Author's Note: Wow. Not a single review … not even good ole' fashion hate! Did anyone even read Chapter 7? Ah well. No worries. I wrote an even bigger chapter this time. And it's a little darker. And Chapter 9? I wrote that already, and it's even darker than this one, although not as long. Anyway, if anyone is out there, let me know what'cha think, will ya?!
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Chapter -8-
A Link to Lorule
Daruna 14, 2050 AD
Spectacle Rock Observational and Labs Visitor Facility
Mid-Morning…
Bagu Tantari cleared his throat. He ran his hands down over his three-piece suit to smooth it of wrinkles. "I really can't answer that question, LJ. You, uh, don't have clearance. Sorry, son."
Zelda reached over and placed a gloved hand against Bagu's wrist. "Stop fidgeting." Zelda pivoted on her heel in a way that made her dress billow up and flow about her. She faced LJ and said, "The reason there's a SCIF in this observatory and the reason for having security guards that were trained as Royal Guardsmen earlier in their careers is because … this research observatory is government funded. It's the highest point in Hyrule, and allows the Royal Compound a sort of … eye in the sky."
"It's been that way since I was your age," said Bagu. "Probably younger."
Zelda nodded to LJ, as if in agreement to Bagu. "He's right, LJ. It's been that way since before you and I were born. Now that we have satellites, this observatory is more about research, astronomy, and we use a wing of it for the Royal Family's archeology studies, since a great deal of history is buried right here in this mountain. But in the old days, it was designed to be an emergency bunker in the event of an attack on the castle."
"Ah." LJ reached back and rubbed the nape of his neck with his right palm. He looked down at his simple T-shirt and jeans. His eyes lifted a little, stopping on the expensive shoes belonging to the recently crowned queen. His eyes lifted a little more, flitting over the beautiful dress she wore. He cleared his throat then lifted his gaze to meet Zelda's eyes again. "Got it. I was just curious why a research facility had a SCIF and a panic room." And then, without warning, he changed topic. "I feel like I'm severely underdressed in your presence."
Zelda chuckled softly. "I'm severely overdressed in your presence, LJ. I just came from official state business. Meetings and such. Security, economy, infrastructure needs. In my world, one must dress for success to be treated like a success. I didn't initially intend to stop by here, but here I am. And your question about the original intent of this facility is warranted, considering how much time you and your team have been spending here."
LJ chuckled in a semi-nervous manner. "My … team?"
"Link and Linkle are your team. They are your responsibility. They exist in a world where they have very little life experience." She reached out and placed her gloved fingers against LJ's forearm. "And your training is transforming you."
LJ looked down at where her fabric-covered fingertips touched his arm a few inches up from his wrist. "How … how do you mean?"
"You're twice as fit as when this began two weeks ago. You've been training nearly non-stop, and you've been working hard to put yourself into peak physical condition. Your arms are larger, your forearms are larger, your shoulders are broader, and you are walking with more confidence than before. Do you remember when you first picked up the Master Sword? It was heavy. But yesterday, when I saw you train, I notice you picked it up single-handedly. You don't twirl it like Link. At least not yet. But, just the same, you handled it with a natural grace. Fi chose well with both of you."
Linkle scrunched her nose. "Fi?"
Link turned to Linkle. "Some say there's a spirit within the sword … I have heard her voice, but it's rare. It is said that her name is 'Fi.'"
Linkle placed her palms on her hips. "Oh. Well, that's new to me."
Zelda offered LJ a tender smile. "And I believe she has chosen very well."
LJ's face felt tight again. Blood rushed to his cheeks. "Oh, I uh … I've been working with the head of the Royal Infirmary … that guy helped me so I could train and work out longer each day."
Zelda nodded. "Yes, I read the reports. Synthetic steroids. Just … do be careful, please. Years ago, steroids were dangerous because of the changes they caused to the body, the mind, the mood, and so forth."
"I won't overdo it. I have no intention of becoming some 'roided-out jock."
"You are certainly not a jock, LJ."
"Good. I hope I never come off that way to anyone. Anyhow, catching up … y'know … physically, is important to help Link and Linkle; I need to be able to pull my own weight, after all. But, if we're being honest, here … just between us, I'd rather be working on my new book, heh."
Zelda lowered her hand, folding them in front of herself. Her tone became professional sounding once more. "Yes, that's … actually what I was leading up to in this conversation."
Bagu nodded to both LJ and the queen and saw his way out of the conversation by walking away with a polite smile to each.
LJ arched his brows and turned back to Zelda.
She folded her hands in front of herself. "LJ, my leading expert on archaic and modern technologies … he and his assistant were both killed in the same raid that killed my father. I've been searching for the past week for a replacement. Dr. Bagu suggested I read your book the other day, and so … I did. It was … well, it was … quite exceptional. You did an amazing job comparing archaic and modern technology. You write in a way that really shows you have a passion for … well, not just for technology, itself, but for the evolution of technology in general, both archaic and modern. Do you have a degree?"
"Yeah. I was the youngest graduate in my class for my major and my minor."
Zelda nodded firmly. "You may wish to consider a position under me."
LJ swallowed an awkward lump in his throat. "A position … under …?"
"Yes, as my technology advisor. It's part of a project I call Operation Divine Beast. It's being funded by the Hyrule Diet starting today, officially." She looked around the large room full of tents. "Are you satisfied living here like one of the soldiers posted here? Perhaps it would be more comfortable for you, your team, and your sister to take up residence at the Royal Compound?"
LJ looked across the large room filled with military canvas tents. "I, uh … that's generous."
"It's important to me. This operation is important to me. I need potentially round-the-clock access to my team of people to build a Guardian Army and the vehicles of my chosen champions, the Divine Beasts. But it's a classified project, so I cannot tell you much about it unless you accept my offer."
LJ looked around the room again. "You know, this room was called a 'clean room,' because it's where large artifacts were brought, cleaned, sometimes reassembled, and it's also where satellites that have fallen back to the surface, at least historically, were housed for study, because scientists wanted to see how space affected their functionality, their computer performance, and such … a computer in a vacuum, in the cold of space, can process a lot more up there than down here, but for a bit of time each day, it's in direct light of the sun, and can get quite hot, despite how cold space is. I brought my sister here a few years ago on a field trip to learn about what was once considered two different technologies … unearthed artifacts of the past and modern technology that is paving the way of the future. And that's when I realized I wanted to write a book about, in my opinion, how, by analyzing tech of the ancients, it's proof they were also a race capable of exploring space, but they simply didn't have the motivation to look out into the cosmos, they only wanted to understand things surrounding our planet, and how it affects the world's population."
"You're so cute."
LJ blinked. "I … what?"
"You're deflecting because you want to accept my offer, but you're nervous about it. LJ, youare a lead stallion. I have seen it. But when it comes to social standing and social interactions, you are rather quick to step down from the immense height of the pedestal given to you by the goddesses. You only step up onto that metaphorical box when fire and brimstone are raining from the sky. I've seen you do it, and it is extremely impressive."
"I … don't follow."
"Yes, you do. But you're so nervous that your thinking is cloudy right now. I have seen you look around at a hallway filled with dead bodies, then storm into a room filled with attacking robots, armed with advanced weaponry, and fight them … and live to tell about it, all to save people you've never met in person."
LJ still had his right hand on the nape of his neck. He began to rub his neck again, more awkward deflection.
Zelda continued. "In two weeks, you have made an enormous transition from 'self-proclaimed nerd' to hero. And now look at you, fit and prepared to seize your role … your destiny."
"I, um … you think so?"
"Yes, I do, LJ. In a heartbeat, you stepped up from big brother to parental guardian. You arenot a twenty-two-year-old boy. You are a twenty-two-year-old man. I have seen boys your age. Sometimes they are cute. Sometimes they are funny. Sometimes they are brave. Sometimes they are clever. Boys have potential, but they have not yet come into their own. They volunteer to serve as Royal Guards by the dozens, and I have been surrounded by them for years. You? You possess a certain … un je ne sais quoi, LJ."
"What does that mean, if you don't mind my asking?"
