《The Twilight Path.》


 A chance meeting

    Foreword; I won''t do this every chapter but I figured I''d put this here for some context. I had this idea many years ago, and I''ve tried to write this story many times over. Each time I tried, I did something a little bit different but nothing held my interest. This time however I''ve decided to change the story and the way I write it in a few major ways, just to see if that helps carry me over the finish line. I hope that brief and vague explanation is enough of a warning that things may get a bit... Eccentric and eclectic at times.


    Winters are the hardest. Not because of the cold killing off any possibility of fresh crops, though that always plays a role. Not because the goat cheese and preserved foodstuffs become quite the stale offerings at every meal. And it isn''t even the short days and chill that creeps into your limbs. No... It''s the lack of things to do. The sheer boredom that seeps in as you have nothing to keep your mind blank with exhaustion. Well... At least it was for me. For you see, some people are not created equal. Some people live quiet, unassuming lives. Can simply live and enjoy the monotonous rise and fall of the sun as they continue to exist. I... I used to be like that. I used to be able to put in a hard year''s work and enjoy the quiet moments of winter. I used to be able to listen to the wind, to fish in the stream, to wrangle the goats without a care in the world except for my home and family. My life was so small then. So small and unassuming. But now... Now I wish it were so.


    But isn''t that a part of growing up? Of growing older? Things eventually change or something eventually happens and your life is forever altered? You do something that you end up regretting, or you fail to do something and it eats at you. You wish you could go back, you wish you could have done something different. I never used to feel that way. Everything I had done, while maybe not perfect... Hadn''t been regrettable. I acted when I needed to act, I helped when others would or could not. I have done so many things... But now... Now I know regret. At the time I had so little concept of the very nature of this feeling that I did things which are clearly ill advised. I dared to dream, I dared to look forward and feel hope for what the future holds. What a fool I was. I tried so hard, I fought the ever mounting odds, I traveled the world, I righted wrongs, I rescued the people I loved, I saved the princess, I even collected all those damn bugs! And for what?! To blindly be unable to act when I needed to most. To seize up and be unable to find my voice when I knew I needed to call out. I didn''t used to feel regret, didn''t used to have this weight hanging around my neck... But... Now I do. This painful reminiscing wasn''t doing me any favors, but at least now the wounds are old and have lost most of their bite.


    My feet trudged through the snow as I walked, the fur lined boots doing wonders to keep my toes from turning black and falling off. I wish I could be as confident about my cloak however. It was old and well loved, which naturally meant that it was thin in many places. I would need to acquire a replacement as soon as I could get back to civilization. But there wasn''t anything to be done about it now. With a resigned sigh I simply pulled the garment closer to my body and kept walking. Despite the cold I took solace in the fact that I had been through worse, much worse in fact. Those however were thoughts that were better saved for some other time. I had a destination in mind after all and it wouldn''t do to be late.


    As I continued to walk however, my mind betrayed me once again and cast itself back to the reasons why I was all the way out here. No, I couldn''t just walk in comfortable silence, I had to think about so many painful things this journey. During the years after saving the princess and ending the kingdom wide crisis, I had tried to go back home. I tried to settle back into where I had come from, to force myself to stay confined to that little village, to live my simple and carefree life once again. But it didn''t work, it did nothing but cause me to run circles in my own thoughts. "Why?" "What if?" "How could I?" and other such questions kept me up at night, kept haunting me. What was worse however was everyone else. All the townsfolk could see the pain and sorrow I held so plainly on my face. Eventually I couldn''t handle it anymore; the pitying looks, the carefully worded conversations... The kindness shown to me that I knew was because they loved me but I couldn''t bring myself to accept as genuine. So I left, I took to exploring the world beyond my home, beyond even my kingdom. At first it was simply me trying to escape myself, escape my regrets... And maybe even end it on my own terms. Thankfully that uncomfortable situation never came to pass. Instead I ended up seeing more of the world, learning a bit about many of the surrounding land''s cultures.


