Ocarina of Time Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Twilight

As the wind carried the frightful snarls of the wolfos and Link's desperate screams, Navi raced towards the wagon, the same one she and Link had spotted earlier.

When she arrived, she found the wagon driver standing beside the road, speaking to two gentlemen who also stood beside the wagon. A third smaller figure was peering anxiously at them from the wagon seat. The farmers had grabbed a crude assortment of weapons and appeared to be debating what to do. The red-haired girl, a bow already in hand, saw Navi approaching and cried out.

"Look, papa! A fairy!"

"Not now!" The wagon driver's voice was stern, but then Navi's azure glow caught his attention. He squinted at her, as though wondering if his eyes were deceiving him.

If the men gathered around the cart were surprised to see a fairy in their midst, they didn't show it. Nobody questioned Navi's frantic plea, for they had all heard Link's scream. The man barked an order to the two other men, presumably farmhands, and they sprinted off towards the village gates.

"Wolfos!" they cried. " Wolfos!"

Their shouts raised a clamor amongst the watchers standing on the town wall. People began pouring out of the town gates, an array of weapons in hand. Meanwhile, the farmer hefted his shovel over one shoulder and started running towards Link. His daughter followed him, an arrow already notched to her bow. In that short space of time, Link's heart-wrenching screams had faded into a deathly silence.

No, you'd be dead too, she told herself. He's not dead... he's not...

She raced towards Link as fast as she could. By the time she reached him, the remaining wolfos and the bulblins were retreating. Navi's only thoughts were for the bloodied and limp child lying sprawled in the grass. He'd killed two of the wolves, no small feat for a boy as young and inexperienced as he was.

"Link?"

The boy wasn't moving. Panic threatened to overwhelm Navi's senses as she flew towards him.

It's happening again.

Icy horror swept over her as she took in Link's appearance. The hounds had torn open the side of his face and chunks of flesh had been ripped from one arm and leg. Link's face was a sickly gray. Navi had seen this sight before, and it threatened to bring back a flood of painful memories.

No, Goddesses, please, not again!

Her plea fell on deaf ears. Navi would have prayed to the forest spirits, but they were too far away to hear. She flew down towards the boy, sparing a glimpse for the farmer running towards him. His daughter clutched her bow, running ahead. Still hollering loudly, the villagers ran past her.

"Link!" Navi called.

No response.

Please don't be dead.

"Oh, Link... Please." His eyelids twitched at the sound of her voice. He was still alive. Barely. "Stay awake! I've got help," Navi begged him. "Please, stay awake!"

Link's eyes fluttered open, and his gaze seemed to wander, glazed and unfocused.

"Navi," he whispered faintly.

Navi almost had to fly over to his mouth to hear him.

"The bulblins," Link rasped feebly. "They have the emerald. They took it."

Navi stared in petrified disbelief. Everything was going wrong too fast. "What? The Emerald-"

She looked around, searching for the bulblins. To her dismay, they were getting away.

I can catch up to them.

She did not want to leave Link's side, but there was nothing she could do for him, and letting the bulblins get away would only make things worse.

Get the stone, she told herself. The farmers can help Link.

Navi glanced back, meeting Link's frightened gaze. He didn't want to be alone, but Navi knew what she must do, and that knowledge cut her deepy. She had not been with her last Kokiri when he died.

I'm sorry, she thought. "Hang on, Link. I'll be back in a moment-"

Navi wasn't exactly sure what she was going to do. If the bulblins were after the stone, then someone knew it was in Link's possession.

The Desert Man, Navi thought. How did he even know that Link had the stone?

A loud screech alerted Navi to the bird flying towards her. For a heart-stopping moment, Navi thought it was after her. Sometimes she really wished she didn't resemble a glowing orb. It was a distinct disadvantage around hungry wildlife. The owl's sharp talons came within inches of her, and she was buffeted by the bird's enormous wings. As it flew past, Navi recognized the bird.

"Kaepora!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, shooting towards him. "They have the emerald!"

"I saw!" Kaepora shouted back.

He swooped down at the wolfos first, raking his steel-like talons straight into the wretched beast's eyes. The animal howled pitifully as its vision went dark, leaving the sightless hound to stagger through the grass. The agonized cries of the wolfos made the bulblins turn around. With enraged shouts, they notched arrows to bows.

"Kaepora, look out!" Navi screamed.

She darted forward, flying low to the ground as the Bulblins took aim. Then, in one quick motion, she flew up into the face of one of the monsters. The beast flinched, and the shaft went wide. The snarling beast aimed a furious backhand at Navi, which she deftly avoided.

