Telling Tales
"The Legend of the Triforce," Marickiya whispered quietly to herself. She had pulled the sheet that held the first words she'd translated from the book, having finally found the time to sit down with it. She sat at her upstairs loft's study table, a mid-sized stack of new blank parchment, her translation page, and her leather bound book in front of her. She hadn't had the chance to look over her book for several weeks and was eager to take a peek. She'd always been a bit of a literature lover and this particular book was practically calling out to her. Every time she thought back on when she'd received the translation notes from the elder Sheikah woman, she shook her head with wonder. How could she have possible known Marickiya would be needing these notes? Maybe she sensed Mari's deep interest in books and lore; she could think of nothing that was said to tip her off to that though.
The Legend of the Triforce. The words rolled around in her head again. Ever since Link had told of the true story behind the relic, she became ever more eager to find out what resided within the book's pages. With training and taking back Kakariko from the Moblin horde that had infiltrated the village, she had very little time to even pick it up. Today, she had the house to herself for a bit while Link was out doing errands. Vaati had yet to make a reappearance.
She opened the tome and turned a few pages, looking for more of the same etchings that matched the word 'Triforce'. Quite a few pages in, it was there, written in large font at the top. There was nothing else written on this page though. Was it a title page? She flipped through the book a little farther and found more pages shared the same layout. There were chapters. She turned back to go back to the beginning. Near the cover was what looked similar to a contents page. Feeling excited that at the very least, the book shared the same designs of previous books she'd read, she pulled her notes closer then dipped her pen in ink.
It took a while, but she was able to make out what she was then sure was a list of chapters.
"One, The creation of Hyrule." She incited them quietly to herself. "Two, The Ascension. Three, The Triforce. Four, The Split. Five, The Rejoining. Six, The Phoenix. Seven, The Merge. Eight, The Great Deities. Nine, Parting of the Races." She dropped her quill in the ink bottle and held the notes in both hands to reread what she had written. She nodded, satisfied.
There were six more chapters listed after these. As hard as she searched though, she couldn't find any symbols matching them from her translation notes. She hummed, stumped by the page in front her, silently asking it to suddenly become readable. After a while of fruitless staring, she shrugged and went to the page where the title, 'The Creation of Hyrule,' was adorned across the top. Taking hold of her utensil once more, she set to work.
Several hours passed and she was able to finish a large chunk of the first chapter. It told the tale of the goddesses and their creation of the land and its beings, something she'd never heard tell before. She drank it all in greedily, eager to finish the story.
The muteness she'd become accustomed to was suddenly broken by the front door opening. She grudgingly tore her eyes from the writing to investigate the noise. Link had walked in with a few bags in both of his arms that were filled with food. Her face lit up.
"Did you find anything?" She said. He placed the bags at the table and stretched his back until it popped.
"Yeah, I found one. She only wants twenty rupees for it. Granted, it's just a small cot," He replied.
"Great! I'll pay you back later." She gave him a smile that he only returned with a half grimace.
"Or, you could just pay for it yourself when we go to pick it up." He began putting away his groceries in the cabinet beside the stove.
"That works too," She said slowly. With half a mind to keep the conversation brief, she almost had her pen back at her notes when she was hindered by yet another distraction.
A gust of wind brought about the appearance of their new comrade, the sorcerer Vaati. He materialized in front of the entrance and in the wake of the magic, all loose items and the vast majority of Marickiya's notes were sent flying.
"Woah," she exclaimed as she grabbed at the airborne pages. Before everything in the air had all settled, Link grumbled at the mage.
"How about let's not do that inside the house anymore." Vaati looked unabashed but gave a flourishing bow.
"My apologies."
Marickiya went on looking around to make sure she wasn't missing anything then tried to strike up a conversation with Vaati.
"I see you're back empty handed," she stated offhandedly, putting the pages in order. Vaati replied as he helped Link tidy up the small mess he was responsible for.
"It looked like she burned all of my possessions. All except for one thing which I know for sure was not among the wreckage." He said back.
"What was it?"
"A gift from a friend that had powerful magic cast on it. I am certain she took it as a trophy of some sort."
"Well, we'll just have to get it back then." He looked up at her and she flashed him a cheeky grin. He smiled in response. Link cleared his throat.
