A hazy feeling clouded his mind like a thick mist. His whole body ached, although he couldn't pinpoint the source. The young man slowly contracted his fingers, relieved to find them still functioning. His eyes remained shut as he slowly tested the limits of his mobility. Moving from his fingers, he tested his wrists, then his arms, then his legs. The young man let out a sigh of relief as he realized his body was still in good condition.
He lied still beneath the lazily rolling clouds above, content to keep his eyes closed and enjoy the moment. Faint memories from his dream flashed on the cusps of his eyelids: a young woman with fiery red hair, a strange island, a towering mountain. The visions were as sporadic and random as ocean winds, yet he couldn't help but enjoy the familiar comfort they brought. He smiled to himself as a haunting tune looped over in his head. Though he couldn't remember the name, he felt like it was a part of him. As he slowly opened his eyes, his pupils were overwhelmed with the bright sunlight above. He laid in silence, allowing his eyes to adjust. He thought he had heard a voice calling to him, pulling him out of his sleep, but now heard nothing but the howling of the wind. His head shot up. Ahead of him were rocks and boulders scattered over the uneven ground, with jagged cliffs scraping the sky a little further off. Vegetation was a rare sight; only the occasional hardy mountain flower bloomed through the rocky terrain. Towering in the distance was the familiar landmark of Death Mountain. The sun was high in the sky, casting its comforting rays of light and heat on the barren plateau.
The young man raced furiously through cloudy thoughts, trying to remember who he was and how he had gotten here. The fog of his mind slowly began to lift as he concentrated harder.
I am a Sheikah, a shadow warrior and keeper of the secrets of Hyrule. My name is Kari.
Kari sighed in relief. At least one of his questions had been answered. He slowly rose from the ground, ignoring the cramps in his muscles from his dormant sleep. He stumbled a bit as he rose, taking a moment to regain his footing on the rough beneath him. A bitter wind blew across the cliffs, stinging his dark cheeks.
The wind! Kari suddenly recalled the silver baton in his tunic pocket and felt for it with delicate fingers. When he finally felt the cool exterior of the Wind Waker, he clasped it tightly and brought the item into the brightness of day once again.
Like a link to the past, grabbing the silver instrument turned the cogs of his memory once again. Pictures of angry Dinolfos, burning houses, and suffocating smoke flashed through his mind like pictographs. An image of his father, Sharlo, appeared and then vanished as quickly as it had come. He began to recall the horrific attack on his village.
Instinctively, he dropped the instrument to the ground, causing it to tumble on the rocks. The young Sheikah fell to his knees, traumatized by the sudden memories. He found his breathing shortened and his palms sweaty. The comforting dream clouding his mind only minutes earlier now seemed a distant fantasy. He stared at the ground as a few hawks flew overhead, piercing the eerie silence with their fierce cry.
"You're awake! I was beginning to think you would stay like that forever." A masculine voice said. Kari's muscles instantly tensed as years of childhood training triggered his instincts to react. He jumped to his feet and looked at the man who had spoken to him.
The man who addressed Kari appeared older than he was by only a few years. His frame was solid, but not excessively muscular. His unkempt blond hair blew with the chilly gust, making any effort to organize it hopeless. His deep blue eyes resonated with kindness, but also hinted at an abundance of memories both joyful and sorrowful. His pointed ears indicated a Hylian descent. He wore a white undershirt, chain mail, a tattered green tunic, and gauntlets to cover his hands. Completing his outfit were sturdy leather pants and brown hiking boots. A variety of weapons were hoisted on his back, including an elaborately decorated boomerang, a bow, and a quiver of arrows. The man's expression seemed friendly enough, but Kari couldn't help the suspicion he felt. He was a shadow warrior after all. There was a strange aura from this stranger unlike anything he previously experienced; an aura that made his hair stand on edge. The man sat on a nearby rock, observing the wind tamer with keen interest. This whole time, he had been silently watching without being detected.
"Who are you?" Kari hissed, his face curled into a scowl. As the man got up and took a step towards him, he instinctively took a step back, making sure the buffer between them remained constant. "How did I get here?"
