"Sit."
Link was shoved toward the indicated chair. He sat hurriedly.
"Wait here until I return. Chancellor Cole."
A tiny man, with fiery red hair and wearing two top hats, looked up from his seat behind a desk.
"Yes Lady Impa?"
"Watch the office while I'm gone, and summon Sir Raven here immediately."
"Sure thing, ma'am."
The silver-haired woman turned back to Link.
"Move from that spot, and you'll regret it."
Link stared into the woman's ardent eyes before she strode out of the room. As soon as she left the room, the man behind the desk grumbled angrily under his breath.
"…Useless job. Taking orders from an old Sheikah woman and playing babysitter to royalty. Grumble grumble…"
Link looked around the waiting room he'd been forcibly brought to. He and the Chancellor were the only two here. Everything was made of wood, including the desk where the miniscule man sat, pounding at documents with a rubber stamp. The wooden floorboards were firm and didn't creak when Link pressed his feet against them. Behind the desk was a closed wooden door. The only other sound accompanying the man's grumbling and the banging of his stamp was the loud ticking of a grandfather clock, adjacent to the man's desk. Link absently watched the pendulum of the giant clock swing back and forth.
Navi peeped out from the collar of Link's shirt.
"Is she gone?" She whispered.
"Yeah, for now."
"Good. I don't know what her problem is but she needs to chill. I mean seriously, what did we do to–"
"SHUT UP!" The man screeched suddenly. Link and Navi jumped. "NO TALKING!"
"Good grief!" Navi hissed under her breath. "Is everyone in this city insane?!"
"Shush, Navi."
"Fine…" She sat on Link's knee and folded her arms in a huff. She closed her wings behind her.
Louder than anything else in the room, even louder than the man's incessant grumbling was the grandfather clock. The swinging of its pendulum and the ticking of its hands rapped a beat that Link followed in tune by tapping his finger.
"I wish we had a clock like this back on the ranch…"
Link continued tapping his finger with the pendulum, and shortly began tapping his foot. Before he could stop himself, he began whistling. He leaned back with his eyes closed and his head aimed toward the ceiling as he whistled out the song he'd learned not half an hour ago. He felt if he thought hard enough about it, he would hear raindrops falling outside to the beat of the song.
"Link. Link!" Navi tugged at him. "Cut it out!"
"Huh?"
Link opened his eyes and realized the man at the desk was staring hard at him. He stopped whistling immediately and turned away. When he looked back after a few moments, the man was still glaring angrily at him.
"It's times like these I wish I could talk."
Still fixing a mad gaze at Link, the man went back to work. Instead of whistling, Link thought in tune to the pendulum.
"What happened back there anyway? That song… the Song of Storms, I think it was. And that vision, too. What a day this is starting out to be. I know I wouldn't be able to use it here, but I really wish I had that ocarina back."
Link cupped his chin in his hands and leaned forward in his seat, his elbows resting on his knees, and stared at the grandfather clock's hands. He yawned.
"Waking up early and running around underneath the city…No wonder I'm so tired…"
He closed his eyes and relaxed. His breathing grew longer and quieter, and he began hearing voices.
"Excuse me, Chancellor Cole. You sent for me?"
"Lady Impa wants a word with you as soon as she returns. Wait here in the meantime. Take a seat if you like."
"Thank you, sir."
"Hmph."
The grandfather clock chimed violently. Startled, Link jumped to his feet while Navi fell off his knee.
"Whaa!" Navi cried, managing to open her wings before she hit the floor.
"What happened?!"
"You fell asleep!" Navi answered.
Link quickly sat back down before the chancellor had a chance to yell at him a second time. He sat up straight with his hands tightly grasping his knees and his eyes at attention. When the man in the desk said nothing, he relaxed.
"That was close. Won't be doing that again."
He looked over at the remaining empty chairs next to him. Standing at attention next to him was Sir Raven. His appearance was strikingly different from last night. In place of his dark olive tunic was an indicative suit of Royal Knight armor, but his suit was different than that of the ones Link had seen the other soldiers wear; it was bronze and had several medals pinned to the breastplate, each one bearing different symbols. One depicted two swords intersecting, another bore a shield, and another one showed a gold eagle.
"The eagle is the official symbol of Hyrule's soldiers," Raven interjected as he followed Link's gaze.
"It represents both the wisdom of the Royal Family and the courage of the Legendary Hero."
Link furrowed his brow and looked away. Raven laughed nervously.
"But I guess you wouldn't care about that stuff, would you?"
Raven struggled in his heavy metal suit to sit in the chair next to Link.
"We didn't exactly have the best first impressions when we met, so I hope you don't mind if we start over?"
Link stared hard at the ground.
"You don't talk a lot, do you? Then again, your sister said something along those lines last night."
"Give it up, Mister," Navi interrupted, standing on Link's shoulder. "Link can't talk and even if he could, he doesn't want to talk to you."
"Is that so?" Raven wondered, then smiled brightly at her. "And who might you be, little one?"
"M-m-me?" Navi stuttered. "I-I'm Navi."
"I'd think I'd remember meeting someone as charming as you."
"I-I'm hardly as ch-charming as you are, sir."
"Please. Call me Raven."
Navi's blue wings turned bright red as incomprehensible bumbling erupted out of her lips. She squeaked abruptly when Link yanked her out of the air.
"Lemme go! I wanna talk to him!"
"Just be quiet, Navi."
"Ehh?! Who do you–"
She went quiet when she saw Link staring angrily at the ground, so she sat once more on his knee with her wings and arms folded. Raven said nothing more, and the room went back to false silence in which the only sounds were Chancellor Cole's incomprehensible grumbling and rubber stamp, and the ticking of the grandfather clock.
"Bunch of useless, no good scoundrels, making me do all the work, bits of scrapple, mumemoth, grabble, fitzle, bargle, zauss."
As time itched on, Link found himself listening carefully to the Chancellor sitting behind the desk. The words were garbled and rather colorful, but he didn't care.
"You're thinking again, Link," Navi whispered. "What's on your mind?"
"I've heard that guy's voice before."
"Really? Where?"
"…He's one of the voices who was yelling at me in my dream."
"You mean this morning?"
"Yeah."
"Have you met him?"
"No, that's the weird part. That lady said his name was Chancellor Cole, but that's the only thing I know about him."
"How could the voice of someone you've never met before been in your dream?"
"I don't know, but it's really bugging me."
Link looked cautiously over at Raven, hoping not to be noticed a second time. He was looking deeply at the locket he held in his hand.
"That's the locket he showed Malon last night."
Raven glanced Link's way, who started and turned away.
"This is so embarrassing! Of all the people she could've summoned here, why'd it have to be him? This can't get any worse."
The silver-haired woman returned at that moment, and following behind her was Sir Wallace.
"Oh come on!"
"Sir Raven," the woman addressed. "Thank you for arriving on short notice."
"My pleasure, ma'am."
"Stand up, young man."
Link did as he was told. Navi quickly ducked into his shirt while the woman pointed to the closed door behind the desk.
"March."
He walked cautiously toward the door and waited, looking up at it. Raven and Wallace waited beside him as the woman took a key from her belt and unlocked it. The inside of the office wasn't much different from the waiting room; a wooden desk and chairs decorated the room, along with another large grandfather clock. The only difference were the tall windows behind the desk.
"You can see the Temple of Time from here…"
"Really?" Navi mumbled. "Where?"
"It's that tall white building way over there, with the clock tower peaking up. See?"
"Not at the moment, but I'll look when I get a chance."
A kick to his calves sent Link sprawling forward. He knew immediately it was the woman who'd pushed him.
"Sit," she ordered.
He took the seat in front of the desk while both soldiers stood at attention at either side of him; Sir Wallace to his left, and Sir Raven to his right. The woman sat at the desk, balanced her chin on the backs of her slender hands, and leaned in toward Link.
