Chapter 6: Hyrule's dark secret

Zelda's head was killing her. She raised herself slowly on an unknown bed and winced. Where am I? Stumbling disorientated towards the door she grabbed the metal hoop handle and pulled but it would not budge. She tried again and again growing more distressed, as she began to recall vague memories of something bad happening the night before. "It's no use!" a condescending voice rang out. "Didn't work the first time, won't work the next hundred times!". "Who are you!? Why am I locked up like some prisoner!?" Zelda demanded angrily.

"Well, excuse me Your Highness!" the guard responded ever more mockingly. "I think you'll find the title is Your Majesty!" Zelda corrected him assertively, though the guard's behaviour made her feel increasingly anxious. "Whatever" he responded coldly. "Your Highness, Your Majesty…it doesn't matter too much anymore to your 'Royal Subjects!'" he laughed. "What is that supposed to mean!?" Zelda challenged, getting dangerously close to showing fear in her voice. "Take a look outside!" the guard responded cheerfully "you will hopefully be a little more grateful I am keeping you safe!". Making her way slowly over to a window Zelda peered out.

A large mob was forming outside the large iron gates of Hyrule Castle. Zelda hauled the window open slightly; their voices filled the room more clearly in a melody of criticism. "We don't care whether she was chosen by some divine right, she failed us last night!". "She was dancing all sappy eyed with a knight, a knight of all things". "She even got drunk! Can you believe it?! Our ruling monarch, drunk!?" "I just don't know why we are wasting our hard earnt rupees on this spoilt child, while she sits up there now heavily guarded and we are down here vulnerable!".

Zelda slammed the window shut having heard enough. Her eyes prickled and the guard laughed cruelly to himself. "Looks like the Royal Family may not be necessary in this changing world anymore!". Zelda slowly sank down against the wall, the guard continued to sting her with cruel comments. She curled into a ball and began to weep gently into her hands. She felt lonelier now than she had ever done in her entire life and that was saying something. I just make everything worse! For some reason, she found herself having flashbacks.

First, she was back in the throes of her early teenage years. Despite her father's strict efforts around her destined path, she felt a hint of rebellious curiosity. She would often stray where she should not or would wander too far for King Rhoam's comfort. She was therefore assigned her own knight, a rising star in the Royal Guards academy...Link. She did not like him one bit. He always followed her around awkwardly, saying hardly anything of interest. For her at first, he was the very embodiment of reins her father had placed on her, like she was some troublesome child. It was more insulting that they were around the same age. She would often snap at him and still he said absolutely nothing.

One fateful day when out in the meadows of Hyrule Field, she snuck off while Link was getting drowsy. The joys of being an aspiring scholar and scientist, meant she had a few tricks up her sleeve to deal with the pesky knight. One such trick being a 'drowsy elixir'. This knight was quite the glutton for food so she could add it as a secret ingredient, and he would be none the wiser. She giggled gleefully to herself as he drifted off. "Tut tut tut Royal Knight, not very professional of you". She found herself in a completely isolated glade. Sitting down, she enjoyed the peace and quiet and started happily sketching a beautiful, blue, extremely rare flower she had discovered. "What do we call you little one?" she said smiling tenderly at the flower. "You are completely undisturbed in this empty place, where no one can trample you and no one can pick you and parade you on display. You grow in complete tranquillity!". She smiled sadly. "I wish I could be you. Growing in peace without fuss or fanfare or having to justify my actions. Just me…a Silent Princess". She gasped excitedly, "Good Gracious, that's it!".

Her excitement was short lived, as a foot came down and stomped callously on the flower. "Why would you do that?!" she shrieked angrily. Looking up, she was met with a strangely ordinary looking man. "Shhhh!" he placed a finger to his lips. "You want to be a Silent Princess too, right?" Zelda now sensed the growing danger and her folly of wandering off. She started crawling backwards whimpering. That stupid knight! Always there when I do not need him and the only time, I do need him, he is under a tree fast asleep! The man encroached on her intimidatingly.

"Do not worry Princess Zelda, I really will make you the silent princess you so desperately crave to be!". In a burst of smoke, the traveller revealed himself as a 'Yiga Clan' member. He trained a large Windcleaver on Zelda. As she was about to accept her fate, out of nowhere Link appeared. She had never seen a knight in real combat before. It was terrifying. As Link defeated the stranger with ease Zelda exhaled shakily. "How…" she murmured feeling very embarrassed.

