THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: RE-IMAGINED

CHAPTER 32

"Coming to terms"

He woke with his face to the floor, exhausted with a moderate amount of pain and aches. Link braced his hands against the golden-colored stone beneath his palms and pushed himself up to his knees. Somewhat dazed, he turned his head and looked around to try and take in his environment. A scorched-red sky, with a bright beaming yellow sun off to the north behind him, with the shadows of vast mountains scraping against the horizon. In the other direction, where he faced when he awoke, the sky turned a sullen purple as it eventually faded into a hopeless blackness. The southern horizon line matched its sky and seemingly ended in a void. He summoned the strength to stand and assessed where he stood. He found himself atop a golden pyramid which formed the centerpiece of this strange land. The ground around the pyramid, which extended towards each compass direction, was composed of browns and grays; riddled with dead trees as far as the eye can see and dark murky water that ran through the rivers and cut through the rocky landscape.

In addition to the bleak topography, the hero took note of the massive amount of large debris that littered the pyramid and the grounds around it. He quickly recognized some of it as parts of the central spire of Hyrule Castle. He had never seen a place like this, and the sight of somewhat familiar landmarks—though destroyed—struck him as bizarre. He then began to give himself a once over, both physically and mentally. While his body showed signs of struggle and injury, he was clearly alive. He then walked through the timeline in his mind of what happened before he awoke; which consisted of his attack on Hyrule Castle and his battle with Agahnim. Once he recalled Agahnim, he also remembered how that fight ended. He took an additional, panoramic view of this world with this reacquired knowledge in mind. This must be the "other side", he figured. He then realized he had to check his belongings. His satchel made it through okay, and this included everything inside. His father's sword and the noble sword at his sides were present and accounted for. The lance on his back, also intact. He then reached for the most important weapon that he kept sheathed on his back, and... his hand grasped nothing.

His eyes darted around rapidly as he anxiously searched for the weapon that gave him victory over the dark wizard. He stepped towards the edge of the pyramid on the south side and found a large series of stairs that lead to the base. A wave of relief washed over him as he saw the blade of evil's bane as it protruded from the step it had pierced into only partway down. The blade gave off a glow that resembled the light blue sky of Hyrule. Comforted by the sword's emanation of benevolent force, Link made his way down the steps to retrieve the weapon. As he grasped the hilt and retrieved it from the stone step, he felt a frighteningly bitter chill shoot through his body. He froze in place; due to his recognition of what this chill signified and from the maddening strength of it. It was a sensation of an evil presence unlike anything he'd felt before. And he sensed its presence just behind him, at the top of the stone structure. He slowly turned and gazed back to the flat peak of the pyramid. There he saw a man, giant in size and menacing in shape. He wore the blackened robes of a wicked shaman with shadows cast around his eyes as his golden irises shone from them. Long crimson hair that flowed down his upper back and wrapped itself around his strong jawline. His skin darker than the dirt, which only made his golden eyes and red hair stand out more vividly.

Link looked into the man's piercing eyes and could not escape the raw feeling of intense hatred and sheer bloodlust. His presence was oppressive. Even more unnerving, the young man had little clue as to how the large man suddenly appeared as if from nowhere. The air around Link grew thick with the sensation of unadulterated malevolence. The hero's mind scattered to a thousand different places, each more unhelpful than the last. He suddenly felt great stirrings within him, almost primal in nature: a voice that called to attack, and a voice that called to flee. Unable to choose either valid option, Link dithered and grew hesitant. In that moment of hesitation, the man in black robes spoke.

"Ah, you must be Hyrule's new champion!"

The man's wide and powerful voice echoed with a low and beastly growl, a sound which gave a duality of both man and monster; something Link had never heard before.

Link realized that his indecision gave this new individual the chance to take hold of the atmosphere through the initiation of conversation. Despite the possible grave threat at hand, Link determined that there had never been a more appropriate time for introductions.

He pointed to himself with his right thumb, "Name's Link."

A wicked smile slid across the evil man's face. Link realized too late that he hadn't denied this man's claim of being Hyrule's champion. However, he felt that it didn't matter. If there was anything Link understood clearly in this particular circumstance, it was that he had zero control over what happened next. His swordsman instinct screamed of the peril presented by this man, but he could not yet discern just how dangerous this new foe was.

"I am Ganondorf, the King of Monsters. Ruler of this world... and soon to be ruler of the next," the man returned with a tone of great delight as he spoke his own name and title.

He continued, "I have waited many centuries to make my return to Hyrule... but it seems the time I must wait has been extended."

Link found the courage within himself to speak and said, "That must mean you're the leader of the dark forces that attacked Hyrule so many years ago."

"Indeed I am! It gives me great pleasure knowing that even now, the Hylians tell of my tale."

"It also means you're the 'master' Agahnim spoke of."

"Ah yes, Agahnim," Ganondorf gave, "I sensed my servant's death had occurred. How... tragic."

"Sorry for your loss," Link said insincerely.

