The Land of The Dead

Eric woke up feeling chilly all around him. It was cold,
indeed, ever-so-cold. He was somewhere, but he didn't know where. Below him
he saw himself, appearing to be sleeping. But why would he decide to sleep
in a place like this?
        O No! He remembered now! He was dead, either way. If he had fallen
asleep, he was now dead. But then he heard a familiar voice, and he darted
around. "Ganon," he breathed.
"Yes, it's me, brat. I haven't quite given up yet. You're dead and so am I.
I'm going to haunt Link until the day she dies, just like you. Then to love
birds can be together while I terrorize their homeland! AWWW!" He said with
false sympathy.
         "I'm dead...?" Eric paused and then raised his arms to look at
them. Glass. That was the only word to describe what he saw. He was him, the
exact shape of his body, only now, he was transparent. "It can't be!" Then
he remembered his death. "So, it's true...but I shall never stay permanently
dead. And you'll never hurt Link! I'll make sure of that!"
      Ganon sneered and vanished into the air. Eric didn't know what to do,
though. He finally found himself being attracted to someone or something...

            Link walked ever-so-slowly to the Castle. She knew that a
tongue-lashing awaited. Maybe even the biggest punishment she'd ever
received before. She never had intentionally taken Eric along for him to
die, he was supposed to LIVE. She'd only taken him along because the Sages
said that it was Destiny. Instead of going to the Castle, she, instead, went
to the Temple of Time and kneeled before the alter. She could feel the
foreign words slipping from her lips, the words of the Calatians. "Un to
doet un Brute?" She asked, which in Hylian, meant, "
why have you taken my valuable Possession?"
        "We have not taken anything from you, young Link. It was pure
destiny, is all. He had to die for the best."
"He wasn't supposed to die. There is now no heir to the throne, and the King
has to be quite ill and ready for his deathbed." There was no heir to the
throne, though, and Link had caused it all. "I want him back. Now."
"It is not your choice to decide what happens to Eric's soul. He may not
even descend into the Goddesses' realms. Many dead souls roam Hyrule keeping
wary people and others safe. Eric will be watching over you, most-likely.
The Goddesses have probably decided for him to dwell here, as an
invisible-to-living Hylians soul." Saria appeared and put a comforting hand
on Link's shoulder, but Link was more bitter than Saria expected.
        "Don't touch me," Link snapped, her thoughts concentrating on just
Eric.........
         

Eric's breath was cut short. A drawbridge, a moat...Home! Home,
it was the only word to describe where he was at. He found his feet walking
in front of him, unable to control themselves. Step, step, step where
was he going? Why couldn't he control his body?
        He continued until he found himself in the Temple of Time. Up ahead,
there was that familiar green cap. Then there was the familiar, blue ball of
light swirling about the head. The green cap was removed by a long, slender,
soft hand, and then there was the sound of weeping. The figure was all
alone. He moved swiftly over to the person and laid his hand on the
shoulder. The girl was weeping, and his eyes met hers, but he knew she
couldn't see him. He was dead. She was living. "Link," he whispered, his
breath raspy.
"Eric..." She whispered, and he was almost in shock until he realized that
she wasn't responding to him. "I feel you...you're here." He nodded.
"Yes, Link, I am here. Can you hear me?" He was eager to get a response,
hoping that she could hear. But obviously she didn't, because she broke down
into tears again.
"I best get going to the Castle," she choked out. "Your father needs to know
what has happened to you." She stood briskly, and not even he could keep up
with her fast pace.

        It was storming outside. The sky was almost black now, and there was
lighting and thunder galore. There was a sudden, abrupt banging on the door.
Link looked down and realized that she looked like a man, dressed in the
traditional tunic, but it was needed to keep herself disguised, so she
tucked her ponytail under her cap. "Hey, listen!" Navi cried. "I'm sorry for
what happened, and that I wasn't really there." Link didn't respond, and
then the door opened.
"A peasant?!" They shrieked, but Link pushed them aside and headed straight
to the throne room.
          "My son is dead?" The King blabbered like a baby, crying tears of
pure sadness. Link's heart sank.
     "It wasn't done intentionally, your Majesty. Do you remember Ganondorf
Dragmire? He came back. He destroyed your son. I'm very sorry..." She could
feel her hands wavering slowly from fear. Suddenly, the King stopped.

