All four pilots for the Divine Beasts had, at last, been recruited. It had all seemed a blur to Zelda, who felt as though she were going through the motions, her thoughts always lingering on that mysterious hooded man. His face even manifested vaguely in her dreams. Still, there was no sign of his existence apart from his image on the Sheikah Slate, and Zelda was beginning to feel restless, only compounded by the fact that her father hadn't commended her efforts in building rapport with each pilot or assisting them with their respective Divine Beast, and she knew why... She still was no closer to finding her true power, although this failure she had grown accustomed to. Upon her return to the castle, King Rhoam had merely given a grunt of approval and convened a meeting with the pilots where he lavished them with praise.
It's only natural that Father would be frustrated. Am I trying hard enough? Am I really doing everything I can?
Zelda noticed Impa casting her a concerned and knowing glance as Rhoam's speech went on at length.
It was Impa who spent the most time with her and knew her so well, although Zelda had yet to speak a word to her about the man who invaded her every thought. There wasn't any reason to, Zelda rationalized. In truth, she enjoyed holding the secret close to her heart. His visage drifted into her thoughts and the briefest moment of contentment enveloped her. She felt the faintest smile tugging at her lips and she wondered if anyone else could see.
Zelda refocused her thoughts, forcing herself to think of something else, lest she have to explain why she was smiling.
Her thoughts transitioned to the party's journey to the Tabantha Frontier and the concerning news Revali had related to them. Revali revealed that his village had been repeatedly attacked by monsters led by a Guardian much like the one that accompanied them. This was right after Link and Revali nearly killed each other over the misunderstanding that Rito Village was under attack once again.
The existence of another small Guardian causing such chaos troubled the princess, and her thoughts were filled with uncertainty. If word got back to her father, he might assume the little one to be a potential threat.
Impa would almost certainly report to Rhoam the recent attack from the Yiga Clan. Her father was by no means an ignorant man. He had to have known to some degree that the Yiga Clan would target her. What if he limited her excursions outside the Castle to training? She prayed he would not forbid her from doing everything she could to assist the Divine Beast Pilots.
Zelda thought back to her recent meeting with Mipha and King Dorephan. When Zelda had gone to the Zora king with the news that the king of Hyrule had chosen Princess Mipha to pilot Vah Ruta, he had initially flat out refused, citing his concern for his daughter's safety. Zelda and her entourage were nearly turned away, but at that moment monsters began to attack Zora's Domain. Upon seeing Mipha piloting the Divine Beast, King Dorephan had changed his mind and agreed to join in the fight against the Calamity. Dorephan's concern for his daughter was very apparent to Zelda. The two seemed to share a close bond that she couldn't help but envy. Zelda didn't feel like a daughter, at least not a cherished one. No, she felt like she was regarded only as a tool or a weapon.
The memory faded as King Rhoam concluded his speech. "Now you Pilots of the Divine Beasts... Seek out the hero who will wield the sword that seals the darkness. This will require that you all work together to vanquish the monsters that have taken over Korok Forest."
Those that would become the Champions gave their oath. In the morning, they would depart for the Lost Woods which surrounded the hidden oasis, Korok forest.
Later, when Zelda took to her chambers, her mind was still consumed with uncertainty.
"Who…are you...?" Zelda mused to herself quietly as she held the Sheikah Slate and once again looked upon that particular visual data that was both a blessing and a curse.
As she powered down the Sheikah Slate, she prayed to the Goddess Hylia that she would soon cross paths with him somehow. A selfish prayer, perhaps, but Hylia had never deigned to answer even her noble prayers to unlock her power. To Zelda, it was nothing more than a wish.
oOo
The Harbinger seemed to know all and shared much of its knowledge with its seer. The ones who would pilot the Divine Beasts had been chosen and in the past few days recruited by the princess of Hyrule in rapid succession. Astor didn't need a prophetic dream from the Calamity to know what this meant.
He was well acquainted with the legend of 10,000 years ago. His oldest memory was hearing the tale at the orphanage where he was raised, located in one of the most backwater little villages in Hyrule. A caretaker at the orphanage had gathered the children together to tell a story, and young Astor had immediately felt an affinity for the Calamity but kept it to himself. The love of the Goddess Hylia was being impressed upon the children, which included regular field trips to the village's Goddess Statue where he was instructed on how to pray. Astor didn't hate the Goddess, at least not back then, but he often found himself secretly questioning her intentions.