"Me?" the stranger replied hesitantly. He looked at the hostile Kari and understood that their conversation would go no further until he at least introduced himself. "I'm Link." He paused, not wanting to give more information than was necessary to a stranger. Even relinquishing his name was risky. "As for how you got here, it's complicated. The most I can say is I found you fast asleep deep within the mountain. I brought you here…" he hesitated for a moment. "Err…what exactly is your name?"
"A Sheikah does not give his name to strangers. Especially Hylians." Kari said, folding his arms.
"A Shee-what?" Link stared at him blankly.
"Sheikah. Have you never heard of us?" Kari replied, his tone indicating obvious insult. "The shadow people sworn to serve the goddesses? The keepers of Hyrule's secrets?"
Link nodded slightly. "The name sounds familiar. I thought they were all wiped out, though."
Kari grunted in disgust. "You think you have already won the war? Are you that arrogant?" He scrutinized the hero's face, but saw no malice there. "Although you are Hylian, I see your ignorance prevents you from being any real threat to me. I wish to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. I will be on my way As long as you do not interfere, you will remain unharmed."
"War? What are you talking about?" Link waited for an explanation but then jumped up as the Sheikah started to leave. "Wait! I just saved your life. You're just going to walk away without explaining who you are or why I found you asleep deep in the mountain?"
Kari began walking towards Death Mountain. "I have no desire to waste time with you."
"Wait. Do you even know where you're going?" Link called out. Kari ignored the question entirely.
Link watched in a fascinated stupor as Kari walked away from him. The boy was an emigma, even more than Malo.
The thought of Malo caused the hero's mind to wander back to his Ordon days. Fuzzy memories of goat wrangling, playing in the grass with Ilia, and shooting slingshots with the kids brought a warm smile to his face. Back then, he had been so naïve and innocent. Once destiny threw him into a role he hadn't asked for, his entire world had changed. A hero's spirit had been stirred inside of him; a proud spirit that would not be quenched by mundane life on the ranch. Even after he had singlehandedly saved Hyrule, emotional scars had been sliced into the hero's heart. He knew what it was to be something other than human, to experience the exciting thrill of the hunt and the lust to draw blood. Becoming likeminded as a wolf turned his entire perspective around. Even now, he enjoyed transforming into the proud beast on occasion to indulge his feral instincts for raw meat. He thanked the goddesses for the ability, as it had allowed him to traverse Hyrule and conceal his identity from Zant.
Conflicting with the feral instincts deep inside of him, Link also had the right combination of compassion, bravery, and selflessness that made him a hero. His adventure had forced him to kill for the first time, and countless times afterward. His life had flashed before his eyes. His courage had been tested against monsters even the hardiest man would wet their pants over. And if that wasn't enough suffering, the only two people that could truly understand him were either dead or gone forever.
The first was the mysterious golden wolf who had been vital in teaching him the necessary skills for victory. Link was certain it was the spirit of his great predecessor, the Hero. He had never mentioned it to anyone, but he knew no one would believe him.
The second was his former traveling companion, Midna. Despite the rough start to their relationship, he had grown quite fond of the imp who frequently rode on his back as a wolf. At first, he bitterly resented her sarcastic remarks whenever he made a mistake. It wasn't until later in his journey that he realized she was only looking out for him in her odd way. Those seemingly small "mistakes" she criticized could have made the difference between life and death when the journey became harsher and more unforgiving. They had grown close in their time together; so much so that Midna was willing to sacrifice her life to save him from the desert thief, Ganondorf. Thankfully, the Light Spirits had revived her, but their reunion was only temporary. For reasons he did not understand to this day, she chose to return to her world and sever all possibilities of seeing her again.
To say he was devastated would have been a gross understatement. With his journey's companion ripped from his life, Link struggled with the loneliness tearing at his heart. Sure, there was Ilia, Rusl, and the kids, but none of them could possibly comprehend the things he had endured. This loneliness combined with the restlessness of the awakened Hero's spirit propelled him to leave the quiet Ordon Village. He set out on a new journey to find both himself and his lost companion. Of course, he had told the villagers of his intentions to leave, but he did not reveal his true motives for doing so. The reason he gave was a request from Zelda, one not entirely false. She had told him of her dream, and he had promised to look for this mysterious "tamer of the winds." Now seven years later, he had found neither a way to reunite with Midna nor this mysterious wind-tamer. No, the only fruits of his journey was an awareness of the surrounding lands and a peace that helped him accept the destiny he had been given.