"Marickiya, what is this?" he asked. She got up from her spot at the table and leaned over the edge of the loft. Link held two missing pages of her notes.
"It's something I've been working on for the past few weeks," she said. She waited patiently while he took in all the information on the sheets he held. He handed them back up to her.
"Are you writing a book?" he asked of her. She shook her head.
"Nope, I'm actually translating one." She got up and walked to her table and pulled her book from it, brandishing it at him. "From what I've got so far, it is a religious text about the creation of Hyrule and the Triforce."
"Interesting." He looked genuinely fascinated and she beamed at him. "Can I read it when you're done?" She gave him a nod.
"Yeah! No problem." She was about to turn back to her work when Vaati's voice wafted up to her ears.
"May I have a look? Maybe I can help translating." Link and Marickiya both blinked. Then the Hero had an almost sour expression when Marickiya said,
"Sure. Come on up. You have to take the stairs like a normal person, though." She took her seat as she spoke.
"If you insist." Down at the tall dinner table, Link was rolling his eyes at their banter.
Vaati took the only other chair across from her and began scanning the notes. "May I see the book?" She offered it to Vaati who held out an expectant hand.
The transfer of power was immediately apparent as the leather bound cover made contact with his skin. As Marickiya looked away back to her paperwork, Vaati raised an eyebrow. There was a magical current coursing through it and it was very powerful.
"Well, that is interesting," he mumbled. Marickiya looked up at his voice and watched as he rifled through the pages with a delicate hand and a bemused expression.
"What is it?" She asked. Having finished flipping to the back cover rather quickly, he handed her back her book. She tilted her head to the side in a questioning gesture.
"It appears as if I will not be able to help after all. I cannot read it." He replied.
"I can't either," she had an eyebrow raised, "That's why I'm translating it." She lifted the notes off the tabletop and waved them in front of him. He shook his head.
"No, I mean I cannot read it because I cannot see anything." Her confused expression returned and she dropped the sarcasm.
"What do you mean?" She opened the book as he had. All the markings she'd been working off of were there for her to see. Stopping on a page with a sketch of what looked like a statue of a saintly woman, she turned it towards him. "You can't see this?" He shook his head.
"To me, it is blank." She scanned the page herself again, just to make extra sure it was still there. Running her fingers across the aged page, she could feel the indention where the author's quill had once ascribed the words and drawings.
"That's so weird." She had an almost annoyed expression.
"It is not terribly strange." She looked up at him after turning a page absentmindedly. "I have encountered a few magical books before." Her eyes lit up.
"It's magic?" She said excitedly. He grinned at her interruption.
"I believe there is a charm on it. It only allows certain people to read it." He continued.
"I would have thought that you'd be more qualified than me to be allowed to read a magic book." She said and began looking at the pages with a new glint in her eye. He chuckled softly.
"It might not be as simple as that. It seems it is not looking at magical abilities you may or may not possess. It could be," he fished around for an idea, "The fact that you are a girl." She scoffed.
"I thought you said it wasn't that simple." He shook his head slowly.
"It could be that simple." He corrected. Then another thought came to mind. "It could be something like your race." Suddenly her face fell.
"I don't know about that," she faltered. He had accidentally touched a nerve again.
"Then again," he said quickly, "The reason you can see it and I cannot could be the very fact that you are not a magic user."
She watched him for a second. She knew he had caught her demeanor and changed the subject quickly. "It could be," she said slowly. She grinned a bit. "Tell me, how does someone become a sorcerer."
He was thankful for the offer out of the delicate conversation. He scratched at his neck in a detached manner. "I have been able to use magic since I was born. I had to learn to control it." He held his hand and rippled his fingers. A small violet flame appeared at each tip one at a time, then they all merged into one still flame at the center of his palm. She couldn't take her eyes off of his little display. "I do not know how, or even if someone can learn to become a sorcerer. At least not like me," he finished and put out the purple fire by closing his fist.
"What's wrong with you?" She asked before thinking. He raised an eyebrow at her and she felt like smacking herself. "I meant, how are you different?" She tried to correct, but Vaati was already chuckling a lot more than he had in the last few months. He was very much used to being on his own, but he was finding it very easy to get along with the people here. It took him a few seconds to realize he was reveling in his own thoughts and causing a bit of a gap in the conversation. He cleared his throat.
