Fan Fiction Friday: The Era Without A Hero – Part 13

The smell of hay and horses was overpowering as Osmond burst inside. Rays of light were just starting to break in through the small holes in the ceiling and there were several pages and attendants rushing about with supplies and equipment.

“Good mornin’ Sir Osmond,” Fado’s head popped out from a stall and he scurried over to greet Osmond.

“Good morning Lord Fado. I’m not late, am I?”

“No no, dear boy. Not at all. This is just what it’s always like in here it would seem.”

Osmond nodded.

A set of doors at the far end of the stables swung open and Impa pushed through, with the Queen and Princess following closely behind.

Osmond dropped to a knee and was surprised with Impa scolded him.

“Get up,” she said harshly. “While you are in the presence of royalty, keep in mind that the Princess leaving the safety of the city is to remain under wraps. You will not be addressing her by any of her formal titles. Understood?”

“Yes ma’am,” Osmond replied, getting back to his feet.

Princess Zelda walked past without so much as a blink in Fado or Osmond’s direction, however the Queen came to a polite stop. Her face looked tired and her eyes lingered on her daughter as she silently mounted a white horse.

“Is everything alright, your grace?”

“Hmm? Yes, yes,” she said, smiling at Osmond.

Osmond didn’t quite believe her but didn’t press further. As she looked down at Fado, her soft and pleasant demeanor returned.

“Are you excited to be heading home, Lord Fado?”

“Oh yeah. My cousin is going to be so happy. She used to wish that she’d be Lady Saria’s successor, but I don’t think she’d have enjoyed leaving the forest for such long periods of time.”

“How long has it been?”

“Nearly two years, I’m afraid.”

Impa returned from assisting somebody with something and looked sternly at Osmond. “You know how to ride, yes?”

“It’s been a while, but I’ll manage.”

“And if he struggles, I’ll take the reigns and solve it!” Fado laughed.

Impa rolled her eyes, then turned and motioned for the servants to bring a horse over.

It was tall and a deep brown steed, with a black mane and flecks of white around its eyes. The saddle was loaded with equipment, including the shield Osmond had been given yesterday. He shifted the pack on his back, remembering the shield his uncle had given him and smiled as he felt it.

Osmond was in the process of mounting his horse when Fado popped up on the saddle first. He grinned and scooted back.

“Don’t worry lad, the Princess does have her own horse. Three people on a horse would look downright silly.”

Once situated on the horse’s back, one of the servants took hold of the reigns and led the horse towards a large door. Zelda’s horse trotted up alongside them and she pulled a dark cloak up over her head that concealed her face. Her horse seemed unsteady until she leaned down and whispered in its ear. Osmond watched as the horse seemed to completely change its demeanor. Zelda stroked its white mane with her free hand.

“Zelda,” the Queen stepped up on the far side of the princess and placed her hand on her daughters, “please be careful.”

“Don’t worry mother,” the Princess said coldly, “you’ve sent me with babysitters.”

The Queen’s eyes opened wide as Zelda kicked back and her horse began towards the doors. Servants quickly opened them, and the Queen tried rushing after her daughter. As the white horse rode ahead, the Queen stopped and lowered her head.

“I promise she’ll be okay,” Osmond said as he began after her.

The Queen nodded and waved farewell as the horses disappeared into the city.

*          *          *          *          *

As the trio rode out into Hyrule Field, they galloped past the road that could have led them to Lon Lon Ranch and then Kakariko City. The sun burned away the slight chill that had been clinging to the air and coaxed the morning dew from the blades of grass. Sounds of birds chirping joined the trotting sounds made by their horses’ hooves, and the ceaselessly ending string of tales flowing from Fado’s mouth.

“… don’t you find that interesting?”

“What?” Osmond shook his head, trying to remember what Fado had just said.

“Oh nothing,” Fado sighed and slumped down.

“I’m sorry Lord Fado, there was just-“

“First of all, no more Lord Fado. I don’t need some fancy title to feel important. Additionally, we’re out of the capital and therefore more vulnerable. Using titles like ‘Lord’ and ‘Lady’ would draw attention.”

“Excuse me, but how I am to be addressed then?” Zelda interjected.

“By Zelda of course. It is your name, but then it’s also quite common.”

“But I’m the Princess. Shouldn’t you use the title-“

“No titles. None. Especially with you. Farores Wind couldn’t whisk you away fast enough if bandits or somebody disloyal to your father caught wind of you.”

“Disloyal to my father?”

Fado sighed and Osmond could feel the tiny sage rubbing his fingers on his temples.

“My dear Zelda, I am nearly two hundred years old. Your father is one of the greatest Kings Hyrule has ever known. That does not mean he’s without enemy. Please, trust me when I advise something like this.”

Zelda gave a slightly soured nod.

“Right! That brings me to point number two. Not everybody in the forest is as old as I so please pay attention to the history I’m telling you. It could save your life someday.”

“History saving my life,” Osmond smiled. “Sounds like something Aldwin would have said.”

“A wise man.”

“He was.”

“Did Aldwin ever tell you about the Kokiri? Or rather did you listen when he did?”

