Months passed without a whisper of Pallas or Kali's whereabouts. Zelda didn't spare a moment's hesitation when she sent out search parties of soldiers to the Lost Woods, and wrote a plea for aid to the forest sage, and Link's oldest friend, Saria. Many of his own attempts to find Kali in the woods had been accompanied by his dear friend, and he knew full well that it was Saria's concern for him that urged her to shadow his steps or leap from branch to branch within the forest ceiling above. She would often offer him words of reassurance when they paused for a break. He would hold his head in his hands or scour every inch of the forest he knew so well in his mind that he hadn't checked. She had to be somewhere... At Saria's encouragements, he could only meet the sentiments with a weak smile that he knew wasn't entirely convincing, even to him. And of course, every waking moment of his life had become consumed with finding Kali again, his thoughts pulled taught like a bowstring ready to snap if he didn't keep his focus on that, and that alone. Every night he was chased into the depths of sleep by that one last, tentative look she shot him flashing through his mind, sending his heart pounding. He grasped at those final, thin strands of hope.
Then the attacks began. Link had been in the castle, restocking his supplies and pouring over maps of Hyrule he'd held onto for those months when he was summoned for an emergency meeting with the sages. He rushed to the study where all of the sages were gathered, including Zelda. Her devastating blue eyes found his and he felt his heart sink as he took in the room. Everyone was standing, or pacing except Princess Ruto - who was sprawled onto a long couch. She was covered in green oozing wounds, her glacier skin bruised dark as she covered her face with her hands, sobbing. Her voice sounded raw. "What is it?" Link demanded a hint of panic rose in his voice, and without a second thought he rushed to Ruto's side.
"Ruto…Are you alright?" he stammered, searching her for any fatal wound but with slight relief found none.
"No, she is NOT alright!" shot Nabooru from behind him. Link twisted toward her from his kneeling position next to Ruto, who was still heaving with wailing sobs.
"What happened then?!" he demanded again, more fiercely.
At that, Ruto's hands flew from her face to push herself with one elbow to her side to face him - her bright amethyst eyes blazing as she seethed, "Your witch is what happened!"
He clenched his teeth together, as if braced himself for the worst news, "Kali?" he said quietly, feeling suddenly like the air around him was too thick to breath.
"Zora's Domain was attacked by Pallas's force." Zelda clarified, her eyes shifting steadily from Ruto, then to him and her expression was tight with concern for him, "And Kali was among them."
Zelda dove into the explanation without wavering, reciting the tale that Ruto had already explained to the princess when she arrived at the castle - wounded, limping, barely conscious and dangerously dehydrated.
The attack on Zora's Domain had no warning, no indication as it was suddenly overwhelmed with terrible, horrifying dark creatures. Bursting through a massive portal that suddenly shimmered into being right in the heart of Ruto's home. The water sage had only been fortunate enough to be visiting her father, and was able to command the Zora's forces just enough for them to assemble and evacuate as much as possible, including the Zora King. But many of her race had been slain needlessly, while others were taken as prisoners, or surrendered. It was horrific, a massacre of her people. Ruto managed to get a decent force of the Zora soldiers through the hidden waterways that led to Lake Hylia, but Pallas's force had captured Zora's Domain as a whole.
Ruto had faced off with Kali herself, and only escaped due to being surrounded by her favored element with a direct link to her sage's powers, which was the waters that made up the majority of Zola's domain. Ruto interjected during the explanation, "She wasn't anything like before, Link. She wasn't the same. Something was horribly wrong and her eyes….they were so bleak, like nothing was behind them."
Link held his head in his hands as she continued, "And her powers...there nothing like I've ever seen from her before. Wherever they've been the past few months, she was being groomed for destruction. She will be the end of us all if we don't stop them. I barely escaped with my life."
A long stretch of silence dragged on, weighing heavily on everyonein the room before Link asked quietly, "How did you escape?"
