Yet another chapter that took forever! But it's finished!

Enjoy! ;)

Chapter 12: Awakening the Sages

"WHOOOOAAA!" the heroes yelled as they came down from the cyclone due to Link having played the Ballad of Gales, landing right next to Outset Island.

"Mama mia…" Luigi groaned dizzily. "That's a new one…"

"Ooogh… I think I'm gonna be sick…" Toad groaned.

"My head is spinning…" Yoshi groaned.

"I'm a little dizzy, but I'm alright." Link said. "You guys okay?"

"Yeah, we'll live." Mario replied as he shook it off.

"So now we have to go east, right?" Peach asked.

"That's right." Luka nodded. "If memory serves right, Headstone Island is the next island after Outset to the east!"

With that, they wasted no time in heading for Headstone Island. Speaking of which, this island has a beach covered with tiny stones and was surrounded by larger ones crossing the island. At the very end of the largest stone on the island, there was a large head made out of stone leaning against it.

However, what caught the heroes' attention the most was that there was a cloaked person standing on the beach. Luka and the Mario cast noticed that the person looked similar to the sorceress who sent them to this world, but could it really be her? They'll have to dismount the boat to find out.

As they did so, it appears that the cloaked person immediately noticed their presence and turned around to face them.

"Ah, I see that you've arrived just as I told you." the person spoke, sounding exactly like the mysterious sorceress.

"Wait… You're the sorceress, aren't you?" Toad asked. "And are you the one who told us to come here?"

"That's right." the sorceress nodded. "I came to this world because… I want to help you out with your task of restoring power back to the Master Sword."

Luka and the Mario cast's eyes grew wide. "Really?!"

"Yep! And with that… I believe it's time for me to reveal myself."

With a swift left arm movement, the sorceress removes the cloak, letting it fly away by the wind. Her appearance was that of a young woman with light blue hair, and she had a friendly soft smile on her face. She was also carrying a grimoire on her right arm.

Everyone was left in shock by the sorceress' true appearance; they were not expecting her to be such a beautiful young woman at all.

"Whoa…" Link breathed. "Who are you?"

"I am known as the white sorceress." the sorceress replied. "You can call me… Lana."

"Lana…?" the Mario cast blinked.

"No… WAY!" Luka thought overenthusiastically, due to seeing another Zelda character that she likes right in front of her.

"Mhm!" Lana nodded, still smiling.

"You know, there's something I want to ask." Mario said. "How did you know about the troubles happening in Hyrule just so you could send us out to help the hero?"

"That's because I know a lot about the history of Hyrule, and its past, present, and future of it." Lana replied. "You see, I'm also a Guardian of Time, watching over the balance of time in Hyrule from multiple periods. As for why I sent you all specifically… well, aside from Luka who I only did it in order to fulfill her wish, for the rest of you, I could see great potential in you all, from participating in multiple events and frequently using teamwork. Even the gods of Hyrule themselves seemed to acknowledge your actions from your previous adventure, which might be the main reason you were all chosen to become Sages. And for Luka's case, it's due to her high knowledge of this world that she was also chosen."

"I guess that makes sense." Luigi said. "Hold on! Does this mean that when the King mentioned about a sorceress, he was really talking about you?"

"Bingo!"

"Yep, she really is a cheerful one…" Mario thought with a playful smile.

"Indeed." the King of Red Lions interfered. "I have met Lana not too long ago before you came to the chamber, and she told me everything about you, Heroes from Another World."

"Oh, we see it now…" Peach mused.

"Okay, now how exactly are you going to help us out?" Link asked.

"Well, first of all… I went for two certain islands and got these from each of them!" Lana took out a pair of Power Bracelets and Iron Boots, much to Luka's surprise.

"You actually fetched the two items we needed from the Fire Mountain and Ice Ring Isle for us?!" Luka asked.

"Yep! Surprised, aren't you?" Lana playfully winked. "Anyway, these two new items will help you uncover both this and Gale Isle's secret passages that will lead them to the whereabouts of the two Sages." she said while handing both items to Link.

"I see… Thanks." Link said, taking the items and put on the Power Bracelets while putting the Iron Boots away. "So, what does these bracelets do?"

"They grant you the ability to lift up heavy objects, even if they are way bigger than you!" Lana explained. "Just try it out on that stone head over there!" she points to the stone head.

