The Faded Triforce Prologue Part 2
Mishcana sighed, stroking her chest in memory. That night had changed her life forever. She could not remember the next few days with any clarity. They were all a blur. Link, the young Hylian-Kokiri hero had told her later.
Link was so worried. Zelda had been missing for several hours and a guard had stated she had ordered him to open the gate. Zelda could be alone at night in the field where any bandit, not to mention stalchild, could be wandering. Why would she take such a foolish risk? Once the guard had informed them of Zelda's request, Link and the others had abandoned their search of the castle grounds. They had to find her and fast, before it was too late. That foolish girl, why did she always have to be so rock headed and do things like this? A hand reached out and pulled him close from behind. "What was it now?" He looked up and saw Impa's troubled face staring down at him. Impa was the friendly sage of shadow who had taken him on as an apprentice of the sword. She was also the nursemaid of young Zelda and was very concerned.
"I can't sense her, Link. None of the sages can. Some powerful dark magic is in the air. I believe it is concealing her." Impa spoke sadly, but a glimmer of hope rested in her eyes, "Is your magic compass or your triforce able to sense her?"
He looked away, ashamed of his lacking abilities. "Impa, I'm still having trouble with the triforce. Wherever she is, she's too far away for me to sense it. And my compass, well, it's useless. Whatever's blocking your magic is blocking its as well."
Impa stared at him solidly, "I'm coming with you then! Its dangerous tonight, so we'd better get looking!"
He shivered. Winter was coming and the nights were becoming too cold for his simple Kokiri tunic. He really ought to buy a cloak, one of the thick warm ones the guards often use for long tours of duty. They travelled together for a few hours towards Kakariko village. The scent of roses snapped him back into the mindset of his task. Link called out with enthusiasm and excitement, "Impa, I smell Zelda's perfume! Hey!" he paused, squinting at the scene far off, "What's that over there?"
In the distance across the bridge near Kakariko village he could see two figures washed in golden light surrounded by stalchildren. Cold sweat ran down his face. He had never seen so many stalchildren gathered together, not even in Termina. The light had to be the Triforce of wisdom. But why were both figures glowing? He began running, Impa following on his tail. A bright flash of green light slammed into the standing figure defending the other on the ground. Though still far away, he could hear that piercing scream of pain as though he were next to the tortured figure. Its devastating shriek pierced through his soul and caused the hairs on the back of his neck to rise. Shudders ran down him as he began to run faster. The screaming girl stood up, somehow. Kokiri green. The girl was dressed in Kokiri green. How could that be? The fight began anew and the Kokiri girl began to battle fiercely. Their ranks became devastated and they managed to disarm the girl. As the stick flew into the river, his heart rose to his throat. The Kokiri would not be able to last much longer, but they were still too far away for him to lend any help. As he ran, he watched as they each fell one by one to the ground. Some how, the Kokiri girl was winning. He could clearly see the golden light shining from her right hand, the identical glow to that of the figure's on the ground, though paler.
The last Stalchild dropped though he saw it had knocked the girl hard on the head. The girl was still standing? Amazed, he stood in shock until a shaking hand of Impa's brought him out of it. He began running again, for they both appeared wounded. It was Zelda on the ground, he was sure of it now. The glow faded from the Kokiri's girl's hand and she began to fall down, "No!" thought Link. "Please let them be alright!" He watched as Zelda held the girl, terrified, running her hands over the wound on the back of the girl's head and over the girl's chest helplessly.
He was rapidly approaching and so began to call out, "Zelda! I'm coming. Hold on!"
Impa and he crossed the bridge in full run, and rushed towards the girl and Zelda. "What happened, Zelda? Is she all right? Who is she?"
Tears streamed down Zelda's normally serene face, "I don't know who she is. The stalchildren attacked me, one of them tried to cast a spell on me, she jumped in their way, and tried to protect me. . . and then, she just fainted." Her eyes looked pleadingly up at Link, "I feel so weak. I can't heal her. Do you have any red potion?"
He nodded slowly, and brought out a bottle full from his pouch. He cupped his hand gently around the back of her head and tilted it forward as Zelda supported the girl's chest. The girl moaned softly, but her eyes remained closed.
"Please," he said softly, "If you can hear me, just swallow. Everything will be alright."
The Kokiri girl had made no response, but when he titled the drink into her mouth she swallowed. The wounds on her head began to knit and heal; such was the magic of the red potion.
"Huh? That should have restored her life shield, too. Impa, why didn't it?" he looked upwards at Impa.
