Chapter 5

It was only when they first sighted the great city that Nala broke out of his silence.

"There she is," he breathed, "Asreal."

It was two months since Link had dragged Nala out of the temple, still trying to contact Nura. In the last two months Link had met more new people that he had at any other time in his life. Nala had spoken to several other priests who were all terrified. Then a message had come through from the church's capital - they were to keep the secret from the peasants. Riots from frantic people would help nobody.

Nala had decided that the leaders would need to know about Link, so after hiring two sturdy horses they set off on their quest to Asreal.

As the weeks had gone by, Link had become ever more worried. When were they going to start looking for the sages? he wondered, and a few times he even asked Nala.

"When we are ready," Nala always said, and Link could never get more out of him before he changed the subject.

And now, finally, Link could see the great city. Or rather, he could not. All he could make out was a glint of light, which Nala informed him was the light reflecting off the great spire of the Glass Temple, the headquarters of Nura's religion.

Link wondered idly if Kalen's people lived here, the True Gerudos. Not that Kalen himself was a Gerudo. That was one of the main things people felt angry against the True Gerudos. Link also learned quickly that even mentioning 'Chi'Lah' was the equivalent of swearing at a child in front of its mother. It was never done, not even the anti-religion rebellious youth would dare mention it.

Another mystery Kalen had presented was the badge, Link had spent many hours fingering it, wondering if it could turn a Gerudo invisible. If only it would work for me, Link thought almost every day when he had time alone to study. Then he would go over the broach, studying its design carefully. The crescent which Link had noticed came on most religious items was very clearly portray in the middle, but this time individual light beams were shining through it which Link could only guess was representing lights superiority.

He remembered the ancient mirror shield he had once had, one of the only items he had not reclaimed after his original quest was completed. The Gerudos were dangerous and somehow still knew about Ganondorf, their king. Link could only guess that it was to do with his royalty, that somehow even when he was banished from time that he would still be remembered.

Except that he was no longer banished. He had escaped and was very much free.

And yet Link was doing nothing about it.

As they approached Asreal they were several times stopped by guards who wanted to know who they were and what they were doing in Asreal. Each time Nala simply showed a simple gold crescent token with a few symbols inscribed on it, and the guards bowed and allowed them to continue on their way.

It was approaching sunset as they galloped into the town and stabled the horses, and by the time Nala showed Link around the city walls the sky had turned a beautiful red. Nala pointed out good inns, taverns and old friends as they went, and Link met another lot of people that he would never remember. They slowly made their way to the city's central square, guided all the time by the huge glass spire that rose over their heads.

Finally they made their way to on the walls around the square and approaching the walls edge to look down Link heard the cries.

"Hai!"

"Hai!" they rang out, a new person screaming every five seconds. Link counted 48 screams before they stopped.

"What's going on?" he whispered.

"The remembrance of the dead," Nala replied gravely, "each Hai represents one persons death on this day and so everyone will remember them for one brief moment. It is our country's goodbye to its people."

"But who...who calls it out," Link asked.

Nala looked up at the stars absent - mindedly. "Specially chosen people in the crowd. It is supposed to just be anyone calling but preventing riots is better than keeping to an old ritual exactly. Well in some cases."

"But what if you did?" Link asked curiously.

"Why? Are you planning to?" Nala countered, "You would not if you valued your life. Now it is late and I am tired. Let us find an inn and complete our quest tomorrow."

Link had one glance at the magnificent temple, its inside shining through the transparent walls lighting the outside world with thousands of candles.

But Link knew that his quest hadn't even started.

-

The talk in the Inn's bar was about one thing and one thing only.

Hail.

"They say," said one drunk man, "that the church's latest shipment of money was captured by Nura the other day."

"Impossible," broke in Nala, "that shipment was sent in an area which Hail had just vacated."

"Well I'm sorry," mocked the drunkard, "maybe she leaves mirror images wherever she goes. After all she is supposed to have tremendous power..."

"She is not the real Hail!" shouted Nala, quite out of place. He cooled down enough to lie, "If she was Nura would have been captured."

"Well... maybe she was," the drunkard continued only really to annoy Nala, "after all, who knows how much the church lies to us these days. We could have been invaded and they wouldn't have told us."

Link realising that Nala couldn't be restrained for another second, pulled him upstairs, waited while he cooled down, and then rejoined the bar.

