A/N: Hope you enjoyed the first chapter!
~~Vestige~~
"I felt the taste of mortality in my mouth, and at that moment I understood that I was not going to live forever."
- Paul Auster
xxx
"Ouch!" I exclaimed, dropping the hammer. Pulling the gloves off my hands, I inspected the damage done to my thumb. I'd definitely have a bruise, but at least it wasn't broken. Muttering a few choice curses under my breath, I picked up the hammer once more.
Taking careful aim, I struck the red hot strip of metal again, folding the metal over itself. Sweat glistened on my brow and I blinked to get the sting from my eyes. Several more times I reached back, hammering with all my strength, shaping the metal into something more. Finally I saw the redness begin to fade, and I shoved the metal back into the forge once more.
"This is harder than I thought," I muttered, sitting down on the anvil.
"And I told you it would be." I looked up to see my Uncle Axel enter the room. "Smithing a blade sounds glamorous, but it takes strength, skill, and most of all, patience. That's why true artisans of the craft are so highly prized by the kingdom."
"True artisans like you?" I asked sarcastically, leaning back against the side of the forge.
Axel laughed and pulled the blade from the embers, inspecting my handiwork in the dim light of the forge. He appraised me for a moment, eyebrows raised.
"So?" I asked, eager to see what he thought. I'd never forged a sword before, and it was something I had been keen to try for as long as Axel had kept me in the smithy. Which is to say, my entire life in Ordon.
"Could be worse," he replied gruffly. "For a first attempt this ain't bad, but it sure ain't pretty either. See the clipping around the edges, and the misfold towards the tip? When I quench this it will make the steel brittle. Your folds need to be evenly spaced and the soft metal must be tempered slower. Now get your arse off that anvil so I can fix this."
I hopped down and watched as he hammered the blade, much quicker than I had and with twice the precision.
"If I'm to sell this sword, it's going to take a bit more work," he grunted. "Go clean yourself up and have the afternoon off. It's your big day after all."
"Sure an old fellow like you can run this place alone?" I quipped, grabbing a towel and wiping off my face. "Might need a strong young man like me to help you lift the hammer."
"You're not a man yet, ya amateur. Now get outta here," he replied, aiming a kick at me.
I skipped out of the forge, laughing. Axel was a bit of a grouch sometimes but he was a good sort at heart. It was a sunny day outside, warm but with a nice breeze. Tonight was big night for me; my seventeenth birthday. This wasn't any other birthday either; I was a hylian, and this was the day a hylian boy became a man.
"Link!" called a voice from behind as I strode down the street.
I turned to see Colin running down the street. I stopped to let him catch up. Colin Sorell was a few years my junior, but I enjoyed spending time with him, and he always seemed cheerful.
"Glad I caught you," he panted, hands on his knees. "Axel let you out of the forge for once?"
"I know, right? Someone tell the town crier," I replied, shaking my head.
"It is your birthday though...even Axel has to cut you some slack today," he grinned. "I bet you can't wait for the ceremony tonight."
"I'm more than a little excited," I admitted. "It's been a long time coming."
He slapped me on the shoulder. "Well I know I'm excited. It's going to be one wild party."
We walked in silence for a few moments down the busy streets of the city of Ordon. While it was nowhere near the size of the cities near the capital, Ordon was the center of trade for the southern reaches. Any of the farmers or traders from the surrounding villages who wanted to sell their wares always came here. Sometimes it was a little too crowded for my liking, but on the upside someone always had a story to tell you. In the evenings, when Fado was done playing shepherd, he'd open the Golden Goat Tavern. In there, you'd always hear something interesting. From tailors who claimed to have fought Darknuts to farmers who'd saved the King ... hardly of any of it was true, of course, but it was always good for a laugh.
"Listen Link ... the real reason I wanted to catch you before the party was to give you something." He turned to me. "You mind if we quickly stop at my place?"