With a dismissive tone, the man replied, "He was weak. As clever as he was, he lacked the power where it mattered. The fool had to tie his lifeforce into his magic to give it a semblance of potency. It would have been amusing were it not so pathetic."

"That can't be all you thought of him," the hero returned, somewhat perturbed at the heartlessness of the remark.

"He would often regale me about his plan to infiltrate Hyrule from the inside and reopen the pathway between the two realms. Though well-plotted, it was clear his delusions of grandeur had begun to cloud his judgement. He underestimated the danger posed by Hyrule's gods. Surely the deities of the land he was invading would raise up a defender to challenge him. His disregard of a divinely-blessed threat spoke of the depths of his ineptitude. One such warrior sealed me here, surely another could destroy him. In the end, his plan failed due to his carelessness in that matter... not that I'm surprised. But I am disappointed to discover that even his sacrificial death proved to be of little value."

"From what I understand he tried to cover all avenues of resistance, including the prevention of this 'champion' you mentioned... Obviously, it didn't stop me."

"If all he accomplished resulted in bringing you to me by dying, then he should've killed himself sooner."

"With a master like you, I'm surprised he didn't," Link spat.

Ganondorf gave a hearty laugh in response, which caught the young man by surprise.

"I like your attitude! Perhaps... I spoke too hastily about what his death afforded me. Will you prove to be a greater prize than I imagined?"

"I wouldn't be so happy about that. After all, I'm practically the second coming of the guy who put you in here. I'd say that's bad news for you!"

The man raised an open hand towards the hero. The swordsman felt the tension in the air become more dense and quickly stepped into a guarded stance.

"Outside of my goals for complete domination of Hyrule, I've wanted little else other than to make another one of your kind pay for making me wait an additional seven-hundred years for my plans of conquest to come to fruition," the wicked warlock confessed as his hand clenched into a fist, "And here you are. Now, do I kill you right where you stand? No, I believe I'll derive greater pleasure from toying with you, tearing you apart, and showing you just what little hope you have against me."

At that remark, Link knew it was time to act. Having run through several different scenarios in his head about how to survive this encounter, he figured that maybe if he struck first, there would be a chance of victory. But he was entirely out of magic, and he knew it. He spent it all on defeating Agahnim. Regardless, he determined that there was no reason to back out at this point. The swordsman threw caution to the wind and charged the tall man. Link rushed up the stairs and as soon as he made it to the top, leaped into the air above Ganondorf and brought down the Master Sword on him.

Without any urgency whatsoever, Ganondorf casually raised his hand and a bright sphere of energy formed within his palm; it flashed like the rising sun. He then clasped his grip onto the sphere so tightly that the light erupted from his fingers and shot out of his grasp and formed a beam of defined measure. Its form resembled a sword made of sunlight and its size was proportionate to the giant man who created it. He raised his energy blade over his head as Link came down and blocked the hero's strike as a bright flash erupted from the entanglement of the magic weapons. Link was shocked that the energy blade was dense enough to block a solid object.

"You have some skill, to be sure..." Ganondorf commended as their blades intertwined.

"...but you lack true power."

The warlock swung his force-formed sword out of the blade lock and lodged Link's sword arm up and over his own head. Forced off-guard and caught by surprise, Link was completely defenseless. Ganondorf then carried his momentum and turned to lift his other hand and raised it to the hero whilst he remained midair. From Link's perspective, all he saw was a torrent of pure blackness and darkness shoot from the palm of the King of Monsters' hand. It swept over him and suddenly his body surged with pain. His voice could not escape his throat nor could he convulse in agony as this magical affliction paralyzed him. Moments of the young man's life flashed before his eyes. He saw his mistakes and regrets, but he also briefly saw the moments of kindness, gratitude, and love. He saw his sister, his cousin, his friends, family, and people of Ordon. He saw the people he met all over Hyrule, those who guarded the princess and those who fought for the other side... and lastly he saw Princess Zelda, herself. He saw her smile, her beautiful blue eyes... He wished to see her smile again. And just as suddenly, her face disappeared into the blackness. To his surprise, another image entered his mind.

It was of the last thing he witnessed before he was pulled into the dark world. The rising sun of a new day's dawn. It was with this image that he heard his own voice.

'I'll be back by morning. I want to greet her at dawn.'

Reminded of his promise, reminded of his goal and intent, Link burned with anger. Why did he travel through Hyrule and fight a number of nefarious monsters? Why did he travel through the desert, find a deserter, and conquer a prison of specters? He did all these to collect the pendants of virtue. Why did he have to augment himself, become greater than he was, and achieve Excellence of Soul? He needed the purity of heart, with the pendants in tow, to draw the Master Sword. Why did he need the blade of evil's bane? To fight Agahnim. Why did he need to fight Agahnim, the sole focus of his entire quest thus far?

