Light and Twilight Chp 3- P.2

Chronicles of the Twili: Man and Wolf

Link usually avoided the cities, sticking to towns and villages. For one, people in the smaller towns seemed to be much warmer, kinder people and offered up their hospitality with this stranger. They were also easier to protect (if it needed protection), had less people to sidetrack him, and if a wolf was caught wandering about at some point, they tended to be less paranoid, or at the very least, frightened enough to leave him alone. Cities, from his experience in Hyrule (he doubted cities differed much from world to world), were less hospitable, had a lot more people, and, of course, were bound to be more dangerous for a wolf or stranger.

But he had to find out how close he was to the Palace of Twilight. He needed to restock on food, water, potions (they did have potions and milk here, albeit slightly different), and arrows. He’d used some of his other weapons from time to time, but bombs were not something that was very common and was hesitant to use them, lest anyone get any ideas. Those he still had mostly a full stock of—he’d only had to use them to blow up boulders that had been in his way as he’d crossed the mountains.

A map would also be something very useful. He just hoped he had enough rupees for it.

The city was large and the people were bustling. It reminded him a lot of Castle Town, with so many different kinds of people, and all the noise of music and chatter. His heart swelled with pride for Midna. She’d done so well in the last four years.
He wandered through the town, making sure not to bump into anyone, and that his hood was pulled low. He got some strange looks from many of the people walking passed, but the venders didn’t seem to care one wit. They just shouted toward him as they did everyone else trying to sell their wares.

Link smiled at one exceptionally loud Twili man as he harangued some poor older Twili woman, who only managed to escape because the former had caught Link’s smile.

“You, cloaked stranger! You look like you need some of my high quality pots, pans, and knives! A traveler such as yourself would need a good set of kitchenware for cooking on the road. You poor man! What have you been eating? Hopefully not anything undercooked because of lack of fantastically made pots and pans!”

Link shrugged helplessly and shook his head. He didn’t want to risk talking to anyone in the city. The people in villages hadn’t minded his odd speech, or his mispronunciation of their version of Hylian. If it ever got to a point where they didn’t understand each other, clever guesswork did the trick. But here it may be too risky. Though he had already been kind of proven wrong by the man before him.

“Are you broke?”

He blinked at the vender and laughed.

“Hey, cloaked stranger!” called a woman across the way. Another vender, this one selling pastries. “Just smell the delicious delicacy of my freshly baked éclairs!”

“I don’t think he has any cash, Lidi!” said the man before him.

“Oh! A poor traveler then? Posh. You’re in the wrong side of the city, sir!”

Link grinned, hiding it beneath the neck of his cloak and nodded. He made to move away, but a cry burst out behind him. He turned, as did a bunch of other Twili moving about the area, and saw a young man running through the crowd, pushing his way through people, holding a woman’s shopping bag. He didn’t hesitate. Link’s booted foot slipped out, and the young man toppled over into a sprawl, not expecting the blatant attempt to stop him. In an instant, Link’s sword was out, its tip at the young man’s throat. He couldn’t be more than eleven.

Link didn’t notice the people around him, as he looked into the Twili boy’s frightened eyes. He smiled slowly. “This isn’t something you should be doing, little one,” he whispered. He hoped his accent wasn’t clouding his words too much. “There are better ways to make a living than stealing, and if you’re hungry or in trouble, I’m sure there’s always someone willing to help.” He moved his blade away and motioned with it for the boy to stand up. He did, still holding onto the purse.
Link motioned behind him with a slight shift of his blade. The boy watched the sword for a long moment and then trembling handed the bag back to the woman, who snatched it. There was a muffled thank you from a female voice and suddenly the entire street lit up with conversation and noise. It startled the Ordonian back to the situation and realized he’d just done something, uh, quite mentionable in public.

“Where did you get that sword?”

“It’s like nothing I’ve seen before!”

“Did you see that? He just stopped that boy so easily!”

“He wasn’t even scared!”

“This reminds me of something my cousin told me!”

“Didn’t my sister tell me something similar happened to her?”

“Who are you?”

“Where’d you come from stranger?”

