"Speaking"
'Thinking'
Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess nor the A Court of Thorns and Roses series. They belong to their respective owners Shigeru Miyamoto and Sarah J Maas.
Chapter 1: Chains of Fate
"I saw three golden triangles, each one embedded in three different hands. One wields it for courage, another for wisdom, and the last for power…"
The High Lord of the Night Court furrowed his eyebrows at the cryptic message that the middle Archeron sister relayed to the Inner Circle. The Seer's visions never failed to lead to more questions than answers, and it hardly scratched the surface of determining Feyre's whereabouts.
Still, Rhysand gave Elain a grateful nod for offering to use her gifts. Her visions were the only thing that kept him from crumbling in the face of his Inner Court and the two other Solar Courts. To him they weren't just predictions of the future, it was a reminder that there was a world beyond the rift that still had answers.
They had managed, for now, to stop Prythian from collapsing entirely with every member of the Inner Circle as well as Helion and Thesan's courts being stretched thin, working relentlessly to prevent the spread of chaos.
Except for of course, Nesta Archeron.
The other Made sister had just been holed in her room in the House of Wind, refusing to contribute at all to the repairs to Prythian. Let alone the efforts to retrieve Feyre and the other Cauldron pieces. Even after giving their father a nice burial in a beautiful hillside, and providing whatever support that the sisters needed for their healing, Nesta has been uncooperative as ever.
He should have pushed her into that Rift the day she defied him, but out of respect for Feyre, he didn't act upon his morbid thoughts. Even though she wasn't physically there to stop him.
Rhysand's bitter thoughts were abruptly interrupted by Azriel's calm voice cutting through the silence to properly acknowledge Elain's vision. "Do you think these symbols are linked to the rift itself?"
Elain shifted her gaze from the High Lord to the Shadowsinger, her voice barely audible. "I don't know yet… but there's something else." Her gaze grew distant as she whispered, "I saw a forest stripped of life…an active raging volcano…a frozen lake…and a kingdom without light."
Cassian's brow furrowed as he processed the details. His tone was grim, but thoughtful. "It sounds like more than just locations. It could be where the Cauldron pieces are... or signs of natural disasters tearing through the courts beyond the rift." He hesitated, as if weighing his words. "If those places still exist."
Elain didn't respond, but her eyes drifted to the dormant Cauldron fragment in the center of the table, as if it held all the answers they lacked.
Rhysand followed her gaze, his thoughts churning about the haunting descriptions of devastation. At least they had a lead as to where the Cauldron pieces could be down in the rift…however his concerns lied with the three golden triangles that Elain had mentioned.
Courage, wisdom, and power…
It felt like a distant myth, something pulled from another realm entirely, and yet he couldn't ignore the weight they carried. How was it tied to the strange occurrences that have happened as of late, and what does that mean for the fate of Prythian and Feyre?
It had been a week since Feyre had fallen into the rift and transformed into this mutt.
Her only company in this dungeon were the echoes of her own ragged breathing, the faint sound of water dripping and the rustle of vermin. No guards had come, no food had been thrown into her cell. Which was ironic considering she could hear them from a distance, with their ongoing panicked cries of black monsters. But the only thing adjacent to those so-called monsters she found were the large rats, skittering in the shadows.
The sharpness of her senses was both a curse and a gift, but the worst part was the ravenous hunger…so raw and relentless that she had to force herself to do the unthinkable.
First came the panicked squeaks from the rodent, then the loud crunch of bones between her jaws. She didn't even give the taste a second thought as she devoured it in desperation, but now as the blood trickled down her muzzle, her stomach churned in disgust.
I am not an animal…
Feyre repeated that phrase in her head like a mantra, as if it could quell the primal urges that threatened to consume the last shred of her sanity. She had felt this gnawing hunger before, when she was human and had to hunt for food for her family. She had tools, a bow and arrows, and dexterous fingers. And then when she was Fae she was cared for by her mate, never once having to starve.
But now, there was only silence, no comforting presence to guide her through the murky depths of those animalistic tendencies. Only the primal instincts that forced her to use her bare teeth, and claws, ripping and devouring.
Was this what the High Lords felt during the battle against Hybern?
Whenever she saw Rhysand's body shift into that dark winged beast made up of scales and fur and Helion's form a golden twin to Rhys', the day to his night, she marveled at the terrible beauty of it. Every gruesome death was like an elegant choreography while the battlefield was the grand stage.
They were magnificent and powerful beasts that killed for a noble purpose of defending their home…while she was just a savage canine that ate rats for sustenance.
And as if her suffering wasn't enough, the very world around her seemed just as twisted.
