A.N: "Get off your knees, you're blowing the game!"
"So what next?" Midna's voice startled him out of his brooding. His shadow shifted, rising before him into the silhouette of the imp.
"Did you think I'd disappeared? Listen, there's another thing I forgot to tell you... Don't think you can just run off and save your friends, because you can't. Just beyond that bridge the land is covered in twilight. Last time a shadow beast pulled you through the curtain, since you need the cooperation of someone from the twilight realm." She was from there? The dark world?
"So you have no choice to do what I say. Saving your friends and all that... Well that all depends on what you do from now on. Because you can never trust words you know. Right now, I want a sword and a shield that will suit me. Satisfy my needs pet."
She sunk back into the ground before he could attack her. He took his frustrations out on a green monster, knocking it to the ground. It died too quickly, annoyance boiling within him. More by his house were killed with the same swiftness. Satisfied, he was about to turn when; "Wait!" Was that... a squirrel? "Those monsters... They made both the village and the forest a mess. They kidnapped the village children..."
All of them... For what reason!?
"But I know... You're not one of them. You smell like the trees of Ordon..." His sword and it's sweet smelling bark drifted back into his mind. The squirrel rushed off, leaving him alone in the clearing with his memories.
Hanch stood atop a plateau, gazing up at the moon. "The children..." He mourned. "Please say nothing's happened." His head lowered. "Please forgive your good for nothing father..."
"Hey about the shield-" He perked up, following the sound of hushed voices to the front of Jaggle's house. He crawled into the tall grass. Bo and Jaggle whispered frantically in front of his house, hunched over and making wide gestures. "... So, that shield is still in your house, right?" Bo began.
"Uh, yeah, it should be in our storage loft." Said Jaggle.
"Good! Go grab it, quick as you can! With our town protector out of sorts he can't look for the kids. I'll take over for him." Bo declared. Rusl? He crept closer.
"But Rusl had a sword, Mayor! And he still got hurt! If you're unarmed, you're done for!"
"I'll be fine, the sword for the royal family should still be at Rusl's house."
"Oh yeah? All right, I understand. You hurry up and get that shield. You just wait here..."
They spun around when Link took another step forward, knocking over a small pile of pebbles.
"No good! Run!"
Midna manifested in front of him. "Not a bad bit of information you heard, huh? Look at that open window." She pointed at Jaggle's house. "This town is just begging to be robbed."
He made his way back toward the rises of rocks when Hanch's terrified voice echoed; "MON-MONSTER!" He flinched, trying not to feel too upset at the man who was just calling him 'm'boy' a day ago. "You've returned for more, haven't you?! My... my daughter... Return her!" He pulled up a piece of Hawk grass. "And take this!" Link bolted, nearly tripping over Link the cat who ran up to him.
"I'm sorry, That person calling the hawk is my master's... husband." He would have laughed at the disdain in the cat's voice. "Why don't you sneak up from behind and scar him?" Link did just that, having Midna teleport him up. Hanch fell into the water with a shrill scream, leaving Link free to snatch the shield from Jaggle's loft. "It looks... cheep." Midna shrugged. "Now for the sword- giddy up!"
Link's heart sank in his chest when he laid eyes on the protector of Ordon Village. His mentor, his brother. "What was that sound? The children could not have returned... could they? I have to look one last time- you get inside the house. If the mayor comes for the sword, it's on the couch, so please give it to him."
"But, darling... your injuries..." Uli protested. He limped away from Uli who returned the house with her eyes fixed on the ground. There were bandages around his forehead and torso, stained with dried blood. He moved without thinking, but the man drew his sword in a rage. "Beast! I have found you!" Link stared at him for a long time, ignoring the swipe of Rusl's sword when it nearly brushed his nose. "Foul beast!"
Father... My teacher... he cried. He inched forward, whimpering when Rusl stuck him. Uli trembled when he drew near, her husband jumping protectively in front of her. Am I really a monster? He circled the house, digging his way in through a hole Rusl had always complained about, approaching the sheathed sword on the couch. It looked like Rusl's magnum opus. Ornate by metals and the finest leather.
"Hey! It looks like you can actually be useful when you concentrate! All right no more detours. It's time to go back to the twilight."
He reached his house. It sat on it's rise silently, listening to the sorrowful howl of it's occupant before the wolf disappeared into the woods. "Wait..." He turned to the voice coming from the spring.