"There are different kinds of magic users. Some have magical objects they draw power from, Like Link's gems for instance. Some must memorize the spells from books, and then there are Blood Mages." He put a hand to his chest, gesturing at himself. "Their power comes from within. They do not need to memorize anything. They just need something to channel their magic through."
"You mean like a staff? Or a wand?" Marickiya interjected again excitedly.
"Yes, those types of objects can be used. In my opinion, they are easily lost or broken." He pulled back his hair behind his ear. "I use this," he said. She leaned forward a bit to get a look at what he was referring to. Then she saw a small cuffed earring, barely making it all the way around his ear. It was a dull silver and had dark etchings all the way around it.
"You use jewelry?" He made a face at how she so easily made his idea sound foolish.
"Stones and gems work as the best conducting material." He said shortly. She grinned at his reply.
"Your choice in that earring was to make it easier to keep track of?" She asked of him. She continued before he could answer. "I disagree with that." Without another word, she set back to work, pointedly looking away from him. He wasn't the argumentative type, and so stood up to take his leave. He gave a courteous bow to which he received a staggered look.
"I am sorry to have distracted you, and thank you," he said all before standing upright and casually descending the stairs. Marickiya simply stared after him.
That was strange. Of course, everything about the man was strange. He could sense when she was ready for a change of subject and then he'd change it. He was never prying, but also fairly open with his own thoughts. She caught herself smiling at his awkwardness and how easily he was able to recover.
Then she stopped herself. No, nope. She had way more pressing matters to contend with just then. She couldn't spare a thought for a convoluted yet collected magician.
Still, definitely an interesting fellow, she allowed one last thought before picking up her quill.
...
"Finished," Marickiya said quietly to herself. She picked up a few papers which she'd decided to write page numbers on thanks to Vaati's entrance earlier in the morning. Then she got up and walked to the edge of the loft and looked down at her two roommates. Link was polishing an interesting looking blade that wasn't the Master Sword and Vaati was sitting at the table looking at a few books of his own. She assumed he had gotten them from one of the shelves lining the walls. "Alright, I'm done with the first chapter. Would you like to hear it?"
They both looked up. Glad to have their attention, she sat at the edge and dangled her feet down. She quietly cleared her throat.
"The first chapter is titled, 'The Creation of Hyrule,'" she began. Then paused. She hurriedly got up and went back to her table. "Sorry," she called, "I'm sure there are a few mistakes," she came back to her perch with her writing instruments.
"Okay. It begins.
"'Before Time began, before Life and spirits existed, three Golden Goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule.'"
"I've heard this," Link cut in.
"Yes, thank you." She stared down the Hylian who looked a bit sheepish. He went back to listening and polishing his blade.
"'Din gave the gift of earth: she cultivated the land with her flaming arms. Farore gave the gift of life to live upon her sister's lands. She created beautiful fairy-folk and powerful spirits made of light.'
"'Then, the Bark One-''" Her eyes widened. "Sorry, that's... uh... 'Dark One,'" Link began giggling. "No laughing!" She pointed her feathered pen at him, "I warned you there'd be mistakes." She scratched at the paper with her quill and made the necessary corrections. "'The Dark One stepped forth with his own proposals of life.'
"'They were not beautiful in the Goddesses eyes, differing in shapes, sizes, and ferocity. One race, he prided most of all: a race of mortals created in the image of the gods themselves.' Something wrong, Link?"
Link had quickly recovered from his fit and was giving her a stymied look. "I've never heard this part about the 'Dark One'. Who is it?"
"I have no idea. This is only the first chapter," she said. Before they could discuss anything further, there was a frantic knocking on the door. Link got up and strolled over to the door. The knocking didn't stop until the door was open. Neither Vaati nor Marickiya could see who it was, but they could hear someone crying. Link then turned abruptly back to the room.
"I'll be back," he said, then quickly followed a portly looking woman down the steps, not even bothering to close the door behind him. An eerie silence followed. Vaati closed his eyes.
"It seems there is quite a gathering in the middle of the village," before he could finish his statement, Marickiya was hastily throwing her papers back on her table. She grabbed her twin blade holsters and was downstairs in a blink. Vaati was in step behind her.
