Silent Hero: a tribute to Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda Read online

Chapter 4

  A True Fairy

  Link held tight to Midna’s hand, though not so much out of fear. All fear dissipated, quickly replaced by pounding adrenalin and excitement, as they began to fall slower, floating towards their destination. Though nothing could be seen, no evil could be felt either. This seemed a good sign that they hadn’t stumbled into some random hole. Link found himself feeling, for once, more than a little useful.

  Then, gradually, flashes of green began to glisten and fall about them. As they grew more defined, Link stared in awe at the small bushes, flowers, and then whole trees cascading gently with them. Or perhaps it was Link and Midna falling, into a world steadily solidifying about them. It was hard to say.

  Link knew only that, at some point, everything sped up again until the world was a blur of greens and browns. Then, so abruptly he didn’t even feel it at first, firm ground rested beneath their feet; he and Midna stood in a forest.

  “Well, then,” Midna sighed deeply, seemingly with relief as she brushed off her dress, “I suppose we’ve found it. Good job, Hero.”

  Link grinned, nodding—

  At a rustle in the trees, Link froze, glancing about cautiously. Midna did the same.

  As the rustlings grew louder and more frequent, Midna slipped her hand from Link’s, whipped out a bow from beneath her cloak, and set an arrow on the string—

  An abrupt cry alarmed her, the arrow whizzed through the air—a loud pop, a flash of bright red, another cry of mingled surprise and terror—

  And then, Link and Midna looked down, both intrigued and confused.

  He was a middle-aged man, though no taller than four feet. A scruff of a pathetic beard clung to his stubby chin, and traces of wrinkles lined his eyes and mouth. He was clad from head to foot in a tight-fitting green suit which defined features Link wished it rather didn’t; Midna’s nose wrinkled as though stared at something nasty, and Link knew she must feel the same.

  A large, deflated, crimson balloon trailed behind the little, the thing Midna hit with her arrow and which no doubt before that held him aloft in the trees. He smiled broadly at them, doing a little jig. Then—of all unwanted horrors—he attempted to sing,

  “Lucky, lucky boy of the fairy forest;

  “Lucky is Tingle to meet such a friend,

  “To meet such close kin:

  “Let our divine friendship start now and not end!

  “Tingle, koo-loo limpah!

  “Tingle shares these special words only with you!”

  “Why?” Midna breathed, staring in a horrified sort of way, almost as though his oddness pained her. She was so horrified as to be frozen to the spot, unable to tear away. “Just...why...?”

  “So, would you like to buy a map?” Tingle piped.

  Midna raised a skeptical brow. “Come again? Buy maps from you?”

  “Oh, yes, my lady—indeed, the finest maps in all the land....”

  As Tingle prattled, Link leaned over to catch a glimpse of one of the rolled up maps secured to Tingle’s back. 500 rupees for one! A clear rip-off, especially from this incompetent weirdo....

  Link subtly shook his head at Midna. She nodded in a small sign of understanding. Then, she said, “Look, all we really want to know is who we might talk to in Termina to gain some good advice. You know, like a prophetess or seer or—”

  “A fairy?” Tingle wriggled his eyebrows, rubbing his shoulder against Midna who truly looked ready to wrap her long fingers around his neck.

  Pulling away from him, she muttered, “Yes, a fairy. Preferably not one of your...breed....”

  Tingle shook his head enthusiastically. “Oh, no, indeed. Tingle is much too humble to give himself the credit of understanding dreams and quests and such....”

  “Thank all the goddesses,” Midna breathed; Link fought hard against a pressing grin.

  “...no, no, Tingle leaves such weighty matters for the Great Fairies of Termina. There is one such Fairy in a little cave in the northern part of Clock Town, which is the great city in the midst of Termina Field. It’s just a little ways north through these woods. If you’d like, I’ve the perfect map—”

  “And you’re certain this Great Fairy can help?”

  “Oh, yes. Just tell her Tingle sends you. My good lady, Tingle has ‘connections’ and... ‘favor’, if you will, with all the Great Fairies....”

