Disclaimer:

The Legend of Zelda is property of Nintendo.

Author's Notes:

           I'd like to say, first of all, that I got Calatia from another story: 'Legend of Zelda: Rebel Assassin'. I've seen it in Split Infinitive's other story, 'The Apprentice', too, and another story. I liked the name and the way the people were described, so I decided to use it and to give credit to the source I got it from, although I'm not sure who came up with it first. Then, second of all, thanks to all the readers who have reviewed thus far.

Alright, in these next few chapters the plot finally starts to come into focus. I hope nobody thought this was just going to be a bunch of assassination attempts. There is something much larger going on in this story, and this chapter may provide hints of what is to come. This chapter's a bit shorter than usual, though, but the last few have been really long.

So, I hope you enjoy, and please review!

New Note(10/30/03):  I just finished editing this chapter and now I've updated it.  I decided that I better go through and edit all my chapters after I found a lot of mistakes in the first chapter.  From now on, I'll edit before I upload a new chapter, and my apologies to those of you who had to suffer through the many mistakes in the first few chapters.

            I also changed some things when I went back through.  I decided that Link should carry his sword on his back like he always does; it just wasn't right having him wear it at his side.  I also realized I have been inconsistent with naming Solatia.  I have called it Salatia, and I want to say that the name of the country is SOLATIA.

            Once again, sorry for all the errors.  I know it made some stuff confusing, but I'll do better from now on.  Thanks for reading!

The Legend of Zelda: The War of Power

Chapter 6: Revelations

Link silently kneeled by Zelda's bedside, praying that she would wake from her death-like sleep. It had been a week since Link had risen to find the princess still in a coma. The boy had stayed by her side constantly throughout the week, eating little and sleeping even less. Malon, he knew, was extremely worried about him and sat with him often. Her presence comforted the forlorn Hylian, but the farm girl could not be with him at all times. After a few days she had reluctantly gone back to the ranch, knowing she could not ignore her responsibilities. The festival had come to an early close, and the town seemed overly quiet. The king had been at Zelda's bedside as much as possible, but the fact that two assassination attempts had been made in just two days required the king to investigate the source of these assassins. The body of the second assassin had been found on the path the phantos trod, and the magic vials were examined by the Castle's experts. It was determined that the vials were forged of incredibly powerful magic, and it was a wonder that Darunia and Nabooru had survived the ordeal. The two had gone back to their respective lands shortly after Link had awoke, both refusing any further medical treatment.

Link had also learned that the remainder of the performing group was arrested for questioning. They had all been released, however, when no trace of guilt had been found on any of them. The boy had been told that the first assassin, Siluk, he recalled, had been mysteriously killed by an unseen force. The magic experts of the castle had studied the death thoroughly and could find no way to discover the identity of the man behind the assassinations. The King of Hyrule had immediately called for maximum security around the castle and even the town after the assassination attempts, and the high alert status remained when the assassin's source of power could not be discovered.

Link had discovered the cause of Zelda's 'illness' as well. He had been told that when a person uses too much magic without rest, they begin to draw power from their life energy. When the princess had used Farore's Wind under the immense strain of being inches away from the rocky ground, she had used energy from within herself and had nearly died. Normally, the magic would have had no effect on her, but after defeating the second assassin once and healing Darunia, she did not have sufficient power left to use the teleportation spell. The stress of nearly being killed the day before most likely added to her lack of power as well.

The youth had heard all of these explanations, and didn't care for a single one. All he knew was that Zelda was almost dead, and he couldn't stop himself from thinking that it was because of him. If he hadn't been so stupid, he told himself, and fallen off that cliff, Zelda wouldn't have had to rescue him. Or maybe if he had defeated the second assassin earlier Nabooru, Darunia, and Zelda wouldn't have been hurt. He should have stayed by Zelda after the first attempt and protected her better. He should not have put so much faith in his plan, and he should not have underestimated the power of the man behind it all. These thoughts and more drifted through the boy's head as he kneeled over Zelda's bed and wept.

***

"This is hopeless!" the King of Hyrule yelled after going over the last two week's events once again, "How are we ever going to protect my daughter if we don't know where to look!? This guy obviously has incredible power, and there's nothing we can do besides sit around and wait for him to take Zelda from me! I will not let this happen!" General Kard looked at the king with a pitied expression, the expression he had worn many times during the past week. Kard possessed a deep loyalty to the King of Hyrule and to Hyrule in general, and it hurt him to see the ruler of the great nation unable to protect his only heir.

"My men are doing all they can, Sire," Kard said, "I have spies and our First Rank Knights scattered throughout the land. This evil being cannot avoid us forever."

"It is not 'forever' I am concerned about!" the king boomed, "We must concentrate on the present, and we must realize that this madman does not need much time to fulfill his goal of seeing the monarchy crumple!"

