AUTHOR'S NOTE: It's been a while since I've updated the Dream Caster story...
so if you're unfamiliar with it, check in my profile for links to the first
two part.
When Micah pulled the sword from the stone pedestal, many things happened. The illusion of stars around him faded into nothingness, revealing the room for what it really was, a plain stone chamber, as one in a prison. The floor cracked and trembled and the walls began to buckle, all with a great rumble. Micah quickly sheathed the sword, tossing into the demolition the hilt of the Kokiri sword, which was to be forgotten by the entire world forever.
Micah threw himself against the latched door, but it wouldn't budge. He pulled back, and the wall caved in, showering dust and bits of stone onto him and Belle. He ran through the opening, but the pillars that remained in the arena were beginning to topple. He ducked out, just as a great pillar struck the ground behind him, smashing the floor.
The ceiling in the other room had given way. Micah stepped in, blinded by swirling clouds of dust. The dust settled, but the tower shook with escalating force. Micah could feel the shattering of the base reverberate through the walls, and as the tower began to lean to one side, he could hear the flap of wings.
With the roof of the tower gone, Micah could see into the pitch-black sky, where a single male Rito hovered, cautiously floating through, where it beckoned Micah to grab on. He did so, and the Rito quickly flew away, just as the tower toppled over, crumbling into a falling pillar of dust that stood out in the featureless plain.
The Rito brought Micah low above the ground. Micah let go, falling softly on the dry, flat ground. He turned to thank the Rito, but suddenly realized that it was not alone.
An army of different race, gender, age, background and purpose, stood together, facing their savior. Micah knew without being told who they were. They were the faces to the sea of voices that commanded him during his trials within the tower. As a single ray of light is shattered into a brilliant spectrum when struck by a multifaceted crystal, so the accursed sea had shattered, its single voice broken into many, its single mind dissolved.
The crowd's voice had risen to a low murmur, as they looked curiously at the young, ragged Kokiri boy and his fairy. The Rito stepped forward, and spoke for them.
"The power of your sword is strong," he said. "It was too much for Karod's fortress. The illusion was destroyed."
Micah looked at him curiously. "Surely you would know that it was an illusion by now," said the Rito. "Everything is. Even the Sword of Illusion has no tangible entity in the real world."
There was eerie silence. Not a voice rose in the field.
"No doubt you are wondering what has happened," the Rito said. "I can tell by the look on your face that you know less of this sword than we who were cursed by it."
"Who are you?" Micah said at last.
"I am called Nairo," said the Rito. "But for a time I was nameless, just another soul to feed the Sea's mindless voice. We... all of us here... have been waiting for you for a very long time. Legends told that only the chosen One could take the sword, and that all others would be cursed. No doubt you knew that."
"I did," said Micah. "A friend told me once."
Nairo nodded. "Alas, such a tale could not dissuade any of us from trying," he continued. "But do not condemn us all for greed. Some were forced to come by those stronger than them... others sought the sword for the sake of a loved one. Every story is different, yet the penalty was the same." Nairo's eyes saddened, as his mind departed to a time lost to him. Suddenly, he returned, and looked Micah in the eye. "The legends also told that when the One took what was his, we would be freed of the curse, and indebted to him... to you."
Micah looked past the Rito, at the crowd behind him. In the front row alone, he could spy four different species. There were half a dozen Hylian soldiers, a Zora, four Gerudos, and a Deku Scrub. They looked earnestly at him.
"No," said Micah. "I will not impede you. You are free. Go home."
Nairo looked at the ground. "Since the wizard Karod erected that fortress," he said, "no one has tried to get the sword. The last of us had been cursed half a century ago. We... we have no homes to go back to." He looked up again, with tears welling in his eyes. "The vote is unanimous. We will aid you in your quest."
The army was assembled within minutes, and soon, they were marching for Karod's fortress. Micah led them with his sword, and Nairo acted as second-in-command. Belle fluttered overhead, watching the army behind them.
