Chapter 10: Into the Storm

…

—Supplemental.

—We've been traveling the Dawn Line for a little over two hours. I guess the maps I brought from the branch office in Castle Town weren't very accurate, but who can expect accuracy when Forelight Island is the last place anyone wants to go. Life on the deck has quieted down. It leaves an almost grim atmosphere as each one of us slowly comes to what may be the conclusion of the Island Sonata's days as well as our own. The Sorian Rireen still hasn't revealed this secret which will prevent us from being torn apart in the Undying Storm. At this point, I find myself hoping that it's at least some kind of charm that might protect us from being struck by lightning.

—We need all the help we can get.

…

"Bridge to Skipper." Link finished with his quill and placed it in the holder just as Line's voice addressed him from the calling tubes. He stood up, leaving the log book open so that the ink could dry, and rounded the desk to the tubes.

He identified the one labeled "Bridge" and replied, "Go ahead, Line."

"Flower's sighted the storm. We're still about half an hour out."

Link took a moment to reign in his thoughts. "Understood. Are the passengers on the deck?"

"Yes, sir."

"Thank you." Link stood up straight and glanced at the frosted windows. Blue shadows obscured them, looking as if night was already setting. It gave him an ominous feel, and he turned away. With a sigh, he walked to the door and stepped out onto the deck.

The sky before the ship had formed a malevolent eye and turned it upon the little schooner. The clouds of the Undying Storm had been dyed purple from the setting sun behind the storm. That, in addition to the oblong shape of the storm and the flashes of ghostly blue light of lightning beyond, felt like a large, angry being stared down upon them with a warning of destruction that any sane man would heed without a second thought. The sky behind them had fallen into a premature evening blue, making the storm all the more brilliant and terrifying. Link stared at the sight for a moment, wondering if they might be struck out of the skies before they could cross into the storm.

He rounded to the stairs and climbed onto the bridge. "What do you think?" he asked Line.

"I think we need a bigger boat," Line replied, expression blank as he stared ahead. "I'm getting conflicting crosswinds."

Link noted the helm jerking back and forth in Line's hands and frowned. "Inside the Sky Line?"

"I know; it's weird. It doesn't make sense. They keep hitting from port and starboard. I'm beginning to think it might not be wind."

"Can you hold it?"

Line nodded. "I think so. But I'm getting the impression that we might make toothpicks out of the gaffs once we hit the storm." Then he shrugged. "Or rather, when the storm hits us."

"Where are the passengers?"

Line jerked his chin forward. "They're on the bow with Flower. Albert and Leonard are hanging by the stays just in case."

Link nodded and patted Line's shoulder. "Try to keep her steady."

"Got it."

Link walked back down the stairs and crossed the weather deck. He caught the looks on Albert's and Leonard's faces as he moved, noticing the iron resolve both men had put on. Albert, though, had clenched his fists until his knuckles glowed white in the shadow created by the aftcastle behind them. They looked ready for action, making Link wonder if the airmen on an armed ship looked the same way. It made sense; the next thousand moments just might be a fight for their lives.

Zelda, Rireen, and Flower stood on the port side of the bow, all of them leaning on the bulwark with their backs turned to him. They seemed to be mesmerized by the evil eye ahead of them. He stepped up beside Flower at the head of the prow. "Airman Flower," he said in an even voice. "Have you sighted anything?"

"Clouds, sir," Flower said with a blank face but a tone of spite. Link could hardly blame him. Flower, as a more seasoned airman, probably hated the idea of having to enter a storm when it could just as easily be avoided.

Link decided to skip clarifying that he was asking Flower if he saw any sort of break which the Island Sonata could sail through. Instead, he ordered, "Set up the prow lights; it's going to be dark once we go inside."

Flower turned a glare down on Link, as if asking the skipper if he was really out of his mind. "Aye, sir," he responded, turning and disappearing somewhere behind them. He called out as he descended onto the weather deck, "Albert, gimme a hand with the lanterns!"

Link sighed and turned to the girls. "Whatever you plan to do, you may want to do it soon."

"Got it, Cap'n," Rireen replied, immediately turning and jogging toward the skipper's cabin.

Link stared out at the storm again, feeling much more dread now that he did not have to look beyond the sails to see the whole body of clouds telling them to turn back. He heard boots softly crossing the deck and saw out of the corner of his eye Princess Zelda step up next to him. For only a minute, which felt more like an eternity to him, they stood side by side, staring at the awaiting danger.

"There is something inside the storm," Zelda spoke up, breaking up the soft whistle of the Sky Line around them.

Link glanced at her for a moment, wondering what she had meant. "You mean Forelight Island, right?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No, not beyond the storm," she explained. "Inside the storm. I have a feeling that something very terrible awaits us besides the lightning."

"Like what?" Link asked, looking back at the storm to see if he might spot what she was referring to.

"I cannot be specific," she told him with a shake of her head. "It is a very vague intuition, but… I feel something bad in that storm. Almost evil."

Link held back the urge to visibly grimace. "Let's hope it is just the air around here," he said.

She took a half-step back. "I wish it were so easy to believe," she confessed.

