Sage's Journey
By pokenutterMore Info / Reviews
Chapter 1: Transference
The moon shone brightly down on Gerudo Valley. The desert sands were buffeted upwards, but gently deposited. At the bottom of a canyon, a turbulent river rushed past several rocky shelves. In short, this was the perfect night for meditation.
Draco the Zora stood on the edge of a flimsy bridge, overlooking the Gerudo Valley Tributary. He was of average height for a Zora, one of the aquatic humanoids who ruled the waterways of East and West Hyrule. However, there were some key differences. First, contrasting the normal royal blue scales of his fellow Zoras, his were bright indigo. Second, he had a scar across his forehead, left by a piece of shrapnel. Finally, a Hylian Longbow was slung across his back, with a quiver of arrows deposited about twenty feet away.
He quickly looked around to see that no one was watching; thieves were all too prevalent in these parts. Seeing no one, he took a step backwards. He offered a silent prayed to the goddess Nayru, and leaped off of the bridge.
Wind rushed past him. A howling gale was present, getting louder all of the time. He took a look at the wall of water that he was rapidly approaching, and angled himself slightly; it would not do to be splattered against the bottom of the river. He knew as his head broke through the water that he had judged correctly.
However, it did not matter that he was incredible at judging depth. What did matter was that he was a horrible judge of current. The moment that he was completely underwater, he was whisked off in a Western direction. He fought against the current with all his might. Come on! He thought with disdain. Where’s that phenomenal swimming strength that Zoras are famed for?
Eventually, he realized that he was no longer fighting a current. He knew exactly where he was. Lake Hylia.
Damn it! He thought. Lake Hylia is Zoran territory! If the other Zoras find me here-
“What are you doing here, Draco?”
Draco slowly turned around to another Zora, this one with a hefty spear. “Um… Hello! So… er… nice to see you here!”
“I asked you a question, Draco. What are you doing here? Lake Hylia is Zoran territory. You should know that by now.”
“Yeah. Funny story. I was up in Gerudo Valley, in the canyon. I was trying out a special kind of meditation that I’d read about, and the current whisked me away.”
The Zora looked skeptical. “What are the details on this meditation?”
“Well basically, you just sort of float in the water, and try to find a calm inner center.”
“Self hypnosis.”
“In a nutshell.”
“Nonsense. In any case, you should know how treacherous the Gerudo Valley Tributary is. And anyway, you’re a Zora! Why didn’t you just try to swim back upriver?”
“You know that while all of the other little Zoras were working on their swimming, I was working on a power source that didn’t rely on wind.”
“I remember that. It exploded and almost killed King Zora. Have you forgotten why you’re an exile?”
“I remember. I’ve actually almost perfected such an energy source. It works off of lightning, but it’s really rather big…”
“Enough of your rambling. I need to turn you in.”
“No, don’t turn me in-“
“It’s the law, Draco. You could’ve picked any place to do your ‘meditation’, if that’s really what you were doing.”
“I live on Death Mountain. The Gorons fear water; they won’t allow more than a small pitcher anywhere near them. The only water in Hyrule not under Zora jurisdiction is in the well in Kakariko Village. The last time I tried to meditate there, I got slapped with a 150-rupee fine.”
“Why would you want to meditate, anyway? What’s in it for you?”
“I think my clearest thoughts underwater. Anyway, please don’t turn me in”
“I have to.”
“No you don’t. You could say that I escaped.”
“I’d be lying.”
“You could ignore me, and act like I’m not here.”
“And shirk my duty? Try again.”
“I can pay you.”
“How much?”
“Up to four hundred fifty-seven rupees.”
“That’d just say that I can be bribed. I’ll give you one more chance”
Draco sighed. “Okay. Give me five minutes to meditate. Then, I’ll come.”
The other Zora nodded. “That’s fair. Five minutes, but no longer. I’m counting.”
Draco laid back in the water, letting it completely immerse him. He breathed in and out slowly. He felt the water around him, every tiny droplet. Then suddenly, he was the water. Turbulent and free, all encompassing, aware of everything around it. He let his mind wander.
Then, inexplicably, he was no longer in Lake Hylia, but in a strange place. There were numerous platforms scattered around one large one, and blue light undulated through what he believed were walls. On the large platform were six figures. He didn’t know any of them personally, but he knew who they all were.
