Chapter Five

Link shoots up off of his stool.

"Alac? What's wrong? What happened?"

The man he calls Alac's chest heaves, he's obviously been running.

"They're here. Ganondorf's soldiers. Looking for you. You need to hide, they'll be here in about 10 minutes, maybe sooner. I barely made it back in time to warn you." He looks at me, just noticing I'm here. "Oh look, you're awake. Thought you'd never wake up."

"Where do we go?" Link asks as he grabs the Master Sword and shoves his long green hat over his head.

"In the cellar. It's hidden well enough that they probably won't find it. And even if they do, it's too dark to see much of anything. Not to mention the idiots will be too scared to go down and look. I don't care if they work for Ganondorf, they're all cowards."

Link nods. They both walk over to a corner of the cottage and pull up the rug. Underneath is a trap door. They lift it up together with a loud creak. Link motions me over.

I stare down at the black hole before me. A ladder leads down into the pitch black, and a damp wind emanates from the hole. I shiver.

Link goes down the ladder first. After he's a few rungs down he reaches up his hand and helps me down. How high are we? After a few moments I hear Link's feet hit the ground. He helps me off of the ladder too. It kind of seems familiar down here.

Link squints up to the square of light above, blocked by Alac's slightly pudgy figure. "Aren't you coming down?"

Alac shakes his head. "They already saw me. I'll make sure they don't find you two." Somehow he sees Link's worried face in the darkness. "I'll be fine. You just worry about yourselves."

Link nods. "What if they do find us?"

"Kick their rear ends into the next country with that pretty little sword of yours." And with that the trap door slams shut.

Link leads me over to a corner and we sit down on the ground. It's so dark I might as well be closing my eyes. All I can hear is the sound of our breathing.

"Hey, you know, I just realized why I recognized this place," I whisper.

"Why?"

"I think it's your basement in Twilight Princess."

"Is it?"

I nod. "Yeah. And it's just as dark. You can't really do anything down there until you get a lantern. Then you can open a chest and get a purple rupee."

Link laughs softly. "That's funny. Alac stored a purple rupee down here in a huge chest and forgot about it, we just found it a month ago." I laugh too.

Then loud shouts sound out from above and footsteps pound on the floor, causing dust shower over us. I tense, for the first time feeling the threat of the very real danger. Link gives my hand a reassuring squeeze. But I can tell he's just as scared.

"Where is he?" A voice screams from above.

"I already told you, I have no idea! He left about a week ago, I don't know where he went! Now quit yelling at me!" Alac screams back.

There's a frustrated grunt and the first voice starts yelling orders to the other soldiers.

There's a bump on the trap door.

"What's this?" A soldier says.

Link sucks in a breath. I close my eyes and grip his shoulder. Please, please, please.

"It's a rug, idiot. Have you never seen a rug before?" Another one says.

I can breathe again. Link's muscles relax and I loosen my grip.

Then light floods the cellar.

Link pulls me close to him and into a pool of shadow. I try not to breath again.

Footsteps come down the ladder and land on the floor.

I bury my face in Link's tunic. He smells like pinewood. That's a nice smell to accompany my impending death in a fictional world.

Then a hand grabs us by our shirts. I scream.

"Alac!" Link yells in relief. Alac stands in front of us, pulling us to our feet. I feel like crying with relief.

"They went to search outside the house, but it won't take them long. You need to get out of here Link, now."

Link looks torn. "But... Alac..."

"I'll be fine. I can take care of myself just as well as you can take care of yourself." His face softens. "Link, you're a strong kid. If anyone can save Hyrule from Ganondorf, I believe you can. The goddesses were wise to call upon you."

Link bits his lip, then stands up and embraces him. "Thank you Alac, For everything. For raising me and putting up with me, and being there for me..." His voice trails off. He makes it sound like they'll never see each other again. I frown. Maybe they won't, if Ganondorf's guards catch us or throw Alac in jail.

"I wouldn't have had it be any other way, kid."

Link steps back and helps me up. He stares at me. "I don't know what to do with you. If I leave you here you'll be in danger of Ganondorf's soldiers finding you, but if you come with me you'll be in constant danger of everything and its grandmother trying to kill you."

