Loud clangs of clashing metal, explosions and crashes from magical attacks, and bolts of electricity and energy were all that could be seen and heard, the normally dark quiet nights her people use to enjoy being shattered, the village turned into a battlefield between her people and the more technologically advanced, but magically inferior people that bowed down to a coward of a King. Her people had an agreement with him, they would stay in their villages, far away from his Kingdom and in return he would not try to seize their lands...but he went back on his word. The King, like many others in his Kingdom, became wary of her people's power, as not even the greatest of the Kingdom's sorcerer's even came close to rivaling the strength of a novice magic user of her race.
"Reyna! Reyna!" a voice called out.
"I'm here!" she responded, finding her brother approaching.
"We're going to head south, the Kingdom of the Lokomo doesn't extend that far." he answered.
"But...what of his father?" Reyna asked, looking down at the infant in her arms.
"Reyna...I'm sorry." her brother said.
"It's...we must go." she replied, fighting back tears.
The two began forward, making their way close to rock face, hoping not to be seen in the shadows.
"Have you named him yet?" he brother asked.
"We didn't have the chance...before they attacked." she answered.
"Well, while we make our way out the village, try to think of one." he replied with a small smile, attempting to keep his sister's mind away from what was happening.
"There!" a voice called out, a group of heavily armored Lokomo soldiers beginning to give chase.
Reyna raised her left arm, using the other to hold her child, her brother raising both of his, blasts of energy quickly dispatching their attackers, but from where they came, more followed.
"Damn! Damn the King! He...he sent his entire army...there's too many!" her brother yelled.
"Do you have enough energy to teleport away?" Reyna asked.
"We wouldn't get far, the Lokomo sorcerers set up an energy field preventing trans-location spells, it's strong enough to hinder even us." he replied calmly, stepping in front of her, spreading his arms. "Go, don't look back." he said.
"No...no! You can't! We can get away! All of us! Please!" she called out frantically, tears running down her cheeks.
"Go! For your child, for your husband. Teach him of our people...and what happened to us." he said solemnly.
Reyna nodded, closing her eyes tightly as turned away, running off into the night as her brother summoned all of his remaining energy, detonating it from inside of himself, killing all who gave chase.
The moon was low and the sun had started to crest the horizon when Reyna was sure she had made it far enough. She leaned against a rock face, a tear falling as she looked down at her child. They were the last of their people as far as she knew, the rest wiped out by others driven by fear and greed. She stroked her child's face with two fingers as he began to stir, opening his eyes, his orange irises meeting hers.
"I will raise you to be the strongest of warriors, the greatest of sorcerers, and to be the one who will avenge our people...you will carry on the legacy of the Kanthosians...I name you Kanthos in our people's honor."
oOo
Mathias looked around, never would he have expected to find himself in this position. Behind him and army of monsters and entranced foreign warriors followed, two lines of Black Knights in front of them, their footsteps thundering into the night air. He had been put in charge of laying siege to Castle Town's southern side, while also guarding the lake behind the Castle to make sure none escaped through there.
"Having second thoughts, Knight?" Shilara sneered at him.
"Don't you...you know...have your own legion to lead?" Mathias answered.
"I don't have to show them how to walk, do I?!" she shouted. "Now answer me! Any second thoughts? You going to be betray us?" she shot.
"Get back to leading your troops!" Kanthos yelled as he swooped in, landing heavily on the ground.
"You might be my brother's general, but you can't command me!" the Gerudo woman retorted.
"Maybe not, but your brother can, the order comes straight from Lord Ganondorf himself. Now, go make sure your soldiers don't get rowdy in your absence, I hear Dinolfos and Lizalfos have a taste for human flesh...and because the spell we used to capture the human soldier's minds forbids them to fight back against their "allies"...they'd be easy prey. I wonder what Lord Ganondorf would think of his sister allowing his soldiers to eat each other." he said calmly.
"Damn." Shilara said as she realized the truth in Kanthos' words. "This isn't over!" she said before teleporting away.
"Worry not, I know you follow us...for you have no where else to go." Kanthos said, shooting a glance at Mathias.
"So what's the plan?" the former Knight replied with a quick glare.
"It's already been in action for weeks, the Hylians just haven't realized it, we planted the seeds of rebellion against the royal family in the city using House Gavan...who's patriarch was killed by the former Labrynnian Prince. It wasn't hard to get them on our side after he joined the Hero's band of jesters and was pardoned on all charges." he said, beginning to laugh.
"What about this is funny to you? We're marching off to take over the most powerful of the five lands." Mathias answered.
"It's just the fact that using House Gavan, we were able to sway their Minister of Sorcery into rebelling and attacking the Princess and Hero. He believed that with them gone, House Gavan would ascend to the throne...which they thought, and probably still think will happen after we take Hyrule." Kanthos replied.
