“We all are mere thoughts, shrouded with water-drenched dust.”
“And yet dust can turn to stone.”
“That is right, boy.”
“If rock and water harmonise, directed by thoughts, they can alter worlds.”
“You speak as if you had long gone down in the ranks of the Ancestors, in the rows of wise Kings.”
“Tell me, what wisdom do you speak of? The wisdom that failed to keep the land unified? Or the wisdom that failed when it was to destroy Majora? Or the wisdom that had even allowed Majora and all the other Demons before, to enter our world?”
“Quite true.”, sighed Chaliém.
“Then tell me not I would speak like one of them.”
“I don’t say this. Or did I claim you speak like a blind moron? I cannot bring your mother back. But I can can guide you, on the path of your destiny, the path she had seen. You let him move on. A hard step. For both of you. Harder than either of you might be aware of. But unnecessary. He will return, once he begins to understand what really connects you.”
“And what connects us?”
“Fate. A fate of which I dare say that even the Gods cannot get hold of. The day will come when you will have to cease denying your blood – denying your power – denying yourself.”
“But I’m not one of them!”
“No, you are not. They are part of you! Fate has grand plans with you. The Golden Goddesses as well. Which side you decide for in the end, shall be seen. I can only tell you that blood will be spilt. Blood had always been spilt. Ever. You cannot escape that. But you yourself will acknowledge when it is necessary.”
“I will never spill blood.”
“You already did. Not here in the Clock Tower, but in other ancient walls of this town.”
“Be quiet.”, Kafei hissed, feeling anger, fear and despair rise in him.
“More blood will be spilt. By your hands.”
“Shut up!”
“But it won’t be the blood of innocent. That is, what will differ you from the others. Striving for justice, not revenge. It will make you a murdered alike, but a different kind of murderer. You will not live well with it, but better than the others, should they have had conscience. Did you understand my words now, or do I have to repeat them once again?”
“Kafei?”
Link’s voice, trying to drown the rattling of the gears and rushing of the water, pulled him back into the present. Still he didn’t turn to the gate. This one closed on its own when Link entered.
“Why did I know you would be here. Everything alright?”
“He had known.”
“Who? What?”
“Then, at the day of my wedding, after I sent you back to Hyrule. You know – Chaliém – ”
“Yes. He had waited for you. You told me that.”
“But I never lost a word on what he had said to me. He had told me exactly what had happened.”
“And what?”
“Inter alia, that we are connected by fate. That I will have to face a great burden. That I too will have blood on my hands, like my forefathers had. That blood will be spilt by my hands.”
“But not of innocent.”
“He said that too.”
“If you assume that goat had kept out of debts,”
“Link – ”, he ignored him. “His diary – he had deliberately played it into my hands. He had the gift of Sight, like my mother. Now it is time for us to learn to see what had seen. I believe, if we understood everything that’s written in this book, down to the last detail, we will be able to chose our side.”
“And which is that?”
“I didn’t understand it then. He had spoken like the Gods and destiny were two very different things.”
“And what will we decide on?”, Kafei finally turned to Link and looked him deeply in the eyes.
“Neither of these sides, I think.”
~o~0~O~0~o~
The big day drew nearer and nearer. Meanwhile there was almost nothing Link hadn’t told his sister. She too had drifted into many details of her, in her opinion, boring life on the isles. Link however found it interesting. He liked the jewellery she made. Mainly however it were Kafei and Tatl that had fallen for it. He had bought an entire casket for himself and his daughter, each, of Aryll’s selfmade jewellery. Doria was indeed jealous already, which didn’t pass her by, if though she didn’t show. She liked it a lot, how the other woman tried to fight for her attention.
They all sat at dinner in Ikana Castle and talked about Zelda’s wedding. Kafei had found the previous topic more interesting though. Finally Aryll had told them that there had been an invasion on the island as well and thereby confirmed Din’s words. Most people had been able to flee into the caves. Link had asked her if she had knowledge of a mirror or a portal, but she had – denied it, as he had learned telepathically from Kafei. Yet he hadn’t dared pestering her and decided to confront her after the meal. As Kafei of course, was a little too prudent again.
So they talked about gifts, clothing and the journey. Strangely they had checked off the issue of gifts. There simply wouldn’t be any and Zelda would have to live with that. From Vaati they knew that their coming was worth more to him than anything else. For the journey they had decided to take the Ancient Ways. Only Kafei wanted to see more of Hyrule. So Link had offered him to ride off earlier and take the passage via Ordon.
Next to his children he seemed to be the most excited about the whole matter. He was not conceited, but he liked to stand out of the crowd and enjoyed publicity utterly. That had once nearly lead to the end of the marriage of his father and Esra. Because of this it had surprised him even more that he hadn’t recognised him at last year’s masquerade ball – the year they had lost due to the invasion was already known to not be counted in everyday talk.
Back then he had bought a cheap washable hair dye and had commissioned a very saucy yet simple dress from Ydin. Already then she had crafted him a corset that he had stuffed with socks. Like this he had gone to the weekly market and even confused his friends. They still didn’t know to date who that cheeky Sheikah-brat had been that first had fascinated everyone for then publically abasing them and let herself be escorted off by the amused mayor, whom she then had kissed ostentatiously in front of a very attentive crowd an hour later.
Of course his father had joined in the play. Unfortunately Esra herself had entered the scene. At first she had been shocked, then angry and confused afterwards. Shocked by the sight, then angry because she had realised what she thought to have witnessed and confused when his giggling father had dragged her home, where miraculously, his alleged fling that they had left behind, had waited. Only that she hadn’t worn a dress anymore but simply had sat by the fireplace and turned out to be Kafei himself. That one startled when he noticed that only his father still sat by the table and downright hypnotised him.