All of that was to save a person he thought this world needed above all else. Someone he quickly learned to admire and respect. Someone who saw him for who he was and who he could be, instead of who he might have been in the past. He did all this to save Princess Zelda and wreak vengence on the one who harmed her. There was no other reason. Saving Hyrule from Agahnim was a secondary result, for sure, but never the true goal. He did all this to save a single life; the most selfless thing he had ever done. And his punishment for his efforts? Death at the hands of a ancient warlock in some bleak void? He refused. He refused to go down like he did the first time he met Agahnim, which marked the beginning of his journey. He wasn't going to let the same thing happen to mark the end of it.

His emotions boiled to a fever pitch and in spite of the agonizing pain he currently suffered, took control of his own body through sheer willpower and forced all of his muscles to relax. He let go of the stress of combat and torment, all while still feverishly enraged. This created the paradoxical spark between his body, spirit, and emotions. This spark lit a flame that matched the radiant hue of cobalt.

As Ganondorf unleashed the waves of darkness upon his victim, he took notice of a sudden shift in the atmosphere. A power sprung up from within the hero and an eruption of bright blue flames burst forth and disrupted the casting of dark magic. The warlock sensed aggressive intent as he raised his magic beam blade and stopped a a strike from the Master Sword which had struck at him like lightning. The holy, blessed blade flashed and gleamed with intense energy. The evil warlord looked beyond it and saw the hero who wielded it utterly engulfed in blue flame, but not being consumed by it. Amidst the fires of Link's spirit, Ganondorf spotted the hero's eyes had become a bright shade that resembled yellow topaz, which similarly matched the warlock's own.

Enthralled by this stunning new display of ability, Ganondorf's look of astonishment suddenly twisted into a wicked grin as he declared, "Could it be? Truly?! What divine providence! How fortunate I am that another with this power comes before me, yet again!" He then began to laugh maniacally as dark energy began to envelope the warlock and radiate from him like an expanding aura.

The enflamed hero, filled with renewed senses, quickly became aware of his foe's rising power. The magical beam blade wielded by Ganondorf began to spark and fluctuate erratically in response to its user's growing menace. Though Link had been filled with unending rage and an unyielding power, he hadn't lost control or become blind to his surroundings and circumstances. He was keenly aware that this gambit would not pay off in the long run. Fighting this evil man was death, and fighting this man with the blue flames was only prolonged or delayed death at best. Either way, combat with the king of monsters meant destruction was inevitable; whether it be cut down by his foe's blade or by paying the price for using the blue flames' power. He could however, use this opportunity to make a strategic withdrawal. He'd have a higher likelihood of survival since he could also feel his previously sustained injuries heal themselves. He had a much better chance of getting away.

As it happened he felt Ganondorf's power reach a plateau. Just as the warlock was finally ready to present his increased ability, Link shoved off with his blade and rocketed off into the opposite direction as the blue fire trailed behind. The dark lord's laughter ceased as his quarry abruptly disappeared down the side of the pyramid. The giant man stepped forward to watch as the bright blue ball of flame bounced down the side of the structure. The flames eventually vanished as the hero continued to tumble and roll down the stonemasonry until he reached the absolute bottom. Despite having re-inflicted several injuries from the multiple landings on the way down, which included the one at the very bottom, the swordsman managed to spring up off the dirt and rushed headlong into the nearby forest. Atop the golden pyramid, the warlock cackled as he watched the hero run away.

The memories of the encounter were refreshed in Link's mind. He had tried so hard to avoid another confrontation with the warlock for the three years that followed that he didn't have much time to reflect on his memories from the initial encounter. However, his summary of the incident—save for the omission of a few details—was still accurate.

Link shook his head, "Unlike the ancient hero who died fighting to seal that man away, I managed to survive my meeting with him. I then survived another three years stuck in that world, and get out without too much trouble. Meanwhile, Agahnim's dead, Ganondorf's still locked away, and we all lived to tell about it. That's a major victory in my book."

"Your highness," Lana spoke up as she looked at Zelda whom returned an inquisitive gaze, "I believe this calls for celebration!"

And just like that, the group began to grow giddy and bubbly as the maidens started their group murmurs of how nice a party would be. Especially one at the palace.

"Heh, I wouldn't mind a party," Link admitted, "It would help give me time to catch up with everything that's happened since I've been gone."

And with the thought of catching up in mind, Zelda remembered something very important she had to tell Link.

"Before that though," Zelda started, which caused the rousing conversation to die down, "I should tell you something very important."

The young swordsman gave her a look as he raised his mug for another drink.

"You see, I have made it a point to visit Ordon Village regularly," she gave. Surprised, Link pulled the drink from his lips and listened intently.

"As it so happens, I was present when they received a very important message recently. A letter, to be more specific."

"A very important letter?"

"Yes, it was addressed to you... from your cousin, Nick."

The young man's eyes widened as he froze.

"Link," Zelda tried, "he found her! Nick found your sister!"

