End of Legend of FIVE #2-Legend of FIVE #3

“It’s a miracle. An absolute miracle.” The voice sounded noble. That was what Trevor noticed at first. It was still completely dark when he heard it. His senses didn’t register anything. Then, he breathed. Water sprung from his mouth in small bursts. Each cough carried more liquid as his lungs emptied. Trevor slowly opened his eyes. He made out vague shapes. Stinging sunlight poured into his vision. It was daytime. “It’s an absolute miracle,” said the same voice. “There’s not a semblance of land nearby. How could we have ever found him?” Trevor’s vision improved. A group of men encircled Trevor, looking down at him. They were a mix of young and old. Some of them even looked like they were around his age—kids, like him. A strange scent of salt and fish wafted around his nostrils. Trevor slowly realized he was laying on a damp wooden surface. His body swayed back and forth and the floor beneath him moved in the same way. The man who spoke had dark black hair. Stubble shaded the bottom half of his face. Like the other people Trevor met, he had a pair of pointed ears. The man wore a red shirt that had seen better days. All the men with the soot on their faces and the way they looked like they hadn’t taken care of themselves in the usual way, looked like they had their better days of life behind them. A few looked astonished—others looked scared. “There’s actually isles around here,” said an older sailor with hair as white as snow. “Isles with demons, I hear. Demons. Monstrosities of all kinds!” The older sailor’s eyes grew wild as he said the words. Trevor took a while to understand what the man meant after all this happened. “Those are myths,” said the dark haired man. “Then explain everything I’ve been hearing about Hyrule,” said another sailor. He looked and sounded like he just reached manhood. His auburn hair framed a thin and heavily freckled face. The man with dark hair shook his head while keeping his eyes on Trevor. “One man used his army to take over the land. It’s not uncommon for someone to do a conquest.” The auburn haired sailor kept at it. “That’s not what I heard he did.” The dark haired man “We hear a good amount of everything. It doesn't mean it’s all true. Especially nothing you think about this boy.” Another sailor—one with thinning hair and a thick beard—joined in. “He could be a sea demon!” “You think an unconscious child would be that way?” The bearded sailor pointed at the dark haired one. “Some demons deceive, Cap’n!” The captain shook his head. “Not this one. He’d have no reason to…it looks like he’s awake.” The captain smiled warmly at Trevor. “Boy…are you alright?” Trevor’s throat hurt. Breathing alone was a labor he couldn’t seem to stand. Somehow still, he took a deep breath and coughed before answering: “No.” The captain’s smile faded. He still held warmth in his eyes. The captain knelt down and placed his hands beneath Trevor, lifting him up by the shoulder blades. He sat Trevor up. The young teen didn’t realize how damp his clothes had become from the sea until this point. The sailors surrounded him. Some backed away. Others stayed still. None of them dared to smile the way the captain did months before. “Fair enough,” the captain said, patting Trevor on the back. “You should feel fortunate, though. You’re alive now and I’m personally glad you are. All of us should be…” he looked out at his crew. “In due time, we will be. Welcome to the Red Lion. I’m Leo, the captain of this vessel—and part time mother to the motley crew. We suppose you’re our newest member…so welcome aboard, at least for now. Is there a place you wanted to go?” Trevor shook his head. He stared down at the deck. No thought entered his mind. He couldn’t feel the ocean’s waters. “How did you get here?” Trevor knew he had to answer in some way. He didn’t know anything about the world beyond Hyrule. He didn’t know the name of the planet nor the nations beyond Hyrule’s shores. He didn’t know what would happen if he didn’t come up with an answer quick. “I…came from a really far away place. And I ran away. I tried to get out here to…escape…and I just got lost. I didn’t think I’d end up here. I thought I was going to…” Like he had way too many times before in the past three years, Trevor burst into tears. They came quickly, dampening his face worse than the ocean itself had just done. Leo patted Trevor’s