"It's an ancient language from the pre-ancients. It means 'I don't know what.'"
"If you don't know what it means, then why use the term?"
Zelda laughed with a brilliant smile. "No, the turn of phrase literally means, 'I don't know what.' As in, 'you have a special I-don't-know-what about you, which separates you from others in your age or class.'"
"…Oh. You think I'm … what, special? Link seems to think I carry the goddess mark of the Triforce of courage. Your dad mentioned that, too."
"Yes, but it's more than that. You can have courage and be robotic. But you? You have personality. You have empathy. You take things into consideration and choose your words carefully before writing them. And I want you."
"…On your team?"
"Yes. Stop being so nervous. I know the heroes of legend are Hylia's chosen hero. I want youto be my chosen hero. Help me defeat Ganon."
LJ took a deep breath, in through the nose, out through his mouth. He exhaled slow and calm so as to try and keep himself from looking like a fool. Then he gestured to the large room full of tents. "So, what can I ask about your classified project without being out of line, here?"
Zelda motioned for him to follow her. "Walk with me; talk with me." She turned from LJ and headed toward the far wall, making a direct line to a set of double doors.
LJ fell into step with her. "You're the queen; you could have cleared the room if you wanted."
"That's an alpha power-play, and in my opinion? It's childish. I'm not clearing a room of three hundred people in tents, many of whom are sleeping because they work the night shift, just so I can talk to one person. I wouldn't even do that to a room with only ten people. I'm happy to 'talk in the hall,' so to speak." She made it to the doors first, speeding up as she neared them, so that she could open them before he could offer. She held the door open for him with a sly grin. "Gents first."
LJ stepped through without questioning it. "No worries, I don't mind taking point. So, today, it's literally talking in the hallway, huh?"
"Guess so." She released the door, which closed on its own. She turned to him and folded her hands behind her back. "LJ, you're nervous in front of me."
"You're the ruler of Hyrule. That's a pretty big deal."
"No, it's not that. You weren't nervous in front of my father. The day we met, you had confidence in your posture when the two of you spoke."
"Oh."
"It's all right. I'm flattered."
"I'm … not following."
"I'm flattered that you're attracted to me. The feeling is mutual. That's why I even took notice of your posture the day we met." She lifted her gloved hands. "Don't worry, I'm not being forward, unprofessional, or out of line … I see it as being honest. Flat out honest."
"My sister put you up to this, didn't she…?"
Zelda laughed aloud; her voice echoed throughout the empty concrete hallway. "No, LJ. This is the natural direction of our conversation, which we are having, right now, in real time. And, although she didn't put me up to it, I will admit that your sister boldly told me she 'ships' us. It was adorable. I asked her if it was because I was the Princess of Hyrule and you're the Hero of Hyrule, and she said, 'No, because I'm just as equally related to those heroes that we're pulling out of time … I could be one of the heroes of the group for all we know. Maybe I should pull the Master Sword out of the pedestal and become seven years older and save the day. But I'd still ship you with my brother. You can't deny there's a chemistry there.'"
LJ hid his face in his right hand. "The mouth on her."
"I told her that the news is 'shipping' me with Link … mostly because there is footage of him carrying me through the courtyard when that golem attacked. But what the news doesn'tknow is that I don't feel any chemistry with Link in our conversations. And I know it goes both ways … he is undeniably smitten with the woman he left in 1675. He has researched information about her from the Royal Library. Did you know she never took a husband after his disappearance?"
LJ bit his lower lip. "I … uh, I didn't know that. I just know I want him to go back to her, but Linkle is afraid it would lead to her not existing."
Zelda flashed a smile like a ray of sunshine moving over a field of flowers on an otherwise overcast day. "LJ, I have a solve for that. We simply return Link to his era a few years after his beloved fled Hyrule with her child, and she is told the truth. She will live out her life with the love of her life, but history is documented with exactly what is in our current textbooks. Sometimes, happiness is worth sacrificing a truth or a creature-comfort, or even one's birth soil beneath their feet. Historically, she did not live at the center of attention outside of Hyrule. She lived in seclusion. Link may have already been returned to his time and we had no clue because he laid low, raised his children, and enjoyed the rest of his life with his wife."
LJ rubbed his chin in thought. "That would be awesome. We'll have to talk to Link about this."
Zelda's smile further broadened. "I love that you're a hopeless romantic."
"I, uh … guilty as charged, I guess." He cleared his throat and asked, "What about grandkids? Wouldn't they know and remember Link?"
"LJ, Linkle is Link's great granddaughter. Do you remember your great grandparents?"
"No. They passed away when I was too young to remember, before Aryll was born."
"You see? Linkle would be told her grandfather disappeared, and nothing further. She would be told what we tell Link to say. The diamond in her compass would stay in place. The timeline is preserved."
"That's … genius."
"So, will you take me up on my offer to move to the castle and help me construct the Prime Guardian and the Divine Beasts?"
"I accept. What's your plan?"
"Ganon is using technology of the ancients. Technology we didn't know existed until recently, and still don't understand very well. He told Link he has access to technology from the pre-ancients. He also told Link I have tiny robots in my blood, smaller than the Minish People. So, I decided to follow up on that claim. An expert examined my blood; I do have nanites, which are transferred at birth from my father's side, and my bloodline gives me access to them. The men of the royal family have access to what laymen would call 'magic powers,' while the women have sealing abilities and, sometimes, healing abilities. Both have offensive and defensive capabilities. It's just … tapping into them without instructions … that is the difficult part."
LJ continued to listen to her explanation but remained quiet.
Zelda continued. "They replicated and I will pass them on, one day, to my children. It gives my blood the power to open the locked doors of the ancients, and it also gives me access to the usage of antediluvian technologies. Ganon was telling the truth. But he also has access to incredibly dangerous technology that we cannot yet begin to understand. Technology that has allowed him to … in a sense … hack the ancient robots that you fought … robots that were already considered 'old' in the ancient days of Skyloft. And Ganon hacked them just as easily as he hacked modern technology in Hyrule on invasion day, two weeks ago."
LJ pursed his lips.
"My idea is … I stole your idea."
"How do you mean?"
"I overheard you suggest a form of hybrid tech about a week ago when speaking to Dr. Bagu Tan…"
LJ joined in, speaking in unison with her. "…Tantari-like-the-desert … PhD."
They both laughed together.
Zelda grinned and said, "Yes, exactly. So I started thinking … what if we create vehicles that run on ancient technology fused with modern technology? Something Ganon cannot 'hack' or, at the very least, something Ganon cannot easily hack in the time it would take to destroy him and seal him away. Something so complex and powerful that it would take him years to figure out how to take control of the technology. Perhaps thousands of years to figure it out."
LJ grinned in reply. "I was just telling Link, like, last week, that we should hit this Ganon guy so hard that he's out of commission for the next ten thousand years. I originally said it to Linkle without thinking about it, but I really liked the sound of it, so I've been saying it ever since."
"I, too, like the sound of putting him away for ten millennia." Zelda nodded firmly. "And with the Gates of Time operation, it might be possible to pull that off, LJ."
"Goddess-knows, I really hope so." He started to fidget but abruptly stopped before she said anything. "Do we know, for sure, it's really Ganon? I mean, has anyone even seen the guy? I mean, the way Link and Linkle have described him, he likes to brag, and he has an ego. So, why isn't he claiming responsibility? Why isn't he in the spotlight or making demands? What kind of terrorist is this guy that he's attacking, then getting quiet, and not saying a word about it?"
"I have a feeling we'll find out more about him soon. We have lost all of our communications with all of our satellites, and it has not gone public yet. Can I trust you to keep that to yourself?"
LJ grimaced. "Shit."
Awkward silence.
LJ's eyes widened. "I … I didn't mean to…"
Zelda held her gloved hand out, palm up. "Rupee for the cuss jar."
LJ blinked.
"I'm kidding."