Kaepora crashed straight into the other bulblin, sending predator and prey sprawling into the grass. Its companion, having recovered from Navi's attempt to swat its eyes, spun around to face the owl.

To the Bulblin's dismay, Kaepora had its companion clutched within his claws. Kaepora released his hapless prey, sending it crashing straight into the other Bulblin. The two beasts tumbled and rolled down the hill with a stream of curses. As they did, a bright green object was knocked flying from their possession.

The emerald!

Navi dove towards it.

The bulblins, having disentangled themselves from each other, were too busy focusing on Kaepora to notice Navi's glowing form. By the time one of the Bulblins saw her, Navi's small hands were closing around the emerald. She grabbed it and rapidly took off.

"I have it," Navi yelled.

Kaepora screeched in reply, still occupied in his attempts to kill the Bulblin. The stone rescued, Navi's exhilaration vanished faster than a candle being extinguished.

Link was no longer lying on the ground; the farmer she'd met earlier was carrying his small limp form.

"Go to him, Navi. I will join you soon," Kaepora called as he circled around before making another dive.

A shout rose from the bulblins as they spotted Navi and gave chase. They didn't get far. Kaepora's talons sunk straight into the eyes of one bulblin and it let out a wail of pain. A villager put it out of its misery by slamming a shovel over its head. Another villager joined his comrade, and they quickly swung their crude weapons into the wounded wolfos. Kaepora turned, veering around to attack the final bulblin. Seeing the villagers closing in on it, Kaepora broke off his attack and swooped into the air. It was probably a good thing he did; several villagers were pointing at him, no doubt contemplating if he was a threat.

~ 0 ~

When Navi returned to Link, he was barely breathing. One quick look at the farmer's face told her that he didn't expect the boy to survive.

Nevertheless, he loaded the boy into a cart and turned to face his fellow Hylians as they crowded around him. The man quickly fended them off, assuring them he'd look after the injured child. He sent one of his neighbors off in search of a healer, and a second woman ran off to the village apothecary. Despite the chaos, the farmer quickly made his way to the front of the wagon and climbed into his seat while his daughter jumped in the back. The cart started rumbling as fast as the farmer could permit and the two horses managed a quick pace towards the farm.

Navi landed beside Link's torn face, dropping the stone beside him. She took in the sight of his mangled body and the weight of it all almost crushed her.

"Please, don't die," she begged, watching the shallow rise and fall of Link's chest.

The girl sitting beside Link, using a sack as a seat, did not waste a second. With a small knife, she cut strips of cloth and tied them around Link's bloodied limbs to slow the bleeding. Navi knew that the bindings couldn't be left there for long, not without causing more harm than good. She wanted to suggest using Deku Baba roots. They could slow a man's heart while his injuries were treated. Unfortunately, Navi doubted any apothecary would be insane enough to keep a Deku Baba. Or maybe they would; healers would pay a fortune for them, and they did grow in Faron Woods.

As the girl splashed a potion onto the bites, and then applied a thick green paste from another bottle, she said something about caring for the animals on the ranch whenever they were hurt.

"Dad and I will do everything we can for your friend," she said gently.

"Thanks," Navi replied with a deep, shuddering breath.

"You said your name was Navi, didn't you?"

Navi nodded, gulping down a shuddering breath before asking, "What's yours?"

"Malon."

As they came to the gates of Lon Lon Ranch, Malon finished bandaging Link's wounded arm and leg.

Meanwhile, the villagers down the hill were slowly returning to the town. Several of their fellows stayed behind to retrieve the bodies of the bulblins and the wolfos. No doubt to burn them; the Hylians were a superstitious lot and believed that not burning the remains of such creatures was bad luck.

Malon stroked Navi gently with a warm hand. Navi dropped down beside the Kokiri Emerald and placed it in the pocket of Link's tunic. She tried desperately to hold back the sobs that threatened to take hold. She watched as the three farmhands returned, carrying Link's gear and their weapons. The cart finally drew to a halt inside the ranch, and the gates swung shut.

~ 0 ~

Link found himself walking through the hall of an ancient temple. The windows revealed a world bathed in the somber glow of twilight and nothing stirred within the empty hall. Confused, Link looked down at himself and froze as he realized he no longer bore the savage wounds from the wolfos, nor was his skin marked by the various injuries he'd sustained. Greatly unnerved, Link glanced about at his surroundings.

Where am I? he wondered.

