Inde irae et lacrimae (Hence this wrath and these tears)
- Juvenal
A wet, leathery nose nuzzled Luna's face. She sat up, rubbing her face. "Hrrmh, mmnnhh..." Her eyes blinked open.
Kibou fluttered before her. "Well, you're awake."
Luna nodded. She turned her head. Kuriver panted, tongue hanging, his pack exhausted. Thunder softly rumbled across the cloudy sunset, the Wolfos' ears briefly twitching.
Luna held her breath, cold wind piercing her pale skin and blowing her deathly hair back. Shivering, she slowly looked back.
The Kokiri anxiously stood where their father figure had been growing, some sniffling, others shaking. All that remained of the uprooted guardian was torn earth, not even an unfinished grave for what once was, something neither the Great Deku Tree nor Alencon could be honored with.
Kibou made a tremolo whine. "The Great Deku Tree...he blocked the portal behind us, shielding us from the destruction so we could safely escape."
Luna's heart stiffly beat, pain pulsing even through her ribs. "No, this... This wasn't supposed to happen..." Lightheaded, she walked over, Kibou silently following. "Shouldn't have..."
Link was sitting at the edge of the hole, holding his forehead. The exhausted hero just stared at the empty grave. "Second time. Second damn time..."
Panting, Zelda stabbed the Phantom trident into the ground. The queen weakly sat by her friend, softly saying, "Link... I'm sorry." She rested her head on his shoulder. "I am so sorry."
He rested his head on hers and whispered, "I know but...don't be."
Silent, Zelda let her teardrops fall.
One by one, some Kokiri sat and sobbed, their fairies hovering close to comfort them.
Mido grabbed his hat and wiped his eyes. "In this case, I'm glad Saria and Link aren't here to see this happen again..." He sighed, looking at Link, the dashing man struggling to stay awake. "At least he isn't wearing Kokirish clothing this time."
"Could do with a shave and haircut, tho," Mido's fairy commented.
"Luna?" a girl asked.
The albino noticed Fado, the only person curious rather than sad, stroking Rosfir's scruff.
"What have you done?" Fado quietly asked.
Luna scowled. "I didn't kill the Great Deku Tree, Fado."
"No one's saying you did, Luna," Kibou remarked.
Fado pleasantly smiled. "Oh, I wasn't talking about the Great Deku Tree."
The pale maiden frowned.
Fado cupped her hand by her mouth, leaned, and whispered to Luna's ear, "Stalfos? Heh heh!"
Luna dismissively waved, a few Wolfos lifting their heads and wondering if she needed them. Luna instead glared at the entrance, where Majora stood, cluelessly twiddling her fingers.
"But I... I saved the day...right?"
The veins across Luna's temples throbbed. She hissed, "You wanted to get yourself killed, selfishly neglecting everyone else."
Majora frowned. "What? No! I wanted to get rid of myself and be..." she choked, eyes moistening, "...and be...remembered."
The albino balled her fists. "You'll be remembered for ruining everything, dumb girl."
Few by few, the Kokiri noticed Luna's anger. They turned their heads, silently staring at Majora.
They just stared, faces lost and hopeless.
Majora snorted, fighting back tears. "Why are so many creepy kids staring at me?" She needed a few more uncomfortable seconds, discomfort gradually replaced with fear. She noticed Link and put her hands behind her back, facial spikes wilting. Now he's going to kill me...
Link kept his eyes low, unhappy yet peaceful.
Majora slowly straightened her back, then leaned away as Link approached. "Link? I, uhh... I thought I..." She sniffled, eyes shiny again. "You should have just...left me behind."
"Let's go," was all Link said, too tired and too injured to talk much, Zelda no less hurting as she pulled the Phantom lance out and followed.
Luna sighed, walking past Majora. The Wolfos stretched then trotted after Luna, unable to fully comprehend the situation but still eager to move despite being bloodied up.
Link stopped. The Wolfos growled.