"But, I didn't mean to cuss in front of the queen of Hyrule. I'm sorry, I just…"
Zelda reached her hand up and touched the backside of her index against his lips to quiet him. She looked around furtively, leaned in close, and in a demure tone, whispered, "I know this is most unbecoming of the ruler of Hyrule, but … since I trust that you can keep a secret … shit. There. You see? The moon didn't fall out of the sky."
LJ's posture relaxed. "Okay. You're right. The moon didn't come crashing down just now."
"But, it might hit the planet in three days if we don't get this team together soon. Figuratively speaking, of course. We really cannot afford to procrastinate much longer." Her communicator buzzed. "Oh, excuse me."
"Wait, where are you keeping it…?"
She reached into the dress and withdrew a Sheikah Slate. She paused, looked up at LJ, flashed a wry expression, and said, "Yes, this dress has pockets sewn into it. I know that goes against Royal Dress code, but … I am queen now, and no one has to know." She turned the device around in her grasp and touched the screen to answer her call. "Ah, Ovona, how can I help you?"
Silence.
LJ kept to himself while Zelda took the call.
Zelda furrowed her brows. "His name is Ravio? You said he hacked the firewall and allowed himself into the compound? Keep him in your custody. I am on my way." She ended the call with a gesture on the screen and said, "LJ, round up your team and meet me in the foyer of the main entrance."
LJ nodded firmly and headed back through the double doors into the room he had recently dubbed 'Tent Town.' He hurried to the southern end of the room and pushed open a tent flap. "Lynn!"
Inside, Linkle and a soldier were together, seated in front of a table, with handguns, boots, and a shotgun. She looked up and smiled brightly. "LJ! Oi! Mate, this-here future is bloody posh! You 'ave these nasty bits called flash suppressors, and … we're making holsters for m' boots!"
"I, uh … oh. Yeah. Nice pump-action shotgun."
"Too right! But I'm told it's not just any shotgun. No, sir."
"It's … not?"
"Nae, lad. Y'see, this nasty piece of work, here, holds twenny shells of buckshot! Or, if using the two-'n-three-quarter inch shells, it can hold two dozen, with a twenny-fifth in the chamber! Or if usin' these lil' mini-shells, it can hold forty sodding shells! I'll never 'ave to reload a bloody blunderbuss in the midst of a fight ever again!"
"I'm glad you're learning about shotguns. That's great. Uh, but some idiot tried to break in. So, uh, grab your gear. Meet me at the main entrance. I need to snag Link. I'll see you there."
"Are we inna' shite? Someone needs a proper sorting?"
"Don't know yet. Hell, I don't even know what that meant. Just … yeah, come prepared for a fight, just in case. See you in five."
"Count on it!"
LJ dashed out of the tent and made his way to Link's tent. He pushed through the door flap and said, "Hey! I need you in the…!" He paused, seeing Link.
Link tightened the belt on his sword scabbard and reached, with his left hand, for a faded orange shield donning a giant vermillion cross on the front. He looked up. "I overheard you telling Linkle in the adjacent tent that we should be ready for action. Does Queen Zelda have someone she trusts at her side?"
"Yeah. I, uh, told Linkle first."
"That is best, as it takes a woman longer to prepare."
Linkle, from outside of Link's tent, said, "Oi! I 'eard that, and I'm waiting on the two of you yammerin' sods!"
Link cringed. "Whenever she says 'sod' it sounds like 'sard,' which, I dare admit, is quite the curse word of my time. But enough about that, I need to know: who is with the queen? Is she safe?"
LJ replied, "Lance Corporal Ovona Nabumyre ne Ashdani – Hairulésha. I think I said her title the right way. Anyway, c'mon … on me." He pivoted and headed back outside the tent with Link in tow. LJ afforded Linkle a firm nod, then told his team, "Okay, let's get moving. Some guy named 'Ravio' managed to hack the computer system and break into the compound, then he apparently surrendered to the desk guard, or whatever the guy is called. Anyway, this Ravio guy is demanding to talk to someone in charge."
Link broke into a sprint and Linkle kept up with him.
LJ hurried after both.
"What is this 'hack,' LJ?" asked Link. "It sounds deadly!"
LJ kept up with the two but was at the back of the group. "It means to break through a computer using another computer. It's the same way someone took control of some of our modern tech … which is why I've been skeptical the attack was from anyone named Ganon. Maybe it was this … Ravio … person all along, and they came to fight."
"By the goddess, I surely hope!" Linkle exclaimed. "I want to try out m' new toys!"
Link was the first through the doors, leading into the main entrance hall. Linkle and LJ came through the double doors second.
Several guards, all armed, surrounded a man in a strange purple outfit with a giant rabbit's head helmet upon his face.
LJ came to a halt, stance open. "I … okay, I was not expecting … whatever that is."
Facing the man was a large group of royal guardsmen, and, at the center of the room, Queen Zelda.
The man in the purple attire reached up and removed his empurpled rabbit-like helmet.
LJ and Link gasped in surprise.
The man looked almost identical to them, but with chestnut colored hair.
Link, Linkle, and LJ exchanged confused glances.
"I'm Ravio," he said, introducing himself to the trio that just entered the room. His gaze returned to Zelda. "As I was saying … our queen locked down the kingdom of Lorule out of concern that Lorule will be attacked next. Princess Hilda and I have watched your universe with much interest over the past five years. Your kind has abandoned the magical technologies of old and embraced an entirely new infrastructure of technology. But then we saw, recently, that The Dark One returned."
"Ganon," said Zelda with a grimace of disgust.
Ravio responded with an emphatic nod. "Yes. Ganon the Dark One. Our iteration of him, Yuga, is far less dangerous. He's a reincarnated demon, but he never sought the Triforce of Power because our ancestors destroyed the TriForce, making it impossible to covet, much less acquire. However, our Yuga once merged with your Ganon. The spirit of Demise from our universe became one with the Demise from your universe. It has changed Yuga's reincarnation habits ever since."
Zelda frowned. "I am so sorry we have burdened you with that."
"It was our fault. We destroyed our TriForce. We brought about our own drama. After all, our Royal Family tricked the Hyrulian hero into saving Lorule using the Hyrulian Triforce to restore the broken Lorulian Triforce. Having said that, our plan is to defeat him, once more, with the Hyrulian hero, only this time, we plan to be of service to you, instead of tricking you into helping us. Upon learning that I was to be sent here, Princess Hildia discretely dispatched me to be of aid to your mission. She feels it would show I am somehow worthy to the one who ordered my…" He trailed off as if looking for the right term to use.
Zelda tilted her head. She moved a bit closer. She saw her guards' approach, but she lifted a hand to keep them back. She leaned her long elven ear toward Ravio. "Go on."
Ravio whispered into her ear.
Zelda frowned, followed by a firm nod. She stepped back from Ravio and said, "I will keep that to myself until you are ready to share with the rest. For now, please continue."
"Yes, your majesty. Um. So, uh, after I left Lorule, Hilda's mother locked down Lorule from any teleportation technology … national, international, and multi-versal travel; I cannot return for the time being as the queen sees Ganon's return as a threat to Lorule, considering his last visit, using Yuga as a host."
"I am so sorry you are in this position," said Zelda. "But I appreciate your service to us."
"It would be my honor, your grace. Just know this … for the last few centuries, Lorule was far more advanced than Hyrule … but now? That is no longer the case. Hyrule has surpassed us, even though your kind does not see fit to use your technology quite as aggressively as Lorule would, were the shoe on the other foot, so to speak."
Zelda nodded. "We try to utilize technology for the benefit of all. For example, all people are allowed to teleport except when the power grid is overloaded."
LJ coughed into his fist. "Sports stadium traffic."
Zelda smirked. "Yes. There are no teleportation pads at the coliseum, and there never will be. That would overload the grid, no matter how many petitions people sign, demanding the technology be used in that manner." She cut her gaze back to Ravio. "Please, excuse our rudeness."
"Oh, um, no worries. So, where was I…" Before anyone could answer, Ravio snapped his fingers. "Right! Technology. So, we shut down all teleportation tech in Lorule for the time being, after I was sent here. We recalled all our, uh…"
"Spies," said Zelda. "I am not offended. Feel free to continue; I will not judge you."
