Chapter Text
After the first eighteen years of his life spent in the small village of Skyloft, Link found the vastness of the surface overwhelming. Faron woods, as beautiful as it looked, was filled with plants and animals he had never seen before. He might have been entirely lost if not for Fi’s guidance.
He was dowsing for the missing Kikwis when a glimmer of light caught his eye. Lying in the grass was a dark gray stone, shimmering in the light. When he picked it up, Link was surprised to find it slightly cold despite the warm sunny day. Unsure what it was or what use it may have, he put it in his pocket intending to examine it later.
The quest to find Zelda was of utmost importance so the strange stone was easy to forget.
Link soon arrived in the Deep Woods. The Goron archaeologist Gorko, whom Link had helped by defeating a group of bokoblins earlier that morning, was already there. In front of him was a large cube marked with the crest of the goddess.
“I tell you, your timing could not have been better.” Gorko turned to Link, “Look here. I stumbled onto one of these things just now, and it looks just like something I have seen in those ancient texts!”
Link observed the cube, noting something about it looked familiar.
“If I remember right...” Gorko continued, “Yup, this is one of the things the goddess was said to have left behind for the hero of legend. Pretty amazing, right?”
“Aha!” Link recalled, taking the strange stone from his pocket, “I found this earlier. It looks like it’s made of the same material.”
Gorko examined the stone, “I think you’re right! Let’s see... the ancient texts spoke of this... what was it? ‘Summon forth the light from a heavenly blade, and may that sword’s master recieve aid.’ Well, there you have it.”
Gorko nodded towards the sword on Link’s back, “I see you got yourself a sword there. What do you say we try and crack this mystery together?”
Link raised his sword skyward before releasing the energy in the direction of the goddess cube. Much to the delight and confusion of Gorko, the cube vanished in a burst of light, before shooting off into the sky.
When he attempted the same with the strange stone, however, it merely glowed iridescent for a moment before fading back to gray. When Link reached to pick it up again, he was surprised to find it warm to the touch. With a shrug towards Gorko he pocketed the stone again. “This mystery just got a whole lot more mysterious!” Gorko said, “if you find out anything more along the way, come see me!”
Agreeing that he would, Link continued forward with his quest. The strange stone in his pocket remained forgotten for several weeks after that.
———
Zelda was always the more dedicated student out of the two of them, so Link had hoped she would know more about the stone than he did. Unfortunately, it seemed Zelda was just as confused as Link. ”I’ve never seen anything quite like it.” Zelda mused. “It’s not something I recognize from my memories as Hylia. Perhaps it was crafted by different goddess?”
“That could be it.” Link replied “Maybe it was the Three Goddesses? They made the Triforce, so they could probably make something like this too.”
Zelda turned the stone over in her hand, examining it. The entire time she held it, it glowed faintly, a shimmering pinkish-orange catching the light. When she placed it back on the table between them, the stone faded back to gray.
“It reacts to the power of light, it seems.” Zelda said, “Do you know anything else about it?”
“Only what I’ve told you already,” Link shrugged. “I found it in the forest of Faron Woods.”
“It doesn’t seem malicious, but it’s not exactly useful either.”
“I think I’ll hold on to it anyway.” Link took the strange stone from the table, putting it in his pocket.
“I wasn’t planning on getting rid of it, silly.”
“I know!” Link smiled, “I’ve just been carrying it around for so long, it’s kinda like a good luck charm now.”
“I’m still curious of where it came from.” Zelda said, “Perhaps one of the instructors at the academy knows something about this.”
———
Unfortunately, neither Horwell nor Owlan had anything more to offer on the subject. The mystery of the strange stone would have to remain unsolved for a while longer. Link, who was becoming more and more busy everyday, found it easy to push thoughts of the stone to the back of his mind for now.
Progress was being made on the surface. Groose was invaluable in the construction of the first houses of this new land, along with the dozen other residents who also came down from Skyloft. Their new town, a short walk from what was once the Sealed Temple (now the Temple of Hylia), did not yet have a name.
After Groose’s suggestion (and Link’s refusal) to call the place Grooseland, Zelda has suggested they wait to come up with a name after the town was a bit more established.
The market was different to the bazar from Skyloft. Instead of one large tent, there were several smaller ones each holding a different stall selling various necessities. With so many businesses getting started the number of people coming down from Skyloft had increased.
Link hadn’t seen any monsters since defeating Demise, but the demon’s curse still lingered in the back of his mind and he settled into the peaceful town uneasily.
———
It happened a couple years later, just as he was finally able to begin to rest, no longer constantly checking behind his back, that the nightmare came.
Link was no stranger to bad dreams. The fear of losing Zelda again haunted his sleep for months after that final confrontation with Demise. It still hit him suddenly when he least expected it, but his nightmares were fewer now.
This nightmare, however, was different. Link hadn’t felt like this since he had seen visions of the Imprisoned. It was clear this was no mere nightmare, it was a premonition of what was to come.
Darkness surrounded Link on all sides. Even the ground beneath his feet looked empty as he walked across it. He was looking down, trying to comprehend how he was stepping across nothing, when a glimmer of light caught his eye.