“What?”
“Nothing. I merely wonder what’s on your mind. I won’t be so rude as to suck it out of you.”
“Where has everyone gone?”
“That is what I meant. What thoughts have captivated you so much?”
“Oh – just – you know, the time we had played Esra for a fool.”
“Which time?”
“The most drastic time.”
“You – oh yes. You mean, when you kissed me in public, dressed as a woman?”
“Exactly.”, sighed Kafei and Dotour startled when his son suddenly sat on on his lap, wrapping his arms around his neck and cuddling their faces together.
“Oh, my boy.”, smiled Dotour and too laid his arms around Kafei’s back, stroking the back of his head with his left hand. “What would I even do without you?”
“I don’t know?”
“I think, I would be very much alone.”
“But Esra is here.”
“That is not the same.”
“How could it be.”
“You are the only that can actually give me solace when I need it. That is one of the wonderful qualities you inherited from your mother. I wish she could see you now.”
“She can, I’m sure of it. I know. I still miss mother too. But we will meet her again. I believe in that. It – makes the pain more bearable.”
“I too wish I had your optimism. Her optimism. I miss her so much – I think without you, I would long be gone. I probably would have gone into exile long ago – or even to my death.”
“Don’t say that.”
“You have no idea what it felt like when you died.”
“I do. Not quite as much, but partly, after all.”
“I wish you three, with all my heart, that you are granted to die together.”
“I wish for that as well.”
“Because I don’t want you to suffer the way I have to. It is unfair. I have lost my firm belief in the Goddesses, but Din at least regained my eternal gratitude. Nonetheless I will never forgive them that they had stood back on the sidelines. They had simply let it happen. They could have intervened, but hadn’t. It is the Goddesses that killed Ajrini, not Majora. They had simply allowed this demon to take her from me. You two are the only ones I had ever loved with all my heart. And nothing can fill the hole they had permitted to tear open.”
Not understanding such words after so many years would have been little short of a miracle. Also there was no space for miracles outside the open gate to the dining hall. Not at this moment, when she silently and unnoticed strode off.
~o~0~O~0~o~
It was a sunny day. Hardly any clouds in the sky and the sun made Link’s shoulder length hair shine golden. Spellbound, Kafei studied the shimmering while they leisurely rode alongside. Link felt his look and smiled over to him. He reached out his right arm and Kafei took his hand, smiling even broader.
Nobody was to be seen at the Ranch, which Link found unusual. Sedately they rode on towards the village where much more was going on. They slightly startled when three laughing kids ran through between their horses, more keen on catching each other than paying attention to their surrounding. One boy lolloped behind with words of warning, yet remained without a response. He though came to halt quite dumbfounded when he spotted whom was sitting on one of the horses. Suddenly he started running with a grin on his face. Link dismounted, not grinning less, and kneeled down with wide spread arms when Colin already hung around his neck like a sack. In this moment the others too noticed what was happening and almost knocked Kafei over when he dismounted and launched themselves onto Link.
“What hell has broken loose here?”, Bo peeked out of his house but understood very quickly what it was. “Link’s back!”, he noisily roared into the village before he approached him with a jolly laugh.
Immediately the whole village had gathered around Link. Everyone wanted to hug him at once. If Kafei hadn’t had blue hair, they might not have even seen him. He shrugged it off and simply watched the goings-on with a smile on his lips. Rusl was last in the row. He squeezed Link the hardest and longest it seemed.
“What got into you that you come visit us at last?”, he laughed.
“Hm.”, Link didn’t quite know what kind of silly comment he should make, but dismissed the urge then. “What do you think of feelings of guilt?”
“Not much.”, Rusl plainly meant.
“Good. Me neither. And still they trouble me day in, day out. Actually, I only meant to finally show Kafei – ”, he pointed on him, “Hyrule as we couldn’t have a ride through together yet, thanks to certain circumstances and thus he had insisted on seeing Ordon.”
“So that is the lad that lured you away from us?”, they shook hands.
“Appears to be, yes.”, giggled Kafei and left them all a bit perplexed.
“Kafei!”, aspirated Link. Since when can you – ”
“I can’t. But it’s not exactly hard to suck knowledge of languages out of others’ heads to translate what you need.”
“Wha- do you bother telling the ones you steal their languages from, as well?”
“Should I?”, Kafei grinned.
“What now – ”, asked Rusl. “You suck knowledge from heads? How am I to understand that?”
“Telepathically.”
“And – you all can do that? All Sheikah, I mean?”
“Not exactly. It takes years of training.”
“Hm. But say – you two really are – a couple?”
“Yes.”, came it from both at once.
“And you are – ?”, he pointed at Kafei’s tiara.
“A juridically not fully definable and very bizarre mix of Mayor and King.”
“Please explain.”
“At first I had followed into my father’s position as Mayor of Clock Town. As Termina in ways is split into five autonomic regions, the chief officer in town will have to deal with countrywide matters as well. The problem child however, is Ikana. The Imperial Village plus Canyon had always been a controversial subject. As there was no clear cut to Termina, the Sheikah had tried to make it clear with fences. Also it is not possible to enter the actual Canyon without their permit. Except if you can effortlessly pass a huge rock face, of course. Afer the death of King Igos, said part theoretically belonged to Termina. The kingdom however is much bigger. The entire Hinterlands; as many, unfortunately me included, name it wrongly way too many times; belong to it, from one desert to the other. After the Sheikah returned, they continued to rightfully claim the Canyon and strictly refused to let anyone through that was not one of us.”