"Come closer... You, who have been changed by the power.. of shadow... Come to me..." He complied, jumping back when massive pillars sank into the ground from above. "It comes... a shadow..." The massive beast from before fell from a hole in the sky, sloshing through the water towards him. He latched on to it, biting onto it's long throat until it fell into a cloud of dust. The rocks began to glow and a brilliant light blinded him.
A massive Ordon goat looked down at him, a brilliant orb of light between it's horns.
"Oh brave youth..." It began, voice coursing through his body. "I am one of four like spirits that protect Hyrule at the behest of the gods. I am Ordona. The black beast you slayed was a shadow being who seeks to steal the light we wield. We have already fallen to the netherworld you see beyond this land. The blight will not stop until the king of twilight is defeated...
To save the land, the lost light must be recovered. Three others must be revived. There is but one who can revive them and redeem this land... You. Your true power has not yet been discovered... Those transformed by twilight usually cannot recover their original forms."
Unless... you were to return to Faron woods and revive our brethren there... There, the power of the light spirit will give you the means to regain your other state of being. Farewell... he..."
This time when he approached the darkness, he welcomed it.
Running around the turned Faron woods as a wolf felt like a dream, or a fuzzy memory. Fighting shadow beasts for hours, tearing through the disfigured monsters just as he did approached a cluster of light above the Faron spring.
"Please... Be careful... These woods... Have changed..." Was this the spirit of Faron? "Blue eyed beast... Look for our light... Store it into this... Vessel..." A steel band manifested, glass spheres on either side. It curled around his neck, resting snugly on the crest of his chest. "Find the insects of darkness... that can not be seen by one... without the senses... our... her..."
The insects were easy to find, hunting them down with their
"Wh-What's with these bugs?" The man who had gifted him the lantern trembled on the platform he stood on. "Those things aren't normal! They're so big... So weird... So creepy... C'mon, get away bugs... Shoo... get out of here..." They ran out from under it, black electricity crackling. He made quick work of them with a spin attack, their stolen light floating up and into the necklace.
"Wh- What? They just... died? Oh, boy, I have no idea what's going on around here... I'll just lay low for a while." Interesting. The spirit had said they couldn't be seen, but the man had noticed them easily. Midna didn't share his interest, urging him to move on. "It's not unusual for some humans and animals to sense the creatures of the dark world. Especially since these original came from the light world..."
The rest of the journey was uneventful, navigating the now poison swamp of Faron and killing insects. The only thing of note was the same monkey Talo had chased the days previous he had saved from two insects who circled around her on the perch.
"Ever since the boss went funny in the head, there have been scary monsters everywhere..." The monkey continued. "Those village kids got lead through the woods for some reason." He didn't care the reason. He just wanted to find them. He collected the last of the light orbs, admiring the glow of twilight fade and the woods return to normal.
Midna brought him back to the Faron spring skipping forward and crossing her arms. "Aww, but it was so nice here in twilight... What's so great about the light world anyway? Well, see ya later!"
Just as she left an orb of light burst from the water, taking the form of a long tailed monkey. "My name is Faron. We are the spirits of light that dwell in Hyrule. By the order of the gods we here protect this forest. O brave youth..." Faron's tail encircled it. "In the dark world you were transformed into a beast, whilst others roam as spirits... That was a sign that the powers of the chosen one dwell within you, and are now awakening... Look at yourself great hero of the ages."
Gone where the Ordon clothes he wore, and in it's place was a green tunic. He tentatively touched the chainmail poking out from the collar, marveling at the weight of the Ordon sword and shield on his back. What this meant, he was not sure.
"That garb you wore once belonged to the hero of legends... his power- your power has slept within you. You are the hero chosen by the gods, brave Link. The dark power you seek lies in the temple deep within these woods. In the name of the gods we light spirits locked it away.
Because of it's power it is not one to be touched by those who live in the light. But there is no choice. Your power must triumph over that of the king of shadows... Farewell, chosen hero." The spirit left in another burst of light, leaving him alone in the clearing once more. He held his hand in front of his face, inspecting the leather with a cocktail of emotions. Hero of legends? Funny. He didn't feel like one.
"I bet you'd rather wander as a spirit like the rest of them, huh, 'hero of legend?'" Midna snorted. "Maybe your friends might be in that temple- didn't that monkey say so? What a coincidence, I was about to head there myself... Better get going Mr. Important Hero!"
