This is a war that began decades before my time, passed from father to son and from mother to daughter, placing the weight of our world on our shoulders. We grew up knowing what was in store for us. Yet, we still hoped that our parents would finish the war before handing it off to us. Unfortunately, that was not the case for my generation. No, my generation faced the worst of the war.
It was war that began when two vengeful gods, twins, set loose the Demon King Demise from his prison in hell. The gods were severely punished, one turned into a mask and the other executed by the goddess Hylia and her sisters Farore, Din, and Nayru. The four Goddesses did not have the power to lock the Demon King away as they had before, and so Demise took to war with the Goddesses, and more importantly with the inhabitants of Hyrule.
And so, destruction rained down on our world. The Demon King gained more and more power as the years passed by in bloody battles. We rose to the fight; Gorons, Hylians, Mogmas, Dragons, Kikwis, Parellas, and even the robots fighting against demons and monsters as they poured out of Hell. But no matter how many battles we won, it never progressed in our favor.
Some profited from this drawn-out massacre in the forms of mercenaries, spies, pirates, the like who make their spoils off of blood and steel. I just so happened to be born of two such people and into a village well-known for being the best hired weapons this side of the world.
However, just because it was this well known, did not mean it was prosperous. From what I remember, it was average sized but dark. Houses built somewhat haphazardly, with poor fixer uppers of planks just nailed over holes or hay thrown over leaking roofs. What money was made was spent on gear and food, as well as taking care of the only thing that didn't look like it was made in two days.
Made of stone, the hall that all of the mercenaries gathered at to pray to the goddess Hylia was the only well-kept building in that town. Clean and well-kept, the mercenaries that were not currently off on a job would gather there once a week. Say what you will about mercenaries, but they still had morals and a goddess to pray to, and, as I found out later in life, were far more religious than the average Hylian. There was one priestess who stayed within the temple, always there to act as a guardian for children whose parents were running across the country or as a teacher that taught the children their letters and mathematics.
The priestess Ullia was one of the only ones besides myself and another that survived the plague that swept through the village when I was but eleven years of age. The other was Hammond, a weathered mercenary with a thick beard of white hairs and a stern face. The two of them acted as my parents for two years and the hall dedicated to Hylia became our house. It wasn't their first choice to stay within the deserted village, but they did not want to move to the next town until the sickness died out. So, we made a life for ourselves.
Ullia remained devoted to Hylia, even setting me on my path to become devoted to the Goddess myself. She taught me the stories of the goddesses and how to comfort those who needed a shoulder to lean on, all the while making sure I was not ignorant "like those in the cities" as she would say, forcing others to believe the words we said and instead letting them come to us. The priestess also continued on with my more liberal education, teaching me the history of the land and some basic magic.
As the last child of the village, Hammond also made sure I was skilled in the arts of war and battle. Already fairly knowledgeable in swordplay and fist fighting, Hammond continued teaching me where my parents had left off. I learned how to properly hold a shield, throw a spear, to shoot without having to aim, swing an axe or mace, and even guide a horse with my knees so that my hands were free. I built up muscles as I learned techniques taught only to the children of our village, such as a move that will knock off the helmet of an opponent. At the same time, Hammond showed me how to guess an opponent's next move, how an army operates, and how moral affects a battle.
Both wanted me to be as prepared for this life as they possibly could, knowing just what I needed to know to survive as a hired hand or a hand of the Goddess, if I so chose to be either. I was a few months younger than my thirteenth birthday when news of the disease finally coming to a halt came to us, and we made preparations to leave our now decimated village to start over new. We packed food and cloths, manuscripts and weapons, artifacts and tools to help us wherever we settled down.
Hammond had brought the mule and our lone mare to the front of the temple, placing the heavier tools of our trade on the mule and saddled the horse for Ullia and me to ride. My arms were full of barley cakes and apples, ready to hand them over to the old mercenary when the world suddenly grew quiet. The horse and the mule, as well as Hammond were silent and alert, facing towards the nearby woods. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise, muscles tensing in preparation to flee or fight.
