Welcome! It's been some time, huh? Sorry it took me so long to finally get the sequel story of The Fierce God Given Life onto here. It won't be the whole story all at once, but I'll be sure to get it onto here faster than I did last time! Please enjoy!
-Jooostan
A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 1: My Running Around is Through
The rift between worlds had finally been cracked. A gate that opened to other eras stood before its creators. Two sinister cackles resonated around the arena. For a good long minute.
"It's finally working!" One of the figures shouted, raising their arms into the air. Their cohort next to them only scoffed, annoyance lining their voice. They slapped their companion upside the head.
"Don't be so foolish. We need to get serious, now!" The other was quite stern. A lot of magic had been used just to open this gateway. They couldn't mess this up after they had gotten so far.
The former was the first to step into the rift, and they found themselves adrift in time and deep within the embers of twilight for a split second until arriving at their desired destination. The barrier of this great palace was no match for the dark magic the figure held, shattering it like glass in just one strike.
They, alongside their companion, captured the first beast they wanted to unleash with ease. The mighty eagle had its legendary power tampered with, rendered almost dead before it was restored on the other side of the portal. The invulnerability it usually possessed was taken down. The creature comprised of thunder was at their mercy.
Soon, their revenge upon this wretched land would be fulfilled, all because of that boy who somehow knew of their plans. It took nearly five years of research, experimentation and magic to make this portal a reality. The kingdom would be brought to its knees.
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The little mouse scurried across the floor of the kitchen, searching for food of any kind. Making its way under the counter by the boiling stove, it stopped all movement when it felt huge footsteps. They were distant at first, however they grew more and more powerful each second. All it could see were some brown boots approaching from the entrance.
"Don't worry, Mom, I'll get it." The person spoke up, dashing towards the cupboard above the counter. They opened the cabinet and rummaged around, searching for something.
"Thank you, honey!" A voice replied nervously, unseen to this little mouse that sat on the floor.
While the person was preoccupied, the rodent dashed back to the wall and climbed up the back of the wooden leg and reached the top of the counter. The little animal could now see a beige tunic, belonging to a tall figure, their face still obscured by a pot hanging from a hook on the cupboard. Slowly making its way into view, it gazed upon a blonde teenager.
"Hm? Oh! Hey, little buddy." The 16-year-old directed his attention to the mouse. "You're probably hungry, huh?"
The young man put down the large object he retrieved and reached across the counter to grab a slice of bread. He tore off a small piece and rolled it up into a little ball the size of a large crumb and then presented it to the mouse. Without a second to lose, the animal snatched it up and held the food protectively. The person before it could only chuckle.
Extending his hand, the boy had earned the mouse's trust, and it climbed on. Guiding his hand towards the little hole below the window, he let the mouse return to where it normally resided.
"Feels good to be back, doesn't it?" The young lad said, smiling wide as the mouse disappeared. He put his hands on his hips for a second as he grinned downwards.
"Link? Are you coming with that pan?" The voice from earlier called for him again. He could tell his mom was getting really desperate for a savior now, and he needed to help out with the problem she faced.
"Sorry, just a moment!" Link said, grabbing the pan he laid on the counter, sprinting back to his mother in Granny's Room. Anju was still keeping off the floor, frozen in fear while hiding atop the desk chair. She took care in staying away from the large spider that scurried along near the fireplace.
"Where is it?" Link burst through the door and held the pan defensively, looking around frantically. Anju pointed to where the spider resided, and Link slowly approached the arachnid.
Before the menace could strike, Link bashed it with the frying pan.
"Hiya!"
After a moment, Link lifted the pan and looked at the remains of the spider with disgust. "I'll clean this up..."
Link left for the kitchen again and Anju finally calmed down. She stepped down from the chair and took a few deep breaths. After a quick shudder, her son came back with a towel to sop up the mess.
"Thank you, honey." Anju said to the teen before leaving the room. Link smiled back and put the dirty towel in the basket to be washed later. Then he went back to his room, his girlfriend waiting for him. This was her only day off from work, and she was determined to spend as much as she could with Link.