Each was an important historical figure. Rauru, the Sage of Light was a Hylian advisor to the king of Hyrule. Saria, the Sage of the Forest was a Kokiri, and one of the most respected and beloved people who lived in the strange forest right next door to the Lost Woods. Darunia, the Sage of Fire was a former Goron chieftain until he ascended to a higher state. Ruto, the Sage of Water was a Zora princess who had been in love with the Hero of Time, Link. She was also his Aunt by blood. Impa, the Sage of Shadow was Princess (though, it was more appropriate to call her Queen now) Zelda’s caretaker. Finally, Nabooru, the Sage of Spirit was a Gerudo commander who had betrayed the King of Evil, Gannondorf.
Rauru spoke first. “Welcome, friends. It has been thirty years since the events of the Imprisoning War. Hyrule is safe, and no evil has stirred since the war ended.”
Draco was puzzled. Why were they talking about the Imprisoning War?
The Imprisoning War was a series of events beginning with the Hyrule Civil War. The kingdom had been falling apart at the seams. Some wanted to continue as things were, but others wanted rebellion. In the midst of all of this, a Gerudo thief named Gannondorf had come to the king asking for peace. The king trusted Gannondorf, and allowed him to come and go as he pleased, to help out in difficult situations, and even to speak privately with him. However, his daughter, Zelda, distrusted Gannondorf, so she sent a friend of hers on a quest to obtain the keys to the Sacred Realm. The idea was for this young man- Link, he was called- to defend the Master Sword, the holy Blade of Evil’s Bane that served as the key to the Sacred Realm. However, Link drew the blade, and was held in suspended animation for seven years.
Gannondorf used the fact that the Master Sword was no longer in its pedestal, and entered the Sacred Realm. He laid his hands on the Triforce, the mystical artifact blessed by the goddesses Din, Faore, and Nayru. He wished for absolute power, and Hyrule was thrown into a state of chaos for those seven years.
However, Link awoke from his slumber as the Hero of Time, a warrior whose destiny it was to defeat Gannondorf. He trekked across Hyrule, finding the elemental temples and awakening the Sages to their new powers. He finally made it back to Hyrule Castle after fighting ghosts, dragons, and witches to fight Gannondorf. In the ensuing battle, it was revealed that when Gannondorf wished on the Triforce, his unbalanced heart caused it to split into three pieces- The Triforce of Power, carried by Gannondorf, the Triforce of Wisdom, carried by Zelda, and the Triforce of Courage, carried by Link. Gannondorf used the Triforce of Power to transform into a huge piglike beast, but was still defeated. When the final blow was dealt, the sages channeled their power, and imprisoned Gannondorf in the Sacred Realm. However, Zelda had one loose end to tie up; Link had never gotten the chance to grow up and have a childhood. So, she sent him back in time, in order to enjoy his childhood, and to prevent the Imprisoning War from ever happening. It seemed, however, that this reality could not be prevented, as they were still recovering from those events.
Rauru spoke again. “You may notice that we are missing a member. Queen Zelda is too busy to attend; she will receive a message later. I have called you all here on a matter of utmost importance: The weakening of Gannondorf’s seal.”
The other sages looked uneasy. Impa spoke up next. “Is it our powers? Are they weakening?”
“Sadly, yes. It might be a good idea to consider our options. Does anyone have any ideas?”
Saria raised a hand. “What would happen if we transferred our powers?”
Rauru shrugged. “Any number of things, the most plausible two are that the ones who received our powers would have them back at full power immediately, but would not be able to access them to their full potential immediately. The other possibility is that Gannondorf will be freed.”
A sobering silence filled the chamber. Then, Darunia spoke. “Well, he’ll be released anyway if we do nothing. Who do we transfer to?”
Rauru nodded. “I agree. As for whom to transfer to, try to pick a personal favorite. Someone who you like and who has empathy for the element being selected.”
Ruto spoke up. “I think that Draco has seen enough. He knows what transpired. It’s a good thing that he was my choice.”
Draco jumped a little. They knew that he was here? Suddenly, he felt something prodding his side.
“Come on then. The five minutes are up. Hey, I’m talking to- Ack!”
Draco’s eyes flashed open. He was back in Lake Hylia, smack dab in the middle of a whirlpool. But how could that be? Lake Hylia had no outlet to the sea, and thus no current. The other Zora was caught up in it as well, and was screaming obscenities at Draco. Then, a platoon of other Zoras flashed forth from a tunnel at the Northern end of the lake. They grabbed Draco and the other Zora, and dragged them through a tunnel. One turned to Draco. “You’re in a lot of trouble.”