"Yeah, th… those. Um. So, when we learned that Ganon returned … and when our insider people also learned that he was rumored to have access to weapons that would make him far more dangerous than in the past … the Queen ordered the power grid to divert all electricity from the teleportation tech … to shield generators that are supposed to block multi-verse transit to Lorule. And, so, that is why I was dispatched by Hilda to assist in the fight against your 'problem' before it can turn into our problem. Despite whom sent me here, and why she sent me here, I have been made into a liaison of sorts, representing Lorule, um, unofficially, to help Hyrule. It is Hilda's way of 'extending a truce to Zelda of Hyrule,' her words"
"And your queen does not know what her daughter has tasked you to do?"
Ravio shook his head. "I wish to survive this ordeal, prove myself, and earn the blessing of … well, I told you who. But, yes, that's thee, um, that's the deal. If … if possible."
Awkward silence.
Then, finally, Ravio added, "Also, uh, greetings … to everyone." He waved at Link, Linkle, and LJ. "Hi, uh … I'm Ravio. Nice to meet you all."
Link, LJ, and Linkle exchanged glances.
Ravio sighed softly. "I … did it again didn't I? I rambled and made things confusing. It's my social anxiety. I'm working through it. Just be patient with me." As an afterthought, he added, "Please."
LJ ran his hands back through his blond hair. "You should write a novel. And that's not sarcasm or an insult. It's a fair assessment coming from a novelist. You're probably better with words when you're writing them down than you are when you're speaking, right?"
Ravio exhaled. "It's nice to know someone understands me."
LJ offered a slight smile. Then it faded, and he was all business again. "Might as well be candid. I want to ask how the hell you could possibly look like me, but … that's recently become a thing in my life, now." He hooked a thumb, gesturing to Link. "So, um, does Lorule have a Gate of Time?"
Ravio shrugged. "We take our mythology very seriously. We document everything. We look at our history as truth, not mythology as Hyrule has come to do. However, you're talking about stuff that may have happened a very, very long time ago, and has never been found or proven to exist in Lorule. Why do you ask?"
"Because I'm assembling a team of Links throughout time to fight Ganon. But you're … me. So, let me get this right … you're from an alternative universe, not the Sacred Realm?"
"A mirror-universe, yes. We have our own Triforce, our own Sacred Realm, and things are very similar … yet … different."
LJ rubbed his chin. "Excuse me one moment." He waved for Zelda, Link, and Linkle to come closer. "Huddle up."
The four came close together.
LJ spoke in a very soft tone. "He's me. But a brunette. He even has my nerdiness and long-windedness. Maybe we only need one more Link from the Gate of Time. Maybe this … Ravio … guy … could join the team."
Zelda pursed her lips. "He would have to be vetted; one does not simply trust a man who is tall, dark, and handsome, even if he does have the face of a hero."
Link snapped his fingers. "Ah, a meme. You're referencing a meme."
Zelda nodded. "Very good, Link. You're making excellent progress in becoming modernized." She turned to LJ again. "Anyhow, as I said, he would have to be vetted, no matter his face."
LJ tightened his cheeks and swallowed. He cleared his throat and said, "Vetted, yes. That's a good idea." He cleared his throat once more, then said, "Did you notice he doesn't have the mark on his left hand, though?"
Zelda nodded. "Quite so. When Lorule wished away their TriForce, the TriForce of Courage never bonded to the spirit of Hylia's Chosen Hero in any form. Therefore, he is you … without courage. That is not to say that he is not brave, just that he does not have the aid of the goddesses."
"Oh. Damn. That's … damn." LJ cut his eyes to the rest of the team. "Link? Linkle? Thoughts?"
"Oi'm just here to use this new shotgun, mate. Now, the lad, here, is'a decent-enough-looking bloke, but … where's 'is sword?"
Link nodded in agreement to Linkle. "If he is from a mirror realm of sorts … that most certainly does beg the question: is there a second Master Sword?"
LJ canted his head, gesturing for Link to ask.
Link stepped back from the huddle and turned to face Ravio. "I have an inquiry for you, my good sir."
"I promise you I am not trying to deceive you."
Link lifted his hands defensively and shook his head. "I perceive no chicanery in your face, nor in your tone, good sir. My fellows were most curious about your sword. Dost thou … do … do you swash with blade?"
Ravio nodded firmly. "I heard the four of you." Ravio reached up and gestured to his Hylian ears. "I've learned how to handle swords, and I've learned the skills of swordplay, but I've never used a blade in anger. I rent them, so I learned how to handle them."
"Ah. You've learned to handle a blade, that you might utilize it if necessary?"
"To learn how much to rent or sell it for."
"Ah. You peddle weapon wares?"
"Yes." Ravio took a deep breath, cleared his throat, and exhaled slow and calm. He took another deep breath then he addressed the room. "In Lorule, we have Fi's Blade, named for a sentient operating system loaded into the sword by its ancient creators. We believe Hylia either smithed it herself, or she drew the finest blade in the land and uploaded the Fi-O.S., or FiOS as it has come to be called. Our sword is the prison to a dragon spirit, so Fi's Blade is often called the Dragon's Bane. Fi, the AI and, for all intents and purposes, the operating system, has really shown what the ancients can do with a line of code, let me tell ya'. She uses the energy of the dragon to strike down and repel the very essence of an enemy's evil. Think of it as unlimited stored kinetic energy, so that when an enemy is struck by the sword, it hits with that energy tenfold. However, the sword is in its pedestal in Lorule. I have never wielded it beyond study of the technology, and only because Hilda allowed me to hold it."
Link furrowed his brows. He turned to LJ and asked, "Did you hear him? A sword with a computer within. We recently spoke of such. I believe it was your response when I spoke of the Master Sword having a spirit within."
LJ nodded in reply. "Yeah, Bagu scanned your sword, which has been missing for centuries … because it was with you in the Cryo-stasis chamber. So, of course, the first thing he did was scan it with the most expensive scanner in Hyrule. Anyway, apparently the Master Sword has a computer inside of it," said LJ. "If this Fi is an operating system that means it's likely to be an artificial intelligence or something. At least I hope so. That would be crazy-rad."
"Rad?" Link blinked.
Ravio tilted his head at Link, brows scrunched. "You've never heard of rad before?"
LJ hooked a thumb over his shoulder, gesturing to Link, but kept his gaze on Ravio. "He's from 1675. Cryogenic stasis. Just woke up recently. Still learning. Hyrule hasn't had the Master Sword to study for … a long time because it was buried with Link, here."
Ravio nodded. "Fascinating. Truly. And yes, Fi is an A.I. construct. There is a hard-light holographic emitter in the hilt of the sword, and its battery cells, in the center of the blade, have an energy source that few understand … the spirit of a dragon. It generates energy from the negative matter that comprises the dragon, which is stored inside the blade. That dragon now acts as a boundless source of electricity, and so Fi never needs to recharge. She must sync with the pedestal now and then to offload hardcopy memories, but she accesses with the pedestal only to access the hardcopy storage space built into the base, which houses the blade. By our estimates, the sword will require recharging but not for another … mm, I'd estimate roughly seven thousand years, possibly longer."
LJ blinked. "You estimate that long … based on what?"
"Well, eventual degredation of the power cells to hold as much of a charge as it does now, first off. By Loruleian estimates, the sword would require drawing life energy of its wielder to withdraw from the pedestal each time, so the user will want to be in good shape and at their strongest each time the blade is withdrawn. Anyhow, if the blade is still in service ten thousand years from now, a weak person or an unchosen person would likely die drawing the blade because it would draw literal life energy from their body, even if they were deemed worthy by Fi."
"What? Life energy? That sounds a bit science-fiction, no offense."
Ravio shrugged at LJ. "By our estimates, it would draw on the life electricity required for a heart to beat and the human mind synapses to fire … such and so forth."
LJ said, "All right, all the more reason to put Ganon down forever, so that no one has to pull that thing out of the base in the future. But, let's say this thing is damaged and the batteries erode or whatever. At that point, how would the sword be of any use?"