Life shields were sometimes referred to as heartpieces. Pieces of magical energy the protected the bodies of Hylian from harm. The pain from any wound would be felt but as long as the shield had any strength left, a Hylian would not be wounded. Though the girl looked too old to be a true Kokiri he knew from experience the Kokiri and most races of Hyrule had the same protection; however, those of weaker bearing would be injured as usual. Obviously, the shield that protected the girl had been shattered. Usually when this happened to him or the guards, they would become unconscious and go into a healing trance. For some reason, this had not happened with the girl. He had seen her stand and fight himself.
Zelda exclaimed sadly, "The bolt of magic that hit her! Impa, could it be responsible?"
Impa leaned over the Kokiri girl. Link was right; the life force shield had not been replenished at all. She looked down at the girl's chest and frowned.
"Link, would you please look away a moment?" she asked in a monotone voice. The boy nodded worriedly and turned his back on Impa and the Kokiri girl. Impa gently pulled up the girl's tunic and peered at her chest. There, on the small Kokiri's chest was a glowing green mark; it seemed to somehow interfere with her ability to regenerate. She pulled the tunic back down. The wounds around it had not healed either nor had the ones on her arm. A broken rib or two, perhaps, lay around it as well. It was difficult to tell.
"Link. Call Epona, we need to get her back to the castle immediately." Her voice was calm, and she spoke softly, "Link, please tell me you have more red potion than that? We may need it before we get there."
Link looked confused, but nodded his head slowly, "I have another two bottles full, but . . . she shouldn't need more. We'll make sure she won't get hurt on the way back."
Impa stared at Link with tired, weary eyes. They were deep and full of concern. It seemed that the great sage of shadow was worried, maybe even scared. "Link. Please call Epona. I'll explain on the way."
He played his horse's song on his fairy Ocarina. Its sweet notes echoed over the hills and carried as far away as the sweet meadows of LonLon ranch. Epona came in full run towards Link, elated that he had called her.
"Old friend, I need you to carry some friends for me. Can you do that?" Link patted the horse and proved her with a small carrot. Epona nickered and seemed to nod her head.
Link lifted Zelda onto Epona and handed her the reigns, "Hold on tight, Zelda. We're going to run beside you, but we need you to keep an eye on the girl. I don't want her falling off." he said softly to her, and reassuringly stroked her cheek, "I need to save my red potions, Impa said, but as soon as we get back, I promise, we'll get you all healed up." He unwound his belt from his waist, and leaned the unconscious girl over Epona's back. He tied the belt tight, and made sure the girl would not fall off. "Alright, Epona, get running, we'll be right behind you!"
The horse took off in full gallop and Impa used a spell to keep Link and her with Epona. Even at this speed the castle would be a good hour's distance, so Impa began to explain to Link the need of the potions. Checking first to see if Zelda was listening, she spoke to Link.
"Link. This is serious. Zelda would feel guilty if she knew. That magic attack was not merely an attack spell; it was a curse."
Link felt a horrible sinking feeling fill him. Curses, he remembered those well from Termina. They were usually painful, such as the inability to use one's sword arm, or to be trapped in another's body. Some turned people into spiders. "What kind of curse is it, Impa?" seeing her hesitation, he added, "Maybe I've seen it in my travels, maybe I can cure it." his eyes pleaded with her for a favourable answer.
"Link, I'm not sure you can. I've never seen anything like it. It is preventing her life shield from regenerating, but that is not all." she paused, trying to understand the concept herself, "Link. It's draining her. It's still hurting her. I believe it was meant to weaken or to kill Zelda, whether she got away or not. I think they were trying to capture her, maybe."
"Zelda didn't get hit, though. The Kokiri girl did. What do they want with her?" he asked slowly, trying to absorb the information thrown at him.
"Probably nothing, but Zelda said she jumped in front of the attack. I daresay that girl saved Zelda's life. . . We both heard her scream." She waited for Link's horrified nod before continuing. "I tried to break it but it resisted my magic. I don't think we can do anything until morning. When we get back to the castle, I'll send you to the potion man's shop. We're going to need a lot to keep her alive through the night."
Link appeared shocked, but nodded, "Alright, I can do that, I'm sure of it. But why don't we just take her to the great fairy? Surely the one near the castle could heal or break the curse?"
"Maybe," began Impa, "But a great fairy's magic is stronger by day. We must wait until morning."
Link and Impa passed the rest of the trip in silence. Terror flew through him like a fever. What if the girl died? He promised himself he would not let it happen. He'd just have to stay awake all night. The all night mask would take care of that. Impa motioned for them all to stop and called Epona to a halt.
"Link, better give her another red potion." Impa said softly. Zelda's worried glance fell upon her and so she added, "Just in case. Please don't worry, my princess."
He tilted back the bottle and made the girl drink. He could sense it now; the regeneration was not as fast or as complete as last time. She really was being destroyed from within. "I vow not to sleep until she recovers," he murmured sleepily to himself.
