Chapter 3: The Hero of Time
Hyrule, an isolated kingdom in the far north, its lands surrounded by a thick fog created by the great forest marsh that surrounds it, cutting it off from the outside world. There is only one road in and out of the region, its inhabitants to afraid to venture forth into the face of the unknown. Those who were brave enough to have made the journey down this road never set foot in the region again, keeping the rest of the superstitious lambs inside their naturally formed pen of forest and mountain, too frightened to venture forth and expand.
Almost half a world over though, away from the kingdom, that won’t experience any outside contact for many years yet, we come to a wild expansion of wilderness and untamed land, one lone stretch of dirt road stretching as far as the eye can see in either direction. Dawn breaks into the sky, spreading the morn across the wilds of the expansion. Coming to light is a small campground nestled off to the side of the road. The make shift camp pit in the middle was long cold, littered with ash and burnt wood. Off to the side and all wrapped up was the remains of last night’s catch, a wild rabbit snared in a campaign for survival by a cunning and ingenious warrior, wisely put aside for morning sustenance. Two figures slumber peacefully next to one each other, one was all curled up, looking like a small boulder covered with a fine brown fur, the other more decidedly a human figure. As the light of the sun washes over them, one of them begins to stir.
The mound of fur uncurls a muscular neck, white main cascading down onto one side resting against its fur. Its ears flick about, smacking its lips at the end of its elongated face. It blinks at the morning sun with its sea blue eyes, swatting its tail about. It lifts itself onto its short but strong legs and stretches the entirety of its form. It looks around the surroundings, looking for any signs of intruders or unwelcome threats. Seeing no signs, it dashes off and runs about, jumping, sprinting, kicking and neighing playfully. It looked almost as if it were dancing to celebrate the rise of the morning sun.
Minutes later, it contentedly trotted back to the campground, only to find its compatriot still fast asleep. It huffed in annoyance and approached the sleeping figure. Lazy bum! Do I honestly have to do this every morning?
The horse trotted its way up until it was standing right next to the slumbering individual. It leaned its neck down until its snout was inches away from his pointed ear and began to clack its teeth together in an effort to wake him up, but all his response was an illegible mumble and a swat of the horse’s nose, him rolling back over to continue his sleep.
The horse whined in anger and annoyance, shaking its head and giving a huff. So that’s the way you want to play eh?
It bit onto the mat the figure was sleeping upon, spread its legs in preparation. With a swift yank of its powerful neck, it pulled the rug from under the sleeping fellow, flipping him around in the process. It shook the mat violently before tossing it aside, coming back to glare at the boy with a stomp of its hoof.
“Alright, alright, I’m awake!” He grumbled under his voice, motioning the horse to settle down from its tirade. He wore a green tunic, brown leather shoes and his hair parted neatly down the middle. He too blinked at the morning with his blue eyes as he scratched his head. “Go get yourself some breakfast Epona, and I’ll have some of my own.”
Epona neighed happily and trotted off to a pasture. The youth, who looked to be no more than thirteen or fourteen years old, stood up and groggily walked over to his bag. It sat next to a large gray rock sticking out of the ground, resting next to a sword in a leather sheath and a blue steel shield, baring three triangles stacked on top of one another. He opened it and pulled out a green cap, fastening it to his head and over his blond hair. Once secured, he began to look around his makeshift campsite. “Man, horse is worse than Saria and Navi put together. Now, where did I put the rest of that rabbit?”
As he was looking around, he spotted by his feet a brown bag. Sticking out of the top looked to be a part of a ceramic mask.
“When did that fall out?” He queried to himself, kneeling down to pick it up. He tightened the top and replaced it back into his satchel. “It’d be bad news if that ever fell into the wrong hands.”
Satisfied to have avoided a potential disaster, he located the remaining cooked rabbit, and proceeded to finish it off. Five minutes later, he pulled the last of the meant from the bone and chomped on it veraciously, washing it down with a swig of water from a glass canteen wrapped in a leather covering. He wiped the access grease and water away with his fore arm, giving a satisfied sigh. He gathered up the remainder of the bones and began to chuck them at a nearby tree, making a game of whether or not he could throw a bone into a small hole in its side.
