The first few hours of the trip were easy. Micah encountered nothing as he
walked, so keeping his eye on the unmoving sun was a simple task. When he
stopped to rest, he ate heartily, until Belle reminded him that the bag and
the bottle were the only provisions he had. So, from that point forward, he
ate and drank sparingly. He kept a good pace for several hours, until
something happened.
Micah was walking at a steady speed, when suddenly the ground became caked with polished marble, and around the marble sprung brick walls, decorated with tapestries and stain-glassed windows. The place continued to transform, becoming more and more elegant until he was inside the throne room of the Hyrule King.
Guards were lined up along the central red carpet, and although he stood in the middle of the room, they took no notice of him. The doors to the room were flung wide open. Trumpets sounded, and the guards chanted, "Hail, Queen of Hyrule! Long live the Queen!"
Micah raised an eyebrow. He didn't know much about Hyrule, but he did know that the leader of the mighty kingdom was a man. He quickly hid behind the throne.
He was in for another surprise, for the "queen" was a young Hylian girl, no older than eight. She was dressed in purple silk robes, and on her head, she wore a crown full of sparkling jewels. She walked slowly along the red carpet, holding her head high. When she reached her beautiful throne, she sat upon it and began barking orders.
Micah was definitely curious. He wished to speak with the queen, since he hadn't spoken with another person since Gardorous left. He timidly crept out from behind the throne and stood before her. When the girl saw him, her reaction was far from Micah's expectations.
She drew a staff, wrought of steel and decorated with jewels. With a shout she leapt in the air, staff raised high, and came down on Micah's head. He swiftly drew his sword and met the staff halfway, deflecting the blow. Her staff hit the marble to her left, and in the moment Micah countered the attack, jabbing forward with his sword. The girl ducked, and pushed the staff forward, sweeping Micah off his feet. He landed on his back and the girl was upon him, staff upraised. Micah rolled away as the staff came down; its sharp point put a dent in the marble. Micah got to his feet, and glanced at the guards, stationed at their post and paying no attention to the battle next to them.
The girl twirled the weapon above her head, with grace and dexterity impossible for such a young child. She swung at him with the staff, which Micah countered with his sword. The girl drew back and swiftly jabbed with the other end. Micah brought up his shield, and the point lodged itself in the wood. She jerked, but the staff was stuck, and at that moment, Micah brought his sword up between her hands and knocked the staff away.
He brought his sword to her neck, poised in a victory pose he had practiced for years. The girl looked at the blade before her, her face twisted in a snarl. She whistled, and back flipped into her throne.
The wall behind the throne, decorated with tapestries and stained-glass depicting Hyrule's ancient heroes, exploded with tremendous force. Micah was blown to the other side of the room, along with shards of glass and chunks of brick.
Micah shakily raised his head. Plodding through the debris was a three- headed dragon. He got to his feet, wiping away pieces of glass that stuck to his clothing. His adversary was many times his height, and each of its three heads roared ferociously. Micah trembled, looking at the girl seated in the throne. She laughed. Micah looked up at the hole in the wall, and through it he could see the misplaced sun. Finally, he understood.
Holding out his sword, Micah called, "Have at you, then!"
The dragon charged, stomping guards flat in its wake, who did nothing to protect themselves. Micah ran forward. The dragon raised its hand, armed with razor-sharp claws, and brought it down. Micah dived under it, and the claw hit the floor, sending cracks through the marble. Micah rolled between the dragon's legs and drove his sword up, into the dragon's quivering belly. The dragon roared in anger. Micah stabbed again, and again, until the blood poured freely onto the floor. The dragon roared again, this time out of pain. Micah stabbed its left leg behind the knee. With a final roar, the dragon fell over, bringing the west wall down with it.
Micah sheathed his sword and looked at the girl. She stared at the ruined dream around her; the devastated architecture, the slain guards, the marble floor cracked and stained with blood. She looked up at Micah, and it seemed to him that she was ready for a second fight.
The throne room disappeared in a flash. Somewhere, in the other world, the girl who dreamed to be queen of Hyrule was being awakened. She muttered, "What?" and was gone. Once again, Micah was alone in the World of Delusion.
Micah trudged along, but was worn out after the overwhelming battle. He soon realized that the sun was going out. At first it was bright white, but now it was a sort of dim gray. Micah had a feeling that this was what signaled the coming of night. He took his sword and shield, and with these as makeshift tools, dug himself a hole to hide in for the night. As he was getting ready to get to sleep, he heard a voice behind him.
"She put up quite a fight, didn't she?" It was Gardorous. He stood behind Micah with his arms across his chest.
"Yes," said Micah. He sat with his legs crossed, looking at Gardorous. "But why was she even here? It wasn't night back then."
"I told you to travel in the day because most people sleep during the night," said Gardorous, "And that way, you'd encounter less dreams. But there are exceptions. People take naps, or may doze off. Sometimes these periods of rest last long enough to bring on dreams, and so these people are taken to the World of Delusion for short periods of time. Luckily for you, the girl's dream didn't last very long.