I try to smile. "Well, I've come along with you on all your other quests, albeit virtually. Granted I got you killed a few times..." His eyes widen a little. "But they were on accident. Stupid stuff, don't worry about it. But I'd rather come with you than hide in a creepy cellar."

Link nods. "Okay,"

Alac looks confuses. "You told me you never met her before."

"We haven't," Link says. "It's a long and confusing story, I'll tell you later."

Navi suddenly lifts the edge of Link's hat. "Could you not be so loud, I'm trying to sleep up here."

Link laughs. "You slept through all that?"

"All of what?"

I laugh to. "My screaming didn't wake you up?"

She shakes her head. "No, that's what woke me. I've been trying to go back to sleep." She flies out and lands on my shoulder. "But apparently I missed out on all the fun. What happened?"

"Soldiers," Link says. "We need to leave. Now."

Navi's eyes go wide. "Then let's go!" She zips upstairs.

Alac ascends the ladder first, then me and Link. When we reach the top Alac hands Link a knapsack.

"It holds enough food to keep both of you well fed for at least a week. It's the least I can do to help you."

"It's more than enough. Thank you," Link says as he attaches it to his belt.

"Thank you, Alac." I say.

He smiles at us. He looks weary and nervous, his eyes bloodshot. "Good luck to you both. Be careful."

Navi flies in the doorway impatiently. "Um, hello? Does anyone besides me remember the soldiers that want to kill us? Let's go!"

Link nods and gives one last look to Alac. "Be safe,"

"You too, Link. You too."

Link grabs my elbow and we run out the doorway.

We sprint to the stable where Epona waits for us without being spotted. Link saddles up Epona and gets on. I gulp. I've never been on a horse before. He reaches for my hand and pulls me up.

"Hold on okay? She can go pretty fast, I don't want you to fall off."

I nod and wrap my arms around him, praying that I won't fall off...

"Link and Nicole, sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g," Navi sings as she flutters near Link's hat. I can feel my face go red.

"Navi, you think I won't make do on that promise to throw you to the Deku Baba, but I will." Link mutters, the tips of his ears the same shade as my cheeks.

"Okey dokey!" Navi sings as she flies into Link's hat.

"Sorry about her, she can be a little... annoying. OUCH NAVI! DON'T PULL MY HAIR!" Link swats his hat.

I smile. "It's okay. Be thankful we're not in Ocarina Of Time. Her catch phrase is 'Hey, listen!'."

"Hey, listen!" Navi yells from inside Link's hat. Link swats it again.

"Okay," Link says drawing The Master Sword. "Here we go."

~X~

Epona flies out of the stable. The soldiers yell in surprise. Then they see who rides her. The draw their swords and run after us, many getting on their own horses. But Epona is far ahead of them. Link was right, she does go fast. I'm hanging on for dear life.

That would be the crappiest way to die ever, falling off a horse in a video game world. Almost as bad as having a rabid mob of cucoos peck you to death.

"We'll go across Hyrule field go into the Lost Woods," Link yells. "They won't follow, the woods aren't exactly soldier friendly. We can lose them pretty quick. We'll go from there,"

"Sounds good!" I yell back.

Arrows whiz past my head, nicking my ear.

Okay, um, OWW!

Link glances behind us. The soldiers wield bow and arrows, and they're all pointed at us.

When I look back at Link I'm surprised to see a bow and arrow in his hands as well. Where did those come from? He points it at some of the soldiers and fires. He hits all of them, but only in the arms and legs.

"How did you do that?" I yell. Now the bow and arrow is gone. Just like the video games.

"Do what?" Link yells over his shoulder. The wind whips my hair across my face, getting it stuck in my mouth.

I sputter and shake my head. "Forget it! I'll ask you later!"

I take a moment to look at Hyrule Field. It looks like Twilight Princess. Gorgeous. Rivers and bridges are everywhere, along with trees and bushes. And in the middle of it all, far off but still shinning like a beacon, stands Castletown and Hyrule Castle. The actual Hyrule Castle. This is the first time I've ever seen a real castle in person, and it takes my breath away. The setting sun reflects off its walls, making it sparkle like gold. It's beautiful.

"Here we are!" Link yells. I look ahead of us. A huge forest stretches before us, dark and ominous. A shiver runs through me. So, this is the Lost Woods.

The next thing I know, we're inside the sprawling forest and my view of the castle is gone.