“I’ve experienced that firsthand.”, puffed Rusl.
“Well, due to various circumstances they partly tolerated me, but in light of the fact that Igos was my great-great-uncle, they had to accept me. In the end a catastrophe had them unanimously see me as their King. Yes, Ikana and Termina are two different animals and I never wanted to mate them, but since I have both in my charge, I had to notice that some barriers collapsed.”, Link was visibly surprised, since he didn’t fully understand every word of his, but knew what they were about.
“Uh – second – ”, Bo raised an eyebrow with confusion, which made his eye more visible. “T-?”, he pointed at Kafei. “The Mayor of T– ?”
“Surprised?”, grinned Kafei.
“That – I just don’t believe that! You wound us up?”
“Yes, he had.”, Link confirmed smiling, slightly shaking his head on remembering what Anju had told him of this ridiculous move. “I never forgave him that.”
“And how did you meet?”
“When I was still a child.”, said Link. “I helped him to marry. But I had to go back to Hyrule and we just saw each other again seven years later.”, he confessed.
“That – what?”, Bo was still confused. “Back to – ? And you are – ”
“Yes. It might sound a little complicated, but it isn’t.”
“And – wait!”, something dawned on him. “Dotour’s son – ”
“Yes, that is me. And Anju is my wife.”
“Wait a minute.”, Bo agitated. “Wait, wait, wait. Then you have –?”, he addressed Link again. “You saved Termina from the Small Moon?”, he nodded, as he had decided to finally come out with the truth. “And back to Hyrule – haven’t you grown up in Clock Town either, like you said?”
“No.”
“No. Enough of that. Does anybody mind if we sit down in my house together and Link enlightens us about his life?”
“I don’t know – I’m not that good at Or– ”
“Don’t be silly.”, Kafei interrupted him. “You recount in Hylian and I speak it into their heads. On the telepathical plane every language is the same. I can even show them pictures to it.”
“You can do that?”, asked Link. “Why do I even keep asking such.”
“That could work.”, pondered Rusl. “So? Any objections?”, nobody seemed wanting to contradict. “Very well. Forward march.”
I did take each of them a while though to find a place to sit down, especially since Bo insisted on providing them with drinks. Bo now sat at the dining table with Rusl and the couple. To be fair, Link began at the beginning of his life an Kafei retold his story in all heads but Rusl’s, with picture examples, partly taken from Link’s and his own memories.
“I am actually born on Umalidena Ya Ilanueri Momel, an island in the ocean on the outskirts of Ludia. It mainly consists of two very high rocks. Here it’s more known as Outset Island, because Isle of the Mirroring Water is a much too long name. My father was a member of the Royal Guard of Hyrule, and therefore rarely at home. When I was three years old, my mother decided to take me with her to visit him. It was supposed to be a surprise visit. I can still remember everything as well as though it had happened a few days ago. My sister Aryll made a huge fuss because she wanted to come with us, but she was a year younger than me and my mother didn’t want to take care of two children. Therefore Aryll stayed behind with Grandma. It was a long and strenuous journey. We were very exhausted when we finally arrived at the castle. Then they didn’t even want to let us in. But a little girl, a bit older than me, smuggled us inside. She didn’t even tell us who she was. Meanwhile I know it was Princess Zelda. Anyhow, we finally arrived before my father. He was so bewildered.”
“I assume, you tell us that because something happ- ”, Rusl interrupted.
“Yes. There was an unforeseen attack on the castle. My mother had to flee with me. We took father’s horse. Mother didn’t want me to look back. But I did. Right in that moment he was stabbed from behind. He looked me in the eyes from that distance. I felt it. We rode out into the Field. They sh- they attacked us with arrows. Mother got hit twice.”, Link had to swallow briefly. “We made it to the south. To the border of the Lost Woods. There she slid off the horse and came to lie on the suspension bridge to Kokiri. For the entirety of two days and nights I didn’t leave her side. Nor did the horse. I even stayed when she couldn’t open her eyes anymore.”
He wiped a tear from his face. Kafei took his other hand on the table and held it tenderly.
“A Kokiri girl found us. Saria. She was the spiritual leader of the tribe, but by whatever tradition never the lawful chief as only men were allowed as such. She though released the horse and made sure I could stay in the village. I grew up as one of them, but never accepted by Mido, the actual chief. It was consequently my fault if something didn’t go as he desired. According to him I was even responsible for all sorts of bad weather.”
“So that was the strange language?”, Rusl interrupted him again, speaking Hylian as well. “When we went hunting – and you knelt down by the deer you shot and – what did you even say to it there? The first time I was only very puzzled, but I never brought myself to asking.”
“I apologised to the Goddesses that I robbed an innocent being of the woods’ life and prayed for them to grant it more mercy than I had. It may sound strange, but that is what the Kokiri do if they find a wounded animal they can’t save anymore. They saw it by the way. Actually, they watched us, every single time.”
“Wait – don’t say, these little imps in the branches?”
“Yes. Kokiri are shape shifters. They turn into little trees so they don’t get spotted. But let’s not talk about that now. After several years a fairy was finally allocated to me, Navi, if you can remember. I was lastly a full member of the Kokiri. However, I was to face the Deku Tree. Mido of course didn’t want to let me go without a sword and shield, as he wanted to play out his arrogance. The only sword in the village was the ceremonial sword of the Kokiri, a gift from the Royal Family, but never used by anyone before me. And it wasn’t easy to fetch. But he was somehow very fascinated when he saw it on me and let me through. I then had to learn from the Deku Tree that I was chosen to protect Hyrule from the forces of evil.”
