Author's Note: All right, we are back with this again. I honestly have been wanting to write this chapter for a while and though it isn't the best in the world, I am pretty happy with it. Especially the ending, since I have really wanted to plant this idea into the story for a while; and now seems like the best time. Anyway, thank you for all waiting, and hopefully this looks good since I updated GotD yesterday. I really hope that you enjoy this one, as we are ending off the Forest Temple and going onward!
Extra Note: Just on a side note, I won't be writing between August 10th and August 29th, as I am on holiday. I wish that I could update, but it probably won't happen. But I would love to do little writing bursts while I am away, so it shouldn't be a major gap between the day when I come back and an update; I hope. After all, the world of college is a few days after, so who knows?
"Only a life lived for others is a life worth living."
~Albert Einstein~
Shards of Time
An Ocarina of Time FanFiction
Chapter 19: Silva
~Ciren~
"This place doesn't stop giving me chills..." Navi murmurs as the platform lands with a heavy thud. She hovers above us as we step out into the cold room, scanning every part of it. The octagonal shaped room is diseased with overgrowth like the rest of the Temple, dusty deep blue carpet surrounding the platform before moving onward into another corridor ahead.
"I won't disagree with that." Link acknowledges; weapon caught in a tight grip. "But I am surprised that there haven't been any ambushes yet. The Poes did warn us of something ahead..."
I stifle a shudder at the mention of the Poe Sisters, still feeling violated from their attacks on me. While I am glad that it wasn't Link in my place, the fact that I still allowed them to do such a thing to me is what angers me the most. I assume that after seven years of being in the main parts of Hyrule instead of the Valley hasn't helped me at all; I'm getting weak.
"Every Temple must have a force to maintain the darkness within them." I muse, words reminding me of Sheik or the Princess; who I haven't seen for seven years. "So if the Poes were right, and damn them if they are, then this opposing force will be in the deepest parts of the Temples." I stare at the paintings hanging on each wall, too distorted to understand.
The Guardian Fairy glides over to my side, sitting atop my shoulder. "And if these paintings are showing us anything, then they are telling us that this "opposing force" is twisting the aura of the Temple. This will be why the Sage of Forest can't hear the call of Rauru. Come on," She adds, cutting through the thick silence. "I think we all want to leave this vile place..."
I move back to Link's side, shifting through the large room as one and into the dark corridor ahead, dust shifting across the dull carpet at our feet. With Navi's light, I can see even more distorted paintings on either wall, gold plating on the frames worn down so that I can't read anything on them. Some show the Kokiri Forest and Lost Woods, others show shadows and evil spirits.
One shows a Stalfos, my potential fate.
Swallowing thickly, I wet my lips and follow the radiance of the Guardian Fairy as she halts before a thick door, gold decorations worn away over time. She illuminates the wall above it, sighing softly. "Silva, the Insignia of the Forest." She turns on us suddenly. "There is an evil force beyond here. I can't tell what it is, but it is darker than anything that I have felt before, even Gohma." Link shivers at my side. "We have to do this."
"We aren't running from any of this. We can return the Forest to normal by doing this." I smile at his words, stepping forwards and touching the door. Without warning, Navi darts away when the Silva insignia above glows, causing the door to rise into the wall above it, revealing the deepest part of the Forest Temple.
"Whatever happens," I say sternly, looking on ahead as my companions turn to me. "I am not letting any of us fall behind here."
We walk on through as my words fade into the air, climbing three sets of stairs as the large door slams shut behind us. No going back now, just as you like it. We emerge in a slightly smaller room, although simply standing in the centre of it sends the hairs on the back of my neck upright. The hexagonal shaped room is surrounding by rope, a gigantic Triforce carved into the ground in the centre of the room.
