Luna-Nayru

In honor of the beloved Luna-Nayru, Come back to us soon.
Copyright of PsychoPath 2004-2005


Introduction

Many would consider this story I am about to tell much more than a tale. Many people, of many races, would name this tale,

a Legend.

It is greater than any other lore told by the elders you know.

It takes place many years ago. Long before your Grandparent's Grandparent's had been born.

In a faraway land,

A land known by few.

The people who inhabited this land called it Hyrule, and they called themselves Hyrulians.

I'm sure by now you must have heard the Ancient Legends of the Great Hero of Hyrule. The boy who ended Ganon's Age of Darkness.


This chronicle takes place in that very Age of Darkness.

Hyrule is in tatters, Ganon is beginning to build an Empire, and Hyrule is wondering where the Hero is who will save them, for it has been almost seven years now that Ganon has ruled Hyrule under his hand of Evil.

I'm sure after all that you are expecting another Legend about the Hero who banished the Evil from Hyrule.
This is not what you are about to hear of today.
This is the story of the people not mentioned today in the Legends of the Great.
This is about the lesser person.


The lesser person who did the smallest thing, and made a world of a difference.

Chapter 1-So it Began

"I tumbled forth as the thrill of falling dashed up and down my spine, falling…into darkness. But I was numb to prevent it, letting myself fall…"

-Deep Blue: by Luna-Nayru




I ran out of my burning home as fast as I could. When I emerged from the frying pan I stepped right into the flame. Outside, Skeletos had their swords raised in the air stampeding my village. They rode on horses black as night, demons. Offspring of evil itself. No good came from these bodies of living bones. Their eyes glowed a solid color of red. They carried a constant stench of decaying flesh. And now they were here. They burned houses and took off villager's heads. Our people tried to fight back as well as they could. They used self-crafted weapons. They stood no chance against this army of rotting warriors.

I did not understand how it happened. We were secluded so well on the side of Death Mountain. We bothered no one. Yet after seven years of his reign, Ganondorf found our village and ordered an attack upon it. We were so innocent, but the face of evil cared not. Ganondorf hated everything. He showed mercy to none. I had to stand there and watch my village be burned and destroyed. I saw before my very eyes, the blood of close friends being spilled. I saw the merciless evil in these creatures. My eyes were opened to what evil truly was. And then my rage burned. I would not stand for this.

I rushed down the main road in our small village heading for the weaponry. I would fight back. My foot was caught against something and I fell to the dirt. I rolled off what I had fallen upon and my heart lept to my throat at the sight of it. My brother was upon the ground. His face stuck in the horrified position the Skeletos left it before throwing its spear through him. I rolled over hoping to look away from the sight. But as I turned I could see another house burning. I saw a flaming body come running out the door screaming. They ran in a frenzy not being able to see anything. The sound of torment ripped out of their mouth. Soon, their ear-piercing screams of pain came to an end as they fell over, still burning on the ground slowly dieing in one of the worst ways one could die.

I heard on the ground next to me the sound of hoofbeats. In a slow motion of shaking fear I looked up and saw a Skeletos dismounting his steed, drawing his rusty blade, prepared to kill. He had a lust for blood in his eye as he approached me. I could not accept death in this manner. I reached over to my brother's body and slipped the weapon out of his hand. The sword was swung down towards me and my weapon knocked his away. I lept to my feet knocking my opponent to the ground. I stood over him and with a downward swing his skull was crushed.

An expression of anger was across my face as all the villagers rushed together to make a last stand against this evil force. We all stood back to back, in a circle as we watched an even larger circle of enemies form around us. The demonic horses screeched of evil and the stench grew strong as we were closed in on. They pointed their swords and spears at our throats awaiting the command. They came so close to us, the rotting breath of the stallions could be felt upon our necks. A voice was heard behind the wall of enemies and the lead Skeletos rode in. Armed with a more detailed array of armor and weapons, he sat confidently. I saw him look upon the few pathetic humans who held their weapons up in defense of many. Without moving his clenched teeth he spoke in a hissing voice and commanded us to drop our weapons. I looked him back in the eyes. They glowed disgustingly to match the stench. We were outnumbered. Even knowing what our fate was I reluctantly dropped my weapon. I signaled for the fellow villagers to do the same. We were told we made a wise choice and for it, our lives would be spared. I felt as though I was living a dream and had just woke up to the cold hard reality of evil. My ankles and wrists were bound together, leaving just enough room for me to walk. By means of ropes I was tied in to a line with the rest of the people who used to be free villagers.

I knew what the Skeletos had said was a stretch of the truth. We would be kept alive, yet we would have no life. Our only business in life would be to do as we are told. Some of us would not be able to endure through the hardships of what was coming. We did not deserve this.

What was about to come upon us couldn't even be fathomed. The pain and suffering brought on us by the heartless 'man', Ganondorf. I swore under my breath at the very thought of him. I wanted revenge on him. I made a silent vow to myself that I would see him die before the end of it. Little did I know of Ganondorf's true face. The devil sitting inside him.

The man of evil had supposedly killed the entire royal family with his own sword. I didn't believe it. There had to be some remnant of royalty left in this whole land. I thought to myself Ganondorf spread word of the Royal Family's death to strike fear into everyone's hearts. Even as this hope of royalty living on lingered in my mind, I knew it was useless. Any lasting royal could do nothing now that Ganondorf was in power. He had wiped out any known threats. As far as everyone knew there was no resistance that existed which had the power to take on Ganondorf and his demons.
What we did need was a hero. A rouge willing to go against all odds and strike Ganondorf down. One to free us from all our peril. The legends of gods even foretold of a Hero who would come to save us in a time of need. And when Ganondorf first took over Hyrule, people were still confident in their Hero. But the years dragged on and Hyrule's hopes were reduced to nothing. The Hero never came. Now Seven Years into what was known as the "Age of Darkness" few still believed in the legends.

