A Misunderstanding
The back of Marickiya's bowed head lingered in his vision long after he left. He stood at the base of the under ground city he had once visited before he joined with the others. His gut twisted with conflicting feelings.
How could he have been so stupid? He should have realized well before then that Ganondorf's magical signature may have differed from the power that's been sealed for centuries. He ignored the possibility so that he wouldn't have to suspect her powers. He didn't know what to do, what to think. For the time being, he wanted to focus on anything other than Marickiya.
He allowed anger to fill him. Lana was blackmailing them into helping her, after all she had done to them. He wasn't really left with a choice though. With the information she was sitting on, the best they could do was watch her closely. She had already cost them the Princess' assured safety. Now, their only lead to taking down Ganondorf for good was in jeopardy. He felt a gut wrenching wave of guilt as his thoughts came back to Marickiya. This distraction wasn't working as well as he hoped it would.
The smell of smoke filled his nostrils. Finally getting a good look around, he realized the place was rather barren. There weren't any traces of the monster that he knew once inhabited this underground dwelling. What took their place were ruined buildings and the faint glow of burning embers. There had been a recent attack.
As far as he knew, he had been the only one to have knowledge of this place. He had told Link that Ganondorf was hiding out underground, but he was vague on the exact location. He didn't think anyone had the man power to launch a full scale attack, and so kept the information to himself until he thought it would be relevant. Someone had done what he thought impossible. He wanted to take a look around before going after Lana.
Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, he tried sensing for any life that may remain among the wreckage. He relished in the fact that his senses were no longer confined as they were inside the Shadow Temple. He could see the entirety of the city, but nothing truly interesting. He decided to give his magic another push. Part of the way up inside the tallest central tower that stretched to the ceiling of the cave, he spotted a weak sign of life. Lana.
Nausea pulsed through his body and he opened his eyes, dispelling the magic. What was that all about? He took another breath to steady himself. He brought his fingers up to his ear and felt a warmth coming from the earring he wore. That only happened when he was close to expelling a dangerous amount of magic. Was he really that low on energy? He needed to save what he had left to get himself and Lana out. He supposed it was time to start walking.
Picking through the debris, he could see the charred remains of Ganondorf's minions scattered pretty much everywhere. There were signs that there hadn't been much of a fight, like they were caught unawares. Who and what could have caused this much destruction in such a small amount of time?
His foot nudged something and it rolled a bit. He bent down to inspect the round object. He turned the surprisingly weighty ball over in his hands and found a design crudely painted on one side. The paint hadn't held up well and was smudged, making it difficult to discern what the emblem could have been. He gently rubbed away some of the dirt that mingled with the white paint. As he squinted closer at the ball, he felt it give off a faint 'click'. His eyes widened with realization.
He threw the thing away from him and crossed his arms in front of his chest. A magical barrier sprung up around him just as a deafening eruption came from the direction he had thrown the ball. Even with the shield up, he was knocked off of his feet and skid along the ground. More debris and dust was unearthed creating a cloud that blocked his vision. He must have been weaker than he originally believed for his barrier fell unexpectedly. His lungs were filled with smoke and he was sputtering quite vigorously as small bits of falling rubble pelted him.
"Damn it." He hissed. Everything settled back to its former stillness apart from his coughing. That had been exceptionally foolish.
He gingerly got back to his feet and brushed away the splinters and dirt from his clothes and hair. He was a little irritated with himself for not realizing sooner that he was handling a bomb. He had wondered what could have caused this destruction and the answer had been literally in the palm of his hand. That only left one question to be answered; who had done this? He thought he had a pretty good idea of that as well. Just before the hand made bomb detonated, he got a full view of the symbol he was messing with.
It had been the ever familiar Eye of the Sheikah.
From his information gathering at the start of this quest, he knew the Sheikah had suddenly reemerged after their disappearance nearly two decades ago. People believed that they had been nearly extinct, save for the Sage of Shadows, Impa. Something about this rumor bugged him. They could not simply come back from extinction. The pieces were fitting together quite nicely.
They hadn't been eradicated, they had been in hiding. This underground city belonged to them. That was how they knew Ganondorf would be here. Exactly why they had been in hiding was a question for another day. It was time to stop poking around and get to the real reason he was there.
He took it slow, wanting to avoid any more dangers that might be lying in wait. It wasn't that far to the tower he noticed the life force resided in. The entry was darkened and he reached into his pocket and pulled out the bottle of starlight without looking. He shined its light in front of him and made his trek up the tower. Inside, it wasn't as deteriorated. The walls and steps held up well. It just simply looked abandoned. Perhaps, since this was where Ganondorf would hang out the most, he didn't have as many of his monsters inside. This was his place of residence. Why should he have his minions occupying the place as well? That particular thought came mostly from his old self and he shook it off.
