LoZ: Trail of Memories - Ch3: Kakariko Village

In his unconscious state Link found himself faced with a surrounding darkness. All of his senses were unclear and he had the strangest sensation that he was floating. Through the darkness a small light glowed, Link stared at it trying to find a way to move his body closer. The light steadily began to brighten until it shone like a beacon in the shadows. Link was engulfed in the light and was warmed by it; he was unsure of what was happening but as he looked into the light images began to form.

A small Hylian girl with light blonde hair came into view; she had a sunny smile on her face and light blue eyes. She wore a finely made blue dress embroidered with gold that moved with her as she pranced around a large open space, it was full of bright green grass and flowers Link had never seen before. She stopped and turned to face someone in the distance then lifted her right hand to wave at them. Link stopped when he noticed that she bore the same mark on her hand that he had on his own. He was about to call out to the girl when the darkness surrounded him once again.

Link awoke in a strange room to the sounds of two feminine voices deep in discussion. They didn’t seem to notice him stirring and as he laid there trying to figure out how he gotten there.

“I mean what kind of idiot sneaks into Castle Town? That place is already crawling with monsters as it is,” the blonde lady with the scarf asked incredulously. “And to find himself faced with the Phantom King himself no less!”

The girl with braided red hair shook her head, “Sheik, I’m sure he had a reason. Nobody goes into dangerous situations without a good reason.”

A third lady with white hair nodded in silent agreement beside her. Sheik made a frustrated arm gesture in defeat but said no more.

With the information Link had overheard he began to piece together the previous night. He had snuck into the castle grounds searching for the Gift of the Goddesses and had been surrounded by guards. Then a man of shadows, the Phantom King apparently, had appeared and stuck him down. Someone must have bought him here; he assumed it was the group of women who had turned their attention back to him.

“We know you’re awake, idiot,” the blonde said as she gave him an intense glare. The white haired lady rolled her single visible red eye and the red-head moved over to the bed he was laying on.

“How are you feeling? You had a really awful chest injury…it was lucky you had a Fairy on you,” the red-haired girl said comfortingly. “I’m not sure you would have made it otherwise.”

Link blinked at her in confusion and ran a hand over his chest feeling the nearly healed tissue there. Seeing his shock the girl tried another tactic. “I’m Melody, and these are my friends Sheik and Tzila,” she said as she pointed to the other two women in the room. “They found you in a pretty bad situation and rescued you. I had waiting for them outside the gates and we managed to get you on the horse that had been freaking out outside the town. She calmed down when we brought you over to her so I’m guessing she’s yours?”

The stunned hero nodded then realized they were waiting for him to share his own name. “I-I’m Link. Thank you for saving me,” he said hesitantly.

Tzila nodded and Melody smiled at him but Sheik gave him another stern look before asking the question she wanted to know earlier. “Alright Link, just what possessed you to sneak into the ruins of Hyrule Castle?”

Link sighed and looked at his hands unsure of how to explain his plight. “I was looking for something, a powerful gift created by the Goddesses. I need to find it to complete my task.”

The girls shared a look and Sheik set him with a softer look before she asked another question. “Did some strange lady in your head tell you to do this?”

Link looked up bit shocked and nodded. “Yes, she’s a sage.”

Sheik said nothing but motioned for Tzila to move over towards the resting boy. Tzila took both of his hands and inspected them. On the left she found the Triforce emblem that seemed to confirm Sheik’s suspicions.

“Why in the world did the Goddesses choose you?” she asked in exasperation before leaving the room.

Link was even more confused by Sheik’s outburst but he relaxed when Melody stifled a giggle. “Don’t mind her, Link. She’s just tired. It’s been a few days since we brought you here and she has been wracking her brain trying to figure you out. Maybe she should have checked your hand earlier?”

Tzila nodded then an unfamiliar voice sounded in his head.

‘Sheik and I are Sheikah. It’s our job to keep people safe from the dark King and his minions.’

Melody grinned at his shocked face but placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Tzila is mute, but she has other ways of getting her point across.”

Link nodded slowly taking in all the information he had just received and watched them move to leave the room. “We’ll let you get dressed. If you need us we will just be outside, ok?”

He nodded again and slowly made his way to where his shirts, sash, and sandals had been neatly placed. Link rubbed his hands through the large slash that tore its way through his undershirt; it was deadly reminder of his failure at the Castle. He breathed in steadily to calm himself and slowly put it on. Once he was dressed he headed out the small house and into an unknown setting.

Link looked around and saw a large bustling village full of Hylians and Humans alike. In the shadows he spied other people hiding and he assumed they were the mysterious people known as the Sheikah that he had only heard whispers of from the travelers to his own village. The people seemed at ease here and they went about their daily lives with little care of the world outside their village.

He heard a whistle and turned to see the three girls from before waiting by a large well at the center of the village. Knowing he owed them for saving his life he headed over to them without question.

