Climbing a barely noticeable path up the hillside, you spot a cave hidden behind a bundle of large rocks. Entering the cavern, you realize that it is very different from other caves: a nice wood table, several sturdy-looking chairs, made up beds, furry carpets, and even a lit fireplace inhabit the room. In one of the seats sits Master Zaris, bandages covering up his entire chest and quite a bit of his face. In his foot appears to be a cup of warm coffee, which he promptly puts down upon noticing your arrival. Smiling warmly, he says, “Hello there, friend. Welcome to my and Shada’s home. How do you like it?” He pauses for a second as he remembers his manners. “Or is there something you needed?”


OOC: These two topics officially conclude Master Search. I've already begun work on the next part of my story, but it won't be up for a long time...
Anyway, use these NPC's to ask me any questions you've had about MS, Alpha's past, etc. I'll answer any questions...up to a point.

Climbing into the cavern, Victor can't help but feel at home in the cozy environment. Seeing Master Zaris, he walked over; once he reached the table, however, he found himself staring awkwardly at how the man used his feet. When he realized that he was doing such a thing, however, Victor shook his head and was thoroughly embarrassed.

He had some manners, though. Bowing towards the Master, Victor said:

"Hello, Master Zaris. I don't know if you remember me. My name is Victor. I was at the battle against the Hakiems."

After saying this, the bard straightened and looked at the older man; this time making sure to look in his eyes and not at his feet. He never made a move towards a chair; another example of his knowledge of manners. He knew that waiting until Master Zaris asked him to take a seat was the polite thing to do. Thus, the bard stood and waited for the man's response...

"You young folk and your manners," Zaris mumbles, with a chuckle quickly following. He reaches out with his right foot and pushes a chair out for Victor. "Please, sit down. No need to feel formal here, my boy." He takes a closer look at Victor than he had before. "Ah, it's you! Victor, you say? You're the one who took that Zora's attack head on and survived...I must say, that was quite startling. Unless a man's had very strenuous training, it's almost impossible for him to survive an attack by one of the Goldforce Powers. You must have a great deal of potential...of what kind, I can't say. Physical potential, magical potential..."

He suddenly jerks his head back up, seemingly embarrassed. "Ah, but I'm rambling. Is there something you wished to discuss with me?"

Greatfully taking the seat, Victor remembered the attack. It had all been so...quick. So painful. Even he was surprised that he had survived. After all, he had had no training whatsoever. Wondering about the attack, Victor looked to Master Zaris:

"Yes, even I was amazed that I managed to live. What was that attack, anyways?"

Zaris' face slowly takes on a more serious look as he hears Victor's question. "Realize," he begins, leaning forward. Taking extra time to carefully choose his words, his tone becomes as solemn as his face is. "Realize that had you not been present at the battle, I would refuse to speak with you about this. The Goldforce Powers are incredible, mind boggling in their capabilities. Nowhere near what even the rumors say of the Triforce, but...but enough for people like Zaboorak to kill for." The elder Sheikah slowly sits back in his chair. "That mystical force is what he used to attack you. And he's probably as surprised as I am that you survived it."

Victor, too, donned a serious expression as Zaris spoke. But even when the Master was finished, Victor still looked a little confused.

"But why did Zaboorak have a Goldforce power in the first place?"

Zaris leans back in his chair as memories slowly wash over him. "That...that is a tale I have no thought of in a long, long time..." He begins speaking slowly, but his words quickly gain pace as he recounts the story he is about to tell.

"I am sure you know of the Triforce, and of the Sacred Realm that it inhabits. It is said that long ago Ganon became ruler of that world, and that one of the Heroes traveled into that land of the goddesses to defeat him. He succeeded, took the Triforce as his own, then returned to our world. As time passed the portals into that land began to fade as the evil within it vanished.

"That right there can be found in the history books. I'm sure you've already heard that story many times. But the tale of the Sacred Realm did not end there, I'm afraid.