To the north, the sun was beginning to dim. Micah turned to Nairo and said, "Should we seek shelter for the night?"
Nairo shook his head. "It would do no use," he said. "It is likely, in fact it is certain, that Karod became aware of your status as soon as you pulled the Sword of Illusion from the pedestal. When night comes, all the dreamers will come and attack us."
Micah swallowed hard. "He can do that?" he said.
"Remember that he currently controls the Dream Caster," said Nairo. "Therefore, he has complete control over anyone who enters the World of Delusion. He can turn them all into savage, relentless soldiers."
"So by nightfall, we'll be swarmed by the Army of Minds as well as this 'army of dreamers?'" Micah said, alarmed.
"No," said Nairo. "Hopefully, he won't summon the Army of Minds. It's probably too busy with its conquest in Hyrule. In any case, you'll need us to protect you."
"But what if you die?" Micah cried. "Can you get killed in this world? What will happen?"
Nairo was silent for a moment. Then he said, "Like I said before, we have no homes to go back to."
The army marched on. Micah sheathed his sword, but he remained tense. Nairo had told him what he needed to know. Yet, he couldn't help but wonder how the battle would turn out. He kept his eyes on the sun. Slowly, it was fading from white to gray, and eventually to black. As he watched, he thought of Gardorous, and what he was doing now. He thought of Kokiri Forest, and all of its carefree inhabitants, slaves to the legend by which Micah was cursed. He thought of the Great Deku Tree, who, even at eighteen years, was already a wise, knowledgeable entity. Then he wondered, how many of these people who had helped him throughout his life would be fighting against him as they slumbered that night?
Nightfall came. Micah and his army kept marching. His heart pounded with anxiety. Hours passed, and no dreams appeared.
"There is Karod's fortress," Nairo said at last, pointing to the horizon. "We must be careful." In the distance, Micah saw a silhouetted fortress, short but broad. They marched on.
The closer they came to the enormous fortress, the clearer Micah could see that his original vision was wrong. The fortress was broad, but so much so that that word was an understatement. Walls within walls guarded the fortress, all armed with spikes, turrets and towers. The walls extended for miles on either side of the main building, which, in itself, was larger than Hyrule Castle and Kokiri Forest combined. Fifty towers there were in all, each with fifteen wicked spires. It was beautiful in its menacing design. It was so large, so eloquently designed, and so perfectly fearsome, that it would be impossible to build such a thing in the real world.
Micah's eyes were set on the central tower. He moved them down, tracing the black bricks and grotesque gargoyles, to the thick walls bristling with turrets and spikes, to the massive Iron Gate, before which was set an army of millions.
Micah took in a deep breath. Nairo swallowed, but stood as rigid as a post. The army behind produced doubtful murmurs. Belle was silent.
Micah stepped forward, his feet softly stamping the dry dirt. He turned to his army, and spoke. "For Link. For Parapa. For your families." He swiftly unsheathed his Sword, and held its gleaming blade before his face. "For Hyrule."
The army gave a yell, so strongly and so courageously that the Army of Dreams shivered at the sound of it. With a single movement, Micah swung the sword forward, at the fortress. His soldiers unsheathed their primitive weapons and charged, not missing a beat with their yell. The Dreamers stood a moment to admire their enemy's passion, before charging themselves. Micah kept up his pace, running well in front of his army. Without a flinch from a single soul, the armies collided.
Micah rolled beneath the first pike, pushed it away and slashed at the Dreamer who held it. The Dreamer, a stout old lady, disappeared instantly, awakening somewhere in the other world. Already, he could hear his army crumble beneath the onslaught, but he did not falter.
Within moments, the army was dissolved within the seething mass that was the Army of Dreams. Yet, when they caught sight of their leader, a young boy wielding a beautiful sword, they were momentarily inspired to fight bravely.
