Garo
Boy Wonder
Welcome to the fourth week of Zelda Dungeon's Writing Community Competition! This is the place where Zelda Dungeon members get a chance to show off their writing chops each week by tackling a unique theme. Spectators will get to vote on the best piece and crown a winner for the week, and then we do it all over again next week!
Before we move on to this week's entries, let's talk about last week. While not as impressive as the first week's turnout, we had six great entries submitted last week. You voted, and the winner of Week 2 is... Heroine of Time! Her piece about Link reading the legend of a world above the clouds won her the winning number of votes - she'll get an award for her postbit, as well as being added to the (admittedly still not visually impressive) Hall of Fame at the bottom of this post.
Now on to new business - this week's theme was Sidequests, a broader topic given the series' long tradition of elaborate sidequests, often with intriguing character interactions. We had three entries submitted this week - congratulations and thank you to everybody who submitted! Once again, you can find the entries contained within the spoiler tag directly beneath this sentence.
Just as before, you may (and should) vote for your favorite in the poll at the top of this thread. I must remind all contestants once again of the rule against voting for yourself - spread the love! The person with the most votes at the end of the week will be crowned the winner of week two, and will receive an award for their postbit and be added to the Hall of Fame.
Now for the announcement of the theme for Week 4. This week's theme is...
Like last week, your entries must be submitted via PM to me by 9:00 PM EST on Friday, July 20th (DESHI BASARA!).
Before we move on to this week's entries, let's talk about last week. While not as impressive as the first week's turnout, we had six great entries submitted last week. You voted, and the winner of Week 2 is... Heroine of Time! Her piece about Link reading the legend of a world above the clouds won her the winning number of votes - she'll get an award for her postbit, as well as being added to the (admittedly still not visually impressive) Hall of Fame at the bottom of this post.
Now on to new business - this week's theme was Sidequests, a broader topic given the series' long tradition of elaborate sidequests, often with intriguing character interactions. We had three entries submitted this week - congratulations and thank you to everybody who submitted! Once again, you can find the entries contained within the spoiler tag directly beneath this sentence.
A_LINK_IN_TIME
Heart of a Hero
He was horrendous. A pale gray face and a pair of horrendously jagged horns framed his yellow eyes and fixed countenance. Sadness and frustration were seeded deep within those eyes, an ancient manifestation of the suffering he inflicted on others.
I pressed forward. The heart of a hero would not allow for faltering. He appeared unaware of my presence. Another step forward. Left foot, right foot. Left, right, left, right. Crossing the corridor became a mundane task, the demon would be exterminated soon and Skyloft redeemed. The floor creaked. Slowly but surely he turned around and there I was knees bent, arms extended with sword and shield prepared to parry. The demon let out a bellowing roar. Then the unexpected occurred. The fiend was completely taken aback as he retreated, pupils dilating.
“Stop! Please! I beg of you…don’t hurt me!”
He appeared to be different than I had anticipated. Perhaps an explanation was in order. Retracting my blade and sturdy buffer, my ears shifted attention towards the creature.
Shaking nervously he unraveled his tale. The girl, Kukiel, had been visiting him for quite some time. The only one, he maintained, to have not rendered a blood-curdling shout upon laying eyes on his frame. The joy kindled through this revelation meant the world to him and he sincerely wished for others to offer him a second chance. He stifled tears exclaiming that he appeared as an ogre on the exterior but it was the inside which mattered most. His was a heart of gold.
Then came the catch.
“It seems that when humans make other humans happy, the happy humans produce a substance known as a Gratitude Crystal. Laying my eyes on them and knowing there is kindness and compassion in the world would transform me into a human. I would very much like to be a human. Would you consider my offer to collect these Gratitude Crystals? I’ll furnish you a handsome reward”.
A true hero would never decline to help a denizen in distress. A nod was all I could produce. The last few hours had been a blur as everything was sure to be until Zelda was safe from harm. Leaving the beaming Batreaux behind it was time to get busy. Duty called.
Heroine of Time
Kwee, maybe this wasn't such a good idea...
"Oh, it will be fine, Link!" the gray-haired human said cheerfully, gently pushing Oolo's green-clad friend toward the door. "Now, I have a lot to do, with this new plant species and everything – I just can't wait to study it!"
