Zelda felt a wave of nausea sweep over her. Everything was on fire, her home was burning and the screams of people filled the air.
"Zelda!" Her guardian Impa, screamed. She was bleeding from several places and was covered in ash. "We must leave the castle immediately." She grabbed Zelda by the forearm.
"Impa what is happening?" Zelda struggled to keep up with her guardian. The smoke was beginning to burn her eyes as she struggled to breathe.
"The castle is under attack princess…"Impa pulled Zelda down a hallway. Zelda knew very well what she was doing. Impa tapped the brick on the wall with a flourish. The code for this secret passage has been passed down through the generations. Zelda felt her throat tighten.
"Impa? Where is everyone else?" The castle continued to fill with smoke. Screams and the sounds of swords clashing filled the night. Impa didn't answer as she pulled Zelda into the passageway.
"I'm sorry Princess but we must run" She closed the passage behind her. The tunnel that opened in front of them was dark and damp. The once terrifying sounds were muffled. They sounded so far away, but Zelda couldn't stop the feeling of dread that filled her stomach.
"A light please child."
Zelda didn't answer. She felt cold, her white nightgown did nothing to protect her from the damp tunnel. She looked down at her bare feet.
"Zelda!"
Zelda silently held her hand out and reached inside herself to call upon the magic the goddesses awarded her at birth. She said a silent prayer to them asking for the safety of her family and her people. A small iridescent light appeared in the center of her palm. It expanded until it was the size of Zelda's head. She momentarily lost herself in the orb's center. Then with a flash it launched itself into the air, lighting their path.
Impa started down the tunnel. "Quickly Zelda! We don't have much time." She pulled her rapier from her side. "Please prepare any defensive spells. We must be ready for anything."
Zelda sprinted after Impa for what seemed like hours. The old tunnel went on for miles. Zelda knew that this particular one ended at Lake Hylia. Were they taking refuge with the Zoras? Was the rest of the family already there? Zelda felt her heart sink at the thought. As much as she hated to acknowledge it, she knew what fate must have befallen them. Zelda may be young but she is no fool. She saw where the fires burned the brightest.
Her feet ached. Zelda felt blisters beginning to form, but the pain oddly offered her some relief. It briefly distracted her from the destruction of her home
She began to mutter prayers under her breath.
"Zelda?" they had reached the end of the tunnel. It was eerily silent, except for the occasional water dripping from the ceiling.
The door guarding the exit was intricately carved with the crest of the Hylian royal family. Zelda couldn't help the lump forming in the back of her throat. The many passages leading out of the castle often couldn't be opened without a bit of magic. Although Zelda was only thirteen it was one of the first spells taught to her. This attack had been a long time coming. Zelda felt naïve. The skirmishes that happened ever so often seemed so far away.
She was such a foolish little girl.
"Impa…What happens now?"
The Shiekah looked back at her princess. She had been placed with her as soon as she was born. She dedicated her life to this girl…and now she was the only one left. Her family has served the Harnikans for generations. It was their sacred duty handed down to them by the goddesses.
"We survive." Her violet eyes bore into Zelda's. She gripped her arms "We survive to fight another day…"
Zelda felt tears beginning to form. "I'm all that's left?" Her voice was barely a whisper.
"Yes."
Her tears fell freely. Silent sobs shaking Zelda's shoulders, but despite her sobs she stepped up to the door. Her hand outstretched.
A flash of green light filled the tunnel and the rumble of the moving stone. Impa gave Zelda a reassuring squeeze before walking through the exit. Zelda followed unable to speak. Guilt crushed her soul, and every heartbeat felt heavy.
The sounds of a river filled her ears as they finally left the tunnel. The heavy stone door closed behind them. An ancient enchantment skewed the door until it looked like a regular cliff face. Zelda flexed her toes in the wet grass. It was oddly comforting.
"This way princess." Impa begin to walk towards the river bed. Zelda noticed a small wooden dock with a small boat hitched to one of its posts.
Zelda felt a calmness settle over her as she settled into the small boat, Impa's rhythmic rowing oddly soothing her nerves. Impa rowed until they reached a small clove. She carefully stood up and reached into one of the small pouches on her belt. She removed a small deku nut and threw it into the air. A flash erupted causing Zelda to jump.
There was movement in the water. Bubbles began to form at the center. A blue head appeared in the water.