A Hylian soldier swung from behind. Micah ducked and turned, piercing him deep in his belly. The soldier faded and another Dreamer, this time a Gerudo, attacked. It swung with dual machetes. When she swung one arm, Micah jumped out of the way and swung at her arm, detaching it from the shoulder. She hunched from the pain, and Micah swung again, and her head fell away from her body, before both faded away.
Micah looked around briefly. His army fought with passion, killing as many as fifty per minute, each. But the Dreamers were too many. If not by total annihilation, Micah's army would lose by utter exhaustion. He looked up again at the central tower, at the glowing top window.
He ran through the melee, cutting down soldiers as he went, in search of Nairo. He found him, fighting with a mere dagger, but using it so fiercely that it might as well be a Goron Knife.
"Nairo," Micah called. The Rito turned to him. "Nairo, I must go now. I must confront Karod."
Nairo nodded. "Yes, I know," he said. "Your destiny is within that fortress. Be quick! We can only hold them off for so long."
The Dreamers swarmed around them. Micah backed away several paces, and for the rest of his life, he remembered the last he saw of the Rito's deep, solemn eyes, as he gave him a courageous look before turning away, attacking the swarming masses. Micah turned and dashed away.
He raced through the monstrous gate without looking back. The soldiers within the fortress were scattered and few, but the ones who remained attacked viciously. The first came with its sword upraised, and Micah ducked and drove his sword into the soldier's entrails. The others surrounded him, slowly closing in with their sharp blades ready. Micah saw the door not too far beyond. He drew his sword, held it in front of his face, and watched the soldiers behind the dissolving blade.
Instantly, a flock of bats came swooping down, scattering the terrified Dreamers in all directions. Micah sheathed his sword, now wooden and crude, and ran.
Belle popped out of her pocket for the first time. "We're almost there!" she cried. Micah swiftly climbed the stairs and ran down the high, brick bridge to the door.
Suddenly, a massive figure dropped from the sky and blocked the path. It was an incarnation of a King Dodongo, but twice the size. It bellowed, ringing Micah's ears.
He tried running around the Dodongo, but it shifted its weight, blocking the way. He moved back into his fighting stance. The Dodongo breathed heavily, spewing a fiery liquid onto the path and the steps beyond, and very nearly scorching Micah, for he had rolled out of the way, beneath the Dodongo's belly.
The beast quickly learned where he had gone. It fell to its knees, and soon, its massive body covered the entire path. But Micah had already made it through the other end, and was making a mad dash for the door. The Dodongo roared in fury, and slowly began to turn its body around. It curled into a ball, and rolled down the path.
It was too fast to try to outrun it, he knew. Micah made a sudden sharp turn, took a running start, and leapt off the edge.
The Dodongo crashed through the door, taking down the surrounding walls with it. It uncurled and stood there, dazed. Micah, hanging onto the bridge with one hand, clambered back up and raced into the hole, straight through the Dodongo's legs.
The anteroom was huge, but Micah immediately saw the door he was to take. In the opposite wall was a door, through which were red carpeted stairs, definitely the way to Karod's Tower. Micah ran again, but this time, the Dodongo was angry.
It picked up pieces of the rubble in its mouth, and coughed up fire. The rocks were wreathed in flames and torpedoed through the air. The first rock hit the ceiling square in the center. The rock shattered into pieces, raining streams of fire down on Micah and Belle. It fired thrice more, until its attack took effect. The ceiling cracked into many parts, and it began to fall to the ground.
Micah ran with his hands over his head, covering his eyes from the sight of his doom and his ears from the thundering crash of the falling rubble.
The Dodongo aimed for Micah this time. His flaming stones missed entirely, crippling instead the pillars beyond. Stones crashed, pillars crumbled and fire rained, and amidst all this, Micah reached the door and flung it open.
A final projectile struck the wall nearby, exploding brilliantly. With a shriek, Belle was flung across the room, and by some unseen magic, the door between Micah and her was shut and locked. Micah was alone.
