Chapter 5

Link rested with his legs under himself as they stopped in what could barely pass as a clearing. Dead trees falling in on themselves gave them slight coverage from the dark sky. Zelda sat with her tail resting on Link's shoulder as she focused on the two blob creatures before them.

"Tell us a little about yourselves so we know how far back to go, please," Misha offered, sitting so that her nub-feet protruded below her mouth.

"Probably from the very beginning," Link admitted.

The two creatures eyed Link, both seeming to question his words.

"I'm Zelda and this is Link. We're Hylians originally." Zelda looked down at herself and added, "Right now I'm a puma and he's a horse."

"Hylians, did you say?" Charlo asked, eyeing the two. "As in the people of Hylia?"

"Yes," Link offered with a nod of his head.

"I thought they were just legends," Misha said, turning to look at the old creature.

Looking back at the two, Charlo said, "If you believe it, at one time our people were of Hylia. Most people don't. Four years ago, when the sky darkened and this world was tainted, we were transformed into how you see us today."

"What happened four years ago?" Zelda asked.

"A darknut appeared through a portal of orange and black," Charlo said. "When it appeared, the trees instantly burnt and the sky turned to permanent twilight. The people of this land were transformed, those with good hearts turning into harmless Kirkebies while those with malice in their hearts turned into monsters never before seen."

"What's a darknut?" Link asked, picturing something similar to a Deku scrub.

"A tall armored human," Misha explained. "The armor is black and from the days we had a ruler whose army was all called darknuts by the people. I only vaguely remember them, since the army was wiped out when I was a child."

"So this land hasn't had a ruler in a number of years," Zelda confirmed.

"Until four years ago when the Darknut proclaimed itself ruler," Charlo said. "He sends his bubbles through the air to torment any creature that doesn't have a heart like his own."

"That's why we had to get you two out of the old village," Misha offered, looking up at Link. "Your fur will help you blend, but your size will make those flying monsters notice you."

"Thanks for the warning," Link said, trying to imagine what a monster bubble could look like.

"The Darknut wouldn't happen to have a dragon, would he?" Zelda asked.

"Yes, he rides it out over the realm looking for victims," Misha said, surprise on her face. "I thought you said you weren't from here?"

"He sent that dragon to terrorize the people of our land," Zelda tried to explain. "We followed it just to stop whatever he was planning."

"You won't be able to fight him in those forms," Charlo said, shaking his head. "Right after he appeared the villages pulled forces together. Anyone who knew how to fight stormed the old Nuttebaum castle he took up residence in. The fight only lasted a day. There were no survivors."

"Then do you know how we might be able to get our old bodies back?" Link asked.

"Well, word of Hera working on something has reached us," Charlo offered.

"Don't send them to that crack pot," Misha said, throwing a nublet hand towards the two as she looked at the old man. "Who knows what Hera would actually do to them?"

"Do you know of someone else working to break this curse?" Charlo asked, eyeing the woman.

"No, but I've heard of what's happened to others crazy enough to trust Hera," Misha said, dropping her nublet to her side.

"Okay, he did have the one boy turning into a moblin," Charlo said, rolling his eyes. "But that was a few years ago. He's gotten better results lately."

Throwing a look towards Zelda and Link, Misha offered, "Charlo is Hera's brother. As someone not related, if you chose to go to him, be careful."

"We'll at least go and see him," Zelda said, rising to her paws. "How do we find him?"

"Will you draw them a map, Misha?" Charlo asked.

Misha let out a moan as she got herself up to her feet. In the black dirt she drew out a map with the toe of her foot, marking in the lower right corner an X. "Okay, you're down here in the woods below the Eastern Ruins," Misha informed as she pointed to the X. She took a step north and pointed to a mountain line she had drawn and continued, "Hera lives up on Death Mountain, the only place that the Darknut won't go, with good reason. It's not exactly a quick walk up the mountain with the constant fire raining down."