Like in the dark corridor, the walls hold lingering vegetation that claw at the Temple's main structure, large paintings hanging on every wall. These ones are distorted, showing dead trees lining a thin pathway that leads towards a shadowy structure in the distance. "Well, this doesn't seem so bad." I mutter, trying to lighten the mood as best as possible. "I guess it's just a waiting game for the opposing force, huh?"
"Ciren..." I whirl around at the sound of Link's voice, staring at his back. He glances over his shoulder at me, then steps aside to reveal golden bars jarring out from the floor where we had entered the battleground. My eyes narrow at the blurred world around us, Link noticing too. He reaches out to the crystalline wall around the ropes and bars, jerking his hand back.
The Guardian Fairy, who has been quiet this entire time, inspects his hand. "It doesn't seem to have hurt you, but it is certainly a barrier of some form; dark magic too." Her breath hitches as if sensing something, and her eyes widen as she snaps her gaze over to me. "Ciren, watch out!"
Heart soaring, I spin around with my weapons high, meeting a trident before it spears my skull in two. My grip only hardens when I find the attacker's eyes, glowing orbs of gold staring down at me menacingly. "King." I greet curtly, eyes narrowed into thin slits. Before he can push his spear, which I have never seen him use before, further towards me, Link joins me at my side and helps me shove him away.
Ganondorf says nothing, simply raising his free hand to his face. In a blur of dark magic, delving into the Dark Arts like the Witches had done, his face crumbles away. I grimace at the sight of his skin dripping into particles of darkness, forcing that sensation down when he drops his tanned palm to reveal a strange mask "adorning" his features.
The Guardian Fairy flies towards him, uncaring for what has happened. "It isn't Ganondorf; his aura is different. This must be a Phantom of him."
"He probably doesn't know about the Hero of Time's awakening." I agree, although I feel irritated that what we see is a Phantom and not Ganondorf himself. "But he will know when we defeat his Phantom. Sweet merciful Din, what is it with this place and Phantoms?" Link chuckles lightly at the final comment. The Phantom rises into the air, transporting a spiritual horse into our presence and mounting it. It may look like Ganondorf's actual stallion, but it is nothing more than a fake.
Maybe the care for his tribe was fake too...
I shake my head, refusing to think such thoughts as the Phantom rears the stallion back and the gallops towards one of the paintings behind us. Soaring high above us, the artwork engulfs him, and all three of us stare in shock as the Phantom rides towards the ominous structure in the distance of the drawing. "Navi, please say that you can make some sense of this madness. Why is it toying with us like this?"
"Now that the Phantom is in the painting, I can feel it splitting itself into five." She clarifies as Link and I stand back to back. "The next time that he comes out of the paintings, it may—look!" My eyes widen a little as the Phantom races back down the dirt pathway, though the five other versions of itself is doing the same in the other paintings as well.
In the corner of my eye, I catch one of the paintings glowing a deep purple colour so faintly that I barely notice it. As the Phantoms are ready to tear out of the paintings, only the real one appears, and straight from the one that was glowing. We don't have the reach with our weapons to attack the Phantom as it flies overhead, and I spot his trident crackling with lightning.
"Watch out!" I cry, throwing myself backwards with Link in tow, our feet barely missing the circle of lighting that dances across the floor for a second before retreating.
"If we can see when the real Phantom appears, then I can shoot it down." Link whispers into my ear as the Phantom glides back into the opposite painting, the other five following suit.
I shake my head when he moves to sheathe his blade. "The Master Sword is the Blade of Evil's Bane, and this Phantom is the near pinnacle of evil. I'll shoot." To further prove my point, the darkness around the room moves towards us, however if repelled by the blade in his hand. I meet his gaze evenly, sheathing my scimitars and taking the Bow into my hands, the quiver as well.
Growing up, archery was one of the main things that I excelled at, mainly because I liked the bow and I had no other choice but to learn how to use different types of close and ranged weaponry. I remember me and Nisah heading into the Archery Range in the dead of night to practice, or doing the same with our horses. With a weapon like this back in my hands, I am reminded of happier days.
