Chapter Sixteen
Awaken To The Night

"I saw something that concerned me yesterday, Ralis. A heretic in the market. He was talking about darkness within Hylia." Rael watched his brother's closed eyes with silent prayer that he would wake up. He had decided that trying to talk to him might rouse his brother from his state of perpetual slumber.

It was many days now that Ralis had lain in this bed, not waking, not stirring. Only the steady beating of his heart and rising and falling of his chest told them he was still alive. There was a growing concern that if he did not wake soon, he would die of hunger. The nurse-maids that attended him had attempted to get him to drink some water, or at least to get water inside him, by a complicated positioning of his body and mouth. Of course, that in turn led the concern that too much water would be left in his body, with no means to rid it. Apparently Ralis' body did take care of expelling water though. That had not been a pleasant experience to say the least.

"I'm worried, Ralis. I'm frightened that you'll never wake up. I know you found Da's body in Taran Kaey, is that what petrified you like this?" He tapped Ralis' arm gently, and rose from his chair. He crossed the square tiled floor to the tall arched window and looked out over the city. In the far distance, the blue skies and streaked white clouds met the emerald haze of Hyrule's vast plains. The sunlight on the white city reflected brightly, and he found he couldn't look down at that brilliant shine for too long. There was a dark haze upon the horizon, he squinted to see it for a moment, but gave no thought to it.

Rael began to turn around to face his brother's bed again, "You know, Ralis-"

A sudden as lightning from a clear sky, Ralis eyes burst open, and he pushed himself upright in his bed. Propped up on his elbows rigid as a plank, he began speaking, chanting almost in a breathy rasping voice. The shock made Rael lose his feet, and he stumbled back against the wall, "Twilight falls upon the world, and here in this land the Light Born and the Dark Born shall collide! The rising power of the moon shall be set against the fading might of the sun, and before the passing of one lifetime, the world shall be forever changed! Awaken to the Night! The Age of Twilight is upon Hyrule, and none shall escape the wrath of the Lord of Dusk! Awaken to the Night! He is here! He is coming!"

Ralis hit his mattress with a thud that sounded like it cracked the bed frame. "Ralis!" Rael breathed, covering the distance to the bed in two steps, "can you hear me?" Never mind that odd rambling, he had to know his brother was all right.

"Rael," said his older brother, opening his eyes slowly, in a voice like his usual one once more – if a little dry from lack of water, "Da's dead." His brothers dark eyes flickered to his own, but looked glazed over, "I couldn't save him. I… I'm sorry little brother."

Rael put his hand on his brother's shoulder, "I know, Ralis. And I don't blame you."

Ralis sighed, and wiped his eyes wearily, "We have to get back to- wait, where am I?"

Rael dragged a chair up to the bed, and perched on its edge. Colour was beginning to return to Ralis' cheeks, but his gaunt expression remained. "We're in Hylia," Rael explained, "in the Queen's Palace."

"Hylia? No, no, I'm in Taran-" he looked around hastily, taking in the pale stone walls, high ceiling, and dark furnishings. Then he gasped and scrambled backwards along the bed as though he could escape through the headboard "No, no, not here! Anywhere but here, Rael! Light, how long have I been here?"

"You've been asleep since you got here, about ten days I think. You slept all they way back from Taran Kaey too." Rael shrugged, and tried to remain calm in comparison to Ralis, who was behaving rather erratically. He tossed and turned, checking his arms and legs for wounds and feeling his head. "It's a wonder you are still alive. You must be hungry?"

"Rael, this is madness," Ralis said, stilling himself and straightening up against the wall behind the bed. Rael nodded, and Ralis drew out a long breath. "Where is Mara?"

"She's resting, I think. She's hardly left your side all this time. Its strange that I was here when you did wake up of all times."

Ralis smiled weakly, "Well, if she's sleeping. I guess I best not wake her," he sighed, "she gave me the same courtesy I suppose. Is she well?"

Rael nodded, "She has been very worried, but she is in good health."