He sighed, drawing his new blade. He had something to take care of first.
Ordon looked as it always did, but the heavy atmosphere betrayed the sweet song of the birds and sound of fish leaping out of water. His house seemed lonely without Epona or the children lingering outside of it, and Hanch didn't even yell at him when he accidentally crushed a pumpkin under his new boots trying to climb the rock he stood on.
"Link... You've come back to us?" His stomach jerked unhelpfully at the sheer helplessness in Hanch's voice. "Have you heard? The children... Those poor children... taken by monsters... The village is so quiet without them..." He patted the man's shoulder. He would find them soon. He would bring them home. "Link!" Sera exclaimed when he walked into her shop. "Are you OK?"
"Oh... Good... That's good m'dear. But please, you must tell m! Have you seen the children?! After you left we were attacked by horrible monsters... I hesitate to ask but I must! Please save them Link! Bring my little girl home..." She cried. "Oh... I know! Is there anything here you can use?! I don't have much, but please take a look! Please... we're counting on you to bring them back."
I will. Nothing will stop me.
"Link!" Jaggle rushed up to him frantic. "Have you seen the little tykes?! Rusl got hurt pretty bad after a bunch of monsters rolled in, and the mayor's gone looking for them but he's getting on in his years. Y'know, I'm worried for him. You gotta look for them! Please Link!" Link grasped his hands. Smiling reassuringly. Jaggle disappeared into his house, where he caught a glimpse of Pergie who sat slumped against a far wall. His heart ached. Some hero of legend he was.
"Rusl got hurt pretty bad..."
He had to see them. He opened the door with little hesitation just as he did a dozen times before. This time it was different. "Link...!" Uli breathed out, hand on her swollen belly. "Oh at last, a pleasant surprise." She settled back down on the stool next to... "You are safe at least..." Her words pulled his eyes away from Rusl's sleeping form.
He knelt by the couch, bile in the back of his throat. Rusl laid on the couch, head shaking back and forth. Somehow this was worse than watching him stumble along the dirt path in front of his house with his sword trembling in his hand. At least then the man could retain some of his dignity. Link lowered his head, balling his hands into fists so tightly he could make out the individual tips of his fingers through the thick leather of his gloves.
He would get Colin back to his family- safely. He would do it. For Rusl, and for Uli. He stood, gripping Uli's hands tightly in his own, promising they would come back. Colin will come back. He would find him. Uli laughed sadly, tears welling in her eyes. "Thank you Link." She sniffed, "I know we can count on you." He nodded, striding out the door with renewed purpose. "Oh... Link that sword..." He stiffened hand still on the knob. "Those creatures stole it from Rusl... but... You got it back?
How wonderful! I know it's safe in your hands, and Rusl will be happy it can be of some use to you. Please, keep using it Link. It does my heart goof to see you well, so please... don't be a stranger."
He didn't turn back, but he knew Uli understood just as she always did. He had something he needed to do.
Link was flustered. Not just flustered, but after he made it back to Faron Midna's comments were humiliating. "Ha! Mr. Important Hero thrown off his righteous path by a locked gate!" She howled with laughter, unaffected by his icy glare. True, he hadn't noticed it before, but now that it was such a large obstacle in his path. "Why don't you go ask lantern guy about it? Your friends are waiting!" She suggested, mocking him one last time before she disappeared.
The man was napping on the stump of a tree when Link approached him. He tapped his shoulder, startling the other from his rest. "Hoo, you threw me for a loop... Hey... you're that Ordonian..." He looked Link up and down. "Wow, I hardly recognized you! Don't you know it's dangerous to walk these woods without a light at night." He chuckled.
Was that another business pitch?
"Aha, yeah, but it's been kinda rough around here lately, so one can't be too careful." Link smiled at him. It had been so long since someone had understood him so quickly. "There are so many monster out there now I had to close up the gate to the temple..."
He gave Link another long look. "But you... guy... are you some kind of monster hunter? I bet you wanna get back there, huh?" He turned, reaching behind the stump. "You sure look geared up for it... So here you go!" He plopped a small key into his hand. "Oh yeah, careful of the poison fog on the other side of these woods. Your lantern can burn it out of the nearby air, so you're going to need all the oil you can bring!" He laughed, running a hand through his thick, curly hair. "I have a special- 100 Rupees for one bottle of oil."
