Nagori, Saimon and Senkyoku - A Wind Waker Tale

Chapter 15: The Song of Reminiscence


Tetra and Niko rowed steadily most of the day and the sun was sinking low on the horizon. Rain clouds rolled in, dark and ominous threatening to burst at any moment. "Well Niko," Tetra said as she pulled at the oar. "Ready for the rain?"

"Yes Miss."

"Good, cause here it comes."

It pelted them for hours, and Tetra thanked the goddesses there was little wind and they kept on rowing. Eventually it tapered off and Tetra called a halt. Niko's exhausted expression made her think he might just pass out, but instead, he pulled the list out of his boot, read through it quickly and put it away.

"We're still good then?"

"Yes Miss."

"Can you say anything other than 'Yes Miss'?"

"Yes Miss," Niko stopped looking a little confused, "I mean..."

She smiled at him and looked at the clearing sky. "Don't worry about it Niko," she said pulling out her sextant and a small compass. After she checked their position, she adjusted their direction slightly. "Hopefully only ten more miles. Ready?" he nodded. "Good."

Together they pulled at the oars and when Headstone came into view, they stopped again. Niko pulled out some sea rations and checked his list again. She glanced up at the moon it shone bright in the night sky and told her she had at least another two and a half, maybe three hours until sunrise. What worried her was if she calculated correctly at some point the time loop would reset itself. They needed to be out of the water and in the Earth Temple by then. Facing an octo in this boat would definitely not work out well. She was pulled out of her thoughts when Niko asked, "Miss Tetra?"

"Yeah?"

"What if this doesn't work?"

"If it doesn't," she said looking over at him. "You and the others will just have to muddle through without me."

"But you're the Princess."

Tetra stretched as she said, "You know, Niko, a few days ago I would have tossed you off the ship for that."

"I'm sorry Miss."

"Don't be. Truth is, if I hadn't been trying so hard to avoid that title, we wouldn't be in this situation."

He nodded and was quiet for a time. "Miss? What about Link?"

Tetra suppressed a growl and wondered, Why does it always come back to him? To Niko she said, "What about Link."

He blushed and said "Umm..."

"What?"

"Don't you miss him?""

She looked up at the stars. "Yeah," and added quietly, "actually a lot more than I thought I would. Why are you asking?"

Niko stretched his legs and rubbed his sore arms and said, "Before he left the ship that day, he almost ran me down on his way out and something he said when he was helping me up sort of stuck in my head."

"Really? What would that be?"

"Well, uhh, you see he said-"

"You brought it up so just spill it already."

Startled he said in a rush, "He wanted to know why in Farore's name he thought it would be a good idea for him to fall for a revenge obsessed pirate without the sense the Deku Tree gave a Korok."

She smiled while she imagined the scene in her head. "Korok huh?"

"Uh, yes Miss."

Tetra laughed at his obvious relief, he also decided to change the subject and said, "Do you think Gonzo is okay?"

"I'm sure he'll do fine. He is my brother after all."

"He's your brother?"

"Yes, but don't say anything to the others. I don't know if he knows about all that."

"Yes Miss."

"It'll work out Niko," Tetra said as she shifted back to her rowing position. "Let's get moving, I want to hit the beach before daybreak."

"Right, let me check the list." Niko pulled it out and scanned it again, his eyes went wide. "Miss Tetra! The last thing dropped off the list!"

"Crap!" she said as he scrambled back to his place. "Put your back into it Niko we're running out of time."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Deep within the Earth Temple, an unexpected chill came over the Sage of Earth and Medli paused as she walked back toward the room she used for living quarters. After it passed she noticed a strange and weirdly familiar song filtering in from...well, somewhere. She listened for a moment or two and pulled the harp from her back and began to pluck out the notes. As she did, images of her home on Dragonroost filled her head. All of them things she'd not thought about for quite some time. The weirdest part was when she finished, it left her feeling oddly calm.

