Author's Notes- Quick update! I'm sure everyone's excited! … Well, probably not, considering the first upload got 7 total views in 5 days, with a couple chapters getting nothing. Yikes! This is a hard fandom! Well, the good news for any future reader is that though I'd obviously like to get a little traction, I'll be finishing the story regardless of views. While I'd obviously love to have some reviews, I'm not going to go baiting "I'm not going to update again unless I get XX positive reviews telling me how great my story is!" Nah, I'll finish what I've started.
In a lot of ways, this is really a more appropriate stopping point than the last chapter was, as I think this one really wraps up the first section of the story. After this, things really start to go down…
Also, don't fear that I've missed a chapter or something. If you haven't already noticed, I have a habit of bouncing around and skipping some of the action as I see fit. This actually isn't something I usually do, but for some reason it just felt right in the context of this story. You'll definitely see more of it.
If you are one of the chosen few who made it this far, thanks, please enjoy the read and leave a review if you have anything to comment on, good or bad!
Chapter Six
"You kept your promise, so it is now my duty to keep mine," said Richard to Link as he moved a crate in his villa. "While you vanquish the Key Cavern, I shall be setting Kanalet back to order now that it is finally cleared of those dastardly monsters. With your work here, there will be no threat of being attacked again."
With the crate out of the way, Richard lifted the handle to a hatch in the floor, exposing a dark, wet tunnel leading inside the crater.
"This is certainly not the only such lava tube in this volcano, Link. The crater inside will be covered in similar holes obscured by the brush. That is how it earned the name Pothole Field. Be careful, friend."
The dungeon key that Richard gave Link immediately after their victory at Kanalet swung on its chain against his chest as he lowered himself into the tunnel.
"Don't worry, I will be fine. Thank you, Richard."
"No need. The necessity of gratitude is on my part. Again, be safe and have good fortunes."
With that, Richard allowed the trapdoor behind Link to close, plunging much of the tunnel into darkness. Even so, the light from a skylight ahead revealed the path for Link. After briefly stumbling through the darker section of the tube by balancing himself against the damp stone wall, the path was illuminated enough for Link to walk normally.
Link sighed as he stood under the skylight. It was almost too high for him to reach, even while jumping; pulling himself up with all of his belongings would be nearly impossible. Though he could have thrown his sword, shield, and pack up first before trying to raise himself, Link decided to give it one try with everything still on his back.
To his surprise, Link easily reached the ledge on his first hop with both elbows at ground level holding him up. Even easier, though, was pulling the rest of his body up into the light.
Link was thoroughly impressed with his performance until he looked down to his wrist. "Thanks, bracelet," he admitted with a grin. He also noted that his jumping vertical seemed to have noticeably improved since his visit to the Tail Cave.
Richard was correct about the pits inside the crater. Link had to slash through much of the brush to be sure that nothing was hidden underneath, making the journey rather slow. Even with the precautions, one of Link's feet slipped into a skylight at one point, nearly dragging the rest of him down the crevice.
Needless to say, Link was grateful when he finally escaped the tall grass and reached a steep hill leading to the higher crater. This space of Koholint was much more pleasant, with a rolling field and a small pond that was slightly too full, allowing water to trickle back down the mountain. It was an incredibly peaceful place- one that would be a nice area to spend an afternoon with Marin.
Link shook the idea from his head. He wasn't here for a picnic; he was here to clear a dungeon and claim an instrument. On the west side of the crater, Link spotted what must have been the gate to the Key Cavern built in the mountain. Link slid the key that Richard gave him into a nearby small hole bored into the rock. After turning it, there was a brief pause before the ground began to shake as the bars blocking the entrance slowly lowered.
There was no going back now. the Hero of Hyrule drew his sword and readied his shield before entering into the cave ahead.
Navigating the Key Cavern turned out to be a relatively simple affair, especially after Link realized that the cave was, as its name implied, shaped like a key. The main navigational issues were the multiple large pits scattered throughout the labyrinth that Link could not have traversed without the assistance of speed-enhancing boots that he found in a chest inside the dungeon. Though finding his way through the dungeon was easier than usual, the enemies and challenges he met were greater than those of the previous two.
