**Nothing special, but I am starting to work on this again and wanted to at least motivate myself more by getting at least something out here to sort of force me to keep it going. Pretty much just expository narrative right now, and the dialogue needs extensive work, it's also incomplete- two important events will transpire later on in the chapter. Hopefully I'll finish/edit this chapter as well as the next one in the next couple of days. It's a pretty big story, so I'm really not revealing all the details here even though it seems like it...**
CHAPTER TWO- A Brief History
Link entered the throne room of the leader of the Oocca. Another bird-like creature looking very similar to the others was at the top of a small staircase, bobbing its head back and forth as cloths wiped down a stone structure, seemingly by themselves. Another similar creature sat in the corner, cooing a song to herself as she flipped through a book.
Ooccozu cleared his throat. "Excuse us, Ooma, We're here to see Oocco."
Ooma lowered her head and the cleaning cloths flew to her, draping gracefully over one wing. She turned and faced them. "Oocco has gone to inform the King of Hyrule of the news. He hopes this will coerce the King to form an alliance."
"Already? But this just happened only moments ago! How did he know the Future Hero had risen?"
Ooma looked over at the smaller Oocca in the corner. "I overhear things," said the smaller one, not bothering to lift her head from her book.
"Ooccala, this is Link. Link, this is Ooccala, the daughter of Oocco."
"Hello," said Ooccala, gazing at him with great interest. "So you're the one who's caused all this trouble."
"Trouble?"
"Forgive young Ooccala," said Ooccora. "Ooccala, it appears as though the events of the past have left Link with no memory of what's happened. The impact of the Mind's Eye must have affected it."
"Oh," Ooccala looked slightly disappointed. "Then how will he be able to help us?"
Ooccozu looked taken aback. "One doesn't need to rely on the past in order to look forward to the future."
Ooccala yawned. "Nice proverb, but how can we all stand a chance if even he can't explain what happened? Or if he's not even aware of the power he should have gained?"
Link knelt down next to Ooccala. "Maybe you could help me then. Ooccozu and Ooccora wanted your father to fill me in on everything that's happened while I've been asleep."
"Preserved," Ooccala corrected. "Not just asleep. The Oocca have preserved you for many, many years, in hopes that the Mind's Eye, which has embedded itself in your head," she brushed a winged arm across his forehead, "would awaken you when the time was right for you to arise as the Future Hero to bring peace and unity to us and Hyrule.
"Of course, without any knowledge of how you made it to here in the first place, of the power you possess, it won't be easy to step into the shoes of a hero, will it?"
Link shook his head no.
Ooccala shut her book. "Very well. First, I'll give you a brief history. You see, many years ago, we Oocca lived in a grand city which floated over Hyrule. Both were separate entities- it was nearly impossible for the average Hylian to reach our city- but it was a peaceful, undisturbed co-existence. Then one day, we were raided by a notorious demon thief from the Gerudo Desert who had already pillaged Hyrule below. He was determined to find the secret of the Oocca's power to heighten his own, and planned to take our Mind's Eye."
"I keep hearing about a Mind's Eye, but what is it, exactly?" asked Link, touching the scar on his forehead. He looked at the structure carved on the wall of the throne room and saw a large, ancient looking eye symbol carved into the wall.
"The Mind's Eye was a powerful, symbolic stone that was carved during a treaty between the Oocca and the Sheikah tribe. The Sheikah carved one of the rarest and most valuable stones from the Gerudo Desert and it was infused with our power. Those who have the Mind's Eye can use the power of the Oocca." In demonstration, the book Ooccala had been reading shut by itself and floated across the room by some invisible force, landing gently on a table.
"After the Sheikah became all but extinct, the Mind's Eye was kept hidden with us. The Gerudo had long been after the stone they felt was rightfully theirs, but there was no chance of them being able to reach us in our city in the sky. Until Ganondorf."
"Who's Ganondorf?"
"Ganondorf was one of the only Gerudo males born every hundred years to the female Gerudo. He became a powerful demon thief and later tyrant of Hyrule," Ooccala laughed airily. "I find it amazing that you have to ask who Ganondorf is. You are the one who took him down after all. But, I suppose you don't remember any of that."
"No," Link said regretfully.