"Do we know of any political groups that are against the monarchy, Impa?" Kard asked, choosing to address the Sheikah woman instead of the broken king.

"No," Impa answered, "at least not any major ones. There are a few groups but they are small and insignificant; mostly youths who don't know the first thing about the politics of this nation."

"I fear the attack may come from beyond our borders," Kard said, "Are we currently in any disputes with other nations such as Calatia or Solatia?"

"No," the woman answered again, "We have been on good terms with Calatia ever since we formed an alliance, and Solatia is on threat because of its incompetent rulers. We need not worry about an attack from any major powers."

"It doesn't seem possible that just one man could cause all of this," Kard started, "he must have some followers or some kind of army under his control. No one could possibly hope to overtake Hyrule alone."

"There is still one more question to be answered," Impa said, changing the subject, "Why would the assassins be instructed to go after Princess Zelda? Her rule is many years away, for King Harkinian is barely thirty-seven winters old, and should be able to rule for many years to come." Suddenly a knock came at the door of the study.

"Yes!" Kard barked, "What is it!"

A young messenger boy opened the door warily and entered the room. "There is a visitor here to see King Harkinian, sir," the boy said shakily, "He got past all the guards and is waiting at the front door."

"The king is in no state to handle this," Kard said to Impa, then turned to the boy, "We shall greet this stranger and discover his purpose. Kard ordered a number of royal guards to stay with the king and walked out the door with the Sheikah.

***

Link's head snapped up quickly and his eyes scanned the room. "He's here," the boy thought, "the one who caused all of this…he's here." Link told the ever present royal guards in the room to watch over the princess before bolting out the door and towards the front gate.

"He's gonna pay for what he did," Link thought angrily, "For what he did to Zelda."

Link turned a corner and saw the castle entrance down the hall as well as an angry looking Impa and Kard leaving the castle. The boy reached them before they exited and proceeded to join them.

"What are you doing here?" Kard asked, glaring at the boy.

"It's him," Link replied, "the man behind all this. I can feel his evil surrounding us. He's incredibly powerful."

"If it really is him, then we can get some answers," Kard said as the group proceeded down the hallway that lead to the main gate. Kard walked up to the guards posted at either side of the massive oak drawbridge.

"Let him in!" the general barked. The guards immediately turned the crank to lower the drawbridge. As the bridge lowered, a cloaked figure was revealed standing in the heavy rain. Link felt the cool breeze once again, after not leaving the hospital room for a week, and noticed the sky was dark and grey. The man standing at the end of the drawbridge wore a dark brown cloak with a hood which concealed his face, and he seemed to stand with his back bent.

"What did you do to the guards!?" Kard yelled at the man, pointing to the many soldiers lying about the lawn.

"You don't even invite a poor, cold, old man inside?" the figure asked. Kard scowled. "No need to get angry, now," the old man said, "I didn't kill them. They're merely sleeping. I can't trust that they'll wake up, though, unless I have your cooperation."

"You'll make no demands of us!" Kard growled, "And you can drop the feeble act, we're not buying it. If you can take out the guards, than you could have easily entered the castle. Why didn't you?"

"He's playing a game with us," Impa said, answering the question, "Isn't that right?"

The man chuckled. "Ah," he began, "very perceptive. Very perceptive indeed. You are not very good company, so I'll get straight to the point."

"You do that," Kard said.

The man ignored him and continued, "As you most likely have guessed, I am the one responsible for the assassination, I-"

"Hold it," Kard interrupted, "the assassination was prevented. The princess still lives."

"Oh, but she is as good as dead, is she not?" the man asked, laughing quietly.

"What are you talking about!?" Link shouted, speaking for the first time to the strange man, "She'll come out of it, and you know she will! Don't tell us these lies!"

"Ah," the man said once again, "it is you; the boy who defeated my assassins so easily. Yet you could not save your beloved princess." Link tensed and reached for his sword before Impa gave him a stern look. The boy realized he needed to control his emotions and looked at the cloaked figure.

"Continue," the youth said, hanging his hands at his sides.

"Why, thank you," the man said, "As I was saying, I will make a deal with you. I-"

"No," Kard said simply, "We will not negotiate."

"Ah," the cloaked man said, "but I don't think you have any other choice. Here's the deal: I get Hyrule, you get your princess. Plain and simple."

"No," Kard said again, "We don't need your help with the princess, and we are not handing Hyrule over to you under any circumstances."

"I have a few questions, still," Impa said, "Why do you want Hyrule and why did you go after the princess instead of the king?"

"The reason I want Hyrule is my business alone," the man said, "And as for the princess, I knew that if she died the king would crack as well. He is not acting much like a ruler, if I am not mistaken, is he?"

"Get out," Kard growled, "We have heard your terms and we refuse."