Nodding, Link ran over to the stone head and put his hands underneath it. Using all his might, Link manages to lift up the stone right above his head before throwing it away, much to the Mario cast's shock as that remind them back when the Hero of Time lifted up a large stone pillar in Ganon's Castle.

"Wow, I'm surprised this actually worked!" Link exclaimed… and then saw the Mario cast in a shocked trance akin to the one they had previously as I mentioned above. "Uhh… Guys?" he walked over to them and waved his hand in front of them as they blinked a few times before snapping out of it.

"Link as an adult lifting up heavy things is one thing, but a child Link doing that is something else!" Luigi remarked.

"Déjà vu, much?" Lana teased. "Well, sorta…?"

"I can guess that you have experienced something similar to that in your previous adventure, right?" Link guessed as the Mario cast nodded. "At least now I know." he chuckled.

The large group then entered the passage that was behind the stone head, taking them into a cave where a large stone wall stood in the way, but it did have symbols depicting different directions engraved on it, indicating that this was another melody for the Wind Waker.

Link looked at the directions: the order was down, down, center, right, left, center. He took out the Wind Waker and successfully waved the baton in said directions, learning the Earth God's Lyric.

Just then, the Triforce symbol on the wall glowed, and then a gust of wind came from behind the group as they turned around. When the wind cleared, there stood a ghostly figure that heavily resembled a Zora, to which besides Luka and Lana, the Mario cast immediately recognized.

"O great hero, chosen by the Master Sword!" the Zora sage spoke directly to Link. "My name is Laruto. I am a Zora sage."

"So that's how a Zora is like…" Link thought.

"For an age, I offered my prayers here in the Earth Temple, praying that the power to repel evil would ever remain within the Master Sword. And yet…unfortunately, due to Ganondorf's evil designs, the Master Sword you hold has lost this power. After his defeat at the hands of the Hero of Time, Ganondorf was sealed away by the Seven Sages…but not for all time. He was revived, and he returned to Hyrule in a red wrath. He attacked this temple and stole my soul, knowing that he had to remove the power contained in that enchanted blade."

This made Link and the Mario cast's eyes widen in surprise and in realization; the reason the Master Sword no longer held the power to repel evil was due to this sage, and possibly the other one, being killed by Ganondorf. The Mario cast knew Ganondorf was an evil man, but they never thought he would go that far as to kill sages of all people. And if they, along with Luka, were chosen to be the new sages and if Ganondorf manages to capture them, imagine what he could do to them!

"In order to return the power to repel evil to your sword, you must find another to take my stead in this temple and ask the gods for their assistance." Laruto said, and then showed them what she was carrying; a golden lyre. "You must find the one who carries on my bloodline… The one who holds this sacred instrument…"

"But… as far as I'm concerned, I haven't seen any Zoras around…" Link said.

"Nothing can stop the flow of time or the passing of generations…but the fate carried within my bloodline endures the ravages of all the years. It survives. The song you just conducted is one that will open the eyes of the new sage and awaken within that sage the melody that will carry our prayers to the gods. The door that blocks your way will only open when the sage plays that song. May the winds of fortune blow with you."

The gust of wind came back, and Laruto disappears. Luka and Lana watched Link and the Mario cast standing there, trying to process about what just happened.

"Okay, so from what I heard, Ganondorf had killed that Zora sage and now we need to find another one to take her place, who's also supposed to be part of her bloodline?" Link summed up. "Where do we start?"

"Link, remember that we told you that the Zoras evolved into a different tribe when the great flood happened?" Luka reminded as Link nodded. "And what tribe have they become?"

"Umm… the Rito?" Link replied with unsureness… and then it dawned on him. "Are you saying that…?"

"Yep! The new sage waiting to be awakened is at Dragon Roost Island!"

"That's absolutely correct!" Lana chimed. "But first, I suggest we head to Gale Isle next."

"Why?" Yoshi asked.

"While it would be nice to do both temples one at a time, how about we split up into two groups and do both of them at the same time and instantly awaken the Master Sword's power back to full in no time?"

"Hey! That's a great idea!" Luka exclaimed, until something came into her mind. "But wait… by splitting up, Link will be in only one group, so how are we going to get the Master Sword from one temple to another?"

