The Dueling Peaks were the largest part of the mountain range that ran through Necluda. This mountain range split the province, with about one-third of its total area on the western side and two-thirds of it on the eastern side. In addition to being larger, the eastern side of the province was also more densely populated. The Squabble River ran through the gap between the peaks, and a road had been constructed alongside the river. There were many stories about the Dueling Peaks having once been a single mountain that was cleaved in two at some point, as the two mountains looked like they could have fit together if they were pushed into one another.
Link told me the river had cut the peaks in two, but how can water cut stone? It must have been a monster with a giant sword or something.
Those were Linkle's thoughts as she left the Twins, looking up at the Dueling Peaks. The mountains were massive, and Linkle wished she had the time to try climbing to the top.
I could probably see all of Hyrule from up there!
For a moment, Linkle took off the stone mask for a better view, smiling as her sense of adventure returned to her. However, she soon put the mask back over her face. She'd decided to wear it at all times while on the road, for now at least. The path between the peaks served as an important connection between East Necluda and both West Necluda and Central Hyrule, so she knew there would be patrols and other travelers that she might bump into along the way. She couldn't risk running into any Sheikah, or anyone else who might report her presence to her enemies.
I wonder if this mask works on monsters.
The patrols likely kept the monster population away from the roads for the most part, but no place in Hyrule far enough from a city was ever completely free of monsters, especially since the last Blood Moon had occurred very recently.
The journey started out as expected. The first people Linkle passed by were some soldiers out on patrol, likely having come from the Twins as they were headed back that way. Just in case, Linkle sidled up against the rocky wall that lined the south side of the road. The soldiers all passed by without noticing her.
The next people she saw, however, looked like a couple of ordinary travelers. Each of them carried a large sack. Linkle figured they must have been merchants or something, but neither of them seemed to be carrying any weapons, which was quite risky when traveling through the wilds.
At first, Linkle planned to simply stay out of sight and let them pass. However, she noticed something in the river. She could see three Lizalfos swimming just below the water's surface. They kept most of their bodies hidden underwater, but Linkle had trained herself to recognize the subtle, undulating movements the creatures made.
They're gonna attack those people.
She didn't want to reveal herself, but letting two random, innocent people get attacked by monsters was out of the question.
"Hey! Watch out! Monsters in the water!" she shouted at the strangers further down the road. However, the travelers appeared unable to hear her.
Shit.
Kicking up dirt behind her, Linkle sprinted forward with the speed of her Pegasus Boots. Just before she reached the travelers, she pulled her mask off.
"Whoa!"
"What the–?"
"Get back!" Linkle drew the Master Sword and threw herself in between the travelers and the river. Just as she did, all three of the Lizalfos in the water leaped ashore. Each of them carried a long spear; the crude kind that might be used for skewering fish in the river. The travelers backed away, and Linkle threw up her shield, blocking the attack from the closest Lizalfos. She quickly countered, slashing at her attacker and kicking it back into the water. "Run!" she ordered the travelers as she continued fighting.
Luckily, the merchants listened to her. They took off running down the road towards the Twins, allowing Linkle to fight off the other two Lizalfos without having to worry about them.
The fight didn't last much longer after that. She managed to kill the second Lizalfos, and the third one fled once it lost its numbers advantage. Linkle was left with a few bloodstains on her clothing, which she tried to wash off by dabbing at it with some river water after cleaning her sword. When she was finished, she redonned the stone mask and continued on her way.
When nightfall came, Linkle had not passed anyone else. She doubted she would meet any other travelers taking the road at night, as most of them would stop to make camp rather than trying to travel at the time when the majority of monsters were most active. She knew she might still run into soldiers on patrol, however, but they could be easily avoided using the stone mask.
Linkle decided to stop and rest as well. Normally, she would make a fire, but she wanted to conceal her presence as much as she could, so she went without one. While she'd been traveling with her brother, the two of them had taken turns keeping watch while the other slept. She would not have anyone watching over her as she slept now, but she hoped the stone mask would allow her to safely rest without anyone seeing her. So, after finding a relatively good place to sleep in some bushes off to the side of the road, Linkle lay down and went to sleep.
In the morning, I continue my quest…
When Linkle awoke, it was not yet daybreak. She'd been startled awake by some noise. Even when her brother had been around to watch over her, she'd learned to sleep lightly, just in case. From somewhere nearby, she could hear the telltale sounds of bones scraping against dirt.
Peeking out from the bush, Linkle confirmed her suspicions. Four Stalfos were digging their way out of the ground. One of them was already fully formed, seemingly trying to get its head screwed on correctly. Another was kneeling next to the hole it had crawled out of, plucking its remaining bones out of the dirt. Two others were struggling to escape the confines of the earth, making ghastly sounds of irritation and anguish.
