This is sort of a storytelling chapter. I don't know how well it will be received, so I guess we'll see. This should help explain a little of the LoZ lore according to me, and maybe include some character development. I hope you guys all enjoy it, and please be sure to leave a review.
As always, constructive criticism is welcome. I know some authors get super butt hurt over it, but I don't. It all makes me a better writer. The point of me posting this stuff on here is to become better at what I do. Each and every review helps me do that.
Chapter 21
Stepping through the portal was easy. It felt like walking from inside a building and out into fresh air. Darbus opened his eyes slowly, afraid of what he might find inside the Sacred Realm. What if it wasn't the Sacred Realm at all? What if the portal closed behind him and he couldn't get out?
What he saw, though, was definitely sacred. Words couldn't truly describe the beauty laid out before him. Miles upon miles of plains laid to the south. A desert covered the west, and a small village was tucked into the hills of the west. The sky was bright blue, and the sun was shining brightly. It was beautiful. There was nothing else to describe it. When he turned to look to the north, though, he almost couldn't believe what he saw.
He was standing on an enormous golden pyramid. It pulsed softly, emitting a faint light from the very bricks it was made from. He was standing on what looked like the first level, with many more above him. There was a massive staircase on the directly in front of him, leading all the way to the top. From here, it looked to stretch half a mile into the sky.
For a few moments, Darbus stared at the pyramid, completely stupefied. He had seen many things in his life, but this topped them all.
"Welcome, Darbus."
He jumped, turning on a dime and preparing to defend himself. A Sheikah had appeared directly behind him. Just like all of his kind, his face was masked, leaving only his eyes exposed. Unlike most of his kind, his eyes were blue. There was something familiar about his features. Darbus couldn't place it, but he felt…safe.
"Who are you?" He asked, taking a step back anyways. It was never a good idea to crowd a Sheikah. It took him a moment, but he realized that the portal back to the meadow had closed.
"Justin." The Sheikah replied. "I assume Link and Zelda found you?"
Darbus paused, wondering how the Sheikah could have possibly known that, but answered the question anyways.
"Yes, they did."
"And I presume that they opened the door for you to enter the Sacred Realm?"
"Yes…" Darbus answered tentatively. "How do you know all this?"
"I know a lot of things." Justin replied. "Like the fact that you came here for the Triforce of Power."
Again, Darbus paused, unsure of what to say.
"Master Darbus, I am an agent of Farore. You have no reason to fear my intentions." Justin said. "To alleviate any doubts you may have, think about where you found me. No evil can exist in the Sacred Realm now that Ganondorf's influence has been purged from it."
It made sense. The Sacred Realm was a pure place, untouched by evil for over a thousand years.
"Yes, I'm here for the Triforce of Power." Darbus said, deciding that he could trust the Sheikah. "Where can I find it?"
"You're standing only a short walk away from it." Justin replied. "It's at the top of this pyramid waiting for its next bearer."
Darbus looked up, trying to get a fix on the top of the enormous pyramid, but realized that it was too high and too far away.
"Do I just…walk up there?" He asked hesitantly. "Are there any tests?"
"You have already passed the test." Justin replied. "You were sent here by the bearers of the other two pieces of the Triforce, who made a plea to the third piece to accept you as its master. Link and Zelda did most of the work. All you have to do is climb up there and put your hand on it."
"That's it?" Darbus wondered aloud. "It's one of the most sacred treasures in Hylian lore, and all I have to do to claim it is walk up there and touch it? It seems too easy."
"The test of the ages has always been one's ability to enter the Sacred Realm, which is no easy feat. You have passed that test, as well as received the recommendation of the other two bearers. What other tests must you pass?"
"I suppose none." Darbus said, and then turned to look at the stairs on the south side of the pyramid. "Should I start now?"
"Whenever you're ready. I'll be right behind you." Justin said. Darbus nodded, and rounded the corner. The stairs looked even more massive as he approached them, but he could now see most of the way to the top, where a bright golden beam stretched high into the sky.
That's it. He thought, the anticipation building inside of him. As much as he didn't want to take the Triforce of Power, it was the only way they could kill Marcus. The sooner they killed Marcus, the sooner everything could return to normal. His people would stop dying. Hyrule would be one again.
