Clearer in Time

XVII. A Link to the past (pt.III)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The sun could be seen dimly through the early morning fog that blanketed the Sacred Grove. The grass was still bathed in morning dew, and rustled softly as Link and Saria crossed the threshold into the serene meadow.

In the center of the grove was a large hedge maze. It wound and twisted to the other side of the meadow, where the entrance of the Forest Temple rested. Saria had taken Link here once before, when she had first learned he would be leaving the forest. There was a spring hidden in the maze. A fairy’s fountain. She and Link had spent the entire afternoon laughing together and catching fairies in bottles.

He looks much different, now, she thought sadly. Not just in age. The look in his eyes was different, not the boyish innocence she had remembered from him. He looked older now, the darkness of the world having forced him to grow up. He’s moved on, Saria thought miserably. There’s no place for me anymore.

She tried to argue the notion as she led him silently through the maze. She told herself that such an idea was ridiculous, that she was just being childish. Just because he wouldn’t give himself to her didn’t mean he didn’t care for her at all anymore. But what her mind thought and her heart felt couldn’t be more conflicting. She still felt heartbroken.

She tried to catch a glimpse of him as they rounded a corner. His eyes were sad and unfocused, looking at his feet as he absentmindedly followed her lead. Once her anger and sorrow had passed, Saria had immediately regretted her actions the night before. To think that she had tried to make the entire situation the fault of her best friend… when really it was something that couldn’t be helped. Fate had deemed them friends. Close friends, but nothing more.

They turned the last corner of the maze and began ascending the weathered stone steps to the grove. At the top of the steps was a scene that Link recognized. Another staircase, this one crumbling, but not yet demolished. A gnarled, old tree, it’s branch hanging over the stairway landing. Seven years from now, he would latch the hookshot to that branch and enter the temple. To save Saria. Their momentary encounter in the Sacred Realm would be much different the second time around, he suspected.

Hanging above the doorway of the Forest Temple, like a royal crest, was the Mirror Shield. It had a scarlet border that seemed to be made entirely of riches, and the face of the shield was polished like a mirror. It caught the sunlight and reflected it all throughout the clearing, causing the morning ground mist to glow a magnificent golden color. The setting was dreamlike and surreal.

Link drew his sword, looking around cautiously as he slowly approached the Forest Temple stairs. Saria had said the forest had felt less than inviting lately, and Link felt it, stronger with each step towards the temple. They hadn’t seen any monsters, but they hadn’t seen anything else either. The day was silent, no birds chirping or rustling of small animals through the grass. Just the wind, a strange ominous breeze that seemed to grow stronger with Link’s every advancing step.

He reached the top of the stairs, the shield just feet above his head. Now what, he thought with a frown. He wasn’t an adult anymore, and couldn’t reach up and grab it.

He looked around, spying something useful. A branch, hanging low over his head. With a quick swipe of his sword, he freed the branch and hooked it behind the shield. It came off of the wall and fell with a crashing, echoing sound. It weighed a ton, the mass of it having snapped the branch in half.

Link reached down to grab the shield when Saria’s voice carried to him from the foot of the steps.

“Link…”

He turned around, gasping in surprise of what he saw. Standing upon the staircase, between Link and Saria, was a strange figure. A young man, no more than seventeen.

The man’s was clothed in a large tunic and cape, with loose fitting pants. Atop his head was a floppy cap not unlike Link’s own. Aside from his reddish pants, the figure’s clothes were the color of the night sky, a deep, blackish purple. The dark color contrasted against the figures pale skin, so pale that it seemed to have no color at all. Long, equally whitish hair covered half his face, so that only a single red eye could be seen. It stared at Link intently, the look on the stranger’s face completely blank.

“Hero of Time,” the figure said, his voice perpetually flat and unemotional. “I’ve been awaiting your arrival.”

Link said nothing, just eyed the figure in confusion. Where did he come from? And how did he sneak up so quietly? The figure bowed slightly, never taking his eye off of Link.

“I am Vaati, the Wind Mage,” the strange character said. “Lord Ganondorf has ordered me to protect the Mirror Shield from the likes of you. He guessed that you would come back for it, eventually.” Even as he spoke, the strange figure’s voice was completely disinterested, as if he were rather bored to be where he was.

Link kneeled down without dropping his gaze, his sword still pointed towards the pale, young man. He felt around behind him for the shield. His hand finally grasped it.

