A/N: Well, I tried to get this chapter up as quickly as possible, but it got delayed due to college work. I also wanted to thank those of you who consistently review: Yacob, Surviving Sheikah, The Silent Orion, MiyaChama, Darkide, and Victoria-Blackheart. And of course, thanks to all of you who continue to read this story! Here's Chapter 7!
The words of Queen Zelda echoed across the silent room like cymbals at a funeral. Their harsh and thunderous truth shattered Ilia's heart, rendering her motionless and without words. A sharp inhale was all she could manage at the sudden shock. She didn't even notice a hovering mayfly land on her hand, scurrying in a sporadic pattern on her arm as it explored the foreign territory. Ilia's blue eyes were far from the vibrant color that normally defined them, replaced by the hollow emptiness of permanent loss. Both hands dropped limply to her sides as she collapsed to her knees, causing the mayfly to flee frantically from its comfortable perch. The blank expression on her face voiced the complete devastation she couldn't.
The effect of the monarch's words was no less brutal on Rusl. However, unlike Ilia, he had seen death before, and had learned better how to handle its unforgiving grasp on those he cherished. His fingers formed a tight fist in an attempt to vent the decisive blow to his spirit. He clenched his jaw so tight that it could've been used for a nutcracker. His solemn eyes averted the princess's gaze, turning in empathy to Ilia kneeling passively on the floor.
Zelda could say no more. She waited silently for the two to handle their grief, while she herself felt a growing knot in her chest. As she looked at the solemn figures before her, she couldn't help but feel partially responsible. She distracted her gaze with the fly buzzing around her, watching disinterestedly as it landed on the arm to her royal throne.
Was this really the right thing to do? Should I have said nothing?
The whispers of doubt began to cloud her mind. She subtly shook her head and suppressed the thoughts through an effort of will, a necessary skill she had learned as ruler of Hyrule.
"How?" came a determined voice. Zelda snapped out of her reverie and turned her attention to its source, Rusl. His knuckles were whiter than the clouds rolling by the window. His brows were locked in a vengeful scowl. "Link hasn't been in Hyrule for seven years."
Zelda folded her arms across her chest, hesitating slightly. She looked directly at Rusl, but could still see Ilia in petrified shock through her peripheral. The words were soft as they left her lips. "Perhaps," she paused, her shaky voice betraying her guilt. "Perhaps, I am partially to blame."
The cold expression on Rusl's face instantly melted. His eyes stared with keen concentration at the ruler of Hyrule. The stolid swordsman didn't know how to react; he hadn't expected such a response. He could only mutter a barely audible reply: "Your Majesty?"
Zelda's ocean blue eyes diverted once again to the arm of her throne, where they found the mayfly a much more bearable sight than the stunned faces of Ilia and Rusl. She began, allowing the two to hear the tale that brought them here. "Seven years ago, shortly after Hyrule was saved, I had a dream. At first, I merely ignored it, but it persisted. It came back to me night after night, becoming ever more vivid with each passing moon."
"A dream?" Rusl asked.
Zelda nodded and elaborated. "In it, I saw a dark cloud. It rose up from Death Mountain and engulfed the volcano. Merely gazing at the cloud sent sharp shivers down my back. I knew this was no ordinary pillar of smoke. It was as if evil itself was embodied and personified."
She paused momentarily, eying the two for affirmation. A slight nod from Rusl urged her to continue.
"After the cloud conquered Death Mountain, it took on a defined shape. A tall figure with two crimson eyes emerged from the cloud, casting its bloodthirsty gaze on the rest of our fair land. I was helpless as I watched it spread its malevolent energy towards every corner of Hyrule, turning our beloved kingdom into a graveyard of misery and darkness. His malevolent energy turned my fair people into hideous beasts. Despite my strong desire to turn away, my eyes remained fixed on the sight before me."
Zelda took a short pause to catch her breath. The silence echoed as her words sunk in.
"Suddenly, it began to rain. It was no ordinary downpour, but as if the goddesses themselves were unleashing their grief-stained tears upon the land. Indeed, as I was soon to discover, this was not far from the truth. The clouds parted for a moment as I saw the Three Goddesses descend in their golden glory, looking down upon the desolate land. They shook their heads in mourning, and signaled for the rain to intensify with a wave of their shining hands. In what seemed like minutes, the entire land of Hyrule was completely submerged. Only those who had escaped to the mountains were able to survive. The darkness itself was drowned with Hyrule, allowing peace for a time."