  With anther wriggle of the eyebrows, he sidled over to rub against her again, but she stepped back just in time for his shoulder to miss the mark, sending him sprawling and maps fluttering everywhere.

  “Good-bye, Mr. Tingle. It’s been a pleasure.”

  As Midna swept from the small clearing, Link hurried to keep up. Casting a backward glance at Tingle, Link felt a little sorry for him. Until—

  “My lady plays hard to get,” Tingle said, sputtering dirt from his mouth as he wobbled to sit up. “But Tingle knows...you will be back, my sweets, whether for one of Tingle’s wonderful maps or a something a little more…special....”

  “I am not even expected to respond to that,” Midna muttered. She picked up her pace, as did Link, suppressing another grin which was, by now, truly ready to explode from him.

  Once completely out of Tingle’s range of sight, Midna returned her bow to its mysterious perch beneath her cloak. Link again felt himself losing points; what weapons had he thought to bring on such an epic—and epic-ly dangerous—quest? He shook his head. Like the real Link, he would have to wing it and worry about that only once the need arose. Besides, Midna was in such a hurry, she hadn’t exactly given him time to prepare.

  After only a half hour or so, the trees thinned and at last receded altogether into sprawling green hills. They’d reached Termina Field. The massive wall encircling Clock Town rose up, not far in the distance. After only another half hour or so of travel, Link and Midna gave a friendly nod to the guard and slipped through the gate.

  If the field and woods reflected utter quiet and peace—save the presence of Tingle—Clock Town proved the utter opposite. They’d entered the Western marketplace which bustled with townsfolk admiring clothes, jewels, freshly baked bread, and a wide array of other trinkets which various merchants sold from carts set up outside the more official stores.

  A balding man sniffed in a displeased manner at another man selling turkey legs right outside the window of his Bomb Shop. Then, he slipped in and shut the door with meaning loudness. Another man shouted down at a woman calling for people to buy her fine Zora-woven silks; apparently, he was no shop-keeper but had a headache and needed his sleep. Children ran to and fro, some playing, others trading embroidered handkerchiefs for small bits of cakes and muffins.

  Link stared at the turkey legs. He quickly veered towards the south though, abandoning temptation.

  Midna tapped him on the shoulder, a curious frown on her lips. “Shouldn’t we...you know...head to the north of Clock Town, where the Fairy’s cave is supposed to be?”

  Link shook his head, hoping his eyes revealed his meaning of “not yet” instead of a simple “no”. He just had a feeling that they should first examine the place where the first Link began his ventures in Termina—the Clock Tower in South Clock Town.

  “What—? Do you have another ‘master’ plan? An epiphany I haven’t been let in on yet—?”

  “Rogue tomato! Get yer rogue tomato here—makes a great pet for the wife!”

  A man sporting a long, curled goatee and wisps of hair which stuck out at incredibly weird angles—weirder still was how those wisps stayed perfectly in place—held out a gargling creature. It was red, shaped like a small tomato, save its vines had formed into waving arms and legs. A large mouth with sharp teeth smiled wide, nipping at Midna who jumped to the side.

  “Um...not to be rude, but is this place some indication that Hyrule has also gone completely psycho since the last time I visited?” Midna mumbled. “It is meant to be an alternate universe, after all….”

  Link could not contain another wide grin.

  Round
ing a tall wall, they entered the Southern portion of Clock Town. Townspeople milled to and fro. Several carpenters carried large beams of wood to some sort of scaffold being erected. In the midst of all the action towered the unmistakable Clock Tower. Midna and Link paused to admire.

  Constructed mainly of reddish wood, the face of the clock was its most elegant feature. Intricate designs of clouds, golden wings, and a moon face gleamed brilliantly in freshly polished stain glass. A gold-gilded frame encircled the massive clock. Below that, two large, wooden doors. They were ordinary but legendary. As Link motioned Midna forward, they slipped through the crowds and crept inside....

  Upon entering, they paused, stilling their breath as the music played, beckoning them to listen. Once drawn into its spell, it soothed all the aches contained in their hearts for so long.

  The red-headed man faced away from them and towards the small organ, his fingers rippling effortlessly across the keys. A bulky sack and several masks lay on the floor beside him. Link knew at once from the old legends who he was and that he played the Song of Healing.