Soon, with successfully throwing eight bones into the hole, his supply ran out, and he began to recline back against the rock, staring up into the morning sky as he watched the clouds float ideally by. As he laid there staring up into the sky, his thoughts turned back to his home, to Hyrule, to the people he had lost and who had lost so much because of him. The solidarity of his life started to creep its way onto his mind and into his heart.
He quickly reached carrying bag and pulled out a peculiar blue ceramic instrument shaped like a sweet potato. It had seven holes on its top and two on its bottom. The mouth tube was engraved with the same triple triangle symbol that was on his shield. With a practiced hand, he wrapped his upper and lower lips gently around the air way, blew into it with a slow and controlled breath, he played the instrument with the expertise of a seasoned professional. Along with the air he breathed, he blew all his emotions and feelings away into the porcelain shell, letting all of his thoughts and feeling just flow away and into his music. The grass ruffled in the breeze as the intoxicatingly sad, but hauntingly beautiful, melody sang out. It sang of friends gone and friends forgotten. It sang of a yearning for a return home and the crushing agony of walking alone with no hands to reach out to and clasp out of fear, pain and sadness. He kept playing, releasing his emotions, until he couldn’t feel them any longer. His song came to an end, removing the instrument from his lips and placing it in his lap. He sighed in a mixture of depression and sadness.
He then felt the nudge of a furry nose against his left cheek. He looked over to find Epona, having returned from grazing, standing next to him with a concerned look in her eyes. What are you so lonely for? What am I? A pile of horse crap?
She whined worriedly as she watched on. Link smiled, stroking her between her nose and eyes affectionately.
“Don’t worry Epona. I’m just fine!” The youth chirped slightly, trying to put the horse’s mind at ease. Epona still whined slightly and turned her head. Link could only chuckle at her. He had never before met an animal as devoted as Epona. It alone was enough to appease his heart. He returned his instrument to his bag and placed his hands against the rock he had been leaning on. With a shove, he pushed himself up and onto his feet. He struck his clothes, knocking off the dirt and dust that had gathered upon his green tunic. “Time for us to get moving again. We should try to reach the next town in the next few days or so. Plus, we need to find a place where we can give you a bath.”
Listening to this, Epona shook her head and stomped her hooves, neighing in disagreement to her master’s statement. Just try it. I’ll knock your dekus into next week.
“Argue all you want Epona. You’re not the one who has to live with the smell of filthy horse.” He stated, obviously unable to hear Epona’s internal dialog. He rolled up his sleeping mat, tying it off with twine to ensure it stays rolled up. He quickly attached it to his bag and swung it over her back, securing it with a strap. He picked up his sword and shield, taking the handle and threading on top of the sword sheathe. He then took the leather shoulder straps and brought the top one over his left shoulder and the bottom under his right arm, threading the leather the brass buckle and securing it tightly. “And aren’t you being a little hypocritical? You give me all kinds of hell when I don’t bathe.”
All Epona did was huff in reply.That’s because you’re the one who’s always so filthy! Goddess knows what kind of filth you roll around in whenever you have one of your adventures!
“Let’s just go.” The youth sighed ah he rubbed his fore head. The two of them then set out on the dirt road, walking side by side. They walked in silence, since that had no real means of communicating with one another.
A few hours later, they came up to a cross section, as another dirt road cut through in from to them. The youth quickly looked around for any type of sign for directions to his next destination. Finding nothing he opened up the bag strapped to his horse and pulled out a map and a compass.
“Okay, so if that’s north…” He drawled, pointing to his left with his thumb as he attempted to discern which road to take. Epona eagerly peaked at the map over her master’s shoulder, curious of the foreign process that he was working through. “And the nearest town is to the south of this cross section. So that means that we go…”
Just as he switched directions, now pointing to the right, a clatter or wood and metal rubbing and knocking against each other caught his attention.
Thudda Thudda Thudda!
The sound, accompanied by the sound of hooves striking away at the ground passed them by, kicking up a cloud of dust in its wake. His arm still in the air, the youth and his horse looked up, bewildered and confused as to what had just occurred. They looked ahead and blinked, then turned and stared at each other, each one wearing a blank expression on their face as if they were hoping that the other knew just what had transpired. “What the hell?”
Don’t look at me. Even if I knew what happened, do you really think I’m in any position to tell you?
