#ikana canyon

[goddesstrolls]

Location/Organizations

Ikana Canyon [Tag]

An ancient, abandoned city-state located in a deep desert canyon. The city is partially below ground, within a massive cavern rife with magic-inundated flora and fauna. The Garo are the sole inhabitants, living in two hidden villages separate from the main cavern. They were originally a secret tribe of warriors who served the royal family of the ancient city-state. Though the kingdom has long since fallen, the tribe still remains. Okahni - Rustblood - A member of the Garo tribe and one of the last warriors who follow the tribe’s original purpose.

FV (Fishing Vessel) Argus [Tag 1] [Tag 2]

The FV Argus is a modified fishing trawler, now equipped to chase, fight, and haul giant aquatic fauna. It’s equipped with two mounted, electrified harpoon launchers, plus an electric net. They have a psionic generator for the net/harpoon launchers, as the ship’s normal generator isn’t enough to handle it. They use electricity to stun/immobilize creatures they’re hauling, because bringing them back mostly alive is better than dead. Anagyn Felwal - Purpleblood - Captain and main sales negotiator. He mostly handles the paperwork and finances stuff. Doesn’t like to lose money. Winnet Ackvee - Tealblood - Sales / Financial advisor. She tends to avoid the rest of the crew and often stays on shore. Domheo Tehein - Rustblood - Operations Control; Basically he’s one of the ones at the control board, manning radio/sonar + keeping everyone in contact and on the same page Ketler Dobayl - Bronzeblood - Operations Control, Medical Specialist Haelia Fehran - Violetblood - Medical Specialist, Rescue Eryeit Yiheim - Bronzeblood - Mechanic, Psionic Specialist, Labor; She powers the psionic generators when they need electricity Dsirel Terebi - Yellowblood - Mechanic, Labor; He’s very grumpy and he and Eryeit bicker a lot; The two of them have worked together for a long time. Nebale Kaivis - Violetblood - Hunter, Labor; Nebale chases their marks to the surface within range of the ship’s harpoons, allowing them to be hunted without requiring bait.

SV (Sailing Vessel) Thunderstroke

A barque ship currently serving as a private merchant vessel. About half the crew of 20 are temp workers. Many of the crew share jobs. Anirus Hyderi - Goldblood - Captain. After inadvertently causing a mutiny against the former captain, Anirus was voted into the position by the remaining crew. Anaste - Rustblood - Serves as medic and cook, and repairs the ropes and sails as needed. Has been on the ship since the previous Captain; Sweet, but strong-willed. Heil - Violetblood - First Mate, general advisor. He’s spent most of his life on a ship and has been on the Thunderstroke since the previous Captain. Well-meaning and generally relaxed but can be a bit coarse. Domura - Bronzeblood - Sailor with no specific role. Has telekinesis.

The Fangs [Tag 1] [Tag 2]

A mutant-operated gang with a number of lowblood members, without a single member above olive who isn’t also a mutant. Most members go by multiple different nicknames. The gang operates across a single city, but generally avoids stepping on the toes of other gangs, with its primary focus just to provide safety and income for mutants and lowbloods. Members often have one or more tattoos of fanged animals baring their teeth, and maybe hemoanon or wear multiple colors to rebel or obfuscate their true color. Intel, drugs, fight rings, and illegal weaponry are how the Fangs make their money. They are headed by the One-through-Four, a group of four mysterious trolls who are unknown to most members and the authorities. They own and operate several bars (namely Dogbite and Adderhead) which also serve as safe areas for their members, and sometimes also host fight rings. One - Fuchsiablood - A land-dwelling fuchsia and one of the four heads of the Fangs. Three - Goldblood - A bug-winged mutant with future sight psionics. Often warns of attacks on the gang’s places of operation and is something of a bleeding heart. Silans (AKA Lectro or Champion) - A candy red mutant who holds the title of Champion of Dogbite, which is the Fangs’ main bar. He provides advanced weaponry and cybernetics for the Fangs. Missah (AKA Missy, Sis, or Shotgun) - A limeblood who bartends at Adderhead. She secretly reports directly to the Numbers. Doc (AKA Jackal) - An oliveblood with black horns, a tail, and digitigrade legs. Serves as the fight ring doctor of the Adderhead fight ring. Lloric - Former Champion of the Adderhead fight ring. No longer a member of the Fangs. Whistler - A bronzeblood and the main bouncer of Adderhead. Usually wears a hat which shades his eyes. Has sight-based psionics which allow him to never miss a (still) target when using a ranged weapon.