back as he wept. Then, he gathered Trevor in an embrace, the type of embrace he hadn’t felt since he was back home on Earth in Illinois. It felt good to be cared for again so soon after having to leave Talon and Malon. “Consider this your new home.” Leo’s voice sounded resolute. No one on the Red Lion’s crew objected. When Trevor’s eyes opened and his tears cleared away, he saw sorrowful expressions in the faces of the sailors. He didn’t have to worry about whether or not the crew believed him; they knew his tears were true. They’d probably shed the same kind of tears before themselves, in their private moments. Pain couldn’t be faked. Trevor didn’t ever feel like he could ever be home again. That much was certain. The crew quickly gave him new clothes to wear. Leo draped a blanket on him. He said many caught their death after falling into the sea, including old friends and workers of Leo himself. He’d be remiss to lose someone else. “Young Trevor,” Leo said. “You must have come from the gods. I can’t see a scenario where you’re anything other than good. How it happened, I don’t know. Where you came from…you don’t have to tell me. I know it caused you grief. That’s why the crew is keeping you. And we’re glad to have you. Do you believe that?” Trevor did. By the time the ship reached another land—a place called Labrynna—Trevor couldn’t help but appreciate the good things the Red Lion had given him. He appreciated the way the ship looked; its masthead resembling its namesake, with the Lion’s features standing out as something both noble and fierce. The men looked worse for wear many times—Trevor shared that trait with them as he continued journeying with them. However, their hearts and spirits carried a regal sense of honor and loyalty. Every sailor who spoke against Trevor suddenly brought him under their wing, teaching him new things and showing him the ways of the sailor. Soon, Trevor became atruesailor of the Great Sea. He started to know the world and the world formed in a way around him that made everything familiar. Four years passed and Trevor turned seventeen. He grew well into his body—he was not quite six feet tall but formed a great deal of strength for someone on the cusp of manhood. His hair grew out from time to time but the men taught him to keep it in control. To keep it in a good place, Trevor tied his hair with a teal band. It matched his attire’s motif of cerulean, azure, and other shades of blue. Trevor never forgot Hyrule. He’d think of the land and more so everything before it. His parents weighed heavily on his mind, followed by Jerome, Rebecca, and Sheila. The memory of them lived on. Without fixing his thoughts on them, Trevor wondered if he’d still be alive. Trevor thought of Talon and Malon often as well. He missed the ranch owner’s jolly laughter. He missed the beautiful sounds of Malon’s singing voice. In his dreams, a peaceful version of the ranch always showed itself. It was always pure paradise, a good place without Ingo or his bitterness. The sun always shined in the right way, followed by tranquil nights. All would be well. All would be at rest. Trevor thought of this in his dreams and missed everything so dearly. He accepted that this version of ranch never really existed. It had its days, but couldn’t be that way again. After all, everyone related to the place was gone. Trevor accepted that Hyrule would always be left behind. But then there was the battle. On that day, the Red Lion carried on with its usual business. Trevor did his work on the ship’s deck, hauling goods from one side to the other for balance. He and his fellow sailors worked well together to achieve the task. They had just left Lurelin Island, having begun a voyage to Holodrum, where half the crew hailed from. When the men finished organizing the banana shipment they purchased at Lurelin, the sky turned grey. It happened faster than anyone was used to. Leo usually sensed a storm from a distance–he would even predict it under the right circumstances (Trevor often wondered what Leo and the other sailors would think if they heard of television, the Weather Channel, and devices called “radars”). This time was different. The clouds came suddenly, like a thief at midnight. A sharp jerk almost tilted the ship onto its side completely. It stopped short of toppling; no one was in the lookout tower, thankfully, or else they would have fallen right