Linkle was certain these monsters would be laid to rest by a patrol at some point in the night, but as the Hero, she figured it was her job as long as she was there.
If I leave them standing, they may harm some other travelers before the patrols get to them.
Crawling free from the bush, Linkle climbed to her feet. She did not think the stone mask would keep her invisible once she started attacking them, but it would at least let her get in a sneak attack on one or two of them. So, with her hand on the hilt of her sheathed sword, she crept forward.
However, she soon froze. The Stalfos that had been adjusting its skull seemed to notice her, and was now staring right at her - at least, as much as it could stare at her with those glowing red lights housed within its otherwise empty eye sockets. After a moment, the creature raised its arm, pointing with a long bony finger, and let out a screech. The other Stalfos turned their heads, all of them looking directly at her, clearly able to see her.
Shit.
Reacting on instinct, Linkle drew her weapon and charged forward. She'd expected all four of the Stalfos to shrink back at the sight of the Master Sword, as had been the case with the other Stalcreatures she'd fought since she'd obtained the blade. As undead monsters, they normally seemed to be allergic to its holy magic and afraid of the light it gave off. However, this time, her sword glowed with only a dull light, and the monsters didn't even seem to notice.
When Linkle swung at the first Stalfos, she broke its bony neck with a satisfying crack. The other Stalfos she'd killed before with the Master Sword had been vaporized into dust when she slashed through them, but this one's skull fell to the ground, still active until Linkle stomped on it with her boot.
What is with these infernal things?
With the skull destroyed, the rest of the monster's skeleton crumbled into a heap of bones. However, immediately afterward, Linkle felt a sharp pain in her back as the second Stalfos slashed her with its jagged skeletal hand. She was quick to react, spinning around and felling her attacker the same way she'd defeated the first one. She then made short work of the other two, crushing their accursed skulls before they could finish clawing their way out of the ground.
The Hero stood for a moment, panting from the sudden exertion of the fight. "Aghhh…" she moaned, dropping her sword and shield to reach behind her back, touching her wounds. The second Stalfos's claw had broken the skin, and she was bleeding.
Fuck. That hurt.
Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a healing elixir she'd purchased in the Twins, then drank some of it. Next, she removed her mask to make it easier to pull her shirt off, intending to apply the rest of the elixir directly to the wound, but she decided to clean the wound first. So, she stepped down onto the riverbank and slowly lowered herself into the water.
"Oh!" Linkle couldn't help but let out a startled yelp from the cold water, but it was soothing in a way. Crossing her arms, she stood there in the water, resting as the blood was washed from her back.
Why didn't the mask work?
She hadn't had time to think of it during the fight. The Stalfos had plainly seen her. Was it because there were monsters? Or perhaps the mask simply didn't work at night. Linkle racked her brain trying to think of any other Heroes who had used such an item, but she couldn't come up with anything.
Reaching onto the riverbank, Linkle picked up the stone mask, staring into its bizarre, lopsided face.
What secrets do you hide?
Linkle considered the object may have been Sheikah in origin. Many magical techniques employed by the Sheikah involved stealth. A perception-altering mask that made the wearer unnoticeable seemed to fit in well with that kind of magic. However, the mask lacked any noticeable Sheikah symbols, and the face did not depict any character from Sheikah folklore or any spirit sacred to the Sheikah, as far as Linkle could tell.
Despite still having many unanswered questions, Linkle smiled to herself.
This is exciting!
There were still mysteries to be solved, quests to be completed, demons to be slain - exactly as she had always dreamed her life as the Hero to be.
Then I'd better keep moving!
Climbing out of the water, Linkle shook herself dry, patted herself with a rag, then applied the rest of the healing elixir to the newly-cleaned wound on her back. Afterwards, she redressed, collected her equipment, and put the stone mask back on. It was still the middle of the night, but Linkle knew she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep after everything that had happened. And so, she got back on the road and continued west.
Next stop, Gatepost.
When approaching the Great Plateau from the east, one would not arrive at the town of Gatepost immediately. There was also a Hyrulean military outpost that the road traveled through first, just south of the Forest of Time. So, after Linkle passed through the Dueling Peaks, continued through West Necluda, and crossed Proxim Bridge over the Hylia River, she found herself outside the gates of the outpost.
Given what had happened at Fort Hateno, Linkle elected not to reveal herself to the guards at all, instead keeping the stone mask over her face. However, she was much more wary now, since she was aware that the mask did not always work. Nevertheless, she was able to insert herself into a group of soldiers returning from patrol, allowing her to pass through the gate unnoticed.
Once inside, Linkle did not wish to linger. She followed the road towards the Great Plateau, knowing she'd be only a short distance away from Gatepost as soon as she exited the gate on the other side of the outpost. However, as she walked, she overheard something strange from a group of off-duty guards lounging around outside of the barracks.
"So, who are you voting for?"