"Listen Colin, you didn't have to get—"
"I know I didn't," he said, smiling up at me. "But I thought you should have something cool to impress Evelyn with."
"Am I not already impressive enough?" I winked. Evelyn Orran was the girl I'd be courting. She was the daughter of a wealthy merchant who lived near the Town Square. "Cool thing are always good. Thanks, Colin."
"You don't even know what it is yet, dummy. Come on, in here."
I followed him through the door into his home. His mother, Uli, was resting on the chesterfield. She was several months with child.
"Colin! I wasn't expecting you until later," she said.
"Hey Mum. I just stopped by to give Link his present."
"Oh, hello Link," she greeted. "It's good to see you."
"Hey Mrs. Sorell," I replied.
"I know you haven't done the ceremony yet, but I wanted to give you my congratulations," she said. "I may not be able to make it, on account of the baby. I haven't been feeling very well lately, but I know you'll do Ordon proud."
"Thanks Mrs. Sorell," I smiled. Uli had always been very kind and her praise made me feel warm. "I really appreciate it."
"In here Link," Colin beckoned, heading into his room. I followed him into his room and watched as he opened his closet.
"Alright, close your eyes buddy," he said. Dutifully I shut my eyes, waiting for whatever surprise he'd planned with baited breath.
"My Dad taught me how to make this. Took me a lot of tries, and he helped me out a couple of times, but I reckon it'll get the job done," he said apprehensively.
"Can I open my eyes now?" I asked, exasperated.
"Yeah."
I opened them to see Colin standing in front of me, shyly holding a longbow.
"I know it's nothing special, not like the ones the traders sell in town," he muttered nervously.
"Wow," I said, dumbfounded.
"If you don't like it, it's okay," he said quickly. "I can get you something different, there's still -"
"I think it's amazing," I interjected, a broad smile spreading across my face. "Where did you learn to make a bow?"
"My Dad and I worked on it together," he replied. "He showed me the technique and I did most of the carving, then he helped me clean it up a little."
"I've always wanted a bow," I said happily. He handed it to me and I struck a dramatic pose. Colin laughed, clearly relieved.
"Helix tossed in a quiver and I made some arrows to go with it," he said, rummaging around in the closet. "Ah, here it is." He pulled out a simple leather quiver with about a dozen arrows in it. "I didn't have time to make more, so you'll have to pick them up as you use them or get more."
"This is awesome. Thanks Colin!" I accepted the quiver and used the attached leather harness to strap it around my chest.
"You look like a regular kingdom archer," appraised Colin. "I bet you're a natural." I chuckled and struck another pose.
"Looks like I've got some practicing to do. Thanks again Colin," I said gratefully, embracing him.
"No problem. I'll see you tonight," he replied.
"Will do," I said, stepping from the room. I bid Uli a final goodbye and left the house.
I have to say, I felt like quite the hunter walking down the road with a quiver and bow slung over my back. There were more than a few hunters that sold their kill and hides in Ordon, so I didn't seem out of place, but nonetheless I felt on top of the world.
xxx
Not twenty minutes later, I strode into the Clearwater household on the outskirts of Ordon City. Our house was just on the edge of the Faron Forest. For some reason this always appealed to me. I always liked to go for walks in the forest, sometimes climbing the tallest trees I could find. Even now I still liked to pretend I was off on a great adventure. Sometimes I was a knight, like my father, tracking a party of bandits through the woods. Sometimes I felt like being a hunter, stalking the wildlife as silently as I could. Whatever childish games I felt like playing, the forest never failed to entertain.
"Someone's early," called a familiar voice as I stepped across the doorstep.
"Axel was appalled at my dismal attempt to forge a sword and expelled me from the forge forever," I joked. "Now I'm free."
"Fat chance," Ilia replied, stepping out of the kitchen, wiping a plate. "I bet your sword was great."
I made a non-committal gesture and unslung the bow from my back.
"Where'd you get that?" she asked suspiciously. "You better not have spent all your money again."
