As if traveling with a talking Hinox and a band of Blins wasn't strange enough, Harun's party had picked up some new odd fellows after crossing the bridge into Hyrule Ridge. Many of the newcomers wore a human guise, but since they were traveling among monsters anyway, some of them began to realize there was no point to it and opted to reveal their true selves. These monsters were Achemen, which were beings of which Harun knew very little. In their natural form, they were red and black, lanky, bat-like beings with large, leathery wings and pronounced canine teeth.
Their leader, Mina Remoth, continued to take human form, although she occasionally spread her wings and took flight when the mood struck her. She did not act like a monster, nor did she act like a noble's daughter. Her attitude was laid-back, her words dripped with playful sarcasm, and that impish smirk of hers almost never left her face. Harun was much more used to interacting with proper nobles, so it was a bit jarring to see someone like her in a position of power that seemed to rival his. She reminded him of Katta and Kyra.
Frustratingly, despite not seeming to care too much about the monsters' ultimate goal of obtaining the Triforce, she still remained careful not to reveal any more information to him. Harun had learned her father was in charge of their operation, and that the monsters had a partnership with another group who had assassinated the Hyrulean King, but that did not interest him at the moment. Harun wanted to know more about the Triforce.
Where is it being held? What precisely do they intend to use it for? How are we to decide who gets to make a wish? Will we have infinite wishes? Is a divine object such as the Triforce even safe for them to use? How did they discover its location in the first place?
After traveling for some time, the odd party of humans and monsters came to a crossroads. A sign informed them that the Tabantha Great Bridge was to the west, Midoro to the north, and the City of Hyrule to the east.
"Are we going west?" Harun guessed, thinking perhaps the Triforce was hidden in a distant corner of the kingdom, such as Hebra.
"Nope!" Mina Remoth declared cheerily. Snapping her fingers, she pointed purposefully to the east, towards some kind of mountain pass. "We're heading that way, through the Breach of Demise."
Harun suddenly felt dizzy at the mention of Demise. "We're going where?" he asked, greatly displeased.
Mina raised an eyebrow. "The Breach. We gotta go through there to get to-"
"Our destination," Raeger interrupted, still being careful to keep that important piece of information hidden.
"I was gonna say 'my mom,' but that works too," Mina said with a giggle.
"Is there no other path?" Harun asked. He did not know what to expect from the Breach of Demise, but given the curse that afflicted him, he knew it could not be good for him.
The one-eyed giant tilted his head curiously, looking down at the Gerudo prince. "Is there a problem?"
The prince knew it would be unwise to reveal too much about his curse. He was surrounded by monsters, so perhaps they would worship him as some sort of new demon king. However, that may also mean they would turn on him if he revealed his intention to exorcise the demon using the Triforce.
I shall allow this to remain my problem alone.
"This path sounds dangerous," Harun replied simply.
"Nah, don't worry about it," Mina said, casually rocking back and forth atop her horse with her hands in the pockets of her overcoat. "The Halftusk and his horde are the only ones who hang out around there. They'll probably be gone at this point, but they won't bother us if they're still here."
Harun hesitated. Obviously, attacks from other monsters were not what he feared, but he couldn't explain his actual concerns. He could have tried to force the issue, but he had no concrete reason to believe it was necessary. Reluctantly, he gave in. "Very well. Let us proceed."
"Excellent." Raeger nodded and led the way, taking large strides forward down the road leading east.
"Who is this 'Halftusk?'" Harun asked. This was the second time he had heard the red-haired girl mention that name, which he assumed must have been some sort of monster title.
"He is a Moblin warchief. His horde controls much of the monsterlands between here and the Deplian Badlands," Raeger explained.
"You'll know him when you see him," Mina added. "He's the one with half a tusk." She giggled at that, as if it was hilarious.
"I see." Harun realized there was much he did not know about the world of monsters. On some level, he knew they had their own groups, clans, hierarchies, and territories, but he had never thought of all that in the same way he thought of the Children of Nayru. "Raeger, you mentioned Mina's father is the founder of your alliance."
"Hm? Yes. Toren Remoth, the Acheman Master," the Hinox concurred.
"Has this alliance united all of the monsters throughout the land?" The prince had experienced numerous encounters with monsters so far, including various kinds of Blins and Lizalfos. He'd suspected from early on that they'd been connected somehow.
They were my enemy for some time, as well. How strange these circumstances are.
Mina laughed about as hard as Harun had heard anyone laugh. "All the monsters? All of them?" she asked incredulously. "Not even the Children of Nayru can stand each other enough to stay united. How the hell do you expect monsters to do it?"
Harun raised an eyebrow. From her statement, it seemed as though she saw monsters as below the Children of Nayru. However, perhaps she merely recognized that many of them have been historically prone to violence.
"No, little human," Raeger answered. "Master Remoth reached out to many other powerful monsters when he first began to form our alliance, including those in the Outer Continent, and Holodrum and Labrynna. Most rejected him."
"Rejected? Most of them said they'd rather kill him. Hell, a few actually tried! I've still got one of their heads mounted on my wall," Mina added. "What about you?" she asked. "I heard one of your kind decapitated Governor Vapith. Did she make a nice decoration somewhere?"
Harun scowled in disgust. Being reminded of that senseless act of violence was not pleasant, nor did he appreciate how much the red-haired girl seemed to revel in it. "I do not know what became of her," Harun said. "And death is nothing to be celebrated."
The prince's firm tone caused Mina to hold up her hands in mock surrender. "It was a joke. Sort of." The disguised Acheman girl smirked, baring her impish fangs again.
"By necessity, our kind are not squeamish about violence," Raeger explained, still speaking in his oddly elegant cadence. "But fear not, little human. The time for violence will be over as soon as we claim the Triforce."
Harun narrowed his eyes. His mind immediately went to Elder Kobami when he heard those words.
Am I truly fulfilling her wishes after all?
