The Legend Of Zelda: The Curse Of Zant

Chapter 11: State Of Mind

Link was able to find his way around the woods very easily due to the many trips he had made to them with his father when he was just a young boy. Everything he knew about hunting boar, and paying attention to little details to ensure he could find his way back, he had learned it all from his father. However, this time he wasn't just sticking to the parts of the woods that he already knew. Instead he was heading for the Lost Woods, which he'd only ever visited once before and hadn't been back since. Not a single Hylian had ever set foot inside, other than himself. He never imagined that he would be back here.

"Link... Where are you leading us?" Midna asked, growing concerned as she took in their surroundings.

"Hush! I need to concentrate. You'll find out soon enough." He scolded, focusing extremely hard on remembering the route through this stranger set of woods.

As he turned his attention from Midna back to the strange woods ahead of them, he stopped in his tracks for the first time since leaving the castle. He felt his heart begin to thump harder and harder in his chest as though it were a prisoner getting frustrated and trying to break out. Every other movement from his body ceased as he stared blankly into the darkness. In the midst of the fog, he could only just make out different shapes that formed images moving around him.

"I never thought that you would be such a disappointment!"

Hearing those words, he stammered back, both confused and shocked by what he'd just heard. Turning to his companion, his eyes filled with hurt and fear, he did not understand what he'd just heard.

"Midna, what? Why would you...?" He questioned, slowly backing away from her.

"Why would I what?" She asked confused by what he was referring to.

"Say that to me?" He trembled, unable to keep the quiver out of his voice.

"Huh?... Link, I really don't get what you mean." Midna answered confused.

"You are no son of mine!"

As the realisation of who the voice belonged to dawned on Link, a scene began to play right in front of his eyes. A day of pain that he had worked hard to bury ever since. He never thought that he would be watching it play back to him. Being unable to stop the memory from forming, it became almost unbearable. Never in his life had he wanted to squint his eyes shut and scream for help as much as he did now.

"You're a weakling. I brought you out here to learn to shoot deer but it turns out that you are so faint of heart that you can't even handle a simple hunting trip!" His father scolded.

Hearing the man's words, Link's shoulders slumped and he lowered his crossbow in defeat. Avoiding meeting his father's eyes, he kept his own on the ground. He did not want to reveal the tears that were stinging his eyes as he held them back. It wasn't the hunting trip... that he could handle. But they weren't hunting for boar or anything, instead they were targeting innocent deers. Beautiful creatures that also happened to be Zelda's favourite. He just didn't have the strength to drive an arrow through their hearts for the sake of eating a bit of meat for once.

"Father please... give me another chance! I can do this... just not the deer, I'm begging you.... anything but them." He pleaded, still unable to look him in the eyes.

"Do not beg me! You are not a dog, so do not act like one." His father boomed.

"I'm sorry." Link whispered.