Thanks to all of my readers! Here's part V of Desert Thief
-The Legend of Zelda-
-The Desert Thief-
-Chapter 19-
Link had fallen back to sleep after wakening from his memories, but no more came to him in his sleep. He had awoken just before the sun rose, giving him plenty of time to ready his gear and equipment for his journey to the Sister of the South.
Several days had passed since he began traveling south. The hero had entered the foothills of the Reslo Mountains earlier in the day. Slowly but surely, the lush green that covered the land began to fade away, only to be replaced by gray slabs of granite and white sheets of ice and snow.
Several pine trees, similar to those that grew in Ordon, dotted the landscape, bringing some sense of life to the terrain. Occasionally, a wild deer or rabbit could be seen running between boulders or trees, only to disappear moments later.
"Hey, Link," Vari spoke, breaking the silence that filled the air. "We're close to the Sisters, they should be visible once we're over the top of this peak." Link absentmindedly nodded as he looked ahead. When the two were at the bottom, the trail they were on seemed to snaked up the side of the mountain endlessly. Now, however, they were within sight of the top of the small mountain the path went over.
"So, how do you plan on dealing with whatever is within the sisters?" The fairy asked. "Many, even some of the most skilled, men have tried to conquer the peaks, but none have done so. Surely you wouldn't want to go in knowing nothing?"
Link's companion had a point, and he had been thinking about the situation since leaving for the peaks several days ago. In truth, he didn't know exactly what he'd do. In the past, the hero had been in seemingly hopeless situations with absolutely terrifying beast, but he had prevailed then. No matter what was waiting for him, Link was hopeful he'd be able to deal with it. If not, then everything he'd done so far would be for naught and nobody would be able to stop Naila, providing they even knew what the bandit was up to.
Link had to succeed.
After a few more minutes, Link could feel as the trail began to level out beneath Epona. Keeping his eyes forward, the young man's eyes widened slightly at the sight in front of him. Two enormous peaks rose out of the mountain range in front of him. Both mountain towered over all others around them.
Those were, with absolute certainty, the Sisters of the South.
"Oh my..." Vari trailed off as she overlooked the giant mountains. "It has been so long since I've last seen the Sister. I'd forgotten how monumental they were."
Monumental was a fitting word as far as Link was concerned. Looking down the path in front of him, the young man saw many boulders and plumes of smoke rising from near the base of the sisters.
Smoke!
Without a word, Link kicked Epona's side and began riding full speed down the trail towards the black smoke that filled the otherwise crisp mountain air. He could hear Vari yelling for him to slow down, but he ignored her. He knew the fairy could keep up, and he also was familiar with what a burning town looked like. Belfair had not yet faded from his memory.
Trees raced by Link's head at lightning fast speed as Epona raced forward. The mare was breathing heavy; the thin mountain air had much less oxygen than her body was accustomed to, but Link knew what his horse could take. Epona was one of the toughest, most resilient creatures Link had ever known, and he knew a bit of thin air wouldn't stop her.
As Link neared the source of the smoke, he grimaced in the realization that his hunch was correct. A village, or what used to be a village, was smoldering in front of him. Fires still danced on whatever would fuel them -brush, logs, and fabric- , and the smell of burning flesh made him almost vomit in his mouth. Screaming and cries filled the air like the shrieks of the undead.
He was too late to do anything.
Link slowed Epona down to a slow walk and glanced around as he rode into what remained of the town. Many people were carrying buckets of water, trying to salvage what was left of their homes and buildings. It was something Link could, unfortunately, relate to.
"You!"
Link's head looked around for the source of the voice. It didn't take long to find it; a stout, middle-aged many with a curly, red beard was staring directly at Link. In his hand was an axe that looked several times too large for him, and it was pointed directly at Link. He did not appear to seem friendly.
"Here to finish us off? Was this not enough!" The man who had called out to Link gestured around with his free hand, a look of fire in his eyes. The hero did not like where this was going; many of the villagers -mostly men- had seemed to take notice of him as well. Each of them began picking up makeshift weapons such as large wooden boards or farming equipment.