"The painting the real Phantom comes from glows purple before it appears, I think." I remark, edging away from my companions and circling the edge of the room.
As the Phantoms return to the paintings, I close my left eye and focus, allowing Link and Navi to complete the job of spotting where the Phantom will come from for me. I take a long, steady breath, letting my emotions fall away so that I can do this right. "To your left, Ciren!" The Guardian Fairy shouts before her partner can, and I direct my attention over to the glowing painting.
Relax, a voice commands, reminding me of teaching Nisah my shooting techniques. The Phantom breaks free of the painting, and I adjust my aim. Shoot. As the Phantom flies across the room, the arrow sails straight towards the Phantom's heart. The world's sounds fade as the arrow reaches the Phantom, and my heart drops in shock when it slices through the Phantom as if it didn't exist.
"What happened, Ciren?" Link calls as the Phantom enters the painting above him. "Did you miss?"
I scoff, still slightly stunned. "I am offended by that. I didn't miss; the damn Phantom is using magic so that anything that we use will have no—" In the background, I can hear Link repeating my name twice, however I am lost in a daze of realisation to register his voice. His stallion. That's where the magic is. "Call out where the Phantom is again." I tighten my grip around the Bow, surprised at how good it is. "Leave it to me."
They don't question it, watching intently on the paintings around them as the six Phantoms race down the dusty strip inside of the piece of artwork. "Straight ahead, Ciren." Link announces, and I tense my body up entirely, staring the Phantom in the eyes. Relax. I direct the tip of my arrow towards the horse's neck. Shoot. I let my body fall limp, sending the arrow straight into the neck of his pet.
Unlike before, the arrow strikes home.
The stallion rears upright, the Phantom's eyes gleaming with shock as the horse explodes in a bout of darkness, sending it back off of the horse that used to be there. I rejoin my partners as the Phantom falls to the ground before immediately jolting back into the air, flying about the room as if a puppet on strings; though I suppose it is, in a way. "Don't underestimate the shooting power of a Gerudo."
"Noted."
The Phantom, groaning in anger, raises its trident once more and creates a ball on lightning above the tips of the weapon. With a familiar smug grin, the Phantom aims the trident at us three, sending the sphere of electricity in our direction. At the last moment, all three of us dive in opposite directions, picking ourselves back up and ignoring the black scorch marks on the ground.
"Answer his magic with an attack of your own!" The Guardian Fairy reports almost eagerly. "If you send the attacks back at it, it may stun him long enough to attack it." Nodding, we ready ourselves as the Phantom swings its trident at us, knocking Navi back. She manages to quickly recover herself, staying close to her partner as the Phantom raises its trident once more, and lightning surrounds it. I fall into a deep battle stance, eyes alert as the ball of crackling energy soars in our direction.
"No!" I cry when Link moves in front of me, weapon ready, clearly unaware of the fact that metal conducts electricity. "Stop!" I lock an arrow into place and send it towards the Phantom just as Link swings his blade; ignoring me.
The sphere, defying general physics through magic, is thrown back in the Phantom's direction. With my arrow striking at its shoulder, the Phantom barely has time to knock the ball away.
I stare in awe and amusement as it becomes a match between the two of them, the Guardian Fairy helping her partner in timing his movements. They knock the energy between them numerous times, circling the edge of the room whilst I shift around so that I am in a blind spot for the Phantom. As Link knocks the magic back towards the Phantom, I distract it by shooting at its abdomen, making sure that it is stunned long enough so that I cannot throw the magic back towards my companions.
It works.
The Phantom screeches in pain, body staggering back as the lightning surrounds its body. It falls to the ground in pain, leaving the Master Sword to do the rest of the work. The Blade of Evil's Bane slides through the Phantom's chest, dyeing the metal with black blood. Disturbed, I walk towards Link as he turns away from the Phantom; the latter burning into nothingness.
