A/N: This chapter was revised as of 12/09/2020 - Polished, minor errors and typos fixed.
When Heroes Fall
By: Selphie Kinneas 175
Chapter 25: Mind Games
.:.
And it was just like old times.
Link sprung to meet the beast. No hesitation came to protest the movement his muscles had long since memorized. In the face of a monster one hundred times his size, he did not feel fear. Ren's eyes, however... his yellow eyes that did not belong to him, the familiarity gone, the plea for love and understanding snuffed out like a light... that terrified him.
But the beast threatening to rampage the quiet village of Kakariko cared not for the hero's personal problems. It had been summoned for the sheer purpose of destruction, and it would not stop until it, too, was snuffed out like a light.
Saliva dripped from its teeth, each one taller and wider than the hero and sharp enough to cut him in half before he could blink. It was a ball of pure, black evil. It had no features to speak of save its monstrous mouth and its limbs like whips – dozens of them. The monster chomped its massive teeth together in intimidation, but Link already saw an opportunity. He leapt up the beast's numerous tentacle-like legs and gained his bearings. It squirmed and swatted at him, but Link was fast. In two quick strokes, he hacked off the creature's front-most limb, and it withdrew with a shrill shriek of pain. Black liquid poured from the open wound, and as it recoiled, Link quickly dove in for another attack while it was weak.
But the beast was smarter than that.
As Link trudged through the gunk to slice off another limb, the octopus-like monster grabbed him in one of its tentacles. Link's arms caught at his sides and the beast tightened its grip. Link grunted against the pressure, but he clung tightly to the Master Sword. The blade dug into the flesh of his leg as the twilit beast grasped tighter and tighter, but he refused to drop it.
From beside the inn, Midna screamed at the beast, "Hey, ugly! Drop him!"
She lifted her hands and prepared to strike the beast with a powerful bolt of magic, but nothing happened. She stared at her hands and remembered her predicament with a defeated sigh, but she had already gotten the monster's attention. Sightlessly it turned to her, snarling its massive teeth but not loosening its grip on her hero. It released a deafening screech and, in a flash, it began scurrying toward her.
She panicked. She had no powers; she had no weapons. She looked around in a frenzy for anything she could use to defend herself. Standing before the inn, she feared it would plow straight through her and take her and the others out in one fell swoop. She quickly grabbed a rock and threw it square at the monster's head, but it was unfazed. It kicked up clouds of dust and destroyed everything in its path as it rampaged toward her with the intent to kill. Then Zelda emerged.
"Back, demon!" the queen yelled, and from her very being came a great, white light. The beast was stunned momentarily enough to loosen its grip, and Link spun the Master Sword in toward the monster and severed the limb that confined him. Zelda released with a heavy breath and clutched her heart in exasperation. Zelda fell to her knees and Midna knelt beside her with a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Link tumbled to the dirt as the creature screeched. Its rage erupted full force. Its veins ignited the color of fire, and with a wail that forced everyone to desperately cover their ears, it leapt up high into the air and came crashing down on top of one of the village's houses. The wood and brick crumbled beneath its strong limbs, and it continued to stomp and wreak destruction as the house further collapsed.
Link shook his head, shrugging off the painful ringing in his ears. He heard villagers screaming as some ran from the collapsing building, but more screams came from within. Link withdrew his bow and knocked an arrow. It soared through the air and pierced the demon in the side of its mushy head – it was unaffected.
Link shot another, and another, but this only annoyed the monster. It stopped thrashing just long enough to look in the hero's direction and emit another piercing screech. Link winced, but he did not give in. He knocked two arrows at once and aimed at the beast's gaping mouth. The monster silenced and gagged as both arrows struck the back of its throat. It froze, but Link knew it was not over.
It threw its head up to the sky and screamed, its many tentacles wriggled and flourished, showing its true, massive size. Link studied its every movement, and when its featureless face focused back on him, the hero prepared for it to nosedive him. It did, or at least, it started to. It began soaring full speed at the hero, but at the last second, it altered course for Midna and the inn. Midna's breath caught in her throat the second she realized, but Link was ready.
He ran, pumping his legs so hard they began moving of their own accord. He lobbied arrow after arrow as he went, hoping to slow it down, but it did no such thing. With only moments to spare, Link stood some strides before Midna, the Master Sword pointed forward. The beast's roaring, flailing momentum brought it upon the blade. Its open mouth engulfed the hero, but the steel sinking into the fleshy inside of its jugular brought the monster to a screeching halt. Realizing its predicament, it closed its mouth around the hero and gave a brain-numbing shriek.
Midna covered her ears but still screamed in fear, "Link!"
Link did not panic; he already had the killing blow – the beast was dying, it just did not want to accept it. Link pushed the sword in farther, blood and saliva drenching him as the beast wailed again. Link grunted as he used all his strength to twist the blade and continue driving it forward until flesh reached the hilt. The creature writhed and squealed in agony. It squirmed and struggled for release, and Link gave it quickly. He withdrew the Master Sword and plunged it once more. The twilit beast whimpered and met its end.
Midna hurried to the monster and many of the others rushed out from the inn. Link lifted the beast's top jaw with a strained grunt at the weight. He freed himself and tumbled to his knees. His loved ones rushed to his side with words of concern and anxious questions of what was to come, but Link got to his feet without a word. Grotesque, black blood and gore stained his clothes and his skin, and it matted his hair to his tired face. Despite this victory, in his dull eyes they saw only defeat. He sighed and ran dirty hands down his dirty face, and with open palms and a look of exhaustion, he wordlessly demanded their silence.