Gaia [Tag 1] [Tag 2]

A long-standing organization whose main purpose is to anticipate and prevent world-ending catastrophies and other major calamities, especially of a magical, eldritch, or otherwise supernatural nature. Gaia employs many mages, mutants, even otherworldly entities, providing safety, comraderie, and income for those who would otherwise struggle on hostile Alternia. Begrudgingly, the Empire turns a blind eye to their illegal members for the protection that the organization provides.

Stormbringer ([REDACTED], “Dragonmom”) - Purpleblood - One of the two guardian deities of Alternia, who provides Gaia members with special protections. Hanabi - Jadeblood - Head of Operations and defacto leader, after the previous leadership betrayed the organization. Mikail - Tealblood - Head of the Investigations branch. Glasya - Purpleblood - Head archivist.

Shattered Star [Tag]

A “freelance” Fleet special ops group which generally performs jobs for the ‘highest bidder’ rather than answering to one authority in particular. Darvai - Purpleblood - Head of the group. Has potent psionics which allow him to view and alter the dreams and memories of those who are sleeping. Zarali - Candy Redbloood - Darvai’s adoptive daughter. Special Ops, specifically assassination and stealth. Has potent illusionary psionics. Two - Blueblood - A genetically altered supersoldier with massively powerful telekinesis. Typhos - Rustblood - A mage with extremely sensitive psychic empathy. Byrron - Blueblood - The ship’s engineer and weapons expert. Enjoys making things go boom. Vallai - Mutant Blueblood (Sky) - A freelance non-Fleet junker who wound up getting caught after saving Darvai’s life. She can turn herself into water. Lilani (Lila) - Yellowblood - The ship’s battery who hijacked the ship’s AI. She communicates via computer-generated voice and images on the ship’s intercomm and screens, and also has access to the ship’s artillery- Allowing it to carry far heavier firepower than the ship’s small size would suggest.

Mad Dog Mercenaries [Tag]

A small ragtag group of mercenaries. They have a small office in the midblood business district which doubles as partial living quarters and a safe zone for its members. They were previously associated with the mob that Nebale worked for, but have since moved cities and gone ‘legit’ since the mob dissolved. Mad Dog typically works in “brute force”, aka providing clients with combatants, chaos, and destruction, but also moves illicit cargo (on the down-low) and has started branching into intel and hacking. Don (Mad Dog) - Candy Redblood/Hemoanon - A hulking hemoanon missing his right forearm, with multiple heavy weapons he uses in place of a cybernetic. Munitions and demolitions expert, and the brains behind Mad Dog’s operations. Nari (Bullets/Blades) - Ceruleanblood - General combatant and field weapons expert. He gets along with Don fairly well, on a professional level. Mattie (Fangs) - Jadeblood - A seven-sweep-old prodigy hacker. Died at 6 sweeps and became a rainbow drinker, and lost his Empire stipend so he had to get a job. Epic gamer and resident tech expert, often acts as the eyes and ears for Mad Dog via self-built camera drones and hacked feeds. Wires - A former semi-integrated helmsman for a private ship. Was picked up by Don when the ship was scrapped. A decently powerful telekinetic and is capable of making simple solid objects (Such as walls, blocks, stairs) out of psychic energy. Ike (Soldier) - Candy Redblood/Hemoanon - An old friend of Don’s and long-time mercenary, even before joining Mad Dog. Wolf shifter and melee combatant for Mad Dog. Tee (Glasses) - Tealblood - One of the first members of Mad Dog. A former legislacerator who ran afoul of the wrong people. Handles accounts, acquisitions, and major mechanic work. Nerizo (Nuke, C4) - Goldblood - Exactly as her callsign implies, Nerizo serves primarily as a professional wrecking ball for Mad Dog. She’s working on other skills outside of combat. Mad Dog appreciates her surprising cooking ability.

Valley Cavern [Tag]

An ancient and massive brooding cavern largely isolated from the surface. The cavern is split into multiple clans which have risen and fallen over the cavern’s long history. There is considerable infighting between the clans as they vie for available resources and positions of power within the cavern. Chel - Jadeblood - An Astaki warrior serving outwardly as a well-respected knight, and secretly serving as a spy for her clan.

