------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author's note: Blame unlucky chapter thirteen for this taking so long... Or more likely blame me – but hey, its here now. As usual email me at jon@zlda.com if there is any comments. And seeing as we're starting Book Two now, even if you read up to "End of Book One" and the Sadia's attack in the last chapter it might be an idea to read the Story so far. (Unless of course you're just reading straight on from Twelve in which case you should be alright)
Story so far: -
Tai, a gerudo, summoned the power of her god Nura and used the power to free Ganondorf Dragmire. Ganon captured Nura's power and used it to destroy Hyrule. However, Zelda and Link awake in the alternate dimension of Nurai, the land that Nura created, and also the homeland of the gerudos.
Tai also wakes up in Nurai, but discovers that Ganon who she always supposed to be her king, is actually not that role any more. He has not been for the last 17 years. Instead she decides to join a group of incredibly skilled warriors called the Xi, who may be able to tell her where the real gerudo king is. However, instead she finds that she no longer cares about the Gerudo king and just wants to learn about the Xi ways from her teacher Bren. While completing her second task she finds that for a brief moment that her body seems to control itself without her input.
Zelda is given the new name of Hail as a joke when she is forced to become a pirate. But gradually she finds that she can no longer remember her old life, and her old thoughts and emotions seem invalid. She takes over as the pirate captain and soon her name reverberates around the country as one to be feared. For Hail is the prophesised figure who will appear shortly before the Distile, the end of the world. This new 'Hail' seems to live up to the legacy that had been told of – not even a fleet fifty times bigger than hers can defeated her.
Link is awakened by a priest of the Nuran church who is called Nala. However, while Link is still confined to bed a Kalen (a mysterious group who all the Nuran people seem to hate) breaks in a gives Link a mysterious broach.
Nala reveals that Link's coming is also foretold of in the stories of the Distile. The only chance Link has to stop it is to find the six sages who are somewhere in Nura. Hoping to recruit more help Link and Nala travel to Nurai's capital Asreal where they are due to meet in the Glass Temple. Here Link meets Tai (although he does not know who she is) and the two become uneasy friends.
Nurai's history is revealed to Link in a meeting inside the Glass Temple, however half way through an earthquake (one of the prophesied signs of the Distile) strikes. While trying to evacuate the building a huge D'Ran knife that long ago had been used in sacrifices falls to the floor. To the horror of Nala and Tanya it falls on Link and kills him. Link finds himself in a place beyond death, where those that call themselves gods live. He learns here that his infinite chances have run out, and he has only one left. Here all knowledge is stored and much of it flows into his head. He learns of an old man called Rein who was struck by lightning while being attacked by a wolf, and also of Hail's plans to defend herself against Black.
When Link returns once again into the real world he has lost all his memories, although a witch manages to restore them through Nala at least far back as the two met. He continues to dream of Rein, who became after he was struck by the lightning, a wondering spirit who inhabited people's bodies until they died. He later realises that Rein's spirit is actually now inhabiting Tai. He manages to set it free, but instead it travels into Bren, one of its old companions. It will be impossible to ever split them again.
But there is worse, much worse coming. There is another earthquake and in this one Nurai's worse enemy – the Sadia – is set free. A mysterious metallic people, they can change their shape at will. Within a few seconds they have travelled several miles from what was their mountain prison to Asreal.
Link battles one, but is easily defeated. In the last moment before what would be his death he unconsciously calls on the power of the Triforce and the Sadia are banished back into their mountain prison.
But for how long?
BOOK TWO
Kaze was surprised at the crowds that still were present in Asreal. He had expected devastation, terror and anarchy and instead found roughly the same people and city, if with a slight edge. To the casual observer this city could have just gone through another busy market season. A slightly better observation would have noticed the piles of rubble on the ground, the half broken roof of the ancient temple that loomed in the horizon and a slightly quicker step to people's walk. A clever observer might even have noticed the frequent glances by the town's guards to the east and to the peak that lay there.
