Chapter Four
“Angels Crying (Part Two)”
“Dammit...” muttered Link, this fight was going on for much too long. Link was steadily losing his strength. He knew he couldn’t use the stake until he was sure he had Eloquence where he wanted him.
“Is the fight leaving you already?” Eloquence taunted, “Shall I end it now?”
No choice, Link thought, I have to end it now!
Link drew the silver stake; the vampire knew exactly what it was and lunged forward, fangs bearing. Link tried to muster in a block with his sword, but the force of the wily vampire knocks him down. The stake was knocked out of Link’s grasp as he fell down face first to the ground.
Eloquence continues going and flies past Link, landing against the wall, he kicks off the wall, lunging for Link for the final time. Link scrambles for the stake, diving for it. He succeeds and grabs it; he turns just as Eloquence lands on him. He didn’t have time to raise his stake as Eloquence hissed and bit down.
None moved in that room.
Link breathed heavily, as did Eloquence.
Link turns his head to look at Eloquence right in the eyes. Link had caught the vampire by the jaws, keeping his fangs away from his neck. Eloquence struggled and hissed. Link grunted and tightened his grip on Eloquence’s jaw; Link glared and said between his teeth, “I...will not...be ignored!!!!” he yelled the final word and ripped Eloquence’s lower jaw off.
The vampire cried out in pain as Link slammed the stake into his chest. Link pressed the extend button on the stake and the holy weapon extended, plowing through the vampire’s chest, through his heart, and out of his back.
After one last definitive scream, Eloquence shattered into dust, ash rained all over Link.
Link froze in that position for a long, long time. Finally, he regained his senses and stood up slowly. He had done it...he had won.
He knelt by the pile of dust and ashes. He stared at it intently before revealing a brown leather bag from his waist strap. Using his hands, he scooped up the ashes and placed them in the bag.
He re-strapped the bag securely to his waist, he knew what the next ingredient was, but he pulled out the Book of Modura from his pack anyways to make sure. He flipped through the pages until he found the ‘ingredients’ section for the spell.
He read the spell aloud to himself, “900,000 Hylian souls.”
He knew why it required this ingredient. Hylians were believed to be the closest to the goddesses; they say that the ears the Hylians possess give them the power to hear the goddesses speak their wills. Some are even gifted with magic.
He himself was of the Hylian race.
They were a divine race. Link knew what to do.
As he stepped out of the castle, he was bombarded by a crowd of onlookers. They all asked questions concerning the fate of the vampire they all feared so very much.
Link responded by telling them that the vampire was no more. Before the words completely left his mouth, the townspeople cheered and danced in happiness.
Men and women alike hugged Link and thanked him humbly, offering him gifts and even wives.
Link refused. He couldn’t accept these gifts; so much was running through his mind already. A six year old girl tugged on his arm. Link looked down and forced a smile at her. The girl, like most everyone else, was in rags; her yellow hair was tattered and covered with dirt.
She spoke, “Thank you, Mister...”
Link looked down on her sadly and asked, “What’s your name?”
She replied slowly, “M...Marin.”
“Marin,” Link said, “That’s a beautiful name.” the crowd went silent. Link looked around at all the liberated lives. The lives he saved...for now. He was met with smiles and friendly gestures.
“Mister...” Marin spoke timidly, Link looked down at her. Marin asked the question on everyone’s mind, “What are you going to do now?”
Link went silent. The crowd waited for his response. Link turned his back to her and asked, “Marin, may I ask you a question?”
Marin nodded, unsure, “O-Okay...”
“If,” Link began, “someone does something that people wouldn’t like, but he was doing it for a reason that’s good...is it actually really bad?”
Marin, using her six year old logic, answered, “I think that...it’s okay because it’s for a good thing...”
Link nodded slowly, “What if...everyone hates him for it, but in the end, he knows it’s all for the best and they’ll change their minds about him. What if he’s doing it for what he believes is right but no one agrees with him? Should he keep going?”
Marin struggled with her small vocabulary for words, finally, she replied with a hint of sureness, “My mom once told me to do whatever I think is right even if no one believes I could do it. I think that...if it’s for something good, you should do it, because it’ll help everyone.”
“Are you sure?” Link asked, “Where is your mother?”
Marin pointed into the crowd. Her mother smiled and nodded. Link saw this out of the corner of his eye. He said softly, “Then...this is right.”
