EXT. KAKARIKO GRAVEYARD – EVENING.

 

A well-kempt cemetery situated just outside Kakariko Village. Orderly rows of tombstones are broken only by several well-manicured dirt paths.

 

A SMALL BOY (younger than the ‘BOY’ from the village) plays amongst the tombstones. This is the CEMETERY BOY. He wears a MASK on top of his head (ie: not pulled down over his face) of a fox-like creature.

 

A HUNCHBACKED man with a DISFIGURED FACE, carrying a large shovel, moves very slowly down the tombstone row. This is DAMPE THE GRAVE KEEPER.

 

DAMPE
“You’d best mind your step! Don’t be scuffing the path like that! I’ve told ya’ mebbe a thousand times before...”

 

Dampe LEANS on a tombstone very near the boy.

 

DAMPE
“My plate’s full, yeah? Sure it is, but it’s no large task diggin’ a child’s grave, li’l mate!”

 

The Cemetery Boy SNEERS and leaps over a tombstone, drawing the fox-mask down over his face.

 

CEMETERY BOY

“Hehehe! You can’t catch a Keeton, though!”

 

The boy LOPES down a row of tombstones, making a STRANGE COOING NOISE as he goes. Suddenly a HAND bursts up from the space between two tombstones. The Cemetery Boy TRIPS over this and lands in the dirt with his mask knocked off beside him. The boy rolls over, GAPING at the struggling hand.

 

Cemetery Boy

“Eh... ah... hhhheeee... gaaaaaaaah!”

 

The boy leaps up and RUNS OUT of the cemetery, screaming at the top of his lungs.

 

Cemetery Boy

“DeRed! DeRed! No! No: ReDead! ReDead! Gaaaah!”

 

LINK struggles out of the soft earth with effort, GRUNTING and PANTING. Eventually he gets up to his waist before stopping to rest.

 

DAMPE walks up to the tombstone nearest Link and leans against it, shaking his head.

 

DAMPE

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Well, I am sorry about that. I always thought about puttin’ bells and wires in the coffins! But you must be a very sound sleeper, eh?”

 

LINK
“I sleep with one eye open...”

 

DAMPE

“Oh, then you’ve got to be moving along, then: to bed down in here, you gotta sleep with both eyes open.”

 

Link fully emerges from the soil with Dampe’s help. The man cinches his cowl up and starts off, removing the Ocarina of Time from his cloak with a gloved hand.

 

DAMPE
“‘Course, I may need to do a little headcount here at some point, just t’ make sure everyone is where they belong, mister!”

 

LINK
“Who knows? Maybe I do belong down there. Why don’t we do an even trade, huh? Before the sun sets tomorrow I’ll have at least one body ready for you...”

 

Link PLAYS EPONA’S SONG on his ocarina; there is a NEIGH in the distance.

 

DAMPE
“Promises, promises! Well, then: just how many graves should I dig for the event, then?”

 

EPONA comes racing through the cemetery, bounding over tombstones. Link LEAPS into her saddle and takes the reins.

 

LINK
“One, if things go well...”

 

DAMPE
“And if they’re... ‘pear-shaped’, shall we say?”

 

Link stares out across HYRULE FIELD, eyeing the charred ruins of Castle Town far in the distance and the STATIONARY THUNDERSTORM along Castlebridge.

 

LINK
“In that case? Three...”

 

Link SPURS Epona onward, away from the cemetery and towards Kakariko Village.

 

EXT. KAKARIKO VILLAGE – LATE EVENING.

 

Link rides up to the Windmill entrance, bathed in the light of a full moon. He dismounts, and then PACES indecisively before the windmill. Eventually he notices TRACKS in the ground moving away from the mill: horse’s hooves. Link follows them to where the rider mounted the horse (based on the footprints) and finds a DISHEVELED EIGHTEEN-DAY BLUSHER trampled in the dirt.

 

Link examines the FLOWER, holding it close to his eyes.

 

LINK
“An Eighteen-Day Blusher... and not a few days old...”

 

Link moves the flower away from HIS FACE. He SNARLS darkly.

 

INT. CHICKEN COOP OF LON LON RANCH – VERY EARLY MORNING.

 

A disheveled chicken coop bordering the edge of Lon-Lon Ranch (ie: along the main gate). It is also a storehouse for various tools and items that can’t or shouldn’t be stored in the barn. Many boards are rotted and provide only scant cover. Chickens in cages four-rows tall SQUAWK vehemently.

 

Outside it is predawn.

 

INGO enters the coop through a side door, humming to himself before singing.

 

INGO
“Hey: chick-a-chucka, hey chick-a-ye!

Dough’s in my pocket, dough chick-a-lee!

I’m come a callin’, here chick-a-see!

I pick my chick-a, pick chic-a-thee!”

 

Ingo notices the PERSISTENCE SQUAWKING of the chickens and grows annoyed. He stands before the chickens and GROWLS.

 

INGO
“What’s all this, then? Tarnation!”

 

The man picks up a SPADE from the wall and chucks it at the cages, sending the birds into an even bigger tizzy.”

 

INGO
(smirking)
“Might as well give ‘ya somethin’ to scream about, if you’re all so inclined!”

 

Link suddenly emerges from the shadows behind Ingo and GRABS the man by the scruff; he sends Ingo careening into a support beam, which he hits head-first. The man reels on the ground, BLEEDING from a cut on his head and SCREAMING.

 

LINK
“Hello: Ingo.”

 

Ingo looks up in alarm; he SCRAMBLES over to the chicken cages and retrieves the SPADE he threw. He stands with the instrument BRACED in one hand, ATTACKING Link with it.

 

Link DODGES Ingo’s thrust with the spade and catches his arm in two hands; he deftly applies FORCE, causing a loud CRUNCHING NOISE.

 

Ingo SCREAMS in pain and falls to his knees; part of the radius bone in his arm has BROKEN THROUGH his skin.

 

LINK
“Let’s talk about your good friend Ganondorf.”

 

INGO
“He’s no friend of mine, dammit!”

 

LINK
“But good ‘business’ can create the best of friends, can’t it? And his business is the only business around, isn’t it?”

 

Link picks Ingo up and SLAMS his body against the far wall of the coop.

 

LINK
“Ganondorf’s black knight has been toying with me ever since I got to Hyrule. Someone’s keeping him well-informed about me, don’t you think?”

INGO
(writing in pain)
“The... grapevine—”

 

LINK
“Is grown by you! You sold your soul to the highest bidder 12 years ago, Ingo! Did you think there wouldn’t be consequences?”

 

INGO
“Wasn’t my soul... my heart!”

 

Link’s pressure on the man’s body lessens.

 

INGO
“That’s the only way he’d ever let her live...”

 

LINK
“Her? Malon? Slime! You beat her!”

 

INGO
“Which is far better’n a killin’, wouldn’t you say? Or have you not paid attention to what happens to damn-near anyone who breaks his laws?”

 

LINK
“You won’t let her leave Hyrule!”

 

INGO
“On account that she’d only get twenty feet or so before he finished her off, maybe? Yes: of course I won’t let her leave!”

 

LINK
“You expect me to believe that you give a damn about anyone besides yourself?”

 

Ingo lowers his head. He GROWLS angrily.

 

INGO
“No: not at first. When the High King gave me the keys to this place I... I was happy to be honcho— that’s a fact— and Miss Lonni rode me ever so hard during my time as a field hand... well... turnabout’s fair play, so I didn’t mind gettin’ myself a pint-sized slave, to boot...”

 

LINK
“Lovely. Just what exactly happened to Talon, then?”

 

Ingo SHAKES HIS HEAD.

 

INGO
“Her father? Couldn’t do a thing for him, even if I wanted to—”

 

LINK
“You wouldn’t have anyway, would you?”

 

Ingo MEETS LINK’S GAZE, his eyes dark.

 

INGO
“No: I wouldn’t have...”

 

Link appears slightly STARTLED by the man’s candor.

 

INGO
“I could do a little something for the brat, though: a little bit of make-believe.”

 

LINK
“Make-believe?”

INGO
“As long as I were doin’ the High King’s work, it seemed appropriate for him to keep his mitts off the things I found to be ‘precious’ to me.”

 

LINK
“You pretended to care about her?”

 

INGO
“Tch! It’s not like I did, but then it’s not like I wanted her rear end thrown into the culling camps, either.”

 

LINK
“You’re a genuine humanitarian, Ingo...”

 

Ingo’s sneer DARKENS.

 

INGO
“Well: of course you’d look down on me, wouldn’t you? Better I had let her go with the lambs to the slaughter, huh?”

 

LINK

“I didn’t say that—”

 

INGO

“No, no, no: you’re right. How did you put it, eh: ‘the cold embrace of a coffin is more desirable than the shackles of his slavery’? No: you’re right. It’s you who’s the humanitarian, Pale Rider!”

 

Link LETS GO of Ingo; he stares at the floor.

 

INGO
“Anywho, familiarity don’t exactly breed contempt, not for me, at least; for whatever it’s worth I do care about that li’l girl, more’n some, anyway—”

 

LINK
“What’s that supposed to mean?”

 

INGO
“I may be a profiteering piece of slime, stranger, but I’ve taken risks in my time to keep her safe. You may be a grand hero, but you’ve done everything you can to jeopardize her life, and everyone else’s around here, too, ever since you got here!”

 

LINK
“I’m working to free Hyrule...”

 

INGO
“Your definition of ‘freedom’ is lackin’, Pale Rider!”

 

Link suddenly DRAWS Dhise Slaighre out of its scabbard and sets the tip of the blade against INGO’S THROAT; Link SNARLS.

 

LINK
“I can already see one way to set her free, right now...”

 

INGO
“You wanna kill me, mister hero? I’m unarmed! Show some chivalry!”

 

LINK
“According to you, Ingo, this would be mercy!”

 

MALON
“Stop!”

 

Link and Ingo START and look back at the coop entrance: MALON is standing in the doorway, hands over her heart.

 

MALON
“Pale Rider: stop!”

LINK
“That’s not my name! Stop calling me that, damn it! And don’t you dare defend this pig!”

 

Link looks back at Ingo.

 

LINK
“He’s just a collaborator: he deserves to die—”

 

MALON
“But you don’t deserve to kill him!”

 

Link is BREATHING HEAVILY; there is relative quiet in the coop after this statement. Link LOWERS Dhise Slaighre and GRUNTS noncommittally.

 

MALON
“Whatever he’s said to you you can’t judge him— you can’t judge anyone in Hyrule— too harshly: this land is full of cowards like me, thieves like the High King, liars like him—”

 

LINK
“He’s not a liar.”

 

Ingo LOOKS UP at Link, first with surprise, and then knowingly.

 

LINK

“Everything he’s said to me so far is the absolute truth, I think...”

 

Ingo SMILES with grim vindication.

