Somewhere high in the mountain air, a fountain was shooting its everlasting spray upward. The sun's gleam sparkled through the drops of water as they shot upward and hung suspended in the air for a moment before falling gracefully down, ready to repeat the cycle. Green grass, beautiful blue flowers and lovely trees surrounded this fountain, providing a very picturesque scene. To complete this scene, a young woman sat on the fountain's edge, directly in the middle. Being circular, the middle of the fountain would normally depend on the angle it was viewed from, but in this case, it was quite clear where the middle was meant to be. Surrounding this fountain, the trees and flowers were arranged in perfect symmetry.
Despite the perfect tranquility of the scene, the young woman's heart was discontent. She got up and looked around at either side of her. It was hard to tell east from west, because they looked exactly the same. The village in which she had lived all her life was built to be symmetrical, and nothing ever disrupted the balance. This was Symmetry Village, and its history went back long before anyone could remember.
Before she could reflect any longer on this state of existence, someone approached her. A young woman about her age stood before her, looking at her in a somewhat disapproving manner. "The elder has summoned us, Cyera. Let's go," she stated.
Cyera sighed and began walking around the east side of the fountain. Maylene, the other young woman, began walking around the west side of the fountain. They made their way to the elder's house, which was also in the middle of town, farther to the north.
The elder of Symmetry village lived in the back of a long building, but the front served as a meeting place and a library containing the village's lore. A young man sat at a desk in the middle of the room, studying an ancient-looking book. Further back, the elder sat behind a larger desk. "Welcome, Cyera and Maylene," he said with a warm smile. He looked like the typical village elder, with a long white beard and brown robes. "I hear your gardens have been flourishing," he continued. "I would like the two of you to prepare to journey to Lynna City tomorrow. There will most likely be plenty of commerce to be had".
"Yes, elder," Maylene replied, and Cyera simply nodded her head. She and Maylene both tended gardens on either side of the village, in which they grew produce that could only be found in the western mountains of their land of Labrynna. The Symmetry villagers would sell and trade this produce in Lynna City, the capitol of Labrynna. Cyera and Maylene would often be the ones to make the journey. Because of Symmetry Village's rules, they both had to make the journey at the same time. Perfect balance must always be kept.
Cyera sighed and made her way back to her house in the southeast, while Maylene went to the southwest. She was glad to make the journey, because it would offer a change of pace from her usual lifestyle. She only wished she could make such a journey more often. She had always had an individualistic spirit, and she tired of the way of life that Symmetry Village offered her. Why must everything always be symmetrical? It was a restricting way of life, but no one seemed to mind. They all took it for granted, as it was the way they and their ancestors had always lived. For whatever reason fate had it, she was different, and she wanted to be free.
That night, she made sure to get a good night's sleep in preparation for tomorrow's journey. She slept soundly for the most part, but there was one point at which her sleep was interrupted. A searing, hissing noise could be heard faintly, and it increased in volume, becoming louder and louder. Her mind tried to block it out, but it was getting louder. Finally, an earsplitting boom reverberated around the room, shaking her house. At this, she snapped awake. She listened for a few moments, but no more sound could be heard. She wondered if it had simply been a nightmare, and before she could think further on it, she had drifted back to sleep.
The next morning, she went outside and noticed that there was quite a commotion outside. She remembered last night's noise and thought that perhaps it was real. Her suspicions were confirmed when she arrived in the northeastern part of town. A large crowd had gathered, and was looking at the strange object that had appeared in the village.
A large, smoking crater had seared the grass and destroyed the beautiful flowers. In the center of the crater was a large meteorite, about the size of a horse. Although it was made of rock, a reddish-golden glow pulsated within. The villagers had never seen anything like it. They were all talking excitedly, not knowing what to make of it.
"I don't like it," announced someone next to Cyera. It was Noland, the young man who had been studying in the elder's house yesterday. She frowned, as she knew what was coming. "This thing…look what it's done!" Noland said, shaking his head. "The village is no longer symmetrical. The east side no longer looks like the west side. We have to get this thing out of here".
Cyera turned away in annoyance. Noland was a dedicated Symmetry villager, obsessed with keeping things in balance. He was especially interested in the village's lore and age-old legacy, and he often spent his time in the elder's house researching it. This only made Cyera feel a greater longing for a lack of balance, a lack of symmetry in her life. She felt a sudden thrill as she looked at the mysterious object that had landed in her village. Now this was a change of pace, this was something that disrupted the normal flow of life. She peered into the reddish-golden glow, wondering what this strange rock was, and what it meant.
Just then, the village elder arrived. "Please, my friends, get ahold of yourselves!" he called out in a loud, clear voice. "Villagers of the west, please return to your side of the city. When I look to the west, I find an eerie emptiness. We do not want that to happen. The village is out of balance at the moment. I will assign some villagers of the east to take care of this strange problem that has arisen. Meanwhile, I want you all to go about your daily business". When he said this last sentence, he glanced in Cyera's direction. She sighed, knowing that she still had to perform her duty to the village today. She returned home to pack up her produce and begin the journey to Lynna City.
