Author's Note(s): Figured I'd add this. Election Night, so I'm up late tonight. And I should've added this chapter earlier. I'm a little hesitant to, though, but meh, people are probably guessing some of this stuff anyway. Oh, and the first half of this has major revelations for the ENTIRE (planned) trilogy.
The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness
Chapter 29: Temple Depths
Sheila shivered. She didn't like this place. Drops of water leaked from the ceiling. The entire place smelled musty and rotten. Dead or dying vines crawled up along the walls. Despite these things, though, the four of them pressed onward through the depths. It was pretty quick reaching the central chamber of the temple, and of course, all but Sheila knew how to reach the lower levels.
The four stepped into the platform in the middle of the room which Link referred to as an 'elevator,' and they rode down to the bottom. From here, they just followed the red carpet straight back to the archives; the very inner sanctum of the entire temple.
Navi stepped forward and put her hands together. They began to glow pink, casting a light across the room. There was a pedestal at the end of the room, and Saria quickly raced up to it. A small green medallion lay there. "This must be it…"
Link nodded. "Yes, that looks like the Forest Medallion. Should I carry it?"
Saria handed to him. "Very well, then. You'll probably end up with it, anyway."
"Hey, what's this?!" Sheila called out from the side of the room.
Saria and Link turned to where the white-haired girl stood. Navi's light revealed some tapestries on the wall. She lifted her hands up to them and Link studied them closely. "It's an ancient manuscript of sorts," he proclaimed. "I don't know what it says, though… I can't read it."
He turned back to Navi. "Can you make this out?" Link asked.
Navi shrugged her shoulders. "I… I don't know."
She stepped forward, raising her hands up alongside the wall like a torch. "Um… Let's see, uh… I…"
Sheila sighed. "Let me guess… You can't read it, either?"
Navi lowered her head. "Uh… Well, of course I can, uh…"
Saria walked passed Navi, looking at the text on the wall. Suddenly, she gasped out. "What the…?"
All eyes turned to her. Link was especially curious. "Saria… YOU can read it?!"
She turned to Link and her cheeks burned deep red… "Um… I came up and glanced at this, and I'm wondering why no one else can… It's in plain English!"
Link blinked. "But… That's not possible!" He quickly turned back to it, but only saw a bunch of squiggly, meaningless lines. "Its… its gobbledygook! I can't make heads or tails out of it!"
Sheila ran up and pushed Link out of the way, looking up towards the manuscript. She raised a finger to her chin. "Mmm… Well, I'd have to agree with Link… There's no possible way this is English. It's just a bunch of lines twirling in different ways. I can't see how you can make anything out of it."
Saria stepped forward and stood next to her, staring her in the eyes. "I assure you that I can read this. It must have to do with specifically me, because none of you, not even Navi, was able to read it. Clearly, I am the only one that is able to. Now please, stand back."
Sheila moped a bit, but finally agreed. She backed up a few paces and stopped, but still eyed Saria carefully.
The green-haired girl closed her eyes briefly, but then opened them again and looked at the writings hanging from the wall. Slowly, and softly, she began to read.
"Throughout time, we, the great sages of this world, have fulfilled the will of the Goddesses and protected the sacred triangle…
Appointed by the messenger, the holy flame, we guarded the relics entrusted to us, and the holy flame that now rests within the Earth, bringing life and prosperity to all that lives.
We seven of the elements of time, space, and matter, protect the regions of the world, and entrust our power to the chosen ones, who shall inherit our power.
We spirits created by the messenger, we are the will of the sages. Our power awakens the seven chosen, and the seven chosen hold the keys that open the door of the Sacred Realm.
O' sage of light, guardian of the golden hall, protector of the Sacred Realm, lead the sages and guide them to the right path. Become the final barrier between light and dark.
O' sage of time, guardian of the door, protect thine halls and direct the chosen hero to his destiny.
O' sage of spirits, guardian of the living, take thy people and watch over the sands of the earth, barring passage to the life-force of the world.
O' sage of shadows, guardian of the dead, lead the lost ones to the promised land.
