Another week, another chapter. In case you couldn't already figure it out, there will also be themes of family in this story from here on out even though it is not listed as such on the site, because the site only allows for a maximum of two genres/themes to be officially designated. Multiple characters from the Rick Riordan books are featured in this chapter and some will even appear again later.
As usual I am not Nintendo or Rick Riordan for that matter, I do not own either of these fandoms, I am not claiming ownership of these characters, they are merely my own interpretations of said characters in a story arc that is of my own making.
For those who have favorited this story and are following it, PLEASE leave your reviews. I really want to know what you guys think, I'm still relatively new to posting on this site so I want to know if you guys are liking my work and more specifically to know what you like or not, it would help me to improve if I knew what I could do better.
Any way...enough of me rambling lets continue the story.
Chapter Three
The First Meeting of the Council
Finally, a week passed and December had come. The winter chill had truly arrived in force now and a layer of snow covered the camp with about four inches of white powder. Temperatures hovered at twenty six degrees Fahrenheit during the day, at night they often dropped below fourteen degrees. The snow between the cabins, big house, pavilion, and other buildings was dimpled with many sets of prints. Zelda and I were very thankful that the camp store carried snow boots to go with our winter clothing.
More important though, it was at last the day for the head counselors to meet and discuss what had happened. They hadn't been informed of what actually had happened, just that something very important had come up. Although they weren't head counselors anymore, Lexa and Austin were also informed due to their experience with difficult matters, and because they had once been head counselors. We convened in the big house, to be away from other eyes and ears. The ping pong table had been temporarily replaced with a larger table to accommodate the larger number of people here.
In addition to all the current head counselors, we also had in attendance other former campers here, all of them some of the most famous demigods of recent times. These consisted of Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, Nico di Angelo, Will Solace, Clarisse la Rue, Piper McLean, Thalia Grace (who had taken temporary leave from the hunters of Artemis to come here), Leo Valdez, and the Stoll brothers. All of these people had been through the second titan and subsequent giant wars. Most of those people were worried but still maintaining a positive attitude. One of them however was not, Piper didn't really speak much and gave off a very solemn vibe. No one had to ask why, we knew. She was never the same after that incident where Jason…point is that event changed her fundamentally.
"First I would like to thank you all for coming on such short notice." Zelda opened, in my opinion with the skill for public speaking of a queen. As she spoke she also clasped her hands in front of her at her waist, which struck me a pose of royalty.
"Oh, it was no problem." Percy said amiably.
"Secondly, in light of what Link and I are about tell you, we would like to suggest that we form a council between us, to discuss any happenings relating to the prophecy. Does this sound reasonable?" She continued.
Everyone nodded.
"Now I'm sure you're all curious as to what exactly has happened to have you summoned here in the winter. Just last week, Link and I noticed something in the paper, something everyone but us would have undoubtedly overlooked as nothing. It was a small article by a Colorado man seeing a small group of strange creatures. There was a sketch of one the creatures, and we recognized the entity depicted in it." Zelda elaborated.
"The kind of monster seen by the eyewitness is one known as a bokoblin." I added, "The significance of this is that this is a beast that hasn't walked this world for many millennia."
Everyone went rigid at this, eyes widening, then someone asked if they could see the sketch. I passed it to them to hand around to everyone.
"Do you possibly have an actual photo of one of these…bokoblins…on that device?" Someone asked, pointing at the Sheikah slate in its holster on my hip.
"Let me check, give me a few moments please." I answered as I removed the slate and begin looking for the Hyrule compendium feature.
"Ah here we are!" I said a couple seconds later when I found it. "Just give me another second to find the exact image."
Everyone waited as I swept the screen to the left, past the creatures' section and over to the tab for monsters. When I found the image for the red bokoblin, I selected it. When the picture enlarged on the screen along with its compendium entry, I realized my past self wasn't as safety conscious as I was, it probably worried his Zelda to no end. I knew this because the picture was of the bokoblin only six feet away and in mid attack charge. I knew for certain that my wife in this lifetime would nearly have a heart attack if I ever pulled a stunt like that now.
I looked up at Chiron and asked him if there was a projector I could use, it would make it easier to show everyone simultaneously. He set it up and I put the slate under it, showing everyone the image. Everyone looked at it, then back at the sketch, seeing it was indeed the same. Zelda slightly winced upon seeing the image, strange.
"So, what do we gather from this?" Percy asked, uncertainty in his voice.
"Although these are the only report so far, when we last lived, before the Great Calamity, monster sightings were exactly how everything started. We're asking all of you to pay close attention to any and all news sources for anything remotely like this. Any reports of unusual creatures, especially ones with descriptions given, let us know immediately. If they are indeed monsters from when we last lived, we need to know at the earliest possible moment." I supplied.
"We would also like to give all of you a quick briefing on the each of the types of monsters." Zelda added.
I nodded at her and selected another image, a red moblin.
"Although the red bokoblins are the only monsters that have yet been seen, it's reasonable to assume that soon others will as well. Prior to the calamity, it started with bokoblins, then moblins, and then lizalfos." I said going to the image of a green lizalfo.