 

INGO
“Now you’re bein’ honest? Woo-eee! That’s a real sight to see. In that case, maybe your honesty deserves a little candor to match. Guess what, stranger? The grapevine’s been talkin’ about you nonstop. An’ the news ain’t good, if you’re wondering. Matter of fact, would you believe—”

 

A SHADOW moves over the rotted boards of the coop’s exterior wall (ie: the outer wall of Lon-Lon Ranch); highlighted by the morning SUNRISE. When Link realizes that it’s the outline of a body he reflexively DRAGS Ingo down to the ground.

 

A MASSIVE BLACK FIST breaks through the rotted wood wall; the IRON KNUCKLE quickly uses its other hand to throw a BLACK TOMAHAWK at the men. Link lands on top of Ingo and the axe cuts Link’s SHOULDER as it passes.

 

The Iron Knuckle quickly flees around the outside wall perimeter.

 

LINK’S HEAD comes up, facing the hole in the wall (ie: facing the camera); the man’s eyes are narrow and he SNARLS angrily. Malon still stands in the background, GREATLY out of focus. SLOW CAMERA REFOCUS to background; this blurs Link’s image and sharpens Malon’s enough to reveal the Iron Knuckle’s tomahawk blade, stuck firmly in her chest.

 

Link’s eyes WIDEN; he TURNS around.

 

MALON stares at Link before FALLING backwards onto the straw-covered floor.

 

Link rushes to the girl’s side. He gently STRAIGHTENS her body and examines the chest wound.

 

NAVI emerges from his cloak and flies down to Malon’s chest, landing on the tomahawk hilt. The fairy looks back up at Link and slowly SHAKES HER HEAD.

 

Malon manages to LIFT HER HEAD; she looks first at NAVI on her chest, and then up at Link, SQUINTING. She brings one hand close to Link, resting it on the man’s cheek.

 

Link’s BLOOD-RED LEFT EYE temporarily becomes bright blue, identical to the color of his unaltered right eye.

 

The girl SMILES FONDLY.

 

MALON
“L— little... l— lumber... jack?”

 

The girl’s hand FALLS AWAY from Link’s face; her eyes become glassy and she stops breathing.

 

Link slowly stands up, bearing a dazed look. He absently reaches up and touches the SMALL RED EARRING in his right ear, toying with it vacantly.

 

Ingo cowers in the coop corner, SNIVELING.

 

Link’s fingers manipulate the earring unsteadily; the jewelry FALLS from his ear, bouncing across the chicken coop before landing very near Ingo.

 

Link is still staring vacantly at Malon’s body. He GRUNTS, noncommittally, and then he GRUNTS again. Link NODS his head absently, again GRUNTING.

 

The man slowly turns around and walks toward Ingo, who is still cowering in the corner. Link holds Dhise Slaighre over the man before suddenly bringing the blade down; it sinks into a lump of wood beside Ingo.

 

Link kneels slowly, retrieving the earring from beside Ingo, who GIBBERS unintelligibly; he stands up, his face bathed in sunlight from the hole in the coop, and refastens the earring in his ear.

 

The sound of HORSE’S HOOVES is audible, at first very loud but growing softer over time. Link watches through the hole in the coop wall as the Iron Knuckle rides away from the ranch, sprinting away on his black steed across Hyrule Field towards Castle Town.

 

SLOW ZOOM on Link’s eyes, still looking vacant. They begin to tremble slightly as he makes another noncommittal GRUNT.

 

EXT. HYRULE FIELD – SUNRISE.

 

A red, bloody sun is rising up over the field, bathing the misty land in sharp, ‘obscene’ light.

 

Link SPURS Epona on, SCREAMING commands at the mare, who moves across Hyrule Field at a breakneck GALLOP.

 

The Iron Knuckle is riding for Castle Town in the distance; its black horse gallops ahead of Link, moving faster as the Iron Knuckle SPURS it on with its STEEL SPIKED BOOTS, drawing blood from the creature.

 

Link’s SCREAMS to Epona are more savage; eventually the man begins shouting commands in ‘Ancient Hylian’ (ie: Scots-Gaelic). Link SMACKS at the horse’s backside, going so far as to brandish the flat end of a LONG DAGGER from his cloak against Epona, causing a PAINED WHINNY from the mare. Link resorts to mercilessly KICKING at Epona’s SIDES, brutally pummeling the horse to run faster.

 

Link begins catching up to the Iron Knuckle as their horses approach the old Castle Town drawbridge. Link deftly UNSHEATHES DHISE SLAIGHRE into his left hand as the horses come neck-and-neck.

 

Link SWIPES at the Iron Knuckle, bouncing his blade off the knight’s thick armor at the knee. He then swipes at the black horse’s head, landing a glancing blow against the creature’s EAR. Link then takes both his hands, gripping his sword’s hilt, and brings the blade down on the horse’s NECK, sticking it several inches into the animal’s neck and prompting a SCREAM from the horse.

 

The Iron Knuckle’s horse immediately COLLAPSES into a heap, its body TUMBLING OVER ITSELF before coming to a rest near the Castle Town drawbridge. The Iron Knuckle emerges from this carnage and immediately moves for the drawbridge.

 

Link slows Epona near the carcass of the black horse, performing a running-dismount, and then he REMOVES DHISE SLAIGHRE from the dead horse’s neck. Link spots the Iron Knuckle stumbling over the drawbridge and he SCREAMS SAVAGELY.

 

Link runs the knight down and engages the Iron Knuckle in a swordfight over the Castle Town drawbridge. The Iron Knuckle’s RIGHT IRON GLOVE is awkwardly bent from the fall of his horse and it is unable to properly engage Link. While the Iron Knuckle’s attacks are slow, awkward, and yet forceful, Link’s attacks are quick, erratic, and brutally unrelenting.

 

Link SHOUTS at the Iron Knuckle throughout this engagement, hurtling curses in both ‘New Hylian’ (ie: English) and ‘Ancient Hylian’.

 

During the course of this fight Link’s COWL and CLOAK are severely damaged and almost entirely discarded. Underneath the cloak Link wears a BLACK BATTLE VEST (ie: a ‘kevlar-type’ jacket very snug against the body), and long tan pants covered in small pockets and compartments. As the fight progresses Link reveals the presence of EXTENDABLE DAGGERS beneath his wrists, RETRACTABLE SPIKES in his boots, capsules of ‘EXPLOSIVE FLASH POWDER’ (much like tiny black-powder bombs, useful as a tool of disorientation), small RAZOR-SHARP PROJECTIONS topping both knees of his pants (ie: for devastating ‘kneeing’ injuries) and METAL ARMGUARDS along the outside of both writs (capable of withstanding a direct blow from the Iron Knuckle’s sword).

 

Ultimately the fight becomes brutally one-sided; Link uses Dhise Slaighre and his various hidden weapons to strip off a majority of the Iron Knuckle’s heavy armor, leaving the creature in a more vulnerable second layer of armor (NOTE: the creature’s helmet remains firmly intact).

 

The fight spills out into Castle Town itself, moving past the old drawbridge guard post. Link stops yelling at the creature, instead merely GRUNTING ANGRILY as he lands his blows. Link manages to nearly sever the Iron Knuckle’s right arm before hacking away at the creature’s left arm, messily severing it from the Iron Knuckle’s body. A black, tarry substance escapes these wounds in lieu of blood.

 

When the Iron Knuckle manages to knock Dhise Slaighre from Link’s hands Link immediately retrieves it, but has no time to grip it properly; he picks the instrument up blade-first with his gloved hand and SWINGS THE HILT around, crushing one side of the Iron Knuckle’s helmet. The disoriented creature stumbles while Link ‘flips’ the sword in the air, catching the hilt. He proceeds to STAB at the Iron Knuckle’s chest plate, although each stab fails to penetrate and leaves large dents. Link lets out a PROTRACTED SCREAM as he STABS at the chest plate again and again, making more dents until the armor plating is unrecognizable caved it (and ‘IMPOSSIBLY’ caved in, such that no living person’s body could conceivably occupy such a suit).

 

The Iron Knuckle COLLAPSES onto the brick floor of the town marketplace, lying supine. BLACK TAR BLOOD seeps out of various parts of the suit of armor, intermixed with some of Link’s blood from relatively SUPERFICIAL WOUNDS on his body.

 

Link SCREAMS in victory, standing over the supine knight. Link brings Dhise Slaighre over his head preparing for a downward thrust, but he pauses. He lowers the sword and bows his head.

 

EPONA comes trotting onto the scene, lead by NAVI; the horse’s SIDES are BRUISED and a small trail of blood drips behind her as she walks.

 

Link’s LIPS QUIVER. The man sinks down onto the cobbled street, dropping Dhise Slaighre onto the ground, and puts his head on one knee.

 

Suddenly the Iron Knuckle sits up and GRABS LINK’S THROAT with its one remaining arm; Link STRUGGLES in its grasp. He resorts to using one of his WRIST KNIVES: he jams the blade directly into the Iron Knuckle’s visor, whereupon there is a SICKENING CRUNCHING NOISE. When the creature’s grip slackens Link quickly stands and retrieves Dhise Slaighre; Link RAMS the sword directly between armor plates on the Iron Knuckle’s chest, impaling the creature.

 

The Iron Knuckle again falls backward; a BLACK LINE OF BLOOD magically burns itself into DHISE SLAIGHRE’S BLADE. Copious GREENISH-BLACK FLUID begins pouring from all facets of the Iron Knuckle’s remaining armor, creating a large, rancid pool around the creature’s body.

 

Link again drops Dhise Slaighre on the GROUND beside him.

 

The man COLLAPSES on the cobbled street; he is SOBBING openly. Link eventually curls himself up into the FETAL POSITION, his whole body spasming with each sob.

 

EPONA stands beside the man. THUNDER in the sky gives way to a rain shower. The horse moves slightly, standing directly over the sobbing Link as the rain comes down. Navi perches on the horse’s forehead.

 

EXT. LON-LON RANCH – AFTERNOON.

 

The horses’ corral is currently empty at the ranch. Young Link moves through the grounds, tromping into a MUDDY PART of the corral. The boy SIFTS through the dirt and mud, finally retrieving a WET BALL OF GUNK from the ground. Link SCRAPES SOME OF THE DIRT AWAY with his hand, revealing the disheveled MASK OF TRUTH underneath.

 

The boy STANDS UP; a strong wind blows in his face, and when he turns around he sees the distant outline of CASTLE TOWN across Hyrule Field. The boy HOLDS UP the dirty Mask of Truth beside his head, STARING AT IT, before finally tromping out of the hoses’ corral.

 

INT. TEMPLE OF TIME – EARLY EVENING.

 

This is much the same temple as it was 12 years ago, none the worse for wear, save for a few cobwebs in odd places.

 

Adult Link stumbles into the temple and moves down the long red carpet leading to the altar. Beyond that is the holy ground and former resting place of Dhise Slaighre.

