Author's Notes- And now we reach the end! So soon, right? Only five uploads! I've uploaded the final two chapters in one swoop because, well, it just felt appropriate! I decided to try finishing the editing this late night while I still can before I really need to start cranking out that lab report, so please excuse but also point out any dumb mistakes I made. I actually don't have all that much to say here so... yeah...
OniontheGreat- The Eagle's Tower is also one of my favorites! That was one of the reasons I decided to show a little bit more from this dungeon than I usually would. Blowing up buildings and fighting in the sky make for better reading than most of the other dungeons. Additionally, I thought the timing of the conflict at the Eagle's Tower also fit in well with the story's pacing. I'm glad you enjoy getting to see more of the other characters, as it was a major motivation for writing this!
Guest- Thank you for reviewing! I'm not currently planning a story involving the Oracle games, as I have another project I need to work on. If I did do a prequel, a ALttP one would probably be more likely, to be honest. One of the reasons for this is that I feel I'd have a hard time making a worthwhile character arc for Link from those games based off what I've done here. That being said, thanks for letting me know that there is interest, and I would definitely consider working on something if I felt I came up with a compelling idea :)
Chapter Nine
Navigating back to the main ridgeline of the Tal Tal Mountains from the Eagle's Tower was no simple task. It involved traversing several caverns, moving boulders, and crossing gaps either by being carried by the strange rooster or by using the hookshot Link had found in the Catfish's Maw.
Coming back, though, was much faster than his journey to the tower since Link already knew the steps he had to take. Once he was back on the main branch of the mountain range, the rooster leapt out of his hands and ran off ahead without giving Link time to catch up. He smiled. Link's companion must have known that his job was complete.
Link knew where he needed to go and what he needed to get there. He, Marin, and Richard had previously discovered a tunnel that gave access to the Turtle Rock, which they knew from their studies to be one of the dungeons, but they were unable to cross the entirety of the passage as it was blocked midway by some sort of protective trap where a stream of fire was constantly shot out of a perforation in the tunnel wall. With a mirror shield that he had just obtained in the Eagle's Tower, though, Link was confident that he could reflect the flames back to allow him passage.
The Eagle's Tower and the Turtle Rock were on opposite ends of the Tal Tal Mountain Range, so Link knew he was in for a long hike. Regardless, he had every intention of finding the last instrument before returning to Mabe, even if it required fighting through the night.
He had hiked nearly half the length of the island, coming across nothing more than small monsters, when he saw more significant activity at a suspension bridge ahead and some distance higher up the mountainside. The bridge was shaking as if people were walking on it, and he was certain he could make out a voice. Link's curiosity was piqued, as moblins rarely spoke and, even then, their voices were much lower than what he was hearing. Even though it appeared that some of the bridge's boards were missing, which Link didn't remember from the last time he had crossed this particular one, he didn't think much of it until he recognized the voice as that of Marin. He began to climb up towards her and sped up as he realized the tone of her voice was becoming increasingly shrill. He broke out into a full run when he was close enough to see her standing out on the center of the bridge surrounded by moblins on either side.
Marin was holding a wooden plank in her hand that she had doubtlessly stripped off the bridge. Link initially assumed it was to keep the moblins at bay, and the fact that one of the monsters had withdrawn farther away and was rubbing its arm as if it had been swatted attested to the probable accuracy of this hypothesis. She had used it to do more than that, though. On either side of the four boards she was standing on, she had removed six consecutive boards and kicked them into the chasm below. It was an intelligent plan in that it kept the moblins from directly attacking her, but it also meant that she had no way to get off the bridge herself.
Link could hear Marin taunt them as she brandished her improvised weapon. "That's right! Heh… keep back you evil- hey…" She paused when she realized that the monsters had given up trying to attack her. Rather, they began cutting at the support ropes to the bridge. If all four were cut, Marin would fall to her death without the moblins having to come within ten feet of her.
"Oh… oh dear… Someone help, please!" Though Marin was shouting out over the island, her tone was hopeless, and she looked down into the valley below to which she resigned her fate. She didn't notice Link approaching until he yelled aloud to both distract the moblins from their task and to ready himself for the coming fight. Two moblins stood on his side of the bridge. Link kicked one straight off the cliff before it could react, and he ran his sword through the other.
"Link!" Marin cheered in a mixture of enthusiasm, relief, and surprise as she clapped her hands together. Link wasn't ready to rest yet, though. The more serious threats were the other two moblins on the far side of the bridge that he couldn't reach.
With no other choice, Link quickly sheathed his sword and removed the bow hanging on his back. He fired two arrows at the moblins on the other side. He had to be careful to not hit Marin, who was at least wise enough to duck down.
It was good fortune that he even possessed the bow. He had only purchased it the day after the failed escape attempt, as he had planned on saving the rupees for his return home. When it was obvious that he wouldn't be leaving the island with the rupees in hand, he concluded that he had no reason to avoid buying the bow, despite it being incredibly overpriced and costing him almost his entire savings. He had almost considered stealing the thing just to teach the shopkeeper a lesson.
With all four moblins neutralized, even Link thought that the situation was under control. He was reaching into his satchel for his hookshot almost casually when Marin yelled out his name. When he looked up, he saw one of the moblins propped up against a support post on the other side. While Link had hit one of them square in the chest, his aim was somewhat off for the other, partially because he was afraid of accidently shooting Marin. He hadn't thought much about it at the time, but apparently the moblin had enough strength left to pull himself up and begin cutting at the support rope at his corner again with a wicked smile.