Lynna City was a beautiful and bustling place, with a river running through town, and many elaborate buildings. Long ago, it had been nothing but a small village adjacent to the royal palace. Since then, Labrynna's monarchy had ended, and nothing was even left of the once magnificent palace. Lynna City, in the meantime, had flourished into a thriving metropolis, governed simply by a mayor. Most of the cities and towns in Labrynna were now self-governing, but Lynna City was the center of commerce.
Visiting Lynna City was torture for Cyera, although she loved it. This place was so different, and the people so carefree, going about with their own lives without any kind of restrictions. They often looked at her and Maylene strangely, as they undoubtedly found Symmetry villagers odd. Nonetheless, there were plenty of merchants in Lynna City who were eager to buy their exclusive produce, and they gladly sold their own products in return, many of which could not be found in the mountains where Symmetry Village stood. After a day of business and a night at a Lynna City inn, Cyera and Maylene set off for home the next morning.
Symmetry Village was nestled in the mountains, west of the Nuun Highlands, which were just north of Lynna Village. The two villagers hitched their horse-drawn carriages, and began following Lynna City's river to its source, back up the way they had come down to reach the city. The Highlands were a beautiful place to travel through, with the cascading river forming small rainbows next to the majestic cliffs on the west, and the lush grass and flowers on the east side. Although the uphill ride might be tough for some travelers, it was nothing that the Symmetry Village horses couldn't handle with ease.
The journey home was as uneventful as the journey to the city, until the two travelers reached the bridge crossing the river into the mountains. Just as they approached the bridge, they were ambushed. The horses reared and whinnied in fear as three pig-like monsters charged forward with spears. Two of them lunged at Cyera, and she dove out of the carriage just before the spears hit. The two monsters came around the other side of the carriage and caught her before she could even get up. She scuffled backward, trying hard not to scream, although Maylene's terrified shrieking could be heard from the other carriage.
The two monsters stood over her, fangs bared and drooling, spears ready to impale her. Then, a noise sliced through the air, and one by one, the two monsters' eyes glazed over and they became stiff, as if paralyzed. Cyera turned her head to the southeast and saw a brave young man in a green tunic, aiming a seed shooter. He put away the weapon and drew his sword, running uphill toward the monsters. They recovered from their stun and turned toward him, only to be sliced by the shining blade. The warrior quickly ran to the other carriage and felled the remaining monster in the same way.
Cyera could only sit there in shock, until the young warrior approached her and held out his hand to help her up. "You all right?" he asked.
"Yes…I'm fine…" she replied between breaths. The two of them turned to look at the other carriage. Maylene cautiously poked her head out from inside the carriage. Fortunately, the third monster had not been as successful in getting her out.
"That was a close one. When there are Moblins lurking around in a place like this, it's not a good sign," said the warrior.
"Who are you?" asked Cyera.
"My name is Link," the warrior answered simply.
"Well…thank you…" Cyera said, stumbling on her words.
"It's just what I do," Link replied. "Now, I have to be on my way".
"Wait!" Cyera said. "Where are you going?"
"Something evil is at work in this land," Link explained. "I have been summoned here to stop it. I don't yet know where this evil is, but I have to find it. That tower over there looks suspicious". He pointed to a strange structure that Cyera had not noticed before- in fact, she realized that it hadn't been there before. In the northeast of the Nuun Highlands, something was jutting out of the ground. It looked like the top of a tall tower, only the actual tower was not tall at all. It seemed almost as if the rest of the tower were underground.
"You've never seen that before, have you?" Link asked.
"No, it's very strange," Cyera answered.
"Then I have to investigate it," Link said, and began walking off.
"Wait!" Cyera called out once more. Link turned around. "Can I come with you?" Cyera asked.
Link stared at her for a moment. "Why?" he asked simply.
"I want to see whatever it is you're seeing. It sounds interesting, and I'd like to…um, see it, too," Cyera said, hardly knowing what she was saying.
"I'm sorry," Link frowned. "My quest may be dangerous. You should go back to your village". He turned away again and began briskly walking to the northeast. Cyera raised her hand, about to say something, but stopped herself, and could only watch as Link disappeared over a hill.
"What is with you?" Maylene finally spoke up. "We were just attacked, and now you want to go rushing into some kind of danger? Besides, you can't go anywhere without me, and I'm certainly not going. Come on, let's head back to the village". Cyera reluctantly got back in her carriage, and the two of them completed the journey up the mountain path and into their village.
After returning home, Cyera couldn't stop thinking about Link. He was like no one she had ever met before- strong, brave, heroic, and most importantly, free-spirited. He was a wandering warrior, coming whenever some sort of evil reared its head. She wished he would take her away with him, away from this dull town and out into the world. She desperately wanted to see him again, but did not know how to find him.
She tried to focus on tending to her gardens, but she became restless and went out into town. Somehow, she ended up being drawn back to the meteor that had fallen north of her house. It glowed warmly, beckoning her into some mysterious place she couldn't imagine. A number of villagers were chipping away at the bottom of the meteor, trying to get it loose enough so that it could be pried out of the ground. She realized that it felt awkward standing there staring at the thing, so she left and went to the center of town, where the fountain was.
