"Way to go, Mr. Hero, the kingdom is safe thanks to you! Wah ha ha!" The gate guard practically yelled as Link and Navi walked back into the village proper.

"Just ignore him, Link, he's a jerk." Navi muttered in the child's ear. The guard had asked Link what he had been up to. The fairy intervened and simply told him they met the Gorons. Apparently the guard found that funny, and immediately mocked them both over it.

Link had to resist the urge to turn and look back at the guard, who was still laughing to himself. "I know. Why is he like that, Navi?"

"I wish I knew. Some people are just like that." The fairy responded.

That reminded Link of their brief talk on why people were bad. Them simply being that way really didn't sit right with the boy and he wished he could figure out a better answer…

The boy's legs felt heavier with each step through the village, a wave of exhaustion seeming to hit him out of nowhere. He was distracted by a lot of things as he went down Death Mountain; the next step in his journey, leaving the Gorons behind, his mind even wandering to the Great Fairy once more. Only then did he realize how tiring the descent had been on him.

"Navi, do we have to leave for the Zoras right now?" The boy asked. While he did want to get the last part of his quest done as soon as possible…he was just so tired!

The fairy shook her head, looking about the village at the same time. She was on the lookout for the best places to go and shop. It'd be a good idea to maybe buy some supplies. The Potion Shop for sure needed a second visit. "No, that's not really a good idea. I don't know how long it'll take for you to get to Zora's Domain. Hours, probably. I don't want to risk being caught in the field at night again…"

Link let out a small shudder, flashes of skeletal children and small glowing orbs doing a sickening dance in his brain. "That's a good idea…" He looked up to his Guardian Fairy. "What do we do now, then? Just rest?"

"I think we should go back to Impa's house and see everything that Darunia gave us. Since we have some Rupees to spend, we might as well use them!" Chances were they wouldn't buy much, surely Darunia gave them enough food to last until Zora's Domain. Aside from some Red Potions, the fairy couldn't think of much else they'd need! There was the shield situation, of course, but she doubted they'd find one Link's size. Even if they did, it would probably cost more than all they had!

"Good idea." Link agreed, starting to make his way towards the Sheikah's abode. "Do you think he packed chocolate…?" That sounded like a nice treat to have just at that moment. Darunia didn't mention that, but maybe he wanted to leave it as a surprise? Wishful thinking from a boy with a newly developed appetite for chocolate…

Navi couldn't help but let out a giggle at that. She doubted it, but Link's thoughts to a yummy dessert was something she found endearing. "Well, if he didn't, we can buy a pack." They probably should use their very limited money more wisely…but a single pack was pretty cheap! He deserved a treat anyway.

That got a small smile from the boy as he gave a nod. "Thanks, Navi!" He couldn't wait to have some more chocolate!

Link would quickly make his way back to Impa's house, passing the same guard as when they were last there. Inside, he made short work of seeing just what it was that Darunia got for him. Some apples, a Red Potion, a roll of bandages, five rolls of bread, and an unusual looking rock. It seemed the Goron gave them more than he had initially let them think!

"Huh…What's this?" Link asked, picking up the rock. It was warm and fit in the palm of his hand easily.

"I think it's a rock that Gorons eat…" Navi observed as she glanced at the supplies Darunia gave them. That Red Potion would definitely be very helpful, and it'd save the two some money. She thought that maybe they should buy more, still, just in case. Nayru forbid they ever have to use any of them, but…

"So, it's edible?" Link asked feeling the odd warmth that radiated from the rock.

Navi tittered lightly. "Well, yes, but-"

She was too slow to speak, as Link leaned in and actually took a small bite from the rock! The fairy stared in total confusion and awe as the boy chewed slowly chewed and then eventually swallowed the Goron treat. "It's…not that bad…" He murmured.

For a moment, Navi just continued to gaze at the child, dumfounded that he actually liked that. "Link, what are you doing?!" Navi demanded, flying between the boy's mouth and the rocky food that…may not have been the best thing for him. "You shouldn't eat that!"

"What? Why?" Link looked between the rock and his Guardian Fairy. "Darunia put it in, so it's okay right?" That was the logic he went by, at least. The Goron Chieftain wouldn't put in something that could hurt him, right? He assumed it must have been some special kind of rock that even non-Gorons could enjoy.

"Well…Maybe it was a mistake or something. Or a joke? You really shouldn't eat any more of that, okay?" Navi was still a bit baffled that he apparently enjoyed eating a rock. A small part of her was almost a bit impressed he could stomach it. Hopefully, it wouldn't hurt him later on…

Frowning lightly, Link nodded and put the Goron treat away. "Yes, Navi." He said obediently. His Guardian Fairy knew best, after all. "So…do we still have to go shopping at all?" It sure seemed like they had all they needed!

"Mmm…" Navi pondered. They did have all those Rupees; it'd be a shame to let them go to waste. This may be the last leg of their journey, so might as well be as prepared as possible! "We should at least get some more potions, just in case." The fairy decided. "Besides, we got to get you some chocolate right?"

That got a smile on the boy's face. "Y…Yeah! That's right!" He had almost forgotten about the chocolate! Leaving his weapons other such gear behind, Link got his wallet and bag ready. That delicious treat was gonna be very welcome after everything he had gone through!

"Come on, let's go then!" Navi declared, leading Link down the stairs and out the door…

The shopping trip was pretty simple and didn't last too long. Really, the potions and chocolate were all that they got. The two Red Potions cost sixty, and the chocolate costed five. Navi thought that 35 Rupees was fine considering this may be the last shopping trip they needed. Darunia gave them a good amount of food to get to Zora's Domain. It wasn't nearly as long as a trip as it was from the Lost Woods to the Castle Town.

