"I received a letter yesterday from a man who calls himself Vonndrake. Since Ganondorf is out of commission he's using the opportunity to declare war," Zelda explained to the soldiers in the barracks. "Apparently, I've heard of such a name. We're dealing with a man with decades of domination under his title, although no one knows why. Coincidently, Hyrule lies in his path, and we have no option but to resist. He's going to attack anytime from now, and knowing his tactics he'll probably attack a day from now. He usually gives two days notice."
"We only have forty-eight hours?! Sorry my highness but there is no way any amount of men can be trained in such a time period. It takes at least two weeks to get us in top-tonic condition. Besides, with all the lack of threats we have slacked," one of the soldiers protested. Zelda eyed him from the corner of her eyes.
"Listen you. We can't lose this war… I can't lose this war. Xanath, mobilize the troops at once," she ordered. Xanath's eyes dropped and he clenched his fists. He fought the urge to argue, he didn't have such an authority to do so.
"Yes my highness," he bowed. The men weren't happy. They could all sense this war would be one they wouldn't be able to win, that Zelda was sending them to their deaths. A suicide mission to be exact. Most kept silent, some cursed under their breaths and others simply walked away.
Xanath wanted to assure them, that there could be a chance, but he would be lying if he said such a thing.
Xanath followed the princess to the main hall, and paused when he realised that Zelda was…crying. Yes, he could clearly see the silvery drops running down her cheeks. "Zelda?"
"It's over. If we won the war it would have been the Goddesses having mercy on us. But…what about Link? This is the day we have to put an end to his life and he isn't even here," she whispered. "Where could he be?" Xanath's eyes ticked over to Paer who was chuckling to himself as he stood by the doorway.
"He must have run away," he muttered. "I wouldn't be surprised. When creatures sense their demise coming they'll do anything to avoid it." Zelda pulled a face of sheer disgust.
"I can't believe what I'm hearing. Why are you talking about him like that?" she sneered. Paer smiled.
"Well I have a right to. The Link you know has succumbed to the curse. When he attacked me, I saw not warmth in his eyes but some sort of forbidding darkness. It was like the gaze of a savage beast, you know, that same look that crosses their eyes when they're overcome with bloodlust. So it's no surprise to me if he finally realised that he was indeed a bloodthirsty creature and there wasn't a place for him among the people," Paer expounded.
"That's a lie, a dirty lie. Link is still the same and he hasn't run away. He'll show up," the princess spat, and Paer's eyes glittered.
"You're no better than myself. Do you realise what you have just said? You really do want him dead. You would like for him to have actually run away, but you fear that he would come back and kill, and you don't want that to happen," he said, smiling at the same time. Zelda's mouth was slightly trembling. "It's clearly written all over your face."
"It's not true. Link isn't a coward…but I don't want him to die," she said softly, tears once again running down her cheeks.
"Then why bother wanting him back when you know that death awaits him here? Let him stay wherever he is, let him stay alive so that he'll steal into the night and engorge himself on Hylian flesh," Paer said and started laughing. His laughter cut deeper than anything she had felt before, much deeper than a blade could. Yes, death awaited him here; there was no denying it. But was it proper for Link to live out the rest of his days in the darkest parts of the land, forever be in constant self hate, loneliness and anguish? She felt helpless.
Paer turned around and saw Link walking into the room, head hung low. When they met in the middle, the boy looked at him from the corner of his eyes. Paer reported the same glare, and the two stayed silent. Slowly, Link curled his lips back and started to growl low in his throat. The advisor was unfazed, and remained in his silent stance. It was clearly apparent that the other was tensing, as if to jump him.
"Look away," Xanath said before things got ugly. Paer glanced over to Xanath with narrowed eyes.
"What is the problem?" he demanded.
"Don't you see what you're doing? You're challenging him," the other explained. A look of confusion crossed the advisors face for a moment before he began to laugh in the most damn annoying tone.
"Not normal boy, not normal," Paer said and finally left the three alone. Link looked ashamed and he sighed out wearily. 'It just keeps getting worse …I can't even control my emotions any longer. Nisih…even beyond the grave your blood still claims me…' He avoided Zelda's eyes when she looked at him.
"I want to end this. I have realised there is no hope for me. I have become a cursed being…a creature that lives only to cause pain and grief. I…I agree to die. It'll be for the best," Link murmured.
