Chapter 6: Seal of Flame
"Don't worry about me," said Impa, between heavy breaths. "Just keep moving."
Though Mist's magic healed Impa's wounds without any visible flaws, the latter was finding travel to be far more difficult than ever. More than once, Zelda offered to let the older woman rest an arm on her shoulder as they traveled. As expected, Impa refused outright and insisted that she could carry on, despite her sluggish movement.
"We're stopping here," said Zelda firmly, refusing to allow Impa to push her body beyond its current limits.
"No," panted Impa, "we have to reach the Temple before nightfall." Two days passed since her near-death at the hands of the Hinox. They could reach the Temple by sunset if they kept their current pace, but Impa would be useless if they didn't rest or slow down significantly.
Faron was home to the most expansive woods and rainforests in all of Hyrule. Their travel through it had been met with monsters and animals, with seldom a time to lay their heads down to rest.
"You need to rest," said Mist, before Zelda could say the same.
"You're useless like this," said Ike bluntly. "You'll put the princess's life in danger if you aren't even able to move, and she has to help you instead."
That seemed to strike a chord with Impa as she ceased her protesting. Ike and Impa actually seemed to get along quite well, both of them blunt to what Zelda considered a fault. Where was the propriety or the manners? Even Mist, though very kind, had a way of speaking that was crude and unrefined.
A gentle river flowed by where they decided to stop, its banks lined with large rocks, trees, and fallen branches that animals had used to dam it. Impa collapsed against a particularly large tree, fatigue pulling her into a rest. Though her injuries were entirely healed, Mist had warned her that the toll on her body would linger for weeks, possibly even months or years because of how close to death she had been.
Ike was already at work with a small hatchet hacking some fallen branches for firewood. He and Zelda had barely spoken the past two days, electing instead to talk only when changing directions, picking a campsite, or telling her to take cover from a monster. For Zelda, it was to avoid another argument in case they disagreed again. She assumed Ike wanted to avoid another argument as well. Instead, Zelda took to Mist, as Ike had to Impa.
"She's strong," said Mist from behind her. "I've known a lot of strong guys who aren't ever able to fight again after recovering from injuries like that."
"She is putting far too much of a strain on herself," said Zelda, stepping towards the river to observe its contents. Ancient ruins from an unknown civilization rested beneath the clear water. Hyrule bass swam up against the current. They would make a nice dinner.
"Yeah," said Mist simply. She reached out a staff and four of the bass casually floated out of the river, wriggling helplessly in the air. "At least she listens to Ike, heh."
With nothing else to hold them with, Zelda had to use her hands and arms to catch the four fish that dropped in front of her. The two strangers really didn't seem to appreciate the fact that Zelda was a princess, and holding live, wriggling fish was far beneath her station. This bothered Zelda, but sometimes it was nice just to feel useful after Ike and Mist fought off monster after monster for them.
"You two are…" started Zelda, unsure if she should voice her thoughts. "Never mind."
"Kinda rude?" offered Mist casually. "Yeah, Elincia's always trying to teach us how to be courtly, but it just never sticks with us."
"Elincia?" asked Zelda curiously.
"Oh, you wouldn't know. She's the princess of Crimea. You kinda remind me of her, all prim and proper even when you don't need to be." Mist considered her words for a moment, staring at the river. "That was probably rude to say, wasn't it?"
"No," said Zelda thoughtfully. "It is true. You… have also seen a different side of me, so I suppose that how I carry myself feels unnatural."
"Why do you do it?" she asked innocently.
"It is just how I was raised to speak."
The real answer was that it helped Zelda feel a sense of control when everything was going wrong. Maintaining her air of superiority went a long way in making this war with Daein seem somewhat possible to win. Then again, looking at Ike, he also possessed an air of competence that was unrivaled in anyone Zelda met in all of Hyrule. Everything, from the way he carried himself to the way he handled that massive sword spoke volumes of how in control he was of any situation he found himself in.
Zelda tore her eyes away from the man as he brought the hatchet down on a branch, splitting it with a single hit. Were heroes meant to be this… she didn't allow herself to finish that thought.