The strange stone looked just the same as when he first found it, catching the light that didn’t exist in this strange dream world. But it wasn’t still. The stone flashed a bright warm light and as Link got closer he could hear a low hum emanating from it.
‘It sounds like an alarm.’ Link thought as he reached down to pick it up.
The moment his hand made contact with the stone, light burst forth all around him. He was standing in a field. Rolling green hills as far as the eye could see. This wasn’t anywhere he recognized but Link wasn’t paying much attention to the landscape. His attention was on the horde of monsters, snarling and vicious, coming his way.
Link reflexively reached for his sword only to grasp empty air behind his shoulder. Before he could panic, a figure in a green tunic darted forward. The stranger leapt into battle, sword at the ready. When the first monster fell to his sword the ground beneath it was soaked in unnaturally dark blood.
A swirling purple portal snapped into existence. Link recognized the bokoblins and lizalfos, but the other creatures pouring out of the portal were foreign to him. He heard someone call out before an arrow flew by and struck one of the lizalfos in the head.
There were at least half a dozen others in the field with him, rushing forward into the fight. They looked like knights, even though some looked far too young. The group was holding their own against the monster horde. Link, desperate for anything he could do to help, reached into his pouch. His hand closed around a warm, flat object. The mysterious stone.
Link looked down at it. It’s light glowed brighter and brighter until he had to shut his eyes. When he opened them again the field was gone. The monsters and fighters were gone as well. At least he recognized where he was now.
The main room of the Temple of Hylia, where, just two years ago, Link had placed the Master Sword into the pedestal. A loud humming began and Link was surprised to see the glowing stone still in his hand. As he got closer to the sword’s pedestal the humming got louder and louder to the point that the stone in his hand was shaking.
When he finally closed his fist around the hilt of the Master Sword, all noise ceased. It was an unnerving quiet, like the way animals in the forest go silent when they sense danger. Not wanting to be unprepared for what might come, Link pulled the sword from its resting place.
He startled awake. Sitting upright in bed, Link took a moment to catch his breath, replaying the scenes from his dream over in his mind. The bed next to him was empty. Unsurprisingly, Zelda was already awake. He found her in their small kitchen drinking a cup of tea. She smiled when she heard him enter the room, but she must have seen something in his expression he couldn’t hide from her, because her smile faded and her eyebrows furrowed.
“Nightmare?” She asked already knowing the answer.
Link simply nodded. When breakfast was cooked and the two sat across from each other with their plates, Link began to explain.
After recounting the dream to her, Link finally said what he had been dreading saying out loud, “I think I need to go back to the Temple to get the Master Sword.”
Zelda gave a sad smile, “I was afraid you might say that.”
“You don’t seem surprised.”
“I’ve been have strange dreams as well.” Zelda sighed, “I’m sorry I haven’t said anything before now. I had hoped I could just pretend none of this was happening and we could continue living our peaceful little life.”
“We can.” Link said, “and we will. I’ll make sure whatever threat is out there is taken care of. We will have our peace.”
“A hero’s work is never done, I suppose.”
“I would travel across the entire land if it meant keeping you safe.”
“I’d rather keep you here with me.”
“You know there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than with you.” Link told her reaching out to hold her hand across the table.
———
They walked hand in hand to the Temple of Hylia. Link was lost in thought, mentally cataloging the tools he had: bomb bag, bow, slingshot, clawshots. Two stamina potions, three heart potions. Five potions total. The goddess shield was the strongest and most versatile, so he left his wooden and iron shields at home giving him more room for potions.
Link also left that strange stone at home. Since waking up from his nightmare, it hadn’t been humming, nor was it glowing, not even when Zelda held it. Her theory was that the stone had told Link what it had wanted to say and it’s purpose was fulfilled. Link thought to himself that the stone just seemed tired. And so he left it home, to let it rest. Link was pulled from his thoughts when he felt Zelda’s hand squeeze his.
“We’re here.” She said, her voice quiet.
Link took a deep breath and nodded. He was trying to look on the bright side. He was glad he’d get to see Fi again. He had missed his friend. Having his sword by his side would give him the confidence he needed to protect Zelda. Whatever darkness was on the horizon, he would meet it headfirst to keep her safe.
There’s was no bright flash of light or triumphant music when Link grasped the hilt of the Master Sword. He raised it skyward, but the room stayed empty save for him and Zelda. It was with disappointment that Link realized Fi was not there. She was there, she was the sword after all, but she did not appear before him, she did not speak.
Worried by his friend’s absence but knowing there was nothing he could do, Link sheathed the blade in its scabbard. As the sound of metal clicking into place echoed through the room, a strange whirring noise came from outside.
Link and Zelda stepped outside together coming face to face with a portal. The same purple spiral Link had seen visions of.
“It looks like this it where it begins.” Zelda smiled, but there was no joy in her expression. “Your next adventure.”
“I’ll be back as soon as I can, I promise.” Link reached out to her.
“I know.” Zelda said, reaching for him as well.
They kissed each other one more goodbye and then Link left. Turning back at the last moment, he again promised her he’d be back soon, and then he stepped into swirling magical haze of the portal.