Since he had already put his bow up, Link's immediate reaction was to save Marin rather than to finish off the moblin. Link fired the hookshot at the support post next to the one the moblin was leaned against; after it buried itself in the wood, the hookshot yanked Link forward over the gap. It only took a second for him to cross where Marin was balancing on the shaking bridge. Link reached his hand to her, which, to his great relief, she managed to grab after dropping her wooden board.
It wasn't a moment too soon, as the moblin was successful in cutting the support rope. Between the weight of bridge and the damage the other three moblins had managed to execute before their demise, the other support on the same side gave out as well, and what remained of the bridge swung down and was dashed against the far cliff. The moblin had been using the rope to help hold him up since he didn't have the strength to stand up straight, so he slumped forward and fell with it.
As Link and Marin rammed into the post forcefully, Link wrapped his free hand around it and used it to assist in pulling him up, briefly risking them both by letting go of the hookshot to make the grab. With his other hand, Link held a terrified Marin still dangling in the air. For a brief moment, a terrible thought flashed through his mind. If he let go of her now, it would make destroying the rest of the island much easier. There was nothing he could do to truly save her, anyways.
Of course, Link could never actually bring himself to do such a thing. He shuddered upon the discovery that his mind had fallen so low that it could even produce such a thought, and he lifted Marin up fast enough that she never would have even noticed Link's hesitation.
The two lied there on the mountain road's mixture of dirt and gravel, too stunned by the near-fatal incident to even stand up.
"Did I ever mention that I'm scared of heights?" Marin finally joked.
It was enough to get Link to sit up. He grabbed Marin by the shoulders and forced her to do the same.
"What… were… you… doing… up here… alone?" Link asked almost violently.
"There's not normally this many monsters in these parts…"
"Then what did you do to get their attention?"
Marin averted his glare as well as she could. "I.. well, I was at Tamaranch… I was singing in front of the Wind Fish's egg…"
Link's grip loosened. "Why would you do that?"
"I thought maybe I could wake him up. Remember how my Ballad of the Wind Fish woke the walrus? Well… I thought it might be worth trying, even if I didn't have the instruments."
"But… why? Were you trying to get a wish?"
Marin's eyes began to water, which caused Link's emotions to rapidly shift from anger to compassion. His hands moved from her shoulders down her arms until he was holding her hands.
"I… I was going to wish that you'd want to stay here… with me… and that'd you'd never try leaving the island again…"
As she spoke, it was now Link's eyes were tearing up. Did she make a smart choice? Certainly not, but Link knew it was the result of his own behavior. He pulled Marin onto his lap and let her cry onto his shoulder, allowing him to mask his own feelings from her.
"Marin," he began slowly to keep his voice from cracking, "When I find the last instrument, I am going to wake the Wind Fish. And when I do, I am going to ask him to allow both of us to leave this island. Don't you ever doubt that."
"And what happens if he can't?"
"… Then we'll see what happens…"
Marin shook her head. "I'm sorry, Link. What I did was stupid… and childish… I'm a selfish person. I didn't realize it before… not until you came. It's… it's just that I couldn't let go. I was even able to accept never leaving the island… but not this." She lifted her head so that she could look Link in the eye. Though her eyes were red from crying, she wore a weak smile.
"But I think I understand now. The reason that you've been avoiding me isn't because you're angry or disappointed with me… it's because you are afraid of hurting me. It's all going to be fine, though. I understand that our time together is almost up. But let's not allow what we have left go to waste."
Marin's tone bothered Link. It was that of acceptance. He hated it. He wanted to tell her to not give up, to keep fighting against their fate. But he knew she was right.
Acceptance. It struck him that it was that mysterious emotion that the Ballad of the Wind Fish evoked when he first heard it. It was only now that he could fully appreciate it. Acceptance of a dying dream. As tragic as it might be, when faced with something so ethereal, one must make a choice to either wallow in fruitless denial or to accept the course of fate.
Link was too deep in his thoughts to answer.
"Link… Uhh… I don't know how to say this… but…"
Marin stopped as another voice joined the conversation.
"Marin! Marin!"
The voice was coming from another ledge below them on the south face of the mountain. Marin sighed as she stood up to see who was calling for her, though there was no doubt that she already knew.
Tarin continued to repeat her name as he scrambled about to reach their altitude. He had obviously been running for quite some time as he was out of breath and covered in sweat. Marin helped him stay on his feet once he finally reached them.
"Please tell me you're not hurt!" Tarin commanded with what strength he had left.
"I'm fine, Tarin," his daughter answered calmly. "Why are you here?"
"Why am I here? I'm here because Richard told me you were up on this mountain alone! Why did you lie to him? Do you not realize how dangerous it can be in these parts?"
"Yes, Tarin. I'm sorry."
"You tell that to Richard. I sent him to look further west on this ridge. He still doesn't know if you are even alive! After we find him and apologize, we are going straight home! You are in massive trouble!"
Marin frowned slightly but nodded in obedience.
"… I'm glad you're safe, though," Tarin added as he righted himself. "I could see what happened from further down. Yow! Link whipping across that bridge with that chain thing to save you! That was a surprise! Thanks for saving the day, Link!"