"Burn it," Link said, motioning to the dead beast, "I'm going to go wash in the spring," and he took his leave.
He stumbled a bit, the acknowledgment of the deep cut from the Master Sword in his thigh suddenly pelting him like a brick. He grasped it but continued on, blood dripping on the dirt as he went. Midna went to follow him, but Zelda grabbed her wrist. Midna turned to her ready to protest, but the tears at the queen's lashes stole Midna's breath. She had never seen Zelda cry.
"What is it?" Midna whispered.
Zelda glanced back at Link, and Midna required no further explanation. She knew from what Link had told her that the Triforce bonded her hero and the queen together in a way she herself did not understand. They could feel one another to their very core, their spirits intermingling and speaking to each other on a plane deeper than comprehension. They felt each other's feelings like an empath, especially when they were strong. Midna then knew Zelda's tears were not a product of her own emotions, but Link's. For his sadness to bring the queen to tears showed how truly overwhelming it was.
Zelda looked back at her friend, and Midna nodded in understanding. She let him go.
Renado and Luda were quick to check on the villagers who had been attacked. Some were fine, most were injured, and one did not make it out of the building before it crumbled on top of them. The others did as Link instructed. With their combined efforts, they dragged the carcass to the outskirts of town and lit a fire in its accursed flesh.
The sun set and dusk settled upon the village. No one spoke to each other for quite some time. Each had their own unique relationship with both Ren and Link, and to have witnessed the events that just transpired affected them all deeply. Renado and Luda took care of the wounded villagers, and Talo tried to distract himself with the company of his little girls. Shad and Ashei sat at the base of the stairs in the inn, neither uttering a sound. Rusl stood nearby, but Colin occupied the opposite side of the room. The blame Ren's uncle felt threatened to suffocate him. Zelda sat at the table with Emeline beside her. The princess' eyes shut tight, she retreated inward to see the unseeable. Midna stood at the window, watching over her hero from afar.
Link had long since finished washing. He had wrung his filthy clothes through the water and thrown his pants on soaking wet, waiting for the rest to dry. Enough time had passed that his tunic dried just enough, and he returned it to its home over his back, but he still did not return to the inn. He maintained his solitude for an amount of time that was agony to Midna. After he bound the cut on his leg, he sat facing the spirit's spring with spread knees and elbows rested atop them, the gentle waters delicately lapping at his feet.
He wanted to ask the spirit why. Why does such evil pervade the world time and time again? Why do you allow it? Why do the goddesses allow it? But he got no answer. He never did. It was why he stopped praying years ago. The goddesses answered his pleas only when it suited them. He had spent so much time lost in a doom of their making but where were they when he needed them? Nowhere to be found.
Why Ren? He wanted to ask, wanted to scream it. Why involve an innocent boy in some evil he should have no part of? Why a child so small the great schemers of the world cannot even see him? Why would the light spirit from its seat of power choose to watch such events transpire on its soil? Why would it not intervene? When the questions boiled over in Link's mind to the point where he was about to burst, he leapt to his feet and shouted at whoever would listen.
"Why?" he yelled, staring at the empty space above the waterfall, "I know you're there Eldin! Why would you watch that and do nothing? Why!"
Link shut his eyes and dug at his closed lids with the pads of his fingertips, a futile attempt at rubbing away the splitting migraine that rooted itself there. He reopened his eyes and just stared. Stared at absolutely nothing. Stared at the space he knew the light spirit occupied, but where no light spirit now came to greet him.
"Will you do nothing?" Link shouted, "You would sit there and allow evil to invade your land again?" Link scoffed sarcastically, "You would leave it all up to me again, wouldn't you?"
He stared again, and again no response came to him. He heard the murmurings of a passerby behind him, likely thinking he was mad. Link glanced over his shoulder at them and they scurried away. He gave one last silent scowl to the Spring of Eldin, gathered his things, and returned to the inn.
He entered with a grimace as he rubbed his sore neck. All eyes instantly fixed on him, and part of him wished he'd stayed at the spring; he had not the desire to answer the questions he knew they were all dying to ask.
"You okay, old chap?" Shad was the first to speak up.
Link nodded, "I'm fine. Is everyone okay?"
He glanced around the room and they all gave solemn nods.
"Renado's upstairs with Luda tending to the injured villagers," Rusl added.
"Good," Link sighed, wishing more than anything that he could just go upstairs and sleep. He caught Midna's understanding expression briefly before someone else spoke up.
"What's going to happen?" Talo asked, nerves heavy in his voice as he held Orielle on his knee.
Link opened his mouth to reply, but Emeline's quiet voice stopped him.
"I have searched for Ren's light since his departure," her thin brows furrowed in dejection, "I... can no longer see him."
Silence lingered for only a moment.
"We have to save Ren," Colin spoke up from the corner of the room with a shaky voice and puffy eyes.
Link looked at his younger brother in sadness, but Colin went on.
"This is all my fault. I was the one who convinced Ren to leave home. I swore I would protect him and I failed," he spoke passionately with tears rimming his lashes.
"You decided to leave to find me," Link shook his head, "If there is blame to be placed on anyone, it's me. Ren went to Viscen after an argument he had with me... he was angry with me."
Ashei couldn't stifle a sardonic chuckle, "That's the stupidest thing I've heard, yeah?"
She looked up at Link with dark sarcasm in her brown eyes, and he met hers with confusion.