She would often sit here when she just wanted to think about something, and today was no exception. She was curious about the meteor and about the strange tower Link was investigating, but once again, her thoughts returned to Link himself. She sighed, but then stopped when she noticed someone standing nearby.
It was Noland again, and this time he was standing there staring into the fountain. He pretended he hadn't noticed her, but he in fact had. Now, however, he slowly turned to acknowledge her presence. "Have you seen the village?" he asked. "It bothers me that people would do this…" Noland didn't speak often, but when he did, he said a lot.
"I thought this village was loyal to its roots, but maybe I was wrong. The meteorite has had a greater impact than I would have thought. People are starting to ignore our traditions. They're doing things they wouldn't normally do, like gather on the wrong side of the village, or put things in their yards that don't match the other side. Most of them say it's just until the meteorite is removed, but it feels wrong to me. The elder isn't too happy about it either".
"You really spend a lot of time with the elder, don't you? Him and all those books…" Cyera said.
"The elder has lived among us for a long time. He is a man of great wisdom," Noland replied.
"Have you ever wondered why we live the way we do?" Cyera asked. "Why is it that our village must always be symmetrical? It's very strange, and no other town in Labrynna does it".
"It's an age-old tradition that we and our ancestors have followed for generations. It gives us a very unique heritage," Noland replied with pride. "Some villagers ask the same thing as you do, and some even question the elder's wisdom. I'm not going to go that way, though. There must be a reason why we do things this way, or the tradition would not have begun in the first place. There's something more to it than meets the eye".
Cyera groaned. "I'm sorry, Noland, I…" She wasn't sure how to finish, but she had always been one to state what was on her mind, so she said, "I can't stay in this village forever. I may have been born and raised here, but it isn't my place. I want to go out into the world".
Noland looked distraught at this. "You want to leave the village? You don't need to do that. You're a part of this village, and it would be a shame to lose you. If you left, we would need to rearrange things to restore balance. I suppose no one can really stop you, but please consider what you're really doing".
"Well, I haven't decided yet," Cyera quickly responded. "I just wish I could…oh, I don't think you would understand". She got up and briskly walked off, and Noland looked after her, worried.
When Link arrived at the strange tower, it appeared to be taller than when he had seen it from afar. The top of the tower had risen higher into the air, and it was as if more of the previously buried part had been unearthed. Link knew this couldn't be possible, however; how could a tower be built from the top downward?
As strange as it was, the tower had an opening that appeared to be a window rather than a door. Standing on either side of this window were two Darknuts, magical monsters that looked like knights in armor. "Come no further," they said.
"Who lives in this tower?" Link demanded. "Is this the source of the evil that has slowly been spreading across Labrynna?"
"If you wish to know, you must get past us," the Darknuts replied.
"Very well," Link said. "I'm coming in".
The Darknuts lunged at him with gigantic swords, but Link rolled out of the way. He tried to look for an opening in their armor, but could find none. One of them kicked him, and he was slammed into the ground hard. These seemed stronger than average Darknuts, almost like they were made of stone. Link pulled out his seed shooter and tried stunning them with Pegasus Seeds, as he had done with the Moblins. It didn't work, and he frantically tried to shield against their sword blows.
Link thought quickly, and had another idea. He loaded his seed shooter with a Mystery Seed, and fired. Somehow, it worked; the seed had a mysterious and magical effect, causing the targeted Darknut to lose some of its magical shielding. Link was able to find a weak spot in the armor, and slashed at it. Still not down for the count, the Darknut retaliated with brutal strength.
It was a difficult battle, but now that Link knew how to handle it, he quickly lowered the Darknuts' defenses and took them down. By time the second Darknut fell, Link had been injured enough so that he hoped nothing worse awaited him inside.
He jumped through the window and found a spiral staircase inside. To his astonishment, it looked very much like the staircase was indeed rising from underground. He quickly and cautiously ran up the staircase, and arrived at two wooden doors. He hesitated for one moment, and then pushed them open.
He found a circular room with four windows, each in a compass direction. Many bookshelves and tables lined the room, with documents, vials of liquid, and strange minerals. On the centermost table were some bubbling cauldrons and an assortment of larger vials.
"Welcome," said a voice. Link could hardly see at first, but there was a man sitting at the large table, his faced obscured by the steam coming from the cauldrons. He stood up so that Link could see him more clearly. He appeared to be a relatively young man, perhaps in his early thirties, but there was something strange about this appearance. He wore extravagant robes with shiny hues of every color. His hair was covered by a small crimson hat, but what hair was still visible was of a strikingly golden color. "I am Aurius the alchemist," the man continued, "and this is my tower. To whom do I give the pleasure?"
"My name is Link," Link stated. "Are you the one causing evil to spread across Labrynna? The monsters have been gathering around this tower".
"Spreading evil? A simple-minded one might say that," Aurius replied. "I choose to believe there is much more meaning to it than that, however". His face lit up, as if he had been waiting for a long time to explain this to someone. "For a century I studied at the Eyeglass Island Library, learning the secrets of this world. I was the only one to put them to use… You might ask how I appear to be so young. That is the proof of my achievements, my friend. I am the first to discover what alchemists have long been searching for- the elixir of life". At this, he smirked in a condescending sort of way.
