...Seven Years Later...
Kagome let out a grunt as she hurled a heavy hay bale into the barns loft, Malon watching her from her seat in front of one of the empty horse stalls. Her and the ranch girl had become close friends when Kagome arrived in Kakariko seven years ago after Nan insisted she go meet the sweet girl her age just a few miles out of town. She would go visit Malon when her and Nan came to pick up their weekly restock of milk. It had taken a while for Kagome to come out of her shell after being ripped away from her childhood home, the girl she considered her sister, and her mother figure/mentor but Malon made it difficult to be stuck in one's own little world. Years later when Talon, Malon's father got evicted by Ingo Kagome made it a point to be at the ranch as much as possible, to not only keep the heartbroken girl happy but to also keep her safe from Ingo who treated the ranch girl horribly, blackmailing her into staying at the ranch for free labor under the threat of abusing her beloved horses if she dared to leave.
When Kagome had turned fifteen Ingo made the mistake of mistreating Malon, smacking her across the face when she had tripped, shattering a weeks worth of milk and losing precious income. Ingo had quickly learned the taste of Kagome's fist and though he threatened to ban her from stepping foot on the ranch, he knew he would lose half of his free labor force, seeing as how Kagome had picked up where Talon had left off to help Malon as much as possible. From her knowledge he never touched another hair on the girls head. Kagome had to learn how to balance life between helping out at Lon Lon Ranch and keeping up with her training which Nan insisted she take seriously. When they'd arrived at Kakariko Kagome was quick to make friends with a young boy named Emmet who happened to be the son of the guard captain of the village. When his father stumbled upon the two children sparring he agreed to take Kagome under his wing and together her and Emmet grew their skills until they were of age to become actual guards.
She shook her head and sighed. While Kagome would have loved to be able to fully dedicate herself to the life of a guard she just didn't have enough time in the day to balance her duties. Occasionally she would venture out with Emmet and together they would dispatch a thief or a feral monster, and on quiet nights they'd go to the towns small tavern together and have drinks while keeping it a secret from Nan who would have their heads if she found out about their delinquent activities. She shook her head, clearing it. Lately she'd been getting lost in her thoughts more often than not and Malon definitely noticed. Said girl cleared her throat from behind her.
"Kagome, you seem lost. Everything okay?" She asked sweetly. Kagome chuckled and shook her head, dusting the hay off of her shirt before joining the girl by the stalls.
"I'm fine. I guess I'm just getting restless. I'm turning eighteen and I feel like I've been stuck in a loop of doing the same things every day." She shrugged, accepting an apple Malon offered her and taking a bite. Malon chewed her lip thoughtfully.
"I'm sorry Kagome. You know, you don't have to come here to the ranch every day if you don't want too... I hate to think I'm holding you back..." Malon muttered sadly, looking away. Kagome nearly choked on a piece of apple, coughing and shaking her head. She grabbed Malon's hands in hers, forcing her to look up at her.
"Hey! What are you even saying? You know how much I care for you, you're my best friend! Being here with you makes me happy." Kagome brought the shorter girl into a hug. "Besides, I wouldn't trust anyone else to keep you safe from Ingo."
Malon blushed and hugged her back before stepping away. "You know you don't have to do that, he's too scared to even look at me thanks to you." She joked, making Kagome laugh. "Oh, by the way. I know I'm a bit early but I figured it'd be okay to give this to you now." She said, walking away to search through the tack closet. A few thuds later Kagome heard a muffled cry of victory before she returned to Kagome's side, brandishing a small box. Kagome sheepishly accepted it.
"Malon, you know you don't have to get me anything for my birthday!" The redhead rolled her eyes, gesturing impatiently for Kagome to open her gift. Kagome lifted the lid and gasped at what she saw. Sitting in a plush velvet pillow laid a pair of earrings. Two beautiful blue gems dangled from glistening white pearls, bordered in shining silver. Kagome was left speechless, she'd never gotten such a gift before! Her heart swelled and tears threatened to fall from her eyes.