"You don't just go help the enemy because you're mad," Ashei scoffed, "The kid's an idiot, plain and simple."
"Ashei..." Shad whispered to stop her.
The room universally flinched, but Colin stepped forward.
"Don't talk about him like that! We all make mistakes, we all screw up sometimes, he just-"
"This is not just a screw up, yeah?" Ashei's voice grew with her temper, "He gave the enemy the power. Led him straight to it."
"My father tricked him," Emeline said, "He made up a false story of a family who never accepted him to make Ren think they were alike, that he could be trusted. He manipulated him."
"Doesn't make him any less stupid for falling for it," Ashei mumbled.
Midna did nothing but listen and watch. She was torn because part of her agreed with Ashei, but a bigger part of her hurt for Ren. The pain and abandonment he must have been feeling to trust Viscen... Midna knew Ren was not stupid, which made it harder to stomach. His desperation must have been heavier than any of them realized.
She looked at Link, and she noticed he was avoiding eye contact with everyone. He was embarrassed, guilty, shameful. He wanted to speak up in his son's defense, but he stopped himself. After all, he hadn't known him long enough to truly speak on his character, which was his fault as well.
"Ashei," Rusl raised an open palm in her direction, "I understand we're all stressed, scared of what's going to happen, unsure of the future... But that does not call for this behavior. We love Ren, he's our family, so don't-"
Ashei flew to her feet, "Then why would he do that!" her voice rattled the windows and forced the little girls to cover their ears, "If he's family, if you all love each other so much, why would he do something so stupid and doom us all!"
At last, Link stepped forward, "I already told you, it's my fault. After he lost his mother, he came searching for me for a relationship..." he shook his head in disgust at himself, "I turned him away. I refused him love and compassion because I couldn't bear to look at him. He was the embodiment of all my mistakes. I was selfish, and I couldn't put aside my feelings to be the parent he needed. I turned him away when he needed me the most. I'm sorry to all of you," Link glanced around the room, sincerity deep in his eyes, "This is my fault."
Ashei did not let the moment linger.
"Ren's actions are not your fault, you didn't raise him," Ashei dared, "It's Ilia's."
Link's ears rang in the painful silence that followed. He almost didn't believe what he heard, but Talo's quick reaction reminded him this was reality.
Talo rushed at Ashei in a fit of fury and grabbed her by the collar. Red-hot rage stared through her and venom scoured his voice when he spoke.
"Don't you dare talk about my sister!" he spat, pulling her in closer, "How dare you!"
"Daddy!" Kina squealed from behind him, fear in her tiny voice.
Shad placed a hand on Ashei's shoulder and Link stepped in between her and Talo. Link ungripped Talo's hand from her and looked his little brother in the eyes, but Talo was locked onto Ashei.
"It's okay," Link whispered, and with a reciprocated look of sorrow, Talo backed off.
Link took his place. He stared at Ashei with a seriousness she had never seen in the hero's eyes. His brow was tight and his lips were straight. She felt his ire radiating from him, but when he spoke his voice was level and firm.
"Don't you ever speak poorly of Ilia again, do you understand me?"
Ashei's hard exterior began to soften as the reality of her words sank in, "Yes... I'm sorry... It wasn't right of me to say that."
Link held his glare on her, and she felt the gravity in his words and the power in his stance. His presence before her was commanding, and she felt his critical need to instill his words into her brain in the sheer intensity he exuded.
The others remained tensely silent, and when Link felt that his words thoroughly sunk in, he turned for the door.
"I am resuming the original plan of recruiting allies. The rest of you just... stay here."
And with a stern look and a quick adjustment of his effects, he left the inn with Midna close behind.
Midna didn't once look back at the group as they left – it was too awkward. She felt the uneasiness hovering over them all like a persistent rain cloud, so she followed Link. He moved with purpose in the direction of Death Mountain. Midna assumed he was going to ask the Gorons for their allegiance next. She could feel his fury in his heavy footfalls, in the mutterings under his breath, in the subtle shaking of his head.
"You wanna talk about it?" she finally asked when they reached a flat stretch of the mountain.
Link stopped with a sigh, but it took a moment for him to find the words. He didn't turn to her, he remained facing the peak.
"Who does she think she is," he stated flatly, no question in his tone, only pure bewilderment.
"She's a bitch," Midna answered simply.
Link shook his head and glanced over his shoulder at her with sternly drawn brows, "Don't say that."
Midna shrugged, "If the shoe fits. Besides, you don't have to like everyone all the time, you know."
Link sighed, "I do like her. I like all of them. We're all just... dealing with a lot. We all say things we regret."
"Link, she crossed a line. It's okay to be mad about it."
Link nodded but said not a word. He couldn't get Ilia's face out of his mind. He closed his eyes and saw her there... smiling.
"What is it?" Midna asked, seeing him retreat inward.
Link opened his eyes and turned to her, "I have so much guilt... about what happened to Ilia. I just can't..." he shook his head, "I can't stand to be reminded of her, but at the same time, I want to defend her memory."
Midna nodded, a twinge of unwarranted jealousy pricking at her heart.
"Ren told me it was his fault," Link admitted.
Midna's eyes went wide, "Wait, what?"
"The fire that burned down my house... the reason Ilia ran in to save him and didn't make it out. Ren started that fire on accident."
Midna's jaw hung open and she plopped down on the nearest rock to process what she had just heard.
"Link..." she whispered after several moments of silence, "That's so..."
"I know," Link sighed and sat beside her.
