"You're no son of mine! Get out! Get out of here! And never come back!"
Chapter Nine: Banishment, pt. I
"How dare he falls asleep at his own father's funeral!" a villager yelled.
"Well, he barely remembers the man, so I'm not surprised," another said.
Dressed in a black-hued version of her armor, Lydia said nothing as she held the sleepy Link close to her. He looked up as the villagers berated her for defending her son. He didn't get why everyone was so upset. He was sleepy and thought that everyone would've understood.
The mourners glared, grumbled and some even shook their heads in disappointment. One seemingly brave villager stood in front of the crowd outside of the chapel and said, "Seriously, why defend him, Lydia? Your son brought a curse on this village by climbing that mountain!"
"How was he supposed to know that section of Snowpeak is cursed? How is any child supposed to know if you don't tell them?" Lydia asked.
Another yelled, "We have! Constantly!"
"Nuh uh! You guys never told us!" the young Pipit yelled coming to the woman and his friend's defense.
Near the crowd, a young Groose and Karane also joined in, yelling, "Yeah! No one told us!"
Karane's adoptive mother turned to look at her and gave her a death stare. The girl quieted down and looked away. Groose, however, yelled, "You guys didn't say the mountain was 'cussed'! You guys just told us not to climb it!"
"That should be enough to deter you!" a fifth angry villager bellowed.
Granny Matilde stood in front of Lydia, saying, "It was a mistake. An honest mistake. And my grandson isn't cursed. Neither is this village."
"Then why does your son have that 'epipletsy'? Sounds like a curse to me!" a sixth asked.
"It's 'epilepsy'..." Agitha muttered, very smart for her age.
Scarcely anyone heard her and the villagers started making many accusations against the young amnesiac. The villager accusing Link of bringing a curse on the village then said, "Maybe if he hadn't climbed that mountain, things would be different!"
"So, what are you trying to say? That my son is the reason for my husband's death? If so, then I would highly suggest that you all disperse...Now!" Lydia said, glaring back at the crowd.
They did as Link saw his mother put a hand on her sheathed sword. The family looked at her and she said, with a weak smile, "Our family isn't cursed. It's just silly superstitions the people here still hold onto."
"But what if we are?" Aryll asked.
"We're not cursed!" Lydia yelled.
"But Link, he..." Agitha said.
Lydia bellowed, garnering a few passersby's' attention, "WE'RE NOT CURSED! SO, DROP IT!"
Link saw Agitha turn away as she muttered, "Yes we are...If we weren't, Dad would still be here..."
Granny Matilde smacked the girl, saying, "Don't you ever say anything like that again."
Agitha held her cheek, eyes welling up with tears. She looked at Link and glowered. Seconds later, she ran off, heading straight home, crying loudly.
Link's room, Nodor Household...
After running away from the chapel, Link rushed home, didn't acknowledge Oni who greeted him, slammed his bedroom door, and locked it behind him. His head started feeling funny and the room, painted by someone called "Ismali", started spinning. He collapsed onto the floor, holding his head as more pain began shooting from it.
"I-I'm n-not a-a-a...! I'm-I'm not...!" Link whimpered; his vision was still dizzy.
"You're not a what?"
Link curled up, his whimpers even louder and he heard another voice speak to him.
"Yeah, what aren't you?"
"I just asked him that."
"Huh? You heard me? I didn't think we could hear each other."
Link truly thought he was losing it and his curled up even more. He covered his ears but still heard the two voices. One seemed older, and more mature, while the other was more youthful and chipper.
'Leave me alone...' he thought.
Instead of his vision coming back to normal and the voices going away, Link passed out. Moments later, he opened his eyes and slowly stood to his feet. He walked towards the desk and read the note that was lying on it. It was addressed to someone named "Ismali". It seemed to be from him thanking the person for painting the room's walls and ceiling. Another next to it was one addressed to a person named "Nyx". It was also from "Link", asking him about his aggression.
He couldn't remember writing those notes and looked more around the room, seeing the mural of horses, pastures, and knights wearing green. A castle was on one of the walls and a large sun was painted on the ceiling. The image of the knights looked very familiar and he could've sworn he was the one that painted them.
A loud barrage of knocks took him out of his thoughts.
"Link! LINK! Open the door! C'mon!"
Recognizing it as Aryll's, he did so, but the small nagging feeling of annoyance crept up. The girl looked him over and asked, "Are you okay? Why did you run away?"