Returning their gaze forward, they noticed two sets of horse tracks followed by the tracks of what could only be the wheels of a stage coach. Looking to the left, they saw a horse drawn carriage speed off to the nearby mountains.
Thudda Thudda Thudda!
The sound of more hooves struck by them, this time the two catching sight of those they belonged to. A group of four bandits, each of them hooting and hollering and riding horseback raced after the carriage, their cackled laughter still being heard as they zoomed away into the distance as the two traveling companions watch them speed away towards the mountains. As the second dust cloud of dust kicked up by the wild group of wanna-be banditos settled, Epona turned back to her master with a raised brow and a expectant look in her eye as if she knew what was gonna happen next. Your call, Mr. lone hero.
The youth stared back at her. He gave a tired sigh and a slight smile, switching directions once again, his finger now once more pointing to the mountain range.
“That means we go left.”
------
CRACK!
THUD!!
Dusk approaches in the mountain range far off into the distance. The carriage having been caught and forced to stop far off of any road, the horses stood unbeknownst as to what had happened. The carriages driver and loan adult passenger was crumbled onto the ground his green hair stained with dirt and his face bruised and swollen from a severe beating, blood dripping away from his broken nose and multiple cuts across his body. His clothes were torn and in tatters. He coughed up a stream of blood as he tried to force himself up to his feet. His three tormentors cackled away, as their apparent leader leaned against the carriage, smirking confidently. He had dark purple eyes, shoulder length straight black hair, and was very muscular. He had on a black cotton shirt with no under shirt, leaving the buttons undone to show off his prominent chest muscles. His silk and cotton slacks had no signs of stain or blemish from riding. His black gloves had the fingers cut away, his hands folded into his arms confidently.
The carriage driver, still on his hands and knees, panted heavily. One thug came up next to him and slammed his heel square onto the man’s back, the driver crumpling back onto the ground. Another grabbed him by his hair and violently yanked his head up, the roots of his hair barely still in his scalp.
“See what happens when you don’t pay the fee and try to skip the toll?” He inquired rather matter of factly. “Not only did you try to get out of paying, but you dragged this all the way out here, wasting both of our time. Time I could be spending conducting ‘business.’ Business I’ll never get back, thanks to you. Just for that, I’ll have to collect a little… interest.”
“I keep telling you…” The man stuttered, fighting to speak through his pain. “I don’t have any Rupees! Nor do I have anything of value! I beg of you, just let us go! please!”
“And why should I do that?” He retorted in a snarl and a sneer. “I’m Vance, the worst rogue on the continent! I let you go, and suddenly everybody will start thinking they can get away with cheating me!”
“I promise I won’t tell a soul! You have my word on it! Please, just let us be!!” He begged in earnest, desperately trying to bargain for his life. The thug holding his hair gave it a quick tug, sending waves of pain down the carriage driver’s tender scalp.
“Hold on a second buddy!” The rather simple looking thug grumbled. “Boss Vance don’t need your money or your secrecy. We do it on a matta of sheer principle.”
“George, I think you have your definitions a little confused…” Vance growled, more than a little embarrassed by his simple minded colleague. “But I digress, he is right. I do sort of have my principles. And letting you go would go against it. Now, I’m sure we can think of some sort of payment…”
SNAP!
The sound of the branch breaking caught Vance’s attention immediately. He turned back towards the road to look for any signs of life. Not seeing any signs of intrusion but still with suspicions, He turned his piercing glare towards the third bandit who had been standing off to the side, watching the other two restrain the driver.
“Donavan!” Vance barked loudly and with command in his voice, causing the one known as Donavan to jump to attention, arms rigidly to the side, looking like a private being approached by a general. Vance cocked his head in the direction of the snap. “Go check it out!”
“Got it Vance!” Donavan barked obediently. He quickly ran off towards the road and out of sight, to investigate the source of the disturbance.
“Now where were we?” Vance asked sarcastically, raising his eyebrows in mock thought. “Oh yes! I’m sure we can think of something!”
“I told you before! We have nothing! We lost everything! Our money, our home, our belongings, everything! I could barely afford this carriage!” The damaged and beaten driver repeated, almost on the verge of tears.
“Hey boss…” The thug with his foot dug into the drivers back drawled sadistically as he pressed his heel into his back, aggravating his wounds. “How about we take the carriage? Leave the bum and his brats stranded in the desert? That buggy looks to be worth plenty!”