 

The man is battered and bruised from his fight with the Iron Knuckle (bearing, AT THE LEAST, a facial wound, a superficial torso wound and a leg wound) and is still without a cape or cowl.

 

Link walks slowly at first, holding an exposed Dhise Slaighre in his left hand. As he approaches the holy ground and crosses over to the small hole in the floor Link slows even more. He stops directly over the hole he originally plucked the sword from.

 

Link stares down at the hole with an emotionless face for several seconds. He then begins to VIOLENTLY RAM the tip of the blade against that hole in the ground. When the sword does not go in Link tries again, and several more times, each time growing more frustrated, ending with him screaming in a BLIND RAGE before ultimately tiring himself out.

 

CAMERA FOCUS from behind Link; the man collapses to his knees with Dhise Slaighre supporting his weight on one side, much like a walking stick or a crutch. Sheik’s body is visible in the REFLECTION OF THE BLADE (ie: standing behind Link).

 

Link doesn’t react to Sheik’s presence.

 

LINK
“Come to tell me it doesn’t work this way? I already know that...”

 

SHEIK
“Why try, then?”

 

LINK
“I want this nightmare to end, that’s all, even if it’s ended in some impossible way...”

 

Link STANDS and faces Sheik; CAMERA VIEW from directly behind Link, looking over his shoulder. The man holds Dhise Slaighre over his shoulders, resting his hands on either side. There is a reflection in the blade of the temple wall behind him; NAYRU is standing there, watching him (this image is NOT obvious). This reflection is visible only as the following line is given (“...even if it’s ended...”)

 

LINK

“...even if it’s ended by a deus ex machina.”

 

SHEIK
“Childish sentiment.”

 

LINK

 “Sometimes it’s the childish thoughts that keep you moving on. Everyone needs a little fantasy, now and then, I’ve been told.”

 

SHEIK crosses his arms.

 

SLOW PAN around Sheik and Link’s bodies; the ‘mish-meshed’, juxtaposed body of YOUNG LINK is visible closer to the main red carpet of the temple, standing behind and to the side of Sheik.

 

Link LOOKS directly at his younger counterpart with little emotion; the boy reciprocates this stare. Adult Link is reflected in YOUNG LINK’S eyes, and Young Link in ADULT LINK’S EYES.

 

This ‘mish-mesh’ vision becomes garbled, and then ultimately dissipates.

 

Sheik FOLLOWS Link’s eyes.

 

SHEIK
“He is here as well, isn’t he?”

 

LINK
“Don’t know who invited him: the kid never opened the temple door in his timeline, so I don’t know how he would’ve gotten in...”

 

SHEIK
“The Door of Time is a supernatural device; it uses magical power to operate—”

 

Link ADJUSTS THE CLOTHING directly over his heart.

 

LINK

(whispering)
“Oh, it uses a bit more than that, actually...”

 

SHEIK
“Your ocarina is a magical device as well, though, and it holds power over both our worlds. Magic penetrates more than living flesh and blood, it seems. It’s safe to hypothesize that any magical entity living within our two timelines would be... ‘linked’ by a common fate.”

 

Link BOWS HIS HEAD for a moment. He soon raises it.

 

LINK
“‘Linked’? Well Ganondorf uses magic; he’s obsessed with it. If he dies in either of our worlds, then he might die in both of them.”

 

SHEIK
“That’s not certain, but it is possible. Just what are you implying, Traveler?”

 

LINK
“The kid never pulled his Dhise Slaighre out of the ground; he never lifted the seal against Ganondorf’s magic. The bastard can’t use that magic to conquer Hyrule in his timeline!”

 

SHEIK
“No doubt he will still move against the Royal Family. He is within the castle walls. He will go after their crown, and with his style of brutality— and his cunning— he will very likely succeed.”

 

LINK
“No doubt. But our kid can rally his cavalry, bring in some reinforcements to overthrow Ganondorf before his grip on power gets a little too tight.”

 

SHEIK
“What ‘reinforcements’ would the child bring?”

 

LINK
“The Gorons, for one. They’d listen to him, believe me. The Kakariko Militia would almost certainly follow them down from Death Mountain, and assuming Ganondorf’s plan still calls for butchering the Royal Family alive, well, the Sheikah wouldn’t just stand by, either. That yellow-eyed bastard would find Hyrule Castle a very naked little fortress to hide in while the rest of the New Kingdom comes crashing down upon him. He’d be crushed, and then after the dust settled they’d pass their own ‘judgment’ on him.”

 

SHEIK
“Judgment... he would be executed. This is a very bloody plan...”

 

LINK
“That’s my ‘specialty’.”

 

Link STANDS UP and rubs the back of his head.

 

LINK
“It can work, though. We don’t save that timeline’s Royal Family— there’s not nearly enough time to do that— but we do save their Hyrule. And ours, too, the Goddesses willing...”

 

SHEIK
“But... this plan cannot work...”

 

LINK
“Why not, huh? You wanted a ‘Hero of Time’, didn’t you? You wanted divine ‘action’ to save Hyrule. Well guess what? Assuming the kid does pull this off, with my direction, not only do I get to be your precious ‘Hero of Time’, but I’ll get to save Hyrule without even drawing this cursed sword again.”

 

Link STARES DOWN at Dhise Slaighre. He SCOFFS.

 

LINK

“I don’t think I was ever the person who was supposed to use this thing. I’m not a master, and frankly I don’t want to be. I could live a thousand lifetimes without using this damnable thing ever again. So how’s that for ‘action’?”

 

SHEIK
“That— that is not the proper ‘action’. What you’re suggesting is not the proper action of the Hero of Time—”

 

LINK
“Says you?”

 

SHEIK
“Says the prophecy. And you are not the Hero of Time! You must understand that!”

 

Link CLENCHES HIS JAW and GROWLS softly.

 

LINK
“Why not?”

 

Sheik looks to ONE SIDE.

 

SHEIK
“Because it is not your place to be the Hero of Time. That’s why.”

 

Link SMILES WRYLY and walks past Sheik.

 

LINK
“You’re very uppity on that point, aren’t you. Well, I’m sorry, my friend, but for the first time ever I feel like I finally have control over something. This can work...”

 

SHEIK
(whispering)
“Control is an illusion; fate is a reality...”

 

Link KNEELS on the plush red carpet of the temple’s main walkway and retrieves the OCARINA OF TIME from a pocket on his vest.

 

The ‘mish-meshed’ juxtaposition again presents itself; YOUNG LINK is standing a foot away from Adult Link, holding his own OCARINA OF TIME between his hands. The pair are nearly eye-to-eye.

 

Adult Link BOWS HIS HEAD for a moment, seeming to ‘get Zen’. When he looks back up at his younger counterpart he STARES AT THE BOY intently.

 

Adult Link’s face is reflected in YOUNG LINK’S EYES.

 

LINK
“Yes... that’s right: Darunia. Go get Darunia, and the Kakarians, if they’re willing...”

 

Young Link COCKS HIS HEAD.

 

LINK
“Well, for one thing the villagers should be impressed when they see a small boy riding at the head of a Goron army. I would be, anyway.”

 

Young Link RETURNS HIS HEAD to level, his eyes QUIZZICAL.

 

Adult Link SHAKES HIS HEAD.

 

LINK
“No: stay away from the castle for now. Focus on collecting your foot soldiers, okay?”

 

Young Link NARROWS HIS EYES.

 

LINK
“‘Cause time is a factor, here: that’s why! You can explain everything to her later, if you must.”

 

Young Link CROSSES HIS ARMS.

 

LINK
“I don’t know when: when it’s all over. She is a princess, after all; I don’t think she’s going anywhere anytime soon!”

 

Young Link LOOKS DOWN at the carpet, and then back up at his older counterpart.

 

LINK
“Let’s say because I’m older than you are, alright! Look: I’m not gonna tell you everything I’ve been through, but I haven’t been through it all to have my motives questioned by a petulant 8-year-old, alright?”

 

Young Link GRITS HIS TEETH.

 

LINK
“What, huh? Do we understand each other, or not?”

The boy does nothing for several seconds, and then Young Link nods very faintly (‘microscopically’, even).

 

LINK
“Good!”

 

Adult Link rises and moves closer to Sheik.

 

SHEIK
“Your child sounds ‘willful’.”

LINK
“You have no idea. Fortunately for us, though, he isn’t the brightest flame in the candelabra— never was: he can still be used to our advantage...”

 

SHEIK
“Do you think you may underestimate your younger self, perhaps?”

 

Link SMILES. He begins ADJUSTING HIS CLOTHING and checking those various accessories hidden within.

 

LINK
“A very good friend of mine once said that there’s a reason no one puts absolute power— like this ocarina— in the hands of little kids...”

 

Link moves to put the OCARINA OF TIME in a pocket on the back of his vest, TURNING HIS HEAD away from Sheik.

 

LINK
“...because they’re rather stupi—”

 

Suddenly YOUNG LINK (by way of the ‘mish-mashed’ graphical trick) appears in the frame beside Adult Link; the boy wears the MASK OF TRUTH on his face, staring directly into ADULT LINK’S EYES. The child’s REFLECTION in Adult Link’s eyes is NOT like all the other previous eye reflections: instead of a mess of stylized shadows the Mask of Truth appears VERY clearly, almost as if it is SHINING.

 

Adult Link GASPS. QUICK ZOOM into the man’s unaltered RIGHT EYE.

 

Several BRIEF FLASHES fill the screen: Young Link pulling Dhise Slaighre out of the temple; Young Link suspended in the air while being tortured by Ganondorf on horseback; Impa’s horse speeding away from Castle Town with Young Zelda staring back, her mouth stained with blood and her face full of tears; Koume and Kotake raining down magical fire on Castle Town; and finally another VERY BRIEF flash of Young Zelda’s terrified, blood-smeared face, much closer than before.

 

Adult Link LANDS on his rear on the temple floor, seemingly VERTIGINOUS.

 

Young Link falls to his KNEES, panting, and removes the Mask of Truth, casting it to one side.

 

Both the boy and adult STARE at each other for a VERY LONG TIME (perhaps thirty seconds), each panting hard, and neither says anything.

 

Young Link pulls his OCARINA OF TIME out and stares at his older counterpart with a PISSED-OFF SNEER.

 

LINK
“J— just wait. Don’t...”

 

The boy HOLDS HIS OCARINA up, his facial expression unchanging.

 

Adult Link SINKS DOWN onto the carpet in a more relaxed position. He nods.

 

LINK

(whispering)
“I wouldn’t blame you... but, still: don’t...”

 

The boy suddenly BRINGS DOWN his ocarina, SMASHING THE FRONT OF IT against the marble floor; the INTRICATE MOUTHPIECE of the ocarina is SHATTERED.

 

After this the entire ‘mish-mesh’ scene EVAPORATES and Young Link disappears.

 

LINK
“Damn it!”