    My internal musings were cut short, however, as a noise broke the silence to my left. I instinctually dove forward into a roll, drawing my sword and hefting my shield as I raised myself into a crouch. Slowly I rotated, my eyes scanning the landscape broken up by trees and foliage. Whatever it was had ample cover, and stayed well out of sight. I was ready for what may come, despite the cold and isolation, I held no fear. Be it man, monster or hungry beast, I was ready for it to make its move. Nothing... Everything was silent. Nothing moved, nothing breathed, nothing was seemingly there. I knew they must have been biding their time, watching from the shadows hidden from sight. I knew what it was they were waiting for, maybe not in a way I could put into words but as an instinct. They were waiting for me to blink. Devious, in that micro-instant where my eyes would close, they were planning their attack. I knew I couldn''t hold out forever, not in this cold and bitter environment. So I did the only thing that was logical, blink now and force their hand rather than let them wait and prepare fully. My eyes snapped shut and instantly I could hear them, the sudden crunch of snow directly before me. So fast it had come that I nearly startled, nearly. I reacted without even the time to open my eyes, I simply brought my sword up into a lunging thrust and hoped to land my strike before theirs.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    My blade struck something soft, and yet immovable. It was as if its very flesh was made of some impenetrable substance that could be pressed but refused to be pierced. I grit my teeth and braced for impact; knowing that for my effort, all I would earn was a swift retaliation. A moment passed, then two, then four... the blow never came. Instead a noise greeted my ears, one that chilled me more than the snow ever could. A wry chuckle, one that spoke volumes to the self indulgent nature of its utterer''s amusement. My eyes opened with the swiftness of a whip as I processed the sound. My vision, whilst traveling up the blade and to my assumed assailant, fixated upon the placement of my strike. The tip of my blade was grasped firmly within the relatively thin fingers of the figure before me. No shaking was felt in their grip and no blood was pooling along the edge. It was as if they simply reached out and gingerly took hold of the tip of my weapon, despite the fact my weight was still very much pressed behind it. In my travels I had seen similar such techniques used by knights. By holding the sharpened edge of the blade, with the right hand strength and grip, they use the guard or pommel as a bludgeon against heavy armor. But I''ve never seen nor heard of such a man so confident and skilled to catch an enemy''s blade bare handed. Grabbing the enemy''s blade and using it as leverage after it had been stopped, yes, especially when the fight gets into grappling range. But to simply stop the blade mid thrust?! It wasn''t possible via mundane means, whoever-. Nay whatever this man was, they were clearly preternatural!


    "So, we meet again and at last hero, you certainly have aged since you''ve completed the goddesses'' bidding. Is that a beard I see upon your visage? It suits you. But I forget myself, you are wondering why I''m here? Well the truth is the divines clearly will have no need of your current incarnation any more. But that doesn''t mean you cannot continue to be the hero you were destined to be. So how about you lend an ear to an old friend hmmm? I''m sure you''ll find what I''ve to say very intriguing. Unless of course, you don''t want the opportunity to wield your sword with purpose once again? Or maybe... You''d rather have the opportunity to undo your biggest regret?" Their voice was downright jolly, even if it did have slithering undertones of inherit threat. But their words... Their offer... It wasn''t simply interesting, it was enticing in a way that I had no defense for. But... How? That was the part that latched onto my conscious thoughts with a vice like tenacity. How?


    "You wonder how I can promise something that seems so impossible. Worry not hero, you''ll come to learn those answers in due time. But I suppose I must give you something to prove my claims. Some form of carrot that I may dangle before your nose. So how about... This?" With his non occupied hand he withdrew from his robe a familiar looking object. One that had haunted my dreams many a night. It was a crown carved from stone, featuring two large horns and when worn it would cover one of its wearer''s eyes. But... How? This object had been broken before my very eyes, crushed in the grasp of the one whom I was destined to defeat. But there it was, fully intact and grasped gently in the hand of this mysterious man. My stance relaxed, my arm fell, and my blade''s tip was released to drop harmlessly into the snow.