"This is the first good thing that I have seen in the past seven years." I remark, watching as the Phantom twitches on the ground. "But that wasn't your fault." I add moments after, feeling the shadow of guilt within him. I clap him on the back. "Nice work, Mr. Hero." He smiles a little, and I smile back; feeling genuinely good.
Navi sighs a little as I turn away, assuming that we have to traverse back through the Temple in order to leave. "Something doesn't feel right." She muses as I walk towards the exit of the room, eyebrows scrunching together when I note that it is still blocked off. "Maybe we need to find the Sage as well?" Neither of us speak as I pivot back around to meet their intent gazes, however my eyes are not drawn to them, but what is behind them.
The Phantom, who had thought to have been obliterated, rises like a puppet behind Link and Navi. My heart twists at the sight of the electrified trident being raised, and I jolt into action. "Watch out!" I near scream, but I am too late.
Link starts to turn as I reach out for him; however he meets the trident dead on. I shoot the Phantom in the neck, sending it crashing back to the ground with a heavy thud; victim slumping to the floor. The Guardian Fairy screams as I drop my weapons, falling to my knees at his side and turning him over. Navi rests heavily against the nape of my neck, clutching the skin tightly as I press two fingers again his neck.
No pulse.
I cry out in alarm, coming to terms with what the Phantom did in its dying breath. Navi understands too, staring at her partner's paling face as she sobs hysterically. She forces her wings into movement. "I-I can... heal h-him..." She mutters, landing atop Link's chest with closed eyes, starting to glow.
"No!" I wrap my fingers around her lightly, my hands shaking more than I had ever expected them to be. "Don't think that I don't know what will happen to you if you do that. Guardian Fairies aren't like other Fairies... you'll die." I am trying my hardest to stay calm, but the heat behind my eyes, the tremors in my hands, and shallow breathing isn't portraying this.
Why did Sheik not come with—? My breath hitches as the Guardian Fairy squirms in my light grasp, struggling to free herself. Sheik! I glance down at my free hand, recalling what Sheik had taught me in the seven years since Ganondorf claimed the Triforce of Power. I can do something...
Planting Navi on the ground, I order her to stay put. And, strangely enough, she does. She doesn't fly back in my face; she simply sits there and follows my orders. The Guardian Fairy notices the tremors in my hands, my shallow breathing, and determined gaze. I cast my eyes down to Link's blank, "sleeping" face. CPR: thirty chest compressions, two breaths; repeat. You can do this, Ciren. Don't let the Hero of Time die; don't let your friend die.
Recalling the memory, I move in immediately and count to thirty with every compression that I do. Navi stares with eyes wider than the moon in the corner of my eye, a sight to behold given her size, tears silently running down her cheeks like tiny raindrops as she sits on her knees. But I keep going, determined not to let this end in the way that it could.
"Yeah, I am. But I kinda prefer "Link" honestly, as it is my actual name." Once I hit thirty, I cover his nose and seal our lips together, pushing two breaths into his body. His chest rises both times, thankfully, and then stops again. My stomach drops a little, though was to be expected, and I return to the compressions.
Sheik had warned me about repeating the tasks too many times, as it only makes it worse for you to bear with when the victim doesn't respond after so many minutes of CPR, and I pray to the Goddesses with every count towards thirty that this works.
"It's good to have you back." I start to lose track of how many rounds that I take, time far from endless as I swap between compressions and breaths. Silence is cut every so often when I breathe out the numbers and beckon for Link to return. Memories spiral out of control, and I wonder if how close I feel to him was how close I had felt to Nisah before she was corrupted.
Has he replaced her?
"I promise that I'll protect you." I swallow thickly, eyes hot. "No..." I murmur as I pull away from his mouth. "I'm going to protect you."