"I could use a fire over here," said Ike, wiping sweat from his brow. Next to him was a pile of firewood stacked up to his knees. How had he managed to gather so much in so short a time?
"Just light it yourself," said Mist exasperated. "I'm not good at it."
"Actually, I was hoping the princess could do it," said Ike, taking a seat on a rock near where he stacked a teepee of firewood. It was as if he didn't even know her name, the way he called her "princess" instead of Zelda. She wondered if perhaps he regretted coming with her to the Temple, but he made no indication that he cared either way.
"Impa is the one who handles such things," said Zelda plainly. Fish was one thing, but asking her to dirty her clothes and hands to start a fire?
"I don't think she'll be much help," said Ike, dangerously close to starting another argument. A large leaf was laid out in front of the fire; Zelda set the fish out on it, then took her own seat on a stump.
"Come on, Ike," complained Mist. "Why're you being so hard on her?"
"I saw her throw fire at the Black Knight in that village," said Ike bluntly. "Without a tome," he added with a significant look at his sister.
"Without a…?" Realization dawned on Mist's face. "How?!"
"And there was that lightning she fried that monster thing's eye with," said Ike. "Not a page in sight."
Mist's turquoise eyes widened like inflating balloons. "That's not possible! I thought that was an Elthunder at least!"
"Out of all of us," continued Ike, folding his arms, "I think she'll have the easiest time starting a fire."
Both of their eyes fell on Zelda, who felt her cheeks burning. Summoning fire, she could do under normal circumstances, but ever since the Hinox, her magic hadn't responded. It was like when the thug in Ordon silenced her powers; the well was empty, and it hadn't refilled. She never told them.
"I…" she tried to find an excuse that wouldn't sound pathetic. "Well, I…"
"The sooner you light the fire, the sooner we can eat," said Ike, rising from his seat to pull the fish towards him. He pulled a small knife from his belt and started gutting the fish one by one. "I'm starving. Wish we had someone with a bow here so we could get some real meat."
A conflict boiled in Zelda's chest. How could she tell them that her magic wasn't working without making them lose faith in her? It was hard enough to convince them to come with them to the Temple of Time, would they simply drag her to the Forest Temple if they knew she was defenseless?
Mentally, Zelda reached inside herself to see if there was any amount of power that she could sense. She felt nothing. No, hold on. There was something, but not in the well. On the back of her right hand, she felt it. The Triforce of Wisdom felt warm against her glove as it glowed a magical light. Would it be appropriate for her to call on its power for so trivial a need as a campfire?
Without thinking more on it, Zelda raised her right hand and let a small flame shoot at the teepee of firewood, igniting it instantly. The Sacred Power within her, reduced to providing small comforts. Was it blasphemy? Or okay? There wasn't exactly a rulebook on how to use a Sacred Power.
With its use she also felt the well of magic inside her fill slightly. Were the two powers connected? Had she always subconsciously drawn on the Triforce of Wisdom's power? She wished Impa would wake up and answer her questions if she could.
"There," said Ike, satisfied. "You see, Mist?"
Mist's eyes nearly popped out of her head for the excitement in them. "Omigosh!" she exclaimed. "You'll have to teach me how to do that!"
"You couldn't even use tomes," chuckled Ike, finishing the gutting. "How're you gonna learn how to do that?"
"Maybe not for attacking, but imagine if I could heal people without using a staff!"
"I do not know if it is something that can be taught," said Zelda earnestly. Mist's cheerful face looked a little downtrodden for a brief moment before she smiled again.
"We'll see!" It was impossible not to smile back at the bright girl. She could not have been older than sixteen, yet she had the same look behind her eyes as Ike. Full of war and pain. How did she manage to keep so bright a composure?
The night trailed on as they cooked and ate the Hyrule Bass. Impa woke briefly to eat hers and immediately fell back into a deep sleep. Like the previous night, Ike set up makeshift tents for them to sleep in, one for him and Mist, and another for Zelda and Impa. As the moon rose into the sky, they extinguished the fire, exchanged polite good nights, and fell asleep.
