A/n: So the last chapter was horribly depressing and many of us were very angry with Link, but we'll all begin to really love him again in this chapter and then be very proud of him in the next. He will be the Link we all know and love again!!! Yay! This chapter also clears a whole lot up, hope you all enjoy.
Colored lights danced about the floor from the morning sun sifting through the stained glass windows at Hyrule Castle. It was amid the grand dining hall, where tapestries covered every wall and statues of ancient Kings and heroes stood proudly as décor, that Princess Zelda was having tea with a recently acquired friend. Malon, the red-headed maiden of Lon Lon Ranch, had bonded with the princess over their shared concern of the whereabouts of Link. The fair skinned princess had momentarily stood to pour the well browned Malon more hot herbal spice from the white porcelain pot. Zelda then sat back into her seat and daintily held up her cup while her delicate face became anxious once more.
"I haven't heard of or from him for days. I sent a company to Gerudo Valley in search of him, but none saw any sign of his presence." She shook her head in troubled doubt. Malon shared this same concern.
"Yes, he hasn't visited the ranch in over a week. I've been so worried about him." voiced Malon after a sip. Zelda, though very worried herself, was intent on comforting her guest.
"Hopefully he will be found soon, I have nearly every guard out in search of him." Upon this consoling remark, a guard entered the room, giving them both very gratifying news.
"My lady, we have found the hero." Both Malon and Zelda jumped from their seats at the sound.
"Where is he now?" Zelda inquired.
"Out in the courtyard, my lady." The young and nervous guard relied. Zelda graciously thanked him and both the girls walked briskly into the yard where Link did stand with Arian, Damien, Naomi and Aura.
Link was rather surprised to see Malon with Zelda, and Zelda and Malon were both rather surprised to see Link with company, but all were quite happy to be reunited. The hero however, still seemed barely able to conjure a smile. It had been a day's journey, and all were weary and worn, but also still held some remorse from prior events. Altogether, they made a rather dismal group, but Zelda was quick and determined to whisk this phantom away. After a quick yet formal introduction by Navi and a self introduction of Tatl, who now seemed to favor Aura's company, Zelda urged them to lunch in the dining hall where all could relax and become more comfortable. Malon, however, had to excuse herself for once she saw that Link was well, she realized that she had been neglecting her duties at the ranch and she told Link and Zelda that she hoped they would visit often.
It was a silent feast, but Damien knew that it was urgent for them to get down to business, for the fate of the world was in their hands. So, he broke this harsh silence and addressed the princess.
"My Royal Highness." He began ever so properly. Link cocked an eyebrow, for he had always called the princess 'Zelda,' but Damien had been raised with a different conduct. The princess merely nodded her head. "I bear with me the symbol of the ancient guard, is it still recognized by your family?" The question came as more of a statement when Damien thrust forward the symbol. Zelda stared inquisitively, but there was a familiarity in it.
"Yes, I do believe it is familiar. Tell me, how is it that you came by this symbol?" Zelda replied, her proper manner was found irritating by Aura who rolled her eyes, wanting to skip all of this nonsense and blurt out the short version of the story, but with Zelda it seemed that propriety was necessary in order to get anything done.
"I am of this ancient guard, and it is the nature of my previous assignment that brings me here to you today." Damien said. All of his associates were quite impressed by this new persona he took on, but Aura found it irritatingly charming. Damien continued eloquently explaining the manner of his assignment. "I hail from the Kingdom of Ikana. It is now a dead city, and I understand that it has been dead to Hyrule for quite some time, but I am from a time when the two Kingdoms were allies against a common enemy. One so great that even with power given by the Being of Goodness, we were only able to bind it." Aura was now thoroughly annoyed by how long this was dragging on. She cut off Damien's eloquent speech to get to the matter at hand.
"And now that evil is back and we have to try and seal it again before it destroys the world... Worlds… universe…" Damien directed a scathing glare in Aura's direction.
"I was getting to that." He said through gritted teeth. Aura smiled cheekily.
"Well now it's said, so we can get on with it."
Zelda, however, was not shocked, much to everyone's surprise.