"C-Ciren..." Navi stutters, but I don't hear her. Whether it is my imagination or the Forest's influence, my hands flicker between how it normally looks to the hand of a Stalfos with every number and every breath. I barely hear the Guardian Fairy until her places a tiny hand atop my own; I don't stop. "Ciren, y-you... you need to s-stop now. It's... he's too far—"
Then, as if to prove her wrong, Link sharply intakes a breath, coughing violently for a few moments before falling still; breathing on his own.
I gasp in relief, staring down at my hands, ones that no longer flicker between bony fingers any longer. I fall onto my back, covering my face with my hands as Navi hugs her partner in happiness. I did it, my mind mumbles, still as shocked as I feel, adrenaline fading and exhaustion taking its place. I force myself upright, smiling brightly at the thought of Link living and the Forest no longer influencing me.
The Phantom, whose body had lain on the ground the entire time, rises into the air; limp. "Such a sight to behold. It only angers me more now that you survived that day so that you could save the child's life." My heart skips a beat as Ganondorf's voice echoes around the room, chuckling lightly. I want to retort on how Link isn't a child, but it is nothing but the truth. "This Phantom did not serve its full purpose. I shall seal it away in the realm between Light and Dark."
Without hesitation, the Phantom slumps to the ground like a toy, engulfed by a dark portal that appears as it drops. "That doesn't matter, King." I sneer, shuffling closer to my companions. "Even your darkness can't hide from the light! We will be after you soon enough. You can't carry on destroying the land of the Old Gods in this way, and you will pay for it!"
He laughs darkly, his presence here but I cannot physically see him. "Ah, so you acknowledge that I am too strong for you, and you are far too weak to face me. Waiting seven years for a Hero who can't even live through one of my weakest commanders... Ciren, you truly have lost your ways. When the path of destiny returns you to the Valley, I shall see to your redemption; your death at the hands of your old comrades!"
On his promise, his presence fades from the room, and I sigh deeply. One Sage is located in the Valley. I have no choice but to accept that...
Navi moves to say something, wiping the tears away from her pale complexion; however we are both halted when a bright light radiates out from the painting straight ahead of us. We watch in awe as a tiny figure appears from the painting, landing against the ground with a soft thud. The figure, once the light dies down, seems to be the spirit of a child; a Kokiri.
"Saria, it really is you!" The Guardian Fairy cries in joy, shooting in her direction. The figure, Saria, smiles softly and raises her hand, however Navi goes through it. "Why are you a spirit? Oh no! A-Are you...?"
Her smile grows as she shakes her head, lowering her hand. "I am not dead, Navi. I was trapped within those paintings when I came to protect the Temple from Ganondorf's forces. Now that you have cleansed this Domain, I have returned to the Chamber of the Sages with Rauru. For that, I am eternally in your debts." She turns on me, taking a seat on the ground. "Now that I may speak with you, I am happy to express that the Forest no longer affects you."
I roll my eyes. "It took it long enough."
Saria laughs lightly, and I am drawn in by her bright spirit. "It did, Ciren." I part my lips, wondering how she knows my name after being trapped for so long, but she hovers her hand above mine. "I may have been trapped, but fate told me of your name many moons ago. When the Great Deku Tree died, I was chosen to control what enters the Forest. I could not fight off Ganondorf's influence, so there is a high chance that the Forest became more sensitive to anyone who came here; no matter what destiny said."
"So now that you have been freed, the Forest will return to normal, right?" Navi asks, to which Saria nods with a content smile. "Will you not go back to the village to see the rest of the Kokiri, not even for a day? They have been worried sick about you."
"I know, Navi, but I must stay in the Chamber of the Sages so that I can strengthen the defences inside the Sacred Realm. If they fall, then Hyrule will do so as well." Her eyes fall on Link, who remains unconscious. "Thank-you for doing what you did Ciren, and not losing hope. You have not only saved the last glimmer of hope for this dying Kingdom, but also a friend very dear to me."
I shrug. "It was his will to stay with us, not me." In any other situation, I would have been smug about it, but not when it considers life and death.
