Chapter Twenty Four
A Nightmare

General Jevilla Falsha stood proudly before her Queen, clutching a scroll of parchment with an air of triumph. Jevilla had come directly from a military council, in which her colonels and captains had at last come to an important decision. Now the General waited to give the news to the Crown, that the Gerudos were ready for war.

The Amethyst Queen was seated upon her throne with numerous others gathered in the space around her, including various nobles, guild officials and military leaders, as well as her personal handmaidens. Governor Jaendral Rashan was standing close by her side, on the first step of her Throne's raised dais. The very tall man was usually solemn and rarely smiled, but when Jevilla entered the room even he brightened.

The Throne Room of Shaylin was a beautiful sight. The sandstone walls were decorated with many frescos depicting ancient Gerudo heroes fighting fierce monsters, and brave kings defending Shaylin from vast armies of foes. The high arching ceiling was supported by eight grand columns of green and white marble, and in the heights long narrow windows let in the glorious desert sunlight. The throne was a magnificent sight; hewn from a single piece of white stone, it was carved so as to resemble crashing waterfalls. In this desert water was revered as the source of life, and life flowed from the king or queen to their people. On the back wall a brilliant sunburst pattern fanned out from behind the throne, all inlays of amethyst.

The Queen upon her throne did not hold the same royal aura that her predecessor Queen Lana had possessed, nor did she possess the ability to inspire fear and awe in those she met, yet she was ever more loved by her people, and held the respect and loyalty of everyone in her court. This unassuming young woman, a native of the Hylian Southlands, was altogether different from the Gerudo kings and queens of old. She was calm and gentle in her manner, and was becoming renowned for her wisdom and tact in dealing with those clamouring for favour.

When she held court she wore garments of a simple cut; today a feminine tunic which flowed into a knee length skirt, all in a bright shade of vivid red, with black boots on her feet and a black, silver-buckled belt around her waist. Around her neck she wore a thin silver chain, upon which was hung the Amethyst Snake, the symbol of her station.

When Jevilla entered the room, Queen Elane Cassido smiled upon the General and invited her to speak freely.

"Your Majesty," said the flame-haired woman before her, dressed in the thick green silks of her office, "the Military Council of Shaylin has convened, and confirms that the Gerudo Army is ready for service in the field of battle."

The Queen inclined her head slightly in acknowledgement and held forward a hand. "May I?" she asked levelly.

"Of course," said the General, with a bow of her own head. She handed the scroll to one of the Queen's handmaidens who promptly delivered it up to her.

The Queen opened the scroll and her eyes flashed across it quickly. She was not reading the document, for in truth the Queen's ability to read was limited. It was rare for a commoner raised in Taran Kaey to have any education. Only the Governor Jaendral was aware of her limitation, and he kept this secret with honour. When she looked at the scroll the Queen was only checking for the wax seals of the colonels at the bottom of the document. Content, she passed it across to Jaendral, who read it for himself before giving her a quick nod.

"Good," said the Queen, with a polite smile for Jevilla. She then sobered her expression and spoke to everybody present. "War is a terrible and vile thing," she said, "we know that all too well. Preparing our troops brings me no pleasure at all. None at all." Jevilla was the first to nod in agreement with the Queen.

"Yesterday a messenger arrived with a letter from Prince Rael," she said. "The Kairin armies in Hyrule have been defeated." From the Queen's concerned tone, everybody knew there was bad news to balance this good news. "I wish I was delivering only this happy news, but I'm not. Another Kairin army is moving towards Hyrule, and the Prince believes it will cross the sea swiftly." She sat up as straight as her back would allow, trying to look as strong willed as possible. "We must march at once for the Southlands to aid our Hylian brothers, who so fearlessly came to our rescue."

This startling revelation brought controversy, and the room became abuzz with discussion. The Queen talked with her advisors at length, until at last all questions were answered and their next motions were roughly planned.

Eventually the Queen was alone with her General and her Governor. The two of them were talking quietly with each other, not being secretive but nor being open in their discussion. The Queen rose from her throne and came to stand with the flame-haired, battle-hardened pair. Standing on the same level now, Jevilla was the same height as her, whereas the mighty Jaendral was over a foot taller than them both.

"Thank you for your counsel," she said curtly, "as always." Elane gathered her hair behind her head and straightened her sleeves nervously. She needed to control that nervous habit.

"Are you well, ma'am?" asked Jaendral.

Elane looked up at the great man and feigned a smile to hide her concern. "Yes, I'm fine," she said.

"Then by your leave, ma'am," he said, with a short bow. "There is much to be done." He turned and began to make for the doors of the throne room.

"Ah, Jaendral," Elane called after him, "would you mind staying with me for a while?"

Jaendral on his heel and raised an inquiring eyebrow. "Yes ma'am. To what purpose?"

