A/N: I'm back. This chapter is slightly shorter, but it took me a bit longer to write, as I'm back with studies. Still, here it is. Link continues his quest back through the haunted wasteland. A familar face we haven't seen in a long time appears. Agahnim tries his hand at political manipulation. I took a lot of inspiration from one of my favorite games of al time with this one. Final Fantasy XII is an excellent basis for this sort of chapter, so I hope you enjoy it.

Let's get going.

Chapter xiv:

The Measures of Power

"Had you not wasted the resources of the royal guard so capriciously, Lord Agahnim, we would still stand a chance against any possible insurgents."

The council had spoken. Here, he stood observing their mettle, intending to destroy him and usurp his position by any means possible.

"The villages and neighboring kingdoms such as Labrynna and Holodrum will not stand for any perceived weakness that stains the royal house of Hyrule." Lord Beckett said from one corner.

"It is understood that I already expressed myself on the matter. I would endure their slings and arrows as long as Hyrule is safe from would-be usurpers such as the insurgent knight Rusl. Was it not that the purpose of my staying in Labrynna before the council summoned me? Though king Nohansen is gone, he stands ever at our side, guiding our hand and purpose. That is what I believe."

"Your faith in the whims of past kings and the old religion, while tolerated, may be misplaced. We value the diplomacy in which you have dealt in the past few weeks, but we cannot bear the burden of seeing our kingdom's temporary head misplaced, while the royal armies and helpers are wasted in such futile tasks like searching for a single boy. Justice must be served, and we must tend to other matters, in order to end this succession crisis. One of the royal families remaining must bear the mantle of king, now. The search for insurgents is over, justice must we served, we reiterate."

"A convenient thing, justice…" Agahnim said. "And so now you ask of me this task. I shall call off the search parties while you establish a true successor."

"It pleases the council to hear such words, Lord Agahnim. We shall give our candidates within the next week, in order to start the process of deliberation."

"But do not forget, Councilman Beckett. The sword of Hyrule must not be shamed and rust in doubt while the enemies ponder." With that, Agahnim was dismissed, and headed off to his tower.

At twilight, two figures walked along the corridors of Hyule castle. In the dusk, they seemed as shadows, hidden between the columns of old, under the watchful gaze of the armors. In part, they had never confided much in each other, and still they did not. But, such fate would bring them together on this afternoon that they should discuss the matters pertaining the struggle that was occurring behind the closed doors. One of them, tall and wrapped in black armor, and a high ranking member of the royal guard, was Brutus, still under a dark spell that oppressed his thought, allowing just a slight sense of independence. In truth, he was a mere extension of Agahnim's will at this point, even if he retained his core personality. The other figure, slender, with short white hair and a modest black dress, with careful steps in contrast to her companion, was Lady Smallwood, member of the royal council.

"The council may play at intrigue, but already the rank and file of Hyrule's military are set on continuing the task of securing the kingdom. The new elected elder of Kakariko has expressed his devotion to maintaining order in the name of our priest. He is a descendant of the seven sages that long ago sealed the dark realm. What better blade to slay the enemies of the kingdom?" Brutus opened the conversation with an attack.

"Your honorable presence places such great confidence in the abilities of Lord Agahnim, who was merely a chancellor when this crisis started two months ago. I wonder if your fellow Viscen would think the same? Gone he has been ever since he ventured into the Desert of Doubt, alone without any help." Lady Smallwood offered.

"I will not hear you malign Viscen, Councilwoman, no matter your esteemed status. A noble warrior, he was. His trust in Lord Agahnim was not ill-placed."

"Agahnim has been responsible for the disappearance of already six maidens from different kingdoms, including the daughters of the Royal Houses of Holodrum and Labrynna. His trickery is beyond contempt. That is why he must be removed, and made for answering, if possible."

"A trickster, you say? We do not know if the rebellious ones are behind the disappearances of the maidens. I think your honor confuses his intelligence for mere deceit. How fitting for one who has the bear the burden of Kingship, if the Goddesses will it."

