Chapter Three
Until the End of Time
Like every tree stands on its own;
Reaching for the sky, I stand alone.
I share my world with no-one else.
All by myself, I stand alone.
I know the sound of each rock and stone.
I embrace what others fear.
You were not to roam in this forgotten place.
Just the likes of me are welcome here.
'I Stand Alone'
Bryan White
The winds whistled across the plains of Hyrule, tugging on the clothing of its inhabitants, whistling through the manes of the horses and soaring past the jaws of Hyrule's more dangerous creatures.
The wind could not make it deep within the groves of the Lost Woods, however, try as it may. The woods, having been left to its own power for the better part of the entire history of the world, had long ago developed a life of its own, and it did not appreciate invaders.
Deep within the ancient groves of the Lost Woods, magic pulsed and rippled, heading towards one, central cluster of trees. A wooden stump was nearby, which seemed to play as a signpost to the area. Animals and creatures watching the area quickly took off in alarm, not turning back for several hours as the magical forces that governed the forest fluxed, eventually reaching their peak with the arrival of a young boy and his horse.
Link, the Fairy Boy; more formally known as the Hero of Time, and Saviour of Termina, looked around the clearing with wary, blue eyes. The last time he had been here, chronologically, three days ago, magically, many months ago, his horse had been stolen by one of the most potent evil forces in the world. Since then, he had destroyed that force, which had been trapped within a mask, releasing it harmlessly, and without form, into the world it had tried so hard to destroy.
But it had not reckoned on facing the Hero of Time. Nor had it reckoned on facing the Hero of Time and the Goddess of Time joining together to defeat its efforts. Majora's Mask, the physical embodiment of misery and suffering, had tried to pull the moon of Termina into the earth, destroying the land, but had been beaten back by a boy, his fairy, and a collection of masks that were filled with the happiness, joy and laughter of the citizens of the country of Termina.
Stepping out into the darkness of the forest, Link tugged on the reins of a young, brown horse that trailed beside him. A chestnut mare, she shook her head impatiently as Link made his way tentatively through the Lost Woods. It had taken them three weeks to get here before, and even now, there was a good chance it would take longer to get back. The Songs of the Temples, in particular, the Minuet of Forest, a song designed to bring the musician back to the fabled Forest Temple of Hyrule, did not work outside of the boundaries of Hyrule, something Link had crossed long ago.
A rustle in the bushes nearby had Link moving almost automatically. With blinding speed, he had his bow out with an arrow nocked on it, ready to shoot at the first sign of danger. Link's movement had seemingly scared whatever it was off. Hearing no further movement from that direction, Link moved on, replacing the arrow in his quiver, but keeping his bow hooked over his shoulder. Whether he could hear it or not, the Lost Woods still had dangers that would easily kill the unwary traveller.
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The pedestal that showed a green triangle began to glow, signalling the arrival of the Goddess it represented. In the next moment, a gust of wind blew, bringing with it, the clean smell of an endless forest, the burnt ash of a volcano, and the crisp saltiness of the sea. A world of possibilities and adventure seemed caught up in that wind, but for Farore, the Hylian Goddess of Courage, none of that would be possible unless the Crest Holders were summoned.
The Crest Seeker Trials had been completed, Farore was unsure when. It may have been a day, or an eternity ago, but to an immortal being, time was meaningless.
Outstretching her golden hand over the central pool of the Chamber of the Gods, Farore summoned to her the images of the most courageous beings within the universe. A boy, leading a horse through the Lost Woods, was the first being to appear. Farore knew this child, he had been her chosen one since the time of his birth. He was the bearer of the Triforce of Courage, and the power of Farore ran rampant in his veins.
Staring into the pool, Farore concentrated her powers, bridging the gap between the world of Hyrule and here. The horse would have to be put into a sleep until her owner was done with the Trials, otherwise she would wander off, and possibly put herself into harm while her master was otherwise occupied.
A collection of red energy collected at the end of Farore's hand, as the divine magic she used was called into being. Down in the pool, the boy froze, and to all appearances, disappeared, along with his horse. Working quickly, using magic far beyond that of mortals, Farore warped the fabric of time and space, and in less than a second, her Champion of Courage was on the first pedestal of the Trials of Courage.