"Colin gave it to him," said Aunt Lyn before I could protest. "Uli was telling me how hard her boy worked on it."
"Aunt Lyn!" I said, surprised. She had been visiting her sister in a nearby village. "I thought you weren't going to be back for another two days."
"A week was just about all I could take of Penny," she replied slyly. "Besides, I knew that Ilia couldn't handle you and Axel alone. I'm surprised the house is still intact."
"They are a pretty messy pair," my sister agreed with a giggle. "Especially Link. Leaves his clothes all over the floor of his room."
"It's my room, not a jogging area," I countered defensively. "Besides, it's nice when a place feels a little lived in. Your room looks like a museum." I plopped down on the couch.
"My room is clean," she sniffed. "That's a concept you have trouble with Link ... you're getting soot all over the chesterfield."
"Oops," I said unapologetically. "The price of comfort."
"Out," said Aunt Lyn strictly. She picked up my bow and poked me with the end of it. "And don't come back until you've bathed in the river."
I snatched the bow from her and left, grumbling.
xxx
As I walked through the forest, I saw a party of Ordon soldiers coming down the path towards me. I was able to make out Rusl Sorell, head of the Ordon Guard, and Colin's father.
"Greetings, Link," he called from horseback.
"Hey Rusl," I waved. Rusl ordered the men to continue back to town, but he hopped down from his horse.
"Big day for you," he said, grinning at me. "All ready for the ceremony tonight?"
"You bet I am," I grinned back. "What have you got planned?"
"You know I can't tell you that," he said, wagging a finger. "It won't be easy though. You'll have to earn this." Every boy about to enter manhood was assigned a coming of age task from their mentor. Usually this was their father, but since I had none, Rusl had requested that he be the one to lead my ceremony. Axel had happily agreed, and confided to me his task probably would have been something to do with blacksmithing anyways. I was grateful to Rusl for doing this; ever since I had come to Ordon he had been good to me. He taught me to use a sword and how to throw the dagger I wore. He taught me how to track things in the woods, and how to survive if I had no tools. I knew his challenge would be an exciting and difficult one.
"I wouldn't want it any other way," I replied. "So what were you guys doing in the forest?"
"Heard rumours of some bandits in the area, some of them might be twili," he said, waving a hand. "I thought it was worth investigating."
"Twili, here?" I said intrigued. "But we couldn't be further from the northern reaches."
"I didn't expect the rumours to have much truth to them, but if I ever learned one thing, it's to never take chances with twili. I saw what a few of their mages could do to a village firsthand."
I was curious, but I didn't want to be inconsiderate either. Rusl was a veteran of the Argus Wars, and he rarely spoke of the war. The war ended just before I was born, nearly eighteen years ago, when King Argus of the twili was killed on the field of battle.
"Rusl, if you don't mind me asking ..." I began.
"Yes?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow.
"Why do the twili hate us so much? I mean, why did they even attack us in the first place?"
Rusl sat down on a fallen log nearby and motioned for me to join him.
"How much do you know of the Argus Wars?" he asked.
"Not much," I admitted. "Most of what I know I learned from you."
"I thought so. Axel never cared much for the goings on of the kingdom or its politics. I think he mostly tries to forget the days he spent as a soldier."
"Axel fought in the war?" I said, incredulous.
"Soldiers need weapons, and for weapons you need smiths," Rusl nodded. "But he did fight in a few battles."
"He never told me," I muttered in disbelief.
"All of us who fought in those battles try to remember brighter days," Rusl replied. "But to return to the topic of your question, the twili and Hyrule have a long and connected history. Do you know who the Elder Races were?"
"The hylians and the twili," I said immediately.
"Correct. As you are no doubt aware, you are yourself a hylian, one of the few in the village." Unconsciously I traced one of my pointed ears with a finger. "Humanity and the common folk did not arrive in Hyrule for many years."
"Okay," I said, not sure where this was going.
