Chapter 45: Fractures
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Khanot
The excavation had been proceeding well thus far, Khanot observed as he walked alongside the minecarts and rails that had been set up by his Hylian workers. On his orders, they had been excavating beneath Hyrule Castle in search of the power he felt during his brief imprisonment. At first, they started digging in the Lockup itself until he realized that there was no easily accessible passageway just below their feet. Since then, they had started a new tunnel in the rocky foundation of the castle from which they could work more easily. It merged with the Lockup passage and then descended.
With every step the workers carved downwards, Khanot felt the power beneath the castle grow stronger, like watching the horizon at the break of dawn. Step by step, the thing below became more than just a vague sensation of familiar might. When he closed his eyes, he could almost see a reddish glow through the stone, like a candle hidden behind a shade in the back of a dark cavern. Heat seemed to radiate from the silent deep. Whatever it was down there, Khanot knew that once he reached it, all Hyrule would be changed. Thus, he spent every spare moment in the mineshaft, letting his imposing presence inspire his Hylian workers to move faster.
That evening, he took his place in the passage with much to consider. Hyrule was not accepting its rightful lord as willingly as he had hoped. Some local leaders had questions, doubts… which lead to insubordination.
"My Lord!" a Hylian called from the front of the excavation. "We've found something!"
Khanot spun towards the speaker at once, an almost childlike excitement motivating his steps. A Hylian worker with a sweat drenched brow and grime coating his well-muscled arms led the way with a torch while dust settled around them.
"It appears to be some kind of carving," the worker explained, having to jog to keep up with the Gerudo's long stride. "But I ain't never seen anything like it. Looks old. Maybe even older than the castle."
At the back of the tunnel, a group of workers surrounded a spot on the wall, whispering and muttering to one another. A foreman stood at the front, dusting carefully with a small handheld broom. When he noticed Khanot's approach, he bellowed for his men to clear the path. They jumped to obey, reflecting their lord's curiosity in their anxious eyes.
Khanot recognized at once that the section of stone wall had clearly been incorporated into some structure or passageway long ago, its material and construction different from the mass of rock and earth that had obscured it. As reported, a skillful hand had once carved a scene of flowing lines and abstract outlines into the face and painted it with deep red ink. At the center, a proud, ferocious horse adorned in armor stood triumphant, bearing a rider who was mostly still obscured by dirt. Behind the two rode a vanguard of mounted soldiers with bows, followed in turn by ranks of soldiers with armor, spears, and shields. A closer look revealed that the soldiers' shields bore none other than the Gerudo crest.
Khanot's pulse quickened. Reaching out, he took the broom from the foreman and brushed the central rider with a mix of delicate care and desperate haste. As the shapes were exhumed, the rider's heavy dark armor took form, then his gruesome helmet, and finally, a red-maned visage. Khanot needed no caption or script to understand. It was Ganondorf, the great lord, his ancestor.
Khanot's mind raced. He'd pieced together much of his ancestor's story from the flashes of dreams and insights the Gift of Din had delivered him. The scene didn't seem to fit with anything he knew, yet, there was no denying the portrait of strength and conquest before him. Perhaps this was a Hylian interpretation of his ancestor's bid for rightful lordship in the past? Perhaps a memoir from one of his loyal subjects after the Hylian royal family overthrew their king?
Whatever its origins, its existence was confirmation of Khanot's feelings. There was something beneath the castle. All he had to do was free it.
"Excellent work uncovering this, men," the Gerudo King commended. "It is good that you did not harm it by mistake; this is part of what we seek. Continue excavating this wall. Work from both sides of this image and determine whether this was a chamber, a passageway, or something else. Have others carefully dig down deeper and search for tiles or stairs. We have further to descend before we find our prize."
The foreman saluted and the Hylian workers cheered, pleased by the King's approval. At once, they picked up their tools and let the eager foreman organize their efforts. Khanot stared at the image of his ancestor, imprinting the carving into his memory and trying to unravel its mystery.
It wasn't long after the discovery before Lord Yiga excused himself from managing his affairs in the castle above and joined the Gerudo in the depths. They worked their way out of the mine while they spoke.
"Zora's Domain will be ours imminently," Lord Yiga confirmed. "Our troops are in the city and most of the populace and military have abandoned it. The remaining defenders are barricaded in the palace, but our Guardians are in position. Their last stand will not delay us for long."