"My name is Lady Impa. I serve the Royal Family as an adviser to the monarch, the heiress, and the military of the city. Here is the proof of my rank and alliance."
She removed a medal from her belt and showed it to Link. It bore the same golden eagle that Sir Raven had on his own medal.
"I show this to you in case later you have any ideas of accusing me, or claiming that some strange woman brought you here against your will. You will address me as either 'Lady Impa,' or as 'Ma'am.' Is that clear?"
Link nodded nervously.
"Gentlemen," she looked at the two soldiers as she spoke. "I don't like beating around the bush, and since this is the last day of the year for celebrations before the New Year begins I'm sure the two of you are just as busy as I am, so let's get straight to it shall we?"
She opened a drawer of her desk and pulled out two packets of paper, holding one in each hand and reading both at the same time.
"You both filed reports not twenty-four hours ago regarding this young man before us; Link of Lon Lon Ranch. The details of your reports vary but the general events are pretty much the same. I've called the two of you in here so that you can attest to the verity of your statements."
"The report I filed was written to the best of my knowledge, Lady Impa," Wallace replied automatically.
"As was mine, ma'am," Raven followed.
"Then I'm sure neither of you will mind if I rip this Link of Lon Lon Ranch a new one, will you?"
"No, Lady Impa," Wallace answered, with a hint of malice in his voice. Raven said nothing.
"What does she mean 'rip me a new one?' What the heck did I do?!"
Impa must've noticed the baffled look on Link's face, because she tossed the packets onto her desk and immediately tore into him.
"Young man, you haven't been in the city for more than half a day and you have already shown yourself to be an irresponsible delinquent!" Impa spoke so angrily and curtly that Link edged back in his chair. Her words cut through him like a hot knife through butter.
"You upset the travelers entering the city by allowing your mare to go out of control! Then you argued with a patrolling officer who refused to let you into the city because you lacked the required documentation! Not long after, you attempted to assault the very officer who stands next to you, and in the process disrupted the other soldiers who were trying to do their jobs! Because of you, they had to stop what they were doing in order to control you!"
"More like they had to stop what they were doing to beat me to a pulp…"
"And now to top it all off, you've trespassed onto the private grounds of Hyrule Castle and evaded officers who were merely trying to understand why a teenage boy was in a restricted area of the city! The events that occurred last night were reprehensible on your part, but what you've done this morning is not only deplorable, but against the law!"
Breathless, Link stared at his clasped hands in his lap. He couldn't bring himself to meet Impa's gaze any longer, but that didn't stop her from continuing.
"Do you not understand the effects of your criminal actions?! Do you realize that I could have you thrown in jail for your refusal to comply with the law?! We have enemies of the state who would love to know exactly how you managed to infiltrate Hyrule Castle, so if I felt it was applicable we'd be discussing this matter in an interrogation room instead of my office, so that I could ascertain as to whether you are a spy or not! Do you realize now just how much trouble you are in?!"
"…"
"Speak now," Impa glared at him. "Or forever hold your peace."
All poor Link could do was blink ashamedly at the justifiably angry woman. He could feel the sweat forming on the top of his forehead.
"Permission to speak, Lady Impa," Raven asked quickly.
"Would your statement have anything to do with why this boy refuses to answer me?"
"It does, Lady Impa."
"Permission granted."
"This young man suffered a childhood injury that left him mute, ma'am."
Impa frowned.
"Is this true, Sir Wallace?" she asked while looking at him.
"I was there to receive that information at the same time as Sir Raven was, ma'am, but I cannot attest to its verity."
"Well then, I'll have to see for myself. Link of Lon Lon Ranch, stand up."
He stood up immediately, but kept his gaze to the ground. Impa walked around her desk and stood directly in front of him.
"Back away, gentlemen. I need room."
Raven and Wallace both took two giant steps back.
"Geez. She must be at least a foot taller than me."
"Link?" Navi hissed. "What's going on?"
Before he could react, Impa reached out and yanked Link up by his throat. He hung in the air as she held him tightly.
"Lady Impa!" Raven cried, stepping forward. "Please wait!"
"Oh great. She's so mad that she's gonna choke me to death."
"Hey!" Navi spun out of Link's shirt and headbutted the amazonian woman. "I don't care how scary you are! You let him go, you big meanie!"
Her headbutts did little more than tickle her.
"Relax," Impa said coldly. "I'm not going to kill him."
Link realized that even though her grip on his neck was tight, he could still breathe freely. Her hand as cool, but a gentle warm feeling resonated from her hand into his throat.
"It's okay, Navi…I'm not sure how, but it is."
"How the heck could it possibly be okay?!" She screamed at him. "She's trying to kill you!"
"No…She isn't…"
"Huh?" Navi asked confusedly.
Link took a deep breath and looked at Impa for the first time since she'd started yelling at him. Her eyes were closed, and she seemed to be focusing. For the first time, he noticed the deep grooves in her face and neck, and realized she was not as young as he'd first thought.
"…You're missing your larynx. How did that happen?"
"She figured it out so fast…"
Impa put Link back down and released his throat.
"Excuse me, Miss Impa, ma'am," Navi asked awkwardly. "I can talk for Link if you want me to."
"It would certainly make this meeting much easier if you would do so. Go on."
"Link lost his voice when he was just a little kid. A tree fell on him and one of the branches pierced his throat."
When Impa said nothing, Navi went on.
"He says that the doctor had to remove his larynx in order to keep it from bleeding into his lungs."
"May I ask why you were unable to avoid that falling tree, Link?"
"Why do you want to know so much about why I lost my voice?"
"Perhaps because you've given me every reason to believe that you are a spy. Keep in mind young man that if I determine you are lying to me, then I really will hold you in contempt of the law and interrogate you for such matters. Now I ask again, why did you not simply avoid the falling tree, Link of Lon Lon Ranch?"
Link shuddered at the thought of being interrogated by this lady―not that he wasn't already―but the idea of going to prison frightened him even more. He remembered the event when he lost his voice so clearly, but did it matter? Would Impa even believe him if he told the truth?
"I am able to tell whether you are lying or speaking the truth, Link of Lon Lon Ranch. You might as well say anything you have to say."
"I couldn't avoid the tree because…I went under it on purpose."
"What the heck?" Navi asked after speaking for him. "What'd you do that for, Link? Were you trying to die?!"
"Indeed," Impa agreed. "Why did you go under the path of the falling tree? You must've been aware that you could've lost your life."
"I went under the tree to save my sister. She found some flowers that she wanted to pick, but she didn't see the tree, so I pushed her out of the way."
No one in the room said a word. Link looked at Impa a second time, and found her glowing red eyes gazing deeply at him.
"…Lady Impa?" Wallace finally asked.
"He speaks the truth," Impa answered. "I can see it in his eyes."
"What the heck? What's that supposed to mean?"
"All right, Link of Lon Lon Ranch. While you're in the explaining mood, perhaps you'd like to tell us why you came here to Hyrule Castle, even though civilians without prior arrangements are not allowed on the grounds except in the case of a state emergency."
"Great. She's never gonna believe this, but here goes anyway."
"I'll say it, Link," Navi replied shamefully. "It's my fault anyway."
"Why is it your fault, little one?" Impa spoke gently for the first time in the meeting.
Navi fluttered down and stood on the desk, and held her arms behind her as she began her own explanation.
"I came here to the city from the forest and only arrived last night, and that's when I met Link. I told him that I came here because the Great Deku Tree of the forest sent me here on a mission to find someone very important. Later that night, we met some people who told us that we could find out more about that person in the Temple of Time, so we tried to get there this morning, but…"
"But what?"
"We got a little lost. We went into a waterway of some kind that carried us into to that tower that we came out of where you found us. It's my fault we trespassed on the castle grounds, ma'am. If I hadn't been so insistent that we get to the Temple of Time, we probably wouldn't have gotten lost, and would be there now instead of here causing you all this trouble."