 

SHEIK
“What is it?”

 

Link STANDS UP and SNARLS.

 

LINK
“Clever little...”

 

SHEIK
“Is he not so unintelligent, then?”

 

LINK
“Even less than I give him credit for. He’s ruining everything, damn it! He... he knows, now...”

 

SHEIK
“I see...”

 

Link PACES back and forth, BALLING HIS FISTS.

 

LINK
“He knows what Ganondorf has planned for the Royal Family. Well, at least what he planned if Dhise Slaighre had ever been pulled. He knows what kind of danger Zelda’s in.”

 

SHEIK
“He must also know that Ganondorf may adjust his plan: the Royal Family may not be so threatened, and the child may not act so... ‘impulsively’.”

 

Link SHAKES HIS HEAD.

 

LINK
“No, you said it yourself: one way or another, Ganondorf was going to take the throne—”

 

SHEIK
“—with or without the Princess of Hyrule’s help...”

 

LINK
“Don’t editorialize. The point is that the kid’s not gonna be of any help to us now, not where he’s going...”

 

SHEIK
“Could you read his mind? You know what he plans?”

LINK
“I don’t have to: I know the kid’s going straight for Hyrule Castle.”

 

SHEIK
“How can you be sure? You believe that he will go for Ganondorf’s throat? He’s a child!”

 

Link SHAKES HIS HEAD.

 

LINK
“He doesn’t give a damn about Ganondorf...”

 

SHEIK
“What, then?”

 

LINK

“He’s going for Zelda. He’s going to try to protect her, as best he can, anyway.”

 

There is a PAUSE.

 

SHEIK
“How... how can you be sure—”

 

LINK
“Because I was him, once. In a way I still am him. I know what he would do...”

 

Link FACES Sheik and steps forward, his eyes probing.

LINK

“...and I know what I would do, too...”

 

Sheik STEPS BACK one step, matching Link’s movement.

 

There is a PAUSE.

 

LINK
“We’ve lost the kid, and my plan, I suppose. So, then: what’s yours?”

 

SHEIK
“The Silver Gauntlets are prepared to move on Ganondorf’s Castle.”

LINK
“Look at you! They don’t seem to be the type that takes to suicide missions. That really must’ve taken some convincing on your part...”

 

SHEIK
“They trust the Ancient Hylians to interpret the will of the Goddesses: they believe in the promise of the four temples—”

 

Link SCOFFS.

 

LINK

“But, then, who could truly know the will of a deity, huh?”

 

SHEIK
“I know that what happened to Hyrule is not, and cannot, be the will of any deity.”

 

LINK
“We agree, there.”

 

SHEIK
“And what of the last temple? What of...”

 

LINK

“The Shadow Sage?”

 

Sheik NODS.

 

Link does not answer for several seconds.

 

LINK
“Impa’s dead...”

 

Sheik’s EYES fall.

 

Link HOLDS UP Dhise Slaighre.

 

LINK
“...but so is the one who killed her.”

 

Sheik turns around, facing away from Link.

 

SHEIK
“I understand.”

 

LINK
“You knew her, I take it?”

 

SHEIK
“Was... privileged to be acquainted. But no: I never really knew her, I don’t think...”

 

LINK
“I’m sorry; there was nothing I—”

 

SHEIK
“She was a legendary warrior, and the most worthy of all the Sheikah; she knew her role. She was happiest in the thick of the fight, and in the mystery of the unknown: that’s what mattered most to her. Now she’s in the greatest unknown. She couldn’t be happier than that, I don’t think.”

 

LINK
“I heard tell that she was actually happiest picking flowers in gardens, if you can believe that.”

 

Sheik SCOFFS. He does not face Link.

 

SHEIK
“Hardly the pastime of a warrior, Traveler!”

 

LINK
“No, it isn’t. But it is the pastime of someone who loved a certain little girl very deeply, I think...”

 

SHEIK
“You’d bring her into this, again? Memories of Impa will be tarnished for generations to come just because of her association with the Princess of Hyrule! What humiliation, being the sworn protector of King Ganondorf’s little whore! She was forced into such a role, by fealty to the Royal Family, and that’s all—”

 

LINK
“Well, if she’s innocent in all this, then I’m not: it wasn’t ‘fealty to the Royal Family’ that lead me to act—”

 

SHEIK
“No: you were led astray by a manipulative little harpy—”

 

LINK
“I was lonely— a sad little boy who got the chance to be lonely together with a sad little girl. I was with someone who felt alone and isolated just like I did, never mind our different circumstances. I was with someone who, despite their own troubles and concerns, could see past all that and look at the world around them a lot more sensitively than most adults. We were children! We were kids working out problems that were way too big for us! One of us was trying to be noble— trying to do right by her people and secure the safety of her kingdom—”

 

SHEIK

(whispering)
“You know nothing!”

 

LINK
“—and me? I was impressed. Hell: I was blown away, even. How could a sad little girl have such a noble little heart beating inside her?”

 

Link takes ONE STEP towards Sheik, descending one of the carpeted stairs leading up to the sacred floor.

 

LINK
“How could someone be so pure? How could someone be so beautiful— and on the inside more than on the outside, even? For me all that reckless bravery was the easy part: I could do that standing on my head. I could move mountains, if I tried. I was smitten by her nobility—”

 

SHEIK
(whispering)
“She was reckless!”

 

LINK
“Recklessly noble: a small girl trying to be a woman. That’s no better than a small boy trying to be a man. What was she to me, huh? She was my friend— to hell with the rank and all— and she’s the apple of a grizzled old Sheikah warrior’s eye: a name whispered very fondly in her dying breath; a child she loved more than I can even imagine. Enough so that, in the end, all she really wanted was to go back to the garden, to be back with that innocent little girl that she was forced to take away from her childhood— from the life she knew— take her away from her friend...”

 

One of Sheik’s BLADED WEAPONS falls to the temple floor with a loud clank; Sheik FALLS TO HIS KNEES with a bowed head.

 

There is a SNIFFLING SOUND, although this is unmistakably FEMALE in nature and not in Sheik’s normal voice.

 

SLOW PAN up Sheik’s body, from the front. Upon reaching the head we see drastic differences; this person’s eyes are DEEP VIOLET, not red, and their face is obviously feminine in appearance. The woman is extremely beautiful, although her face bears numerous HEALED SCARS in various places (unlike Sheik’s previous visage, which was unblemished).

 

This is ADULT ZELDA.

 

Link approaches slowly from behind; CAMERA remains stationary on Zelda, with Link’s blurry torso in the background.

 

LINK
“For 12 years you’ve been working so hard to destroy yourself—”

 

ZELDA
“I deserve it! I was deluded enough to believe I had a gift— something that could save Hyrule— but I was wrong: all my premonitions and visions were a delusional fantasy, and for 12 years my people have paid the price!”

 

Link slowly sits down beside the woman, careful to leave a few feet between them. He faces forward.

 

LINK
“What good is your guilt? For 12 years I’ve done nothing but live to put those old days behind me. I ran. What do I deserve for that, do you think? You’ve punished yourself a thousand times over for your sins, but me? I haven’t even looked for absolution, not until now...”

 

Zelda SNIFFLES again, regaining her composure. She stands up slowly.

 

Link does likewise.

 

ZELDA
“‘Absolution’... is in Ganondorf’s Castle. It’s waiting for us there, I think—”

 

LINK
“No, that’s not where it’s waiting. Not for you, at least—”

 

ZELDA
“But I have only one last ‘action’ to perform to set everything right again—”

 

LINK
“Your role is to move the chess pieces; not to participate in battle with them—”

 

ZELDA
“I am not a princess! Not anymore! And— and you’re not my pawn! Not anymore, at least! What’s needed now is the Hero of Time, alone. I can ask no more of you—”

 

Link CLOSES THE GAP between himself and Zelda, his teeth GRIT.

 

LINK
“Due respect: you’re right. You’re not a princess, anymore. You’re not an angelic little girl, and I’m not an innocent little boy; we’ve both got enough blood on our hands by now to coat a battlefield. I reek of it, Zelda! I’m nothing but a bloody, broken shell of a thing. I’ve committed more horrors than anyone should ever have to commit in a lifetime, and I’ve seen more than enough good people die out there. I’ve lost—”

 

The man CHOKES UP momentarily, and then SNARLS again.

 

LINK

“...I have lost, and the things I’ve lost will never be coming back. Not ever. And I didn’t— I didn’t lose these things senselessly, ‘cause I’m the one that gets to make sense of those losses. I deserve that chance, anyway. Impa was right: I know I’m the Hero of Time, and you don’t deserve to take that away from me!”

 

ZELDA

“I... have lost, too... But I’m tired of losing. Maybe I’m only selfish— I always have been, anyway— but I won’t let you be the one to perform the Hero of Time’s action...”

 

Link suddenly brings DHISE SLAIGHRE up between himself and Zelda; the woman watches intently, but makes no movement.

 

Link grips the sword’s blade with his gloved hands and turns it around; the HILT now faces Zelda.

 

LINK
“This thing is yours, you know. It’s not a beautiful thing, and it’s not particularly wonderful, either. It’s cursed, and it’s bloody...”

 

The BLADE OF DHISE SLAIGHRE is stained with various ‘high-water’ blood marks of various colors and compositions. Part of the BLACK GLOVE on Link’s hand is cut from his fight with the Iron Knuckle; there is a spot of dried blood on his hand.

 

LINK
“...it’s a bloody, broken shell of a thing. But it’s yours. It always has been, I guess. Call that destiny, or fate, even...”

 

Link EXTENDS THE SWORD towards Zelda.

 

LINK
“Everything I’ve done so far has been a selfish drive for revenge: a chance to get even. Maybe that’s immoral, but I don’t really know. You have the right to take that chance away from me, but you don’t deserve to do it.”

 

Zelda first touches Dhise Slaighre’s HILT, then moves her hand down the sword’s blade. All the dried blood does not leave any trace on her hand, but as her fingers near Link’s hand on the blade she skirts a few stray drops of the man’s blood that have come to rest on the blade; these smear over her fingers like normal blood droplets. She stops moving her hand along the blade before actually coming into contact with Link’s hand.

 

Zelda uses her other hand to PUSH AWAY Dhise Slaighre’s hilt, moving the sword back to Link.

 

ZELDA
“You use that sword as you will...”

 

Link slowly SHEATHES Dhise Slaighre. He SIGHS and, after a pause, turns to face the temple exit.

 

LINK
“Then it’s settled. Alright, so where’s your rallying point? Where are you supposed to meet up with the Silver Gauntlets?”

 

ZELDA
“High Road’s End: at the beginning of the volcanic crater.”

 

LINK
“You’ve all got stilts, or something? How did you plan on crossing the void?”

 

ZELDA

“Void?”

 

Zelda appears CONFUSED, but then she NODS.

 

ZELDA
“That’s right: your eyes haven’t been trained to see the truth, have they?”