The Breach of Demise only became more ominous as Harun and his party approached it. The prince couldn't quite tell how, but everything about the canyon seemed to shift subtly the more he looked at it. The blank, rocky cliffs now appeared criss-crossed by cracks that seemed ready to spew hellish flames at any moment. The light from the sun seemed to dim, as if it had trouble even getting close to this land. Although he could see nothing down the path in front of him, his view obscured by fog and dust, he got the distinct feeling that there was something waiting for him in there, just waiting to emerge.
"Do Hylians travel this road often?" Harun inquired. The Gerudo were accustomed to braving the harsh desert, but they always tried to find or create the safest pathways they could.
Mina shrugged. "Nowhere's completely safe in Hyrule. But like I said, it's really not as dangerous as it looks, so long as you don't run into any monsters. Like them." She turned and gestured to the horde of Blins following behind them, marching with weapons in hand and scowls on their faces. "Some people avoid it by using the river, but that's pretty inconvenient, especially if you're traveling upstream or with large groups."
Harun nodded. "I see." Mina was right. Whether in Gerudo or in Hyrule, travelers tried to stick to the roads as much as possible, but the chance of a monster attack was never completely depleted, whether the monsters were mere animals or more intelligent beings like the ones in their party. From the way Mina and Raeger often spoke of other monsters, it seemed as though monsters were no less at risk of being attacked as any Child of Nayru.
Perhaps it truly is best for us to work together.
Despite Mina's insistence that the Breach of Demise was relatively safe, Harun knew she only meant it was relatively safe for the average person. For someone like him who had a connection to Demise, the risks could have been significantly greater. As he got closer to the canyon's entrance, more and more he felt like that was the case.
It is awake. The voice of Ganondorf echoed in Harun's head. The curse. It stirs.
Harun could feel it, too. A burning within his core, like red-hot rage that needed to be unleashed.
Keep it at bay, Harun told his predecessor. That is your duty.
I will. On one condition, the old king replied.
Harun furrowed his brow. This was not the time to be arguing with the demon spirit residing within him. He did not wish to reveal to the monsters his condition, nor did he wish for them to mistake him for a madman.
What is it? Harun asked.
When you obtain the Triforce, I shall receive a wish as well.
"What?" Harun said aloud.
"Hm?" Raeger looked down at him questioningly.
"Nothing," the prince said quickly.
Harun thought about it. Ganondorf had helped him several times throughout his journey, but the old king always made his ultimate goal very clear. He wanted Gerudo to conquer Hyrule. If Ganon were allowed a wish, he might wish all Hylians out of existence. Or, even if he did not go that far, he may simply wish himself back to life. Harun could not allow that to happen.
This matter is not up for discussion, Harun thought sternly. It is in both of our best interests to resist the Curse of Demise. Do not forget that.
I disagree, little voe, Ganondorf's voice replied. I have kept the curse from consuming you thus far, as promised. I am entitled to compensation for my efforts.
Harun took some deep breaths, attempting to calm his mind and take spiritual control of himself, just as Sage Nashorla had taught him. However, he did not do so in order to commune with this spirit. Instead, he did his best to block him out, pushing Ganondorf's voice away into the deepest recesses of his mind.
Let us hope I can handle both Ganondorf and Demise until we clear this canyon.
When the prince first entered the Breach of Demise, nothing of note occurred. He was half-expecting the crack in the Earth to open once more, or for another vision of the Imprisoned to fill his mind's eye. However, aside from his own nervous breathing and heightened paranoia, everything seemed normal. As normal as it could be given the oddly grim atmosphere, at least.
As they continued forward, Laine and Kyra rode their horses up along either side of him. Both gave him searching looks.
"You will let us know if you require our aid, correct, my prince?" Laine inquired. Her choice of words were not likely to alert the monsters that anything was amiss, but her tone made it clear that she was asking about the curse.
"I will," Harun said simply, nodding with gratitude.
"You were right about this place," Kyra commented, her gaze scanning all over the environment around them. "It's creepy as hell. You'd think, like, three thousand years would be enough time for the land to recover, you know?"
"Such is the power of Demise's corruption," Harun replied bleakly.
For the next portion of their journey through the Breach, Harun kept up the conversation with his guards, as well as Mina and Raeger. However, as much as it helped to have his mind occupied by other things, he had a feeling that he couldn't ignore forever. While nothing cataclysmic had occurred when he'd crossed the threshold into the Breach, there was a pounding in his head and a burning heat in the pit of his stomach, slowly growing in intensity the further they delved into the canyon. He knew Ganondorf and Demise were fighting to get out.
I will not let you.
"Wait." At the front of the party, the great Hinox halted, holding out his arms to signal the rest of them to stop as well.
"Eh? Why? This place sucks. We should just hurry up and get out of here," Mina replied, swaying impatiently atop her horse.
"More humans," Raeger said, gazing off into the distance, likely able to see much further than any of them due to his height.
"Really?" Mina perked up, excited. "Aw, wait. I gotta do it like this." Before Harun's eyes, the red-haired girl began to change in appearance. Her face and limbs elongated, taking on a more feral quality, and the leathery wings she'd often shown off returned. She looked a lot like the other Achemen in their party who had cast off their human disguises, although she was noticeably smaller than the others.
"Whoa. Cool," Kyra said, even as Emri cowered beside her.
"Who are they?" Mina asked, her voice having changed considerably. Taking flight, she rose into the air before settling down atop the Hinox's shoulder.
"Hyrulean military," Raeger explained.
"Whoa. And a lot of them," Mina added, holding a long-fingered hand above her eyes as she gazed into the distance.
"A Hyrulean army?" Harun questioned, riding up alongside the Hinox and his Acheman passenger. "I do not wish to engage them. Which way are they heading?"
"This way, currently. But they may intend to turn east where the roads converge over there," Raeger answered, pointing to an intersection a few meters ahead of them.
The Hyruleans in question came into Harun's view. There was still some distance between the two parties, but the prince was unsure if turning back was a viable option.
If they head down this path as well, how far back must we go? They have horses, too. What if they give chase? If we run, surely we will appear to be an enemy of theirs in some way.
