Fated Destiny
The moment of silence seemed to stretch on for eternity.
Link was numb; feeling as if he wasn't really in his own body as he saw the scenario of that fateful day slowly play out in his mind. The memories were piecing themselves together with Yorenthall's every spoken word.
Link's head was hurting and his chest was tight. It was suddenly difficult to breathe.
Next thing he knew, he was down on his knees, dizzy. Strong arms supported him around his shoulders. It was Lucy; she had likely caught him when his legs had buckled. Kneeling next to him, she offered a compassionate smile when he noticed her.
"Time moved on..." Yorenthall continued, his solemn voice drawing Link's attention out of the thick fog of the past.
The boy lifted his head to meet the saddened gaze of the floating spirit of the Ancient Dragon King. Numbness gradually turned into emotions, a trickling stream that soon became a flood as the truth struck where it hurt most. His friends of the past – Yorenthall, Keaton, and Epona too – their lives were sacrificed or left behind just to fulfill Link's destiny, long foretold...
Link wasn't angry it ended the way it did; he wouldn't have met Wendy and everyone at Fairy Tail if things had gone differently. Neither would he have gained the powers he needed to stand against the great evil prophesied to bring ruin to Earthland.
He finally understood that there was no other choice. His life as Bacon and his life as Keaton from the dark future; they were the two destined paths that eventually led to this outcome, where he would once again walk as Link, the Hero chosen by fate – a notion that seemed all too familiar. Yorenthall and Keaton the fox had already determined their own fates long before Link's arrival to their world; trading their lives to bring upon this brighter future.
Tears were trailing down Link's cheeks and he hastily wiped them away, while drawing a deep, trembling breath. His sadness lingered, but no longer was he overcome with despair as he listened to Yorenthall;
"That fateful moment became the distant past. This forest was left alone, to heal, to be forgotten. For five hundred years, your body and soul was preserved within the old temple, time nearly stilled upon you by the old and powerful magic that had yet to fade. Long we had watched over you, our bodies perished, but our spirits free, our duties yet fulfilled. Until the time came for you to awaken and begin your journey..."
Yorenthall bowed his head deeply, his nose an arm's length away from Link and his chin nearly touching the ground. The dragon's three eyes of molten gold shimmered with utmost regret. "I cannot ask for forgiveness for the hardships you had to endure. This was the only path with the brightest glimmer of hope for this precious world. And now that glimmer has become a beacon. I had faith that you would shine strong against the great evil when it had first risen, however... this as far as I saw into the future, this moment in time where we would meet again.
"Your journey has yet to end, my dear friend. The great evil persists, spreading its corruption. The ultimate fate of this world rests upon you, but I can see it is no longer a burden you must bear alone." Yorenthall lifted his head high and smiled as he swept his kind gaze across the other faces before him. "Your vol tierru stands strong beside you, lending their growing strength to yours."
Natsu snorted out smoke and punched a flaming fist into the palm of his other hand. He appeared angry, but that anger soon turned into a fierce and vengeful grin. "You got that right. Fairy Tail ain't gonna let Bacon take all the fun. Together, we'll stop that evil demon bastard before he can step foot in Fiore ever again." His expression darkened and embers escaped his throat. "Along with that fucking Acnologia and that other guy too, whoever the hell he was. Don't care if he's some immortal jerk, I'll be sure to take 'em down after what they did to you and Bacon."
"Is there anything you can tell us about that other man?" asked Ultear, bringing forth the question on almost everyone's minds. "Was he affiliated with Ganondorf – the great evil – in some way?"
"Within the final hour, two men entered the enchanted woods in search of me; one, a slayer of dragons, and the other, a wandering soul cursed with immortality," were Yorenthall's words when he spoke of the past.
While the memory of the brutal defeat against Acnologia had constantly haunted Link's dreams, there was very little he could remember about meeting the mysterious, immortal man. The only details he could recall was the man's unkind eyes gleaming red under a hood and his youthful voice that made Link's stomach twist with unease; "... this boy... He may prove to be an obstacle if you do not kill him now."
Yorenthall slowly shook his head, appearing undaunted by his encounter with the strange man. "None knew of the future and the evil entity, but I. The Immortal One... he sought to control life and alter the world created by gods out of resentment. In doing so, he gave rise to Viey Neyiz Kue – theBlack Wings of Despair –in the form of the human slayer you call 'Acnologia'. His taking of my power was the spark that ignited the change in Ishgar. Old kingdoms fell. As did the dragons that once ruled and warred across the land until there were only a meagre few left..." Remorseful, he looked between Natsu and Wendy, likely knowing they were Dragon Slayers raised by some of those dragons sometime ago.
"A consequence that had to be... Had the war been prolonged further, the land of Ishgar would have been depleted of all magic, leaving little to survive amongst the endless devastation. None of you would be here today and this forest nothing but ash."
"What? For real?!" Natsu exclaimed in shock, his fire and anger extinguished.
"So Acnologia had to come to existence for the sake of Ishgar..." Ultear muttered in a scornful tone.
A grim silence fell upon them. The undesirable truth of how the world could have ended up without Acnologia weighed heavily on their minds. It was another grim future diverted by fate...
"So the past was bad, but not the worst, if we look on the bright side," said Happy, his chipper voice breaking the dour mood. He hopped in front of Natsu, his smile broad and contagious as he looked up at his partner. "Everything good and bad that happened brought us all together! And made us stronger too! We should be happy!"
Natsu grinned and held a burning fist before him. "Hey! You're right! We're here, alive, and we've all got each other. Things didn't turn out that bad for us after all!"
"Gotta say, I have to agree," said Lucy, looking fondly at her teammates before resting her kind gaze on Link. "The past makes us who we are and look how far we've come. Even if there was another chance to go back in time, I would never take that risk if it meant changing what we have now."
Link smiled, realizing how fortunate he was to be among friends he had grown to love and cherish; a family to call his own. Past events had led to this moment and, as Lucy had said, there was nothing he would go back and change.
