#also manifesting gorons showing up in it too

[v1ntagie]

I dunno what to caption this but it's Princess Zelda and Tri!!

(can you tell I went crazy with glowy stuff)

[enddaysengine]

Zetogeki (Paths Beyond)

If you are a Zelda fan, it’s quite easy to convey what zetogekis are based on. They are the Pathfinder equivalent of the lizards which inspired Vah Rumania. They can even absorb kinetic energy and redirect it back at foes, which feels particularly goron-appropriate — especially given the zetogeki’s tendency to launch themselves downhill in a rolling ball.

Gif by @dragons-roost

If you haven’t played Breath of the Wild by this point - they are volcano lizards. They are very rocky, grumpy, territorial volcano lizards who end up as invasive species. They live off of hot spring water, camp out in all the scenic locations, and are pretty fast regardless of whether the surface they are on is vertical or horizontal. Oh, and remember, these are horse-sized volcano lizards too.

Like other beasts, zetogekis are a bit smarter than your typical animal, but other than that, there isn’t that much to them. Use them as either natural or primal manifestations of volcanoes, taking advantage of their earth subtype and fire resistance.

An intense war rages between Flauros and Diceid for control over the fiendish zetogekis throughout the Lower Planes. As a full Demon Lord, Flauros has the advantage of more personal power and a more prominent cult than his Daemonic Harbinger rival, but Diceid is nothing if not persistent. Through his iruxi minions, he has arranged for adventurers to interfere with the Burning Maw’s other schemes, hoping it will draw the demon’s attention away and leave an opening.

The people of Tian Xia treat zetogekis with respectful caution. They are known to be dangerous animals, but they are also sacred to the volcano god Yamatsumi. The Mountain Lord shows his favour by sending forth zetogeki to birth new hot springs in the dead of winter. Legends persist that following a zetogeki through the mountain passes will transport travelers to Yamatsumi’s shared domain Yanjira within the Maelstrom.

Patrolling the border lands between Earth and Fire, the zetogeki riders are among the most effective shaitan cavalry. Mounted on their lizards, the shaitan act as swift scouts, but they can use the zetogeki’s scales to hold their ground in a pinch. They’ve been so effective that the Dominion of Flame is now considering a similar regiment to take advantage of the lizard’s resistance to fire.

[underthedekutree]

Young Link might have PTSD - Part 2: Termina is NOT a Parallel World, Technically

This is a continuation of my last post so if you’re seeing this and haven’t read it, go here.

This is the part where I somewhat smoothly segue into Majora’s Mask. Link, lonely and filled with unprocessed trauma, leaves Hyrule in search of Navi. According to most sources (which take from Hyrule Historia probably? don’t quote me on it), Link falls down a hole into Termina, a parallel world to Hyrule, that contains many familiar looking denizens of Hyrule, but playing different roles. And well, if you probably guessed by the title, I have a rather different interpretation.

Okay, so in a nutshell my theory is that Termina is in fact all a dream, kind of like Koholint Island. Except the one dreaming up this world isn’t some deity like the Giants or Skull Kid or the Moon. It’s Link.

(big explainey hoo hah below)

Evidence 1: Link begins the game sleeping. Yes, I know literally every Zelda game begins this way and it’s a whole tradition thing. I am beginning with the weakest points first and working my way up to the strong ones. We’ll get there.

Evidence 2: The reuse of character and environment models from Ocarina of Time. The literal IRL reason for this is of course the game famously being given only one year of production time, which meant that the most practical method was to reuse as much material from MM’s predecessor as possible (eg. Romani Ranch sign is the Kakariko Village sign, and still says Kakariko Village on it). It seems like a rather offhand afterthought for Nintendo to chalk it all up to “oh its just a parallel world like Link to the Past or something. But think of it like this; when we dream, we often see familiar people from throughout our lives put in strange and unexpected situations, like that irritable old farmhand you hated so much is now a depressed circus master for some reason. Dreams don’t make sense. Things you know will mix with other strange inexplicable things, fleeting thoughts in your mind, all roughly tied together by whatever emotions you had been feeling when you went to bed. Malon is split into two people, Romani and Cremia, her older and younger self. This might reflect how Link feels about Malon, that she changed so much in those 7 years that she’s like a different person entirely, that it’s hard for him to process that they are the same, because the change was so shockingly sudden for him.

Evidence 3: Gorons in the snow, Gerudo by the sea. Yes, I know that sounds a lot like good evidence for a parallel world (that’s why the idea is widely accepted in the first place, it has merit), but it also works in as dream world evidence too. As a child, my family was obsessed with skiing. We would go to the same mountain every winter, and we would stay at the same lodge. It almost became like a second home for me. So much so, that one night I dreamed that my house had been replaced by the lodge, so it wasn’t on a snow-capped mountain, but in a bushy Australian suburb. Okay that kinda got off subject but I’m bad at conclusions so in summary Dreams Just Be Like That (tm). You get what I’m saying right? No? Sorry, let’s just move on.

Evidence 4: The Milk Bar. AKA my favourite location in the game! It’s often overlooked as the “haha funny they couldn’t put alcohol in kids game so its kiddy milk hee hee”, but it is actually a strong thematic pillar of Majora’s Mask. As I mentioned in Part 1, if you put a 9 year old in a 16 year old’s body and call him an adult before ripping that all away is probably going to leave the kid with an identity crisis. What is a mature place open at late hours when children are sleeping? A bar. What is a drink associated with the young, being produced for the purpose of helping children grow? Milk. No please don’t go I swear there’s more to this, stay with me. In order to gain access to the bar, Link must prove he is mature enough by wearing a mask, a disguise, like Adult Link is to Young Link. Being adult isn’t earned through years of natural living experience and mental development, it’s a thing you are given by adults to just BE when they deem you worthy, at least from how Link sees it. So that is the amalgamation of dream thoughts that is the Milk Bar. Is it mature? Is it childish? What is the line between the two? Is there one? It’s the culmination of his anxieties and confusions that he doesn’t know how to express. Another, smaller expression of this anxiety is the Clock Town Guards. When Link is a Deku, the guards say they don’t allow children outside the gates. When Link turns back however, the guard goes to stop him because he looks too young, but sees that he has a sword, and lets him pass. Why the sword? Well, in one way this is a callback to Kokiri Forest, where Mido doesn’t let Link see the Deku Tree until he has a sword. But also, what is the item that lets Link travel through time and become an adult in OOT? The Master Sword. Link seems to believe that adulthood is measured by the things you have, physical markers of maturity, which is how lots of children see adulthood. You’re an adult if you can drink, if you’re tall, if you’re married, if you have a house, a car etc. But in reality this isn’t how it works. Heck, I’m technically an adult but I sure as hell don’t feel like one, because I know I still have things to learn about responsibility, patience and all the other things, that can only come with time, which is the moral conclusion of OOT, but clearly Link missed the memo. Don’t get me wrong, there are some indicators to show he’s grown a bit. He can ride Epona, use the bow, do flips like some kind of acrobat etc. But those strange and confused feelings linger, and manifest in the young boy’s dreams.

