Link said aloud. But before he could ask what the giant had meant, the bright light engulfed them all again.
The light deposited them just outside Woodfall Temple, with Zelda back in her normal form. The poisoned water was gone, and the swamp seemed to be healing. It was morning, now – the morning of the last day. "What...was that thing?!" Tatl exclaimed, as she circled Zelda's head.
"I don't know," Zelda answered, "but I think he was one of the creatures that your brother asked us to bring to the Ceremonial Tower."
Just then, the Deku people began to come into the swamp, led by their King. "Did you do this?" he asked. "Did you clean our water?"
Link smiled. "Yes, we did." he replied.
"Thank you! You saved us!" the King exclaimed. "We are in your debt!"
"You need not thank us, Sire. We did what any would have done." Link replied. Then, he took out the Ocarina of Time and played the Prelude of Light, and the melody's power enfolded them in its golden light, taking them to the Temple of Time, and the Castle Town.
It was time to take the giant's advice.
It was morning in the Castle Town, and Caspian was out for his morning walk, and he was in a fairly good mood. He hadn't seen that dratted Link for about three days, now, and he assumed Majora's plan was going well. Soon, Zelda would be his, and with her, all of Hyrule. He rounded a corner, thinking of how he'd enjoy that gorgeous young fairy princess...
...and darted behind a corner, as he saw Link – a normal-looking Link – and Zelda, heading into the Library! He was beyond furious. Couldn't that dratted Majora get anything right?! Fuming, Caspian stormed back to his home, to have a chat with his co-conspirator.
Inside the Library, Zelda waited patiently as Link unlocked the green book with the key, her innate curiosity brimming within her. Once the book was open, Zelda began to read through it. "This book details the locations of the Temples we have to find." she said. "Apparently, long ago, a great cataclysm nearly destroyed the entire world, but a great power – four giants – stopped it, at the spot that is now Hyrule Castle! As this book says, each giant left by a different direction: north, south, east, and west. The giant that went south was the one at Woodfall! Apparently, the giants built the four Temples and their spirits went to sleep inside them, should they ever be needed again."
"And Majora trapped them while they were sleeping." Link observed.
Zelda nodded. "The Temples are at Snowhead in the north, then Woodfall in the south, Great Bay in the west, and in the east..." she trailed off as she saw where the last Temple was, "...Ikana Canyon, in the kingdom of Ikana." she finished, her mind fearful of their former enemy, the now-cursed kingdom of Ikana.
Link didn't miss her change in tone. "Zelda, what's wrong?" he asked.
Meeting her beloved's gaze, Zelda saw his loving concern, and she smiled, knowing she could trust him. "Before I was born, before my father had even met my mother, Hyrule was at war...with Ikana. My father told me about it." she explained. "Ikana's king, Igos du Ikana, declared war on Hyrule. My father's tactics were brilliant, but Igos' soldiers fought like demons, so no-one really gained or lost any ground." She closed her eyes. "So many people died...on both sides."
"After five years of war," Zelda continued, "a faction of Ikana rebelled against Igos, opposing the war. All at once, the war against Hyrule ended...as the Ikanian Civil War began, and quickly turned into chaotic bloodshed, as Ikanian fought Ikanian, until a massive sandstorm tore through Ikana. It was the biggest sandstorm ever, utterly decimating what was left of Ikana. My father sent scouts into Ikana, to find out if anyone survived or needed help. There were no survivors; it was as if the earth was angry from all the fighting, and swallowed everyone in Ikana whole. When the scouts returned to Hyrule, they reported unusual activity – moaning voices, screams, ghostly apparitions – and some scouts were badly injured. Ikana was gone, but its soldiers, having known only war in life, stalked its ruins as bloodthirsty specters. That was the last time anyone tried to go there, for we knew: Ikana was cursed."
When she finished, Link gently embraced her, saying, "I'll protect you, Zelda. Those ghosts won't lay a finger on you. I won't let anything hurt you, Zel."
Those words soothed Zelda immensely, as she returned his embrace. "Thank you, Link." she cooed. He was amazing; he always knew what to say or do to make her feel better.
He'd be an ideal husband.
Zelda shook her head, clearing her mind of her fantasies, just as she and Link left the Library, going outside. Now, the fiery Dragon Star was quite large in the sky – they didn't have enough time to get to Snowhead.
Link took out his Ocarina, and played the Song of Time, and the time-warp enfolded them, taking them back in time and permanently etching the good they'd done into the time-line.
Three Temples were left.