"Hell if I know. I've never even seen any of the king's children."
"I'll hafta go with Princess Zelda."
"Which one, you simpleton?"
"Victorique, obviously."
"Agreed. She's the king's true heir, after all."
"Bullshit. Who cares about which one was born first? Hyrule needs strong leadership, especially now. Someone like Prince Percival."
"Ha! That twat?"
"Watch your mouth. Insulting the prince is borderline treason."
Linkle wanted to stay and listen to their conversation a bit longer, but she was much more interested in getting back to the Temple of Time as quickly as possible. From what she could gather, it sounded like the next ruler of Hyrule was to be decided by a vote.
Can you do that?
Linkle had heard many stories about the Royal Family, but the only one she'd actually met so far was Princess Zelda Seraphina. She knew the eldest of the royal children was Zelda Victorique. Up until that point, Linkle had assumed she had been crowned as queen long ago.
I wonder what they're like. I can't wait to meet the rest of them!
After sneaking out through the outpost's gate, Linkle continued along the road, traveling alongside the Great Plateau. The road shortly brought her to Gatepost. However, she was surprised to find the entrance to the town was as well-guarded as the military outpost had been.
What's going on?
Using the same trick as before, Linkle snuck into town. Inside, she took a look around, and once again noticed a high presence of guards. Curious about the situation, she made her way to the town square, thinking there may be a notice on the bulletin board to provide her with an explanation.
Apparently, Linkle was not the only one seeking answers. Many other townsfolk were gathered around the bulletin board. Some of them looked quite disgruntled, and others muttered in annoyance.
"Can you believe this?"
"Curfew? What's the point? Not like any of us are the enemy."
"I'm supposed to just let soldiers sleep in my house if they want to? For free?"
"I work on the west side! What am I supposed to do for money?"
"Those damn Gerudo. Why don't they just go back where they came from already?"
When Linkle read the notices on the board, she could see what they were angry about. From what she could gather, the invading Gerudo forces had taken control of the Coliseum. They had not attacked Gatepost or anywhere else in the surrounding area yet, but for some reason, they hadn't left yet either. However, the Hyrulean military had placed a large force on the west side of town as a defensive measure, and much of that area was at least partially shut down while the military occupied it.
Linkle remembered hearing about the Gerudo attacking the last time she was there. She had seen large groups of soldiers moving through town, presumably on the way to fight them.
Sounds like we lost the battle. But what are the Gerudo still doing here? Do they plan to invade the capital? Are they working with the demon?
The idea wasn't far-fetched. The Gerudo were known demon worshippers. Linkle wondered if it was her duty as the Hero to drive them out of their lands.
There's just so much to do! How the hell did the Hero of Twilight manage to get so much done so quickly?!
Linkle sighed. She would think about the Gerudo later. For now, before she returned to the Temple of Time, there was one important thing she needed to do in town. Linkle turned away from the bulletin board and left the town square.
The stables were located on the north end of town. Many travelers who journeyed through hub towns like Gatepost needed to purchase or rent horses, or needed a place to board their horse for a period of time. Sometimes farmers from Hyrule Field would buy, sell, or rent horses from stables such as this one as well. Linkle actually knew quite a bit about this sort of business, given she had worked as a farmhand for years back in Necluda.
When Linkle arrived at the stables, she removed the stone mask just before stepping into the front entrance. A young woman dressed in overalls was waiting at the counter inside.
"Good day, young lady," the stablehand greeted her. "How can I help you?"
"Hi. I have a horse boarded here," Linkle explained, walking up to the counter with an excited smile on her face. "I was hoping to check on him."
"Certainly. Will you be taking him out now?"
"Not yet. I'll take him later today, but I just wanted to check on him now."
"Alrighty." The stablehand turned and retrieved a large book from the shelf. "Name, please?"
"Linkle. But it might be under Link." The Hero's heart hurt a little as she said that, but she still had faith she'd see her brother again soon enough. "Our horse is called Arion."
"Mhmm. Mhmm. Gotcha," the woman said after flipping through several pages. "Go on in and have a look then, if you like. You'll find your horse in this pen," she explained, tapping her finger on Arion's pen number.
Linkle smiled brightly. "Thanks!"
There was a set of swinging doors leading into the actual stables. Linkle pushed her way through and found herself in a large barn lined with animal pens. Walking down the line of unfamiliar horses, she eventually laid eyes on the horse she and her brother had left there quite some time ago.
"Arion!" Linkle cheered, rushing over to her stallion's pen.
Her horse whinnied happily, trotting over to the wooden barrier and sticking his head out.
"I'm glad to see you, too, big boy." Linkle put her hands on Arion's head, petting him aggressively. "Have they been feeding you well?"
Arion neighed in response.