"Apparently," another man was saying, "Hail's hair was originally blonde but has been apparently gradually turning red."

"What? They're dying it?" asked the drunk man. "Nice touch doing it in stages."

The second man raised his eyes to the ceiling briefly in despair and then turned around and asked Link, "What do you think of her?"

"I don't know. Why don't they stop her?"

The laughter from the drunkard caused most of his drink to spill out from his mouth onto the table, but a girl quickly cleaned up with a cloth while the drunkard ordered another drink.

"Yeah right!" he said. "How many times do you reckon they've tried? I've heard at least ten."

"Oh," Link said dejectedly, realising that he should become more knowledgeable about current affairs.

He turned away as the conversation turned to how many husbands Hail had stole and walked up to his room.

-

Link smiled as he slowly rode back to the shelter where the Gerudo was normally standing. 2000 points out of 2000 points wasn't bad, even by his standards. 20 bulls eyes as well! Not something most people do normally.

Not that Link had for that matter. He had only just sneaked in here, the Gerudo Archery Course on the spur of the moment when he heard that the Gerudos had disappeared into the desert for a while. He only got a chance to do the course every few months. It was also a bonus that the Gerudos paid for the pots that he had smashed on his way up the course.

As he packed up his gear he wondered what they would think when they saw several arrows in the centre of every target and all the pots smashed. Not that he cared. His happiness turned to slight gloom when he saw the dark clouds coming over the sky. They had certainly come over suddenly. Link would have sworn that they weren't there five minutes ago. They looked like they would last the night too. Not good. His tree house always leaked.

He began to climb up onto his horse's back when the first lightning bolt struck. It was so sudden and powerful that Link fell down to the floor, astonished. Shaking the dust off him he climbed back up again. This time he managed to get on before an even larger bolt struck and Epona bolted. Clinging on desperately, he slowly slowed her down, and soon she was under control again.

Until the earthquake came.

The land shook violently, so hard that Link heard parts of the fortress fall down as Epona again bolted, this time towards the bridge. Link stared around him in horror. What was happening? Epona just managed to jump in time as the bridge in front of them fell down into the river. Link didn't even want to know how far that was.

As he emerged onto Hyrule Field he heard the first screams and loud screeches from the nearby ranch. Epona was charging towards it, her old home, as if she thought that she was safe there. If she thought that she was going to get a shock.

As they were charging towards it (the earth still shaking and the lightning still coming down) a huge crack opened in the earth splitting Lon Lon Ranch in two. Epona charged right through the middle, dodging the lightning bolts that were now pouring down. Link turned away, horrified as he saw the body of Malon a piece of wood stuck through her heart.

Epona charged again to Hyrule Castle, only to see it falling down, soon a mere heap of rubble. She didn't even bother to turn to the great furnace that was the Lost Woods. Instead she jumped over Zora's river and up into Kakariko Village.

Horrific memories came back to Link as he saw the buildings burn down, the great windmill again stopped. For one instant he saw the ghosts pour out of the graveyard, their home too was destroyed.

As Epona charged up the Death Mountain Trail she had to turn with incredible speed to miss the huge limp body of a Goron falling to the ground. It was around the size of half of the mountain. They reached the top, and finally Epona thought that she was safe.

And then Death Mountain erupted, bringing true its name. Seas of lava poured down the mountain, and Link found himself riding a dead skeleton.

He clutched at a piece of rock, and to his amazement managed to hold on and to scramble up onto the top of it. From there he saw the lava cover Hyrule, destroying anything that was left. And still the lightning raged, and still the cracks in the earth opened.

With one last effort, Death Mountain shattered, fragments of it flying everywhere and anywhere. But Link was untouched.

And when all the lava had finally be drained by the cracks in the Earth, Link could see nothing. A land of ashes, and one Hylinian on one pillar of rock.

Everything but Link had been taken.

It was the Day of Death.

-

The tiredness was easy to see in Link's face as he walked down the inn's steps for breakfast. He had not slept for most of the night, too worried about the bad dreams that he was getting. He noticed the drunkard of last night lying on the floor, still clutching an empty glass in one hand.

He managed to gulp down the strange food that he hated and then walked over to the window where Nala was merrily watching the world. Link looked out at the city and saw a much cheerful place than he had seen last. It was like a much bigger version of the market. A much, much bigger version of the market. Link even spotted a chicken running around in the background.

