Fan Fiction Friday: The Era Without A Hero – Part 17

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“May I see the key?” Sagesse asked, stepping around the desk that Kalia was perched behind.

Fado nodded and held it out for the Sage of Shadow, who held it into a ray of light shining down from a window in Kalia’s study.

Osmond stood nervously behind his Kokiri mentor. Their return to Castletown had been met with increased soldiers at every gate, strict curfews on the city, and a general sense of unease. It hadn’t taken Impa long to fortify the city as if they were expecting another attack, and it was impressive.

However, the real reason for Osmond’s nerves was that he hadn’t seen the Princess since they’d returned. He partially feared that her being kidnapped, despite it being her own fault, would somehow look poorly on him. She had managed to remain unharmed, but he had given his word to the Queen that he would keep her safe. And in his eyes, there he had failed.

“Interesting,” Sagesse’s voice brought Osmond back into focus.

“Find something?” Kalia asked.

“Well the markings are clearly forest inspired, but it’s almost as if there’s an enchantment on the key itself.”

“You sensed that too, did you not Lord Fado?”

“I did. When I first picked it up, I felt this terrible presence. And before that, I saw Forad draw some sort of strength from it, almost as if it were feeding his strength.”

“Feeding him?” Sagesse raised his brow.

Fado nodded.

“There’s a lot of keys in this land, but none that I know of being associated with power enchantments,” Sagesse frowned, handing the key to Kalia.

The great owl held the item for only a moment before setting it on the table. He stared down at the green gem and leaned back on his perch. He drew his characteristic long pipe from under his wing and took a long drag on it, letting the smoke flow from the nostrils on his beak.

“There are legends of ancient relics, some of which were told to ‘open paths’ to worlds beyond. It is possible this is one of those.”

“But why then would it be hanging around the neck of a moblin?”

“And why would Adok have given it to him?” Osmond added.

Kalia leaned forward, “who said it was Adok? Perhaps some other dark sorcerer provided it to him?”

Fado’s eyes widened, and he was about to say something when Sagesse’s hand rose to stop it.

“Before you say it, no. He is dead. Young Osmond’s line of thinking is the most likely.”

“Can you be so certain, Sagesse?” Kalia asked.

“He was a man, a mortal. Over a century has passed, there is no way he could still be around.”

“True. Yet stranger things have occurred. Spirits can be restless. You should know.”

Sagesse wrinkled his face and looked away.

“I’m sorry,” Osmond interjected, “who are we talking about?”

“Don’t worry,” Fado said quickly. “Lord Sagesse is right. The person I’m thinking of perished long ago.”

Before anything more could be said, a messenger entered the room carrying a small scroll. He promptly handed it to Kalia, bowed, and departed.

“It seems I have your next assignment,” he said after reading the message. “How do you fancy the heat?”

Osmond’s eyes widened.

“It seems there’s some issues with a certain member of the Goron leadership in Death Mountain. With Lord Huron in the west conducting investigations in the Lanayru Mountains, I’m afraid I have nobody more qualified than your group to attend to this matter.”

Fado picked up the letter and read it, with Osmond reading over his shoulder.

 

            Dear Lord Kalia,

                                    Erie has sealed himself in the throne room for a week now. The only thing I’ve heard from there, comes from the guards he’s commanded to stand watch. He has ordered to have the gates sealed and demands that all Hylians must leave the slopes of Death Mountain or he will take back all the stone lent out for construction in the last five years. This is just the latest variation of his madness. I don’t think I can handle this much longer.

                                   Please send somebody to help. My brother or Princess Zelda may be able to reach him I think.

                                                                                                            With regards,

                                                                                                            Claire

 

*          *          *          *          *

 

The iconic and ever looming peak of Death Mountain rose above the mountains in the distance as Osmond, Fado, and the Princess Zelda rode across the bridge over the Zora River and into the region of Eldin. The long shadows of the mountains were beginning to creep back as the morning sun began its ascension.

Zelda, donned in temperature resistant yet still regal clothes, rode ahead of the other two and had said nothing to them. Osmond and Fado had been issued tunics that were enchanted to protect from heat, much like the attire Zelda had on.

Osmond’s fear that he had failed in protecting her had been put to ease shortly after their meeting with the Sage of Light. Upon returning to the ground floor of the Temple of Time, the Queen was arriving at the temple.