"Good. Link would kill me if this place wasn't worth the rupees." Linkle ran her hair through Arion's mane, feeling a tinge of nostalgia. "Sorry we couldn't bring you with us, boy. Lake Hylia and the Lost Woods weren't exactly horse-friendly. But I'll be taking you with me when I leave here today, okay? We're going back to the capital!"
Her horse made some inquisitive noises.
Linkle shook her head. "Link's not here. Not right now. But he'll be back. I know he will."
After enjoying a brief reunion with her horse, Linkle left the stables and returned to the main part of town. She was about to head for the stairway that led up to the Great Plateau, but she was halted by a rumbling in her stomach.
I guess one more stop wouldn't hurt…
Linkle searched around and found the nearest tavern, hoping for a hot meal before she continued on her way. Stepping through the door, she found the tavern crowded with both citizens and soldiers, but none seemed to pay her any mind, even without the stone mask on her face. She spotted two groups of what were probably adventurers as well. She wished to the gods she could talk to them and show off the Master Sword, but she kept her blade hidden, not yet knowing if it was safe to reveal her identity in such a place.
Wishing to order, Linkle scanned the crowded tavern in search of a free barmaid. However, before she found one, her eyes fell on the one person in the building who seemed to be looking her way. There was a man sitting at a table on the far end of the room, and he was staring right at her. It was difficult from that distance in the low light of the tavern, but she thought she recognized him.
"Wouldja like a table, young miss?"
Linkle turned to find one of the waitresses had approached her, holding an empty serving tray under her arm.
"You by yourself?"
Linkle nodded. "Yes. Just me. Was hoping to get something to eat."
"Well, you've come to the right place, then! Right this way." The waitress turned and headed towards an open two-person table further into the room.
Linkle followed her. As she walked, she looked back towards the man that had been staring at her. However, no one was looking her way now. There were several men on that side of the room, but Linkle couldn't remember which one it had been.
Well, it was probably nothing. Not like it's the first time I've ever had a man stare at me.
Linkle grinned. Normally, when she went to taverns with her brother, most men wouldn't approach her. However, since she was alone this time, she wondered if anyone would offer to buy her a drink.
"You can have a seat right here, young miss." The barmaid was not that much older than Linkle, but she seemed to want to address her respectfully since Linkle was a customer.
"Thanks." Linkle ordered her food, and the waitress walked off.
While she waited, Linkle looked around the room again. Obviously, she was not wearing the stone mask, but she had her hood up just in case. Not that she was particularly worried about being recognized. She had only been to Gatepost once before, and she hadn't retrieved the Master Sword yet at the time. Still, she was a little paranoid that perhaps the people searching for her would have placed people everywhere.
"Nothing but friendly faces here."
Linkle jumped in her seat. Someone had appeared at her table, sitting across from her. The man had a mug of ale in front of him, and a second mug sat before Linkle. The man smiled at her with a wide, almost unnatural grin. Linkle recognized him as the man who'd been staring at her earlier. But, more importantly, she recognized him as someone she'd seen twice before at this point - the mask salesman.
"You?" Linkle said in utter confusion.
The mask salesman chuckled. "Were you expecting someone else?"
"I wasn't expecting anyone." Linkle furrowed her brow, trying to make sense of the situation. "That wasn't a hallucination earlier," she decided. "You were in my home, weren't you?"
The salesman nodded. "I was. I healed you, remember? And I gave you one of my most wonderful masks!"
Linkle reached into her bag and pulled out the stone mask.
"Ah, yes. There it is. A real beauty, isn't it?"
The Hero looked down at the ugly, misshapen face depicted in the mask. "Not how I'd describe it. But it's cool."
"I imagine it's been helpful on your journey so far, no?" The mask salesman lifted his mug and took a drink.
"It has. Yes, thank you," Linkle nodded. "It doesn't always work, though. I ran into some Stalfos last night, and they could see me."
"Well, yes, that is to be expected," the man replied. "Magical constructs have a different kind of perception. I'm afraid that mask will have no effect on them. Perhaps I have another mask that may be of more use to you…" Turning to his side, the mask salesman lifted his gigantic carrying bag, which, as far as Linkle could tell, had just appeared out of nowhere.
Linkle stared at the man as he rifled through his bag. She thought about what other kind of mask the salesman might offer, but she remembered she had a million other questions for him. "Er, thank you, but… who are you?" she asked. "Sorry, I think you said we knew each other, but I can't remember." She was pretty sure that the time she and Link had visited his mask shop in the capital had been the first time they'd ever met, and their interaction had been very brief.
The mask salesman laughed, putting his bag down. "I am exactly who I said I was, brave Hero! I am but a humble purveyor of masks. I deal in masks that bring happiness to everyone. It is my one wish, in this world and any other."
Linkle raised an eyebrow.
He wants the Triforce to wish for people to be happy?
She supposed that was a noble goal. However, nothing he'd said had really answered much. "So… are you, like, following me?"
