End of Legend of FIVE #2-Legend of FIVE #3

“Wake up…Wake up Link, the Chosen One…” The world blurred into being once more. Link saw a blue floor that looked alive. A luminescent essence flowed its surface like water. Just beyond the floor was an indescribable vastness. Platforms stood in mid-air in the distance. Light—or perhaps water—flowed down onto the platforms. It streamed from unseen parts of the new realm where Link now stood. When the pillars touched down on the platforms’ surfaces, it overflowed, pouring further down into the depths below. Link also stood on a platform. He saw many symbols around him. Each one had a color. The bright palettes added further brilliance to the room. The realm was otherworldly. Whatever happened when Link pulled the Master Sword led to him suddenly being here, in this space, in what seemed like a whole other world. Then, he saw the man. An old man stood on one of the spaces of the platform. He had snow-colored hair and dark eyes full of wisdom. The man donned a golden robe. It was adorned with different ornamentations. Link recognized the familiar symbol on the man’s chest. Three golden triangles joined together to make one. Anyone who saw this knew it was the Triforce of legend. It was the one relic Link had been tasked with protecting from Princess Zelda. Seeing it reminded him of the mission. Did he protect it? Was Hyrule saved? Link didn’t know. “I am Rauru,” said the old man. “I am one of the ancient sages.” The way the old man spoke was both fascinating and frightening. His voice was like the wind. It carried itself through the air, making itself known why also remaining gentle. The man who called himself Rauru was a decent distance away from Link. Still, it felt as if he were right next to Link with the way his voice sounded. “Ages ago, I and six others built the Temple of Time to protect the entrance to the Sacred Realm.” Rauru looked around as if to remember the day. “This is the Chamber of Sages, inside the Temple of Light. It is situated in the very center of the Sacred Realm. We are in the last stronghold against Ganondorf’s evil forces.” Last stronghold? Link’s heart sank. Rauru continued: “The Master Sword—the evil-destroying sword you pulled from the Pedestal of Time—was the final key to the Sacred Realm. Though you opened the Door of Time in the name of peace, Ganondorf did not come with such noble intentions.” Rauru gestured to the space around them. “He entered this Sacred Space, obtained the Triforce from the Temple of Light and with its power became an evil king. His power radiated from the realm and spread throughout Hyrule. Now, the land is a world of monsters, drastically transformed.” So…I failed. Link hung his head and closed his eyes. He felt different. Perhaps it was the heaviness of knowing he went wrong somewhere. Hyrule was different now. He let the one person who couldn’t take the Triforce do just that. His failure was heavy on his heart… “Link…” Rauru’s voice went from regal, noble, and intentional to something else; gentle. It was as if he felt Link’s pain and wanted to help it go away. “Link,” Rauru repeated. “Do not be alarmed. Look at yourself.” Link opened his eyes and the change became clear. He grew. It didn’t register how odd Link felt. He assumed that being unconscious affected his ability to perceive everything around him. The strangeness warped his senses, he thought…but this obviously wasn’t the case. Link actually changed. He actually became a different someone altogether. “Link…” Link slowly turned his gaze back at Rauru. He swallowed his shock. “You are well,” said Rauru. “You are in the place destiny expected you to be and knew you would be. It has all come to pass, no matter what has happened leading up to this day, this hour, and this very moment. Stay firm. Stand firm.” Everything felt heavy; the revelation, the new body, the very air of the room. Still, Link made himself nod. He blinked away tears in his eyes. “I…I will,” he said, not wanting to falter. His voice was deep, no anything like he remembered about himself. Rauru directed his focus behind Link. Link suddenly felt it on his back; a new sheath strapped to his body with a blade in it. It didn’t take Link long to know that somehow the Master Sword grafted itself to him. The blade felt heavy as well. It was heavier than anything he ever carried. “The Master Sword on your back is a sacred blade,” Rauru proclaimed. “Evil ones may never touch it. Not even those with noble intentions can take the sword from its pedestal and live. Only