“Please, Marin.” Link began, “I ask that you forgive me.” Marin gave him a quizzical look and asked, “What are you going to do, Mister?”
“I’m...” Link began, he struggled with the words. Finally, he managed to say, “I’m going to do what I believe is right.”
With his back still turned to her, Link went silent. Slowly, his hand glided up to the sword strapped to his back. He drew it out slowly. He said one last time, “Forgive me.”
Without giving Marin a chance to move, Link turns and slices her in the quickest way possible, he didn’t want her to suffer. He went for an instant kill. He sliced off her head.
The body crumpled to the floor.
Marin’s mother screamed. The crowd began to disperse in a wild frenzy; the men grabbed pitchforks and anything else they could use as weapons. Link spoke in an emotionless voice, “1 down...899,999 to go.”
Days later, the entire remaining Meldion population was wiped out. Link stared at the body of an elderly man he had freshly slain; the man was the final soul he needed. He pulled out a pulsing white orb, the orb was filled with the first 899,999 souls, including Marin’s.
He held it up to the body and the orb greedily sucked out the soul and ingested it with the others. Link heard the now common spectral scream as the soul was ripped from its body.
Link whispered as tears began streaming down his face, “I did it...”
He fell and buried his face in his arms, hugging his knees as the fires of the town lit up the skies.
Two days later, in the Kokiri Forest, Malon still lay in bed, she could sit up now, but Kiri told her to stay in bed for a few more days.
She sat up and sipped on a glass of water. She placed it back on the stool which stood beside her bed. She heard someone enter. It was Saria.
Saria stared at Malon for awhile. Malon began to feel uncomfortable. Saria whispered something to herself that Malon couldn’t hear. Saria forced a smile and walked over; Saria sat beside her on the bed.
Saria asked, turning her shoulders slightly and looking at Malon, “How are you?”
“I’m getting better.” Malon responded. She knew Saria was here for another reason, she wished that Saria would stop beating around the bushes and come out with it. But she could also tell that whatever it was, she had trouble saying it.
“I...” Saria began, “came to ask you a favor.”
Malon stayed silent, waiting for Saria to continue. She didn’t. Malon finally asked, “...What is it?”
Those words seemed to bring her back to life, “Someone’s tipped off the Hylian Government about the Kokiri Forest. They’re already planning some operation.”
“What do you want me to do?” Malon asked. Saria inhaled deeply and continued, “You know how I feel about Link, right?” Malon shook her head.
Saria looked away. She clenched her fists. Malon saw this. “Well, for a long time,” Saria said, “Zelda and I have had this rivalry...we both wanted to be in Link’s arms, but none of us would really have a chance with him.”
“What are you getting at?” Malon asked. Saria replied softly, “We’re leaving. The sages...it’s not safe for us here, you’re not safe either.”
“Do you want me to go with you?”
“That’s your choice,” Saria replied. Malon thought about this, “But...that’s not why you’re here is it?”
Saria shook her head, “No.” Saria left the bed and stood up by herself, she wrapped her arms around herself, “Do you remember when this mess started?”
Malon thought for a moment, her memory was still fuzzy, she let out a sigh and shook her head sadly, “The night when ‘Prince Derek’ was announced to be engaged to Zelda. That was also the night before my Birthday. But I didn’t think about that. Because I knew we had bigger problems to deal with. I feel bad, but...I was actually secretly hoping for that day to come...because it would give me a chance to be with him.”
She looked at Malon quickly before continuing, “I know it sounds greedy, but...I already feel bad about it. Anyway, after the party, Link went missing. I thought I knew where to find him, so I looked in our ‘Secret Spot’ by the Forest Temple. I knew he’d be there because that’s where we always go when we need some time alone. I met him there...at least, I thought I did. I guess by now you know that Derek was really Shadow Link, right?”
Malon nodded, “I do...it seems confusing, but I do.”
Saria stared at the wall as she spoke. She stared as if the wall showed her everything she needed to say, “I found out a few days ago that it was really Shadow Link I’ve been talking to that entire time. I was so stupid. I was so focused on getting a chance to be with Link that I never suspected a thing. I guess it was my fault. I wanted so much to protect Link while keeping him all to myself. I guess Zelda was right after all...I’m nothing but a greedy kid trying to look grown up.”