"No. You—"
"I have to die!" Link shouted before the princess could finish. "I hate this but I have to! I can't live with you because I'm a fucking werewolf!" There was a hushed silence in the room. The only noise was of Link's ragged breathing. His teeth looked sharper than normal, especially his canines that seemed a tad too big for his mouth. Zelda cringed at the sight of them.
"Control yourself kid. You're letting the curse get the best of you," Xanath said in a stern voice. Link tried to calm himself, but it was proving to be very arduous. He was just too pissed off at the moment. 'I'm going to die…doesn't that mean anything to them?'
"Please understand that we tried our best. I never wanted your life to become like this, really I didn't. Partly I blame myself for your fate. If I had never called for you perhaps you would have never come across Nisih," Zelda apologised. "Besides, if we had more time, we'll probably find a solution. So you're not going to die, I won't let you." Frustration crossed Link's face. 'Haven't they heard a single word I've said?' Xanath strode up to Link and gave the impression he was walking by. Then he paused and drew out his sword.
"Sorry about this," he murmured and slammed the sword's handle into the back of Link's skull. Link's legs failed him and Xanath caught him before he hit the floor. "He's not going to like this when he wakes up." Zelda shook her head slowly.
"If he knew what we were up to, he'll never cooperate," she said, looking at the unconscious boy.
Since the winter season was around the corner, the sun had set quite early. And the stake meant for Link's demise had been completed. It was right in the heart of Kakariko Village; the people had insisted it be built here. 'Our people's blood has been shed here, his must be shed here too,' someone had said. Xanath scratched his chin unconsciously as he surveyed the great number of people standing before the death equipment.
"Looks like we've got quite a crowd tonight," one of the soldiers said. The other man nodded slowly. The soldier rubbed the back of his neck. "I—don't know what to make of the whole situation. Why would so many people turn up for the young sir's death? It's as if they're obsessed, you know, under some sort of influence. It's not like them to be like this." True, their behaviour was rather strange. Link had saved them just too damn many times. Was there something more to their bloodlust? A long sigh escaped Xanath's lips and he nudged the man in the ribs.
"What are you implying? Someone has cast a spell or something?" Xanath humoured. The soldier didn't meet him with a smile.
"I don't know, there's obviously something in the air," he said and simply shrugged his shoulders. Xanath's observation went to the front, where he could clearly see Paer, the torchbearer and a very blank looking Link. Too blank looking, he realised. Well, it wasn't as if he would wear a cheery smile now when meeting his death. Paer waited until everyone had become silent. The man had a disturbing smile on his face.
"Link stands before us with atrocious crime burdens. Burdens of murder, cannibalism, homicide, just to list a few. The penalty of this sordidness is death. Any objections at this point shall go unheeded. He is a cursed being, thus he can't live in our society or this land. He's nothing more than a foul, blood-driven, creature that only lives to satisfy his own pleasures," Paer announced to the crowd that hung on to every word he said. The advisor then nodded to the guards standing either side of the stake. "The time has come." Link didn't even bother struggling when the two guards took him by the arms and tied him to the stake. Paer nodded to the torchbearer and the crowd started to uproar. 'Kill the bastard' they chanted.
"To hell with this filth!!" Paer spat, pointing at the boy. Soon the wood below Link was lighted, and flames began licking up the stake. No emotion or any apparent expression of pain came over his blank features. He just continued to stare, even when the flames engulfed his body. The crowd roared with…enthusiasm as the acrid stench of burning flesh stank the air heavy.
'What…what happened? Why don't I remember?' Slowly, he opened his eyes and waited for the surroundings to come into focus. He was in a stone room; the floor was dank and sparsely covered with straw. After a few seconds he realised where he was, and he hated it. Back in the dungeons.
Link tried to remember what had taken place, but his head hurt trying to think about it. He recalled Paer challenging him, and then nothing. He felt confused and frustrated…and terribly oppressed. His abnormal senses couldn't handle the sea of smells swarming around him. Too rich, and too sharp.
"Hey, kid," the guy next to him, said. "Looks like we're cell mates again." Slowly the boy rose up and grabbed the bars for balance. His movements were restricted by the chains about his wrists, ankles and, shamefully, one on his neck.
