Legend of Zelda: The Rise and Fall of Ganon

by Planewalker

In The Legend of Zelda, Ganon has always been portrayed as the ultimate villain, stopping at nothing to obtain the Triforce and reign over Hyrule. Journey with me as I attempt to show Ganon in a more sympathetic light, and you will see the many trials and

THE RISE AND FALL OF GANON

contents:

Prologue: In the Undertow

Part I: Hyrule Field

Part II: The Hylian Harvest Festival

Part III: Discovery

Part IV: Fate

Part V: Twilight

Part VI: Between Worlds

Part VII: Death

Part VIII: On Hallowed Ground

Part IX: Dark World

"The Legend of Zelda: The Rise and Fall of Ganon"

Prologue: In the Undertow

At the cold bottom of the Great Sea, a lone man waits…as memories expand, contract, and unfold...his consciousness is wide awake, and his spirit is restless…

I knew that contingency spell would end up being more trouble than it was worth. It was not something normally in my repertoire, but it was a spell transcribed in a forgotten page of my own grimoire. Many years ago, Kotake and Koume insisted that I learn it, and at the time I did not understand, but I am forever grateful to them, my surrogate mothers. I added it to my spellbook when I was but a young man. But my patience grows thin, trapped in the undertow of this Great Sea, inside this stone prison of my own design.

When I learned that the boy was restoring power to the Master Sword, I suppose I took the necessary precautions, considering that it is the only blade able to truly harm me, forged by those people of Hyrule. I cast the contingency spell so that if a killing blow were delivered, my body and essence would become encased in stone until my henchmen found a way to heal my wounds, and dispel my enchantment. Unfortunately, it is a high-level spell of a foreign sphere of magic, so my wait could be limitless. If only my mothers still lived. But no, they were struck down by the Hero of Time, centuries ago. I can take comfort in the knowledge that he is no more. Perhaps the Carock the Red will find me, and release me one day.

So now I sit, the only soul at the bottom of the Sea, strangely euphoric in my thoughts, helpless and awake. All was within my grasp. All I knew and believed are nothing but crumbling images that no longer comfort me. I feel my sanity slowly drain away, but my hatred, my guilt…my weakness keeps me alive at the bottom. I thought the sun would come to deliver me, but the watersno, the truthhas come to punish me instead. How could I be so foolish? How could I not see that spiteful King appear before me? How could I stand there and let him touch that Golden Power? He washed Hyrule away, and any hope I had of restoring my land, and my people, were destroyed as well. In days past, he was their respected ruler but he threw all that away, just so I could not possess it. Such is the ignorance and arrogance of Hyrule's old King, the fool that deserved such a watery grave. When did these things happen? Was it a month ago? A year? Time has had its way with me, it seems.

Is it my fate to always be so blinded by power? So desperate to control all and everything, I wear this grudge like a crown. What he did is unforgivable. Defeated, I must concede…for now. May these oceans take me, this cold and weighted anchor, and turn this leaden grudge into gold. I feared nothing in life; but this nothingness is pain. My perfect plan has crumbled, and now my determination falters.

Beneath these cold waves, my self-pity enrages me, somehow fuels me while also crippling me. I need to find some order and sanity. I may find comfort in this lonely emptiness, this sleepless, static void, and unyielding paralyzing stasis in stone. Which is more painful, the Blade of Evil's Bane in my skull, or this rocky purgatory of mine? I must wait it out…

My thoughts drift at times, seemingly at random. I think of the majesty of Gerudo Valley, and the beauty of my followers. The desert was not always such a harsh place, and the beauty of the sunset was the thing of fairy tales. I dream these things while awake, and inevitably it takes me to simpler times, when I was but a boy…when things were peaceful in Old Hyrule.

Part I: Hyrule Field

The mists of time obscure a point in Hyrule's history that is known to very few people. It was a chilly autumn day when the Gerudo caravan traveled across Hyrule Field. A dozen beautiful warriors rode on black Gerudo stallions as they escorted the Royal Carriage holding the Prince and his mother. Other horses pulled wagons containing ornate jewelry, rugs, pottery, and finely crafted blades. The boy watched out the window of the carriage, wanting nothing more than to be able to ride one of the stallions instead. He shifted in his seat in anticipation of the Hylian Harvest Festival, and became entranced by the lush green scenery outside. Hyrule Field was truly a sight to behold, and was one of the many reasons he loved this time of year. The wind here was much more pleasant than that of the desert; it carried a multitude of scents, including wild flowers and rich earth. Ganondorf gazed at the beauty of the land, and wished he could live here.

The Gerudo were indeed a beautiful people of the desert, with prominent noses, fiery red hair, and eyes that pierced your heart like an arrow. The women rode proudly on horses as dark as obsidian, with sharp scimitars by their side, and a bow and quiver on their back. An outsider would think they all looked the same, but Ganondorf knew better. The boy knew one day he would take one of the Royal Guard as his wife, but not until a century had passed. Gerudo law dictated this, and Ganondorf would have to accept it. He was only a boy of ten, however, and his daydreams turned to other things. He frowned.

Inside the Royal Carriage, Ganon's mother Mystra smiled at him. "You miss your father, Ganondorf. I miss him as well. Not to worry, he's sure to return home soon."

"I know, mother. It's just that I wanted him to be here, for the festival," Ganondorf muttered. "I don't see why he had to go. The Hylian Harvest is only once a year, and he just had to go now? It's supposed to be a celebration of family."

"Ganon, your father is on a very important quest. Don't worry, I'm sure he'll bring you something nice home." Mystra sighed, and then frowned at the thought that Ganon's father would not, in fact, return.

Ganondorf shrugged.

Suddenly, the sound of trumpets blared, as the Hylians welcomed the Gerudo caravan to Hyrule Castle Town.

"Mystra, we have arrived at our destination," exclaimed one of the Gerudo guards.

Ganondorf peered out the window, and smiled when he saw the drawbridge slowly clank down. Several trumpeters stood in parallel lines in front of it, and lowered their horns as they finished the herald. One of the trumpeters took out a scroll from his cloak, and read it aloud. As the caravan slowly made it's way over the drawbridge, the lone trumpeter nervously read the scroll. Through the window of the carriage, Mystra and Ganon looked him in the eyes as they passed.

"On behalf of the Royal Family of Hyrule, we Hylians greet the Gerudo people with open arms! Enjoy your stay, and enjoy the bounty of the harvest! It is an honor to welcome you to our town and to be your host once again this year. King Hyrule eagerly awaits you for the feast, this evening. Until then, enjoy the festivities of Hyrule Town Square, peruse the bazaar, and become acquainted with the townsfolk," the man's voice quivered with the last words. The nobles from the various races of Hyrule had always intimidated him, and he had never felt worthy enough to even be one of the Royal heralds. For instance, the Goron elder was always punching him in the arm, and even though it was in jest, that didn't stop the bruise from forming.

"Relax, Ganondorf. Father will be alright, and this evening will be one you won't soon forget. You'll see, Gan," Mystra reassured her son.

Part II: The Hylian Harvest Festival

The carriage and following escorts made their way into Hyrule Town Square. The crowd was quite thick, but they made way for the Gerudo arrivals, cheering and clapping all the while. It seemed as though all the races of Hyrule were here, all of them engaged in conversation, eating, shopping in the bazaar, laughing, and playing various carnival games. Ganon stepped out of the carriage first, welcomed by cheers of the crowd, and was overwhelmed with all of the sights and sounds going on around him. His Royal Guards dismounted from their horses, and Hylian squires took the horses into nearby stables.

A nearby Hylian wizard in yellow robes dazzled everyone, as he levitated a dozen feet above and cast colorful illusionary spheres of light from his hands that zoomed and darted in and out of the crowd. The crowd's cheers were almost overwhelming to Ganondorf, and his mouth gaped open when he noticed three Gorons, in their "boulder" forms, rolling through the crowd nimbly to some unknown destination. He saw a Zora couple, sitting in a nearby fountain being drenched in water, having a conversation as though there were nothing about it. The young prince laughed a hearty laugh, and he was happy indeed to be here at the festival.

Ganon reached into the carriage to grasp his mother's hand, and help her out of the carriage politely. Mystra was a beautiful Gerudo woman, and her regal purple dress was quite flattering indeed. As she stepped out of the carriage, the mother and son were immediately greeted by the one of the Knights of Hyrule. Captain Cyrus was a large Hylian, with long blonde hair tied into a ponytail, and he donned shining silver plate mail and a black cloak. He took Mystra's hand as he knelt down on one knee and bowed his head. "On behalf of King Hyrule and the Hylian people, I welcome the leaders of the Gerudo people. Prince Ganondorf, Lady Mystra, it is my honor to meet you. Please, enjoy your stay. I am at your service, and you will be under my care and guard while you are here in town."

"Thank you Captain, it is wonderful to see you again. Hylian courtesy is indeed unmatched," Mystra exclaimed. "It is appreciated, but I don't see why we'd need any kind of protection. If anything, you ought to keep an eye on the amount of Hylian feywine I consume while we're here!"

"Ah, we can never be too careful. And, my Lady, if it suits you, I shall see to it that you leave town with a full case of feywine, compliments of the King. This way, there will be plenty for the rest of us here at the festival!" Cyrus smirked.

"Ha, ha, ha! That sounds divine, Cyrus. You know how to make us feel welcome, my dear. You are too generous, and charming as well. It's no wonder you made it to Captain in such a short period of time," Mystra gushed.

"My Lady, with a smile like yours, I could never deny you anything. It is a pity your husband, King Mavok was unable to attend this year. Now, which part of the festival would you two like to see first?" Cyrus asked.

"Mother, you know the answer to that!" Ganon exclaimed. "I plan on defending my title at the Archery Contest again this year. Please, lead the way, Captain."

"Of course, Prince Ganondorf. Right this way. I'm sure the other archers were hoping you wouldn't show up this year," Cyrus said.

"I know," Ganon winked.

"Right this way, my Lord," Cyrus said.

Part III: Discovery

Far away from the laughter and celebration in Hyrule Castle Town, the desert winds blew with an unknown ferocity. Sandstorms seemed to form and dissipate within the span of 10 seconds, and the strange purple dusk light was truly a sight to behold. Mavok and his Royal Guard were unaware of the bizarre weather outside, as they had spent the entire day within the Desert Colossus.

While the Desert Colossus was considered a holy place by the Gerudo people, it was mostly known as an extremely dangerous and mysterious ruin. As a boy, Mavok had been lost inside the labyrinthine structure. His curiosity had gotten the best of him, and despite all the horror stories told by the elders, he ventured inside. It took a half-dozen hours for his people to find them, and at the cost of several lives. According to the survivors, the loss of life was due to the presence of the walking dead, a concept considered taboo by the Gerudo people. The only reason Mavok lived through the experience, was because he had climbed to the top of a huge statue, while the mindless zombie stood helpless at the base of it. The rescue party came in, and was able to subdue the monster from behind.

Mavok's fascination with the Colossus had never really gone away throughout his life. He wasn't able to go back until he was in his teenage years, but from then on, he secretly ventured inside of it every few months. He explored all of its dark corners, and every time he went there, he would unearth something he considered fascinating about his people's past. Through the years, he managed to map the entire thing, and he studied the remains of the ancient Gerudo people, as well as their way of life. What kept him coming back was the presence of the monsters there. Despite all of his efforts, he could never find the cause of their appearance.

A year ago, he and his group had come across an ancient, mummified corpse. Astonishingly, it was the body of a Hylian wizardwhom they later found out was named Kasutowhose robes held the marks of the Ancient Hylian language. The thing that piqued Mavok's interest wasn't the body, though. It was his journal and grimoire: a thick, leather-bound, red book that was magically preserved! If not for this fact, the book would have crumbled to dust upon touch. This book held secrets beyond belief, but it would take many moons before Mavok, Kotake, and Koume could decipher them…

There was indeed something dark and sinister here within the Desert Colossus, but according to Kotake and Koume, it was a sort of veil for more benevolent things. They told Mavok that the evil in the Colossus was here because it sought to destroy a portal to another realm. A realm where, supposedly, the creator goddesses of Hyrule had left a mighty artifact…

Mavok, following the two witches' advice, had discovered a hidden chamber within the Colossus a month ago. Inside, hieroglyphs and Ancient Gerudo runes described a detailed ritual, along with directions on how to open a sealed gateway. It didn't take long for them to find the necessary components, as well as the special crystals that were keys to this archway. Flanked on each side by beautiful, unmarked Gerudo female statues, the obsidian archway was stunning. The entire room was preserved, and somehow smelled fresh, despite the age. Mavok knew that it was magic that preserved the place, and he could almost feel it, as though it were a thick vibration in the air. The torchlight from the group made surreal images upon the obsidian stonework.

"It is time, my Lord," said Jadzia, a Gerudo Royal Guard. "We will leave you, as you complete the ritual." The group of six women began setting up three torch sconces.

"If all goes well, then our desert home will be as lush and green as Hyrule Field itself," Mavok said with hope in his eyes. "The Goddesses' gift is said to grant your every wish…and if this is true, then we are about to enter into a truly majestic era of our people's history. A portion of Their essence is said to lie beyond the gateway. We have truly been blessed with this knowledge!"

Each of the guards bowed humbly to their King, as they individually left the chamber through the hole in the stone wall.

Mavok reached into his backpack, and pulled out the first of the three crystals. He took a deep breath, as he began to chant the incantation he had been studying for months in Kasuto's grimoire.

Part IV: Fate

My mind's eye blurs, as visions of my past and prophecies of my future meld into one, and I see rearranged segments of my life. Time itself has ravaged my soul, and it wears my mind so very thin these days. This void has no mercy at all upon me, as this threshold of pain unfolds. It is a strange feeling, to feel such pain that it numbs your very spirit. This paralyzing, brilliant light is overwhelming; a fatal subconscious control. It conjures screams from within me, but I cannot even speak. This is akin to deathless torture, a violation of my very soul. Long ago, I was taught that great power comes at a great price. My father was indeed a wise man.

I feel as though I can sense the world around me, pulsing…the Great Sea thriving with life again. Is this my imagination? Is my mind delusional, concocting scenarios and events to please my bored and shattered ego? I sense the gulls, gliding through the breeze, I see the perfect shapes of the random cloud patterns. With each turn of the tide, I could swear I feel the world grow darker somehow. I have seen a thousand moons rise and fall, if only in my mind's eye…though I know the moon is there, watching like a sentinel over this lonely sea, this prison of water and stone. As the days go by, countless boats and ships pass over me, as if to taunt me as they set sail for the new land. By the Goddesses, I could swear I hear their laughter, and taste their tears of joy…and I hate them for that. Indeed, this hatred consumes me, much as a wolfos consumes a Kokiri child with delight.

I sit here and contemplate what might have been, and what will never be. The Golden Power was within my grasp, at last. I was such a fool to let it go so easily. My arrogance was my undoing…I know that now. All I had to do was to kill them. So easily, I could have cut her throat while she slept and yes, I could have crushed the boy's throat without any effort at all… Instead, I was so overcome by the power of the Triforce, just seeing It there. I was mesmerized by It's mere presence; seeing it hovering there was so surreal, like a waking dream. It was as if my future was laid out before me, as the essence of It spoke to me…

I saw it all in a brief flash…I was once again a proud Gerudo King, ruling over my people with love and honor, respected by the other races of Hyrule. The Gerudo Valley would have risen from the Great Sea, along with the rest of Hyrule, as easily as an air bubble floats to the surface of a lake. And it would be restored to its former glory of centuries ago, teaming with lush greenery and life, a utopian oasis, once again a glorious empire…

But that was not meant to be.

I suppose that, over the years my goal stayed the same. I could no longer stand by and watch my people suffer. Through the torment of my life, I wanted nothing more than to give my people the home they deserved; I wanted them to live happy lives, just as the rest of the races of Hyrule did…I suppose that my judgment began to cloud, and I reached the point where I would do anything for them. I became so obsessed, that nothing would stand in my way. While my mother Mystra showed me how to care and love for my people, Kotake and Koume showed me how to go beyond my bounds in order to protect them. They showed me the delicate art of magic.