"All right. That explains this morning's incident, but perhaps you would be so kind as to explain the incidents of last night. You can start from the very beginning, when you entered the city."
"…Link?" Navi turned to face him.
He stared hard at the desk in front of him, refusing to meet anyone's gaze.
"Link, think of something. I can't speak for you if you don't have anything to say."
"I don't care how Lady Impa can tell that I'm telling the truth. There's no way she'll believe what I'm going to say."
"What is it, Link?"
"Well, Link of Lon Lon Ranch?"
Link breathed deeply, and began.
"I don't know what happened as we were entering the city last night. I was riding on my horse alongside the cart that my father and sister were driving. We came from home to sell the milk from our ranch during the New Year. As we got closer to the city I got off my horse so that I could control her better, since she doesn't like strangers. But for strange reason, the people around us just started hounding me. I don't know why, but the kids in the crowd surrounded me. They were saying really weird things …"
"What strange things were they saying?"
"They…they called me…they called me a 'hero.'"
Wallace cleared his throat as he stifled a laugh. He was silenced by a glare from Impa.
"I don't know why they were saying it but they were. I've never met any of those kids in my life. Anyway Epona, my horse, didn't like them surrounding us, and that's why she got out of control. I wish I could explain it better, but I just can't.
"What happened to your father and sister when this was occurring?"
"I got separated from them when the kids in the crowd surrounded me. I only managed to get back to them because my sister found me."
"Continue."
Link went on to inform Impa of his run-in with the soldiers to the best of his memory. It wasn't hard to recall since the events were less than a day ago, but as he listened to Navi repeat his thoughts outwardly, he realized that the recounting sounded so farfetched that he himself wasn't inclined to believe any of it. There was no reason Lady Impa would ever believe that Wallace was as bad of a soldier as he'd seen him act.
"I don't– I mean…I don't want to get anyone in trouble, especially since I'm the one who's supposed to be in trouble here, but I know what I saw. I only assaulted Sir Wallace because he was abusing a woman and her daughter who were trying to get into the city. I know now that it was wrong to do that, because Sir Raven came to the gate where we were and chastised me for assaulting Sir Wallace. I'm sorry."
"…Lady Impa?"
"He speaks the truth. His actions were radical and misguided, but well-intended. Is there anything you'd like to add, Link of Lon Lon Ranch?"
"…No ma'am. That's everything."
"…Well then. In that case, you've been very honest with us, Link of Lon Lon Ranch. Even under a stressful situation as this, where you are under direct persecution and with two soldiers to hold you down in case you were to try any funny business, you have spoken nothing but the truth, albeit you've left out a few details."
Impa eyed Link carefully, but when Navi said nothing in his stead, she went on.
"Therefore, I have no reason to keep you detained here against your will any longer, but before I let you go, I have a few more questions. For your companion."
"Hmm? Me?" Navi wondered.
"Yes, you. For starters, what is your name?"
"Navi, ma'am."
"You said the Great Deku Tree sent you here to the city to find someone, yet you left out the name of that person, on purpose I might add. Would you be willing to tell us who this person you're looking for might be?"
Navi stared at the desk.
"Do I have to say? It's really important that I find him, and to be honest I don't trust you people to keep a secret."
"No, I suppose you don't, but it would be in your best interests if you did. If the Great Deku Tree personally commanded one of his fairies to find someone here in this city, then it is my responsibility to assist you. What else did the Great Deku Tree tell you before you came here?"
"…He said he could feel evil energy forming in the land, as if something bad was about to happen."
"If that is the case, then it is most certainly my responsibility to assist you. The Great Deku Tree is the one of the oldest and wisest spirits of the land, and if he senses evil in the land, then it is our job as the soldiers of Hyrule to ensure that that evil is sought out and brought to justice. If you tell me who it is you're looking for, then I will assist you in every way that I know how."
"R-really?" asked Navi .
"Lady Impa," Wallace interrupted. "Forgive me for interrupting, but are you sure about this?"
"I am one hundred percent sure, Wallace. This little lady has spoken the truth, and if she is here on duty of one of the most important spirits of the land, then I will personally see to it that the one she is looking for will be found."
"I wish it were that simple, Lady Impa, ma'am," Navi finally replied. "Because the Great Deku Tree sent me here to find the Great Hero."
Impa's eyes grew wide. Even though Link was facing Lady Impa, he could tell that Raven and Wallace went just as rigid.
"That's impossible!" Wallace demanded angrily. "That–that can't be true! The Hero of Time is just a legend! A bed time story and nothing more!"
"No," Raven cut him off. "It isn't."
"It better not be!" Navi yelled suddenly. "Because I didn't fly for four days straight with no food or sleep, get blood spit on me, and join with this guy who's promised to help me but hasn't been able to because you're keeping us locked up against our will, all so I can fall for some elaborate prank that the Great Deku Tree may or may not have decided to pull!"
Impa glanced intently at Link before looking back at Navi.
"You do realize little one that–"
"And that's another thing!" Navi flew straight into Impa's face.
"Stop calling me little! I am not little! I don't care how much power you have in this city, Miss Lady Impa! Someday I'm gonna be taller than anyone here, especially you! And then no one will call me little anymore!"
Navi stamped her feet on the desk, folded her arms, and looked straight into Impa's eyes.
"If you want to help me, then let us go so Link take me to the Temple of Time right now!"
Impa blinked, and laughed.
"Stop it! Stop laughing! You say we've caused you trouble, but frankly lady you're the one causing us trouble!"
"All right all right, Navi. Take it easy. The two of you will be free to go, and I'll even have you escorted there so you won't lose your way again."
"Thank you," Navi grumbled.
"It would be my honor," Raven announced as he bowed deeply. "To personally escort these two to the temple."
"Are you certain of that choice, Raven?" asked Impa.
"Positive, Lady Impa."
"So long as the two of you have no objections to it?"
"Nope!" Navi clapped her hands excitedly.
"I guess not…"
"Very well then. Forgive me for keeping you, but I'm afraid there is one more matter I must handle before I let either of you leave. Wallace, you are free to return to your duties."
"Thank you, Lady Impa."
He bowed quickly and and left Impa's office before anyone could stop him.
"Whew! Finally he's gone…"
"As for the three of you, please return to the waiting room while I fetch someone else. It won't take but a moment."
"As you wish, ma'am."
Raven and Link both bowed while Navi curtsied as Impa stood from her desk, opened the door, and escorted them back to the waiting room.
"Have a seat while you wait. It shouldn't be more than a minute."
Impa nodded to Chancellor Cole as she stepped outside of the room, closing the door behind her.
"That was way too easy."
"What was?" Raven answered.
"Navi, you weren't supposed to say that out loud!"
"Oops," Navi giggled. "Sorry."
"What was too easy, Link?"
"Link says I wasn't supposed to say that out loud, but he meant Lady Impa."
"She yelled at me the whole time, but the minute I told her what happened, she just let me go like that. I thought she hated me."
"Can you blame her for yelling, though?" Raven replied. "I wasn't there to see it first hand, but I've never seen Lady Impa quite that angry before. You must've caused quite a bit of trouble."
"I know, that's what I mean! If I caused so much trouble, why did she suddenly change her mind? Even though everything I said was true, some of it was so ridiculous to hear about after the fact that even I didn't believe half of it. How…how did she know I was telling the truth?"
"She's a member of the Sheikah Tribe."
"What's that?"
"They're an ancient race of people who have been serving the Royal Family ever since the Kingdom of Hyrule was formed."
"That's a really long time…"
"Thousands and thousands of years of serving the Kingdom of Hyrule and not once betraying us has given them many points in their favor, but I digress. Lady Impa is a special member of the Sheikah Tribe because she has a physical trait that not too many of them have; she can 'see' the truth."
"'See' the truth? What does that mean?"
"I don't know how to explain it, but you noticed the color of her eyes, right?"
"Yeah, they were the brightest red I've ever seen."
