"Holder Of Light" Chapter 3
By HenryCH (henrych@henrych-uk.fsnet.co.uk)
Overall Summery: After Link telling her of a strange warning, Zelda tries and fails to discover who is the new holder of the Triforce Mark of Power. However while Link is trying to help Zelda, he must also try and stop the murders of a rouge Sheikah who has a fetish for collecting a certain human organ. -NOTE Glossary has been modified
Part summery: The king and Link go to the murder sight and Link discovers that this maybe more than a simple murder. Meanwhile back at the castle Zelda and the other Sages all start looking into ways of locating the new holder of the Triforce Mark of Power. Link also faces a race he never thought he would ever have to face again.
DISCLAIMER: All the characters from 'The Legend of Zelda' Series belong to Nintendo so please don't sue me. Also there are pieces of information I used from Darkness Rising by Alex Foster. Especially One Phrase that I just couldn't get out of my mind.
'Power may stand alone, but Wisdom and Courage must not'
"A gruesome sight." The king said as he moved towards the scene. "Did anyone see what happened?"
"No sire." General Armeg. "Her husband was out at the time at Sir Link's knighting, whoever did this timed it perfectly."
"Anything you can tell me." The king asked in return.
"Well we think that whoever has done this must be possessed or plagued in the mind. We imagine that she was killed by a dagger of some kind, however we can rule out a combat knife the cuts are too fine. She's been badly cut up and the husband found it hard to identify her"
It was then Link moved forward, Navi in tow. He turned to the king before asking. "May I have a quick look over, sire."
"If you wish Sir Link." He replied.
Link instantly removed his Gauntlets and gloves revealing the Triforce Mark of Courage to the surrounding air. "Do you mind?" He held his hand wear out to a squire.
"Of course milord." The squire replied as Link looked over the body.
"Who else has looked over her?" Link asked.
"Just myself milord, the physician is on the way as we speak." The general replied as Link kneeled next to the woman instantly looking at the piecing in her neck.
"I don't think that the dagger was the only murder weapon." He replied as he pulled out a small crossbow bolt out of the woman's neck.
"I've never seen a bolt that small before." Armeg replied seeing the bolt.
"Also who ever did this must be very clever." He turned back to the general. "I don't think this was just for murder, why would he or she use both a crossbow and a dagger?" It was then he smelt it. "Can you smell that?"
"You mean the alcohol?" Armeg asked.
"Yes but it's coming from between her legs." Link replied not even looking that way. "He's clever alright, clever and sick."
"I don't think I want to know" The king said before anyone else could ask Link what me meant.
"Trust me, sire. You don't." Link looked over the cuts again. "She has to be cut open like this for a reason, as if being killed and violated wasn't bad enough."
"Link!" Navi exclaimed bobbing up and down as she always did when something is important. "I can't feel any sort of soul resonance from the body."
"What?" The king asked the small fairy.
"The reason that fairies can revive someone is due to the soul still being in the body, but even if it has left the body it leaves a resonance mark in the heart." Navi explained.
"I wonder?" Link held his right hand up, his left hand gripping the middle of the forearm while he concentrated. The Triforce Mark of Courage glowed before he ran his hand above the body. "I can't sense any residual mystical energy. That confirms it."
"I don't want to sound like an idiot milord but what are you talking about?" Armeg asked him scratching his head.
"Everyone has some level of mystical energy stored in the body with their soul. The Sages, the Princess Zelda and myself all have unusually high levels of this energy as well as some mages, witches, necromancers, you get the idea. Mine is caused by the Triforce Mark of Courage and Zelda's is increased by her mark."
"Why would someone want someone else's heart?" Armeg asked.
"I'm not sure, I would have to check with Impa or Rauru. Also I have to find out what could fire this." He pointed to the bolt. "Sir I wish with your permission to oversee this investigation." Link said as he turned to his king.
"Permission granted Sir Link." Harkinian replied as he turned back towards the door. "I think I've seen enough. For all our sakes Sir Link, find this manic and stop him." With that the king of Hyrule left the murder scene most of the squires leaving with him.
Link nodded to the squire holding his gauntlets and gloves and he passed him back his equipment. Link smiled in thanks before he pulled the black cloth back over the body. This defiantly wasn't the beginning of anything good.
---
Zelda gathered with the other Sages in one of the castles private meeting rooms. She sat on an old mahogany chair, looking out the window, the other sages were all spread out through the room talking to themselves wondering why they had all been summoned. Finally Zelda turned towards the Sages. "I have summoned you here today for your guidance." She started gaining all the sages attention. "Link came to me this morning telling me that he had received a message from his patron goddess, Farore. The Goddess of power will soon be choosing a new champion soon and we are not sure on who it shall be. I gathered you all here to ask you if any of you know anyway to locate this man before the nightmares begin."
Rauru, who had been standing next the chair Ruto had vacated was the first to reply. "Your highness I am not too sure on this subject, this is the focal area of the Sages of Shadow and Forest."
Zelda turned to Impa who had been in the shadows by the bookcase all the time. "I think that there is a way, that is noted in the book of prophecies that is stored in the Triforce Chamber in the Sacred Realm. I feel that we would all have to be there to do as it shall tell us."
It was then Saria came in. "As you all know the Pillar Of Courage is on a sacred platform. The pillar itself is in the middle of an engraved Triforce, facing the Triforce Fragment of Courage. Surrounding the Triforce, there are the markings of our six powers."
"You mean engravings of the Crystals." Came a new voice from the doorway. Zelda looked that way to see that Link had entered the room, she watched him bow to her before he continued. "If Evil's Bane is placed back into the Pillar Of Courage it will instantly take those on the platform into the Triforce Chamber, as long as they are in the correct position."