But that magical power was not enough for me to save my people and my land. I needed more, and so I sought the Triforce. So many wars have been fought over It, so many people have died for this holy relic. How can the Goddesses justify It's existence? Do They not care for the people of Hyrule? Would They let us destroy ourselves over It? So much blood has been spilt over the Triforce, and to what end? Surely, the Goddesses cannot be as benevolent as the Hylians make Them out to be. I cannot feel anything but contempt for them! Who would worship such uncaring beings?

It is amazing to me, when I think back on that fateful day of the last Hylian Harvest Festival. My father and I were so many miles apart, but our lives changed forever that day. It brings great grief to me to think of it, to think of that day… That day was one that would change everything for everyone; not just my family, but all of Hyrule. My father Mavok would never be the same again, and neither would I. It was on this day that we both discovered the darkness that lived inside of us. It was the day I realized that death is an inevitable part of life, that hatred stems from the same place as love. It was the day that an ancient evil was awakened…

Part V: Twilight

Back at the Hylian Harvest Festival, it was down to the final three archery contestants, held in the yard just outside Hyrule Castle itself. Micah the Zora Royal Guard, the Hylian shopkeeper Tauren, and Prince Ganondorf of the Gerudo all stood at their individual stalls, each of them with bows in hand.

Mica stood, a proud and slender Zora warrior, with no clothes on but the purple-studded gauntlets she wore, and a silky red cloak of King Zora's Guard. Her pale blue skin glistened in the warm sunlight, as her large fish-like eye made its mark, aiming true for the painted red and white circular tapestry yards away. Her bow had been passed down from generation to generation, ornately chiseled enchanted silver, and a string made from rare, Hyrulean seaweed, woven delicately. After gauging the wind, she hit two bullseyes in a row, followed by a hit in the next-closest circle, totaling 280 of 300 points. She grimaced in disappointment of her own skill, as the crowd cheered wildly.

Tauren was quite large for a Hylian; he had a shaved bald head, a large brown beard, and a very stocky build draped in a brown merchant's tunic. He waved towards the onlookers in the crowd, with a grin from ear to ear. His hands seemed as large as small boulders, and were clothed in black leather archer's gloves. The crowd went silent as he took aim with his handcrafted bow, made with simple wood and twine. He hit two bullseyes in a row, but his third shot seemed to be blown off its course by an unfortunate gust of air…resulting in a score of 260 points. Sighs of disappointment pierced the mostly-Hylian crowd, mixed with cheers of respect and admiration. In a fit of anger, Tauren then snapped his finely crafted bow with hardly an effort, in his right hand.

Ganondorf smiled and waved towards the crowd, his deep brown Gerudo robes billowing in the wind. He spotted his mother Mystra in the crowd, smiling so very proudly of her son. She was surrounded by 4 of her Royal Guards, whom all seemed to be equally as proud of their Prince. Ganon had grown up with these devoted women at his side, and trusted all of them with his life. He bowed towards the crowd, as he took up his bow. The crowd gasped as they realized it was a different bow from last year, far finer in every way possible. It was golden, finely engraved with various Gerudo runes and symbols of the Goddesses; small chips of rupees of every color dotted the entire length of the bow, and it was strung with an odd black string. This was the finest bow in all of Hyrule, and Ganon smiled proudly to himself as he recalled the day his father gave it to him. He took aim, paying no heed to the wind, concentrating on his targets... As quickly as he fired his first shot, he followed it with a second, and then a third. Three bullseyes, all placed ridiculously close to one another, fetched Ganondorf the winning score of 300 points.

The crowd went wild! Their cheers and screams could be heard throughout the town, and echoed even through Hyrule Field. Confetti fell from the sky, as fireworks of all colors burst above everyone. For the 5th year in a row, Ganondorf had won first prize in this Archery Contest. As he thought back, he remembered the looks of embarrassment on the other contestants' faces as they were defeated by a child. But today, no one seemed ashamed at all. In fact, the archers as well as the crowd seemed to be proud to be in his presence. They did not care what age he was, and they did not care what race he was. Indeed, they seemed genuinely overwhelmed just for having witnessed such skill, knowing that no one else in the land could beat him. Ganon's heart swelled with pride.

The fireworks exploded more loudly, and their colors seemed to be more and more intense. Suddenly, a large portrait of Ganondorf's face appeared within the bursts of the fireworks, emblazoned in red! The crowd gasped in amazement, and then they realized where it had come from. Kotake and Koume the Witches, rode broomsticks and laughed hearty laughs, followed by giggles. They were beautiful twin Gerudo women, dressed in slinky, revealing black clothes. The crowd cheered more wildly as the twins slowly glided to the ground. Captain Cyrus gave them a suspicious stare, and then draped a gorgeous golden medal over Ganon's neck. Ganon bowed humbly towards the crowd, and thanked Cyrus as he shook his hand.

"Congratulations, Prince Ganondorf! Once again, you hold the title of Grand Archer of Hyrule!" Cyrus exclaimed.

"We knew you'd do it, once again this year." Kotake said.

"There was never any doubt!" Koume said, and winked.

With a final bow, Ganon smiled and said, "Thank you!" to the entire crowd.

While Cyrus was happy for Ganondorf, and actually loved watching him shoot his bow with such skill, something in the corner of his mind bothered him. He looked at the twin witches. He remembered his great grandfather's stories, which sometimes told of the twin witches that lived in Kokiri Forest. Their silky white hair flowing in the wind, the blue gem and red gem on their forehead glowing faintly…their lovely smiles making his heart seem to skip a beat. They were voluptuous and beautiful, even moreso than most other Gerudo women. They both met his gaze simultaneously, and it felt as though they took a glimpse into his very soul. He turned away quickly… He could not help but wonder if they had helped Ganondorf somehow…with magic…to win the tournament. Suddenly, he heard something echoing between his ears…

"Tsk, tsk, tsk… we would never do such a thing, Cyrus. Do not question the boy's skill… if we ever hear such thoughts again… we'll have your head upon a platter. Understand?"

Cyrus' eyes got wide, and his face drained of all color. He knew something wasn't right about these two witches, he just didn't know what. Magic-use was common in Hyrule, and long gone were those kinds of superstitions about pacts with devils. There was one thing Cyrus did know, and that was the fact that his great grandfather had spoken of these two, Kotake and Koume…and apparently they were just as beautiful back then as they were today. Cyrus shook his head in wonder.

Meanwhile, in a back alley of Hyrule Castle Town, a young Hylian boy ran around a corner, and hid behind some crates in the shadows.

He was a dirty boy, dressed in ragged clothing. He had escaped from the orphanage in town, with hardly any effort at all. He hated that place, but he knew it was his only home. Normally, orphans were quite uncommon in Hyrule, since it was quite a utopian society. However, when mothers and fathers both take up arms in times of war, unfortunately sometimes neither comes back. He was proud of his parents, but he cursed the day they left for battle…

He peeked up his head from the crates, to make sure no one was around. He looked down at the money purse he had found, overflowing with rupees of all colors.

"My lucky day!" he said in amazement…

He started counting them, and his eyes grew wider. He didn't pay any heed to the name on the bag, nor the heraldry. He found a small ring inside, but tossed it unto the ground. He stuffed the gems inside his coat, and tossed the bag into the alley. He couldn't spend it here, because people would be suspicious…he had to get out of town as fast as possible.

Back at the Archery Contest, the crowds were starting to file out, making their way to the feast hall. One of the Knights of Hyrule, Orin, suddenly realized…his money purse was gone!

"What the…" he grumbled to himself.

He was a tall and foreboding Hylian, with short black hair, and he wore silver plate mail, and a red cloak. He grimaced as he grabbed the pommel of his sword, as if on impulse, when he thought of the thief's arrogance. It took a foolish and reckless man indeed to pick the pocket of a Knight of Hyrule.

He went to Cyrus to tell him of his predicament. They immediately started a search throughout the town, along with the town guards. Hyrule Castle Town was packed to the brim with people from all over Hyrule, and its streets were full, from block to block. Nightfall would be coming soon, and it would undoubtedly be a difficult search.

Three Gerudo Royal Guards—Sylva, Arielle, and Rydia—chatted amongst themselves, laughing and drinking large amounts of Hylian feywine as they walked around Hyrule Castle Town. They were all best friends, raised from birth for the sole purpose of defending the Gerudo nobles until death. It was a rare occasion in which they could indulge themselves with food and drink, so naturally they were having a great time at the Festival. They had just finished shopping in the bazaar, and each of them walked away with a unique necklace, gaudily laced with intricate Goron runes and many ruby stones.

"We should visit Sir Uther's smithy! Surely he must have fine swords in his shop this year," Rydia slurred.

"Aye, he does forge the best long swords in all of Hyrule. It is a pity the man is so very shy. This is the best season for him to sell his wares, yet he insists on the solitude of his shop," Sylva said.

"Such a fine man…I fail to see what he is so shy of," Arielle asked herself.

"Arielle! You've had your eye on the man for two years now. Do you not see the way he looks at you? You should take him as your mate," Rydia insisted.

Arielle shrugged, and then smiled to herself. "Perhaps."

On their way to Uther's, Sylva lit a torch as they entered an alley, which was not quite as brightly lit as the rest of town. Nightfall was upon them, and the town guards were in the process of lighting the street lamps in town.

"I wonder if I could get him to engrave my scimitar for me?" Arielle asked.

"I should say so! And with a hefty discount for yo-,"Rydia suddenly stumbled unto the stone walkway. "Blast!"

Arielle giggled, while Sylva chuckled loudly, both doubled over.

"What the…" Rydia looked at her pointed shoe, which had got caught on a leather bag of some kind. She stood with it in her hand. "Sylva, bring the light."

Arielle looked over the purse. "Hmm. It bears the mark of a Knight of Hyrule. Looks as though someone found it before we did. I pity the man who stole this Knight's rupees."

"We should bring it to the attention of the guards," Sylva said. "And with due haste."

The three Gerudo women were huddled around the bag, in the shadows of an alleyway, inspecting it in the dim torchlight. A passerby would have thought them to be thieves divvying the booty.

"I knew I heard the cackles of the Gerudo," Orin suddenly screamed from the alley's entrance. Rydia was so startled of his booming voice, that she dropped the bag. Orin knew his money purse at a glance.

Orin was flanked by another Knight of Hyrule, Cain, as well as eight town guards, each of them brandishing polearms and torches. They had been drawn to the women's laughter while they searched the Town Square.

"Seize them at once!" Orin commanded. The guards, armed with sharp polearms, quickly surrounded the three women before they even knew what was going on. They exchanged puzzled glances, and raised their hands in surrender. "Sir Orin, we stole nothing! We just happened upon the" Rydia was interrupted.

"Bring them into the Square, and send word to the King! We'll see how much you laugh when King Hyrule passes judgment on you," Orin said proudly. "The penalty for stealing from a servant of the crown is death, ladies. You might as well have stolen it from the King himself."

"They will surely pay…My fiance's ring was in that bag… The audacity of them, laughing…I never did trust these people…dirty Gerudo trash…" Orin thought to himself…the hatred grew within...

The bustling crowd made way for the angry Knight and his captured thieves. Hylians, Gorons, Kokiri, and Zoras alike stood in amazement at the spectacle before them. A dozen Hyrule Town Guard kept the curious citizens at bay, while Cain and four guards surrounded the three Gerudo women with pikes pointed at their necks. Orin stood nearby, nodding with approval.

Orin's pride and greed would overwhelm him that night, causing senseless death. The consequences of one act of thievery would echo throughout Hyrule's history. The blood spilled this night would start war, break alliances, and shake the kingdom of Hyrule to its very foundations…

"Disarm them and shackle them, with haste!" Cain scowled. His long brown hair hung in his face, partially hiding a large battle scar there. His silver plate mail was identical to Orin's and Cyrus', but his cloak was blue instead. His weapon of choice, a morning star, hung by his left side.

"What in heaven's name is going on here? Someone, tell me the cause of this ludicrous sight." Mystra exclaimed. She came forth from the crowd, flanked by Captain Cyrus and six Gerudo Royal Guards.

"Mother! What is this?" shouted Ganondorf, from across the Square. He, Kotake, Koume, and the three other Gerudo Royal Guards made their way to the forefront, nearby Orin. "This is absurd!" he said in disbelief.

Rydia nodded to Arielle, and she nodded to Sylva. They would not be judged for a crime they did not commit. They would not let the Gerudo name be tainted with false accusations of theft and greed. They would not go down without a fight. The trio, back to back, grabbed the sacred scimitars by their sides.

And in the blink of an eye, the peace that reigned over the kingdom of Hyrule would fade away.

Part VI: Between Worlds

A feeling of infinite, dark, chaotic despair crept over Mavok...and suddenly he awoke, gasping for air. He sat up, and looked around him. He was in the pitch black of darkness. His hands felt beneath him, and they revealed that he was lying on a dusty stone floor. He knew he wasn't still in the Colossus, because he knew it's distinct smell. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words would escape.

Slowly, he rose to his feet, barely able to maintain his balance. His head was spinning as though he had fallen a million miles down a mountain, tumbling end over end. It was difficult to orient himself, standing there in the dark. He must have collapsed for some reason once he had activated and stepped into the purple-colored, shimmering portal at the Colossus. He reached into his backpack for his lightstone. His breathing was nervous and shaking, and it was the only sound he could hear aside from his rapidly beating heart. He found the lightstone, and placed it into its slot on his gauntlet. In a flash, the gem's light lit up the entire room around him. His violet eyes squinted at the sudden burst of brilliance.

King Mavok looked around in amazement. The relatively small chamber was made up of jade-colored stone bricks, and the walls were circular in shape. In front of him, a twenty-foot tall stone door with foreign markings stood ominously, with an indentation the size of a hand in the dead center. The opposite side of the room held an archway, identical in shape and design to the obsidian archway back at the Colossus. The few stone steps leading up to the archway were flanked with the same two beautifully carved Gerudo women statues. This had to have been where he exited the portal. But something was different about it, and it scared Mavok.

The archway in the wall was devoid of the three crystal indentations… indicating to him that this may have been a one-way portal. He exhaled a slow, nervous breath. Suddenly, he noticed that the wall surrounding the arch bore an intricately carved mural. At a glance, he realized what it depicted: Hyrule. He saw every race of Hyrule on the wall, each involved in their own separate affairs. Nayru, Farore, and Din each watched from above, in the clouds. A ray of light shone in the scene, falling on the Sacred Triangles, the Triforce. It was a peaceful scene, but it was a stark contrast to the wall on the other side of the portal, the one back at the Colossus. The other wall at the Colossus was covered in the runes of a foreign tongue—the same tongue found here, indecipherable even by magic, and devoid of all pictures.

Mavok could not help but feel trapped here, but somehow he knew there had to be a way out. It only made sense that there was more here than meets the eye; the gathering of the portal keys and the intricate incantation ritual seemed to have a far greater purpose than just to lure him here to a suffocating, lonely death. He knew he had to study the chamber further. He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath to calm himself. He began pacing around the chamber, looking top to bottom. He knelt down, and brushed away the dust on the floor, but it revealed nothing. He studied the curved, circular walls of the chamber…feeling along the wall with his bare hands. It numbed him, for the entire chamber exuded the same mysterious force as the one back at the Colossus. Magic was all around him, there was no doubt about that. He walked over to the large stone door with the strange markings. He certainly wished there was some way he could read this bizarre language, and he still did not understand why his translation spell did not work. Without a thought, he put his hand into the indentation there…but nothing happened. He pushed into it with all of his might, thinking it might be some kind of bizarre way to unlock this door. His grit his teeth with frustration.