Stepping away from the mare, Hammond whispered to me, "Get inside. Now." His voice contained a shred of terror, the cheeks under the beard losing color as he reached slowly for the sword strapped to his horse.
My young eyes widened and with a false calmness walked back into the temple, arms still full. I knew exactly why I was sent back inside. Demons were a common thing in the Eldin province, and although they usually passed by our village, it was not always the case. "Demons!"
Ullia stood straight from cleaning out the temple, "What?" Her white hair was held back in a bun at the nape of her neck, strands framing her young face that was now etched with lines of shock. "Where's Hammond?"
"Outside, m'am." I threw the barley cakes and apples into a pile on the ground, looking for a sword to protect myself with. "He told me to go inside."
Outside, we heard the shrill whinny of the mare and the bleating of the mule, barely covering over the snarls of the demons. I heard the footsteps of the patrol of demons and froze, hands clutching the cold steel. We didn't have time to barricade the door. Hammond was still outside. He was going to die.
I felt arms jerk me back from the door, the golden robes that Ullia wore swirling around me as she pulled me farther back into the temple, "We cannot wait here, my dear!" Back to the temple we ran to, the statue of the goddess Hylia towering over us. Placing her hands on the stone feet, the priestess looked at me, "Quickly, child! Help me push!"
With our combined strength, we pushed the statue, revealing a staircase that led to a locked room. Scurrying down the roughly carved stone, Ullia pulled me along and threw me into the room there. "Stay there and may the goddess have mercy on your soul if you don't!" The door was slammed in front of my face and I heard stone move overhead.
Standing in shock for a moment, I stared at the heavy stone door. Even if I tried to get out, I wouldn't be able to push the statue quickly. Resting my hand on the door, I felt my heartbeat quicken in the silence. I couldn't hear what happened outside. I doubt I would have been able to hear what was going on inside, but that was before I heard the screaming.
It was shrill and pained, words sewn together in a tormented prayer to Hylia. It was the final prayer, what the priest or priestess said for someone close to death. I had heard it many times in my short life, but none had quiet chilled me as this one. In between the words would be cries of pain and agony, enough that I backed away from the door, hands clasped over my ears. Accompanying the screaming was the beating of a heart that could have only been my own. Ullia was being tortured, dying slowly and painfully, but she still prayed.
I collapsed to the floor, unsheathing the sword and holding it close. I stared at the door, breathing quick and shallow as terror ran through my veins like wolfsbane. Hammond was dead, that was certain. Ullia would be soon, and then they would come for me. I swallowed, cotton clogging my throat and feeling like knives going down into my stomach. Would my life really amount to this?
The screams continued on for what seemed like days, the prayer repeating itself over and over. I felt like my heart would stop at any time, and I just wanted the world to stop for a moment. My lips quivered, eyes closing for the first time in what seemed weeks as I whispered roughly.
"Goddess above, bring me into a place where I might be at peace. Rest my body in your forgiving feathers, grant me a quick and painless death." It was a quick prayer, but not the final prayer. Ullia had said it enough times for the three of us several times over.
All was silent as the last word dropped from my lips, the screaming abruptly stopping. Was it over? Was she dead? Was I next?
No.
I opened my eyes, resigned to my fate. Would I be able to make my death quicker than Ullia's? My eyes rose from the ground, landing on a figure standing in front of me. My muscles jumped, tensing as my brain went into overdrive. I was going to die, but not without a fight. Those were my thoughts until I saw the smile on the face of the woman in front of me.
It was a smile I had not seen in a very long time, the smile you give your closest friend after being separated from them. The woman wore it with perfect white teeth in a glowing face, surrounded by long, golden hair. She didn't look like anyone else from my village, where white hair and eye colors uncommon among the rest of the world were taken for granted. Despite how different she appeared to me, what caught me the most was the smile. It has stuck with me through all of my life, the image of her face shining out from the darkness of that cellar.