"We tell you all we know, and you reward us by setting fire to village? The goddesses shall cast you into the deepest, darkest pit to rot for eternity!" Had anybody else said this at any other time, Link would have laughed at the accusation. The goddesses? They chose him to be their hero. There was a better chance of Ganondorf submitting to Zelda as the high queen of Hyrule.
"Link!"
A familiar voice sounded above the shouts of anger that filled the town. Never before had Link been so grateful that the fairy who accompanied him was so loud. "Stop, please! Link is innocent!"
Everybody seemed to stop as the strange, glowing ball of light flew above them and pleaded for the sake of the green-clad man in front of them. "We have only just arrived minutes ago, Link has done nothing wrong!"
The villagers eyes' began to dart from one-another as if contemplating what to do. Link could only hold his breath as his presumed-guilty, silent trial began. The hero hoped with the deepest sincerity that these people wouldn't turn on him. He would have no problem defeating them all, but it was something he wished to avoid. Skirmishing with people generally was not the best way to get on a friendly basis with them, unless the person was the King Bulbin.
The air was tense as the cold, mountain air washed through the village. The crackling of embers was the most prominent sound in the air as everybody seemed to turn their gaze to the stout man who had first accused Link as the culprit of their crisis. He was impossible to read; his eyes remained heavy and the only part of his body that moved at all was the end of his nose as it flared in and out with each deep breath.
"You..." the man began. All of the villagers shifted slightly as he spoke. This did not go unnoticed by Link or the stout, bearded man as he paused. Looking around eyeing the villagers, the man opened his mouth once again and said, "You... are not with the woman... are you?"
Link eyed him wearily at the mentioned 'the woman', but slowly shook his head. What other response were they all expecting?
The tension remained in the air, hanging like a blade above one's neck. One wrong word, one wrong move, and the blade would fall. Who the blade would fall on though, was another matter.
"I... I am sorry."
With those words, the tension dissipated faster than the stars' light when the sun rose. Those who had gathered around Link slowly lowered their makeshift weapons and took several steps back. The one who had first accused Link stepped forward, lowering his axe in the process.
"My name is Rowyn, and I am... was, the head of Wolfgar." Link looked around, Wolfgar must have been the name of the village. "I beg of you, if you can, help us extinguish the fires that burn our homes."
Link didn't need to be asked again. In one movement, the hero dismounted his horse and ran towards the nearest intact building that was on fire. For the next five hours, Link pushed himself to his limits helping the people of Wolfgar to save their home. In the end, only several buildings were unscathed, but many were left relatively sound.
When the final flames were extinguished, Link felt a wave of relief wash over him. He had failed Belfair, but he wouldn't let another town suffer its fate -at least, not to the extent that Belfair had suffered-. Putting down the now empty bucket that Link had grown to know over the past several hours, the blonde haired man looked up to see Rowyn approaching him.
"When accused of the transgression that overcame our village, you did all you could to save it. Wolfgar will forever be in your debt." Rowyn planted the handle of his axe firmly into the soil at his feet and stared directly into Link's eyes. "I can see you've come for something; nobody visits here for pleasure."
Link cringed a little at the words. He didn't want to seem as though he looked down upon their village; he didn't even know of its existence until several days ago. The bearded man let out an amused sigh at Link's reaction to his words.
"Relax, Hero of Wolfgar, I don't judge you. You have done more for our village today than many will do in their life. I welcome you with open arms." Whether to signify what he had said or because he genuinely felt the need to, Rowyn opened his arms wide for several seconds before dropping them to his side again. "Come, I know a place we can talk."
Link followed the man through the town and into a small, wooden cabin that had withstood the flames. Inside was a fireplace and several weapons mounted upon the walls, most of them war axes or broadswords. Rowyn must have preferred to face his foes up close and personal; that was something the hero could relate to.
