"Regardless of intention, you were reckless, imbecilic, and uncoordinated!" Prince Daphnes' charged voice rang out from the conference table.
The Six Sages sat around a long conference table, and engraved in the fine oak of the table were symbols of the elements that the Sages represented. All were accounted for except the Sage of Light.
"We've been at this for over an hour," Gulley groaned. "Can't we move on?"
Ravio sat with his elbows on the table and his hands clasped in front of him. He wore an unreadable expression and listened as the other five argued amongst themselves. He looked over at the empty chair, as if for guidance. "Enough."
"He could have exposed the entire operation! Do you know how much trouble we would all be in if Gulley were captured last night?" Saria interjected. "Gulley is the only one of us who can claim to be any sort of low profile. He's still in high school!"
Ravio sighed, "I know, Saria. I'm not defending Gulley, but we have been at this for an hour, I'm tired, and my wife is still angry because we had to have this ridiculous meeting."
"What are you saying, Ravio?" Daphnes asked, said prince of Hyrule furrowed his brow and his lips were curled into a tight frown.
Ravio stood up. He picked up a small remote from a side table to turn on the television on the back wall. Seven faces appeared on the screen, including Saria's. "I think we've lost sight of the objective; we should get back to what these seven started."
"What are you getting at?" Vaati asked. His gaze locked on to one of the original sages specifically.
"These seven put their lives on the line every day to protect Hyrule from Dragmire," Ravio stated. "Sheik is dead, Impa hates us, Saria is our only surviving member, Fado, Ralis, and Darbus are all missing, and Rhoam made the ultimate sacrifice for his kingdom."
Saria stared at Ravio as if daring him to continue with his point.
Ravio looked between her and Daphnes, "They left us with their mission. Dragmire is close to returning and we need to focus all of our efforts on that. No more solving petty crimes. We need that Ruby back, Ghirahim and Yuga need to be put behind bars, and it's time to bring in a new member."
Silence hung over the room like a blanket until Saria broke out into a peal of bitter laughter. "For a second you had me going, Ravio."
"I'm being serious-" Ravio started. His knuckles were white as he clung to the wooden seat he had previously occupied.
Saria shook her head, the bitter smile etched onto her face. "I don't know if it's just because you think you have nothing left to lose after your parents, but you have no idea what kind of mental capacity is required to knowingly sacrifice a sibling."
Ravio waited for the woman to continue, his head was held downcast with dread and shame.
"I'm never going to get Fado back because he made the choice to die for this kingdom. Same for Rutala and Ralis," she shot the Zora woman an apologetic glance. "I'm sorry, but your son isn't coming back. None of them will. With that knowledge, the same knowledge that your parents and your best friend died in the fight against Dragmire, are you honestly telling me that you are willing to sacrifice Link like that? Because of some stupid notion that he's the fabled hero of legend?
"We're all just survivors of the tragedy," Saria said. She smiled sadly at him. "I'm sorry Ravio, but it's the truth. We all want what we had back and we thought we had the power to get that because of Ganon's sick experiments on us, but we can't. They're dead. We don't need to risk Link's life to prove something we already know."
Silence fell over the room again as Ravio struggled to think of a justification for his case. He looked around at each of the faces sitting at the table and sighed. He opened his mouth to concede defeat until he was interrupted by a smooth voice.
"Isn't that Link's call to make?" Vaati asked. "Who are we to decide what he can or can't be? Shouldn't that be the choice he makes for himself? Our job isn't to tell people how to live, Saria, regardless of our pain or loss. Our job is to ensure that people retain the freedom to choose that Ganon so desperately wants to take."
Ravio thought of what to say next but was stopped by the conflicted faces around the table. At any moment the entire team threatened to break apart and he struggled to keep it together. He gripped his chair and looked downcast. His fear had taken over and he refused to speak anymore.
"We may have started this little charade to get our loved ones back, but that can't discount the good we've done for Hyrule. People have hope again. They're starting to live their lives as they used to. If the sages are dead, then why should we give up. They wouldn't."
The blonde-haired high school student nodded, "Vaati is right. Look, I'm sorry I got caught, but maybe Ravio has a point. If we bring him in, we stand a better chance at catching Yuga. I mean Link is a cop."
"And therein lies the problem," Daphnes said bluntly. "Link is an officer of the law and a rigid one at that. I doubt if he knew of Ravio's little operation that he'd keep it to himself. He's Impa's favorite; what on the Goddesses' land would possess you to think he would willingly join our little group of misfits?"
Ravio opened his mouth to give a reason but closed it again when no words came. "I can't promise he would join us-"
Daphnes shook his head, "Of course you can't. We're losing swiftly Ravio; nothing can stop our demise. It is best we stop this foolish venture before any more innocent blood is shed."
"Wait, you want us to give up?" Gulley demanded.
Another pregnant pause settled over the room as Vaati stood up. He made a sort of clicking noise with his tongue and stared at Daphnes.
"Quit if you wish, Daphnes. Go ahead and cower behind your guards; wait for Ganondorf to take Castle Town and the rest of Hyrule with it. None of us will stop you," Vaati chided. "But when you do so, just remember that you could have stopped it."