into sea. The sea controlled the ship more than it had any business doing. Crew members called out to one another, checking on their fellow sailor’s wellbeing. Many had a thought to take shelter before conditions worsened. They all whisked away the shipments, stashing them into the ship’s catacombs. Rain pelted the deck. Every drop struck Trevor’s skin like needles. The touch stung. It reminded Trevor of a fateful day he wanted to forget. He carried on. Lightning struck the Great Sea. The white bolt stabbed the raging waters mere meters away from the Red Lion’s masthead. Trevor and the sailors ushered the last of the boxes back into the lower decks before coming out to fight for control. The sail flailed out, but the wind disrupted it. The elements rocked the ship back and forth. “TAKE COURAGE!” Leo’s voice fought against the noise of the sea. He was seasoned, strong, and level headed. Trevor learned to aspire to his courage. Sometimes, he failed in the deepest sense. Even so, Trevor listened to the man that became a mentor. He battled it with both the sea and the storm that stirred it. He felt the water. It couldn’t be helped. In the past four years, Trevor’s travels came with tingles on his skin, sensations brushing against his fingertips, and a kinship with the aquatic depths. It was as if the water wished to keep speaking with him, sending messages to his senses. This time around, however, the Great Sea felt unnatural. It stirred in a strange, strange way. The water wasn’t simply moving on its own. A strange presence sat in the swell and swirl. Within the storm from above, a second awaited below. Trevor’s heart jumped when he realized the movement wasn’t natural to the water—and wasn’t water at all. It emerged from below. The Red Lion was fortunate to evade a collision with the monster that surged up. Its many eyes shifted everywhere as it came up from the sea. The beast had many tentacles that wriggled about, reaching through the storm for anything it could claim. Trevor heard many cries from his fellow sailors. “GIANT OCTOROK!” shouted one of the crew members. “EVASIVE TACTICS!” said Leo. “MAN THE CANNONS!” The crew scattered in the midst of the chaos. None of them ever encountered this—even Leo never told any tales about his encounters with beasts such as this. Panicked sailors slipped and fell while running on the deck. Every sailor grasped at ropes, using them to hold the ship steady or steer it in a safer direction. The Giant Octorok didn’t wait for them to be ready. A large tentacle struck the side of the ship. The vessel miraculously stayed upright. Trevor felt the sea slowly trickle into the ship's open crevice. The Red Lion wouldn’t last long. It was sturdy for a vessel of its type, made from durable wood that could withstand heavy blows. Even so, battles weren’t part of the ship’s destiny. Warfare would destroy it. The crew struggled to carry a bomb to the Red Lion’s sole cannon. Cruel rainfall made the smooth material slip within their grasp, though they kept the bomb from falling. They barely shoved it into the cannon before aiming it at the gargantuan foe that towered over them all. The men’s hands shook visibly, even in the storm’s downpour. Leo seemed to sense it. He ran towards his sailors as they tried to aim at the Giant Octorok. Another strike from the beast disrupted his balance. Another blow, another trickle of water from the ocean. Trevor stayed still on the deck. He was frozen as the Red Lion’s crew unraveled. The water kept filling the ship’s lower portions, threatening to sink it if the parts weren’t mended. The Great Sea was vast. It had plenty of water to go around. Like Earth, it comprised much of the world’s physical makeup. Water dominated everything. Water was powerful. Trevor could control it all. The water stirred. It stirred and shifted, and rose up. The men may have noticed, or maybe they didn’t—but the water suddenly snaked its way out of the sea and ensnared the Giant Octorok. It choked the beast’s grotesque body, squeezing on the flesh. Trevor held a hand out to it. He heard another voice and could have sworn a sailor said “Is he a demon?” Trevor never really knew who he really was. He simply had power over water and all the like. In a moment’s notice, the crew took advantage. They aimed the cannon, finally staying steady in the storm’s midst. One of the sailors provided shade for the