Link walked into the camp, now clad in Goron armor. The helmet nearly covered his entire face and every other inch of his body was coated with either chainmail or plates of armor, yet, Link felt cool. It was a comfortable, almost chilled feeling. It was nice, being so close to Death Mountain. The claymore swung on his back with each step, clanking against the plate. He had managed to buy time with a chest to keep his valuables in until the battle was over. He walked up to the central fire, obviously not that hard to start, where a Goron and several Hylians sitting around it.
“I had no clue that the Goron armor would help so much.” Said one man, who was practically sitting in the fire.
“We were literally going to march in an active volcano, it had better protect us.” Said another. Link walked up and swung down on one of the stones.
“Well, somebody is opting to die for a suit of armor.” Said the Hylian. Link raised his eyebrow. “Eh, you know why you’re here, I’m just stating the obvious.” Link shrugged and turned back to the fire. The Hylian sitting near the fire then stuffed his hand into the fire and pulled out a handful of coals.
“Wow, I don’t feel a thing.” He exclaimed. The Goron sitting at the chuckled and said.
“Now you know how we Gorons feel brother.” He took his own handful and crushed them between his fingers. Link was tempted to do the same but decided against it. He had never been to death mountain, or worn Goron armor. He and, his ward, had only met Gorons a few times. Suddenly, another massive rumble, larger than the before due to the distance between him and the mountain previously. The Hylian near the fire tumbled into the small ring of stones and the fire as the others including Link stood up, staring at the mountain. The black shape, that Link now understood to be a Talus, had shifted again, sending chunks of flaming stone around the camp. Link ducked while the Gorons just stood around occasionally moving out of the way if a stone got too close. The blacksmith exited his tent, now fully clad in a fine suit of Goron armor. He stepped up, a hammer twice the size of Link’s, swung across his back. He pointed at the mountain.
“That, is what we will be fighting!” He cried, pointing at the shape as it settled. “That thing has destroyed our home! It his high time we end this creature.” The Gorons cheered, as did the Hylian sitting in the fire. The Hylian beside Link gave a mocking cheer and rose his hands before mumbling.
“Let’s just get this over with.”
Link and the other soldiers stood at the edge of the volcano. The hot air flew up, causing any unsecured items to flap around violently. Link thanked the Goron armor for protecting him as ashes flew up before his face. The armor gave him an amazing amount of protection from the heat, making him wonder what the armor was made of. He stood beside the Gorons, the Hylians hanging behind him. At that moment, the Blacksmith drew his hammer and charged. Link followed, belting out one of the few noises he could make, a battle cry. The other Gorons and the Hylians charged with them, down the wall of the crater and onto a massive slab of flaming stone. Link had wondered where the Talus had gone off too, if it had anywhere to go. As they ran, Link realized massive cuts and valleys in the stone. As the warband approached, Pebblits, all engulfed in flame, rose from their apparent slumber to attack the warriors. The Blacksmith slammed his hammer down on one, causing it to explode in a shower of flaming rock. Link followed suit, swinging his claymore, shattering one of the small stone creatures. The other soldiers joined in, smashing and slashing at the Pebblits. The more they destroyed, Link realized something, they were supposed to be in an exploding volcano. Where was the magma? Just as he wondered this, the floor beneath him shifted. All the soldiers slid, around, some falling over, and Link realized. They were standing on the Talus! The beast, apparently upset that the intruders were killing his children, shook and rolled around, trying to dislodge the attackers. One of the Gorons slid to the edge and fell off, out of Link’s sight. Link and the other Gorons struggled to keep their footing and slid towards the crags. Link was spilt up from the Gorons and only managed to stick with the two Hylians he had been sitting near. Behind him, the exit sealed itself with a shower of stone. As their massacre of the Pebblits subsided, the Talus calmed. Link regained his footing just as the other Hylians managed to stand up.
“Well, that was unexpected.” Said the pessimistic Hylian, straightening up his armor as if he wanted to keep it clean. Their armor was already coated in soot. The cave should have been pitch black, yet it was illuminated by a dim red glow, like the color of embers after a fire has burned down. Link began to walk down the cragway, waving for the men to follow him.
“Who made you the commander?” Asked the Hylian.