He didn't want to use his magic again to sense where she was, so he resigned to looking into each room on his way up the tower in search of Lana. Most of them were empty. Others, he didn't want to think about what might have once resided in them. Eventually, he came upon a room that was locked. Thinking he must be in the right place, he peered inside. Sure enough, he could see a frail hunched over figure in the cell. They didn't seem to have noticed him yet. Maybe they were asleep? He turned his attention on the locked cell door. He was spent on his magic and he still had to warp the two of them out of there. How was he going to get the lock open without using any of his power? He found the answer in the little bottle filled with starlight.
He held it upright and carefully wiggled the stopper off of it. He knew the contents of this bottle were quite volatile, which was why he was going to pour it on the lock. He decided a small drop was what he would start off with. That turned out to be more than enough. The liquefied light instantly burned through the central mechanism, letting off a faint fizzling noise. He put the cork back on the bottle and the magic resealed it while the lock disintegrated. With it no longer keeping him out, he pushed the metal door inward and shone his light within.
There she was, sitting against the back wall, not yet fully aware that he had entered the chamber. Her clothes were ripped and there was blood splattered all over her. Her face was bruised pretty badly as well. He wondered why Ganondorf even left her alive. He sneered and made a disapproving noise. This roused Lana from her stupor. They glared at one another.
"I should just kill you myself," he said under his breath. She chuckled wistfully.
"So nice to see you again," she retorted with a raspy voice. "But why don't you tell me how you really feel."
"I dislike you." He replied without missing a beat. "Immensely."
Lana put her hands to the floor to try and support herself in the effort of standing up. She hissed lightly and held her right hand to her chest, the angle of her wrist was a sickening sight. Vaati stood over her with a look of disgust on his face, showing no sign of helping her just yet. He folded his arms and leaned against the door frame. What better time was there to have some questions answered when she couldn't get away?
"So, Ganondorf just happened to find out about the Princess' child."
She looked up at him with an almost disbelieving glint in her eye. He was doing this now? She grinned to hide the defeated feeling within her. She wasn't sure how she expected them to react to her cry for help, but she should have known he wouldn't be any kind of forgiving. Though he hadn't said the word itself, his hate for her was what was hurting the most out of all of her injuries. What a time to start feeling remorse for her choices.
"You're a smart one." She said, trying to sound stronger than she felt. It was clear he saw right through her guise. She fought within herself to just drop her attitude altogether. She was practically begging for his help anyway. "You act as though I had a choice." She muttered and using the wall for support, managed to stand so that he could see the extent of of the damage inflicted upon her.
Vaati remained silent. He would not promise that no further harm would come to her in their care. He couldn't after all she had done to them. After his appreciation for this distraction, he now wanted nothing more than to be done with this little side job. He wanted to be out of this woman's presence. Though anger was his dominating emotion just then, he could feel another peeking out from the shadows. He hated that is was possible he was feeling sorry for her and it just served to infuriate him further. With a scowl firmly affixed to his face, he finally uncrossed his arms and strode into the cell. He picked the side where she didn't have a broken wrist and draped her arm over his shoulders. While he was readying the magic for their warp, he heard her mutter something again. It took him a few seconds to comprehend what exactly it was that she had said, but when the revelation did come, he was too distracted to continue summoning his power.
'Thank you.'
He didn't respond. She wasn't welcome to his sympathy. He only decided to do this to protect...
Marickiya. He grit his teeth.
"If you lay a hand on either of them, I really will kill you."
He made his threat even though it was easy for him to feel her intentions now that she wasn't strong enough to hide them. She was afraid. She simply wanted out. He knew she wouldn't try anything.
Calling forth his blood, a gust entered the chamber, kicking up dust, and the pressure dropped, making it feel like they were floating for a moment. The darkness that surrounded them was intrusive and uncomfortable, something Vaati had gotten used to over time, but this was Lana's first experience. She squeezed his shoulder in fear.
0000
"There you go," Link said as he lowered Marickiya onto her bedding in the upper part of their loft. He knelt down beside her. "How are you feeling?" He asked gently.
"I'm okay. I'm really sleepy." She replied quietly. He gave her a nod.
"Get some rest. We'll be downstairs if you need anything." He offered. She whispered her acknowledgment and closed her eyes. Link stood and motioned for Aine to follow him. Once they reached the table, he took a seat and gestured for Aine to join him.
"I have a question for you," Link stated while Aine pulled a chair out. He hesitated a little before sitting.
"What is it?" He asked. Link was looking rather serious before he responded and that made Aine a little nervous.
"Do you think it's possible that Ganondorf was behind any of the attacks at the Temple?" He asked in a quiet voice. Aine blinked a few times, then put a hand to his chin.