"Hyrule- flooded?" Rusl gasped. He breathed a sigh of relief. "At least it solves our drought problems," he joked lightly to ease the shock. He folded his arms inquisitively. "But with all due respect, Your Majesty, I don't see how this relates to Link."
An empathetic smile painted Zelda's expression. "Patience, Rusl." She glanced quickly at Ilia. She had not moved an inch, and still showed no indication of vitality. Only the steady rhythm of her breathing gave any indication of the life still inside her.
Zelda's smile quickly disappeared. "After the rains stopped, all that remained were vast oceans: infinite bodies of water with no hint to the ruins that lay below. The few survivors that remained developed villages on small islands overtime, but nothing that could compare to the glory the world once was. As I took in this ominous sight, one of the goddesses approached me. I wish you could have seen her, Rusl. Words cannot even describe how majestic she was."
"A goddess spoke to you?" Rusl questioned, trying his best to mask the doubt in his voice. Still, Zelda was perhaps the most virtuous woman he knew, and she wouldn't lie without good reason.
Zelda nodded respectfully. "Nayru, the goddess of wisdom. She came close to me, and her beauty was so overwhelming that I had to look away. Even so, I could hear her words clearer than I am speaking now. The vision I had seen was a prophecy. She told me that the dark days of the past were only a prelude of something far worse still to come. If we are to avert it, we must find someone who carries a silver baton and is able to tame the winds."
Zelda took a deep breath and continued.
"She began to ascend back to the heavens, but I stopped her with one more question burning in my mind. I asked her why she was warning us, why she wished to speak with someone like me. Her reply was so simple yet so profound: 'Because we never wish to see destruction upon our beloved creation.'"
Zelda sat down in her throne and folded her hands in her lap. She took a deep breath, having finally finished her tale. "And that is the dream. Even now, seven years later, it remains branded in my memory."
Rusl placed a hand on his aching forehead. By now, he had been able to set his emotions aside for the moment. There would be time for grief later. More importantly, he needed to discover what was going on. "I beg your pardon, your Majesty, but that still doesn't answer my earlier question." His words were slow and deliberate; nonetheless Rusl felt awkward and out of place in the presence of such royalty.
Zelda's eyes were caught by movement from the arm of her throne. The mayfly was still there, scampering about in ignorance. She paid it no more mind and glanced down at the crimson carpet. "Because the dark cloud has already descended on Hyrule. The same one from my dream." She looked up at Rusl. "Surely you've noticed the sudden return of monsters."
Rusl nodded, casting another worried glance at Ilia. His mouth was curled into a frown of melancholy. "We experienced it firsthand. They came and attacked our beloved Ordon Village." He smirked cockily. "Nothing a well-developed plan couldn't handle."
Zelda nodded. "I'm glad to hear that you were prepared." She glanced out the window to the east with gloomy eyes, where the towering presence of Death Mountain stood in the distance. Far below the tall rugged peak were smaller hills and crags, but none that came even close to the volcanic home of the Gorons. Her tone was solemn as she spoke, as if giving the eulogy at a funeral. "Those monsters are led by a twisted man that calls himself Zant. He once tried to take over Hyrule, but he was thwarted before his plans nearly succeeded. Even now, he gathers his forces at Death Mountain in anticipation of his revenge."
Rusl took a step back, surprised by the casual tone of the statement. "Is that so?" He crossed his arms and nodded confidently. "Well, if you know what he's planning, then it shouldn't be too hard to stop him, right? The Gorons never took kindly to strangers on their mountain."
Zelda's eyes continued staring out the window. Her eyes flashed for a moment, too quick for anyone to notice. "Something is different. He's not the same man as before."
"What do you mean?"
"Rusl," Zelda's eyes turned to meet his directly. "Zant is the one who killed Link."
The words struck Rusl like lightning. The swordsman clenched his fists tightly and stared aimlessly at the floor.
Zelda tensed but explained further: "Not too long ago, Link sent me a letter voicing his suspicions that Zant was up to no good again. Once he went to investigate, I did not hear from him again. A few days ago, I discovered Zant had captured him and taken him to Death Mountain in hopes of interrogating him. Link attempted to escape but was caught and brought to Zant himself. Realizing that the risk was too great to leave such a dangerous opponent alive, he cast Link… into a lava pit where he…" she choked, unable to finish her sentence.
"Link can't be dead," Ilia whispered doubtfully, her body still as an animal hunting its prey. She was looking down on the soft carpet beneath her. "I saw Epona in the stable." Both looked at her in surprise.
