Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Once upon a time, everything was normal.

An ordinary boy lived in a humble little town tucked away in a quiet corner of his world.

He had three friends in this quiet town. He spent many days with them and it was hard for them to remember a day when they were apart—until the fateful day.

While life was still normal, they were out and about in a beautiful field. Then, the sky turned black and the ground tore open. It was as if the world around them decided to die.

The ordinary boy tumbled into endless darkness. While plummeting through the void, he thought death awaited him.

He opened his eyes in a new world instead.

It was a strange place so unlike his home. He was in a world of castles, kings and princesses. He traveled to villages teeming with humble folk, majestic mountains harboring fire and forests brimming with mysterious magic.

Everyone around the ordinary boy called this new world "Hyrule." In the same breath, they called it their home.

The ordinary boy searched for answers to the only question he had in mind. When a guide crossed his path, they pointed him to new friends on a journey of their own; Trevor met a child of the wood and his fairy.

The child of the wood was named Link and his fairy, Navi.

They were destined to save Hyrule and protect a golden power. The golden power could only be found with the help of three different treasures.

If one held the power in their hands, they could wish for anything their heart desired—a wealth of power, the depths of wisdom or even the slightest sliver of courage.

Or maybe even an escape. The ordinary boy did well to remember all this.

He helped Link and Navi meet a princess in a castle.

He followed them to the forest from which they came.

He reunited with one of his friends in the village full of humble people—she was the girl with red eyes.

He found his closest friend on the highest mountain, living with creatures called Gorons. There, they found a treasure they sought.

To earn the prize, the children conquered perilous obstacles as well as great beasts. They claimed a fiery ruby crested with gold and were one step closer to the golden power.

The ordinary boy only thought of the end. He only thought of Oak Shire and the warmth of his family's embrace.

He only thought of how everything was normal, before Hyrule.

He was ready for the day when he could finally go back to his world, to his humble little town.

There, everything was normal. The way his life had to be...

Chapter Text

Trevor had an idea.

“What about Death Mountain?” he asked in his usual tone of voice, which was just as loud as the sound he made when he slammed his palms on the wooden dining table before him. 

The act vaulted an array of hearty breakfast food into the air—a plate of sliced bread, bowls of different fruits and platters of scrambled cucco eggs hopped, then thankfully fell with little consequence. 

Still, the other children seated at the table pulled their meals closer to themselves. Trevor waited for answers. 

Jerome Bailey sighed. He was a quiet kid and Trevor’s best friend. Trevor always saw him as a wall of silence—someone who couldn’t be moved or changed, but always stood in the spot he was at.

 “The Gorons don’t know anything,” he said, picking up a forkful of eggs. 

“Can we stop by there and ask them again?” Trevor asked.

Jerome shook his head. “Bro, you know the Gorons don’t know anything. They told you that when I was knocked out.”

Trevor palmed his forehead. “Yeah…you’re right. Wait—” Trevor pointed at a meekly postured girl with a raven bob and red eyes. “Sheila! Do your psychic thing. Come on, tell us where to go next!”

Sheila Norwood scrunched her forehead. “That’s not how it works,” she said, her voice as soft as the gentlest wind. “It has to come to me.”

“Then make it!”

“ That’s not how it works. ” Sheila’s voice wasn’t as gentle that time around. “If it worked like that, we would have found Rebecca by now.”

Trevor’s chest tightened at the mention of Rebecca Santos. She was the only one of the four Oak Shire kids still missing. 

He knew she was out there and didn’t want to know how bad she might have had it. He was sure they would find her—somehow. 

They just needed the Triforce. It would solve all of their problems, one by one, with the last wish being a trip back home.

“Well,” said Trevor, who ran a hand through his hair. “Maybe you’ll get to find her soon. Maybe you’ll see everything we need to do! Then we won’t need to get the spiritual stone to get our wish!”

“I hope so,” said Sheila, “Rebecca…I hope she’s OK.”

“Me too,” Jerome said in agreement. “I think we can all agree that we’re not a full group without her.”

“That’s why we gotta get on the road!” Trevor exclaimed as he flung both his arms in the air. “We have a friend to save and a home to get back to! Isn’t that right, Mr. Hero? Don’t you want to go back to the woods with your lost boys and girls?”

Trevor now looked at a quiet boy garbed in green. He truly reminded Trevor of the Peter Pan tales his mother used to read for him when he was little. 

The quiet boy’s blue eyes held a steely expression. Beside him was a glowing orb of blue-white light. It floated with help from a quartet of transparent wings.

“I do,” said Link, the boy from the Kokiri Forest. “But we need to rest a little. Our journey’s been tiring.”

Trevor clawed at his brown hair. “But that desert king might get ahead of us!”

Link kept his calm gaze. “Without the Spiritual Stones, I don’t think Ganondorf can do anything. He doesn’t even know about us, Trevor.”

It was true. According to legend, the Triforce was a relic created at the beginning of the world by the three golden goddesses. 

It was supposed to grant its wielder a wish—or maybe more, Trevor didn’t know, but hoped for the best—and one needed to get three spiritual stones in order to obtain it.

Link always had the first spiritual stone, as far as Trevor knew. The Kokiri Emerald, or Spiritual Stone of the Forest, was passed down to Link and Navi when they started their quest. Link and Navi traveled far away from their home to Hyrule Castletown, where they both met Trevor.

With Trevor’s help, Link managed to meet a princess named Zelda. She told the forest boy the legend and it became clear that the Triforce had to be obtained by the group that was now together. 

They faced many obstacles along the way, but the children survived them all. After going through Dodongo’s Cavern on Death Mountain, the Goron ruby was in the group’s hands. 

Now, there was only one spiritual stone left and the only obstacle between them and the golden power was a villain by the name of Ganondorf. As far as Trevor knew, all the children were invisible to the King of Thieves.

“Can you figure out where we need to go?” asked Trevor.

Link shrugged and shook his head. “If I did, we’d at least know.”

Trevor rolled his eyes. “Great, so we’re stuck here forever.”

“ That’s a little dramatic.” 

The winged orb of light floated across the table. As it closed in on Trevor, the image of a girl took shape within the glow. She had ivory skin, blue hair and cerulean eyes that shined like polished marbles.

“We’ve been lucky so far,” said Navi, Link’s guardian fairy. She had guided the Kokiri boy through all his trials, keeping him balanced and encouraged. It often spread out to the others in the group as well—but not so much with Trevor. 

“We’ve been very lucky,” Navi continued. “We ran into you. The Deku Tree gave us the Kokiri Emerald before we even knew about the other two Spiritual Stones. We found most of your friends, saved a nation of mountain dwellers and have the Goron Ruby as well. A lot has gone our way. Why don’t you soak up the rest for a moment?”

Trevor thought if Navi were a full-sized human, he’d bump his forehead against hers, just to show her he meant business. 

“Resting won’t get us home ,” he said through gritted teeth. “Continuing will.”

“But Hyrule’s safe for now. It couldn’t be safer. We have the Spiritual Stones and Ganondorf has no idea about us. I bet he doesn’t know how to get the last one either.”

“Which makes us leaving here even more important.”

“What makes you in such a hurry to leave? All you talk about is going home to Oak Shire. I get that, and I’m sorry you’re lost. But honestly, you don’t seem to care all that much about helping or giving to others. You just complain about your itchy clothes or something else weird like that and it’s honestly just getting on my nerves! And everyone else’s, I’m sure. Do you have something better to do than just whine at us?”

“Yeah. I do.” 

Trevor hopped down from his chair and stormed out of the farmhouse’s dining room. He stomped past a gaggle of cuccos in the next room over, a humble little space with golden straw strewn across the floor.  

He shoved the farmhouse’s front door open, then froze at the gasp he heard on the other side.

“Oh, will you be careful?!” A chirpy country drawl boomed directly at Trevor. “Your strut nearly knocked me over! What gives, Green Eyes?”

Trevor looked to his right and met the glare of young Malon. She was the daughter of Talon, who owned Lon Lon Ranch. 

After a giant owl gave the children a ride back down from Death Mountain to Kakariko Village, Trevor remembered an important detail about the journey at that point. 

In Hyrule Castletown, Malon gave him a cucco egg. She said it would help him wake up her father, who fell asleep at the door of the royal family’s home. 

Eventually, she expected Trevor to give the baby cucco back. Trevor did just that, convincing the others to take a detour to Malon’s home. 

 After fulfilling his promise, Trevor was ready to say goodbye but Malon grabbed him by the arm with a bright look on her face.

“Y’all should stay here!” she said, spanning her bright stare to everyone else in the group. “You look sooo tired. I bet you could use a small break, just for a day or two!”

Trevor opened his mouth to protest, but everyone else was about the offer. Malon giggled in delight as the others ruined the trip’s progress one-by-one. 

Trevor had grumbled to himself about it for the past three nights, though he couldn’t really complain about a warm bed, cooked meals and a wide open space where the sun always shined. Four against one wasn’t worth it, anyway.

“Where are you heading?” Malon asked as she placed a hand on her hip. “I was about to ask if y’all wanted to ride some horses in the stable.”

Trevor didn’t look Malon in the eye. “I’ll…pass.”

He sensed Malon’s jaw dropping as if he said a bad word. “You’ll pass ?” she echoed. “Are you scared of horses, Trevor Berenson of Oak Shire, Illinois?”

“Do you have to say my name like that?”

“It rolls off the tongue pretty well. Answer my question.”

“I just don’t like horses all that much.”

Malon rolled her eyes. “You also didn’t like baling hay. Or feeding the big cuccos. Or milking the cows. Or anything else. Is there anything you like about the Lon Lon Ranch?”

“No, there isn’t. I don’t even want to be here!”

Trevor heard the wind whispering through the ranch’s sudden silence and nothing else. Malon’s eyes wilted. 

She was a girl who constantly carried happiness with her, especially with the way she bobbed about from place to place. Nobody would’ve ever expected her expression to dim so much. 

Of course, Trevor would be the one to hurt her feelings, to make her look out into the distance so she wouldn’t have to remember that he was there.

“I…” The words were caught in Trevor’s throat. “I just meant—”

“You know what?” Malon glared at Trevor and he was sure he would shrink from her anger alone. “Fine, Trevor Berenson of Oak Shire, Illinois. I don’t understand why you don’t like me saying that. You’re always saying the name of that town of yours. Figured you’d want to hear it too, since it’s all you care about. You’re just raring to get your running shoes on and dash back to Oak Shire! I guess roughhousing with your buddies is a lot better than the no-good ranch my Papa and I allowed you to stay on.”

“…I’m really—”

“I’m going to ask the fairy boy and your other friends about the horses. I can let them know you needed time for yourself. That’s all you seem to want— Trevor this, Trevor that, everything for Trevor—but no one else.”

Malon went inside the farmhouse, slamming the door as she went in. Trevor wanted to disappear.  He swore under his breath as he stormed down a path leading to the ranch’s front entrance. 

When Trevor got outside the ranch’s boundaries, he sat with his back against the outer fence. He stared out at the endless stretch of green grass, which trickled to unfamiliar mountains which stood over the land like giants. 

Trevor didn’t know what else there was of Hyrule, but he knew none of it was familiar. None of it would ever feel familiar.

None of Hyrule should have been real, but here it was. Life was different than what Trevor had seen. Of course, he should have expected it.

After all, he had a gift. A gift that couldn’t be real. He had—

A presence.

Trevor failed to recognize the presence looming over him. It came silently, landing high above his head. Before Trevor could react, its shadow cast itself over him like a net.

Chapter Text

A winged creature swooped down towards Trevor. Trevor's body stiffened as he closed his eyes.

His heart pounded as the presence crept closer. He thought of how he needed to beg for his life.

This is it, he thought. I'm never going to go home. Why me? Why…?

"I didn't think myself to be so frightening."

Trevor paused. His fear left him at the sound of the familiar, wise voice.

He heard a soft ruffle of feathers. A brief, peaceful hoot.

"Then again—"

Kaepora Gaebora the owl calmly perched himself on the grass, observing a startled Trevor with keen blue eyes. He gave his wide wings one last flap before tucking them against his sides.

"Maybe," said Kaepora, "I'm not anyone you will ever be used to, Trevor Berenson."

Trevor's heart drummed for another couple more beats before slowing. He sighed and slouched against the fence again, as if he lost all his energy.

"You can't do that!" he said. "That freaked me out!"

"I apologize for startling you."

Kaepora turned his head upside down. His eyes and forehead were where his ruffled chin should have been and vice versa.

Trevor's gut flipped. The owl made nothing better, but Trevor didn't say anything.

"You're alone out here," said Kaepora. "I wouldn't suggest making a habit of it."

Trevor glowered out towards Hyrule Field. "Whatever," he muttered. "Fine."

"You're in low spirits, Trevor. And a bit out of yourself. Is there a reason for this, young man?"

"I…don't want to talk about it."

Kaepora turned his right side up, much to Trevor's relief, and hopped closer to him. Instead of making eye contact with the boy, the large owl gazed out at the countryside as well.

"Would I be right in guessing," Kaepora said, "That you feel…lost?"

"Well," said Trevor. "This isn't my hometown. It's a completely different place. I'm wearing different clothes and I've been here for a week or so. Actually, I don't even remember how many days I've spent here!" Trevor threw his arms up in the air, finally able to show his full frustration. "And…my Mom and Dad are probably worried to death, I had so much left to do back home and—"

Kaepora closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He hooted softly before rustling his feathers with his beak.

"It's difficult being in a strange land, isn't it?" said Kaepora.

"Yeah, it is. And having no way to get back is..."

"Even worse? Do you really find Hyrule difficult to embrace?" Kaepora kept his eyes on the land. "For…all my lifetime, I've seen Hyrule change. Its people have been at war and at peace. I've seen children at birth. I've seen boys and girls, like you, growing into men and women with families of their own. They live their lives before their hair turns grey from age…I've seen plenty of lives end as well. Of the many experiences I've witnessed in this realm, one truth prevails: Hyrule is their home and for the rest of the world around it, this nation is a beacon. It's the center of existence for reasons that even I am still discovering to this very day."

Kaepora finally turned to face Trevor. The wisdom in his eyes was stronger than ever.

"Hyrule represents good. There is a reason we must protect it. It is wonderful when you look at Hyrule's beauty and understand it. Look around. Isn't Hyrule beautiful, Trevor?"

Trevor shrugged and raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, sure. I guess it is."

"I urge you to look, Trevor, look out at the land. See it for what it is. Stay in the moment."

Trevor looked out at the field again. Its grass had a glow to it, covered in beautiful gardens of flowers. The breeze guided petals as they waved back and forth. A flock of birds flew in the distance. Snow covered several mountain peaks. There were other parts of the land Trevor agreed were beautiful. Some parts he simply couldn't explain without using just that word: beautiful. A vision of beauty.

"It's not bad," said Trevor. "It…I feel really calm when I'm by myself. So I can think."

"Your thoughts are not on this place." Kaepora Gaebora hopped to stand between Trevor and Hyrule Field. "I understand. Jerome's mind couldn't recall your home. Sheila is probably thinking of your missing friend—were you thinking of her, by chance?" Trevor hung his head without a word. "I see…Link, on the other hand…I feel for him the most. He has a heavy burden. One I can actually relate to, believe it or not. He had to leave his home after losing his father. He had to take a sword to battle an unknown evil and save a land he barely knows. Destiny called him and he answered. He knew that no one else could take up the task but him…though I see that there are others who need to be by his side until the journey is finished."

Trevor nodded. "…This place needs protectors. I get it. And we need to find Rebecca. Sure. I'll help with that. I promise. I just wish we knew where to go."

"I would try Zora's Domain." Kaepora's beak seemed to change its shape. Trevor wondered if owls in this world could smile. "Yes, the Zora nation should have it. They live at the waterfall in Zora River, to the northeast."

Zora's Domain. Zora people. To the northeast. Trevor repeated these thoughts to himself so he could relay the information to the others.

"Thanks," he said.

"You're absolutely welcome…appreciate your gifts, young Trevor."

Kaepora Gaebora gave Trevor a strong look. Trevor wondered what a talking owl could do in Hyrule. Could they read minds? Did they know everything about everyone they met? Trevor didn't want to think about it. He rushed back into the ranch and called out to his friends, letting them know what he just discovered. As he rushed away, he heard Kaepora Gaebora's wings flapping until the sound grew distant then faded away.

Trevor told the others what he learned at a rapid pace. His lungs had lost air from the mad dash he made towards the stables.

Navi demanded Trevor to slow down and repeat himself more than once.

"You're such a spaz," she said. "It pays to be calm, you know?"

Trevor almost shot back at her, but kept quiet instead. There wasn't time for arguing.

The group packed their belongings in their satchels. In the middle of preparing, Trevor looked around and noticed Malon's absence.

"Where is she?" he asked.

"Where's who?" Navi inquired in response.

"The farm girl—" Trevor caught himself. "—Malon. Where is she?"

"Now you care about her." Navi put her hands on her hips as if she were a mother scolding her child. "She didn't feel like you said, from what I heard."

Trevor had never wanted to sink further into the ground than he did at this moment. He bowed his head, scratched his scalp and sighed aloud.

"I'll...I'll tell her we have to go," he said. "I'm done packing anyway…" He went with them to see them off, looking sad while standing in a corner of the house's foyer. Cuccos clucked at her feet, picking up food scraps with their beaks from the farmhouse floor. Soon, all the satchels were packed. Malon made it a point to give each child a jar of Lon Lon milk.

When he left the farmhouse, Trevor looked out at the ranch's stable, a vast space brimming with horses that galloped within the borders of its wooden fencing. He knew Malon usually stood in the center on most days, singing an unknown song.

Her voice floated melodically, revealing an unforgettable tune. Trevor often found himself listening to Malon's voice. He dwelled on the song, honestly wanting to know it himself.

It was the type of tune he considered far more beautiful than anything he heard from Link's ocarina. She sang so well that even a couple young horses would come up to her.

One such horse had a dark red hide, a white mane and this gentle pair of kindly eyes. The horse would come up to Malon and nuzzle itself against her, grazing in the grass around the farm girl's feet. It was as if the two were family.

Trevor's thoughts of this felt like they were happening right before his eyes.

When Trevor looked at the stable, Malon was nowhere in sight. He wanted to sink even further down.

"Where is she?" Trevor thought aloud, staring at Malon's usual spot.

Trevor thought of another place. He dashed across the ranch to a small barn on the other side of land. He swung the door open while gasping for air and poked his head in. To his delight, Malon sat on a stool, facing a cow chewing on cud.

"Malon, I'm sorry!"

The farm girl's eye widened with surprise and darted around.

"I'm sorry," Trevor repeated. "For what I said. It wasn't nice. I like the ranch. It's so peaceful. But I'm not from here. And I'm homesick. And you're home. So...I get frustrated that I can't go home and I can't do anything about it. That's why I want to do something about it now. But I shouldn't have been mean. I'm so sorry...and I like the cuccos best...um...and we're leaving as soon as we can."

Malon's eyes ticked back and forth as Trevor blabbed at her, as if she needed to escape. Trevor didn't blame her; he seemed to come across as crazy. Malon looked like she was thinking the same thing until he mentioned the group having to leave.

After that, her eyes turned glossy, making her blink several times. As Malon bowed her head, Trevor's stomach swiveled into a guilty knot.

Then, to his surprise, Malon lifted her face and wore a new smile.

"Do you all like milk?" Malon asked. "I got a couple buckets full from Betsey here—" she gently patted the cow beside her. "I have to fill up a ton of jars—Papa isn't really much about being awake on this day of the week. I could use some extra hands."

The knot in Trevor's gut rapidly unraveled. "I can be your extra hands," he declared.

"Wonderful! Grab a bucket."

Trevor wanted to carry both buckets of milk to the farmhouse, but Malon wouldn't have it ("No offense, Green Eyes, but I'm not looking to do extra work!"). They hauled the milk over to the farmhouse and into the kitchen.

When she saw the rest of the group with their bags, her expression dimmed again and Trevor hated seeing that.

"I can get you all enough food for the trip," Malon said while hiding the sadness at the counter. "A loaf of bread for each of you all should do. And we can't keep all the milk. There's plenty of cows that will give us some before the next delivery."

Malon filled four glass jars with the milk from Betsey. Trevor helped seal them with cork, laboring to make sure they stayed snug and secure. He glanced in Malon's direction every so often, wondering what was on her mind.

Trevor didn't know if she was upset, sad, frustrated or happy. Every one of those emotions probably went through her. She probably sorted through them all, trying to know which feeling felt best for the moment.

"So," Malon said suddenly. "You liked the cuccos best, huh?" Her voice was bright, even as her gaze focused on filling the final milk jar.

"Yeah," said Trevor. "I helped hatch one of them after all."

Malon chuckled while bringing the jar of milk over to Trevor. "He was going to hatch without you," she said. "He was going to do whatever it took to be alive and out in the world!"

"I helped a little."

"…No, you didn't."

"Fine, I didn't."

"But you're a good caretaker. The cucco's really happy! Thank you so much."

Malon sealed the last of the Lon Lon milk herself. She offered it to Trevor as if it were the greatest gift in all Hyrule—no, in all the world.

"Drink it before the end of the day," she said, "Or else it'll spoil."

"Thanks."

Trevor took the milk jar and held it against his chest. His eagerness to leave grew, but Malon's dim expression gave him second thoughts. He wanted to speak again so the farm girl could be at ease, but she beat him to the punch.

"I'm going to miss you."

Malon gazed at the jars while drumming her fingers on the wooden countertop. She stared out the room's only window, which revealed another sight of the ranch's green pastures.

"All of us?" Trevor asked, looking out the same window with her. He realized he liked the horses as well and wished he'd had a chance to ride one of them.

Malon's face looked thoughtful before she smirked and answered. "Yeah. Even you, Green Eyes." Malon placed a hand on Trevor's arm. Warmth coursed through Trevor's body.

"The next time you think of this place," said Malon "Come back and visit us as soon as you can, you hear?"

"If we could, we would…but I don't think we're coming back."

"Oh." Malon sighed. "That's how life goes...people come and go and sometimes they move on to the better place. I guess it's Oak Shire, for you."

"Oak Shire's home," Trevor said. "But it's not the only good place. Lon Lon Ranch is nice too. I wouldn't have minded making a home out of this."

"You're far too kind, Trevor Berenson of Oak Shire, Illinois."

Without warning, Malon wrapped her arms around Trevor and squeezed him tight. Trevor returned the embrace.

His shirt dampened in the parts Malon nuzzled her face against. Trevor wished there was a way to wipe away the tears she shed.

"Safe travels," she whispered into Trevor's ear. "Don't forget Lon Lon Ranch when you go home, OK? Just…try to remember me."

In his heart, Trevor promised. He and Malon went to the next room over where the others awaited.

All their satchels were packed. Malon and Trevor handed out the milk jars. As the children said goodbye, Malon gave them one last hug worth cherishing.

"You were such good guests," said Malon. "You'll be sorely missed."

The children echoed their appreciation for the hospitality. Link and Navi were especially grateful to the farm girl. Malon smiled warmly at the forest boy, giving him a nod of approval.

"You're a good horse rider!" she declared. "I can't believe you managed to get Epona to take a liking to you! It's like you all were made for each other!"

Link looked embarrassed to be put on the spot. Navi bailed him out by thanking Malon and urging the group out the door. Trevor was surprised that the fairy wanted to journey onward into Hyrule again.

"We have a world to save," said Navi. "Let's not waste too much time."

The children bid the ranch one final farewell. Malon was a new friend in all their eyes. As they traveled off the ranch property, Trevor lingered behind the group.

He looked back at Malon, who looked more upbeat despite the goodbye. She waved endlessly at the group.

Trevor mirrored the act and kept looking at her until the group turned a corner and she was suddenly in their past.

"I can lead us to Zora River," said Navi, "I've seen maps of Hyrule and memorized them."

Link gathered his things and double-checked to make sure his sword was secure in its sheath. "That's great," he said. "Do you think we'll run into trouble?"

Navi smiled. "Nothing you can't stop. How are you feeling, Link?"

"Good…I'm just ready to take on the next journey."

Jerome clapped Link on the back. "All of us are, bro!"

"We're going on a new adventure!" Sheila exclaimed, bouncing with excitement.

"Yeah," Trevor said, his eyes still dwelling on the ranch. "It'll be interesting to see."

He said nothing more. The group set off, ready to take on an adventure they hoped would bring them all back home.

Chapter Text

It wouldn't let him go.

Every drop of water felt alive, as if the river became aware of Trevor. The stream was like a magnet on metal, clinging on to his senses, never releasing its clutch.

He fought to ignore the crawl on his skin and the way it beckoned his fingertips to act on its presence. It wasn't easy to do.

He barely carried on as he and his friends traveled on fertile green banks. The lush grasses stretched out to short rocky cliffs which oversaw the river's pathways.

Trevor's friends had plenty of energy. They held excitement in their voices, staring in awe at their surroundings. Everyone drank their jars of Lon Lon Milk, obeying Malon's instructions from earlier.

Trevor's milk was sweet to the taste. He was tempted to go back to the ranch to ask for more, though his mind dwelled on Malon's genuine smile more than anything. She wasn't easy to forget.

When dusk slowly approached, coloring the sky with warm colors, time dragged on. The children slowed down along with it.

"My legs are jello." said Jerome as he slouched and wiped sweat from his brow.

"I wish we asked for horses," Sheila groaned as she adjusted her satchel and dress, both of which clung to her as if they were glued on. "I liked the horses. Malon could have shown us how to ride them on these trips."

"How would we bring them back?" Trevor pointed out. "Besides, we have a fairy. Maybe she can sprinkle some of that dust she's holding back from us."

Navi and Link were ahead of the group. The fairy led the way and seemed to flinch at Trevor's mention of her. She didn't look back, but her voice grew tense.

"I'm ignoring you," Navi declared.

Trevor let out a small laugh. "You still love me."

"Your idea of love is demented."

"How can a tater tot like you be so angry?"

"Link…use your sword."

Link didn't look back either. "…Upriver, right?" he asked, pointing straight ahead. "To the waterfall? Let's focus on the journey, Navi."

"Yes," Navi sighed, her body relaxing. "That's right. From what I heard, we'll find ourselves at the waterfall entrance sooner than later…but we might have to wait until morning. Zora River is a pretty long stretch."

"The sun's almost down," Link said. "Let's try to find a place to set up camp."

Violet strands slowly cloaked the last of the sky's light. The moon gradually appeared. Woodlarks sang a final song, joined by croaking choruses of frogs.

The children settled down on a part of a riverbank with rising and falling hills of grass. They spread their blankets on the ground and gathered sticks to build a fire with.

"This should be easy to make," said Navi, whose blue-white glow proved helpful in the dark. "We have our boy with fire powers, isn't that right?"

Jerome stood quietly with both hands on his hips. He grimaced in the night's shade.

"I…can't," he sighed. "I need a flame to use. That's how my powers work. Always."

"Oh." Navi scratched her head before shrugging with a smile. "Well, that's okay. I'm sure we'll find a way to get it done."

Navi led Link to a birch the group had passed along the way. She taught him how to shave slivers of bark from some fallen branches to use for tinder.

Link brought the shavings and several more stick bundles back to camp. He rubbed two twigs together until a wisp of smoke rose. As the strand emerged from the wood, he added the tinder, starting a small flame.

Jerome's face lit up as brightly as the fire. With an enthused grin, he reached out to the glow again with one hand. The flame flared up, consuming more of the woodpile.

"Careful!" Trevor said. "We don't want to burn everything down, bro. We have to stay alive, you know?"

"It's crazy that we have powers," Jerome said, marveling at the campfire. It was as if he didn't even hear what his best friend said. "All of us have something special." Jerome pointed at Sheila, who almost shrank at his gesture. "You're able to see the future. Right?"

Sheila's face turned the same color as her eyes-red. "Um. Yes. I can't control it, but i can see the future."

"That's so cool," said Jerome. "You can save all of us whenever. We're going to need you."

"It doesn't work like that, Jerome."

"But I think it can." Jerome looked at Link and Navi next. "Link...you're just awesome. You can use your sword to cut through anything and it's nothing to you! You're a real hero. And Navi's pretty sweet, too. She can help us with all that knowledge."

Link's face brightened up from the suggestion. Navi waved off the compliment as if her abilities were nothing.

"You're doing things people would think are impossible," Navi said. "You can believe that."

Jerome nodded and smiled. Then, his face changed to a different expression. It was the type of expression people showed when something dawned on them. Trevor didn't have to guess what Jerome was talking about; he knew Jerome would turn in his direction, offering a sympathetic look at him.

"Oh," he said. "Sorry, bro. You still do good by us. You helped me stay alive, remember?"

Trevor nodded with a sad smile. Jerome had been injured on Death Mountain by a King Dodongo, a dinosaur that was the largest of its species. Trevor had pushed for the Gorons to help heal Jerome, at the mountain's summit. They found the Great Fairy in the nick of time on that, which was why Jerome was alive now. There, a fairy healed Jerome. She was another part of a magical new world—a place Trevor couldn't recognize.

As the fire crackled and warmed the group, Link looked out at Zora River. A glimmering reflection of the moon rippled on the restful stream's surface.

"The water looks really clean," Link said. "Is anyone thirsty?"

"I'd love some water!" said Sheila.

"Me too," said Jerome.

Trevor kept his gaze on the fire. The water felt like a grating whisper now.

He knew the current's strength. He knew how deep the river went, all the way down to the bed where silt and unknown creatures lived.

Trevor may as well have been in the water; practically drowning in it. After all, the mention of it made it hard for him to breathe.

He just wanted the feeling of it all to go away.

"I had enough to drink from the ranch," he said. "But thanks."

Link gathered Sheila and Jerome's jars. Trevor felt the river crawling on his skin. Link walked to the riverside, uncorked the bottles and began to fill them up. Trevor sensed the water splashing against the bottle's smooth glass. He ignored the sensation.

After filling them up with river water, he gave them back before getting his own drink. The children had their fill of water.

He focused on his friends, who helped each other enjoy the night as time passed. Eventually, everyone fell asleep. Though the atmosphere and the fire were both peaceful, Trevor was fitful while trying to sleep. He felt the river once more, holding onto him, beckoning him with its rush during the night. For a moment, Trevor grew still and thought he could finally sleep...

"Hey...You still awake?"

Trevor sat up, frantic. The harsh voice felt planted in his head. It sounded familiar—far too familiar. Trevor thought it was impossible, what he heard—there was no way that voice could have been…

"You know, I never really liked you, man. You're one of the biggest losers I know. What makes you think you can go around pretending you can play hero? You don't look like a hero to me. You don't look like anybody special at all.

"You're better off dead."

Trevor remained quiet as the voice kept on.

"Well, here's something you need to know. You guys aren't alone. Look pretty, now—they've come out to get you. Bokoblins are a meeeaaaan bunch."

A cold rush whipped past Trevor's face. It darted right above one of his shoulders. A blunt object collided with the fire, snuffing out the flame, reducing it to a smoldering pile. Darkness engulfed everything.

When Trevor whipped himself around, he saw a strange horde of creatures. Though it was hard to see in the dark, Trevor knew the invaders weren't human; they had long, grotesque faces with snarling snouts and immense bodies. A few creatures bared their fangs and growled. The predatory sounds awoke the others.

"What are they?" asked Sheila, her voice quivering.

"I don't know," said Jerome. "But we've got to take care of them."

"Good idea," said Navi. "They're bokoblins, by the way. A dangerous lot. There's quite a few of them."

Link picked up the Kokiri Sword, drawing it from the sheath. He stood up and took a defensive stance against the bokoblins.

"We've got to stop them," he declared. "Before it gets bad."

A bokoblin lunged at the group. Link charged back with equal fury. The rest of the bokoblins followed and the children held their own. Sheila trembled behind Trevor and Jerome, who both fought as well as they could with their Hylian Shields. It was a defensive game, a matter of them staying alive despite the lack of weapons.

The bokoblins had clubs with spikes protruding out their sides and used them with great skill and force, slamming down on the metal. Link held his own and even defeated a couple foes. He'd cut them across their torsos and it was enough to take them down for good. However, more bokoblins came out of the corners of the river bank's surroundings, from around the tall rock walls which oversaw the stream's course.

It got to a point where Link was beaten back by a brutal hit from a club. Some of his sword and all of his shield absorbed the blow. Its force was strong enough to make him fly back and roll onto the river bank. The others gathered around him in concern. Perhaps that was a mistake; the bokoblins came together, becoming like one body, and advanced on the children and Navi.

Trevor and the others were trapped.

The bokoblin horde crept closer to the children on the river bank. Trevor noticed their stares for the first time. Rows of red eyes glared at the children, glowing greedily. As the bokoblins drew nearer, Trevor's heart pounded.

His stomach wrenched at the thought of what the bokoblins could do. Fear silenced him and he was sure his friends felt the same way as their faces expressed as much fear as his did. With each step the bokoblins took, the children backed away. They inched closer to the rushing waters of Zora River.

The river.

Trevor hadn't thought of it. It'd been a long time since he'd used it. The last time he did, Trevor made a mistake. It was so great that he became far too frightened to ever try it again. He vowed to keep what he knew to himself—better yet, he forgot what he knew. He pretended it never existed.

Trevor had no choice this time. If he and the others couldn't make it through this, none of them would make it home. The last Spiritual Stone was the end of Zora River, just as Trevor had been told. Without it, the Triforce would be lost forever and Trevor would never see his parents or Oak Shire ever again. He knew what to do.

Trevor reached back toward Zora River. He felt the current's strength. It swirled and rushed, a sensation he could feel all the way down to the stream's damp floor. When the rush grew louder, it sounded like a cyclone tearing through the area. Water sprayed on the back of Trevor's neck, tempting him to shiver. He stayed still and focused.

I have to save them, he thought. We can't die here. We can't. Home. I just want to go home.

The bokoblins halted. They no longer glared at the children. A few dropped their weapons while others had already chosen to flee. The river's rush rattled Trevor's ears. He wondered what the others would think. He still didn't know what to think of himself to this very day.

The river rose and one could have sworn it was the edge of a great sea. Every ounce of the river's water soared like a high tide. The dominant wave clearly had strength and stature. Trevor focused to keep it that way. He tightened his free hand into a fist. The other ushered the wave closer and closer to the sky above, as if the waters could collide with the stars.

The banks had higher ground than what the children stood on in the midst of all the chaos. Before the river washed over the shallower parts of shore, the group escaped to the high ground. They watched as the bokoblins were carried downshore, roaring and snarling while the waves whisked them away.

The children stared at the river. No one said a word for the longest time. Then, Navi's blue- white glow approached Trevor.

"What happened?" she asked. She looked Trevor straight in the eyes. He couldn't meet her gaze.

Trevor pressed a hand on his forehead as if it hurt. Whatever the voice was—whoever it was—disappeared.

"It's a long story," he said. "I don't know if you'll ever believe it."

Chapter Text

Footsteps. 

They were coming back. 

Whoever they were.

Rebecca Santos wrung at the rusted chains that kept her trapped a grime covered stone wall. A rank stench wafted through her square prison cell’s sweltering air. 

The cell itself was small. It had a damp floor riddled with dark puddles and soaked straw. 

A dull wooden door faced Rebecca from the other side of the cell. A square-shaped opening was carved in the top half. 

Sunlight seeped between the spaces of three iron bars built into the opening. Every sound beyond the door made its way into the cell as well. 

Including the footsteps. They drew all the more closer to the cell. Rebecca held her breath.  

The sunlight was just out of Rebecca’s reach. It helped cast shadows on the prison cell’s floor. The footsteps stopped and suddenly Rebecca saw a silhouette: the shape of a woman with long hair tied into a ponytail. She also had narrow shoulders. 

Rebecca kept her gaze on the shadow. She didn’t think such a silent figure would have so much power over her.

“Sa’vaaq.”

The sharp tone cut through Rebecca, making her flinch. This was definitely a woman. When Rebecca thought about it, every voice she heard was female. Every conversation outside her cell involved two women speaking with one another. They used a strange language she didn’t understand. She was sure the woman at the prison cell door spoke this same tongue now.

Rebecca paused, waiting for more to be said. “…What?” she asked when she realized the woman awaited her reply.

“…Vasaaq,” said the woman. The shadow remained still. It waited.

“I don’t speak…whatever you’re saying,” Rebecca said. “OK? English, I speak English. Or español. Like, Mama  or Padre. Do you know those words?”

“Estas taklama prost shprakh. Gerudo di kenst haba’aq? Estaba yamal bava’az zikh kawahid minaa.” 

“Can you speak English or espanol, lady?”

“Entonces…ealaa nisht vehvhi . Fremd…y mukhayib.”

“PUTA!” 

Rebecca felt good saying the word. She stuck out her tongue and hoped the woman at the door saw it. “That’s another Spanish word. It means ‘bitch.’ You and whoever else put me here are estúpida putas...only stupid bitches lock up little girls.”

“And only a punk would curse at an adult.”

A cold shiver coursed through Rebecca’s body.  She wished she could have turned into a shadow in the wall she was chained to.

“Yeah,” said the woman. “Some of us are bilingual. You speak Common Language, I see. Whoever raised you should either be scolded or feel ashamed of you. I’m guessing the latter.”

“...Just let me go.”

“I can’t. And won’t. You’re apparently dangerous.” The woman’s fingers drummed against her side of the prison door, as if the discussion already bored her.

Rebecca felt a rise in her chest. “How am I dangerous?” she asked. “I’m ten!”

“Yes,” said the woman. “But you also put a crater in the haunted wasteland.”

“What wasteland?”

“Tu haqana take hob nisht anung madha el dezier hu. Quien ma’ant bistu, kind?”

“Can you just speak English?”

“Whatever that is.”

“Where am I?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

Rebecca groaned. “I didn’t put no crater in a…a wasteland or whatever you called it. OK?”

The woman scoffed. “Say that to the hole in the sand. My people think you’re demon-possessed.”

“But I’m not!”

“It’s hard for them to believe you, given what we’ve witnessed.”

“I don’t even know you. And you’re not telling me nothing.”

“Again, I don’t want your questions. I need answers, whelp. Where are you from? Castletown? Kakariko? Labrynna or Holodrum? You don’t belong to us, I can tell that.”

“I’m from Oak Shire, Illinois.”

“Where’s that?”

“America.”

The woman chuckled. “You have quite an imagination. Those places don’t exist.”

Rebecca glared at the woman, though she could only see her shadow in the door. “You made up a bunch of names too and I don’t remember hearing about them in school. You won’t even tell me where you trapped me.”

“Are you sure you’re not a wanderer?” The woman’s voice sounded gentler. “We’ve had those kinds of girls in our village before, you know. The ones who…weren’t born here. There’s no shame in that. But…you have to be honest with me.”

“I am being honest, you psycho.”

“Watch your tongue.”

“Puedo hacer lo que quiera, perro feo. I can do what I want, you ugly dog. I want to go home! I’m not whatever-possessed, OK?! I’m innocent—SO LET ME GO!”

Rebecca rattled her chains. Through her gaze, Rebecca saw the shadow move—as if she did something to cut through her visitor, to make them jump in a form of fear. 

She heard two other voices shouting in the strange language—the woman wasn’t alone. For what reason, Rebecca didn’t know. She didn’t do anything wrong to deserve any of this. 