"Sorry about that..." Link said nervously, his hand going to the back of his neck by instinct. He walked past old his sword and shield that lay propped up on the wall near the bookcase, not even giving them any thought. A large layer of dust covered them, making it almost impossible to tell that the Mirror Shield had a face on it.
"It's alright, Grasshopper!" Romani replied, extending her arms for a hug. Link didn't hesitate to embrace her, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her on the lips.
"So, what did I miss?" Link asked, parting the kiss and peering through the window again. He saw Jim and his new girlfriend, Pamela, still holding hands just outside the inn.
"Not much. Pam did lean her head onto Jim's shoulder though!" Romani explained. The two teens giggled; they knew they shouldn't be spying on Clock Town's newest couple, but after so long of trying to get the two together, they couldn't resist.
Link knew Pamela personally. He did save her father from becoming a Gibdo all those years ago, but he could tell she was... troubled. She needed companionship. Someone to love her enough to help her love herself, in a way her father couldn't. Ikana Canyon wasn't the most populated place. And with Jim's spunky attitude, he and Romani figured they'd be good for each other.
"Hmmm... Do you have any ideas on what they'll do next?" Link asked Romani. She thought for a second until shrugging. Before Link could give his own idea, Romani suddenly had something pop into her head.
"Ooo! Maybe they'll go and play one of the games together!" Romani chirped, pointing towards the Treasure Chest Shop. Link giggled at the idea of the two working together like them. Soon enough, Romani proved to be correct, as Jim whispered something into Pamela's ear and then they took off to the shop.
"Job well done!" Link said, raising his hand in the air and waiting for a high-five. Romani wasted no time giving him what he desired before sitting down onto the bed across from them.
"So... Now what?" Romani asked in a sing-song voice. Link recognized that look in her eyes. She wanted to ride.
"Oh no, not now." Link said, a stutter washing over him.
"Oh come on, Grasshopper! It's been so long!" Romani whined. She was determined to get what she wanted. After a moment of doe eyes from his girlfriend, Link caved in.
The couple left the inn and made their way to North Clock Town. Epona, fitted with a new saddle, was right in her stable where she liked to be. The second she spotted Link and Romani, she neighed with excitement.
"Hey girl! How've you been?" Link rubbed the side of Epona's face, scratching away the itch that usually came around behind her ear.
"Hi Epona!" Romani greeted the horse, stroking her mane tenderly.
Link fed his loyal steed an apple he grabbed from the kitchen before he left, and Romani climbed onto her back. Her boyfriend joined her soon after, making sure the gate was unlocked and open so Epona could leave. Giving her a gentle kick, she trotted out of North Clock Town and into Termina Field.
The spring breeze flew through the hair the horse riders as they went along. The winter snow had completely melted by now, and it was only about a month-and-a-half until the next Carnival of Time, and Link's 17th birthday. While he had never known his real birthday, some convincing from Anju and Kafei persuaded him to consider that fateful day when his new life in Termina really began as his special day.
Link sighed, enjoying the view of the field as they rounded towards the south. Epona grew into a canter and Romani looked out at the road to the Southern Swamp. Everything was as it should be in Termina. There hadn't been any sort of threat ever since the Garo all those years ago. While Jim and Skull Kid still carried their own weapons around just in case, Link hadn't touched his sword, shield, or many of his masks in years. His green tunic was still the size it was when he was twelve.
Epona was galloping by now. Link directed her to the road to the Southern Swamp. He wanted to visit a certain fairy and friends. It had been nearly a month since he last took the time to visit.
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Tatl was reading a book. It was propped up against the wall and she had to fly up to the edge of the page to turn it, but she managed. Her concentration was broken when she heard the clopping of hooves near the porch. She knew who it was.
"Link!" Tatl exclaimed, flying right into her friend's arms. Tatl had grown a little bit in the years since the battle against the Garo. However, her personality was still as snarky as ever.
"What brings the great dork and his girlfriend here?" Tatl asked, resting her hands on her hips.
