Chapter VI – I Promise.
On The Spirit Train, Link and Zelda explained everything to Anjean of what happened before she appeared on the top of the Tower. Anjean felled bad even more of this… "I should've helped him more at that time… when he lost her…", she thought, while she looked at Byrne, who's still unconscious. "Anjean?", Zelda said, "What can we do now? How can we stop Malladus now that he's resurrected?". "Once he adapts to your body, my dear, even the spirits of good would be nothing to him.", Anjean explained, "They would be unable to seal him away again. Such is the extent of your body's sacred power.". "Is there a way to force him out of Zelda's body for good?", Link asked. Anjean closed her eyes to think… "In the battle between the Demon King and the spirits, there was a weapon called the Bow Of Light… Perhaps it can drive his spirit from Zelda's body. However…".
"However?", Zelda asked. "If we force out the spirit of Malladus, my dear, I don't know what will happen to your body.", Anjean continued, "If things go wrong… Your spirit might not be able to re-enter.". "No… It can be!", Zelda said and looked at Link, "Could I really be trapped like this… forever? What will I do if I can't return, Link?... What will I do?". Link moved closer to Zelda, trying to cheer her up, "Don't worry, Zelda. Everything is gonna be ok. You'll wait and see.", he said, "We managed to go this far, we can't give up now. This Bow Of Light is maybe the answer we're looking for. And besides, it's worth a shot." Zelda smiled, "…Thank you, Link. Where can we find that bow, Anjean?", Zelda asked. "Go to the final temple, the Sand Temple. The Bow Of Light is located deep inside.", Anjean explained, "It will be the most difficult place you've visited yet. It was built only to protect the Bow Of Light, so it's full of the trickiest of traps and surprises. The temple will test all of your abilities.".
"We have to go at once, Link, before Malladus fulfils his plan.", Zelda said. "Right!", Link said, "And what about Byrne?", he asked. There was silence… "We'll take him along our way.", Zelda said. "Are you sure, my dear?", Anjean asked, "After all, he's the one who stole your body.". "Yes, that's true, but once I reclaim it… I would like to have words with him!", Zelda said, "Besides, we feel bad for him of what happened, he had suffered enough. Who wouldn't do this… Bring someone back you've loved and lost?". "Zelda's right on that point. I bet that anyone would do anything for it.", Link said, "And who knows, maybe Byrne will help us later on.". They've made their decision… "Come on, let's go!", Link said. "Next stop: the Sand Temple!", Zelda said. But what they didn't knew, is that Byrne was awake and heard all of this conversation… He was still tired of the fights and wounds, he fell asleep…
*Byrne's Dream*
Mostly Byrne would dream about Jessie getting killed again…But there was nothing at all to begin with. It was a white empty space around him. "Where am I?…", Byrne said. He looked around… Still nothing…Until… "Byrne…", a voice said softly. Byrne kept looking, but saw nothing. "Byrne.", said the voice again, only louder. "Who's calling me?", Byrne thought. "Byrne!", said the voice, coming from behind him. Byrne froze, "It can't be…", he recognized the voice… He turned around… And there she was… His beloved Jessie, wearing a blue dress, she has angel-wings and walked on bare feet. Byrne had tears in his eyes, "Is this real, or a dream?", he asked himself. Jessie had tears as well in her eyes, placed her hand on his cheek, pulled his scarf down and kissed Byrne on his lips. Tears ran down of his face, and hold her close like he always did, a long time ago… He missed those sweet lips of her, they're still the same…
Jessie slowly broke the kiss, "I'm sorry to say this, Byrne, but it is a dream.", she said, "It's the only way to make contact with you.". "What? Why didn't you contacted me before, Jessie?", Byrne asked, "I miss you terribly!". Byrne hold on to her and cried even more upon her shoulder. "I miss you too, Byrne, and I can only contact you once, my master told me this. But please, Byrne, listen to me! I need to talk to you, I don't have much time.", Jessie said. Byrne looked back into her eyes, "About what?", he asked. "Byrne… The spirits and my master told me… What you did…", she said, "I can't believe it… All of it, is it true that you resurrected Malladus…Only to bring me back?".
