Chapter 36 - Aphotic War

The courtyard was all but empty as the gates were pushed open and shut again, settled amidst the setting sun in the sky. Slowly, he walked across it, knowing the foreboding sense he had was not just his mind playing tricks on him. Quietly, he glanced about, then forward at the steps leading up to the doors of the throne room behind the fountain in the center of the courtyard, and he knew where his king awaited him.

Arden headed toward the steps, ignoring any lingering pain he felt from his wounds, pushing on despite them. As he moved, he thought about certain things, about what Lyonel had said to him, things he never would have thought to consider before, things he wouldn't have considered because they were essentially meaningless. But everything was meaningless now. All of it was. Lyonel was right, and Arden's life was forfeit.

Pushing the doors open, the throne room coming into view before him, Arden noticed that where the courtyard had been lifeless, the throne room seemed to host a good bit of animation. Before him, and in front of the throne where his king stood, stood a contingency of soldiers, Ganondorf summoning up a dark power which he was now unleashing onto them all.

The dark force moved in black waves, consuming their bodies, an unexpected move to the men as they felt themselves transforming. With a wide, working eye, and narrowed brows, Arden watched the soldiers become different amidst the lightless energy, bigger, their bodies shifting somehow, though he couldn't see clearly until the dark power faded.

Slowly it did, though amidst it he could hear snarls and growls, and once that power vanished from sight, instead of regular soldiers standing before him, there was a legion of armored beasts with the heads of Jackals, their eyes glowing red, their fangs drooling saliva as if hungry for the taste of blood.

As Arden watched this, he exhaled his breath. He'd known something of this calabur was coming, so he wasn't completely surprised. Still, despite his knowledge that something of this nature was going to happen, he couldn't help staring at it, almost unable to believe it. From his very men, what were regular people, came such a force as he saw now.

As things grew quiet amongst the Jackals, Ganondorf's voice rang out over them all, his tone strong and steady. "Now go, gather yourselves, and prepare to depart. The thirst for blood you seek to taste shall be granted."

One by one, the Jackals turned, walking toward the door, passing Arden on their way out. He watched them silently before glancing toward the throne again, seeing that his king had settled his gaze upon him. It was a cold gaze, and one that Arden could not have mistaken, setting a chill forth even into the seasoned soldiers soul. But even then, he kept himself in check. Arden did not attempt to approach him or to speak until he was summoned or told to do so.

Ganondorf said nothing however, and only stepped down from the steps of the throne, approaching the man himself. Arden knew there was one move to make that would have been acceptable in that moment, and performing it, he dropped to his knees.

Watching him do so, Ganondorf stopped before the now kneeling man, and he lifted a singular brow above his black eyes, stating, "You've returned empty handed."

"Yes, my king," Arden drew out slowly, "I've failed in my tasks."

A brief silence ensued the words as a little smirk lifted the corner of the king's mouth. "Now, there's no need for such shame, Arden," Ganondorf spoke, "after all, you are one of my most skilled warriors. Lyonel, from what I can remember, was also fairly skilled, was he not?"

"That is no excuse for my failure," Arden replied. "The only thing I succeeded in was to find news of a revolt, and that their stronghold is supposedly located somewhere around or near Lake Hylia. I couldn't even get the exact location for you."

"You're just being hard on yourself. Stand, Arden," Ganondorf replied, allowing the man to do so before he went on, waving a hand as he added, "This revolt does not concern me. It is merely a last attempt by scared children to stand against powers they have no clue the significance of. They will be dispatched with my newly sired Knights. I trust you understand that much."

"Of course, your majesty," Arden said almost immediately as he stood up like Ganondorf had asked him to. Was his king going to show him pity or mercy? Arden didn't want pity, as much was for certain, but perhaps a chance to redeem himself would have been preferable. Though, he'd expected nothing less than death, and he knew that was his fate. Unless his king had another idea he hadn't thought of yet.

But Ganondorf didn't waylay any type of plans to him as he continued speaking throughout Arden's considerations. "Good, then you also know I'll have no use for your talents while I take up the tasks at hand. You may stay here for the time being." With those words, Ganondorf moved past the burly man, and Arden looked down in thought. He may well have won a second chance to be able to please his king.

Ganondorf stopped at the door, taking the knob. "Oh, I forgot to mention something, Arden."

Arden turned around as Ganondorf took the handle of the blade upon his back with the words, "Your majesty?," asked.

Swiftly, Ganondorf turned and unleashed his blade. Blackness ensued.

There is no mercy for the weak...