The cold stone walls of the ancient monolith dwarfed him, rising up to the ceiling, which Link could barely make out in the dim light. Candelabras stood beside the long stone pillars that flanked the center aisle, casting a soft light upon the myriad of carvings along the walls. The scenes worked into the stone were strange and unfamiliar. Link recognized the Triforce on one mural, held up by three women in long robes. A crowd of people knelt before them, and he guessed that these three figures were probably the Goddesses. The second mural, to Link's right, depicted seven people clad in long robes that were standing beneath the sacred relic. One of these figures was a tall woman with a crown upon her head and a sword clasped in one hand.

Weird, Link thought as he surveyed the room a second time. Am I dead?

Though death was rare amongst the Kokiri, they did have an afterlife. One in which the spirits of the deceased became part of the woods. Link was rusty on the specifics. He couldn't remember if it involved being reincarnated, whereupon the deceased became some sort of dryad that resembled a fusion of tree and Kokiri, or becoming a spirit and watching over creation until the end of time.

I must have fallen asleep during that particular story. He certainly didn't remember anything involving large temples with strange murals featuring people who were not Kokiri.

Determined to work out if this place was just a dream, he strode over to one of the candelabras. If he was dreaming, then surely the candle flame couldn't hurt him? He held his hand over one of the candles and felt the warmth radiating from it. He snapped his hand back, startled.

He wasn't dreaming. Then where was this place?

Another look around the room revealed no clues as to where he was. Was he in the Sacred Realm?

No, that can't be right.

He needed four items to gain access to it. He remembered that much, wishing Navi were with him; she'd have no trouble explaining where they were.

"Hello?" Link called. "Navi?"

Only the stones answered him with an echoing call. He was alone.

A large hexagonal dais stood in the middle of the marble floor with the symbol of the Triforce in its center. It looked familiar, almost like the ancient dais in front of the Forest Temple, except that this one wasn't covered in moss and lichen, nor had the years chipped away at its surface.

Suddenly, Link could hear whispering. He jumped and spun around, certain there was someone behind him.

"Who's there?" he called. His throat was feeling tight now, and it was an effort to keep his voice from shaking. "Stop hiding!"

Still, the whispers continued.

This was getting beyond creepy. The hairs on the back of Link's neck were standing on end, his heart was thundering rapidly, and the temple's walls seemed to be closing in on him. The spacious hall now seemed small and confining.

I have to find out where I am.

More than that, he wanted to get away from the haunting whispers. Link turned to the front doors. They were taller than Link's treehouse and intricately carved with woven branches and leaves. With a tinge of dread, Link wondered if he'd be able to open them at all. Determined to find out, he strode forward and then placed a hand against one of the doors.

"If you step beyond those doors, you will never return to Hyrule."

A loud voice rang out through the hall and Link's heart leaped into his throat. He spun around, one hand reaching for a sword he did not have.

A woman stood upon the dais at the center of the hall. She was twice the height of a Kokiri and shrouded from head to toe in a forest green robe. An emerald green cowl hid most of her face, and Link could only see a small tuft of dark hair poking out from beneath the hood. The woman lowered her cowl, and her green eyes seemed to stare right into his soul. A faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips, but it was far from reassuring.

"Who- who are you?" Link asked, taking a step back, only to bump into the door. "Where did you come from?"

"Peace, child," the woman soothed. "Don't be afraid."

"I'm not afraid," Link said with feigned confidence.

"Of course not." The woman chuckled quietly to herself, making it clear she didn't believe him.

"Who are you?" Link repeated.

"I go by many names," the woman said with an air of mystery. "In Hyrule, they call me Farore."

Farore. One of the Golden Goddesses? Though the Kokiri recognized their existence, they only worshiped the forest spirits and Farore. The latter was also known as the Mother Goddess, the Creator. At first, Link thought he must have misheard.

"Wait, as in the Goddess Farore?" he asked.

"Farore will do, child," Farore said. "I do not care much for the elaborate titles I am often bestowed."

"I-I don't understand," Link stammered. "One moment I was in Hyrule Field then...I was here." He cast his eyes around the room. "Where am I?"

"Your spirit stands at the gateway between the realm you call Hyrule and the Realm of the Dead."

"Gateway to the realm of..." Link faltered as he repeated this. His eyes widened as he realized what she was saying."Am I dead? Is that why it doesn't hurt anymore where the wolfos got me?"

Link's voice seemed so small, and an icy fear gripped his chest as he grasped the full weight of Farore's words.

Will I ever see the forest again? He thought of his promise to Saria, and a painful knot began coiling in his chest. I said I would come back.