It was another rough night. Her whole life, Zelda slept in beds with soft mattresses, silk sheets, and fluffy pillows, catered to every morning by staff with prepared breakfasts. Throughout the night, she woke frequently, checked on Impa, looked into the darkness, and tried to get comfortable on the ground again to get a few more precious minutes of sleep.
When the sky began to light up with the first rays of sun over the mountains, Zelda gave up on her fruitless efforts to sleep and rose from the tent. Through the trees, Zelda spotted Ike, bronze sword raised in front of him.
She watched in awe as Ike swung his sword in a series of practiced movements, so expertly performed that Zelda doubted there was a flaw in his technique. There was simply no way a man could swing such a massive blade using only one arm, yet he did so like he was using a sword half its size. Muscles strained in his arms as he handled the sword, rehearsing movements that he had long since memorized.
"You're staring again, princess," said Ike, planting his sword back into the earth.
"Observing," Zelda corrected him automatically.
Ike chuckled and stepped towards her. "How is she?" he asked simply.
"Her breathing is stable, but only as stable as it was yesterday when she awoke," sighed Zelda. "Is there nothing more that Mist could do?"
"I don't really know much about magic and healing," said Ike, "but no, I don't think so. Maybe she'll be herself again someday, but right now she's lucky to be breathing at all."
That's not what Zelda wanted to hear again. At this point, it would be better to leave Impa somewhere she could be safe and out of the way. There's no way she would ever agree to leaving Zelda on her own with two strangers like that, but at this point even Zelda had to admit she was a liability.
"Is there somewhere safe we can leave her?" asked Ike as if reading her mind.
Zelda shook her head. "She would never agree to it, but…" There was at least one place she was certain hadn't fallen to Daein's armies. "Her home, Kakariko. It's a natural fortress. The Sheikah tribe is one of warriors sworn to protect the royal family."
"Is it close by?" Ike asked earnestly, his face hard, but trying to appear concerned.
"Two days."
Jumping in surprise, Zelda turned to face her attendant, who was leaning against a tree casually. She didn't look any better than the previous few days, a wearied look in her eyes. Even like this, Impa retained her ability to sneak up on people without their notice.
"Impa, I—"
"Still yourself, princess," said Impa, straining against the internal pain. "I've been thinking along your same lines. Though it pains me greatly to say it, I must agree with what Ike said last night. I'm a mere burden to you in this state. If I continue traveling with you, I fear…"
Every word was punctuated with reluctance for them to leave her lips. Zelda understood what she was trying to say. "I would risk my own life for yours," said Zelda, finishing for her.
"And that makes me a poor choice of guardian," said Impa. "I'll still accompany you to the Temple of Time, but afterwards, I feel it is best if I rest in Kakariko until I'm fit to travel with you again."
"I will stay with you," said Zelda. She was tired of everyone sacrificing so much for her, all for that blasted Triforce of Wisdom. Couldn't someone else carry this burden?
"You have a destiny to fulfill, your highness," said Impa, approaching Zelda after pushing herself away from the tree. "And I have a feeling Ike will help you better than I can."
"But—,"
"Don't worry," said Impa, delicately laying a hand on Zelda's shoulder. "I know how to get through the Lost Woods. When I feel up to it, I'll make for the Forest Temple and track wherever you are from there."
There was a long pause as Zelda considered this. She knew immediately that it was the right thing to do, but that didn't stop her from trying to think of some other way. Impa would never stay if it meant that it might put Zelda in danger, and the Lost Woods were still days away, and who knew where their journey might lead them? Surrounded by her own people who could watch over her recovery while Zelda stayed with Ike and Mist seemed the best option.
Before Zelda could respond, Ike spoke up. "We'll keep her safe." A simple promise.
Mist's yawning marked the end of the conversation. The young girl crawled from the tent, her hair disheveled around her face with more than a few leaves hanging from the strands. Her bleary teal eyes looked around until they fell upon Zelda's group, now faintly illuminated by rays of morning sunlight.
"I thought we said no more secret meetings without me," she complained, yawning deeply which made Zelda herself stifle a yawn.
"It's no secret," said Ike comfortingly, going to Mist to help her up. "Once we finish with this Temple thing, we're bringing Impa to her home so she can rest."