He gently pulled away from Lucy and stood to face his old friend with a steadfast look and smile. "Yorenthall, thank you... You helped me remember and understand. My promise to you on that day, I will do everything I can to keep it. I will not fail to protect this world in your stead."
The dragon returned the smile, his three eyes shimmering with pride. The light around his body flickered and dimmed and tiny particles began to float away as if his soul was slowly disintegrating.
Link gasped with worry. He took a quick glance at Wendy who had not moved nor reacted within her magic circle since casting Milky Way. It didn't appear she was straining to hold the spell, so that could only mean...
"Selei nari. At last, my time has come..." said Yorenthall, exhaling a deep, calming sigh. He was not at all fazed by his disappearing spirit body, but instead, he seemed lighter and free, no longer weighed down by the countless burdens he took upon himself during his entire lifetime. His voice was quieter and hoarse, as if ready for his eternal slumber in the afterlife; "This... is our final farewell, my dear friend. Do not mourn for me. My soul has found its peace, knowing you and your vol tierru will strive to protect this world in my place. My faith in you has never wavered and never will, even when I am truly gone.
"I give to you, my final words of guidance and one last gift. A crystal lies where my heart once was, formed over millennia for your sake. Use it as a catalyst to wield my power of Drakin Aeythir without harm. Tonight, when the full moon is at its peak, enter the old temple once restored and speak before the Gate: Arriei yu en tiyir. An old friend of mine and yours will be waiting in the eternal realm of stars on the other side.
"Alune meiur saras. Herial Yaarez, and dearest friends, continue to shine bright against the shadows of darkness. You are the beacon of hope for this world."
Natsu pumped his fists into the air. "We will, old Dragon King! We'll make you proud!"
"Yeah!" Happy joined in the cheer, flying in a quick circle in front of the dragon.
"I have long been proud of you all," said Yorenthall, bringing forth smiles and tears.
Link quickly dug into his pouch to pull out his ocarina. "Wait, King Yorenthall! I have one last gift for you as well before you must go..." He brought the mouthpiece to his lips and played the song the old dragon once sung for him; Drakin yi Sele Seis. The notes flowed from his ocarina seemingly on their own as his fingers moved on their own accord, remembering the entire hymn from heart.
The memory of when he had first played the song five-hundred years ago came back to him. This forest was just as calm and peaceful back then, a sacred area watched over by the great guardian, accompanied by his close friend, Keaton, the brave and adventurous three-tailed fox.
After the last, drawn out note, the forest came alive with a chorus coming from the dozens of birds in the trees, making the music resonate throughout. Yorenthall had closed his eyes in content at hearing the ancient melody one final time. His smile was the last thing to vanish into tiny particles of light as Wendy's Milky Way came to an end. Gone was the starry galaxy, bringing back the natural light of the late afternoon sun shining through the treetops.
The birds suddenly flew off as one large flock, noisily chirping and flapping, leaving the sacred ground to carry Yorenthall's song elsewhere. They didn't go very far as they could still be heard in the distance, but it was quiet enough for Link to have a moment to himself as he continued to stare at the grinning bones of his departed friend. It was hard to say goodbye. It felt like he had been in a similar situation, in another forest... a meadow with a great big tree that had a kind, elderly face...
Light footsteps approached from behind and stopped next to Link. A gentle hand gripped his upper arm. Knowing it was Wendy, he turned to her with a grateful smile.
"Thank you... for bringing him back, Wendy," he said quietly, placing a hand over hers.
"I'm happy you were able to speak with him," she said, putting on a joyous smile. She soon frowned. "So... Five hundred years... After hearing what happened, are you..."
"I'm okay," he assured before she could ask, putting on a more composed expression. As devastating as it was to hear the truth, Link didn't want Wendy or anyone else to worry about him. After all, the events of the past happened so long ago and eventually brought them altogether, as Happy had pointed out. It was all that mattered.
Wendy seemed relieved and looked hopeful. "Then... do you remember everything? About your past?"
Link dropped his gaze and furrowed his brow. Most of what Yorenthall had told them was coming together in Link's head. He remembered riding Epona through a magical 'cursed' forest that was like a maze, following after Keaton who was eager to show Link his friend. Anything before that was still bits and pieces that he wasn't quite sure if they were memories or dreams. Although the faces of some people were starting to stand out among others, making him want to believe he had truly met them before. He could only believe what Yorenthall had said, "I saw into realms and witnessed your incredible feats, the light of your heroic spirit as bright as the sun."
Apparently, he had been a hero before, in another realm no less, and knowing that made him more devoted in keeping all the promises he made.
"Not really," he answered Wendy with a slight shake of his head. He smiled, nonetheless, as he turned his attention back on Yorenthall. "But that's okay. Yorenthall continued to wait for me for so long after he died... Remembering what happened to me here... I think that's the most important part."
"And he said he left you a present," Natsu spoke up as he started to walk past the giant dragon skull. He paused and raised a brow at Link. "A 'cat-list' thing? Wanna go find it?"
"It's a 'catalyst'," Lucy corrected with an amused smile as she moved to follow him.
"Whatever the hell it's called," Natsu grumbled, waving a dismissive hand.
"What is a catalyst?" Link asked as he, Wendy, and everyone else joined Natsu and Lucy.
Natsu grinned at Link with excitement as they made their way towards the two giant trees. "It's something that's supposed to help you control your dragon powers. Isn't that what Yorenthall said?"
"Control as well as to prevent the magic from hurting your body, by the sounds of it," noted Lucy, appearing just as eager as Natsu.
"That's awesome!" exclaimed Happy running up beside Link, eyes wide with adoration. "Bacon, you're going to be so so so much stronger if you can use Yorenthall's dragon magic! Uh, what kind of element is his magic, exactly?"
"Drakin Something. It was in Dracotongue so it could mean something super amazing! Like Ultimate Holy Energy Ancient Dragon Magic!" said Natsu, flexing an arm.
Happy made a sound of childish awe as he cupped his cheeks. Meanwhile, Carla scoffed and rolled her eyes at the long and silly name. "Ridiculous. That would imply Acnologia would wield the same power and 'holy' is definitely not his type of magic," she said.