Zelda spoke up then, "Each of these three kinds of monster that you've just seen are simply the weakest, base variants of them. Each of them comprise several additional types, each one stronger and more dangerous. Although the different variants have varying strengths, moblins are, pound for pound, some of the strongest beasts."
I clarified further, "In the bokoblins and moblins, the variants are red, blue, black, and silver. The lizalfos come in green, blue, black, electric, fire-breath, ice-breath, and silver forms. In all the monsters, the higher tiers carry stronger weapons and gear. The highest level bokoblins and moblins carry wooden weapons that are heavily reinforced with large animal bones. Lizalfos of all kinds wield equipment of their own construction like the bokoblins and moblins, however where the others can only make equipment out of wood and bones, lizalfos are intelligent enough to work metals as all kinds of lizalfo carry metallic equipment."
"Additionally, each of the kinds of monster have certain types of weapons that they either prefer or have more skill with. This is despite the fact that all the monsters are able to use other kinds of weapons they find. Moblins have only ever been known to make clubs and spears, with the clubs made by them being very large and capable of immense damage. The lizalfos can make shields, bows, spears, and curved swords which can also be used as boomerangs. The highest level bows and boomerangs made by lizalfos, while not as overall powerful as the clubs of moblins, are still very serious weapons. The bokoblins, like the lizalfos, make shields, bows, and melee weapons. Although bokoblin made melee weapons consist of clubs and bats as well as spears and bows and shields. The strongest clubs and bats made by these monsters are of substantial power." I continue.
"Now where the higher tiers come in here is that in us needing to stay tuned to news, we will we know when the higher level ones start showing up." Zelda added.
"That isn't all either." I interject. "There are other kinds of monster as well, some are no more than mere nuisances that are easily dealt with, but others are true, legitimate threats. These minor problem monsters consist of keese, octoroks, and chuchus. Keese are very similar to bats, but with a single large eye, octoroks are basically land octopi, and chuchus are simply large masses of gelatin with eyes. Keese and chuchus are the least dangerous of these as they go down in just one hit for the most part and can only attack by making physical contact. Octoroks however, can launch rocks at a target from considerable distance. There are several kinds of these octopus-like beasts. They come in green, blue, gray, white, and yellow variants." I explain as I show the respective pictures of each creature in question.
"Each of these kinds of monsters also prefers specific environments. The blue octoroks prefer bodies of water, the green type prefers wooded areas, the gray ones favor rugged and volcanic regions, and the white forms only live in alpine and snow conditions." Zelda said.
I added in with, "yellow octoroks are typically rare and seem to have no particular preference for habitat."
"Now, you should be informed of how to infer the presence of an octorok. These monsters spend most of their time hidden underground, with only the top exposed. They have varying things on the top to hide. Forest, snow, and water octoroks possess a small tuft of plants to pass themselves off as a small tree or shrub. Rock variants have a rock on top to hide as a stone. Yellow octoroks have a chest on top to fool people, hence their other name treasure octoroks." Zelda resumed.
"Keese and chuchus, like the lizalfos, come in elemental varieties. These are fire, ice, and electricity. Similar to the octoroks, the elemental variants of keese and chuchu also prefer specific habitats. Fire keese and chuchus prefer the same kinds of environment as rock octoroks, the ice keese and chuchus typically reside in the same kinds of climate as snow octoroks, electric keese and chuchus prefer tropical regions typically." I inform everyone.
We went through the various monsters, starting with the lower threat kinds of monster. It got a bit more…tense…when we got to the higher level beasts. Namely lynels, hinoxes, taluses, and moldugas.
The idea of lynels was difficult to accept for Chiron. When he found out that they were basically centaurs, he suggested trying to converse with them. Zelda and I had to sadly shut that idea down. Lynels were incredibly dangerous and could not be reasoned with in any capacity. Indeed, when Zelda and I were last alive, it was a known fact that lynels were not ones to let even a simple passerby escape alive. Even Chiron himself wouldn't be safe from their aggression, they would immediately attempt to attack him on sight.
"Lynels are one of, if not the most dangerous of the monsters, even more so than the three larger ones that we will mention after this. Lynels are extremely intelligent, incredibly fast, and highly aggressive. These beasts are just below people in intelligence, as fast as a galloping horse, and so aggressive that they will attack anyone on sight." I told everyone.
"Additionally, lynels wield the strongest and most dangerous weapons of any of the monsters. All lynels carry bows, shields, and some kind of melee weapon. The melee weapons used by lynels are swords, spears, and clubs. The strongest breeds of lynel carry equipment that is stronger than almost everything else. Lynel-made shields are also bladed, allowing them to be used offensively, to the extent of slashing at an opponent via parrying a strike." Zelda added.
"There are also several breeds of lynel, the base level lynel has gray fur and a red mane, the next level has blue fur and a pink mane, next are white maned lynels which have white manes and a zebra-like striping on their bodies. Silver lynels have a similar appearance to the white maned lynels, only reversed with black manes, and dark violet stripes where the other has white stripes." I supply.