"Not long after the portals began to dissipate, a group of the most powerful mages in the entire world came together. They did not believe that the Triforce was the only secret to be found in the Sacred Realm of the goddesses. No, they thought that it contained much more: limitless strength, ultimate magic, boundless knowledge...perhaps enough for them to become gods themselves. So using they own near-endless magic, they created a new portal to that Realm.

"I do not know what they found when they explored the Sacred Realm. But they were righteous men, not selfish or greedy. They sought after the things I mentioned merely so they could know whether or not it was there. Whatever happened, upon their return they immediately attempted to destroy their creation. But they could not. Its power had gone far beyond what they could control.

"Unable to destroy it, they instead split the portal into multiple pieces. And that is how the Goldforce Powers came into existence - they are the result of the division of the portal.

"The mages kept the Powers a close-guarded secret, unwilling to share its knowledge with even the Royal Family. Instead they used their magic to seek out the strongest and most righteous warriors from each race. After explaining the situation, these warriors took the Powers into themselves. Slowly, the Powers evolved into their current forms of mighty weapons, meant to aid their bearer in keeping the Powers safe.

"Unfortunately, an unforeseen event occurred. About two hundred years ago, Zaboorak was chosen to be the keeper of the Zora Goldforce. He was young, however, and easily susceptible to influences. It was then that the spirit of Ganon came to him. Eventually the 'Golden' Zora swore allegiance to Ganon, and became what he is today - a bloodthirsty fiend, willing to do anything at all to gain possession of all of the Goldforce Powers. He has since gained two more, the Powers of the Golden Goron and, most recently, the Golden Fairy. Once he has all the Goldforce Powers, he will gain the ability to enter the Sacred Realm itself. And who knows what he could do then?"

Once Master Zaris completed his story, Victor too leaned back in his chair and began to digest what had just been told to him. After a few minutes of silent pondering, the bard leaned forward and said:

"What Zaboorak may or may not do in the Sacred Realm is not the question at hand. Hopefully, that event will never come to pass. I think we need to focus on what Zaboorak can do now."

When he finished this, however, Victor's somber expression melted into one of confusion, and he questioned the Master once more.

"By the way, what can Zaboorak do now? What abilities do the Goldforce powers that he possesses give him?"

"Wise words, Victor. If the goddesses will it, then perhaps the day of Zaboorak gaining the Sacred Realm will never occur."

Zaris carefully listens to Victor's next question. "Right now? Well, let me see..." Zaris trails off momentarily. "Well, each Goldforce Power has two basic techniques. The Goldforce Power Beam, which Zaboorak used against Sheera the Golden Fairy, fires a focused beam of energy outward. The Goldforce Power Wave - the technique I used against the Hakiems - causes a massive wave of energy to rush outward from its source, obliterating everything in its path.

"As for the special abilities of Zaboorak's Powers...well, the Zora Goldforce is the one he used to attack you. It creates an energy spiral that can act very similar to a whirlpool - sucking in nearby objects and then drowning them with painful energy - or it can be a more focused form, as it was when Zaboorak used it against you.

"The Goron Goldforce creates an impenetrable shield for its wielder to hide behind. But it isn't that simple; the shield transforms the physical energy behind the attack, making more an attack on the mind rather than on the body. If the wielder can push back, almost psychically, I suppose you could say, with the same amount of force as the attack, the shield will never falter.

"The Fairy Goldforce is a healing agent of sorts. It takes its wielder’s magical aura and turns it into physical life. Once its owner's magic power runs out, it's practically useless.

"All the unique Goldforce Powers are based on traits or abilities that their race is known for. Zora are known for swimming, hence their Power takes the form of a whirlpool. Gorons are thought of as having a rock hard defense. Fairies have the ability to heal.

"My own power, that of the Sheikah, comes from our reputation of stealth and trickery, combined with the ability to hit fast and hard. The Sheikah Goldforce molds energy into an exact replica of its wielder - energy clones, I like to call them. Though the clones' attack is pathetic compared to the original, they are only meant for deception. At any point of my choosing, when I come in contact with my opponent I can use the energy of the Goldforce to form a kind of bomb. As I did with Zaboorak." He smiles widely as he remembers the satisfying sight of seeing his bomb blow up on the Zora's forehead.