Link emerged from the underground fairy fountain chamber to see clear, sunny skies above him. This confirmed that it was indeed daytime now, and it reminded him that this part of the Kokiri village was in a large clearing, as there were no tree branches blocking the view above him.
"The Forest Temple's supposed to be at the far end of the maze, right?" Linkle asked, walking down the path made by two long hedges. "I think it's this way."
Link followed her, but he did not trust her sense of direction. "We should ask one of the Kokiri which way to go."
"Nonsense! What fun is a maze if you have directions?" Linkle countered. "Besides, I found my way here alright, didn't I?"
Link tilted his head in reluctant agreement, although he hoped he would not have to rely on his sister's luck. Nevertheless, it was better for them to get lost in a friendly fairy town than in some sort of labyrinthian dungeon.
As expected, the Kokiri village of Kasuto was much more active during the day than it had been the night before. Scores of fairy children were out and about. Some tended to shops, others crowded around vendor stalls, and groups of what were probably actual children played games in the streets. Music drifted through the air from a dozen different directions, and playful fairies flew overhead, leaving sparkling streaks through the air.
For much of the journey, Linkle danced and skipped her way through the crowds, apparently spurred on by the music and the festive atmosphere. With her short stature and green tunic, she almost blended in with the Kokiri. Fairy children didn't continue aging past age twelve or so, which meant Linkle only looked about three years older than the oldest-looking Kokiri.
Link moved slower through the market crowd, but kept a watchful eye on his sister. He watched as she bumped into somebody who appeared upset with her, until another Kokiri came over and calmed them down. It took Link a moment to recognize the helpful Kokiri, but Linkle waved her brother over excitedly.
"Link! Look, it's Remi!" she said as he got closer.
"Oh. Hello again," Link greeted him. "Thanks again for your help the other day."
"No problem. Glad to see you both," Remi replied. "You were both down in the fairy fountain for a long time. Did you spend the night down there?"
"We did," Linkle confirmed. "Elmtera was really sweet. She let us bathe in her fountain."
"Ah, the magical healing waters," Remi mused. "Must have been nice. So, have you met with Saria yet?"
"No, we were on our way there now," Link explained. "Would you mind showing us the way?"
"Sure, come with me." Remi waved them along and headed in the direction Linkle had been going.
"Aw, that's no fun," Linkle complained.
"Just deal with it," Link told her.
They had apparently been on the north end of the forest maze already, because it did not take them long to find the exit. When they emerged, they found themselves at the foot of a long staircase that had been carved into the side of a large hill.
"It's up this way?" Link asked for confirmation, not looking forward to all the stairs he was going to have to climb.
"That's right," Remi said with a nod, climbing the first step.
"Ugh. What is it with sages and stairs?" Link complained as he followed.
"Race ya to the top!" Linkle called as she blew past them, her Pegasus Boots allowing her to climb at an incredible rate.
"Elle, watch you don't-"
"Ow!"
"-trip." Link watched as his sister fell face first into the steps just before she reached the top.
"Oh, my. We should hurry and check on her," Remi suggested with concern in his voice.
"She'll be fine. She's had much worse."
Sure enough, Linkle soon jumped back to her feet and finished climbing the stairs, disappearing from view.
When Link finally caught up with her, he walked out into a narrow, grassy clearing. The area was boxed in on the left and right by two earthen walls, atop which sat much larger stone walls, apparently part of the temple. At the end of the clearing was much the same, except there was an open doorway in the stone wall that must have led inside the temple. Another staircase led up to the opening. A tree stump sat on the right side of the staircase, while an intact tree rose up from the left side. The tree was slanted and had no leaves to speak of, and there was only one branch extending from it, hanging over the top of the staircase as if to welcome them.
Linkle sat atop that tree branch, waving down at Link and Remi as they arrived.
"Your sister must be quite the climber," Remi commented.
"Nah. Well, she is, but she got a new hookshot recently, so she's been using it every chance she gets," Link replied. As he said it, Linkle stood up and walked across the branch to the trunk of the tree. She then fired her hookshot into the tree and jumped off of it, lowering herself by the hookshot's chain. When she reached the ground, she sprinted over to her brother.
"Took you long enough," Linkle declared with a smug smile.
"Your nose is bleeding," Link pointed out.
"Oh, fuck." Linkle put her hand to her nose to confirm and saw the blood. "Guess I ate it worse than I thought on my way up the stairs."
"Let me get that for you." Remi's fairy flew into Linkle's face and began to glow.
Linkle giggled. "Hey! That tickles."
A moment later, the fairy flew back over to Remi's side. "There. Good as new."
Linkle wiped her hand across her nose again, finding it clean this time. "Wow! Thanks!" Moving right along, the adventurer girl turned to face the stairs leading up to the temple's entrance. "Alright, brother. You ready for our fifth sage temple?"
Link thought back to what they'd encountered back at the Water Temple. "Let's just hope this one goes better," he declared, climbing the first step.
