Nagori, Saimon and Senkyoku - A Wind Waker Tale

A/N: and so - on to the next...I do realize the conversation between Delia and her alter 'Kei' is confusing, jumbled...for me - oddly familiar...now you know how she feels...


Chapter 24:
Chances Are...

Kei sat restless, but still gently rocked while she fiddled with the pendant. The sound of a slamming door made her jump and her thoughts turned to the fairy. Senkyoku remained unusually silent, though she often quieted when *coward* Hito was around. For weeks, Kei had endured the fairy's unrelenting shouts for her to come to her senses. Stupid fairy, didn't she realize she had? She was meant to be *dark* whom and what she was now.

Still, she missed the harping. At the very least, it helped to distract her from the disturbing voices and sounds. *stupid fairy* that were ever present in her mind *run* and seemed to be raging unabated now. Even Delia remained silent. Perhaps she had finally *quitter* given up. Perhaps, she had been hushed by seeing Dalkin here *surprise!* in this time. She felt a moment of impatience, why was he being so *jerk* damn difficult? Well, it really was only a matter of time before Mei won through she thought contented.

Kei fidgeted and poked at the floor. Delia was gone and it was good to *liar* be free of her, but Kei seethed inwardly when she thought of that man. Not at all, like her love. How could she *dolt* have married that idiot fisherman? Always shouting and raving at her. Stupid pitiful lump of a man, *weak* she even bore him three children, all girls. Simpering brats! How could she believe *he did* that man loved her? Stupid! Stupid! Stupid girl! Kei pounded on her knees in frustration. I would have ruled over those simpletons! Never once did she make use of her magic to make her life easier.

For years, Kei struggled to get Delia under control. She used all *chump* the tricks that worked so well when they were small, but Delia proved stronger than Kei ever anticipated. Senkyoku was the cause of all her failures, but see where you are now? *stupid fairy!* That all changed the day Hito returned. *dimwit* It wasn't until he threatened to take her brats away and use them instead of her did she see the right of it. Delia ran like a scared rabbit then. c r a s h Ha! She even abandoned her precious family and Kei knew her chance at freedom was coming. That's when she planted *it'll work!* the idea for that spell in her head.

One thing Kei never discovered was how Delia managed to contact Dalkin without her ever knowing. However, even that was working to her advantage. Delia had to have of known that old man he would be caught, so why? Perhaps she still held out hope of rescue. No, Delia knew, once Mei was in control of her brother, the daemon would be reborn. However, not as it was when they were children, weak and obedient, but the fully realized shadow.

Every person young and old die would cringe at the sight. It would be glorious! Kei felt her eye twitch and forced herself to release the clenched smile she'd held too long. She rubbed her jaw and thought, best of all she and Hito would be together then, forever and Kei hugged her legs harder to control her trembling. Somewhere in her mind, she felt resistance to that idea and she focused all of her scattered attention on it. Kei chased that thought down, for it amused her to no end the amount of torment it caused Delia.

(I know you can hear me Delia) Kei called over an echo of breaking glass. (Without that tag, you're nothing because you know this is our destiny.) She heard the sounds of weeping and followed it. Hoping to push Delia more she thought, (And you made it all possible. Ha ha hahahaha)

The lament stopped and an eerie quiet fell. Kei felt her eye twitch. She was so unused to silence. Delia was up to something. (Why are you hiding from me?) Kei demanded of her alter. After a few more moments, her own voice answered, but this voice sounded sad, calm, and utterly without hope.

*As always, you misunderstand us. We will not hide as we mourn our loss. We are on the edge. One misstep, that's all it will take and there will be no way to be redeemed.*

(Stupid girl, I don't need to be. You know this is how it was meant to be.)

*Is it? It's sad that we don't see how we will fail in the end.*

(I won't fail, you're just being dramatic because you've lost the fight.)

*Yes, this fight is done, but not the war. The Goddesses will aide the Hero and we will be powerless to stop our coming destruction.*

(Ha! That idiot boy? And so what if the Princess has managed to escape the trap we set? She served her purpose. It will just make our victory that much more sweet!)