He tried to keep all his rescue stories as short as possible, but drifted into details every now and then, mainly due to the many questions he received. All of them eagerly listened to the end. Bo had to refill their mugs several times, hand out food and at one point light the fireplace and all candlesticks. Not even Kafei got tired and remained a persistent translator. Finally Link arrived at the current point in time.
He himself was completely drained. A little cumbersome he turned his head to the window, before which darkness had risen, apart from the few rays of light that fell onto their sleeping horses. Actually he hadn’t intended spending half a day with talking about his life, and since he hadn’t spoken so much at once, he knew he didn’t need to be surprised about potential cramps in his tongue on the following day.
“So. Yes. That was it.”, he sighed. “Eighteen years madness – cut short.”, he smirked.
“You know, boy,”, sighed Rusl, the right cheekbone of his sleepy face supported on the heel of his hand, “Slowly I wonder what a dozy life I lived.”, with that he made all of them laugh.
“And that’s all true?”, asked Beth.
“Yes.”
“The full truth?”
“Lock, stock an barrel. But if I had explained everything in detail, we’d still be sitting here fifty years from now.”
“Now, don’t exaggerate.”, giggled Kafei.
“Eighteen?”, laughed Link.
“I meant, telling everything in detail, if even.”
“What are you thinking of. You don’t happen to have a precise body clock that can tell me the time? Sirileij said you have.”
“If I wanted to, yes. But – ”, he pulled a round, golden, hinged pocket watch from his pants that worked just like the other clocks in Clock Town.
“Whow! Since when have you got something like that?”, Link wasn’t the only curious, although the others wouldn’t know what to think of it.
“It’s a protptype. But it works flawlessly. I think, I can sign the permission for production. Now – what does it say – ”
“Damn. Twenty five to eleven. Have I really talked half a day long?”
“We arrived at three. Stop exaggerating.”
“What’s that?”, asked Talo.
“A clock.”, Kafei explained. “It shows the exact time.”
“How does it do that?”
“A metal spring is swinging inside of it, and by its swinging it keeps making itself swing on. By that, little wheels are turned, which turn the dial. Our planet spins around the sun in a certain time span, as well as around itself. That relation determines the times of the day. The balance, which is the spring in the clock, swings in the same rhythm.”
“That’s complicated,”, moaned Ilia.
“If you have no understanding of it, yes. But in fact it is a simple principle of cause and effect.”
“What principle?”
“Not that important.”, chuckled Link. “It’s complicated. Question, Rusl. Is my house still vacant? We’d need a place to stay overnight.”
“It still lies empty. You know, not many people come to Ordon with the intention you had then. Nonetheless I try to maintain it. You never know. I’ll accompany you, if that is okay for you?”, Link as well as Kafei nodded.
They wished all a good night, Rusl gave both his children a kiss on the forehead, kissed his wife too and followed the couple outside, where they found their horses cuddling.
“Er – since when – ”, aspirated Link, raising an eyebrow. “She usually only cuddles with me!”
“Perhaps she still prefers a slightly elderly gentleman of her own kind?”
“Slightly elderly gentleman? Your stallion is several centuries old!”
“But apparently still good enough for your mare.”, smirked Kafei. “Come. Let them sleep. I believe, they’re just as safe here as by any other house in this village.”
“Now.”, said Rusl when he had closed the door. “Would you mind if I got something from my house real quick? You can go ahead, if you like.”
“I thought you wanted to accompany us?”
“Sure. I just need to – ”
“Feel free.”, sighed the Hylian. “I know the way, after all.”
The air was cool and a hint of snow still laid in it, if though it had molten in the village and spring flowers were in full bloom. Apart from the gurgling of the water and their footsteps, no sound was to be heard. Silently they enjoyed the peace and strolled through the village, holding hands. Link didn’t miss that Kafei took in every tiny detail. He had never seen him like that. Assumingly, because he had never seen him in unfamiliar surrounding before.
“So much for his company.”, sighed Kafei when they arrived by the big house in the tree.
“Well, I can’t complain.”
“Nor can I.”, giggled Kafei quiet. “You lived here? Well done!”
“Wait until you see the inside.”
“A fairy palace?”, Kafei seducingly smiled at him, their faces only fingers broad apart. “Oh.”, his smile instantly vanished upon Link’s expression. “I’m sorry – I – didn’t mean to – ”
“It’s fine.”, smirked Link. “I know how you meant it. It’s not your fault that you reminded me of Navi.”, he kissed him softly, not unrequited.
Both would have given anything, had they been allowed to stand there like this just once throughout the year Link had stayed in Ordon. Therefore it was even more blissful now. Except –
“Man, you’ve been fast.”, panted Rusl. “Sorry that I – oh.”, he finally noticed whereat he had interrupted them. “I’m so sorry. I really didn’t intend to – ”
“No worries.”, meant Link.
“If you say so – ”
“I’ll be going inside already.”, whispered Kafei.
“What?”, breathed Link.
“I don’t believe what he took from the house, is meant for me.”
“Kafei – ”, that one only gave him a little kiss and climbed up the ladder.
“The key is – ”, began Rusl, but Kafei had already unlocked the door with a gentle move of his hand. “Behind the branch up left.”, he dumbfoundedly aspirated the rest of his sentence when Kafei disappeared with as smile and closed the door behind. “How did he – ?”
“He’s a Sheikah, as you were so quick to notice. He rarely needs a key. Nevertheless every smaller door in Ikana has a lock. You never know.”
