Disclaimer: I do not own Zelda in anyway, it belongs to Nintendo.
Ok people, happy new year, and I am pleased to bring you my latest chapter of my story. Finally the story is about to pick up,but it is totally different from the original plan. Now expect some action, adventure, mystery and even angst in the future chapter. And to clear up some things: Only Linkknows about the future timeline. I believe Zelda, the sages and even Ganondorf do not have any idea of what happened. As far asI know, Link and Navi was the only one sent back in time (so Navi knows about the timeline too).
Anyways, please read this story and leave some reviews to both show the bad sides of my story, but also mention what oyu really like and what really interests you. If you see a plothole or anything like that, please do not hesitate to let me know. If you have a question I will respond to your review in the next chapter. Thanks.
Also, I would like to tell every one to check out the forum section in Zelda, and for all the aspiring writers, pelase go to Liz's Beta-matching service. Most people here on are aspiring writers (like myself) and wish to improve there skills. The first step to improve your skills is getting a BETA-reader who can help explain what you may be doing wrong and tell you when you're doing right. Please go to the forum section and check out Liz's BETA-reading services to either become a BETA-reader or to find a BETA-reader.
Edit: I decided to repost this chapter to edit some minor things (I hope I got them all). Anyways, if you feel like reviewing, REVIEW!
Chapter 3: The Warrior Of Virtue
I followed the princess down the stairs, trying my best not to think of what happened. Saria had warned me of barging into people's place without them knowing, but did I listen? No I did not, because I was too damn stubborn. Now I was going to have to pay the repercussions. And trust me; an earful from Zelda is about as bad as being whipped by moblins.
"Ugh… I don't even know what to say!" Zelda said.
According to her she never knew what to say, but she could've fooled me. First she starts muttering under her breath… yep she's doing it now. Then she goes quiet for a few seconds. Yup, no more sound coming from her. So now we've reached downstairs and we exit the castle, unto the courtyard. Yup, now here it comes…
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? I always tell you to let me know when you're coming and NEVER sneak into my room without my permission. If my father was to ever find out about this, he'd have your head, hero of time or not! This is not just your life you're gambling with here Link, think about all the people that care about you, all the people that need you. I don't know what I would do if you were gone, and furthermore…"
I always found it cute how when Zelda gets into a rant, she just trails of the original subject without even knowing. Then she starts to talk about all the things that worry her and bother her. Sometimes it could be irritating, but at least it showed she cared. If it was Saria I'd be getting the cold shoulder again.
"Speaking of Saria, I need to see if she's not angry anymore," I mused to myself.
Zelda turned around and looked at me with one of the scariest look she's ever given me. If looks could freeze then the entire Zora fountain would become ice again. Well technically I can't say again since that happened in the future, even though it was my past. But bottom-line, she gave me a really cold glare.
"Saria? Who said anything about Saria? And she's not the angry one at the moment, I AM! Were you even listening to what I was saying?" Zelda asked me with her eyes closed to slits.
"Uhm… of course I was listening to you Zelda, you know I always listen to everything you say. It's just something you said reminded me of Saria that's all," I replied, hoping she wouldn't enquire any further. After all, I would hate to have to lie to her.
But lucky me she just turned around and continued walking further into the courtyard. I immediately followed, knowing she would be angry if I didn't. It was often like this really. I've gotten used to it. I was always expected to follow without asking any questions, just do whatever they expect me to do. Even though she's the one that should be angry right now, I myself felt a bit peeved. Part of me, just a small part, makes me want to remind her that I came all the way here for her. That I took valuable time, time that could be well-spent finding Navi.
And immediately my mind is focusing on that pesky little fairy once more. Even after all these years I haven't given up hope. I need to find her, my heart beckons. She's the only who could answer that question that is pestering me in the back of my mind. Such a simple phrase but not even the greatest of sages could answer for me. Who am I?
"Link, are you listening?"
"YES!" I snapped back more aggressively than I had meant.
There was a look of surprise and shock on her face; she had not expected me to react that way. Hell, I didn't expect that I'd respond that way either. I don't know, but something is wrong with me these last few days. I've been feeling different, acting different. I cannot explain it, but these last few nights I've been barely getting any sleep. And when I do its full of nightmares. But the strange thing is there not the nightmares I normally get. They're not my usual nightmares of death and gore or prophecies of a coming evil. No, they're about me… and Navi. She's always in them, somehow someway.
"Link… what's wrong? You haven't been listening to a thing I've said, and I can see it on your face that something is bothering you. What is it?"
I looked to her and gave her the brightest smile I could muster. For some reason I sensed it, I could not tell her. I couldn't tell anyone. Not even Saria may know about this. This is something that transcends my friends, my duty to others and my love for both the kingdom of Hyrule and Termina. This revolves around me and for the first time in my life I must think about myself.