Link would've wandered in his thoughts a lot longer, when a shimmer of light caught his eye. He looked down at the ground, moved a few rocks, and saw a silver baton. He walked over, knelt down, grabbed the object, and looked it over curiously. It resembled the silver baton Zelda had described to him from her dream.
"Hey! Is this yours?" Link called out, holding out the Wind Waker for Kari to see. He was surprised to see the Sheikah only about twenty paces in front of him. What had felt like hours of daydreaming had only been a few seconds. Kari looked at the silver baton in Link's hands with a scowl. He raced over.
"Don't touch that. This object is sacred." Kari said, snatching the instrument from the hero's hand.
"I apologize. I didn't know any better," Link said innocently. He smiled in an attempt to ease the tension. His effort was answered with an ungrateful grunt.
"I wouldn't expect one with no knowledge of my people to treat such an item with respect." Kari said irritably. He wiped the instrument with his sleeve, as if purifying it from defiled hands. "Typical Hylian," he muttered underneath his breath.
"So that object is yours." Link looked up at the sky around him, stretching his arms. "You wouldn't have a special connection with the wind, would you?" the hero joked.
Kari halted abruptly, placing the baton back in his sleeve. His eyes glared accusingly at Link. "You're no ordinary traveler, are you? Have you been faking your lack of intelligence this entire time?" He paused for a moment, looking the hero over. "You're a spy sent to learn the secrets of our clan! I can tell. Rest assured, you will not live to tell them."
Link raised up his hands in surprise. "Wait, what? I think you're making a mistake! I was only joking!" However, his words fell on deaf ears. Kari had made up his mind, and there was no changing it now.
The Sheikah rushed at Link with a surprisingly quick knee to the chest. Link easily caught it with his hands. The hero had always been a natural fighter; able to master any form of weaponry or martial arts he put his mind to with little effort. It was a gift from Farore; the strength needed to become a hero of legends. In addition to his natural talent, his senses were more acute than most, having been heightened from his time as a wolf. He could read most movements and sense an enemy's attack by instinct alone. Those instincts had only been sharpened from countless battles.
Slightly surprised that his initial attack had been stopped, Kari used his other foot to spring off the ground. He used the knee Link was holding as a pivot and aimed a kick towards the hero's face. Link bent his neck back to dodge the kick. He dropped Kari's knee and back flipped. Now able to use both legs, Kari jumped onto one of the nearby boulders and used its height to launch a powerful downward kick. Link caught the Sheikah's boot with his hands, using the momentum to swing Kari around and throw him onto the ground. The hero was beginning to feel alive and invigorated. He had to resist the urge to fight back. If this was the man Zelda was talking about, Link couldn't afford to injure him.
Before Kari hit the ground, he raised his arms and sprang off his hands into a graceful recovery. This time he came at Link with a series of jabs, skillfully aimed to weaken the opponent by hitting vital pressure points. Against any other fighter the attack would've worked beautifully, but Link sensed the attacks just in time to counter each one.
A very frustrated Kari leaped away from Link, quickly realizing a physical approach was useless. He took out his trusted Wind Waker, ready to use the potent wind magic at his disposal. As good as Link's instincts were, even he wasn't prepared for what came next.
Kari waved the Wind Waker at Link, mumbling in an ancient language no longer used in Hyrule. At first, Link found it strange that the wind had suddenly picked up. His hair and sleeves blew wildly, thrashing harder as the wind picked up strength. Before long, a powerful gale came his way, stirring up dust and throwing rocks aside. The unsuspecting hero was sent hurtling through the air and onto the ground.
As he got up, Link muttered to himself. "He's definitely the one I've been looking for." He rubbed his back, a bit sore from the rocks he slid on. "Wish I still had my iron boots." Link felt his blood begin to bubble and the adrenaline pump through him. He did his best to fight the wild instincts stimulated inside, but there was no denying the pleasure of the battle before him. His inner wolf howled to be released, to be covered in fur and rely on tooth and claw once again. However, Link knew doing so would do more harm and good. Whenever he transformed, he always made sure there was no one to see him; a habit he had gained from Midna. He shook his head to dispel the instincts and focused on the fight.