A hushed conversation happened at the door. After an exchange of words, everyone seemed calm. The woman turned still once more.

“If we are to have this conversation,” the woman said in a more subdued tone. “You...you must calm down. Alright? You cannot have any anger in you as we speak. I only want to talk. OK?”

“I don’t think you just want to talk,” said Rebecca. “Or you wouldn’t have put me in jail. Or put me in this…”

Rebecca gestured towards her outfit. Gone was everything she’d worn back in Oak Shire. Gone was her pink t-shirt, her blue jeans and her magenta skechers. 

They had been replaced by a bleak grey dress with frayed hemming that stopped at the top of her exposed shins. Soil itched the spaces between her bare toes. The violet scrunchies that controlled her wild, frizzy red hair had also disappeared; every curly strand bounced out and flowed down.

 Naturally, the situation caused Rebecca’s heart to race and the rest of her to panic. Why was she in prison? She did nothing wrong. 

She wasn’t a criminal. Rebecca was ten—what could a kid do to get herself in jail? Someone had to tell her.

All Rebecca wanted to do was free herself from the shackles as soon as possible.

Rebecca heard the woman click her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “With the way you speak, I have a hard time believing you,” continued the woman. “You are a lucky child. You should be grateful you’ve been spoken for. Otherwise, we would have already done the unthinkable.”

Rebecca paused. “The unthinkable?”

“Execution. The most severe punishment for a prisoner.”

“No...” Rebecca’s eyes teared up. “You can’t do that! Please don’t do that, I didn’t do nothing! I just want to go home!” She rattled her chains again and the woman shifted in the barred window.

“ENOUGH!” she said. “WIPE AWAY YOUR TEARS! NOW! OR ELSE IT WILL HAPPEN! I SWEAR IT!”

Rebecca had to be honest with herself. She feared for her life. After taking a few deep breaths, she calmed herself and settled down in the prison cell. The woman speaking with her seemed to notice.

“Smart, smart girl, you are.” said the woman. “Keep your head.” The woman sighed. “Look, be grateful that you’re in here. As long as you stay in this cell, you’ll live. You will be fed while chained to the wall. Get used to it. You will get water while chained to the wall. Three guards will let you stand and walk around in this cell for exercise. You will be in chains. You will only leave the cell to relieve yourself under the supervision of those same three guards, or to undergo trial. If we say nothing, it’s just a bathroom break—”

“That’s gross.”

“They’re all women and they will look away while you do your business.”

“It’s still gross.”

“Don’t interrupt me anymore, girl. We are a humane society. We will consider your fate over the next few days. One woman has spoken for you. The rest wouldn’t mind hanging you. Don’t ruin our mercy with insolence. With that…sav’orq.” 

The woman’s footsteps echoed across what seemed like the emptiest space ever made.

“I don’t know what sav’orq means, puta,” Rebecca muttered under her breath.

“I HAVE THE EARS OF A RITO!” 

Rebecca could have jumped out of her chains as the woman’s voice gonged back into her cell. 

“THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING!”

“What’s a Rito?” Rebecca said after calming herself down.

The woman’s voice was far away when she answered: “Something far freer than you.”

Then, there was nothing. Rebecca’s eyes welled up. All she could see was a blurred wall of stone now, and a blurred beam of daylight seeping into her prison. 

She wondered if she would stay here forever. Sheila came to Rebecca’s mind and Rebecca wept for her. 

She cried for everything that made her think of Oak Shire to the point of her missing it dearly. 

Chapter Text

He was five years old.

He liked playing with the toys his parents bought for him from different stores.

He tucked away his favorite ones in his jackets, or coats, or in the pockets of his overalls where so many items fit in.

When his parents wandered off to the best parts of Oak Shire, he naturally came along. He held his parents' hands until they reached a space where he was free to roam wherever he wished.

Oak Shire had a festive town square. Many stores encircled a cobblestone roundabout with three shallow levels. A fountain stood at the top of the roundabout, in the very center.

A sculpture helmed the fountain, consisting of three maidens from a bygone time holding a large jar. The jar's open mouth guided a downpour of water into the fountain, which sloshed into the large disc and flowed within its boundaries.

Trevor often heard the water bubbling and gurgling. He also felt the gritty surface at the bottom of the fountain.

A rush scraped against his skin. It felt like a strong wind with the way it breezed about his person.

At age five, they were just feelings, sensations. Little Trevor Berenson could sense it all, but didn't really understand it all at the same time.

One day in the square, Trevor trotted to the edge of the fountain while his parents weren't looking. They were busy comparing fruits to one another, plopping the best ones in a paper bag they received from a grocery clerk.

Trevor held an action figure of one of his favorite heroes—he forgot which one, but it was someone important, someone special to him. He made the hero fly. Then, the hero slipped away from his fingers and fell into the water.

Trevor's heart leapt as the action figure sank to the bottom of the fountain. He made out the toy's shape, seeing it drowned amongst scores of pennies people flipped into the fountain while making a wish.

Trevor wanted a coin of his own, a way to bring the possession he prized back into his hands. He reached out with tears in his eyes. He was about to call his parents to his side.

He felt the action figure's smooth surface.

It was hard to explain at the time. The action figure just rose.

Trevor sensed the lift against its back. The toy spun upward as a part of the water's surface split open.

Trevor felt the water on his fingertips, though not a drop touched his hands. Suddenly, the action figure was there, back in his grasp.

The water went back to normal. Trevor was silent.

"Trevor Bernard Berenson!"

Trevor's mother scolded the boy as she pulled him away from the fountain. She made guilt-causing statements about kidnapping and strangers, about running into the wrong people or even drowning in the fountain's shallow water.

She told her son to stay close to her or her father next time. It wasn't good for him to be lost.

The boy nodded and stayed silent. He looked back at the fountain as he and his mother joined his stern-looking father at the bottom of the cobblestone roundabout's steps. The fountain's water was normal again.

On that day, Trevor realized that he was anything but normal and wasn't sure what to make of it. Even at age five, it was easy to say something like that.

                                                                                                   ~*~

"I don't know what else to say."

Navi fluttered by Trevor's head, leaving Link to lead the group on their path down Zora River. The children and fairy decided that maybe it was best for someone to keep watch, to guard the others as they slept.

Link started first, followed by Jerome, followed by Sheila and then Navi. When Trevor tried to volunteer, Navi forbade it.

She said he'd done enough and didn't like that he was going to do more.

"You may have scared every villain in Hyrule away," she said.

Now Navi looked Trevor in the eye, turning her back to the path ahead. Trevor wished she would move.

He wished Link could say they reached Zora's Domain sooner, or Jerome could mention that he can control fire without needing a flame nearby. He wished for anything other than what Navi had to say.

"You can control water," said Navi. "I mean, let's just get that out of the way."

Trevor sighed. "Yeah. I can."

"And you always knew?"

"I always knew."

"Why did you hide it?"

"There wasn't really a chance for me to show it." Trevor scratched his head, trying to find an itch somewhere in his growing brown mane. "Everyone else has their thing. Link can fight with, like, anything. Sheila is psychic. Jerome controls fire. And me? Well, I got a big mouth and can think fast on my feet. Do I need to control water too?"

Navi pressed her hands on her hips. Trevor didn't know how she could move with her wings and keep her pose at the same time.

"You treat it like it's a bad thing," Navi said.

"Sometimes? It is. Can we not have this talk, please? Are we there yet? At Zora's Domain? I really want to get there pronto. Then, we can get the stone and go home. Please."

Navi's mouth hung open. It was as if she'd lost the words in the space between herself and Trevor.

Trevor didn't care for the fairy's opinion. He wanted nothing else from her, or anyone for that matter. Before he could say it out loud, Navi heeded his feelings. She fluttered back to the front of the pack, back by Link's side.

Everyone remained silent.

The rest of the trip was almost a blur. The ground they traveled on was a distance away from the riverside.

For Trevor, it was all too close. The current vibrated on his skin. His ears picked up every sound, gurgle, bubble and plop.

From the first day he'd used his powers at age five, Trevor had always felt this connection, this burden, this curse. The memory of his first use of his powers never stopped haunting him.

The group crossed a wooden bridge before stopping at a waterfall. A powerful white downpour roared as the children stood on an arched bridge of stone covered in moss.

It didn't look like the group could travel any further. Trevor hated the tingling sensations the waterfall brought to him. He trembled, as if a cold wind had hit him.

"How do we get in?" Link wondered aloud.

Navi looked down at the stone bridge's surface. "I have a feeling a certain way will work," she said, pointing beneath Link's feet.

When the children looked down, they saw a familiar symbol carved into the stone; Three triangles joined together to make one, untouched by the moss, unscathed by erosion or nature's aging effects.

This was the Triforce, the center of their quest. Wherever its symbol was found, the influence of Hyrule's Royal Family followed.

Link pulled out his ocarina. It was a gift he received from his best friend Saria, a girl who lived in the Kokiri Forest.

Every time Link played the instrument, a peculiar beauty followed. A melody rose from the ocarina, full of majesty and gentleness.

Everyone and everything stood still. The song was at the center of everything.

At first, the waterfall persisted in its rush, remaining the same as it always appeared. Then, Trevor felt the split.

The waterfall's flow felt like many strands of hair. The strands pulled apart from one another, splitting down the middle. Soon, everything dwindled and an open doorway revealed itself.

"Wow," Sheila murmured. "Amazing."

"Yeah," said Jerome. "That's not bad at all."

"Where do you think we'll find the Spiritual Stone?" Trevor asked.

"We'll have to ask when we get inside."

Link tucked the ocarina away into his satchel. There was a gap between the waterfall and the stone bridge, so everyone had to jump across.

Link took the lead, taking a few steps back until he was on the bridge's other edge. His friends moved out of the way so he could dash towards the doorway with a good running start.

With ease, he soared over the gap and landed onto the path within the doorway's margins. He moved further into the entryway to make room for the others.

Jerome and Sheila followed. Trevor's best friend made a powerful bound into the entry way. Sheila shivered a bit, but Navi's encouragement helped her make it across as well.

She leapt like a gazelle, as if she grew crystal like wings and could fly herself. Everyone was on the other side of the gap—except for Trevor.

He knew he couldn't look down. The river was deep down below and Trevor felt the cushion of depth that would have prevented his death if he were to take an unfortunate plunge.

Still, who knew what would happen on the way down? His stomach still whirled around inside him, refusing to sit still.

His heart still climbed up his throat and it took all of his focus to keep it down and rooted in his chest. Trevor looked at the other side and knew he had to make it.

He took a step back. His friends watched him from the entryway's ledge, making enough room for him to land. None of them smiled—they were probably still thinking of the night before, of the strangeness surrounding him and the way he kept it a secret from everyone.

What did they think of him? Did he want to know?

When he summoned his courage, Trevor dashed ahead. When he jumped off the stone bridge, he stretched himself over the gap.

When he reached out to the other side, his fingers felt the ledge before they even clutched it. When his fingers couldn't secure themselves on the smooth stone edge, Trevor yelled. His feet dangled in the air, high above the river below.

Trevor heard gasps from up above. Frantic footsteps rushed toward him.

Link and Jerome offered their hands to help him up. Each of them clutched a part of Trevor's arm, fighting to yank him from danger. That was when Trevor's skin crawled.

The waterfall was closing in. He felt the roar more than he heard it. A rumble surged through his body, like a beast gaining on him.

Link and Jerome felt it as well—Link shouted at Jerome to hurry, then said something else. Trevor didn't hear it—the waterfall started closing in on him before he could pick up the words.

He tried to hold back, but there wasn't a choice in the matter. Again, Trevor thought of home.

He thought of his parents, of Oak Shire and the square. He thought of how everything was normal before this.

As the fierce white curtain of water closed in on him, Jerome and Link, Trevor had already began. He closed his eyes, allowing the sensations to take over.

The roar became distant. It was as if the imaginary beast gaining on them forgot its own voice and stopped just so it could remember.

Everything grew quiet. As the world grew still, tears fell down Trevor's cheeks. They knew far too much about him now.

They didn't know everything. All his friends could see how he stopped the waterfall.

All they saw was the way he saved others and could save himself. What would happen if they knew the truth?

Would they accept him if they knew he almost killed someone?

Jerome and Link pulled him on the ledge. When he made onto the entryway, Trevor knew he didn't have to look at their faces to know how they felt.

They saw what he felt; the waterfall standing still, as if all time stopped. A moment afterward, the curtain closed. The roar returned and the entire group stood in silence. Trevor felt all their eyes upon him.

Trevor almost flinched when he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Link. His eyes drooped with a sadness Trevor seemed to know all too well.

"Are you alright?" the Kokiri asked.

Trevor nodded. "Yeah," he said. "I...I'm sorry."

"Let's keep going."

The group quietly agreed and forged ahead. They traveled through a dark tunnel before a light greeted them at the end of it. Blue hues tinted the light.

When the children emerged from the tunnel, they found themselves in a glistening underwater cavern. Their stony surroundings looked silver in some parts, glimmering like piles of brand new coins.

Before they could dwell on the looks of Zora's Domain, the children were interrupted by marching in the distance. Several footsteps rushed toward the Domain's entrance, belonging to strange scaled figures in coral helmets.

Their sharp spears pointed at them, as if they were beacons that sensed their presence. One of the scaled figures stood up front, leading the others. When the figures halted, they did so at the command of the leader, who dug his heels into the path and stretched out his free arm to cue their stop.

"And who," asked the leader. "Might you be?"

Chapter Text

Even before they came to Hyrule, Trevor's friends had their gifts.

Jerome Bailey was more than his best friend.

He was a rescuer, a loyal companion who saved Trevor from bullies on the first day he moved to Oak Shire.

No one wanted to mess with a tall kid who could look you in the eye while telling you to someone else alone.

There was always a fire to him.

Sheila was quiet, but kind. Her heart was so big that even the meanest people liked her.

It was like she always knew other people without having met them.

Even if someone had secrets in the shadows, Sheila would find them without even trying.

Rebecca didn't always get along with Trevor. She would tease far too often.

She'd snatch his possessions, just because. After doing the act, she'd run around and taunt Trevor, daring him to come after her.

The girl always wore a big grin on her face while in the act. It always made Trevor mad.

There was too much of a spirit about her.

Trevor never really saw himself as anyone but Trevor Berenson. He was the only kid in his family, the first and last born of two parents.

His mother grew up in Oak Shire. His father came to Illinois from Cleveland.

He had a family history that went back many generations. That's what his mother told him, though her eyes seemed to wander off when she said it. It was like she never knew either.

Maybe everything was a mystery for the Berenson family. No one knew where they really came from. They just knew that they were here now.

When his abilities awakened, Trevor sensed everything.

He felt the streams outside the city. He felt the lake at a nearby beach where people frequently visited during the summer. The ocean could have been beside Trevor for all he knew. Its waves roared on his skin despite being many miles away.

When Trevor looked around in a panic, he saw nothing but dry land. The sensations overwhelmed him. In the shadows of his house, he wept from the secret.

Secrets were supposed to be treasures, after all. Trevor understood them as words you wrote on a piece of paper before throwing it away. They were words you whispered in your best friend's ear. No one else knew the truth of a secret. It belonged to one person and one person alone, if the holder chose it to be so.

People locked secrets away before pitching the key.

People dug holes in the ground and buried secrets in the darkness of fresh soil. Nature, after all, made a good cover.

Secrets were the shadows that followed someone but they always stayed quiet.

Trevor liked secrets, so he made his powers into just that—an unknown truth.

As time passed, the sensations from the world's water that crawled on his skin like locusts faded away. They stopped haunting his senses. Trevor learned to enjoy trips to the town square, the pool, and the beach. Everything felt normal and no one ever knew what Trevor was really like.

The secret remained Trevor's and Trevor's alone. It was more than a secret—it was his hidden treasure, his unseen burial, the shadow he never saw.

No one else knew. No one else knew until…

Now

The leader of the Zora soldiers looked like a stern kind of aquatic man. Link knew it didn't give him the right to stay silent. With a slight step forward, he looked at the general in his dark blue glare and spoke up.

"Hi sir," he said. "We're here on a quest from Princess Zelda."

The leader of the soldiers glanced down at Link. His strict stance softened and he already seemed to be in deep thought about the answer Link gave him. He looked over at the tunnel the children emerged from before returning his gaze to the boy.

"Did you play the royal family's song?" asked the leader. "Just a moment ago? It sounded like it came from a wind instrument." Link dug back into his satchel and pulled out his ocarina to support what he said. "Ah. An ocarina. Isn't it a common instrument for forest children like yourself?"

"I'd like to think so," Link replied, realizing he had never known despite living in the forest his whole life.

"You're undoubtedly one of the Kokiri," the leader observed. He nodded a greeting at Navi, who curtseyed with caution, careful to show her respect. "I can't say I'm terribly familiar with the rest of your group, though. They share similarities to different tribes and peoples...but they're so unlike everyone else. All of you were sent on a quest from Zelda? Please, be honest my boy."

Link looked at the others while putting his ocarina away. They looked weary, much like himself. Jerome and Sheila were calmer than Trevor. Trevor had revealed so much to the group in the past twenty-four hours. He probably didn't know what to say about himself. Link wasn't sure what to think of him, though he knew a lot about being different from the rest of the world.

"I was sent alone on the quest," said Link. "But I already met him—" he pointed at the pale-faced Trevor. "—And he's the reason why Zelda sent me. The others—" Link acknowledged Sheila and Jerome as if they were one. "—They were helpful too. One of them helped us find out what we had to do next. The other one's the reason why we're still alive. We defeated the Dodongos on Death Mountain and received this."

Link revealed the Goron Ruby. It rested in his satchel, a gift from Darunia of the Gorons. When the leader saw the ruby, he pulled his head back as if he'd witnessed a miracle.

"Why would the Gorons give you their ruby?" he said. "This is not just a treasure. It's critical to all of Hyrule's safety."

"The princess needs it," said Link. "To protect the Triforce."

Link explained the rest of the situation. He was surprised at how easy it was to remember the tale of the Triforce and its abilities. The story would have been a mere legend to Link if it weren't for his recent experiences. When he was done, the leader looked back at his soldiers. The soldiers stood still, which seemed to come across as a form of approval from them. With silence, the leader looked back at Link and placed a hand on Link's head.

"I believe you," he said. "You have a trustworthy air about you. All of you. I presume you want to obtain the Zora Sapphire?"

"That's right," Navi chimed in. "We promise to take care of it. Once we're ready, we'd return it to you. Surely you can trust the King of Hyrule's daughter."

"It's so far-fetched," said the leader. "Under any other circumstances, we'd politely turn you away. However, I believe the young girl's suspicions are well-placed. It's saddening that King Arkanian doesn't feel the same way. You have our full support. My name is Commander Claudius, leader of the Zora Army." Claudius turned to his soldiers once again. "Attention!"

"Attention given!" the soldiers said in unison. The voices were diverse, but moved as one. No one stood out above the other. They seemed to go out of their way to do everything simultaneously. Link thought it was an astonishing sight.

"We're going to escort our guests to the royal chambers," Claudius said. "They are to be protected while staying here at the Domain! They are our responsibility! If anything happens to them, their fate is in our hands and in our conscience. Is this understood?"

"Understood, sire!"

With that, the soldiers turned to face the inclined path. Claudius gestured towards the group of children and made sure they walked ahead of him.

"They're a good group of fellows," he said with a proud smile. "Not rebellious, single minded, loyal. And trained by me. They define discipline. You look like you have the potential, at least, given your recent exploits."

"Thank you," Link said.

"Absolutely. Come along, we mustn't waste time...I wonder if the timing is unfortunate or fortuitous."

The group walked ahead, following the soldiers up two flights of steps. At the top of the second flight, a pair of guards stopped the unit by crossing their silver spears over one another. Claudius walked through the middle of the group, who split themselves down the middle to create a perfect walking path for their Commander. The soldiers saluted Claudius, who briefly explained the business of the children. After he was done, the guards allowed Claudius in and the children waited.

Minutes later, Claudius came out of the room at the top of the steps.

"King Zora has granted you an audience," he said. "Hurry along, the matters surrounding us are quite pressing. He's convinced, however, that you'll play a role in our problem."

"Problem…?" Jerome looked back at Sheila with a raised eyebrow. "Sheila, can you see the problem? In your head?"

Sheila frowned. "No," she said. "Don't you remember? It doesn't' work like that."

"I wasn't trying to say it does," said Jerome. "But it's been a while since you predicted anything."

"But I don't predict. I just...I see it, OK?"

"What does that even mean?" Jerome asked, but he didn't seem to expect an answer. He was already moving ahead.

The children climbed the flight of stairs and made their way into a room filled with more soldiers. A few paces ahead was a platform with a small set of steps that could be used to climb to the top of it. Water filled a gap carved into the ground beyond it. The water flowed down from a small ledge with a grate wall behind it. Seated on the ledge was a gargantuan figure that had to have been none other than King Zora.

King Zora was a larger version of the people he ruled. He had a round, stout head and a pair of keen red eyes. He had a crimson robe draped around his keg-like figure and a golden crown on his head. What seemed to stand out to Link the most was the way the King's eyes wilted, as if the children's mere presence tired him. Perhaps, Link thought, he was already like this before.

Claudius approached the platform, stopping short at the bottom of the steps. He bowed and gestured back towards the children.

"Your majesty," he said. "Here are the messengers in question. They are ready whenever you are."

King Zora nodded slightly before continuing to stare straight ahead. He truly looked as if he didn't want to be here. Link looked around at his friends, wondering what to do. When none of them moved forward, he already knew it was up to him to stand up on the platform and speak with the Zora monarch. He walked to the top of the platform and bowed to King Zora.

"Good day your majesty," Link said.

"Good day." King Zora had a proper voice, one full of pride and dignity. It was mixed with an ache as well—Link understood the feeling more than anyone. "You are the one from the forest, yes?"

"I am," Link answered.

"And you are here on a journey from Princess Zelda?"

"Yes, your majesty."

"How well does she fare?"

"Very well."

"Good...good. I...know Hyrule Castle is too preoccupied because they won't…" King Zora closed his eyes and shook his head. The soldiers seemed to show concern but the monarch raised his small arms to tell them to stand by.

"No," he said. "No, no, no, I am in good health. And I pray the same for my daughter. And Lord Jabu-Jabu. May they both be in good hands."

Link and Navi looked at each other. Lord Jabu-Jabu? The King's daughter? Link's fairy was as curious as he was. For the first time in a while, Navi didn't have an answer to the questions in her charge's mind.

"Sir," Navi asked. "I...don't mean to go out of my way to ask. If it's none of our concern, we won't ask you...but what's wrong with your daughter and Lord Jabu-Jabu? Is there anything we can do to help you?"

"We were hoping for as much." King Zora bowed his head. "For the past two days, we have had a dilemma. You see, my daughter Ruto is the heiress to our people's throne. It comes with responsibilities and one of them involves the occasional feeding of our guardian, Jabu-Jabu. He is usually in the Zora's fountain behind me, resting in his pool of water as he always had for centuries. Ruto went to feed him per tradition...and...I suppose she was too independent."

"Why is that?" Navi asked.

"Well, Jabu-Jabu swallowed her."

The children gasped. King Zora was mourning a loss, or so it seemed. Link was curious about why King Zora seemed to speak as if his daughter were still alive.

"We would have sent someone to go in and retrieve her—the belly of such a beast is vast, you could get lost in there honestly—and we would have found Ruto as soon as possible...but Jabu-Jabu isn't even in the fountain any longer. He's disappeared, without a trace. A strange sight indeed. He overpowered Ruto's guards before breaking through the fencing that held him in. We think he's somewhere in the depths of the desert valley, hiding in the water...he's gone rabid. But we haven't a clue where he is."

The story gnawed at Link. Something about all this was far too familiar, though he couldn't place his hand on what it was, exactly…

"And from what I understand," King Zora continued. "You have a boon you would like us to grant? The Zora Sapphire, yes?" Link nodded and the monarch's red eyes narrowed. "Hmm...I know you are already proven to be trustworthy...but it is interesting that another seeks our spiritual stone. You're not the first one to request it."

"Who's the second?" Link asked, though he already knew the answer.

"Ganondorf, King of the Gerudos."

A pit settled in Link's core. The thief's influence spread across all of Hyrule once more, disrupting the most peaceful places. Link noticed how King Zora's court fell into silence, as if silence could swallow the world's sounds whole. He kept from trembling at the mention of Ganondorf's name.

"It's just…" King Zora sighed. "Very troubling to fulfill such a request when my daughter is missing. I'm trying to recall where the Spiritual Stone is, but we shan't let things out so casually. Not now, at least. My family must take priority before we consider your asking."

"Understandable," Navi said.

"Claudius has vouched for you," said King Zora. "And I see your honesty myself. If you rescue Princess Ruto, we can discuss handing you the Sapphire for the sake of Hyrule's well being. Please accept this quest; help us find Lord Jabu-Jabu so I can rescue my daughter from his clutches."

"Yes, your majesty," Link said. "We'll do everything we can. We promise to save her."

"Thank you." King Zora bowed his head and closed his eyes, allowing himself to smile. "Thank you...I am most grateful, young heroes."

"How can we help with finding the Princess?" Navi asked.

Claudius stepped forward.

"While we commence with our search for Jabu-Jabu and Ruto," he said "We feel it's best to help familiarize you with our way of combat. Jabu-Jabu's rabid state has to be counteracted with non-lethal, yet firm force. This will require precise skill from everyone involved in the effort. You have to know how to stave off any unpredictable strikes. You'll be training in our armory to prepare. Come this way."

Claudius walked toward the court room's entrance. The children followed, though every step did feel a bit uncertain. Link didn't blame them. Danger was sure to meet them again in the future. It was a future where they hoped to rescue Rebecca, save another princess' life and finally obtain the last key to Hyrule's salvation. The mission's burden grew heavy on Link, but his sense of duty was greater than any weariness he could feel.

Link forged ahead, following Claudius' lead to the end.

Chapter Text

"Is it gruel again?"

Rebecca wanted to be difficult. She disrupted the daily routine set for her; one where two guards walked into her cell, silent and scornful.

One of them always carried a wooden bowl filled with bitter grey slop or stale bread. While the first guard fed Rebecca with one hand, the other hand wrapped itself around the spear.

The other guard had their weapon drawn and pointed at Rebecca at all times.

"I don't like it," Rebecca declared to the guard who fed her. "It tastes weird. Like throw up. Is that how you make it? You should throw it out."

The first guard—a muscular woman with black hair, tanned skin and golden eyes—they all had golden eyes, Rebecca realized—glared.

"We can always starve you to death instead," the guard said with a sharp tone.

Every guard had sun-kissed skin. They draped themselves in dark violet outfits that weren't too revealing but allowed their bodies to breathe. The choice of clothes was no doubt due to the heat.

During daylight, Rebecca perspired in blistering temperatures. At night, her thin body shivered from an unspeakable cold, though the guards begrudgingly brought her blankets to her to lie beneath.

Rebecca couldn't see the lower half of her captors' faces; they covered their mouths with veils. She wished the women did the same for their eyes.

Rebecca didn't like the way the women looked at her.

"It's not my favorite," Rebecca said. Her stomach wrenched from hunger. "That's what I meant. It's OK, I guess."

"That's what we thought, girl."

The guard tossed the bowl into Rebecca's lap. She treated her like a curse that could be touched, with the way she kept her distance from Rebecca and the wall.

A wooden spoon stuck out from the lumpy sea that was her meal. The first guard snatched the spoon out from it and shook her head.

"Let's get this over with," she sighed. "The usual. Open wide."

Rebecca sensed the snarls behind both veils. She ignored them while the first guard shoveled the gruel in her mouth.

Rebecca hated how embarrassing the moment was for her. She felt like a toddler, like someone whose age reversed to the time they were in diapers.

The only part about this that Rebecca liked was the guard's misery in carrying out this duty. When the guard was done, everyone seemed relieved that it was over.

"That should be it," said the guard, scooping the bowl up from Rebecca's lap before backing away.

"Is the bowl empty?" Rebecca asked. "You're captain obvious."

The second guard scoffed and snapped at Rebecca in the strange language. Rebecca figured some of the words were cusses.

She smirked at the woman's frustration and how it carried over to her calmer companion. They both despised how their so-called prisoner treated them.

Rebecca didn't care.

She was going to give them attitude until her very last breath, no matter how badly it turned out for her.

The guards' voices grew shrill as they continued complaining. A rush swirled in Rebecca's chest.

Her chains rattled as she balled both hands into fists. She stamped the ground with her bare feet as best as she could, despite the chains.

"Quit talking like I'm not here!" she shouted. "And speak Ingles! Or 'common language,' or whatever you call it. I call it English. At least be mean to my face so I can understand it, putas."

The first guard snapped her head in Rebecca's direction, her glare all the more fierce.

"Silence!" she said. "You shouldn't speak at all. We hold your very life in our hands!"

Rebecca tried to forget that. She fought against trembling.

Rebecca watched the second guard's eyes widen as her glance darted back and forth between Rebecca and the first guard. The second guard placed a cautious hand on her companion's shoulder.

"Mira," said the guard in a quivered voice. "Don't. Remember...the crater...the wasteland."

The guard called Mira kept her rage focused on Rebecca. Rebecca did the same, unwilling to back down.

There was a stalemate, a standstill, a space of tense silence where anything could have happened.

Eventually, the guard named Mira sighed.

"I know," she said. "Yes, I know." Mira stood up and turned toward the cell's door.

Rebecca smirked again. "If you think I'm so dangerous," she said. "Give me a key. I'll get out of here and you'll never see me again."

Mira rolled her eyes. "We wouldn't wish that on the world. Say your daily prayers, vevhi. We'd love to lead you out to the gallows."

The word "gallows" made Rebecca's stomach swirl. She wasn't really sure what they were, but knew they had something to do with the death sentence they wanted to give her.

"Or..." Rebecca saw Mira's lips curl into a mischievous smile from behind the veil. "Back out to the desert. Exile sounds just as nice. No one would bother you. We'd know to avoid the place for a while. It's not like many of us go out there. We've done it before. You wouldn't last, girl."

"If I find out what I did before all this, I could just mess you up."

The threat seemed enough for the guards. They both drew their weapons, pointing them at Rebecca.

She sensed their fear in a way. They had that feeling about them, a feeling Rebecca swore she could touch but couldn't really put into words.

"I won't let a demon child tear through us," Mira vowed. "I'll guarantee your death before anything else—"

"That's enough."

A familiar voice halted everything. Everyone in the cell turned towards a woman standing in the cell's open doorway. She was flanked by two additional guards dressed in the same garb as the first two.

The woman who led them looked different, though Rebecca couldn't make out her features with the shadow that cast itself over her.

"She was provoking problems," Mira quickly said. "Just like you warned. We weren't sure if she was going to do anything—"

"That's no excuse for what you were trying to do."

The woman stepped inside the cell, revealing herself in the light of a torch with a flame that brought the room a slight glow. Her skin was the same as the guards; tanned and sun-kissed.

Her eyes were golden like theirs, but less judging and more calm. She had large lips decorated by silver gloss and sported a pink outfit with pointed crimson shoes.

The woman gestured toward the doorway while keeping her eyes on the guards.

"You can leave now," said the woman. "Both of you. Thank you for feeding the prisoner, doing your duty and showing her how easily bullied some people can be when they're young vevhis."

"You're too gentle on a demon-child Na—"

"I meant you can leave right now."

Mira and the second guard glanced at each other before looking down at Rebecca one last time. Then, they left the cell.

Rebecca looked down at the cell's hard floor, struggling to make eye contact with the woman before her. She heard the woman's footsteps, which stopped right in front of Rebecca.

A shadow cast itself over the child, who felt so pathetic in her chains.

"Hi," Rebecca managed to say.

"Is there anything else you would want to say?" asked the woman.

"No, 'hi' sounds good to me."

"It's better than the swear words you gave me earlier."

"You're nicer now than you were then."

The woman sighed. "You have to respect people in this fortress or you will not last. What are you thinking, speaking poorly to armed guards who are so wary of you?"

"I'm thinking they shouldn't lock a ten year old girl up like she's some dog, that's what I'm thinking."

Rebecca sensed the woman kneeling down. "Are you always so contentious?"

Rebecca raised an eyebrow. "What's 'contentious' mean?"

"Petty."

"Oh. Yeah, I'm super petty. I'm salty, lady. I ain't letting none of you drag me around 'cause you think you can! That's not how it works! I'm not a doormat."

"No, just our prisoner." The woman snatched Rebecca by the chin with a thumb and finger. She snapped Rebecca's head up so they could see each other eye to eye.

Every one of Rebecca's captors seemed to act the same way, as if they were all one person. Her glare carried the same rage as Mira's, focused and ever so piercing.

"Prisoners follow rules," said the woman. "Or they suffer consequences. Consequences not everyone can protect you from. Especially in your position. Dammit, can't you see that?"

"Let go of my face." Rebecca thrashed away from the stern clutch. "I just want to go home." She hated the tear that rolled out from one of her eyes. "I didn't do anything and you want to kill me."

The woman shook her head. "No one wants to do that, they're...they're just afraid and some think that might be the best solution." Rebecca sensed the woman being in thought. "You talk about this home. Oak Shire, right? Do you...have a family there?"

Rebecca nodded. "Everyone has a family. I have a Mom and a Dad."

"A mother and a father…?" The woman murmured the phrase, as if it were magic to her. Rebecca didn't understand why she was so shocked. Didn't they have families here?

"What are they like?" the woman asked.

"They're kind." Rebecca felt herself smile, but wasn't sure how the woman would respond to that. "Papi is too relaxed. He watches soccer on TV—" Rebecca stopped herself, realizing the woman might not know what that was. "You kick a ball around and put it in a net to score. My dad says a lot of people play it. HIs favorite team is the Manchester United."

"Who are they?"

"A soccer team."

"What is that?"

"What's what?"

"Soccer."

"Um…?" Rebecca scratched her head and remembered that in this place, for whatever reason, none of her world was familiar to them. Where was she?

"Where are they from?" Nabooru asked. "This...soccer team."

"England."

"Where's England?"

"...look, where am I? I have no idea where you all put me."

"Apparently nowhere near your home. I sense that now. So, you have a mother as well. Who actually...stays with your father? As in she actually thinks he's worth her time?"

Rebecca nodded. "She gives me lots of advice. She says stuff like 'keep a brave face, mija. Like stone. You have a powerful spirit and a powerful mind. Don't be afraid to show it.'"

The woman hummed her approval. "She sounds like a wise woman."

"She is. I miss her a lot."

"Maybe...maybe we can find a way to help you see her soon. And you can watch your father's soccer and see this...United England group you speak of." Rebecca didn't try to correct the woman. "I'm sure your body's sore from sleeping on the ground. I can get you a bed. If you behave."

"That'd be nice." Rebecca hid her gratefulness. "Thank you."

The woman stood. "What's your home like?"

Rebecca shrugged. "Quiet and small. There's a park, there's a river, there's a place downtown with a fountain. There's a lake not too far from it. It's really boring outside of that."

"The desert isn't much better," said the woman. "I think your town is more exciting. Safer at least."

"There was a time when it wasn't too safe, but...it was a one time thing. I almost drowned. Someone saved me."

"Good for you. We live in a large fortress out here in the desert. We hide from those with...prying eyes."

"Am I in the fortress now?"

The woman seemed to hesitate, giving Rebecca a hard look before answering. "Yes, actually. You're in the prison portion of it, in case you were wondering."

"Yeah, I figured."

"Do you have a bed where you live?"

"In a room with a window. And a closet."

"You must be wealthy."

"Papi says we're broke."

The woman chuckled. "You have a mother and a father. They're both together. I wouldn't do that in a million years. How fascinating...but disappointing."

"Why?"

The woman turned away from Rebecca. She seemed to wrap her arms around herself, as if the room turned cold. It was still the middle of the day.

"I...thought you were...nevermind. It's not important anymore. It complicates things, young lady. The sisters may not like the news."

A thought crossed Rebecca's mind. "Hey. I, uh, always hear about sisters."

"Only women live here. There are no men, except for…" The woman's golden eyes dimmed. She sneered like the guard and Rebecca wished she wore a veil as well. The thought of men seemed to change the woman's mood.

"There's...one man who oversees matters," the woman said. "It's sad you hail from a world of men."

"I don't want to be in a world of boys," said Rebecca. "They're so dumb sometimes. I know an idiot I can't stand. He tries to be everyone's boss, but he's just...ugh, stupid. Nice, but stupid."

"I wish that were only the problem with our man. A bit of advice. Men will always be weak. They can't resist a woman—" the woman clasped a hand over her mouth. "I—sorry, I shouldn't speak like that." Rebecca suddenly giggled. "What?"

"Mama tells me things about—" Rebecca fought back more laughter. "—That stuff."

"About...men and women…?"

Rebecca nodded. "She said she couldn't lie to me. I was going to find out someday. She said if I tried anything before getting married, she'd beat the brown off me."

"Honesty is a good policy. She raised you well."

"Are people really talking for me?" Rebecca asked.

"There's at least one," said the woman.

"Who?"

"Well...me."

"Oh." Rebecca grew quiet and didn't know what else to say. "...uh. Thanks."

"As always, you're very welcome."

"What happened to me in the desert?" Rebecca asked.

"You were...unconscious in the desert. A strange storm hit the land and we had to make sure the wasteland was safe. When we found you, your clothes were in tatters—that's why you have the grey outfit, by the way. We were concerned. We...thought that maybe you were one of us."

"I'm not."

"I know that now. The moment you woke up, you let out a scream. Green...energy came out of you. It was like a shadow. The image reminded us of...very interesting things. It was very strange. Strange indeed."

"Is that how…?"

"Yes, that's how the hole in the desert was made. It was carved out by bizarre energy...energy you know nothing about."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. Honestly...I'm just a kid."

"I know. It just scares the hell out of every Gerudo woman out there. I'm really fighting to keep you alive. I don't think you're evil. I just wish you were one of us. You look so much like it...there's some differences, but the features are uncanny. The truth is stranger than fiction, they say. You have both a mother and father you live with, so I suppose it's impossible...but such a coincidence. They'll have to deal with the truth."

The woman turned to leave and Rebecca's heart leapt.

"Hey!" Rebecca heard herself say. "Do...do you know what I found out two years ago?"

"What?"

"I'm...adopted. A bad accident happened and I almost died. My parents spilled the beans, I don't know why. But there. I...I don't know where I really come from. I want to find out someday."

The woman paused and nodded, as if the answer satisfied her. "Sit tight," she said. "Hang on. The storm will pass you by."

"Why did you save me?" Rebecca asked.

"You have a familiar air about you. One I can't explain. That's all I will say for now."

"What's your name?"

"Nabooru. And yours?"

"Rebecca Rosario Santos."

"That's a mouthful. And a strange name."

"You can just call me Rebecca. My best friend Sheila does."

"OK, Rebecca. I'll keep defending you. My word here is very strong. Just behave, alright? Be respectful."

"Sure."

"Saa'vorq."

As Nabooru left Rebecca behind, she pondered what the woman meant by the strange word. It must have been a way of saying goodbye. Rebecca didn't feel right not returning the word, even though Nabooru was far away.