"Oh I'm sorry Zelda, it's just that these last few nights have been quite stressful, lots of things on my mind you see? But don't worry about it; I have your present for you."
Hopefully I could divert her attention away from me my issues and more on her. It was after all her birthday; this was supposed to be her day. I reached into my back pocket and handed her the gift.
Reluctantly she took it from me. I knew that she hadn't forgotten about the whole issue. She can be annoying that way sometimes. Because of who she is, she always wants to help, even if it really isn't any of her business. Often that did come of good use in the future, because she was a great help at everything. But sometimes, like these days, it can be irritating. But thankfully she also knows when to just move on.
"Thank you Link," she says accepting my gift, "will you be staying tonight?"
"Oh no, sorry Princess but tonight I have some things I need to deal with and people I need to visit," I reply to her, making sure to express how sorry I am that I couldn't stay.
Her eyes cast down to hide her disappointed look, but to no use. I can still sense that she doesn't like the idea that I'm not staying this year one bit. After her fourteenth birthday I came every year and stayed till night. And when I turned seventeen and stopped the Ganondorf of this timeline—without the power of the triforce—from assassinating the king and saving Hyrule from another chaotic future that they would never know about. I was already well-known for my heroic adventures in both Termina and Hyrule, but saving the Hyrule from Ganondorf earned me the title Hero of Time… again.
When the princess from the other timeline sent me back in time, I had at expected at least the sages and herself to retain there memory. But it seemed that only Navi and I remember what had happened. Only she can relate to the pain I felt in that future, and through the horrors I had to go through.
Zelda and I continued to walk from the courtyard towards the back of the castle. I did not know where we were going, but I figured I'd find out soon enough. No point in asking pointless questions.
"So what are you doing tonight then that you cannot stay?" She asks. She tries to make the question sound casual but I know she's more interested than she lets on.
Well I might as well tell her the truth.
"I promised Malon I would pass by the ranch today. She wanted to see me, I don't know why though. But she let me know it was urgent."
Zelda stopped abruptly, causing me to come to a standstill. She turned her head ever so slightly, showing me a hint of sadness, before continuing to walk. Again it was in silence. I could sense she wanted to ask me something else, but she was hesitating. Good, let her hesitate. As much as I would want to ease her worry, now is not the time. I have always trusted my instinct, and I now feel that something big is happening, something that not even I may be able to stop. Now I did feel the need to ask.
"Zelda, where are we going?" was my question. My instincts are never wrong, and something tells me that this is more than just a social call.
"To the Royal Library…" she whispered, so soft I thought I imagined it.
So we're going to the Royal Library. Perhaps one of the most sacred places in Hyrule, It is said that all the secrets that the goddesses allowed men to know lay in this place. Ancient text describing the great battles, the magic of the world and how men was to master it, even the book of Mudora lay in this place. Only a select few ever allowed near this place, and regular people may not even know of the entrance.
As we finally reached the back, I saw a small gate with a path leading into the mountain cave. Looking at the cave from afar, I couldn't help that but be disappointed that the library was in a small cave on the mountain side. I expected a huge cathedral-like building looming on top of the mountain. But deciding that I shouldn't judge a book by its cover, I just did what I always do and followed Zelda down the path.
As we entered the cave I noticed it was getting darker and darker. The deeper we got, the blacker the surrounding. At a certain point, I couldn't even see Zelda anymore. I squinted my eyes hoping I would be able to find her in the dark, when I heard her voice chanting something. Suddenly a bright light burst out of the darkness and there stood Zelda, her hands radiating light. She quietly motioned me to follow her further into the cavern.
"Strange place to have a library, don't you think?" I mused to her, hoping to brake up the tense silence.
I was starting to get a little stressed of these surroundings. My hand was itching to hold my improved gilded sword and I half-expected a Lizafos to jump out of the shadows. Because of the life I live, I am constantly in these dark situations and my experiences have told me always be on my guard in these places.
"The royal library is not meant for the eyes of unauthorized people. It's supposed to be hard to reach. In fact, in this same mountain it is rumored that the temple of time resides you know? But not even I have ever been there though."
"Is that so," I replied casually but making sure I digested the information perfectly. "You have no idea where exactly the temple might be?"
"No, but I could always find out of course by searching the library. I haven't gotten that far yet that's all. There is a lot of information in the library; I haven't even reached the restricted section yet. There is one person who might know though where it is though. But the location of the temple of time is not important at the moment."
Suddenly she stopped short. Turning my head towards here I noticed we had reached a dead end. Maybe we had made a wrong turn somewhere… oh no wait there is writing on the wall.
