Chapter 22
Gaepora found himself back in Old Castle Town. All he could hear among the fires that blazed across the row houses and businesses were the screams of his wife and children. His hands were bleeding and full of splinters from the wooden planks of the bridge he had thrown himself at to get to them. His face and arms were burned from the heat of the flames as they raced from building to building in Old Castle Town. Glass was cracking and shattering, people were running out of their homes and businesses. Everyone was screaming and crying, but it was the voices of his family which filled his ears. Having landed wrong off the bridge to the paved street below, he rolled his ankle hard and fell, hitting the pavement harder. He was trying to avoid hitting any of the people who were on the other side of the bridge. They were beating the raised bridge with their fists, pounding on it as if somehow that would release the mechanism to lower it. But the bridge remained stationary.
So many panicking people surrounded him, flooding the streets, trying to get out of harm's way after he painfully picked himself up to get into the town when everyone was trying to get out. It was confusing and disorienting, and there were so many people... So many people that it was his duty to get to safety, he reminded himself.
The tearful screams of his daughters filled his ears again from somewhere in the town and he turned towards the gates to head into the inferno when someone else next to him, an old woman, yelled, "Someone help us! Lower the bridge! We need to get out! The chains! Someone break the chains!" She pointed up towards the top of the bridge.
Gaepora followed her fingers to see the two massive, thick steel chains that held the bridge firmly in place. He let his gaze linger for a minute as he tried to figure out where the release mechanism was. Then his girls screamed again and he started limping as quickly as he could towards the gate and into the town where the fires raged uncontrolled.
Smoke was everywhere, blinding and choking him as he stumbled through looking for his family. "Where could they be?!" He shouted to himself more than once as he made for the center of town. The place they tended to frequent in the old town was the market square where vendors and street performers frequented on the weekends. His girls loved to watch and listen to the musicians, and look through the vendors' colorful wares. There was a nice outdoor tea house that they would all stop at when they went. It had become a family tradition for them when they visited the old town.
Then he heard the very familiar sound of rapid gunfire, and more screaming coming from up ahead through the smoke. It was coming from the market square. He sped up as quickly as he could with his damaged ankle.
"Magic." The thought came to him as he hobbled up the street. Almost as quickly as it came though his mind tried to bury it again. "Magic isn't the answer." He told himself, squinting from the heat and the smoke. "And besides, even if it is, I don't really have the power to fix this." He said looking around at the vision of hell that had erected itself where the charming old city center had once been.
That's not strictly true, is it? The thought came to his mind unbidden and unwanted. Then, a face, an incident came to his mind, one he had promised he wouldn't let happen again. One that had happened because of his magic. A person, a friend, had been hurt because he wanted to do too much too fast. He promised he wouldn't ever let it happen again. That meant using his head and finding other solutions to problems.
But what if there is no other solution? He couldn't get away from the thought.
A building exploded in flames next to him and he was thrown to the side, hitting the pavement again.
Gaepora's eyes flew open with a start and he found himself laying semi-comfortably in a reclining chair in the Sage's apartments across from his older brother who was still sleeping on the couch. He looked down at himself and found himself still wearing the archaic brown leather gauntlets and red tunic with which he had returned to the Temple's great hall.
"Ugh. I still look ridiculous." He said, closing his eyes again, bringing his finger up to rub his forehead where a dull pain had started to develop. What was it from? Stress? Lack of sleep? Both? "I need to get back to the barracks and get a fresh uniform for the trip home." He told himself. Looking over at his sleeping brother he said, "So do you, Daphnes."
Daphnes, unhearing and uncaring, didn't respond.
"Well, I'm glad you can sleep, brother." Gaepora said as he sat up and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms. "I don't think I'll ever have decent dreams again." He remarked as he looked around.
As he turned his head, he spied the Sage, Mr. Impaz, sitting alone at his little two person dining table, a haunted, pensive expression on the older, balding man's face. His elbows rested on the table, hands steepled in front of him.
Gaepora rose from his chair and went over to the troubled Sage. "I thought I was the one who had the nightmare, your grace."
The Sage looked up with a start. "What? Oh, I see you're awake. Are you sure you got enough rest, General? Time is one of the few luxuries with which I can afford to be generous in this Temple. Please, after what you've been through you can take as much time as you need to rest and recover."
