Life in the Ruins

Prologue - Battle of Fort Hateno

“INCOMING!”

The fort shook as it was hit by yet another blast of energy from one of the several guardians outside the walls. Fort Hateno had just come under attack, and the few men stationed there were beginning to be overwhelmed. It didn’t take long. Just earlier today, the sun was shining, and Hateno has been graced with the princess and her appointed knight’s arrival. It had been a great honor and the villages in Necluda celebrated. However, soon after they left the area, a great tremor shook the earth, and even sooner after that, Sheikah Guardians began to bombard the walls with concentrated energy beams.

Amidst the chaos sat a young boy, no older then 10 years old, hiding behind a couple of barrels, looking for his father. Monari has been visiting the fort where his father was stationed. He had asked for weeks before his mother finally allowed him to go. He was having the time of his life, talking to his father’s friends, looking over the walls at the green pastures below, and seeing the grand Twin Peaks. Until the guardians arrived. His father had gone to assist another guard with a task and Monari was instructed to remain where he was. But when the Guardians attacked, he ran to hide behind these barrels for cover. He was frantically looking for his father to take him home. He was terrified and didn’t want to be here anymore.

Through the sound of rain, shouting, and chaos, a familiar vice called out to him. Monari quickly flew from his hiding spot and ran towards the source of the voice. He rounded the corner to see his father searching frantically.

“I’m here papa! I’m here!” He shouted trying to get his fathers attention. When he was finally able to, his father ran up and swept him up in his arms, carrying Monari inside to safety. Once inside, his father set him down and approached a member of the Sheikah tribe. Monari wracked his brain trying to remember her name. Finally, it came to him; Purah. She was a scientist who lived just above Hateno Village. She looked shaken and confused as she looked out the window at the destruction.

“Purah!” his father shouted. “What’s the meaning of this! Why are Sheikah weapons blasting this fort to pieces!?”

“I… I don’t know...” she whispered.

“Well you better figure it out real damn soon. My men are being slaughtered out there! And reinforcements from the reserves in Hateno are still hours away!”

“This isn’t supposed to be happening! Guardians are autonomous, yes. But they need to be given instructions in order to carry out a task. Someone must have programmed these guardians to attack us, but I cannot for the life of my think of who it could be!” She looked at his father. “You don’t think its…”

“Its not the Calamity. It can’t be. If it were our Champions would be stopping it right now. If you can’t figure out how to make them stop, please at least tell us you have a way to defeat them!”

Purah’s eyes lit up, almost in excitement. “I do! Of course. I’m so sorry, it’s the entire reason I’m here! Quickly this way!”

Monari’s father gestured for him to follow Purah and himself outside and out onto the road behind the fort walls. Purah started towards a large cart and lifted the tarp off the top. Inside were weapons, but no weapons Monari had ever seen.

“This is what Robbie and I have been working on ever since we heard the prophecy. We figured they would be of use to our Champions, but were going to have to use them now instead. Everyone, come grab what you can!”

Soldiers from around the fort swarmed Purah’s cart, grabbing bows, sticks, and handles. They all looked confused until Purah instructed them on how to activate each device. Suddenly, the mob of soldiers was covered in a light blue haze as the Sheikah weapons sprung to life. Swords, spears, arrows, and axes, all made of shimmering blue energy. The soldiers, now armed with suitable weapons made their way back to the top of the wall. Volley after volley of arrows were fires over the top. Monari couldn’t see what was happening, but he heard crashed and booms, as well as a couple of cheers from the men. The weapons must have been working.

The celebrating was a bit premature, however, as not soon after, an enormous blast from a guardian blew a giant crater in the wall of the fort, sending soldiers flying. Monari had only ever seen blood in tiny amounts when he scratched himself climbing trees. But he had never seen so much of it, all at once. The crimson liquid spewed from the bodies and seeped into the ground, turning the dirt into a bloody mud pile

“Purah, when you go back to the lab, take Monari, please! His house is on the way, but I need to get him out of here! It’s not safe!”

Purah nodded and she moved to take Monari’s hand. His father knelt to speak to him face to face.

“Purah here is a good friend, and she’s going to take you back home now okay?”

“Papa I don’t want to go, I want to stay and help you fight!” Monari shouted.

“Mo listen to me! This s no place for you right now. Leaving the fighting to us. We’ve got this okay? But you mother needs you right now. She needs to see her big man, you need to comfort her! Understand?”

Monari nodded, and his father pat him on the head. “Good man! I need you to be brave now Mo, now go on! Ill be right behind you. Well beat these dumb machines back and I’ll be back in time for dinner!” He smiled.

A soldier ran up to him, wearing a red armband on his left bicep. “Anyu, what’s the word from the Citadel? Have they mobilized troops to assist us?”

“Sir!” The soldier gasp for breath in between words. “The citadel has fallen! They were attacked by their own guardian sentries and new flying type guardians!”

“Dammit! What about the castle?” Surely they must-”

“No sir! Hyrule Castle was the first to fall! The town… its completely gone sir! The castle is engulfed in flames! Sir, if the two most powerful strongholds have fallen, what hope do we ha-”

Mo’s father grasped him on the shoulder, and looked at him reassuringly. “Enough of that, you delivered the message like you were supposed to. You did your job. Now help us do OUR job here. Grab on of those bows and as many arrows as you can. Were holding this fort, Understand!?

“Yes sir!” The shoulder gasped as her lumbered over to Purah’s cart.

His father looked at Purah and angrily gestured for her to escort Mo away. He quickly shot Mo a smile and waved, to which Mo returned the gesture. They Purah lifted him onto her horse and they rode off back towards the village. Fort Hateno was out of sight, but the crashes and booms followed them well into Hateno Valley. A burning question was floating around Mo’s head, but he was almost to scared to ask. Purah must have sensed this and spoke up instead “What is it son, what’s the matter”

Mo sighed. “Will I see my father again?”

Purah reared the horse to a stop and looked back at him. “Mo, your father is a capable commander at one of the strongest forts in the entire kingdom. He-”

“But that man said the Citadel and the castle didn’t win, so how are we going to win?” Mo persisted.

“Don’t worry Mo, the princess and her appointed knight are on their way. I have no doubt once he arrives, the tide of battle will shift. Your father is just helping to thin the heard of Guardians for them, so it will be easier for everyone when they arrive. Trust the plan Mo, everything will be okay.”

For some reason, Mo had a tough time believing her. He had this strange feeling in his gut, that whatever was supposed to happen was going to go terribly wrong. But he kept his mouth shut and shoved those thoughts from his head. His father was right. He had to get home to see his mother, and comfort her. It was the only thing he could do now.

Purah’s horse raced through the rainy night, and soon the booms stopped completely. It wouldn’t be until later that he would learn just what that meant.

End of Prologue