  After repeating the song several times—twas a song which could never become monotonous, no matter if one must hear it played over and over for all eternity—he allowed the notes to fade. Link’s heart fell a little, aching dully, though he knew it would have taken much longer for the song to heal every single one of his past sorrows and regrets, far longer than they could stay to listen.

  The man swiveled around on the organ bench to face them with a wide grin. His teeth gleamed perfectly straight and white. The thin slits of his eyes narrowed even more as he grinned wider, making his eyes almost disappear.

  “You’re the Happy Mask salesman,” Midna gasped.

  “I am indeed,” he said, jumping up and bowing in a low, dramatic arc. “But I have been waiting for you because I have become more than that, over time. I am a guardian spirit of sorts who travels often between Termina and Hyrule. Knowing your plight, I have sat here, playing the Song of Healing for a long time now. None other has heard me play; indeed, if one of the townsfolk was to enter right now, they would think you spoke to the wind. My song is meant to resonate only in the heart of the Hero and those who aid him. Tis what drew you here in the first place, my boy, though you probably couldn’t have known that....

  “Now, I have nothing to give you, except a small bit of advice before you delve into your quest:

  “In your journey, look often to the tales of the first Link. Even as Termina mirrors Hyrule in many ways, so your journey shall mirror the first Hero’s—in many unexpected ways.

  “With that wisdom, I leave you with this final thought:

  “You must always believe in your strengths—believe!”

  With a bow, he vanished like a wisp of genie’s smoke. Midna and Link gasped. The organ had vanished as well. Link wondered if the mask salesman had departed to another realm, or if perhaps he remained right where he was, invisible, playing his song for the next soul in desperate need of obtaining its healing balm.

  “Well,” said Midna, “shall we make now for North Clock Town?”

  Link shook his head.

  “What do you mean ‘no’ again?” Midna growled, following after as he sped from the tower, feet intent on a singular location. What the Happy Mask salesman said resonated with him deeply. Certainly, there was some purpose in their meeting the salesman first, and in his wisdom of saying to follow the tales of the first Link....

  Link led Midna up the short ramp, down the alley, and towards the small pool where the townsfolk often came to wash laundry and such. How perfectly the whole place was etched in his mind. Though meant to mirror Hyrule, Termina seemed not to have changed physically at all from the descriptions told many a time in the old legends, though Hyrule itself had changed much. Then again, perhaps Hyrule had come full circle after reforming into one giant island, becoming that much closer to the original.

  In the old tales, the first Link had to find several smaller fairies which would, once joined together, restore the broken Great Fairy to her original state. One of the first places the first Link found such a piece of the fairy’s soul was in the small laundry pool in South Clock Town. And this, of course, had all occurred in conjunction with meeting the mask salesman in the tower.

  Sure enough, as Link and Midna entered the laundry pool enclosed by a high wall, a tiny golden fairy floated above the water. As they neared it, the Triforce emblem glowed brightly on the back of Link’s hand. The fairy floated near, then slipped into his pocket without a sound.

  “Really?” Midna scoffed. “So, in this ‘version’ of the story, the Hero just uses his Triforce symbol to lure the fairies? I mean, that’s a lot easier than the original Link running around wearing that ridiculous Great Fairy’s mask. Because, no offense, but she was a little peculiar looking—especially on Link’s head....”

  As Link smiled wide and motioned Midna back towards the main part of town, they were nearly knocked over by a girl with bright purple hair sporting a yellow mask.

  “They really all do love masks around here,” Midna mused. “Then again, I suppose the land of Termina is known for wearing a ‘Hyrule’ mask; according to my studies, nothing of Termina’s was really ever its own....”

  Midna continued to spout random bits of information on Termina, some interesting facts, others just expressions of her annoyance—such as the carpenters’ incompetence to watch where they swung their lumber and actually try not to hit tall people like herself in passing. Link only smirked, bemused at her quiet rantings, leading her into—

  “North Clock Town! Finally—ah, my goddess—it’s Tingle....”