"No thanks." Gaepora returned, sitting down at the table opposite him, not wishing to elaborate further. "I've slept enough."
"Your father had nightmares too." The Sage observed. "In all of his many past lives."
"Yeah, I know." The Hylian general replied with a sigh. "I just never thought I'd have to find out why first hand. So what about you? You look like you've seen a ghost with bad news on top of it."
The Sage's eyes met Gaepora's, and the general instantly understood that, somehow, he had hit nearer the mark than he intended.
"Dare I ask?" Gaepora asked him, massaging his forehead with the heel of his palm in a futile attempt to dispel the headache which wasn't going away. "I thought we had won."
"As did I." The Sage responded. "Except, if the study of history tells us anything, especially the history of your family, general; nothing is ever that simple."
"Do tell." He responded with a hint of sarcasm, holding up the back of his left hand for the Sage to see. "I'm not much for tattoos. I certainly didn't ask for this one, or the price to gain it."
"Power." The Sage said, studying the arrangement of golden triangles. "You hold the Triforce of Power within you."
"I listened to my father's stories all of my life. Every time he talked about this, he said when the Triforce split, the individual virtues went to the one who believed in that virtue the most." Gaepora told him.
"So it is." The Sage confirmed.
"But I've spent my life trying to avoid the use of power where it can be helped, trying to think my way to find solutions to problems without using force. My mother was almost always able to think her way through problems which confronted her. I don't understand why the Triforce of Power would choose me." Gaepora explained.
"Perhaps the Triforce saw something in you that you either can't see, or refuse to see. Your mother was, and remains, perfectly capable of great displays of power when the situation called for it. The Triforce of Power is the piece of the Triforce which represents the goddess Din. Ironically, she is the only one of the three to whom you are not related. As you know, she is also our goddess of fire, and the seasons. There must be a great fire burning within you for the Triforce to have made its decision the way it did." The Sage adopted a serious expression once again. "And from what I have just learned, the time may be fast approaching when all of Hyrule may need the power of that fire in its hour of need."
"Fire." Gaepora repeated, a haunted expression creeping into his own eyes as memories from his Silent Realm test came to his mind. "Fire destroys and consumes, your grace. It burns and causes pain."
"If left unchecked by the grace of Wisdom and the leadership of Courage, yes it can. But when it is tempered and brought into balance fire can be life, light, warmth, and the power of creation and renewal as well. It can be the driving force for great good. Ultimately fire and power are tools, nothing more. How they are used is up to the heart and skill of the one who wields them." The Sage said.
Gaepora considered this. "Fire and power can also consume the one who wields them." He replied.
"Only if that person lacks the Wisdom and Courage to know when and how to wield them." The Sage countered. "Consider my words, General." He said gently.
Gaepora nodded. "I will." He agreed. "Thank you, your grace." After a short pause, he then asked lightly, "So, whose ghost visited you while I was sleeping?"
The Guard Captain in the barracks office at the Sacred Grove entry fence was keeping one eye on the incoming news reports from the television broadcasts, and the other on the computer monitor in the control house displaying incoming electronic messages from R.H.M.G. headquarters. The latter kept the isolated Guard station updated with classified information the news services would conceivably commit felonious acts to obtain. Like the fact his majesty's bloodstained clothing had been found lying on the floor of the hospital suite where her former royal highness Zelda had been admitted. Or that a shortsword was found with the king's clothing stained with the king's blood. None of that information had been made public and was marked "Classified: R.H.M.G. Senior Officers and Prime Minister's eyes only". The Guard Captain of the Sacred Grove installation was considered the former, and thus had the access codes for such messages, though few people in the government hierarchy even knew his position existed.
Most of the messages, however, were low level, unclassified standing orders being sent out by the command staff at Guard headquarters in Castleton to all the commanding officers of the various Military Guard command posts around the kingdom in the interests of facilitating a search for their missing king, and the people responsible for murdering his family. Only those senior members of the R.H.M.G., and apparently Prime Minister Agahnison, would know the search for his majesty was likely going to be futile, and the general public was being strung along for the time being.
