Silent Hero: a tribute to Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda
Page 13
Chapter 10
The Voice Speaks Again
Link and Midna sat on either side of the blazing bonfire beneath Link’s tree house in the Kokiri Wood. Upon returning to the Light Realm of Hyrule, both realized two things: they had no clue what their next step was meant to be, now they’d obtained the Song as well. The weight of many days’ journeying rested heavily upon their shoulders, and with it, a tremendous tiredness which demanded sleep.
Yet, even as they sipped the last of their water and Link swallowed the last of the berries Midna had picked, something stirred on the wind. Something called to both their names.
At the first, they both scanned the heavens, half-asleep, as if expecting the stars to rain down and speak to them in person. But then, as it called louder, more clearly, Midna gasped, “My goddess!” and she and Link perked up, suddenly awake enough to heed whatever wisdom the voice might grant.
“Yes, my Heroes, it is I once again. And again, I apologize for not yet revealing myself to you. That shall come, in time, as do all good things to those who wait....
“But now, my time is limited. I know your adventures thus far have proved pressing and you would seek rest. But please, listen long enough to what I would tell you. The next part of your quest depends upon it, and I do not know if I could return to tell you these things again....
“Din, Nayru, and Farore, the three great Creators and Protectors of Hyrule—they preserved small bits of the ancient, original Hyrule, sealing these bits in secret times and places. These parts of Hyrule serve to house and guard three ancient Spiritual Stones, which aided the first Link. The goddesses hoped that, in preserving these Stones, Hyrule would be granted a final chance in its hour of greatest need. They hoped too that Hyrule might become what it once was in the beginning....
“Hyrule, as it is now, is much vaster than it was at the start. The remains of the original Hyrule are hidden within, in places only the Hero can access. If played in the right places—places each guarded by a sage in this Realm—Midna’s Requiem, now completed, can transport you to these ancient glimpses of Hyrule’s past. In Hyrule’s past, you can collect the Spiritual Stones. And the Spiritual Stones will open your path to finding and resurrecting the Master Sword.
“One Stone lies hidden in the Empress of the Wind.
“One Stone rides the Spirit of the Seas.
“One Stone is buried within the Goddess of the Sands.
“Ganondorf would seek to find and destroy these last strongholds. If Hyrule’s past falls, so does its future. You must find the sages guarding the Stones, harness the Stones’ power, and thus resurrect the entrance into the Sacred Realm.
“If you would hope to find the first goddess, travel to that place where your journey began. Truly, it shall become more sacred than either of you can yet imagine.
“One, last thing. As the height of your quest draws nigh, so does my desire to reveal my full identity to you. This I cannot yet do, but I do grant you a name: Pami....”
This last, poignant word echoed like a fading zephyr, then stilled into an absolute hush.
Link and Midna stared at the heavens a little while longer, truly hoping to see the face of the one who had so wisely guided them thus far. At least they had a name now: Pami. But Link thought the presence of that name only made him desire a face to attach to it all the more....
Slipping from his reverie, he gazed at Midna through the flickering flames, and she said, “Well, then, I suppose that answers what we are to do with the next leg of our journey. Back to the Mirror, it is, to find the first Spiritual Stone. First though, let us sleep—I feel we majorly need it and won’t get half a wink until this next part is through, once we start out.”
Link nodded, curling on the ground as Midna did so beyond the fire. Link knew they should both be in such incredible awe at the idea of traveling back in time and space to the original Hyrule that sleep was made impossible. Perhaps the idea was immediately too surreal. Or perhaps their exhaustion really was that great.
“You know,” Midna yawned wide, “not only have we heard nothing of Zelda on this quest, but we’ve had no trouble from Ganon either. The voice keeps saying he wishes to hinder our path...but we haven’t seen a trace of him....”
Link’s weary mind tried to wonder at the same things. Midna made a good point, but he was far too tired to think much on it right now. Besides, their trials had proved hard enough without throwing Ganondorf into the mix—why tempt fate?
His last vision was of the firelight sparkling upon Midna’s silver cheeks and lips like a million dancing rubies. He smiled faintly and did not have the strength to blink back the few tears trickling down his cheeks. Her eyes studied him with careful gentility, and though he studied hers, they were unsearchable as ever, their serenity hiding so much more than they revealed.
Then, as her eyes gently closed, veiling the windows to her soul for another night, he closed his too and allowed sleep to come.