O' sage of waters, guardian of the sea, guide the flow of the rivers and the storms and rains and bring the life-giving drink to the earth and to its people.
O' sage of flames, guardian of the fires, power the light of the sun and bring warmth to the world.
And O' sage of forests, guardian of all green, grow with the earth and prosper, plant the seeds of life and joy.
Ye seven sages, ye who read these tapestries, know that more is to be said. The holy flame lay resting until the dark power came to take it. Only by the power of the sages, and by the power of the hero, was the darkness defeated.
Beware of the power in the east…
Beware of the evil that lies within…
Beware of the scepter of darkness…"
Saria stepped back, looking to the ground. Her face was pale.
"Saria…?" Link asked.
The scepter of darkness…
It is your destiny…
I have to get out of here…
…your destiny…
…have to escape…
…destiny…
"SARIA!"
Link raced forward, quickly catching Saria in his arms. "Saria… Are you alright?!"
Saria stared blankly a few seconds, unmoving, unwavering, unbreathing… At last, she inhaled deeply. Tears poured from her eyes. She buried her head in Link's chest. "What… What have I done?!"
Navi just stood there, staring at the text, eyes fixed on the last line. She pictured what it looked like in her mind should she be the one standing there, reading the text. "The scepter of darkness…" she turned down to Link. "Its power has been unleashed, hasn't it?"
Link nodded. "Y-yes…" he muttered softly.
"Scepter… of darkness?" Sheila asked.
Navi closed her eyes. "I fear… there isn't much time left for the world…" her eyelids opened, again, but only slightly. She narrowed them, staring straight ahead. "We have to stop it… NOW!"
XXXXX
Relm leaned back and looked up into the sky above, out into the distant horizon. The sun had set hours ago, but she was unable to sleep. It was especially disappointing to learn that only Link, Saria, and Sheila were allowed entrance into the forest. She did not know why Sheila was allowed to go and not her, but she didn't like it.
Regardless, she wasn't the only one left out, and she felt foolish enough to even think about that. Without Saria or Sheila around, Zelda had been wandering free from that troublesome mask. These people of Ordon knew nothing of Hyrule, so they never realized that they had a princess in their midst… well, two, even, but Relm herself never knew either until two days prior. They also never realized that only Link and herself had known what 'Sheik' looked like without her mask on.
Relm tried to tell herself that she was in this for the adventure. The real truth, though, was that she was angry with her mother for keeping this secret all this time. She always thought she was an orphan, found and raised by the Sheikah tribe. However, as it turns out, now, that was a lie all along. What reason, then, was there for such a secret to be kept?
She sighed. It was nigh impossible to determine what their motives were. The deed was done, and now she had no choice but to accept that. One thing that was probably for the better was that she was now very skilled in stealth and secrecy; swift as a ninja. Had she been raised in a castle as a princess, she most likely would have been a spoiled brat… but she wasn't. Now she was strong; determined. She even knew a little magic.
The red-haired girl glanced around at the trees and the houses of the small village. A bird flapped its wings, flying from tree to tree. It flew toward her, and she reached out her hand, raising her index finger, so it could land.
Except that it did not.
All of a sudden, it just stopped. It hung there, lifeless, from a seemingly never ending void; wings outstretched, talons held out so it could land. The wind came to a complete halt. Not a sound was to be heard. A leaf from the trees above hovered in the air, falling to the ground below. Relm gasped. "What in the world? It's not possible!"
In her surprise, she slipped and fell off the tree branch she had been sitting on. Luckily, she was able to swing her hand back up and catch onto it once more. The bracers she wore protected her skin and her bones within her hands; though her fingertips hurt a little, being the only parts unprotected.
Seeing a branch below her, she dropped down and balanced herself onto it. Like the bird, and the leaf, and the wind, the branch stood perfectly still. She tried to shake it, but it didn't budge an inch. She was light, yes, and of course the branch was able to hold her, but it didn't even move. She should've at least been able to shake it even a little, but she could not.
