Chapter 3 Hard questions…

Chapter 3

 

 

Hard questions…

 

 

 

“What were you thinking?” Zelda screamed at Calhan.

Her voice echoed around the throne room. Silence followed her question as Calhan stood there with his head down staring at the floor. Zelda stood a foot away from Calhan, the step giving her enough inches to be eye level with him.

Glaring death at Calhan Zelda clenched her hands into fist, “Didn’t you know there were things that come out at night in Hyrule Fields? You could have gotten them killed.”

“Zelda calm down, none of them were killed and they are all in perfect shape, amazingly.” Link gently put his hands on his wife’s shoulders, “Though from how you tell it Selene should be dead is that correct?”

“Mother we sent Mathius to tell you where we were.” Selene said softly from next to Gerad.

“No soldier came and told us where you were, he must have gotten lost.” Link replied puzzled, “Guards mount up a search for Mathius.”

Five guards saluted and headed out of the throne room. Zelda pinched the bridge of her nose trying to regain her calm. Selene and Gerad exchanged glances knowing what that stance of hers meant. Link knew his wife’s moods all too well.

“Now Calhan you said that Selene should be dead.” Link continued, giving his wife a chance to calm down.

“Yes sir. I tried to defend her but I was outnumbered.” Calhan replied without lifting his eyes.

“But father we aren’t dead we’re fine.” Gerad interjected before his mother could blow up again, the others nodded their heads.

“But you could have died.” Zelda stressed each syllable by shaking her son by his shoulders.

“But we didn’t.” Selene said slowly.

“Look we could spend all day arguing about what could have happened. It happened and that’s that. Now obviously someone is after Selene and possibly Gerad, we have to start thinking about their safety and protection.” Link gently moved his wife back next to him away from Gerad.

“Well they aren’t going to leave the castle till this is resolved.” Zelda exclaimed to the immediate protest of Selene and Gerad.

“Dear we’ve already arranged it. It can’t be helped they have to go.” Link motioned for his children to silence as he put a hand on his wife’s shoulder.

Gerad bit his bottom lip waiting impatiently for his mother’s decision.

Zelda looked at her children and gave in, “Alright you may go, but you will have armed escorts and more than two this time. You may go rejoin your friends now.”

The children left the throne room and Zelda addressed Calhan once more. “I should have your captaincy for this but seeing how all the children are unharmed I’ll let you go this time.”

Calhan bowed and left the throne room after the children. Four hours later the five guards returned with the wrapped body of Mathius between them. Zelda and Link decided not to alarm the children more than they already were and had the guard buried in the cemetery.

 

 “So what was with the light? Where did that come from?” Gerad asked Selene as they sat in the eastern courtyard munching on some fruit.

“I don’t know.” Selene replied slowly, “and it frightens me.”

Sheik shook his head, “I don’t see why it should, it healed us and killed them what’s so bad about that?”

“I don’t know where it comes from.” Selene replied softly looking at Sheik.

“I do.” came a voice from the entrance. Calhan stepped into the courtyard and bowed to Selene and Gerad.

The group looked at Calhan with different degrees of skepticism. Calhan walked further into the courtyard till he stood on the outer edge of their circle.

“Where is it from and what is it?” Dahrin asked slowly.

“My family has always studied the power behind our nation. As you know the legend that the three goddesses made the world, and as you know they left the Triforce, and Ganondorf tried to get the Triforce and your father stopped him.” Calhan shifted his weight and crossed his arms as he addressed the group.

Sheik rolled his eyes, “Ok basic history yes, but that still doesn’t answer-“

“The power of the three pieces of the Triforce; Power, Wisdom, and Courage, comes from the seven elements that make up Hyrule: light, earth, fire, water, spirit, wind, and shadow. What most don’t know is that the elements manifest their own power in their sages.” Calhan continued glancing at Sheik.

“What do you mean manifest in their sages?” Aerica asked from where she sat next to Meria on the right bench.

“One of each of your parents was a sage, Aerica’s mom was the sage of earth, Sheik’s mom was the sage of shadow, Dahrin’s mother was the sage of spirit, G-Link’s father was the sage of fire, Lucius’s mother was the sage of water, and Selene’s mother the sage of light.” Calhan explained turning toward her.

Selene shook her head, “Since our mother was the sage of light why doesn’t Gerad have powers?”