"The silver variants of the other monsters are also distinct in appearance." Zelda chimes in, then adds, "Speaking of the silver tier enemies, that is something that it is of the utmost importance that we know as soon as possible if one appears. The reason for that is that the silver tier enemies are not natural, they are created by the level below them being influenced by Ganon's fiendish magic."
Everyone looked horrified, then someone asked, "So, is that the end of tiers?"
Zelda and I glanced at each other, there was another tier above silver. But that one was truly one to be reckoned with. That tier was gold, golden monsters were the strongest and deadliest in existence. These beasts were the most intelligent among their respective kinds of monsters, they were also extremely resilient to damage, and could even regenerate from said damage to some extent, depending on the level of damage. Even worse, they had a high resistance to electricity. It was because of that that we always suspected that they were created when silver enemies were struck by lightning.
"No, it isn't." I answered the question quietly. "There is another level above silver, but it's extremely rare, gold."
Everyone stares at me.
"When I was last around, I encountered numerous silver level monsters, but I only ever encountered a small number of gold enemies. Whereas I faced dozens, if not hundreds of silver bokoblins, moblins, lizalfos, and lynels, the number of gold level variant individuals of each was significantly less. To be specific, I only ever saw thirty gold bokoblins, twenty five gold lizalfos, ten gold moblins, and just one gold lynel." I continue.
"Only one gold lynel?" Annabeth asked.
"Yes, only one, just a few days before I defeated Ganon and freed Zelda. I only saw it from a great distance, and I didn't attempt to fight it, so I don't know very much at all about these particular beasts but based on the other gold monsters, as well as the inherent high intelligence of lynels in general I think it's reasonable to assume their intelligence would be off the charts, maybe even greater than people." I say quietly. Although I didn't mention it, the slate's compendium entry for the gold lynel floated through my head again: With brutal strength and extreme resilience, this type of Lynel somehow surpasses Silver Lynels in sheer power. It is said they are actually Silver Lynels who mysteriously transformed after being struck by lightning. If you see one, get away as fast as you can.
"I hope we never have to deal with those." Percy shudders.
As we were nearing the end of this meeting, we also stated the importance of relaying all this information to Camp Jupiter so they would know to be on the lookout across news outlets and whatnot for any unusual monsters. Just as everyone started to stand up, we decided that now was as good a time as any to let people know about our news.
"There is one other thing we had tell you all as well." Zelda says, getting everyone's attention again.
"What is it?" Percy asks, tilting his head a little.
I take my wife's hand in mine, standing beside her, and answer the question for her with my voice full of happiness.
"We're going to have a baby!" I say proudly.
Everyone looks surprised and shocked, except Lexa and Austin that is. Then everyone starts congratulating us and wishing us well before leaving.
As we make our way back to our house, the snow crunching under our boots, our hoods drawn around our heads to keep out the wind, and the cold biting at any exposed skin, Zelda finally gives me a piece of her mind about the picture of the bokoblin on the slate. So that's why she winced earlier. I suppress an eye roll, seriously? She's lecturing me about something I did on a previous life?
"What were you thinking? That was a foolish thing to do! You could have gotten hurt, or worse, killed!" She frets.
"Love, that was my previous life, I'm not that reckless anymore. You know that, don't you?" I hesitate, then add, "That incident three years ago where I slipped out of my cabin notwithstanding."
"Yes, my darling, I do know that." She says in response right after I hesitate, but then gives me a look sharp with worry as I add the last part. "Promise me you'll never do something that foolish again!" She begs me, voice shaking, resting a gloved hand on her stomach.
"Don't worry love, I've learned my lesson, I assure you." I tell her comfortingly and honestly, I really had learned my lesson about being so reckless.
"Good, I don't want to have to worry that much for you, because I need you." She says relieved, then adds, "Also because our baby grows within me." She finishes, voice now soft and happy as she runs her hand over her bump.
"Hmm, just about six months, six months until we can meet our child." I murmur, resting one of my own gloved hands next to hers.
"So, do you have any names in mind for our child yet?" Zelda asks.
"Yeah, I have a few ideas of names for a daughter, seeing as you're certain that's what it's going to be." I reply.
"What are they?" My wife queries.
"Well, I was thinking of things like Saria, Malon, Ilia" I pause, then add quietly "Mipha or Urbosa." I reply, "To remember the past." I purposefully did not follow the Hylian royal family's tradition for naming the firstborn daughters, as the tradition dictated that they all be named Zelda. I'm sure that never got confusing, although I suppose that did explain how there was always a Zelda to face evil. Although that did not explain how the hero always ended up being named Link…
"That's a nice idea, Link. A way to remember the people you used to know." Zelda says softly, voice catching slightly as she thinks of Urbosa, before adding, "I also can't help but point out you disregarded the old tradition, which is good. That would have been strange to everyone else."
Credit to Author MickeyTaco as one of their story's gave me inspiration for a small section of this chapter. Let me know in the reviews if you which part as well as which story by MickeyTaco.