"The power of Drakin Aeythir," began Ultear as she eyed the main body of the Ancient Dragon with slight curiosity. "Though it was in Dracotongue, 'Aeythir' sounds very similar to Aether, an archaic type of magic that hasn't been around since ancient times. Known to be a Lost Magic and said to be the origin of all magic we know today. Would not be surprising that an Ancient Dragon was the only one left in the world who originally possessed this sort of power.
"If it is Aether, it would explain why we couldn't dispel the enchantments protecting the forest. And also why Acnologia and the Immortal One had sought Yorenthall's power five-hundred years ago... No other magic could have easily countered it."
Natsu snorted, but soon smirked devilishly as he patted Link on the back. "Well, now Bacon's the one who has the cool power of Aether too. We've nothing to worry about!"
His praise made Link swell with confidence. With Yorenthall's gift, Link hoped to use the ancient magic for good, unlike the destructive nature Acnologia was infamous for.
They reached the mound of tangled vines and moss the size of a hill, situated between the two giant trees. Beneath the thick greenery was most of Yorenthall's enormous skeletal body, the pale bones partially poking through the layers. Roots of the guardian trees had seemingly fused with the dragon's remains, growing between and around bones.
Not wanting to disturb Yorenthall's resting place as much as possible, they climbed and stumbled over roots and tore away a small section of outer vines to enter the large gap between two enormous rib bones. Due to the leafy cover high above, it was dimmer and cooler inside the huge rib cage that was as big as the main hall in Fairy Tail. A few loose vines dangled to the ground that was soft and spongy with a thick carpet of moss. Large mushrooms of various shapes and colours grew in abundance, some glowing softly in the darkest shadows, far away from the beams of sunlight shining on the greenest spots.
"Wow, this is so weird and so surreal," said Lucy in a hushed tone, looking up at the big, bony spine and tracing it all the way to the back.
Appearing a little anxious, Wendy nodded in agreement. "I hope we aren't desecrating King Yorenthall's grave too much being in here..."
Carla fluttered above their heads, scanning the ground. "We just have to find the crystal catalyst he mentioned and hurry out. Although, I do not see anything that resembles a crystal... May have to do a bit of digging."
"Just gotta search where his heart used to be," said Natsu, lightly pounding his chest over his own heart. He trekked towards the middle of the upper ribcage area where the ground was dark and very lumpy and sprouting with various mushrooms. "Which is probably here?"
"His heart was probably ginormous!" said Happy, spreading his arms for emphasis as he hovered over Natsu's shoulder. "So it could take hours to look!"
"Then let's start looking!" said Natsu, flexing and cracking his knuckles, highly enthused to start digging.
Everyone got to work on their hands and knees, picking a spot close to Natsu and gradually spreading out from there.
An hour went by with many groans, mild complaints, and the occasional surprised shriek from Wendy when accidentally discovering some bug nests, which was sometimes followed by her ecstatic murmurs of finding very rare mushrooms useful for brewing some potent medicines. As frustrating and tedious as most of it was, they didn't give up on their search, scouring every inch of the area.
Link was busy searching in a mini field of spindly mushrooms, ignoring the aches in his knees and back from constantly kneeling over. He had kept his gauntlets off so he could feel for anything under the ground, resulting in his hands getting caked in dirt. He had yet to stop for a break, but the search was starting to wear him down.
Sighing, he wished there was an easier way to find Yorenthall's gift. The answer to his silent prayer soon came to him when the Immalgus Seal suddenly sent a slight twinge down his entire left arm. His hand involuntarily twitched from the sensation, where he then noticed a blink of light in the corner of his eye. He snapped his head in time to see a circle of large, pale blue mushrooms glowing for a second in a shadowy spot, separate from any other mushrooms.
Enticed by the oddity, Link crawled over to the ring of mushrooms and started to dig in the centre of it. He tore away layers of moss and raked his fingers into the soil where he soon found something small and rough like a rock. However, it wasn't like any of the other little rocks he had found; this one made his arm twinge, the sensation stronger than before.
He shook the odd feeling away and examined the object in view of better light. After brushing and blowing away as much dirt as possible, the rock appeared to be a diamond-shaped piece of icy-blue crystal the size of a large marble. A familiar magic flowed within, strong enough to resonate with the power of the Ancient Dragon King lying dormant under the Immalgus Seal.
It had to be the catalyst, the final gift from King Yorenthall.
"I found it!" Link shouted, waving it above his head for everyone to see.
"Oh, finally..." someone uttered in relief as the group started to head over to Link. Everyone was tired and covered in dirt. Except for Ultear, in spite of wearing light coloured clothes.
"Eh? It's that tiny?" Natsu asked, raising an eyebrow and scratching the side of his head with dirt-covered hands. "You know, I was expecting it to be bigger. It took like a million years to form, didn't it?"
"Yeah, I thought it'd be dragon-size!" said Happy, landing on Link's shoulder to peer at the crystal.
"Not a million, millennia, which could mean thousands of years," corrected Lucy, dusting off her hands. "Still a very long time, but thankfully the crystal isn't so big. Otherwise it'd be impossible to carry with us! So that's the catalyst, huh?"
"Kinda looks like a piece of Lacrima," noted Natsu as he plucked it out of Link's hand. He rubbed his thumb over it to clean it a bit more as he examined the crystal. "Definitely sensing some Ancient Dragon Magic in here. Made just for you, kiddo." He passed it back to Link.
There was a twinge in Link's arm the moment the crystal was back in his hand, making his fingers twitch. He grinned uncontrollably as he looked eagerly between his friends. "So how do I use this? Should we break the Immalgus Seal? I think the Dragon King's power is reacting to it because my arm has been feeling funny when I hold it."
"It has? That's gotta be a good sign! Let's break the seal! C'mon, let's do it!" said Natsu, hopping in place and shaking his fists like an overly excited child.
Lucy stepped between the boys while frantically waving her hands in protest. "Whoa, don't be so hasty, you guys! Yorenthall didn't specify how this catalyst is supposed to be used. We should wait until we figure that out."