Khanot wished he'd been able to watch the slaughter. Unfortunately, he'd had to withdraw the Phantom shortly after his electric lizalfos started skirmishing with the Zora defenders. There was word of rebellion in a few Hylian provinces to the south, and the Phantom was needed to smother those disobedient sparks.
"Excellent," Khanot approved. "I am pleased that your army is finally redeeming itself. Do you know where the refugees are headed?"
Yiga shook his masked head. "They escaped using underwater passageways. We are unsure where they will appear, though it seems likely that they would go east to the sea."
Khanot nodded. "I will redirect my lizalfos to investigate shortly. Do we know what has become of their royal family?"
"One of the princes at least is part of the defense of the palace," Yiga answered. "No one has seen Phaidon himself depart, and one would think our men would be able to notice that whale on the move. As for the heir Risces, the master of spies Dorphos, and the rest of Phaidon's sons, we are not sure. It is safe at this point to assume they are alive, but after the loss of their homeland, perhaps it will not matter. Our point was to make an example of them, after all."
They exited the mine, and the silver moonlight stung Khanot's dark-adjusted eyes. "Perhaps," he hummed, blinking to reacclimate to the brightness of night above ground. "However, the princes' survival will likely galvanize the survivors to aid Link and his ilk. The Zora may continue to oppose us in some capacity. In which case, it is essential that we make this a victory for us here in Hyrule. Word of the battle will spread slowly at first, with winter's impediments, but it will spread. The narrative must favor us."
"We should utilize my shapeshifters to blame the attack on Link and his allies," Lord Yiga suggested. "It will feed into our prior story that Link is a rebel traveling with wayward Sheikah who have raised a false, lookalike princess to take power. Then, you could send in Akkalus's men to occupy Zora's Domain, ostensibly under cover of helping the Zora regain their homeland. If Link tried to liberate the city for his allies, we could convince Hyrule that he and his followers are even more brazenly dangerous aggressors. If he doesn't, well, then the Zora either come home and put themselves back in our hands or they don't and we redeploy Akkalus. We lose nothing either way."
"A clever plan, to be sure," Khanot mused, running his fingers through his crimson beard. "Though we would lose the ability to deploy Akkalus's men elsewhere during this trick. With rebellions stirring in the southern provinces, I am unsure if it is wise to leave forces tied up as bait."
"Perhaps you could have your corrupted Zonai raid them? That would inspire them to seek your protection and accept your terms."
"No," Khanot shook his head. "I need Nerkar and Nuralth to spread the Crimson Flame. Time is short as it is and there are many Grafensteda to claim. It is only a matter of time before Link returns to his homeland to recruit for his cause. My new order must be prepared for his arrival. Which still leaves us without a solution for the rebellions in the provinces."
Why do the Hylians have to be so unruly?
"We still have Lady Tabanth's soldiers," Yiga pointed out.
"And they are needed here. Castle Town has made its peace with them, but we cannot forget that it was her men that prevented the provincials' army from storming Castle Town during our takeover. The nobles are wary, and would likely see a counterrevolutionary march by Tabanthans as further provocation."
"So long as order is restored, does it matter? We plan to remove most of those nobles and replace them with our own people anyway," Yiga shrugged.
"But in such a scenario order would not be restored," Khanot contradicted sharply. "It would only escalate the conflict. You forget, Yiga, that this is not the campaign against the Zonai. We are not concerned with maintaining a single warfront against a politically isolated nation. Our enemies are everywhere, scattered amongst our allies. While our resources are vast, so is our territory. We must be cautious not to overextend ourselves. Especially while we wait for you to move your guardian production capabilities out of Sheikah land."
Lord Yiga agreed and considered, tapping his foot as he thought. Khanot studied the Hylian workers that occasionally emerged with minecarts full of disturbed earth and rock. The hours of labor were taking their toll on the men, slowing the rate at which they could empty their carts onto the ever-growing mounds and return to the depths. It would not be long before the foreman sent them home, stopping progress until the next morning. They'd assembled enough workers to divide the day into three shifts, this last one cutting into the night, but they could not maintain constant progress. Perhaps Khanot could figure out some way to have monsters do the nighttime work?
"Ahh, yes! Of course!" Khanot exclaimed suddenly.
Lord Yiga glanced at Khanot, relaying confusion despite his expressionless mask.