Though Link felt seriously endangered on several occasions, he actually managed to reach Instrument Chamber unscathed. By the time Link encountered the dungeon's guardian, which was a strange, giant eye that could split into two, Link had already mastered various techniques using his enhanced speed and jumping abilities that helped him win a quick fight. The instrument waiting for Link at the end was a small hand bell, beautifully shaped in the form of a lily, that rang a soft, high refrain.
As usual, the owl was perched on a rocky ledge waiting for Link as soon as he exited the dungeon.
"The Sea Lily Bell! Look how many instruments you now have! Once you have them all, you must play them in front of the egg, and he will surely awaken."
"Like I don't already know that?" Link pointed out as he readjusted his sheath.
"Now, you must hasten to the Yarna Desert! The dark, monstrous inhabitants of the sand will show you the way!"
With two final hoots, the owl launched into the air. Link would have been annoyed with its vagueness had he not already grown accustomed to it.
Richard was waiting with a pot of hot tea at the table when Link stuck his head through the trapdoor to Richard's villa.
"I thought you might enjoy a little something to drink upon your return."
Link nodded as he jumped up and took a seat with Richard, who poured him a cup. The nobleman had obviously brought the cup and pot with him from Kanalet, as they were significantly more expensive than anything Link had previously seen in the shack.
"I hope your mission went smoothly, yes?"
Link finished his first sip before answering. "Everything went to plan. You shouldn't have to worry about anything else coming from there." Then, after taking another sip, Link continued, "You don't happen to know where I can find the Yarna Desert, do you?"
"Yes, of course. It is to the east of Animal Village. I'm afraid you can't get there at the moment, though."
"And why is that?"
Richard smiled sardonically. "I was recently taking a stroll in that direction when I saw a large walrus blocking the road to the desert. I am assuming he was ordered there to stand guard against any attempted invasion against the community from that direction. But, well… he seems to have fallen very much asleep. I have checked again for the last four days. He hasn't moved at all. His job as a gatekeeper has seemingly turned into that of a wall."
"Nothing ever comes easy here, does it?" Link mused to himself. "Any ideas as to what to do?"
Richard sighed as he swirled his cup. "I am not that familiar with the walrus, or any of the other animals." Richard set his cup down and rubbed his chin. "In fact, there is only one person to ask."
Link waited expectantly. Richard apparently thought the answer was obvious. "Your friend, Marin, of course!" he finally said since Link made no reaction. "She's a frequent visitor of Animal Village. You might wish to take her to see the predicament firsthand."
Link finished the rest of his cup in one gulp. "You reminded me of something else, Richard. I hate asking this of you, but there is no one else I can trust on this. Marin knows this island well, and I suspect she'll be helping me find many of the other dungeons. I can protect Marin while I'm with her, but say she leads me to a dungeon and I enter alone. Who is to see that she returns to Mabe safely?"
The nobleman crossed his arms. "You want me to attend to Marin when you are not present?"
"If it isn't too much to ask. I know it's a lot," Link admitted.
Richard sighed as he leaned back in his chair. "It is indeed a significant request. But I owe you everything for returning me my Kanalet. I am forever in your debt. If you feel you need me, I will be here to help. In the meantime, I will be returning the 'stolen' furniture here to its original home."
Link said his thanks and goodbyes before returning to Mabe. Upon his return he found neither Marin or Tarin home. After laying the Sea Lily Bell with the other instruments, Link began to search the village for Marin. Link approached one of the young quadruplets mentioned by Tarin on Link's first day on the island that he came across on the village's square.
"You there," Link addressed. "Do you know where Marin might be?"
The freckled, dark-haired boy, who had been stepping on ants, looked up from the ground. "Marin? She likes to go stare at the ocean all by herself."
Link looked at him doubtfully. He had seen Marin do plenty more than stare at the ocean. "What makes you say that?"
The kid obviously didn't get the question. "Why? Hey, I'm just a kid, don't ask me!"
Link looked at the child in mild annoyance. "How old are you, anyways, kid?"
The boy squinted. "How old? What kind of question is that… like, it blows my mind! I saw Marin go down to the beach, alright? Take your weird questions to her."