wick. Another struck a match beneath this covering and lit it. Trevor was sure they made a prayer to one of the goddesses. Then, the group fired. The Octorok had many eyes. Three of them exploded on impact, splattering into congealed pieces that plummeted into the ocean. The leviathan fell back. A guttural roar ripped through Trevor’s senses. His head became light. As the Giant Octorok’s carcass collapsed into sea with an emphatic splash, everything turned black. Many hands held him up. Trevor’s eyes fluttered open and it was just like the first day he arrived on the vessel. A multitude of faces peered down him. Their collective gaze couldn’t have been more focused on him if they tried. Trevor looked at them as well. He saw their stares, their sense of feeling in the situation. He couldn’t ignore the fear. “We should have known,” said one of the sailors. “We should have known better. It took you a while but you showed your true self.” “What was that?” asked another sailor. “Did you bring the monster?” Trevor saw the sailor grasp at his shirt collar, yanking him up with both hands balled into fists. “DID YOU?!” The auburn haired sailor—he was seventeen years old when Trevor first came to the Red Lion and was now twenty-one—broke his angry peer’s hold on Trevor’s shirt. He fought to pry the furious hold on the fabric. “He saved us from it,” he pointed out. “How does that make sense? Are you mad?” Another sailor chimed in. “None of this makes sense now! We’ve had him with us for four years and an omen came upon us so suddenly! What gives, boy?!” A bearded sailor and the old sailor stepped forward. “He’s been under our wing for four years now,” said the old sailor. “There isn’t a wait in which he’d want to betray us. We’re like blood to him, and him to us.” “Aye,” said the bearded sailor. “He’s trustworthy. And he saved our lives. If you can’t wrap your heads around it, you’ve lost your heads. We won’t hear any of it! Talk to the captain, he’ll decide what to do!” A literal divide took place aboard the Red Lion. Two sides raised fists at each other, as well as words. Trevor’s stomach sloshed about in ways he hadn’t felt since he first joined the ship’s crew. Back then, it was sea sickness and the foreign feeling on practically living on water that ailed him. This time around, it was something different. Something worst. Steady footsteps sounded heavily in the midst of the rain and the arguments. As if nature learned the cue, the storm slowed to a halt. A soft patter dribbled onto the ship, though the overhead skies remained grey. The Great Sea’s waters still carried the vessel, cradling it within the waves. within them, Trevor tried to gauge how Leo must have felt. He couldn’t read the captain’s expression. The Red Lion’s leader reached out to Trevor, clamping a hand on his shoulder. “Trevor…” Leo’s eyes suddenly did give off a strange mix of emotions—sadness and care, and who knows what else. “Let’s talk.” Trevor and Leo stowed themselves away to the lower decks. They sat in Leo’s office with the door shut to prevent intrusions. Trevor sat in an oak chair across from Leo. The captain’s desk separated the two. Leo didn’t speak nor move aside from his breathing. He simply sat in his chair anything with both hands folded together. The two stared at each other for a long time. “Well,” said Leo, finally breaking the silence. “You’re a different kind of young man now, aren’t you?” Trevor let the words sink in before looking away. “I always have been.” “It appears so…Trevor…” Leo took a deep breath and exhaled, closing his eyes as he did so. “…What are you? Who are you? Please tell me the truth. The whole truth.” Trevor ran a hand through his hair. He unwound it out of his band and let the strands fall to his shoulders. “I’m Trevor Berenson. No one else. Nothing more.” “There’s more to it than that. A whole crew believes you’re a demon, or a haunt, or a ghoul.” “I told you enough. I’m from nowhere important–” “We can’t afford that story alone now.” Leo paused, perhaps realizing that for the first time since the two met, he raised his voice at Trevor. He closed his eyes again. He breathed deeply once more–inhale, exhale–and shook his head as if to dissuade himself. “We need the truth, Trevor,” Captain Leo stated. “Ineed the truth. Only then can I promise to speak for you and protect you from whoever fears you. For all our sakes. Some men are probably