Evidence 5: The four transformation masks. The four masks represent different aspects of Link’s self, and the way he grew and changed in OOT. Deku Scrub the Innocent, Goron the Confident, Zora the Mature and Fierce Deity the Hero. Link began only knowing the Kokiri Forest, and nothing of the world outside. As he set out on his journey, he grew more confident in his skills and defeated greater foes. When evil took over, he learned from his fatal mistake and worked to right it. And when it was finally time to face the greatest threat, he was ready, with all the heart pieces, bottles full of fairies, Biggoron Sword in hand. At that moment he struck the final blow he probably felt like the strong and unstoppable hero everyone in Hyrule told him he needed to be. And that feeling of pure uncompromising strength, with the whole world behind him, manifested in the Fierce Deity. Fierce Deity is much taller than Adult Link, and packs so much of a punch that he can beat Majora without batting an eye, like some overpowered Super Saiyan. It reminds me a lot of Undertale, with young Asriel becoming what he imagines to be an all-powerful godlike being, like something you’d see as a children’s drawing. Fierce Deity gives off those vibes, like “he has a HUGE SWORD that SHOOTS BEAMS OF LIGHT and he’s 8 FOOT TALL and CAN KILL ENEMIES IN A SINGLE BLOW!!” Before the final battle on the moon, when Majora gives you the mask, he childishly asks if you want to play a game of good guys and bad guys. And the good guy always wins, no matter what. Fierce Deity makes the final boss a cakewalk, but its supposed to.

Evidence 6: Anju and Kafei. Short one, because it falls a lot into everything else I’ve said regarding childhood vs adulthood. Kafei is effectively a switcheroo of what happened to Link in OOT. An adult shrunk back to childhood, uncomfortable in his new body and looking for a way to fix everything. He’s a reflection of how Link now kinda feels like an adult in a child’s body, because he had started to be used to being called an adult.

Evidence 7: The Moon. I haven’t super touched on the main meat of the game yet, so here it is. The moon and the 3 day mechanic is an allegory for constant mounting pressure, that builds and builds, never ceasing, because the world is in danger, and there’s only one person who has been chosen to save it. I’ve always been interested in the Chosen One narrative, and how different media explore the idea of the world’s very existence being pushed onto one person. How at the end of it all, they can never be the same again after all they’ve gone through. When you’re somehow expected to hold up the Moon itself single-handed, and your life and everything you care about suffers because you’re putting everyone else before yourself. That feeling of complete loneliness under a crushing weight, and although other characters may come to help you, in the end its still all down to you, and you never had a choice in any of it, as all the decisions were made by someone else. You must do what they tell you. Believe in yourself, believe...

Evidence 8: Skull Kid. The story goes that long ago in Termina, the Skull Kid and the Giants played together, until one day, the Giants left, leaving the Skull Kid alone and heartbroken, with nobody to turn to. As life moves on, things may change, and people always come and go from your life. Your friend might move overseas, or stop texting you, or you might fall out of friendship after an awkward event from which you could never recover (no, these have totally not all happened to me, shut up i’m fine), or your fairy companion might just disappear without so much as a goodbye after their task is complete. And it feels like you didn’t matter at all. That they never really cared about you, and you’re as easy to drop and move on from as a child’s toy. You might get angry, and want to shut them out, and give them a taste of their own medicine. Majora’s Mask teaches you that this isn’t the case. Life is ever changing, but you will always have the memories of times with your friends, and a chance to make more with new friends, like a sassy talkative fairy sprite and her shy brother or a child made of wood who wants to destroy the world. Friends come from unlikely places, so accept that change will happen and hope that wherever the people you knew are, they’re okay. You’re thinking about them, so they might be thinking about you too. And who knows? Life is unpredictable. They might just come back one day, and it’ll be like they were never gone.

Evidence 9 (the final one, I promise): The Song of Healing. At the end of all things, after losing ones you love, connections to family and friends, memories of things long past... you need time to heal. Link’s journey through Termina is a constant gauntlet of running into his own past traumas, forced to relive them again, and again, and again. But sometimes you should take a deep breath, gather your thoughts, and take time to heal. Although it can be important to confront your fears and learn to surpass them, it is exhausting, and you can end up more emotionally broken than when you started. The three masks all had regrets of powerlessness; unable to protect your community, your loved ones, or even yourself. Troubles you’ve gone through that keep plaguing your mind, and you’re wondering if you’ve done enough, seeking answers where none can be found. And the best thing you can do... is accept and move on. Be kind to yourself, and give yourself time to heal. Link’s way of processing his grief and trauma is to create an entire hellscape world in his own head, but not everyone processes it the same way. Sometimes you feel like you need to busy yourself, or listen to soothing music, or talk to people you trust, or spend copious amounts of money, or make some angst art, or cuddle your plush toys until their stuffing squeezes out. Sometimes life hits you in the face and you want to blame yourself for standing in the firing line, but it’s not your fault. It’s okay to feel however you feel, whether you’re drenched in a pool of tears or you just feel numb, it’s okay and natural. You’re okay. You’re here.

Okay so it got kinda personal at the end there but I hope it was informative, and made you think a little bit differently about Majora’s Mask and Ocarina of Time. You probably want to go back and play them now. Me too.