    "Speechless hero? Not surprising seeing as this artifact had been destroyed by powerful and dark magic. But when you''ve been alive for as long as I have, you tend to pick up many skills and tricks. Repairing this beautiful mask was an honor for someone such as myself. Sadly I couldn''t find its counterparts... A shame really, I would have loved the opportunity to work on the complete set." My face was struck dumb, surely there was no other possible expression upon my face. Dumbstruck was all I could muster as he extended his hand and gently placed the object within mine.


    "A gift, may it act as proof of my good will, as well as a proof of concept. I was able to restore this powerful artifact back to its previous glory, so what other artifacts could I possibly restore hmmm? How about a certain mirror?" Those words caught my attention once again and broke me from my blank stare. His eyes had narrowed into slits and his grin was wide with satisfaction at my sudden attention. He was playing me like a fiddle and he knew it. I brought the crown to my chest and looked at him with suspicion, not willing to let my curiosity nor my eagerness drive me into the awaiting arms of some dark seducer. His face turned into one of pleading as he clapped both hands together as if in prayer, leaning forward at the hip.


    "Oh please do not take my excitement as anything that it''s not hero! I am but a man whose humble request is for your aid, and in return you''ll be able to put to rest your deepest regrets! You are getting the lion''s share of the reward out of this venture I assure you! While I could eventually handle this matter on my own, it would take the better part of a lifetime! Please hero I beg of you!" His pleas were irritating to say the least. Somehow, no matter the words or how he spoke, that unsettling undertone remained. As if he wasn''t human, and despite speaking and trying to sound natural... There was just something incredibly off about him. But his offer was incredibly enticing. Too good to be true, sure, but also too good to ignore. After a moment or two of careful consideration I sighed. I needed to know if he was capable of making good on his word. I nodded.


    "Oh hero! Savior of the kingdom, and ender of perpetual twilight! Thank you! Thank you! You won''t regret this partnership I promise you! I swear, I might not look it at times, but I know what I''m doing! Now hero please lend me your ear, for there is much to be done and so little time to do it all! Now-"


    "Link." My interruption confused him, his expression frozen in place and the slow blink told me as such. So I decided to speak again. This time I figured I should elaborate a bit more. "The name''s Link. I''m not interested in being treated as a hero. Nor do I want to constantly be called that. The name is Link." As if a switch had been flipped in the mysterious man''s face and his expression widened into a toothy grin once more.


    "Of course, Link, I apologize for my rudeness. Introductions certainly long since overdue. I''ve traveled the world and have been called by many titles, but my name is known to few. You may call me, Orin." As he spoke he offered his hand to me in greeting, the same hand that had caught my blade so effortlessly. I felt the urge to run well up inside me but I pushed passed the feeling and clasped his outstretched appendage in mine. For better or for worse... The bargain had been struck.

 Trust or Tension

    Several hours have passed since the fortunate meeting of this mysterious man and I. Several hours of nearly endless walking through ankle high snow. While that isn''t strange in and of itself, the silence in which we traveled was. I was used to the quiet, having never truly enjoyed the chattering of idle conversation and the use of noise to break a comfortable silence. Well, at least when it was up to me to provide the conversation. I prefer to listen more than to speak myself. This silence however, was anything but comfortable. My footfalls were still audible, my breathing as well. But their walking pace... It was difficult to discern. Their own breathing was either incredibly light... Or simply impossible to hear. Again, it would have been fine, if they were walking a comfortable few paces away. But they and I... We were walking abreast, side by side, a mere foot or so between our shoulders. I guess I should just chalk it up to being another instance of this strange man''s preternatural abilities. A list of which that is growing far faster than I would have liked.


