Story Title: Black Cat Magic
Disclaimer: Still don't own Twilight Princess.
Author's Notes: I absolutely love autumn and Halloween, and I was feeling like writing something for the spooky season. At first, I wasn't sure what I was going to write though, since I had already done a festival scene as part of "Our First Year". And then I realized the obvious: black cats. They get unfairly treated for being associated with witchcraft, but I love them because they're witch cats and they deserve good homes too.
Also Shad was a lot of fun to write. I really need to write him like this more often. As always, thanks for reading.
-o-
Story Title: Black Cat Magic
-o-
Shad didn't believe in superstitions, however this young black cat had been nothing but bad luck for him since they had adopted him. Link had found him wandering Hyrule Field late one afternoon on his way back to Ordon Village. They surmised the poor kitty had been abandoned, left to survive on his own or perish—there were foolish folks that still believed that black cats were harbingers of ill fortune or even demons in a friendly form. Ever since Link had brought him home, their new kitty was absolutely obsessed with Shad.
They had agreed to name him Hap, since Link finding him out in the vast field had been happenstance in the first place, but Shad often wondered if his name secretly stemmed from haphazard with the way Hap routinely made a mess of his writing desk, or well, any place he sought to do a bit of work. As soon as Shad sat down, little sharp claws pricked his leg as Hap intrepidly crawled up to his lap. Sometimes all he wanted was a little affection and a lap nap. Other times he pawed at his desk and dragged the paper or letter he was writing onto the floor.
So far, Hap had chewed the feathers from five quills, lost the nibs to seven, broken two of his mother's teacups, scattered every stack of papers, knocked over a brand-new inkwell—they were still finding paw prints around the house—and nearly started a fire sliding a candle toward the edge of the table. He always seemed to go after Shad's possessions and generally left Link's stuff alone, even though Hap craved his attention nearly as much as Shad's. Hap was the only cat they knew that ignored balls of yarn tossed in front of him but was up on Shad's desk every time he grabbed a book off the shelf and had to sniff-investigate its cover and pages.
But for all his mischief, Shad adored Hap. Never had he known a cat to be so affectionate. Hap was very much a cuddle cat, and he was happy to held and pet from dawn to dusk. He liked to lay against their chest and place his paws on their shoulders. He often headbutted his forehead against Shad's chin and rubbed up against them for seemingly no reason. Well, some of it was begging for treats, but a lot of it was love too.
Shad thanked his lucky stars that Hap had yet to cause any damage to a book he had borrowed from the restricted sections of the Royal Library. Her Majesty Queen Zelda had only recently granted him permission to borrow books from there and the mounds of paperwork and oaths he had swear on her sword and to the Crown had been staggering.
There were said to be dangerous books housed in the restricted section. Suppressed ideas, historical accounts of war crimes, genocide, torture committed by the Kingdom and the Royal Family, books of magic, spell-casting, and madness. So many were catastrophic in the wrong hands. He had overheard plenty of whispers from the select council that a mere son of a butler was being granted access to "that filth chamber". Shad suspected that one of reasons he had been granted permission was that no one believed that he could do any damage, even if he stumbled into some greater evil.
The book was on the existence of other worlds and rifts in time and space and how to reach them. His interest in this subject had began with his expedition to the ruins of the Temple of Time and later finding out from Link that there was a literal doorway to the past amid the ruins. And not only that but he found out from Link again that there was a whole other world of twilight and shadow. Shad had became fascinated by the prospect of other places, other dimensions not yet explored and documented and, being an adventuring scholar, he wanted to view these lands himself, with Link ever at his side, of course.
He had been struggling for months to translate the peculiar variation of Ancient Hylian used. The writing appeared to be a mash-up of the familiar Ancient Hylian and a few witches' alphabets and various sigils he had came across in his studies. Hap's arrival certainly hadn't made his progress any easier. If the scholar didn't know better, he might have swore that the kitty had been impeding his research on purpose by constantly demanding his attention and sprawling out across the book's open pages.
However, he finally made a major breakthrough and wished to test out his findings. It was nearly Hallow's Eve to boot, the perfect time for ritual magic and spellwork. In the coming days, his anticipation was almost unbearable. Inventorying his supplies and practicing his presentation were the only things that kept his jitters down. Hap was his shoulder companion the whole time. He didn't even want to go with Link out to the ranch as typical to prowl and sleep and make mischief.
