Kingdom of Power, of Courage, and of Wisdom

Kyou's War - Mountain Paths

-Sheikah Clan, Kanyou-

The Sheikah, Zant, looked into the door window. Within he could make out the prisoner sitting on her bed by the moonlight. She had a scroll in her hands, reading by flickering candlelight. The girl's eyes flickered up just long enough to notice him, before returning to her reading.

'Zelda is dead.'

Zant asked, "Anything?"

"No change. She eats, drinks, takes to the pot at regular intervals, and doesn't talk to visitors." The Sheikah guard adjusted in his seat. He had been there since morning. Zant left the man to his tedium.

'Zelda is dead.'

Zant passed by several rooms. Not all were occupied but all had a purpose. Meditation, fasting, interrogation, brainwashing, martial arts, storage for ancient artifacts of great power, libraries upon libraries of knowledge hidden from the world, passages to places all around the capital, and more. The underground was massive, including entire caverns where they were trained to be at home in darkness.

Zant ascended from the cavern through a panel to the Sheikah estate. The mansion was extensive, and the land given to the Sheikah made up an entire district of the capital city, larger than most noble families but still dwarfed by the holdings of the royal family, royal harem, and chancellors.

'Zelda is dead.'

Zant nodded to the other Sheikah as he passed, before stopping before a set of guards at a specially marked door. "I am expected," Zant said. He was expected, but the guards still made the Shadowmaster aware of his presence.

"You may enter." They said.

Zant entered silently. Ahead of him was a desk with a large window behind it, and on both sides of the room were bookcases filled with scrolls. A few attendants had small desks of their own and worked next to the bookcases doing documentation work. In the center of the room was the young Sheikah, 'Solitare', if Zant remembered correctly. It was not the person's real name. This was to be expected. 'Zant' wasn't his real name either.

Zant didn't know his name. He was brainwashed near the beginning and given a new name and identity. It was this way with all Sheikah. The process was not permanent, as pieces would fall back into place over the years, but it was most notable among the younger members. The Shadowmaster was among the eldest of the order and in time had regained a good portion of her memories. The Shadowmaster would no doubt retire one day soon since it was considered a Sheikah 'death' to remember too much. To be Sheikah was to be devoid of self-identity.

The day a Sheikah remembered their birth name, they ceased to be Sheikah.

At the main desk sat the Shadowmaster, Lady Impa.

"Zant," Impa greeted. "How did the mission go?" Zant gave a glance to Solitare. As if reading his thoughts, Shadowmaster said, "Solitare can stay. Go ahead with your report."

Zant gave a brief bow before speaking. "Chancellor Ryo Fui has given Prince Kyou reasonable excuses to stay out of the capital. On the surface, he is examining the economic impact of his project, which is a worthy report in its own right, but beneath notice, he has sent his main vessels around Qin gathering rebels against Prince Kyou. My initial estimates lead the rebel army may reach up to a hundred thousand."

Impa nodded. Zant stood in silence as Impa considered the brief report. "One-hundred thousand isn't enough to conquer the capital. Ryo will use his loyalists to boost it at least two-fold. Then he might be able to manage provided Kyou doesn't gain enough support in time. Solitare was just finishing her report: Prince Kyou is trying to stabilize the foundation of his rule with Princess Zelda's death. Since he has committed the crime of king slaying, the lords and noble houses will move in fear either to his side or to his opponent."