Link smiled awkwardly and nodded. He wasn't really sure what to think of the conversation, as Tarin's threatening tone lost its potency the more he spoke.
"Alright, come on, Marin… Let's go find your friend."
Tarin began walking the other way, expecting Marin to follow. She turned to Link first, though.
"You are going to the Turtle Rock now? For the last instrument?"
Link nodded as he began shifting his belongings. "Wait a moment, though… take this home first. I think it's a beautiful one." He retrieved the Organ of Evening Calm out of his satchel and handed it to Marin. "I'm sorry about how I've been treating you. I hope I can make it up."
Marin smiled in genuine happiness. "Good luck, Link."
While Marin and Tarin left, Link made some preparations for the last leg of his trek by replacing his hookshot in his satchel and recovering the arrow fired at the moblin that hadn't fallen into the gorge. He was readying his shield when another voice spoke.
"That girl sang her song in front of the egg!" the owl remarked in some surprise. "From the monsters' reaction, her 'Ballad of the Wind Fish' is no ordinary song! It is a song of awakening! Did she actually intend on waking the Wind Fish?"
The owl must have been there watching the entire episode. Link might have been bothered by the discovery if he didn't have more important questions on his mind. "So that song… giving me her song… is that's Marin's purpose in existing?" Link mused, ignoring the owl's own question. The owl didn't seem to have an answer, either, as it flew off without a response.
Link sighed as he started walking. At some point, he was hoping that owl would actually give a straightforward answer to something… anything he asked, but it seemed that he was running out of time. His journey was coming to a close.
Going to sleep before Link's return was difficult for Marin, but she had little choice. Tarin had already gone to bed three hours earlier while she continued to wait. She eventually decided that Link was more than capable of returning safely as he always had. Even so, she rolled out his mat so it would be ready for him upon his return before allowing herself to fall into a light doze.
Link must have returned very late that night, as he didn't even stir from his position when Marin got up the next morning and dressed. She smiled when she saw the eighth and final instrument, a drum with a thunder pattern on it, at the end of the shelf along with the others. Tarin had already awakened, which was not surprising considering how much earlier he had gone to bed compared to his daughter and their guest, and left for the day to the village crop field.
Marin went to the kitchenette and prepared some hot cider for herself and Link. Seeing that he was still asleep by the time she finished the brew, she smirked as she sat a mug right next to Link's nose. The aroma finally brought him to his senses. He groaned as he took the cup silently and found a seat at the table. Marin joined him.
"You were gone a long time. How was it?"
"Could have been worse," Link began slowly, still tired. "The dungeon was just very large. But that's it! We have all eight instruments."
Marin blew on her own cup to help it cool. "So are you going to the egg today?" she asked before taking a gulp.
"… No, no I don't think so," Link said as he set his cider down. "Actually, I wanted to spend this day… uhh… well, with you. To make up for how… unfair I've been."
The woman smiled. "It sounds like a decent proposal," she said playfully. "Hopefully Tarin won't mind me having too much fun after yesterday."
"How is he?" Link asked.
Marin laughed sheepishly. "He cooled off as the day went on. He'll get over it… It helped that Richard wasn't too upset when we finally found him. Rather than talking about my past mistakes, though, how about we go and set about righting yours?"
Link knew it was probably his last full day on Koholint, and he wanted to make the most of it. The two walked the entire village and spoke with everyone that they came across- Madame MeowMeow, the quadruplets, even the Trendy Games owner. They lunched at Kanalet, where Link took extra time and made sure to thank Richard for everything he had done to help both him and Marin, since Link didn't expect to ever see the young prince again. Of course, he never shared that detail with Richard. Fortunately, Richard provided a final goodbye with more flourish than anything Link could ever come up with by wishing the two "a satisfying completion to the day and best of luck in whatever endeavors the future requires" as he shut the castle gates behind them with a smile.
Afterwards, the two went down to the Toronbo Shores and took a seat on their old chunk of driftwood on the beach, making sure to keep far away from the remains of their grounded boat to avoid bringing back bad memories. Unlike their previous conversations in this location, the subjects the two discussed were much lighter- the weather, the birds, favorite foods, and the like. Whenever they would get too hot, the two would take their shoes off and wet their feet in the ocean water.
They stayed here for most of the afternoon before heading home to start preparing dinner. Since they had extra time, Marin wanted to make sure it was a good one. Though the two were supposed to make the meal together, the reality was that Link acted more like Marin's assistant, being bossed around to go retrieve and measure items. It wasn't that Link didn't want to help or that Marin ordered him to perform menial tasks. More accurately, whenever Marin would give him something more complicated to do, he would ask so many questions as to whether he was doing it right that Marin would eventually get annoyed and take over the task. Their efforts were not in vain, though, as a very gregarious Tarin poured compliment after compliment over his plate that night.
After spending some time joking around at the table after dinner and cleaning up, Link took Marin back to their cliff alone. Night had fallen, and the only other sounds were that of the wind and the waves below. Once again, the two lied on the grass next to each other looking at the stars, bringing their time together in full circle. The two sat like this quietly for some time before Marin dragged herself closer to Link's side.
"I wish this night could last forever," Marin whispered sadly.
He put an arm around her and closed his eyes in a mixture of warmth and pain. Marin was both so close and so far away. If it was just a dream, then why did it feel so real? Having her by his side brought him some strange sense of hope that he wasn't sure was even healthy for him.