"Yes, I am now gifted with eternal youth…but that isn't enough. There is more I can do with my knowledge. You do know some history, right? A few centuries ago, Labrynna was ruled by a monarch. That monarchy disappeared, and left Labrynna to be governed by nothing more than tribal patriarchs. I can give Labrynna something better than that. This land can benefit greatly from my wisdom. The Nuun Highlands are nothing more than the remains of the old castle grounds, so this is only a fitting place for my tower to stand".
"So…just another megalomaniac with plans for world domination, huh?" Link sighed.
"You put it in such a quaint way," Aurius said in disgust. "Of course, I don't expect you to understand. You don't know the intricacy of my ultimate plan, nor could you comprehend it. Just for fun, I'll let it be a guessing game. I challenge you to try to anticipate my next move!"
"I'll show you my next move!" Link said, drawing his sword. Immediately, a circular wall of clear crystal materialized and shielded Aurius and his table.
"I must remind you as well that I have power over the elements. Alchemy is for more than just elixirs, you know," Aurius said. "Now, I will kindly ask you to leave. You're only wasting time here".
Link growled at Aurius, but he knew there was nothing he could do at the moment. He gave Aurius one last look of determination before leaving the tower.
In Symmetry Village, the elder had summoned a meeting of the entire village in front of his house. Cyera attended it with conflicting feelings. She had respect for the elder, but she did not want to attend the meeting. In Symmetry Village, no one was forced to do anything, but they usually listened to the wise words of the elder, who knew how their way of life worked. This time, however, not as many villagers were listening.
"Please, my friends, I ask of you for the sake of our village," the elder began. "We must continue our way of life as best we can, despite these strange circumstances. Our village may appear not to be symmetrical now, but if we work together, we can restore it". Some of the villagers looked at him indifferently.
"The meteorite will be removed soon, but in the meantime, we need to keep the balance. Our ancient lore says that when this village becomes unbalanced, despair will fall upon it. At the very least, my friends, let us continue in the tradition of our ancestors".
There was grumbling, and some people muttered things under their breath. They did not want to admit to the elder that they no longer cared about the village's balance, but they were not eager to change their new ways, either. In reality, some were just discouraged, because the meteorite proved hard to remove, as it was stuck in the ground by a strange force. The villagers were restless, and some were ready to abandon their traditions. The meeting dispersed with a feeling of unease in the air.
"Could it really be that no one cares about our traditions anymore?" Noland asked the elder after everyone had left.
"I fear that their hearts may be growing cold," the elder replied. "It is true; our ways our old. As a village, we have lost the spirit that we once had. It is not like in the old days, where we were proud of our heritage. However, I have been given a responsibility. Our ancestors believed that there were important reasons for keeping balance in the village, as is stated in the legends. I trust in the wisdom of our ancestors, and it my duty to continue their legacy".
"I believe that, too, Elder," Noland said. "I don't know why, but reading our ancestors' lore gives me a feeling of pride. It makes me feel like a part of something more, like I have a purpose in life. I wish the others could see that". As he finished, he looked around the village, and noticed that most of the villagers were still on the east side, where the meteor was.
Later that day, as Cyera was tending her gardens, she saw Link climbing up the eastern stairway into their village. She stopped, watching him to see which way he was going. She quickly stopped however, trying not to let her crush get the best of her. Although she was smitten, she had the sense not to be a stalker. However, she didn't want Link to leave the village without noticing her, so she put down her garden tools and went to her usual hangout place, the fountain.
Not long later, Link came out of the elder's house. He had just finished giving the elder a brief warning about the increase of monsters around the village, and that he should prepare his village for the possibility of an attack. As he passed by the fountain, he noticed Cyera and waved at her, but didn't stop. "Hey!" she said, getting up. "Link? Can we talk for just a moment?"
Link appeared to be a little reluctant, but complied. "Here, sit with me," Cyera said, inviting him to sit on the edge of the fountain. He did so, and looked at her with deep blue eyes. "Um…" Cyera started. Now that she was in this position, she realized she didn't know what she was going to say, and Link's patient stare only made her feel more awkward. "Where are you going now?" she finally ventured.
"To Lynna City," Link replied. I'm afraid there's going to be trouble there. Someone has been stirring things up in Labrynna, and I suspect that he's going to attempt an attack on its capitol. I have to investigate this".
"So soon? I mean…Link, why do you this?" Cyera asked. "That is, how did you become a hero?"
Link showed her the back of his hand, on which there was an image of three triangles, together forming one large triangle. "The symbol of the Triforce," he explained. "I have been chosen by the goddesses to defend the world from any evil that may arise. This is the destiny I have chosen to accept".
"That's amazing," Cyera said. "A chosen hero…it sounds so meaningful". It certainly sounded like a better lot in life than she had, she thought. Link had a wonderful task, to bravely rise to duty whenever evil threatened. Someone like him could get her out of this monotonous life, and fate was telling her that he was the one for her, she was sure of it. "Link, if you have time, do you think we could see each other again?" she asked.