Malon shyly twisted her foot in the dirt. "They were my mothers. I saw them when I was looking through her jewelry box and they immediately reminded me of your eyes. I've never seen someone with the same shade of blue as yours!" She gushed. Kagome took out her simple earrings, replacing them with the ones from Malon. They sparkled, complimenting her eyes beautifully.
"Thank you so much Malon. I will never take them off." She said, giving the girl another hug who reciprocated it happily. An angry shout had them jumping away to face the direction it came from. Standing in the doorway was an angry Ingo, his massive eyebrows forming an angry 'V' on his forehead.
"What are you two doing? You're not here to goof around!" He scolded. Kagome glared and stood between him and Malon.
"Give us a break, Ingo! We won't be here at all if you work us to death. Then who would do all the work while you get drunk and fat in the fields?" She scoffed out. Ingo huffed angrily, lifting his chin to look down at her.
"Need I remind you you're here by your own will, girl. Besides," he chuckled. "You need to get going anyway. Wouldn't want you to get caught by any monsters once the sun goes down." He mocked before leaving. Kagome cursed and looked outside. Sure enough, dusk was quickly approaching. They must've lost track of time while her and Malon were talking.
Malon sighed. "As much as I hate him he's right. You better get going, I'd hate for you to get hurt because of me." Kagome nodded, sighing in disappointment. She really didn't want to leave.
"I'm sorry Malon. I'll be back as soon as I'm done training tomorrow." She apologized. Malon brushed her off and walked her to her horse, the same speckled gray mare her and Nan escaped with in that fateful night. Kagome waved Malon goodbye and galloped away, Malon watching her wistfully. How she wished she could escape this terrible place.
Kagome urged Sylpha to run a bit harder, racing against the falling sun not wanting to encounter any ghosts or undead. Just as the last ray of sunlight snuffed away Kagome and Sylpha emerged through the village wall, the protective gates clanking shut behind her. Slowing to a gentle gait they trotted to Kagome's home, the girl dismounting and leading the dappled horse to her stall in a small stable adjacent to the two story house. Kagome pat the mares thick neck, offering her a carrot. She smiled when the horse whinnied happily, munching away.
"Hey, Kagome!" Came a call behind her. She craned her neck to see Emmet coming towards her and she greeted him with a small smile and a wave.
"Oh, hey Emmet. Did captain send you home again?" She teased. Emmet came to a stop infront in her and rolled his eyes.
"It's my night off duty, Kagome. Speaking of, would you like to come to the tavern with me?" He asked, running a hand through his shaggy red hair. Kagome seemed to have a fondness for redheads, or it was just a funny coincidence her only two friends both had red hair.
"Not tonight Emmet. I'm beat from today's work at the ranch." She regretfully declined. Emmet scowled.
"I wish you'd stay away from that place, Kags. Ingo gives me the creeps." He bit out, clenching his fist. Kagome laughed and gave him a reassuring pat on the arm.
"He is a creep. But you don't need to worry about me, you know I'm more than capable of taking care of myself. Besides, you know why I have to go there everyday. Malon can't protect herself, I'm the only person she has left." She rolled her eyes, "Especially since all her father does is sleep all day." She added. Emmet shook his head in agreement.
"I guess you're right. Are you sure you don't want to come with? We don't have to drink this time." He offered again.
Kagome laughed. "What else is there to do in this place?" She paused. "Besides Poe hunting, that is."
Emmet didn't say anything, instead looking at her with a strangely wistful expression. Kagome didn't notice and finished taking off Sylpha's saddle and offering her a bucket of oats. Kagome gave Emmet a concerned look.
"Uh, you okay? You look kind of tired." She asked. Emmet shook his head, and gave her a reassuring smile.
"Ah nothing. I better get going, some of the men are meeting me there." He said, walking off and waving at her behind his shoulder. She shrugged and opened the door to her and Nan's home.