Paralyzed, Link dropped his mug as it hit the dust and spilled over. Cia's jaw dropped, and the other maidens and Viscen were shocked. The maidens had no no point of reference in regards to the matter Zelda spoke of, but they could only infer that not only did the hero have a sister, but that she was missing or something along those lines. Cia very clearly remembered her first encounter with Link, where he mentioned having lost his sister. Though that conversation happened three years prior, Cia felt guilty over having let that detail slip by her. Lana, also surprised at the revelation, took notice of the peculiarity Cia's reaction to the news.

The man remained stunned. Unable to speak or react for an extended period of time. After a few minutes passed, he finally began to stir again.

"She's truly been found?!"

"Yes, she has. Finally!"

"...It took three years..." he uttered, the nature of it dawned on him.

"Yes," Zelda replied, "but it all worked out."

"...Was... there more information in the letter?"

"There was, yes."

Link asked, "Where is the letter?"

"Ordon Village," Zelda replied.

Link sat silently.

Zelda stated, "This letter is part of the reason why I was pressed to help you escape the Dark World. Everyone in Ordon has been waiting so long to see you again, and with the sudden news of Aryll's whereabouts, Rusl wanted to help, but the letter specifically requested for you... So, I went to the spirit spring to pray. When the Light Spirit Ordona finally answered my prayers, I had hope that maybe..."

Link's gaze remained on the bonfire, but his lips wrapped into a gentle smile. In his thoughts, he realized that the princess had a number of good reasons to free him, and each reason meant a lot to him. But her primary reason was because his sister—because Aryll—had finally been located. Nick had done it. And Zelda sought out the descendants of the sages, brought them together, took them to a strange place, stood and prayed for three days without pause, and withstood monster onslaughts, all just to get him back.

"Excuse me," Link tried as he stood up and stepped away from the others. He walked off into the darkness.

After a few moments of silence, Emmy spoke up, "Is... he going to be okay?"

The princess replied, "He has not seen his sister in four years. He left his home and returned a year later only to discover his sister had been kidnapped by a group of brigands. He had been searching for her for three months before I met him. He dropped everything he was doing to help me in my time of need without the thought receiving anything in return. He never mentioned anything about it, but... I do believe that decision caused him a measure of pain."

Upon hearing that remark, Viscen chimed in, "Milady, I think you underestimate his resolve."

Everyone glanced at the man with the broken arm.

He explained, "Your highness, I've heard Lady Impa speak of it several times since it happened, but that man understood one thing very clearly when he decided to destroy Agahnim: he knew that finding his sister could be left to someone else, but if there was anyone who could save you, it was him. You became his highest priority and he trusted his cousin with the search for his sister. And as we all stand here now, it has just been affirmed to him that his decision paid off tremendously. Not only are you safe, and he's been freed from that prison of a world, but his sister has finally been found."

Viscen shrugged and finished with, "If I were him, I'd be over the moon for the sudden windfall of good things that just happened to me."

Zelda felt better about the matter and gazed in the direction Link walked off to. She realized very quickly that the gravesite of the original hero was that way. She decided that if Link didn't come back in a few minutes, she'd go see how he was doing. In the meantime, though, Emerald sparked up a conversation with the individuals that accompanied Link through the portal.

"Hey, can I ask you guys why you wore those strange masks?"

"Why certainly!" the one whom had introduced himself as Doc Bandam replied.

"You see," he started, "we were originally a group of six before Link and Blossom joined us."

Emmy held out her hand and counted their group but left out Blossom and Link.

"Um... without those two, you're left with five, not six," she corrected.

"We had another, originally. He was an elderly fellow, and he had been there the longest. Even longer than Bagu, here."

"Hmmph," Bagu grunted.

"Anyway," Bandam continued, "this elderly fellow, Aginah was his name, was a descendant of the sages much like I hear you ladies are. That being the case, he was well-versed in the art of magic. He found that the environment of the Shadowlands was very unfavorable to us Lightworlders. He created these magical masks to protect us from its adverse effects."

Cia asked, "What sort of 'adverse' effects?"

"Let's see, how do I put this scientifically?"

Another man, earlier introduced as Carlov, spoke up and said, "Link mentioned that monsters originate from the Shadowlands, but he didn't say how. You see, the Shadowlands actually have no native people or animals that live there."

Bandam made an excited sound as if he'd found the words he looked for and said, "Ah, yes! The Shadowlands contain no indigenous species whatsoever!"

Xanthe joined in the conversation and asked, "How can monsters originate from a world that has no native species?"

Bandam asked, "Quite the conundrum, isn't it?"

The maidens began to murmur amongst themselves.

"Wait, how can that be? Monsters come from a world with no inhabitants?"

"How can a world have creatures and no creatures at the same time?"

"Does it have something to do with the King of Monsters?"

"Do you mean that he may have created those monsters over there?"

"Well, Link described the king as a man..."

"And a warlock!"

"Yes, that too..."

"Something doesn't add up, though..."

"What do you mean?"

"What if it had something to do with those masks?"

