The Legend of Zelda - The Tainted Blade (Season 2)

The Alchemist - (S2:E11)

Zel took a deep breath and knocked on the rough wooden door of the alchemist's house. A moment later, it opened just enough for someone to speak through.

"No lodging for adventurers," a young woman's voice said.

"We're not adventurers," Zel said. "We here to see the alchemist."

"On what business?"

"Show her," said Adara as she approached from the hitching post.

Zel unfastened the sword from his back. He peeled the wrappings away and turned the revealed hilt so the speaker could see. "I found the Master Sword. And it's killing me."

The door closed. Footsteps hurried away. Two sets hurried back. This time the door opened fully. A wrinkled man, with a short white beard, stood holding handle. With half-moon spectacles balanced on his nose, he tilted his head back to peer at the sword. He held himself upright, tall for an old man, and his clothing would have been more suited for a woodsman than an alchemist.

He grunted and turned away. "Enter." As he walked deeper into the house, he waved a hand at the young woman still waiting by the door. "Tea for our guests, Cari."

As the young woman rushed to the kitchen, Zel stared after her. Her hair hung in long braids of a blue so dark it was almost purple. Her neck shone blue from around her collar and spread up to her face where it faded into normal flesh tones. She couldn't have been any older than he, maybe a little younger. What was wrong with her?

"Sit," said the alchemist as he took his place at a table and motioned for them to do the same. "I am Acheron and this is my daughter Cari. She tells me you called me an alchemist, though I'm not sure I can live up to the expectation. Tell me your tale and I'll see if I can help. You carry a sword which looks like the sword of legend. Good forgeries are rare enough, and that alone would be worth your story."

Zel glanced at Adara and she nodded at him to proceed. "It's no forgery," he said. "I found it in the Lurelin Harbor."

For the next hour, Zel told the alchemist everything, only deferring to Adara when he couldn't recall some of the details, especially during his times of sickness. He told of his journey from Lurelin to Hyrule Castle and his encounter with Rangtar. Though Acheron grunted and narrowed his eyes, he didn't appear surprised over what transpired with King Endrick. He sat up straight at the tale of the Lost Woods and the finding of the goddess cube. At the mention of Fi, Acheron opened his mouth and inhaled with excitement. When finally Zel completed his tale, with Rangtar's betrayal and the final leg of the journey from Terry City, Acheron lay his forearms on the table and leaned in.

"Can you help us?" Zel asked when he finished.

Acheron rested his bearded chin on his wrinkled hands, elbows on the table, and furrowed his brow. "There are two issues you bring to me, and I'm not sure I can help with either - not completely, anyway. I will tell you what I know and do what I can, but this may not solve the issues."

"Anything," said Adara. "We would be very grateful."

Acheron lowered his arms and nodded. "I'll begin with the most important issue - the failing sword and the escape of the darkness. Not to minimize your fears, Zel, but realistically we are talking about the possible deaths of thousands. Fi suggested you find the bloodline of Hylia in order to construct a new seal for the Demon King. This will be nearly impossible. We assume Queen Zelda was of the bloodline, but she and the King had no children and Zelda had no siblings. There may be some royal records regarding the lineage of Queen Zelda's parents, but those records will be nearly impossible to find. If any bloodline exists, it is somewhere in the world unaware...farming or," he nodded at Zel, "fishing perhaps."