"Lovely," Zelda said, sarcasm dripping from the one word.

"So no easy way to get there, got it," Link said with a nod of his head.

"If you follow the river, it'll lead you to the base. If you make it to the pyramid, you've gone too far," Misha informed, looking up at them. "Remember, there's no guarantee whatever that crazed man is working on will actually work."

"We'll take that chance," Zelda said. "And if we're successful, you and all your people will be saved too."

"I'd almost given up on any hope of that happening," Charlo admitted. "We wouldn't ask that of you."

"Thank you, for everything you've been able to tell us," Zelda said, giving the two a bow of her head.

"You're going right now?" Misha asked with surprise as Link pushed himself to his hooves.

"We've still got about half a day of sun- or well," Link looked up to see the sky orange and purple through the dead branches," twilight." Looking back at the two he gave them a similar bow as Zelda had done.

"At least let me prepare some food for your trip," Misha said, stepping to stand in front of Zelda. "If what you plan to do succeeds, you'll need to keep your strength up."

"That would be appreciated," Zelda said with a nod.

Link looked down at the map the woman had drawn, it encasing what could be called the Zora's domain, Kakariko village, and the path to Death Mountain. Realizing this, he noticed the world they stood in looked almost identical in land mass as Hyrule did. Even Death Mountain shared its name with the Hyrule equivalent. If that held true, than they were still in Faron Woods in a way.

"Link?"

Link looked up to see Zelda looking over her shoulder, the two Kirkebies stopping as they had already started to lead her out of the clearing. "Coming," Link said, quickly stepping over the drawn map. He made sure his hooves stepped on the drawing, worried the Darknut they talked about might use it to track them.

Following the two locals, they made quick time to what looked to have at one time been a barn. The roof had been covered in twigs and dirt to give it camouflage from the sky and more sticks had been used to help make the faded red paint less visible.

Link ducked down under the doorway, the old wood brushing against his back, before he looked around. Stopping just in the barn he made out what looked like a whole village taking shelter in the one structure.

Eyes all turned to him and Zelda as chatter in the building quieted down to a hush.

"People of Greenbrier," Charlo called out as the old blob walked over to a set of stairs. He walked up the flight and turned so he looked over the people he lead. "Do not be afraid. These two hope to save us from the Darknut."

"Well thanks for building up their hopes," Misha said as she leaned over to Zelda.

Link flicked his ears, a feeling of agreement with the woman. Leaning down so his head was closer to the woman that started leading them farther through the thin street he asked, "How many are here?"

"There used to be about fifty in our little community," Misha said as she ignored the eyes watching them. "Now we're down to just over twenty. Everyone you see here is who's left of old Greenbrier." She looked up at the two and added, "Kind of a stupid name now, don't you think?"

"Maybe the hope will bring you a little bit of life back to the forest," Zelda offered.

Misha stopped them at a set of stares going up over a doorway and said, "Wait right here. I'll bring down what I can."

Link watched her climb the steps and disappear in the second floor wood structure before looking down at the small creatures. Noticing a few looking up at him he nosed Zelda in the shoulder to get her attention. "I should've stayed outside," Link mumbled.

Zelda looked through his legs, noticing the Kirkebies fascination with how he looked. She put a paw to her mouth to try and hide a laugh only for Link to shove his muzzle into her back. "Sorry," Zelda tried, stifling her laughter. She looked back through his legs and offered, "If you carefully back out, you should be able to get out of here without any problems."

Link threw a look behind himself before looking back at Zelda. "Okay. I'll hunker down under some tree remains and meet up with you once you leave," Link offered. He looked back around himself and slowly started to back out of the barn. Saving himself with a few "excuse me" and "sorry" he made it back outside. Straightening his neck, he looked around to find something he could use for coverage. Finding a dead tree leaning into its neighbor, he carefully backed into the impromptu lean-to and laid down. Looking up, he could make out the dark sky through the limbs, and kept watch for any of those bubbles or the dragon they were hunting.