“What are you doing here?”

“Why did you stop him?

“How did you do it?

Link was suddenly surrounded by a throng of Twili, he glanced to the boy, but he was already being pushed away and looking quite dejected. He smiled and nodded to the crowd, and with a bit of controlled strength, pushed his way through them and followed the boy. The crowd tried to follow him, but he was fast around the corner the boy had turned and quickly lost into shadow.

He caught up with the boy in minutes. The young Twili looked startled and then scared but Link raised his unarmed hands in a gesture of peace. “I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to know why you felt like you had to steal. It doesn’t look like you’re any good at it.”

The boy’s brow furrowed as if trying to make sense of everything Link had said and then he smiled sheepishly, shrugging. “I’m not. But my family needs the money and there’s no way I can think to get it fast.” He looked up at Link oddly. “You talk funny, stranger.”

Link smiled. “I know.”

“Why are you all covered up like that?”

Normally the answer to that question was a shrug, but as he was trying to not scare the poor kid… “Because I look strange and I don’t want people to bother me.”
The boy nodded. “I can understand that.” The boy himself had his dark hair thick and in dreadlocks. His features weren’t quite so flat. He wondered if the boy was eleven or older. Link had put him at that age because of his height, but from what he had gathered in that brief conversation, the boy seemed older and perhaps just small for his age, unlike other Twili.

“What’s wrong with your family?”

The boy gave him a suspicious glare. “Why do you want to know?”

“So I can help.”

“Why would you want to help me? You don’t even know me or anything. And I know not to trust strangers.”

This time Link did shrug. “I could’ve given you the guards, or have let you gotten away with stealing. Instead I made you give it back and let you go. You’re not a bad kid, even if you were caught doing a bad thing.”

The boy was quiet for a long while. Link could read the expressions crossing his face. He was unsure whether to trust him, understandable, but desperate enough to seek help from someone who in a way had just helped him moments ago. “Kay.” He shifted as he walked and stared at the floor. “My mother is sick. But the doctor won’t give us the medicine because we can’t pay for it. My dad died four years ago and it’s only me and my sister. I need a job, but nobody will take a kid with no skills unless I’m an apprentice first and that means I get no money for a while. I thought stealing to get enough rupees for my mother’s medicine would at least buy us some time so I could get a job or something…” He shrugged.

“What’s your name?” Link asked softly.

“Rodil. Why?”

“So I know what to call you.”

Rodil looked at Link oddly and he just smiled at the boy. “Take me to this doctor. Maybe I can help a little.”

The Twili boy shrugged and shook his head, probably not sure what to make of the strange cloaked figure. Link followed behind him, taking in the alleyways of the city, its nooks and crannies, its buildings.

Among the many things he had noticed in his travels, Sols were the most interesting. He knew what they were; after all, two had gotten absorbed into the Master Sword. It was the light and sun of the Twilight. A small village had one Sol that lit the town. It was placed on a tall pole with a flat surface atop. It would hover there and slowly dim as ‘night’ approached. It would never turn off, but remain very dim for a few hours before it began to increase its brilliance again. Towns had from two to four depending on the size.

The cities however were completely lit by Sols. Those pedestals—albeit in different designs, heights and shapes—stood on almost every street corner, lighting the city. A city could be seen for miles away because of the brilliance of the Sols’ light. The technology in a city was much more like what he’d seen in the Palace and even to reach Rodil’s home on the poorer side of the city, they had to ride on one of the light transporters. From the height they reached, Link could see people traveling from building to building with those, as many people in the air seeming as if they were floating as there were on the ground walking.

He followed Rodil to the doctor, and though the boy seemed hesitant, he opened the door and allowed Link to enter first. Link nodded as the boy entered behind him and the doctor approached them from behind his desk.

“Rodil, who’s this?”

Before the boy could answer, as his face was confused from not knowing himself, Link answered for him. “Just a traveler who is looking to help. How much is the medicine for Rodil’s mother?”

The doctor looked confused, but he turned his attention to the cloaked figure. “Are you planning to pay for it, stranger?”

“How much?” Link asked again.

