Chapter3:: The Future?!
He was speckled with navy spots, and his eyes were lovely pools of black. His head-looked like a small dolphin's, but it was attached to a human like figure. Tneconni, hair red in flames flopping up all over the place as usual, strode forward, hand upraised. Immediately, the human-like figure strode forward doing likewise. They spun around, slapped each other's hands, and stopped. It was amusing to watch, but to the two, Tneconni, and the other, it was like magic. Emowhen stood, completely forgotten; she bit her lip, folded her arms, and looked generally in an all around bad-mood.
"Is this Kalith?" She hissed, pulling at Tneconni's ear. The boy jerked away, and looked at her, as if trying to remember who she was. Then, thinking out loud quietly, he nodded towards his zora-friend. Kalith was a little confused and angry, what is this...girl? Who is she? Where did she come from? Kalith looked a bit annoyed at Tneconni.
"Okay, this is Emowhen, Kalith." Tneconni said, shoving her figure into the circle of friends. Emowhen's blue eyes slanted, confused, under locks of her dark, almost brown, golden hair. She extended her hand, the zora slowly took it.
"H-hiii.." he stuttered. Tneconni twitched.
"What's wrong? Never seen a girl, Kalith?" He poked his friend in the ribs. Kalith nodded, and blushed, feeling embarrassed. Emowhen almost doubled over with laughter, in spite of herself. Kalith shook his head, sadly, confused. Emowhen stopped, patted him on the back, and turned to Tneconni.
"Well, what are we doing 'de mighty one?" She asked him. Tneconni gave her a look,
"We're going to get weapons," he smiled. Then, for the first time, Emowhen noticed something: a wide pool, it was swirling like a whirlpool. She walked towards it, and strained her eyes to see the bottom, perhaps the cause of the odd swirling surface? Then, she felt an impact, and fell face first into the water. She breathed in water, by surprise. For a moment, she saw a glint...some kind of entrance at the bottom. No time. She jetted up to the surface, spluttering and coughing. She did like swimming, but when she KNEW she was going to go swimming. Kalith was laughing, Tneconni was looking worried. By the expression on their faces, Emowhen took an educated guess. As she got out of the water, she said nothing. Usually, she would have probably charged after the zora in a rage, but, to both of the two boy's surprise, she just smiled.
"Even," she said, turning around, and shaking her wet hair, tiny droplets of water sprinkled and wetted the ground. She kneeled once again, and waited for the water to stop rippling from its sudden visitor. She saw the doorway again, and motioned for the two to come and see what she saw. She pointed,
"What is that?" She asked them. Kalith looked at Tneconni, a look that purely said, 'You tell her'. Tneconni must have understood, for he said,
"That's.... uh... the entrance to the zora's."
"Oh, so it's really a secret, and its protected by a vortex. What are we going to do?" She asked. Kalith stood up, arms wide apart. A blue glow emitted, and a light from the sky beamed down and the vortex was gone.
"Everyone hurry! It'll only hold up for about a minute." He said sternly. The two nodded, and jumped in. Emowhen barely got a chance to stare at him in amazement. Too busy trying to get to the bottom. She kicked of the shore, to propel faster. She swam into the hole, and appeared in the surface of another hole. It was basically a twin of the one she had just been in before. Tneconni came up beside her, and then Kalith. Kalith nodded, satisfied. Then he jumped out of the water. It was amazing. The walls were blue, as in the center, was a wide blue water pool. Its surface danced across the ceiling. Torches were lit, to show light, and zora's dived and played in the water. Kalith turned,
"We must be getting to the blacksmiths." He said. "He's just now turned un-suspicious, you see. He's got a couple of wooden shields, scimitar, a short sword, the works!"
"What do you mean up-suspicious?" Emowhen asked, worried. "Just show me where it is, okay?" The two looked at her strangely. Tneconni pointed, it was on the far edge; it had a sign over it that said 'Sapphire Sword'. She jetted forward, and made her way to the door. Kalith and Tneconni watched with amazement, stunned and bolted to the spot. She opened the door, and disappeared in sight.
* * *
Emowhen looked around, and fingered the swords. They were lovely, sharp, and beautiful. She waited for the shop owner, Ocean-Tiduz, to come out of the back room. Ocean-Tiduz came out and looked at her, gingerly amazed.