"And until you're in a safe location to unlock your powers," added Ultear, giving Link a pointed look, making him flinch. "We do not want to attract the Magic Council to this place now, do we?"
Link frowned as he quickly diverted his gaze to the floor in guilt. Understanding the risks, he shook his head at Ultear's question and mumbled, "No, ma'am... Sorry."
Natsu huffed out smoke in annoyance and crossed his arms. "Damn Magic Council. They ruin everything fun!"
Wendy came up to Link and gave him an assuring smile. "Lucy's right, Link, but don't worry. Once we get back home, I'm sure Master and Granny can help figure all this out! In the meantime, would you like me to hold onto the catalyst since you said it makes your arm feel funny? I swear I won't lose it!"
Trusting her word, Link smiled at Wendy and gave her the crystal. "Thanks."
Wendy held the catalyst in both her hands like a precious treasure, her eyes widening from the power she could sense. She then grabbed a cat-print handkerchief out of her bag and neatly folded it around the crystal. She tucked the little bundle somewhere deep in her backpack, beneath the possibly hundreds of assorted mushrooms she had just picked.
Within the next ten minutes, they were back outside and standing in front of Yorenthall, each giving the Ancient Dragon a silent farewell of their own. Some of the birds had returned to the nearby trees, chirping and singing out of sync.
"We can come visit again someday," said Wendy softly, standing next to Link with her hands cupped to her chest as if in prayer. "Although... I'm not sure how we'll find this place again without Epona to guide us..."
"The protective enchantment may no longer be a concern," said Ultear, holding up her hand as if to feel the air. She furrowed her brow into a scowl. "With Yorenthall truly gone, so is his magic. It won't be long until this place is discovered by outsiders, which may not end well for your friend, Link. Since the Cursed Night, dragon parts have become extremely valuable and can fetch a very high price in the 'right' market. Bones of an Ancient Dragon could likely be triple in value or more..."
Link gasped. "People buy dragon bones?"
"You all well know that dragons are creatures of immense magic," stated Ultear as she gazed upon Yorenthall. "Every part of them would be infused with their magical essence even long after they perished. There are some people out there who can extract or utilize the powers of dragons, similar to what we've done with Dreadwing's horn."
"Damn! Really?!" Natsu growled, seething mad. "We can't let any greedy bastards find this place then! We should ask Master to make a new enchantment or something!"
"It may be possible," said Ultear, glancing at the surrounding forest as she speculated a plan. Her bright red lips curled into a confident smirk. "It will take some time to look into, but... I might be able to recreate the enchantment or conjure up a similar spell to ward off unwanted visitors. Hide both this place and the temple either altogether or separately. Whatever it takes, Crime Sorcière will get it done, so rest assured."
Looks and sounds of relief passed over the group, with Link the most relieved of them all.
"That's great," said Lucy, resting a hand on Link's shoulder; "We can come visit whenever you'd like. So... When you're ready, I guess the next step is to return to the temple, fix it up, and wait until nightfall. Once the full moon is high in the night sky, we're supposed to open a Gate and find an 'old friend' of yours in the 'eternal realm of stars'..."
"The trial of stars," murmured Carla, her eyes flickering to the Celestial Keys on Link's belt. "Do you suppose the 'eternal realm' is related to the Celestial Spirit Realm?"
Lucy shrugged. "Beats me. Link?"
The boy also shrugged.
"Guess we won't know till we see it ourselves," said Lucy with a short chuckle.
A few minutes more and they were on their way back to the temple with Link leading them down the shortcut Keaton had once shown him.
They rounded the tallest tree in the forest, walked down a gentle slope and took a sharp turn around the bend at the bottom. From there, it was a straight path where two tall and lanky trees with snow-white bark stood out from the rest of the forest. The trees didn't look any different than what Link could remember of them, neither taller nor wider, their white trunks still marked with several levels of runes.
"Oh! What is this?" Happy was first to ask, swooping in for a closer look at one of the trees.
"This is a magic, one-way shortcut," Link explained. "Pass through and you can't come back this way. Watch!" And he ran ahead between the trees before anyone could make a comment.
The runes flashed white as he passed, the surge of magic tickling his senses. Though the forest past the two trees did not visibly change, when he turned around, it was completely different with the path and white trees gone, replaced by a tall wall of shrubs and normal brown-trunk trees. His friends started to appear out of thin air soon after, seemingly walking or running out of an invisible opening through the shrubs. Their looks of confusion, surprise, and utter fascination seeing the way they came disappear made Link laugh.
The early evening sun welcomed them in the clearing not long after, further lifting their spirits. Before them was the ruined temple where the 'trial of stars' awaited them inside.
But first, the temple had to be restored and there was none other than Ultear who was capable of such a feat.
The woman stood at the bottom of the mossy stone steps in front of the collapsed entrance with Link and the others gathered behind her. Slowly, she swept her eyes over the temple, seemingly admiring the beauty of nature overtaking the broken stone and wood. Though they knew the truth of the temple's ruinous state, its history was still a big mystery. But perhaps, not for long.
"It's a strange feeling to be here," said Ultear, her low, authoritative voice of Matilda changing midway to her true voice as she dispelled her transformation. Her clothes remained unchanged as her body shifted to her normal self. Under her hat, her short blonde hair grew down to the middle of her back and darkened to a deep shade of purple. Skin once gently tanned by the sun became fair and unblemished and supple red lips faded to pink. The stern, green eyes of Matilda became the equally stern red eyes of Ultear as she looked over her shoulder, meeting Link's bewildered gaze.
Having not seen Ultear's real face in nearly a year, she looked like a stranger to Link.
"I had never believed in fate, but look where we are now," she continued, a hint of a smile on her pale lips. It was genuine happiness that she seldom showed behind the stoic mask of Matilda. "It's unbelievable that King Yorenthall predicted I would be a part of this... That I would be needed here."
"I would've thought it was a lucky coincidence, honestly," said Lucy with a slight shake of her head, "But now we know that's not always true. You're the only one who can fix this place up, so we're glad you're a part of this!"