"All Sheikah are born with those red eyes, but only a few of them are born with the ability. She can see the difference between truth and lies, so as you can imagine, it's made her job that much easier."
"Is that how she knew I was telling the truth?"
"You got it."
"But…even so. Her opinion of me changed so fast in that short time. Even if I was telling the truth, it doesn't excuse all the trouble I caused."
"I can explain that a little better," Raven's eyes shone. "The Sheikah Tribe is older than even the Hylian Race. They've been on the brink of extinction for years and years, and yet they still live. You could say that the threat of death has really helped them get their priorities straight."
'What do you mean?"
"Just like us, the Sheikah value the Three Cardinal Virtues of Hyrule; power, wisdom, and courage. However, they value a fourth trait above those three. Can you guess what it is?"
"It's truth, isn't it?"
"Bingo."
"How come?"
"The Sheikah believe that truth is the ends to a mean, so to speak. They believe that with discipline, determination, and the successful accumulation of one's true power, courage, and wisdom, it is only then that one is able to obtain truth in every meaning of the word; true happiness, true sense of self, you get the idea."
"They seem pretty smart. You like them."
"They are quite intelligent people in my opinion, but as you say, I'm biased. I've generalized a bit, so I wouldn't take exactly what I said word for word as their real culture."
"But that doesn't answer my question; why did Lady Impa's opinion of me change so fast, even after all I did was tell the truth?"
"It's precisely because you told the truth that she changed her mind about you, Link. As a Sheikah, Lady Impa appreciates honesty and integrity in all its forms. Even though you were in a position to lie and leave her office whenever you wanted, you stayed and presented to her the truth of the matter. The truth was more important to you than your own innocence, and that's what changed her mind. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little impressed, myself."
"How could I not stay and tell the truth? She practically threatened to throw me in jail! What kind of idiot would try lying to her, of all people?"
"You'd be surprised…"
Raven leaned forward in his seat, carried his chin on his fists, and stared hard at the door of Impa's office.
"Thank you, sir."
"Hmm? What for?"
"For a lot of things. For saving me yesterday when Officer Wallace was beating on me."
"Which reminds me; I'm surprised you left out that part of the story to Impa, although I'd probably have done the same thing had I been in the same situation. I'm not fond of Wallace myself, but still."
"I already said I didn't want to get anyone else in trouble. It felt like if I told Impa about what Wallace did to me, then I'd just be shifting the blame to him so that she'd forget about me and go after him. I hate Wallace, but I don't want to blame someone else just to save my own skin."
"Now that surprises me. If it were me, I just wouldn't want to be a tattle-tale. You're a lot nobler than you give yourself credit for, Link."
"Well…I don't know about that, but…I also wanted to thank you for defending me in there. If you hadn't explained about my voice, then I don't know whether I'd be in an interrogation room right now or not."
"She wouldn't have put you in an interrogation room," Raven laughed. "She was just trying to intimidate you."
"Yeah, well, it worked."
Raven laughed again as he sat back in his chair. Link smiled silently.
"I would laugh if I could…"
Raven stopped and looked at him sadly.
"I'm sorry, Link. It must be really hard not having a voice."
"It's been five times easier since I met Navi, that's for sure."
"You're welcome, by the way," Navi interjected.
"I hardly even think about it, since most of the time I'm with Malon, who can read me like a book. She can't say word for word what I'm thinking like Navi can, but she still speaks pretty well for me. It wasn't easy though when I first lost my voice, never being able to express myself. Even now, there are times…when it frustrates me so much I can't stand it…"
Now it was Link's turn to stare as hard as he could at Impa's office door. He cupped his chin in his hands and thought.
"Navi, we have to find that ocarina, or I'm gonna go nuts."
"He says we have to find that ocarina or he's gonna go nuts."
"Navi!"
"Oops. Guess I wasn't supposed to say that out loud either. I'm still trying to figure out which thoughts are meant for everyone to hear, so give me a break!"
"That's all right. I don't even know what an ocarina is, so I don't mind."
"It's a wind instrument like a flute, but made out of a sweet potato.
"A sweet potato? That definitely sounds interesting. I wouldn't mind seeing that."
"I wouldn't mind showing it to you either, but I lost it this morning and now I can't find it anywhere."
"It must be important to you if losing it makes you worry that much."
"That ocarina is the only way I can speak more or less…By the way…Sir Raven?"
"Yes, Link?"
"I'm really sorry."
"What in the world for?"
"Because I've spent all this time hating you, even though you never did anything. I was just blaming you for my own weakness. Yesterday when Wallace and his officers ganged up on me and you stopped them, it felt like I failed because when I tried to help that woman, all I ended up doing was taking her place and letting them beat me to a pulp instead. I felt so weak…"
"Link, how old are you?"
"I just turned 16."
"You've got your whole life ahead of you, so you have plenty of time to get as strong as you like. And for the record, you're a lot stronger than you think. Most wouldn't jump in to defend someone like that; most people generally turn a blind eye when they feel powerless to stop abuse. You may not be physically strong Link, but defending the weak and helpless without a second thought takes true strength, and courage for that matter. I've only met you last night so I don't know much about you, but you're one of the strongest people I've met."
"Yo–you don't mean that."
"I do," Raven smiled.
The door opened, and Impa stepped inside.
"Hello again, gentlemen. Link of Lon Lon Ranch, there's someone I'd like you to meet."
As she walked inside, a new soldier followed.
"Hey," Navi whispered in Link's ear. "Haven't we seen him before?"
"Oh my God!" The soldier suddenly gasped. "He-he's alive!"
"Yeah. That's the soldier who gave me his hand before I fell off the castle's roof."
The soldier collapsed in a chair behind him, his eyes open wide.
"Bu-but how?!"
"That is my doing," Impa informed him. "But it doesn't matter. Are you relieved to see this young man alive?"
"Are you kidding?! Of course I am!"
"In that case, do you believe you would be willing to return to your duties?"
"Y-yes," the soldier sighed. "Of course, Lady Impa."
"What's going on?"
"Link, this soldier applied for a leave of absence shortly after you unlawfully entered the castle."
"Why?"
"Do you think you would be in a state of mind to work if you'd just witnessed someone fall to their supposed doom?"
Link's eyes opened wider as he looked at the soldier slumped over in the chair.
"You might not be in trouble, Link, but even without external consequences for your actions, you still need to understand how much damage can be caused by unintentional actions. This man was truly worried for your well-being."
"Lady Impa," Raven stood from his seat. "Is this necessary?"
"Yes," she replied curtly. "It is."
Link covered his face with his hands.
"I- I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…"
"Link says he's really sorry," Navi said quietly.
"I didn't mean to– I mean, I never…I'm sorry…"
"Are you all right?"
"Yeah, I guess so…"
Sir Raven and Link walked slowly down the city streets away from Hyrule Castle, with Navi trailing behind. Impa had long dismissed them from her office and sent them on their way to the Temple of Time. Raven's concerned comment was the first thing any of them had said since they'd left her office.
"I didn't expect her to bring in that soldier like that."
"Neither did I."
"I guess she just wanted him, and you, to see the truth. Unfortunately, the truth hurts sometimes."
"You're telling me…"
"Hey!" Navi flew up into Link's face. "Nothing bad happened, right? The guy's fine, you're alive and more importantly not in jail! We can finally get to the Temple of Time, and I can find out more about the Hero of Ti–"
Raven yanked Navi out of the air and covered her tiny mouth with his hand.
"Hey!" She screamed, but her words came out as muffles. "Whff dff brmm ufeh?!"
"Navi," Raven whispered harshly. "And you too, Link. Both of you listen to me very carefully."
He released Navi and began speaking very seriously.
"How many people have you told about your search for you-know-who?"
"I've only told Link," Navi whispered. "And a few other people."
"Can you trust these people that you've told?"
"If it weren't for them, we wouldn't have the first idea where to find him, so yeah. I think we can."