"Wow, a surface dweller!" He exclaimed. Then he remembered his role as shopkeeper. "What's your business here, malady? If I'm not mistaken, you came here with that rascal, Kalith. I'm NOT going to let you take anymore!" He growled. Emowhen was taken aback.
"I just want to buy a sword. I did come with Kalith-" she was cut of by him trying to push her out. But then he stopped,
"Did I hear you say buy? How much do you have?" he asked. Emowhen took out her giant's wallet, a present from her dad, and looked in. It was filled to its max with all Emowhen's chores. Emowhen loved to help out at the ranch sometimes, and she always had to do things like clean her room. She presented it.
"Well! Would you mind paying the dept of the two bandits?" Ocean-Tiduz said, looking into the child's eyes. Emowhen smiled,
"If they can't pay, I will. Kalith hasn't exactly been very friendly to me. Maybe this will prove the friendship I want to share with him." She took out half her money, and handed it to him. The zora thanked her, and put it into his cash register.
"That was more then needed, and you've shown great courage." He started. "So...I'll give you something...something, one of a kind." He disappeared again into the back room. Emowhen tucked her wallet back into her belt, and waited quietly for the zora. She didn't really mind what she got, s'long as it was even the slightest bit useful.
What came out was nothing short of beautiful. The sheath, dark green leather. It was held together with golden bands, and a small parcel hung out at the end. He set it on the table, and asked for Emowhen to pull up her sleeves. He opened the pouch at the end, and took out bands, twirls and twists, which were flexible, to fit around anyone's arm. He fitted them on her, and explained they'd help train her a little. They were heavy! It felt like she had anchors on her arms! Then though, he offered her the sheath. Emowhen looked pleased with herself, when she picked it up off of the burly zora's outstretched hands. She could actually manage carrying it. Of course, she tried to pay for it, but Ocean-Tiduz wouldn't take the money. So instead, Emowhen got Tneconni a scimitar, and herself a shield. Ocean-Tiduz smiled, wondering, this kid. She was stronger, wise, and truthful. She was not impatient, like other costumers in the past, when Ocean-Tiduz would stumble around looking for the costumers desired weapons. He waved to her, as the girl scuttled out of the shop into the streets. *
* *
When she came out of the shop, Kalith and Tneconni fell backwards. They had been next to the door, listening. Emowhen was not pleased, but she was very happy, so she just dismissed the thought.
"Tneconni, I got something for you." She held out the wrapped up-in-paper parcel to him. He blinked, and then took it.
"Thanks." He said, that was all he could muster. Emowhen was busy; she was looking across the domain again towards, a large, strong looking figure. Kalith took a step closer, and touched Emowhen's armband, the rest of his fingers gently rested on her skin. Emowhen almost lurched, his hands were like ice cubes, cold, clammy, scaly. She didn't move, she was determined to make a friend.
"It was a gift," she explained, touching the same armband. The zora nodded, he seemed to be accepting her-or something. Tneconni was busy playing with his new 'toy',
"Ha-ha-ha! Take this!" He swung at a hanging crystal, which proceeded to fall to the ground and splatter into tiny pieces. "Oops," he laughed, putting the scimitar back in his sheathe. Emowhen looked over at her friend, and grinned. She walked over, and picked up a piece of crystal, which might come in handy. Then, she turned.
"Is this all we're here for?" She asked. Kalith thought, and shook his head no.
"We're also here for, well, the library." He said. Emowhen raised her eyebrows, not once had she heard that zora's read and wrote literature, not that they couldn't, but she figured that they didn't have the interest.
"Read up on what?" She asked, turning to look at Tneconni. Tneconni was now kicking the crystals at the wall and watching them shatter. He looked up, his stomach rumbled.
"Uh.... reading, oh yeah. We're going to read up on history . . .of that temple?" Tneconni glanced at Kalith and Emowhen, hoping for one of them to understand him. Kalith was first,
"Yeah...the whales. My people forbid adolescents from going in there without...uh...permission and an adult. Yet, I know something's wrong," he faltered with his last statement. Disbelief? Emowhen smiled and nodded in understanding.
"Sure then." She nodded.