“He did more up there than either of us, I’ll follow him.” Said the other. The grumpy Hylian huffed and followed them. They walked through the body of the Talus, searching for anything to escape, or to kill the thing. As they crept through the tunnels, the three were jumped by a Pebblit walking down the tunnel. Trying not to kill the creature and wake the Talus, Link grabbed the creature and managed to flip it over, leaving it squirming around on the ground. They continued down the dark stony hallway, gripping their swords as if they were their only chance of life, which could possibly be the case. They continued, occasionally flipping a Pebblit here and there. They crept through the tunnels for what felt like an eternity. Suddenly, Link realized something, they were unimaginably deep within the creature. Link wondered if, perhaps, this creature had once been a normal Talus, small and insignificant, and if that was the case, the it should have a week spot. Link took a few turns, deeper into the creature. Just when he thought he might have been mistaken, he spied it. A large black crystal, just shorter than Link, and the one weakness of a Talus. Link pointed at it to his partners and rose his claymore, but just as he did, an explosion rocked the three men. A creature broke up through the stone, engulfed in magma, twice as tall as Link. It was tall, lacking legs, and enormous arms, slamming down on the stone in front of it. One of the Hylians gave out a cry, of fear or anger Link couldn’t tell. Link wasn’t fazed, he’d fought bigger. He charged up and slammed the creature with the claymore. The weapon shook, the force of the blow causing a ringing to echo through the small room. The other Hylians began to catch on to what Link was doing and charge dup to help wail on the creature. Their attack gave Link a chance to figure out how he might kill this creature. Then, as it slammed it’s arms down to try and crush one of Links fellow soldiers, he saw it, a similar crystal sat on the back of the beast’s head. Link gripped his claymore tightly and leapt from the ledge he had climbed onto. The blade smashed through the crystal, killing the creature instantly. It fell to the ground, crumbling into a pile of rubies and stone. It took much to long to kill the thing, and Link immediately began to smash at the crystal. The other Hylians joined in and began to shatter the crystal. The whole Talus shook and swayed as the three men destroyed the crystal. When there was naught but a small hunk of shiny black stone clinging to the stone at their feet. Link gripped his claymore with one hand and shoved his gauntleted hand into the stone, ripping up the crystal. The Talus they were inside gave a massive shudder before heaving to a stop. Link gave a sigh of relief and was joined by the optimistic Hylian. Just when he thought it was over, a crack appeared between Link’s feet. His eyes widened behind the chainmail sheet protecting his face.
“Run!” Shouted the unhappy Hylian. Link had the same idea and the three of them began to run through the caverns. Jumping over the forming cracks and trying not to fall through. It was at that moment Link realized the negatives of wearing armor. He was so much slower wearing a full suit of metal. He lugged the suit with him and tried not to slide down the crack. The sound was deafening, his ears ringing as he ran. Link guessed they should have been nearly at the surface by now, when just beneath him, the floor snapped in half, revealing a massive pool of flaming stone and magma. Link nearly fell, and the optimistic Hylian did. He slid and was almost launched into the hellish inferno yet Link managed to hurl his arm down and grip him on the forearm. With one arm he hauled him and managed to get him away from the edge. He continued gripping the man’s arm and motioned for the other to do the same. With both men holding onto Link’s arm, he ran up to the edge of the collapsing creature and fired the Hookshot. The chain flew out and launched into the rock side of the volcano. The ground left them, and Link felt an extreme amount of strain on his arms. The Talus sank into the crater, crumbling to pieces. Link and the two other men just dangled there, hanging off the wall.
“Well, this is unfortunate.” Shouted the Hylian gripping Link’s arm. Link stared up at how far he had to go until they’d make it to freedom. He swung the Hylains around to his belt, trying to gesture for them to grip it. Eventually they caught and grabbed it. Link then commenced to pull out his small sword, choosing that over his claymore, and jabbed it into a crag in the rocks. Then, he disengaged the Hookshot and fired again. Slowly, he managed to make it over the edge. Now safe, the three of them just laid down on the stone, panting. The sounds of stomping feet startled Link up. He peered over to see the Blacksmith and fewer Gorons than they had left with running towards them. Link was about to get the other Hylians’ attention when the Blacksmith embraced him. Link heard several bones in his back crack as the Goron shouted.
“Haha! You did it little man!” He dropped Link down and Link almost fell over. “We all tried to get out of there once some of our men got lost off the side. A few of us tried to charge inside, but, they never came back.” The other Hylians were now standing, receiving their own handshakes and back-pats from the elated Gorons. The Blacksmith grabbed Link’s arm and brought him to the edge of the crater.
