Chapter 21
The giant television monitor display along the side of the glass and metal high rise business building in downtown Castleton had been running with the breaking news story since shortly after Mickey's train arrived at Castleton station. The sidewalk and entertainment square beneath the giant monitor had filled over the past hours with people who had stopped whatever they had been doing or wherever they had been going at the alarming headlines, and hadn't moved since. Many were in tears, others just appeared to be in shock. Mickey himself stood invisible among them, cloaked by his black robe and spells, transfixed by the continuous updates trying to decide what his best course of action might be next.
"BREAKING NEWS! ROYAL FAMILY FOUND DEAD OVERNIGHT! KING TALON DISAPPEARED WITHOUT EXPLANATION! GOVERNMENT IN UNCERTAINTY! LIVE UPDATES AS THEY HAPPEN!"
The ticker at the top of the screen had flashed the disturbing message in red and white every ten seconds since the crown prince and his entire family had been found dead. It was written in a script similar to that in some of Yen Sid's most ancient spell books which Mickey had been given the privilege to study from once upon a time.
"Prime Minister Agahnison declared a state of emergency ten minutes ago in light of the overnight killings of Crown Prince John and his entire family and the unexplained disappearance of his majesty, King Talon, who had been out of the public eye over the last week, though unconfirmed rumors were that he had been seen frequenting the royal medical apartment in Castleton Main Hospital although not as a patient. The Crown Prince and his family were found slain in their beds by palace attendants this morning. They were all killed by an apparent sword impalement some time overnight. No suspects have been named or are in custody at the moment. A kingdom wide search is underway for his majesty."
The news anchor was trying her best to maintain a calm and professional demeanor as she read from the teleprompter off screen, but Mickey could tell she was badly shaken and emotional over what she was reading. The scene cut from the anchor desk to a video of people representing all of Hyrule's races laying wreaths, flowers, and lighting candles in front of the palace gates in tribute. It wasn't hard to see how much the people loved their royal family.
"I didn't expect to see you here." A man appeared next to the four foot, black cloaked mouse. He wore a simple tan pair of pants, and a matching tunic.
"Likewise, Daniel. I would have thought you would have gone home by now. It looks like a lot's happened in a month." Mickey responded in his high pitched voice, turning his head towards him.
"A month?" Daniel asked. "It's been a little longer than that since we both were here before." He told him.
"I guessed it had been. But it's only been a month for me." The mouse responded.
"Yeah, it had been almost three hundred years for me when Link came to find me back on Earth." Daniel informed him. "For them," he gestured to the people around them, "It's been about forty five years."
"Wow. Traveling across realms is funny that way, isn't it?" The mouse responded with a small laugh, seeming to miss the implications of the time frame his friend just gave him.
"I suppose that's one way to put it." Daniel smiled. "So, what brings you back?" He asked.
"Someone from my old mentor's past came from here to visit him in the Mysterious Tower." He said, turning his attention back to the monitor. "She said dark energy had entered King Daphnes heart when Xehanort stabbed him just before he died."
Daniel's face betrayed surprise, "Who was this old friend of Yen Sid's?" He asked the mouse.
"She was a really pretty, dark skinned Hylian gal Yen Sid called 'Din'." Mickey responded, continuing to watch the news as it unfolded. "Come to think of it, I would have thought she'd have beaten me here, seeing as she left before I did. I wonder where she went."
"Me too." Daniel said, his face taking on a pensive, thoughtful expression. "You know, I think you and I have a lot of catching up to do." He said, putting a hand on the mouse's shoulder.
"Yeah, but what about that?" Mickey said, pointing to the news.
"Like I said, we have a lot of catching up to do." Daniel told him again.
Deep in the Temple of Time, Talon appeared to the Sage of Time alone shortly after the news broadcasts had started on the television system which had been installed in the Sage's residence decades ago.
After their ordeal in the Silent Realm, and the successful use of the Triforce, the Sage had invited the three to rest in his own personal chambers, which were impeccably tidy and well kept. It had been a long and trying time for all of them, and he knew it had been some time since the two brothers especially had gotten any sleep. Malona had been given use of his own bed, and the two brothers collapsed on a large cushioned chair and the small couch in his residence respectively.
The Sage had been watching the breaking news broadcast on the twenty four hour news channel with the sound muted and the lighting dimmed so as not to disturb the three 'heroes' (as he was coming to think of them), and the closed captioning feature turned on so he could still read what was being said by the news reporters. His expression turned from mild interest at the happenings in the world to concern, and then alarm as the news of the deaths and the disappearance flooded the airwaves. He reached out to the former Sage immediately through the mental link all Sages maintained, and received nothing in response, not even an awareness of the king's presence in this world.