He closed the door behind them and they made their way around the first house. Vaati had a thought. Before the Gerudo girl could round the corner he grabbed her shoulder to halt her. She looked back at him with a fire in her eyes.
"What are you doing? He may need our help."
"I agree he will need our help." He held his hands in front of him to quiet her. "We should not charge in." He looked up at the roof of the building they were hiding behind.
"That is a good point-"
"Come on, up here." He grabbed her hand and they took a flying leap up onto the roof. Marickiya was startled by the sudden flight.
"You guys and your rooftops," she seethed through her teeth. The mage pulled her all the way onto the roof with him.
"What?" he asked, not truly hearing her words.
"Nothing." She replied with a shake of her head.
They carefully peered over the edge of the roof to assess the situation. People were backing away from a woman and Link was scowling at her.
"Where is she?" Link said forcefully. The woman grinned mischievously.
"Once you agree to the terms, she'll be escorted safely home." The woman replied. Vaati gasped lightly.
"That's Lana," he whispered. Marickiya squinted to try and get a good look at her. Besides the fact that it appeared as if this woman had taken someone hostage, she hated her. Her demeanor, her appearance, everything!
"I'm not agreeing to anything until I see her safe." Link retorted. If it were possible, her grin became even more malevolent.
"Oh, alright then," she gave a lazy sweep of her hand and a little girl popped into existence right in front of her.
"Mama!" She reached out. Several people made a step forward while the murmuring of the crowd grew. A knife also appeared in Lana's hand and was at the child's throat. She knew to stand still, but tears leaked from her eyes. Marickiya scowled along with Link.
"Uh-uh," Lana taunted, brandishing the intricate looking blade under the girl's chin. Many fists were clenched in frustration. They could see the woman who Link had followed into this trap just behind him on her knees sobbing. She must have been the girl's mother. Link stepped forward.
"What do you want?" He asked, his scowl deepening.
Vaati was thinking hard. He needed to find a way to separate the little girl from Lana without being seen. Annoying. But doable.
"I want you to take a little walk with me. A mutual acquaintance of ours has been itching to see you again." Lana shouted from below.
"I assume that 'mutual acquaintance' would be Ganondorf." Link's hand reached up to the hilt of his sword. "And that means you are Lana."
The woman grinned. "Two for two."
"Marickiya," Vaati said fervently, "I need you to get down there. Tell one of the villagers to grab the girl when you attack her from behind." She opened her mouth as if to say something, but he was already looking back to the scene. "I need you do this very quickly," he said. After a second's pause she gave a gruff nod and headed for the edge of the roof behind him. Time for the fun part. He locked his gaze onto Link.
'Link, keep stalling Lana. Marickiya is going to distract her. I have a protective barrier around the girl.' He tried to fit as much of an explanation into the least amount of words. He was projecting these words straight to Link. He wouldn't be able to hear anything back from him though. Link seemed to have gotten the message.
"We could do things that way." He said to the woman. "Or we could do things a little differently." He pulled out his bow and an arrow. Some people gasped again while the ones who stood behind Lana moved out of firing range. Someone shouted angrily at Link for being brash.
"Hah!" Lana laughed at Link. "Do you think you can hit your mark before-" she stopped in her taunt. Something distracted her. He thought for a second Marickiya had been noticed but when she looked down at the girl with a dawning expression, Vaati's stomach dropped. He didn't think Marickiya was the one who had been caught.
But then the Gerudo lunged from within the crowd and shouldered the distracted woman. In the momentary confusion, one of the burly men that Marickiya had leaped from behind was charging in and had grabbed the girl. Vaati breathed a quick sigh of relief at the little girl's safety. All this was happening in an instant and it wasn't long before Lana had her dagger coming down on her assailant. Marickiya already had her twin blades out and blocked easily. They were locked in a deadly embrace of sharp metal against sharp metal.
"Oh my! A Gerudo turned traitor. What's your name?" she asked candidly. Marickiya looked like she would kill the woman right then and there if she could.
"None of your damned business," she replied with a strained voice. Lana just laughed again, then she pushed Marickiya to the ground and jumped away. She flipped her dagger up into the air where it vanished and she gave a comical shrug.