"I don't think so," he said, going over in his mind all that they had witnessed. "The Trials were put there by the Sheikah. And that Guardian was protecting the lower floors from intruders."
"The Redeads are a normal occurrence, too?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.
"More or less," Aine shrugged. "It is their natural habitat. The ones that make it above ground are weakened by sunlight, so they prefer the dark. It was why they were so strong." After another moment of thinking to himself, he felt that ever encompassing guilt that he'd been haunted by for the last few days. "I'm sorry. About everything. I should have been better prepared."
"Don't worry about it," Link said, lightening up. "We all should get some rest. We've had a long day." Aine nodded his agreement and stood from the table.
"Then I will report back to Impa at the ranch." He bowed in gratitude. Before he could turn to make his way out though, Link halted him.
"Hey," he said to get the boy's attention. Aine stopped. "Can I ask you to not inform the others about Mari just yet?" Aine gave him a small questioning glance. "I'll tell them. I just want some time to make some preparations."
It was a bit vague, but Aine thought he understood what he meant. They needed rest and he knew that Impa would want to take action immediately, he couldn't say for sure just what she would do. She had been rather secretive and hasty with her plans as of late. Once she got the information about their underground city being inhabited by Ganondorf's armies, she wasted no time in making preparations for its destruction. He hadn't told the others about that. He'd been ordered not to. In that moment, it was easier to trust Link than her. He nodded and Link smiled in return.
It was then that a familiar breeze blew through the house. Link held onto his hat and waited for it to subside, no longer really caring about the fact that the mage was asked not to do that. Vaati appeared by the front door, carrying a nearly unconscious Lana. He wasn't looking too good either.
"Link. Help." Was all he was able to utter. Link vaulted from his chair at the tall table and over to them. He noticed Lana was holding her free arm closely to her chest and decided not to mess with it. He took her arm away from Vaati and transferred it to his shoulders. As soon as the weight lifted from him, the mage teetered for a scary moment. That was when Aine rushed over as well and steadied him. Without having to worry about Vaati collapsing, he carried Lana to the closest bed which incidentally happened to be Vaati's cot and laid her there. She seemed in and out of it, he wasn't sure what to do for her besides lay her down. He took in her bruises and scratches, then tore his gaze away. He approached the other two by the front door. Vaati was getting back to standing on his own.
"How did that go?" He asked, noting the soot that was smudged into Vaati's face and hair.
"There was no one there." He explained. "Everything had been destroyed." Link's eyes widened.
"Destroyed? But who would..." Link trailed off.
"There was evidence that the Sheikah had been the attackers." He elected not elaborate on the bomb he accidentally detonated. What he had said was enough for Link who's eyes widened. He turned to Aine.
"Do you know anything about this?" He asked of the boy. Aine looked as if he had hoped he wouldn't be dragged into the conversation. He paled a little.
"I knew of it." He spilled. "Impa and the other leaders were preparing for something for a while. And when Ganondorf went to the Forest after you guys they..." He faltered under Link's menacing glare. Link however had stopped listening and was thinking hard.
When they arrived at the ranch the day before, it had been oddly empty. He had shrugged it off then, but it was beginning to make sense. As much as he hated the fact that Impa had practically used them as a distraction, it was well played. He also hated how she kept him in the dark on so much, even though it was tough to spread any kind of plans with Ganondorf's spies everywhere. All he could do then was accept that they had struck another blow against their shared enemy.
"How is Marickiya?" Vaati said under his breath. Link looked up to see the mage staring worriedly up at the loft.
"She's resting. She said she's tired, but okay." He told him reassuringly, but Vaati still looked deeply distracted. For a second Link thought he was going to say something, but then he turned and walked out of the front door, closing it behind him gently. That had been a bit odd, Link thought to himself. He and Aine stood awkwardly for a moment.
"I suppose I'll be off then," Aine said, breaking the silence. Link nodded.
"Alright. Travel safely." The Sheikah smiled in return and took his leave.
After closing the door behind him, he turned and was somewhat surprised to find Vaati still standing in the center of the raised courtyard with his back to the house. He seemed dazed, or maybe lost in thought. Either way, he didn't think he could just walk past him without bothering him. He cleared his throat lightly to make his presence known. Vaati remained motionless. Did he not hear him, or was he ignoring him? Aine bit his lip, then walked up behind Vaati and put a hand on his shoulder. Finally reacting, he pulled his face from his skyward gaze.
"Are you alright?" Aine asked of him. Vaati gave him a nod.
"I am fine."
His voice wasn't as gruff as it had been all day. It was quiet, forlorn. Aine didn't believe his words, but wouldn't press him on it. He didn't think that the mage wouldn't want to confide in him after the events of the last few days...