"Doesn't look good. Think we can take 'em?" Mina asked casually, as if asking whether or not a river obstructing their path was shallow enough to wade through.
"Let us avoid jumping to conclusions," Harun warned, knowing what could happen if violence were seen as a forgone conclusion. As he spoke the words, he felt the pounding in his head once more. Ganondorf may not have been happy with his approach, but he pressed on. "Let me talk to them," Harun offered, thinking back to the successful interaction he'd had with the Hylian adventurers near Sanidin.
Mina shrugged. "Alright. I don't wanna hurt 'em either, y'know. Doesn't mean we won't have to."
Harun nodded his understanding. "Thank you." Taking his guards with him, Harun rode a short distance in front of the horde and dismounted, waiting for the Hylians to come to him.
He did not need to wait for long. Soon, half a dozen well-armored Hyrulean knights rode forward while the rest of the Hylian convoy slowed to a halt.
"Greetings, knights of Hyrule," Harun said, attempting to be cordial. However, he was already beginning to feel as though he'd made a mistake. The pounding in his head was making him dizzy, and he was not confident in his ability to keep his wits about him for the duration of a potentially hostile negotiation.
"Come no further, Gerudo," the head knight replied sternly. "You will explain your presence here in our lands, as well as why you consort with this filth." The knight gestured with a gauntleted hand, indicating the giant cyclops standing not too far behind the prince.
Mina cackled, her laughter sounding quite different in her Acheman form. "You do stink, one-eye."
Kill him. Ganondorf's voice broke through, directing Harun to kill the knight who'd spoken down to him. Do not let this insolence stand.
Harun clenched his jaw. He felt an anger well up inside him, although he was unsure who it was directed at. "Please, let us be civil," he said, both to the knight and to Ganondorf. "We do not wish to fight. We merely wish to pass through."
"Why? Have you run out of villages to plunder down south?" one of the other knights replied. "Or is traveling through the Breach of Demise just a way for you to pay homage to your demon masters?"
As the knight spoke those words, Harun saw a flash of red in his mind's eye. For a split second, amongst the red haze, there was a dark silhouette standing behind the knight who had spoken, reaching for the man's neck with a claw-like hand.
Harun inhaled sharply. It had been some time since he'd experienced that kind of vision. Ganon, for better or worse, had been keeping the hallucinations at bay. However, in this place, it seemed as though even Ganon could not contain Demise entirely.
Behind the knights, several individuals in the crowd of Hylians moved to the sides, making way for someone. Harun hoped it would be their leader, seeing as though these knights were not in a very diplomatic mood. However, the newcomer did not come to the front of their lines, opting instead to stay behind the front row of knights.
Harun could make out her appearance, however. She was a young woman who was likely around Harun's age. While she wore little armor, her blue and black uniform appeared finely made, and a sword hung from an ornate scabbard on her belt. Her hair was long and dark as the night, which seemed fitting for the emotionless expression on her face. Most notable, however, was her rounded ears. This girl was not a Hylian.
For some reason, the appearance of the round-eared newcomer seemed to excite Mina. Perking up, she stood tall on Raeger's shoulder with a cheery expression on her monstrous face. "Oi!" she called out. "Is Princess Sophitia here?"
Murmurs of confusion spread amongst the Hylians, with many of them nervously readying their weapons.
Harun had not considered it, but the possibility of these Hylians being part of a royal escort made sense. They were clearly well-armed and well-trained, and Harun had seen many of the same uniforms worn by those who had accompanied Princess Victorique and Princess Seraphina in Gerudo.
"What business is that of yours, she-bat?" one of the knights called up to Mina.
The Acheman girl shrugged, offering only a cackle in response.
Harun, knowing Mina's actions would come off as hostile, attempted to step in. "If the princess is indeed with you, we wish to speak with her," Harun requested.
The prince's vision flashed red again, with shadows of the Imprisoned stretching across the ground and the faces of the cliffs.
The Hyrulean Royal Family are no friends of ours, Ganondorf insisted. They are not to be trusted.
Three of the knights in the center of the front line huddled together with the round-eared girl for a moment, speaking in hushed whispers. After a moment, they exchanged nods of agreement, and the round-eared girl disappeared back into the crowd.
"Has she gone to retrieve Princess Sophitia?" Harun inquired.
"Silence," a knight replied. "We will inform you of our superior's decision momentarily."
Harun glanced about the battalion of soldiers, most of whom had settled into battle-ready positions. The prince felt his heart beating more heavily. He had been in many situations like this already, and they usually ended in bloodshed.
"Neat," Mina replied. "Sounds like she's here."
Raeger turned his head to look at the Acheman girl perched upon his shoulder. From the questioning look he gave her, he appeared to be less familiar with the princess than Mina was. Harun supposed that made sense, given Mina had an alternate identity as a Hylian noble girl.
Does Mina know the middle princess personally? What does she want with her?
Sure enough, the Remoth girl was correct. Before long, an excessive number of extra soldiers pushed their way through the crowd of Hylians. Harun was worried they were moving into position for a battle, but then he spotted the three young women the soldiers were escorting. One was the round-eared girl who had been sent to fetch their leader. One was a blonde Hylian girl in a fine white fur traveling coat. She must have been Princess Sophitia. She looked an awful lot like Princess Seraphina, albeit five or six years older. The last girl was dressed in the garb of a traveling priestess, and she seemed to be glowing faintly as if she were channeling a spell already. That made Harun slightly nervous, but he hoped it was merely a protective spell of some kind.
Upon spotting the princess, Harun only had a few seconds to process her appearance before he felt an enormous pressure within himself. Ganon and Demise were fighting to escape, wishing harm to the princess with all of their being. Harun clenched his fists, keeping an eye on the princess.
Silence, demons. You shall harm no one this day.
"Oi! Princess!" Mina shouted down at the Hylian royal, waving to her from atop Raeger's shoulder.
Princess Sophitia's only response was to turn her gaze up to the Remoth girl and furrow her brow in confusion. Harun wondered if she had never seen an Acheman before today either, or if she were merely taken aback by a monster speaking to her so casually.