"And at that point, the sword's user would simply utilize another weapon while the blade recharges itself. It would run out of energy, but it would recharge over time, you know? So, it wouldn't be completely useless. Anyway, I have no earthly idea why the ancients would require a computerized sword, but it is an impressive piece of technology. It's said that Fi's Blade was created by the first ancients to be born from the final generation of pre-ancients."
Link perked up. "What else do you know of the pre-ancients?"
Ravio blinked. "I mean, not much. I'm certainly no expert. I know they left books and artifacts, most of which were discovered in the Sacred Realm. What about them do you want to know?"
"Ganon claimed the pre-ancients made weapons that could destroy all of Hyrule at one time with only one use. Is such a thing possible?"
"A tactical nuke could, yes. But Ganon would need a way to activate such a weapon. Now, from my limited understanding of pre-ancient tech, that would require a way of firing a radioactive object into a second radioactive medium. The energy released from slamming these two radioactive objects together releases an enormous amount of destructive energy, capable of leveling something large … even as large as Hyrule, depending on yield. Also, the air would catch fire, and the pressure behind the detonation would cause an implosion that sucks everything in a surrounding area inward, then pushes it back out. The fireball, along with the burst of energy, would flatten everything in its path in all directions for several miles."
Zelda placed a hand over her mouth but said nothing.
Ravio continued. "Those that die instantly … vaporized by the weapon's detonation … theyare the lucky ones. But … well … don't even get me started on the aftermath effects of nuclear fallout."
Link's eyes widened. "Wait … you spake truly? A city of a million … every single burgess … every denizen, every freeman, everyone regardless of status, serf or burgher … would … be set aflame?"
Ravio frowned. He glanced at LJ, frowned, then looked back at Link. "You really are from the past, huh?"
"I am," replied Link. "And I shall endeavor to study, anon, the workings of Ganon's newly learnt dark arts, when such knowledge becomes available to me. However, at present, I require the sciences in their most basic form, please. And … is there a form of defense?"
"There's no way to defend against it. At best, if you've prepared well in advance, you can maybe hide a mile underground from it … and you have to have the infrastructure in place to do so effectively."
Link grimaced. "How is this … technology … employed? What I mean to ask is … how does it function?"
Ravio folded his hands and cleared his throat. "Okay, this might be awkward for you. Um, from my understanding of this device, which, while heavily documented from the pre-ancients of Lorule, these files are strictly classified and heavily redacted for the eyes of anyone not part of the royal family…"
Link nodded. "What you know will still be appreciated."
"All right, so, uh … when one of these devices are set off, all living bioorganic tissue in the blast area is vaporized in an instant. Like I said earlier, they're the lucky ones. Anyway, the initial flash would be the last thing you see, and then … whoever survives the weapon … imagine a few decades after the attack … people would stop by where you last existed, and they would stare at your final action, preserved forever on the ground or nearby walls, because surrounding surface areas would be bleached, leaving only your shadow, frozen in time … detailing your last activity at the moment of the flash."
"How…" Link gave it some thought, then, in a softer tone, said, "Humane."
"Humane?" Ravio blinked.
"Verily. I imagine that you are instantly brought to peace before you know you've met your ending."
He shrugged somewhat. "Okay, sure. But only for those at ground zero. However, those who are further away from the blast zone would suffer unspeakable horrors."
"I wish to become learned in the knowledge of these unspeakable horrors."
Ravio glanced at Zelda.
Zelda nodded. "Please, Mr. Ravio."
Ravio took a deep breath and held it briefly. He sighed, shook his head with a frown, and then said, "Melted eyes, melted faces, and the radiation would cause the body's organs to fail rapidly, one after another, until your body begins falling apart from within. But also on the outside. Your hair falls out in clumps. You vomit blood, your mouth is full of sores, your fingernails slip off your fingertips, your bowels cannot hold sustenance, and you constantly, and quite painfully, shit blood until you die." He frowned, adding, "Sorry for the colorful metaphor." He turned to Zelda, adding, "My apologies, your highness."
Silence.
Link pursed his lips in disgust at the mental image of horrific suffering.
Ravio looked from Linkle to LJ to Link to Zelda, and then to the surrounding guards. "Look, I'm a weapons guy. I may not be strong enough to swing a hammer or a sword, but I know weapons – I rent and sell them. I grew up as a blacksmith apprentice and I know weapons. All sorts of weapons. I need you guys to know that I'm not making this up. Nuclear warheads were real. What I've told you is what the pre-ancients documented from their tests and uses. It's twenty times hotter than the center of the sun. Like I said, I'm not making this up."
LJ, in a soft voice, said, "Of course you're not making it up … no one could just … make up something so…"
"…Horrific," Zelda replied, finishing his thought. "It's truly awful."
Ravio frowned. "It could also possibly harm the genetics of the offspring of any survivors. Your grandchildren could wind up with leukemia or cancer because of what radiation has done to your genome."
Zelda covered her mouth with both hands.
Ravio cleared his throat. "Not enough studies have been done on that to know the effects for each individual … at least not by Lorule scientists. I assume the pre-ancients have done those studies, but … I have not seen all the redacted files that the royal family possesses on the technology."
Zelda managed to squeak out the word, "Understood…"
Ravio frowned once more. "I am not trying to scare you. It's just … this is what the pre-ancients seem to have documented about the weapons after using them a few times. And there were many opinions and many documents, and many who documented what it was like to survive one of these things. The larger the bomb, the larger the reach and more catastrophic its effect for a long time. And then ground zero would be roped off in something called an exclusion zone. Because the radiation was too high for people to live safely in that area for a long time."
Link shook his head. "The disgust that wells up within me is beyond my capacity to describe, due to the anger that accompanies my disgust. And, yet, I am also filled with affright. It seems such is the perfect weapon for the likes of Ganon." He cut his gaze back to Ravio and added, "Is there no panacea or means of defense that we might utilize?"
Ravio frowned.
Link looked around himself, followed by a soft sigh. "My, um, archaic argot is backsliding. My apologies, everyone. I will … endeavor to better take control of my patois."
Zelda placed a hand on Link's bicep and said, "Your vernacular is part of your charm, Sir Link. Speak as you wish to speak. You will be understood, as we have a Sheikah Slate to look up some of your more, shall we say, atypical vocabulary."
"Your ability to effortlessly dance between command and compassion is an inspiration to us all, My Grace. Your empathy is appreciated." Link cut his gaze back to Ravio and asked, "I must admit, the way you have described these weapons? It induces anxiety, good sir."
Ravio ran both of his hands back through his tussled chestnut locks. "Look … these bombs? They were designed to inflict maximum damage and suffering. As I understand it, there are different nukes for different battle needs. They were once numerous, and many were made in different ways; some for a maximum fireball effect and maximum implosion factor to destroy things, while others were made with maximum radiation as the focus … mostly to vaporize living tissue yet preserve buildings and infrastructure. Y'know … things that will eventually no longer be radioactive."
LJ's eyes widened. "What the hell is that one called?"
"A neutron bomb. I believe the intent of the neutron burst was to wipe out a population, then eventually, once the radiation was no longer dangerous, the invading force could move into the conquored empty city. It'd take a few decades, though. Some neutron bombs were so small in yield that they could be fired into an office building to kill the staff without irradiating the adjacent buildings, or used to wipe out the crew of a siege engine or armored tank."
Zelda exhaled sharply. She turned to Link. "And you are sure Ganon bragged about 'nukes' to wipe out life on this world?"
Link nodded. "Ganon said there were creatures in your blood, smaller than the Minish, capable of activating the weapons of the Pre-Ancients, so that they could be used to cause mass-scale destruction."
Ravio said, "Weapons of mass destruction is actually what the pre-ancients called such weapons according to our records." Ravio turned to face Zelda. "And Sir, uh, Link is talking about nanites. We started using them a few years ago to perform medical procedures. It was at that time we learned Princess Hilda had self-replicating nanites in her blood, passed down from her mother. The Royal Family has always said that the royal blood is loaded with nanites that replicate and become active sometime during the third trimester, which is why the Royal Family has never recorded a miscarriage before. The nanites help keep the fetus alive."