Link nodded and moved to stand next to Ultear, smiling in adoration. Among the group, he was the least bit intimidated by her, not because they were technically – and secretly – guild mates of Crime Sorcière, but because she really was a kind person under her stern and commanding personality, (which Meredy would often confirm by calling Ultear a 'softie' deep inside). "I'm really happy you're here to help us," Link told her.
His comment brought a more noticeable smile to flash across her face before she turned away. "Well, you should be," she retorted, though she sounded amused rather than annoyed. She cleared her throat and motioned for him to step back. "Might get messy so keep your distance. I'll get this temple back in shape in literally no time."
Link obeyed and hurried to join Wendy and the others again. Though he had seen Ultear's time magic, Restore, at least once a month whenever she was visiting Fairy Tail, the effect of the spell was always fascinating to watch.
Usually Ultear would instantly reverse the damage with a surge of magic and a simple wave of her hand; this time, however, she called forth a tremendous amount of magic and drew a small, magic circle in the air in front of her with a finger. Aqua-blue and glowing, the centre of the circle resembled the face of a clock with twelve different golden runes positioned at the same hours of time. There were two outer rings surrounding the main circle with more runes between the lines, each section rotating clockwise at different speeds, likely representing seconds and minutes.
Ultear touched one of the golden runes in the inner circle, stopping the rotation of the outer rings. She then proceeded to wind the rune counter-clockwise and the other rune and outer circles followed suit, rotating in the same direction. While she moved her hand at a steady pace, the circles gradually spun faster and faster until the runes were blurred together into solid streaks of light.
Most of the leafy vines quickly receded from the temple ruins and thick layers of moss shrank away on almost every surface. A few seconds more and the ruins itself began to noisily rumble and shift with broken stone, wood, metal, and glass levitating from the piles. Chunks and pieces of debris – either buried in the ground or blasted far away long ago – came flying from various directions to instantly reform the front entrance and tower with a whole functional bell. Stained glass windows were fully restored from the hundreds of colourful lost shards, depicting a radiant sun set in a starry, dark purple sky over the front doors.
Upon the heavy wooden doors, faded symbols started to show, turning brighter by the second; a yellow crescent moon on the left door, a yellow triangle on the right, and in between them at the top, was a dark blue circle with small tick marks around it. The rest of the vines and moss were completely gone in the next second and Ultear soundlessly slammed her palm on her magic circle, instantly stopping it in place. The magic circle flashed and resumed to rotate clockwise at normal speeds, signifying time was flowing forward on the temple once again.
With a flick of a finger, Ultear made the circle disappear and marvelled at the temple before them that was newly restored in less than a minute.
The temple looked as if it was built just yesterday with stone and wood unmarred by weather and age and the symbols appearing freshly painted. The bell in the tall tower was a shiny bronze, smooth and polished new.
Link was first to run up to the doors, completely in awe as he got a good look at the symbols.
"This temple is over two thousand years old," said Ultear as she and the others came up from behind. "Saffarion isn't even that old of a town so who could have built this?"
"The symbols might be a clue," suggested Lucy, furrowing her brow in thought. "Though... I can't really make anything out of them other than the crescent moon. Could the triangle be a... mountain? Is the blue thing the sun? Or it could be a full moon! We're supposed to wait for it tonight so that could be it."
Happy flew to the yellow triangle and cocked his head. "Doesn't this kinda look like a piece of Link's Triforce?"
"Same yellow. Could be," said Natsu with a shrug, giving Link a lopsided grin. He went ahead and pushed the big doors open.
Cool air rushed past them. Inside, the temple was clean with no ivy or noticeable specks of dust on the floor. Various colours shone through the stained glass windows, brightly lighting up the interior. Their excited voices and footsteps echoed within the open hall as they explored. At the back, atop the short altar, were the bluish stone doors now fully closed, appearing as a solid wall.
"... behind these big stone doors, is the start of your destiny. Only you can open this."
Link found himself standing before them, eyes locked on the radiant sun carved in the stone. He placed his left hand upon the doors and said quietly, "Arriei yu en tiyir." For a moment, he held his breath in anticipation, but nothing happened.
His disappointment must have shown on his face because Wendy gently gripped his arm and said, "Maybe we really do have to wait for the full moon for something to happen."
Link sighed. "Right... The full moon."
"Won't be too long now," said Lucy, giving him an encouraging smile. "If we're expecting a difficult trial, then we should rest up and eat until then."
With evening already upon them, nightfall wasn't too far away. They spent the last hour of daylight in the olden-style, wood-fire kitchen in the temple's back room, warming up food and heating water for hot drinks. As they ate their meals, they discussed the upcoming 'trial of stars', each of them equally anxious to know what it was. But most curious was the 'old friend' Yorenthall had mentioned, which Link had no clue who it could be.
"I think it's time," said Lucy, shortly after they cleaned up their mess. She was getting some fresh air out by the back doors of the temple, eyes towards the night sky. "The full moon is pretty high up now. Ready, Link?"
"Yes!" he shouted, thrilled to finally get started. He hurried out of the kitchen and hopped onto the altar, hearing everyone else quickly follow behind him. He felt their eyes on his back as he stood in front of the stone doors, seeing his own shadow dance before his eyes, cast by the bright flames Natsu provided. Once more, he placed his left hand on the cold stone, took a deep breath, and said aloud, "Arriei yu en tiyir."
There was a rush of warmth coming from his left hand when the mark of the Triforce flashed on his skin for a split second, sending a twinge down his arm. Link jerked back in surprise just as the stone doors loudly cracked, splitting down the centre of the sun. The entire temple shook as the two halves noisily slid sideways. Behind those doors was the small, rounded chamber where Wendy had first found Link, the walls and ceiling now fully intact.
"Link, are you okay?" Wendy asked, hopping onto the altar next to him and glancing at his hand. "That was the Triforce, wasn't it?"
He nodded as he rubbed the back of his palm, the mark no longer present. "I'm okay. But look! There's a magic circle, I think." Intricate lines were etched into the entire floor of the chamber, forming multiple circles with runes in-between. The instant Link stepped down the steps and onto the circle, he felt his hand grow warm yet again and saw the Triforce shining strong.