"Tell me, hero, what is it you desire? What can the people of Wolfgar help you with?" the stout man asked while taking a seat next to the fireplace. Link followed in suit and sat on the opposite side of the warm fire. "We've had some strange visitors here lately, could you all possibly be after something within the Sisters?"
Link nodded his head at the question. Rowyn seemed to smile lightly at his accurate guess, though a hint of sadness was on his face. "I see... perhaps you'd like to hear what the woman who burned down my village requested?"
Link once again nodded his head quickly, wanting to know just what it was Naila was after. Rowyn inhaled deeply and looked out a window facing the Sisters of the South. The sun was beginning to set, casting a fiery-orange glow on the white snow that capped their peaks.
"The woman who rode into town, her name was Naila. She commanded a great group of men," the village head began. "I knew who she was, what she was... I used to fight for people like her when I was younger. The thrill of destruction, of the treasure... it's all a distant memory for me, but I know what those people look like when I see them."
Rowyn paused for a second before looking back at Link. "I should have known from the start you were not with such a wretched group of people. Once again, forgive me."
The hero smiled lightly, accepting the apology. The apology wasn't needed; Link had already forgiven them.
"But I digress. When Naila rode into town with her men, I knew trouble would follow. I had hoped to appease her by offering what few treasures I had in exchange for the safety of the village. To my surprise, however, she threw my treasures into the ground and demanded to know everything my people knew about the sisters." Rowyn looked down at the floor and closed his eyes. "Right then I knew something was wrong."
Link felt his blood run cold. Naila... she would pay. The thief who had stolen his last remnant of Midna, the murderer who had slaughtered the citizens of Belfair and Wolfgar, would answer to the goddesses. Link would make sure of that.
"She wanted to travel to them. I told her she was crazy, that nobody ever returns from the journey, but she wouldn't listen. Eventually, I told her that there are supposedly ruins located in the ravine between the two mountains, but I can't confirm this." The bearded man opened his eyes and looked up towards Link. "She left in that direction just after ordering her men to destroy my village."
Silence filled the air as the hero let the information sink in. Naila was here, and she was searching for something in the Sisters. When he first saw the smoke, his gut had told him she was responsible. It was just too coincidental to be otherwise. His suspicion had been confirmed when Rowyn asked if he was with 'the woman'.
Then, guilt hit Link. This was his fault. He had sprung into action the series of events that had led a woman such as Naila on the chase to begin with. If it hadn't been for his desires, his selfishness, Wolfgar would still be standing in one piece.
He had caused this.
"Link?" The hero looked up and saw Rowyn. He looked slightly confused but quickly reverted to his stoic self. "Ah... but anyways. Because of my mistrust of her, I did not say everything I knew about them." This caught Link's attention. Naila was possibly missing a vital piece of information; that could work to his advantage. Rowyn laughed lightly then shook his head. "Well, I did tell her everything I knew personally, but there is another within this village who knows far more than me." Link sat in his seat, patient, waiting for the red bearded man to continue.
"In our village, there is a woman named Iris. She is the most intelligent and wise woman I've ever had the honor of knowing. She's a... historian, a chronicler of sorts. Her family has lived in this village since its founding hundreds of years ago. I'm certain she must know more about those cursed mountains than I do." Rowyn paused for a moment in order to catch his breath.
"The sun is setting, and the winds are cold here at night; I'm certain that Iris wouldn't mind seeing you tomorrow. Please, be my guest for the night. I would not have you sleep out in the cold."
Link hesitantly nodded his head, accepting the offer. There were a million things racing through the hero's mind at that moment, but one thought was above all others.
This was his fault.
-The Legend of Zelda-
-The Desert Thief-
-Chapter 20-
Link had awoken the next day fully refreshed and rested. The sun had warmed the bitter cold mountain air and the skies were as clear as the purest glass and as blue as the deepest sea. Link often saw sights that filled him with awe, but that didn't belittle any of them. Evidence of the sheer power of the goddesses was all around them, a constant reminder of the world's creators. This constant reminder also made Link shudder at the thought of somebody like Ganondorf actually succeeding and using the goddesses power, the triforce, for their own, twisted will.
