He heard the bad news even before he reached Kakariko. What could've
happened to her? How could Impa let it happen? He continued on the long
road and reached the town as the sun was slipping behind the horizon. He
decided against visiting Impa's house. If Agahnim had gotten Zelda while
Impa was home, they might be watching the place. He knew that Impa wouldn't
have given up Zelda's location, and he ruled that possibility out of his
mind. The wizard must have soldiers watching the house.
He continued down the street passing Impa's house and going along the path. Hopefully, he'd be able to get to the library before the owner closed the shop. The moon shown down brilliantly upon the land by the time he reached the shop. The lights were still on so he walked up and pushed the door open.
"We're closing," an old man, who looked suprisingly like Sashralla, said.
"I won't be long. I'm looking for a particular book, and I need it as soon as possible."
"Really." the librarian said sarcastically, "and what book would this be?"
"The book of Mudora."
The old man dropped the books he was holding and spun around to look at Link. "What would a boy like you want the Holy Book of Mudora for?"
Link looked at the man. Could he be trusted? "Can you just help me find the book?"
The old man was now inches away from Link's face. "Who sent you boy?"
"I need the book."
The man nodded and turned away, walking back to his fallen books. "Well I can't help you. I no longer have it. The town elder gave it to me for safe keeping, and it was stolen."
"Stolen!" Link exclaimed. "That same elder sent me to get the book back. Who stole it?"
The old man turned to look at Link. "Why would Sashralla send you to fetch his things. Not that you don't look like a strong boy, but the elder has always been one to do things for himself."
"I'm not here to argue. I'm here to retrieve the book. Without it I can't enter the West Palace."
The old man laughed to himself. "The Western Palace is no place for children. Even if I was in possession of the book I wouldn't give it to you, just for that reason."
Link started to argue but then was silenced, as a stone was hurled through the window of the library. The rock flew through the air smacking the librarian hard on the forehead. He grunted and slid to the floor. Seconds later another object flew through the already shattered window. A wine bottle with a flaming rag stuffed into the top came smashing right into one of the bookshelves. A stream of fire ejected from the remains of the bottle torching everything it touched.
Link cursed again, running towards the unconscious old man. He picked the man up and struggled with him barely getting him outside before the building was totally enveloped in flames. "FIRE!!!"
**
It had been a long night for Link. His cry had brought most of the village to help. In the end however nothing was left of the library but the smoldering ashes of books, and wood. He cursed to himself as he sat in a dark corner of the town tavern. Drunks lay strewn on the wooden table's saliva dripping from their open mouths. Link closed his hand on the hilt of his sword, which lay sheathed on his lap. The leather tied along the grip calmed him somehow, made him feel somewhat better.
Once the smoke from the library had reached the sky, soldiers from an outpost close to the town had come and helped fight the flames. They had decided to stay in town to find the arsonist that had attacked the store. For this reason Link had a dark cloak draped around his shoulders.
He wanted to sleep. Needed to sleep. He closed his eyes but nothing but a pounding headache came. He still needed the book of Mudora to go further on his quest and the only one who knew anything about the whereabouts of that book was in the care of the Royal guard. Things weren't going Link's way.
A drunk struggled in his haze over to where Link sat, and in a garbled disgruntled way asked to borrow a couple of rupees. Link shook his head and told him to go away. What would he do? After a while he stood, fastening his sword to his waist where it would be easier for him to reach, and walked out of the tavern. On his way out he picked up a mug of ale. He would go to the castle to find the librarian. There he would also rescue Zelda, again. In one gulp Link drained the mug and dropped it on the ground heading for the castle where the next stage of his adventure awaited him.
**
The two guards passed around the bottle of grog and laughed to each other. They should've been more careful. Should have waited until their shift was over to get drunk. Because of the alcohol Link took care of the soldiers quickly and with little effort. They hadn't stood a chance.
The gates were still locked, so Link, first making sure that the soldiers patrolling the battlements weren't around, scaled the grate of the gate. He slipped easily over the battlements, and crouched low as not to be seen by any of the guards below. The next guard he met dropped from the battlements to the bushes below, an arrow stuck through his chest keeping him company on the long fall down.
Link pulled himself into the first entrance of the castle via the battlements and followed a staircase down to the main floor. It wasn't too hard to pass unseen through the main rooms of the castle. His stealth had obviously gotten better. He used his boomerang as a blackjack and knocked overseer of the floor out cold, stealing his big ring of keys.
Again he passed through staircase after staircase making his way towards where he remembered the dungeon was. That was undoubtedly the place where Agahnim was "caring for" the old man. A patrol of three guards caught him in a tight corridor and met the sharp edge of his sword. One had gotten in a lucky shot and cut the shoulder of Link's cloak. Blood was making its way to were the skin was split. Link carefully dragged the guards and shoved them into a corner where another soldier wouldn't find them.