Osmond remained silent.

“The Kokiri are immortal, aren’t they?” Zelda asked.

“If only that were true,” Fado said. “As long as a Kokiri remains in the forest, he or she will never grow old. They age, but not like Hylians. They’re sustained by the forests magic and in turn, we tend the forest to keep it healthy. We’re completely connected to each other. However, when a member of the Kokiri forest leaves that protection, the connection is severed and part of them dies right there. They keep their childlike features, as you can see, but we begin to feel the ages catch up with us much like you all.

“We can, however, be sustained by returning to the forest but it is never the same. Many wander off into the Lost Woods and become Skull Kids. To my knowledge only four Kokiri, myself included, have ever left the forest. My cousin Mido and, of course, Saria being two of the others,” Fado’s voice trailed off, his smile disappearing.

“So, at the same time you accepted being a sage, you accepted a death sentence?” Zelda asked.

“If it were something that could be accepted, yes. Sages aren’t pulled from a river at random, we’re awakened. The current generation of sages all awoke following the true departure of a sage from the Era of the Hero of Time. As to the death sentence side of it though, I choose not to look at it that way,” Fado’s characteristic grin reappeared as his eyes rolled towards the sky. “I prefer to embrace my shortened mortality by making each day more enjoyable than the last. A sort of embrace the day thought process.”

“And how are you enjoying today?” Osmond smiled over his shoulder.

“Savoring the journey home after many years away, dear boy.”

Osmond could feel the Sage of Wind slide down a little and prop his feet up on the back of the horse. Fado pulled a flask from one of the saddle bags and took a swig, then made a sour face that caused a small giggle to slip past the Princess’s façade of seriousness.

“Excuse me, Princess! I do believe this has gone foul!” Fado grinned.

“I thought we weren’t using titles?” Zelda accused.

“Apologies. It just felt right.”

The trio continued across the expansive Hyrule Field. Rolling hills as far as the eye could see, broken up by gray stone that peeked out from underneath the blanket of green. In the distance, the Faron mountains rose up in the south, touching the vibrant blue sky of midday. The occasional tree and wildflower patch became silhouetted against the sun as it continued to crawl overhead.

As they strayed away from the main road, the trees became more common, providing them with shade. As they took a break in one of the shaded patches, they ate a small meal of bread and cheese before continuing on.

The entrance to the Kokiri Forest was just inside the boundary of the Faron region of Hyrule. Known for its dense forests and rolling green mountain range, it was a place unlike Castletown in every way imaginable.

Near the edge of the forest, was a bridge that joined the main road into the region from the north to the path that led into the Kokiri Village. The Bridge of Goodbye’s, as it was called, crossed over a deep ravine and a bit of the Kokiri Stream that flowed northeast into Zora’s River. The name for the bridge had come from the Era of the Hero of Time as it had become known for being a place of fated farewells.

As they passed through the hollowed-out tree trunk and their horses stepped onto the bridge, Fado hopped off and walked ahead a few steps.

“Everything okay?” Osmond asked, slowing his horse.

“Yes, just looking back on some old memories is all.”

Osmond could see Fado resting his hand on the rope railing with a longing look in his eyes.

“When I was still young, before the Hero of Time rose and liberated us, my brother left the forest to search for help. The forest had been invaded by Mad Scrubs and Deku Babas, and it was all we could do to keep them at bay. He returned a few months later, with the help of some Skull Kids and the Legendary Princess, but his wounds were fatal. That was when Saria left for the Forest Temple as well. I like to believe that he was one of the voices from deep within the walls calling out to her, just as she did for me many years later.”

Osmond and Zelda had stopped to listen to the story. Fado, who had been nothing but jovial and almost childish, had flipped a switch inside of him almost when they reached the bridge. It was comforting to know that he was indeed more mature than he let on.

“Right! Who’s hungry?” Fado clapped his hands together and started across the rest of the bridge. “Mido should be preparing supper about now!”

They entered the tunnel on the opposite side and took a slight turn up a hill. As they reached the crest of the hill though, their noses were filled with a foul stench. The air turned thick and heavy. Sounds of birds and the breeze dancing in the trees, vanished into a void of noiseless suffocation.

As they emerged from the tunnel, all three looked around and shuddered at what they saw. Or couldn’t see as it was.

Instead of the beautiful natural growth and pristine flowing waters, black sludge and rotted trees covered the town. Slime and algae floated on the dark pools that had collected. Tree stumps were uprooted or covered in black fuzz. A nearby home was burned out with only the door and window frame left standing. Dark haze blotted out the light that should have been shining down on them.

 

David Wayne Nystrom is a Staff Writer for Zelda Dungeon. This story is an imagining of the final days in Hyrule prior to the Great Flood talked about in the opening cinematic of The Wind Waker. His top three Zelda games are Ocarina of Time, The Wind Waker, and Link’s Awakening. The first six chapters of the full story are available in podcast form, with future chapters in the works. To find it and learn more about the project, head to erawithoutahero.wordpress.com or follow him on Twitter. Every Era Has Heroes…