But Hallow's Eve had arrived and the twilight was casting a deep golden sky above their fall festivities. Ordon Village was all aglow with flickering jack o' lanterns and decked out in wheat dollies, autumn leaves, orange marigolds, and red and yellow chrysanthemums. Much feasting of sweet and savory autumn favorites had been done all day and was still going on. Friends and neighbors passed around slices of pumpkin rolls and pies, caramel apples, and of course homemade candy.
At their behest, folks gathered outside of Link and Shad's house. Link was occupied talking with loved ones while Shad cast the magic circle. First, he poured the sand clockwise, making a circle two feet in diameter, and then, without pause, drew a pentagram in the center. He then made a second circle around the first, pouring counterclockwise. In each cardinal direction, he placed an unlit candle.
Shad shook out his nerves and took a deep breath. Now was the hardest part—drawing the sigils in between the two circles. He had crafted a pastry bag-like tool to control the sand's flow to be able to write cleanly. It was of utmost importance that these symbols were written exactly as shown—the slightest smudge would disrupt the field of magic. It had taken Shad a month and a half alone of practice to get it down pat perfectly, but now his sand writing was as uniform and precise as a master pastry chef's piped lettering. He mused to himself about becoming some sort of sand artist during times when his research was not paying dividends.
He held his breath so not to disturb a single grain of sand as he carefully stepped away from the completed circle. Seeing it fully prepared and being moments away from the start was a magnificent feeling. Perhaps it was merely his imagination or perhaps not, but he always felt real magic in the cool, crisp air this time of year. His presentation was going to be such a success!
Link came over and stood by Shad. He gazed out at the magic circle. "I know it's late to be asking this now, but are sure about this?"
"Well, old boy, I thought this cape might be a tad too theatrical, however what's a bit of flair for the dramatics? After all, when you're casting high magic one should look the part."
He was proud of himself finding this cape in an antiques store. The outside and high collar were as black as octorok ink and the inside a dark crimson silk embroidered throughout with a gold diamond pattern. It was fancy and a little more pricy than he had wanted, but the expense was worth the atmosphere of magic. And he happened to have a ruby and gold brooch that suited it so well.
"Speaking of, you do know what you're doing, right?" Why in heavens Link was so insistent on getting such a confirmation, Shad did not understand.
"I say, you wound me with such skepticism," Shad said, briefly laying his hand over his heart. "Of course, I do. I have checked and triple-checked my translations. My theory is sound."
"I just have—"
Shad was too keyed up to listen. "Jolts of excitement rattling your bones? So do I. Come now, it's time to begin."
As Link stood off to the side, Shad took his place in the imaginary spotlight.
"Everyone, everyone, gather around," he called, waving his hands in the air to bring everyone's attention to him. "Thank you for coming. I am most appreciative for the turnout and I say, all you will be glad that you came. For tonight, each and every one of you shall bear witness to history. You shall be privy to wonders seen by few, if any before you."
Now was the time for the little sleight-of-hand trick he had prepared. Shad snapped his fingers and produced a gold coin. "Every coin has an opposite side, yes? Well, our world is not merely like a coin. It is more like a deck of cards." In a single turn, the coin became a deck of cards. Shad fanned the cards out in his hand. "Layers upon layers veiled in between, and all it shall take is but a little pull back of the curtain for us to see worlds beyond our own."
And now, for the big reveal.
"I am positive that with this ritual we shall be permitted a glimpse of the Sacred Realm, the land of the Goddesses."
Shad saw many surprised faces and raised eyebrows amid the crowd. He refused to hear any snickering of doubt or snorts of disbelief. Any skeptics were bound to become believers soon enough. He lit a long taper and then picked up the book he had borrowed from the Royal Library and opened it up to his bookmarked page.
As per the instructions, Shad began the chant and lit the first candle. His voice was low, but his pronunciation was clear. He walked around the circle clockwise and lit each candle. When all the candles were lit, he waved the taper out and tossed it aside. He held out his hand toward the magic circle and continued chanting, having never stopped from the beginning. His voice gradually rose, and so did a swell surrounding them. The tops of the trees swayed without wind. The villagers hushed their children and held them tightly.
The tall candle flames flickered to the rhythm of Shad's chanting. The magic circle glowed with a white-hot light, and Shad began the second chorus of chanting. He knew not if the heartbeat pounding in his ears was his own or in the earth. Energy crackled. Red sparks flew. The candle flames turned a brilliant fuchsia hue and extended toward the sky as four bright pillars of fire.