Seeing Ilia coming back to her senses, Rusl rushed over and laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He kicked himself in his mind for not doing it sooner, but he had been too overwhelmed with his own grief to realize his mistake. "Of course," he comforted, not wanting to push things any further.
Zelda smiled in compassion and got off her throne. She walked down the few steps and knelt down beside Ilia. Fortunately, at the Princess's request, there was no aristocracy present, or else they would furiously protest the ruler of Hyrule meeting with mere commoners. "That was Epona you saw," she comforted, her soft eyes reassuring Ilia like a mother would. "Shortly after Link was captured, one of Geoffrey's men found Epona running outside the city gates and brought her to the stable, mistaking her for a wild horse. If you would like, you may take her back to your village."
A small smile emerged from the gloom like a spring flower throwing off winter's cold blanket. "I would like that," Ilia muttered dreamily. Zelda felt a wave of relief wash over her as she saw some of the life return to Ilia's face. Still, she couldn't help worry. The ranch girl seemed very detached.
"Your Higness?" the young woman inquired softly. She had shifted from a kneeling position to sitting with her legs crossed.
"Yes, Ilia?" the Queen replied politely. The fact that the young woman was still talking coherently proved to be a miracle, despite the intense grief she must be feeling.
"Why did Link leave? I thought he was happy here in Hyrule." she said, wiping a quick tear from her eye. She whispered even quieter to herself. "I thought he was happy in Ordon- with us."
Zelda felt the knot in her stomach return, as if someone had knocked the wind out of her. She found it difficult to look the girl in the eyes. Still, the truth had to be told, and she had the right to know. Zelda chose her words carefully. "Shortly after Hyrule was saved, I called him here because I had a special task for him." Unsure of how much Ilia had heard of the dream, Zelda decided it would be best to skip the details. She looked at Rusl, indicating he would want to hear what she had to say as well. "In a dream, Nayru warned me of Hyrule's future peril. If we are to stop it, we have to find the 'tamer of the winds,' one who wields a 'silver baton.' When I told Link of Hyrule's plight, he agreed to help search for this mysterious figure in his travels." She placed a pensive finger on her chin. "He did seem to have something else on his mind though. I don't know for sure, but I'd say something else bothered him too."
"Oh, I see," Ilia sighed. "Well, at least he's doin' sumthin' noble." Her lips curled into a sad smile of melancholy "Not really that surprising. Back in the village, he always looked after Colin and the rest of the kids."
Rusl smiled to himself. Ilia couldn't have spoken truer words. He had always seen the great potential of Link. He looked at the princess acutely. "How exactly did you learn of, well, you know, what happened to Link?"
The smile on Zelda and Ilia's face instantly faded. A jolt of remorse shot through Rusl. However, he knew that if he was to figure out their next course of action, he would need to know as much as possible. Zelda rose to her feet and closed her eyes in concentration. All was silent while Ilia and Rusl stared in curiosity.
The silence was broken a few minutes later when Geoffrey emerged through the large doors. In his left hand was a steel sword; in his right hand were a small green cap and pale envelope. Geoffrey looked at Zelda with undying loyalty. "You called, my Queen." She nodded, affirming his greeting. He held out the objects in his hands. "I retrieved everything you requested."
While Geoffrey joined the trio, Zelda looked at the baffled Ilia and Rusl. As if in response to their puzzled expressions, she explained what had just occurred. "We Hylians are able to communicate with one another through telepathy. The stronger the connection between two people, the easier it is to communicate with them, even along great distances. In addition, we can sometimes sense each other's emotions and pain, allowing us to sense when one of our own is in trouble."
"Fascinating," Ilia said slowly.
"You Hylians are mysterious creatures," Rusl added. Geoffrey looked at him inquisitively and then went to give the items to Zelda.
"They need to see them more," Zelda clarified, nodding in her visitors' direction. Geoffrey nodded and placed the items on the floor before Ilia and Rusl. Both gasped as they realized the significance of the possessions.
"That's Link's hat!" Ilia cried out. She instantly took the green cap in her arms and gazed at it intently. It was worn and dirty, and several of the seams were beginning to break. There were even a few strands of golden hair hidden on the inside. The scent emanating from it brought back fond childhood memories of her and Link playing in the grass and chasing the goats. She let it touch her cheek, and finally let loose the tears that she had held back.
