A LOUD THUNDER boomed across the entire island, making Link fall to the ground.

Having just barely gotten out the door, Link stood up and searched for the source of the sound. His eyes caught the sight of a cloud of dust rising from the cliff face to the right of their house.

A rock slide? But why would -

A loud splash caught his attention.

He turned his eyes towards the ocean, and the sight made his legs quiver.

A ship.

A pirate ship.

Link ran over to join the others.

They weren't interested in the ship though. Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse.

A gigantic bird flew overhead, so large it masked the noonday sun.

The islanders began to rush to their homes to grab whatever means of defense they could find, while others gathered the children and fled for shelter.

Link watched another rock fly from a catapult on the pirate ship, then covered his ears as the projectile collided with trees high above in the forest, causing an ear-splitting cracking sound.

Dad had run inside and retrieved his bow, as had Mesa. Link didn't know if they would be able to do anything against the bird, since it was so high in the air.

Link reached back behind him and rested his hand on the pommel of his sword. Utterly useless. A melee weapon was ineffective against something that could fly.

The pirate ship grew dangerously close to the island. Some pirates aboard dropped the anchor, but it was still running quickly towards shore. The ship's catapult launched another rock towards the bird, and this time, it found its target.

A piercing screech pounded against Link's eardrums. As his ears rang, Link noticed something fall from the bird's claws into the forest at the top of the island.

Was that... a person?

The bird plummetted behind the island and disappeared from view.

Somehow, the pirates managed to maneuver the ship along the pier and bring it to a halt. The armed islanders ran to the ship.

Link however, kept his eyes on the forest. The bird would be back any second if it hadn't been killed, and it might just kill the person it had dropped.

Link thought a moment. Should he go up there? He couldn't let someone die even if they were a pirate. Maybe if he protected the person, the pirates would be persuaded to leave the island in peace.

Link took off as fast as he could for the other side of the island, and made it up to where he had been earlier.

The wind kicked up and he tugged on his cap tighter, the cap's pointed tip whipped in the wind.

Link looked across the worn rope bridge that connected the two upper plateaus of the island. The bridge was very old, and was missing several planks. Link sucked in a deep breath, and ran onto the bridge.

He almost closed his eyes as he crossed, but he forced them to stay open as he leapt across a gap in the bridge.

Link kept running as he entered the deep woods on the other plateau.

It was very dark, with only a small amount of light filtering through the canopy of leaves.

A musty smell pervaded the area, numerous fallen logs rotting away.

Link scanned his surroundings. No sign of that person anywhere, perhaps -

His thoughts were cut off as he tripped over a fallen tree limb. Link fell, skidding his hands against the dirt.

"Oww...," he groaned.

Link slowly stood back up, he thankfully hadn't hurt himself badly, but he now had dirty skinned palms.

He was in serious trouble now. If his parents knew he was up here and that he'd gotten close to breaking something, they'd be very mad.

Link spotted a silhouette hanging in the trees. He tightened the scabbard on his back, and positioned himself underneath the tree they was hanging from. He began climbing the tree, and immediately realized that climbing with a sword, shield, and with boots on was not the best idea.

Nevertheless, he made slow progress up the trunk, hugging it tightly, his skinned palms burning, and he finally made his way up into the branches.

Link took a break for a moment to catch his breath. He looked to the side of him and saw a girl resting in the boughs of the trees.

Would it support his weight if he tried to go out there to get them? He heard something rustle down below.

He could scarcely make it out, but he could see two figures, searching. As he looked closer, he realized they weren't completely human... The glint of steel in the scanty light suggested they were armed, it appeared with spears.

Link made a quick decision, and jumped from the tree. He had drawn his sword right before jumping, and he met his mark.

The blade struck the back of one of the creatures, and shockingly, the creature exploded in a cloud of black smoke. His hands stung again as he tightened his grip on the handle of his sword.

The other creature turned to face him, and Link side-stepped to avoid a spear thrust.

Link knew a fair amount of swordplay. Orca, an older man on the island, had given taught him. It was customary for every young boy to be trained in combat, but Link had taken a special interest.