So Brutus said, before leaving Lady Smallwood. He headed for the tower now.

"Those decrepit fools tie my hands by summoning me and look what happens. It seems my time as a leader is short," Agahnim expressed, high atop Hyrule, sitting behind his table on the Chancellor's chamber located at the top of the tallest spire in Hyule Castle. "I tell you, the obstinacy and cunning of this council knows no bounds."

Brutus, using what limited wit he had over his own person, offered up some information. "The insurgent Link has not been heard from since, but our outposts on the outskirts of the Desert have not detected any presence. We have not attacked the Gerudo village, as you ordained."

"It seems as if I may have to recall back my troops, though."

"Lady Smallwood is conspiring to see that a Dagger is stuck permanently in your back, as well." This conversation between two bodies, in reality being had by one single entity, was amusing to the person, but also useful. It helped make his decisions more balanced and focused.

"It seems that, try as we might, our time is short, Brutus. How goes our search for any hidden passage within the castle walls?"

"It seems as the royal Princess managed to put a veil over the entrance to such place. We cannot find it still, Lord Agahnim."

"Shame. It would have been the easier choice to make, to redouble our efforts on the inside. But with the council watching, any movement over the soldiers would be too much noise."

"So what should our men do?"

Agahnim pondered on this. He knew that Link had already gotten two pendants, and would be headed for the third. Only the house of wisdom remained untouched. This was a risky proposition, but he had enough experience on the battlefield, back when he was young and abrasive, to know the movements of people like the Boy in Green.

"I go to the sacrificial chambers. There is much work to be made down there. We have to compensate for the time lost without the body of the princess. Our plan cannot be delayed any longer."

"My liege, what could we do then to shorten the timespan?"

"It is simple. Allow Link to follow quickly whatever route he is tracing. His insurgency is at an end. I know for a fact that he will lead us sooner or later to Zelda. Once you locate him, stay within the shadows. The folly of their quest will soon be established. Zelda will have been found, and nothing will delay us any further."

"But we have but one week scarcely. Is it prudent to mobilize the troops in such a way?"

"My hands are already stained. I see no reason to stay them any longer. Go, and do not fail me. There is still the matter of Viscen. I am unable to feel his presence, and I fear the worst."

With that, Brutus departed. The game had started. The promised time was near, with Link and Zelda's failure soon to follow.

Tattered flags waved in the desert wind, bringing guidance to whomever chose to search for it. In yearning of finding comfort for his fallen friend, Link followed these beacons, long ago placed by Gerudo chieftains across the haunted plains in the sandsea. Legends spoke of ancient specters that appeared in visions to travelers, hoping to help them achieve salvation by rescuing people from making the same mistake they had once made in life. Such matters of course, were particularly uninteresting to Link, as he swallowed some potion Nabooru had left behind in her pouch. Over the body of the mule had he put her, before resigning himself to be the main guide for this last adventure across the cursed land.

Years down the line, Link would chuckle at the thought of thinking of the Desert of Doubt as a cursed land, as he would later understand the true meaning of that. His journey would include horrible sights and countless places under dark spells made ancient gods and arcane beings that outstretched imagination, all following the whims of ancient rulers from down below that far surpassed the whimsies of plotting priests that searched for power in vain.

So it came to be that on the third day, Link found his desired destination. His skin was burnt and his tongue was parched, all while his senses were barely sustaining themselves, merely subsisting on the illusion of comfort thanks to the ancient potion that Nabooru had brought along for an emergency. She had stolen this ancient mix from the local sorceress, a descendant of a pair of despicable monstrosities that reveled in the darkest of magical arts. Fortunately, Shido the Witch had none of the gallantry to try her hand at dark magic, and had instead focused her efforts on the curative properties hidden beneath the rocks and dried plants. These chain of events, started millennia ago by mere coincidence, would lead to Link's prolonged survival, and yet he would never be able to know the truth of the exact circumstances that helped save his life that day. He simply kept on walking, a string of rope around his waist in order not to lose the mule, before collapsing on the ground and faintly crawling in a specific direction. Two riders, mounting wild boars, approached his fallen body. After much discussion, they had decided to take him back to the village.

