Chapter 3: The Selection
"The school champion of the Gerudo Fortress is…" announced Rauru while he tried to read the poorly-written Hylian symbols on a piece of paper that had just floated to the surface of the Hylian Chalice. He immediately recognized the Gerudo calligraphy though, hence why he knew which school this champion would represent, whoever she was. "Miss Aveil Karzetnu!"
There was a big round of applause as the beautiful, tall Gerudo stood up from her seat and seemed to float her way to Rauru. Hena couldn't help noticing that some of her Gerudo companions looked disappointed, their faces looking dull and staring at her.
"It's her!" suddenly exclaimed Baito to his friends, "The girl that asked me for the Daro-something during the dinner."
"Hey, you're right!" exclaimed Shane, lifting himself from his seat to have a better look at her.
Hena, for some reason, looked annoyed.
Link kicked the door in frustration, forgetting the fact he was barefoot. He grabbed his left foot in pain, noticing that it had turned red due to the blow.
Link, limping, retraced his steps back to the corridor, feeling the freezing-cold shower as he crossed the fake painting again. He looked at the Terminan clock once more: 7:07 p.m. He still had time, or so he thought, as he had a hunch that his school's champion would be selected last. He glanced right and then left; the corridor was deserted once more. Suddenly he heard a voice from behind, making him do a small leap and immediately turn to the source.
"Link, why you're not at the Dinning Hall?" said Shad, adjusting his glasses with his left hand and holding a book in the other. When they were in focus, he was able to see Link's current state, "… And why you're not wearing clothes?"
Link stared at him. Was it that evident? Well, it would be stupid to think the opposite. "A prank; don't ask," He said, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms over his bare chest, "… And why YOU are not at the Dinning Hall?"
"Well, I wanted to do some homework before the selection started, but I kind of got carried away." Shad explained, pleased to talk about homework, "But then I heard someone kicking the door, so I decided to check outside."
Link knew Shad was the strangest person he would ever meet in his life, but in that precise instant he felt really pleased to find him.
"Can we just get back inside the common room?" pleaded Link, "I need to make it in time for the selection."
"But it already started," Shad pointed out.
"I don't care, I'll go anyways but I need the damn key," said Link, starting to get desperate.
"But…" started Shad, but was immediately interrupted by Link.
"Oh, c'mon!" he urged, pushing him back to the fake painting. This wasn't a difficult task, with Link being overly strong and Shad being lanky and light as a feather. After feeling the cold shower once more, Link hurried Shad to the end of the dim corridor. He literally snatched the key from his hands and hastened to open the door. The warm and soothing heat of the common room's fireplace welcomed Link as soon as he entered. He climbed the staircase up to his dormitory, leaving Shad dumbfounded at the entrance of the common room. As soon as he entered it, he opened his wardrobe and grabbed the first set of clothes he found there. He threw the towel on top his bed and dressed in record time. Before exiting, he rummaged inside a drawer of his night table and grabbed his spare key, just in case. The young Hylian rushed back downstairs.
"Thanks a lot, Shad!" Link exclaimed at him as he passed by running towards the door while Shad was sitting comfortably on a couch near the fire reading his book, "I owe you one."
"Now, the moment I'm sure most of you were waiting for," said Rauru with a dramatic effect in his voice, "The Hyrule's Academy school champion, which is also the last."
The effect was immediate as all of Hyrule's Academy's students suddenly turned tense, each feeling a rising excitement inside. A small piece of paper had risen to the top of the Hylian Chalice and was floating innocently on its surface. Rauru slowly picked it up from the water and agitated it to dry it a bit, spattering accidentally a few drops on Captain Viscen's mail who stared at him with the corner of his eye, looking indignant.
"Finally, Hyrule's Academy is…" Rauru decided to add another pause for dramatic effect, much to the displeasure of his students who were on the edge of their chairs, "… Link Adonis!"
There was an exciting applause among the tables, especially those which had Hyrule's Academy's students at them. It had been by far the most scandalous clapping as Link was well-liked among his classmates and friends. However, it slowly died as they saw that no champion was coming to the front.
"Link, where the hell are you!" exclaimed Hena, maybe a bit too loud. The surrounding students made themselves the same question as their heads started turning in different directions looking for their champion.
"Link Adonis!" repeated Professor Rauru, a trace of embarrassment and anguish distinctive in his voice. He couldn't believe his school champion was making him go through this.
"I'm right here, Professor!" cried out Link, coming out of nowhere and making his way to the old headmaster. He couldn't help noticing that his noisy footsteps were the only sound echoing in the Dinning Hall, while the entire school was staring at him. He noticed that the other school champions were already standing at the front. He was angry and shocked to see that the big Sheikah that had most probably stolen his clothes had been selected to represent his school. However, this was not the time to be mad at him, as he was more scared to know what Professor Rauru would say about his champion showing up late. Once he was standing before the headmaster, Link stood there waiting for him to say something. Professor Rauru didn't know if he should be displeased or happy, and stared at him. A faint clapping suddenly started in the Dinning Hall. Link turned to the source of the sound and smiled slightly as he saw Linda clapping enthusiastically at him back at the junior's table, looking nervous.