those with the spirit of a true hero can wield such power. You are worthy, Link, for you are the Hero of Time.” “How much time has passed?” Link asked. “Seven years.” Link looked at himself again. He still wore emerald green garb. His boots were still made of brown leather and a belt held the tunic up. Link felt his cap fastened to his head. The gloves were new—it was strange how he hadn’t felt them until now but seven years of slumber probably numbed his senses—and he couldn’t believe the sound of his own voice. It was deep and seasoned with lost years. “Why did I have to be this way?” Link murmured. “You were too young at the time,” said Rauru. “Too young to wield the blade and far too young to be the hero Hyrule needed. In the moments between the realm’s last stretch of peaceful light and its eventual descent into darkness, the blade found a way to spare you. It sealed you here, and thus kept you safe from Ganon and the evils he unleashed. But now, your destiny has unfolded. You are awakened. You are ready, young Link.” Alarm filled Link’s heart and mind. Jerome…Sheila…Navi—NAVI, he had to speak to her, he had to ask her why, he needed to… “What happened to the others?” Link looked to Rauru for answers once more. Rauru looked behind Link again. He tilted his head, looking further up. “They are here,” said Rauru. “Sealed shortly after you were, spared in the same way. Their destinies are important as well. They shall awaken in due time. Then, you shall be seen off to where you must go—back to Hyrule.” Link turned around to look where Rauru now stared. Three crystal structures hovered high above him. The prisms spun slowly, hanging by nothing but air and magic. Within the shimmering shells were silhouettes–long bodies, forms Link didn’t knew and yet was familiar with. They would soon be like him–awake and unsure of the new life they were about to take on. One silhouette didn’t change during the slumber. At first glance, she wouldn’t have seen. Link sought Navi out. She was there, sealed away, and probably the same exact way she’d been since they first met. Navi, Link whispered. Why? Why didn’t you tell me…you must have known… Rauru continued on. “They are safe. The boy and girl from the other world have changed. All of you had to be sealed away. Now, all of you are stronger. Take courage in that.” Link turned back to face Rauru. He struggled to believe everything he’d just seen. The Temple of Light’s radiance continued to glow around him. Link wondered what was next. “Jerome and Sheila are part of ancient bloodlines,” Rauru said. “They’re descended from warriors who protected Hyrule with the elements.” This makes sense, Link thought. Jerome could control fire. Sheila constantly saw the future. Trevor controlled water, Rebecca summoned spirits and suddenly all these truths brought sense into this journey. Four children from Oak Shire, Illinois had ties to Hyrule this whole time. They were meant to come to this world. They were meant to help save it. Unfortunately… “Every essence which binds Hyrule together is upheld by the land’s temples,” Rauru said. “Fire. Water. Shadow. Spirit. I…cannot sense the essence of Spirit, of the young woman who harnesses souls in order to battle great threats…but your combined might give you the best hope.” “Are Trevor and Rebecca alive?” Link hoped this would be true. “Again, young Rebecca’s presence is yet to be felt,” said Rauru. “Young Trevor, however, is alive and has reawakened his powers after seven years. His heart will be set on returning to Hyrule soon. He too, has a destiny. It is time to embrace it.” Rauru reached out to Link with one of his hands. Golden light shined from him, pouring out his fingertips. The rays formed a disk and it soon turned solid. A medallion hovered before Link’s eyes, calling to him. “There are temples in Hyrule,” Rauru declared. “They are empowered when a Sage dwells within their walls. The Power of the Sages has not been used for ages but they do remain. When the power of all the Sages is awakened, the ability to seal away evil shall be restored—and used for victory. However, the Hero of Time and the Elementals must work together to make this happen.” Rauru gently flitted his hand towards the medallion. The medallion made its way to Link, falling into his palms. “This is my sacred power,” said Rauru. “I add it to your own. May the goddesses guide you to victory.” Rauru suddenly started to change form and shape. He took a step back. His body turned transparent. “I must go ahead of you to Hyrule.” Rauru’s