"Kain Tonbridge...attacked the Princess?" Mathias asked in awe.
"Don't be so surprised, any man will turn against his leaders if offered a sufficient reward, that is one of the things I love about this land, so many righteous but corruptible individuals...and you my friend, are no different. All we had to do was offer you freedom and your life and you turned against your Kingdom in an instant." Kanthos answered.
"Careful, or I might give you a scar to compliment the one the Hero gave you." Mathias threatened, partially drawing his blade.
"Don't be ridiculous, I know you won't do it and even if you tried I can stop you before your blade even leaves it's sheathe." Kanthos said, a threatening tone in his voice.
"Fine." Mathias answered. "Why are we walking anyway? Can't "Lord Ganondorf" just teleport us all there?".
"That's another thing." Kanthos said with a smile. "Before his death at the hands of the Princess, the Minister unwittingly aided us in creating a subterranean network of tunnels in Hyrule field, having soldiers from house Gavan scrawl sigils into the ceiling of each tunnel to create a dead zone that would allow no teleportation...so the Princess and her brother couldn't escape him. Afterwards it was easy work for Lord Ganondorf to strengthen the existing dead zone so no one can escape." Kanthos said with a laugh.
"That's...ingenious." Mathias answered, fighting to the urge to call it "evil" instead.
"Do yourself a favor and be a loyal soldier...you see, you and I are alike, we fight against a corrupt Kingdom that has no regard for it's own people, we want to bring them to justice. I would hate to lose you because you just couldn't keep your allegiances straight." Kanthos warned before taking to the air again, watching over the marching legions.
"Well, that was a thinly veiled warning." Mathias muttered. The former Hylian Knight looked down at his set of armor, before returning to Hyrule from Kanthos' native land, Ganon had crafted all of his generals, including he and Oreck, new suits of armor made up of dark grey plating that was studded with golden spikes, and on the chest, an inverted crimson depiction of the Triforce. Mathias looked up, tightening his grip on his blade as he marched on, the thunder of thousands of feet behind him. All of his life he'd been but a servant to the royal family, but now he was to be their conqueror.
oOo
Zelda held her head in her hands as Captain Viscen, Impa, Oren, Lemuria, and Audrik bickered, Naora, Kyra, Saria, Cia and Trystane standing by awkwardly.
"You had no right to let her do this!" Impa called.
"You would've gone if she asked." Lemuria responded.
"Your mother is her guardian, you are not!" Oren said.
"Reckless child, could have lost some men to that monster because of you." Viscen accused.
"What did you just say to my daughter?" Impa said.
"I said..." Viscen began.
"You will say nothing." Oren warned.
"You all should be quiet, we gained some knowledge about the evil forest spirit from this, did we not?" Audrik asked.
"That's not the point!" Oren called.
"Are they always like this?" Naora asked quietly.
"Essentially." Saria answered.
"Brace yourselves." Cia warned, everyone looking to her confusedly as Zelda stood, pounding both fists upon her desk.
"Enough!" the Princess shouted, the orbs of light in the room flickering. "What Lemuria did was under my orders and she was in no position to disobey me. Besides, my brother is correct, I needed to know who the Baga Tree supported, and now I do." Zelda said, Audrik giving a triumphant grin.
The room fell silent as all looked upon Zelda, the Princess having taken to her feet. "Cia, Sir Trystane, what news do you bring of the fight for Gamelon?" she asked, the entire room turning to the Knight and the Sorceress.
The two exchanged apprehensive glances before Trystane stepped forward.
"Your Highness, I regret to inform you that...the joint naval force suffered a decisive loss to the enemy forces...they brought some type of creature...it tore through us like parchment." he said, gritting his teeth.
"It was a Gyorg, a beast thought by most to be only a thing of myth, but they are in fact real." Cia answered. "They were prevalent around the Great Bay in what is now Termina hundreds of years ago when I was a young girl in Ikana."
"What of the battle on land?" Zelda asked, a pit forming in her stomach.
"We are unsure...our ship was destroyed and we were forced to escape before we could see the outcome." Trystane replied. "I apologize for running, I know I should have stayed, we just..." he began, Cia cutting him off.
"We believe Ganondorf was using the battle as a distraction, and was sending the majority of his forces here while the majority of yours were gone." Cia explained.
Zelda kept a calm exterior, but her insides felt as if they were twisting, Cia was more than likely right, she couldn't believe she'd been so foolish. "Viscen, how many men do we have in the city right now?" she asked.
"We have one-thousand-five-hundred at the moment, off and on duty, but if I have the time, I could pull some men from the outlying areas, I know for a fact that the Lanayru Province Guard numbers just above five-hundred." he answered.
"Go, now, find as many as you can willing to fight." Zelda said.
"At once." Viscen answered, taking a bow before leaving with the two guards that stood by the doors.