Shad felt it, the veil between worlds. No doubt the others felt it as well. He was yelling the incantation at this point. There was a howl in the air. From where it came, no one could discern. Neither could they tell if the howl was beastly or human. Pale purple lightning arced toward the sky. Two bolts crashed into one another and left a violent reddish-purple gash mid-air. Liquid shadows shifted inside the rift in space and then slammed into the veil, cracking and fracturing known reality.
Something was pounding on the other side, something that tasted freedom for the first time in centuries and was determined to feast. The vibrations in the air rattled their bones. The fabric of reality ruptured away and spewed forth like chunks of molten lava and half-melted rock from Death Mountain. The rift was growing. Thick claws dug at the gash to further expedite its growth. Villagers screamed, and Mayor Bo and Rusl urged folks to run as they stayed behind.
As the book dropped from his numb hands, Shad stepped back. His jaw quivered in horror as he stared into the abyss. This wasn't how things were supposed to go! His translations were correct. The ritual should have opened up a pathway to holy lands. Not to this unholy abomination!
Sword drawn, Link charged forward and jabbed his blade into the rift. Perhaps if his sword was the Master Sword, his attack would have had a greater effect, but his common blade did little more than irritate the entity on the other side. Its energy charged roar sent Link flying back and slammed him against the ground.
How much longer did they have left? Shad shouted for the rift to stop, to cease growing, but it was beyond his control now. They...no...all of Hyrule may surely be doomed for his curiosity and his hubris.
Shad heard a pleasant trill and saw their dear Hap slipping through the tall grass. The bright-eyed and woefully-oblivious kitty sauntered his way toward his papas and walked through the magic circle, smudging a sigil and flinging white sparks. Startled, Hap arched his back in surprise and sniffed around his paws. He was unharmed but alerted.
"Hap! Shoo! Shoo!" Shad whispered loudly. Now was not the time for his curious kitty to investigate the strange art he had made on the ground. His eyes darted from Hap to the demonic entity staring at Shad as if his soul was an insignificant offering but beggars couldn't be choosers as it poked its head through the rift.
And Hap was rolling around in the circle. Because he had decided that he liked it, and as with everything he liked, Hap rubbed himself all over it. He smeared the pentagram and several sigils, blissfully unaware of the danger. Sparks flew like fireflies around him. Lightning buzzed and bolted. The rift in space shifted between an eye-shaped gash to a thin slit in a seizure-inducing flicker. Too large to look down and see what was happening, the beast from beyond roared as its freedom slipped away. A blinding flash. And then it was gone. Wisps of smoke dragged lazily through the air from the snuffed candles.
It was gone. Hyrule's flesh and souls were saved. His daft mistake of messing around in magic to other words that he did not fully understand was gone. Thwarted by their cat.
Shad dropped to his trembling knees. Hap chirped as he stood up and shook off some of the sand on his fur. Taking his papa's falling as an invitation for cuddles, he ran over to Shad and rubbed up against him and headbutted him. He wanted to be picked up.
Link hobbled over and laid a hand on Shad's shoulder. He was holding his sore stomach, no doubt bruised and battered. "Are you okay?"
Shad said yes. By all means, his darling was much more harmed than him. His pride and social standing in Ordon Village might have taken a mighty blow, but both were sure to heal up with time and apologies.
"Happy Hallow's Eve!" Shad called to his remaining audience and the hiding villagers. He wanted to save face and make it appear that everything had gone exactly to plan and no one had been in any danger at all, but his shaking voice wasn't going to convince anyone.
Fortunately, Rusl helped out with that. Putting on a smile, he clapped his hands and called out, "Bravo!" Mayor Bo gave Rusl an "Are you daft?" stare but Rusl tossed him a look and the major joined in. Certainly their intention was to assuage the village's panic. Which worked. The rest of the village came out of their hiding spots, laughed away their terror, and applauded Shad. Slowly, the crowd returned, growing more cheerful and celebratory as they realized the evil was gone and all was well. They even managed a few whistles and hollers.
Shad rose to standing, picking up Hap and letting him take his shoulder perch. With Link beside him pressing a supportive hand on his back, Shad waved and nodded appreciatively to the crowd, though he did not deserve a single bit of their thanks. Hap deserved the spotlight and all the love. And all the scritches and treats and cuddles. Shad shuddered to think about what would have happened to them all if Hap hadn't...well, behaved like a cat.