Melody smiled happily and stood from her spot on the edge of the well. She had a bow and quiver of arrows beside her and Link was surprised. He hadn’t quite pegged her as a warrior. “Welcome to Kakariko Village, Link.”

Link thought back to his map and realized that his current location was very far from his previous one. His thoughts seemed to be read by the trio and Sheik answered. “We know a few secret ways through Hyrule. It didn’t take us long to get you back here. The extra horse helped too.”

“Where exactly is Epona?” Link asked suddenly. He couldn’t believe he had left her for so long.

“Oh, is that her name? She should still be resting in the stalls where we left her,” Melody said in thought. “She wasn’t very happy to leave you though.”

Link smiled a bit at that, Epona was a sweet animal when she wanted to be. “I’m just glad she wasn’t the one who got hurt.”

“Unlike you that is,” Sheik shot back at him. “Look, just because some sage thinks you are the next Hero doesn’t mean you are qualified for the job.”

Link frowned slightly at the jab at his skills or lack thereof but he had to agree with her there, Link knew he was already in over his head as it was. Sheik looked off towards the edge of the village in thought and her tone softened. “But right now you are the best we’ve got, so if you are going to find the Hero’s Gift then you will need to know the song of the royal family.”

The Sheikah pulled a golden harp with a bird design from behind her back gesturing for Link to do the same with his ocarina. Sheik began to strum a hauntingly familiar melody, Link could not place where he had heard it before but he followed along all the same.

“It’s called Zelda’s Lullaby. You can use it to open all sorts of doors hidden in Hyrule…” she said cryptically. She turned herself in the direction she had started off into once more and pointed. “In the back of Kakariko you will find a graveyard. It contains the Tomb of the Royal Family; you may find what you are searching for in its depths.”

*

Link spent the next day recovering from the lingering effects of his chest injury; the wound was nearly gone but the memory stuck with him. He wandered through the busy village and chatted with its carefree inhabitants. Link had hoped that he would encounter Akram or Inaya, but they had yet to appear with their trail of wagons. Instead he kept the company of Melody and her friends and soon welcomed their presence.

He had met several of the merchants and shopkeepers that offered him their wares as he passed by their stalls and explored their shops. He had helped a young girl collect her cuccos and return them to their pen; the girl’s mother thanked him with a handful of rupees. He in turn used the rupees to have his bottle filled with a red potion by the strange lady in the potion shop. Other items had appealed to him but he knew there were more important matters to deal with first.

Link continued to explore the strange but welcoming village as much as he could. He checked into a small inn where an excitable young woman with indigo hair, who was very curious about his quest, quickly rented him a room. Her named was Xara, she was the daughter of the innkeeper, and she loved a good source of gossip. When he spied the Sheikah pendant hanging from her neck she flushed and said it was a gift from a very dear friend. Link smiled at the happy girl and thanked her for the hospitality and left to finish his exploration.

It didn’t take Link long to find himself entering the graveyard at the very edge of the village. He was uneasy as he passed through the headstones but he pressed on until he reached the large stone monument embellished with the Triforce symbol.

He rubbed a hand over the triangles before he lifted his ocarina to his lips, the royal melody played out into the air around him. The building before him began to shift and slowly the large wall that once blocked the entrance lifted and a staircase that faded into darkness came into view.

“Maybe you shouldn’t go in there alone, hero boy?” Link started at the sarcastic drawl of Sheik.

“You could have just asked. We would be happy to go in there with you, Link,” Melody said cheerfully with her bow and quiver resting on her back.

Tzila nodded in agreement then handed him a torch, Link took the torch with a simple shrug and the four of them headed into the shadows below.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs they found themselves in a long hall with many corridors heading off in different directions. They decided to split up, with Sheik and Link taking the right side and Melody and Tzila the left to begin their search.

Link and the Sheikah girl walked in silence through the closest hallway until they reached a dead-end. They looked at each other and turned to head back the way they came when Link accidentally stepped on a pressure switch. The wall that had blocked their path suddenly moved and behind it a large group of Redeads could be seen. Sheik rolled her eyes and grabbed Link’s arm before the undead monsters could release their paralyzing shriek at them.

They ran down another passage and stopped next to an odd statue. It had a large crescent moon in front of a larger sun at its center. Sheik had left him to scout the rest of the hall and while Link caught his breath he saw a small inscription on the side of the statue.

‘In the darkness those who have yet to leave this world remain.

Call upon the Sun’s warmth to make their sorrows wane.’

Underneath the scrawled inscription was a small tune and Link pulled out his ocarina to play it. Behind him Sheik was fleeing from the Redeads she had encountered at the end of the hall. When the Song of the Sun rang out into the hall the undead creatures froze in their tracks and Sheik turned to him in surprise.