The Twili doctor shifted uncomfortably. “She has a long standing disease. It’s been getting worse over the last few years since her husband died. The only medicine that can treat it is fairly expensive, but not greatly so, but after he died she couldn’t afford even that. Only one medicine can help the stages now, but it’s… four hundred rupees.”

Even though Link had been expecting something along that much, it was still amazing to hear the price. He definitely understood the boy’s desperation.  He reached down to his wallet and pulled out four orange rupees, to the shock of both doctor and boy. Link’s eyebrow arched as he watched their expressions, but he said nothing as he handed the four orange rupees to the doctor.

“Oh, goddesses, how did a traveler like you come by so much money…?”

“I haven’t had to spend much in my travels yet,” Link said softly.

Rodil was shaking his head. “I can’t accept you paying for it! I have nothing I can give you back!”

“It’s all right,” Link said quietly. He turned his attention to the doctor. “Doctor, do you mind taking Rodil as your apprentice? I’m sure he wants to continue taking care of his mother and I think he’d be interested in learning your craft so he can do so. I’m sure if he’s learning under you, it would be easier for him to get his mother’s medicine. He may even be able to learn how to make it.”

The doctor blinked and stared at Link for a long moment. Finally, a smile spread across his face and he nodded. “I have actually been thinking of taking one soon. I am getting up there in years.”

Rodil’s eyes widened. “R-Really?” He looked from Link to the doctor and back again.
The doctor nodded. “I think it’ll be all right. You have the drive to learn and that’s the main requirement.”

Link nodded. “Thank you. Rodil, take the medicine to your mother then. I’m sure your sister can care for her while you begin your studying with the doctor.” He gave them both a small bow and turned to leave.

He was already outside and walking away when Rodil rushed out and shouted to him. “Hey!”

Link turned and watched curiously as the boy rushed toward him.

“Thank you, thank you so very, very much!” Rodil said, tears in his eyes. “I don’t understand. Why would you just do this? You don’t know me and I don’t know you… why…? How can I ever thank you for everything? I don’t even know your name! I don’t why you helped me!”

Link shrugged. He really had no answer; it was just his way, as Zelda had said. “My name isn’t important.” He paused for a moment. “I don’t know if you can help me, Rodil, but I’m looking for a map. I’m headed toward the Palace of Twilight.”

“The Palace?”

Link nodded.

Rodil scratched the back of his head. “Well, I can tell you were you can get a map, but that’s all I’ve got. Maybe they can give you directions there too… Oh! And there’s a place nearby that’s a good place to stay. The guy who owns it, Ol’ Dee, he’s been all over the place. I’m sure you can ask him. His place is called Starry Inn.”

“Thank you, Rodil.”

“It’s the least I could do. You’ve done so much! And I don’t even know you.”

Link shrugged carelessly. “It was no problem.” I needed to make space in my wallet anyway, he thought.

Rodil’s smile was brilliant. “All right! So the place I’m talking about across town. When you get to the central square, take a light lift to the second level of the city and head down the southwest street. On your lefthand side you’ll see a bookstore. It also has a lot of maps and documents and stuff. I’m pretty sure they’ll have some kind of map. The Starry Inn is just a bit further down that same street. You’ll hang a right at a fork and it’s right there, but you’ll have to go down the stairs to get to the front desk where Ol’ Dee is.” The smile widened. “I’m sure you’ll find it without a problem!” He bowed. “Thank you, thank you so much. I don’t think I can stop saying it. I hope you find the Palace, stranger!”

Link smiled as Rodil waved and moved away, heading back into the doctor’s office. “I do too.”

Link followed Rodil’s directions, but allowed himself a little fun along the way, letting himself explore the city. He rode on several different transporters, looked through the different levels of the city. The third level seemed to be where most people lived, and the second level full of smaller shops and knickknack stores. There was one large building that took up all three levels, and from the guards posted outside of it, assumed that was city hall or the mayor’s residence, or both.