It was this way that Link came to meet Aginna, the village elder. Awakening in a mysterious tent, he heard the distant noise of clutter and the loud yells of happiness of the local tribe as they danced and sang songs of heroism and reclaiming lost heritages. Link did not understand a single word of the ancient Gerudo language, but fortunately most of the tribe knew modern tongues such as Hylian as well. By the time he woke up, a strange girl was tending to him with a basin full of water by the bedside. In alarm at his sudden awakening, she exited the tent in a hurry, before bringing an older man, of dark skin and red hairs and red beards. His cloak was dark in color too, and it held a strange symbol representing an eye on the chest. This man was the King of the Gerudo, a tribe known for producing only women except for one man every hundred years destined to lead them. This man was Aggina.

"I told you, he was awake!" The young woman said.

"Yes! Let me give you a proper welcome!" The man bent down and gave Link a hug like no other he could have ever experienced, which felt painful because of his present state: he still needed some days of healing.

"Sir, please, let me go-

His complaints were not heard until Aginna was satisfied.

"So, lad, tell us all about this adventure of yours that has left us in your debt."

"Debt? I'm sorry sir, but I do not know what you are talking about. I just woke up-

But Aginna was having none of it, and kept on talking. "Firstly, you save Nabooru, one of our greatest warriors from those beasts down at the Lake. Then, you brave the tests of our patron saint Din. And all this, to apprehend the one who has kidnapped Nabooru's sister? Please, young master, explain to me what else can you do for us that we should wait before we claim we are indebted to you."

"It is not like that, sir. When you say it like that it sounds as if I am some grand hero of legend or something."

"But you are, boy! Tonight, we will have a great feast in your honor. After that, you may talk with me all you want about what you want as a reward. Of course, you can rest here all you want from now on, until you feel well enough to continue on your journey."

"But—

"But nothing! We recognize true power when we see it. You cannot evade us that easily."

Aginna left the tent, leaving Link alone with his thoughts.

The location known as Mar Dao was the home of the Gerudo, deep within the Desert. That night, they gathered around a fire, dancing wildly to the arcane deities they revered. Link had been invited as an observer, and he observed the ancient dance in bewilderment. He was invited into Aginna's tent after a while, in order to discuss the matter pertaining to his reward.

"I assume, Link, you know about our most sacred of treasures."

"I am sorry, sir, but I think you misunderstand. I do not know of any treasure the Gerudo might have."

"You do not? Ah, history surely does twist the fates of people at times. Come, boy." He led Link towards the inner sanctum of his small home. From a copper box, he pulled out an object that glowed in the night with the brightness of a thunderbolt. This small staff was of a medium size, and it had a light weight to it. Aginna offered the object to Link.

"In ages past, the Goddess Din offered us her pendant, hoping that we would use it proudly and carefully. From the fragments of its crystal, we carved out smaller stones that would grant the most divine of powers to those that held it. Legends even tell of a powerful Trident an ancient Gerudo warlord once held, fitted with one of the precious parts carved out from the pendant. Eventually, the Goddess Din took the relic away from us, considering the Gerudo to be unworthy of her grace.

"However, our people pleaded, hoping to see if their penitence would grant them mercy. Our lands are scorched by the sun, and when the moon climbs into the dark of night, a frigid gale pierces our homes, searing the world. It can only be called fate that eventually, the Goddess would grant us this, the Ice Rod. Inferior in power, but of much use. This frigid relic helps us maintain dominance in a land where water is scarce. I want you to have it. For Hyrule, and for all of us. You must be the one to defeat this darkness that pervades the lands that Goddesses hold most precious. If our people must suffer under the sun so that you may bring the light once more and return Nabooru's sister to us, then so be it."