"I just... felt like visiting." Link smiled with modesty. He and Romani disembarked from Epona, and she trotted over to the little pond for a quick drink.
"Is that who I think it is?" A voice came from the door to the hut. When Link saw the mask he had carved during that Carnival all those years ago, his smile grew tenfold. Skull Kid walked to the teenager in beige and gave him a hug.
"Hey, Skull Kid. Sorry I haven't been able to come by lately." Link said as he parted from the little imp. He hadn't grown much but being made out of wood didn't provide much in the way of physical changes. His staff remained almost eternally connected to his grasp, but it hardly mattered.
Finally, the third of the hut trio came outside to see what all the commotion was. Tael's face lit up as soon as he saw the visitors.
"Link, Romani! It's great to see you!" Tael said, rushing over to sit himself atop Link's head and wave to the ranch woman.
"It's good to see you all too!" Romani said, bringing Skull Kid in for a hug and extending her finger for Tatl to shake. "It's been a while!"
Romani's natural vibe brought a smile to everyone's face. Heading inside, Link was astonished how much the living area had changed since he last visited. Skull Kid must've taken a few lessons in carpentry, as there was new furniture all around made from the wood of a few of the trees outside. Of course, he made sure to plant some new saplings.
The entire time Link looked at the new furniture, Skull Kid was beaming with pride. He knew just how to impress his friend. Romani took pleasure in sitting down on the nearest sturdy chair, shifting a bit to get comfortable.
"This is really nice! Romani's butt is perfectly comfy!" Romani's bluntness made Link go red in the cheeks, and the fairy siblings giggled away at his expense. Sitting down next to his girlfriend, Link admired the surprising neatness of the hut.
"So, whatcha think?" Tatl asked the teens, gesturing towards the rest of the room and the furniture dotted across it. A slight sense of eagerness was present in her voice. A lot of planning had gone into how well the room was laid out.
"This... This is great!" Link chuckled, looking around. "It's really well put together! I'm proud of you, Tatl."
Link had gotten used to talking a lot more. Ever since he defeated the Maestro of the Garo, a part of his personality felt like it had been freed, and he could be more open to others than he had before. It was nice. When he spotted the photo of him, Tatl, Tael, and Skull Kid he took during the fall a few years back hanging on the wall, he got up and looked at it closely. A wave of nostalgia washed over him.
"That's my personal favorite part of the room!" Skull Kid piped up, a tray of food in his hands. A bunch of picked berries were on it, and he let Link and Romani have a few. He made sure they weren't the poisonous ones this time. That was quite a bad summer.
Before Romani ate the berries she got from Skull Kid; she inspected one carefully. "These better not be what made Link sick!" She warned. She liked playing the role of a nurse for Link, but it was exhausting. Skull Kid just laughed and assured her these ones were fine by plopping one into his beak.
After an hour catching up with the three, Link decided it was about time to head back to town. Bidding farewell to his friends, the boy in beige rode off on Epona with Romani.
During the ride back, Romani's thoughts wandered to the future between her and Link. As she had her arms wrapped around his torso, she couldn't help but imagine how much he'd work to make sure the two of them would be happy. He'd save up all the rupees he could from his apprenticeship with Mutoh, the leader of the carpenter group and be able to buy a house or something. Or perhaps he could live with her and Cremia on the ranch?
"Grasshopper...?" Romani asked, tilting her head to the side to see Link's face.
"Hm?"
"Romani was wondering... would you want to live on the ranch one day?"
Link was puzzled by her question. "What do you mean?"
"Well, when we get married, we're going to need to be together a lot more often!" Romani stated, resting her chin on her boyfriend's shoulder. She knew that she already saw him almost daily, due to her becoming the first female guard in Clock Town, but she still wanted a bit more.
Link paused for a minute. He'd always dreamed about marrying Romani, but somehow, he never really thought about how they'd continue after that. His next words were almost impossible to hear. "I'm- I'm not sure..."
Now it was Romani's turn to be confused. "Wait, what?"
Link grew more and more embarrassed. "Well, I mean- I never really thought about it... yet."