“Do you see that?” Asked the Blacksmith, pointing at a pile of rubble near the crater. “That is our home, and now, thanks to you, we can rebuild.” Link tried to smile at the optimism in the Goron’s voice, but he knew how hopeless it would be.
Link sat beside the open chest. He held up his hold ■■■■■ of snapped mail, and after realizing he had a new suit of mail, discarded it. He realized he wouldn’t ever be able to carry his entire suit of armor and stuffed a few pieces in his pack before laying the rest inside the tent. Now back in his tattered old tunic and ragged pants, he stood, preparing to be on his way. As he exited the tent, the optimistic Hylian walked up to him.
“Hey, mister, I wanted to thank you for saving my hide back there.” He said, pulling out a small bag.
“Take anything you like; my family will understand. They’ll just be happy I came home in one piece.” Like peered and, and then, in the bottom of the bag beside several rupees, a small blue piece of ceramic. His fingers tingled as he pulled it out.
“Seriously? You want that? My daughter found that in the forests just outside of our home in Kakariko.” The man seamed to hold back the bag before saying. “You know what, take it.” Link grabbed the ceramic and put it into one of his pockets.
“Say, where are you headed?” Asked the Hylain. Link shrugged. “Well, you should stop by Kakariko. It’s one of the few safe places in Hyrule these days.” Link thought it wasn’t a half bad idea. He nodded to the man, and he smiled.
“Well, I have to be off, feel free to join me.” Link shifted his pack and followed the man off.
Link and his new friend walked could see the gate of Kakariko as they approached.
“You know, with how little you took, the least I can do is offer you a bed.” He said. Link nodded his thanks. “The name’s Gyde, by the way.” Link nodded again. The sun had set by the time they reached the gate, and the large metal grate looked imposing, much different to it way they had been fifteen years ago. Gyde produced a small metal key form his bag and unlocked it.
“I’m a guard here.” He whispered. Link nodded for a third time as they walked in. They silently moved through the dark town, trying not to wake anyone. Link was led to a house, sitting around the center of the town. Gyde opened the door and crept inside. He pointed to a small room set aside from the living room. Link understood and walked inside. He was so exhausted, as soon as he hit the soft down bed, he nearly fell asleep. Just as his eyes were about to close, he remembered something. He pulled out the small piece of ceramic and then drew out the nearly complete relic he had been building over the past month. He slowly put the pieces together, almost completing the item. His mind went fuzzy and slipped away.
Girad’s red eyes glinted in the rising sunlight.
“You know, Phelia and I should come with you.” He told Link as he helped him saddle his horse. Link smiled and shrugged. He knew Phelia had a class on how to interact with foreign dignitaries that day.
“My Grandma would enjoy seeing me again.” Girad said, brushing back his locks of light brown hair. “Well, you and Zelda should get going if you want to make it to Kakariko by midday.” Link smiled at his friend, thanking him for his help. He leapt up onto his horse and road over to Zelda as she waited at the gate. The two of them set off.
“You know, I hear Kakariko used to be a very important to Hyrule.” Zelda said as, by Link’s approximation, they neared the town. Link nodded, enjoying the trivia and the peaceful ride through the field. Within the hour Link and Zelda reached Kakariko. They road up to the gate and were met by a guard. He took one look at the crest on Zelda’s bridle and let them pass. They walked inside and made a direct line to the central house. The matriarch of the village would want to know that a member of the royal family had come into her town. As they entered the home, a woman sitting in a chair perked up.
“Link, is that you?” Came the frail voice of the woman. Link was aghast, as was Zelda. How had this woman known his name?
“Link, can’t you remember me? Or, are you, different, again?” She asked.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Impa, but how do you know Link?” Asked Zelda, walking up.
“Who’s there?” Asked Impa. She turned in the dim light, a lantern flashing against the woman’s white and blind eyes.
“It is I ma’am, Princess Zelda.” She said, walking up.
“Ah, the Princess. It has been long since I have seen the two of you together.” Impa said, turning back to Link. “You are different, like you have been before. I suppose I had hoped in vain.”
“Please, Mrs. Impa, I feel you are mistaken, we just arrived.” Zelda said.
“Link, come closer.” Impa said. Link walked up, slowly, not wanting to upset the old woman. “I am one of the last people to remember, but I would recognize the sound of the Hero’s footsteps anywhere.” The Hero? But, that was impossible, Link couldn’t be the Hero. He took a step back, surprised.
