Chapter 3: The death of the Elders of 500 and 2009 AD
Scooter laid down in the grass and whimpered a little. Behnke ran over to Welborn. "Welborn, are you okay?" Behnke asked.
Welborn looked around before slowly nodding. "Yeah, I am now. That was weird....That last thing I can remember is petting Scooter and then the next minute I'm trapped inside my own body." Welborn murmured.
"Is that what being possessed feels like? Do you recall seeing anything or hearing anything while you were trapped?" Behnke asked.
Welborn sighed and nodded. "Yeah...you're pretty much trapped inside your own body. You cannot move or speak. Khaos forced me to do his will and I was helpless. Fighting him inside of you is like trying to fight water. You have no where to place your efforts. Although I was trapped, I was able to see and hear everything that was going on. I tried to stop Khaos but I couldn't after he told me that he was planning to take over Randolph and use his powers to create the Age of Darkness Veran had once tried to do." Welborn said.
"So that explains why you've been acting so weird...." Behnke said shaking his head. Welborn nodded.
"I wish I could've warned you. Scooter tried to warn you when he was growling and barking at me. He could sense Khaos inside of me. Unfortunately it wasn't enough to save Randolph. Khaos had possessed Scooter and took the time to possess me when I reached down to pet him." Welborn said.
"Now Randolph shares the same fate as Nayru. We must save him. As the ancestors of Link, we must save him." Behnke said balling a hand into a fist.
"Do you think we have a chance?" Welborn asked.
"I believe you do." a voice said from behind them. The duo turned around and saw Scooter walking towards them. "If you both bear the sacred crest of the Triforce then you can save the Guardian of Ages." Scooter said.
Behnke's eyes went wide. Welborn dropped his mouth open his shock. "S-Scooter? You can....talk?" Welborn asked in disbelief.
Scooter nodded. "Yes, I can as a matter of fact. However, when Khaos left my body, he silenced my ability to talk, disabling me from spilling the beans on him. The curse has just now lifted off of me." Scooter sat in front of them. "Khaos has went back in time. He's trying to rewrite history so that the Age of Darkness would continue into the present age. I sense that our world is already feeling the effects. A majority of history has been corrupted, the sun sits high in the sky as if time itself has stopped, old people vanishing, young people turning to stone, etc. Unless you recsue Randolph, time will continue to become corrupted." Scooter said.
"How are we supposed to free Randolph from Khaos's control without harming his body?" Welborn asked.
Scooter closed his eyes and lowered his head. "That I'm not sure of. The Elder himself may have an answer to that." Scooter said. The Elder was an old man who was knowledgeable in just about everything. The people in the village located in the Promenade hold him in high regard.
"Well, we don't have any other leads. Lets head for the Elder." Behnke said. Welborn and Scooter nodded. The trio had just began walking when Scooter yelped and collasped on his stomach.
"Are you okay, Scooter?" Welborn asked.
"Yeah, just a little clumsy, thats all." Scooter replied. He gritted his teeth to prevent himself from howling in pain.
"Not you're not....You're injured...." Behnke said concerned.
"I'm fine, I'm fine!" Scooter said rising to his feet again. But as soon as he took another step, he howled in pain and collapsed on his stomach again. "Grr....Okay, maybe I'm not so fine....Khaos had worked my limbs in ways I never thought possible.....I have just now begun to feel the pain. It hurts too much to walk..." Scooter said lifting up his injured paw.
"But Scooter...." Welborn began. Scooter shook his head.
"No, I can't go. Not in this condition. I'll be slowing everyone down. Randolph needs your help. Please hurry to his aid." Scooter said.
"And what about you?" Behnke asked.
"I'll be house sitting for Randolph at his house until he returns. If you need anything, please come find me there." Scooter said.
"Do you want me to carry you over there?" Welborn asked.
Scooter shook his head. "Nah. I'll make it. His house isn't far from here. Good luck my friends." Scooter said. Behnke and Welborn watched Scooter head a little farther into the forest, following a path. As soon as Scooter disappeared, Behnke and Welborn headed for the Promenade.
