Chapter 45: Hylian University
Two floors down, Link and Wittia found a large black door with the Triforce symbol on it.
Wittia tried to pull the door handle, but it wouldn't budge. "Great! It's locked."
A muffled scream was heard seemingly from inside.
"That sounded like Agnes," Link said, trying to push the door in. "How do we open it?"
"We need three keys," Wittia said, pointing to the Triforce symbol which had three keyholes in each triangle. "One from each hall, and they're usually kept by the Deans."
"And where are they at?"
"I'm not sure," Wittia answered. "But we have to hurry! The Watchman might be looking for the Medley Fragment in there as we speak."
###
Back on the first floor, Wittia took Link to a lone bookcase standing at the end of the hallway they were in. She then took out a blue book which caused the shelf to swing inward. Entering it, Link and Zelda found themselves in a dark room. Once the shelf closed behind them, an electric light went on revealing a small office with piles of books and a single man crouched behind a desk. He was of small stature with slicked back hair, wearing a blue suit and matching tie.
"Mister Cobalt," Wittia said, walking toward the desk.
"Wittia?" the little man exclaimed, peeking over the desk. "What are you doing here? Don't realize we're in the middle of a lockdown?"
"I realize that, Mister Cobalt, but we need your help," Wittia said urgently. "The Watchman who arrived here is trying to steal something from the University Library, and we need your key to unlock the door."
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Mister Cobalt. "The Watchman assured me and the other Deans that he's merely trying to apprehend a criminal who's hiding somewhere in this school."
"What if I told you that criminal is an innocent girl called Agnes, who might be a reincarnation of one of the Wind Sages?"
"Then I would think you are out of your mind!" replied Mister Cobalt. "The Wind Sages are nothing more than legends told by a primitive race of people who once lived here."
"But isn't it a strange coincidence that those 'primitive' people predicted centuries ago the sky would fall when in three days the moon is going to crash down on us? And doesn't it seem odd that the Watchman is arresting someone who as far as I know has never committed a crime in her life? Something's going on, Mister Cobalt, and if you're not the least bit curious about what it is then you don't deserve to be the Dean for the Hall of Nayru!"
Mister Cobalt grumbled and said, "All right, I'll give you my key but only if your silent friend can answer my riddle."
In response, Link nodded.
Mister Cobalt cleared his throat and said, "What can be carried like a gun that never requires ammo to be used?"
Link thought about it for sometime and then he looked at the Master Sword strapped to his back and answered, "A sword?"
"Correct," Mister Cobalt said, and took out a silver key with an insignia that consisted of three conjoined circles in a triangular formation. "Here is the Key of Wisdom, like I promised. You'll need to get the Key of Power and the Key of Courage from the Halls of Din and Farore respectfully to open the University Library door."
"And where are the Deans for those halls?" Wittia asked.
"I believe the Dean for the Hall of Din, Mister Cardinal, is in the gymnasium while the whereabouts of the Dean for the Hall of Farore, Mister Olive, are a complete mystery," replied Mister Cobalt.
"We'll look for Mister Cardinal, then," Wittia said leading Link out of the office. "Thanks, Mister Cobalt."
"Come back if you have questions," Mister Cobalt said, and pressed a button that opened the bookshelf door.
Outside, Link and Wittia made their way out of the Hall of Nayru and into the neighboring Hall of Din through the courtyard while having to avoid Clockwork Policemen that were still patrolling the gates around the school. Unlike the Hall of Nayru, the Hall of Din had red stone tiles along with lit torches and the students Link saw in the classrooms wore red articles of clothing. They eventually found the gymnasium on the first floor where a large man in red shorts with a pompadour of blond hair was lifting weights from a table.
"Um, excuse me," Wittia said getting the man's attention.
The man stopped lifting and looked up at Wittia and Link with an annoyed look. "This had better be important! I'm kind of busy right now."
"I was wondering if I could borrow the Key of Power from you, Mister Cardinal," Wittia said nervously. "We need it to unlock the door to the University Library."
"Is that it?" Mister Cardinal said as he started to resume lifting his weights. "That's why you made me lose count? Now I have to start over thanks to you!"
"We didn't mean to," Link said assuredly. "It's just that a friend of mine is in danger and we really need that key of yours."
"Very well," Mister Cardinal replied, thrusting his dumbbell weight at Link. "If you can beat my record of lifting a 100 pound weight ten times in five minutes, then I'll give you the key."