But the feeling was too strong for him to let go. The two remained there together for hours, and Link would have been willing to stay the entire night. As usual, it was Marin that moved things forward.
"Link… there's something I want to ask you."
"Anything."
The two sat up and faced each other while holding hands. Both Marin's face and her voice revealed a strange mixture of concern and affection. "I know you care about me, and I know that you want me to leave with you. I even know you'd be willing to stay on Koholint. But… Link, some day, maybe tomorrow, you will leave this island... I just know it in my heart... All I can ask is ...Don't ever forget me... If you do, I'll never forgive you!"
"You make it sound as if you can't leave…" Link muttered.
"Well… then just in case I don't… If… when… you leave, all I can leave you with is my song. Play it on your ocarina and it might remind you of Koholint. Don't ever forget this song… or me…"
Marin abruptly leaned forward and gave Link a chaste kiss. She backed away before either of them could pursue it any further.
"We should go back. I'm already tired…" she finished without allowing Link to respond.
Link sighed as he helped her up. Though he didn't want to go back, he knew he needed to go to bed before long.
As he lay on his mat that night, Link couldn't fall asleep until he heard Marin's breathing steady. Up until that point, it was possible that she might decide she couldn't go to sleep, either, and roll off her bed to talk to him, and he wasn't willing to miss any possible memory he might have left with Marin. But she was asleep.
Link had a habit of waking up during the night if there was a noise or if he felt a draft of cool air. It was actually a useful attribute, as he could either get up to defend himself or immediately go back to sleep. One such event occurred that next morning, probably caused by a breeze. Link went to the window to see that it was not yet dawn. He turned to Marin and then the instruments. If he left now, maybe the entire thing would be over while she was still asleep, and since he had gone to bed relatively early, he felt he had enough energy to face whatever was ahead of him.
Link dressed and gathered his weapons as quietly as he could. Seeing that there was simply no way to carry all eight instruments, he grabbed a couple of bags Tarin had stored in his closet. Normally, Link wasn't one for stealing, but in a few hours Tarin wouldn't be needing them anymore.
Still, he muttered, "Sorry," as he loaded them with the instruments. Finding a comfortable way to carry everything was quite difficult, but he eventually managed by slinging one bag over his left shoulder and another over his right, both of which were positioned on top of his rucksack. To do so, he had to remove his bow and quiver and store them in his rucksack and tie his shield to the exterior of one of the bags.
With everything in tow, Link took one last glance at the two people who had once saved his life still asleep in bed. He thought about saying thanks; he thought about giving Marin a second kiss. Instead, he opened the door without any grandeur.
To his annoyance, the moment was ruined when the hinge creaked loudly upon opening. After changing clothes, rolling up mats, and throwing instruments into burlap sacks, nothing was as loud as a cheap, unoiled door.
Link quickened his pace as he walked away from the house in hope of escaping before either of them woke. He wasn't successful.
"Link… What are you doing up so-."
Link looked back to see Marin's expression transform from groggy confusion to sudden understanding.
"You're going to the egg, aren't you?"
"… Yeah… it's about time… I…"
Link drew closer to the girl. He surprised Marin, and himself, when he suddenly grabbed her shoulders and looked her in the eye.
She seemed so real… right in his grasp…
He let go and took a few steps back upon realizing that he was again endangering the tenuous determination he grasped to finish the tasks to come.
"I'll see you later."
Marin smiled serenely. "Thank you, Link."
Forcing himself against all his desires, Link bowed his head and took off running. Running not towards the Wind Fish but away from Marin.
What a fool he had been! Rather than his last memory of Marin being the two of them lying together in the soft grass under the night sky, it would be turning his back on her as he fled like a coward.
Link fought a stream of tears and emotions as he charged up Mt. Tamaranch. The path up the mountainside was actually quite direct. Near the top, a weathered and seemingly ancient staircase he had never come close enough to notice helped him the rest of the way up.
He allowed his bags to slid off his shoulders upon reaching the summit. He didn't realize just how big the Wind Fish's egg was until he stood under its shadow, which towered perhaps one hundred feet above him.
With no other guidance, Link fell to his knees and laid out each Instrument of the Sirens in a circle before him. He then reached for his ocarina.
Don't ever forget this song… or me…
With water still running down his face, Link began to play the Ballad of the Wind Fish. He didn't notice the other instruments begin to levitate in the air until they joined in chorus with his song. Though he had heard the tune before, the other instruments brought new lines in harmony that added further layers to Marin's composition. The effect of the full orchestra was so entrancing that Link continued to play until he couldn't think of another note.
As soon as he hesitated, a cracking sound emanated from the Wind Fish's egg, much like that of a split nut but on a much more massive scale, causing Link to crawl away from it in concern. After expanding for a couple seconds, a large fissure ruptured. The result was an opening in the egg's shell the size of a small door. Link could see nothing inside.
Strangely, after turning his gaze from them during the blast, the Instruments of the Sirens were no longer anywhere to be seen. With no further use for them, Link left the bags he brought the instruments in on the ground while he drew his sword. He was about to enter the egg when he heard a familiar sound indicating that he was in company.
"The time has come… the Wind Fish awaits. But first… you must defeat the monster."
"Haven't I done enough of that already?" Link noted out of exasperation.