Midna looked at her hero with such pain in her eyes for his son, "That is so traumatic... No one should have to live with guilt like that. Link... he needed you."
"I know," Link could only repeat himself.
Midna turned to face him head on, "He really, really needed you."
Link sighed, "Yes, Midna, I know. I already feel bad enough about it."
She grabbed his hands and demanded his attention. He looked up at her.
"Do you remember what I told you right before we entered my realm all those years ago to face Zant?"
Link furrowed his brow as he recalled the memory with an ironic chuckle, "You told me a lot that day."
But she did not laugh with him.
"About my mother. How she died."
Link's expression turned somber, "Yes... Of course I remember."
"If you remember, then say it," she said.
He looked taken aback, not eager to speak her pain aloud, "Midna, I-"
"Say it. I want to know that you understand."
Link sighed and dropped his gaze, "You said she died protecting you from a monster."
"She died because I did something stupid. I caused my mother's death. It doesn't matter that it was an accident, it's a guilt I have lived with every single day."
Link looked at her, understanding beginning to show through the pain that surfaced, but he said nothing.
"It's the deepest agony I have ever felt that never goes away," she gripped his hands tighter, "This is what Ren's feeling. The one person who loved him unconditionally, the one person who would support him no matter what he did, believe in him no matter how hard he fell, the one person in the whole world he could count on..." her breath caught in her throat and mist swept across her eyes, "Is gone forever, and her death is on his hands. That is something your heart will never let you forget."
Link stared at her with drawn brows and empathy in his eyes, but still no words surfaced.
Midna wanted him to fully understand, "You know the pain of losing a parent. That void can never be filled. You think every day about what you could have done differently. Now... imagine that they died because of something you did. Something so stupid and ignorant that could have been avoided. Their life thrown away because you decided to do something foolish as a child."
For a moment, Link continued to stare. His stomach twisted uncomfortably, and his brain and heart fought for comprehension. When her imploring eyes became too much, he stood and turned away from her. He ran his hands down his exhausted face as his parents' image flashed in his mind's eye. He remembered the brutality of their deaths like it was yesterday, but imagining he was the cause... it made him nauseous.
"Look..." Midna said after the silence felt long enough, "I'm not trying to give the kid a pass for what he did with Viscen – I'll be the first one to say he's an idiot and I plan to give him a piece of my mind when he comes to his senses. All I'm trying to say is, I know the pain he's feeling. The guilt of causing his mother's death. It's smothering. I vividly remember not wanting to live anymore... realizing what I had done," she paused to breathe hard, "My father practically disowned me after my mother's death, only making me hate myself more."
Link closed his eyes and sighed, taking a moment before at last turning to face her.
"I'm so sorry, Midna..."
She shook her head, "It's okay, that's not why I'm telling you. I'm telling you to hopefully spare Ren the pain I felt. My dad and I never made up... Zant killed him before we could get over our pride and mend our relationship. Don't let it get that far. Don't wait until it's too late."
Link looked at her with hopelessness in his tired eyes, "It's already too late. Viscen has him. He won't listen to me now."
Midna shook her head, "You can get through to him, I know you can."
Link exhaled a breath he felt he had been holding in for hours. He resumed his seat beside her with a look of utter defeat.
"I just can't believe I caused all this by leaving."
"It feels like it's entirely your fault but it's not. You have some fault in there, to be sure, but so does Ilia, and so does Ren. You can sit there and go back and forth deciding who has the most blame to carry but in the end that gets you nowhere. You have to look at what you can do now, not what you should have done then."
"Easier said than done," Link replied.
"Yeah, well," Midna shrugged, "When has anything you've had to do been easy?"
He looked at her with a chuckle, "Fair."
Midna smiled but changed the subject, "So, what's the plan? Walk right in and ask the Gorons for help?"
"Yeah, that's pretty much it."
"Think they'll say yes?"
Link paused, "Yeah, I do."
"I hope you're right," Midna sighed, "Because this place is the worst. It's so hot! How do the Gorons live here?"
"Well, they're rocks."
Midna rolled her eyes, "Still seems a little excessive. Even for rocks."
"You could ask them yourself?"
Midna scoffed, "No way. They're scary. Remember last time they literally tried to kill you?"
Link stood and shrugged it off, "Yeah, well, when has anyone not tried to kill me?"
Midna laughed and stood to meet him, "Fair."
Link chuckled, "Come on, the faster we're in, the faster we're out," and he started up the fiery mountain.
Midna sighed and mumbled her displeasure under her breath but followed him nonetheless.
Worlds away, Viscen returned to Hyrule Castle with Ren to discover that Emeline was not there. In his sudden rage, he threw down a decorative suit of armor that dared to stand beside him, and he voiced matching fury.
"Who was in charge of her!" he screamed, his face turning red.
The assembly line of handmaidens, servants, and chamberlains stood in petrifying fear before their king.
"Who was it!" he screamed again, and they all flinched.
One young woman stepped forward and fell to her knees, "It was I, Your Majesty..."
Just as his anger nearly boiled over, his ever-present charade came to the surface. He cooled his temper though there was still ire in his voice. He stood up, straightened his collar, and motioned for the servant on the end to return the suit of armor to its proper position.
"I apologize for my anger," the king said as he knelt down to the woman's level, "You see, I have trouble with losing my temper when dealing with imbeciles."
The woman trembled as she felt his breath on her. It was true that the king had always maintained a good reputation, and none in the castle had witnessed him being violent, but that did not make his outbursts any less terrifying. Those who lived so close to him could feel that he was not as benevolent as he pretended to be, but they could never dare speak out against their king.