 

Link appears CONFUSED. He looks over at Zelda with sudden realization.

 

LINK

“I see...”

 

There is a LONG PAUSE. Link and Zelda stare at each other awkwardly. Finally Link moves for the temple exit.

 

LINK
“Goodbye.”

 

He takes several steps before Zelda calls after him.

 

ZELDA
“Wait!”

 

Link TURNS and faces Zelda, who comes up very close to the man; she moves her face in quite close to his, enough to make Link uncomfortable.

 

LINK
“Can’t this wait until I come back, perhaps?”

 

NAVI flies out of Link’s clothes and HOVERS beside the man, flitting nervously.

 

Zelda HALF-OPENS her mouth, suggestively, while Link stares at her in disbelief.

 

Suddenly, just before her lips meet Link’s, Zelda’s EYES become brilliantly RED; a SICKLY FLASH explodes from them. Instantly Link’s body goes limp and he falls down at Zelda’s feet; NAVI’s body loses all color and she FALLS out of the air. Zelda SNATCHES the fairy out of the air with one deft hand and kneels down, placing the fairy gently upon Link’s HIP.

 

Link lies crumpled on the floor, LOOKING up at Zelda with EXPRESSIVE EYES.

 

Zelda gently STROKES Link’s hair and SHAKES HER HEAD.

 

ZELDA
“I’m sorry... truly I am...”

 

The woman STANDS UP, retrieving her BLADED WEAPONS from the floor. She looks down at Link, who still stares up at her in his paralyzed condition.

 

ZELDA
“You don’t understand: there is no coming back. The ‘action’ in the ancient prophecy— it’s not an abstract thing. It’s quite clear, actually: it calls for martyred blood. The Hero of Time fulfills this obligation to the Goddesses: the Hero is to spill their blood to incite the judgment of the Sages...”

 

Zelda again KNEES DOWN beside Link.

 

ZELDA
“The Hero of Time does not survive this conflict. So— so you see, it can’t be you...”

 

Zelda stands up and WALKS OFF a few paces; she again TURNS and looks back at Link.

 

ZELDA
“I’m— I’m so very sorry that we never got the chance to play that duet...”

 

The woman places the patchwork scarves back over her lower face and turns, RUNNING down the carpeted temple corridor.

 

Suddenly, before Zelda makes it to the temple entrance, the section of marbled floor she crosses EXPLODES OUT from under her; the woman quickly disappears into a mess of THICK BROWN VINES that shoot up from the floor. There is a BRIEF SCREAM heard underneath all the noise of the demolition, but it quickly disappears. The mess of vines quickly retreat back down into the ground; Zelda is nowhere to be seen.

 

One particularly thin and long vine remains; it SLITHERES through the temple, coming to rest near Link’s paralyzed body. As Link watches, helpless, the vine moves over the man’s neck, its sharp tip tracing the contour of his ADAM’S APPLE while moving down his body. Upon reaching the neckline of Link’s black vest the vine tip TEARS a small section of the garment from his neckline to his nipple-line, baring just enough of Link’s chest to expose the triangle-shaped café-au-lait BIRTHMARK on his sternum.

 

This vine, too, disappears back through the hole in the temple floor, leaving Link alone in the temple. After a pause Link struggles to speak, barely getting a word out.

 

LINK
(labored and pained)
“G— Gannondorf!”

 

EXT. TEMPLE OF TIME – EVENING.

 

Link emerges from the temple and walks down the granite stairway, moving uneasily. He WIGGLES THE FINGERS on his dominant left hand uncomfortably.

 

EPONA stands at the foot of the stairs. Link slowly approaches the horse and makes several adjustments to her SADDLE and BRIDLE. After this he unexpectedly REMOVES both of them and his satchels as well, leaving the horse stripped of any and all gear.

 

Link stands in front of Epona and PATS HER HEAD.

 

LINK
“What’re things like revenge and hate to horses, huh? What’s happened to Hyrule, and to all of us, shouldn’t really matter to you, Epona. There’s still plenty of green pastures in this world, so go find one...”

 

Link TUNRS and walks off; Epona FOLLOWS him closely. Link again faces the horse.

 

LINK
“Where I’m going is a little too hot for horses, girl. You can’t help me anymore...”

 

Link affectionately STROKES Epona’s face, putting his head beside hers; he looks at the BRUISES on one of her sides with disgust.

 

LINK

“I... I really hope you meet that grand knight, someday. I hope you go on those adventures to faraway places and have those strange quests with him. Whoever he is, one thing’s for certain: It’s not me. To be blunt: I just don’t deserve you, Epona. I never did.”

 

Link gently swats at the horse’s backside, prompting Epona to move off, aimless, back down the road towards Castlebridge.

 

Link watches the horse trot off, and then he again MOVES OFF up the High Road towards Ganondorf’s Castle. He STOPS once, looking back as Epona disappears from view.

 

LINK
“Hey, Navi...”

 

NAVI comes out of his clothes and perches on the man’s NOSE.

 

Link GOES CROSS-EYED to look at the fairy.

 

LINK
“The... uh... Great Forest can’t be more than a few days away, as the fairy flies; there might be— I mean— I’m sure there are places out there that are still untouched— safe— and there’s always the swarms of free fairies out in the deep woods. They’d love to have you, I’m sure, and— and you’d be happy there, I know. You’re better than they are, I know that, too: your line of fairies is supposed to bond with Kokiri Forest Children, and you never actually had one— but still: that’s probably the best place for you, now, to be with—”

 

NAVI suddenly SLAPS Link’s face (ie: hits the upper bridge of his nose) first with one hand, and then another. Both times Link WINCES. When he recovers he again stares down at the fairy on his nose, cross-eyed.

 

There is a LONG PAUSE, during which NAVI cocks her head— her eyes EMOTIONAL— and Link stares down at her. Eventually a single TEAR rolls down the side of Link’s face.

 

LINK

(very slowly)
“No: you have no earthly idea just how fast...”

 

A single tear also trains down NAVI’S CHEEK.

 

The fairy moves off Link’s nose and HOVERS before him.

 

LINK
“Are you ready?”

 

Navi NODS.

 

LINK
“Then let’s end this.”

 

The pair moves off into the fog, climbing up the ruined High Road.

 

EXT. GANONDORF’S CASTLE – EVENING.

 

Link approaches the massive volcanic crater, moving to its edge, and stares at the towering CASTLE KEEP at its center.

 

Link looks all around this area INTENTLY, his BRIGHT RED LEFT EYE shining. Link’s attention is drawn to a certain part of the chasm. After a time there are sounds behind him; Link TURNS quickly and unsheathes DHISE SLAIGHRE.

 

Four PURPLE-ROBED FIGURES emerge from the darkness (their faces invisible), all of them bearing long swords, with silver gauntlets on their sword hands. At Link’s drawing of his sword they each square themselves in a defensive posture.

 

Link and the figures stand at the ready for some time, no one moving. Ultimately Link TURNS AROUND (slowly) putting his back to the figures, and SHEATHES his sword.

 

The purple-robed figures RELAX, somewhat, but none of them sheathe their swords.

 

Link walks around the perimeter of the volcanic crater with the figures following behind him at a distance. Eventually he comes to a certain spot on the edge where he stands directly in front of the chasm. Link looks down hesitantly and, taking a DEEP BREATH, steps out over the edge; his foot lands on some invisible surface, and then his other one: Link stands directly over the lake of lava.

 

Link makes several more steps forward (in a straight line towards the castle island far ahead of him) but the purple-robed figures do not follow. As Link walks he detects their hesitance. Without turning to face them Link UNSHEATHES Dhise Slaighre.

 

The purple-robed figures all square themselves into defensive posture again.

 

Link suddenly RAMS the sword into a spot near his left foot; the sword jams into a pitch-black VINE, which is exposed in the attacks. This action causes a ‘ripple-effect’ for some distance behind, and in front, of Link: an entire massive BRIDGE OF VINES is temporarily exposed, extending all the way from the chasm edge to the castle keep at the crater center.

 

Link RESHEATHES his sword and continues along the once-again invisible bridge. The figures behind him eventually follow at a considerable distance.

 

EXTEMELY LONG-DISTANCE SHOT of the group traversing the volcanic crater; they all move far, far above the lava pit beneath them (and they are little more than the size of ants in this shot). Eventually a STRANGE WAVE moves along the turbulent lava surface, and then once again; the second time this happens it is more clear that this is the BACK of some immense, fire-covered creature than a simple wave.

 

CLOSE-UP on Link walking forward (towards the camera) with the purple-robed figures behind him.

 

Again, the same LONG-DISTANCE SHOT: the massive NECK AND HEAD of an incomprehensibly gigantic fire-covered dragon is moving upwards from the lava, angling forward (towards the moving group); it is wingless, but nonetheless able to move freely through the air. This is VOLVAGIA.

 

Again, a CLOSE-UP on Link walking forward (towards the camera) with the purple-robed figures behind him. The invisible vine bridge behind the group suddenly BURSTS INTO FLAMES and EXPLODES as Volvagia’s massive head and body obliterate it and move upwards into the air (the creature’s neck diameter averages about fifty-feet, give or take, and its body-proper rivals a blue whale’s in terms of overall size). Two of the purple-robed figures are caught in this firestorm and incinerated, SCREAMING, and Link and the remaining two figures quickly RACE for the other end of the bridge.

 

Again, the same LONG-DISTANCE SHOT: Volvagia is slowly ARCING through the air, graceful, preparing to come back down on another part of the bridge near the fleeing group. The creature OPENS ITS MASSIVE MOUTH.

 

Link and the two figures are running frantically. A WITHERING SCREAM from Volvagia overhead causes the vine bridge to tremble and causes all three fleers to COVER THEIR EARS in pain and FALL TO THEIR KNEES. Link jumps up almost immediately, and the two robed figures soon after; as Link races forward one of the robed figures quickly PUSHES the other out of the way; this former figure is immediately CRUSHED by Volvagia’s body as it plunges through that part of the bridge. The second robed figure narrowly escapes, following Link across the rest of the bridge.

 

The pair reaches the opposite side of the bridge and the MAIN GATE of Ganondorf’s castle, which is CLOSED. Link frantically SEARCHES for alternate routes, but finds none.

 

Suddenly Volvagia BURSTS UP from just behind the pair, obliterating the section of vine bridge directly connected to the castle island.

 

The robed figure quickly scrambles along the outer edge of the castle, moving over patchwork scaffolding and ruins; Link follows, and the pair moves up and around the outside of the castle.

 

EXTREME LONG-DISTANCE SHOT of Ganondorf’s Castle; Volvagia gracefully, slowly, circles around the structure, letting loose another WITHERING SCREAM.

