Legend of Zelda: A Shade of Time

XI A Lifted Burden

The Sun dawned as if born with a new light, or perhaps Din had bathed it with her very warmth. The light of the new mornings were very "golden" and bright, and it was then realized how the eyes of the children of Hylia and Farore had been dimmed by the shadow of Ganondorf and his ally in the Twilight. The world felt now, in a manner of speaking, alive again as if a fountain of youth had been poured in its waters and streams.

The Light spirits left their abode in the provinces as their tasks were complete, and the great dragon spirits of elder days had returned to Hyrule, and they abode now in the springs of the provinces of Hyrule. The Shiekah left their hiding as they now returned to their legacy of Kakariko in restoring it to its greater stature, and they begun great works in their ever developing technology for years to come. They understood the history concerning Demise and his curse fulfilled in Ganon, the spirit of Ganondorf, the incarnation of Demise's malice. The Shiekah understood, that while the incarnation had indeed been slain, his spirit still endures, and the cycle of the curse would surely come again. As for the Hylians of Kakariko, they had decided to move on from its desolation as the Shiekah worked to restore it, and so they moved southward to the higher hills of Hateno. 

Elsewhere, adrift in hills upon the edge of the forest, the golden wolf did stride. It was now deep in the season of autumn; wherewith, the golden wolf seemed to blend in with the changing and falling leaves. Upon entering the Lost Woods, a chill was felt in the air, it was fresh, but there was also a change in it that he was not familiar with.  When before there was a presence of magic, mystery, and vibrance in the air around the fairy woods, now it felt old, fading, and changing.

'Something is happening.' The wolf thought, but what was it? He did not know, nor could he find out as he was not able to discover the Lost Wood's secrets. There were none who could. The Great Deku Tree probably knew, but there were many things of the world, including the secrets of the woods, that he never disclosed.

The wolf stood patiently as he considered the wind and the changing air, and there he closed his eyes as he felt and studied it in its changing patterns wherewith he might attain some discernment. And so he waited diligently over many hours, and he listened to it in passing tones and characteristics. But in all of his skill and subtlety, he could understanding nothing about any of it.

At length, the golden spirit opened his eyes, and there before him stood a boy of seemingly twelve years in age. He was so thrown off in astonishment that he jolted back with an awakening growl. The boy put his hands up. "Hey! I wasn't that close enough to make you mad at me this time! I said I wouldn't do that anymore to you, and I didn't!"

Upon that, the wolf paused, and length it cocked its head. "It can't be!! ... Phaelon?" The boy of 12 with brown wavy hair, nut brown eyes, and a set of old skull tunic and trousers on about him, nodded as a 'yes' to the Shade. At that, the wolf plopped in a sitting position as he stared on the boy.

"I can't believe it." The Shade finally stated,

And Phaelon replied with laughter. "I'm hardly convinced myself."

"But how?" Returned the wolf.

Then the boy shrugged as he stated. "I don't know. ... The weather and air here has changed in the Lost Woods, and then the next thing I knew was that I woke up like this." He paused, and then he shared his thoughts. "I don't know what's happening, but I think that perhaps after Ganondorf's shadow had come to an end, what power remained of the spirit of the Great Deku Tree must have finally been laid to rest. And now everything is fading."

The wolf looked on him solemnly before gazing dramatically into the colorful woods. "Perhaps." He said plainly in reply.

The Shade looked to Phaelon then with curious concern before asking him, "So, what will you do now?"