Draco the Zora stood on the edge of a flimsy bridge, overlooking the Gerudo Valley Tributary. He was of average height for a Zora, one of the aquatic humanoids who ruled the waterways of East and West Hyrule. However, there were some key differences. First, contrasting the normal royal blue scales of his fellow Zoras, his were bright indigo. Second, he had a scar across his forehead, left by a piece of shrapnel. Finally, a Hylian Longbow was slung across his back, with a quiver of arrows deposited about twenty feet away.
He quickly looked around to see that no one was watching; thieves were all too prevalent in these parts. Seeing no one, he took a step backwards. He offered a silent prayed to the goddess Nayru, and leaped off of the bridge.
Wind rushed past him. A howling gale was present, getting louder all of the time. He took a look at the wall of water that he was rapidly approaching, and angled himself slightly; it would not do to be splattered against the bottom of the river. He knew as his head broke through the water that he had judged correctly.
However, it did not matter that he was incredible at judging depth. What did matter was that he was a horrible judge of current. The moment that he was completely underwater, he was whisked off in a Western direction. He fought against the current with all his might. Come on! He thought with disdain. Where’s that phenomenal swimming strength that Zoras are famed for?
Eventually, he realized that he was no longer fighting a current. He knew exactly where he was. Lake Hylia.
Damn it! He thought. Lake Hylia is Zoran territory! If the other Zoras find me here-
“What are you doing here, Draco?”
Draco slowly turned around to another Zora, this one with a hefty spear. “Um… Hello! So… er… nice to see you here!”
“I asked you a question, Draco. What are you doing here? Lake Hylia is Zoran territory. You should know that by now.”
“Yeah. Funny story. I was up in Gerudo Valley, in the canyon. I was trying out a special kind of meditation that I’d read about, and the current whisked me away.”
The Zora looked skeptical. “What are the details on this meditation?”
“Well basically, you just sort of float in the water, and try to find a calm inner center.”
“Self hypnosis.”
“In a nutshell.”
“Nonsense. In any case, you should know how treacherous the Gerudo Valley Tributary is. And anyway, you’re a Zora! Why didn’t you just try to swim back upriver?”
“You know that while all of the other little Zoras were working on their swimming, I was working on a power source that didn’t rely on wind.”
“I remember that. It exploded and almost killed King Zora. Have you forgotten why you’re an exile?”
“I remember. I’ve actually almost perfected such an energy source. It works off of lightning, but it’s really rather big…”
“Enough of your rambling. I need to turn you in.”
“No, don’t turn me in-“
“It’s the law, Draco. You could’ve picked any place to do your ‘meditation’, if that’s really what you were doing.”
“I live on Death Mountain. The Gorons fear water; they won’t allow more than a small pitcher anywhere near them. The only water in Hyrule not under Zora jurisdiction is in the well in Kakariko Village. The last time I tried to meditate there, I got slapped with a 150-rupee fine.”
“Why would you want to meditate, anyway? What’s in it for you?”
“I think my clearest thoughts underwater. Anyway, please don’t turn me in”
“I have to.”
“No you don’t. You could say that I escaped.”
“I’d be lying.”
“You could ignore me, and act like I’m not here.”
“And shirk my duty? Try again.”
“I can pay you.”
“How much?”
“Up to four hundred fifty-seven rupees.”
“That’d just say that I can be bribed. I’ll give you one more chance”
Draco sighed. “Okay. Give me five minutes to meditate. Then, I’ll come.”
The other Zora nodded. “That’s fair. Five minutes, but no longer. I’m counting.”
Draco laid back in the water, letting it completely immerse him. He breathed in and out slowly. He felt the water around him, every tiny droplet. Then suddenly, he was the water. Turbulent and free, all encompassing, aware of everything around it. He let his mind wander.
Then, inexplicably, he was no longer in Lake Hylia, but in a strange place. There were numerous platforms scattered around one large one, and blue light undulated through what he believed were walls. On the large platform were six figures. He didn’t know any of them personally, but he knew who they all were.