Upon their return to the castle, the guards seemed subdued. They had seen from the distance that their princess was wounded and that another was seriously wounded. "It looks like Master Link!" one shouted with a terrified wail. Soon the rumour spread like a wildfire that Link had been stricken down defending Hyrule's princess. The rumour did not last long; however, as Epona approached the castle, and Link stood there and played Zelda's lullaby as a code to open the drawbridge. "Thank goodness!" cried Teichart, captain of the gate guards, "Master Link, we feared you were injured, but now I see it is another Kokiri. I thought you were the only one who could leave the forest? Who is she and what has happened?"
Impa quickly interjected, "A friend. At least I assume so. She received these wounds defending Zelda's from an army of stalchildren."
The captain quickly offered up his red potion, and asked if they had given her any yet, "Nay, Captain Teichart, we have given her two. But I thank ye for your donation, we may need it yet." said Impa respectfully.
The captain gave the potion to Impa, numb with shock. "Two?" he mouthed, "And she still looks like that?" he exclaimed quietly.
Impa and the other continued towards the castle. "Link, go quickly to the potion shop with this yellow rupee. Tell him I need as much red potion as he has on his shelves, and be polite but quick; we need the potions right away, but it is after all late at night."
Link nodded and disappeared down the alleyway, all night, if he had to.
The room had been unoccupied for a long time. Dust had settled over the simple bed and floor. In the corner a small mahogany desk rested against the wall. A guard followed Impa in through the door and the dust unsettled into the air. The room smelt musky from disuse. Impa motioned towards the shutters and the guard hopped quickly to open them. He then spun around and shook the sheets out the window. Streams of dust scattered and caught the moonlight and glowed like pixie dust in the night. Swoosh! The covers flowed gently over the bed and settled gently. Impa laid the girl carefully on top of them and brushed aside the hair from the young girl's face. The Kokiri hat on the young girl's head came off with a gentle pull revealing long, lush auburn-brown hair, untouched during the battle except for the amount of blood that hardened onto it from the wound on the back of her head. With growing concern Impa stroked the girl's forehead. Outside, the moon still shone brilliantly and the hope of the sun rising soon faded from her. Though she knew Link and Zelda would be traumatized should it happen, she feared the young girl would not last the night. She covered the girl's fragile body with the fluffy down comforter and brought out one of the remaining red potions. The girl again swallowed the thick liquid, and moaned slightly. The situation was worsening. The liquid's effect was decreasing with each treatment. Silently Impa glanced at the silver moon shining through the window onto the bed. A quiet prayer to Nayru, Din, and Farore echoed in her heart for the morning to come soon.
Link carried several bottles on his makeshift holder. He had to hurry. The shopkeeper's wits had been slow from having been woken up in such a rush, and the castle was still a while away. He began to run, but felt like he was lagging none the less. A calloused hand reached deep into the magic pouch at his side. His hand felt around, search for that familiar feel of soft bunny fur. Aha! As he brought the smallish object out of his pouch it grew into a pair of bunny ears attached to a headband. He quickly slipped it onto his head, and began to run. This time he sped past the shops and houses with ease, the running barely tiring him. The ears had special magic and came from the land of Termina. He flew past the guards up the stairs until he came to Zelda's room. It lay high in the tower, three floors above his room. To his surprise, only Zelda lay in there. He entered the room without knocking his ability to stop being hampered by the bunny ears.
"Oh, it's you! Wow, that's a lot of potion. Is the castle's stock low?" Zelda asked as she sat up in her bed.
Link shook his head sadly, "No, at least I don't think so. Impa said to bring it all for that girl. It's," he paused thoughtfully, concern colouring his tone, "a lot of potion. I don't fully understand."
Zelda shook her head in confusion, "She should be recovering now, shouldn't she?"
Link bit his lip and hesitated. Zelda's concerned eyes peered through him. She must have surely guessed and he felt he should not lie to her. His hands fell to one of the bottles and he unattached it. He twisted off the lid with slow, deliberate motions, and handed it roughly to Zelda, His face hidden in the shadows of his hair, he spoke softly, "Drink this, please, Zelda. You need it."
Confusion tinted Zelda's face but she obeyed. Warm relief flowed through her and she began to feel better. With the warmth however came the unexpected drowsiness of the special red potion. As weariness overcame her she settled back into the bed. "Link, why does she need all that potion?" she asked again, her eyelids beginning to droop.
"I'm not sure, Zelda. Where did Impa take her?" Link asked as he pulled the covers up to his beloved friend's chin.
Zelda's eyes closed, but she murmured softly, "Three floors down, next to your room and below mine."
Link's eyes widened. Impa never let anyone in that room. At that moment the guard called him from outside. Startled from his thoughts he proceeded out the door. "Double guard around the princess's room tonight, Brierd. All right? No one but Impa, the level three guards and I are to pass through this door tonight."