Ruto gaped at him, and winced as she shifted on the couch, "I….I was at the top of the waterfall and she was facing me, and the only reason I got away was because I pulled a wave of water towards us both to send us off the waterfall. I knew I would be fine if I could just make it to the water, and I was sure she would survive but as we were falling she threw out one of those portals and disappeared through it. I'm not sure where. I assume she feared the crash of the fall might hurt her quite badly."
Link's hands clenched together tightly, his fingers laced in a white knuckled grip as his fisted hands rested thoughtfully at his mouth. He tried to imagine Kali as Ruto described, savage, unforgiving, unknowing to what she was doing. How could she think, even without her memories, that this was the right thing to do? He knew she was good, that she had the best intentions for people, that she didn't willingly harm people without feeling like there was a damn good reason. "I just don't understand why she is doing it." he voiced his thoughts aloud, his mouth pulled into a frown.
Ruto opened her mouth but hesitated, but Link didn't miss it. "Is there more?"
She frowned slightly and her gaze found the floor, looking almost sorry for what she was about to say, "I saw Pallas briefly as he was commanding the force. It sounded as if he believes he is saving Hyrule from some evil empress and anyone who fights back has been placed under her evil spell. Something to that effect."
Link rubbed a hand over his face, and sighed deeply, "So he's made her into a weapon of his own design….and she is believing that by doing all of this she is saving everyone from evil...". He almost laughed. When twisted around like that… of course she was only doing her best to end what she believed would set the world right again.
Zelda gave a grim nod, "That is how it appears…" She made her way to the window, to gaze out onto the horizon of the land of Hyrule as she added, her tone full of resignation, "I suppose this means we are going to war."
The next attacks were anticipated, after scouts - including Link were sent out to monitor the movements of Pallas's soldiers. Thankfully, the force completely overlooked the small hollow that made up Kokiri forest and in turn, made it ideal to serve as a base for Hyrule's spies and smaller groups of Hylian soldiers. It felt wrong, to lead Them into the forbidden, but safe confines of the forest. Saria had been extremely hesitant at first but with not many options left in the forest which was easily the closest to Pallas and his minions, she relented. The small village nearly seemed barren upon the arrival of the soldiers, the children no doubt hiding wherever they felt safest. It was the most secure space for the spies since it was under both the new Deku Sprout's protection, and also Saria's - or so Link told himself as he watched with solemn eyes as the men set up their camps in his childhood home. The forest practically steered Pallas's minions around the village, but everyone inhabiting it was still set on edge by the near proximity of the dark, wet mouthed creatures.
Death Mountain was the next target, but the Goron forces were far more prepared than the Zora's had been after receiving word from their chief that war was coming. A hoard of ferocious, eyeless armored beasts with tiny, spider limbed riders invaded the mountain. The beasts were reptilian in nature, not unlike the thick, stocky dragons that had polluted the mountain years and years ago. But the Gorons had the high ground, and the pull of gravity propelling their rock solid bodies and bombs were on their side. They managed to hold their ground against the awful beasts, and were unsurprised, but regretful to find that the enemy had turned right around and unleashed themselves upon Kakariko Village. Thankfully, the village had been evacuated mere days before the attacks and the frightened villagers took up residence within castle town on the princess's command. The residents of castle town teemed with anxiety, tittering whispers, and fearful glances at the gates by the sudden onslaught of refugees. But still, Pallas now had a camp making up the entirety of Kakariko Village. He could only imagine what condition it was in….he remembered the heat of the flames from the first attack there - the glint of the dancing purple light as it reflected in the incandescent depths of Kali's eyes as she fought viciously by his side. She had been spotted by their scouts in that area, and standing from afar during the attack on Goron City. It seemed wherever Pallas led their force, she could also be found. It killed him inside to know where she was, and was unable to go to her - to bring her back. Link wondered more and more if she surrounded herself with familiar things, somehow her stolen memories would find their way back to her. Zelda never assigned Link to the role of scouting directly where Kali was located, and while he resented her decision, he understood. It was hard to say how he would react upon seeing the girl he hoped to save..