When Micah pulled the sword from the stone pedestal, many things happened. The illusion of stars around him faded into nothingness, revealing the room for what it really was, a plain stone chamber, as one in a prison. The floor cracked and trembled and the walls began to buckle, all with a great rumble. Micah quickly sheathed the sword, tossing into the demolition the hilt of the Kokiri sword, which was to be forgotten by the entire world forever.
Micah threw himself against the latched door, but it wouldn't budge. He pulled back, and the wall caved in, showering dust and bits of stone onto him and Belle. He ran through the opening, but the pillars that remained in the arena were beginning to topple. He ducked out, just as a great pillar struck the ground behind him, smashing the floor.
The ceiling in the other room had given way. Micah stepped in, blinded by swirling clouds of dust. The dust settled, but the tower shook with escalating force. Micah could feel the shattering of the base reverberate through the walls, and as the tower began to lean to one side, he could hear the flap of wings.
With the roof of the tower gone, Micah could see into the pitch-black sky, where a single male Rito hovered, cautiously floating through, where it beckoned Micah to grab on. He did so, and the Rito quickly flew away, just as the tower toppled over, crumbling into a falling pillar of dust that stood out in the featureless plain.
The Rito brought Micah low above the ground. Micah let go, falling softly on the dry, flat ground. He turned to thank the Rito, but suddenly realized that it was not alone.
An army of different race, gender, age, background and purpose, stood together, facing their savior. Micah knew without being told who they were. They were the faces to the sea of voices that commanded him during his trials within the tower. As a single ray of light is shattered into a brilliant spectrum when struck by a multifaceted crystal, so the accursed sea had shattered, its single voice broken into many, its single mind dissolved.
The crowd's voice had risen to a low murmur, as they looked curiously at the young, ragged Kokiri boy and his fairy. The Rito stepped forward, and spoke for them.
"The power of your sword is strong," he said. "It was too much for Karod's fortress. The illusion was destroyed."
Micah looked at him curiously. "Surely you would know that it was an illusion by now," said the Rito. "Everything is. Even the Sword of Illusion has no tangible entity in the real world."
There was eerie silence. Not a voice rose in the field.
"No doubt you are wondering what has happened," the Rito said. "I can tell by the look on your face that you know less of this sword than we who were cursed by it."
"Who are you?" Micah said at last.
"I am called Nairo," said the Rito. "But for a time I was nameless, just another soul to feed the Sea's mindless voice. We... all of us here... have been waiting for you for a very long time. Legends told that only the chosen One could take the sword, and that all others would be cursed. No doubt you knew that."
"I did," said Micah. "A friend told me once."
Nairo nodded. "Alas, such a tale could not dissuade any of us from trying," he continued. "But do not condemn us all for greed. Some were forced to come by those stronger than them... others sought the sword for the sake of a loved one. Every story is different, yet the penalty was the same." Nairo's eyes saddened, as his mind departed to a time lost to him. Suddenly, he returned, and looked Micah in the eye. "The legends also told that when the One took what was his, we would be freed of the curse, and indebted to him... to you."
Micah looked past the Rito, at the crowd behind him. In the front row alone, he could spy four different species. There were half a dozen Hylian soldiers, a Zora, four Gerudos, and a Deku Scrub. They looked earnestly at him.
"No," said Micah. "I will not impede you. You are free. Go home."
Nairo looked at the ground. "Since the wizard Karod erected that fortress," he said, "no one has tried to get the sword. The last of us had been cursed half a century ago. We... we have no homes to go back to." He looked up again, with tears welling in his eyes. "The vote is unanimous. We will aid you in your quest."
The army was assembled within minutes, and soon, they were marching for Karod's fortress. Micah led them with his sword, and Nairo acted as second-in-command. Belle fluttered overhead, watching the army behind them.
