Chapter 27: Tetra's Awakening
For more than a week Uriel toiled through the forest, all the time dreading what would welcome him on the other side. He was able to use his magic to let him fly through the air, but he only did this occasionally; he did not want to waste too much magic; something told him he would need everything he could muster.
As he continued, something faint and enigmatic whispered in his ear. Faster, it would say. You are running out of time. The Hermit listened to the voice, using it as motivation to push himself further.
And within time, he saw the daylight once again. He put his hands before his eyes as the sun blinded him, coming forth from the forest. When his eyes cleared, he looked off into the distance, instantly seeing the tumultuous village hanging on by a thread. It was as if a dark cloud hovered over the town, bringing them misfortune and death. He saw that the people were slowly dying, and that the army of Poes was surrounding them, enshrouding them in a deathly poison.
Clutching the Swodim mushroom in his hand, he began to sprint towards the village. It did not matter anymore how long he had been away, or that he had failed them those years ago. All that mattered now was their current state and their survival. Perhaps this mushroom would lead them down that road.
For the first time in several weeks, Tetra opened her pale and confused eyes. She saw three people hovering over her, watching her carefully. The first was a haggard man with a stern face. The second was a tall, fragile-looking woman with brown hair. But the last girl was different; she looked entrancing, her hair soft and ethereal, her body flawless and radiant with light.
"Where –where am I?" she spoke.
The entrancing one leaned closer. "Hello, Tetra. Where you are matters not right now -only why you are here. My name is Farore, Tetra, and I have much to explain."
And so the Oracle told Tetra of Link's story while she had been asleep. She spoke of Link's journey to find the Hermit and the Swodim mushroom, of the Phantom and his own legacy, and concluded with the arrival of the Poe army and the unexpected aid of Maple.
"Maple?" Tetra remarked incredulously. "But it can't be. She was the one who inflicted me with this illness. Has the world changed that greatly while I was asleep?"
"Indeed it has," the Oracle answered. "Change is all around us."
"I must find Link," she said suddenly. "I have to help him."
Elsa shook her head violently. "No, you mustn't. There is little you can do for him, Tetra. He did not pursue his quest to revive you just so that you could go find trouble again."
"Look at me," Tetra said strongly. She herself noticed that while she had been asleep, Princess Zelda had taken over her body. She was light-skinned, and her hair was braided. She stuck her hand out, and it began to glow. The outline of three attached triangles –the Triforce- revealed itself atop her hand, one of them blazing a golden light. "The Triforce is calling me. I cannot ignore it. Not while danger looms above us like a guillotine about to drop. Not while Link is alone and needs my help. And not while the Triforce continues to glow, seeking my assistance." She rose from the bed, quickly gathered her things, and sprinted out the door. The others ran to the doorway, watching undecidedly as Tetra maneuvered through the war-torn village.
"Can we really let her go?" Elsa asked. She turned to Farore for an answer, but only saw the Oracle's eyes fixed upon Tetra in the distance, her face bright and assuring.
Each day only brought suffering and bloodshed for the soldiers. Since Maple's arrival, their hopes had escalated, but there was only so much she could do. She had a powerful magic, but could not fight the entire army by herself. While her attention was directed to one area, the Poes would advance to another. Slowly, they cracked through the army, the town's only shield, and it was only a matter of time before it would shatter.
Maple held her hands high and released yet another ball of energy. She watched as it crashed down into the ocean of Poes, exploding into a conflagration of smoke and light. She quickly got on her broom and flew off to another location, seeking to extend her watch over the army. But no matter how much she helped, she knew it would never be enough. For days she had fought on without sleep and with little food, and hunger and fatigue now gripped her. How much longer could she go?
Suddenly she felt a strong but brief breeze blow by her, and turned to the left to see a man standing where before there was nothing. He was a tall man with a strong stature. Perhaps he would have made a good soldier if not for his missing arm.
"Are you Maple?" he asked.
"That depends," she answered, gripping her broom. "Who wants to know?"
"I am the Hermit," he said. "Perhaps you have heard of me. I have come out of hiding to help you with your pursuit to stop the Phantom's army."
She laughed. "The Hermit, huh? Yes, I've heard of him, but you cannot be that man. Perhaps all of this fighting has made me jaded and my eyes sore, but no one's knocked the sense out of me. The Hermit wouldn't change so quickly. He wouldn't return after all of these years of his absence."
"I should say the same to you, Maple, the witch without a broom." He rose up his only hand, and sparks of lightning transferred between his fingers. He thrust his hand forward, and streaks of lightning ripped across the sky, impacting the opposing army to create a swirling inferno of fire and smoke.
He turned to Maple. "Now, do you want my help, or shall I take my service elsewhere?"