Link had blinked. And that was all it had taken for the Lost Woods to have changed to a place of darkness, with five pedestals that seemed to float on nothing.
So much to do... So little time...
Drawing his sword, the mythical Kokiri Sword, Link's instincts screamed for him to be prepared. In all of his years of existence, a relatively short twelve, he had learned never to be comfortable in a place where a voice was coming out of nowhere.
The tides of darkness are coming. You, the first Seeker, have come to this place to earn your birthright.
The pedestal began rumbling. Shaking on wobbly feet, Link plunged his sword into the hard surface of the Trials, holding onto it to stop himself from being thrown off during this strange earthquake.
Or was it? Looking around the platform now, he saw three raised surfaces, and on each, three symbols of the Trials of his childhood.
The Kokiri's Emerald, a gem of endless value, filled with the patience and strength of the forest. To earn this, you had to witness the death of your surrogate father, the Great Deku Tree. It was this crystal that led you to the Princess, however, and was the first step to your true self; the Hero of Time.
Staring at the crystal, Link's mind showed him the many challenges he'd had to face to earn the Emerald. Images of Mido, the self-proclaimed leader of the Kokiri taunting him. Entering the Deku Tree himself, after learning of the curse that the Great Tree had been inflicted by. Diving underwater as spikes rotate overhead. And killing the source of the curse herself. Queen Gohma, a creature of darkness, had eventually fallen to Link, but by then, it had been too late for the Deku Tree.
The Goron's Ruby, the Spiritual Stone of Fire, filled with the fires of passion and speed that only flame possesses. The Gorons were saved by your actions within the Dodongo's Cavern, and you gained a Sworn Brother.
The final crystal, which shone a vivid blue, pulsed lightly as Link looked at it. Three actual gems made up the Spiritual Stone of Water, with an intricate moulding of gold keeping the three joined.
The Zora's Sapphire, or for you, the key to the heart of Princess Ruto. You saved her, and the patron god of the Zora's in order to obtain this gem. However, the destruction you saw to the Zoras only heralded the greater destruction that would soon occur to the entire country.
Looking down, Link stood up, pulling the Kokiri's Sword from the ground as he did. Expecting to see a hole in the ground, he was surprised to see the hole seal itself, leaving no indication it had been there.
The experiences of your childhood have changed you, and even the world, forever. The damage Ganondorf inflicted upon Hyrule was felt by everyone. But, to you, there was one group who was hurt more than the others.
Nodding his head, Link's attention went back to the Goron's Ruby.
Both times Ganondorf attacked the Gorons; he nearly wiped out their entire civilization.
Nodding, Link felt the embers of anger building in him. Ganondorf had nearly destroyed the entire world just to get his dream. He had hurt, and killed, immeasurable people along the way, and for that, Link could never forgive him.
You have chosen the people, Link. In spite of losing your family, and losing your friends, you are most anger by losing an entire species of people. For this, you have passed the first Trial of Courage.
The Spiritual Stones abruptly disappeared as the pedestal shook again. Looking down at the ground, Link saw a picture that made his heart pang; Darunia, his Sworn Brother, the leader of the Gorons, and the Sage of Fire. Darunia almost looked real to him, he mused. A ringing sound filled the air, making Link look up. A blue portal of light had appeared in the middle of the pedestal. Knowing what they were, and feeling a sense of familiarity form it, he stepped into the circle. A crystal spread up to envelope Link; and within a few seconds, he had appeared on the second pedestal of the Trial, this one showing a picture of a strange bird, seemingly made of fire, with rainbows behind it.
Up in the Chamber of the Gods, Farore smiled, as gentle as a cloud, and as terrible as a storm. The Trials were underway, and everything was going exactly as the Gods wanted them to.
The voice that had spoken to Link in the Trials spoke again, however, this was information that only the Gods were able to hear. From deep in the forest of New Island, Mew, exhausted from creating the Trials, awoke with a loud keen. Deep within the Farplane, Valefor retorted with a screech of rage of its own. Magnadramon let out a wail of despair, while Farore, the Goddess of Courage, trembled in fear.
The Nobodies have awoken...
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