Link had to forgive the child's attitude since he did seem to genuinely believe Marin was on the beach. Link thought this rather strange, as Marin had already displayed her displeasure about the adventure of recollecting the sword on the beach with the monsters out. Ultimately, though, the boy had no reason to lie to him, so Link headed out for the Toronbo Shores.
Much of the shoreline was a series of beaches broken up by small mesas between them. Most of these mesas were too steep to climb but could easily be walked around without ever leaving the sand at sea level.
After searching two of these beaches, Link finally spotted Marin after walking around the edge of one of the mesas. She was sitting alone on a large piece of driftwood looking out to ocean, shaded by the palms of two coconut trees flanking both sides.
Marin seemed to have two core moods. One was the explorer who would skip around while constantly asking Link questions. The other Marin was the pensive one who stared at things and made wistful offhand comments.
Link knew he was getting the second Marin when he took a seat next to her. She had, as was often the case, been humming to herself.
"No issues to report from the Key Cavern?" she asked, breaking her melody.
"All went well. The instrument is back at the house."
Marin leaned back to rest against a branch protruding from the driftwood's main trunk.
"Link… will you stay and talk with me for a while? Not about the dungeon, for once, or anything like that. Just about… things?"
Link thrusted his shield into the sand, laid down his sword, and leaned back with the girl next to him. "You've usually been excited to hear about the dungeons."
"You're right. Maybe later. It's just that… well, I don't know. Something doesn't feel quite right about this whole thing."
Her companion blinked. "You've gotten that feeling, too? How would you describe it?"
"I'm not sure. It's nothing really… well, it's just that somehow everything we do feels scripted, like it has to be that way. Like when you found the key in the forest. How could that have just happened? Do you feel the same way?"
Link nodded his head. "Maybe that's it. For me, it's just that something about this island throws me off. I don't mean to be rude, because I like it here. It's just… off."
Marin smiled. "Don't worry about offending me, Link. It's funny how you think this island is so odd. To everyone here, Koholint is as perfectly normal as it can be. In fact, the idea of anything different is impossible. Tarin always told me that there isn't anything beyond the sea. I never believed him, though…"
Her companion turned to her thoughtfully to listen. Marin pointed to the coconut tree to their right.
"For example, where do these coconuts come from? I believed that they originally came from across the sea, but I never had any evidence as I never saw one land on the beach. I never saw anything wash up on the beach." Marin turned to Link smiling. "Until I found you, Link. I believed something was out there, and you proved it! It caused my heart to skip a beat! The others don't seem to understand the significance of it all, though… not even Tarin."
"Where does he think I come from, then?"
Marin shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe from a different part of the island he hasn't seen before or something. Or you're just some unexplainable exception. Whatever the case, I think he's just confused. He'll come around, though. I think that's one of the reasons you crashed here, Link. To let everyone know what's out there."
"You think… there's a reason I landed here? A purpose?"
"I think you came to give us a message."
"What kind of message?"
"… I don't know… yet. But maybe we'll find out."
Marin had a habit of alluding to her ideas without actually explaining them fully, which left Link little idea of how to continue. Not to mention, his attention was being stolen by a dull constant thud he heard in the distance.
Thankfully, Marin continued after a brief pause.
"See those seagulls up there? If I was one, I would fly as far away as I could! I would fly to far away places and sing for many people!"
"You want to be a seagull?" Link asked with an upturned smile.
"No, no, no!" Marin laughed. "No… it's just the idea. They can go anywhere they want as fast as they want, you see? I can't. I can't even get off this island."
"You can if you come with me when I leave."
"I'd like to believe that," Marin sighed, again not explaining her hesitation. "Maybe if we wake the Wind Fish, he'd give me a wish. That… leaving, somehow… would be my wish."
The more Link listened, the more distinctly he could hear the noise in the distance. It vaguely resembled the sound of a hammer hitting a nail.
"Hey! Are you listening? Link, are you listening to me?"
Link was shook back to the girl talking to him. "Yeah, yes, of course!"