Oolo watched as his friend gave him one final, concerned glance, and then nodded once and left. The cowardly Kikwi gazed up at the unfamiliar human timidly. He wished that his friend stayed... He'd explain everything to Oolo. He thought he would find a new place to be safe, so he endured that robot's not-so-gentle grip, and he didn't comment when he'd been rudely deposited to the ground without any warning. Plus, Oolo didn't like the pensive expression on this new human's face.
Finally, the human spoke up. "This is great! I can't wait to find out more about this new species. I wonder if there's any more of you?"
After a moment, Oolo hesitantly asked, "What... what are you going to do with me, koo-leep?"
The human's eyes grew wide, and Oolo wondered if he'd said the wrong thing. "You... you can speak! Incredible! Do you have a name? I'm Owlan. I have so many questions!"
Still struggling not to sound absolutely terrified (as he fully and utterly was), the Kikwi mumbled, "I'm Oolo... I don't know why I'm here..."
A wide grin split the human's face. "One of the academy's students, Link, brought you here. I asked him if he knew of any unique plants. I'm sure he had no idea what a splendid creature you are, though!"
"I know that," Oolo said impatiently, finding the courage to raise his squeaky voice. "I know that the elder's human friend brought me here. I thought he was going to give me a nice place in the sky where I wouldn't have to be afraid of monsters anymore, koro-koo."
"Don't worry, Oolo." The Kikwi did not like the way the human said his name; in fact, he didn't like the way the human spoke at all. He acted as though Oolo was a inferior creature, or a pet: condescending with a hint of affection. "You'll be perfectly safe here. No monsters will ever hurt you – I mean, as long as you stay in this room. Don't ever, ever leave this room, okay?"
"But... that's not much better," the Kikwi protested. "I wanted to be able to explore again... I don't want to be trapped all the time..."
"There are scary creatures out there, Oolo," the human said warningly. "And other humans might not be so accepting of you as I am. They just don't understand how... special you are." His voice became stern. "So don't leave. Understood?"
"I..." The Kikwi looked at the human's fierce expression fearfully. Finally, he gave in. "I-I understand..."
This definitely wasn't a good idea!
The human smiled. "Good." He took a step forward. "Now, let's take a look, shall we...?"
The Servant
Link walked quietly through the woods near Kakariko, making sure that there were no soldiers around. He and his uncle had traveled by these woods a few times when they had to shop in Kakariko, so Link thought he could manage a bit as long as he stayed near the main path. He couldn't have been more wrong. Staying near what he thought was the main path (it actually was just a small path in the woods, starting near Kakariko and ending somewhere in the woods) actually lead him deeper into these dreadful woods. Soon Link stopped walking quietly, he couldn't care less if the soldiers found him, in here he could probably walk away quickly and easily escape. But Link found himself near a clearing, and in it he saw something he would never forget.
In the clearing were a whole assembly of animals, large animals that Link had never seen, small ones he chased in the forest as a young child. They were gathered around a little stump in the middle of the clearing, then what was on the stump amazed Link even more. On it was a boy in a green tunic(like his own), and a greenish coloured cap(like his own), playing a blue ocarina. In truth the boy on the stump resembled Link in many ways, and they were about the same age and height. But Link made a mental connection at that moment. The man in the tavern who thought Link was his son, his wonderful son who played the ocarina, his lost son who went to look for the Triforce of the Gods. This was that boy!
At that moment though, Link wouldn't have much more time to think, two soldiers in purple armour appeared. They said things like,"There he is!"or,"Get him!" Link unsheathed the Master Sword, and he grabbed his shield with his free hand. Whether or not the soldiers saw Link or had mistaken the old man's son for him Orr had actually seen Link, it was never known. This is because Link sliced them up so quickly that they didn't even have time to think about who their target was.