They heard boots across the forecastle behind them and turned to watch Albert and Flower set up lit lanterns on the holders attached to the outside of the bulwark. "That was quick," Link remarked to them.

"We moved the lanterns and some of the oil into the cabin with us," Albert replied as he used his fist to pound a stubborn lantern into its holder. "We couldn't find a tool chest, so we just stowed them in the flammables box on the engine deck."

Link wrinkled his forehead. "You couldn't put the tools in the cabin?"

"We like to read when we're not on duty," Flower replied. Link accepted the explanation with a shrug, knowing that their cabin probably did not have any other form of light.

He looked back out at the storm and commented, "It's too bad we couldn't find a shorter way."

"Why is that, Link?" Zelda asked.

He paused for a moment and glanced at her. She was staring at him with an inquisitive look, and he could not help swallowing hard. "W-well, as we are now, the Sky Line is the fastest way in," he explained. "Moving under our own power would take too long and leave us much more vulnerable to being torn apart."

"Could we enter from above?" she suggested.

Link shook his head. "The Sky Lines are all at about the same altitude. Our ships are capable of ascending only to a certain level above the Sky Lines. This storm is much too high for us to enter it from above."

"What if we were to ascend into the storm?" she asked. She used her hand to illustrate as she explained further, "We could lower our altitude and come through the storm from underneath. Surely this storm might be thinner there."

Link frowned and looked at the storm. It seemed like a good idea, but he finally explained to her, "No ship is designed to ascend quickly for a long period of time; we would probably spend more time trying to ascend than try going through the storm on our own power. And an added problem we would have would be control. We would be more at the storm's whims if we tried to ascend because the ship's hull would still be hit by wind, maybe even with much more effect since we would have to leave the ship unpowered while it rose." Zelda nodded her understanding and slowly looked back to the storm. Link felt a little bad for rejecting her ideas and added in a lower voice, "I am very sorry, Princess, but the Island Sonata is made to move forward. The Sky Line really is the fastest way through the danger."

She nodded. "I understand," she replied. She took a deep breath and sighed it out. "Perhaps it is my own hesitation. I have never felt so concerned before, and I find myself rather lethargic when it comes to making any sort of decision at this moment. I know that I should, but I cannot simply defer to your judgment. There is no doubt that you are a fine commander, so do not misunderstand me. I am used to some things being in my own control."

Link smiled at her. "If you decide to leave it to us, then perhaps you still are in control," he commented. She looked back to him with a weak smile of her own. He took in a deep breath and cast his eyes across the storm. "Besides, the only one really in control right now is Airman Line. He could just as easily steer us out of the storm. And I do not think I would stop him."

"Nor I," she admitted.

"Found it," Rireen interrupted, causing both to jump in surprise. "Oh, sorry. I thought you might've seen me walk up."

"It is all right, Rireen," Zelda replied as she accepted the lacquer case the Sorian had brought. "Are you ready?"

One corner of Rireen's mouth drew back. "About as much as I can be," she answered in a concerned tone. "I just hope this works like we think it will."

Zelda nodded and pressed her fingertips into the lid as best as she could. She pulled the box open. At first, Link was confused. The item, sitting in a velvet mat fitted around its form, looked to be a dagger. But it was far too thin and fragile-looking. It was a thin rod of white metal, the right length to be a dagger but with a rounded tip. The swirl markings on the outside of the box were reflected in the cross-guard-like protrusions on the thicker end of the rod. The thicker end curled in on itself. Rireen took this item into her right hand, her fingers wrapped gently around the handle, and stepped backwards. Her eyes stared intently at the object.

"Wha-what is that?" Link asked Zelda, keeping his voice low because Rireen appeared to be concentrating very hard.

She answered, "It is an artifact which has been carried by the royal family since Hyrule was reestablished on the surface. It was once in possession of the Hero of Winds.

"It is known as the Wind Waker."

Link's glance returned to the strange item. He asked, "What is it? What does it do?"

"Have you never attended a musical performance, Link?"

He shook his head. "I never have the time for it."

"I see," she replied with a nod. "Then I shall explain. In order to ensure that the various instrument players play in harmony with each other, a conductor stands before them and directs them with a baton. The Wind Waker is a magical baton, and it was used to control the winds so that the Hero of Winds could protect the realm. In short, Link, it conducts the winds."

Link scratched his head. "I still don't think I understand," he said, "but I'll just go with the flow."

"I got it!" Rireen declared.

Link started. "What? What?"

But instead of replying, Rireen moved to the middle of the forecastle. "I need something to tap on," she said, looking around. "Something small. Something significant."

Link and Zelda exchanged glances. "Will this do?" Zelda asked, holding out the case to her.

"No, it's not significant enough," Rireen replied. "I-I need… Direction!"

Flower, who had been mounting a light to the deck rail, glanced over at her and said in a voice expressing confusion and doubt in a person's sanity, "What!?"

"I need something that indicates direction," she replied. "A map or—or a sun finder or…"

Link started, realizing something. He tugged open the collar of his undersuit and reached for the lump in the center of his chest. Then pulled out his hand and showed the contents to Rireen. "Will a compass work?" he asked.

