The Wrath of the Goddess (far down the road WIP)
Fighting panic, the Hylians scrambled over the rocks – desperately searching for any sign of an entry. The light was steadily fading as the final rays of the sun disappeared behind the western hills.
Suddenly, Russel called down to the men below him, “Book-worm! Up here!”
Sahasrahla, despite his heavy robes and cumbersome satchels, clamored up to the old knight and bent down to study what he had found.
Beneath a handful of large rocks, lay a rectangular, smooth-cut piece of stone – with several intricate designs carved into it.
“This… this might be it!” he gasped, before tracing his fingers over the symbols and muttering quietly in ancient Hylian.
Soon, Link, Her Grace, and the other knights gathered around – drawn by the sage’s excited air.
“Yes! Yes! The syntax is just as it should be!” he cried, patting his hand against the stone, “The threshold of power, gateway of the eldest – yes it’s here!”
While the men outside took to their positions and formed ranks, Zelda and her aide entered the Sacred Spring of the great goddess, deep below.
Sahasrahla would not dare to touch the waters, but he would kneel, and fervently pray to the goddess to attend to the Princess’ plight.
The young woman would, just as she had done twice before, reduce herself to the white silk gown, and wade into the water – folding her hands and reaching out with her spirit.
Time was running out, but these communions required the most delicate senses and discipline of mind. Even the slightest misstep… and she could invite the wrath of the elder divine.
The call of a Wood-Thrush, followed by an Akkalan Whippoorwill echoed off of the rocks from just down the path.
“Viscern has done what he can,” muttered Link to his men, “They will be here in moments.”
True enough, after less than a minute had passed, the faint thunder of rushing formations could be heard, and the harsh cries of their twisted captains.
“How can a mother choose from amongst her own children?” the old woman lamented.
“How can a mother stand by and allow her child to cause so much harm?!” spat the princess.
There was no time for this nonsense! Her men were struggling against Ganon’s horde. Her knights… her… Link… they were growing weaker… and beginning to fall – They needed her!
“When all others have forsaken him, who else could be asked to love him? Who would wipe the tears from his eyes… comfort the wounds in his heart… strengthen him against a world that despises him?”
“You cannot shelter him like this!” Zelda screamed, “It is wicked! It is unholy! He is nothing more than a demon!”
“He is… my son.” The goddess answered, tears streaming down her divine face. “For all the evils within creation, for all of the pain that one could cause… could you… ever forsake your own child?”
Breathing was becoming labored and difficult. How long had they been fighting?
None knew. All they could do was form, fight, push, withdraw, gasp for breath in the seconds it took the enemy to recover, then perform it all again.
Russel’s armor was damaged, and he now bore a painful gash across his left cheek, but his jaw was set firm and his hands were steady.
Viscern had reappeared on the rocks above the pass, and continuously rained arrows and pocket-bombs down upon their enemies – buying time for the foot soldiers to rest and regroup between attacks.
Link – by some miracle – had remained unharmed, though he led every attack and pushed deep into the beasts’ formations each time.
The spirit continued to whisper softly to him and sharpen his senses to every approaching threat. She had become a part of him now, blended and mingled with his own soul.
In the heat of battle, her voice was no longer a separate voice within his mind. She was a feeling… a direction… and he did not doubt or question her any longer - They kept one another alive.
The old man rapidly prayed, setting his forehead against the stones of Din’s walkway and whispering in ancient Hylian.
“Come to us, oh mother of creation, lend us your power in our time of need!” he urged, “Come to us, oh Goddess of Power, hear the voice of thy child and grant her your blessing!”
On and on, over and over he recited the words, as the faint clash and ring of steel echoed down the passageway to them.
Fear began to rise up in his heart. What if Din had turned away from them? What if she did not wish the princess to become Hylia at this time? What if she had chosen to let them all die?
A faint whimper, or gasp of breath from the princess broke his concentration.
He shouldn’t have done it. He knew that it was forbidden for a mortal to look upon her. But in his fear, the old sage suddenly lifted his head and cried out, “Your grace?!”
In his final moments of sight, Sahasrahla found the princess was still standing within the waters ahead of him, but she seemed to be falling forward… and her form faded from existence. The waters closed in… and she was gone.
The last of the stars faded… and the true light of creation was lost. All of the known world was cast into the deepest blackness.
Link stood before them all, panting hard and straining to stay on his feet. The Master Sword in his hand, now cast the only light by which to see – a small circle, maybe only three or four paces across, illuminating the nearest men.
One eye was swollen shut, a tooth had been cracked and blood freely flowed from both of his nostrils. But the hero was unbent – unyielding – even beneath the shadow of the Darkened God.
They all felt it - not a man among them could possibly miss the sensation in their hearts. Their princess had been taken from them.
At the edge of the silver circle of light, the faint shuffle and glimmer of the beasts’ blackened armor stood close - unwilling to allow the men to flee. The orange and yellow flickers of their eyes combined into a horrifying sea of fire before them – giving testament to their numbers.
Stepping forward, only a single pace into the circle of light, the traitor revealed himself to them and his mouth twisted into a hellish sort of smile.
