Author's Note: Hehe I just love to scare people. So yeah, the second ghost story Link told the kids is completely made up from moi. Now the real question is that can anyone figure out how the man in the cottage died? Cookies to everyone who figures it out!
Chapter 22: Legends of Olds
Suddenly, I felt a tremendous amount of pain entering my body. Within a second, I found myself back into my human's form. My mouth turned into a snarl when I spotted the figure. The figure laughed sinisterly as it creepily slithered away like a snake.
I unsheathed my sword on instinct as I prepared to fight.
Thunder boomed as rain still continued to pour though just a bit more heavily.
"Who are you?" I demanded.
The figure gave out a wicked chuckle. "The little Hero wants to know. How…" she paused, looking at me before grinning evilly. "Cute."
I started to charge at her but my sword just went through the air; she vanished right before I could even land a strike on her er it…
"Why do you deny Hero?" it ghostly whispered.
I turned around, quickly since I could've sworn I felt its ghostly breath on my neck.
"Deny what?" I asked, eyes narrowed.
She chuckled with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "And now you don't know. You're lying. You know that you know."
"I don't know!" I shouted with anger as I started to charge at her again but she vanished. "Tell me!" I demanded.
I got no answer until I heard its creepy voice again.
"You're afraid." it started. "You're afraid of losing everyone you loved."
I suddenly went down on my knees, clutching my head with both hands as abrupt images quickly flashed into my mind.
Get it out.
The images I saw were horrible. There were a few what it looked like lifeless bloody bodies but I didn't know who it belonged to. Curiosity took the best of me so I checked it out only to gasp with horror.
Those bodies belonged to the villagers of Ordon.
Rusl, Colin, the kids, Uli, Jaggle, Haggle, Sera, Fado and the others.
I took a step back horrified. But what horrified me even more was watching Ilia's lifeless body.
No. Stop it. These aren't real.
"Oh they will be Hero if you don't stop what you're doing. You always had a bad habit of interfering at the wrong time." she whispered.
"Stop it!" I shouted. "Stop it! These aren't real! Stop it!" I was still on my knees with my hands clutching at my head. "Stop it!"
I even felt threatening tears that were about to be spilled. I lifted my head as angered etched into my face, staring ahead at the light that was trying to filter through the black void I was currently in.
Shaking badly, I grabbed my sword and quietly snuck my way towards it. When I was near, I gave a quick swish of stab. I flinched once I heard a terrible agonizingly scream that I soon realized it was from the ghost.
She thrashed around, trying to get rid of the sword that was plunged at her chest. She tried to take it out while glaring at me with hatred and then she stopped…just like that. The figure evaporated away into speck of particles being forever gone.
I hope.
My sword clattered to the ground as I stared numbly at the ground while before the ghost had vanished completely, it spoke in its eerie voice.
"You will always be haunted."
I lost it. I crumpled to my knees and started crying. I just couldn't take this anymore. All this bloodshed, taking lives…it's just too much for me. All of a sudden, I felt something on my back as it brought me closer to it. With teary blurry eyes, I saw that it was Ilia who had a sad face. I leaned on her, not doing anything. Just crying.
I groaned, feeling a headache the next morning.
I did not get a good night sleep.
"Good afternoon, Link." I turned to my right and saw Renado who was collecting cups.
"Afternoon?" I asked.
He nodded. "You were…"
"What happened last night?" I asked him, abruptly.
There was a deafening silence.
"Renado." I begged him.
He sighed. "When you went gone to investigate, Ilia could not help but to be worried. Everyone tried to stop her but she was out already. She then came back, carrying you—you were fallen asleep in her arms. She told us everything." he summarized it shortly.
I fell silent.
It was a little while before I finally got off the bed and decided to go into the sunlight before continuing my mission. I tightened the saddle but also being careful to not hurt Epona or to make her feel uncomfortable. When it was done, I started to place my foot through the saddle's footplace though before I could bring my other leg over, something stopped me.
I looked beside and saw Ilia who smiled softly. Smiling back, I got off Epona.
"You were going to leave without saying goodbye…" she started, softly.
"Sorry." I mumbled, staring at the ground.
"It's okay…anyways, I just want to give you this so this time, you can be prepared." she gave me a sack that was filled with food and a water jug. I smiled.
"Thanks Ilia." she nodded before stepping aside after I sat on the saddle. "Hyah!" Epona neighed and we took off.
Ilia watched Epona and I until we were out of sight.
To be honest, I didn't where I was going. All what gave me to move were the words from the Sages.