Byrne remained silenced. Jessie knew then that it was true, "Why?", she asked. Byrne hold her again, "Because I love you!" he said loud, "I can't keep going without you! I can't live without you! I…". He lost his words and cried upon her shoulder again. There's silence, only his crying was to be heard… "Byrne, I'm sorry, my master is asking me to return.", Jessie said. Byrne hold on to her tighter, not wanting to let go, "No, I don't want to lose you again!", he said. "Byrne! Please, listen!", she said and placed her hands on his face, trying to bring him to his sentence and to look back at her. "I know what you did was wrong, but you can still pull this right, promise me this!", she said, "Promise me, that you'll protect Hyrule again! Do anything to help Anjean, Link and Zelda! Please, Byrne! Do it for me… Promise me…". Tears ran down of her face and she leaned with her head against his. "…I promise, Jessie. I'll do anything for my angel…", Byrne said. Jessie smiled and kissed Byrne one last time, holding on to it. Byrne hold on to Jessie as long as possible, until her spirit started to sparkle and she was gone… "I love you, Byrne… I'll be waiting for you…", Jessie said into the echo…
*Byrne's Dream End.*
Byrne slowly wakes up, but he didn't let Anjean know yet that he's awake… "Anjean!", Zelda said excited and flew to Anjean, "Anjean! We got the Bow Of Light! We won't have any trouble defeating Malladus now!". Link ran to Anjean and showed her the Bow Of Light. They succeeded their goal. "Good! An arrow from that bow is sure to fell him.", Anjean said. "Right! Now all we need is to know where Malladus is.", Zelda said. "Yeah, where is he, Anjean?", Link asked. "…I'm sorry, but I can't help you there.", Anjean answered, causing Link and Zelda to fall down of the shock. "What?", they both said. "But, Anjean…", Zelda said. Anjean sighed, "While you two were busy obtaining the Bow Of Light, I have been searching with my powers for the Demon Train.", she said, "That's the train that Malladus used to escape. But he and Cole have hidden it too well…".
"There is a way to find it.", Byrne said. Everyone looked at him. "Byrne? I didn't realize you were awake…", Anjean said. "Remember the area where Malladus was resurrected? Below that altar is a hidden section of tracks.", Byrne said, while everyone moved closer to him, "Somewhere down there is the Compass Of Light. Only it can lead you to the Demon Train.". "Byrne…", Zelda said. "The Demon Train comes from the Dark Realm.", he continued, "But even Cole didn't know its exact location at first. He had me build a compass using the spirits' power to find the Demon Train in the Dark Realm. Since the compass uses the power of the spirits, Cole and Malladus can't touch it. That's why it should still be where we left it.". Anjean smiled upon him, knowing of what he did now, it's the right thing to do. "… Thank you, Byrne.", Zelda said. "See, I told you that he would be on our side now and help us.", Link said. "Yep, you were right.", Zelda said and looked back at Byrne. "Byrne… We're sorry for what happened out there for you… And also what happened to that girl…", she said sadly. "… Her name is Jessie…", Byrne said.
Anjean was surprised that he mentioned her first, even by her name. "Hmmm… I've heard that name before… But from where?...", Link thought. Anjean took something out of her pocket, "I believe this is yours, Byrne.", she said and gave it to Byrne… A photo… The same photo that Byrne always had in his room… Him and Jessie together, with birds surrounding them… Link and Zelda looked at the photo… "Wait a minute, I know her! I know that girl!", Link said. "You do?", Zelda asked. "Yeah, I remember it. I met her 5 years ago, when I was visiting Castle Town…", Link explained.