'It seems so…' Link thought with much displeasure. Goddesses, had his so-called friends reserved a cell for him? He let out a softened groan.
"Sorry about this Link but it had to happen," Zelda said when she finally came down to him. At first he didn't want to listen, but he guessed it was no good being angry at nothing. "I couldn't let you die in such a pitiful way. So…I created a doppelganger to take the death instead. I hope you understand." Link found himself frowning.
"A doppelganger. A cheap copy of myself to take my demise, and I assume everyone thinks I'm dead now. So, how long are you planning to keep this a secret from them?" he wondered.
"Until I find a cure. The goddesses know how long that'll take…"Zelda trailed off, and she leant on the bars, despite the rust and filth. The very thought of spending the rest of his days down here caused a violent emotion. It scared him more than he had anticipated. With his new taste for the outdoors, being deprived of it meant certain depression…or even death. Already his breathing was getting heavier…the furore began to surface. Spasms of pain took hold of his body.
"Are you listening?" Zelda questioned, jarring Link out of his thoughts. "I said the Zoras might have some sort of purification spring or something. It's sounds absurd, but we have to try…" Link stared at her with desperate eyes. 'It hurts…my body hurts,' He slid onto his knees, clutching the bars. A film of sweat clung to his skin, blood pounded in his ears.
"What's the matter? Are you okay?" she said quietly, startled. He shook his head no. How could he be 'okay?' He felt like shit at the moment, and her being here made matters worse. Link's breath caught in his throat as another round of spasms took hold. His whole body was under pain, and nothing could ease it. Froth began to fleck his lips to much of his disgust.
"The need has surfaced, it's the moon…" Link breathed. "I always feel this was." But unlike lunar changes he didn't want to give in. Too many eyes were upon him and Zelda's stare made the change dirty... He felt terribly shamed, and the pain kept cresting higher.
"If it's that bad…just change," the princess whispered, touching his hand. Link shrunk away from her touch. It was obvious he didn't want her comfort.
"You make this feel so wrong…so unnatural," he said. "Am I evil?" Zelda opened her mouth as if to say something, but then thought over what she was going to say.
"Curses are evil. There is no good curse," she began. "People afflicted with it aren't necessarily evil. Just that, they tend to become lost under all that darkness."
A low growl escaped Link's throat, unintentional. His eyes were shut tightly. Although hard to see in the dim lighting Zelda could see his skin paling, as if all the colour was draining from him. 'I remember this…'
"Then am I evil?" Link wondered. He opened his eyes and stared at his modifying hands. Thick hooked claws tore through his nail bed; it hurt like hell. He hid his pain well, for the time being that is. When he looked up at Zelda, her eyes were wide with fear. 'If she's still afraid, unwilling to accept what am I…why is she still here? Does she want a reason to hate me?' He thought fiercely.
"Goddesses…" Zelda wanted to back away, shield her eyes and run. 'I have to face this. He's still the same person…it's just a façade…' Muscles began to carve his sweat-slick skin, bones cracked and shifted under his flesh. Jaws pushed forwards into a heavy muzzle, teeth sharpened as serrated fangs erupted from his gums. Link ripped his tunic, allowing his changing body more freedom, letting Zelda to stare at the fur spreading rapidly along his back.
"Oh shit!! That boy's a monster!" the person next to them cried out. Blinded with pain and rage, the nearly changed being lunged at the man, growling furiously, his attack cut short by the chains. His elongating caudal vertebrae further fuelled his aggression. He'd never really gotten used to that particular sensation.
"Link, don't…he doesn't understand," Zelda said in a trembling voice. Slowly Link recoiled into the corner, his lurid blue eyes fixed onto hers. A snarl began to curl on his lips and every breath he drew was accompanied by a low growl. "You in there? Please show you comprehend me." The wolf let loose a guttural sound.
"Give him some time," Xanath said quietly, appearing beside the princess. He had just come back from the false burning and had decided to check up on things. Zelda looked up at him with grief stricken eyes. "It's been so long, and he's probably trying to get his control back." But an unspoken question lingered between the two. What if he never does regain control? Could this be what they have feared from the start?
"Leave him be," he then said. "It's late, we need our rest for tomorrow." Zelda nodded absent-mindedly, allowing herself to be gently led out by him.