A day came when they received word that Pallas's forces were marching west, through Hyrule field, towards Gerudo valley. Nabooru exploded in the meeting room, demanding they do something, anything to stop them. "End this with one final battle! My people will not die unaware!" she shouted at everyone in the room, amber eyes wide with fury.
"We can't, Nabooru….we need resources. We are already lacking manpower holding the line at the bridge of Kakariko so they don't invade the castle town. We are cut off from access to bombs and cannon ammunition since the Goron's are holding their own line and are unable to reach us. What's left of the Zora's force, and the Gerudo force is not enough to fight the entire army." Zelda countered coolly as she crossed her arms thoughtfully, her eyes examining a map with wooden carved pieces scattered upon it that represented all the players in this war.
"We should just kill them both." Ruto said darkly, sitting with her arms crossed as she stared with a deep seated resentment at the piece that represented Pallas's army. It wasn't the first time she'd expressed this, and it wouldn't be the last time Link argued with her about it.
"This isn't her fault." Link replied sharply.
Before he could go on Ruto exploded. "I don't care, Link. My people have died! Your people have died! I get that she had her memories stolen, but now she is a threat. She is killing people."
But that wasn't entirely true. Link scoured over the captain's reports every single day, searching for any indication that Kali herself had directly slain innocents. He hadn't found a single account of it, and her last, lingering look at him before she disappeared months ago flashed in his mind each time.
Kiden, who had been assisting the Hyrulean captains with strategy, interjected in agreement, "She can't help that she's been fooled. She thinks she is doing the right thing, and it's all because Pallas brainwashed her." He was usually quick to agree with Link when it came to this - despite whatever had happened between him and Kali, he seemed to still hold a fondness that had him willing her to stay alive, to come back to them.
Zelda hadn't spoken up on the matter, as she usually did, to shut it down. He fixed her with a hard look. The princess hesitated and then relented, "Link is right. This isn't her fault, and if we can get her back on our side - she will be our best chance at winning."
Ruto stormed from the room, shaking her head and cursing them all under her breath. "Link...I will send you to your next assignment." Zelda went on after a long sigh, and turned her attention back to the map.
She leaned over it, and he could practically see the cogs of logical gears turning together in her head as she worked through where to send him next. Then her eyes were on him, and they lingered there for a long time. He remembered once when that beautiful stare would make his skin prickle with anticipation, make a slight flush come to his cheeks but now he only stared back, ready to receive his next mission. "We do need to get her back on our side." the princess sighed finally and then pointed slightly to the east of Lon Lon Ranch, where the mass of Pallas's force gathered as they headed West, "Link, I need you to scout the movement of the force. Get an estimate of numbers so the Gerudos know what they will face. But...If there is any opportunity to find Kali alone, any chance at all, I think you're our best chance at getting her to remember us."
Something flickered in Link's chest, where his heart pounded, echoing through his whole body in a rush of hope. This was the assignment he'd been waiting for. A chance to be able to see her again, if only from a distance for now. The opportunity to get an idea of what Pallas had done to her so he could know how to repay him in kind someday, and to anticipate his approach for when he finally got to speak to her again.
"Send me too." Kiden spoke up suddenly, his entire body tense as he pushed his glasses up on his nose.
He already began to rise from his seat when Zelda shook her head, "No, Kiden. Your efforts are better here. You cannot hold your own against these creatures. I will be sending Nabooru with Link as well."
Nabooru gave a start and crossed her arms, "Why me?"
"Because, we can't risk Link potentially heading only one on one against Kali if she is as formidable as she appears." Zelda said evenly, her expression closed off. But Link knew that she was concerned too, about him, about Kali even. It had seemed that they had formed some manner of bond since Kali had begun her training at the castle, especially after Impa's death. And after Kali revenged herself upon Bia...he was sure the deed had struck something within Zelda.