The air was thick with strange, dark particles, like ash but far more unsettling, swirling and shifting in a way that made her fur bristle. She had no idea what they were, or why they filled the space around her, hanging in the air like a shadow she couldn't shake.
"Rhysand, I need you," she whispered into the darkness, her heart aching for the connection they once shared. But her only response was the echo of a whimper, a cruel reminder that she was nothing but a dog.
As Feyre lay curled in the corner of her cell, her body heavy with fatigue, a sudden noise shattered through the eerie stillness of the dungeon. Her ears perked up as the sound of heavy footsteps, dragging something across the cobblestone floor resonated through the prison. She lifted her head just as a massive creature stepped into view.
A thing of darkness and nightmares.
Perhaps this was the thing that she heard the guards talking about.
With a flick of its unnaturally long limbs, the monster tossed a limp figure of what seemed to be another animal into the open cell across from hers. It fumbled with the shackles to keep the figure rooted on the ground before closing the barred gate for good measure. The creature then turned to meet Feyre's gaze.
She flinched when its gaze briefly settled on her, giving her a good view of its pitch-black skin, sharp claws, and spiny appendages that protruded from its head.
But what unnerved her the most was the metal plate that covered its face. It felt like death itself was looming under the mask. Every fiber of her being wanted to shrink away, but she held her ground, her fur bristling as a low growl escaped her mouth, a pitiful sound that barely echoed. The creature made a noise as if it was amused before it turned and disappeared into the shadows.
Once she confirmed she was alone, her gaze finally settled on the figure across from her. She took in its dark fur matted with dirt and blood, much like her own. Another wolf…
For a long moment, Feyre could only stare. From the second she woke up in this cell until now, she had been in complete isolation, save for the vile rats she hunted to survive. Now there was another canine, stuck in the same predicament as her.
How convenient. Just make a zoo, why don't you?
Her thoughts were shoved in the backburner of her mind when the wolf stirred, a soft groan escaping its lips. The canine slowly opened its eyes, revealing deep intelligent blue orbs that seemed to gleam in the darkness.
Their gazes locked and Feyre felt an inexplicable pull towards him—a sense of familiarity that felt utterly alien in this foreign body and world. Perhaps it was a wolf thing.
"Are you okay?" She hoped that whatever barks and yips came out of her mouth was comprehensible.
"What…where are we?" His voice was gruff, labored, each word spoken through gritted teeth as though fighting through the pain. He winced, eyes narrowing in discomfort as he looked down at the cuff on his leg, before his gaze flicked to Feyre. "Who are you…?" His ears twitched, and he huffed, shaking his head as if to rid himself of the lingering ache from whatever had attacked him.
Feyre's ears perked up at the sound, her tail swishing back and forth. Finally, someone she can properly communicate with.
"I'm Feyre…We're in a dungeon." She answered as the other canine sniffed the air like he was trying to gauge whether he could trust her based on scent alone. "Feyre? I'm…my name is Link." He replied warily, his eyes never leaving hers, as he did a slow circle around his enclosure, the shackles on his carpus clanging with every step.
She padded over towards the bars of her confinement, "I saw you get dragged into the cell by a monster…any clue as to what that was?"
He hesitated, as if trying to sort through his memories, "I don't know…one moment I was trying to save my friends, the next I was pulled into a wall in the middle of the woods…and then that's when I changed."
Feyre's ears drooped slightly, noting the pain and desperation in his sapphire orbs that Feyre has been well acquainted with during the past few days. "We need to get out of here, Link."
Said wolf nodded in response before he caught sight of wooden boxes that were used to block off a dent in the rusty bars. When he moved towards it, the cuff on his leg prevented him from getting any closer. "There's a weak spot under the bars but I can't reach it with this chain."
Feyre huffed in disbelief, "Isn't that great." His confinements had an escape route, yet he was chained, while her legs were free but there wasn't any means of breaking out on her end.
Wolf Link's expression mirrored Feyre's disappointed one. "Now what?"
Before either could dwell on the next move, a childlike giggle reverberated against the stone walls of the dungeons. Feyre tensed at the sound, her fur bristling, while a guttural growl rumbled through Wolf Link.
"Who's there?" Feyre snarled, earning another mocking chuckle that seemed to cause the shadows in the corners of the room to writhe and pulse. She had seen something similar when Azriel walked into a room, but his shadows were silent, ever watchful and loyal to him alone. While these shadows seemed wild and untamed, brimming with playful chaos.
"My, my look what we have here. Two little puppies all caged up." Emerging from the darkness, a small, female, imp-like creature materialized before Wolf Link. A mischievous smile plastered on her face just as Link bared his teeth, his hackles rising. "Who are you?"