"Goddesses have mercy!" Mr. Impaz had exclaimed in hushed tones in shock and fear as the news continued to get worse minute by minute.
The temple door gateway activated. The activation of the gateway was something of which he was always aware. "Now what?" He asked into the air as he turned to head down towards the great entry hall. Just as he reached the door to leave his apartments, the king's voice came to him. "Mr. Impaz."
The Sage turned around to find his majesty, or at least a much younger version of his majesty, standing in front of him. He looked so much like the Hero with whom he had recently conversed that at first that's who he thought he was seeing. But there was no mistaking the long, braided flame colored hair inherited from the great man's even greater mother. The former secretary gave a little squeal of fright at the sight.
"Peace, be still." He told the frightened little man.
"Y-Your majesty." The Sage responded. "W-What happened? The news said you vanished, and your family...?"
"Yes, I vanished." The king responded. "My assassin didn't give me the choice."
"Your assassin?" The Sage repeated, and then he understood and gasped, "Oh no. You've been killed? You're... you're...?"
"Ascended." The king finished his statement. "I joined our Lady shortly after she returned to her rightful place."
"And your queen? Your children? Their families? What of them, my Lord?" The Sage asked, shifting to the address befitting his majesty's new status.
The king's face fell, and his head hung in sorrow. The pain and emotion in his voice were evident as he said, "They are lost to me forever. All of them."
"Oh," the Sage felt like he had been struck in the stomach, "Oh, my Lord I am so sorry. My heart grieves most deeply. Oh, I am so sorry." He went to an empty chair next to the small table and sat down. "Do you know who did it? I mean, I assume you do, you must, now." He finally asked, not knowing exactly what else to say.
"I don't." Talon responded, regaining control of his emotions as he folded his hands behind him and walked slowly, pensively around in a short circle. "And I don't know why I don't. I don't even know who my assassin was. I had access to all of the mortal minds in Hyrule once I ascended, but none of them appear to have been responsible."
"How is that possible?" The Sage asked.
"I have a theory, but it is one that needs proving." Talon said, but did not elaborate further. "But there is now a more pressing problem for us, and one I can't be involved in solving directly, at least not any more. The rules which constrain us forbid it. This is why I am here speaking to you under the protection of the Temple's unique displacement in time. I cannot just do nothing, but all I can do is give you what I now know to be true in such a way that the Others do not know I have done that much. You and my brothers and sister, the chosen of the Triforce, must be the ones to set things right."
"I am at your disposal, my Lord." The Sage responded, understanding the gravity of the responsibility he was being charged with.
"There is now no direct heir to the throne in Castleton. This will will cause chaos by itself." Talon began.
"Indeed." Mr. Impaz agreed. "That in itself is concern enough. The Prime Minister has already declared a state of emergency to try and keep the panic under control."
Talon shook his head, his expression becoming both sad and angry, "Prime Minister Agahnison has no intention of following the laws of succession in finding and proclaiming a rightful heir." He told him. "He intends to drag the search for myself out as long as he can, pretending to lead in my name, and after that no longer suits him, find any means he can in order to keep himself in power." The king told him. "Even possibly proposing a republican form of elected government, where he can influence a puppet head of state for as long as he wishes. I could see these plans evolving and growing in his mind even as I crossed the threshold into the Temple."
Mr. Impaz considered this new information carefully. "And he had nothing to do with the murders of yourself and your family?"
"No." He said, looking up and into the Sage's eyes. "I saw nothing in his mind which suggested he had anything to do with them. He was just as shocked as everyone else. No, the plans to seize power began as the tiniest thought in the back of his mind, and then evolved quickly as the events of the morning dragged on. The poor fool has deluded himself into believing it would be the best course for the country's stability if he held on to the reins of power to 'guide it through this crisis'. I knew he wasn't a man of faith in the gods or the Legend of Zelda when I appointed him, but I never could have foreseen his agnosticism being so quickly twisted into this."
"But a descendant of the goddess must sit on the throne, my Lord. There must always be a Zelda or one of her descendants. Surely he must know the consequences for this world if the line is broken." Mr. Impaz protested in disbelief.
"That is the problem, my friend. He does know. But he does not believe it." Talon responded. "That is why he must not be allowed to remain in power."
"But, who can displace him now? Without a sitting monarch, he is acting head of state. As such, the next in line to the throne would have to be either be recognized by him, or be recognized by the goddesses in front of all the people in spite of him."
Talon turned his gazed towards the sleeping form of his half sister, still clothed in the traditional dress of the crown princess which the Triforce had bestowed upon her. "Indeed, my friend. She most certainly would need be. You will need to assist her by any means necessary."
"What?" Mr. Impaz looked with confusion at Talon and then followed his gaze towards the sleeping woman in the royal dress. "Oh... Oh my."