The Legend of Zelda: The Gods of Old

Chapter 3: Red Twilight

  “Tell me… Do you ever feel a strange sadness as dusk falls? They say it’s the only time when our world intersects with theirs... The only time we can feel the lingering regrets of spirits who have left our world.” Rusl moved his gaze from the waters of the spring to the reddening sky. The look in his eyes...was it hope? Sadness? Link couldn’t be sure. This whole conversation was confusing to start with. “That is why loneliness always pervades the hour of twilight… But enough talk of sadness…" Rusl turns to Link. "I have a favor to ask of you, Link.” Link’s stomach tightened. The people of Ordon village asking favors of him was nothing unusual… but the context and tone of this conversation made Link nervous for what might be asked of him this time. “I was supposed to deliver something to the royal family of Hyrule the day after tomorrow… Yes, it was a task set to me by the mayor, but… would you go in my stead?” Link’s stomach relaxed a bit. Certainly not what he had been fearing, but this...he didn’t know what to make of this quite yet. “You have… never been to Hyrule, right? In the kingdom of Hyrule, there is a great castle, and around it is Castle Town, a community far bigger than our little village. And far bigger than Hyrule is the rest of the world the gods created. You should look upon it all with your own eyes.” Rusl stood from his spot in the sand. “It is getting late… We should head back to the village. I will talk to the mayor about this matter.” 

  Rusl turned from the spring and headed for Link’s horse, Epona. A strong, hardy horse. But also wild and unruly. Epona was picky about who she trusted, and who she would allow to touch her. So far, the only people approved by the stubborn mare were Link himself, and Ilia, a young girl from the village, about Link’s age, with a strong love for animals. And equally as stubborn as Epona, according to anyone of the village whom might be asked about her. It wasn’t much of a surprise to anyone that the two girls got along.

  Link stood himself up as well and took one last long gaze at the twilight sky.

  “Odd, isn’t it?” Rusl piped up from where Epona stood, noticing the way Link looked at the sky. “In all my years...I’ve never seen the sky turn this color, this… wine red.” One hand grasping Epona’s reins, Rusl lifted his face to the sky. “It’s almost unsettling. I’ve heard of smoke blotting out the sky and turning the sun red, but not like this. Not this deep, or this vivid. Not to mention that the air is clear as can be.” Rusl sighed through his nose and turned towards Link, holding Epona’s reins out to him. “Come on, son, it’s time we get back to the village before the wife has both our heads.”

  Back to Ordon village they trekked. Across a long rope bridge, decorated in flowers and vines, through the trails that led from the spring to the village and through the woods.

  Upon reaching Link’s house on the outskirts of the village, the pair said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Rusl, meeting his wife and son—Uli and Colin—by the entrance to the village, and Link leaving Epona to graze and relax as she saw fit outside of his humble home. With nothing else to do at the moment, Link climbed up the rope ladder to his house and headed inside to relax before turning in for the night. 

  “Hey! Link! You there?” Fado called from outside Link’s house. And Link, without missing a beat, popped his head out of the small window on the top floor. “Hey, you mind helpin’ me herd the goats? They ain’t listenin’ to me lately!” Link disappeared from the window. He was never one for talking, and the villagers understood this. It was just his way. But regardless, Fado knew that Link was coming out to help him.

  Outside the house, Fado did a double-take at the empty post where Epona normally stood. “Hey, where’s Epona?” Fado asked hesitantly. 

  When Link emerged from his front door and saw the space empty, deep confusion furrowed his brow.