The mask salesman's smile never faltered. "I think it would be more accurate to say our destinies are intertwined, wouldn't you agree? Such a thing is common for the Hero, as I've come to understand."
"Shh…" Linkle shushed him, glancing around cautiously. "Hey, listen, maybe don't call me that around here, okay?" she suggested.
The salesman chuckled. "Whatever you say, brave one."
Linkle nodded in gratitude. "And, uh, thanks again for the mask you gave me before. It was most generous of you to give me such a powerful enchanted item."
"It is no trouble at all. I believe you were meant to have that mask, just as I am meant to have mine." The salesman redid the straps of his carrying bag to shut it. "I would say the mask I gave you will be quite useful when you meet with the Sage of Time."
Linkle furrowed her brow, suddenly a bit worried. She hovered her hand near her sword out of instinct. "What makes you think I'm going to see the Sage of Time?"
"Why else would an adventurer like you come to Gatepost?"
Linkle paused, realizing that was a reasonable answer, especially considering the relationship between the Hero and the sages. "Oh. Right." She cleared her throat, still having questions. "But why would I need the mask?"
The salesman's smile remained unchanged, but his eyes sparkled with mirth. "Is it not obvious? Sage Lucrezia, no matter how powerful she may be, is only human. Thus, the stone mask should fool her as well as anyone else."
"But I don't want to hide from her," Linkle stated in confusion.
Does he want me to harm the Sage of Time in some way? Or steal from her? What the hell?
"Here you are, young miss!"
Linkle turned to her side. The barmaid had returned, carrying her food on a serving tray. She lifted the plate and placed it in front of Linkle
"Did you need another?" the waitress asked, gesturing to the mug of ale in front of her.
Linkle shook her head, not having touched hers yet. "What about-" She turned to the mask salesman to ask if he needed another drink, but he was gone. Linkle glanced about in confusion, unable to find him anywhere. His mug was still on the table, but he and his carrying bag were nowhere to be found.
"Miss?" the waitress asked.
"Um. Uh, nevermind. I'm good, thanks." Linkle waved off the waitress, taking a drink from her mug to try to appear casual. However, she was kind of freaked out. The mask salesman had vanished as quickly as he'd appeared - something he was apparently quite prone to doing.
Seriously, who the hell is that guy?
Linkle was surprised by how much of a military presence there was on the Great Plateau. The large stairway leading up to it was well-guarded, and sentries were posted on the walls around the edges of the plateau as though it were a castle.
The Gerudo have everyone scared.
Since Linkle was still unsure if she could trust Hyrulean soldiers at the moment, she opted to wear the stone mask and climb up to the plateau unseen. Luckily, as she continued along the path towards the Temple of Time, the number of soldiers she saw decreased. It seemed there wasn't as much need to guard the interior.
The Temple of Time was just as impressive as it had been the first time Linkle had visited. Not wanting to surprise the sage or the other priests by suddenly appearing out of nowhere, she chose to remove the stone mask just before she reached the staircase leading up to the temple. As she approached the entrance, her hand hovered over the hilt of her sword. She'd encountered the Gerudo prince on her way inside the temple the last time she'd visited. It probably wouldn't have made any sense for him to be there again, but anything was possible.
Thankfully, the only person there to greet her was a lone time priest. The Hylian man draped in violet and silver robes bowed to her at the entrance. "Greetings, traveler. Are you in need of aid?"
Linkle shook her head, moving her hand away from her sword. "I've been here before," she said, before realizing that didn't really explain much. "I need to see the sage. It's important."
"Certainly. She is available at this time." The priest gestured past the entryway. "I believe she's in the nave right now."
"Thanks." Linkle gave a curt bow as she headed inside.
On the way in, Linkle took another moment to admire the interior architecture. The stories of the Heroes she admired often described the many grand temples, castles, and dungeons they visited on their journeys. She counted herself lucky she'd gotten the chance to visit so many already, and to even revisit this one.
When she entered the nave, Linkle scanned the room in search of the sage. She did not find her at the altar this time, but she spotted her over in the corner, speaking with two other priests. She seemed to be giving them instructions, as they soon bowed and left. Wanting to catch the sage while she was free, Linkle hurried down the aisle.
"Sage Lucrezia!" Linkle called out when she got closer.
The sage turned towards the sounds of Linkle's voice. It seemed to take her a moment to recognize the adventurer, but a small smile of amusement appeared on her lips.
Likewise, Linkle froze as she was reacquainted with the sage's appearance.
The gods really do play favorites, don't they?
"Approach, my child," the sage commanded her gently. "I am surprised to see you again so soon."
Linkle shook herself back into reality. Not wanting to get distracted again, she immediately got to the point. "Sage, a lot has happened. I need to warn you about something."
