The Legend of Midna: Clockwork Darkness

Chapter Twelve

"Dear Gods, I had no idea she was that fast," Eoghan wheezed. He and his sister had spent twenty minutes chasing after Cailin, who had bolted down through the village after their encounter with the fabricant.

"I...know….right?" Siobhán panted. "Gotta give her credit though," she said through strained breaths, "she's running a sound pace."

After they had caught their breath, the twins continued on in their pursuit of the mage. Finally, as they rounded a curve in the path, they found her. Cailin lay collapsed on the forest floor, unmoving.

"Oh dear Nayru," Eoghan fretted under his breath. "This doesn't look good."

"Is she…dead?" Siobhán hesitated before letting the words leave her lips.

"I don't think so…" Eoghan said as he made his way over to her apparently lifeless body. He examined her closely without being too invasive. Finally he spoke. "She's alive."

"Thank the gods…" Siobhán whispered to herself.

"Do my ears deceive me?" Eoghan remarked, throwing his sister a sideways glance. "Is that actually concern for a Hylian I hear coming from you?"

"What?" Siobhán was caught off guard. "N-no, no, of course not." She quickly regained her composure. "What I mean is that without her we would stand much less of a chance of reaching our goal."

"I think you were worried," Eoghan chided, unable to contain himself. "Ladies and gentlemen, mark today on your calendars! Siobhán has sympathy for a Light-Dweller!"

"I do not!" Siobhán retorted. Then, to their surprise and relief, there came a tiny voice.

"….bullshit."

They turned in disbelief to see the mage attempting to stand, and unfortunately failing.

"Don't try to move," Eoghan said. "You'll only spend more energy. Now tell us, what happened."

"I wasn't attacked or anything, if that's what you mean," Cailin said in self-defense. "I was just running and running until my vision started to go, and then I just…I don't remember falling but I guess I did because here I am."

"Dehydration, sounds like," Siobhán muttered to herself. "Eoghan, have you got any red potion?"

"I'm not sure…" he said, and began to rummage through his possessions. "No, I don't. Dammit."

"Well," said a very irritated Siobhán, "I guess we're stuck here until Cailin gets to feeling able."

"Why were you in such a hurry, anyhow?" Eoghan posed to her. "That guy said something about a boy, and then you took off like a bat out of Hell."

Cailin again attempted to get up off the ground, and this time was a bit more successful, allowing herself to settle into a sitting position.

"That boy they've got is my brother," she said finally. "He's pretty much the only family I've got left. I can't let anything happen to him."

"Don't worry," Eoghan said reassuringly. "We…I won't let anything happen to him."

"Nor will I," Siobhán said defiantly. "You Light-Worlders aren't all bad….Most of you are," she added, "but not all."

"So no worries," Eoghan reassured. "I just wish I had some red potion. I don't mind waiting around with you but I'm just thinking, the longer we wait, the less time we have to prevent whatever it is that Zagros is planning."

"Permission to enter, Master," came the king of Ikana's gravelly voice from across the room.

"Permission grante, Igos," Zagros confirmed, not taking his eyes off of his workbench. "In fact, I was planning on summoning you later. I have something I need to discuss with you."

"Master," Igos said, bowing low, "I wanted to ask you again about the fate of my kingdom." He strode over to Zagros's bench with more grace than any skeleton should. "You promise my kingdom renewed life, and still you have not granted me this."

"Funny you should bring it up," said Zagros, taking of his goggles. "You see this?"

"Yes," Igos said warily. "It appears as a human head."

"That was the idea," Zagros confirmed. "You remember, of course, how I said I had an idea for a better fabricant? Well, rather than insectoid, I believe humanoid is a much better design."

"Is that so?" Igos' tone had become even more suspicious. "Why is that, I wonder…"

"Well," Zagros went on, "what are the most intelligent creatures to walk the earth? The humanoid races, of course. Humans, Hylians, Gerudo, Twili…the Ikana and Sheikah, at one time, I'm sure," he added after noticing Ikana's reproachful look. "My thinking is, what is Man's only real predator? The answer is simple: another man. However, my automata are stronger than men, and more durable."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Simple: it has everything to do with what you asked me." Zagros strode across the room to his massive magic generator. "You see," he said, placing a hand on the machine, "I thought these magic generators would be enough to fulfill my plans, and they were to a point. But plans have changed, you see…" He then pulled a lever, and a set of doors opened behind him to the right. "Come in here," he beckoned. Ikana followed him into the room and was astonished by what he saw there. Along the walls were rows and rows of mechanical men, each one identical to the last.

"This is my new model," Zagros said, clearly proud of his work. "You see, this is where all those souls are going. These babies need more power than what those generators can put out, and what is the most powerful obtainable substance? Souls! All of those dead in Hyrule, and all of your old subjects will soon be the power supply for my fabricant army."

"You bastard!" Ikana roared furiously. "You make me sick! If you think I'll continue working with you, you are a fool."

"Perhaps, but it doesn't matter. You see," Zagros said, and as he did, a massive mechanical hand thrust itself through Ikana's ribcage. The owner systemically proceeded to dismember the former king of Ikana and pulverize his bones to dust. "You've been replaced," Zagros finished. He then proceeded to scoop up the bone dust left from his former lackey, and carried them over to a large tank. After turning several knobs and pulling a lever, the tank began to fill with a transparent green fluid. One the tank was full, Zagros picked up a hose that was attached to the top of the tank and inserted the other end into the back of the automaton that had just destroyed Ikana. He pulled another lever, and the green fluid began to pump into the machine.

"You want new life?" Zagros said as he watched the automaton fill with Ikana's remains. "Enjoy it in a machine."