---

The village was experiencing a rather peaceful evening. As the sun was drawing down, the people made their way, quietly going about their daily lives, returning home to have dinner, or heading to friends homes for different reasons. Most of the day's work had been completed, the evening just a typical one, serene, families sitting at home to rest, eat, and talk amongst themselves without a care in the world.

At least, until night fell upon them.

The Dark Knights moved into the village without a force to stop them, and once spotted by the townspeople, the jackals were fled from. But the people weren't swift enough to escape the wrath of the malicious beasts. Axe and sword were brought down alike, blood splattering the street sides, homes ignited to fire, chaos consuming all of them.

A woman running away while carrying her child was shown no mercy when she was knocked over accidentally by another fleeing villager, and her five year old girl fell away from her. Before the child's eyes, the beast standing above them both brought down a gory war hammer, the woman's screams ended with a chilling crunch. The child, however, didn't have long to live with the images.

People were pulled from their homes, forced to march out of their village while watching most of it burn down, while watching their friends and family murdered around them, and despite all of the death and destruction, small rays of hope still shined by figures who'd retreated, escaped the wrath of the Dark Knights who'd attacked them. Some went running toward Hyrule Palace, foolishly believing the king would retaliate and defend them, though others headed elsewhere, into the hills, managing to survive the struggles between good and evil.

From a distance, Ganondorf watched, settled upon his horses back, a small smirk lifting the corner of his lips as the smoke rose high into the air. It wasn't enough yet, but it would be a start. This destruction would draw those two out to him, the ones he needed in order to complete his quest for complete domination finally, bring them both out into the open where he could have their power for his own.

It was time for this aphotic war to begin.

Gasping loudly, sitting forward, Link was wide eyed from the horrendous nightmare he'd had, but he cringed over the fact that his ribs were apparently still mending and he'd moved so quickly awakening from sleep. Grunting slightly as he pushed his arm over his side and his hand against his left ribs, he took in a slow breath to try to abate the pain, and looked toward Zelda, seeing her asleep near him on the same bed that he'd been laid to rest on.

Taking in a deep breath, and glancing around the unlit room they were in while he did, he realized they'd both been returned to Zora's Domain. Seeing that he was safe for now, he thought to the dream that had awoken him. Darkness, screams, cries for help. With a soft breath, he pushed himself back on the bed so that he could turn to put his booted feet on the floor.

When he did, the door opened, shining in a light from the hallway that illuminated the dimly lit room, and someone looked inside. Seeing him, squinting a bit against the light in order to do so, Link asked, "Esair?"

"Ah, you're awake."

"I am," he said softly, "but Zelda's still asleep."

"I see," Esair replied just as quietly, coming into the room with a cup held in his hands as he headed over to the young Hylian. Holding out his arm, he told Link, "Drink this. You look as if you've taken a heavy beating. This should have you mended by the time you return to the other side of the lake. It works slowly, and you may get a little groggy, but it will definitely help you recover."

Seeing that it was a potion of some kind, Link took the cup and thanked the Zora, lifting it to his lips as he started drinking it all down at once. After it was gone, he pulled the cup away and handed it back to Esair, clearing his throat as he stared ahead quietly in deep thought.

Esair tilted his head, seeing the troubled look Link seemed to express unwittingly, and he asked, "Is there something wrong, Link?"

Sighing, Link shook his head no, "I just had a bad dream. It was like someone was getting hurt, and I couldn't find them to help them in time."

"I see. Would you like to be left alone?"

Link could feel the medicine he'd swallowed going to work already, his eyes growing heavy again, and slowly, he nodded, "Yeah. I think this stuff is kicking in anyway."

"Ah, good. Then we'll talk later after you've had your rest."

Turning, Esair went to leave. As the door shut again and closed out the rest of the light, Link could feel his lids growing heavier with the need for sleep overwhelming him, and he turned and laid on his back again, wondering what in the world was in that potion Esair had just given him. Still, his mind rambled back to the dream he'd had. For a brief moment, he wondered if it were connected in any way to what Zelda had seen in the Temple.

He felt a soft thud against his abdomen. Opening his eyes for a moment, he glanced down to see that Zelda had rolled over and her hand had landed against him. Looking up her arm and to her face, he took her hand and gently slipped his fingers beneath her cheek, slipping down toward her. He just wanted to feel her a bit closer to himself in that moment, wanting her warmth somewhere near to him.

Laying back so that he was resting with her head against his shoulder and chest, he slipped his fingers up her arm and behind her back and shoulder gently, resting his cheek against her hair before the medicine Esair had given him knocked him out completely. Zelda snuggled into his side, making him feel completely comfortable.

He didn't dream about anything else for the rest of the night.