But he was above a clever observer; he had to be the best. It was job to spot things and to do so while staying unnoticed. Nothing went on in this town without him reporting it. He had seen the events over the last few days – the Xi losing their dignity enough to embark on a rooftop chase, the small armed force that had set off a few days to somewhere in the west, and most of all the complete absence of the priests. Which could mean only one thing; they were staying cooped up in the church and they were planning something.
He would find out what it was later – first he had another job to do. It involved, as so much had in the last days, the Sadia's attack. More to the point; its retreat. The rumours were flying across the country and talk ranged as far as a renegade Xi Master being the saviour, or even Nura herself taking form and saving them. The more enlightened reckoned that it was probably something to do with the Distile.
The rumour most agreed upon about this saviour was that just at the point before the Sadia retreated a golden pillar of light was seen, with its origination normally agreed on as near the Glass Temple. He was sceptical – a tower of power reaching to the heavens didn't exactly sound likely. But then again, neither did the Sadia being released only to get trapped again in a matter of minutes.
Then there was the talk of the golden horse that had galloped across and through the sky – more gold it seemed. And that was a unusual colour in Nurai; typically the power released there was white. The exception being of course the dark power that had been vanished so long ago. But there was a place where gold was common, and where its power was feared.
Hyrule.
If the doors to that place had really been reopened then Kaze would be ready. Maybe it would help him fulfil his destiny. For he was Kaze, warrior of the Kalen and prophesised finder of the King. Yes, he could feel it – his time was, at last, finally coming.
Thirteen
Nala slowly dismounted from his halted horse and climbed the last few steps of the slope that his force had been ascending. His action was a catalyst, and soon his two hundred horses were relieved off their two hundred human cargoes. The sun was strong at this time of the day, and he was forced to cover his eyes as he stared out. In front of him the grassy plains ended, and the danger began.
In the shade where the mountain and the pasture met a seemingly derelict building still stood, its foundations only lightly touched by time's relentless attack. This was one of the three Temples of the Crescent, an odd name for the ultimate prisons of evil. They had not always been this way, as Nura's symbol in the title implied. Once they had been good, but somehow the corruption had been set in. The walls might have been white once, but now were dark and damp, and half of the slot windows had been boarded up. Behind them evil exuded its presence and Nala had no doubt of the many horrors lurked there. In front of the whole derelict stone structure even the grass refused to grow.
"Driana and our camp is just over there," he called out back to the brigade. A mock cheer went up from his tired force in relief, and half sprinted up the last stretch up to where he stood. They would camp themselves here for the night, to allow themselves to rest and recuperate for the morning. He would not have dared to station himself any nearer; as it was here was too close to the entrance of that dark domain, and he did not expect a restful night.
The army had been riding almost non-stop for three days on its quest to reach Drien Mount, and the Golden Temple of the Crescent beneath it. The locals had been for weeks reporting more disappearances and strange attacks at night, and so it seemed for some reason that the place had been reactivated. There was only one likely reason why this would have happened - once again it must be holding prisoners, and the most likely suspect for those prisoners were the absent sages.
Nala had been chosen to lead the main party, and plan their attack. The church considered him one of the most knowledgeable on the whole subject, perhaps even more so than Link after his memory loss. The church had decide to split their main task forces into two groups and each would need all the information they could get. Reluctantly then, Link and Nala had split, each to assist with one group.
Personally, Nala wished that he was back in Asreal with the Council of Priests, as they continued to discuss the latest attack by the Sadia, and how it had been so suddenly driven back by Link. He knew that the arguments were still raging and that they would still do so for days. One does not serve a lifetime in the church without getting to know its ways.
The Sadia were long known to the church, and long before had been a constant fear. They were dreadful and mystical warriors created by Nura herself. According to the teachings they were made to test her people and their limits. Only the best of the Nuran warriors could have fought them, and they ruled long ago in the glory days of the Xi and Kalen.
The prophecies spoke of nine wars that would rage over Nurai and the nine golden times that would be lived in-between them. The people would win three, lose three, and the final collection were undecided. The final war of the Sadia and the Xi had left them trapped in their mountain prison and Nala and the rest of Nurai had assumed they were history. The Xi Masters power may be reduced but it still held, and that should have been it. They were legends, myths from the times of the King and the Kalen, and should have been left there.