So was this all just an excuse for me to gush about how cool Majora’s Mask is? Hell fucking yes it was. Congratulations for making it through my monstrous ramblings, you get the secret prize of looking at my weird art on my DA. Here you go. Have a nice day, Zelda Nerds.

[faketextsfromlastmight]

Best of tags #09

A compilation

@awesome-milkshake-blog on Iida, Bakugou and Kirishima: (Link)

#i hope their dynamics are more relaxed like this#in their second or third year

Plot twist: All For One slips in his jail’s cell shower and dies. The rest of the series is just a sitcom.

@jay-catsby on Aizawa complaining about politics at breakfast: (Link)

#hfjdjshdhs hes that guy in the dining hall who you overhear getting too real at 8am

He’s the guy who brings up child labour laws when you receive a pair of Nike shoes on Chritsmas morning. Just kidding, he’s not that socially obtuse. But a lot of characters mentions he’s very critical of society and we see in the “Vigilantes” spin-off that he had an... interesting relationship with law enforcement. My guess is that he used to be overly political but that he mellowed out over the years.

@awesome-milkshake-blog on Bakugou wanting Todoroki’s attention: (Link)

#thats it#thats the sports festival

Yeah, Todoroki’s and Bakugou’s relationship (or, at the present, the lack thereof) is definitely a development I’m excited for in the upcoming chapters of the manga.

So far Bakugou pretends to be indifferent towards his classmates’ opinions of him (although it’s painfully clear he’s actually obsessed with the way people perceive him and reacts violently whenever things don’t go his way). There are exceptions, however. He definitely changes behavior around Kirishima (to whom he listens more) and Deku (whom he can’t help antagonizing), but Todoroki is maybe the third classmate towards whom he shows interest. I think Todoroki represents a social class in which Bakugou wants to fit in, so naturally he can’t help showing some partiality. Todoroki is also one of the few classmates Bakugou feels could beat him one-on-hand, so there’s that. Basically Todoroki was born in the superhero scene and will undoubtedly be a superhero (he got into U.A. through recommendation, unlike Bakugou who had to pass an exam), he’s a natural professional. As much as he hates to admit it, Bakugou wishes he were in Todoroki’s place.

However so far Todoroki acts very indifferent towards Bakugou’s antics. My guess is that he dismisses him as a petulant man-child and finds him too unpleasant to try to build a friendship. But that could change.

Horikoshi has already laid the ground for deeper interaction when he put Bakugou and Todoroki in the kindergarten arc. We know that Bakugou knows Todoroki was horrifically abused by his superhero father (although Todoroki doesn’t know Bakugou knows that). He looks uncharacteristically disturbed when he overhears that. Bakugou idealized the superhero scene and learning of Todoroki’s terrible childhood is his first glance at the dark side of superheroics. We do know that Bakugou respects Todoroki’s outlook somewhat because he begrudgingly obeyed Todoroki when he told him how to handle little kids. Bakugou was willing to use violence to discipline them because that’s the way he was raised, but Todoroki reminded him that there was a better way of doing that.

My guess is that this is groundwork for how Todoroki and Bakugou are going to grow closer. Horikoshi didn’t picture Mitsuki hitting Bakugou for nothing, it’s a way to explain Bakugou’s irrationally violent nature. Although Bakugou’s childhood was better than Todoroki’s, his parents failed him and he needs to realize that to become a better person. I guess a deeper Bakugou/Todoroki conversation on child abuse is upcoming. Their emotional journeys complement each other. My hope is that Bakugou, following his conversation with Todoroki, will call out his mother on her casual violence (and his father on the way he enables it). The reason Bakugou acts so horribly is that the violence he experienced at home is framed as something normal. Bakugou is unable to recognize the harm he does to others because he can’t even realize the harm he suffered himself. Once Bakugou comes to terms with the damage his parents did to him, he will be able to acknowledge the damage he did to other people (such as Deku when they were in middle school). His interactions with Todoroki will be key in this development.

@greenvalleybroccoli on Bakudeku: (Link)

#all might would never ship bakudeku though

I don’t know, he seems pretty invested into the Bakugou/Midoriya rivalry in general. He clearly seems potential in their teamwork. Personally I think Boku No Hero Academia will end on Bakugou and Midoriya becoming a superhero duo in the same agency. The status of All Might as the symbol of peace is constantly decried in-universe as problematic because it’s too much to handle for one person. Furthermore it tends to evaluate raw strength as what it takes to be a hero rather than good behavior. So in order to truly change things for the better, I think All Might will not just choose Midoriya as a successor, but also Bakugou. The new “symbol of peace” will be a duo rather than a single hero, and their true superpower will be teamwork. Bakugou is used as a foil to Midoriya because it’s a yin/yang relationship. Duality is often a form of unity.

@demiboydorito on Kirishima eating a diamond: (Link)

oh god i sure hope op meant fantasy au bc the image of a 15 yr old child just c h o m p i n g a DIAMOND is killin me

You forget Kirishima has a hardening quirk. The joke is that his body is so resistant he can actually munch and digest diamonds. Maybe he’s part Goron?

@xxwolfydoodlezuwuxx on Todoroki hanging out with Shinsou: (Link)

#todo no-#being emo with shinsou is not gonna help u man.

Shinsou’s not emo, he’s old-school goth. His design is based on the character of Cesare from “The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari” (a movie about brainwashing/hypnotism).

@principle-of-parsimony  on Monoma copying Shigaraki’s quirk: (Link)

He'd only decay if he copied the power from like, a High-Five, since all five fingers need to be touching the object in question in order to make it decay. Now Shigaraki though, if Monoma copies his quirk and isn't careful when copying it, Shigaraki himself may start to disintegrate.

What if they touch each other at the same time? Do the quirks cancel each other out? Or do they both decay?