"Simple! I can just warp the group who went to one temple to the other!"

"Oh, right! I kind of forgot that you can also use teleportation magic..." Luka replied in embarrassment. "Been a while since I last played Hyrule Warriors…"

"Anyway, the reason why we have to go to that other island is because that since we're splitting up when we get to the temples, we have to see the other sage in order to do so." Lana stated.

"Oh, of course." Link nodded. "There's two sages, so we still have to see the other one." he turned to face the Mario cast. "Well then, off to Gale Isle!"

The Mario cast nodded before they all exited the cave, and afterwards, they boarded the King of Red Lions and once Lana indicated Link where Gale Isle is, he played the Ballad of Gales again.

This time, the cyclone took them to Windfall Island since Gale Isle was just to the north of here. Wasting no time, the group sailed north to head to Gale Isle.

This island was mostly covered in stone and vegetation compared to Headstone Island. The main obstacle ahead were the strong gusts of wind coming from a wall shaped like an Octorok's head, which were making the grass and palm trees flail violently by the direction the wind was coming from.

"Holy crap, that's a lot of wind…" Toad awed.

"Well, this island is called GALE Isle for a reason." Luka pointed out.

"Alright so, what do we have to do here?" Link asked.

"Just put on the Iron Boots, and destroy the source of this wind!" Lana explained.

"Oh, right!" Link then puts on the Iron Boots, and slowly trod his way to the wall, using the Skull Hammer to destroy it. The gusts of wind stopped, and everyone else were able to reach Link before they all went into the cave.

The interior of the cave was exactly the same as the one from Headstone Island, featuring a large stone wall blocking the path with symbols inscribed on it. This time, though, the directions of the new melody were: up, up, down, right, left, right. Link conducted his Wind Waker in the directions shown, and thus learned the Wind God's Aria.

Like before, the Triforce symbol glowed, and a gust of wind came from behind the group. They turned around, and what they saw was a ghostly figure of a Kokiri boy.

"Are you the new hero?" the Kokiri boy asked Link.

"Um, yes…" Link nodded.

"I am Fado of the Kokiri tribe. I know I appear to you as a child, but the eyes can oft deceive. I am a most esteemed sage. I had been praying here so that the power to repel evil would continue to be contained within the blade of the Master Sword… But I was attacked by the evil Ganondorf… and this is what happened to me."

The Mario cast couldn't help but frown at this. If Laruto and Fado were the only remaining members of the Zora and Kokiri tribes, that means both tribes went into full extinct by the time the Great Sea came to be. Sure, both tribes suffered a change in evolution for the best, but still… it was pretty saddening to know that the Kokiri and the Zora completely ceased to exist in this era.

"You wish to return the power to your blade, don't you?" Fado asked. Link glanced back at the Master Sword on his back before nodding at the sage, as the others did the same thing. "In that case, look for the one who has the same instrument that I hold, and teach him the song you just played." he showed them the instrument he was holding; a leafy violin and a wooden stick for the bow.

Immediately, Link and the Mario cast's eyes widened upon eyeing the instrument: didn't it look like the same violin that Makar played at the ceremony? Could Makar really be a sage?

"Once you do, I'm certain the holder of the instrument will feel the blood of the sages awaken within his veins." Fado said. "That Wind Waker you hold was used long ago to conduct us sages when we played our song to call upon the gods. In those days, it was always the king who conducted for us…"

"The king…?" Link thought, and then he realized something: the King of Red Lions was the one who gave him the Wind Waker, and he is secretly the King of Hyrule… If the king Fado mentioned was indeed the King of Hyrule aka the King of Red Lions, that's why he had the Wind Waker in the first place!

"Please… Tell the king that I will still play…even in the next world!" Fado then disappears.

"So both of the sages were killed by Ganondorf… No wonder why the Master Sword lost its ability to repel evil!" Peach concluded.

"You're right." Link said. "Now we just have to locate the new sages, right?"

"Exactly!" Lana nodded. "But first, let's decide the two groups to tackle each temple. We have the Wind Temple here, and the Earth Temple at Headstone Island."

Link, Luka and the Mario cast began debating about who's going to which temple. After a few seconds, they addressed back Lana with their choices: the ones who'll be heading to the Earth Temple were Link, Mario, Luigi, and Luka, and the rest, including Lana, will be heading to the Wind Temple.