"Ah," the man replied, "but I cannot leave just yet. Now that I have the opportunity to destroy this boy that has caused me trouble, I do not think I will pass it up." Link and Kard drew their swords in unison as the man removed a staff from his cloak. The metallic staff was long and black, and a strange violet jewel was fused into one end of it. The cloaked figure slammed the end of his staff into the ground, and immediately a magical field formed around him, pushing both Link and Kard backwards and throwing them to the ground. The man wasted no time in attacking, and soon a ball of intense energy was heading straight for Kard as he fell. Impa was there, however, and grabbed the general's body before barely avoiding the blast. Link was already on his feet, charging the man again. Link swung his longsword in a vertical slice, but the man blocked with his staff. The two stayed in that position until the staff began to glow and purple energy was sent into Link's body through his sword. The boy flew backwards once again, and Kard and Impa attacked simultaneously. The Sheikah assaulted the man with a barrage of needle-like knives, and Kard swung his sword against the strange staff. The cloaked figure deflected the projectiles with another magical barrier, but Kard was prepared this time and leapt over the field to continue his assault. Impa then removed two long daggers from hidden sheaths and prepared to come to the general's aid. Link attacked at that same time, and the man was forced to fight three opponents. The cloaked man suddenly flipped backwards to give himself adequate room and held his staff up to the sky. He muttered something and swung the staff in a horizontal arc. A flame erupted from the crystal on the end and wave of fire was sent towards the three fighters. Link leapt over the flaming blade, as did Impa, and Kard ducked and rolled along the ground underneath it.

"I do not have time for this!" the cloaked man yelled, as he parried Kard's thrust. The man then thrust the crystal atop his staff into the ground. A shockwave of energy surrounded him and spread rapidly. Kard and Impa were thrown against the castle walls, and Link was sent careening into the moat. The man pointed his staff towards the boy and slowly used his magic to lift him out of the water. Link was suspended in midair, helpless as the man formed a magical sphere around his left hand. The sphere increased in size until it was nearly two feet in diameter, and the cloaked man prepared to throw it at the defenseless boy.

"You will trouble me no more!" the man yelled, raising his left hand into the air. Before the magic was launched, however, the man was hit in the chest with an immense ball of energy. The cloaked figure flew backwards and fell to the ground, just as Link was released, and he plunged to the ground as well. Link looked to see the man clutching his chest where the blast at hit, his shirt torn and his wound bleeding profusely. Link then whirled to see Princess Zelda standing in the gateway to the castle, smiling. The Hylian wasted no time in picking up his sword and charging the wounded man. The boy sliced horizontally just as the man muttered something and disappeared in an explosion of black smoke. The spot where he had kneeled just moments before was barren except for a puddle of blood and a charred mark on the ground.

Link didn't care about the man right now, though, as he turned to face Zelda. Link ran to the princess and the two embraced, Zelda shedding tears, and Link barely keeping himself from crying as well.

***

"How dare she!" the cloaked figure screamed, using a magic spell to heal his wounded chest, "She should be barely living! She wasn't supposed to wake up! That was not in the plan!" The man watched as his chest stopped bleeding and his skin sealed together once more. The man looked at the crystal stone resting on a pedestal in front of him. Through the stone, he saw the four he had just fought rejoicing that their princess was still alive. He saw the king emerge onto the scene and grab his daughter in a fierce hug.

"With that general, the Sheikah, and that boy in the way, it will be difficult to get rid of the girl," the man said to himself, "And the princess has also become more powerful. In order for the conquest of Hyrule to be successful, the nation must be leaderless. I think I will have to go straight for King Harkinian."

The cloaked man covered the spherical stone with a cloth and disappeared in black smoke.

***

The king had immediately made an announcement to the public about his daughter's safety. The town seemed once again joyous and peaceful, doubts about the safety of Hyrule presently erased from the average person's mind.

In the Hyrule Castle War Room, however, the atmosphere was not peaceful. Link, Zelda, Kard, Impa, and King Harkinian were seated around the circular table, still searching for more answers. Now that they had fought the cloaked man and knew he was behind this, they became even more nervous. Link, Kard, and Impa had not even scratched the sorcerer, and Zelda had merely managed to catch him by surprise. The princess had informed everybody that she woke up when she sensed Link was in mortal danger. Zelda had leapt out of bed, shocked the royal guards, and bolted for the front gate, arriving barely in time to save the boy's life. Although it was not clear how the princess sensed Link's danger, or how she knew the location of the battle, the explanation was accepted.

"We have no idea where this guy is," Kard said once again, "How are we ever going stop this madness?"

