"Before time began, before spirits and life existed...
Three golden goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule...
Din, the goddess of power...
Nayru, the goddess of wisdom...
Farore, the goddess of courage...
Din... with her strong flaming arms, she cultivated the land and created the red earth.
Nayru... poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world.
Farore... with her rich soul, produced all life forms who would uphold the law.
The three great goddesses, their labors completed, departed for the heavens. And golden sacred triangles remained at the point where the goddesses left the world.
Since then, the sacred triangles have become the basis of our world's providence. And, the resting place of the triangles have become the Sacred Realm."
The faceless figure who has spoken in her soothing voice, tenderly brushed over Link's cheek.
"Who...?" he grumbled sleepily. "Who are...?" The dark silhouette seemed to vanish. "W-wait... don't go..."
----
Link awoke with a gasp. Panting heavily, he looked around the small campsite they put up near the closed gates of Hyrule Town.
Nearby, the sleeping forms of the two fairies were snoozing peacefully.
Ukyo, who had guarded them for the second half of the night, approached him in worry. "Link..." she whispered, so she wouldn't wake the fairies. "Is everything all right?"
"Yes... yes, I'm fine," he replied. "It was just... some strange dream..."
"You wanna talk about it?" the girl asked him.
He shook his head. "No... no, it's okay! But, thanks anyway!"
He sighed and looked eastwards, where the sun sleepily crawled over the high mountaintops.
"I believe it wouldn't make any sense going back to sleep now," he sighed. "So I guess we can get up early... I suppose the city guards will lower the drawbridge any time now, anyway..."
Ukyo nodded, walked over to the fairies and nudged her yellow friend with the handle of her spatula. "Hey, you sleepyheads... wake up! We gotta go!"
----
They were amazed at the big castle town of Hyrule. The two forest children felt lost in the middle of the tall Hylians, carefully wading through their masses. In all their life they had never seen so many people at once.
"I can't believe it," Link said. "How can they build such big buildings? And just how do they stand the noise?" He pulled his green cap over his ears.
"I think I'm getting a headache..." Navi groaned. All those many people made her feel hot and sick... she was used to the fresh air of the forest and couldn't stand the sweaty smell which was the result of so many people cramped together in one tiny street.
"You're a wuss," Tatl exclaimed from her position atop Ukyo's head, but she didn't feel too well either.
"Perhaps we should go into one of the stores," Ukyo suggested. "I bet it's much quieter in there."
Her friends agreed, and so they headed into a small, secluded shop in one corner of the marketplace.
The inside was sparsely furnished, and not a single person could be seen. Only a very plain counter separated the entrance area from several shelves in which some strange-looking masks were lying.
Tatl read a big sign on the wall which showed that today was the big opening of the 'Happy Mask Shop'.
"Well, for a big opening, there sure aren't many customers in here," Ukyo noticed.
Suddenly, a person entered from the back room and walked behind the counter. "Ah, my first customers," the yellow-skinned man with the squinty eyes grinned. "For that, I'll grant you a special discount... Would you like some of my masks?"
"Um... we're just looking..." Ukyo said.
"Oh, really?" the man said with a disappointed voice. "Now that's a shame... You know, masks exist to make people happy... also, there are masks for any occasion... So it's just a question of how and when you'll find a mask that'll suit you."
"How much for that one?" Link asked and gestured at a yellow fox mask.
The Happy Mask Salesman smiled. "Ah! The Keaton Mask! Yes, it's pretty popular with children. They say those masks contain the spirits of the Keaton fox... Well, I suppose I can give one to you for 20 rupees..."
"Deal!" Link paid the amount, and the man handed the mask to him.
"I can't wait to show it to Saria," Link grinned.
Meanwhile, Ukyo was looking at a very strange mask that was hanging next to the shelves... it was blue and red, covered with strange, colorful ornaments and a big pair of staring, yellow eyes. All around the mask's edges, protrusions looking like sharp spikes or horns were jutting out.
Ukyo shivered. That mask gave her the creeps. "Scary..." she mumbled.
"Oh, I don't think you'd like this one," the man said. "Legend has it that this mask carries a terrible curse within..." He grinned. "Furthermore, it's not for sale!"
"Um... I didn't really plan on buying it," Ukyo assured him. "Link, ready to go?"
He nodded. "Sure!" And they left the store.
The Happy Mask Salesman looked at the spooky mask hanging next to his shelves. "I better put you back into storage... I don't even want to know how you got here in the first place... I could've sworn I locked you up in my old chest..."
Majora's Mask seemed to stare right back at him, with glowing, yellow eyes...
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(Posted Wed, 06 Dec 2006 16:46)
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