"Well, folks. Looks like the fun is over for today." She said to the villagers at large. Then she turned back to Link and gave him a little wave. "See you again." Then she was gone, simply vanishing from existence in the blink of an eye. Link breathed a sigh of relief. He held out a hand to the mother still on the ground. She looked utterly lost for words.
"I'm so sorry," she sputtered, "I should have kept a closer eye-" Link knelt down beside her and took her hand.
"It's alright," slowly he got her to her feet. Then he led her to where the men who had swooped in after the little girl were. A burly looking man had her by the shoulders in a fatherly sort of manner. When the mother walked into view, he lifted his hand and the child ran to her.
"Mama!" She cried again and the mother was in tears. The woman scooped the child up.
"Baby," she cooed as she stroked her hair, "I'm so sorry, baby." Link couldn't help but smile brightly. He looked around for Marickiya. She was being pulled up from the ground by one of the men who was praising her for her bravery.
"Aw, it wasn't anything special," she said modestly.
"No." He said as he neared, "That was a good plan. I wasn't sure what I was going to do."
"Well, save your thanks for Vaati whenever he comes out of hiding." She replied, looking over the tops of peoples heads, presumably for the mage of which she spoke. They both looked up as the mother came up to them with her child on her hip.
"I want to properly thank you. Both of you," she smiled with wet eyes. The little girl was laying upon her mothers chest and peering at them shyly. Marickiya gave a her small wave and she smiled.
"We were glad to be able to help." Link said. Marickiya nodded along with him.
"Still, I have something to give and I want to give it."
Marickiya inclined her head to the side in curiosity while Link put up his hands.
"You don't have to do that," he said but he was cut short.
"Please, Link. I know it's a small thing, but I want this." She held his hand and he couldn't look away from her tear-filled eyes.
0000
"Do you need any help?" Marickiya asked timidly as Vaati walked up the stairs and to the edge of the loft. They had moved the shelf that was originally beside the front door to where it could be pulled up onto the second landing. The space where the shelf had previously stood was being cleared to make room for the cot that the mother had just gifted them in return for them saving her daughter.
"No, but thank you," Vaati said.
After a few moments of squabbling about how they were going to get the shelf up the stairs, he had suggested he just use his magic to move the book case. Link was against any more things going flying by magic but Marickiya was eager to see more of his talent. She agreed. She wasn't sure what he had in mind.
He leaned down and took hold of the shelf and simply lifted it as if it were made of paper. Mari gasped lightly in awe. Link rolled his eyes. In no time, the shelf was safely on the second floor.
"Just slide it all the way against the wall." Mari instructed as she rushed up the steps. He obliged and gave a final push and it fit snugly in the corner. It wasn't long after that and everyone was settled in, Link at the main downstairs table, Marickiya up in her loft, and Vaati upon his new bedding. Marickiya grabbed her sheets of notes and took her place back at the loft's edge with her feet dangling below.
"Would you guys like me to continue reading?" She asked aloud.
"Oh yeah. Go ahead," Link invited and she smiled at him before facing her notes.
"Continuing after the first two goddesses created the land and life: 'The Dark One,'" she emphasized and Link hid a smile, "'Stepped forth with his own proposals of life. They were not beautiful in the Goddesses eyes, differing in shapes, sizes, and ferocity. One race, he prided most of all: a race of mortals created in the image of the gods themselves.'
"'The three gods, however, denounced them all as lesser beings, angering the Dark One. In retaliation, he then created Choice: the chance to follow, or be followed. Due to this Choice, many hearts turned to hatred and greed, jealousy and immorality. The Golden Goddesses were appalled.'
"'The last remaining sister, Nayru, came forward, quelling her sisters. She had not yet given her own gift. She decided upon the Law that all Life must uphold, instilling a sense of justice within each and every creature.'
"'The Three Goddesses, their labors completed, departed for the heavens, but not before they dealt punishment upon the Dark One for tarnishing their perfect world. They banished him to the mortal world they created, sealing his immortality.'
"'Three golden triangles remained where they joined to keep his powers bound, preventing him from rejoining the gods. The resting place of these triangles is the Sacred Realm.'"
When she finished, there was a pregnant pause. After a moment, she spoke again.
"I wish it were descriptive about this 'Dark One,'" she said. "It sounds really interesting."