@paradis-smash on Bakugou’s future hero name: (Link)

#if his hero name is Kacchan i fucking quit!#I'm kidding#but please don't let it be Kacchan

I’m sorry to alarm you but I’m actually pretty sure that’s where the series is headed. Bakugou accidentally gave Midoriya his hero name (Deku), so there would be poetic justice in Bakugou embracing the name Midoriya uses for him (Kacchan). Bakugou’s arc seems to mostly revolve around him slowly realizing how his terrible behavior affects others and why it actually prevents him from progressing as a hero. His remedial internship at the kindergarten is actually all about that. Basically Bakugou is set back in his hero work by a massive P.R. problem. He’s not as approachable as Midoriya who just radiates positivity (like All Might). Actually most oh his hatred of Midoriya could stem from the internal realization that Deku’s personality is more suited to hero work than him. His aura of goodness makes Bakugou feel insecure in his own abilities. So he needs to get over that and try to learn from Midoriya, not only to imitate his social intelligence but also to realize his own qualities.

Bakugou probably hates that nickname but I don’t think he realizes it’s actually IRONIC. The “-chan” suffix is usually used by young women and children for people they find cute, but Midoriya actually finds Bakugou pretty macho and awe-inspiring. Calling “Kacchan” is his way of saying “you’re a badass, but you’re also my friend, and that makes me feel SAFE”. If Bakugou wants people to trust him more, choosing that cutesy nickname as his hero name would actually be a good P.R. move. It would subvert the expectations people have when his more irritable persona manifests.

@tis-i-the-frenchiest-fri on the eternal Endeavor debate: (Link)

Twice is probs arguing with himself in the background

It is a truth universally acknowledged that any panel of BNHA is automatically improved by a silhouette of Twive arguing with himself in the background.

@sassyakimichi on Endeavor’s dating preferences: (Link)

the last one I literally screamed "oH sHIT" so much for library discretion x-x

So now we can add “library discretion” to the list of things Endeavor’s ruined.

@missmarj on Shouto’s poem: (Link)

E. Coli and broccoli does not rhyme shouto but dammit that was beautiful

The poem as written is supposed to be bad so let’s all just pretend my mistake is actually Shouto’s!

[tfloosh]

Shadow

Link and Zelda’s relationship has never been better, but what happens when a disaster undermines their meticulous plans? Will there be love or war?

Light | Forest | Fire | Water | Shadow | Spirit | Time

“And then he offered us some rock sirloin for dinner,” Link laughed. “Which Father didn’t find too funny, but I thought it was hilarious.”

Zelda laughed along, “Yes, I remember Darunia doing that with us. Father joked about not wanting to break his teeth, and I swear Darunia caused a rock fall with his laughter.”

They were aimlessly walking around the May Day celebrations in Castletown. Children were dancing around maypoles, and shops were selling their wares. People had poured into Castletown from around the country to attend the festivities and celebrate the beginning of spring.

“So our plan is working perfectly,” Zelda smiled. “Ruto gave me an excuse to skip Hylia’s Day, and your trip to Death Mountain proved successful as well.”

“Father’s still fuming that you canceled our Hylia’s Day date,” Link rolled his eyes. “I think he was expecting some big romantic event to happen, and you just ran off to the Zora’s Domain.”

Zelda laughed again, “Ruto would be proud. So how was the rest of your trip? Did you get any treaties or agreements down?”

“Well the whole of the conversation, I swear, was about trade,” Link began with an irritated sigh.

They continued to walk and talk for hours until the announcement of the May Queen, a young woman native to Koholint Island named Marin.

“Will I be able to see you?” Link asked in a low voice as they walked up the gravel drive back to the castle. “After dinner, I mean.”

Zelda glanced at him and saw that subtle spark in his eyes. She looked forward so as to not seem suspicious.

“At such a late hour?” she teased. “It would be inappropriate.”

“Well others needn’t know,” he leaned in and whispered in her ear.

Zelda couldn’t keep the smile off her face, “How scandalous, Prince Link.”

“Please, we haven’t gotten to spend time alone in months,” Link pulled them to a stop just inside the entrance hall.

“I’ve missed you, too,” she turned to face him. She wanted to say more, like how she had grown to hate not seeing him at least once every month, but she bit down on her tongue.

“So can I see you later tonight?” Link asked again, that spark of excitement shining in his eyes again.

“Yes,” she breathed. Link was quick to kiss the smile on her face.

She had been getting a lot more of those recently. At first, it was a simple kiss when they were caught under some mistletoe at the Goddess’ Day Eve Party. Then it was a lingering kiss at New Year’s. Soon it was kisses on the cheek instead of on the hand whenever Link greeted her, and hugs were now accompanied by a soft kiss on her forehead. It always caused a little trill to skitter through her stomach. She loved being so close to Link, now, and that truly scared her more than anything.

That night, after the castle had grown quiet, Zelda donned her Sheikah armor, cloaked herself in magic, and left her rooms via the window to meet Link. He had sent a message to her saying he would wait in the small courtyard near the Grand Hall, and Sheik quickly made her way there.

“Haven’t seen you in a while,” Link smirked when Sheik landed softly beside him.

“Apologies, Your Highness,” Sheik bowed mockingly. “I was under the impression you appreciated a blue-eyed Princess more.”

“Yes,” Link pulled Sheik into his arms. “But my blue-eyed Princess never wears tights like this.”

Sheik laughed as Link spun her around and pulled her cowl down from her face.

“How do you even color your eyes?” he asked as they settled down on a nearby bench. “I know it’s magic, but how does that work?”

“Have you never been taught the ways of magic before?” Sheik asked.

“No,” Link shook his head. “There is only a branch of the Academy in Lake Town, but I’ve never even been there.”

“You should come observe my magic studies with Lana tomorrow then. Lana studies all forms of magic; she could answer your questions better than I.”

Link nodded, “Well how have you been faring? Did you end up telling your mother our plan?”

“Yes,” Sheik rolled her eyes. “She was asking even more suspicious questions when the letter arrived saying your visit to the Gorons would happen on top of that stupid flower festival. I had to tell her eventually. She berated me for acting so sneakily in opposition against a signed contract and the good will of the Calatian Royal Family and blah, blah, blah.”

Link laughed at that.

“But after five minutes of that, she started offering me ideas of how to skip other engagements. Can you believe it? She even mentioned going and visiting my grandparents at their country home. My grandfather has apparently been ‘off-color’ for a time, according to my uncle.”

“That’s perfect though,” Link exclaimed. “We can make this work, Zel. You’re going to be Queen by the time we marry, I swear it.”