Things got a bit disastrous as the shopping ended, though that was perhaps a strong word for it. Link had found his mind wandering as he and Navi walked about. From the Lost Woods to the Gorons, his mind floated about. Then…it fell back onto the Great Fairy. Just thinking of her made the boy's face feel a bit hot. He recalled how Navi avoided talking to him about it, and how that lightly bothered him.

As they got close to Impa's home, Link had seen a few women by that point. A well-endowed one passed by, and he felt his curiosity reaching a peak. "Um…Ma'am?" He asked, feeling foolish as he stammered out his short sentence. Link had to get his mask back on, this made him feel so uncomfortable!

The woman stopped, giving Link a small and warm smile. "Yes, dear? Is something wrong?" She sounded almost a bit concerned, possibly thinking Link was a lost child or something. Navi looked on in confusion, wondering what it was that the boy could want with this stranger.

Rather bluntly, Link pointed straight at her chest. "Miss, what are those on your chest? What do they do?" He asked openly and perhaps a bit louder than necessary. His face tinted a bit red, though he didn't understand why. Somehow he felt like he did something he wasn't supposed to…

Navi let out a small chime of alarm. "Link?! What are you doing?!" She scolded in surprise, looking to the woman who had let out a gasp and was clearly caught off guard. "S-So sorry about that, ma'am! He doesn't know any better!" The fairy apologized, feeling herself blush wildly in embarrassment. "Link, let's go! Come on!"

Not sure what was going on and why Link had scolded him, Link followed his Guardian Fairy as she flew towards Impa's house. Had he done something wrong? He really didn't understand but Navi had seemed cross with him!

As they went by the guard and entered the cozy home, Link frowned heavily. "Navi? Did I do something bad…?" He asked, closing the door and looking down at his boots.

The fairy looked down at Link from where she was hovering and sighed. "No…You didn't do anything bad, exactly. You're just…not really supposed to ask that sort of thing to a stranger!"

He didn't do anything bad? So, he wasn't in trouble…right? Looking up at the fairy, Link cocked his head to the side. "If it wasn't bad…why shouldn't I ask it then?"

Oh no, they weren't going to be having this talk! "Don't worry about it, okay? I promise later on I'll talk to you about it. It's not something you need to know right now."

That wasn't a satisfying answer at all…but Link felt it was the only one he'd get. "…Okay Navi, I'm sorry…" He'd murmur. After a moment, he cheered up a bit when he remembered he had his chocolate still!

"It's fine, I'm not mad at you." Navi didn't really feel right getting mad over such a thing. He shouldn't have done it, but it wasn't like he tried to do something bad. "Now c'mon, why don't you have some of that chocolate?"

Well…things seemed fine, and if Navi said it was fine, then it must have been! Excited, the boy got out his chocolate, nibbling on it and relishing the delicious treat as the fairy tittered to herself at the sight…

The two did very little for the rest of the day. With the shopping done, and it being too far in the day to risk going out into Hyrule Field, they simply rested. Navi didn't want to risk Link being in the fields at night again, so best to leave first thing in the morning instead!

Link was a bit nervous as he went to sleep, thinking about the Zoras and what they could be like. The idea of fish people and what they might look like would sink into the child's dreams as he fell asleep…

A rich, crisp blanket of blue surrounded Link.

Despite the unfamiliar territory, he was calm. Happy, even. He swam around, not deterred by the lack of land anywhere around him.

It was endless blue, no matter where he looked.

For reasons unknown to him, Link decided to dive under the water. To his surprise, he could see perfectly under the water.

To his further surprise was the city. Massive, twisting spires made of unusual stone met him, their geometry unlike anything he had seen before. The stone itself was a beautiful shade of green, and the city stretched for miles.

Curious, Link swam towards it. He didn't feel the need for air at all, oddly enough.

As Link got close, the inhabitants of the city made themselves know. Large, scale-covered monstrosities with flattened snouts and sharp teeth. Their eyes glowed orange with green irises and their knifelike teeth gnashed as they swam towards Link. These must be Zoras, hideous beings that made an awful contrast to their home.

Link tried to swim back up to the surface, but a powerful hand gripped his ankle just before his head breached up into the open air. Dragged down, the boy kicked in vain as the Zora continued to pull him deeper and deeper into the depths. The other beasts swam around, leering hungrily at the child.

Only now did it seem he needed air, as Link felt his chest clench and burn as the need for a good breath filled every inch of his body. His vision started to grow dark as the Zoras started to circle closer and closer, one of them opening their mouth to-

He awoke with a light gasp, staring at the ceiling as he panted lightly. For a fraction of a second, his chest still hurt as though he were drowning in the cold grip of one of those Zoras.

"Ngh…Link…?" Navi asked, yawning lightly from her usual sleeping spot on Link's hat. She had heard him gasp, stirring her from her sleep. "Are you okay? Did you have a nightmare?"

Silently, the boy nodded, trying to shove his emotions down into himself. He was tired of letting his fears or insecurities show. Link wanted his mask back! "…Yes. I did." Even as he spoke, the details became murky. All he could remember were the fish creatures closing in on him, ready to take a nasty bite out of the child…

"Do you want to talk about it?" The fairy asked, taking to the air slowly as she woke up a bit more.

"No. I don't think so." Link replied, his voice nice and flat. He'd then stand up and started to get dressed. "…I think I need air." Fear still gripped at him, the scale-coated monstrosities haunting his vision, especially with those eyes.