As me and my companions were pushed down the rocky slope of Death Mountain towards our new fate I looked up to the heavens and found still an ever cloudy sky. They swirled and swarmed and sometimes made evil faces laughing and smiling at the broken land, as they looked upon what Hyrule had become. I prayed a silent prayer to no one in particular. It was to whoever was out there listening. Whoever stood a chance to save us.

"Help us."

Chapter 2-Enter the Darkness


"My lungs constricted, the evils that remained wringing them with carnage strength, hissing their urges for me to give up. To let myself wither. Die. Die. "

-Deep Blue: By Luna-Nayru




I watched my feet tread across the barren lifeless ground. I stared at the ground and nothing more. The ground looked as though it wanted to speak and tell of all the horrible things that had happened upon it. It wanted to erase the memory of bloodstains still left from battles fought. It wanted to express the agony of fires that raged across the plains consuming everything. It wanted to tell of how it hasn't felt the suns rays upon its face in years. Yet it remained silent.

I forced myself to look up at my surroundings. The Skeletos rode alongside us, keeping everyone in line. Along the horizon there was no sun to be seen for miles. All of it covered in Ganondorf's clouds of evil. It was almost his way of keeping the joy from all of us. His way of hiding all the good things in life and showing everything evil.

Further ahead I looked upon a hill and saw the silhouettes of half built towers emerging over the top of a wall seemingly still under construction. People's outlines could be seen upon the towers gashing away at things with pickaxes. Deformed figures patrolled the top of the walls watching for trouble. The black lightning of Ganondorf's evil flashed all around. Rubble of old buildings now destroyed could be seen. A sign faced me as we approached our destination, "The Glorious Empire of Ganondorf". I spit upon the ground at that instant. I soon regretted it. A Skeletos saw my action of defiance and readied his whip. The entire line was commanded to stop and watch. He approached, not being to show expression on his boned face. If he could show an expression I knew what it would tell of. His lips would be curled into a smile, anticipating the moment. His eyes would tell of bloodthirst. His fingers would grip tightly around the handle of his whip as he would pull it back prepared to punish me. His whip was brought right across my nose and mouth. I could feel where the marks were left from the glass tipped whip ripping into my skin. I felt something warm and sticky begin to run down my face and over the corner of my mouth. The Skeletos appeared satisfied with the single beating, and the line was ordered to get moving again. I took my shoulder and wiped the blood from my mouth. A frown curled across my face. I wished I could spit the blood that seeped into my mouth.

We climbed up the steep hill to where we would be housed for, perhaps, the rest of our lives. Few guards paced on either side of the dirt road marching around. Moblins stopped what they were doing to glare at us as we went by. Their skin always looked as though they had contracted a horrible disease of some sort. Their rotten and crooked teeth were shown as they smiled to the thought of having more slaves to push around. Some took their clubs and ran up to smash the slaves in the heads. The short creatures held leashes in their clawed hands which restrained their Wolfos. They looked up at us snarling and gnashing their teeth. The Wolfos lunged and foamed at the mouth wanting to tear any Hyrulian apart. A horn could be heard being blown twice in a row as chains clinked. The wooden doors squeaked as they were opened for the slave train to pass through. Heavily armored Skeletos stood on both sides of the doors. Spears in their hands and swords sheathed in their holsters.

I passed by them and through the doors on the partially built wall. It was horrible inside. Buildings were crushed that had apparently once been houses for Hylian families. Bodies still lined the ground unmoved from when they had suffered death. Some still had arrows jutting out of their beat up frames. Along the sides of the dirt road going through the middle of this small encampment were spears with heads of the many races of Hyrulians. Some had already rotted away to skulls. Hylians could be seen their tounge slipping out of the side of their mouths. Some wore helmets showing their army origins. Zoras, Gorons, even small children could be seen pierced upon the ends of these poles. It must serve as a reminder... A reminder of the fate of those who defy Ganondorf. People stopped and turned from what they were doing to look upon the newcomers. Every single face was wrinkled from the work and covered in dirt. No one smiled, they had frowns completely burned into their faces. Their hair was mangled and filled with mud. Men and women, children and the elderly, all of them were seen at work here. Some little ones wept, lost and confused as to what was going on. It reminded me of the children in our village. Every single one of them had been executed during the raid, probably put upon spears in establishments like this.

Even as I looked upon the faces of each single individual, I couldn't help but notice how every one of them looked the same. The same look wrinkled their faces. The same tears poured from their eyes. The same mud dirtied them up. The same evil had effected them all. A fear pierced into my heart. Soon enough I would look like all of them. As the heaviness and gloom weighed down upon me, a sight caught my eye which I did not expect to see. A bright color of purple stood out against the dark purple of the clouds , droplets of rain, and dirt ground. The bright purple hung down from one of the slaves head. Their hair was not filthy like the rest. The small frame wielded a large pickaxe. It looked like it was too heavy for the tiny person but they swung it like a feather. They smashed it upon the rocks, picking off pieces of stone. Undistracted from their work they continued to swing. But as the slave train grew close they dropped their pickaxe and tossed their long hair from their eyes. She turned and looked on the slave train looking into each of them. When she came to me she stopped. Her eyes matched the light purple of her hair and her dark skin made the purple stand out even more. With few patches of dirt smothering it. She continued to look at me for awhile. She almost looked like she was trying to read me. Quickly she winked and turned to her work. I was quite confused by it but continued walking.

