Chapter Text
"Come on, birdbrain, you have to remember something else…"
Sky rubbed his eyes wearily. "I told you everything I remembered from the story I was told. A full Triforce was used in the Keep in the Sky. The legend wasn't clear on whether the Triforce was in the Keep or if it was just used there."
"Fine, we're clear on that, but you have to remember something about how it was used," Legend grumbled. "I only remember it was used to seal the evil, bringing the whole Keep down to the surface."
"The legend just said the Triforce granted the wish of its wielder, and that wish was to seal Malice away. Actually, the version I know called him Demise. I don't recall there being anything more specific."
Sky remembered this story well, but it had been a bedtime story his grandmother told him when he was a child, after all. His favourite one, one that he asked for night after night, but a bedtime story nonetheless. The details might have been wrong, his grandmother might have made them up, he had no idea. He told Legend as much.
The strategist had been grilling the operative ever since he had woken up, him and the doctor pouring over their notes, discussing what they remembered of old stories and how they could find out more. Time was sitting with them at the table, nursing a cup of coffee and occasionally offering his insight, opinion or memory.
"Damn, I wish I had my Book of Mudora," the strategist muttered again.
"So the Book of Mudora actually exists? I had only heard about it, never a direct quote, let alone actually seen a copy," Hyrule asked, intrigued. “I didn’t know it was an actual book.”
"Oh yes. Pretty rare, I have a relatively new edition, the last to be printed, I think, and one of the few copies to survive The Purge," Legend answered. "My uncle had it hidden away in an old chest."
"The Purge?" Even Sky didn't know about this.
It was Time who answered. "About 70 or 80 years ago, after the Rise of Astor, which is considered the last confirmed aborted cycle, most copies of the Book of Mudora disappeared. It's unclear if this was the doing of the Sheikah or the Yiga, because a loss of knowledge could potentially help either side, or backfire horribly." His lip twisted subtly in a mild approximation of a grimace. “Inside the organization it is certainly frowned upon, if you look into these kinds of stories and legends without having a specific and Sage-aprooved task to justify it. Knowledge in anybody else’s hands is dangerous, according to the Sheikah.”
The strategist grimaced. "Whatever the case, it will be almost impossible to put our hands on another copy of that Book." He paused for a long moment, his face turning pensieve. "Old Man, don't you think…"
Time cut him off, face stern. "Absolutely not. It's too dangerous. Our homes will be watched."
"But it might be our only chance of figuring out what is happening!" Legend pleaded. "I remember a story mentioning blood, and a Triforce, but I can't remember any more… I need that book…"
The commander's face softened. "Let's try other ways first. I still have some friends I trust in the organization, we just have to figure out how to contact them safely. If nothing else works, we'll go for your book."
They were distracted by Four, sitting up suddenly with a gasp from the nest of blankets in the corner he had been sleeping in.
"She lost something… she needs help…" the tech specialist muttered, obviously distressed and dazed. His eyes were dull and unfocused, his hair falling into his face, free from his usual headband. It was as if he was still asleep.
"Four, are you alright?" Sky asked, concern coloring his voice.
Hyrule stood and moved to kneel next to Four, who was still panting and staring vacantly into space, but seemed hesitant to reach out and touch him. "Four? Can you hear me? Did you have a nightmare?"
The tech specialist slowly turned to the doctor, his eyes seeming to flash violet in the low light. "There was… a woman. Thin, athletic, white short hair. She was looking for… someone. She was distraught, I could feel her pain."
After a moment, the tech specialist blinked hard and seemed to finally come back to himself, his eyes turning clear. He shook his head and then, still looking a little confused, turned his attention to Hyrule. "Sorry," he finally said. "It was just a dream." He rubbed his eyes. "I get these weird vivid dreams sometimes, much more intense than normal. It happens when I'm under pressure, usually."
Satisfied that Four was fine, Sky turned back to the two men who were still sitting at the table with him. To his surprise, he found both of them staring intently at where the doctor was kneeling next to Four, Time looking troubled and Legend speculative.
"So," he asked, pulling their attention back to the task at hand, "how about we take a step back and go through what we know of the separate pieces of the Triforce again?"
Legend nodded, pulling his notes back towards him. "Sounds good, let's get back to work."
***
The Chief was beyond frustrated. The investigation on team Farosh had uncovered all sorts of irregularities and infractions, painting all of its members as misfits, rogues and traitors. This was making it harder and harder to find a way to help Time, or to uncover any kind of truth regarding his suggestion that the Yiga had infiltrated the organization. Actually, on second thought, it might confirm just that.
Of course, Impa knew most agents were guilty of infractions similar to those attributed to team Farosh. Moving in to help a team member after an order to stay put, giving team members information beyond their security clearance level, even bending orders so far as to nearly disregard them. These, to the Chief, were all just indicators of how good and close knit this team was, how well they had been chosen and trained to work together. But when presented in Council under a certain angle, it suggested mixed loyalties and a planned betrayal. Could she possibly be the only one of the Sages to see just how wrong this was?