"Do not tell anyone else that you're looking for Him, got it?"
"What? Why not?"
"Are you two aware of the situation occurring the Hyrulean Army?"
"You mean those unknown soldiers? Yeah, we heard about them."
"Not too many people know the exact details, but everyone in the city is extremely worried, including the soldiers who can account for their origins. The same is true for Lady Impa; it's been one of the biggest issues she's had to deal with in a while. It's even got the Royal Family scared to death. Don't tell this to anyone, but we're pretty sure the unknown soldiers aren't here for their healths' sake."
"What do you mean?"
"We have reason to believe the unknown soldiers are working as spies."
"But why? If they're spying on us, then who are they spying for?"
"We don't know, but that's what we're desperately trying to figure out. The only reason we haven't kicked out every last one of them is so we can keep an eye on them, and pray to the Goddesses that we can find out who or what they're working for before something goes wrong."
"What does that have to do with me looking for the Hero of T- I mean that guy?"
"Navi, the Hero of Time only makes himself apparent to the people of Hyrule when dire times approach. If the Great Deku Tree has personally informed you that he senses evil energy forming in the city, then the situation with the unknown soldiers has become that much more dangerous for all of us; not just for everyone in the city, but potentially everyone on the entire continent. If word gets out that a fairy is here, serving the Great Deku Tree by searching for you-know-who, people in the city would panic, or worse; the unknown soldiers, if they are truly planning something evil, would execute their plans that much faster."
"I think I see what you mean… No wonder Impa was so angry with me. It wasn't just because I got into the castle; she was afraid I was working with the unknown soldiers."
"Who have you told so far?"
"The only ones we've told are Telma and the other people at the bar."
"And by the other people, you mean…"
"Ashei, Auru, and Shad; the members of the Resistance. They're the only ones."
"Oh, good," Raven breathed. "And you're sure no one else knows?"
"Just them, and now you and Lady Impa and–"
Link froze.
"Sir Wallace!"
"Oh no! Not him!" Navi cried. "He's one of the unknown soldiers!"
"How," Raven asked intently. "Did you know that?"
"We heard about it last night from the other members of the Resistance! What do we do?! He knows we're looking for that guy! What if he does something bad?!"
"Calm down, Navi. Let me handle Sir Wallace. In the meantime, I'll take you to the Temple of Time where you can learn more about you-know-who. Afterward, the two of you are not to tell this to anyone else. You cannot talk about it amongst yourselves unless you are absolutely sure that you are alone. Do you understand?"
"Definitely."
"Of course…"
"There's no helping it, Navi, since the Great Deku Tree personally sent you here to the city, but you, Link; now it's my turn to apologize to you."
"What? Why?"
"Telling the Resistance of your search is one of the smartest things the two of you could've done. They're working directly with the Royal Family to investigate the unknown soldiers. Telling Lady Impa and I was another smart choice, although there was no helping that Sir Wallace was in the room with us. However, you Link, a young man from a ranch who as far as I know, has nothing to do with the security of the nation. The fact that you know about all this has put you in extreme danger. I'm afraid you've gotten yourself into a situation which may be more than you can handle, but you're so far into it that there would no getting out of it, so for the remainder of your time here in the city, remain cautious; keep your eyes open, watch each others' backs, and if you see anything suspicious or out of the ordinary, tell Telma at the bar immediately, or me if you can."
"Okay…"
"Good. Now let's hurry to the Temple. The sooner I introduce you to Sahasrahla, the sooner I can find Wallace and keep an eye on him."
"Sahasrahla? Who's that?"
"He's a sage who lives in the Temple of Time. His knowledge of Hyrule's history and legends is better than anyone's, so if anyone can tell you about the Legendary Hero, it's him. Don't worry, we can trust him. Maybe if we're lucky, you'll get to here the sages sing."
"There's more than one sage? And they sing?"
"There are many sages in the Temple, and they love singing as they work. They're really quite beautiful to listen to, although their singing is more like chanting."
"What do they sing?"
"The Song of Time."
"Sir."
"What is it? Don't bother me."
"But I just received news. You'll want to hear it."
"Spit it out already."
"A fairy has just made her way here into Hyrule City. She-"
"So what? I don't care about one silly little fairy. I've got more important things to worry about."
"There's more, sir. She's looking for the Hero of Time."
"…"
"…"
"So she is. How interesting. I think we better speed things up a little bit. Leave me."
"Yes sir."
"Cole, I'm going to pay a visit to our friend in the Temple of Time. Watch over the resurrection while I'm gone. And don't screw it up."
"Yes, Master…"
They walked as they talked, and as Raven told them of the Temple's sages, he and Link reached and climbed the wide granite staircase of the Temple. Bronze and marble statues decorated the staircase on either side.
"Wow!" Navi gasped. "Look at this guy holding up this sword! Is this a statue of the Hero of Time?"
"It's a statue of one of his incarnations," Raven explained.
"There's more than one Hero?"
"The legend of the Hero goes back thousands and thousands of years, even farther than the Kingdom of Hyrule. It's impossible for one man to live that long, so we believe that the spirit of the Hero is actually reincarnated into the Hylian race whenever need calls for it. You'll learn more as we head into the Temple."
Link gazed at the 12 foot stone statue before him. Bird feces and weather stains did nothing to ruin the stone art's glory. The frozen Hero held a long double-edge blade over his head with his left hand as he guarded his chest with a heavy shield in his right. Every fold and wrinkle of the clothing, every rivet of the chain link armor, even the expression on the Hero's face was perfectly chiseled and defined in the hard rock.
"The artist sure did a good job."
"Tell me about it. Look over at this one!"
Navi hovered to the other side of the stairs to a bronze statue that was exactly like the one across from it, except…
"This is just a statue of a kid, but he's got the same sword and shield and everything! What's up with that?"
"He too is another incarnation. The Hero is always a male member of the Hylian race, but his age varies between that of the young man which you saw over there, and the young boy depicted in this statue."
"It's amazing to think that someone so young could do something so great as to defend Hyrule."
"You'd be surprised just how much courage the young have. Follow me please."
Link followed Raven up the steps of the staircase. He'd finished climbing up the first set and had his foot on the first step of the second set when he realized Navi was missing. He turned and saw her still gazing at the statues.
"Navi! Come on. We need to get into the Temple."
"Aww, can't we stay and look at these statues a little while longer?"
"Raven needs to go. He can't babysit us all day."
"But look at how much we've learned just by looking at these statues down here! Maybe we don't have to go into the Temple after all!"
Link raised his eyebrow and climbed the steps back down to her.
"Navi, is something wrong?"
"No! Of course not! Why would there be something wrong? I'm fine! Everything's totally fine!"
"You've been wanting to come here to the Temple ever since we heard about it last night, but now when we're finally here, you suddenly don't? Are you sure nothing is wrong?"
"Of course I'm sure! Why wouldn't I be sure?"
"You seem kind of nervous…"
"I'm just a lover of good art is all. I mean, look at these statues! Aren't they cool? Sir Raven!"
Navi buzzed up the stairs a ways and came to another statue.
"Who's this lady here?"
Raven smiled and walked patiently back down the stairs to meet her.
"That statue is of Princess Zelda."
"She's so pretty!"
"It's said that with every reincarnation of the Legendary Hero, the Princess is reincarnated as well, and given the holy name of Zelda. Only daughters of the King of Hyrule who have been recognized as divine spirits by the sages in the Temple of Time are allowed to be given the name of Zelda, so as not to abuse the sanctity of the name."
"Do we have a Princess Zelda today?"
"We do, as a matter of fact. She lives in Hyrule Castle with her father, the King. From what I understand, she's just returned home from an expedition to the Eldin Province."
"Come on, Navi. Let's head inside now. I wanna meet this Sahasrahla person."
"Oh, okay. I guess we should go inside…"
Navi flew after Link as he ascended the stairs a second time. The Temple of Time loomed over them as they approached.