"Our paths may cross again, I suppose," Link answered. "My schedule isn't very flexible, though, if you know what I mean," he chuckled. "Anyway, I really can't stay here very long. See you later, I guess". He got up, gave her one last smile, and briskly walked off. Cyera frowned, thinking that life was unfair.
A day had passed since Link had visited Symmetry Village. Today, Cyera tended her gardens, wondering if she would ever do anything else in her life. The rest of the village was making some half-hearted preparations to defend the village. Symmetry Village had always been a peaceful place, and its position high in the mountains had always discouraged enemies, although it rarely had any. Because of this, the people were not prepared to fight. Most of them did not seem concerned about an attack, anyway, but they listened to the elder's advice for the moment. They were totally unprepared when it happened, swiftly and suddenly.
As Cyera was watering her plants, she heard a rumbling noise coming from the south. She couldn't imagine what it was at first, but when it got closer, it sounded almost like heavy footsteps. She suddenly realized what it might be, and she got up to warn the others. She had barely reached the other villagers when the two entrances to the village were swarmed by an army of Darknuts. The villagers picked up their weapons in a panic, trying to get into a defensive position as best as possible.
The elder stepped out of his house and viewed the scene in front of him, realizing the terrible position the village was in. The east side was still the most populated, and the villagers began rushing to defend the east entrance. "Friends! The west side is undefended! Quickly, half of you must go to that side!"
The villagers scrambled in confusion, but some of them stepped out and began heading toward the west side of the village. They were too late. The Darknuts were already beginning to swarm in from that side, and they were heading right for the village's weak spot. The east side was successfully holding the enemy back for the moment, but they were unprotected from behind.
The villagers were no match for the Darknuts, and many of them were quickly slaughtered. Cyera was ushered toward the northeast side of town, which was the safest place at the moment. The Darknuts were showing no mercy, slaughtering anyone who stood before them. The villagers then began to panic, and started trying to form a defensive circle, but they were being prevented from doing so. Cyera saw Noland rush out into the middle of town, where the elder was.
"Retain a balanced formation as well as possible!" the elder cried out. "Keep both sides defended!" The elder himself was not within the circle of defenders, but was standing in the direct center of the village.
"Our goal is to make this village unbalanced," said a tall Darknut, walking toward the elder. "May you die, and may balance die with you!" It raised its sword in the air.
"NO!" cried Noland, running toward the elder. He couldn't get there fast enough. The elder dropped to the ground and looked at Noland one last time. "Please…save our village…" he said with his last breath.
Noland stood in shock for a moment, then ran at the Darknut in rage. These Darknuts did not have a magical protection, and he was able to find their weak spots and attack with his small and rusty sword. The Darknuts gathered around him, closing in.
"Noland! Get out of there!" Cyera yelled over the fray. Some of the other villagers heard the commotion and came to Noland's defense. He was able to escape from being surrounded, but the Darknuts were overpowering the villagers and pushing them closer to the circle where most of the villagers were gathered. The strong feet of the Darknuts kicked them down, but then stopped.
"Our goal is accomplished. You will be left alive for now," the lead Darknut said. The monstrous troops began dispersing, but arranged themselves in different parts of the village. They blocked both entrances, and the doors to the elder's house. The villagers huddled around the meteorite in defeat, watching as the remaining Darknuts began to patrol around the middle of the town, preventing anyone from going to the west side. They then began setting fire to many of the buildings on the west side, but made sure not to let it spread to the east.
After this, the villagers were able to take shelter in what little buildings were available to them. There was much confusion and mourning, as many lives had been lost, and no one knew why the village had been attacked, nor why they were now being spared. Many of them were taking refuge in a small inn, whose counterpart on the other side of town would normally have provided for more room. "How could this have happened?" Noland said. "If only we had been balanced…and…the elder…" He hung his head.
Cyera did not know what to think. She was shocked, and her mind was in a state of confusion. Not long ago, she had been thinking about leaving the village, but now that idea wasn't so attractive. This was her home, and many of the people she had grown up with were dead. Her emotions were a jumbled mess, so all she could do was sit there in silence.
Noland's expression, however, began to change. He was slowly overcoming the initial shock and sadness of recent events, and now a look of determination came across his face. He got up and looked out the window. The Darknuts kept a vigilant patrol, and there was no way of getting past them. He had to think of a plan, somehow.
Fortunately, he didn't need to think of one for long. From the southeast side of town, a scuffle was heard, and when the villagers looked outside, they saw Link emerge. He had taken out the guards at the entrance and was now running inside the village, trying to get past the other Darknuts. They did not try to stop him, however. They simply replaced the two east entrance guards, and let Link come farther into the village.
Link stood around, not sure what to make of the situation. Apparently, the Darknuts knew he could not possibly take them all on himself, but he found it strange that they did not consider him a threat at all. What was their purpose?
"Link is here to help us! I'm going out there," Noland said. Cyera, too, was overjoyed at the sight of Link, and she cast aside all fears and followed Noland outside.
"What happened here?" Link asked. Noland briefly explained the situation, and Link's face furrowed in anger. "I can't believe it…I was thrown off track thinking Lynna City would be attacked! I came back here as soon as a traveling merchant told me he had seen smoke in Symmetry Village, but I was too late". He kicked the ground in fury.