"Master Agginna, I could not repay this gift. I cannot ever—

"Take it!" He cried out. "It is all we have, so take it! I know now that the true measure of power is not in how much one gains, but in how much one gives."

"The true measure of power?"

"My boy, why do you think you earned the pendant? Only those who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifices could be chosen by the Goddesses. It is our ancestors that committed the terrible mistakes that brought about these shadows upon us, yet it is you who will reap the penalty."

"What do you mean by that?"

"If I can make your journey a bit easier by handing you our treasure, then so be it. Have this. Power will always come to you, and the icy powers granted by this rod will be most useful."

Link took the ancient artifact in his hands.

"Nabooru is thankful for your assistance, I should say. You should visit her when you can."

Several matters occurred during the days that Link spent resting in the Mar Dao, but he would not recollect them until a later time. The nights he breathed sighs of relief would come to have importance in their due time. For now, only a faint memory remained in his brain. Link was still a young man, after all, so he had not fully learned how to process the fast pace of his life just yet. For the moment, he focused only on obtaining his reward and leaving to meet Zelda.

The trek back into the abandoned forest grounds was long. He considered stopping at Kakariko village as he had done before, but he knew now that Nabooru would not be there to help him out this time. Soon, the days turned into nights as he left the sandy terrains, and the golden lands became tanned, brown hills. A river could be heard in the distance, flowing with vigor. Tall trees started appearing, as the cool air of the mountains in the north flew downwards to the valleys. The trees showed extensive and elevated roots, along with long branches that provided shadow and comfort for the weary travelers. On more than one occasion, he stopped to fish near the rivers, catching several trout with an impromptu fishing hook he had made. Each afternoon, he would wait by the stream, feeling his clothes get wet. The soft sun of the afternoon made him sweat, but he would not care. He'd catch the trout using worm as bait, which was considered unfair by some. Later, he would open up the fishes by the center with his sword and take out their guts, gills and all. Finally, the operation would be completed by placing them between ferns and into small bags. The Gerudo had lent him another mule to help with this, so he'd simply place the bags in the mule. The animal would follow him for days on end, but he would never dare to ride it.

Soon, on the eleventh day of his journey, there came an end to his search. Amidst the forest trees, behind the local graveyard, there stood a familiar cathedral.

Link wasn't very religious. Still, he felt that he should pray for something. After entering the church, which seemed empty at first, he knelt down in one corner. There, he prayed for all he knew. He prayed a bit for himself, then a bit for Zelda and Nabooru. After that, he prayed for every person that he knew, such as the people in Kakariko, Sahasrahla and his family, the Gerudo, and even Viscen, whom he had not yet seen after he vanished from the Palace. He knew he had to pray a bit more, so he started thinking about how he should pray for a good journey, and then he thought about how he wanted revenge and it made him feel a bit angry as he knew it wasn't a proper thought to be had in a church. Then, he fell asleep. This is why he never prayed.

Half a minute later, a pair of hands woke him up with a light tap. He woke up to see the local priest, Avicenna. He was a bit surprised, but not as much as he would have expected.

"Link? You finally arrived…"

Link looked up, still trying to shake the sleep off of him. "Yeah, sorry it took me so long, it's just that-

Then, he looked at the front of the church. Zelda was there, dressed in her usual, "simple" dresses. Blue in color, she almost faded into the pale background of the church. Her expression was a bit of a silent surprise, as she stood there, simply looking at him. Neither of them spoke. It wasn't until Avicenna broke the silent spell that time seemed to regain its lost composure.

"You have a lot of tales to tell, I assume."

"Y- yes, I do. I have very important news too of the outside world."

Zelda approached him cautiously. "Then you better tell us over supper. You must be exhausted."