He thought Romani would be hurt by what he said, but instead she just laughed. As Epona entered Clock Town, her laugh became a light chuckle. "Silly Grasshopper. You need to be more forward thinking!"
"Really?" Link said, his mind still boggled.
"Of course! It's alright if you didn't think about it yet! We still have time before we get married!" Romani's voice was loud, and a few of the people they passed by on the way to Epona's stable gave them weird looks. Link was completely flustered by the time he set his loyal steed back into her stable.
"Link... Romani didn't mean to make you upset..." Romani could notice the expression on Link's face. She didn't even call him by his nickname. Some of the red tint faded from his cheeks as he looked at his best friend.
"I know... I just have been so caught up with... well, living." Link looked at the Terminian sky with a smile. For the first time in years, his mind went back to Hyrule, even if it was just for a moment. "I want to cherish my time here, and with you."
The boy Link once was when he first saved Termina was long gone. He felt more comfortable with how he lived his life, now that he found a purpose beyond fighting. He was able to really feel alive now that he filled that void inside himself.
"Thank you, Grasshopper..." Romani said, giving Link a hug. She did in fact feel a little hurt at Link's confusion earlier, but that feeling had been remedied by his words. Their embrace lasted a while until Link parted from Romani and gazed into her beautiful blue eyes.
"Let's head back to the inn." Link said, taking Romani's hand and starting back home. The two teens opened the door to the Stock Pot Inn, and as soon as Link saw his father, Kafei, at the desk, he wanted to turn right back around.
"There you two are!" Kafei said. He wasted no time in starting his usual routine with his son and his girlfriend. "So, what have you lovebirds been up to?"
"Dad..." Link muttered, looking down.
"Romani and Grasshopper went out on Epona!" Romani replied, leaning on the desk to talk with Kafei. She knew what she was doing to Link, and she would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy it from time to time.
"Oh, really? Well, I hope Link gave you a good ride." Kafei's smirk made Link even more embarrassed.
"Dad!" Link shouted, frustrated. Both Kafei and Romani burst out into laughter at the teen's reaction. He decided to take Romani's hand and leave the inn, much to the chagrin of Kafei. "Not cool..."
"Kafei!" Anju piped up from upstairs. The purple-haired man froze on the spot. "What did I tell you about teasing him?"
"Sorry, I couldn't help it!" Kafei chuckled lightly before going upstairs.
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The purple fog was almost unbearable. The little fairy could hardly see a thing as she made her way through the catacombs. The tunnel seemed to defy all logic as it winded around. Finally making it through the dense fog, she was in Clock Tower. All that went through her mind was the boy she was searching for. He was the only one that could help.
Slowly but surely, she opened the wooden door to exit into South Clock Town. So, this was Termina? It was quite lovely, but she had no time to admire the quaint little town she found herself in. Flying high into the air, she searched around.
Just a few minutes later, she finally spotted who she was looking for. However, it took her a moment to really get a good look at him. He was wearing beige, there was no trace of his sword or shield, and he was holding hands with... Malon?
"Link!" The fairy hollered. The teenager immediately stopped in his tracks right in front of the Shooting Gallery and looked around.
"What is it, Grasshopper?" Romani asked. She knew Link was extremely aware of his surroundings, but he hadn't completely frozen like this in years.
"...Nothing. I just thought I heard something." Link said, his voice quiet. He kept looking around, not thinking to look upwards.
"Link!" The fairy shouted again. This time Link knew he wasn't going crazy. Then, she descended into Link's view. He felt his stomach drop the second he saw her distinct blue hue.
There was a long silence between the two.
"Navi?"
"Hey!" Navi replied. The delivery of her next sentence felt like a dagger to Link. "Hyrule needs you!"
Link didn't say a word. He just started to hyperventilate. Loosening his grip on Romani's hand, he stumbled backwards and nearly tripped. A lot of memories came flooding back to him in an instant, and he took off, right back to the Stock Pot Inn. He didn't greet Kafei as he bolted past him. He simply ran as fast as he could to his bedroom and slammed the door.