Nabooru groaned unhappily but uncrossed her arms as she made her way to a chair where a belt that holstered a pair of wide, wickedly curved blades rested. The Gerudo snatched it up and strapped it to her hips. That was enough confirmation for Link, so he made to gather supplies before they would depart.
They decided it would be best to time their arrival for when it was fully dark, despite the potential for night seeing creatures within Pallas's hoard. It would still be a better chance to not be spotted under the cover of the shadows, combined with Nabooru's beneficial ability to weave illusions. They rode on horseback through Hyrule field for most of the way. Then at first glance of a warning glow of the campfires against the night sky in the distance they proceeded on foot. They didn't try to speak. Nabooru's silence was weighted with displeasure, and exaggerated by the sour look that pinched her lips. But Nabooru was loyal to the cause, to this kingdom despite her status as a Gerudo leader. After all if Hyrule was compromised by a threat this large, then the Gerudos standing alone wouldn't stand a chance no matter how many soldiers they had, no matter how skilled they assumed themselves to be.
As they approached, the glow from the campfires grew brighter and casted longer, deeper shadows in the surrounding field. The army had attempted to give themselves some manner of concealment by gathering in a small copse of trees and foliage. To Link and Nabooru's benefit, that also provided ideal hiding spots for them as they crept closer. They'd have to monitor the activity from the outskirts of the camps, knowing it was infeasible to actually attempt to infiltrate the camp in disguise. Nabooru knelt behind a thick shrub, her hands on the hilt of her sheathed blades at her hips - already prepared for a fight. Link pressed his back against the white, peeling bark of a tree and took a deep, steadying breath as he attempted to get his galloping heart under control. He wanted to see her so badly. It had been so long. Even though the others told him of her movements, of her attacks with Pallas, something in him didn't really believe it - didn't want to believe she was capable of joining these awul monsters. He didn't believe she was sound and whole somehow. As if the mere idea of her was only an illusion. He needed to see her with his own eyes.
He waited for a signal from Nabooru as she held out her hands, her fingers twitching as he felt the warm tingling sensation of magic wrap uncomfortably around them both. She was weaving an illusion so that they would appear to blend with their surroundings. It was enough to make them into the silent observers they were on a mission to be. However, if they just decided to run towards the camp, the shifts in their sharp movements would scatter the illusion and it would be quite obvious to the enemy where they were.
When the spirit sage gave a nod to him, her expression grim, he returned the nod and then edged his line of sight past the tree. His eyes eagerly scanned the edges of the camp, beyond it. He had to admit, a force this large made him more than a little nervous. Pallas had won many of these battles only because he took them all by surprise with the initial major hit to Zora's Domain. But this was a whole other type of battle to prepare for. Everywhere he looked he saw all manner of monsters - shadow people, huge reptilian beasts, tiny spider limbed creatures with many rows of teeth, keese winged messengers, hulking warriors with a single eye in their oblong skulls. They gathered around campfires, their voices a variety of deep gurgling rumbles as well as scraping whispers as they spoke to each other, growled at each other with aggression. But no flash of green eyes, no glint of golden hair. Would she even look the same? Of course she would, he scolded himself for being ridiculous. But still, there was no sign of her.
They moved on, keeping silently to the shadows as they studied the perimeter of the camps only to find nothing but more and more monsters. They halted in unison at the sound of a familiar voice. It made Link's blood run cold, and Nabooru's eyes widened towards him before they both slipped around a pair of trees to find it's source. There was a particularly large section of the camp, or maybe some manner of base within it. There were wagons, at least a dozen of them, with dark metal bars that made up the walls and ceiling of them. Piles of bodies, both mobile and as still as death, filled the wagons. Link swallowed hard. He heard moans of pain, of misery coming from those awful wagons as he realized those were the prisoners of this war - all those people that Pallas had taken or had surrendered during the battles.