"The Phantom is monitoring the rebellions already," the Gerudo continued, thinking aloud. "If I gathered packs of monsters to raid these disloyal territories, I could force them to seek my help or be destroyed, just like your plan with the Zonai. Even better, there would be no way to trace the monsters' movements back to us. The citizens of Hyrule would have no reason to doubt our intentions; we would increase their faith in us while undermining their support for their own governors. So much for their rebellions then!"
"Do you… have the ability to control the large numbers that would require, my Lord?" Yiga inquired hesitantly.
"Yes. Summoning demons is intensive, but once brought into this world, it is trivial for me to direct them. And there are monsters already living throughout Hyrule–perhaps relics of my ancestor Ganondorf's reign. I can rally them much more efficiently than I can summon new monsters."
Khanot's imagination drifted to the lynels known to stalk the distant wilds, especially the frigid north of Hebra and Tabantha. If he had been able to bring some of them to the battle with Link in the snowfields, the boy would have fallen. What hope did any rabble of common soldiers displeased with Khanot's takeover have against such a force?
"That would do it then," Yiga said with a nod. "Throw in a few assassinations, and you'll be able to quell those rebellions in no time. And at the very least, these conflicts will tie up people who might otherwise be interested in joining Zelda's rebellion."
"Link's rebellion," Khanot snapped, glaring at the Sheikah with molten eyes. "Zelda willingly acts as their figurehead now, but we must not forget that she is the Order of the Sword's puppet. She is not our enemy. One day, she will see the truth and accept her place here, at my side, helping govern Hyrule with her gift of Wisdom."
"Yes, of course, forgive me, my lord," Yiga said quickly, bowing deeply before the Gerudo. "It was a mere slip of the tongue."
Khanot's disapproval did not dissipate, but he turned his attention to the Phantom. It had already begun its search for monster camps along the mountainous borders between the Gerudo, Zonai, and Hylian territories. He knew that once he found them, the creatures there would obey him without hesitation.
Why was it that the monsters, supposedly brutish and senseless, were so willing to heed their rightful king when the people of Hyrule were not? Why were they so much more aware of his divine lordship than the rest of the realm?
"Lord Khanot," a Sheikah messenger said sometime later, approaching them from the path to the city. "You are needed above."
"I am done with court for the day. Tell whoever it is to wait until morning," Khanot snarled dismissively.
"My King… it's…" the messenger began, his eyes wide with uncertainty and fear. "It's your daughter."
"Nabouri?" Khanot blinked incredulously. "She's here?"
"Yes, Lord. Nabouri and a small retinue reached the city mere moments ago and headed directly for the castle."
"Interesting," Yiga mumbled, glancing at the fortress towering above them.
Khanot wondered briefly how she managed to leave Gerudo City and march all the way to Castle Town without being noticed by one of the Yiga operatives. Perhaps they were spread too thin already.
"Very well, I'll head up to the throne room at once, then. Please let her know," Khanot ordered the Sheikah. The young man bowed and dashed off to obey. Once he was out of earshot, the Gerudo continued, "Yiga, check the positions of your scouts around the city. I want to know how they missed a caravan of Gerudo."
Yiga acknowledged his command and its hidden rebuke. Khanot chose to return to the tunnel and take the route through the Lockup into the castle, enjoying the dark of the moonless corridors while he prepared himself for his beloved daughter's unannounced visit. As he walked, he pondered just how strange her arrival was. Why had she decided to show up in the middle of the night without even sending word ahead? She had access to several Rito, after all. Something about it didn't sit right with him.
Against all logic, his stomach churned with anxiety. It quickly occurred to him how high the stakes of their sudden meeting were, without even knowing what had motivated her to make the trip. Once more, he would face a princess, and the result of their conversation would play a role in shaping the world. Nabouri was functionally Matriarch of the Gerudo in his absence, and as his heir, one day she would become Queen of All Hyrule. It would be her lineage preserved the dominion of Power in the world, as the Goddesses designed, letting the fruits of Khanot's labor prosper. Recognizing this, he cursed himself for failing to include Nabouri in his plans thus far. It was absolutely essential that she believe him.
But, of course, he was talking about his adoring daughter. Khanot didn't have anything to worry about. Nabouri would make the right decision. She always did.
Proudly pushing past all uncertainty, he opened the door and stepped into the Hylian throne room.