Meanwhile Randolph/Khaos was passing through an old, worn out village in the year of 500 AD. The old village was in the same location as the Promenade in the year of 2009 AD, the only difference was that the village houses were huts and the shopping center was composed of merchants and their wares. He headed for a large, black tower south of the village that seemed to stretch up to the heavens. Randolph/Khaos glanced up at the large tower.
"Ah yes! Ambi's Tower. Known as the Black Tower. I remember in this age that Veran had conjured the Age of Shadows upon the highest turret. The only difference this time is that I will not have to wait for completion of the tower! I will climb this tower and conjure the Age of Shadows! I will rewrite history so that those fools Behnke and Welborn will not intervene. Dearest Veran, your death will not be in vain this time!" Randolph/Khaos exclaimed. Randolph/Khaos raised his arms and vanished in a flash of black light. Meanwhile, on the highest floor of Ambi's Tower, Queen Ambi was staring out of a window towards the sea. Although she was 39 years old, she looked younger than her age. Her beautiful, youthful face had no wrinkles to prove her true age. Her black eyes showed nothing but care and compassion for her people. She wore a large, blue billowing dress. Her crown was gold, very small and attached to a headdress that was composed of long horns with a long silky brand of cloth attached to the ends of the horns that went down her back. Everytime she walked, that cloth would fly gracefully behind her.
"My love.....how I pray that you would find your way back to me....It's been 10 years since you became lost....trapped forever in the Sea of Storms....sometimes I even wonder if you're still alive...." Queen Ambi said to herself.
"Your majesty.....please pardon my intrusion but its time to return back to the palace." an old male voice said. Queen Ambi faced the old man who was carrying a black staff. He was none other than The Elder of the age 500 AD.
"Yes Elder, I suppose you are right....Will you escort me to the palace?" Queen Ambi asked.
"Certainly, your highness." The Elder said. The Elder and Queen Ambi began to leave the room, with 5 palace guards accompanying them. They had just about to reach the steps when Randolph/Khaos appeared in front of them, taking them all by surprise.
"Oh! Randolph! You mustn't scare me like that! We were just leaving to head for the palace. Care to join us?" Queen Ambi offered.
"I do not think so. No one is going anywhere....Especially you, your highness!" Randolph/Khaos said giving a cold smile.
"Wh-what?" Queen Ambi asked taken aback.
"Your majesty, get back! That isn't the real Randolph! I sense pure evil within him!" The Elder said pulling Queen Ambi back.
"Guards, seize him!" Queen Ambi ordered. Her seven most powerful warriors that were in golden armor swiped out their swords and closed in upon Randolph/Khaos. Randolph/Khaos gave a cold smile. "Why beat em when you can join them?" Randolph/Khaos shot a hand out to the guards. Red electricity shot out of his fingers and into each of the guards' eyes. The guards fell to their knees. "Rise my Khaos Warriors." Randolph/Khaos said in a low voice. The guards slowly rose to their feet.
"Who do you serve?" Randolph/Khaos asked.
"We serve Master Khaos." The guards said with their voices hard and angry.
"Music to my ears! Now escort Queen Ambi to the palace and throw her into the palace dungeons. If at any point she cries for help, kill her and kill those that try to help her. With a simple touch of your hands, you will infect the other guards with the evil within you and build an army to make sure no one enters the palace!" Randolph/Khaos ordered.
"We obey!" The guards said bowing. One of them grabbed Queen Ambi by the arm.
"Unhand me at once!" Queen Ambi ordered struggling.
"You are in no position to give out orders, Queen Ambi! Take her away!" Randolph/Khaos ordered.
"Let go of me! You won't get away with this!" Queen Ambi vowed as she was taken down the steps. Randolph/Khaos chuckled before facing the Elder.
"As for you, Elder. You should consider what I'm about to do to you a great honor. I will kill you myself! That way your ancestors of the ages 1400 AD and 2009 AD will cease to exist! Those who wish to rescue the Guardian of Ages under my control will no longer have the answer to do so!" Randolph/Khaos exclaimed.