The magic circle under his feet suddenly flashed to life, as did the walls, covered in runes both familiar and strange, and the ceiling where another magic circle had been made. The light of the magical markings were pulsing, brighter and brighter with every quick beat as an enormous amount of magic energy began to fill the chamber.
"Whoa! What's happening?!" Happy shrieked.
"Some kind of teleportation spell! Everyone get inside the circle before it's too late!" shouted Ultear, giving the people in front of her a shove.
The group of six quickly huddled around Link, either visibly excited or afraid of what would happen next. Wendy gripped his hand and he laced his fingers between hers, holding onto each other tightly before every magical rune flashed a blinding white.
The spiralling, stone stairway seemed to go on much longer than usual as Zelda descended into the pit of darkness with a lantern in hand. Her tired mind was probably playing tricks on her or she had just miscounted her steps. Many times she had made this journey, climbing down the supposedly one-hundred and ten steps, hearing the rhythmic clack clack clack of her heels echoing throughout the corridor.
She had lost count how many months and days she had spent her evenings and nights holed up in Hyrule's largest library beneath the castle. Sometimes staying up until dawn or early morning when delving into long, fascinating tales or interesting parts of history. She had accidentally done it enough times that Impa had spared her the long lectures on why sleep was important for daily function, resorting instead to silent, disapproving looks or disgruntled sighs. Even Zelda's personal maids had stopped commenting and worrying about her fatigued appearance in the mornings, opting instead to dutifully and diligently apply some makeup so the Queen would be presentable to her audience for the day.
Although Zelda could have had a number of expert scholars do the research for her – all willingly, in fact, without wanting a single Rupee in return – she felt the task was too personal and important. This was the duty of a Sage and not of a Queen.
Despite the numerous dead ends, all the nights spent in the library had not been a waste of time. Zelda wanted to believe she and the rest of the Sages were slowly, but surely, finding the pieces they needed to fully decipher her premonition.
It had been a while since she had the premonition. Some nights she would have dreams about it that often twisted into horrific nightmares where the worst scenario came true; the distant kingdom had fallen to the evil of Ganondorf and there was no hero to save it. Triggered by her constant worry and stress, no doubt. It was why she would rather stay awake and find answers than suffer in her sleep.
Zelda became even more ambitious when Saria brought news of a visitor from a faraway land. The Kokiri spoke of a three-tailed fox called a Keaton who was passing along a message from a 'wise, old dragon'.
"Apparently, we've been looking the wrong way. Time flows like a river, said the Keaton, slow and fast depending on our location. We must follow the flow of time to find what we're looking for..."
Darunia was the only one extremely skeptical at first, not wanting to trust in the words of a dragon, understandably. However, Saria was able to convince the Goron that the dragon was a kind one, otherwise a Keaton would never have called it a friend.
The message held a vital clue, setting the Sages in what they truly hoped was the right direction. From what they could assume, if they were to follow the flow of time like a river, then it was impossible to follow it backwards, which meant it was not the past they were supposed to find a way to return to, but possibly the present or even the future. Time flowed differently in other realms, as Rauru had theorized, like the different sections of a flowing river. While time was the same between Hyrule and the Sacred Realm, time could differ in other worlds, probably much more so the farther away from Hyrule.
And yet, if that were true, how was Link still a boy as Zelda had seen in her premonition? Wherever he and Ganondorf had ended up, time was supposedly faster... It was an odd mystery that had misled the Sages in the first place and continued to baffle them to this day.
Nevertheless, Zelda and the Sages never faltered in their mission to find their answers. The faraway kingdom in Zelda's dreams would one day need their help in bringing the Master Sword back in the hands of the Hero of Time; a fate Zelda knew she could not ignore. The Triforce of Wisdom made sure of that.
Zelda had tried to call forth the sacred power by her own will, but her prayers went unanswered at every attempt. But one day, while alone in the library late one night, she was taken by surprise when her Triforce suddenly shone on her hand, resonating with another power unseen. It was an opportunity not wasted; Zelda had quickly concentrated on her Triforce, silently pleading for it to show her the reason behind its awakening.
She remembered the back of her hand had grown hot and saw the light flicker before her closed eyes as if the Triforce was responding to her wishes. However, the only answer she received was the sudden feeling of someone silently coming up behind her. When she had turned around in alarm, there was no one there and the light of her Triforce had blinked out. The brief moment had passed like some sort of dream, leaving her wondering if it had been her imagination. Sleep deprivation sometimes played tricks on her mind, but on that night, she was certain someone was there in the library with her...
Since then, Zelda had remained vigilant. The timing between the sudden appearance of her Triforce was shorter than last time, making her worried. She knew in her heart that something dreadful was happening in the distant kingdom in her dreams. The evil shadows were growing stronger and would one day take over the entire land as she had seen in her premonition.
As urgent as it felt, Zelda had to remind herself to be patient. The Triforce of Wisdom refused to awaken by her command, so the only other thing she could do was wait for it to resonate once more in response to another power. She would use that chance to utilize her Triforce in hope of finding Link, and perhaps, connect spiritually with him. That was her main goal on top of searching for a way to travel to another world set in a different timeline.
Zelda's foot finally struck the bottom of the steps, the click of her heels resounding down the long empty hall ahead of her. She extinguished the flame in her lamp for the sconces along the walls now lit her way. After some servants noticed their Queen's daily schedule, the torches had been constantly refreshed and always burning shortly before evening.
She turned down a shorter hall on her left where awaited the large wooden door of the library. Hanging upon the wood was a small, blue tapestry embroidered with the Royal Crest of Hyrule in golden thread. With nary a sound, the door swung open on well-oiled hinges as Zelda pushed through.
The familiar scent of musky old tomes and parchment welcomed her as she entered the sanctuary of history and knowledge lit by hanging chandeliers. Having spent countless hours perusing the many shelves of books and chests filled with ancient scrolls, she had grown rather fond of the place.