*Hito told us to be on our guard, yet we continue to believe we will succeed without a struggle. He has reason to be wary. Again, we underestimate them, Kei. He's lost the princess again, and all of his grand plans will come to nothing in the end. It's almost as if we're doomed to complete the drama we began all those years ago. We only hope this time it will come to its proper ending.*

The image of Delia stepped suddenly from behind a piece of broken memory, and stood calmly in front of her. Kei retreated a little, she wanted her alter to run from her. It was Delia's fear that made Kei strong enough to hold her other self back, but Delia's fear was waning and Kei wondered why. (If you're so sure we're done for, why have you been hiding?)

*We and Dalkin were destined to be the Shadow's children. Disobedient, difficult, vain and almost without compassion, we really were children only parents could love.*

(You're a stupid liar!)

*Are we?* Delia fell silent. *No, we can longer lie to ourselves. The fight is too painful and we have our answer...*

(You don't know anything...)

*We truly wish that we did not. We used to remember being happy once. Perhaps, if we'd been kinder to him, kept him close in our heart...perhaps we could have stopped...what came after. We surely did not deserve the happiness he brought into our lives.*

(Happiness? Oh please spare me. You have never been happy.) Kei cackled. (That lunatic you married terrorized you for years and you ran like a scared rabbit the first chance you got.)

*Yes, Delia let fear force us into making bad choices.* Delia's image became very determined and she said, *It will not happen again.*

(You sound like Dalkin. He still thinks he can resist the shadow's call.)

*Perhaps he will. Mei has yet to show himself. We are now at cross purposes for the part of us that is Delia will continue to pray to the Goddesses to finish what should have happened all those years ago, and we know what that means.*

Kei felt a wave of panic and said in disbelief, (But Hito needs us...)

*He never needed us and he does not love us. We were merely a tool, to be used and cast aside once we've been used up. That was something we never saw as children. But the passage of time has shown us that he only wanted the power that was taken from him.* Delia looked at her other self with pity, *We know the truth of it Kei, we were never meant to live past childhood.*

(Shut up! You're wrong!) This was not going the way it should; Delia should be a puddle of emotion by now. But she wasn't and Kei lashed out at her alter, screaming at her, (I'll find them! I'll kill them as I should have when they were born!)

*Threats won't work anymore, Kei, for we are only threatening ourselves. We feel it...That wound within our heart that just won't heal...* Delia sighed and reached out to her other self. Kei felt that twitch coming on and shrunk away. How could she know about that?

(Why are you doing this? You're supposed to give up! You'll never be free of me!)

*We know that. Though for us, this realization comes too late...*

(Your powerless, you can't even help yourself.)

*In that alone you are correct, we have sunk low. We don't have to tell ourselves that, but even if the part that is Kei does not see it now, she will and the end for us is near.*

(You're crazy!)

*Yes, it has been brought to our attention.*

(How can you be so stupid? Why can't you see this our destiny?)

An unexpected smirk crossed the image of Delia's face and she said, *We just realized, that Kei sounds much like our daughters.*[/i]

(I am nothing like those brats of yours.)

*We are one self. We see now the part of us that is Delia grew up some time ago, while the part of us that is Kei still thinks as a child. Of course, it's easier to control a child and that is the way Hito likes it, right? We know what Kei's hopes are, her childish dreams. We can see them all. We have sensed the Shadow's building frustration. How long before he turns that anger on us?[/i]

Kei felt her eye twitch a little faster. (Stupid girl! I should have destroyed what remained of you when I had the chance.)

*Yes, that would have been the proper end of it.*

(Why aren't you afraid? Senkyoku is gone! You have no hope! Taste the bitterness of losing all you ever held dear!)

*Senkyoku, yes, our confidant and only true friend. She worked so hard and held us together and we rewarded her devotion with our betrayal to Hito. It is for the best that she is not here with us...*

(What are you talking about, she's right here) Kei said as she held out the crystal pendant.