"I suspected as much…" She said sorrowfully. "Ever since Link disappeared I have felt a chill in the air, and my dreams have been filled with darkness and sorrow. Something evil is coming upon Hyrule. It will darken the skies with hopelessness and fill these lands with the stench of despair." The words fell hard upon all who heard them. All save for Naomi.
"But it is not hopeless… We still have the sword, it is the key, isn't it?" Naomi queried. Her optimistic nature pulled up the groups spirits as Link pulled the Black Sword from his sheath. The dark blade shined in the firelight.
"What is this?" Zelda queried.
"It is the key that once sealed this being of pure evil in his prison." Damien answered. "Only one of royal blood was able to remove the blade, for only one of royal blood can control it." Damien looked to Link while Zelda brought up another inquiry.
"Who of royal blood took it? Surely no one of my family." Zelda said bemused.
"Princess, only one of your family may take the sword. It is the Hylian Royal Family that is blessed as the key bearer, no others." Damien answered.
"But I and my Father have remained here… there is no one else…" All fell silent, Link could feel what was coming and he had the sudden wish to melt away into the background. Zelda read the faces of her company. "Is there?" Suddenly, Link felt the need to speak.
"It is possible that the spell might allow a servant of the royal family to take the blade." Link said, he looked to his feet. "I accidentally drew the sword. I thought I heard Ganon, and my blade had become broken in a fall within the caves of this evil's dwelling. I did not know of its nature."
Zelda nodded in understanding while Damien stared at him questioningly.
"Do not fear, Link… you shall always find favor with us, and we can seal this beast once more." Zelda replied.
"It will be very difficult, my lady…" Damien went back to business, but his face was still contorted in angered bewilderment. "I do not even understand the full nature of this being, or of how they once sealed it."
"Then we shall search the castle archives, and you shall bring forth whatever you do know. As Naomi said, there is still hope." Zelda ended. Naomi looked from one to the other, wondering if anything more would be said. When all remained silent, Naomi decided it would be best to put forth another question.
"What of the King? Shouldn't he be brought into this considering it is a threat to his Kingdom?" She asked as politely as she could, realizing that it was a rather rude question, but she had to satiate her curiosity.
"Yes…" Zelda said with a sigh. "I suppose… it is only right. I shall request audience with him immediately. Hopefully we should be able to see him in a week or so."
"A week?!" Damien exclaimed. Zelda forced a light smile but a sorrow remained in her eyes.
"Yes, a week. My father is very… very busy. I'm sure however, that since this is an urgent matter, he ought to be able to see us within a week… or two…" Her voice grew quiet. Arian looked to his companions.
"That will give us time to search the archives, and try to make a plan so when we do have time with him, we'll have more to present than a problem." The boy said, a proposal that boded well with everyone, though Damien was still slightly perturbed by the amount of time he felt that they were wasting.
Link thanked Zelda for her hospitality and rose from the table. His expression was blank and all bit their tongue, as each wondered where he was off to, but none dared to ask. The hero's absence left a quiet about the table. Naomi looked sullenly to Arian.
"We had best be looking through the archives now, shouldn't we?" She asked, not knowing what else to do, and she knew it would be calming to put herself to work. Arian nodded. Zelda complied to their request by having a guard escort them to the ancient library.
Aura looked to Damien who glanced back before both returned their gazes upon the princess.
"What should we do?" Aura asked vaguely. Damien stood in a huff.
"I'm going to find Link… we have a few matters to discuss, and I don't know what you two should be doing." The ancient guard said as he left the table. Zelda nodded a goodbye to his bow and gazed upon Aura.
"So, where do you hail from?" She asked, her voice flowing like a calm river. Aura, her grimed and worn self, looked about dreamily with a half smile.
"I don't know…" came the restful reply. "The desert, I guess." She shrugged. Zelda nodded, she cocked her head to the side and let a silent moment pass between them.
"Well, I suppose you haven't been to the palace before, so I can give you a quick tour, and show you where you and your friends are staying. We haven't many rooms available right now, for there are several merchants here to discuss business with my father, but we can always make room for Link and his friends." She smiled, standing before Aura. "Come, let me show you my home."
So as Zelda and Aura walked about Hyrule castle and Arian and Naomi delved into the ancient scrolls and manuscripts, Damien came running to where Link was sitting on the steps to the moat with his boots at his side and his feet in the water. He looked almost like a small child, staring into the water with a strange pensive countenance. Damien slowed his walk upon spotting him and casually marched to his side, his large shadow creeping over the hero who gazed upon the one who blocked his sun. The guard crossed his arms.
