Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction ❯ The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess ❯ Encounter in the Forest ( Chapter 8 )

A.N.- None of these characters belong to me, they are the property of Nintento. Noticed a few spelling errors so I figued I better go through and fix that asap. Also if something seems weird with the page it could be because my vista program doesn’t like this site or something stupid like that. At any rate enjoy.

“ Well, well,” Midna said, smirking like she had known all along, “ You’re the chosen hero and all that, huh?”
“ I guess so…” Link mumbled, still not quite believing it.
“ So THAT’S why you turned into that beast! What a shame…I mean, maybe you’d rather just wander as a spirit like the rest of them, totally unaware of what was happening for all eternity…right?”
“ Maybe I would,” he said, looking up, “ But then there wouldn’t be anyone to help make things right.”
“ Eee hee hee!” she giggled, “ So what do you want to do? Do you want to head to that temple?”
“ Yeah, it looks like that’s where Faron said I should head first. So let’s go.”
“ Well, isn’t that conveniant! I was about to head there myself!” she said, “ Hey, look…You want to help your friends, right?”
“ Of course!”
“ The way I see it, maybe they’re in that temple, waiting for you to rescue them…Well,good luck, Mr. Important Hero! Eee hee hee! See you later!”
When Midna had gone Link headed straight for the Faron Woods. However the gate that bared the entrance to the woods was still locked and he couldn’t just dig under it while he was a human. He was just too big now to fit in the small hole he had made.
Coro…he thought jogging over to where the lantern salesman was sitting.
“ Hunh?!” Coro said as he approached, confused for some reason, “ So…it’s the Ordonian!”
“ You remember,” Link said.
“ Yeah, you seemed kinda familiar, but then your clothes seeemed kinda different so I got thrown off for a second!”
“ Yeah…there’s a pretty long and wild story about that…”
“ Listen…” he said, cutting him off, “ Things have been a little rough around here lately so you should watch your step, OK, guy? There are so many monsters now….I got kinda scared and closed off the path to the temple. But… You, guy…You wanna get back there, huh?”
“ Yeah,” Link said, nodding, “ I have something I need to do.”
“ You sure do look geared up for it…So here you go!” Coro said, handing over the key.
“ Thanks,” he said, putting the key into his belt pouch.
“ Oh, yeah…The woods on the other side of this cave are covered in really thick fog, so make sure your lantern is full. You’re definetly going to need to use your lantern a lot in there, so bring all the oil you can! And check this out! I have a special, one time offer of a bottle full of lantern oil for only 100 rupees! How ‘bout it guy? What a bargin!”
Link wasn’t so sure about it, because for all he knew when he had transformed into a wolf all of his rupees had been forfiet. This was not the case however as his rupee pouch was attatched to his belt along with his item pouches and it was brimming full with rupees.
“ All right,” he said, “ I’ll take one.”
“ Thanks a lot, guy!” Coro said, handing over the bottle full of oil in exchange for Link’s 100 rupees, “ Here you go!”
“ Thanks again,” Link said, heading off on his own way.
At the gate he unlocked it and put the bottle of oil in one of his pouches. It was then that he made a startling discovery. Where the bottle of oil would’ve normally taken up all of the space in the pouch it only took up a very small section in the very bottem. The hero of old’s equipment must have been enchanted with some very powerful magic.