"Geez, this place is even bigger in person…"
Despite the heavy clouds overhead, the Temple of Time's marble pillars and granite blocks radiated. Ornate pinnacles sprang from the cathedral's flying buttresses and reached for the sky. Two conical towers rose from the front corners of the temple's facade, each one topped by impressive spires. In between the conical towers, a third stood even taller but was neither conical nor had a spire. At the top of this tower was the great face of a clock with big black numbers and dials. Giant bronze bells hung from thick rope cords in the open chamber of the tower above the clock. All three structures towered several stories high from the temple's foundation and from the entrance where Sir Raven and Link stood. Wide open and heavy gold doors marked the entrance of the temple. Tracery and mosaics decorated the facade. Along the temple's ledges and surfaces were even more statues.
"Who are those three women up there?…Navi? Navi."
"Ehh? What?"
"Can you ask Sir Raven about those statues up there?"
"Oh, sorry. I guess I'm a little…distracted. Link wants to know about the statue with the three ladies and triangles."
Just above the temple's gold doors, three marble sculptures of identical women circled themselves around a fourth sculpture; a monument made of three gold triangles.
"They are artistic depictions of the Goddesses of Hyrule," Raven explained. "The one at the top is Din, and the ones beneath her on the left and right are Nayru and Farore respectively. They guard the Triforce, which are the three golden triangles you see there, in their homeland of the Sacred Realm."
Raven walked underneath the Three Goddesses to the open doors.
"Let's not waste any time. You two need to find out the truth."
"Wait."
"What is it now, Navi?"
Navi's wings trembled as she stopped flying and landed on the ground.
"I'm sorry," she shivered. "I lied when I said there wasn't anything wrong, but there is. I can't go in there. I'm sorry!"
"What? Why not?"
"I'm starting to know what the Great Deku Tree meant, because I'm sensing something really really evil in there. I can't, I just can't go in there!"
"What do you think is in there?"
"I don't know, I don't know! Just something really really bad! There's no way I'm going in there with that much evil energy in that place!"
"What do we do now?"
"Do you want to wait until whatever you're feeling goes away, Navi?"
"I don't know! I just want it to go away! It's hurting me!"
Navi folded her body inward and hugged herself tightly as she sat in fetal position, rocking herself back and forth.
"Link! Help me!"
Link snatched up Navi in his left hand.
"We can't wait to go in there, Navi. You heard what Ashei and the others said in the bar last night, and what Sir Raven told us just now. Who knows when we'll have another chance to learn about the Hero of Time. Hyrule's in trouble, and we have to help!"
"But, I can't go in there!"
"You can hide in my shirt or in my hand the whole time we're in there, and I can learn about Him for you. You won't be there alone. I'm right here, ok? I'll be right next to you."
"Mmmm…" Navi trembled in Link's hand and hesitated.
"I won't leave you alone…"
"…Okay…"
She curled up tightly as Link gently tucked her into the collar of his shirt where she burrowed down and hid in his chest.
"Are you two ready?"
"As ready as we'll ever be I guess."
Raven turned back toward the doors, took a few steps in, and froze where he stood.
"On second thought," he whispered huskily. "I think I'll stay here and help give you two the grand tour."
Raven's terror-filled eyes looked straight ahead into the temple.
"Why? What's wrong?"
"Link, no matter what happens you follow my lead. Navi, don't say a word. Got it?"
"I wouldn't say a word right now if I wanted to," she whimpered back.
"Did I miss something?"
Raven didn't wait for their answer. He went inside.
"Hey! Wait up!"
Link followed after Raven and tried to catch up, but halted when he entered the dimly lit temple and came face to face with the sanctuary's interior. His mouth fell open, and his mind went blank.
"WHOA…"
The ceiling of the temple, painted over by a richly textured fresco, sloped upward along the sides and met at the center of the ceiling in a pointed ellipse. Carvings and statues decorated the high ledges along the walls. Tall marble pillars separated the main passageway, the nave, from the two aisles on either side of the temple. Light poured in from the intricately stained glass windows that embossed every visible wall of the temple. The thick marble floor was adorned by a long velvet red rug that ran from the entrance of the temple to the standing altar on the other side.
"Navi, you gotta see this!"
"I don't care how cool the Temple of Time looks; I'm not comin' out! Just see what you can find out for me."
Words are worthless to describe what exactly Link experienced that very moment, except that tidal waves of humility and reverence washed over him. The architecture of the temple overwhelmed him, and everywhere he looked, more and more prominent figures of Hyrulean history stood before him. He recognized only the few that Raven had introduced to him, but he sensed their domineering glory nonetheless.
Link walked carefully across the nave of the temple and tried to take everything in at once. The sound of Link's footsteps echoed off the thick walls and arcades of the aisles as he walked through.
Standing in front of the altarpiece at the end of the nave were two men conversing with one another. They spoke in hushed whispers as Raven approached and bowed deeply before them. The first of the two men was elderly and dressing in orange draping robes that made him look three times bigger than his original frame. Bushy white hair grew out from his head and chin and converged to form an increasingly long beard. He wore a cap and held a wooden staff in one hand to keep his balance. The second man was middle-aged and hulked over the elder. His thick crimson robes covered every part of his body and all his face, except for his eyes which shot out at whomever he cast a glance.
"Good morning to both of you, Sage Sahasrahla and Master Agahnim."
"As advisor to the King himself, I should expect you to address me first."
"You're right, Master Agahnim. My apologies."
The older man gripped his staff tighter as he chuckled.
"There's no need to be so formal, my child," he spoke in a warm raspy voice. "You are here in the presence of Goddess Hylia."
"Thank you, Sahasrahla, sir," Raven rose. "I beg both of your pardons. I don't mean to interrupt, but I found this young man sulking outside the Temple."
"What young man?" The man in crimson robes quietly demanded as he eyed Raven.
Raven turned. Link wasn't behind him.
"Link? Link!"
Link stood and gazed in awe at the massive stained glass window before him. The colors of the faces and figures popped out brightly and painted a story before his eyes that he could not interpret. He recognized the serious face and double-edged sword of the Child Hero, but there were seven other faces in the glass that he didn't know, and they were surrounded by the waves of the sea.
A hand suddenly gripped Link's shoulder and he froze.
"Like that window, do you?"
The asking voice was cold and malevolent. Not knowing what else to do, Link nodded quickly. The crimson man, still with his hand on Link's shoulder, pointed a grisly finger at the window.
"The land once known as Hyrule thousands of years ago was washed away into the depths of the sea by the will of the goddesses. This window tells the story of the Child Hero who travelled with a band of pirates in order to discover a new Hyrule, the land we inhabit today. See that young lady standing beside him?"
Link looked back to the window and eyed the dark-skinned girl with twirled blond hair.
"She was the leader of the pirates with whom he travelled, and the Princess of Hyrule. Together, she and the Hero of Winds colonized the land we now call home."
"Did you hear all that, Navi?"
She shifted her wings affirmatively.
"Ho ho!" Sahasrahla, using his staff as a cane, staggered over to the two. "Why Agahnim, I've never known you to take such an interest in the education of the children!"
Agahnim frowned.
"I just wouldn't want to see anyone misinformed, is all."
"Although," Sahasrahla ignored Agahnim and walked up to Link so he was only a few inches from his face.
"You hardly seem a child, at least not anymore."
Link stood perfectly still as the brightest pair of blue eyes he'd ever seen stared into his own.
"You've got good eyes, son. Good, noble, fierce eyes. Almost like a divine beast."
"Uhh…"
"Oh, don't you mind this old man's blathering," Sahasrahla laughed as he backed away from Link's personal space. "I'm just a humble sage with hardly anyone to keep him company. Raven tells us your name is Link, yes?"
Link nodded.
"And that he saw you sneaking around outside the temple," Agahnim added.
Link sensed the intended lie and nodded in confirmation.
