Era of Dusk and Shade

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Thick as Thieves

Blind the thief tore into the cucco leg, rending meat from bone. Blind wasn't called so because he was visually impaired, but because he was such a master of disguise and stealth everyone else might as well had been around him. Spitting gristle into the fire, he glared at his partner across the way.

The Lizalfos with the pot belly and the over sized ego was Valos. His partner in crime only because the lizard was unequaled in combat. What Blind couldn't handle from the shadows Valos could pulverize in broad daylight. Currently the lizardman was lounging on his side, picking his fangs with a bone.

Blind hated him. But they made a good team, somehow. "Hey, isn't it your turn to be on watch?" He barked.

Valos jumped and threw his bone into the fire. Snarling he got to his (strong but) stubby feet. "All right, all right, already." He hoisted his oversized arm guard on and grabbed his hammer. Jagged nails and screws protrude from one end of the nasty weapon. He waddled off, over the hill.

"Bloody lazy newt." Blind hissed, tearing another piece of cucco off the spit.

Only part way into his cucco Valos came running back down the hill waving his hammer. "Yo! Yo! Blind! Come look at thisssss!" The thief jumped to his feet and made it up the hill with silent footfalls. Laying flat he eyed his surroundings. A young man clad in green was walking down the road trailing a young girl with blonde hair.

"They fit the description rightssss?" Valos hissed from behind him.

"Put out the fire you feckin' fool of a gecko!" Blind growled.

"Oh! Rightssss! Rightsss!" Valos made his way back down to their camp, but tripped over his own feet on the way down and rolled into their tent. Collapsing it with a clatter of wood and grunts. Getting himself to his feet he threw the bucket of water sitting next to the fire, extinguishing it.

"What are you doing down there!?" Blind whisper-yelled "Get up here and get ready to ambush these kids!"

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Chapter Four

Those That Walk Amongst Shadows

Hyrule: the Land of Three, governed by the three pointed Triforce, the Three goddesses, and situated between the Three sister Peaks: Snowpeak, Death Mountain, and Lanayru Mountain, and the Three sister Lakes: Lake Hylia, Lake Totori, and Floria Spring. Zelda had grown up her whole life studying the land she was supposedly destined to rule.

Never leave the roads, for Hyrule was a wild and dangerous land. The spread out settlements- beacons of light in the dark wilds. Never travel at night for even darker and more dangerous things stalk the land at night. Never travel alone, there is strength in numbers. Always pray to Din to protect you, Nayru to guide you, Farore to give you courage, and finally Hylia to light your way.

And yet here she was travelling alone, cross country, at night. She threw up a prayer to the goddess as her only defense. She heeded Rhiannon onward, trying to speed across Hyrule field. It would take her all night to reach Kakariko village at a gallop, she knew this much.

As the castle stretched out farther and farther behind her, and the moon rose higher and higher in the sky she began to relax. Slowing down Rhiannon she began to enjoy the fresh air, the freedom, the excitement of finally being out of the castle!

The first nightmare rose up far enough ahead that she thought momentarily that it was a mirage, a trick played in the moonlight. She reared Rhiannon around and drew her rapier while gaining a better view. The monstrous thing looked as if bones from many creatures had been strung together into something not quite Hylian, and yet not exactly alien either. The skull of a wolf or boar on a child's skeletal body, although one leg was too long (did it end in a hoof?) causing it to limp.

"What travesty is this?" Zelda exclaimed in horror. She swung her blade, decapitating the stalchild, but still the body lunged forward. A well placed kick of her boot knocked it to the ground though. She rushed Rhiannon forward, ready to make it out of the fields. In the corners of her vision she could spot other bone white glimpses in the moonlight.

Her heart banged against her ribcage, she was pretty sure it was making her chestplate ring like a bell. Or perhaps that was just her ears ringing as she leaned forward and pushed Rhiannon faster. One stalchild tried pulling itself up in front of her, but going too fast to slow down; her horse trampled it. Bone fragments showered the sky around them.

More and more kept rising around her. Hylia River glinted before her, the bridge running across it a welcome sight of man made in a sea of grass and monsters. Torches hung on either side further showing safety to her.

A clawed, boney hand scratched at her leg. She kicked it away with a squeal. A larger skeletal monstrosity was rising up in her way. She brandished her rapier and with a whack sliced the monster at the waist.

The sound of hooves on wood made her burst out laughing and yet crying as well. Relief flooded her. Just beyond the bridge was a single man knelt at a stone Hylia statue, torches surrounded the monument and no stalchild entered the safety of the light.

"It's dangerous out here at night, it's rare to come across a traveller here." The man didn't move from his prayer knee. A hood was drawn over his head, but she could make out his gray beard flowing from underneath it.

"Unfortunately I am in a rush, do you perhaps know how far it is to Kakariko Village?" Zelda inquired. She pulled her own hood further over her head, covering her hair and shrouding her face in shadows, she didn't need anyone recognizing her out here. Not when she was this close.