"Your Majesty," Said the first Guard, sounding rather serious. "We
found your sons body. But we found something else, too."
"Which would be...?" Asked Link, whom was rather impatient.
"We found fingerprints. They may be linked to the killer," The Guard replied
hurriedly.
"Well, what are you going to do with them? We should test the people that
were there at his time of death to see if they match. Young lady? Come
forth, and thus we shall see if they belong to you." Link shrugged, knowing
they couldn't possibly be hers. She lay her hand before the Guard and he
looked at each twist, turn, and curl in her fingerprints. "A loop," he said.
"You have loop fingerprints. Just like the killer. There's a perfect match."
Link burst out in a fit of rage, turning to the King with her mouth gaping
open.
"I am the Hero of Time's grand daughter! I would never do something like
that!" She fell to her knees and looked up once more, tears welling in her
eyes. "I fell in love with your son. Why in the name of Nayru would I kill
him?"
"Maybe because he broke your heart," The Guard pointed out. Link looked over
at him and gave him a disgusted glare.
"Shut up," she retorted. "This isn't any of your business."
"Yes it is."
"Whatever."
"Stop fighting, both of you!" The King cried, and the two looked alarmed.
"Young Lady, you're under arrest."
"But I--" Before she could finish, two guards rushed in and seized her. "I
didn't do it! I swear! I love himmmm! Plea..." That was the last he heard of
her ravaged cries as she was pulled down the hall.

         That was it. Eric found himself lying in a fresh grave, and he
figured that this had been created for him. He felt so peaceful all of a
sudden. So resting, so caring. He heard the other spirits calling to him. He
pulled himself out of the grave, and looked at the pitiful souls about him.
"Prince Eric? They found your killer," said one spirit. "That's what the
others have been talking about all day."
"Big guy? Green skin? Yellow eyes...or red eyes, I think?"
"No, nothing like that," grinned the spirit. "A girl. Slender, and tall.
Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Hylian." Those words sent shivers up his spin.
"Link?"
"Yes, I believe that was the name of the girl. Serves her right."
"No, she didn't do it, though! It was the person that I described to you
before!"
"Ooh, I see," the spirit seemed to calm a bit. "So, the killer is not the
real killer? My boy, you have quite a lot of trouble heading your way. You
have to stop this immediately! Or else, an innocent girl will be put to
death!" Eric was gone in a flash.

     Link pulled out her ocarina and played the most miserable note she
could think of. Her surroundings were dark, dank; she could smell her
cellmate, and that wasn't too pleasant. She could smell rum and other
alcoholic beverages in the air, most-likely from his breath. "My life," she
whispered. "So short...just yesterday Eric and I were having the time of our
lives, expecting to kill Ganon and all...and now he's dead and I'll be
joining him soon."
"At least I won't have to do any work," snorted Ganon from the corner of the
same cell. He was taking pitty on the girl for the first time in his life.
Link burst into tears.
      Jail. Death penalty. Her day wasn't as smooth as she'd expected it to
be. Right now, normally, she probably would've been announcing to the King
that she was marrying his son. But the thought of it was short-lived. She
couldn't propose to a dead guy, and she couldn't propose to a dead guy when
she was in jail.
"I will get out of this place," she whispered solemnly.