“Sir Osmond, you performed admirably. I am pleased to present you with the blade that the blacksmith had prepared for you.”

Instead of being seen as a failure, he was rewarded with a new blade.

“Seeing as you’re more or less becoming the Princess’s sworn defender, I went ahead and had some additional work done to it by the Great Fairy who lives on the castle grounds.”

Additional work indeed. The black hilt was wrapped in fine dark leather and capped with a golden pommel that resembled a Triforce. The guard resembled wings, stretching out and up near the base of the blade, and invoked memories of the legendary blade that rested in the Temple of Time. When he pulled it from the black and silver scabbard the blade rung out and shined in the light. A golden aura seemed to emanate from it and as he held it up to examine, he felt a surge of power flow from the swords tip down into his body.

“So long as your heart beats, the sword can provide you with added strength. It will also connect you to people who you love, those closest to you will be able to hear your deepest feelings, should you permit them to. If you are ever in peril, the sword will transfer its ownership to the one who loves you the most, to ensure it cannot be used for evil.”

“Your Grace, I…” Osmond struggled to say anything.

“You need only to use it in for the continued service of my daughter and our Kingdom. That is the only thanks I require of you, Sir Osmond.”

With a bow their meeting had ended.

Osmond spent that night in the castle, along with his Uncle, at the request of the King and Queen. They dined as Henry and Daphnes shared parenting stories that embarrassed both Zelda and Osmond. Stories included Osmond accidentally hammering his pants to a table when he was about ten, then standing up and them ripping completely off. For Zelda, the embarrassment was of a similar theme. She had been pretending to be a knight, slipped a knife from the kitchen into her waist belt, and subsequently cut a huge hole in a formal gown just before a grand meal.

Henry and Daphnes seemed to have uncomfortably similar senses of humor.

The Queen meanwhile smiled and laughed along with the tales, staring misty eyed at her daughter from time to time.

In the morning, Henry bid Osmond farewell before being shown out by the King as the two discussed the finer points of bookshelves. Zelda and Osmond were then met by the characteristically energetic Fado and led out of the city by the equally characteristically stoic Impa.

As the hooves of their horses slowed, a flight of stairs cut into the earth rose up to a tall gate. Two guards stood before the heavy iron doors and a sign overhead read “Kakariko City”. They snapped to attention at the sight of Zelda’s horse, and its regal trappings. They relaxed a bit though, when Fado leapt off the back of Osmond’s horse and smiled at them.

“Moto! Sati! How are you lads doing?”

“Lord Fado! Fantastic!” One said.

“Still on gate duty, eh?” Fado grinned.

“Yes sir. But we don’t mind, see. Lots of time to bounce ideas off each other,” the other smiled.

“Like?”

“See,” the first started in, “we was thinking of a game for town.”

“Yeah, yeah! It’d be a skill- based game, ya see?”

“Jumping! Jumping skills, ya know?”

“One person could jump across a pit of water or somethin’.”

“Yeah, yeah, and then they’d get a prize or whatever.”

“Sounds good boys,” Fado was cut off before he said anymore.

“Yeah, but the trick is the platforms wouldn’t be stable!”

“Oh no! They’d be like, loose or something.”

“Yeah! Or maybe not flat, like a turtle shell!”

“Boys, we need-“

“Turtle shell? What an idea, Moto!”

“Right? Right?!”

“Gentlemen,” Zelda barked from her horse. The men stopped and stared up at her. “The gate, please.”

They shrunk back in their armor and got to opening the gate quickly.

The doors swung open and revealed a city with a mixture of chiseled stone buildings and classic deep colored wood structures. Roofs were made up a rainbow of colored clays, matching the banners that stretched across some of the streets. A single tall tree stood the center plaza near the gate, with a deliberate semi-circle of stones around its base and a bench on the far side.

Towering above it all though, at the western most point of that city, stood the iconic windmill. It served to provide fresh water for the city, power for the stonemasons, and a historic landmark for all.

Osmond had actually been born here, but he had been merely four when he and his family left. His memories of this place were heavily overshadowed by the events that had left the permanent scars in his father’s shield, and led to his living with Henry in Castletown. He wondered what his life would have been like, how it would have been different, how it would have been similar, but only for a moment. Fado’s instance on moving quickly to the northern gate drew him back to the present.