"Erm...saa'vorq back at you…" She wanted to add a little bit of herself to the conversation. "...Senorita Nabooru."

In her heart, Rebecca hoped Nabooru heard her. She hoped that as the woman walked away, she smiled, thinking of the girl she had gotten to know.

Chapter Text

He was at the beach one day.

It was a stretch of white sand which looped around a lake like a ring. When no one was there, the place was quiet.

During the summer, everyone in Oak Shire went there. They'd pack their families into cars and drive out to the beach for a swim.

The water helped everyone cool down from the unforgiving heat. Trevor liked staying on shore, of course.

He...never liked being around water with the gift. Naturally.

Instead of swimming, Trevor built sandcastles. He barely summoned water to shore, and that was only to dampen the dry grains into wet clumps to build towers with.

One day, Trevor built the largest castle yet.

It was a fortress which rose to his waist when he stood. Hours were spent working on it.

He even took time to decorate the castle with white rocks and long lost marbles he found along the shore.

The trinkets all fascinated him. He didn't think that so many items and objects would suddenly be out and about like they were.

One treasure Trevor found was a seashell. It was pink and wide, like the lid to a hand mirror case.

He approached the front of his sandcastle and tried to mold the shell into the front...then, the castle toppled over.

It was like the earth sucked the palace in. Everything sank.

The sand crumbled like snow in an avalanche. Trevor swore he heard some kind of crash, maybe, but that wasn't obvious because a cruel giggle filled his sense of hearing.

Suddenly, crafty fingers snatched the seashell from Trevor's hand. From the corner of his eye, a figure and its shadow dashed away from Trevor's side.

He heard a voice taunting him, daring him to give chase.

Rage swelled in Trevor's chest. He didn't want to play a game.

He just wanted the thief to stop.

Whoever it was...he just wanted them to stop.

Why didn't they stop…?

NOW

Claudius led the children to a room two levels below the King's courtroom. Zora women with shimmering gazes adorned by golden eye liner and glistening lashes ushered the children to their sides.

They pressed different fabrics against them while using rulers to measure them. After the Zora maidens were done, Zora soldiers escorted the children to the Zora Armory, a place just down the hall from the fitting room.

The Zora Armory was a vast room with walls kept in their natural state. Its floor was padded in the middle, as well as a handful of corners on the far side facing the entrance.

Along the walls, a multitude of weapons awaited ready hands. The selection ranged from wooden spears with sharpened flint points to copper colored tridents carefully placed on handles. Many Zora men trained on the padding, fiercely sparring with their respective weapons.

Claudius led the group through the armory until they reached the far side wall, where more Zora weapons rested. The commander seemed to admire the Armory, as if he built it all himself. He had a satisfied smile on his face.

"My newest recruits," he declared. "Welcome to the Zora Armory. You're children with extraordinary abilities, from what I've heard. Still, you're young. You're inexperienced. It doesn't sit well with me to see your potential untapped at such a critical point. We need to protect you, but you'll do that by learning to protect yourselves."

Claudius spread one of his arms over a stone table that rose to his waist. Trevor's stomach churned at the sight of the weapons.

They seemed alive despite their stillness. The situation's very real nature stood out to him, like a shout that was done for recognition alone.

Trevor wished he could quiet all the noise down.

Claudius plucked a slingshot from the stone table's surface. It was similar to Link's, made of wood and wrapped in white tape. The commander glanced back at Sheila, offering the slingshot to her.

"Young lady," Claudius said. "You look like someone with a perceptive eye. I also knew plenty of Sheikahs who were the finest archers in Hyrule. They rivaled-and even bested-the Knights of Hyrule. We'll train you well."

Sheila raised an eyebrow as the slingshot was handed to her. Trevor wondered why she was called a Sheikah and Sheila seemed to wonder the same.

Claudius focused on Jerome next. He picked up a club that could have reminded Trevor of what the bokoblins used at the Zora Delta.

This version proved less menacing; it had no spikes, the texture was smooth and the wood lighter in its complexion. When Claudius handed it to Jerome, Trevor saw how easy it was for his best friend to grasp the weapon.

"It'll be effective." Claudius clapped Jerome on the back and pointed him in the direction of a Zora Sentry with white scales for skin. "You'll train with Ardent. Clubs are his specialty."

Jerome gave Trevor an excited grin before jogging to the hefty Zora Sentry to start his share of training. Trevor didn't want to acknowledge Claudius standing before him, searching him out to see what he could do in preparation for Lord Jabu-Jabu.

He looked around the Armory but actively avoided eye contact with the military veteran.

"And what of you?" asked Claudius. "What can you do, young lad?"

"Um...not use weapons. That sounds like a plan, right?" Trevor gave a smart alick grin to the warrior, who scowled at the quip.

"You'll have to learn just like your friends," said Claudius, crossing his arms.

"I don't really want to, though."

"Is there something about fulfilling a good king's request which bothers you, young man?"

"The part where it doesn't really concern me all that much. It's been a long journey and I want a break."

"What makes you think you deserve one?"

"Where do I start?" Trevor pointed to Sheila and Jerome. "We get sucked through a weird portal into a world we don't know. I wake up, like, naked in some stranger's house. I meet a farm girl who keeps saying some of the same stuff you say, I meet a talking owl that freaks me out, I meet a kid and his loudmouth fairy, almost get eaten by a wolf, find my best friend without his memory, watch him almost die before my very eyes and now I have to listen to some fat fish with a crown on his head tell me to save his precious little girl from a whale, which I think is just another 'King Zora' without the crown and cape!"

Trevor lost his breath after explaining himself. Claudius didn't look moved.

"I'm sorry you went through all that," he said. "But you're not the only person in this world, son. There are many beings who go through hardships, see their trials through and learn to overcome them. It is not easy. I won't say it is and I won't tell you that your trial is unimportant. It is important, though. Your job is to overcome it. I advise you to obtain better character to make it happen."

Claudius turned towards the rack of flinthead spears. He snatched one from its holder and tossed it towards Trevor, keeping the point upright.

Trevor grasped the handle, fumbling with the spear before holding it steady. A rope wound itself around the spear, coiled like a boa constrictor on its prey. He didn't want to admit the weapon was a little heavy for him.

"Being in Hyrule will prove worthwhile," said Claudius. "It will make a man out of you."

"OK," said Trevor, "Who am I training with?"

"You're looking at your master."

"...Fun."

Claudius and Trevor found a space in the Armory's training area that fit both of them quite well. The Zora leader put a gap of distance between the two of them, wielding a spear of his own.

He made a certain stance with the spear that Trevor tried to imitate. Trevor felt awkward standing on the balls of his feet while spreading his legs apart with one in front of the other. He pointed at Claudius and suddenly thought about how many ways the soldier could accidentally kill him. Trevor swallowed an extra gulp of saliva.

"I'll be gentle in the session," said Claudius. It was as if the Zora Commander were psychic. Trevor was freaked out. "And...BEGIN!"

Trevor was constantly on the defense. Actually, he was always on the defense.

Claudius seemed careful enough to not hurt Trevor. He went for the spear more than anything. Whenever he struck Trevor, the staff struck the boy, tapping him on his side.

Trevor constantly winced at the hits, thought none of them really hurt. He couldn't get used to the pressure and eventually found himself falling at the brute force of Claudius' advances.

"Get up," Claudius said when Trevor fell for the fourth time in the session.

Trevor's body shook and he couldn't really stop him. His arms burned with weariness.

His legs were the same way, wobbling and aching from the way they had to work against the push of Claudius' attacks. Sweat dribbled on Trevor's skin like rainwater on a window.

It was cool to the touch, but Trevor felt himself fuming. He wasn't sure if it was the heat of his training or the anger that bubbled inside him.

"Did you hear me?" Claudius asked, his voice a little more stern. "Get up, Trevor Berenson."

"You're a jerk of a teacher." Trevor's teeth gritted during the outburst.

Again, Claudius was unmoved. "Your attitude isn't appreciated. Stand."

"I don't appreciate any of this." Trevor rose despite his words. He felt his brow furrowing. His nostrils flared as he re upped his stance. Curse words jumped around in his head.

"I'm not your tormentor, Trevor."

Trevor charged at Claudius, not caring that his spear point went straight for the Zora. Claudius sidestepped the attack, making Trevor missing by a wide margin.

Trevor's feet skidded across the Armory floor's surface, lightly filleting some skin on his bare soles. He cringed at the pain and let out a grunt.

"For forty years," Claudius said. "I've led battalions into battle. Few soldiers under my watch have died. Except for the Civil War. That was terrible. That was a trial, much like your own. I won't make comparisons about which of our issues were worse."

Trevor didn't care. He tried to hit Claudius with the side of his spear, but the leader was ready again. He blocked every hit, keeping a calm face in the duress Trevor tried to dish out.

"Many of my men are leaders today because they were dedicated. They learned to love who they were. They learned to love Hyrule. Other people mattered. I showed them they mattered and served them. Are you willing to do the same?"

"Shut up." Trevor's rage flared and he didn't know why.

"Disappointing." Claudius countered Trevor's attack and tripped him by kicking the side of his spear at the boy's heels. Trevor fell hard on the Armory floor, though his head didn't smack against the stony surface. Claudius pinned Trevor to the ground with the butt of his spear.

"There's a common pattern," said Claudius. "Or at least I think there is. You're all about serving yourself. Never others. Even your friends there. You only serve them because they're important to you. I can see the fear in your eyes, Trevor Berenson. It's easy to run...but it's bold to face uncertainty. Somewhere out there, Princess Ruto is facing dark times. So is Jabu-Jabu. Ruto has been prepared for these moments since she was born. I haven't a doubt she's maintaining her dignity through it all."

"We don't know that." Trevor pushed the spear away. "What if she's...you know. Oofed?" He made a motion across his throat with a finger. It was that motion, the one that meant a word no one ever wanted to say. It finally brought out a rage in Claudius.

The Zora commander struck the ground with a spear. "How dare you," he said. "HOW DARE YOU. Stand up again!"

Trevor's stomach whirled as he realized his mistake. He felt compelled to obey from Claudius' rage alone. Maybe he needed to learn to keep his big, dumb mouth shut.

"Respect your responsibilities." Claudius charged at Trevor, upping the ante more than ever. Trevor fell after a while. "Stand. Your form is unsophisticated. Improve it."

Trevor stayed down. He let go of the spear and started shedding tears. "I don't want to do this."

"You and your friends have a responsibility."

"Let my friends handle it."

"Fulfill your duty."

"I don't want it."

"You already agreed!"

"I wish I didn't! Just...just stop, please."

The Armory was quiet. Trevor felt every eye in Zora's Domain focused on him and Claudius. Claudius didn't seem to care. His voice rose every time he spoke.

"Enemies are like thieves," he declared. "They come to take everything from you. What should you do? What will you do? Run or defend yourself? GET BOLDER, Trevor Berenson!"

"Stop."

"Up again, until you have it right."

"I SAID STOP!"

He raised his spear, turned it on its side and drove it over his leg. The weapon snapped in two.

The ensuing crack echoed as splints darted everywhere. Trevor was sure all of Hyrule heard it.

Oak Shire's police department could have found him now with the way he brought attention to himself. Claudius rage faded.

It turned into a shocked disappointment, in a sadness mixed with the frustration Claudius already felt from this first session.

Without another word, Trevor slowly rose to his feet. After barely looking at every face in the Armory, from his friends' astonished stares to the soldier's calm gazes, he fled, wishing he could disappear altogether.

He hated Hyrule, Zora's Domain, Claudius, wars, Princess Ruto and everything else in between.

Chapter Text

Dark clouds. Trevor remembered what his mother said about the weather on the day everything changed.

It wasn't supposed to rain. The day would be perfect for her son and his friends.

For a time, it was. Trevor and the others smiled in the classroom they learned in at school.

They laughed on the bus, chattered during lunch and plotted during a competition against the fifth graders.

Everything went according to a plan. The day was beautiful. Children were meant to enjoy it.

Nothing could have gone wrong—but then the sky darkened.

Lightning crashed to the Earth. Nature had an outburst, a rage it could no longer contain.

The ground shook. Trevor recalled how it tore open, crumbling into countless clumps of grass, dirt and rock. A pitch black abyss pulled him in.

Trevor tried to reach out for anything that could keep him above ground.

He found nothing.

Everything turned dark.

Trevor thought he died at first, but a voice said otherwise: "Trevor!"

His eyes snapped open. Trevor jolted his body off a hard, rigid surface.

Trevor gulped in sweltering air. His throat grew parched and he coughed while his best friend Jerome pulled him up. His weary eyes looked around.

The children found themselves in a narrow canyon. The path was wide enough for someone to stretch out their arms from side to side without touching the red rock walls covered in moss and fungi.

White vapors wisped from the floor like spirits rising out of their graves. The smoke faded as soon as it rose above Trevor's head, but the heat lingered.

Rebecca and Sheila embraced one another a short distance away. Sheila seemed to cry on Rebecca's shoulder, scared of what happened to them all.

The look on Rebecca's face showed fear as well. She always kept herself tough.

Trevor could tell. He did the same thing all the time, lying with his eyes and his smile so no one could know what was really happening.

"Jerome," Trevor rasped. "Where are we?"

Of course, Trevor already knew the answer.

His friends didn't know.

No one did.

NOW

Zora's domain was like a maze. It had so many corners Trevor didn't want to see, so many walls of glistening silver stone he didn't need to find himself blinded by.

Eventually, he made his way onto a path that inclined. It curved upward like a hill and Trevor followed it.

He felt alone by the time he reached the path's end and the loneliness was enough to make him stop.

Water rose up to the top of his ankles. The cold touch made him shiver. Trevor was careful not to let his feelings get the best of him.

He didn't want to make a single drop rise from the surface by mistake. It happened before and happened in a far worse way.

His heart pounded every time he thought of that day at the lake outside of Oak Shire. He almost did the worst possible thing and he didn't know how to respond to such a mistake.

The water flowed over an edge that oversaw the rest of Zora's Domain. When Trevor looked outward, he realized he was at the waterfall.

He stepped back in case Claudius, Jerome or the others were looking for him. Trevor didn't want to be found. He wanted to shrink down to a small size and fade away.

Maybe that would help him wake up from the nightmare. Maybe he was in bed this whole time, wandering through a dream, waiting to get shaken awake by one of his parents so he could rise and start his summer.

It was all a nightmare. Maybe he'd be out soon.

When Trevor slunk like a rock dropped from a high place. He didn't care that his pants grew damp from the water.

After pushing his knees against his chest, Trevor buried his face into the caps and sealed his eyes shut.

Everything was dark.

At least he didn't hear the voice.

The voice was so eerie. There were many things about it that Trevor could have explained as his reason for being terrified.

It was chilling. The voice was right next to him, or drifted somewhere in his brain. Worst of all, though, Trevor could tell that the voice sounded just like—

Weeping.

Someone was crying nearby. Trevor lifted his head and listened, coming to the realization that he wasn't alone.

The weeping made him stand. He looked back the way he came. In his hurry to disappear, Trevor must have passed by whoever caused the sound.

A part of him wanted to stay put and let someone else handle it. He went in that direction anyway.

Halfway down the hill-like path, Trevor saw a boy sitting in the same way he did by the waterfall's edge. He must have been a Zora child with the way he looked; the boy had a purple complexion.

Like the other Zoras, a tail sprouted from the back of his head, draping over his right shoulder and going down to his waist. Glittering scales decorated the tail and the rest of his body. The Zora boy wore a white toga with a brass button fastened to it to hold the wardrobe together.

Trevor turned back around. The Zora boy wasn't in the mood. They were similar to each other, wanting to be alone, wanting to do nothing.

It made sense for them to have their space and distance. Trevor could stay in the shadow of the waterfall until he was found, or hope to never be found again. Maybe that wasn't realistic.

Someone was going to find him. They were going to drag him back to the Armory, or yell at him for being rude about the Zora Princess, or whatever.

This wasn't going to last.

"...Is...is everything OK?"

Trevor faced the Zora boy again. When the child didn't respond, Trevor called out to him in a louder voice, careful to not sound harsh.

The boy lifted his head. He had a big pair of eyes not unlike Navi's. Strange circles formed around each eye and the boy's cheeks were wet. He must have cried for a while.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" Trevor asked. "Are you lost?"

The Zora child shook his head before burying his face into his hands once more. After a few extra sobs, he hiccuped and struggled to breathe.

"I lost rupees," he said in a somber tone. "I was—I was looking at—the domain. And—I—I—" The boy wailed. Trevor's skin crawled as the crying grew louder. At this point, he was going to have to wait for the footsteps.

"I was gonna spend them at the shoppe!" said the Zora child. "But—now my mother won't even let me get new rupees! She never will!"

"Hey…" Trevor lifted his hands, trying to quiet the kid he just met. "Bud, please...don't do that. Please don't cry anymore, OK? Look, where did they go?"

The Zora child pointed in the direction the rupees were dropped with looking the same way. Trevor's stomach flipped.

He already knew that the rupees were long gone at this point. The boy probably dropped them in the current beneath their feet.

Then, they plummeted to the domain's lower level, lost in the rush. Each jewel was probably done for and good as drowned at this point.

"Tough break," said Trevor. "Look...I'm really sorry kid. But we got to calm down, OK? Kids lose stuff all the time, it's not like it's the end of the world."

The Zora child didn't feel encouraged by Trevor's words. His mouth trembled and he stared at his own reflection in the water.

He seemed to shrink a bit, as if a cold wind came through and chilled the space. Even Trevor realized how distant he might have sounded, how uncaring his words were.

"They belonged to me," said the child. "They were mine. All I want is something for me. I have six older brothers and they always get everything...but I was going to get a little bit for myself. Now I screwed it up."

Trevor froze. His shoulders slouched as he ran his hands through his hair. After exhaling, Trevor went to the edge of the waterfall.

He looked down at Zora's Domain and thought of the water below. There was always something that bothered him about what rested in its depths and what would happen if somebody fell in without ever coming out.

Someone was always lost in the dive of life, in the deepest parts of a pool, a river, a lake or a sea. Trevor didn't know how to feel about his powers yet...but something about knowing the boy's troubles and doing nothing about it bothered him.

With a deep breath, Trevor took a dive. He swam through the water's depths, looking for rupees in the deep.

They gleamed on the reservoir's floor, standing out in Trevor's eye. Anyone else's lungs would have shriveled and collapsed while being underwater for a time.

However, Trevor wasn't like anyone else. He controlled water.

His fingers brought rivers to life. He could live in the deepest lake or most expansive sea without consequence. It was a formality to come up for air.

Trevor knew he didn't have to rise to the surface, but it felt good to believe he was normal...and at the same time terrible to hide from himself. He was never sure of what to do in any situation.

Soon, every rupee the Zora child lost was in Trevor's hands. He came out of the water with the glimmering bundle, his clothes drenched from the swim.

Water could still make Trevor feel cold; he shivered as goosebumps riddled his skin. He took a long walk back to the top of the waterfall, to the path where the astonished Zora child waited. The boy was on his feet, his jaw dropping from shock. His eyes glimmered with gratitude.

"I didn't know humans could do that," he said. "I'm too little to even dive, but you swam like you've been one of us your whole life!"

Trevor smirked as he handed the rupees over. "You'll be better than me," he said. "When you get older and taller. I just have a gift."

"You definitely do."

Trevor's neck stiffened. He was breathless for a moment as thoughts rushed through his head.

Then, with a deep sigh he turned around. Trevor shrugged his shoulders, ready to offer a thousand apologies. However, as he looked up at Claudius, he noticed the gentle look on the Zora leader's face.

"You weren't hard to find," Claudius declared. "But I suppose I needed a better evaluation of you. You're hiding a lot of talent beneath this facade."

Trevor had a response, but he choked on it. He wanted to call what he did a bunch of dumb luck, but he knew it already. There was no fooling this man.

"The fairy and the forest boy spoke for you," Claudius continued. "You have a gift of water. This is strange. No one should have that at all unless they're Zoras. Even though, what they described...it's fascinating. It reminds me of a legend…"

Claudius pressed a webbed hand to his mouth. It seemed like his turn to keep a secret, to lock away words that weren't meant to come out.

After gazing around the space, Claudius shook his head and closed his eyes, smirking.

"It's folly to think that...young man, I have a place I need to bring you. It should help you get better equipped for what is up ahead. Follow me."

Trevor couldn't believe it; he was right behind Claudius, obeying a command. The two of them left the Zora child behind, but Trevor heard one last gleeful giggle from the boy, whose name he realized he never learned.

"I appreciate your help!" the Zora child exclaimed. "Good luck with finding Ruto and Jabu-Jabu! I'm cheering for you all the way!"

Trevor looked back at the boy. He lifted his handful of rupees like a gift for a shrine. They seemed fitting for the occasion.

Trevor could pick out every color of every jewel cupped in the boy's palms. They looked so much clearer when they were out of the water's depths.

Chapter Text

"We'll make it home. I promise."

Trevor didn't really know. He just didn't want the others to worry.

Jerome led the way through the strange canyon the Oak Shire children were trapped in. He had the boldness to look ahead into the dark passageways and find the secrets Trevor couldn't bear to glimpse.

So far, their walk seemed endless. Every turn led to another blackened, rough path. It led to an uneasy feeling.

Maybe the children would be lost forever. Trevor fought to disbelieve the lie.

"Do you really think you we'll find a way out?" Sheila asked, wanting the same mind as Trevor.

Trevor nodded. He felt glad to be cloaked in the dark with his back turned to Sheila.

"Totally," he said. "We're not dead, so that means something."

"I hope so," Rebecca chimed in. "I'm not letting myself grow old and die down here. I got too much to live for."

"We're only ten," said Trevor.

Rebecca scoffed. "Which means I make sense!"

"I know, I know, I just..."

"You were just being stupid, like usual."

"Quit yelling at me!"

"I'm not…I'm just calling you dumb, idiota."

"Guys. Please."

Trevor made out Jerome's shape in dark. He kept feeling around, just in case.

His hands traced over the ridges of the wall to his right. He reached around a corner, paused for a moment, then peeked.

"Look," he said. "I see a light. At the end of this road."

Trevor rushed by his best friend's side. He leapt around his tall, wiry frame and peered down a long rocky stretch.

Surely enough, his best friend told the truth; a marigold beacon beckoned for travelers to walk towards it. The light beamed and glowed on the ground before it like a sunrise or dusk. Trevor felt relief.

"See?" Trevor said. "That's the way home. Don't you realize? Now we can go back. Come on!"

The children rushed to the light. With how lost they were, who could blame them.

No one wanted to be far away from home. So, they ran as fast as they could.

When the children reached the end, brightness covered them. They found themselves in the strangest place.

They stood in a stone room. Its shape was round, with smooth rock walls and tables scattered about.

A pair of obelisks rested in corners across from one another. Strange markings had been etched into their surfaces.

By who, no one knew. At least none of the children did.

"Where are we?" Jerome asked, fascinated.

"How would I know?" asked Rebecca. "None of us knows."

"I think I remember seeing this," said Sheila, who took in the room's ancient sights with wide eyes. "I…I don't really know but I feel it. It's so familiar."

"We have to go somewhere else," said Trevor. "Is there a door here, or something?"

"Yes." Sheila looked at Trevor, who returned her stare. "I saw it open one time. That's how I remember this place. I saw a lot of gold. Golden light. Then we go through the door."

Trevor raised an eyebrow. "We're supposed to find a way out of here. Home. That didn't sound like home. And what are you talking about? You're acting weird."

"Back off!" Rebecca pointed a finger at Trevor. "You always talk like a jerk. You can do that with me, but not with my friends. Got it?"

"Knock it off, you're not helping!"

"Perro!"

"Speak English!"

"I found the door."

Sheila pointed at a wall in the room. When the others looked in the same direction, they froze.

In awe, they saw five colorful symbols painted on the rock. Red, blue, violet and orange, standing side-by-side.

Each child suddenly drew close to the wall.

Jerome walked before the red symbol, which was shaped like a flame.

Sheila walked before the violet emblem, which was triangle encircled by three orbs.

Rebecca gazed at two amber swirls spiraling around one another.

From a distance, even Trevor saw the blue symbol, which was shaped like crystals grouped together.

Everyone seemed to have their symbol.

Everyone came close except for Trevor Berenson.

"Guys," he said. "We have to go. Now. How are we getting home?"

Before anyone could respond, a strange sound crept into the space. Trevor didn't know where it came from until he saw small pebbles crumble from the wall where the symbols rested.

Then, like in the field, the room rumbled and quaked. Trevor barely kept as his footing as violent movements shifted the world around him and his friends.

Suddenly, the rock wall split open. It tore in half at the very center, dividing the symbols from one another.

In the space between the two halves, golden light poured out. This was the door.

Trevor already knew it wouldn't lead to home.

NOW

"This is him, eh?"

The Zora Doctor was very different from the rest of his people. His eyes were stern. They weren't dark marbles like the other Zoras' gazes.

He was shorter than Claudius and had an olive green complexion. His head was flat and wide, stretching from side to side like a board.

Honestly, the man's head reminded Trevor of a stingray. His mouth was a thin line that barely opened and shut whenever he spoke.

"Yes," answered Claudius. "This is him."

"I can't believe we're about to give a human my golden scale treatment," said the Zora Doctor. "He's not even Hylian."

"But his potential is tremendous." Claudius clapped Trevor on the back. Trevor gritted his teeth and swallowed a response.

"…He's not even Hylian." The Zora Doctor tapped his foot on the floor of his laboratory. "Why not try this forest boy I heard of? Kokiri children have very redeeming qualities. They're adaptable to the world around them. That's not an easy thing for the pure humanoid type to do."

"Help is help, Doctor Finn. This one has qualities worthy of the golden scale."

"Don't they all, now?" Doctor Finn skimmed Trevor with his harsh glare. Trevor's stomach knotted up as he was observed. He didn't need all this nonsense.

"Fine." Doctor Finn threw his arms in the air while closing his eyes. Trevor was relieved. "Come along, boy. Jabu-Jabu is rabid, eh Claudius?"

Claudius nodded solemnly. "His cries can be heard across all the land,"

Doctor Finn shook his head. "Strange...well, young ensign, down this way." He gestured toward a wooden door that apparently led inside his laboratory.

Inside were different tables with tools on the surfaces. They scattered everywhere, overwhelming Trevor's mind. He sat in a chair in the room while watching Doctor Finn prepare himself.

"If you could roll back a sleeve," he said. "That would be appreciated. This process is precious...and it's important for us to get it just right."

Trevor obeyed Doctor Finn. He rolled up the left sleeve of his shirt until it folded past his elbow. When the doctor faced Trevor, he showed him a pair of tweezers which held a small, glimmering gold disc.

"Here it is," the doctor proclaimed. "The fabled golden scale. With this, you'll be able to breathe far better than you do now. Zoras are unable to take this scale themselves—it's against their nature to be better at breathing underwater than they are now. Their bodies would literally reject it." The hammerhead Zora seemed to marvel at his own creation, as if someone else made it and trusted him with the item. "Well. Let's get the procedure underway, shall we?"

The Zora doctor peered down at Trevor's exposed arm, his fingertips feeling for a place to embed the scale. When his pointer finger pressed down on a spot in the middle of Trevor's forearm, he gave a satisfied hum before taking out a scalpel. Trevor felt a lump in his throat.

He also felt a prick of pain as the scalpel's small blade opened his skin. Blood slowly seeped from the wound.

The doctor wiped the red away with a white cloth, making it easy for Trevor's stomach to slosh at the sight of the stains. Then, the golden scale came back, glowing above the cleaned cut.

"Be still," the doctor murmured.

Trevor wanted to close his hand into a fist, but thought that would get in the way of the process. He clenched his jaw and grinded his teeth as if they were gears.

The pain wasn't great, but Trevor wondered if it was just the start of what he would feel. He closed his eyes as the scale slid into the cut.

It slithered beneath the skin like a snake burrowing in the ground.

Trevor shivered. So much of him—all of him—felt cold. As the scale took root in his arm, he swore he'd have other changes—webs between his fingers, gills in his neck, and maybe a change of color in his eyes.

Trevor would be different, more different than he already was and the strangeness could finally become something he might embrace…

AT THE ZORA ARMORY

Link was getting better at this.

He mastered the Zora spear, though it came at the cost of his energy. His body burned with hours of training.

Both the Kokiri's arms were like hot lead, shaking and wobbling after an endless session in the armory.

He wandered outside the Zora Doctor's office on Navi's advice. She said Trevor was taken to this place to get something that would help with containing Lord Jabu-Jabu.

"Maybe he'll settle down if you show him some support," she said.

"Why don't Sheila and Jerome do that?" Link asked.

Navi folded her arms while staring at the doctor's door. "They've known him for longer than either of us," she said. "But..I've seen the look on his face. He's still alone."

"How is that?"

"You'll know better than me, Link. Trust me."

Navi turned to face Link. She leaned forward and looked her charge in the eyes.

"I still see the same look in your eyes," said Navi. "What's hurting you, Link? Won't you speak with me?"

Link stopped sharing his gaze with his guardian. He looked off to the side, where he saw Sheila and Jerome training.

They spoke to each other, giving words Link couldn't hear. He saw the smiles on their faces, the way they seemed to encourage each other. Link hadn't felt this way for a while with his own friends, who were few in the forest.

"Link…" Navi's voice had pain in it and Link's heart sank. He didn't mean to push her away, but there were parts of him that couldn't open up to what weighed him down.

Link stared at the corridor's ground as he waited for the Zora doctor's door to open. Navi went along with the silence. The flutter of her wings wasn't as strong as it had been.

When the door opened, Link looked up to see Trevor. He seemed to be in a world of his own.

The boy's green eyes stared past the forest boy and his fairy, which made Link think Trevor was focused on his friends from Oak Shire. Instead, as Trevor walked past Link and Navi, he went off somewhere else, away from the domain's openness.

Link started realizing why Navi wanted him to be around Trevor more. It all made sense.

"Excuse me."

Link turned and saw the Zora doctor smiling at him while standing in the doorway of his quarters. The Zora's yellow eyes seemed to carry many thoughts in them as well. Link wanted to connect the dots of what he had just seen, with Trevor's zombie like walk and the doctor's own quiet astonishment.

It was going to be interesting to figure out what was going on.

"I have a procedure," said Doctor Finn. "One that I believe you'd be perfect for."

Link looked back at where Trevor walked, though the boy was out of sight. "But...I thought that was for Trevor?"

The Zora doctor waved off the statement. "Ah, but I've come to find he's already well-equipped for the quest ahead. You, on the other hand, are a skilled young man with a great need for more refinement. The procedure will, erm, fit you more. I'm sure of it. Will you please make your way into my office, if you're comfortable in doing so?"

Link looked up at Navi. Navi looked down at her charge, giving him an encouraging smile. This was always going to be their exchange, their way of speaking without words.

Link knew he didn't need permission from his fairy. He was capable of making up his own mind, but sometimes it was hard to not seek out wanted to know what happened in the doctor's office.

Trevor's shocked demeanor made Link think for the longest time. As he gained the golden scale the Zora doctor spoke of, he realized that something about the procedure didn't work.

It must have been what shocked Trevor—not being able to get what helped. At least Link would be able to do it himself and finally feel of use.

LATER ON

Doctor Finn didn't reveal the development to anyone—he actually made Link promise to keep it a secret. However, he was still stunned by the fact that Trevor's body rejected the scale.

Only those of Zora origin would do such a thing—again, there was no reason for them to add an extra scale to their person. Only people of Zora blood would be able to do what Trevor did.

It made the Zora doctor think of legends from over the years. Once, there was a Zora warrior who donned ancient armor during a time of war. Without the warrior's bravery and skills, the river Zoras of Hyrule wouldn't even be alive now. Instead, they'd be enslaved or worse.

Perhaps this boy was part of the legend. Much more could be said about the forest child the Zora doctor had treated—he had an even greater air about him despite his humble demeanor.

The events of the day caused the doctor to ponder who these messengers of the royal family were. They weren't mere prodigies. Even the children themselves seemed unaware of what their actual potential was—but someday it was destined to be realized.

Doctor Finn took great interest in these facts. They were beyond his own personal beliefs.

Chapter Text

Rebecca's mattress was like a cloud.

She floated on air while resting on it. Her chains were still heavy and reminded her that she was the Gerudos' prisoner, but it was nice for her to be in a bed again.

For the first time since Rebecca came to the desert, there was a part of her life which felt normal. It felt good.

She hoped everything would be well in the end.

For some strange reason, Rebecca thought of Nabooru. She couldn't explain why. Rebecca sensed the thief from a distance away, walking somewhere beyond the fortress' walls.

She sensed snippets of frustration, followed by mild worries which were then overwhelmed by joy. All these sensations, all at once, overwhelmed Rebecca.

Before she even opened her eyes, Rebecca sensed Nabooru outside the door of her cell, speaking in the local language to the two guards posted at it.

A moment later, Nabooru knelt at Rebecca's bedside. The thief gently nudged Rebecca's back with her hand.

"Kid," she said. "Get up. Now, please."

"Let me sleep a little longer," Rebecca groaned. "It's not like I'm going anywhere. I'm still a prisoner."

"Kid…" Nabooru's touch persisted. "You have to get up. It's important that you do."

"I don't want to..."

"The sisters will have a fit."

"They can make me get up..."

"I'm the one they sent to do that. You are far too rebellious. Please, rise. Don't you want to know our decision?"

Rebecca's eyes snapped open. She slowly rose from her mattress, keeping her eyes low as she sat up.

"Oh," Rebecca replied. "How do you...decide on things?"

"We vote," said Nabooru. "Two sides give a case and then the council makes a decision. We made it this morning, right after the dawn."

"What did you choose?" Rebecca asked.

"It was almost unanimous," said Nabooru, who looked away from Rebecca. "Only one person kept everyone from being in agreement. Why, I don't know. I may never find out."

"So…?" Rebecca's eyes stung from her tears. Her lips trembled and she couldn't tell how Nabooru was feeling by just looking at her. The thief's face blurred in the space of Rebecca's worried vision.

"Child…" Nabooru placed a hand on top of Rebecca's. "You have to be bold, alright? In everything you do, there can be no fear, even during these times. Every trial. Every tribulation. If you let fear take you over, it will rule you. I want courage to course through your veins. Can you do that?"

Nabooru's tone changed. Once, she had a harshness laced in her voice, one so strong that it often caused a rise in Rebecca.

This time around, the voice was gentle. Rebecca felt this as well; a calm nature in Nabooru's very core.

She wasn't able to understand where this feeling came from either, but Rebecca knew something was there. She knew that as long as Nabooru spoke to her in this cell, it would be as a friend who was always on Rebecca's side.

"I can do that," Rebecca answered.

Nabooru smiled and patted the back of her hand. "Good...good. It's good that you're understanding this. If you didn't, I wouldn't feel too good about having convinced the council to spare you. They don't want timid girls living amongst them, you know."

Rebecca almost flared up again. "I'm not timid, I'm...I'm…"

Nabooru's words dawned on her. The tears came back and Rebecca jumped off the bed.

She landed in Nabooru's arms, causing the thief to stumble backwards. Rebecca sobbed into Nabooru's shoulder, struggling to blubber out words of thanks.

"OK," Nabooru stammered. "Yes—ow—you're welcome. You're very welcome. Please get off. Now."

Rebecca gladly obeyed. She wiped her tears and sighed out in relief.

A million more thank yous were somewhere in Rebecca's heart, but she decided to save them for later. The feeling of safety was overwhelming and wonderful, all at the same time.

Nabooru straightened her outfit as Rebecca settled down. After doing so, she clapped twice and the cell door opened.

She quietly commanded Rebecca with voiceless nods to follow her out. The two emerged into a hallway made from sandstone bricks.

The entire Gerudo fortress was built this way. Its marigold makeup reminded Rebecca of Egypt. She envisioned colorful portraits of its ancient pyramids in the textbooks she read back in Oak Shire.

Dwelling on her surroundings kept Rebecca from noticing the Gerudo guards that walked beside her and Nabooru. There was one guard on each side, brandishing their spears with shining points.

The Gerudo Fortress was a maze. Torches lit the pathways, offering guidance to whoever walked through its quiet, formidable halls.

If she were alone, Rebecca would have easily gotten lost. At the turn of every corner, more Gerudo guards appeared—all dressed in purple with veils over the bottom halves of their faces. All facing forward with spears in their hands.

All very cautious, probably of Rebecca, some reason—a reason Rebecca didn't know.

"Don't worry," said Nabooru, as if she read Rebecca's mind. "Relax. They're just escorting us out."

A final hallway beamed brighter than the other corridors beforehand. Daylight beckoned Rebecca, Nabooru and the guards at the end of it.

When everyone walked through the exit, Rebecca's eyes stung as golden rays struck her face. She winced, recovered quickly, and managed to keep up with Nabooru's swift stride.

Rebecca's feet sunk into soft golden sand. It stretched out, bordering a cultivated pathway of hardened soil.

The dirt road weaved through the Gerudo Fortress' grounds, climbing up a small hill on the building's opposite side. Nabooru led the way on the path, bringing everyone toward a gathering of little red homesteads at the end of the road.

"And so," Nabooru declared "I can proudly welcome you to Gerudo Village."

The Gerudo Village's homesteads had an order to them. They stood side by side with the same amount of space between one another.

Each house had two open windows in the front, a wooden door and little else. Some Gerudo women sat on the flat rooftops. Their legs hung off the side, their feet swaying carelessly above the ground.

The neighborhood of homes surrounded a well in the center of the village. Someone built a structure around the well which harbored a bucket that was clearly used for drawing water from the hole's depths.

At the sight of it, Rebecca's mouth went dry and she realized her throat was parched.

Rebecca felt a light tap on her shoulder. Nabooru nodded her head in the well's direction.

"Go on ahead, little vehvhi. Drink up."

Rebecca tried her best not to rush to the well. She could have tripped over the chains still clamped to her wrists and ankles.

Rebecca used the pulley's ropes to put the bucket deep into the well. When the bucket emerged, it overflowed with water. As Rebecca brought the bucket her way, it tilted and some of the contents splashed out.

A wooden ladle dangled from the pulley's bar by a rope. Rebecca detached the ladle from its place, dipped its bowl into the bucket and slurped the water that came up with it. Her thirst faded with every gulp.

Rebecca was about to let the bucket and ladle be when she turned in her direction. She was face-to-face with a young girl who was around her height.

The girl was more slender than Rebecca, her arms gangly and bony. The elbows jutted out like sticks from the ground. Her curly hair spiraled down to her slumped shoulders.

The hair was uncombed, messy and frayed all over the place. It was just like Rebecca's own hair, in some ways.

Rebecca noticed how the girl seemed to have the saddest pair of blue eyes. She looked like a Gerudo; she dressed like them, garbed in a wrinkled version of the outfit the guards wore.

Other girls in the village, the ones who frolicked and laughed throughout its space, looked noticeably nicer. Two traits made this girl look different—her blue eyes and light skin.

She wasn't unlike Rebecca; they could have been the same person, outside of everything else around them.

Rebecca dipped her ladle into the bucket one more time. She offered it to the Gerudo girl, who's mouth opened as if she were about to say something.

Without a word, the girl accepted the ladle and took a drink. After she was done, she stared at Rebecca with glistening eyes.