"I don't blame the boy's curiosity. This temple is quite a marvel to behold from the outside."
"Ah," Sahasrahla's eyes sparkled. "But it is the inside that matters the most. I'd be happy to give you a bit of a tour, my boy, if you're in no hurry."
Link smiled and nodded.
"Forgive me for not previously informing you," Raven approached them from behind. "But Link is mute."
"He is, is he?" Sahasrahla used his free hand to scratch his bearded chin. His eyes shined even brighter. "How peculiar."
"A tour then?" Agahnim grinned as he put his fingers to his own chin. "Where should we begin?"
"We've already covered this window right here, but why don't we start from the beginning?" Sahasrahla suggested as he turned from them and slowly made his way to another stained glass window. Link followed behind Sahasrahla while Agahnim and Raven trailed after.
"There's lotsa details to this Temple of Time, so we'll try not to bore you too much," Sahasrahla grunted. "For starters, when Princess Zelda VII and the Hero of Winds, as you saw in that window, first colonized this continent, much of Hyrule's history had already been lost to time. It's only thanks to the archaeological efforts from the university built here in the city hundreds of years ago that we've been able to recover the history of the people, and it goes back 25,000 years."
"25,000 years?!"
"The look on your face speaks for itself, boy. Yes, 25,000 long, long years. The historians who informed the citizens of this long time line were working hand in hand with the original sages who built this temple hundreds of years ago. You see, the sages living on this land were already aware of the existence and purpose of the Legendary Hero, so on this new continent they wished to dedicate to him as accurate a memorial as possible, in order to honor him for his great deeds.
"The Royal Family received news of the sages' idea and was pleased, and as eager scholars stepped up to help, the University of Hyrule, the Royal Family, and the sages all began working together.
"The Royal Family had a wealth of information regarding the Legendary Hero, and so too did the sages, but what information that had been lost was filled in by those eager scholars using archaeological and scientific methods to uncover the lost history of our people. They climbed the highest mountains, dove to the depths of the sea, and conversed with anyone and everyone who might have some rendition of the Legendary Hero, all in his name, and what they found was nothing short of spectacular.
"I said earlier that the sages were already aware of the existence of the Legendary Hero, but they had no idea just how great his legacy truly was."
Sahasrahla slowed to a halt in front of another window, twice as large as the one Link had seen before. Two people were featured in the stained glass, and only one of which Link recognized.
"This window here shows the Hero of Time as he was 25,000 years ago, but you probably already knew that. Can you recognize the woman on his left?"
Standing beside the brandishing hero to his left was a beautiful woman dressed all in white. Her golden blond hair flowed all the way down to her ankles and swept from side to side as she played the golden harp she held in her hand.
Link gazed up at the woman, then pointed back at the window of the band of pirates.
"Princess Zelda? You're close, my child, but no. The woman you see in this window is none other than Hylia, the Goddess of Time and Guardian Angel of Hyrule. Ironically enough, Her existence had been lost in time to us, but with the aid of those historians hundreds of years ago, Her light can shine once more on the land and its people."
Sahasrahla edged away from the stained window and walked back toward the altar.
"It's a rather interesting story of how we rediscovered her. The Royal Family knew that somewhere in the Great Sea lied the ruins of the original land of Hyrule, but the ruins were so far beyond their reach that they had almost no hope of excavating them. That's where the historians came in; using new means of technology they developed themselves, they were able to dive down to the bottom of the ocean without fear of drowning or losing air.
"Using this technology, they began searching for the lost land. They searched for many many years, but their searches yielded very few results until finally one day, they found the ruins of the ancient castle that was once Hyrule Castle.
"Oh the joy they must've felt! The finding of that castle sparked such enthusiasm in the people of Hyrule, for the knowledge they found within the castle was priceless to behold. They brought back such relics and artifacts as had not been seen by human eyes for millenia!
"One of those very relics, perhaps the most sacred of any, lies behind this door, Link."
Sahasrahla stopped in front of a double door and turned to face Link. The door stood fifty feet tall and was solid gold. Hammered into its surface were artistic patterns and more historical figures, as well as incomprehensible symbols.
"This door is sealed shut with the strongest magic of its kind, so as to prevent evil souls from ever entering this room. The gold metal from which the door is built of represents the Golden Power of the Goddesses and expels evil spirits. You see, it is the Blade of Evil's Bane that lies beyond this door; the very blade of the Legendary Hero."
"Whoa … I wish I could see …"
Link laid his hand on the door. It felt cool to the touch.
"It is of course the same blade featured in the stained windows of this temple, and is as old as Hyrule itself, yet the blade has never lost its edge nor ever required tempering. It is truly a marvel to behold. Only sages of the temple are allowed to enter of the room to check on the sword, although it's highly doubtful that it will ever move, since only those the Blade itself deems worthy of carrying it may remove it from its pedestal."
Navi's wings buzzed excitedly, making Link shift and twitch.
"Navi, stop! That tickles!"
"Something troubling you, boy?" Agahnim hissed while folding his arms and staring maliciously at Link. Goosebumps formed on Link's arms, and he felt a shudder run up his spine. He shook his head quickly.
"It's strange, though," Sahasrahla rambled on. "When the historians found the sword, it was lodged into the head of a great stone statue. They had to bring it back in order to dislodge the sword."
"What made the sages decide to build a temple as their memorial to the Legendary Hero, sir?" Raven asked quickly.
"I never get tired of telling you young ones these stories. After the historians discovered Old Hyrule Castle, they searched the area around it to see if there were more ruins, and there were; they discovered the remains of an ancient temple, and with a little digging and analyzing, they realized that the ancient temple they'd discovered was the remains of the Old Temple of Time, the very temple used by the Ancient Sages to seal the Sacred Realm. With this discovery, it only seemed fitting that the monument to the Hero of Time would be a new Temple of Time built in his honor. It might not serve the same purpose as the original structure or be as grandeur, but I still like to think our temple is satisfactory as is."
"If this temple is nothing compared to the original, then I wish I could've seen the original in all its glory."
Sahasrahla took his staff in hand and began walking slowly through the aisle of the temple, pointing his staff at each window.
"And so, with the history of Hyrule rediscovered and the memorial decided upon, the Royal Family, sages, and historians worked together to create a temple dedicated to the legacy of the Legendary Hero. Without their efforts, much of our history would be lost in time forever.
"There's still lots of work to be done, and the efforts of today's historians and sages like me are still ongoing. Not only are we still excavating the remains of Old Hyrule Castle, but since the Tale of the Hero of Time is a legend told by way of the mouth, we're also working to receive as many different interpretations from as many different people as possible. You'd be surprised the amounts of stories we hear.
"In this window here, we see the Hero of Men taking in his hand the Four Sword and wielding it against the evil Wind Sage. Upon his head is the Minish Cap. Sadly, we have yet to find the Four Sword.
"In this window, the young Hero is removing the Master Sword from its pedestal in the original Temple of Time. He was then put into a sleep that lasted seven years so that he would be able to destroy the King of Evil.
"Ah, this window is my favorite; here, the young Hero is playing a duet with Princess Zelda on the Spirit Flute, accompanied by the peaceful Lokomo on their respective instruments."
The more windows they passed, the more stories Sahasrahla gave, and the more excited Link grew. Goosebumps formed once more on the skin of his arms as the legends of heroic deeds and lives filled his mind and senses. He thought of Rusl and how during his childhood, he would tell similar stories around the campfire.
"Man, hearing all this makes me feel like a little kid again…"
"And over here, we have a real treat for you," Sahasrahla pointed his staff toward the other side of the aisle. "An ancient relic you may see for yourself."
At the end of the aisle, a large glass case rested on a pedestal. A tiny light bulb inside illuminated the manuscript resting in the display.
"That's a big book."
"This tome is called the Book of Mudora, my child. Although the text is indecipherable today, we know it to contain the ancient Hylian language that tells of the original Legendary Hero."