"Link?" Zelda asked, "What is it?" The queen wiped her eyes.
"Hm? Who's that?" Majora asked.
"I don't like the looks of this..." Kibou remarked.
At the entrance of the cliff path, a middle aged man faded in from thin air, arms crossed. He had tan skin, full beard and loose-flowing hair white, eyeglasses covering his red eyes. He wore a dark blue robe, unbuttoned down the front, shirt and trousers black. "I feared it would have come to this."
Zelda glared. "Ira... You will be brought to justice for your murder of Captain Russel."
The mysterious man let his crossed arms loosen. "I have actual threats to take care of, Your Majesty."
Grunting, Zelda pointed her lance at Ira's throat, forcing him against the cliff. She leaned over the shaft, glaring. "You think I won't be judge, jury and executioner!?"
Ira grabbed the spearhead, wrenching it out Zelda's grasp then bashing the shaft into her face. Her head reared, hitting the cliff then she fell. Onlooking Kokiri gasped, some covering their faces or clutching their fairies.
Ira pointed the Phantom lance at Link who intended to leap in, keeping him at bay. "Can you give me the Stone, Link? I won't ask again."
Link felt his empty sheath, nearly cursing under his breath. He tried using Din's Fire. Dihn-nnn! No Magic Power left. His eyes narrowed, other hand slowly reaching for his Longshot. "You won't make demands of me."
Ira gritted his teeth, eyes intense as he positioned his spearhead right at Link's throat. "Do you want me to kill you!?"
"Since childhood, I was never afraid to die," Link answered, slightly raising his hands, both men stuck in a tense moment.
Luna frowned, whispering to herself, "I don't know what's going on... None of his happened before..." The Wolfos growled as they walked past Luna, though their wounds and exhaustion stifled morale.
Ira's eyes scanned the approaching Wolfos—Link smacked aside the spearhead at his throat, rushing alongside the weapon. Ira grunted—a flash erupted, stunning all onlookers.
Majora, however, was unfazed by Deku Nuts. She saw Ira trip Link then kneed his chin as he fell, bodyweight and gravity amplifying the force and stunning him. Zelda, blind and dizzy, barely recovered, withdrawing her bow and nocking a Light Arrow. Ira spun around, spearing aside Zelda's bow then kicking her jaw; she loosed the magical arrow while falling, Ira rolling his shoulders, arrow passing his head and hitting the cliff.
Majora's eyes twitched, distracted by the Light Arrow's swirly magic. She needed another second to fully grasp what just happened, never someone adaptive to surprises. "Liiinnnk!" His former nemesis charged with the Wolfos, Link groaning as he sat up feeling his jawbone.
Ira swung the Phantom lance, casting a dozen energy orbs, blasting back Link, Majora and the Wolfos. Luna gasped as she looked side to side, her friends knocked down like rag dolls. Growling, Luna leapt at Ira, biting his leg.
"Crazy kid!" Ira grabbed Luna's shirt and threw her away. She cartwheeled through the air and smacked into the cliff. Kibou tackled Ira's face, actually causing the man to wince. "Get out of my face, stupid fairy!" He backhanded Kibou hard, the black fairy fluttering to the ground.
Most Kokiri hid themselves from the violence, though a lone boy ran forth, rolling up his sleeves. "Luna! I'm coming!" A Deku Nut hit Mido in the forehead with such force he back flipped, landing face-down. His fairy flew up and down, trying to wake up.
Majora got up, googly-eyed, body sizzling with dark magics. Ira's lance glowed with magic, the air dimming as a large dark orb formed above him, sucking additional strands of magic into itself. Majora readied herself, hair extending into several lengths.
"Haahhh-YYEEAAGHHH!" Ira unleashed pure power.
Majora's eyes widened. "Uh-oh." Her hair-limbs flailed, knocking back a few incoming orbs, though the others struck her anyways and she staggered. The orbs she hit zigzagged towards Ira, who batted them back at Majora, launching her through the air.