Sheik could feel the blush rise in her cheeks and was glad it was dark enough Link wouldn’t see. They sat and talked for hours, and it wasn’t until Sheik’s sharp eyes saw the sky lightening with the coming dawn that they finally parted. Zelda didn’t mind only getting a couple hours of sleep; she would simply cover the dark circles under her eyes with tinted cream so others wouldn’t know.

On her way to breakfast, Zelda sent a message to Lana stating Prince Link might join them for their magic studies to observe, which caused Lana to interrupt her while she was eating.

“You won’t have to teach him anything,” Zelda soothed Lana’s worries. “He was just curious about magic, so I invited him to watch us study this morning.”

“Oh, but what if I mess up?” Lana ran her fingers through her blue hair.

“You won’t. You’re one of the highest orders of Sorceresses, you mastered advanced constructs in half the time normal magicians do, and you graduated from the Academy and received a court appointment before you turned twenty. There is nothing for you to fear.”

“Yes, but Cia wasn’t that far behind me in schooling,” Lana grumbled.

“Is that what you’re worried about?” Zelda asked as a maid entered to take her half-eaten plates away.

“I, well, I never wanted to say this, but it’s not that big of a deal, it’s all in my head really.”

“What, Lana?”

“I’ve just been scared that Prince Link might not like me since the only interactions he’s had with a Sorceress have been with Cia.”

“Link isn’t like that,” Zelda hugged her friend. “And he knows I’ve had nothing but good things to say about you. You’re one of my best friends, and Link knows that; he knows that I trust you.”

“Alright, alright,” Lana shook her head. “I knew it was all in my head anyway. Let’s go study some magic.”

Lana raced through the hallways with renewed energy, and Zelda raced after her, running and laughing in a most un-princess-like manner.

They were in the empty training hall they normally used for about twenty minutes before Link showed up.

“What took you so long?” Zelda jokingly called out to him as she wielded her Light Bow against one of Lana’s constructs.

“It took me a while to wake up,” Link smirked. “I had a late night, you know.”

“And yet you don’t hear me complaining,” Zelda smirked back. She let the Light Bow go, and it dissipated into a million bright sparks.

“Woah,” Link gasped.

“I would have thought being in a relationship with Cia would have caused you to at least recognize magic when you see it,” she teased.

“We, uh, didn’t ever do much talking,” Link muttered, his face turning a bright shade of red.

Zelda snorted, “Why would I think anything different?”

“I’m glad you could join us, Prince Link,” Lana smiled as she reached them. “Princess Zelda says you are curious in the basic concepts of magic.”

“Yes, I’ve never had any sort of training in the magical arts.”

“Then, I would be happy to answer any questions you have,” Lana beamed.

“Not everyone can perform magic,” Zelda began. “The Academy has researched for generations why one person is able to wield it and another is not. All that is known now is that magic can be passed from father to son, mother to daughter, and that the affinity one has to magic itself may vary. The Royal Family has always had a strong affinity with magic.”

Zelda summoned her power and manifested small, shining gold orbs around her. Link’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I specialize in Light Magic. It comes quite naturally to me, though it is thought to be one of the most temperamental branches of magic.”

“Why is that?” Link asked.

“It takes someone with a pure heart to wield Light Magic,” Lana answered. “Not very many have that kind of pureness.”

“I am also a descendant of the Princess of Destiny,” Zelda added. “It was said she wielded a piece of the Triforce, and that power is passed down through her daughters.”

“Ah, yes,” Link rolled his eyes. “Hyrule and its mystical Triforce.”

“Don’t make fun,” Zelda sent one of the orbs to pop into sparks in front of Link’s face. “Soon this country will be partially yours.”

“Yes, yes,” Link swatted the air in front of his face. “So how do you do,” he waved his hands around, “this magic thing?”

“With the strength within,” Lana answered. “Your own energy must fuel the magic, which is why some find magic more difficult than others.”

“So using magic makes you weaker?”

“If used excessively, yes,” Lana nodded.

“That is why sorcerers must train their bodies every day,” Zelda added. “I’ll have you know, I am much stronger than I look.”

“And I won’t forget,” Link winked. “But what type of magic do you use, Lana?”

“Electricity, the power of lightening, and I can form constructs,” she smiled. She summoned orbs much like Zelda had, but these sparkled and cracked with barely tamed electricity.

“How do you even begin to learn such magic?” Link asked. His eyes gleamed with a desire to learn. “Like, could I learn to do that?”

“Well, as with all things, it seems that magic is easier to learn when one is younger,” Lana explained. “But if you have any capacity for magic, you could learn, Your Highness.”

“Would you like to try, Link?” Zelda held her hand out.

“No, I think I’ll leave the magic to the experts,” he waved Zelda off. “But I would like to stay and watch if that’s okay.”

“Absolutely,” she smiled.

“Would you like to continue working with the Light Bow, Zelda?” Lana suggested.

“Yes, I need to assess the energy drain more,” Zelda resummoned the Light Bow and pulled the glittering string to a draw. As she did, an ornate, golden arrow materialized within her grasp. Zelda held the bow and arrow for a second before sighing and dropping her stance and lowering the bow.

“That arrow would not have lasted ten feet,” she shook her head. “I’ll need to train more if I want to use this bow effectively.”

“Well don’t let me interrupt you,” Link smiled. “Please go on with your training.”

“Don’t worry,” Zelda smirked. “I hardly noticed you were there in the first place.”

Zelda and Lana continued to study and train for the rest of the morning. They broke for lunch, which Link and Zelda shared in the private dining room.

“It’s amazing, how you can just make something out of thin air like that,” Link smiled between bites of food. “I could never be able to do that.”

“I think you could though,” Zelda pointed her fork at him. “I sense potential in you. With some training, even at your age you could learn magic.”

“No, I couldn’t,” he shook his head. “I think magic is far beyond my abilities.”

“Well if you ever change your mind, let me know,” she smiled. “I would be happy to teach you.”