"You can have the rest," Rebecca said. "I'm done. I'm Rebecca, by the way."

"Vangranta," said the Gerudo girl, who clutched the ladle as if it were the last thing she would ever hold. Rebecca smiled, nodded an acknowledgement of her new acquaintance's name and walked back to Nabooru, carrying her chains with her.

The first thing Rebecca noticed when she returned to Nabooru was a scowl and shake of the head.

"That was unclean," the thief pointed out, nodding toward Vangranta.

Rebecca bowed her head. "Sorry."

Nabooru looked like she was going to scold Rebecca some more, but sealed her eyes shut and exhaled. "It's...fine. It's fine."

Nabooru showed Rebecca around the village a bit more. More Gerudo children were at play. Rebecca kept an eye out for Vangranta.

The Gerudo girl sat in the shade of a homestead's canopy, watching the other children. She didn't seem to understand joy, laughter or smiling.

Silence was all she showed so far. Vangranta just watched the other Gerudo girls kick a ball around, with none of them paying Vangranta any mind. A fire flared inside Rebecca's chest.

"The meeting regarding your fate was long," said Nabooru, shaking Rebecca from her concentration on the game and the lonely Gerudo girl. "There was...the gallows option. It was hard to convince them of matters, but once I brought up a key factor, they backed off. I still had to convince them that exile was just as bad as the death penalty." Nabooru looked down at Rebecca with both her eyebrows raised, as if Rebecca suddenly forgot that she owed this woman her very life.

"I could have left the desert?" Rebecca asked.

"We would have put you back where we found you," said Nabooru.

"Wouldn't I have found my way back?"

Nabooru laughed. "Oh, you're too determined, girl. We have markers in the wasteland to help us, but we've lived here our whole lives. You, on the other hand, have barely been here. It would have been unwise for you to try and go through the desert. You would need proper training to go either way. And if you violated the exile's rules…" Nabooru slid a finger across her throat to make the grim warning clear. "Well. I'm glad we chose otherwise."

Rebecca's stomach flipped. She was honestly glad as well. "Exile would have been real mean," she admitted.

"I thought as much," Nabooru said. "Be lucky. Very lucky. You're...still going to have to be chained, but you're alive. Just control yourself and maybe we can unshackle you sooner than later. Your cell can become a full-fledged room and we'll lift some restrictions. You can come out to the desert and play without the chains for as long as you wish...but you must stay within the Village's borders. That's the rule. Don't do what happened out in the wasteland, either."

"I still don't remember what happened in the wasteland. And I haven't done anything."

"A good thing. It helped with the defense. Made it easy for the sisters to agree with your being alive and among us."

"I disagree with all this."

Nabooru and Rebecca glanced in the direction of the voice that interrupted them. Mira the guard leaned against a homestead's wall.

She took off her veil at some point and seemed off-duty. Her spear stood beside her, leaning against the same wall she lounged on.

The Gerudo woman sneered at Rebecca, making no effort to hide her disdain. Rebecca was tempted to stick her tongue out and definitely would have if Nabooru hadn't been around.

"Give it a rest," said Nabooru. "You made your opinion known with your vote. Isn't that enough, Mira?"

"Wait…" Rebecca nodded toward Mira. "She voted against me?"

"She was the only one," Nabooru said. "Mira was outnumbered, poor girl. She has the freedom to go against her leaders and form her own opinion, but I am disappointed by the dissension. This is my first time saying that to you, sister."

"I'm looking out for the rest of us."

"And you don't think I was?" Nabooru crossed her arms and smiled while scoffing. "I weighed everything involving this child carefully. I don't make my decisions lightly."

"And I don't believe you make wise decisions either."

"Watch what you say to me, Mira."

"You permitted my honesty as well. Free, open dialogue. Yes? Well, I'm being honest with you. You're going off a hunch. This can open the flood gates of disaster."

"Need I remind you that a certain someone is negotiating with outsiders as we speak?"

"...I don't put it past him to not care for us. I thought you knew better, Nabooru. Really, I did. It's upsetting that you're so much like him, even when you refuse to bow to him. Maybe he's more right than you on some ideas."

Nabooru walked toward Mira. She dropped her arms and looked the guard dead in the eye. They were inches away from each other. Rebecca wondered if they would stop talking and throw fists. She almost lost her breath as unsettling sight continued.

"Mira," said Nabooru. "You can stage a coup if you want. Get all the other sisters-in-arms to join you. I mean, they all voted alongside me but maybe they were pressured to not look cold and heartless. I'm sure they'll enjoy going against me, since my reasoning obviously didn't dawn on them, yes?"

Mira's sneer grew. It was as if her mouth fought to keep in the words she wanted to throw out into the air.

After another moment of glares between the two Gerudo women, Mira threw her arms up and stormed back to the homestead. She snatched the spear from its resting place and stormed off.

"I'm late for my post at the valley bridge," Mira snapped. "Just make sure you're right, Nabooru. If you're wrong, we'll hold it against you. You can have no doubt about that."

Rebecca watched Mira until she disappeared around a corner heading south. It took her a decent amount of time before she realized her grip tightened on the chains she held up.

The links pressed against her skin and left red marks on the palms. As she let the chains drop, Nabooru turned to her and ran her fingers through her crimson ponytail.

"With that," she declared in a mocking regal tone. "The tour is done."

Rebecca smiled her anger away. "I like it a lot. There aren't any boys here. Not that they're bad, but it's nice seeing more girls than anything. You don't get that in Oak Shire."

Nabooru laughed. "Men are weak. Every single one of them."

"Isn't there one you all follow? You just talked about him."

"Just to make a point." Nabooru's face suddenly grew dark and Rebecca felt uneasy. "We haven't seen him for days. He'll come back, hopefully with good news, but...I don't respect him. He's not a good ruler."

"Who is he?"

"...No one worth another breath of mine."

Nabooru stretched her arm out to the rest of Gerudo Village. "Have you ever seen the archery range? All our warriors train on the grounds there. You can see the best archers in all of Hyrule there."

"That sounds good." Rebecca's heart leapt with curiosity and joy.

"You'll be served something other than gruel tonight," Nabooru announced. "Lamb soup with fresh baked bread. No more stale cakes."

"Thank God."

"Goddess. Din, specifically. You're one of us, kid, one of us."

"Oh. Yeah. Din." Before she headed toward the range, Rebecca had a thought.

Nabooru's smile went away for a moment. She looked Rebecca in the eyes, just as she did with Mira.

However, unlike the other times they exchanged hard looks, there was a gentleness to the stare. It was the same look Nabooru held in Rebecca's cell, when Rebecca didn't know what would happen to her once she left it.

There were so many secrets behind Nabooru's eyes and Rebecca knew it. She didn't know what it all meant. At least not yet.

"When...the incident in the wasteland happened," Nabooru explained. "We saw an energy come out of you. That's why it scared everyone so damn much. That's why they thought you must have been one of demonkind."

Rebecca tried to imagine what the energy must have looked like. It was powerful enough to change a landscape and put fear into the hearts of others.

"Why don't they think that anymore?" asked Rebecca.

"I saw something in that energy." Nabooru looked away from Rebecca and ushered her along in the direction of the archery range. "A familiar shape. A body. A face. Someone's very soul. It had a stance I'd seen one too many times before to not recognize. You're...familiar to people. The others with me admit that they saw the same image I did, unbelievable as it was to them. They kept you alive for the sake of that possible truth…like I said. You're a lucky girl indeed, Rebecca. Come along, now. I've said enough for today."

Rebecca wanted to know what Nabooru meant. However, she knew she wouldn't get an answer.

It was hard for Rebecca to explain, but she sensed feelings again. Nabooru had a serene nature about her, but somewhere inside her, it was dark.

It was as if the night hid away in a space set aside in Nabooru's soul, showing itself when the sun went down so the thief could hide in it, do her craft without disturbance and then just sit somewhere she would be undisturbed. Nabooru was hurt and Rebecca hurt with her.

If only she knew what it was all about.

Chapter Text

You're going to die today.

Trevor's lungs shriveled up from a lack of air. A relentless pair of arms held him underwater. One hand pressed down on his shoulders-the other clutched his throat.

Whenever Trevor tried to fight back, one of the hands swiped away at his feeble attacks. Whenever he tried to scream, silence came out instead. Whenever he tried to take a desperate gulp of air, bubbles rose and nothing more happened.

This was when the boy realized he was helpless in the water.

This is who you are. Weak. Stupid. In over your head. What kind of idiot are you? You disgust me.

Trevor reached up again without opening his eyes. What was the point of seeing his own doom, of seeing what was going to take him out of this world?

He didn't want to face what harmed him. He wanted it to stop. All of it to just stop, for God's sake. Just—

Quit fighting it. Just allow me to win. It's easier for you, buddy. And everyone else, too.

Trevor finally recognized the voice. It stopped whispering, hiding behind its rasps. Instead, the voice boasted out in the open. It sounded distant yet close. Worst of all, it was a voice Trevor knew all too well.

Are you actually trying to fight me?

Trevor was. He reached up and clawed the wrist attached to the arm that harbored five cruel fingers that tore into Trevor's scalp. Pain seared into the skin, bearing down on the skull as Trevor drew closer to losing himself. Bit by bit, the boy was slipping away.

Cute. You're trying to fight me…

Trevor finally had to do it. He opened his eyes and gave out one last futile cry. It was more of the same—silence, struggles, weakness, nothing else. His captor had the upper hand.

Trevor Berenson, the world's biggest failure. Are you planning on challenging me? You won't be able to. And when you do, I'll only make you fall even further than you already have. Won't that be the loveliest thing?

Trevor looked up at the surface. His captor was above water. The captor grinned down on him, their smile crueler than anything Trevor had ever known.

Bullies at school were saints in comparison. This, however, was different.

He couldn't take this.

Trevor knew the face of the one who held him down. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Enjoy your last day. Trevor.

Trevor woke up and barely snatched the scream in his throat. He wiped cold sweat from his brow. His skin felt slick. Trevor couldn't grasp himself. Everything felt unreal. He wondered if the dream was real, or may have even brought itself into the waking world.

Of course, he already knew the answer. Trevor didn't want to think about it.

He searched his surroundings. Zora's domain was dark and quiet. The room he shared with Link, Jerome and Sheila was frigid and lonely.

Darkness defined the time, save for peculiar glimmers of water from the domain's aquifers. Otherwise, all Trevor saw was shadows.

"That was more than just a nightmare."

Another light in the dark. Navi was a foot away from Trevor. She had genuine worry on her face, looking at Trevor with a glimmer in her stare.

"What happened?" she asked. "Can you let us help you?"

Trevor looked down at his lap, just to avoid eye contact. The shadows around him felt unbearable, suddenly. He didn't want to admit how much he adored Navi's light.

He felt alarmed at sudden footsteps. Then, he saw that it was Link, still wearing his tunic, but without his belt and hat, his hair messy from sleep.

"It was...just a bad dream," Trevor said.

"No. As I said, there's more to it than that." Navi flew close to Trevor's face, making him feel more peaceful and on edge, all at the same time. "You know, I...hear you when you sleep."

"That's creepy. Thanks."

"Trevor, come on. Be serious."

"Sorry."

"You...you have a lot of bad dreams. Even for a kid with an imagination, that's just too much. You've been through a lot and we know it. What happened? Does it have to do with your powers?"

"Please leave me alone."

"No. Talk to us. Let us in and stop running from this."

"I said leave me alone. You...you can't help me. I don't want it. Maybe I can just go and Link can do what he's been doing. Playing hero. Like he always does. He's good at it, honestly. I...I just want to save that princess, get the whale back in the fountain, get the magic stone and go home. Don't you want to go home too?"

Trevor saw Link turn away from him. "I want to keep everyone safe," he said. "This is how we can do it. By talking. It's not fair to us to push us away when we care about you."

"None of this is fair for us!" Trevor said, keeping his voice low. He didn't want to wake up his friends. "At least Hyrule's your home. And you have a place to go back to whether or not you save Hyrule. Us? We have to wait until it's all over to get back. I don't know when we will. We may never go back home. Or if we can...everything is riding on this. It's all a nightmare. So there, that's the bad dream. Hyrule. Everything I had to show everyone...why do we have to do so much when we have no idea what's happening?"

Trevor didn't want to speak anymore. When Navi and Link realized this, they went back to bed. The talk was done.

It took Trevor a long time to fall back asleep. He didn't want to dream again. The nightmares grew worse, feeling more real with every occurrence.

He was thankful when a Zora sentry came by and shouted into the children's room to wake up and prepare for the battle ahead...then, the fear of that sank in. Regardless, Trevor rose and walked out, having to face the day ahead...

On The Day The Four Left...

When Trevor saw the golden light in the cavern, he tried to run.

A great wind spread across the chamber where the children stood. Then, none of them were standing. They all began to rise, like leaves or small pebbles.

They could have been feathers with the way they floated and soared. One by one, the golden light brought them in, absorbing them into its center.

Trevor tried to grab onto something, anything at all. A rock stuck out the ground. His fingertips grazed its rigid surface. They couldn't clutch it and suddenly, Trevor was gone.

The golden light took him in. As he plummeted into the unknown, memories flashed before him.

Trevor saw his parents. They delighted in him in this image, reaching out to a younger version of himself. His small arms and hands reached out to them and he yearned for them to pick him up, to show him affection, to remind him how wonderful home was.

He remembered seeing Jerome on the first day of school in second grade. Trevor remembered the pain of a recess bully's punch and kick, only for it to be soothed by Jerome standing up for him and helping him to his feet. Their friendship endured for years after that, and hopefully would forever.

He remembered quiet Sheila with her sunglasses. They helped her cover up the strangeness of her eyes. Once, he saw them when they fell from her face and he had question about why the irises were red. There were secrets she knew, secrets she couldn't tell, secrets waiting to be unraveled by the truth...would he ever see the truth of anything after this?

Rebecca. Trevor saw Rebecca. He saw her goofy smile at the sight of him. He heard her grating voice when she teased him in Spanish, refusing to reveal whatever playful insult she had in her arsenal. Later on, he'd find out and be annoyed, especially at the swear words she used on him.

He remembered this one time when they held hands by accident, in the middle of an assembly at school. Trevor started falling asleep and cupped his hand over hers while they sat on the dusty floor of Oak Shire Elementary School's gym, which doubled as an auditorium with a stage along the one of the basketball court's sidelines.

Some speaker talked about this book the class read (Trevor remembers that they were the author, but he didn't really remember the writer or the story they wrote). Everything got boring and Trevor slumped towards Rebecca, who sat cross legged beside him.

Then, he felt a hard slap on the back of his hand and punch in his right arm that stung. He looks at Rebecca, who's glaring and blushing and seems to be fighting a smile. It was all so weird because it looked like she was trying to be mad as well.

"Perro!" she hissed. "You...don't touch me."

Somehow, they became friends after this. Every day on the playground went like this; Trevor would be playing a game with Jerome, and sometimes even Sheila when she was up for it. He'd always find himself far too happy to notice his surroundings.

Then, Rebecca would give him a playful shove. She always seemed careful about it so he wouldn't fall. At the times Trevor did, Rebecca always stopped and offered a hand.

"Don't tell the teacher," she said. "It was just a joke, honest! Sorry, amigo…"

When Rebecca helped him up, she always held onto his hand a little longer than she needed to. She'd look him right in the eyes and Trevor would look back until he felt warm in the face. Then, Rebecca pulled her hand away like his touch was made of fire.

"What's that about?" Rebecca asked Trevor, as if he started it. "Don't look at me like that...it's weird. Idiota…"

And so, Trevor thought of his friends while floating through a terrible void of light. He kept floating by until everything turned dark, as if the world lost its light.

Now

"We don't have much time to waste," said Claudius in the domain. He was on a flat rock shore within the settlement's main chamber, addressing his warriors as well as the group of volunteer warriors. Every man stood to attention, holding their weapons while donning their uniforms. Trevor and Link were dressed in Zora armor and had their own weapons on hand. Jerome and Sheila stood nearby in their own gear, but weren't going to be part of the underwater containment group.

"Jabu-Jabu's state is growing wilder," said Claudius. "None of the casualties are deaths, but some men are going to have long breaks from our army. It breaks their hearts to not be of any assistance. Let's do them justice by containing Jabu-Jabu, shall we?"

The sentries nodded their heads in agreement. Trevor's stomach flipped as he searched for courage within himself.

A lump swelled in his throat. If his insides were a place, his feelings were the hurricane that destroyed it. He was surprised he could still stand straight.

"Let's get to work quickly," said Claudius. "Half the battalion will take rolling rafts to Lake Hylia via Zora's River. Ration out the water so you don't dry up on the countryside. The rest shall go with me into the warp tunnel. Two ensigns will be with that group as well." He nodded towards Trevor and Link. "We need to start the detainment of Lord Jabu-Jabu as soon as possible. No harm must befall him. After all...Ruto is likely trapped in his belly with no way of getting out. Is this understood?"

The men all replied in unison. Their shouts carried, then echoed. Even Link let out a meek, confident "Yes sir," along with Navi. Trevor searched for words.

"When I say 'go'," continued Claudius. "Dive in side-by-side. Enter the warp tunnel and go with the pathway's flow. You'll fare just fine. Move it along, brave ones. Best of luck to you. Link and Trevor, a moment of your time. Please."

Link, Trevor and Navi went off to the side with Claudius. The Zora General was dressed in bronze armor.

He donned a helmet with glyphs carved into the surface. His expression was stony and calm.

"Are you two up for it?" he asked. "The task at hand? Your abilities are latent, but...you're very young. Not that we haven't enlisted young warriors before...but you're out of your natural element. It's a high order."

"I broke a curse in my own guardian and helped slay a big dinosaur," said Link. "I'm pretty much ready for anything."

Trevor looked at Claudius as soon as the commander turned his attention to him. He hated that he had to make eye contact with the general.

They had their spats and Claudius openly had some doubts. At this moment, he didn't seem keen on backing down in using Trevor for the mission. What else was Trevor supposed to do?

"Sure," Trevor said. "As long as we can get ourselves out of this mess. I'm ready to just be done with it."

Claudius seemed to sense Trevor's true feelings, but cast them aside. "Fine. We're heading off now. It's time to use your talents to help the Zora people. Your friends will be on the rolling rafts, no doubt kept safe by my men. Follow my lead, both of you."

The four of them went back to the waiting army. Claudius faced the sentries and raised a hand to earn their attention back.

"Now is the time!" said Claudius. "Get to your stations! Board the rafts! For the Zora people, let us save our guardian and future queen! For the river people!"

"For the river people!" the men shouted.

Everyone scattered about. Link, Navi and Trevor said their goodbyes to Sheila and Jerome. The two of them looked back at the others with worry, having to get nudged toward rolling rafts by Zoras. Trevor felt like the illest child alive. He turned back toward the shore, inching toward the water where the warp tunnel rested.

Claudius turned toward the water as well. He got into a diver's stance, leaning forward until he had to press down on the ground with both hands. After lifting himself up, Claudius seemed ready. He was still as a statue, steady and patient.

"On my mark," he said. "Ready…"

Trevor didn't see anyone around him. He only gazed at the ground. When it was time to go, would he move? Would he know what to do? Where was he supposed to be?

"Set…"

He was trembling. Oh God, Trevor was trembling so badly. He couldn't hold himself up, there was no way he could do this. He had to get away, he had to get away, he had to get away, he had to get away. Get away, get away, get away…

"GO!"

Trevor moved. His nerves were still there, but they spread out to every muscle in his body. From head to toe, Trevor was compelled to dash forward. He felt the water's serenity and wanted to take it with him. He wanted to float in there and never have to come out.

Trevor could afford it. Running was what he was best at sometimes, more than anything. What was one more time to him? However, the water's peace went away as soon as the army dove into the water. Trevor swam toward the warp tunnel. Link was up ahead. He was on the forest boy's heels. It took Trevor a moment to wonder about Navi, but he was certain her powers as a fairy had something to do with it. She would be by Link's side no matter what, helping him along.

For Trevor, he was alone. His friends were there and Link would lead him into battle. The kid was always good at that, the very best at it. After all, he was Hyrule's fabled hero, right? A chosen kid, somebody who was supposed to save the day when it came down to it.

What was Trevor supposed to be? Who was he? Trevor wasn't sure. He wanted to sit still in the water, doing nothing at all. That wasn't going to be allowed. Instead, he would have to deal with the current picking up, taking away the last of its own peace while dragging an army into a war it was yet to know anything about.

The warp was jarring. It rattled Trevor's bones, disrupting every trace of his body as he was taken through a tunnel known to shift souls around the world. He barely kept his eyes on Link and Navi, who were both getting used to the tunnel as well. Trevor waited for the warp to be over as soon as possible.

At the end of the warp, Trevor's body grew still. He was fully immersed in an even larger body of water, sensing its vast nature on all sides. This was Lake Hylia. He sensed a structure somewhere in the distance. It was in the water's depths as well, rooted to the floor, built into the core of an island with layers. He wondered what the place was, but his attention was soon directed elsewhere.

There was a new presence that was living. It was a gigantic shape that barreled in the lake, making a low sound. When Trevor realized it was a roar of sorts, he knew this was the rabid Lord Jabu-Jabu. His heart raced more than ever before.

The bokoblins were better than this encounter. They weren't otherworldly. They could be defeated, washed away by the river waters and put to permanent rest. Jabu-Jabu was like a god—it was unstoppable, immovable and incapable of being changed. Trevor didn't wonder how the Zoras could stop the whale—it just wasn't going to happen.

I don't think you'll stop it either.

Trevor looked around. He tried to find the voice's source in the currents. No one was around except for Zora sentries. Trevor recognized the voice but couldn't pinpoint it amongst the masses that rushed Jabu-Jabu.

He hesitated, but went after the guardian. His body strained against the water. It was strange. It was as if something held him back. A force yanked on his body, clawing at him as he pressed onward.

I bet the girl they're all talking about is dead. If she isn't, she will be soon. After all, you almost killed the other girl. Remember her, Trevor? You were so stupid on that day.

Shut up.

Trevor found himself talking back. He was sure he lost his mind. The voice—if it was what he thought it was—had to be his imagination. Being in Hyrule messed with him. Everything that happened until this moment was still beyond belief. Everytime Trevor closed his eyes, he waited to open them so he could be in the waking world.

Oh-oh-oooo. You have balls now, Berenson! Good for you! That's what I want. A fight.

The Zoras surrounded Lord Jabu-Jabu. Each held a grappling hook in their hands, swinging them around, defying physics to get a good rotation above their armored heads. Trevor took his own out and started swinging the hook above his head. He saw Link doing the same, watching the forest boy spin the tool with ease. Trevor's arms burned as he rotated his wrist, trying to ignore how grand the threat before him was.

No. No, no, no. I don't think you're going to save a princess today.

A great pain coursed through Trevor's body. It was like a hand reached into his chest and started to remove the heart from it. The fingers choked it, wanting to tear it out without mercy. Then, an actual hand emerged out of nowhere. Soon, it became an arm. Then, there was a torso. The arm gained a twin, followed by legs beneath the torso's waist.

A cruel face grinned at Trevor. Flashing red eyes widened in a grim glee at the terrified boy, who stopped spinning his grappling hook. A shadow hovered in front of him, looking ghoulish. When Trevor stared at the face before him, he couldn't believe it. It was like looking into a mirror. This was the figure from his nightmare, the captor who tried to drown him.

The shadow in the lake looked just like Trevor. He was an exact replica of him from head-to-toe.

"Hey there," said the Shadow. "Nice to meet you. Officially, I mean." He was able to speak underwater, much to Trevor's surprise.

How is this possible?

The Shadow sighed, much to Trevor's alarm. "Berenson. You're in a world of magic, moving elements, talking fish people, rock-eating goblins and fairies. How do you not believe in living shadows? God, you're freaking stupid, dude. Stupider than you were back home."

Trevor stared but couldn't speak due to the water. He could only express thoughts. You're not real. You can't be.

"Ooooh, but I am. And you know it. But if you don't think I'm real now...well, let's change the story and give it the happy ending it deserves."

The shadow grabbed Trevor by the throat. The cold grip pinched the skin, sinking its sharp touch into the airway. Trevor's breath was cut off—such a danger could happen regardless of his powers. The Shadow pushed Trevor away from the sentries and Jabu-Jabu. Trevor was in no control of the situation. He was helpless in the struggle, where he could only watch his fate.

Jabu-Jabu let out a cry once more. It was ugly and terrifying. For the first time since Trevor entered Lake Hylia, he saw an eerie glow in Jabu-Jabu's eyes. There was a red hue to its gaze. It was just like the shadow's stare—crimson like blood, as if violence was all it knew.

Jabu-Jabu shifted the waters. The disruption rattled Trevor again. His body convulsed as Lake Hylia's state was threatened. The lake gained tides which rose and fell, splashing against shores that were no longer peaceful. Every Zora Sentry scattered. They were never able to control Jabu-Jabu and Trevor wasn't sure if they would ever get another chance.

He was too busy losing his life.

The Shadow started to steal the rest of his breath. Trevor clutched the Shadow's wrist, hoping to pry its grip away from his neck. He seemed to have no such luck. HIs new foe snickered as he tightened his hold on Trevor. Everything started to turn black. The grip Trevor had on the skin loosened…

He stopped trying to breathe.

Go away...

Trevor didn't know what overcame him. He was trying to use the water as a last resort, but that didn't seem to work either. However, at the same time, something compelled his body to stay awake. It used both hands on the arm that held Trevor by the throat. This time, after a powerful thrust, Trevor was able to be free. Air filled his lungs and anger came in with it.

He tussled with the Shadow, circling around Lake Hylia's depths. The tides were still chaotic, shaking Trevor's concentration. He tried to keep a good focus on his enemy but couldn't see him clearly within the blur that obscured how it looked.

Trevor returned the favor. He found the exact spot The Shadow had attacked him and just squeezed. The Shadow looked alarmed. It was actually full of fear. The twisted expression of horror must have been what Trevor felt. Good. The freak would get a taste of its own medicine and Trevor wanted to enjoy every minute of it.

Then, the grin came back.

"Balls, Berenson. It's so exciting to see you be a warrior for once, you know? Admirable."

The Shadow shook off Trevor's assault. It dove headfirst into Trevor's gut, sending him backwards. Trevor fought to stay awake again, pounding down on the Shadow with his fists. Every attack seemed to hurt, though Trevor didn't think the blows had an effect on him. It just took that much strength to win the battle, to beat the enemy he didn't understand or see coming. He tried to keep the fight going as the tides took over, consuming the lake like whatever overcame Jabu-Jabu.

Trevor wasn't sure how the battle would end. He just remembered that after a while, his body didn't feel anything at all. The Shadow came back up again, reaching at him with its hands. This time, it looked more furious than amused or in pleasure. Then, without the loss of air or fingers wringing his neck, everything finally turned dark, as if the world lost all its light.

Chapter Text

"You're already growing used to the village."

Rebecca nodded at Nabooru's words while slurping on a spoonful of lamb soup. She enjoyed every taste of the delicacy. It even had a chunk of meat sticking out from the broth. Rebecca chewed on it vigorously before it also went down.

"It's nice," Rebecca said. "But really hot. Like the food." Some of the lamp soup dribbled down Rebecca's chin and sprinkled onto her dress.

Nabooru pursed her lips. She brought dinner to Rebecca's cell, on a tray that actually had two bowls along with a large loaf of golden bread. Nabooru thought it best if the two ate together and did so at a small table the Gerudo guards provided for them. They sat across from each other on humble stools.

"Do they teach manners in Oak Shire?" asked Nabooru.

Rebecca swallowed her food, embarrassed. "Sorry."

Nabooru waved off the mild error and moved on. "I know it's hot out here, but it's better than your winters in this Illinois, right?"

"True."

"You'll grow accustomed to the heat then. Once you become one of us, it will be an easy transition."

"But I'm going to leave the village."

Nabooru looked up from her bowl, letting her spoon fall in. She had a look on her face Rebecca didn't like.

"A...condition of keeping you alive," Nabooru sighed. "Was making sure you wouldn't be released out into the world. Ever."

Rebecca dropped her own spoon. The soup was spilling onto the table. Nabooru briefly scolded Rebecca and at the same time stood up. A pair of guards rushed into the room and Nabooru turned her attention to them.

"Do you see her getting angry?" she said. "She's just a little surprised by what I have to say. Stand down, now."

The guards looked like they were ready to disobey, but kept themselves by the door. It didn't stop either of them from pointing their spears in Rebecca's direction. Rebecca sensed their shining tips baring themselves like fangs. She wanted to snap the points from the weapon and shatter them into pieces. She wanted to do the same to Nabooru as well and wondered how her powers worked.

"That's not fair," said Rebecca, her voice straining.

"Life never is, Rebecca." Nabooru put her hands up, as if she were trying to push down on the storm swelling in Rebecca's chest. "But this is as fair as it gets. You live and if you play nice, you even lose the shackles. You can become a Gerudo. Prove your worth in the eyes of the thieves."

"What if I don't want to be a Gerudo?"

"Rebecca, you—" Nabooru pressed a hand to her brow. "—You'll get used to it. I can see the spark of a Gerudo in you, just understand—"

"I don't belong here."

"I don't think you have a choice in the matter, kid."

"You all want to be free but want to own everyone at the same time? How does that work?"

"It doesn't. It's just the best we can do."

"I think your way sucks." Rebecca stood up from her stool and stepped away from the table. She dared to take a step toward Nabooru. Nabooru held her ground but the guards stepped towards the conflict.

"Stay away from her, demon!" shouted one of the guards.

"I SAID BACK DOWN." Nabooru glared at the guards. "Try to disobey me. Just try, I dare you. You stood by me on this vote and you contradict me and yourselves now?"

"No," said the guard. "We just wanted to keep ourselves from sinning while it wasn't justified. This is a sin we may have to commit. Din will forgive us."

"I won't. Dammit, back down."

"Work quickly to calm her, Nabooru."

"What if my friends come looking for me?" Rebecca asked. "The ones I told you about? Are you going to tell them they have to leave because you found me first and think I'm dangerous? It's all 'finders keepers' for you?"

"If one of your friends were actually here, they would have found you. It's not that hard to find the desert."

"When you putas close yourselves off from the rest of the world, yeah it is!"

"I remember the meaning of your Spanish words. I suggest you stop."

"Puta, puta, PUTA!"

Nabooru stomped a foot on the prison cell's floor. Some of the ground shook. Rebecca pretended to stay brave, though she knew they all saw her tremble.

"I will not be disrespected! I'll clear everything out and hold you in contempt in an instant, girl! The sacrifices I made...the words I spoke so you could be spared. I regret them right now."

Rebecca showed her chains, as if Nabooru had never seen them before. "I wish I landed anywhere but here. No one else would lock me up and make me feel like trash. They wouldn't trap me."

"I highly doubt it. Need I remind you of the crater?"

"You did that every time we talked! I don't know what you're talking about! You're always scared of things, but you don't stand up for anything good! That's why you let a mean guy rule over all of you! You don't want to be better. You want everything to be the same."

"Maybe it was better that way. All of it was bearable before you came and became a damn burden on our lives—"

Nabooru clasped a hand over her mouth. Rebecca already started weeping before Nabooru could take the words back. The cell was silent. Even the guards were still, dropping their alarm at the last of Nabooru's words.

Then, they heard the shouts.

The women thought the fortress was under attack at first. One of the guards said to Nabooru and Rebecca "wait here!" before rushing out. They shut the gate behind them and even locked the two of them in for safe keeping. Nabooru seemed to understand the rules. Rebecca never felt more trapped. They were frozen in their spots, awaiting what was to come. Rebecca found relief at the familiar cadence of footsteps that stopped at the cell's gate.

The guards flung the door open. Both of them fixed their gaze on Rebecca. The feeling in their eyes wasn't anything Rebecca had seen before.

"You're an omen," one of the guards said. "A bad sign..."

"We should have exiled you," said the other guard.

"Cowards," Nabooru said. "Talk to me. What is it?"

"Another one," said the first guard. "Another child has arrived. This time in the valley. It's a voe, Nabooru. An actual voe, other than the King."

Nabooru glanced at Rebecca and the same unknown feeling seemed to overcome her as well. She grabbed Rebecca by the chains and yanked her through the fortress, following the guards. The guards led them out into the village to a series of steps that brought them all down to a golden path. They rushed where the other Gerudos had gathered, to a ledge outside the village area.

The Gerudo Valley oversaw a grand waterfall. The waterfall fell many meters down to a gorge with rapids that rushed into the distance. Rebecca wasn't sure where the rapids led. There was another ledge on the other side, a twin that represented the freedom Rebecca needed from the Gerudos. These women didn't want her. She didn't want them either. They were better off separated, no longer a part of each other.

Every Gerudo woman and girl gathered around an unknown sight. They made a circle, but nobody wanted to get closer to what they stared at. Nabooru pushed her way through the crowd, keeping Rebecca in her grasp. When they made it into the middle of the circle, Nabooru stood still. Her eyes widened and she gazed at Rebecca again.

"Are you a bad omen?" asked Nabooru. "Are you the cause of this…?"

Rebecca looked down at the sight and gasped. She suddenly had a feeling about the meaning of the word voe; it meant a type of person you'd never find in the Gerudo Village, the type of person who almost never belonged there. A voe was an outsider. Worst yet, it was a male, a man, a boy.

This voe was different for Rebecca though. None of the Gerudos knew who was sprawled on the sand, completely soaked from head to toe in a puddle of wayward water. They wouldn't have recognized the stupid brown hair, or known that when the boy's eyes snapped open, they'd be a captivating sort of green. None of the Gerudos knew that Rebecca knew this boy.

They had no idea that Trevor Berenson was the outsider lying before them.

Chapter Text

“You don’t see anything?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Why not?”

“...I don’t know.”

“You never see anything anymore, Sheila. Your powers should help us.”

Sheila’s eyes welled up with tears. They kept her from getting a clear view of Hyrule’s evergreen countryside. Its mountains were dark red smudges. Traces of the Zora River started to dry up under the day’s blazing sun. However, the sun started hiding behind a curtain of gray clouds. Its glow dimmed and a cold wind accompanied the field’s empty feeling.

The Zora fleets rushed to Lake Hylia. The soldiers on the gliders were hoping to assist the sentries in containing Jabu-Jabu. Attacking the creature on two fronts was the only hope the Zoras had when it came to ensuring it would stay in control.

When the ships arrived, Jerome and Sheila jumped off their rafts. The soldiers that were with them gave chase, trying to keep them from the lakeside. Many sentries stood on the shore, tending to their wounds. It gave the children an uneasy feeling. There wasn’t a sign of Jabu-Jabu, let alone that of him being captured. To the children’s despair, it looked like the sentries had failed.

After a brief search, the children found Link amongst the sentries. He wasn’t hurt, but seemed rattled by the battle. He took off his cap and sat down hunched over with his head bowed. Navi with him, tending to his needs. While the children were relieved to see Link and Navi unharmed, a new fear came over them; Trevor was nowhere in sight.

“Oh no,” Jerome murmured. He ran to Link first, kneeling in front of him so he could see the forest boy face-to-face.

Link looked at Jerome and had a grieved look on his face. What was he supposed to tell Jerome and Sheila. He looked away from them, bringing more worry to his friends’ hearts.

“Where’s Trevor?” Jerome asked.

There was nothing Link could do to avoid the truth. He looked Jerome in the eyes as he spoke.

“He’s missing,” he said. “I’m sorry. He got lost in the battle. I don’t know what happened.”

“What…?” Jerome didn’t seem to know what else to say.

“He’s out of sight.” Navi looked out at the lake, as if she were still searching for Trevor. “Nobody can find him. They don’t know what happened. They think he might...he could be…stupid kid.”

Jerome stood up and held his hands on the top of his head. “No…no, no, no man…”

He turned and had an angry look in his eyes. Jerome walked in Sheila’s direction and stopped inches away from her, bearing down on the girl.

“Find him,” he said.

Sheila’s red gaze narrowed. “...What?”

“Look for him. With your visions.”

“It...it doesn’t work like that,” Sheila stammered.

“Why won’t it?”

“I don’t know! I never know, it’s something I just have! If I knew how it really worked, there’s so much I would do! Why does everyone ask me to be magic whenever?”

Jerome thrashed as he stepped back from Sheila, gritting his teeth. His tears intensified, drowning his cheeks.

“You just don’t know how to do anything right,” said Jerome. “Do you? If you did, maybe Rebecca would be here! Maybe we’d actually get the Triforce and just be done with all this mess!”

Sheila’s lips trembled. Navi noticed and brought her aura between the two children.

“Jerome,” said Navi. “Let’s stay calm—”

“It’s not fair that you’re sitting on your butt with nothing to do!” Jerome pointed past the fairy at Sheila. “I can’t find a way to fight with fire, but I try to help! I’m here, aren’t I? Helping! Trevor was too! So’s Link! And what do you got? A dumb old slingshot? You don’t even use it! What else do you got, huh?”

Sheila wiped away her tears and turned her back on Jerome. Her shoulders were hunched with shame. Both hands balled up into fists and Sheila walked away.

“You’re not my friend anymore,” she said just loud enough for the others to hear. “I—I don’t want to talk to you ever again if I can help it.”

And Sheila was gone. Link felt for her as the girl walked away. He didn’t know what to say to Jerome, who seemed to realize he just made a big mistake. His anger was gone and a part of him shrank.

“What was that for?” Navi asked, unafraid to confront Jerome.

“All my friends are disappearing,” said Jerome. “They’re getting away from me. No one does anything to stop it, though.”

“That’s not Sheila’s fault.” Navi looked in Sheila’s direction. She was sitting back in the raft she and Jerome came in on. “I don’t know where Sheila’s visions went, but I have a feeling it has nothing to do with what her heart wants. It hurts every day she can’t find Rebecca. She didn’t blame you for that.”

Navi closed in on Jerome’s face. Her light was blinding. Link allowed the conversation to happen, watching while his weary body continued to recover.

“When Trevor looked for you,” said Navi. “He knew that you had to be found. It was one of his hopes. He pointed a lot of fingers like you are, but you know what? He went out of his way to find you himself. Trevor always had faith you’d be fine. He kept trying to find his best friend, putting it on himself to do that. What you said was so unlike you. It was so unkind. Trevor always said you were one of the coolest kids he met. He actually said you were pretty nice. I can’t believe he might have been wrong.”

With that, Navi flew away. She sat by Sheila’s side, comforting her. Jerome stood quietly and bowed his head before walking off, needing to think. Link looked out into the lake and let out a deep sigh. He didn’t know what else to do. The last spiritual stone was in his sights. Going home was his main goal as well. Saving Hyrule had to happen—he naturally felt a need to protect it. As time passed, the mission seemed so hard. Link waited for more news on Jabu-Jabu to arrive so that the mission could finally continue as it needed to.

Chapter Text

"Save him."

Rebecca wept. Nabooru grew weary. The voe was heavy in Nabooru's arms.

The voe's dark blue armor was filled with water. Nabooru heard it sloshing about within the suit as she carried the body to the fortress. She didn't rush to bring the boy to a bed. It wasn't necessary.

After all, the child wasn't breathing. He died before arriving at Gerudo Valley.