Vaati turned to fully face the youth. He couldn't fathom how Aine could show him any kind of concern after the way he had been treating him. He had come to realize that even though they were constantly in danger in that temple, his attitude had been petty.
There was something else he had noticed. Back in the statue chamber, when Aine had revived him, he got a glimpse of Aine's bare arm. He had never before wondered why the boy had his appendages all wrapped up, but he knew why just then. Now that they were out of harm's way, he was able to get a better look at it.
There were more scars on him than there was clear skin. They weren't normal scars either. These were purposefully inflicted, whether by him or another, Vaati was unsure. The cuts were deep and calculated, made into patterns and shapes. He presumed the writing that he could see was of the Sheikah language and that these scars were a sign of achievements. His stomach was twisting in knots.
He had first heard of the Gerudo's cruelty and simply assumed it was because they were under the rule of a mad tyrant. The Sheikah were a different story. He couldn't label them as 'enemies' as they were helping to take down Ganondorf. And yet, they used violent methods against their own people, against their children... Why were the races of this Hyrule so barbaric?
"Aine," his lips moved before his mind could tell them not to, and now Aine was waiting for him to continue speaking. He swallowed his pride. "I know a lot of the time spent in that temple was me being angry with you... I want to apologize." He watched the boy's eyebrows disappear into his light hair. "You showed courage and a leader's attitude in the end. I trust that you will become a great Sheikah."
Aine could hardly believe what he was hearing. He didn't know how to respond and was quietly staring at Vaati with a dumbfounded expression. It wasn't until the mage started shuffling uncomfortably did he pull himself out of it.
"Thank- thank you!" He hastily gave an awkward bow. When he straightened back up, he saw Vaati was averting his gaze. He grinned widely. "I'll see you later." Vaati watched the boy walk past, waving cheerily as he went. He laughed quietly at the boy's retreating back. That hadn't taken much. After all the condescending comments from earlier, all it took was one complement to have him smiling like they were friends. Vaati had to admit that even though he was a little absentminded before, Aine had not hesitated to come to his aid, and he was grateful for that. He still had much to learn from experience and not just training, but he would stand by his word that he would be great someday.
His grin fell from his face. He was feeling uneasy again like he had when he returned from the desolate underground city. It was a suffocating feeling. Accompanying those feelings was a sense to escape. He didn't want to be anywhere near the house, but also wanted to stay nearby. He found a compromise in the watch tower in the middle of town. He could see someone stationed at the top and decided it was best not to fly up. He didn't want to risk scaring them into falling off. It was time for another walk and, hopefully, this one wouldn't be as eventful as the last.
He shoved his hands into his pockets as he went, hoping that he looked like he didn't want anyone talking to him. Dusk was the busiest hour of the town's shops, with everyone trying to get their last minute shopping in before dark, and he was lucky enough to have chosen then to try and get through them. He gritted his teeth in annoyance as he was pushed around by the people milling about. Perhaps he should he have used his magic to get up there after all. Eventually, he made it through, but not without a few giving him not so subtle stares. At first he couldn't figure out why, but then he realized he hadn't made an appearance in town since the enemy attack almost a week before. Were they thankful, or did they fear him? He didn't want to think about that on top of everything else and so picked up his pace, keeping his gaze downward.
He meandered between houses and up a set of stairs, finally arriving at the bottom of the tallest ladder he'd ever laid eyes on. Grimacing and thinking about how menial this task would be, he started his ascent. It didn't take as long as he imagined it would, but he was still regretting not just using his magic. When he reached the last rung, the person he saw standing atop the tower was looking over at him, alerted to his presence by the creak of wood and annoyed grumblings.
"Is everything alright?" It was a boy who looked not that much older than he. Vaati pulled himself all the way onto the landing before replying.
"Nothing is wrong. I am simply here to take over the remainder of your watch." The boy looked a little relieved at his words.
"Thanks man. I'll send up the next person to take your place after the sun sets." Vaati nodded and stepped out of the way for him to retreat down the ladder. When he could no longer hear the 'thunks' of the man's feet on wood, he sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He stood for a moment while the wind batted at his clothes and hair, enjoying its soothing touch. He had a little over an hour to himself up here and he would take the time to think some things over. He eased himself down to sit and let his legs hang through the gaps in the protective fence. He took another steadying few breaths before letting his mind wander onto the distressful events as of late.
In a word, he was frustrated. This mission had so far been the longest and least linear of any he had been charged with before. He had never gone this long with so little direction. All he had been told was that there were two threats to eliminate. As he had delegated before, Ganondorf was one of them and he thought anything linked to the King of Evil, such as the Phoenix, would surely be his second target. It had already been difficult for him to readily accept that it was even a possibility Marickiya was who he was after, but now, knowing that she was the Phoenix, he felt as if there weren't any other options. These thoughts just served to confuse and irritate him further. His reflex was to stop thinking about it, pretend it wasn't true, but it was an endless circle. He didn't want to dance to this tune anymore.