Link came out of the cave with his lantern held loosely at his side as he pondered how he was going to cross the no-doubt deadly mist this time without Midna’s help. He was still thinking and not paying attention when the lady monkey came up and stole his lantern right out of his hand.
She hooked it to a stick and sttod on the remains of the wooden walkway beckoning to him.
“ Hey, what’s this monkey’s problem?” Midna said, noticing that the monkey had Link’s lantern after she did so, “ You idiot! While you were staring off into dreamland, your lantern got stolen!”
He knew Midna was angry at him for letting the lantern get taken away but a mere monkey, but he also knew that she probably had a good reason for doing so.
As he approached her she waved the lantern back and forth causing the mist to receed.
“ Oh, I see…” Link said, following her, “ You want to help me.”
He followed her to the second gate of Faron Woods, protecting her from attacking monsters as they went. Once they reched their destination however she dropped the lantern and went running at full speed for the forest temple.
Link collected his fallen lantern, and refilled it with oil when he noticed that it had run out. That done he carried on to the temple dispatching monsters as he went.
At the foot of the winding tree root path that made up the final stretch there was the most unusual of creatures baring his path. A glowing golden wolf with blood red eyes was sitting calmly in the way. When it saw Link approach however it crouched down and prepared to pounce on him. Seeing it prepare for the attack Link drew his sword to defend himself. But just as the wolf pounced on him everything faded out to white.

Link opened his eyes in a surreal landscape. Everything was shrouded in a fine mist; and it was snowing, but he wasn’t cold at all. The major landmarks of Hyrule were all looming in the backround as well, nearby and far away at the same time.
Behind him the wolf panted, the sound echoing about, but when Link turned to face the creature and armored skeleton stood it its place. The skeleton raised its sword and moved to attack. To his credit Link tried to defend himself, but was easily knocked aside by the flat of the skeleton’s sword.
“ A sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage,” the skeleton said, as Link got back on his feet, “ You may be destined to become the hero of legend…but your current power would disgrae the proud green of the hero’s tunic you wear.”
Link stared him down, determined to prove him wrong. The skeletal figure seemed to smile.
“ You must use your courage to seek power…and find it you must. Only then will you become the hero for whom this world despairs. If youdo find true courage, and you wish to save Hyrule from the horrors it now faces…Then you will be worthy to receive the secrets I hold!”
“ Teach me,” Link said, gripping his sword and shield handles tightly, “ I’m not afraid.”
Nodding he stepped closer to Link until they were only two feet apart and began the lesson.
“ Enemies that are filled with energy will quickly recover and attack again even when stunned by a powerful strike. The ending blow is a secret technique you can use on stunned enemies to end their breath before they spring back into action,” he explained, “ When an enemy lies collapsed on the ground, stunned, leap highg into the air and deliver a final strike.” He paused for a moment to demonstrate how it should be done. “ When the opportunity to end their breath is before you, you will see it appear vividly before your eyes. Now, try it on me!”
Link and the skeleton tapped the tips of their swords together in the traditional manner of swordsman who are about to engage in a duel.
The skeleon didn’t put up much of a fight as Link pressed him relentlessly, eventually knocking him to the ground. Just as he had said he would, Link saw the opportunity to deal the ending blow. Grasping the hilt of his sword in both hands he lept into the air and came down hard, skewering his undead teacher through his midsection. Then he hopped off and backed away, still holding his sword at the ready.
His teacher got to his feet and nodded approvingly.
“ Hmm. That was a pinpoint strike. Never overlook your opportunity to finish with it! The first hidden skill, the ending blow, has been passed on!”
Link nodded, went through the motions of the skill once more for emphasis, sheathed his sword, and stood up straight to face the skeletal figure.
“ There are six hidden skils for you to learn.” He said, “ Those are only for one who carries the blood of the hero…the one whose spirit is that of the sublime beast. Grow powerful. Test your courage. And when you find that you need another skill to overcome the threats that face you…Search for the statues that howl with the sound of the wind. Seek the sound that calls to the spirirt of the beast to awaken me again.” Link nodded, feeling that he would understand what he was saying when the time came. “ A sword weilds no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage. Remember those words…Farewell!”
“ Wait!” Link said, as everything began to fade out again, “ I don’t even know who you are!”
“ I am the shadow of a hero from long ago…” he said.

Link opened his eyes, colapsed where the wolf had attacked him. He stood up and looked around, wondering if he had just dreamed the whole thing. But he felt new power coursing through him and knew that it had to have been real or he wouldn’t feel this way.
There was no time to be dawdling through; he had a temple to investigae and a kingdom to save.