 

Link and the robed figure eventually find a large nook in the ruined scaffolding that plunges into a small ‘cave’ set into the castle’s side. They land hard on the uneven stone surface of this place while, through the hole they entered, Volvagia’s massive body is seen swooping past them, disappearing around the outside of the castle with a RUMBLING BOOM trailing in its wake, lessening over time.

 

Link STANDS UP, panting and holding an iron rod poking out of the castle wall for support. The robed figure brandishes a GLISTENING DAGGER and suddenly stands, LUNGING at Link. Link PARRIES this attack and fends off another; eventually he tackles the figure and wrestles them to the ground, holding their own knife against their throat. The figure’s cowl falls away from their head in the struggle, revealing NABOORU, aged 12 years since Link last saw her.

 

Link is SNARLING with anger, but upon seeing Nabooru’s face his face falls in disbelief.

 

LINK
“Y— you are Nab—”

 

The woman’s face contorts in SURPRISE.

 

LINK
“You are Gerudo...”

 

NABOORU
“You are observant.”

 

The woman tries KNEEING Link, but the man closes his legs before her knee finds its mark; Link quickly ROLLS off the woman, standing back against the alcove wall with the glistening dagger at the ready.

 

Nabooru stands as well, squared defensively.

 

LINK
“You’re the leader of the Silver Gauntlets? A Gerudo?”

 

Nabooru SCOFFS.

 

NABOORU

“The Silver Gauntlets are all Gerudo, idiot towhead!”

 

LINK
“Ganondorf is a Gerudo; he’s one of your people—”

 

NABOORU
“He is a dishonorable traitor—”

 

LINK
“He’s a thief, and your people are thieves. He stole the throne of Hyrule; doesn’t that make you—”

 

NABOORU
“He betrayed a sacred trust; he violated his word and acted without honor. He is not my king, nor is he ‘one of my people’—”

 

LINK
“You can’t just disown your monarchs!”

 

NABOORU

“No, but we can kill them, can we not?”

 

Link CONSIDERS this statement. He lowers the dagger, slowly, and then steps towards the woman, who remains defensive.

 

LINK
“So there is honor among thieves?”

 

NABOORU

“The prince betrayed all those he ever knew, both at home in the desert and here in Hyrule. That pretender whore of a mother of his rules the Gerudo Valley with an iron fist, and he lords over the broken bones of Hyrule. It all began with his absolute obsession with the Royal Family. He came here 12 years ago pledging life and loyalty to them, all the while plotting Hyrule’s downfall. Gerudo abide their word; Gerudo live with honor. Such cowardly actions are an embarrassment to Gerudo honor.”

 

Link COCKS HIS HEAD, staring at Nabooru incredulously.

 

Nabooru LOOKS TO THE SIDE.

 

NABOORU
“They are an embarrassment to me...”

 

There is a pause, and then Link quickly FLIPS THE DAGGER in the air, causing Nabooru to SQUARE HERSELF into a defensive posture; Link, however, merely hands the dagger back to her, hilt-first.

 

LINK
“If you want the man dead, you’re not in bad company. Why did you attack me?”

 

Nabooru slowly takes the knife, and then puts it in a scabbard on her waist.

 

NABOORU

“You are not Sheik, and we expected Sheik, not the notorious Pale Rider. The Sheikah are pitiable servants— collared dogs— but they are as true as they are wise; we trusted his council. Tell me... is Sheik—”

 

LINK
“Sheik is gone, I think. I seriously doubt he’s coming back.”

 

NABOORU

“I see. In any event, I assumed that you lured us to our deaths out there when the monster attacked.”

 

LINK
“I don’t need a 200 foot-long dragon to kill people; I can do that just fine on my own.”

 

NABOORU

“I’m sure that’s true. Anyway, you’re most certainly not one of the prince’s men, I suppose...”

 

LINK
“How do you figure?”

 

Nabooru holds up the small, dirty INTERLOCKING TRIANGLE TRINKET, dangling it in the air.

 

Link STARTS, then he checks his vest pockets, feeling the emptiness of one breast pocket.

 

NABOORU
“This is an old symbol, for sure; it was used by the Royal Family here many generations ago...”

 

The woman TOSSES the pendant back to Link.

 

NABOORU

“...but it’s older than that, even. I first laid eyes on that symbol when I was child, sent to complete the initiation trials of my people down at Colossus Oasis Plain.”

 

Link’s eyes bulge.

 

LINK
“The Sand Temple, right?”

 

Nabooru NODS.

 

NABOORU

“Rauru— the temple vicar there— was particularly fond of that symbol.”

 

Link LAUGHS.

 

NABOORU

“What is it?”

 

LINK
“I find it kinda hard to picture a rabble of Gerudo all bowing down to worship Din while surrounded by ancient symbols of the Hylian Royal Family!”

 

NABOORU

“We worship Din; we worship the sun, even; we worship whomever we choose. A Gerudo has that freedom. Rauru maintained the Sand Temple for anyone’s spiritual oblation to anything they saw fit...”

 

Nabooru LOOKS TO ONE SIDE.

 

NABOORU

“As a matter of fact, he himself did not see fit to worship Din...”

 

LINK
“Farore, then? Odd for a Gerudo priest to worship the Goddess of the Royal Family of Hyrule—”

 

NABOORU
“Not Farore. He...”

 

LINK
“What?”

 

NABOORU

“He worshipped Nayru, the Irrational.”

 

LINK
“Nayru? You’re kidding me!”

 

NABOORU
“He was an odd man, and very difficult to understand. I don’t know when exactly he chose such a strange Goddess to submit to, and still he tolerated anyone’s belief, but he— that is, I hear he even tried to convert his own daughter to Nayru’s worship, though apparently he had the good sense not to force the issue too much when she resisted. How he’d go on, if you let him! Spouting nonsense about ‘De’chiem Nabooru’...”

 

Link LOOKS UP at the woman.

 

LINK
“What was that? Nabooru?”

 

NABOORU
“‘De’cheim Nabooru’; it means ‘the strength of Nayru’s spirit’. That and ‘De’chiem Amaru’; ‘the strength of Nayru’s love’. Nonsense, all of it, but still: he was entitled to his opinion...”

 

LINK
“Ganondorf: he killed Rauru, didn’t he?”

 

Nabooru’s eyes WIDEN; the woman stares at the ground and SHAKES HER HEAD.

 

NABOORU
“The great stone steps of the Sand Temple... they are very treacherous— designed for the young and bold more than the old and wise. At the time what else were we to think of such an old man suffering such a great fall? In retrospect— with the timing so convenient as to coincide with the prince’s journey to Hyrule...”

 

LINK
“Hindsight is everything. I understand that pretty well.”

Nabooru CROSSES HER ARMS.

 

NABOORU
“Still, though: what else to expect from the pig of the vines!”

 

LINK
“What?”

 

NABOORU
“The prince. Ganondorf. Gerudo names are always expressive. His means ‘in the image of Ga—non’.”

 

LINK

“Ga...non?”

 

NABOORU
“A fairy tale, told by Gerudo parents to frighten their disobedient children. Out in the Haunted Wasteland there are the remains of some great bog that once covered the Gerudo Valley, eons before it became a desert. The story goes that a herd of pigs drove one of their own to exile— Ga—non— and it wandered that bog for the rest of its life, forever lost in the maze. It became so a part of the swamp, though, that in death it remained there: even gaining control of the vines that lay writhing in the muck.”

 

LINK
“That’s a strange name to give a future king...”

 

NABOORU
“The rumors are that the prince was ‘aggressive’ as a newborn, drawing blood from his mother’s teat, slurping his milk as greedily as a pig eats slop. He was very like the pig of the vines as an infant.”

 

LINK
“And now he’s the King of them, as an adult...”

 

Link NODS appreciate.

 

LINK

 “I guess he just didn’t appreciate the irony of Kotake’s gift. Anyway, now you’re looking to avenge your fath— your fallen honor, is that it?”

 

NABOORU
“My honor is meaningless next to the insult our prince brought to Din; he is a disgrace to her honor, and Din demands justice. She will sit in judgment of that monstrous creature, brought there but my hand or by any other...”

 

LINK
“‘Judgment’, huh? Variations on a theme...”

 

Nabooru COCKS HER HEAD at Link. The man SHAKES HIS HEAD in reply, turning to face the alcove entrance.

 

LINK
“Never mind. Let’s just say that neither of us is really in bad company, at the moment...”

 

HYRULE CASTLE – EVENING.

 

Young Link walks through the foyer and corridors of Hyrule Castle; as on his previous journey he is not questioned by the guards in the public areas of the castle.

 

Link moves down the corridor leading to the royal apartments, however a guard at the ornate door stops the boy: it is CASTLE GUARD #3.

 

CASTLE GUARD #3

(growling)

“Oh: is that you, boy? I am sorry (NOTE: sarcastic inflection), but her Highness is quite unavailable at the moment.”

 

Link STAMPS HIS FOOT.

 

CASTLE GUARD #3

“No getting’ in here without the proper escort, sonny. You want a word with her Highness, you just drop a line to the proper go-betweens; they’ll get your message to her in the by and by, I’d imagine. Shouldn’t take more than a fortnight, in any event!”

 

Link OPENS HIS MOUTH, as if to speak, but then a VOICE sounds from further down the corridor: it is the FEMALE SERVANT from earlier.

 

FEMALE SERVANT

“Oh, my: is that the princess’ little playmate? Why, it is!”

 

The woman comes up between the guard and Link, speaking to the guard.

 

FEMALE SERVANT
“Now, sir, honestly this one is of good moral character and all that; surely you can let him through?”

 

CASTLE GUARD #3

“Er... well: my orders are orders, you know—”

 

FEMALE SERVANT
“And you know how close our little Zelda is to this one, don’t you? We can’t just toss him out in the night, can we?”

 

CASTLE GUARD #3

“Well, certainly not, but—”

 

FEMALE SERVANT

“And have the guardsmen in the hedgerow chase the poor child for sport? Wouldn’t it be such a shame to have to explain to her Highness why her cherished childhood friend wasn’t allowed into her own home? The poor dear would be a basket-case, I’m sure...”

 

CASTLE GUARD #3

“Now, see: there’s protocol to be followed—”

 

The young woman LEANS FORWARD.

 

FEMALE SERVANT

“...and if that were the case, I’m quite afraid, your head might end up fitting quite comfortably in one. A basket, I mean.”

 

Castle Guard #3 SWALLOWS UNCOMFORTABLY. He grudgingly stands aside.

 

CASTLE GUARD #3

“Er... well... assuming someone’s got the proper responsibility for the boy—”

 

The Female Servant puts both hands on Link’s shoulders.

 

FEMALE SERVANT
“I can do that, with pleasure. After all, our little friend here is the perfect gentleman, isn’t he?”

 

The Female Servant looks down at Link, who NODS in agreement.

 

Castle Guard #3 SNEERS at both woman and boy as they pass. On their way through the door the Female Servant calls after the guard.

 

FEMALE SERVANT
“By the way: how’s your bunions, today, Captain?”