"Come on, Ciren. You can't not take responsibility even after I told you to... stop."
I shake my head lightly. "That's only because you knew that I had to, and I didn't want to face the facts. Anyway," I add before the Guardian Fairy can say anything else in protest. "I don't get how you recognised him."
"I always knew that he was different, and friends never forget each other." She replies with simply, rising to her feet. "Now, I can return you to the Great Deku Tree's glade now that my powers are completely restored. While you do so, I will contact Link. I have something to tell him."
I raise a brow. "Contact him?" But you—" She taps her head and I understand.
Before any of us can say any more, my vision is awash with whiteness, and I momentarily feel lightheaded. "Thank-you, Ciren. May your Sisters find the light..."
My feet land against the soft layer of grass in the Great Deku Tree's Meadow, moon beginning its descent towards the horizon. I stand facing the old Tree, the weight of the Forest's influence gone and finally being felt now that we are free from the Temple. Navi floats just in front of me, her partner resting against the Tree with a soft smile. She whips around, wrapping her arms across my nose. "Thank-you, Ciren."
Finally feeling a little more like myself, I smirk at her when she pulls away. "Everyone is giving me the compliments. I wasn't the one who killed the Phantom." The Guardian Fairy shakes her head, but says nothing. I take a step towards Link, unsure of what to do other than add: "Well, good riddance to it either way. Between that and the Poe Sisters, I really can't wait to get back to—"
I am thrown bodily backwards away from my partner, Navi crying out in alarm and having the reflexes to fly out of the way. My reflexes, it seems, must have softened after Saria's appearance. I crash against the blades of grass around me harshly, bolting upright and drawing my weapons, noticing the Bow at my side on the grass; teleported out of the Forest Temple with us.
"What the...?" My eyes lock onto a large sprout, germinating from the ground at such a speed that it must have been the force that knocked me away. I glance around the glade anyway, just to make sure, unable to stop grinning at the sight of a smiling plant staring at me with dark eyes. "What, in Nayru's name, are you?"
It giggles, small branches twitching as it does so. "I am the Great Deku Tree Sprout!" It introduces gleefully, rather joyous to be present. "After the Forest Temple was overtaken, I couldn't germinate and grow. But now that the curse has been lifted, I can flourish, and it's all thanks to you!"
"Well... it's not a problem, Sprout." I say, dumbfounded. "The Kokiri will be... ecstatic that you're growing."
I run my fingers through my red bangs, exhaling at what I am seeing; apparently real. I move again to rest against the original Great Deku Tree in order to rest beside my companion, however the Sprout stops me with an almost curt: "Wait a moment." I halt, meeting its gaze with a raised brow. "I have something that you may want to hear."
Reluctantly, I take a seat before the Sprout. "Shoot."
"I have been blessed with much information that I may pass on to whoever I please, and I know much about you, Ciren of the Gerudo." I tilt my head, perplexed. "In your tribe, genetics are irrelevant. You are told who your parents are, of course, however must treat them as Sisters and not like family. Am I not correct?"
I see where this is going... "Yeah, it's true. But no one told me about my Dad because he died before I was born, and my Mom did as well in battle not long after I was born. There's nothing to say."
"Actually, my dear, there is a lot to say about it." Rather angered and offended by its words, I move to retort in any way that I can, though I am stopped when the Sprout carries on without hesitation. "Your Hylian Father did die before you were born, and passed on from a terrible plague that spread across most parts of Hyrule. Everyone had been touched by death in some way. Your Mother, however, is another matter."
"Cut to the chase, Sprout." I order, irritated. While I never knew that my Dad was a Hylian and died from illness, it is a defence mechanism; I don't want to be subjected to this. "Is this worth my time or not?"
The Sprout twitches his branches as if to nod. "Yes, Ciren, because your Mother is still alive. And, in fact, you met with her when all of this first began."