“The manifest only passes to one child each generation; it was random chance that you ended up with it instead of Gerad.” Calhan shrugged.

“You said seven elements there’s only six.” Meria pointed out.

Shaking his head Calhan turned toward Meria, “Seven, wind is one not much known.”

“Well then who’s the sage of wind then?” Sheik asked.

“Meria.” Calhan replied looking at her.

Meria was taken aback, “What do you mean me, neither my mother nor my father are sages.”

Nodding Calhan explained, “The wind only manifests itself in a sage every twenty-seventh generation unless there is a need for it.”

“How come we’ve never heard of the wind sage?” Selene asked furrowing her brow.

“Because the last wind sage betrayed all the others to a great evil and was killed. Meria is descended directly from him.” Calhan replied holding out a hand toward Meria.

“But if that was twenty-seven generations ago, I can’t be the only descendant.” Meria laughed, “Right?”

“Yeah, how can she be the lost sage?” Gerad asked him.

“She isn’t her great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother was. And if I’m not mistaken your family only had one child per generation all the way up to you. Back to explaining-

“Wait you said our parents were the sages not are, why?” Sheik asked with a skeptical look on his face.

“Because, you all are now,” Calhan replied, “Now-“

“How can we be?” Dahrin interjected.

“If you would let me finish,” Calhan raised his voice slightly pausing till the group seemed to settle, “the manifest passes completely onto the sage’s descendant when they come of age to know the difference between right and wrong. When a child is conceived by the sage part of what is called the sage spirit passes to the child. For when the evil manifest itself again they are given a choice. To either fight or serve. But the manifest only comes out if the evil has awoken again”

“But mother never told me about that choice.” Sheik said slowly.

“That’s because the great evil was sealed away for a very long time and the manifest went to sleep, so they didn’t have to choose, it was still passed on but it was dormant until awakened by the great hero, your father, when he opened the doors of time.” Calhan replied pointing to Selene and Gerad.

“Well, then why didn’t my mother become the wind sage?” Meria asked.

“Because there wasn’t a need for her to be, so the manifest skipped her and went to you.”

“And the great evil that returned was my father.” Dahrin sighed rubbing his hand through his hair.

“No he wasn’t the evil, the evil manifested in him.”

“Is that why no one trusts me is because I’m descended from the evil’s sage?” Dahrin asked.

Calhan shook his head, “No they fear you because you are Ganondorf’s child. Not many know about the manifests.”

“How do you know all this?” Aerica asked.

“Because I am Rauru’s grandson, I am the lore sage or the keeper of the sages.” Calhan replied.

“Then what are you doing as a guard in the royal army?” Gerad shook his head confused, “If you are Rauru’s grandson-“

“I became a guard to be close to you two.” Calhan interrupted leaning against a pillar, “I wasn’t sure if the evil had manifested in this time yet or not.”

“Uh-huh.” Gerad raised an eyebrow.

“Do our parents know about you?” Selene asked.

 “No and I prefer them not too since they’ll treat me as a king if they do. I prefer the quiet life.” Calhan smirked.

Aerica raised a hand, “Wait, since we have the ‘manifests’ in us now what happens to our parents?”

“Well they won’t be able to use the powers that the manifests give to their sages, but since the manifests weren’t awake they never had powers before.” Calhan explained.

“Back to the history lesson please.” Meria pointed at Dahrin, “You said he was Ganondorf’s child not the evil sage’s, isn’t Ganondorf the evil sage?”

Calhan shook his head, “No he wasn’t. He had killed the sage by accident when he was conquering Hyrule. The manifest left whoever it was in and entered him and that’s what drove him to find the Triforce.”

“I’m confused,” Sheik stated.

“What’s new?” Dahrin interrupted him smiling.

Sheik scowled at him as the others chuckled, “I thought the manifests go to the next one in the line, how did it leave the sage and enter him?” Sheik continued, “Wouldn’t it die without a place to go?”

Calhan thought about it, “I regretfully don’t know much about the evil sage, but according to some when a sage is killed and there is no ‘next in line’ the manifest will enter someone who is best qualified to be a sage. Ganondorf was already evil, probably the most evil person, so it chose him.”

“But if he’s dead then the manifest is loose and in someone from our generation.” Meria paused, “Or is in Dahrin.”

“No he wasn’t killed he was sealed away and the manifest with him. And even if he was it wouldn’t go to Dahrin since he wasn’t born when Ganondorf was defeated.” Calhan quickly replied.