“This piece of crap? Nah.” Vance scoffed in a mocked chuckle. He reached back and rubbed the cotton padded seat cushion. I mean, it looks all fancy from a distance, but up close, it actually looks pretty crappy. One of the horses would net us more rupees than this piece of crap! However…”
Vance looked over his shoulder and into the carriage and took in the sight of its passengers. A girl with long blond hair looking to be in her early teens was fight back tears, clutching to a nine year old crying boy for dear life. The both of them were huddled into a corner, looking more scared then they have ever been. Vance chuckled under his breath. Not quietly enough though, to go unheard by the tormented carriage driver.
“Oh dear goddess, no.” He pleaded under his breath before he started struggling violently. “PLEASE!! NOT MY CHILDREN!! THEY’RE ALL I HAVE LEFT!!”
“Then they should do just nicely.” He sneered evilly.
“What are we gonna use a couple kids for boss?” One of the lackies inquired.
“The brat can be trained to do our dirty work when he’s older. And as for the girl…” Drawled the snide bandit leader as he looked back at the kids cowering in the carriage. “She’s old enough to be our evening ‘entertainment,’ as it were.”
“Gotcha boss.” The two replied in a sinister chorus.
“Change of plans. Kill him and lock this rolling shack up tight. We’re taking them both back.”
“No…” The carriage driver pleaded desperately. The one holding onto his hair pulled out a knife and licked the edge of its blade while the other took two large pad locks and locked both sides of the door shut.
“Nothing personal, you understand.” George said as he brought his knife up, preparing to strike. “If I don’t do what the boss says, I’m the one who gets killed.”
Just as he was about to strike, a rock struck his hand, knocking away the knife. Before George could react, another rock flew out of nowhere and struck his temple with incredible force, knocking him unconscious instantly.
“WHO!?!” Vance demanded, darting his line of sight towards the projectile’s direction.
“Nobody who’d give their name to scum like you.” A green clad youth defiantly retorted as he flipped tossed rocks up into the air, catching them on their decent. He wore a green cap that flapped in the evening breeze and a sword on his side, and a shield hanging of its sheathe. Vance only stared with a raised, skeptic brow. “Let the old man and his kids go.”
“Pfft!” Snorted Vance in a sudden fit of laughter. He clutched his sides with his opposing arms as he doubled over. He howled crazily at the sheer amusement of the prospect of a boy trying to stand up to him. “Now that’s rich! A little snot nosed brat actually thinks he can take Vance the top bandit on the continent! And what’s up with that goofy hat!! You look like one of those pixies in those cobbler pastry adds!”
“A snot nosed brat that took out two of you men.” The youth corrected with a smirk. “And I’m gonna give you this one warning: Don’t diss the hat.”
“What are mumbling about kid? This isn’t pretend time!” Vance asked, coming down from the high brought about by his fit of laughter. “All you did is knock out George, which to be honest, isn’t saying much.”
“News flash, Mr. Big time evil genius!” Retorted the youth, his arms crossed in annoyance. “This is a desert mountain. Completely barren, I might add. When was the last time you saw any trees for sticks to drop off of?”
“What are you talking about? Where’s Donavan!?”
“Donnie’s….” The youth drawled, he reached behind his back and pulled out a broken stick. “Taking a little nap.”
What!?! Vance thought in a panicked state, his eyes wide with disbelief at the notion. That he was suddenly thinking. Is this kid actually implying that he brought a stick with him just to draw one of us away and knock him out? There’s no way he can be that smart.
Vance glared at the boy, eyeing him suspiciously. “Ronnie…”
“Yeah boss?” The remaining bandit said in response.
“I don’t like the tone in this punk’s voice. “ Vance seethed coldly. “Take care of him.”
“You got it boss!” Ronnie remarked eagerly. He started rushing towards the youth, bringing his fist around, ready to strike. But in a flash, the youth drew his sword, lunged forward and slashed his attacker’s right side. He clutched his wound and fell to his knees screaming. “GAAAAAAAAHH!!”