Medli played the song again and realized, like the Earth God Lyric, this was a Song of Power, but where was it coming from? While it made her a little nervous, she decided it would be best if she practiced it. Songs like that didn't just pop into your head for no good reason. She headed back to the inner chamber and sat down in the sand and played it a few more times, the Triforce symbol there glowed even more brightly. Yes, she thought, I will definitely have to investigate this further.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Makar along with the rest of the diminutive korok sat high within the branches of the Great Deku Tree. This was Makar most favorite place to be, for it was here that he always felt safest. His duties at the Wind Temple could sometimes leave him feeling homesick, so it was with great anticipation he had come home to the forest haven for the New Year's celebration.

He watched as his fellow Koroks made the necessary preparations. Koroks were unlike any other creature the great sea. Each appeared to be no more than a hollowed out stick of varying shape and length, though none ever appeared taller than a young child. Their faces shaped from the leaves of the different specie of tree that once filled the forests of Hyrule. Makar's own leaf, was in the appearance of a deku leaf; heart shaped with small holes for his eyes and mouth. Because Makar was ever curious the Great Deku, Guardian of the Forests and father of all the forest spirits explained to him why Fado, the late Forest Sage appeared as a child and not as Makar did.

Before the rains came and flooded Hyrule, the Great Deku collected the then child like Kokiri and embarked on an epic journey. Epic because as a rooted thing; it took a long time for the great tree to climb the mountain near his forest. Even after the rains came, he moved forward up the mountain and upon reaching it crest, he released the forest spirits back into the world. Their long 'sleep' had changed them into the shapes they held to this day. Their guiding fairies had become a part of them and the ability of his children to use his leaves and twigs to fly manifested. Though they often still acted and thought as a ten-year-old child, the experience had changed them.

Makar looked at his violin and bow. Both were normal sized and towered over him, but he never had trouble finding the notes he needed when he found a new song. As he did every year, Makar made up a new song. When all was ready and it was time, the song he had prepared wasn't the song he played. Instead, a soft melody came from his violin that made even the Great Deku Tree look at him in surprise.

When the others flew away with their seeds the Great Tree said, "Makar, where did you learn that song?"

"I'm not sure, it just seemed to play itself."

"The song you played is one I have not heard for many years and did not remember it until I heard it again," the tree paused listening, "Yes even now I can hear it."

"Where do you think it's coming from?"

"I do not know the winds in this area are very fickle."

"But who could be playing it?"

"Again, I do not have an answer for you, but to me it sounds more like someone singing than playing an instrument."

"Singing?"

"Yes."

Makar listened closer as the notes floated through the Forest Haven and tried the song out again. After a few tries he decided he knew it well enough to be able to play it without hearing it again. "I wonder what it's trying to get us to remember?"

"It may not be a thing at all, but perhaps a person. Much knowledge has been lost since the flooding of the land." the Great Tree said and smiled at him. "Perhaps it is best if you set out for the Wind Temple this evening."

"Alright," he said, "do you think I should practice it?"

"Yes, this song is one you should learn well. It is the Song of Reminiscence."

"Reminiscence?"

"A song of power from a forgotten time, it allows a listener to recover memories lost or confused by time or magic."

"I will do my best Great Deku Tree."

"You have never done less little one."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<div align='center'>Letters from home</div>

Link picked the first letter in the pile. It was Tetra's and she wrote very clearly on the envelope:

<div align='center'>LINK, DON'T OPEN THIS FOR AT LEAST
24 HOURS AFTER YOU GET IT.</div>

He almost opened just to spite her, but thought better of it and shoved it in his pocket to help him resist the urge to do so. He picked up Aryll's letter next, it was sealed with a wax impression of a seagull he smiled and opened it.

Hoy Big Brother!

I sure hope Jake finds you and Al in a hurry. Gonzo's and the others are
here, but Tetra and Niko are still missing (You're never gonna believe
how they got the ship in the cave!) Senza thinks they all got trapped
because when Tetra's mother died they swore and oath to stay with her.
Anyway, she resigned as Captain and turned the ship over to Gonzo.
They figure Niko is the only member of the crew still with her but
they're not sure why.

Anyway they wanted me to tell you she still has your bow and a few
other things were missing. She took one of the longboats and the
Grandma think she maybe headed for Headstone. Though I'm not
sure if it'll do any good cause they were all on the ship when you
first found it, and if you couldn't see them then how is Medli going
to? Well, back to the news, the parchments enclosed are the ones
from Tetra's cabin Gonzo says he can't read them but figures you
may be able to.