Why would a loving goddess allow a parent to abandon their newborn for dead in a heap of trash at the edge of the village, as had been done to him? And was such a goddess worthy of devotion? A thought that kept him up most nights. A question he danced around when speaking with his carers.
"The Goddess has a purpose for you. She loves all her people, even you."
Sure, such platitudes were enough to satisfy a young child, but as he got older, it became more and more difficult to believe. There wasn't any evidence that she loved him. Apparently, he wasn't worthy of it. And over the years he couldn't help but question why fate had dealt so cruelly with him.
But now the Calamity had set apart a grand purpose for him, being chosen to revive Lord Ganon after 10,000 years of being sealed away.
Unfortunately, the enemies of Lord Ganon were one step closer to reaching their goal to oppose the Calamity. And he could feel Calamity Ganon's pressure building, becoming more demanding, ordering him to cement his fate as its chosen by killing the princess with the blood of the Goddess.
With the knowledge of who the Champions would be along with the power of Lord Ganon's malice, he was able to create dark copies called Hollows which would obey his every order.
Astor stood a few paces from Kohga and Sooga in an outdoor area of the Yiga hideout. There was a large circular pit in the center of this sunlit space. Kohga had designated this area as his napping spot. Astor thought it was such a strange place to rest, considering it was exposed to harsh desert sunlight. The prophet tried to stay in as much shade as possible, the robe and hood he wore making the dry heat nearly unbearable, yet he did not remove it, not wanting the sun to burn his pale skin.
Astor levitated the ancient relic. He summoned the Hollows and ordered them to fight the footsoldiers who had volunteered to train against the Champion's copies as practice.
"Let's see what they can do…"
"Hey, how come you don't have one of the princess?" Kohga asked in a provoking manner.
Oh, here we go… Two can play at this game...
Astor pointed to the dark copy of Urbosa. "Would you like a rematch, Kohga?"
The Hollow of Urbossa swung her 'scimitar' at one of the Yiga footsoldiers, sending them flying across the yard.
"... no thanks…"
"I thought so."
Sooga scoffed. "So these Hollows will fight your battles for you? I see you're powerless without that relic."
The elite Yiga blademaster was becoming intolerably combative and testing his patience, but Astor refused to acknowledge the slight.
"Our enemies are moving swiftly and so I must intervene and prevent that pest from pulling the sacred blade... According to legend, the sword is powerful enough to defeat even the Great Calamity in tandem with the princess's sealing power. It's too important a task to leave to you two… It is something that I—as the one selected by Lord Ganon—must see to personally."
Of course, all three already knew who the wielder of that sword would be, even if the boy himself didn't know yet. Astor's hatred had grown exponentially for the knight, and he didn't know why. It was the princess who was the real threat to Lord Ganon, after all.
The two Yiga leaders exchanged relieved glances that they weren't expected to perform this task. Even masked, the two seemed so in tune with each other, the bond of friendship and brotherhood as Yiga Clansmen apparent between them.
A sudden wave of discontent overtook the prophet, and he shifted his weight from one foot to the other and averted his attention to the relic in his hands—the object of his covenant with the Calamity.
Ah, Calamity Ganon, I will not allow anyone to alter fate's rightful course...
But that feeling of emptiness lingered still.
oOo
The Lost Woods were characterized by a strangely beautiful, yet eerie grey-blue fog. Legend had it these woods were home to many spirits, and taking in his surroundings, it was easy to believe.
He had been there for some time, awaiting the arrival of the princess and the Champions. He had to admit, he preferred the Lost Woods to the harsh sunlight and heat of Gerudo Desert.
Astor breathed in, closing his eyes and bowing his head, concentrating on the task Ganon had given him.
His focus relaxed and he perceived a place much like this… But this place in his vision had dozens of blue and white flowers that seemed to be growing luxuriant. It wasn't exactly the Lost Woods, nor Korok Forest. It looked like a mix of the two—dark and gloomy, yet still lush with the blue and white flowers that seemed to glisten in the moonlight.
He wasn't sure where this place was or even 'when' it was, but he knew the princess was drawing near, along with her knight and her would-be Champions. There was no way he'd be able to get close to her with all those nuisances around. There had to be a connection between this unexpected vision and the princess. And then he understood.