Nabouri stood like a true matriarch near the center of the throne room, her braceleted arms folded with measured poise. She wore golden plates of armor over blue and violet royal robes, her fearless three-pointed spear glistening in the light from the room's blazing hearth. Somehow, her warlike appearance seemed all the more heroic adorned with the fatigue of travel. Though she had aged only weeks since he saw her last, she somehow had claimed the agelessness of a true monarch in that interim, her youth unseen behind wisdom and courage. Like stars in the clear winter night, her turquoise eyes seemed to glow beneath the proud Crown of Thunder that rested on her bright red hair. Somehow, it finally seemed to fit her.
"Nabouri!" Khanot exclaimed joyfully, outstretching his arms and walking towards her.
His daughter's gaze brightened, as it always did, lifting his own heart. Clearing the last steps between them with enthusiasm, she embraced him tightly, holding her spear awkwardly against his arm.
"Father! It's so good to see you. It feels like it's been forever!" she said, studying the Hylian crown atop his head with interest.
"Truly!" Khanot grinned. "I'm so pleased that you decided to make the journey here, though I do wish you'd given me some notice. I would've followed your lead and prepared a feast for you! The Hylians would be glad to celebrate the effective Queen of the Gerudo and daughter of their King."
"King? I thought you were just their steward," Nabouri observed, raising a curious eyebrow.
"They call me that now as a formality," Khanot said with a dismissive wave, gesturing to the table and two chairs against the wall where his recorder sat while he was at court. "Make no mistake, I am King. Now, don't keep me waiting! Why have you decided to make the trip all the way out here in wintertime?"
"Well, if I can be honest," Nabouri began, turning her chair slightly and leaning her spear against it so she could sit comfortably in the Hylian-sized seat. "It's actually about the letters I've been sending."
Letters? Khanot strained his memory in search of the last time he'd seen a letter from her. Had someone been hiding them from him? If so, there would have to be an execution!
"Oh? What about them?" he said instead.
Reaching into a small pouch attached to her belt, Nabouri drew forth a pile of letters, set them on the table, leafed through them, and began to read.
"Nabouri, all is well here. I survived the explosion at the Temple of Time and am recovering quickly. Will write again soon. Signed, Khanot," she recited. She flipped to a new page and continued, "Nabouri, all is well in Castle Town. You may have heard that there is a conflict inside the city. It will be ending soon. Pelaris and Helena are dead, and I have been appointed steward. Will write again soon. Signed, Khanot." Picking yet another page, she read, "Nabouri, all is well here. I am consolidating my rule here in Hyrule and hope to end the Zonai-Sheikah conflict soon. In the meantime, make sure the deliveries of firearms and ammunition to the Boar Tribe continue. Will write again soon. Signed, Khanot." At the conclusion of this last note, Nabouri glanced up at her father, looking expectant.
Khanot didn't know what to say. Now that she brought them up, he did remember having those words written by one of his servants and delivered to Nabouri via Rito messenger. That certainly implied that he had in fact received and read her letters. The unfeeling brevity of the notes stung him, and he cursed himself again for failing to involve her in his plans.
"I… see," Khanot eventually said with a sigh. "I'm sorry, Nabouri. I suppose I've lost track of time here. It's been a very difficult month. In some ways, it seems like the incident at the Temple of Time was years ago. In others, it seems like it was only yesterday. That's no excuse, though. I haven't done my part, and I'm sorry."
Nabouri bobbed her head with compassion and understanding.
"I know, Father. I've pieced together enough to know that a lot has been happening here. I can only imagine how overwhelming that's been for you." Then, delicately, she asserted, "But I also can't pretend that it hasn't cost me. The many rumors and fragments of news I've received have been so mixed, and without you explaining things to me, I've had to guess what they all mean. It's been almost impossible to hold court without answers to the noblewomens' questions."
"I can only imagine," Khanot sympathized. "They are a tenacious bunch and you are a bold, fearless young woman. I'm sure it's been quite a mess."
Nabouri's mouth flickered with a weary smile. "'Tenacious' is an understatement, but yes, it's been a challenge," she said with a sigh. "After the Temple of Time, we didn't know if we were going to war with the Zonai, Hyrule, neither, or both, and so had to stop exports to Faron for a while. This got everyone listening, and then when the rumors started reaching us, they grew fast. We didn't know what to think."
"Fair. Very fair. So, recognizing that you were not receiving the information you needed to lead your people – our people – you decided to come here and force the issue in person," Khanot observed. "I'm impressed, Nabouri. That is exactly what a ruler in your position should do."
"Thanks," she beamed, the gemstones adorning her apparel sparkling with her eyes. "So, Father, I need to know what's been going on. Is it true that you killed Pelaris?"