"The Wind Fish may wake, but the source of his discontent must be stamped out in its entirety. As it is, it still liveth… deep within that egg. This is our one chance."
Link managed to gather his emotions by turning his attention to the mystery ahead. Though he wished playing the instruments could have been the end of it, he knew matters would probably be more complicated than that- they always were. For that reason, he came prepared for as much.
"So be it. Any last words of encouragement, owl?"
"What you will find in there has not only access to the mind of the Wind Fish. It can see your memories… and fears. Do not allow it to deceive you. It is no more real than this dream."
"I'll keep it in mind," Link muttered as he entered the egg. Due to how dark it was inside, Link was caught completely unprepared as he slipped into a well leading to the depths of the mountain. He yelled as he watched the light above him fade away. Link didn't know how long he had been falling, but it was certainly a long enough drop to kill him.
And just when it seemed it wouldn't end- it did. And the stop wasn't so sudden. Rather, Link began decelerating, which he could only determine based off the decreasing amount of drag he felt. As he came to a stop, he felt himself hovering for a brief moment before dropping about a foot onto a hard surface.
Link took a moment to catch his breath before trying to stand up and find his balance in the darkness. The second task turned out to be easier than expected, though, as a number of torches lit themselves as soon he got on his feet. Link now found himself in an empty stone chamber. Looking up, he could see a dim light coming from one of the walls that stretched far above, presumably the entrance to the egg. Back at ground level, there were arches leading to other darkened rooms on each of the chamber's four walls.
Seeing no other guidance, Link arbitrarily chose one to walk through. When he did, a set of torches in this room illuminated while the ones behind extinguished. Interestingly, this room appeared no different than the last. He walked through another doorway to yet another similar room. With increasing confusion, Link ran through four more doors consecutively before stopping. Again, nothing looked different. With set lines on his forehead, Link looked up to a surprise- the light from outside was still there. It was then that he realized something was seriously wrong. To confirm his suspicion, Link dug his sword into the ground and dragged it a foot, leaving a large scrap on the floor. He then marched into another room and to its equivalent location. The mark was there as well.
Link took a seat on the floor and rubbed his head. He had dropped into some impossible maze where every turn he took brought him back to where he started- unimaginable in the real world, perhaps, but not in the Wind Fish's dream.
The Hero dropped his head on the floor and closed his eyes. He had no method to return the way he came, and he was now trapped in a labyrinth of never-ending passages…
Passages. The word triggered something in Link's mind. Sitting back up, he hastily reached into his bag and removed a piece of parchment waded up in the bottom. It was the page from the strange book he found in the library with directions on it. Though he had treated it rather poorly, his complacency towards it had probably saved it from water damage, as the other belongings piled on top kept it from exposure.
Link read its bizarre instructions doubtfully, but he had nothing to lose by trying. Link looked up again, as the light coming from outside the egg was the only real indicator of direction he had at this point. As he had broken the egg on its south side, he was able to use this light as a compass.
Link made turn after turn, each time appearing again in the same room; discouraging as it was, he continued to follow the instructions to the last word. He had become so accustomed to walking into the same room that he nearly walked straight into the gaping opening in the floor in the chamber he entered as he completed the list.
After hastily taking a step back, Link stared at the hole for a few seconds before looking around, down, and up. There were no other doors out of the room besides the one he came in, and the lightless ceiling above was at normal room height. There was no question- this was where he needed to go. Link kissed the page in his hand, folded it up, and replaced it in his satchel- this time much more delicately.
As he did, Link noticed a strange, ominous noise rising from the pit below. Unlike the previous jump into the egg, he could identify the floor below, indicating that he could drop down safely.
The young man could feel that this was the end. Link readied his sword, returned his bow to his shoulder, and made a final prayer to the Goddesses before leaping down.
Again, the chamber lit as Link entered. The wide space was unadorned by anything other than the stone walls and a design of a large whale engraved on the floor. He recognized the design from the Southern Face Shrine as a depiction of the Wind Fish.
Though there was no other form in the room, Link could feel an unnatural presence. Perhaps it was the thin layer of dark haze covering the floor. Link watched as this haze began to accumulate, at first slowly and then with increasing speed.
Link raised his sword against what had become a ball of smoke levitating in front of him. It became increasingly material, eventually settling in a strange phase between that of a liquid and a solid while still hovering above the ground. Link jumped back in surprise as something vocalized itself in a shrill cry, which Link could only assume came from the featureless object in front of him.
"We are Dethl!"
With each phrase, the form would quickly glide to another side of Link without actually engaging him.
"We were born of nightmares... Our physical existence depends on finding beings and plunging them into this sleep… Yet the dream would always end!"
With the last statement, the shade moved slightly closer to Link, causing him to lift his sword higher. Rather than fight, though, Dethl continued in a tone that sounded of vile pleasure, "… But the Wind Fish was different… the dream took on more form… The illusion did not fall apart like the others… To take over this world, we made the Wind Fish sleep endlessly! If the Wind Fish doesn't wake up, this island will never disappear!" Its voice then switched to that of vicious anger. "We would have been the masters of this place… But you had to come here and disrupt our plans!"
"Nothing lasts forever, nightmare!" Link answered with his sword still high. "If you do have more form within this dream, then perhaps it is here that you can be slain. I was brought here not just to end this rule… but to end you once and for all!"