"C'mon, guys, help me!" Linda pleadingly muttered with the edge of her lips to her friends. Baito immediately followed by clapping too. A second afterwards, Shane and Hena joined them. Suddenly, the entire Dinning Hall was applauding at Link once more.
Link felt his cheeks reddening, and he turned his attention back to the headmaster.
"Oh, come here, boy" Professor Rauru finally said, embracing Link in his arms very strongly for an old man like him. After the headmaster let him go, Link hurried to stand beside the Deku Tree School's champion, a petite Kokiri girl with green hair.
"Great! So we have all of our champions now!" exclaimed Professor Rauru opening his arms wide. "These five young warriors will…"
"Why you showed up late?" asked curiously the green-haired Kokiri beside Link, turning her head up to look at him.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," responded Link grinning at her and as quiet as possible, as he didn't want Professor Rauru to hear him when he was giving his speech so heartedly at his side.
"Try me," the girl said, smiling.
"Let's just say that I was the way the goddesses delivered me a while ago, and I just couldn't show up like that," Link told her. She giggled hard, but immediately placed her hand in her mouth to minimize the noise.
"Saria! Would you shut up already?" hissed Mr. Mido who had crept unnoticed behind the girl and was holding her arm warningly. "Let the old man speak!"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Mido" Saria quickly responded to her headmaster, recovering her posture and facing the front. The redhead shortly returned with the rest of the headmasters as if nothing had happened.
"So Saria, eh?" Link muttered to her, smirking.
"Yea," the girl whispered, not looking at him but remaining her stare to the front.
"I'm Link, nice to meet you."
"Link knows we just saved his ass, right?" muttered Shane to his friends back at the junior's table.
"What are you babbling about?" scorned Hena, frowning at him "Linda saved his ass, not us."
"Are you serious? I cooperated in making everyone applaud again!" complained Shane.
"Yea, you were the fourth person to clap," stated Baito rolling his eyes, "Big deal."
Shane's mouth opened again ready to retort, however, it seemed that he didn't find anything good to say as he closed it again and returned his attention back to Professor Rauru.
"… so the first task is on November the 1st," continued Professor Rauru, "Champions will be shortly advised on what it consists while the rest of you will have to wait until the very day."
Several students giggled in the Dinning Hall. They couldn't believe Professor Rauru was so naïve to think that gossip wouldn't spread to the point that in less than a week every single student would know what the first task consisted of.
"Now, I'm sure most of you are hungry after all this champion-selecting," said Professor Rauru, "So without further ado…"
And so the food appeared magically on the tables, most of the students forgetting the champions standing at the front and drawing their attention to the fried Kargaroc or Deku Salad in front of them.
"Now please, Champions, follow us," said Professor Rauru in a quieter voice as he made his way to the door that was behind the headmaster's chair. He proceeded to enter the room behind the door followed by the other headmasters and finally by the five champions. The Sheikah champion swung the door behind him on purpose when Link and Saria were still outside.
"What's his problem!" called Saria indignantly.
"He's nuts," answered Link, opening the door again for Saria. After she walked in, Link followed her and closed the door gently behind him.
They were now in a small, cozy living room with some rusty chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and dimly illuminating it. Saria was eyeing it amazed by his side, and Link continued forward. He descended a few stairs covered in rug and placed himself in the middle of the room to have a better view. For some time, Link had wondered why teachers always entered this room every time they could. The sofas looked way more comfortable than the ones back at the common room. The mesmerizing fountain consisting of the three goddesses at the back of the room was the only sound in the room, splashing its water as it reached the basin. However, Link's favorite part was the dancing flames of the enormous hearth luring him to come closer, after all, his body was still stiff and cold due to the continuous freezing showers of the common room's painting.
"Okay, Champions, please have a seat," said Professor Rauru offering them the comfy sofas with a hand. Link hurried to take the sofa nearest to the fire. Once the rest of the Champions were seated, the headmasters gathered around and Professor Rauru cleared his throat once more.
"As you may already know, the first task has a forest thematic," confirmed Professor Rauru, receiving an acknowledging nod from the Champions, "We'll not tell you explicitly what the task consists of until the very day."
"What the… but you said a while ago that you were going to tell us the details!" exclaimed angrily the Sheikah champion bending forward from his sofa.
"Watch your mouth, Damatih!" warned dangerously Professor Impa to his student. "I'm sorry, Professor Rauru, please continue," she added, giving her attention back at the headmaster. Damatih retreated back to his seat and placed an elbow on the armrest, looking boringly at Professor Impa and then at Professor Rauru.
"Like I was saying, we won't tell you with exact words what the task consists of, however, we'll give you some useful advice," said Professor Rauru. The champions were now giving him their fullest attention, even Damatih. "I'll recommend you to practice your sense of direction and localization to the fullest, as it will come in handy during the task."
"So the task would be like a… maze?" asked Aveil, the Gerudo champion, with a heavy desert accent.