One of the prisoners had been pulled out, the broad shoulders, dark close cropped hair, and square jaw entirely too familiar to Link. How many times had he thrown him out of the castle grounds after sneaking in to see Zelda? Captain Hector, who had been taken prisoner early on during the battles, sat kneeling in the grass with his hand bound in thick chains behind his back. It had been his rumbling voice that he'd recognized. They all had assumed him to be long dead, and with a jolt, Link realized who Hector's dark solemn eyes rested upon.
Her golden hair was twisted severely up into a tight twist on the back of her head. He thought distantly, even without her saying so, that she'd always hated having her hair twisted up or braided over her head after all the times he watched in amusement as she yanked her braids or hair pins out to let her wild locks tumble freely around her face, over her back. She wore a long fitted dress that was as black as pitch with a collar that came up to her neck but was backless with no sleeves, leaving her squared shoulders bare. He almost chuckled with hysterical relief at the mere sight of her, knowing full well that she preferred to wear pants more than anything else. She was paler than she had been before after her many days of training in the sun. It was as if she'd been spending all of her time indoors, or being hidden away. She was also less muscular than before, but still lean, holding that hourglass slope to her waist and hips. Though it was clear that there was little to no physical training as part of her daily routine anymore. But the most changed, were her large green eyes. Something in him fell at the unmoved expression as she gazed upon the captured captain as she stood straight backed before him - at the lack of that joyful light that glinted in her eyes, the normal secret fire that made her unique. Her brows were pinched together in concentration, and her usually flushed heart shaped lips were pale, and pulled tight as Hector continued. "Surely you remember me!"
And she should have, she'd spend many hours training under both Impa and Hector's watchful eyes as she squared off against his knights. She made an embarrassment of some of them, even receiving an approving nod from the Hylian captain from time to time. Kali only narrowed her eyes at him with suspicion and raised her chin as she usually did when staring an enemy down, "You can't fool me with your tricks. I've been warned against people like you." Her voice was so cold, so steady. It was as if the words had been memorized, like she'd heard them a thousand times.
"I watched you train, Kali." Hector begged, a hint of desperation entered his dark eyes as he glanced around her. No doubt, he was wondering if she would release him. At her name she cocked his head at him, looking confused and he pressed forward, "I let my knights fight against you, to train you to learn to fight. Don't you remember that? Don't you remember Impa?"
Yes, keep pushing her! Link thought, his heart hammering in his chest as he watched the exchange. He could feel Nabooru's watchful eyes on him, but he couldn't tear his gaze away. Kali seemed to at least be considering his words, and Link recognized that barest hint of doubt in her expression, the one that had given him so much hope over the past few months. He noticed as she clenched her fists, covered in black silk before she opened her mouth to speak. Then Hector moaned with pain, his face contorting horrifically with pain and with shock. Link's eyes widened and with open mouthed horror he watched the captain's skin begin to darken, to wither and decay. No! Was she doing this? Link glanced hurriedly between Kali and Hector who's moans became desperate pleas to stop this. But Kali was only staring at the man with even eyes and clenched fists. There was only one other person who could be doing this.
Pallas stepped out from behind a nearby tent, his glowing green eyes flashing with a hidden rage from behind Kali's back as he held his hand outstretched towards Hector. The captain was rapidly reduced to bones and then he was mere dust at the hem of Kali's dark dress. Link felt a hard grip on his arm and whirled to see Nabooru had moved to his side, holding him back in the shadows. Link had begun to propel himself forward without any thought towards the camp, towards that wicked, evil man. Nabooru shook her head at him silently, looking pale. It brought him back to the overwhelming logic of the scene, back to common sense. He was breathing heavily, furious, panicked, devastated at what he'd just seen. At the sound of Kali's voice, he turned back towards the camp. "What did you do that for?" she asked, sounding only curious.
Her expression was even, still confused and not an ounce of terror that he'd expected her to show at what had just happened to the captain. Pallas had killed him right at her feet, reduced the man to dust and she wasn't even batting an eyelash. What horrors had she already seen this far into the battles? Everyone had been right about her, about how much she'd been changed by the sorcerer without her memories of who she was, who her real friends were.
