[EDITING] The Legend of Zelda: Goddess of Secrecy

Overworld Chapter 50 - War

 ...back to the edge of the Lost Woods. Link turned to look south, where he knew three Deku Trees stood. Behind him, his friends remained. And despite the mist that still clung to the Lost Woods, he thought he heard a bird chirp among its branches.

Drawing his ocarina, Link let his whistle for Epona echo through the woods. However she did it, Link knew the mare would hear the call.

Content that the mare would overtake him eventually, Link started jogging north, towards Eveningale. He watched the trees return with their golden shades from the eternal youth of the Deku Woods as he continued ever closer to his hometown. Despite everything he had gone through here, there was some comfort knowing he was home.

Yet, as Link walked into Eveningale, he felt that lightness fade away like the leaves tugging off the trees around the village. There was something quiet about Eveningale. Too quiet for a farming village in the autumn.

Link walked along the main road, passed his home and into the farmers' market. The Academy stood behind him, dormant. Even the animals roaming in the fields were silent, huddled close together. For warmth or out of fear, Link didn't know as he watched the goats and cows shift further away from him.

Behind him, Link heard the whinny of a horse. He glanced back for just a moment, seeing a chestnut stead race through the trees. In summer, she might have been more noticeable, but now the autumn swallowed Epona up.

Holding up his hands, Link soothed Epona as she reached him. The draft horse tossed her head frantically, hooves lifting up off the ground as she pranced before Link. What had spooked Epona like this?

Finally, Link got Epona to relax. "Whoa, easy, girl, easy." He ran his hand up and down between her eyes, gently brushing her forelock. He set his forehead to her nose. "It's ok. It's going to be ok." Epona snorted, bumping her nose beneath Link's chin before pulling her head back and tossing her mane.

Patting Epona a few more times, Link said, "I'm going to see what happened. After that, we're riding for Kakariko. I'll be back soon."

Epona neighed as Link headed for the Academy. She seemed uneasy about being abandoned, but the mare remained where she was. Link wished Epona hadn't been born during war. The mare deserved more than running head long into battle after battle. Still, she never faltered when he did. There wasn't a companion he trusted more in that regard to stand with him.

As soon as Link pushed open the doors to the Academy, the silence was broken. Link almost fell over himself as he jumped out of the way of knights rushing back and forth across the main hall of the building. Villagers were huddled close together in the side chambers. Makeshift beds were being thrown together in a rush, families crammed together in a space that wasn't meant to house all of Eveningale.

Link kept close to the door as knights ran through the building, set on whatever tasks they have been given. Many of them were in armor, or halfway so, prepared for some kind of attack.

While he watched the knights running around, Link didn't notice the room going quiet until someone coughed and that sound echoed. He turned, watching knights part in front of him. Raising his left hand, he waved. "Hi. Is everything ok here?"

The knights exchanged a look between each other. Finally, one replied, "Hero, we know you've been busy, so our town shouldn't-" The knight stopped as he saw Link's confused expression. "I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?"

"I grew up here," Link answered, pulled his cap off for a moment. He felt the Hero's Cloak still thrown over his shoulders. Pulling the cape off, he continued, "What's wrong with Eveningale? What happened? I didn't see anything when I rode in from the forest."