Link looked at the dumbbell and nodded. While Mister Cardinal timed him, Link managed to lift not only the 100 pound weight with ease but he also managed to lift it ten times at a rapid pace. When Mister Cardinal stopped the timer, a bead of sweat rolled down the side of his head.
"Three minutes?!" Mister Cardinal exclaimed. "That's a new record!"
"Now give us the key like you promised," Wittia said impatiently.
"Of course," Mister Cardinal said taking a golden key from his red shorts pocket that had an insignia resembling waves. "You've earned it, kid."
Link caught the key as Mister Cardinal tossed it in his direction. "Do you know where the Dean for the Hall of Farore is, by chance?"
"I can't say for certain," Mister Cardinal shrugged. "My best guess would be to look in the Hall of Farore."
"Okay, thanks," Wittia said as she and Link left.
"I'll be here if you want to beat my record again," Mister Cardinal shouted after them.
###
In the Hall of Farore which was covered in green stone tiles and vines, Link and Wittia found several students with green-colored clothing milling about.
"Aren't you guys supposed to be in your classrooms?" Wittia asked out loud.
"We're daring each other to see who can stay out here without getting caught by the Clockwork Police," said a student who wore green trousers and a cream-white shirt.
"The winner gets to skip class for the day while the loser has to scrub floors for a week," added another student who wore a short green skirt.
"Can you tell us where the Dean of this hall is?" asked Link.
"You mean Mister Olive?" When Link nodded, the student with the green trousers thought for a moment. "I think he's down in the school garden."
Satisfied, Link and Wittia left the students and wandered about the hallways until they found Mister Olive asleep in the school garden which was a glass room with several plants growing inside. He was a lanky man with balding wavy hair, wearing a green bathrobe and matching slippers. When Link and Wittia approached him, Mister Olive immediately woke up and yelled 'Boo!' which surprised both of them.
"Hah! Got you!" said Mister Olive proudly. "The looks on your faces was worth it!"
"That wasn't funny, Mister Olive," Wittia said sharply. "We've been looking all over the Hall of Farore for you."
"What is it?" Mister Olive asked curiously.
"We need the Key of Courage to open the door to the University Library," Link explained. "We need to get in there to save a friend who may be in danger."
"Sure," Mister Olive said, pulling out a black key with an insignia resembling two crescents around a circle. But then as he was handing it to Link, Olive withdrew it. "But only if you dare to go into the cafeteria and get me a sandwich. I've been in here all morning, and I'm starving."
Wittia sighed. "Fine, we'll be right back."
"And make sure it's a tuna sandwich!" Mister Olive said after them. "I can't stand meatball or chicken ones."
In the cafeteria, Link and Wittia had to sneak around to avoid a lady wearing a white apron who was preparing different kinds of food. One such food-item happened to be a tuna sandwich, and it was set out on a table just across from the oven which Link and Wittia were hiding behind. While Wittia distracted the cafeteria lady, Link sprang from behind the oven and grabbed the tuna sandwich. Then after he exited the cafeteria, Wittia joined up with him and together they made it back to the garden. Mister Olive immediately took the sandwich from Link's hand, smelled it, and then he swallowed the whole thing in one bite.
"Mmm," Mister Olive said while chewing the sandwich in his mouth. "Just what I needed. Here's the Key of Courage."
After giving the key to Link for real this time, Mister Olive lay down and went back to sleeping.
###
Back at the University Library door, Link placed the keys inside the keyholes. The keys automatically turned and the door swung open on its own. There was no light inside except for the lanterns carried by ghost-like beings that disappeared in and out of walls and shelves.
"It's the Poe Sisters," Wittia said, following one of them. "They're the unofficial guardians of the University Library. Maybe they've seen the Watchman."
"If you say so," Link said, watching the Poes nervously.
Wittia walked up to the nearest Poe, whose robes were orange and was carrying a red paper lantern. The two spoke quietly and then as the Poe left Wittia came back to Link with a worried look on her face.
"That was Joelle," Wittia said. "She told me the Watchman hasn't been here, and neither has Agnes. So that means—
"The Watchman's still wandering through the school," Link said. "We should wait for him to show up, grab Agnes, and then close the door so he can't get in."
"Good idea," Wittia said, and looked at the door with surprise. "Except that he's already here."
Link followed Wittia's gaze and saw a man wearing the same black uniform and bird helmet that the other two figures wore outside the Cave Mural standing inside the door with Agnes' unconscious body in his arms.
To be continued…