Author's Notes- None today.
It seemed so, unreal
The flawless steel of the blade shined in his hand, shedding a light of its own as though still half made of the dream-stuff of the only other swords he'd ever held.. For a brief moment, the image of Link's death, the knot in his stomach and the strain in his vision, was gone. It was the sort of weapon one of the sky knights of legend might wield; straight, sharp, perfectly symmetrical, and polished to such a sheen it reflected the world around him. And that the reflection was his, Cana Reis's... it was Hard to believe this whole thing wasen't a nightmare that had suddenly gone lucid.
"Master," Fi finally interjected, after time had to have lost all meaning to an awestruck Cana. The words didn't register in his head until her hand came down on the blade, the color and smoothness of her skin blending seamlessly with the metal, slowly pushing it down to remove the obstruction between their faces. "It is logical that you may be experiencing a period of intense emotion. However, it is recommended that you give your full attention to the introduction that my creator instructed me to provide my wielder. Are you prepared to ?" There was a calmness about her face that allowed Cana to pull himself back into reality, eyes focusing onto hers as he planted the tip of the sword on the ground, trying his best to take a suitingly dignified stance.
Fi's featureless face certainly diden't show any disapproval.
"I am ready," the words came out unprompted, firm and fearful though he was still visibly shaking, his body once again feeling the rumble of rising vomit. Each word reverberated through the chamber, taking its own time to be heard, Fi waiting still and patent for them to run their course. As a stray spark popped out from one of the torches, floating between them, she finally returned to speaking.
"You will be playing a role in a great destiny," her first words reverbated through his brain, their real importance hidden beneath her unnaturally musical voice. "I was created for a single purpose, long before the recorded memories of your people, and that was to aid the one chosen by my creator in fulfilling the burden of this destiny." Her face flitted to the side for a brief moment, as if having forgotten something, before she turned back as if it had never occurred. "The one who was chosen was known to you as Link, deduced from your previous statement. However, he is…" the firelight flickered across her body as she paused, recognizing the moment of silence. "Unable to fulfill his duties. Thus, my sole purpose dictated that another be found to take his place, and that, Master Cana, is you."
"Destiny?" Cana questioned hesitantly, still having trouble wrapping his mind around the weight of the situationby the whole situation. "I'm not sure I understand..." That was true enough, the blade nervously rotating on the floor. So much was coming so fast… Alough if Link could handle it, why can't I? He hopefully tried to bump himself up, something about the mattere of fact way his guide spoke of his duty surprisingly encouraging.
Fi waited for him to continue, seemingly unfazed by the heat of the braziers as she drew closer to them. "Your inquiry is well founded Master," a subtle change appeared to have worked its way into her voice: admiration? Concern? "You were not indeed destined to take part in this, and this has likely caused a degree of uncertainty in you." She pulled one hand up, waving it past the flame in a smooth, rhythmic motion. "To minimize that uncertainty, I will share with some information, as well as a vision which the chosen hero has seen." Her hand moved closer and closer to the fire, the shadows at the edge of the light seeming to work their way in, tiny indistinguishable tendrils creeping towards her palm. "My projections indicate there is a high probability of this information having a positive impact on your willingness to participate. With your leave, Master, I will show you."
With that, her hand swept its way into the fire, the flames touching it yet leaving no mark on the skin. When it came out again, the flames clung to it, flying off in a dark red blaze out towards the shadows, falling lazily until the darkness reached up to grab, it, the tendrils weaving through and molding it, a shape slowly starting to take form. "The figure before you is an exact reproduction of that which had been plaguing the dreams of the chosen hero for some time now. Look well, as this will make you more as the chosen hero was." Simultaneously, the two rotated their bodies, Cana stiff and still from instinctual fear rather than valor. The red and black hand blended now, the insubstantial color sharpening itself into being, a layer of scales over something long and round. The bottom separated itself into two feet, layered with the same scab-red scales, growing in size until it seemed it would break the roof of the room. Looking up, Cana raised the sword in a defensive manner, surprisingly good for one with no training, yet the abomination just looked down, eyeless, finally parting its jaws to reveal its gapping maw, sterile white contrasting so darkly with the dank body. Sword shaking, Cana gulped and closed as fear washed over him. Then, as quickly as it had come, the beast vanished leaving him frozen in front of an empty room.
"Master," Fi floated gently to his side and spoke at a normal volume right into his ear, shocking him back to attention and lunging an arm out towards the source of the sound. His hand pressed against her surface, stone-cold and hard odd yet strangely exhilarating at the same time as he slowly stabilized. "Master, please respond." Shaking his head back into reality, Cana took a deep breath, trying to calm his ragged heartbeat.
"I'm fine," was all he could say, the clamminess sinking back into his bones. It had been so real, almost as though he could feel its breath, hot and rancid, clinging to his skin still. "That was just a little more then I'm used to."
Straightening his back, he finally looked Fi in the face, catching something just leaving her expression as he did so. What it was, he couldn't be sure, but it didn't look like anger… at least he hoped it wasn't. "Anyways," he continued, loosening his death grip on the weapon and taking his arm and weight off the spirit's shoulder. "Got it, not going to forget that face ever again." As stressed as he was, that came out with a little laugh, happy with himself that he hadn't completely panicked.