The first level encompassed the most people, a variety of street vendors, game booths, and the larger stores and inns. The people didn’t really seem to notice him and those that did carefully looked away. There was at least once or twice that a few called out to him, recognizing him from what had happened with Rodil, but he made a speedy getaway. He didn’t want to risk exposing himself to the Twili. He didn’t know how they’d react to seeing a man of the Light Realm in their midst.
He took his time, but did eventually head up to the second level, looking for the bookstore the boy had mentioned. Following the path he’d been told, he soon found it and entered it. It was dark and the scent of old paper and dust filled his nostrils. He looked around, searching for the proprietor, before finally spotting an older Twili woman.

“Can I help you?” she chirped.

Link nodded slowly, extending his hands out so she could feel more relaxed. He knew that the cloak and hood unnerved people. “I’m a stranger to these parts,” he said quietly. “I was told that you may have a map of the country.”

The woman, tall, thin, dark hair knotted at the base of her neck, sniffed and turned around. “Any part of the country in particular?” she asked moving away and going through the isles of bookcases to a shelf of books and papers in the far corner. Link followed after her with careful steps, making sure not to disturb anything. He stopped several feet behind her.

“Well, my most immediate need is to get to the Palace of Twilight from here. But a map of the entire country would be nice.”

The woman started, as if his voice so close had been unexpected. She turned with a book clasped against her chest and stared at him. “What-how- uh, nevermind.” She moved around him, keeping a wary eye trained on him and headed toward the desk in the back of the shop. She finally tore her gaze away and opened the book, shifting carefully through the pages. “I don’t think I want to know why someone like you wants a map to the Palace, we’ve had plenty of trouble over the last few years.”

“I know,” he said softly, startling her again as he was only a couple of feet away from the desk now.

She gave him a long stare. “Right. Your accent tells me you’re definitely not from around here. I thought myself well versed in all the races here in the Twilight, but I don’t recall anyone with an accent like yours.”

He shrugged.

“Right…” she said again, the tone of her voice dragging with suspicion. “Well, fine, but it’ll cost you two hundred rupees,” she said with a smug smile.

Link reached into his wallet and pulled out a lone silver rupee. He tossed it on the desk in front of her.

The Twili woman stared at the rupee with a gaping jaw. “H-h-how could you possibly have that?!”

He shrugged.

She must’ve seen the movement, because she shot him a glare. “No traveling wanderer should have that kind of cash on them!”

“I save up.”

Her mouth firmed into a harsh line. “Fine.” She snatched up the silver rupee, and put the map she’d pulled out in its place. “That’s the map of the country. Not everything is marked though and it’s a couple of years old. Not everything may be in the same spot anymore.”

Link took the map and carefully opened it, spreading it on the desk. The woman took a step back. “Where are we now?”

A finger inched forward and pointed. “Here.”

He made a note of the general area she pointed at, and looked at where the castle was marked to be. “So the Palace is northwest of us.”

“Yeah, but there’s a gorge in the way now. Where the Goblinoids live.”

“It’s not marked here.”

“Yeah, because Zant made that gorge.”

“Ah.”

The woman tucked the rupee into the folds of her skirt and then crossed her arms. “Is there anything else, stranger?”

Link paused for a moment and then shook his head, rolling up the map. “No, I think that’s all.”

“Okay, good. Now go away.”

He smiled and gave her a little bow. He turned and left the bookstore, chuckling to himself.

As the door closed behind him, he heard a loud click and a clatter. Looking over his shoulder, he saw the open sign now a loud CLOSED. He chuckled again and shook his head, heading further down the street toward the Starry Inn Rodil had mentioned.

It wasn’t that far of a walk to the fork and even less still to the sign that dictated the name. Like the boy had said, the door only opened to a stairwell that went both up and down. Link took the stairs downward and headed toward the front desk, ignoring the odd looks he got from the patrons.

Ol’ Dee was quite that. A very old looking Twili that even seemed to be sporting what could be a beard, though Link couldn’t be completely certain. He also had gray hair, something he had yet to see in any Twili yet. Unlike the others, he didn’t seem to be the least bit surprised or anxious by the tall, cloaked Ordonian. Link paused by the front desk and gave a small bow.

Ol’ Dee returned it. Link found himself smiling.