Before Link could contemplate any further, Farore replied, her voice never losing its soft tone. It was as sweet and gentle as a flute on a spring's night.

"You are not dead yet, child," Farore said. "Your body was gravely wounded, but you may return to it, if you touch the blade in the room beyond this one," Farore gestured to the large archway at the far end of the hall. "Should you choose to walk through the doors instead," she indicated the doors behind him, "then your body will perish and so will Hyrule. The one you call the Desert Man will prevail."

Link was more confused than ever.

"What do you mean... Can't you just destroy the Desert Man yourself? I mean, you're supposed to be all powerful, aren't you?" Link asked. "I'm just a Kokiri. How am I supposed to do anything?"

More than ever, he was aware of how feeble his strength was. He might have gotten lucky with the gohma, but against mightier and more cunning foes, he was but a wolf cub snapping at the heels of his betters.

Farore laughed bitterly, making Link distinctly uncomfortable.

"My sisters and I are powerful. That is true," she said. "But we are far from omnipotent, as many call us. If we were all powerful, then yes, we would return to do battle with the demon possessing Ganondorf."

"Who's Ganadawf?" Link asked, stumbling over the name. He cringed inwardly, feeling a warm flush of embarrassment, but Farore didn't seem to mind.

"Ganondorf," she corrected. "He is the one you call the Desert Man."

"Oh. So... why is he trying to get into the Sacred Realm to get the Triforce?"

"He wants it for himself, to claim its power. Long ago, we created this hallowed relic to safeguard both Hyrule and the Sacred Realm, but it came at a terrible cost. Many measures were taken to ensure it couldn't fall into the wrong hands."

"I- I don't understand." So many questions buzzed in Link's head that he couldn't make sense of what he was hearing. What did she mean by measures?

"You will understand in time. For now, you have a choice to make, and you don't have long. As your spirit lingers here, your body grows weaker. The two cannot remain apart for long."

"How am I going to fight Ganondorf alone?" Link asked desperately, frustrated that she hadn't answered his question. "The Great Deku Tree was the most powerful being I have known, but Gana- Ganondorf killed him."

Link thought he could see a flicker of sadness in Farore's gaze, but it quickly vanished.

"You will not be alone in your fight, Link. That, I can promise you. There will always be those who will aid you, and I will grant you my blessings as I have always done. Have courage and believe in your strengths."

With that, she stepped to the side of the dais. As she gestured towards the archway, Link gazed at her.

"You must decide, Link." Farore's voice was firm now, but not unkind. "You can choose to leave Hyrule, safe from fear or pain, or you can return."

Link's thoughts turned to Navi. He could still see her horror-stricken gaze as she took in the gravity of his wounds. He thought of Saria, the Kokiri, and The Great Deku Tree. Link had promised to find Princess Zelda and had promised himself that he would avenge the forest guardian's death. He'd also pledged to protect the Kokiri.

Leaving Hyrule to its fate would mean breaking those promises.

"Decide, Link," Farore said firmly. "If you linger here and return to Hyrule after your body has perished, you will be reduced to a shade, left to wander amongst the shadows forever. Even I would be hard-pressed to help you then."

Her words sent a shiver of foreboding down Link's spine. He didn't like the sounds of that at all.

A part of him was hoping this was a dream and that he would just wake up, safe in his little treehouse. He looked out at the windows to see the cool glow of twilight, quickly fading to black.

I made a promise to The Great Deku Tree, he thought. I won't break it.

Link regarded Farore for a moment, and then his decision made, and without a word, he walked past her. The Goddess's smile seemed to broaden as he strode towards the archway. He passed between stone plinths, most of them empty, except for three plinths at the end of the room. These bore statues carved into the likeness of a Hylian, each figure wielding an identical sword with an amber gem fused into the crossguard. The hilt of each sword was a striking sapphire blue and shaped like the wings of a soaring bird. Link wandered past the statues and through an archway at the end of the room. Here, in the vast chamber beyond, he came across another stone dais that was far larger than the one in the hall behind him. A flight of stairs stood in front of him, leading to the raised platform and the pedestal in its centre. Resting at the heart of this pedestal, buried almost up to its hilt, a sword with a gleaming sapphire hilt awaited him.

He knew instantly that this was no ordinary blade. Though it was nearly identical to the blades held by the statues in the previous chamber, it seemed somehow... alive. The only thing Link could think of that felt remotely similar was the vibrant hum of magic that had flowed from the Great Deku Tree.