Be careful,

Love Aryll

P.S. Gonzo says I should tell you that Tetra was in the cabin with you
when Al first showed up, but says no one saw him arrive, and she
disappeared a little while after that.

Link unfolded the parchments and looked at the carefully written words, that's a lot of information to stuff into such a small space he thought. It'll take me weeks to decipher all of this, he thought. Saimon flew over and settled on top of Link's newly acquired hat, "Hey! That's really old, where did you get it?"

"Gonzo sent it."

"The pirate?"

"Yes he and the others are on Outset."

"With the Princess?" he glowed a bright green color. "We should go there."

"No Saimon, Tetra's not with them," he said still looking at the parchment, "Can you read this?"

Saimon floated over the writing. "Yes."

"Any chance you could do it out loud?"

"Is that necessary?"

Link was starting to understand why Al always seemed to be fighting with him. "It would be helpful."

"Okay!"

*****
It is said, having appeared by crossing time
this person was called the Hero of Time, and
became a legend in the kingdom. A time later,
the kingdom that had been thought to have had
its peace returned, again, had dark clouds
standing over it.
*****
Saimon stopped reading and flew up into his hat. Link sighed, he could tell there was more information on the page and said "Saimon, you know how I found out about the tekuragari and I'm guessing but did your name used to be Kage?"

Saimon popped out of the hat and hung in the air "How can you know this?"

"That is a strange story all by itself."

"The Fairy Queen told you?"

"No Saimon, but sometimes the goddesses have strange ways of getting information to me, or maybe it was the King of Red Lions, he promised me information once." the fairy did not reply, "Yeah I know it's weird and I don't understand all of it yet, but these parchments might help. Anyway, will you finish this page?"

"Yes."

*****

The one who held the evil power,
who had been thought to have
been sealed forever by the
efforts of the hero, revived
with no reason.
*****

Link pulled out the other parchment and Saimon continued reading.

*****
Though the people waited eagerly
for the hero of the Legend to once
again appear, the hero had put the
country behind him, and journeyed
into the flows of time,
and never appeared.

*****

But he did come back, but know one remembered it, except a pair of fairies, himself and maybe the Fairy Queen.
*****

With no one to protect them,
evil began to draw near even
the royal palace. The people,
finally entrusted the fates of
the entire land into the hands
of the gods.
*****

Once finished Saimon seemed to lose some of his brightness so he ducked back out of sight in his hat. Link had been mulling over his choices since the night before and knew that if he went to Mother and Child Island there was no guarantee that the Fairy Queen would appear or even acknowledge his presence. It was odd to him though that Jabun hadn't mentioned what Saimon said regarding the Gods of Water, Wind and Air. Someone had taken Al's memories from him, but Link doubted it was any of those deities. Something about all of it just wasn't quite right. He also hoped he would have enough time to worry about that later. He picked up the last letter from Orca.

***********

Link,

Flight of Gulls: assume structure. intercept and destroy. face. stop. as needed adjust/chase. break.

and never underestimate the power of a well-balanced stick,

Orca

Orca was obviously trying to tell him something specific, but why not attack? He thought about the things he had recently learned and about what Orca was trying to tell him. He's probably been talking to his Grandma and wanted to remind him of the basic forms. He concluded that the long and short of that was sometimes the best offense was a better defense and if Orca had taken the time to write out that list of reminders. He stood up, closed his eyes and dredged up the Flight of Gulls form he had learned when he was small.

One hand out and ready, the other ready to defend. Looking at his arms he realized he was out of position and pulled in his defending elbow remembering the times Orca had caught them sticking out. Shoulders, hips and feet set but not stuck. Size up your opponent and look for queues but don't look at their face. Counter or interfere with blows but do not attack. Move closer as needed to throw an opponent off balance, disarm or disable. He worked through a series of blocking techniques, though this was a little difficult without an opponent. Each time he repeated the form it got a little easier to repeat the steps. Now what was that about a stick? He smiled and thought,It ought to be interesting anyway.

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