With those in thoughts, he took the first step. There were hundreds, perhaps over a thousand left, but he would make it. If the climb took the entire day, he would make it.
Nothing could stop him now.
…
Link and Zelda had concealed the result of their connection well until Darbus was gone, but it was almost impossible to act normally. Something had happened. Neither of them was sure exactly what it was, but it was there. For the briefest of moments, their minds had become one. All of their thoughts, feelings, and emotions had flooded into each other, strengthening the bond and allowing them to open the portal.
The result had nearly knocked Link out. After he told Darbus that the portal was open, he had had to sit back down. His legs were shaking, and he was breathing hard, as if he had just run a marathon. Opening the portal had been a cakewalk. Absorbing the contents of Zelda's mind had not been. It was clear that she was going through the same thing with his memories. Finally, his consciousness left him as he was hit with a particularly powerful memory.
"Princess?"
Zelda's eyes opened, looking up to find her personal handmaid, Phoebe, looking down at her. Worry filled her old eyes, and she kneeled down on level with the young princess.
"Is he okay?" Zelda asked, her voice broken with emotion. Phoebe's eyes welled up with tears, and she took the princess in her arms, holding her tightly.
"He's gone, Zelda." She whispered. Zelda paused, her young mind trying to process what she was being told.
"Daddy's dead?" She asked in disbelief. Phoebe nodded, still holding her close.
It took a few moments, but Zelda finally understood what was going on. She burst into tears, clutching at Phoebe's cloak. How could this happen? Why would that man she had seen do that? He had been so nice, but had pulled out a crossbow when he was walking out. He had tried to kill her, too, and a guard had stepped in front of her, and then everything was a blur. Now she was here, hiding in a strange room that she had never seen before. Everything was so confusing.
"What…what will I do?" She asked Phoebe, burying her face in her shoulder.
Phoebe didn't answer, instead just holding her close. After a few minutes, she let go and patted the princess on the shoulder.
"You're safe, Zelda. That's all that matters." She said, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I won't let anyone hurt you."
The brief memory faded out, and Link found himself on his back, staring up at the sky. He shook his head and looked to his right, finding that Zelda was unconscious on the ground. The Hero of Time was standing next to Jinny near the entrance to the meadow, seemingly unconcerned with what was going on. Jinny, on the other hand, was staring Link down. It took him a moment, but he realized she was saying something. Rather, she was mouthing something. Or maybe she was saying something and he couldn't hear her. Who knew?
Another memory flashed in front of his vision.
The trip to Celtica had been a total mess, and Zelda was immensely relieved to be coming back into Castle Town. The people here were so much friendlier, and they all liked her. The Royal Family of Celtica, on the other hand, had done their best to make her feel unwelcome. She had simply wanted to form a trade alliance, but they wouldn't even consider dealing with a woman. Much less a teenage girl.
"Whatever." She muttered to herself as the carriage pulled up to the castle. "They can kiss my ass. And the next time they have dignitaries moving through Hyrule, I'll make sure they don't set foot in Castle Town."
The carriage stopped, and the door opened a few moments later, allowing in the dwindling evening light. Erwin appeared, smiling.
"Hello there." He said, offering his hand. Zelda smiled and took it gratefully, allowing him to help her out.
"Hello Erwin. I trust that you kept everything in order while I was gone?"
"Of course. There was hardly an issue, anyways."
"That's good. Anything to report?" Zelda asked as they began walking towards the castle, a contingent of armed guards surrounding them.
"Nothing." Erwin replied. "It's been the most uneventful month of my life since you left, which was a welcome break from the normal chaos. How was the trip?"
Zelda paused, wondering if she should discuss the new issues in public. After a few seconds, she shrugged. Who cared if the guards around them heard?
"It was a disaster." She said. "The Celts are probably the most misogynistic, sexist culture I've ever dealt with. They wouldn't allow me to see the king, and when I presented the offer to the youngest prince, whose presence I was 'graced' with, he laughed in my face."