That didn't sit well with Guard Captain Daltus. No. He didn't like that at all. Like all Royal Guardsmen, he had sworn an oath to his majesty and the royal family to defend the royal family and the United Kingdom of Hyrule from all enemies, foreign and domestic. He answered to the rightful, reigning monarch, not the Prime Minister, who legally had no authority in the military's chain of command. That his name was listed in a military communique in such a way was presumptuous at best, treasonous at worst in his humble opinion. And with such a matter as this... No. He didn't like it at all.
Captain Daltus had studied Hyrule's governing constitution very well. It was written in such a way that no royal minister or member of parliament shall exercise any authority over the United Kingdom's military forces unless acting with the reigning monarch's explicit instructions. This provision was always interpreted up til now as meaning the Minister of Defense. All authority over the military constitutionally resided in the sovereign monarch of Hyrule, or the man whom the monarch might designate as Supreme Commander to oversee the military in his place.
There were several repeating, unclassified messages that had been sent out to inform Generals Daphnes and Gaepora Faroson that they had been recalled back from their indefinite family leave, and were to report immediately to Guard Headquarters in Castleton. Among the classified messages, for senior guard officers' eyes only (no prime minister mentioned), was a message from command that emergency provisions had been enacted, and the senior of the two Faroson brothers had been placed in supreme command of all of Hyrule's armed forces until his majesty or a suitable heir could be found and returned to the throne. The message was explicit that his majesty had left written, confirmed orders to this effect to be opened and enacted in this kind of an emergency.
Under their previous orders from his majesty, however, the Guard Captain in command of the highly sensitive installation could not inform headquarters of the whereabouts of his superiors until they themselves gave the word. Neither could he contact them by telephone to the Sage's residence because he was also under royal orders to not interfere with their mission until they returned to the barracks themselves. And so the insistent open broadcast messages went unanswered for several hours as he watched it be repeated over and over again as he sipped strong, hot tea from his mug.
Those men not on guard post at the moment also had their eyes glued to the twenty four hour news channel either in the control house or in the barracks lounge, though they weren't privy to the more sensitive electronic messages from headquarters. Captain Daltus wondered if that was really for the best this time as he heard murmers, rumors and speculation being passed back and forth as to where his majesty might have been. The only men close by with which he could share the information regarding his majesty were down at the Temple.
"Post fifteen to Guard Control." The call came over the radio. Post fifteen was the checkpoint just outside of the old temple ruins, not far from the "doorway" of the temple itself. "Post fifteen to Guard Control please respond." The call came again a few seconds later, the voice insistent and urgent, when Daltus didn't tap the microphone right away.
The Guard Captain tapped the wireless earpiece he wore to respond, "Guard Control, Captain Daltus, go ahead Post Fifteen."
"Captain Daltus, three persons just emerged from the doorway. Two of them... well, I'm not certain but they both look like the Hero from the legends, sir. And one of them..." The guardsman paused.
"Yes, guardsman go ahead. What about the third?" Daltus asked, trying not to be phased by this new information. "This is the Temple of Time we're talking about." He told himself off the microphone, though to be honest, this wasn't exactly normal, even for this Guard barracks.
The man continued, "Well, I'll be damned if it isn't the former Princess Zelda from all the pictures of her I've ever seen. From what I can tell, the princess is carrying the Master Sword."
"Have the three persons reached you yet?" Daltus asked.
"No, sir, they're still a hundred and fifty feet from our position, just outside of the doorway." Came the response.
Daltus thought for a few seconds, then said, "Hold your position, let them come to you. It may be our missing Generals and their sister, a Miss Malona Faroson. She came through under express orders from his majesty last night before his disappearance. When they reach you, have General Daphnes Faroson contact me immediately. I have orders that need to be relayed to him immediately from headquarters."
"Understood, sir. Post fifteen out." Came the response.
Five minutes later, a call came through the radio again. "General Faroson to Sacred Grove Commanding Officer, please respond."
Captain Daltus tapped his earpiece immediately, "General Faroson, can I have your classified number for I.D. purposes please?" He responded.
"Alpha-alpha-michael-two-bravo-three-one-five-six-tango." Came the voice on the other end. "What's this about, Captain?" The voice on the other end was insistent and confident of his authority over the man. Daltus had no doubt just from his voice of his identity, and entering his access code into the computer, his I.D. was confirmed.
Daltus proceeded, "I apologize, General, as of oh-three hundred hours this morning, the kingdom has been in a state of emergency. Headquarters has broadcasted messages across the system to all the barracks trying to locate yourself and the younger General Faroson. His majesty, King Talon..."