Khanot hesitated. The conversation had quickly reached a point of no return. If he wanted Nabouri to accept his crown someday, he needed her to believe him. Yet, would she be willing to accept the truth? At once, Khanot had to choose very carefully how and what he would tell her.
"I didn't have a choice," he replied honestly. "In that moment, one of us had to fall, and I made the decision that I felt was best for Hyrule."
"I expected as much. I just wish I understood how it all fit together," Nabouri said, a hint of sadness sapping her prior joy. "Father, I need to know what happened at the Temple of Time."
"Well, where do I begin?" the Gerudo King said. "You already know about the attack on the Temple itself, I'm sure, so I think I'll start at –"
"Actually," Nabouri interrupted, "I think it's important to start with the attack itself. I've heard a lot about who caused it and am curious what you think, since you were there."
Khanot raised an incredulous eyebrow. "Oh? Didn't Kotake explain that to you once she reached Gerudo City?"
"She did," Nabouri agreed pleasantly. "I still want to hear your side of the story."
Curious. Khanot had to wonder what Kotake had told her. Suddenly, that question seemed of incredible importance, and Khanot was furious with himself for neglecting to attend to it. Had Kotake explained that Khanot caused the explosion, or had she sold a lie? Speaking of letters, why hadn't he heard from Kotake herself, given the importance of what had been going on? His frustration at his lack of attention increased. He was very much spread too thin.
"Well… it's… complicated, I suppose," Khanot wavered. "The time I spent recovering from my injuries leaves me relying on others' accounts in many respects. I can tell you that it wasn't the Zonai, at least."
"Meaning you know who it was?" Nabouri inquired, sounding slightly confused.
He was out of time. Nabouri was too smart for him to dance around the facts. If she was going to be the future queen of all Hyrule, she had to accept the truth. Khanot's mind was made.
"Yes, I do. And I will tell you. But first, let me explain."
Khanot started his story at the dawn of time with the creative activity of the Golden Goddesses. Nabouri did not interrupt. She listened with rapt attention like she had to the many accounts of his travels and adventures he'd told her when she was a small child. This time, the story was not mere entertainment. It was the history of the entire world and how their people fit into it. Khanot relayed it all, sparing nothing, including the rise of their ancestor, the great sorcerer-king Ganondorf, his sundering of the Triforce at the behest of the Goddesses. He covered the lies of the Sheikah and Hylians, their usurpation of Power in favor of falsely crowning Wisdom, and Ganondorf's fall.
Then, with the groundwork laid, he began to unfold to Nabouri how the world, warped from its proper design, had spiraled from that ancient sin to their destructive age. He explained how the Might of Ancient Kings became a rabid, repressed thing haunting the dreams of the kings of the Gerudo by being denied its crown and voice. Line by line, he was immeasurably pleased by Nabouri's attention and interest, vastly different from Zelda's reaction on the snowfields to the same information. At last, Khanot came to the modern day and his own decisions, including his outburst at the Temple of Time, his enlightenment, and his successful march on Castle Town.
"And so, by the blood of Pelaris and the will of the people, I became King. With me here, on the throne, I have begun the long and grueling process of correcting this world and restoring the Goddesses' vision. It will be difficult, but I believe that with the strength of our ancestors and the Triforce of Power, we can prevail. At last, our people will be raised to their rightful place, and Hyrule will know peace once more!" Khanot finished, his tone and movements animated by his passion.
At his conclusion, Nabouri adopted a pensive expression. Khanot let the silence linger while she thought.
"So, it's our job to rule all Hyrule. Alright," she finally said. Relief flooded Khanot's mind. "But aren't there three pieces to the Triforce? How do Wisdom and Courage fit into our rule?"
"This is one of the more complicated parts of my plan, truly," Khanot admitted. "Wisdom was meant to advise our dynasty, while Courage was meant to defend it. Currently, this seems… out of sight, but I am confident that within my lifetime, we will straighten this issue out."
"Because the royal family is dead?" Nabouri asked.
"I… no. Pelaris and Helena are gone, but Zelda still lives," Khanot explained. "Yagamura planted a fake body at the Temple of Time to fool me. It worked, at first, but I have since learned the truth. She survived the Temple of Time, only to end up in the captivity of a Zonai warrior and an order of obsessed Sheikah monks. We are trying to bring her back home."
Nabouri nodded, processing the information. "I see. And this Zonai warrior, is he the bearer of Courage, by chance?"