Link pressed his hands and forehead against the glass and stared into the case at the pages.
"…Et electi masculum Hylian tenebunt gladius malum malo manu eius juste et vocabitur fatalique heros Hylia…And the chosen male Hylian shall take the Sword of Evil's Bane in his 'righteous' hand, and he shall be called Hylia's Chosen Hero…"
"Well, my boy? I hope you've enjoyed this little tour of the Temple of Time."
Link turned away from the case and smiled at the sage, giving a thumbs up.
"Excellent! It does me good to see the youth so interested in Hyrule's history."
Raven stood behind Sahasrahla, but behind him was no one. Link looked around.
"What happened to the other guy?"
"May I ask where Master Agahnim has gone?" Raven asked, noticing his absence at the same time as Link.
"Hmm, you're right; he's disappeared without a trace hasn't he? That's Agahnim for ya. Always runnin' off to get things done. He's a busy man, he is. Especially with the New Year approaching."
Sahasrahla's eyes lit up suddenly.
"Which reminds me; did you know, young man, that the New Year isn't just a holiday celebrating the cycle of seasons, but also a celebration for the Legendary Hero?"
Link shook his head.
"It's true, my boy. The years that go by represent the location where the Hero will come from, should his identity be revealed in the coming year. Since this New Year is the Ordona Wolf, then the Hero will reign from Ordona. If he arrives next year, the year of the Labrynna Phoenix, then he will arrive from Labrynna, and so on and so forth. The order of the years also represent the order in which he will visit each temple in the provinces of Hyrule. He begins his journey here in the Hyrule Province, then makes his way to Ordona, Labrynna, Holodrum, Faron, the Great Sea, Lanayru, Eldin, and finally Termina.
"But no matter where the Hero of Time comes from, he will always have the same general attributes."
"I'd take note if I were you." Raven whispered to Link.
"The Hero is always a male of the Hylian race. His age varies, but he will never be younger than a small child, or older than a man just leaving his teens. He is more often than not left handed. He is musically-inclined and gifted in the ways of the sword and bow. Children and animals are instinctively drawn to him. He has an innate sense of courage, justice, truth, and righteousness. When he is revealed by removing the Master Sword from its pedestal, he will be garbed in the traditional green tunic of the Hero. His mind is pure and his heart is righteous, and he cares nothing for his own gratification; he fights only to defend the defenseless and protect those who cannot protect themselves. His power grows as he overcomes the obstacles and evil forces before him, and as he journeys and fights in the name of true justice, he gives hope to the people of the land so they may live in peace, and yet asks for nothing in return. He speaks nothing but the truth, and his deeds are none but courageous and virtuous. He acts only in the name of the Goddess Hylia and of the Royal Princess Zelda."
Navi's wings buzzed excitedly and Link shifted and twisted around in response.
"Navi, cut it out, would you?!"
She popped out suddenly from Link's sweater.
"That's it! That's what we need! Come on, Link!"
She pulled on his hair and dragged him toward the door of the temple.
"Ow! Navi! That hurts! Cut it out!"
"Hey, wait!"
Before he could stop them, Raven was left standing alone in the temple beside Sahasrahla.
"That fairy doesn't know her own strength," he mumbled.
"What fairy?" Sahasrahla coughed innocently. "I didn't see a fairy."
He smiled slyly at Raven before walking off with his staff in hand.
"Navi, for crying out loud, stop pulling my hair!"
He finally managed to brush her away from his hair as soon as they passed the door.
"If you wanted to leave, you could've just said so! Geez!"
"Link, listen to me! Didn't you hear what that guy said? There isn't a Hero of Time!"
"Are you nuts?! Of course there's a Hero of Time. He just got done showing us all that stuff!"
"Yeah, but remember what he said about the Master Sword? He said the Hero of Time wields the sword when the need arises, right?"
"…Right?"
"So if the Master Sword is still in the Temple of Time, then that means the Hero of Time hasn't removed it from its pedestal, but the only way that's possible is if he hasn't been revealed yet. Therefore, there is no Hero of Time yet."
"I guess that makes sense, but how is that a good thing? How are we supposed to find the Hero of Time if there isn't one yet?"
"Hello?! Did you listen to a single thing he said? He practically gave us everything we needed to know. All we have to do is find someone in the city who has all the requirements that Sahasrahla named off."
"…You do realize there are thousands of people in Hyrule City, and that more than several of them are probably going to meet the requirements, right?"
"Not really. Hylians aren't the most common race, and it's not that hard to tell them from regular humans. It shouldn't be that hard to find a teenager Hylian boy either. One who's good at music, is nice and brave that kids and animals really like, and is from Ordona. How many Hylians in the city could possibly meet all those requirements?"
"Well, since Hyrule City is the Hylian center of the continent, probably a lot. And even if there aren't that many, do you know how hard it's going to be to find one person out of thousands and thousands?"
"That's where you come in."
"Ehh, what?"
"With your help, we're going to comb this entire city and find the one meant to be the Hero of Time!"
"WHAT?!"
"Listening to Sahasrahla talk that way about the Hero of Time made me so excited!"
"I noticed. You couldn't sit still if you tried. That reminds me; I thought you said you hated being in there. Why'd you climb out of my shirt if you were so scared?"
"It's weird. The evil presence I felt in the Temple disappeared all of a sudden, so I wasn't so scared."
"That's really str–"
"Link, forget about that! Now we know what to look for! We should start right now!"
"Oh come on! Can't we at least get breakfast first? I'm starving, and I still have to go back to the inn to help Malon move all the bo– Oh crud!"
"What? What's wrong?"
"The whole reason I'm here in the city in the first place! I'm supposed to be selling the boxes of milk for our ranch! It's so late in the morning that Malon must've already started without me! She's gonna kill me when I get back!"
"Good idea! While you're selling milk, you can check all your customers to see if any of them meet the requirements to be the Hero of Time!"
"Navi!"
Link ran down the steps away from the Temple of Time, several paces ahead of the ambitious fairy.
"Hey!" She called. "Wait for me!"
"Whew! We're finally done."
Malon collapsed into the bar stool in front of Telma and wiped the sweat from her brow with her dirt-caked arm, her companion taking the stool next to her.
"That wasn't that hard. You had me thinking those boxes would be heavy or something."
"You're awfully coy, aren't you?"
"Well you're used to it," he laughed. "So it must seem like nothing to you."
"I suppose, but no matter how much I think I can lift, Link can get even more done than I can…"
"Aw, quit worryin' about him! I bet he's just ditching you is all. Nothin' happened."
"He's been missing all morning! I don't care if he's ditching at this point, I just wish I knew where he was! This city is huge! He could be hurt or in trouble somewhere and I'd never even kno–"
The tavern door slammed open, Link stumbled in, tripped on the leg of a chair, twisted around, and fell flat on his back.
"Geez, Link," Navi trailed after him and landed on his chest. "Been walking long?"
"Well well well, look what Louise dragged in," Telma chuckled. Louise looked up from her spot in front of the fireplace and meowed roughly.
"Link! I'm gonna kill you!" Malon jumped up from her bar stool, yanked Link up by his shirt collar and shook him until his teeth rattled. "Where in Din's name have you been?! And – and why do you smell like you jumped into a sewer?! God, you're disgusting!"
Link's head jarred back and forth until he finally grabbed Malon's arms and forced her to stop.
"Sorry I'm late."
Navi unconsciously replied for Link, so Malon looked straight at her.
"Who are you?…What are you?"
"Navi, Malon. Malon, Navi."
"Whatever. Link, I outta take you out back and beat you 'til you bleed! You went who knows where, to do who knows what, while I got stuck here to lift all the milk boxes myself! If it weren't for Rio, I don't know what I'd have done!"
"…Wait, what? Who?!"
Rio turned on the bar stool and smiled mischievously at Link.
"Hey, man. Long time no see, huh?"