"Greetings, Princess," Raeger said, speaking more politely than his passenger. Perhaps in a futile attempt to make himself more level with the one he was addressing, the giant cyclops lowered himself down into a seated position and leaned forward. However, the Hylians did not seem to take it as a friendly gesture, and many of them cowered behind their shields in terror. "Do not be alarmed," the Hinox said, keeping his voice calm and level, despite the way it echoed impressively throughout the canyon. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Raeger, warchief of this horde."
See how they ready themselves for attack? Ganondorf argued. You are not safe. You must strike first. Kill the princess. Kill her! Now!
I am not one of your pawns, demon! Harun replied. No one dies unless I decide it!
"Little prince?"
Harun blinked, realizing Raeger was staring down at him, clearly waiting for him to introduce himself the way the Hinox had.
"And I am Harun, Prince of the Gerudo," he said quickly, addressing the Hyrulean princess. He tried to act naturally, but he could feel his body shaking. He didn't know how much longer he could hold out. He needed to end this conversation as quickly as possible so that he may separate himself from the Hylians.
The Hylian princess cleared her throat. "You appear to know me, but in the interest of formalities, I am Princess Zelda Sophitia Hyrule, sister to Queen Zelda Victorique Hyrule. May I ask why it is you have requested to speak with me?"
"We're trying to pass through," Mina replied, still standing upon Raeger's shoulder. "Figured we'd ask if we could. So, you know, we wouldn't have to kill each other." She giggled after she spoke.
Harun was appalled by her lack of decorum, especially given they were addressing royalty.
Has she not been living as a highborn girl?
However, worse than her lack of manners, Mina was making light of the very real possibility that their proceedings would end in bloodshed. For all they knew, the Hylians would interpret that as some sort of veiled threat.
Princess Sophitia eyed Harun and the monsters suspiciously. "What do you intend to do on the other side of the Breach?" she asked.
Harun was getting worried. The princess was a member of the family charged by the gods with the task of maintaining possession of the Triforce. Surely they could not tell her they intended to steal it. If anything, she would already be suspicious of them for heading in the direction of its supposed hiding place. However, not answering her would get them nowhere, and Harun hadn't taken the time to invent a reasonable lie that would explain their presence.
"That's our business," the Remoth girl replied, opting to give no answer rather than to lie.
"But rest assured, we are of no danger to anyone who is not a danger to us." Raeger must have realized Mina was coming off as too defensive or suspicious, so he wisely stepped in to state they had no ill-intent.
Nothing we say will change their opinion of us, Ganondorf's voice echoed in Harun's head.
Harun kept a watchful eye on the princess. She carried herself well, perhaps with a slightly haughty attitude. She had not been overtly hostile, and she was reasonable enough to speak with them rather than attacking them straight away. However, she was clearly on guard around them, and very suspicious of their presence in this part of Hyrule.
She is right to be cautious, Harun argued. In her situation, I would be as well.
Despite the rational side of his mind recognizing this, Harun could still feel Demise's rage burning within him, and staring at the Hyrulean princess only seemed to make it worse.
"And you, your highness?" Princess Sophitia asked.
She was looking right at him, but it still took Harun a moment to process that she was speaking to him. He shook his head, trying to clear away Demise and Ganon's hateful thoughts. "Yes, your highness?" he asked, unsure of what the question was.
"What are you doing with these… others?" Sophitia inquired, gesturing to the Hinox and the Acheman. She seemed uncertain whether or not she should refer to them as monsters.
The prince took a moment to conjure an appropriate answer that would not give away their designs to obtain the Triforce. "We share a mutual goal. One of peace and freedom for our peoples." That was a true statement, assuming Raeger had not lied to him, and surely it did not make them sound as though they were up to anything nefarious.
Sophitia glanced over the crowd of monsters once more. She did not seem satisfied with Harun's answer.
She doesn't trust you, Ganondorf warned Harun. Will you let her attack first?
Silence, demon.
"Did you come here from the Coliseum?" Princess Sophitia asked unexpectedly.
Harun was unsure why she would ask about that. He'd been expecting her to continue the line of questioning regarding their true motives. However, perhaps this was some way for her to discern that information.
"Yes, I did. Why do you ask?" Harun replied.
"What happened there?" Sophitia went on.
The prince realized why she was asking. The Gerudo had only conquered the Coliseum very recently. Sophitia had clearly been someplace far away during the battle, so she likely had not received an update on the situation yet. She was probably worried about what had happened to her people if the Gerudo had already made it this far north.
"It fell," Harun said after some hesitation, unable to think of a good way to break it to her gently. "Queen Urballa holds it now."
Princess Sophitia did not hide her emotions well. Her face only changed subtly, but she was visibly shaking. "And what of my sister?" she asked. "What has become of Victorique?"
Harun had not thought to mention Zelda Victorique. Sophitia had referred to her as the queen a moment ago, so the prince had figured Sophitia already knew her sister was still alive.
"She fled before the Coliseum fell," Harun informed her, glad to be able to give her some good news.
The princess's reaction was immediate. She was visibly relieved to hear this. "I see," she said. However, not a moment later, she fell to the side, as if fainting. Her round-eared attendant managed to catch her, preventing the princess from collapsing to the ground.
She is weak, came a voice from inside Harun's head. Strike now. Kill the daughter of Hylia. Kill her! Now! The voice sounded like Ganondorf's at first, but as it continued to make its desires known to Harun, the voice shifted. It became deeper and more bestial, until Harun was no longer certain if the one speaking to him was Ganon, Demise, or both.
I will not harm her, Harun asserted. However, as soon as he did, he felt a throbbing pain in his head that soon shot through his entire body.
"Aghh!" Harun winced, falling to one knee and pressing a hand to his temple.
"Harun!" Emri dropped her spear and knelt beside him. "What's wrong?"
Kyra also put her hands on him, trying to help him stand.
"Oi, you two alright?" Mina called down from atop Raeger. "You don't look so good, you know."