Walking over next to Zelda I leaned forward close enough to read the haiku that covered the wall. It was written in the old Hylian letters and thus I could not understand it. But I needed to know what it said, I needed to understand it. I don't know why I felt this way, but something told me that this was very important to me. Luckily Zelda saw that I was trying to read it, so she read it aloud for me:
"A Warrior of Virtue,
Crimson mastery of lives,
Why use the metal sword?
Why use the metal sword,
Crimson mastery of lives,
A Warrior of Virtue?"
The moment she finished the last sentence I feel myself getting absorbed into my past. I cannot help it, but my mind focuses back to that day, the day of reckoning, as Tatl had referred to it:
llllllllllllllllllllll
The fierce wind nearly lifted me off my feet, the heat radiating from that horrid face nearly driving me mad. But nevertheless I stagger on, knowing I must, but not knowing why I must. It is as if the moon itself beckons, taunting me. My will is no longer my own and regardless of the fear of death or the pain of the heat I struggle on.
I want to tell myself I do this because it is the right thing to do. I try to convince myself that my motives are pure and just. If I do not stop the evil mask and the falling moon then there is no future for the land of Termina and all the inhabitants I've come to known and love. If I fail today then death, destruction and chaos is all that will remain.
"I do this, because I am the only one who can," I say to myself. "I am merely playing my part as the hero."
But at the exact same time I say these things I know I am only deceiving myself. This has nothing to do with my duty as a human being. At the moment I was not a hero, but just a boy… just a boy without his fairy.
After I defeated the evil worms of the Stone Tower temple and retrieved the final mask, I rushed as fast as I could to Clock Town. My head felt like it wanted to explode. All over my ten-year body were cuts and bruises, my red stains of blood were visible all through my torn tunic. The heat of the moon caused my wounds to blister and I felt as if I was about to burst into flames.
Most of the townspeople had evacuated the place hours ago. They had waited until the last minute before even making an attempt escape what was certain doom, and they didn't even manage to do a good job. The orphans—who formed a group called the bombers—were still down there staring at there death. Homeless people, old people and all those who could not manage to escape the town on their own were still stuck here, forced to accept their faith.
In the back of my mind I wondered why I even bothered. I can try and save them from evil demons and whatnot, but who will protect them from themselves? Who will help them from their own stupidity, their own greed and selfishness? Who will help me with my quest? With all I have done for all the people here, no one ever bothered to even ask how they could help me.
Now, I knew these thoughts were not my own. I never think such selfish stuff, but it was something about this place, something I am supposed to meet that possesses me. I am no longer the hero out to save Termina, but I fight for myself, for something I desire more than anything. But even with all, I cannot figure out what I fight for. The only thing I know, the only thing I want to know, the only thing I need to know, is that it beckons.
"Who am I?" I ask myself, "That is the question I need an answer to.
But it is not some deep philosophical search to discover myself, as one would believe. I need the answer to that question so I can know the answer to another question, the real question. But what question is that? For what question would I go through so much pain and suffering?
Then suddenly, as if someone came in a changed the entire event of this day I know the other question. As I stand inside the Clock Tower, it seems time freezes, and everything but the moon, the mask of Majora and I come to a complete standstill. Out of nowhere Navi, the one I've been searching for all this time, drops out of the heaven. And in her same annoying voice she asks me:
"A Warrior of Virtue,
Crimson mastery of lives,
Why use the metal sword?
Why use the metal sword,
Crimson mastery of lives,
A Warrior of Virtue?"
Llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
That was the question I had been searching for. That day, right before I went to the moon and fought the mask of Majora, I was controlled by something. I had no idea what it is, but it is the same thing that has been affected me these last few weeks. It was the same thing that took away my usual optimistic mood and turned me into a cynical bastard.
Even though on that day Navi never came and said those words, I felt as if I always knew about its deep denotation and I know I will be pondering its hidden significance for many hours. I must admit it has more meanings than I can realize. It somehow felt as if it was written for me, yet I know it wasn't, but for someone like me. This poem alone has left me breathless, its raw simplicity meaning more to me than anything else I have ever heard or read, next to that other question of course.
"Who wrote this?" I asked the princess standing next to me, hoping she could help me out.
"I cannot be sure," she replied, disappointing me. "I've read that the goddesses themselves carved that poem on rock. For whom and why I don't know. Maybe you can ask the person we will be seeing inside the Library."
Oh yeah, the library. I had completely forgotten about that.
Standing up I stared at the wall, not knowing what was going to happen. My guess is that Zelda is about to do some magic and the wall will magically open. And indeed, Zelda starts to chant in some strange language and before I know it… I'm falling into the ground.