“It is done.” He bubbled in his beastial voice at them.
The knight gripped his weapon tightly, and held the master sword outward – pointed directly at his enemy.
“The last of her light is gone… she is now only a memory.” The monster exclaimed, “And soon… she will be forgotten!”
All others had fled… or died… or knelt to the demon. Here now was gathered the last of Hyrule. The last of those who remembered blue skies and green fields. And their matron was gone.
The thoughts of each man are known only to themselves, but for Link, his heart had hardened into a fist of cold steel. Come whatever may, he was going to kill this man, for everything he had done – before they would be able to take him.
Suddenly, his companion spoke to him in an odd sensation. She made him feel as if he should raise her sword upward and point it toward the sky.
This was useless and would surely leave him open to attack! But… with the hopelessness of their fight and the trust that she had earned in him, he did not resist her.
Slowly, with great reverence, the knight brought the weapon back to himself, inclining his head against the cross guards for a moment, before lifting it high and pointing its blade toward the darkened heavens above.
The monstrous horde began to laugh openly at the gesture, until a voice suddenly cried out – from behind the Hylians’ ranks.
“Woe unto ye, oh children of darkness!”
From out of the temple archway staggered Sahasrahla, blind and groping in the darkness to find his way.
All, even Link, turned to look over their shoulders at the wandering sage – in spite of the imminent threat before them.
“Cast off thy bonds!” he cried, with his fingertips finding the shoulders of the rear-most men, “Forsake thy dark master! And fall to thine knees to beg for mercy!” he finished, pushing his way past the commander and stumbling into the gap between the armies.
The moblins – confused at first by his shouting – roared with mocking laughter, until one called forward,
“Beg?! Beg whom?! Your pitiful princess?! Send her body out to us! And we shall show you who shall be taught to beg whom!”
But the great sage was undaunted. In fact, his mouth actually turned upward into a confident smile.
“FOOLS!” he roared, his voice thundering off of the walls of rock surrounding them, “FAITHLESS AND ACCURSED! Thy arrogance seals thy fate! For look! She comes now! The daughter of wisdom, favored of the mother of courage, BEHOLD HER MIGHTY HAND!”
At these words, the sword’s light steadily intensified, stretching the circle outward, and reaching higher into the air.
At its farthest edge, above the men of Hyrule, rose – now revealed - an ominous… ghostly form.
She stood many times the height of a man – towering over all for a hundred yards – though the form of her legs below the knee were absent and she seemed to lightly float in midair.
She wore a white, silken gown, cut loosely and hanging from her shoulders, but bound at the waist with a girdle of gold and silver. Her hair was drawn back into a thick, magnificent braid – bound up and held with leather thongs. At her hip, stood an empty scabbard and upon her brow rested a delicate circlet - set with many precious stones.
Yet the most striking feature was her eyes: Powerful and full of wisdom. Deeper than the vast reaches of the sea and brighter than the stars that glided above.
But… where mortals before had once found compassion and tender love… the children of darkness now found revulsion and anger.
As soon as the first of the blade’s light fell upon her, the creatures’ laughter died and they quickly shifted weapons back into their hands. Their captain lifted his own sword to his side, sneering up at her with his master’s hatred.
A violent and sudden tremor rocked the mountain as the light further magnified itself, blinding the enemy.
“Apostates.” she boomed – only at a whisper, but striking with immense power.
The beasts threw their hands over their own ears and screamed in pain at the sound of her voice - letting arms and shields fall without care.
Keldar, the lieutenant and second-in-command of this host, fell from his position and cast himself upon the rocky ground before them – shielding his eyes and quaking with great fear.
The captain heard this – glancing back at his pitiful comrade – before turning his eyes back to her and lifting himself into a full-throated roar in defiance.
Unmoved, the specter lifted one hand toward them and gracefully curled her fingers into a tight fist.
An explosion… brighter and more violent than if the sun itself had burst, lit the whole of the Eldin Mountain Range. Even across the great sea – far beyond the horizon – men witnessed the violent flash of her light.
Screams… wails of torment and agony… the most horrible sounds that any living mortal could hear, broke out amongst the moblins and their corrupted allies. A sort of white fire seemed to suddenly burst outward from inside of their bodies – shooting from their mouths and the hollows of their eyes. It incinerated everything it touched and spread across the entire host with the speed of lightning.
The beasts thrashed, screamed, and collapsed in mere seconds… even the steel of their armor was melted and turned to vapor.
For the span of a single breath, she watched as the last of their ash blew away into the wind, before lifting her outstretched hand toward the emptiness above them.
“Remove this veil.” She commanded, again at a whisper, and a great wind suddenly blew in from the eastern shore.
Far to the west, within the rising column of sickening smoke and malice, flashes of yellow lighting broke out, swiftly followed by the demon’s roar and the fallen god’s challenge.
The stars were slowly uncovered – first in the east, then opening toward the west. Finally, the magnificent full moon was revealed, embracing the land once more in her gentle light.
The Goddess… had returned.
tangentwithtanner
prguitarman
germansingergirl
janainaart
romaincrisis
ellievsbear
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