“What can I do for you, boy?” Ol’ Dee asked in perfect Light world Hylian.

Link started. He stared at the old man, but the old Twili only continued to smile, waiting for a response. The patrons looked over at them oddly, but returned to their business after a moment. Finally, Link spoke, not using the dialect of the Twili that he’d managed to pick up over the last few weeks, “I was wondering if you could direct me to the Palace of Twilight. I was told that you knew the country very well.”
The old man nodded. “I’ve been around a long time. Seen everything change. Seen strange things.”

Link shifted from one foot to the other. He pulled out the map he’d just bought and placed it down for Ol’ Dee to look at. “Could you tell me the best way to get from here to the Palace? In the least amount of time.”

“Hmmmm….” The old man murmured, looking over the map. He took a quill and dipped it into some dark, glowing liquid in a small pot to the side. Ink? Link thought, before Ol’ Dee marked up the map. “We’re here…” he made an ‘x’. “The gorge is here…” he made a pair of squiggly lines to the northwest. “The only bridges are guarded by the Goblinoids. You can take the long way around…” He connected the gorge farther to the south, “but it’ll take you at least an extra week to go around the long way.”

Link sighed. Bridges and Goblinoids it had to be then. He wasn’t going to waste another week. He wanted to see Midna as quickly as possible.

“You going to see the princess, young man?”

Again, Link started, his eyes jerking up to the meet the old man’s. Ol’ Dee was smiling. “Would be the only reason you’d be going to the Palace. Especially with that look on your face.”

Link looked at Ol’ Dee in silence for a long moment. He took a slow, deep breath. “You don’t seem to be bothered by me at all.”

“Takes a lot to bother an old man like me. Seen plenty, don’t you know.”

Link felt a slow smile etch across his face. “I can imagine.” He looked down at the map. “Thank you, Ol’ Dee.”

“No problem, boy. Will you be getting a room?”

He shook his head. “Not really. I don’t think I have the money for it, actually. Things here in the city have been fairly expensive.”

“Don’t mind them. They’re just a little nervous when it comes to strangers.”

“I understand.”

“I can give you a discounted rate.”

Link chuckled. “I’ll come by later if I decide to. Right now, I’d like to explore the city a little more.”

Ol’ Dee bobbed his head. “Yes, yes, good idea.” He lifted a hand. “Enjoy, young one.”

Link smiled and nodded, waving back to the old man as he exited.

~*~

Link did explore the city, as much of it as he could, not only visually but with his other senses as well. He enjoyed the different scents. The scent flowers he had never seen or smelled before, powerful perfumes, and the gentle scent that adorned all Twili. The smell of children covered in dirt, of men hard at work, and women’s hair. The smell of sweet meats cooking, sugar and baking bread. Eventually, he gave in and got himself some food. He also listened to the sounds of the city. The chatter of women, the laughter of children, music being played, venders shouting, and debating men. The sounds all blended into a lovely cacophony that reminded him of home. He overheard a number of conversations, many about the Goblinoids to the north and about the princess. But there were a few that surprised him. He came across a conversation or two about a beast that had saved a relative, or a cloaked figure who helped another without reason and for no contribution.

He gave a few rupees to a boy holding a donation box.

He eventually settled in the center of the square on the second level, watching the people come and go, as he ate. He had decided he would leave as ‘night’ fell, sleep in the woods as a wolf and then make his way across the bridge on the gorge the moment he awoke. He didn’t expect it would be easy, but he knew he needed to rest before he attempted it.

A scream sounded in the square and he almost dropped his food. Standing up quickly, he moved closer to the edge and searched for the source. There were soldiers, or guards—or perhaps just some kind of militia—working their way through the square with quick pace. The people were scattering. And from the northern part of the city, a flood of goblin-looking like things burst through, slashing at civilians, shooting arrows and destroying everything they came across.

Link didn’t give it a second thought. He rushed toward the oncoming Goblinoids, leaping off the edge of the second level and onto a floating light lift about halfway down to the first level. Leaping from there, he landed with a roll near the goblins, the militia already fighting many of them off. A group of five saw him and immediately ran toward him, ready to overwhelm him.