Erwin scowled, which said a lot. Normally, he wouldn't show any emotion to that kind of statement.
"That prince proceeded to say some…things that should never be said to any woman." Zelda finished, disgusted as she remembered the prince's pigheaded comments. He had propositioned her, offering to 'possibly consider thinking about her alliance' once she was done sodomizing him. Erwin didn't need to know that, though. He'd likely go and personally run that prince through.
"That's disgusting." Erwin said, shaking his head. They were walking into the castle now. "I was hoping that the new king would be more amiable than his father, but I see that that's not the case. What are you going to do about it?"
"I don't know." Zelda said. "It's nothing worth starting a war over, and I'm not so sensitive that I can't shrug off the words of a spoiled idiot. As for trade relations, though, I don't know if those are going to happen for a while."
"Not if they act like that, no." Erwin said. They made their way to the south tower, where her living quarters waited. As they began climbing the stairs, Erwin dismissed the guards. There would be more waiting at the top of the stairs, guarding the entrance to her room.
"Well anyways," Erwin said, changing the subject. "When the runner got here and said you would be arriving, I had the cooks start on a feast."
"A feast?" Zelda asked, slightly annoyed. "Erwin, you know what I think about feasts. They're a horrendous waste of resources."
"If there were people starving in this country, I would agree with you." Erwin replied, getting to the top of the stairs ahead of her. "But there's not, so… What the hell is this?"
Zelda stopped, unsure of what he was talking about.
"What?" She asked.
"Of all the times the guards could have chosen to abandon their posts, they picked now?" Erwin muttered to himself. "Goddesses be damned. We're letting soldiers this stupid guard your room?"
That sounded strange to Zelda. There had never been a point in her life when the guards had simply abandoned the post outside her door. They called it the most important one in the entire castle, as it was the only known entrance to her private chambers. She was the only one who knew about the secret entrances, seeing as her father had erased it from the blueprints.
"I don't think they'd just…abandon this post." Zelda said, voicing her thoughts. She took a few more steps so that she could see over the bottom of the floor. Sure enough, not a single guard stood in front of her room, whereas there were normally at least twelve of the most skilled soldiers Hyrule had to offer.
"You have a point." Erwin said. "Stay there. Do not move."
"Why?" Zelda asked.
"Just keep your head down."
Erwin walked up to the closed door, peering at it cautiously. It didn't look overly conspicuous, making Zelda curious. What could Erwin see that she couldn't?
The general put his ear to the crack in between the doors, listening carefully. After a long minute, he lifted the handle and pushed ever so slightly.
There was a loud, unnatural click, and Erwin yelled. He ran back to the stairs, grabbed Zelda, and started running down, taking five steps at a time with Zelda on his shoulder.
"Erwin, what-"
Above them, the entire antechamber to Zelda's room was suddenly engulfed in fire. The explosion hit them as they reached the bottom of the stairs, knocking them both to the ground. Within seconds, the south wing of the castle became a bustle of frantic activity. Guards materialized from every direction, and Zelda sat up, confused.
"Erwin?" She asked quietly, looking over at where the general was still lying on the ground. Her ears were ringing, and she realized that her dress was singed. One of her shoes had been blown off her foot, and the skin underneath was dark red, with a few blisters forming.
Seeing that she wasn't severely injured, she turned back to Erwin, who was still unresponsive. The first guards were reaching the scene, and Zelda watched as the world suddenly started spinning.
No, it's not spinning. She thought. Am I moving?
The guards were carrying her down the hall, leaving Erwin lying on the floor. A wave of panic drove through her heart.
"No!" She yelled, barely able to hear herself. "Don't leave him!"
One of the guards said something to her, but she couldn't hear him. There were only a few of them. She could…
A shock wave blew outwards from her body, with enough force to knock the guards away. They dropped her, crying out in shock.
What was that?! Zelda thought, landing on her feet. The world came into crystal clear focus, and her hearing returned suddenly, bringing with it the sound of the stone tower creaking above them.
"Get out of here!" She yelled at the staggered guards. They looked at her in terror, although she didn't know why. There wasn't enough time to worry about it. If they wouldn't help Erwin, she would.
