Chapter 2

The Eating Madness

Link was stirred from his slumber as a bright light punched a hole into his dark room. He felt something laying beside him, when looking over he smiles. A familiar red Zora sleeps beside him, he gently shakes her wake.

"Mipha… Mipha, we need to get up, or else someone will notice," said Link

Mipha slowly looked at Link rubbing her eye, frowning. "Five more minutes?" She asked

"I wish, but we must get up, but when the Calamity is defeated I promise we won't have to hide our relationship," reinsured Link. As he got out of bed, and started to dress himself. While Mipha slowly moved out of bed and begun putting on her jewelry and Champion garments.

After getting ready Mipha and Link made their way to the dining hall where the rest of the Champions awaited them.

"Sleeping late again," retorted Urbosa. Both Mipha and Link said nothing, and quickly sat down.

"Well I did manage to find another report from Archivist Mike Langast, before breakfast was made," informed Zelda as she held another small leather bound book in her hand.

"Well go on read it," eagerly asked Daruk. As Zelda opened the book and started to read aloud.

•=•=•=•=•

Archivist Mike Langast. Date 8/3/1,515

ill health has taken me, I've confined myself to my home out of fear that I'll spread this curse. I have many regrets and mistakes I've made, but now I'll die. Not of old age, but because of that bloody Crallak… I should start from the beginning.

The date was 1/3/1,515. I was sent on a new assignment, I would accompany a group of explorers who were planning to chart the sea (and hopefully the rest of our world) the one leading the charge was known as Captain Pat and his ship Dervish. We sailed across the ocean recording all that we've found, until a month later when we came across an island far south of Hyrule. The people there were similar to hylians, they called themselves humans, and they were suffering from some sort of disease. While anchored off their cost we decided to aid them as much as we can. I was tasked to identify the disease, and what I found baffled me. It wasn't just a singular disease, if fact it was multiple, dozens that I could identify and dozens of that I couldn't. When talking to the chief of the village he said that the worst of the sick were burned, for when they died they would rise again. Which was impossible (I now know otherwise).

The chief told both me and Captain Pat about the forbidden zone, which was located off the island's southern coast. Both me and Captain Pat were intrigued by this forbidden zone, when asking why it's forbidden the chief told us that is how all of this started. A fisherman went into the forbidden zone and when he returned the diseases started. Wanting to get to the bottom of this me and Captain Pat decided to take his ship and explore this forbidden zone. (I hate my curiosity, and my hunger for knowledge).

We could tell when we entered the forbidden zone, the water turned from it's vibrant blue to a clouded light brown that gave most of us an eerie feeling. As we continued deeper into the zone we could notice any life would be dead and floating at the surface of the water, but I believe far more lies below. I began to notice as we grew deeper into the forbidden zone that the fish in the water started to mutate and change into horrible monstorits. After a full day of sailing we made it to the middle of the forbidden zone, we were hoping to have found something but all we could see was open water. So we thought whatever was causing this must be on the ocean floor. So we debated what to do, we lacked the equipment to explore the ocean floor, but wanted to help the people so for the timing being we anchored down and stayed the night in the middle of the forbidden zone. Some of the crew seemed uneasy, others seemed drawn to the water, out of fear of infection we locked those that wanted into the water in the brig.

I didn't sleep much, too much on my mind, so early in the morning I made my way up to the deck and noticed that we,ve moved out of the center of the forbidden zone. This was impossible considering we're anchored, then it hit me like a bokoblin, the zone was moving. I gave a quick shout and we started to hoist the anchor

and began to chase the center. The crew in the brig were still acting erratic, still trying to enter the water.

Once we entered what we thought was the center is when all hell broke loose. I don't know how but one of the erratic crewmen broke loose and started a fire on the ship. By the time we noticed, it became an inferno no matter what we did we couldn't put it out (I now think it was supernatural fire). We quickly started to prepare our rowboats, filling it with supplies we could save. Again somehow the possessed crewmen got out and started throwing themselves off into the water. Either by fate or by bad luck one of the possessed crew members knocked me over.

I quickly held my breath as I entered the water, not wanting to ingest any of the infected water. As I opened my eyes I could quickly see how murky it was, my eyes burned, but I kept them open, and that is when I saw it. Lurking in the water was a Crallak, I knew this creature by heart, but something felt off about this one. As I took a close look I started to make out details.

Three sickly green eyes looked at me, each eye seemed to be 60ft in diameter, their singular black slit more prominent. I could see some blood seeping out from behind one of the eyes. The bone-like horns seemed normal except for the few cracked or broken ones. then I noticed the scales were a brown color, which seemed unhealthy, I nearly threw up as I examined further. The skin and scales of it were rotting away, I could see some of the muscles, bones and one of the eye seems to be falling out.