"You mean that if Zelda is on the Triforce Fragment of Wisdom and we are on the engraftments of our particular elements then we can all enter the Triforce chamber." Ruto put in her two rupees.
Link nodded in reply before Zelda began to speak. "Well if that's the case then I suggest that we all met at the Sacred Forest meadow in two days time." They all nodded their agreements followed by Zelda dismissing them.
It was then Link decided to broach the subject. "Oh by the way can Impa and Rauru please stay here for a moment. I need to ask you something."
Everyone else left, Saria and Nabooru having to escort Ruto out of the room. With this Link turned to Impa. "A body was found in the Hylian Inn, she was the landlady and was mysteriously and her heart was taken." He saw Zelda put her hand over her mouth. "Impa, I found this lodged into the victim's neck." He handed her the crossbow bolt. "I know you're the one to come to when it comes to unusual weaponry. So if you can you find what may have fired this bolt ?" Link asked.
"You won't need me for two days?" Impa turned to Zelda.
"No Impa. If I need you I'll call." Zelda replied.
"Rauru what can you tell me about using the heart in necromancy?" Link asked.
"Usually it will be an amplifier for a spell of some sort but for which type I cannot tell you, as it was a Hylian heart taken it could be an unlimited array of spells. I'm sorry young Knight." Link innerly swore at this comment, now he had to rely on Impa for a lead before the next killing "However I have a feeling this is related to your dream from the Goddess and may even lead to the coming of the champion of Power."
Link nodded looking out into the courtyard. "Why's Nabooru still out there?" Link asked.
"I think she has an appointment with father." Zelda replied.
"Talking about your father. I know I told you I wouldn't do this but when are you going to tell him?" She turned to look him in the eyes instantly showing that against his ongoing doubts, she wasn't feeling any remorse for what had been done in the Triforce chamber.
"I was planning to tell him now." She replied taking his hands in hers.
"Err, what are you talking about?" Rauru asked but was ignored at that moment.
"I don't think that's wise. He was at the murder sight, the guards told me that he had never acted so grave in his life." Link replied.
"I'm I taking it correctly that you two have become…lovers?" Rauru asked, causing Link to smile.
"In a way Rauru, you're right but not as you think." He then went into the situation about the marriage by the Triforce again for the third time.
"Well congratulations you two. I think that the best thing to do is for you to make it official, give me the word and I'll set up the Sanctuary in an instant."
Link smiled at the old Sage as they began into the courtyard.
---
The Dark God's plan was in motion but he had to make sure that his servant's plan prevailed. The Knight was ruining it all, if his servant was forced to draw it the long way the Goddess would be onto him, not that that was a problem, just be highly inconvenient. He looked at the Knight, noting neither he nor the Princess had their bows with them, taking this into account he began twisting the links in the realms choosing one race that may prevail. It was time for a test of the Triforce Mark of Courage's power… And the power of its holder.
---
Link instantly sensed their presence even though they were masters of disguise. He turned towards where Impa and Zelda were talking to Nabooru and called out. "Impa, get Zelda inside!" He drew Evil's Bane from its scabbard and unhooked the Mirror Shield, suddenly wishing he hadn't left his bow in his chambers. With this Navi cam straight to life turning yellow as she sensed them too.
"Oh no. They can't of." With this three Garo Ninjas appeared in front of Link, one instantly attacking. However Link wasn't shocked for long as he leaped to the left keeping the enemy out of reach before he lunged forward catching it on the sleeve causing it to fall. He pulled the Mirror shield up quickly as another tried to hit him with their dangerous blades, kicking this one back he felt the power of Evil's Bane enter him as he swung at the third, who attempted to block, however Link's weapon was no normal blade, it cut through the Garo's blade like it was make of butter, killing the Garo and causing him to vanish, he twisted his body allowing the Mirror shield to slip onto his fore arm as his other hand joined it's counterpart on the hilt of Evil's Bane twisting the blade as it slashed the first Garo killing him just as quickly. Another five appeared just like the others, Link saw in the corner of his eye Nabooru pull out her two Gerudo Cutlass blades and rush to help him.
"Navi, I'm going to finish this." Link shouted.
"Got ya." Navi replied as she flew over to Nabooru keeping her out of the melee. Link move into position as he started to chant in Hylian, the ancient words that had been engraved into his mind, words that let the mystical energies begin to flow freely followed by one whisper word.
"Ether." The Water Medallion began to glow as Link spun around energy storing in Evil's Bane before he stopped holding the weapon straight into the air, blue energy started to surround the blade followed by an energy dome beginning to form. The energy in the sword blasted into the dome causing it to expand, every thing the dome touched had a small glaze of ice and the Garo Ninjas then became ice statues. The spell finished the rest of the ice melted in the heat apart from the five Garo statues. Moving up to each of them, Link killed each one with Evil's Bane, seeing as he hadn't the Megaton Hammer.
"What the hell was that?" Nabooru asked.
"Ether, the magical spell encased in the Water Medallion, very handy actually." Link explained.
"I'll bet." Nabooru replied as Rauru, Impa and Zelda came back over.
"Who in the light were they?" Impa asked
"Garo Ninjas, a tribe of warriors that watched over Ikana, the village of outcasts, but that was in the Sacred realm." Link stated as he looked over at Navi. "Any ideas?"
"I'm not sure, Link. Didn't Kail tell you he would never set his people on you?" Navi replied.
"This may not be Kail, Nav'. I have a feeling that this is just a warning. A warning of what may be coming." Link looked up towards the clouds, wondering what fate, what prophesy would soon be befalling the land he had vowed to protect? What would happen to all those he held dear to his heart? He didn't know, he really didn't know.
End Of Chapter 3