During the late-night meal, he told them of everything. He skipped the most gruesome aspects, as well as the boring parts. He also skipped over the days he spent resting in Mar Dao, as he somehow knew something in that part of the tale would make Zelda and Avicenna uncomfortable. Strangely, she seemed to look at him differently when he skipped that part. Link wondered if she was using her Magiks to read his mind at that precise moment.

After he finished the tale, the priest went back into his quarters, evidently less focused now on guarding Zelda with too much zeal. This was a real change back from when he had first met him. He was less secretive and protective, but he still had that nurturing look in his eyes. While Link rather liked him, he was glad he let both Zelda and him alone for a moment in the middle of the night. He knew that he would probably come back down eventually to check on them, but he was thankful anyway.

A small set of candles was set on one of the tables in the dinner hall of the church. Shadows softly danced in the room, projecting themselves on the wooden floor. Moonlight entered softly through the windows, giving Zelda a spectral glow in the night. Link shivered at this. He had somehow been a bit too focused on returning to Zelda for some unspecified reason, never questioning the why, and he was now beginning to regret his lack of introspection. Zelda, on the other hand, seemed to be as stoic as ever. The boy had forgotten the fact that a royal house member had been better educated on the matters of etiquette and masking one's feelings, without mentioning the deep magik that flowed through the orphaned princess' veins.

"So you wanted to come here to see me, am I correct?" Zelda was the first to speak in the silent night.

"Yeah… I suppose I wanted to inform you of everything that had happened before. I felt like it was my duty to tell you that you're not alone, and that I have not failed my mission."

"I've never doubted your abilities, Link," she said. The white gloves she always wore had slight stains of dirt on her elbows, as she normally rested them on the wooden table. "When you melded your mind with mine, I could get a sense of your talent. I only wish you weren't the one to do this. When I asked you to go to Kakariko, I only wanted you to go and be a messenger, not to be a hero."

She looked at the window for a moment. Link realized that, for all his travels and worries, he had at least seen the world. The princess had probably been a prisoner inside the church during all this time. This was probably the first real conversation she was having in weeks now.

"I often wonder how you do it."

"Pardon?" she said.

"I often wonder how you handle all this. How can you stay so calm?"

"My father taught me how to remain calm under any circumstance… I suppose it is the only thing I could do, to honor his memory."

"He was a fair ruler, was he?"

"Most likely, but I remember him as my father first and foremost. While he was very busy, he would always make time to talk to me at least once a day. I would tell him about what I had learned, and we would take walks on the castle gardens. I really miss those days the most. You could probably say that this situation does not bother precisely because the forest reminds me of those gardens. But… In truth, I guess I do miss him deeply. He was the wisest person I had ever known. Sometimes, I do not know what the correct answer to all these problems is, and I just stay in bed, thinking about him, wondering if he could guide me from beyond the grave."

During this, her voice had become quieter and quieter, as if she was ashamed of what she was saying. She did not look at him directly, fixating her stare downward, on the table. This too was formal etiquette, but Link was decidedly focused on getting her to open up, at least for a little while before he continued his journey.

"When I was with my uncle, I was very happy," he started. "He taught me a lot of the things I know."

"I knew him briefly myself," Zelda said. "He seemed like a good man."

"He was. I guess that, after he died, I was full of rage. I'd go and think of revenge, of getting back at Agahnim and anyone who was responsible. I was determined to be your messenger, because I wanted to something, no matter how stupid it seemed. Now… Now I think it's a bit different. I'm done feeling sorry for myself. I think if I stick with you, and help you regain your throne, I'll find whatever it is I'm seeking. That is why I'm staying with you, and you can bet I won't let you down."

"I wish I knew which answers would suffice for you, Link." She said.

"Do not worry about that. You won't have to worry as long as I'm around." She finally gave him a smile, and it shone brighter than any other candle in the church. "I just want you to trust me."

Her sapphire eyes looked him straight in the eye for the first time, and he felt a jolt of electricity running through his entire being, as if the Goddess Nayru was there, in front of him, in the flesh. Right now, he was sensing something far more intangible than the measures of power: it was the voice of wisdom, manifesting itself through one of her chosen. The princess uttered the words that would serve him as a shield through the following days, then.