She started running, and everything slowed down around her. After a few seconds, the world had stopped completely. Zelda kept running, though, having already made up her mind. She reached Erwin only a moment later, with the world still standing still around her, and pulled the general up onto her shoulder with unnatural ease. He was as light as a feather.
As she did so, time began to flow again. A long, low pitched creaking filled Zelda's ears, and she looked up to see that the ceiling was beginning to bulge and fall apart. Hastily, she carried Erwin away from the scene, and down the hall. As she ran far from the area, Erwin slowly grew heavier, and time sped up, until finally she collapsed under his weight. A few moments later, the south tower fell, crashing through the roof and sending a wave of dust down the hall.
Zelda coughed and spat out the dirt, groaning to herself. She was alive, though, regardless of her discomfort.
What just happened? She thought to herself in complete disbelief. The last few moments had been a complete blur. She reached over, verifying that Erwin was still lying next to her. He muttered something, and Zelda bolted upright.
"Erwin?" She asked. He only coughed, choking on the settling dust. Zelda reached down and tore a strip of her dress off, and then made to wrap it around his mouth. Her heart nearly stopped as she did so.
The Triforce had appeared on her right hand. The lower right piece was filled in, glowing gold, while the other two pieces were simple outlines. As she watched, the glow died down, leaving a black mark on the back of her hand in the exact same shape.
Zelda was petrified, and didn't even notice as Erwin came to. He tried to jump to his feet, but was so dizzy that he could hardly lift his weight.
"Zelda? What just happened?" He asked, looking over at her. "What are you looking at?"
When she didn't reply, he grabbed her hand and turned it around so that he could see for himself. His mouth dropped as he realized what he was looking at. He stared at it for a few seconds, and then shook his head.
"Come with me." He said, groaning and forcing himself to stand up. "We need to get you to safety while we figure out what just happened."
"What is this?" Zelda asked, still fixated on the Triforce that had appeared on her hand. "What does it mean?"
Erwin pulled her to her feet unexpectedly, and started hurrying her down the hallway.
"You've been chosen as the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, and that can mean only one thing." He said.
"What?" Zelda asked.
"Ganondorf is coming back."
Link's vision came into focus again, and sat up slowly. That memory had been so powerful that it left him in momentary confusion as to what he was doing in the meadow. It had been so real. He had felt exactly what Zelda had felt. It seemed like he had been in control of her body, as if he was the one who had rushed underneath the collapsing tower to save General Rommel. He had even felt the same shock at seeing the Triforce of Wisdom as she had.
Looking over at Zelda, Link could see that she was still unconscious, likely living through some of his most powerful memories. He had seen the confirmation of her father's death, as well as the near death of her father figure and the moment she realized that she was the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom. These had both been traumatic, yet extremely important events in her life, and it made him wonder what she was seeing from his mind.
He hardly had enough time to worry about it, though, as his vision blurred and he slipped into another memory.
…
Jinny watched Link carefully, noting as he dropped unconscious for the third time. Zelda had come to a few moments before him, only to fall unconscious again.
"Are you sure this is supposed to be happening?" She asked the shade. He nodded.
"I told you already that the bonding of two bearers of the Triforce is a…difficult process." The Hero said. "It must happen, though, if they are to be effective against Marcus."
"Why didn't you tell them this was going to happen?" Jinny asked.
"It would have made no difference. They will only experience these memories for a short time. Perhaps an hour." The Hero replied. "Darbus will take at least that long to come back."
"Yeah, about that…" Jinny said, almost to herself. "The portal closed."
"I am aware of that."
"Was that supposed to happen?"
The Hero simply glanced over at her, saying nothing.
"I'll take that as a no." Jinny muttered, and then looked back at Link.
I hope he's okay. She thought, noticing how haggard he looked. Even in his unconscious state, it was obvious. She didn't notice as the Hero of Time looked at her again, this time holding his gaze for a few moments.
"You seem transfixed on the Hero of Twilight." He noted.
Jinny looked over at him, scowling.
"I'm just worried about him. Is there something wrong with that?"
For the first time since she had met him, the Hero laughed.