"How do they replicate?" asked LJ. "What do they use to build more nanites?"
Ravio replied, "I believe they use bodily diet."
"Huh?"
Ravio spoke in an animated way, using his arms to reply. "They would use naturally occurring iron, calcium, magnesium, such and so forth, to replicate themselves. So, a pregnant mother, carrying a Royal Family child would crave foods with these metals more often. I cannot begin to imagine the queen's diet while carrying Hilda, especially considering how much Hilda craves, normally."
LJ asked, "How so?"
"Bananas, apricots, greens, and oat bran are some of Princess Hilda's favorite foods – plenty of magnesium and potassium. A banana split is her absolute favorite, which includes calcium. She also likes beef and broccoli together, both of which are high in iron. Aaand I'm rambling again. Sorry. We were talking about the nanites in her blood."
"Nanites, yes…" Zelda sighed softly. She turned from the group. "This is … so very much to digest. I also enjoy foods high in metal content. There are teas and herbs with aluminum that I enjoy. I've always been warned not to drink too much. Also, there's mercury in fish … arsenic in rice. There are foods with cadmium and lead…"
"Lead?" asked LJ, brows scrunched. "Really?"
"Yes, like bone broth. It's always been a well-guarded secret that our family consumes more naturally occurring metals in our diet than is safe for the average person, and now … I suppose I finally know why. The average person uses fiber to reduce metal content in their blood, but we process it rather differently. Apparently, it's to create these … nanites."
Ravio nodded firmly. "Yes. Zinc, copper, chromium, iron, manganese … you need a certain amount of these to function. But the Royal Family has always craved more than would be safe for others. That's why. I bet you crave beverages from aluminum cans, consume lots of seafood, and typically avoid blueberries…"
"Yes. And … yes. Um … Mr. Ravio, not to change the subject, but, I simply must ask: do you have a method in which to return home?"
"No, your highness. I am here until the threat of Ganon no longer exists."
Zelda replied with a firm nod. "You may join Mr. LJ Kasuto in building his team to fight Ganon … if you wish to do so."
Ravio rubbed his chin. "I'll give it some thought."
"As you wish. Please do not take too long."
Ravio nodded and turned back to Link, LJ, and Linkle. "When I mentioned the Fi Blade, the three of you seemed somehow lost. Perhaps your blade's AI no longer functions? Um, perhaps I could … repair it? It's sort of what I do where I am from. I study technology and find ways to understand and use it. And, often, I make money off selling or renting out these tools to others. It's a service everyone seems to need."
LJ rubbed his chin in a similar manner to how Ravio did the same, moments earlier. "I mean … I'm not against you joining, but I'd want to confer with my team, first." He cut his gaze to the others.
Linkle and Link nodded.
LJ cleared his throat softly. "Okay. Uh, I conferred. Let's have you take a look at our sword and see what you make of it. But it has to stay close to Link at all times."
"Right!" Ravio nodded firmly. "I understand. Safety and security of the ancient blade is extremely important. Do … you have a computer interface with a peripheral that is designed for induction charging that also has data transfer capabilities?"
LJ nodded. "Yeah. For my phone. You're suggesting the sword can be hooked up to a computer that way?"
"Well, yeah," said Ravio with a firm nod. "The 'induction charging' part will make the handle warm, but the data transfer capability will allow the sword to talk to the computer. After all, it's not like the inventers of the Goddess Sword used the same radio band and code modern Hyrulians and Lorulians use. All I need to do is write a driver to tell the computer and Fi how to communicate with one another. The ancients used complex-yet-streamlined version of trinary computing, so we'll need a computer with a very good processor. You wouldn't happen to have access to a supercomputer, would you? It'd make the entire ordeal much faster."
LJ smirked. "You're asking because you know this is a research center in your mirror universe, so we have one and you know it. Right?"
"Actually, in Lorule, Spectacle Rock is a highly classified military installation. It's been hollowed out for an ICBM and it has interceptor-class anti-ballistic missiles designed to shoot down incoming ICBMs that could possibly be launched against Lorule by a neighboring nation."
Zelda and LJ exchanged glances.
A frown marred Ravio's face once more. "We're sort of … in a Cold War of sorts against most of our neighboring nations. Hylians do not get along with the other tribes, except for the Gerudo and Sheikah. They're our only allies. And that's more of a recent development, to be honest."
Zelda stared at Ravio with a look of horror. "At any moment, your country could be destroyed by the Zora, Rito, or the Gorons?"
"Well, yes and no. I mean, we have trade with them, but they don't live in Lorule. It's … détente at best, but there's no peace treaty in place."
"So, who is the enemy in your 'cold war,' Mr. Ravio?"
"Flat out, the Twili are our biggest problem, your highness. to be honest, they invented ICBMs, and we prepared in kind. We've been at a standoff for the better part of a decade, now. I mean, we haven't been friendly for a century, but when they invented intercontinental ballistic missiles, our Sheikah spies sent the plans to us … we have become very nervous. Anxiety and tension has been through the roof the past ten years, so … yeah."
Zelda brought her palm to her mouth. "My goddess, why would you need ballistic missiles capable of striking other continents?"
Ravio studied Zelda's expressions and blinked at her. "Wait, what? Hilda has told me, for the last couple of years, that Hyrule has better tech than Lorule. But … I mean … are you telling me that Hyrule doesn't even have Intercontinental Ballistic Missile capabilities…?" A pause, then, "How do you keep yourselves safe from anyone outside of Ganon? Arming for war ensures peace."
Zelda brought her palm to her mouth. "We have never had such issues with anyone but Ganon. The other tribes are our allies. The Kokiri, the Goron, the Zora, the Rito…"
"What about the Twilight People?"
Zelda tilted her head, keeping her gaze locked with Ravio's own. "The Twili found peace with Hyrule after the Shadow Era, when the Chosen Hero became the Divine Beast and saved the leader of the Twili, Midna. They worked together to liberate Hyrule, and we have enjoyed friendship with them. At least until the Great War, and since then, we paid the price. Everyone paid the price. The survivors have banded together to rebuild our world. Did such a war not happen in Lorule?"
Ravio furrowed his brows at her. "Lorule and the Twili had a similar war a long time ago, but it was fought with conventional arms, and there has been no battles since, only the Cold War, where either side is afraid to attack one another. This is why we need ICBMs: to keep neighboring nations from getting any sneaky ideas, of course. Eternal vigilance is the priceof freedom."
Zelda's right hand moved over her chest empathetically, as if to somehow shield herself from the hurt and sadness she felt for Lorule. "My heart aches for the state of your world, Mr. Ravio."
"What? But why…?"
LJ shook his head, appearing just as shocked as Zelda. "We had a large-scale war about one hundred fifty years ago. Everything has been dismantled and disarmed. Why, you ask? Because only a small amount of the population survived. Ten billion people became a few hundred million across the globe. Ancient texts once suggested two 'beings' would survive Armageddon, but upon later study from our best scholars, Hyrule determined it was apparently a translation error … it was two 'percent' of the world, and that's exactly what happened. Only two percent of our ten billion people survived. And, as foretold in their end-of-world prophecies, known as Revelations and another called Ragnarök, we entered a golden age of prosperity since then. It's supposed to last a thousand years, but … either Ganon came early, or it was all nonsense. I lean toward the latter, but … whichever, right?"
Ravio's eyes widened as if realizing something. "Wait, was your Armageddon fought using ICBMs?"
Zelda cut back into the conversation. "Rocket-guided warheads were used, yes, but they were nothing like your own, and it was long ago – fifteen decades. Project Firestorm … rockets capable of launching small cluster bombs filled with a terrible now-outlawed substance known as napalm. And then came a stockpile of guided missiles that released bombs detonated with something known as 'fissionable materials.' They have been outlawed by all the world leaders currently in power, and for the last several generations before us, but their banning led to redacting their design and the materials used to make them … no one knows how they worked anymore."