It was then, amidst this brainstormed discussion, that Zelda came upon a terrible realization. A look of shock, awe, and terror stole the color from her face. It didn't go unnoticed by the maidens or the other guests.

The doctor then remarked, "Ah, I see you figured it out. You're very wise, your highness. Not everyone can reach the conclusion I'm sure you just reached. Tell me, where do you believe the monsters come from?"

Everyone looked toward Zelda as she looked back at him.

"Monsters come from here. From the Light World."

A smile slid across the doctor's face as he said, "You are correct!"

"Wait, what?!" Lana expressed.

"That doesn't make any sense!" Azura exclaimed, "How do monsters come from both the Dark World and the Light World at the same time?! And the Dark World has no native species!"

"This is because," the princess started, "they're not monsters until they reach the Dark World... Otherwise, they are just..."

"...Normal humans..." the man named Tortus admitted aloud.

There was a stunned silence that felt like an eternity.

Eventually, Bandam took the opportunity to clear the air a bit.

"The Shadowlands, or Dark World as you call it, has a strange atmosphere about it. It's inherently evil and twisted. Any Lightworlder that falls in, and is exposed to this evil for an extended period of time, inevitably transforms into a monster."

Carlov added, "These masks protected us from that evil magic, or whatever it is. Without the masks, a typical person would apparently only have a couple days before they turned."

Bandam continued, "Aginah made these when he realized what was happening. Our group wasn't the first he'd been with. He watched as other comrades whom had been with him succumb to the darkness, turn feral, and become bloodthirsty monsters before his own eyes. He was able to make six magic masks, but he could not save his companions in time. Eventually, his age caught up with him. I fear the negative energies of the Shadowlands did his body no favors despite the protective magic of the masks. He grew ill and passed away before he could make any more masks."

Viscen questioned, "But still... every monster used to be... a human?"

The last man, Rem, spoke up as he adjusted his glasses, "Well, not all monsters. Sometimes animals fell into the Shadowlands and became some sort of low-intelligence monsters. The more below-average-to-above-average intelligence monsters were once people, though. And they make up the majority of monsters that exist."

Lana tapped her chin with her index finger as she entertained the concept. She recalled something and then decided to ask a simple question.

"So let me get this straight... there are six masks, but there are seven of you; the seventh one being Link. Did he last all three years without a mask yet still remained a human?"

Bandam wasn't prepped for that question, "Ah, well... hmm... How do I put this? Through the entire time he's been with us, Link only wore a mask on the first day he joined us."

"And he... didn't become a monster..." Cerise said to then ask, "Why is that?"

Unsure, the doctor pulled his leather bag onto his lap and opened it up. He pulled out an old, withered, leatherback book and and combed through the pages.

"Aginah had a journal with him, and recorded much of his discoveries in the Shadowlands. He had a theory that one's transformation into a monster had varying speeds depending on the level of wickedness in one's heart. Of course, as he notes right here, 'every single person has some degree of evil within them. No matter who you are, one will always become consumed by the evil within their own hearts... It is only a matter of time'. Quite depressing, I know, but that's the nature of the world we were in."

"That doesn't explain Link, though," Cia jumped in.

"Well, that's just it. According to the notes, that man is an absolute anomaly," Bandam said as he smacked his fingers against the page he had read. "It certainly made me question everything Aginah had written up to that point..."

"About what you said earlier," Azura started, "Link wore one of the masks on the first day he was with you. Why didn't he have it after that?"

The group from the dark world all turned their hands towards their very own Blossom, whom became vividly red and tried to hide her face from the attention.

Tortus answered for the doctor whom remained engrossed in his notes, "The day after was when Blossom joined us."

Lana, who began to piece the puzzle together, asked, "Wait, then you mean...?"

"Yes," Bandam answered finally as he pulled back from the journal, "when Blossom joined us, Link gave her his mask. He knew all the risks, the whole 'transforming into a monster' factor, all of it. He still opted to let her have it instead."

Each person who heard this story for the first time all exchanged glances in amazement. The realization that Link had been willing to become a monster to save a girl he just met swept over the whole group. There was a rather sudden increase in respect and admiration for him all around that bonfire.

With a snicker, Carlov added, "I remember he left the group because of that, saying he would rather become a monster somewhere else so he couldn't hurt us..." He stifled a laugh and finished with, "Wouldn't you know it when about a week later he reappears—completely unchanged—and says 'I'm tired of waiting to become a monster! This stupid process is taking too dang long!'"

The slightly odd humor of the scenario struck everyone as they all laughed in response.

"That is so him!" Lana added before she fell back into laughter.

Zelda couldn't help but laugh as well. She added, "Yes, I believe that is within his modus operandi."

Everyone paused and gazed at Zelda, somewhat confused.

With a hint of rose-tinting in her cheeks, the princess clarified in embarrassment, "Oh, that's... Ancient Hylian for... 'method of working'."