The first room of the temple had stone walls and a roof, but the ground was still grassy soil. There was even a pair of leafless trees inside, similar to the one just outside the temple. The walls were also covered in vines, giving the place the appearance of being overgrown. It sort of reminded Link of the temple he'd seen in his dream, but it wasn't quite the same.
"If we're inside, why are there still plants everywhere?" Linkle asked, gazing curiously at the vine-covered walls. "Oh, right. Forest Temple. Nevermind."
Remi nodded his head, as if to agree with what Linkle had taken a moment to figure out. "This temple is a place where nature and civilization are allowed to meet," the Kokiri explained as he led them through the next door. This brought them to a narrow hallway with columns along the walls. Still, there was vegetation growing everywhere it could, despite the ground no longer being unpaved.
"The architecture is different from everything else in town," Link commented. "It's closer to the fairy fountain than any of the other buildings we saw."
"Oh, yeah. This temple was actually built by your people, not mine," Remi explained.
"Mhmm!" Linkle nodded, apparently knowing this part of the temple's history. "It's one of the original sage temples, and all six of the Ancient Sages were Hylian."
Link had some familiarity with the history of the sages, too. In ancient times, the original sages had transcended their mortal forms, then continued their work as spirits for centuries. The kingdom had only begun to have mortal sages again shortly after the Twilight War.
"So this forest must have been inhabited by Hylians at some point before your people moved here," Link said, also remembering a bit of Kokiri history.
"That's right," Remi confirmed. "We used to live further south, but when the first Great Deku Tree passed away, those forests were no longer safe for our kind. Luckily, we were able to plant a new one here."
Linkle giggled. "Who knew you could plant a god?"
The next room they entered was quite large. It was octagonal in shape, with a number of staircases, balconies, and doors going off in different directions. The dome-shaped ceiling high above them had numerous open slits spanning from the center to the edge, allowing sunlight into the room, likely for the sake of the vegetation inside.
"Ooh, ooh, ahh!"
Strange sounds from above them drew Link and Linkle's gaze upward. The sounds were coming from a pair of hairy creatures, swinging across the vines that hung from the ceiling.
"What the? What are those doing in here?" Link asked.
"Hm? The monkeys?" Remi looked up. "Nothing, really. Lots of animals live in here."
Linkle gasped. "I've never seen a monkey!" she cried, her voice high-pitched in excitement. Reaching to her side, she pulled out her hookshot.
"Elle, careful with that. Don't go chasing after-" Link tried to warn his sister, but she ignored him, firing off her hookshot and flying across the room in pursuit of the pair of animals.
"Is she going to be alright?" Remi asked.
"I'd be more worried about the monkeys," Link told him. "Let's just keep going. She'll catch up with us."
"Okay, then." Remi and his fairy continued to the center of the room. There sat a stone altar with four torches forming a square around it, surrounded on all sides by a fine red carpet. However, Remi passed by the altar, leading Link towards one of the doors on the ground level.
"We're going this way, Elle!" Link called, looking over his shoulder and up at the ceiling.
"Okay!" Linkle replied, swinging between her hookshot and a vine.
Before they went through the door, Link noticed a well-made painting on the wall above it. "Who are they?" Link asked, pointing. The painting depicted four young women posing as if for a family portrait. Each of them wore a fancy-looking, uniquely-colored dress; one violet, one red, one blue, and one green.
"Previous caretakers of the temple," Remi explained. "They were Hylians who served the first forest sage."
"I see."
The door took Remi and Link down a short hallway that opened up into some sort of courtyard. The ground was once again green with grass, and the high walls had no ceiling atop them. There were a few other Kokiri in the area, most of whom appeared to be tending to the plants or feeding the animals.
"Which one of them is the Sage of Forest?" Link asked.
Remi glanced at each of the Kokiri in his field of view. "She's not here," he replied, stepping over to one of the caretakers. "Excuse me, we're looking for Saria."
"Hm?" The blonde-haired Kokiri girl had been kneeling down to feed a deer. "Oh, I think she's with the Great Deku Tree right now."
"May we see her?" Link requested.
"Sure," the girl told him. "It's just through there." She turned to point towards another door that led back into the temple.
"Great, thank you." Just as Link excused himself, there was a loud noise as Linkle burst through the door they'd entered the courtyard from. The sudden noise caused the deer and several other animals in the area to flee, and most of the Kokiri jumped in surprise.
Oddly, Linkle was carrying a monkey on her back. Given how fast she was running, and with her balance impeded by what she was carrying, she had trouble slowing down. So, she slid across the grass, kicking up dirt as she did. "Whoa." She nearly lost her balance, but only stumbled a bit once she stopped. The monkey made a noise that sounded like a complaint.
Link winced. "Sorry about that," he said to no one in particular, apologizing for his sister's rudeness. "Linkle, what are you doing?"
"Look! It's a monkey!" Linkle said, taking the animal in her arms and showing it off to her brother. The monkey put a hand in her hair like it was searching for something.