“It’s a flesh wound. Don’t over react, ya baby.” He advised. He removed his shield and threaded his right arm through the straps. With all the strength he could muster, he back handed the thug across the left side of his face, rendering him unconscious. Returning his weapons to his sheathe, he walked over to the driver of the carriage, taking up the knife dropped by the fallen George and sheathed it in his belt loop. He grabbed him by his shoulder and helped him to his feet. “Are you alright sir?”
“I’m alright…” He managed to cough out. He leaned against a nearby rock to steady himself. His entire body was aching terribly. “But my children…”
“Are property of Vance now!” The lead bandit sneered. Rather than following suite and fight link as well, he had climbed onto the driver’s bench of the carriage and sneered. He snapped the reigns and with a neigh, the twin horses ran off down the mountain pass, towing the carriage behind them.
“MY CHILDREN!!” The driver yelled, reaching after the carriage.
“Won’t get far!” The youth preached, completing the driver’s sentence. He turned back towards the road and inserted his left index finger and pinky into his mouth. With a powerful exodus of air from his lungs, he let out a loud whistle. A galloping young mare quickly came to view, and with expert precision, jumped onto the horse, the two of them speeding away after the carriage. “Hyah Epona, hyah!”
Leave it to me! I’ll catch up to those old fogies in no time! Epona promised in her silent internal dialogue. True to her non verbal word, the two of them quickly managed to catch up to the runaway buggy. The valiant youth spotted a ladder to the roof on its rear, and quickly directed his noble horse towards it. As they inched closer, the brave lad stood up onto the mare’s back. He reached out to grasp the handle bars of the ladder, but it just barely out of reach. Little by little, Epona closed the distance between Link and the ladder, until his fingers was able to graze the cool metal. As excellent a horse as Epona was, she was still young, her prime still far beyond her. Her legs began to tire but with all of her effort, she gave one final push, and closed the last of the gap between the two. The blond haired youth wrapped his fingers around the bar, gripping it tightly. Epona’s task completed she immediately began slowing down. As she slowed down to a stop, she watched as the carriage and her master sped away. It’s your show now kid.
Back at the carriage, the youth fastened his grip to the bars, and quickly scaled his way to the top. He inched his way to the front, trying his best to not give away his presence. Now looking down on Vance from above, he crouches down, and with one swift motion, swung his legs around and struck the side of Vance’s head, knock him aside and releasing his grip on the reigns. “GAH!”
The youth quickly took up the reigns and pulled back on them in an effort to stop the carriage. As the pair of horses began to slow down, Vance drew his own short sword into his right hand and lunged at the youth. He manages to dodge Vance’s attack, but in the process, Vance slashed the reigns, leaving no means of controlling the now out of control buggy. “Are you crazy?!? Now we can’t control the blasted thing!!”
“Don’t worry. I survive. I always do.” He sneered confidently, brandishing his sword. He thrust his blade towards his new enemy.
“It’s not you I’m worried about!” The youth barked, managing to side step the attack. He quickly grasped Vance’s arm and pulled it forward until his hand was off the side of the carriage. He laid the arm across his left knee and hit it in a downward strike with his left elbow, causing Vance to drop the short sword, sending it clattering to the rocky roads below.
“Damn! Why you little brat!” Vance hissed over the sound of the passing air and the clatter of wood against the rocks below. He grabbed the young warrior by his side and threw him over the top of the carriage, sending him over the other side. He barely managed to grab the top handle bar of the ladder before going past the point of no return. The momentum of the carriage caused his entire body to snap around and strike the back of wall of the carriage, the THUMP of his body striking the wood quickly followed by screams from inside the wooden container. His body sore from his endeavor he fought his way back up to the top, Vance standing there waiting in earnest. “You’re persistent, I’ll give you that!”
Vance reached down and grabbed the green warrior by the nape of his tunic with his right hand, lifting him up into the air. With his left hand, he stole the sword sticking out from behind the youth’s shoulder and slammed the small body onto the floor of the carriage’s top, another round of screams accompanied by the sound of the youth’s form slamming against the wood. Vance got onto his knees and pressed the blade against the youth’s jugular.
“You had a good run kid.” Vance sneered sadistically, looking at the struggling youth’s face. “But it was unrealistic for you to even think that you could stand up to me! I’m Vance! I’m practically the Bandit King! Actually, that’s what I am Bandit King Vance! And nobody can take me!”
“You know something?” Link muttered, struggling against his own blade. “You sure like to brag for somebody I’ve never even heard of!”