voice also started to fade. It was a whisper of wind rather than a powerful one. “May you be victorious, Link. Help your friends. Save Hyrule…for the good of the land.” With that, Rauru faded away. Link almost wondered if he saw the sage at all. Everything else around him showed the truth he needed to know. The Sacred Realm remained. Its wonders continued to fill his sight and this was when he realized what destiny truly looked like. Link felt the weight of his destiny…and it was both wonderful—and terrifying. Link heard a crack behind him. He turned around and looked up at the crystal pods hovering above him. Each one had a break in their surface. The pods slowly descended from up above. As they moved, the pods continued to crackle and break down. By the time the pod made their way down to Link’s level, touching down on the platform, the pods broke all the way open. Link’s friends spilled out at the same time. Jerome and Sheila sprawled themselves across the luminescent floor. Navi fluttered down like a flower petal plucked from its root. All three laid before Link and the sight proved the passage of time. Jerome was no longer the tall dark-skinned boy with a quiet, humble demeanor. His hair was still dark, curly and formed into a ball on his head, but the volume of the strands increased greatly. He was much taller now, being about six feet tall by a couple inches. His body had been reformed in the seven years of slumber. It seemed as if the Sacred Realm had a mind of its own; it made sure to make him stronger and formidable, even after all this time. Sheila grew as well. Her raven bob of hair became a flowing mane that went down her back until it the end of it was right above her waist. She had a far more mature face; the innocence and angel-like features were gone and replaced by something structured, by a different kind of shape. Her skin was still fair but also darkened. Her clothes looked better suited for battle; her kimono from Kakariko had been replaced by a sleeveless grey shirt that looked like it was made from silver, and a pair of dark pants that went down to her ankles. The change was clear. None of the group was truly the same. Even with Navi being the same kind of fairy she was in the past, changed existed. Jerome and Sheila stirred. They stretched themselves out as if they were waking up from a regular sleep. Both of their eyes fluttered open. When the two sat up, they looked at Link. They flinched. “Ah!” Jerome shouted. His voice was deeper than Link’s. “Who are you?!” Jerome paused. He heard himself. After clapping a hand over his mouth, Jerome looked down at himself. The brown cloth garb he received from the Gorons had been replaced by a whole new outfit, a cloth accented by red and gold. Jerome noticed the change. His mouth hung open. Both eyes were wide. “What…I…huh?” Jerome and Sheila both started looking at themselves. Both of them looked at one another and froze. After a time, Sheila reached out to Jerome and touched his face. She ran a hand down the side of his face, as if she couldn’t believe who was in front of him. “…Jerome?” Jerome put a hand over Sheila’s, holding her touch against his face. He nodded. “Yeah,” he said. “Sheila?” Sheila nodded. “It’s me…what…what happened?” The two panned over to Link. Link looked back at them and waited. Jerome and Sheila narrowed their eyes before their faces brightened up with recognition. The shock was undeniable. “Link,” Sheila whispered. “Is that you?” Jerome asked. Link nodded. He looked down at himself, observing his gloved hands and his own new attire again. None of this felt believable. “It’s me,” said Link. “There’s so much to explain…” Sheila and Jerome couldn’t take their eyes off their friend. “Are we bigger now?” Sheila asked. Link crossed his arms. “By seven years.” Jerome covered his face with his hands. “Oh, God…” Link heard a soft groan. Navi came to. She sat up, her miniscule form sitting up. Her four wings rustled. Navi put a palm on her head as if she hurt herself, groaning aloud. When she looked at Link, Navi gasped. The fairy flew up to the boy from the woods. He was a man now. Everything was different. When Navi came up to Link, her face was filled with worry…and something else. Link knew that had to be addressed. “It’s going to be OK Link,” Navi said. “It’s going to be alright…” Link only looked at Navi. He couldn’t say a word to her. He kept silent and knew that there was story he had to tell everyone. From there, who knew how’d they get out of the Sacred Realm to get back to Hyrule…?