Link rushed again at Kari, this time bracing himself to dodge another wind strike. Seeing the hero's attack, Kari pointed the Wind Waker once again and blew a dreadful gust stronger than before. Link hurtled through the air until he slammed his back against a boulder. He gasped as the breath was temporarily knocked out of him. As the hero stood on his feet once again, he barely had time to breathe before a small tornado raced in his direction. The dust it ensnared amplified the appearance of the ten-foot tall twister. The few flowers that had managed to survive the barren landscape found their pedals picked off by the swirling vortex aimed at Link. He dove out of the way in time to avoid the main cyclone, but found himself fighting the rapidly changing air currents. When the air died down, he sighed in relief only to hear the howling of the wind once more. He turned around to find the twister circling around and heading towards him once again.
Realizing that Kari must be manipulating its path, Link ran at the Sheikah to stop him. The surprised wind tamer dispelled the tornado chasing Link. He redirected the wind to encircle himself, creating a protective twister that repelled all normal attacks. Kari rode the tornado so he levitated above the ground, making it impossible for Link to reach him. The hero felt the fierce wind pushing him away, making a direct assault impossible. The desire to transform returned as strong as before. He slapped himself back to his senses. Now was not the proper time.
Instead, the hero reached over his shoulder for one of his trusty tools: the Gale Booomerang.
"When on Death Mountain, do as the Gorons do," Link said with a smirk. As soon as he took out the boomerang, it began to glow with the same humming noise he had become accustomed to. The finely crafted weapon was mostly white and shaped like a feather towards one tip. In the center was decorative copper and wood with a green gem placed at the center. More decorative copper was placed at the other end.
Link concentrated his aim, eyeing a few choice rocks and then the wind tamer himself. He released the boomerang, allowing the mystical item to whip through the air, sucking up rocks and pebbles in its path. It then curved around and flew towards Kari, knocking the startled Sheikah from his lofty perch with the accumulated debris. The tornado dissipated as Kari rolled on the ground to break his fall. The Wind Waker slipped out of his hands and fell a good distance from its master. Link raced to it, grabbing it before the Sheikah could recover. He held it triumphantly as Kari glared at him in disgust. The duel was over.
"So you win, spy." Kari said grudgingly. Dirt covered his face and clothes like a tattoo. His breathing was steady but quicker than normal. "Do with me as you will. You will never be able to kill me, nor will you learn the secrets of my tribe."
Link spun the Wind Waker around his finger, eyeing it with interest. He had a few bruises of his own, mostly on his back and knees. He wiped the dirt from his face with his free hand. "I'm no spy. It's true I've been looking for you, but not for the reason you think." He tossed the Wind Waker back to Kari. The dumbfounded Sheikah caught it immediately and held it close to his chest like a child possessively clutching a favorite toy. "Would an enemy do that?" Link asked.
"You puzzle me, Hylian." Kari watched Link's every movement like a hawk as he rose to his feet. He returned the Wind Waker to the safe pocket in his tunic. "If you are not a spy nor a soldier, why are you looking for me?"
"I have a name, you know." Link paused. "I'll answer your question when I finally know what to call you."
"My name is-" the Sheikah hesitated, as if saying the word pained him. "Kari. Now tell me why you need me."
Link folded his arms and smiled. "See, Kari, that wasn't so bad." He extended his hand in friendship. Kari eyed the gesture with skepticism, and didn't move. "You're supposed to shake it." Link explained.
Kari shook his head and folded his arms across his chest. One finger tapped repeatedly on his arm. "You test my patience, Hylian. You still haven't answered the question."
Link tilted his head to the side and withdrew his hand. "Wow, you Sheikah take your work seriously."
"More than can be said about your complacent race," Kari replied, his face remaining impassive.
The hero ignored the comment. "I guess it's all business, then." He shrugged his shoulders and changed the subject. "I am searching for you on behalf of Zelda, ruler of Hyrule."
Kari looked at him as if he had three arms. " Although that name intrigues me, the Hylian monarch is the very cause of my people's troubles." Kari's brows furrowed as his face locked into a grimace. "Give me one good reason why I should trust you."