"Take it off."

Rebecca tugged at Nabooru's pants. The child's eyes were as red as her fiery mane of hair.

"He's going to get really sick," Rebecca said. "Worse than he already is. You have to do better than that!"

"It's not necessary," Nabooru replied, keeping her eyes forward on the path ahead. The fortress waited not too far from them, elevated on its natural platform of stone and sand.

"He's going to get sicker!"

"He won't have to worry about that."

"Until he wakes up."

"He won't wake up."

Nabooru stopped walking. She realized how tired she had become. Everything made her weary at this point. Rebecca's appearance in the wasteland. Dissension amongst the Gerudos. Uncertainty about the Hylians. And now, a young man who had to be buried. The child could have been a ten ton boulder in her arms and she would have struggled to know the difference between either thing.

"There's nothing to be done," Nabooru continued. "He's dead, Rebecca. Whoever this boy is, this friend of yours. He passed away. I'm very sorry but there is nothing we can do."

Rebecca her gritted teeth. "His name is Trevor. And he's alive. I can feel it."

"You're imagining things again."

"No, I'm not. I can feel him. He's really hurt."

"Rebecca, is it not difficult enough for us to deal with—" Nabooru stopped herself short of what she was about to say. She needed to be careful, especially after the argument with Rebecca from earlier. "Having a voe among us is very serious. This...this really endangers many parts of my plans. Including the one that involves protecting you. They see you as an omen now."

"Fine!" Rebecca threw her arms in the air, not caring about her chains. "But help Trevor! He's not dead! Can't you feel him?"

Nabooru almost protested. She stopped and cradled the voe with one arm to show his heart stopped beating. Her palm pressed down on his chest, then flung back when a faint thumping met her touch. She stared at Rebecca for a moment.

The voe was alive.

Nabooru pried the Zora Armor open with both her hands. It took her some time to find the right places to loosen the metal plates fastened to the boy's body. Water spread across the sand, darkening every grain that drowned beneath the puddle. Nabooru scooped the boy back up and dashed to the healing wing. It was near the back of the fortress, as far from the front entrance as possible. There were strategic reasons for this, reasons that saved many lives during the war that ravaged the land ten years ago.

When she ran into the room, her sense of smell picked up the sweet herbal scents and peculiar aromas many a Gerudo had known since birth. Two rows of beds stretched down a long room with plant covered tables at the end. Several of the beds were occupied.

"Ishtar!" Nabooru called out.

A woman in black attire rushed from the back of the room. She moved like a ghost or a living shadow. As the woman drew closer, her eyes met Nabooru's. Her irises were a deep hazel hue.

"He's barely holding on," said Nabooru. "We have to work quickly."

The woman in black looked down at the voe. Her eyes widened, then narrowed.

"Nabooru," said Ishtar the healer. "This isn't a traditional patient."

"He's worth our help nonetheless," said Nabooru.

"How did we come across him? Did it have anything to do with the commotion at the valley?"

"I don't know—the water spirits gave us a boon—Ishtar, we haven't much time. Please"

Ishtar removed her hijab. Her face was very similar to that of her Gerudo sisters—she had the sun-kissed skin, the golden irises and other sharp features. One difference was the long mane of black hair that went down to her waist when she didn't tuck it in her robe.

"Give him to me," Ishtar said.

The Gerudo healer gathered the voe in her arms. She whisked him away to a nearby cot. From there, the work began swiftly. Ishtar went back and forth in an effort to save the voe's life.

She used a bowl carved from a dried gourd. After pouring multi-colored powders with powerful aromas into the bowl's mouth, she mixed it together with water. Ishtar gently pressed the concoction on the voe's wounds. It was a dark violet gel that closed the cuts and gashes while hiding the many bruises. Nabooru's stomach sloshed around at how still the child was.

Rebecca couldn't stop shaking. Her chains clattered, resonant throughout the healing wing's vast space. Her tears kept falling. She kept her eyes on the voe, waiting for him to breathe, wake up and open his eyes.

Nabooru fought the urge to look down at Rebecca and stare at the child in the same way. As time passed, the girl looked more and more like her, like the woman Nabooru grew to admire as a young vehvi. The features Rebecca had—the eyes, the hair, the dimples, the defined cheekbones—caused Nabooru to reminisce of this friend who was long gone.

It made her wonder if her suspicions were right.

The suspicions were all that kept Rebecca alive—for now.

"He'll be fine," Nabooru found herself saying. "He'll be fine." She couldn't bring herself to comfort Rebecca. She was unsure of what the child thought of her.

After a time, Ishtar stopped. She pressed the back of her hand against the voe's drenched forehead. Nabooru prepared herself for what was next. From the corner of her eye, Rebecca didn't seem ready. Neither of them knew what was happening.

The voe's chest rose and fell. He even uttered a strange, indescribable sound. His breathing steadied. Ishtar looked down upon the boy and smiled.

"I don't know what he went through," said the healer. "But he's very strong." Ishtar looked at Rebecca, keeping her bright expression. "I see my other patient is awake, out and about. Did we make a new vehvi friend, Nabooru?"

"She knows the boy," Nabooru said. "She told me so in the valley."

"Ah." Ishtar rested her chin in the palm of her hand. "She's from the part of the world where voes and vai live together? How interesting. "No wahud eyne nakh alem, Nabooru? Mutae al'ukhua se enojarán?

"Al'ukhua zenen shoyn. Nish key." Ishtar, common language. She doesn't understand what we're saying. We owe her that much."

"You don't owe me nothing." Rebecca said with a hurt, angry look in her eyes. "I don't want anything from you. Say what you want, how you want. It was probably all mean, anyway."

Before Nabooru could say another word, Rebecca walked to Trevor's bedside. She cupped a hand over his before squeezing his fingers. The girl already showed she wouldn't leave the boy's side anytime soon.

"I'll check on you every few hours," Nabooru said.

"I don't want you to do that," said Rebecca. "Watch after your sisters or whoever they are."

"Rebecca, I...I know things didn't go well from our talk earlier, but—"

"Just leave us alone."

Ishtar almost started to correct Rebecca, but Nabooru raised a hand and shook her head. Perhaps after all the times Nabooru fought to save Rebecca was merely a good deed that would eventually get punished. The punishment already began. She was slowly losing the child she tried to save. In the end, maybe it was deserved.

It took just one night for someone to speak up. Nabooru made her checks with Rebecca, bringing food during meal hours and seeing her for a time between the times of eating. She'd look at Trevor as well, though the sight of him made her uncomfortable. In the afternoon, after Rebecca finished the last of a cake of dates, Mira stormed into the healing room. She was unarmed and unmasked. Her hair was braided into a ponytail that flapped down her nape and spine.

"Nabooru."

The thief turned to Mira. She removed her mask, revealing the scowl that showed up more often than not nowadays.

"A moment of your time," Mira said. "Please."

Though she already knew the conversation wouldn't be pleasant, Nabooru nodded and took her friend aside. After they walked outside the room, Mira glared at Nabooru.

"This is an omen," she declared. "We have two strange children in our midst and they are not normal, Nabooru. And worst of all, you're fine with this!"

Nabooru hoped Rebecca and Ishtar weren't overhearing the quarrel. "There's no proof you have of them being our enemies."

"And there's no proof of who you think the girl is," said Mira.

"We saw enough evidence in the wasteland and you know it."

"I know that this child is capable of destruction. It's why even now she's in chains. That's a mercy. It may be fatal to us." Mira ran a hand down her face, frustrated by Nabooru's stubbornness. "What we saw coming out of that girl could have been a trick. Demons aren't above deception."

"This is ridiculous." Nabooru stifled a laugh from Mira's response to everything...even though Nabooru had her doubts.

"Yes. Yes it is." Mira shook her head. "I want no part of this anymore, my sister. You are the closest friend I have in life, but I didn't think my best friend would lose her mind over this."

"I'm quite sane—"

"Deedrah is dead, Nabooru." Sadness overcame the guard. She blinked her eyes many times to keep tears from coming out or even forming. A pit sank somewhere in Nabooru's own being, making her a little sick. The name wrenched at her heart. It was a name that hadn't been uttered for a decade and wasn't expected to be brought up again, even in the most private of conversations. However, it was said when the child was being discussed and was on the verge of being prevalent again amongst the Gerudos.

Mira pointed into the hospital room. "That girl? She's not the legacy you think she is. She can't be. The war that tore Hyrule apart destroyed everything that died with it. The fires of battle consumed both mother and child."

"You will not say something that can't be proven."

"Can you prove for a fact that this girl is—" Mira sighed. "You can't, Nabooru. It's not possible. Both of them are gone. Accept it, for Din's sake. And for your own."

Nabooru's hands shook as they balled into fists. Mira's words were knives. They cut through her heart and the betrayal of her friend's honesty brought out a rage that tempted Nabooru to curse out at her. However, Nabooru swallowed down her anger and kept a steady voice while saying what she had to say.

"You can leave."

Mira's eyes widened with shock. Nabooru felt the same way. The challenge rolled off her tongue without effort, adding more discomfort to the fortress' air.

"Rebecca will stay out of her cell so she can be by her friend's side," Nabooru continued. "I'll take her to her quarters when it's time for her to sleep. She'll be my responsibility and mine alone. I can guard her myself as well. You can stay the hell out of my way while this happens. Everything she does can fall back on me."

Mira took a deep breath, as if it were the first time she allowed air to fill her lungs.

"Nabooru…" she started. "Consider what you're do—"

"Thank you, Mira."

When Mira realized that Nabooru wasn't budging, she took a step away from her friend and turned her back to her.

"You'll allow the safety of our people to crumble," she declared. "Over two little freaks. I'll pray for you hard tonight, Nabooru. What a pity."

"PREPARE FOR WAR."

Everything grew quiet. There was the sound of fire crackling on a torch. A desert wind blew into the room, bringing a chill with it. The wind was just like the voice. Cold and icy. Authoritative and unfeeling. All the women in the healing chamber stayed still, wondering if the voice was of this world.

"YOUR KING IS SUMMONING YOU."

The voice that followed was fiery. A temper rested in the call's cadence like an arrow drawn back with a bow. When the time came, it would fly and do its damage, destroying everything in its path. Until then, it made its dangerous power known before the pull, before the release, before the destruction.

"THE GERUDOS WERE MADE TO GO TO WAR," declared the chilling voice.

"SO SERVE YOUR PURPOSE TODAY," said the fiery voice.

"COME FORTH, GERUDO NATION!" said the tandem of voices together.

"It can't be." Nabooru murmured. She rushed back to the healing room. Rebecca and Ishtar looked stunned by voices echoing across the fortress.

"Seal the room," Nabooru hissed at Ishtar. "Close the door and barricade it from the inside."

"But it's…" Ishtar started.

"I know, I know...but you never know when the day will come." She turned her attention to Rebecca. "Quiet. Stay here and do as Ishtar says."

Rebecca didn't look angry anymore. Fear filled her eyes as Ishtar rose to obey Nabooru's command.

"What about you?" asked Rebecca.

"Think of your friend, OK?" said Nabooru. "He needs you."

"What about you?"

"Dammit, don't worry about me. Don't ever worry about me. You worry about yourself, always. Understand?"

When Rebecca nodded, Nabooru turned and stormed out the room. She heard the door shut itself behind her as she observed her fellow thieves cluttering the fortress' mess hall. Many women garbed in Gerudo violet gathered at the foot of two stairwells, including a set Nabooru descended down herself. All the women faced the same direction, turning their attention to a multitude of ominous footsteps synchronized into a singular march. Nabooru heard whispers in the crowd…

"Who?" asked one of the guards. "Who spoke to us all now? It was strange hearing them from so far away."

"I have a feeling," said another voice.

"Me as well," said yet another.

Nabooru already knew herself. She didn't understand the presence of the men who filled the fortress. They were garbed in blood red outfits that covered their chalky skin. Their eyes were visibly abnormal and bizarre. They were in perfect lines, facing opposite the Gerudos who stared at them. Then, they spilt to make room for three more figures.

There were two small women on floating broomsticks. Their faces were wrapped in black cloth not unlike Ishtar's hijab. Their eyes showed up beneath the veils, revealing wild, ungodly expressions.

"He-he-he," said one of the women. She had a blue jewel grafted to her brow and owned the chilling voice that kept you quiet.

"Ho-ho-ho," said the other, who's deep laugh revealed her as the fiery voice. She looked just like her peer except her jewel was red.

"THE ARMIES AND WARRIORS OF GERUDO! OUR TIME IS NIGH! IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO OBEY EVERY COMMAND GIVEN TO YOU BY YOUR KING! OBEY AT ALL TIMES, TO THE POINT OF DEATH IF NECESSARY! JUST KNOW THAT IF YOU FOLLOW THE TRUE KING INTO WAR…"

The women stopped their announcement and acknowledged the footsteps behind them. Nabooru despised the two for coming in. She also hated the men in blood red garments who came before them. However, her hate couldn't be any worse than what she had for the man who arrived.

He was garbed in a darker black than anything anyone could know. Patterns were etched on the surface of his armor in gold, depicting scenes Nabooru would rather not speak of. He wore a skull mask with twin horns jutting out from the crown. When he stood in the center of the processional space, he removed the mask and revealed a smirking, swarthy face.

"Victory," said Ganondorf, the King of Thieves. "...Is guaranteed."

Chapter Text

Ganondorf’s presence was as cold as the stare of the mysterious witch to his right.

Nabooru’s heart burned with rage at him. Her anger was as fiery as the wild gaze of the witch to Ganondorf’s left.

The fortress basked in silence. An army of cloaked men amassed behind Ganondorf and the witches, brandishing steel swords. Their hoods covered all their faces, save for their lifeless, blank eyes. It was difficult to know whether or not Ganondorf came to the Gerudos in peace, or to declare war against them.

The King of Thieves stepped forward. He scanned the Gerudos with his stony expression. Every Gerudo sister stood stiffly in organized rows. 

“It’s good to know that my women are ready to serve their king,” Ganondorf said, his voice a deep and low growl. Ganondorf kept walking through the fortress’ main hall, glancing about at his subjects. The Gerudo women stood unified, much like the army their king brought. 

When Ganondorf made a pass at Nabooru, he paused. She was the only thief who stood alone, separating herself from the others.

“Nabooru,” Ganondorf purred. “Did you lose your place?” 

Nabooru felt every eye on her, staring. She refused to look Ganondorf in the eyes. 

“I think I’m exactly where I need to be,” Nabooru said.

She heard Ganondorf scoff. “I’m always so disappointed when I speak with you, Nabooru. Must you always defy me? You’re incapable of knowing who your superior is.”

“I’m second-in-command to you. You personally made it so. As far as I’m concerned, we have equal standing.”

“I only permitted you to command the Gerudos in my absence . You are in charge when I am gone, but I am still the Gerudo king. You must always see me as such.”

The fire overcame the cold feeling in Nabooru’s bones. She darted her glare in Ganondorf’s direction, unyielding in her energy.

“You’ve been failing us,” said Nabooru. “Abandoning us for days, treating us as if we were nothing. I will never consider you as anything other than wrong for us.”

The minimal smile Ganondorf possessed was gone. His lips were strict parallel lines sealed together like twin gates. He flared his nostrils while leaning closely to Nabooru, his aura like sulfur. Everything about him was furious and grim.

“Are you attempting a mutiny?” asked Ganondorf. “No one seems to be on your side.” He looked out to the rest of the Gerudos, his arms widespread. “My thieves. If you are loyal to me, now would be the time to kneel.”

Nabooru hoped against hope. To her dismay, she heard many Gerudo outfits ruffling as the mher sisters lowered themselves to the fortress’ cold floor. They gazed at the sandstones, placing their palms on the gritty tiles. Their staffs and spears were laid by their sides, leaving every thief unarmed and helpless to the one who ruled them all. Nabooru’s heart was wrenched. Ganondorf grinned.

“You have one chance,” Ganondorf asked. “If you bow, I’ll forget everything you’ve done and all you’ve just said. Then, we can move forward with our grand plan.”

Before Nabooru could respond, she heard Mira hiss at her.

“Please bow.” Mira’s whisper quivered. “Nabooru, for Din’s sake, set these hostilities aside. Dammit, we don’t need it. Swallow your pride. Kneel.”

“Did you find what you were looking for outside of our land?” Nabooru asked Ganondorf, as if she didn’t hear her closest friend.

Ganondorf nodded with a victorious swagger in the gesture. “I successfully appeased King Arkanian’s sensibilities. He considers us his allies now. I pressed the loftwing quill to the treaty yesterday. The ink is barely dry.”

Nabooru looked at the eerie men behind Ganondorf. “Why do you bring an army?”

“I’ve set the stage for war with Hyrule.”

Nabooru’s jaw dropped. “War with Hyrule? You just signed a treaty.”

“We were always going to get our revenge on the Hylians, Nabooru. They will always be our enemies.” Ganondorf looked down at his skull helm, thumbing the soil off its surface. “The door has been opened for us to return to our former glory, the glory we had ages ago. We’ll advance upon the city while the capital celebrates the newfound ‘peace.’ By the time they become aware of us, it will be too late. Hyrule Castle can be conquered in one fell swoop.”

Nabooru stamped the ground. “You’ll be the end of us all!”

Ganondorf’s voice remained steady. “We will have the upper hand.”

“Everyone will turn against us. Everything we worked for, that you were supposed to complete, will be ruined! We’ve tried to defeat the Hylians and we saw how that went. Arkanian defeated our armies after rallying everyone together.”

“But we’re not just going for Castletown, Nabooru. There’s a great power out there, one I will obtain for myself.”

“And what could that ‘power’ be?”

“The Triforce.”

Silence returned to the room. Nabooru wasn’t sure if she heard Ganondorf correctly. The Gerudo king seemed to wait for Nabooru’s response, for the way her face suddenly changed at the declaration. When he seemed to find something he liked about Nabooru’s confusion, he smirked.

“The golden power isn’t around,” said Nabooru. “It...it hasn’t been seen by mortal eyes for centuries.”

“I know where the Triforce is,” said Ganondorf. “I need your assistance. If you bow to me, submitting to my will, I will make you my general. You will not just be my second-in-command, Nabooru. You will become my greatest asset, the one who will help me lead all these women to prosperity. Besides...don’t you want to avenge our dear, beloved Deedra?”

The cold feeling overwhelmed Nabooru. Yes, she was scared of the man before her. His power was greater than anything she could have imagined. If Ganondorf was capable of finding the golden power, nothing could stop him. Fear took over almost every part of Nabooru’s being. It was in control of all of her except for the heart.

In her heart, the fire kept ablaze. The sound of Deedra’s name coming from his lips sickened her. It made her rage rise more than she could have expected from herself.

“Don’t worry. It will pass.”

Ishtar extinguished the healing room’s torches after the voices called out. Once she closed the door, darkness filled the space, cloaking the three who hid in it. 

Rebecca saw Ishtar’s silhouette and even a hint of her golden eyes. She saw Trevor in his bed as well. He laid still, swaddled in his blanket.

“What’s happening?” Rebecca whispered to Ishtar.

Ishtar seemed to gaze at the healing room’s door, as if she were waiting for something.

“I sense conflict,” Ishtar answered. “No one is physically fighting. There’s just words. Pray for Nabooru, child...”

Rebecca already wanted Nabooru to come back, even if she was mad at her. Her hard feelings faded as soon as the strange voices came. 

They were accompanied by a mass of auras that just felt...wrong. Bad. Evil. 

The fortress became filled with evil somethings Rebecca couldn’t name on the spot. Regardless, she wanted them to go away.

 Rebecca quietly crept to the foot of Trevor’s bed. She wanted him to wake up so she knew he was OK. 

Trevor shifted every once in a while when everything was light. He groaned in his coma, from time to time. Ishtar said his soul was hurting and that was why he was like this. In the dark, he didn’t move at all.

When Rebecca touched Trevor’s foot, she shivered. He was cold—and not just physically. She began to understand what Ishtar meant. Like the bad somethings, this was awful as well. Trevor seemed distant and not all the way there.

 Ishtar had a warm gentle aura about her. The mean guard Mira was a mixture of warm and cold, like didn’t really know what she wanted. 

Nabooru’s aura was best. Kindness and strength surrounded her. Whenever Nabooru left Rebecca’s side, sadness overcame her. When Nabooru returned, so did Rebecca’s smile. 

She knew her smile to be as warm as the good auras she sensed around her. She also knew that the Gerudos were good deep down, even if they strongly disliked her. None of them were evil at all.

Once Rebecca felt Nabooru’s aura surging around her, she thought she returned. Good , she thought, I can say sorry now. For being mad. For being an ‘omen.’ For everything.  

Then, she felt Nabooru’s kind soul turn angry. She wasn’t nearby. She was scared yet brave all at the same time. Many fearful souls stood around her. Nabooru faced a different type of aura all together. To call that aura evil was a lie...it was even worse than evil. It felt worse than anything Rebecca had ever known in her entire life.

Rebecca rushed toward the door. Ishtar tried to call her back into hiding.

“It’s too dangerous!” she said in a hushed tone. “What are you doing?” 

Rebecca didn’t know...but she felt like something had to be done soon. 

If not, Nabooru would be lost forever. Rebecca was sure of it.

The witches in black shuddered. 

Their bony figures rattled, as if a cold breeze blew into the fortress and held them in place. Nabooru heard of the pair before. They were supposed to be mythical, but many legends turned out true over time. 

Ganondorf had aligned himself with the black mages of the desert. Centuries ago, twins were born in the wasteland. Prophecies predicted their wickedness before they even came into this world. Horror stories followed for five hundred years.

Nabooru’s heart leapt as the black mages looked up at the second floor. The witches acted as one, doing everything together.

“WHO COULD THAT BE?” they asked simultaneously.

Dammit , Nabooru thought to herself as Ganondorf took interest in what the witches said.

The Gerudo King raised an eyebrow as he directed his own sights on where Rebecca, Ishtar and the voe were. “Are you hiding something Nabooru? How deceitful of you.”

“You will not speak to me of any deceit.”

“I’m sure whatever is up there is against what we stand for. Koume...Kotake. What’s up there, please?”

“It’s more about who,” said the witch with the shrill, icy voice. “ Who is up there?”

“Two powerful souls,” said the witch with the red jewel. “Souls that are not from here.”

“I don’t like your hags,” said Nabooru.

“HOLD YOUR TONGUE!” the witches exclaimed. “WE ARE POWERFUL BEINGS!”

Nabooru drew out a dagger and made a stance. She kept her eyes on the foes before her, knowing full well what this meant. As Ganondorf took a step back and grimaced, the truth dawned on Nabooru; she just stood against the ruler of all her people...an act of treason.

Nabooru never felt more free.

“You’re protecting two outsiders,” said Ganondorf. “And you’re also willing to kill me for their sake? Nabooru...I am truly dismayed. You’re officially a traitor. There will be no more amnesty…” Ganondorf put down his skull helm and drew out a dagger of his own, one that matched his obsidian and gold armor. “Death awaits you, ‘Lone Wolf.’”

“To hell with you,” Nabooru snarled.

“You first.”

The Gerudos all stood up. Their shock was visible, exposed, and out in the open. Some guards snatched their spears from the ground, pointing them toward the battle that was about to happen. Nabooru wasn’t sure if they agreed with her treachery or felt a need to follow her into battle. Regardless, she knew she was alone in this. All she could do was keep her eyes on the monster before her.

“What are you waiting for?” Ganondorf flitted his knife without releasing it. The smile on his face mocked Nabooru; he took pleasure at making her angry, in causing her bad emotions. “Come after me. Let’s see if you’re as good as the mentor you always looked up to.”

Those last words were enough. Nabooru couldn’t remember the steps between her starting position and the place she stopped at when she lunged for Ganondorf’s throat. His blade turned sideways, blocking the precise attack toward his neck. Nabooru strained against his firm defense, her eyes brimming with fury.

“A fine warrior,” said Ganondorf, his voice unchanged. “Just like all the rest. Better than anyone here, honestly. That’s what makes it a shame.”

Ganondorf pushed Nabooru back. The thief stumbled but kept her footing. She wouldn’t allow that again. With a different strategy, Nabooru went after Ganondorf again. This time, the desert king dodged the attack, stepping aside so Nabooru only sliced at mere air and nothing else.

The back-and-forth continued. Nabooru would try to end the fiend before her, only to be denied the pleasure. Ganondorf would make retorts and Nabooru would be toyed with. It wounded her pride, honestly. Nabooru wanted to be valiant, to live up to Deedra’s memory, but here she was battling a man she ended not being a match for.

Soon, Ganondorf struck back. He made small cuts on Nabooru’s skin to start off with, countering her attacks with a speedy slice. The pain seared, but Nabooru persisted in battle. However, Ganondorf made one too many slices for her to bear and drove the dagger into her shoulder. When the blade drove through the muscle, Nabooru started to feel numb. She barely heard the scream she let out.

As Ganondorf pulled away, Nabooru nearly fell to her knees. Her vision was overwhelmed with uneasy swirls of color; they spun in front of her eyes like erratic ribbons, aimlessly darting about until darkness started to take over. Before pure blackness consumed her, Nabooru stood up straight, refusing to fall. She faced Ganondorf, even with her dagger fallen to the ground.

The desert king looked at the blood on his knife. The black steel was tinted with crimson droplets. Some of the blood dribbled onto the floor, joining the dagger at his feet. Ganondorf’s piercing stare seemed sharper than his weapon. It tore through Nabooru in different ways, invading her mind, tearing away at her thoughts to find the doubts hidden within them.

“You can at least surrender. Then, I can execute you with dignity. Your sisters don’t want to see you die like this.”

“Don’t make your stupid speech with me,” Nabooru said, pressing her hand against her wound. Blood pooled, clotting against her palm.

Ganondorf shook his head. “Every once in a while...after many suns and moons, someone feels the need to come after me. They envy my power, or question my methods. They get too ideological. You, Nabooru...you’re one of them. You get too ideological. You’re just like the last traitor.”

Nabooru couldn’t sense the world anymore. Her heart sounded more audible than ever before. Ganondorf’s words were leading to the truth and though it meant her suspicions could finally subside, she lamented that it might be too late to get revenge.

“You’re just like Deedra,” said Ganondorf. “She rebelled against me during the war, right on the battlefield without hesitation. I commended her courage, as I do yours. She deserved a reward, and I’m giving you the same. Today, Nabooru, you will join your dear mentor in hell.”

Nabooru balled both fists together. “You will never say that name again,” she said. “If you know what’s good for you. Did you kill her child as well?”

Ganondorf scoffed. “Her whelp was nowhere in sight, quite honestly. It didn't matter to me. The war was not something you could survive. Many men, women and children died by my hand, even more than you could have ever known. Why do you think I amassed this army?” He gestured toward the mysterious soldiers behind him. “They worked in the shadows, taking the lives of those who threatened me. For ten years, I planned to regain influence. Soon, the whole world will be in my clutches. A pity you will not see the day. Your sisters seem to have a better sense of things.”

Nabooru didn’t have to look around. The Gerudos were backing down. Mira was already looking away from the sight. This was fine. Nabooru would rather die than bow to tyranny.

“If they follow you,” said Nabooru. “They’re lost. I love them, but they’re lost...I will never bow to you, Ganondorf. You are not fit to be king.”

“Brave words to say,” said Ganondorf. “At the end.” He stepped toward Nabooru, his blade pointed at her. More of her blood spilled and Nabooru wanted to make sure her death was worth it. Hopefully the children upstairs would survive. Nabooru closed her eyes.

“Leave her alone.”

All eyes in the hall looked at the fiery-haired girl on the stone steps. She seemed to tremble as she stood above the fray. Rebecca still had her chains on, but she gathered them well enough to hide her movement as she made her way into the main hall. She halted herself in the middle of the climb, glaring at Ganondorf. Her eyes knew no visible fear because her trembling came from anger.

“Rebecca, no!” Nabooru turned to the girl and tried retrieving her. Ganondorf’s grip stopped her as he held her back. He grabbed her by the side of her neck and pressed the blade’s tip against her throat.

“Mothers,” said Ganondorf. “Is that...one of the powerful souls you spoke of?”

The black clad witches nodded fervently, as if they had found the Triforce already. They twiddled their fingers together with sick glee.

“Yes,” said the witch with the red jewel.

“I sensed our failure in our spell on the other dimension,” said the witch with the blue jewel. “We must not have been precise, my lord. Forgive us. We’ll redeem ourselves.”

“I’m unsure of what you speak of…” Ganondorf glared at the girl. “But my...you look like a Gerudo. Mixed race. A few whelps of your type run around the village. It sickens me.”

“Stay away from Nabooru.” Rebecca’s voice sounded as sharp as the blades held by all the room’s warriors.

“Little whelp.” Ganondorf slowly pricked Nabooru’s skin, drawing more blood. “This one’s fate is sealed. And soon, you and the other ‘soul’ will follow. No one will stop me. Not a single person.”

“Stop it…” Rebecca’s body convulsed. All the Gerudos felt uneasy. Nabooru started to sense what could happen next...and realized this might be good.

“You’re an amusing whelp indeed.” Ganondorf raised his blade above his head. He was going to aim for Nabooru’s heart, just like he did to Deedra ten years ago. On that day, Nabooru wept over her mentor’s body, wondering what blade could have ended her. She recognized Ganondorf’s signature kill and kept the secret to herself for a decade, needing proof of his evil.

“Nabooru, you teach rebellion well...for that child at least. Now, gain the reward you earned.”

“I SAID STAY AWAY FROM HER!!!”

It was the ground that moved first. Tremors rattled the fortress, causing rubble to rain down on the room. The stronghold didn’t collapse, but the power resonating through it continued with a great surge. Light grew from Rebecca’s body, rising like smoke out of fire, only for the vapors to become flames as well. The Gerudo warriors suddenly picked up their spears, alarmed by what they had feared; the demonic spirit that appeared in the wasteland. They kept their eyes on the aberration, afraid of what it would do to them all.

Then, they saw the face; it was fierce and determined. It resembled a Gerudo woman with long, unbound hair that flailed freely in a liberating wind. She gripped a pair of blades unlike any other. They were crossed over her heart and Nabooru recognized the stance before. The look was undeniable.

For the Gerudos…

The voice was perfect in its imitation. It was more than just a replica of what was real. What everyone witnessed in the Gerudo fortress was the return of a great spirit. This wasn’t a demon. It was a good soul acting on a child’s behalf. On Rebecca’s behalf.

It was the soul of Deedra, the Gerudo General who never betrayed.

“Great Din,” Nabooru heard Mira whisper. “Nabooru, you were right…”

Even the black clad witches were shocked. They didn’t just look at the spirit surrounding Rebecca. They were looking at the girl the soul rose from.

“The elementals,” they said at the same time, their voices a unison humbled whisper. “They’ve returned…”

Chapter Text

Chapter 17: The Legacy of Deedra

Rebecca didn’t know what overcame her.

She knew an energy surrounded her body. A green glow cast itself around her like a net, then seemed to spread out through the Fortress’ main hall. Gerudo warriors pointed their spears at her to begin with, shouting in the language Rebecca was trying her best to understand. Then, they all stood still and stared.

Rebecca realized whatever she did wasn’t normal for anyone to witness. She finally knew what had caused the Gerudos to hate her so much to the point of putting her in a jail cell. There was a power in her, something like what Sheila had except worse. It looked like it could destroy everyone. Rebecca was so sure the Gerudos were looking at her...until they weren’t.

They lowered their spears at the sight of the green aura. Rebecca sensed a peace across the women. There was even a mix of sadness in their hearts. She didn’t know how or why she was able to sense how they felt, but a part of her knew that in some way, she was safe.

At least until she had to fight the man in black.

Ganondorf held Nabooru at knifepoint. He struggled to keep her in his clutches as the tip of his dagger pressed against her neck. The two witches on broomsticks and the army of men who flanked him mimicked their leader in glaring at Rebecca. She wasn’t afraid to return it. All she feared was the loss of Nabooru, who fought with one good arm to stay alive.

“That little girl,” he murmured. “Are you a demon…?”

“She is far worse,” said one of the witches, the one who had a red jewel attached to her brow. “This child is one of prophecy. Her coming to this world was predicted at the time of our birth!”

“Yes,” said the witch with the blue jewel. “Worse than a demon she definitely is. We can conjure demons and have them bow to our might. We are greater than many facets of demonkind, save an elite few. But this girl...she stands against our will. And her power supplements this rebellion.”

“Speak in simple terms,” Ganondorf said. His voice seemed to grow darker than it already was, a surprising change that caused everyone in the main hall to shift uneasily—except for Rebecca.

“Simply put?”

Nabooru jerked her head away from Ganondorf’s knife. She used her good arm to push against his chest, causing him to fall back. Two of his soldiers dropped their swords and caught him. The lone wolf thief rolled toward a fallen Gerudo spear and picked it up. She glanced back at the woman who likely owned it and realized she commandeered it from Mira.

Mira’s mouth was covered by the standard violet Gerudo guard veil. However, Nabooru knew that beneath the fabric there was an agape mouth, an astonished guffaw slow to admit to being wrong. When Nabooru looked into her closest friend’s eyes, she saw an approval of her actions. It was the reason why Nabooru was able to walk away with a spear in her hand, challenging Ganondorf’s might once more.

“We have a duel to finish,” said Nabooru. “Do we not, ‘your majesty?’”

Ganondorf forced himself off the two guards who caught him. His disgust was heightened as he gestured for a sword, which was quickly delivered to him. Like the Gerudos who persecuted Rebecca, he pointed the point at Nabooru, aiming it at her heart. Nabooru was glad Ganondorf saw what she fought and thought with.

“You’ve schemed against me quite well,” he said. “Bringing along a child who can summon spirits from the past. I wonder what the other one can do? Would like to show me?”

“I’d like to send you to hell first.”

“It will not happen. Not the way our duel initially began.”

“You killed Deedra.”

“And it was worth the bloodshed.”

“You condemn yourself with those words. You will die for that, you sick bastard.”

Suddenly, a strong grip grabbed Nabooru from behind. She turned around and was shocked to see Mira halting her friend’s advance. Mira placed a hand on Nabooru’s shoulder, which was tender from the wound inflicted upon it by Ganon’s dagger. Nabooru cried out, from both a sense of betrayal as well as pain. What changed?

“You forgot about this,” said Mira. “That’s foolish, Nabooru.”

Mira looked in Ganondorf’s direction. Her gaze met his and the king of thieves wore a satisfied smirk. He lowered his sword and nodded at the lieutenant, placing his free hand on his hip.

“You’re wise beyond your years,” said Ganondorf. “This is good. Escort her off.”

“NO!”

Rebecca tried to interfere, but soldiers already surrounded her. Another surge seemed to build up in Rebecca’s heart. She felt able to unleash it, but Nabooru was in danger again. This time, there didn’t seem to be an escape. However, Rebecca still waited. Rebecca hoped.

“My king,” said Mira. “What you did to Deedra all those years ago was necessary. I hate saying it, but it’s true. I accept your decision.”

“Someone with sense,” said Ganondorf. “You will be rewarded by taking Nabooru’s place at this very moment. Just do me a favor...and execute her on the spot. We don’t need any...disputes.”

“My king...out of respect, I would like to ask you a question.”

“Anything for my new general.”

Nabooru was about to say one last thing to Mira, but when she looked at her, she saw it still—the approval, the admittance of wrongdoing. This was Mira’s penance, her decision to make right was wrong. Nabooru suddenly thought to herself: Mira, well played. His arrogance couldn’t sense it, could it?

“Great Ganondorf,” Mira said. “Why did you betray the Gerudos by killing their greatest warrior next to yourself?”

Ganondorf’s smile went away. He suddenly started to realize what was happening and lifted his sword again.

“Army,” he said. “Prepare yourselves!”

Mira kept her eyes on Ganondorf but raised her voice so it could be heard across the entire fortress she stood in.

“Thieves of Gerudo,” she shouted. “Ganondorf has an army so much unlike the one he should lead honorably. He strays from his people—from us! He strays from his own ways, the ways made right by the kings before him. He betrays our every value.”

Ganondorf aimed at Mira’s heart. It was good that he knew what all the Gerudos fought and thought with. “If you know what’s best for you, girl, keep your mouth shut!”

Mira was deaf to his commands, at long last. “He deemed our loyal sister Nabooru expendable. He murdered our beloved Deedra. Is that who we are? Expendable? Only worthy enough to waste away as if we were nothing?”

“NO!” The Gerudos shouted in unison. They faced the hooded army spitefully, ready for what couldn’t be stopped.

“Do you carry Gerudo blood in your veins?” Mira asked her sisters.

“YES!”

“What do you represent, Gerudo warriors? One man—or a nation?”

“WE REPRESENT OURSELVES!”

“Then let’s remember who we are.” Mira let go of Nabooru’s spear. “Do you want to do the honors, sister? I can take over, but you’ve been fighting me for a good minute. You could have broken out of my hold, even if it weren’t a ruse.”

“I’m good for it.”

Nabooru’s wound was numb in a good way. She could ignore it until the battle was finished, until Ganondorf was vanquished and defeated by the very people he thought he could control. 

“Ganondorf,” she said. “As I said before and will say for the last time; you are no longer fit to be king of our nation. Get. The. HELL. Out. GERUDOS!” A collection of spears were already pointed at the hooded army. “CHARGE!”

And so a battle began. The fortress’ main hall was cluttered with clashing warriors. They jousted with spears and swords alike, bringing about chaos. Shouts rang in the air like bells, each holler a declaration of war. Rebecca trembled with fear for Nabooru, wondering how she would be able to find her alive and well in the midst of it all.

The soldiers looked ready to hurt Rebecca, but several Gerudo warriors were quick to defend her. They took the hooded soldiers out with their spears, casting them aside as soon as they were vanquished. One of the soldiers quickly ushered Rebecca upstairs. When Rebecca and the warrior were safe, the warrior took off her veil, revealing herself to be MIra.

“Kid,” she said. “What you did was stupid.”

“I’m sorry,” said Rebecca. “But...I felt something bad out here. You were all afraid of it. I had to see who it was.”

“Yes, well...you were a big help, weren’t you?”

“I said I was sorry.”

“So am I.” Mira placed a hand on Rebecca’s face, offering a smile on top of the apology. “You’re a good girl. You’re not a demon. You’re full of power I don’t understand...and it’s terrifying. But it’s not the evil kind. If it were, it wouldn’t have scared Ganondorf.”

Rebecca felt a great weight lift itself from her shoulders as Mira reconciled with her. She wanted to charge the soldier and give her a hug, though that would have been the strangest thing to do at this moment. The time would have been bad, given everything that was happening in the main hall. Rebecca kept still and was glad to gain the trust.

“You need to go back to the medical wing,” said Mira. “Nabooru would have my head if anything were to happen to you. Look after Ishtar and the voe while you’re at it.”

Rebecca didn’t move for a moment. She only thought of Nabooru and the other Gerudos down below. The clash of swords against spears ensued.

“But…” Rebecca began saying.

“I made an order,” Mira said sharply. “And it’s for your protection. The one time I show you kindness, you still push back against us? Please, I want to save your life now. Go. Back.”

Rebecca nodded and moved in the direction of the medical hall. She heard Mira’s hurried footsteps charging back to battle.