The blade shone with a faint blue luster, and an amber glow radiated from its hilt. It blazed brighter and brighter, its brilliance almost overwhelming as Link ascended the dais and reached out to touch the sapphire hilt.

As his fingers brushed the crossguard, everything went dark.

"Today is not the day you die, Link." Farore's voice whispered faintly in the darkness.

A light flickered in the void. It was like the comforting glow of a fairy, guiding him through an infinite darkness, assuring him that all he had to do was follow. If he did that, everything would be alright. Though he couldn't have said how he did it, Link reached for that tiny flickering light. He touched it, warmth flooded through him, and his vision went white.

~ 0 ~

Voices.

That was the first thing Link noticed. They were muffled, as though his ears were full of water. Then came the pain, and when it did, he wanted nothing more than to drift back into that blissful void.

Link moaned, pain tearing through his weakened body. He gasped, forcing his eyes open. Or at least he tried to. Everything seemed shrouded in a thick fog. Dark shapes moved beside him and Link cried out, his voice no more than a pitiful groan.

What's happening?

A firm hand pushed him back as he twisted in wretched agony. He retched, tasting bile, but his stomach was empty. Even that meager effort almost made him convulse. Someone had hold of him, gently pushing his back against something soft. They pressed a bottle against his cracked lips. Link swallowed the warm liquid, trying to gulp it down.

Before he could drink anymore, the potion was taken away. He moaned weakly in protest. Then everything darkened again, and he slipped back into the void of unconsciousness.

Link woke several times after that, still unable to make much sense of his surroundings. Twice he woke up shivering and cold, only to lapse back into that dark void again. Then he'd wake up drenched in sweat, his skin burning, trying in vain to call out to Saria. Unconsciousness was his only escape.

Eventually, some clarity returned to him. He would wake up, crying out for Saria and wondering why she wouldn't help him, unable to realise that she couldn't. He remembered someone talking to him. Sometimes it was Navi, but other times the soft words were the wrong pitch for a fairy.

Once more, his mind was stirred by the sound of people talking, and Link forced his eyes open, squinting at the brightness of the sun streaming through a window. He was in some sort of sickroom. There was a man with a red top and blue overalls standing beside his bed, speaking to someone beyond Link's vision. Something about him was familiar. Link tried to sit up, but found all but the barest movement impossible.

Noticing Link was awake, the man offered him a good-natured smile and said something, motioning towards the bedside table. Link didn't understand a word.

Sensing Link's conundrum, the man offered Link a hand to sit up against a bundle of soft pillows. They were a lot more comfortable than those itchy sacks he was accustomed to. Link blinked, his eyelids still heavy with fatigue, and got his first real look at his surroundings. He was tucked within the snug, warm confines of a double blanket. Navi was hovering nearby, her face ashen and exhausted, and a girl with red hair stood at the edge of his bed.

Link was too weak and too delirious to accept the bowl of broth the man now offered to him. Seeing this, the man spooned the simple meal into Link's mouth and urged him to swallow.

Link swallowed a second spoonful and Navi hastily spoke up, "Drink slowly."

He did as Navi bid him, which was just as well as by the third mouthful, his stomach was seized by sudden cramps. Shaking his head to refuse any more, Link sank back into the pillows, waiting for the cramps to pass.

The man said something to Navi, but Link still didn't recognize any of the words.

"You've lost a lot of blood. You need to try and eat," Navi told him. When Link didn't respond, too busy glancing between his fairy and the man, Navi added, "This is Talon and his daughter, Malon."

She indicated the red-haired girl, who smiled warmly at Link and spoke in a language he didn't recognise.

After a few moments, which gave Link's stomach a moment to settle, Talon gave him a few more mouthfuls of broth and then placed the bowl on the nightstand. As the food settled in his queasy stomach, Link looked about the room.

He was indeed in a small sickroom, its wooden floor and walls reminding him of home, though they lacked any recognisable scent. The furnishings were unfamiliar, except for the animal pelt draping the floor. To Link's dismay, he was clad in a white top and leggings in place of his tunic, and his injured limbs were both heavily bandaged and immobile.

Link wasn't able to take in much more; fatigue was dragging him back down into the pillow. Talon helped him lie back down and then drew the blankets back over Link's chest. He said something and Navi responded. Link didn't understand what was said as he once more slipped into a dreamless sleep.

When Link woke next, the sun was high in the noonday sky, its light bathing the room. He felt weaker than a day-old wolf cub and his limbs were stiff from so little movement. Pushing himself up on his elbows, he tried to sit up. A wave of pain seized him, and with a soft moan, he collapsed back into the pillow.