 

The man FUMES.

 

INT. PRINCESS ZELDA’S PRIVATE CHAMBERS, ROYAL FAMILY ROOMS – EVENING.

 

The Female Servant enters Zelda’s sitting room, followed by Link. The boy LOOKS AROUND the room, finding it deserted. In the meantime the Female Servant busily bundles wads of Zelda’s clothing into a small WOODEN LAUNDRY CART.

 

FEMALE SERVANT
“Oh, her Highness isn’t in at the moment: she has other obligations to attend to.”

 

The woman pulls a SMALL VIAL of clear liquid out of her BODICE as she speaks; she puts it on the table beside her and then motions her head in the direction of a desk drawer, still busily SORTING Zelda’s clothing.

 

FEMALE SERVANT
“Oh, would you please be a dear and fetch me a kerchief from in there? I’ve simply got to get all these clothes out to wash, and I’ve only my two arms on me...”

 

Link ROOTS through the desk drawer, producing a WHITE HANDKERCHIEF. He HOLDS IT UP for the woman, his face PROBING.

 

FEMALE SERVANT
“Ah, wonderful. Be a sport and fold it up all nice and neat, square if you could!”

 

Link NODS and drapes the kerchief on a chair back, gently folding it in sections.

 

FEMALE SERVANT
“Oh, her Highness left here all dolled up: it’s the special feast this evening, don’t you know. The sendoff for Prince Ganondorf. Just a cozy little banquet above the castle keep: His Highness, our little Zelda and, of course, the prince himself!”

 

Link finishes folding the kerchief. He HOLDS UP the finished product.

 

FEMALE SERVANT
“Very good! Oh, very good. How nice it would be if all the help around here were as helpful as you are!”

 

The Female Servant MOTIONS WITH HER HEAD to the vial of clear liquid on the table beside her.

 

FEMALE SERVANT
“Just pour all that out into it now, if you would!”

 

Link retrieves the vial and UNCAPS it; he looks up at the woman while holding the vial over the kerchief.

 

FEMALE SERVANT
“Yes: that’s it. Nice and even, too: spread it around...”

 

Link POURS the fluid over the rag, carefully saturating every bit of it with the fluid.

 

FEMALE SERVANT

“...anyway: that’s been in the works for weeks now, their little soiree. You know nobles, with their fancy parties and all. Her Highness was so very keen on making a good impression at the event, and no doubt the prince will find her a most charming little lady, as do we all. And they truly want no one to disturb this moment. It is, after all, so very historic...”

 

Link finishes pouring the fluid into the rag, which is now totally saturated with it. The boy HOLDS THIS UP for the woman.

 

FEMALE SERVANT
“Ah, bravo!”

 

The woman finishes tossing items of clothing into the laundry cart and approaches Link, CIRCLING AROUND the boy and gently putting a hand on his shoulder. She takes the damp rag from his other hand, SMILING SUNNILY.

 

FEMALE SERVANT
“Thank you so much, my dear boy!”

 

Suddenly, without any warning, the Female Servant quickly STUFFS the kerchief over Link’s face, burying his mouth and nose. At the same time she uses her other hand to HOLD DOWN Link’s green nightcap.

 

Link STRUGGLES in the woman’s arms; only MUFFLED SCREAMS escape the kerchief. After some time (NOT IMMEDIATELY; nearly twenty seconds elapse, give or take) Link’s struggles CEASE and the boy becomes totally LIMP.

 

The Female Servant DROPS the boy; Link lands hard on the carpeted floor, his nightcap falling by his side. Navi lands beside him, totally without color and similarly unconscious.

 

The woman standing over Link CHUCKLES malevolently. PAN-UP reveals that it is, in fact, KOUME, whose gnarled old face is now in place of the 20-something-year-old young woman from before.

 

Koume surveys Link’s unconscious body, GRINNING.

 

KOUME

Ah, How very nice it would be if all the help around here were as helpful as you are!”

 

INT. HYRULE CASTLE DUNGEON – EVENING.

 

A basement section of the castle, complete with a row of empty cells and cruel-looking bars. A thick wooden door is the only exit. Moonlight streams into the dank place from a thin, fine-mesh screened window running high above the cells.

 

Koume roughly DUMPS Link into one of these large cells; the boy’s body ROLLS over the floor several times. He GROANS MEEKLY. The half-filled LAUNDRY CART sits behind the woman.

 

Koume CACKLES and then hurtles NAVI at Link (as if pitching a fastball). The dim-lit fairy bounces off Link’s body and lands hard on the stone floor (apparently none the worse for wear). The woman shuts the cell door, which claps shut with a resounding CLICK.

 

Link SITS UP, groggy, as Koume LAUGHS again.

 

KOUME
“You could possibly be used to our advantage, I think. After all, that tiny royal tart probably wouldn’t want to see her precious little playmate filleted alive, would she?”

 

The woman LEANS DOWN near the cell bars; Link defiantly gets up and stands directly on the opposite side of them, SNEERING.

 

KOUME
“And when precious little Princess Zelda inherits her father’s throne in, oh, say half-an-hour, or so, we will need her to be most... ‘pliable’, for our purposes! You’ll probably only need to loose a few fingers and toes before that girl does whatever we want her to!”

 

Link RATTLES THE CELL BARS angrily; Koume again CACKLES and moves off, slamming the large wooden door behind her as she leaves the dungeon.

 

Link KICKS the cell door, teary-eyed with rage. He CROSSES HIS ARMS, sniffling.

 

SLOW PAN around the boy reveals a pair of NARROW, CREEPY EYES leering out of the nearly pitch-black darkness in the far corner of the cell: a figure is sitting on one of the wooden benches lining the cell wall.

 

VOICE
“Still waters, it seem, do run so very deep...”

 

Link SPINS AROUND and plasters his body against the cell bars, frightened.

 

VOICE
“...don’t they, my young friend?”

 

EXT. GANONDORF’S CASTLE – LATE EVENING.

 

VOLVAGIA arcs idly through the air, making lazy, massive loop-de-loops around Ganondorf’s Castle.

 

Inside the small alcove Link sits on a chunk of debris, LEANING on the hilt of Dhise Slaighre. Both he and Nabooru have removed some layers of superfluous clothing; the pair SWEAT profusely.

 

LINK
“...and after that it was different. He treated me like a son, at least for a little while, and I never really knew what that felt like to begin with.”

 

NABOORU
“‘Nice’, I suppose.”

 

Link NODS and SMILES unsettlingly.

 

LINK
“It’s always ‘nice’ to be needed. It’s better to be wanted.”

 

NABOORU
“Which were you?”

 

LINK
“I don’t know. When he took his feud to the Tantari people he certainly needed anyone he could get.”

 

NABOORU
“But he knew you from a young boy; certainly he wanted you.”

 

LINK
“The ‘work’ he planned to do in Tantari, though... that wasn’t what I wanted. But it may have been just what I needed. We raided a far northern desert settlement; a group of wanderers— simple nomads— all with the pretense of finding some damnable sacred statue. When the nomads claimed they didn’t know the location of the statue we burned their belongings— all their carts, crafts, and creatures— right before their eyes. Their whole lives— carried on their own backs for generations long— right up in smoke, just like that. There was this small girl in the group— a little wide-eyed thing— and she stood out. See, everyone in that tribe was speechless; they were heartbroken, angry, furious even. But I remembered that little girl because there was only one emotion in her eyes that I could see at all.”

 

Link LOOKS DIRECTLY AT Nabooru.

 

LINK
“Terror. Absolute terror. The others were worried about the future: their next meal; the next sip of water on their lips, and the next food or drink for the days and weeks after that. Desert life’s hard, and we just made it a thousand times harder for them. But that little girl had no concept of the future, or probably the past, either. All she knew was that at that moment her whole entire world had just fallen apart. There’s no contemplating how to pick-up the pieces, or how to move forward: just that pure, instinctual, childish emotion. It’s a lot purer than anything an adult feels. We qualify our emotions too much, and a child can’t do that, really.”

 

NABOORU
“You sympathized with this desert nomad? How touching...”

 

Link SHAKES HIS HEAD.

 

LINK
“No, I didn’t. But I knew a small girl, once, and I saw that same look on her face, once. It was burned into my brain for so long, eating at me, and keeping me from finding peace. I guess I just didn’t know it until that moment. It helped me understand what I needed to do, and that I didn’t need to be galloping all around the Old Shores any longer. Especially when his campaign against the Tantari people grew more... savage. He wouldn’t listen to reason: none of my reasons. It got worse before it could get better, too. ‘Son’ or no, I had to do something...”

 

NABOORU
“He was the first man you ever killed, wasn’t he?”

 

Link STARTS.

 

LINK
“I didn’t say that I killed him—”

 

NABOORU
“You didn’t have to—”

 

LINK
“And I certainly didn’t say he was my first—”

 

NABOORU
“And you certainly didn’t have to say that, either. Despite the image you try to project I don’t think that you are accustomed to killing, Pale Rider. Not yet, at least; it simply doesn’t seem to suit you.”

 

Link SCOWLS DANGEROUSLY.

 

Nabooru STANDS and paces along the alcove wall.

 

NABOORU
“Time is passing, and my nerves are fraying; it’s getting hotter in here, too.”

 

LINK
(whispering sulkily)

“I would’ve said colder.”

 

NABOORU
“That creature: it’s so large that it warms the air as it moves; the castle exterior is like a spit put out to roast...”

 

LINK
“There has to be some way to enter the main tower: a weaker portion of the walls, probably somewhere closer to the tower’s top.”

 

Nabooru FACES link.

 

NABOORU
“You still plan to raid the castle proper? Madness! We’ve lost what limited forces we had to begin with, and Sheik was never even here to lend us aid at all. This attack was doomed from the start—”

 

LINK
“So what, then? Escape? Run away and go back to hiding out in the scrub in Hyrule Field? We have the chance to end all this, here and now—”

 

NABOORU
“We have the chance to die: that is all. I won’t commit to some foolhardy suicide mission for no reason—”

 

LINK
“The Princess of Hyrule is in that tower right now!”

 

Nabooru SCOFFS and TURNS HER HEAD.

 

NABOORU
“You lie!”

Link MOVES into her field of vision, his eyes RESOLUTE.

 

LINK
“Look at me! Look at my face!”

 

Link GRABS Nabooru’s shoulders and the woman initially RESISTS, but as she looks at Link’s face she STOPS struggling. There is a PAUSE.

 

LINK
“I wouldn’t have to lie about a thing like that; I could come up with a hundred-thousand different stories more plausible than that, if I wanted to!”

 

NABOORU
(whispering)

“Are you so clever?”

 

Link SMILES.

 

LINK
“Only too much for my own good.”

 

NABOORU moves AWAY from Link, standing with her back to the man, CROSSED ARMS.

 

NABOORU
“Zelda of Hyrule: she truly is up there?”