But Nabooru was wounded. The Gerudos were starting to become the same way. Mira was heading into the conflict—and Rebecca wanted to prove to her that everything she thought about her and Trevor was a lie. Rebecca liked proving people wrong.

Rebecca charged back toward the main hall. The battle seemed to go back in the way of the hooded soldiers. They cornered many Gerudo thieves, suggesting grim outcomes if nothing was done for the women soon. It was all due to one new element. The witches on brooms had recovered from their shock at the situation. 

They were powerful old women. One of them emitted streams of ice from her fingertips, disarming women or, even worse, covering them in a cold tomb. Rebecca was shocked to see what happened to the women after they were encased in ice.

The other one shot out flames. Gerudo women were badly burned and others had to beat the flames off their skin. When they laughed, Rebecca froze; they were women who haunted her dreams, bringing her to a place of fear on many nights. This time had been predicted in her nightmares.

Rebecca needed to face it. The witches looked in Nabooru’s direction. Mira was by her side. The Gerudo warriors were getting cornered and Ganondorf had recovered in the battle as well. This battle was about to end...and it was Rebecca’s job to stop it. She had to stop it.

The surge was building in her chest again. She needed to channel whatever was hidden in there. Rebecca balled her hands into fists and thought hard about what caused the green energy to come out. Was it a wish? Was it a thought? Magic words? She didn’t know.

Then, she heard a voice. It was hard to understand. The voice spoke the same words as the Gerudo women. There was something beautiful about the voice, something that caused Rebecca’s heart to sway. “ Kleyn Esfur ,” it kept on saying. “ Kleyn Esfur… ” 

She heard the hooded soldiers cry out. The green aura came back and this time everyone was affected. Even the witches fell off their brooms, sprawled across the sandstone floor of the main hall. The soldiers looked in Rebecca’s direction. A few moved forward but were cautious. Her power terrified them. Rebecca grinned to know they couldn’t best her without facing a possible doom.

Rebecca was the perfect distraction. The Gerudos charged the hooded soldiers, striking them down with their spears and swords. Ganondorf engaged Nabooru and Rebecca’s heart was caught in her throat. She didn’t want to see someone she had come to care about go away.

But relief came quickly.

Nabooru flitted Ganondorf’s sword away, pressing the point to his neck. She gave a smirk that mimicked the former Gerudo King’s moments before and seemed to forget about her wound.

“Are you willing to die for your cause?” she asked.

Ganondorf didn’t answer. He looked as if he were about to surrender, but Rebecca noticed a glow around his hand. It was a dark purple that swirled around his fingers.

“NABOORU!” Rebecca shouted.

When the lone wolf thief noticed the glow, she moved back. A third surge came up and Rebecca saw what instilled the soldiers with fear; the image of a fierce warrior holding a sword and shield. Her face was masked, but her eyes were full of a determined valor. This valor protected Nabooru and the other Gerudos when Ganondorf attacked. It did the same when the witch with the blue jewel shot a wall of ice between their ranks and that of the battle’s victors.

“Forgive us our lord,” said the witches. “But we advise you to retreat!”

Ganondorf kept his eyes on Nabooru, Mira and the others. However, he seemed to accept this advice and stormed off, following his fleeing legion out of the fortress. No one dared to glance at Rebecca, though she sensed a side glance from Ganondorf as he left. It was a warning. Rebecca shivered at the veiled threat, but at the same time wanted to see him again for vengeance.

When the spirit faded, the Gerudos cheered. They raised their weapons in victory as Nabooru and Mira went up the stairs toward Rebecca. Nabooru picked Rebecca up and gave her the biggest hug.

“You disobedient fool!” said Nabooru. “You saved us all.”

“Yes,” said Mira with great displeasure. “She did disobey us.”

“I had to help you,” said Rebecca. “You would have lost without me.”

Mira rolled her eyes. “I think I’m upset that I owe you both an apology and a debt,” she admitted. “You...you’re definitely a warrior in the making. As I said...you have a power that’s divine. You could become the greatest of us all, if you wanted.”

Mira took out a key and found the slot where it needed to be entered. After turning it, the shackles fell from Rebecca’s wrists. The same thing happened when Mira unlocked Rebecca’s anklets. Soon, all of her restraints were strewn across the ground, grafting themselves to no one.

Rebecca grinned and looked down at the Gerudos. All their eyes were on her. It made Rebecca feel strange, being put on the spot with every stare that went in her direction. The army of thieves raised their arms in the air, as if to pay tribute. One of the thieves shouted above the rest:

“To the legacy of Deedra!”

The army repeated the phrase before evolving into a chorus of cheers. They clapped their hands, raised their fists and made enthusiastic banter with each other. Nabooru and Mira grinned down at the crowd, overjoyed at what was happening. They looked over at Rebecca and gave her their own applause.

“You have admirers,” joked Mira. “No one here will like me anymore.”

Nabooru clapped her closest friend on the back. “ I still like you.”

“Well, you’re you. They’re all of the Gerudos. And their eyes are on this one.”

Rebecca couldn’t contain her embarrassment. She blushed and looked away from the crowd, overwhelmed by their enchantment. When the thoughts about their adoration died down, Rebecca thought about what they said.

“Nabooru? Mira?” The women looked at Rebecca. “What did they mean by what they said? About the legacy of Deedra?”

The thieves looked at each other then at the girl before them. Nabooru was the one to speak up.

“A long time ago...there was a great woman who led us all aside from Ganondorf. Her name was Deedra. She’s the reason why we’re all so skilled. I loved her like a sister. We all did...and we’re glad that we gained a little justice for her.”

“But why am I called a legacy?”

Nabooru paused before answering. “Because,” she said. “You have her spirit...and far more than you could ever know.”

The words stuck with Rebecca as the celebration continued.

Chapter Text

He was so close to victory.

Link and the Zora sentries battled against Lord Jabu-Jabu's tremendous might. His behavior at Lake Hylia grew worse by the day, causing havoc throughout the space. Despite this, they gave themselves a chance.

The sentries cornered Jabu-Jabu in the lake's depths. Every soldier banded together to form a perimeter around the whale, closing in as the united front persevered.

Their specialized weapons were ready to detain the rampant guardian. Each sentry had an iron grappling hook attached to a rope. The hooks weren't meant to pierce Jabu-Jabu's skin–no one wanted to harm the guardian but merely trap it so healers could soothe the entity. Then, Princess Ruto could be saved from its belly.

The long ropes would cross Jabu-Jabu's body as the hooks sank down into the lake's bottom surface. If everything went well, Jabu-Jabu would be pinned by the weapons without being harmed.

Everything seemed to go to plan. Jabu-Jabu got trapped by the ropes and almost every hook dug into the lake's bottom.

Almost every rope.

As Link watched from a distance, he saw that one of the grappling hooks missed its mark. A sentry's aim must have been off, causing the mishap.

Now something had to be done. Link rushed ahead, cutting through water like an arrow through air. He felt as light as a feather while flying through the lake.

His beeline for the grappling hook seemed perfect. Link reached out for the glimmer of silver laid out in the silt.

The forest boy clutched the hook, which slightly pierced his skin and caused one of his fingers to bleed a little. Link ignored the pain. He had to.

Link raised the hook over his head. If he stabbed the ground, it would be over. Jabu-Jabu would be contained. Ruto would be rescued. Everything would finally be over.

A tremor caused the waters to shake. It couldn't have been an earthquake, Link thought. There's no way it was anything like that.

He struggled to put the hook into the ground. The rope slid away from his grasp, going back towards Jabu-Jabu and the sentries on the other side of it. That was when Link knew. He looked over at the guardian.

Link caught sight of one of Lord Jabu-Jabu's eyes. It blazed like something made of a terrible flame, a fire that couldn't be put out by anything, let alone this water.

Link suddenly stopped. He froze and it was like he forgot what it meant to live and move.

By the time his mind returned, the ropes snapped off. Jabu-Jabu proceeded to bare two rows of jagged teeth.

It let out an ungodly roar. The cry was a mixture of rage and pain, as if something brought out the very worst in the whale.

Link barely dodged its surging lunge at him. Navi wasn't with Link now. She waited on the surface, hopefully next to Sheila and Jerome.

Sheila and Jerome still weren't talking to each other. After two days, their conflict hadn't stopped. Silence continued between the two of them and probably would for a long time.

Trevor was missing. Another one of their friends was also unseen and Link didn't know if either child would be found.

Link was on his own. It was a truth he simply had to get used to. He hoped it wouldn't last forever.

Link almost took out his sword. Jabu-Jabu was too powerful to allow on the loose.

However, Link remembered the Zora people's wishes. They didn't want to lose Jabu-Jabu. Losing him could also mean losing Princess Ruto.

Link couldn't do that to King Zora, Commander Claudius or anyone else in the Domain. Too many souls depended on his success.

The difficulty of the situation weighed in on Link. Was he even a worthy hero anymore? Could he save anyone at all, let alone a guardian? The last guardian he tried to protect died and it played a role in him leaving the Kokiri Forest.

Though the Deku Tree reassured Link that there was nothing he could have done, Link always wondered...was the Deku Tree softening the blow of his failure? Did he take away the boy's guilt to keep him focused, to keep him away from the terrible truth...that his efforts always came up short.

Link's thoughts kept him still once more. It proved enough for Jabu-Jabu to target the child and ram into him. Much of the whale's weight damaged Link's armor.

If it weren't for the steel, Link would have died instantly. Of course, the forest boy wondered if that protection mattered at all.

Water rushed into the hole the blow made. The armor's effect of allowing Link to breath below Lake Hylia's surface withered.

Both of Link's lungs shriveled up. He started choking, wondering if this was how Trevor felt. At this point, his new friend must have died. There was no other explanation as to what happened.

Everything was lost. I should just give up Link thought. I...I can't do this. I can't, I can't, I can't…

He kept repeating the words–I can't, I can't, I can't. They echoed, even in the deepest parts of his mind. The words grew softer as he slowly closed his eyes.

Link wondered what was on the other side, now that it would all be over soon. He saw a hand reach down and pull him up by the armor's damaged chest plate. His body rose, then light streamed down on him. Link closed his eyes as soon as air filled him up, coursing through his body as if the oxygen would make him burst.

Commander Claudius looked down on Link. Link lay on his back, covered in a blanket on a makeshift gurney much like the one the Gorons used to bring Jerome to the top of Death Mountain. The gurney was pitched on Lake Hylia's emerald shore, in the midst of the Zora Army's camp. Despite the chaos and dangers of the lake, Link lived to fight another day.

Navi sat by his side. She rested on Link's arm, her face full of worry. Jerome and Sheila stood beside the gurney, thought they were on the opposite sides. Neither of them look at each other–only at Link.

"You had us worried," said Navi. She mustered a smile at her charge.

"I'm sorry," Link said, though he didn't know who he was saying it to. He couldn't bring himself to look at Commander Claudius, who wore a look of disappointment on his face. Link tried to sit up in bed. His muscles felt stung as soon as he shifted.

"Perhaps it's best that you rest your body." Commander Claudius didn't look at Link either, but at Lake Hylia instead. Its waters were surprisingly quiet. "Jabu-Jabu has hidden himself again. It will be difficult to lure him out."

Link didn't reply to the leader. He stayed down but scanned the camp to see the state of the sentries. The soldiers tended to their own wounds. Healers focused on closing cuts and mending broken limbs.

Like the issue between Sheila and Jerome, everything was silent.

"We've…finished the rescue efforts for now," Claudius finally said after a while. "Link, thank you for your service."

Link heard the finality in Claudius' voice, already understanding the decision. "Claudius, I—"

"It was a mistake. And not your fault. I…don't know what happened to you out there but...your hesitation upended our best chance. Our best chance, young lad. One of your friends is missing and may have died. These two–" Claudius gestured to Jerome and Sheila with small nods. "Are not exactly available. I hear of your abilities and you all have such great promise…but you're compromised. I can't have that. I'm sorry. Sit this one out."

"But Ruto—"

"Sit this one out, please. You have a noble heart. It's not of use to us right now."

Commander Claudius walked away. Jerome and Sheila looked at their friend sympathetically but still couldn't share a gaze with one another. They walked away as well, apart from each other and as alone as Link felt.

Only Navi stayed with Link. She couldn't offer him words of comfort...instead, there was only sorrow and it was the type of sadness that couldn't be expressed in words. It was only silence, only the quiet, and only the loneliness that comes with such emptiness.

Link was so close to victory in Lake Hylia–then, it was snatched away. Now, it felt as if he had nothing at all.

Chapter Text

Lake Hylia was peaceful at night. Everyone was relieved.

Link's body ached from the chaos from earlier in the day, where he nearly died while failing to stop Lord Jabu-Jabu. Navi urged him to rest after the ordeal, talking about how he had to heal so he could help again.

"Claudius has to change his mind," said Navi. "He just has to…somehow."

Link quietly nodded. He gave her no words. What else did he have to say? Claudius and the sentries went about their business after the commander relieved the forest boy of his duty.

They wanted to contain their guardian on their own. Link no longer had a part in that. He understood how they felt.

Scores of sentries dressed their wounds in bandages on the emerald shore. Female healers held their hands over cuts, slowly closing them with soothing strands of teal light.

Every soldier looked weary. Their expressions seemed blank and vacant, as if Jabu-Jabu stole more than a bit of their health.

Each heart of the sentry must have been wounded. Every mind must have been dazed. Link's heart sank as he failed to find a difference in the army's demeanor.

The stars twinkled in the midst of a violet sky. Dark clouds drifted high above the world, veiling and unveiling a glowing moon.

Link couldn't appreciate the beauty. He tried to sleep earlier but wandered from the hammock in his tent.

Jerome and Sheila slept in separate tents, sharing space with sentries and healers respectively. Neither of them spoke to each other still. The conflict continued.

Link couldn't stand the two of them being apart. He stayed up all night, wondering if everything that happened was his fault.

He went outside to look at the stars and they didn't soothe his worries. So, Link started wandering away.

The forest boy pulled himself away from Lake Hylia's shores. Green grass greeted Link as he made his way to a paved path which would have led out to Hyrule Field. Many a time, Link pondered running away.

That would have been easy. It wouldn't have been the first time he considered leaving. This time around, the solution to all Link's woes seemed to rest in just that–running away, avoiding the mission, leaving the burdens behind. Besides, it wasn't as if the Zoras wanted him to take on any of their problems.

Link stared at the road beyond Lake Hylia. Darkness awaited. Dangers lurked in these hours, though Link was quite safe given the nearby Zora Army.

If Link ran, he could go home to the woods. The Kokiri knew by now that the Great Deku Tree's death wasn't his doing, but that of Ganondorf and Queen Gohma, the creature that poisoned the forest guardian's roots to the point of death.

If Link ran, he could run all the way home. Everyone there would accept him.

Peace could finally come into his life. Navi could stay by his side, soothing his pain, soothing his sorrows. Darkness awaited Link beyond Lake Hylia…and he would leave his new friends behind.

Jerome and Sheila would stay in Hyrule forever. Hyrule wasn't their home.

Trevor was lost. Rebecca was missing as well. If Link left, there was a good chance that the two of them would never be found.

What can I do? Link thought. Nothing at all. It's hopeless. All of it…hopeless.

Even Link was scared. He faced fears before but this was a nightmare come true. Once upon a time, he had a guardian of his own.

Link slumped against one of the rock walls bordering the pathway to Hyrule Field. He buried his face in his hands, feeling heavier than ever before. It was as if his body were made of stones.

Link brought his ocarina along and nothing else. Navi was fast asleep at the camp, having found rest amongst the Zoras.

Link needed his own sense of peace. Music was a way to do it. He realized anything would do in this moment, so Link pulled it from the belt wrapped around his tunic and performed melodies to no one.

He played random keys. He thought of small tunes from the woods that he always remembered fondly.

Link recalled dancing with Darunia to the sound of a band that backed the song Saria taught him. He eventually caused himself to do just that; to play the melody his best friend helped him love so much with all his heart.

He played the song Saria taught him. A melody that bounced through the air as if it were dancing. The notes brought Link joy and he needed it so badly. And so he played on and on and on and on…

"Link…"

The voice felt like Link was being pulled from a dream. He was asleep and closed off from everything, then a gentle whisper jolted his senses.

Link looked around. He thought about how impossible it was to hear whom he heard. Saria couldn't have possibly been at Lake Hylia. Link was the first Kokiri to dare come out of the woods ever, as far as he knew at least.

Before writing it off as his imagination, Link looked down at the ocarina. Power. Saria said an ocarina had power beyond anything imaginable.

Hyrule was a land of magic and wonders. Why couldn't he believe in the magic coming in the form of his most prized possession?

Link played Saria's song. Loose leaves flew in the wind. The grass swayed and thin trees in the distance leaned as if to bow to nature. Though the night was cool, Link felt a different texture in the weather…a warmth he knew and yet found out about for the first time.

"You're learning, Link…that's good."

Link closed his eyes. They both stung terribly. He let out a small laugh, as if something were truly funny about all this.

"The ocarina you hold has amazing power," said Saria. "The music we play will keep us together."

"You weren't lying," Link whispered. ¨I…always believed you."

"I'm so glad to hear from you. How's your adventure, Hero of Hyrule?"

Link remained quiet. He heard his best friend sigh. He wondered if their very minds were connected, making it easy for Saria to know what Link's mind hid away.

"It's hard, Link," Saria said. "Everything you're doing is so difficult. The adventure is so hard."

"But why?" Link wished he could see Saria face-to-face. He wished she could comfort help. Hug him. Tell him everything would be alright. This would have meant everything to him. "How is anything going to get better?"

"I can't be the one to tell you that."

"I wish you could."

"I do too. Oh, how I wish I could…"

"…I…sometimes I want to run away."

"But then nothing will get better, Link. Do you truly want that for yourself?"

"I don't know what I want anymore."

Then, there was more silence. Link only heard the wind. He waited for Saria and the wisdom she clearly had.

Suddenly, Link cried. His tears became endless, like a long rainstorm. The streams ran down his face, met at his chin, then plummeted to the grass beneath him.

Saria waited for him. Link imagined the hurt on her face. He'd even seen it before, years ago. He used to tell her how he felt about not having a fairy. She saw and always defended Link from the bullying of boys like Mido when Link was growing up in the forest. Saria understood Link's pain far better than anyone else in the world. She was always there for him, as good friends should be.

"Oh, Link…" Saria whispered. "What I would do to take all of this away…" Link heard her take a deep breath, then sigh. "Link…play the ocarina. Play anything that's on your heart. Let the music take the pain away."

Link wondered for a moment. Could that really happen? Playing music to soothe problems? To make them go away?

"Trust me," Saria said, as if she read his mind. "Play your ocarina. Get lost for a moment, Link. It's OK to be lost sometimes…"

Link believed Saria, as he always had. He lifted the ocarina, pressing the mouth piece to his lips. His fingers decided which notes he would play. A melody waltzed through the air, harmonious and peaceful. It took him a moment to realize that he was playing the Hyrule Royal Family's song, the lullaby Impa sang to Princess Zelda when she was a baby.

Link couldn't tell anyone why he chose that song in particular. The moment just seemed right. It was as if the song was a part of who he was and always had been.

Zelda's lullaby felt natural in every way, shape and form. As soon as the song poured out into the night, Link did feel at peace. His tears dried up and the heartache died down.

"Link…?"

He recognized the voice instantly. It was another girl, another familiar person Link had gotten to know very briefly but felt a strong connection to.

The ocarina's power continued to astonish Link. There were no bounds to what it could do. Proof of this came now. After all, Princess Zelda forged a connection with Link now.

"Zelda…" Link said. "It's…it's me. I…called you with a song."

"A song?" Zelda sounded like someone in pure disbelief. "The royal song. The lullaby. It has that kind of power?"

"Yes," Link said, in disbelief himself.

"I…I shouldn't be astonished by this. You're on a mission to save Hyrule, after all…Link, I sense someone else with us. A friend."

Link laughed as his body warmed. "Her name's Saria. She's from the forest, like me. We're both Kokiri!"

"Both Kokiri…?" Zelda's voice trailed off and it seemed as if she left. "...Hello, Saria. I'm Princess Zelda of Hyrule."

"It's an honor." Link imagined a smile on Saria's face as she spoke with royalty.

"The honor is mine. I can see your nobility. You and Link are alike. You care about the world and care about how to save it."

Saria chuckled. "You're a hero too, then. You're the princess of destiny, your highness. We're glad to be on this journey with you."

"Good…good. Link, how goes the mission?"

"I…I'm stuck. I don't know what to do."

"...You have a spiritual stone."

"Yes."

"The Spiritual Stone of Fire?"

"Yes…how did you know?"

"I…I'm not sure. But somehow, I just knew. You conquered the beast on Death Mountain and you've made it it up to this point with the Zoras. They've trusted you to fight alongside them. Link, you're yet to fail. You're on the verge of victory."

"No I'm not…I…I don't know where else to go, Zelda…"

"You just have to take the next step, Link. It's a must, if you're to be victorious."

"How do you know I'll win? How can you think I'm able to do it?"

"You're the hero the Zoras need right now. No one else will be able to do what you're able to do. I see no one else but you. Just have faith, Link. Always…"

Link wiped the tears from his eyes. He didn't know why the change suddenly came. Zelda's words resonated with him–echoed even. The confidence in her voice gave him a rush of the same feeling. His heart surged with a need to fulfill his duty.

He had to save Ruto. He had to save Hyrule. No matter what, it was Link's job to save everyone. He wouldn't forget that anytime soon.

We believe in you, said Saria. I believe in you. And so does Zelda. Everyone in the forest is waiting for you to come back home…and you will, won't you? You'll be back with us, where it all began?

"Always," said Link. He smiled now, as if the journey were already done.

Then we shall see you soon, Zelda declared. Good luck…though I don't believe you'll need it.

"Thank you…"

He listened for Saria and Zelda…but couldn't hear them. Their voices faded away. Neither girl said goodbye and Link's heart sank at the chance that maybe he wouldn't hear from them or see them again…

But he had a feeling that this wasn't true.

He wouldn't let it be true.

Link was going to save Hyrule.

Link stood up. He looked at Navi, who seemed taken aback by the wonders that just happened. She was a fairy, an unbelievable sight in her own right and yet she found out there were more wondrous miracles in this world beyond her existence.

"I…Navi, I'm happy to have you by my side."

Navi smiled warmly at her charge. "I couldn't have chosen a better friend to guide…although you're not going to need me someday."

"Don't say that. We'll always be together. It's the Kokiri way."

Navi looked away, keeping her kind expression. She closed her eyes as she turned back toward the lake.

"You're a hero in your own right," said the fairy. "A companion isn't going to shape you into the person you're meant to be. That's you and no one else. You just get a lot of help along the way."

Link nodded. Navi was right–he had to shape his own destiny, no matter who stood in his way or helped him. Others could open doors; it was up to him to walk through them and soar from there.

He thought of the lake. Danger lurked beneath the water's surface, but it wouldn't stay that way for long. Link would find a way to overcome the challenge below.

"Navi," Link said. "Let's go to the commander. We'll talk along the way."

The boy and his fairy made their way back to the encampment. Zora sentries stood along the emerald shoreline, standing at attention with their spears and swords in hand.

Before the gathering of soldiers was Commander Claudius. He spoke with with authority, pacing back and forth between the ends of the long line of his regiment.

Claudius' stern demeanor intensified since Link last saw him, tightening like his webbed fists, which trembled with a determined fury.

"You're better than the circumstances," Claudius said. "We knew this was to be a great challenge, a powerful resistance to our might...but we still have that might. Do not forget this! You're the sentries of the River Zoras! You're the greatest water nation in the world! No other country can make such a claim. Prove our reputation to be correct! We will get our guardian back. I swear it."

Link waited for Claudius to finish. When the commander did, he turned to the forest boy and allowed his expression to wane. His regal stance was still bold and proud.

"commander," Link said. "I want to be more useful."

Claudius nodded, though his expression kept hold. "How would you be more useful? You've done enough, I said. I don't see what more you can do to help us."

"I want to be put in the water." Link saw Claudius' jaw fall. Both lips parted as he blinked his cerulean eyes.

"Put me on a boat," Link continued. "Where I can be closer to Jabu-Jabu. Let's bring my friends to mix as well. They have powers that can help us all."

Link waited for the commander's refusal. When the Zora scratched his chin, the weight on Link's shoulders lightened.

"It seems you have a new plan," said Claudius.

"I do," Link replied. "And if you'll hear me out, we'll get Jabu-Jabu out of the water the next time he comes out. I promise you that much."

Chapter Text

Seven Days Ago

Trevor woke up with sweat on his forehead. The cold droplets made him shiver.

He was shirtless in bed–a normal habit for him during the late spring and early summer. A quiet stillness surrounded Trevor. His heartbeat drummed in the silence. All that happened must have been a dream; Earthquakes never happened in Illinois. No one ever through a big crack in the ground and lived.

No one roamed through strange underground canyons and found themselves in a strange cave of secrets that were beyond belief. None of that could have been real and that was a relief.

Trevor continued to lie on his back, staring at the darkness above. When he tried to sit up, pain tore into his torso. He groaned out loud, putting both hands on his belly. That was when he felt the bandages.

Someone wrapped cloth around torso, from the waist up to his belly button. When Trevor took off his blanket, he felt how rough and coarse the gritty fabric was, like it had been around for many years and didn't have long before it unraveled into stringy pieces.

As his eyes continued adjusting to the dark, Trevor noticed more differences; an unfamilar door stood several feet away his bed. The bed he sat in wasn't his own; something felt uncomfortable about it. The floor was made of dirt. Strange smells floated in the air.

This place wasn't Trevor's room…and Trevor had no idea where he was at this point.

Trevor sat up, gritting his teeth through the pain. This isn't real, this isn't real he thought to himself. Trevor blinked his eyes as if they were light switches. Each time he opened them, he hoped that his own room would appear, that the bad dream would finally go away. He wanted to see the Colts poster with Peyton Manning standing in the pocket. He longed for his dresser, which was decorated with stickers from his favorite TV shows and video games. Nothing came up. It was all still the same. The nightmare continued and decided Trevor had to stay.

When Trevor screamed, it must have lasted an hour. He barely noticed the scampering of feet from somewhere beyond the door.

When the door flung open, Trevor covered himself as if he could actually hide. He saw the shape of a young girl in a dress standing in the door frame before he covered his head.

He heard a frantic call–"Mother!" It was followed by more footsteps, steps that were stronger and brisk and somehow calm. Trevor clamped his mouth shut but gave one last shout when the blanket was pulled off.

"Child…child, please. Calm down, you're fine."

Trevor looked up at a woman who gazed at him. Her blonde hair was tied into a bun. She had grey eyes that somehow lit in the dark. Her smoky garb was a little more bleak than her stare and could've easily blended into the room's darkness.

She didn't appear menacing or unkind; like the footsteps from earlier, this woman looked like someone who knew how to handle every problem without ever panicking or being fearful.

Trevor's cries stopped. He took a deep breath, fought through the pain in his gut (the wound he had didn't help with things) and slouched. He didn't flinch when the woman placed a hand on the bare part of his back.

"We weren't sure if you'd awaken, child." The woman turned toward the door where the young girl still stood. "Gertrude. Boil some water for our guest. Don't take long."

"Yes, mother." The girl scampered off again with her footsteps becoming distant with each movement.

Trevor kept his eyes on his blanket. The rough material was a dull brown. A gritty texture persisted in his clutches.

"Where am I?" Trevor asked.

"You're in the town."

"The town…?"

"Castletown. In Hyrule."

"Hyrule…?"

"You're not from here?"

The woman sat on the bed and faced Trevor. She put her free hand on his brow while staring deeper into his eyes, as if she found something wrong with him.

"Maybe you're from Labrynna," she murmured, though that didn't help Trevor understand anything any better. She seemed to be talking to herself more than anyone. "Or Holodrum…but you don't seem to sound like it. Of course, you don't look too Hylian either. But you wouldn't find many of us outside of Hyrule."

"Why am I here?"

"My husband found you in the Zora River. You must have fallen in. He thought you were dead, child. He pulled you out to see to you getting a proper burial and all. A miracle happened then; you were breathing, even after being facedown in the waters. We've been praying all morning to the divine for you."

Trevor heard Getrude pattering back to the room. "Mother," said the girl. "The water's all bubbly and getting hot!"

Gertrude's mother looked over her shoulder at her daughter. "Turn the fire off, love." The mother offered Trevor a warm smile and cupped his face in her hands. "You're probably sick of water after whatever you went through, child…how did you get in there?"

Trevor's eyes welled up. "...I…I don't know. I want to go home."

Gertrude's mother shushed Trevor as tears streamed down his face. She thumbed the sadness away and gathered him into an embrace.

"You'll get home," she promised. "We have to find out what to do, but we'll get you home. Until then, you're not alone and we'll make sure it stays that way. Don't you cry now, love. Don't you cry…"

Trevor wasn't sure if he could believe the woman.

The Next Day

What Delilah told Trevor was true. Her husband, Lionel, was out on the Zora River in his raft, trying to collect fish to sell in the Market in Hyrule Castletown.

Everyone in the city spoke of a strange occurrence from the night before. Many shooting stars fell through the sky.

Most of them never even touched the world while other places seemed rattled by certain landings. Trevor didn't really know much more than what Lionel called 'odd rumors.'

"Everyone has fantasies and imaginings," Lionel said at the family's dining table. He was a hefty man with a brown goatee and gray clothes not unlike his wife and daughter's. The man seemed to take pride in bringing home what his family needed in order to live well and survive.

The dining table was covered in a variety of food-filled dishes. Greens, fruits and cooked fish were the meal for today. Everyone took a modest share. Gertrude scooped spoonfuls of food into Trevor's small pinewood bowl.

"No one ever knows the whole truth," Lionel continued. "It'd be good for us to see the truth for ourselves, right?" Lionel offered Trevor the same kind smirk his wife had earlier. "You're definitely real, aren't you?"

Trevor smiled back out of politeness. After all, Lionel seemed to save his life.

It was still hard to believe that he spent a long time unconscious in whatever river the family spoke of, although he shouldn't have been too surprised. Getrude, Lionel and Delilah's daughter, kept ranting about how she wasn't even allowed to dip a toe in the water because of how deep the river was.

The child insisted she could be around such places without much trouble, but her parents weren't willing to budge on the matter.

"It's just not fair," Gertrude muttered later on. She and Trevor were out in the town square, away from their "They always treat me like a child!"

"...But you are a child." Trevor pointed this out while staring out at the strange city before him. People clamored to wooden stands with different colored gems in their hands to purchase goods he probably never heard of.

"So are you," Gertrude snapped back with a glare in her eyes.

"Yeah…but I know I'm a kid."

"...Who asked you anyway…?"

Gertrude looked on at Castletown with Trevor. She truly did live here.

The girl spent the entire morning showing Trevor around after he rested for a couple days. Gertrude dragged Trevor through the city's back alleys, introduced her to a "shooting gallery" where people could hit different objects with slingshots and many different shops.

It became awkward when Gertrude stopped every brown haired or green-eyed adult and asked them if they were Trevor's parents. She'd do it obnoxiously as well, which made it all the more worse.

Gertrude grabbed Trevor by the hand, urged him toward the adult and loudly asked "Is this boy your child? My daddy pulled him out from the river!" She never failed in embarrassing Trevor. His face was still warm from all the blushing he did in response to Gertrude's bad detective work.

He wanted to cover her mouth sometimes and drag her away from everyone. He almost wanted to say he liked it in Hyrule just so Gertrude would stop.

"Do you see anyone in the square right now who could be it?" Gertrude asked. She pointed at a stout woman with brown hair who fawned over a small dog with stone-colored fur that pranced about on the cobblestone streets. "She looks like she could be it, don't you think?"

"I don't think it. I KNOW she's not my Mom."

"How do you know she's not your mum?"

"Because she doesn't look like her."

"...Maybe she got fat?"

"My mom didn't get fat. It's not her. OK?"

"Hmmm…" Gertrude found a bald man with a brown mustache. He donned a sleeveless vest and green pants. "How about him? That must be your papa."

"My dad has hair, it's turning white on the sides and he doesn't dress up like that. He doesn't have a mustache either."

"Well, how are we going to find your family?"

"Not by doing this." Trevor stood up and crossed his arms over his chest. "I…I don't want to be here anymore. I'm going on a walk. Leave me alone."

Gertrude looked up at Trevor and looked like his words had hurt her. She even jutted out her lower lip and had to dab at her eyes with the back of one of her hands. Trevor started feeling bad.

"I'm just trying to help you," she said. "It's not right for people to not be home or without their family. It's just not right."

Trevor sighed. "I know. It's just…I know what my life is like. You don't. Please stop trying to think for me and let me think for myself. That's all I'm asking, OK?" Trevor realized he wasn't making things much better. "...Do you know a nice place for me to walk?"

Gertrude's eyes brightened up at the question. "Do you want to see Hyrule Castle?" she asked.

Trevor remembered Gertrude talking about it. It looked interesting from a distance, coming across as truly important as it seemed to oversee all the city atop a distant hill.

Trevor nodded and even turned in the direction he remembered Hyrule Castle being…and almost knocked another girl over as he started moving.

"What in the world–"

The girl went from alarmed to angry in a moment. She stumbled away from Trevor and tightened her hold on a snow-colored bundle she kept close to her chest. After she steadied herself and made sure the bundle was safe, she shot a dirty look in Trevor's direction. Her jaw clenched and she wagged a finger at him.

"Watch where you're going!" said the girl. "It's already bad enough I have to deal with my papa not being around and here you are trying to knock folks flat on their keisters! Use those green eyes of yours, buddy!"

Trevor was taken aback by the girl's country drawl. She had red hair that went down to right above her waist and biggest blue eyes that easily narrowed when she was angry.

Her white dress had peculiar blue patterns around the edges of her sleeves and along its bottom hemline. The girl's marigold scarf was pinned together with a pendant shaped like the face of a bizarre dragon-like creature with two bared fangs and twin horns atop its head.

"Sorry," Trevor said, feeling a worse pit in his stomach for looking more out of place than ever before.

"You should be." The red head turned her nose up in the air and stalked past Trevor and Gertrude. She and the carefully cradled bundle blended into the crowd.

Trevor wondered if what she held was a baby sister or brother. It would explain why she talked about a missing father.

"Everyone's looking for their mums and dads," said Gertrude as she took Trevor by the wrist and led him to Hyrule Castle. "You're not too alone after all, Trevor!"

Moments Later

"Isn't it beautiful?"

Hyrule Castle had four spired towers of different heights. Watchtowers surrounded them in the two front corners and probably the back as well. A blackgate, a set of stairs, a sizeable field with green grass, a paved dirt path and many guards in knight's armor stood between visitors and the estate itself. Trevor was glad to keep his distance and be unseen.

"Since we're just kids," said Gertrude. "We can stand and stare all we want. No one will think we're causing trouble if we don't go closer. The guards get really nasty if you try to come too close. They get mean and tell you off."

Trevor kept skimming through the castle's details. "Mm-hm."

"I heard a man tried to meet the princess but he got stuck in a drain that went out of the castle. The guards found him with his bum sticking out of the hole!"

"Oh."

"Yes…I heard they paddled his bum with the hilts of their spears and swords, just to teach him a lesson before kicking him out. He was one of the strange ones in town, he was. They knew he didn't mean any harm."

"Unlucky guy."

"...You don't seem to care all that much."

"I just want to go home."

Gertrude gave a pouty face. "Well, you said I can't do much about it. You might as well enjoy yourself and stay a while!"

"I really don't want to."

"You don't have a choice, I don't think."

"Oh, but he will."

Trevor and Gertrude both paused. They looked at each other as if they were waiting for the other person to say they were joking.

Trevor's fears started coming back to him and he started looking around for the source of the voice. The road back to Castletown was behind Trevor and Getrude. Before them was the castle. To their right was a hedge made from rocks and hardened soil. Vines climbed up some of the sides and even looked strong enough to hold a person. To their left was a gathering of lush trees bearing new fruit.

It was there that the two heard the voice. Gertrude cautiously crept towards the trees, but stopped when she realized Trevor wasn't moving.

"Aren't you going to try and stay by my side?" she asked in a harsh whisper.

"...Why don't you just check it out instead? I'll wait right here for you and hope for you to come back."

"You WILL come with me or I'll make sure you NEVER go back to wherever you came from!"

Trevor shrugged and went to Gertrude's side. Out of a need to feel brave, the two both held hands.

Trevor's nerves seemed to keep getting the best of him as they ventured into the trees. Soon, an entire grove of them surrounded the two. The road between the city and castle were just out of sight.

"Do you see anyone?" Gertrude whispered.

Trevor shook his head. "Maybe we imagined it."

"Two people cannot imagine the same thing. If we both heard it, it was real."

"None of this feels real."

"Then it would mean I'm not real."

"Then I guess you're not."

Before Gertrude could snap at Trevor again, the two heard a rustling from above. They stopped dead in their tracks and just stared out into the distance. Trevor's skin grew goosebumps. It felt like the person watching them was right there, ready to whisk them away. Trevor whirled around and saw nobody at all.

Soft hoots came down from one of the trees. Trevor looked up and saw a large owl staring at him and Getrude. The owl looked very odd with it's strange unibrow that stretched out like antenna and eyes not unlike the sky blue ones Trevor saw on the girl earlier. This bird's chest puffed out, covered in golden-brown feathers.

"Well," Trevor whispered. "We might be the first kids who have ever gone crazy out here."

"I wouldn't say that you've lost your sanity in the slightest."

Trevor wanted to disagree with the owl. He had to have been crazy. After all, Trevor knew owls don't speak yet here was a bird that moved its beak and let words out from its mouth. He had another scream in him, another frightened cry that both he and Getrude could have shared in having. Trevor chose to swallow the cry instead, just in case the owl had any ideas or in case it ended up that he was crazy and needed to think about where his mind was at.

"Wow," Trevor said. "I…I could have swore you talked to me."

"I did speak with you."

The owl fluttered its wing and floated down to the ground. When it landed, Trevor saw how large the creature was. It towered over both him and Gertrude, causing great alarm to them both. Gertrude came close to Trevor, hiding behind him as the owl gave them a once over.

"...P-Please don't eat us," Trevor's heart pounded.

"I have no interest in that. I'm far from a monster." The owl hopped around the children, keeping its eyes fixed on them…though Trevor felt the owl only focused on him alone. "You're definitely not from Hyrule, are you?" Trevor shook his head. "You hail from parts outside of here and even this world, yes?"

"I don't know," Trevor answered. "I guess?"

"You can't guess. You should simply know."

"How can I know when I'm not even sure of what I'm seeing?"

"That is a good question indeed. Have you considered actually looking through this place for yourself?"

"I guess not."

The owl hooted as if to give a laugh. Trevor even swore he saw a smile in the creature's face. "Then we see the problem, my boy. We can't have that, can we?"

The owl finally looked at Gertrude and Gertrude alone. "Young lass, what is your name?"

Gertrude breathed in a staggered way, like she just remembered how to. "Gertrude…"

"Beautiful name for a pretty child. Thank you for taking care of Trevor. It's greatly appreciated."

Gertrude's jaw dropped and Trevor felt his own mouth prying wide open. How did the owl know…?