“How did you do that?” she asked as she breathed heavily.

Link simply pointed at the statue and she shook her head muttering something about dumb luck under her breath. From the other side of the tomb they heard Melody’s voice call out and they headed off to find her. When they reentered the main catacomb they found Tzila inspecting the wall at the very end and Melody with her bow drawn shooting at ghosts that passed through the walls near them. Link and Sheik were about to run to her aid when Tzila’s voice entered their minds.

‘Hurry, there is another passage here. Follow me.’

The three companions shared a look then watched as the silent Sheikah passed through the wall just like the Poes had. Seeing they had little choice they quickly followed after her, passing through the faux wall to find themselves in front of a large open room with stone caskets carefully placed all round. At the heart of the room there was a raised platform that led to two more tombs, Link cautiously took the steps up to the dais and found a treasure chest hidden between them. Sheik and Tzila were searching for a safe passage out of the room and Melody continued to hold off the ghosts that followed after them. They didn’t notice Link’s movements until he was already in front of the chest.

Link could not say what overcame him but his body moved on its own and he opened the treasure chest. Inside it a golden light shone then dimmed to reveal a strange gold plated gauntlet and matching glove. He put them on without question and the golden light returned to envelope the four young warriors and they disappeared from the crypt around them.

*

Link opened his eyes as the blinding light faded and he found himself in a strange world with a purple hue. The surrounding area was vast and full of trees with a thick mist that hid their overgrown roots. It reminded Link of the forest surrounding his home.

“Welcome to the Realm of Lethe, Link.” Hearing his name he turned to find himself facing Emera. She stood across from him in the growing mist, her usual comforting smile was gone and serious expression took its place.

“What is this place?” he asked uncertainly.

“This is the land of lost memories. Very few can enter here and fewer still can retrieve their memories from it.” She answered as she gestured around them.

“You can do that?” Link asked hesitantly. He had never believed his childhood memories could ever be recovered.

The sage nodded. “I can, with your help. I can make the fragments of your memories visible with my powers, but only you can collect them.”

“How are you able to do this?” Link asked as he contemplated the power she must hold.

“I am the Sage of Time. This is my realm of influence, I have some sway over the passage of it and how people remember it,” she answered and with a wave of her hands eerie lights sparked throughout the misty forest.

“If you wish to reclaim your memory then you must complete the trial by collecting all of the fragments. However, you only have a limited time to collect them as without my protection you will begin to lose the rest of your memories and become lost in the clouds of amnesia.”

Link nodded in understanding and at Emera’s gesture he took off into the surrounding forest. He vaulted over the roots that blocked his way and snatched his first fragment. The light glistened sending a tingling sensation through his body causing Link push on eagerly. He found another two waiting under a tree and hidden amongst its branches; with little hesitance he jumped down and caught another few concealed within a large hollow log.

He continued on his hunt, ducking under low-hanging branches grabbing fragments as he went. Link saw another aglow on a huge stump and from the added height he gave a quick scan around the grove. He spotted the last one hovering at the edge of the water and he broke off into a run in order to reach it. When he grabbed the last fragment his body prickled with energy once more and the glow enveloped him.

“Well done, Link. You’ve collected all the fragments,” Emera said in praise. “Now let me mend them into a memory of your past.” Light flashed all around him and he closed his eyes from the overwhelming sensation.

“Link, don’t be afraid. Open your eyes.” Link wanted to shake his head but he had spent his entire life waiting for a moment like the one he was in. Emera’s presence faded and Link opened his eyes to a scene that felt both familiar and foreign at the same time.

The sun was warm on his skin and the wind gently rustled his clothes. In his tiny hands he held a small practice sword, a weapon that felt familiar and comforting; it was something that he used often from the look of it. He had been sparring with someone and was celebrating his victory excitedly when a voice caught his attention. Link couldn’t make out what they had said but when he turned a tiny young girl with bright red hair ran to embrace him. He returned the hug and looked up to find another person looking at them. The woman was petite and delicate looking with long golden blonde hair and blue eyes, she said something in a comforting voice but the words were lost on his ears. His attention was caught by the shine of something she was wearing. On her neck she wore the exact same necklace as the one he had on, but it seemed new. When she moved to approach them the scene began to fall apart at the seams until Link was once again facing Emera.

“I am sorry, Link.” Emera said apologetically. “There is only so much I can do at a time.”

“No, thank you. That is more than I have ever seen…” Link said quietly as he considered what he had witnessed.

“If you can complete more trials like this one I should be able to restore your entire memory in time,” she offered hesitantly. Link nodded, hoping that what she said was true. He was still having a difficult time believing what she had shown him. She had even told him that she had control over memories and how people perceive them. How did he know if these were even real?

“For now you must return to Hyrule, your friends have been waiting for you. And the rest of Hyrule is waiting for their Hero.” She said with an assuring smile.

