Photo by Lorenzo Manera

Link was up before the sun came out.

He fought for sleep throughout the night but tossed and turned in his tent instead. Terrible nightmares formed in his mind.

They came up quickly, one after the other: visions of The Deku Tree's death, the fear in Princess Zelda's eyes when she spoke of Ganondorf, Jerome getting horribly burned by King Dodongo, Sheila's sorrows from not being able to see the future, and Jabu-Jabu's red eyes beneath the surface of Lake Hylia.

The last sight was the worst of them all—failure was still very possible, even with the new hope the children had found.

A new plan had been put in place. Link spoke with Claudius about it.

After much thought, the Zora commander decided to give Link's suggestion a try. He even said it was likely to work.

Everyone would come together and take on the guardian one last time, in broad daylight.

Until then, Link had all this time to think. He was glad for the stretch of peaceful silence.

He stared at the pale moon and stars. He didn't know how long it took for the sun to come out, but it eventually rose from behind a far-off mountain range, accompanied by warm colors. The sun laced its golden glow with the lake's ripples.

It was surprising how peaceful the lake was at the moment. Perhaps it'd be the last moment of peace Hylia would have for a while. If so, Link was glad to at least see this.

As the morning star rose higher in the sky, Link closed his eyes. He didn't sleep; he thought of memories.

Saria sitting next to him during the hardest times of his life. Seeing his own house for the first time ever and finally realizing that some things in this world really could belong to him. Seeing Navi's gentle smile as they met for the first time. Holding the Kokiri Sword in the deepest parts of the woods.

Meeting Trevor for the first time. Meeting Sheila and Jerome as well. Finding out about a town named Oak Shire in Illinois.

The victories.

The painful defeats.

Link thought of them all. Every memory was warmer than the rays of sunlight that touched his face. Link needed them today.

"We were looking for you."

Link looked over his shoulder at the sound of Navi's voice. His friends stood a few paces away from where he sat on the emerald shores.

Jerome and Sheila stood next to each other as if they had never argued in the first place. Navi floated between them, wrapped in her usual blue-white glow.

"Are you OK?" Navi asked. "I...felt like you needed time alone after you got out of your tent. I heard you a little. In your sleep."

Link looked back out at the lake, mountains, and sun. He'd been sitting on the lake's emerald shores the entire time. His shield and sword lay next to him.

"I'm..." Link wanted to say anything to keep the others from worrying, but knew it wasn't right. "...I hope I will be soon. I want the plan to work so badly."

"It will," Navi said. "Link, you came up with something brilliant. Something no one else has thought of yet. Everyone is thankful for you saying something to help. For doing something. You need to have faith that everything will work out. Can you do that?"

"I don't know yet." Link hung his head. "When I saw Jabu-Jabu...I thought of the Deku Tree. I thought of how he looked when he..." Link's eyes began to sting, and he hated it—oh, he hated it so much, how both his eyes suddenly began to hurt. "When he died. He was our guardian, too. Our father. Someone who watched after us...and I didn't protect him. It was my fault."

Link let the streams fall down his face. He hoped his friends didn't see all of it, or would give him the space he needed. When a pair of hands gently held his shoulders, he knew neither Jerome nor Sheila would leave him alone.

The blue-white light Link admired so much glowed right beside his face. He felt Navi's warmth and the way she brushed herself against his cheek and stayed with him. Her small hands slid down his face, wiping the tears away. She did this so carefully, as if Link were made of a material that was so precious and dear.

"I was there too," said Navi, her voice a vulnerable whisper. "I wish I could have saved him. I blamed myself for a time, Link. If any of that was your fault, then–" Link heard his fairy's voice break. She cried for a brief moment, then sighed. For the first time ever, Link truly saw his fairy underneath the brilliant, powerful glow.

"...It was mine too," Navi said finally. "It was mine too... The Deku Tree wanted us to live out our destinies. He knew what mine would be. He knew what yours would be as well. If dying for us was part of it, then it was worth it. Here we are."

Navi gestured out to Jerome and Sheila. "We have friends. We have hope. Trevor can't be gone if we can't find him in the lake, so he's out there. He'll come back to us safe and sound. And we'll find Rebecca. We'll find the spiritual stone. We'll save Jabu-Jabu and Princess Ruto. And we'll go home, Link. We'll be home, and all the troubles of this journey will be behind us. We just have to believe it. Do you believe it?"

Link didn't say a word but nodded. He did believe his fairy. Everything Navi said was true or would come true. It was up to him to know it in his heart.

He stood up. Link would have reached down to grab his sword and shield, but both Jerome and Sheila already held his equipment. Sheila strapped the Kokiri Sword around Link's torso. Jerome fastened the Deku Shield to his back.

"We're with you," Sheila said.

"We'll stay with you all the way," Jerome said. "For Trevor."

Sheila nodded. "For Rebecca."

Link looked out at the lake once more. His swarming fears stopped swirling within him and faded away.

"For everyone in Hyrule," Link whispered. "And the Deku Tree."

An hour later, the Sentries stood on Lake Hylia's shore. They donned their bronze armor, wore matching helmets on their finned heads, and wielded their gleaming silver weapons. Silence swept over them all.

Link, Sheila, and Jerome stood with the Zora Army. They looked small compared to the Sentries, but they made it a point to stand tall as if they were giants amongst them.