He waited till they were just perfectly within range. Then, in sync with his heartbeat, Link pulled out his blade—babump—and slashed across them all—babump. The five cried out and slumped to the ground. The sword flipped and twisted in his hand as Link returned it to its sheath. But the moment’s breath did not last more than that. A larger Goblinoid had seen the other five fall with one blow, and this one, well armored, charged him.

He instantly leapt to the side, his entire body rolling to the ground and along it, coming up suddenly with a burst of strength from his legs, sword drawn and slicing free the straps on the goblin’s back that held his armor. It sank to the stone ground with a loud clank and clatter, and the Goblinoid whirled to face him. Link dodged the attack and immediately drew his shield, dropping lower to the ground before shooting up toward the goblin with a flurry of attacks. He came down with a slash and then quickly twisted the blade across the creature’s side. The goblin knocked the sword away for a moment, but in the next instant Link was attacking again. His opponent wasn’t weak, and it took a little longer than expected to fell him. But Link’s movements were sharp and ferocious and when the Goblinoid finally fell, he was attacked by an onslaught of smaller ones.

Link rushed through them, his blade brightly shining as he cut through them. He managed to dodge away as they threatened to overwhelm him, paused for a moment, his sword perpendicular to his crouching form, and he lashed out in a dangerous spin, taking them all out at once. He straightened and ran toward a few others, trying to overtake some of the militia, cutting them down as he passed.
After the last of the few fell, he turned to see another larger one, about to cut down another member of that militia. More heavily armed. Perhaps the leader.

With another leap, he pushed the soldier out of the way of the finishing strike and blocked the goblin’s axe. The Goblinoid was surprised and he took advantage of it, knocking the goblin back. When he came at Link with another powerful thrust, he blocked it with his shield, and then slammed him again, stunning the goblin. He leapt into the air, flipping and slashing down at the makeshift helmet, knocking it off. Once behind the goblin, Link’s blade tore into him, freeing him of his armor. The Goblinoid turned around with a growl and slashed at him. Link leapt back, drawing up his blade close to his chest, and then jumping into the air. The downward slash didn’t hit, but it sent the goblin sprawling back, along with another that had come to help him face off against the Ordonian.

Link sheathed his blade and as they came at him once more, he drew it, cutting them both down with a strike. His blade shown as it twisted in the light of the Sols and he returned it to its sheath.

Silence fell over the square. The Goblinoid raid had been stopped, and more than half had been cut down by Link himself. He became aware after a moment that hundreds of eyes were staring intently at him.

Uh oh.

He looked about and saw a few of the men of the militia moving toward him, their blades still drawn. He inched slowly back. When an arm suddenly reached for him, he jerked away, turning, and seeing the startled face of the leader of the soldiers.

“Who are you?”

Link didn’t linger to answer the question. He bolted away, running fast down the square, jumping and tumbling over the fallen Goblinoids and heading toward the northern street where they’d entered. He could hear the soldiers shouting, could hear the growing ruckus of the civilians. As he ran, a lone goblin had a young man cornered. Link didn’t stop completely. As he passed, he drew his sword and cut down the goblin, knowing by the cry and the slumping sound of a body hitting the ground that it was dead and the young man safe.

He vanished into the shadows of the city.

~*~

As ‘night’ finally began to fall, the Sols dimmed. The people were still speaking about the attack in the square, and the cloaked figure that had taken out so many in one battle. The militia was still scouring the town for any evidence of the stranger. Link had hidden himself in the garden of an empty house on the third level. He knew the owners would be home soon, so he hesitated only a moment before transforming into a wolf again.

Even though it would be risky, no one would be looking for a wolf, and running him out of town would be their highest priority. No one would think to question a ferocious wolf on the identity of a cloaked warrior.

Link kept to the shadows as the night of Twilight grew darker, the pale white-blue glow of the dimming Sols illuminating him only briefly between each passage from shadow to shadow.

He was seen only once.

The Twili’s scream was enough to have him bolting the rest of the way toward the northwestern exit of the city and jumping down the two levels speedily.

He was outside of the city before anyone could find him again.