Chapter 16: Secret of the Fire Ruby
For hours Link sat on the ground, his back to a stone well by the Hermit's house, his eyes fixated on his door. He neither moved nor spoke once, and he noticed the Hermit staring at him from his window from time to time only to disappear from view. Navi supported Link's decision in staying, and for a while remained mute as well, but eventually she couldn't control her urge to speak.
"How long do you plan to stay here?" she asked suddenly.
Link turned to her slowly. "As long as it takes."
"But you heard the Hermit; he will not teach you."
"I didn't come this far to turn back now," Link said apathetically. "In time he will-"
"Hush," Navi quieted him. "Here he comes." The doorknob to the house slowly turned, and Link saw the Hermit come out carrying a bucket. He slowly walked towards Link and the well behind him. As he passed Link by, the Hero closed his eyes and pretended the Hermit wasn't there. Likewise, the Hermit took no notice of Link's presence. A few seconds later Link heard the Hermit hoisting the overflowing bucket from the well. The Hermit exhaled coarsely.
"Why did you not heed my words? What I said was the truth. I cannot teach you."
"I will learn," Link said quietly, his eyes still closed. "I will do whatever it takes."
"If there were a way, I would do it, but as you are now it is hopeless. You are wasting your time."
Link opened his eyes, flashing blue. "I will not go back empty-handed. I have to destroy the Phantom, Hermit. And you need to teach me how."
"How do you expect to learn anything if you refuse to listen?"
Link controlled his anger, tightening his fists, still remaining in a sitting position. "It is the only way to defeat the Phantom. I will listen if you agree to teach me."
"Forget it, boy. You don't know who you're dealing with. No matter how much stronger you may get, the Phantom will still be able to control you like a manipulative puppet."
Link shot to his feet. "Do not stand there and insult me like that!" Something red and shiny fell free from his pouch and hit the earth, clanging like a bell. "I could have beaten you yesterday if I'd paid closer attention! Give me one more shot and-"
"Silence," the Hermit said, but quietly and assuring. He put down the bucket of water and crouched down to the ground, picking up the red stone. He began to examine it, turning it around and around, inspecting every curve, every pointy tip. "This is the Fire Ruby," he said incredulously.
Link looked at him curiously, recalling his meeting with the Great Fairy. "Yes," he said. How did you know that?"
The Hermit did not answer. Instead, he began to sprint, aloof, back towards his house, ignoring both Link and his full bucket of water. Link ran after him into his house, and Navi obediently followed behind.
Link found the Hermit by the fireplace, opening the lock to a black chest. With a flick of the wrist the key turned and the chest snapped open. Within it Link saw a sword. Pearly white, it shone with a light Link hadn't seen since the Hero's Sword. The blade was so flawless and meticulously crafted, as if when the metals were smelted, each sheet was given intricate care before it was wrapped around the blade. The handle too was a work of art, elaborately wrought with smooth, decorative leather. The peculiar thing was that there were four niches that served as holes within the blade. Three of the niches were filled with three stones: green, blue, and purple. The last hole, towards the bottom of the blade, was mysteriously absent.
"At last," the Hermit said eagerly. "After all this time."
"What is that?" Link asked.
The Hermit turned to him. "Sit down, boy," he said warmly. "You are about to see something miraculous." Link complied, and watched as the Hermit fit the Fire Ruby like a puzzle piece into the last of the niches. As soon as it clicked in place, the entire blade seemed to glow effulgently. Instantly the four stones within the blade were washed over with a liquid metal that covered them up. The black case began to shake erratically, the sound of the metal within it dinging as it hit the sides. Link, the Hermit, and Navi backed away as a flash of light blinded them and overtook the room for a moment. It was coming from the sword.
When it was over, they slowly crept back towards the now silent case, and the sword within it. Hesitantly, the Hermit picked up the blade, holding it into the air, allowing the light of the sun to flash against it violently. Soon the Hermit was laughing wildly, almost manically, swinging the sword into the air.
"Finally!" he screamed, tears streaming down his face. "After all of that searching for the last piece. After all of my days of misery knowing that I had failed, it is complete again. It is complete!" Again he began to strike the sword into the air, rays of all colors mirroring everywhere.
"Hermit," Link said, obfuscated. "What has happened? Why are you so happy?"
"Ah, Link, my boy!" he said merrily. The Hermit patted Link's shoulder. "Perhaps there is hope for us after all. Perhaps now you can slay the Phantom, just as you said you would. There is hope after all! There is hope!"
"But why?" Link asked, looking into the blade.
"Because," the Hermit began, chuckling. "This blade that I hold in my hands, I have crafted myself. I don't know how the magic was able to fuse with it, but it did, and it will probably never happen again. For so long after that faithful day I have searched for this final piece, this lost element, and now the blade is whole again. Link, with this we can shape our destiny once again." He held the sword into the air, allowing Link to see his reflection in the shining blade. "Link, this is what destiny looks like. This is the Four Sword."
