The black horse's hooves pounded against the ground, the wind blowing back its mane as it galloped toward Zora's Domain, Chusai sitting tight in the saddle. The sunrise streaked red across the sky, but she had traveled far enough away from the castle not to be seen. Unfortunately, the evil creatures at the Dark King's call had multiplied like fleas, and pursued her blood just as eagerly.
Whipping out the short knife Naomai had given her, she hacked at the great, bat-like creature as it sank its needlelike teeth in her arm. Black blood spattered on her hand as it shrieked in rage, then pulled away and launched itself into the air.
A team of goblins waited at the bridge over Lake Hylia. Spurring her steed, Chusai ducked down behind its head , gripping her knife and shielding herself as best she could. The horse plowed through them, but not without injury; as it neighed in pain, Chusai fought to control it, her own leg bleeding from a deep gash.
She rode fast along the river, trying to avoid any possible enemies. As he ground grew rockier, interspersed with swampland, she began to breathe easier.
Finally she arrived, the horse gasping and lathered, to the entrance of Zora's Domain. The guard, a young Zora, held up his hand. "Who are you, and where do you intend to go, riding a horse of the Usurper King?"
She dismounted, placing her hand on the crest of her Hylian armor. "I am Chusai Ordana, former bodyguard of the Princess Zelda. I was told the Gerudo Council sheltered here."
He stumbled over himself in his eagerness to let her in. "Of course, Ms. Ordana. The Council has been waiting for you."
"Father, Chusai has escaped!"
"What?" both Ogadai and Ganondorf demanded; one voice furious, the other startled and fearful.
Naomai stopped just in front of him, gasping for breath, Idena and Neru on her heels. "I just went in to give her breakfast…she's gone!"
"Are you sure? When did you last see her?" Ganondorf shouted.
"Last night…"
Without another word, Ogadai ran through the castle and up the stairs to Zelda's tower. He scanned the room; there was no sign of her anywhere. Leaning out the window, he couldn't figure out how she had exited through, save for flying. It was a good hundred-foot drop at least. He did not know, of course, about the spear in the battlement roof; Naomai had removed it just after leaving the tower.
Naomai ran up behind him, three Wolfos behind her. "Father, if I may…I've trained these three to follow scent. May I…?"
Ogadai nodded. She led the three creatures to the bed, where they sniffed eagerly, wagging their bony tails.
"Come," Ganondorf ordered. "Even if Chusai has escaped on foot, she likely has a great lead on us. We'll go to the stables, then follow the trail on horseback."
The Wolfos bayed like hounds as they galloped out of the castle grounds, through the deserted town, and onto Hyrule Field. Ogadai could feel his father's ire, deep and hot, in the back of his head. Father…you're not going to hurt her, are you?
"Not unless she forces my hand. We'll just have to tie her down this time," the ghost replied with strained civility.
Troubled, Ogadai rode on, watching the Wolfos and Naomai ride ahead of them. Abruptly they left the field and plunged into the thicket, sharp undergrowth crackling beneath them and tree branches smacking him in the face.
After an eternity of branch-slapping, they emerged on the far side of a village cemetery. Ogadai felt a prickling from the ghost in the back of his mind, like a balled-up porcupine. Something about this place perturbed his father, but he wasn't talking.
The Wolfos sniffed and pawed at a set of graves near the middle, some of many that appeared to have been placed at the same time. Naomai dismounted and stared at the headstones. "Chusai must have stopped to look at these."
Ogadai dismounted and peered at the headstones. It had his same last name, as did the one next to it, and the one next to that. Mystified, he noticed all held the same date of death, as well as the surrounding headstones. He quickly did the math in his head and realized people from small children to the elderly had all died on the same day.
Out of the corner of his eye, Ogadai saw Naomai make a barely perceptible signal to one of the Wolfos, which bayed loudly and darted off toward the town. Naomai motioned to Ogadai. "It's caught her scent again!"
Feeling as if his mind were stuffed with cotton, Ogadai followed her blindly into the village. At one time, perhaps, it had been quite prosperous; but those happy days were long gone now. Ivy grew wild over once-fine homes, some with a broken window or two and nothing but weeds in the gardens. The wooden remains of a platform in the town square, once used for bands or dances, lay rotting. Not a soul could be seen, though Ogadai could sense whatever people remained had barricaded themselves inside their homes at the sound of the Wolfos.
Naomai beckoned Ogadai toward a statue in the middle of the square, a winged woman bowed as if in prayer. Ogadai watched the Wolfos sniffing at the statue, and after a brief second look at the stone woman, bent down to read a tarnished bronze plaque:
At this spot in Atami Village
22 people lost their lives by the blade of the Usurper King
As one of our own stood by, unable to stop him.