"I want to know everything about you..." Marin's eyes widened when she realized what she just said. She stuttered and chuckled trying to take her words back to no avail. "I... it's just that I really enjoy hearing you talk about all the places you've been and such... not that... well, never mind ... I'm not sure why I worded that so awkwardly."
Link couldn't help but smile. "I'd love to talk about my deepest secrets, but maybe we should do it on the road. I actually need your help, Marin, about a problem dealing with a lazy walrus. You're the only person who knows the animals well enough to deal with them."
Marin nodded. Her voice was almost sad when she consented with, "Yes, it doesn't matter. We can talk later. I'll go with you."
Link looked her in the eye to see if her face matched the sadness in her voice. Her eyes were indeed a little downcast, but there was something else that caught his attention more.
Her eyes were beautiful.
He wasn't sure why it had taken him so long to finally acknowledge it. Maybe it was the conversation they just had. Maybe it was the romantic setting.
It wasn't just her eyes. The way she held her hair and its hibiscus in the blowing wind with a peaceful smile was beautiful. The way her words rolled off the tongue like a lullaby was beautiful.
Link was caught up in the moment. Instinctively, he jumped up and opened his hand to help Marin up after gathering his belongings. "Or we could do it now. We're in no rush. Let's enjoy this time together... alone."
Blush began to show in the young woman's cheeks. "Kind of like a date?" she asked boldly as she took his hand.
"Exactly like a date, Marin."
Link wasn't sure what came over him; he'd never been so upfront to a girl before. But somehow he knew this was his big chance.
Was it so sudden, though? Was the attraction between the two not already obvious? Was it a leap or a step?
Such thoughts went through both of their minds, but neither cared. All that they cared about was that the other's hand was interlinked with their own.
No more serious confessions were made, perhaps because they hadn't known each other long enough to make such claims... or it was because what they had was enough for the moment.
They walked back in the direction of Mabe but took the pace leisurely as they strolled along the beach, ignoring the occasional octorok that didn't even bother to attack them. The two were too satisfied to even speak until they were ready to proceed back up the cliffs, where Marin briefly stopped Link.
"I need to get the sand out of my sandals," she said as she removed them and slapped them against a boulder to complete the task.
Link watched in amusement while waiting. "You know, you don't have that problem if you wear boots. It makes climbing over rocks easier, too."
"Well, boots are considerably more difficult and expensive to make, so I only wear them when I need to. Not to mention that they get really hot. And as for being able to climb over rocks, we'll see who's better at that. I'll race you to the top!"
By this point, Marin had already replaced her sandals, so she didn't even wait for Link to respond before taking off. Link shook his head with a smile. There was no way she was faster than he was, especially with his Pegasus boots. It didn't even matter if she had a head start.
To her credit, Marin was able to nimbly hop from one rock to another fast enough that it took Link some time to catch her. It was only a matter of time, though. They were nearly back to the elevation of the plateau when he passed her.
"Better luck ne-."
Link yet out a yelp as he suddenly lost his footing on a boulder and slid down the hill side a couple feet, covering himself in dust.
"I'd help, but I'm in a hurry!" Marin teased as she passed him again.
Link jumped back up, but the damage was done. He groaned when he reached the top and saw Marin propped up in a low branch in a nearby tree pretending to be asleep.
"You only beat me because you cheated by starting first and because you know the path better," Link complained.
Marin opened her eyes and crossed her arms. "And if you won, it would only be because you were born with more raw speed and because you have fancier shoes. I'm not sure that's better then being smarter and more experienced."
Actually, the boots themselves probably caused Link to fall by allowing him to go too fast, combined with the Roc's Feather, a colorful plume he found in the Tail Cave that he eventually identified as the origin of his improved jumping, that caused him to overshoot his step. He could have explained this to Marin, but admitting that he was relying on his new equipment probably wouldn't earn him much credit.
"Fair enough. Now, before we head out, let's make one last stop. Here, get down from there."
Marin dropped from the branch down into Link's arms in an embrace that probably lasted a moment longer than it really needed to.
It didn't take long for Marin to realize where Link was taking her. After a short walk and a few steps through some brush, the two were back at the cliff Marin took him to on their first night together.
"The whole mood feels different here during the daytime," Marin remarked while Link brushed his clothes and hair to shake off the dirt and sand from his fall to be carried off in the strong breeze out to the sea.
