Hello, once again, to another chapter of…
A Hero's Dream!
I know many of you have been waiting for this new chapter, so let's get right to the reviews, and then to the story.
And before we begin, let it all be known, THIS IS NOT A HAREM FIC. As Darkmist111 put it, Link is a one Princess guy. I just wanted to touch on how the older Links memory's were affecting our Hero's memory. The Marin look-alike would reveal in future chapters that she is actually in her thirties, and is both married and has a kid, even if she looks alot like our favorite Link's Awakening character.
So worry not, for Zelink lives on!
Darkmist111: Indeed, much like the stealth sections within SS and WW, Link will escape any cage he is put in. And who knows, maybe there will be ther reincarnated NPC's, or at least some that remind Link of older memories.
VocaloidBrony: Yep, Coby helped Link escape from his cage, and our Hero seems to have connected with his past lives in the wake of his traumatic realization. I hope you like this new chapter!
Inheritance1990: Well then, if you're interested in where this is going, here is another chapter to satiate your thirst.
Zeldawolffang: Yeah… I really broke our Hero, huh?
Ahron756: If you are excited by her using a rapier, then I think this chapter is for you!
Thekingsfun: The reason I'm making this darker than Skyward Remnants is because I hate it when people underplay the whole "I'm in a whole new world" fact. But you shouldn't worry. When I cement how they feel about being in a new world, the moments should get lighter.
Alexkellar: Don't worry about my art, you're popular enough that I know you are just swamped with requests. Besides, it'll give me more time to create even better moments for you to draw! Thank you for the advertising as well!
Anyway, the topic of Aura will likely not be brought up. Although Aura is important in RWBY, I want to illustrate how strong Link is even without it, and how he can overcome the obstacles of what pretty much amounts to 'people with superpowers'. It's why I put him through a lot of abuse in the beginning of his journey, to show the readers that he really can hold his own, even without all of his advantages. Hope you enjoy this new chapter.
P.S. Love your "Fate's Day" drawing!
Treant Balewood: No problem, love the name by the way.
WolfyFenri: Thanks for the compliments on my story, and you don't have to worry about Polygamy. This is a new Link, who is starting to meld with the other Links, though it will take some time. Hope you enjoy the chapter.
Dracus6: Though I like the idea, I'm not a big Sword Art Online fan, and I don't even know the first thing about Konno Yuuki. Besides, if I were going to do a Rising of the Shield Hero crossover, it would be one with a certain Jolly Green Giant inspired by one Dr. Jackal & Mr. Hyde.
Sparky Boi: I've been focusing on creating the bedrock for this fic rather than The Stars of Remnant, but I'll get to it eventually.
Snoogenz: Thanks for the follow dude! Hopefully with this new chapter I'll get more reviews and follows.
Lokyloco: Yeah, a rough start indeed, even if that is putting it lightly. Luckily, our hero will get some time to rest, as we see how our favorite princess is doing.
MutantMiner300: Then you're in luck friend, cause I have a new chapter right here!
Loading File.
.
. .
. . .
.
. .
. . .
.
File Loaded.
Continue?
—[Yes]
No
Loading….
….
….
…
File Loaded.
…
…
...
Error! Requirements not met.
Storyline Locked.
...
Loading….
…
..
.
...
New Storyline Available!
Link
— [?]
Start A New File?
— [Yes]
No
Chapter 4: A Princess with no Hero
It was bright, practically blinding me with all the rays coming down from the sun.
I looked upon the fields of Hyrule, watching as the rolling grass was moved with the smallest of breezes. I watched as the wild horses, animals, and even children ran amok, playing games and enjoying their time under such a bright sun.
I was one of those children.
I had a hand over my eyes, searching for the one who had challenged me to this simple, but enjoyable game of hide and seek. I looked to my left, spotting a tree and a rock he could be hiding behind, but knew it was too easy of a place for him. I looked to the right, seeing a field of tall grass, and an even taller tree, but shook my head.
These were all too simple for him. He was always trying to challenge me, help me grow as a person. But, the one thing that was always related to every place he lever hid…
I looked up the taller tree, seeing the shape of someone within the tallest branches.
He would always be able to hear me if I ever needed help.
I ran towards the tree with a smile, turning my back on Hyrule Field to run towards the tree. With every step I took, I could see him clearer in the tree, as an idea came to mind.
I walked through the tall fields of grass, sneaking up on the boy, ready to climb the tree and surprise him. The look on his face when I did...
I could hardly contain my own laughter at just the image, as I tried to be as silent as possible. Though it would take longer to find and surprise him, I knew it would be worth the wait. The grass was easy to move through, as I made sure to keep the sight of the tree.
It didn't take long to reach the base of the tree, though, as I reached up to grab the lowest tree branch. As I grabbed it, I pulled myself up, trying to be as quiet as possible. It was hard though, as the branches swayed with the breeze, and bent with the simplest pull.
Despite that, I succeeded in climbing the tree as quickly and quietly as possible. Though, a few scrapes marked my arms and legs, spilling my blood on the branches. Yet, despite that, I kept climbing up, as with every branch, my reach seemed to grow longer, and my arms stronger. But, even with the newfound strength, I had to be careful.
Halfway up the tree, the branch I had stepped on snapped, as it was thinner and more brittle than all the others. I fell a few feet, as my back was scrapped, and my chin had a new wound. But, before I could fall, I reached out and grabbed a new branch.
I panted, feeling the fear at the prospect of falling all the way down. But, as I mistakenly looked down from where I had climbed.