"Good! It's decided!" Lana chimed. "Now here's what we'll do," she first addresses Luka, "Luka, you warp yourself and Mario and Luigi back to Headstone Island with your powers." next to Link, "Link, you head out to Dragon Roost Island and next the Forest Haven where you'll awake the two sages. But I'll make sure to help you out, so I'm coming along." and finally Peach, Yoshi and Toad, "And you three, wait here until I come back."

"Got it!" everyone else nodded, and then Luka snapped her fingers as she and the Mario Bros disappeared in a puff of smoke, while Link and Lana exited the cave as Peach, Yoshi and Toad waved.

By using the Ballad of Gales, Link and Lana were immediately taken to Dragon Roost Island, and once they both hopped out of the boat, sounds of harp strings suddenly filled the air around them.

"Hey, are those… harp strings?" Link wondered, listening carefully to the sounds.

"You got it right!" Lana replied. "I'll wait for you here. Just follow the sounds and they'll take you to the sage waiting for her awakening!"

Link nodded back and proceeded to climb his way up again, going through the Mail Center, and eventually coming upon a rocky spire where he saw Medli standing near the end of the jutting ledge playing her harp. He approached her, catching her attention as she turned around to face him.

"Oh, Link! You're OK!" Medli exclaimed. "Wait, where are the rest of your friends?"

"Don't worry, they're doing alright." Link assured.

"You know, Prince Komali's been asking me all about your adventures. I can rest easy now that I've seen you safe and sound with my own eyes. And while your friends aren't here at the moment, you just told me that they're fine too, so I'm very relived! Prince Komali's turned into a fine young adult, hasn't he?"

"Way better than the big jerk he was before for sure!" Link thought while nodding.

"Recently, he's even begun doing things on his own, without my guidance. …Every conversation still ends up centered on you and your friends, though. Watching Prince Komali grow up fills me with pride…but it makes me a little sad, as well… I wonder if this is how a mother feels… Oh, but just listen to me go on! How weird I must sound! Hee hee…" she then changes the subject. "Well, I'd better continue practicing so that I can be useful around here, too! Performing music like this is an important duty of an attendant." she resumes playing her harp.

"Now's my chance!" Link thought, proceeding to take out his Wind Waker while speaking to Medli, "Hey, Medli?"

"Yes?" Medli asked as she stopped playing her harp.

"I have an idea. Why don't I conduct a song for you?" he shows her the Wind Waker.

"Hey, is that the Wind Waker?! Wow!" Medli squealed. "That sounds like a great idea! Link, will you conduct me? I wonder how I'll do…"

"Hopefully it works…" Link thought as he rose the baton, ready to conduct.

With that, Link conducts the Earth God's Lyric, and Medli followed suit, playing the song perfectly. Shortly after the song finished, Medli found herself looking out at the sea.

"Hmm… What a mysterious song… It sounds so…familiar." she mused. "It's almost as if something I've forgotten is trying to be remembered…" she lowered her head… "Oh… I feel…" …and suddenly started to topple over, but Link was quick enough to catch her as she blacked out.

Medli found herself in a dark void of nothingness. She had her eyes closed until she suddenly hears a voice:

"Medli…" it was Laruto. Medli opened her eyes to see the Zora sage standing in front of her. "My name is Laruto, the late Zora sage. Listen to my words, dear… Destiny has called you the sage of the Earth Temple. The Master Sword needs your prayers… Please listen to this melody."

Laruto then plays the first half of the Earth God's Lyric on her harp.

"Now you try." she said, suddenly appearing on Medli's side.

Without hesitating, Medli played the second half of the song, and then the Zora sage resumed playing alongside her, resulting in a beautiful duet.

"You have the power to help this world… Help the hero, who wields the power to repel evil. I believe in you…" Laruto spoke before she disappears.

"…dli…" Link's voice echoed in Medli's point of view as she began to regain consciousness. "…Medli! Are you okay?!" she saw Link looking down at her with a worried look.

"Mmm…" Medli mumbled, fully opening her eyes.

"What happened?"

"Just now, a sage spoke to me. She spoke so gently… There's something…something that I must do."

"…Did it really work?" Link thought.