Link smiled waving several vials of drowsy elixir she had prepared confidently, believing her trial run would be a resounding success. He never ate the food and completely faked falling asleep! "You went through my satchel!" she scolded, standing up and marching crossly over to him. "What kind of boy invades a girl's personal space like that?! You should be ash"- she paused. Wait! He faked being asleep, just so I got into danger and he could save me?! Angry at first, Zelda then realised the gravity of what just happened in that moment. Like it or not…she needed Link and taking him for granted almost cost her life. Her voice trembled and she lowered her head in shame. When she felt Link's arm around her, for a moment she did not care how annoying this Royal Knight was…she held him back gratefully. It was from then on, that she really began to get to know her awkward companion further. Through more light-hearted moments in the build up to the Calamity and through darker moments too.

She had another flashback from when she was sat under a tree watching Link train. She remembered asking him if he would have chosen a different path, had it not been expected of him to be a knight. Looking back, it was so evidently woven into who he was. Zelda realised that in those moments, maybe she did not feel so unfairly bitter towards him for following a destiny he was lucky enough to enjoy. Maybe, she really felt bitter that his destiny was being wasted on someone as useless as her. Foolish boy! How could he enjoy putting his life in danger like that again and again?! For one useless girl…surely protecting me is not worth the rupees. I have heard he has the most basic house in Hateno…

She then had yet another flashback of the time she tried to get him to eat a frog. She giggled sentimentally to herself through her pained tears. "What's so funny?!" the captor outside demanded. Zelda ignored him, still focussing on her bittersweet memories. She still remembered in that moment the way Link looked at her, as she leaned over to catch the frog and found it rather odd. There was a strange sense of attraction emanating from him. She felt close to him, but she had never really interpreted it then in that way.

She decided to forget it in that moment but looking back now it was so evident. Another flashback now, to one of her darkest moments shortly after her father and the champions had died. Everything was so bleak and yet…Link did not flee her. Even in that moment, he took her by the hand and just ran as fast as he could. When she collapsed defeated and exhausted, he held her so tight. Maybe that is why he has stuck around after all this time because he has felt all along what I am starting to feel towards him.

Finally, thinking of last night she remembered the way he held her and the way he looked into her eyes. Teba's voice then rang out in her head "There won't be a more precious gift in your life than the companionship of a loved one. If there is one thing above Hyrule that will give your existence purpose and strength, it is a partner". Even when things are at their bleakest, he gives me a reason to stay strong and fight back.

Zelda rose to her feet with determination, remembering the horrors of last night now far more vividly. Storming over to the door she hammered hard on it. "Last night this castle was attacked, tell me who they are! You work for them, so tell me what they want!". "Heh, don't know what you are talking about!" the guard feigned ignorance. "Coward!" Zelda yelled. "Such irony, coming from the frightened little girl" he shot back. Zelda raised her hand to the door and called upon her power…nothing happened. "No point!" the guard said smugly. "Please though, don't let me stop you from wasting your energy as you see fit…because pretty soon this castle will be rubble anyway". Zelda's breathing stilled.

Some footsteps now approached, and Zelda strained her ears. "Gadagen, I trust you are well?" she recognised the voice to immediately belong to Impa. "Yes, yes I am!" Gadagen responded cheerfully. "It's so good to be out of the rain and in new position, even if it is guarding this ungrateful little brat!". "Impa please help me! Why have I been locked in here?!" Zelda cried out. "Be quiet you failure of a Queen!" Impa shot back angrily. Impa…not you too! "I-impa" Zelda murmured softly, feeling her heart break in two.

"Bahahaha! Not got many friends, anymore have you? Perhaps that pathetic knight but you will not be seeing him anytime soon. He has been given my old role!" the guard said gleefully. What in the name of Hylia is going on?! "Either way Gadagen, I have food for her. We are not barbarians here. I also have been given the pleasure of handing her official papers, which declare her role as Queen is no longer recognised by Hyrule". Zelda gasped in horror. A small hatch opened on the door and a tray of disgusting looking food slid through along with a letter.

"Impa, how could you?!" Zelda screamed out as the footsteps moved silently away. Ripping open the letter, Zelda scanned through its contents with horror. It was Impa's own handwriting. It was a long scathing letter, coming across unusually emotional for a formal document and slightly disjointed too. It read of how Zelda was not fit to rule, how she knew of a potential attack last night and did not take precautions to keep Hyrulians safe. How she was recklessly getting drunk and fraternising with a knight she favoured more than others and her own people. It also stated that later that day, she would give an official address to step down as Queen of Hyrule. Zelda was trembling as she read through it…and yet…a small insignia at the bottom caught her eye and calmed her.

It was the Triforce, which was often used to mark official royal correspondence. However, it had a barely visible passage of unusual text underneath. "Hylia, grant us the Power to use our Wisdom Courageously". Scanning over the letter again, Zelda noticed faint markings that would only be familiar with herself and Impa…and then she knew everything was not as it appeared. A Triforce Cipher! Zelda had not used one of these since she was a little girl. It was quite simple once you knew the secret. She saw the faint markings in the letter as the points of each piece of the Triforce. All she had to do was connect the markings with a line in the order given. Whatever letters the line struck through would spell out a secret message. It was a particular favourite for Zelda and Impa as young girls to pass mischievous messages and arrange secret meetings together.