I saw the path I had taken and felt pride in how far I have come, rather than how far I could fall. Seeing this, I looked forward, grabbing a branch with longer and stronger arms, with my legs supporting me better than they ever had.
I was close to him, close to the very top of the tree, ready to surprise him. He was looking out at the very fields where I had been previously as if searching for someone.
No doubt, it was me, as he had always been protective of me. Even now, when he was in the highest place in Hyrule, where he may fall and perish, he looked out for me…
Only once branch away, I was ready to jump out and spook him, imagining the face he might make.
But, before I could jump at the opportunity…
The light that I had grown so used to began to fade.
I looked around, confused at where the light had gone. Using the height of the tree to my advantage, I searched for the source of the disturbance.
As I did, the tree I was in disappeared, as I suddenly appeared at the bottom of a hill. Dark clouds brewed just above me, as I saw a figure riding with them. Yet, at the very tip of the hill, someone stood with the light that I had already missed.
It was him again, standing there, facing me but looking out from the top of the hill,
I raced up the hill, but a path towards him didn't exist. But, unable to miss such a chance to surprise him, to make him smile and laugh, I pushed through.
I felt myself grow taller, as the path that was once barred now existed, filled with thorns and brambles. I could see him at the end of the path, thunder rumbling within the clouds above him, as he stood with a blank face.
I hurried, trying to get to him before it was too late, as I ignored the sharp points of the brambles scraping my skin. Eventually, it began to rain, as the dirt became slick and hard to climb. My wet clothes pressed against me, as my wet hair smacked my eyes, and dripped shivering water down my back.
Eventually, I found what could be shelter from the rain, which was dry, warm and safe within this storm. I kept a note of it, but moved forward, determined to bring him down with me where he could be safe.
Where we could be safe together.
Finally, I made it to the top of the hill where he was, as I could only smile again. Even through the wind and the storm, I was glad to see that he was ok, glad to see that he was safe.
But, as I hugged him, embracing him with a shout of surprise…
He stayed still like a stone, as if he couldn't even react to my presence.
I removed myself from the hug, looking him dead in the eye. But, these blue eyes held none of the life that I had come to know and cherish. They were dead, and staring down the hill, completely numb.
It was horrible. Horrible to see him like this, numb to the rest of the world, and unable to move.
I shook him, calling his name, trying to get him to react somehow. But, no matter what I did, whether I slapped him or even rubbed his eyes with my damp hands, he didn't move an inch.
No matter what I did, he wouldn't turn his gaze, unable to look away from the view that the hill had offered him.
With no other choice, I turned around, trying to find what he was so fixated on.
My eyes widened, as my knees gave out on the slick mud of the hill. I turned my head, trying to find something to distract myself from the sight.
From the corner of my eye, I saw exactly the thing I needed. Behind the both of us, a steep hill was the only thing that could be seen close by.
But far, far in the distance, I could see a Kingdom. With four tall towers varying colors, surrounded by villages and cities, a black and golden lake, and only a few small separate masses of grey and black clouds within a sunny sky.
It was a wonderful sight, not unlike my own home. Just looking at it was enough for me to feel a sort of peace my Kingdom hasn't felt in over ten years. But, it wasn't enough to distract me of what I had seen…
I stood up, grabbing his shoulders to pull myself up, as he seemed to collapse under the weight of what he had seen and recognized. Now, he was the one that was on his knees, his very soul looking almost shattered at what he had seen.
I grabbed his cheeks, pulling his eyes away from the scene behind me, as I tried to ignore the heat at my back. As I did, I noticed that the dark clouds from behind me began to bleed into the kingdom in front of me, absorbing the clouds in the sky. No…
Devouring, as if they were always a part of it.
"It's not your fault!" I cried to him, trying to take away the sight of such an unforgiving view from his mind. But, even as I look back, I could see every vivid detail, as it only grew worse and worse the more he imagined it. "You didn't do this!"
The wind began to pick up, as the four towers in the kingdom before me began to dim and crumble. The earth seemed to shake, as a golden bolt of lightning struck the earth, splitting it into an endless abyss. The two lakes disappeared completely, sinking into the endless abyss, losing any luster and beauty that they may have held.
"It was a mistake!" I called over the wind roaring in both of our ears, as I tried to make him hear me. But his eyes didn't so much as twitch, as he could only stare off into space. "You didn't do this! You couldn't have done this! It was all Him!"
The wind picked up even more, as I could feel those gusts try to rip me away from him. Despite that, I still held on, trying to get him to listen, even as the scene of the Kingdom in front of me began to match what was happening behind me.
"You need to wake up!" I told him, as I could barely hear the sound of my own voice over the gusts of wind. "You're the only one that can help me stop this! You're the only person that can fix everything! But to do that, you need to Wake up!"
Finally, the wind was too strong, as nothing could resist the incredible gust.
I was blown off the side of the hill, pushed into the steep, slick slope. My hands were ripped from his face, as the world seemed to spin. Yet, even still, I could see him do the same, as he began to fall down the hill as well, farther and farther away.
Suddenly, the support of the ground disappeared, along with any light that existed. Only two specks existed, me and him, as we both fell further and faster than ever, unable to resist the fall of gravity within this unending abyss.
He was so far, barely a firefly within the unending abyss, too far to see any of the details I wished to find. Was he awake, alive even? Could he possibly hear what I had to say from so far away?
Yet, even with the unending abyss before me, and the questions of his well being plaguing me, I could feel that it would end soon. That this would be the last time I may see him, until we found one another again.
So, with the last of the air in the abyss, I shouted, trying to get him to get out of his daze. Hoping and wishing that he would hear me, I used the last of my energy to shout the only thing that could come to my mind….