"One in a snowy mountain."
That was the first place to where the Mirror piece was located. But Snowy Mountain? What's that?
I also recalled that Telma wanted to see me so with that route set, I was already at Castle Town since I went full speed.
"Hey, honey! How are you?" Telma's cheerful voice greeted.
I grinned when I saw her so I walked up to her. "Hey Telma. Nothing much. How about you?"
"Guess you could say same old, same old." she answered. "Oh! That reminds me," she suddenly said before eying the group. "Hey, everyone! Introduce yourselves! This handsome young man is the infamous Link!"
The group stopped what they were doing and looked at me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable…
"You remember what I told you before, honey? These are those friends I mentioned, the ones who are trying to help deal with all the troubles in Hyrule. Actually, there's one more of us, but there's been a disturbing turn of events in the eastern desert, so he's gone to check it out."
The Mirror of Twilight no doubt. I thought.
"He's an older man named Auru. If you happen to meet him, definitely take the time to talk with him, ok, honey?"
I nodded, cracking a smile. "Sure Telma."
"Good."
I nodded then went over to the group. They seemed like nice bunch of peo—scratch that. I glowered at the warrior girl who was dressed in an armor suit.
"Well look what the cat dragged in yeah?" she responded.
"Got a problem do you?" I asked, sharply.
She smirked. "Aw did I upset you?"
I gave a small growl.
"Ashei, must you always be so be rude to new people?" I eyed the boy who spoke. He had chestnut-ish brown hair with glasses. His skin was a bit tan as if he had spent his entire life in the sun.
The girl, Ashei, sneered. "I can act how I want to. You're not my mom."
"Ignore them." another man said as the two started to bicker. "They always fight."
I studied the man who had a helmet on his face. I couldn't help but to feel as if I had known him.
He chuckled. "I would've thought you would figure who I am by now, Link." he took off the helmet.
I was shocked and surprised to see that it was Rusl.
"I…R…Rusl?" I finally uttered.
He laughed, whole-heartedly. "Surprise my boy?"
I nodded. "What are you doing here?"
He smiled. "I'm helping out the group whenever help is needed. I'm sure Telma had already told you of what our purpose is, did she not?"
I nodded, mutely.
"I can see that you are going somewhere." he said. "Where, if I may ask?"
"I uh…I don't know actually…" I trailed off as I realized that probably sounded stupid.
"You don't know where?" Ashei barked with laughter. "How could you not know where you are going?"
"Where I go is not your business." I said, roughly glaring at her. "Even if I did know where I was going." I added.
She smirked.
"Say…it would be best if you visit another person of our group. His name is Auru." the same boy from before spoke, automatically making Ashei to hold her remark. She didn't look to happy about that. I eyed him, carefully while wondering if he was always like this…
Eyes wide with curiosity and just plain nice.
"Oh I'm Shad. That rude girl is Ashei. And the older man is Rusl."
"I may be old but I'm not that old." Rusl grunted.
"That old codger Auru is at Lake Hylia, studying the desert." Ashei started as if she wanted to get rid of me.
I scowled.
"Ashei! Really!" Shad exclaimed.
Annoyed, I looked at the map to see where Rusl had pointed as the two of us ignored the bickering people. I nodded my thanks to Rusl then departed while I also heard Shad talking.
"Now look at what you did! You probably made the boy to be upset." Shad scolded her.
"Good." the girl rolled her eyes.
On my way out of the castle, I met up with the white wolf who taught me two new skills such as the helm splitter (very handy skill) and the backslice. I then told Midna to warp me back to Lake Hylia so I could go to Auru.
"They are a jolly bunch, they say." I muttered as I climbed another short steep cliff. "Yeah right Telma…"
"Hey there fella!" Fyer greeted me before launching an explanation about the amusement ride.
I had to cut him off, saying that I'm on a business. He didn't seem too happy about that.
"Um I was wondering if you could do me a favor." I started. This seemed to grab the man's attention so I continued. "I need you to somehow get me to the Desert." I replied.
He stared at me then released a whole-heartedly laugh. "No." he stated flatly.
"But—"
"I said no. I cannot give out a free ride launch to the Desert. I'm not the one who made the rules…well actually…" he cleared his throat.
"But I really need to—"
"What part of no do you not understand boy? Leave me alone and find yourself another way to get up there."
Geez, he sounds like Ashei…
"But the path is broken." I tried again.
"Then that's your problem not mine."
Angrily, I stomped away while walking around aimlessly. That stupid old goat! No, he says… why I oughta—
Oomph!