"Please forgive me, Your Majesty..." the woman begged, her voice small and shaky as she lowered her forehead to the floor.
Viscen looked at her with mischief in his dark eyes, "If I could forgive you, what would that say about me as a father? I trusted you to take care of my daughter – she could be in danger because of you."
The woman quivered in fear and cried, "Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me..."
Viscen stood with a defeated sigh and glanced about the rest of his servants.
"If I forgave you, it would set a bad example for your colleagues. Why, if I so easily forgave you, would they not then think I am soft? That they could get away with anything they wanted?"
Some of the workers shook their heads, but most were too scared to move.
Viscen clicked his tongue, "No, I am afraid we must make an example out of your failure. The princess is the most important person in my world! If I do not hold you to a higher standard for her, then I have failed."
They were all silent. Viscen turned to Ren.
"Make an example of this woman. Show them what the princess means to me."
Ren grabbed his sword and readied it. He pulled back for the blow, and Emeline's voice stopped him.
"Father!" the princess called as she ran toward them, "You mustn't act so rashly! I am right here, after all."
Viscen looked at her in confusion, "Where were you?"
"I was just in the market," Emeline said innocently, trying to mask how out of breath she was, "Is it so wrong to want to stretch my legs?"
Viscen narrowed his eyes at her. He didn't believe a word she said, but he could play along for now. He smiled and motioned for Ren to holster his weapon. Viscen approached his daughter happily.
"I was worried over you! Your handmaiden was not aware you were taking a stroll."
Emeline smiled, "I just wanted a bit of privacy. Surely you understand as royalty how hard it can be to get a moment to yourself?"
"Yes... Yes, I do, but you must let someone know when you plan to leave the castle. The streets are not safe for the princess of Hyrule."
Emeline bowed, "As you wish, father. I will be more clear next time."
"There will not be a next time," Viscen spoke sharply through a tight jaw, "You will remain here, and you will leave under no circumstances. Am I understood?"
Emeline paused; she saw her father's light turning grotesquely dark. She had faith that he would not kill her as she still had use to him, but that did not mean he wouldn't cause her harm. She saw his dark intent, and Ren's eerily matched it. She had left Kakariko Village in a hurry because she knew if she stayed that Viscen would come for her with a fury they had never seen before. She could see her father's intent to wreak destruction and chaos upon the village should she make it known she was there, that she was conspiring with the enemy as he would see it. She had pushed Mila to breakneck speeds to catch up to them, and she did not have the time to tie her up. She had run through Castle Town like a bandit, knowing full well that someone else would pay horribly for her actions if she did not return fast enough. Viscen's ultimate goal was to keep Emeline under his thumb, and for their success, he had to think he had her.
"Yes, father," she curtsied, "You are understood."
Viscen grinned, "Good! Why don't we three sit down for supper, hm?"
Ren looked over at Emeline. The tiniest twinge of something tugged at his heart, but it was not strong enough to combat the darkness that gripped him. Emeline saw him, too, in her own way, and her heart broke every time she saw his precious light snuffed out.
"That sounds wonderful," Emeline said.
Ren and Emeline followed Viscen to the dining hall. She wanted so badly to reach out to Ren, to say something, to grab his hand, to fix him, but she knew she couldn't. Doing anything of the sort with him so far under Viscen's control would do more harm than good. Feeling Ren's physical presence but the absence of his spirit gave Emeline goose bumps. She could see him in the way she could see everyone now that he was close, but his form was a ghastly silhouette, a shadow of the real boy, a hollow shade of the hero's son. It made her tense up uncomfortably, thinking about all that her evil father could wreak through Ren, tainting his pureness, his innocence forever. She knew Ren would never forgive himself should her father command him to do something horrible, even though it would be beyond his control. She had to do everything she could to get to the bottom of Viscen's power over Ren.
The table in the dining hall was massive, likely big enough to seat more than thirty people at once, she guessed. Viscen sat at the head seat farthest from the door, and he beckoned for Ren and Emeline to sit in the two seats closest to him, opposite of each other. They obliged. Ren did so absently, as if he were a shell devoid of life and personality. Emeline did so cautiously with a hint of fear at what could transpire, but confidence in herself to play the part.
The numerous staff of waiters, butlers, and general servants hurried to place their meals neatly and to the king's liking. Large cuts of fresh pork and venison were served elegantly to each of them; the routine in which everything was placed on the table was like a synchronized dance. Emeline was sure Ren would have been flabbergasted by the way royalty ate, were he present to witness it.
Once everything was set in place, Viscen clasped his hands on the table and commanded, "Leave us."
The wait staff bowed their heads and quickly scurried out.
Viscen glanced between the two seated at his table, but neither looked at him.
"Come now!" the king's voice echoed in the otherwise silent room, "Are you suddenly too shy to speak?"
Emeline forced a smile and turned to Viscen, "Not at all, father. What would you like to talk about?"
Viscen looked at her as he cut into his serving of pork, "Why don't you tell me what you saw in the market this evening?"
"I would love to," Emeline hid her unease and weaved a false narrative like a trained actor, "There is the loveliest stall down near Malo Mart that sells hydromelons. The woman there is so kind and always gives me some to taste for free."
Viscen nodded and took a bite, "How lovely, indeed. Tell me, what is this woman's name? I would love to extend my thanks to her for showing my daughter such kindness."