Majora landed on her knee, body twitching as dark magic flickered around her. She growled, regaining control of her twitchy body. She flexed to snap out of the sizzling power, standing tall. Chnnk! "Uh!" Majora staggered. She gagged out a mouthful of blue blood. She slowly looked down, blue blood frothing out her chest. The side blades of the Phantom lance were pressing against her upper rib cage, spearhead sticking out her back. "Oh? You threw it?"
She fell to her bottom, holding the lance in her. Blood leaked out her mouth with every heartbeat, frothed out her chest with every exhale. Majora whimpered. "It hurts." Her eyes moistened. "It hurts..." Her breathing slowed, strength draining as her shoulder slowly touched the ground.
Ira stuck his boot against Link, pushing him over. He withdrew a knife and slit Link's gambeson open, taking something from him. A shimmering light appeared...
Mido lifted his face, shaking his head, wondering what happened. He looked up, his fairy flying over a green crystal curled by gold, shimmering in Ira's hands. Mido gasped as he got up. "The Spiritual Stone..."
"Of the Forest!" Fado yelled, actually angry for once. "Give it back!"
"Return to your homes!" Ira shouted, pocketing the emerald and leaving.
Mido ran after Ira, pulling out a slingshot, Deku Seeds bouncing off the man's back.
"Did you get it?" a dark-skinned boy with orange eyes asked, sitting atop a white stallion waiting for his owner.
Ira mounted his horse. "Yes. We still need two more." He pulled the reins, rearing the horse, and galloped away, Mido running while shooting Deku Seeds to no avail.
The chief fell to his knees, sobbing.
Luna was sadly sitting on the side of a little bed, watching Link sleep. The bruised and bloodied hero was curled up, facedown atop a bed clearly too small for him. Without his gambeson or armor, he wore a green tunic and white leggings, his battered Kokirish attire stained with quite a lot of blood.
Link's eyes fluttered open.
"Awake?" Kibou asked, hovering before Link, who nodded.
Groaning, Link sat on his heels and yawned, rubbing his face. "Ahhhhh..." He repositioned his legs over the bed, placing his hands on his lap and attentively looking back at Luna.
The albino stared with blank eyes, though she was devastated. "Feeling better?"
Link nodded then looked around the humble home, his vision still blurry from recent pains. A circular carpet sat in the center, a basin, table, barrels, and some other things against the rounded wall. "Saria's house..."
Footfall caught Link's attention.
Fado faded into view, curiously walking from the basin. She held brown cloth with some ruddy poultice. "Good thing you gave it back."
"Hm? That odd potion is still good even after all these years?"
Fado grinned. "Hee hee! Of course." She presented it to Link, her fairy casually flying around.
"Potions of magic and healing come from these ingredients, after all," Fado's fairy remarked. "You'll need to apply it on your body."
Link slid his shirt off, lean torso mapped with scars and bruises, soon poulticed. "Where's Zelda? She alright?" he asked, wounds healing, torn flesh gluing itself together.
Fado grinned. "You're still a real man! For now..."
Luna rolled her eyes. "Mido's taking care of her."
"What about—aghh!" Link grimaced as his injuries stung. "What about...Majora? She OK?"
"I don't think anyone's interested in helping her," Kibou admitted.
A creepy grin slid across Fado's face. "Everyone, Stalfos."
Link froze. He folded the remaining poultice and stood.
"Going somewhere?" Luna asked.
"Yes." He exited.
Fado looked at Luna. "Stalfos help Stalfos, right?"
"Agreed." Luna hopped off the bed, got a cheesecloth, and exited.
Kibou followed his child. "You better not be planning another runaway, Luna."
"Not this time."
Link jogged through the sunset village, a few Picti guards wondering what he was up to. He headed to the emptied Deku grounds, the Wolfos no longer around. Link found Majora with her back against the cliff, weakly leaning over her knees, Phantom lance sticking out her chest, blood dripping down the shaft. The Hero of Time gasped, rushing over and kneeling by his former nemesis. "I'm sorry for not coming sooner."