***

The summer passed in a blur, which was both a blessing and a curse. Zelda was busy picking up even more duties from her father. By July, Zelda was sitting in her father’s place in council meetings at least twice a week. Toward the middle of August, she was the King’s proxy at court almost every single day. She was taking twice as many classes over law and law enforcement and Hyrulean history. Zelda was so busy with Crown Princess duties that she hardly even had time to miss Link. But when she did, it was a genuine ache in her chest. Link had become one of her best friends, her greatest confidant, and now she couldn’t even write him; they had to keep up their ruse of detachment going in any way possible. And Zelda hated it. She hated feeling so helpless, so dependent on another person, but what she hated more was being away from Link. So she threw herself into her work, and the vicious cycle began.

It wasn’t until September that Zelda got to see Link again. In the weeks leading up to the Autumn Equinox, she felt this anticipation building up inside her. Her heart felt lighter, and she was smiling for seemingly no reason at all. It took her until six days before the trip to Calatia to realize it was because she would be seeing Link soon. Zelda froze at her desk once she realized it. She actually wanted to talk with Link, to tell him about her day, to hear about his. She wanted to sit close with him and hold his hand and maybe receive more of those kisses he was so fond of giving.

So Zelda spent the next few days packing and trying to downplay how excited she was to see Link again. Of course Lana and Alice, her maid, saw right through her, and her parents asked her why she was smiling to herself and never paying attention at dinner.

It was stupid. Zelda felt stupid, but for some reason, she loved the light, fluttery, butterflies-in-her-chest feeling that came whenever she thought of Link.

“Well I’m glad for you,” Lana smiled as she passed a pair of heels to Zelda, which she neatly packed into a suitcase. “You’ve really grown since you signed that contract three years ago.”

“Has it really been three years?” Zelda mused as she packed another pair of heels into the bag. “It’s doesn’t feel that long at all.”

“And it’ll be longer still,” Lana shook her head. “It’s still four years until you turn twenty-five, and you don’t want to get married until then.”

“Well more like two years,” Zelda pointed out. “The contract dictates a minimum two year engagement.”

“Do you really think you can extend your courtship two whole years?” Lana asked.

“Of course,” Zelda smiled. “Our plan is working perfectly. And Link promised we wouldn’t get married until I’m Queen.”

“It’s amazing that you believe in him so much,” Lana smiled back. “The Zelda I knew three years ago would never been that trusting of a Prince.”

“Three years ago I wouldn’t have been trusting of a man in general,” Zelda rolled her eyes. “But Link is different. He somehow earned back my trust after breaking it, which I never would have thought possible. But we’re stuck together aren’t we? Might as well make the most of it, right?”

“It seems like you’re doing more than making the most of it,” Lana teased.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Zelda laughed airily as she closed the lid of the suitcase.

“Oh really?” Lana planted her hands on her hips with a huff. She reached over and threw open the suitcase filled with shoes and the one next to it that was filled with dresses.

“Your nicest dresses, your finest shoes, including the heels you hate but always get complements on. You don’t dress up this much for the Goddess Day Ball.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Zelda huffed as she quickly reached over to close the suitcases.

Lana only rolled her eyes, “Sure, Zelda.”

On the day she was due to leave for Calatia, Zelda stacked books and papers and reports on the extra seat in the carriage fully intending to work during the two day trip. But of course, she spent the whole first leg of the trip staring out the window with an unread book opened in her lap and thinking about the ride back from the beach after Link had kissed her for the first time. She had finally told Link about the kiss as he walked her back to her room after his birthday celebration. He was so dumbstruck; the face he made still had Zelda laughing as she sat in the carriage. Eventually she got out and rode a horse just for a change of pace, but it only reminded her of the rides she would take with Link. She actually missed Magnolia, the white Calatian Quarter Horse that she had essentially adopted as her own whenever she was visiting Calatia.

All in all, the ride was excruciatingly long for Zelda.

When she finally arrived at the castle in Calatia City, she was greeted by a full formal greeting party, which included ceremonial soldiers and the King and Queen waiting on the top steps in front of the entrance.

Zelda sat shocked until Link’s face appeared in the window on the door.

“What the hell?” she whispered as he opened the door.

“Just go with it,” he muttered and fixed a stony smile on his face.

Zelda followed suit, easily falling into the Crown Princess mask she had all but perfected over the long summer.

“Your Majesties,” Zelda curtsied. “To what do I own this esteemed pleasure?”

“We are hosting a feast tonight,” Queen Adalynn explained. “We apologize for not sending notice, but it was all very last minute. Our whole court insisted on celebrating as soon as possible.”

Zelda felt Link stiffen beside her.

“Celebrate what?” she asked.

“It’s a surprise,” King Clement smiled with little light behind his eyes. It sent a chill down Zelda’s spine.

Link was silent as he escorted her up to her usual room. Zelda could tell he wasn’t happy, but it wasn’t safe to ask about it just yet.

Instead she asked, “What do I need to prepare for?”

“Dress for battle,” he answered with a hard glint in his eye.

And so Zelda arrived at the top of the grand staircase a few hours later in her finest dress and adorned in her grandest Hyrulean jewels. From Link’s mood, she could tell this feast would be worse than any court she had ever attended in Calatia. She would carry herself like the Queen she would soon be and not let anything these vicious courtiers say get to her.

“You look beautiful,” Link greeted her with a genuine smile at the bottom of the stairs. It was the first warmth she had seen in him all day.

“I don’t take battle lightly,” she smirked at him. That caused a chuckle to escape his stony exterior.

“Any other warnings before we go in?” Zelda asked as they reached the door to the Grand Hall.

“Don’t believe anything they say,” he said, the stony mask quickly falling over his face again.

“Done.”

Zelda let her face grow impassive as the doors opened, and they were announced. She was seated to Link’s right, a change from the more appropriate place at the Queen’s left, but Zelda ignored the slight snub. At least she would have Link at her back for when the verbal warfare began.

But the courtiers were different than normal during the feast. The women complemented her without any backhanded insults, many commented on how perfect she and Link looked together, and some of the men even went far enough to ask for her opinion on the matters they were discussing, and they didn’t scoff or make fun of her remarks. Zelda was shocked, but then she remembered Link’s warning. ‘Don’t believe anything they say.’ The court was faking their pleasantries, but why? She started looking closer. It was the Duchess sitting three seats down and across the table that finally gave Zelda a clue. The Duchess leaned over to whisper something to the woman next to her when Link leaned close to remind Zelda of some random minister’s name. And it kept happening. Zelda saw looks and gossip being exchanged when Link touched her elbow to warn her that another plate was about to be served before them. Someone even giggled when Link passed her the cherries off his cheesecake during dessert.

