Nature Sage - Ch 6
The Sages gaped at the image of a lifeless Malon. None of them could believe what they were seeing. Malon, their newfound leader, the Sage of Nature, dead? How could this be?
"I'm sorry," Sharul, the Sage of Seasons, said sadly. "We really thought she'd be okay.."
"Who's 'we?'" Ruto asked angrily, tears in her eyes.
"Me and Paige. She's the Zodiac Sage. I don't think that category should exist though. Everyone knows that horoscopes aren't real."
"I believe in horoscopes," Saria said defensively.
Rauru sat staring at the image. It simply wasn't possible. Perhaps someone had taken her spirit at the last moment and saved her..
Just then, Paige appeared, along with twelve others.
"We are the Zodiac Sages of Earth," she said, "and we have come to help you win back the spirit of Malon, your leader. We have brought the Power of Zelda, our leader. She has been restored to her normal Sage status."
"That's good," Darunia said, relieved.
"How can we get her spirit back?" Ruto said sulkily. "It's gone."
"We still have the Sages of Time, no matter how conceited they are.." one of the Zodiac Sages said, slightly disgusted. The Sages of Time had a reputation of caring only for themselves. Zelda had often had to deal with them herself to get them to cooperate.
"Victory is never going to help us," Rauru said, speaking of the arrogant leader of the Sages of Time. "And even if she did, she'd find some way to ensure our demise."
Paige sighed. "It's the only way. We'll either have to ask Victory or the Sage of the Past. I forget his name."
"Ryan," Nabooru supplied, smiling.
"Right. Well, he's nice, I guess. We might be able to talk him into it."
"Yeah, right," Impa said, rolling her eyes. "That boy is completely controlled by Victory. He's scared to death to defy her."
One of the other Zodiac Sages looked into the image of Malon. She obviously wasn't dead, he could tell. Her eyes kept fluttering open, then falling shut again. If only he had a way to reach her..but only one with an Orb of Power could create an imaginary fight like that. That was what it was, he was sure. Ganondorf had entered her imagination and turned it frightening. She wanted an escape, and collapsed into a trance of illusion.
He sat down while the others were arguing over what to do. If he was her, where would he run to? He knew that she enjoyed sitting on the shores of Lake Hylia..but no, not without someone. Maybe it was the ranch! That was it! All he had to do was create an imaginary replica of Lon Lon Ranch.. one that was so real, that it would become his reality.
"Okay, someone get Zelda. She can do it for us," Paige said, looking around. She saw the Sage sitting there, so deep in thought. "How about you, Aries?"
He looked up, disappointed. "Yes, ma'am," he said, slowly rising. He transformed himself into a ball of light and sped off to Hyrule Castle.
He skimmed along the field, swerving just around trees. He enjoyed the thrill of having huge things whiz past him at incredible speeds, although he really wasn't going much faster than a horse at top speed. Suddenly, though, he smacked right into something.
And that something said, "Ow!"
"Sorry," Aries said quickly. He hated having the same name as the Sage sign he represented.
"It's fine," the person said, staggering back to look at the speck of light. "You a fairy or something?"
"No, a Sage," he said. "I'm Aries, one of the many Zodiac Sages."
"I'm Link, Hero of Time. No, I have no Sage powers, just stupid old regular Hero of Time powers. Which, oh yeah, is NOTHING!"
"I don't have many powers, either," he said quickly, trying not to upset the legendary Hero of Time. Rumor on Earth was that the Hero of Time was very violent and would instantly kill anything that angered him. "I have to get to Hyrule Castle, though, and tell Zelda to get Victory or Ryan to come save Malon."
"Malon's in trouble?" Link asked, half-drawing his sword.
"I think she's at the Ranch," the Sage said reasonably, "but everyone else thinks she's dead."
"Then I have to get to the Ranch," the hero said, determined.
"Not the real ranch, the imaginary one."
Link looked confused.
"You have to imagine Lon Lon Ranch so intensely that you enter your imagination and are able to rescue Malon," he explained.
"Oh, okay. You go ahead; I'll try that," Link said, squeezing his eyes shut.
Aries shrugged and resumed his journey to the castle. When he got there, he found Zelda out on her balcony.
"Do you think you could get the Sage of Time to save Malon?" he asked, reforming into his own self beside her.
She turned around, her eyes full of worry. "I can do that. But will it help? Victory is not the nicest person in the world."
"We thought that, as well, but she's our only hope. We were thinking that we could try Ryan first. You know, he's more caring than her."
Zelda nodded, closing her eyes. "Ryan, Sage of the Past, please come to me now!"
A ball of multicolored light appeared, and Ryan was standing there looking nervous.
"Hey, Ryan," Aries said. "Do you think you could help us out?"
He nodded. Ryan didn't talk much when he was nervous.
"Go back in time and stop Malon, the Nature Sage, from entering her imagination and engaging in battle with Ganondorf," Zelda said, clasping her hands together like she does when she's hopeful.
"I can't do that."
"Why not?" Zelda asked calmly, but Aries could tell she was furious.
"It would change the course of Time," he said simply.
"That's the point!" the Princess screamed. "We're SUPPOSED to change the flow of time so that Malon doesn't die!"
"She is safe," he replied. "Your Hero of Time is tending to her right now."
Zelda looked puzzled for a moment, then cast her power into a viewing pool.
Malon sat in the stable, holding her head. "Why, why did I have to do this?" she moaned.
"It's destiny," Link said, sitting beside her. She jumped up, startled. When she realized who it was, she smiled and sat back down.
"Why is destiny so cruel to people?" she asked, brushing her hair out of her face.
Link shrugged. "I guess it knows that we can deal with it, and it will make us stronger people."
She smiled again, laying her head on his shoulder. "But I can't handle it. I nearly died!"
"Malon, that wasn't real," he said rationally. "It was an imaginary battle with real consequences. All you really have to do is use your imagination, and the Evil Realm is back to the tiny speck it started as."
"Yeah," Malon said. "You're right. I guess I should go back now, huh?"
"Yeah. Go ahead."
She focused her mind, and was instantly back in the battle.
"Hey!" Ganondorf yelled. "I thought I.."
Meanwhile, the Sages saw Malon get back up after being out for so long.
"She's not dead!" Ruto cried happily.
"Shhh," Paige hissed, staring at the image. They all gathered around to see what happened.
Malon's lips formed into words, but the viewing pool didn't carry sound. Saria scowled.
Ganondorf laughed (you could tell when Ganondorf was laughing), and shot a bolt of magic at Malon. She dodged easily, and closed her eyes. Suddenly, she was engulfed in a field of lightning. She raced toward Ganondorf, and it looked like he screamed.
Some of the Zodiac Sages of Earth wished for popcorn. The Hylians didn't know what it was.
Ganondorf's body started to evaporate, and he looked afraid. She laughed and said something, then he shouted something, and then he was gone.
Malon smiled, and teleported back to the Sage Realm.
"How did you do that?" Paige asked, amazed.
"I just used my imagination," Malon replied.
"You must have a strong one," the Pisces Sage commented.
"Come on, let's get out of here. It's, like, three in the morning," Nabooru said, yawning.
Everyone agreed, and they went back to Hyrule Castle to stay the night.
-+-chapter six: complete-+-
I'm tired. It's late. You understand, don't you? I think this is the end of my little series here. I don't know, I might put out a chapter seven, but I doubt it.
Sorry that Chapter 5 turned out so bad. I didn't re-read it or anything, but after I put it up I remember thinking "why did I just do that!?" Oh well. Too late now.
Please review! Thanks!
and you have not heard the last of me! ;)