“And the bigger ones don’t?”
“Round stone slabs, which require more than a gentle wave of the hand.”
“What else can he do?”
“Rather ask what he can’t do.”
“Well – what can’t he do?”, chuckled Rusl.
“Forgive himself if he believes to have made a mistake.”, replied Link firmly. “Are you invited to the wedding as well? I mean, you have done Hyrule great services.”
“The entire village is invited.”
“Everyone?”
“Simply everyone. Only the goats, cats, fishes, frogs and cuccos stay here.”, Rusl jested.
“Ha, ha.”
“What’s it like for you? The though that she will marry?”
“What should it be like? We were ever close. Most likely due to our fate.”, Link briefly showed him the back of his left hand, whereupon Rusl nodded. “But over the years we became good friends, if not like siblings. We quarrelled alike. I know that because my sister and I couldn’t refrain from it either, despite the short time we spent together so far. The only difference is, that Zelda somewhen grew other feelings for me – which she still has.”
“And yet she wants to marry?”
“Yes. And of course I’m happy for her. For Vaati as well, actually. But mainly I’m worried about him. Because I don’t know if he’s fully aware what he’s getting himself into. Say – what’s what you felt such a desperate need to get?”
“Oh yes.”, he walked the missing steps towards Link, lifted his right hand and stared at his own closed fist. “I already wanted to give that to you when you rode back to Termina. But somehow it wasn’t the right moment. Open your hand.”
Link did as told and held his flat left hand towards him. Rusl placed his fist on it and Link felt something warm, solid, yet delicate glide into it. When Rusl slightly lifted his hand, Link saw that it was a small, sculptural, golden pendant in shape of the sign of the Golden Goddesses. It was about the size of the foremost phalanx of Link’s little finger and hung on a golden chain.
“That – ”
“I know you don’t need it as at least one of them constantly watches you with one eye. But I thought, perhaps, there will be a moment when she can’t spare an eye. Also, it doesn’t hurt to carry the sign of one’s gods. Not even one who does it anyway, I think.”
“That – I cannot accept that. It must have cost you a real fortune.”, aspirated Link.
“I exchanged it for a shortsword, to be honest. But that was worth it. Even if it had been fake, which I checked, of course.”, Link couldn’t hold back a chuckle.
“Thanks.”
~o~0~O~0~o~
“So.”, sighed Link. “You absolutely want to go there?”
“Why not? I can teleport us from one branch to another.”
“That’s not what I mean. But if you actually want that. The temple is still impressive, but – ”
“Which concerns trouble you this time.”, giggled Kafei. “We’re here already, aren’t we?”
He took Link by the hand and concentrated. And Again. And another time. But they didn’t leave the spot.
“Kiritrega.”
“Doesn’t it work?”
“No. The place is too sacred. I guess, I’ll have to find a way there by myself.”
“Forget it. If any, we both will go.”
“And how do consider us to do that?”
Link ran up the thick hollow root and jumped down onto one of the exposed junctions. Pushing himself sideways off again and again for building up momentum, he ran on, from root to root and disappeared in the archway.
“So I was right.”, Kafei chuckled to himself. “Sirileij, you rogue.”
With even more ease he took the same path. Not much slower they had reached the entrance to the overgrown ruins, but Link’s senses gave alarm. Kafei almost tore off his stretched out arm when he brought him to halt with it. Straining his ears, he ignored Kafei’s questioning look.
“We are not alone.”, whispered Link as quiet as he could.
“Kokiri?”, Kafei breathed back.
“No. It’s bigger.”
“Now I feel it too. It – doesn’t feel good.”
“I know. The bad’s only,”
Now he knew why he hadn’t raised any objection to his own intuitive need to fully arm himself. Blazingly fast but without happening to startle Kafei, he had pulled the Master Sword and his shield.
“I know exactly what it is. But I wonder why it doesn’t attack.”
“A Stal.”
“Yes.”, Link confirmed, suspecting that Kafei hadn’t guessed. “Are you able to take a look ar– ”
Not only he had heard the steps. Kafei too instantly turned left. What surprised Link was that the bone being appeared to be unarmed. It showed the typical teeter and stalk, when it searched for a way past the overgrown stone blocks, yet it appeared rather curious than belligerent. Nevertheless Link didn’t change his embattled posture.
“Link – ”
If he hadn’t known his voice, he might have taken it for the wind. Kafei slowly went around him and pressed down Link’s left arm, whereby he forced him to lower his sword.
“What are you doing!”, hissed Link, confused.
“Look – ”
“What!”
“Look at the clothes!”
“Rather, the dirty scraps.”
“Look at the necklace. The head form.”
Link had actually been more busy with studying the being’s eyes, as he had always done. Because Stals showed the severe disadvantage for themselves that the intensity of their eyes’ glow would tell when they were about to attack.
“Honestly, I’m less interested in the looks of the head than how to get it off.”
As if it had understood the hostility of the words, the bone creature approached them with wild flaming eyes as fast as it could and Link pushed Kafei aside. But the latter immediately had his hand back on Link’s arm and raised his own, the flat hand pointing towards the Stal.
“Stop!”, it was almost a plea, but it was enough to halt their opponent, if though no debris was left between them. “No! Both of you!”
“Kafei! What the – ”
“Don’t you recognise her?”
“Her?”, Link hissed at him.
“Take a closer look!”
“Why – ”
“Link! Get a grip and look at her! And then try to tell me you don’t recognise her.”