As the end of this abyss approached us…
"LINK! WAKE UP!"
I somehow knew he finally turned his head, a light of recognition in his eye…
Before the bottom of the tree was right in front of my eyes, and I-
Awoke with a start, covered in sweat and gasping for any breath of air I could take.
I looked around, panic and dazed, as I tried to figure out where I was. It wasn't so simple though, as I was surrounded by a dark forest, filled with trees. Even when I looked to the sky, all I could see was the dark sky and the canopy of leaves above.
With no way to locate where I was, the pure panic I felt from my dream was starting to become worse. I gasped for air, as my heart kept beating faster, desperately trying to fill my body with enough oxygen to run.
Then, like the flick of a torchlight, I remembered what exactly happened in that dream.
"Link…" I breathed out, as my heart seemed to stop in my chest. "Link?!" I called out, searching the strange woods, as I tried to stand myself up.
But, my legs gave out before that could happen, as my head and leg throbbed in dull pain. My stomach rumbled, as it cried out to be filled by something, and lips were cracked by a need for water. Despite that, I continued to call out to my green friend, hoping that he was alright.
"Link!?" I cried out, as I tried to look around and find something to support me as I attempted to stand. Of course, there was nothing but trees and grass surrounding me, leaving me with nothing to support myself.
With no other way, I let my thoughts run smoothly, trying not to focus on my worries and fears. With my mind as calm as it could be at the moment, I focused on my injuries, trying to heal them enough so that I could move.
But it was hopeless. My mind was too distracted, as I could only imagine Link somewhere close by, dying within these very woods. The image of Ganondorf holding his limp lifeless body, just like the numb version that I saw in my dream. It was-
I pressed my hand against my injured thigh, letting the pain run through me and help focus on the now. I steadied my breathing, letting the movement of my chest calm my racing heart.
Link didn't need a Princess who could barely focus because of a silly dream! He needed a healer, someone who can fix him up after the fight with Ganondorf!
With my mind focused on what I wanted to do, I went back to the injury on my leg. With everything focused, I let the energy that the Golden Goddesses used to shape the world run through me, as I enriched the energy with my very own soul. With that power circling inside me, I transformed that power into magic, feeling the magic drain from within me.
Then, I focused this power within my hand, letting it emanate a healing glow that shone down on my leg. It took less than a second for all of this to happen, as I felt the warmth of the golden glow surround my leg. I could feel the energy quickly begin to heal my leg.
However, I stopped it halfway, as I could feel my energy begin to dip from using my healing spell. It seems that my exhaustion went further than just my body. Luckily, the healing went well enough to let the pain in my leg become all but gone.
With the pain in my leg gone, my breath and heart rate begins to slow down, I considered my situation.
I was in a strange place, injured, and lack both the energy and magic to defend myself effectively. I needed food, water, shelter to rest, and I need to find out where I am. But, most importantly, I needed to find Link.
Despite my best wishes, I focused my mind back on the dream I had just had.
That dream… it was too lucid not to consider it as some sort of warning. I've had prophetic dreams before, some vague, and some too downright insane to understand until they happened. Yet, the need to understand flowed through me, as millions of questions began rolling around in my mind.
Why was Link in such a state? What were those powerful winds and the constant black clouds above me? What was that kingdom in the distance, and those strange clouds, being swallowed whole by the storm? What was Link looking at, that I was so horrified by, even when I can't remember what it was? Why were Link and I falling into that abyss?
It was all too many questions to ask, and shouldn't be asking in the state I was in currently. Even now, I could feel my questions already exhaust my body with the lack of energy I had.
And, if Link really was in some sort of danger…
I didn't want to think about what could possibly threaten Link. But, if it really was that big of a problem…
Then I needed to find him.
But, If I wanted to even start with locating him, I needed to know what I had.
I sat myself up, being careful not to waste any of my dwindling energy. I would need all of it if I were to begin my search for Link.
I reached into a bag at my side, filled with dried bread and meat. The bag Link had filled with all of the provisions for me so that I would have it if needed. I pulled out one of the rolls and a strip of meat, trying to ignore how stale and dry it all looked. So, I at least had some food...
I checked the strap across my shoulder, finding a canteen hanging from a clip attached to the leather strap. I shook the closed canteen, measuring how much water I had based on the water's weight and movement. It wasn't much, maybe one-third of the canteen was actually filled.
I took a sip of water from the canteen, wetting my mouth enough to at least swallow all the food that I had with me. Then, when I could actually feel my tongue, I took a large bite of the meat and bread. The tough meat and stale bread were difficult to chew and was not the tastiest meal I have ever had. Despite that, I kept eating, trying to restore any energy that I could get.
It took about five minutes to eat the bread and meat, with sips of water having to be drunk every other bite due to how dry it was. I felt the pleasant weight in my stomach and thanked the Goddess Faore for the meal.
With my meal down, I let my energy gather itself, as I took a look at the rest of my supplies. Checking the other pouch I had, I found some medical supplies and even camping equipment. Though it was nowhere near as much as Link's supplies, I still had enough to help me survive for at least three nights without hunting. Though, I may be able to find some edible fruits and berries I could eat, though that was unlikely.
But the most important of all of my equipment was on my back and hip. Namely, my weapons.
I unstrapped the leather and steel quiver from my back, finding that the once full 50 arrow quiver was almost empty. All that remained inside of the large carrier was 12 arrows, and with my bow broken…
I grabbed the medical stitches from my medical pouch, before taking out the arrows one by one. When I was safely able to hold all of them in a bundle from the center of the arrow, I wrapped them up, before tying them in a knot. Now, even if I couldn't use a bow, I could at least hold something within the quiver, such as wood if need be.