"Fission, really?" Ravio shook his head. "That's … well, you're saying it was a century-and-a-half ago, huh? That's old school. All of Lorule's ordinance uses a fusion reaction."
Zelda furrowed her brows. "Fusion is how stars produce energy. How could one make a weapon in that nature?"
"Well, fission is a nuclear reaction where a nucleus or an atom breaks apart into two pieces. Energy is released, boom. You've got your detonation and implosion. Atomic weaponry, everyone on the receiving end is sad. But fission wasn't good enough for Lorule."
The group remained quiet.
Ravio continued. "Hydrogen and neutron bombs from Lorule use technology mastered by the pre-ancients … fusion, which is a process of taking two atoms and putting them together to form a third atom. Atomic nuclei come together and produces an explosive energy many times larger than yields produced by old fashion fission technology. Don't get me wrong … we do utilize fission technology, but only as a way to compress and ignite the secondary fusion stage, resulting in a fusion explosion, which is, uh, many times more powerful than just using fission detonations alone. Sorry, I just said that part, didn't I? Yeah. Way more bang for your buck; that's how I should have worded it the first time."
Link spoke up. "Ganon said he has procured such devices from the pre-ancients, and that the only way to activate them is…"
"Yes, nanites," interjected Ravio. "Sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt like that … but yes, nanites. We were just discussing that."
"Yes, my apologies. Following this has been … trying at best. All I know is that these tiny machines live in the blood of royal family members, and these creatures are passed down through each generation of the royals. Mandrag Ganon's plan was to kidnap Zelda and use her to activate these weapons. However, that was in 1675."
Zelda swallowed. "And he was reincarnated as the brother of the my father, the king. My uncle will likely have the nanites in his blood. The question is … are they activated to allow him access, or is he keeping my mother alive for this purpose?"
LJ grimaced.
Linkle shook her head and muttered, "Sod that wanker." She cut her gaze to Ravio. "What, mate? I saw that look."
"In Lorule, sod is just … dirt."
Link said, "It's a corruption of sard, an awful word in my time."
"What, like the 'F' bomb?" asked Ravio.
"Focus," Zelda said to the group. She exhaled sharply, shook her head, then asked, "If Ganon has pre-ancient fusion warheads, we have to assume he desires to use them."
Link cut in, adding, "Please, we must not capitulate to that man's demands. He who deigns to bow down to such tyranny is on their own. I will stop that man myself."
Zelda lifted her hand to stop Link from getting wound up. She cut her gaze to Ravio again and said, "It seems Lorule has great understanding of how these weapons operate. How did you build yours? Or, if I may be so bold as to be blunt, did the weapons operated by Lorule consist of the pre-ancient's cache?"
Ravio nodded. "Yes, Lorule's first-generation ICBMs were put together with warheads that belonged to the pre-ancients. The devices were found in Lorule's Sacred Realm. We dug them up, reverse engineered them, replaced electronics that had been damaged by radioactive material, learned a great deal about how they were designed and why, then we looked up similar radioactive material to bolster the materials that lost efficacy due to sitting for thousands of years in disuse. We had to replace some of the warhead material with something called Tritium in the weapons, which has a half-life of just over twelve years. But once we repaired and replaced the components that broke down in the weapons, and once we tested them, and increased our knowledge of physics and chemistry, and once we studied the engineering designed of the pre-ancients, we started to realize just how impressive their understanding of science really was."
Zelda nodded with a slight frown marring her lips. "I … to be sure I understand you, Mr. Ravio … you are saying that … once studied and restored, the weapons of the pre-ancientswere placed into service by the Lorulian Royal Family?"
"Heck yes they were. No one messes with Lorule. The Twili know this, and they have stayed at arm's length, which is right where they belong."
"You wish them to fear Lorule?"
"Not exactly, your Highness. We want them to fear war with Lorule."
"Ah. I see. To keep them from attempting to take the land…?"
Ravio nodded firmly. "Both sides use Sheikah-blooded spies to see where the other nation is at with their tech, because Sheikah descendants, which include the Twili, have specific genetic markers that are easily flagged by a scanner. Both nations use hand scanners to determine whether a Hylian is trying to pose as a Sheikah … or vice-versa. Needless to say, Lorule prepared for handling the Twili and their tricks. That is to say … we prepared for infiltration, as well as prepping for an all-out assault, too. Should anyone wish to demonstrate their technological attempt at superiority over Lorule, we have a barebones-but-effective last ditch effort version of MAD."
"What is this MAD you speak of?" asked Zelda.
"Man, Hyrule sure is trusting to not have all the same defenses in place." Ravio shook his head with a soft sigh. "It's a type of…" Ravio held his hands outward, looking for the right way to explain something that was semi-classified. "All right, so, MAD stands for 'mutually assured destruction.' We call it 'Project Backyard.'"
"And that means…?" Zelda eyed him carefully, curious as to what her life could have been like had her ancestors wished away the TriForce.
"It's … where we threaten to wipe out all people … everywhere … to keep our enemies off our soil. It's terrifying, not to mention our scientists are working on geoengineering."
The corners of Zelda's lips twitched with disgust. "Your Queen prides herself on holding the figurative keys to the biggest bombs and the worst methods of genocide?"
Ravio nodded with a frown, suddenly feeling embarrassed by the judgmental look on Zelda's face. "I, uh … yes, ma'am. Our world currently has eleven billion people. Things can get politically tense at times. Even so, the relative ease of scaling up fission-fusion nukes probably has a role in explaining the Fermi Paradox."
LJ rubbed at his chin. "Not familiar with that … uh … paradox."
"No matter," said Ravio. "I won't bore you with the details, lord knows I've ranted enough about Lorule's situation."
Zelda exhaled with a soft sigh of frustration. She shook her head and cast her gaze to the floor. "I cannot imagine Hilda likes these plans in place."
Ravio shook his head. "No. She's not a fan. She has not told her parents, but … one day, when she takes her place on the throne, she hopes to sit down with the Twili and broker true peace. I can't wrap my mind around that, but I believe in her more than I believe in them."
Zelda said, "That is a relief … that someone believes in peace, I mean. And that you believe in her. The Twili do not live amongst us, here. They live in a pocket universe, and we are at peace with them."
"Be glad," said Ravio. "They're nothing but trouble in my world."
Link asked, "Mr. Ravio, may I ask as to the nature of Lorule's contention with the Twili?"
"Oh, jeeze, where do I start?" Ravio rubbed his forehead and began pacing in front of the group. "Okay, I'll try and keep it simple … but I'm not very good at 'simple' so bear with me. So, after the first Zelda left Skyloft and moved to the surface world, and the Hylians built Lorule, the Skeikah helped the Hylian Royal Family because they were super loyal to Hylia's commands. But over time, as the Chosen Hero kept being reborn as a Hylian and saving the world from reincarnations of Yuga, some of the Sheikah got kind of … pissed … that the Royal Family honored only the Chosen Hero and the Princesses that fought together to stop Yugadorf Dragmire … er, you know … our Ganon. Mandrag Yuga, Yugamere Draymer … it's to the point where I can't understand why anyone would actually name their kid 'Yuga' unless they already knew their kid would host the soul of Demise. Anyway. My point is … let's face it, without the Sheikah and their technology, the Ganon of this world and our world would have defeated the Chosen Hero more often than not. No offense, Mr. Link."
"None taken," said Link. "Please, continue."
"Right, so, uh … the Hylian Royal Family became keenly aware that there were Sheikah tribe members who created objects of … shall we say … considerable dark power. Majora's Mask, Fused Shadows … and those are just the more popular inventions. Anyway, the Hylian Royal Family banned such objects, calling them 'beyond dangerous.' These rebelling Sheikah cut themselves off from the Royal Hylian Family. One of their glib members called it something smart-assed and dramatic, uh…" Ravio clicked his fingers three times, trying to remember.
Zelda's delicate facial expression devolved into a moue of disgust. "The Dark Interlopers."