"Link?"

Navi was by his side within seconds. She looked him over once and then darted out the door. He heard her calling someone, but he didn't recognize what else was said.

Navi quickly returned, soon followed by Talon and his young daughter. A third person followed them, a woman with red eyes. Link had never seen someone with eyes quite as piercing as hers. Her faint smile might have been well-intended, but it just unsettled him more. Malon didn't seem too happy to see her either, as she was looking anywhere but at the red-eyed woman.

The fear must have shown on Link's face because Navi quickly reassured him, "It's alright. This is Ciara. She's been looking after you."

The woman said something, and Navi translated.

"How are you feeling?"

"Thirsty," Link croaked, "and hungry."

At Navi's response, Malon slipped back through the door. Ciara eased Link into a sitting position, propping a pillow up behind him. The brief motion made the world lurch and sway, as if Link were a branch battered by an unceasing wind.

Trying to ignore this, Link focused his attention on the two people in front of him. Ciara was looking him up and down, deep in thought, while Talon smiled good-naturedly.

"Did you rescue me? " Link asked, his voice a dry rasp.

"We did," Navi translated Talon's response. "We weren't sure you were going to make it, but it seems you're a tough one, lad."

Malon returned at that moment, offering him a cup of water.

"Sip it," Navi told him. "I should've guessed you'd come around the moment food was involved. You did last time."

Link was too busy staring at Malon to notice Navi's comment. The girl's warm smile, the familiar scent of animals, and the grass on her dress, all reminded him of home. When he noticed Malon's smile wilting, he realised he was staring too much. He smiled sheepishly and looked down at the sheets, embarrassed.

Murmuring quietly to herself, Ciara pressed a hand to his forehead before examining his various injuries. Apparently satisfied, she went about changing the dressing on his arm and leg. Curiosity and fear warred within Link, and when the former won, he glanced down at his leg. There were several wounds that had been sutured closed, the skin around the stitches still a discolored mess of red and purple, but it wasn't as bad as Link had imagined.

"She says you are healing well," Navi told him.

At that moment, a tall, lean man came into the room bearing a steaming bowl of broth. He handed it to Talon and then left without pause. Propping the bowl on a tray, Talon offered it to Link, allowing the boy to try and eat without extra help.

As Link sipped the broth, aware of the sick feeling still lingering in his gut, Talon had a brief conversation with Ciara. Link focused on his food, prompted by Navi to take small spoonfuls. He only managed a few mouthfuls until he yielded to his stomach's nauseating protests.

Ciara prompted him to eat more, but Link shook his head. Accepting his refusal, she bid Link farewell and then swept out the door.

"Why are her eyes red?" Link asked, unable to contain his curiosity. He was glad to find his voice was a little stronger now.

"She's a Sheikah. They all have red eyes. Well, the full-blooded Sheikah do," Navi explained. "Ciara is a healer from a nearby town."

Before Link could question Navi further, Talon ushered Malon out of the room, handing her the unfinished broth, and then helped Link lie down again.

Something nagged at the back of his mind as Link tried to work out how he'd ended up in this room with a Hylian and Sheikah. His memory was foggy, and the last thing he remembered clearly was his first glimpse of Castletown. After that, his memory was little more than confused fragments, filled with terrifying images.

"How do you feel?" Navi asked, zipping onto one of the bedposts.

"Tired and sore," Link managed wearily.

"I'm not surprised," Navi said. "After what happened when we were attacked, I wasn't sure you'd make it. I wanted to stop them, but-" Navi's words faltered as her eyes traced the scars along Link's cheek, "I wasn't able to do much."

Her words acted as a trigger to his fragmented memories, and Link suddenly recalled what had transpired on the road to Lon Lon.

One of the bulblins looked at him, staring into his terrified eyes. "The stone..." it growled in rough sounding Kokiri. "Give stone!"

Link opened his mouth a crack and a tired groan escaped his lips.

Unsatisfied by this, the bulblin kicked him sharply in the torso, making him groan pitifully.

"The stone!" the bulblin growled, giving no care to Link's condition or the pain he was in. "Give stone!"

"Link?"

Navi's voice brought him out of his memories. As Link recalled what had happened, and how the emerald had been taken from him, he shivered.

"What happened to the Emerald?" he asked, unable to keep the fear from his voice.

"I took it back off the Bulblins, with Kaepora's help," Navi answered. The numbing fear that was crushing Link's chest lifted, replaced with a brief swell of relief. There was something odd about Navi's tone; she sounded strangely unhappy, which confused him.