“Wha-what?” Vance whispered, taken aback at the blow to his notoriety. He unconsciously lessened the pressure on the sword. “How-how is that possible? I’m known all over the continent.”
Not giving an answer, the youth quickly took the opportunity. He gave a swift kick between Vance’s legs, sending him reeling into striking range of a head butt, cracking his nose instantly. He reeled back in pain, letting the youth knock the sword away and off the carriage. Now on his feet, he took the knife he had confiscated and slammed the handle in the back of Vance’s neck. Vance was now flat on the ground, and the young warrior quickly sank the knife into Vance’s arm, cutting the muscle, threading the blade through his radius and ulna arm bones, piercing the skin on the other side and sinking it into the wood, locking Vance into place, signaling another chorus of screams, this time adding Vance’s voice to the two coming from within the carriage. With one more kick of the warrior’s heel, Vance was left unconscious, buying the youth precious time. Breathing heavily, he makes his way to the driver’s bench.
Once there, he looks ahead into the distance and his face goes pale white, seeing a cliff straight ahead. He desperately looks around, trying to formulate a plan of escape. He spots an adjacent path off to the right in the rocky wall. He looks from the path, to the horses, to the hitch that secured them to the carriage, then back to the path. He thinks a second longer and then gave a huff and his eyes began to glare with certainty. He turned back toward the carriage and started kicking at the screen that separated the driver from the passengers. With powerful kicks he struck the screen, it giving a little bit more each time until finally, the screen flew off and down onto the floor. “Both of you! Out!”
“Wh-who are you?” The elder girl demanded, attempting to be brave despite being scared out of her mind.
“I’m the guy who’s trying to save you! Now out!”
“How do I know you’re telling the truth?!”
“Listen! We don’t have time for arguments!” The youth barked, causing the girl and her younger brother to jump. “We’re moments away from going over a cliff and the reigns have been cut! I can save us but I’ll need your help! Both of you! Please just trust me!”
The girl looked from the young warrior to her younger brother, who had stopped crying. He sniffled a bit, but then nodded. The girl then returned her gaze to the Warrior. “Alright. What do you want us to do?”
“First, both of you come up here.” He directed. The two crossed the cabin and the sister lifted her brother up, the green warrior grabbing him by the arms and pulling him out, then returned to assist the older sister to the front. The wind rushed by them as they attempted to situate themselves. “Now, I need you two to climb onto the backs of the horses and grab hold of the leather straps coming from both sides of their bite collars. When I give the signal, pull them to the right got it? As hard as you can! Try to aim for that fork over there!”
The two of them nodded, placing their trust in the strange warrior. With his help, both managed to climb onto horse back with relative ease and as per his instructions, grasped the leather straps. The youth, situated on top of the traces attaching the two horses, turned his attention to the hitch. He grasped the switch with both hand and tried to turn it with all his might, but it wouldn’t move an inch. He then switched positions, grabbing the combining trace with both arms and raised his leg to strike. “Feet don’t fail me now!”
Once again, he relied on the force of his legs to get the job done. He kicks away as hard as he can, his legs already reeling from kicking out the screen. Each time he strikes the switch, a wave of pain flies up his legs.
“Uh, mister…” The young boy drawled, speaking for the first time. I hate to be a bother, but we’re coming up to our turn real quick. “
“I’m aware of that! Thank you!” The youth barked. When he started to feel the switch starting to give, he paused for a moment and took in a deep breath of air. He scrunched his leg and stomach up, adding the extra force of his waste, and with one final hit, he struck the switch with the heels of both his feet, the rusted metal bar finally turning, undoing the hitch and freeing the horses with a rusted creak.
“WE’RE FREE! TURN NOW!!” The young fighter commanded. Not wasting a second, the two siblings pulled their respective straps to the right as hard as they could. The horses pulled forward, breaking free of the carriage, there metal traces now dragging on the rocky ground, and veered off to the right and down the adjacent path to safety as the carriage, along with a recovering Vance, speed onward to the cliff. As the brother and sister riders pulled back on the reigns to motion the horses to stop, the youth only breathed a sigh of relief.
