Fan Fiction ❯ Professional Hero ❯ Old Friends ( Chapter 33 )

Chapter 33 - Old friends

The dark figure rode his horse through the thick woods. It jerked at the restraints to turn around and flee but the rider held it firmly and forced it onwards. If it were trying to get out, it probably wouldn't be able to. These were the Lost Woods. No one who got in, would get out if the woods didn't let him. It was here Link would start to look for his kids and wife, full of hope they were still alive. He knew he hoped too much, but now it was hope that made him going. After five years of wandering the continent he had grown tired of the killing, but since he learned from Kaepora that there was a chance his wife and kids were still alive, Link had revived. And those who would try to oppose him, had learned the hard way that a revived Link was even deadlier than a depressed one. He had come from a man who had nothing to lose to a man who had everything to gain. Link didn't know yet how he would handle Zelda. Surely she would die at his blade, but how wasn't clear yet. And when he had found Romani and killed Zelda, he would go to Tempora. Tempora, he had shunned Tempora for five years now, not able to face Cremia for the death of her sister. He was sure Cremia was alright. After all, it would be foolish if Zelda tried anything in Tempora. Tempora and Hyrule had become connected too much. Surely news of war in Tempora would reach Hyrule.

Maybe to ease his conscience Link decided not to think of Tempora again, but refocus on his new quest. He would start to look for his family in the Lost Woods, maybe even go to the Deku Tree to ask for information, or any other Kokiri. Suddenly he thought of Saria and wondered how she was doing. For the first time in five years, he suddenly felt regret for the things he had done, for not saying goodbye to Saria, for killing all those people, for not being there when his wife, his family needed him. He fought back the tears and tried to clear his head of these thoughts. He had to keep his mind at controlling the horse. A sudden noise, however, made the horse jump up and threw Link off. Link tried to grab the saddle, but tore off the saddlebag and crashed on the ground.

"Fuck!" he grunted as he got up, "what is it with me and falling of horses?"

Link sighed and checked his belongings. Luckily nothing valuable was on the horse, so he hadn't lost anything important. He looked around, hoping to find the source of the sound. It could be a Skull Kid or a Kokiri… Wait, there it was again… Link frowned and drew his Biggoron sword. That was no Skull Kid or Kokiri. Somebody was fighting somewhere close, and things didn't sound good.

Nine soldiers surrounded the two Zora and the Goron, three already fallen.

"Let us pass," the big Goron boomed, "or you will suffer the same fate as your comrades."

"We have orders not to let you pass," one of the soldiers shouted, "so we can't let you pass. We must stop you even if it kills us."

"Good to know," a voice from behind the soldier said, and before the soldier could turn around, an black tipped arrow came out of his chest.

Mikau and Link-zora quickly reacted by unsheathing their swords and cutting two more soldiers down to size. Link-goro grabbed a guard and crushed his head with his left hand while raising his warhammer high above his head, threatening the remaining soldiers.

"I am in no mood to be fucked with," he stated, "so either let us pass, or die!"

A black shadow jumped out from the woods and killed two more soldiers in a swift motion before jumping to a third and planting his huge sword deep in his chest.

"Two more left," the blonde man grinned, "what will you do?"

The two remaining soldiers glanced at each other, dropped their weapons and ran. Link grabbed his bow at the same time the two Zora grabbed their bows. Three arrows mowed the men down.

Link-goro took a closer look at the man who had helped them and then raised an eyebrow.

"Link?" he asked, "is that really you?"

"In the flesh," Link grinned, "it's been too long, Goro. How've you been?"

Goro turned to the stretcher that they were carrying before they were stopped by the Hyrulian soldiers and pulled away the sheet.

"By the Goddess…" Link whispered as he saw the dead Goron boy.

"My brother," Goro explained, "he was killed by Mashka just a week ago."

"Mashka?" Link asked, "you mean the son of the Goron village Elder, Mashka?"

"The one that rallied the Snowhead Gorons on a rampage through Tempora." Mikau said.

Link turned to the Zora warrior in disbelief.

"You're kidding right? There was a war in Tempora?"

"It just ended last week with the help of Goro. Things were bad, man."

"Fuck," Link closed his eyes and thought the situation over, "fuck. I had no idea it would be this bad. I should have gone to Tempora."

"It's not your fault, man," Mikau told him, "you can't be responsible for the well being of a country."

"I fought Zelda's minions everywhere but Tempora, thinking she wouldn't try anything there."

