Chapter 17: Awakening

Author's note: I'm getting more and more reviews. Thanks to all who reviewed, namely Rider of the Whales (again! Thanks for being a loyal reviewer), Base Guardian (once 'A fan' and the other loyal reviewer) and Silverwing365!

Was I really resting that long?

Link felt as though he were awakening from a long, pleasant sleep. He'd dreamed of Zelda often, that was for sure, but how long had he slept, anyway? The light seemed different, the bundle in his arms was stirring-

Zelda!
Just then, Link began to remember. He remembered what happened. He remembered what Anjean had said. Had the five thousand years really passed? Had what seemed to him a long a pleasure-filled sleep really been five thousand years?

"Link. You are awake."

Anjean was behind him. He turned to face her to see that the Shadow Guardians, Vaati and Midna, were both behind her, Vaati yawning and Midna rubbing her eyes. He turned around the chamber to see that Byrne was shaking his head as though to clear it, Blue had set down his hammer, puffing, and Red was opening his sleep-filled eyes.

"What time is it?" Blue asked sleepily.

"Exactly seventeen years before the freeze is to end, time enough for Zelda to grow up, for the rest of us to awaken as many as possible, and for you to begin your new mission," Anjean replied. Link looked out of one of the large doors leading into the tower's lobby to see that the light was oddly drained of color, and everything appeared to be in a starless night. Looking outwards even farther, he could see that a large group of monsters was roaming around. He wasn't sure what they were, but had a nasty feeling that they would prove formidable opponents.

Just then, he realized that Anjean had mentioned "a new mission."

"Did you just say new mission?" asked Blue in a surprised tone.

"Yes, and it is an unfortunate one indeed," Anjean replied in a grave tone. "Not only is the land plagued with unusual amounts of evil, but the six that could prove to be our last defense have been added to the offense. The Guardians have been kidnapped."

Link gasped, remembering the painting, remembering those beautiful, noble faces, remembering their incredible names. However, Red seemed a little oblivious. Blue, meanwhile, looked peeved.

"Ten rupees says that they'll be in their own temples," Blue mumbled and pulled out a yellow rupee.

"Not exactly," Anjean replied. "They've been held captive in dungeons."

Link held his hand out for the newest addition to his rupee collection, which Blue grudgingly paid, while Anjean explained the concept of the Guardians to all of them. She told the stories, and even got a tear out of Red's eye at the description of Vasilia's heartbreak.

"And now they've been kidnapped and are being held in dungeons of sorts," Link felt anger for some reason, as if his own family had been insulted.

"Exactly. You must rescue them!" declared Anjean. "Not only are they the Guardians, but they are your kin. Did you know that you can trace your ancestry back to the branches of the De Nyssa family that these Guardians come from?"

So they are related to me, Link thought in wonder. So I will have to rescue my kin.

"We will be able to aid you, hopefully, but more likely than not you will be on your own," Link turned to see a man clad in bright red with a white beard. Contrary to his obvious age, he radiated an aura of power, of health.

"I am Rauru, former Sage of Light and now Sage of Knowledge," he introduced himself.

"Why were you moved from Light to Knowledge?" asked Blue.

"Farore's servant, Selaya, was given the job. Had better credentials. It's alright with me," Rauru smiled. "As long as I am Nayru's servant, it matters not to me what job I have."

"Nayru's servants?" Red asked.

"Exactly," came a clear voice from the stairwell leading into the basement. Link turned to see a young Kokiri girl with green hair in a bob, forest green eyes, and wearing a green dress with brown leggings, a small fairy companion flying in lazy circles around her head. He would've betted anything that despite her young appearance, he was face to face with Saria, Sage of Forests.

"My lady," Blue bowed respectfully, causing Saria to blush.

"Rise," she demanded and walked towards Rauru. Just as Link was about to turn and look at her, he was surprised by a crash as what looked like a large, brown boulder rolled in and knocked the formerly standing Blue. It then rolled around to rest behind Rauru as well, then changed its shape to become a Goron. If Link could tell by the markings on his forehead, he would say that it was Darunia, Sage of Fire.

"We will help you as best as we can until you get the Guardians back," he said in a blunt yet reassuring tone. Link nodded in reply. He immediately liked this Sage, not as formal as Rauru and not a little odd like Saria. The Goron's eyes were kind despite his fierce appearance, and Link could tell that when he wasn't fighting, he'd be a good friend to have. The Gorons had picked their elder well.