Mist teetered on the spot where Ike helped her stand. A loud growl echoed from her stomach.
After a quick breakfast, they were on their way again. It was only a few hours until the ruins of the Temple of Time were visible from their vantage point on the hill beside it.
Temple almost seemed too grand a designation for the ruins before them. In Hyrule, Temples were typically vast, many-roomed sanctuaries full of mysteries. The Temple of Time, even when it wasn't in ruin, was a two-roomed, steepled building. Now, the steeple was barely standing, and the walls were caved in, except for the walls around where Zelda knew the Master Sword slept.
And much to her horror, the Temple and its surrounding clearing weren't empty of life. Soldiers in heavy armor, mages with thick tomes, and even some of those dreaded dragon-like monsters were prowling around the ruins.
When Impa realized this as well, she grabbed Zelda by the arm and pulled her down to the underbrush, where Ike and Mist quickly followed suit.
"Damn," swore Ike under his breath.
"How did they know?" asked Zelda in a hushed panic. "Only the royal family of Hyrule knows the Sword is here."
"Maybe your hero has already been here," suggested Ike. "They might've followed him."
"It's possible…" said Impa contemplatively. "But he never could have retrieved the Blade of Evil's Bane without us."
"Whaddya mean?" whispered Mist. "I thought you said he was gonna come here?"
"The door to the Master Sword is sealed until a certain song is played," said Zelda matter-of-factly. "A song that has been passed down through the Royal Family of Hyrule for centuries," she replied to Ike's and Mist's inquisitive stares.
"We intended to wait here until he arrived to give him the song that he needed to open the door," said Impa.
"Couldn't you just take the Sword and give it to him later?" Ike asked. It was a fair question, Zelda hadn't even considered that.
"I…" started Zelda. "I suppose we could try."
"I can't see how, though," said Ike, peeking his head up to look down at the Temple in the forest clearing. "Soren wasn't with us when we came here, and I'm not the best with strategy."
"You're in luck," said Impa, and Zelda wished she wouldn't say it. "Zelda here is quite the tactician herself."
"Those were just board games, Impa," sighed Zelda. There were two heavily armored guards in front of the door. An older man with a prominent widow's peak and gray hair and beard was giving orders to them.
Impa scoffed quietly under her breath. "Board games designed to keep the mind sharp and train your tactical senses. Mercenaries, don't let her deceive you, I've yet to win a single game against the princess, even games I've played for years and she her first time."
Zelda shook her head furiously. "Just games!" she whispered. "I'm no use in real war."
Ike and Mist looked at each other. "Well," started Mist, a considering look on her face, "there's way too many guys down there for us to take on without a plan. I'm sorry, if you want to get that sword, we're gonna need a plan, or we have to leave." Her teal eyes glanced down at the temple, where at least fifty well-equipped soldiers paced. "Uh, soon would be nice."
Pigheads, all of them. How was Zelda supposed to come up with a plan? At their disposal, all they had were Impa's caltrops, smoke bombs, and knives, Ike's swordsmanship and massive blade, Mist's staves, and Zelda's own magic. The enemy had archers posted on the walls, heavily armored guards around every entry point, sorcerers hiding in the trees, and dragon-creatures patrolling the fields around the Temple.
It's not like they could sneak in somehow by distracting the enemy with Impa's tools. Or, even if they got past the enemy stealthily, could have Mist bring them back with one of her staves. No, simply impossible that Ike could draw the Sword, all without them being noticed by anyone.
A sly smile crept across Impa's face. "You're already thinking of something, aren't you?"
Ike and Zelda crouched behind a tree at the edge of the clearing, the midday sun blazing overhead. Sweat trickled down Zelda's neck, her nerves almost paralyzing her. They had taken the rest of the morning to incapacitate each of the sorcerers in the forest individually. Soon the enemy would notice that none of the magic-users were checking in.
It was a matter of where they would send soldiers to check on them that would determine how the rest of their plan could unfold. As if on cue, they heard shouting from the other side of the clearing. One of the sorcerers had been found.
Three mounted wyverns, as Mist told her they were called, pelted off into the forest after the swordsman who called for them.
"Now or never," Ike muttered.