As he stared at the door, suddenly he realized that amongst this foreign tongue, there was a single line of Ancient Gerudo runes etched there, almost hidden. He smiled to himself, and chuckled for a brief moment. He reached into his backpack and pulled out Kasuto's old grimoire. He flipped hastily through the pages, until he found what he was looking for. He looked back and forth, between the door and the book, deciphering the runes syllable by syllable. After a few moments, he finally came to a conclusion as to what it read. Roughly, it translated into:

"Between worlds, the blood of the sand king would open the door and set things into motion. The Sacred Realm awaits thee, as does the Golden Power of the Goddesses."

Mavok smiled to himself, as he put Kasuto's ancient book back into his pack. He looked around the room, and sighed to himself as thought about the idea of dying here, alone…never to see his family again. The only possible solution was obvious to him, but if that didn't work, he would feel utterly helpless. Without a thought, he pulled his dagger from its sheath in his boot. It was a dagger he had since his childhood, and he treasured it greatly. He even had this silver dagger with him so many years ago, when he had been lost as a child in the Desert Colossus. He quickly sliced a gash into his left hand, drawing a good deal of blood from it. He wiped the blood off the blade with the sleeve of his studded leather armor, and placed it back into its sheath, cupping his left hand in order to let the blood build up there for a moment. He gazed at the indentation briefly, before finally placing his hand into it, letting the blood smear the stone inside. There was a tingling sensation in his hand, and it sent a shiver down Mavok's spine.

A large clanking sound, the sound of stone grinding on stone, startled him, and he gasped. The door began to slowly rise up, and a bluish light shown from underneath it. He could hardly fathom what might await him on the other side of it. The door rose above his head, and he could finally see into the chamber beyond.

The room—if you could call it a room—was like something out of a dream. It was almost like a dark void, with multiple shafts of blue light beaming from far above, and plunging far below. A narrow, white marble path led from the door and far through to the other side of this bizarre chamber. Mavok looked around, but he could see no walls whatsoever around him. He looked to the sides of the marble path, but it seemed like a bottomless void. His heart felt as though it was in his throat. The marble path looked as though it went forever. He looked up, and he saw no ceiling; the shafts of blue light were infinite, piercing the void from top to bottom, without end. He slowly walked forward, trying not to look on either side of him. He could not even hear the sounds of his footsteps, for his heart was beating so very loudly in his ears.

…King Mavok, of the Gerudo…do not be afraid…I have been awaiting your arrival for many years…I am an Oracle…I am the Proxy of Hyrule's Creator Goddesses…I speak for them, on their behalf… For to look upon a true deity would overwhelm you, and shatter your mind…I shall come to you now…

Before Mavok could comprehend the thoughts that had just invaded his mind, a heavenly form appeared in front of him, as if from thin air. Her long, blond hair shown like gold, and her features were as chiseled as an angel's. He realized then, that she was the most beautiful Hylian woman he had ever seen in his life. She hovered there, in a silver glowing gown before him. Mavok was speechless, and could hardly breathe. Finally, she spoke to him.

"Greetings, King Mavok. Many years you have sought the Sacred Realm, and the Golden Power within it, the Triforce." Her voice reminded him of what an angel's must sound like.

"Y-yes… I have!" his voice trembled. He was overwhelmed. He suddenly fell to his knees and bowed before her.

"You seek the Triforce, and its many wonders. You seek to better your people, the Gerudo. Is that not so," she asked, already knowing the truth.

"The…the life of the desert is a harsh one," Mavok said. "We are a happy people, but, each season brings drought, and sometimes famine. A plague has also ravaged my people before. Our once mighty empire has fallen, so low." Tears began streaming down his face, thinking of the many Gerudo warriors he had to bury over the years.

"Do not fear, my child. The Triforce is your people's only hope…it is the only hope of all of Hyrule. We have foreseen dark times ahead… I will bestow It upon you, but the Goddesses ask a favor in return."

"Anything! Anything for you!" Mavok exclaimed.

"This Chamber of Ages you see here is but a small portion of the Sacred Realm. There is an ancient artifact of great evil that was brought to the Golden Land, and it must be destroyed, for it has tainted and altered the Sacred Realm with malevolence. I cannot leave the confines of this Chamber, Mavok. I need a mortal man such as yourself to retrieve that artifact for me. Then, I can destroy it, and bestow the Triforce upon you. Do you understand?"

"I do, Oracle. I will do what you ask. I will do anything for my people, and for my Goddesses," Mavok's voice trembled.

"Very well. You must go to the world above, and seek the Urn of Vlaakith. The world above is a dangerous one, full of evil and chaos. But you are a skilled swordsman and magician. You will do well. I have foreseen it. Stand and face me. Go forth, and claim your destiny, Mavok. "

"I shall," Mavok said, gazing into her lovely blue eyes as he stood.

Suddenly, he was lifted off his feet as a shaft of light encompassed him. He felt weightless, helpless. He began floating slowly upwards, into the infinite light above. He rose faster and faster…until he vanished into nothingness.

The Chamber of Ages stood still, and the Oracle hovered there for a moment. She waved her hand and muttered, "Dispel illus incante".

The infinite blue shafts of light faded away, and the white marble pathway dissolved into nothingness. In a flash, the room returned to its true form, as did the "Oracle". The room was made of the same jade stone as the portal entrance room, and it's ceiling was easily a hundred feet tall, supported by numerous obsidian pillars. Several gargantuan bronze braziers with blazing fires dotted the room. Their fires cast surreal shadows over the floor and walls, which seemed to be made from hundreds of skeletal bodies and corpses. A multitude of faces could be seen all around, frozen in terror and agony within the stone. The stench of death was so very thick in the air, hanging there like a lynched body.

The being that was once angelic and graceful morphed into her true form. Her lower half was that of a giant snake, with huge, green, scaly coils. Above her waist, she was still a beautiful, comely female, bare-chested, and definitely not Hylian. Her six arms each moved independently of one another, adorned with precious jewelry and bearing highly decorated weapons of all kinds. She reached down with one hand, and picked up a golden goblet, to take a sip of the dark blood within it. She slithered around slightly, and positioned herself back into her throne, constructed of the bones of a hundred different creatures.

"Foolish, foolish mortal," she said to herself. "Things are now in motion, dear Mavok. There is no turning back now." With her red eyes, she gazed into the goblet and took another sip of still-warm blood from it, and chuckled to herself.

Part VII: Death

The tension in the cool evening air was palpable. Hyrule Town Square was a frantic spectacle, its citizens struck dumb in awe of the scene unraveling before them. A dozen town guards held the pedestrians—composed of Hylians, Gorons, and Zoras as well—at bay with polearms as Orin foolishly proceeded with what looked like the arrest, trial, and execution of three innocent Gerudo women. The mob of civilians seemed to be reacting in all sorts of ways; while one angry Hylian scowled at the mere thought of the theft of Sir Orin's money purse, another one would be screaming and crying at the very notion of a battle about to erupt. A few Hylians even threw stones and vegetables at the women. A handful of Kokiri children could be seen running away from the Square and towards the town gate, full of fear and sure that blood would be spilled that night...for they never had the opportunity to see such grim things before. The Deku Tree had always warned them of the dangers of the outside world. Rydia could see the last of the Kokiris' glowing fairies escaping towards the town gate, and into the night. But her mind was concentrated on more dire matters, such as the four guards and the hulking Knight of Hyrule Cain surrounding them.

"King Hyrule should be arriving momentarily, Orin!" shouted Captain Cyrus from across the way, standing to the side of Ganon's mother Mystra. "I suggest you let him handle the matter! You do not hold the privilege of arbitration; it is King Hyrule's duty, and his majesty's duty alone!"

"And I suppose you're taking their side in this matter, Cyrus?" Orin asked with rage in his eyes. "Such treachery among knights is truly dishonorable." Orin gripped the handle of the golden battleaxe hanging by his side.

"Who are you to speak of honor, Orin?" asked Ganondorf, his voice trembling with anger. "How much honor is there in executing an innocent, you hypocrite? And I can smell the ale on your breath from here, drunkard!"

"Ganondorf, silence!" shouted Mystra, stepping in front of Cyrus. "Orin, a detect truth spell should solve things easily enough. Summon one of the King's Royal Spellslingers, at once!"

"I trust my eyes!" shouted Orin. "Cain, why have they not been disarmed yet?" Orin grunted. The three Gerudo women knew precisely the fate that awaited them, and the honorable King Hyrule was not a part of it.

Cain nodded, and motioned the four guards to cover the three women, so that he could take their blades from them and shackle their hands. One of the guards hit Rydia in the back of her head with the shaft of his polearm; he gave a chuckle as she grit her teeth. He took a step closer, and Rydia could see the hideous scar beneath his hanging hair, and the eye-patch covering his left eye. That's close enough, she thoughtIt's time to defend ourselves of these false charges of thievery…to defend our honor. The three Gerudo Royal Guards had been trained all their lives to defend the Gerudo people, to live honorable lives, to be a proud people. They would not let themselves be accused and executed for a crime they did not commit. It was time to fight.

"Keep those hands in the air, woman!" said one of the guards. He took the tip of the blade of his polearm and sliced a thin gash into Arielle's exposed side, as if to make his point known. She winced in pain, but met his gaze with a devilish grin as the blood trickled down her waist.

There was a blinding flash of light, as Sylva smashed a Deku Nut against the breastplate of the guard in front of her. At that same moment, the unsheathing of their six scimitars was heard throughout the entire Square. In a flurry of blades, so many things happened all at once. Arielle, Rydia, and Sylva acted as one entity, one mind. Their moves were synchronized, as if they had practiced the maneuver beforehand. In the blink of an eye, their scimitars cut through each of the four polearms surrounding them, snapping the wooden shafts and sending the ornate blades to the ground in a clang. Before the Hylian guards knew what had happened, Arielle and Rydia had crouched down and slashed each of their shins, expertly piercing between the armor plates there. Before the guards had even toppled to the ground and shrieked in pain, Sylva swiftly jumped into the air and landed a dropkick to Cain's jaw. He fell to the ground in shock, and the gawking pedestrians grew silent. The three Gerudo women stood back to back, in an impressive defensive pose. Arielle's eyes met Orin's, and he knew the rage in her heart then.

"Cease this attack, Arielle!" cried Mystra. "You're making a grave mistake! Orin, call the Spellslingers, I beg of you! Cyrus?" she said, as tears welled up in her eyes. Cyrus looked at her, and he did not know what to do.

Orin looked at her, and spat as he approached her group. "Guards, seize them all! Round up all the Gerudo scum!" At his order, the nearby five Hylian guards began to encircle them. At the same time, Mystra's guards drew their scimitars, surrounding their queen. Finally, Cyrus came to a decision, and fought alongside the Gerudo women.

Instinctively, Ganondorf drew his katana from its scabbard by his side. "My father would never stand for this, Orin!"

Orin turned to him and grinned. "Your father is not here, now is he, boy? Seize him!"

Two town guards nearby tried to grab Ganon and disarm him, but as one touched his shoulder, he froze in place, as rigid as an icicle. Kotake was standing there, with her hand touching the guard's arm. With a touch, her ice grip had frozen the man solid in place, a thin sheet of ice encasing his entire body. She was levitating just an inch above the ground; she laughed aloud, as the blue fire emanated like a frosty bonfire on her head, her blue diamond shining brilliantly. Her twin Koume giggled to herself, as her red fire-hair burst into flames. Fire shot forth from her fingertips and sprayed the other guard, engulfing the screaming man in flames. Ganon felt the wave of heat then, and his mouth hung open in amazement. The crowd began to quickly dissipate and run for cover from the erupting battle…

The young Ganondorf removed his deep brown robes, revealing his studded leather armor beneath. He ran towards his mother, but was met by two guards blocking his way. They each swung at him with their polearms clumsily, and he parried both swings. In one swing, he snapped each of the polearms with his blade and took an aggressive, defensive stance. Rage was in the boy's eyes, but the two guards were not deterred yet, perhaps underestimating the skill of this young man. One swung a punch at him, and as Ganon ducked, he stabbed into the man's ribcage, hearing the crunch, and feeling it along his blade as the man slumped to the ground. That was the first time Ganon ever attacked a man, and his eyes grew wide with the sight of the blood. The other guard attempted to kick the katana from Ganondorf's hand, but he missed as Ganon threw the sword into the air. It landed firmly in his left hand, at which point Ganon sliced the man's belly open. He shivered at the sound of the man's screams, blood gushing down his armor as he fell. Mystra gasped in horror as she saw her boy murder a man.

What have I done? Even through the chaotic sounds of battle, Ganon could hear his heartbeat in his ears. His adrenaline racing, he did not know how he was able to stop his hands from shaking, from dropping his sword. He felt a sudden wave of dizziness, and he could not get the images of the men's distorted faces out of his mind. Ganondorf was overwhelmed with emotion, and the guilt weighed heavy on his heart like a boulder. It was all happening so fast. He was angered at the injustice here, he was afraid for the safety of his mother, and he was burdened by the sin of murder. The wise words of his father Mavok then came to him:

Death comes for us all, and it can never be cheated. There is nothing more foolish than to be so afraid of Death, that you cannot live life. And of all the sins in this world, the Goddesses proclaimed that taking a man's life before his time is the most unforgivable. You see, Death has a dignity all its own, my son…but life is a precious thing. In killing a man, you destroy a part of yourself, a part of your spirit. Nothing is worth that. And do you know which sin is the most undesirable, and unnatural? Immortality…

Mystra then screamed, and her eyes grew wide as she saw her loyal guards slumping to the ground, laden with arrows. She noticed that Micah the Zora was up on a balcony nearby, alongside Corellon, another Knight of Hyrule, expertly shooting the Gerudo guards down as they caught them unaware. Twyla was dead, a single arrow protruding straight through her neck. Aria was slumped over her, at least five arrows sticking up out of her back. Verial could be heard, gurgling and choking on her own blood as she struggled to pull an arrow out of her throat. Mystra could hear the arrows zip through the air, taking down her Royal Guards, her friends and loyal subjects for years. Other Gerudo guards were caught up in battles with the town guards, some of them meeting death at the ends of their sharp polearms. She looked across the Square to the place where Arielle, Rydia, and Sylva were. Sylva lay dead on the ground, impaled by a long sword in her back. Rydia blocked a guard's polearm skillfully with her scimitars and then tore an arrow from her shoulder. She failed to see a Hylian guard sneak up on her, and he ran her through with a pike, blood spraying onto the ground. Arielle kicked a guard away from her, spun around and sliced another guard in his throat with both of her blades, and prepared to meet the charge of three more guards with polearms. Mystra winced, and suddenly began to cry.

Orin charged towards Mystra, his golden battleaxe in his two hands. He was quite shocked to be met by Cyrus, who had stepped in front of Mystra to defend her. Head to head, Cyrus could see the hatred in Orin's eyes, and knew that he felt betrayed. Without a word, Orin swung his axe down, gritting his teeth as it came down on Cyrus' long sword. Cyrus knocked it to the side and punched Orin in the jaw. Orin took the pointed tip of his axe head and jabbed at Cyrus with it, poking him in the stomach, drawing blood. Rage built up in Cyrus, and he spat on the ground just thinking of the injustice being served to the Gerudo people. He simply could not stand idly by and watch innocent people die. He swung his sword in an overhead motion, and landed it in Orin's right arm. Orin was not even fazed by this, for his bloodlust in the heat of battle was overwhelming him. "This is treason, Cyrus! I shall make an example of you for your treachery!" He kicked Cyrus squarely in the stomach, catching him off guard as he raised his axe above his head. Cyrus knew precisely how Orin fought, so he was prepared for his next move. However, he did not anticipate the force with which Orin would bring his axe down. Orin's golden axe emanated a faint magical glow as he swung it down, breaking Cyrus' sword in two, and embedding itself into the knight's forehead. Blood spurted forth, some of it spraying on Orin's face. He smirked as he used his foot to push Cyrus away and pull his axe from his head.