"Oh, my child, have patience, here," He patted the ground next to him. "Sit with me and let's pray to our great Goddess Hylia to light our path and protect us from the night."

Zelda paused, what was up with this man? She patted Rhiannon's neck as she was beginning to step nervously, they may be safe, but the monsters were just beyond the light. Looking out into the moonlight she could see the plateau and mountains that hid Kakariko from sight, but she had no way of judging the distance. That would have been a useful skill to learn in tutoring, rather than foreign languages she'll never use, or the history of portions of Hyrule that they don't even lay claim to anymore.

With a heavy sigh she slid from Rhiannon and knelt next to the man. Silently she sent a prayer to Hylia to protect her. Hylia was the goddess she prayed to the most, it was the one that felt more right. But Zelda didn't really believe in anything. If there were goddesses they abandoned them long ago.

"When Hyrule was first born, fresh from the wombs of the three goddesses, a dark demon tried to lay claim to the land but Hylia came, shining her light and saved us. But there are things the light can't do, places the light cannot reach." Zelda turned to the old man, not expecting this story. "For these tasks there have always been those that walk amongst shadows. Ones that work with Hylia and her descendants to do what those that follow the light cannot." What was he talking about? The Sheikah? Impa always spoke of the Sheikah in the same matter, but Impa also always said she was the last one, the tribe was dead. "I have a gift from those in the shadow for those of the light." He pulled a small glass from within his robes, bringing it to his lips he kissed it as if it was something precious to him, and then placed it at the foot of the statue.

"Use it well." He said, this time to Zelda, instead of Hylia. He stood and disappeared into the shadows beyond the light before Zelda could react. She lifted the seeing glass from the monument, it was circular and indigo, three spikes adorned the top, and a teardrop formed the handle. She recognized it as Impa's tattoo, and the emblem of the Sheikah. Who had that man been? Did he know who she was? Was he a Sheikah? So many questions raced through her mind, she couldn't keep them all straight.

She carefully placed it in her pack and returned to Rhiannon. Taking a deep breath she shook any fears she had from her body and snapped the halter and sped off. Hyrule Field raced past her, she could hear the creatures rising around her, trying to dig their way out of the ground. Refusing to look she kept her eyes locked on the next bridge. She pulled back and waited once she landed on it, hooves on wood becoming her favorite sound. The stalchildren didn't seem to cross water, keeping her safe at least momentarily.

Only one more bridge to cross before reaching the pass that led up to her destination. She urged Rhiannon on once more. After riding for what felt like hours they finally reached the pass, cut into the plateau that rose of the rolling hills of the field like a knife cutting into the sky. It was the beginning of the Eldin Mountains, and the beginning of whatever journey she had embarked on.

Lit torches lined the path that led her up on a slow incline. No more monsters for the night. Zelda slumped heavily on Rhiannon's back, it had been the longest day of her life, and it still wasn't over yet. She had to find Impa.

"Who goes there?" Shouted the guard, his voice cracking.

"Just a traveller." she muttered.

"Oh, we don't get many people this late at night. You travelled the Fields by yourself? At night?" The guard's mouth fell open in stunned silence.

"That is correct, it has been an arduous journey, where can I procure arrangements for the night?"

"The Hearty Hearth Inn is just beyond, they always have vacancies, Ma'am." The guard eyed her quizzically, but said nothing else as she slowly made her way through the gate and into the town.

Kakariko was built between two cliff faces. The ravine between housed what was essentially main street, all the shops and taverns and the inn. But built up into the cliff face were the homes of the residents. A haphazard combination of wooden and stone bridges and slopes lead from each house back down to main street. Looking up into the morning sun, the color of sickly sweet honey, she could see windmills atop the plateaus. Each spinning slowly, as if they too hadn't woken for the morning. Just beyond Death Mountain loomed over everything, like some ominous obelisk jutting into the sky, a ring of smoke like the halo of a fallen angel surrounded the crest of the active volcano.

That early in the morning the town was still asleep, only a few of the houses farther up had lights shining from their windows. Zelda could hardly think straight she was so tired, as was Rhiannon, sluggishly plodding along beneath her. She slipped off her horse and led her by bridle to the warm, welcoming glow of the only building lit up.

"Hello!" the lithe girl behind the counter greeted. "Welcome to the Hearty Hearth Inn! Looking for a room?" her red hair bobbed as she gesticulated, she was much too perky for this early in the morning. Her voice grated on Zelda's nerves.

Zelda ordered a room for one and the girl was quick to oblige. The modest inn had small rooms with rough beds, but anything was welcomed for Zelda, she would sleep on the floor at this point. Her body was ready to give out on her as collapsed onto the straw hewn bed. Sleep raced at her like a black wall.

"Mi'lady." Zelda shot up, reaching for her sword. She felt the familiar warm hand on her arm, "Calm yourself, it is I." Zelda wanted to cry, her heart welled in her chest and she felt so much relief wash over her as if she had been dipped in the ocean.