Those awful orange eyes.

"A walk? I'm…well I'm sure that might help a bit." Navi glanced out the window. It was in the middle of the night, hours before sunrise. His flat voice made her uneasy, but she knew he was trying to hide any fear he had from his dream. "I'll come with you and…why are you bringing that?"

As the fairy spoke, she saw Link securing his sword on himself. "I feel safer with it." He droned, finishing getting dressed by going over to fetch his hat. The boy knew the village was safe, but he really needed the added security of his sword right then. Alongside that, he took Saria's Ocarina with him, not really wanting to be without it.

Navi supposed there was no reason Link couldn't bring his blade. She just felt bad for him, assuming it was because of his nightmare. "Alright, that's fine. Let's go get a bit of fresh air…"

The two quietly left Impa's house, feeling the need to not interrupt the quiet atmosphere of the village as the moon hung high above the sky. Link looked up, regarding the gorgeous circle and the dots that surrounded it. After that, he simply started to wander.

A change in lighting really made all the difference. The village seemed like it had an entirely new layout under the veil of darkness. Things didn't seem familiar at all, when really things shouldn't seem all that different.

Before long, the two happened to wander near the Well. The circular, stone-lined hole sitting innocently near the village's center. Link had hardly looked at it when the music from that strange man in the Windmill reached his ears, the notes muted by the building's stone flesh. That got him to want to get away as fast as possible, paranoid that for some reason that man in the Windmill would come out and yell at him again. It was an unusual fear, and even Link new that, but it made him uneasy to think about all the same.

So, the boy moved on, and quickly.

Link and Navi found themselves going to a new part of the village, going in the opposite direction of Death Mountain. There weren't as many houses at this part of the village, clearly the outskirts. Stone wall met the two, their small walk reaching a dead end.

At least until they heard a familiar scratching sound. An unusual scuttling sound that came from the left, a sound that they had heard within the Dodongo's Cavern. "Is that…?" Navi asked, looking to the source of the sound. It was there in plain sight. A Gold Skulltula right there in the village.

The boy in green stared at the creature, confused and trying not to remember that dreadful cavern. Despite himself, flashes of the experiences there went by in his mind's eye. The Lizalfos that cut at him, the Baby Dodongos biting into him, and then the King Dodongo. Link gripped at his shoulder, almost feeling it heat up as those memories played back…

"Why is it here?" Link asked, trying to take his mind off of his own past experiences. "The village isn't cursed…is it?" It certainly didn't feel that way, nor had he seen or heard anything that gave that impression!

"I wouldn't think so!" Navi replied. Putting effort into it, she felt…something…but she couldn't pinpoint it. Like it was something buried and forgotten. Something that wasn't quite the same as inside the Great Deku Tree or Dodongo's Cavern. The fairy saw that the Gold Skulltula was making its way further to the left. Right towards…Oh. "The graveyard…" She murmured.

"The what?" Link asked, not having heard. He had to wonder why this thing was here if there was no curse. Though the deformed Hylian that sent him on this quest said cursed or dark places. What that meant, exactly, was unknown to him. Did it mean just a place without lights, or something more sinister?

"The graveyard." Navi repeated, louder. "A graveyard is where non-Kokiri bury their dead. There are tombstones there, rocks with writing to say who the person was." She had to remember that Link would have no context for what a graveyard even was.

That sounded like a lot of effort to Link. "Why do they do that, Navi?" And why did they write things on rocks? A lot of it didn't make sense to him.

"So they can be remembered for years down the line." Navi explained, but quickly shook the thought away. "That's not important! We need to get rid of that cursed spider!"

The boy had been so wrapped up in figuring out what the heck a graveyard was that he almost forgot! Taking a deep breath, he approached the Gold Skulltula as he took out his sword. He just had to remember it was the living manifestation of a curse…it wasn't a real being! With a single slash of his blade, Link destroyed the entity, its corpse vanishing into nothing. Once more, the lack of a body helped…if only a little.

He looked towards the direction the graveyard, remembering how the Gold Skulltulas in Dodongo's Cavern lead the two to the King Dodongo. "…Should we go tell someone about the graveyard? Why was it going there? What if there's something bad?"

Navi pondered that, also looking towards the direction the graveyard. A winding path through the rock lead towards the location, so it wasn't even in sight. "I can't imagine something terrible could be there without the village realizing. Let's just take a quick peek, okay?"

Link didn't sound the like of that, paranoia coursing through him. But…if Navi said it was okay, it probably would be. "Right, okay." Not putting away his sword, the boy would follow the path, quickly ending up withing the graveyard.

The Kakariko Village Graveyard was nice and quiet when the two arrived. Before them was a sign above an opened fence next to a dinky, rotting shack. The small building seemed like it would fall apart at any second with peeling wooden boards and a cracked window. Beyond the sign was the graveyard itself.

The gravestones were countless in number, at least for Link. Dozens of them were around, some with moss and cracks in their foundation while some looked almost fresh and clean by comparison. Either way, all of them were covered in writing that was gibberish to the boy. "Oh, wow…" He mused, stepping beyond the fence. To most kids, a graveyard at night would be spooky, but he had no concepts of why that would be a thing, so he felt little fear walking amongst the tombstones.

Wet and heavy was how the air felt, despite the short distance between this area and the main village. It wasn't like the Great Deku Tree or Dodongo's Cavern, however. It didn't suffocate the two or lead them to believe there was something sinister like a curse lurking about.