"It is nothing," Princess Sophitia replied.
Harun looked up to see the Hyrulean princess was in a similar state. The round-eared girl was helping her stand, and the priestess with them was clearly casting a healing spell. However, amongst the princess and her attendants, Harun saw another figure. It was the same one he had seen appear behind the knights who had rudely addressed him earlier, but it did not flicker as it had before. Harun could see it standing there plain as day. It was no more than a living shadow, as if it were one of his or Kobami's phantoms, but its eyes glowed with a fiery red, glaring with hatred down at the princess.
Sophitia did not appear to see the figure, nor did anyone else. Instead, the princess looked in Harun's direction. He had only a moment to process the look of horror on her face before she shrieked in terror. She covered her eyes and fell backwards, being caught by the young women attending her.
"Horse! Bring me a horse, now! We're leaving!" the round-eared girl shouted, urging the guards around her into action.
Leave her alone! Harun shouted inside his head, realizing one of the demons possessing him must have been causing her harm in some way.
"It's here! He's here! Demise is here!" Sophitia cried, seemingly confirming Harun's suspicions.
She can see him, too?
The figure behind her had not moved. It had merely grown larger, and angrier.
"Oi. What's wrong with her?" For some reason, Mina stood, spread her wings, and glided down to the ground, landing close to the enemy's front line. "She's freaking out, you idiots. Aren't any of ya gonna help her?"
The Hylian guards did not take kindly to the monster girl's presence. They raised their weapons defensively, blocking access to the princess.
However, the real threat was behind Sophitia. The shadowy figure finally moved, raising its hands into the air. A shadowy sword appeared in its grip, large and jagged with spikes.
"Get her out of here!" Harun shouted, still in too much pain to climb back onto his feet. "It isn't safe. Go!"
The princess's guards brought her a horse, and the round-eared woman practically threw Sophitia on the back of it. In doing so, she luckily managed to pull Sophitia out of harm's way at the last moment. The shadowy figure brought down its sword, barely missing its target. A metallic clang thundered through the canyon as the sword hit the ground, and the world around Harun suddenly changed.
The Gerudo prince found himself still in the canyon, but it was different. Much of the dirt and rock around him had lost its color, replaced by a dull gray. The only color in the darkness of this new world was found in the glowing, angry red cracks that streaked across the ground and along the canyon walls, like bolts of lightning or the veins of a gigantic beast. The sky was red as well, reminding Harun of the recent Blood Moon.
More importantly than the change in the environment - everyone around him had disappeared. His guards, the monsters he was traveling with, and the Hyruleans had all vanished. However, there was one exception. The shadowy figure that had stabbed its sword down into the ground was still there, but it was no longer a shadow, and it was looking right at him.
"You…" Ganondorf, the former Gerudo king, pulled his sword from the ground, glaring down at Harun with a cold fury. "You mean to let our great enemy escape? Again?"
Harun took a step back as the blade-wielding demon lord approached him, a primal fear suddenly welling up inside of him.
"Have you learned nothing? What did rescuing Princess Seraphina accomplish back in Taafei? Was the war prevented? Did the Hyruleans see you as a friend to them? Do you truly believe this ends without us killing them, or them killing us?" Ganondorf readied his blade.
"Stay back!" Harun shouted, raising his trident. He was glad he still had his weapon, but he was surprised to find he no longer had the mirror shield. He knew so little about the Spirit Realm. Some items could come with him when he entered, but others apparently could not for some reason.
"You are a disgrace to our people. To our legacy. To our dream," Ganondorf said forcefully, his voice filled with frustration and disgust.
The demon king swung his sword. Harun had no confidence that his trident would be able to block it, although he questioned if ordinary physics applied in this realm, so he simply dodged to the side.
"Have you gone mad?" Harun asked. "There is no point in killing the princess. Once I have the Triforce, I can end our conflict forever, and no one has to die!"
"The breadth of your naivety is unfathomable," Ganon replied. "If such a simple solution were possible, the Hyruleans who hold the Triforce would have wished for eternal peace long ago." The demon king shook his head, lowering his weapon for a moment. "You cannot be trusted to wield the power of the Triforce. I shall be the one to use it to save our people."
"I will never let you decide our wish," Harun declared.
"That is out of your control, little prince," Ganon replied menacingly. "I don't need you. I just need your body."
Harun's eyes opened wide in fear and shock when he realized what the old king meant. There had been multiple times in the past when Harun had feared that Ganondorf would usurp his body completely, either expelling Harun's spirit or keeping him trapped as an inactive passenger in his own body. He was so surprised, he barely had the chance to dodge out of the way when Ganon swung his sword again.
"You traitor!" Harun shouted as he backed away from the advancing demon. "This was always your plan, wasn't it? You never cared about the task Alkawbra assigned to you. You never wanted to help me. I was always a means to an end, wasn't I?"
"I do not recall ever claiming otherwise."
Harun knew he had to think fast. He'd fought larger opponents before, but he was in the Spirit Realm now. Ganondorf had been dead for a century. He knew how this plane of existence operated, and Harun did not. The prince was hopelessly outmatched.
Gods, please let my magic still work.
Raising his trident as he stepped backwards, Harun called upon a lightning spell, discharging as large a surge as he could in Ganon's direction.
"Hm." The demon king grunted in disdain, lazily raising his free hand. Harun's lightning arced directly into Ganon's palm, gathering together into a glowing ball of electricity. "Pathetic," Ganon said, idly tossing the ball of lightning back at Harun.
The prince barely had any time to react. The ball of lightning hit him in the chest. He was able to redirect some of it, expelling a portion of the electricity through his trident once more, but the rest of it coursed through his body, causing him significant pain.
"You have no command over your own power," Ganondorf said derisively. "You have survived this long by borrowing mine. And you think you can handle the power of the Golden Goddesses? You would be vaporized if you so much as laid a finger on a small fragment of the Triforce!"
