Chapter Two

The next day, I was in pain and I felt weaker than the previous day. My body felt so stiff I could hardly move and with how my stomach was lurching, I was sure that if I ate something I'd be unable to keep it down. Still, the shadow guard that constantly checked on me came up and dragged me to the dining hall. Zant was boasting loudly of how Eldin province was consumed in shadow and he'd have my whole kingdom by the end of the week.

I stared at my hands as my heart sank, suddenly remembering how Rutela would sit at her throne and smile as her people swam in the depths of their domain. She would often talk with her guards, get to know them by name and care for the problems that happened at home. I had no doubt her son grew to be just as kind. I couldn't help but wonder how little Ralis was fairing. Was he frozen along with the rest of his people? Did he have to watch his mother die as well?

Ever since my parents, the king and queen, died a few years ago, I haven't had much time for a visit. I'm not sure what Ralis looks like now, just what he was like as a guppy. His mother had the biggest smile on her face when I met him. I softly smiled sadly at the memory, feeling my heart sink even more with the knowledge I'd never see that smile again. I can't even remember what the last thing I said to her was.

A shadow beast entered the dining hall without warning and appeared to be talking to Zant though I couldn't understand a word it was saying.

"What do you mean you can't find her?! How hard is it to find one single girl?!" Zant bellowed and the beast cowered in submission. Zant seethed and spat out an order to spread out the search before dismissing the beast and grumbling a single name. "Midna…" My blood ran cold. It couldn't possibly be the same Midna could it? Then I remembered what she'd told me.

"I'm hiding from the guy that just beat the crap out of you and searching… well I'm searching for three objects and someone my tribe call a divine beast. Supposedly they're supposed to be our savior." If Zant wasn't looking for her, why would she be hiding from him? But that also brought up the question why was he looking for her? Did he not want her to find whatever it was she was looking for? Or is it possible the divine beast she talked about was supposed to bring an end to him?

I shook my head and asked for permission to leave before I fled to the library. For the past few days I've been gathering as much information as I could on Zant and find is race. Judging from his magic, he may be Gerudo. So far I haven't found anything that describes a divine beast but there were a few books that mention a group banished to a realm of shadows.

When I arrived in the library I brushed my fingertips against the withered section of Hyrule's history, the tattered leather felt rough and old, the titles were faded but still readable. It was here that I had first learned of the land of shadows. It was all kept in a series of three books. After the hero of time disappeared from the land, a war had begun over the once again uncovered Triforce. The people had turned on each other, killing relentlessly to have their own wishes granted first. It lasted for fifteen years. The people whom had the upper hand were interlopers that held power over a dark and forbidden magic.

It is said that in the final days of the battle, a great warrior emerged and broke the source of the forbidden magic into four, but at the cost of his life. There is some speculation that this warrior could have been the hero reborn once more.

That was when my Grandmother, with a cursed mirror granted to her by the goddesses, trapped the wielders of such a forbidden magic into a realm of imprisonment. Three of the four pieces of forbidden magic were sealed away, scattered across the provinces to never be united again.

There was still one passage in the history of the civil war that I had not read. Finding the third book once more, my lithe fingers gently pulled the tattered leather from the shelf and I opened to the last page.

Though it is true that the goddesses gave the cursed mirror to the queen, it was not of their creation. The interlopers came to our land from a distant land and were imprisoned beyond the mirror. However, the goddesses had allies beyond the mirror who agreed to watch over these dark magic wielder's to stay imprisoned there forever.

The goddesses had tried to destroy the mirror, but it proved futile, so instead they took it to a place where no one could use it and entrusted it to the seven sages to protect.

Their final deed for their beloved land was to take the relic they had left behind and separate the pieces, sealing them in places so secret, they remain unattainable to this day.

I closed the book and put it back in its place on the shelf. It should've been impossible for Zant to come here, the mirror has been inactive for decades. So how did he get here? Was it a power granted to him by this god he spoke of?

My eyes caught sight of the mark that had been on my left hand for as long as I could remember. I brushed my thumb over the three golden triangles. I was granted a power by my own gods, I just haven't been given the chance to test my limits.

I sighed. Maybe I should have fought back then. Perhaps it wouldn't have turned out the way I thought.

Shaking my head I left the library and went back up to my room as usual.

Three days passed and the Faron province was consumed in shadow, which had Zant leaping for joy as I felt weaker than before. I had to wonder if maybe my power was tied to the spirits somehow, or perhaps the light of Hyrule? It didn't matter, there was nothing I could do but bide my time and wait for my chance.

I did notice that Zant was still sending scores of search parties for Midna. Who was she exactly that would have Zant so desperate to find her? Who was the beast she spoke of and what was its purpose?

The next day Zant sat quietly for once, his mind thinking hard about something. He seemed almost nervous. This progressed until late that evening when he was interrupted by one of the shadow beasts. It must have said something because Zant seemed to be contemplating whatever it was.

"Throw it in the dungeons, I'll deal with it later." Zant waved off and the beast crawled out of the room.

While we were eating it had begun to rain outside. Lightning flashed and thunder rolled across the sky, echoing the sounds and reflecting light off of my castles walls. I'd lost my appetite long ago and was now simply picking at my food. I began to wonder why I was still sitting there. I set down my fork but didn't raise my gaze as I spoke.

"I am afraid I don't have much of an appetite this evening. May I be excused?" I asked politely. The words made me want to spit at him. He deserved no courtesy. Zant waved me off and continued to eat with his mind somewhere else. I stood, pulled up my cloaks hood and walked to my room, thankful to be away from him. I did not care if he was worried about something, it only meant good news for my people.

When I entered my room, all I wished to do was fall onto my bed and sleep the rest of my troubles away, to escape this nightmare, but I couldn't sleep. Instead I found myself staring out the window, as if expecting to see something. My thoughts drifted to the legends I had been told as a child of how the hero would come when Hyrule desperately needed him. I couldn't help but wonder where he was now. There was never a more desperate time than now, so why hasn't he appeared?

Fear struck me at the thought of it having to be I who had to carry out this task. I was weak compared to Zant, how would I be capable of holding my own against someone like that?

Suddenly I heard growling from behind my back and turned. I gasped as I saw a blue eyed wolf baring its teeth and rumbling a threatening growl with little Midna perched on its grey back.


A/N: People! Review! Also, I posted a trailer for this on you tube if you want to take a look. It's by EpicAnimeROMANCE. I'll be changing that soon to DestinysRequiem. I hope you enjoyed! I have lots of goodies planned for this story so please support it! Thanks!