Majora weakly lifted her swaying head, blue blood trickling out her mouth. Her vision cleared, a lion-maned rogue before her. She blankly stared, and then...something beautiful.
Link softly smiled.
Majora nearly whimpered, eyes moist. She wiped her face. "Oh? You're..." she croaked, "you're back." She raised her hand, wanting to caress that adorable visage.
Link turned his head. "Let me help you, but...this will hurt."
Majora choked on blood. "Uhhmm, what?"
"Shh."
The former nemesis convulsed and screamed, spattering blueness out her mouth and onto Link's tunic.
He tossed aside the Phantom lance, spearhead caked in dried, blue blood.
Majora wetly exhaled through gritted teeth as the pain dulled, her head falling back against the cliff side. She blinked hard, eyes stinging. Her skin crawled, her spine tingled—Link touched her, poulticing the cavity in her chest.
"Hold it there," he instructed.
After a couple seconds enjoying something not happening, Majora snapped out her fantasies and clutched the cloth, her claws gently over Link's hands. She held her breath, slowly looking up. Her shoulders felt weightless, yet the gravitation of emotions grinded her heart and soul. "L-Link, I..." She hesitated, his eyes meeting hers. "Th... Thank you."
Link nodded. "You'll get better, I promise." He patted her thigh. "You're a strong, brave woman."
Majora smiled, butterflies fluttering inside her as tears streamed down her cheeks. Say something, anything. No words came.
"Can you stand?"
She needed a few seconds. "Oh, I think so."
He helped her up. "Can you walk?"
"Umm, maybe?" She feigned limping. "Oh—whoa!"
Link scooped up the gangly girl, carrying her bridal style, her dangling legs nearly touching the ground. "Alright, let's try this."
Hands clasped, Majora beamed, quite comfy in her new ride.
Link carried Majora to Saria's house, Fado not happy to see her.
"The bed's rather small, but it'll have to do." He put Majora down, who sighed. "Feeling better?"
"Still hurting in the chest. Maybe you should hold my—" She snorted, raising her knees and covering her mouth.
Link blinked. "Hm?"
Snickering, Majora covered her face then wheezed. "Nothing."
He nodded. "Fado, have any more medicine?"
The blondie's eyes narrowed. "Not for her."
"I do," Luna said, stepping into the home. A poultice both fungal and magical was in a cheesecloth, which Luna passed to Majora. "A second application should heal you fully."
Kibou pinged with some jealousy, though memories of wasps buzzing in his head reminded him of Luna's remedy for his wasp stings. I wish everything could go back to how it used to be...
Majora slid the poultice through her robe, smearing injuries. "Link?"
"Yes?"
"Why are you always so...unhappy?"
Fado frowned. "Maybe because you killed the Great Deku Tree?"
Her words momentarily clutched Link's heart, awful memories returning from so long ago.
Majora hesitated. "I didn't mean to! Because of me, we defeated Legion! We... Isn't that right, Link?"
Neither he nor Luna were satisfied.
"No," Link bluntly replied.
"What do you mean?"
"Legion... I can still feel them in me."
Majora blinked once, twice. "How?"
He shrugged.
"Legion," Luna said, "manifests fragments of themselves in others. They will grow anew, eventually."
Majora's heart sank. "Oh."
The pale maiden faced the Hero of Time. "Link? Do not feel rushed to chase after Ira."
"Why?"
"Before I returned to Kokiri Forest... Well, let's just say me and two friends witnessed something...frightening...in the Temple of Time."
Link's brow furrowed. "What did you see?"
"Behind the Door of Time...a lot of blood seeped through the edges. Bloody footprints appeared but no one was there."
Link's eyebrows raised. "What?"