He said nothing as he was confused and turned away. Aryll looked at him and asked, "Link? Are you...Are you alright?"
He was about to respond when Lydia called for Aryll. She gave him a worried look and walked away.
Later, dining room table...
"Link's not okay. I know he's not," Aryll said.
The teen, sitting at the table with the other members of Link's family, stared at his bowl of reekfish stew. He listened in, trying to figure out what made him stressed.
"He's fine," Agitha told her, not looking up from her bowl and eating.
"But he hasn't said anything since...!" Aryll yelled.
"Link doesn't speak much anyway!" Agitha retorted.
The girls started arguing and Link heard Granny Matilde say, "Girls, quiet! Link is most likely still in shock after what we told him."
"Well yeah. You told him that he was the reincarnation of a traitor..." Lydia muttered, messing with her food with a spoon.
'A "reincarnated traitor"...?' Link thought.
"The one called the 'Kingslayer' I'm sure would've been a Great Hero if he didn't lose his mind," Granny Matilde told her.
'A Hero...? Oh...So, is that why he was so upset and awakened me?' "Link" thought.
He didn't hear Granny Matilde call him and she yelled, "Link! Are you listening?"
He looked up and she asked, "I'm sorry if the elders and I scared you. Are you alright? You haven't touched your food. I'm sure Oni would take offense that you haven't eaten."
Looking away, he said nothing and Agitha asked, "Are you here again...'Raven'?"
Link turned to her at the mention of that name and said, "Who's 'Raven'?"
"Uh, who are you and what have you done with my son?" Lydia asked, noticing Link's lack of a stutter.
"Maybe this is one of the 'others' he's created. He doesn't seem to be malevolent or anything," Granny Matilde told her.
The knightess didn't believe her and became hostile. She stood to her feet and Granny Matilde said, "Don't. Sit and finish your food. He means us no harm."
Lydia glared and didn't heed her. Instead, she left the table and went into her room. "Link" looked to the elderly woman and said, "I am sorry if I've caused offense."
"There's no need to apologize. Now, the question is, which one are you?" Granny Matilde asked.
"What do you mean?" "Link" asked.
Aryll was confused and asked, "What do you mean 'what do you mean'? You're not acting like the Link we know."
"Well, I wouldn't be surprised. He just found out that he's a reincarnated traitor, so he's probably using another personality to cope with what Granny said..." Agitha said, eating the last of her stew.
"Link" was very confused and asked, "Um, so you're saying that I'm me, but then I'm not me?"
Granny Matilde looked hard in thought and asked, "What is the last thing you remember, Link? I assume that's your name."
"Link" nodded, but said how he remember entering a place deep within a desolate forest called the Royal Valley, searching for something called a Kinstone. He discovered a large tomb in the middle of a graveyard and then...nothing. Granny Matilde stayed deep in thought and Agitha said, "So, you're a 'Link', but not our Link."
"I guess...But, do you know how to get back to...?" "Link" said.
Moments later, dizziness overcame him and his vision darkened. Once it returned, Link opened his eyes and was very confused about how he got to the dining table. His lost expression didn't go unnoticed by the others and Aryll said, "Link, are you back?"
"Um...W-What happened? H-H-How did I-I g-get he-here?" he asked.
His grandmother explained how they met another of his 'others', one that was also named Link. It behaved differently and didn't have a stutter. It also seemed to be lost and was on an "adventure".
"But it's good that you're back," Aryll said, giving him a smile.
Agitha finished her food, got up from the table, and stormed off, heading for her room. Granny Matilde sighed and muttered, "I would've hoped that her hatred of you would've abated by now."
"Link! Link, are you okay?" a tall, burly young man with red hair in a pompadour asked.
A young blonde man clad in green sat up from sleeping on a stool within an old, flora-overgrown temple. He rubbed his eyes and said, "Y-Yeah...Um..."
"Seriously, what was all that about, man?" the tan-skinned young man asked.
"Sorry, Gro... I was having...HORRIBLE, NIGHTMARE VISIONS!" the green-clad one yelled, eyes wide and terrified.
An old woman covered in dark blue attire waddled towards them. Her face was shrouded by an oversized, red hood, and a large mark in the shape of an eye and teardrop was on the back. Once she was close, she told the red-haired one, "Ah, it seems that some of his dormant memories are awakening."
"Whadya mean?" the young man asked, looking down at the woman as he towered over her.
The old woman motioned for him to back away and asked the green-clad one, "What was the nightmare about?"