“But I was on the way.” Dahrin said slowly.

Calhan shrugged, “If that’s true, it still doesn’t matter because he was sealed so it still didn’t pass to you.”

“But you said that the manifest awakens only when the evil has. Has it come back again?” Gerad asked.

“Yes its back.”

“But you said you weren’t sure.” Gerad’s eyes narrowed.

Calhan sighed, “The manifestation of Selene’s powers, unfortunately, made me sure.”

A hushed silence fell over the group, Sheik swallowed as he broke the silence, “Shouldn’t we be worried?”

“I don’t think we need to panic just yet, we still have time before whatever happens will happen.” Calhan did a hushing motion with his hand.

Dahrin pursed his lips, “So, Ganondorf was able to use magic because he was part sage.”

Calhan thought about it, “Yeah I guess you could put it that way.”

“You still haven’t answered where Selene’s power came from.” Gerad pointed out.

“Right, well now that the manifests are waking up and not sleeping, they are returning to their full potential and that means that you can use their powers. Selene was able to kill the stalfos because they are “allergic” to light.” Calhan answered.

“That explains why they disintegrated.” Selene nodded in understanding.

“If you say that we are the sages now then we should have the powers also, why didn’t ours work?” Aerica asked.

“Because your powers weren’t ready to be used, each of you has a different power that will do different things and ‘mature’ at different rates or so I understand from my grandfather’s books, he didn’t write a lot about them. I do remember a book that my grandfather saw once that had the list of powers and how to access them but I haven’t been able to find it in his old studies, I have a feeling it isn’t in there.” Calhan scooted to the ground.

“What do you mean you remember your grandfather seeing a book?” Meria asked.

 “Oh I have all of his memories concerning the sages, the memories of all the lore sages passes to the descendant when the sage dies.” Calhan replied.

“Rauru is dead?” Gerad raised his eyebrows in surprise.

 “Yes he died after Ganondorf was sealed away. He was in the chamber of the sages for so long, he wanted to go. So he slipped away with no one the wiser.”

“You said you can remember what all the lore sages before you had remembered, did one of them read or write this book of the powers?” Sheik asked.

“Just because I remember whatever they remember doesn’t mean they memorized it and some of its kinda fuzzy, like the really distant ones, hurts to think about it.” Calhan said rubbing his forehead.

The group looked at each other trying to digest the information Calhan had given them. Lucius and G-Link shared a look but said nothing. Gerad crossed his arms as he looked back at Calhan. Selene stared at the ground in thought.

“What are you thinking about?” Dahrin asked.

“Well, maybe Rauru saw the book in the royal library.” Selene suggested looking at Calhan.

“It’s possible, I’m not allowed into the library as a guard. One of you will have to look for it.” He replied pointing at Gerad and Selene. Gerad and Selene looked at each other confused.

“Why just one of us, it would go faster with both of us looking wouldn’t it?” Gerad asked.

“Yes it would but do you visit the library often?” Calhan asked Gerad.

As Gerad shook his head Calhan nodded, “Exactly it would look suspicious if both of you were pouring through the library, especially since you don’t go to the library.  With the Stalfos attack I don’t think your parents could handle anything suspicious at this point in time.”

“What do you mean by that?” Dahrin asked confused.

“Well the book is to help teach you how to use your powers to fight, I don’t think your parents would be too happy with the knowledge that you’re training for war.” Calhan sighed, “Selene would be the best choice to search the library, since I know she’s often in there.”

Selene nodded, “Ok I can search for the book. Do you know the exact name of it or what it looks like?”

Calhan sighed, “The name was written in silver ink but it was faded, the cover was white with the seven element symbols in a circle on the front. The name started with “The Book of F-something” that’s all I remember.” His eyes were closed in concentration and he held his palms to his temples.

“Hey don’t hurt yourself.” Sheik smirked.

“That’s all I can remember, that’s all he saw.” Calhan rubbed his eyes.

“So once we get this book we should be able to learn how to use our powers, right?” Meria asked.

“Yes.” Calhan said.

“When will we train if we get the book?” Aerica asked.

“On the road, while you all are on your expedition.” Calhan replied confidently.

“Well then I’d better start searching. I’m going to need help since I can’t ask the librarian for it.” Selene dusted off her pants as she stood up.