Malon wanted to say something, but she decided against it. Saria turned to her and said, “After ‘Link’ left, I decided to sleep and think things over. I guess while I was sleeping, Shadow Link wrote a note and left it by my bed. I woke up and found it.” She placed her hand on her stomach and caressed it slowly. Malon watched this, “I read the note,” Saria began, she was on the verge of breaking down right there, but she didn’t, “and I recognized Link’s handwriting. I never suspected that it would be a trap. I was stupid enough to think that this was a birthday present...it was my birthday after all. I was too childish to think that Link was still reeling over losing Zelda...why would he throw a surprise for me at a time like that? But I didn’t think...I was too excited. I thought that he would forget Zelda in one day and love me.”
Saria swallowed, “I arrived at the spot. That was where I was kidnapped by Shadow Link or Derek...and...” she paused, the name she thought of hurt her so much that it was painful to even think it. The name brought back horrible memories...memories that she will never, ever forget, “...Kerst.”
“I woke up chained to the wall...” she sat back down onto the bed. Malon held Saria’s hand as she spoke, “They asked me these weird questions, Derek looked familiar to me, but I was stupid. I didn’t realize the truth. I refused to answer...eventually, they found the answers themselves and...Derek left me alone the room with Kerst...”
Tears began to roll down her face as she struggled for words, Malon wiped the tears away from Saria’s face, “There, he gave me a birthday present...”
Malon looked at Saria’s stomach and gasped, “...My Gods...”
Saria nodded and cried, “I was weak...and that bastard...Kerst...he enjoyed every moment...I was so hurt...I felt so betrayed...so violated...so helpless. It was a horrible feeling.”
“But...how?” Malon asked, “How do you know you’re...pregnant? You can’t be sure.”
Saria looked down, still keeping her right hand on her stomach. Malon saw this and placed her hand on hers, “I know for sure...because...Kerst made sure...”
“But you’re only...” Malon began. Saria interrupted, “A kid? I’m eleven years old on the outside, but do you know what a Kokiri really is? We’re Hylian kids who play in these woods and stay here. The spell of this forest keeps chosen Hylian kids from changing on the outside. We’re immortal as long as we stay in this forest. If we leave, the spell is broken, and we’re mortal again, we’ll age and die like normal. I had real parents, you know...real normal Hylian parents who loved me...I haven’t seen them for twelve years. I don’t remember how they look like...or even their names...all I remember was that I had a fight with them...I wanted to play outside with my friends, but my parents said I was too old to do that and I needed to help around the house...I was so mad I ran away. I ran into the Kokiri Forest because I heard that the Kokiri never grew up...I wanted to be one of them...and here I am.”
“You...haven’t seen them for twelve years?” Malon asked, shocked. Saria nodded. Malon thought deeply on this and asked a question that bothered her painfully, “Saria, how old are you?”
“I’m eleven on the outside, but...” Saria paused, “on the inside, I’m twenty-three.”
Malon looked shocked, then she looked at Saria’s stomach, she hugged Saria tightly and said, “...That means...”
Saria finished the sentence, “I’m really a grown woman trapped in a little girl’s body...about to give birth to someone who would be just old enough to call my little brother...or sister.”
“So this is why...”
“This is why I wanted to grow up so much...I made the mistake of running away and turning into a Kokiri...I thought I wanted to be a kid forever, but now...I see that I was just a spoiled child, and now I’m paying for it dearly.”
“Malon,” Saria turned to Malon and held her hands in her’s, “I wasn’t strong enough for Link...I was too weak...I thought only about myself...I want you to take care of him for me.”
Malon looked down, “But...I...I can’t...we’re friends...that’s all.”
“No.” Saria shook her head, “Your eyes...I’ve seen them before. Zelda had those eyes whenever she looked at Link...I’ve had those eyes...I’m sure of it. Malon...how do you really feel about Link?”
“I...I...” Malon stumbled over her words; she looked away, unable to speak. Saria leaned in close to her face, “Please...tell me...tell yourself...I know you know it’s there...It’s always been there, I’ve seen it before...the way you look at him. The way you act around him. Malon, how do you really feel?”
Malon stared at her, “...I...” she went silent. Finally, after a long time, she looked up at Saria and said proudly, “I love-“
Someone interrupted them. Saria and Malon turned quickly to the door. Impa was standing at the door. Impa looked them both over and said, “It’s time. The wagon is ready. We have to leave.”