And now they had been reawaken, trapped, but still hungry with desire. And Nala couldn't help wondering how many other of Nurai's personal demons would return.
*-*
"The Distile can no longer be denied," argued Raymus, "the earthquakes and the reawakening of the Sadia prove that we have reached the end. And..."
He faltered. The rest of the priests in the room knew exactly what point he was going to raise but none of them had dared speak about it.
For even the most evil creatures in Nura's land had been stopped by Link unconsciously evoking his Triforce's power. And the knowledge that the Triforce controlled all was truly terrifying. It implied Hyrule's superiority over Nurai; the power of the three over the crescent.
If the Triforce had found to be no more than three wooden blocks painted yellow it could hardly have more impact to Hyrule than this to Nurai. Every commandment, every philosophy had to be re-examined. And all of them were afraid that it pointed to what the Kalen had argued all along.
All of them were in a state of shock. And none of them were quite sure what could be done. Link had tried to use the power of the Triforce again but now that the symbol had appeared on his wrist it was as if all it's power had been lost. As for where Link's horse had come from (and subsequently disappeared to) no one knew. Some argued that the horse was a symbol for Link's eternal protector and friend, the Triforce; others thought that the gods of Hyrule had sent her to him to save his life. But there was nothing in Nuran legend to compare to it.
While the priests argued in their newly taken over building (for the Glass Temple was lying half in ruins), Bren was thinking outside. He was strolling along the city wall arguing with Rein.
"Really Bren, I don't see why you took her on. Just because Tanya fell for her doesn't mean that you have to follow suit," Rein was stating.
"There's something special about her..." answered Bren, "I can feel it."
"Of course!" drawled Rein, "she's undoubtedly the 'child of wisdom' or whatever the prophecy calls it."
The phrase was apparently not unknown to Bren himself. "The child of wisdom! Why didn't you say? How do you know? Do you mean she has spoken to Nura herself?"
"I do," Rein confirmed in a bored tone, "but that's not all..."
"You mean the rest of the prophecies? The joining and the Revival? The...."
"Yes... quite, but I meant she comes from that other particular little place."
"Other place?"
"Yes... Hyrule, you know."
"She what?" Confusion in his tone, and for a moment Bren had to stop and lean on a convenient wall. An old woman stared at him suspiciously as she walked past.
"Came from Hyrule –, you'd be amazed at what I found in her mind..."
"Whose mind?" asked Link as he and Tai appeared from behind him.
"Oh look... It's Tai the Xi and her loyal servant Link the forgetter..."
"If you ever speak like that again..." Tai threatened.
Link, holding her back (and knowing that Rein would soon realise how worthless her attitude was to a bodiless spirit), asked, "Have you decided on our plan of attack yet?"
"I think, well know, that he decided to have us all go as together on our own. Won't that be nice?" answered Rein sarcastically.
Bren hurriedly interrupting said, "Most of the soldiers still here are busy with cleaning up the rubble or preventing panic."
"Then we might as well go now," suggested Link.
"Right," agreed Bren, "we'll meet at the city gates at dawn."
Tai nodded and she dropped slipped back over the wall, and then made her way back through the city. Link stayed for a few seconds longer to smile apologetically at Bren before turning to follow her.
And still the priest's debate raged on...
*-*
"First row, down, shield! Second row, up, fire! Second row, down, shield! First row, up, fire!"
Nala watched his monotonous caller scream his lungs out as the troops steadily moved forward. In front of them, but thankfully hidden by the rocky walls, a two-headed dragon was busy attacking them. It was the guardian of this place and only the most foolish would meet it on their own. The dragon's fire blast was powerful, and it was said that more than one blast of it could melt armour. Still, no creature alive was a match for a legion of the church's finest troops.
A weak screech came out of the dark – and Nala decided that it was time to launch his final attack. He signalled to the caller – "Charge!".
The first five rows sprinted at the huge beast and hacked viciously forward with their blades. As Nala approached all he found was a black corpse was lying on the floor, but even that was enough to make him shake. He went behind it and there was the expected stone gateway. Behind here the prisoners of the Temple would be kept. To his surprise it was already opening, and out of the room behind it staggered two figures. An old man and a woman.
