Chapter Two

"Malon!" Link exclaimed in surprise. He remembered Malon from his adventure in Hyrule. They had met at her father's ranch, and she had taught Link a song that turned out to be very useful. She also introduced Link to Epona, a faithful horse that had to stay behind when Link left Hyrule. "What are you doing all the way out here?"

Malon explained what had happened since Link had left. Everything had been peaceful, but a few months ago, the Gerudo leader Ganondorf had suddenly disappeared. The Gerudo, of course, blamed Hyrule. Hyrule, of course, had nothing to do with it. Around that time, a large bird-creature had started kidnapping girls from across Hyrule. At first, of course, Hyrule blamed the Gerudo, but the Gerudo merely said that they were losing people, too.

"That's when I got taken," Malon said. "Dad tried to protect me, but that bird-thing grabbed him, too. It took us to this weird island and dropped him on the top of this mountain. This big monster thing was at the top of the mountain and it told me to tell you that it was waiting for you."

"What did it look like?" Link asked.

"It looked a lot like a Gerudo, but it was a man. I guess, since there's only one man in the whole Gerudo place, that would make him Ganondorf, but he looked way too dark. I mean, he was almost pure black, and he never left the shadows."

"Shadow Ganon," Link said, sighing. "Do you know where this island is?"

Malon nodded. "It's just a little toward the southwest."

Link stood and walked toward the ship's wheel. "Okay. We're going to go and rescue your father, then figure out what's going on, and then I'll take you back to Hyrule."

"Okay."

Link yawned and aimed the ship to the southwest. He heard the sails fill and tug on the mast as the wind pushed them forward. They had covered a little ground from Holodrum and Labrynnia, but now they were making better time. Link glanced over at Malon, who was sitting back against the mast.

"How far away was the island?"

She thought for a moment. "That bird only carried me for maybe an hour once we left the island."

Link nodded. So, that means that it'll probably take us about two, three hours max, especially if the wind keeps up like this.

"You got any place I can sleep?" Malon asked. "Being kidnapped takes a lot of energy out of you."

Link nodded. "There's a spare cabin back behind mine. The door's just through that door."

Malon stood and walked over to the door. "I hope I'm not being a bother."

Farore's words echoed through Link's mind. Don't rush, or you might miss out on helping people who need you. Link shook his head. "Of course not. I'm more than happy to help."

Malon smiled. "Thanks," she replied, vanishing into the cabin.

Link removed his Power Bracelet and unbuckled his sword belt. He, too, walked into the cabin, catching Malon's dress vanishing through the next door as it shut. He put the Bracelet back into his bag and laid his sword next to the Rod of Seasons. Propping his shield up against the table, Link yawned again, tossed his hat on the table, and fell forward onto the bed. He didn't even have time to get comfortable before he was asleep.

----

Link yawned as he opened his eyes. He looked outside and guessed that he had been asleep about two and a half hours. The wind had died down some, so they were not making as much progress. He walked outside. A sudden burst of cool air startled him, waking him up faster.

"Malon!" Link shouted. "We've got ourselves a problem!"

Link heard two doors fly open as Malon rushed to him. "What?"

Link pointed ahead of them. The sky was quite literally pitch black. Storm clouds were forming everywhere, some even breaking off and drifting forwards. At that moment, the rain started.

Link rushed forward, grabbing a rope and using his momentum to swing up to the bar that ran perpendicular to the mast. He quickly pulled the rope up.

"Malon! See that rope right there?" He pointed to a small rope that was hanging near the bottom of the mast. "Pull it, and hard!"

Malon complied, yanking the rope with all her strength. It gave way, and the sail flapped up, the knot that had been holding it down released. Link pulled the fabric up as fast as he could and secured it with the rope. He backtied the knot, so that when he pulled the rope, it would tighten the knot instead of loosening it. Sliding down the rope, he pulled on the rope as hard as he could.

Lightning flashed overhead. Link watched in horror as one bolt struck the mast. The bolt's energy coursed through the boat, literally tearing it apart.

Malon screamed and grabbed Link, holding tight to him. Link quickly grabbed the severed rope and tied an end to each of them as the floor started to give way. Another bolt of lightning struck the ship right next to Link and he lost consciousness.

----

"Wake up. Link, wake up," a voice whispered above him.

Link groaned, slowly opening his eyes. A woman stood above him, one that he recognized, but could not place.

"Hey, Dad! He's awake!" the woman shouted.

Link groaned, her loud voice sending sharp pains through his head.

"Are you okay?" a man asked, walking up to the woman. He, too, looked familiar, but Link could not yet place him.

"Wh… Where am I?" Link asked, trying to sit up.

"Koholint," the woman said.