And that wasn’t even the strangest thing. At first she thought it was the men drinking too much, acting far too sleazy, and staring at her breasts as they were wont to do even while sober, but Zelda noticed some women doing it. That’s when she realized they were staring at her hands. Rather intently too. There was more than one person who tracked their movement as she lifted food to her mouth or took a drink. She could tell Link noticed, too, since his jaw tightened each time someone gazed for more than a second at her hands.

It was more than a little weird for Zelda, and she quickly took the excuse of a long day of travel to skip the usual after dinner coffee and conversation. Anything to get away from the prying eyes of court. She finally felt the tension leave her when they reached her room. She left the door open so Link could enter after her.

“So what was that all about?” Zelda smiled, trying to play off her nervousness.

“What do you mean?” Link responded in kind.

So it was going to be like that then. Zelda turned away to take off her jewelry.

“All the over the top niceties, the excessive gossiping, and they kept staring at my hands.”

“Oh, that,” he deflected again.

“Link, what’s going on?” she skewered him with a glare. “What are you not telling me?”

“My father,” he huffed and hesitated. “My father has planned to announce our engagement on the equinox.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Zelda felt as if the world had stilled. No, she hadn’t heard correctly. This incessant ringing was making her hear things.

“That’s what this feast was about, why the court was being so nice to you,” Link explained. “The bastard let it slip that the announcement would be soon, and they’ve been like rabid dogs for any information.”

“But he planned the engagement?” Zelda couldn’t get past it. After all their scheming, King Clement had just done what he wanted anyway. “We didn’t even consent.”

“I know, Zelda. I’m so sorry,” Link hung his head.

“Did you do anything to stop it?” Zelda felt her voice growing high like it did when she was about to cry.

“I,” he hesitated again. “I couldn’t, Zelda. It was too fast, and he ordered me; I, I didn’t have a choice.”

“So you did nothing?” The tears dried up and were quickly replaced with anger. “After everything we’ve done for the last two years, you just let it fall to nothing. All that time we gave up was for nothing.”

“I can’t disobey my King, Zelda.” Link fired back. “He shoved the damn ring in my hand and told me to get down on one knee or he would take my crown.”

“That’s an empty threat and you know it,” Zelda spat. “You were willing to defy contracted law, but now that your father yells at you some, it’s a different story.”

“It’s not like that-”

“I know exactly what it’s like,” Zelda yelled, unable to stop the words from spilling from her mouth. “You are a weak Prince, and you will be a spineless King. Now get out of my chambers.”

He opened his mouth to protest one more time, but Zelda would have none of it.

“You broke your promise, Link. Just leave me alone.”

Link sent her one last withering look before turning and storming out of the room.

Zelda stood still for a long time, half hoping that Link would come back and say he had fixed everything, and half hoping she would never set eyes on him again. But obviously neither of those things would happen, so Zelda turned and got ready for bed. Her fury had cooled some, but her mind was still going in angry circles. Link had every chance to warn her while they were alone before dinner. She could have acted differently during the feast, been unnecessarily cold to him and let the rumors of an imminent, happy engagement die amidst the court. Literally anything would have been better than what actually happened.

After two hours of tossing and turning, Zelda got up and decided to meditate instead. At least one of Impa’s hundreds of calming techniques had to help her fall asleep. She slipped on a robe so she wouldn’t get too cold, and closed her eyes to center herself. Zelda cast out her mind, reaching down into the old roots of the castle. There was sorrow and despair, leftover from the bloody wars of Calatia’s past, but there was also a well of ancient magic. Royal Castles were usually built on a magical nexus of some sort, and though it wasn’t as deep or ancient as the one under Hyrule’s Royal Castle, Zelda could make do. She made herself at home in the magic, watching it swirl and dance around her. She was almost calm enough to end her meditation when she noticed a dark shadow, a tainted part of the well. Zelda went closer and recognized the heaviness settling over her chest. Dark magic. She wrapped herself in light magic as protection before venturing closer. Who would go so far as to taint this ancient magic with their darkness? Were they drawing on the well for power? Zelda was close enough to feel the suffocating pressure of the darkness when she saw glimpses of a purple staff, white hair, and tanned skin. Cia, the Sorceress. Her dark aura was overpowering; it was all Zelda could do to keep her light barrier up to protect herself. There was a burst of maniacal laughter, a wall of dark magic that barreled over Zelda, and she opened her eyes to see her bedroom.

Then she heard the screams.

Something was wrong, Zelda knew it. She scrambled to put on the nearest suitable clothing she could find, a pair of riding pants and a tunic and jacket. She cursed as her fingers fumbled with the buttons and ties. Something bad was happening, and she couldn’t get out there fast enough. Once she had wrestled on some boots, Zelda flung open the door and hurried toward the sounds of screams and crashing decorations. As she got closer, she finally started to make out the sound of squealing and grunts, Bokoblins, and screeches and chinking armor, Lizalfos.

How did they get into the castle? Zelda’s mind raced. That wave of dark energy she had felt before, could Cia have cast some sort of spell? Zelda rounded a corner and came face to face with the monsters. Only then did she realize she had no weapons, but there was no time to go grab any. There were too many monsters and not enough soldiers. So Zelda acted instinctively when a Bokoblin charged at her. Magic flared around her, and she struck at the monster with a ball of golden light. It dazed the Bokoblin enough for a soldier to quickly come and deal the final blow. Zelda repeated this pattern of knocking out the monsters to the soldiers could dispose of them until they cleared the hallway.

Zelda turned to the highest ranking solider she could find and quickly asked, “Where is Prince Link?”

“Last I heard he was down by the main entrance, Your Highness,” he answered gruffly. “All the monsters are trying to get out, not in. Strange isn’t it?”

“Yes, very strange,” she responded absently as she started moving toward the grand staircase.

“Wait, Princess, let me send some soldiers to protect you.”

“No need,” she called as she wrenched open a door and sprinted toward the main entrance.