“I wouldn’t.” Vaati’s was still flat and bored. Link defiantly took hold of the heavy shield and rose to his feet.

Immediately, Vaati swung his arm in a long arc. The wind that had seemed so ominous before suddenly intensified incredibly. Link felt himself flying through the air. He heard Saria cry his name.

Link landed hard in the grass, rolling over himself. A second later, the Mirror Shield came to the ground, so heavy that it stuck into the ground, less than a foot from Link’s head.

He clumsily got to his feet, still disoriented. Immediately, he felt the wind again, this time at his feet. He was swept up off the ground and suspended upside down. He looked around frantically to see Vaati standing before him.

The wind mage seemed to be looking him over, his face still plain and disinterested. After a while, he spoke.

“You’re nothing special,” he said. “It seems as though Lord Ganondorf has overestimated you.” Link trembled with fury. It would only figure that Ganon would try to stop him, Link thought. Even if he traveled through time, nothing was easy for him.

Vaati waved his hand lazily, and Link was dropped onto the ground.

“Leave now, and I won’t kill you and your little girlfriend,” Vaati said monotonously. “Lord Ganondorf would much rather end you himself, I’m sure.”

Link got to his feet, thinking. How can I defeat him, Link thought? He controls the air around me. Link’s eyes fell upon the Mirror Shield at his feet. It glimmered extravagantly.

In one swift movement, Link mustered all the strength he could and tilted the shield upwards with his foot. The sunlight reflected off of it and shined directly in Vaati’s face. Even then, he didn’t cry out, just grunted in discomfort, turning away from the blinding light.

He turned back around, and saw Link charging him. Link swung his blade with a loud cry. Vaati stumbled backwards, trying his best to avoid the blade coming towards his face.

There was a small noise as the Kokiri Sword made contact. A tiny rivulet of blood colored the tip of the blade. Link turned his head to Vaati and was immediately thrown off of his feet once more. He heard Saria scream again as he flew through the air and landed with a hard thump.

He looked up to see Vaati, the mage’s face contorted with rage. Just under his revealed eye, there was a large, bleeding gash. Not deep, but it would definitely scar. Vaati’s words were shaky with fury. Even so, his voice was barely raised at all.

“You insolent little whelp,” the wizard said. “I gave you a chance to get away with your lives.” He raised his arms and began waving them slowly, like a conductor. Link felt the wind shifting and swirling malignantly. “Now watch,” Vaati said, “as I kill your pretty little girlfriend.”

Link whipped his head around and saw Saria. She looked as though she were trying to move, but was held in place. Link struggled to his feet and began to run towards her, just as Vaati threw his arms forward. Link dove in front of Saria wrapping his arms around her defensively. He felt Vaati’s magic hit him all over his back. The pain was immense. It was like a thousand razors, faintly reminiscent of when Dark Link had slashed him, but over and over again.

Link cried out in pain. Saria’s eyes were wide and disbelieving with shock as they stared at his screaming face. Immediately, Link felt himself being tossed through the air again. His body collided hard with the staircase. He could almost hear some of his bones cracking.

He lifted his heavy head to see Vaati approaching him, the young mage’s face once again composed, the blood slowing to a trickle like a crimson tear.

“You foolish little boy,” he said. “You have no idea what I’m capable of. I have powers that you could never imagine. And now that you’ve denied my gracious offer, your pretty little friend is going to feel every last one of them. After you, of course.”

Vaati raised his hands, and Link felt the wind stirring around him once more. He could barely move. His body was sluggish, and he felt he was bleeding from several wounds. He watched helplessly as the mage prepared to end his life.

…

Saria watched as the wind mage readied to finish Link. He was dying. And what was she doing? Standing there, like a damsel in distress. She had to do something.

Even as she thought it, she was already in motion. Her feet were moving without her telling them to. She was rushing forward, without any plan except to stop this man from killing her friend.

Vaati turned to her as she approached, distracted from his spell casting. She rushed into him, catching him off guard. He rounded on her, forgetting Link and resolving to finish her instead. He raised one arm above his head, and she thought she could almost see the razor sharp wind swirling between his fingertips.

Saria panicked, unsure what to do next. Vaati made to cast his spell, his visible eye gleaming malevolently into hers, just inches away. Saria did the only thing she could think of.

She kissed him, eyes closed and lip pressed firmly to his. Vaati’s visible eye widened in shock, the rest of him motionless as the green haired forest girl pressed to his body. He felt something, the first time in as long as he could remember. Something different. Warm, somehow.