"We never got to thoroughly discuss it… did we?" He asked. Link shrugged a reply, remaining silent. Navi remained above his head but held a silent and observant disposition.
Damien sighed and came to sit opposite Link. He began taking off his shoes.
"You know, you never told me that you didn't believe you were royalty. I thought I had given a fairly good argument. Besides, most people would jump at the chance of being called prince. Why don't you?" Damien prodded just as he too dipped his feet into the cool water. It truly was a good feeling on that hot and sunny day. Link withdrew from the water and ambled to a crate marked with the Lon Lon Ranch logo where he sat down to replace his boots.
"I guess I just don't want to be a prince… is that so bad?" He grumbled, sharply tying the laces. Damien shrugged and leaned back on his hands.
"No, but your desire does not conduct or beget the truth. If you are a prince, then it doesn't matter what you want because it won't change anything."
"No, it won't, but that doesn't mean that everyone has to know. I mean, what harm could come of me remaining a hero, huh? Zelda will become Queen and I will protect her lands, that is the perfect future and that is best for the people. However, if they discover I'm a prince, I might never be allowed out again and be locked up like the princess up there or be too involved in mindless business like her father."
"Your Father."
The words stung his ears and drove Link into silence. The thought hadn't dawned on him. He was the boy without mother or father, and never really knew what he was missing. The thought of a father was foreign to him, and he suddenly felt a strong desire to meet this man, but he would not allow such wantonness to derail his original desires. Link looked to the ground.
"Zelda is not to know. Besides, we are not absolutely positive that this is the truth, for all we know my association with her might have given me some rights of the royal family. She taught me their sacred songs, and gave me the Ocarina of Time. That was probably the only reason I could withdraw the sword."
"The one who fears the truth will always find some excuse to prove it false." Damien stood and replaced his boots as well. He turned to face Link. "I will rebuke this last one and take my leave… The sword was forged with the blood of the Royal Family. Only one with that blood pulsing through their veins may retrieve and wield the sword." He stared at the silenced hero. "I will give you time to contrive another reason for it's possible falsehood, but I assure you, these matters require a deeper understanding of the ancient magic than most would think, and that takes a lot of time and energy to learn."
Damien did take his leave and Link was left the wallow in his own disturbed thoughts. He brought his hands to his head, for he felt a strange rush pulse through him. It was then that Navi left his side and silently flew after Damien. Link watched in a daze as Damien walked away with Navi above his head, seeming as the hero he thought he had been.
He couldn't bear to stand there anymore, so he ventured to the castle wash room where steam would pour through vents connected to a hot spring. He stripped away the tunic and weaponry that represented the man he no longer seemed to be, and donned a simple towel.
Link sat in a swarm of steam, breathing in the cleansing atmosphere. He closed his eyes and tried to forget, wanting nothing other than to be a Kokiri, living forever as a child. Everything was simple when he was young. He knew who was bad, and that he was good; even at the artificial age of seventeen due to the unnatural traveling through time, he was still ten. Now he was truly seventeen. The years should have brought him wisdom, but Link didn't feel like anything could have prepared him for this emotional struggle.
He felt, dare he think, evil… somehow tainted by time. Perhaps not time, but there was something clouding his thoughts and he felt himself becoming something he didn't want to be.
Time seemed to pass by slowly, and Link felt he had spent long enough lingering on his woes. He left the hot steam room, coming to look out a window that brought a view of Hyrule field. A deep sigh escaped his lungs.
"That is not the usual sigh of the hormonal teenager." called the old, crackling voice. Link turned quickly, stunned to hear another voice, and stunned to hear himself referred to as a teenager.
"Old man!" He exclaimed, seeing their mysterious mentor sitting before him and realizing they had never been told his name. Link also felt relieved that he had at least pulled on a pair of slacks, not wishing to don his warrior's clothes.
The old man nodded, accepting this 'name.'
"You are not wearing your status, have you thrown yourself away?"
Link merely looked down to his bare chest, realizing the symbolism of his heroic garb. His brow creased in anger of this disdainful reminder.
