The atmosphere around him had become much colder and darker as night descended on the Gerudo Highlands. The prophet stirred. Everything hurt, but there was also the headache that only intensified when he tried to reason with what had happened.

It had to have been a dream… A very terrible and ridiculous dream… Yes, a dream… Not a prophecy…

Yet, If it hadn't been real, then how had he survived Sooga's attack?

The Goddess was nowhere to be seen, but her words came flooding back.

The prophecy…

All the walls he'd built up dropped for the briefest moment, and a succession of rapturous thoughts came tearing through his mental haze. A strange euphoric feeling spread through his body, leaving him breathless.

He pushed them down, perhaps out of habit, before he could even allow himself to make sense of them. Shame mixed with confusion.

No… My devotion to Calamity Ganon can not be shaken…

But he already felt it wavering, as though that part of himself was crumbling. How could he continue to call himself Ganon's chosen after what he'd learned? To perish over blind devotion was the most unacceptable fate of all. He knew this intrinsically. If he thought his conflicting thoughts had been tormenting before, now they were only magnified to an unbearable intensity.

Hylia… That vile goddess had turned his whole world upside down, her ways more bewildering to him than even the Yiga Clan. She knew everything… Every thought and emotion no matter how deep or repressed, she had laid it all bare, and it had shaken him to the core.

Astor held a hand to his head, groaning. He looked around, taking in his surroundings. The Yiga Clan was almost certain to make another attempt on his life. He couldn't stay here. The prophet gave a frustrated growl and shakily got to his feet, trying to numb his quarreling thoughts.

He began to wander northeast aimlessly, only having a vague idea of where he was going. Eventually, desert cliffs gave way to lush green fields, and he could see Hyrule Castle's silhouette in the distance.

He began to feel jittery, nearly breaking into a burst of hysterical panicked laughter. He tried to focus his thoughts on how ironic it was that he and the princess now had the Yiga as a common enemy—anything to not have to think about the prophecy, but already that was proving impossible. Those thoughts were already spilling forth once again.

It can't be true…

How...?

Who in Hyrule would ever accept it?

Oh, I'm sure that it will go over well. The king will be so thrilled… he thought facetiously, tittering in a delirious way as his knees threatened to buckle.

He gave Hyrule Castle and its surrounding town a wide berth, also avoiding villages or other areas where people might congregate.

As he rounded the perimeter of the Lost Woods he couldn't help but notice how visible the back of the castle was from his vantage point. Which window belonged to the princess? The castle's wide moat separated the ground he stood from the castle, but still, it was breathtaking to be so close.

He looked back at the Lost Woods, seeing the pink flowering top of the Great Deku Tree peeking over the fog and gnarled, leafless trees that surrounded it. He thought back to the fateful day he crossed paths with the princess and the vision that came to him as she arrived—that unknown place where Silent Princess flowers grew rampant. And he was intent on finding it.

oOo

"No matter what it takes, you must awaken your power before the Calamity returns." King Rhoam's commanding voice filled the castle's Sanctum.

Zelda dropped her gaze, trying to gather her resolve. If the Calamity was going to rise on her seventeenth birthday, as newly uncovered images from the broken Guardian indicated, she didn't have much time left.

Whatever it takes? Goddesses… What is that supposed to mean? I'm already doing everything I can.

She bit back her protests, one more time, ever the good, obedient daughter.

"Understood."

"I sense you have become complacent regarding your duty," King Rhoam said, his tone growing colder somehow.

Zelda slowly looked up, at a loss. She could sense Impa's sympathetic gaze on her, and she wanted to cast a glance back at the advisor in shared exasperation but thought better of it.

"I - I'm sorry, Father. Please believe me. I'm doing everything in my power. I really am—."

"No more, excuses, Zelda! From this moment on you are to have nothing to do with the childish hobby you've been carrying on with Sheikah technology and you are to devote yourself fully to your duty, which you have neglected. You must be single-minded in this crucial duty. Or perhaps it is your poor attitude that is interfering with your training."

Zelda flinched internally, but it barely showed on the outside. "Yes, I understand… I will try harder." She said, emotionless, although not insincerely.

The King's expression hardened and he raised his voice. "No, you will not try! You will do it! You are going to the Spring of Courage immediately, and Link and Impa are to accompany you, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes…"

She kept her head high, trying not to visibly sulk as she headed to her chambers to change into her ceremonial white gown. As soon as she was out of sight she let out a big huff and nearly broke down, but somehow held herself together.

She took her time getting changed, disconsolate and a little bit spiteful to have been humiliated in front of her friends.

The gown was pure white and was designed with the Goddess Hylia as inspiration. It was a small consolation to feel closer to the progenitor of her line by donning the dress and royal heirlooms.

She fixed her hair, undoing her braid and brushing it out. She put on the gold bracers and tossed her hair to one side to fasten the necklace bearing the crest of Hylia, which had been passed down in the royal family for countless generations.