“No, please, don’t leave, I can explain everything. Come, sit with me.” She motioned to a pair of Shiekah decorated pillows. Link looked to Zelda, and she shrugged. Link sat down on the pillow, not sure what he was about to get himself into. Impa leaned back in her chair, sighing, before beginning a story.
“When I was just a little girl, during the Sealing War, my mother and I met a young man. Similar to you, Link, as he shared the same name, yet, his hair was brown, a dark brown, like the color of deep wood. I still remember him like I was there, he wasn’t much older than me at the time. He was looking for his family, but my mother knew there was something special about him. She gave him the tunic, the one of his ancestors, and his ancestors’ sword. I waited for him to return, and eventually, he did. After he had completed his quest, he returned the sword. He told my mother he no longer needed it, and that he was going to try and go back to his old life. I never saw him again. I waited, years upon years, for another Hero to come as my mother had told me. Eventually, my mother met with one who claimed to be the Hero. She was so old at the time, she didn’t know better. She gave him the Hero’s tunic, but withheld the sword. She didn’t believe he was worthy or had done anything to prove his worth. It was a feeling she had. The self-proclaimed Hero never did anything of worth in all his days. He claimed to have defeated Ganon, but I know in my heart, he was lying. Eventually, his time had come to an end, and I waited again. Many years, and eventually, another Hero appeared. He looked much like the first Hero I had met, with similar hair and other features, yet, I felt something was, off with this one. I gave him the tunic of the Hero before him, but, I didn’t give him the sword. I didn’t trust him, and…” The old woman trailed off. “That is of no importance. But now, you have arrived.” The woman creaked over and drew a small bundle from beneath her chair. She held it up to Link.
“I’m just happy that in my final years, I have been blessed with the presence of a Hero, possibly the last I will see.” She held it out to Link. He took the bundle and unwrapped it. He held up the green tunic, the fringes edged with yellow fabric, a hat, long and pointy, and wrapped inside the two items, a sword. A beautiful, gilded sword. It was at least three and a half feet long from hilt to blade with a bluish purple crossguard and pommel. The grip was wrapped in a piece of thick leather. He pulled the sword from the scabbard, holding it out in front of him. The blade was engraved with the Triforce on the bottom. His reflection flashed back at him, his own blue eyes piercing his gaze. He looked at the old woman, Impa, smiling at him.
“I know that you can feel the connection, I have waited nearly four hundred years to feel it from you.” She said. He could feel it. The blade was better balanced than any he had ever held, and, there was something else. A pulsing feeling in his veins, like he was meant to hold the sword. He returned the sword to the scabbard and thrust it back to the old woman. He couldn’t take it, he couldn’t shoulder the responsibility. He was to guard the princess, no more, no less.
“No, please, take it as a gift.” She said, pushing it back. Link looked at Zelda, and she gave him a look communicating that it was up to him. Reluctantly, he took the sword. If the old woman believed he was some fantastical Hero, then he’d at least honor her wishes while he was here. Now that he had accepted the sword, the elderly Impa relaxed and turned to Zelda, and Zelda was finally able to finish what she had tried to say earlier.
Link awoke in a soft down bed, still wearing his chainmail, his pack sitting beside the bed. The nearly completed instrument still sat in his hand. He stuffed it in his bag and rose from the bed. He exited the room and was greeted by seeing Gyde, a Shiekah woman, and three small Shiekah children, all sitting at a table.
“Ah, you’ve finally woken up.” Said Gyde.
“If the story you told me was true, I wouldn’t blame him.” Said the woman.
“Pardon me, this is my wife, Lyda, and my three children, Celieh, Ila, and Dok. He said, pointing to each of the children. The two youngest smiled while the eldest girl just waved. Gyde pointed at a chair and Link sat down while Lyda made some sort of breakfast.
“And what might your name be?” Inquired Lyda.
“Link?” Came a frail voice from another room. Everyone froze. Gyde walked into another room and said.
“Grandma, what are you doing out of bed?” Before an ancient and decrepit woman came out of the room.
“I thought you were dead.” Using an engraved wooden cane, the woman walked over to Link. By the Godess, it was Impa! Link stood up is surprise, sliding his chair back with an irritating screech.
“Grandma, you know this man?” Gyde asked. Impa looked like she was about to say something before she collapsed. Gyde grabbed her before she hit the floor and Link rushed over to help him. Together they helped the unconscious woman into her bedroom.