"Do you know why this is happening, Link?" Cyera asked.
"No, but I think I know who is responsible for it," Link replied. Just then, there was a rumbling noise, and the ground began to shake. Link looked suspicious at this. "You haven't been in the very northernmost part of town lately, have you?" he asked. The two Symmetry villagers shook their heads. "Let's go," Link said.
They carefully made their way past the elder's house and to the north of town. There was one interesting landmark here that had not had any significance during recent events, but now it was suddenly the center of attention. The north of town was home to a large hill surrounded by clean water. There was also water gently cascading from the top of the hill. At the moment, however, the scene wasn't pretty. The ground continued to shake, and the shaking seemed to be coming from the hill. Something else was also different about this scene- a strange stone pedestal had somehow appeared in front of the hill, and someone was standing on it facing the hill, with his back turned to the three onlookers. Hearing them approach, he slowly turned around. "Aurius!" Link growled.
"Sorry, my friend, but you have lost the guessing game," Aurius smugly said. "Can you now guess my true design?"
"I don't see where this mad plan could possibly get you," Link said.
"Nor would I expect you to, being the feeble-minded common person that you are," Aurius replied.
"Who are you and what do you want from our village?" Noland demanded.
Aurius chuckled. "Symmetry Village…so secluded and oblivious to the rest of the world. It almost evokes a sense of pity, knowing how it will end…but then again, the world has little use for such worthless people".
Noland looked ready to charge at him, but he had learned his mistake with the Darknuts, and instead just glanced at Link. Link turned to Aurius and nonchalantly asked, "Ok, now that you've got that out of your system, mind telling us what your brilliant plan is?"
"Ah yes, this is the good part," Aurius replied. "You see, my elixir of life was very useful in making me immortal, but I wasn't satisfied with that. There had to be another use for it…and indeed there is. My elixir will not only help me, but the rest of the world as well. Now, you see this hill behind me? It's not just a hill; it's a volcano. Yes, Symmetry Village rests on a very unstable part of the earth. A disturbance on this mountain, such as a large shift in weight, will upset the very delicate balance between rock and magma. Right now, the east side of the village is weighing down on the magma. It will soon result in the most catastrophic eruption Labrynna has ever seen…"
"And just what do you hope to gain from that?" Link asked.
Aurius smiled. "That's where my elixir comes in. You see, the eruption will spread a choking ash across the entire land. Soon, everything will die- plants, animals…but not the people. I will preserve them; I will keep them alive with my elixir of life. I will be their only source of survival. Labrynna will have no choice but to bow down to me. Yes, I will save Labrynna from its anarchy and primal ways. You will all soon recognize the true right I have, as an intellectual, to reign over these people. Even now, my grand tower continues to rise!" In the east, his tower indeed was now tall enough to be seen from over the rocky walls of the village.
"This is all your doing, isn't it? That meteor…" Noland said.
"That is correct! I'm impressed," Aurius responded. "The meteor was my doing. It was all part of the plan. Oh, and I might add that it's too late to stop it. No matter what you do to me, the volcano will erupt. The course of fate is set".
"We'll see about that," Link said. "I'll be back!" He returned with Noland and Cyera to the inn where they had been taking refuge, and tried to think of a plan, however futile it may be.
Cyera wasn't in such an optimistic mood, however. "I feel so useless now. It's like my life is being controlled. That man…he's capable of controlling what happens in this village…in the whole world. I guess we really are insignificant".
"No…Cyera, don't you understand? Our ancestors were right!" Noland said enthusiastically. "Why did we forget? Why did we forget the legends? I know some of these legends, but I didn't know how real they were. There is a reason why we have kept Symmetry Village balanced throughout the ages. It's our job to keep the mountain stable…not just the mountain, but all of Labryrnna!"
Despite Noland's revelation, Cyera wasn't convinced. Instead, she turned to Link, who she still believed to be the one who could change her feeling of insignificance. He was the hero, after all.
"So then, any ideas on what to do now?" Link asked.
"Yes…yes, I think there is something we can do!" Noland said. "I don't remember exactly…I need one of the books in the elder's house!"
"All right then, come with me and follow my instructions carefully," Link said.
They went outside to the elder's house, which was guarded by two Darknuts. Cyera and Noland hid behind a bush, while Link distracted the guards. As he fought them, Noland slipped inside the building, and quickly came out with the desired book. Link then ran away, feigning defeat (not that the Darknuts cared) and they headed back to the inn.
"See, here is the legend about the volcano," Noland pointed out as they gathered around the book. "It's all so clear now. That's not what I'm looking for, though. Here it is- the legend of the Tuni Nut".
The Tuni Nut was a magical object with powers of balance. Long ago, one had been used to retain the balance of the village. When placed in the center of town, this blessed nut somehow prevented the mountain from becoming unstable.
"I don't know why we stopped using one," Noland said. "Maybe its importance simply faded over the years. We never stopped keeping the village symmetrical, though…until now. Anyway, according to this, there is a secret cave where we might be able to find a new Tuni Nut. If we can put it in the center of town, its magical powers might be able to restore the balance enough to prevent the volcano from erupting".