 

LINK
“She is. You have the chance not only to redeem your people’s honor, but to restore the princess to her rightful place on the throne. It’s a rare position to be in, you know: Ganondorf did what he did, and you can’t take that away— you can never begin again— but you can try to fix your mistakes.”

 

NABOORU
“And what do you have to gain from all this, anyway? Why are you here? You’re no trained killer, after all...”

 

LINK
(whispering)

“...just a sucker for pouty purple eyes.”

 

NABOORU
“What was that?”

 

LINK
“I’m just here for a friend who needs my help.”

 

Nabooru SCOFFS.

 

NABOORU
“Such ‘friendship’ is an overrated thing.”

 

LINK
“Is loyalty?”

 

NABOORU
“Honesty is fine, but loyalty a mistake. We Gerudo live our lives more passionately than you can imagine, but we never make the mistake of depending too much on other people. Such feelings, left to their own devices can stir up more trouble than a nest of newborn dodongos...”

 

LINK
(in SYNC with Nabooru)

“—nest of newborn dodongos...”

 

Link and Nabooru say these last words slowly, each SURPRISED by the other’s delivery of them. There is a PAUSE.

 

LINK
“That... is a very common phrase... on the Old Shores...”

 

Nabooru STARES at Link intently.

 

NABOORU

“I’m... sure that’s true...”

 

Nabooru LOOKS DOWN at Link’s neckline, along the tattered front of his shirt; she first notices his TRIANGLE-SHAPED BIRTHMARK. She looks up at the man.

 

NABOORU
“It’s... it’s you, isn’t it?”

 

LINK
“What?”

 

NABOORU
“We could be dead, but we’re not, and you could’ve been killed any time since you came to Hyrule, but you were not. It’s you he’s after, isn’t it?”

 

LINK
“I don’t see how that’s possible—”

 

NABOORU
“As much as he’s after the princess, at least. That’s it, isn’t it? The prince... he’s looking for an audience with you, now, isn’t he?”

 

Nabooru LOOKS OUT at the alcove exit; a DRONING HUM (akin to a freight train) sounds along the wall as Volvagia slowly passes once again.

 

NABOORU
“But the invitation— it’s extended only to you, isn’t it?”

 

The woman approaches the alcove exit.

 

LINK
“Hey! Wait: what’re you doing?”

 

Nabooru looks back at Link.

 

NABOORU
“Two targets: time enough for one kill. And you, I think, are vital to the interests of the prince. I am not; you will make it to the top, I believe. From there it is up to you...”

 

Link STANDS and approaches the woman; Nabooru takes several more step back.

 

LINK
“Nabooru...”

 

The woman SMILES FAINTLY. She CHUCKLES softly.

 

NABOORU
“It’s a proud thing to be a Gerudo, but not for the past decade and more: it is an embarrassment. I gave my word to Sheik that I would see this plan through— Din’s will at stake— and now I think it’s only proper to transfer that word to you, if only because of the circumstance. Gerudo abide their word... Gerudo live with honor...”

 

Nabooru faces the alcove exit, DESPARINGLY SLANT-EYED.

 

NABOORU

(snarling)
“...and I will no longer be embarrassed!”

 

Nabooru jumps out of the alcove and begins a madcap dash DOWN THE TOWER, moving swiftly on sure feet.

 

Link also emerges from the tower, CALLING AFTER THE WOMAN, but Nabooru does not respond.

 

VOVAGIA lazily soars in the distance; as it detects Nabooru moving down the tower it slowly drops altitude on an intercept course.

 

Link SCRAMBLES up the side of the tower, frantically scraping his heels along uneven surfaces. Volvagia ROARS down the side of the tower as Link desperately climbs.

 

Eventually Link reaches a small PLATEAU in the castle: an area of even flooring circling around one final LARGE, THIN TOWER sitting at the middle. As Link clambers up this ledge there is a DULL BOOMING NOISE; the entire tower SHAKES slightly and Link winces, PANTING on his knees. After a moment he stands and faces forward; he begins walking towards the more slender upper tower’s prominence.

 

INT. HYRULE CASTLE DUNGEON – LATE EVENING.

 

Young Link CAUTIOUSLY APPROACHES the shadowy figure sitting in the dungeon cell with him; as he and NAVI approach light from the fairy’s body illuminates the speaker: it is the HAPPY MASK SALESMAN, sitting beside his considerable bundle of masks.

 

HAPPY MASK SALESMAN

“In the doghouse, too, my young friend? Could it be that a puppy like you was never properly housebroken, perhaps?”

 

Link SCOWLS at the man; the Happy Mask Salesman LAUGHS.

 

HAPPY MASK SALESMAN

“As for me, well: I didn’t think my Zelda masks were so ‘disrespectful’, but the Royal Guard did, and they went and threw me in here, if you can believe that...”

 

The Happy Mask Salesman LEANS BACK casually, and his GRIN widens considerably.

 

HAPPY MASK SALESMAN
“Hehehe! If you can believe that. Whether you do, or not, makes no difference to me...”

 

NAVI ROLLS HER EYES and flies away from the pair; the fairy moves between the cell bars and flits around outside the cell, SEARCHING for any kind of escape possibilities for Link.

 

The man looks over Link’s shoulder at the beat-up, muddy MASK OF TRUTH.

 

HAPPY MASK SALESMAN
“Ah: but there’s a much finer example of my work. You put it to good use, I trust. I certainly hope that mask was able to increase your happiness...”

 

Link looks over his shoulder as well, retrieving the Mask of Truth from his back. He EXAMINES it cursorily, and then willingly HANDS IT UP to the Happy Mask Salesman.

 

HAPPY MASK SALESMAN
“It doesn’t suit you, I suppose. Just as well: so unpleasant are the people it does suit, really. Hmmm...”

 

The man OPENS HIS RUCKSACK and looks through a collection of various masks.

 

HAPPY MASK SALESMAN
“Just what is more your style? Hmmm...”

 

Link notices a CREEPY MASK with large, manic eyes surrounded by multi-colored flames. This is MAJORA’S MASK. The boy reaches up and idly TOUCHES the mask, but the Happy Mask Salesman gently moves the mask away from Link’s reach.

 

HAPPY MASK SALESMAN
“Oh, no, my friend. Your finances are nowhere near up to par! I’m afraid that one would cost you the moon...”

 

The man instead produces a VERY BLAND LOOKING MASK: depicting a rock with crude eye carvings and a mouth hole. This is the STONE MASK.

 

HAPPY MASK SALESMAN
“Plunk a rock down in still waters: it’s an unremarkable thing— the rock, I mean. So easily overlooked, and even when seen, so often ignored.”

 

The man EXTENDS THE MASK out to Link, who cautiously TAKES IT.

 

HAPPY MASK SALESMAN
“They say that little children should be seen and not heard, but why stop halfway, huh?”

 

Link looks at the mask QUIZICALLY.

 

NAVI flies by a wooden table beside the cell door. Exasperated, she PERCHES on a small IRON LEVER above the table; when she does so there is a RUSTY SQUEAL and the lever FALLS about an inch.

 

One of the small SIDE DOORS to the cell row unlocks with a CLICK, swinging open.

 

HAPPY MASK SALESMAN
“Why not go the full way through, huh?”

 

Link RACES to this side door and squeezes through the cell; NAVI comes to rest on his shoulder. The boy moves for the HEAVY WOODEN DOOR on the other side of the cells, but stops when he realizes that the Happy Mask Salesman is not following. He looks back at the man, still leering out of the darkness of the cell with his CREEPY SMILE.

 

HAPPY MASK SALESMAN

“Oh, ho! Don’t you worry about me, my young friend. I couldn’t possibly, you see: I wouldn’t know what to do with my freedom, even if I ever had it to begin with!”

 

Link COCKS HIS HEAD, quizzical.

 

HAPPY MASK SALESMAN
“My warden, after all, is so much more demanding that the Royal Guard, although a far better looker, I think!”

 

Link LOOKS AT Navi; the pair appears greatly PUZZLED, but the boy leaves the dungeon quickly.

 

Link moves past the heavy wooden door and through a small CORRIDOR of moldy brick. The boy CREEPS through the darkness, at one point he slowly brings the STONE MASK up to his face and PUTS IT ON. Link approaches a door at the end of the hallway, puts his hand on the knob and SLOWLY TURNS it.

 

Suddenly the door COMES OPEN at once; Nabooru is standing on the opposite side, just having opened the door from her side.

 

Link GASPS— freezing in his tracks— but the woman does not appear to take note of the boy.

 

Two GERUDO WOMEN sit at a small table beyond the door, playing some kind of card game.

 

GERUDO WOMAN #2

“Come, then: Nabooru! You’ll wear the lock off that door!”

 

GERUDO WOMAN #1

“Too true! That little Kokiri can live or die, for all I care!”

 

NABOORU
“Not surprising you would say that—”

 

GERUDO WOMAN #2
“Koume was quite clear in her instructions—”

 

NABOORU
“Yes: instructions that make no sense. What is a forest boy to her, or to our prince, for that matter? And why secure him here in our own host’s dungeon? We behave as if we were—”

 

GERUDO WOMAN #1 and GERUDO WOMAN #2

(in sync)

“Thieves in the night!”

 

The two woman at table CLANK two mugs of liquid together.

 

NABOORU
“We are guests at the moment. A thief thieving in the night has a certain nobility about them, but a thief thieving from his guests is a different thing...”

 

The woman stands with HANDS ON HER HIPS, staring down the corridor; Link still stands just inches in front of the woman, barely daring to breathe.

 

Eventually Nabooru SHAKES HER HEAD and turns around; she walks towards the women at table and retrieves a mug of her own, drinking deeply from it. She sits down and joins in the card game.

 

Link INCHES his way into the room, carefully observing the women before him.

 

GERUDO WOMAN #2

“Orders are orders, you know: surely the prince has his reasons for all things. It isn’t for us to question his actions. We are merely—”

 

NABOORU
“Thieves, yes. But not kidnappers...”

 

Link passes by the table, again moving very slowly, and still none of the woman pays him any notice.

 

GERUDO WOMAN #1

“Hehehe! A ‘kidnapping’ would be pointless anyway: the twerp isn’t worth one busted green rupee! Let the little rube rot, I say!”

 

Link SCRUNCHES HIS FACE beneath the stone mask. The boy turns around slowly, facing Gerudo Woman #1, and deftly moves one hand through the air, bothering the FRILLED WRIST of the woman’s shirt; several playing cards come tumbling out.

 

Both Nabooru and Gerudo Woman #2 STAND UP; Gerudo Woman #1 FREEZES. No one speaks for some time.

 

Link SCURRIES OFF in the background as Nabooru and Gerudo Woman #2 LEAN DOWN against the table, their faces closer to Gerudo Woman #1.

 

GERUDO WOMAN #1

“This has been a very bad week for me...”