"There's so many…" Link remarked, looking around at the different shapes and sizes of the graves. He gazed at one right next to him, even though the words on it were incomprehensible to him.

"Well, the graveyard is very old." The fairy explained, standing on her boy's shoulder. "A lot of these graves have been here for centuries."

Centuries…A century was…a hundred years, right? That didn't really help Link out, but it seemed like a long time, so it made some sense. "Do you sense anything?" He himself didn't, nothing major at least, but he knew his Guardian Fairy was more sensitive to such things.

"No…Nothing really. Places of the dead always feel a bit off, but aside from that…" Navi murmured, looking about the place. "I guess the Gold Skulltula was attracted to that, maybe, since Death Mountain isn't cursed anymore."

"That makes sense." To Link it did, at least. He found himself walking further into the graveyard. There wasn't much to see, really, especially to someone illiterate, but he still wanted to explore a bit. He even put his sword away, feeling he didn't need it.

"Don't you want to go back?" The fairy asked, finding it almost uncanny how nonchalant Link was about such a place. Of course, given his background it made sense, but still…

Link looked to her, then back at the marks of the dead. "I want to just explore a little bit. Is that bad?" Thinking of it, there was that house just outside the graveyard. Who lived there…?

"No, not exactly, but there's not really anything here…" Navi said, taking to the air a bit. "And you should get some sleep. We're getting up nice and early, remember?"

Oh yeah, that was true! Still…Link wanted to look around. "Just a little bit? Five minutes?"

"…Well…sure, alright. There's no harm in it." It was just five minutes, after all.

The young boy would walk around amongst the graves, looking at the various designs they'd have, even looking at some statues that decorated some of the larger ones. As he observed such a statue, he failed to hear some slow, shambling footsteps approaching him.

"Ah, taking a look around, huh?"

Both Link and Navi let out startled noises, turning to the source of the voice. The boy even let out a second one as he saw who it was that spoke to them. It was…a monster! A pale, hunched beast!

But…

No…

That wasn't right!

Though startled, Link and Navi soon realized the person before them was a Hylian. Albeit a rather unfortunate looking one. He had pale skin, pale enough to be evident even in the dark. His ratty brown clothing did little to hide his humpback, which made him only a few inches taller than Link was. His mismatched eyes were half-lidded, set under a smooth and bald head. The man's mouth had only a few blunt, square teeth in them, evident when he grinned. In his hand and slung over one misshapen shoulder was an old shovel, dirt caking the end of it.

"Hold on there!" The man said, letting out a chortle. Apparently the rude reaction he got didn't quite bother him. "I'm Dampé the Gravekeeper! My face may be scary, but I'm not a bad guy!" He said this like had about rehearsed it and had done so many times. "I don't think I've seen you around here before…"

Recovering from her scare, Navi felt bad. He seemed friendly enough, he was just a bit hard to look at was all. Looking to Link, she saw he still looked a bit nervous. Not like she could exactly blame him. "Hello, Dampé, Navi greeted, keeping her voice even. "We're a bit new here. Sorry, are we trespassing…?" She couldn't recall any rule about the graveyard and visiting hours when she was last here…

"Nothing like that!" The man replied, sniffing a bit. "Just wondering why you were here! Don't usually get visitors at this hour…" He didn't sound accusatory, more curious than anything.

"I…uh…" Link managed to find his voice again. He felt bad as Navi did. The man was scary looking but seemed friendly! "I was just exploring, sir."

"Mmm…Exploring, huh? You know, if you're not careful, you might just see a ghost!" Dampé let out a chortle, shaking his head. "Or maybe not, who knows? Afraid there's not much to see here." He nodded off towards the opposite end of the graveyard. "You should see the Royal Family's Tomb, though."

"Tomb?" The boy in green didn't know what that word meant. But if it was tied to the Royal Family, it was probably important!

Nodding, the man chortled again. "That's right! Everyone here visits it once in their lives. It's a sign of respect! They even say there's a treasure there that only the Royal Family can access! One that belonged to an ancient Hero that came from the sky."

A treasure? This was the first Navi heard of this! Maybe Dampé was just making it up? "What do you think, Link, want to take a look?" At the back of her mind, the fairy was thinking that perhaps Zelda's Lullaby could get them that treasure. If they were going to be doing this quest for the Royal Family, it only seemed fair to utilize everything the song gave them! After all, they could just return it later, right? Surely the Princess would understand.

"Do we have time?" It had almost been five minutes, after all. Though, he did want to go and see what it was like…

"It'll be quick, I'm sure! Thank you for the advice, Dampé!" Navi said, as she flew on a bit ahead, Link following behind.

"Hngh. Excitable, huh?" The Gravekeeper mumbled, shuffling off and whistling a macabre tune to himself.

"So, why are we going to the tomb, Navi?" Link asked. While he did want to see it, he hadn't told her that. "Is it that important we pay our respects?" He didn't understand why looking at a tomb would matter that much, but Hylians could be kind of weird!

The fairy paused. Was this a good idea? It seemed to be; this treasure could be important! She wasn't sure if this ancient Hero, or even the treasure, existed. Since they had Zelda's Lullaby learned, they could see if that was the case or not. If there was a treasure, it seemed appropriate that the two could use it, since they were doing all this for the Royal Family anyway.

After some consideration, she decided to go for it. "I think we may be able to use Zelda's Lullaby to get to the treasure, if it exists." She could see a very large tombstone coming up, that must be the place! "If we're able to access the tomb, it only seems fair we can use what may be inside."

That logic…seemed fair enough for Link. Of course, since Navi said it was a good idea, he blindly followed her way of thinking. "What would the treasure be, though?"