Kei's alter image smiled at her then and continued, *She lives in our heart, and that is something even Hito cannot take from us. We have not lost everything, there is always hope. We were granted a chance at redemption...by the grace of a very good man. A chance we do not intend to waste.*

Kei fled from Delia's image. Slamming shut the doors in her mind in an attempt to push out her other self's voice.

*As you reminded me from the beginning of all this...we cannot run from ourselves, we are all we have left.*


<div align='center'>***************************************
Earth</div>

Medli sat at the center of the glowing Triforce symbol of the Earth Temple when the half transparent image of LaRuto appeared before her. "Earth Sage," the ghost said in her calm, willowy voice. "I have come to warn you."

"About what?"

"The Shadow is on its way here, and it would be better if you were not."

"But how can I leave?" Medli asked feeling a little panicked. "Shouldn't I stay here to..."

"If you remain here the shadow will kill you," LaRuto said flatly. "Neither you or your friends will be able to stand against it." LaRuto said. Her voice sounded impatient and Medli knew the former Sage was remembering something from the past. "If you wish to live, you will leave this place at once."

Medli nodded. "Where will I go?"

"The Tower."

"But, when the Pearls were returned to the guardians it disappeared back into the sea."

LaRuto's voice returned to her usual reassuring tone as she said, "Have faith Earth Sage, Hyrule's Princess is working to correct this. Two of the three are already in place. Do not delay any longer than necessary. Good luck to you, Medli." And faded from view.

She stared at the Triforce as it glowed brightly on the sand. Everything was moving so quickly, Komali and Quill had only just left her a few hours before and Tetra had already managed to get two of the Pearls back to their islands. She wondered which is still missing? It didn't really matter. Medli stood up and hurried through the Temple, and stopped only once to gather a few items from her quarters, then dashed toward the exit.

As Medli passed through a final set of thick metal doors before the exit, she stopped. This was her Temple and she could sense when anything entered. Something had and whatever it was, it was definitely not friendly. Medli shuddered as she felt the hatred as it oozed over her consciousness and almost froze in panic. She looked quickly around for a place to hide in the barren antechamber and glancing up she remembered the switch atop one of the higher pillars. Medli sent a silent thank you to whoever it was that designed this place. They certainly knew what they were doing. The pillars in the room gave the appearance of reaching all the way to the vaulted ceiling. In reality, almost all ended just short of it. She recalled how it vexed Link when they first came here all those years ago.

She flew to the top of the nearest and lay atop the switch that would unlock the door she just came through. The heavy metal tumblers released and the Earth Sage ducked back when the main entry on the other side opened. Medli focused on the wall and tried to empty her head of anything that might give away her hiding place. She suppressed the urge to scream when the Shadow's thoughts raked the area below her. When it found nothing, it moved further into her Temple.

Medli remained atop the switch with her heart pounding, she knew it wouldn't take the shadow long to figure out she was not within. She also knew when she left the switch the door leading to the main Temple would lock. She dared not wait, even though the sound of the lock was sure to alert the shadow of her whereabouts. After a deep breath, Medli leapt from the pillar straight for the still open exit. Without hesitation, she flew directly toward the portal's shimmering light.

She got ready, Medli already knew the portal would send her out at a high rate of speed and she didn't want to crash into the cave walls above. Hitting the light, she sensed the sudden updraft, and felt the thrill of speed as her momentum increased. Several moblins still lingered near the entrance and thankfully; none were within her direct line of flight. Already moving quickly, she passed them without incident as she banked and flew south toward Outset Island. Link might be there and she needed to talk to him. Medli shuddered when in the back of her mind the sound of an angry shout almost made her spin out of control. She righted herself and sent a prayer to the Goddesses to look after Makar.