"We may even be able to assist you in your journey," Link whirled around to see a young woman, maybe his age, facing him. She wasn't wearing anything, which was unsettling to the usually modest Link, but because she was a Zora he tried not to stare. She had nice wings, besides. And a pretty face, framed with a small pair of gold earrings. Her large, black eyes looked childish, but Link knew that she was very wise. How could she not have been when she was Ruto, Sage of Water? She simpered at Link and took up her position behind Rauru.

"Thank Nayru that there is no seal on us this time," Ruto laughed.

"Otherwise, our friend Link would be having to rescue twelve instead of just six," came a dry voice from the shadows. Link turned to face the tallest woman he'd ever seen, easily Byrne's height. She wasn't exactly beautiful, like Ruto and Saria were, but she radiated power and inner strength quite unlike the others. Her hair was gray like Rauru's, but she didn't look very old otherwise. Like Shadow Link, the shadows almost seemed to cling to her a little bit. Link knew by that that she was Impa, Sage of Shadows. She nodded to the Links, cast an approving glance at the Shadow Guardians, and stood at her full height (even taller than Darunia) behind Rauru.

"If you serve Zelda, then we'll serve you," Impa said in a voice no longer dry but strong and clear.

"For if you serve Zelda, you serve all of the races of Hyrule," a final strong, proud voice echoed throughout the Tower lobby. Everyone turned to see a young woman with brownish skin, large, dark, almond-shaped eyes outlined in gold and red hair carefully arranged in a ponytail, with some slim ornamental objects decorating her hair and forehead. She was dressed in a way that would allow her a lot of movement in battle, and Link could clearly see from the long scar running up her arm that she was a warrior. As she passed, Anjean and Byrne knelt to her. After all, they were the servants of spirits, and she was Nabooru, Sage of Spirits herself. She smiled at both of them and took her place behind Rauru as well.

"With our help, you'll surely be able to get back the Guardians!" declared Rauru. The other Sages nodded.

"Leave Zelda with us," Anjean added. "We'll care for her while you go through the temples." Link looked at the small bundle now sleeping in his arms, then nodded to Anjean. However, it wasn't Anjean but Vaati who carefully took the princess from Link.

"Goodbye, Zelda," Link whispered. "Hopefully when we see one another again you'll be able to understand. Don't worry." He then turned to Vaati. "Any harm that comes to the princess will be dealt with by me and me alone," he told him. "So don't get any ideas."

Vaati and Anjean exchanged a look, as did all of the Sages and even Red and Blue. It was so obvious that he loved her, but it seemed that the only person who was as yet unaware of that fact was him!

"Get the hot air balloon ready," Rauru ordered the Sages, breaking the awkward silence. He made shooing motions, earning sarcastic looks from Nabooru. Even so, she joined in when the other five Sages all hurried to the basement again, much to Link's confusion. Was his hot air balloon not still outside where he'd left it?
"Wait, it's outside!" he declared.

"Was," corrected Rauru. "Anjean spent some of her time awake hauling it down there where it would be safer."
Link turned to Anjean in wonder.

"You were awake this whole time?" he asked her quietly. She nodded gently.
"It gave me a lot of time to find things out. Including where you'll be finding the Guardians," she smiled. Behind him, Red and Blue perked up at these words.

"Listen closely. You must find and rescue the Guardians in a very specific order. Each of their prisons gets harder, and each requires more power backing you. The first you must rescue is Linebeck. He is in the Ghost Ship's Barracks. That'll be the smallest dungeon that you'll have to brave, so only the power of the Sages will be able to sustain you," she explained. All of the Links nodded at these words.

"Wait, does that mean Linebeck is the least powerful?" asked Red.

"No," Anjean replied. "It means that he is the easiest to rescue as of right now."

Just then, with a final pull from Saria, Ruto, Rauru and Nabooru and a final push from Impa and Darunia, the hot air balloon made its reappearance. It looked very much the same as Link was used to, giving him a sense of comfort. He watched as once again, Blue prepared it for flight as Red did some warmups with his Wind Waker. He began to walk towards them, but just then, he felt Anjean's hand on his thigh.

"Link," she looked at him. "I think this will resonate with you the most."
"Go ahead," he replied, not liking her urgent tone. Whatever it was, it was to be kept a secret from the others.

"Link, those last temples, the Temples of the Heroes, were very simple," she began. "They would be able to repel most people, but for the heroes known as Link and the tribes that revered them, the temples would be painfully easy. There were certain things there that each Link would be able to do easily, and pulled together, they'd pass the temples with flying colors."
"Those places Red would disappear to! The temple system that to me feels at least a little familiar! The monsters for Blue!" Link realized.

