'Such carelessness, even though such a monster is lurking within the castle halls… It makes me want to retch.'
The man leaned against the stone wall, concealed by the shadows of a pillar. A deep, disapproving scowl marred his otherwise harmonious features, and his lips twisted in distaste at the bustling town square. Castle Town was as lively as ever, even though the castle loomed ominously overhead, a silent reminder of the threat within. His eyes scanned the smiling faces around him, sneering at their selfishness. Each laugh and smile was like a slap in his face. Did they not know of the things Zelda was currently enduring to spare them a lifetime of suffering and slavery? Did they not know of the trials he had himself been through to free them? Of course they didn't. They were selfish fools, focused only on their own pleasure. But it didn't matter anymore. Soon enough, the princess would be freed, and all of this would be over.
Removing himself from the wall, the man easily slipped into the crowd before him, his eyes settling upon the stone arch of the castle's gate. His steps grew faster and faster until he broke into a run, rushing headlong toward the deserted gate.
A flash of golden light, a cry, and silence fell upon the entire town, as if all had suddenly stopped breathing. All eyes turned toward the castle's gate, staring, wide-eyed, at the man who struggled to get back to his feet. When he finally managed to regain his balance, he gazed blankly ahead before once again rushing forward, only to be thrown back in the same fashion as before. A snarl of agony escaped his lips, his eyes slamming shut as pure energy coursed through his veins, setting his entire body ablaze. The pain was unbearable, but he had to try once more.
Before he could rise again, however, a hand roughly landed on his shoulder, dragging him back toward the fountain. He struggled, but the grip did not loosen, and he was forced to sit against the cold stone of the fountain.
"Are you mad?" A voice cried in his ear. "You're killing yourself!"
Surprisingly, the voice was feminine, but he did not allow his eyes to settle on the woman who had pulled him away with such strength. Shrugging her hand off his shoulder, he spoke:
"What happened to Hyrule Castle?"
In the small group which had formed around him, a few spectators could not help a gasp. As the man finally allowed his eyes to leave the castle, he saw that the crowd was staring at him as if he was mad. A woman near him, undoubtedly the one who had dragged him away, looked at him for a second, a look of surprise on her face.
"Where have you been?" She finally answered. "It's been almost two years since the Beast took over, and that barrier's always been there. No one gets in, no one gets out."
Life had slowly resumed its course around them while she was speaking, but wary glances were still thrown their way, neither of them caring as they glared at each other, as if committing the other's face to memory. The woman noticed that the one she had thought to be a grown man had in fact barely left boyhood. His wild blonde hair stuck out in every direction, and his crystal-blue eyes held an air of defiance. He was dressed in an odd green garment, a pointy hat crumpled in his hand as the balled into fists. His young, pale face was listless and, despite his childish feature, everything in him screamed he had seen more things and had gone through more trials than the oldest of men.
The woman was odd, too. Taller than most women her age, she had large hips and shoulders. Her short dreadlocked hair were tied into a ponytail, their fiery color creating a sort of halo around her weathered face. She had a matronly air about her, both intimidating and kind, and her supple chest enhanced the impression of maternal authority she held.
A few minutes had already trickled by, and no attention was paid to the pair anymore. Both were still staring at each other, until the woman turned away and settled her eyes onto the castle before them. Something unidentifiable flickered in her gaze as she spoke.
"So you want to get in there, uh?" She asked.
"Yes," the boy answered.
The woman's eyes traveled back to him. Even his voice sounded more mature than it should have. Something in her screamed that she had to help him get into the castle. As her eyes scanned his skinny figure once again, she noticed the scabbard tied at his hip. It was battered and stained by years of use and trials. "He shouldn't even know how to use it," the woman thought forlornly. Despite his young age – he had to be no more than sixteen - , she couldn't help but notice that he looked more capable than any of Hyrule's soldiers. In an instant, her decision was finally taken.
"The name's Telma, honey," she finally said, extending a hand to help him up. "What about you?"
The boy stared at her intently, then looked at her hand. He finally took it, allowing her to haul him to his feet.
"Link," he answered somewhat reluctantly.
"Well then, Link, come with me to my bar. You look like you need a drink, and perhaps we can help each other."
She turned away, motioning for him to follow her. After a moment of hesitation, he complied. Something inside him told him this woman could be trusted, and he had always listened to that soft voice whispering in his head. It had saved his life more times than he could count.
Perhaps it would save him once again.
The mug was slammed down noisily unto the sturdy wood table, the liquid inside sloshing loudly as a hefty loaf of bread was put down next to it. The bar was empty at that hour of the day, and for once Telma was grateful for it. Pulling a chair for herself, the matronly woman sat as Link eyed the bread hungrily.
"Go ahead, honey," she said. "It's all yours."