"I thought I'd lost it," Link told her, hoping she'd meet his eyes. "Thanks, Navi."

Navi's smile was a sad thing. "You're welcome," she said, still not looking at him, her voice hushed. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"Navi..." Link frowned, baffled by Navi's behavior. It almost sounded as if she was upset at him. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," Navi said crisply. "Really."

"Are you angry because I got hurt?"

"Angry at you?" Navi sounded appalled, finally meeting his gaze. "No, of course not... why would you even think I was mad at you? It wasn't your fault... It's just," she heaved a sigh and hung her head. "It's not you, Link. It's just... I'm supposed to be your guardian fairy and all I can do half the time is float and splutter."

Link winced.

Navi turned away again and flew onto the nightstand.

"Navi, I'm not angry at you," Link said, wondering if this was why she was upset. "Really, I'm not."

Navi didn't turn around. She was brushing her hand along the edge of a plate on the nightstand. "Thanks, Link."

After a moment's silence, she spoke again. Her voice was so quiet that Link barely heard her. "You know I had another Kokiri once? He was a friend of Saria's. He was just like you in some ways."

"The one who left the forest?" Link asked. A cold chill ran through him, and he suddenly knew where this was headed.

"I was asleep when that happened. He always wanted to leave and explore the world of Hyrule. The last thing I remember was going to sleep. When I woke up, he was gone," Navi's voice went thick with emotion, she let out a shudder and heaved a loud sigh. She rested her head on the plate, and a trace of anger marred her normally gentle tone. "I knew he'd snuck out, so I told the Great Deku Tree and went looking for him. The Hylians had been fighting near the edge of the woods, and it was still dangerous to go near the border... I found Doran, with Saria's help, and a few animals with us." Small wet droplets splashed against the nightstand as Navi sobbed. Link guessed what was coming next, and an icy lump rose in his chest. "He made it out of the forest. He was dead, mauled by a wolfos."

Navi's voice cracked at those final words, leaving Link to stare numbly at the wall. He tried desperately to swallow the painful lump in his throat, to say something to comfort her, but he could not form the words. What could he say? Saria's reluctance to speak about anyone who'd ventured out of the Kokiri's realm made more sense now.

"Navi," he said at last, "I'm sorry."

Link wanted to reach out and hold her, but he was too sore and too tired to move. He didn't know how long the silence pervaded the room, but by the time either of them spoke, it seemed that the afternoon shadows had deepened. He could hear voices calling outside, followed by the soft thudding of a horse's hooves.

"I have wondered how those Bulblins found us," Navi said, turning around to face him. "Nobody knew we had the Emerald, except for Saria. Kaepora thinks the Desert Man can see using carrion birds."

Link didn't register the last part. At the mention of Saria, his eyes went wide, and his stomach twisted in a knot. Saria. Could Ganondorf have gotten to her somehow?

"You don't think..."

"Kaepora came back from the forest yesterday," Navi added hastily. "I sent him to check on the others. They're fine."

Link let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. Saria and the others were safe. That knowledge gave him some measure of comfort, but it didn't last long as he contemplated something else. What if the monsters came back? What if they knew where he was? No matter how much he tried to still his mind, his churning thoughts seemed to latch onto yet a new concern.

"What if the Bulblins come here? Or the Desert Man?" Link asked, unable to keep the fear from his voice. That made him feel ashamed.

"We'll be okay. Ciara said she would keep us safe. Kaepora trusts her and guards are patrolling around the outskirts of the village too."

"But..." and then in a voice that seemed too small to be his own, "I don't want him to come here."

Navi flew beside him, landing next to his hand and wrapping her tiny fingers around one of his own.

"Don't let that worry you," she said soothingly. "He won't come here. Just close your eyes and rest."

"Navi... I'm scared," he murmured.

"It's okay to be scared, Link. We'll be fine. Just trust me."

They lapsed into silence again. As exhaustion pressed down on him once more, and with Navi by his side, Link drifted off into a deep slumber.

Next Chapter

Reviews

Michael chapter 7 . Oct 2, 2022 Some of you in your opinions think that link fought like a coward, but in my opinion that’s not true link was very inexperienced as he has never battled before so therefore what the bubblins did to him sent by the desert man to get the stone was very cowardly of them picking on a boy of 10 years old with no fighting experience so therefore it does not make link a coward.