*Link's Story. Takes place at age 7.*
Two teenagers were bullying a young boy, named Link. "Stop it!", Link said, "Why are you doing this to me?". "Because you're small and weak and we're strong and big.", said one of the bullies. Tears started to roll down of his face, "Please stop it!", Link said. The two bullies laughed of his misery… "Didn't you hear him?", a voice said, "He said to stop!". The teens turned around and saw a girl, big as the teens are. "Oh yeah, what are you gonna do about it?", said one the bullies. "Who the hell do you think you are?", said the other bully. "If you wanna know who I am, the name's Jessie.", she said, "And also, why don't you take somebody of your own size… Like me?", and pushed one bully, making him fall and knocking the other one down. Jessie walked upon Link, "Are you okay, little guy?", she asked. "Y-Yes, thank you…". Jessie turned back to the teenagers, "You two should know better. Bullying someone is always a bad thing, and could cause terrible things to a person now and in the future.", she said, "Of what I just saw of you two, I bet that you've been bullied yourself when you were little. Whoever they were, I bet also that they've said that you both were weak and small.". The two teens got shocked… "H-How do you know that?", the two said at the same time. "Simple, if somebody is bullying someone, the bullied one becomes the bully itself later…", Jessie said. The two bullies stood here, speechless.
"And if I were you, I would stop bullying around, it's meaningless anyway.", Jessie continued, "Were you guys bullying this little boy because he's different than you?". They still remained silenced… "I'll take that as a "yes". You guys should stop looking at things that makes us different.", Jessie said, "You should looking at things that we're incoming with. At things that makes us equal to each other… That we're all the same… Now I'm asking to you two, will you stop bullying now, forever?", she asked to the two bullies. The two nodded their heads, "Yes, madam, we're sorry…", they said. "You should apologize to him, not me.", she said and pointed to Link. "We're sorry, we won't do this ever again.", they said to Link. Link smiled, "Thank you. Apology accepted.", he said and raised his hand, which the two teens shook it and they left. Jessie smiled, "You're happy, little one?", she asked Link. "Totally! Thank you!", he said and hugged her, "And I'm Link, by the way.". Jessie laughed and looked at the clock tower, "Oh shoot, I'm gonna be late for my defending-lessons! Sorry, Link I have to go!", Jessie said, "Maybe we see each other next time! Bye!", she waved. "Bye! Thank you again, Jessie!", Link said and waved back at her.
*Link's Story End.*
"That's Jessie alright.", Byrne said, "Always thinks of somebody else first instead of herself… And also great at giving advice.". "That was the first time I've met her…", Link said and he looked sad, "And the last time as well…". Byrne stared at the photo, "Jessie…", he whispered. "We'll make him pay for what he did.", Zelda said and Byrne looked at her. "Huh?", Byrne said. "For what Cole did to you, he's not gonna get away with this!", Zelda said. "Why do you want to help me? After all I've done…", Byrne said.
"What happened, happened. There's nothing that we could changed about that.", Zelda said, "You're in our team now, Byrne. We need to support each other as much as we can, and it's what Jessie said to Link before… We're all the same…". Byrne was speechless about that. "Sorry to interrupt this, you guys, but shouldn't we go to the Tower Of Spirits?", Link asked. "Oh right, let's go at once!", Zelda said, "We must get the compass as fast as we can.". "Link, before you go, please take this. I think you're the one who is meant to use it.", Anjean said and raised her hand at front of her. A blue-light beam was shining and was taking form of an item. A sword was revealed. "This Lokomo Sword was a gift from one of the spirits. As such, it is filled with sacred energy.", she continued, " It has felled many evil creatures in its lifetime. Until now, only the spirits have wielded this blade. Use it wisely!". "I will, Anjean. Thank you.", Link said and took the sword. "Come on, Zelda!", he said while he put his new sword on his back. "Right.", Zelda said. They both moved to the front of the Spirit Train, leaving Byrne and Anjean alone. "I'm proud of you, Byrne." Anjean said. "I thank you for your help." Byrne remained silenced, but nodded. The train started to move. "Jessie… Wherever you are now, I'll keep my promise to you… I won't fail you." Byrne thought, holding the photo close to him.
To Be Continued…