Part 7: Masked Odolwa
Link hid out in Kokiri Village for the next week, getting apples and food from the woods around the small community, and entertaining the Kokiri children with fantastic tales of his travels. He never mentioned the fact that he’d come from this same community and had traveled through time seven years. He watched closely as the blacksmith forged his sword in a makeshift forge beside the small pond outside the village shop. While at first, they had been irritated by each other, Balor and Link had started to understand each other. In fact, Balor taught Link the basics of sword crafting, and Balor grumbled jokingly that it was, “Basic knowledge that any true swordsman knew.”
After a week’s time, the sword had been forged, it was slightly longer than the Master Sword, but just as light weight. Link was sitting on top of Saria’s house looking into the sky, and reminding himself to look at it during every night until he could finally be free, or die. While Link was thinking this, Balor walked up to the house, and spoke up to Link, “Link the sword was finished yesterday, and I’d like to be off by nightfall. It will be safer for the both of us.”
Link turned his head slowly down to meet Balor’s green eyes, “So, I’ll pack my things this afternoon, and remember, to the gates and no further. That’s the deal.”
“Fine, as I said two days ago, I should be safe once inside Hyrule Castle Town,” Balor looked at Link quite unemotionally. “I’m going to pack my things now; it’s only three hours before sunset. I suggest you get ready and say your goodbyes.”
“Okay.” Said Link quietly, the solitude of the forest had eased the pain of Zelda’s betrayal, and the anger over Imposter Link’s victory.
Now, Link had to leave this peaceful place once again, and face a world of darkness and destruction. The thought was amplified by the peaceful bliss of the Kokiri, and Link wondered if the solitude had done more harm than help. He was far from fear of the outside world; being the keeper of courage, but he did feel uneasy about the whole event. Would Imposter Link be the one to thwart him for good? Link had to believe that as long as he had the power of the Triforce of Courage, that no dark being could defeat him. Yet, even this thought was darkened by the loss of the blade of evil’s bane; the Master Sword.
Three hours later; Link and Balor were packed and said their goodbyes to the kind Kokiri villagers. The tunnel out of the forest loomed in front of them. Mido turned to the two and said, “You’re welcome back anytime, and we shall remain silent about your visit. Good luck Link…” As Mido walked away Link swore he heard him say, “…That name can’t be all that common, but no Kokiri can grow up…” Link and Balor began their long walk back to Hyrule castle as darkness fell.
After several hours of walking, Link and Balor sat for a rest. Link turned to Balor and reported their position, “We’re about halfway across the field, we’ll make it to the gates at dawn, with time to spare.”
Balor grunted and replied, “Very good, they will be expecting me by tomorrow morning.”
Link looked around the hill that they had chosen to rest on. There was no light nearby but in the distance the warm glow of light from Lon Lon Ranch pointed the way to Hyrule Castle Town. Link and Balor didn’t dare start a fire for fear of being caught by a scouting party. All of the sudden, Balor was next to Link and said, “Look, a fire about a hundred yards west!” He pointed at a fire that had just sprung up in the darkness, and Link could make out a canvas test nearby it.
Link turned to Balor and said, “It could be knights, and that means trouble, we must continue north bound.” He pointed north hoping to perpetuate the situation.
Balor merely snorted and said, “If it were guards, then they would have scouted some two hundred yards around their camp to ensure that they wouldn’t be assaulted as soon as they lit a fire. We should be safe if we go and check it out.” Balor hoisted his pack onto his back and started walking towards the fire in the distance.
Link said loudly, but not shouting, “Balor, you fool, leave well enough alone!” Link ran over to his pack. “That fool may go and get himself captured, but I’m not going to risk it.” But, when Link reached for his sword strapped to his pack, it wasn’t there. “Damn that insufferable man!” Saying this, he begrudgingly slung his pack over his shoulders and marched off towards the fire, quickly catching up with Balor.
When they neared the tent, it became obvious fast that this was no Hylian Guard, but a mere peddler woman. She could be heard humming to herself inside the tent. Balor and Link approached quietly, but the woman heard them first, “Let it be known your reason for presence near my tent? Do you wish death upon yourself?”
Balor moved to speak, but Link beat him to it, “We are mere travelers seeking shelter from the night’s cold. We would only wish to trouble you for some heated ale.” He said this with a very forced pleasant tone in his voice.
The woman spoke from inside the tent, “Obviously you aren’t knights, for they hold no chivalry in store for us lowly peasant women nowadays. Quite ironic, isn’t it? But I rant, please come in and have a seat.” She pulled a section of the tent’s canvas back. It revealed a quaint looking tent, in which a fire burned filling it with light. There were a few stools and some books strung about on floor as well.
Link stepped inside and got a closer look at the woman, as he looked upon her face, she held out her hand in front Balor. She spoke calmly and said, “Wait outside and watch for guards, I must talk with this young fellow.”
Balor looked surprised and then slightly angry, she saw this and spoke, “I will not deprive you long of the warm fire of my tent. I only ask a few private words with this young man.” Balor grumbled and walked off towards the fringes of the light and he turned his head slowly from side to side, watching…
The tent was closed again, and Link had taken a seat near the backside of the canvas, he watched the woman as she turned around. She had the complexion of a Gerudo, and she wore a light blue shawl. A small golden jewel was attached to her forehead between her eyebrows. She walked softly towards Link and stopped three feet from him. He looked up into her eyes, and she spoke, “You are the bearer of a great power, one that gives you courage to face any challenge that presents itself to you. I am Gabriella the Fortune Teller, and I see your future.”
She closed in on Link and knelt beside him, her voice lowered to that of a whisper, and she began,
“Courage has split your soul. The moment the power of courage entered your body and mind,it evaluated your soul.Then, it cast out all darkness,the piece of your soul that would taint your mind. Your path became clear, and your goals congruent. The dark piece of your soul was meant to die,yet it did not. It was saved from death, by none other than the king of evil.
Ganon cursed your dark soul, and gave it new life and purpose. This dark heart was sealed away. Yet, you found it, before it could complete its objective. You battled it and thought to have destroyed it. But you only delayed it from mastering its power. It fled to the depths of darkness to regain strength. And in its absence the evil king was defeated. A burning desire entered the dark heart’s pseudo-mind, to defeat the one who had destroyed its master. It has now begun to accomplish that task, but all hope is not lost.
While the blade of evil’s bane was not enough to conquer it, there exists one that can.
It lies deep in the desert beyond the colossus of the Gerudo. There in the barren wasteland of Hurrog, you shall find it. The blade of darkness’s vanquish, the Blade of Light. Once you have obtained this item, You need only disarm your foe, the dark heart, And rend his heart out. This shall finally vanquish the darkness from within. Your soul will be whole again. But time is against you. Even now, the dark heart grows stronger. And as he grows more human, you grow less. If you obtain this blade, it shall dramatically slow this process. If you do not succeed, you will become as he was, less than human, only a mere light outline of a man. And the power of courage will transfer to him.”
At this she seemed to come out of a trance, and leapt to her feet. Link felt a twinge of pain on his forearm, and he looked down on the spot that hurt and saw a spot of light. He was already becoming less. He felt the Triforce of Courage still within him, but he couldn’t hold on to it for long. He turned to Gabriella and began to speak, but she cut him off, “Whatever I said, I wish not to know, it will only mean my misfortune. It’s your future, do with it what you want, ignore it, or play it out, whichever you deem necessary.”