"Back then, I didn't know what it was. Now, I think I do. Something that will happen in the future partly happened back then. Strange forces attacked Hyrule Castle Town. Everyone's gone, pulled into The Beyond." She sighed. "Red-Suit manipulated the flow of time to setup a trap. The guards and knights will be busy fighting The Beyond. Ira won't struggle to bypass the monsters, he'll only be more motivated to take action. Once he opens the Door of Time...the trap will spring. Whoever enters first..." Luna's heart skipped a beat, her skin crawling.
Fado looked happier, though Majora stared stupidly.
Link frowned, thinking deeply. "Well? Whoever enters first?"
"Hooks and chains," Luna answered.
"What do you mean?" Majora asked, finishing up her poulticing.
"Meathooks and bladed chains," Luna repeated.
Link remarked, "That doesn't sound welcoming."
"And after these meathooks and bladed chains... Then what?" Link inquired.
"Fragments of the past and future will merge. The Sacred Realm will be the bridge to the Infernal Engine, a mechanical construct that devours godly forces. You will need to save the Sacred Realm. You know what to do to get there. The holy blade is the only weapon that can dismember the Infernal Engine. The Beyond will fall into the gap between dimensions. After that...I don't know. We never got that far."
"We never got that far?" Link asked.
Luna nodded. "We tried this many times before. As we ascend this reality, you will get memories from the future. Be patient, Link. Everything you need to do, you will know."
"Hm." He didn't know how to react to such information.
"I don't know what that even means," Majora bumbled.
"Unsurprisingly," Fado remarked.
Kibou hovered closer to his child. "Luna, how do you know all these things? It's like, all of a sudden, you know so much."
"I know."
"Well, are you gonna tell us how you do?" Fado's fairy asked.
Luna's eyes lowered. "I...don't want to talk about it." She slowly looked up, eyes moist, teeth gritted.
"Are you alright?" Majora asked, Fado smiling despite the foreboding atmosphere.
Kibou softly jingled. "What's wrong, Luna?"
Luna wiped her sleeve across her teary eyes. She swallowed hard, regaining composure. "I am...afraid of my...terrible fate."
"And what fate is that?" Link asked.
Luna held her breath. "Meathooks and bladed chains."
A terrible silence filled the room, imagination running wild of whatever horrible things awaiting them.
"That's how I got my facial scars," Majora admitted. "Hookshots...but with serrated chains ending as sharpened gambrel hooks."
Kibou and Fado's fairy shivered. Kibou looked around. "Why is everything becoming more and more like some sick, demented horror story?"
The hero's jaw clenched. Mouth tight, he whispered to himself, "Mīkāʼēl...you sadistic bastard." He knelt, putting a hand on Luna's shoulder. "No matter what happens, I will keep you safe. I promise."
Luna made a lumpy smile. "Thanks."
Link stood. "But I cannot sit back and just let Ira run into a fate worse than death. What happens if I go through the Door of Time before he does?"
Luna was speechless. "I don't know."
"So it never happened in this looming future. I had a feeling it didn't."
Luna's eyes widened. "Wait, you're not going to do what I think you are..."
"I've always had a knack for changing fate," Link assured. He looked back.
Bruised and bloodied, tired and weak, a haggard, blonde royal was leaning against the doorway. "What's this about Hyrule Castle attacked and everyone taken?" the queen sternly asked. "My children..."
Luna looked back at Zelda. "Oh, Sheik and Princess Zelda are safe. We had some close calls, but I left with them after The Beyond descended."
Zelda's face shot up. "What!? And you never told me!?"
Luna shrugged. "Oh, sorry... The plan was to get your help."
Zelda leaned over Luna. "Where are they? Where are my children!?"
Majora, Fado and the two fairies quietly watched.
Luna shrugged. "Last I saw them, I fell off their horse but they continued riding into Kokiri Forest. I thought we'd see them by now. I guess they went back to look for me?"
Zelda straightened, holding her veiny forehead. "At least they weren't taken... But now I'm worried if something else happened. Where did they get the horse, anyways?"
"A redhead lady handed her over."
Link paused. "Zelda, I know how we can easily find your children."