Elane looked across at Jevilla and then back to Jaendral. She was frightened, but she needed answers. "The prisoner," she said, and they both understood whom she meant. "I must... talk to him, or it, or whatever it is. I need to know where it comes from."

Jaendral bowed slightly. "You need my protection?" he asked.

"No," said Elane, trying to mask her fear. "It is quite safe behind bars. I would just... rather have you with me. Both of you."

"Majesty," said Jevilla. "There are others who can perform this task. It is hardly the job for the Queen. I will do it myself, if it spares you trouble."

"That creature is locked up, but it is dangerous," said Jaendral gravely. "It came to Shaylin to kill you, ma'am. I am obliged to warn you against this course."

"Enough," said Elane, gathering her courage. "We're going to the prison."

Half an hour later, Elane, Jevilla and Jaendral were being led down a spiralling staircase, following after a tall, thin, jailer with a torch held aloft in his aging hand. Against Jevilla's protests, Elane had refused to let the Royal Guard escort her now, insisting to the secrecy of her actions.

They were walking down deep into the mountain caves, far below the main jail in which she and Rael had once been held as prisoners. Those cells higher up were for criminals of the lesser sort. Criminals of the worst sort were deprived even of daylight, sealed away below ground in the cold darkness.

Soon they were wending their way through a twisting passageway, high ceilinged but very narrow such that they had to walk in single file. Jaendral looked particularly cramped in this small space. The path was sloping downwards at a gradient, deep into the far reaches of the mountain. Elane supposed that this passageway must have once been a natural cave; surely this could not have been hewn from the raw rock.

It was ten minutes before the path widened slightly, and they arrived in the dungeon area proper. Here the path was lined with many darkened cells, alcoves cut into the stone, faced with thick iron bars. In the dim torchlight Elane could make out occasional pale faces cowering in the gloom of their cells, hands up to shield them from the sudden brightness of the flame.

"This is awful," said Elane, disgusted at the terrible conditions. "People can't live in these conditions, even if they are criminals."

Jevilla shook her head, "The intention has never to give them any sort of life ma'am. This is a punishment worse than death, for those who do not deserve so easy an escape from their wrongs."

Elane stopped by one of the cells and peered into the gloom. "Hylia would never approve of this," she said. The cell was roughly cube shaped, six feet in each length, depth and width; enough for most men to lie down in, but only just.

"With respect, ma'am," said Jevilla, coming to stand beside her, "you may be surprised with what Queen Zelda will condone, in the right circumstances. She is outwardly righteous, but she has a fierce temper, and has been known to harbour heavy grudges."

"Surely not this though..." said Elane, trying to spot the occupant of the cell.

"Have you visited Hylia's prisons, ma'am?" asked Jevilla.

Elane turned to look at Jevilla inquiringly, surprised at what she was hearing. "I don't-" Elane broke off and screamed as a hand reached out through the iron bars from the concealed corner, and grabbed Jevilla by the throat.

The General gasped, but was quick to react. She snatched the hand away by the wrist and pulled it hard through the gates. The body of a haggard prisoner collided with the iron bars and cried out in pain. "Watch yourself," she said to the prisoner, "or we can make your existence far worse." She twisted his wrist and watched emotionlessly as his body contorted in pain.

"Jevilla that's enough," said Elane firmly, "let him be."

It was not over though. Jaendral was now upon the man, grabbing him through the bars with his bear-like hands. "Touch that woman again, and I guarantee you will not die for many long hard years," he growled.

"Jaendral Rashan!" shouted Elane, furious at her Governor's behaviour. "Control yourself!"

Jaendral released the man, and shoved him across to the far side of the cell, where he fell down limp and whimpering. The Governor spun to face his Queen, his face still fierce and threatening. Elane stepped away from the great man, fearing him now for the first time since her coronation. Jaendral quickly composed himself, putting his hand to his heart. "Forgive me, ma'am," he said. He looked around darkly, squinting his eyes as he glanced into the shadowy recesses of the passageway. "This is no place for women."

Elane folded her arms and turned her head away. "Lead on," she said to the jailer.

The four of them continued walking along the twisting corridor, Elane and Jevilla striding side by side. Elane had expected Jevilla to take great exception to Jaendral's last comment, but she seemed not to care. She was watching Jaendral with a face close to awe, a curious smile playing upon her lips.

Eventually they came upon the end of the tunnel. However, looking into these cells, Elane observed that all of them in this final stretch were empty. "Have we come too far?" she asked ahead to the jailer.

The old man shook his head and beckoned them to the very end of the tunnel. The final cell was on the left side of the tunnel. The entire face of the cell was made of iron bars, so that the whole interior of the drab prison was visible. When Elane beheld he who was locked inside, she did her utmost to stomach her disgust and hide her fear.

The prisoner was not huddled on the floor like all the others in this horrible place. He was standing tall, with the top of his head just touching the low ceiling. He had his legs slightly apart, and his hands folded behind his back, as though he were a soldier 'at ease'. When Elane came into his view his eyes followed her and remained transfixed upon her. He stared at her with cruel eyes, trying to inspire fear in her.