Koume finally realized where the arrows were coming from, as she noticed Micah and Corellon crouching behind the wooden balcony's railing. She yelled something in the Gerudo language to give the Royal Guards a heads-up; they responded by turning their attention there, expertly blocking the volleys of arrows with their swords. She lifted herself three feet off the ground. She then let loose a fireball from her two hands, directly at the archers, engulfing them in a grand explosion, and sending them hurling towards the ground in flames. The building was now ablaze, illuminating the evening sky with a flickering orange glow. A large chunk of it was missing, and people inside could be heard screaming. Another portion of the building began to crumble, and this caused several decorative lanterns on wires to crash to the ground. Each of them shattered and spilled a puddle of flaming oils, littering a part of the Square's walkway with a trail of fire.

"Kotake, protect my mother at all costs!" Ganondorf yelled. As he turned around, a crushing blow was felt in the small of his back, and he knelt in pain. Cain stood over him, laughing. He began to swing his morning star around in the air, an unsettling smile on his face. "Leave the fighting to the grown-ups, boy!"

Ganondorf suddenly rose to his feet, and stabbed his katana backwards. He heard Cain's weapon clang to the ground, as he felt his blade pierce the man's chest, through his breastplate. "Is that all you've got?" mumbled the Knight. Ganondorf, still facing away from him, let loose of his sword and did a spin kick, plunging the sword straight through Cain's body.

Ganon looked down, and grimaced at the sight before him. Cain's single eye stared into nothingness, and his polished silver plate mail was drenched in red. Ganon reached and grabbed the pommel of his katana, his hand shaking, to take it out of the man's body. He stood in a defensive pose as he was surrounded by four more Hylian guards. The blood dripped from his sword, onto the street at his feet.

Kotake glided across the ground towards Mystra, nimbly dodging several guards along the way. "For your own protection, my dear! Aheh heh heh!" Kotake cackled. She raised her hands in the air, and a large wall of ice ascended from the ground and surrounded Mystra. She was encased in a large, icy prison now, the frozen walls of the dome at least two feet thick. She stood helplessly there, while the battle raged on around her. As the battle ensued, Ganon kept a vigilant eye on his mother, trapped in the protective dome of ice.

Ganondorf noticed Orin run from the thick of the battle, and could see him speaking with a pair of Gorons. He had to turn his attention to the matter at hand, however, as the guards around him took several swipes at him with their polearms. He used his katana to parry two of them at once, and nimbly dodged another. He lopped off one of the guard's hands at the wrist, and then stabbed the nearest guard in the throat. Ganon tumbled on the ground towards a fallen guard, took the man's sword from his scabbard, and struck a defensive pose. The other two guards yelled and charged at him, eager to take revenge for their fallen comrades. Ganondorf suddenly flipped over them as his blades spun; when he landed, the two men fell, dead before they hit the ground. He rose to his feet, and turned around in order to take in a glimpse of his mother, but instead he found himself looking up into Orin's eyes, as Orin taunted him.

"Such a dangerous little boy. But I'm afraid you've met your match!" Before Ganon could even comprehend the sentence, his nose met with the shaft of Orin's battleaxe. He heard a loud popping noise and felt a horrible crunch, stumbling to the ground. His eyes teared up, and his face grimaced in pain. He instinctively dropped his two swords at his sides, as he brought his hands up to his broken and bloody nose. Orin stood victoriously over him, his golden axe on his shoulder, and his red cape flowing in the soft wind. "I've had about enough of you, you little rat. I wish your father were here to watch me take your head…to watch as I punish the thieves and murderers of Gerudo Valley. I can only wonder how long you people have had your eye on what is rightfully ours. The Golden Power is our birthright."

"Th-…the what?" Ganon asked in confusion.

"Don't play ignorant!" Orin snapped back. "The Temple of…" he trailed off as he watched one of the Gorons rolling towards Mystra. Ganon looked up as he heard that distinct sound of stone grinding on stone, and his heart sank as he imagined his mother being crushed by the force of one of these rocky brutes. Orin spat upon Ganondorf, landing it on his chest, and arrogantly began walking in the direction of Mystra.

With blood oozing out of his nose and down his chin, Ganondorf suddenly flipped up on his feet, and unsheathed the silver dagger that hung from his belt. He flung the dagger and it landed squarely in the back of Orin's neck, just above the back-plate of his armor. The sharp sting of the blade made Orin shriek in pain, completely caught unaware by Ganondorf's sneak attack. Orin fell to his knees on the ground, grasping at the dagger in his neck. But before the blade had even broke Orin's skin, Ganon had already grabbed both of his swords and began running to the aid of his mother.

The Goron charged the icy dome surrounding Mystra, and with a crunching sound, the ice began to shatter along that side. Although the dome was sufficiently large enough to encase Mystra and give her enough space to move around a bit, the force of the Goron's rolling collision threw her to the ground within it. The frozen bubble of ice did not collapse, however, and so the Goron made another pass around the dome, intending to build up momentum again and try to destroy the icy barricade. Ganon skillfully leapt into the air, and with a downward thrust, jabbed his long sword into the Goron's rocky skin. He did so with such force, in such rage, that the blade stabbed all the way through the body of the Goron and stuck into the paved stone walkway beneath.

"Grrraaagh!" Ganondorf screamed, and while perching on the Goron's back, broke the sword off at the hilt, pinning its lifeless body there. He felt a bizarre and overwhelming sensation just then, but he did not even notice a crackle of purple energy jump from his hand to the hilt…He started breathing heavily, his face drenched in sweat and blood. His heart felt as though it would leap from his chest, it was pounding so hard. He had never felt such anger, such rage, and such despair in all his young life. All at once, he cast away his guilt, and he knew that he would do anything to keep his mother safe from harm. He grit his teeth in resentment, as he asked himself where his father was at a time like this. He looked over and saw the other Goron heading this way, and just then it suddenly began to rain. There was a loud crash of thunder, and it rumbled along the countryside. Lightning seemed to tear the night sky, and then a bolt struck the only tree within Hyrule Market Square, shattering it and setting it ablaze. The few remaining Hylian soldiers and Gerudo guards could not help but stop their fighting for a brief moment, and so there was a short pause between the battlecries and the clanking of steel on steel. It occurred to Ganondorf then that the Goddesses would never forgive such people who seemed to revel in death and chaos. Dead bodies were everywhere, their blood mixing in with the rain and the mud. Buildings were on fire, and various screams of Hylian children could be heard throughout the town. Ganon could see everything falling apart in front of him, and it seemed as though his entire world was spinning out of control. He sat there, dazed for a moment, staring at the chaos before him. He saw only two Gerudo women left, barely holding off a group of five Hylian soldiers. He saw a body on fire, glowing in the night, trapped beneath the fallen tree of the Square. He saw Koume straddling Orin, strangling his throat as he gasped for air. Destruction and chaos seemed to reign tonight. Death was everywhere. What have we done?

Ganon climbed off the body, and ran full force towards the rolling Goron, both hands gripping his katana and readying for a charge. Just as he was about to connect with his sword, the Goron bounced and altered its trajectory, sending itself head-on into Ganondorf. The boy was surprised by the maneuver itself, as well as the force with which it hit him, sending him to the wet ground in a skid. He held his side, and moaned to himself as he realized that some of his ribs were broken. The Goron unfurled and revealed its hulking, rounded, humanoid form, standing almost ten feet tall. It balled its fists and looked Ganon up and down. "You killed my brother, Prince Ganondorf. This makes me sad….and I must make you pay, I'm afraid." Ganon suddenly recognized this Goron by the markings painted on its forehead. This was Duris, son of Darunia, brother of Prince Duron. Ganondorf had just killed a Goron prince, and realized that this would undoubtedly spark a blood feud between his family and theirs for many years to come. Everything Mavok had taught him about diplomacy had just been washed away forever. There was no turning back now.

The gargantuan Goron brought its hands down like a hammer towards Ganon, but crushed the ground instead as Ganon nimbly tumbled away. Duris then swung a slow punch at Ganon, and missed him by a long shot. Ganondorf actually laughed to himself, thinking of the speed of the punch as he readied his katana. His blade sliced back and forth in a flash, from left to right across Duris's chest, flaking off chunks of rock and flesh. Duris groaned in pain, and Ganon then impaled the katana through his stomach without a thought. He looked up…and what he saw made his eyes grow wide with immeasurable terror. Orin had apparently used his axe to shatter a hole in the side of the ice dome, and was presently yanking Mystra by her hair out of it. "No! Ganon, help me, please!" she screamed as she helplessly clawed at Orin. He dropped his axe to the ground and shoved Mystra in front of him, as he taunted Ganondorf with his living trophy. He smiled at Ganon, his face raked with bloody gashes from fingernails.

"Don't you touch her! DON'T YOU TOUCH HER!" Ganon yelled, his voice trembling with anger. He regained his footing on the wet ground, and began to run towards his mother. Everything seemed to be happening so very slowly, and time seemed to come to a crawl…but somehow it was still a fast blur of ferocity and chaos. Ganondorf imagined dozens of different moves he could do, many different ways he might attack Orin. Suddenly, it occurred to him that he didn't just want revenge on Orin…he wanted to punish him. That was when Ganon saw that Orin was now holding the same silver dagger he had thrown at him earlier.

"Say goodbye, Ganon!" Orin grinned, took the dagger, and then proceeded to slice Mystra's throat from ear to ear. Ganon watched his mother's eyes widen in horror and pain, and his heart sank as he saw the wound slowly open with a disgusting gurgling sound. A river of blood shot forth, spraying all over Orin's face and armor, and ran down Mystra's beautiful form.

"Nooooo! Mother, noooo!" Ganon screamed as he ran, anger and misery in his eyes.

Orin let her body slump to the muddy ground, face first, and the look in his eyes was wild. He looked like a deranged and twisted form of what he used to be: a noble Knight of Hyrule. Even he was not sure what had happened to him that night, but he was pleased that he was finally able to expose the Gerudo people for the thieves and murderers they really were. His attempt to mock Ganon by using his own dagger on his mother would fail miserably though, for he would not have time to pick up his battleaxe as he finally faced Ganon…

Orin looked down at his golden axe, and bent over to grab it with his right hand. There was a brief flash of metal and a ka-chink. As he suddenly saw his own severed arm fall to the ground, his mouth opened wide to scream...but no sound would come forth. His face froze in shock as he looked down and saw blood spurt from his meaty collarbone. His eyes suddenly met Ganon's, and he could feel the hatred burning within him. With all of his might, with the dark rage in his heart, Ganon punched Orin squarely in the jaw with the pommel of his sword. For a brief moment, Orin could have sworn Ganon's eyes glowed a dull yellow. Crunch. He saw Orin's jaw dislocate, and several teeth break away simultaneously. Orin collapsed on the ground a mess, bloody spit drooling from his mouth, chips of teeth and bone oozing out. He let out a groan of intense pain that made Ganon's skin crawl.

The world around him seemed to black out, as Ganon fell to his knees. He kneeled over Mystra, and turned her body over as the rain seemed to intensify. Her beautiful face was covered in mud, and blood stained her smile. She's still alive! Her violet eyes were awake, although in a stupor. Tears of joy came to Ganondorf as he rejoiced…but the joy did not last, for he knew the severity the gash. He reached out his hand to apply pressure to her wound, but his hands started to shake when he realized that he could not do so without agitating it. His stomach began to turn when he saw the way the flaps of skin moved, steadily trickling more blood.

"Ganondorf…" she muttered lowly.

"I'm right here, mother. I'm here. Don't speak," his voice trembled as he almost gagged.

"Gan…" she whispered.

"Please, mother," he began to cry.

There was so much he wanted to say, that he did not know where to begin. He loved his mother more than life itself. It tore his heart in two to see her like this, to see her fading away before his eyes.

"I'm so sorry," he whimpered, as tears began to flow, mixing with the rain. "I didn't want to do it. I didn't want to kill them…they… they were accusing us…I…couldn't let them harm you. I … Please forgive me, mother. Please."

"I know, Gan. I know. It couldn't… it couldn't be helped, my son. I saw it all." She reached up her hand to touch her son's face. "I will always love you, Ganon. I… I will always…be with… you…." Ganon could see the color drain from her face, second by second.

"I love you too, mother…" Ganon whispered.

This quiet moment between mother and son was interrupted by an explosion nearby. Koume had let loose another fireball, toppling a rock wall onto a pair of Hylian soldiers. Ganon looked up, and saw that Kotake and Koume were standing next to him and Mystra, along with the last surviving Gerudo Royal Guard, Bryonna.

"Gather round, gather round!" Kotake shouted to them.

Bryonna knelt down to comfort Ganondorf, and placed her hand on his shoulder. She hadn't given up hope, but she knew the situation was grim. "My Lord, there is still time. She's not gone yet. You see…her spirit is exceptionally strong and pure, my Lord. You must have faith. You must have hope, Ganon."

"It is time to depart, children," Koume said. She and Kotake began simultaneously chanting something in the Gerudo tongue. Koume made a strange gesture with her hand, and Kotake brought forth a pinch of ash from her pouch.

Ganon looked up and met Bryonna's lovely gaze, and she could feel the despair within him. He answered her notion of hope with cold silence. He looked down at Mystra, and noticed the way the puddle of red below had begun to bleed from the ground, up onto her gown. He glanced over at Orin, still writhing in pain, moaning to himself on the wet ground. Ganon's mind raced, and became flooded with horrific images from this night of death. He had literally lost count of how many lives he had taken. He could not bring himself to feel remorse, for the injustice that occurred this night was undeserved, unparalleled. He had always been taught to take pride in himself and in his people, to live life with vitality, passion, and honor. He wondered how long this hatred between the peoples of Hyrule had been building, behind closed doors. Was Orin really to blame, or was he merely expressing the hatred and animosity that all Hylians had towards Gerudos? Ganon knew one thing for certain: Hyrule would never be the same land again. Paradise was lost.

"Thank you for your kind words, Bryonna. But I'm afraid, there is no hope for Hyrule," Ganon said, staring into Mystra's sad eyes.

Just then, a blue sphere of teleportation engulfed them all and imploded on itself, transporting them away from Hyrule Town Square. The brilliant light was blinding, but there was no one left to watch as they vanished in a blink.

Part VIII: On Hallowed Ground

The serene form of the Goddess of Spirit sat motionless and unaffected, as blasts of sand and wind tore through the landscape with unrelenting force. The tranquil and elegant appearance of this rocky depiction of the Goddess was a stark contrast to the fiercely catastrophic weather that bombarded the ancient Temple of Spirit on this night. Her gargantuan hands were held out, in a meditative yet vigilant way, as if waiting to catch the sky if it should ever fall. Lightning lit the sky time and again, as fierce rains poured down unto the desert in a way that had never been seen before in Hyrule's history. As Ganondorf knelt in the rain over his dying mother in Hyrule Town Square, the Gerudo Desert was a bizarre maelstrom of chaotic rain, sand, and wind.

As furious sandstorms raged outside, the laughter of women echoed throughout the halls of the Desert Colossus. Five Gerudo Royal Guards were sitting in a circle around a small fire in the middle of the entrance chamber of the Spirit Temple, keeping them warm from the desert night. The women's backpacks of camping gear sat neatly to the left of the center staircase, next to a large cobra-like statue riddled with Hylian runes. Each of these beautiful warriors kept their enchanted weapons by their side, on the dusty floor where they sat. Over the fire was a large, black iron pot, bubbling with a thick and wonderful-smelling soup. A sixth Gerudo woman—Cirily—stood over it sprinkling another dash of curry into it with a pinch of her fingers.

"Not too much spice!" Tempest chimed in.

"Who's cooking this? Is it you or I?" Cirily asked with an uncharacteristic scowl.

"Who am I to question the master chef?" grinned Tempest. The lovely Jadzia—the small group's commander—continued with her funny story…

"And so I told him, I don't care if you're the last man in Calatia! With breath as putrid as yours, I'd sooner kiss a toothless Moblin!'" Jadzia said, laughing. The rest of the women burst out into hearty laughs, totally incapable of containing themselves. Their laughter rang through the musty labyrinth, and echoed for several seconds afterward.