Dethl hissed. "You speak with more confidence than you have. I can see your thoughts. You do not want to be in this place! It is not too late to turn back! You couldn't dare to hurt the ones you love!"
The form took the outline of a girl with a flower in her blowing hair.
"I would gladly run my sword through anything that dared to mock her!" Link said through clenched teeth.
"Perhaps. Then maybe I should reach further back." The form took on the shape of the wizard Agahnim. "Remind you of someone? He took your uncle and plunged Hyrule into darkness. And unlike that time, there will be no undoing what you do here!"
Link smiled grimly. "A part of me almost sympathized with you and the other nightmares. Maybe you had some compassion on the people of Koholint, and you defended the island against me. But the more you speak, the more you reveal your depravity. May the Goddesses forgive me for what I'm about to do… but I can at least sleep knowing your terrorizing is done." Link widened his stance as he kept his sword pointed at the false Agahnim's hideous shadow. "Enough idle talk! Let's end this... one way or another!"
Dethl let out another horrific shriek. "Heh heh! You can never defeat us! Let's rumble!"
With no further warning, several dark orbs consisting of the same material as the Nightmare rose from its hands and launched in Link's direction. Link rolled out of the way to safety. Despite his efforts, though, one of the orbs brushed his shin, leaving a severe burn.
Link winced as he stood up. While the move was sudden, it was still familiar- the fake Agahnim was using the same attacks that the true wizard had once used against him. Despite his injury, Link was able to grit his way through the fight. Once Dethl realized Link had the upper hand, he would switch his form again. The first time it was Moldorm from the Tail Cave, and then he took the form of a lanmola. He even morphed into a shadow of Ganon himself.
Dethl seemed to be trying to beat Link psychologically by bringing back dark memories, much like the Owl had warned. It also allowed Dethl to immediately learn and try different strategies to find Link's weak points. But his antagonist was ready. Link's rage had increased, and he had developed a zealous sense of justice. No fear was going to stop him in such a state. Dethl's goal of adjusting his fighting style to match Link's weaknesses might have worked if he was not relying on Link's own memories of the fights. By the same reasoning, Link remembered how to defeat his old enemies.
Sensing that the plan was not working, Dethl resigned himself to fight Link in his true form. Link thought he had defeated the Nightmare for a moment as the creature returned to its scattered haze. Before any celebration could begin, though, it gathered itself again and formed a small orb with a large eye. Two long arms, more closely resembling clubs, then assembled. Though the fight was not yet over, Link conjectured that Dethl was growing desperate and the end was in sight since the shape in front of him was not something he had faced before.
It was obvious that Link needed to attack the eye. However, hitting it was easier said than done. Dethl's long arms swung viciously fast and prevented Link from getting close enough to use his sword. Having no other choice, Link removed his bow from his shoulder. Link was proficient with the weapon, but it was difficult to thread a shot between the flailing arms. To make matters worse, as Dethl lunged at Link, its arms would make contact with the walls and floor, shaking the room and making it difficult to balance. With each hit, the stone would crumble a bit- water sprayed in from the cracks.
Link played a game of keep away for some time until Dethl landed a hit on his ribcage. Link was violently thrown against the wall, injuring his arm as well as his chest. He had to be more creative if he was going to win this fight.
While Dethl had no trouble hitting the other extremities of the room, his arms never reached as high as the ceiling. Seeing an opportunity as the Nightmare approached, Link jumped against the wall and pushed off as hard as he could. With the use of the Roc's feather, he was able to jump clean over Dethl's arms. In midair, Link launched an arrow at the Nightmare, hitting him square in the eye. The creature shrieked in pain, giving Link enough time to roll to safety, but only continued to fight with more alacrity. Catching on to what Link was trying to do, Dethl began to periodically close his eye. Link tried shooting him with it closed once, but the arrow simply sailed through the Nightmare, throwing off some smoke but not visibly perturbing the monster.
Though his body was not exactly material, the eye obviously acted like any normal eye, as Dethl wandered the room aimlessly whenever it wasn't open. The Nightmare quickly concluded that he needed to open it to first find Link, and then close it whenever he had a clear path at his opponent or if he saw that Link was about to fire another arrow.
The trick for Link, then, was to fire an arrow as soon as Dethl reopened his eye so he couldn't react. This significantly complicated matters as he had no perfect way of knowing when this would occur, and it meant that he had to hold his bow at the ready at all times, reducing his mobility.
From this point, there was nothing else to strategize- it was just a matter of who would come out on top. Link landed far more hits on Dethl, but he seemed to be making no noticeable progress. Conversely, Dethl had only managed to hit Link twice, but his blows were far more punishing. At one point, Link missed a prime opportunity for a shot at Dethl because he was hunched over coughing blood.
Link's chance at victory seemed to be slipping away as he began to run short of arrows. Those that missed were usually trampled on, while Dethl would snap the shafts that made their target.
The Hero of Hyrule leaned severely wounded against one of the walls while Dethl was thrashing purposelessly on the other side of the room with his eye closed. Link reached back to his quiver to find only one more arrow. This was his last chance. Dethl opened his eye and realized that he was far out of range from Link. The Nightmare closed his eye again and charged at the weakened Hero. Link used the same leaping technique he had first used to distance himself from Dethl's arms. Just as he landed, he released his bowstring as he saw Dethl spin around and open his eye.
