Chapter 4 - LoZ: Dawning Era

*Note: 'Connect' is the name I'm substituting for 'Link'. 'Zelda' will be 'Adlez', and 'Ganondorf' will be 'Donan'. If I change their names later on, just tell me.

"Come on, Connect! You're not sick today! Let's go outside!" Irnia tugged on Connect's white, ragged sleeve, half-pulling the blond boy out of his bed. The boy - almost a man now - rubbed sleep from his blue eyes while yawning.

"It's a beautiful summer day, and you're going to laze about all day? You do that when you're sick...Let's go down to the springs! I'll meet you there!" Irnia tugged him one last time, smiling, then left the hut.

Connect finally stood up, stretching. Digging through a chest, he found a green tunic in the style favored by his villagers and pulled on some pants. Grabbing his pack with medication in it, he strolled outside. Various people called to him, shopkeepers and customers alike. He smiled and returned their greetings with a wave.

Walking into the woods, he slung his pack lightly over his shoulder, breathing deeply. He pushed his way through the thick undergrowth, until he finally came to the spring. Irnia was already there, splashing around in her tunic, laughing. Connect's eyes twinkled from the water reflecting off the water.

She turned and saw him and waved him over. Connect dropped his pack and pulled off his tunic. He walked through the shallow water and swam towards her.

"Took ya long enough!" She splashed him. He raised his arms in defense and splashed lightly back. "I thought you got lost or something. We haven't been here for, what, five years? Not since you started getting ill. Remember, we'd always hang out here." Irnia leaned back, doing a backfloat. Connect continued to tread, but headed back to the water where he could sit and stay above. Concerned, Irnia swam over.

"What's wrong?" She asked. He coughed a little. Irnia quickly turned herself to a kneeling position. "Are you sick?" He shook his head. Leaning his head back, he took a deep breath. He smiled at her and waved weakly.

She sat down, her legs curled against her chest. "It was really bad...seeing you like that...for all those years...you were always sweating, crying...delusional...now, you're robbed of your voice...your body is still slightly weak from spending all those days indoors. Every once in a while, your sickness wouldn't be as bad, you'd eat with the clan. No one has gotten what you have...actually, no one's been sick since you got sick." She looked up at the bright sky. "Are you finally cured for good now?" she murmured, almost soundlessly.

Connect reached over and laid a hand on her shoulder. He tilted his head, a soft smile on his face. He stood up, offering her a hand. He nearly fell over as she pulled herself up, but she straightened him. They laughed and left the spring after Connect got his pack and tunic, dripping water through the forest.

Two goblins rushed them while they were on their way back home. Irnia squeaked in fear and half-jumped. Connect looked back and forth between the goblins and Irnia before he charged at the goblins. However, his weakened body caused him to trip over one of the many tree roots and fall. Rubbing dirt from his eyes, he saw one goblin approach him with a club while the other held the squirming Irnia. The one on the far side, after looking over Irnia, grunted. The one with the club held out his empty hand, palm up.

Irnia screamed, "Bandits! Help! Help!" Her goblin whacked her across the back of her head and she slumped, unconscious. Connect scrambled up, trying to tell the goblins that he had no money, but all that came out was a cough. The goblin with the club, impatient, raised his weapon. Connect tried to fight off the bandit, but was knocked in the head by the club. The last thing he saw before the world went black was unconscious Irnia being hoisted over the shoulder of the goblin that knocked her out.

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