    "We should be crossing into the Kingdom very soon." Okay I''ll admit it, I flinched at the sudden breech of silence. I turned my eyes towards my traveling companion and found that he was staring straight at me, his smile still unbroken. As unsettling as that image was, I knew it was rude to react in a way that betrayed my unease. So I simply nodded, before taking in the landscape around us. He was right of course, the scenery was much more recognizable to my eye now that I was paying a greater level of attention. A fact that both comforted and set me on edge, we were making suspiciously excellent time. According to my previous navigational calculations I shouldn''t have arrived here until sometime midday tomorrow. Currently we were passing through the woods at the south eastern edge of Hyrule, the massive and dense growth making travel by sight alone difficult. It was small wonder that many would find themselves lost in these woods. How we had arrived without my noticing was suspicious in and of itself, but not to be ungrateful, I simply accepted the lessened journey. Glancing back at my travel partner with a questioning look was all I needed to elicit another response from him.


    "Not to worry my young fellow, once we enter the kingdom proper we''ll be set to start our business transaction. However I do suppose I have left you in the dark for quite a bit now haven''t I? So how about I illuminate you on how we are going to rebuild the mirror and break into the realm the goddesses have abandoned. Step one, we''ll need to gather items that were created in the realm of twilight, and they will aid us in our efforts on getting there. After all; from whence they came, so they shall return again. Step two, those items have spent far too much time here in the realm of the light, and so they''ll need to be repaired and their magic restored. Just like I''ve done with that exquisite mask you have in your possession." Everything made sense so far, we would have to search the entirety of Hyrule for these objects, so we may use their restored powers to allow us entry. But that still left a question in my mind, for I had been all over every square inch of Hyrule during my adventure''s to defeat Zant and then Ganondorf. There wasn''t anywhere left to look, so how were we going to find them?


    "Ah clever boy, the thought of ''where they might be'' has just occurred to you, yes? Well, let''s just say I have stumbled upon a few nooks and crannies that you couldn''t have discovered on your own. That and the matter of you saving the kingdom was a pressing one. To distract yourself from that task even more than you already allowed yourself... It would have been irresponsible. Fortunately for you such pressing matters are not at hand and you can throw yourself fully into the task or get distracted for a while and return to it all on your own whims. But I digress, we were talking about the hidden locations of these items and how you couldn''t have found them. Well fear not, the solution to that conundrum rests with that mask." His words were labyrinthine and his meanings muddled. What could that possibly mean, the answer rests with the crown? With a sigh I lowered my pack to the ground and drew out the item we were discussing from where I had stored it. The crown was a heavy stone relic that seemed like it would be quite awkward to wear upon one''s head. As I slowly turned it over in my hands I began to remember what he had said when we had first met, that he had repaired and restored its power. Its power... What powers did this relic possess? Almost without thought my hands had begun to raise the crown up and over my head.


    I hesitated... I do not know why, but I hesitated. Was it some notion of taboo that stopped me? Was it as simple as it clashing with my normal fashion sense? That would be a silly reason why I would hesitate. With a shake of my head and a quick adjustment of my hair, I closed my eyes and laid the crown upon my brow. At first it seemed as if nothing had changed, just the new, awkward, and heavy piece of stone accessory upon my dome. I do not know how I looked, for I have no mirror, but if it looked even half as foolish as it made me feel... I sighed as I turned to look at the man who had ''inspired'' me to put on this ridiculous thing. That was easier said than done as apparently the man was now standing on the other side from where I had last left him. Damn his silent footsteps for forcing me to turn my head back and forth like a confused simpleton. Once my eyes had found him, I couldn''t help but frown as that grin of his had taken on a new found level of joy. Joy completely at my expense no doubt! I was just about to tear the crown from my head when he lifted a hand and slowly moved it from side to side before me. Why on this great green earth was he doing that? It was as if he was testing my vision, which was irritating, for I was not blind! Of course I could see- Wait!?


