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"Letting Go"Letting GoBy: Chica: Tofu NinjaThe Ranch held a gloomy ambiance, as if it was resenting the fact that the moon was planning to fall from the sky. I didn't really have a care though, since I had my ocarina, I could simply return to the first day and take as much time as I wanted to 'save the world so-to-speak. The pale blue instrument was important to me, and it helped me to remember Hyrule whenever I was close to giving up. It especially reminded me of Zelda. I miss her, and I wish I could go back to Hyrule and tell her... Shaking off thoughts of the past, I raised the ocarina of time to my lips, and as I was about to begin playing the song of time, Tatl flew out from out of my hat, and bumped my wrist. Everything was in slow-motion, and I could almost see it happening before it did. The ocarina flipped out of my hand, and into the air. Tatl later told me of how my eyes were the size of watermelons, at the time, I didn't think it funny, at all. The smooth blue tool came towards the ground quickly, and it was too late, before I could try to catch it, it spiraled to the ground and shattered. I remember the feeling of terror, and a certain indescribable disbelief was surging through my veins. I couldn't believe what had just happened. That ocarina was the key to saving Termina...it was the key to save my life. Looking at the broken pieces tore through my heart and ripped at my soul. There was no hope anymore, my chances of leaving Termina--no, there was no chance of leaving Termina. I sat on the cold ground for a long time and I wept. I wept not only because I would be dying in Termina, but because I never got to say goodbye to my friends, the ones I loved most. Navi, especially. She was the reason I even got started on this whole...quest you could say, in the first place. I left because I missed her. As much as I hated to admit it, Navi was the best friend I ever had. She never judged me, never got mad at me, never even lost hope, not once. She was always there helping me and telling me to have faith and keep moving, and eventually, it worked, and I owe it all to her. She listened to me when I needed someone, she always would, no matter what. And I didn't appreciate her at all, I never got to thank her. Right after Zelda turned time back, we parted, without even a goodbye. At first, I didn't really notice anything gone, but soon, it was as though there was an important chunk of me, gone without a trace; it was Navi. I never, not even once realized how important she was to my life. I cried on the ground for her, because I never got to say goodbye. I wept on that cold hard ground for Navi, wherever she was, I wanted to somehow tell her...tell her that I'm sorry. Tatl was silent as I cried, a very rare sight for the spunky fairy. I thought about my life, and wondered, why? Why is my life like this? Why can't I turn back time and make things like they used to? When I got back the ocarina, that night with Skull Kid, Zelda said the Goddess of Time was trying to help. Help? What help did she do, I thought. Why did fate choose me to be their...their little experimental boy? Why me? What's so special that time had to cripple me for? That's what I am, a victim of time, an invisible, but as I would soon learn, yet somehow fatal thing. Time hadn't taken mercy on me at all. No, I was tormented by a force that we only have one word for, time. Time got me into this--this mess. Time got me there, but time couldn't get me out, not in my situation it didn't. I felt so much anger that night, and it was so powerful, I was being taken over by raw emotion. My thoughts didn't stop till around three in the morning, when I finally fell asleep on the tear-soaked grassy plain. The sleep I got that night was light and tiring, it didn't feel like sleep at all, because I knew that there was no way to escape this time, I couldn't do anything. I woke up only a few hours later, at seven, and contemplated what I would do during that last full day of my life. I couldn't go and get the other four masks I needed, to do that I needed time, much, much more time. I stayed at the ranch, just thinking and remembering everything about life, everything. The good times, and the bad times. Tatl was still awkwardly silent, as if she didn't know what to with herself, but I knew how she felt, she missed someone too. Another, different fairy. She missed her brother, and I can easily understand how she must've felt. Navi was like a sister, and a friend, the best friend anyone could ever have. But there was nothing I could do to comfort her, as was vice versa. The day went on, and the incessant ticking of the clocks throughout Termina pounded the heavy rhythms into me ears. There's a battle that no one at all can win, and that's the battle of time. That day, I tried to pay attention to little things, like all the sounds of the ranch; the birds and horses and crickets and everything. Never before had such sweet music been heard by any ears. This new feeling of wonder comforted me slightly, but wore off after an hour when I thought about what would happen that night. I never thought I'd regret dying, nor be afraid of death. But once you're put into the situation I was in, you can't hide from fear, because it gets the best of you and tries to