Rireen spun to him and squinted at the device for a moment. Then she declared, "Yes! Yes, perfect! Bring it here!"

Link stepped closer to her, removing the compass from around his neck. He held it out to Rireen, showing her a blue interior face marked by three silver triangles and one gold triangle on the edge with a swiveling diamond painted red on one half hovering above. The exterior case was painted blue, chipped and scratched in a few places which revealed the case to be made of bronze. Rireen held out the hand bearing the Wind Waker and tapped the tip against the glass a few times, producing an audible sound.

Everything around them suddenly fell silent, a haunting silence which caused everyone on the forecastle to look around in confusion. Link scrunched his face, trying hard to hear anything at all. But the silence had even drowned out the radiant howl of the Sky Line around them and the creaking of the Island Sonata's timbers, sounds which had been so constant until now. The storm beyond continued to flash, and he expected to hear thunder at any time. But for a few moments, all that was audible was his own breathing.

Then Rireen raised her hand, pointing the Wind Waker to the sky above. The wind picked up sound again, but it wasn't the Sky Line's usual tone. Instead, the wind carried the sound of voices in a small variety of ranges. Rireen's movements carried a delicate flow as she swung the end of the Wind Waker in Link's direction, to which he responded by backing up so the baton did not stab his eye. The voices altered their range with the movement, and then again when she turned to her left with the Wind Waker nearly touching the shoulder on that side. Then she returned to the top of the motion and repeated it. Link looked about, trying to find the source of the voices. But Albert and Flower, still on the forecastle, stared in silence at the conductor. Zelda stood with a hand over her mouth, perhaps gazing in a stronger awe than the airmen. Link returned to watching Rireen, but his attention fell more on the voices around him. As she repeated the pattern (Link lost track of how many times she had), the voices continued to alter themselves with each swing. The notes did not repeat themselves as he had expected; instead, the song only appeared to keep time with her movements and changed notes to something separate from what Link could see. The song had a haunting air about it not just created by the half-dozen disembodied voices singing around them. Somehow, Link could not help feel that the song was changing something around them.

Rireen finished the final swing of the Wind Waker and allowed her posture to slouch a bit with exhaustion. The sounds of the ship and the Sky Line picked up again. For a moment, Link stood looking between her and Zelda, trying to find a purpose behind the whole display. He admitted to himself that the whole ritual looked very stunning and the music was lovely, but he grew concerned that the ultimate result was simply that.

"Skipper, look!" Albert, standing at the back of the forecastle, shouted in alarm. Link's line of sight jerked in his direction. He pointed out to the storm ahead, and Link followed the gesture with his eyes.

The storm was much closer than Link recalled seeing before Rireen's mysterious song had begun, so close that he could see the swirl of the storm clouds. Faint though it was, he could hear thunder loft its way through the Sky Line to meet his ears.

And around the Sky Line ahead of them, the clouds curled back into the storm, forming a dark hole. Link stared for a moment, calm and completely at a loss for words. He remained that way until an equally-stunned Flower stepped up beside him and asked, "Orders, Skipper?"

Link's eyes never strayed from the sight as he said, "Tell Line to hold his course. And set up the running lights. Get the other two to help you."

"Aye, sir." Neither was focused enough on the usual sailing practice to salute. Flower simply walked away with the orders in his mind.

Link, along with Zelda and Rireen, stared at the hole in the storm while the Island Sonata sailed closer. Finally, Link had to ask, "How did you do that?"

"That is the power of the Wind Waker," Zelda said. "Rireen can see the magical workings of the Wind Waker depending on what she wants to do with it. This was how we felt we could take her past the Undying Storm." She stepped closer to Rireen and put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you all right?"

"I'm okay," Rireen nodded. "That took a lot out of me."

"If you need to rest," Link said, "you can use my cabin." Rireen nodded and wandered towards the stern in a slow slump.

Link looked back out at the hole in the storm. They were close enough to see that the opening was as large as the ship. "That's amazing," he told Zelda. But she did not respond, and he glanced at her. "Are you okay?"

She shook her head. "That feeling has become stronger. There is something very wrong with this storm."

"You mean other than the fact that it's been here for years?" Link blurted out. Although she did not react to the statement, he immediately regretted it and added after a brief thought, "Sorry."

But she shook her head. "No, you are correct," she assured him. "Perhaps it is simply that fact which has been triggering this feeling."

"Skipper." Link and Zelda turned around as Flower approached them. "Chief Line reports the helm steady now. Also, all of the running lanterns are on."

"Thank you," Link replied. He took a moment to think and then told him, "I want all three of you on the deck in case we run into trouble. Break out lanterns for yourselves and keep an eye on the stays above all."

"Aye, sir," Flower saluted. After Link dismissed him, he immediately walked over to Albert and Leonard to relay the orders.

A deeper darkness fell over the ship, and Link looked up as the storm passed over him. In a matter of seconds, the whole ship had been cast in a darkness only relieved by the faint lanterns mounted to the bulwark. Link became conscious of the princess stepping closer to him and looked down at her. He met a calm set of eyes illuminated by a lantern somewhere past his arm. They exchanged a silent agreement and started towards the stern as Flower took up position at the bow.