It just so happened that Orca had always dueled him with a spear.

Get into the rhythm. It's just like practice.

He exchanged several blows with the creature, and noted that the creature was attempting to force Link to move gradually so his back would be up against a fallen tree.

Link jumped to the side rather than parry the spear again. He tried to get a blow in while the creature was distracted, but instead was whapped in the head by the butt of the creature's spear.

In his daze, Link sub-consciously struck the creature in the side.

Like the other one, the creature exploded in a cloud of thick black smoke.

Link leaned on his sword for support, trying his hardest not to puke.

He barely registered the sound of snapping branches above him.

He did however, notice the weight of a person knock him to the ground.

Link laid on the ground as his mind lost its hold on reality for a moment, then finally exerted the will to get up again. As he got up, he met the gaze of a girl.

She was dressed in the garb of a pirate, wearing a red bandanna

around her neck and a blue jacket.

She wore short white trousers, and had her hair tied back in a pony tail.

Link also took note of a flintlock pistol, which he found pointed at him a moment later.

"Who...," she scowled, "are you?"

"Tetra!"

In the corner of his sight, Link saw a man come running into the woods.

The girl kept her pistol leveled at Link, and with a click pulled back the mechanism to prime it.

Link heard the newly arrived man walk up to the side of him, but he didn't dare avert his gaze.

Neither did the girl.

Link very carefully lifted his hands up to show that he was unarmed - his sword was lying on the ground.

Looking into the girl's steeled eyes, Link had the chilling realization that - other times before, she had pulled the trigger.

Finally, Link stammered a response.

"My n-name is Link. I mean no harm."

The girl kept her pistol aloft, then, satisfied, slid the firearm back into a fold of cloth. She didn't put the safety on.

"What are you doing here kid?" the girl demanded.

Link didn't like being called kid, especially today, but he was wise enough to keep his mouth closed.

"I..." Link said, "I saw someone fall into the forest, and I felt I should protect them from the bird."

"Oh," the girl said, "are you sure that it wasn't so you could use the pirate captain as a bargaining piece?"

She's the captain? She can't be much older than me, Link thought.

He stiffened. "No," he partly lied with as much conviction as he could muster.

"Hmm." She said.

"What should we do with him Tetra?" the other pirate asked.

"I really don't care," Tetra said. "I just want to get out of here before something tries to kill me again."

Tetra and the man began making their way back out of the woods.

"Wait!" Link said, running up to them.

"What?" Tetra said with annoyance.

"There were some strange creatures that were here earlier that were searching for you, and I defeated them," Link said.

"What do you want kid," she asked, "fifty rupees? Only a fool would ask a pirate for money."

"No," Link answered, frustrated. "I just want you, at the very least, to be grateful that I helped you."

Tetra ignored him and walked at a quickened pace. Link followed them out of the forest, and was thinking of a response, when he saw...

Aryll.

Standing on the bridge.

"What are you doing Aryll!!" Link shouted.

He couldn't hear what she said back.

The loud wind gusts obscured the sound of her voice.

What happened next seemed to happen in slow motion.

Gigantic claws snatched Aryll into the air.

She screamed.

Oh goddesses above, the bird had gotten her. The bird had gotten her!

Link ran. He ran faster than he ever had.

He could hear his sister's faint cries for help being carried on the breeze. The bird flew parrallel to the cliff.

If he timed his jump correctly -

Just as Link jumped from the edge of the cliff, a firm grip latched on to his right arm. He pitched over the edge, feeling his heartbeat racing as he stared at the jagged rocks below.

"Stupid kid!" Tetra yelled. "Ya' would've gotten yourself killed, and it

would've been for nothin'!"

Tetra's bulky companion dragged Link up onto solid ground.

Link knelt there in silence for a moment, trying to process the nightmare he had just experienced. Numbness flowed through his veins. This... this wasn't real. No. It couldn't be.

"You couldn't have done anything," Tetra scoffed.

The feelings he was keeping at bay finally released as Tetra uttered two life-destroying words.

"She's gone."