A/N: Okay, first off I want to apologize to anyone who read the last chapter, got excited, and then got nothing more. My computer crashed a couple of weeks after I wrote that, and being much distracted I'd forgotten I'd posted it at all until yesterday. Anyways, I will start writing again now, though I can't promise that I'll update often, I tend to get busy.
Oh, and to whomever asked FD does come into the story, though not for awhile.
Chapter 2: The Sages
"That could have gone worse." Said the Goron chieftain across the table in a voice more reminiscent of an avalanche than speech. He then chuckled, like pebbles tumbling down a steep hill.
"Always the cheery one, Darunia. I'm all for sarcasm, but now is certainly not the time. Did you see them, they're terrified, and quite rightly so. After what these things did to the Gerudo fortress . . ." The woman trailed off.
Her thoughts went back to the day when the demon army set upon her peoples' ancestral home. Shrieks as women were torn apart by savage claws; the blood stained, toothy grin of a monster who had just ripped out a girl's throat. She'd sent a light arrow into its neck. And all the while the leader of the hoard, laughed, no, giggled as he drove his blade of fire into the vitals of any Gerudo he faced. She'd tried to shoot an arrow at him too, he merely snapped his fingers and laughed as the arrow disappeared in a puff of smoke. He snapped again and her bow broke into two pieces. A third time and her mount threw her and fell to the ground, dead. He leapt at her, blade raised, giggling again. But the joke was on him this time, and his blade bounced harmlessly off the blue crystal that had formed around her. She'd been quite surprised, she hadn't had time to conjure Nayru's Love. A moment later she was flying, safe in the claws of a rather large owl. The lead demon snapped his fingers again, but the ancient bird was unaffected. It merely hooted a soft melody, and all the surviving Gerudos were whisked away in a flash of light.
That had been a month before. Since then the demonic army had spread over Hyrule, slaughtering livestock and people, looting and destroying. The Gorons and the Zoras had also been forced out of their homes; all the races of Hyrule were forced to live together, crowded in Castle Town. Except for the Kokiri, the magic in their forest had managed to hold back the hoard. Again and again small bands with heroic ideals had sallied forth against the demon army, which had made its headquarters at the old, abandoned Lon Lon Ranch. The Prince's had been the last of these, and as unsuccessful as the rest. Now there were no heroes left.
"Don't snap at him, Nabooru! He is right, it could have been much, much worse." Said Impa.
"How so? The remaining commanders of the Hylian army are scared out of their wits. True they hide it, and hide it well. But they are quite aware that we no longer have enough forces to hold off a determined assault from the enemy." Nabooru hissed.
"Its because they did hide that the meeting could have gone worse. Pandemonium could be king after this morning, but we are still ruled by Order and Discipline. As long as they reign in the Hylian army then that army can hold off our aggressors." Impa crossed her arms, daring the Gerudo to argue.
"No they can't, not indefinitely." Spat Nabooru. Impa was about to speak up again when a green-haired child at the side of the table started to cry. The owl who had saved the Gerudo, perched in the corner, fluttered over to comfort her.
"Hoot, hoot. Stay calm, Saria. You should know Nabooru and Impa better than that. They always argue, its just their way of passing the time. And pass the time we must, this council can do nothing until Zelda and Ruto return. Hoot."
"I'm not upset by the arguing, it's just, Nabooru's right, isn't she? The Hylian guards can't hold off the bad guys much longer. And when they do . . . the forest can't protect everyone."
"I shouldn't think that Impa would be so naïve as to claim that we can hold out indefinitely against such forces." Said an old, cultured voice. "No, that would be folly. But she is right, with order and discipline the guard can hold off these monsters, at least until our plan is put into action."
"Ah, Good. I knew there had to be a plan. What is it, Rauru?" exclaimed Darunia.
"There isn't one yet. But I should hope that a full council of the Sages, including our esteemed friend, the Ancient Sage Kaepora Gaebora, should be able to come up with something quite remarkable." The old man replied.
"You two really have no idea." Said Nabooru, smiling wickedly. "Darunia, I'm not all that surprised, but Rauru, you're supposed too be the wisest of us all, and you haven't figured out the plan!" She cackled. Saria began to whimper again. Impa stepped forward, whether to reprimand the Gerudo vocally or physically it was hard to tell. However it was never discovered, for at that moment the door to the council chamber and two queens entered.
Zelda had an air of great elegance and grandeur resigned to live in savage times. Her face was solemn, and much older than it had been in the morning, before her son had ridden off to battle. She moved slowly in a black mourning dress. Her eyes were dry, and had been dry all day, but the entire council knew that she was in deep pain. This is how she had always tried to hide sadness, behind a veil of elegance and stoicism. She and the Zora Queen Ruto took their places at the table.
"Sages, you know why I've called you here. Hyrule is under attack, attack from a terrifying and relentless foe. The greatest warriors of all the races of Hyrule have attempted, and failed, to save us. It is now time for desperate action. Sages, we need to find a hero. Not some brave young lad who goes with his band of friends to get slaughtered, but a true Hero, one in whom we can place our powers. A Hero who can yield the Master Sword."
"And the obvious plan comes out." Jeered Nabooru. Impa shot her a glance that would set a giant flinching, but Nabooru was too used to the Sheikah's anger to be concerned.
"It is not such an obvious plan." Said a soft voice, like water passing over pebbles. "Heroes who can yield the Master Sword are rare, with so many dead I'm not sure there is anyone left in Hyrule who can do it."
"Thank you, Ruto. Sages, she points out the great flaw in my plan, there are no proven heroes left in Hyrule, and there hasn't been one for two decades. And so . . ."
"You can't be serious!" screamed Nabooru. "That's the best you can come up with! Your wisdom is failing Zelda!" She threw her hands in the air.
"Maybe you are so wise that you can criticize a plan before it is revealed, but the rest of us have no such omniscience." Impa said tersely. "What is your plan, Zelda?"
"Oh, come on Impa, stop trying to save face." Nabooru screamed. "You know what it is. You heard her; there hasn't been a proven hero for two decades. So the best she can come up with is to get that one! Right, Zelda? You want us to find Link!"