"Huh?" I wondered and look around. It seems a portal had opened up beneath me and now I was falling through it. Fun, it has been a long time since I was going through portals. It felt great. Within a second me and Zelda where standing in an extremely large structure, and books stood all around us. I saw monks in robes reading, writing and sorting out books. A bunch of guards, different from the ones standing outside the castle, walk over to me.
"Who is this, your highness? Surely you are aware that outsiders are not allowed," The guard asked the princess.
Wow, it has been a long time since no one recognized who I was. Even people that never saw me knew what I looked like because of all the descriptions of me. I guess these guys have been down here a long time.
I look him over and he is indeed very different from the normal guards. They where golden armor and carry a golden shield with a short metal blade on the inside of the shield. In there other hand they hold a large elegant spear covered in jewelry that gives off a strange magical aura. On there helmet—also gold—is a white triforce symbol with a black upside down triangle in the center. What made this triforce so different is that this time there wasn't an absence of the triangle in the center, but a black chrystal resides there. So the triangle represented something. But what? Or more importantly, who?
"This is him, Pinto," Zelda replied.
Pinto—as Zelda referred to him—seemed rather surprised when Zelda said this. He gave me a look that said he didn't believe that I was this 'him' one bit. He started to circle around me, checking me from all angle. When he was behind me I somehow knew he would attempt something on me, a test or something. When he was no longer in my eyesight my sixth sense told me to duck and jab my elbow backwards. I heard a groan as my elbow connected with his abdomen. Even though I had already passed his little test I couldn't stop myself. I reached backwards and grabbed him by the back of head and flung him over my shoulders. He landed with a thud a few away from me and by the time he opened his eyes I already had my sword drawn out.
"Link, stop it!" I heard Zelda scream behind me.
I felt her soft hands gently grab me by the arm. She started to talk to me in a gentle whisper, no doubt telling me that I should calm down and that Pinto hadn't meant any harm. My heart was still beating at a thunderous rate and the adrenaline pumped through my veins but her gentle caressing and soothing words were slowly putting me at ease.
People always misjudge me. They take one look at me and they think of me as a weird pretty boy who wears a green skirt. I am not the tallest of young men and while I am strong and muscular at first I do not seem so. Many people find it hard to believe that I was the one who stopped defeated the monsters of the Kokiri, Gorons and Zoras. They found it even harder to believe that at ten years old I battled Majora, and went through all the temples of Termina, let alone that I stopping Ganondorf. And because they believed it to be a lie or just a stroke of luck that I managed to do these things, they always felt they had the right to test me.
But it gets tiring. I am a battle-hardened warrior and I do not have time to deal with frivolous test. I am too used to fighting, too used to creatures trying to get me from behind. My instincts are as sharp as my blade I no longer hesitate to bring the killing blow. Now, if this Pinto had tried it a few months back, I wouldn't have been nearly this aggressive. But I just can't help, there is something that has be on the edge these last few months. I really need to get to Lon Lon Ranch; hopefully Malon will have some good effect on me. She always does.
"Ok, perhaps you are better than I expected. I underestimated you."
"Perhaps," I said nothing more, for I did not want my voice to betray my emotions.
I know he senses that I'm not in the best of mood, for he quickly stands up and offers his hand as a truce. Now I know that I shouldn't feel this way, but I really don't want to shake his hand. I want to slap it away and punch him in the face. But feeling the loving embrace of the princess and knowing that I will be in a lot of trouble if I started a fight in the Royal library, I reluctantly shake his hand anyways.
"Link… what's wrong? I've never seen you this way before," I hear Zelda whisper in my ear.
"Your guard just tried to attack me from behind," I whisper back.
"Yes, but he meant know harm, you know that. Normally you're never this aggressive. You've been acting strange as of late. Why won't you talk to me about it?
"Good question," I think to myself.
Normally I would tell the princess everything. There was nothing I wouldn't tell her, but now I couldn't explain it. But something in this room holds the answer to all my questions, I just know it. And that poem, that is the question. Why fight with the metal sword? A warrior of Virtue? What did it mean?
"It's nothing, honestly," I tell Zelda, "I've just been under a lot of stress lately. In a few days I should be good as new."
Meanwhile Pinto makes a noise with his throat, signaling that he wasn't in the mood to be left out of the conversation. Narrowing my eyes at him, I give a faint nod in his direction.
"Your highness, Lord Rauru awaits your arrival."
"Rauru?" I asked aloud.
"Yes, he's the head-archivist of this library. He is also the only person that knows the location of the temple of light. He is extremely wise and he can explain what is happening a lot better than I can."
"Yes, Rauru awaits your arrival in the restricted section of our library. You will be led by our best Sheikah Ninja."