The arrow went straight through Dethl and ricocheted of the wall. He had done no damage; the Nightmare had tricked Link into firing by opening his eye and then immediately shutting it. With his eye closed, Dethl was unharmed, and Link was unarmed.
Though he had missed, the arrow was lying on the floor still in one piece. Link grimaced before leaping for it. Dethl hadn't reopened his eye, so he did not see Link springing forward to his side. He didn't know the Hylian was there until he heard him hit the ground. Dethl swung at Link and hit him in the stomach. The unfortunate Hylian was lifted into the air and heaved halfway across the room into the thin layer of water that was now covering the floor.
Link was wounded, but his arrow was back in hand. After brushing water from his eyes, Link raised his bow up and drew it at Dethl. Seeing that Dethl was spinning around to determine how badly he had hurt the young man lying on the ground, Link let his arrow fly without even waiting to see if Dethl's eye was open.
It was. The Nightmare turned just in time to watch the arrow puncture his eye before being blinded.
Link smiled weakly as he saw Dethl recoil in agony. Just as Link thought Dethl was going to finally die, though, the Nightmare lunged at Link recklessly. Link redrew his sword; though he didn't have time to actually jab at Dethl, he managed to hold it in front of his body just before Dethl tackled him back to the ground.
It was enough. The Nightmare's hopeless charge ended with it impaling itself on Link's blade all the way to the hilt. The two held here motionlessly for a moment before Link let go of his sword and allowed Dethl to fall to the ground. He then himself crawled a few feet back before collapsing against the wall.
"This island is going to disappear... Our world is going to disappear... Our world... Our... world..." Dethl wheezed as its body convulsed.
"It was never your world to have," Link observed in a low voice, mustering all the strength he had left.
Link's sword plunged to the ground as what remained of the Nightmare quickly dissipated into nothingness. Seeing his antagonist vanquished, Link slithered further down until only his head and upper back were resting against the wall.
The sole survivor in the room looked inside a tear in his tunic to diagnose how much damage had been done to his body. He groaned as he saw his side was already peppered with bruises. Link then moved to raise his legs to reexamine his shin. He slapped the floor in pain with one hand as he accidently brushed against his burn there with his other hand.
When he did, he splashed himself in the puddle of water coating the floor. It was then that he realized that the volume of water coming through the fractures in the wall was accelerating. He ducked his head just in time before part of the wall on the far side blew inward. Link was pelted with debris and caught in an initial rush of water, but once the first gush passed, the water coming through the walls sputtered to a stop. Link opened his eyes to see a doorway leading to a freestanding staircase. He stood up and trudged through the ankle-deep water over to it after begrudgingly picked his sword back up and sheathing it.
Link held his side that hurt worse as he climbed step after step into a black void. Whenever Link thought he was surely near the top, it only seemed to get longer. He wasn't sure if the staircase had an end or if he'd live long enough to see it.
The staircase was not the only trick being played on Link's eyes. Maybe it was due to his injuries. Perhaps, though, it was that the world around him was becoming increasingly unstable. While he had long left the light of the room behind to the nothingness around him, strange images and lights began to fill the sky- some of random locations around Koholint, others in the sky, others out at sea. He froze momentarily when he saw one of Marin sitting at Mabe's square. He could tell that she was humming gently to herself with a bowed head and sad smile. She looked as if she was waiting for something, which filled Link with a sense of dread.
He would have gazed longer had this hallucination not faded and gave way to another. Sure that he was losing his sanity, Link hastened his speed. Finally, Link tripped over himself upon incorrectly anticipating another step; in its place was a small platform that could fit not much more than the Hylian and the owl that was currently standing erect on it.
"The Messenger of Awakening has come at last!" the owl announced, ignoring Link's stumble. "Young lad, I mean... Link, the hero! You have defeated the Nightmares! You have proven your wisdom, courage and power!"
Link was surprised to see the owl reference the Triforce- something from the outside world. "… What… are you, owl?" he struggled to ask.
"As part of the Wind Fish's spirit, I am the guardian of his dream world..."
"… His conscious?"
"Indeed. But one day, the Nightmares entered his mind and began wreaking havoc. Then you, Link, came to rescue the island..."
"You could say that," Link muttered.
The owl flew into the air a few feet without breaking eye contact with Link.
"I have always trusted in your courage to turn back the Nightmares. Thank you, Link. My work is done… The Wind Fish will wake soon. Goodbye… Hero…"
To Link's shock, rather than flying off per usual, the owl simply faded away. Link stood confused until another illusion formed in front of him. It was a whale of impossibly large proportions with somewhat undersized wings. The god of Koholint spoke with a booming voice. Its mouth never opened, and the voice sounded as if it was coming from all around Link.
"I AM THE WIND FISH… LONG HAS BEEN MY SLUMBER… IN MY DREAMS… AN EGG APPEARED AND WAS SURROUNDED BY AN ISLAND, WITH PEOPLE, ANIMALS, AN ENTIRE WORLD!"
"That world was Koholint, and it is what I have spent the last month trying to save," Link noted woefully.
"BUT, VERILY, IT BE THE NATURE OF DREAMS TO END! WHEN I DOST AWAKEN, KOHOLINT WILL BE GONE… ONLY THE MEMORY OF THIS DREAM LAND WILL EXIST IN THE WAKING WORLD…"
Link shook his head. "Your wish, though! It is said that you could grant a wish! Is it not true?"