“What in Hyrule is going on here?” Gyde said standing beside the bed. Link wanted to explain, but he didn’t know how. He himself had thought Impa was dead. Link looked up at his host, and then back down to the old woman. Just as Gyde opened his mouth Impa stirred. She turned over and looked at Link.
“Link, it’s so good to see you again.” She said, short of breath. She moved a hand to grab his.
“Did you do it? Did you use the sword well?” Link’s other hand clenched. He didn’t want to remember what happened.
“Here.” She said, withdrawing her hand, but leaving something inside of Link’s. “She told me to save this for you… So, that, you can heal…” She sighed and passed onto the bed. Gyde put a hand to her wrist and said.
“She’s gone.” Link opened his hand to see a small, almost insignificant piece of blue ceramic. His fist closed back in on itself and shuddered. He put his other hand on Impa’s arm and sighed. “Goodbye friend.” Link stayed inside, clutching the dead woman’s arm. It had been a long time since he had seen a friend, die… He walked out of the room and was met with Gyde’s wife and eldest child weeping quietly. He walked into the room he was lent but and grabbed his pack, yet was stopped on the way back.
“You’re leaving already?” Gyde said, stepping between Link and the door. Link gave an apologetic nod.
“Alright, but, just, tell me, who are you?” Link looked over to Impa’s room, and Gyde turned to it as well. “Link?” Link nodded, walked past the man and left the home.
Link held his new sword in his hands, inspecting the magnificent work of the scabbard, as he and Zelda rode their horses down the path.
“Well, our stay in Kakariko was nice.” Zelda said. Link nodded and smiled at her. They continued to ride along for a short while before Link spied something. A streak of blood, running from the road off beyond a hill. Link slowed his horse and Zelda spoke up.
“What is it?” Link held up his hand, motioning for her to stay back. He drew his new sword, now would be as good a time as any to try it out. As he slowly made his way down the path, now clad in his new tunic and hat. He followed the path of sticky brown liquid he was now unsure was blood. It reeked and he dared not touch it. He came to the opening of a cave, apparently once hidden somehow, as he saw a crumble of rocks sitting on the ground in front of the opening. He entered the cave. It was almost pitch black. As he walked through the wall, he noticed several of the bodies lying on the ground, each slashed by a sword. He gripped his sword tighter. This was not normal. Link soon came upon a large open room with a casket sitting in the center. Link approached it and was met with that same horrendous smell. He placed and hand to his mouth and nose and left the center. As he walked away, he was met with and almost tripped over one of the corpses. It moaned, and his hands fled down to turn it over. A man, wearing clothes like those of the other people lying around the cave. The man hissed and chuckled.
“I told him you’d come, but he didn’t believe me.” Link’s eyebrow rose and he frowned. What was this man getting at? Light footsteps clopped behind him and Link turned around to see Zelda rushing up to him.
“Link, what’s taking you so-, oh goddesses.” She said as she assuredly approached the entrance. She walked up and the man hissed again.
“He’s there, in the temple of time, waiting for you…” He turned his head to the side and breathed a long scratching sigh. “The dark has risen.” His last breath flowed out as he breathed no more. Zelda was wide eyed, and so was Link. He had just found an obscure cave filled with bodies, been given a cryptic message, and been left with a dead body in his hands. Who wouldn’t be shaken? He looked up at Zelda, and she gave him a worried look before saying.
“I suppose we should visit the temple of time.”
Link’s eyes opened back up and was left sitting in the middle of the road with his hand in his bag. He put his hands to his face, wiped away some tears he didn’t know he’d cried and stood up. He pulled his hands out of his bag, and in them, realized he was holding his nearly completed instrument. He stood up and held it close to his face. It was now only missing a small piece. As he inspected it closely, he began to hear a light humming. Like a light note, similar to that of when he pushed the pieces close together. He turned, still holding it in his hand, and the noise faded out. He turned back, and the sound resumed. Odd. Link walked closer in the direction of the noise, and it grew slightly. He began to follow the sound. It continued to hum as he walked through the woods, dodging trees and stones as he moved through the forrest. Within an indiscriminate amount of time, he began to recognize his surroundings. His mind screamed in protest, but he refused to turn away. Now was not the time to let his fear and regret take over. He walked up the stone steps, gingerly avoiding the cracked pieces of rubble. As he crossed the threshold, he felt his mind slip again.
Zelda walked up and put a hand on the stone pillars of the crumbling monument.
“You know, there’s something strangely familiar about this place.” Link felt the same way. The whole place felt very, different, unlike anything he’d ever seen. Zelda turned around, walked over and gripped Link’s hand.