“Damn…” Vance growled, know awake. He bit his lip and grabbed the knife, jerking it out while fighting past the pain. He crawled is way forward to the front. “That kid doesn’t know who he’s dealing with. I’m Vance! The greatest Bandit ever! I’ll make him pay for this one day, and Vance always keeps his word. One day soon, I’ll…”
Before he could finish his tirade, he felt the floor disappear from under him, and he felt almost as if he were weightless. Instead of looking forward towards the front towards the wild expanse, the absent horses, and the sun setting over the horizon, or down towards the dark craggy abyss, he looked straight up, his eyes skyward, aimed at the cliff. But it wouldn’t matter where he would be facing, because all that he could see in his eyes was the little green twerp in a funny hat who managed to best him. His anger grew and grew as he fell through the air, his desire for retribution quickly festering into a need for revenge so great, he craved it with every fiber of his being.
“MARK MY WORDS, YOU LITTLE SNOT!!” The crazed Vance yelled into the nothingness of the air, rage and hatred growing where fear should be. “IN THIS LIFE OR THE NEXT, I WILL HAVE MY PAYBACK FOR THIS!! THAT’S A PROMISE, YOU HEAR ME!! I’LL FIND A WAY! I ALWAYS DO!! ”
The smashing of wood against rock rang out into the air as Vance rapidly approached his final destination.
“I SWEEEEEEAAAAAAAR IIIIIIITT…….”
-------
The moon had already risen over the horizon, and as the driver watched the rocky pass, he still couldn’t see any sign of his children or the strange boy who rode after him. Despair and any hope he may have had had long departed. He fell from the rock where he had been keeping watch for so very long and broke into tears. “Merciful Goddesses, why? Why did you let them be taken?”
“Daddy?” He heard a girl’s voice say.
“Kariah…” He wept, burying his face in his arms in his sadness. “Even now I still hear her voice…”
“Papa?”
“Soto, my beloved son. I’m so sorry I couldn’t do anything for you.”
“Hey old man! Quit your bawling and look up already!” The voice of the young warrior called out. He looked up from his arms and the sight he saw filled him with unbridled joy. His two children stood on either side of the green warrior, both with smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes. Behind them stood his two horses along with the young mare the youth ran off on.
“My children! You’re alive!” the driver rejoiced. The two siblings ran to their father, welcoming them with open arms and a smile on his face. The three of them cried, overjoyed to be alive and to be together. The young warrior walked forward, his arms crossed, a wink in his eye, a smile on his face and a chuckle in his voice. The sword he had brandished earlier was gone from his sheathe. “Thank you! You saved them! You saved them!”
“Don’t thank me yet! First we got to fix you up.” The youth chided. He opened up the side bag strapped to Epona, and took out a glass bottle filled with a shimmering crimson liquid. He turned towards the family of three, and as the two siblings parted from their father’s embrace, the warrior tossed the bottle towards the man, him fumbling with the bottle slightly before grasping it firmly with both hands. He looked at it inquisitively. “Think of it as a special medicine. Trust me, it does wonders.”
He stared at the crimson concoction for a moment, turning to both of his children. Both his son and daughter nodded encouragingly. He popped the cork, breath in and out nervously to steel himself, and down the liquid in one go. As he emptied the bottle his body began to glow. The cuts began to fade, the discolored skin of his bruises returned to their natural tan coloring, and the pain he had been feeling had virtually melted away from him. As he finished it off, his body was restored, as good as can be. With a big grin and wide arms, he grabbed his children and sang his happiness. “Oh joyous day! Miraculous moment! How wonderful it is to be alive!”
Once his had settled down, he stood up and looked towards the youth. “You saved us. Thank you. Truly, you are a gift from the goddess.”
“Heh, well I wouldn’t go that far.” He scoffed with a wink.
Typical. Epona thought in a scoff. I do all the leg work, and he gets all the credit.
“Vance won’t be bothering you or anyone else ever again. But I’m still sorry I couldn’t save your carriage.” The youth said, rather apologetically.
“The carriage is worth nothing. Just having my children safe with me is more than enough. And with our horses, I’m sure we’ll be just fine.”
“Maybe, but I just wish there was—“ The young warrior paused, his hand scratching his cheek. He looked down to his right hand to Vance’s short sword, which he had managed to pick up along the way back. Now that he actually got to look at it, he realized that it was very gaudy. While the blade was of excellent quality and condition, the handle was made of pure gold and was encrusted with jewels. He grabbed the bottle and put the blade in its place. “Here, I’ll trade ya. These bottles are surprisingly hard to come by.”