"I'm not sure." Navi confessed as they came up to the tomb. "But if it belonged to a Hero, it may help you with the quest!"

The two came to a stop at the tomb, observing it. It was a massive gravestone, larger than any other in the graveyard. There was a great deal of writing on it, that of course Link couldn't read. What he could make out, however, was the Triforce etched into the ancient rock. The tomb sat between two other graves, ones that were much smaller but also had the Triforce on them.

"So, we can really get in?" Link asked, looking at the gravestone. So, this was a tomb? Seemed like all the other graves, just bigger.

"That's what Dampé said!" Navi pointed out. As she looked about, she felt a shiver. Something…something washed over her. Even further was the rockface that surrounded the village. There was something up there, she could sense it! Something cold and clammy. Something that…slept…

"You dare?!"

A voice cried out, startling the boy and fairy. The air around them suddenly became far more chilled as figures rose from the two gravestones to the side. They were small, only a little bit larger than Link. Skin like dark coal, the two were covered in raggedy, rotting clothes. Clothes that at one time were probably impeccable and of high class, but now were as good as street rags with one wearing red and one in green. Glowing green eyes and burning orange hair and mustaches adorned their faces, and each one clutched a large burning lantern and a white baton in their hands.

The two figures hovered before Link and Navi, between them and the tomb. "You dare speak of entering the Royal Family Tomb?!" One of the figures barked.

Link couldn't help but let out a cray, taking a step back and tripping over nothing, falling onto his rear. "Navi?! What are they?!" Could these beings even be fought? They seemed to be some sort of spirits!

The fairy hovered between her boy and the specters, brightening her light as if to ward them off, which did nothing. "Poes! Spirits of the dead!" She answered, staring the two ghosts down. "Who are you? What is it you want with us?"

"I am Flat." The one in green replied.

"I am Sharp." Said the one in red.

"We are the Composer Brothers! We served the Royal Family in life and continue to do so after death!" Flat shouted. "Who are you two, who wishes to plunder such a sacred place?!"

"We will not allow those unfit to enter to defile these sacred grounds!" Sharp added, brandishing his baton threateningly.

Navi chimed loudly, nearly flashing her light at the two ghosts. "Wait! We can enter here! We know the song that allows it!" She just hoped that was how the Royal Family actually entered…

The two Poes looked at each other, then back to the boy and fairy. Their burning green eyes seeming to peer into the very beings of the would-be intruders. "The song? You say? Go on then, play us this song!" Flat ordered.

"Link?" Navi turned to her boy, who was looking at the spirits, face pale and afraid. "Come on, you just have to play Zelda's Lullaby!"

It took a moment for Link to register her words, fear pulsing through his entire body. While there were spirits within the Lost Woods, he very rarely encountered any. While with Saria, he sometimes heard a whisper or saw a retreating flash of light, but that was all. Nothing like this had happened to him, terrifying the child.

As he started to understand what his fairy had said, Link slowly and shakily stood up. Yes…He just had to play the song! He had done this before! Thankful that he brought Saria's Ocarina, he got the instrument from his belt. It came to a big surprise to him that Hyrule had its own spirits, though they seemed far more frightening than those of the Lost Woods.

Raising the Ocarina to his lips, it would take Link a few times to get the melody right. Two haunting figures staring at him with unnatural eyes really made it hard for him to concentrate! However, they were surprisingly patient with him. They said nothing, simply watching as he tried to play the song.

After a minute or two, he got it right.

The damp night air was filled with a warm melody, one that held a mysterious power. The Composer Brothers stiffened in shock; their forms almost quivering as the notes hit them. At the same time, the large gravestone let out a groan and, to the surprise of the boy and fairy, started to move! As if pushed by an invisible force, the gravestone was pushed back, revealing a hole in the ground. Inky blackness was about all that was visible within it, along with a stone staircase leading downward.

"My word…" Flat murmured, turning to the hole in the ground and back to Link. "We apologize, agent of the Royal Family!"

"There would be those who would wish to do the property of the Royal Family harm." Sharp continued. "A child you may be, one can never be too careful! Please, enter as you please!"

Without any further word, the two entities sank back into their graves, and all was silent once more.

Still a little shaky, Link put the Ocarina back onto his belt. Looking to Navi, he swallowed heavily. "Was…that normal? Are there spirits like that all around Hyrule?"

"No." Navi answered bluntly, turning to look at Link. "That's not something that's usually seen. But it's over now and we're safe. Are you okay?"

Really, he felt embarrassed for falling over from fear…but it was fine now, he supposed. "I'll be okay. So, we just go down there?"

Navi flew a bit into the whole, lighting the way partially. Just more stairs going down. "I guess so. Just go carefully, alright?"

Nodding and drawing his sword, Link followed his Guardian Fairy as she lit his way down the mysterious staircase…

It felt as though ages passed, Link walking down into the darkness, only his companion providing any light. In reality, it was only about a minute. The stairs lead the two into a stone room carved into the ground, lit torches now helping to light things up. Several tunnels lead elsewhere into the tomb. Surprisingly, there was little else to see. Aside from the Triforce adorned above each tunnel, there were no decorations to be seen. The air was thick and heavy, smelling of mold and rot.

"Smells…" Link murmured, his nose crinkling. "I don't really like this place, Navi."

Navi didn't either. Something felt…off. She knew it wasn't what she felt above. This was something else. It was a lesser thing, but still unusual. "It'll be fine. Nothing could possibly live down here!" Then again, another spirit wasn't out of the question.