"So what do we do today?" he asked, trying to brighten up.

"We've got to visit the Glass Temple for a meeting," Nala said cheerfully, "and then I can show you around my home. There's nowhere nicer than Asreal."

Link sighed inwardly. He had heard a variant of that statement a thousand times before, and he did not really take notice of them now. Still, it seemed like a nice enough city.

"Any chance of finding out about the sages?" he asked, with a slight tone of sarcasm in his voice.

To his surprise however, Nala answered in the positive.

"Sure," he said, "I'm expecting to hear more at the Glass Temple. Trust me, this is the best place to be. Now, shall we go?"

Link was about to go and get the bags from his room, but Nala stopped him, assuring him that they were stay here this night as well. He still packed a sword though, he never knew when it would come in useful. His Goron sword had not failed him yet.

They left the inn and walked along the city walls for a while, that were so wide that they were almost like a road. Most people came this way, only going back down again when they neared their destination. Nala took them to the courtyard that they had been in yesterday before they finally climbed down some old steps and walked through the city again. Link smiled as he dodged some children that were chasing each other.

Gradually the class of people and buildings raised as they neared the Glass Temple. By the time they were in the now empty courtyard it was impossible to see anything that would have not been incredibly expensive to buy.

At the great doors of the Glass Temple Nala took out his crescent token again and showed it to the guard who were waiting outside. The guards bowed and moved back so they could go in. Link was annoyed when as he was going in the guards jumped back up again, waiting until Nala had passed.

But he soon forgot that when he saw the insides of the temple. Its walls stretched ten times as high as the Temple of Time's, and it was a breathtaking sight to see the huge sky above him. The only thing attached to the glass ceiling was a huge statue with a knife firmly held in its hands. However compared to the sheer magnificence of the atmosphere, it was easily forgotten. To Link's surprise someone appeared from a door in the side and walked over to them. It was a girl with a red hair, who would have looked innocent but for the two swords that were laid in their sheathes, and bow and arrow hanging loosely on her shoulder.

Nala saw Link's curious look and said, "It's just a security measure. An Xi to everyone apart from priests."

Link nodded absent - mindedly. He had heard about the Xi a while a go, and had felt proud when he learnt that the old measure of an Xi was completing the training course. Not that he could do anything that the Xi were supposed to do.

A small, stout, old man quickly hurried up to them and smiled at Nala.

"I'm sorry," he addressed Link, "but we really need to talk in an important meeting, so... I'm afraid your story will have to come later. Tanya, why don't you go show Link around the city for a while? Say two hours?"

Tanya looked annoyed at the request, but nodding at Link and walked out of the door.

Link waved at Nala before running after her. She was surprisingly quick, yet did not lose her dignity by running like Link.

"Where do you want to go?" she asked.

Link shrugged. "Where do you normally go?"

"I normally do my duty now," she said, reflecting her annoyance.

"What are they?" Link asked curiously.

"Looking for trouble," she replied, "alright? You've got a sword. Don't be afraid to use it."

As they walked along they talked casually, and Link for the first time forgot about his quest. He didn't even ask her if she had any ideas about where to go for information about the sages as he had done with everyone so far.

"Your sword," she said, pointing it out, "what type is it?"

"They call it a...a Big Goron's Sword," he replied.

"Can I have a look?" she asked.

Link nodded and she slowly pulled out his sword from the sheath and tested it casually in her hands.

"Quite strong," she commented, suddenly swinging around and letting it crash into the wall. The wall had a deep gash in it, but the sword was unchanged.

Tanya nodded her head slowly. "Good," she commented, "not unbreakable, but no swords are these days."

Link was pleased about her approving his weapon and they kept on talking, although Tanya always had an eye looking around her, searching for any trouble. After a while she stopped as if she had found a target, and pointed to a warehouse.

"Drugs," she murmured.

Link had no idea how she knew they were there, he supposed that she had sensed them somehow.

"Do you want me to come?" he asked.

Tanya was about to shake her head, when changing her mind she nodded it. She crept to the wall and started to climb it. Link could only just see her feet momentarily rest in the small cracks between bricks. She got to the roof, pulled a rope from around her waist and threw one end down to Link. He took considerably longer than her to climb up but he managed it relatively quietly, and was ready for action.

