Chapter Text
"The history of Hyrule is also the history of its heroes. Some have been young and inexperienced while others had training and skill. These heroes would always rise to face evil though it is a vicious cycle that would always repeat."
The sound of a page turning interrupted the silence of the spacious room. "In recent weeks there have been signs of this dark power rising agai-"
Seer Corrine turned and stared at their student, head resting in her arms and breaths even and deep. A beat of silence filled the space before they released a heavy sigh and closed their tome; which contained their current record of Hyrule's history.
They picked it up and with tome in hand they made their way to their student's work space and dropped the heavy literature onto the wooden surface. They watched with a little amusement as their student jolted awake, looking around confused before seeming to recall where she was and sheepishly turning to them.
"What's your excuse this time Zeila?" Seer Corrine asked in a flat tone as Zeila flinched.
"No excuse Seer, I had been unable to sleep last night and decided to stay up, even though I knew I would be here early this morning before classes." Zeila explained as she rubbed at her eyes and adjusted so she was no longer slouched in her seat.
A sudden feeling on unease overcame Seer Corrine as any remaining annoyance was replaced with concern. "What would have you unable to sleep and avoid getting the rest that you need?"
Their student traced shapes in the table's wooden surface with her sharp nails as she avoided their attention. Finally the young noble sighed and leaned back in her chair.
"I was trying to avoid some nightmares."
The feeling of dread grew as their ears twitched. "Nightmares?" They moved around the table and kneeled beside Zeila, gently taking one of the nobles soft hands in their own and rubbing their thumb across the back of it "You've never spoken of nightmares, how long have they been plaguing you?"
Mentally the pieces started falling further into place and Seer Corrine could only hope that the feeling of dread was only a false alarm and these were normal nightmares. Though as they continued watching their student they had a feeling there were more to these nightmares.
Finally there was a change and while Zeila did not meet Seer Corrine's eyes some of the tension released from her shoulders as she steadied herself. "They started coming up a few weeks ago, really inconsistent, they honestly don't make sense, in the beginning it was just a feeling of unease that I'd get when they happened that left me sitting up at night." Zeila explained looking as her mentor nodded to show they were listening.
"When they started all I had to do was wake up and they'd be gone when I fell asleep again, though last night they - they came back every time I closed my eyes, and they were more clear then they've been before."
Seer Corrine nodded again as their apprentice explained, though a sense of familiarity nagged in the back of their mind, and continued to increase their unease. "Tell me what they showed you? Perhaps there is something they are trying to tell you."
Zeila released another breath, leaning further back with her eyes closed, as though trying to picture what she saw in her sleep.
"They would always start with nothing and then there would be a light that felt warm and familiar. I would try to move towards this light, feeling this need to be near it, then another one appeared, red and full of hate but also familiar?"
Zeila paused for a moment, contemplating the statement. "Not familiar like the first one but familiar like seeing a face of someone you lost and being reminded of the pain."
Seer Corrine watched as their student gazed into some far distance, seeing something they couldn't while trying to figure out a puzzle they didn't have all the pieces for.
"Normally I would wake up by that point, but last night I watched as the first light was consumed by the second it fought against it but felt like it was holding back. The red continued to consume it when suddenly the first light was gone."
Zeila now had her head resting in her hands eyes closed as she pictured what she saw the night before.
"Then something broke, the red was pushed back and the first light shattered into so many pieces that flew in all directions. It felt like I was forced to watch someone close to my die," now she met her instructors eyes, hope shining in the blue. "and then I woke up again and decided to just avoid sleep."
For a moment nothing was said, Zeila hadn't yet moved, while her mentor contemplated what they had been told.
"I'll need some time to think over what you told me and see if I can find any meaning of your nightmare. For now we'll end the lesson here." They stood and helped Zeila remove herself from her seat.
"When your lessons are done, if you have the opportunity, visit me this afternoon and we'll see what we can figure out." Zeila nodded and Seer Corrine watched as their student left while their thoughts were racing.
---000---
Zeila left the Seer's Temple and descended the stairs to find a familiar face waiting for her. He shared a number of classes with her and followed the same track as her as well, seen in the males version of the mage students' uniform. The main thing that set him apart from others in their track was his build.
Where as the other mages were lithe and built for the delicate work of the mages he was a mountain of a teen, larger than many in their classes. If not for his uniform he'd be seen as a student of the knight track.
"Zeila!" He called, hand waving as he ascended the first few steps to meet her on her way down. Once she was level with him they left the temple behind them and headed further into campus.