"Alright then, see ya later Emmet." She closed the door behind her, greeted by the crackling of the hearth and the scent of dinner. Her stomach growled in response.
"Ah, hello Kagome. How was your day?" Nan asked from the kitchen. Kagome kicked off her boots and trudged over to the dining table.
"Good Nan, how was your day?" She asked. Nan tittered away, preparing their plates.
"It was good. I received a letter." At this Kagome's heart skipped and she gave Nan her undivided attention.
"From Impa?" She asked. Nan nodded.
"I believe so. It's on the table, you best read it."
Kagome anxiously grabbed the letter, unfolding it to reveal elegant handwriting. Her heart pounded, it'd been so long since they'd last heard from neither Impa nor Zelda, and Kagome was beginning to wonder if they'd forgotten about her and Nan. She took a calming breath and read the sprawling words.
Dear friends,
Seven years have passed since Ganondorf took over our Kingdom, seven years since we last saw each other. I do so hope you are well, and that Kakariko has treated you well.
Time is short and though I wish I could write more I know the time to catch up must wait until our land is saved. I write to you to inform you that I have sensed a power coming from the temple of time in the kingdom. As much as I fear it, the time has come for Kagome to fulfill her destiny.
Kagome, you must travel to the temple of time as soon as possible. When you arrive you will be given further instructions.
Goddesses keep you safe on your journey, priestess Kagome.
Regards, Impa.
Kagome read the letter out loud to Nan, her heart racing. Finally she was allowed to leave the village and search for Zelda! Nan set Kagome's plate in front of her and seated herself at the other side of the table. The older lady looked anxious and saddened. Kagome looked at her in concern.
"Ia everything okay?" She asked. Nan took a deep breath and exhaled shakily. She nodded.
"I'm fine, sweet girl. It's just... I feel so selfish," She paused to let out a sad chuckle, "But I wish it wasn't you who had to leave. I've watched over you for eighteen years, watching you grow into the woman I know you were destined to be. I knew this, you know, when you first came to the castle. That you were destined for a dangerous future. I thought I'd have made my peace by now but..."
Nan wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, and Kagome stood from her seat to comfort the woman, wrapping her arm around her shoulder in an embrace.
"I know you are capable and strong. I've watched your training over the years. I just do so wish the Goddesses chose someone else to risk their life for the greater good." She scoffed, giving Kagome a fond smile. "Listen to me! I sound horrible!" She laughed, Kagome joining in with a shake of her head.
"Oh Nan, I think you're just dramatic. I'll be fine! Besides, I've been waiting years to be able to finally search for Zelda and Impa. They've never left my mind even after all this time. I have to help them." Kagome reassured her. After all, Kagome was Zelda's sworn protector. Who was she if she wasn't at Zelda's side, keeping her safe? No one. Her heart tightened in sadness. She had failed her before, back at the castle when she couldn't keep them from separating, she had to make up for it.
Nan shooed her away, digging into her dinner and gesturing for Kagome to do the same. They ate in comfortable silence, Kagome gathering the dishes when they were done and washing them before putting everything away while Nan made sure the hearth had enough fuel to last the rest of the night. They parted ways, wishing each other a good night.
Nan stood by and watched as Kagome mounted Sylpha, checking over the girl once again to make sure she had everything. Kagome just shook her head at the woman's tittering. She wasn't going to be gone for long, Impa only said she needed to go to the Temple of Time to receive further instructions which was only an hour ride away from the village. Surely her journey would bring her back to the village eventually.
"I'll be back Nan. I'll have to return Sylpha anyway, I can't leave you without her for too long." She tried reassuring her. Nan sighed and gave her one last pat on the leg, she was too high up for a proper hug.
"Alright you better get going then. Don't let me hold you up. Just be careful, you hear?" Nan said, waving the girl goodbye as she trotted away.
"I will be." She called back. As she reached the gates leading outside of the village one of the guards on duty called her over.