Tanya tying the rope around her waist again, jumped down a nearby chimney. From the sounds Link heard, she hadn't got a very nice reception. He ran quickly to the chimney and climbed down it himself, glad for the rope's help. He didn't think his legs could stand jumping.

At the bottom the Xi had four people tied up in strong rope. Link noticed their swords lying on the floor. Maybe the Xi's reputation wasn't so overrated after all..

Suddenly another man jumped out from behind a barrel and ran to the chimney, quickly scrambling up the rope. Link was after him in an instant. He reached the top and poked his head out...only to get it hit by a huge club. He found himself sprawled down on the floor. The thug tensed himself again, ready for the Xi. The strong kick to his chest emerging from the chimney soon showed him how futile his efforts were. He too, like Link was thrown to the floor. However he must have been made of sterner stuff. Jumping to his feet he caught Link as he dizzily stood up, and help a knife to his throat.

"Don't," he threatened Tanya, taking a step back, "or he says goodbye."

The man slowly walked backwards, and then with incredible difficulty, up a ladder to another roof. Tanya was forced to follow far behind as they slowly got higher and higher making their way through Asreal's maze of roof systems. They had been walking for five minutes when they finally stopped. At the top of one of the highest buildings in Asreal - the Church Imperial Trade Centre, a building that was second in importance only to the nearby glass cathedral. The man waited until Tanya was standing on the roof with him until he made his demands.

"Xi!" he spat, "Give me on your honour safe passage or he's gone."

But Link was properly awake now. While the man's attention was distracted he took his chance. And pushed the man off the top of the building. Or tried to - a pity it didn't quite work. As the thug fell roughly to the ground he put out his foot and tripped Link who fell easily. Down the side of the building.

Tanya had a split-second decision. She dived quickly after Link- too late. To Link's horror he found himself with Tanya and the thug in free fall.

Tanya continuing her dive reached out with one hand to grab Link. She was half-way down when her hand grabbed his and she had achieved her first goal. Relying on all her instincts she stretched out with her other hand and tried to grab the wall only to find her nails uselessly scrape down it. If only she hadn't dropped her sword in the mad free fall. If only she had told Link to wait. But her instincts kicked back in and as she saw the thug's body break sickeningly on the pavement she made her last grab.

And caught something. She allowed herself one sigh of relief as she tried to see what had saved her. It was a huge wooden 'T' from the carved sign stuck to the wall. She closed her eyes in a quick prayer of thanksand then dropped down to the pavement which was but a few metres away. Link was already there. She walked forward to where he was standing and was about to speak when...he jumped onto her. Startled she let herself fall to the floor as she just heard the air rush above her. An arrow. Link had saved her live.

After a moment that seemed to last forever, she got up, and found the person who had thought killing her would be fun. He was hidden behind a crate. She was no longer picky of where she placed the stick she used to kill him.

Then checking the sun's height in the sky she turned back to Link, "Time's up," she commented briefly. Slowly the two of them made their way back to the Glass Temple, speech useless with the large crowds gathered around them.

Inside, Link found that the private section of the meeting had finished a while ago, and Nala was waiting to take him into a separate room. In the new room (whose roof this time was covered with stone) Link saw around forty priests waiting to hear his story.

In return for telling them about the seven sages, Ganondorf, and the Sirens they told him about the main prophecies of the Distile - of Hail and the capture of Nura. Link listened interested as they went on.

"There are other prophecies," one priest was saying, "for example the earthquakes..."

It was classic irony that the earthquakes started then. The priests stared around them in horror as small pebbles and bit of gravel began to fall from the roof in the shaking room. It was only when the stones began to get big that they finally realised staying there was not a good idea.

"Get out!" shouted one priest, and everyone took up the cry which only seemed to anger the earthquake more. They ran terrified into the main chamber. From every door more people ran, some screaming, some solemnly quiet. Link noticed Tanya running around near, in the chaos. And then parts of the glass of the roof began to fall down raining on the people's heads.

"Noooooo!!!!!!!!!!" Link screamed louder than anyone as his nightmare came back to him.

To his surprise Tanya jumped at him just like he had at her. But it was too late. Staring above him, Link saw the huge statue fall from the roof, directly above him. His last moment seemed to go on for eternity.

And then the Hero of Time never knew anything again.

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