"Not necessarily, Miss Karzetnu," said Professor Rauru mysteriously, winking at her. Aveil remained confused at her spot at the sofa, and frowned at the headmaster as he continued, "I also suggest you to practice your swordsman skills and -in case you can perform magic- fire spells.
For magic-users, you can only use spells of Level 3 or under," he warned, "You are supervised at every moment during the task and if we catch any of you performing superior magic you'll be automatically disqualified from the task, okay?"
The Champions nodded heavily. Link didn't even have to worry about, as he couldn't perform magic anyway.
"Finally, I recommend you to take some bandages with you," suggested Professor Rauru. The Champions laughed, however Professor Rauru and the rest of the headmasters did not.
"I'm being serious, folks," stated Professor Rauru, "I'll be surprised if you finish the task with just a six-inch long slash."
The Champions interchanged looks of worry between them for the exception of Damatih, who remained relaxed in his seat with arms crossed over his chest. Link was dying to know what the task consisted of, and moved uncomfortably in his spot.
"So, off you go!" exclaimed Professor Rauru to the Champions, "I'm sure your friends want to congratulate you as well!"
The Champions stood from their seats and proceeded to make their way to the door. The Termina champion, a slim, brown-haired guy wearing baggy shorts, had his hand in the doorknob when Professor Rauru suddenly called them again.
"Wait! I forgot something," the old headmaster spoke up, causing the Champions to turn around, "Here…" he said, taking a few sheets of paper from a pocket inside his robes. "Here is the information I just said, along with some other useful things."
The Champions hurried to grab a sheet from Professor Rauru's hand and exited the room after thanking him. Link saw how the Champions headed off in different directions as soon as they entered the Dinning Hall, which already empty and silent. Link wondered where the foreign students were spending the night. The Termina champion hurried to climb the staircase to the left, which was parallel to the teacher's table. Aveil made her way gracefully to the stairs that led to the dungeons, curling her hair with a finger as she did so. Damatih, strangely enough, was walking down the hall to the entrance doors of the castle. Link had to resist urge to grab him by the neck and strangulate him. Saria spoke up by his side, causing him to flinch. He had been so focused staring at Damatih that he didn't notice that Saria was still standing right next to him.
"So… what do you think the first task will consist of?" she asked.
"I honestly have no idea…" replied Link sincerely. Saria was so short that he had to look down at her to have eye contact.
"Well, whatever it is, it will most likely be a piece of cake!" she said confidently, grinning at him.
"How can you be so sure?" questioned Link, looking confused.
"Well, I live in a forest after all, don't I?" she winked at him.
Link was reading the sheet of paper Professor Rauru had just gave them as he made his way to the common room.
FOREST: FIRST TASK
Requirements:
1 Sword or Ax
1 Shield
1 Bow
15 Arrows
Bandages (as much as wanted)
1 Musical Instrument (you must be able to play the instrument well)
Rules:
Remember you are only allowed to use either a sword or an ax, not both.
You're not allowed to carry any other sharp object or item that may be used as a physical weapon during the task (barring the arrows and sword).
You may recycle arrows. However, make sure that the arrows you pick up are yours; champions are not allowed to use arrows from other champions (or any other weapon that is not theirs).
Bandages can only be used to cover wounds; they must not be used for any other purpose.
Magic-users are not allowed to use magic higher than level 3.
Magic-users must not use healing spells.
Carrying a compass is not allowed.
You must not harm another Champion in any way.
If any of these rules is broken, the Champion will be automatically disqualified from the task.
Suggestions:
Make sure that your musical instrument works well; it may be crucial during the task.
Practice your orientation skills.
Travel light; get rid of unnecessary things.
Mark your own arrows with something so that you're able to identify them as yours when recycling them.
The task takes place in November 1st at 2p.m. Champions must meet Professor Rauru at the Dinning Hall before 1:20 p.m.
Good luck, Champions!
And then it finally hit him. Link read once again the bottom line, empathizing on one single word. "Champions…" he read, his eyes opening wide, "Wait… Champions! I'M the school champion!" Link couldn't believe that he had worried all this time about making it in time to the ceremony that he hadn't digested the fact that he had been selected, among a hundred students, to participate in the most famous tournament ever. He smiled to himself in satisfaction as he, literally, jumped his way to the painting. Even the cold shower's sensation felt pleasant to him this time.
Link winced as a roar of celebration erupted when he stepped a foot inside the common room. Baito and Shane were at the very entrance, pulling him by the shirt to the inside of the room. He felt several hands clapping his back as he was forced to stand on top of a table, where everybody could see him.
"To our champion!" Shane shouted, raising a transparent mug full of Lon-Lon Chateau to the air. Several other mugs erupted from the crowd of students as they started cheering again. Link merely stood there, smiling timidly but quite happy. Shane proceeded to drink his alcoholic beverage in a single shot, drops of Lon-Lon Chateau sliding across his neck. He pulled Link by the arm back to the floor and hugged him tightly.
"School champion!" he exclaimed, smiling broadly. "I always knew you were going to be selected!"
"Thanks!" Link replied as happy as him. However, he was standing steady, unlike his comrade. "Shane… how much have you drank tonight?"