"Oh, my. This sounds rather serious." The sage put a hand to her chin curiously. "Whatever is the matter?"
The Hero glanced around her to make sure it was safe to talk. She stepped a bit closer to the absurdly gorgeous sage. In doing so, she could hear a faint ticking sound, like one might hear coming from a clock, which she realized was coming from that thing on the end of Lucrezia's scepter. "Can you tell me who else is in the temple right now?" Linkle asked, speaking softly.
Lucrezia furrowed her brow. "Only me and my faithful, I should think," she replied. "We have had other visitors today, but none remained for long."
"Were any of them Sheikah?"
"Sheikah? Not that I recall."
"And the soldiers on the Great Plateau? Do any of them come in here?"
The sage looked more confused now. "Sometimes they do. To pray, and such. What is this about, adventurer?"
Linkle was a bit nervous to hear that.
They could come inside at any time.
"Can we go somewhere more private, then?" Linkle suggested.
Lucrezia nodded in response. "Very well. Let us speak in the catacombs, then."
Trying to keep her eyes somewhere respectful, Linkle nodded gratefully, allowing the sage to lead the way.
The Hero and the Sage of Time descended the staircase down into the lower chambers. Linkle remembered this had been where she and her brother had been given the fake Ocarina of Time in the first place. At that thought, Linkle reached into her bag to make sure the instrument was still there. She was lucky it had not been lost at any point, and that it had been with her rather than her brother back when they got separated. She thought about how to explain the situation to the sage.
I hope she won't feel dumb after finding out she got tricked by a bunch of stupid Blins.
"We should have plenty of privacy here, young hero," the sage said, her scepter ticking away as they walked past a row of statues. "Now, what is it that you needed to tell me?"
Linkle stood before the sage and removed the ocarina from her bag, presenting it to Lucrezia's curious gaze. "Remember this?"
The Sage of Time looked at her like it was a silly question. "Of course. I am glad to see you have held onto it. But, what of it?"
"It's not the Ocarina of Time," Linkle told her.
Lucrezia seemed confused. "You mean you lost it?"
"No, this is the one you gave me and my brother," Linkle explained, shaking her head. "But it's the Ocarina of Wind. The Blins switched them!"
The sage stepped closer, lifting the ocarina from Linkle's hand to examine it closely. "You're right," Lucrezia said, sounding mildly surprised. "How did you determine this?"
"The Sage of Forest noticed," Linkle told her.
"Ah, so it was Saria." Lucrezia smiled in amusement. "I take it you've visited her temple as well, then?"
"Yes." Linkle nodded her head in confirmation. "But the ocarina isn't the only problem," she went on, realizing she hadn't explained the real danger yet.
"Oh?" Lucrezia's gorgeous eyes stared down at Linkle. "What other misfortunes have befallen us, young hero?" she asked, somewhat playfully.
Linkle glanced over her shoulder, still a bit paranoid. "It's the Sheikah," she said in a voice just above a whisper. "The Impas. They're after me. And the keys. They're working with the monsters, and probably the demon. They want to steal the Triforce."
Lucrezia's eyes narrowed slightly. "That's a rather extraordinary claim. Have you any proof?"
"I- well, they attacked me. Monster pirates captured me and handed me over to the Sheikah. They're definitely in league with one another," Linkle frantically explained, now worried that the sage wouldn't believe her. She didn't have any proof other than her own word, after all.
"They attacked you?" Lucrezia asked. "Why would they do that?"
Linkle reached for the Master Sword and pulled it from its sheath. "Because I'm the Hero," she declared. "I don't know if they need me for something, or if they just want to kill me before I can use the Master Sword to slay the demon, but the Sheikah attacked me as soon as I left the Lost Woods with this."
The sage stared at the sword for a moment. Her gaze traveled upward slowly, meeting Linkle's eyes. She looked almost contemptuous. The sage then lifted her hand, and Linkle saw a flash of yellow light.
The next moment, Linkle was very confused. She and Lucrezia were no longer alone. Two other priestesses and half a dozen armed soldiers stood in front of her. Lucrezia was still there, but she had changed position, standing further back behind the soldiers.
"Hero," the sage spoke. Any kindness was gone from her eyes. She regarded Linkle with disdain. "Put down your weapon."
"W-What?" Linkle stepped back, holding the Master Sword at the ready. Her battle instincts kicked in, but she was so bewildered by the sudden change in the situation, she could feel herself breaking out in a cold sweat. "Sage? What's going on?"
Lucrezia pursued her lips. "Guards. Seize her." She lifted her hand, and there was another flash of yellow light.
Suddenly, the soldiers were closer to her, with two of them grabbing Linkle by the arms while the other four stood in front of her, swords and spears drawn.
Linkle shrieked. Kicking with her Pegasus Boots, Linkle shoved herself backwards, shaking free from her captors in the process. As she moved backwards, she tried to slash at one of the guards, although she was too far away to hit him by the time she swung.