"I thought you were going to be in there a bit longer." Rorru said as they walked. "Though I grabbed a pastry for ya, cause I know you typically don't eat breakfast when you meet with the Seer." As he said this he dug through his bag and pulled out a white bag that he passed over to Zeila.
Inside the bag were two small pastries, still warm and the dough soft and flakey. One was plain though the other was a treat that she appreciated and would eat first. The pink colored cream was visible along the folds of the pastry and while she knew the pastry may give her a bit of a headache she would relish the bit of flavor as much as she could.
"Rhonda at the bakery made it especially for you." Rorru explained as they sat at one of the benches in the campus quad, Zeila taking the pink cream pastry out of the bag. "She said and I quote 'just cause she can't always have sweet things doesn't mean she shouldn't be able to enjoy them', then she explained that she reduced the flavor a bit so it shouldn't be too much."
Zeila looked at the pastry as a feeling she couldn't quite name filled her. She took a bite, eyes closed and expecting the punch of flavor she was usually met with. Instead it was more of a glide as it coated her tongue in sweetness before she swallowed. Zeila relished the flavor for a moment, not quite used to it being enjoyable instead of overpowering and painful.
"By the Golden Three this is amazing!" Zeila exclaimed as she took another bite.
"Rhonda thought you'd like it, she's had a few Drakin come in though they don't typically return due to the 'restrictions' you all seem to have." Rorru explained, adding air quotes. "She told me she didn't want to exclude anyone from enjoying a sweet pastry and has been trying to mellow the flavor a bit so it isn't overpowering, though I can barely taste it."
"You would complain about not being able to taste it." Zeila pointed out as she took another bite and relished the flavor, knowing the care that went into making it. "I'll have to stop at the bakery later and let Rhonda know that it's perfect."
Rorru released a laugh and the two fell into a comfortable silence, enjoying the light of the morning sun and watching as a few of the early risers started wandering the quad before classes started.
---000---
There was a bit of time before her next class and Rorru was already in his next one so Zeila headed to the Knight side of the academy, ignoring those who looked her way as she headed toward the stables. With luck Link would be there and not too busy that she could hang out with him for awhile.
It wasn't too rare to see a Drakin, though considering their natural strength in Magic it was rare to see them on the Knight side of the academy.
She ignored the stares and the whispers, figuring they'd seen her here before and would go back to what they were doing once she wasn't in view anymore. Instead she made her way right to the stable where she knew her target was likely located.
As she approached she crossed paths with a fuming knight holding at his arm and shouldering past her. His uniform marked him as a third year and his face was familiar but she ignored it, holding in her chuckle as she entered the Knight's Stables.
At her entrance the horses began making a ruckus something most animals did around her and those like her, their ancestry making the animals nervous.
She walked past all of them and made her way towards a chestnut mare, one of the few animals that didn't react negatively towards her.
"Hello sweet girl. Did Sir Everwren come to bother you again?"
Almost as though answering her the horse moved her head in an almost affirming nod. From the other side of her stall's gate a head poked over, hay sticking out of the ginger locs as green eyes met blue. Soon as he knew he had her attention his hands started moving.
"Course he did, doesn't have anything better to do."
He gave the mare one last pat before pushing the gate open and leaving the stall. Once standing in front of her he puffed out his chest and pushed his chin out and made his lips into a pompous pout.
" 'No one as simple as you would understand but as the next hero the horse would be best suited for me' pretentious prick."
Zeila's expression soured a bit at his words. "Link, does he actually say those things to you?"
Instead of a clear answer Link merely shrugged his shoulders. Zeila pulled him into a tight hug.
"As though some sword would really pick a dumb bokoblin like him." She whispered into his hair, bringing out a small rare chuckle, as he burrowed deeper into her arms.
From behind her the mare in question whinnied and shook her head as though in agreement.
Feeling like joking more Zeila continued "Besides, Epona here would surely be able to clear out all of the monster forces on her own, she could probably be the next hero."
From her arms Link snorted and his shoulders shook with laughter.
"We'll have to tell Rorru about Everwren when we meet up later. Though it'll be later than usual cause I'm meeting with Seer Corrine after my classes are done."
At this Link pushed away from her and gave her a quizzical look.
Zeila thought for a moment, she's told Link a bit about her dreams but so far the Seer was the only one to know the complete details and she didn't want to worry Link, though she's rarely if ever lied to him before.
"Just talking about my apprenticeship, boring stuff that would just send you to sleep." She settled for, ignoring the look that crossed Link's face and the pit that formed in her stomach at lying to her friend.