Harun regained his bearings and raised his trident defensively. However, before he could decide what to do next, the ground beneath them rumbled. The whole canyon shook, as if an earthquake had just hit. A distant roar could be heard - one Harun had heard in his dreams many times.
Ganondorf looked down, trailing his eyes over the glowing red cracks in the rock. "He is strong here," the old king stated. "Without me, the curse will surely consume you. Unleash me one more time. Grant me control of your vessel. I will return it once I have made use of the Triforce."
"Never." Harun shook his head firmly. "I'd rather take my chances with the curse than with you."
"So be it." Ganondorf rose into the air, his cloak billowing as he took flight. However, he quickly brought himself back down, launching himself downward towards Harun. The prince leapt out of the way, but when Ganon's sword pierced the earth, it sent a tremor outwards from the point of impact, launching rocks into the air.
Harun swung his trident, crushing a rock to pieces before it could hit him, but he was not quick enough to block the next one. It hit him in the chest, knocking him to the ground. He groaned in pain as he listened to the footsteps of Ganondorf coming nearer. The earth trembled again as Demise roared, throwing Ganon off balance for a moment.
The prince racked his brain looking for a solution. There was no way he could fight Ganondorf and win, and even if he could, there was still the Curse of Demise to deal with.
What can I do? Find a way back to my body?
He didn't know how he'd left his body in the first place. Perhaps some form of meditation would work. That sounded like something the Sage of Spirit would have suggested. But how could he find time to meditate given the situation?
My guards knew the Breach of Demise was affecting me. They must be moving my body at this very moment. Ganon and Demise will be weaker once we escape the canyon. Perhaps I can fend off the demon until then.
That was a possibility, but it was not a certainty. He decided he would try it, but there must have been something else he could try in the meantime. Just as Harun moved to climb back to his feet, another idea came to him.
Alkawbra! Please, heed my request. Ganondorf is no longer fit to perform the task you have assigned to him. Please, exorcise him from my body. Send him back to his prison in the afterlife. I beg of you!
The Goddess of Spirit had apparently answered his prayers in the past by sending Ganondorf's spirit to help him battle the Curse of Demise. Perhaps now she would answer his prayers once again, but to remove the spirit this time.
"You think I am weak," Harun said, hoping he could keep Ganondorf talking until his guards or the goddess rescued him. "Yet here I stand."
"Here you stand," Ganondorf agreed. "Amidst what accomplishment? You failed to save your lover, your mentor, and your foster sister, and you failed to prevent the war you so desperately wished to avoid." The demon king moved forward to engage once more, swinging his sword at Harun.
The prince dodged out of the way. He attempted to counter attack with his trident, but Ganondorf blocked it easily, kicking him back.
"I have endured many battles," Harun stated, barely managing to keep his balance. "I have saved many of my people, and many Hylians, too. I slew the witch who started this war. And, once I have the Triforce, I shall rid the world of you once and for all!"
After feinting to the side, Harun baited Ganondorf into making an attack, leaving an opening in his chest. Harun was quick to exploit it, driving his trident into Ganon's torso. However, Ganondorf had no reaction. Either the weapon had failed to pierce his armor effectively, or the pain was nothing to him. Regardless, Ganondorf grabbed the end of Harun's trident, then swung his sword down in front of himself, slicing the trident into two pieces.
Harun fell backwards, holding a useless metal pole in his hands. Ganon removed the head of the trident from his chest, then casually tossed it over his shoulder. The metal object made a noise when it landed, which was immediately followed by another tremor. The earthquake that followed was more severe this time, with both Harun and Ganondorf losing their balance, although only Ganon managed to remain on his feet.
Behind the demon king, something burst through the ground. Dirt and rock flew in every direction, and jets of fire spewed forth from the earth. Amidst the fire and dust, Harun could see the maw of a colossal, dark-scaled beast, struggling to rise up further. Harun was terrified by the sight, but Ganon looked over his shoulder as if he were only vaguely interested.
"Perhaps I should simply let it break through this time," the demon king said, turning his dark gaze upon the prince. "If you embrace the curse's power, perhaps you will see things the way I do."
Harun was infuriated by Ganon's reasoning. The demon king was willing to forsake his duty and let the Curse of Demise consume Harun to get his way. "I would say you have lost your honor, but from all the stories I hear, I doubt you ever had any," Harun said scathingly.
Ganondorf narrowed his eyes. "You may want to reconsider how much faith you put in those stories, young one. From what I've seen, people will be telling very interesting stories about you for some time as well."
Harun's fist tightened. He knew there was some truth to Ganondorf's words. For his entire life, rumors had circulated about Harun. Many of his own people, as well as the Hyruleans, believed him to be the second coming of Ganon, or a demon in his own right. After having killed Lady Averla and Elder Kobami, Harun had little doubt many would feel vindicated in their beliefs about him.
"If you truly are not the murderous fiend that history says you are, then why don't you do your duty and help me?" Harun asked, watching in fear as the monster behind Ganondorf continued to struggle its way out of the ground.
Ganon glanced behind him once more. The crack in the earth had widened, and more of the Imprisoned had made its way above the surface. "I am no longer interested in being your protector," Ganondorf refused, shaking his head. "I have tried to rule from behind a puppet before, and I was not satisfied with the result."
"But it's your curse, too!" Harun pleaded. "It is a blight on this world. A threat to all the land. The cause of so much suffering."
"It is not my curse. It is my weapon." Ganon turned to his side, reaching one arm out towards the monster breaking through the earth. A shimmering red glow enveloped the Imprisoned. Tendrils of glowing red light extended outwards, bending towards Ganon. The magical glow enveloped him as well. Harun could tell he was drawing power from it somehow.
"It is the power that allowed me to conquer the Realm of Twilight," Ganon said, his voice echoing throughout the Breach. "It is the power that allowed me to conquer Hyrule. And it is the power that will allow me to do so again."
"Incorrect."
Another voice echoed throughout the canyon. However, in an instant, they were no longer in the canyon.