"Hey, Kagome!" Said guard jogged over to her, slipping off his helmet and shaking his shaggy hair out of his face.
"Emmet! I forgot you were on gate duty today." Kagome greeted the boy. The redhead smiled at her, fondly stroking the mares neck as he looked up to her.
"Yeah, it's a bit boring but at least it's an easy job. Are you on your way to the ranch?" He asked. She shook her head earning a confused look.
"No. I've been summoned to the Temple of Time in Castle Town. I'll have to apologize to Malon for missing today..." she mumbled, feeling terrible about not being there to help. Emmet blinked, taking in her words before an outraged expression replaced the confusion.
"You're going to Castle Town? Kagome that place is a death trap!" He exclaimed. He'd heard the stories of people attempting to return to the city, only to return haunted with stories of the walking Re-dead. Kagome winced at his tone.
"I have to Emmet. I'll explain later when I get back." She tried talking him down. He shook his head, grabbing her hand in his own.
"Kagome please. At least let me come with you! I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened." Kagome sighed and patted his hand, shaking her head. Her eyes softened when she met his gaze, she was lucky to have friends that cared so much for her safety. Emmet just happened to be a bit overprotective of her, for whatever reason.
"I can't. This is a personal matter. Besides, I need you here to protect Nan if anything happens. You know I can take care of myself." She removed her hand from his and nudged Sylpha into a canter, ignoring Emmet as he called out to her. She felt bad for brushing him off but this wasn't his problem to deal with. Her grip on the reins tightened as she remembered who she was fighting for. What she was fighting for. As she rode on towards the kingdom she reminisced on her life in the castle, growing up with Zelda as a younger sister almost and Impa being the closest thing she had to a mother. Her own mother had died or disappeared, they weren't sure, and there was no guessing who her father was. Impa mentioned she looked identical to her mother, what little she'd seen of her.
Sometimes Kagome would look in the mirror and try to capture what her mother might've looked like in a drawing. If only Impa were still around to tell her if she was close or not, Nan hadn't been there when Kagome arrived so she unfortunately was no help.
Overhead the sky darkened, signaling she was close to the castle. She squinted, making out the outline of the city through the dark fog. On her hip opposite of her sword she lit her lantern, illuminating the fog around her. Her mare snorted uncomfortably, seeming to sense the evil aura that hung thick in the air. Kagome gave her a reassuring pat and urged her to go just a bit faster until they reached the drawbridge. She dismounted, grabbing her shield and satchel from their hooks on the saddle. She decided against tethering the poor horse in the event something did happen to her or if a monster slipped past her and decided to snack on the old mare.
"I'll see you in a bit girl. Please don't run off unless you have to." Kagome whispered, receiving a huff in response. Taking that as a good enough answer she cautiously made her way down the draw bridge. What she saw made her heart drop. Her beautiful home city, once alive and flourishing with colors, lights, and the gaggle of its citizens was now cold and desolate. The buildings that once housed many shops and homes stood abandoned, caving in and void of any color or signs of inhabitants. The wind howled eerily, accompanying it was the creaking of rusted shop signs swinging on their hinges. Her eyes darted to every shifting shadow, keeping her shield and sword at the ready. There were no signs of life, no humans, stray dogs, birds or even insects. She felt completely and utterly alone. Why had Impa sent her here? She wondered. With a sigh of relief she recognized the Temple and eagerly she thrust through the doors, only to reveal that there was no one there.
Maybe Impa was late? Or whoever was supposed to meet her there.
"Hello?" She called out with no response but the echo of her own voice. Scowling she advanced through the temple, scanning every wall closely. Passing the three floating Ancient Spirit stones she stepped into the back section of the temple where the Master Sword once stood. With a gasp she realized the sword was no longer there.
"Hello? Impa?" She called once again with no response. Now standing in the middle of the chamber she studied the empty altar. Squinting she noticed something glimmering in the slot left behind by the sword. She reached out to touch it and when her fingers made contact with the stone she reeled back in surprise, shielding her eyes as bright white light took over her surroundings.