"Princess, you should leave while you can, we'll see to it you make it out safely." Impa said.
"No, I will not run this time! I will lead our forces into battle, I won't let Ganondorf think for one moment I'm afraid to face him! In our last lifetime, Link and I abandoned Castle Town while Ganon's forces overran it, I swore to myself on that day that I would never do so again, no matter how many lives I live." she said.
"What about them?" Oren asked, gesturing towards Naora, Saria, and Kyra. "They and my wife are Sages, but they can do nothing without their complete number...we are still missing the Sage of Fire, are we not?" he asked.
Zelda snapped her head towards Impa. "He knows you're a Sage?" she asked.
"I also know she's the original Impa, reborn throughout the ages." Oren added.
"I figured it was best if he knew, it may complicate things if he did not." Impa responded.
"Very well...you do have a point though, Oren. Naora, Princess Kyra, Saria, and even you Impa, will be evacuated from the city to the Death Mountain, from what I know they haven't been attacked and since Ganondorf's last invasion, the Gorons fortified themselves against such a thing." the Princess said.
"Not a chance!" Impa shouted. "You are my charge, my purpose, I've seen you as my own family for all of these centuries! I refuse to leave you! I cannot leave you!"
"It's for the best." Audrik said, breaking his silence. "We can't afford to lose you Sages, and without the Sage of Fire, you can't perform your imprisoning ritual on Ganon."
"I refuse to leave also, if my betrothed is coming, I'd much like to pay him back from throwing me from a Castle wall." Naora said.
"I can't leave either...the Great Deku Tree is here, I must stay with him and my people." Saria added.
"My decision is final, you are all too valuable to lose. Besides, I plan to win this battle, you can be assured that the Deku Tree will be safe." Zelda promised the Kokiri girl.
"What of Elgon, you let him run around the five lands with the Hero fighting evil where it rears it's head." Impa asked.
"Those were smaller engagements in which his safety was all but assured, but next I see him, he will be sent to safety until the Sage of Fire is found." Zelda responded.
"Princess, I-" Impa began.
"You are dismissed, gather the rest of the Sheikah and head towards Death Mountain, I would not like to lose any of your people that remain as well I as I would like them to be there to assure your safety along with that of the other Sages." she explained.
Impa obeyed begrudgingly, taking Oren and Lemuria with her.
"I apologize I have not had the chance for a formal introduction, but I thank you for saving my attendant Lemuria and I." Zelda said, turning her attention to Naora and Kyra. "It's not everyday I have a Gerudo woman and a Zora Princess in my study."
"You know who I am?" Kyra asked.
"Of course, we met in Zora's domain when you were younger, I was there on a trip with my father." she said. "Worry not if you do not recall, you were quite young at the time."
"And you're not worried about my loyalties?" Naora asked.
"The fact you're here with us is all the assurance I need, besides, I sense no darkness in you." Zelda said with a small smile.
"If I may interject for just moment...you were Ganondorf's wife, were you not?" Audrik asked.
"I see where this is going." Naora said derisively. I know nothing of his plans, he never told any of us a thing until the day of." Naora replied.
"Oh...well...needless to say I was hoping for better." the Prince said, earning a glare from the Gerudo woman.
"How did you know where to find us, anyway?" Zelda asked.
"Impa and I brought Naora and Kyra to your study to meet with you, but when you were not here, I was able to pick up a trace of the spell you used. We followed as we realized we had not heard from you in a while, and it's a good thing we did." Saria answered.
"Indeed, I owe you my life once again." she said. "Now, you are all dismissed, Sages, take anything you may need and prepare to leave at once, Sir Trystane, Cia, use this time to prepare yourselves, if what you say is correct, a storm approaches quickly."
oOo
Cia walked briskly down the hall as Trystane followed doing his best to keep up.
"Cia, wait, we need to speak." he said.
"Of what, Sir Trystane?" she answered.
"What happened in the forest...after the Black Knight had..taken my life." he said.
"Yes, and what about it?" Cia asked agitatedly.
"I must know...why did you do it?" he asked.
"It was a spur of the moment action, you mustn't let yourself dwell on it." she said.
"But you didn't just save my life, you brought me back from the other side, an act like that must mean something." he pressed.
"Are trying to say that you believe me to be in love with you?" she asked.
"I well, understand if you're afraid to become close to someone again." The Knight added.
"Fine." Cia groaned. "In that moment I felt something for you, the way you fought alongside me, and the way you protected me from the Black Knight made me feel something I have't felt for someone in years...but now is not the time for this." she said, turning away.
"There's something else, I can tell." Trystane replied.
Cia grit her teeth, scowling as she turned. "You are correct, there is something else, I wanted to spare you the truth until I was sure, but you persistence has won out." she said. "In that moment, I lost control of the Gate of Souls, something I haven't done in years. I just wanted to bring you back...which I did, but not of my own intent, my emotions opened the portal, I did not." she explained.