"What would you know?" He said through gritted teeth. A black anger swelled in his mind. "They call me a hero without even knowing what I've done, what I've gone through! I never even wanted any of this to happen. I never meant for this to happen, it just did! Nothing was ever intentional… I didn't mean to hurt her!" His final rant was accompanied by the beating of his fist upon the wooden walls. Link's irregular and heavy breathing filled the silence that the old man gave him, but he then released the words that would still the broken hero.
"You mean Amy…" Link suddenly realized his slip of tongue during his burst of fury. His eyes widened and then fell into deep sorrow. The old man gave him another short silence.
"Such an eruption of fury, of self hate… is normally spawned from fear." He quelled. "What do you fear my boy?"
"I fear nothing…" Link replied, his fists clenching again.
"Only the foolish man fears nothing. The wise man uses his fears to give him courage and compassion." The old man relied. Link laid his head against the wooden frame of the window and closed his eyes. "Now tell me… what do you fear?"
Link thought for a long time. His history flashed before his eyes and the moments when his heart beat the hardest were all pulled to mind, and all bore one thing in common.
"Power…" Link finally said. His eyes were still closed. "I fear power… and all the consequences it can bring… all the destruction that comes with it."
"Whose power?" The old man asked as if he already knew the answer.
"Ganondorf's power… this evil one's power… Amy's power…" He sighed out. "All brought destruction, all are unpredictable, and all are dangerous." The old man nodded, seemingly examining his response.
"It would seem, my boy, that it is not power that you fear, but the power corrupted. You see, power in and of itself is not evil anymore than is any other ability. Only choices and actions can truly be evil, and this creature you are fighting now is this concept incarnated. You do not fear the power itself, but the choices of the one's who use, or abuse it for that matter. Ganon chose to use his power to destroy, and Amy… she chose to defend herself." Link looked up to the old man.
"Defend herself?" He asked. The old man nodded.
"She was attacked by Fear itself. One who overshadowed the lifeless body of Sakon."
"Lifeless?"
"Yes, lifeless. Sakon had long been dead. The body that remained was the shell of Fear, the being who had meant to kill Amy, but her power saved her… and you…"
"Me? I've defended myself from such beasts as I'm sure you have never even seen, old man… how could she have saved me?" Link took a few steps towards the elder who remained with both hands on his cane that stood upright before him.
"You could never have defeated Fear, for you did not even know what you were afraid of…" He answered. Link pulled a hand to his head, another rush had come upon him, and with each one he felt weaker.
"Give me your hand." The old man said. Link was hesitant, unsure if he had even heard him at first, but then relinquished his dominant hand, the left. The mysterious philosopher held the hero's hand palm up and brought his own aged hand above the younger one.
"Pravumerus, you have no power here." Proclaimed the voice in a sterner fashion than Link had ever heard him speak. His wrinkled fingers than pinched the air above his palm and began pulling forth what appeared to be a black string. It grew from Link's own hand as does a mist from a river. With the extraction of the strange substance, Link felt a chill leaving his body. The anger left, but it was replaced by a feeling of great exhaustion. Link broke into a cold sweat and felt his knees give out from under him. He fell to the ground but the old man continued to keep his hand, pulling more darkness from him and Link wasn't sure how long it would be before he lost consciousness, but, much to his relief, the old man finished and released his hand.
"What was that?" Link asked, pulling himself up onto a crate and leaning back. He breathed heavily and shook as if cold, but the sweat continued to emboss his skin.
"That was the surfeit of dark power that was fused into the sword during its time as a key. Pravumerus is quite the clever being."
"Who is he?" Link asked, slightly delusional.
"You mean what?" The old man asked. Link nodded dreamily. "Well, my boy… I have already told you. Evil incarnate… pure evil…"
Link nodded, closing his eyes and trying to gather himself, but after his brief rest, he looked to find that the old man had once more disappeared. Link was left to wonder if he had dreamed it all, but he could feel a distinct difference in himself that proved otherwise. He felt somehow free, like himself again, but suddenly he remembered all that had happened, and all that he had done. The hero inside felt remorseful, but strong enough to continue on, and brave enough to try and right the wrongs he had committed.
A/n: Any Questions? Anything really confusing? R&R.