"That's true." He agreed, also feeling something bad in the air. Looking around at the various tunnels, Link looked back to Navi. "Which way do we go?"

Well, that was the question, wasn't it? There were about half a dozen paths to go down. "I can't tell which way is best so…might as well start with right ahead of us!" Made about as much sense as any.

Navi flew ahead, Link following close behind as they went down the tunnel. More torches lit the way, but there was little to see aside from coffins that lined the walls. Members of the Royal Family, no doubt. The tunnel wasn't very long, only taking a few minutes for the duo to come across a room.

It was just as sparsely decorated as the others, a blue stone room about the size of Link's home. There was a coffin in the center of the room and the wall had inscriptions on it. On the coffin was a shield, a brilliant metal shield that had a blue coloring to it, adorned with the Triforce and what appeared to be a red bird underneath.

Upon seeing the red bird, Link felt unusual. A sort of feeling of nostalgia coursed through him, as if seeing something he had laid eyes upon a hundred times. As if in a trance, he started to walk towards the shield.

"Link? What's up?" Navi asked, noticing his odd silence.

Before the boy could answer, a new sound filled the room. Footsteps. It came from behind them, from one of the corners of the room they'd pass to properly enter. Both Link and Navi whipped around to see a figure approaching them. It was still in the shadows, leaving them unable to see any details.

"Hello?!" Navi called out, getting between the figure and Link. "Who are you?!" What may have been the question was what was this thing? No Hylian could possibly be alive down here, right?!

Link stared, once more finding himself frozen as he looked at something he didn't understand. Within moments, the shambling, silent figure came into the light, and the boy screamed.

The creature was covered in a brown, taut skin. Pulsing veins, joins, jutting bones and muscles were all visible. Whatever it was, it seemed like it hadn't eaten a bite in years. Even its ribcage was pronounced and seemed like it would tear through the flesh at any provocation. Its face was covered in a red, featureless clay mask which had only a mouth and eyeholes. Gnarled, yellowed teeth clacked lightly, permanently bared as the thing had no lips. Possibly the worst part was that the thing didn't appear to have eyes. Just black circles, underneath the mask, and yet it looked right at Link.

Before Navi could muster the courage to do anything, the thing opened its mouth wide and let out a screech. It was inhuman, and barely sounded like even one an animal could produce. The sound seemed to pierce both Link and the fairy to their cores, freezing them both in place.

It lunged.

Link found the wiry arms of the creature wrapping around him as it clung to his body. Despite it being the size of an adult, it barely seemed to weigh anything at all. Its legs wrapped around his waist while it grabbed at the wrist of his left arm, which he still used to grip his sword. The boy let out a howl of terror as the best leaned in, clamping its rotting teeth into his shoulder and letting them sink in. A horrific sucking, lapping noise came from the creature. The boy in green felt like…something was being extracted from him. Not blood, but something even more vital.

Navi found the ability to move after a moment passed, the effects of the monster's scream lasting only so long. "Link!" She'd exclaim, flying towards the creature, ramming into its face. It had little effect, however, the scrawny being not even budging. "Close your eyes!" Gathering up her strength, she let out a burst of light right in the thing's face.

A pained screech erupted from the creature, it falling off of Link and writing on the ground.

Feeling weakened, Link fell to the floor as well, still clutching his sword in hand. Before he knew it, he felt a claw grab at his leg, decayed nails digging into his flesh. Screaming again, he looked to see the creature dragging itself closer to him, having already recovered from Navi's light. Its other hand reached up, grabbing at Link's inner thigh as it dragged itself closer, its first hand going under his tunic, raking its claws against his stomach.

Letting out another scream, of terror and pain, Link raised his sword and slammed the tip of the blade into the thing's mask. It let out another scream of agony, the red clay object cracking. Without a yell of effort, the boy would slam his sword into the crack just as the beast let out another petrifying yell.

It was too slow, however, as the small sword pierced through the mask and into the thing's face, piercing right through. With a shuddering screech, the monster clawed at Link's stomach some more as it thrashed in place. Within moments, however, it went limp, thick green blood oozing out from the mask.

Tears falling down his face, Link scrambled from the creature, leaving his sword behind. He just lied there on the floor, staring at the monster as he trembled and sobbed, blood dripping from his shoulder, stomach, and leg.

"Are you okay?!" Navi exclaimed, fighting to her boy. The whole exchange after the withered monster dropped to the floor only lasted a few seconds. Not long enough for the fairy to devise another course of action. Once again…she felt useless.

He couldn't respond at first, just crying as the pain coursed through his body as Navi consoled him. After a good minute, he'd force himself to start calming his nerves. "N…Navi…What w-was that?!" Link managed to spit out, tears stopping their flow.

For once, she was stumped. What was that thing indeed? She had never come across a creature like that before! Why was it down here and how did it get to such a location? Maybe it was made by the Royal Family to guard their treasures? She supposed, in the end, it didn't really matter. "…I have no idea…But are you okay? Can you stand up?"

Slowly and shakily, Link would stand as he stared at the creature. For the first time…he felt no guilt in slaying something. That thing was…it was…!

A rush of anger coursed through him as he stared at the corpse of that…that thing! Rushing over, Link let out a cry as he kicked It in the ribs, a sickening crunch coming from the blow. Again and again he kicked at it, almost breaking out into sobs as he did so.

Navi only watched, not sure what to do or how to handle this. So…she let him get his frustrations out.

Before too long, Link got tired of kicking the corpse, and uneasily slid the blade from its head and shook the green blood from his weapon.

