Hello! Sorry for the wait. I was kind of struggling with how to go about doing this chapter and the next one. I am not so sure how happy I am with it. Please give me any feedback you guys might have! It is much appreciated!
Link skidded to a halt as he practically fell down another small flight of stairs. Before him was quite a large room. Roots from the tree above jutted out at odd angles, leaving the room with earthy touch. In the middle of the room was a small tea kettle suspended over the hearth. It appeared as though the tree above was the chimney itself. There were sacks of flour and wheat, along with dried meats that hung from the ceiling. Other herbs and spices hung near them. There were some cooking utensils and a large pot next to one of the tables in the room. Most of everything was covered in dust. Among grubby tables lay hundreds of books.
Link took a couple steps forward into the room. Dirt and dust flew up into the air as he stepped. He touched one of the older books on the table and part of the cover crumbled under his touch.
"What are you doing here, Boy?" said a voice from behind.
The deep voice made Link jump and turn around quickly, making him knock over a cluster of the books. Before Link stood an old man nearly a foot taller than him. He had a smug look on his face and he pointed his cane at him.
"You're lucky I have another copy of that book," declared the old man as he took a step closer. Link made a move to go pick up some of the books that fell. "No, no, that's quite alright, Boy. You've done enough damage already."
Link quickly backed away from the fallen books with a sheepish grin. He almost tripped over a cooking pot near the fire but the old man grabbed him before he could fall.
"Do you have two left feet, Boy? Come on, get your act together! I don't have time to deal with a whelp like you if all you're good for is knocking things over."
Feeling completely embarrassed, Link got out of the old man's way and tried to stay perfectly still in a corner of the room.
"How'd you find me anyways?" asked the old man. When Link didn't respond he chuckled, "What? Cat got your tongue? Speak, Boy! Speak!"
"U-uhhh, I was just..." Link didn't know what to say. "Well you see-"
"Come on. Come on, I don't have all day," remarked the old man, gently sitting into a chair by the fire.
"Hey, OLD MAN," shouted Link, an anger stirring inside, "You don't have all day? How do you even know what time of day it is? This place is a nightmare! All around us is just darkness!" The forest was taking its toll on him.
"Not if you know where to look, Boy" retorted the man.
"I am not a boy," scoffed Link as he folded his arms.
The old man laughed hard at seeing the young man in front of him so disgruntled.
"You sure are acting like it. Alright, then tell me your name so I have something better to call you. You should be more grateful that I haven't thrown you out."
Link froze in fear. 'Would he really throw me out?' thought Link. 'He wouldn't really kick me back out there, would he? That forest is no place for anyone.'
"My name is Link, sir," he replied, trying to sound more respectful. He hoped that the old man would forgive him for how rude he had been.
"Now that's better," said the old man, amused at Link's lack of comfort. "Come to the fire and sit." The man pulled a far off chair closer with his cane. "It has been some time since I last had any company."
Link gratefully took his seat by the fire and held his hands out while trying to soak up its warmth. The tunic he was given was soggy and caked with mud, while the shirt underneath was no better. It felt like the cold was seeping into his bones. His pants were torn and he was still bleeding from various nicks and scratches. The old man offered him some bread and he took it happily. 'How long has it been since I ate last?' he thought as his stomach groaned in reply. He ate the bread slowly. It tasted like home.
"So tell me, Link," said the old man as he pulled his dirty cloak around himself for warmth. "Are you one of Farona's annual harvest sacrifices?"
Link nearly choked on the bread in his mouth. 'He knew?'
"I'll take that as a yes," he replied, pouring water into the tea kettle. "What do you know of this forest?" He set the kettle's handle on the hook over the fire and looked to the young man across from him.
"Well," said Link, clearing his throat, "I know you're nuts for living out here all by yourself."
The old man let out a bellowing laugh, "Well, you still got your wits about you, I'll give you that. Do I look familiar to you, Link?"
Link stared at the old man. From his old age there were liver spots on his bald head, and out of several of them still grew some white hairs. He had so many wrinkles on his face that you could barely see his eyes and his white mustache seemed as if it flowed into his long beard. His lengthy brown cloak was full of holes but it hid the rest of his body well. 'Do I know this man?' thought Link, 'I don't know if I can place-'
"Wait!" he shouted, "You're that crazy old man that the Mayor had banished from the village!"
"Crazy?" scoffed the old man, "Hardly." He brushed off the comment with a few waves of his hand. "I'll have you know I was one of the most respected people in all of Hyrule before that Mayor of yours decided it was in my best interests to leave."
"Why did he want you gone?" asked Link as he was handed a cup of piping hot tea. He blew on it and took a small sip. It immediately warmed his insides.
"We didn't exactly see eye to eye. He thought the town was better off without me buzzing in his ear. I was always trying to influence him and tell him ways the town would be better, you know, without all this sacrificing nonsense," explained the old man.
Link looked away, holding onto this cup tightly, "I've seen a lot of my friends sentenced to death because of that senseless 'festival'. All for the crops, when we farmers know that it's not because of their deaths that the crops don't grow. But you were exiled when I was just a boy. How long have you been out here? And why?"
"As for why I decided I would live here, well I am going to keep that to myself. But it seems as though I have been lost to the old ways for far too long," he replied, "Tell me, Link. How did you find me? Is it not customary for them to give you a lantern?"
Link sighed and gulped the rest of the hot tea, nearly scorching his mouth. But the warmth felt good. "Yes I had a lantern. But I lost it when... when," He was at a loss for words. How would he describe that creature to this man? It was the most terrifying thing he had ever seen in his life. "One of those creatures, sir. One of them absorbed it. I thought all was lost but I kept running. I felt like I was so disoriented. Everything was muffled and blurry and dark... I couldn't see... but those things." He didn't know how to describe what he saw. Those creatures that were there but at the same time were not. He looked up at the old man in front of him. They were filled with remorse and something else that Link just couldn't put finger on it. "Eventually, after I had found a spot to rest, I heard them coming after me again. I tried to get away but fell through, well, your door."
"Hmmm," replied the old man, stroking his beard, "It is most fortunate that you were able to find me in time. I was starting to worry. The festival was about a week ago. I was able to keep most of the monsters at bay but I needed you to know what we're up against."
"W-wait," stuttered Link, "Y-you did what? I was in there for how long? Who are you?"
Before he could get an answer, Link began to feel like he had in the forest. He could see the old man in front of him speaking but it was muffled and warped, almost as if he had been thrust underwater, where sound could not reach. There was screeching inside his mind and he blinked slowly trying to focus his thoughts. His head throbbed and he grabbed it and held it tightly, closing his eyes and letting out a slight whimper. It seemed like it would explode if he were to release it. He felt hands on his shoulders that shook him gently. He looked up and saw the elder turn to his right quickly, bringing his cane into the air. Link turned his head slowly, barely able to stand the screams and pain resounding in his head. His eyes widened at the sight. Before them was a small creature but it was gruesome nonetheless. Where the eyes should have been were small slits that looked like they were sewn shut and its mouth was open in a hideous grin. Its legs were unnaturally long with otherworldly symbols twisted around them. Even though the symbols were beautiful the creature itself looked corroded and it stank of death. It held a meager lantern in its right hand that didn't give off any light. But it did make a high pitched jingle that was almost too out of range for Link to hear. It turned its head to look at him and all Link could do was stare helplessly as it came closer.
"So you're the cause," spoke the old man, "Can't have you telling the others."
I am also really sorry about calling him 'the old man' A LOT. It'll be changing later on in the story but for right now I needed to make it sort of a secret.