After eating a generous meal provided by Rowyn, Link headed over to the home of Iris. Assuming Rowyn wasn't exaggerating, the woman was somewhat of an expert when it came to the history regarding the village of Wolfgar. Apparently, she was also a bit reclusive, but friendly when she made her few appearances.
Link knocked on the shabby, wooden door and awaited a response. He was told she would be up, but Link still had concerns that he'd wake her. It would not be good for him to annoy the woman their first meeting.
"I hope Iris knows what the Sisters hold... and I hope it's not an impossible task," Vari spoke, almost nervously, as she floated above Link's left shoulder. Link grimaced slightly at the fairy's pessimism, but couldn't blame her. He himself didn't want to get his hopes up too high; far too many times he'd done so, only to have them brought crashing down into the ground at a later time.
A long squeaking noise filled the air as the door to Iris's home opened. Link had expected the woman to be an old, sage-like being, but the person in front of him was quite the opposite. Link's mouth opened slightly as if to say, but nothing came out.
She was about as tall as Link and had a thin face and an equally thin body. Icy blue eyes stared softly into his own, almost as if she was searching his soul for answers she'd not yet asked. Long raven hair fell from her shoulders, disappearing behind her shoulders and ending midway down her back. The woman wore a plain, dark blue blouse with a pair of warm looking pants.
"Hello, can I help you?" she asked, her voice sounding gracious but strong all at the same time. Link continued to stare, wordless, until Vari spoke up.
"Are you Iris?" the fairy asked. If she was as surprised as Link, then it didn't show.
"I am, forest fairy," Iris smiled. "You two must be the ones who helped save our village yesterday, thank you for everything you've done." The thin woman bowed slightly before speaking again. "If there's anything I can do for you, please let me know."
"Actually, there is." Vari wasted no time getting to the point. "My companion, Link, is searching for somebody who resides within the Sister's of the South, and we were told you might be able to help."
Iris's smile instantly fell from her face, only to be replaced by a look of caution. It was as if a flip had been switched inside the woman's mind; it almost seemed as if the fairy's question was taboo. Link seemed to notice as he snapped out of his initial shock of meeting the young woman.
"And why would you be searching for such a thing, if I might ask?" The raven haired woman's voice was now as cold as her icy blue eyes as she glanced between the two travelers. "The mountains are cursed, you should stay away from them." Link caught onto something very quickly: Iris knew something, and she was hiding it, but what could it be?
"We were hoping you could shed some light on the topic... The people who attacked your village are looking for something that could be horrible in the wrong hands; you must help us, please..." Vari began to plead towards the woman. At the mention of Naila's forces, her eyes widened a bit.
"I knew those who came before wanted similar knowledge, and we did not fare well once we forfeited it," Iris frowned. "You will understand if I'm not forthright with this information...?"
Link didn't respond, neither physically nor verbally. There was a game being played here, but Link didn't know what it was. He had to figure it out, and fast.
"We seek to stop those very people! Please, you must share what you know!" If Vari was one word when pursuing something she wanted, it would be resilient. Vari wouldn't give up so easily. "You're not the first village those people have destroyed, and you won't be the last unless you help us out!"
Silence filled the air as Link realized they were being watched. The three of them had been standing -floating in Vari's case- in the doorway to Iris's home; some of the townspeople stopped and watched the confrontation unfold. None were sure what it was about, but they were certain it involved the people who had attacked them the previous day.
Agonizing seconds passed before Iris spoke two words. "Come inside."
Link quickly accepted the offer and entered the woman's home. He was surprised by what he saw; books, hundreds of them, littered the floor and shelves of the building. It seemed as though living conditions were but a minor concern for the woman. Following Iris, Link watched her take a seat next to one of the house's few windows. Gesturing to the seat across from her, Iris spoke up for the first time since Link and Vari entered her house.