Then Link looked back, and saw that the animals had fled. But the old man's son was still on the stump, be he looked odd, faded. Then he said,"Come follow me into the dark," And then slowly disappeared. Link understood what this meant, but there was no way to travel into the dark(Dark Realm) from here... unless. Link pulled out the magic mirror. He was teleported to the Dark Realm. And there, on a stump in a clearing in the Dark Realm was a little creature. He stared at Link with tired eyes and said,"You came. Take this, and show my father. Tell him I am safe, and that he should not worry for me." He set down his Ocarina on the ground and started to change into something, something plant like. His plant like shape merged with the stump, and near the middle of the stump Link could make out a smile.
So Link went back to the Light Realm, and managed to get back to the small village of Kakariko, and back to the little tavern at the edge of town. He found the old man, sleeping in a corner. Link shook him awake, his weary eyes opening, he again mistook Link for his son. But Link explained who he was, and conveyed the message from the boy to the old man. And with a smile the old man asked Link to play the ocarina for him. Link did, and during his song the man closed his eyes forever...
Heart of a Hero
He was horrendous. A pale gray face and a pair of horrendously jagged horns framed his yellow eyes and fixed countenance. Sadness and frustration were seeded deep within those eyes, an ancient manifestation of the suffering he inflicted on others.
I pressed forward. The heart of a hero would not allow for faltering. He appeared unaware of my presence. Another step forward. Left foot, right foot. Left, right, left, right. Crossing the corridor became a mundane task, the demon would be exterminated soon and Skyloft redeemed. The floor creaked. Slowly but surely he turned around and there I was knees bent, arms extended with sword and shield prepared to parry. The demon let out a bellowing roar. Then the unexpected occurred. The fiend was completely taken aback as he retreated, pupils dilating.
“Stop! Please! I beg of you…don’t hurt me!”
He appeared to be different than I had anticipated. Perhaps an explanation was in order. Retracting my blade and sturdy buffer, my ears shifted attention towards the creature.
Shaking nervously he unraveled his tale. The girl, Kukiel, had been visiting him for quite some time. The only one, he maintained, to have not rendered a blood-curdling shout upon laying eyes on his frame. The joy kindled through this revelation meant the world to him and he sincerely wished for others to offer him a second chance. He stifled tears exclaiming that he appeared as an ogre on the exterior but it was the inside which mattered most. His was a heart of gold.
Then came the catch.
“It seems that when humans make other humans happy, the happy humans produce a substance known as a Gratitude Crystal. Laying my eyes on them and knowing there is kindness and compassion in the world would transform me into a human. I would very much like to be a human. Would you consider my offer to collect these Gratitude Crystals? I’ll furnish you a handsome reward”.
A true hero would never decline to help a denizen in distress. A nod was all I could produce. The last few hours had been a blur as everything was sure to be until Zelda was safe from harm. Leaving the beaming Batreaux behind it was time to get busy. Duty called.
Heroine of Time
Kwee, maybe this wasn't such a good idea...
"Oh, it will be fine, Link!" the gray-haired human said cheerfully, gently pushing Oolo's green-clad friend toward the door. "Now, I have a lot to do, with this new plant species and everything – I just can't wait to study it!"
Oolo watched as his friend gave him one final, concerned glance, and then nodded once and left. The cowardly Kikwi gazed up at the unfamiliar human timidly. He wished that his friend stayed... He'd explain everything to Oolo. He thought he would find a new place to be safe, so he endured that robot's not-so-gentle grip, and he didn't comment when he'd been rudely deposited to the ground without any warning. Plus, Oolo didn't like the pensive expression on this new human's face.
Finally, the human spoke up. "This is great! I can't wait to find out more about this new species. I wonder if there's any more of you?"
After a moment, Oolo hesitantly asked, "What... what are you going to do with me, koo-leep?"
The human's eyes grew wide, and Oolo wondered if he'd said the wrong thing. "You... you can speak! Incredible! Do you have a name? I'm Owlan. I have so many questions!"
Still struggling not to sound absolutely terrified (as he fully and utterly was), the Kikwi mumbled, "I'm Oolo... I don't know why I'm here..."
A wide grin split the human's face. "One of the academy's students, Link, brought you here. I asked him if he knew of any unique plants. I'm sure he had no idea what a splendid creature you are, though!"
"I know that," Oolo said impatiently, finding the courage to raise his squeaky voice. "I know that the elder's human friend brought me here. I thought he was going to give me a nice place in the sky where I wouldn't have to be afraid of monsters anymore, koro-koo."