Emeline didn't stumble, "Emri is her name. Her family lives off of their hydromelon sales. I am sure she would greatly appreciate an endorsement from the king himself."
"Hm," Viscen muttered through chewing. He stared at her closed lids while she took tiny bites of her meal. He scrutinized her closely, eager to catch the most subtle twitch that would prove her dishonesty.
"What is it, father?" she asked softly, turning to him.
He narrowed his eyes, "How is it you can see what I am doing?"
"I see in lights and colors. I know the color that surrounds you, and so I can see where you are and what you are doing."
"Is that right..." Viscen mumbled, glancing briefly at a lifeless Ren before returning to her, "And what color is it that I portray?"
Her façade never wavered, the lies came to her quickly, "Gold. Your light shines the brightest hues of strength and royalty."
Viscen smiled and unknowingly sat straighter and puffed his chest, "As it should! And what about this one?"
The king motioned to the shell of Ren. Emeline could see the eerie yellow that replaced Ren's once-calm eyes. They pierced her like wolves' eyes in the darkest night. All around him she saw only darkness, and in that moment she stumbled – she had no idea if she was supposed to know that Ren was taken by dark magic or not. So she played dumb.
"In Ren I see greens like the colors of the forest, and blues for his gentle spirit."
Viscen stared at her long and hard. Physically she did not waver, but inside she was terrified of whether she said the right thing or gave herself away. Viscen then looked back at Ren. If the king did not know what plagued him, he might have guessed a corpse sat at his table. Ren was devoid of color and his eyes lacked any sign of life. The boy sat, unmoving, silent as the grave. There was no hiding that something grand afflicted him – she had to be lying.
"Is that true, my dear?" Viscen asked, his voice menacingly sweet.
Emeline swallowed the lump in her throat and stood her ground; she could not back pedal now.
"Yes, father. The son of the hero has a light of pureness, just like his father."
Viscen clenched the cutting knife in his hand until his knuckles turned white, but he retained his composure.
"Is it now? I would hate to think my daughter could be untruthful with me."
Emeline tucked her long, silver-blonde hair behind her pointed ear and took another bite before replying, "I am always truthful with you, father."
Steam billowed from the king's ears and his face turned red hot. He leapt from his seat and pointed his dinner knife at Emeline, only inches from her face.
"You will not lie to your father! To your king!"
She concealed her trembling fear and remained strong, "Yes, father..."
He held his position, his breath hot on her cheeks. Her pulse raced and she saw the darkness that was her father's form begin to snuff out all the light around her. She sat still and waited, counting the seconds by twiddling her fingers beneath the table. He would not kill her, she reminded herself to stay calm, he would not kill her, he would not kill her. At last he returned to his seat, and she let out an inaudible sigh of relief.
The king sat back down and adjusted his blouse and resumed eating. Emeline ate slowly, a desperate attempt at regaining the normalcy and giving her father the false hope that everything was fine.
Viscen cleared his throat, "So, my sweet, I would like to give you an opportunity to remedy your poor behavior."
He paused for effect and she turned to him.
"Tell me where you really were today."
Emeline's breath caught in her throat. She could not admit to him that she had been in Kakariko. He would know that she was playing both sides, that anything he told her would fall into the hands of his enemy. If he found out where she had been, he would either cease telling her valuable information, thus making her position at the castle useless to her friends, or he would lock her up and throw away the key. Her only option was to keep up the lie.
"I told you, father, I was in the mar-"
Viscen slammed his hand on the table, "No! Do you think I'm a fool?" his nostrils flared and he breathed loudly, "Try again."
Emeline straightened up and spoke with confidence, "I was in the market."
Viscen stared at her with fury in his eyes. His eyes never left her as he gripped his dinner knife and plunged it into Ren's hand that lay upon the table.
Ren screamed and Emeline gasped. Viscen still stared at her as he twisted the knife.
"Tell me... the truth."
Emeline saw the dark void of Ren's being flicker with twinges of himself, and she knew he was in there somewhere suffering on all fronts. Viscen now understood the truth of where his daughter was, he only needed to hear her admit it. She knew there was no longer a façade to keep up.
"I was in Kakariko Village..."
Viscen's gaze lingered on her innocent face a while longer before a sinister smirk crept onto his thin lips. He plucked the knife from Ren's hand and Ren immediately clutched it to his chest in agony.
"Well, that's better," Viscen said, "See, all I want is for my daughter to be truthful with me. I find it just so funny that you would think it wise to lie to me."
Viscen's smile turned into all-out laughter. He turned to Ren, "Don't you find that funny?"
Ren said nothing. He cradled his bloody hand in silence. This made Viscen angrier. He pulled something from his waistcoat pocket and held it to Ren's face.
"Don't forget that I command you, boy! I said it is funny! Now laugh!"
And in a flash Ren broke out into hysterics. Viscen matched the boy's insane laughter, and Emeline sat in shocked silence. Her skin crawled in discomfort and she could almost throw up.
When Viscen felt it had gone on long enough, he said, "Enough. Now eat. You will need your strength."
And Ren began eating, dripping blood on the table as he grabbed his fork. Viscen returned to his plate but stopped when he noticed Emeline was no longer eating.
"What troubles you, my dear?"
His sweet voice made her nauseous, but she ignored it, "What is that you have, father?"
Viscen held it up nonchalantly. It looked like a small piece of cracked, gray stone.
"Oh, this?" he eyed it in adoration, "This is my own personal piece of power."