pushing to throw you overboard. They think you’re bad luck.” “What do you think?” Trevor asked. Leo froze again, then leaned back on his chair. “You’ve been on our crew for five years,” he answered. “I think you can tell.” Trevor always appreciated Leo’s sincerity. It never failed to be evident, including now. “I wish I could leave it at my name,” Trevor replied in a hushed tone. Leo leaned forward. “What’s beyond the name? Give me the whole story, lad. Trust me…like I trust you. This is from the captain of the ship.Your captain. And also your friend. Please give me a reason to keep things that way.” Trevor’s mind felt the waters again. The Great Sea was the most serene it had ever been. The Giant Octorok was truly dead. Any other sea creatures in the area proved harmless to the now mended vessel. Men patched the damaged parts of the ship earlier and found ways to start soaking up the water. The Red Lion wouldn’t sink on this day. The storm had passed. Memories poured into Trevor’s mind because of his powers. Everything from his friends to the experiences in Hyrule came flooding back. “OK,” Trevor sighed out. “Just…bear with me, alright?” Leo nodded. “I’m all ears,” he said, and Trevor believed that as well. And so Trevor told the story. He told Leo about a place called Earth, a country called the United States of America, and a land by the name of Illinois. The town he lived in was Oak Shire. It was a quiet peaceful place. He had three friends he cared for, two parents that loved him and a whole life ahead of him that was worth every minute he ever lived. And then it changed. Trevor told Leo about a day when the world grew dark and the ground opened up. He survived a fall into a strange place beneath the Earth where he and his friends found a cave. There, the four of them suddenly got sucked into a portal, which led them to a mystical land. The land was a place of many wonders that honestly scared Trevor as much as they mesmerized him. The land in question was Hyrule. In Hyrule, Trevor met a talking owl. The owl guided him through a town until he found a boy in green accompanied by a fairy. The boy’s name was Link. He was supposed to save the whole world. Trevor didn’t want to say anything more about him. Trevor mentioned every adventure he had in Hyrule. He spoke about his friends for the first time in seven years. The pain rose in his chest when he spoke of his best friend Jerome and the way he harnessed fire while saving Death Mountain. He spoke of Sheila and her ability to see the future, and how he reunited with her in Kakariko Village. His heart broke the most when he spoke about Rebecca–the girls that haunted him the most. When he told Leo the truth about her, tears came to his eyes. He didn’t shed them. Trevor had enough tears to shed throughout the years. Trevor remembered kissing her in the desert, and holding her hand as they admired the exotic landscape before them. He still felt her touch. He still remembered the spirit she had—and the many spirits that coursed through her as she fought to save the world to the very end. Trevor talked about Lon Lon Ranch last. He spoke of Talon and Malon. They were the kindest souls he’d known in Hyrule and yet even they couldn’t escape the cruelty of Hyrule’s wicked changes. Trevor spoke so much about Malon; about her melodies during the night time and day time, about the way she worked hard and cared for everyone around her. Trevor wished to see her again…but he wondered if she was gone as well. The thought about it all broke his heart. And that was the tale. Leo sat still the entire time. It seemed as if Trevor had spoken forever. His eyes stung, a feeling he didn’t notice until his tale completed. “You’ve had quite a life,” Leo said without betraying any emotion, remaining unreadable. “It’s had its ups and downs,” Trevor said. “So…Hyrule. You were there when it fell to this Ganondorf fellow we’ve all been hearing about?” Trevor nodded. “For some reason…yeah. I was on an adventure to save it without being asked if I wanted to.” “As a wee little boy?” “Yes.” “And four other children like you did all that? Saved a mountain with Gorons, saved the Zoras, went out to the Gerudo desert? To save the whole land, maybe even us?” Trevor allowed himself to smile, understanding the tone of Leo’s voice. “I know. Who depends on five kids to save the world?” Leo chuckled himself. “Your magic isn’t a