"Please, sit down." It was not spoken with the cheery demeanor of her greeting, but also gone was the cold accusatory tone that she had used when asked about the what the Sister's of the South might hold within them. Her voice was that of one who was conducting business.
Link took the offer and sat across from the woman. He was tense, but tried not to show it; something was off about the situation.
"What do you know about the Sisters of the South?" Iris asked while reaching to her side to grab a seemingly random book. Vari took this as her cue to begin talking again.
"They used to be called the 'breast of the world' several eras ago, and somebody retreated into them after a terrible war was ended," Vari summarized all of their current knowledge. Iris seemed slightly impressed as she opened up the musky old book and inhaled lightly.
"You are more informed than most," Iris said as she flipped through several pages of the book she held. "Most do not know what those mountains hold, or why none return when they visit."
"That is what we wish to know, in order to find what Naila seeks before she finds it," the fairy re-iterated her and Link's intentions. Iris raised her brows a bit at the mention of the desert thief's name.
"Naila... that was the name of the woman who led the bandits that destroyed our village; you've mentioned her before. Tell me, what is it that both of you seek? I might be able to tell you more based upon this knowledge." Link froze at the words.
What is it that both of you seek?
Up until now, he'd managed to keep his true intentions hidden from everybody, even the close friends he had made back at Belfair and from his companion, Vari; they just knew he was looking for somebody and -in the process- something ' that could bring ruin if in the wrong hands'. None had asked what that object or thing was; they just seemed to understand it was important to Link on the young man's quest to find his friend. But now, in order for hero to advance, he had to relinquish one of his deepest secrets, a desire that might well be considered a heretical act against the goddesses. The worst part about it was that he had to tell all of this to a stranger.
Iris waited patiently for an answer, but found herself surprised when Vari offered none. Why was that, she wondered. Up until now, the fairy had been quite insistent upon getting the woman's help. Iris had to wonder... did Vari not know what Link seeked?
"Why does it matter what we seek? Naila is already on her way to the Sisters, and Link must follow!" Vari cried out.
"Without information on what you seek, I can't know what you need to know. So please, tell me, what is it you seek?" It was not a question Naila spoke, but a command.
Speak, or leave. Link chose to speak.
"What I seek..." Link spoke, slowly and cautiously, "Is entry into the Twilight Realm."
Iris nearly fell from her seat as the shock of the statement hit her. The Twilight Realm? Was this man mad? Did he not know of the dangers, of the horrors, that existed there? But even more so, how did one such as Link even know about the Twilight Realm? That was information that had been intentionally lost throughout history.
"The Twilight Realm...!" Iris shot from her seat and took several long paces until she was directly in front of the hero. "How do you know of that place? Even one such as I have trouble recalling any knowledge of it!"
Link remained seated firmly in his chair, unflinching as Iris assaulted him with more question. "Do you even know what it is that you seek? The Twilight Realm is a land of exile! Monsters, vile creatures that you can't even begin to fathom-"
A loud slap resonated in the air of the cabin. It all had happened so fast, Iris never saw it coming. Sure enough though, Link had stood up and slapped her as she shouted about the supposed horrors of the Twilight Realm. The woman looked at him, shocked -angry-. How dare he slap her. Before she could act, Link spoke again, this time, a coldness in his voice that had no rival.
"Do not speak of what you don't know."
The voice of the hero froze Iris as though it was the winds that blew through the frozen Reslo mountains. She looked at the green clad man, stunned, at his actions and words; he seemed to tower over her despite their similar height. There was something about him that was different than anybody she'd met before. His eyes looked fierce like an un-caged beast, but his body was calm and composed. Who was he?
"You speak as though you do know of what I speak... could it be that you do?" Curiosity filled the woman's voice as she slowly sounded out each word of her sentence. "I am the living legacy of generations of historians who preserve the history of this land... What I know is all that has survived through the ages."