At last we came to a halt and were untied. I rubbed the red marks on my wrists from where the bindings pressed in. We were divided into men and women and brought into seperate shelters. Small places. It appeared as though there was barely enough room for each of the slaves. The room held no beds and was completely bare. A wooden floor, wall, and ceilings was all this place consisted of. the Skeletos standing at the front of the room began to hiss, "Listen up! I'm going to speak the rules once, and only once. You are now a slave to the Great Ganondorf. You will do as you are told, or suffer severely. You will recieve two 'meals' a day. One when you wake up and one before you sleep at night. Do not try and escape! There are many guards surrounding the perimeter of this camp and you will be punished when caught. And you will be caught. The other slaves are coming in for their evening meals now. You will be expected to join them. Now go do what everyone else is doing and leave my sight, pathetic creatures." With that the people turned and exited out the door they had entered. A bell was rang from a tower somewhere and I saw everyone drop their tools they were working with and trudged off in the same direction. Not a word could be heard. It was whisper quiet. All gathered to a charred, littered building. Skeletos stood on a balcony throwing moldy bread down to the people. They all rushed to grab as much as they could. People fought each other for the hard crumbs. It was apparent food was hard to obtain here. They rushed with a look of an animal in their eyes. They had been turned to animals. Animals with no free will. Animals with little soul or spirit left in them. The women clawed at each other. The men scooped food up into their mouth along with the dirt. Each of them crazed and wild. What was this thing Ganondorf could do to people? There was an evil in him I could not understand yet. But soon it would become clear to me.

I was not interested in the food. I stood on the tips of my feet scouring the crowd for the one with purple hair. I looked back and forth but could find no sign of her. I thought back on the moment, which was not too long ago. When she winked at me it was a different wink. As if she was trying to catch my attention, not show a sign of attraction. As I still looked I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to face purple eyes outlined by a dark shade of brown. "I've been looking for you," she said with a half smile on her face, "come," She simply said to me. As she turned it was apparent the half smile on her face was a desperate one. It felt impossible to smile in a place as evil as this.

The woman took me behind one of the buildings cautiously. Once behind she looked to the left and right looking for any guards. Fiercely she slammed me against the stone wall. Her purple eyes stared into mine but with the same crazed look of the others. Her face was that of an animal as she glowered at me. Her nails dug into my shoulders as she whispered frantically, "I need your help!" The puzzled look on my face must have responded instead of words, for she continued.

"I need your help to escape! This place is awful! Look what its done to me already!"

"I'd be glad to help if you would release me first"

The mysterious woman lost the furocious look in her eyes and back away from me. She put her hand to her forehead taking a deep breath.

"Sorry 'bout that.." Her voice changed as soon as the expression on her face did. She spoke with an accent I had not heard before.

"It's alright."

"O yes, I didn't even introduce myself. Sorry 'bout that." She extended her hand to shake mine, "The name's Kimyatta of Ascilia. You can just call me Kimyatta."

"Ascilia? I have never heard of a place named quite like that."

"'Eh', well, few have. It's a small island off the southern coast. It's where this accent comes from. Alot of dangerous sea creatures like the water around our island so we don't get too many visitors. Well, that is 'till the day the sea creatures went on a rampage. They came upon our land and killed many. I don't know how many survived but those who did were taken away to this horrid place. But that don't matter. What does matter is us escapin' from 'ere."

"Right, about that, I do hope you have a plan arranged? One doesn't merely walk out of here."

"Honey, I've been plannin' this getaway from the second I got locked up in here."

"Well, what is it?"

"Hold on, hold on, don't get all frustrated with me now. You see there's a big ol' slimy swamp on the other side of the back wall of this place. You probably noticed the walls were constructed quickly, in a rush. Easy to break through with the right stuff. I've got a few otha good hearted people left in this madhouse, willing to help us out. Now breakin' through the walls won't be a quiet task so we'll have to be quick on our feet. Hopefully we'll lose 'em in the swamps."

"Sounds workable. What would I have to do?"

"You're the one who breaks open the wall."

"Me?!"

"Yes, you'll have assistance from some other people. They'll meet you at the wall. I buried the hammers and axes in front of the weakest spot on the wall I could find. Look for a big mound of dirt."

"What will you be doing the whole time we are taking down the wall?"

"Diversion. Quick and simple to cause some confusion. Once you have the wall down don't wait for me, just run. I'll be out soon enough."

As she finished those words another echoing bell rang throughout the encampment.

Kimyatta winked again as she said, "Tomorrow night, hun."

With that she turned and ran around the building.

I walked to the housing building along with everyone else, my mind in another world. I found a spot on the floor and lie there. What I was living what was like evil nightmares. Like a war that didn't end. Like a pain that didn't stop. Like an evil corruption. Like an empty hope of battle. Unknown to me, it was not 'like' that. These horrible things were yet to happen.

Chapter 3- Just Run

"Though the joy of life I had once treasured had been sapped from within me,
I knew I could never have it back. "

-Deep Blue: By Luna-Nayru

A thick fog clouded the air. It was daytime but no sun was seen. A Skeletos stood with a spear in its hand. Upon a tower it paced back and forth in the lookout. It looked all around trying to see what lay beyond the fog. It peered around through the mist. Not a single noise was heard. It continued to try and see what the cause of the sudden silence was. The air among the camp was never this quiet during day. No clinking of pickaxes upon stone. No frogs croaking in the swamp. This thought had not fully crossed its mind when two hands were felt pressing upon its skull.