Rusl glanced at the second item: a sword he had given Link long ago before he had left the village on his journey. He knew a little of the mystery surrounding Link, having heard the local stories told by his comrades at Telma's bar and being present at the retaking of the castle. Still, that did little to explain the countless rumors surrounding the young man. It seemed like every person in Hyrule had some tale to share of the young man's bravery. He had never shared any of these tales, content to tell the village that Link had merely helped rescue the children. It allowed life in the village to return to normal after the difficulties the village had experienced. The fact that he now saw the same sword, remarkably still well polished, reinforced the fact that Link was truly gone. "He would have never left this sword," Rusl muttered to himself, shaking his head slowly.
Geoffrey took the third item, an envelope, and opened it. He reached for the paper enclosed and unfolded it methodically. He then eyed either of the two, clearing his throat to grab their attention. "You will want to read this," he explained.
Rusl looked intently, while Ilia glanced over disinterestedly. He handed the paper to Rusl, whose eyes narrowed as he read the threatening letter.
To the Esteemed Ruler of Hyrule,
I am writing to inform you that the one you call Hero is dead.
I saw to it that he was thrown in a lava pool this morning,
as he was more trouble than he was worth.
Whether you choose to believe me or not is of little regard.
Regardless, he has fallen, and your kingdom will soon follow.
I give you a simple choice: Fight or surrender; live or die.
Your opposition was decimated last time, and I am prepared to do so once again.
There is no hope for your salvation.
If you do not reply within three days,
my armies will march on your precious castle and burn it to the ground.
Yours truly,
Zant
"What sort of madman is he?" Rusl said, clearly appalled. He folded up the letter and passed it to Ilia, who let it drop to the floor with indifference. "How long ago did you receive this?"
"Zant is a mastermind who recognizes no limitations. He is intelligent enough to be potent, and insane enough to be dangerous," Zelda explained. She looked down at the letter lying on the floor. "We received the letter about four days ago. However, our castle is in no danger. At least not yet. His threat is nothing more than a ruse to allocate our attention away from Death Mountain, which he must capture first."
Rusl blinked in surprise. No wonder the Queen was considered one of the wisest in all the land. He hadn't ever thought of her as a military strategist until now.
Zelda looked at the two Ordonians. "I believe it is best if you two leave now." Both looked at her indifferently, too drained by their emotions to object to her statement. "Tell no one what you have heard here today. It is possible Zant has spies all over Hyrule. I do not wish for you to become entangled in this conflict."
"We understand," Rusl affirmed. He looked at Ilia, who responded with a half-hearted nod. "Although I doubt that will be an option for very long. Regardless, we will do our best to fulfill your wishes."
Zelda turned to Geoffrey. "Please escort them out of the castle. If they wish, they may take Link's things with them to remember him by."
Geoffrey bowed and motioned for Ilia and Rusl to follow him out the door. They shuffled behind him at a slow pace, their hearts burdened with an awful load. As they left, Zelda called out to them: "May the blessings of the goddesses be with you. I'm sorry you had to hear all of this."
Rusl turned around and bowed. "No, we humbly thank you, Your Majesty. And may the goddesses watch over you as well." He then walked out of the throne room and closed the wainscot door behind him. The loud noise of the closing door spooked a falcon that had come to rest on the sill of one of the windows overhead during the discussion. It stretched its wings to the sky and flew off into the horizon.
A young man stood alone in a dark room, glancing over the supplies in the confines of a storage room. No more than a teenager of about thirteen years, he was the lord of a vast empire. His bright green eyes darted from box to box as he took inventory of his stock, the foundation of his success. The candle on his hand cast its glow on the boxes bearing his emblem, illuminating his short brown hair. Red potions, arrows, bombs, tunics; whatever the mind could think of this young man knew how to acquire. Though he was often made fun of for his short stature and young appearance, his knack for business forced those comments into the background. One day, everyone in Hyrule would remember his name.
"Malo!" came a cry from the partially opened door to the main shop. It was Beth. "We've got a code green! Come out of that dusty little cubby hole and come handle the situation," Beth called desperately.
Malo rolled his eyes. "Farore's wind. Not him again." Negotiating prices and satisfying customers was natural as breathing compared to dealing with a code green. Malo put down the bundle of arrows he had been counting, and walked out of the storage room with the candle in hand.
When he emerged into the main shop, Malo's face instantly soured. Before him was the strange man who had been visiting Malo Mart every day for the past week. He wore a full-green skintight body suit, covering from the top of his head to his feet and showcasing his unshapely body. On the outside he wore red briefs, fully visible to amaze the world. He had a large circular nose, with plenty of nose hair to keep his nostrils warm. His face was covered by a few zits, contrasting his blue eyes, the one feature of his face that wasn't repulsive at first sight. In one hand he held a feather pen, and the other he held a piece of paper with which he drew maps. When he saw Malo emerge from the storage room, his face brightened.