Link snorted, passing over the minerals without complaint.
"Come back and buy more oil, ya hear?!" He bid his goodbye, leaving Link on his way to challenge the monster filled temple of the woods.
Many of the monsters on the way were dispatched by a flick of his sword. Ignoring Midna's haunting laughter when a Monkey stole his lantern and used up all it's oil (some hero he was turning out to be) he sighed when the temple came into view. He approached the bridge stooping at the ghostly form of a light brown wolf. Not exactly a welcomed sight... and unusual... It growled, red eyes glowing ominously. He drew his sword, ready to fend it off when his surrounding became shrouded in light.
He shook his head roughly in an attempt to clear it. A thick fog curled around his feet and the shuffling of footsteps caught his attention. A Skeleton stood with it's sword raised, a red light shining within a socket. He could see Hyrule castle in the distance, standing proudly in the light. The skeleton attacked, knocking him off his feet. He fell with a cry of pain- except there was no pain.
"A sword wields no strength unless the hand hat holds it has courage." A sagely voice cautioned. He stood, facing the skeleton who breathed heavily, as if every movement pained him. "But what did the gods expect when the picked a child to be their champion..." He heard it mutter, the tattered cloth it wore over it's rusting armor fluttered in the breeze. "You may be destined to become the hero of legend, but the way you are now disgraces the hero's tunic you wear." He balled his fists. He didn't care about that! He just wanted to rescue the kids!
The skeleton tilted it's head back. "You will. The path of hero and brother intersect in your future. Just as courage, wisdom and power will... You must use your courage to seek power, and from that you will gain the wisdom to use that power become the brave hero whom this world despairs. If you do find your courage and wish to save Hyrule from the the darkness it face... and with Hyrule, the children you so recklessly chase... Then you will be worthy to receive the secrets I hold!" The Skeleton shifted raising his massive blade.
"Enemies knocked onto their backs can be killed quickly with this maneuver." He lept into the air, driving his massive sword into the ground. Link observed, transfixed. Whatever this thing was, it was certainly more powerful than anything he ever encountered. It raised it's sword, looking at Link expectantly. He recognized the gesture... "In the past, elite swordsmen- and swordswomen," Rusl had added with a playful smile at his wife "would cross their swords like this before a spar. An early form of chivalry, you can call it." Their blade's produced sparks when they slid back, his opponent taking a defensive stance.
His sword sank between the skeleton's rib cage. From that day on Link would vehemently deny the shriek he made when the blow landed.
The skeleton shook his head at the boy who timidly wiped away the rest of the vomit from his mouth. He didn't care what Midna said he thought bitterly as he laughter echoed in the distance; stabbing a skeleton was beyond disturbing. "There's still more for you to learn." Link had almost fainted at the idea. "These techniques were made for you, the one who carries the blood of a hero and takes the form of a sublime beast." The light wolf appeared in his mind. "Grow powerful. Test your courage. And when you need another skill to overcome the trials you'll face... Search for the ancient stones that howl with the wind. The sound that calls to the beast to awaken me again."
"A sword wields no strength unless the hand hat holds it has courage. Remember those words..."
He woke up on the stone entrance to the forest temple, clutching his aching head.
Now to get back some of his pride...
The temple was enormously, with massive wood statues rising up above his head. Was that? He peered into the dimly lit area. The same monkey from before sat in a cage surrounded by Bokoblins. She cheered when she saw him, bringing the attention of the surrounding monsters to him. She clapped, climbing up a vine wall and resting down at the top.
"Try not to get your lantern stolen again Mr. Hero... Eee hee! Look how she's beckoning you! Aren't you popular?" She was indeed beckoning him, just as she did when he had chased her through the forest. The monkey stilled when he knocked over a stack of pots once he took his first step toward the door leading deeper into the caver and he discovered monkeys, indeed, could express disappointment.
He smiled apologetically, kicking away the shards and walking into the next room.
A giant arachnid descended from the ceiling from its web, distracting him from the embarrassment he felt from earlier today. It's long legs blocked his attacks with ease. The temple was riddled with puzzles- and a much larger murderous monkey with a boomerang he soon discovered as he watched it smack it's backside after cutting down the bridge. He followed the monkey back, swinging to the room on the right with her help and studying the narrow passage he found himself in.