The woman took a step towards me, and another, before she bent her knee to level her eyes with me, "You called?"
My mouth opened, eyes wide as I replied, "Who are you?" Her accent was strange, but her presence comforting- almost like a fire on a cold night. She scared me, appearing so suddenly and out of nowhere. Who was this woman?
She blinked for a moment, appearing surprised before she gave me a sad little smile, "I am Hylia." The goddess shifted, her white gown pooling around her as she settled on the ground.
Breath catching, the sword slipped from my fingers. It made a loud clanging sound on the stone floor, but that didn't matter as I pressed my forehead to the floor. "My Goddess, forgive me for not knowing who you were." Surely I was in trouble now, demons attacking and the Goddess Hylia showing herself to me?
Gently, I felt a slender hand touch my head, "Please, don't ask for forgiveness over such a silly thing. Get up, dear. Do I look angry?"
I hesitated, before lifting my head. I was young, but I knew how to respect a god. "No, m'am."
"Now, please, sit up." Hylia placed her hands on her lap, smiling slightly. I did as I was told and she nodded, "Isn't that better?"
My head bobbed in the semblance of a nod, "Am I dead?" It was starting to get easier to talk to her, the goddess smiling in a cheerful manner.
"No, you're quite alive I should think." Hylia chuckled, eyes crinkling as if I told a joke.
"Then," I swallowed more cotton knives, "Is Ullia?"
The goddess paused, eyes assessing me for a moment before she shook her head, "No. She is no longer in pain, as is the man Hammond."
My breath caught again, my hands reaching for the sword again, "Then, surely they're coming for me!" I felt my fear spike in my chest again, my poor heart racing.
"They are not." Hylia smiled slyly, "The priestess was smart, putting you down here. I'm glad she was able to protect you, I have plans that only you can help me with."
"Plans?" The corners of my mouth dropped in concern, "Why me?"
"Circumstances. Not every soul can handle what I am going to ask you to do, but I know yours to be of a particular kind of steel. And who else do you know that is well-educated in the martial arts, war, as well as religion?" Hylia tilted her head, "You're still so young though, I was hoping things wouldn't begin to move until you were at least twenty. No matter, we can make this work."
"Wait, m'am, what are you asking me to do?" My fingers dug into the hilt of the sword as I leaned forward, white hair falling over my shoulder.
"I'm asking you to become my paladin, silly. And not just any paladin, either. You're going to help lead the war against the demons, Kallen Rent." Hylia leaned forward as well, becoming animated. "The people need to know that I am with them in this battle and that I will not just stand on the sidelines. You're going to be my pawn, if you don't mind."
"But I'm only twelve years old!" I protested, before I quieted, realizing I was talking to the goddess. "What can I do?"
"So much, Kallen. You would not believe the kinds of things you will be able to do." Hylia smiled, hands reaching out for my own. "You will spread my word to the people. You will become a symbol of hope for them! I have no problems rallying the others, but it is Hylians who are the most skeptical. That's where you come in." Her soft hands took my own in their grip, the sword once again falling to the ground. "There will be others to help you along the way, so don't think you're doing this by yourself."
"I… guess," My lips stumbled over the words, "If I'm really that important." Up until that point I had always just been another parentless girl in the world, not having thought much of myself. Being told that the goddess Hylia needed me? It was a miracle in itself.
Hylia shook her head, "You've always been important, Kallen. More than you could imagine."
Red bloomed on my cheeks, "Thank you, m'am." I stared at her face, wondering what was in store for me. What could I, a poor girl from an extinct village, do against demons?