Harun found himself standing with Ganondorf at the bottom of a giant pit. It was not a dark and rocky pit like one would expect to see in a place like the Breach of Demise. Instead, the ground was covered with rich soil and green grass, as was the path spiraling upward along the walls, leading up to a lush green forest that could barely be seen from their position. The sky above them was blue and sunny, with only a few white clouds drifting by.
"What is this?" Ganondorf asked angrily, but he was not speaking to Harun.
"It was not solely the Curse of Demise that made you so formidable in life." The same voice that had spoken earlier came from above them. Harun recognized the voice now. Just before he could react, he saw her.
A great cobra lay upon the spiraling path above them. It was Alkawbra, the Goddess of Spirit. Harun had been in her presence once before, back at the Spirit Temple. To his great surprise, his prayers had actually been answered.
"Your greatest source of power, dark one, was your piece of the Triforce." Alkawbra remained on the ledge above them, but she lowered her head downwards to be closer to them. Her tongue darted out in front of Ganondorf's face. "The power you stole from the gods."
"I stole nothing," Ganondorf asserted, not even flinching in the presence of the giant cobra goddess. "The Triforce piece spontaneously appeared in my possession the moment the sages tried to execute me. Din provided me with no explanation."
"Irrelevant. You had planned to steal the entire Triforce anyway, demon," Alkawbra correctly pointed out.
Ganondorf glared with malice at the snake goddess. "'Demon,'" he repeated disdainfully. "That is what they call anyone who aspires to attain the power of the gods. Why should that kind of power belong to the gods alone?"
"Look what happened to the realms of mortals when you attained only a fraction of our power," Alkawbra replied. She slithered her elongated body down to the ground level, encircling Harun and Ganondorf. "You are children, all of you. It is natural that we gods do not let you use our weapons as your playthingssss."
Harun had gotten over his initial disorientation, and he was not interested in watching an argument between the demon who plagued him and the goddess who had saddled him with that demon in the first place. "Alkawbra," he spoke, not letting Ganondorf respond to her latest insult. "Have you come because I prayed for it?"
"It wouldn't be the first time your whining forced me to cut in," the cobra goddess replied, still winding her body around the circumference of the pit. "But I am more disappointed in thissss one's performance." Flapping her hood, the cobra nodded her head in Ganon's direction to indicate she was referring to him.
"You will get no apology from me," Ganon asserted. He did not move from his position, but he slowly turned his head to keep an eye on Alkawbra as she slithered around him. "I did what I did to achieve my goals. I will do whatever is necessary to save my people. Something you appear to have forgotten about, Patron."
"I offered you a deal, demon," Alkawbra reminded him. "You help this tiresome rat with his little problem, and I let you out of that box the Hero stuffed you in. That was our agreement." With incredible speed, the cobra goddess suddenly snapped at Ganon, bringing her reptilian face right up to his.
Ganondorf still did not flinch. "You traded me one box for another. I do not intend to go back, nor shall I remain in this one. You have no power over me."
"That is where you're wrong, demon," Alkawbra said, rearing back and baring her fangs. "You no longer possess the Triforce of Power. You lost your immortality long ago. You're just another dead mortal now. It is my job to have power over you."
Ganondorf did not reply. He continued to fix his gaze upon the cobra goddess, his hand resting on the hilt of his weapon.
"Now, then." Alkawbra raised her head higher above the ground, looking over Ganondorf's head to address Harun. "You, mortal, have managed to bother me enough to appear before you a second time. I'd rather there not be a third. So, this time, I shall leave it up to you. This is your final decision. You may choose to keep the demon here with you - perhaps you may tame him enough to get him to do his job and keep the Curse of Demise at bay. Alternatively, you may ask me to cleanse your soul of him, I shall agree to it this time. You will no longer be able to draw upon his power, and you will have to face the curse on your own. But, you will once again be the sole operator of your flesh-self. Those are your options. Choose wisely. Or don't. I'd rather you merely choose quickly."
As far as Harun was concerned, it wasn't even a choice. While there had been times when he had begrudgingly tolerated Ganon's presence, Harun had wanted the demon's spirit removed from the very beginning. He had resented Alkawbra for cursing him in this way, but at least now she was willing to take it back. "Banish him and be done with it, then," the prince declared. "You shall torment me no longer, demon."
"Very well." Accepting Harun's choice, Alkawbra reared up and bared her fangs once again. She lunged forward, as if intending to swallow Ganondorf whole.
"I refuse." Before Alkawbra could snatch him into her jaws, Ganondorf thrust his sword upwards, piercing the cobra goddess through the roof of her mouth. With an angry hiss, Alkawbra reared back, the sword still stuck in her jaw.
"No!" Harun shouted. Reacting in an instant, Harun surged forward, jabbing Ganondorf in the back with what remained of his trident.
Ganondorf spun around. Weaponless, he slammed the back of his gauntleted fist into Harun's face.
The prince was knocked to the ground, feeling as though a boulder had just cracked his skull. The world around him shimmered. Harun was again reminded he was in a Spirit Realm. He didn't know what would happen to him if he died there, or if he even could die in this state, but the pain felt real all the same.
"I am finished with you. You are not worthy of being my successor," Ganondorf stated with a cold fury. A dark shadow spread outwards over the ground beneath the demon king's feet, and his body sank down into it. "When I obtain the Triforce, I will not bother to wish for your return," he said, just before he disappeared from sight.
The earth trembled as Harun climbed back onto his feet. He moved backwards to avoid the growing pit of darkness forming on the ground. The sky above him darkened. Then, a monster emerged from the pit of shadow. It reminded him of the Imprisoned at first, but it was different. This creature had the appearance of a dark green-skinned boar mixed with that of a red-maned lion. It roared as it showed itself.
Gripped with fear and panic, Harun ran. He found the path that spiraled upwards along the walls and moved as fast as he could, wishing to flee from the horrific monstrosity.
He managed to make it one full revolution around the outside of the pit before the dark beast finished pulling itself out of the ground. Ganon approached the wall and reached upwards with his claws, grabbing the ledge in front of Harun as if he intended to climb it. Harun jumped over the demon's claws and continued running.