When she opened her eyes she gasped. She was now in some sort of other dimension, appearing to float in a chamber made of crystalline blue water. Circling her were platforms in the shapes and colors of different gems, and underneath her she stood on-top of a large Triforce. And she wasn't alone, either. Two other people accompanied her, a young male stood a few feet away, golden hair brilliant blue eyes and donned in a green tunic overtop a shirt of chainmail, a white long sleeved shirt providing a protective barrier between it and his skin tucked into leather bracers and white loose pants tucked into brown leather boots. Sat atop his head was a long green cap, his long elfen ears curving slightly upward. A plump old man stood across from them both, white hair circling the edges of his head wrapping around his face into an impressive set of mutton chops and a mustache, he was wearing a vaguely familiar set of orange white and red robes, the folds of cloth flowing down to cover his feet. With a growl she braced for combat, glaring at the man closest to her, the boy with the golden hair.
The man, who seemed just as lost as she was, looked back at her incredulously, backing away. "Woah, what's your problem?" He asked as the strange girl glared at him angrily. He couldn't blame her for being frightened, but you didn't see him threatening her!
"Who are you? And where am I?" She demanded, pointing her sword at him.
"I-" he began to speak before the other person in the room interrupted them.
"Ah, Link, Kagome. You are both finally here!" He called out to them. Kagome shifted to face him. The more confused she became the angrier she got it seemed, 'she didn't change much' Rauru thought to himself in amusement. Recognition dawned on her face as she took the time to look him over.
"You... you're the priest that trained me! But how?" Thinking back, she never did get his name. It was always 'Priest' or 'sir'. At this he chuckled.
"I am Rauru, one of the ancient Sages. Ages ago, we ancient Sages built the Temple of Time to protect the entrance to the Sacred Realm. This is the Chamber of Sages, inside the Temple of Light. The Temple of Light, situated in the very center of the Sacred Realm, is the last stronghold against Ganondorf's evil forces. The Master Sword, the evil-destroying sword that you-" he gestured to the boy who was still wary of Kagome and her sword, "-Pulled out of the Pedestal of Time was the final key to the Sacred Realm." Kagome looked to the sword the boy still held in his hand, recognizing it as the sword that had always been sheathed in the altar inside of the Temple of Time.
"Seven years ago an evil plot was set into motion. Ganondorf, the Gerudo King of Thieves committed the ultimate betrayal against the king of Hyrule, killing his men and capturing the king only to take over the kingdom in his quest to become King of Evil. He anticipated that someone would revolt, and though you, Link, had good intentions you inadvertently led him here, where he stormed the Sacred Realm and stole the Triforce, crowning him the King of Evil."
The boy, Link, cursed and clenched his fist. He was beginning to remember the events that took place before he pulled out the Master Sword. Rauru looked at him sympathetically.
"However, you now hold the Master Sword, a sword in which can never be touched by evil. It, along with the Ocarina of Time and the power of the seven Sages, will be the key to bringing peace to the land." Kagome looked between the two men, no longer feeling under threat.
"Unfortunately seven years ago at only the age of twelve you were too young to wield such a sword. So you were sent into another dimension, a layer between this world and the sacred realm in an alternate Hyrule where you were allowed to grow up and train for your destiny without being put in harms way. To do this, your memory was altered to forget what took place before, but it should be coming back to you." Link blinked in shock. For all these years he wasn't in the real Hyrule? That explains why he was just now remembering his quest set upon him by Zelda. How could he have forgotten something like that? Rauru turned his attention to the woman beside Link who stood silently in bewilderment.
"Now Kagome, you must be curious as to why you were summoned here. Impa could not be here herself, but she knew that you must be present. So she sent a letter for you to come here, though I know you must yearn to reunite with your family. For that I am sorry." He bowed his head towards her, truly apologetic. Kagome's heart dropped in disappointment. She was yearning to be reunited with her two loved ones, but it seemed she still had even longer to wait.
