Chapter 14

I felt itchy. I felt like bugs were all over me but anytime I flinched to swat them away, none were actually there. I scratched my arms raw just trying to make myself feel comfortable. I was alone and entirely lost in these thick woods, as I should be. I killed my best friend in front of my only family. I was a monster. How could I ever be trusted if it weren't in a deep dungeon alone somewhere?

These woods felt alive but barren. For as much as I felt the imaginary bugs, I also didn't notice any crickets or birds chirping. I was just alone. Maybe this is my dungeon. Maybe Hylia made this just for me.

"Well, Hylia, you finally did it! You got me somewhere far away from all the important people!" I shouted at the sky. My voice was shaky from crying. I eventually sat down and leaned against a small tree. I leaned my head up and began to sob.

"Is this what you wanted?!" I screamed, "if all I was supposed to do is hurt and destroy then why bother keeping me alive this long?"

"I wouldn't waste your time talking with her. She never listens." An eerie and maleficent voice spoke around me. It sounded familiar. I drew back my bow. It was a woman's voice, I could tell. It sounded old, patient, and lonely.

"Who are you?" I stood up slowly with my bow ready and looked around for a target.

"Please put your weapon down, Akomin." She said sternly, but she sounded a bit... humored.

"I really won't until you reveal yourself and tell me what you want."

"All I want-" she began and a twig shaped behind my tree. I turned my head to look and saw no one. But when I turned back a woman in dark clothing was gripping the end of my arrow from my bow. "-is to talk"

"About what?" I didn't put my arrow away. I kept it ready and she kept her hand there. She wasn't old, she was worn. Her skin had premature wrinkles, scars, and grey hairs forming on it. Her skin was a palish color I'd never seen. It looked as if someone left her out in the sun and drained all the blood from her body to remove the hue of red. Her mouth was wide but it looked like someone had stretched the skin to be that way. Her eyes were dark black pits. When she looked at me she gave a large toothy grin, a lot of her teeth were broken and stained. They looked sharp and ugly. Her clothes looked like layered dark cloaks that have been torn and abused over the years. While she looked bulky from the layers, her hands looked like a skeleton's. Every ligament, tendon, and bone was visible. The only part of her appearance that redeemed any essence of beauty was a necklace dangling from her neck. It was polished and glimmering in the light. It had two crystal-like triforces meeting together at one narrow tip, creating an hour-glass shape. Needless to say from this discription, I was frightened by her, but I didn't want to show it.

"...about you."

"Okay, there's a lot about me..." I stated.

"Why are you so sad?" She pretended to be concerned, but I could tell she was amused.

"Listen, lady. I don't want to talk with you. I have no idea who you are and you are honestly very uncomfortable to be around." I scolded. Her face flushed with a look of pure rage and then fell back to her excitement.

"Will it make you feel better to know my name?"

"Yes, and while you're at it can you tell me how you know mine?" I responded. I wasn't budging with my arrow firm in my bow.

"You're much more important than you've been told. Many of us have been waiting for you." She hissed the words at me in frustration. She was thinking about something else while she talked. When she realized I knew she had quickly gotten off-topic she glared at me and growled and then pridefully spoke. "My name is Gerudin. I am an ancient being and I have lived peacefully in the lost woods for decades. I have written many philosophies on society and how it targets those of us who don't deserve it." She let go of my arrow. "People see us as threats and believe us guilty until proven innocent" she looked away dramatically. Her own words resonated deeply with her.

"People don't like different," I said looking at the ground. She giggled a little to herself as she also looked down.

"But I know how to fix it! I came up with a society primarily of women. I know it's crazy but I found a way to use magic to limit the number of males that are born in this society. After a few generations, it could become a sustainable race of people." She looked thrilled to be talking about this. "The only downside is that the spell has a crack every 100 years. One naturally born male will be able to penetrate their way into the utopia, but it shouldn't ever be an issue if he is raised correctly. It's still just a concept, I hope someday people will enjoy it for themselves if I can't see it myself."

"I'm sorry, that sounds great and maybe one day you can. I'm just confused about what this has to do with me. Who else is waiting for me?" I interjected.

"You're right, I got off-topic." She looked around spastically as if trying to make sure no one was watching us. "Hylia has also been waiting for you since the destruction of Demise. She wants to use you as a weapon."

"A weapon for what?" I asked. I was uncomfortable thinking of Hylia in this way.

"Far off in Lanayru desert, there is a secret entrance to a city of demon folk. Innocent beings- related to your father- have been banished to live underground and hidden from the rest of the world for the sake of humans. She understands you are not close with the demons or your father, but you still maintain the blood connection and power to wipe the rest of the demon folk out with her help."

"I- I don't think Hylia would do that. " I rejected. Gerudin grinned as if she knew I would say that.

"The creatures and people of Demise are still the reason the humans have yet to colonize the surface. You have seen how her people treat the demons. They thought you were garbage. She just wanted you to be groomed to think like your human half."

"I guess that makes some sense," I mumbled to myself. It was hard to think that someone as wise and merciful as Hylia would just go and wipe out a whole race of people, but what I am being told makes sense according to my life experiences.

"So why have you been waiting for me?" I asked.

"Coincidentally for the opposite reason." She laughed with her screechy laugher. It felt burned into my ears. "I would like for you to reawaken Demise-"

"Ok lady, let me just stop you right there." I held up my hand to interrupt her. "You had me for the first part but there's no way you could persuade me to do that. I know what that dude is capable of, what he has done. There are tales and transcripts to prove it. You can drop that idea right there. Please don't try to tell me that the dude's name who is literally 'Demise' is actually a super good dude who loves peace and happiness."

"I won't forgive his recklessness from the past. He has gone down a dreadful path, but his destination is still that of good intention." She explained.

"Yeah, right." I sarcastically responded.

"Do you honestly believe the flawless story that the humans told you? After all, they've lied to you time and time again to protect their legacy." She made a good point. They lied about me, my parents, Groose, everything. "Are you willing to risk the lives of thousands based on an already corrupt story?"

No, I wasn't. I wasn't going to have anyone else die because of me...

"So what do I do?" I asked determined. She grinned a wide smile and walked close to me. She took one of her sharp nails and cut her lip slightly so it bled. She rubbed the blood over her lips like a gloss. She then leaned over and kissed my forehead. For whatever reason, it burned slightly. I got grossed out and immediately wiped her kiss mark off my face.

"Go to the top of the Goddess statue in the sealed grounds and I'll take care of the rest." She giggled. The very little light that covered this dense forest began to fade until it was pitch black.

I began to panic, but there was a glimmer in the distance coming towards me. It began to increase speed. I almost wanted to run but the darkness was much scarier. The light engulfed me and when it passed me I noticed I was outside the dense forest and in front of the Great Tree.

I began to walk towards the sealed grounds.