kill you. But maybe you're already dead once the fear sets in. Maybe you're dead all along, and the verb 'living' is nothing but a mask to hide us from the clutches of fear and death. I looked up into the moon. The eyes...they had changed, they were no longer angry, they too, were scared. The amber orbs pleaded for a hope, a promise of faith, but it was impossible, everything, and nothing was impossible. The moon seemed to look at me, too. The haunting eyes pleaded for me to do something, but like a rock, I was defenseless, and once again, the tears fell freely. The afternoon was fast, it seemed only minutes before night slowly crept up upon everyone. I thought about Anju and Kafei, and I wondered what they were feeling at this time. Anju, the patient and willowy woman, and Kafei, the wise-beyond-his-years qualities of him. I wondered what would be come of them, and what would become of everyone I couldn't help. Tatl's once bright and neon yellow light was slowly depleting into a dull glow, her once perky expression changed to that of depression. Her crystal wings hung sadly, she was an image of sorrow. The sky faded slowly into a stunning sunset. Deep crimsons and golden hues were painted across the sky. Perhaps, I thought, the beautiful setting of the sun was a final goodbye, or a reward for staying till the end. The quiet night slowly seeped through all nooks and crannies and came upon the world without a sound. There was no escape, I couldn't hide, this was the final time. It wasn't some test or temple puzzle, this was Armageddon, the ending of the world. I was still near the shattered ocarina pieces, and without thinking, I scooped them up into my hand and put them in a bottle. How serenely they sat inside their glass case, so impressive and majestic. I guess there are some kinds of beauty that remain unbroken, no matter what state they are in. Bitter hate for almost everything filled my mind with unbearable pain. The hours ticked into my brain slowly sucked the life out of me without knowing. I looked at Tatl, and her tear-stained face spoke for herself. "Tatl, leave Termina, fly away. You have wings, use them." I spoke through clenched teeth it was too hard otherwise. "I can't," The fairy solidly said, "I'm staying with you, till the end. We've already been through so much, I can't save my self without forever feeling an endless guilt!" Her words split my heart into yet more pieces, and bitter tears formed in my eyes yet again. "Are you sure?" I couldn't believe her answer, she was, like Navi, a true friend. A true friend stays with you no matter what, even through the destruction of a parallel world. "I can't go, not now, I'm staying." The fairy nodded once more, smiling through tears. Such wondrous things a smile can do. At that time, I too, smiled. I smiled with a half-grin, not sure of what would become of me, of us, of everyone. Tatl faithfully rested on the tip of my hat, and we sat there, silently, watching and waiting. The tower struck quickly, counting off the number of hours left. Only five hours left, I thought, only five. The ground rumbled with the moon's pulsing body, once again, I spoke to Tatl. "Tatl, you have to go, I can't let it end like this way. I can't let two of us die when one of us has the choice to be safe. Fly away, please, for my sake...for Tael's." The silent orb contemplated my words. "I-I-I h-h-have to go Link. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, but I just can't...I can't bear it. Thank you Link, thank you for all the things you've taught me. I'm sorry." I knew that it would be this way in the end, if I was her, I too would male the same choice. "It's OK, I understand. But, could you do me a favor?" "Yeah, sure thing." She looked intently at me, promises twinkling all about her. "If you ever meet a fairy..named Navi, tell her...tell her Link says that he's...that he's sorry for the way he treated her, and that she'll always have a special place in heart." Tatl smiled wearily, "I'll try my best, I promise. Goodbye Link, I'll miss you. You know I'm not too good at emotional stuff or anything, but I really will miss you. You just don't know how hard this is..." "It's okay, I understand. Fly away, fly free. Get out of here, there's not much time." "Bye, Link. Goodbye." Without anymore heartfelt words, the fairy flew off, giving a glittering light to the dark sky. "Goodbye, goodbye." My words fell out almost silently, and even though I knew she couldn't hear me, it felt great to say those words. The final hour counted off, it was time. A great quake shook the land, and an intense heat suddenly flew down onto everything. I didn't feel any pain though, it was a relief. The heat slowly formed into a flame. The flames formed a wall, a wall of fire slowly out to crash-course onto everything. I didn't care though, yes, I felt the blistering heat, but it wasn't painful, no, not at all. I silently said goodbye to everyone I knew, even though they couldn't hear me. The fire came closer, and I smiled, welcoming death. Fate works in mysterious ways, yes, but maybe this was for the best. No other time in my existence had I felt such an exuberant uplifting take place in my body. I was free, truly free. A soft white light flooded into my eyes, and was home, I was finally home, where I belonged. The End (is it?) |