She followed the carpeted walkway that led to the central study area. Ten rectangular tables occupied the rounded area, half of them piled with her accumulated mess of tomes, scrolls, and crumpled pieces of parchment, none of which were to be touched or cleaned up by anyone upon Zelda's command, lest she would lose track on what she had already read and scoured through. One table in particular contained her current work in progress with numerous opened books, unrolled scrolls, hundreds of sheets of handwritten notes, used quills, and near-empty bottles of ink.
Next to that table was the library's little book cart being temporarily used as a small side table. On top of the cart, a servant had kindly left a tray of refreshments and new ink, sheets of parchment, candles, and sharpened quills, knowing their Queen may need them.
Zelda smiled when she laid her eyes on the tray of assorted night snacks and drinks, her servants never failing to please her with their choices. Fresh seasonal fruit, biscuits and cheese, and leftover sweet breads made early that day with a side of butter and various jams. There was also a pitcher of water and a hot kettle of strong tea to help her stay awake through the night.
Supper was hours ago so she was a little peckish. She helped herself to some cheese and biscuits and poured herself a cup of tea. She replaced the melted candles in their holders on her main table and lit the wicks to brighten her work area.
Sighing, she prepared herself for a long night as she sat in her usual seat. She resumed where she had left off last night, delving back into an old legend about four world guardian dragons, a legendary hero, and a goddess. It was a story her mother once told her when she was very young. Reading it again brought back that precious memory. The further along the story she read, the more curious she became as she started to wonder if the guardian dragons could be related to the old dragon friend of the three-tailed Keaton.
Zelda picked up a new quill and dipped it into ink before scribbling down some notes of interest, her writing always neat and flourishing after years of royal discipline as a young child. The last word in her sentence turned into a blotchy, smeared streak when her hand flinched from the sudden warmth and flash of golden light on the back of her white glove.
The Triforce! At last! Shining bright and strong, casting the reading area in a golden hue.
Something dreadful must be happening elsewhere yet again. The Triforce flickered and began to dim, making Zelda panic. She acted fast. While remaining in her seat, she clenched her eyes shut and brought her hands together before her breasts, her chin resting upon her knuckles. She focused on the Triforce, grasping desperately onto its power, hoping to wield it as her own as she had done in the past. Silently, she prayed to the Goddesses for their help, only to have her power waver and begin to fade.
No! Please!
She focused harder. Every muscle tense. Her jaw ached and her head pounded in her ears. Heat flared from her hand at the same time there was a blinding flash. Suddenly, she was light-headed and dizzy and felt herself fall.
Zelda snapped her eyes open with a sharp gasp, her feet now on solid ground. She saw not the library, but a forest of tall, large trees that smelled too real to be a hallucination or dream. Before she could wonder if she was transported to another land, she heard leaves rustling nearby. She twisted on her heel, her wide eyes meeting the blind gaze of an enormous silver-scaled dragon with beautiful golden horns perched with a rainbow of birds. Vines had covered its body and its limbs were entwined in the roots of two enormous trees.
Although sightless in all three of its eyes, the dragon appeared to be staring directly at Zelda, bearing no ill intent, but a gentle kindness.
"The river flows rapid here," spoke the dragon in a loud and gravelly voice of an elder; "Keep following it further, and the path to veri will soon be clear, Sei Nu. Il kiye au – all light in our realm will one day vanish, all hope lost, but a spark will shine... Seek that light within the darkness..." The dragon turned its head to the side and Zelda followed, spotting a path through the trees down a shallow slope.
She was about to ask for clarification, but was shocked to find the dragon had become bones; its great horns shattered and laying in pieces by its skull and its entire skeleton nearly overtaken by nature. Surrounding trees appeared much older with their trunks taller and wider and their canopies thick and lush.
Before Zelda could comprehend what was happening, she picked up voices in the distance. They came in the direction of the path the dragon had shown her, now overgrown with shrubs.
Zelda took one more glance at the dragon's remains. Seeing nothing had changed, she hurried towards the path. The moment she stepped into the overgrowth, the world suddenly shifted. In a blink, the forest became the inside of a small temple with stone, rounded columns and beautiful stained-glass windows. Light caught her attention up ahead, a small chamber filled with shining symbols; strange runes of magic. People and animals were shouting and quickly gathering inside of it, huddling together. For a second, Zelda saw a glimpse of a boy with blond hair in the middle of the group, golden light shining from his left hand.
Link! The runes flashed a blinding white before Zelda could shout his name. She had to shield and shut her eyes as the light enveloped her.
It was suddenly dark the next instant. A strong and bitterly cold wind howled, instantly chilling her to the bone. Blinking, she found herself standing under a roiling black sky. Thunder rumbled and yellow lightning flashed, illuminating the dreary, hostile world below. She was high atop what appeared to be a castle wall built of dark stone and layered with thick ice, overlooking a vast field of frozen thorns and snow. Shadows of giant winged beasts soared beneath the clouds and the silhouettes of nightmarish creatures wandered the icy land, busy building something that looked like an enormous cannon.
Shivering, Zelda wrapped her arms around herself, feeling the intense bite of the wintry winds quickly numb her body. The Triforce of Wisdom flickered and Zelda noticed another golden light start to shine beside her. She turned and came face to face with a tall and large man dressed in black furs and armour.
She froze in terror the moment she met the man's one-eyed gaze, instantly recognizing him under the hideous scars on his ashen face.
Ganondorf seemed to tower like a giant before her, his one eye glowing a sinister red and narrowing with utmost hatred. His glare pierced through Zelda like a frozen blade, turning her insides into ice. An evil so strong overwhelmed her; his dark and terrible power far exceeding what she could remember during his reign over Hyrule.
Frightened and unable to breathe, Zelda felt her knees give way. Something grabbed her from behind before she could fall, pulling her into a world of pitch black darkness.
"Zelda!"
She jolted awake, gasping for air. A pair of strong hands were shaking her by the shoulders. Impa's worried frown was the first thing to greet her.
"Zelda! Are you all right?"
"I-Impa? I-I... I..." Zelda's voice came out as a weak, stuttering rasp. She was cold and shivering, the bite of the icy winds and chill of evil still lingering in her mind and body. Her right hand was badly trembling when she brought it into view, no longer seeing the mark of the Triforce on her glove.