"Where is he?" I asked indigenously.
"Right here," says a voice from above. From the ceiling drops a young man wearing a tight uniform with the eye of the Sheikah on it and a hood with a face mask on it. Sleak stands of blonde hair covered half is face and the other eye—ruby red and mystical—stared at them both.
"You exist…" escaped my mouth before I could control myself.
They all turned to look at me strangely. They didn't know that in an alternate timeline, Zelda had impersonated this very fellow to hide from Ganondorf's grasp.
"Yes, we Sheikah warriors have existed as long as Hyrule has been a monarchy. My name is Sheik, Hero of Time, and I shall be the one to guide you towards your destination."
"Call me Link, leave the titles for important people," I replied with a lighthearted smile on my face.
Pinto looked at me a bit put off—after all I was cold and distant towards him but here I am warming up to a mere servant. Sheik however seemed not to take notice to my friendly attitude towards him and merely motioned me and Zelda to follow.
We continued to walk towards the underground library, and I couldn't help but praise the complex architectural design. Having been through my share of big buildings, I had to say this place took the cake. The books stood on giant bookracks almost sixty feet high. The bookcases themselves where carved out of marble, and the unnatural light glistered of the shiny stone. The ceiling contained many different carvings of the triforce and other holy figures, But what was most amazing was the depiction of the heavenly bodies. It showed the stars, the moon and the planets that could be seen in the night. The ceiling kept shifting, showing a different picture each time you looked. First came a close-up on the moon, then a virtual cornucopia of universes all painted on the same wall.
"It's beautiful," I say in an attempt to break the silence. "I must say I'm impressed that that even a thousand years ago they had the ability to create such a magnificent piece of work."
"It is not man-made."
Sheik had spoken so softly and so abruptly that at first I thought it was a bodiless voice.
"What do you mean not man-made? Then who did it?"
"It is believed that the goddesses themselves are responsible for the ceiling. It is our belief that the ceiling is a map, a map of great importance. They say that whatever this map leads to is greater than even the triforce itself…"
Even greater than the triforce itself, how could this be? The triforce is truly a force of reckoning; it is considered the epitome of everything known to mankind.
"Has no one in all these years ever discovered the secrets of the ceiling?" I ask.
"No one has ever tried," Sheik replies, "The object was not created to be found by anything. As a matter of fact it is impossible to reach the object."
"But then I still don't understand why the map is there in the first place. If the goddesses didn't want anyone to know, why leave it in this cavern for someone to find it?" Zelda said, finally bringing her voice to the conversation.
"No one knows princess, nor is it anyone's business to find out. The goddesses are beyond us and not even you have the right to question their decision," Sheik replied to the princess.
The way he said it made me feel he held some sort of resentment towards the princess, but for the life of me I could not figure out. Perhaps they had met before?
"I didn't mean it to sound like that; I was just wondering that is all," Zelda replied sensing the resentment.
"Do not ponder the mind of those superior to you your majesty. It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open thy mouth and remove all doubt."
Ouch, that was a direct attacked, hidden behind some fancy wise men talk. I was about to open my mouth to defend the princess but it seemed she was able to fight her own battles.
"Oh, a man with a sharp wit. Quick somebody should take it away from him before he cuts himself," she said.
"Did you think that one up all by yourself or did you have your precious caretaker write that one for you?"
"Don't bring Impa into this! They should've give out warnings that people like you are such assholes! They should make a sign or something!"
"Yeah, they should draw the sign on your huge forehead so the whole world could see!"
"Hey, I don't have a big forehead… right Link?"
Oh no, she managed to bring me into this after all. What should I say? Damn it, nobody ever warned me that I would be dealing with this. What do I say?
"Uhm… you forehead is very cute Zelda."
I wonder if that was the right thing to say.
"Argh! You guys are so mean. What did I ever do to you guys?"
Ok, so that wasn't the right thing. Well I guess it could've been worst, at least she didn't slap me. Besides, her forehead is kind of big…
The conversation seemed to end there, because just then we reached a big door, and on top of it was written in the new Hylian language: "Restricted Section".
For some reason, the place gave me the creeps. I stood outside waiting for Sheik to lead us in, but instead he just stood there. I turned and looked at Zelda, and noticed she was trying to hide some of her forehead behind her hair. I leaned forward to ask her what we're doing waiting outside but she just looks away. Frustrated that again I did she was angry at me for something I turned to Sheik instead.
"What the hell are we waiting for, the resurrection of the Sheikah race?"
I have no idea what possessed me to say that. I wasn't even going to word it like that. But it just flipped out, as if I was being controlled by something else. I truly feel that I am possessed. The anger I've been feeling, the resentment, there is something wrong with me. The Sheikahs had been nearly instinct for more than a century, and as far as I know only Impa and the newly discovered Sheik remains.
