MindTrap
Chapter 3: Into the Labyrinth
"You, help me?" Link glared at the hovering Twinrova witches. "Don't make
me laugh. What do you have that I need? Why would you want to..."
Koume circled round to him. "It's not what we need off you... it's what you
need off us. Although we do have a request of you, lalandin, Fierce Deity..."
Link grumbled under his breath at their obvious attempts to sneak up to him.
He could see the trickery floating in their minds. And he was not about to
trust them.
"I don't need your help. Understand?"
He began to move away, but the pair crossed over in front of him. "Oh, yes,
you do... We know all about the darkness. Which is something you seem a little...
less than in touch with? Your powers are those we can only dream of. It's
such a shame, to see them going to waste..." The words were matched with
a disconcerting smile. "So. We help you reach your potential, lalandin -
and in return, we have only one thing to ask you."
That's more like it. "And what would that be?"
"We've watched you, ever since you arrived in our world. There's legends
about you, you know..." You're stating the obvious. One thing was
clear, though. These witches originated in Saria's timeline, not his own.
Yet his past existence must have had repercussions even there. "You have
the power to open a gateway into any world, don't you?"
Slowly, Link nodded, not immediately certain why they were asking. "If I
can find the correct place to open the portal, yes. What's it to you,
then?"
"We want you to open one for us. Into the world of our king."
Immediately, Link understood. "Never! Don't think I'd ever help you bring
Ganon back to power..."
"You surprise us, lalandin." And it was true - he saw the shadows of shock
faint in Kotake's mind, though Koume seemed a little less fazed. "You two
have so much in common... both of you hold the powers of darkness dear."
"I may use the darkness, but I serve the light," Link snapped. "I'm nothing
like you think. Go away!" He flung the fireball he held through the middle
of the two witches, who scattered away from it. Marching away, Link cast
one quick look back at them. "If the price to pay for knowledge I could learn
on my own is releasing my worst enemy - then don't think I'll pay it." Before
the witches could catch up again, he was gone.
"So much for that idea, Koume."
"It was worth a try..."
"Yes, try to trick the good guy? He thinks he's the hero of time!"
Koume shuddered. "Don't mention that name. But... there's always plan B..."
Kotake's face creased into an eerie grin, and she began to cackle. "Oohoo.
Plan B." She paused. "What was plan B again?"
"You know it!"
"No, I don't!"
Unnoticed by the bickering hags, Saria made a run for it. One last phrase
of theirs caught her ears.
"So... plan B... we don't need to convince him, after all? Just... let him
convince himself?"
-
That pair of... How could they even think I would help them? Link
thought, walking out of town. The guards at the gates only gave him a passing,
nervous glance as he strode past with the intention of putting distance between
himself and the witches. He had originally planned on returning to Hyrule,
the way he had come in - but now, after that reminder of his past, he had
no such plan.
Still, no worry. That's not the only gateway, after all...
Now. Let's see...
Under his breath, he hummed a snatch of the Song of Time as he planned his
route. There was, he had found, another way through to his first home. Snowhead
hid a subterranean passage which would, he believed, connect to a similar
one on Death Mountain. For a fleeting second, the idea of the volcano's crater
filled him with a feeling of apprehension which he could not place.
Strange... but why should it? It's just... is this another flashback?
Deja vu? If only I knew...
He wandered onwards. The sun slowly set over the western ocean, sending shots
of crimson fire across the sky. Familiar constellations began to sparkle
into the heavens. No matter what else changed between the worlds, the stars
never did. The patterns were the same in Termina as Hyrule, or any other
land he had visited. In the north, the Serpent coiled her way through the
blackness, while a southern Hunter stood ready for battle. On his way up
the mountain, he paused to watch as a faint curtain of green, red and blue
shimmered overhead. The aurora in Termina was far more brilliant than the
ones he had seen in Hyrule. It was probably a question of latitude, but no
matter. Perhaps one day, in the far distant future, he would tire of the
spectacle - but not yet. Something was wrong, here, though - the moon hung,
a glowing globe, in the midst of the lights. He smiled, lying down in the
shade of a tall tree to watch.
This is a lucky world... it's never faced the madness mine has. Except...
that which I caused... No. It wasn't me.
(Yes. It was.)
Angry at himself, Link closed his eyes and shook his head. He tried to
relax and calm his thoughts again. Eventually, he succeeded, and slowly found
himself falling asleep. His immortal's body required few of the things he
would have thought necessary for life - air, food, water, sleep - but his
mind, having been that of a human so long, clung to its old habits. And the
warm touch of unconsciousness beckoned.
Unknowing, the Fierce Deity dreamed on.
-
"They said he came this way..."
"Were the guards sure it was him?"
Koume rolled her eyes. "Let me think. How many other people do you know who
are, oh, nearly eight foot tall, white hair, black armour..."
"Stop rubbing it in! Sheesh... I was just checking. Enough already." They
paused. "He's over there. Let's go."
The two broomsticks hovered overhead, and the Twinrova witches watched the
movements of a sleeping deity. As they looked on, Link rolled over, stretching
out his arm as if swinging a sword. They backed off, quickly.