More unwanted memories seeped into his musings. When he arrived back at the loft with Lana, no one had noticed, but Marickiya had sat up to witness the commotion. No one but him. The movement caused him to turn towards her. Their eyes met for a brief moment but she turned away quickly. In that small moment, he could see into her. Her anger, sadness, hatred, which he knew was mostly aimed at Lana, was all very plain to see. And there was one more... Betrayal. That one was for him. He had tainted their relationship by doing what he saw as necessity. The guilt was driving him mad. He couldn't undo this hurt he'd caused. It was done.
Maybe it was time to put aside his personal feelings and face reality.
In the end, none of it mattered. Not a damn thing would matter once he was finished with his tasks. Once Ganon was defeated and all other threats neutralized, he would have to leave, never to return. That was the price he would have to pay. Over and over again he paid. Another cycle that couldn't be broken. Like so many times before, he was regretting his decision to lead this life.
During that time, when the choice was given to him by his now 'employer', it had been easy. He was taken from his homeland in order to be punished for nearly bringing about the downfall of the kingdom, but they saw a use for him. How could he refuse this chance when his only other option was death? He was so desperate to live that he disregarded what living would mean under these conditions. Similar to how he previously viewed the Phoenix, he thought it was his only way out. Useless.
There had been few other occasions where he was brought to reconsider his choice, but there was no going back. His contract was eternally binding. Those that he worked for wouldn't allow him another way out, even if he begged. That meant he couldn't even attempt a suicide. Knowing it would be fruitless to even try, he was still on the verge of begging.
He did not think he could kill Marickiya. It was entirely too difficult to find a suitable reason for it. Unlike him, she had done nothing wrong. She was just too unfortunate to be born with a dangerous power within her.
'Your straying allegiance will doom this land.'
He nearly jumped at the intrusive voice within his head. It had been so long since he'd heard anything that he almost forgot about its existence entirely. He growled, allowing the rage he'd been quelling bubble up inside him.
"Where have you been all this time?" He seethed, angry again that he been given so little on this quest except his objectives and the demand to join with Link and Marickiya near the beginning.
'We did not believe you required assistance. You have always been on the right path.'
"So you do expect me to kill her. What part of this is right?" He said a bit loudly and was glad he was so high up and no one could hear him.
'Is it truly so difficult to understand?'
"You speak of sacrificing one for many." He felt his face grow hot as the rage piqued and he tried hard to keep from screaming out his next words. "Is that an order?!" He failed, but he no longer cared about causing a scene. His exclamation was met with silence. He quickly stood up, back straight, fists clenched tightly with his nails digging into his palms. Now that their intentions were clear, he couldn't accept it.
"I reject that. I reject this order!" He could barely see straight, his vision blurring red. "The only thing you told me was to destroy a threat and she is not one." He breathed hard for a moment and the wind suddenly picked up viciously. He heard shouts from below and felt someone climbing up to him. He tried willing the magic to abate, but his emotions were wild within him. He could not calm himself. He didn't want anyone to see him as he was, and he feared someone being hurt. His blood reacted...
"Hey!" The one who had braved to approach the disturbance at the watch tower reached the top and peeked his head over. The wind that had raged a second before was beginning to die down. He took a good look only to find nothing. He turned his head back to the base of the tower where a small group had gathered. "I thought you said someone was up here!" He shouted to them.
"There was!" Came a distant pleading cry. He made his way back to the earth. When he touched down he saw the worried looks of the rest of the night's watch party.
"Everything is fine. There's nothing up there." He reassured them. Not too believing of him, the group dissipated and made their way back to their stations. One remained.
"A man with long hair came and said he would cover the rest of my watch shift. There was really no one there?" The other gave him a shake of his head.
"It must have just been a really loud gust of wind and you're just trying to get out of your duties."
"That's not it!" He was sure he heard shouting from where he had left the long haired man.
"Just get back to it, son." The man clapped him on the back and walked away with a chuckle. The boy was left at the ladder, looking worried about either his sanity or the well being of the one he had left at the top of the watchtower. He wasn't sure which.
...
The musty smell of moss and mud was prevalent as one might expect at the shoreline of Lake Hylia. The mage wasn't focused on his surrounding just then, however. He was concentrating on getting a hold of himself and his magic. He had lost control in his helplessness, wanting nothing more than to run away, and his blood had taken him to the lake. He sat hugging his chest tightly as if he feared it would burst at any second. Eyes shut and brow furrowed so deeply it was giving him a headache, he took great gulps of air.