Behind the Temple, smoke bombs erupted, sending thick plumes of smoke in every direction. The archers stationed on the walls turned their heads towards the sound, arrows drawn, and the heavily armored guards left their posts to investigate.
"Now!" exclaimed Zelda, as she and Ike left the tree and sprinted towards the Temple ruins. One of the archers noticed them and opened his mouth to shout but was silenced by the hatchet in his chest that was thrown by Ike. The grass near the base of the collapsed wall was tall enough to obscure Zelda and Ike while they crouched and caught their breaths.
Zelda focused, reaching out with the power of the Triforce of Wisdom. A blinding light erupted in the center of the ruins, disorienting the soldiers inside.
Ike vaulted over the ruined wall, sword drawn, and sprinted towards the sanctuary doors. Zelda followed suit, her own rapier drawn, a fire burning in her hand. Swordsmen and spearmen cried as Ike brought his blade down upon them, clearing a path for Zelda towards the door. Within moments, Zelda stood in front of the door, her heirloom harp drawn, and played the Song of Time. Cries of soldiers echoed in the clearing as Ike cut them down.
The door slowly opened, and Ike and Zelda retreated inside where it was.
The room was like a place out of time. Ruins surrounded it, but this room could have been built the day before. Stairs led up to a platform in the center of the spacious place. Sticking out of a pedestal on the platform that that was marked by three empty triangles, it was there. The Blade of Evil's Bane. The Master Sword.
Instinctively, Zelda sent another flash of light at the door and heard the grunts of more soldiers. "What are you waiting for?" Ike asked, holding his sword towards the door, a hand covering his eyes.
"Go!" shouted Zelda. "Claim it!"
"What?!"
"It will respond to a Hero. That Hero is you!"
Ike stared at her with a bewildered look. "You're still on this?"
"Please," begged Zelda. "Trust me, it will answer to you!" This couldn't be chance. The goddess had a strange way of working at times, and Zelda was convinced that Ike had to be the Hero of Legend.
Ike looked from her to the door. Apparently deciding that it would be worth it just to try so they could at least get away from here. Sprinting up the steps, Ike put his own sword in its scabbard at his side.
Zelda sent another flash at the door, pained cries echoing in the room. When Ike reached the Sword, Zelda watched intently. He placed a hand on the sword's hilt, and the blade started glowing with a radiant light. Zelda's heart soared at the response from the Sword. Shock at this reaction in his eyes, Ike pulled and… nothing. While the Sword glowed, and the yellow stone in its hilt gleamed, the Sword did not move.
No… No! The Sword clearly recognized that he was the Hero! Why didn't it move for him?
"I thought you said we'd be able to take it," growled Ike, his teeth clenched in frustration as he tugged at the sword.
Zelda glanced around the room. They were out of time. Why wasn't it working?! She'd never heard that only the chosen hero could draw the sword, only that the chosen hero could wield it properly. So why wouldn't it budge?
Her eyes fell on the pedestal. Three empty triangles. It… there was a seal. Someone had placed a seal on the Sword to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. Or the right ones, she thought bitterly.
Thinking fast, Zelda reached out a hand caused a loud, sudden bang, hurting her ears. It was her signal for Mist to summon them out with one of her staves. She braced herself for the teleportation, but nothing happened. What?
"Ike!" said Mist's voice from behind them. They turned and saw Mist being dragged along by the man with the widow's peak, flanked by two of the heavily armored guards, a sorcerer, and a wyvern rider. "I'm sorry! We didn't get all of the sorcerers…"
Zelda's heart sank. Impa was nowhere to be seen; hopefully, she had escaped undetected.
"You must be Princess Zelda," said the man in a prideful voice. "And you must be that Ike boy the King of Daein warned me about. Oh yes, I know about you."
Ike made to move towards his sister, but a knife was held at her throat.
"Not another movement boy, or she dies," said the man, beard twitching with a smug smile. "You may call me Jior. Lay down your weapons, and we can… talk."
Ike's grip on his sword tightened, his muscles tensed, but he let the blade slip from his grasp. It clattered down the steps, the unbreakable warrior humbled by his sister's peril.
Next chapter will be back to Link's perspective.