"Our experts tried tracing the magic in his staff to find the sorcerer's location, but his tracks were covered," Impa said, "Even Zelda couldn't trace him, and she can actually use magic." The Sheikah referred to the fact that the magic experts of Hyrule castle were in reality not magic users. They knew how to manipulate magic left behind by someone else and they knew a great deal about magical forces, but they did not have the power to use it. Only a few people in all of Hyrule, and in the entire living realm, had the special ability to use magic, and the Princess of Hyrule just happened to be one. Link knew that he was able to use magic on his journey to save Hyrule from Ganon, but that ability had disappeared entirely when Ganon had been defeated. Link suspected the magic was bestowed upon him for the purpose of that journey alone, and now he no longer had need of it.

"It would have helped if the staff hadn't exploded into dust when we picked it up," Zelda said, "I was only able to feel the energy within it for a brief second."

"I think all we can do for now is protect Zelda to the best of our abilities," King Harkinian said, "I will leave the castle security on high alert and I think that Link as well as Impa should be near Princess Zelda at all times."

"I agree," said Kard, "And hopefully our spies should acquire some information soon."

"Protect her with your life," the king said, turning to Link.

"He always does," Zelda said quietly.

***

"Where is Advisor Gahmig!?" the King of Solatia yelled as he stepped in through the front door of his castle. After the assassination attempts during the Hylian festival, the king had thought it best to return to the safety of his own country. The royal family had left quickly, but just now returned to the island of Solatia weeks later.

The king's foremost advisor, Gahmig, had been the one who told the king that it would be wise to go to the festival in Hyrule and attempt to establish good relations with the Hylian monarchy. The king had not questioned Gahmig, as his advice was always good, and had taken his wife and son to Hyrule. However, the Hylian monarchy, he thought, was not worthy of Solatia's friendship after they had insulted his great nation.

"Yes, my lord?" an old man, covered in a dark cloak said, emerging from a room to meet the king in the hallway.

"You told me this was a good idea!" the King of Solatia yelled, "You told me we should establish a friendship with Hyrule. However, on my journey I concluded that they are not worthy of our trust or friendship. The king insulted the Royal Family of Solatia as well as our nation itself."

"Yes, I know," the man, Gahmig, said, "They treated you with much disrespect and they must not be allowed to get away with dishonoring Solatia."

"I'm glad you agree," the king said, not even wondering how Gahmig had knowledge of the King of Hyrule's actions, "Let us go to my study and we shall discuss this matter more thoroughly."

The king and his advisor walked up a flight of stairs before entering a room with a small table and a desk. The room was dimly lit by candles, and the King of Solatia and Gahmig sat at opposite ends of the table.

"I fear that your people will not support your revenge on Hyrule, my lord," Gahmig said, "Although insulting the royal family is a great act of treachery, I do not think the people will readily support you unless you give them a greater reason."

"But the Hylians did nothing else," the king said, "and I'm not sure if I want to declare war on Hyrule for a small offense such as that."

"Ah, but you forget what they have done to us in the past," Gahmig said slyly, "They have destroyed our economy and slowly robbed us of our wealth. Most of our people are living on the streets while Hylians dwell in elaborate homes and build grand cities. Ever since we aligned ourselves with Hyrule and set up trade routes, they have been getting much from us and giving none back in return. They constantly receive large shipments of our goods, while they give us next to nothing and keep their products for themselves. Solatia is not protected from disease, and many are dying every day because Hyrule has taken all of our doctors as well as our learned men. I fear that Solatia may have no future."

"But we have no proof of this," the king replied.

"But we will give the people proof," Gahmig said, "and we will destroy the Hylian monarchy at the same time. I have devised a plan for all of this, and if it works, the people of Solatia will want nothing but the destruction of Hyrule."

"Let me hear it," the King of Solatia said, before his eyes came to rest on Gahmig's black tunic. The king noticed that the man's tunic was shredded violently in front of Gahmig's chest, and he briefly wondered what had happened to his most trusted advisor. Dismissing the thought, the king listened intently to Gahmig's plan.

***

Atop a snow-covered mountain, in a remote area of the world, the dark figure which held the mark of the Triforce of Power on his right hand turned his gaze across the sea towards the nation of Solatia. He watched as the sorcerer formed a plan with the king, a plan to conquer Hyrule and claim it for his own. The figure smiled at the stupidity of the king and the inferiority of the sorcerer. Although the sorcerer had managed to get the King of Solatia under his control, his power was no match for the figure's own. The dark creature very much doubted that the weak sorcerer would be able to deal any great amount of damage to Hyrule. He knew not the reason's why the sorcerer wanted to claim the throne, but he did know that they were not the same reasons as his. He was fighting for a greater cause, not just to fuel his lust for power but to create a new era of darkness and destruction. For now, the evil being was content to only observe. He would make his move when the time was right, and the world would crumble at his feet.

In the freezing wastelands of the snowy mountains, the dark figure laughed loud and violently, amused that the world knew not of what was to come.