Sage Descendants
Nine people stood in front of the aged Sheikah Woman. Three males, six females. Four elves, one Goron, a Kokiri, a sole Zora, a human and a half-Syren. They looked at Impa, into those deep, wise and observant and ancient crimson eyes. She gazed at the young people, and a half smile toyed at the corner of her mouth. Each of them had been brought to her to learn about how to use the raw power they possessed. She gave a cursory glance over to the King who stood at the Arches of the Courtyard. His exasperated expression told her that she should start.
“You have all been called here today for your abilities. You will be tested on what you can do, and which sage you will replace. Mind you, you will not be coming back. But you already know this. I will ask you to come to me individually to show me what you can do. Zelda, young princess, come forth. Show me your power.”
The adolescent princess, who had not yet turned 13, stepped to the old Sage of Shadow. She lifted her arms above her head and dropped them. Then, raised her right hand and produced a sphere of bright light. Zelda snapped her hand shut, getting rid of the light. Just then, with great flourish, she reached down to the ground and drew a line of light to above her head. Using both hands, she reached through it and pulled it apart. It burst and filled the already bright courtyard with tiny particles of light, leaving no shadows. She waved her hand in front of her face and it all disappeared. Impa’s face was impassive. She looked neither impressed nor disappointed. She merely retained the same expressionless face. A little disheartened, Zelda kept her eyes to the ground as she stepped back to the group of people.
“Boe.” the boy’s name was barked from the Sheikah’s mouth harshly. A boy with shoulder length, deadly black hair and impossibly dark colored eyes stepped forward. “If you would please.” he pointed the palm of his hand towards the shadows in a corner, and like a dog quivering at a reprimand, it sank to the ground. Boe beckoned the shadow to come. It slunk along the ground like shapeless black smoke. It curled up to his open hand and sat there looking at him. Looking at him. Boe blinked his eyes once and the shadow poured out of hand in a viscous manner and formed an orb of dark around him. Then it sank into the ground, taking Boe with it. A startled gasp sounded from one of the people there. It was the Zora girl.
“Not to worry. I’m here.” Boe said in a smooth, sarcastic sneer. The bubble of murk came up again in the shadow of the Arches, then went back to the corner. Boe was left standing behind the King.
“Interesting.” Impa raised her eyebrows briefly. “Tuia, come here.”
A surprised Kokiri girl with green hair and yellow eyes jumped at the sound of her name. She scurried onward to Impa. Tuia looked up to the woman, waiting for approval. Tuia got it in the form of a curt nod. She kneeled down and began whispering, to the ground, something in a chirpy, singsong language that left all but Impa clueless. A tiny sprout poked up through the short grass. Another remark from Tuia made it shoot up to a hundred feet at least, taking her on one of it’s branches. Tuia stood on the end of a bough and dropped down on the vertical trunk. Sliding, almost skiing down it, Tuia grabbed branches along the way, swinging up and down the tree in a dizzying spiral. When she reached the ground, a short round of applause rang out to the Kokiri. A wide and self satisfied smile spread on her face. She went back to the group and the next person, or rather, Goron was called.
“Komali.” a short, barrel chested, bow-legged, long-armed Goron lumbered forward. Impa smiled at him briefly. “It is strange that you have the name of a Bird-Person, young one of the rocks.”
“I may be of the ground and not the sky, but my spirit soars as high as the Rito once did.” Komali put his hands together and rubbed them against one another for awhile. Sparks erupted from between his rapidly moving fists. He caught a handful of them and blew them into a flame. He picked off a tiny pinch of the moving flame and threw it at the wall. It exploded against the white stone, leaving a large scorch mark. The next he pinched off was larger and caused a portion of the wall to crumble. He left it at that. With such a tiny amount of flame, he had caused damage already. Komali let them imagine what he could do with even larger flames.
“Now for the opposite to your element.” Impa almost smiled. Eloze, a young light blue Zora girl stepped forward. A high pitched screech was produced in her throat, rang out her mouth and swirled around her. It materialized into water that flowed in a cyclone that surrounded her. Light blue but clear in color, she was visible as it enclosed her in it’s depth. Eloze crossed her arms in an X formation, hands in tight fists and back straight. She glanced down at her feet and made sure that they were the correct distance apart. Then she tilted her head back and drew a deep breath of the blue water around her. Eloze took a step forward and blew a stream of water out of the side of the still-swirling whirlwind. It hit the scorch mark Komali made on the wall and it was washed away. Then aiming for the piece of crumbling wall, she shot water to it and made a complete hole through the stone. Eloze brought her arm to her side sharply and looked impatiently at the Sheikah. Impa nodded imperceptibly.
“Mudora, come. Bring your sword.” Impa ordered of the Gerudo. Mudora picked up a long scimitar with a bright, wide curving blade. It looked quite hefty, but in the confident hands of the Gerudo it seemed weightless. She took a fighting stance and as if there were an invisible enemy before her, she swung the scimitar fiercely. She dropped to the ground quickly and rolled to the left. Mudora bounced up and pulled a defensive posture. Sidestepping, she kept one arm in front of her. On the arm she had a plate of metal embedded with diamonds. Snapping out of defense she twisted and jumped, bringing her sword down to the ground. She stood up and performed a series of complicated gymnastics and sword thrusts. Mudora finally ended with a yell and her sword’s tip in the ground. Impa murmured her approval quietly to the Gerudo.
Llewelyn looked to Impa as Mudora got back in line. The Sheikah said, “You’re next.” the boy gulped and stepped in front of the group. He placed his hands on the ground as he crouched. He dug his fingers into the earth and ripped upwards. A pillar of stone rose beneath him and with great concentration, he shaped it down into the shape of a tektite. It bounced stiffly and he smiled. Llewelyn rode the stone monster around for a moment or two, then waved his hand over it. This time it took the form of Impa. It stood next to the real Sheikah, it’s stony face even more menacing than the one of flesh and bone. Impa chuckled slightly and the rest of the group tried their hardest not to break into hysterics. Then the statue dissipated into dust. Then, aiming for the hole that was made by both Komali and Eloze, he plugged it up with the dust-turned-stone. The plug turned the same light gray color as the rest of the wall. Only Aryll and Soshoka were left.
The tiny blond girl Aryll stepped forward and used her hands to make enigmatic gestures. A gust of wind came from behind her, ruffling her loose dress. She smiled as a small cyclone picked her up and transported her to the other side of the courtyard. she walked back to the group on air, literally. Being able to control the wind and air, she could levitate. Then all eyes were directed to the last one: Soshoka. The half siren girl began to sing the Royal Family’s theme, the song known as “Zelda First’s Lullaby”. A soft purple light emanated from her as she sang. Then once she finished that tune, she began to sing all of the Sages’ Songs: the Minuet of Forest, Bolero of Fire, Serenade of Water, Nocturne of Shadow, Requiem of Spirit, Prelude of Light, Earth Sage’s Lyric, and the Wind God’s Aria. As she did, the medallions of element were deposited into the hands of the young ones. Then, in a brilliant flash of light, all the spell casters were transported to the Sacred Realm.
Impa sighed with relief as Soshoka was taken back to her room. Hyrule would be safe for another thousand years. Until then, she, and the spirits of the old sages, could rest.