With that said, I placed the stitches back into the bag, pulling out the medical wrap. Grabbing the edge of the bandage, I tucked half of it under my belt, before pulling out enough to wrap around the entire bundle of arrows. Making sure it was tight and secure, I now had extra space if I ever needed it.
On my left hip, where both of my scabbards were, I pulled out my first weapon.
The sound of metal scratching against the edge of the scabbard filled my ears, as I looked upon my rapier. The thin, but tempered blade was sharp enough to pierce any armor, and seemed to gleam, even in the low light of night. The blade itself was long and light, following the simplest of movements with ease. The handle itself was gilded steel, along with the crossguard that curved up into the sword and knuckle guard, wrapped in purple leather.
It was a wonderful weapon, crafted for me to wield by the blacksmiths of Hyrule when I was nineteen. It was to be a birthday from the greatest smithy of Hyrule to me, and I have never let it leave my sight in over two years. Though, quite frankly, I was never as skilled as I had hoped to be, and was nowhere near Links skill. Though, I have fought and killed quite a many demons with it, all in the name of my stolen kingdom.
I studied the weapon, making sure nothing was damaged on my blade, before placing it back in its sheath. With the blade back within its sheath, I brought my hand lower, grabbing the weapon just under my rapier.
Namely, a double-edged knife with my name, 'Zelda Harkinian Hyrule', inscribed upon its guard in cursive. A gift from Impa after she figured out that I would be journeying with Link to help him on his quest. Its design was simple, with a gilded guard and pommel, and a purple spiral leather handle. The blade itself was only five inches long and was sharpened to a razor edge.
This blade was also in good condition, so I placed it back in its sheath. With all of my weapons checked, and in prime condition, I attempted to stand up once again.
Unlike the first time though, this was a success, as I felt my legs were able to hold my weight. They were still a bit shaken though, as not all of my energy could be restored in a few minutes. Still, I thanked the Goddesses and began to search for Link within this forest.
However, that was easier said than done.
In the time I had taken to search for the Knight in Green, I could tell something was… different.
Link and I had traveled all over Hyrule, through the deepest depths of Lake Hylia to the highest peaks of Death Mountain. Yet, walking through these woods, even with the lack of energy I had, I knew this wasn't part of my Kingdom. The trees here didn't give off the ancient, living feel they did within the forests of Hyrule. The wind was too chilly for what was supposed to be the summer, as I felt goosebumps climb up my exposed arms. And finally…
I looked around, focusing on the leaves within the forest. Specifically, many of the various colored leaves on the trees, and the many dead ones on the grass. They rustled in the cold night air and detached from their branches over the simplest of breezes.
This certainly wasn't the Kokiri Forest, the only forest large enough in Hyrule to create such a large canopy of leaves above me for miles. The only forest in the world capable of being forever green, despite the changing seasons, thanks to the Blessings of Farore, and the Great Deku Tree.
It was impossible for that forest to have even a single decaying leaf! Only when the Deku Tree had died centuries ago, when the brave Hero of Time had attempted to save him, had the Kokiri forest fallen into a decaying state.
Even if I ignored the leaves, this forest was nowhere near as teeming with life as the Kokiri Forest. In fact, in the half an hour I've been searching for Link, I had yet to see a single animal. Which would be impossible if I really was in the Kokiri Forest, as simply entering that Forest was instantly accompanied by the song of thousands of birds.
With that in mind, it was easy to figure out that I had to be in a completely different kingdom from my own. The question was, how?
If they had been teleported by Ganondorf's magic, wouldn't he and Link have been there with me? Even if the King of Evil had died, there should still have been a corpse lying next to me. I was sure Link had stabbed him at the very last minute, before everything became a glowing white mess.
But, no matter how hard I searched, it seemed as if they were nowhere close by.
Though, Ganondorf's technique was quite different from the way all three of us had teleported. His way of teleporting was through the use of the Black Magic, letting him teleport anywhere freely, with a hefty cost in magic power.
The magic that was used though… It was unlike anything I had ever witnessed. I had studied Magic for years, but never have I read of teleportation that made you feel… as if your body didn't exist in that world.
But, there was one thing that could do such a thing. One Magic device of incredible power that could pull off miracles, that all three of them happened to have.
I looked down at the back of my right hand, as my eyes instantly stared at the very obvious mark upon it. A mark of three triangles of equal size, with two as the base, and one on top, with a hole in the center in the shape of an upside-down triangle. The symbol of my people, who had been worshipping the owners of this power since time began. The symbol of the Three Golden Goddesses, Din, Nayru, and Farore.
The Triforce.
I continued to stare at the birthmark on my hand, trying to figure out what it had to do with my situation. Though, it wasn't that hard to figure out.
Ganondorf had us in his grasp, and along with it, all three of the Triforce Pieces. His Triforce of Power, my Triforce of Wisdom, and Link's Triforce of Courage. Each, on its own, capable of giving gifts to their wielders from the very Goddesses. But together…
They were capable of changing reality, to grant the user any wish of their desire.
So, the question was not how it was done, rather, it was what was done that I needed to know. Ganondorf had us in his grasp for a while, and any of our words could have been the wish.
I tried to think back on what was said, what words could've translated into a wish of taking them out of the country. But, the harder I tried to think, the more the bruises on my head seemed to throb just as hard.