She quickly jumped down, branch-by-branch, landing onto the ground below, her hair flowing out behind her and settling along her back. Zelda ran up to her. "Relm, something strange is going on around here! The water from the fountain suddenly stopped flowing, and—"
"Did you see a flying bird stop in the middle of the air?" Relm remarked.
Zelda gasped. "Uh… no…"
Relm darted passed, glancing back briefly. "Then you've seen nothing. Come, let's go check it out."
Zelda nodded. She followed Relm closely, heading toward the forest entrance around the winding paths. Once they passed the final house of the village and near the forest entrance, they stopped. A man was standing there.
He bore a wide grin… scarily-wide, that is. He held a large sack around his back; all kinds of different masks hanging down from it. One in particular lay right at the top. Relm and Zelda could not make it out exactly, but it appeared to be purple and heart-shaped, with a series of golden spikes all the way around. Man others were very creepy and eerie, while yet others were peaceful, and calm.
The man stepped forward, holding out a hand in greeting. "Heeheehee… Hello, young ones… I have been traveling far and wide… I know who you are, and you know whom I seek. Could you assist me?"
Zelda raised an eyebrow. "You know who I—"
"Yes, I know you, Princesses of Hyrule," he remarked. Relm gave him a strange look, and he turned to her. "Ah, yes, yes, the 'lost' princess. You were taken in by the queen's mentor, friend, and former nanny, in order to protect you from… Well, I shan't get into details now, but it'll be made clear to you soon. Whatever the case, you were set apart purposely for a reason. If you were kept together, you wouldn't be alive today."
Relm stared blankly for a few seconds, mouth agape. She finally closed it and turned away, closing her eyes, as well. She walked a little ways and stopped, grunting.
The man laughed, switching his gaze over to Zelda. "Heeheehee… Angry, isn't she? Angry at her parents? Angry at me? Perhaps even angry at you?"
Zelda shot a glare towards him. She raised her fist up. "You better—"
"What? What are you going to do to me, little girl? Hmm?"
She stopped. "I—"
His grin widened, if that was possible. "Hmmhmmhmm… You act tough, but you're still just a little stuck-up brat. You can't really fight. You barely know how to wield your own weapons. You couldn't possibly protect anyone."
Zelda gasped. "But—"
"Hehehe… Run all you want, but it won't get you anywhere. Now, on to business, hm…? Would you be so kind as to tell me where he has gone? Of course you know who I am referring to."
"Why should we tell you?" Relm demanded, glaring back at him.
He narrowed his eyes, laughing again. "Ooh… temper, temper… Heeheehee… The truth is that I need to talk with him. You may not know me, but he knows me well. Oh sooooo well… heeheehee…"
"We wouldn't tell you even if we DID know where he is!" Zelda cried out.
"Hehehe… Oh, I know where he is… I know everything, remember? Now I see that you are trustworthy. The Hero of Time has many enemies, yes indeed… It would be wise if he watched his back…"
"A test?" Relm asked. "We don't even KNOW you!"
"Of course you don't…" the man replied, "but you shall… soon enough, you'll get to know me better…"
"You're just crazy," Zelda added. "You suddenly just barge in here, making accusations, and suddenly—"
She couldn't finish her statement, though. Out of nowhere, the wind began to pick up again. The mystery man had also vanished, gone… but his voice carried on in the air. "Heeheehee… He does not yet realize that one closest to him… is one that he desperately seeks… One to cast this world into shadow…"
The voice carried on into the wind, fading and disappearing. The two girls looked to each other, stunned.
Zelda leaned up against a nearby tree, groaning. "This is all too confusing… One minute, time has stopped before our very eyes and we see a crazy man, but then he's gone in a flash… What WAS that…? And what did he mean by 'one'?"
Relm closed her eyes, sighing. "I think he's talking about the Sorceress." She crossed her arms and opened her eyes, again. "One of us five is clearly either the Sorceress, or is being directly manipulated by her."
Zelda gasped out. "But… that's… that's impossible! One… one of us… is a traitor?!"
"Apparently so," Relm replied. Suddenly, her thoughts drifted. An image appeared in her head. The answer came. She sneered, narrowing her eyes tightly. 'And I think I know who…'
