Chapter 2: The Great Will
Link awoke in Kakariko's Inn. It was one of the few buildings untouched by the wanton destruction. Of the Kakariko villagers and the Gorons, only Barnes, Gor Ebiezo, Gor Liggs, and Luda remained. A giant crack ran right through the middle of the road.
Link remembered the events of the previous night and sighed.
He had wanted some action, but not the Apocalypse.
Ilia stirred on the next bed.
She had cried herself to sleep. Epona had been unharmed in the two shockwaves, other than a slight bruise on her thigh.
Link had familiarized himself with the Legend of the Apocalypse that night. As far as he could tell, the two villages had the best of the luck. Castle Town was nearly decimated by the two meteors, and the Zora had died out. A chasm opened underneath their lake, sucking them in.
So much death... And still more to come...
Did the Goddesses do this? Or was this the work of another?
He walked out to the chasm. Luda was weeping by the edge. The two Goron Elders stood solemnly.
He heard a flap, like a wing and turned around to see a friend stand behind him.
"Sephiroth?"
Sephiroth nodded. His one wing vanished.
"We too were hit by this calamity. It seems like it hit worldwide. Even Black Trinity wouldn't have done this much damage to the worlds."
"Who all is dead?"
"Shinra, Kunsel, two friends of mine named Angeal and Genesis died as well. They were thrown from the top of Shinra's tower when the first meteor hit Gaia. It landed Junon, completely decimating the town."
Link nodded.
Three deities appeared. One had twisting horns and yellow-red eyes. Another looked like the radiance of the sun, and the third was clothed in red.
"Hero. It has been long since last we spoke." said Ifrit.
"Did you cause this calamity?"
"No, we dare not." said Din.
"DARE not?"
"We are not the supreme beings in the universe. There exist three greater than we. They are the true omnipotences that govern all of us." said Helios.
"Who are they?" asked Sephiroth.
"Cosmos, Chaos, and Shinryu." said Helios.
"Cosmos is the goddess of harmony, while Chaos is the god of discord, greater than Eris. Shinryu is the great dragon that keeps them in balance." continued Sephiroth thoughtfully.
"Exactly. This conflict goes back for millenia. Chaos and Cosmos are natural enemies. Chaos would raise a chosen one, and Cosmos would raise one to fight him. It was purely up to Shinryu to decide the victor. However, this time Chaos has chosen one neither he nor even Shinryu can control. Normally Cosmos has always chosen one of your predecessors, up to you." said Din.
"So who is Chaos' new pawn?" asked Link.
"We do not know. He began as a normal man. Then his mind grew twisted and warped by the power he commanded. He began to grow out of control, until finally, he was able to rival Cosmos' and Chaos' power." said Ifrit.
"Then he destroyed them." finished Sephiroth.
"Yes. Now he is able to supercede even Shinryu. Shinryu would never have sanctioned his being a deity." said Helios.
"Is this man responsible for all this?" asked Link.
"We do not know if it was his doing or Shinryu's. Either one has reasons to. Shinryu could be even now fighting the other and this was one of his many powers that are too powerful for us to comprehend." said Ifrit.
"The cycle of balance has been called the Great Will, but the Great Will has been broken." said Helios.
"What will happen next?" asked Link.
"Even Shinryu knows not." said Din.