“Master
Aqua, is it really you?”
“I figured you would come along
eventually. It would seem that several of the lost Guardians are
making their way here to Unto.”
“What? There are more that
survived the attack by Demise?!”
“Demise? Is that his name?
But yes, there were more Guardians who were sent to this world losing
their wings and halos in the process. I know this because I have
received magic messages from those of our number who were mages.
They immediately began making their way here to Unto as soon as I
gave them the news.”
“What news Master Aqua? Tell me,
please!”
“Um...we're still standing here.” Riku turned to
the voice of Link to see everybody looking at them both with extreme
confusion.
“I thought you said that Earaqus was your master
Riku.” Traito mentioned.
“Oh, forgive me.” Aqua said.
“My name is Aqua Vimgor. I was Riku's teacher during his time as a
Guardian. We were both Guardians until the attack on the Observatory
happened.”
“Whoa, wait a minute,” Morgan remarked, “Riku
and this lady are Guardians?”
“Yes.” Riku and Aqua said in
unison. Morgan gave them both a blank stare.
“I'll be standing
over here if anybody needs me.” He said slowly walking away with a
confused air about him. Thrito followed him deciding that he
suddenly needed to go to the bathroom.
“Link, would you please
leave me and Aqua be?” Riku asked.
“Sure, I guess so.”
Link walked off to try and find anything good to eat and see how the
city worked.
“So what have you found Aqua?”
“First off,
before I tell you anything, who is this young man standing here?”
Riku introduced Traito to Aqua and told her about the inner
circle.
“Inner circle? You have some conspiracy theory going
around here Riku?”
“Not so much that as it is to keep the
younger ones safe from all this madness. They have seen a few
things, make no mistake, but they have yet to see the horrors of war.
Also, there is something amiss with the legend of Demise. Something
I find very odd. But first, tell us what you have found.”
Link
walked over to Thrito standing on the edge of one of the connecting
bridges with a bottle of wine in his hand.
“Everything okay my
friend?” Link asked putting his hand on his shoulder.
“My
village, my home, my friends and elders, were all killed only a few
days ago. How do you think I feel?”
“Sober enough to realize
that drinking won't help your issues but rather deteriorate your
body.”
“I've needed this drink for a long time. We never had
any back on the ship, and I've needed something to help me cope with
it the last few days. I mean, have you ever lost somebody in the
blink of an eye? And never got a chance to say farewell to those you
loved?” Link took his hand off Thrito's shoulder and twiddled his
thumbs over the edge of the bridge.
“My great grandmother died
when I was very little. She was attacked by a pack of goblins by the
path near our farm. I was nearby, and saw them attacking her, and
grabbed the family sword without thinking. I ran over there as fast
as my legs would carry me and started slashing away at the monsters
with no real sense of direction. When the dust settled and the town
guards came to help, it was too late to save her. I remember crying
for several days afterwards, but then my mother came to me and told
me, that if she was still there in my memories, then she would be
with me forever in my heart. I wrote it off as crazy nonsense at the
time, but as I have grown up, I've found that it actually works. I
no longer remember her beaten and cut up body, I only remember her
bright and loving smile.” Thrito pondered this, looked at Link,
then looked at his bottle.
“Tell me, how old are you now?”
“45
years old.”
“How young were you when you lost her?”
“About
12.”
“And you still remember her after all this time?”
“Of
course I do.” Thrito took one last look at his bottle and then
tossed it into the sea.
“I don't really know how to respond to
something like this. I mean, it just, I don't know.” Link placed
his hand back on Thrito's shoulder and just stood there while Thrito
shed some tears.
“You're
absolutely certain Master Aqua?”
“Absolutely. It has to be.
All the symbols on this particular gate point to it. And if my
theory is correct, then we need all the fallen Guardians to come here
to Unto. And considering that I think that the creature you call
Demise has found it, then we need to hurry and get through that
gate.”
“They why haven't you done it?!” Traito spoke
up.
“Unfortunately, the legends are a lot more accurate than I
thought they would be. Only the chosen one can pass through the
gate, and since it is probably a Guardian or someone who has been in
their services, it would only make sense to call every Guardian stuck
on this planet to try and gain the ultimate weapon.”
“All
right.” Riku said. “Can you show us the gate then master?”
“Of
course. Right this way.” Aqua took them down a flight of stairs
to a bridge close to the surface of the water far below where they
were a moment ago. As they started walking, they heard a bell
beginning to chime back by the secret entrance.
“We need to
move quickly.” Aqua said. “That's the warning bell that the
tide is about to rise up for the night. We'll need to move
quickly.”
“Fine by me.” Riku said. “Take us to it.
Now.”