Link watched the animal for a moment. "...That's nice, Elle. But we were about to go see the sage," he informed her, pointing towards the door the Kokiri girl had indicated.
"Great! Let's go." Linkle held onto the monkey tightly and sprinted for the door, propelled by her boots.
Link gave Remi a shrug and followed her.
The door led them back into the temple, and they passed through only a few short hallways and small rooms before they found themselves outdoors once again. However, they were not in a courtyard this time. They had exited out the back of the temple and entered into a beautiful green grove. Just like the meadow in which the Kokiri had built their village, this grove was surrounded on all sides by a dense covering of trees. Flowers bloomed in the grass that covered the ground. The part of the grove where they stood was flat, but further in, the ground sloped downwards, coming to another flat plain at the bottom. The sounds of woodwind music could be heard floating through the air.
"There they are," Remi indicated, pointing down the hill. In the distance, Link could see a single small tree, and there appeared to be a person sitting at the foot of it.
The monkey on Linkle's back grunted and screeched lightly, also pointing down the hill.
"Alrighty, then," Linkle said, as if agreeing with something the monkey had said. Then she turned to Link. "Race ya to the bottom!" With that, she took off.
Link watched her for a moment.
Those boots are way more useful than my boomerang,
He did not bother to run, and instead walked down the hill together with his short Kokiri guide. As they got closer to the bottom, Link could see the tree growing in the grass was actually larger than he'd thought. It only looked small because all the other trees surrounding them were positively colossal.
The figure resting at the foot of the tree became clearer, too. She was a Kokiri girl with bright green hair. Her outfit was a darker shade of green, consisting of a shirt with long sleeves, a pair of short trousers, and a pair of boots. The music they'd been hearing had been coming from her, but it had stopped. She held her instrument in her hand as she chatted with Linkle.
The monkey on Linkle's back jumped down and ran to climb the tree. When it did, Linkle turned and noticed Link and Remi approaching. "Oh! And this is my brother, Link," she said, introducing him.
The Kokiri girl stood and took a step away from the tree, waving at them. "Hello, there," she said to Link. "And hello, Remi. What brings you here?" As she spoke, her fairy and Remi's fairy both flew higher into the air and closer to each other, appearing to have a conversation through odd musical tones.
"I was just showing these two travelers around," the Kokiri boy explained. "They showed up last night. Nearly got lost in the woods."
"I see. That's nice of you," the girl said before turning her attention back to the Hylian siblings. "My name's Saria."
"It's nice to meet you," Link said.
"Very nice to meet you," Linkle added. "You're the fifth sage we've met so far!"
Saria tilted her head curiously. "Really? Wow, you two must be well-traveled, then." The Kokiri sage gestured with her hands toward the tree. "And this is our guardian, the Great Deku Tree."
"Greetings, Hylian children."
Link flinched. Even though he'd expected it, somehow it still surprised him when the tree started talking. He hadn't noticed it before, but there were indentations in the trunk of the tree that gave it the appearance of having a face. It even appeared to have eyebrows and a mustache made up of the lush greenery that decorated it.
"Wow, that's amazing," Linkle said in awe. "Fifth sage, but first god!" She stepped closer, looking the tree god up and down. "I thought you'd be bigger."
"Elle…"
"What?"
The tree let out a deep, slow, hearty laugh. "Give me time to grow, children. I am only in my hundred and nineties."
Saria smiled gently, and Link got the impression she was even older than her god. After all, this was the second Great Deku Tree. Many of the Kokiri in this forest had likely been created by the first one, and it would make sense for the role of the sage to fall to one of the oldest and wisest among them.
"So, did you wish to speak with the Great Deku Tree?" Saria asked.
"We wanted to speak with you, actually," Link replied.
"Yeah. The Sage of Shadow wanted us to retrieve your brother's sword," Linkle explained. "Can we see it?"
"Oh. You're here about that, too, huh?" Saria said, probably thinking back to the monsters who had come looking for it previously.
"Don't worry. We're not with the Hinox," Linkle told her. "The Sage of Shadow needs your brother's sword. It's supposed to be the key to something."
"I've met Impa Ichika several times over the last century," Saria told them. "I have not seen her in quite a while, however. And I'm afraid I don't know anything about my brother's sword being a key."
"We don't know all the details ourselves," Link told her. "We were just sent to retrieve the sword, if possible. Does your brother not wish to part with it?"
Saria winced at that. "He is no longer with us."
"Oh. I'm sorry." Link had taken it as a given that her brother would still be around. The Kokiri lived long lives, after all.
"It's alright," Saria said. "But, regardless, my brother's sword is not here anymore. It was taken years ago."
"Wait, what?" Linkle looked bewildered. "How did somebody beat us by years? And how did the Sage of Shadow not know?"
Saria shrugged. "I don't know. Like I said, I don't even know why Impa would want it."
"Who took it?" Linkle asked.
"Mila," the Great Deku Tree answered for her.