"Great! Let's find this nut, then," Link said.
"It's in the middle of town on the southernmost side," Noland said. "There's another thing…it says the village's gardeners have the necessary knowledge to take care of the Tuni Nut". He looked at Cyera. "That's you".
Once again, Link had to fight off a Darknut as Noland and Cyera searched for the cave entrance in the middle of the southern rock wall. The entrance was not noticeable to the average eye, but when Noland looked for it, he found it, underneath some large rocks. They dropped down into the murky depths, and Noland lit a lantern.
There was a small series of passageways they had to go through, but Noland knew the way. "See, I always knew there was something special about you," he said as they walked.
"Why? Just because I'm a gardener? I had to be because that's my family's trade," Cyera replied. "Besides, Maylene is a gardener, too. We're both gardeners".
"Yes, but you don't see Maylene down here, risking her life to save the village, do you?"
"Well…no…" Cyera admitted. She had noticed Maylene sitting nervously in a far corner of the inn earlier.
"You've always had a strong spirit, Cyera- one that many of our villagers don't have. You're probably the bravest girl I know, too".
"That's why I feel like I don't belong here," Cyera frowned. "I could be putting my skills to use somewhere in the world…like Link does". Noland said nothing more, but a look of disappointment could be seen in his eyes, although Cyera didn't notice.
Soon after, they arrived at a small room with light coming down from cracks in the ceiling. A small plant was growing out of the ground here, and one large nut could be seen growing from it. "This is it! The Tuni Nut!" Noland said.
Cyera examined it. "From the looks of this plant, I'd say it bears fruit only once in a long period of time, perhaps many years. We should be careful with the Tuni Nut". She gently picked it off the tree and held it close.
"I'll stay in front to make sure the coast is clear," Noland said.
When they arrived out of the cave, Link was starting to run out of energy. "About time," he muttered, as the Darknuts continued to fight him without emotion. Noland motioned for him to follow to the elder's house, and Link attempted to casually move from one Darknut fight to another.
Noland and Cyera entered the elder's house inconspicuously, and quickly looked around. "Here, this should work," Noland said, picking up a small pedestal. He placed it in the center of the room, and Cyera laid the Tuni Nut on top. The result was more energetic than they had expected. A rumbling began, and the whole village began shaking. This time, however, it felt as if the balance was being corrected.
"Amazing…it worked!" Noland laughed. Immediately afterward, a bizarre roar was heard. Noland and Cyera quickly went outside.
"Aurius!" Link said, ushering them away from the Darknuts in the process. "This could be dangerous; you may want to go back to the inn".
"No way, I'm coming with you!" Cyera said, and Noland nodded in agreement.
"All right, but be careful," Link said.
Before they could make a move, however, Aurius came to them. He came around the side of the elder's house, with a great power emanating from him. Sands swirled around his body, kicking up dust wherever he went. "What have you done?" he asked coldly.
"We have restored the balance to the village," Noland replied. "That volcano isn't going to blow. It looks like you didn't quite know everything about this village, did you?" he added with a challenging smirk.
Aurius laughed humorlessly. "It is you, fool, who do not know the extent of my power!" He began yelling in an inhuman voice as sand gathered around him. The minerals of the earth began to form a shell around him, increasing in size, until he had been transformed into a gigantic golem. In a roaring voice, he boomed, "The volcano will erupt even if I have to force it to myself!" Noland jumped out of the way as two rocky fists crashed down.
Link pulled out his seed shooter and fired a Mystery Seed. The mystical seed had the same effect it had on the Darknuts, causing some of Aurius' magical defenses to go down. It was not quite enough, however, and Link could not shoot while dodging Aurius' giant fists.
"Here! You two work together!" Link said, tossing Noland the seed shooter and Cyera a seed satchel. Noland fumbled with the seed shooter for a moment, figuring out how to work it, but Cyera quickly determined how to load it with seeds, and did so. "Now shoot it!" she said.
Noland took aim and fired a few Mystery Seeds. Link took this chance to come in with his sword. The rocky shell weakened, he was able to do some damage with some strong and focused blows. Aurius growled, and began summoning rocks from out of the ground. "Look out!" Link warned, as the three of them tried to avoid being knocked over by the rising rocks.
This distraction was enough to give Aurius a chance to knock Cyera and Noland down with giant fists. They were relatively uninjured, but were struggling to get up. Meanwhile, Aurius grabbed Link and held him up in the air. Link struggled, unable to break out of the stony grip.
Noland fired the seed shooter and hit Aurius in the face. His grasp let go enough for Link to slip out and land a jumping slash on the monster. Roaring in pain, Aurius began forming crystalline shields around himself. The Mystery Seeds bounced off the shield with no effect.
"We have to find an opening!" Link said. He strafed around, dodging attacks, and looking for a chance. When part of the shield lowered a little, he tossed a bomb inside. It exploded on Aurius, stunning him momentarily. Noland took this chance to shoot more seeds. Link went in quickly and laid as many blows as he could before Aurius knocked him aside.