I swung my hands around its head snapping the skull off completely. The body became limp and it fell off of the tower. Everything was still whisper quiet. Silence was shattered abruptley as the bones were broken apart on the metal roof of the barracks. I sat in total silence again waiting to listen if anyone had heard. A look of terror was stricken across my face. My breath was visible as it quivered just like my hands. Warning bells were sounded. I jumped off the side of the guard post sliding down one of the splintered wooden poles. I heard bony feet trampling along the dirt ground scattering for spears and swords. I could see very little due to the fog. I ran towards the spot Kimyatta had marked. I heard the armor behind me. They ran for me. I could only hope Kimyatta's diversion worked. The foul smell crossed my nostrils again. They were drawing closer. How could the creatures made of bone catch up to me so quickly? The magic of evil gave them incredible stamina to run without tiring. I came to the stone wall but could see the other slaves nowhere. I looked back and forth frantically, my breath rushing quickly in panic. I dropped to my hands and knees scouring the ground for the mound of dirt Kimyatta had promised. My hands skimmed across the dirt grabbing for any possible sign of burial. My cheeks felt warm against the cold air of night. A horn of battle was sounded by the Skeletos, then another, and another. Every one followed by their screech of evil. Each of them echoed all around me. I was surrounded. Giving up on finding the tools I stood figuring they were buried elsewhere. The beating of footsteps was heard closely now. The red eyes glowed through the fog. Slowly the heads became visible. The round skulls. Broken and shattered in places. The swords, spears, and clubs were risen into the air. In their hand they held shields, some of metal some of wood. A high-pitched cry ran from their teeth, dieing into a hiss. Rusted and dull they weapons were, but still enough to kill a man. The outline of their sick figures charged me at great speeds. I turned in a full circle watching them all attack me.

Were the other humans already dead? Did they back out? Where was Kimyatta's distraction? My questions were soon answered as rocks the size of a Goron's head were dropped out of the sky, crushing a few Skeletos ahead of me. A few stopped and looked up, while others didn't notice and continued charging. I siezed the moment. I took off at full speed to the Skeletos in front of me. My plan? I didn't have one. Except to get away from these Skeletos before they trapped me and slayed me.

I let out a yell of my own to drown out the hisses of demons. Their feet marched in line with each other. I, lone with nothing but my fist raised to the air. They were empowered by a force beyond my understanding. I powered by my will alone. My mind stretched back to the time when I was a young boy, and my training in combat. I lept to the air and spun around once to add force. One leg outstretched from my body took two Skeletos down. I caught a sword that had fled from their hands in midair. And with one slash, there was one more lifeless Skeletos. A whoosh from the sky was met with the sound of more crushing bones, could only mean another enemy down.

That flash of hope was quickly darkened as a sharp pain spread through my back. The force of it brought me down to the ground, my face landing in the dirt roughly. I rolled over just in time to dodge an attack from the enemy. I looked up to my attacker and was smashed across the face with his club. I heard a loud cracking noise and pain spread through my head. Blood ran out of my nose, but I ignored it and quickly took action. Another swing of the club to my face was blocked by my sword. I spun my blade bringing the club to the dirt. Still on the ground I swung my leg, knocked his club away and jumped up. I swung my sword at him, while he blocked each blow with his shield. I kicked his shield and knocked him to the ground.

I dropped the sword and turned to run away from this battle. I heard more crushing sounds which meant the distraction was still going on. Energy flowed through my body while I sprinted down the main road as fast as I could. I hoped no Skeletos followed me but I didn't dare to look back. I heard the ear piercing screeches of their evil bloodthirst and shut my eyes in fear. This evil was so immense. The screeches continued and I slowed down. They rang in my ears and didn't die to a hiss liek they usually did. They continued to torment me. I fell to my knees giving into the evil. What was it about that screech that made me feel so helpless. I began to see other eyes staring back at me from the darkness inside. It felt like blackness was pouring through me.

What was I doing? I opened my eyes and came back to reality. Behind the sound of Skeletos feet followed not far away. I shook my head and ran off. I heard breathing beside me and looked with a sudden jolt to see the purple haired rebel with a smirk on her face.

"Where have you been," I inquired.

"Hey, relax there's no time to talk now; we have to get out of here. Follow me."

Relax? She must have been insane... With that she took off ahead of me. She turned swiftly in between two buildings. She was fast, real fast. I almost lost her in the dark alley we were running down but caught sight of her shining purple eyes once we reach the wall. She was already digging at a mound of dirt in the ground before I could get to her. I took my hands and began scooping the dirt away. Without looking away from what she was doing, I asked, "Where are the others?"

"...They," she paused for a moment, "didn't make it."
I did not know what to say to such a thing so I continued to dig. Finally I felt something metal and ripped it out of the dirt. An extremely large hammer, widened at one end, perfect for smashing walls. Kimyatta pulled up an identical weapon and with a grunt of force she swung at the wall. I turned to look in the other direction and saw the red glows coming through the darkness and fog. A screech in the air made me cringe. I turned to the wall and lifted my hammer. I staggered at first suprised by how heavy it was. I made a better grip around the handle and brought the hammer over my shoulder. I swung in an arc-like motion and managed to put a few cracks into the wall. Behind me the war horns were sounded again. They had spotted us. Kimyatta and I continued to beat at the wall. I heard a sound of arrows whisking through the air. I did not bother to stop what I was doing. I just wanted this wall to crash. It was this wall that kept me from freedom. This wall is what binded me to the evil air filling this camp. This wall would not stand as long as I could help it. Kimyatta and I brought back are hammers simultaneously and brought the wall crashing down with a forceful blow.