"Mila?" Link and Linkle said at the same time, sharing a confused glance.
"One of my daughters," the tree god elaborated, still speaking slowly and deliberately. "She took it with her when she left the forest."
"We know of her," Link told them. "She's a knight in the Hyrulean army now. She was the one who gave out the quest to help the Gorons deal with the dragon."
"Yeah. And she got Link out of trouble after he stabbed an annoying guy in the shoulder," Linkle said, grinning wickedly.
"Elle…"
"What? It's true!"
Saria laughed good-naturedly at their exchange. Then she cleared her throat. "Well, I'm sorry I can't be of more help, but if you want my brother's sword, you'll have to ask Mila."
"That's alright. Thanks for the information." Link was disappointed that they'd only be getting paid for one of the keys, but it was better than nothing. He didn't want to chase down a knight for her sword, especially if it meant trekking all the way across the kingdom again.
Let's just hope that isn't Linkle's plan.
"Yeah. Besides, the more important sword is still here, right? Let's go try for the Master Sword now," Linkle suggested.
Saria smiled. "Of course. All are welcome to try to claim the Master Sword. Several others came by looking for it not too long ago, actually. It's not kept in this temple, though. It's in the old temple of time, east of here." As she spoke, she reached to her side and took her instrument back into her hand, likely planning to resume playing once they left.
"Oh! You've got one of those, too," Linkle said, pointing to her instrument. Link hadn't noticed before, but she had an ocarina. It was smaller and a different color than the one Link carried, but it appeared to be the same type of instrument.
"Hm?" Saria tilted her head questioningly, holding up her ocarina.
"Yeah. Sage Lucrezia gave us the Ocarina of Time for safekeeping," Linkle explained.
Saria's eyes went wide for a moment. "Wait, really?"
"Mhmm." Linkle nodded. "Show her, brother."
Link reached into one of his carrying bags and pulled out the ocarina, holding it up for the Kokiri girl to see. "The Sage of Time said it didn't work anymore, but here it is."
Saria eyed the ocarina intensely for a moment, scrunching her face in confusion. She looked back up at the siblings questioningly. "That's not the Ocarina of Time," she said.
Link and Linkle shared a look, also confused. "No, it is," Linkle asserted. "We got it from the Temple of Time. The sage gave it to us herself," she repeated.
The Sage of Forest shook her head. "It looks extremely similar, but my brother carried the Ocarina of Time with him for quite a while, so I can tell the difference. In fact, that looks more like the Ocarina of Wind, if anything."
"The Ocarina of Wind?" Link repeated.
"Yeah. Could you lend it to Remi for a moment? He knows some wind magic," Saria requested.
"Sure." Link held the ocarina out to the Kokiri boy. "Could you help us confirm?"
Remi shrugged. "I mean, I'm no expert, so we might need to ask one of the wind druids. But I'll give it a try." The Kokiri boy took the instrument into his hands, held it to his mouth, and blew into it, covering some of the holes with his fingers.
For a few moments, nothing happened. But, as Remi continued to play, Link soon felt the wind picking up. Remi looked to Saria, and she nodded for him to keep going. Soon, the wind was not simply strong, but it was swirling around them, as if forming a tornado. However, before it got too turbulent, Remi pulled the instrument from his lips and quit playing. The wind died down immediately, and the Kokiri boy handed the ocarina back to Link.
"Wow. I guess it really is the wrong magic ocarina," Link said. "Elle, wasn't this one of the artifacts that was missing from the Hero of the Minish's shrine?"
"It was!" Linkle nodded furiously, appearing excited as she started piecing things together. "Wait, wait, I've got it!" Linkle snatched the ocarina out of Link's hands, looking at it closely. "The Sage of Time said her temple was raided by monsters once, and they didn't attempt to raid it again after that, right?"
"Yeah," Link agreed, already seeing where she was going with this.
"She also said some of the monsters went down into the catacombs and came back up without touching the ocarina. Well, maybe they were the same monsters who stole the Ocarina of Wind, and they replaced the Ocarina of Time with this one, so the Sage of Time only thought they never touched it!" Linkle beamed with pride after finishing her deduction.
"I guess the monsters must've figured out this ocarina was one of the fake keys, but the Ocarina of Time was one of the real ones, somehow," Link added, hefting the instrument in his hand as he spoke. "And that's why Sage Lucrezia thought the Ocarina of Time didn't work anymore. She must've tested it after the monsters left, but her magic isn't compatible with wind magic. Does that make sense?" Some of it was clicking in Link's head, but he still wasn't sure whether or not it all added up. "But how could the Sage of Time not be able to tell the difference between the two ocarinas? Surely she'd know it was different just from looking at it."
Linkle shrugged. "She said they look extremely similar," she said, gesturing to Saria. "And maybe she didn't go down into the catacombs often enough to see it all that much."