I couldn't remember what was said, or who said what. The words were simply a blur, no doubt brought upon by Ganondorf swinging me around with enough to block most of Links attacks. Not to mention the incredibly powerful grip he had on my skull, cutting off a lot of circulation to my brain.
By that point I decided to stop trying to figure out what the wish could have been, I had already searched for Link for over an hour. With such pain accompanying me every time I tried to think back, I decided to take a new course of action.
So, with the canopy of leaves obstructing my view, I searched for the thickest tree I could find. Though it wasn't a perfect gauge of the tallest tree in the area, it was the best I had. Worse, I needed to find one soon. With the lack of energy, as well as magic, I was basically a sitting duck for any Demons that may choose to come out for my head.
With that in mind, I took out my knife, feeling the light and familiar weight sit in my hand with ease. It was the easiest to hold of my weapons, so I could keep it in my hands for hours without my arm tiring. Though it was mostly for immediate emergency defense, rather than attacking, it should give me enough time to draw my rapier.
It didn't take long to find an appropriate tree, just long enough to realize how tired my legs were with all of the walking. Perhaps it would've been wiser to have done this immediately, but I didn't regret the search for Link. Even if it did prove rather fruitless, in the end.
I shook my head, turning to focus on my path up the tree, rather than Link's current whereabouts. This would be the first step to a wider search, rather than just aimlessly wandering around, hoping for the best.
If I could make it to a Castle, or even a small town, I could spread the news of my whereabouts. This would not only help Link know that I was safe and quickly return to Hyrule, I could also get the closest kingdom to send me back home.
Hyrule, without the fear of Ganondorf overhead, would no doubt pay a hefty sum for me alive and well. Any Kingdom who knew of Hyrule, the land blessed by the Goddesses themselves, would be foolish to turn down such an offer. Especially with the Hero who defeated Ganondorf, who was capable of defeating armies with a flex of his arm, supporting me.
So, even if I couldn't find Link now, I could get myself to Hyrule, grab my guards and start a search. Though a part of my heart sunk at the thought of leaving Link somewhere in the middle of the woods. the rational part of me knew he was fine. I mean, it was Link! He had two blue potions on him, and a red potion on top of that, he would be fine. As soon as he healed himself, and heard that I was safe and sound, we'd be back together again before the sun even rose.
But first, I needed to be sure this Kingdom even existed, before I tried to make such plans.
However, that would have to wait, as I could only frown at my path up the tree. Or, more accurately, a lack of path.
No matter where I looked, be it on the tree itself, or it's siblings at its side, the closest branch was over 30 feet above me. Not only that, the tree was too thick and smooth to climb up any other way, leaving me barely any options. Even the neighboring trees were like this, far too high to climb up normally.
I sighed, looking up at the branches with a small frown, thinking about how simple this would be if I had a Hookshot like Link. Instead, I had to do this the hard way, and waste even more energy. Still, even with the greater use of energy, it was the fastest way to continue my search.
Looking for the closest tree branch, I moved back, focusing on the path I would have to take. With all of that in mind, I braced my legs, feeling my right thigh ache in it's bruised state, and simply ignored it. Then, before my body had a chance to tell me this was a bad idea, I dashed towards the tree.
I felt my leg with every other step, wincing as the pain rushed through my body. Despite this pain, I continued forward, needing to reach a certain speed before I hit the tree. Though my dress made it much harder to run at this speed, I kept moving faster and faster, feeling the ends drag behind me and slap against my ankles. The moment I had reached the appropriate speed, the tree was only a few feet in front of me, as I was about to crash into it.
Of course, I had more skill than that.
Before I could crash into the tree, I stepped on one of its roots, putting all of my strength in my next step. With that complete, I had jumped what must've been at least five feet in the air. It didn't stop there though, as despite not having anymore ground, I kept running.
My feet met with the bark of the tree, as I pushed off as hard as I could, reaching higher and higher. Each step helped me move higher and higher, all while stripping the bark off the tree as I moved. By the time I had lost the momentum from my run, I was another 15 feet of the ground, and nowhere near done.
Before I could fall down, I kicked off of the tree as hard as my legs would allow, as I felt myself soar through the air. I looked down, seeing for myself the 20 feet I had just climbed in a matter of seconds. As the world turned though, I could see my goal, still ten feet out of reach, even after all of that work.
So, before gravity could stop me, I felt myself flip back right side up, my feet facing the earth. I looked to my left and right, finding the closest tree while bracing my body to crash into the tree I was heading to. I found exactly the path I would need to head towards to the right, another tree just close enough to head up higher and higher.
With my destination in mind, as soon as I landed on the trunk, I jumped to the other tree with enough force to propel me a few feet up along the way. As soon as I landed on the side of the other tree, I kicked off of it, jumping back to the tree I had originally launched from.
I did this a few more times, gaining more and more height with every leap. By the time the trees weren't barren enough to simply leap off their trunks, I was ready for the final step.
With one final leap, I outstretched my hands, grabbing on to the sturdiest branch, swinging my legs as soon as I had grabbed on. Before the branch could even bend due to my weight, I was already flipping through the air…
Before my feet landed perfectly on the lowest branch of the tree I had aimed to climb.
I gave a sigh of relief, as my heart beat faster than a dragonfly's wing, and my lungs greedily stole the air they so desperately needed. I winced, feeling my leg ache in pain, as I felt my own heartbeat within the wounded limb. I grabbed on to the base of the tree, balancing myself as I took all the air I needed.
'Thank you Impa,' I thought to myself, as I looked down at the ground, solidifying what would have been impossible two years ago. 'Your Sheikah training was hell, but it has truly been helpful.'