"Has he spotted us?"
"He's asleep. How would he know we're here?"
Kotake shrugged. "Just a thought. And you really think this will work?"
"Better than your little plan to sweet talk him did, anyway! No... the
unconscious mind is always open to deception, even if the conscious isn't."
Koume laughed. "Remember Nabooru?"
Her sister paused. "We're going to turn him into an Iron Knuckle?"
"Hardly! Try and get that sort of spell onto him... It'll never work. But...
methinks that our sleeping friend has less armour in his mind than on his
body. Work with me here!" She cackled. Swinging her wand around, she locked
the slumbering Link in a beam of light. Kotake joined in, grumbling. Where
the energy blasts met, he hovered gently. A faint haze began to surround
him. In it, faint but distinct pictures could be made out. Koume grinned.
"So that's what a god dreams of... That's the princess, isn't it? Oh... hee
hee... Lalandin, I had no idea..."
Kotake glared at her sister. "What are you laughing at?"
She quickly quieted down, playing innocent. "Nothing... nothing... I'm just
thinking - our Fierce Deity has a human side still. He's got his flaws."
For a second, they looked on in silence. Eventually, Koume tapped her twin
on the shoulder.
"What is it? I was just..." the witch complained.
"He never knew his family, did he? No - ooh, hoo! Oh... I remember them,
all right. Better than he does. Saw them fleeing their village in the
war..."
"And you never told me? Sister, I'm surprised! But, anyway - from what I
know, lalandin considers the three goddesses his sisters..."
"Ohoh. He does, does he? Well... You've given me an idea." She squinted,
and twitched her wand. The random and chaotic images flitting around began
to condense and clear. "Let's see what happens if his suspicions are
confirmed..."
She began to whisper in ancient Gerudo words.
Link's eyes opened. But their glow was faded. He saw nothing.
-
Slowly, he stirred. Immediately, he began to sense something was wrong. For
a start, wherever he was lying was... comfortable. It felt like a bed.
Link blinked awake. Yes. That was right. Someone's bed. But how? When he'd
fallen asleep under a tree? This has got to be a dream, he thought
straight away. But that too had its problems. Since his final transformation,
he had never dreamt, on those rare occasions that he slept - or at least,
he had no memory of dreaming. And what sort of a dream started out from asleep,
anyway?
So. That left one obvious option. This was real.
He glanced around his surroundings as he pulled himself up to sitting. It
didn't look like anyone's home he knew. But at the same time - it looked
like his own. The best he could describe it would be as an adult's version
of his child's treehouse. One window was half open, a shutter left ajar.
A number of hangings ornamented the walls, as well as a collection of different
masks and weapons - some of which he'd known and used, he thought, picking
out a Mask of Truth and a Mirror Shield.
But it isn't mine. So. Who's behind this?
A quiet knocking sound came at the door. Link looked over. "Who's that?"
he called.
"You're awake? That's good..." It pushed open, and somebody entered. The
intruder was a girl, around... he couldn't guess her age. Apparently quite
young, but with the same timeless and ageless quality he'd seen in his own
reflection. "I was worried sick about you, Oni'kara."
He focused on his visitor. "How did you..." But something was knocking in
his mind, shouting to be noticed. She'd just called him... who else did...
Her vivid leaf-green eyes grew wide. "What do you mean, 'how did I...'"
"...Know my name?" One of them, anyway. "Who are you?"
She squinted. "You mean you don't recognise me?" The girl sighed, a hint
of a weary alarm in her tones. "It's me, Oni'kara. Your sister? Farore?"
Link shook his head wildly. "You're..." Impossible was no longer the word.
"... the goddess?"
Farore only laughed. "Goddess? Me? Do I look like one to you?"
"I wouldn't know!" He put a hand to his head - noticing as he did so that
his usual armour and clothing was gone. Out of the corner of his eye,
he spotted the silver and black metal piled carefully against a wall. What's
going on? "What am I doing here? Where is this?"
"Found you out cold in the woods. It looked like you'd been poisoned or
something... I'd have said a shadow serpent bit you, but I wouldn't have
thought it would have been any threat to you..." Link winced inside, invisibly,
remembering what the serpent Farore was referring to was like. "And where
this is? It's your home! How can you... not remember?..." She
looked at her feet. "The poison must have made you forgetful. That's the
only way. But it's odd... I never knew it do that before..." Farore sighed.
"I don't know. Goddesses - ha! That's a good one. I think you should get
some more sleep. I'll see you again in a bit. Okay?"
With that, she left, leaving Link as confused as before. More so. Farore's
attempts at explanations had led him deeper into puzzlement. Not one of the
deities, but she used the names for both her and himself and claimed him
as her brother... Not forest, castle or ranch, yet this was apparently his
home... Found in the woods, when he had been climbing a mountain...
He knew one thing. He didn't feel like a shadow-serpent had bit him. No,
in himself he felt too well for that. Was Farore lying? Why would she be
trying to fool him?
Who is she, anyway?
He slowly pushed aside the bedclothes and stood up. As he did, he caught
sight of his reflection in the mirrored shield hung on the wall. Instantly,
Link rushed over and peered at his own features.