"I am noting that you are worried about only one party in this scenario." He said. "The princess is likely going through many more horrific memories from the hero's mind. He has seen a great many things that no man should ever see, and holds many terrors within the recesses of his mind, shut behind a wall that he dares not open. The Triforce has opened that wall, though, and his memories have yielded themselves to the Goddesses. Zelda will witness many of them."
Jinny didn't respond, instead looking back at the scene before her.
"Would you like to explain why you are still more concerned about Link?" The Hero asked.
"No." Jinny said flatly. The shade laughed to himself again.
"That was all I needed to hear."
…
Zelda opened her eyes, startled. Link's memory had been so real, just like the three before it. She had seen his battle with Zant, felt his anger and fear, cried out when he had been injured…
She gasped as she was drawn back into an even more powerful memory.
"Link…I…"
Link looked up at Midna, feeling hopeful. She had said herself that as long as the mirror was there, they could see each other again. Did that mean what he thought it meant? Maybe that's what she was about to tell him. It seemed awkward with Zelda standing right next to them, but they didn't have another choice at this point.
"See you later." She said, a single tear falling from her eye.
See you later? Why is she crying? He wondered, and then watched cautiously as the tear began glowing and rose into the air. What in the name of the goddesses is she doing?
The tear drifted into the mirror lazily, passing through the center. The entire mirror began glowing brightly, and then a loud crack split the silence.
And then it all made sense. They could see each other if the mirror was still there, but it wasn't going to be. Only the true Princess of the Twilight could shatter the mirror, and she was doing just that. They were never going to see each other again.
He had only a split second to make a decision as he watched Midna climb the glowing stairs to the portal. He could run after her and stay in the Twilight Realm. He knew he could survive there. If he hesitated, he wouldn't have the chance.
I have to go now! He realized. Midna was looking over at him, tears flowing freely from her eyes now.
His legs didn't move, though. As much as his mind screamed at them to start running, they were stuck to the ground.
And then, in a matter of seconds, Midna disappeared into the portal. The mirror shattered, its pieces glittering brightly as they drifted slowly to the ground.
She was gone.
Link stared at the massive block of obsidian in disbelief. It had happened so quickly. All his hopes and dreams had been shattered with that mirror. He stood there for a few minutes, not able to find the words to express what he was feeling.
How could she do this to me? He wondered, his mind finally able to form a coherent thought. The one woman he had ever grown to love had just abandoned him. How could this happen? What sort of sick joke was this?
Finally, Zelda carefully laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Do you need a moment to yourself?" She asked politely.
Link opened his mouth, but found his voice gone. After a few more attempts, he cleared his throat and tried again.
"No, your majesty. I think we should probably leave." He said quietly.
Zelda looked at him for a moment, and then nodded. She started to turn, and then stopped for a moment.
"I'm sorry, for what it's worth." She said, looking down at the ground. "I had no idea she was planning on doing that."
Link nodded, only slightly comforted by her words. Deciding that the time for gawking was over, though, he turned his back on the shattered mirror and led the way down the stairs. He had other responsibilities to take care of before he could mourn his loss. Namely, Zelda had to get back to what was left of the castle, and he was the only one there to protect her from the remnants of Zant's armies.
And so, with that in mind, he and the princess left the Arbiter's Grounds in silence.
Zelda woke again, finding her eyes streaked with tears. She had never realized how painful that experience had been for Link because of how well he hid his feelings afterwards. She hadn't known him well enough to ask about the situationon the way back, and he hadn't made any attempt to talk about Midna.
She sat up shakily, looking back over at Link. Just like every conscious moment she had had in the past half hour, he was lying motionless on the ground. It was obvious he was experiencing the same things she was.
Another memory began to sweep over her, and she slowly fell back down on the grass.
…
Darbus was breathing heavily after the first half of the stairs, feeling as if he had just rolled across Hyrule. The air was getting thinner as he climbed higher, making breathing more difficult, but he refused to quit. By the time he was three quarters of the way to the top, though, he had to stop and take a break. Justin was still right behind him, not showing any signs of fatigue.
Darbus dropped down to one knee, panting heavily, and then fell flat on his back.