A bombug rushed at him. Kicking it back it rolled into a wall that crumbled in the ensuing explosion. He approached the hidden room of pots, peeking into one he saw shake before he approached it. It shattered a small squawk coming from the creature that fell from it. "Phew! Free at last! Gracious once I got in there I couldn't squeeze back out!"
It was a... a... he gaped down at the strange breasted creature. "You were a big help... Thanks!" It said. Was it a she? A he? Both?
He shared a baffled look with the monkey behind him.
"I've been looking for something in here , you see. Gracious, yes! You must need something her too. Shall we work try working together for a while, fellow adventurer?" He wanted to say no, he longed to say no, but the bird's argument prevented him from doing so. "I can be quite helpful. I can even warp you out of here if you want to leave! So don't think of me as a burden! Now, let's get started! My name's Ooccoo!"
She, he decided when she flew up into his hands. It was probably a she.
Some detours, a mild concussion, and an accidental swim later, he was back in the main room having rescued most of the monkeys, about to relight a torch when the flame in his lantern flickered out uselessly.
He was out of oil!
He scowled, eyes flicking down to the chicken... thing safely tucked away in his pouch. Gross...
An hour later, Midna hovered over his shoulder watching him rub two sticks together over the post frantically. "You know... your friends could be dying right this moment because of this." He shot her another glare, rubbing the sticks together faster when smoke began to roll off the wood. He would not use the teleporting bird. He wouldn't. He couldn't. "You could go to Trill's, teleport back, and all you would have to do is..." She pointed to his bag with a wolfish grin.
He tossed the stick to the ground with a grunt. Fine. He could do it. It was just a bird... it was just a bird... "Would you like to leave?" A feathered head with wings flew up from under her breast "Let me introduce you! This is Ooccoo Jr.!"
He suddenly understood Talo use of the words Nightmare Fuel with startling clarity.
He ventured deeper into the temple, following the monkey who continued to lead him down winding passages and large rooms. They paused in one room, eyeing the small key to the third monkey's cell as it was swallowed by a likelike flower thanks to the Deku that dropped it in there. He steeled his nerves, charging at the creature with a yell. He dodged it's first attack, sinking his blade into the Big Baba's vine.
With one dying hiss, it turned to ash, the mouth of the likelike opening. Dusting off the key he freed the monkey who clapped appreciatively, running back the way he came. The last room in the front portion of the temple was filled with worm tiles. He had no experience with them, like most monsters, but he knew he best avoid stepping on them, lest he want to be hurled into the air.
With one last skulltula slain, the four were reunited.
They ran ahead to the door he first tried to enter. He watched them climb the swaying rope of the bridge the larger monkey had cut down. They hurled each other forward, each one urging him to do the same once they were lined up. He summoned his courage, jumping forward and trying not to think about the powerful wind that could knock him into the abyss below. He made it to the other side with no mishaps, looking back the fall didn't look so menacing. It would still kill him, but the height now seemed like a silly thing to fear.
A gate slid in place behind him when the log door slid shut in the room he entered, eyes focusing on the monkey that attacked the other earlier on a pillar.
He rolled into it just as it came back, knocking the monkey off it's post. He attacked the opening mercilessly, almost laughing on the third strike when the sword smacked against the monkey's large backside with a smack. It gripped it's bottom with a squeak, climbing back onto a pillar and hopping between them. A second round sent it stumbling into a pillar falling back with one last indignant cry. A large insect slid off it's back, exploding into ash before he could inspect it.
The monkey sat up, clutching it's head with a confused noise. It froze when it laid its eyes on him, scampering through a large hole in the wall before he could do anything. He snorted kicking the boomerang it left behind. It sprang to life, rising up in a swirl of wind and petals. "I am the Fairy of Winds who resides in this boomerang."
"You have freed me from evil, and now I have my true power back." He recalled the dark aura that the weapon emitted when thrown by the monkey. "Please take it with you, use it to aid your quest, and may both my power and my blessing go with you." It swung around the room one last time, blowing away leaves before resting snugly in his hands.
He found one more monkey outside of the room on the diverging path. "Might as well save them all and see what happens." Midna had said with a shrug of her shoulders. Using his new gale boomerang he back tracked, sweeping up enemies and dumping them into water where they drowned and bringing back items to him on it's way back. He held a newfound appreciation for it's resourcefulness.