"If I may Master," Fi advised, though giving him enough time to finish. "I have much more to inform you of before you mission begins. The logical continuation of my previous action would be to inform you of the other destined one of your culture, whom you would address as…"
"Link?" A deep, rumbling voice echoed from behind him, bewildered. "What are you doing here at this hour? You know the sacred grounds are off... Cana? Is that you?" Fi ceased her sentence, turning about in the air towards the source of the sound, Cana himself feeling a little tick in the back of his head as he turned himself, staring at Gaepora as he walked in, eyes locked on the sword hanging down in his hand.
"I saw Link come this way earlier," he demanded, mouth agape, and clearly oblivious to the body lying a few yards to his right. "He was with that, thing there. I expected to find him here." Gaepora's voice trembled a bit as he started rambling, his sudden lack of confidence oddly giving Cana to chance to pull himself together, adjusting his posture to something more befitting of a warrior. "Tell me, have you seen him?"
"First off," half-false confidence tinged his statement, though there was clearly sorrow there was well. "She is not a thing. Her name is Fi." It seemed like the obvious thing to do at the time, though he knew he was only trying to delay the inevitable. "Link though…" that confidence started to fade out, staring forlornly at the spot where he laid, eyes squinting to hide the reality of it. "He… isn't with us anymore."
The shock on Gaepora's face was powerful, powerful enough to cause him to fall back a few steps, neck stiffening as he forced his head to where Cana was looking. "What," the sound shook as it echoed, his gaze finally catching the blood, then the rock, then finally Link, mouth grimacing as he took it in.
"Master," Fi looked at him, head cocked like a curious dog. "I appreciate your attention to accuracy. Might I speak to this new human?"
It was Cana's turn to be confused now, looking up with his mouth scrunched. "Why do you…" he waved the question away, embarrassed by his own stupidity. "Please do."
"Thank you Master," Fi pulled her hands back in, bowing before hovering over, imposing her body between Gaepora and the grisly scene. "Elder human," the way her single-minded simplicity seemed to soften the mood was magical in way. "Shock is the perfectly logical reaction to the death of one's own species. However, I would ask that you assist my new Master by presenting any new information you may have regarding the sword her hold."
Gaepora, though both his eyes and the ground below him where smattered with tears, stoically straightened his shoulders, turning himself towards Cana. "She's right, grief is for later. The simple fact that you're standing here now means I have witnessed something I should never hope to see. Cana," His footsteps where each purposeful, Fi floating close behind him. "This is the Chamber of the Goddess, a place left to our people from before any history tells us." Cana forced himself to keep looking at Gaepora, his eyes filled with all the dedication of a saint on a holy quest, Fi's light highlighting the remains of tears. "The very existence of this place is a secret only a few know, alongside a few words." He stood at the base of the platform on which the sword had once stood, clearing his throat as he tried to remember. "When the light of the goddess's sword shines bright, the great apocalypse will wake from its long slumber. Do not fear, for it is then that a youth, guided by my hand, shall reveal himself in a place most sacred." The last words where accompanied by a sweeping gesture to the room, hard and avoiding the spot where Link's body had been thrown. "I knew the day was coming, I had seen the sword glowing as I kept this place," he attested, as though scolding himself. "But that is all I know. Cana…" his voice cracked, tears starting to flow again. "Can you tell me how Link died?"
Being asked to speak again put Cana off his edge, wishing now he could have been a little more like Link; being able to stay quite whenever he needed. "See that rock?" his voice was almost a joke, as if trying to make the whole thing unreal. "It just fell down and conked him in the head." A nervous laugh accompanied it, which Gaepora didn't take well, scowling towards him before turning around, scooping Link up and cradling him in his hands, pacing out slowly before breaking into a sprit, returning to the dark night beyond the doorway.
"Master Cana," Fi floated towards him, standing in front of one of the braziers. "The Elder of your people's retelling has lost several pieces of critical information over the centuries. At your request, I can enlighten you by providing them."
Not far off, Cana awkward laugher strung into sobbing. A hard, rymthic sobbing that he struggled to choke back enough to answer.
"Please do," he managed to get out, struggling to steady his emotion.
Fi simply nodded, letting the fire dance as she spoke. "The youth who draws forth the guiding sword shall be known as the goddess's chosen hero, and it is he who possesses an unbreakable spirit." The words comforted him slightly, sobs slowly seeing larger and larger breaks. "He shall be burdened with the task of absorbing the shadow of the apocalypse from the land. Such is his destiny. With the spirit of the blade at his side, he will soar over the clouds and plummet below, and united with the spirit maiden, shall bring forth a piercing light that resurrects the land."
There, she ceased, Cana looking up at her with but a bit of a break to his mouth. "Fi," he resigned himself. "That youth was Link. I'm not destined to be a knight." The words echoed in his mind over and over; vaguely resembling the voices who put it there, emotions churning between hope and despair.
"The probability of a member of a sapient race being destined for anything is far below 1%, Master," Fi was unmoving, though the sword in his hand felt slightly warmer than it had before. "Perhaps you are not in possession of an unbreakable spirit. You do, however, exhibit signs of self-understanding and empathy far in excess of any hero I am knowledgeable of. Perhaps, that will serve you with just as much efficiency in your quest."
Sighing, Cana's face lit up, his mind finally going to rest. "You might be right Fi. I'm ready." That little something he'd seen before was back on her face, a slight curl of the lips that vaguely resembled a smile.
"Come Master," she gestured to the rear of the chamber, where a metallic insignia rested within the great alcove. "There is one more thing I must show to you."