"This all sounds very odd," Saria concluded. "I think I'll send an owl to Impa, Lucrezia, and Balla about this. Perhaps the other sages, as well. I'm unsure why Impa has been keeping us in the dark, although I guess that's just how she is. But if monsters are raiding our temples for artifacts of some sort, then we really should convene to figure out what's going on."
Linkle gasped, slipping the ocarina into one of her carrying bags. "A meeting of the Nine Sages? That's so cool." The adventurous girl clapped her hands together rapidly in excitement. "We want to help, too. I'll go get the Master Sword. Once I'm recognized as the Hero, maybe we can work together with the other sages to stop these monsters and their demon master before they obtain all the keys."
"Sure. Like I said, all are welcome to try to pull the sword from the stone," Saria repeated. "Remi, could you show them the way?"
"You don't need to come with us," Link said quickly, already feeling like they'd taken up enough of the Kokiri boy's time. "If you could just point us in the right direction, that would be more than enough."
"Of course," Remi agreed. "I'll show you where to find the right path."
"Great!" Linkle cheered. "Thanks for everything, Sage Saria. And you as well, Great Deku Tree."
"Good luck, children," the tree said slowly.
"I hope your path is free of danger," Saria said, wishing them luck. "Goodbye, for now."
After leaving the Forest Temple, Link and Linkle took some time to purchase a few much-needed supplies. Link was glad to see the fairy children used rupees for currency as well. Afterwards, Remi did as promised, taking them to the east edge of Kokiri Forest. The siblings thanked him, and he sent them on their way.
According to Remi, the path they were on should lead them directly to the temple of time where the Master Sword was kept. Many adventurers went through this way, so the path was clearly marked and kept free of shrubbery. The section of woods they were traveling through was not a part of any Kokiri settlement, nor was it a part of the Lost Woods. However, that did not mean it was free of monsters, so Link remained on alert.
Linkle did not seem to share Link's fears. She was practically skipping, barely resisting the urge to sprint on ahead of him using her Pegasus Boots. "I wonder how powerful the Master Sword's enchantments are. Like, compared to the ones that priest put on our swords back at the Light Temple," Linkle wondered aloud. "You think Stalfos will, like, explode into a pile of dust the second I draw it from its scabbard?"
As much as he usually liked to see his sister this excited, Link had trouble feeling good about this. Sure, she was happy now, but how would she feel when she tried to pull the Master Sword from the stone and failed, the way everyone else had for the last seventy years?
I don't know if she can handle that kind of disappointment.
"You know, there are many other magic swords in the world," Link pointed out, hoping he could present an alternative that he could use to cheer her up later. "Perhaps we can ask the Forest Sage, the Great Deku Tree, or the Great Fairy to help us make one before we leave."
"Hey, yeah!" Linkle beamed, appearing to like the idea. "I guess you deserve a new sword, too. Maybe they can give you a forest magic sword that can, like, summon roots from the ground to ensnare your enemies. Ooh, or maybe, once we give the keys to the Sage of Shadow, she'll give you some sort of cool shadow sword. Then we could be known as the Heroes of Light and Shadow! That's such a perfect name for our legend!"
Link tilted his head in acknowledgement.
Not quite what I was hoping for, but it's something.
Linkle gasped, noticing a structure coming into view through the trees. "We're here!" she cried, sprinting ahead. Link jogged in a half-hearted attempt to catch up.
The temple of time was in ruins, apparently not having been maintained by either the Kokiri or any adventurers' guild. It may have looked similar to the Sage of Time's temple on the Great Plateau, but so much of it was overgrown and in disrepair that it was difficult to see the resemblance.
Link found Linkle standing outside what would have been the temple's main entrance, but it was completely blocked off by rubble.
"So, what? Do we climb over?" Link suggested.
"Hmm." Linkle looked above the rubble, probably searching for a place she could use her hookshot to get over it. When she didn't find any openings, she started walking towards the side of the temple. "There must be another entrance."
"Good point." If adventurers came here regularly, surely someone would've dug out the main entrance if there was no other way in.
Sure enough, right around the corner, they found a small entryway. It led them up a short staircase that took them into the heart of the temple ruins.
As soon as they reached the top of the stairs, Link had a feeling of déjà vu. "Whoa," he said aloud, stopping to look around.
The temple was exactly the same as the one he'd seen in his dream, except it was even more dilapidated and overgrown. It must've had a high ceiling in its prime, but the ceiling had completely caved in long ago. What remained of the walls housed several windows, although no glass remained. The walls were also covered with ornate carvings of robed Hylians moving in a processession. Link got the sense they were intended to be related to the Ancient Sages, or perhaps whatever time priests had constructed the temple. The floor was mostly covered with moss, but there was a circle of vegetation-less stone in the center of the room with the symbol of the Triforce on it. The two statues Link had seen in his dream were still at the end of the room as well, although one of them had crumbled to pieces.
"What is it?" his sister asked, noticing Link's strange reaction.
"I dreamed about this place last night," he said, realizing he hadn't had a chance to tell her about it yet.