"That's a pity," said Ooccala. "To this day, no one can fully explain what happened or why. All we know is that when Ganondorf obtained the Mind's Eye, you were there to confront him. Nobody saw the duel, but we do know there must have been some sort of explosion or destruction, causing the Mind's Eye to destruct itself and the larger piece embedding itself within your head. Ganondorf was killed by your blade, and you were left in a state of unconsciousness, unable to wake, yet far from dead.
"It was the Ancient Leaders of the Oocca's idea to keep you hidden and preserved among us, for whatever reason the Mind's Eye chose to hide itself within you. In order to keep you safe from further harm, we chose to tell Hyrule that you were also killed in the battle."
Ooccora chuckled. "Ooccala, you never cease to amaze me with your knowledge of history. I'm starting to think you know more than your father!"
"Probably," said Ooccala matter-of-factly.
"Well then," said Ooccozu. "All we need is to get you your sword, and we shall take you to Castle Town to meet Oocco and King Raphaus of Hyrule. Ooma, will you fetch young Link's sword for us, please?"
Ooma scuttled off, then returned a moment later, looking fairly frazzled. "The sword is missing!" She turned to Ooccala. "Perhaps your father took it with him?!"
Ooccala looked sheepish. "I know where it is. I'll go get it."
She returned moments later with a simple but sturdy looking sword. Link had to admit he was expecting something more impressive, considering he was supposed to be some sort of hero. Ooccala smiled suddenly, lighting up her normally serious face. "This isn't your actual sword that took down Ganondorf, of course. We returned that to the Hylians," she explained, as if she knew how Link felt.
"The Oocca aren't much in the way of a swordsman, but we were able to craft this for you," said Oocozu. "I hope it's helpful on your mission."
"It's a sturdy sword," Ooccala said, looking sheepish again. The Oocca stared at her curiously. "I've…I've practiced with it I guess you could say. I studied a bit about swordfighting. It's an interesting art, and, maybe, I was thinking, that I should accompany Link to Castle Town?"
"Certainly not!" said Ooma.
"It's far too dangerous! Your father would never approve of such a thing!" gasped Ooccora. "Remain here, we will escort Link, as your father wishes."
"Well…has anybody explained the power of the Mind's Eye to him? The power he has now? I can do that, as well as retrain him in the ways of the sword! Besides, I know so much about the history of Hyrule! Please, let me. It wouldn't be just helping him, it'd be helping everybody!" Ooccala pleaded. "You know I'll keep Link safe and secure on the way."
"She is unusually responsible for a child," Ooccora pointed out to Ooma and Ooccozu. Ooccala puffed up her chest in defense to this.
"I'm not a child anymore!" said Ooccala briskly.
"It's not just that. I don't know how welcome the Oocca are in Hyrule…" Ooccozu began to say, but Ooccala turned away and placed the sword in Link's palm.
"Come with me, Link. We'll meet my father down at Hyrule Castle Town. On the way, I can help you understand the power of the Mind's Eye that's now within you, and help you get used to it."
Link went with her, not entirely sure about everything that was going on around him. It was a very disorienting thing, to be waken from a long time slumber and immediately thrust into quest of which he knew nothing about, but was fated to somehow. He had so many questions he wanted to ask Ooccala- she seemed to have answers, but it was so many it was overwhelming. His head throbbed and the sword burned warm in his palm, yet it felt strangely comforting.
"What did they mean, about the Oocca not being welcome in Hyrule?" Link finally asked.
"Well, when the Hylians thought you were killed by Ganondorf, they sort of blamed the Oocca for it," Ooccala said. "The King became furious with us and banished us from Hyrule, threatening any Oocca who dared to walk on the lands of his kingdom."
"If it was so long ago, do you think the new king has changed his mind by now?"
Ooccala snorted. "Xevious is the new king. He banished us from our entire city in the sky. We're forced to live in hiding because we can't live in our true home or take refuge in the land below us." She gave Link's hand a small squeeze with her wing. "But the true King's daughter, Princess Zelda, is a very compassionate person, I'm told. Perhaps she, along with us, can convince Raphaus to let go of old grudges and form an alliance to end Xevious's evil reign."
Xevious? Now who was Xevious? Link thought his head might implode from all this mysterious new information that was being given to him, yet nothing being really explained, especially this unexplained new power that Ooccala kept mentioning, that he could feel pulsing in his veins…