They were more important to the army's plan than ever before. For the first time in this ordeal, they were together in mind and soul. They would fight for each other, no matter the cost.

Claudius paced back and forth before the army, hands clasped behind his back and chin held high. His keen eyes remained unwavering, fixed straight ahead. Gradually, he shifted his gaze, peering intently at each of the Sentries.

"We're at an important point in our mission," the colonel said. "It is crucial for us to persevere no matter how hard the trial ahead is for us. We're entering Lake Hylia once more, but we're using a new plan."

Claudius paused, as if he were waiting for his men to object. The quiet atmosphere ensued, and thus did his speech.

"We're going to stop going after Jabu-Jabu," Claudius announced. "This time–we are bringing him to us."

The Sentries remained like statues. It was hard to know if anyone actually believed Cladius or even registered what he was trying to say.

Link's own legs felt heavy like lead. He hoped not to sink into the ground from the moment's weight, which seemed to increase as time passed.

"Jabu-Jabu is very powerful," said Claudius, "But we have a responsibility to save him. Because of this, we must always battle, even when it's not easy to do so. I'm sure that all of you will be able to overcome your fears. I'm certain of it." Cladius gestured towards the children. "We have young Link joining us again, along with his two other human friends. He's going to help lead the way. This new plan was actually his."

Murmurs finally rose amongst the Sentries. Link's skin crawled from their whispers and he hoped not to hear any of their words.

"I know he's young," said Cladius. "And not one of our race...still, we've seen what he can do. The boy's exceptional and offers an element of surprise. Let us trust his ability to lead us. The lad has promise. We've little to lose at this point, anyway..."

The Sentries fell silent. Claudius words must have been made of magic with his army suddenly fell into line with little resistance. Link stared straight ahead, awaiting the next instruction. His thoughts were on Jabu-Jabu and Princess Ruto as well.

Claudius paused before Link and leaned down towards him, his serious demeanor unchanged.

"My boy," he said to Link in a soft, low tone. "Are you ready?"

Link nodded without looking directly at the Commander. "Yes."

"Good. We need you." Commander Claudius raised a fist towards his troops. "Men! Are you ready to be part of a great victory?"

"YES, SIRE!"

"Are you ready to rescue our Princess?"

"YES, SIRE!"

"Then let's not waste anymore time! Listen to the boy from the woods! He is now our guide!"

Link stepped forward and turned to face the Sentries. He didn't imagine himself standing before an ocean of warriors so willing to follow someone's orders. The boy didn't think of himself as the sort to begin with.

However, he looked at Navi, Jerome and Sheila. They all faced him with a glowing confidence. His heart's flutters continued to slow down as he remembered the truth–he wasn't alone and wouldn't feel that way again if he could help it. There was always a loved one by his side.

And so the boy from the forest spoke of the plan, of the way to save Princess Ruto and bring hope back to the entire Zora nation...

Every soldier boarded their barges with weapons drawn. The vessels unfurled their sails and set off into the lake.

Everyone had the same concern on their minds: would they be able to capture Lord Jabu-Jabu at long last? All had to believe in the unthinkable.

Cladius stood by Link's side, putting a hand on his shoulder. He patted it with reassurance, his eyes looking keen as ever.

"We will triumph," he declared. "They always occur the slow and steady way. Nothing else will do. Wouldn't you say so?"

Link nodded while favoring the arm with the golden scale. He wished to be worthy of the gift at this time.

Everything Link endured led to this place. All his trials and tribulations could culminate upon the lake, where his burdens could be laid down.

It was no longer about regrets. It was about moving forward.

"It's ready," Link said. "Let's do it."

He looked back at Sheila and Jerome. They looked afraid, but determined to do battle when the time came. A sentry stood by Jerome's side carrying a lit torch. Sheila just kept staring at the water in the lake, studying its ripples and waves with her red eyes.

Claudius gave the signal. He raised his arms while standing at the edge of the barge. The sentries acknowledged him and stood in waiting. They merely needed the order.

"Get ready..." Link said. "Sheila, let me know where to point."

Sheila's eyes scanned the lake waters. They looked more turbulent as they churned and sloshed about, raising its own surface level by about a foot. She soon gasped. A steady point pointed at a part of the lake's surface.

"It sees us," said Sheila. "All of us."

Claudius nodded as he heard Link and Sheila's exchange. "Steady, men..." he whispered.

"Steady..."

The shadow in the lake rose. Link's heart pounded like a drum. Its approach was slowly but the dark silhouette increased its speed as it went higher and higher above water.

"Send out the barge!" Claudius shouted as he waved his arms down.

A barge sailed out to the center of the lake. Its flag flapped regally in the area's wind, making itself evident from all angles–especially from down below. The vulnerable ship was made of wood. Any hard contact with the vessel would make it break into many pieces, leaving all who could be aboard doomed to fall into the water.

Jabu-Jabu seemed intent on this. He continually rose in the lake water, its red eyes wild with malice and primal ferocity. Jabu-Jabu bared his teeth and let out a roar. In the open air, the sound would have echoed.

When the rabid guardian surged out from the water, the vessel took the impact head on. It splintered and split, scattering like dust carried by a strong wind. The damaged ship rose to the sky, fragments flying about chaotically. When it landed, what remained of the ship began to sink. The barge descended to the sea, going deeper into the darkness until it couldn't be seen.