This seemed to excite her. "Wow, really? What happened?"
Link thought for a second. "I think I was dreaming about the Hero of Twilight," he explained. "He was in the form of a wolf, like he was in the story. But when he approached the Master Sword, he turned back into a human and pulled the sword from the stone. And then this imp girl appeared."
Linkle had been listening intently to his recollection of the dream, but she giggled at that. "Imp girl, huh? Good to know what you dream about, brother."
Link furrowed his brow. "I meant-"
"Sure you weren't dreaming about Gaile? Or Sage Lucrezia? Or maybe the Great Fairy?" Linkle went on, jabbing him in the stomach.
Link responded by flicking her forehead.
"Ouch," she said, taking a step back.
"I think it was Princess Midna. You know, from the story? How she was transformed into an imp?" Link finished.
Linkle giggled once more. "I know, brother. I've read that story more than you have. I was just messing with you."
Link sighed. "Let's just get on with it," he said, moving forward.
"I dreamed about the Master Sword last night, too," Linkle told him, sounding proud of herself for some reason.
"Really? You saw this place, too?"
"Nuh-uh." Linkle shook her head. "I was in the Light Temple, but back when it was used as the Temple of Time," she explained. "I put three magic stones on the altar, and the giant door opened up, revealing the Master Sword's chamber. Then I went inside and pulled it right from the stone!"
"Huh." Link thought that was odd. It was a bit of a coincidence that they'd had similar dreams, but he supposed the Master Sword had been on both of their minds the previous night.
Although, it's even more odd that the appearance of the temple matches the one in my dream. Perhaps the Great Fairy put the image into my head somehow?
"So, I dreamed I was the Hero of Twilight. Which Hero were you?" Link asked his sister.
Linkle hesitated for a moment, thinking it over. "I wasn't any of the previous Heroes, I don't think," she replied. "No Hero ever claimed the Master Sword while it was kept in that temple." Linkle gasped. "Do you think it was a sign from Farore?" she asked. "If I wasn't being shown another Hero's memories, then my dream must've been a premonition about how I'm going to claim the Master Sword myself!"
That didn't sound right to Link. If she was meant to claim the sword from this temple, it would've been odd for the gods to show her a vision of herself claiming the sword from a different temple entirely. However, before Link could say anything, he heard the sound of voices.
"Wait. Stop," he said, grabbing his sister by the arm.
"What?"
"You hear that?"
Link noticed the door in front of the staircase that led up to the Master Sword's grove was already open. The voices he heard were coming from up there.
"Must be some other adventurers," Linkle said happily. "Let's go meet them." She must have been eager to pull the sword from the stone in front of an audience. Link followed her, but he drew his sword, just in case.
When they emerged from the temple, Link and Linkle found themselves in the same sacred grove Link had seen in his dream, surrounded on all sides by trees and ruined temple columns. A thin layer of fog covered the ground, and little sunlight broke through the trees.
As they'd been able to tell by the sound of voices, the siblings were not alone. Five Hylians stood at the far end of the grove, crowded around something. The other Hylians had their backs to the entrance, so Link could not see much of them, but they all carried weapons and adventuring gear on their backs. Someone in the crowd was making strenuous noises, and some of the others were laughing.
"Sorry, mate. Guess you're just not Hero material after all."
"I coulda told ya that."
"You oughta stop now, before it starts to suck the life outta ya."
"No, keep going! It's almost loose, I know it!"
Whoever was pulling on the sword yelped and stumbled back, his hands apparently slipping free. The others caught him, clapping him on the back and laughing.
"I nearly had it," the man who'd been trying to pull the sword free claimed. "One more try." The others sounded skeptical, but he nonetheless went right back to it. The adventurer once again made strenuous noises as he pulled, but the sword did not budge.
"I'm next!" Linkle called out, raising her hand and announcing her presence.
"Ahh!" The man with his hands on the sword slipped once again, apparently shocked by Linkle's sudden appearance. His companions were surprised as well, and all five of them turned to see the newcomers.
Linkle kept his sword ready and put his free hand on his sister's shoulder, halting her advance. These people seemed friendly enough, but he didn't want to let his guard down around five armed strangers in the woods.
The apparent oldest member of the other adventuring party stepped forward with her arms crossed. She appeared to be a Hylian woman in her mid-thirties wearing leather armor, and she had a claymore slung across her back. "Sure thing, kid," she said. "We've all had our turn already, anyway."
"Yeah, go right ahead," one of her companions concurred. He was probably in his early twenties, and he carried two daggers on a belt around his waist.
The one who'd been tugging at the sword pushed his way to the front of the group. "Hey, it's Link! And Linkle!"
Link lowered his weapon at the sound of the familiar voice. He and his sister shared a look, both recognizing the young man at the same time. "Ugh, this fucker again…" they muttered together.
Dayto laughed and strolled right up to them. "Say what you wish, just as long as you don't stab me again."
"No promises," Link and Linkle said, again speaking in unison.