At first I don't dare to look at Sheik's impression, so I turn to Zelda. There is a look of pure shock on her face. Never in a million years would she expect me, the Link she knows, to say something like that. If she suspected something was wrong with me at first, she definitely suspected it now. Slowly but surely I turn my head to look at Sheik. On his face resides an expression of shock, but deeper behind his eyes lies a hidden inferno. It seems he is doing everything in his power not to unsheathe the dagger at his side and attempt to cut my throat.
"No," he hissed through his teeth, "I am not waiting for the resurrection of my fallen race. I was merely told to wait outside this door. Patience, my young hero, Lord Rauru shall be out shortly."
He then turns around and stares at the door as if it is the most interesting thing he's ever seen in his life. One part of me hasn't felt this bad in a long time, but something within me—something alien to my being—is telling me that it was well said. The same thing that has be messing me up as of late.
Suddenly the door in front of us opens, and Rauru steps out looking as old as he did seven years into the alternate future. And just as in the other future, his very presence commanded respect.
"Good day my princess, thank goodness you managed to come on time. This must be the young hero you told me about am I correct?"
Zelda managed to say a small yes, but I could see in her eyes that she herself found it hard to believe I was the same person she no doubt told Rauru all about. The person she knows and loves never acted this aggressive and would never stoop so low as to say what I just said to Sheik. Rauru stepped forward and offered me a hand. I accept his hand faster than I meant to and he seems to interpret that action as eagerness to serve. In the back of my mind it angers me that Rauru would think me of nothing more than a tool.
"We must hurry my young hero, what did you say your name was?"
"Call me Link, sir."
"Then Link I shall call you lad. Now please follow me into these rooms. I am sorry princess, but I must ask you to remain outside while I converse with Link and Sheik."
Zelda was ready to argue, but one look from Rauru told her that this was neither the time nor place to question orders. Whatever the issue is, we must assume that Rauru knows what he is talking about. I look at Zelda and give her a nod of comfort, but she is still hesitant. Nevertheless she accepts her duty and withdraws without an argument.
Rauru gives her a brief smile before stepping to the side, giving room for us to enter. Sheik goes first and I follow him into the dark room. As soon as I'm in, Rauru closes the door behind us and Rauru claps his hands. All of a sudden strange magical light starts to run down the wall and through the floor, illuminating everything before us. The pattern of the light reminds me of a place I have not been in a very long time.
"This is the entrance to the temple of light, isn't it?"
I have to ask, I have to know for certain.
"Very good Link, I see you definitely have a sharp mind."
Sheik seems a bit peeved that he hadn't managed to figure that little fact, but he is not aware that I had an advantage over him. I have already seen the temple of light, and in fact I had been in its most sacred room, the chamber of lights. But again I am forced to swallow up that information and pretend I am simply very observant.
The lights also show a collection of different scrolls and books, but even from so far away I can sense these books are completely out of the ordinary. In here lie long forgotten historical facts about the world, magic no one knows about, myths and legends that not a single person outside this room knows about. Sensing my pattern of thoughts, Rauru starts to speak.
"In this room lies everything that makes Hyrule what it is today. But this room also contains all the information to break Hyrule—and the world for that matter. It contains untold prophecies, myths, legends and truths that no one may know about, not even I."
I nodded, wondering where all this is leading.
"That brings me to the point of this meeting. Follow me if you will, and I will do my best to explain."
Rauru turns around and starts walking towards the back of the room. I take one look at Sheik who seems as intrigued as I am, and we both follow the old monk. Still walking, he continues to talk.
"Have you boys heard of the first generation gods?"
We both shook our head no, but since we were behind him, he could not here us. But even then he somehow knew how to reply.
"Before this planet was carved out of nothing, in heaven there were six different gods and goddesses. Their names are long forgotten, but it is known that they each represented the six elements which govern our world today. These elements are known as Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Light and Darkness. Now these six gods and goddesses produced many children, three of which are the goddesses we in Hyrule worship everyday, and another four which Termina worships."
Again me and Sheik nod simultaneously, both fully absorbed into the story.
"Now the eldest of these children, a sword-wielder that to this day is considered the most powerful warrior to ever exist in all of heaven, hell and our realm stood up from the oppression of his parents—the first generation deities—and challenged them. After a fierce battle he managed to slay all six of these deities. Because of the brave and heroic action of this god, the other second generation gods and goddesses declared this warrior their ruler. The other deities used the remnants of the first-generation deities to form our known universe."
I wasn't the person who enjoyed long lectures about things that happened in the past, but for some reason beyond my knowledge I felt this was one of the most important things any one has ever told me. I had to know more. I had known of the legends of this warrior, but I never knew his history or what had happened to him.