He could still feel the storm writhing within him, but he started thinking again. He was compromised. It was too much to stay with the others. He feared another outburst, that they would find out what he had been told to do, that he would hurt them...
He didn't want to lose his friends, but it was better than them being hurt because of him. As a bonus, he would be rebelling against his 'Master's' command of staying. He was done taking ridiculous orders. That helpless part of him quietly wondered how long that could possibly last.
What could they do to him now that could hurt any more? They could take him out of this world, away from his friends. Then he wouldn't have to worry about having to hurt them anymore. They could take back his contract and ultimately end him. He welcomed the thought. Even with these notions of dissent, nothing was forthcoming. He remained where he was. Perhaps they still believed he would finish this.
With Lana no longer dogging him for Ganondorf, he could go wherever he wanted. He could stay at the lake. It was the farthest he could get from Kakariko with the barrier that covered the entire kingdom still up. Yes. That was what he would do. He would wait to return to the house for his belongings when he knew everyone was asleep. In his state of mind, his plan was flawless.
A few ripples on the surface of the water at his feet distracted him. He looked outward at the dark waters and watched as a torrent of drops from the sky approach him, a southerly rain storm. He hugged himself tighter as a chilly breeze pierced his clothes to his skin. His magic that was still active created a dome around him that kept him from getting wet. He was finally catching his breath and his shoulders sagged. He cursed the clouds for their poor timing.
"She is no threat."
0000
Furious couldn't even begin to describe his mood just then. If he had the strength to do it, he'd be tearing apart the Temple he escaped to just to let off some steam. This was his people's temple after all, he could do with it as he pleased, sacred or not. As it were, that unassuming wretch of a girl had torn him up quite badly, much as he hated to admit it. On top of it all, he fumed, when he was able to make it back to the underground, he found it completely destroyed with most of his armies inside.
He had made a mistake. An enormous mistake with nothing but a huge mess to show for it. He had used too much of his power on a project thinking he had nothing to lose and everything to gain. His project failed so miserably and he lost so much because of it. He should have listened to his gut and left that kind of meddling to the Goddess of Time. His lips formed a thin line.
Oh, but if that project had succeeded, he could have achieved everything he had set out to do from the moment he invaded Hyrule almost eight years prior. He couldn't say what exactly had gone wrong with the experiment. The vision he had for if it had worked was all too appealing. He couldn't resist at least attempting it. It pained him that it was no longer a reality for him.
At the very least, and it truly was not much, he was still alive. He could rebuild his armies, he could rekindle his power, they were easy tasks. It might take him some time to recover all that he'd lost, but he was a patient man. He would persevere. The people of Hyrule could have their false sense of peace. It would simply give him more pleasure to rip that peace away from them.
"Master Ganondorf."
"Come." He beckoned to the owner of the voice that disrupted his inner dialogue.
They crept from the shadows, blood red hair gleaming in the torch light. One of his remaining, loyal Gerudo. He leered at her greedily. His tenacity was reflected in her and he could see it clearly. "It is fortuitous that you were able to rejoin me by my side, my most faithful servant."
The woman blushed, making her dark skin a rosy red to compete with her hair.
That was one good thing that came from him choosing to come to the Spirit Temple. She appeared to have been living there for quite some time on her own, living off of desert leevers and guays instead of being picked off by them. When he asked her how she did it, she responded vaguely with "I climbed and I walked, because I am not done in this world." He thought that perhaps she had lost a bit of her sanity in the wilds of the desert, but he could sense a fierce vengeance from her. She had lost almost all sense of self, yet retained rancor and a certain intense loyalty for him alone. That made her valuable to him.
He allowed her to dab at his wounds with a cloth and basin of water she had brought in from an oasis from outside. He sorely missed this kind of kingly treatment. He reveled in it for a moment longer before getting to business.
"How is the insurrection coming along." He asked of her. She looked exceptionally giddy at his asking.
"Quite nicely." She finished her short sentence with a leer of her own that made him proud.
"Excellent." She blushed again at the passion behind this one word directed at her work. He laid his head back, relaxed.
That was another thing he was actually pleased to think about. It was better to focus on what could be done rather than what could have been. He would have his Fortress back soon. That was a thought he could entertain. He would have skilled fighters at his side instead of mindless drones.
That would come in due time. He would not try to rush this plan, he trusted his servant with this task. It would all fall into place when the time was right.
All the pieces in play were framed within his mind. He grimaced. There were still a few smudges in the wrong places. Most notably; the sorcerer, and the traitor.
The sorcerer was strong and calculating. It would not be so easy to take him out in one sweep. The traitor displayed a tremendously wild card that he had not expected. She had gained a power that was impressive, and yet it was clear, to him at least, that she did not know how to properly wield it. The way she attacked him was sloppy, however effective it may have been. That sparked a small idea.
