Blighted Memories

Chapter 39. As It Once Was

It was only for an instant, but the thick fog that resided in Dark Link's realm completely obscured his vision. Link found himself in a foggy void, with so little visibility that it felt as though he'd stepped into a small room with no way to escape—or perhaps it was more akin to him stepping into the jaws of a monstrous beast ready to swallow him whole.

The fog surrounded him everywhere on all sides. But as soon as it came, it cleared all around him, without a trace.

A gasp caught in Link's throat as he stared at his surroundings. His body froze in shock. His mouth quivered as it hung agape.

He frantically turned in all directions, desperately trying to make sense of them. The sights around him...no, it was more than just the sights. It was everything. Everything about this was horribly wrong!

He wanted to scream. He wanted to faint. He wanted to vomit. Yet the shock had completely overridden any of these responses.

The sun shone brightly in the clear blue sky above him, bathing the streets and buildings in light. It was a pleasant temperature, one that was perfect for almost anything. People of all ages bustled about, either strolling or hustling to some unknown destination, or filling the silence with hearty chatter amongst their friends. Link could faintly smell baking bread on the gentle wind, and nearby flowers that were in bloom, scents he used to smell almost every day.

The canals carried fresh water from the nearby rivers to everywhere it was needed, be it for the crops that wouldn't survive without the irrigation or for a poor beggar in need of a drink. Soldiers were at their posts, prepared for a confrontation with any monster. The castle loomed in the distance. The fountain in the plaza drew people around it, who were enjoying the mesmerizing movements of the spraying water or found it the perfect place to eat a packed lunch during a break from their workplace. From the balconies of homes, clothes were set out to dry. The cobblestone roads and bridges over the artificial rivers created walkways that would guide the people to anywhere they wished, with signs aiding those at a crossroad. The walls encircling the realm rose high, protecting everything within.

Link was standing in Castle Town; as it once was.

The more he stood there, taking in everything around him, the further he sunk into something akin to paralysis. Even his thoughts ceased flowing, in its place nothing but fog. He was fully capable of moving and thinking, and yet, he felt as though he couldn't do either. Not with everything around him.

A person wordlessly and unceremoniously pushing him aside snapped him out of that unmoving state. He stumbled, and with the momentum he gained from it, he finally started walking. His steps were small and reserved, but he was finally moving forward.

Link had no idea where exactly he was walking to. He just went forward, with no plan in mind, looking and listening. Thoughts flickered in the void of his mind.

What's...going on? I'm...I'm here again...

Faces he'd seen around town hundreds, thousands, maybe even millions of times walked past him as though everything were the same. Places he'd visited every now and then were standing, despite the fact Link had personally seen some crumble. No Calamity. No strife. No death. No suffering. No destruction. It was the same old town. His same old home.

This isn't right...this isn't right...

Link walked onward slowly. He gazed upward at the castle's tallest tower. Ganon wasn't circling there. It was just the same clear sky he'd always seen, free from evil. The castle was back to normal. It was back to how it was supposed to be.

The castle...

Link continued on, intending to take the road to the castle. He had to get there. It was his duty.