"Yes!" Ravio snapped his fingers again and pointed at her. He cleared his throat. "Sorry for the outburst. Um, anyhow, the D.I. tried to seize the Triforce in the Sacred Realm. In Lorule, we wished the Triforce to destroy itself … as I understand it, it was initially done to stop the Twili from obtaining it, but later generations were taught that it was to keep the peace; to stop evil from finding it. Either way, one of our past Zelda's found it. She wished it away with the help of her chosen hero. After doing so, she changed her name to Hilda, and that name became the passed-down name of the reincarnation of Hylia, going forward."
Zelda shook her head with a frown. "So, it was one of my ancestors in your universe that made the decision."
"Yeah. That was stupid on our part."
"Mm, agreed."
"Eventually Lorule began falling apart, so Hyrule's hero of that era saved our world by using the Hyrule Triforce to wish the Lorule Triforce back into existence. And we thought nothing of it, but the Dark Interlopers? They didn't forget, and they tried to seize it again. They wanted what they believe was owed to them. The D.I. went to war in the Sacred Realm against Ordona, Faron, Eldin, Lanayru, and the Golden Goddesses themselves … or so the story goes. The Light Spirits sealed away the Dark Interlopers in a realm of exile called the Twilight Realm. Eventually, the Mirror of Twilight was used to figure out how to bring their kind back to the physical realm again."
Zelda visibly cringed. "In our world, there was turbulence between the Royal Family and the Sheikah for a time. The Twili went to the twilight realm, and they stayed. The Royal Family remained at peace with them because the tensions were resolved. But, just the same, the history is quite dark, and we promised one another never to bring up the past around the commoners."
Ravio frowned. "It got pretty bad in Lorule. The Royal Family victimized the Sheikah with widespread paranoia. The Royal Family grew uneasy around Sheikah, believing that all Sheikah had some tie to the Dark Interlopers."
"How dreadful."
"Oh, it gets worse, your highness. During that era, the Sheikah, even the ones loyal to the Royal Family, were rounded up and imprisoned, followed by torture and murder. It started with forcing the Sheikah to wear symbols on their clothes, but eventually, it led to the near-genocide of their kind. It was recorded in the Shadow Temple and … I mean, Lorule archeologists are still digging up wells filled with bones, skulls, skeletons, torture devices … Sheikah bodies, you know? To this day, the Sheikah still refer to Lorule's 'Bloody History' with angst and disgust in their tone."
Zelda covered her mouth. "Still … digging up wells filled with Sheikah bodies?"
Ravio nodded. "Yeah, just last year, Lorule archeologists uncovered a mass grave site with an ancient artifact called the 'Lens of Truth.' It's in a museum, now. It was at the bottom of the Well of Three Features under the original Kakariko Village, which became known as the Hidden Village, which was evacuated at some point and blocked with a large boulder. Anyway, the Sheikah that survived the Hylians' wrath and escaped all those years ago? They joined the Twili, and when the Dark Interlopers' ancestors escaped the Twilight Realm, theycreated their own nation in the physical realm … adjacent to Lorule."
Link arched his brows. "If I may be so bold, where?"
"To the west. I believe Hyrule calls the nation west of the mountains something like … Calatia? Catalia? Something like that."
Link stole a glance at Linkle and LJ, brows furrowed. He cast his gaze back to Ravio, and then he offered the man a firm nod. "I am … familiar with that region, yes."
"Anyhow," Ravio continued. "Lorule has been at war with them on-and-off ever since. For generations. Pretty dark, huh?" A brief pause. Ravio frowned. "Shadow-pun unintended. But … yeah. Anyhow, they created weapons that could destroy Lorule with ease, and so we put weapons made by the pre-ancients into service and tested them in desert areas, so that the Twili knew we had serious firepower. We allowed their spies to report home, so that the Twili were too afraid to attack. It was better to demonstrate our power than to jump right into using it on them. We wanted to be scary, but we're not monsters. Anyhow, we've been in that Cold War with them ever since. And I see the expressions on your faces … you're all appalled. But if you ask me? We have shown great clemency by not initiating a premeditated attack."
Zelda shook her head, bringing her palm to her face. "Learn from the mistakes of Hyrule … find peace, beg forgiveness for your ancestors' actions, because you are the instigators in their eyes, and, finally, you must show goodwill and sincerity."
"How do we do that?"
"You must disarm."
"What if they don't…?"
"Ravio, I will personally help Lorule and Hilda to find true peace. But not until Ganon is dealt with. However, once Ganon is destroyed, I promise I will find a way to save the eleven billion people of your world."
Ravio rubbed his chin. "We have watched your people for a few decades, now … and I prided myself on knowing a lot about Hyrule's history. But … I had no idea you guys nearly wiped out one another a century-and-a-half ago. I mean, just … like … so … Hyrule really had their war-to-end-all-wars already? That's scary."
Link grimaced. "Not nearly as scary as the idea that Ganon has possession of weapons capable of wiping out both Hyrule and Lorule. And! The fact Ganon would be willing to use such creations against the surviving members of humanity in this world and yours."
Ravio nodded firmly. "Agreed. Okay. I can only fix one thing at a time. I'm a weapons nerd, but I only have two hands and one brain. So, let's start on repairing the Master Sword to access Fi. Then we'll have to find a way to deactivate Ganon's weapons." He shifted his eyes to Zelda. "Then … I will bring your proposal to Princess Hilda. I promise."
"Very good, Mr. Ravio." Zelda cleared her throat. "What about deactivating the 'nanites' in my blood? Then we take what we have learned and apply it to my uncle and my mother, somehow. If we can manage to deactivate all the nanites, then there is no way to activate Ganon's weapons. From that point, we need only to dismantle his stockpile."
Ravio snapped his fingers. "That'd work, sure! And you said he already has the queen?"
Zelda's eyes lowered. "Yes. He has my mother … he abducted her and has made no demandsfor her release. Until today, I assumed he killed her."
"If he knows he needs a Royal Family member's blood, your mother would do just fine. She would have received the nanites from your father when you were conceived; they would have replicated and joined with your mother's bloodstream, then they would have replicated again and have been passed on to you. But, just the same, she'd have them, no doubt about it."
Zelda brought her palm to her face again. She rubbed her forehead with a soft sigh. "Now what?"
Linkle announced, "We stick to th' plan, you lot. We find one more Link in time, so that we 'ave five, if counting this-here Ravio … and then we launch a bloody full-scale invasion on Ganon, yeah? Stick to the plan, mates."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Ravio ran a hand back through his thick brunette hair. He gestured toward Link, then toward the doorway from which Link and the others had come. "Let's go find a workbench with a fast computer and an induction pad that is designed for device-to-device data transmission. If your Master Sword still judges worthiness of its possessor then Fi is still operating, even if she cannot communicate with its user anymore. Let's give her voice back to her."
Link turned to Zelda. "Your highness?"
Zelda replied with a firm nod of her head. "Let's keep a close eye on him, just until we build rapport. For now, I say we give him a chance to prove his trustworthiness. Gentlemen … and lady, come with me."
"Oi!" Linkle said with a wry chuckle. "You're the only lady here. I'm jus' some git in green garb."
"If you are my blood," said Link to Linkle, "Then you are a lady."
"I'm just a country gal, mate."
Link frowned. "We shall speak more on this issue."
"When? I'm good to speak it now, grandpa."
Link shook his head at Linkle and said, "Let us speak anon. There is much to do, first and foremost. Addressing such declension can wait until the proper time."
LJ shook his head with soft sigh. "Oof, you guys."
"Oof?" asked Link.
"Yeah. Oof," LJ replied. "Oof one hundred. Let's get our heads together. Let's act like a team or something."
Link and Linkle exchanged glances, followed by nods. Both cut their gazes back to LJ.
LJ gave them the thumbs up gesture. "Good deal. C'mon." He fell into step behind Zelda.
Ravio nodded at Link, offered him a discrete thumbs-up gesture, then also moved with the group, behind Zelda. He leaned close to LJ and said, "You fixed that quick."
LJ grinned. "Thanks."
Zelda stole a glance back at the four Chosen Heroes, offered a weak smile, then led them out of the room, and deeper into the facility.
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A/N: So, anyone out there? Hellloooo? xD