* * *
"The whales brought life to the first zora, they raised her and protected her. When she was older, she split herself into two halves: male and female. Thus the zora race was produced. This is why we worship the whales." Kalith read aloud, face in a knot. "Yuck, that's weird...."
"Makes...a little sense," Emowhen offered. She looked at the pictures, her eyes immediately closed in disbelief. "You're right, it is gross."
"Well, I think its not true, but...uh, skip ahead to the part about the Oricide temple." Tneconni told him. Kalith shot him a look, but then carefully skipped a couple hundred pages; the book was old.
"The Oricide temple is sacred, there was only one map of it, but it was hidden in the temple walls itself. The temple also holds treasure and heirlooms from the old whales. Zora's are the only race allowed inside the temple without being ambushed by the temple's immortal guardians: Jare-Jare, and Kala-Kala-the twins. No one knows anything further, but it is said that the temple ranges for over 2,000 underwater..." Kalith recited. He nodded, "Yeah, seems accurate to me."
"Well, what are me and Tneconni going to do?" Emowhen asked.
"You're the only ones with weapons, what do you think?" He grumbled.
"Yeah, but.... if the guardian's are immortal..."
"They aren't really, they can be killed, but they can't die of old age. Get it?" Tneconni answered for Kalith. Emowhen nodded,
"So, what's really the problem? I mean, what's wrong?" Emowhen tried to make her question sound right, but her questions rarely made sense to anyone. Except Tneconni,
"Well, lately, there has been a number of beached whales, and.we believe it somekind of distress signal, somethings not right, and something has disrupted peace." Tneconni said, worried. Kalith and him felt the same-what if it's something serious? Emowhen watched the floor for a moment. She then, looked at Kalith again.
"I'll help you. Both of you. I mean, you are my f-friends, right?" Kalith and Tneconni looked at each other.
"Yes, of course we a-are." Kalith stuttered. Tneconni nodded,
"Defiantly." He confirmed. Emowhen looked happy, she turned and thought. Obeas' words: Kekain Melief. She had to ask,
"Do you know anyone named Keikain Melief?" She inquired. They both laughed,
"He died 4 years ago looking for that spectrum they say is now just a myth. Why do you ask?" Tneconni chuckled. Emowhen looked at them in shock, had she truly gone forward in time, 4 years? Or...was it just Obeas' dirty joke? No matter, she didn't really care. All she wanted...was, and adventure. She shook of the thought,
"No reason. Just wondering," she smiled reassuringly. "Lets go, shall we?"
* * *
Kalith, Emowhen, and Tneconni looked across the lake in awe. It was pure and clear, the zora's truly did worship, and it was truly a holy place. The shore was of course, not littered, but clean. Soft sand warns, pleasant to bare feet. Tneconni walked closer, and looked to the bottom, bones. Millions of tiny, and large, bones. He almost choked; he knew where they'd come from. He did not want to pursue thinking about it. Emowhen knew how he felt, for she had seen them too. Kalith could've cried, but did not. His goal was in front of them=underneath a waterfall.
Now of course it'd be too easy, under a waterfall? But no, it was far too hard. The three headed straight forward. They were told; to have a pure and clear mind as they walked through, or else...they'd be gone, to the bottom of a whale's stomach of eternity. Emowhen thought this was make-belief, for the littler zora kids, but said nothing. She tried to clear her mind. When thoughts tried to enter, she pushed them out again. It was hard, thinking of nothing, so she just thought of the waterfall. Soon, Kalith tapped her on the shoulder. Her eyes bolted open, he motioned her towards their goal. They walked in, and suddenly, she heard...a rumbling. Two female zoras, resembling Ruto, appeared. Their faces angry, both of them, hands glowing, fired a beam of light at Emowhen and Tneconni! Kalith made a force feild in front of them as the weak power attack bounced off.
"Foolish boy, is this your sacrifice?" One of them hissed. Kalith starred at them for a moment, paused, and said,
"No, these are my friends! Who are you?" He spat.
"Jare-Jare, and Kala-Kala...the twins." Emowhen guessed. Jare-Jare was the first to speak,
"How do you know...u-us?" She stuttered. Emowhen smiled,
"Kalith read us a passage from your history books. We want...to help you." The two looked at each other, and smiled.