    It was then that I remembered how the crown had always looked, and the large square of stone that should have been in front of my left eye. My hand shot up to my face instantly and it collided with the aforementioned obstruction. It was still there and yet I was able to see right through it as if it were glass! Amazed at the new development I began to look around at my surroundings once again, this time with a truly discerning gaze. I had been wrong, it wasn''t like glass, for glass would have been cloudier than how well I was seeing now. It was as if the stone was simply not there at all! Excitement quickly passed as pragmatism began to creep back into my mind. Being able to see through the stone was nice but it was a party trick at best, there must have been more to it than that but what I could not say. With a sigh I pulled the crown from my head. It was by mere chance that I looked up and watched as the man before me simply vanished.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    I suppose that I must admit a second time to flinching suddenly because of the man who calls himself Orin. Now that he was gone and nowhere to be seen, I began looking around furiously trying to find him. I looked first to the left and then to the right before spinning around fully. No matter the action I took I could not catch a glimpse of the man whom I had been walking with not a few minutes prior. I was not left long to panic however, as a familiar voice began laughing from literal thin air. I could hear where he was, but seeing him was proving to be impossible! That is when I heard the crunch of snow beneath one''s foot and I realized he had very deliberately took a heavy sounding step. Looking down at the snow beneath my feet I noticed that there was a new footprint. A single step in a perpendicular angle to the rest of the line of prints, made in such a way as to be very obvious. Then a second crunch of snow occurred as he took another very heavy step, and another print was formed beside the first. That is when my brain finally caught up with me and I put the crown back on over my head. The very instant it had settled back into place, the man just popped back into existence. It was as if whatever had been keeping him from my sight had just been a part of my imagination.


    "I don''t suppose that little demonstration was enough to convince you, my boy? As you now see, that mask has quite the multitude of abilities to aid it''s wearer. Spilling all of it''s secrets in one sitting would simply lead you to confusion. So I''ll show that modicum of restraint today, and simply leave it at that. Now onto further matters we-"


    "How?" Twice now my interruption seemed to throw him off. Once upon our first meeting and the second instance was just now. His expression frozen as if my question hadn''t occurred to him to expect. I didn''t ponder this line of thinking further and instead continued with my questioning. "How am I able to use the crown? Isn''t it a relic of the Twili? An ancient artifact created long ago before their banishment into the realm which they now reside? How is it that I am able to even touch such a creation let alone use it''s powers? The other fused shadows drove the people they cam in contact with into madness and corruption. So why is it that I am exempt?" This was the first time where his face became quite contemplative, like the answer wasn''t one he confidently knew. It didn''t last long, but just the fact that even he was given pause by such things gave me more reasons to trust in this man. Still, the matter of whether do or not was as of yet still unsettled.


    "The answer to that is a complicated mess of twisting theories and magical research that I hadn''t the time to fully hammer out. However if you want the answer that I have at the moment, despite having some holes in the logic then I can tell you this. You were corrupted by the powers of twilight when the realms had begun to merge. Not completely, not enough to drive you to madness or to possess you. But corrupted none the less... maybe corrupted isn''t the right word for it... Acclimated to it? Inoculated by it? Either way by being the bearer of the sacred triangle you were saved from your doom, and allowed you to grow accustom to the world of shadow. Just as the princess''s sacrifice allowed your previous travel companion to travel with you in the land of light." as he spoke memories began to flash though my mind, moments of my bestial form, the shadow crystal used by Zant to trap me, the mad rush to find Zelda, my closest fiend and ally so close to death''s door... I shook my head no longer wanting to bear these thoughts any longer.


    "So because I had become partially fused with the twilight I am now able to wield this crown? I don''t like how that sounds... It''s convenient. Too convenient for my liking. What are you hiding from me?" My accusation once again kept him on the back foot. Both his hands raised in placation, his face shocked and begging for my trust. I could see the gears turning in his mind, just behind those eyes of his. Clearly he wasn''t ready for the possibility of our deal going sour.