"I do."

Just as Link had taken some days to finally depart, the royal council had taken some time too to be able to deliberate. In time, they came to the conclusion that a certain member of the royal guard should be chosen as the next heir to the crown. This, however, would be cut short exactly two days after Link had left the Desert of Doubt.

Lady Smallwood charged into the tallest spire, the main chambers of Agahnim, while being accompanied by two guards. She had heard rumors, but she needed confirmation. It wasn't until she saw the horror at her feet that her suspicions were confirmed. Councilman Beckett was dead, lying on the ground, while Agahnim looked at the body with disgust. Brutus was there too, along with the unexpected figure of Viscen.

"What sort of calamity is this, Lord Agahnim? A traitor amongst our council? What kind of-

"Lord Beckett confirmed that he was intending on usurping power from our most esteemed heir, Arelas. He was found dead this morning in his own bed."

This was beyond outrageous. She looked at anyone for support. She could not stand by this.

"It seems that the council is now a dragon of many heads," said Brutus. "We had no choice but to act and pass sentence on Lord Beckett."

Agahnim feigned a pained expression quite well now, just before he continued.

"We had no choice but to strip the council of any authority it might have had, and grant autocratic powers to myself—

"What sort of façade is this, Lord Agahnim? Please, spare me the lies! We all know exactly what sort of tragedy has transpired here!"

Viscen finally spoke:

"Lady Smallwood, you speak too freely—

"Viscen, I thought you were dead. Do not tell me you have returned, only to fall for this trap too?"

Viscen seemed to deliberate for a moment before speaking in slow manner. "With the Royal House of Hyrule in strict peril, it is imperative that we remain steadfast and vigilant, milady." Smallwood scoffed at this.

"This once-great house of nobles has been reduced to myself as an unfit heir, I suppose," Agahnim said. "How amusing."

"Surely you would not go so far!" Smallwood retorted. "Guards! I command you to arrest this usurper who would dare to stand over the corpses of both our fallen king and council!"

Her guards drew their swords, but were in turn stopped by Brutus, who simply pulled out his enormous Battle-Axe.

"You misunderstand, milady. Agahnim did not make himself Autocrat, it was the very ministry of law which you serve. When you drew your sword against him, you drew your sword at the law."

Lady Smallwood could not believe this was happening.

"…And so, the royal house of Hyrule dies. Its death throes will become mere whimpers, mark my words."

"Such conceit. Have it your way, Lady Smallwood," Agahnim said. "Viscen, it is time to test your loyalty. Send her to the castle dungeons, and make sure to put better security down there." Long had he waited to see if Viscen was still under his control. The soldier had returned one night, a blank expression on his face his only mean of communication. He could not tell whether he was still loyal to him, or just an obsolete tool to be thrown away.

With that, Viscen took Lady Smallwood away. Brutus took the liberty of ordering the soldiers to leave the chambers. With the succession crisis out of the way, he could now make time to focus on the crucial aspect of finding the princess. Already had Link exited the Desert. His soldiers would follow him and lie in wait. After that, Brutus would go there, and make an attack when appropriate. Rather than face Link head on, they would wait until he headed off the house of wisdom to obtain the pendant. For all he cared, the boy could try as hard as he could to obtain it. Once he had Zelda in his grasp, nothing would stop him. History would be taken from the clutches of the Goddesses, and his objective would be complete.

"And so, the sword of Hyrule is drawn once more."

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Like I said before, this is merely part I of the novel. I plan on writing constantly until we reach the ending, where I will proceed to take a small rest between each part, in order to properly play the game once again and reworking my plan for this story. As you can imagine, playing the game a lot of times, finding the inspiration, and dedicating some of your free time to write this is a bit of a hard process. But do not worry, I don't plan on leaving you on a sour note, and we still have some way to go before we end the first part of the fic.