Slightly panicking he eventually gave in and did it, more in hope that it would bring Kafei to his senses. But he was right. If though not much of her clothing was left, something rang a bell. More it was, as Kafei had noticed already, the necklace and shape of the skull. Something else in him suddenly began to realise that their opposite must have recognised them too. There all of a sudden was a sort of wistfulness in the lifeless glowing eyes, which he had never seen on a Stal before.
Yet, he had. On one of the biggest he had ever met. On a giant. A Captain. It was the despair of a rising awareness. The realisation of one’s own transition into death. A cursed death.
Hesitatingly the former woman moved her fleshless jaw, as if she tried to tell them something.
“And what now?”, moaned Link.
“What. Do you want to – kill her? She’s already dead.”
“I know!”, he hissed. “So, may I chop off her head already?”
“Link!”
“What!”
“Do you even know what you’re saying there?”
“What now. I shall spare her? You are aware though that I’d technically release her by it?”
“L– I – ”
“Yes?”, in Kafei’s eyes too a sadness grew that almost drove him into despair.
“No.”, he then said definite. “Let her go. She is now a Guardian of the Woods. Give her the chance to do something good by watching over the ruins.”
Apparently she really understood what he said, because her posture became slightly more straight and her mouth closed as well. But then she opened it again, let her teeth clatter together. Another time. Then two more times.
“I’m sorry, I don’t understand – ”, Kafei aspirated. “Oh.”
“What does she want?”, urged Link, but Kafei only sighed and closed his eyes as he lowered his head. “Kafei?”, that one shook his head, breathed more distinctly for a while, if though visibly aggrieved.
“No.”, he raised his head again and gave her strangely clearly visible hope only painful knowledge. “I can’t do that.”, again she clattered her teeth, only harder, just as if she was imploring. “That is something else. We’re not in Ikana. I’m afraid, my power is not enough for that. Not even now that I – ”, he sighed deeply, “I cannot wish you that you find peace and it’ll happen. There would be no use of commanding it either. You have my blessing, but I can’t give you more. Honestly. And believe me, I am not as resentful as that I wouldn’t wish it to you. Of course some memories still make me angry, but in truth, I have forgiven you a long time ago.”
The way she managed to show emotions although nothing was left that would have made facial expressions readable, overwhelmed Link. Even more so in awareness of whom they were facing.
“You hear me? I forgave you, Anidja. And I solicit for you to rest in peace. But that is all I – ”
His voice broke off and Link understood why: it was almost as though he had seen the single tear trickle from each of the hollow sockets and down over the bare bone, when the glow slowly reduced, vanished and only left dark tunnels. A cold shiver ran down Link’s spine. Everything was silent, just as if the rest of the forest too had died with Kafei’s words. No sound, no whisper. Only the beating of his own heart. His breath, he held. For the fraction of a second it was as if he was back at the graveyard of Ikana, by the very Captain that he had once released from his curse.
As had the course of time slowed down for few moments, her head slid to the side. Then the skeleton collapsed. When the last bone fell into the leaves, the birds’ songs returned. So did the wind. And only a breeze it was, yet strong enough to move the leaves, and took the bones as dust with it.
By his side, Kafei swallowed down a knot in his throat that downright pained Link’s ears and heart. He securely stored sword and shield and carefully took him in his arms. Almost without a sound Kafei cried into his shoulder. For how long, neither knew.
Somewhen, hours later, so it appeared to Link, Kafei finally lifted his head and his tears too were gone. With a soft smile they loosened their embrace and continued crossing the ruins, which the managed in shorter time than they had assumed, as Link meanwhile knew the way inside out. Luckily none of the passages were blocked and they soon found themselves in the remains of the once huge hall.
“That – is quite puissant.”, breathed Kafei.
“The whole region here used to be a single temple complex before the quake. The Forest Temple with the Temple of Time and the citadel. I may not have considered searching for underground connections between the two forest temples back then, but they certainly existed at some point, I’m sure of it. As you can see, most of the trees survived the quake, but these sacred buildings didn’t.”
“Not the buildings are sacred. It is the ground they stand on.”
“How ever. The quake bared gigantic trees that must have laid in the soil for thousands of years. Not only here, but in the whole country. The big tree at the forecourt – a few years ago it was just a rock. The western temple had been carved into the rock. Already as as child the route of the tunnel appeared peculiar to me. Yes, I know. We weren’t allowed to enter the woods. But what did I care? Anyhow, now I know why. They must have hit upon the root which was for sure easier to channel as the rest of the rock. There, behind the statues, I found my sword. That was also the original entrance to the Temple of Time, before the Spiritual Stones had been created. Zelda had everything be built back into its original state, but I had never been inside after that. And then all of it collapsed. Do you want to go inside?”
Kafei nodded and followed Link through the collapsed floor. From below, everything looked even more impressive. He tried to imagine what it must have looked like. When he directed his eyes upward, he noticed something. It was dark, floated above him and seemed to be moving. But before he could point it out to Link, the latter had discovered something else.
“That can’t be – no. That – ”, he had run to one of the pillars and stared at something shortly above the basis. “Kafei? Tell me that I’m deluding myself and that this is no eye.”
“Why?”, he went over to him and took a look. “No, that is an eye. Hold on. I know that. See?”, he took out Chaliém’s diary and started flipping pages.
“Yes. It looks like it would adorn a sword.”
“No. No sword. A rod. But you might be right about the sword as well. Here. That is a sketch of the Time Rod.”
“How did he know what the staff looked like?”
“No idea. But the sketch looks exactly like the engraving.”, Kafei looked around.
“Yes.”
“It’s everywhere in here. Twice on each pillar.”
“Why did I never notice that?”
“Look. The pillars are plastered. The plaster crumbles away.”