"Now, it's going to be several days until the demons clear out of the area. After three days, open this door. On the inside of the wall is a loose stone that you can press. That will move the statue out of your way. The next part is very important, Kallen, so pay attention." Her eyes stared into mine, making sure that she had my attention. "What you will see up there is horrifying. I wish you didn't have to see it, but you have to walk past the bodies, okay? Only stop to make sure you have enough provisions for a week on the road, your cloak, and whatever weapon is easiest for you to carry. If you're lucky, you may be able to find the horse that ran away. The nearest town is five days away by foot, three by horseback. Never sleep on the ground, always in the trees."
I let the information sink into me. What exactly would I see once up there? "Okay, I understand."
"Good." Hylia looked up briefly, "Unfortunately, I have to go now. Be safe, and don't do anything stupid." Resting a hand on my shoulder, Hylia placed a kiss on my forehead. "Can you do that for me?"
"Yes, m'am." I shot off automatically, surprised at the sudden affection.
The goddess stood, dress flowing down her figure and gracefully falling into place, "Then, I must be off. Expect to hear from me soon, Kallen." She backed up, towards the door, and disappeared in a burst of golden light.
Just as she said, I waited for three days, finding enough food and water in the cellar to last me for much longer than that. On the third day I put together a bag of provisions for when I was on the road and strapped the sword to my back. I was afraid to leave, but I had to trust the goddess. I knew she wanted me to help her, so why shouldn't I trust her now?
Pushing open the solid stone door, I was able to barely make out the shape of the stones. I felt along the wall for the stone she talked about, feeling one five way beneath my fingers as I pushed at it. Slowly and with a great groan, the statue above me moved. Light flooded in, causing me to shrink back. The sunlight hurt after being only in torchlight for three days, the only glimpse of sunlight being through that of a crack in the ceiling of the cellar. Hesitantly, I climbed the stairs.
The first thing to hit me was the smell of rotting meat, and after that I saw what was left of Ullia. My eyes widened and I fell to my knees. I felt my breakfast rise in my throat and I chucked it up, not caring that I was throwing up on the floor. My eyes watered with tears as I wiped at my mouth.
Dried blood was splattered everywhere- on the pews, the floor, the walls, the statue, even the ceiling. What could only be hunks of her were spread out everywhere, a spike lodged through her head that hung from the ceiling. Her eyes were blank, but I could still see the imprints of her terror in the way her mouth hung open and bloody.
Tearing my eyes away from the sight, I ran out of the temple. It was worse outside. They hadn't been so methodical with Hammond, his entire torso impaled on a spike with his arms and legs thrown about. I could see his fingers scattered, obviously broken as well as his arms and legs. I could see part of his spine sticking out of his back. I gasped for air, wondering just how demons could be able to do such a thing.
They had been much gentler to the mule, only slashing its neck open. Setting my nerve, I stepped up to the mule, digging around in the packs for my cloak. After finding it, I threw it over my shoulders and ran. I didn't want to be in that cursed village anymore.
I didn't sleep for four days after that, never being able to get the images of Ullia and Hammond out of my head. I would always wake up fearing that I would fall out of the tree I had chosen. I never did find that horse. I ran across some monsters occasionally, but I was able to get rid of them with the training I had.
By the fifth day I was staggering, wondering how I would even make it to the town. What would I do once I got there? Beg? Sell my sword? As if anyone would hire a child, much less me. Go to the temple there?
Stopping for lunch, I felt ready to collapse. I was eating my bread and cheese with a sort of numbness, my hands cold from the chill and I huddled in my cloak that was covered in dried blood. I even felt blood on my face, but I was too tired to wipe it off.
A twig snapped- my entire body freezing for a moment. There was more movement in the bushes to my left and I reached for my sword. There was no way I would be able to take on anything in this condition. I would fail the goddess before I even began.
I drew my sword and stood, feeling my knees shake as the bushes parted. The face of a boy poked through, seeming surprised at my appearance. No, boy wasn't right. He was at that awkward stage of not quite a young adult, but not a child. He came through the bushes, looking directly at the sword pointed at him. He then looked up at my face with startlingly blue eyes from beneath a mess of black hair.