"We're almost there." Justin said flatly, pointing at the top of the pyramid. "Can you not handle the exhaustion for a little longer?"
"Just give me a moment." Darbus coughed out in between deep breaths. He had never had such an intense cardiovascular workout. It wasn't exactly the specialty of the Gorons.
Justin just stared at him for a few moments, and then nodded and walked a few feet away, staring out over the Sacred Realm. For a few long moments, he stared out over the landscape in silence, and then spoke.
"Ganondorf has fought for over a thousand years to conquer this realm." He said quietly. "All because he set foot inside of it for a few moments. Yet, even with the Triforce of Power, and Hyrule broken, he was never able to reach his ultimate goal."
Darbus looked up at the Sheikah curiously. He didn't know him, and didn't quite know how he had gotten here, but he seemed to have a purpose in telling him this. For the moment, he simply listened.
"I presume you know the story of the Hero of Time and how Ganondorf first gained access to the Sacred Realm?"
Darbus nodded, and although Justin wasn't looking at him, he continued.
"Yes, I'm sure everyone does. It's quite the story, and we're lucky that the Hero of Time was successful. Otherwise, Ganondorf would have been."
"Where are you going with this?" Darbus asked, wanting him to get to the point.
Justin paused thoughtfully, and then continued.
"The Sacred Realm is beautiful. You can see that with your own eyes. I, however, remember when it was corrupted by Ganondorf's rule for seven years. It was not a beautiful place, because it reflected the evil in his heart. Now, however, it reflects the purity of the two current bearers of the Triforce."
"Will it change when I take the Triforce of Power?" Darbus asked curiously.
"The question is not if it will change." Justin said. "The question is what will change. Will your presence bring about even more prosperity? Or will the Sacred Realm become corrupted by your presence?"
"I have no ill inten-"
"I know you don't." Justin interrupted. "But the Sacred Realm is an ever changing place, just like its bearers. Just as Link and Zelda change with age and experience, so will you. When you receive the Triforce of Power, you will receive abilities that you never knew existed. You could be unstoppable. The world would fall before your might, should you so desire.
"It's slow. At first, you will have noble intentions, much like you do now. You will use your piece of the Triforce to help your people. But then you'll have a disagreement with someone, or find some injustice in the world, and the seed of temptation will be planted. You will deny it. You will be afraid of it. But it will not go away.
"You will use the Triforce to right that wrong. Your problem being solved, you will be happy, and feel good about your power. You will feel noble, as if you did the right thing. Most likely, you will have done the right thing. But from that moment on, you will be unstoppable. Your ideas of justice will be imposed on those around you, instilled into their hearts with fear. Eventually, your mind will play tricks on you, and you will begin to use your piece of the Triforce more frequently. At some point, it will become a daily thing, even a habit. That is when you have lost the battle."
Darbus opened his mouth to speak, but Justin turned to him.
"You must be prepared. You cannot give in to the temptation."
"This is a sacred object." Darbus said, confused. "Why would a piece of the Triforce corrupt me?"
"The Triforce itself will not corrupt you." Justin replied. "You will corrupt yourself. Your own thoughts will be your downfall. No mortal is meant to have that kind of power."
"Then why can Link and Zelda hold their pieces without any adverse effects?"
"Link and Zelda have the pieces of Courage and Wisdom, which do not provide a direct line to unstoppable power." Justin said. "The Triforce of Power is different. The mortal mind is not able to comprehend that kind of authority over others."
There was a moment of silence, and Justin turned to face south again.
"How do you know all of this?" Darbus asked quietly.
There was another pause before Justin sighed.
"In Hyrule's history, there are only two people known to have put their hands on the full Triforce. One, obviously, is Ganondorf. He failed to collect all three pieces, which was a blessing. The less known person was the Hero of the Sky, a thousand years before Ganondorf was born."
"The Hero of the Sky?" Darbus asked curiously.
"Yes, the Hero of the Sky." Justin said. "The same hero who made the Master Sword as we know it today. The same hero who descended from the sky to cleanse Hyrule of the demon Ghirahim. The same hero whose descendants were cursed with an incarnation of Demise's evil until the end of time. Have you heard nothing of these stories?"