"You seem to be doing well for yourself, Micah. You knew that the dragon she summoned was an illusion, and therefore, won easily. This day's end may have been grim otherwise. You're getting better."
"Am I?" said Micah. "Then why have you come?"
"Do not be so eager to see the last of me," said Gardorous with a laugh. "I have come to tell you that this will soon be so. I have to leave this world, Micah. Karod has discovered my presence, and if I stay any longer, both our lives will be in jeopardy.
"Before I go, I have some things to do. First, you must know that, when Karod finds out that you evaded his death trap, he will do everything in his power to keep you from reaching the Sword of Illusion. He knows that, since you have made it this far, you must be the One destined to hold the sacred sword. He has suspected it since the beginning."
Micah was puzzled. Gardorous noticed.
"The Sword of Illusion," said Gardorous, "Which I have mentioned to you before, can only be wielded by the One destined to do so."
Micah nodded. But as Gardorous spoke, a question bothered him in his mind. "Do you think I am the One?" he said.
Gardorous was silent for a while. Finally he said, "Yes. I do. As did the Great Deku Tree. However, I cannot know for certain. It is up to you to find out."
"And what happens if I'm not?" said Micah.
Gardorous sighed. "As I said before, only the One can take the sword," he said. "All others are kept here, as mindless banshees, until the One takes the sword and breaks the curse. Karod is the only one who has tried to take the sword, and made it back as himself. When he learned that only one person could take it, he built a great fortress around the sword to keep it safe. Which brings me to my next point..."
From under his cloak, Gardorous brought a looking glass, designed with purple and red borders. He handed it to Micah. "To make it to the sword, you'll need this," he said. "This is the Lens of Truth. When you are unsure of whether something is an illusion or not, use this lens. It will reveal the world as it really is." He looked around him. "In the World of Delusion, that is quite an understatement. Some illusions, especially Karod's, are immune to the lens. But it's your best chance."
Micah took the lens, examining it carefully, and then placed it in his bag.
Gardorous took out his ocarina. "Life is full of mistakes," he said. "I'm sure you have made a choice that you came to regret. A choice that, if you only could, you would change." Micah nodded solemnly. Gardorous brought the instrument to his lips and said, "While in this world, play this song... the Eulogy of Dreams... to go back and have the chance to change a choice you wish you never made." Gardorous played a long, somber song. When he finished, Gardorous said, "Now you try."
Micah took out Link's Forest Ocarina. After several tries, he successfully played the song.
Gardorous stood up. "Goodbye, Micah," he whispered. "If Fate wills it, I shall see you again." He closed his eyes, as if falling asleep, and faded away.
Micah curled up inside the hole, taken by fear and doubt. Belle came near, and the familiar flutter of her wings brought comfort. He closed his eyes, and slept.
Micah was walking at a steady speed, when suddenly the ground became caked with polished marble, and around the marble sprung brick walls, decorated with tapestries and stain-glassed windows. The place continued to transform, becoming more and more elegant until he was inside the throne room of the Hyrule King.
Guards were lined up along the central red carpet, and although he stood in the middle of the room, they took no notice of him. The doors to the room were flung wide open. Trumpets sounded, and the guards chanted, "Hail, Queen of Hyrule! Long live the Queen!"
Micah raised an eyebrow. He didn't know much about Hyrule, but he did know that the leader of the mighty kingdom was a man. He quickly hid behind the throne.
He was in for another surprise, for the "queen" was a young Hylian girl, no older than eight. She was dressed in purple silk robes, and on her head, she wore a crown full of sparkling jewels. She walked slowly along the red carpet, holding her head high. When she reached her beautiful throne, she sat upon it and began barking orders.
Micah was definitely curious. He wished to speak with the queen, since he hadn't spoken with another person since Gardorous left. He timidly crept out from behind the throne and stood before her. When the girl saw him, her reaction was far from Micah's expectations.
She drew a staff, wrought of steel and decorated with jewels. With a shout she leapt in the air, staff raised high, and came down on Micah's head. He swiftly drew his sword and met the staff halfway, deflecting the blow. Her staff hit the marble to her left, and in the moment Micah countered the attack, jabbing forward with his sword. The girl ducked, and pushed the staff forward, sweeping Micah off his feet. He landed on his back and the girl was upon him, staff upraised. Micah rolled away as the staff came down; its sharp point put a dent in the marble. Micah got to his feet, and glanced at the guards, stationed at their post and paying no attention to the battle next to them.
The girl twirled the weapon above her head, with grace and dexterity impossible for such a young child. She swung at him with the staff, which Micah countered with his sword. The girl drew back and swiftly jabbed with the other end. Micah brought up his shield, and the point lodged itself in the wood. She jerked, but the staff was stuck, and at that moment, Micah brought his sword up between her hands and knocked the staff away.
He brought his sword to her neck, poised in a victory pose he had practiced for years. The girl looked at the blade before her, her face twisted in a snarl. She whistled, and back flipped into her throne.
The wall behind the throne, decorated with tapestries and stained-glass depicting Hyrule's ancient heroes, exploded with tremendous force. Micah was blown to the other side of the room, along with shards of glass and chunks of brick.