Emeline squinted. In her world she saw him holding something extremely dark. In some way, its darkness was so bright she could not look directly at it. Evil magic radiated off of it like heat radiates off of a fire. She felt violated by its presence, as if it simply being near her could pierce her mind, her goodness. She looked away and Viscen noticed her discomfort.
"You feel it, don't you? The sheer power it exudes," he held it close to him, "This piece gave me only a fraction of the power, but now I have it all."
She turned back to Viscen, glancing briefly at Ren who clutched his wound and groaned quietly in pain, but otherwise sat like a lifeless doll. When she looked at her father, she saw what little there had ever been of the decent man erased from existence, and instead she saw a beast consumed by his greed and lust for power. She heard her heartbeat in her ears as she looked at the jagged piece in his hand. It was invasive, prying, defiling – it felt like it could see her just as much as she could see it. She felt vulnerable in its presence, and she knew what it was.
"That is a piece of the Fused Shadow," she whispered.
Viscen smiled, "Yes. This piece is small, but special to me. It came to me when I needed it most. It gave me strength. It led me to its fullest extent in the Twilight Realm."
Emeline's heart beat harder and she had to concentrate to calm herself. On the outside, she was composed as ever.
"Where did this come to you?"
Viscen laughed as he tucked it away, "Now you want to talk to your dear old father," he clicked his tongue, "Why should I tell you? How can I expect you not to crawl back to that filthy hero and belay whatever information you ignorantly assume will help him defeat me?"
"You can't," she answered.
Viscen pursed his lips, "Ah... honesty, at last," he laughed again, "That pathetic whelp couldn't possibly benefit from knowing anyway, but, you must know, you will never leave this castle again, so any knowledge you think you've gained does nothing."
His voice turned serious in a flash, and Emeline breathed in her fear and exhaled confidence.
"As you wish, father."
Viscen twirled his wine glass and took a sip. He looked at Ren with a gleeful chuckle before turning back to the princess.
"This little piece has been mine since the great king of evil walked these lands. It lay there, unclaimed, and I took it for myself."
Emeline's brow furrowed as she pieced it together, "The stories told of what happened say that Ganondorf broke the Fused Shadow in his battle with the Hero of Twilight, and that the Twilight Princess took what remained back to her world where it belonged."
Viscen grinned, "Not this one," he touched the pocket it lay inside, "It was small enough to go unseen, buried under dirt and grass kicked up in the battle that followed. It called to me..." he closed his eyes and remembered the sound, "It called out to the only one strong enough to wield it, and I answered."
"It was not strength. It called out to the only one evil enough to utilize it in the dark ways it desired. That is why it called to you. That is why you answered."
Viscen opened his eyes and looked at her with discontent, but his temper remained level.
"You do think you're so clever, don't you?" he leaned forward, "Why don't you tell me what happened next?"
She paused and looked inward. She could not see through time, but she could see through feeling, intention, purpose. She could see what her father desired to do, and through that she could infer what took place.
"You manipulated Ren to take you to the Twilight Realm. You knew the rest of the Fused Shadow was there, but you did not know how to get there. With the piece you already possessed... you were able to control what happened to Ren when he touched it in full."
Viscen smirked and leaned back, "You are wise, little one. With parents like yours, how could you not be."
Emeline ignored his niceties, "What I do not understand is why. Why keep using Ren? Why take the power of the Fused Shadow? You are already king of Hyrule, what more do you want?"
Viscen laughed and looked at Ren, "The boy is the perfect puppet – I could not have crafted a better one myself. He pulls at the hero's heartstrings, at all of his companions! They are all pathetic. Easily manipulated, easily swayed, easily outsmarted."
"But why, father," she pleaded in a vain attempt to find a feeling side of him if it still existed, "Why do all this? You already had power."
Viscen sighed and grabbed his daughter's hand. She flinched, but he pretended not to notice.
"My sweet, you will understand one day when you are queen: there is always more power to be had."
She pulled her hand away, "I have played your games long enough, father. You do this at my detriment, at mother's, at your people's. For what? What more can you gain when you already have the kingdom at your will?"
Viscen frowned, "It is not so simple. You will understand when you are que-"
Emeline leapt from her seat, "No! I understand now! You are vile and wicked and I will not allow you to hurt anyone else!"
Viscen gripped his cutting knife tighter and looked at his daughter with fire in his eyes. He held the knife to Ren's throat and stared at her with intent.
"Do not interrupt me. Do not speak over me. Sit down, listen, speak only when spoken to, and continue being the perfect image of my daughter and princess or I slit his throat."
Emeline clenched her fists, "Liar. You need him, you would not dare kill him."
Viscen pressed the blade and drew tiny beads of blood. Ren grimaced but made no motion to move away or protect himself; it made Emeline's skin crawl.
She sat back down without a word. She knew her father was bluffing. She knew he would not kill Ren as he was far too integral to his plan, but that didn't mean he wouldn't hurt him, and if Emeline could prevent that she would.
Viscen watched her pat down her dress and continue eating as if nothing was wrong. It brought a smile to his face.
"Good... good," he relaxed back into his seat and took another bite, "Your obedience deserves a reward, so I will answer your questions," he wiped his face clean and cleared his throat, "This foolish boy walked right into my plan, made it all too easy for me to use him for my desires. He longed so desperately to bring his mother back from the dead that he would have believed anything I told him."
Viscen laughed and Emeline's heart broke as she saw that flicker in Ren's spirit react at those words.