"Hylian men! Hmph!" exclaimed Isis. The other Gerudos laughed heartily.

A loud thud was heard, as something smashed against the wooden, magically reinforced doors of the Temple. Azure was so startled by the noise, that she dropped her silver goblet, spilling its crimson wine into her lap. Under normal circumstances, she would have been embarrassed. But in this case, she was just grateful that King Mavok had added those doors onto the Temple's entrance years ago. Azure was one of the Royal Gerudo Guards that had always accompanied him on his archeology ventures here. She was oldest of all the Gerudos here, as evidenced by the few gray streaks in her lustrous red hair.

Cirily took a sip from her soup ladle. "Ah yes, perfect! Who here is hungry for Leever soup?"

Tempest stood up, and dusted her deep gray robes off. In the firelight, Isis admired the intricate Gerudo designs and markings that adorned the spellcaster's robes. "I'm much more thirsty than anything else. Who amongst you would partake in another round?" The women each looked around at each other, and all burst out laughing again when they realized they were all still thirsty for more Goron brandywine. Smiling, Tempest bent over to gather each woman's goblet, and made her way to the small cask of brandywine nearby.

Isis thumbed through Tempest's spellbook, a leather-bound black tome already full of spells, and worn from travels. Normally, a wizard's grimoire was off-limits to anyone but herself, but the Gerudo race was the exception in this respect. While a common Hylian wizard might lock his spellbook, and perhaps even magically trap it in order to keep prying eyes away, the Gerudo women always shared everything with each other. Each individual considered everyone else her sister, and so there were no secrets among the females of the race. The subject of magic was treated no differently. Magic was relatively new to the Gerudos, and Tempest was among the dozen or so of them who knew how to cast it. The witches Kotake and Koume had begun teaching the art of wizardry to the other Gerudos only a few short years ago, under order of King Mavok. He, Kotake, and Koume had been the sole spellcasters for as long as everyone could remember. There had been tales told that even the first Gerudo King was schooled in the dark arts by the twins, but this was likely just an old joke told amongst the people, making fun of the ancient witches' ages.

"Fascinating," Isis muttered to herself, while her brethren talked, and laughed, and told stories to one another. "This really is amazing, Tempest!" Isis said, raising her voice so that she could be overheard through the chatter. "I just hope you don't get drunk tonight and burn the Temple down or something," she smiled and winked.

"Very funny, Isis. Just don't make me angry, and everything should be fine tonight, eh?" Tempest laughed, as she poured another goblet of Goron brandywine. "I'll bet you just can't wait for me to start teaching the rest of the sisters, can you? You're just itching to be able to charm any man you wish, I bet!" All six Gerudos burst into laughter again.

"Bah, I don't need any stinking magic to get a man…I swear!" giggled Isis.

"And don't worry about the wine," Jadzia chimed in. "It is a time for celebration, sisters. King Mavok did say for us to enjoy ourselves tonight, and to rejoice in the occasion. It's not every day that our king visits the Sacred Realm, after all."

Tempest made a few trips from the nearby wine cask to the campfire, handing each Gerudo her respective goblet. "I won't be activating the portal again until tomorrow's eve. With the crystals already in place, all I need do is chant the incantation, and taste the bonedust. With any luck, and the Goddesses' blessing, King Mavok will have found the relic he seeks."

Cirily stood over the pot of boiling soup, filling several clay bowls with her ladle and handing them out to her sisters. "We should pray to the Spirit Goddess tonight, so that our Lord's journey is a safe and fruitful one. Our King's spirit is certainly strong enough to stand against whatever trials might lie ahead for him in the Golden Land."

"Indeed, we should," said Qaida. "We should give thanks, and praise the Goddesses for all our good fortune as of late. King Mavok shall certainly lead us into a new era of peace and prosperity, if he should be bestowed with the Essence of the Goddesses on his journey."

Cirily and Tempest finally sat down with their bowls and goblets in hands, and joined their circle of sisters around the crackling fire. Simultaneously, each of the Gerudo women raised her goblet into the air for a toast.

Jadzia began the toast. "Here is to long lives…to prosperity…and to honor! May the way of our King lead to the Triforce, for all our people's sake! To Mavok!"

"To Mavok," everyone said in unison. The women clanged their goblets together, and took big gulps of wine from them. Within that span of silence, a low murmur was heard in the distant halls of the Desert Colossus.

"Did you hear that?" Qaida asked. "I heard something…"

"I heard that too," Tempest said. "Wait, listen…"

The women were suddenly dead silent, and all that could be heard in the chamber was the crackling of the small bonfire. Each of them stood still, and listened intently as their eyes shifted about.

Just then, a low, inhuman groan was heard, echoing throughout the dusty halls. "Unnnghh…" It sounded closer that time, and the Gerudos each looked at each other in amazement. "Unnnghh…" A distinct shhhhhk…shhhhhk was heard.

"Sounds like…something dragging on the floor," Cirily said.

"Everyone, on your feet at once!" shouted Jadzia.

The group instinctively grabbed their weapons, somehow without a sound. Four of them brandished double scimitars, Azure cocked her bow, and Tempest readied her Staff of Power.

Shhhhhhk…unnnngh…

"Is that what I think it is?" asked Isis.

"No doubt," Jadzia said, with worry in her eyes. She nodded towards Isis, a voiceless command.

Isis sheathed one of her scimitars onto her back, and reached for a torch on the ground nearby. She passed it over the fire to light it, her lovely amber eyes never blinking once. The entire group's attention was focused on the far end of the chamber. "Come," she said. She motioned the group to follow her up the stairs.

The group of Gerudo guards trailed behind her up the stone steps, and turned their attention to the east wall of the large chamber. A gargantuan square marble block, etched with a large crescent moon and a single star, blocked the door's entryway. Over the years, no amount of backbreaking work could ever move this block, and many forms of magic had always bounced off in a strange fashion. Tempest had heard from her twin mentors that only someone "pure of heart" that wielded a special magical item could ever hope to budge the stone; their evidence of this was in this same entrance chamber of the Spirit Temple, on the two cobra-like statues on either side of the stairway. Strangely enough, clues etched in Hylian runes were written on them, practically taunting the old Gerudo witches. One read: If you want to proceed to the past, you should return here with the pure heart of a child The other read: If you want to travel to the future, you should return here with the power of silver from the past. These clues did nothing but anger the two witches, with such vague talk of time travel and silver power. Why would such an ancient Gerudo temple house riddles written in the modern Hylian tongue? Mavok told his subjects that he was certain their Spirit Temple held even greater significance than even they realized; he said that he believed that destiny held great things in store for his Temple, and his people as well.

That being said, Mavok knew that long ago he would have to take matters into his own hands and go around the stubborn block instead. Kotake used her stoneshape spell, and handcrafted a man-sized doorway and corridor to the left of the huge stone. It truly was a sight to behold to watch her work; with blue glowing fingertips, she was able to sink her hands into the stone wall as though it were wet clay, and mold and shape it to her every whim. Within minutes, she had molded a decent-sized door and hallway through the ancient stonework leading into the room beyond the block.

With her silver scimitar in her right hand, and her blazing torch in her left, Isis slowly approached the makeshift door, with her sisters standing at the ready behind her. She stuck her fiery torch into the shadowy doorway, with her blade gripped tightly and ready for anything. She took a step through the hole, poking the torch through first into the hall. She felt a bit claustrophobic in this narrow passage, and she got goose bumps as she stepped through a fresh spider web. Isis made her way through, and at first, she was startled as the torchlight flickered and reflected back the glittering eyeball of the stationary Beamos statue there. Tempest had cast a hold spell on the thing, to keep it at bay while they explored the Temple at their leisure. The torchlight cast its glow throughout the chamber, while a multitude of shadows played their tricks on Isis as her eyes darted back and forth. Shhhhhk. Finally she saw the source of the mysterious sound. Lumbering down the stairs in the chamber was a mummy, just as they expected, slowly dragging one of its legs behind it. "Unnnnngh," it groaned lowly. Isis waved her torch in the thing's direction, and her skin crawled as she met its dead gaze. Lifeless red eyes without lids stared blankly…hungrily at her. Dirty rags and bandages hung from its thin, outstretched arms, its hands in decrepit claws. The thing's mouth was in a scowl, baring its teeth in a grisly smile as a black fluid dripped down from it. Its ancient, taught, brown flesh could be smelled from across the room, a sweet and sickly stench of herbs intermingled with that of a musty old crypt.

"By the Spirit Goddess, forgive our sins," Isis whispered to herself. "Blasphemous magicks," she muttered aloud. What sorcery is this, she thought to herself. To force life into a dead husk is to disgrace the life of the deceased, to destroy its very memory.

"Isis…is it what we suspected?" asked Jadzia from the chamber behind. The group waited anxiously at the entrance to the small corridor. "Do the dead walk again?"

"Indeed. It is a Gibdos, I'm afraid," Isis whispered to the group. "Just one, it seems."

But just before the Gerudo warriors could relax, their leader Jadzia reminded them, "On your guard, sisters! Such blatant carelessness is often the last mistake of the fallen Gerudo warrior. Never forget the wise words of the ancient Sages of Spirit."

Isis slowly backed from the darkened chamber, never taking her eyes from the creeping mummy. Qaida couldn't help but notice how badly her hands were shaking, from just the mere sight of the undead creature.

As Tempest approached the master archer from behind, Azure spoke. "Ah yes, here comes my favorite part of the evening," she said with a grin. Azure placed her arrow back into her quiver on her back, and watched Tempest intently. Tempest reached into her robes to pull out a sprinkle of ash from a pocket, as she spoke an incantation…

"Enchantis…kin-chaki…Geruda…inflamay-morte," Tempest said in a whisper, as she sprinkled some of the ash onto the ground. She took her right hand, half-full of ash, and smeared its grittiness onto the arrow quiver on Azure's back. Azure looked behind her as the spell was cast, and her soulful yellow eyes widened as the red wave of light escaped Tempest's fingertips. It seemed to pour its power into the quiver of arrows, and there was a brief red flash.

"As long as I live, I'll never get used to such things," the wizened archer stated. She drew another arrow from her quiver and cocked her bow as she took a step towards the doorway of the dark chamber. The razor-sharp arrowhead started to glow red hot and burst into a small flame, doubling as a torch.

"Be on your guard here, sisters," Tempest said. "We'll return in a moment." They all nodded in agreement.

Azure courageously lead the way into the chamber, and stepped through the doorway with Tempest close behind her. Azure was among the oldest living warriors of the Gerudo race, although you'd be hard-pressed to tell this by looking at her. Her skin was as smooth and fair as it was when she was but a teenager, and her beautiful golden eyes sparkled with youth and vitality; the only evidence of her true age was the shining silver streaks in her red hair. As striking as her beauty was, it was marred by the large vertical scar above her right eye that went all the way down past her cheek. This war wound was from nine years ago, when Gerudo Fortress was pillaged by a Daira horde from a far away land. She was a master archer and skilled swordsman, and she had been through many battles in days gone by. This Gerudo woman had seen it all, and she was well known for her jaded attitude, burning sense of honor and loyalty, and her ability to drink alongside the stoutest of barbarians of the land. But if there was one thing that gave her pause, it was the undead. The very notion of the walking dead was blasphemous to the Gerudo race, and she was no different in her view. She had actually seen a friend of hers be devoured by a ghoul on the battlefield, and so she despised them in a way that was unrivaled. If there was one type of foe she actually enjoyed killing, it was the undead.

"My, my," Tempest said as she stared at the Gibdos. She shook her head to herself as she pondered where this thing might have come from. She knew that various parties had scoured every inch of the Desert Colossus and cleansed it of monsters before. Inexplicably though, every so often more of them would appear as if out of thin air. It was a mystery worth solving, she thought, and one that could put her in the Gerudo history books, as well as make her one of the most well known wizards in all of Hyrule. She looked back to meet Jadzia's gaze, who had decided to come down the darkened hallway in order to witness the destruction of the mummy firsthand. "We should make a new sweep of the Temple, I believe. We can't have King Mavok being welcomed back by these things," Tempest said.

Jadzia nodded. "Agreed. We should begin to illuminate the rooms of the Temple as well. We need to be ready for anything." People ignorant of her reputation might call her cowardly for avoiding this battle, but the Gerudo guards under her command knew otherwise. Jadzia's station in the Gerudo hierarchy was such that her fellow warriors would obey her every wish, and would protect her life at all costs. "The line is often blurred between courageousness and foolishness", stated another ancient Gerudo proverb.

"Precisely," Tempest said. "There's no telling what that portal could have stirred up in this sacred place."

"Time to take you down, my friend," Azure said to the Gibdos as it lumbered down the stairs slowly. She closed her left eye and aimed her arrow for the thing's head as it looked at her grimly. Her arrowhead seemed to pulse with living fire.

Tempest tapped her quarterstaff on the head of the Beamos statue as she reached into her robes. She crushed a dead ember in the palm of her hand, and she said, "Illuminatae…luna…incante!" Just then, the entire head of the Beamos was encased in a sphere of brilliant light, so bright that the two women could not even see for a moment.

"Now. You shouldn't have an excuse for missing your mark," she laughed.

"As if," Azure said as she smirked. "Heh heh... Let me get this over with."

She cocked the bow back and took aim again at the walking corpse. She let it loose, and the arrow pierced straight through its skull, setting it ablaze. Its ancient bandages caught on fire immediately and spread over its body as the creature slumped to the floor in a thud. She grimaced as she heard a bone break, and lowered her bow. The creature lay motionless, as its carcass burned.

"Not much of a fight, but I'll get what I can take I suppose," smiled Azure. "You know, I—"

"Silence! Listen…" whispered Tempest, as she put her finger to her lips. Azure, Tempest, and the rest of the Gerudo women fell dead silent once again. "Listen…"

Azure was using her longbow to prop herself up and lean on it as she listened intently. Suddenly, the bow slipped from under her arm and fell to the floor. "What in the—" She looked at Tempest, both of them disturbed by the fact that something had apparently knocked the bow from beneath her arm. Ksh-ksh-ksh-ksh. Something was skittering across the dusty floor. Tempest leaned over, and could actually see several marks appear within the thick dust, in a most peculiar manner. She bent down to look, and saw immediately that the marks were neither paw prints nor footprints. She saw several more of these prints in the dirt form rapidly, darting across the floor of the room.

Tempest felt something brush against her side just then, grazing the edge of her flowing robes. Ksh-ksh-ksh-ksh. "By the Goddesses, what in Nayru's name…"she trailed off, talking to herself. She squinted her eyes, as if to try and see more clearly. Ksh-ksh-ksh-ksh. Ksh-ksh-ksh-ksh-ksh-ksh. Large circular spots in the dust were forming all around them on the floor, making trails everywhere. Something…some things were skittering back and forth, hidden from sight. Whatever these things were, they appeared to be running all around them…albeit without feet, it seemed.

"Wait, I've got it. A detect invisibility spell might do the trick," Tempest said nervously, as she took out a small magnifying glass from her robe. Try as she might, she couldn't recall any creature in nature that could turn invisible at will, except for fairies and pixies perhaps. But these were definitely not faerie-folk. Whatever these were, they were definitely malevolent in origin.

"Tempest? Return to this room immediately, understand?" Jadzia commanded. Everyone could hear the worry in her voice then.

Azure's hands were shaking when she picked her bow up from the floor. She cocked her bow, and her arrow once again glowed red hot and caught on fire. Azure kept telling herself that she was ready for anything, but she had no idea where to aim her bow. "Show yourselves, cowards!" she yelled to no one.

She looked around, her eyes wide with excitement. Her pulse raced, and she wanted nothing more than to face this foe head-on. Come on, she thought. Just then, she could hear a low, squishy, slurping sound. "Tempest, I'd suggest you cast your spell before I die of old age. It's now or never, old friend!" She could hear the ksh-ksh-ksh sound skittering all around her, and now this bizarre, wet, squishing sound. Her skin crawled, as it reminded her of one of the jelly-like Zols, Gels, and Bots she had encountered before in her dungeon-crawling days. She realized she was hardly breathing at all, she was so frightened of what she couldn't see. One moment, it sounded as though it was right behind her. The next moment, it sounded like it was lurking above.