           "A spirit I sense," said the Plump, small lady, and she placed
herself at her little round table and gazed into the Crystal ball, and a
young man's face appeared. "Prince Eric of Hyrule, I suppose? Come hither,
sit down." Eric's soul made his way to a chair and sat across from the plump
one. "Now," she began, "we must make you somewhat visible. We can talk this
over," she pulled a little bag out and poured its contents over the spirit.
She heard a faint little cough, and then a face and a body appeared. It
looked around.
"Thanks," he choked.
"A little strong for you? I'm sorry about that, dear. Your welcome. But, how
did you find me? The great Estefan, the Psychic/palmreader?" She wriggled in
her seat until she was comfortable. "Surely you have an answer, and a reason
as to why you're here."
                 "Link, come with me." It was late that night, and Eric, the lone
soul, was calling to her. She could hear him outside of her cold, dank cell.
"Who are you and what do you want?"
"Do you not recognize me?" Suddenly, she knew whom he was.
"Eric! I thought you would have forgotten about me! But...aren't you dead?"
"Technically," he responded. All was silent.
"Well, can you help me?" She enquired after the painful silence. "Your
father is going to have my head for this!"
"I think I have a plan on how to get you out."
"I have the greatest plan in the world. Why don't you carry me out of this
place, and back to Calatia? I was probably better off there than I'll ever
be here."
"I don't have much time, Link. Just listen and be quiet, okay?" She fell
silent. "I think if I cause a storm or something, maybe I can get my dad to
get you out of here, wait."

      The King sat upon his throne and Eric watched him from the courtyard.
Eric sent a strong gust of wind blowing through the Castle, and the King was
clearly startled. The candles in the room began flickering, and even some
maids and servants began screaming. Finally, when the flickering and blowing
stopped, the words 'free Link' appeared on the ceiling in red paint. "It
must be the works of that nasty little girl! She shall not be executed in a
long while, she shall be executed tomorrow! For she is a witch!"

                     ***
     "Am I going to get out?" Link asked Eric excitedly as he stepped into
her cell. Everyone else was asleep by now, even the guard, who kept
murmuring something about food. "Why aren't they letting me out?" Eric's
face fell.
"They're going to kill you if I don't do something. Fast. Link, I love you."
"We're in the middle of a crisis and you find the strength to say 'I love
you?' I love you too, Eric, but I'm not ready to die yet. Hyrule needs me,
like they needed you." Her face fell and she turned away, pressed her cold
hands against her mouth and blew on them. "There's no time left. I'll just
take the heat for Gannondorf."
"No way, Jose! There's no way you're going to die for him!" Eric was full of
rage and fury, but he learned that it was late and he might awaken a guard,
and end up getting Link killed even EARLIER for mysteriously "conjuring" up
a spirit. "Just get some rest and maybe I'll take to you later." He said,
noticing her sleepy eyes. She lay down on a small little bunk and soon fell
asleep.
"I love you, Eric," she murmured. He turned back slowly, smiled a little,
and whispered back.
"I love you too, Link." And Vanished.

      Morning came, and Link was roused by a guard clanking the bars of her
cell. "What now?" She demanded.
"Breakfast is served," he gave it to her, and she looked down at it with
disgust.
"Soup? I hate soup! I ate enough of this crap back home!"
"Just eat it, Miss." He walked away, and Link sat there, all alone. Eric
appeared suddenly.
"I've got it!" He cried. "We can confront my father together!"
"Whaddaya mean?" Asked Link, full of suspicion. "I think he'd pass out if he
saw his son." Eric nodded slowly.
"But it's the only way," he replied.
"Fair enough." Link grinned, and they were soon on their way.
         "INNOCENT?!" The King cried. Seeing his son was shock enough, but
his son saying that this cold-hearted girl hadn't killed him? It was just
ridiculous!
"Please, father." Eric begged. Finally, the King saw something he'd never
seen in his son before. Sincerity and Love. Link was released, and good
thing she hadn't eaten the soup. It had been poisoned!

     "Well, what do we do now?" Asked Link cheerfully as she walked down a
path, but Eric kept his glance down, and then he looked up at Link.
"What do you do now, rather." Her face fell.
"What do you mean, Eric?!" She was outraged and had an idea of what he
meant.
"I can't stay here. I have to go on with the Goddesses of Hyrule and live in
the afterlife. It's where I belong."
"No, Eric! They won't take you away from me! I don't want you to go!" She
burried her face in his chest and sobbed wildly.
"I don't want to go, either. But I have to. It's destiny." She pulled away
and his eyes met hers for a brief second. He started to waver and fade a
little, and he reacher out and touched her hand. "I'll miss you, I love you,
Link." And he totally faded, leaving Link there to gaze up at the sky in
wonder.
               THE END
    (Moving On)