"I suspect that he is. If nothing else, he bears a cursed sword that greatly magnifies his power."
"The Master Sword," Nabouri stated.
Instantly, the Gift of Din began to writhe within Khanot, filling his mind with declarations of hatred and malice. It was all he could do to prevent it from dragging him away from the conversation.
"Yes. How did you know that?"
"Oh, I don't know, I must've read it somewhere," Nabouri waved. "Anyway, this Zonai warrior has the Master Sword and Zelda and is doing what, exactly?"
"Link is trying to rally a rebellion against me. I'm trying to stop him before he brings a new war upon us. Last I knew, they were on Death Mountain seeking an audience with the Goron chieftain."
"And assuming you succeed in stopping him, what happens next?" Nabouri continued.
Khanot pursed his lips, recognizing that he hadn't thought that far out. "It depends," he said, after a moments' consideration. "Hopefully, the warrior dies, Zelda accepts her rightful role in the kingdom, and we await the birth of the next bearer of Courage. Then, we reign in majesty and glory until the end of time."
"That makes sense," Nabouri said. Then, unexpectedly, her expression fell into sorrow as her eyes settled on her lap where her clasped hands toyed with the royal ring upon her finger. Khanot's brows raised with curiosity and concern. "That makes sense," she repeated.
Then her features transformed again, becoming defiant and indomitable as she met his gaze.
"Father, you have been deceived."
"What?" Khanot bellowed, bewilderment giving way to anger that drove him to rise from his chair.
"Kotake lied to you," Nabouri stated, boldly, standing with him. "I've done my own investigation, reading countless pages of our ancient books, including tomes locked in sacred tombs where no one else could possibly see or malign them. I've seen what Kotake has seen, and I know that the truth is not what you were told. Kotake is a witch!"
Khanot could not move. Fire was swelling in his chest.
"She is part of the Twinrova with her sister Kuome! Your mother!" Nabouri continued, pointing her accusatory finger at him as if it was her spear. "I found her cave, where you grew up. The place was filled with dark relics and the remnants of the profane rituals she performed there. And I found their letters."
Once more, Nabouri's hands went to the pouch at her waist. A barely legible tarnished page emerged. Holding it out to him, Khanot could not help but read.
"Dear Kotake. Our boy is growing well, as we knew he would, thanks to his Zonai father's blood. You certainly chose that Boar well, sister! It is clear already that Khanot bears the Triforce of Power, and I am thinking about starting his sorcery training soon."
Khanot didn't need to read the rest. He recognized the handwriting. He had seen it countless times while growing up in that cave in the Gerudo Desert. Unbidden, the memories rushed back to him, enveloping him in feelings of isolation, of complete loneliness, of longing for something more than the sickening darkness of the magic Mother made him practice. He could see the whole desert out there! There was a world beyond their caverns. One day, he would find it!
"Dear Kotake," Nabouri read from a different letter. "I'm worried. Khanot isn't ready to be king yet. He still fears the power of his birthright. By fifteen, I'd hoped that he would have been capable of more. What's worse, I fear that my time is short. He's tried to sneak out several times. One of these days, I'm not going to be able to catch him. I can't fly like I used to. Please place some patrols near our section of the desert. If he manages to run away, it is imperative that he find his way to the royal household. I know that will mean that you will be obligated to hunt me down, but at least then you can finish what I started."
And he remembered the day he finally made a run for it. Those patrols were there, just as the letter requested, though he didn't know they'd been planted. He thought he'd gotten lucky. They hailed him as their rightful king and brought him to Gerudo City, and his life truly began. Or so he'd thought.
"Dear Kotake," Nabouri began again. "How dare you betray me like this? You know Khanot's destiny as well as I do! How dare you deny his birthright! He was born to be Ganondorf, to be King of all Hyrule! Your refusal to train him is sacrilege and a spurning of our divine mission!"
But wait, hadn't Mother been hunted down and killed shortly after his arrival in Gerudo City? He knew he'd made it clear that there was a dangerous witch in those caverns. How could this be happening? Surely there was a mistake!
"Dear Kuome," Nabouri started. This time, there was something different in her tone. "I received your letter, but I will change nothing. Khanot's destiny is not either of ours to decide. He is King, and he is the inheritor of Power, but that does not mean that the hour of destruction has come. Many kings have been born and died without bringing about the end of all things. And simply put, I do not wish for this world to end. One day, I know that it will, but I will not invoke it before its time. I love Rajiya too much. Khanot too for that matter, and I plan to love whatever darlings are born of their inevitable union. If, someday, Khanot decides to embrace his potential as the Demon King, I will not oppose him, but I will not force him to that end. It will be his decision. Until then, farewell, sister. Signed, Kotake."