Impa let out an exasperated sigh as she shook her head. "I've told you many times, Your Highness. You've pushed yourself too far and now you've fallen ill! I'm getting you to bed and a healer to look at you right away."
Zelda grabbed onto Impa's arm as the Sheikah helped her sit up. "No, Impa, I am fine. I do not require a healer," said Zelda, mustering the strength to sound assuring. And yet her legs felt weak and unsteady when Impa pulled her to her feet.
"You are not fine. You're awfully pale and you're shaking," Impa stressed, keeping an arm looped around Zelda's. She tried to pull the Queen forward, but Zelda dug her heels and stood her ground.
"Wait, Impa, I–"
"Your Highness, I'm begging you, your health is important. We need to take care of this."
Zelda straightened in her stance and switched to her authoritative voice of the ruling Queen. "Impa, listen to me, there is something urgent I must discuss with you!"
The Sheikah stiffened from Zelda's tone and look. Bowing her head slightly, Impa relented. "Very well, Highness..."
Zelda was led to her chair that was slightly pushed back during her unplanned trip to the floor. Impa poured a cup of water and set it in front of Zelda before taking the seat next to her.
The water was surprisingly refreshing on Zelda's parched throat. Though it was not warm, it seemed to help calm her anxious heart and steady her nerves. Or perhaps it was Impa's presence that was always reassuring.
Nonetheless, Zelda felt better when she looked at Impa who was waiting patiently with her arms and legs crossed, facing the Queen.
"I saw him, Impa," Zelda began, unable to hide the waver in her voice, "Ganondorf... free from the Evil Realm."
Impa furrowed her brow and slightly leaned forward, one hand resting on Zelda's shoulder. "You have a slight fever, Zelda. It must have been a dream caused by your illness."
"No. No. It was not." Zelda abruptly shook her head. She rubbed the back of her right hand, her fingers cold and clammy within her gloves. "My Triforce of Wisdom showed me the truth..."
She went on to explain what happened when her Triforce started to shine that night, writing down the details as she went along. She spoke of the kind old dragon and his strange message, followed by the temple and seeing Link, and lastly, Ganondorf and his dark world full of monsters, building what could be a powerful and dangerous weapon.
Impa had listened without interruption, showing only the slightest reaction to Zelda's visions; a slightly raised eyebrow, a small twitch of the lips, the clenching of her jaw. In the end, she was not in disbelief, but troubled by the news.
"I know he saw me," said Zelda, shuddering in remembrance of Ganondorf's evil and terrifying power. "Wherever he and Link are... I believe it is truly a kingdom somewhere in a different realm and in the future, as we've suspected before."
"'Time flows rapid here'..." Impa murmured, reciting what the silver dragon had said to Zelda. They both assumed the dragon was the very same friend to the talking Keaton. Alive and speaking in one instance, dead and bones in the next. Could that signify a very long time had passed between those moments?
Impa drummed her fingers lightly on the table, narrowing her eyes in thought. "I still do not understand... if what you saw was truly taking place in our future, then how is Link still just a boy?"
Zelda sighed and rested her crossed arms on the table. She stared at a blank sheet of parchment next to her elbow, her mind just as empty on coming up with an answer. "I... do not know for certain," she said after a couple moments of pondering. "There could have been another temple similar to the Temple of Time that transported him there while he was still young. Or it could be the work of magic... I remember seeing some sort of magical runes along the walls in the temple he was in. That kingdom must have their own forms of magic." Zelda added the last few details to her notes before she started to twirl the quill absentmindedly between her fingers. "Or, perhaps, it was his fate to end up there as a child... The kingdom must be in dire need of his courage, somehow knowing that Ganondorf would appear one day."
There was an angry scoff from Impa as she looked off to the side in disdain. "Fate needs to give that poor kid a break."
Zelda frowned. She couldn't agree more. Her decision to send Link back in time was supposed to free him from the binds of destiny. "All hope will someday be lost in that realm... We must find a way to get there when Link needs us – when he must fight Ganondorf once again." She was reaching to dip her quill into ink when Impa grabbed her arm.
The Sheikah's expression was stern as she straightened in her seat to appear imposing. "I understand the urgency, Your Highness, but finding a solution can certainly wait if the events will take place in the future. Right now, you need to rest. Morning has come and you haven't properly slept."
Zelda blinked in shock. "Morning already? Oh no... is the Ceremony of the Royal Knights starting right away?"
"That is happening tomorrow. Otherwise I would have dragged you back to your chambers and sealed the room before midnight," said Impa with a crooked, teasing smile. She pushed out of her chair and motioned with her hand. "Come, Your Highness, to bed. You look awful. I will inform the council that you are unwell and will be resting for today. Things should be calm around the castle by next week. We can meet with the other Sages and talk about this around then." She picked up the notes sprawled before Zelda, likely going to store them somewhere safe and away from prying eyes. "And Zelda," it was Impa's turn to shift into her authoritative voice of Master that went along with her stern expression, "be careful next time you try to use your Triforce to pry. It can be a double-edged sword. If Ganondorf could see you in your 'vision', then it is possible he could hurt you. Take heed of this."
"Yes, understood," said Zelda as she got up. She had not considered the possible dangers and was grateful for Impa's cautionary side.
Although Zelda was reluctant to leave the library and get some rest, she had no strength to further argue against Impa, her Royal Advisor as well as Sheikah Master and Shadow Protector. The Queen of Hyrule had many important responsibilities she couldn't ignore or brush aside, even if they weren't related to saving other realms. Maintaining her health and keeping her image as a strong ruler for her people was one of them.
Exhausted, Zelda left the library with Impa following close behind to keep an eye on her.
A/N: Any guesses on what Link and the others will find in the realm beyond the magic circles? And what the heck is Ganondorf up to? Find out next time!
Poll is now closed. Thanks to all who voted! Look forward to reading some fun, maybe epic, battles at the end of upcoming chapters.
Thanks for reading!
P.S. Anyone else super duper excited for BoTW: Tears of the Kingdom? I want it. I want it now.