I unexpectedly bumped into something…or rather someone.
He seemed to be in deep thought as he stared out at the desert. His hood was covering the head, making me to not be able to see his face.
"I thought it was about time for you to arrive…" the man spoke without turning his back.
I closed my mouth shut before opening it again. "Um…yeah…erm…I'm Li—"
"Oh I know who you are." the man said as he turned around. "You're Link—the talk of the Town."
"R-really?" I said, trying not to stutter. Didn't really work out that great.
He chuckled. "So…" he paused. "You do know Telma, don't you? I am Auru. I am part of the group that Telma kindly allows to meet at her bar. I also have heard all about your deeds from her. Now…You being a courageous youth…You have likely heard of the strange events in the desert and come to investigate, no?"
"Yes." I nodded to confirm that he was right.
"Thought so then. The Gerudo Desert once held a prison built to hold the worst criminals this land has ever known…" he began. "The criminals who were sentenced to death were sent directly to the underworld by a cursed mirror that was kept in the prison…Now that prison is condemned, and even the road leading to the desert is impassable. This desert at world's end…It still holds the cursed mirror and the malice of the doomed inmates…"
That's definitely the Mirror of Twilight.
Though, I cringed when he told me about the inmates…
"These old bones know that the evil currently plaguing Hyrule is related to this wicked place. So I have come to learn the truth…Master Link, I must ask…What will you do now? Don't tell me you plan to enter the desert and confirm my suspicions with your own eyes?!"
I chuckled. "That is true."
"Ah, is that so…? Then let good old Auru help you out…"
You know out of the group, I like him way more than the others one (except for Rusl of course as he was like a father to me). That girl was just plain rude.
"You see Lake Hylia below us? A man named Fyer runs an amusement ride of sorts there. Give him this." he handed me a paper that looked like a memo. "See, long ago, I saved this man Fyer's life, and now he cannot refuse me if I ask a favor. If you leave the rest up to Fyer, all should go well."
"Thank you Auru." I told him, sincerely.
He waved it off as if it was nothing.
"It's nothing my boy. Now go."
I nodded before jumping into the water. I swam to the amusement ride then heaved myself out of the water so I could talk to Fyer.
"It's you again." Fyer said, annoyed. "I told you that—" he started to mutter something as I got out Auru's memo.
Hehe…that should shut him up.
"Hrrrm…From old Auru, huh…" he muttered. "Ah well, I guess I oughta do what the old coot says…"
I grinned triumphantly.
"Oasis right…? So here you go, one of our secret options not available to the general public…This time's all paid for…so whaddaya say? You wanna go?"
"Well obviously." I muttered.
He ignored it and ushered me to get into the amusement ride. I stared at it cautiously before I was carelessly tossed into it. Midna of course found this very amusing.
"Shut up, Midna." I grunted, picking myself up.
She giggled.
I felt the ride being spun around before the top of the ride was opened, revealing the clear blue sky. Pretty soon, I felt myself being lifted higher and higher which indicated that the cannon was out. The hole from the cannon pointed at the Desert while I was clinging to the sides of the inside of the cannon for dear life.
I'm gonna die…I'm gonna die…
"What's the matter with you?" Midna asked, being unfazed by all of this. She looked at my ash-pale face while my body shook with fear.
"I'm gonna die…" I whimpered, unhero-like. "I'm not ready to die! I still haven't say goodbye to the others…"
Midna rolled her eyes.
"You will be fine."
"I'm gonna DIEEE!" I shrieked as I was finally launched out of the cannon. I screamed my head off before I felt myself plunging into the sand head first. I slightly skidded then stopped. The sand greeted my mouth while the rest of the body was diagonally up in the air for a brief second before it fell down with a THUD.
Midna winced at the harsh impact.
"It will be fun, they say." I muffled, having a fistful of sand in my mouth.
I got to my knees, spitting out the sand.
"We will catch you, they say." I muttered as I got up.
I grunted, wiping the sweat off my face as I stared ahead. There were endless of sands that were stretched far beyond while many tall, short and medium cliffs were scattered throughout the sandy place. I shielded my face from the glaring sun that was beating down at me.
The building of what Auru had mentioned was far out, making the trip to be a two day or three.
I started to walk but Midna's soft voice made me to halt.
"Wait, Link." I turned around only to see Midna to look the other way as if she was ashamed of something. "Before we go on, there's something I want you to hear."
Author's Note: OMG! My favorite cut scene is coming up in the next chapter! What do you think of this one? Any favorite characters in general?