Each was an important historical figure. Rauru, the Sage of Light was a Hylian advisor to the king of Hyrule. Saria, the Sage of the Forest was a Kokiri, and one of the most respected and beloved people who lived in the strange forest right next door to the Lost Woods. Darunia, the Sage of Fire was a former Goron chieftain until he ascended to a higher state. Ruto, the Sage of Water was a Zora princess who had been in love with the Hero of Time, Link. She was also his Aunt by blood. Impa, the Sage of Shadow was Princess (though, it was more appropriate to call her Queen now) Zelda’s caretaker. Finally, Nabooru, the Sage of Spirit was a Gerudo commander who had betrayed the King of Evil, Gannondorf.
Rauru spoke first. “Welcome, friends. It has been thirty years since the events of the Imprisoning War. Hyrule is safe, and no evil has stirred since the war ended.”
Draco was puzzled. Why were they talking about the Imprisoning War?
The Imprisoning War was a series of events beginning with the Hyrule Civil War. The kingdom had been falling apart at the seams. Some wanted to continue as things were, but others wanted rebellion. In the midst of all of this, a Gerudo thief named Gannondorf had come to the king asking for peace. The king trusted Gannondorf, and allowed him to come and go as he pleased, to help out in difficult situations, and even to speak privately with him. However, his daughter, Zelda, distrusted Gannondorf, so she sent a friend of hers on a quest to obtain the keys to the Sacred Realm. The idea was for this young man- Link, he was called- to defend the Master Sword, the holy Blade of Evil’s Bane that served as the key to the Sacred Realm. However, Link drew the blade, and was held in suspended animation for seven years.
Gannondorf used the fact that the Master Sword was no longer in its pedestal, and entered the Sacred Realm. He laid his hands on the Triforce, the mystical artifact blessed by the goddesses Din, Faore, and Nayru. He wished for absolute power, and Hyrule was thrown into a state of chaos for those seven years.
However, Link awoke from his slumber as the Hero of Time, a warrior whose destiny it was to defeat Gannondorf. He trekked across Hyrule, finding the elemental temples and awakening the Sages to their new powers. He finally made it back to Hyrule Castle after fighting ghosts, dragons, and witches to fight Gannondorf. In the ensuing battle, it was revealed that when Gannondorf wished on the Triforce, his unbalanced heart caused it to split into three pieces- The Triforce of Power, carried by Gannondorf, the Triforce of Wisdom, carried by Zelda, and the Triforce of Courage, carried by Link. Gannondorf used the Triforce of Power to transform into a huge piglike beast, but was still defeated. When the final blow was dealt, the sages channeled their power, and imprisoned Gannondorf in the Sacred Realm. However, Zelda had one loose end to tie up; Link had never gotten the chance to grow up and have a childhood. So, she sent him back in time, in order to enjoy his childhood, and to prevent the Imprisoning War from ever happening. It seemed, however, that this reality could not be prevented, as they were still recovering from those events.
Rauru spoke again. “You may notice that we are missing a member. Queen Zelda is too busy to attend; she will receive a message later. I have called you all here on a matter of utmost importance: The weakening of Gannondorf’s seal.”
The other sages looked uneasy. Impa spoke up next. “Is it our powers? Are they weakening?”
“Sadly, yes. It might be a good idea to consider our options. Does anyone have any ideas?”
Saria raised a hand. “What would happen if we transferred our powers?”
Rauru shrugged. “Any number of things, the most plausible two are that the ones who received our powers would have them back at full power immediately, but would not be able to access them to their full potential immediately. The other possibility is that Gannondorf will be freed.”
A sobering silence filled the chamber. Then, Darunia spoke. “Well, he’ll be released anyway if we do nothing. Who do we transfer to?”
Rauru nodded. “I agree. As for whom to transfer to, try to pick a personal favorite. Someone who you like and who has empathy for the element being selected.”
Ruto spoke up. “I think that Draco has seen enough. He knows what transpired. It’s a good thing that he was my choice.”
Draco jumped a little. They knew that he was here? Suddenly, he felt something prodding his side.
“Come on then. The five minutes are up. Hey, I’m talking to- Ack!”
Draco’s eyes flashed open. He was back in Lake Hylia, smack dab in the middle of a whirlpool. But how could that be? Lake Hylia had no outlet to the sea, and thus no current. The other Zora was caught up in it as well, and was screaming obscenities at Draco. Then, a platoon of other Zoras flashed forth from a tunnel at the Northern end of the lake. They grabbed Draco and the other Zora, and dragged them through a tunnel. One turned to Draco. “You’re in a lot of trouble.”
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- Chapter 1: Transference
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