There was a brief silence caused by Zelda's "scholarly" moment, which was abruptly cut off as the laughter re-erupted. Some of the maidens spoke into the laughter with mentions that they should try to remember the phrase Zelda just used; a few of them attempted to pronounce the phrase before Zelda happily reminded them of how it sounded. It was through this laughter that the group became engaged in more casual conversations, which included explanations for things that have changed since each individual disappeared from the Light World. After that, the discussions transitioned into friendly conversation and mutual experiences. Eventually, the princess felt it was a fit time to excuse herself from the group and make her way towards where the hero had gone.

She wandered a ways until she found him at the exact spot she believed him to be. He stood in front of the grave of the ancient hero. As she drew close, he shifted and stood from his kneeling posture. Having sensed Zelda's approach, Link gave a question as he kept his back to her,

"Where are we, exactly?"

She graciously replied, "This land is known as Light's End. This is the place where the hero made his last stand against the dark army that invaded Hyrule."

"I thought it felt strange here. It's almost as if the air itself is dead. That had to have been one serious bout to jack up the environment like this."

"Indeed it was, or... so it has been told."

"You know, I came over here to collect my thoughts, because it feels as though a lot's happened in such a short amount of time. Then I stumbled upon this headstone. I've actually been brushing up on my Ancient Hylian since I've been away, so I was surprised to see whose grave this was."

"This is considered to be a very special place. As it is considered such, I must ask that you keep this place a secret from everybody if you can. In the legend of the hero, these are the 'unknown regions' he ventured into to drive off the forces of darkness."

"Heh, 'unknown regions'. Ain't so unknown, are they?"

She let out a weak chuckle, "The legend I told you in Ordon is how the people of Hyrule know of the hero. That is the version of the tale that most people are familiar with. The royal family and the descendants of the sages know the full history."

"I just wish you'd told me more at the beginning."

"Please don't be angry with me. I told you what I felt was the most important thing at the time. How could I expect what happened after?"

"I'm not angry. And if it sounded like I was blaming you for what happened, I'm not.. at least, I don't mean to. It's just..."

Link gestured to the grave.

"It woulda been nice to know what happened to the man who came before me. What he actually went through."

"I'm sorry for not sharing that with you. Truth be told, the full story of the hero isn't all that encouraging or uplifting. He gave his life facing an evil he couldn't overcome. The simplified version brings much more hope than what truly occurred."

"Can you really call that being a hero, though?"

"He still saved Hyrule in the end. He drove the monsters out and his sacrifice sealed their king within the Dark World. It wasn't the strength he displayed that made him a hero; it was his willingness to sacrifice himself despite not being strong enough to fell his enemy."

"So... he's not called a hero for his deeds... but his courage," Link remarked.

"Yes, exactly. But his death came with the promise of another; one who will destroy the dark forces that threaten Hyrule."

"Oh yeah, that guy...," the young man said facetiously before he turned to face her, "Zel, I'm gonna be real with you: I didn't stand a chance against the King of Monsters. I was lucky to get out alive, how am I supposed to be the one to destroy him?"

"The prophecy never gave a measure of time, it only asserted that it will someday be fulfilled. Only the gods know, surely. If you'll allow me to entertain a thought for a moment, perhaps the event the hero foretold is of the day you become strong enough to march back into the Dark World and destroy the king. It doesn't have to be now or the day after, it can be years into our future."

Slightly reassured, Link replied, "That's true."

"And you mentioned that you have not seen him since you first arrived there three years ago, correct?"

"Well, yeah..."

"And in the meantime, have you also gotten stronger?"

"Actually, yeah, I have. I'd say I've gotten a lot stronger compared to where I was when I fought Agahnim. As terrible a place as the Shadowlands were, it proved an excellent training ground for me."

The young lady smiled brightly and said, "Then I have no worries that you'll be able to do it. And I have this feeling that you might just do it sooner rather than later!"

Try as he might, he couldn't hide his smile from her.

"There he is! That's the Link I know!"

He turned away somewhat bashfully, before his smile disappeared as several other thoughts came into mind. He recognized these thoughts as some he had entertained before. In fact, they crossed his mind a few times while he was on his journey and plenty more while he was in the dark world. He turned to the princess again with a more serious look on his face.

"Zel... what are we?"

"Hmm?" She hummed inquisitively, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, what are we? What is this?" he asked as he gestured back and forth between her and himself.

"Are you speaking... relationship-wise?"

"Yeah, is this just a friendship... or...?"

"A-are we not friends?"

"No no, we are. It's just... as of now, we've both gone to some pretty extreme lengths and done some pretty insane things to help each other out of what'd I call 'really harrowing situations.' I don't see that as something someone would do for 'just a friend'."

She was acutely aware of what he meant. She didn't mean to play dumb or act oblivious of the unusual nature of their relationship, she just didn't know how to answer him truthfully. In reality she wanted to know the answer just as much as he did.

"...Y-yes, I... agree that what I have done for you has gone beyond what I would have done for someone I considered to be 'just a friend'. As much as I would love to admit that I would go to these measures for any other, I could not say that and call it the honest-to-goddess truth," the princess gave truthfully as she attempted to swerve around the question.