The monsters were trying to get out which meant they were summoned inside the castle. How could they let something so irresponsible happen? How could they let their Court Sorceress have so much freedom to bring down the castle wards and summon dark monsters right under their very noses? Treatment of magic was going to get a major overhaul when she became Queen here, Zelda decided furiously.

Finally she reached the grand staircase and started tearing down the stairs. She almost reached the second floor when an Aeralfos dive-bombed her with a screech. Zelda pitched forward and almost tumbled down the stairs before grabbing onto the handrail attached to the wall. She was already low on energy from fighting earlier, and the Aeralfos’ shield would prevent her from attacking it with the same light energy she had knocked the Bokoblins out with. Zelda knew it would be risky, but she held her hand up to summon her Light Bow. The power drain was instantaneous, and she reached down to tap into the ancient magic deep below the castle. It was heavily tainted with darkness now and drawing it up to use was like drinking through a clogged straw, but it was the only thing Zelda could do. The Aeralfos shrieked at the bright light of the Bow and dived at her again, waving its sword. Zelda fired her Bow, but the Aeralfos brought its shield up at the last second. The arrow only left a dark gash in the reinforced wood. Two more arrows had the same effect. She fired again as the monster lowered its shield to shriek again. The Aeralfos tried to dodge, but the arrow grazed its wing causing it to fall. Zelda readied another arrow, already feeling the power draining in the weapon. She had to take this monster out soon, or she would pass out from exhaustion. She aimed the arrow right at the Aeralfos’ head, but the arrow had less power behind it than a punch. Zelda pulled harder on the ancient magic, willing more to flow through her so she could continue to fight.

Suddenly, an arrow, a real one, not a magic one, flew past her into the Aeralfos. Another quickly followed, killing the Aeralfos before it had time to give one last screech. Zelda whipped around to see Link lowering his bow. His eyes were filled with fire and anger, and he had a sword strapped to his back, and she couldn’t take her eyes off him. Zelda didn’t realize how close to collapsing she was until he caught her in his arms.

“What in the name of the Goddesses were you thinking?” his voice seemed hollow and far away to her ears, even though he must have been yelling. “Using that bow when you know it drains your energy so much, what’s the matter with you?”

“Had to help,” she murmured thickly. Her eyelids felt heavy.

“Course you did,” he sounded exasperated. It almost made Zelda giggle, then she realized how out of it she must be. She must have really drained herself too much using the Light Bow.

“We need to get out of here,” Link was talking again. “The monsters are all over the castle. It’s not safe here. Come on.”

He lifted Zelda enough so she could lean on him and walk.

“Are you okay?” he asked. “Will you be alright?”

“I just need,” she gasped. Her chest was tight; she couldn’t take a full breath. “Need to get away. I can’t. The darkness, dark magic.”

“I understand,” Link nodded and started shouting orders that Zelda happily zoned out. She just needed to get away from the dark magic surrounding the castle, then she could recover properly.

“Stay with me Zelda, come on,” Link murmured so only she could hear. “We’re almost in the town. Will you be fine there?”

“Should be,” Zelda nodded.

She didn’t know how they made it out of the castle, but soon Link was setting her down in the front room of an inn. A few soldiers filed in after them, and a cup of tea was thrust into her hands.

“Is this a good resting place?” Link asked as he pulled up a chair next to her. “We’re back up against the city wall, as far from the castle as we could get without leaving the city.”

“Yes,” Zelda nodded after taking a long drink of tea. “I can already breath better. Thank you.” She looked up at Link. The fire had dulled in his eyes some, replaced with something she’d say was concern if they hadn’t just had a huge fight earlier.

Was that fight really only a few hours ago? It felt like it had been days since Link told her about the surprise engagement announcement.

More soldiers entered the inn. They asked questions and shouted answers back. The little bubble around Link and Zelda popped as food was sat before them and a commander began talking to Link.

“They seemed to be coming from the dungeons, but there were so many we couldn’t confirm,” the commander briefed them. “We still don’t know how they could have gotten down there in the first place.”

“They were summoned,” Zelda spoke up. “Probably through a portal created out of dark magic.”

“Who would have the power to do such a thing?” some captain asked. “Doesn’t that take a really powerful wizard?”

“Sorceress,” Zelda corrected. She looked up at Link and the commander. “It was Cia. I felt her channeling dark energy and release it in a wave so large it could only have been a spell of some kind.”

“No, Cia is the Court Sorceress,” the commander smiled. “She wouldn’t do something like that. She works for the King.”

“No, Commander,” Link frowned. “Cia would. I believe Princess Zelda. She has more training in magic than all of us here combined.”

“Then how do we stop her?” the commander asked.

“I don’t have the strength to fight her,” Zelda sighed. “It could take me days to regain my full strength at this rate.”

“Then we can go somewhere else,” Link stood. “Lake Town, or Goron City. We aren’t that far from the mountains.”

“At the rate these monsters are spawning, it won’t be safe on foot, Sir,” the commander shook his head. “And the horses were let loose to save themselves.”

“Link, I don’t think-” Zelda started but was cut off by a deafening shriek.

Everyone froze. The shriek reverberated in their bones and echoed in their heads long after it had ended.

“Gibdos,” someone swore once they had been shaken from their shocked state.

“Someone start a fire,” the commander yelled. “Protect the Prince and Princess.”

“No, Commander,” Link reached around to grab Zelda as another shriek rang out. “Protect the citizens. I’ll take Princess Zelda, and we’ll find someplace to hide. I’ll send Epona back with a message when we’re safely hidden.”

“But, Sir,” the commander protested.

“That’s an order. Keep my people safe.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” the commander saluted before turning and shouting orders at the soldiers that had gathered at the inn.

“Wait, Link,” Zelda called as Link practically dragged her out of her chair and out of the inn. “Where are we going?”

“When I was younger, there’s was this cave I would stop in when I would go out riding.” They raced out of the city gate and down the sloping lawn that had once hosted the Midsummer Bonfire so long ago.

“But we don’t have a horse.”

“Epona will hear me,” Link smiled and whistled a short tune.

Within minutes, Epona was racing toward them. Link helped her on the mare bareback before getting on behind her, and together they raced through the night to the woods.