"…Link, are you okay?" She asked as he stood there, staring down at the thing he just killed. "Please say something to me!"

"…I'm fine." He didn't feel fine at all, a sickening sensation in his gut. And he felt…dirty. But he had to just push it down and try to suppress it. Looking to the wall, he tried to ignore what just happened, despite how hard that was. "Navi, what does that say?"

The fairy let out a sigh. It was clear he wasn't okay, but she knew that forcing him to talk wasn't very good. Perhaps she'd try later anyway. Hovering to the wall, she cleared her throat and read:

In memory to our great Hero.

Who came from the sky and slayed Demise.

In his honor, he shall have a coffin here with his kin.

His unbreaking shield resting with him forevermore.

Navi was surprised to hear that the Gravekeeper was right all along! The treasure of an old Hero was here, this 'unbreaking shield'! "Link this is the treasure! We found it, but…" The fairy flew to it, looking at it, and then Link. "…It seems a bit big for you."

Silently, Link went and grabbed the shield anyway. It was heavy, but not so much that he couldn't lift it. Something about it stirred odd feelings within the boy, mainly that red bird depicted on the object. "…After going through that, I'm going to take it." It was a bit immature of him, but he just didn't care. He wasn't leaving this place emptyhanded.

"…If that's what you want…" Navi replied, just letting Link have his way. After what he had gone through…he deserved that much at least. "I'm sure we can get it strapped to your back, and maybe it'll be useful!" After all, it was supposedly unable to be broken…

It took a minute, but the two managed to get the shield fastened to Link's sword strap. The shield was indeed too big, making Link out to be more like a turtle than anything. Still, it offered some protection, so it was better than nothing.

With that, they left.

The walk back to Impa's House felt like it took hours, when in fact it only took ten minutes. When the two left the tomb, the massive gravestone shifted back into place, as if it sensed their business there had concluded. The entire time, Link kept his sword in his shaking hand, wincing from his injuries and sometimes flinching at the shadows.

When they got back, the guard barely glanced at them, apparently not even noticing the shield. It would be unlikely he'd realize its significance anyway. After drinking a Red Potion to heal his wounds, Link crawled into bed after shedding his gear and clothes.

"…Link, do you want to talk about what happened?" Navi asked as the boy folded his hat onto the nightstand for her.

"…I don't." He replied, voice flat and face blank. Right then, he just wanted to sleep. "We have to get up early to go to the Zoras anyway, right?"

Letting out a small sigh, Navi nodded. "Right." As she watched Link turn over to go to sleep, she pondered. Lying on Link's had, she wanted to find a way to help the boy unwind. Something to soothe him. He was so hesitant on venting to her, so she knew that wasn't an option. Staying at the village for a few days probably wouldn't help either, too many bad memories.

But...

Wait!

Navi suddenly recalled that girl…uh…Malon! Yes, Malon! She wanted Link to visit her ranch. If the fairy could just convince Link to go on a playdate, it'd surely help him! After all, he had never been to the ranch, so it couldn't be tied to any bad memories! In the morning, she'd try to get him to go.

As the two slumbered, Link would dream of clawing hands and deafening shrieks.

When the sun was about to rise, two visitors would enter the home, staying downstairs…

Navi awoke to the sound of voices.

Quiet, whispering voices from the downstairs part of the house. Jolting up, she looked at Link, seeing he was still asleep. Well, there was a guard outside, so it couldn't be thieves. Slowly, she hovered to the stairs and peeked down, her heart skipping a bit.

Sitting at the table was Princess Zelda herself along with Impa. "Y…Your Highness?" Navi blurted out without thinking, flying towards the two. "Pardon my questioning, but why are you here?" Wasn't she supposed to be at the castle, keeping the Ocarina of Time away from Ganondorf? Did something happen?!

The two turned to the fairy. Zelda gave her a warm smile, her eyes showing weariness. Impa's face remained stony and vigilant. "Greetings, Navi. I hope we didn't scare you. Please, do call me Zelda." She reminded the fairy as she glanced towards the staircase. "Is Link still asleep up there?"

"Wh…Well, yes, he is. Is something the matter? Did Ganondorf do something?" The fairy asked, hardly taking how calm Zelda was into consideration with her worries.

"Thankfully, he has not. I simply came to check in on you two. I thought he would still be here in the village, and it seems I was correct." The Princess answered. "Have you two gotten the second Spiritual Stone yet?

A wave of relief washed over Navi as she learned things were okay. "Yes, we have the Goron's Ruby. It…It wasn't easy, but we have it."

Zelda frowned a bit, nodding. "I'm sorry to hear that, and do you know where the last Spiritual Stone is?"

Before Navi could answer, Link stirred upstairs. A yawn rang out, and his voice called. "…Navi? Where are you?"

"Just a moment, please…" The fairy whispered, darting back up. She went to Link, who was sitting up. There were dark circles under his eyes, apparently he didn't sleep well. "Link, get dressed!"

"We can't even eat breakfast before we go?" He asked, frowning a bit.

Shaking her head, Navi glanced over her shoulder. "It's Her Highness! She's here with Impa. They came to check in on us!"

Eyes widening, Link quickly got out of bed and dressed. Didn't want to keep them waiting! Navi tried to five his messy hair, to little help, but let him go anyway. "Zelda!" Link greeted as he went to the stairs to see it was indeed true. Unlike Navi, he remembered the Princess wanted to be addressed by name. "You wanted to check in on us?"

