Shadow of the Fallen Lands

~Warriors~

The weight of the stagnant air inside the hall wasn't great for holding concentration. Even as a Royal Knight, hell, even as the Queen's personal guard, my razor focus was wandering around the room. I subtly turned my head to the window, smiling at my faint reflection. Not one hair out of place, my perfect teeth flashed with a handsome charm that sent ladies wild. Sending a wink my image's way, a crunch from my ankle forcibly checked me back into the meeting as Zelda's heel cracked into the leather of my boot. Ouch. Never offend a woman in heels. Turning my attention away from my own reflection, I found that the words of Queen Zelda and some of  my troops flew straight through my head; admittedly I was still mostly picking at my cuticles with my quill and not paying attention. I'd just made one of my hands look absolutely perfect when the room went very dark very quickly and I found that I couldn't see. Left in the crimson bathed room, I stood, my chair flying sideways with a dramatic flip that was, in fact, completely necessary.

"Your majesty! Are you alright?"

Zelda's reply was a quick, curt nod, though she softened her mouth into a smile for me, which was so radiant, I almost forgot about the entirety of the sky being completely bathed in angry red light. Taking a few steps out from the table, my foot caught on something that tugged around my neck; I almost tripped over the end of my own scarf, and thus, was swiftly humbled. The shadows of the figures in the room were twisted by the darkness into distortions of reality, like a fantasy before my eyes, but I chose not to read too far into it. Darkness does strange things to Hylian sight. Before my nose, sending me jumping backwards, a flicker of black lightning jolted past my face, forking about the room. I reached out both my hands, palms exposed, to let the little sparks land on me. Aside from a momentary tingle that made my hair raise and an existential feeling of dread that it forestalled over my chest, it seemed to be mostly harmless. 

"Captain."

The order made me look up, standing to attention.

"Yes, your Majesty."

I could see that fire of steel in Zelda's face. She had her mouth set, reflections from still-flickering lightning flashing in the light ocean of her pupils. Determination. She stood before me, slightly taller than my respectable five-foot-seven. Kneeling, I bowed my head in respect.

"Link, I need you to go out. I feel..." She placed a hand on my shoulder, then under my chin, drawing my face up. "I feel the Goddess calling out. I can't hear her, but something just tells me it isn't me she wants."

Accepting her hand up, she straightened my scarf. 

"Of course. I'll set off at once."

Dashing to collect my sword, freshly resharpened, I strode to the gates with swift steps that left Zelda trotting to keep up but, to my annoyance, made the backs of my calves burn. Putting one hand on the gatehouse's grainy grey stone, I turned to my Queen. She leant down a bit to place a soft kiss on my forehead, before spinning me around and smacking me quite hard on the shoulder, sending me staggering forwards. It made me feel quite glad that none of my troops were watching.

"Go forth, my Captain, with the pride of Hyrule at your back."

She glanced at me as she turned back to the Castle, a silent message between a Queen and her Captain. So, I decided I'd better investigate. For her sake as well as the kingdom's. 

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As I left Hyrule Castle's security firmly behind me, walking out across the expanse of Hyrule Field was really beginning to make me long for the comforts of Epona's saddle. I almost turned back to fetch my horse, but something drove me onwards. With each bootprint I left in the grass, the crimson light only grew stronger. It coalesced around my ankles in tendrils, pulling my feet in a rythmic thump towards a grove near to a small body of water. It wasn't somewhere you'd think to go, a very nondescript place. By that logic, it was a perfect ambush spot. A sense of unease born from war settled over my shoulders, tightening my muscles. I knew something out of the ordinary was happening, but I couldn't admit it to anyone. Settling onto the tips of my toes, peering around a thick-trunked tree, I took note of three Hylians, all young men. Well, after catching sight of the largest of the trio, I amended my note to two young men and one significantly larger man. I also recorded their positions in my mind, one crouched, the largest stood by him, the last sat in the grass.