She had never had a cipher this large but the scholar in her got to work. Working out the message however, brought her no comfort...only horror. "Castle, Cursed, Darkness" read the Triforce of Power. "Drink, Signal, Escape" read the Triforce of Wisdom. It was however, the Triforce of Courage that really had Zelda worried. She kept poring over the cipher again and again. "Robbie…Kidnap…Beasts". Robbie has been kidnapped?! But why? Despite the ambiguity of the word 'Beasts', Zelda knew it could only mean one thing…and it was bad.

Far away…somewhere dark, Bloodwin sat at the head of a large table, his eyes closed and a contented expression on his face. His right hand rubbed gently against a painful wound on his left arm. He was being watched by several dark hooded individuals, including his female companion. An ominous silence hung heavily over the air, before one of the hooded individuals spoke. "So, are you going to explain to us just what exactly was going through your mind last night?!". Bloodwin grinned excitedly.

"I wouldn't exactly call this funny!" the figure exclaimed. "Vorous, watch your tone!" the female warned. "Why should he Sorcia?" another figure shot back. "We are the last of our kind! Last night was reckless and places us all in danger! You are the only one of us supposedly gifted enough with a link to Lord Ganondorf, your demise could have cost us everything!". Bloodwin stood up abruptly, a contented look still drawn across his face. "And yet Daragon, here I stand and here we are closer than ever before to succeeding".

"It was Lord Ganondorf's plan that we attack the castle" he continued softly. "?! Since when?!" several angered voices rang out. "Since a couple of months ago" Bloodwin beamed triumphantly. The figure known as Vorous rose to his feet in anger. "You dare jeopardise our existence and have the arrogance to not tell us?! Besides, Calamity Ganon still did not work! In fact, nothing he has supposedly told you from day one, has been a success in bringing this kingdom down! Let us face it, maybe Lord Ganondorf isn't the man we tho"-

Bloodwin's arm whipped out as a long tendril and slammed Vorous against a wall in a brutal rebuke. With a terrifying roar, Vorous transformed into a vicious snarling beast and launched himself towards Bloodwin. A purple lightning like bolt shot out, paralysing him as Sorcia lowered her hand. "That is enough you two!" she yelled. "Quite right my dear!" Bloodwin said with a smile. "For the love of darkness Bloodwin, just tell them before we all end up killing eachother!" she scolded.

"Very well", Bloodwin said soaking up the anticipation of the room. "As we all know, we hit a slight…snag with the Divine Beasts". "That is an understatement!", Vorous said now in normal form and rubbing the back of his head angrily. "Vah Ruta nearly killed us and promptly retreated and now they are gone, all of them! Just one in a long line of failed plans!". "Bloodwin leaned forwards across the table with a knowing grin on his face. "Oh…but are they?". Vorous looked mildly captivated now. "Behold!" Bloodwin declared beckoning with his hand.

The small grotesque hand appeared, leaping onto the table and scuttling over to the crystal orb which rested on the table in front of Bloodwin. Latching onto the orb it fell backwards, so the grasped orb was now facing upwards. An eerie purple light illuminated the orb and lit up the room. Images were now projected of four provinces in Hyrule: Tabantha, Eldin, Lanyru and the Gerudo Wasteland. Suddenly the room filled with deafening shrieks and one by one…each of the Divine Beasts groaned into view. "How?!" Vorous asked, not being able to stifle his intrigue.

"They are trained to a fault!" Bloodwin said with a wicked smile. "The minute a little bit of malice-based drama happens within the castle, a distress signal is sent…and our little beasties come running!". He continued. "Naturally, Calamity Ganon requires a level of energy Lord Ganondorf simply cannot muster at this time…so I decided to improvise on a far smaller scale". "What makes you think this will even work? We cannot approach them, there is no telling they will stick around and even if we could then what?" a grotesque, decrepit looking man who was silent up until now peered out at Bloodwin. "Ah Necrus thank you for reminding me, I almost forgot!" Bloodwin exclaimed. "Sorcia, be a dear and bring in our surprise guest, would you?"

Sorcia left the room and promptly returned hauling a struggling blinded figure which she threw callously to the ground. Moving slowly towards the figure he pulled off the blindfold swiftly to reveal the apprehensive face of Robbie. Much like Impa, he had the face of someone far older at one point but his dabbling in the now successful anti-ageing rune meant he was his youthful self once more. He carried a quirky air about him.