SunPraiser31 chapter 7 . Oct 25, 2016 Seeing things from Navi's perspective is interesting, really helps to give her more character than the game ever did. Her frustration over not being able to do much made me sympathize with her a lot more. Her line about being able to only "float and sputter," was that a Halo reference? She is a somewhat annoying blue ball, after all... It's also nice to see more interactions with the other characters outside of barging into their homes and smashing all of their stuff for money lol. Good job on this, I'll try to be better about reviewing more often than I have been!

Barbacar chapter 7 . Oct 13, 2016 I can't remember if this is from the game, but it is an interesting chapter

acctdisabled chapter 7 . Jun 23, 2016 The introduction (and also end of last chapter) did a nice job of introducing Malon and Talon without telling the reader who they were; this allowed the action to take front and center. His injuries were worse than I thought, and I appreciate you aren’t afraid to bring in some gruesome elements. It was a tense start to the chapter and I really felt Navi’s plight- she’s really grown emotionally invested in Link. I enjoyed that you have incorporated the Bulblins, because their random entry into TP doesn’t fully explain how they came to Hyrule. Just a few SPaG suggestions for the first scene: [Link’s heart-wrenching gave way to…] I think a word is missing after heart-wrenching? [Please don’t be dead] Very minor, but the ‘p’ in please is not in italics like the rest. [Hang on LXink. I’ll be back…] just a random ‘x’ in there. The Navi-Gabora fighting duo was totally unexpected, but a nice touch. I’m still not fond of Gabora, but I enjoyed his teaming up with Navi to get the stone back. I would recommend starting a new scene with the line ‘Link was no longer lying on the ground,’ since it’s a shift in narrative focus and a decrease in scene tension. It could go right before the ‘Nevertheless, he loaded the boy…’ paragraph. Also, the lines ‘Go to him Navi. I will join you soon,’ could be moved up a line or two if you decide to make a scene break there. Farore and Link’s scene was a neat way for Link to gain more insight about his journey and understand the context of what is going on. Ciara, a Sheikah as a physician, makes me interested to see how this race will play roles in this story. Navi’s vulnerability was great for her character, and hearing the backstory on Dolan was sad but explains her previous frights. I’m interested to see whether Ganondorf can really use animals to scope out what’s going on. Corrections for last two scenes: [Surely if he was jdreaming] just a random ‘j’ in there. {…faint smile jus unsettled him more] missing a ‘t’ there. Really random note: FFN screws up chapter titles because of the position of the scrolling buttons and chapter index. A bit tedious, but I’d recommend going through the chapters and adding a line break above the chapter title- this way it won’t be partly moved aside (I’d recommend viewing one of your chapters to see what I mean). Nice job again!

Krusher chapter 7 . Nov 2, 2015 It takes no talent to simply rewrite the game. We played the game, we don't need to read it over again. This could only possibly sound good to people who haven't even played OoT.

Norkix chapter 7 . May 22, 2015 Starting to regret this a little lol. I always feel so inferior when I see people juggling subplots and expanding the world. It just goes to show me how far I have to go, I suppose. Digging Navi's characterization here! I feel the different languages are a little unnecessary. Most of the time, I feel like it's shoehorned in and doesn't really add anything. I hope you can break the trend and do something interesting with it. I don't know why, but it irks me when people increase the size of a game's world drastically. I realize it gives you a lot more flexibility, allowing you to create new villages and provide a more realistic sense of travel, but at the same time, it throws me off because I no longer have a clear picture of the world. I've seen it done well, and I've seen it done very, very poorly. I hope yours follows the former trend. Onward! -Norkix-

Local Minstrel chapter 7 . Dec 7, 2014 Ah, if only there was a way of highlighting things on the main page. Quite a few typos on this one, including in the sentence, "The horrible scream of pain the gerudo as the flames melted or clothing and skin that terrified Link." I'm also wondering if the Gerudo should be mentioned by name or be provided with the information of who sent her because I thought it might have been Nabooru until she died. Having said that, I'm really becoming invested in this story. I'm intrigued by the implication that Ganondorf might actually have a kinder side to him.

Lord Darth Yoda chapter 7 . Jul 26, 2014 You sir have made Navi and Kaepora more badges than they ever were. Good job! Liked seeing them kick the bad guys butts like that. Also like how you've spun the Zelda mythos here. Yoube taken different elements from it and tied it all together quite well and in a easy that makes sense. I especially like how Farore mentions the fact that if you don't return to your body you become a shade. Makes the Hero's Shade in Twilight Princess more sad recall. I assume the statues are the Skyward Sword Sword and Minish Cap heros?