Suddenly he felt something hit him from the side, knocking the wind out of him. He was on his back, the Hero pinning him to the ground with his battered body. His sword was held just above Vaati’s face with both hands, ready to plunge downward at any moment.

He was defeated. Somehow it didn’t seem that important. His head felt light, from the knock to the stomach or the forest girl’s kiss, he couldn’t be sure. He brushed his hair aside, looking into the Hero’s eyes with both of his own.

“Don’t think that this is the end, Hero,” he said, his voice still cool and controlled. “I’ll still be around when you wake up. I have all the time in the world.”

There was a gusting sound, like wind through leaves, and Link fell down a few inches as Vaati’s body disappeared from under him. The mysterious wind mage was gone, just as abruptly as he had appeared.

Saria looked at her friend kneeling in the grass. He was bleeding everywhere, and more than one of his limbs looked to be limp and hanging at an odd angle. He turned and met her gaze, flashing her a winning smile before collapsing into the grass.

…

Link awoke, his entire person feeling wonderful. There was a cool sensation all over his back, as if he were lying upon the surface of water. He felt a strange yet familiar tingling all over his body. It reminded him of Sheik, somehow.

He opened his eyes to see he was lying on his back, the afternoon sun peering down at him from behind the treetops. He sat up, the water splashing a bit as he did. He was in a small pool. A spring. He recognized it. Saria had taken him here, once.

It was a fairy fountain. All around him were glimmering orbs of light, pinks and blues and yellows and greens dancing through the air. He stood up, noticing how wonderful his body felt. The fairies had healing properties. A man dying of a mortal wound could bathe in a fairy fountain and come out completely rejuvenated.

“Your awake.”

He turned around. Saria was standing at the edge of the spring. She smiled cheerfully at him as he approached her. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her into a giant hug. She laughed playfully.

“It was the least I could do,” she said teasingly. “You did save me first, after all.”

He let her go, not sure what to say now. Was she still upset with him? Saria continued, answering his question.

“I’m sorry for what I said, Link,” she said quietly, trying her best not to look down at her feet.
“I’m glad you came back, even if it was just for a while. It was quite an adventure.”

Link nodded, smiling. It had turned out to be quite an adventure, after all. He had thought this would be one of the easier parts of his quest. Instead, he had almost been killed by Ganon’s mysterious subordinate. Saria had ended up saving his skin this time around. Speaking of such…

“So…” Link grinned devilishly. “That was quite the distraction you made for that guy…”

Saria huffed and shoved him, turning her head away. It was easy to tell that she was blushing.

“Well, it worked, didn’t it? It was all I could think of. Besides, if I hadn’t, then you’d be dead right now.”

He laughed at her defensiveness, causing her to shove him again.

“Thanks for saving me, Saria,” he said. She smiled.

“You don’t have to thank me,” she replied. “The fairies were excited to see you, anyway. Every time I’ve been here, they always ask where you are.” Link grinned. Saria had a connection with the forest and everything in it, including the fairies. She could understand their speech.

“Speaking of which,” Saria said. She knelt down and retrieved something lying next to the Mirror Shield. It was a bottle. There was a blue, glowing orb inside. “I caught you one, for good luck. Her name is Navi. Most fairies never get to see the world beyond the fountains, so I thought you could take her with you.”

Link took the bottle, gazing at the blue orb inside. It bounced around energetically, apparently very excited.

“Thanks, Saria,” Link said. “For everything.” Saria smiled warmly at him.

“Of course,” she said. “I hope this will help you on your quest.”

Link nodded, kneeling down to retrieve the shield. It weighed a ton as he slung it over his back, but at least he had it. He reached into his pocket and retrieved his ocarina.

“Goodbye, Saria,” he said. She nodded, her eyes sad yet bright at the same time.

“Goodbye,” she said. Link brought the Ocarina of Time to his lips and played a beautiful melody. A blue aura encased him, and he felt his body being spirited away, the sight of his friend fading from view.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I am updating like crazy. I've just been burning through this subplot arc. Now that it's over, though. It may be a few days before the next chapter. I hope you guys like it. Like I said, I added a non-OoT character. It just came to me, and Vaati's one of my favorites. You don't see him around often. If my muse is willing, he'll probably appear again later. I really hope you guys enjoy it. "mikey," thanks for the review. Sorry to bum you out, but it just wasn't in the cards for this story, I guess : (
To all the readers, Rate, Review, and Enjoy!!!