"Link… Thanks to you, I've been awakened to the knowledge that I'm a sage of the Earth Temple. There's actually something that I can do to help this world. It's incredible…" she closed her eyes as she shed a tear. "I bet my teacher knew all about this…" she opened her eyes again and told Link, "Link, please… You must take me to the Earth Temple. We must hurry and wake the power to repel evil that sleeps within the Master Sword."

"Will do, Medli." Link replied. "But I must go somewhere else first. You don't mind, right?"

"Of course I don't." Medli smiled. Then, she and Link looked up at the sky to see Prince Komali soaring above. Medli hated that she had to abandon her home and leave Komali, but she had no other choice. "Let's go now, quickly and quietly." she said. "Oh, Komali… I just want him to remember me as a simple attendant…"

Soon, by the time Komali reached the spot where Link and Medli originally were standing on, they were already gone, leaving the poor prince devastated on the spot.

Down below, Link led Medli back to the boat, where Lana was waiting.

"I see that you brought the new awakened sage with you, Link!" Lana said.

"Oh, hello there!" Medli exclaimed. "Who are you supposed to be?"

"I'm Lana. Now, Link had probably told you before, but he needs to go somewhere else in order to awaken the other sage, if you know what I mean."

"Ah yes, I do. It's the sage of the Wind Temple. The Master Sword won't be complete without the other sage's prayer."

"Exactly." Lana nodded as the trio boarded the King of Red Lions. "Ready to go to the Forest Haven next, Link?"

"You bet!" Link said and then played the Ballad of Gales to warp everyone directly there.

Now at the Forest Haven, Link cruised the boat close to the ledge and hopped out.

"Once again, you should be able to find the sage if you listen to the instrument's sounds." Lana instructed. "In this case, listen to a violin."

"Understood." Link nodded, and then turned to Medli. "Medli, wait here. I'll come right back with the sage at my side."

"Okay." Medli nodded back and Link moved on, making sure to listen to a violin sound as he walked on.

Just then, he finally hears music from a violin as he followed it, but the strangest thing was that the music trail led him right… to a waterfall?

"Odd…" Link mused; can he actually go into the waterfall? Only one way to find out.

He took out the Deku Leaf and used it to glide right towards the waterfall, and much to his surprise, he went through it!

Inside the waterfall was a secret grotto. The music was a bit louder now that Link was inside, so he went down the pathway, and saw Makar playing his violin while standing on a giant lilypad surrounded by shallow water.

"Makar!" Link exclaimed as he went down to the Korok.

"Oh! Link!" Makar stopped playing to greet Link. "I haven't seen you in quite some time, have I? I'm surprised you were able to find me here. But… what about the other people with you?"

"Oh, they're doing fine. They just didn't feel like coming along, that's all. Now, why are you all the way down here?"

"I'm practicing a new song for next year's ceremony. And I need privacy! It isn't any fun if everyone knows in advance what song I'll play. What I want to know is how did you manage to locate this secret passage in the first place?"

"Weeell… I just heard your song from outside."

"What? You can hear my song outside?" Makar asked as Link nodded. "Ruh-really…? I thought the sound of the waterfall would drown it out… Perhaps I should play a little more softly when I practice from now on." he then resumes playing, but this time a little more softly as he just said.

"Alright… Here goes nothing." Link thought, taking out the Wind Waker as he called out Makar's attention again, "Hey, Makar…"

"Hmm?" Makar stopped playing to look at Link. "Let me guess, you want to let me know that you won't tell anybody about the song I'm practicing right now?"

"Well, I promise… if you do something with me."

"Okay! It's a deal! So, what is it?" Link then held out the Wind Waker, as Makar's eyes widened. "Why, is that a conductor's baton? Link! Are you a maestro?! That's incredible! Are you going to conduct for me, Link?"

"Yes! How does that sound?"

"Sounds perfectly fine to me! What kind of song is it? I can't wait to hear it and play! Please, conduct!"

With that, Link conducts the Wind God's Aria, and Makar followed suit on his violin. Suddenly, a strange feeling was coming to Makar as he mused:

"Hmmm… Does it go something like…this? Strange… Why does it feel like I already know this song…?"