"It does," Link agreed as he slapped his cap against his knee and replaced it on his head. "More cheerful. Less pensive... both beautiful in their own way." Link dropped down onto one knee from his already hunched position. "I think the ocean might be even prettier up here than on the beach. I like to watch how the waves foam as they crash into the cliffs."
Marin stood by his side, once again trying to steady her hair in the wind. "I've watched the waves here for a while now. I'm pretty sure I've noticed the rocks down there being gradually worn down over time. A couple times I've even seen some fragments of the cliff collapse into the water. It's a slow process, but the island isn't going to last forever if that continues."
Something about her words caused all of Link's muscles to spontaneously twitch- they reminded him of Syrup's foreboding warning. He shook it off as best as he could by closing his eyes and listening to the consistent beating of the waves.
Marin eventually shook his shoulder. "We can come back later, but we should probably go see about your walrus dilemma soon if we want to get back before dark."
Link jumped up. "Alright. We might also want to stop by Richard's on the way back to talk about our future plans."
"What do you mean?"
"He was wanting to join our expeditions looking for the instruments."
"Why would he want to do that? He just wanted his castle back, which he got."
Link shrugged. "I don't know. For curiosity's sake, I guess."
The two were now fighting back through the shrubbery, but that didn't stop Marin's questioning.
"You asked him to look after me, didn't you?"
"What if I did?"
"I've lived here a long time, Link. I don't need your hel-."
Link abruptly turned around and put his hands on Marin's shoulders.
"Marin, we have no idea what we are going to find out there… you know that, right?" Marin only nodded. "And you don't want to get in a fight alone, do you?" he continued.
"No…" she mumbled.
"I didn't think so. Now, listen to me, Marin. You're going to do this for me as much as for you. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I allowed anything bad to happen to you. Richard is the best person for the task. He might not be the bravest person I've ever met… he wouldn't take his castle back on his own, and he wouldn't leave my side while we were there fighting… but he's well-intended and wouldn't abandon you."
"Alright, Link… if it's important to you, then that's what we'll do," she whispered. "I just like imagining the days when I could roam the island free before the monsters took over. Sometimes I still act like a little girl."
It took some time for Link to cheer Marin back up. He normally wasn't one to make people laugh, but he was pulling out all the jokes he could come up with as they walked. When he finally got her smiling again, Link explained the situation as it had been described to him by Richard. To his surprise, this excited her more than all of his jokes combined.
"Animal Village? I didn't know we were going there! It feels like it's been forever since I've been able to go back!" Marin cheered. "I can get us to the place Richard was talking about!"
Marin led Link there at her skipping pace. The two did encounter some minor nuisances of monsters, but Marin was able to get to safety quickly while Link discharged their assailants. The skirmishes actually encouraged Link; if he could handle what roamed the island this easily, Marin would be perfectly safe with Richard.
The road took them alongside a wide but relatively shallow bay, identified as Martha's Bay according to Marin. Link remembered previously seeing it from the mountains. The bay was fed by a river in a shallow canyon that had to be hopped over at its thinnest point. From there, it was only a short distance longer to Animal Village.
Even after knowing what to expect, the place was still incredibly strange to Link. There were anthropomorphic animals of all different kinds- rabbits, kangaroos, bears- living together in human houses in a community not so much smaller than Mabe. Link had seen monsters, even a few species of ordinary animals, that could speak but never in such high density.
When the two arrived, at least half the village came out to greet them. They seemed more excited to see Marin again, most of whom were worried something bad had befallen her, but they were courteous to Link as well. For his part, Link simply tried to hide his shock to not seem rude. Even so, he wanted to move on towards the Yarna Desert as fast of as possible. To his chagrin, though, Marin seemed interested in staying around to talk for a while. Link eventually found a fence post to sit on while waiting for her stubbornly before she finally got the message.
After promising the animals that she'd come back later to sing for them, Marin rejoined Link and lightly slapped him on the back of the head.
"You're sociable, aren't you?"
"Just trying to stay on task."
"Ha! … But I was the one hurrying us up earlier, so I guess I can't complain."