"Has ascended to the realm of the gods after an assassin attempted to murder him." The General finished for him. "The rest of the immediate royal family have all been assassinated by persons unknown. We are aware of the situation, Captain. The Sage of Time informed us an hour ago."
Daltus' expression changed to surprise. "Then you appear to know more about the situation than anyone else does at the moment, sir. Orders from headquarters state that, as of oh-five hundred hours this morning, emergency provisions in the absence of a reigning monarch have been enacted and you have been named Supreme Commander of the Royal Hyrule Military Guard. Yourself and General Faroson have been requested to return to Guard Headquarters in Castleton immediately, Supreme Commander."
There was silence on the radio for what seemed like an eternity.
"Supreme Commander Faroson, sir. Did you copy my last?"
Another pause, and then, "Yes, I copied, Captain. As of ten thirty eight this morning, I, General Daphnes Faroson of the Royal Hyrule Military Guard formally accept and enter into the service of Supreme Commander by order of his majesty, King Talon, and in his name and the name of the goddess Hylia."
"So entered into record, Supreme Commander Faroson, at ten thirty eight this morning." Daltus returned over the radio. "All guard barracks and senior staff have now been informed of your acceptance of the position of Supreme Commander."
The General then asked, "On whose authority was the request made for my and my brother's return?"
Daltus responded, "Prime Minister Agahnison, sir."
"Is he aware of the orders for my 'promotion,' Captain?" Daphnes asked.
"To my understanding, the orders for your promotion came from the General Staff at Guard Headquarters based on written orders, signed and sealed by his majesty to be enacted only upon such a situation as has now arisen, and the message was secured and routed to senior officer staff only." Daltus then checked the message recipients on the computer system. "It doesn't look like even Defense Minister Mutoh has been informed of it yet. My educated guess is that the Prime Minister is still in the dark at the moment, Supreme Commander."
"Has the Prime Minister made contact with the next in line to the throne? My understanding is that it would be his majesty's cousin, Duke Gustaf Johnson; nephew of my mother's father. His primary residence is an estate near Lake Hylia." Daphnes asked.
"No, sir. There's been no mention of it either in the public news broadcasts or in the secured electronic messages. My understanding is that the Prime Minister intends to conduct a thorough search for his majesty before attempting to locate the next in line." Daltus responded. He didn't mention the rest of what the senior officers had been told. A thought then occurred to him, "Correct me if I'm wrong, sir, but, shouldn't your mother be next in line?"
There was another long pause. "That's no longer a possibility, Captain." Came his answer. "My mother... is no longer with us."
"Then wouldn't it pass to yourself, sir?" Daltus pressed, not entirely certain as to why, except the General's own parentage and family history were no secret to anyone.
His superior ignored the question, "Captain, I want a full staff of Royal Family Protection Servicemen posted at the Duke's residence immediately. Move them from my parents' property in Ordon if you have to. They don't need them any longer. Inform the Prime Minister that his request for my return to Castleton will be denied until the rightful heir to the throne has been found and removed to Castleton for installation as monarch. Send orders to Guard Headquarters that I want the General Staff relocated to your position in the Sacred Grove immediately. I want them there by the time we reach the top. That should be three hours from now. The Prime Minister is not to be informed of to where the General Staff is being relocated, am I understood?"
Daltus didn't hesitate as he pulled a pad and paper and began to write down his instructions furiously. "Yes, sir." He responded.
Daphnes continued, "I also want messages sent out to all guard barracks clarifying in no uncertain terms that the Prime Minister has no constitutional authority over the Royal Hyrule Military Guard and they are not to obey any orders given by him. The search for his majesty is to be called off, and the Duke is to be contacted for accession to the throne."
"Understood, Supreme Commander. Do you have any further orders?" The Guard Captain asked.
There was another pause. Then, "I want mine and General Faroson's immediate families located and then relocated from Castleton to my parents' property south of Ordonville immediately. If you're not familiar with the location, our wives will be. I want guardsmen stationed with them at all times."
Daltus wrote down his superior's instructions to the letter. Then he asked, "What are you expecting to happen, sir?"
Daphnes didn't hesitate, "I'm expecting all shadow's about to break loose, Captain. Carry out my orders. Supreme Commander Faroson, out."