Daphnes glared at the mage, knowing the truth of his words. He turned again to his leader, "Bring him in then, but don't say I didn't warn you."
Ravio stared at Sheik's picture on the screen intently. "If that's what needs to happen, then let's get started."
Link closed the book tiredly and set it on his niece's bookshelf. His eyes hung low after finally getting Aryll to sleep. He stood up from the chair that he previously sat on and turned out the lamp in the small girl's room. He smiled fondly at her sleeping form from the doorway before closing it softly. He shut his eyes to block out the tears that threatened to fall and slowly began to walk towards his room. He stopped outside of his younger brother's room briefly and considered entering, but ultimately decided against the action and instead walked to the medicine cabinet to grab a small white bottle. He poured one of the tiny pills into his hand and returned to the kitchen to get a cup of water. He swiftly downed the sleeping pill and returned to his room in exhaustion. He tore off his shirt and threw it on the floor before crashing into his bed and letting the demand for sleep overtake him.
"Enough of this! You're going to spoil everything!" A snide voice came.
Link stood opposite of a pale red-haired man holding a large scepter. Link himself was no more than a boy and held a sword pointed at the man.
"You've forced my hand. I must brush you aside!" The man exclaimed before sending a wave of energy at Link.
Link felt his body burn as his entire being was ripped apart and put back together on the cold stone wall behind him, trapped as a painting before his vision went white and he stood in front of a large beast with nothing but a sword and shield.
As his heart threatened to hammer its way out of his chest, Link tried to concentrate on getting rid of the ringing in his ears. The adrenaline in his veins was almost too much to comprehend as he prepared to parry the blow of the beast.
The beast looked somewhat boar-like and roared as it shook its fiery red mane. Link noticed that the beast held two menacing and sickeningly sharp longswords that glared at him with their golden sheen. Link swung to parry the blade as it swung at him but ultimately felt the blade slice open his chest as he dropped to his knees and his blade went into the earth. He struggled to breathe as the world around him turned white again.
The next thing he knew the tunic he wore had turned blue and bloodied. The scene had shifted again. His shield was gone and he panted heavily. Link's body screamed at him in pain to run, but something kept him glued to the fight he could tell that he was in.
Rain drenched his exhausted body and he could start to see his breath. He was so tired and wished he could just fall into the deep slumber that his body was begging for. He heard a small and distressed voice behind him and was suddenly reminded why he was fighting in the first place.
"Link, save yourself! Go!" The voice called to him in its panic.
Link refused to think of the suggestion, to do so would violate his entire protocol.
'What protocol?' A voice in his head echoed. 'This isn't your fight. This is simply a dream.'
"I'll be fine! Don't worry about me!"
Link was snapped back to his seeming reality and shook his head. He knew the voice was lying to offer some sort of ease to him, but he refused to leave. He gripped the blade in his hand tighter and with every muscle in his body protesting, he stood and stumbled slightly. His will, however, remained unyielding and he stood in front of the figure that the voice belonged to. He stared at the robotic beast in front of him, as if to challenge it.
A red laser locked onto his chest, but Link stood firm. His head throbbed and his muscles cried for rest, but Link stood undeterred. As the beast locked onto him, he was suddenly pushed to the side and fell to his knees.
"No!" The voice cried out before the battlefield was engulfed in a searing white light.
"Was… the power..?" The voice asked.
Link collapsed onto the muddy ground. The rain attacked his skin violently as he wheezed.
"No, no!" The voice cried. A girl appeared at his side- the source of the voice. "Link, get up!"
Link felt the girl cradle his head and coughed. He looked at her, wanting to say something but exhaustion overtook him and his vision went dark.
Link stood on an empty black plain that extended in every direction. In front of him was a glowing white figure. Link recognized the figure as Queen Lanayru Hyrule. He opened his mouth to speak, but she held up a hand that signaled for his silence.
"Hero, remember. Hyrule needs you more than you know."
"Remember what?" Link shouted into the black abyss.
"Remember, Link. For the sake of Hyrule, you must remember!"
"Please, don't be vague," Link exclaimed. "What do these dreams mean?"
Lanayru smiled at the boy. She disappeared into a bright white light and Link shielded his eyes from its brilliance.
Link's eyes were assaulted by sunlight pouring into his room. He propped his tired body up and leaned back on the headboard for support. Link sighed and rubbed his temples to alleviate the headache his dream had given him.
Link looked to his nightstand and picked up the picture that laid facedown upon it. "Why do they keep calling me a hero?"
Link ran his fingers over the glass of the frame and stared at the photograph. Link and a young woman of about 20 years stood in an expansive field of green. Link had his arms around her shoulders and she held up a phone camera that had been used to take the pictures. She had her left hand on Link's head and an expensive ring adorned her ring finger. Both had bright smiles plastered on their faces. "Am I a hero, Malon?"
A/N: It's a bit short this time, but I didn't want to write a chapter that dragged on forever with nothing happening. As always reviews keep me motivated, so please don't hesitate to leave one. I'll be back with more soon.