“Plastered? Why should someone figure the Time Rod in the temple and then cover it with plaster? Wait. Let’s go through the gate.”
“Gate?”, Link pointed back up. “Are you nuts?”
“Oh come on – it’s harmless. And nobody will see us. Come.”
Sighing, he let himself be dragged back up by the hand by Link, where this one opened the gate and they walked through. Now Kafei’s breath actually got stuck. The hall was indeed gigantic. Not only that, it was uniquely beautiful. While Link already ran downstairs to the pillars, Kafei let the impression sink in with awe. In this moment he was truly proud of his ancestor that had commissioned such an architectural beauty, if though it didn’t correspond with ikana’n architectural types. He had had no idea that such an accommodation with Hyrule had even been possible. Were all wrong with their belief that even then, far in the past, ideological chasms had prevailed? Was tolerance more than an occurrence of his own time?
The morning light shimmered pallid and mystical through the high windows and filled the white hall with magic. Never before Kafei had seen anything alike – no, he had. But he had been too busy listening to Din. If though this hall managed to mirror the Sacred Realm so well – literally, as the even stone floor almost doubled the citadel – weren’t the Hylians more true to the fact with the design of their sanctuaries? Or was it only a sacrilege? Copying the home of the Gods by constructional strokes of genius in such scale?
“What I say. There’s nothing. I knew I’m not stupid.”, echoed Link’s voice from below. “I would have seen that.”, only slowly Kafei went down the long staircase, eagerly looking past the archway at the front, where coloured shimmers of the windows shone through. “Or can you see an eye anywhere here?”, Kafei huffed annoyed and went to him around the corner, with a brief but very fascinated look at the big owl statue.
“No. But wait – ”, he fixated the ornamentation and his eyes briefly gained a faint glow. “But it’s there. As I said. Beneath the plaster.”
“Back then already.”, aspirated Link.
“The statue – can you – ”, Link got out the Dominion Rod, shot the light bulb at it and lead it out of the wall. “Wicked. What’s in – ”
“Nothing’s in there. Just a chest I emptied. Nearly no wall decoration either. Do you want to go further in?”
“Not all too far.”
“Then come.”
Kafei’s heart nearly stopped when he saw the octagonal room that was filled with light. Link ran up the spheric stairs and indicated him to follow. Kafei however, preferred to enjoy. He wanted to take in every detail of this sanctuary. The stairs however, made him suspicious. Not because he doubted their stability. It was the colour. Nevertheless he decided to follow Link, who lead him through the first room that was bursting with symbols. Partly he knew the ornamentation anyway; other he remembered to have seen in the diary. He had thought he had known Chaliém. Yet actually, he knew nothing about his deceased friend and his diary posed him even more riddles.
A bit reluctantly he followed Link through the corridor with traps that resembled nothing of what he had seen prior. The room behind it too was, apart from its size, the complete opposite. It appeared like a huge cistern, four openings in the flat ceiling. It was round and in four uniformly distributed alcoves that were flanked by pillars, stood gigantic squat statues with a raised fist. Link demonstratively pointed the Dominion Rod on the statue closest to him, lunged out and the fist crashed down with a reverberating thunder on the stone floor.
“With that I’ve battered that huge spider.”, Link grinned like a little child.
“Let’s get out of here.”, Kafei solely mumbled.
“I know. This room is scary. So different from the others.”
“Please let us get out of here.”
“What’s the matter?”, Link fortunately woke up.
“I am just not comfortable with the thought of walking so many centuries before my birth. And this room – it – ”
“I know. It’s a strange feeling. But you get used t- Kafei?”, that one’s travelling look became increasingly nervous and anxious.
“Please. Let’s just go back.”
“Alright.”
Back in the present, Kafei slackly leaned against the wall opposite to the gate. Slowly he slid to the ground. Link sat down by his side and took him in his arms.
“What actually happened in there?”, Kafei shook his head and swallowed. “Was it Anidja? I know, that bugs even me, but – ”, again Kafei shook his head.
“Read that.”, he held the page of the diary open which showed the coloured sketch of the Time Rod.
“I’m not that good at Sheikjiarnjinjú yet. And what’s that script anyway?”, Kafei sighed shortly and translated.
“`Death’s Sword is Time. When he has set his eye on you, he launches and your time is over.´ That’s an old saying. It’s written on the wall behind the two guardians as well. Again and again. But here. In the book – Chaliém added a note. `And Time is over. Has it dissolved? No. It has been fragmented. The Lord of Darkness forged himself a new Sword from it. The Serpent on the other side of the medallion.´ He made many notes of that kind. But you see? That’s why I said your interpretation of it being a sword might not be so wrong, after all. The Time Rod disappeared as well. That’s what he’s talking about here, whether it dissolved. No, it was fragmented. Forged into a sword. The Lord of Darkness reforged it into a sword. I believe that’s what he wants to tell us. The serpent is a negative symbol in many cultures.”
“The Gerudo worship it.”
“Yes.”
“Wait a minute – ”, like so often, Link felt a big puzzle arranging in his mind. “Not only the Gerudo. The Twili! The shadow tribe! They use serpents for various ornamentations! The Lord of Darkness. A sword. The serpent – other side of the medallion – the Twilight Realm, yes! Zant – he – he had that big sword with a snake on it. With that he – on the pommel there was an eye! This eye!”, Link wildly brandished his finger at it. “He – he reforged the Time Rod.”
“And this tribe descends from felons. They – ”
“I know. They had been banned into the Twilight Realm. Well – it might not have been Zant. After all the rod disappeared long ago, right? But it was at least one of his ancestors that took the rod with them before they had been banned.”