With that thought, and my breathing back under control, I began the long trek upwards, hoping that the vantage point I was going to find was enough.
Climbing was easy enough, especially compared to what I had to do to get up here. The limbs of the tree were close enough that I didn't have to do anything fancy to climb them, and they certainly weren't weak. Though my dress did get caught in some of the smaller branches, forcing me to reach down and either snap or get my dress unstuck.
'If this thing wasn't so useful, I would have stopped wearing it a long time ago.' I thought to myself, as I climbed up, looking down at what I was wearing as I did.
The dress itself was beautiful and a deep rose purple near the hem which reached down to my ankles, with a set of complicated gold stitches to accent the darker purple color. As my gaze moved up the dress, the shade slowly transformed into a petal purple, before reaching a belt around my waist. Further up, the dress didn't change color, keeping itself up using the straps that rested on my shoulders. That wasn't it though, as I had an amethyst colored bodice covering most of my chest, and a large golden colored necklace over it, with two similar colored pauldrons on my shoulders. I also had gold colored braces covering my forearms for when I had to fire my bow, a circlet with a brilliant red jewel on its front, and Triforce shaped earrings hanging from my ears. Even still, that was not the last detail to the dress I wore, as connected by two tear shaped gold ornaments was what could only be described as a gold and total purple tapestry, inscribed with the two sacred symbols of my people. The triforce at the top, and a symbol of a bird at the bottom for the Loftwings that were once our long time companions.
Luckily, other than the circlet on my head, none of it was actually gold. Otherwise, they would be weighing too much on me, forcing my speed in battle to go down and wasting my stamina trying to move as fast as I usually do.
Thankfully, the dress wasn't just a dress, otherwise it would have been too much of a hassle to ever use in battle.
That, however, would have to wait as my head finally poked out of the tops of the trees, getting my first clear view of this new land. Though, the view itself wasn't anything impressive, as it seemed to be the middle of the night. There was nothing to see really, just the tops of some trees an-
As I climbed further up, brilliantly shining lights shone through the dark, like a star resting on the land. I turned my head, wondering what in Hyrule could create such a light. My ascent upwards was filled with haste, as my curiosity only grew by the second.
What was this light?
Reaching the highest branch that could support my weight, I looked out at the light, seeing the night sky reflected on the ground. Millions of yellow stars shining through the night, encased inside of a wall as if to be held in, and protected.
It took me a while to figure out that these weren't stars, as I was too transfixed by the sight to think of much else. The brightest lights I had ever seen at night were only ever the stars themselves, and the glowing red top of Death Mountain. Yet, after the beauty of what was there passed, and I looked closer with a more curious eye…
It seemed to be a city.
"Perfect." I said to myself with a small smile, as everything seemed to be lining up. "Now all that's left is to find the man on top. Though… I may have to wait till morning before I can get in the city."
Knowing the protocols for Castle Town, they likely seal any gates to keep any Demons out of their city. Though that begged the question…
How long would I have to wait to get inside? In fact, what time was it now?
I took a quick glance at the sky, hoping I could calculate the time of night with how high the moon was in its orbit. Hopefully it wouldn't be too long, as I really didn't want to have to sleep in a tr-
Yet, the time, the plan, the city, even my search for Link left my mind at that moment…
As I remembered Ganondorf's wish, staring at the shattered moon that hung in the sky.
This was bad.
I hadn't moved one inch, simply staring up at the shattered celestial body with eyes wide, and my mind racing. Thousands of scenarios played out in my head, all of them finishing with the same horrible end.
The destruction of Hyrule. The end of my home.
It was enough to turn my stomach inside-out, and my legs to shake. Fearing my fall off of the tree, I sat down, trying my best to ensure my stability.
If not for my Sheikah training, that would've been an impossible task, as every inch of me began to shake like a leaf.
So many things were happening to me at once. My body shook with fear, my stomach was heavy with dread, my breathing was too fast, as I began hyperventilating. I rested my head back against the tree, as my eyes tried to avoid the sight of the moon. That didn't help though, as the sky seemed to come crashing down on me, further increasing the pressure I felt.
I wanted to get down, to not be forced to look at this shattered moon hanging in the sky. Yet, looking down only caused my vision to spin, making me too worried to even make a move.
So I closed my eyes, not looking at either the ground or the sky.
And here I've been for who knows how long, trying to get my breathing under control, my mind racing with horrible images. Yet, it didn't work. Forcing my breath to calm down only made it worse, as my brain instantly went to the story of the 'The New Hero of Hyrule', and his adventure through the kingdom of Lorule…
And what happened to their world, without the Triforce.
It was a horrible image in my mind, one that couldn't be shaken free. Images of my kingdom crumbling away into unending pits, and the sky covered in unending black clouds. All as it slowly disappears into nothing, the work Link and I had done to save it a waste.
I cursed myself for this thought, as my breathing only became more rapid and uncontrollable. I almost felt like vomiting as these images came into my head.
I told myself to calm down, that this wasn't helping the people I had sworn to protect. Yet what was there to do but panic? What could I do to completely save my kingdom from becoming a bottomless pit?
So, instead of trying to calm down…
I began to make a plan.
Hyrule could still be saved, just as the New Hero of Hyrule and the Princess of that time had saved Lorule. Simply returning the Triforce to the land would fix every problem that could possibly occur, that much I knew.
The problem was this new world, and the wish that had been granted.
Ganondorf's wish was insane, but with the power of the Triforce it was no wonder that the wish came true. However, was this what The King of Evil truly wanted?