small whisper,” he said. “It takes down leviathans. All the sea’s monsters are trembling and it’s not the cold that did it. It was you, Trevor Berenson.” “I’ve scared the whole world. What happens now? Am I…in the barracks?” “Only if the men hold a mutiny.” Leo drummed the surface of his desk. “You saved our lives. Some of the men who thought you were a demon when you first came believe that you’re a good soul.” “What do you think?” “Why do you keep asking?” “Good question.” Trevor looked down at his hands, twiddling his thumbs. “I guess I have to make sure.” “You’re staying with us Trevor.” Leo sounded resolute in his declaration. “You’re not going anywhere. You have my word.” This was the part where it was difficult for Trevor. Bringing up the memories stirred up an idea. It stirred up something that was needed. Trevor looked away from Leo and the captain sensed something was off. “This is the part where you say ‘thank you, Leo, old friend. I appreciate you.’” Trevor smirked and nodded as the thoughts kept going through his mind. “I do appreciate you,” Trevor admitted. “Then what’s going on?” Leo asked, his voice wary. “…I need to return to Hyrule.” Leo stayed in his chair with his mouth agape. He froze like a statue. Trevor watched the captain’s eyes blink a few times before he let out a sigh and shook his head. “Are you mad?” Leo said. “Hyrule’s practically a dead nation. I’ve heard tales about what’s going on there. This Ganondorf you tried to thwart is in full power. It’s a wonder he hasn’t tried to get the rest of the world yet. There are places in this world where people claim monsters dwell…and many believe they all went to Hyrule to take over. No, I cannot in good conscience allow you to go back there.” “I need to make up for what I didn’t do back then.” Leo stood up with both eyebrows raised. “What, are you speaking of the farmer and his daughter?” Trevor bowed his head without saying a word and that was enough for the captain. “Look, I like myself a nice dame and every man on this ship agrees but come now…it’s a very unlikely chance that they’re both alive. Even if they are, what more can you do for them that could actually help?” Trevor looked up and stared right into his friend’s eyes. He felt a fierceness burning within him. “I can try,” said Trevor. “For God’s sake, just let metry, Leo.” Leo let out another sigh. He chortled softly and walked towards the door of his office. “You need more rest after that tiff with the Octorok.” Trevor found himself standing up as Leo approached the door. “Ihaveto find out. I ran away from the very last thing that meantanythingto me! I have to make sure they’re fine.” Leo halted with a hand wrapped around the doorknob. “And if you find out they’re no longer amongst the living?” Trevor felt a pit in his stomach. He didn’t want to register what Leo suggested. Yes, both Malon and Talon could be gone. They could be dead and passed on. The mere idea of their demise stung worse than anything. “I’ve lived without people I’ve lost before,” Trevor said. “I can do it again. And maybe I’ll find a way to find you all if there’s nothing for me.” “Let’s hope there’s something for you.” Leo looked over his shoulder. “I’ll put it to a vote with the crew. I think the cataclysm made you mad. I don’t blame you, but your mind still needs to heal after seven long years. If you relent, that’d be for your own good. If you don’t…I can only pray for your fortune if these men decide to let you go. That’s all I can do, a vote.” Leo turned all the way around. He crossed his arms over his chest and seemed to ponder Trevor. Trevor didn’t blame him. The man learned so much about someone who suddenly appeared before him as a child four years prior and was now on the cusp of being a man—a man hardly anyone truly knew. “You’re lucky to be alive,” said Leo. “This life is difficult—deadly sometimes, as you’ve seen, though I guess you helped us through that part even…nonetheless…why test your fortunes any further?” Trevor knew of no other answer. “Because I have to.” “I’ll see if you can.” Leo walked out of the office. The Great Sea’s waters picked up in their turbulence. Trevor felt them all around the ship. The sea carried the Red Lion along like a mother guiding her child. Everything felt peaceful. The peace persisted and Trevor hoped that peace would come again when he made the next part of his voyage—if that were allowed.