A glimmer of hope and joy peeked through the clouds, fog, and evil. It brightened everything and was powerful enough to bring life back to a man's heart. However this sunray of hope died as quickly as it had arisen. The arrows zipped down from the sky beating upon the ground all around us. Everything seemed to slow down as I heard a yell of pain from Kimyatta's mouth. My eye's midened as I turned to see her fall to the ground. I dragged her body outside of the camp. I saw the back of an arrow wedged into the middle of her back. I turned her over gently and saw the front of the arrow piercing through her stomach. Blood and fluids poured from her stomach. Her purple eyes were now clouded with tears. Her skin was smudged with the dirt of battle and blood caked her mouth. She breathed heavily and her once shiny hair was now dull and dirty. She looked back at me and said slowly through the pain, "Well, we made it." She smiled weakly at the end of her comment. Every so often she would stop breathing, causing me to fear the worst, yet soon after she would open her eyes and look at me.

"Don't worry I'll get you out of here," I said doubtfully. Kimyatta must have caught the doubt in my voice for she responded,

"Don't lie to me. I know when it's time to quit."

"No, I can make it out! We'll get you to a doctor, everything will be ok!"

"Hun', it's not going to happen.

As she finished that sentence more arrows flew over the wall.

"Listen to me," she gasped, "just run."

With those simple words her once strong body went limp, and she had breathed her last.

Chapter 4- Submerged in Darkness

"Paranoia would wrench me by the shoulders and shake me awake each night, as a shriek of terror would escape my lips..."

-Deep Blue: By Luna Nayru

I ran. I ran into the trees. I did just what Kimyatta had told me to do with her dieing breath. It ended up paying off. As I looked back one last time, I saw more arrows fall from the sky. They held the power of death in their sharp points, prepared to pierce through the body of any living thing, and take away its breath of life. I looked towards Kimyatta's body, dead, not being able to rest in peace.

Now maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me. Maybe I was going insane from the lack of sleep and food. Or maybe it was a spell of some kind. But as I looked back on my old prison I could have sworn I saw Kimyatta sit up for a moment, smile, and wave goodbye. Her purple eyes faded and shut, her body became dead once again. A voice spoke to me in my head, remain strong, it told me.

The Skeletos came through the newly made hole in the wall, spotted me, but did not pursue. This was strange. I slowed my pace and came to a stop. They all loooked at me with their dark red eyes and turned around, going back to the camp. I did not want to dwell in this spot any longer. I turned back to the swamp. The strange looking trees were intertwined along the top, causing a roof that let no light in. It was pitch black, and an eerily cold breeze blew forth from it's mouth, begging me to step inside, to let it feed on me. It wanted to devour me. To kill me. I stumbled backwards not knowing why and had a sudden fear of this moist swamp. I stepped into a puddle and I screamed not knowing what had happened. I began to run again. Into the mouth.

Everything began to get darker. My eyes widened grasping for any ray of light it could find. Soon my sense of sight was put to an end altogether. I could see nothing. I turned in the opposite direction and saw the comforting dim light that went through the dark clouds in the sky. Then the light failed. It was gone. Without a trace. The swamp's mouth closed on it, devouring all my hope.

I moved my legs slowly, not wanting to run into anything. I waved my arms around, expecting to feel a tree ahead of me. I walked in one direction, my arms thrusted ahead of me in the dark, but I encountered no object. I started to run dead ahead and still ran into nothing. The ground quickly became wet and muddy and I fell to my face. I panicked, it was eating me, I was being swallowed. I flipped and turned shouting out, yet nothing answered me except my own frightened echo. I stood and began to run again. I was covered in something, and it burned. The muck felt like it was seeping into me. I hated it. I grabbed all over my body trying to remove it from my body myself, yet I couldn't prevail. It just sunk deeper into me. I could feel it running through my blood, spreading throughout my body. I fell to the ground and began to shake violently. Whether on my own free will or not, I did not know. I thrashed about, a sudden anger filling me. I hit the ground, swung my fists in the air at nothing, I yelled and cursed at something I could not see. I rubbed my face in the muck as it ran into my mouth. It tasted foul. It made me gag and vomit. I bent over on all fours as I tasted a mixture of blood and stomach fluids pour forth from my mouth. The vomiting stopped abruptly and I fell upon my back, a weak feeling left in my stomach. The darkness could still be felt running within me. I longed to remove it. I wished I could take it out. With that though came a feeling to my hand. Something solid touched me. I wrapped my hand around a sharp blade. Consumed by madness I took the knife and cut open my arm. I reach inside pulling, trying to remove this darkness I felt. I tried to no avail. I stood to my feet, sanity returning, and I realized I was losing much blood. I could feel it gushing out of my arm, and all over my clothing. My thoughts were interupted by a fierce force against my face. It felt like I was flying through nothing until solid ground was pounded against my back. What was I laying on? Was I on anything? I couldn't tell if I was floating or on solid ground. I stood up, every one of my senses numb to reality. I felt around hoping to just feel something solid. My hands wrapped around something. Something grabbed my arm and held the cut to my face. The blood got on everything including inside my mouth. I gagged again, and more beatings upon my body began. Pain flooded my entire body. Something was hitting me and I couldn't prevent it. What was once everything faded to nothing as my consciousness of reality was lost.

