The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Part One: Awakening

Chapter One: The Boy Without a Fairy

        His eyes were closed, but he was awake. He had been lying there, facing the wall curled under his blankets, for quite some time.

        He was afraid. Not the type of fear that you got when you suddenly tripped or fell, or when you were faced with a hard or sudden decision or when you had an examination of some sort. No, none of those even came close. He had the fear that left the pit of your stomach knotted and cold, where your skin grew cool and pale, and you break out in cold sweat. The type of fear that left you numb and helpless, where your mind only thinks to run, run away, run as fast as you can, and faster still, but you cannot move.

        The dream had been so vivid, so real, he was afraid to open his eyes even for fear of seeing what his dream had shown him. Even with his eyes closed, he could see the dream, weaving through his mind, playing over and over, the most horrid parts the clearest. He was paralyzed by this fear, and it was torturing him, and it made him sick. Blackness. A monster. Pain. Evil.

        A voice from beyond the walls of his home reached his ears, calling his name, and his eyes flew open. The dream's curse that had overshadowed him was shattered. And he was glad to see the dream had not reached reality.

        He turned himself over, tossing his blankets to his side as he rose to a sitting position on the edge of his bed, shivering momentarily as the cool air brushed the skin of his bare chest. The faint outlines of muscle traced his body; 12 years, his whole life, of playing or working all day had strengthened him. His hands already were beginning to callus around the knuckles, though not nearly as much as his feet, yet the rest of his skin was smooth. He was somewhat tan, only a little, due to exposure to the sun on a regular basis, but it clashed well with his blonde hair and blue eyes.

        The circular room he occupied, which he called home, was not large, nor did it need to be; he spent little time indoors. The bed which he sat on was directly across from the entryway on the far side of the room, which only had a thick unadorned woolen drape that served as a barrier to the outside elements. Only a small table was between the two. A candle lay in the center, providing the only source of light apart from the sun's rays. To his left was a basin full of water on a low standing set of drawers backed by a mirror, to his right, a desk with some various items and papers. Beside the door was a small wardrobe, serving as storage for various other items he possessed.

        The same voice as before was heard once again, bringing him back from his wandering mind. He smiled as he stood, stretched, and got himself ready for the day.

                                                          ~0~

        The small forest village was for the large part quiet, save for the sounds of the wild; the trees rustled in a melodious chorus, their branches swaying in tune. Here and there, a bird would sing along, announcing its good morning to the forest.

        Normally it would be bustling with activity at this hour, with so many chores being done and games being played, but today was a holiday. The harvest was over, and tonight, they would celebrate under the boughs of the Great Deku Tree. Everyone was busy preparing themselves in their own houses, only leaving to procure what they would need, no more. But everyone she had seen bore a smile and a warm greeting.

        She had finished her own work long before today, working on it on her spare time over the past few days. Today was special to her in its own way, and she didn't want any silly harvest project to get in the way.

        Arms crossed, standing at the foot of a giant tree, only yards away from the ladder that ascended up to a small balcony protruding halfway up, she stood waiting patiently.