Now in a rage, the golem began swinging his arms and throwing huge rocks in a frenzy. The three defenders could do nothing but dodge and try to escape from being pummeled. Even Link appeared to be at a loss at what to do. Then, Cyera saw her chance. "Link!" she said, getting his attention. She threw the entire bag of Mystery Seeds at the golem, and they exploded all around him. He roared in pain, leaving himself open.
Link yelled a battle cry and jumped in, stabbing his sword straight into the weakened rock. Aurius roared once more, but it dwindled into a low growl. "No…my minerals…I can't control them any longer," he gasped. "I am the master of elements; I have dominated them! This cannot be happening…" His rocky shell began breaking apart and cracking. Then, the whole thing burst apart and crumbled into dust, which sank into the earth and was absorbed. No sign of Aurius remained. Immediately, the same thing happened to all of the Darknuts, as Aurius' spells were broken. Even his tower in the east crumbled away, receding back into the ground.
"Hey…we did it!" Link said.
Noland smiled and rose in victory. "Yes, we did it together!" he said, glancing at Cyera.
She gave a slight smile. "I guess so…"
Noland ran to the inn to explain to the other villagers what had happened. Cyera, however, turned to Link. "So, I guess your job is done for now, huh?" she asked.
"For now, it is," Link affirmed. "Aren't you going to celebrate with your village?"
"Well, yes, but…" Cyera started, feeling torn. "I don't want you to disappear while I do that".
Link frowned. "I'm sorry, Cyera… I chose the life of a hero. I can't stay put for too long. My duties are always going to be needed somewhere. I'm afraid I don't have room for…relationships".
"But…how can you live like that?" Cyera asked incredulously. "No one to spend time with, no one to…love".
"My happiness comes from seeing the lives I save, and the people who can live freely because of me. When I help others, I share in their happiness. Yes, it may have seemed like destiny that I have this role, but I accept it with joy".
"What about me?" Cyera pleaded. "I don't get to do any of that. I'm trapped here, never able to experience what you do".
"Are you sure about that?" Link asked. "Look around you". Cyera couldn't think of anything to say. "You and Noland are going to be heroes, you know. You had better get back to your people. I'm afraid I can't stay here any longer. I can feel something calling me already". The Triforce mark on his hand was beginning to glow.
"Can I at least come with you to the village's entrance?" Cyera asked.
"All right," Link replied. They walked down to the southeast entrance, not far from Cyera's house. Link looked down at the stairway leading outside of the village, then turned around one last time. "Goodbye, Cyera".
"Goodbye…"
Link silently walked down the stairs, leaving the people he had just saved without so much as a thank you from them. He journeyed onward, continuing his everlasting path of adventures. Finally, he disappeared around the bend, out into the realm of mystery.
Cyera stood staring, even after he was gone. What would she do now? Would she remain here, confined to this village and this life? No, she had a choice, she realized. She could walk away right now. She could go out into the world, and even continue to chase after Link if she wanted. But Link didn't need her; he didn't need a companion.
There was someone else who needed one. Someone who had just lost a dear friend, and who would be struggling to rebuild his life, and that of the village. Someone who cared about her, and knew her worth as a person…someone who loved her. That person came up beside her and put his hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, they're wondering where you are," Noland said. "They love the Tuni Nut, and how you cared for it. We're going to need your help keeping it intact in the center of the village. What do you say? Are you ready to come back?"
Cyera looked at him, and said nothing for a moment. It did seem like destiny that she stay in Symmetry Village. She was its gardener, and she could take care of the item that held Labrynna in balance. She didn't have to do it, though. Destiny, she realized, wasn't about being forced into a previously chosen path. Destiny was a path laid before her, free for her to accept or reject. Link had accepted his destiny and its bindings, and he had found happiness.
Which path would truly benefit her the most? Where would she find true happiness in the world? She looked at Noland, and he smiled back. "Noland…I…" He waited patiently for her to finish, like Link had at the fountain. She answered him with a kiss, and at that moment, she had never felt more free in her life. He kissed her back, and whispered, "So I guess this means you're not leaving after all".
A few months later, Symmetry Village was starting to look like its old self again. The village had suffered great losses in both lives and property, but with the leadership of Noland and Cyera, it slowly started to become the beautiful place it once was. The meteorite had disappeared with the rest of Aurius' creations, and the reconstruction of the west side of the village commenced quickly. In the meantime, the Tuni Nut kept its magical hold over the village, preventing the mountain from becoming unstable while the villagers restored the symmetry.
The Tuni Nut was now tended by Cyera, and Noland went about teaching the age-old lore to the rest of the village. Now bonded by companionship, they returned to their old traditions with renewed vigor. After the death of the elder, the village needed a new leader to advise them in times of need. At first, the villagers decided it should be Noland, but this somehow didn't seem complete.
Today, there was a big celebration in the village- the marriage of Noland and Cyera, their two new leaders. Somehow, this felt more complete, and more balanced. The fountain in the middle of the village continued to shoot its sparkling stream upward, its droplets continuing in an everlasting pattern, surrounded by the trees and buildings with equal patterns, forming perfect symmetry.