Micah shakily raised his head. Plodding through the debris was a three- headed dragon. He got to his feet, wiping away pieces of glass that stuck to his clothing. His adversary was many times his height, and each of its three heads roared ferociously. Micah trembled, looking at the girl seated in the throne. She laughed. Micah looked up at the hole in the wall, and through it he could see the misplaced sun. Finally, he understood.
Holding out his sword, Micah called, "Have at you, then!"
The dragon charged, stomping guards flat in its wake, who did nothing to protect themselves. Micah ran forward. The dragon raised its hand, armed with razor-sharp claws, and brought it down. Micah dived under it, and the claw hit the floor, sending cracks through the marble. Micah rolled between the dragon's legs and drove his sword up, into the dragon's quivering belly. The dragon roared in anger. Micah stabbed again, and again, until the blood poured freely onto the floor. The dragon roared again, this time out of pain. Micah stabbed its left leg behind the knee. With a final roar, the dragon fell over, bringing the west wall down with it.
Micah sheathed his sword and looked at the girl. She stared at the ruined dream around her; the devastated architecture, the slain guards, the marble floor cracked and stained with blood. She looked up at Micah, and it seemed to him that she was ready for a second fight.
The throne room disappeared in a flash. Somewhere, in the other world, the girl who dreamed to be queen of Hyrule was being awakened. She muttered, "What?" and was gone. Once again, Micah was alone in the World of Delusion.
Micah trudged along, but was worn out after the overwhelming battle. He soon realized that the sun was going out. At first it was bright white, but now it was a sort of dim gray. Micah had a feeling that this was what signaled the coming of night. He took his sword and shield, and with these as makeshift tools, dug himself a hole to hide in for the night. As he was getting ready to get to sleep, he heard a voice behind him.
"She put up quite a fight, didn't she?" It was Gardorous. He stood behind Micah with his arms across his chest.
"Yes," said Micah. He sat with his legs crossed, looking at Gardorous. "But why was she even here? It wasn't night back then."
"I told you to travel in the day because most people sleep during the night," said Gardorous, "And that way, you'd encounter less dreams. But there are exceptions. People take naps, or may doze off. Sometimes these periods of rest last long enough to bring on dreams, and so these people are taken to the World of Delusion for short periods of time. Luckily for you, the girl's dream didn't last very long.
"You seem to be doing well for yourself, Micah. You knew that the dragon she summoned was an illusion, and therefore, won easily. This day's end may have been grim otherwise. You're getting better."
"Am I?" said Micah. "Then why have you come?"
"Do not be so eager to see the last of me," said Gardorous with a laugh. "I have come to tell you that this will soon be so. I have to leave this world, Micah. Karod has discovered my presence, and if I stay any longer, both our lives will be in jeopardy.
"Before I go, I have some things to do. First, you must know that, when Karod finds out that you evaded his death trap, he will do everything in his power to keep you from reaching the Sword of Illusion. He knows that, since you have made it this far, you must be the One destined to hold the sacred sword. He has suspected it since the beginning."
Micah was puzzled. Gardorous noticed.
"The Sword of Illusion," said Gardorous, "Which I have mentioned to you before, can only be wielded by the One destined to do so."
Micah nodded. But as Gardorous spoke, a question bothered him in his mind. "Do you think I am the One?" he said.
Gardorous was silent for a while. Finally he said, "Yes. I do. As did the Great Deku Tree. However, I cannot know for certain. It is up to you to find out."
"And what happens if I'm not?" said Micah.
Gardorous sighed. "As I said before, only the One can take the sword," he said. "All others are kept here, as mindless banshees, until the One takes the sword and breaks the curse. Karod is the only one who has tried to take the sword, and made it back as himself. When he learned that only one person could take it, he built a great fortress around the sword to keep it safe. Which brings me to my next point..."
From under his cloak, Gardorous brought a looking glass, designed with purple and red borders. He handed it to Micah. "To make it to the sword, you'll need this," he said. "This is the Lens of Truth. When you are unsure of whether something is an illusion or not, use this lens. It will reveal the world as it really is." He looked around him. "In the World of Delusion, that is quite an understatement. Some illusions, especially Karod's, are immune to the lens. But it's your best chance."
Micah took the lens, examining it carefully, and then placed it in his bag.
Gardorous took out his ocarina. "Life is full of mistakes," he said. "I'm sure you have made a choice that you came to regret. A choice that, if you only could, you would change." Micah nodded solemnly. Gardorous brought the instrument to his lips and said, "While in this world, play this song... the Eulogy of Dreams... to go back and have the chance to change a choice you wish you never made." Gardorous played a long, somber song. When he finished, Gardorous said, "Now you try."
Micah took out Link's Forest Ocarina. After several tries, he successfully played the song.
Gardorous stood up. "Goodbye, Micah," he whispered. "If Fate wills it, I shall see you again." He closed his eyes, as if falling asleep, and faded away.
Micah curled up inside the hole, taken by fear and doubt. Belle came near, and the familiar flutter of her wings brought comfort. He closed his eyes, and slept.