"Are YOU Trevor's daddy?" Gertrude asked. "I didn't think his father would be an owl! Why didn't he recognize you?"

The owl definitely chuckled. Trevor heard a hearty laugh.

"I'm no father," said the owl. "And as you can see…we don't exactly resemble one another. But I do know of Trevor. I've had my eyes on him since the day he was born and he doesn't even know it."

"What?" Trevor found himself asking aloud. The owl looked at Trevor again. Trevor wished it hadn't.

"It is true," said the owl. "I'm Kaepora Gaebora and I am here to let you know that I can in fact take you home, or at least help you with the possible means. But the path paved before you is up for you to walk upon."

"None of this is real."

Trevor rubbed his face with both hands and even slapped himself. This is a dream, he thought, it's getting way too weird. An owl…is bigger than me…and TALKING to me. I don't get it. I just don't get it…

"You must be finding this difficult to believe," said Kaepora Gaebora. "Welcome to Hyrule. I believe where you're from, magic never truly existed…or it long since passed away, many ages ago. Either way, this is a reality that surrounds you now. But if you wish to get back to your end, I suggest you do as I say."

Kaepora Gaebora turned to Gertrude, who was just as struck as Trevor was by this whole occurrence.

"Young Gertrude," said the owl. "At the foot of this tree I came down from…" The owl nodded its head to the tree behind it. "You'll see a patch of dirt. It's a small hole and has a gathering of some rupees in there. Dig them up and give them to your parents. Say you took it as a thank you for sending Trevor back to where he belonged."

Gertrude raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't I have to fib?" she asked.

The owl hooted. "I'm sure lying in this circumstance would be just fine. It's a white fib, a noble kind of lie that must be told for the sake of Hyrule. Don't you want to help your land?"

Gertrude's face brightened up. "Are you saying I'm sort of like a knight?" she asked.

"If you wish to compare yourself to such figures, fine. You're hereby knighted by me to protect Hyrule by keeping this a secret."

"Gladly!" Gertrude saluted the owl before marching to the foot of the tree to dig the rupees out of the dirt.

"You're trusting this weirdo?" asked Trevor.

"Yep!" Gertrude plucked a red jewel from the ground. She wiped off bits of soil from its shining crimson surface. "I don't think it's too bad an idea, Trevor Berenson! He looks very trustworthy."

"He's a talking bird."

"And how often do you see that? And he knew your name, too!"

"Many bad guys can know your name, you know…"

"Maybe. But I would still trust him. Look into his eyes!"

Gertrude gathered all the rupees and walked back to Kaepora Gaebora. She cuddled with the owl, who seemed almost taken aback by the girl's warm approach.

"He's just the cutest thing!" she said. "And he's going to help you get back home to your town and friends! I'd say you should listen to him."

Trevor looked at the owl, who gave a slight nod.

"If you don't trust me," said the owl. "I won't stop you from going back into town. You have to walk the path when you're ready…not just because you feel like you have to do it. You don't know me, but I am not someone who wishes you harm. I only wish to help you get better, my child. It's up to you what you wish to do."

Trevor hung his head in thought. He tapped his foot on the ground and kept thing about how none of this went away.

If Trevor wanted to get back to Oak Shire, he'd have to follow along with whatever came his way. He had to learn to trust any kind face at the very least.

"OK…" Trevor threw his hands up in the air. "I'll listen. I'm listening. I just want to go home. What do I do?"

And so Trevor learned of the boy from the woods. He'd be garbed in green and accompanied by a fairy. Trevor would know this child to be the one he was looking for if he possessed an emerald laced with gold. After hearing all this, Kaepora Gaebora looked out onto the road and seemed to be listening for something.

"Destiny is arriving very shortly," he said to Trevor. "Prepare yourself."

The owl seemed to smile again, though Trevor wasn't sure of anything that was happening. Without a word, Kaepora flew up, rising to the treetop behind and perching himself within the shade of its green leaves.

Trevor swore he saw the strange bird shrink itself. Magic existed in this place. Trevor knew the owl was mistaken about it being gone from where he came from…but he wasn't ready to talk about that. Not yet, at least.

Trevor slowly approached the path to the castle. He looked to the left and saw the gate where two guards stood.

The gate itself was made of black metal. Polished marble stones framed it, forming into a small wall with a miniature watchtower. To the right was a wide open road back into the city. Trevor heard joyful noises in the distance, ranging from music to people chattering about their day. He also saw a boy in green.

He had blonde hair, blue eyes, and a small ball of light beside him. The light floated and bounced. A wooden shield and sword were attached to the boy's back. Trevor watched the child look around with wonder in his eyes. Perhaps this was his first time in the world as well, though Trevor doubted it.

Either way, Trevor knew it best to step out and reach out to the boy. He knew it best to reach get away from the trees, ask all the right questions and simply say:

"Look…my name's Trevor Berenson…"

The rest feels like history, like something left far behind in the distant past. As Trevor learned the boy's name–Link–and also learned of his fairy Navi. He told them of a way into the castle as Kaepora Gaebora had instructed. Then, he waited.

The rest feels like history, like something left behind in the distant past. He heard more footsteps behind him and felt another presence in his midst. When Trevor turned around, he saw the red headed girl from the market. She still held the bundle close to her heart like the world's biggest secret. Whatever had been wrapped within the cloth moved about.

"What's in there?" he asked the girl.

"A cucco."

"A what?"

"A cucco. Don't you know what those are?"

The red headed girl unwrapped the cloth and out popped the golden head of a little orange-beaked fowl. It's eyes were half-closed as if it just awoke from a long sleep. The cucco looked around before nuzzling itself against the girl, trying to find its sense of restfulness again.

"A chicken?"

"I don't know what a chicken is, but this is a cucco. You could really learn some new words, you know?"

"OK…my name's Trevor. What's your name?"

"Malon. I'm from Lon Lon Ranch in the middle of Hyrule. We sell goods to the people of Castletown and Kakariko and even the Gorons and Zoras sometimes."

"I don't know who any of those people are."

"Yeah, I figured." Malon bounced the cucco in her arms like a mother would for their child. "I'm trying to find my papa…but I don't know where he is."

"You don't?"

"No…he went to the castle but hasn't come back."

Trevor looked in the castle's direction. Link and Navi made their way up the path but trouble came up for them…it was hard for the two to actually make it past all the guards.

"I can help," Trevor said without thinking. What was he thinking? Why did he…?

"How are you able to help?" Malon asked.

"What do you think would be a good way for me to help?"

Trevor saw Malon look down at the baby cucco, then back at him. She gave him a smirk and Trevor didn't know what to make of that expression.

"What?" he asked. Malon didn't answer. "...What?"

The rest feels like history, like something left behind in the distant past. Malon taught Trevor that cuccos needed to let out a cry from time to time so they could grow up feeling strong. Trevor didn't quite get it until he helped Malon create a distraction that allowed him to walk freely into the castle and catch up with Link and Navi. From there, he met Talon. From there, the adventure continued. The rest of the journey felt like history.

And then they went to the forest.

And then they went to a village.

And then they climbed a mountain.

And then Trevor found all his friends.

He thought he was heading home.

But then they went near the water…and the nightmare continued. When the bad dream kept going and Trevor revealed who he really was to his friends, he didn't know how to handle it all. They probably didn't know how to handle him either. Regardless, he knew this was the only way home…but now he wasn't sure if he could make it home.

The memories started melting away…and suddenly Trevor heard a voice. It sounded so familiar…like one that was all his own.

When his eyes fluttered open, Trevor realized that this was in fact the case…his shadow was looking down at him again.

"Hey there," said the Shadow. "Wake up."

Chapter Text

"Think about Lake Mulder."

Trevor and The Shadow shared a small island. It was a mound of sand just large enough to hold them both.

Deep black waters surrounded them, spreading out to all sides with no end in sight. An overcast sky hung over the scene, quiet and eerie as The Shadow loomed over Trevor. The strange space lacked color aside from black, white and the eerie red glow of The Shadow's eyes.

"Come on…" The Shadow formed a wicked grin on its face. Trevor couldn't believe that his own face could show so much evil and malice. "It shouldn't be hard to remember that day. I remember it. You made a mistake and decided to swallow up everything you were. Everything you are. I want to see it again. Show me."

Trevor spent the past two years trying to forget. His foe was right when it spoke. He did make a mistake, a big problem his mind couldn't run away from.

Though no one knew the truth, Trevor understood everything that happened on that day. He knew the cause of it–felt it, actually, while making it happen.

On that day, Trevor found out how gifts could be dangerous and cause the worst moments to come up out of nowhere. He decided to run away. He chose to forget.

Before now, Trevor started making peace with the possibility of never showing his true self to anyone. When Hyrule came about, he had a feeling that the powers had to emerge…but this was more than what he expected.

The Shadow jutted his lower lip out, pretending to pout. "What's wrong? Did your mind get messed up when I beat you down at Lake Hylia? Too bad. I'll jog your memory a little, buddy. That should help, right?"

Trevor tried to crawl away. He knew there wasn't much space on the island before he hit the dark waters, but tried anyway. As he moved, the ground beneath him seemed to flatten.

The island's sand dried and swirled about as if it were picked up by the wind. He felt warmth from up above and saw the sun shining down without any clouds around it. Voices rose out of nowhere; they had calm conversations, or shouted at the top of their lungs with glee.

When Trevor looked around, he saw many people. They laid themselves down on blankets, seeking either sunlight or shade beneath umbrellas.

Everyone wore swimsuits of some kind. The water stayed on one side now, sitting beside the shore while remaining as black as ever.

It took a while for Trevor to notice. He darted his sights back and forth between the grinning Shadow and the scene that sprung up from nothing.

Trevor's vision panned throughout the beach until he saw his parents sitting next to one another. They held hands while sitting on lawn chairs.

Trevor's mom laughed while his father kept chatting at her, sharing in some of the joy. Trevor didn't know what they spoke of on that day. He just knew about what happened afterward at Lake Mulder, about the problem that seemed moments away from coming up again like it often did in his nightmares.

"I'm in your head, Trevor."

A frigid grip grabbed Trevor by the back of his neck. It dragged him across the beach without effort. Trevor thrashed against The Shadow's hold but no beating of his fists could make his enemy let go.

"Quit fighting. You didn't win at the lake. You're not winning now. Or ever. Just watch…"

The Shadow's other hand clutched Trevor's chin. It roughly tilted Trevor's head back so he could see straight ahead. A boy knelt beside a sandcastle not too far from shore. He was skinny and quiet. His hands delicately patted different parts of the structure he made, treating it as if it were a child in slumber.

The boy had blonde hair. It was shaggy on his head with the bangs hanging just above his eyes. He was overdue for a haircut.

He wore circle-framed glasses with lenses soiled by small brown specks from the beach. The boy was in his own world, not recognizing the people around him, let alone the strange sight of his two other selves who watched him at play.

"Don't we look good?" The Shadow asked, giving a snarky chuckle.

Trevor gritted his teeth. He wanted to warn his younger self about what would happen. Trevor knew why he was here without The Shadow saying so. This was the past. This was the day. It was the mistake he made, the one that haunted him in his nightmares. He didn't want it to happen…he wanted everything to stop right now.

Go, Trevor thought. Run. Dammit, RUN!

"Not so fast." Trevor's eyes widened as The Shadow seemed to interfere with his quiet pleas. "Again…I'm in your brain. I'm pulling everything out at will…although I haven't seen everything yet. I'm curious about one thing."

"Let me go," Trevor grunted.

"Not until we see her."

"You know what happened to her."

"Not everything…I want to see ALL of your secrets. I've been doing it since you landed in Hyrule. I won't stop until I see why you're so weak. Then, I'll kill you. So…let's see what your mind and heart are made of…cue the tomboy."

Trevor couldn't look away. He knew what was up next and could've easily closed his eyes without The Shadow stopping him. Instead, a tall lanky girl with fiery red hair came into view. She towered over the boy at the sand castle and snatched a seashell out of his hands. Her act was accompanied by a giggle. The boy at the sand castle snarled and gritted his teeth.

"Rebecca," said Trevor's younger self. "Give it back."

Rebecca Santos waved the seashell in the air like a fan, swaying it back and forth while smirking. Though her back was turned to Trevor and The Shadow as they watched on, Trevor remembered the amused look on her face all too well.

"You're gonna have to catch me first," Rebecca said. She even brought the seashell closer to Younger Trevor's face. When he tried to save it from her grasp, Rebecca pulled the seashell back at a pace that was faster than lightning. "Nice try!"

"Stop it."

"No."

"I mean it."

"Ven a buscarme, nino. Come and get me, boy!"

She ran along the shoreline. Younger Trevor jumped to his feet and gave chase. They dashed for a time, forgetting about all the people around them.

At first, the gap was great. Trevor remembered the air that left his lungs as he ran after Rebecca. He recalled the rage that swelled up in his chest as he grew all the more tired.

When he gained on her and closed the gap between them, Trevor remembered how well Rebecca noticed this. He knew she'd eventually turn to Lake Mulder and go into the water, dipping herself into the water.

He didn't remember the lake being so dark. It was still a deep black pool reminiscent of the darkest night. In truth, the lake reflected the sky at its most restful state. Clouds didn't appear on that day. Only the sun sailed across, bringing its warmth onto the world.

Rebecca waded in for a time before turning around to land. She raised the seashell like a trophy, swaying it back and forth while singing a teasing melody with no words to get on Trevor's nerves. Her grin was bigger than ever. Trevor remembered how well the tricks worked.

He didn't remember what she said after that. That was probably why the words were garbled. Or maybe it was the foam that suddenly formed around Rebecca. Trevor saw his younger self slouching on shore. He shook with both hands balled into fists, which also trembled and quaked so visibly. His younger self stomped the sand while yelling at Rebecca. Suddenly, Trevor couldn't recall his own words on that day.

He just remembered the foam. He remembered how the water strangely rose into a tide. It was a vast, tall wave that reached for the atmosphere. It lifted Rebecca with it. Rebecca stopped smiling.

Rebecca started out waist deep in Lake Mulder's water. That was about as far out as kids from Oak Shire were allowed to go, even if they were as tall as she was. Her entire body went under when the wave surged upward.

Trevor watched it all fall apart piece by piece. His younger self stepped back, his jaw dropped at the sight of what...what he caused.

People screamed. They ran to the edge of the lake, though they came up short and even covered their heads upon seeing the wave. Everyone noticed how abnormal this was.

Nothing about this was natural. Parents rushed to drag their terrified children away from the water before the wave plucked them away as well. Soon, Rebecca was the only child in danger, the only one knocking on death's door.

Trevor's parents pulled his younger self away. He fought back against them, reaching out to the water with a hand. The words–the words–Trevor forgot what he said, or wanted to say, or even what he was thinking.

All he recalled was every feeling that whirled through him, along with every trace of sickness he carried in his heart out of guilt.

"How brutal." The Shadow tutted and smacked Trevor on the nape in false consolation. "You were such a little killer. You get mad for ONE minute and the next thing you know your girlfriend is drowning to death. By the way, don't think I know…you have the hots for her. I've seen those memories too. I don't blame you…she is pretty."

Trevor felt The Shadow's hands jerking his head until the two of them saw each other eye to eye. The Shadow's crimson eyes looked even more like pools of blood than ever before.

"I want to go a little deeper now," said The Shadow. "Even the things our minds don't see can pull out the truth. Want to know why your lady's still breathing to this day? That's going to be a nice story. Bet she curses you out before getting rescued."

Trevor's eyes stung from the tears that poured out from them. "...Stop it."

"Like she said–No. Never."

The beach disintegrated. Every grain of sand turned wet, then collapsed. The people faded out like vapor.

Trevor started falling but soon found himself immersed in ice cold water. His body cringed from the tepid rush of it all as he flailed about. The Shadow took hold of him again, pulling him through the dark depths until they came upon a still silhouette.

Trevor's eyes adjusted quickly; the silhouette was Rebecca. Her body was like stone, slowly sinking to the bottom of the lake. People talked about a miracle happening on that day; about Rebecca being lucky to have resurfaced so quickly, let alone being alive. Still, people said she was in the water for far too long to not be…gone.

Somehow she wasn't. Even so, Trevor treated this moment like something The Shadow could change.

If he could reach into his mind and see the truths he didn't witness himself, could he also reshape the past so it could affect the present and future? The possibility of that terrified Trevor to his very core.

Trevor thrashed about again. He did it until he grew tired, then just closed his eyes. He didn't care if concerned arms were about to reach down and pull Rebecca out. Trevor didn't want to see it.

"Look at her, loser."

The Shadow's fingers dug into Trevor's skin. They went deep enough to make him scream and snap his eyes open.

"No more running away," said The Shadow. "Just pain and suffering until I end it myself. But first…let's see what happened next. The nightmare continues…"

Rebecca looked like she was deep into both death and the black waters of the lake. She was a human anchor that lost her color. Her hair waved about in the water like fire, but even the curls lost their vibrance, and so they darkened.

Trevor started to think that this was the final cruel trick of The Shadow, its ability to change the past after all. He wanted to try to close his eyes again so he didn't have to watch.

Trevor even begged for his captor to finish him off so no more pain could happen. The glow forced both of them to look away.

Bright emerald light surged from Rebecca's body. It spread out from her body like wings, making its essence wide before it proceeded to cocoon the unconscious child.

Suddenly, Trevor saw Rebecca sealed in a strange shell. She coughed up water, meaning she was no longer immersed in it.

Rebecca levitated in the chamber that saved her life. Her eyes remained shut but her body sunk into a sort of relief, as if she were sleeping. Peace defined the moment now and Trevor felt it from where he was at…he'd nearly forgotten that he was still in The Shadow's captivity.

"What the hell…?"

The Shadow showed something Trevor had never seen before–its red stare widened and its jaw dropped. It had no words for what just happened. The nightmare continued but now Trevor realized that it wasn't his own nightmare…it was The Shadow's turn to be afraid.

"Who the hell are you?" The Shadow looked at Trevor. "WHAT the hell are you? You, this girl, the other kids. Who are ANY of you? Just…just DIE!"

The Shadow raised a hand to strike Trevor. Out of instinct, Trevor raised his own hand.

The waters whisked The Shadow away. When his foe tried to retaliate, it swam fast in Trevor's direction and tried to cause harm, but the emerald light struck The Shadow, making it tumble.

Trevor looked in Rebecca's direction. Her eyes were open and also glowed within the prism that protected her.

She reached out to Trevor with a hand, pressing her hand against the pane of her protective seal. Trevor lost awareness of his surroundings. He only saw Rebecca before him and he slowly floated to the prism, feeling safe.

He pressed his own palm against Rebecca's. Their hands were around the same size, fitting each other perfectly. Trevor smiled. Rebecca smiled back…then it went away. Her glowing eyes–emerald and gentle–looked down at the other hand.

In the center of that palm was the seashell Rebecca stole. Trevor remembered Rebecca waking up after CPR on the beach.

In that moment, she sat up and looked around. She said 'sorry' over and over again while trying to find someone. The medics made her lay back down so she could be looked at more.

Later on, Rebecca gave Trevor the seashell back. He never let go of it but he did let go of his powers…he didn't want to hurt anyone ever again.

It was Trevor's turn now. He tapped on the prism and Rebecca looked up at Trevor. They stared into each other's eyes.

"I…I…" Trevor could breathe underwater and always had this whole time. It wasn't impossible for him. It was who he was the whole time–someone with gifts, someone who could do anything if he put his mind to it…right? Was this finally the time to realize that maybe…

Before he could think any longer, Trevor felt light surging from the prism again. The emerald light blazed like fire and the prism shattered.

Rebecca reached out and grabbed Trevor by the wrists. Her lips moved.

Trevor held Rebecca as well, not wanting to let go. He tried to understand what she was saying to him. Not a single word reached his ears.

What happened from there, Trevor couldn't know. All he knew was that with Rebecca, he was alright. Everything was alright and at some point all would be well for good…if only he kept holding on…

And then he woke up.

Trevor fell and hit a hard surface. His entire body hurt all over. When he opened his eyes, he found himself sprawled on a golden brick floor. Dust covered the stone and seemed to soil his clothes. When Trevor looked up, he saw Rebecca kneeling beside him. The look on her face was full of worry.

"Rebecca…?"

Rebecca put a hand over her mouth. "Are you OK?" She yanked him to his feet. Trevor groaned as pain shot through his body and his head became light.

"I need to lie down," he said, looking toward the bed he realized he fell from.

"I thought you were gonna die."

Rebecca put him back on. A brown blanket fell to the floor with Trevor but Rebecca was quick to pick it up once she helped him to the mattress. She flapped it in the air to shake off the extra dust and layered it over her friend, letting him rest once more.

"You stopped breathing," Rebecca said. "I called for help and just kept holding your hand. You were so cold…then you got a little warmer. I kept saying your name and talking to you and…then you breathed. I'm glad you did. I'm glad you're OK."

"Where am I…?" Trevor felt an unfamiliar heat all around him.

"You're in Gerudo."

"What's that?"

"The best place you could ever be in Hyrule." Rebecca squeezed Trevor's hand. She laid her head on the edge of the bed, resting beside her awakened friend.

Trevor felt a new hope in his heart when he realized the bad dream was over and he was safe once again.

"Bienvenido a Gerudo," said Rebecca. "Welcome to Gerudo–home of the desert Amazons. You're safe with us now."

Chapter Text

"So...there's only girls?"

Rebecca nodded. "Mm-hm! No boys anymore."

Trevor raised an eyebrow as he continued to follow Rebecca out of the Gerudo Fortress. He held hands with her to make sure he didn't get lost while going through its maze-like halls.

"Anymore?" Trevor asked.

"Yeah," Rebecca replied. "They had a king once. He was mean, though. He tried to kill Nabooru."

"Alright." The two walked out of Gerudo Fortress and into the blazing desert. Trevor winced at the sunlight that poured down on his face. "Ow…was his name Ganondorf by any chance?"

Rebecca looked back at Trevor with both blue eyes wide. "How do you know about him?"

"He's kind of the reason why we're moving around Hyrule. We need to stop him. Also to find you and go home. It helps us do everything we need to."

Rebecca had a thoughtful look on her face before grinning. "Ha! I think we took care of him for you."

"Is he dead?"

"...No, but we beat him and his bad guys. So, I think we won the war. You're welcome."

"Yeah...thanks."

Trevor breathed a sigh of relief. If Ganondorf was gone–or least beaten to the point of having to wait until he could attack again—not everything was lost.

Trevor didn't want to be part of this anyway. The Gerudos probably made it so it would stay that way.

Rebecca and Trevor walked to the Gerudo Village. Trevor hadn't been at a place like it before, with golden homesteads and small dirt roads being home to so many women and girls. At first, no one seemed to notice Trevor and Rebecca. Then, heads turned in their direction and Trevor's face turned red. How strange a sight he must have been to the Gerudos.

I'm really the only boy, he thought.

"Gerudos don't like boys that much," Rebecca sighed. "But I think they can get used to you."

"I hope so." Trevor looked down. "You don't need to hold my hand anymore, do you?"

Rebecca cringed, acting like something cold just touched her. She wriggled her fingers away from Trevor's and took a big step forward to make space between the two of them. Trevor heard the softest apology ever.

A group of Gerudo guards surrounded the well as if they were having a meeting. One of a women–a woman garbed in pink with a ponytail held by a bejeweled pin–looked at the two and stepped away from her fellow Gerudos.

The woman approached the pair with her arms crossed. Her face was filled with concern.

"It's good to see he's awake," she said to Rebecca. "Now we have an additional decision to make."

Rebecca looked shocked. "Are you sending him into exile?"

The woman shook her head. "No, we're talking about how to care for him...though we're all hesitant. What kind of city do you come from, Rebecca? It's so bizarre. Vais and Voes living together. It's inconceivable…" The woman turned to Trevor, who had a hard time hiding his feelings. "Oh. Hello. My name is Nabooru." She smiled at Trevor and he relaxed a little.

"Hey," said Trevor. "Do you always exile people?"

"Only if they commit murders, do black magic or are possessed by demons."

"I don't do that stuff."

"Tell that to the geyser you made in the valley."

"That was my evil shadow twin–" Trevor pressed his lips together when he realized how strange he sounded.

Nabooru shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Given the company you keep–" Nabooru nodded towards Rebecca. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

"Thanks."

"My pleasure."

Nabooru looked back at the well. Many gathered around it.

"...The witches took measures to get revenge on us," Nabooru said. "We've been closed in by the ice since yesterday's battle." Nabooru pointed behind the children. They looked found a massive white wall of ice towering over the area. It was the pathway that led out of the village and into the valley where rapid waters rushed by.

"The well is frozen solid at the bottom," Nabooru continued. "It's bewitched, actually; it won't melt in the desert heat or by flames. We tried using lit arrows and the aim of our archers were precise. Nothing. We're running out of water rations. It's…getting difficult."

Nabooru closed her eyes and pressed a hand to her forehead. Trevor had never seen someone look so helpless before. He wondered if he could say anything to help her feel better, or to know that it wasn't her fault…that maybe it was his somehow. Trevor understood what the Gerudo was going through. After all, he'd been helpless throughout his whole stay in Hyrule.

"So…" Rebecca's shoulders slouched. "We're going to die if we don't figure something out?"

Nabooru clicked her tongue against her teeth. "Don't be so negative, kid. We'll figure something out. We...black magic can't be countered by normal means. Mages of any sort are essentially extinct, except for those treacherous hags and maybe a few others. The last ones disappeared hundreds of years ago."

"Ice is just solid water," Rebecca asked. "Right?"

Nabooru copied Rebecca's slouch. "You have some form of schooling. Good job. That should help us crack the ice right away. We're saved."

"We just might be." Rebecca pulled Trevor forward and presented him like a trophy to Nabooru. "Trevor here? There's a reason he appeared with water like that. He has powers. Water powers. I've seen them before. He's like me. Maybe he can save us by cracking the ice. That should help it melt."

Trevor felt put on the spot. He couldn't believe Rebecca knew about his powers. He never told her about that day and though the circumstances were strange, he was never suspected. People in Oak Shire called it a coincidence, a strange act of nature and nothing more.

Nabooru suddenly took interest in Trevor. She crossed her arms and pondered him a bit more.

"Is that true?" Nabooru asked.

Trevor's heart sank. He wanted to snap at Rebecca for opening her big mouth but kept his own clamped shut for the sake of peace. After he and Nabooru shared a stare, Trevor shrugged and raised a hand.

"What do I do?" he asked.

"I'll clear the way and you go to work, magic child." Nabooru turned toward the well once more and raised an arm. "Out of the way! The voe is trying to help us!"

The Gerudos at the well turned to Trevor again. Trevor felt smaller the second time around.

His legs shook as he took tender steps toward the well. Sweat seeped from under his arms, staining the shirt he donned.

When Trevor looked down the well, he saw what the witches did; a solid disk of ominous white ice covered the bottom. Its glossy sheen stared up at Trevor, who swore he saw his reflection even in the well's dark depths.

Or maybe it was his shadow.

When Trevor stumbled back, murmurs rose from the crowd that watched him. When Trevor turned around, he noticed that almost all of Gerudo had their eyes on him. Everyone, from the girls around his age to women with stern stares and wrinkles showing their advanced age, became curious. The desert wind whispered through the village's space. It picked up ribbons of red earth that created a thin mist around the area, like the start of a storm. Trevor wanted to fly away like the dust. He'd get carried away to a place far from here and nowhere near the places that reminded him of his failures.

Or how different he was.

Or how alone he felt when the world around him continued to be so unfamiliar but reminded him of the curse he never wanted but always had to possess.

When Trevor picked up his feet and dashed away from the village, the silence grew stronger. A wave of surprise swept across the Gerudos, who soon spread themselves out like rock shards falling away from their boulder. Nabooru, Mira and Rebecca remained standing in their respective spots. While the older women were relatively calm, Rebecca frowned and hung her head, shaking it from side to side while palming her brow.

"He had to spaz when we needed him," she muttered. "What the hell…?"

"Voes tend to be very weak," said Mira. Rebecca expected to hear the guard's snark but noticed that her tone was softer, as if she were saying a fact of life. Rebecca always wanted to prove herself to boys, but she'd never call them weaker than women. If anything, every person was equal regardless of gender.

"I don't know what made you think he would help," Nabooru sighed. She shrugged and placed both her hands on the back of her head. "Perhaps we can get a rope and a spike. Drive the spike into the well's stone. With a few of us overlooking everything, we can get a Gerudo to try and crack the ice. Black magic can't be that strong."

"You expect the witches to leave such an opening?" asked Mira. "They wanted us to suffer. We're going to have to rely on the river. If we can get out of the village space."

"We can't lose our calm." Nabooru tapped her feet while pondering. "However, we're running out of time. We can't afford to lose another minute."

"Well, let's give Rebecca a chance to spend some time alone with someone."

Rebecca squinted both eyes at Mira, wondering how crazy a woman could get. Mira looked at Rebecca intently, sporting a smirk as if she'd struck a nerve. If anything, Mira only caused confusion in the girl, giving her questions of her own.

"What do you mean by that?" Rebecca asked.

"You know exactly what I mean."

"No, I don't. Tell me."

"I thought it was very sweet, the way you held his hand. You didn't want to let go, even when you finally did. Every vevhi goes through this, I think."

Rebecca's face turned red. She didn't have to look into a mirror to know that her skin transformed in its color, especially around the cheeks.

Mira and Nabooru looked at each other with grins, treating Rebecca's embarrassment like the discovery of gold. They giggled and spoke in Gerudo, which annoyed Rebecca because she knew they were making fun of her.

It was a tendency she would have had when teasing others in Spanish back home. Now, she understood how rude the teasing could be, or at least how humiliating it was on the other end.

"I had a feeling myself," Nabooru said, looking back at Rebecca. "Kid, you have good taste, I'll admit that. He's going to grow up to be a very handsome young man."

"You two will make a great couple," said Mira. "When you get back home, put a shackle around his ankle and yours. He'll always be by your side that way!"

The women hollered in laughter.

Rebecca felt her glare. "OK, it's not—you—that's really bad to say."

Nabooru rolled her eyes. "We've said worse to girls your age. They turned out fine."

Mira nodded in agreement. "We heard worse as well, worse than anything we said. Neither of us are controlled by voes, but some of them can't resist us!"

Rebecca balled her hands into fists and the women stopped laughing. They seemed to remember that somewhere in the girl was a strange power that brought out ghosts. Mira held up her hands and pointed in a direction behind Rebecca. Rebecca already knew that a large gate had been built at the end of the village opposite its main entrance. A pair of Gerudo guards stood watch facing the Haunted Wasteland.

"I don't think he's in danger," said Mira. "But maybe you should make sure he's fine. Encourage him some more. Then, maybe he'll get motivated and come back. What do we have to lose?"

Rebecca saw the women's point. Her temper waned.

"OK," she said. "But he's not my boyfriend."

"Rebecca…" Nabooru couldn't help but smile again. This time, instead of pushing the child's buttons, she seemed to connect with Rebecca, as if their minds were one. "Kid, you're a wonderful little vai. I think you'd fit in with the village if you chose to stay here...but you're a horrible liar. Your eyes look just like the ones that belonged to the woman you remind me of. She couldn't help but show the truth in her heart. Her feelings embodied her too much. The nature of women, I guess."

Rebecca parted her lips to argue, but nothing came out. Her mind was empty of any defenses, of any walls she'd built. They had been breaking down ever since she came to Hyrule in a mysterious way. Her life had been changed forever in many ways and now she realized her mind had been as well. She couldn't close herself off from the truth. When Nabooru spoke of it, the girl had no choice but to agree with her. She already had this whole time.

When Rebecca turned on her heel and ran off, she showed more freedom in that space of time than she had throughout her whole life. Nabooru believed it as she watched the girl dash toward the Haunted Wasteland. She felt concerned about what would happen, but she was certain both children were smart. They wouldn't go near the river of sinking sand...it was too obvious to miss, too perilous to not make itself known.

"The things I want to tell her," Nabooru said.

Mira scratched the side of her head to relieve an itch. "I...still have my doubts, but they dwindle every day."

"Do you think Deedra would be proud of her?"

Mira gave Nabooru a thoughtful glance. "With the way Deedra treated her when she was a baby fresh from her own womb...yes. Yes, I believe our greatest warrior would be very proud to know that her daughter was on the way to becoming just as great a fighter and survivor as she was. Deedra is shining down on her now. I believe it."

On The Edge of the Haunted Wasteland

A storm brewed beyond the border of the Gerudo Fortress. Trevor felt the wind again, hoping it would grant him his wish.

He looked out into the distance, thinking he'd find a new place, like a hill or sandstone structure. Instead, there was an endless, mind-numbing golden stretch of sand.

Thoughts swirled in his brain. Trevor missed his parents and shed a tear for them. He thought of the classmates left behind after the earthquake and another tear came down for them as well. The memory of Oak Shire caused a downpour and Trevor buried his face into his hands. He openly sobbed as he sank to the ground.

While sitting, Trevor heard footsteps approaching him from behind. He didn't feel too alarmed. It was probably a Gerudo guard ready to scold him for wandering too far away from the grounds. Better yet, he expected Rebecca to snap at him for embarrassing her in front of her friends, who probably laughed behind her back as she chased him. Trevor was about to turn around and apologize to whoever it was when he saw a pair of red eyes within the golden mist.

They belonged to a coal colored version of his face.

You…

Trevor's Shadow grabbed at Trevor's throat before the boy could scream. The sensation was the same as it had been in Trevor's delirious dream; the nails dug into the skin and brought about pain.

When Trevor tried to free his voice, he gurgled instead. He clawed at his Shadow's wrist but he seemed too weak to do anything.

The Shadow lifted him up and threw him. It was a forward thrust that caused Trevor to part with his foe's grasp.

When Trevor landed, he rolled on the desert surface and found himself caked in its grime. Sand grains seeped into his mouth, causing him to sputter.

Before he could get up, his shadow buried its foot into his gut, causing him to shout at last.

What is she? When Trevor didn't answer, the Shadow buried its foot into his gut again. ANSWER ME! WHAT IS SHE?!

When the Shadow kept striking Trevor, Trevor curled himself into a ball and allowed the hits to happen. This was probably the end for him.

He didn't think anyone would come after him at this point. He might as well succumb to his Shadow and let it take his life. Then, it would all be over.

Trevor thought of his friends and family.

They would all miss him, he knew. The feeling was shared and it tempted him to cry once more. As the Shadow struck him and yelled, Trevor wished for the final blow to be struck to him. Then…

Trevor caught his shadow's kick like a brick wall halting a speeding cannon. When Trevor flipped his Shadow's foot upward, he watched it backflip and land on its own face.

A muffled groan emerged from the sand as the Shadow rose, pushing itself to its feet.

At first, Trevor stayed down. He tried to think about the secret behind what he did. Then, he gritted his teeth and charged his Shadow, tackling the fiend into the ground, rolling with him. He pounded both fists on his Shadow's head, grunting with every punch.

"Go away," he said. "Go away, go away, GO AWAY! I'M TIRED OF YOU BEING AROUND ME! YOU UNDERSTAND, MAN?! STOP! PICKING! ON! ME!"

Trevor's Shadow looked terrified. It was its turn to be afraid, to be helpless, to hold up its hands to shield itself from the strikes.

As Trevor continued to fight back against his enemy, the Shadow sank into the sand. It became flat as it should have always been, barely noticed in the midst of the world. Soon enough, Trevor only found himself burying his knuckles into the desert, leaving imprints in the sand that were buried by the sandstorm.

Trevor stopped. He took deep breaths to regain the air he lost in the battle. A smile formed on his face once he realized he won. Triumphantly, Trevor stood up and turned toward the wasteland. He pumped both fists in the air and stepped toward the expanse, treating it like a new kingdom he was given to rule.

As Trevor celebrated and thought about his return to the fortress, he felt the ground beneath him shifting. When he looked down, both his feet had been swallowed by damp sand. A sucking sound squawked around his ankles as a strange grip tightened around his legs. At first, Trevor thought the quicksand was what held him. While this was true, there was more to it.

Like a revived skeleton, Trevor's Shadow reached out from the quicksand. Its clamp around both ankles was too strong to resist or fight against. Trevor struggled, but it was already futile. He looked down in horror as his Shadow's grinning face emerged. Trevor did some damage to it; strange strands of grey blood trickled from its nostrils. One of its eyelids ballooned outward like a plum.

You fall asleep too often, bud. Let's get in the deep end of the river now, OK?

Trevor screamed for help. He knew he was alone. Trevor wanted to reach down to try and pry the grip off his ankles, but it would have made everything worse. Trevor was helpless. Soon, his Shadow would win and take Trevor's life as the reward for victory.

As Trevor sank down, he looked up at the sky. He wanted to look at the sun one more time before going. He stared at the beautiful world around him, a world he soon would never see again. The quicksand and Trevor's Shadow brought him deeper into the world's core.

The quicksand brought him down to his waist. It brought him down to his chest.

Trevor raised his arms in protest as the quicksand gradually rose to the base of his neck, beginning the final part of the burial.

Chapter Text

Rebecca blocked Trevor's view of the sky. She looked down on him in a way that made her face look as if it were upside down. Her face was full of fear and confusion, but it didn't stop her from grabbing Trevor's wrists and yanking on his arms as hard as she could.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Rebecca asked. "No one told you about the river of sand?! Oh my God, not like this…"

Rebecca gritted her teeth as she tried to pry Trevor from the sand river. Trevor thought it was too late for his friend to make a difference, but she caused him to stay still, giving him hope. Soon, he wasn't thinking about how much he would miss everyone. Thoughts of returning to his friends flooded back into his mind, causing Trevor to resist the opposite hold.

"Rebecca," Trevor said, realizing the quicksand had started suffocating him a little. "Hurry up...ach...he has a hold of me…"

"Who?" Rebecca kept pulling on Trevor, trying to free him from the sand river. Trevor tried to help by lifting himself up, or at least imagining he could do it with a mere thought. His Shadow's grip crawled up his legs and stabbed into his torso. The touches seemed frantic, as if the hands touched something hot and couldn't handle the heat.

Soon, the Shadow's face emerged from the quicksand, bewildered and enraged. He looked at Trevor, who was able to breathe again after his chest rose above the river's surface. Trevor allowed the desert air to fill his lungs. He glared at his Shadow, who returned the same furious glower.

No...she won't save you. NO ONE WILL! YOU'RE MINE–MINE!

The Shadow tried to grab Trevor again. It wrapped its arms around him trying to make its pull strong. For a moment, the Shadow seemed to get the advantage back. Trevor sank and he resisted the haul, urging Rebecca to help him fight back. He glanced back at his friend, who looked wildly shocked at the Shadow's presence. Her guffaw almost cost them, but she persisted in her own pull, squeezing her eyes shut as if to focus on the boy whose life she literally held onto with her own two hands.

When Trevor thought he was about to be lost for good, a green glow emerged around him. Trevor looked around and saw little flames of emerald light soaring toward his Shadow. The Shadow noticed as well. Its head darted around, glancing at the mounds of green that suddenly brushed against its skin before clinging onto the black. Suddenly, the flames became an all consuming fire, engulfing the Shadow in their essence. The Shadow was released and carried over the river of sand. It seemed to break down, disintegrating into many pieces before the flames dwindled not too long after.