In that same moment, he sensed her, along with the others, hastily entering into the woods. Let them come, he thought, almost beckoning her with his mind. Soon he would see her face to face. His heart skipped a beat, unbidden. Astor opened his eyes and raised his chin, trying to regain his focus on the task at hand and how it would ensure that the threat to Calamity Ganon was neutralized.
"And they're here…." His voice was deep, yet soft and melodic at that moment. He smiled, knowing how to get her alone.
oOo
"This is quite the fog…" said Mipha.
They had been wandering through the fog for what seemed to be the longest time. Were they going around in circles? There were defined paths and certain trees that stood out from the others that could be used as landmarks, but it wasn't enough to point them in the correct direction.
"Why can't the hero drive out the monsters himself? Whoever he is... This is so asinine." Revali complained.
"Oh Revali, give it a rest. You agreed to this mission, just like the rest of us. And it is an honor." Urbosa chastised the Rito.
"Are you not impressed with how skillfully I piloted Vah Medoh to route out the vast majority of the monsters?" Revali countered.
Zelda kept quiet, not wanting to get involved in any squabbling between the others. She hung towards the back of the group. As the bickering continued, her mind began to wander, and turning her gaze, she saw something that gave her pause—a single Silent Princess.
The blue and white flower appeared illusionary. She stared at it for a long moment, and when she looked back at the group they were growing further away, unaware that they were leaving her behind. She looked back at the Silent Princess, seeing more beginning to sprout up from the earth as if marking a path made just for her.
Zelda cautiously began to follow the path, curious as to where it might lead. The Lost Woods could be an intimidating place, but Zelda continued through the grey, fog-laden woods, unafraid, almost in a trance.
It was a black and magenta tarry substance that broke her from this trance. The strange substance was growing on a gnarled, twisted tree, undulating… And there was an eye at the core of this sludge. The inhuman eye looked back at her, and she started, almost letting out a gasp.
The iris was slitted and yellow, and it reminded her of the design on the circlet worn by the hooded man. She began to feel uneasy but gathered her courage when she saw a lush path in the distance. She continued, certain that she had found the entrance to Korok Forest.
Korok Forest truly was a verdant, beautiful oasis. There were shallow pools of crystal clear water among the tall grass, unlike the bogs seen in the Lost Woods. The imposing and magnificent Great Deku Tree she'd read about in legends was impossible to miss. In front of this vast tree was an ancient stone dais. But... There, on the dais stood a figure blocking her view of the sacred blade. He or she appeared so small compared to the Deku Tree, but Zelda was still somewhat far away. She came closer, trying to make sense of the figure that turned when they had noticed her presence. And the princess stopped suddenly in her tracks.
It was him! Zelda's heart rate sped up. She couldn't believe it, her thoughts going haywire. Of all her prayers, Hylia answered this one...
She took an uncertain step toward the man, barely noticing as her boots splashed through the shallow water. There was a crude stone path between them. The two stood silently for a moment at a distance, the tension palpable as he was guarding the sword for some nefarious purpose.
Zelda kept her expression placid. She was about to speak when the man slowly raised a glowing spherical object, levitating it above his left hand. A dome went up, illuminated with Sheikah constellations. And when it vanished, four figures stood in front of him. The manifestation's eyes glowed red. Dark energy rose off their forms, sending out the same constellations from the dome they had been created.
Zelda's eyes widened, her lips parted in surprise as she recognized who they resembled.
What are those?! Some kind of twisted illusions?
But her main focus wasn't on the imposters. Her attention was fixed on him, barely registering she was in danger. Zelda felt as if time stood still being held in his gaze. And then he raised an arm to point at her.
"Kill her..."
Faylian: Yeah, always stood out to me how scared and dismayed Astor looked when the Harbinger consumed him with malice. Just goes to show Astor isn't the irredeemable villain he was set up to be…. I had a good time writing Urbosa and Zelda's interaction, and look forward to more!
Prometheus17: Sorry for the confusion. Maybe the summary is due for a rewrite and I could be a little more clear about the pairing. My apologies. I've sent 's staff two emails about adding Astor's name to the character list so I can make the focus of the story more obvious and so people can search for him. Still haven't seen them add the name though, unfortunately. Glad you're enjoying the humor in the story. This chapter is a lot more somber. Hope you still enjoy it! Finally, the two characters who the story revolves around, at last, interact. Things will really pick up from here. I appreciate you reading and reviewing, as always.
CloudCatch: Thanks! I had a lot more fun writing the Yiga Clan that I would have expected.