"Alright then, I guess we're on the same page here."

There was an awkward silence. Link was slightly embarrassed, while Zelda had become a bright red.

She broke the silence, "W-well, if being friends isn't good enough, what would you suggest we be?"

He scratched the back of his head and replied, "I'm... tryin' to figure that out, myself."

"Oh," she uttered in disappointment. The hope she had for him to already have an answer was squashed. This was followed by another moment of awkward silence.

"Okay, let's try this," he began, "how about we tell each other how we feel about each other? Does that sound okay?"

"I-I suppose we could do that... I mean, I don't see the harm in it..."

"Okay, good! You start."

She was slightly taken aback and greatly embarrassed at the remark.

"You want me to start?!"

"Yeah! 'Ladies first' as they always say!" he answered with a cheeky smirk.

She had the feeling deep down in the pit of her stomach that he tried to make her feel uncomfortable on purpose. Intentional or not, it worked. Regardless of whether it was him merely teasing her or some other objective he may have, Zelda didn't feel she could back down from what was essentially a challenge. The woman calmed herself, took a deep breath, and finally cleared her throat.

"With all honesty... Link, I admire how you go out of your way to help others, and the depths of which you will go to give that help. Though you have admitted to me how selfish you once were and how you will often help others due to what you would call 'selfish reasons', I believe that you truly care about other people. Even if it didn't come naturally to you, you learned to care and it has made you a remarkable person. And there are always parts of us that are flawed and we all have issues we wish to work out, but I have learned that you make strides in your life to grow and become a better man. Your willingness to help others and your self-motivated desire to improve yourself stand out to me. At times, it makes me envious... because I wish I could do those things as easily as you can."

Link smiled again, somewhat flushed in the face, and said, "I ain't perfect, that's why I work so hard to improve myself. I firmly believe that there will always be room to grow. Thank you for saying that."

Zelda smiled and said, "I am not quite... done yet."

The man tilted his head, surprised by her statement.

She looked as if she was struggling to find the right words before she spoke again, "Link, you treat me differently than anyone else ever has. I have always been treated like a princess, like a noble, and more recently, like Hyrule's future. Speaking for myself, there has always been stress about that... If I recall, I have told you about this once before."

Link silently nodded in affirmation.

"Because of this, there have been countless times where I wished that I wasn't royalty or nobility. So many times have I wished I were of common birth; to have been born in such a place like Ordon Village. To be among the common folk, to be one of the common folk. To be stable and grounded like they are... like you are. To put it in another way, and please bare with me for this explanation, being of common birth means that you are born on solid ground with nothing but the sky to look up to. With the sky as your limit, you have room to grow and may aspire to greater things, but there is always a strong sense of stability wherever you go."

She paused for a moment to gather the words and then resumed speaking, "For me, it has always felt like that I was born up in the sky with only the ground to look down to. And though I was born in such a sky, I have a terrible fear of heights. And the fear that I may one day mess up and fall to the ground below... that thought terrifies me. But Link... you make me feel as if I am on solid ground. After I met you, for the first time in my life, I have begun to feel a sense of stability like nothing I have ever felt before. It is almost as if you reached up to the sky and gently pulled me down to your world. I am comfortable on this ground, and you help make it feel that way."

When she said that, the young man was stunned. Almost speechless. Though a strange analogy it was, it made sense to Link and he knew what she expressed through it. He understood that it meant a lot for her to explain it that way.

She lightheartedly added, "It might be a bit selfish for me to say that one of the things I like about you is the way you make me feel about myself, but... aren't we all allowed to be selfish once in a while?"

He chuckled and smiled, "It's my turn to tell you, then, that I've always wanted to be treated differently. Ever since I was a but a knee-high I've wanted to be treated as someone 'special', as something unique. I wanted to be seen as greater than normal. It's actually one of the reasons why I want to be among the best, or the best, at the things I practice. I've never admitted it to anyone but I used to think myself better than everyone, that I was above everyone else. Then reality hit me one day—and I've explained that story to you before—and it made me realize just how... not special I was. In order to be special, one had to earn it. But I had to see that one doesn't just become a special person because they want to be. As we both know, being a special person actually means something: it means changing the world around you into a better place."

Link shrugged and added, "Or as Miss Uli helped me put it years ago, being a special person meant treating everyone else with the same love and care that I would show to my own sister."

The hero then pointed at the princess and stated, "But then you came along. I saw you immediately as this special person, the exact type of individual I wanted to be and I immediately admired you for it. You had this aura about you. You were always above everything, or so I thought, and it wasn't because of your attitude; it was because of your compassion. The fact that you already cared for everything was truly worth something in my eyes. When we were technically first introduced in the sanctuary in Castle Town, after we dealt with that loud-mouthed, obnoxious, weasel-y guy... I watched one of the soldiers under him plead with you for forgiveness... and I watched you give it to him with all the grace and dignity you could muster, like a mother cradling and soothing her small, crying child. And I didn't think so much of it then, but... that spoke volumes to me about who you were and the effect you had on people."