Animal Village was built around a large pasture. Marin and Link took a road leading away from the village on the opposite side of this pasture that led them on a path pinned between the ocean on the south side of the island and yet another cliff to a higher plateau. Link determined that it was this mountain that marked the boundary between the wet and windy main portion of the island from this southeast corner that was becoming increasing dry as they pushed forward.
The still-sleeping walrus blocking the passage was hard to miss, as it stretched the length of the path from the mountain cliff to the cliff leading down to the ocean. Link was becoming increasingly annoyed with the constant cliffs impeding his basic progress all over the island.
"We could just walk over it," he noted.
"And if he got scared and started thrashing around, you might get crushed or get thrown out into the ocean," Marin countered. "If we had a shovel, we could dig, dig, dig a tunnel under him! Wouldn't that be fun! … But I have a much better idea. The animals always love this song. Maybe hearing it will give the lazy walrus a surprise! It's the same one I mentioned to you the other night, actually. This is a good opportunity to finally teach you."
Marin cleared her throat and announced, "I call it 'The Ballad of the Wind Fish.' I came up with it myself."
With no further introduction, Marin began to sing. Immediately, Link was entranced by its tune. The notes didn't carry any words, and it wasn't the kind of melody one might imagine would be used to wake someone up. It wasn't fast-paced or loud; it was, though, undeniably beautiful. The song somehow echoed all the way down into the depths of Link's heart and pulled at unfamiliar emotions. Link couldn't quite put a finger on just what feelings it was getting at. There was definitely a mixture of sadness and longing, but there was something more.
Link opened his eyes, just realizing that he had closed them, as the ground shook violently. The walrus had jumped up into the air from its slumber, perhaps recognizing the tune; unfortunately for him, though, he had landed in a slightly different position than he had started. It was enough for the walrus to start sliding off the ledge into the ocean. Unable to stop himself, the walrus hit the water with a large splash.
Link looked over the edge while Marin chuckled. "He'll be fine, won't he?" Link asked, somewhat concerned.
"Of course! He spends most of his time in the water. The others back in Animal Village will have a great time when I describe his face when he realized he was going in, though!" Though Marin remained smiling, she continued with a slightly more serious inflection. "… So, did you like the song?"
"I did. I'm surprised it woke him, though, since the creature was so oblivious to everything else."
Marin's smile brightened again. "The ballad has actually done that before, believe it or not. I once got in trouble with a neighbor who was napping when I began singing it. That's why I thought to try it! I feel like it could use some instruments, though. I bet having the whole set of the Instruments of the Sirens would be something to hear."
"I don't know about that," Link said as he reached into his satchel, "But I do have this ocarina. We could do a duet."
Marin clasped her hands together. "Where did you get that?"
"It's actually mine from the crash. I… found it on the beach when I went for my sword." Link was worried about how she would react to the true story, so he decided that a little lie would be the better option.
"Alright, then! Umm… do you remember the tune? Or do you want me to start? I can do that, and you join in whenever you want."
Link waited a few notes before joining in, trying to play the melody straight. It wasn't an entirely successful effort. After one verse, Marin shook her head and mumbled, "Not very good," under her breath.
"What did you say?" Link couldn't make out the exact words but got the general tone.
Marin bit her lip, realizing she had spoken out loud. "Eh? What? Did I say something? No, you're hearing things..."
"I definitely heard something, and it came from you…"
"I must have said that we can stop here for now. Yeah, we can practice later back at Mabe." Ready to change the conversation, she continued, "Now let's go back and make sure that the animals remind the walrus to not to fall asleep there again. I'd rather not have to come sing every time you need to get to the desert."
"If it came to that, I have the feeling you'd eventually force me to try waking it up with my ocarina myself."
"That might be true," Marin said with a grin as the two started the walk back. "You know, Link, I'm excited about all of these adventures ahead of us. We're finally going to solve some of the mysteries of this island, and maybe clear it of the troublesome monsters!"
Link agreed. But though he was enthusiastic about his work on Koholint, his main goal remained to find a way back to Hyrule, whatever it took. Instead of informing her of this, he simply whispered, "Me too," before reaching for her hand.