May the Goddesses receive them and forgive her.
At the bottom the same date from the headstones stood out, stark in the cloudy light.
Ogadai's hair stood on end as his brain slowly absorbed this information; he felt his skin grow cold and clammy. Time seemed to stand still. Ogadai slowly raised his gaze to meet Naomai's, and she nodded in answer to his unspoken question.
A whisper in the back of his mind. "Ogadai…"
"You lied to me." Ogadai stood, his hand frozen against the cold stone of the statue. A tiny pinpoint of light came to life in his soul, then erupted into a massive explosion. "YOU LIED TO ME!"
"Ogadai, that's enough. I don't expect you to understand why…"
"LIAR!" Ogadai roared, and struck out at the Wolfos sniffing him, suddenly sick to see himself in the company of such creatures. "You killed them all! You made my mother watch it! You sick bastard!" Ogadai fell to his knees and clutched his head as his voice broke, the Triforce mark on his hand glowing bright. "Get out of my head! GET OUT!"
Ogadai struggled to expel the ghost from his mind, focusing all his energy on banishing the dark force that had deceived him. He called upon the Triforce of Power, clutching at Din's gift to help him, praying to the Goddess to aid him.
But Ganondorf was much more experienced in the ways of the mind and the magic of the Triforce. Ogadai could feel a sinister shadow spreading itself around him and enveloping his mind, imprisoning him. He struggled, pushing hard, fighting with all the determination of a savage, starved animal.
Ogadai pulled at his hair and pounded his fists on the ground, like a man gone mad. Perverse yells in both voices erupted from his throat. His face twisted in a mask of agony, finally shutting his eyes tight with teeth bared, his fists clenched and sweat running down his face.
Then, finally, his face and body relaxed. He stood, breathing hard, slowly regaining his composure.
Naomai quickly stepped over to help him. "Are you all right, brother?"
He smiled. As quickly as a striking snake, he grabbed her by the throat and threw her against the statue. As she clutched the unyielding hand around her neck, Ganondorf snarled, "Ogadai has been sealed away, and in a short time will exist no more. Now, traitor daughter…where is Chusai?"
Zelda ran her hand over the lower half of the castle schematic for the twentieth time. "We really can't risk using those secret passages if we're not sure they're still secret!"
Link groaned and ran his hands through his hair. "There's going to be a measure of danger no matter what we do," he groaned.
"Even so, we have to ensure we take the least perilous route possible." Namu sat meditatively with her chin propped up on one hand.
Suddenly an excited shriek echoed throughout the cavern. "Namu! Chusai Ordana is here!"
"What?" Namu yelped in surprise and disbelief, then leaped to her feet. The entire Council ran to the entrance, nearly trampling the two Hylians, who followed behind at a slower pace.
Zelda stopped upon seeing Chusai standing there, in a long braid and Hylian armor, just as Zelda remembered her. The Gerudo crowded around her, thumping her on the back.
"So, you finally come back after all these years, eh?"
"Look at the lines on your face! You're so old!"
"You're thin as a rail! Is there a famine where you lived, too?"
Namu pushed them out of the way and embraced Chusai, tears running down both their faces. Neither said anything for several moments, then finally Namu whispered, "Welcome back, sister."
"Namu," Chusai breathed, her voice heavy with emotion. "Thank you for taking me back."
Letting go, Namu squeezed her friend's hands. "Eh, why would I not? We've been through so much, you and I…and will likely see much more before we die."
Seizing her chance, Zelda stepped forward uncertainly. "Chusai?" she said softly.
Chusai turned to her, all color draining from her face. Abruptly she dropped to her knees, head bowed. "Forgive me, Your Highness," she said in a strangled voice. "This is all my fault…if I had simply told you, told you what had transpired during the Usurper King's reign, none of this would have happened…"
"Rise, Chusai."
Chusai did as ordered, but kept her gaze down, unable to look directly at her former mistress. Zelda touched Chusai's face softly and lifted her chin gently to look her faithful servant in the eyes. "Chusai, it is I who must beg forgiveness. I put you in that place so I would not suffer myself. I did not listen when you tried to tell me of the torment you suffered." To the surprise of everyone, Princess Zelda stepped back and kneeled.
Chusai trembled. "Your Highness, no…"
Zelda stood, and Chusai embraced her, sobbing. Zelda placed her arms around Chusai, unable to hold back her own tears.