“You know, we’ve been spending a lot of time together.” She said. Link began to feel slightly uneasy.
“I, I just wanted, incase anything ever happened, to give you this.” She held out a small blue egg-shaped thing.
“This is something that’s been passed down in my family, the ocarina of time, or something like that. My mother gave it to me, and, I’d like you to have it.” She pressed it into his hands, and he took it. Grabbing her arm and clutching it to convey his thanks. Then, she pulled it out of his and said.
“Here, I’ll show you how to play song. My mother used to play it for me before bead.” A flow of beautiful notes flowed from the instrument. After finishing the song, she said.
“Here, let me show you how to play.”
Link continued inside the building, the instrument still glowing and humming. He walked past the rows of pews set before the massive slab of stone. As he moved forward, he placed his hand on the slab of stone, and felt his mind slip away again.
“Link, over here.” Came Zelda’s voice. Link strode over, keeping a hand on his sword. “This looks like some sort of music.” She said, pointing to the row of notes and bars. “Let’s see if you can play it.” Link tried for a short while, and then managed to hit every note. To his surprise, he was right back to the moment when Zelda had called him over, except this time, he was extremely disoriented.
“Let’s see if you can play it.” She repeated. Link shook his head while putting his hands on his face.
“Oh, alright.” Zelda said, slightly confused, before walking through into another room.
The sound of the instrument was deafening. Link now passed the strange rock, still carved with the same notes. He now stood in the enormous open room he was all to familiar with.
Link followed Zelda into the room. It was dark and musty. The whole place smelled like death, causing Link to grip his sword tighter. Suddenly, he felt an enormous force beat him in the back. His sword skittered along the floor. He fell to his knees, gasping for air. Zelda turned and looked at him.
“What, Link, what happened?” She was now in the center of the room. And Link opened his mouth to scream. A sword, his sword, pierced through Zelda’s chest. Her gasp of pain laid over a thick and dark chuckle. She fell to her knees, giving Link a heart-wrenching look, before sliding off the blade. Link’s mind screamed out in pain and horror. Behind Zelda, a horrific sight appeared. A dark form, bearing the semblance of a corpse, bent over with the weight of the sword, clouded in an otherworldly shadow with piercing red eyes. A hissing voice emanated forth from the creature.
“One down…” Link ripped the Ocarina from his belt, placing it to his lips. He remembered the song he had played just moments before. He quickly tired to play a few notes, all the wrong ones, his mind racing and his heart panicking. The creature walked over and batted the instrument out of Link’s hands.
“Now, we can’t have that.” Hissed the beast. Link looked at the hand that it gripped his sword with. The licks of shadow tore and flew around the decaying hand, as if they were violently trying to get hold of the blade. The creature stagger walked over to the pedestal in the middle of the room, and upon reaching it, rose the sword above his head, and slammed it down into the slit on top of the stone relic. A flash of light flew down from Hylia knows where and enveloped the beast. Link shielded his eyes for a few moments before the light cut out, and everything became very dark. Everything, except the man’s eyes. A less raspy voice came from the direction of the, thing.
“You know, I should thank you.” The thing twirled Link’s sword. “If you hadn’t brought the sword, I would have never been able to access the aegis.” Link just lay there on the ground, the hopelessness finally sinking into him.
“Now, if you excuse me, I have more work to do.” Said the man before leaving the temple, sword in hand. Link was now just laying on his stomach alone, in the dark. Tears now forcing their way down his face, he crawled over to Zelda’s body, and just held his friend close to his chest while sitting in the dark.
Tears rolled down Link’s face as he knelt on the cracked and overgrown floor of the temple sword room. He was clutching the instrument so hard he felt he’d break it again. He’d spent so long burying it, so long trying to keep the memories from coming back. He failed. He had failed Zelda, he had failed Hyrule, he had failed everyone. He was sorry, he was so sorry. Then, in front of him, he saw a small piece of blue ceramic. He stretched his hand down and grabbed it, leaning back and holding it close to the instrument. The humming and light grew greater than they had before, and with a flash, it was complete. Link sat there, on his knees, holding the Ocarina of Time in his hands. He slowly put it to his lips. His mind flew back to the first song he had ever learned. The notes flowed out, one by one, forming the lullaby Zelda had taught him. On the final note, his mind went fuzzy, a flash of images flew into his mind, of a house out in the wilds, and then, a voice, a familiar voice, calling out.
“Link…”