The assassin had come very close to killing Elane, and if it were not for Jaendral's quick reactions it would have succeeded. On that day she had been made completely sure of Jaendral's loyalty. If this creature had ever been a true man, it was far from natural now.

"Is it true that it doesn't eat?" asked Elane, not breaking eye contact with the creature.

"Too true, ma'am," replied the jailer. "It doesn't eat or drink or sleep. It simply stands there, as though it were waiting. To be true, it's strange how he looks at you. He usually fixes his eyes on that spot there on the ceiling." Elane followed the jailer's pointing finger. If she traced the assassin's eye-line through that spot she would surely find he was looking in the direction of the palace. Elane shuddered and returned her gaze to the creature.

The assassin's face looked like it belonged to a dead man, white and pale with greyness around the lips and eyes, with a terrifyingly emotionless expression. A struggled physical examination had revealed that a black stone was embedded in his chest and seemed to serve in place of a heart, beating with the same regularity. Thick purple veins had grown outward from the stone to the rest of the body. This stone clearly maintained the creature's life force rather than food or water.

"Hello," said Elane to the creature, as bravely as she could.

The creature did not reply, but simply continued to stare at the Queen with his horrible gaze.

"I'm Elane," she said, in semblance of politeness, "but you know that."

Still the creature did not reply. Elane wondered if it would respond to her at all. How could she elicit a reply from the thing?

"We both know you can talk," Elane continued, "so spare me this mute play."

The eyes of the dead face narrowed, and its mouth curled into a wicked smile. Still he said nothing, but at least now he was choosing to register her presence. If that smile was supposed to scare Elane, she was not going to allow it to.

"What are you?" Elane asked, challenging the creature to identify itself.

When the assassin spoke, his voice was as sharp and twisted as she remembered from the attack. The voice was a pained and shrill tone, and seemed disconnected somehow from the being itself. "I... am... a nightmaaare..." it said, slowly, emphasising every syllable.

Elane shivered and took a step away, moving closer to the tower of protection that was Jaendral.

"It has that much correct," said Jevilla, folding her arms casually. The General was clearly unconcerned by the unnatural existence before her, much unlike Elane.

"Who are you?" pressed Elane. "Were you a Gerudo man? A Hylian? A Kairan?"

The creature did not answer, but continued to grin cruelly.

"Do you even know where you come from?" Elane asked.

The creature was angered by this question, and the smile was wiped from his face. "I come from the Master," he said. "I am nothing else."

"Can you not remember who you are?" Elane asked, feeling a pang of pity for this creature.

"I am the will of the Master!" shrieked the assassin. "The Master's will be done!"

Elane did not understand who the creature was talking about. She could only suppose that this Master was Ralis, but that did not help her understand how this man came to be in this state. "What do you want?" asked Elane to the creature, though she already knew the answer.

"You will die, Elane," said the assassin in answer, his voice cooler now. "By my hand or the Master's hand, you will die."

What pity she had for the creature evaporated. Her fear turned quickly to a steadfast resolve to find answers to this mystery. "Jailer," said Elane, "have the prisoner transferred somewhere he can be interrogated more effectively." She turned to Jaendral and took her most authoritative tone. "Governor, I want you to personally oversee the questioning of the prisoner."

Jaendral nodded. "Of course Majesty," he said, with some apprehension.

"Make this your priority," Elane said. "I can assume most of your duties now. I have learned much from your counsel."

Jaendral flinched. His frustration at being relieved of powers was immediately apparent. Jaendral's power-lust had been mostly sated by being made Governor of Shaylin. Taking this role away from him was necessary to quell his ambition, and this was an adequate excuse to check his power. Nonetheless in truth there was no-one Elane trusted more with the truly important task of understanding this 'nightmare'. There could be more of them out there, and she needed to know how serious the threat she faced was.

"Yes, Majesty," said Jaendral, hesitantly, "I live to obey." The man relaxed and looked at the imprisoned assassin. "I am the hand of the Queen."

"Thank you Jaendral," said Elane, gratefully. "If you succeed now, you will have proved yourself to me."

Jaendral made a short bow, but remained silent now.

"We don't have long, though," said Elane, turning her attention to Jevilla. "War calls us East. Come, both of you, there is so much to do... and time is slipping away."

The three most powerful people in Shaylin left the dungeons led by the torch-bearing jailer. Despite their good relations, there was a hard tension between them, as the currents of power swirled around them. Elane had once thought it was a Queen's duty to keep enemies at bay; now she realised it was also her duty to keep friends at bay. She squeezed the bridge of her nose and screwed up her eyes, trying to rub away her headache.

A terrifying scream echoed up the corridor after them, and the living nightmare drove fear deep into Elane's heart.