"No." Darbus said, shrugging. "Care to tell me more?"
"In time." Justin said. "For now, I can tell you that the Hero of the Sky touched the Triforce, wishing away Demise's evil. Though he didn't take the sacred triangles for himself, he was one with them for the briefest of moments. They gave him courage and wisdom, and then granted him power like no mortal had ever seen. Though only for a moment, he tasted invincibility."
"And yet he still ended up doing the right thing, did he not?" Darbus asked.
"Yes, and he put the Triforce back in its resting place. For hundreds of years, he built a temple around it, and created the Sacred Realm you see before you. His hope was that no mortal would ever find this place."
Justin looked down at the ground and sighed again.
"It was wasted effort. The idea was that no sane mortal would ever find his way here and lay his hands on the Triforce, only to be corrupted by the immeasurable power. What he didn't count on was Ganondorf."
"And the rest is still written in history." Darbus said.
"Yes, I suppose so." Justin replied.
"What's the moral of all this? Are you telling me that the Triforce of Power will corrupt me over time?"
"I don't know what it will do to you." The Sheikah said, and then turned to face Darbus again. "I am simply telling you what I wish someone had told me two thousand years ago."
It took Darbus a moment to realize what he was being told.
"So…you're the Hero of the Sky?"
"Many have called me that, yes."
"And yet you're dressed as a Sheikah. Why is that?"
"I practiced the Sheikan arts for hundreds of years before Ganondorf took over Hyrule. I could get close to the Royal Family and use my skills to protect them. It was a perfect disguise until the Sheikah died out. Afterwards, I resigned myself to living in the shadows and only assisting Hyrule when I was needed desperately."
"So you're two thousand years old?" Darbus asked.
"Indeed."
"How are you still…alive?"
Justin chuckled to himself.
"The goddess Hylia was my childhood friend and, eventually, my wife." He said. "There are certain benefits that come with that position. Though I have certain restrictions on my presence in Hyrule, as well as what I do there, I have been granted the privilege of remaining alive to assist during emergencies, as well as assist my descendants from the shadows."
"Is Link your descendant?" Darbus asked.
"Yes. Every hero since Hyrule came to exist has been from my bloodline."
"And I presume he has no idea?"
"Of course not. He knows me as Justin, a vagrant, mysterious Sheikah who assisted him in his travels. He will know the truth the moment you lay your hand on the Triforce of Power, though. Just as his memories are bonding with Zelda's right now, he will absorb all of yours, including this moment."
Darbus paused nervously, and then decided to speak up.
"All of them?" He asked.
Justin laughed again.
"Only the important ones. Fortunately for you, it won't be near as…intense as what he and Zelda are going through now." He replied. "Now, what would you say to finishing this journey to the top of the pyramid?"
Darbus nodded and stood up. The top of the pyramid didn't look so far away as it had before, and he started moving up the stairs again, with the Hero of the Sky following close behind.
The rest of the distance passed quickly, and before he knew it, Darbus was crossing the threshold to the top level of the pyramid. He gasped as he saw what waited for him at the top.
The Triforce of Power was spinning slowly above a golden altar, emitting a bright beam of light into the sky. From this point, he could see the vast mountain ranges to the north of the pyramid, as well as the farthest reaches of the Sacred Realm. The Triforce added to the beauty of it all, giving the place a completely unreal feeling.
"Is this…?" Darbus muttered, not sure what he wanted to ask.
"Yes," Justin said. "All you have to do is lay your hand on the Triforce of Power. It will be yours."
Darbus stared at the golden triangle, completely awestruck. This was the most powerful artifact known to mankind, and he was about to be its bearer. Any other time, he would have balked at the idea of taking something so powerful for himself, but desperate times were calling for desperate measures. This was their only chance to defeat Marcus, and so he would be its bearer for the time being.
With that thought in mind, Darbus took one look back at Justin, and then stepped up to the golden altar. The mere presence of the holy artifact was almost overwhelming, driving him to his knees. Slowly, he reached his hands over the altar and, willing his arms to move, laid his hands on the Triforce of Power.
…
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