"Are you sure you want to be doing that? Snarling and glaring at me?" The imp snickered at two mutts' aggressive behavior. She floated closer, as if emphasizing that she wasn't intimidated by Link. "The name's Midna. And I was planning on helping you…if you play nice."
His growl slowly receded as the imp's word sank in. His ears flattened against his head, the tension in his muscles easing slightly. He glanced at Feyre, noting that she too was listening intently. "Help us?" He asked his tone less hostile now, "What's the catch?"
Midna smirked her hand going underneath chin. "In exchange for my help you'll have to do. Exactly. As. I. Say." She punctuated each word with consecutive pats against his jaw. Irritation flared in his eyes, and he jerked forward to bite her, but she fluidly evaded the attack.
"Calm down pup, no need to bite!"
Feyre let out snort, watching the exchange occur from her cell. It was as if she was looking at her former self back Under the Mountain being pestered by Rhysand's smirks and impossible bargains all those years ago. "Exactly as you say, huh? And if it ends up in us dying?"
Midna shrugged her smirk growing wider, "You're going to die in the cell anyway without my help."
Feyre narrowed her eyes at the imp's nonchalant tone, as if their lives were nothing more than toys to be discarded. "You're not leaving us with much of a choice, are you?" She clenched her teeth before muttering, "Fine."
"Well, aren't you a smart girl. Sounds like you played this game before." Midna quipped, as her gaze dropped to the chain fastened on Wolf Link's leg. "So, what do you say? Will you be a good little mutt and obey my every command?"
Link glanced over at Feyre then back at Midna. The weight of the situation was pressing down on him, and he thought about the friends he needed to save.
Collin... Ilia….
He had to get out of here, not for his sake but for theirs. With a reluctant sigh he nodded.
"Perfect! Now the first order of business…" Her eyes darted between the two wolves. "Sit!"
"What?" They said in unison, confusion laced in their voices.
"The first thing you two do is disobey your master…? I told you to sit you damned mutts!" The imp growled out impatiently, causing both to sink onto their haunches.
"Good dogs." She praised before she concentrated for a moment, gathering energy between her hands. Then with a flick of her wrist the power surged through the air, shattering Link's shackles and the lock to Feyre's prison with a resounding clang.
He blinked in surprise, having never seen magic before. Feyre, on the other hand, wasn't a stranger to seeing magic, since she witnessed her Inner Circle's gifts, hell even her own. But this magic? It was dark and menacing, yet the devilish creature wielded with an air of playfulness that sent chills down her spine.
Feyre nudged the creaky gate and stepped out of her confinements and into the dim hallway, the iron bars groaning in protest as she pushed them aside. She approached the imp who was waiting for Link outside the gate, mockingly beckoning him with her orange hair that outstretched into a… hand? This day was getting more bizarre.
"C'mon mutt. We don't have all day!"
Ignoring her taunts, Wolf Link walked over to the wooden boxes and used all his might to shove them aside with his snout, exposing the soft patch of dirt and a dent in the gate. He dug into the earth, wriggling through the other side. Once he resurfaced, he shook off the excess dirt from his pelt and glanced at Feyre, whose eyes reflected a mix of caution and curiosity.
"Let's go." He nudged her side with his snout, as if reassuring her that they would be okay. The warmth of his gesture, giving her a sense of hope in the bleakest of circumstances.
Just as they were getting used to the feeling of liberty, Link felt a weight on his back, and he immediately tensed up, ready to snap. But the sound of Midna's laughter echoed like tinkling bells, reminding him that they were not alone at this moment.
"No time for being all cozy! There's somewhere I need to be." Midna tugged on Link's fur, prompting him to dash forward, leading them out of the oppressive darkness of the prison corridor.
As they sprinted onward, they rounded a corner and came face to face with a glowing blue flame that flickered with other worldly life. "What is that?" Link asked as he approached, sniffing the air around it. Just as he started to get more attuned to his senses, the world darkened around him, allowing him to see the specter for what it was: the spirit of a soldier, trapped in some form of limbo.
"Trapped can't see you, but you can see them." Midna replied as Feyre focused on the blue flame, honing her senses to make out the ghastly figure. No wonder none of the soldiers bothered to feed her during her imprisonment. They were stuck in their own torment.
They continued to navigate forward and found themselves in the dank and winding passageway of a sewer network. The air was thick with the stench of decay, and the walls glistened with moisture. The wailing of trapped soldier spirits seemed to follow them as they ventured deeper into the waterways, only adding to the dreadful atmosphere.
Every now and then, shadowy vermin would scuttle out from the crevices, their eyes glinting with malevolence. But Feyre's time spent catching rodents while imprisoned had sharpened her reflexes. With swift, decisive movements, she dispatched the vile creatures, her claws striking true as they squealed and crumpled beneath her.
