Heroes Between Realms

Zelda

Zelda stumbled as her feet hit solid ground. After walking through the portal, Link put an arm around her, and then they were only specks of light. She couldn't feel, couldn't move away, but she could think. She wondered what had happened.

    Zelda looked over to Link, who had released her as soon as they touched ground. He almost looked relieved.

    "I wasn't sure if it would take us both," Link explained.

    "We made it out," Zelda said, reassuring him. "We're safe." As soon as she finished this, she gasped and turned in circles, dimly aware of the sad expression on Link's face. "Where's Terrako?" she asked.

    Lines of blue light fell from the sky, converging at her feet. The light vanished, and Terrako whooped.

    "There you are," Zelda sighed. She reached down to place a hand on him, but he moved before she could.

    Terrako circled Link, sounding angry whoops. He must have had to get here by himself, and was angry that Link forgot him. Zelda straightened. Where, exactly, were they?

    Zelda glanced around. She was standing on a shrine, was all she knew. As she turned, she saw tall hills and a forest. Beyond the hills was an open plane of tall grass. Then Zelda looked over the cliff she was on and gasped.

    Kakariko Village.

    It was so much smaller than she remembered. There were hardly any houses or even people out in the village. It still looked happy and safe, but hidden away by the mountains. Zelda spotted the biggest building set before a long staircase. She took off running down the side of the hill.

    "Princess!" Link called after her, but she didn't stop. Zelda was too excited.

    She ran through the village lit with the rising sun. Zelda ran up the stairs and burst through the door.

    "Took you long enough," Impa said with an cheeky grin.

    "We ran into. . . complications," Zelda said as she studdied the woman before her.

    Impa was so different. Even though she was sitting, Zelda could tell she had shrunk. Her silky white hair was now whispy. The round hat she alway had looked too huge on her wrinkly face. She had aged well, but it startled Zelda. She would have to get used to everyone being older. Much older.

    "P-Princess Zelda!" squealed a girl sitting off to the side. She looked like what Impa used to. "M-Master L-L-Link!" She covered her face with her hands.

    "Paya," Link greeted the girl. "Impa."

    "It's so good to see you two back together," Impa said. "However, when did you come to speaking terms?" She smiled impishly.

    Zelda bit the inside of her cheek. The first time Link had ever spoken to her was the time he told her to take good care of her horse, so far back. It had startled her then, but she liked the way his voice rang and lingered in the air. Between that and the small conversation she had with him about what he felt about being the hero, he hardly said anything. But, she had to admit, his quietness only added to. . .his charm, she finished.

    "A story for another time, I see," Impa said after the moment of silence. She leaned foward, placing a hand on her knee. "You must tell me how the battle went. And how you found Terrako."

    Zelda opened her mouth to inquire how Impa knew Terrako's name, but the girl - Paya - interrupted her by asking, "What's that?"

    Zelda followed Paya's shaking finger to a flashing red light coming from Link's neck. She gasped. "Link, it's. . .it's. . ." Link lifted a hand to the little black square. "It's. . .blinking."

    Impa moved off her pillow. She was smaller than Zelda realized as she motioned for Link to bend down. When he did, Impa moved the tunic and loose hair away from his neck. Her eyes widened. "What was that about complications?"

    Zelda told Impa everything that happened from the time Link was swept away to the time they telaported to the shrine in the village.

    "There's one more thing," Link muttered. He lifted a hand to the back of his neck, like he did whenever he was nervous. "Jenkins followed us through."

    "What?" Zelda gasped. Her vision became suddenly blury with unshed tears. This couldn't be happening. "Why didn't you say anything?"

    "We didn't give him time to," Impa answered. She looked to Link. "Go to Purah. Get that thing out of you. Zelda, you need to lead this Poe character here."

    "What?" Zelda and Link said at the same time. Zelda went on saying, "Why would you want him here?"

    "You doubt me?" Impa retorted.

    No, she did not. Zelda just didn't want to be separated from Link, let alone be anywhere near Poe. She looked back at him. He was already suited up, ready to go.

    Before she could stop herself, Zelda flung her arms around Link, trapping him in her arms. Link lightly hugged her back, then gently pulled away. His face was pink.

    "I'll have Terrako," Zelda said more for herself than anyone else.

    Link looked disappointedly down at him. Terrako looked up at Link, jabbing a hand at him and whistling like he was yelling. Terrako stepped closer to him, but he moved back. Terrako kept running around him and Link kept stepping away. Eventually, Link looked sadly at Zelda, then he glowed blue.

    He was lifted away in streaks of light. Zelda was on her own.