<div align='center'>***************************************
Wind</div>

Makar waited for the large monster, Link had called a moblin, to go by before making his way out of his Temple. Near the shore other, smaller monsters waited. He needed to get to the highest cliff without being seen. The Wind Sage hid himself behind some rocks and pulled out the violin. The instrument towered over the korok, as he played, a special song taught to him by the Deku Tree many years before. Its haunting melody sounded like a lullaby and Makar knew it caused the listener to either fall asleep or become so confused they would get lost. Makar found it was the best way to keep the unwary from gaining entrance to the Forest Haven without damaging them. Soon the bokoblins near the water began to lean on their weapons as they gave into the magic of the violin.

Only when he was sure they had all fallen asleep, did the wind sage come out from behind the rocks. Makar looked up at the cliff, being no more than a foot and a half tall, allowed him to avoid being seen by the monsters within the Temple, but it was proving to be a problem for him now. He looked back at the sleeping monsters on the beach and tossed five deku seeds behind them. As each hit the sandy soil, a tree sprouted and grew with impressive speed. Even with the aid of his Forest Spirit magic, none reached their normal height, probably because he had placed them too near the sea. He apologized to the trees for he knew they would not survive long.

When the monsters first came to his Temple, Makar had been near the top. He enjoyed examining the archaic equipment there. The noise made by the monsters frightened him at first, but as often as not, the ghost of the former sage, Fado, would come to explain this and that or tell him stories or just to keep him company. When Fado appeared to him this time, it was with a warning.

Something evil had entered the Temple and the ghost told Makar he should remain where he was until the former sage returned for him. So Makar waited and on the third day Fado returned. He wore a look of grave concern. It was then that Fado told him the story. The one he never told, though Makar had always been curious. It was the account of the last days of the former sage. Of the shadow's children and their fiery daemon. Fado told Makar how he'd used every trick the Deku Tree ever taught him to try and escape, but all was for naught.

Makar heard a noise behind him and turned to see a bokoblin as it headed toward him with its machete raised. Makar raised his propeller and tried to fly off, but was stopped by something caught on his foot. The Wind Sage looked and discovered it was a crab. Seconds later, he was surrounded by several others and struggled as they began to pull him under the sand. Violin and bow were easily taken from him and Makar knew there was no use fighting them. He ceased his struggle and the crabs dragged him under the ground as the bokoblin's weapon came down.

Being made up primarily of bark and twigs, Makar discovered that being underground didn't seem to do him any harm. He relaxed and was surprised to find the crabs moved him through the sands very quickly, though he had no idea where they were taking him. They pushed and pulled him along for quite a long time and though the Sage held the outward appearance of a tree, he feared he was about to understand what it meant to be planted.

Makar felt an odd relief as he felt himself moving toward the surface again. He burst through with a shower of sand and found himself in a small cave. He was startled when his violin and bow popped out nearby. As a group, the crabs lined up before him. Makar bowed and they gave him a crab claw salute and disappeared back beneath the sands.

The sage looked around, but didn't see any way out of the cave they'd brought him to. Well, he wondered, now what? He gathered up his things and paused when he heard a familiar voice whisper. It repeated up...up...up, so he looked in that direction. It was dark and shadowy, but there was nothing it seemed to stop him from going that direction and he couldn't go back the way he came so... up it was. With a hop and a jump, his propeller pulled him higher and higher.

He stopped a time or two because he needed to rest and looked up again. Still no end in sight, and Makar sat on the ledge and pulled out his violin. He played the song of Reminiscence, never a bad time for a little practice he thought. Even though he knew he was remembering right, each time Makar played it, the song sounded just a little different. Especially in this tunnel, this time it was happier and less sad. He thought that curious and it was one of the reasons he practiced it so often. When he felt rested, Makar continued his upward journey into the darkness.

<div align='center'>***************************************
Fire</div>

Link woke with a start to the smell of smoke, and bolted upright as he realized, his house was on fire. Master Sturgeon lay slumped over his book and the increasing heat only left Link time to grab his pack, the book and old man and bust through the door. They rolled to a stop several feet away and Link could only watch as his home was consumed in an unnatural blue fire.