"It was weird. I was standing in this field, charging at this giant, black demon guy with flaming hair. I fought him and lost and was about to get killed when this giant loftwing that looked a lot like mine came down. It scooped me up and started flying off when I saw someone that looked like Zelda. I kept screaming for her to not fight him, but..." Link told her.
The old woman pondered it for a moment and said, "I believe that was more than just a dream, Link."
"Huh?" Link asked.
"You sure that wasn't some 'PSDT' stuff? We just fought that giant, black, scaly 'avocado' with legs and arms a few hours ago!" the tan-skinned, redhead said.
"'Black, scaly avocado with legs and arms'...?" Link asked.
"Yeah! That's what I call it! The giant, legged avocado, aka the...uh...Hmm..." the one apparently called "Gro" said.
"It is called the 'Imprisoned', Gro..." the old woman said.
"Okay. My new name for it. The giant, legged avocado shall now be dubbed: 'The Imprisoned, Gigantic Legged Avocado of Doom'!" he said, grinning.
Link laughed, not getting why his former-bully-turned-friend made such a silly name for the thing that nearly came out of that pit to kill them all. That helped, as he started feeling better after such a nightmare.
Link eyes shot open, quickly coming out of another odd dream. He sat up in his bed and rubbed his eyes. The young Hylian wondered what that dream was about as he never had one like that before. The redhead in his dream looked almost exactly like Groose and was named similarly to him. And there was the mysterious old woman, who seemed to know more than what she was letting on.
And then there was the young man clad in green with the same name as his. His dream was from his perspective, so he didn't know what else he looked like. And he didn't get why he was dressed in all green. Link did like wearing clothes in that color, but the outfit, from what he could remember, was really...odd.
"Link! Link! Are you awake? It's morning already," he heard Aryll from behind his bedroom door.
She opened it after three knocks and peeked her head into the room. Aryll sighed in relief and entered, shutting the door behind her. She sat on his bed and her expression was one of sadness.
"Um...I...Oni and I overheard Mom talking with someone on her Sheikah Slate...and..." Aryll started.
Link motioned for her to continue, wondering why she was eavesdropping. Aryll was ready to cry and said, "Mom said something about sending you off to a place called 'Sunnyside Hospital'."
"'Su-Sunny...si-side'?" Link asked her.
Aryll nodded and was about to tell him more when a loud thud was heard. The two exited the room, rushed for the living room, and saw Lydia, Granny Matilde, and the white-haired Sheikah woman from before. The very sight of her brought uneasiness to Link and he felt himself sway a bit. Aryll held onto him and the woman noticed the two.
"Is this him...?" the woman said.
"Yes. Yes, it's him, Impa," Lydia told her.
Granny Matilde motioned for the two to join them and everyone sat on the furniture. Oni appeared, holding a small tray with a teapot, a few cups, and a jar of sugar cubes, courtesy of the southern isles. He looked at Impa with suspicion and then at Lydia. Impa noticed and said, "It is impolite to stare, child."
"Oh, uh, sorry about that. You just look familiar," Oni told her.
He quickly left, heading into the kitchen and looking a bit awkward. Aryll asked about Agitha's whereabouts and was told that she went to the school for studying. Impa, however, turned the subject back to Link and asked, "How often does he have these...episodes?"
She poured herself some tea and heard Lydia say, "Oh, quite often. He's had them more frequently since the day Sigmund passed."
"And he's on medication?" Impa asked.
"Yes, but we do not force him to take it as he says he hates its side effects," Granny Matilde said, eyeing the Sheikah woman suspiciously.
Impa looked to Link and asked, "So, why don't you take them? The medicine's known for calming the nerves that cause seizures."
"But they don't stop his personality shifts," Agitha said, entering the home.
She carried a few books in her hands and stared at Impa.
"So, you're the lady that's going to help him?" she asked.
"Yes. I'm from the capital. I'm accessing whether or not your brother should be taken to the hospital," Impa told her.
Agitha shrugged, muttering as she left for her room, "Knock yourself out."
Impa looked bewildered by her behavior and Granny Matilde said, "Don't mind her. She has a few...issues that she needs to come to terms with."
Changing the subject, Lydia asked, "So, how much will it cost to register him?"
"No! Don't let him go!" Aryll yelled.
Link was about to voice his opinion when Impa held up a hand, motioning for everyone to calm down. The Sheikah looked to Link and asked, "My first question is this. Why do you not take your medicine? It will help ease your seizures and prevent those episodes."