Link looked up as he felt Goro's heavy hand on his shoulder.

"Mashka killed Terrani, not you," he assured Link, "if anyone's to blame, it's him and Zelda."

"You're right," Link nodded, "she's the one behind everything. She must be put to a stop."

"I have asked for the sages to meet so we can warn them about her." Goro explained, "I thought Zelda didn't know about this, but this proves otherwise."

"We better head for the Great Deku Tree," Link decided, "he can contact Saria and we'll work up a plan to secure the other sages as well."

"Lead the way, dude," Mikau grinned.

Somewhere deep in the Lost Woods a young blonde boy dressed in green emerged from a deep pond. He sucked in the fresh air as he swam to shore, just followed by a second boy, just like the first, expect for a red cap instead of a blue. A bit later a girl with her red hair tied in a ponytail with a purple ribbon surfaced, followed by her younger brother.

"Finally!" the young boy thanked the Goddesses, "I thought that tunnel would never end."

"You had rather run the whole way?" Darmani grinned as he helped his youngest brother out of the water.

"No, no," Dekaru panted, "I'm glad Ella gave us those silver scales, but that was still a long tunnel."

"We're close to home," Mikau said after scouting the environment, "this is the Zora pond. The entrance to the Goron city is nearby."

He looked back at his brothers and sisters, and motioned with his head.

"What do we do? Go home first to tell grandpa what has happened, or do we go to the Deku Tree to tell him everything went well?"

The three children looked at each other and then turned to Mikau.

"The Deku Tree!" the children said in unison.

"Are we there yet?"

"Shut up."

The young Zora warrior did his best to look insulted, but no one paid any attention.

"Just want to know," he muttered, "we've been walking for what, hours?"

"We've barely been going for fifteen minutes," Goro told Mikau, "so shut up."

Mikau grumbled a bit, but finally Link led his friends in a wooden tunnel and emerged out of the Lost Woods and into the Kokiri village.

"Wow, this is way cool!" Mikau grinned as he looked down at all the wooden houses, with the Kokiri children running around, "all of them are kids. Expect that one."

"What one?" Link frowned as he followed Mikau's gaze.

"That one, over there," Mikau pointed him out, "that old guy talking to that green haired girl."

Link drew his sword and jumped down.

"Link?" Mikau asked as he saw the Hero of Time jump down, "oh, fuck."

"Don't worry," Saria tried to calm Madakar down, "they're fine."

"They're too young to run around, fighting monsters."

"Link was ten when he left the forest."

"Dekaru's only seven!"

"Oh, Link was pretty active then," Saria chuckled at a nearly forgotten memory of Link, "this one time…"

Her anecdote was interrupted by a black shadow knocking Madakar down. Madakar turned around and saw the tip of Link's Biggoron sword resting on his chest.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you." Link said, cold as ice.

"I know a very good reason," Madakar answered, "I just don't know how to tell you."

"Try."

"I'm sorry for all those years ago," Madakar told Link inside Saria's house, "I was consumed by guilt and anger. I was forced into my role of Hero of Time and I had to fight a war with a mad sorcerer. Because of him, I missed the birth of my only son and I wasn't there to protect him or my sweet Ellione. When she was nowhere to be found, I knew she was dead and I thought my son was dead as well."

"What do you mean, thought my son was dead as well?" Link interrupted him.

"I wandered the world for over twenty years," Madakar ignored him, "looking for the one I thought had killed them, looking for you actually. Although it was you who I was looking for, it was for the wrong reasons. Did you know what was in that letter?"

"No," Link shook his head, "when I received it from Ellione I left at once to meet Kaepora and then we left for the Spirit Temple. After I defeated that sorcerer there, I was pulled back to my own time and I gave you the letter after I had found my burned home. It may have been over twenty years for you, but I had it less than a day."

"Did you know where Ellione had gone to be safe?"

Again Link shook his head.

"Kokiri forest."

Links eyes widened.

"You mean…"

Madakar nodded.

"The reason I looked for you, was because you are my son, not his killer."

Links eyes narrowed again.

"This doesn't mean you're gonna get mushy on me now are you? Because I don't do that anymore."

Madakar smiled and shook his head.

"I don't do that anymore as well. I haven't done mushy ever since Ellione died. I just left Hyrule, fighting everyone I came across, looking for somebody to kill me until I received the message from Zelda."

"Sounds like what I have been doing the last five years."

