The Hylian-Gerudo War

Chapter 12: Construction of the Judgment Place

We weren't able to see outside, as there were no windows, or even an opening for that matter. Where we were going was a complete mystery to us.

It was hours before the slow moving wagon finally stopped, we felt the wagon move as someone dismounted from it. Steps were heard as they were coming closer to the exit of the wagon.

The door swung open, we had to cover our eyes because of the blinding sunlight that blasted its rays through. As we have been in a dark wagon for several hours now.

One of the soldiers grabbed my arm and threw me to the ground, doing the same to the other Gerudo people in the wagon. Another soldier pulled us up in a rough manner as he started linking our chains together, as we were bound.

Once this process was completed, the Gerudo in the front was linked to a Hylian mounted on a horse. The Hylian started calling out to us in his foreign language as he urged his horse on, pulling our chains, making us follow him.

The sand burned our bare feet as we traveled across the desert. It then struck me as to where we were, how could I have not figured this out sooner? We were in Gerudo desert!

My eyes started searching for a familiar sign, any sort of landmark, or structure, anything.
It was then that I happened to notice what was once a small building, a hovel. Though, it was all in ruins now. Did they destroy our villages? Is that the main reason why our Gerudo children had to join us so soon? Or perhaps they destroyed it once they did join us?

I then remembered, the children! Where are they? What happened to the camp we left behind that night? Are they safe? A knot in my stomach formed as I began to worry about what had happened to the others, what happened to our King; Ganondorf.

We kept on walking, the desert sun scorched our bodies, we were used to it though, this is what we lived through all of the days of our lives, our seemingly short lives, that is.

The path we were taking seemed familiar, the knot in my stomach grew bigger as I began to realise where exactly we were going...

The Spirit Temple?

Alas, where its towering glory once stood, there was another structure in its place. It was already almost finished, when did they start this? I began to wonder.

Several upon several of both men, and women were already working on this new structure. They toiled under the hot desert sun, as well as the scorching sand. Once I got a better look at them, I then realised that they were Hylians, by their blue or green eyes, their pointed ears, and their white skin.

What are they doing here!? What sort of structure are they erecting upon our once beautiful temple?

As I stood watching them, my head fuming with anger, I was pushed to the ground by the kick of one of the Hylian soldier's boots.

He yelled at me in their language as I slowly stood up, my people were then being put to work.

We were put in a clay pit, forming bricks with our very hands, cutting them, and placing them in a cart for them to be brought to the construction sight.

Around me, several people had already collapsed from the harsh heat, the surrounding soldiers whipped them, screaming at them to get up. My eyes widened due to the fact that they weren't only beating us, but their own flesh and blood, their own Hylian people!

They couldn't have been civilians; perhaps they were criminals, but still, even to treat a seemingly small criminal with the same treatment as a terrible one.

Even I felt a little pity to the man as he screamed aloud upon the crack of the whip, I watched him while I worked, oh how much I felt pity for him.

Night then fell, and the air was chilling us to the bone. The guards signaled for us to stop our toiling. All at once the people started heading for a small area surrounded by tents. Several people were crammed into each of them, as there were not enough tents.

The same sad sobs were heard during the night, I remember those sobs, it was the sob of death. Someone must've been mourning for their fallen loved one during our work period, or for someone who had just died right now from being scorched, exhausted, or possibly even starved.

We only took a break when the soldiers gave us permission, and when we ate, we were only given a tiny piece of bread, and a few sips of water, hot water, as it has been in the sun. And the only times they gave us food, was when we did exactly as they ordered, and if they did a good time of work. The criminals got more food than we did, we often weren't allowed even a crumb, nevertheless a small sip of water.

Another day of work was followed after that morning, as well as another, and another. And each day, somebody died, they either collapsed from exhaustion... Tripped, fell, and broke something in the clay pit, got beaten to death by a soldier, died from malnutrition, or got heatstroke and died where he was.

Then one day, another wagon arrived...Its contents were just as I had feared, in that wagon, were my comrades, all of us were finally captured. I watched as one by one, they were being thrown out, just like I was, though Ganondorf was not seen, did he even get captured? What happened?

They were chained together just like us, and dragged by a horse, just like us. Some of them saw and recognised me, and immediately their faces were downcast, they were saddened by what I had become.

I was scrawny, and chained like a beast. Though I had not lost my spirit, nor my strength. I had not allowed myself to be broken by the likes of a Hylian, never.

They joined us in our labour, the construction of this building. Rumours were being spread that it was to be a prison, designed to hold and execute us, one by one.

If this rumour was true, I made my mind up that I would never be destroyed by a Hylian, I will never fall to such people! No. I had far too much pride to meet my end which was given to me by the likes of those people. Never.

Two years had passed, and the structure was nearly complete. I watched many people, including my people, as they died from building such a structure. I sighed as I put in the last brick, and with that brick, a feeling deep down told me that my fate had been sealed upon placing that final brick.

All of us were then led into the building, only to be greeted by a man in pale, brown robes. On his head was an oval hat that was like a crown.

"Greetings...I have been appointed by the King himself as the arbiter of these grounds." He said, gasps were heard throughout the place, as well as concerned murmurs. Surely they knew this was coming... Though I had just met him, I could tell that he was an evil man, something was not right with him.

"Each and every one of you have been judged. And so, your punishment is execution." He continued, folding his arms together. "You are to journey to each of the rooms, gathering items and keys to advance. Death traps await you." As he kept talking, a smile appeared on his face, a truly menacing smile.

"If you reach the end, however, you will be rewarded. Now, without further ado, get running..." The people were about to charge forward until the arbiter stopped them again, "I forgot something... If I call your name, you come forward..." He said as he pulled out a piece of paper, one by one, he began to call the people out.