However, his path was blocked as the cobra goddess slithered in front of him. "And just where do you think you're going, mortal?" Alkawbra hissed. Her mouth did not move. It remained half-open with Ganondorf's sword pierced upwards through her lower jaw, but her voice emanated from her head all the same.
"I cannot beat him!" Harun shouted angrily at the goddess. "I could never beat him. He's too powerful, even for you. You have doomed us both by bringing him here. You have doomed the world!"
"Is whining all you ever do?" Alkawbra asked. "It is not over yet. I've always hated working with mortals, but I'll grudgingly admit I need your help, just this once." The giant cobra lowered her head. "Take up the demon king's sword, champion of the Gerudo. We shall seal him away once again, together."
Harun looked over his shoulder. Ganon had climbed onto their level, and was currently working to pull his way up to the next one. For some reason, Harun knew that if Ganon escaped the pit, he would escape back into the mortal realm.
I must stop him.
"Fine," the prince agreed, placing his hands on the hilt of the sword. "I shall help you correct your mistake. But you shall owe me a favor in return."
"Agreed," Alkawbra replied. "Now, get on with it."
Pulling outwards, the Gerudo prince slid the sword free from Alkawbra's jaws. She hissed, but made no complaint. She then lowered her head to the ground and allowed Harun to step on top of her.
"I am ready," Harun told the goddess.
"Let us hope so." Alkawbra lifted her head, raising Harun into the air. With him riding on top of her, she slithered her way up the next few levels, letting the prince down atop the ledge Ganon was currently attempting to climb.
"Halt, demon," the prince ordered, standing in Ganon's way.
The dark beast gripped the ledge with his claws, lifting his pig-like head up to Harun's level. "You," the monster growled, his voice no longer resembling that of a human. "I will not let you lead our people to ruin."
Ganon lunged forward, opening his jaws. Harun struck quickly, doing to Ganon what Ganon had done to Alkawbra. He stabbed the demon's own sword upward through his jaw, causing the beast to roar in pain. However, that was not enough to stop him. Ganon swiped his claw across the ledge. Harun was knocked to the side, but he avoided the demon's grip.
"I will destroy you," Ganon rumbled, pulling his massive body further up the cliffside. However, he suddenly stopped, roaring in pain. Alkawbra had coiled herself around the demon's body, squeezing him tightly and sinking her massive fangs into his side.
Taking the opportunity the goddess presented to him, Harun took the demon's sword in hand once more and ran back over to where Ganon hung from the ledge. Leaping over the edge, Harun screamed, driving the sword downwards into Ganon's forehead as he landed on top of him. The demon roared once more. He lost his grip and fell, plummeting back down to the bottom of the pit along with Alkawbra and Harun.
Harun jumped off of Ganon's head and rolled when he landed. Alkawbra remained coiled around the dark beast, and Ganon struggled to break free of her.
As the beast lay across the ground, Harun spotted a great white scar across Ganon's belly. The prince had heard the stories, so he knew what that meant - it was where the Sage of Water had originally stabbed him, and it was where the Hero of Twilight had stabbed him again to kill him.
This must be the way.
Raising his weapon, Harun ran forward and plunged the sword into the demon's scar. Ganon let loose a roar of pain, and light spilled from the wound. Harun shielded his eyes, but held firm.
Alkawbra uncoiled herself from around Ganon's body and slid away. The demon's form began to dissipate, sinking into a shadow upon the ground.
"No! Not again!" Ganon bellowed in his demonic voice. "I cannot fail again!"
And then he was gone. The shadow on the ground faded, and the sky brightened once again. Harun stabbed the sword into the ground, as if to seal Ganon there once and for all. Alkawbra watched him, and for a moment, they stared at one another.
"You got your wish, mortal," the cobra goddess told him. "He will plague you no longer, but now you have no one to keep the Curse of Demise at bay."
"I will keep the curse at bay," Harun declared. "And remember, you owe me."
Alkawbra hissed. "I do not like being indebted to mortals, so you better claim your reward soon. Now, begone." She lunged forward as if to bite him, and then she was gone.
Harun suddenly awoke in a field with his guards kneeling over him.
"Harun!"
"You're awake."
"You're alive!"
The prince raised his hand to stop them from touching him. He scanned his surroundings, realizing they had made it out of the Breach of Demise. The curse's presence felt substantially weaker, but he knew it was still there. Only Ganon's soul was gone.
I am nearly free. Soon this will all be over.
In the air in front of him, a shadow formed, then began to solidify and take shape. After a moment, it became Ganondorf's sword, which then dropped to the ground in front of Harun.
"What is that?" Laine asked.
Harun took the weapon in hand and stood up. "I'll explain later," he told his guards, although he didn't quite understand it himself. "Tell me what happened after I passed out.
Author's note:
I apologize for the delay on this chapter's release. I've been very busy lately, and I really wasn't happy with my first draft of this chapter, so I had to rewrite a good portion of it.
I've also been playing Tears of the Kingdom pretty much nonstop for the last month. I'm loving it! There are so many cool new things I'd love to incorporate. I actually cut a few references to the Zonai earlier in this story. I definitely would've kept those references in if I'd known how significant the Zonai would end up being in Tears of the Kingdom. I knew a little about them from Breath of the Wild and the accompanying art book Creating a Champion, but there was very little canon information available about them before now. Just like Breath of the Wild, I don't think all the new lore introduced in Tears of the Kingdom is compatible with either the rest of the Zelda timeline or with my story's worldbuilding, but I plan to adapt parts of it here and there when I can.
I saw a complaint recently saying that some of my characters are assholes who are hard to root for, especially Mila. To any readers who feel this way, I genuinely appreciate that you're invested enough in my story to be bothered by how some of the characters act, but I would like to point out that several of my characters are fully intended to be viewed as bad people. If I may steal a quote from author Lemony Snicket: I'm at a loss for how to construct a villain who isn't doing villainous things. If Mila were only doing things that no one would object to, then she really wouldn't be much of a villain.