Suddenly, Azure felt a crushing thud to her chest. It sent her flying into the wall, and then to the floor in agony. Something…something invisible and large had just rammed her with intense force, apparently. She could hear the ksh-ksh-ksh skittering directly by her head, and she instinctively sat up quickly. "Argh!" she screamed in pain, and touched her side. A couple of her ribs were cracked, she imagined. She stretched out her arm to grab her bow nearby, but could not quite reach it. Then, she could feel a sickly, warm sensation inching up her legs. She gasped, as she could feel hundreds of tiny teeth sharply tickling the length of her legs, slowly growing up the length of her body. Her legs lifted into the air slightly by themselves, and she realized just then that something invisible was trying to devour her. She looked down, and could see tiny bits of her shoes and pants disappearing, dissolving somehow into nothingness. Her eyes widened as she could feel acidic pain searing her feet and legs, and she watched as trickles of blood seemed to hover in mid-air. She began to panic as she realized the thing had already engulfed her body just past the waist. The disgusting slurping noise was enveloping her, and a putrid odor wafted all around, accompanied by a hot and sickly breath.

"Get out of there, now!" Jadzia ran a few steps into the chamber, and reached her hand out to grab Azure lying on the floor. The rest of the warriors held their position, as their commander had ordered.

Tempest finally found the spell she was searching for in her grimoire, and her voice quivered as she spoke the incantation. "Dispellus…revellum…nocturnus!" A yellow blast of magical energy escaped her body in a wave as she outstretched her arms and staff in the air. Like a ripple in a pond, its area of effect expanded from her body. As the wave permeated the room, it revealed the invisible predators one by one.

In a blink, the Gerudo warriors could suddenly see the creatures that were hidden from their sight. Seven green-gray Floormasters—large severed hands, capable of grasping and crushing a grown man—crawled across the floor, climbing up the walls and even up over themselves. A single Like Like was trying to eat Azure, its gaping maw forcefully trying to swallow her whole. It was truly a disgusting creature, shaped like an amorphous cylinder of flesh; this monstrosity of flesh with only a mouth seemed to exist only to feed. Four Red Bubbles floated uncharacteristically silent above them all, their skeletal eyes glowing wickedly; these skulls flittered on bat-like wings, engulfed in an otherworldly red flame. Tempest's eyes grew wide in horror as she took this terrible sight in, and she shrieked when she saw three more Gibdos lurching out of one of the three doors at the far end of the room, followed by four zombie-like ReDeads. As if they sensed her dread, all four Bubbles suddenly cackled with sinister grins.

For the first time in her career as a Gerudo Royal Guard, Jadzia began to panic. She wished there was some way she could send for reinforcements, but the Gerudo Fortress was miles away from the Colossus, through the Haunted Wasteland. She did not want to jeopardize the mission, because her group was responsible for their King's return back through the portal from the Sacred Realm. However, if she didn't act soon, the entire group at her command would be killed, and Mavok could be stranded forever in that other world. This was the first time she had ever even questioned the abilities of the women under her command; it was not due to their incompetence, but rather their inexperience versus the sheer numbers of this monstrous horde of supernatural beasts.

By the Goddesses, where are these things coming from? Can we even hope to get out of this alive? I have to do something…I have to save my sisters. Mavok would do the same. Yes, he would sacrifice his life to save his people, I'm sure of it. He would give his life to save even one of them. And so will I…

Jadzia made up her mind, and decided that if they did not survive this attack, then Kotake and Koume would surely be able to reactivate the portal in Tempest's place. It was not a matter of ability, but rather the idea that she would be failing in this mission that got to her. Somehow, she felt that even if she died, she'd be failing her King. The only comfort she took was in knowing that she would die with honor, in battle. She'd never admit to her warriors how she really felt in this dire situation. She'd have to put on a mask of hope.

Standing halfway in the doorway of the darkened corridor, she reached behind her back with both hands and unsheathed her two scimitars. "Come! Fight with me, sisters!" her voice echoed. "Let's send these vile creatures back to where they came from!" As her voice reverberated through the hallway, her comrades-in-arms leapt into action immediately. Jadzia dashed into the room, her twin blades a whirlwind of ferocity, as her fellow Gerudo guards followed close behind with their weapons at the ready. "Victory is life!" Azure shouted.

A Floormaster leapt directly towards Jadzia, intending to get its deadly grip on her entire head and face. She crossed her blades in front of her and blocked the thing successfully, as it closed itself on the razor-sharp swords. Blood trickled down immediately, and as the weight of the Floormaster bore down on her, she forcibly pulled her blades apart, effectively slashing the creature in two. It fell to the floor and disintegrated in a burst of blue flame. Had it not been for the Gerudos' magical scimitars, the Floormasters would have split into smaller ones, and been able to attack from multiple angles. It was times like these that Jadzia was grateful that the Royal Guard carried special weapons.

Isis ran into the room, heading straight for Azure nearby. The Like Like was still trying to engulf her, but Azure struggled with all her might, pushing as hard as she could with her hands against the sides of the monster's maw. A Bubble zoomed down from the ceiling, and Isis took it down with a single swipe of her scimitar, cleaving the skull in two. A Floormaster quickly skittered towards her, and the way its long claws clicked upon the stone floor gave her chills. It tried to ram her by flinging itself at her, but she skillfully tumbled beneath its attack. Jadzia then met the creature in midair with both of her blades, and tore it vertically in two. As Isis' roll on the floor ceased, she thrusted in an upward vertical swipe and slit the Like Like down the middle. The creature squealed lowly as its mass of flesh collapsed, and disintegrated, leaving Azure covered in a thin, clear layer of strange bile. She winced in pain, and could barely move her legs. Jadzia made her way next to her two sisters, taking a defensive posture in order to cover Isis as she brought out a bottle of Red Potion from her side pouch. Isis knelt by her side, uncorked the bottle, and held Azure's head up as she poured it into her mouth.

As Azure's wounds magically regenerated from the potion, Qaida and Cirily stormed into the chamber, running up the small stairs and past Tempest. Her Staff of Power wasraised into the air, and she let loose a fireball from its tip in the direction of the undead at the far side of the room. Just before the impact, a pair of soul-piercing screams chilled the women to the bone; two ReDeads burst into flame and flew in opposite directions when the fireball exploded at their feet. The force of the spell rocked the entire chamber, causing small bits of rock and sand to fall from the ceiling. One of the zombies slammed against the nearby wall, spattering its black blood everywhere. The magical explosion disintegrated the other ReDead from the waist down, and sent its torso up into the air as its rotten legs flew across the room.

Running through the thick of battle, Qaida spun her bardiche so fast that it was a blur. As a Floormaster ran across the stone floor towards her, she stopped in her tracks and readied herself in a defensive posture. It leapt directly at her, and she then swatted the thing away from her with the blade of her bardiche staff, shooting a small spatter of its green blood splashing across her face. She commenced her charge towards the nearest Gibdos with rage in her eyes. She used the end of her staff to vault herself towards the mummy, and landed a fierce kick into its chest with a crunch. At the end of her kick, she landed standing on its stomach, and then proceeded to spin her bardiche and land its blade squarely through the Gibdos's forehead.

A morbid pair of cackles were heard as two Red Bubbles swooped down upon her. Before she had the chance to dislodge her bardiche's blade from the mummy's head, one Bubble crunched down on her left shoulder, while the other bit down on her right arm. Their bites caused a sense of euphoric paralyzation in her, and forced the joints throughout Qaida's body to lock up completely. Frozen in place, she could do nothing but watch in horror as another Floormaster flung itself towards her face. Its weight brought her down to the floor, and it closed itself around her entire head. This giant fist began to tightly squeeze her skull, but her paralysis stopped her from fighting it off. She was helpless, and felt a wave of darkness pour over her.

Just a few feet away, Cirily had her back to Qaida as she fought other monsters. Cirily reached into a compartment of the rogue's sash across her chest, and quickly tossed five silver throwing daggers one after another, the blades expertly slaying five Fire Keese bats that had just swooped into the room. She somersaulted forward and out of the way of an attacking Floormaster, and at the end of her flip, she stuck a single scimitar through its body, pinning the creature to the floor. It wasn't until this moment that she finally realized that her best friend was being suffocated. "No! Qaida!" she screamed in a panic. The huge hand was balled into a fist grasping Qaida's entire head, and her rigid body convulsed as she tried with all her might to dispel the numbing effects of the Bubble. Before Cirily could do anything, Qaida's body suddenly fell limp. The Floormaster released her head, and used its huge fingers to pivot towards Cirily. She grit her teeth, and lunged towards the monster with her other scimitar in hand. She seemed to catch the thing off its guard, and in two quick swipes, severed four of its fingers and then cleaved the thing in half. The monstrous hand twitched, fell still, and disintegrated into a blue burst of flame. Out of breath, she put her scimitar down on the floor, and knelt next to Qaida to check on her. She welled up with tears as she looked into Qaida's lifeless amber eyes. Even with a room full of monsters yet to fight, she could not help but embrace the body of her dead friend. With her arms around her, she held her close and said a silent prayer to the Goddess of Spirit.

Azure rose to her feet with Isis's help, and picked her bow up off the floor with rage in her heart, and fire in her eyes. Azure looked down at her tattered pants and shoes, and at the strange bile that covered her legs. She cocked her bow back, and scanned the room for a target. Her arrow lit up with a fiery glow, pulsing. She shot a Floormaster and pinned it to the wall. She shot a Bubble, and shattered it midair. She readied her bow and looked for another creature to kill.

The two Gibdos and two ReDeads were so close, Jadzia could smell their decayed flesh. To make matters worse, there were still several Floormasters running around on the stone floor. Jadzia cut a forward flip towards the two Gibdos that were side by side, and when she landed on her feet, her two scimitars were both embedded vertically all the way through their collapsed skulls. She swiped her swords to each side, tossing their bodies onto the floor. As those mummies hit the ground, Isis had sprinted towards the center of the room, twirling her two blades the entire time. A Bubble flew down towards her, but was knocked aside and destroyed in an instant. One Floormaster tried to skitter away from her, but she tossed her scimitar end over end, impaling it into the dusty stone floor. Another one leaped into the air towards her, but with her other scimitar gripped in both hands she tore the thing in two. A swarm of a dozen or so Ice Keese flew into the room just then, and Isis struck a defensive pose after snatching her scimitar out of the impaled Floormaster. One by one, the Keese began swooping down towards her, and she timed her sword strikes perfectly. They circled around her and began attacking in all directions, but she was able to strike them down, one after another, without flaw.

Jadzia's eyes met the unsettling gaze of the two ReDeads, and her horror grew exponentially as she saw that the door behind them had more creatures emerging out of the darkness. Jadzia flipped backwards to get out of the way, and landed right next to Azure. Azure let loose a fire arrow, planting it right between the eyes of a ReDead. The zombie caught on fire immediately and fell to the ground. "Quick! Fire an arrow to the side of the door," Jadzia said. Azure shot another, and it stuck in the wall, illuminating the dark doorway there. Two Like Likes could be seen approaching slowly, followed by four more Gibdos and two ReDeads. The flames of the magical arrow flickered in the darkness, casting an eerie light, and revealing several Floormasters and Wallmasters crawling on the floor and walls into this room. "Goddesses, help us all," whispered Jadzia. "Tempest, fireball the doorway! Now is your chance!"

Tempest raised her Staff of Power into the air again, and began to chant the spell. Suddenly, a Wallmaster fell from the ceiling, landing squarely on top of her and grasping her head and shoulders. Rather than lifting Tempest into the air, it held her still as a Floormaster leaped towards her and wrapped itself around her arms and torso. The Staff of Power was also within the monsters' grasp, and both of the hands began to crush the Gerudo woman with wicked maliciousness. Tempest groaned in pain, and gasped for air as they crushed the life out of her. Cirily's eyes were flowing with tears, and as she closed Qaida's lifeless eyes, she heard bones crunch. The sick sound startled her, and she turned to look at Tempest. The two grotesque hands seemed to be twisting her body in midair while crushing it at the same time. Tempest let out an unsettling gurgle, and blood could be seen pouring down from her body and onto the floor. Isis opened her mouth, unable to speak. Just then, the two monstrous hands seemed to give way as they successfully squeezed the woman into a bloody pulp. At the same moment, the Staff of Power made a loud crack. It was a noise akin to a gargantuan tree branch snapping, followed by what sounded like a booming thunderclap. This noise was extremely overwhelming to the surviving Gerudo women, as if lightning had struck in the center of the room. A fiery, spherical explosion engulfed the two monsters, along with Tempest's mangled body. They all disintegrated in an instant in the explosion, the ball of fire imploded, and a cloud of ashes fell onto the floor. The Gerudo warriors exchanged worried glances, as they were becoming overwhelmed with despair and hopelessness.

Cirily sat next to Qaida's body, wiping the tears from her eyes. For each tear she had cried, her hatred for these monsters only seethed. She took up her twin scimitars, twirled them, and struck a defensive pose. She grit her teeth, and her amber eyes seemed to almost glow with rage. She yelled a battlecry and began to charge towards the nearest ReDead. Before she could attack, its soul-shattering shriek pierced her heart and mind with overwhelming fear. She was frozen in terror as she looked into its dead eyes. The zombie climbed onto her, wrapping its putrid arms and legs around her, pinning her to the ground. She was paralyzed in horror, and could do nothing but stare at the ceiling as its teeth began to gnaw on her neck. With a crunch, it began to feed, and blood spurted onto the floor. She opened her mouth to scream, but could not mutter a sound. She felt its teeth sinking deeper into her as it ate her flesh, one bite at a time. She was so very overwhelmed by its stench, by the feel of its wet and rotting flesh, by the deaths of her friends, and by the sound of the meat being torn from her own bones. She could do nothing but embrace her own death.

Isis saw the ReDead on top of Cirily, and after dispatching yet another Floormaster, she ran to her aid. As she approached, she immediately lopped off the zombie's head, and then cleaved it in two at the waist. She looked down at Cirily, who had a large portion of her neck and shoulder missing, a huge puddle of blood forming quickly beneath her. Isis began to grow so angry, that tears welled up in her eyes. She bent down to shut Cirily's eyes with her fingertips, muttering a silent prayer to the Goddess of Spirit. The pool of blood formed around her feet as she stood back up. She readied her twin scimitars, twirled them once, and scanned the room for a new target. Suddenly, a Wallmaster dropped from the ceiling, grabbed her, and lifted her into the air. It was holding her so tightly, she could not even breathe; it startled her so much, that she dropped both swords to the ground in a clang. The Wallmaster threw the woman upwards at the ceiling, smashing her into it with immense force, and let her fall back down to the ground. The impact on the ceiling shattered her hip, and as Isis landed on the stone floor, her neck was broken.

Jadzia had been fighting the Gibdos and ReDeads all the while, as Azure peppered the room of creatures with fiery arrows. They could not help but be distracted as they saw the form of their sister Isis being thrown to the ceiling, and plummeting towards the floor to her death. While jaded archer Azure acknowledged this with a glance, Jadzia was completely disheartened by this. She had been watching the guards under her command fall, one by one, and for what? These were her sisters, her best friends, and her comrades-in-arms. She had known each of them all of her life, and on this night she had to watch as their lives were taken by malevolent creatures and blasphemous undead. Without warning, a searing pain raced through her left arm as a ReDead bit down on it with a crunch, forcing her to drop her sword. She looked down at it, and could see the bloody bone in her forearm. This shocked her to the point where she actually stumbled backwards. Before that ReDead could jump on her, Azure pinned two fire arrows into its head and chest.

