Blood Curse
Chapter 1
It wasn’t until recently that he took up his new name. The Princess felt it more appropriate that the Hero of Hyrule should bear the Legendary title; Link. It felt strange, however, the Princess justly stated that it was earned. It took time to adjust as it did with being called Hero. Hyrule even realized that he shared his nickname with the Land. He preferred that. A little twinge of familiarity swept over him. The name of the land, the very land he fought to protect, the very land that he felt most in tune with, gave him a sense of being at home. That always had been the case. Sharing a name. It would seem that all Zelda’s alike shared their name as well. The name had been decreed in his timeline and judging by all the stories from the other Link’s it felt the same. An unknown but very well-followed decree. The Hero of Hyrule, or the newly named Link, had a secret. Several secrets.
Even though the Hero of Hyrule had proven capability, Hyrule mentally sketched out the differences between himself and the group. There had been similarities as well, but…everyone was born into the name Link. They never had a name before that. They never had to hide their born-given name, the quiet traveler’s mind swirled in deep thought.
The team of Heroes had set up camp for the night in the middle of an unknown wood. No one could figure whose land they had set foot in. Hyrule sat on a log stump with a bowl of hearty stew. Camp quickly became filled with much talk. Warriors and Legend bickered. Wind started to tell a tale of shivering timbers. The fire crackled as Four, Twilight, and Wild listened to the seafarer’s swashbuckling tale. Sky had dozed off and Time sat just a little ways away from camp.
Hyrule half-listened and finished the stew. The lumps of meat and thick juices were filling as he set the bowl beside him. The utensils needed cleaning and Hyrule needed a moment. Deciding to pick up the cleaning he wordlessly collected the bowls. Wind practically sang with excitement as he explained how he hunted down a mysterious ghost ship. If Hyrule hadn’t been muddled with thoughts, the young teen would have loved to hear about it. Being so social and exuberant seemed to be Wind’s specialty. An easy read. Hyrule loved that about the young hero. Stepping away to find a brook, he passed Time. The unnamed leader of the group gave a knowing look as Hyrule retreated with the dishes.
Exhaling in relief, Hyrule sat near the open stream. Moss and ivy tangled up the trees as the water babbled. Hyrule began to wash the bowls clean. Water splashed upwards and upon seeing his reflection, Hyrule blinked. His Princesses would have giggled and pointed out the shaggy mess that was his hair. Brown locks curled as water droplets dripped causing wrinkles in the light current from the stream. Drawing in some breath and basking in the cool night's air, the traveler listened. Wind must’ve let Four take over, for the pirates' boisterous excitement had calmed.
Hyrule knew that the others would soon ponder on his whereabouts. Each Hero had a varying degree of worry when it came to Hyrule’s sense of direction. Wasn’t that the point of adventuring? Getting lost was just a part of the equation. Wolfie would soon be hot on his trail, and the animal would see that Hyrule hadn’t gone far at all. Crinkling his nose a bit, his mind sauntered back and forth from idea to secret. His secrets. Rubbing the back of his left hand, it felt warm. Each Hero had secrets and it would seem that they all harbored trust issues.
Dipping his hands into the stream, the water felt cool. Splashing water onto his face, he felt more awake. He should ask for the first watch tonight. Putting this sleeplessness into use would be good. The water felt good. Standing up with cleaned bowls in hand, he froze. The wood fell quiet and the group's cheerful banter had vanished. Dark brown eyes scanned the forest. It felt different. No. It was different. Straining his ears to listen for the faintest of sounds, Hyrule toyed with the idea that maybe somehow a portal had engulfed him. The brunette hadn’t seen any portals...they were big, ominous, and obvious. Perhaps it was the forest itself? Time would talk of those getting lost forever in that one place. He couldn't place the name of that forest. Right now, he needed to focus. Keep calm and think. All he had was bowls and his pack. He had left his sword and shield with the group.
“Tsk.”
A twig snapped from behind the brush. The Hero of Hyrule pivoted looking into the direction of the noise. Heart thumping, his gaze didn’t meet with the calm stream that he had just interacted with. Confused and a bit intrigued, he stared at the landscape before him. Marble columns towered as ivy snaked up the decrepit pillars and in its center an architecture that resembled something of a small temple-like shrine. Hyrule clutched the bowls as if they were a lifeline. Where was he?
The traveler stepped toward the structure. Its walls and pillars were etched with faded engravings. The decorations had been mere filigree with the occasional image of the Triforce. Light quickly faded as the moon crept high, he needed to find the others. But how? The night’s creatures began to chirp and make merry as Hyrule’s eyes adjusted to the darkness. If memory serves the brunette right...it was Four that said to stay in one place if lost. Such advice would be a death sentence back in his homeland. Tightening his jaw, Hyrule shoved the bowls into his satchel. Needing something more useful, he dug into his pack and attained the item that he required. The candle. The magical wick flickered for a short second and its flame began to burn. Its light illuminated the surrounding area by a twenty-foot radius. This grand structure stood tall and Hyrule marveled at its architecture. The entrance’s door towered over the short traveler.
Shifting his weight, Hyrule pressed a hand onto the door and pushed. The frame felt thick as he powered through the creaky entrance. Curiosity had overtaken the boy as he surveyed the great hall. The main room resembled a chapel. Benches, covered in foliage, lined up toward the opposite side to what looked like a pool of water. The scent of wildflowers wafted in the air as he began to wander the room. Eyeing the decorative mosaics, he saw the intricacies etched deep into marble. From what he gathered, each faded picture depicted a girl's journey. A journey of purification. Sky’s Zelda did something like that. As did Wild’s.
As he stepped closer to the clear pool’s edge a flitter of wings danced around the water. Fairies. Raising the candle, the fountain of water housed many fairies. Hearing faint giggles, Hyrule couldn’t help but smile. No matter the timeline some things never change. Setting down the candle, Hyrule took in a deep breath and closed his eyes. Completely at ease.
“Hello…” a soft voice laughed. Hyrule opened his eyes. A fae woman standing atop the water, hair sleek and adorned in wildflowers. Soft crystal blue eyes peered into his own. Her hands clasped together as if in prayer. The fae tiptoed toward the young man, her dress flowed with each step she took. Hyrule’s heart skipped a beat as she spoke again, “I know you.” from afar one could mistake this woman to be a child but now that she was up close, she towered over Hyrule. With a simple nod, Hyrule kept eye contact.
The Queen Fairy took up his left hand while thumbing the back, “Zelda. I’ve grave news.”
Hyrule gulped down whispering, “You know my name.”
“All of us know.” she reassured, “Zelda. Listen. It matters not where you step...the blood that runs through thy veins can still awaken Demise.” Hyrule nodded as she continued, “His disciples hunt relentlessly for the Golden Wisdom and the Power to do so.”
“I’ll ensure they’ll never get a hold of it.”
Satisfied with the traveler's answer, a hand caressed Hyrule’s cheek. Blond hair waved and curled as she closed her eyes, “Born with the spirits of both the Hero and the Goddess. May this help you in your journey.” With that, she pushed back the unkempt hair to reveal Hyrule’s clean forehead. Leaning in, and with softest lips, she gently kissed. A flurry of magic whirled around them as she floated away, “Use the waters to cleanse your weary body and let the fairies aid you on your journey to come.” with that she faded away.
“Yes...Mother Fairy.”
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