Link didn't want to speak, fearing that the woman would add it to her assessment of him. He really didn't want to head to that place, as he didn't know where it was and he didn't want to get separated from his family. Impa kept her stare at him, her blood-red eyes seemed to pierce his mind.
"Ah, so you have a stutter?"
'Huh? Who's there?' Link thought.
He tried to turn away from Impa's gaze, but found that he couldn't. Her eyes seemed to glow and he heard the voice again.
"It is I, Impa. I'm telepathically speaking to you using Spirit magic. So, you do not like taking your medication, the Purple Potions, because it makes you feel funny. I'm not too surprised as the effects of the potion can feel random if one's not used to it. But most of the time, it reduces electrical impulses in the nervous system, helping people with tremors and those with epilepsy like yourself."
'Uh, yeah. But it still makes me feel weird,' Link replied in his thoughts.
Impa nodded and said, "I would like to examine more of your son's mental state privately. Or at least without any condemning eyes staring at the poor fellow."
"There's Elder Sahasrahla's house," Lydia told her.
Granny Matilde shook her head, saying, "If 'Nyx' awakens while Impa's examining Link, then he'll just attack Groose again."
"What about that place that you...?" Aryll said.
Granny Matilde's countenance changed as she glared at the girl. Aryll covered her mouth and Impa asked, "What place?"
"It's nothing worth mentioning!" Granny Matilde yelled.
"I know you don't fully trust me due to my allegiance with the emperor and my cohorts. But I assure you, I mean you no harm," Impa said.
"Then why did you come here? I know you're not here to help Link," Aryll asked.
Impa nodded and said, "Yes, I originally did not come to this village to help your brother as I was hunting down a dangerous creature. It alluded me, but I'm sure that it will not attack as long as I'm here. And since Lydia and I have been friends since before your brother, sister and you were born, I was willing to help her in this crisis. But I can only do so much without your family's cooperation."
"Well, there are reasons why I'm not cooperative with one such as you," Granny Matilde told her.
"I know it's not because I'm a Sheikah. It is because I'm allied with the emperor and you do not trust my cohorts. But I can assure you that I'm not like them and the emperor isn't what you think," Impa told her.
The old woman turned away, still not trusting her, and Lydia said, "Matilde, please. We have to..."
The grandmother stood up and said to the Sheikah, "If anything happens after we reveal such a private place to you, I will blame you."
"Understood," Impa told her, taking off a necklace with a small turquoise pendant hanging on a black string.
She placed it on the small table in the living room and place her teacup over it. When asked about it, Impa said that she didn't want anyone eavesdropping any further on their conversation. Pleased, Lydia led the Sheikah, Granny Matilde, Link, and Aryll to the chapel.
As they walked in the snow, a few villagers cut eyes at Link and then at Impa. Some whispered to each other and Link figured they were talking about her. If not, they were most likely talking about him.
They reached the chapel within a few minutes and the monks inside were surprised at Link's return. The head priest asked, "Ah! He's back...? Oh! You're from the capital. I'm sorry, but you're not permitted in this holy place."
"Don't worry. She's with me," Granny Matilde told them.
"But...! She's...!" another monk asked.
"I'll watch her closely," Granny Matilde said.
The monks moved out of the way and Link's grandmother led the group farther into the chapel. They arrived at the chapel's lowest chamber and Link was disturbed at all the small statuettes sitting in small alcoves. Each statue had his face and Link wanted to leave immediately as it was disturbing to see his face on those things.
Granny Matilde motioned him to the magic circle in the room's center and he walked into it. Wordlessly, he sat down and Granny Matilde sat outside the circle. Impa did the same and Lydia shut the chamber's door, darkening the candlelight-lit room.
Just as it closed, the magic circle started to glow a pale green color. The mark of Farore on Link's right wrist began to glow with it as well as his triangle-shaped birthmark. The light from both marks ran up his arms, causing his veins and arteries to glow. It scared Link and he could do nothing as searing pain suddenly filled his body. His head started to ache and he clutched it.
"What's happening?" Aryll asked.
"He's...Link? Link! What's going on?! LINK!" Lydia yelled.
Everything started spinning and Link found that he couldn't breathe. As he saw Impa and Granny Matilde's eyes widen in shock, his vision darkened and he collapsed...
Oh no. What's happening to the poor guy now? Stay tuned.
-miano53