"Koholint…" Link whispered. The name was vaguely familiar, but only barely so.

"Marin here found you washed up on the Toronbo Shores this morning. She said that you must've got caught in that storm."

Link remembered a storm. He was on a ship and it was raining. Lightning was everywhere, and he was trying to save the sails from any harm. A stray bolt hit the mast and decimated the boat. He also remembered a woman that he had tied to him, though her name, too, escaped him.

Suddenly, his brain supplied a name. "Malon! Where is she?" Link asked.

"You mean the other one Marin found?" the man asked. "She's okay. That rope cut her a bit, but nothing that time won't heal. You, though, should be thankful that you're alive. Marin wouldn't have even found you had this Malon not pointed you out before blacking out herself. You were buried under half a ship, you know, because of where you two were tied together. The Goddesses must really like you."

"Farore," Link said instantly, not thinking.

"More foolhardy, if you ask me," the man commented.

"Oh, Dad, give him a break. Obviously, he did it so that the two of them wouldn't get separated."

Link laid back. "I'm… gonna rest… for just a minute."

The last thing he saw was Marin smiling.

----

When Link sat up again, he saw Malon sitting next to the bed. She looked over at him, a slight smile on her face.

"Thanks, Link," she whispered.

"For what?" he asked.

"Saving my life. If you hadn't tied that rope around us, I probably wouldn't have even made it to shore, or so Tarin says."

"Tarin?"

"That's Marin's father."

"Oh." Link slowly crawled out of the bed and sat down at the table. "What have I missed while I've been out?"

Malon shook her head and sat down across from him. "Nothing, really. I haven't been up long. Marin and Tarin went to see if they could find anything useful in the wreckage. They should be back any time now."

As if on cue, Marin and Tarin walked through the door. Link nodded to both of them in greeting as they put a few assorted things on the table.

"This is all we could find. Anything still useable?"

Link's eyes darted across the table. Instantly, he grabbed a white and red rod and a red and blue harp from the table. He could not remember what they were or what they were for, but he knew that they were special. He scanned the table and also grabbed a sheathed sword. The words Master Sword echoed in his head as he unsheathed the blade. He traced the triple triangle symbol on the hilt and knew that it was called the Triforce, but had no idea why it was so important. The names Din, Nayru, and Farore sprang to mind, be he could not place them either. He sheathed the sword.

"Some rocks fell a few weeks ago," Marin was saying. "They've barred our way up."

Malon growled. "And there's no way around them?" she asked, obviously upset.

Marin shook her head. "None.

"What's wrong?" Link asked, confused. "And up where?"

"Your companion here's wanting to climb up the tallest mountain in Tal Tal Heights," Tarin commented.

An image of a giant mountain with steps cut into the side flashed in his head. He dismissed the image and listened to Tarin explain what he knew about the avalanche that had blocked off the path.

"Now, why're you wanting to go up there?" Tarin asked.

Malon explained how she had been kidnapped and how her father had been dropped off at the tallest mountain. After she finished, Tarin whistled in amazement.

"Wow. I didn't know that anything like that had been going on here."

Malon glanced at the table. She lifted up a small bracelet. "Hay, Link, isn't this what you were wearing when I got dropped onto the ship?"

Link shrugged. "I… I'm not sure." He took it and snapped it on his left wrist. "It can't hurt, though."

Malon looked at Link. "Are you okay?"

"Honestly, my head hurts, it's hard to remember anything, and I'm having an almost-constant sense of déjà vu."

"Do you remember who I am?" she asked.

"Malon," Link replied. "I remember who you are, just very little about you."

"That's okay. It'll come to you, I'm sure. Think you're up to seeing how bad this rock situation is?"

Link nodded. "Sounds fine to me." He stood, strapped on the sword, and led the way out. However, as the four of them exited, a large bird swooped down and grabbed Malon and Marin.

"Link! Help!" Malon shouted.

Tarin rushed forward, but stopped once he saw the bird fly upwards, to the Tal Tal Heights. "That stupid bird!" he exclaimed. He rushed inside and quickly came back out with a bag strapped to his back. "Let's go, Link!"

Link nodded and the two set out toward Tal Tal Heights as Tarin laid out the path they would take.

"I figure we can cross the Ukuku Prairie just east of here and head northward. That should lead us to the Koholint Prairie, and once we cross that, we'll arrive at the Tabahl Wasteland. Just north of there is the Tal Tal mountain range, and Mount Tamaranch is directly north of there."

"Tamaranch?" Link asked. The name sounded familiar, but again, it wasn't one he could place.

Tarin nodded. "That's the tallest mountain on Koholint."

"Oh." Duh. "Lead the way, then."