The Shadow was gone and so were the flames.

With a final heave, Trevor felt his body get freed from the quicksand. Globs of it covered his pants. His feet looked like they'd stay dirty forever. Rebecca dragged Trevor away from the sand river's shore for good measure. When they were a safe distance away from the molasses-like flow, Rebecca collapsed, gasping for breath after the difficult task.

"That was a workout," Rebecca said. Her chest rose as she took another deep breath.

Trevor processed his survival before sitting up. He couldn't look at Rebecca. The guilt rushed into him faster than he could comprehend it, but he knew what had to be done. If there was ever a time to make everything right, now was the moment. It was meant to be.

"I'm...I'm sorry." Trevor wanted Rebecca to rise from the sand so she could see that he meant it and needed to talk about it.

Rebecca raised an eyebrow as she pulled herself up into a seated position of her own. "For what?" she asked. "Letting me save you? That's a weird way of saying 'thank you,' unless it's about the moment at the well. What's up with that, dude?"

"No," Trevor said, ignoring Rebecca's talk of the well. "I...I meant Lake Mulder. I'm sorry about almost drowning you. It was me who did it. I made the water do all that to you...I...I almost killed you."

Trevor covered his face with his hands and wept. The images of his nightmares lingered, even with the Shadow destroyed. He couldn't stop thinking about Rebecca's body floating in the water. He couldn't forget the rise of the lake's tide, a tide that was never there before but came to be because of his anger. Trevor felt the weight in his chest and to have it lifted...well, it should have healed. It hurt all the more bringing it up to the person hurt the most by it.

"It's OK." Rebecca crawled over to Trevor and placed both hands on his shoulders. She lifted his face and wiped away his tears. Trevor felt like a child, but didn't let his embarrassment stop this moment.

"I knew," Rebecca admitted. "I knew it was you at that moment. Nothing made sense, but...I had a feeling in me. It was like you were in the water, but sometimes, you weren't. You were in and out, putting yourself in the lake before leaving it. All of it was magical...and I felt like...you didn't know what to do."

"I didn't...but I never wanted to hurt you."

"I know that, too."

Rebecca placed her hand over Trevor's heart. It drummed against her touch. Rebecca wanted to think her heart was doing the same way.

"Trevor...did you see that fire around that...evil version of you?"

Trevor nodded. "What was that?"

"It was me. I...I have powers too, Trevor. You wouldn't believe it, but I have them too."

Trevor really looked at Rebecca this time. Her voice held disbelief.

"When we fought Ganondorf," said Rebecca. "I had a ghost come out of me. No one could explain how, not even me. It scared him and the witches who froze the well. They ran away because of the light that came out of me. And when your Shadow or whatever tried to hurt you...this fire came from me. This is what Ishtar talked to me about. She wanted to tell me about how my spirits keep evil from hurting others. Especially...people I care about."

The two of them suddenly held hands. They were equally shocked, equally amazed at how different they were and for the first time, both of them saw eye to eye on things. Trevor and Rebecca helped each other to their feet. Their mutual holds loosened after they stood.

"I'm scared," Trevor said. "All of this scares me. That Shadow attacked me at Lake Hylia. It told me I wasn't good enough to be anything or anyone."

"Do you believe it?"

"...Sometimes, yeah."

"Trevor...I'm told that a lot, too. And the Gerudos...they told me I was a demon because of what I did."

Trevor looked up at Rebecca, shocked at what he heard. His eyes widened at the thought of Rebecca being in prison as she explained how she was shackled and treated like something less than human. Pain entered her eyes as she told the story, but she kept a strong face through the entire ordeal.

"My powers did good things," Rebecca said. "And your powers can too. That's why I brought you to the well. You can do a lot to help people with your powers. They don't have to be bad. They can make a difference. All of us can…do you know Sheila has powers?"

"She can see the future," Trevor said. "You blabbed about it once."

"Oh." Rebecca giggled, remembering the moment. "I didn't think you'd believe me."

"I didn't. None of it sounded real...do you know Jerome can control fire?"

Rebecca's eyes widened. "What? Really?"

Trevor nodded excitedly. "Yeah, it's so amazing. He can do just about anything he puts his mind to. It's so insane. We all have these abilities. It's so crazy what we're able to do...but I don't know how it happens."

"So," Rebecca said. "We're all weirdos. I'm a tall tomboy with a million ghosts to control."

"You're not weird," Trevor said. "You're pretty awesome. I'm glad we won our football game with you."

"We had a good leader."

"Yeah," Trevor said, "He's smart, clever, athletic and super handsome too!" Trevor chuckled but noticed Rebecca wasn't laughing. He put a hand over his mouth as if he swore. "Uh...sorry."

"No." Rebecca brushed aside a strand of her wayward frizzy red hair. "I agree."

Trevor blinked as he wondered whether or not he heard Rebecca correctly. "...You do?"

Rebecca nodded. "Yep...um…" Rebecca looked away from Trevor. She had no idea what she was thinking. Why did she open her big dumb mouth like that?

Trevor tried to think of something to break the silence. "Your hair looks really nice. Like that. When it's down." Real smooth, he thought to himself.

Rebecca looked in Trevor's direction and grabbed her left arm with the other hand. "Thank you."

The two held a quiet stare. Then, Trevor took a step forward and stood on the tips of his toes. He leveled his face with Rebecca's and leaned forward with puckered lips. When his mouth connected with hers, the world stopped.

Rebecca gently cupped his face in her hands as they kissed. When the fingers brushed off his blushing skin, the kiss stopped and the two stepped away from each other. They didn't look each other in the eye. They mirrored one another's glee with matching grins.

"...OK," Trevor finally said after the desert wind's whistling drove him crazy. He heard Rebecca giggle and it didn't stop for a minute or two. Trevor looked around and turned his back to Rebecca, looking out at the landscape. The storm seemed to settle down.

"The desert," Trevor said. "It looks nice in the sun."

"Yep." Rebecca walked up beside Trevor. "I'm gonna hold your hand."

"...If you want, I guess—" Trevor quickly realized how eager Rebecca was to hold his hand. Her fingers squirmed between his own before she held on for dear life. Though his hand felt throttled, Trevor felt something nice in the touch, something that made this connection more perfect than he could have ever imagined.

The two of them looked out at the desert together, sharing the moments with delight.

"There's a special place on the other side of the desert," Rebecca said. "It's where the Gerudos go to pray."

Trevor raised his eyebrows, interested in the story behind the fact. "They pray to God there?"

Rebecca shook her head. "A goddess. That's God if he was a she."

"Cool! What does she do?"

"She helped make the world. She had two or three other sisters with her...I keep on forgetting. Anyway, the people of the desert were her people a really long time ago. Like, after the world was made. But then she went away."

Trevor turned to Rebecca, becoming used to her hand being joined with his. "Why?" he asked.

Rebecca's face seemed to have the same question. "Ishtar told me the Gerudos forgot who they were," she said. "They changed and became bad for a time. I don't really know what that means, though."

"I might." Trevor heard his father's voice echoing in his head, making him miss the man more and more. "My dad told me that when you forget who you are, you stop doing all the right things...you stop caring about what's right and think you want to be wrong. I...guess I don't really get it either."

"We're both learning. That's all that matters." Rebecca squeezed Trevor's hand even more, as if she thought he would fly away if she let go. "Am I hurting you?"

"No," Trevor lied. Warmth rippled across his face. "I...like this a lot."

"Me too. And I like you a lot. In case you didn't know."

"Same…do you want to go back to the village?"

"Sure…do you? For real?"

"I'm sorry I left. I want to make it right."

"I'll be by your side when you do that."

The two of them walked hand in hand to the Gerudo Village. When they arrived, the Gerudos were back together in a cluster, surrounding the village well. Many of them watched as the guards oversaw the attempt to break the ice at the well's bottom. Spikes were driven on the well's lip. Ropes were wrapped around the tall nails, shivering every time a Gerudo worker moved within the well's darkness.

Rebecca pointed Nabooru out toward the onlookers. She was fully focused on observing the task her sisters embarked on. When Rebecca called out to Nabooru, her voice shook the lieutenant out of her trance. Her expression brightened to an intrigued state as she separated herself from the others. Mira followed, silently instructing other Gerudos to stay behind and watch over the activities in her stead.

When the two women approached, Rebecca pointed at the well. "I think we can handle it this time," she said. "Trevor and I talked."

Mira and Nabooru both smirked. Then, Mira broke down into laughter, pointing at the two children.

"Maybe we're a bad influence," said Mira. "They're only ten, Nabooru! What have we done to them?"

Nabooru rolled her eyes. "We're being too humorous given the circumstances. I'm glad you two...worked things out."

Rebecca raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" Nabooru pointed to the joining of Rebecca and Trevor's hands. "Oh. Uh...well, he…do you want him to help you or not?"

Nabooru clapped her hand against her mouth to stop her laughter before turning back toward the well. She called out to the women to pull their sisters up, a command that was quickly followed. When the workers emerged from the well, the crowd backed away to make room for Trevor and Rebecca. Even though he didn't want to let go of Rebecca's hand, Trevor knew this endeavor was one he had to do for himself. He stepped out alone, sliding his hand away from Rebecca's.

Trevor had to pretend that he was the only person in the desert. The well was paces away from him, standing still in its permanent perch, rooted deep into the desert floor. Trevor had to feel for the ice in the well's depths. His senses would reach out to it from a distance, wandering until they touched the frozen surface, settling onto the frigid sheet.

When Trevor found the ice, he shivered. There was a strange trait about this ice. Whoever the witches were, they had a great amount of power. Trevor heard Rebecca say that only one of the witches had power over ice. Was she too powerful for him to overcome? Trevor didn't know, but he had to try and fight back against it.

The curse's tremor crawled on his skin. It lingered far worse than Trevor's Shadow, who dwindled into a memory after getting exposed to the light of Rebecca's spirit powers. Trevor almost fell to his knees, the way the curse reacted to him. Then, before he buckled beneath the curse's pressure, he took a deep breath. Thoughts came to his mind.

They were of his mother and father in the town square. They were so happy back then. He remembered standing between them, clinging to each of their hands as they walked contently through the space. Together, they took in the sunlight and the crowd of people they knew and cherished. Oak Shire was a wondrous space.

Trevor thought of Oak Shire Elementary. Miss Bowen's class was a wonderful, safe area for him to be part of. He had friends there, friends he could talk to and joke with. On the playground, they could throw a ball and talk about the last Bears game. They talked about everything and there was a reason for that.

He cared about them. Trevor missed Jerome already, wanting to tell him about the latest adventure he had. Sheila might see him from a mile away, coming back to Lake Hylia to finish a job he had to start. Trevor would apologize to Claudius for being disrespectful and far too afraid to take on anything. Then, they would do everything they had to in order to save the world.

Link would get the final spiritual stone. He would be able to go back home to the Kokiri Forest and not be so lonely anymore. Even Navi was someone Trevor missed, as often as they butted heads. If it weren't for Navi, there would have been many times when Link wouldn't have been able to lead the group to victory. There were times when Trevor honestly owed Navi his life. Link needed Trevor to help him be the hero he was destined to be. Trevor would help him in whatever way he could.

He would help the Gerudos as well. The curse of ice had to go away. Its hold had already started dying, with the way its surface cracked like a mirror's glass. There was a small blemish somewhere in the depths, one Trevor felt in the faintest way. Then, the crack spread until the surface was shards. Trevor lifted a hand toward the well and the curse's pain lifted. At the same time, a rush whirred from down below.

The world shuddered. A gasp emerged from the Gerudos. Then, after one more rumble, a geyser of water sprung from well, flying toward the sky. When the rush came down, most of the downpour fell back into the well, but some of the water misted onto the Gerudo. What followed was a widespread cheer and much applause.

The first thing Trevor felt after breaking the curse was Rebecca's embrace. She squealed in delight, lifting Trevor off his feet. He was embarrassed at being thrown around by a girl despite Rebecca's height. She was obviously meant to be strong, to be tougher than the average female. Trevor would get used to the strength and be fine with it all.

When Rebecca put Trevor down, she planted a kiss on his cheek before stuffing his face between her hands.

"I knew it!" she said. "It took you a moment but I knew you could do it!"

"Yeah," said Trevor. "...Thanks."

Rebecca blushed and smiled. "Thank you," she said. "You...you and me have something else we got to do, don't we?"

Trevor nodded while pulling Rebecca's hands away from his face. He held them both while looking into Rebecca's eyes.

"I do at least," he said. "You want to help me out with it? I don't want to leave our friends hanging. And Sheila really misses you. I think she needs you."

"I know."

Rebecca looked back at Nabooru and Mira, who both hugged each other before going to the other Gerudos. When Nabooru looked in Trevor and Rebecca's direction, she acknowledged the girl, nodding at her. Then, her face showed a great amount of sadness. Both woman and child seemed to know where their journey was headed.

"It's just…" Rebecca looked back at Trevor, unable to hide her bittersweet feelings. "I have a lot to take care of first. It won't take too long. Let's leave tomorrow. That way, I'll be more ready."

Trevor nodded, as if he really understood. "To fight and go home?"

"No," Rebecca said. "To say goodbye to Gerudo."

Chapter Text

Link was up before the sun rose.

He fought for sleep throughout the night but tossed and turned in his tent instead. Terrible nightmares formed in his mind.

They came up quickly, one after the other: visions of The Deku Tree's death, the fear in Princess Zelda's eyes when she spoke of Ganondorf, Jerome getting horribly burned by King Dodongo, Sheila's sorrows from not being able to see the future, and Jabu-Jabu's red eyes beneath the surface of Lake Hylia.

The last sight was the worst of them all—failure was still very possible, even with the new hope the children had found.

A new plan had been put in place. Link spoke with Claudius about it.
After much thought, the Zora commander decided to give Link's suggestion a try. He even said it was likely to work.
Everyone would come together and take on the guardian one last time, in broad daylight.

Until then, Link had all this time to think. He was glad for the stretch of peaceful silence.

He stared at the pale moon and stars. He didn't know how long it took for the sun to come out, but it eventually rose from behind a far-off mountain range, accompanied by warm colors. The sun laced its golden glow with the lake’s ripples.

It was surprising how peaceful the lake was at the moment. Perhaps it'd be the last moment of peace Hylia would have for a while. If so, Link was glad to at least see this.

As the morning star rose higher in the sky, Link closed his eyes. He didn't sleep; he thought of memories.

Saria sitting next to him during the hardest times of his life. Seeing his own house for the first time ever and finally realizing that some things in this world really could belong to him.

Seeing Navi's gentle smile as they met for the first time. Holding the Kokiri Sword in the deepest parts of the woods.

Meeting Trevor for the first time. Meeting Sheila and Jerome as well. Finding out about a town named Oak Shire in Illinois.

The victories.

The painful defeats they were going through now.

Link thought of them all. Every memory was warmer than the rays of sunlight that touched his face. Link needed them today.

"We were looking for you."

Link looked over his shoulder at the sound of Navi's voice. His friends stood a few paces away from where he sat on the emerald shores.
Jerome and Sheila stood next to each other as if they had never argued in the first place. Navi floated between them, wrapped in her usual blue-white glow.

"Are you OK?" Navi asked. "I...felt like you needed time alone after you got out of your tent. I heard you a little. In your sleep."

Link looked back out at the lake, mountains, and sun. He'd been sitting on the lake's emerald shores the entire time. His shield and sword lay next to him.

"I'm..." Link wanted to say anything to keep the others from worrying, but knew it wasn't right. "...I hope I will be soon. I want the plan to work so badly."

"It will," Navi said. "Link, you came up with something brilliant. Something no one else has thought of yet. Everyone is thankful for you saying something to help. For doing something. You need to have faith that everything will work out. Can you do that?"

"I don't know yet." Link hung his head. "When I saw Jabu-Jabu...I thought of the Deku Tree. I thought of how he looked when he..." Link's eyes began to sting, and he hated it—oh, he hated it so much, how both his eyes suddenly began to hurt. "When he died. He was our guardian, too. Our father. Someone who watched after us...and I didn't protect him. It was my fault."

Link let the streams fall down his face. He hoped his friends didn't see all of it, or would give him the space he needed. When a pair of hands gently held his shoulders, he knew neither Jerome nor Sheila would leave him alone.

The blue-white light Link admired so much glowed right beside his face. He felt Navi's warmth and the way she brushed herself against his cheek and stayed with him.

Her small hands slid down his face, wiping the tears away. She did this so carefully, as if Link were made of a material that was so precious and dear.

"I was there too," said Navi, her voice a vulnerable whisper. "I wish I could have saved him. I blamed myself for a time, Link. If any of that was your fault, then–” Link heard his fairy's voice break. She cried for a brief moment, then sighed. For the first time ever, Link truly saw his fairy underneath the brilliant, powerful glow.

“...It was mine too,” Navi said finally. “It was mine too... The Deku Tree wanted us to live out our destinies. He knew what mine would be. He knew what yours would be as well. If dying for us was part of it, then it was worth it. Here we are."

Navi gestured out to Jerome and Sheila. "We have friends. We have hope. Trevor can't be gone if we can't find him in the lake, so he's out there. He'll come back to us safe and sound. And we'll find Rebecca. We'll find the spiritual stone. We'll save Jabu-Jabu and Princess Ruto. And we'll go home, Link. We'll be home, and all the troubles of this journey will be behind us. We just have to believe it. Do you believe it?"

Link didn't say a word but nodded. He did believe his fairy. Everything Navi said was true or would come true. It was up to him to know it in his heart.

He stood up. Link would have reached down to grab his sword and shield, but both Jerome and Sheila already held his equipment. Sheila strapped the Kokiri Sword around Link's torso. Jerome fastened the Deku Shield to his back.

"We're with you," Sheila said.

"We'll stay with you all the way," Jerome said. "For Trevor."

Sheila nodded. "For Rebecca."

Link looked out at the lake once more. His swarming fears stopped swirling within him and faded away.

"For The Deku Tree," Link whispered. “And everyone in Hyrule.”

An hour later, the Sentries stood on Lake Hylia’s shore. They donned their bronze armor, wore matching helmets on their finned heads, and wielded their gleaming silver weapons. Silence swept over them all.

Link, Sheila, and Jerome stood with the Zora Army. They looked small compared to the Sentries, but they made it a point to stand tall as if they were giants amongst them.

They were more important to the army’s plan than ever before. For the first time in this ordeal, they were together in mind and soul. They would fight for each other, no matter the cost.

Claudius paced back and forth before the army, hands clasped behind his back and chin held high. His keen eyes remained unwavering, fixed straight ahead. Gradually, he shifted his gaze, peering intently at each of the Sentries.

“We’re at an important point in our mission,” the colonel said. “It is crucial for us to persevere no matter how hard the trial ahead is for us. We’re entering Lake Hylia once more, but we’re using a new plan.”

Claudius paused, as if he were waiting for his men to object. The quiet atmosphere ensued, and thus did his speech.

“We’re going to stop going after Jabu-Jabu,” Claudius announced. “This time–we are bringing him to us.”

The Sentries remained like statues. It was hard to know if anyone actually believed Cladius or even registered what he was trying to say.
Link’s own legs felt heavy like lead. He hoped not to sink into the ground from the moment’s weight, which seemed to increase as time passed.

“Jabu-Jabu is very powerful,” said Claudius, “But we have a responsibility to save him. Because of this, we must always battle, even when it’s not easy to do so. I’m sure that all of you will be able to overcome your fears. I’m certain of it.” Cladius gestured towards the children. “We have young Link joining us again, along with his two other human friends. He’s going to help lead the way. This new plan was actually his.”

Murmurs finally rose amongst the Sentries. Link’s skin crawled from their whispers and he hoped not to hear any of their words.

“I know he’s young,” said Cladius. “And not one of our race...still, we’ve seen what he can do. The boy’s exceptional and offers an element of surprise. Let us trust his ability to lead us. The lad has promise. We’ve little to lose at this point, anyway...”

The Sentries fell silent. Claudius words must have been made of magic with his army suddenly fell into line with little resistance. Link stared straight ahead, awaiting the next instruction. His thoughts were on Jabu-Jabu and Princess Ruto as well.

Claudius paused before Link and leaned down towards him, his serious demeanor unchanged.

“My boy,” he said to Link in a soft, low tone. “Are you ready?”

Link nodded without looking directly at the Commander. “Yes.”

“Good. We need you.” Commander Claudius raised a fist towards his troops. “Men! Are you ready to be part of a great victory?”

“YES, SIRE!”

“Are you ready to rescue our Princess?”

“YES, SIRE!”

“Then let’s not waste anymore time! Listen to the boy from the woods! He is now our guide!”

Link stepped forward and turned to face the Sentries. He didn’t imagine himself standing before an ocean of warriors so willing to follow someone’s orders. The boy didn’t think of himself as the sort to begin with.

However, he looked at Navi, Jerome and Sheila. They all faced him with a glowing confidence. His heart’s flutters continued to slow down as he remembered the truth–he wasn’t alone and wouldn’t feel that way again if he could help it. There was always a loved one by his side.

And so the boy from the forest spoke of the plan, of the way to save Princess Ruto and bring hope back to the entire Zora nation…

Every soldier boarded their barges with weapons drawn. The vessels unfurled their sails and set off into the lake.

Everyone had the same concern on their minds: would they be able to capture Lord Jabu-Jabu at long last? All had to believe in the unthinkable.
Cladius stood by Link’s side, putting a hand on his shoulder. He patted it with reassurance, his eyes looking keen as ever.

“We will triumph,” he declared. “They always occur the slow and steady way. Nothing else will do. Wouldn’t you say so?”

Link nodded while favoring the arm with the golden scale. He wished to be worthy of the gift at this time.

Everything Link endured led to this place. All his trials and tribulations could culminate upon the lake, where his burdens could be laid down.

It was no longer about regrets. It was about moving forward.

“It’s ready,” Link said. “Let’s do it.”

He looked back at Sheila and Jerome. They looked afraid, but determined to do battle when the time came. A sentry stood by Jerome’s side carrying a lit torch. Sheila just kept staring at the water in the lake, studying its ripples and waves with her red eyes.

Claudius gave the signal. He raised his arms while standing at the edge of the barge. The sentries acknowledged him and stood in waiting. They merely needed the order.

“Get ready…” Link said. “Sheila, let me know where to point.”

Sheila’s eyes scanned the lake waters. They looked more turbulent as they churned and sloshed about, raising its own surface level by about a foot. She soon gasped. A steady point pointed at a part of the lake’s surface.

“It sees us,” said Sheila. “All of us.”

Claudius nodded as he heard Link and Sheila’s exchange. “Steady, men…” he whispered.

“Steady…”

The shadow in the lake rose. Link’s heart pounded like a drum. Its approach was slowly but the dark silhouette increased its speed as it went higher and higher above water.

“Send out the barge!” Claudius shouted as he waved his arms down.

A barge sailed out to the center of the lake. Its flag flapped regally in the area’s wind, making itself evident from all angles–especially from down below. The vulnerable ship was made of wood. Any hard contact with the vessel would make it break into many pieces, leaving all who could be aboard doomed to fall into the water.

Jabu-Jabu seemed intent on this. He continually rose in the lake water, its red eyes wild with malice and primal ferocity. Jabu-Jabu bared his teeth and let out a roar. In the open air, the sound would have echoed.

When the rabid guardian surged out from the water, the vessel took the impact head on. It splintered and split, scattering like dust carried by a strong wind. The damaged ship rose to the sky, fragments flying about chaotically. When it landed, what remained of the ship began to sink. The barge descended to the sea, going deeper into the darkness until it couldn’t be seen.

Chapter Text

The barge was empty. Not a soul was on it.

Link’s plan worked. Everything else fell into place.

Four ships surrounded the space where Jabu-Jabu landed after his attack. They floated cautiously and carefully, and at the same time advanced with urgent resolve.

The Sentries stood at the edges of their respective ships. They donned their armor while wielding their grappling hooks. One goal remained–recover Jabu-Jabu and Princess Ruto at all costs.

“Move out!” 

Commander Claudius’ voice boomed across the whole lake despite his place on a distant barge. In response, scores of Sentries dove into the turbulent waters.

Link donned a cerulean Zora tunic and a gleaming silver mask. He also had a grappling hook of his own. 

His heart drummed. Link could hear it deep within.

He kept steady. He had to stay bold.

On another barge anchored across from Link’s, Jerome stood tall. He also wore a Zora tunic.  

A Sentry stood attentively by Jerome bearing a torch. Link saw them peer deep into the lake. The Sentry seemed to follow the action below the surface more than Jerome, which wasn’t a surprise. It was needed.

Thankfully, another pair of eyes would be helping as well…

“It’s coming your way!”

Sheila’s meek nature melted away. Her voice brimmed with the boldness Link still had to find.

She stood on a barge of her own. Even more Sentries accompanied her, just like every barge that wasn’t the decoy. However, Link loaned a guide to her.

Navi’s familiar presence couldn’t be denied. The blue-white orb stuck around Sheila like a beacon, like a part of her, like a friend.

Perhaps Navi’s presence gave Sheila this newfound courage. Link sensed this as well as all the power from his friends.

This is how we’ll win , Link thought. We just have to be better. For everyone…

Everyone looked like they were ready to go.

“Now Jerome!” Link lifted his sword towards the sky, just in case Jerome was uncertain of when to start his role.

Jerome nodded at Link, then pointed to the torch bearing Zora. The Zora Sentry wrapped both of his webbed hands around the torch’s handle. 

He held the flame away from his face and even turned his head to the side. One of Jerome’s fists darted itself towards the flame, which roared from its place on the torch and burst out into a fiery strand.

The strand of fire soared around the barges. Jerome had great control over it. The flame rushed above the water, staying up at a high enough distance to prevent Lake Hylia from putting it out. Link looked down at the water, hoping the rabid Jabu-Jabu wouldn’t approach.

Silence. 

Though Lake Hylia’s waters rose and fell and had a strange movement to it that showed the soldiers were still entangled with the beast, nothing else happened. 

To Link’s relief, the beast seemed to fear the fire. The large shadow in the lake paused and had to contend with the soldiers that now chased after it. 

Cladius clamped a hand on Link’s shoulder, patting it and letting out a triumphant laugh.

“Your gambit worked,” he said. “Sentries!” Cladius turned towards the final group of soldiers meant to help take down Jabu-Jabu. “On my command! When I say go, you follow young Link into the waters! Bring back our guardian and princess! Is that understood?!”

“YES, SIRE!” They gripped their own grappling hooks with great resolve and in focused silence.

The Sentries assigned to go into the water stood on the edge of their barges. Link liked that he wasn’t alone.

He waited for the Commander’s cue. 

“And…CHARGE! DIVE, DIVE, DIVE!”

Link leapt from the barge’s edge. The grappling hook dangled wildly in the air. 

His fingers grasped at the rope and wrapped themselves around the coarse, gritty fibers. A cold rush enveloped Link once he hit Lake Hylia’s waters. 

He sank into the frigid depths. Goosebumps rose on his skin. His fingertips shriveled up, creasing into pruned wrinkles.

When Link inhaled, the mask did its work. Though water rapidly flooded into the mask, it circulated, flowing with his breaths. The silver mask aided him in surviving underwater. Lake Hylia itself wouldn’t endanger him any longer.

The boy from the forest took one last deep breath and swam ahead. The Sentries from the Commander’s barge swam by his side. They all took an unofficial formation. Up ahead, their fellow soldiers struggled with Jabu-Jabu. 

The behemoth thrashed about. Many grappling hooks already wounded themselves around the whale’s body. The ropes pressed down on Jabu-Jabu’s skin, denting it from their pressure. Meanwhile, the Sentries started using the hooks to dig into Lake Hylia’s bottom surface. Clouds of silt rose like ominous clouds as the Sentries burrowed further into the wet ground.

It won’t hold for long without our hooks. 

Cladius confirmed Jabu-Jabu’s great strength. Link didn’t doubt it from what he saw and had seen before. It took an army to contain a rabid beast. What more would be needed to defeat it for good?

Link looked up as he swam. Jerome’s stream of fire hovered above the water, looking warped because of the barrier between water and the surface. 

Jabu-Jabu didn’t dare to rise towards the flame. The guardian didn’t think it had a place to go. 

Link knew he had to take advantage of this. He sped up his strides, kicking his legs harder in the Lake’s depths to catch up with the guardian.

Link was a few meters from the tail. It was one of the only parts of Jabu Jabu’s body that hadn’t been taken.

 He reached out with the grappling hook. His first thought was to be careful, to not harm the Jabu-Jabu.

Closer , he thought. Closer…come on…

Link froze without wanting to. A strange roar rumbled in the water. Even Lake Hylia itself shivered from the sound. 

The reverb flung Link away from Jabu-Jabu’s tail. Link’s grappling hook flew from his fingers, disappearing into the confused fray of soldiers who lost control of their own tools.

Link was face to face with glaring red eyes once more. Jabu-Jabu bared its teeth. The guardian slowly opened its mouth. A force pulled at Link’s tunic, drawing the fabric into the void that was Jabu-Jabu’s mouth.

Something hit Link hard from the side. He was quickly whisked away from whatever fate Jabu-Jabu had in mind for him. Link let himself breathe once more on the surface.

“Can’t have too many children in the belly,” said the Sentry that saved Link. “Who knows what would happen?”

“Get me back in,” Link said, not even thinking about what he could have faced.

The Sentry furrowed his scaly brow. “You almost met your end.”

“I have to try–please.”

“...I’ll give you a boost, young sire.”

Link let the water surround him once more. It wasn’t as cold as before. The boy clung to the Sentry at first but as they drew nearer to the fray with Jabu-Jabu, Link pushed off the sentry and drove himself towards the bottom of the lake. 

There, several Sentries struggled with the grappling hooks. The silver prongs didn’t dig deep enough into the silt. 

Link darted to every hook. He helped, pushing the hooks down into the water to aid in holding Jabu-Jabu in place.

The hooks always sprung back up, quickly. They dangled like bones out of joint. 

Another roar rippled the waters. Thereverb rattled Link. 

He kept looking up to see if the stream of fire remained. Jabu-Jabu still feared it. The beast continued to lurk beneath the surface, not wanting to deal with the unknown sight up above.

Link kept looking. His stomach flipped as time passed with his hands remaining empty of his weapon. 

A gleam stood out in the distance. A small layer of silt covered Link’s grappling hook, its silver prongs sticking out amidst the clay, gleaming even, as if to beckon Link closer.

The boy whirled in the hook’s direction. When Link drew near, he reached out, snatched up the hook, and held it close to his Zora tunic. 

Before Link could turn around and go back into battle, one last roar disrupted the lake. The sound’s bizarre boom hurled Link upward like an unwelcome wind. 

Link flew out above the surface. His body flailed about. 

The world around him spun. He looked down at the lake below and his stomach sank.

Jabu-Jabu jumped out of the water at last. It didn’t hit any of the barges–thank goodness, that would have destroyed the entire mission–but the lake water the guardian had brought with it struck the stream of fire. 

Dark vapors plumed into the air as the flare disintegrated. The barges turned unsteady as Jabu-Jabu hit the lake. 

Link hoped they wouldn’t overturn. 

Everything around him began to fade to black.

He wondered if the journey was still worth it at all.

Sheila saw many things on this day. It started with visions of where Jabu-Jabu wanted to go.

Navi said it best before the battle began: “I think you lack peace, Sheila. No peace without Rebecca. No peace without Trevor. No peace without the people who are close to you, or knowing how your powers work. And there must be something else happening with you that’s causing things to be difficult. We just have to figure it out. Together.”

Navi’s words meant a lot to Sheila. She started to think about Rebecca and Trevor. 

They were missing but no bodies were found. It meant something. 

It meant something that they’re yet to appear. Her friends just had to be safe.

The battle started with Sheila standing on her barge with Navi. After seeing Jerome’s fire rush around all the ships, it was Sheila’s turn to do her part. 

She had to use her powers to predict the very near future. All she had to do was believe that it could happen and it would.

She saw Jabu-Jabu heading towards Jerome’s ship first. Its rage-filled face poured into her mind’s eye, surging ahead as if it were heading towards her. 

That’s how every vision worked; she’d see the future as if it were happening directly to her, even if that wasn’t the truth.

“Jerome!” she shouted. “It’s heading your way!”

Jerome responded accordingly. She was glad they were friends again. 

It was hard seeing Jerome angry. Sheila liked his smile more–admired it even. 

The girl didn’t know what Jerome looked like from the other side of Lake Hylia. All she saw was his bravery–the way he moved with the fire as if his life depended on it, and it did.

The visions showed up again and again and again. Jabu-Jabu surged. 

He rushed towards a certain boat and the boat would start to break. Sheila always stopped the visions before they ended. 

She’d then tell the other ships about where the whale was heading. Each time, they would stop.

What Sheila eventually saw turned the tide of the battle to a point. She blamed herself. 

The girl looked down at the water to see if the Sentries found a way to tied Jabu-Jabu down. It looked as if they were close to doing just that. 

Though it was hard to see under all the water, Sheila found Jabu-Jabu’s silhouette. And for some reason, the girl peered into the beast and saw something else altogether.

The first image was that of a girl with blue skin and purple eyes. Her face was cherubic, curious, and a little bit cross for someone her age. 

The rest of the girl’s head was wide at the top. She had a look to her that Sheila struggled to truly describe. The girl wore a red dress. It looked as if it were made from rubies…

The second vision lit itself up in a dark place. Strange crackles popped in the strange space. 

Large creatures with dome tops and dangling tentacles gravitated themselves towards a grotesque creature. The beast had a bulbous shape crowned with ugly layers molded at the top. 

Lightning surged from the creature as soon as its body was covered in the smaller creatures. Sheila didn’t like how that creature looked.

A strange jolt startled her back to the lake. The battle changed. 

Jabu-Jabu jumped out of Lake Hylia. It shed the grappling hooks from its body like insignificant droplets that splashed down into the water.

Jabu-Jabu flipped itself mid-air and dove down towards the lake. When it struck the water’s surface, Jerome’s stream of fire fizzled out. 

Waves tore towards the four barges. Sheila’s ship tilted dangerously, nearly flipping over until Sheila was nearly dumped underwater.

“Careful!” Navi shouted. “Are you OK?”

“Yes,” Sheila. “You?”

“I’m fine. HOLD ON!”

Sheila did. One of the sentries grabbed her with one webbed hand and used the other to stick his palm to the surface. 

Thankfully, every barge stayed upright. Sheila held onto the sentry’s forearm. She heard Navi gasp.

“Link!”

Sheila looked up at the sky. Link had been thrown out the water. 

He soared at a dangerously high height. Now he was plummeting. 

Nothing stopped his descent.

A third vision came into her mind at that very moment. Sheila saw Trevor in his armor. 

It still had a good mix of blue and silver, though the helmet was missing. The boy held out a trident and pointed it towards someone or something…strange. 

A boy who looked just like Trevor except it seemed as if he were made out of darkness. This new boy’s eyes were red.

Standing beside Trevor was a tall girl. She had long, fiery red hair tied into a ponytail. 

Her outfit was interesting to behold; A teal shirt with long sleeves laced with golden threads, purple pants and brown shoes. The girl had slightly fair skin and blue eyes. 

Her will was strong. Sheila recognized that face anywhere. 

“Rebecca…Trevor…?” Tears fell from Sheila’s eyes.

Link should have struck the lake with great force. What happened from there would have been anyone’s guess. 

Surely he would have been taken out of the battle in question. A situation like that would bring about such a consequence.

The water beneath Link moved once more. Onlookers would have thought Jabu-Jabu had come back, perhaps to finish the job of devouring Link like earlier. 

However, the water surged in a way that seemed unnatural.

A funnel rose from Lake Hylia. It swirled around and around until the top of the makeshift spire widened its top surface. 

The edges even curled and seemed to catch Link. With great control, the spire lowered itself to the nearest barge, the one where Jerome was at. 

When the spire was low enough, it let go of Link. He dropped to the surface with little trouble.

“How…?” Navi asked, her mouth wide open from the strange scene.

“They’re back,” Sheila said. Without thinking, the girl ran to the edge of her own barge, looking for them. And there they were.

In the distance, a second spire rushed towards the barges. It came from a distant waterfall at a nearby desert valley. 

The spire arrived at full speed. Two figures stood on top of it.

Every Sentry paid attention to the spire that came to them. Some looked poised to fight if they needed to. 

Then, Commander Claudius took a closer look at the spire from his barge. There, he saw who was in control of the moving waters. He held his arms out towards the Sentries.

“Hold!” he shouted. “And focus on Jabu-Jabu! This is a friend! Reinforcements that returned.” 

Commander Claudius smirked. He even beamed with deep pride.

 “I feared the worst, Trevor Berenson,” he said quietly, knowing the boy wouldn’t hear him. “I’m glad I was wrong…perhaps you are the warrior prophesied about after all.”

When the spire arrived at the edge of the boat, the two figures got off and landed on the deck. They stood tall and looked around at their surroundings. 

Both of them looked just like Sheila’s vision; it was Trevor and Rebecca, returned and safe.

“Hey,” Rebecca said, pointing at the barge in the distance. “Is that…Sheila?”

Trevor squinted his eyes. “Hm, it is.”

“Bring her over here! Rapido! ” Rebecca’s voice trembled.

Trevor did so. Sheila saw the spire and at first wasn’t sure if she could trust it. 

Then, she stepped on the top surface and was surprised at how stable it felt. The spire brought her over to the barge. 

Like Rebecca and Trevor, she landed on the deck. Jerome stood up and helped Link to his feet.

“You guys need help?” Trevor asked.

“I heard you guys needed me,” said Rebecca. “So, I think we can take care of anything.”

“Yes,” Sheila said through tears. “We could use you.”

She ran in Trevor and Rebecca’s direction. She jumped into her best friend’s arms and they hugged for the longest time, crying. 

Jerome and Trevor exchanged a look before they too rushed to each other and hugged.

“I thought you were dead,” Jerome whispered. “Now I know how you felt.”

“Yeah,” said Trevor. “I just didn’t want to get burned up like you.”

“I don’t think we’ll find another Great Fairy here.”

“Me neither…I’m sorry for disappearing.”

“I’m sorry for not being there for you.”

When Jerome and Trevor released their hug, Trevor looked at Link and Navi. He nodded at them both.

“I didn’t mean to make you work harder,” he said. “I’m really sorry.”

“You came right on time,” Link said. “Are you OK, Trevor?”

“I am. You guys?”

“We were waiting on you,” said Navi, who wiped a tear away. “I, um, wasn’t sure if Link could do it on his own. I’m glad he doesn’t have to.”

Trevor grinned. “Well, let’s catch ourselves a mad whale.”

Trevor made a gesture with his hands. Several more twisters of water sprung up, protecting the ships surrounding Jabu-Jabu.

“Five kids against one,” said Trevor. “Let’s save ourselves a princess.”

He surged towards Jabu-Jabu. Whatever brought him fear no longer had a hold on him. 

He sensed the Sentries following suit. They all displayed their grappling hooks, putting them on the ready. 

Each one became united in their resolve. Jabu-Jabu needed them. 

They would save the guardian no matter what it took. They would save Ruto as well. 

Everyone would be saved today.