"Through the course of time humans began to trickle into the kingdom. I do not know from where they came; that is a question only the goddesses can answer. All I know is that the Hylian Kingdom in southern Hyrule welcomed them, happy to have more people in order for their land to prosper. The twili, however, were already very populous. Their cities covered the northern reaches of Hyrule. Twili are more prone to magic than any of the other races, and their knowledge of the arcane arts helped their kingdom become beautiful and advanced. They liked life the way it was, and only wished to live alone and undisturbed by the common folk, who they considered uncultured."
"It wasn't long before the hylian lands were no longer enough to support the people of their kingdom. The hylian Kingdom pushed out further and further, continuously expanding. Eventually their people started to colonize twili lands and resources. As you can probably imagine, the twili were not pleased about this. They tried to reason with the Hylian Kingdom, to restore the balance the two races kingdoms once shared. However, the humans continued to pour into Hyrule and the Hylian Kingdom only swelled. Tensions between the twili and the hylians began to rise, and it wasn't long before war was on the horizon."
"When did this all happen?" I asked.
"Thousands of years ago. Anyways, war tore both kingdoms apart, and for many years to come the kingdoms were in pieces. Slowly the land and the peace was sewn back together by the two kingdoms. Yet it was not long before the Hylian Kingdom was once more as large and populated as it once was. The hylians themselves were few, but the common folk that lived with them were many. And soon the hylian lands were once again not enough. Once more the hylians were forced to expand."
"I bet the twili weren't happy about that," I said, catching on.
"You're right, but neither could they afford war. Without humans to help rebuild their kingdom and their numbers, the twili were no longer able to defend their lands. The cost of defeat would have been the extinction of their race. So as the hylian expansion became more aggressive, the twili were forced to abandon their land and their cities, one by one. Fifteen hundred years later, all that remained of a once powerful kingdom was a handful of cities scattered across the remote northern reaches. And they continued to dwindle for the next thousand years. That is, until eighteen years ago, when they attacked, suddenly and without warning. Yet they were defeated once more, and now they are close to disappearing forever. There can't be more than a thousand left."
"Kind of makes you wonder if we deserved it," I said. Rusl stiffened, and I immediately regretted what I said.
"What I mean is that our ancestors weren't all that noble," I amended quickly. "If they hadn't expanded so aggressively there never would have been wars in the first place."
"You're partially correct," Rusl nodded. "But the ancestral twili were also at fault. Do you know why?"
I thought about this for a moment, trying to put my finger on it. "Well, if the twili had been more accepting of humanity, then the expansion problem would have been avoided altogether. We could have been living in a kingdom with all three races in peace right now if they hadn't been so proud."
Rusl smiled, and I could tell he was impressed. "You are wise for one so young. You are ready to be a man of Hyrule."
xxx
I pulled myself onto the river bank, shivering. The water was running fast and cold and I had forgotten to bring a towel. I stood there in my undergarments, shivering, goosebumps rising on my skin.
"Hey handsome," called a female voice and I jumped about a foot in the air. Evelyn Orran stepped from behind a tree, laughing. Her eyes traced my body.
"Ev? What are you doing here?" I asked, surprised, grabbing my shirt and quickly pulling it over my head.
"Just admiring my beau's muscles," she said, stepping forwards and giving my arm a squeeze.
I blushed. It was true; I was pretty well built. Comes from spending every day of the last decade in the forge swinging a hammer.
"I was just bathing and I - well, I, was just," I stammered. She placed a finger over my lips, the smirk still on her lips. She looked beautiful with her long brown hair and hazel eyes.
"I hear there's going to quite some celebration tonight," she said as I stood there shivering. "By the look of the city, it's definitely going to be one of the largest coming of age ceremonies ever."
"Yeah. Yeah it should be pretty interesting, I guess," I said lamely.
"Well I see you already got a gift," she said, nodding at the bow next to my pile of clothes. "You'll have to show me how well you can shoot that thing some time."