With that, Nabouri returned the letters and sealed her pouch again.
"Father, please!" she began to beg, tears glittering in her eyes as she sank to her knees. "I begged you once before to put this all behind you, when all I knew was that the Might of Ancient Kings was dangerous. Now that I know the truth, I can't let it happen. Your decisions have brought us to the brink of Calamity, to the end of the world! Kotake shouldn't have let you come to believe all these horrible lies, but she did, and what's done is done, but it's not too late to turn around. You can still change this! You can still fight it! Please, Father! You've been deceived! You must turn around! I don't want you to die!"
Khanot was frozen. His world was spinning out of control, like a moon destined to strike a doomed world, all nature disturbed by the sight of his daughter, pleading for his life, and the sound of her weeping. Was it true? Had he been deceived? Had Kotake been lying to him all along?
He staggered beneath the weight of it all and fell against a cold pillar in the throne room. Pain cut at his heart, causing grief to swell like blood from an arterial wound. Guilt broke free and enveloped him like a wave, his hand clinging to the stone like a drowning man to flotsam. It was too much to bear.
He had been born in the clutches of a liar. Then, he'd escaped into the arms of another. The pair of witches had been controlling him like a marionette his entire life. No wonder he'd never been strong enough! He'd never been allowed to carry himself. No wonder he hadn't been able to defend the Gerudo! He had failed his people after all!
And that wasn't even the worst of it. Seeing Nabouri's tears reminded him of the last time he'd made her cry, atop the temple terrace in Qaijkarah when she'd begged him to abandon the Gift of Din.
"Father, please! Cast off this curse! Reject its power. Hyrule needs you. This kingdom needs you. I need you."
He'd promised to do as she'd asked. Just like he'd promised to be part of her life as she grew to adulthood and took her place as Matriarch of the Gerudo. A thousand other promises made over the years rose like wisps of smoke from snuffed candles. Then, his memory drifted back to the grave of his wife Rajiya and the promises he'd made at the foot of her tomb. When was the last time he'd woven a jasmine crown for her? When was the last time he'd even said her name?
Scenes from the black day he'd lost Rajiya returned once more. He saw the molduga's attack, the feeling of powerlessness that drowned him as their guards were slaughtered. He felt the Gift of Din rising within him, and in desperation, he called upon it. Focusing all his attention on the monster, he unleashed the flame of hatred until there was nothing left of the molduga. It was only after the magenta fire had subsided that he recognized the cost of his single-mindedness. He was alone, and had been ever since he laid her blackened bones to rest.
It was his fault. He hadn't been strong enough. He'd never been strong enough.
Through new eyes, Khanot saw the horrors he'd caused since he'd betrayed his daughter and embraced the Might of Ancient Kings once more. Like nightmares, the carnage returned to him. The unburied bodies of Sheikah spies, their eyes frozen open in terror. The grieving families alongside the rubble of the Temple of Time. The smoke of Castle Town as its residents tore each other apart. Zelda's face as he pleaded with her on the snowfield. The destruction caused by his hands was almost immeasurable, and it grew every passing minute. Monsters he summoned had shed blood at Zora's Domain and on Death Mountain. More such demons were being rallied to murder people with honest questions about his violent rise to the throne. All Hyrule was being consumed by conflict, and he was at the center of the vortex.
How could a crown possibly be worth that much pain?
An abyss threatened him as he suffered the weight of his evil. Khanot sank into despair, confronted by his decisions and the fear that had guided him to each blood-stained step. There, he remained, letting the stars count the minutes while he struggled to make sense of the fractures he discovered within himself. The truth was undeniable, and he did not even have the opportunity to lie to Nabouri about it. Now, just as he'd begun his life, he'd be left alone, abandoned in the sand, turned away by the only home he'd ever known by the last relic of his dear Rajiya. And he deserved it. He could not deny, after all he'd done, that he was a monster, a blight, a demon, a calamity.
Calamity.
Like a climber managing to grasp a ledge with his last ounce of strength, Khanot caught hold of the word. Calamity, the bitter lie spun by ancient Sheikah and Hylians to oppress Khanot's people, to oppress all people! Like the rest, Khanot had grown up believing it, and he had raised his daughter within its chains as well. Of course she believed it! He hadn't done his part to dissuade her of its clever snares!