Ralis rocked his head back, and shut his eyes. Rael was quiet, contemplating the chant that his brother had just said, and seemed to be unaware of. What had it been? 'The Light Born and the Dark Born shall collide,' 'awaken to the Night,' 'none shall escape the wrath of the Lord of Dusk'. In a day long gone, Rael might have dismissed this as fever babble, but with all that he had been hearing these last few days…"

"Ralis, have you dreamt whilst you were asleep?"

Ralis shook his head, "No, I- the last thing I remember is finding…finding…Da… back in Taran Kaey. The next thing I saw, I was here with you looking over me."

"Oh," said Rael, disappointed that his brother was not able to offer any insight.

"Although, I do remember one thing. Something seems to echo in mind. Someone screaming, in pain. As though someone needed my help. But I could do nothing to save them. Maybe I wanted them to hurt? Oh, I don't know… Its just a feeling."

Rael nodded, "Don't worry. But Ralis, there is something I have to talk to you about. Something that's really, really going to change things if we're not careful."

"What?"

"Its about Da." Rael felt bitter at himself that he was able to speak so flatly about their dead father, but it was like there was an emotional block between him and the truth. He did not understand. "I've found out he really did used to be a soldier."

"He did? Well, I did sort of figure-"

"He was a Hylian General."

"General?" said Ralis, drawing a breath.

Rael nodded, "He was General Dragan's predecessor. He used to go by the name of Brash al'Aals. I don't know if that was an assumed name, or Resh was, but… well, it doesn't matter really does it? He…"

A sharp blast from a horn cut Rael off. The deep ringing sound resonated through the castle, echoing across the courtyards of stone. A longer blast of the horn sounded again, long and sustained, a sound like clouded crystal.

"What in the name of the Light," murmured Rael. The horn was loud, and Ralis screwed up his eyes with sensitivity etched on his face

Rael stepped lightly back across the room and peered out of the tall window. He glanced around below, down upon colonnaded walks and lower towers, beyond to the fortress. His eyes followed the winding great road of the city out towards the distant white walls, and beyond that… The green fields beneath a blazing sun and… he adjusted his eyes. That dark haze he had seen, like a water mirage beneath the sun, it was moving!

Again the great horn sounded, and this time it was answered by shouts and cries from the palace, small horns were blown in the depths beneath him and high above golden bells rang loudly.

Rael's breath caught, his heart began beating heavily. Grabbing a hand to his thudding heart he stumbled back against the side of the wall.

"What is it Rael?" said Ralis, cringing at the loud noise.

Rael felt dizzy, he wanted to lie down. "The Kairin," he whispered. "The Kairin are here! Light!"

"Surely not!" breathed Ralis, swinging out of bed. He stumbled for a moment, like a baby foal learning to use its legs for the first time. Supporting himself against furniture, he limped across to the window and looked over the city to the plain. His eyes widened, "Oh, no, it can't be. Not again… Oh, Rael what is happening to us?"

Rael's face tightened, his jaw locked rigid, his hand gripped the sword at his waist. "Those murdering light-damned animals…" growled Rael. Below in the streets soldiers were running to their stations, arming and heading off to the gates. "They killed Da… They nearly killed you…" The image of his Da's cold lifeless face hung in the air before him, white and blue and green and reeking of death.

"Rael?"

"Ralis, I will have my revenge on those dogs." Rael turned to the door and made his way across the room swiftly, his belt buckle clinking on his sword.

Ralis limped after him, "No, Rael you can't go!" Rael stopped and looked back, and Ralis threw himself at his brother's waist. His face was teary, weary, worn, torn, staring up at Rael through hollow shells. "You don't know what it's like to fight!"

"Damnit Ralis, I can take care of myself!" he kicked his brother down to the ground. Was he mad? He simply growled at Ralis and said, "I'll be back soon."

……

Ralis looked down at himself, his filthy hands, and his bloodstained robes. Awkwardly, he crawled across the bedchamber to the wall, and slumped up against it hopelessly. And then, as slowly and quietly as the rain in spring, he began to weep softly. "Oh, Da… I'm so sorry. Rael, forgive me." He law down and put his head in his hands, curling up into a tight ball. "Oh, Mara my love, forgive me…"