As soon as the words left her mouth, his hands shot out, tearing a large piece of bread from the loaf and stuffing it in his mouth. The burly woman watched with some shock and consternation as the boy literally swallowed the bread whole. Who knew how long it had been since he had last eaten properly? When the bread was gone, he turned toward the mug, snatching it up and sniffing the ember liquid inside. Sticking out his tongue, he placed it back down on the table. The man she had had a glimpse of in the square was gone now, replaced by the boy he should have been. She should have known beer would be inadequate. She rose, quickly fetching a pitcher of water and a glass.
"So, tell me, dear," she said, placing the items next to him on the table, "where do you come from? Surely you're a foreigner. Everyone in Hyrule knows of the Beast and what had happened to the castle."
He had poured himself a tall glass of water and had just gulped down the last few drops when she finished talking. Setting the glass down on the table, he wiped his mouth, staring up at her.
"I'm a Hylian," he answered after a few seconds of silence."I come from Ordon. I've just been… away."
He cringed as he remembered the events of the Arbiter's Grounds. His hand ghosted over his cloth-covered stomach. Telma did not miss the seemingly unconscious gesture, but decided to let it slide. He poured himself another glass, and she watched as he drank, more slowly this time. When it was empty, his eyes settled on her, and he spoke:
"Why did you stop me?" He asked. "I would have succeeded sooner or later anyway."
Telma felt her breath hitch in her throat, and the shadow of a sad smile passed on her lips. Such confidence was at the same time heartwarming and tragic. It would get him killed one of those days. Shaking her head, she cleared her mind of those thoughts.
"That magic you felt – it's malicious," she explained, rising to get him another loaf of bread and a bit of cheese. "People died trying to get in there by the main gate. It seeps deep into your heart and kills you slowly and painfully. But you – you're still alive. You should have died a few minutes after trying to force your way in. In fact, you should be dying right about now. When I saw you trying to push past the ward, I… I just couldn't help it. It was-"
The words caught in her throat. It had not been purely instinct. Something had pushed her forward, and the strength she had displayed was far greater than what she could usually do. He stared at her as she set the bread and cheese down, easing back into her chair with a sigh.
"But why would you want to get in the Castle anyway?" She asked, her eyes once again drawn to the sword at his hip. "Why are you here for?"
"I came to destroy Ganondorf. I came to destroy the Beast."
Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at the boy. His frankness had caught her off guard, to say the least. The thought of laughing did not even come to her mind as she leaned in toward him.
"You what?" She breathed.
"I'm here to save Zelda and destroy Ganondorf," he repeated.
There was nothing but resolve in his eyes, but doubt still lingered in her mind. She then remembered how he had looked in the town square – he had been a man then, not a mere boy. Yes, he was a man trapped in a boy's body. She reclined back in her chair, staring at him with warmth and, perhaps, a hint of sadness in her brown eyes.
"I knew someone was bound to rise against him."
She spoke softly now, as if for herself, still staring at the boy who had started to eat again. Her eyes flicked to his sword for a second before returning to his face.
"Us mere hylians are powerless against him, but you… you've got something. Something more. I don't know what it is, but still… it's there. I can feel it."
After a moment of silence, she rose, returning behind her counter in the main room, leaving Link to himself in the back store of the bar. He watched her leave before raising his left hand to eye-level. The triangle there glimmered faintly, and he smiled.
"This is it," Telma said, lifting open a trap-door previously concealed by a thick rug.
An horrifying stench immediately rose from the depths, a mix of rotting corpses and human wastes. Link gagged and quickly shuffled away, covering his mouth and nose with his hand. Telma frowned but did not move, still kneeling next to the gaping hole in the stone floor of her bar.
"This is an old waterway leading right into the castle," she explained as Link finally managed to stand close to the trap-door without throwing up. "It's not used anymore so I suppose it must be full of nasty things, but you'll just have to fight your way through them."
She rose as the boy stared down into the pitch black tunnel. Despite the smile she wore, she couldn't help but worry. Even though she had no doubt he was capable of great things, to see a boy his age bear such a burden broke her heart. She stared fondly at him as he sat next to the trap door, tying a rope around his waist.
"Now honey," she said as he tied the other end of his security cord to a sturdy post nearby. "I want you to come out of there safe and sound. And when you're done with the Beast, I want to see you back in my bar with proof of his demise, you hear me?"
Link stared up at the matronly woman who had helped him prepare his mission for the past three days. It was a short time to try to know someone, yet he already felt deeply connected to her. He smiled reassuringly as he stood. Patting her arm, he could see tears well in her eyes but knew she would never allow them to be shed – not in front of him anyway.
"I promise I will," he said solemnly.
"Run along now, Honey," she said with a wink and a smile. "You have a kingdom to save."
Lighting his new lantern, Link secured it at his waist and, with a last look and wave at the burly woman, started his slow descent toward the unknown.
I kinda hate making Link talk, although it couldn't be helped here.