Well, to be fair, Time's boys hadn't made it better for themselves by breaking into headquarters and stealing restricted copy files, wreaking havoc and leaving six injured. She was having a hard time speaking on their behalf in Council, there was really not much she could say to justify such a deed..
The Chief rubbed her face, sat back in her chair and pushed back from her desk, turning to the darkened window. She didn't dare contact Time now, not until she had some useful information to share, even though she really wanted to know if they had retrieved any kind of useful intel, as even she didn’t know exactly what was in the files that had been taken. She knew Time would let her know when he found something meaningful, so she was willing to wait and keep doing her part.
A soft knock on the door distracted her from her thoughts. "Come in," she called softly.
She was a little surprised to see Dorian walk in. It was late, he normally would have been home with his daughters at this time.
"Dorian! You're working late today!"
"I have been a little busy, but I needed to talk to you. I imagined you would be still here."
"Well, how about we go have a coffee and you tell me everything?" Impa said, pushing herself off her chair.
"I'd rather not be overheard."
The Chief froze mid-movement, surprised at Dorian's words. The late hour meant there weren't many people around anyway, so his request was odd. The offices of the higher-ranking officers such as herself were secured and sound-proof, so she gestured to the sparse sitting area where two small armchairs and a coffee table were positioned. "Let's talk here, then."
She sat down on one of the armchairs and waited for Dorian to do the same. He seemed hesitant, but finally joined her and visibly collected his thoughts a moment before speaking.
"I am… uneasy about the situation with Commander Woods," he began. "I know how… close the two of you are, so I imagine this must be even harder for you."
While Dorian had been her close friend for over 25 years, sharing everything two people could possibly share in the intensity of life-or-death situations, they hadn't been quite as close in the last couple of years. Impa was therefore surprised and off balance that he would approach her like this. She chose caution in wording her reply.
"I won't let my personal feelings get in the way of my duty. If he has betrayed the organization, he will have to pay."
Dorian nodded politely at her words but seemed unconvinced.
"I… I am a bit surprised to hear you say that. Seeing how you have been defending him in council, I thought you were… partial to him and his cause."
The way Dorian pronounced the word 'cause' made alarm bells ring in Impa's brain. Something in her friend's choice of words was off, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She hesitated, arranging her words carefully.
"He was my friend. Has been my friend for many years, I trained him. But my loyalty is to what the Sheikah stands for. If he worked against that, then he became my enemy."
Dorian's eyes widened slightly at her reply, but quickly recovered, smiling warmly.
"I am glad to hear you say this. I thought that the… recent hard line the Sheikah has chosen to follow would not sit well with you." He cleared his throat, and the Chief got the distinct impression that he was stealing himself to something. "I… must admit I feared you to be siding with him over the organization. You have been comparatively quiet over this whole situation, considering your… superior knowledge of Commander Woods."
Impa felt her blood run cold. She had feared that someone would ask for her more direct involvement in the inquiry on Time, considering she had been the one to train him to become an operative, but she hadn't imagined Dorian, her lifetime friend, to be the one to call her out on this.
"I…," she began, hesitatingly. "I wouldn't know what to say. While it's true that we have been close in the past, our relationship had turned to 'Section Chief and Team Commander' lately, so I'm afraid I don't have any insight for the Council."
Dorian's lips twitched into a small smile. "We have been friends for most of our lives, Impa. I don't see you betraying a friend, even if circumstances were dire. Are you telling me that, if you knew Commander Woods.to be alive and you knew his whereabouts, you would share the information with the Council?"
Impa stiffened. "Dorian, you know as well as I do that it would be treason if I didn't."
The man seemed slightly taken aback, and dropped his smile. "I… I didn't mean…" he stuttered.
"If you have anything to say, say it." Impa snapped. "We have known each other for too long for games and innuendos."
Dorian was silent for a long moment, studying Impa's face with a thoughtful and cautious expression in his eyes. Finally, he spoke again, but this time in a barely audible whisper. "Impa, if you know something, just say it. Don't protect him, he isn't worth your life or that of your loved ones."
The Chief was stunned. She drew breath to answer, but found she had no words. Dorian was still staring intently at her, as if wishing her to understand… something. Something running beneath his words. Not… a threat. Nothing in his attitude was menacing. But… a warning. As if he knew something she didn't, but that he couldn't say.
A long moment ticked by in silence. Finally, the Chief felt she had been quiet for too long. She spoke slowly and carefully, looking into Dorian's eyes. She didn't know if she was testing him or willing him to understand what she couldn't say.
"I thought I knew Time, I really did. If he chose a different path, then there is little I can do. I know where my loyalties lie."
And she did. She had chosen her words very carefully, earlier. Her loyalties lay with the Sheikah ideals, but she wasn't sure if those were what the Organization was pursuing any more.