"Ah, Mr. Fairy, you've returned. Oh, how I've missed you so. Tingle never once forgot about your kindness in helping him search for those elusive fairies." His high voice screeched across the room to Malo's ears. He had to squint his eyes shut to maintain his professional manner.
"Mr. Tingle, I have no idea what you're talking about. I wouldn't even give you the time of day. Now leave. You are wasting my time as you always do." Malo did his best to hide the frustration in his voice, but he was quickly losing control. He could feel the sarcasm breaking through like a breached dam.
"You're so funny, Mr. Fairy. Tingle thinks it's okay if you didn't find any fairies for him today. They are very elusive." He leaned on the counter, attempting to appear professional. Malo just rolled his eyes again. "How would you like to buy a professional map of Castle Town?" Tingle offered, placing the piece of paper he had been holding onto the wooden counter. "I'll give it to you, for say, five-hundred rupees."
Malo's eyes widened. He looked at the map briefly, and then crumbled it up and tossed it at Tingle's face. He stood unmoved with a stupid grin as it bounced off his face and fell to the floor. "Tingle," Malo started, no longer bothering to hold back his sarcasm. "Here at Malo Mart, we pride ourselves on quality products with low affordable prices." He looked to the crumpled paper on the floor. "My brother can draw a better map than that blindfolded, and he can't draw a straight line."
"Hey! I heard that!" Talo called out from across the store, who was busying himself with stocking shelves with Beth and Colin. With his fractured leg, the most he could accomplish was sorting through products. Colin helped with small things, but he didn't want to push his arm too hard after bruising it. In the end, only Beth, with assistance from Colin, could do any sort of heavy lifting.
Malo smiled evilly. He continued. "Not only is that map an insult to the profession, but the price you ask would rob the Royal Family of their riches. Leave now, or I will have you arrested for disturbing the peace."
Tingle nodded. "Tingle will give you time to think about it. For now, he must go fairy hunting. Toodles!" The odd man turned around and took one step before he faced Malo once again. "Tingle! Tingle! Kooloo-Limpah! These are the magic words of Tingle. Don't steal them." Without another word, he left through the door, much to the relief of everyone else.
Malo glanced around the store and sighed. Whenever that man entered, the entire store emptied. At this rate, he'd lose all of his valuable customers. He'd have to make a mental note to kill that man later. As he daydreamed, Malo was soon yanked back to reality as Colin's voice called out to him.
"Hey Malo, wasn't Ilia supposed to come back by now?" he asked. "It's been several hours."
Beth placed the red potion in her hand on one of the shelves and turned to face him. "Now that you mention it, you're right. She and Rusl are both late. Where do you think they are?"
A smug grin curled onto Malo's face. "Rusl's probably at Telma's bar as usual. He has those weird friends he hangs out with whenever he comes to visit." He looked around at the store, making sure everything was in order. He grunted in satisfaction and turned back to Beth and Colin. "Ilia probably found some cute stable boy when she was putting away Zephyr. You know how she is; she rarely comes out here. She probably got swept off her feet from a smooth talking city boy."
"I suppose so," Colin sighed. "It just doesn't seem like her to be so late. I hope nothing's happened." With a deep breath, he returned to helping Beth stack red potions.
Suddenly, everyone jumped as the door burst open.
"Nayru's Love! If it's Tingle again-" Malo grumbled. He stopped mid-sentence when he saw Ilia standing in the doorway. She looked around as if in a daze, and walked briskly through the shop. She completely ignored Colin's greeting and headed straight up the wooden stairs to the guest bedroom. A loud bang echoed as the door slammed behind her.
There was silence for a moment.
"I hope she's okay," Colin said, worry evident on his face. He began to walk towards the stairs, but Beth placed a firm hand on his shoulder to stop him.
She shook her head in disapproval. "Give her some space, Colin," she suggested. "You never want to approach a woman when she's upset. I doubt whatever's bothering her is so serious that a good night's sleep won't cure it." She gave him a reassuring smile.
"If you say so," Colin replied reluctantly, casting one last gaze towards the ceiling before resuming the task at hand. He could only hope that Beth's words were true. Just in the last few days, they had encountered enough danger to last a lifetime. He sighed to himself, hoping the remainder of his adventures was behind him. Still, trouble had a way of finding him, and he had an intuition that something major was about to happen; a story he had an integral part to play.