He continued along his way finally getting to the great oak doors of the dungeon. He pushed them open and walked down the final stone staircase. He stayed close to the wall when he saw the flicker of light at the end of the corridor. From the stairs he would have no cover and if there were soldiers ready for an ambush he would be in a bad way. Luckily there was only one guard in the dungeon. A rather fat guard propped against a wall in a chair snoring happily. Link decided to leave the man be and just pulled the keys off the man's belt. Sure enough the old man was crouched in the dark cell that had once caged princess Zelda.
His eyes opened and he put his hands out, whimpering, "Please no. Not again. I swear I don't have the book."
"That's nice to know," Link replied, "If it was in your library its ashes now."
The man looked at Link's face. "You're the boy from the library. They captured you too?"
"No, they didn't. Get up, we need to go before that guard wakes up."
"He's a nice man. The nicest I've met in this place. I'd hate for him to get in trouble."
Link shrugged his shoulders and helped the old man to his feet. "Well if he was awake I'd probably have to kill him, so its better that he sleeps through this."
"I suppose," the man said.
**
Escaping the castle wasn't as hard as it had been the first time he had escaped with Zelda. The guards weren't as aware to his presence as they had been previously. It was as if these were actually men and not mere spells that the sorcerer had conjured up. Link didn't say much to the librarian as they made their way to Link's home. Link had decided that the man would be safer away from the village. The man didn't disagree with his rescuer and followed without argument.
When the reached the cabin Link began a fire in the fireplace. The old man sat in a chair and watched Link.
"You're the hero that the Great Sashralla prophesied about."
"That's what people keep telling me," Link replied struggling to get the flint to cooperate with him.
"I'm sorry I didn't give you the whereabouts of the Holy Book of Mudora."
"You said it was stolen," Link said back finally getting a reasonable spark.
"Well, you see, you weren't the only person to come to me asking for the book. Others, sent by Agahnim have come asking to read from the pages of Mudora. I couldn't be sure whether I could trust you. I mean you could've been a foul trick of Agahnim's. Now however I see that you aren't."
Link turned from the now blazing fire and looked at the man. "So to keep Agahnim's goons away from your place you made up the story about the book being stolen?"
"Yes."
"So where is the book?" Link asked his body turned away from the man. He pulled his cloak off and laid it on his chest of clothes.
"I have a friend. A former thief, a lock pick who I entrusted it to. He's now a hermit and lives near the entrance to the Great Desert."
"And I can get the book from him?"
"Yes. If your after the book you must get it from him."
"You make it sound like its going to be challenging. I'm not just going to waltz in their and ask for it am I?"
"Well. no. He will only give it to one who bests him in his weapon of choice. The sword." Link rubbed his hands through his hair. "And how good is he with the sword?"
"He's a master swordsman. It won't be easy to retrieve the book I'm afraid. But I know that you'll be able to acomplish the task. You are the Hero of Hyrule after all."
Link nodded. "I wish people would stop saying that."
He continued down the street passing Impa's house and going along the path. Hopefully, he'd be able to get to the library before the owner closed the shop. The moon shown down brilliantly upon the land by the time he reached the shop. The lights were still on so he walked up and pushed the door open.
"We're closing," an old man, who looked suprisingly like Sashralla, said.
"I won't be long. I'm looking for a particular book, and I need it as soon as possible."
"Really." the librarian said sarcastically, "and what book would this be?"
"The book of Mudora."
The old man dropped the books he was holding and spun around to look at Link. "What would a boy like you want the Holy Book of Mudora for?"
Link looked at the man. Could he be trusted? "Can you just help me find the book?"
The old man was now inches away from Link's face. "Who sent you boy?"
"I need the book."
The man nodded and turned away, walking back to his fallen books. "Well I can't help you. I no longer have it. The town elder gave it to me for safe keeping, and it was stolen."
"Stolen!" Link exclaimed. "That same elder sent me to get the book back. Who stole it?"
The old man turned to look at Link. "Why would Sashralla send you to fetch his things. Not that you don't look like a strong boy, but the elder has always been one to do things for himself."
"I'm not here to argue. I'm here to retrieve the book. Without it I can't enter the West Palace."
The old man laughed to himself. "The Western Palace is no place for children. Even if I was in possession of the book I wouldn't give it to you, just for that reason."
Link started to argue but then was silenced, as a stone was hurled through the window of the library. The rock flew through the air smacking the librarian hard on the forehead. He grunted and slid to the floor. Seconds later another object flew through the already shattered window. A wine bottle with a flaming rag stuffed into the top came smashing right into one of the bookshelves. A stream of fire ejected from the remains of the bottle torching everything it touched.
Link cursed again, running towards the unconscious old man. He picked the man up and struggled with him barely getting him outside before the building was totally enveloped in flames. "FIRE!!!"
**
It had been a long night for Link. His cry had brought most of the village to help. In the end however nothing was left of the library but the smoldering ashes of books, and wood. He cursed to himself as he sat in a dark corner of the town tavern. Drunks lay strewn on the wooden table's saliva dripping from their open mouths. Link closed his hand on the hilt of his sword, which lay sheathed on his lap. The leather tied along the grip calmed him somehow, made him feel somewhat better.