"What happened to this warrior?"
Rauru frowned. "No one knows. You see, this god could not put down the sword. Even though he had managed to slay his enemies, he still felt he had to fight. All the deities that he thought opposed him he would slay and banish to hell. It is believed that at some point in time all the remaining second generation deities banded together to try and stop his tyranny. But they did not manage to destroy him. The best they could do was strip all his powers away and banish him somewhere no one would be able to get to him."
"And no one has a single clue as to where he could be?"
"Well actually we have one big clue." Rauru's voice turned even more serious than before. "I firmly believe that the ceiling in the other room is the map towards his location. Long ago there were rumors that he was somewhere in our ocean or under Death Mountain, but the ceiling seems to suggest his location has something to do with the moon."
"Are you certain? Why would the goddesses leave any hint as to where such a danger may lie?"
"Well I believe it has something to do with the poem."
Which poem," I ask, "The one outside the library?
"Yes, the one that speaks about the warrior of virtue. It is believed that the poem was written for the banished warrior himself. The deities did not band together and banished this warrior because they resented him. Au Contraire, he was loved and respected by all his followers, especially the goddesses. They did not want to go against him, but he simply left them no choice."
"I see," I reply.
Before I can continue asking him any more questions, we come to a standstill. We are in front of a huge altering, and on the wall to the side there is writing glowing in purple, from top to bottom.
"Back in the time of that great warrior, all the god and goddesses had demons as servants. These demons held menial jobs such as gardeners of heaven our jewelers and they served the deities to the best of his ability. The warrior god had a special servant, one of extreme power. Many say this incubus had powers that rivaled some of the weaker deities. This incubus, even though it was but a mere slave to the warrior god, fell in love with him. She would do anything in her power to make him happy. When the deities teamed up against the warrior god, she did everything in her power to help her master. In the end, the goddesses sealed her in a mask and put her on this very alter."
Rauru turned to me, and gave me a look that sent chills up my spine.
"You've faced this incubus before Link, you know her as Majora's mask."
I shuddered. I had heard of this story before from the happy mask salesman a few years back, but having it reconfirmed by Rauru unnerved him even more. Sheik stepped up and spoke again.
"And then why have you called upon us my lord? What is the disturbance?"
"I am getting to that. But first let me explain what happened to Majora. A few years ago, a very deranged fellow used to be part of my staff. He had access to everything I had, including the mask of Majora. He had strange ambitions. He wanted to bring happiness to everything around him, even evil things. He could somehow 'sense' that the mask of Majora was unhappy, so one day he stole the mask and left the library. Because I don't always come back here and I am very trusting, I had no idea the mask was stolen till after some time. So by the time I found out and had alerted the king, he had already set up a shop in the market. But when the authorities came to arrest him, he had already left."
I just listened, knowing where this story was heading.
"This man whom even though I worked with him never gave me his name—later I discovered he was referred to as the happy mask salesman—was powerful enough to resist the temptations of the mask. You see, since the mask of Majora was sealed, it could only carry out its action through a vessel. It had to use its magic to tempt those of weaker mind to wear the mask, otherwise it had no power. Long story short, the salesman was walking through the lost wood and a wooden imp fell for the spells of the mask."
Rauru paused to catch his breath, before continuing with the story.
"When you defeated the mask and gave it back to the mask salesman," he said while looking at Link, "the mask was once again powerless. But it still hasn't given up and has continued to look for a vessel so she could continue its mission."
"What is its mission?" Sheik asked, refusing to honor the wooden mask by referring to it as a woman.
"I am not certain, but I believe it is to free her master. You see those writings on the wall?" Rauru said as he pointed towards the wall, "It is from the goddesses themselves."
Both me and Sheik's jaw dropped open. A message from the goddesses themselves, this is not something that you see everyday.
"To sum it up, it says the mask has found a new vessel and is heading here. The mask will return to this place to unlock the map so it can find its master."
"Wait, but why is it coming here when it was in Termina before hand? Hell, why was it in Termina the first place? It knows the map was here does it not?"
"Yes, but before one can truly understand the map, they need two artifacts to unlock it. These artifacts were once in Termina, but they now reside in Hyrule."
"What, if I may know, are these artifacts?" Sheik asks.
"We already have one. One the princess's fourteenth birthday Link had given the princess a very special gift. He gave her a necklace with a moon carving at the end. I am hoping Link knows where the other one is."
I am shocked to hear that I once held and the keys to the most important map in the universe and that I gave them to the most important girls in my life. I gave one to Zelda, and the other one to…
"I am heading to the person tonight. Her name is Malon, she is the ranch girl."