Now with a few feet between herself and her opponents, Linkle readied her sword once more.
Why didn't they take it from me?
In an instant, it dawned on Linkle what was happening. The magic the Sage of Time was using was some sort of stasis spell. The guards weren't teleporting anywhere; she just wasn't conscious enough to see them moving while she was frozen in time. Thankfully, the Master Sword and anything else on her person must have been frozen as well, preventing them from disarming her while she was immobilized.
"Sage!" Linkle shouted angrily. "What the hell? You trying to fucking kill me?!"
Lucrezia held her ticking scepter in one hand, idly tossing the decoy ocarina up and down with the other. "I do not intend to, no. If I kill you, you'll just be reborn, and then you'll be someone else's problem further down the timeline."
"What, then?" Linkle asked. "Are you working with the Sheikah and the monsters? Do you serve the demon, too?"
"I serve no one but the Goddess of Time," the sage declared haughtily. "Impa and Remoth may want you gone, too, but my only goal is to protect the stability of the timestream."
"What the hell are you even talking about?" The sage's sudden betrayal left Linkle utterly baffled, and she was trying her best to piece it together in her head.
How could so many people in this kingdom wish harm upon the goddamn Hero?!
Lucrezia sighed. "Guards, stand back."
The soldiers seemed hesitant for a moment, but they ultimately obeyed and backed away from Linkle, slowly. Likewise, the sage walked forward, her heels clicking menacingly against the hard stone floor.
Linkle gripped her sword tightly, expecting the sage to unleash some sort of sorcery upon her. However, once the sage was close, she stopped and turned around. She put her hands together, then moved them apart in a motion similar to opening the curtains of a window. Linkle stepped back as a shimmering blue portal opened in front of Lucrezia.
"Sage? What the fuck are you doing?" the Hero asked.
Lucrezia turned to face Linkle. The portal seemed to stabilize as its bluish glow faded. It soon turned clear, like glass, and Linkle could see through it. She could see the temple behind the sage, but her allies were not there, and the catacombs seemed different. It wasn't until she saw a large fish swim by that she realized she was seeing the temple flooded with water on the other side of the portal.
Linkle had no idea what to say. "W-Wha… What?" It was clear she was seeing through a window to some alternate version of the Temple of Time, but she didn't know what that meant. "What is this?" she asked Lucrezia. "The future?"
The Sage of Time shook her head. "No. It is a different present - one in which all of Hyrule has been drowned in a Great Flood."
The Hero panted, overwhelmed by everything that had happened in the past few minutes. "I… I don't understand."
"Of course not." Lucrezia took a few steps forward. "There are few who understand the intricacies of time - few who respect the need to maintain its integrity. That is why such an alternate timeline exists. It is all because of the Hero of Time."
Linkle furrowed her brow. "Who the hell is the Hero of Time?" She thought of herself as a veritable scholar of the Heroes, even the obscure ones, but Linkle had never heard of anyone who'd been given the title of 'The Hero of Time.'
"It is unsurprising that you do not know of him. Most of his prominent deeds were erased from this timeline." Lucrezia lifted the decoy ocarina in front of her eyes, examining it with contempt. "I would never have allowed the real Ocarina of Time to fall into the Hero's hands again. Not after what he did." She dropped the Ocarina of Wind to the ground, once again glaring at Linkle, as if she were the one the sage was talking about with such disgust.
Linkle kept her sword at the ready. "What could the Hero have done that you believe to be so evil?"
"Evil? No. Arrogant. Incompetent. Myopic to the point of destructive."
Lucrezia raised her hand. Linkle reflexively took a defensive stance, but she was powerless to stop the sage's stasis spell. The next thing she knew, the sage was right in front of her, swinging her scepter at Linkle's face.
"Agh!" Linkle shouted in pain. She was knocked to the ground by the force of the blow, some blood splashing from her face onto the floor.
"The Hero of Time wished to prevent the rise of Ganon," the sage continued, as if she hadn't just interrupted her monologue to assault Linkle. "So, he had the princess send him seven years into the past using the ocarina. The wardens of time can handle mortals making small jaunts to the past - little changes to the timeline here and there can be accounted for without creating unstable paradoxes. But after what he did? The Goddess of Time had no choice but to split the timeline."
Linkle climbed to her feet, wiping the blood from her mouth. "I don't care!" she shouted. "That's got nothing to do with me!" Everything the sage told her sounded insane, but regardless of how true it was, Linkle didn't see why she should be held responsible for anything done by a previous Hero.
"The Hero's spirit lives within you, child," Lucrezia replied. "You and the Royal Family are this world's greatest threats to the integrity of the timeline. If either of you are allowed to continue existing, there's no telling when you might split the timeline again. If that happens, I do not know if even the Goddess of Time can prevent the calamity that might occur."