Dayto ignored the comment and threw his arms around them in a hug.
"Dayto, you know these folk?" A very short girl who looked even younger than Linkle had asked the question. She carried a wooden staff and wore a cape and an oversized hat.
"Of course I do," Dayto replied, turning back to his companions. "I told you about them. They were with me in Eldin. Link here is the one who matched wits with the dragon!"
"Allegedly," Link said half-jokingly, raising a hand.
Dayto laughed heartily. "So modest." He gestured to Linkle next. "And this is his lovely sister, Linkle."
"Link and Linkle?" The last member of Dayto's group was a man who carried a bow on his back. He appeared to be covered in dirt from the forest. He raised an eyebrow and smiled wryly, as if he found the pair of names silly.
"Here, come and meet my new party," Dayto said to the siblings, gesturing excitedly. "This strong, stalwart lady is the beautiful Nat," he began, indicating the woman with the claymore slung over her back.
"I told you to stop calling me beautiful, Dayto," the older woman responded. She smiled at the siblings. "Nice to meet you, though."
"Ah, so modest," Dayto replied, undeterred. He cleared his throat before continuing. "This here is Endai. Don't let his scary eyes fool you. He's quite friendly."
The man with the daggers pursed his lips, but raised his hand in greeting.
"The little firecracker here is Chabi, our wizard," Dayto went on.
The little girl in the oversized hat raised her staff and waved it. "Hi, there. Anyone who's stabbed Dayto is okay in my book."
Dayto laughed. "A bit rude, child, but nevermind that. Anyway, lastly, we have Nazbi, who is usually about as filthy as he is now."
"Hey," the man with the bow said indignantly. He then waved to Link and Linkle. "Hi, there."
Link didn't feel like he'd remember any of their names, but he waved back. "Nice to meet you all."
"Yeah, glad to meetcha!" Linkle was always excited to meet new adventurers.
Finished with introductions, Dayto gestured to the Master Sword. "Well, then. Would the man who matched wits with the dragon care to prove his worth once more?" he asked with a wry smile.
Link looked to his sister. "You want to go first?" he offered, knowing she cared about this much more than he did.
"Hmm…" Linkle put her hand to her chin in an exaggerated, pondering manner. "You know what? You go right ahead, brother," she replied, giving him a mock bow of graciousness. She looked smug, as if she knew he'd fail and she would claim it afterward.
Link didn't feel right about setting her up for failure, but he decided that perhaps it would sting less if everyone were to see him fail, too. "Alright, then." Walking past Dayto and his companions, Link stepped up to the sword and put his hands on the hilt.
It was a surreal feeling. He'd lived through this exact moment in his dream, through the eyes of the Hero of Twilight. He still did not believe the dream had been a message from the gods, however. Or, if it had been, they'd shown it to him for some other reason, not because he was the new Hero.
I guess this is one way to find out.
He exhaled, as if to focus, tightening his grip. He felt the eyes of the others on him, but he tried to ignore them. Even if he knew he'd fail, he still felt like he should give it an honest try. After hesitating a moment longer, Link pulled upwards.
"Hnngggg…" Immediately, he felt just how stuck the sword was. How one could stab a sword so deep into solid stone, he would never know. Regardless, as much as he pulled, the sword would not budge. "Whew," Link sighed, wiping his brow. "Damn, it's really in there," he proclaimed.
Dayto and his companions laughed good-naturedly.
"Yeah, I figured."
"Guess you don't have to be the Hero to fight a dragon, eh?"
"Now, now. Don't give up yet," Dayto said, speaking words of encouragement. "Give it another try, old boy. Who ever said it would be easy?"
"Well, according to the stories, it should be easy if you're actually the Hero," the tiny girl in the big hat pointed out.
"Nonsense!" Dayto replied. "Again, again!"
Link looked to his sister once more. She smiled encouragingly and gestured for him to go on. He shrugged, turning back to the sword.
"Ehhh…" As he'd done before, Link pulled with all his strength, and yet it seemed hopeless. It was as if the sword were simply a part of the stone, and he were trying to lift the ground.
"Agh!" After a minute of pulling, Link's hands slid off of the hilt of the sword. The act threw off his balance, and he stumbled backwards. He'd hurt his hand, too, as if he'd scraped it on the hilt as it slid off. "Ouch," he said, waving his hand in slight pain.
"Did you see that?" Dayto said in amazement. "The sword moved!"
Link raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"No it didn't. Stop lying," the short girl said.
"No, I saw it, too," the older woman chimed in. "Like, it tilted to the side a bit. I think."
"What? No. No way," the archer disagreed.
Link was confused. It certainly hadn't felt like he'd made even the slightest bit of progress. Turning to his sister to get her opinion, he found her to have a very serious look on her face. She was staring straight at the sword, brow furrowed.
"Elle?" Link asked cautiously.