"You are heading over to her tonight? Perfect! Here is your task," he started, and I wince at the way he talks to me as if I have no choice in the matter, "go to her and retrieve her. She must not have a single clue as to how urgent this matter is. If she wants you to stay or go sightseeing, you must pretend that you have all the time in the world. Bring her to the castle when you get a chance. But you must protect her at all cost!"
I nodded, knowing it is futile to talk back. Besides, I have been really looking forward to seeing Malon. She is one of the only people who can make me act like myself again, if only for a while. I look forward to escaping whatever has been having control on me like this, and Malon's cooking just might do the trick.
"As for you Sheik," Rauru continues, "I need you to be near the princess at all times, especially seven days from this day. As you are aware, there is a surprise birthday party planned in a week for the princess. I have reason to believe this is when the mask and its vessel will strike. As for you Link, you must bring this young woman to this party—simple bring her along as a date. It is here that we must find a way to put a permanent stop to Majora."
I nodded again. My neck was getting tired from all the nodded. Sheik who stood next to me seemed a lot less content with his task, but he knew better than to vocalize his complaints. But of course I know that he did not feel like spending any time with the princess, but now he was forced to. I almost felt sorry for the princess.
Rauru had already started to walk back, and both Sheik and I followed. The walk was in total silence, until we got to the exit that leads to the main library.
"Remember, Zelda may not know of the urgency of this mission. As far as she knows there is merely a prophecy that states her life is in danger ok?"
"Yes my Lord," Sheik replies.
Rauru opens the door, and we step outside, finding Zelda waiting rather impatiently for us. At first she makes an attempt to ask us what took us so long, but then she remains quiet.
"Yes my princess, I have spoken to these find young men and both have agreed to there mission."
"And that is?" Zelda asks in a very impolite matter.
"We have reason to believe your life is danger. Therefore I have assigned my most trusted warrior, Sheik, to guard you for the following days. He will be with you at all times for your own personal safety."
"What? You mean I will be stuck with HIM until further notice?" Zelda asked with contempt evident in her voice.
"Why yes princess, is there a problem?" Rauru asks.
Of course he doesn't know of the little spat both Sheik and Zelda had.
"Uhm… no Lord Rauru, but why can't Link be my protector? I'm sure he can be a much better guard than Sheik," Zelda said, putting emphasis on the much to make Sheik seem incompetent.
"Link has some other business he must attend to, regarding a certain young woman by the name of Malon. But do not worry my princess; Sheik is well trained in various different art of fighting, and may even be better equipped to handle this task than Link."
As we were walking I felt a fierce competitive energy rise up in me that I know is not mine. For some reason what Rauru said rubbed me off the wrong way. I felt that it was an insult to even hint that Sheik would be a better protector than me. I do not know why I felt this way, it was so unlike me. I hated this feeling; I hated whatever did this to me. I felt as if I was losing more and more control. I had started to fall a bit behind, too lost in my thoughts. I was so lost in my thoughts that I did not notice that Zelda fell behind with me until she started to talk. It seemed to take a while for her to do so, but finally she managed to ask me what was on her mind.
"Link… what does she have that I don't have?"
"Huh?" I said stupidly, not immediately understanding.
"I just want to know," she said casting her eyes down to the floor, "It's just that it hurts so much that no matter how hard I try I can't get you to notice me that way. Is it because I'm as spoiled as some say I am? Is it because I'm fragile and helpless? Is my forehead really too big? What is it?"
Damn, when Rauru said I had business to attend with Malon she must have taken it the wrong way. I reached under her chin and gently lifted up her face. I noticed she had tears running down her cheeks and I reached out and wiped them away. I hated seeing her like this; I was used to her being so strong and confident.
"It's just… I love you Link, and I want you to love me in that way too. And something about you has changed these days, something is bothering you, but you won't even tell me!"
"I wish I could explain it to you Zelda, really could. But I myself do not know! Please do not cry, I never said I picked Malon over you. If I could protect you I would, but I need to go to Malon!"
"WHY? What is so important that you would pass up making sure I don't get killed that you have to go to Malon? I mean it's not like Rauru sent you there is it? I mean why would he…"
But Zelda never finished that sentence. She was staring straight ahead of her, and I turned my head to follow her line of sight. What I saw paralyzed me on the spot and I felt a shiver run down my spine. I had not seen him in a long time, and I forgot the affect he had on people. There, right at the main exit to the cave, stood the happy mask salesman with that eternal grin plastered on his face.
And that's all folks. Stay tuned for chapter four sometime around in the first two weeks of Januari. And please review if you can, and please check out my other (short) story and review that one too. I got some schoolstuff I need to take care of first though, but afterwards I can focus on chapter four.