To the north, the sun was beginning to dim. Micah turned to Nairo and said, "Should we seek shelter for the night?"
Nairo shook his head. "It would do no use," he said. "It is likely, in fact it is certain, that Karod became aware of your status as soon as you pulled the Sword of Illusion from the pedestal. When night comes, all the dreamers will come and attack us."
Micah swallowed hard. "He can do that?" he said.
"Remember that he currently controls the Dream Caster," said Nairo. "Therefore, he has complete control over anyone who enters the World of Delusion. He can turn them all into savage, relentless soldiers."
"So by nightfall, we'll be swarmed by the Army of Minds as well as this 'army of dreamers?'" Micah said, alarmed.
"No," said Nairo. "Hopefully, he won't summon the Army of Minds. It's probably too busy with its conquest in Hyrule. In any case, you'll need us to protect you."
"But what if you die?" Micah cried. "Can you get killed in this world? What will happen?"
Nairo was silent for a moment. Then he said, "Like I said before, we have no homes to go back to."
The army marched on. Micah sheathed his sword, but he remained tense. Nairo had told him what he needed to know. Yet, he couldn't help but wonder how the battle would turn out. He kept his eyes on the sun. Slowly, it was fading from white to gray, and eventually to black. As he watched, he thought of Gardorous, and what he was doing now. He thought of Kokiri Forest, and all of its carefree inhabitants, slaves to the legend by which Micah was cursed. He thought of the Great Deku Tree, who, even at eighteen years, was already a wise, knowledgeable entity. Then he wondered, how many of these people who had helped him throughout his life would be fighting against him as they slumbered that night?
Nightfall came. Micah and his army kept marching. His heart pounded with anxiety. Hours passed, and no dreams appeared.
"There is Karod's fortress," Nairo said at last, pointing to the horizon. "We must be careful." In the distance, Micah saw a silhouetted fortress, short but broad. They marched on.
The closer they came to the enormous fortress, the clearer Micah could see that his original vision was wrong. The fortress was broad, but so much so that that word was an understatement. Walls within walls guarded the fortress, all armed with spikes, turrets and towers. The walls extended for miles on either side of the main building, which, in itself, was larger than Hyrule Castle and Kokiri Forest combined. Fifty towers there were in all, each with fifteen wicked spires. It was beautiful in its menacing design. It was so large, so eloquently designed, and so perfectly fearsome, that it would be impossible to build such a thing in the real world.
Micah's eyes were set on the central tower. He moved them down, tracing the black bricks and grotesque gargoyles, to the thick walls bristling with turrets and spikes, to the massive Iron Gate, before which was set an army of millions.
Micah took in a deep breath. Nairo swallowed, but stood as rigid as a post. The army behind produced doubtful murmurs. Belle was silent.
Micah stepped forward, his feet softly stamping the dry dirt. He turned to his army, and spoke. "For Link. For Parapa. For your families." He swiftly unsheathed his Sword, and held its gleaming blade before his face. "For Hyrule."
The army gave a yell, so strongly and so courageously that the Army of Dreams shivered at the sound of it. With a single movement, Micah swung the sword forward, at the fortress. His soldiers unsheathed their primitive weapons and charged, not missing a beat with their yell. The Dreamers stood a moment to admire their enemy's passion, before charging themselves. Micah kept up his pace, running well in front of his army. Without a flinch from a single soul, the armies collided.
Micah rolled beneath the first pike, pushed it away and slashed at the Dreamer who held it. The Dreamer, a stout old lady, disappeared instantly, awakening somewhere in the other world. Already, he could hear his army crumble beneath the onslaught, but he did not falter.
Within moments, the army was dissolved within the seething mass that was the Army of Dreams. Yet, when they caught sight of their leader, a young boy wielding a beautiful sword, they were momentarily inspired to fight bravely.