The Triforce was a divine object, one that would grant any who touch it a perfect wish. A wish that would be granted completely through both their words and heart. Even if one were to speak a completely alien language, so long as it was spoken and wanted, it would be granted exactly as they had wished.
Despite that, I was teleported to this new world with Link and Ganondorf following suit. Ganondorf's wish was granted, yet not in the way that he had wanted.
'Why?' I asked myself, as my breathing calmed down, my mind distracted by this new problem. 'Why was the wish to change the world turned into a wish to leave that world behind? Why the only one to make a wis-'
But was he the only one to make a wish?
My mind stopped as this new information came to, as if someone had lit a fire with a dark cave.
Ganondorf had made the wish, but he wasn't the only one with the Triforce… He had made the wish holding on to Link and I, who had heard this wish, and rejected it with all the power that we had. And through that rejection of the wish spoken, it became an imperfect wish.
It wasn't an insane theory, but it wasn't a theory backed up by any evidence either. No one in the history of Hyrule had tried to take their wish as someone else was making their own.
So, that question was solved, but so many followed suit. If the wish was imperfect, then were Link and the Triforce of Power even in the same world? If they were, then where are they? If they weren't, what was I going to do? What caused the moon of this world to be so completely shattered? And, one of the most important questions
If Ganondorf's wish had sent me here, where was the 'constant battle' mentioned in h-
My ears twitched at the sound of something coming towards me, ripping through the air as it did. I turned my head towards the sound, my body tensing, getting ready for the chance of combat.
I was too late though, as before I could ever see what hit me, I was falling off of the branch I was on, feeling the wind rush past, as many sensations were going through my head. Something attempted to pierce through my clothes and my stomach, as I could only gasp in pain as I felt the sharp beak.
It wasn't able to pierce them though, as the enchantment upon them activated, absorbing half of the damage. The dress itself didn't tear one bit, as not even the blade of a Darknut could cut this dress.
It did not, however, stop my fall.
I felt a branch impact my back, leaving a big bruise even as my dress absorbed half of the damage. I felt it bend and snap under me at the same moment my breath left my lungs in a forced gasp of pain. Before anymore damage could be done though, my mind focused and gave power to the proper Spell of my choice.
As soon as the spell was set, I stopped being a physical body and became one with the air around me. I was no longer falling, but I wasn't quite floating either…
I was simply the wind.
Then, in an instant, I moved through the air, unaffected by the world around me as I moved. Nothing could stop me as any object placed in my way was a pointless obstacle to be deterred by. The branches, the leaves, the very air around me seemed to open up, like a set of infinite doors was available for me to take.
And so, before anything could blink…
A green light flashed, as I pulled out my rapier, already fifty feet away from where I was on the solid earth, checking my surroundings. The green light from the spell Farore's Wind dissipated, having completed its task.
I looked up in an attempt to see what had struck me out of the tree, but stopped as soon as the canopy of leaves blocked my view. With a quick glance around, seeing red eyes within the dark shadows of the trees, I checked how much magic I had at the moment.
I was relieved that with the two hour rest at the top of the tree, my reserves were at half full. Meaning that, I had enough magic energy for a good number of spells.
And they would be put to use.
Before I could blink, what could only be described as white boulders seemed to come from the shadows of the trees. They were approaching fast, aiming straight for me, creating paths of upturned grass underneath them Beside them, wolves as tall as I was rushed up, careful not to crash and be crushed under the spinning boulders.
Knowing that whatever was rolling after me would likely crush me, and reacting as quickly as possible, I made a motion with my left hand and activated a different spell. I felt the energy pass through, like an unseen stream moving through my arms, and felt the spell activate. Before their eyes, appearing out of nowhere, fire sprung from my finger tip and began to create a wall in front of me. I watched as many of the demons, from the five Wolfos to the three boulders, seemed to flinch at the sudden appearance of fire.
The five Wolfos-like demons stopped mere inches from the fire, as I could smell the horrible stench of their hair burning in front of me. The boulders though, they rushed through it without a second thought, unable to stop in time. They too were burned, but rather than hair, it was their flesh that was seared through.
Seeing this, I casted another spell with another movement of my left hand, creating a clear blue wall of crystal in front of me, watching as the three boulders crashed into it as hard as they could. The sound of bone snapping ran throughout the forest, as what seemed to be a tusk snapped off of what I could now see as a demonic boar. The two other boars were stopped without much damage, though they were on their backs, their unarmored stomachs left open.
Without a second thought, the crystal wall pushed two of the boars forward, back into the fire where they burned, squealing in what could only be agonizing pain. Seeing no need for the two spells anymore, I deactivated them with nothing more than a thought, as both the crystal and fire wall disappeared in a matter of seconds.
Finally using the rapier in my right hand, I stabbed the boar right in the gut, before he could even move. As the boar cried out in pain, my rapier shined with a bright light, letting my blade cut even deeper inside of the boar's spin. As soon as this happened, the eyes of the demon went dim, as the body slowly began to disappear into ash.
Before I could even think, the five demon wolves were already running toward me, teeth bared and ready for the kill. I wouldn't let them though, as I turned to the first wolf in the line, his head only so far away from mine However, before the bite could even take place, I jumped onto the demon, stabbing the heel of my shoe into his eye as I did so.
The demon howled in pain, blinded by both pain and the rage that the creature no doubt felt towards me. So much so that it didn't even notice the new wall crystal wall that I placed in its path. The second snap of the night was heard, as the demon rushed headfirst into the wall, snapping its own neck and skull with a horrible crunch, before disappearing into ash.