"Right," Anjean smiled. "However, these next dungeons aren't designed like that. These are long, hard slogs with little recovery time. They're more than twice the size of those temples, with more monsters, rooms, puzzles, and the like. They weren't designed to be beaten. They were designed to make you give up. And possibly to kill you."
"Bring it on," Link replied. "Farore's servants, eh? Well, it's more than fitting that I, Farore's champion, will be the one to rescue them."

With that, he leapt into the hot air balloon. Blue pulled at the stakes tying it to the ground and Red raised his Wind Waker.

"Farewell, heroes!" called Nabooru.

"Don't forget to write!" shouted Ruto.

"And especially remember: time moves differently in dungeons! So check often! You may find years have gone by while you've struggled!" Rauru gave them one last warning as Red began to conduct with his Wind Waker. The balloon slowly rose and drifted out from one of the large doors, which opened as it got near.

"Goodbye!" everyone within the Tower shouted. Vaati even held up the princess' hand in a waving motion.

Link waved in reply. It felt like the adventure was finally truly getting going.

The heroes had been flying for awhile when Red realized something.

"Wait a sec," Red clicked his fingers. "If we're off to rescue the servants of Farore, and Nayru's servants are in the Tower, then who are Din's servants?"

"We'll have to ask Anjean," Link replied. "We will anyway once we have rescued Linebeck."

"Or I could answer that question. I read, you know," came a high voice that Link hadn't heard for almost five thousand years.

"Shadow Link!" he cried and drew his sword. "Show yourself!"

"You're just going to kill me," Shadow Link replied coolly. He suddenly appeared several feet away from the hot air balloon, much to all of their shock.

"How could you appear in front of us after what you did to Zelda?" Link shouted, outraged. Blue put a hand on his shoulder warningly, while Red took a good look at Shadow Link. He didn't appear to be in very good health, actually. His skin looked ashy. His hair was long and tangled, filled with blood and dirt. His eyes were still maddened, but now the pain in his eyes was clear. Most of all, however, he looked tired. Malicious and evil, as he had before, yes, but now there was a tiredness to him as well.

"Link, he's suffering enough as it is," he warned gently. However, Link knocked him aside.

"Red!" Blue cried.

"Shadow, what do you mean?" Red called, not caring that he was feeling a little shaky.

"I could've answered that question," Shadow Link replied.

"Tell us, plea-" Red was cut off when Link shouted again at Shadow Link.

"We're not accepting information from you!" Link yelled and actually made a running leap at him, tipping the hot air balloon basket and sending himself, Red, and Blue into the sky, totally unsupported. Link continued trying to attack the hovering Shadow Link. However, Shadow Link just vanished when he tried.

"Curse him!" Link screamed, still wildly slashing at the air. Blue grabbed his hand and the basket, but Red was unable to grab anything and was falling through the air. He was going to fall, he was sure of it. And die.

"Wind, send me help," he prayed. It was the only thing he could think of as he went plummeting. He raised his Wind Waker in a frantic attempt to conduct, but knew that that would just slow the death he was certainly heading towards. He closed his eyes and prayed that it would end quickly.

However, as the others could see, that wasn't going to happen.

Shadow Link had teleported to Bellum's chamber, and was now waiting for him to return.

However, the only person who would speak to him (or even get close to him) was Zant.

"Bellum doesn't want you in!" Zant shouted. "Lower your voice," he instructed himself a minute later.

"But I have important information!" Shadow Link declared angrily. "You must let me speak to him!"
"You won't listen to Zant, will you?" came an echoing voice throughout the chamber. "None want you hear!"
"But sir," Shadow Link began. "The heroes have awoken. They're going to rescue the Guardians!"
"Begone, will you?"
Shadow Link slunk out of the chamber sulkily. Lately, Bellum hadn't let him have audiences with Ganondorf or with Bellum himself. Shadow Link often wondered what the point of his existence was now. Bellum obviously didn't care about him. Only Zant was willing even to work with him. Was it that his evil was fading? No, he still felt it. Was it that he snapped at most others? No, they were too busy snapping at each other to care.

Was it because he was daily growing weaker? Yes, that had to be the case. Villains weren't very humane, and didn't care how badly someone was suffering as long as they were useful or lack thereof. As Shadow Link was sure that he had about a year left to live at most, this was the most logical conclusion. The villains were turning on their creation, and Shadow Link was sure that they were ready and willing to let him die when the time came.

The heroes hated him, too. That was more of a victory than a defeat, however.

"See, Vio?" Shadow Link hissed to himself. "There's nothing for you!"

However, the feeling of almost apathy that met Shadow Link let him know that the little left of his identity that clearly identified itself as Vio was too miserable already to care.

Author's note (again): Everyone, guess why Red's not going to die!