"Greetings," he began, "I am Nala, friend of Link and ambassador of the Nuran church."
"You freed us?" asked the old man, to which Nala nodded.
"I am Impa," the old woman stated, recovering a bit.
"Rauru, Sage of Light"
Nala shook hands with both of them and then said, "There is not much time and you are needed elsewhere. May I explain the situation on the way?"
Wearily the two sages nodded and were led out of the old dungeon.
*–*
Link did not feel quite comfortable in the loose white robe. He was sure that Tai was right, and that the garments were correct, but the untrained warrior was used only to his old tunic. He felt on show, and slightly exposed. When he stepped through into the area that had been designated as their training area he saw that Tai wore her own robe much more comfortably. She had obviously done this before.
"You are ready?"
The single question broke apart the silence and reverberated through the stone room. Link just nodded in reply, and clumsily began to copy the exercises that she was showing him. Her limbs seemed to flow so naturally in their movements that he despaired of copying her. He tried, but not hopefully, and he was not the only one to notice his lack of conviction. Tai frowned, and sped up her movements fourfold.
"A bit slower?" Link's question also lacked faith, and in that it was right. No affirmative response was forthcoming, and instead came even quicker movements. Breathing heavily Link was forced to put his all into copying her. His focus was total enough that when she gradually slowed down he didn't notice.
After a few minutes Tai stopped, stepped backwards and nodded her head slightly. Recognising the symbols for a spar Link followed suit. Sure enough, Tai quickly swung her left hand towards him. Link blocked it gently. But even as his hand was outstretched Tai's right swung more viciously towards him. Hurriedly Link also blocked that. For a few seconds they stood together as if frozen, with both pairs of hands rising to meet each other.
"Use some initiative," Tai told him, and then shoved forward hard. Link stumbled, and just managed to avoid an even more embarrassing fall. He kept his distance and blocked when he could as Tai used an increasingly fast volley of strokes. All the time his mind was complaining and a voice wouldn't stop telling him that he wasn't right for this.
He was a boy brought up in a forest; not a trained warrior. Well, maybe that was ignoring a few little events. Like those few minor quests to save whole countries. Like his defeat of a couple of hundred vicious monsters. Still, he had never been able to or tried to fight hand to hand (at least as a human), and his every action felt embarrassingly slow and clumsy
Suddenly Tai brought here foot up in a powerful roundhouse kick. Caught off guard Link was thrown back several lengths. Groaning, he lifted himself up and tried to breathe. From the look on her face, Tai wasn't exactly sympathetic. Fine – he could show her. If she wanted him to use some initiative he would.
Still resting against the wall were two wooden staffs. Unto these Link guessed that they were supposed to graduate to later. Too bad, he was bored and he wanted to raise the stakes already. A few steps back and one was in his hand (the other flying through the air to Tai – always keep it fair). Now he was in his element.
Step forward, drop to one knee and let the other staff smash down to his left. Swing own stick to her body and pull back as she countered. Finally a spin around to her unprotected back and he was done.
Even Tai was pushed forward she did a flip in the air to land properly on her feet again, and then pivoted around to face him. "Not bad," she said. "But you're not ready."
Link nodded. "That's why I have to do it this way." And then his weapon was moving again; trying from every angle to break her defence. And she replied; replied by blocking every possible thrust that he could think of and by attacking him when she could.
Finally she seemed to be tiring and so he took his chance. She swung viciously forward, making her balance vulnerable. He dropped backwards, easily dodging her stick and one–handedly whirled his own around behind and onto her back. Again she was pushed forwards, but this time he pushed her down with the stick. Almost instantly he was on top of it and slamming her to the ground. She spun in the air somehow to be facing up, but this only let him push the staff down to her throat. Finally he kneeled on her legs to stop her from kicking up. He had her pinned to the ground.
He smiled at her, and her frustrated face staring up at him. "I won."
"I let you."
Shrugging his soldiers he let her up and walked back out of the room.
"Where are you going?" she called after him.
"To bed. Because the sun has kind of already set and did you forget the whole meet at dawn thing?"
Sighing, she picked up the deposited staffs and followed him out of the room.