    "Please, Link, I beg of you. As I have said it is the best working theory that I have, and is the key reason why I have come to you in the first place. As the saying goes, ''when coincidence seems too convenient, I prefer to call it fate.'' Do you not agree? I honestly thought that you''d be happy! It would have been yet one more thing you have in common with your previous companion. The princess of that realm of shadows, M-" As his mouth began moving to form the word my hand had moved faster. Drawn from its sheath came the blade that I carried with me, a simple blade of modest construction but one that suited me as I am now. Once freed from its resting place, the blade came up into a two handed rising thrust. Its destination, his throat. This time with eyes focused on my target I was freely able to see the inhuman reflexes and strength at work through his frame. Once again those thin and nimble fingers clasped around my blade tip and halted my thrust. However this time there was no smirking bravado, no grinning confidence that graced his face. No. This time his face held a smattering of surprise, concentration, fear... and a hint of rage. Good.


    "Just as I refuse to be called hero, I refuse for you to speak their name. Do I make myself clear?" Our eyes locked and for that briefest of seconds I swear I saw a flicker of amusement intermingle with that hint of rage. The kind of combination that springs to mind when spite filled actions were dancing at the back of one''s thoughts. However their hand released my blade once again and returned to being raised in placation. Their eyes let go of the darker emotions as a form of calm seemed to wash through them. It was again unsettling to see.


    "I apologize. I knew of your regrets and the betrayal you had experienced, yet still I pried too hard when attempting to nudge you in a favorable direction. For that I am sorry. I am used to resorting to manipulation and coercion simply as a way of survival in this cruel world. But I see now the error in my actions. You are an integral part in my plans and instead of treating you like an equal, I treated you as a pawn to be played. Not a word more from me will be spoken on the subject of your past. Is that agreeable to you, Link?" We stood in silence, both looking at each other for many a second as my blade tip hovered in the air a hand''s breadth from his throat. Finally I sighed and once again lowered my blade. It had been so long since I had been worked up like this, since my temper had flared up like this. I guess I had made less progress than I had hopped.


    "Apology accepted, lets just get back to Hyrule and get this over with."

 Milk Run

    I almost couldn''t believe it, though the sight before me was as plain as the currently setting sun. We had arrived, and not just anywhere mind you. We had arrived at the location that marked the end of my journey so long ago. Hyrule fields, the place where I had thought my companion slain, where I had felt all encompassing rage for the first time. I saved the kingdom, yes, but as I plunged the sword of evil''s bane into my enemy I thought not about the world or the greater conflict. In that moment all other motivations were trivial compared to the revenge I had sought. It felt good. I cannot deny that. My mind simply cannot conjure the words to perfectly describe the intoxicating and sublime feeling of vengeance sated. Nor the internal horror and disgust that welled up within me as realization dawned within my mind. In all the battles I had faced up until that point, never had I felt such gut wrenching pleasure in the act of cutting down my foe. Even now despite it just being memories of a time long since passed, merely thinking back on that moment brings with it a taste of that dark pleasure. A shiver ran up my spine as I closed my eyes in a vain attempt to quell the feeling.


    Thankfully a noise caught my attention and offered up a much needed distraction. It was the sound of a heavy pack being dropped to the ground. Odd, he hadn''t been carrying one whilst we had been traveling together. Where had he hidden it, and what sort of supplies does such an enigmatic and mysterious individual even need? Was he more akin to a ghost, did he even need to eat and drink? His dress, although somewhat suitable for the weather, wasn''t something I''d wish to wander the country side in. Curiosity peaked in me, so naturally I looked. And just in time too, for as soon as I turned my head to look I caught sight of him yanking the cord to a large, overstuffed pack. The bag burst into an all obscuring cloud of thick white smoke. When the dust had finally settled and I could have a decent look at what he had released, I was shocked. I think that I''m am quite used to magic and strange happenings at this point... But it''s as if this man is the embodiment of all the strangest parts of magic all in one equally odd package. What stood before me now was the colorful and eye-catching fa?ade to a market side shop. A tall, pale facsimile of a face dominating the design, complete with gaudy blushing makeup and an exaggerated expression. It was then I realized that it wasn''t a face at all, not really, it was in fact a mask. A shop specifically for masks. Was that his profession? Some kind of mask trader? Who would operate such a storefront? During a festival or a holiday event maybe, but year round as your main trade? Does he really have nothing better to do with his time than to waste it away with such childish trinkets?