He was speckled with navy spots, and his eyes were lovely pools of black. His head-looked like a small dolphin's, but it was attached to a human like figure. Tneconni, hair red in flames flopping up all over the place as usual, strode forward, hand upraised. Immediately, the human-like figure strode forward doing likewise. They spun around, slapped each other's hands, and stopped. It was amusing to watch, but to the two, Tneconni, and the other, it was like magic. Emowhen stood, completely forgotten; she bit her lip, folded her arms, and looked generally in an all around bad-mood.
"Is this Kalith?" She hissed, pulling at Tneconni's ear. The boy jerked away, and looked at her, as if trying to remember who she was. Then, thinking out loud quietly, he nodded towards his zora-friend. Kalith was a little confused and angry, what is this...girl? Who is she? Where did she come from? Kalith looked a bit annoyed at Tneconni.
"Okay, this is Emowhen, Kalith." Tneconni said, shoving her figure into the circle of friends. Emowhen's blue eyes slanted, confused, under locks of her dark, almost brown, golden hair. She extended her hand, the zora slowly took it.
"H-hiii.." he stuttered. Tneconni twitched.
"What's wrong? Never seen a girl, Kalith?" He poked his friend in the ribs. Kalith nodded, and blushed, feeling embarrassed. Emowhen almost doubled over with laughter, in spite of herself. Kalith shook his head, sadly, confused. Emowhen stopped, patted him on the back, and turned to Tneconni.
"Well, what are we doing 'de mighty one?" She asked him. Tneconni gave her a look,
"We're going to get weapons," he smiled. Then, for the first time, Emowhen noticed something: a wide pool, it was swirling like a whirlpool. She walked towards it, and strained her eyes to see the bottom, perhaps the cause of the odd swirling surface? Then, she felt an impact, and fell face first into the water. She breathed in water, by surprise. For a moment, she saw a glint...some kind of entrance at the bottom. No time. She jetted up to the surface, spluttering and coughing. She did like swimming, but when she KNEW she was going to go swimming. Kalith was laughing, Tneconni was looking worried. By the expression on their faces, Emowhen took an educated guess. As she got out of the water, she said nothing. Usually, she would have probably charged after the zora in a rage, but, to both of the two boy's surprise, she just smiled.
"Even," she said, turning around, and shaking her wet hair, tiny droplets of water sprinkled and wetted the ground. She kneeled once again, and waited for the water to stop rippling from its sudden visitor. She saw the doorway again, and motioned for the two to come and see what she saw. She pointed,
"What is that?" She asked them. Kalith looked at Tneconni, a look that purely said, 'You tell her'. Tneconni must have understood, for he said,
"That's.... uh... the entrance to the zora's."
"Oh, so it's really a secret, and its protected by a vortex. What are we going to do?" She asked. Kalith stood up, arms wide apart. A blue glow emitted, and a light from the sky beamed down and the vortex was gone.
"Everyone hurry! It'll only hold up for about a minute." He said sternly. The two nodded, and jumped in. Emowhen barely got a chance to stare at him in amazement. Too busy trying to get to the bottom. She kicked of the shore, to propel faster. She swam into the hole, and appeared in the surface of another hole. It was basically a twin of the one she had just been in before. Tneconni came up beside her, and then Kalith. Kalith nodded, satisfied. Then he jumped out of the water. It was amazing. The walls were blue, as in the center, was a wide blue water pool. Its surface danced across the ceiling. Torches were lit, to show light, and zora's dived and played in the water. Kalith turned,
"We must be getting to the blacksmiths." He said. "He's just now turned un-suspicious, you see. He's got a couple of wooden shields, scimitar, a short sword, the works!"
"What do you mean up-suspicious?" Emowhen asked, worried. "Just show me where it is, okay?" The two looked at her strangely. Tneconni pointed, it was on the far edge; it had a sign over it that said 'Sapphire Sword'. She jetted forward, and made her way to the door. Kalith and Tneconni watched with amazement, stunned and bolted to the spot. She opened the door, and disappeared in sight.
* * *
Emowhen looked around, and fingered the swords. They were lovely, sharp, and beautiful. She waited for the shop owner, Ocean-Tiduz, to come out of the back room. Ocean-Tiduz came out and looked at her, gingerly amazed.
