Another Time

Chapter Two

Something cold was licking his face. It had a leathery texture and was moist. It nudged against him, making his head roll back. Along with this, was a tickling sensation at his neck as fine hair brushed against his skin.

With a sigh, the farmer opened his eyes. The concerned face of a horse stared down at him. This horse had rich brown hair blended with patches of creamy white. Its liquid brown eyes gazed at him with worry and something near guilt.

"Epona." The farmer smiled, reaching up a hand to stroke the horse's white mane. "Where were you?"

The horse, unsurprisingly, did not answer. She raised her head, shaking off the farmer's hand. Then she turned and walked away.

The farmer sighed again. His head throbbed, sounding like a drumbeat. He wasn't exactly sure why. Around him was no longer a beautiful sunset's light. Instead, he was surrounded by a filtered green light, like he was in a forest or something... Lending to his theory was the tree trunk he rested against and the carpet of dying leaves he sat on.

"Where am I?" he wondered aloud. The farmer was no stranger to the unusual and the weird; experience told him it was best not to panic. Panicking would get him nowhere. Of course, maybe he already was nowhere?

The farmer stood, stretching his arms above his head. He didn't recognize the forest he was in. It wasn't one of the ones near the farm or any of the other numerous forests he'd visited during his travels... Did that mean he wasn't in Hyrule?

He had to figure out where he was and fast. He needed a way to get back home, or at least send word back home. His lovely wife was waiting at the farm. She was expecting him, she'd worry if he wasn't back soon. He hated to make her worry. He had to get home. "I'm going to figure this out, Malon," the farmer promised.

Wait... The fog filling the trees, it was more than it seemed. It wasn't simply a morning dew. This fog was a dark, impenetrable gray. It smelled of death and burned the farmer's lungs. It was more than a simple fog, it was smoke!

"Epona, what did you do?" the farmer asked with a cough. He covered his mouth with his tunic, hoping to save his lungs from burn. Somewhere a few trees away, he thought he heard a neigh. Blinking back a few smoky tears, the farmer stumbled in search of his horse.

He found her beside a large oak. Her hooves nervously kicked at the dirt and her wild mane swished back and forth as she shook her head.

"Hey girl, what's the matter?" The farmer was careful as he walked up to her, reassuringly patting her side. This seemed to calm her down some, as, with a resigned neigh, she lowered her head. The farmer looked down, following where Epona seemed to be pointing.

"Oh Hylia..." the farmer gasped, looking away. He fought down the bile that rose no matter how many gruesome sights like this he saw.

Leaning against the glorious oak tree was a Hylian. He had sandy blond hair, scattered with strands of silver, and a kind face, just starting to be touched by wrinkles. He seemed like a hard worker, as explained by the thick calluses on his hands. Maybe he was a man of the wild? One of the few who had chosen to forsake society in exchange for a simple life in the forest? That was a good guess, based on the crude nature of his homespun clothes. Yeah, that was probably it, given the wooden bow and dulled axe beside him.

None of this was what alarmed the farmer. It was the fact that this woodsman was dead. His lifeless blue eyes stared forever unseeing ahead. His face was permanently frozen in a look of agony and brutal torment. His tunic was stained with bright red blood, still fresh from the looks of it. Jagged wounds sliced open the flesh of his chest. Defensive wounds littered the skin of his arms. This woodsman clearly hadn't stood a chance against whatever had attacked, yet whatever it was had shown him no mercy.