As she languidly moved about her chambers, her mind raced with thoughts of hopelessness. She had already trained at the Spring of Courage and Spring of Power in the past, and both had yielded no results. All that remained was the Spring of Wisdom on Mount Lanayru, and she would only be permitted to make the trip up the mountain when she reached the age of seventeen. But with knowledge of the day of Calamity Ganon's return she knew it would be too little too late.

Before she turned to leave her chambers, Zelda paused to look at herself in the mirror. All of Hyrule was believing in her, leaning on her to save them. She wasn't unaware of the fact that she was the subject of mockery among those who knew of her unfulfilled duty. And although those closest to her were doing their utmost to support her, a void remained.

The worst was coming. She knew it. If only she had someone to brace herself against for when the Calamity would inevitably rise and consume everything and everyone she loved.

Zelda rested her forehead against the mirror and closed her eyes, holding back tears one more time, unsure how much longer she could hold on before she gave out.

oOo

Astor found himself in that mysterious place. It was an ethereal and dark forest, hidden away within the Lost Woods much in the same way as Korok Forest. Perhaps it was the Goddess who led him there and allowed him to find it, although Astor wasn't certain if it was real or illusionary.

Moonlight poured down through the tops of the trees, the blue and white Silent Princess flowers seeming to glow ever so faintly in its light. Was it always night here?

He took an uncertain step forward, looking around. There was a small spring of clear water.

He thought of the princess and how she would likely go to the Spring of Courage and Power soon.

He could almost envision her there—her shoulders bare, her ceremonial dress clinging to her form as she stood in the spring so focused on unlocking the power that evaded her. That jittery feeling came back in full force.

Who am I apart from Calamity Ganon?

Kill her… You'll be in control again…

No, no… I must stay as far away from her as possible, lest the Goddess's prophecy comes to fruition...

But which one was Lord Ganon's will? His trust in the Calamity had been so compromised he couldn't discern Ganon's or even fate's design any longer. There was a part of him that sorely needed to remain faithful to Lord Ganon. He didn't know how else to exist, even knowing that to remain loyal would end in regret for a prophecy unfulfilled and his own demise.

The prophet held his head in his hands. He hastily disrobed, leaving his clothing in a haphazard pile, signaling his mental disarray. He got into the small spring, completely bare save for the circlet he wore bearing the eye of malice. Many bruises marred his pale skin.

Thoughts and feelings he might have easily shoved away before were becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. No, it was downright impossible the longer Hylia's prophecy remained on his mind, and his thoughts of the princess were running wild. He could feel the distance between himself and the Calamity widen further, and he panicked.

He slid under the water's surface, holding his breath as long as he could. If Hylia was merciful maybe he'd drown, and in death those vexing feelings would, at last, stop plaguing him. The urge to take a breath was increasing, and he came back up, gasping.

Astor, at last, relented. He rested his head on the edge of the spring and stretched out into a comfortable position in surrender, hoping this place was indeed illusionary and that no one would stumble upon him in such a state, not that travelers typically explored these woods for fear of becoming lost.

This place was so…otherworldly…so beautiful. Astor wondered briefly if Calamity Ganon could even 'see' or perceive this place.

And with that, he allowed the Goddess's prophecy to pervade his thoughts.

How could it come true? He had acted with such cruelty toward the princess, why would she ever look at him with anything other than disdain?

Astor had once been very disciplined in his mindset towards the princess and his plan to bring about her demise, but he was out of reasons to fight what had been held back. His thoughts of her lingered and then intensified, growing heated, and that euphoric feeling returned. He yearned to embrace her, to touch her, and ached to feel her hands on him. He was paralyzed by the thought, but he couldn't deny how exquisite it would be to give in to those feelings if the opportunity ever arose, despite knowing he would continue to resist out of fear of losing himself.

The desire to have her was increasing to a point of no return and Astor knew he would have no peace until he could, at the very least, see Princess Zelda again.

Faylian: haha! Love your review! I couldn't help but smile when I realized what you did there. And I'm so shocked that it fits. Lol Now I'm imagining Astor moving in with Zelda and Rhoam and the idea is so hilarious. Rhoam and Astor would always be at each other's throats.

Prometheus17: I'm no Sooga or Kohga fan, but I'm actually really frustrated the scene didn't go down like this in canon. ^^; Don't get me wrong, I really love Astor, but I don't agree with his actions to try to manipulate and coerce these two, and had a hard time accepting that these two very large and imposing Yiga men let a scrawny Hylian threaten them into submission, especially considering that the Yiga aren't as devoted to Calamity Ganon as Astor.

Astor is losing his shit, realizing he can't control his thoughts anymore as he once did and it is exceedingly difficult for him to turn against Calamity Ganon (and is possibly a little afraid to).

Thanks for reviewing. I always look forward to reading your thoughts.