"Wow, a surface dweller!" He exclaimed. Then he remembered his role as shopkeeper. "What's your business here, malady? If I'm not mistaken, you came here with that rascal, Kalith. I'm NOT going to let you take anymore!" He growled. Emowhen was taken aback.
"I just want to buy a sword. I did come with Kalith-" she was cut of by him trying to push her out. But then he stopped,
"Did I hear you say buy? How much do you have?" he asked. Emowhen took out her giant's wallet, a present from her dad, and looked in. It was filled to its max with all Emowhen's chores. Emowhen loved to help out at the ranch sometimes, and she always had to do things like clean her room. She presented it.
"Well! Would you mind paying the dept of the two bandits?" Ocean-Tiduz said, looking into the child's eyes. Emowhen smiled,
"If they can't pay, I will. Kalith hasn't exactly been very friendly to me. Maybe this will prove the friendship I want to share with him." She took out half her money, and handed it to him. The zora thanked her, and put it into his cash register.
"That was more then needed, and you've shown great courage." He started. "So...I'll give you something...something, one of a kind." He disappeared again into the back room. Emowhen tucked her wallet back into her belt, and waited quietly for the zora. She didn't really mind what she got, s'long as it was even the slightest bit useful.
What came out was nothing short of beautiful. The sheath, dark green leather. It was held together with golden bands, and a small parcel hung out at the end. He set it on the table, and asked for Emowhen to pull up her sleeves. He opened the pouch at the end, and took out bands, twirls and twists, which were flexible, to fit around anyone's arm. He fitted them on her, and explained they'd help train her a little. They were heavy! It felt like she had anchors on her arms! Then though, he offered her the sheath. Emowhen looked pleased with herself, when she picked it up off of the burly zora's outstretched hands. She could actually manage carrying it. Of course, she tried to pay for it, but Ocean-Tiduz wouldn't take the money. So instead, Emowhen got Tneconni a scimitar, and herself a shield. Ocean-Tiduz smiled, wondering, this kid. She was stronger, wise, and truthful. She was not impatient, like other costumers in the past, when Ocean-Tiduz would stumble around looking for the costumers desired weapons. He waved to her, as the girl scuttled out of the shop into the streets. *
* *
When she came out of the shop, Kalith and Tneconni fell backwards. They had been next to the door, listening. Emowhen was not pleased, but she was very happy, so she just dismissed the thought.
"Tneconni, I got something for you." She held out the wrapped up-in-paper parcel to him. He blinked, and then took it.
"Thanks." He said, that was all he could muster. Emowhen was busy; she was looking across the domain again towards, a large, strong looking figure. Kalith took a step closer, and touched Emowhen's armband, the rest of his fingers gently rested on her skin. Emowhen almost lurched, his hands were like ice cubes, cold, clammy, scaly. She didn't move, she was determined to make a friend.
"It was a gift," she explained, touching the same armband. The zora nodded, he seemed to be accepting her-or something. Tneconni was busy playing with his new 'toy',
"Ha-ha-ha! Take this!" He swung at a hanging crystal, which proceeded to fall to the ground and splatter into tiny pieces. "Oops," he laughed, putting the scimitar back in his sheathe. Emowhen looked over at her friend, and grinned. She walked over, and picked up a piece of crystal, which might come in handy. Then, she turned.
"Is this all we're here for?" She asked. Kalith thought, and shook his head no.
"We're also here for, well, the library." He said. Emowhen raised her eyebrows, not once had she heard that zora's read and wrote literature, not that they couldn't, but she figured that they didn't have the interest.
"Read up on what?" She asked, turning to look at Tneconni. Tneconni was now kicking the crystals at the wall and watching them shatter. He looked up, his stomach rumbled.
"Uh.... reading, oh yeah. We're going to read up on history . . .of that temple?" Tneconni glanced at Kalith and Emowhen, hoping for one of them to understand him. Kalith was first,
"Yeah...the whales. My people forbid adolescents from going in there without...uh...permission and an adult. Yet, I know something's wrong," he faltered with his last statement. Disbelief? Emowhen smiled and nodded in understanding.
"Sure then." She nodded.