"You fiend! You're mad!" The Elder said in shock slowly backing away.
Randolph/Khaos raised a hand and the Elder lifted up off of the ground. "Call me what you wish! Face it! I have won! There is no help for you now!" Randolph/Khaos said with triumph. He tightened his fist and the Elder began to glow a bright red and started shaking violently. The Elder yelled in agony as the bright red light burned deep in his body. There was a sudden flash of white light and the Elder was disintegrated! "Lets see what the infamous ancestors of Link can do now! I will not destroy their ancestor just yet! AHAHAHHAHAHA!" Randolph/Khaos then vanished in a flash of black light and appeared upon the highest turret. He stood in the center of a black, brick made platform. He raised his arms to the heavens. "Veran, Sorceress of Shadows! Watch as I make your dream a reality! Powers of Shadow come to me!" Randolph/Khaos ordered. Clouds began to rapidly build above the tower and blocked out the sun. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed. "Yes, come to me, Age of Shadows! Unite our powers as one!" Randolph/Khaos ordered. A bolt of lightning struck Randolph/Khaos. "Ah yes! I can feel it! The Power of Shadow flows through me! The power continues to swell! It matters very little what happens to young Randolph now! I now have the infinite power to control time! No one can stop me know. The Age of Shadows has just begun, but it is still premature. With time and history corrupted in all ages, it will gather strength and soon will become endless! Those who have hope during this time will fall into despair!" Randolph/Khaos exclaimed with triumph.
Meanwhile, Behnke and Welborn had just reached the Elder's house and knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" An old man's voice asked from within.
"Elder, it's CPL Behnke and CPL Welborn. We need your help." Behnke said from outside. Seconds later, the door slowly opened and an old man the was exactly identical to the Elder in 500 AD stood in the doorway.
"Ah yes. I recognize you from the descriptions that Randolph has told me. Please come in." The Elder said stepping aside.
"Thank you." Welborn said as he and Behnke stepped into the house of the Elder. The Elder's house was composed of only two rooms, the large main room that the trio were in, and the Elder's bedroom. Surrounding the main room were pictures. Some of them were pictures of the Elder and Randolph together. Most pictures showed the Elder as he aged from a young boy to an old man. A fire was going in the fireplace.
"So, what can I do for you both?" The Elder asked as he sat down in his rocking chair and motioned Behnke and Welborn to sit on the couch behind them.
"Elder, we have come to you with grave news. A Sorcerer by the name of Khaos has taken Randolph and plans to use his powers to conjure the Age of Shadows that Veran had once tried to do back in 500 AD. It is imperative that we free Randolph from Khaos' control but we have no knowledge in doing so without your help." Welborn said.
"This is terrible news indeed. If Khaos uses Randolph's powers and corrupts all of time forever, the Age of Shadows will continue forever more. Even after the end of time itself...." The Elder said.
"So what do we do?" Behnke asked.
"In order to rescue Randolph you must....." The Elder suddenly stopped and he shuddered.
"Elder, what's wrong?" Welborn asked.
"S-something's wrong! I-it feels like I'm being torn apart....!" The Elder said rising to his feet but falling to his knees in front of them. Behnke and Welborn jumped up and rushed to the Elder and kneeled beside him. "Elder what's happening! You're vanishing!" Behnke said in shock as the Elder began to turn transparent. "Something has happened to my ancestor in the past! HELP ME!" But before Behnke and Welborn could do anything, the Elder vanished before their eyes.
"What do we do now?! With the Elder gone, there's no way we can save Randolph!" Behnke said.
"Don't give up hope just yet. If we can somehow travel back in time to the year of 500 AD and go to the point before the Elder in that age is killed and stop the threat, we can bring the Elder back." Welborn said.
"And how do you suppose we time travel huh?" Behnke asked.
"Simple. Randolph's Harp of Ages. We can use it to go back in time. We find the Elder, we find Randolph." Welborn said balling a hand into a fist.
"Right! Lets head for Randolph's house." Behnke said. The duo rose to their feet and ran out of the Elder's House.