"It's alright, I guess I can understand why she did it." She responded, hugging herself with her shield arm. Rauru continued.
"The prophecy foretells of two heroes fighting to restore balance to Hyrule. Kagome, you were brought to the castle as a young babe, a scroll with the prophecy written in it the only thing left behind with you. I urge you both to read it. Now, in the short seven years since Ganondorf's rise to power, he has riddled the land with monsters, and with the TriForce gone he has weakened the power I once held. Luckily the power of the Sages remains. When the power of all the Sages is awakened, the Sages' Seals will absorb and contain all the evil power he has cast upon the world. It is up to you, Link and Kagome, to find five of them. I am the sixth, and the seventh will be revealed to you in due time." Rauru holds his hand out towards them, palm flat facing in their direction.
"You must go now. Release the power of the Sages, and we will lend you our aid. Take my power with you. Good luck." An orb glowed in his hand, a warm orange light that grew in size before splitting into two and shooting towards Link and Kagome, sinking into their chests before disappearing, leaving behind a fuzzy warm sensation. In a flash of light the Sacred Realm melted away, dropping the two on their backsides into the cold hard stone of the altar. Navi buzzed overhead of the might-be heroes, her soft glow illuminating the dark walls of the chamber.
"Wow, I can't believe it's really been seven years since we've been in Hyrule. I wonder what all has changed?" She wondered aloud. Navi wasn't with Link in the alternate world, having been in a deep sleep for all those years. Kagome pushed herself off of the ground, patting her legs free of dust. She scrutinized Link and Navi. They were so familiar to her, but she couldn't figure out why. Link did the same, eyeing her cautiously lest he frighten her into nearly attacking him again. The girl wasn't terribly familiar, but her features stood out to him reminding him of someone he had met briefly during his childhood. Rounded ears, dark eyes and black hair weren't features he'd seen anyone have before besides that girl that bashed his nose in at the castle. If he remembered right, that little girl was Zelda's knight.
"You.." He started, Kagome stopping her examination of Navi to look at him curiously, her head tilted to the side. "Are you the girl who was with Zelda, in the castle?" He asked, unsure of which memories were the real world, making Kagome's eyes go wide before narrowing at him. She stepped closer, keeping her hands away from her sword to let him know she wasn't going to attack. Her nose scrunched up in concentration as she looked him up and down.
"I am. Do we know each other? You do seem awfully familiar." She answered, propping her right hand on her hip.
"I was the one who snuck into the castle. You were there with Zelda, you hit me with your shield." He explained, slightly embarrassed at the last part. Kagome gasped, recognition finally gracing her features.
"That's who you are! I remember now, Zelda dreamt of you. I guess that explains why I haven't seen you. I just assumed..." She looked away, a dark expression clouding her face. "I assumed Ganondorf slaughtered you along with most of the townspeople." At this Link startled.
"Slaughtered..?" He muttered. Kagome looked at him, her countenance now serious and somber.
"I guess you'll figure out when we leave here. We should figure out what our next step will be." Kagome gestured towards the exit, but before they could leave a figure melted from the shadows behind them. This time both Kagome and Link drew their weapons. The figure, a thin man clad in a tight outfit that Kagome recognized as the armor of the Sheikah, though the man's face was hidden by a mask, his ruby red eyes and blonde hair the only visible feature.
The man raised his hand in peace. "You needn't draw your weapons. I am an ally. You may call me Sheik, survivor of the Sheikah. I have been waiting for you. Waiting for both of you." From the mask a melodic voice came from Sheik, neither feminine nor masculine. Kagome and Link, though still on high alert with the stranger lowered their weapons though Kagome still kept her shield held protectively in front of her. Sheik's eyes glimmered at the girl for a brief second before he began speaking once more.
"The five Sages you seek remain deaf to the awakening call, an overwhelming evil power blocking the voice from reaching them in the temples where they dwell. You must travel to each, disarming the dark powers and freeing the Sages. You will find the five temples and their sages all across the land:
One in a deep forest...