If she didn't know how to handle it, she most likely wouldn't be able to hold onto it if he tried to take it from her. He grinned at this thought. If he could grasp that power that she held, he would be able to wield it correctly. On top of that, if he could capture her, he would have one of the pieces of the Triforce under his thumb. Then he would have little trouble with dealing with the Hero who had the last piece.
His grin faded a bit. He was still left with the problem of the sorcerer. The three of them seemed to never be apart. That would need to change if he was going to get his hands on the girl.
It was minute, but it was a start. He would be content with regaining his strength for awhile. With that, he had plenty of time to come up with a plan. He had waited for years to perfect some of his schemes, what was a little more time to add to it?
0000
This was a strange feeling. It was hard to identify at first, but she came to the conclusion that was she feeling was warmth. It wasn't just the opposite of feeling cold, it was a sense of security, belonging. When was the last time she had felt that? She confidently thought of her mother, long gone from the world, but still fresh in her memory in that instant. Wanting to know why she felt this way, she tried to open her eyes.
The room was dimly lit, a loft above her completely dark. The bed she was laying on wasn't the most comfortable, but out of all the places she'd been sleeping as of late, she would not be complaining. There was an actual blanket on top of her! She could have cuddled herself up in it for the rest of eternity and be completely satisfied. Sore muscles and stinging cuts all over her body kept her from doing that however. She would have to deal with just laying there under the sheet's comfort and warmness.
Turning her head to a small twinge at her right arm, she saw something that made her breath catch in her throat. Her eyes locked onto two other bright blue orbs that stared back at her. Then they looked away to concentrate on the task their owner was just completing. Link tied a small knot in the white fabric that was wrapped firmly around her broken wrist, splints that were wrapped up in the cloth kept it from moving. Feeling around, she noticed a lot of her topical injuries had been bandaged up. Of all the things she expected as a welcoming from these people, this wasn't even on the list. She sighed out loud. His labor complete, Link folded his hands in his lap.
"Trouble in paradise?" Link asked. She tried to give him a scowl, though the bruises were making even that difficult.
"Not very funny." She muttered. He grinned a little sheepishly.
"You're right," he said softly back, "I'm sorry." She breathed in deeply.
"It's fine. I'm just glad to be out of it." She lifted her free arm and brought her hand to her face to feel more bindings there. She humphed. "Being stuck in the Serving-Ganondorf-Business for years, you'd think I'd have gotten tired of it long before now." Link gave a her a searching look.
"Years?" Her eyes scrunched up in thought.
"Well, more like decades." He blinked several times.
"Decades." He took in her young features and stared for longer than he should have. "H-how...?" She giggled lightly at his confusion.
"Part of my consolation prize for my services." Then the glee rapidly fell from her face, the meaning behind her own words sinking in more deeply. Link swallowed.
"How come I've never seen you before?" She looked up.
"You have. We've dueled." At Link's flabbergasted look, she gave him a sly smirk, then closed her eyes. Her figure began to ripple before his eyes, growing larger under the blankets and losing the color of normal skin. Her recognizable features vanished and a black shape overtook them. When the rippling stopped, she opened her eyes again. Bright red glowing ones looked up at him from where Lana had previously laid. With understanding, he shook his head with a chuckle.
"Should have guessed that."
The both of them on the same page, the shadowy mirror of him reverted back to the Lana he had been patching up for the last hour or so. She breathed out shakily, exhausted greatly by her little trick. He studied her weakened expression carefully.
"Do you need anything?" He asked awkwardly. She smiled and gently shook her head, then winced a little.
"I'm just sore from not moving for so long," she said. They were quiet for a minute. She was not used to such amiable conversation.
"What made you decide to work for him?" She gave him a blank look. "I mean, you don't seem like the type to follow him willingly."
"You would pass up the gift of looking eternally young?" She looked entirely too serious at this question and he couldn't tell if that was a joke or not. In the silence that was him unable to come up with a suitable answer to that question, she winked at him. "He offered me magic to do with what I wanted. The only price was that if he needed my help with something, I would come to him. The 'if' part was what pulled me in."
"Fair enough." He commentated. She continued.
"I was on my own for many years, perfecting the use of the borrowed magic. I stole things, tricked people, and just lived off of that lifestyle. Not really settling anywhere, just wandering on my own. The taste of that freedom, to do and get away with anything, was sweet.
"That all changed when he finally did request my help. It had been so long, I had completely forgotten about the pact. One thing he neglected to mention about our little deal was that when he would call, the magic would take me to him, no matter where I was. I couldn't escape. He first stationed me at that temple..." Link interjected.
"My bad," he said. She eyed him.