"Don't worry, Oolo." The Kikwi did not like the way the human said his name; in fact, he didn't like the way the human spoke at all. He acted as though Oolo was a inferior creature, or a pet: condescending with a hint of affection. "You'll be perfectly safe here. No monsters will ever hurt you – I mean, as long as you stay in this room. Don't ever, ever leave this room, okay?"
"But... that's not much better," the Kikwi protested. "I wanted to be able to explore again... I don't want to be trapped all the time..."
"There are scary creatures out there, Oolo," the human said warningly. "And other humans might not be so accepting of you as I am. They just don't understand how... special you are." His voice became stern. "So don't leave. Understood?"
"I..." The Kikwi looked at the human's fierce expression fearfully. Finally, he gave in. "I-I understand..."
This definitely wasn't a good idea!
The human smiled. "Good." He took a step forward. "Now, let's take a look, shall we...?"
The Servant
Link walked quietly through the woods near Kakariko, making sure that there were no soldiers around. He and his uncle had traveled by these woods a few times when they had to shop in Kakariko, so Link thought he could manage a bit as long as he stayed near the main path. He couldn't have been more wrong. Staying near what he thought was the main path (it actually was just a small path in the woods, starting near Kakariko and ending somewhere in the woods) actually lead him deeper into these dreadful woods. Soon Link stopped walking quietly, he couldn't care less if the soldiers found him, in here he could probably walk away quickly and easily escape. But Link found himself near a clearing, and in it he saw something he would never forget.
In the clearing were a whole assembly of animals, large animals that Link had never seen, small ones he chased in the forest as a young child. They were gathered around a little stump in the middle of the clearing, then what was on the stump amazed Link even more. On it was a boy in a green tunic(like his own), and a greenish coloured cap(like his own), playing a blue ocarina. In truth the boy on the stump resembled Link in many ways, and they were about the same age and height. But Link made a mental connection at that moment. The man in the tavern who thought Link was his son, his wonderful son who played the ocarina, his lost son who went to look for the Triforce of the Gods. This was that boy!
At that moment though, Link wouldn't have much more time to think, two soldiers in purple armour appeared. They said things like,"There he is!"or,"Get him!" Link unsheathed the Master Sword, and he grabbed his shield with his free hand. Whether or not the soldiers saw Link or had mistaken the old man's son for him Orr had actually seen Link, it was never known. This is because Link sliced them up so quickly that they didn't even have time to think about who their target was.
Then Link looked back, and saw that the animals had fled. But the old man's son was still on the stump, be he looked odd, faded. Then he said,"Come follow me into the dark," And then slowly disappeared. Link understood what this meant, but there was no way to travel into the dark(Dark Realm) from here... unless. Link pulled out the magic mirror. He was teleported to the Dark Realm. And there, on a stump in a clearing in the Dark Realm was a little creature. He stared at Link with tired eyes and said,"You came. Take this, and show my father. Tell him I am safe, and that he should not worry for me." He set down his Ocarina on the ground and started to change into something, something plant like. His plant like shape merged with the stump, and near the middle of the stump Link could make out a smile.
So Link went back to the Light Realm, and managed to get back to the small village of Kakariko, and back to the little tavern at the edge of town. He found the old man, sleeping in a corner. Link shook him awake, his weary eyes opening, he again mistook Link for his son. But Link explained who he was, and conveyed the message from the boy to the old man. And with a smile the old man asked Link to play the ocarina for him. Link did, and during his song the man closed his eyes forever...
Just as before, you may (and should) vote for your favorite in the poll at the top of this thread. I must remind all contestants once again of the rule against voting for yourself - spread the love! The person with the most votes at the end of the week will be crowned the winner of week two, and will receive an award for their postbit and be added to the Hall of Fame.
Now for the announcement of the theme for Week 4. This week's theme is...
Lake Hylia
Max. 500 words
Max. 500 words
Like last week, your entries must be submitted via PM to me by 9:00 PM EST on Friday, July 20th (DESHI BASARA!).
Hall Of Fame
Heroine of Time - 1 win
Rachel - 1 win
Heroine of Time - 1 win
Rachel - 1 win