The second wolf, shocked at its pack members gruesome death, slowed down in fear of meeting its own end in the exact same way. That was to my advantage though, as I landed on the creature's head while carefully avoiding the spikes on its back, slashing my Rapier into the back of its neck. Though unable to cut through the thick bone, I left a gash down the entirety of the right side of its necks, eventually draining the creature dry of it's blood.
Reacting to the incredible pain it must've felt, the creature bucked me off, sending me tumbling through the air as it did…
Into the claws of another demonic wolf, looking ready to swipe me in two with its large sharp claws. An attack that would never land, as the world once again transformed around me, letting me access wherever I needed to go and however I needed to. My sight changed from in front of the creature ready to be cut, to behind the creature ready to do the cutting. Using magic, I placed the power of light upon my blade, and gave a powerful cut to the back of the demon.
Normally, without any footing and only my arms to rely on, I would have been only able to the barest inch into it's skin. Yet, with the aid of my magic, the demon was instantly cut in half and turned to ash.
Still in the air, I fell to the ground, quickly looking around me for the rest of the demons.
The three Wolfos-Like demons were still standing, though the one I had cut into looked worse for wear. Strangely, no matter how hard I looked, the creature didn't seem to have a drop of blood coming from its neck. Did these demons have no blood? Even the Bokoblins had blood, and they were the weakest of Ganondorf's forces.
Though, different world, different enemies. Perhaps these creatures weren't even demons?
As I was thinking, trying to figure out what these creatures were, the two uninjured demons stalked around me. They looked me up and down, trying to find some kind of opening to attack me with. The injured one stayed in front of me, more weary then it's brothers were.
Keeping an eye on the two stalking around me, I pointed my rapier towards the one one my right, an open palm towards the other. The creature flinched when it saw my open palm, taking a step further back,while the other only growled harder at the sight of my rapier.
So they were intelligent enough to recognize what the true threat was… good to know.
A rustle in the leaves above me drew my attention, as something tried to move through the branches. Sensing my attention was elsewhere, the creature to my right rushed forward, preparing to bring me to the ground in an attempt to kill me.
In response, I rolled to the side as it attempted to crush me under its weight, as I lunged forward. As the creature hit the ground, I aimed for the space between it's ribs, striking many of it's important organs as I did.
The creature turned to dust around my blade, as I noted that organs still worked in killing them, even if they didn't bleed. With the turn of the heel, I was facing the other creature, as a new on came from the leaves above.
A bird as big as I was, black as night with white bone armor around it to protect against. It matched the other creatures in color scheme, and the others seemed to welcome the added reinforcements to their now small group.
But that didn't matter to me at the moment, as I simply glared at the newcomer…
The one who pushed me out of the tree, and into this fight.
Without so much as a twitch of a finger, I teleported in front of the uninjured creature and thrust my rapier into it's eye. Immediately, the eyes dimmed as the creature turned to dust, before set the other one on fire as an afterthought. The creature roared in pain, as both flesh and bone were seared to a crisp, before it met the same fate as its brothers.
If it were possible, I would've sworn that the bird demon had turned white with fright. It simply stayed there, shocked over how quickly the other two had been killed, and by how easily I had done so. I watched as it weighed it's options, trying to see if it could possibly survive fighting me.
It didn't like its odds, it seemed, as it turned and flew away, moving between the trees with a nimble grace that didn't match its size.
"Oh no you don't." I whispered in rage, looking for payback at it for bringing me into this battle, and for trying to stab me when I was off guard. Sheathing my rapier at my side, I gave a wide wave of my hand, as a ball of pure fire floated in front of me.
All before it started to float forward towards the cowardly bird, gaining speed at a rapid rate. My hand was outstretched in it's direction, guiding the ball of fire through the trees with a practiced grace.
Before the bird could get too far and into the sky, the fireball was already on its tail, ready to deal massive damage.
I felt the ball impact it's torso, as I released my hold over the magic…
As the bird was destroyed from the concussive blast of the magic, turning to ash in an instant.
As soon as the creature was destroyed, I released a breath, relaxing as the battle came to an end. I winced as well, as my leg throbbed in pain from all of the high speed movement that had just occurred.
Carefully moving so as to not aggravate the injury, I went to the tree and leaned against it, letting the leg relax. As it did, after checking that I still had enough magic, I began to heal the injury as best I could. Within a minute constant focus and magic, I could feel the injury completely disappear, letting me move as I pleased.
But, even after I was healed, there was still something weighing on my mind.
And that was the lack of knowledge of this new land.
Creatures that don't bleed? A moon that had been shattered? The possibility of no return to the land I called home? Too much was unknown, and being ignorant of the world was the first step to making a fatal mistake.
I needed information. Was Link here, and was he ok? Did this world have a way to move to other worlds? Did magic even exist in this world? What were the creatures that had attacked me?
Was the Triforce of Power loose in this world with Ganondorf dead?
I shuddered at the thought, as a new maybe even worse enemy with the Triforce of Power moved through my mind.
'No!' I thought to myself, as I shook those thoughts out of my mind. 'I will not let this world suffer the same fate as mine did!'
So, with this thought in my mind…
I turned toward the direction of the city I had seen in the trees, a new goal in mind. The only place I could get the information that I seeked.
I had to return home with Link. I had to return, before all I knew was destroyed by the hands of my enemy. And to do that…
I felt the determination glowing in my eyes, as my body began moving towards my destination.
… I would face any danger in this unknown world.
"Before anything else, Preparation is the key to success."
- Alexander Graham Bell
Next time on "A Hero's Dream'!
"Settling In"!