"Yes, I know. After that, when you defeated me, he cast me out. I thought I was free again. I tried getting away as far as I could, and... Well, you know the rest." She lapsed into silence, leaving Link to think about her words. She still hadn't made sense of how she ended up like she was, beaten and locked in a dungeon.
"Did he always beat you like this?" She became angry.
"Only when I messed up. Keeping the secret of the baby as long as I did was a pretty big screw up according to him."
"Why'd you do it?" He asked quickly. She raised an eyebrow at him.
"What? You thinking I had some sort of epiphany or something? 'Why be bad when I can be one of the good guys?'" He watched her expectantly. She huffed out another tired breath. "I don't know... Maybe I thought it best he didn't have the Triforce pieces..."
The longest quiet crashed down all around the two of them. The last light of the day had finally put itself out, the sounds of the night coming to life to break the stillness.
"You should rest some more," Link made to rise from his stool. Lana, in a flash despite her condition, reached over and grabbed the hem of his tunic. He stayed like that for a second, then he sat back down.
"Why are you so nice to me? I've caused you nothing but trouble," she said in a whisper.
"Well, none of that was really your choice, was it?" He took her hand and held it. Her eyes widened. "We're the good guys, it's just what we do," he said simply.
She looked him over and over, trying to figure out how she felt about his words. She shook her head, unable to decide, before closing her eyes.
"Tell her I said 'sorry'…" She moved around to make herself more comfortable. "Even if he kills me, I won't tell him about the Phoenix. I owe you."
She was asleep again within minutes and her grip on his fingers slackened. He put her hand back on the side of her bedding and moved away.
0000
Everyone was asleep. It was quiet. Even the rain from outside could not pervade the hush of the room he entered. He supposed the lingering thought that this might be the last time he would ever set foot in this quaint little house was settling harder on him than he intended. It was he who was making the decision to leave, so why would he have such a heavy heart about it? He felt his gaze move upwards and come to rest on the darkened loft.
Oh. That's why.
He wanted, yearned terribly to speak with her. He wanted to reaffirm his certainty in her goodness, her purity, so he would have no need to carry out his appointed task. He shook his head of the thought and found himself halfway up the steps towards Marickiya. When had he told his feet to move, he wondered. He stopped at the top just before entering Marickiya's domain. Without magic, he watched through the shadows, captivated, as her form rose slowly, and then descended even slower as she took long breaths in her slumber. Without permission, he quietly crept over to the sleeping girl. His body slunk to the floor like an exhausted man's after a hard days' work getting to rest for the first time in hours. His eyes never left Marickiya. A sad expression accompanied a hollow chuckle.
"This might be the last time we get to see each other and you're not even awake for it."
He felt something for this girl he'd never felt for anyone else in all his life. It wasn't sympathy. He felt protective of her, but it was so much more than that. She was never wary of him, from the very beginning she spoke freely and genially. He tried so hard not to permit himself these thoughts and emotions, but the last of the walls he had so carefully built around his heart were falling so easily. She was taking them apart piece by piece even while she slept.
'You crazy girl,' he thought to himself and his hand dropped down to hers.
The images came swiftly and intrusively. He knew what they were before they were clear and coherent. He was reading her thoughts, her memories. They flowed freely into him, though he did not want them. While he was sure he knew who she was, a woman he'd never seen before was saying one thing over and over as if it were set to loop infinitely.
'In order for you to conquer the Dark One, you must surrender your life'
He was back in his right mind again, the words permanently seared into his skull.
This. This was what had shaken her so much, what she wouldn't tell them. He knew something was wrong the moment she reappeared at the base of that statue, but hadn't been able to place why he felt that way. He never connected to her consciousness apart from when he needed to wake her simply on principle. He didn't want to invade her privacy as he had just done unintentionally. This statement had a hold of her so strongly that she was dreaming of it. Another nightmare.
His hand began to shake and he had to lift it from its contact with Marickiya's in fear of waking her. He had to get away from her. He had to get out.
He made his way downstairs, nearly tripping on the last step, no longer caring about grabbing his belongings, and quietly slipped out the door. It was still raining. He stood in front of the closed door breathing hard and clenching his fists.
To carry out his orders, Marickiya needed to die. It was going to happen either way. There was no way around it. His breath was caught in his throat when he finally put this last piece of the puzzle together. He was desperate to scream out, to strike something, anything! But all he could do was stand there, the drops of rain falling hard on top of him. He looked skyward, his hair plastered to his face, his half-lidded eyes empty as they were hit with the droplets. He couldn't feel the cold that had pierced him before, the stinging rain in his face.
It was no longer a question of killing her and taking out Ganondorf. The two goals were one in the same.
In order for them both to be accomplished, he was forced to stay.