* * *
"The whales brought life to the first zora, they raised her and protected her. When she was older, she split herself into two halves: male and female. Thus the zora race was produced. This is why we worship the whales." Kalith read aloud, face in a knot. "Yuck, that's weird...."
"Makes...a little sense," Emowhen offered. She looked at the pictures, her eyes immediately closed in disbelief. "You're right, it is gross."
"Well, I think its not true, but...uh, skip ahead to the part about the Oricide temple." Tneconni told him. Kalith shot him a look, but then carefully skipped a couple hundred pages; the book was old.
"The Oricide temple is sacred, there was only one map of it, but it was hidden in the temple walls itself. The temple also holds treasure and heirlooms from the old whales. Zora's are the only race allowed inside the temple without being ambushed by the temple's immortal guardians: Jare-Jare, and Kala-Kala-the twins. No one knows anything further, but it is said that the temple ranges for over 2,000 underwater..." Kalith recited. He nodded, "Yeah, seems accurate to me."
"Well, what are me and Tneconni going to do?" Emowhen asked.
"You're the only ones with weapons, what do you think?" He grumbled.
"Yeah, but.... if the guardian's are immortal..."
"They aren't really, they can be killed, but they can't die of old age. Get it?" Tneconni answered for Kalith. Emowhen nodded,
"So, what's really the problem? I mean, what's wrong?" Emowhen tried to make her question sound right, but her questions rarely made sense to anyone. Except Tneconni,
"Well, lately, there has been a number of beached whales, and.we believe it somekind of distress signal, somethings not right, and something has disrupted peace." Tneconni said, worried. Kalith and him felt the same-what if it's something serious? Emowhen watched the floor for a moment. She then, looked at Kalith again.
"I'll help you. Both of you. I mean, you are my f-friends, right?" Kalith and Tneconni looked at each other.
"Yes, of course we a-are." Kalith stuttered. Tneconni nodded,
"Defiantly." He confirmed. Emowhen looked happy, she turned and thought. Obeas' words: Kekain Melief. She had to ask,
"Do you know anyone named Keikain Melief?" She inquired. They both laughed,
"He died 4 years ago looking for that spectrum they say is now just a myth. Why do you ask?" Tneconni chuckled. Emowhen looked at them in shock, had she truly gone forward in time, 4 years? Or...was it just Obeas' dirty joke? No matter, she didn't really care. All she wanted...was, and adventure. She shook of the thought,
"No reason. Just wondering," she smiled reassuringly. "Lets go, shall we?"
* * *
Kalith, Emowhen, and Tneconni looked across the lake in awe. It was pure and clear, the zora's truly did worship, and it was truly a holy place. The shore was of course, not littered, but clean. Soft sand warns, pleasant to bare feet. Tneconni walked closer, and looked to the bottom, bones. Millions of tiny, and large, bones. He almost choked; he knew where they'd come from. He did not want to pursue thinking about it. Emowhen knew how he felt, for she had seen them too. Kalith could've cried, but did not. His goal was in front of them=underneath a waterfall.
Now of course it'd be too easy, under a waterfall? But no, it was far too hard. The three headed straight forward. They were told; to have a pure and clear mind as they walked through, or else...they'd be gone, to the bottom of a whale's stomach of eternity. Emowhen thought this was make-belief, for the littler zora kids, but said nothing. She tried to clear her mind. When thoughts tried to enter, she pushed them out again. It was hard, thinking of nothing, so she just thought of the waterfall. Soon, Kalith tapped her on the shoulder. Her eyes bolted open, he motioned her towards their goal. They walked in, and suddenly, she heard...a rumbling. Two female zoras, resembling Ruto, appeared. Their faces angry, both of them, hands glowing, fired a beam of light at Emowhen and Tneconni! Kalith made a force feild in front of them as the weak power attack bounced off.
"Foolish boy, is this your sacrifice?" One of them hissed. Kalith starred at them for a moment, paused, and said,
"No, these are my friends! Who are you?" He spat.
"Jare-Jare, and Kala-Kala...the twins." Emowhen guessed. Jare-Jare was the first to speak,
"How do you know...u-us?" She stuttered. Emowhen smiled,
"Kalith read us a passage from your history books. We want...to help you." The two looked at each other, and smiled.
