God Games: A Legend of Zelda

In Desperation

Arn and Zelda were crossing Big Twin Bridge when the latter finally spoke.

"So, Arn," she said, "tell me about yourself."

"That's rather a broad question. What would you like to know, Princess?"

"Just Zelda is fine," Zelda assured him. "Well- how did you become a guard? Let's start there."

"My grandfather was a knight, before the Calamity," Arn said, "and my father spent his whole life working different guard jobs throughout Hyrule. I've been jumping from assignment to assignment since after the Calamity, when the royal guard was reestablished properly. I suppose the wandering didn't really leave me, growing up traveling with my dad."

"That sounds exciting," Zelda prompted.

"It often is, Your Majesty," Arn said, smiling a bit. "I once got blindsided by a rhinoceros in the Hebra region- had to jump off my horse at the last second to get out of the way. Truffles here, of course, he got out of there right quick, so I got left fighting that rhino on my own. But I did take it down." Arn grinned and patted Truffles' neck gently. "And I got a cool scar out of it. I'm fun at parties, at least."

Zelda chuckled. "I can imagine. How exactly did you beat a rhino on foot?"

Arn straightened a bit. "Well, see, the key to rhinos bears similarity to bullfighting- you want to jump out of their way at the last second and attack as they rush by. I caught a horn to the side on my first attempt- hence the scar -but on my second, I got out of the way properly and-" Arn pulled his sword and imitated a strong, deft thrust of the blade.

Zelda gave a low whistle of surprise. "You brought it down in one stroke?"

"I got a lucky hit and it went down more or less instantly," Arn told her. "I'm not sure I'd have made it if I hadn't."

"What else have you seen on your travels?" Zelda asked.

Arn recounted stories of the things he'd seen for her. He was in his late twenties, and every one of his years had been jam-packed with sights and wonders and encounters.

It was the middle of the afternoon when they reached the massive stone walls Zelda had been watching for. Since the end of the calamity, wooden and now stone stairs had been built to traverse the disconnect between the Great Plateau and the rest of Hyrule.

"So," Arn said as Zelda started up the massive, imposing staircase, "what exactly are we looking for?"

"I remember as a child visiting this place," Zelda said. "Link told me it was badly damaged by the Calamity, but still standing. It should be an isolated enough spot."

"For what???" Arn blinked in confusion, but Zelda only sighed through her nose and continued in silence.

They reached the top, and Zelda directed Safflina across the hills and glades, up a slope- and there it stood.

Zelda pushed past the rubble lying around the doors of what had once been the Temple of Time. The remains of Guardians had been removed, but little had been done to restore the place otherwise. Arn stood politely at the door, watching the gaping holes in the walls and roof for threats- though, since Ganondorf's death, there'd been only dwindling signs of any monsters.

Zelda knelt in front of the array of statues. "Lady Hylia," she said quietly. "I... I know you've gotten more than enough pleas from me. And I suppose you never answered them because you knew how things would turn out. Up until now, we have been almost entirely self-sufficient, save for the existence of my power and your help in giving Link greater strength."

She looked up at the statue. "But I don't come to you now to ask for power, or courage," she said. "I need your guidance, your wisdom. My knight has gone missing, along with your blessed blade. There's no trace of what happened. He's- he's never left without telling me. I need to know what to do, where to go... anything. Please, lead me."

The sunlight streaming through the holes in the roof brightened around the statue, and Zelda gasped softly, eyes widening as she felt an all-encompassing warmth that seemed to flow into her soul.

"My child," a voice said in an almost singing tone in Zelda's mind. "You seek wisdom on behalf of my champion, as he sought courage for your sake. I will tell you how to gain the support you need to face the ones that have taken Link from you."

"Then he was taken," Zelda said, eyes widening slightly. "My Lady, what must I do to help Link?"

"You have the sealing power of my blood," Hylia told her. "You have some measure of command over time, even with your Secret Stone hidden in the sky islands. I have guided these powers in their strength and timing. Now, you need supplementary power."

"What kind of supplementary power?" Zelda queried, raising her eyebrows in surprise. What kind of threat rendered her not powerful enough?

"Seek out the goddesses that command the Triforce," Hylia said. "I have served for some time as their liaison with my Hylians, but now it is time they be persuaded to interact directly. When you approach their springs, you will be brought to their domains by my power. Convince them to stand with you, my child, and you will have all the strength you need."

"Thank you, Lady Hylia," Zelda bowed her head again, and she felt Hylia's personal presence leave the temple, though her power lingered in the air and the light.

Zelda stood and turned to Arn. Reluctantly, she said, "Prepare yourself. We're headed to Mount Lanayru."