"Impa," the Zora casted its black eyes at Zelda. "Princess, take these." He handed them a small plant. On closer inspection it looked like a ball of green tentacles. "Eat it; it will help you make the journey to the palace."
Zelda grimaced at the odd looking plant. Impa had already downed hers. Zelda used her fingers to close her nose as she placed the plant on her tongue. She fought the urge to gag as the bitter, slimy plant slid down her throat.
Zelda's head felt fuzzy and a sharp pain erupted on either sides of her neck.
The Zora smiled "Very good. Follow me" He disappeared below the water.
Zelda felt her neck and felt three fleshy slits. Goddess. "Gills!? Impa, gills?"
"Don't worry princess it is only temporary."
Impa dove into the water and Zelda followed. "We need to sink the boat. Can you make a hole?"
Zelda nodded. She wasn't used to using this much magic in one day and she felt the fatigue in her muscles. Zelda closed her eyes praising the goddess Nayru before casting her spell. An icicle erupted from the water and pierced the bottom of the boat.
"Very good Zelda"
It melted almost immediately, leaving a massive hole. The boat began to fill with water. Zelda felt a shiver go down her spine.
"We are almost there Princess." Impa disappeared below the surface. Zelda couldn't stop herself from taking a massive breath before going below the surface.
Zelda followed Impa and the Zora through a tunnel. It was dark but Zelda's eyes adjusted well. Her mind wondered to the books she read on the Zoras. This was the first time she had actually seen one. As she swam small schools of fish darted in-between her legs. Being underwater for so long felt unbelievable. Everything was so different down here. Zelda thought. It all seemed so cloudy but it also seemed so incredibly clear.
The tunnel emptied into an enormous room. Filled with starlight. Zelda surfaced and felt like she was in a fairytale. The Zora's domain looked even more beautiful then she had imagined. The marble stone show brightly and the fish and coral were incredibly vibrant.
Zelda followed Impa towards the marble walk way. The walkway branched off into several different directions. The Zora led them down the most ornate one. They entered what obviously must be the throne room. A Zora woman was pacing in the center.
"Your Highness." The Zora fell to his knees. As did Impa. Zelda followed suit.
The queen quickly approached them. "Thank you Sir Mikau, you are dismissed"
When he had left their presence. The queen held out her hands to Zelda "Child there is no need for such formalities. You have been through enough tonight" Her eyes were unbelievably kind. Zelda felt a pang in her chest. They reminded her of her mother's eyes. She slowly rose to her feet, Impa at her side.
"You have endured much this night. We will speak more in the morning." She gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face. "Lulu will escort you." Another Zora appeared at her side.
Lulu bowed to Zelda. She led them down a hallway that made itself up the mountain that presided over Lake Hylia. The hallway had numerous openings that held a breathtaking view of the rest of Hyrule.
Zelda gasped when she saw her family's castle. It was still burning, smoke was billowing from the west wing. The one where her family had resided.
"Princess I am terribly sorry! It was foolish of me to bring you this way," Lulu bowed low.
Zelda felt her throat tighten. "No, it's fine" she gazed at the destruction. Castletown had faced similar damage. So many more people than just her family must have perished.
Sadness washed over her briefly, but then anger quickly replaced it. Impa watched as her Princess ceased to be a child right in front of her. Impa had hoped to shield her from such atrocities.
Zelda's blue eyes turned steely and fierce. She glanced at Impa, her face determined.
Zelda's hands formed into fists. Her once white nightgown clung to her from wetness.
"Who did this?"
"Princess we should wait to discuss this…"
"Impa! Who did this?" Zelda's voiced echoed through the deserted hallway.
Impa felt extremely conflicted. A tremendous swirl of emotions in her stomach. Zelda eyes were fiery; they practically glowed.
"One of your father's advisers, Ganondorf. He was behind the rebel attacks over the past several years…this attack was something he had been planning for years."
This made sense. Zelda always felt a sense of doom when she saw the Gerudo. Zelda couldn't shake the feeling that she had been in this situation before. She knew that was ridiculous. But…
"He will pay for this…" Zelda whispered. Impa felt a chill go down her spine. "I will not sit back and let my family die in vain. I am the last remaining Harkinian. The rightful ruler of Hyrule." Tears rolled down her cheeks.
Zelda turned towards her guardian, the only family she had left. "I will avenge every last one of them"
"Yes, my queen. Yes you will."