"I was taught by my father, and he by his. For centuries we have guarded the information about what rest within the towering peaks of the Sisters. It is our vow, and one which I have kept my entire life." Somebody such as Shad would have gone insane with joy had he the chance question the woman, assuming she'd share what she knew. His hunger for knowledge was unmatched as far as Link was concerned.
"I do not often share my knowledge, because much of it is forbidden and dangerous... but if you could fill in the gaps of what I know, then perhaps I can help," the historian offered. Link silently cursed to himself; would he have to part with more information -information that could possibly fall into the wrong hands- before continuing with his quest?
It had to be done.
For the next half hour, Link told Iris about the Twilight Realm and the people who had been exiled there centuries ago. The entire time, the woman remained stoic and unreadable; Link had to wonder if she believed what he said, or if she thought he was simply mad. Had he not lived through it, Link would be inclined to believe anybody with such a tale to be insane or a glory hound who had a few too many drinks.
When Link finished, he waited quietly for an answer -any answer- from Iris. Hours seemed to pass as silence reigned supreme. Finally, closing her eyes, the woman spoke.
"Link... had anybody else told me what you just did, I would be inclined to kill them to put them out of their insanity." The hero remained motionless as Iris continued. "However, I believe you, every word." Relief washed over Link as the tension in the atmosphere slowly began to lift. "You say this world, this land of eternal twilight, was sealed from our world when its true ruler shattered the mirror that connected our two worlds?"
Link nodded his head. He subconsciously lifted his hand and felt the black velvet pouch that hung from his neck. The mirror shard poked against the soft fabric. Link let out a small breath as he lowered his hand back down to his side.
"And now, you search for an alternative way to enter."
Everything was out in the open. Iris knew of Link's intentions; she also knew of the risk. If another way into the Twilight Realm was found, it could be utilized to once again cover the world in darkness. Hyrule had been the only affected kingdom during the crisis that had taken place months ago, but had Ganondorf succeeded, what would have stopped him from covering the entire world in the black cloud of twilight and fear?
"I do not know of any other way into the world you seek, but you are not far from one who could help. You were right to travel here," the historian spoke. "Within the depths of the Sisters lies a deity who is as old as this land. It is said he was tasked by the goddesses to protect it from a group of mages who wielded a dark power; I can only assume these mages were the ancestors of the Twili."
"My elders told me the deity traveled to the Sisters of the South in order to rest after the mages had been destroyed. To this day, he stills resides within the mountains. Any who approach without his permission are killed, lest his slumber be disturbed." The woman paused as she looked over Link, almost as if she was sizing him up. "Being entrusted with this knowledge makes me one of the deity's protectors; it is my life's goal to ensure that he remains safe during his sleep. Now that I see I have failed once with Naila, I give this knowledge to you for my own redemption. Go and stop the woman."
So that was it; Link had to meet this deity. However, he now knew the risk, but there wasn't a choice. Link couldn't sit idle while Naila actively hunted for a way into the Twilight Realm.
"But Link!" Iris spoke sharply. Looking right into her icy eyes, Link felt a shiver run down his spine. "You know the dangers of what you seek; if it were not for Naila, I would not have shared this information with you. The safety of this world hangs in the balance because of your actions; right what you have wronged, and be gone from my home."
Link couldn't agree any more. With a curt nod, Link stood and made for the door.
He had a deity to meet.
A/N: I literally wrote then re-wrote this chapter three times; that is no exaggeration. Even now, I don't like it. It reads and feels so much like a filler chapter, but it was necessary for plot advancement. Next chapter will deal with Link's journey into the Sisters and I will also have some scenes with Midna. Whether the scenes will be while she's an imp or of the two days Link and her Shared before her shattering of the mirror, I have yet to decide. Any preference? Let me know!
I really just wanted to post this chapter and get it out of the way. Thanks for bearing with me, I'll try to update soon. I had the first draft of this chapter done by the 4th, but I wasn't satisfied, hence the ten day gap between chapters. I'll try not to take so long in the future. ;)