"Jadzia, it's not my place…but I believe we should retreat, and live to fight another day. After all, if we don't survive, how will the twins know to come and retrieve the King?" Azure shot two more arrows, taking down a Bubble, and then a Keese. "There seems to be no end to these hordes of creatures."

Jadzia grabbed her scimitars, and got up on her feet. Her arm was bleeding profusely. "As much as I hate to say it…as much as I'd love to fight in our sisters names, to defend their honor… you are right. We should go," Jadzia said smugly as she joined Azure's side.

Suddenly, a strange rattling noise could be heard, coming from the far door. Two large, skeletal Stalfos Knights pushed their way past the other creatures. The hulking, armored, living skeletons readied their bastard swords as they approached the Gerudo women. "Perfect," grumbled Azure. She shot a fire arrow towards one, and it passed through its ribcage. She shot another, and it bounced off the thing's shield. One Stalfos Knight circled its way around the perimeter of the chamber, and before they knew it, it had blocked their only exit! This Stalfos stood a vigilant guard while the other one approached the two women with a strange red light in its eye sockets. Meanwhile, more monsters were slowly pouring into the room: Gibdos, ReDeads, Wallmasters, Floormasters, Like Likes, Bubbles, and Keese. Within a moment, the entire room would be too crowded for combat. The situation did not look good for the battle-worn women.

The Stalfos Knight approaching the women began moving side to side, ready to strike at any moment. Jadzia had to fight with only one sword due to her wound, and Azure's arrows did not seem to be of much use at the moment. She put her bow down, and unsheathed her own scimitars from her back. She stepped towards the Stalfos as she saw it lunge forward, and successfully blocked its attack on Jadzia. It swung again, and she blocked its huge sword with her blades in a cross. Sparks flew, and the Stalfos unexpectedly bashed her in the face with its shield, knocking her down. Blood trickled down her chin as she fell unconscious. Jadzia twirled her single blade, attempting to knock it from its grip. Unfortunately, its skeletal hands had an impossible grasp on its sword.

The other Stalfos Knight seemed to watch in delight as he saw his fellow warrior overpower the women. There was a popping noise, and a sudden flash of light. The Stalfos was frozen in its tracks in front of the doorway. Two bizarre pools of shadow crept from the darkened hallway and into the room. A nimble young black haired woman in deep blue form-fitting garb rolled from the passage and between the rigid Stalfos' legs. Her roll came to a stop, and as she elegantly rose to her feet, she seemed to bring a chain weapon out of nowhere. Her red eyes flashed with an unknown fury, and she tightened the chain between her gloved hands as she struck a defensive pose. She moved with such grace that the chain whip seemed to be an extension of her own arm. She lashed it twice, and the chain took off the Stalfos' skull with the first strike; the second strike snapped its spine in two. As the raven-haired girl turned to face the roomful of creatures, Jadzia was shocked to see the distinct red eye of the Sheikah emblazoned on her tight-fitting suit. The woman then vanished in front of her eyes.

Jadzia was careful to watch as one of the pools of shadow traced itself along the wall, and stopped next to Azure. The shadow began to manifest itself into its true form: a handsome, bald, crimson-eyed man garbed entirely in a deep gray, form-fitting suit with a red Sheikah symbol on his chest. Quickly and without a word, he took Azure into his arms, and disappeared into thin air with her. The Stalfos Knight swung its huge sword at Jadzia again, sending sparks shooting as they clashed. When she parried it, her scimitar snapped off at the hilt…and her eyes grew wide with terror. The other shadow pool took form right behind the Stalfos Knight, suddenly becoming humanoid. It was a young, red-eyed man garbed in a midnight black suit, emblazoned with a white Sheikah eye symbol. The young man's long hair was black and streaked with silver, and tied back into a ponytail. He outstretched his hand in front of him, and a ball of purple energy formed there. The Stalfos suddenly froze in place, its creaking bones rattling with its metal armor. The young man let the energy out in a steady beam, encasing the skeletal warrior in a purple glow. Jadzia could see as the points of light in its eyes suddenly vanished. Its entire body shook, and after a few seconds, the bones turned into ash, and the ash turned into nothingness. The Stalfos sword, shield, and armor plate fell to the ground in a clang.

"My name is Atrios, of the Sheikah. Come with me if you want to live." He put out his hand for her to take it.

Jadzia stared blankly into his fiery eyes. The Sheikah race had never visited Gerudo Valley, and in fact were rumored to never leave their home near Hyrule Castle Town. She was puzzled as to what they would be doing here, and as much as she wanted to question it…she was simply grateful for their arrival. She took his hand in hers, and they both turned invisible.

They calmly walked back through the corridor, and into the entrance chamber of the Desert Colossus. The other two Sheikah were in here, near the campfire, tending to Azure's wounds with what looked like herbs and bandages. As Atrios materialized with Jadzia, he quickly turned to the makeshift doorway next to the gargantuan marble block. He held his hand out, and made a strange gesture with two of his fingers, whispering something to himself. He touched his index finger to his forehead, and the doorway immediately closed up.

"What did—" Jadzia began.

"It is but a phantasm. But it may as well be real," he said with a smile.

Jadzia walked towards Azure, and sat next to her. The dark-haired woman was silently mixing a concoction of herbs in the palm of her hand, and the bald man was looking over some kind of parchment.

"We appreciate what you did back there, Atrios. We were under the impression that the Sheikah did nothing but serve the Royal Family of Hyrule. I can't imagine what you might be doing out here, in the far reaches…"

"We have a mission of our own, madam," Atrios said blankly. "And despite the incidents that occurred at Hyrule Castle Town tonight, I could not sit idly by and let your lives be wasted."

"What do you mean, incidents? What happened at the Hylian Harvest Festival?" asked Jadzia. She became suddenly nervous, because of course she knew that Mystra and Ganondorf were there. She couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to them, especially when she thought about how much she really wanted to be by their side this evening.

Atrios looked into her beautiful yellow eyes, and her heart skipped a beat as she met his crimson gaze. "You will learn, in due time."

"Would there be any way you could bring us home? It is of utter importance. Our King…" Jadzia began.

"I know about your King Mavok, and where he is" Atrios said, as he clenched his fist.

Jadzia blinked, totally dumbfounded as to how he and the Sheikah could possibly know of this. She did not quite know the etiquette on how to act in this situation.

Suddenly, a bright light was emanating from the surface of the door of the Temple. A magical white glow engulfed it in its entirety. The three Sheikah immediately took defensive stances as they readied their weapons and trained their eyes at the entryway. Atrios stared at the glowing wooden door, his right hand pulsing with a blue flame. His red eyes did not so much as blink. A wave of magical energy swept over the surface of the huge door, turning it into a grayish stone. Simultaneously, cracks formed from the bottom to the top of it, and it crumbled into dust without a sound. The sandstorms outside seemed to have ceased, but the wind blew rain and several clouds of sand into the chamber. Lightning crashed, and the Sheikah and Gerudo warriors could see multiple humanoid silhouettes coming inside the Temple of Spirit.

Two huge Mighty Darknuts in black plate mail marched into the chamber, brandishing shields and long swords. They took positions on each side of the doorway, and stood at attention. Two Wizzrobes with large glowing wands flew into the room, with blank looks on their strange black masks, and the wind whipping their blue robes around. They hovered slightly to the side to make way for someone else's entry. Flanked on each side by armor-plated Lynel warriors, a large man in red flowing robes floated into the chamber. The hood of his cloak hid his face from view. Before he spoke, he let out a short, cackling laugh.

"Tonight is a night of destiny and fate, ladies and gentlemen. On this hallowed ground, this Temple of Spirit, things have finally been set into motion. Too bad you will not be alive to witness the coming of a new age in Hyrule. It really is a pity that I missed out on the carnage this evening; ah, but time is of the essence, as always..."

Just by the look on his face, Jadzia could immediately tell that Atrios knew who this fearsome man was. She looked at him, and before she could even ask, he said, "Archmage Carock the Red, Chronomancer, and Waker of Winds…"

Carock raised his arms into the air, revealing his blue, claw-like hands. He then motioned his left hand in the direction of each of his minions and soldiers there, and Jadzia recognized it as a haste spell. She knew she would not survive the coming battle, especially against so many foes that could move and attack twice as fast as they normally would. As they gained the benefits of the spell, even their slightest movements caused a distorted, blurry effect. Jadzia absolutely dreaded the thought of fighting this ancient-looking wizard.

"It's time for a little fun, my servants. I want you to kill them all…in Lord Ganon's name. But not until you make them suffer...for me." Carock's disturbing grin could not be seen within the shadows of his cloak.

Part IX: Dark World

A harsh wind blew across the crimson plain, stinging Mavok's violet eyes with rust-colored dust and sand. He had wrapped his head in cloth torn from the arm sleeves of his royal robes, to protect himself from the dust storms, only leaving a small opening for him to see through. The heat beneath the cloth was hardly bearable, especially when combined with the thick studded leather battle armor he wore beneath his robes. Mavok calculated that he had been walking for just over three weeks, and his feet were swollen and throbbing within his boots. A bloated red sun seemed to mock him from above, for this place was strangely devoid of any night cycle whatsoever. He was in a weakened and dreary state: tired, hungry, and impossibly thirsty. His water supply had been stretched out for as long as possible, and he had only a small portion left within his elemental decanter. His stomach felt like a grumbling, shrinking hole, having eaten the last of his canned field rations three days ago.

Mavok had seen some rough times during his life in the desert lands of Hyrule, but nothing quite like this desolate quest had ever happened to him before. He had fond memories of back when he was but a young teen Gerudo, found wandering in circles within the maze-like Lost Hills of Hyrule. After a fight with his father Mandrag, he'd gone wandering up the Death Mountain Range alone. He had slain two Tektites with his newly created wand of forcenear there, and the few rupees he'd found in the Hills delighted him to no end. The wand was a sort of rite of passage for him, the first magical item he'd ever created under his apprenticeship with Kotake. But that old recollection of his, was definitely a different kind of lost. As the years passed by, the prince was infamous for his exploratory nature, and this of course lead to his regular spelunking within the Spirit Temple.

He winced to himself, as he thought of those many years he was pampered as a child-prince, protected from the harshness of the desert at all costs by the handmaidens in his family's service. This was part of the reason that Mavok taught Ganondorf swordplay at such a young age, as well as the reason the boy was taught survival in all terrain and environs. Mavok's father Mandrag began teaching him basic spellcraft since he was just an adolescent, but swordplay and the way of the warrior came much later in life for him. Since he spent so much time with his head in books, Mavok was often ignorant to Hyrule's ecology and survival outside of Gerudo Valley. From an early age, the Gerudo King and Archmage Mandrag taught Mavok spellcraft, ancient history, ancient languages, religion, archeology, theology, philosophy, planar theory, and metaphysics.

What the young man had lacked in physical prowess, he made up for with his thirst for knowledge; his mind was as sharp as a sword, always exploring, always wanting to search beyond the veil of the unknown. Some said that Mandrag's way of raising Mavok was something to be envied, though some Gerudo sages scoffed at his distinct lack of weapon proficiency and survival tactics. Some of the Ancient Gerudo actually thrived on war and conquest—before Gannus' time—and Mavok was to be raised as the first of the people's philosopher kings.

The same scenery stretched out for miles, as far as his bloodshot eyes could see: nothing but hilly, rocky terrain, craggy mountains, numerous holes and trenches, and volatile dust storms. As he traveled, Mavok continued to search for any signs of life, but never once did he cross paths with anyone or anything. Indeed, the closest thing to "proof" of life he had seen so far had been the manmade platform he had appeared on after he materialized upon exiting the Chamber of Ages; the platform was vaguely rounded, surrounded on all sides by curved, pointed, obsidian stalagmites that reminded him of a gargantuan, clawed hand. Not one person had been seen in all his time in this hellish landscape, and he did not see any sign of animal or plant life either. It was truly bizarre to him that not one dried-up bush or trace of water could be found. Not even bones or other remains had been found, nor had any kinds of animal tracks or droppings. Whenever he would sit or lay down to rest, the ground itself disturbed the man. He couldn't explain it, but to him it appeared a disturbing mix of earth, rust, dried blood, and bone. He was hopelessly lost and alone, in a surreal and lonely place that seemed to mock his every step.

What caught his attention days ago was something he could see high atop a cliff side. From the distance, it looked like a fortress or castle of some kind, spewing forth a constant black, billowing smoke. He wished for some kind of hospitality, some food and rest, but somehow he doubted it greatly. He saw no signs of life from this far away, but he figured at the very least, he could use the place as shelter from the sun, and to get a view of the landscape from its high towers. At first he hoped the smoke was that of a blacksmith, but the closer he got, he knew this smoke was the aftermath of a battle. He thought, "Where there was a battle, there could be surviving soldiers…at least ideally, anyway."Perhaps upon the towers, he could scan the horizon and determine some plan of action, and seek help from someoneregarding the whereabouts of this magical artifact the Oracle sought, known as the Urn of Vlaakith. He could only wonder what twisted magic, what being of malevolence could possibly have shaped the Sacred Realm into this horrid wasteland. Of course, he hoped that somehow the Oracle of the Sacred Trinity might speak to his mind, to guide him on his dire quest. But he hadn't heard her angelic voice since he last left that Chamber of Ages.

Mavok began to lose himself within his mind to keep his sanity in check. At times, he caught himself mumbling aloud, and this scared him deeply. He wanted to assume it was normal, for someone as alone as he, for so long. As a younger man, he'd have thought it to be a sign of weakness, but he knew better now. To pass the time, he often sung Gerudo hymns, recited Hylian poetry, and pondered certain memorized ancient Hyrulean lore. When he sat to rest, he would often thumb through Kasuto's grimoire and journal, studying forgotten magical incantations and hypothesized metaphysical theories regarding travel to other planes of existence. Being the scholar he was, he always found himself questioning his own beliefs, questioning the magical lore and myths of Hyrule, and how his destiny as Gerudo King might tie into it all. Did the Goddesses truly smile upon him and his people? Could the Triforce actually be within his grasp? He looked back upon his life, and everything that led up to this point in it. When he felt his weakest and most vulnerable, whenever he questioned his faith in the Goddess of Spirit, Azucena, his soul felt revitalized again somehow. Hope and joy would again flow through him, and he'd suddenly realize that everything was worthwhile, and that his quest would not end fruitlessly. Azucena's love was within him, and that fueled his spirit onward. Anything was possible with Her love to guide his spirit. She was everything to him, for She was his life. With Her in his heart, he could endure anything, and accomplish the impossible. She helped his spirit, his soul, and his mind to grow with each passing day.

To him, one of the most torturous things of this realm was just not knowing what time of day it actually was. It almost made his head spin, the way that the red sun was relentlessly stationary, forever beating down on him. In the last few weeks, he had tried to orient himself to this place. For all intents and purposes, this was a desert wasteland, very much like his home. But it was different from a normal desert, in so many ways, that it may as well have been as opposite as the frigid tundra. It seemed to go on forever, a relentless, scorching desert day. Whenever he tired of walking, he would seek the shadows within one of the many caverns and trenches that dotted the land. It wasn't much comfort from the insane heat, but it was something. Within one of the holes, he could have sworn he heard voices, beckoning him inside. It felt as though a force was trying to suck him inside, to draw him downward, to torment him. If only for that brief moment, Mavok sensed unspeakable, chaotic malevolence calling his name. Needless to say, the Gerudo King decided to make his way to the next trench he came across, rather than making camp within this one. Was his lonely imagination getting the best of him?

Mavok found that when he was walking, it was best to look not at the horizon, but rather at his feet. The reason behind this was simple: the horizon was infinite. Never once in his travels did he see any sign of an end. After each hill, there was only more desert plain. After each mountain pass, after each canyon, after each desert valley, there was still more crimson wasteland. He had never been sure what to expect, here in the Sacred Realm, but he had certainly hoped for something more hospitable. At this point, he'd have given anything to see a single person, a bird flying above, or perhaps a village in the distance. He'd have given anything to smell a flower, or a whiff of an ocean breeze; he yearned to hear a birdsong, to hear the soothing voice of his wife Mystra, or to merely hear the way that the waterfalls raged within Zora's Domain. Right now, all he had was his memories to comfort him, as he marched towards the foreboding fortress ahead. It was the only thing that proved to him that he was not alone here, the only thing in this place that gave him a bit of hope in a hopeless situation. The rest of his hope came from Azucena, his Goddess of Spirit.