~Robbie~

Eccentric technical whizz

"Okay fellas and... lady", he said awkwardly to Sorcia. "Not sure what this misunderstanding is all about, happy to resolve and be on my way…not that your hospitality is dreadful or anything" he chuckled light heartedly before his smile faded. "Why do I get the feeling that I am miscalculating the effects of my charm here?". "Okay…why… kidnap this pathetic excuse of a Sheikah male?" Vorous questioned coldly. "Yes, why indeed?" Robbie said nervously, "this must have been a mistake, just let me be on my way and we'll say no more". Bloodwin stooped down smiling at Robbie.

"This Sheikah is far from pathetic…he is a genius, and he can help us". "Well, I mean I'll take the compliment, but I am not sure I can help you!" Robbie said at an attempt to be cheery. However, he began to feel mildly anxious as he caught sight of the projected images behind Bloodwin. "The Divine Beasts" Bloodwin confirmed softly. "What…about them?" Robbie replied cautiously. "I want you to help us harness them!" Bloodwin announced.

Robbie laughed nervously. "You guys are really doolaley if you think I am able to help you with that…". Bloodwin beamed at him. "Oh Robbie why not? You know now what they truly are, why is this beyond your genius?". "How…do you know my name?" Robbie said anxiously. "Oh, I know a lot more than just your name Robbie" Bloodwin said creepily. "I have been watching you for a long, long time. Like your father, grandfather, great grandfather, so on and so forth". "You really expect me to buy that?" Robbie said defiantly.

"Why not?" Bloodwin quizzed. "Because no one on Hylia's good green ground can live that long!" he retorted. "I beg to differ" Bloodwin hissed. "You have been doing a fine job of defying your own mortality. The anti-ageing rune is simply fantastic isn't it? Best bit of magic we ever forged". "You expect me to bel"- Bloodwin raised a hand to silence him.

"We are not here to engage in a casual conversation Robbie. I need to know your hypothesis". "I have no idea what you are going on about!" Robbie lied. Bloodwin took a deep frustrated breath. "Then let me remind you Sheikah worm!" he seethed. "You have spent your entire life being fascinated with ancient technology. As a child you simply could not learn enough about it. You were so proud that you descended from a long line of Sheikah magical and engineering geniuses, the 'pioneers of the guardians'".

"When the guardians were unearthed, you were absolutely captivated. You wanted so badly to understand how the mechanical warriors functioned. So, when the Calamity descended upon Hyrule you had no shortage of 'test subjects'". He began to circle Robbie slowly, who shifted uncomfortably. "Yet, it soon became apparent you had to care less about how they worked and instead had to start forging weapons to slay them".

"However..." Bloodwin continued. "During these recent quieter times, you really upped your research behind the back of your new Queen in waiting, despite her order for you to destroy all ancient technology!". Bloodwin and the rest of the people laughed. "Such defiance! But I guess this behaviour is to be expected when under the rule of a Royal Imposter". "Where are you going with this?!" Robbie said defensively…even though he had a gut feeling. "You know, Robbie" Bloodwin said softly. "You were studying the ancient core, the one piece of a guardian that truly eluded your understanding. Its 'heart' if you will". Robbie started to feel his stomach tie in knots, as he knew a very dark secret was about to be exposed.

"You didn't understand where the core got its power and was only able to infuse weapons by using what your ancestors had gifted to you. However, you wanted so badly to understand how the Calamity was seemingly able to 'possess' those lifeless machines. So, you conducted your research in secret. Then, one fateful night, you stayed late at your lab as you had done many nights before. Calling it a night, you made your way out to extinguish the furnace. However, in your tired daze you tripped. The core fell out of your satchel and tumbled down the hill, you held your breath waiting for a volatile explosion. Yet, it never came. The core simply smashed to smithereens on the rocks below". Bloodwin leaned in and his voice got lower and quieter.

"And then, you discovered from the core's remains?" he whispered. Robbie gulped "L-l". "Yes. Go on…say it" Bloodwin hissed. "Luminous stones" Robbie replied, shutting his eyes and lowering his head in shame. "There we have it!" Bloodwin said coldly. "Luminous stones!" he declared. "Known to the most ignorant as being 'strange stones that are rumoured to contain the spirits of the dead'. Little do those fools know, they actually do! The spirits of a long-fallen race of proud warriors, who were wiped out during a great catastrophe countless aeon ago. Their sprits imprisoned in raw magical energy by an ancient divine curse!".

Bloodwin pointed angrily at a cowering Robbie. "Your ancestors…knew this. In one last bitter insult, they used the energy of the trapped spirits of those proud warriors to power their machines and take on the Calamity. They wove the stones into fabrics and armour and crafted statues and jewellery just for the appeal of their 'glow', bartered with them!". "I was troubled to find out it was real!" Robbie pleaded. "It is way too late for an apology!" Bloodwin hissed. "However, you now know through this, that the Divine Beasts are somewhat sentient…and you are going to help me find out how to help them switch sides!".