"Not bad for a mutt," Link teased.
"I'd like to see you try bitch," She shot back, earning a gasp from the male wolf who never used vulgar language. Thank the Illyrian males for her colorful vocabulary.
Midna snickered at the exchange between the animals, "Oh I like you." She swapped out her mount floating over to Feyre.
Once Midna perched on top of Feyre's back, the female wolf glanced at Link who was already trying to lunge at the dark vermin, trying to get used to his newfound agility, but only found himself slipping into the flooded channels.
Even while he was in the water he didn't relent, even if it meant splashing about and snapping at them while maintaining his balance in the water. The two females seemed to relish in his predicament, because their giggles and yips of amusement echoed through the waterways.
"C'mon mutt stop playing in the water." Midna taunted, earning a vicious growl from Link who had just finished off some vermin and was now scrambling over to the ledge. He shook off the excess water, purposely ensuring that it landed on Feyre and Midna.
"Stop it you stinky dog!" Midna hissed while Feyre just shot him withering glare. He gave them a wolfish grin and treaded forward.
They moved in silence, save for Midna's occasional yawning. It wasn't long until they ascended a narrow flight of steps and leapt through a window, emerging from the stifling sewer into the open air.
The world outside was just as bleak as it was inside. Feyre's eyes widened as she took in the twisted, desolate landscape, a pang of recognition settling over her as she recalled what she saw in the Ouraboros chamber. A wolf —her— within a sepia-toned world infested with black particles in the atmosphere.
The same feeling of realization seemed to strike Link as well, as he took in the towering structures and crested flags billowing in the chilling wind. "Hyrule Castle…," he breathed in disbelief as he slowly padded across cobblestone walkways stretched across the rooftops. He only seen the castle in pictures that Rusl showed him, but now as he was beholding the sacred heart of the kingdom in this dreadful state, he couldn't help but feel disheartened.
Seeing their somber expressions, Midna broke the silence. "Oh, don't look so glum. Aren't the dark clouds of Twilight fetching today?"
"Twilight?" Feyre looked up at the imp who was now floating next to her, clearly reveling in the gloom, "Hyrule Castle?"
"Save your questions for later, pup. There's someone I want to introduce you to and they're just in that tower over there." She pointed at the tallest spire, a couple roofs ahead where ominous dark-winged creatures circled like vultures.
Link's ears flattened at the sight, "What are those things?"
"Shadow Kargaroks," Midna giggled, situating herself on the back of the male, "Now, don't tell me your afraid of a few pesky birds."
"You sure are making us work for our freedom." Feyre huffed as she dashed forward, Link close at her heels.
"Well, that's part of a master's job, isn't it?" Midna gave a wicked chuckle, her amber eyes sparkling with mirth. And as if to drive her point home, she smacked Link's behind with her ponytail, propelling him to go forward into the fray of Shadow Kagaroks.
Despite his initial reluctance, Link found himself leaning into the rush of adrenaline. He latched himself onto the aerodynamic beasts once they swooped down, delivering critical damage with his powerful jaws. A painting of animalistic ferocity.
Meanwhile, Feyre took a different approach. She used her agility to weave through the parapets while dodging their attacks. She didn't simply react, she anticipated, and when their weak points were exposed, she pounced on them in a blur of teeth and claws.
When the last wave of Kagaroks dissipated into smoke and darkness, the two wolves wasted no time, bounding towards a nearby rooftop and launching themselves through a window leading into the towering spire.
Inside, they followed a set of cobblestone stairs leading up to a room, its door slightly ajar. The wolves shared a weary glance, sensing the presence of someone within the room. They turned to Midna who just jerked her chin towards the entrance, a silent gesture to continue. So much for being a guide.
Link nudged the door open with his nose, his muscles tense and ready for whomever lay beyond the threshold. They stepped into the dimly lit chamber, the only illumination coming from the Twilight streaming in through the windows.
Standing in front of the windows was a cloaked figure, their features obscured by the deep shadows of their hood. Link couldn't help but let out a low growl, while Feyre remained silent, sensing a momentous wave of ancient energy and wisdom that made the fur on the back of her head stand.
With a gasp, the figure turned to face them, and almost instantly Link ceased his hostile snarling. He caught a glimpse of the delicate features behind the hood, and a strange sense of familiarity washed over him. Drawn in like a moth to a flame, he took tentative steps forward, Feyre at his side, her expression a mix of curiosity and caution. Midna remained seated on Link, an amused grin spreading across her face as she watched their reactions unfold.
"Midna…?" Came the feminine vocals from the figure. "Are these wolves whom you were searching for?"
The imp's grin widened, "Oh what an honor that you remember me…Princess Zelda."