The man-child turned, hollering, "Hey, pa! Come here!"
I stiffened, the point of the blade shaking. I was so afraid, not knowing what to do. I felt cornered and I didn't like it.
Through the same bushes came a large man whose build practically bulged with muscles, looking like the larger version of the man-child, "What is it Aden?" His eyes then landed on me and he simply said, "Oh."
I bit my lip, feeling the weight of four days of no sleep pushing down on me, "What do you want?"
The man got to his knees, suddenly becoming much smaller, "Hey now, we're not going to hurt you, okay?" He held out his large hands, which could easily snap me like a twig. "What's wrong? What are you doing so far from your village?"
My lower lip trembled, the images of the corpses passing through my mind briefly. "It's none of your business, sir. Take your son and go on your way, please."
He shook his head, "I can't do that, little lady. Not until you let me know what's going on." He came closer on his knees.
My grip tightened on my sword and I leveled it at his chest, "Stay back!"
The man blinked, and then sat still, "Okay then. My name is Fenrir Lumiar. This is my son Aden Lumiar. We both live in the Castle Town. I'm a blacksmith there and my son is my apprentice. What's your name?"
No wonder the man was so large, he pounded metal all day. "I am Kallen Rent…"
"Kallen Rent? It's nice to meet you. You're from the Rent village, right? A couple day's ride from here? What are you doing so far from home, especially when there are monsters and demons about?" His voice was calm and soothing, a smile beneath his large black beard.
I nodded dully, but said nothing more.
Fenrir shifted slightly, looking puzzled, "You look like you've been in a fight. Where are your parents?"
"They've been dead three years now." The words finally bubbled up. I couldn't help myself. I wanted to count on him. I wanted to sleep. The sword slipped from my hands and hit the forest floor. Falling to my knees, I let the words spill out, "There were only the three of us… and now there's only me."
It hit me then, that I was the only one left from my village. I was the last of the Rents. No one would be able to carry on the name, not without shaming myself. Tears came to my eyes, which I hurriedly brushed away.
I looked up, eyes still watering as I felt a large hand fall upon my shoulder. Fenrir looked down, a sad look on his face. Aden was behind him, looking stunned. "I'm very sorry to hear that. How did this happen?"
Taking a deep breath, I slowly let it out. I blubbered on, "The plague wiped out everyone but myself and two others. That was three years ago, but… last week, demons came and killed the other two. The priestess hid me, but… she didn't survive. Neither of them did."
"Demons?" His eyebrows rose to his hairline. "And you came here by yourself?"
I nodded, the hood of my cloak falling down. "Yes…" Should I mention Hylia? "I was… am, a mercenary in training as well as a priestess in training. As I was praying to the goddess Hylia…" The words died on my lips, my eyes turning to the ground. There was no way he would believe me.
Fenrir waited for a moment, to see if I would continue, before he scratched his beard. "Goddesses above, you poor child." He looked at my face, "You haven't slept at all, have you?" I shook my head, white hair flying.
Aden touched his father's shoulder, gaining his attention, "Could she maybe… live with us?"
A thoughtful look appeared on Fenrir's face, "Would you like to Kallen? We have a warm house and my wife would love to have another girl around. There's also a temple dedicated to Hylia in Castle Town, you could continue your studies there."
My fingers curled around the dirty fabric of my skirts, looking up at his kind face, "Would you? Can I?"
A grin broke out on Fenrir's lips, "Of course you can. I wouldn't offer it otherwise."
Aden smiled as well, holding out a hand, "Come on. Let's go home." His eyes twinkled in a strange way, but it made me feel warm. It reminded me of the way Hylia felt.
My hand trembled, but I grasped his hand firmly. I felt a smile make its way onto my face, the muscles moving for the first in a long time. I was going home.