“But…” The driver began to say. He examined the blade, then noticed that the young warrior’s sheathe was empty. “But you lost your sword. Shouldn’t you keep this?”
“That ugly thing? Nah, not my style.” He insisted as he replaced the bottle into his bag. “I can always get another one. And besides you’d need it more than I do. Use it for defense or hunting, or something. And when you finally get to where you’re going, you can sell it for a good amount of cash.”
“Um…” The girl interrupted. The youth blinked in confusion as she bowed quickly. Her face was blushing crimson. “Thanks again for saving us.”
“It’s not a problem. It’s just a hobby of mine.”
“We’re going to a land called Termina.” She drawled nervously, wrapping her hair around her index finger. “Maybe, if your ever in the area, maybe we could hang out sometime?”
The young warrior, caught off guard, starred at her blankly. He sighed, and then scratched his head through his cap. “Look, I appreciate your feelings, but it’s for the best if you just forget all about me.”
“Wh-what do you mean?” She replied sounding rather crushed. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No! You didn’t do anything! It’s just that—“ The youth yelped in a panic. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes to calm himself. Once he was settled, he continued on. “It’s just that for some reason or another, everyone who’s ever gotten close to me has been hurt. Knowing me will bring you nothing but trouble.”
He forced his way past her and started walking back towards the road. “I’d get as far away from here as I can if I were you. These guys won’t be happy when they wake up and I’ve already sent their horses away.”
I wish you would have taken her up on that offer. You desperately need a girlfriend. Epona thought rather tiredly as she followed her master up towards the road. Maybe if you got laid, you wouldn’t be such a bore!
“Wait!” She called after him. The youth stopped for a second, not turning around to meet her eyes. “Please, at least tell us your name.”
He remained silent for a second, and not even turning around, he spoke simply and coldly before walking away. “My name is Link”
-----
“Ah, finally!” Link howled in triumph, having spent the last half an hour striking a piece of flint across a strip of magnesium into a teepee shaped kindling formation in an attempt to start a fire. With some tending, it quickly grew into a campfire. He and Epona now rested at the base of the mountain, being able to find enough sticks and logs to set up camp for the night. He flumped down onto his sleeping mat and leaned back, propping himself against his arms as he gave a sigh of relief. “Man, it sure sucked that we lost a day didn’t it? We didn’t even get the chance to get you that bath Epona.”
You really do want me to hurt you, don’t you Link? She thought rather angrily. The two of them sat in silence, staring into the blaze. Link began to lose himself in the dancing flames. It was hauntingly hypnotic.
“Man, I don’t know if I’m more hungry or tired or what…” He said through a yawn, clutching his stomach in an effort to ease the pain. “Nothing I can do about it now though. Time for some shut eye. Goodnight Epona.”
Just as the two of them were about to drift asleep, a pain, like a bolt of lightning, shot threw his left arm. He shot up and yelped in pain as he grasped his left wrist with his right hand. Epona, scared awake by the sudden scream, trotted over to investigate what was the matter. He gazed at the back of his left palm, where the pain was most concentrated. The triple triangle mark that was on his shield and Ocarina was glowing like a star in the night sky, the bottom right triangle shimmering brightly.
“The Triforce is glowing? What’s going on?!” Link managed to mutter to himself through his pain. But he suddenly became distracted when the light from the campfire tired a brilliant shade of light blue. He stared at the changing flame as it began to reach up higher and higher until it left the fire pit completely, leaving nothing but dead cold half burnt wood. It spun up and around into a vortex, condensing and growing smaller until it was a perfect sphere of blue light. Link had never been more amazed or more frightened in his life. It was then that as he became entranced with the floating ball of light, a voice rang out in his head. It was eerily beautiful and foreign, and yet strangely familiar and comforting, like he had been hearing it all his life.
“Link, Hero of Time. Your strength is needed.”
Before any sort of reply can be given, the ball of light flashed, illuminating the entire mountain side, lighting up the region for miles and miles around, blocking Link and Epona from sight, not that there was anybody around to see them. When the light faded, the two companions were gone, leaving only the dead silence of the desert.
Chapter 3: The Hero of Time: End.
