Chapter 2: Omens

Link stood at the edge of a precipice in his dream. Looking down, he saw a deep, circular pit. A spiral pathway starting a ways to his left led down the side of it. In the dream, Link could see as well as any Loftwing. The bottom of the pit was clear to him. Surrounded by a circular design, a stone stake covered in runes glowed in the center of the pit. Around it, a dark mist began to form. Then, hands reached out from the ground. Creatures with sharp teeth, claws, and weapons poured from the earth. Lastly, another figure appeared at the bottom of the pit. This one was wearing a red cape and white, diamond-patterned clothes. The other creatures looked at intently at this last figure, who looked straight up at Link and gave him a cold smile. Then the figure pointed directly at him. The strange creatures ran towards Link up the side of the pit. Link turned to run, but the caped figure appeared directly in front of him in a flash of yellow diamonds. Still smiling his cold smile, he pushed Link off the edge of the precipice. Link whistled, but his Loftwing never came.

The ground rose up to meet him.

He hit the floor. Opening his eyes, Link saw the familiar surroundings of his Academy room. He blinked blearily and looked up at the window behind him. Cerulean had stuck his head through the window, and was holding a letter in his beak. The Loftwing cocked his head at Link and spat the letter at him.

Link opened the letter.

Wake up, sleepyhead!

I know it's the day of the Wing Ceremony, but we both know you weren't planning to practice anyway. Besides, there should be plenty of time for this if you hurry. Meet me at the fortuneteller's stall.

Zelda

Link rose and placed the letter on his shelf. Then he set off for the market. As he walked through the halls of the Academy, he waved at Pipit, who waved back.

"You're up early, Link," he said. "Planning to practice for the Wing Ceremony?"

Link shrugged.

"You seem very confident," Pipit said. "Just watch out for Groose and his cheating chums."

Link nodded and continued outside. The day was bright. Loftwings soared over the Statue of the Goddess. Link made his way briskly across the sky bridge to the market. Inside, he saw Zelda haggling with the fortuneteller. The fortuneteller was a short, stout man with vivid blue eyes. Currently, those eyes were narrowed.

"Ten rupees, Sparrot," Zelda said. "We both know that's your usual rate."

"Fifty for something like that, no exceptions. You want prophecy, not fortunetelling. I can do it, but it will cost you."

"But this is important!" Zelda said. "You should give such information freely. I am offering to pay, even."

"You misunderstand me," the little man replied. "Prophecy is dangerous. Most of the time, you're better off not knowing."

Zelda looked over at Link. "Oh good, you're here. Link, I'm sorry to ask, but do you have thirty rupees? I'll pay it back later, but this is urgent!"

Link nodded. Zelda took out a red rupee and combined it with Link's red and two blue rupees. She placed them all on the fortuneteller's stall. "Fine. Fifty rupees. Now will you tell me?"

Sparrot looked uneasy. "You've paid the price I asked, so I must, but don't say I didn't warn you."

He motioned them to follow him, and they went into the room behind the stall. The fortuneteller closed the door behind them and, instead of his crystal ball, placed a bowl of water carefully on the table. Then he jumped into a chair and motioned Link and Zelda towards the table.

Sparrot was silent for a few moments as his eyes gazed into the smooth surface of the water. His wide blue eyes became even wider the longer he looked. Then his eyes lidded, his face filled with weariness.

"It is worse than I feared."

"What? Tell me!" Zelda demanded. Her forehead was creased in concern.

"Zelda, you will be instrumental in raising Hylia. There is—an ancient prophecy that says you will face a being of great evil, but that he will be no match for you and your chosen hero. It has been written in several books and passed through the ages. If I had any of those books, I could have sung it to you, for it is a song of great beauty." He covered his eyes with his hands, then.

Zelda look at Link, the confusion on her face mirroring his. Then she looked back to the fortuneteller. "I don't understand. Why is that so awful?"

Sparrot looked back up at them, his expression one of horror now. "Because the prophecy has been torn! The threads have only begun to wind themselves together, but they are winding the wrong way!"

Zelda looked thoughtful. "So we have no destiny then?"

"No," Sparrot said quietly.

"We can still do something about this," she said. Link looked at Sparrot and pointed toward a desk in the corner, and made some writing gestures.

"Oh," Sparrot said. "Yes, I have some pencil and paper for you, Link." He went and retrieved the pencil and paper.

Link drew the image of the pit and then the figure with the red cape from his dream.

Sparrot gazed down at them, frowning. "Yes I saw that pit. I think this is from the same prophecy." He looked over at the caped figure. "I don't recognize him, though. Let me look again..."

Once more, Sparrot gazed into the bowl of water. He looked back up abruptly. "Link, that one you drew—he is the one who tore the prophecy. And you—you will need to fight him!"

"Where is he?" Zelda demanded. "Link and I can be anywhere in the Hundred Isles in less than an hour! We'll call our Loftwings-"

"No," Sparrot said. "He is not in the Hundred Isles."

Link gestured to the image of the spiraling pit he had drawn, a questioning look on his face.

"That place? It's on the surface."

Zelda looked over at Link. "How will we even...?"

Link looked thoughtful. He drew a picture of Zelda's father.

"Ask Father? Well, I suppose he does run the Academy. He might know about this."

Sparrot's expression perked up a bit. "Yes, he would know about that. My visions won't be very helpful for such things, I'm afraid."

"Thank you for all of your help," Zelda said, clasping the fortuneteller's hand. "When I started hearing that voice, I didn't know what to think. Now we have a plan."

Sparrot stared back at her, wide eyed and sad. "Don't thank me yet."