The Legend of Zelda: What Comes After - The Final Tale of The Hero of Time

Chapter I: The Beginning of the End

THUMP 

THUMP 

THUMP 

The wind blew softly over my face as I watched the giants walk back to where ever it was they came from. My legs ached from the battle I had just finished, and I still had to find a way out of this kingdom to get home. I was dreading the ride home, and somehow I needed to find a way back. I had no idea how long it was going to take... days... weeks... months? 

All of the sudden, I began hearing whispering from behind my back. I could see the skull kid and his fairies in front of me, so I was a bit confused about who would be behind me. It took me a second, but I eventually realized the voice. It was the Happy Masks Salesman... or Halvard... I believe that's what he said his name was. 

"Oh... so the evil has left the mask after all." Halvard said to himself quietly, looking down the mask that once possessed the skull kid. 

Both Skull Kid and I jumped out of fright when we barely heard his voice from behind us.

"Well... I finally have it back... and since I'm in the midst of my travels, I must bid you farewell," he said with a grin on his face. Before he could walk away, he turned to address me. 

"Shouldn't you be on your way as well?" He asked me. 

I turned and looked over my shoulder, not sure if he was addressing me.

"Me?" I asked. 

As I looked back at the skull kid and his fairies, something reminded me of Navi, and how much I missed her. I would have given anything in that moment to be with Navi again. Somehow, it felt like the Salesman could read my thoughts. I felt as if he was searching my mind before he spoke up once more. 

"Whenever there is a meeting, a parting is sure to follow, however, that parting need not last forever..." He said as he laughed again. "Whether a parting be forever or merely a short time... that is up to you... But my, you sure have managed to make quite the number of people happy." 

I hadn't even considered this until he said it. I barely have had time to reflect on what I just spent all this time doing. I guess he was right though. 

"The masks you collected are filled with happiness. True happiness." He said as he looked down at his collection. 

"Happiness." I mumbled to myself quietly as I tried to remember the last time I felt that sensation. 

The Happy Mask Salesman then looked up from the mask he was holding.

"If more people strive to make others happy, rather than themselves, maybe then everyone could be happy." 

I glanced at Skull Kid who was laughing as Tatl and Tael chased him around. 

"Are you happy?"  The Salesman said, catching me in a trance. I gasped and quickly looked up to notice that he was gone. 

I looked around for a moment, yet I couldn't see Halvard anywhere. It was like he just disappeared. 

"Am I happy?" I said quietly to myself. 

Skull Kid looked up to me with both fairies flying around his hands. I laughed a little bit when I noticed how much fun he was having. 

"Well both of us have gotten what we were after..." Tatl said as she flew up to my face. 

I laughed a little, "We sure did." I said as a smile came across my face. There was a slight silence after.

"So... this is where... you and I part ways..." Tatl said softly.