"Yes it does. I've never heard that part of the legend," Link added. "It almost sounds fictional."
"I can't say if it's at all true or not. I'm just the translator." Marickiya murmured. She noticed Vaati was staring intently at the floor, looking pensive.
"You are awfully quiet over there," she called to him."Have you heard this story before?" she asked. To her mild surprise, he nodded once without looking up.
"I hear many things while I travel." He said simply. "Much of it from those who gave me my current mission."
There was a few seconds of silence. Then Link made an odd face. Marickiya was about to ask him if there was anything wrong when he whipped his whole body around to face Vaati.
"What do you mean by that?" He said, his brow furrowed. Marickiya looked between the two with concern.
"Exactly what it sounds like. I was sent here to eliminate a threat." He'd been sitting with his arms crossed the whole time and adopted a dark expression. The other two were quiet in anticipation. "One that not only affects the mortal realm, but the heavens as well."
"You are joking." Link had a look of fear, denial, and anger all over him.
"I am not." Vaati shot back. Marickiya was still trying to fit the pieces together.
"So you're saying that-" Link cut across her with a hand held up.
"I don't even know if I want to hear you finish that question." He got up. "I'm going for a walk." He was opening and closing the door before another word could be uttered.
"It's Ganon." Mari said incredulously. "Ganondorf?" she looked aghast now. "That's impossible."
"None other."
The bottom of Marickiya's stomach was doing several flips. This was something else now. This wasn't simply a man trying to govern an entire kingdom through fear and force. There were higher stakes. The man who she'd been under the rule of for all of her life was a god? Her thoughts were racing with trepidation. She could barely breathe.
"Can we really defeat a god?"
Vaati did not give her an answer.
0000
"I think you were right about the sorcerer. He's still alive."
Lana was standing on the opposite side of the room from the Evil King, despite the tactic making conversation more difficult. There was a two moblin brawl taking place between them that Evil King was overseeing. They were fighting over who was more loyal to their King. Ganondorf told them they could prove it in a duel. He had many more creatures at his command to spare a couple of morons. Besides, he was somewhat entertained by their idiocy and violence.
"Of course I was right," he said through a mouthful of a cooked leg of some large animal.
"I believe he has now teamed up with our enemy, as well." That was the real bit of news she was reporting in. He watched her still features, drinking in her stoicism. He knew she feared telling him this information. He could smell it on her when she first entered the room. He put down his meal and grinned menacingly.
"Was he a bit more than you bargained for?" he mocked. He stood quickly and the two wrestling moblins hurriedly began bowing at his feet as he passed them. "I'm sure you're going to tell me now, about how you'll do better next time."
He was towering over her but she held her position. Not bothering to wipe his greasy fingers, he reached forward and brought her chin up so that she was looking him in the eyes. That was when he noticed a small scuff on her shoulder.
"What's this?" He asked, uncaring. It sounded more like he was annoyed to find a scratch on his favorite toy.
"A token from one of your Gerudo." She bit back. She knew she'd pay for her tone later. Ganondorf made an irritated sound through his teeth.
"What were you doing with one of my Gerudo?" He said accusingly.
"I did nothing to her. She is also apart of the the Hero's little group." Lana explained. She received a raised eyebrow from her King.
"Are you speaking of that ditz of a girl you pursued at the ranch? You didn't say she was a Gerudo." Ganondorf crossed his arms and began cleaning his teeth of meaty bits with his tongue. How interesting for a traitorous Gerudo to be thrown into the works. Inconsequential, but interesting.
"Will you do me the favor of ending her for me?" He said with the same tone of voice one would use when requesting for a child to pick up after themselves.
"With pleasure, my King." Lana intoned. She melded into the shadows with a thin line for a mouth.
"That's what I like to hear." He turned to the formerly combat-locked moblins. "I don't remember telling you to stop."
There was a battle cry as the smaller of the two moblins unsheathed a rusty hand-made knife and jumped on top of his opponent who was caught unawares at the sudden restart of their conflict. The dull blade was plunged into its thick skull. He didn't even have time to yell out in surprise before his body sagged to the floor in a lifeless heap.
"Good!" Ganondorf guffawed. He strode back to his throne and fell heavily into it. "Now clean up this mess you've just made."