Once the smoke from the library had reached the sky, soldiers from an outpost close to the town had come and helped fight the flames. They had decided to stay in town to find the arsonist that had attacked the store. For this reason Link had a dark cloak draped around his shoulders.
He wanted to sleep. Needed to sleep. He closed his eyes but nothing but a pounding headache came. He still needed the book of Mudora to go further on his quest and the only one who knew anything about the whereabouts of that book was in the care of the Royal guard. Things weren't going Link's way.
A drunk struggled in his haze over to where Link sat, and in a garbled disgruntled way asked to borrow a couple of rupees. Link shook his head and told him to go away. What would he do? After a while he stood, fastening his sword to his waist where it would be easier for him to reach, and walked out of the tavern. On his way out he picked up a mug of ale. He would go to the castle to find the librarian. There he would also rescue Zelda, again. In one gulp Link drained the mug and dropped it on the ground heading for the castle where the next stage of his adventure awaited him.
**
The two guards passed around the bottle of grog and laughed to each other. They should've been more careful. Should have waited until their shift was over to get drunk. Because of the alcohol Link took care of the soldiers quickly and with little effort. They hadn't stood a chance.
The gates were still locked, so Link, first making sure that the soldiers patrolling the battlements weren't around, scaled the grate of the gate. He slipped easily over the battlements, and crouched low as not to be seen by any of the guards below. The next guard he met dropped from the battlements to the bushes below, an arrow stuck through his chest keeping him company on the long fall down.
Link pulled himself into the first entrance of the castle via the battlements and followed a staircase down to the main floor. It wasn't too hard to pass unseen through the main rooms of the castle. His stealth had obviously gotten better. He used his boomerang as a blackjack and knocked overseer of the floor out cold, stealing his big ring of keys.
Again he passed through staircase after staircase making his way towards where he remembered the dungeon was. That was undoubtedly the place where Agahnim was "caring for" the old man. A patrol of three guards caught him in a tight corridor and met the sharp edge of his sword. One had gotten in a lucky shot and cut the shoulder of Link's cloak. Blood was making its way to were the skin was split. Link carefully dragged the guards and shoved them into a corner where another soldier wouldn't find them.
He continued along his way finally getting to the great oak doors of the dungeon. He pushed them open and walked down the final stone staircase. He stayed close to the wall when he saw the flicker of light at the end of the corridor. From the stairs he would have no cover and if there were soldiers ready for an ambush he would be in a bad way. Luckily there was only one guard in the dungeon. A rather fat guard propped against a wall in a chair snoring happily. Link decided to leave the man be and just pulled the keys off the man's belt. Sure enough the old man was crouched in the dark cell that had once caged princess Zelda.
His eyes opened and he put his hands out, whimpering, "Please no. Not again. I swear I don't have the book."
"That's nice to know," Link replied, "If it was in your library its ashes now."
The man looked at Link's face. "You're the boy from the library. They captured you too?"
"No, they didn't. Get up, we need to go before that guard wakes up."
"He's a nice man. The nicest I've met in this place. I'd hate for him to get in trouble."
Link shrugged his shoulders and helped the old man to his feet. "Well if he was awake I'd probably have to kill him, so its better that he sleeps through this."
"I suppose," the man said.
**
Escaping the castle wasn't as hard as it had been the first time he had escaped with Zelda. The guards weren't as aware to his presence as they had been previously. It was as if these were actually men and not mere spells that the sorcerer had conjured up. Link didn't say much to the librarian as they made their way to Link's home. Link had decided that the man would be safer away from the village. The man didn't disagree with his rescuer and followed without argument.
When the reached the cabin Link began a fire in the fireplace. The old man sat in a chair and watched Link.
"You're the hero that the Great Sashralla prophesied about."
"That's what people keep telling me," Link replied struggling to get the flint to cooperate with him.
"I'm sorry I didn't give you the whereabouts of the Holy Book of Mudora."
"You said it was stolen," Link said back finally getting a reasonable spark.
"Well, you see, you weren't the only person to come to me asking for the book. Others, sent by Agahnim have come asking to read from the pages of Mudora. I couldn't be sure whether I could trust you. I mean you could've been a foul trick of Agahnim's. Now however I see that you aren't."
Link turned from the now blazing fire and looked at the man. "So to keep Agahnim's goons away from your place you made up the story about the book being stolen?"
"Yes."
"So where is the book?" Link asked his body turned away from the man. He pulled his cloak off and laid it on his chest of clothes.
"I have a friend. A former thief, a lock pick who I entrusted it to. He's now a hermit and lives near the entrance to the Great Desert."
"And I can get the book from him?"
"Yes. If your after the book you must get it from him."
"You make it sound like its going to be challenging. I'm not just going to waltz in their and ask for it am I?"
"Well. no. He will only give it to one who bests him in his weapon of choice. The sword." Link rubbed his hands through his hair. "And how good is he with the sword?"
"He's a master swordsman. It won't be easy to retrieve the book I'm afraid. But I know that you'll be able to acomplish the task. You are the Hero of Hyrule after all."
Link nodded. "I wish people would stop saying that."