Makar began to play the Wind God's Aria, and as he went on, he was suddenly replaced by Fado's figure, much to Link's shock. Despite this, Link decided to conduct alongside him until the song finished. Rounds of applauses then came from out of nowhere, and Link and Fado bowed to the unseen audience. Where are all these applauses coming from? Not even I have a clue about this…

The figure of Fado disappeared, and Makar was back as he faced Link and spoke up:

"Link… This sacred song that you've conducted has awakened me… I know myself now! I am the sage of the Wind Temple… It is my fate to return the power to repel evil to your Master Sword. …And to ease the regrets of my ancestors. Oh, Link, please! You must take me with you to the Wind Temple."

"Sure, Makar." Link nodded. "Let's be off, then."

The two exited the waterfall grotto and made their way back to the King, where Lana and Medli were waiting.

"You're back!" Medli said. "And is that the sage of the Wind Temple?" she looked at Makar.

"Yep!" Makar replied pridefully. "And you must be the sage of the Earth Temple, correct?" Medli nodded. "Good! That means we'll both be able to restore the power back to the Master Sword!"

Link and Makar hopped into the boat. "We're heading to Gale Isle now, right?"

"Correct!" Lana exclaimed.

Later…

Upon arriving at Gale Isle, only Lana and Makar disembarked as Peach, Yoshi and Toad ran up to them, while Link and Medli remained on the boat.

"You came back, Lana!" Peach exclaimed, before she looked at Makar. "So Makar really was a sage?"

"Indeed!" Makar nodded. "And I guess that you four will be the ones to guide me to the depths of the Wind Temple, huh?" the four nodded.

"Everyone, listen carefully to what I am about to tell you." the King of Red Lions said to the Wind Temple group. "The temple ahead is the nest of an evil creature…the same creature that stole the life of Makar's predecessor, the sage. I am counting on you to protect each other."

"We'll be fine, king." Lana assured and then turned to the others. "So, shall we get going?"

"Right!" the others nodded.

"Good luck to you and the others, Link and Medli!" Toad waved as Link and Medli waved back.

"See you later!" Yoshi added and then they made their way into the cave.

"And now, to Headstone Island!" Link declared, getting ready to warp him and Medli there to meet with the other group.

Once they made it back to Headstone Island, they found Mario, Luigi and Luka standing at the beach waiting for them. Link and Medli got out of the boat to meet up with the trio.

"Took you long enough, Link!" Luka winked. "And welcome aboard, Medli!"

"Thanks!" Medli chimed.

"Medli is a sage?" Mario asked. "Who would've thought?"

"I'm honestly just as surprised as you are." Link threw in.

"Everyone, and especially you, Link…" the King of Red Lions spoke up to the Earth Temple group. "As is the case with Makar, I have no doubt that Medli, too, has some special role to play in these events. Discovering that role is your duty. I am certain that by cooperating, the five of you can overcome the dangers and pitfalls of this temple… It is a dark and frightening place."

"Fr-Frightening?!" Luigi thought, paling up at that. Now he might of have regretted for choosing this temple…

"Now go. With two groups tackling the two temples at the same time, the power to repel evil shall surely be returned to the Master Sword!"

The group nodded and made their way to the cave, where inside, Medli plays the Earth God's Lyric upon eyeing at the large stone wall blocking the way. Eventually, the wall split in half and beams of light shot out of the crack it made before crumbling apart, revealing a passage leading to the underground temple.

The group slowly walked into the passage, coming upon a hole in the ground at the end. They each gave one another a nod before jumping in, ready to brave through the dangers of this temple.

To be continued…

The mysterious sorceress turned out to be Lana herself! It makes sense that she knows everything that happens in Hyrule's history considering that she's a Guardian of Time in her home game.

So yeah! The something different that I planned for the temples was having the group split up and take on each temple at once! Plus, some of the scenarios that I came up for both temples didn't need a lot of people to be present for them. Due to this, the reason I made Lana appear at this portion of the story was to equal the number of the groups, her heavy usage of magic, and to also serve as the Luka to one of the temples.

Next up, we'll take a look at what each group will do in their respective temples, starting with the Earth Temple! Hmm, now that I think about it, this temple might as well be the Wind Waker's equivalent of Ocarina of Time's Shadow Temple... which is bad news for poor Luigi. Hopefully it won't turn out as bad! ;D