"THE LEGENDS LED YOU TO THIS PLACE; EVEN SO, THE ONLY WISH IT IS IN MY POWER TO GRANT IS THAT FOR A YOUNG BOY TO RETURN TO HIS HOME. I KNOW I HAVE BROUGHT YOU GREAT SORROW…"
"No… no," Link began in a weak voice. "This island… its people… Marin… they're some of the best things that ever happened to me…"
The Wind Fish's eyes closed briefly, maybe in sadness. It was the only expression suggestive of emotion the creature ever made.
"SOMEDAY, THOU MAY RECALL THIS ISLAND… THAT MEMORY MUST BE THE REAL DREAM WORLD…" Opening its eye again, the Wind Fish continued, "COME, LINK … LET US AWAKEN… TOGETHER! PLAY THE EIGHT INSTRUMENTS! PLAY THE SONG OF AWAKENING!"
Link, of course, no longer had the Siren's instruments- all he had left was his lonely ocarina. He looked at it in hesitation. Did he truly want to do this? No, but there was no turning back at this point. The egg was shattered and the Nightmares were gone, so the dream would inevitably fall apart. And despite how things had turned out, what had happened was not the Wind Fish's fault. The two would be free again.
He paused twice while lifting the instrument to his lips.
They're not real… She's not real… they're not real. You're real. The Wind Fish is real. She's not real…
Link struggled to play the Ballad of the Wind Fish through his battling emotions and physical pain. His performance, though, was overshadowed as the eight instruments materialized around him and restored its chorus of old. The sound it produced somehow balanced both extreme melancholy and majesty even more impressively than when he stood before the egg. Perhaps the instruments were indeed playing differently, or perhaps it was simply the effects of Link's emotions on his perception of the song.
Link couldn't bear to open his eyes as it happened. As the song continued, Link became aware of the sound of trickling droplets progressing into the sound of pouring water. Soon the noise closely resembled that of a mighty waterfall.
He finally opened his eyes as the ground shook. What had previously been a sphere of darkness was now a mixture of waterfalls and geysers. The staircase behind him broke apart as it was hit by a burst of rising water, the force throwing Link to the floor. The Wind Fish was nowhere to be seen, and the visions that had adorned the air were dying away.
Link squinted as he saw a beam of light illuminating him from above. It seemed to be drawing nearer. He realized he was about to be consumed by it when he was instead hit by a geyser pushing upwards with remarkable pressure. He found himself drowning in it when everything disappeared.
The young Hero of Hyrule woke with a start after being lapped by a small wave.
The sun in the sky was strong, so at least some time had passed since the storm. How much? Link wasn't sure, and he had a number of more practical issues he needed to work out before worrying about that. First, he had to cough up some seawater he had swallowed. Once he had done this, his next priority was figuring out where he was.
He tried moving his arms to find that they were tied down by rope. He was bobbing in the waves with the lower half of his body underwater. Despite the ropes holding him down, Link managed to lift his body enough to see that he was on the broken-off mast of his wrecked ship. His ocarina floated nearby, as if he had just dropped it.
Another rope was attached just a little further down the mast. Since it was out of reach, Link spent the next ten minutes loosening the ropes around his left arm. Once he was free, he reached out and tugged on the rope until he found the sword tied to its end. He dragged it closer to him until he could grab its hilt with his left hand. He then used it to cut the ropes pinning his right arm.
Now free, Link pulled himself completely onto the mast and slung a leg over each side to help keep it balanced. After doing so, he hooked his sheath back on his belt and used his feet to propel himself a short distance in the water over to his ocarina. Other than his shield, which had never left his back, these were the last of Link's possessions remaining.
Link then finally had a moment to take in what had just happened. He searched the horizon for any sign of land to no avail. He was again alone at sea.
Koholint was gone. There was no evidence that he'd even been there- his wounds, the scar on his leg, even Marin's stitching on his tunic- they were all gone.
He had willingly destroyed it. He could list a number of excuses as to why, but the fact still remained that he had willingly destroyed it. And now he had to live with the fact that-
This train of thought was lost when he and his surroundings were suddenly covered in shadows. He looked up with mouth hanging open in amazement as a large whale briefly covered the sun as it flew far overhead. The Wind Fish was real, and he was now free. Link couldn't help but smile at the wondrous sight above him. At least his adventure on Koholint had gone for something. Maybe the Wind Fish would now grant his wish…
But the Wind Fish continued to fly away. Maybe it was because it never realized Link was below him. Maybe it was because the Wind Fish knew he couldn't help. But Link couldn't help but feel like he'd just been abandoned there after everything he'd done.
Link's smiled faded as he lied back on the mast. Figures. The Wind Fish was using him as a pawn, too.
Already Link was beginning to regret everything that had happened. Without that cursed owl talking into his ear, he could step back and realize just how ridiculous all of his choices had been. Why had he done it, anyways? Here now, he couldn't even remember his reasoning.
The Hylian slung his shield over his head to try hiding his face from the beating sun. He was probably going to die out there, having killed half his friends and being half a world away from any other.
Maybe it was for the best. The Goddesses were punishing him for what he had done. He had destroyed more than an island. He'd killed the most innocent and beautiful girl he had ever known, and he never even told her that he loved her.
From farther away, one would be able to see little more than a shield rising and falling between Link's sobs.