But Khanot could not forget. He could not unsee what he had seen. All the suffering in Hyrule went back to those first deceivers who disturbed the Goddesses' creation by appointing Wisdom to rule. It was their fault! All of it! Nabouri's revelations did not change any of that. So what if Kotake and Kuome had planned to train him from his birth? Didn't that just confirm the destiny of his birthright? He had been born the one Gerudo male in a hundred years, the inheritor of Power, the one trueKking, and his mothers made sure he understood that!
Yes, maybe that meant that he had to become something terrible, something malignant. Maybe he had to be the wildfire that consumed the thorns and weeds of an overgrown garden so flowers could bloom once more!
Then, a phrase from the letter returned to him. It will be his decision. There, he realized, was the truth that mattered most. In that line, Kotake had given him something of lasting value. When he chose to be a good king, she supported him. When he chose to embrace the darkness, she guided him to the depths. Now, it was still his decision. The very fate of the world was in his hands, and he would choose to see it repaired. He would ensure that the rightful order of the world was restored by his cleansing fire and that an eternal dynasty of prosperity would rise from the ashes.
And there was the secret! How could a crown possibly be worth that much pain? Because he would make it worth the cost.
The vortex of pain ceased at once. Khanot's faculties returned to him, and with a deep, calming breath, he rose from his moment of weakness to face his daughter.
"Thank you, Nabouri, for bringing this to my attention," Khanot began. "It took a great deal of courage and willpower to challenge me like this. It is proof that our people have been in good hands with you in charge."
Nabouri's face brightened, a grateful smile escaping her tears of sorrow.
"You are truly the best daughter a king could ever ask for, and in time, I know that it will be you who leads our people into their glorious future," Khanot continued. "But I fear you have misunderstood Kotake's words. My destiny is my own, and I am no one's puppet. I have no desire to bring this world to an end. I intend to rule it. Whatever it takes, I will see peace brought to this kingdom."
Khanot stood in front of Nabouri where she remained on her knees and extended his hand towards her.
"And I want you to be a part of it. Join me, Nabouri! We can unify Hyrule and restore the Golden Goddesses' vision together! Help me crush the forces that oppose us, and we can build a dynasty like nothing the world has ever seen before!"
Nabouri held her peace for some time, her expression torn. At last, she looked up at her father and took his hand. He pulled her to her feet, triumphant, his eyes ablaze with ambition as he embraced her once more. Then, Nabouri stepped away.
"Father," she said, slowly but surely. "You have been deceived."
Khanot blinked, failing to comprehend her words.
"And now, you have let the curse set upon our lineage by the ancient evil consume you," Nabouri continued, retrieving her spear. "In time, it will devour what little is left of your heart. You will become nothing more than a husk, a shell, a vessel of malice. You will become Calamity, and you will destroy everything you once loved. Including me."
Fury grew in Khanot's chest, replacing his shock. This wasn't happening! How dare she disrespect him like this!
"And I can't – no! I won't watch this happen," Nabouri swore, her voice piercing with emotion. "I hoped beyond hope that you could still turn around, that you could still save yourself. That's why I came here unannounced. After arresting Kotake and discovering the truth for myself, I wanted more than anything to help you change before it was too late. Now, you have left me no choice. I will not sit idly by on the sidelines, confined to my little palace in the desert while you turn this world to ashes. Link, the Goddess-chosen bearer of the Master Sword, heir to the soul of the Hero, and Princess Zelda have been prophesied to stop you. And I will join them."
At that, Nabouri turned away and started to march towards the exit.
The Gift of Din began to swell like an inferno. Khanot's fists clenched, bleeding fire, while his eyes ignited with crimson might. She did not have the right to make that choice. He would not allow it! He was her father!
"Nabouri! Stop!" he ordered. "I command you to stop! Now!"
She ignored him.
"How dare you disobey me!" he yelled, his voice magnified by his power.
His hand rose. An orb of red lightning shot from it. It raced towards the girl's back…!
And exploded on the suddenly visible shield of golden light that surrounded her.
The Crown of Thunder sparked, bits of electricity arcing between its tips. Nabouri continued unphased to the door. Only once it was open did she glance behind, revealing the tears in her turquoise eyes.
"I love you, Father. Goodbye."
Then she was gone.