I felt as though I entered another world from my beloved Hyrule. I knew it was a different world. Nothing but white surrounded me. A large expanse of vastness all the color white. It was peaceful too. At that time a smile would have crossed my lips if it were not for the darkness. Somehow, darkness itself was seeping through the ground. It came up and quickly spread across the white lands. The darkness gained complete control and a hideous creature now stood before me. I could not even begin to describe this being to you with human words. Not in any language of Hylian today, or Hylian centuries ago. I could not look at this thing. It wanted me, I knew. I tried to run on my legs made of rubber. I felt so weak, so helpless. Why couldn't I resist? I began to crawl on the ground trying to escape what I knew was inevitable. This thing, had a hold of me. As I crawled from this Demon of Darkness the most incredible thing happened. I gained consciousness. I split into two beings. One withing the world of my dreams crawling from the demon, and another lieing beat up in the Swamps. In reality, I attempted to open my eyes with every ounce of strength I was able, but it was useless. Something held my eyes shut. My inner being yelled to me,

"Wake! Awaken now! Please I beg of you! If you can only awake I will be free!"

I tried. I tried for everything. This thing that chased me, I wanted to get away from it more than I wanted anything else. Yet, as it drew closer, I began to realize, it was not so bad. It could do me no harm. I began to love it. I stopped crawling away from it and layed down on my back looking at it. I wanted this mass of Darkness. It hovered over me now. And then it came right upon my face. Fear. The last thing I saw were two horrible yellow eyes looking back into mine when I became lost.

I was lost. I did not exist. I was condemned in two worlds of complete and total Darkness. Helpless to do a thing, I became absorbed in whatever this was. I did not know what I was or where I was. For this period in time, I vanished.

I was submerged in Darkness, and the Darkness had me.

Chapter 5- Tales of Misery

Engulfed by evil, I could feel nothing but darkness as my will slowly suffocated within it.

-Deep Blue: By Luna-Nayru

Somehow, I knew I wasn't sleeping. I was still there. Was it a dream? Or reality? I was still confused as rays peeked through my eyelids. My eyes hurt when they were opened, greeted by sunlight. Sunlight? I sat up quickly. Yes, it was light sure enough. As nice as it was to see, it hurt, alot. It reflected off of something from the ground. I stood to my feet and looked around. Towards one direction was the bright light, and the other, the eternal swamp of darkness I stood on the edge of. What had actually happened in there, I wondered. Reality or some other, I didn't know.

Instinctively, I walked to the light. I walked right into it and was immediately greeted by warmth. My bare feet dug into sand grains. My eyes hurt to the point now where I could not keep them open. I closed them and reopened them several times blinking with pain until they finally adjusted.

The desert. The vast, empty, desert of Hyrule. A place of such despair no one has ever crossed to the other side, and none from there to here. I walked a few more steps and heard the sound of cracking branches behind me. I looked to find the hole of vines I had just walked out from no longer existed. It was tightly woven closed with leaves and vegetations. Even though it no longer threatened me, I could not help but shudder at the sight of those decaying branches that seemed to laugh at me. I turned away from them, supposedly putting it in my past forever. I did not want to ever remember the events within that place. That place that felt darker and more evil than Ganondorf's heart. I took a few more steps and had the urge to turn back to the swamp. I looked again and my heart skipped a beat, my veins feeling odd. I turned away and ran from it until it's presence vanished over the horizon.

I was now surrounded by nothing but air and many dunes of sand. I knew nothing else to do, but walk. I trudged over the hills of golden stones so small, they seemed to form a sea of yellow. They blew around in the wind creating veils across the empty sky. The sun's heat beat down upon my dirty face causing droplets of sweat begin to form like dew along my brow. I would wipe them away with my tattered sleeve. My mind focused back on my empty stomach. It pained from going so long with no food. Even now the rotted bread crumbs in the slave encampment looked just as good as the tastiest morsel in the King's Castle. I quickly grew tired, and the sand burned on the soles of my feet, so I sat. Squinting from the light my legs outstretched, I looked in circles for signs of anything. I had no sense of direction, and hoped I was not walking in the opposite direction of Hyrule. As I looked I saw a small black speck across the horizon. Not large, but big enough to stick out from the rest. I stood and focused my eyes upon it. I started to walk towards it, but was distracted.

Sand stuck to my face and hands from the dirty sweat that now poured from me. The heat and light I had once welcomed, I now dreaded. I scraped the irritating sand from my fingernails. Underneath was a strange black color. I tried to scratch that off, but to no success. I rubbed the sand off of each of my nails to find the same black color. My nails were colored black. Once clear, they now seemed to pulse like a heart in each of my fingertips. I stared at them for awhile and a horrible shiver was sent up and down my spine. I clenched my hands into fists and began to walk toward the black dot yet again. This dot by now had began to take shape. Two lines grew forth from an area. Yes, they were trees. Closer I drew and realized the shining crystal to be a pond. Water! "O precious water!" I yelled aloud for nothing to hear. My dry tounge and mouth yelled at me to run. My legs did not want to, but my thirst won in the end. I ran and finally came to the crystal clear pond. I dove in immediately dousing myself in the wonderful feeling. The sand quickly washed off my body and I sucked in the blue beautiful water. Clouds of moist sand were kicked up by my feet.