"You're wrong," Linkle asserted. "Without the Hero and the Royal Family, this world would've been conquered by demons at least three times over by now!"
"There's that 'heroic' arrogance again," the sage said, rolling her eyes. "The gods are on our side. With or without you, this realm will endure." Turning around, she moved her hands together, closing the portal to the flooded temple. Lucrezia's subordinates were once again in view. "You may proceed now. Take her alive."
As soon as the sage turned her back, Linkle pulled out her hookshot. Rather than using it to attack the sage or her soldiers, she aimed it further into the catacombs, past the statues and the pillars.
Please, Farore, let this work.
The sound of the hookshot firing caught everyone else's attention. Luckily, the hook managed to penetrate something in the distance, pulling Linkle into the darkness.
"Get her!"
"After her!"
"Don't let her escape!"
Linkle knew she only had a few seconds. The instant she was out of view, concealed by one of the stone pillars, she pulled out the stone mask and put it on. She had no idea if it would work when she'd been seen so recently, and by people who were actively looking for her, but it was the best idea she could think of.
The sound of boots clamoring against the stone floor resounded throughout the catacombs as the soldiers rushed towards her position. Linkle pressed her body up against the pillar, hoping to avoid any of them bumping into her. As expected, the soldiers came into view shortly, rounding the corner in search of her. However, they looked around in confusion, not able to see her despite being right in front of her.
"Where'd she go?"
"Check over there. We'll go this way."
Nervous, but satisfied she was undetectable, Linkle peeked out from behind the pillar.
Lucrezia looked unamused. "Guard the stairs," she ordered two of the soldiers. She took a few steps towards Linkle's hiding place, which caused Linkle to shrink back behind the pillar, listening nervously to the incessant ticking given off by her scepter. "Hiding down here in the catacombs will not save you, Hero. You only delay the inevitable. The reincarnation cycle will be broken."
Linkle listened as the ticking got closer. Feeling courageous, she peeked out from behind the pillar once again. Lucrezia was looking in her direction, but the sage clearly could not see her.
The Hero could feel the hairs standing up on the back of her neck. She was surrounded by enemies who wished her harm, led by a traitor she thought had been a friend. Even if she escaped, the sage would help the Sheikah and the monsters hunt her down. Beyond that, Lucrezia had made her intentions quite clear – she wished to eliminate the Royal Family, and the Hero.
I can't let her do this. I need to stop her.
Linkle gripped the Master Sword tightly, building up the resolve to do what she thought was right. Taking tentative steps forward, she crept towards Lucrezia, unseen. When she was mere inches away from the sage, she hesitated for only a moment, then drove the Master Sword through Lucrezia's stomach.
The Sage of Time screamed in pain. Her eyes wide open in fear and shock, she stared down at Linkle's eyes through the holes in her mask, evidently able to see her now. Linkle intended to pull her sword back, but before she could, Lucrezia's eyes glowed, and a shimmering yellow light enveloped them both.
Then, something strange happened. Everything around them turned gray, as if the color had been sapped from the world around them. Linkle moved backwards, witnessing her own actions over the course of the last few seconds, but in reverse.
When it was over, color returned to their surroundings, and Linkle suddenly found herself standing by the pillar once more. It was as though she'd never walked over to the sage and stabbed her.
"What…?" Linkle said aloud in confusion, glancing around herself to confirm her current position.
Lucrezia stood where she'd been before, with no signs of having been stabbed. In addition, she was looking right at Linkle, clearly still able to see her.
"Guards, return to me!" the sage shouted. "She is here!" As she pointed toward Linkle, something else caught her attention.
In between the sage and the Hero, a shimmering blue light had appeared, floating in the air in the shape of a crack one might see in an old stone wall. Before Linkle had a chance to process what was happening, the crack expanded, opening up like the portal Lucrezia had opened earlier. However, whereas Lucrezia's portal had merely been a window, this crack was not. A torrent of water spilled through, knocking Linkle to the ground.
As the water spilled over her, the Hero rolled to the side and crawled out of the way, spitting up salty seawater as she did. Climbing back to her feet, Linkle saw Lucrezia and the other priests rushing forward. Linkle raised her weapon, but they were not coming for her.
"Close it! Close it, now!" the sage ordered, pure panic in her voice. She and her subordinates got into place around the portal, raising their arms and glowing brightly as they worked their magic.
With the sage distracted, Linkle set her eyes on the exit. It was still blocked by two of the guards. Stomping her boots a few times, Linkle took off in a full sprint, heading straight for them. Before they had time to react, the Hero held out her shield and rammed them both into the wall.
Before she left, Linkle took one last look back at Lucrezia. The sage was still trying to close the portal, but she met Linkle's gaze, glaring at her with a look of pure contempt. The message was clear - this was far from over.