His sister flinched, then quickly threw him a wry smile. "Sorry, brother. But I guess there's only room for one Hero, after all." Ignoring the heated discussion amongst Dayto and his adventuring group, the young girl strode confidently up to the sword to take her turn.
Standing in front of the sword in the stone, Linkle raised her arms, laced her fingers together, and cracked her knuckles. Then she put her hands on the hilt. "Farore, guide me," she said aloud in prayer. After a dramatic pause, she pulled.
Unfortunately, the sword did not come free. Linkle froze for a moment, probably in disbelief. Then, with great frustration, she began to tug on the sword with tremendous effort. "Ugh. Hnnggg… Come on!" Just as Link had, Linkle slipped off of the sword, stumbling backwards into her brother's arms.
"Wait!" the little wizard shouted. "It moved this time!"
Linkle's eyes lit up. "What? It did?" she asked excitedly.
"She's right, it moved," said the man with the daggers.
"No it fucking didn't," the archer responded, disagreeing just as he had when the others claimed Link had made the sword move.
"Yeah, I don't think it moved this time," the woman with the claymore said. "It moved for the brother, though," she reiterated.
"Indeed!" Dayto exuberantly agreed. "Come, Link. Give it another try."
Link shook his head. "Guys, it didn't move at all for me," he insisted. He hadn't seen it move for Linkle, either, but he could not bring himself to say it. Dayto and his companions must have been seeing things at this point.
"No, seriously, boy," the older woman said. "Try it one more time."
"No! The girl should try again!" the little girl argued. "She must be the one."
"She went last time. It's his turn again," the woman replied.
"Yes! Again, Link! Again!" Dayto clapped Link on the back, shoving him forward into the sword.
Link was annoyed, but he hoped that trying one last time would shut them up. "Fine," he said, grabbing the sword again. With no hesitation this time, he pulled on the hilt once more. And, just as before, absolutely nothing happened.
"See? It's not him," the man with the daggers said.
"Told ya," the little wizard agreed smugly.
"Let me try again." Linkle did not even wait for Link to take his hands off of the hilt. As he pulled on the sword, she came around to the other side of it and put her hands on the hilt as well, just below her brother's hands. With both of them gripping the sword, they pulled upwards together. Suddenly, the sword came loose. It slid right out of the stone, and Link and Linkle held it aloft between them.
Everyone froze. All the chatter and the arguments from Dayto's party ceased. The siblings and their audience simply stared, all of them too stunned to speak. As the siblings held the sword between them, the grove grew lighter as more sunlight broke through the trees, and a refreshing breeze blew through the air, parting the thin layer of fog beneath their feet.
What in Farore's name…
Link slowly took his hands off of the hilt of the sword and lowered his arms, leaving Linkle holding the Master Sword by herself. The stunned look on her face slowly turned into a beaming smile as she turned the sword upright and raised it skyward, posing as the Hero was often depicted.
"Holy shit," the man with the bow said in disbelief.
"See! I told you!" the girl in the wizard hat bragged once more.
"It really was her," the man with the daggers agreed.
"Now, hang on," the older woman interrupted. "The boy had his hands on that sword, too."
"Yes, of course!" Dayto agreed. "Clearly Link must be the-"
Link shot Dayto a dirty look, gesturing with his hand across his neck. For once, the annoying adventurer got the hint and stopped talking. His sister had been dreaming of this moment for her entire life, and Link wasn't going to let anyone ruin it. Besides, he did not care that his hands were on the sword as well.
If one of us is the Hero, it's got to be her.
Linkle soon lowered the sword, then she squealed with glee, bouncing up and down in excitement. Unable to contain herself, she lunged at her brother, pulling him into a tight hug.
"Elle! The sword. Watch the sword," he warned her, not wishing to be accidentally killed in a hug by the Blade of Evil's Bane.
"It's me! It's me!" Linkle shouted. "I'm the Hero! I knew it, I knew it! I really am the Hero!" As she expressed her excitement, she began stuttering. Link realized she was crying tears of joy.
Link gently rubbed his sister's head. "You are the Hero," he affirmed. "I'm so proud of you, little sister."
Author's note:
This big moment marks the end of what I've been calling the "Blood Moon Aftermath" arc. The next arc will be about 20 chapters long, and I'm currently writing its 13th chapter. My plans for the next arc, which I'm calling the "Return to Hyrule" arc, have been substantially rewritten compared to my initial plans, and I think it's been turning out well so far. I've got a lot of stuff coming up that I'm really excited for you all to read, so stay tuned!
Also, to celebrate this milestone, I've put together a drive folder to show you some of the artwork I used as references for the characters in my story. This story has loads of characters, so obviously I don't have reference art for all of them, but I managed to find decent fan art to represent most of the characters who are important to the story or the world building. Most of it is just Legend of Zelda fan art of my characters' canon counterparts, but some of it comes from other sources. I'm unfortunately unable to put the link here, but you can find it in the notes at the end of this chapter over on Archive of Our Own. Feel free to have a look if you're interested, and please let me know if there are any issues with the folder.