I dragged myself back onto the sand, my clothes drenched. I crouched down looking into the water. Everything was blurry; sand floated around in the shallow puddle and ripples moved about like miniature waves. Soon, everything became clear. The sand came to rest on the bottom and the ripples' movement ceased. My reflection became apparent in the water and its shape more refined. Color became easier to recognize and I looked over my face. It was cleaner now, no more dirt smudged it. My hair was a mess, flat on my head from the water. My eyes. They blinked several times before accepting the sight of themselves. The irises, once a dark green, were now ebon. Atramentous like the air in the swamp. Black like the dark aura surrounded the creature that had enveloped me. Onyx like the evil that had flowed within my veins. Sooty like the pulsating fingernails that plagued my fingertips. That evil, the horrible things I had encountered in the swamp were real. They were very real. So real, they lived within me. I was not the same person I had once knew, it was apparent just by my expression. Tired, worn out, it looked as though it was the face of a sick man ready to die. The eyes were most distinct though, an evil thing they were.

I pulled up my wet sleeve to look at the cut I had made in the swamp. It was showing signs of healing but was not the pinkish color of a usual wound. Black bruises surrounded it and within it, black fluids.

I ran to the nearest of the two spiny trees and pierced the back of my hand with one of its many thorns. A small hole appeared and for awhile nothing happened. Slowly a night colored blood oozed forth. My blood was the same black as evil. The most corrupt evil now flowed through my veins. Anger again bubbled up inside of me. I exploded letting my rage fly forth. I screamed to the heavens whatever I could, to whomever I could. My own foul breath filled the presence around me. My fanged teeth tore at my clothes, and I wept. I wept at what I had become. I was so confused and was all alone. No one was around, just myself and this darkness. Would no one help me? I took my fist and pounded the sand watching my black tears stain their golden color. I dropped to the ground and just lay still, sulking and wet. I wrapped my own arms around me and shivered. Not a shiver of cold temperature, but a shiver of fear. I stared off into the horizon and watched the sun set, and stars appear. Heat changed to a glacial feeling, my breath visible. My eyes were weary, my stomach empty, my clothes wet, and face blue. I tried to sleep, but was burdened by the chill of the air and dark thoughts in my mind. I would lose consciousness for a few moments then awake with a startling shout. I remember hearing footsteps, some voices, and then a blanket of warmth came to ease my pain. I was lifted into the air.
This time I lost consciousness and did not awake for awhile. Even though I was sleeping soundly, voices argued. They argued over something. Although I could not here the words, I knew they argued over me. I hid in a dark room listening to them yell and exchange violence. I did not undertand, but was frightened anyway. I cowered like a little child in a corner, clinging my knees to my chest, closing my eyes hoping it would stop.

I awoke thrashing at the covers with my black claws. I tore the blanket to shreds of cloth. I looked at my hands where my fingernails had once been, now in place of them, claws. I stared at them in wonder for awhile then looked at my surroundings. I was in a tent and light shone through the entrance. I stood to my weak feet and emerged from the tent.

Outside, people bustled about carrying swords, shields, and arrows. There weren't many of them, maybe about fifteen. The sound of smithery work could be heard upon the air and people were shouting orders to each other. One person walked by carring an armful of arrows. He caught sight of me and stopped. He stared curiously for a few awkward moments and finally managed to yell,

"Captain!... He's awake!

Still without looking away from me he slowly walked to his destination. No doubt, it must have been my new appearance that startled him. The one who had been called captain approached me. I put my hands into fists and turned away so he would not see this thing I became. He put my hand on my shoulder, I turned in the opposite direction.

"Are you feeling well?" he asked me.

I quietly nodded my head. He motioned with his arm towards the tent, and I followed his direction. I sat on the ground, and lowered my head, folding my hands.

"I am glad to see you alive. You were very beat up when we found you at that oasis. I am called Haika. What are you known as?"

I stared at the ground a little longer. I thought back attempting to recall my name. I lifted my head and looked at him. He had long hair, a silverish color. Shock was all over his face when he saw me. I spoke,

"I do not have a name. It has been stolen from me."

He looked me over a bit more wondering what to say. Finally he managed to stammer the words,

"W-what are you?"

I was not sure how to respond. I looked at my hands and the black claws. I was not sure if it was a good idea to tell this man what had happened. He probably wouldn't believe me anyway, so I lied,

"These features you see on me that put you into awe, are no more than traits of those in my bloodline. I will not harm you, and I am not a demon of any sort. Do not be afraid."

He seemed a little comforted by that and extended his arm to greet me, a smile beginning to show,

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," he said, "I am the master of this group here. We're an organization of rebels against Ganondorf. We don't have many recruits as of now, many were wiped out in our last attack on Ganon's Tower. And now the Gerudos, under Ganondorf's control, are planning to get rid of us for good. Which is what all this rushing you see is about. It seems as though you've arrived here at a very unfortunate time, my friend."

"Believe me when I say that I have seen worse foes than Gerudos..."

Haika tilted his head a little in wonder at that statement.

Obviously confused, he stood to his feet,

"You are welcome to stay with us as long as you like, but remember we are on Ganondorf's most wanted list. I suggest you use caution if you remain here. The sun will be setting soon, I invite you to come to our campfire we hold every night. You can have a chance to meet the few sane people left in Hyrule."

His last sentence was apparently meant to be a joke but neither of us laughed. No thought of humor was left with either of us.

Silently Haika left the room.

I sat and stared at the ray of lights peeking through holes in the top of the tent. I wasn't too sure of what I was thinking about. Perhaps just taking it all in. So much had happened in the past... How long had it been? Time felt so strange at that moment. Everything was almost wiped away, yet I knew it had happened. As if it were all a horrible nightmare, and then a real life experience. It felt very real, too real. The past weighed against my chest. Things that were once gone now felt like they were existent at that moment. Something was strange. It felt out of place. Everything around me was changing, yet no physical differences could be seen. A strong wind blew from the west across the desert and people could be heard outside chasing things that had been blown away. That wind. I breathed it in. It was a wind of change. Quickly and suddenly, that wind died down.
I stared at those rays a bit longer before I came back to senses and decided to wander this area for a bit until the sunset.
I pushed back one of the tent's flaps and looked around in the bright light. Activities were not as apparent as they were awhile ago. I figured things must have been winding to a close for the day.