He was no stranger to seeing his face changed from what he would have thought
it would be.
But it was still a shock. After believing himself to be the Fierce Deity
for an eternity - the face he saw gazing back was nearly as much that of
the Hero of Time. A mortal human.
No blue or red markings highlighted his features now. Link licked a finger
and rubbed under one of his eyes to see what was happening, but nothing was.
His eyes, too... White? Yes. Still, as was his hair. But no longer the iridescent
diamond glow. Instead, he could clearly see faint flecks of blues and greys
in an iris, and the pupil was sharp and black. Overall, almost perfectly
normal, if unusually coloured.
But not so normal if you're supposed to be... what I am... he thought.
But... was that important? In some ways, wasn't that what he'd always wanted
- to belong to somewhere? And Farore seemed to be giving him that chance...
why shouldn't he take it?
He smiled, and prepared to start a new life. He didn't know how long it would
all last - but he'd take it while he could.
-
Days rolled on, and slowly Link found himself settling into the rhythms of
life in his new - or, depending on who you asked, old - home. The community
he had found himself in was as tight knit as the Kokiri village he had known
- but this time, he was part of it. He had a family here, who saw him as
one of them - three sisters and a father. So much of his past life seemed
to echo strangely, but all distorted and changed. He had seen pictographs
of what one of his so-called sisters - hardly surprisingly, Nayru - told
him was his childhood. And they were scenes from his past. No, more like
scenes from Oni's past - the boy in the photos had the same platinum hair
and silver eyes as he now had. Together with Farore, peering in on their
parents - the moment he had first met Zelda. Playing music in a paddock,
while a pony nudged at his side. What else could that be, other than the
day he had first seen Epona and visited what would become his home?
Or was it that those were the false memories? Which life was
it he had lead?
It all seemed so natural to live this way, now. The titles of Fierce Deity, of Guardian of Time, seemed to fade into insignificance. What did they mean, when he was no longer free to take up that role? Could he be the Guardian, when he could no longer travel through times; call himself Fierce when he was no longer the Deity?
It almost seemed at times that Link of Hyrule had never existed, nor Kaelon,
nor Lord Oni'kara - all the personalities of his past were gone.
Sometimes, he caught himself calling himself just Oni of Lakeside, and not
remembering where he had first taken the name from. The name Link was no
longer his own.
The people he had known were no more than just names, now. Saria, Zelda,
Malon, Alena... Ganondorf, Kafei, Camren, Talon... he could no longer form
a clear picture of any of them, as he struggled to catch hold of his memory.
He couldn't even visualise anyone like that, a normal mortal human,
when all around him were people who matched his own physical condition. To
the Hylians, Sheikah and Gerudo, to all the human races he knew, his physical
form was that of a demigod, at least. Around here, it was just a normal
person's.
It wasn't that he truly remembered the facts he was assured were his past,
those were just words still. But, without any reference, he could hardly
hold on to the world he had known...
-
The witches watched his dreams, impatiently. Their plans were working. A
little too well. "It strikes me he's a little too... happy here, sister...
This really does not help us!"
"I was thinking that, too. What say we try to use lalandin's... darker
instincts?"
The sisters cackled. Kotake twitched her wand. "This one's mine..."
-
Link began to awake slowly, stretched, and shivered slightly. His back ached
for some reason. Almost instinctively, he rolled over, trying to pull the
sheets back into place.
It was only then he realised. The reason he was so cold and
uncomfortable...
His eyes opened, and he looked around. The reason he was so cold and
uncomfortable was the fact he was sleeping in his armour in the open. Under
some tree. Things became familiar. "Nayru... Farore... what's..." But they
were not there to listen. Not as physical beings like he was. He shook his
head, feeling the weight of his usual headgear touching his back. Did
I just dream... three whole months? But it was so real... Awakening is hard,
sometimes... when I think back to the child I was, learning of his heritage...
wasn't that just the same?
No. Not really. I mean, I'm just as much one as the other, as much Oni'kara
as Link, right? ...Or am I?
He got to his feet, checked his weapons, and began to walk on almost aimlessly. After his dream, it was difficult to focus any more. His first priority, he guessed, would be to get through the passage to Hyrule, as that had been his original goal - but where to go after that, he still had no idea. For all he had complained too often of his destiny, Link felt lost not knowing what it was. But all the same, he couldn't really stay there, he decided.
As he walked on, the mountain valley was peaceful. The hillsides were wooded
- more trees were standing proud on Snowhead's sides than he remembered.
It was almost like he was in the forests of his first childhood, before they
had been destroyed by either Ganondorf's minions - or his own bitter rage
at the past. But it was done now. Somehow, he couldn't stay in that mood
long in this place. Smiling faintly, he picked up his ocarina and played
along to a tune in his mind. His warrior's nature, fierce by definition,
was softened for the time.
For once, he felt like just enjoying the moment.
Suddenly, the quiet was ruptured by a scream. He snapped out of his reverie,
and looked for the source. It sounded like someone was in trouble.
More than that, he thought he recognised the voice.
Zelda or Alena.