One on a high mountain...
One under a vast lake...
One within the house of the dead...
One inside a goddess of the sand...
once found and freed the heroes of time will dispel the evil and return the light of peace. Your journey will start in a familiar place to you, hero," Sheik gestured to Link who listened raptly. "In the forest temple the Sage, a girl you may know, awaits the awakening but cannot hear it. You must free her, though armed as you are now you will not succeed. Deep in Kakariko village you will acquire a skill you currently lack. The temple is home to high walls which you cannot access alone." Sheik turned to leave, having pointed the heroes in the direction they needed to go his job was done for now. He stopped when Kagome called to him.
"Wait! Who are you? How did you know where to find us?" She demanded. She didn't trust this Sheik as far as she could throw him. Sheik looked back at her over his shoulder as he continued to walk into the shadows.
"Go now to Kakariko village, and awaken the Forest Sage." He said once more before disappearing. Kagome huffed in annoyance before turning to Link.
"Okay Link, looks like we need to head to the village. You can ride with me, I have a house there that we can rest at and stock up before heading to the forest." Kagome offered to him, not waiting for a reply before making her way to the exit. Link shook his head and quietly followed after her.
When the temple doors opened to reveal the city, he couldn't believe his eyes. Re-dead ghouls haunted the streets, the city nothing like what he remembered before pulling the Master Sword. Kagome cursed, readying her sword.
"They must've heard us in the temple and woke up. Come on Link, there's too many to take on. Luckily they're slow, just don't get grabbed by them." She called out to the boy who followed behind her. Together they ran through the crowd of the moaning and screaming dead, hacking away at the hands that came too close for comfort to the heroes. The corpses did not follow them outside of the walls luckily, leaving them to flee the city.
"What happened here?" Link asked Kagome who was preparing her horse for departure. Kagome sighed, her eyes sad.
"Shortly after Ganondorf took over the Kingdom evil befell Castle Town. The dead, either the ones Ganondorf and his shadow slaughtered, or the already dead-or both, I'm not sure, came back to life with an insatiable appetite for the living. Thankfully they seem to be contained to Castle Town, I've never heard of anyone seeing them anywhere else." She explained. Link looked down in shame. He couldn't help but to feel partially responsible for the desecration of the kingdom. Kagome climbed into the saddle, offering Link a hand. He looked between her and her hand hesitantly. Kagome rolled her eyes.
"Well come on already. Sylpha can hold both of us, she may be a bit older but she's not weak by any means. We need to get to the Village quickly before nighttime." She urged him and he finally took her hand, swinging himself onto the horses back behind the girl. Navi settled herself snuggly on Kagome's right shoulder, protected by the girls heavy blanket of hair. Kagome kicked Sylpha into a smooth gallop, Link holding onto her waist so as to not fall off, clearing his throat uncomfortably when his face grew hot. The girl paid his hand placement no mind, her gaze set determinedly ahead of them.
Together they rode towards Kakariko village, their quest to save the world officially beginning. Link wondered what all had changed while he was away in the other realm.
AN:
if you're wondering what shade of blue kagome's eyes are think about Links eye color in Twilight Princess, but a bit more dark blue. Idk if it matters, but I wanted Kagome to have discerning features from the rest of the Hylians because she isn't one of them. Also I always Imagine link in the Ancient Garb he wears in Twilight Princess, so in case you're wondering what exactly he's wearing it's that, chainmail and everything. Same with Epona when she pops back up, probably in the next chapter.
Also a big change I made to the story, instead of Link being a child in an adults body (because that's weird in the romance approach) he was sent into another realm (Hyrule if Ganondorf never took over, so he was still able to have his friends and everything) where he was able to grow up naturally, it never made sense to me how Link was able to retain all of his fighting knowledge etc. I'll probably expand on his time in the realm through dialogue or if you guys want I can write a chapter of just his time in the realm.