  Indeed, while a group of children chased each other between the few trees in North Clock Town, laughing and shooting spitballs at one another, Tingle bobbed high above, suspended by his red balloon, a passel of maps strapped to his back. Link waved cordially in passing. Midna didn’t even dare make eye contact as Tingle called down, “Hullo, best friend and best friend’s friend—who, of course, is Tingle’s friend too!”

  “How comforting a thought,” Midna mumbled as they hurried past. “You know, didn’t the first Link ever find it a little creepy that Tingle just shows up in whatever new location he travels to? Does Tingle have all these creepy doppelgangers, or is he just that much of a creepy stalker...?”

  Link continued to laugh in his heart as they scaled the long but gently sloping hill, ducking into the small cave at its crest. Sunlight poured onto the glistening pool inside the cave, dancing upon its ripples like fallen stars. Hovering over the water were dozens of tiny fairies just like the one in Link’s pocket. As Midna’s and Link’s toes touched the fringes of the pool, the fairy soared from his pocket, rejoining the others. They swirled in an elegant dance, knitting closer and closer until their glow unified like one brilliant sun. Then, in a burst of light, the Great Fairy hovered before them.

  Her skin glowed golden like the sun, as did her long, thin, delicate wings. Her hair fell in an ocean of golden waves which matched the softness gold of her eyes. Elegant white silks hugged her body, while tiny vines and rosebuds curled about her arms and legs, mirroring the crown of flowers resting upon her head. Link guessed that the same thought probably fleeted through Midna’s mind: if the fairies of old were described as garish and unsightly, then either that part of the legend had lied, or else the fairies had changed greatly since then.

  Smiling down with a warmth almost as strong that of the Song of Healing, she said, “Welcome, Heroes. I have been waiting a long time for the Hero’s heir to come—that heir who would know, by the goddesses, to retrieve that broken part of my spirit and make me whole again, as did the first Link. I have changed in many ways over time—as do many—but my spirit remains the same, as does that of the Hero; it resides vividly within you, Link.

  “Sadly, our time must be short. You come to me for a specific purpose, that I may grant the tools you need to start your quest. First though, I shall grant you knowledge and speak more of s
pirits.

  “As you may already know, there are bearers who carry parts of the Song you seek, as well missing Shards of the Triforce of Courage. These three bearers are all spirits. Two of the three spirits dwell here in Termina.

  “I have felt their presence stirring in Termina for some time now. One is said to dwell East, atop the cliff-tops of Ikana. The other lingered last with the Zorita of the western ocean, though his spirit has wandered abroad for some time now....

  “I would first seek the song-holder of Ikana, the great Goddess of Time herself. She resides in a Temple high atop the stony cliffs. In order to reach her, you will need the aid of this ancient but still applicable tool.”

  The Great Fairy stretched her arms wide. In a flare of brilliant, gold-white beams, something flashed silver between her and Link, hovering in mid-air betwixt the two. Link stared, trying to steady the trembling fingers which closed around and held it carefully, while Midna took in her breath.

  “The Hero’s hookshot!”

  The fairy nodded with a proud smile. “Indeed. One of his most unique and valuable tools. Old Dante proved true in thinking it would come in very handy someday. Ah, how the spirits know so much more profoundly than we....

  “It is old but still in excellent condition. Watch over it carefully, and it will aid you in the trials to come.

  “I bless you both now with good health, strength, and magic.

  “Good night, my children, and the goddesses grant you all speed.”

  She arched her wings up and folded them around her body like a bat preparing for slumber. Then, she dissolved in a golden rain back into the pool which glistened gold until she vanished altogether. All lay dark, cool, and tranquil.

  Link fingered the Fairy’s gift in awe. Made of wood and metal, the hookshot contained springs which, when released, shot forth a grappling hook. That hook would stick firm into many surfaces, making travel to hard-to-reach places much simpler—or, in some cases, possible at all.

  “Well, then,” Midna said, drawing herself up confidently. “I suppose it’s off to Ikana then?”

  Link gave the hookshot a final, reverential look. Then, securing it to his belt, he gave Midna an affirmative nod. Together, they turned and slipped from the fairy’s cave.