“We could all go look for it today, pretending we’re looking for a combat book,” Gerad said pointing to Dahrin and Sheik, “while ya’ll are looking for “another kind of book”.”

“That’s an idea, ok we can do that, while ya’ll are searching I’m going to go on patrol so it doesn’t look like I’m not doing my job.” Calhan groaned getting up and dusting himself off. He bowed to Selene and Gerad and then left.

 

The group made its way to the library stopping a few corridors away. G-Link and Lucius Gave them thumbs up as they had parted ways. The two of them would stand out too much in the library.

 “Ok boys go first. Walk in ask the librarian where the combat books are and go search around in that area.” Selene ordered, “Then we’ll come in a few minutes after ya’ll and ask the librarian where the history books are. Then while we’re searching if the librarian leaves the room we scatter and search separately while someone keeps look out for the librarian, Gerad you keep watch the first time he goes out, then tap someone else the next time.”

Nodding understanding the boys set off first. The girls waited in the corridor as Selene counted off three minutes in her head. Gerad, Sheik, and Dahrin entered the library. The librarian looked up from a book on his desk, he had a long thin pointed nose, and high cheek bones that made his face look like it had been squished in a book. He rose and bowed to Gerad who nodded his head, then returned to looking around the library.

“May I help you your majesty?” the librarian asked looking down his long pointed nose at Gerad’s companions.

“Yes where are the combat books?” Gerad asked.

The librarian beamed, “Ah yes we have a fine selection of “Combat Books” follow me your majesty and I will show you where they are.”

The librarian left his desk and showed the way to the combat books. The library was huge consisting of row upon rows of shelves stacked full of books. Gerad and the boys couldn’t help themselves from staring around wide eyed with wonder at all the knowledge this one room possessed.

They arrived at row twelve-forty and took a left.  Gerad was beginning to feel aprhensive about this plan as they went to the middle of the long row. Galncing at Dahrin and Sheik, he could tell they were feeling it as well. With Sheik’s shorter stature he was able to read the titles of the lower shelves better than Dahrin’s height could.

The librarian stopped and flourished at a section of books, “Here it is the combat section. If you need anything else I’ll be at my desk.”

He bowed and walked back to his desk. They heard his footsteps echo in the vast room slowly fading. As the librarian’s presence faded completely Gerad sighed and looked back at the massive amount of titles around him.

Dahrin turned to Gerad, “This is hopeless, there’s no way we can find that book.”

Gerad shrugged, “The only way to find it is to look. Though I don’t see why we can’t just ask him.”

 They heard off in the distance the girls enter the room and ask something that they couldn’t make out. Sighing Gerad started reading titles off in his head. The boys poured over every inch of the combat section searching for a white book cover but none appeared. After about an hour and a half of searching they heard the librarian get up and walk out the door. Gerad whistled and went to the door to keep watch. The others spread out from their places and started searching for the book on different rows.

Gerad looked through the crack in the door for any sign of the librarian. A few minutes later he saw the librarian round the corner at the end of the hall and whistled again running back to the combat section.

Tapping Meria on the shoulder as he passed her she nodded as she went on her way back to where the girls were searching. The librarian came into the room and glanced around at where the boys were studying a book together and the girls were reading another book on the other side of the room. Unfortunately the librarian’s desk was raised enough for him to be able to keep tabs on all their locations.

Nodding to himself he sat back down at his desk to continue whatever work it was their visit had interrupted. Gerad glanced up to see the librarian bent low over a scroll he had been writing on earlier. He tapped Dahrin and scooted back to the end of the row. Dahrin positioned himself so his height made it difficult for the librarian to tell if Gerad was still there or not.

Gerad squatted low on the next isle so not to be seen and searched for the white book. Sighing in aggravation Gerad ducked walked as far down the aisle as he could. Sheik coughed so softly Gerad almost didn’t hear him. Scooting back as fast as possible he returned to his position just as the librarian came around the corner. He nodded to himself as he put a scroll on the shelf and left the boys alone on the aisle.

From his current position Gerad could just make out where the girls were spread somewhat evenly on the same aisle. The librarian made his way over there and the girls converged as Selene called out she found the pretend book they were looking for. Gerad watched the librarian veer course back to his desk.

 The librarian went out twice more but still they didn’t find it. Finally Gerad got fed up with it and went straight to the librarian, “Where is a white book with the element symbols on the cover and silver writing that says “The Book of F-something”?”