Midna continued to laugh when he made minor mistakes, like burning a hole in the ground blocked off by a spiderweb and falling into the mouth of a likelike as he continued to free the monkeys. It spat him out covered in slime, the smell of it making him nauseous. Saving all the remaining monkeys was an uneventful affair after that, all of them rejoining in the last room.
They jumped from their fungi platforms onto a thick branch, forming a long chain by climbing over each over, and swinging back and forth swung across the gap making his way to the final room. A purple lake sat before him with several waterfalls pouring into it. A massive plant rose from it, water spilling off it's sides, falling onto the grass with a hiss. Poison water, he mused, drawing his sword as it roared. "That's the Twili Parasite; Diababa!" Minda warned him.
The gale boomerang was already sailing from his hand, flinging a bombbug at one of the two Baba's open mouth. It sank back into the water the other snapping it's jaws at him angrily.
A third emerged from the water, the other two crushing the logs that the bugs rested on. He grit his teeth, raising his shield when it flung the poison water on him. The wood hissed, black spots littering the surface, but it held.
A familiar hoot caught his attention. Was that...? The white monkey held a bombbug in it's hand, sliding across the rope before the monster like it was some kind of zipline. He caught on, flinging his gale boomerang at the monkey, it's wind dragging the bug back to him. It's second head clamped it's jaws around the bug in an attempt to bite him, blowing it up.
The main head retaliated with a spew of poison he didn't completely dodge. His white undershirt shriveled under it, the tunic seemed fine, thankfully. The process was repeated with the second head. And now all that remained was one...
He blew a bug at it when it looked towards the monkey as it passed, tossing it's head violently side to side, it collapsed on the stretch of land in front of him. He pounced on it, sinking his sword into the exposed eye. It reeled back, it's two heads rising from the water again more ferocious than before.
He leaped into the air with a flip, sinking his blade into the eye. It deflated shrieking in pain as it flailed one last time and stilling. It's body turned black and rotting, imploding into a glowing blue slate in the shape of... something. It floated into his hands. "Well done! That's what I've been looking for." The slab radiated with more power when Midna spoke, as if it were aware it was being spoken of.
"It's a fused shadow. It's what the spirit called a dark power... Do you remember what it said? Is this all there is to it?" She inquired with a knowing grin."There's a total of three. The light spirits having the rest... I bet you want to know what exactly the fused shadows are... Well, maybe I'll tell you if you find the remaining two. You better do your best!" She teleported him out of the temple and into the Faron spring.
"O brave hero..." Faron spoke. "Do not think Hyrule is saved from the spread of twilight... Leave these woods and travel west, where you will find the land protected by Eldin. There you will find those you seek..." The children... "But know that these lands lie in twilight... They are now a dark realm covered by the clouds of dusk. If you set foot within the twilight, you will turn back into a beast." He paled at the thought of the children thinking him to be a monster in that form. "Be prepared, hero chosen by the gods, leave these woods and go..."
"Don't worry Link," Minda cooed once Faron's voice faded away. "I'll take good care of you when you turn into a beast again." He tried not to dwell on that when she left.
The monsters in Faron had cleared out, he noted when he traveled north. A sign caught his eye, one that was signed Coro. He followed the direction of the arrow to the man selling oil with a smile. Nice to put a name to a face.
Night had fallen on Hyrule field, and the fighting the stalhounds make him realize just how utterly exhausted he was.
"HEEEEEEYYYYYY!" He jumped, drawing his sword. A man with a flag on his back approached, while Link tried not to blatantly stare at his too short shorts while the man talked. "Go no further! There is a black wall ahead that blocks the way! I thought I would deliver a few letters, but it seems impossible... I am the honorable and dependable letter carrier... also known to some as... the postman." Link blinked at the man dumbly.
"Now that I have introduced myself, please! Take this letter and read it at your leisure!" The man hummed a high note and thrust the envelope into his face. "Onward to mail!" He saluted, dashing off in the direction he came.
Post Office Notice the envelope read.
If I have a letter for you, I will approach you at high speed!
Please do not flee!
The Postman
Why did he feel like he was slowly loosing control over his life, he pondered as he prepared a camp for the long night. As he gazed up at the massive wall of darkness he couldn't help but find beauty in the dark clouds and smoldering orange sky beyond it.