He continued, "And when I say that I thought you were above everything, I mean that I believed that you were unaffected by anything. I believed that nothing phased you. Of course, as we both know, that couldn't be further from the truth."

She let out a light laugh for a moment, after which he started to speak again.

"I ended up realizing that the compassion that you displayed wasn't because you were unaffected by everything, but it's because you had empathy and were strongly affected by a great deal of things. You were a special person who helped other people not because you wanted to be special, but because it hurt you to see others in pain or lesser off than they ought to be."

He chuckled for a moment, looked at her, and then continued.

"And then we officially met. Now, Zel, please tell me if I've been gettin' this wrong all this time... but I've felt that you've treated me differently from everyone else. Would you agree that you've favored me in many ways and have even allowed me to do things that no one else would ever get away with?"

Her face turned red again and with a gentle smile and a hum, she bashfully nodded her head, "Mm-hm."

Link then said, "From the way I've seen it, you've always treated me as a much better person than I believed myself to be. You always treated me like a special individual, the kind I always wanted to be seen as. But, I don't think it was for no reason... I think it's because you've always seen me as the man I could be, and never the man I thought I was."

"Mm-hm," she hummed again, her face still red.

"So," he further added, "you make me feel like I can one day become the man you see me be. And like you, that may be selfish on my part to use you for me to better myself... but as you said, 'aren't we all allowed to be selfish once in a while?'"

She let out another small laugh and stated, "Perhaps the two of us are just selfish people who selflessly grant the selfish desires of the other person?"

They laughed together at the concept. After the very brief laughter ceased, he thought for a moment. She was curious to hear what he might have to say.

"In a really strange way," he started with a slight chuckle, "isn't that the definition of... love?"

She felt her heart skip a beat. He just said the 'L word', and so brazenly to boot. All the words were stolen from her tongue. Questions begin to race in her mind, Has this been his plan all along? Has he just been trying to reach the point where we would both admit we loved each other?! Is it possible? Do... do I love him? Does he love me?

He watched the princess' facial expressions as she tried to avoid total mental meltdown, amused at how much brain power she continued to put into this effort. He chose to stay quiet and wait for her to calm herself down and give something that resembled an answer to the question he posed.

"I-I would not call it the proper definition of love, but for us... I suppose that might be... fitting."

He let out a laugh and her face turned redder.

"Don't laugh at me!" she commanded.

"Oh, it's not you I'm laughing at," Link replied.

"Yes it is!"

"It's not, I swear!"

"Then what is it you find so funny?"

"What I find funny is how, even after all we just said to each other, I'm still not any closer to figuring out what we are!"

When he said that, she took a moment to process exactly what their 'confessions' changed about their relationship.

Dumbfounded, she said, "... It appears that I am none the wiser in this matter, either."

They sat silently for almost a full minute.

Before it got too awkward, Link spoke up, "Well, it seems to me that you and I have a good thing going here. I'd hate to ruin it by forcing an unnatural change. If what we have does change in the future then we'll let it happen naturally, the way it ought to. But for now, I'm pretty good with just finding something to call ourselves beyond 'just a friend'."

Zelda was washed with relief and contentment with the young man's proposal. It was reasonable, wise, and it kept a solid relationship right on the rails.

She replied, "I agree, Link. You are my dearest, best friend."

"You too. And right now, I wouldn't have it any other way."

He then opened his arms and offered a hug, an offer she accepted without hesitation. There was a new warmth in the embrace, a warmth they both felt and took mental note of. They pulled apart and smiled at each other, satisfied with the outcome of this conversation.

Zelda said, "I have decided to head back to the camp, will you join me?"

Link shook his head, "Not yet, I'd like to pay my respects to the hero named Raven. I'll catch up with you shortly."

"Okay," Zelda replied with a smile. She then began to walk away and he turned back to the headstone.

Before she could fully depart from his company, a devilish idea came to him. He quickly came up with something to say that might put the princess on tilt, and the best part was that it wouldn't technically be untrue, and it would also test the limits of their new understanding of their relationship. He grinned like an evil mastermind and couldn't help himself but put his short-term plan into action.

"Hey, Zel."

She stopped and turned to look at him.

"Yes?"

He glanced at her over his shoulder with a smile.

"I love you."

She suddenly felt as though she had cotton mouth. Her body trembled, she felt lightheaded, her heart began to race. His words rang in her head like a banging gong. Without even realizing it, her mouth already began to utter some sort of response without her having thought of one beforehand. It seemed to have been on pure reaction alone with no intellectual acuity present, and whatever it was would be totally unfiltered. Within a microsecond of the words about to leave her mouth, panic begin to set in as not even Zelda would be privy to what would be said in return. She hoped from the bottom of her heart that it not be something she would regret.

"I love you, too."

End of Chapter