The desert's horizon danced with colors of gold as the sun began to set. I slid through the sand, away from the camp area, and stopped. I tilted my head backwards and stared up at the divided sky. To the east, the sky was dark and alive with many sparkling gems. To the west, it looked like a Gerudo's treasure trove filled with golden coins and and ruppes, all of their colors reflecting into the air. Life is a strange one... Slowly the light in the Gerudo's treasure trove died down, the fiery ball of light sunk beyond sight. A dim glow now shone beyond the eye's horizon. Darkness was closing in. Cold was closing in along with it. I crossed my arms and shivered, returning to the camp.

Voices were heard mumbling in the distance, I followed their sounds. The closer I became to them the more distinctly the sounds of crackling fire could be heard. I turned around the side of one of the many tents to find ten or so men sitting on crude wooden benches. Thos who were talking stopped and turned to look at me. I waved a friendly hello and took a seat on an empty bench. Haika was there and stood to introduce me,

"Men, this is our friend. He has not given me his name so I find it easier to not try and pull one out of him. He is to be treated with respect and dignity just as you all treat each other."

Haika nodded to me and sat. A very awkward silence followed as people pretended not to stare. They would put on a cherade that they were looking at other things and end up turning their heads again to catch another sight of my face. The warm glow from the fire lit up my face so everyone around could clearly see. 'Surely,' I thought, 'something must be different about my appearance moreso than last time to get this much attention."
Finally conversation started up again among the groups and I was relieved to see each person go back to their discussions. Each of them spoke with a slight sadness in their voice, as if dreading some future event. The fire's reflection danced on every one of their faces. In and out of the mouths, across their eyes and cheeks. I looked away from them and stared into the flames. I had to think to myself of how strange fire was. It had no one shape, and was constantly changing. It could be your best friend, or worst enemy. It could give you comfort from long colds, or burn you until your body goes to die. So strange.

I was broken from my daydream by the singing of another man. He sung a sad song. I forced myself to look away from the fire pit in order to listen to the words of his tune. His song went like this:


I am forever alone
Sorrow only follows
I am a stray
No regrets for I have nothing to lose...
This is my dark fate
I alone suffer this torment
Icy tears linger on my cheeks, burning everything in their path...
But the sun always rises...
And I can begin anew...

He sat silent for a moment along with the rest of the group. Soon after, he took a breath and spoke, a translation of his melody,

"Seven years ago I was a happy man. Seven years ago I lived in a house by the Hylian lake. Seven years ago my entire family was not dead. Seven years ago, my life was destroyed.

"It was a peaceful afternoon. The fish were swimming out in the lake, the air was calm and a bit chilly, it was one of those days on which you expect nothing to happen. Sadly, everything happened. I was playing with my boy. He was three years of age. I threw him up into the air and he would laugh with glee as he fell back into my arms again. I put on the gournd and he started spinning, pretended to be something out of his imagination. He spun by the open window when I heard a sound outside. Nothing but a bit of rustling leaves. He spun towards the window and stopped.

'Daddy! Look!'

He pointed out the window. A whoosh through the air and my boy fell over. I caught him before he fell and loocked into his face. An arrows had been shot through his mouth. Blood gushed from his gaping, innocent mouth. His eyes were frozen in fear. His young blood was pouring all over his shirt and the floor. I just sat there staring at my dead child. I heard someone break through my door and looked up to see a dark knight of Ganondorf. A darknut. He held a toothed sword and was covered in steel armor. He entered, followed by another one. I ran at the first one screaming with pure rage. I beat my fist into his armor and broke the bones in my fingers. The darknut's red eyes glared at me through his helmet. He didn't make a sound as he brought his arm up and struck me, sending me flying into the wall. I heard my wife scream from another room. The darknut that had just struck me turned his attention to my wife, standing in the doorway to her room where she had been taking a nap. She ran to me but was stopped by the darknut. She flailed her arms and legs struggling to get free, but to no avail. I tried to stand and help her but the gash in my head the darknut's metal hand had dealt was too much and I became dizzy and fell to the floor. The second darknut restrained me and held up my chin so I was forced to see my wife. The first darknut had the toothed sword to my wife's neck and was prepared to kill. Slowly he rubbed the jagged metal across her neck as she screamed my name. Over and over. She yelled for help, crying in pain. Blood began to flow from her neck. Tears flowed from her eyes as the darknut continued to cut her life from her, slowly. I couldn't yell back to h er, I could barely keep my eyes open, I could only stare. The darknut held me tight, though I couldn't do anything, even without his iron grip. My wife's eyes quietly drooped to a close and her head hung limp. The darknut let her fall to the floor and he kicked her red stained body across the room.

"The floor of my home was drenched in puddles of innocent blood. The darknuts laughed a little as they dragged me away, leaving my family strewn upon the floor. Merciless they were, I hated them, I still do hate them, it is why I am now a member of this rebellion. I have sought seven years to end Ganondorf's reign and as you can see, to no avail.

"But... my family..."

The man had been tearing a bit throughout the story, and now stood up and walked off on his own. I stared wide-eyed at the tale that man had told. And so the night went on, conversation continued on one subject, each person providing their stories. Their stories of hatred towards Ganondorf. Tales of their families being killed, lives ruined, and why they joined the rebellion.

That night I listened to each of their tales of misery.