He was only vaguely aware of his neighbors as they came up behind him. Master Sturgeon lay beside him, but the old man didn't stir. Link gently turned the elder over on his back, just as Sue Belle made her way through the crowd. She dropped down next to her Grandfather and felt his face and put her hand over his heart. Her expression changed rapidly from one of worry to a look of total grief and despair. She looked at him and cried, "Link, what have you done?"

Link's mouth dropped open, "Sue Belle you don't think I would...?" but from the look on her face, she clearly did. Link scanned the faces of the others and knew from their expressions they'd come to the same conclusion as her. "Please, you have to believe me..." Link stopped when he could see it was useless to argue and did not struggle as the tied him to a tree nearby. Head bowed, Link closed his eyes and mourned with Sue Belle the death of her Grandfather.

His pack and Master Sturgeon's book were thrown somewhere nearby and as the sun sunk lower in the sky, Link could only sit and watch as his home burned and tried to puzzle out why. He was running out of time even faster than he thought and from the look of it; things were going to get messy. So far his enemy had managed to stay one step ahead and continued to throw a lot of incidental information in front of him to keep him occupied and unfocused. Tetra said a shadow followed him to Outset...his thoughts stopped for a moment. If Tetra was on the island then...he wondered if she still was...or even how she'd managed it.

The fire destroying his home flared and Link realized those letters had been a trap, and a nasty one, but why bother with Master Sturgeon? Link wished he knew what the old guy had been looking for. The rustle of leaves in the bush near him, caused Link to try unsuccessfully to turn his head. He sighed. It's going to be a long day, he thought. The bushes rustled again, only this time they spoke.

"Link?" a small voice whispered.

Link recognized the voice and whispered, "Zill?"

"Shhhhhh!" the boy said and the bushes fell silent as someone walk by them. When they were alone again Zill said, "I wanted to tell you something."

"Won't you get into trouble if the others catch you talking to me?"

"Probably, but...I wanted to let you to know...I've decided."

Link's young cousin just turned twelve years old and was already to leave the quiet shores of Outset for the great wide world in search for adventure. The boy soaked up information like a sponge, and was a favorite student of Master Sturgeon, but Link worried sometimes about Zill's impulsive nature. Link always tried to be careful with what he said around Zill. Otherwise, the boy was apt to take what Link said and do something foolish, so Link said, "And what have you decided?"

"To forgive you for trying to blow us up."

Link winced, one stupid...he clunked his head on the tree, Link moved his shoulder a little to get a kink out and tried to moved his hands a little. His fingers were falling asleep and Link was startled when he felt something cold pressed up against one of them. Link felt the edge it was sharp. A knife?

"Take this." Zill whispered and the bush paused as another person walked by.

"Zill, why are you doing this? I'm tied up because the others think I killed someone."

"My dad says I should always stick with what I believe to be right. I believe in you, you could have lied to me or made up some excuse...but you didn't. So... If you say you didn't hurt Master Sturgeon, then I believe you."

"Thanks, Zill, I appreciate that."

"There's one other thing." Link heard some movement to his left. "Your Grandma wanted me to give a package when you came home. I put it in your pack."

"What is it?"

The bushes answered, "Don't know."

Link nodded and thanked Zill again. The bushes fell silent so Link turned his attention to the ropes that held him to the tree. He knew if he left now, he would only be cementing in just about everyone's heads that he was, in fact, a murderer. However, Link also knew, he couldn't remain on Outset for much longer. What ever was stalking him probably wasn't going to be subtle anymore. If he stayed, more people would end up getting hurt and that was something he wasn't about to let happen.

It was late in the season but it was still winter, soon it would be dark and Link sighed. The rope his neighbors used sure was thick. He continued to saw at them and eventually cut through one. Concentrating on his task, and not thinking about anything in particular Link paused when he suddenly realized what killed Master Sturgeon. His gaze wandered up the beach and he stared at the house shared by Sue Belle and her Grandfather.

"I am such an idiot..." Link muttered as he thought of what Tetra said about the shadow that followed him onto the island. Sue Belle was right it really was his fault.

"Kage."

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

© 1999 - 2024 Zelda Legends. All Rights Reserved.