“It can be a long climb to Goron City. It’s still morning thankfully, so we should be able to reach it just about dusk, just about dinner time.”

“Is all you think about food?” Osmond quipped.

“No…” Fado trailed off, attempting to find a defense. Nothing came to mind though.

Kakariko City has grown significantly during the Era of the Great Rebuilding. With refugees from Castletown and their growing families, it became a safe haven for many. Many families did end up returning to the capital, however a fair amount did remain in Kakariko. It was enough so that Madame Impa, the Sage of Shadow before Lord Sagesse, ordered its expansion and renamed it Hyrule’s second city.

The gate to Goron City was moved to a northern passage that had proved easier for bringing ore down from the Eldin mountains, however it did mean a longer trip up the mountain to reach Goron City that the previous gate.

The trio rode up the path that cut back and forth up the hillside that Kakariko was built on and soon reached a gate similar to the main one they’d come into the city by.

Red and brown stone took over the landscape. Small peaks of rock jutting up from the earth bordered the well-worn gravel and dirt path. The two horses trotted along obediently to a point, then became noticeably irritated, just as they came to a small plateau along the path. It played host to a covered hut, fresh bales of hay, and a strong hitching post.

“From here walk. The ground will become too hot for them.”

Osmond wondered how a red tunic would serve to protect him from the intense heat, and Fado’s answer was as useful as it needed to be.

“It’s fire magic. Ask Huron if you ever really wanna know.”

A few hours later as the sun began to sink in the distance, Osmond peered out over Hyrule. The Lanayru mountains kissed the horizon miles beyond the rolling green ocean that was Hyrule Field. From the sea of grass, jutted up the walls and rooftops of Castletown. Far below the cliffside, Kakariko City refused to rest as the final beams of twilight bathed it. Tall trees, flowing streams, and evidence of the creators of the world were everywhere. Anything more was beyond the realm of written or spoken words.

“Quite the sight, isn’t it?”

Zelda’s words startled Osmond.

“Yeah. It’s… unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”

“The wilds of this kingdom are so serene and beautiful, it’s hard to imagine the wars that have played out on them.”

Osmond nodded silently.

“I need to apologize for my actions in the forest. I did not trust you or Fado as I should have.”

Osmond turned feeling like time had stopped.

“I… I had a conversation with my mother and father when we returned. My mother and I don’t get along because she thinks I think less of her since she is not the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom.”

This was common knowledge among most people in Hyrule. Daphnes was the grandson of the Princess of Destiny from the Era of the Hero of Time. His mother carried the sacred relic after inheriting it from the Princess of Destiny, and in turn she passed it down to Daphnes when she passed away. The current Queen Zelda was only a Zelda in name, not a direct descendant of the Goddess Hylia.

“I actually envy her,” Zelda continued, her eyes fixed on the fading light, “it is a burden that my father carries, and one I do not look forward to knowing myself. What I do resent her for though, is thinking my choice in studies is useless. She would rather me act a royal, wear the gowns and perform for aristocrats, than ride out and fight for my kingdom. It is a part of my duty to be a warrior when my lands need it. I think I unfairly took that out on you and Lord Fado when we were in the forest.”

A gust of warm air floated from above on the mountainside. Osmond took it as a sign to wait with his response.

“When I first encountered you,” Zelda said, finally turning to look at Osmond, “on the street that night. My actions… that same resentment I feel for my mother… It cost your mentor his life. I could spend the rest of my life working to repay that debt, and it would still be not enough. I am truly sorry, Sir Osmond.”

Osmond looked away for a moment, holding down a deep aching that he knew she was right about.

“If I harbored any resentment for that now, it is forgiven,” he finally said. “He would have given his life a thousand times over to ensure your safety. I will honor his vows and virtues by doing the same for you. A thousand and one times if need be.”

The two of them stood on the bluff, looking out on the long shadows spreading across Hyrule. The warm air turned cool as it blew up from the valley below.

“Oy! It’s only another hill,” Fado called. He had been resting and taking a drink from his canteen.

Osmond bowed before Zelda, and she rested her hand on his shoulder.

“I’ll hold you to that then,” she said before turning and chasing after Fado.

Osmond smiled, then followed as well.