Link thought for a moment, unsure of how to respond. Then, he was hit with a burst of inspiration. He took off the gauntlet covering his left hand and showed it to Kari. Three golden triangles glowed brilliantly on the back of his hand. One glowed brighter than the others, a mark setting him apart as Farore's chosen.
"The Triforce of Courage? But how?" Kari looked in awe, genuinely moved for the first time since their encounter. "It is impossible to steal. It is protected too well."
Link shrugged his shoulders. "I wish I knew. I woke up with it one day."
Kari looked at him with respect for the first time, however grudging it may be. "What year is it?"
"Hyrule-846 of the Harkinian Dynasty."
"If you're lying-"
"What could I possibly gain from lying about the date?"
Kari nodded his head. "For once, I agree with you. It would be a rather foolish deception." He turned his head to gaze at Death Mountain in the distance. It seemed to glare menacingly back at him, urging him to look elsewhere. Kari took the message and looked back at Link. "I still do not entirely believe you. If you are telling the truth, then I have been asleep for several centuries."
This time, it was Link's turn to be taken back. "Centuries? That might make you older than my ancestor."
Kari looked at him with a mixture of curiosity and tempered hostility. "Who is your ancestor?"
Link hesitated. After thinking, he figured the information couldn't be any more dangerous than what they had already talked about. "The Ancient Hero."
"Our tribe has prophecies that speak of such a man. Is it possible he has already come? That would explain why you possess courage." Kari said pensively.
Link nodded his head. "Come? He's been dead for quite a while. You may want to recheck your legends."
A sudden and unpredictable ferocity rose up in Kari. "Do not mock our teachings, Hylian! Our legends have been passed down in the Sheikah for generations! They are our way of life!"
Link took a step back. "I apologize. I didn't mean to insult them."
The bitterness hid itself between a cold frown and impassive eyes. "Take me to this Zelda. I wish to meet her for myself."
A smile spread across the hero's face. "With pleasure. I'm sure the Queen has been eagerly awaiting your arrival. Follow me." He waved his hand. Kari gave him a strange look and began to follow. The two nearly toppled over one another when Link halted suddenly.
"Why did we stop so soon?" the Sheikah asked, impatience once again rising in his tone.
"I almost forgot my boomerang," Link explained with a smile. The hero quickly retrieved his Gale Boomerang and placed it behind him once again. "Let's be on our way. If we travel quickly, we can make it down the mountain before nightfall."
"Good. The sooner we get there, the better," Kari replied, walking beside Link so as not to be outpaced by the Hylian. Link noticed this and increased his own pace, his competitive nature rising to the surface.
The two continued down the mountain, eager to reach Hyrule Castle as quickly as possible. As he walked, Link hummed contently to himself. His peace and the wind tamer; two items which he set out for seven years ago he now possessed. A ray of hope was beginning to shine on Hyrule despite the darkness accumulating on Death Mountain.
Edit: I changed the amount of time Kari has been asleep from two hundred years to several hundred. I forgot there are several centuries between OOT and TP. Thanks to The Silent Orion for pointing that out.
A/N- So, Link is alive, and Kari is back after a ten chapter absence! I figured I had to do something to make up for killing off one of the main characters last chapter. I think you'll be happy to know that from here on out, both characters will be playing vital roles in the chapters to come, so you can look forward to seeing them a lot more. I promise you they won't receive such a long absence again.
I also wanted to clarify some of the questions a few of you had about the wolf situation. The wolf that rescued Talo in Chapter 6 was Link. The wolf seen in Ch. 8, 9, and 10 is Atrayu. She was given an assignment by Zant to spy on the Hylian army through Rusl, and then kill him to dispose of any evidence.
Finally, I wanted to thank all of my faithful readers and especially my reviewers. Your reviews have made me laugh, smile, and opened my eyes to mistakes both serious and silly. I thoroughly enjoy reading all of your comments. All of your words of encouragement make it worth going through chapter after chapter meticulously to ensure the wording is right, the plot makes sense, etc. (Seriously, it took me several hours just to get all of the back story straight!). Anyways, thanks for coming this far, and I hope you stay with this story til the end. After all, I'm only getting started. The really good stuff is still to come.