As the boy descended the stairs, Zelda studied him. Especially his eyes, as he got closer. It seemed like she was boring into his soul, and apparently she didn't like everything that she saw, as she frowned lightly for just a moment. "Yes, I did. It's good to see that you're well. Navi was just telling me you have the Goron's Ruby."

Link felt his insides churning as the Princess talked, nervous before royalty like he had been before. "Yes, I do. Do…you want to see it?"

Shaking her head, Zelda gave him a small smile. "No, I believe you. That's fine."

"We also wanted to know if you found out where the last Spiritual Stone was." Impa intervened, not offering a verbal greeting to the boy and fairy. It seemed it was all business with her.

"Oh, that's right. It's with the Zoras." Link replied, still straightening out his tunic a bit. "We were going to go to them today."

"Excellent news! Tell me, did my letter help?" Zelda asked, seeming quite curious indeed.

Thinking back to that laughing guard, Link almost wanted to tattle on him…but he held his tongue on that matter. "It did. Talking to Darunia was a bit hard, but we managed…and then we got the Goron's Ruby."

"After slaying a monster, he did." Navi interjected, feeling a bit sour that her boy had to do such a thing. "It was extremely dangerous, too."

Looking at Navi, then back to the Princess, Link nodded. "…That's true, yes. I don't want to talk about the details, though."

"I won't pry." Zelda promised. "I do apologize that you had to go through that, however. We both truly appreciate what you've been doing."

"Thank you, Zelda." Link appreciated how nice she was being but…he also shared a bit in Navi's frustrations. That he had to go on such an adventure hardly seemed fair, given his age. "I promise we'll finish our quest soon. Right, Navi?"

"…Right." Navi agreed, then spoke her mind. "…We will be taking a break, though."

Link looked to her in confusion. "A break? What do you mean?" Impa asked, not seeming amused.

Too late to turn back now! "Link has been going through a lot. More than he should be." The fairy explained. "So, we'll be at Lon Lon Ranch for a bit, so he can unwind. We met the rancher's daughter in the Castle Town, and she had said we were welcome."

For a moment, things were silent, a silence that Impa broke. "Do you believe you have time for a vacation? Hyrule itself is at stake here! There isn't time-"

"Link is putting his neck out!" Navi exclaimed, not caring if she insulted royalty anymore! "He was set on fire just the other day...and stabbed!" She tried to ignore how Link shuddered. "If it weren't for the Great Fairy, I…I'm not sure he would've made it."

"Navi, it's okay." Link said, not wanting to make a big deal out of this. "I don't need…"

"Yes, you do!" Navi shot back. "I'm your Guardian Fairy! I know what's best for you!" She wondered when she would stop using that lie to her advantage. Turning back to Zelda, she bowed lightly. "I'm sorry I snapped. Please, Zelda, allow us this. Link may not admit it, but he needs this…"

Zelda, who remained quiet, a thoughtful expression on her face, gave a small nod. "I understand your reasoning. If it is my blessing you are after, than you have it." Her voice was gentle and soothing. "I apologize, Link, I did not realize you would have to go through such lengths for the Goron's Ruby. Please, take a reprieve."

Link stared at her, surprised. He felt bad for taking a break from his adventure, but…both Navi and Zelda herself were telling him to. Admittedly, he did want to just rest for a bit…and talking to Malon again sounded really nice too! "Thank you, Zelda…Um…Please don't apologize. It isn't your fault I had to fight these monsters." After all, she hadn't known.

"I sent you on this quest. Whatever happens to it is my responsibility." Zelda replied, sounding quite sure of her words.

"Are you sure it is wise to allow this?" Impa asked, not seeming as onboard with the idea.

The Princess turned to Impa, nodding. "If he gets too worn or stressed, it could lead to great peril. A few days shall not hurt."

"Thank you, we truly appreciate this!" Navi said, bowing lightly.

"Of course." Zelda looked Link over again, as if searching for something. "Are you supplied well? Do you need Rupees?"

Shaking his head, Link glanced up towards the upstairs. "No, Darunia gave us supplies and Rupees, so we should be fine…right, Navi?" The fairy gave a word of agreement.

"Then we will leave you to it. I'm afraid we cannot stay at all." Zelda said, standing up. Impa followed suit, taking heavy brown hooded robes from her bag. "Father doesn't know I'm gone; he believes I am under heavy study." As the two women dawned their cloaks, the Princess smiled at Link. "I wish you luck on your journey."

"W…Wait!" Link called as the two turned away. "Zelda…What does a red bird mean? I saw that symbol and it felt…familiar."

The Princess only seemed mildly surprised, as if she knew some secret Link didn't. "It is said that the first Hero of Hyrule rode upon a great crimson bird, so such a thing is an important symbol to Hyrule. I cannot tell you why it seems familiar, you must figure that out on your own."

With those cryptic words, the two put their hoods up and ventured out of the house.

"…Link, what did you mean by that? Familiar?" Navi asked, looking to her boy.

"It's what I meant. It just seems familiar, and I don't know why…" He let the statement linger in the air, the Guardian Fairy unsure of how to respond.

Without much to say on that, the two got ready, Link gearing up and the two having some breakfast. Once they had everything they needed, they left Impa's abode and made towards the entrance to Kakariko Village. The sun had only just risen, most people still asleep aside from the guards. "Are you ready, Link? We should reach the ranch by noon."

Relieved that he was going to get some time to relax, despite the urgency to get his quest completed, Link nodded. If Navi and Zelda both said it was fine, then it must be so. That…and the idea of seeing Malon made a smile tug at his lips. "I'm ready, Navi."

With that, the two left Kakariko Village, making their way to a brand new destination.