"Well I haven't actually ever used-"
"You're going to have to wait until after the ceremony for my gift though," she said coyly, cutting me off. "I have something extra special planned, and you definitely won't be needing those." She nodded at my pile of clothes. Suddenly my face felt very warm.
"Umm," was the best I could manage.
She smirked again and turned away, walking down the forest path. After a few steps, however, she turned and looked back.
"See you tonight, Link," she winked. "There's more than one perk to becoming a man."
With that parting innuendo, she walked back through the forest. I stood there, dumbfounded.
This was going to be a crazy night.
xxx
"Took you long enough," chided Ilia as I entered the house.
"Sorry, I ran into a few people," I said wearily as I lay down on the chesterfield.
"Did Evelyn ambush you?" Ilia asked bluntly, hands on her hips.
"What? How did you - ?"
"Oh please, Link. You've been courting her for nearly three months. Who else would you run into when you're bathing?" She smirked in a way remarkably similar to the way Evelyn had. "Plus I'm a woman, and using my feminine intuition I can probably guess what was running through her head."
"Uh, right," I said, not willing to touch this topic with a ten foot pole.
"You said a few people. Who else was so eager to see you that they couldn't wait until after you were properly bathed?"
I laughed. "I ran into Rusl on my way into the forest. Apparently there were rumours of some twili in the area and he was just checking it out."
"I hope not," Ilia shuddered. "I've heard of some of the things they did. I hope we never see one."
"Yeah, me too," I agreed. Rusl had made me even more curious about the twili and how they lived now, but nonetheless, I hoped I never had the misfortune to run into them. Everyone had heard the stories of what the twili did to people who strayed into Twilian land ... even the northern cities and villages weren't save. Every few weeks you heard tell of a new raid from the northern reaches.
"Here, I made you a sandwich," she said, offering me a plate. "Mum and I had a late lunch while you talked to half the city and bathed."
"Hey! It was you two who forced me to bathe," I said indignantly. Still, I accepted the sandwich and tore into it.
"Someone's hungry," she said, amused.
I was too hungry to even manage a sarcastic reply as I ravenously ate the sandwich. Smithing was hard work. Ilia just shook her head and headed for her room.
When I was finished eating, I poured myself a glass of milk and sighed with content. There was pretty much no way to spoil this day.
I decided that I'd test Colin's gift out. Hefting the longbow and slinging the quiver over my back, I head outside and back into the forest.
I drew back the string to test out the draw. I was surprised at how difficult it was to pull back the bow all the way. It always looked so easy at the archery competitions in town.
Setting the bow down, I drew the small dagger at my hip. Admiring the gleaming blade, I quickly etched a small 'X' on a nearby tree. Satisfied, I returned to the bow and drew one of Colin's homemade arrows.
I carefully nocked an arrow to the string and sighted down the shaft. Pulling back the string, I took careful aim, and a second later I let it fly.
Not only did I miss the X I'd carved but I missed the tree completely. The arrow sailed right by it and disappeared into the forest. I cursed loudly. This was definitely going to be harder than I envisioned.
Slowly I repeated the process, this time taking more time before I loosed the arrow. I breathed out slowly before firing, then released the string when my aim was steady. This time the arrow at least connected with the tree, though it was nowhere near my target.
I stayed there for another hour at least, loosing arrow after arrow at the tree. Slowly but surely my aim began to improve, and before long I was hitting my X on occasion. Finally my arm was feeling like it was going to fall off from pulling back the string. I drew the dagger once more, hefting by the blade as I had done my times in the past. Wincing as I pulled my arm back and threw the knife at the tree. This was at least something I'd practiced before, and I hit the X dead centre.
As I pulled the arrows and knife from the tree, I couldn't help but remember the Brycells. Sir Pyrice had given me this knife ten years ago to the day, and had been my father's before that. I'd been away from Castle Town and a life I hardly remembered for nearly a decade, but it was amazing how much I missed them nonetheless. I wondered if they ever thought about me, for I thought about them often.