Link didn’t get a chance to respond before he found himself outside of the royal tomb in one last flash of light. The sky was dark and drops of rain fell on his head as he looked around, thunder rolled and a few flashes of lightning lit up the sky when he spied his companion. Sheik, Melody, and Tzila were resting on the tombs beside them. They jumped up when he suddenly appeared before them with confused looks on their faces.

 “Where in the name of Hylia were you?!” Sheik demanded as she backed him up against the wall of the tomb.

Behind her Melody quietly spoke again, “We were worried when we found ourselves outside the crypt and you weren’t here. What happened?”

“Emera, the Sage of Time, she was the one who pulled us out of the crypt. Instead of bringing me here she took me to the Realm of Lethe,” Link said as he tried to explain the experience he was still reeling from. “She was helping me recover my memories.”

The three of them were confused but nodded at his explanation, “Just give us some warning next time…”

 “I would if I could,” Link scratched the back of his head with his now gauntleted hand and then remembered its presence. He raised his hands in front of his face and inspected the golden mitt. On the plate over his hand the symbol was the symbol of the Triforce with three tear shaped slots around it, the glove had a Triforce as well only larger. He touched the mark at the center of the gauntlet and it began to turn but no matter where he moved it nothing happened.

The girls watched him play with his new gear before Sheik spoke up, “Not much of a gift is it? What does it even do?”

*

 The question that Sheik had asked went unanswered until Link was walking around Kakariko Village a few days later.

‘Link, now that you’ve found the Goddess Gauntlet and Resonating Glove there is still another task ahead of you.’

Link stopped and listened to Emera’s words in curiosity. He had known his quest was far from over but the item he had found hadn’t seemed too handy. Emera seemed to know more about this whole situation than he did so he gave her the benefit of the doubt and hoped the new times would prove their usefulness soon.

‘The Hero’s Gift is powered by three magical gems. They are known as the Tears of the Goddesses and as such they represent each of the Golden Goddesses, they are hidden throughout Hyrule. Each Tear unlocks a different power; however you will need to find all of them to unleash the full power of the gauntlet and its matching glove.’

He looked down at his left hand and ran a hand over the three slots on the top of the gauntlet. Now he just had to find the stones that would fill them.

‘The first Tear is hidden in a deep and magical forest, one that you are familiar with. It is the Tear of Farore. I believe the children of the forest were ordered to guard it until the day came that the hero would appear to claim it.’

Link fought the excitement that bubbled in his chest, he would get to return home and see his parents for the first time in weeks.

‘Yes Link, you will need to return to your home if you are to find this Tear. And unlock part of the power residing in the Gauntlet. I can assure you in its current state it is not useless, you will find it will greatly enhance your strength, but that pales in comparison to its true power.’

Emera’s voice faded and he was left alone with his thoughts once more. He returned to the inn where his friends were awaiting. Sensing his mood Sheik turned to him, “Emera contacted you again didn’t she?”

Link nodded. “She said that the Gauntlet is powered by three magical gems. And now I have to find them.”

“Did she tell you where they might be?” Melody asked curiously.

“Only the first, she said that it was guarded by the children of the forest back in Faron,” he said as he thought back to what she had said.

“She must mean the Kokiri,” Sheik offered. “They are the children of the Great Deku Tree. If you can find your way through their enchanted woods then you might find them and Farore’s gem.”

“I thought they were just legend,” Link murmured to himself. His father and many of the men in the village had told stories of mischievous little children that lived deep in the forest. But they had never been seen by any of his villagers.

“So were you until now and yet here you are,” Sheik answered pointedly. “Who’s to say that the Kokiri aren’t real as well?”

“I guess there is only one way to find out,” Link said finally.

Sheik nodded in agreement then pointed to a small chest on the far side of the room. Link hadn’t seen it before that day so he was very curious of its contents. “If you are going to be the Hero then you are going to have to look the part.”

Link opened the chest to reveal a strange set of green clothes and leather accessories. Soft brown leather boots rested beneath the brightly colored tunic, long matching hat, white undershirt, and brown pants. Off to the side he found leather gloves and two belts. At the bottom he found a set of chain-mail in a golden hue.

“That is the garb of the Ancient Hero, so you had better wear it with pride,” Sheik had said almost mockingly.

When the girls left him to change Link slowly dressed in the unfamiliar clothes. Once dressed Link tried to adjust to the feel of the added weight, the layer of chain-mail would take him some getting used to. Covering his toes was also new but they felt safer being encased in the leather boots. He slipped the Goddess Gauntlet and Resonating Glove over the leather ones and finally he picked up the long pointed hat. The girls had said it was silly looking, but he had taken a liking to it as soon as he had seen it. Once on his head the hat felt very comforting in a way that he couldn’t explain. Stepping out of the room Link could feel the change in himself, he was ready to set out on the next part of his quest.