A Hylian soldier swung from behind. Micah ducked and turned, piercing him deep in his belly. The soldier faded and another Dreamer, this time a Gerudo, attacked. It swung with dual machetes. When she swung one arm, Micah jumped out of the way and swung at her arm, detaching it from the shoulder. She hunched from the pain, and Micah swung again, and her head fell away from her body, before both faded away.
Micah looked around briefly. His army fought with passion, killing as many as fifty per minute, each. But the Dreamers were too many. If not by total annihilation, Micah's army would lose by utter exhaustion. He looked up again at the central tower, at the glowing top window.
He ran through the melee, cutting down soldiers as he went, in search of Nairo. He found him, fighting with a mere dagger, but using it so fiercely that it might as well be a Goron Knife.
"Nairo," Micah called. The Rito turned to him. "Nairo, I must go now. I must confront Karod."
Nairo nodded. "Yes, I know," he said. "Your destiny is within that fortress. Be quick! We can only hold them off for so long."
The Dreamers swarmed around them. Micah backed away several paces, and for the rest of his life, he remembered the last he saw of the Rito's deep, solemn eyes, as he gave him a courageous look before turning away, attacking the swarming masses. Micah turned and dashed away.
He raced through the monstrous gate without looking back. The soldiers within the fortress were scattered and few, but the ones who remained attacked viciously. The first came with its sword upraised, and Micah ducked and drove his sword into the soldier's entrails. The others surrounded him, slowly closing in with their sharp blades ready. Micah saw the door not too far beyond. He drew his sword, held it in front of his face, and watched the soldiers behind the dissolving blade.
Instantly, a flock of bats came swooping down, scattering the terrified Dreamers in all directions. Micah sheathed his sword, now wooden and crude, and ran.
Belle popped out of her pocket for the first time. "We're almost there!" she cried. Micah swiftly climbed the stairs and ran down the high, brick bridge to the door.
Suddenly, a massive figure dropped from the sky and blocked the path. It was an incarnation of a King Dodongo, but twice the size. It bellowed, ringing Micah's ears.
He tried running around the Dodongo, but it shifted its weight, blocking the way. He moved back into his fighting stance. The Dodongo breathed heavily, spewing a fiery liquid onto the path and the steps beyond, and very nearly scorching Micah, for he had rolled out of the way, beneath the Dodongo's belly.
The beast quickly learned where he had gone. It fell to its knees, and soon, its massive body covered the entire path. But Micah had already made it through the other end, and was making a mad dash for the door. The Dodongo roared in fury, and slowly began to turn its body around. It curled into a ball, and rolled down the path.
It was too fast to try to outrun it, he knew. Micah made a sudden sharp turn, took a running start, and leapt off the edge.
The Dodongo crashed through the door, taking down the surrounding walls with it. It uncurled and stood there, dazed. Micah, hanging onto the bridge with one hand, clambered back up and raced into the hole, straight through the Dodongo's legs.
The anteroom was huge, but Micah immediately saw the door he was to take. In the opposite wall was a door, through which were red carpeted stairs, definitely the way to Karod's Tower. Micah ran again, but this time, the Dodongo was angry.
It picked up pieces of the rubble in its mouth, and coughed up fire. The rocks were wreathed in flames and torpedoed through the air. The first rock hit the ceiling square in the center. The rock shattered into pieces, raining streams of fire down on Micah and Belle. It fired thrice more, until its attack took effect. The ceiling cracked into many parts, and it began to fall to the ground.
Micah ran with his hands over his head, covering his eyes from the sight of his doom and his ears from the thundering crash of the falling rubble.
The Dodongo aimed for Micah this time. His flaming stones missed entirely, crippling instead the pillars beyond. Stones crashed, pillars crumbled and fire rained, and amidst all this, Micah reached the door and flung it open.
A final projectile struck the wall nearby, exploding brilliantly. With a shriek, Belle was flung across the room, and by some unseen magic, the door between Micah and her was shut and locked. Micah was alone.