I thought about the ceremony tonight, and brushed those memories aside. Today I would finally come of age, gaining the full rights and responsibilities of a man of Hyrule. One thing I had always wanted to do was return to my birthplace and explore the world of Hyrule, but I knew that Axel would never let me leave the forge. Part of me always wanted to run off and leave this life behind, but the other parts of me loved the family I had. I didn't want to lose that again.
As the last vestige of my childhood slipped away, I considered my future. Was I to be a smith forever? Unconsciously my hand moved to the silver key around my neck. The leather cord was worn with age, but the memory of the King placing it around my neck was as fresh as summer wind.
I looked to the sky, and suddenly the desire to leave was overpowering. I said a silent prayer to the goddesses for my parents, and clutched the key to Ashlocke hall once more.
"One day I will return," I vowed.
"Return where?" asked a male voice innocently. I spun around to see Axel sitting on a nearby stump. Why was everyone so intent on surprising me from the shadows today?
"Nowhere," I mumbled. "Just thinking aloud."
"You want to return to Castle Town," he said.
I hesitated, but decided to be straight with him. "Yeah. Yeah, I do."
He sighed. "I suppose I always knew this day would come."
"What?" I asked, confused.
"Why do you want to leave?" he asked simply.
"I - I don't really know, to be honest," I said honestly. "I guess it's always been a dream of mine to see Hyrule, live it for myself, you know? I owe it to myself to find out where I belong. I owe it to my family to at least use this." I lifted the cord of my neck, holding up the silver key. "I want to put those memories to rest. Stop wondering who I am, and what I want."
"You have family here, and they love you very much," he said quietly. I didn't know what to say to that, so I stayed silent.
After a moment he sighed again.
"You may not know it Link, but you're more like your father than I cared to admit. I thought maybe it would be better for you here, away from those memories and content to live a simple life."
"Maybe you were right," I said. "But if I truly am to be a man of Hyrule, isn't it my right to find out for myself? For me to accept responsibility for my own mistakes?"
He looked at me seriously. "It's a dangerous world out there, Link. Your father was one of the kingdom's greatest knights and even he found that out to his cost."
"I'll take my chances," I scowled. "You were in the war. Doesn't seeing that and the world shape the way you live your life now?"
"How did you know that?" he asked sharply.
"Rusl told me," I said, suddenly a little ashamed I'd betrayed his trust.
Axel looked angry for a moment, a moment later his face softened. "I would be a very different man if I'd never gone to war," he said in a resigned voice. "A happier man, I have no doubt. The truth always hurts, Link."
"I would find that out on my own, for good or ill, if you give me your leave," I said.
Axel considered me a moment longer. For a moment I thought he would refuse, but what he said surprised me.
"You have my leave to go, provided you complete your ceremony," he said evenly, looking me straight in the eye. "You may not know it, and you may not believe it, but I have always tried to protect you. Over the last few years it has become clear to me that you do not want to be protected, or rather, you are the kind of man that would rather face the world himself than ignore it's ugliness. I respect that."
"You're - you're letting me leave?" I said incredulously.
"After tonight, I won't be able to stop you," he said wearily. "Perhaps you would consider staying a few more weeks though? I need an apprentice to take your place and it may take a little while to find someone of your caliber."
"Yeah ..." I said, feeling a little dazed. "Yeah, definitely."
Axel smiled then, something he didn't do all too often. "Good. All I ask is that when you do leave, you'll treat the world with respect. It's not a game to be prancing around the land and if you are unwary it can and will swallow you whole. You will be relatively safe within the reaches, but once you hit the southern marches, be on your guard."
"I will," I promised.
"Good," he smiled. "Now get your arse back to the house. Lyn has almost prepared supper and you will need your strength for tonight. Whatever happens, I know you'll conduct yourself with honour."
I smiled back, feeling as if for once everything was right with my life.
Oh how things were about to change.