Mavok trudged along, and as he looked up to see how close he was to the fortress on the cliff, he tripped over something. He felt his thick leather boot being scuffed on a pointed object protruding from the gravelly ground. He looked down, and saw the short tip of a blade sticking straight up from the rocks. He knelt down on one knee to examine the blade, and with both hands he began digging, almost instinctively. He pushed the gravel and dirt aside, and quickly revealed the dark blade of a buried, ornate polearm. He reached in, and pulled the entire weapon from the ground. It was a bit larger than an average polearm, especially in the shaft's thick girth. Blood-red tassels hung off the bottom end, and the black metal of the weapon was exquisitely crafted, with ornate designs and glyphs. Near the blade itself, the symbol of infinity was the prominent design of the weapon, pierced by an arrow that ran down the shaft slightly. The symbol was flanked on either side by horned, gargoyle-like faces in pain. Somehow, the downward arrow reminded him of the hole that had voices… Mavok sighed to himself as he pondered the origins of the polearm, and ran his fingers through the gravelly dirt again.

He couldn't help but wonder what kind of being might wield such a weapon, and the thought crossed his mind that its previous owner might be buried here. Mavok dug into the earth for a bit longer, and just as he was about to stop, he pulled forth a black feather the length of his arm. It reminded him of a giant-sized vulture's wing feather, or perhaps that of a Kargoroc or a Helmaroc, and he immediately gazed to the sky upon natural reflex, even while knowing it was not a feather from any of these avians. Mavok shook his head and sighed at his own paranoia, rising to his feet using the polearm for support. He was surprised whenever he realized how light the weapon was, and so he decided to use it to walk with. The exhausted king continued his journey onward, and up towards the stronghold on the hill ahead.

As he got closer to the fortress, the harsh winds got slightly more volatile, and he felt an intense wave of heat sweep over him. As dirt caked in the man's eyes, his tears seemed to instantly evaporate from the impossible heat. Mavok wiped his eyes with his fingertips, and decided to stray from his current path slightly. Walking towards the left side of the fortress, he finally came to the edge of the craggy cliff. The searing heat—comparable to that of the heart of Death Mountain Crater itself—was simply overwhelming. Somehow, Mavok found the strength to look over the edge, and a sense of vertigo shot through him as he looked into the gaping cavern below. Molten lava flowed and bubbled deep inside the chasm, and the waves of heat made him stumble backward, his boots sliding in the gravel. He looked all around him, at the earth, the cliff, the molten chasm below, and at the fortress as well. Suddenly, he realized that the ground had been torn asunder by something infinitely more powerful than a natural disaster, simultaneously shattering a large portion of the fortress nearby. The gaping chasm stretched as far as he could see, to either side of the fortress. Mavok noticed a small part of the fortress on the other side of the crevasse, and his mind spun, wondering what could have caused such destruction. For some reason, the scene brought to his mind a malevolent god, pulling apart the ground with his hands and shattering the stronghold without much effort. He almost muttered a laugh to himself as he realized he had reached a dead end. Without a second thought, he walked along the right side of the crevasse and on to the fortress.

As he neared the fortress, it occurred to him that it was made entirely of black iron. As he got closer, his mouth gaped open as he realized the craftsmanship that must have been involved in constructing it, sheet by black metal sheet, and rivet by crimson rivet. Several towers along the fortress's walls shot into the air, adorned with numerous battlements, spires and spikes. The gates of the fortress were open, it's metal portcullis withdrawn into the truly huge, ornamental horned skull above it. The iron walls of the fortress were so incredibly battle-worn, that Mavok immediately knew it must have been built centuries earlier. The smell of the black smoke began attacking his nostrils suddenly, as the hot desert wind carried it to him. He recognized the smell, and his heart sank then. He'd only smelled it once before, and he'd hoped to never smell it again. It was the unsettling scent of a very large funeral pyre, coming from within the fortress.

On his way through the gate, Mavok's gaze wandered to something hanging from the wall outside. He thought it was a gargoyle at first glance, but then realized that it was some kind of demonic-looking corpse, hung by its wrists and neck with shackles over the side of the wall. He'd never seen a creature quite like this before in his life, and he stopped in his tracks. Its crimson, scaly, reptilian skin was devoid of armor or clothing, and covered in black, bloody gashes and wounds. Its tail hung limp between its legs, and his feet were bound by what looked to be a scourge, a kind of barbed whip meant for torture. Its face was decidedly gargoyle-like, with sharp fangs that lined its lips, and short horns that came from its forehead. Suddenly, a few drops of blood dripped from the thing's mangled feet, and fell to the ground from its ankles wrapped in the razor-barbed whip. Mavok then realized that this creature was somehow still alive, and that the battle could not have possibly been long before this. Finally, he saw the creature's chest heave and take in a slow breath of air. In disbelief, Mavok realized this thing was still alive, no doubt in agonizing pain. He couldn't help but wonder if this creature and its kind had raided this human fortress …or if it was the other way around. It occurred to him to try and communicate with the thing, but he felt drawn into the fortress to investigate further.

Within the courtyard, the huge mound of bodies burned a light green fire, causing a thick black smoke to rise. Mavok dared not look closer at the two dead and marred humans lying near the bonfire of death. What were humans doing in the Sacred Realm? Without looking twice at the carnage, he could tell that both bodies were morbidly devoid of hands, and as he neared the fire, the nightmare only got more vivid. He saw the twisted, melting faces of demons twitch within the emerald flame. He saw their ashen, skeletal remains glow red with malevolence, in defiance of death as their black blood sizzled pungently and stained the ground. Hacked limbs and militant, bloody sacrifices danced in the corner of Mavok's mind.

All at once, he realized the horror and futility of the blood war that had occurred here, and it chilled him, even here in this hellish desert land. His glowing violet eyes gazed a detect magic spellalong the glyphs and wards etched on the worn metal walls, his vision being slightly blurred by the fire's heat waves. His skin crawled, as he could feel the very walls watch him, twisting and hissing with faces of pain and disgust. He wondered, in passing, what malign necromantic spells might have been invoked here before. Mavok felt completely torn between his natural curiosity, his inquisitive mind, and his urge to run away as fast as his legs would take him. He approached the cool fire, weary, and drunk with terror. He saw things with horns, and tails, and things with jagged teeth; snakeskin, scorpion tails, wolf and jackal heads, and large vulture men were aflame. He saw what looked like a beautiful dead but burned woman, with six arms, and a large snake tail instead of legs, pierced with several blades within the flame. He saw burnt fur, melted skin, blackened chitinous plate, destroyed armor, broken weapons, and cracked horned skulls with razor-like teeth. Bonedust seemed to burst black into the air, as empty eye sockets watched from the green blaze. He leaned against a wall for support, but Mavok was both seared and startled by the impossibly hot touch of the metal on his rough hands.

He stumbled towards the nearest corpse, and knelt by its side on the rocky earth. He looked the dead human in his lifeless blue eyes, as the reality of death crept inside his skull then. Lying on his back, the man wore blackened ring mail, which was ripped with arrows, and torn off high at his left shoulder. The warrior's right hand was two feet away, severed from his other arm, and somehow still gripping a magnificent silver gladius; the fine craftsmanship that had gone into creating it was marred, its red rupee-encrusted hilt stained in thick black blood. A wide, jagged blade stuck through his back and out from his abdomen, red with his own coagulating blood. Halfway up his back, a portion of his crimson cape was burned and gone, from what Mavok could see. A large bite of meat was taken from his armored shin, and his body was riddled with gashes. Kneeling over the cadaver, Mavok fumbled for Kasuto's grimoire within his pack. This was the first mortal man Mavok had come upon here within the Sacred Realm, but he was of course dead. There was only one thing the Gerudo could do, given the circumstance. He opened the thick red book wide upon the man's chest, scanning it for verbal components while he brought out two green rupees from his money wallet. He closed the soldier's eyelids with his left thumb and middle finger. With his left hand, Mavok placed them horizontally upon the man's eyes, and while holding ash within his right hand, he then placed his left upon the warrior's bloody brow.

"Charone'a…elegosstt…illumithaq'e…Styx…uune-geistah-verb'a," the incantation went.

Sometime between his left hand leaving the man's brow, and the ash scattering upon the ground, Mavok suddenly realized that the pages within Kasuto's grimoire were infinite. Its outward appearance was that of a normal wizard's spellbook, thick and red-bound. But its pages were indeed infinite, it's words full of magic, history, philosophy, and belief. The parchment pages appeared finite enough, but the truth of the matter was baffling, overwhelming. It suddenly occurred to him that whenever he needed to know something, some vital piece of information, he somehow found the answer within the tome. His tired mind reeled at the possibilities. His mind spun with epiphany, as he thought of the times he sensed another voice within his head as he read Kasuto's journal entries. Had Kasuto spoken to him? Could Mavok learn from Kasuto's ancient book of wisdom? Could he harness this untapped power now? Most of all, could he summon the courage to survive his time in this wasteland, to survive this blind quest? His eyes teared, as he felt the Goddess of Spirit smile upon him. He felt Azucena within his heart.

His hand stopped flipping the ancient pages, and his eyes locked in on the page of the spell he wanted: speak with dead. He mouthed the instructions as he read them to himself:

The wizard must then slice (not pierce) his hand with a pure silver blade (not silver-plated), and drip his blood upon the deceased's chest, at least five drops. Now speak the incantation aloud, that verbal component, loudly, perfectly, and without fear in your voice…

Mavok knew the proper procedure was to utilize his own silver, royal ornamental dagger. After all, every mage knows, the more personal the component, the more potent the spell. The ornate weapon been given to him by his father Mandrag, who inherited it after his father Cirroc's death, who had in turn been given the heirloom by his father Gannus. This magnificent, bejeweled dagger was forged over three centuries ago on the continent of Tantari, and was bestowed as a peace offering to Tantarian Gerudo King Gannus from the King Zora XII, from the underwater City of Byrna. As Mavok performed the spell, he recalled the story from his childhood, how his great grandfather Gannus had also received the powerful Cane of Byrna, from the Zoran Sage of Water of the same name. The Cane of Byrna'spowers of invocationand invincibility were integral in the climactic battle against the Shadow Kraken that had crept from beneath the abyss of the sea, and tried to consume the City of Byrna. As he recalled this story of family pride, Mavok let drops of blood fall onto the chest of the dead man. He sheathed his dagger, and he chanted:

"From the mouth of death,

Now speak from the Eternal Boundary,

And may your words be free of treachery.

True Death, release your grasp.

Elegosstt. Charon, the boatman,

Change course upon the Styx,

And let this soul respond to query.

Grat'geistah-verb'a, morte'."

The dead man took a raspy breath in a sudden motion, his chest heaving as his mouth opened wide. Mavok could see the corpse's open eyes, staring into nothingness, underneath the green gemstone rupees.

"Who are you?" muttered Mavok.

"Aidan Blackwood…Holodrum Militia…Calvaryman …and Scout..." the corpse groaned aloud, gasping.

"What happened here?" wondered Mavok.

Another deep breath came from the cadaver. "We were…ambushed…by the devils…while defending…this fortress of iron…" The corpse let out another ghastly breath.

Already knowing the man was from the world of Hyrule, Mavok didn't want to risk wasting another question. "Who…hired you?"

"The General of Darkness…hired me…as a mercenary…to…serve… Thanatos…here..."

One question left, Mavok had to make it count. Among the limitations of the spell, were the power of the spellcaster, and the amount of time the corpse had been dead.

"What happened to this Sacred Realm?"

"Sacred…Realm… Sacred…to whom?"

The mouth of the dead soldier slowly closed, and the two rupees on his eyes burst into a puff of purple and black smoke. Mavok leaned back, and sat on his rump upon the hard ground. He looked around him, at all the death. He felt as though he'd wasted a spell, and come up with more questions than answers. He shook his head in disappointment, so very tired and drained. He decided to search Aidan's body for any more clues, as to who he was, and what he was really doing here. He placed Kasuto's grimoire on the ground next to him, and grabbed the shoulder of the body. He turned the carcass over, exposing the warrior's backpack, his cape twisted and dirty. Mavok studied his armor plating, looking for any sign of heraldry or allegiance, but before he decided to unravel the twisted cape, he instinctively rummaged through the man's pack. There was a small money wallet with several silver rupees, two bound scrolls, a flint and tinder, an armor care kit, a pocket watch, and a can of field rations. He startled himself as he came across something rather disturbing.

At first he thought it was a human skull, but the texture of it revealed otherwise. It looked somewhat like a mummified skull, only it was made of a strange, silvery metal that cast a rainbow hue in the light. It had tightly-etched lines and markings, running along its metal skin. It had sparse hair on its scalp, tiny diamonds among its eyebrow ridges, and cold, black beady eyes. Mavok could see a horizontal line crossing the top half of it, bolted shut with silver clamps. Holding it within his hand, Mavok felt a soft hum within the thing, and an almost silent ticking, similar to that of a timepiece. He had heard of a device like this from Kotake and Koume, long ago. They spoke of magical constructs called mimirs, which were used to record and store information. They were usually very specific in nature, and often magically-bound to its owner. More often than not, the witches said, they were brimming with information, but they could not answer questions that they did not know. Mavok knew that, given enough time, he could figure out what kind of information this particular mimir carried, and he was greatly relieved as he realized that it might be his first major clue in discovering the location of the Urn. Mavok put each item carefully into his own backpack, and decided he would look over the scrolls after he had set up camp within one of the towers of the fortress. He chuckled to himself in delight, so very eager to magically divine the knowledge that lay within the mimir, after careful study. He almost reached for Kasuto's grimoire finally, but he realized that in all the excitement of searching Aidan's pack, he had forgotten to examine the man's cape for heraldry. Still smiling to himself, in a way only a curious old wizard could, he unraveled the dirty, battle-worn cape. The half-burnt red cape had, within its center, a large golden sigil emblazoned on it: that of the Gerudo. But before this could even sink into his mind, before he could ponder what this could possibly even mean, a sharp pain shot through his back, and forward through his right shoulder.

In horror, he looked down to see a jagged insectoid claw, jutting through his chest, and piercing his magical studded leather armor. He was in shock, as he looked down to see his own red blood pouring down his body and unto the ground. With sudden force, he was slammed down to the ground, on his back. Mavok looked to the crimson sky, his eyes wide with terror. The next thing he saw was the most evil looking creature he had ever seen, a chitinous, jade and violet spider, with clicking mandibles. Its alien movements—from Mavok's upside-down view—were so very quick and dexterous, that the way it drug his body backwards on the gravelly ground stunned him. He began to reach for his sheathed silver dagger by his side, but quickly felt the right side of his neck punctured by what reminded him of a gigantic scorpion stinger-hook. He saw a blur of the emerald funeral pyre, and its wretched stench bombarded with his nostrils again as he gasped for air. His vision distorted, and he struggled to keep his eyes open. "No…" he whispered to himself, as he realized that Kasuto's grimoire—his most prized possession—lay on the ground, unlocked, unprotected, its secrets ready to be stolen and exploited by anyone who came along. The poison coursing through Mavok's veins made him begin to hallucinate, and the visions he saw threatened to shatter his mind. His limp body was being dragged across the ground, the spider's claw still impaling his chest cavity. He began to cry softly to himself, so very helplessly, as he realized he'd failed the Goddesses. The proud Gerudo King was so ashamed of himself, to die the meal of a monster, rather than on his feet, in the honor of battle. The last thing he saw and felt was the way the demon-spider pulled him headfirst into a burrow in the earth, in a corner of the iron fortress's courtyard.

(to be continued)