Madakar nodded and continued.

"After I've heard you were my son, I entered the Lost Woods searching to die, but your children found me. I've started to train your children to fight Zelda when the time comes."

"Guess that time came." Link said grim, "did Romani survive?"

Madakar shook his head and looked Link straight in the eye.

"I honestly don't know," he sighed, "if she's not dead, then Zelda has her. And I pray to the Goddess that this isn't the case. Who know what she will do to her."

"Zelda's going down no matter what," Link answered, "but that's for later. Where are my children?"

"Ah," Madakar looked at Saria, "I think you should ask Saria."

"Finally, I thought we would never get out of those woods," Darmani stretched himself as he stepped out of the wooden tunnel.

"Let's quickly go to the Deku Tree," Malon nudged him in the back, "then we can go back to those woods."

"Deal," Darmani grinned and looked down to see if he could find Saria, "hey, we've got visitors."

"Man, I fu…" Mikau took a deep breath and tried again, "Man I hate this place."

"No you don't," Zora grinned as he watched his brother being assaulted by a bunch of Kokiri kids.

"Yes I do!" Mikau tried to reach a kid on his back, "I swear, if there are any more of these kids running around in those woods, then…"

"Then what?" Goro asked.

"Then…" Mikau thought for a second, dropping his guard and enabling another Kokiri boy to cling onto his arm, "I don't know what, but it will be terrible."

"Whatever it is," Zora nudged Goro, "we'll know soon. There are some more kids coming over."

Goro looked at the approaching kids and his eyes grew wider.

"Darmani? Mikau?" he wondered out loud as he got up, "Malon? Dekaru?"

"Uncle Goro!"

The four children came crashing into the large Goron.

"By the Goddess, how long has it been?" The Goron smiled and held up the children.

"Too long," Darmani grinned, "it's good to see you again!"

"What the fuck?" Mikau nudged his brother, forgetting to watch his language around all these kids, but was quickly reminded by a quick kick of Mido.

"What's going on here?" Link asked as he came out of Saria's house.

Everyone grew silent. Then Malon let herself drop on the ground and stepped forward.

"Dad?"

Link fell onto his knees and held his daughter in his arms.

"Malon!" Link cried, "I'm so glad to see you're safe."

The Deku Tree watched Link as he thought over the news he just heard. Finally he broke the silence.

"It's good to know the evil threatening the Zora and the Goron is stopped," he said, "but all is not well yet. If Zelda really has turned evil…"

"She has," Link assured the guardian of the Kokiri, "believe me."

"Then she had access to the temples," the tree continued, "she can draw power from there."

"The Goron leader and the Zora queen were both on their way to the temple," Dekaru said, "there was some trouble there."

"We have to secure those temples then," Mikau-Zora said, "cut off her power."

"That won't be so easy," Link shook his head, "Zelda has also power over the Tri-Force of Knowledge and presumably the Tri-Force of power as well."

"And that's bad?" Zora asked.

"Very." Madakar responded.

"The attack on the temple," the Deku Tree said, "comes from the desert."

"What else is new?" Link grunted.

"I feel a huge disturbance in the desert Temple, more than anywhere else."

"The desert?" Mikau-Zora shook his head, "count me out! No fucking way I'm going to a fucking desert."

"Don't worry," Link assured the young Zora warrior, "the temple is cool and well sheltered. You'll be fine."

"Okay, fine, I'll go, but if I die because of dehydration, I'm gonna kick your ass."

"Alright, we're going to the desert!" Darmani cheered.

"No you don't," Link quickly turned to his children, "I'm not going to put you in any danger."

"You have no choice."

Link turned to the Deku Tree with wide eyes.

"Your children must go with you," the Deku Tree continued, "it is of importance to your quest. All of you must go."

Link sighed and looked at his children.

"Fine, they can come. But if any harm comes to them, I'll personally chop you down."

"Fair enough," the Deku Tree seemed to nod.

"I'm coming too." Madakar stepped forward, "I'll look after the children."

Link sighed again and shook his head.

"Fine, come too. This was supposed to be a compact warband, now it's a family trip."

"Trust me," Madakar told Link, "after a while with your children, you won't know there's a difference."

AN: Alright! Link is back! And how will Nabooru react to the return of the Hero of Time, along with his kids, his father,two Zora, and a big Goron? Or will the Gravedigger strike first? Who the Gravedigger is? You don't want to know…