    "Childish trinkets. That''s rich coming from the one who has yet to remove the crown from upon his brow." His words cut with the ice cold efficiency of a freshly honed razor. In my embarrassment I reached up and tore the fused shadow from my head. I had forgotten his uncanny ability to read my very thoughts and I had been punished for it. In my idle shifting trying to figure out what to do or say I realized that the stone within my hands felt... Lighter. Was that how I was able to simply forget it''s presence? Come to think of it when it''s previous owner had worn it they seemed none too worried about its perceived weight. Their head didn''t wobble awkwardly, they didn''t have to readjust it often, nor had it seemed that uncomfortable. Was it the same for me as well? It had simply been on my head. Like any other piece of clothing that fit properly, one''s mind simply forgets that it''s there after a while. Embarrassment having passed, I slowly placed the object back in its original place, upon my brow.


    "My apologies, I should strive-"


    "Honestly this back and forth is growing tiresome. First I cause your anger to flare by bringing old wounds to the surface, then its your turn and you insult my passion and trade. This is getting a bit silly at this point. How about we put this all behind us with a nice cup of tea in the warmth of a comfortably lit fireplace, hmm? The sun is setting anyway and unless you are completely against taking advantage of a good night''s rest I suggest we head in." He was right of course, this was quite silly. Besides we had much more important things to focus on in the coming days. With a nod I followed the man into his... Well for the lack of a better word, his home.


    The inside of the building was a bit disappointing in how normal it all was. Every staple of a merchant''s shop was accounted for; a counter to stand behind and lean on, the shelves covered in their wares for easy viewing and themed d¨¦cor to help tie the store into their specialty. I suppose I should have expected as much, still, the merchandise is quite interesting now that I''m seeing it up close. There were masks of all shapes and sizes, depicting all sorts of emotion and all sorts of creatures. There was the face of a man with a red brimmed hat and a mustachioed face, a strange beaked creature, a mask that appeared like the bandaged gibdo, a misshapen yet wholly unassuming stone, a massive and inquisitive eye, a mask that looked like it was twisted in agony and rage. But the most impressive part of the collection was of course the centerpiece. Said piece was within a thick walled display case made of what appeared to be high quality lead glass. It was a large, impressively carved, heart shaped, purple and red mask rimmed with spikes. The most striking feature were it''s large eyes, bright pits of green surrounded by burning fields of orange and yellow. Something in me instinctively wanted to recoil as I examined it at length. Despite all of the creepy and ugly masks on display this example felt like it was the only one that had an aura of inherent threat.


    "Ah, I see you''ve taken a liking to the centerpiece of my grand collection, and my most prized possession. Your predecessor, the Hero of Time, actually helped to return that mask to me after it had been stolen away by some pesky imp. Although in doing so, its latent magic had been drained from it... For a time. But I of course did what I do best; repair, restore and revitalize masks to their former glory. It is my profession after all. This one however, is too valuable, too... Precious to merely sell. No, this one I will not part with, no matter the price. For you see, this mask is alive. Not in the mundane sense of the word, where an object is so life like it seems to possess that vital aspect. No this mask is alive. It houses a living spirit, one whom had been assumed to be a dark and evil force. But as I spent time repairing and restoring this precious artifact, I discovered something. I discovered that this mask wasn''t evil. It was a akin to a child; abandoned by those who created it, manipulated and used by those seeking to benefit off of it and when discovered to have grown up without proper guidance or discipline, was simply locked away. After all who has the time or the patience to truly understand what this poor thing had gone through. For isn''t that the way of the world? When something seems even remotely dangerous simply lock it away and forget about it. Why else are there so many ancient dungeons and temples, holding powerful artifacts and dark secrets?" He stated all of that so matter-of-factly that I could feel my jaw hang.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    His words set me on edge, though the rational part of my mind found his arguments to be sound. The number of ancient places which were created for the sole purpose of hiding ancient treasures or great evils is simply innumerable. The number that I''ve personally explored easily numbers in the dozens, let alone the countless hundreds that my entire lineage of reincarnations have explored over the centuries. Despite his argument however I was still unsettled at the thought of something that had been sealed away being allowed to remain free so casually. There were simply too many questions rolling through my mind. Who had made it and for what purpose? How powerful was this spirit and why were people trying to exploit it? Why was this man so willing to advocate for it''s freedom despite its track record for evil acts?