“Why did he know all that?”, breathed Kafei. “He can’t possibly have gotten all that knowledge from the Archpriests. These are things they just can’t have known. Why – why did the clock fall?”
“What?”
“Please shut that door.”, he whispered already, his gaze directed into nowhere.
“Oh.”, Link got up and pulled the wings of the gate shut.
“Not like this.”
“What?”, hissed Link. “How else?”
“Seal it.”
“And how?”
“Well – the way you opened it.”
“Why?”
“Please.”
“Is it – because of that one room?”
“Please.”, Kafei repeated. “Seal it. Or I’ll do.”
“You? And how?”
He stood up, jumped down over the collapsed stairs and disappeared in the archway, Link on his heels. When the latter caught up, Kafei stood before the pedestal, a sword in hand that Link had never seen before. It appeared like a mix of the Master Sword and Zelda’s sword, if though its shapes gave a more crystalline impression. He could associate it with Ikana immediately though. The blade shimmered slightly cupreous and the fanlike pommel of the golden hilt carried three triangle shaped green gems that pointed outwards. The Royal Emblem of Ikana was engraved in the blade, the tear that was added to its bottom pointed towards the hilt. Its centre however, was not the usual circle, but the sign of the Goddesses.
Kafei pushed the sword into the pedestal and a blast wave erupted from it. When Link had unsealed the gate, it had felt the same. Perplexed he stared at Kafei, as he pulled the sword back out.
“Since when do you have a Holy Sword?”
“Shouldn’t I have one?”, smirked Kafei. “I discovered it in the Royal Crypt. By Hethriol’s sarcophagus. Do I need say more?”
“No. May I?”
“Sure.”
“Damn! Zelda was right. It’s really heavy.”
“Fate is fate, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”, aspirated Link and handed back the sword. “My goodness! Zelda!”
He just remembered what they had actually been there for. Kafei let the sword vanish and they returned to their horses as fast as they could. Quickly they left the woods. Had Ijaron been a dumb stallion and not automatically followed Epona, Kafei might have headed him straight into a tree when he stared at the castle in the distance. Only when said tree crossed his visual field, he got back to senses and concentrated on his proximity. Instead of approaching the castle from the south, Link rode in direction of Lake Hylia.
“Uh – ”, noticed Kafei, “I believe, there was a road to the right back there. Or is it blocked?”
“No. I need to show you something first. We might be in a hurry, but that’s something I’ll gladly keep Zelda waiting for.”
Bit by bit the bridge came in sight and Kafei’s astonishment grew. Though the bridge was still far ahead. Nonetheless Kafei stopped his horse and enjoyed the view with first glimpses on Lake Hylia. He already wanted to dismount but was simply stopped by Link riding on. On the remaining way to the bridge it was clearly Kafei who set the speed. Shortly before they reached the bustling monument, he drove Ijaron to his fastest gallop and Link chased Epona behind, laughing. The bridge was so busy that they had slight difficulties getting through. Exactly in its middle they dismounted. Fascinated Kafei studied the other half of the lake. The water glistened like thousands and thousands of fairies. Still in far distance, the roofs of Hyrule Castle twinkled pallidly.
“Well?”, grinned Link and pulled Kafei close. “Did I promise too much?”
“And the idiot I am, I refused to leave my land for so long.”, breathed Kafei.
“Well, it is very difficult to teach idiots, right?”
“True indeed.”, giggled Kafei and gave Link a smacker on the lips, regardless of the looks they attracted, by Kafei’s thick blue hair and the ikana’n garbs they wore, let alone by what they did.
“Make way for the soon-to-be Royal Couple! Make way!”, somebody called and the two horses were granted way, until they slid to halt.
“There it takes you an entire year to convince him coming to my empire! A year! I even have to marry in order for you to come! And as soon as you are here, he wants to commit suicide!”, she snarled at Link after he had let sword and shield vanish and crouched down to fumble around with the laces of his boots.
“Nice to see you too, Zelda.”, Kafei giggled and they briefly hugged after she had climbed up to them. “Who claims I mean to commit suicide?”
“You stand on the wall of the Hylia Bridge and take off your shoes, a longing gaze into the deep. How else is this to be interpreted?”
“If I wanted to kill myself, would I take off my shoes? Now then, Thou excuse, Majesty?”, he pushed his shoes along with his mother’s tiara into her arms.
“Yes. Thou excuse, Highness?”, giggled Link, lifted the tiara and provokingly put his boots in between, took Kafei by the hand and they cheeringly jumped off the ledge.
“Hello, as well.”, aspirated Vaati with a smirk.
“You are such idiots.”, murmured Zelda. “But make sure you do not kill any Zoras!”, she called after them.
“No worries!”, Kafei let go of Link’s hand and turned back to her. “We like fish!”, he poked his tongue out at her, turned again, reached for Link’s hand and the two dived in completely straight and together.
“And cheeky even.”, hissed Zelda.
“Oh let them, darling.”, Vaati giggled up to her from his horse.
“Forget it.”, snarled the princess, now pushed the footwear and jewellery plus her own into his arms, pulled her tiara off her head as well and enthroned the pile with it.
“What are you doing?”
“I cannot possibly let these children be on their own. They are going to hurt someone.”, she straightened her plain white dress. “Oh – would you please be so kind as to look after the horses. Thank you. See you at the meal.”, she turned about with a gloating smile and lunged herself down to the lake.
“And what shall I do with this stuff here? You all have lockets to store such!”, no response. “Tz.”
~o~0~O~0~o~
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