Link was
still standing out on the bridge where he and Thrito were talking
earlier. Thrito had gone back to the place where they were staying
to turn in for the night. As he looked out over the edge, he saw
some torch light down on one of the lower bridges. He noticed that
it was Aqua leading Riku and Traito somewhere down into the depths of
the city. Curious, he decided to follow them. He had to move
quickly so that he didn't lose them, and as he reached the level
where they were, he heard a bell ringing back by the secret entrance.
He moved quickly to keep the three of them in his sights, but kept
far enough back as to not be spotted. As they made their way through
the many different bridges and passages, Link noticed that the water
was starting to get higher and higher. And with it, the three up
ahead were picking up their pace faster and faster. For a moment, he
thought about turning back, but there seemed like there was something
in his mind telling him to continue forward. For about another
hundred yards, they kept moving like this until they came to a small
door frame. It had several ancient carvings along the outside as far
as Link could tell.
“Are
you sure this is it Mistress Aqua?” Traito asked. “It's a lot
smaller than the one we saw back in Gueron.”
“You saw one of
the other gates during your travels?! Tell me, what did it look
like?” Riku was about to speak when a wave came crashing down
right next to the platform they were standing on.
“We don't
have time to indulge you in our tales Master. Just tell me what you
need me to do.”
“Fine. According to prophecy, you need to
place your right hand in the middle of the door Riku, and if you are
the chosen one, then you immediately pass through into the fabled
Temple of Light.”
Link
couldn't hear anything that they were saying and decided to not get
closer so he could hear them. The waves were starting to get bigger
and bigger and the post he was hiding behind was an excellent shield
against the rising waves for the time being. He looked over at the
group again, and saw Riku place his right hand on the center of the
door. Nothing happened and he seemed to show signs of
disappointment. The group started running back, and Link waited for
them to pass him in order not to be spotted. He was about to follow
them back when a giant wave hit the post and shook the support beam
it was holding, causing Link to lose his balance. When he got his
bearings back, he couldn't see the light from the torch that his
friends were carrying. Starting to panic, he decided to get down on
all fours and feel the wood planks to a point where he could climb
some stairs and get to safety. But that idea was quickly tossed
aside as he realized that the waters were now beginning to submerge
the planks and that he was out of options. Thinking he might have to
hope that the tide would rise quickly and high enough to reach safer
grounds, he wished that he had been a better swimmer. Suddenly, as
if from nowhere, a whisper brushed past his ear. He looked around
and had a feeling it was coming from the door frame that Riku and the
other two were crowding over. He walked over to it, and tripping,
placed both hands on the door. Then there was a flash of light, then
nothing at all.
The
three of them got back to their room and sat down. Riku was
extremely upset.
“Blast it! Why won't anything happen?! At
this rate, Demise might as well ravage the whole world before we
discover who the Selected One is!”
“Calm down Riku. We'll
figure this out.” Aqua said.
“Hey, while we're on the
subject, does somebody mind telling me what this special gate is
supposed to be?” Traito piped up.
“Legend says that in time
of dire need, that someone selected by the Goddesses will pass
through the Golden Gate, and be found in the Temple of Light, the
resting place for the Sky Sword. An ancient blade said to be crafted
by the high god himself. Legend has it that whoever holds the sword
will destroy the great evil that plagues the land and restore
balance.”
“Sounds like a cheap way to gain victory, but I'll
take it.”
“We'll all take it. But for tonight, we can't do
anything more. Let's get some sleep and hope that more Guardians
will arrive tomorrow. I will show you to your quarters.” Aqua led
them up a flight of stairs to a set of bedrooms for each individual
person. Thrito was already in his room, sleeping like a log. Link's
designated room had it's door closed, so they assumed that he was
already asleep. Riku went into his room and sat on his bed, looking
out the small window that he had. He couldn't see much, but he did
have one small view of the stars.
“My love, can you see me
through this small crack? I wish I knew. I miss you so much. I
mean, I had found happiness with you, and then you were taken from
me. And when I finally got a chance to taste death and be with you
at long last, it too was taken from me and I had to do odd jobs to
help the world. And then, when I thought I would finally see you
again, I was banished back to this accursed land. I want to die, but
I can't die. Not until I fulfill my duties. I'm afraid if I run
away from this, I couldn't face you in the sky. I miss you darling.”
Riku then turned around in his bed and fell right asleep.
“Um...what
the heck just happened.” Link was standing in a gray temple with
sunlight pouring in through stain glass windows. There was a giant
stone door with a rising sun carved into it. Looking around, he
realized that there was no exit or entrance to this place at all. So
he was basically trapped.
“Hello?! Is anybody here?”
“I'm
here.” Link jumped back a few steps and found his mysterious woman
standing right behind him. “
“Oh great. You again. Don't
tell me, let me guess, you're going to spout a lot of random riddles
to my face and then I wake up, is that right?”
“Actually, I
am going to tell you everything I know and that you need to
know.
“Well it is about time.”