"But what of it? I am back, am I not?" he asked.
"When I consciously open the Gate of Souls, I can control what comes through, but when I brought your spirit back, I fear something may have grabbed on when you reemerged into the living world." Cia replied.
"But if it had, wouldn't you know?" the Knight asked.
"Some spirits have a way of hiding in one's subconscious until they're strong enough to take control, it's nearly impossible to tell the difference between their host's essence and theirs in this state." Cia responded.
Trystane attempted to form a reply, but his mind froze as he heard a shouting from down the hall.
"What's this, now?" Cia asked.
Captain Viscen tore around the corner, Minister Hawkwood in tow.
"We're too late, they're here."
oOo
Oreck in his Goht form trudged up beside Shilara and Mathias, Ganondorf and Kanthos to the left of them.
"Wonderful night for bloodshed, is it not?" Shilara asked excitedly.
"I suppose." Mathias answered.
"That's what you came to my land for." Kanthos observed as he looked down at the diamond shaped silver object Ganon held.
"Indeed it is." Ganon responded.
"You said it was a key, right?" Oreck asked.
"Yes, it has...many functions." Ganondorf said with a smile, narrowing his black, crimson centered eyes.
"What does it unlock?" Kanthos asked.
"You will see soon enough." Ganondorf said with a grin. "But for now, we have a job to do. Ghirahim is most likely at the eastern gate by now."
Kanthos lifted his arm, shooting a bright red ball of energy into the air.
oOo
"What is it?" a guard asked.
"Looks like some sort of signal." the other answered before both had their throats slit from behind.
"Let the other's know the signal has been sent, tonight house Gavan takes the throne." their killer, one of their own, shouted to another guard.
oOo
Zelda tied her hair back tightly before slipping a Knight's helm over her head, fastening it.
"I'd say this is the first time these men have seen such a thing." Trystane said.
"A woman wearing armor?" Zelda asked.
"No, a ruler leading them into battle." he said with a grin.
"I've fought many wars." Cia said. "In Ikana men and women were of equal standing, we all fought for what was right." she added, adjusting her own helmet.
"Princess! Princess!" a guard yelled as he ran into the courtyard.
"I'm here!" Zelda shouted.
"My lady." the man said as he took a knee. "There are turncoats within our walls, bannermen of Rickard Gavan have turned against us." the man explained.
"Those scum." Trystane growled.
In the distance the towers that supplied the forcefield around the city with energy were toppled whilst some cannons and ballistas were turned, launching projectiles into the city.
"Thank you, soldier." Zelda said, waving her arm towards the Castle's gate. "Everyone, move out now!" she yelled, the force thundering after here as she exited the courtyard and made her way into the streets. Chaos had taken hold as the forcefield flickered above them, projectiles from outside exploding against it as it weakened, citizens running as some of Castle Town's own guards set buildings ablaze and struck down civilians. "Stop them!" Zelda called out.
The guards around her fanned out, the clanging of metal and screams of men meeting her ears as her forces set out against those of house Gavan.
"We need to regain control of the cannons and ballistas." Viscen said as he caught up.
"That will be taken care of...but what we need right now is to stop those who are outside from getting in, I will lead the offensive from the North gate, Viscen, you will take the east, and Trystane, you the west, best of luck." she said as Trystane and Viscen bowed and broke off, followed by a force of five hundred soldiers each.
"What of me?" Cia asked.
"You will fight by my side, we Sorceresses are stronger together." the Princess answered.
oOo
Hello everyone, this chapter has been in the works for a while, but has finally been finished up!
Decided I'd include a look into Kanthos' past and why it is he so eagerly serves Ganondorf. Aside from that, the battle has begun, Zelda, Cia, Trystane and Viscen are forced to defend their city from Ganondorf, whose plans are underway at long last.
Now onto reviews.
Gerudospirit: I'm glad you found Ganon's internal conflict between his pre and post remembrance sides. Only time will tell if Ganondorf is can find peace and redeem himself. Anyways, yes, back to Hyrule we are! I hope you enjoyed the chapter and thank you for the review!
Axcel: You do have a point, maybe era isn't the correct term. When I say Link and Zelda struggle to adapt to the period their living in, I'm mostly talking about societal and sociological changes in people rather than the advancement of technology. People act differently, speak differently, dress differently and even though technology hasn't changed very much the size of the cities and towns around them have. Maybe I haven't adequately described the new time they live in, but I feel it's not too much of a stretch to say that no matter what, there's always going to be something that's difficult to adapt to for everyone. Thank you for the review! I hope you're enjoying the read!
Alright everyone! Thank you for checking those favorite and follow boxes, it means a lot to me! Please don't forget to review! Hearing what you have to say always makes my day and helps me evolve as a writer!
Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
-Prometheus17