Its mouth seemed to form a smile, I watched as some of the teeth ripped though it's own skin. I then focused on it's jaw, a portion of it had rotten away and only the bone remained, some sort of brown mist or fog poured out of the hole. I could also see the tongue moving in the mouth. I wish I could see more of the beast but I could only see the head.

It's maw opened as more of the fog poured out, it's tongue moving more erratically. I thought this mindless beast was going to eat me (I wish it did) then something miraculous happened. A voice filled my head, a sickly raspy voice (I still remember it's words).

"You're one from the burning ship, one we haven't seen before," it spoke. "Can I eat it?" "No!" "We can use it, we can experiment on it and make it perfect like us."

I had to take a moment, it's mouth wasn't moving so indeed it was speaking to me within my own mind. Furthermore were there three different personalities? And what did it mean by perfect, it seemed sick. Wait, It seemed to take offense to that, could it read my thoughts?

"Yes, we can," It confirmed

"what is your name?" I thought.

"We're Nurk," it replied "we can make you perfect." "Or we could eat you for your comment on us being sick" "yes, we aren't sick, but perfect."

I didn't need to ask why it was killing the villagers with diseases, it was doing it because it thought it was making them perfect. I guess Crallaks are intelligent and this one seemed to be eaten by madness. I needed air, and furthermore I'd seem to be agitating it more. When I broke the surface I could see the rowboat in the water, and one came over to me and pulled me aboard. I noticed Captain Pat and I quickly told him what I saw.

Unfortunately for us we had no idea which way to row, so we all drifted together. Luck was not on our side as we noticed multiple crew mates growing ill. They would start to develop a rash similar to the brown rot from Nurk. After a couple of days they would start to scratch at it, they kept scratching until they started to bleep and kept going until they hit bone. The individual would grow more aggressive, and begin attacking others. So anyone who started to get aggressive we threw over and rowed away. I watch men, and teens kill themselves by scratching, or by our hands.

After 5 months only me and Captain Pat are left, and after a few more weeks we finally hit Hyrules coast. We both quickly got out of the boat and went our separate ways. I wasn't as lucky as I thought, the same rash and scratching is taking a hold of me. I must bandage myself regularly, if not I'll start digging into myself. I warn you, whoever is reading this, don't look for me, don't touch my blood. I am protecting Hyrule…

•=•=•=•=•

Revali pushed his plate away retorting "I'm full, can we get back to the library and forget this whole thing,"

Zelda nods, "yes we should, I think we're close to figure out way I can't use my powers. As for these Crallaks I believe Revali is right. We haven't seen one since, and this Archivist clearly is insane."

"What makes you say that Zelda?" Asked Mipha

"Later in this book," adds Zelda as she flipped through the book, occasionally touching some dried blood that was left on some of the pages. Zelda clears her throat…

•=•=•=•=•

Date… who care for a date anymore. What is a date, why.

I've been blacking out, and that cup of water everytime I look at, I see it, lurking just below the surface, calling out at me. It needs me, it wants me.

I stopped scratching, but I can't control my legs. Why should I care I never needed them. The voices are back whispering to me beckoning to the water…

•=•=•=•=•

"You're right, he did go insane," agreed Mipha.

"Then it's settled, Crallaks don't exist therefore no hylian could kill it," stated Revali as he stands. Zelda also stands

"We chould really get back to work," chimed Zelda. All the champions nodded and they make their way back to the library. Link notices Mipha is blankly staring off. Pulling her aside from the group studying, and in Revali's cast gloating.

"Mipha are you ok?" asked Link, who seemed extremely worried for Mipha.

"Yes I am, just thinking is all. I do agree with Zelda that Archivist Mike Langast went insane. But his first report. He was sane, so I believe Crallaks are real," confessed Mipha.

Link took a moment to think, he has never been good with words instead he prefers to be quiet. "If they are real, they aren't our concern right now. The Calamity is," said Link.

Mipha nods in agreement, but she can't shake the feeling like something is going to go wrong. She's trusting her gut, and she knows about the Crallak family. She knows they're real, because she talked to one of them. Link then brings her back to the rest of the group.

Upon their return Zelda began to cough uncontrollably. She continued to cough until she vomited up blood in her hands.

You've met Nurk, our third largest Crallak we've made. Also yes Crallak are sentient, intelligent creatures smarter than Hylains and Humans. We thank you all for the support so far.