Chapter 3 – Awakenings
Moonlight shone over the castle. Zelda watched over the gardens from her room in the tower, and cried softly. The soft light illuminated an all too familiar figure in the grounds… Once her protector, now her captor...
He moved carefully and quickly. The sword as long as his body was flicked around as if it was an extension of his arm, and in some ways, that wasn’t too far from the truth. While his movements were outwardly calm and focused, inside he burned in anger.
…How could I let them get away?…
The escape of the Zora and the guard weighed heavy on his mind. He should have remembered the electric shield, from back when he wore that guise… Foolish. And as for the other’s flight… No matter. He couldn't hide for long. Then...
He would have his revenge one day.
Almost trance-like, he continued his shadow-fencing, and thought.
It was exactly ten years since he had become who he was today. But what did that mean, anyway? He knew as well as anyone that time was what you made of it. He had no interest in simply taking over Hyrule with his power, as Ganondorf had - the fool. If he had, he could and would have done so straightaway rather than waiting and exploring, searching for worthy opponents, for four years.Yet, his position in charge of the realm had its advantages. At long last, he would get his revenge on the thieves. Ganon was destroyed, but he still longed to do more...
The princess looked down at the fierce Link fighting an invisible opponent. Whatever had happened to the hero?
-
Kaelon blundered downstairs in a trance. His head still felt as if it was in another world. What was it he was supposed to remember, anyway? Who am I? What a silly question… he thought. Or is it?
“Hey!”
He looked around.
“Uh… Malon?”
“Who were you expecting?”
The question stuck. The yell had reminded him of something or someone, but he couldn’t think whom.
“Er… no-one.”
“I’ll give you no-one…” she grinned. “Something’s up, isn’t it? Well, it’s your birthday, so I hope you’re going to pick up. Come with me. Dad’s got your presents.”
His birthday? How could he forget the day he'd arrived at the ranch… He was messed up, he knew.
Dazed, he followed Malon out to the paddock. Talon was waiting, with two parcels and a smile on his face. A filly nudged at his side. He reached over and gave her a scratch on the nose. “Hi, Shara.” Epona’s foal shared her mother’s distinctive white mane.
His reverie was broken by Talon’s coughing. “Happy birthday, sonny.”
“Dad… thanks…”
“Open this one first…” Kaelon was passed a small, thin package. Unwrapping the paper, he revealed a carefully carved wooden flute. “This one’s off Malon.”
“Oh… thanks, Sis…” He put it to his lips and began to play. Hesitatingly at first, as he worked out the notes, then the falling tones of a song his sister’d taught him. She looked at him, tears in her eyes. “That… was beautiful, Kae.”
All of a sudden, memories of ten years ago, listening to the same melody on an ocarina while Epona nuzzled at her and … She shook her head.
“What’s up?”
“Nothing. It’s just that… oh, never mind.”
“When you two are done…” Talon looked over wearing a surprisingly serious expression. “Now. Kaelon. I’ve thought long and hard about this, but I think you’re old enough now to handle it. When you first came to us, you weren’t on your own. You’d brought something with you… I’ve got it here.” He pointed at the second package, long and thin. “Go on. It’s yours. It must be.”
Gingerly, Kaelon picked up the parcel. It had a solid feel to it. Carefully, he pulled away the paper to reveal…
Never!
A sword nestled in a red-and-gold scabbard. He pulled it out carefully. The long blade bore a diamond pattern in gold. He stared, amazed. Was this really his? And how? He stepped away, wary, and looked. Strange that it should feel so comfortable in his hand… He replaced it, still surprised.
The rest of the day passed in a happy daze. Whenever he had nothing to do, he would retreat to a quiet spot and play on the wooden flute. Sometimes, he would pick up the sword again and wonder. But I’m just a kid. This can’t be mine…
For the first time in three days, he had no trouble sleeping. But sleep brought its own surprises.
…The blue chamber again… “Remember…” He stared into those so-familiar blue eyes… The two boys clutched hands. Kaelon looked in surprise at the triangular pattern on his, which seemed to flare with a strange light…
And then…
-
Ten years ago...
-
The darkness was calling.
No! He wouldn’t give up… but did he have a choice?
Was the darkness his destiny? He felt it creeping into his heart, the spirit of the Fierce Deity…
A bolt of light burst through, a heavenly melody – the song of healing! Zelda’s worked it out! Or was it too late, as the world around him faded?…
Whiteness…
“Am I dead? Where am I?”
“Between the worlds.” No! That couldn’t be…
“Saria?” The Sages! So, this was the Other Realm… but how? He knew they hadn’t awakened yet in this timeline – but did that matter? He knew as well as anyone that time was what you made of it.
“Yes, Link. It’s me… And you are alive, don’t worry!”
He grimaced. “Yeah, I know – as the Fierce Deity. I’m just…”
“No! Your spirit is safe here. We could not stop the powers from taking your body, but we saved everything that makes you you. We can give you another chance to live… but there is a problem…”
“What is it?”
“You will have to be born all over again. There is no way that you will remember who you are… at least, not while you are younger.”
No memory? Was living again worth the price?
"And if I don't take that chance..."
"Everything you are, your entire soul, will be lost behind the mask. There will be no way back... ever."
He sighed. “I understand.What do I do?…”
“Just relax…”
Falling…
Images from his past rushed around him.
…The ruined Temple of Time…
…Dodging Majora’s lashing whips, and deciding to take drastic action…
…Watching Anju and Kafei gaze into each other’s eyes…
…Finding Mikau, wounded, bobbing in the water…
…Romani cheering as the sun came up…
…Dodging Odolwa’s giant blades…
…Riding Epona into the forest, his and his only…
…Zelda playing the lullaby, sending him home…
…The monster Ganon in the ruined castle…
…His shadow in the water temple, the savage Dark Link…
…The Deku Sprout telling him of his past…
…Awakening in the Sacred Realm…
…Watching Zelda escape the castle…
…Meeting Navi…
Warm in the ranch house, a baby boy opened his eyes.
-
Present day
-
He awoke slowly.
Ten years… All a dream… I was never the ranch boy after all…
He looked down at himself as clashing memories sorted themselves out. No wonder some things had seemed so familiar – what Kaelon had never seen, Link had. He knew who he was now. The mark on his hand, the Triforce of Courage. The sword, the treasure of the Kokiri people, forged on Snowhead Mountain.
He glanced around at Malon and Talon sleeping. You were never my sister, never my father… No. That wasn’t right. He knew that blood didn’t matter. In some ways, they’d been more his family these last ten years than ever the Kokiri had. If Malon called him “brother”, he wouldn’t correct her... He picked up the sword and the flute and walked outside quietly.
He raised the instrument to his lips, and played the Song of Time.
-
Outside the castle, Fierce Link stopped his shadow-fighting.
Something was wrong… In some way that had nothing to do with his senses, he felt it…