    "Because the only time anything is considered pure evil, the goddesses are involved somehow. Purest of good, purest of evil. It''s funny how those only really come up when it''s some ancient prophecy. Who actually can be called truly evil? Ganon? A man and creature so inexplicably bound by the whim''s fate and the divine plan set forth by the goddesses? Don''t make me laugh, the only reason they return every few hundred years instead of having been wiped clean from the world is because the goddesses lack the ability to do so. They are flawed, ineffective fools who-" His face, which had been so scrunched and twisted in a heated anger, froze. His eyes blinked and suddenly held a look as if his mask had slipped for just a fraction too long. Things were beginning to connect for me and by the look on his face as he looked me in the eye, I was right. Or at least not too far off.


    "You wish to enter the twilight realm, you knew my ancestor who lived hundreds of years ago, you know quite potent and forgotten magics, you have an obsession with masks, you clearly dislike the goddesses for some as of yet unrevealed slight... You were one of the Dark Interlopers... And that mask is a relic from before they were banished." My words were like sewing needles being pressed into his skin, he flinched and grimaced again and again. Now incapable at meeting my gaze, my suspicions were confirmed wholly. But that still left me with even more questions that I wanted answers to. Like-


    "Answers are earned not simply doled out for free! I refuse to speak any more on the matter until you begin to deliver on your end of the bargain! One answer per objective completed. You can either take it or leave it!" I didn''t like potentially crucial information being withheld from me but I had already agreed to help him. Going back on my word was out of the question, because without my word what even am I? Still, I suppose it could be worse. With that the conversation was dropped and he went about preparing us some tea. With nothing for myself to do besides wait I decided to strip off my heavy outermost layers and get comfortable. Of course things didn''t go according to even that simple plan as a doleful shriek ripped throughout the small building. Bounding across the room and shouldering open the door to the more livable space within the structure I came upon a very confusing but ultimately anticlimactic scene. There stood the most confounding man I had ever met, a being who seemed in all ways preternatural and otherworldly in his abilities and mannerisms, rendered completely helpless by the most mundane of troubles. He was boiling the water for the tea as of this moment, but judging by the empty bottles with cow''s heads printed on the labels that were strewn about the place... he was completely out of milk.


    The whiplash produced by the scene before me was unlike anything I had ever experienced in my entire life. It was abjectly absurd and completely dissonant with everything I had come to expect from this person. For the first time in years my face broke into a painfully broad smile, and I laughed. Not some reserved chuckle but an uproarious and boisterous belting of laughter. So thorough was my amusement that my sides had began to ache due to the force. Even when his hands gripped onto my shoulders and began to shake me, his pleas and distress only served to heighten my amusement. Was this the moment I had feared would come for so long now, had I finally broken down and become stark stirring mad? Or had that moment come long ago, but had been subtle enough to convince myself that I was still sane and whole? It mattered not I suppose, for when I finally calmed down and wiped the tears from my eyes I had made up my mind.


    "By the Goddesses you are a damned disaster. Powerful beyond mortal comprehension and yet rendered completely infirm by the most minor of inconveniences. Stay here Orin, I''ll get your damned milk." Without another word I simply shook my head, turned on my heel, and left into that cold, snowy night. It looks like I''m back to performing eclectic tasks for the odd residents of Hyrule once more. But altruism wasn''t my only motivator in all of this, I fully planned to milk this opportunity for more information on his past.