The door creaked open. Impa knelt beside the girl's bed slowly rubbing her forehead with a wet cloth. Fever burned bright within the body of the girl caused by the wounds that would not heal. Beside her several books of ancient magic surrounded a young girl in white. The girl flipped fervently through a book called "The Origins of Curses and Their Definitions." Link stepped past the threshold and settled the bottles upon the floor.
"Look. Look! Impa, this sounds like it!" the little girl in white exclaimed. A mage in training, he realized.
Impa smiled at the young girl and took up the book slowly reading the description, "This curse is marked by a glowing green mark upon the place of impact. It rarely kills; its principle design is to disable and allow for easy capture. It is particularly effective for capturing strong Hylians as their healing trances counteract the effects of the curse; however, they are unable to revive themselves from it without help. Without the healing trance the curse would theoretically continue to injure the affected person; however, there is no known instance of this happening." She sighed sadly and muttered, "Well that's not much help, is it?" to herself.
"No, it's not," complained Link, "Obviously she didn't enter the healing trance properly. So, what do we do about it?" Worry filled his voice and he gazed expectantly at Impa with big, round, tired eyes.
"I'm not sure Link. Morning shouldn't be too far away now. I'll stay up with her." Impa heaved a weary sigh, "Go, Tiesa, and take these books. I don't think they'll be much help now, but thank you for giving us a helpful clue."
The young girl was unaware of the situation, and so smiled cheerfully at the sage's praise. Her curtsey came quickly and perfectly. "Thank you, Queen Regent Impa. Call me if you need me again."
The door swung shut behind the girl. Link and Impa were alone in the room, the moonlight shining in the window illuminating the fallen girl. Link looked to the moon, and then gazed into the girl's face. Why was she so familiar? He felt like he should know her, but why? Impa leaned backward and wrung out her cloth in a cold steel bowl. "The red potion's starting to have very little effect. I'm not sure it's any use. Well, except maybe that the girl doesn't look so dry now, but I don't think that'll help her much. I have to admit it." Resignation filled her bright red eyes, "I'm worried. I don't think morning will come soon enough for her." She sighed deeply, "The girl's will to fight may have cost her life. If she had of just let herself fall into the healing trance . . . well, I suppose they probably would have killed her anyway and captured Zelda. She couldn't of known what she was getting in the way of."
Link frowned and tears began to roll down his cheek. He should have been the one there, defending Zelda. "It's not fair." He sobbed. "She's just some kid." The girl twisted and moaned on the bed a moment, as if held in the grips of some fever-dream. His eyes trailed down his left arm, down to his hand. The red potion was held tightly in the grip of his right hand. One more try, he had to give it one more try. He wouldn't give up. His left hand glowed a pale green. The green was unlike the sickly mark that lay on the girl's chest. It was dim but shone with divine light. Her hot forehead felt damp beneath his glowing hand. The red potion poured forth into her mouth as his right hand tilted it backward. Please, he silently wished, let it work this time. "You're going to be okay," he spoke softly to the girl on the bed as he knelt down. Soft strokes of his hand crossed her forehead and forest green light washed over her eyes.
Slowly, the girl's eyes blinked open half way. A soft moan escape her throat and her foggy, glassy eyes peered up into Link's. Green. Kokiri green. A confused realization scattered across her face and a weak question escaped her lips, "Saria?"
Link glanced at Impa and Impa stared at him. Saria was Link's best friend of the Kokiri and was the sage of forest. "Could she be a Kokiri?" he asked his voice filled with astonishment.
"Saria." The girl moaned again, and struggled to say more, "It's me . . . Mish . . . cana." The girl's eyes snapped shut, and she was limp again.
Impa and Link sat in silence for a long time. The moonlight faded from the window. The girl seemed to sleep peacefully now, her fever broken. Link seemed utterly exhausted. Impa stared at him. "You should get to bed, Link. You'll be right next-door. That spell you used drained you. It's been a long night. Go get some sleep."
Link fidgeted slightly, and shook his head. The tears had long since dried, but his face remained red where they had fallen. "Not until she's better, I promised myself Impa." He delved into his magic pouch and brought out a strange black mask that covered his face, "This will keep me awake." He said confidently and placed it on his forehead. Its magic was not meant to be; however, and Link felt very dizzy even with it on. "Mmm, Impa. . ." he murmured as he swooned and fell towards her. Impa caught him gently in arms and held him close. "Poor boy. You've really got to learn to keep your magic reserves up." She sighed and leaned him against her shoulder, grabbing an extra blanket from beneath the bed. Its gentle warmth and comfort covered him like a sunny ray covers the sea and warms it. She slid to the ground the boy still in hand and propped her back against the wall. Soon the room was filled with the quiet sleepy breaths of three individuals.
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Go to Part three of the prologue.