Impa knelt beside her bed, her shock of silver hair pulled back into a knot, her red eyes burrowing into Zelda. "What are you doing here?" Impa asked. Around her left eye was tattooed the crest of the Sheikah, three triangles above, and a teardrop below.

"I-I" now that she was reunited with Impa she was at a lost for words. "We have to get back to the castle."

Impa touched Zelda's cheek lightly, her fingers a reassurance. "Calm yourself my liege." Zelda had always found Impa's husky voice like a shell of protection. Impa had been with her family for years, she was only a few years older than Zelda, but came to work for the royal family as a personal assistant to the young twins. Over the years she had grown and learned with them, eventually being promoted to royal guard and then finally to General Lieutenant of the Royal Guard.

Zelda fell into Impa's arms and all the stress of the day before escaped her. Impa held her tight as Zelda sobbed, her body racking with each gasp of air. They sat in the light spilling from the window across the room like gold spun from the air.

A knock at the door disrupted the moment. "Impa? Is it really her?" Niko leaned in the door, but seeing the princess crying in Impa's arms he yelped and slammed the door shut again. Zelda couldn't help but laugh. Her laugh being so contagious that Impa couldn't help but laugh either. Niko peered back in as he heard them laughing.

"It is well, Niko, you can come in." Zelda excused. Niko bounded in, the youngest grand strategist the kingdom of Hyrule had ever had, Niko was diminutive, his face covered in a splattering of freckles and buck teeth he had yet to grow into. He jumped up onto the bed and into Zelda's arms.

"Princess! It's so good to see you again." He nuzzled into her.

"You have only been gone for a few days!" Zelda laugh. The irony that she had just been crying in Impa's arms as if she hadn't seen her in months, was not lost on her.

"Then why have you hunted us down?" Impa pressed. Zelda looked up, meeting her eyes, they were creased with worry, as if she already knew.

Zelda's voice dropped to a whisper. "Someone came to the castle yesterday. His name was Ganondorf, he claimed to be king of the Gerudo, and yet I do not know how that is possible. He attack the King, my father, and declared war on the Kingdom." Saying the words, putting it so simply, she couldn't even believe it. She held back tears again, this was no time to cry. She felt almost like she was in a fever dream, how could this be happening?

Impa bit her lip, her eyes traveling across the room. "I was afraid of this."

"Wh-" Zelda couldn't believe her ears. "How?"

"We have to go, there is something you need to see." Impa stood and lead the way out of the room, Niko on her heels. Zelda quickly changed into her travel clothes again and followed them out with her pack over her shoulder.

"Princess!" Major Groose was standing outside the room, and immediately fell onto one knee with respect.

"Stand down," Zelda waved him away. He jumped to his feet and fell into line after her. Groose was tall for a hylian, with olive skin and bright crimson hair. He actually shared many qualities with the Gerudo that Zelda had never noticed until she had seen all the Gerudo tribe right in the throne room.

Impa and Niko were waiting downstairs in the lobby of the inn. "How did you know I was here?" Zelda questioned.

"Anju, the innkeeper, told us." Impa dismissed, once the four of them were together she took them outside. Noonday sun cast a harsh light down on the town. Hylians and Gorons ambled about and the market was in full swing. Families shopping, vendors calling their wares, Kakariko was bustling with business.

"It was the Sheikah that founded Kakariko Village, millennia ago." Impa explained as they walked. "There has been many Kakarikos over the years, when one fell another was built somewhere in Hyrule. All with the same intent, to work as a base of operations for the Sheikah. Our temples and shrines are always hidden in Kakariko. Whether we are located by Lake Hylia, the castle or here by Death Mountain." Zelda didn't know where she was going with this. She had heard stories of the Sheikah her entire life, a secret tribe that worked for the King of Hyrule, the last member being Impa. She knew Kakariko was special to Impa, as she made a pilgrimage to the town around the same time every year. But Zelda had never known why.

Near the end of the town, but before they had reached the gate that separated Kakariko from the trail up to Death Mountain, Impa led them off the path and through a cave in the cliff face. Zelda fell behind the group, Impa's history lesson of Kakariko trailing on in front of her. Clay had been inlaid on the cave walls forming constellations all around, lights shimmered from within the clay, completing the effect.

"Come on Princess!" Niko called from up ahead. Zelda realized that she was the only one still in the cave, and all the rest had left already.

On the other end was a small temple designed with traditional Sheikah sensibilities. The entrance was blocked by a circular door with the Sheikah eye engraved on it. Impa, seeing that everyone had joined them finally, placed her hand on the pupil of the eye, causing the whole eye to light up with a teal glow. The door opened like a camera shutter and lead the way into the temple. Impa went in first, followed by Niko, and then Groose, with a last glance over his shoulder at Zelda. She took a deep breath, peering into the darkness of the temple. She followed suit.

Inside the temple seemed bigger than the outside, while dark it was lit with an ambient blue light that Zelda couldn't place. The other three were gathered around the far wall, as she walked up to join them she found out why. Carved into wall was an epitaph of Zelda standing beneath Ganondorf.