"He was simply too perfect for the job. Young, foolish, desperate, and the hero's son? Simply perfect," he smiled, "I knew I could get him to touch the Fused Shadow and take on its full power. People of the light cannot touch such large fragments of power or they will be smothered by it and incapable of controlling themselves. So, Ren touched it, as I knew he would by promising him it would bring back his mother. From there I demanded he give me half of the power, and I am allowing him to keep the other half for now... just long enough for him to face his father."
Emeline gulped down the discomfort but was careful not to speak or act out of line. She listened as if this was casual dinner chatter and continued to pick at her food.
"After he utterly breaks the will of the hero, or kills him, both options are splendid," Viscen laughed, "Either way, after that, I will take the entirety of the power for myself and end the boy's pitiful existence. He will have no further use to me."
Emeline saw Ren twitch, the farthest corners of his heart trying to claw to the surface. She could see his slowly dripping blood tainting the shadowy figure behind her eyes, and she wished she could tell him everything would be okay. She didn't know how, but it would. She had to keep reminding herself of it too.
"As for why I desire such power beyond the greatness I already possess," his eyes lit up ominously, "This pathetic excuse for a kingdom 'touched by the goddesses' was never my ultimate desire. I want dominion over all kingdoms. I want to be the most powerful being in existence. I want all to worship at my feet. It is what I deserve."
He leaned in toward her, "Claiming every region of Hyrule was a child's game. I walked right in and took it. I walked right into the Twilight and annihilated it all. I will take my rightful place as king of my home kingdom as well. I will rule over Labrynna and you will rule over Hyrule, doing exactly as I command. In this way, every kingdom of the land will be under my rule. I already have the Fused Shadow, now my desire falls to that of the Triforce. I will cleave it from your mother. I will rip it from the hero's cold, dead hand. I will be too powerful to be stopped."
Emeline looked at him. Words of protest came to her lips, but she forced them to stop there. He could tell she had something to say.
"What is it? Do you intend to stop me?"
Emeline smiled, "I will be with you every step of the way, father."
Viscen paused, then he grinned, "Excellent."
A knock came to the door and a timid maid peeked inside, "If you are done, we will clear the table, Your Majesty."
Viscen nodded and stood up. Ren and Emeline did the same.
One of the handmaidens was quick to notice Ren's bloody mess and she rushed to him. Before anything could be said, Viscen spoke up.
"Do clean this boy up, won't you? I'm afraid he is terribly, terribly clumsy."
The maid looked between the king and Ren in disbelief, but when Viscen's expression turned sour, she quickly did as she was told without questioning it.
Viscen left Ren with the servants to be seen to, and he demanded that Emeline follow him upstairs. They travelled to a room in the top-most tower, farthest from anyone or anything and impossible to escape. It had only the one door and not a single window. Inside was one small bed, a shelf with a dozen books, and a desk and chair. Viscen forcibly nudged her inside and she turned to him as he grabbed the handle.
"You will remain here for the rest of your days. You will not leave under any circumstances. You will wait each day to receive my orders and you will only leave if it is to accompany me for appearances. You will learn to follow my orders and be the princess you are meant to be, nothing else. Is that understood?"
Emeline smiled and curtsied, "Yes, father. I will stay here, as you wish."
Viscen narrowed his eyes, perplexed by her aloof compliance. He nodded, gave a bow, and shut the door behind him. Emeline heard him lock it once, twice, and a third time. Then she heard him discussing the hours of duty with a group of guards who were to occupy her door at all hours of the day and night. Lastly, she heard his pristine slippers click on the tile all the way down the stairs until she could hear it no more, and his blinding darkness was now far enough away that she could at last breathe.
She plopped down on the bed with a sigh. Fear gripped her as she saw her father's intent to return to Kakariko unannounced. His fury at the possibility of his daughter conspiring with the hero was immeasurable. She could see his impatience to put his puppet to work, and the king had a plan this time. Emeline could not tell exactly what it was, but she could see that her father had a sinister idea that would pierce his enemy's confidence, dwindle their hope, suffocate the light they clung to. She could see his twisted grin as he prepared Ren and instilled in him what quick lessons he could, and she cried openly when she saw the evil he intended Ren to carry out. If they did not act quickly and help Ren to defeat the darkness that commanded him, he would do something unspeakable – he would never be the same.
She breathed steady and calmed herself. She knew she had to gain her composure and do what she could from where she was. Her body felt the four walls closing in on her, and she knew the old her would have been suffocated in such a bleak prison. However, her mind saw the limitless possibility of her confinement. There were no competing sounds, smells, or outward sensations. There was nothing distracting to pull her from her omniscient view. From here, she could see everyone, everything, uninterrupted. She knew there was much about her power she had yet to learn, abilities she still had yet to master let alone discover. Perhaps there was more the goddesses had endowed her with that she simply had not found yet. While she longed to help her friends on the front lines, she knew she could help them even better from here.
Though her body was imprisoned, her mind was free.
The mind is the most powerful weapon you have.
A big thank you to the following for helping me get this chapter out there!
Big Jake, Ethan Fesler, Lee Glerum, Cynfall, Jacob Peachey, Moonfairy, Anonymouse, Damon Mendoza, Gabby-J, InnerEnigma, Ivalee, Jessie H, Kevin Pham, Lotus Eater, Owen Reilly, Yami no Nokutan, Amber Milligan, Chloe Rose, Emily Zuber, Gavron88, Mandelbrot, wingdesire, Rob Walters, Sabine, Silvia Delgado, Tyli Ariegh, Mel
You guys are amazing!