Link bristled as Pallas patted her shoulder reassuringly, as if they were actually friends. "I already interrogated him earlier. I only sent you to speak to him in hopes he was withholding any more crucial information and would confide in someone much less….intimidating." he said, his tone entirely too casual after giving Hector a fate worse than death in battle.
"What was he talking about before?" Kali asked, still sounding unsure. She didn't brush Pallas off, didn't step away from his touch in disgust. Link was going to fall apart right then and there, he was going to descend into a deep, dark pit of despair where he could never be found. This couldn't be happening. Kali added, "When he was saying that he knew me?"
Pallas only shook his head at her, a patronizing smile pulling at his lips as his hand moved from her shoulder to her cheek. She at least batted that movement away, but not in disgust, only as if she were merely annoyed by it. It drew a chuckle from Pallas as his eyes softened on her, fondness easing the tension from the man's shoulders. Link ground his teeth so hard he was sure they might actually crack under the pressure, his fists clenched so hard he was sure he was breaking skin beneath his nails. "He was only under Princess Zelda's compulsion. They play mind games with people by putting you off your guard. We've talked about this."
Kali studied him for a long moment, before her gaze went to the pile of dust now blowing trails in the breeze. Her lips twisted to the side, and he recognized the expression as one she used when she had something to say but didn't want to spit it out. So she stayed silent, and Pallas didn't know to question her further.
"Come, Leere" Pallas said, gesturing in the opposite direction of the prison wagons, "You haven't eaten today. Let us go find something for you."
Leere? Link mouthed the two syllables silently, as if trying to figure out what they meant. He couldn't have meant Kali, could he? Did he actually give her a different name knowing full well that she would never remember her own true name? Link had to clutch at the bark of the tree to keep from pounding his fist angrily against it at the insolence of the sorcerer, for stealing even her name from her.
Kali's chest moved with a silent sigh before she nodded and followed Pallas away. The pair skirted the line of trees as they walked together, looking for all the world like the evil emperor and empress that Link knew Pallas had always desired them to be. Devastation wracked Link's entire body, making his legs turn to water. He slid to the grass, pressing his back hard against the bark of the tree. He scrubbed at his face with his hands, and he felt Nabooru's reassuring squeeze on his shoulder by his side. Kali really had been made into a weapon, brainwashed into thinking she was doing the right thing. She was even being used for interrogations. Pallas had stolen her memories, her life, even her name. He couldn't believe it, even after seeing it with his own eyes. He could almost hear the violent cracks ripping through his heart as it threatened to break apart.
But then, a soft, sinuous sound caught his ear. He gave a sharp, quiet gasp as he got back to his feet and whirled to the other side of the tree, pushing past Nabooru to confirm what he'd heard. Nabooru only slipped out of the way, probably to fix the illusion cast around their bodies by the sudden movement. He heard a steady, unfaltering melody in the familiar sweet tenor of Kali's voice. She was humming as she walked next to Pallas. His heart raced, his body pricked all over with the wave of hope that washed over him, filling him to the brim with the weightlessness of it. The delicate notes of the song of healing floated through the area around her, drifted back towards both him and Nabooru. "She...She remembers the song.." Link whispered, his voice strangled with surprise.
"What song?" Nabooru murmured back, sounding puzzled.
"I taught her that song months ago. To help her." Link clarified, relief crashing over him, threatening to bring him to his knees once again.
He watched as Pallas raised a brow at Kali curiously. The man studied her warily for a long moment before he asked, "What is that? A song you made up?"
Kali only glanced at the sorcerer from the corner of her eye and her cheeks flushed slightly, embarrassed as she often was when someone caught her humming. Her replying words were such a blessing, Link thought. It was a gift from the Goddesses themselves, a healing balm that renewed his bleak hopes of getting her back the way she was before. It was better than any healing potion he'd ever taken, better than any magic that had washed over him in aide, it was exactly what he needed. She answered Pallas quietly, almost reminiscent as she said.
"I heard it in a dream once."