[anjellion-drawthings]

Redesigned baby's first Zelda oc (created around age 8-10), cuz nintendo can pry Ikana from my cold dead hands, I refuse to accept their "Termina didnt really exist" bs

I redesign him every couple of years. He's supposed to be the Estranged son of Igos, who didn't like the war stuff. His name is Blancot, which is a corruption that translates "to shine, bright white". Befitting of the kingdom that fell to darkness once he left.

[cookie-nigel-dolan]

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (2000)  –  Ikana Valley  (Extended)

[randomwriteronline]

A Comprehensive History Of Ikana Canyon, in 14 steps + bonus thoughts

the best part of ninetndo never returning to termina is that its free real estate for headcanoned worldbuilding and general insane thoughts to have

[arcadetheatre]

[duckapus]

Episode Idea:

It’s a regular day at Bob and Breakfast until a group of Garo led by one with a Legally Distinct Design much like Bob’s come asking for him. Bob clearly recognizes them, because the second he sees them he tells the desk clerk to say he’s not here, then runs up to Meggy’s apartment and begs her to hide him. Unfortunately the lead Garo didn’t miss what he was doing and shows up at Meggy’s door, fighting their way in when Meggy tries to cover for him, so the two jump out the window and make a break for it.

This results in a chase through the city that the rest of the crew ends up involved in, until the Garo group have everyone cornered. It’s revealed that the lead Garo is apparently Bob’s sister Marcy(who none of the crew knew existed) and that she and her team are here to take Bob back to the clan. The crew obviously aren’t on board with this idea and fight back, which results in the Garo retreating, taking Boopkins with them as incentive for Bob to follow. Though, not until he can explain to his friends what’s going on.

Apparently all the different backstories he’s given them over the years have been lies, because he just Does That Sometimes. He actually grew up in the biggest Garo clan in Ikana, and was trained alongside his sister as one of their warriors.

The thing is, he was absolutely terrible at doing anything The Garo Way, as anyone who’s been near him for more than five minutes would tell you. He’s loud and obnoxious. He has no respect for authority. His sword “technique” amounts to “Flail Wildly,” “Use Gun Instead” and “SPEEEEEEN!” He sucks at stealth and thrives on attention. He’s greedy, cowardly, perverted and addicted to drugs. So he was very much the black sheep of the clan, made worse by the fact that Marcy was everything he couldn’t be, no matter how hard he tried.

And for quite a while he did try, until eventually he realized he just was not going to ever fit in there, and he had to either leave as soon as possible or end up miserable for the rest of his(probably short if he ever got assigned to a mission) life. But nobody just leaves the clan, so he’s been on the run from them ever since. Especially from Marcy, since she was fully dedicated to the clan even back then and took his departure as a personal betrayal.

So with the real backstory out of the way, they’re off to Ikana Canyon to save Boopkins.

Trying to take him back by stealth doesn’t end up working, nor by force after they’ve been made. So Bob challenges the clan for the freedom of his friends and himself. The Garo Leader agrees, declaring that if he can beat the clan’s greatest warrior, he and the crew can go back to the Mushroom Kingdom and the clan will leave them alone. But if he loses, he has to stay with the clan, while the outsiders will be banished from Ikana for the rest of their days. and of course, Marcy is currently the clan’s greatest warrior.

The next morning, in the moments before the duel, the crew gathers up for what hopefully won’t-but given Bob’s lack of skill realistically probably will-be the last time they see him. Tears are shed, hotel keys and keepsakes are handed over, and Bob actually manages to express how much he cares about everyone without his usual issues getting in the way for once. And then, it’s time.

The duel starts out about how you’d expect, with Bob getting his ovaries handed to him on a silver platter, until he hears his friends cheering him on, with Boopkins in particular shouting at him to stop trying to fight like a Garo and start fighting like a Bob. This gives him a second wind and a new, extremely chaotic strategy, because apparently getting into the kinds of Situations the crew does makes you get pretty good at unorthodox fighting. This manages to put him at about even with Marcy, and he eventually manages to win, and his victory is met with loud applause from his friends...and the rest of the audience, who apparently really didn’t want him to come back and are fucking ecstatic that they won’t have to put up with him.

Significantly less happy about this is Marcy, who concedes defeat for now but vows to get her brother back from those outsiders another day, even without the backing of the clan.

[emeraldthelynx]

Terrible Fate? Nope!

I have a story. So lately I've been playing Majora's Mask, partly because I haven't played it before for whatever reason, and partly because I'm working on idea set in Termina. The game has been pretty fun so far, even though there hasn't been too much of a learning curve with the controls because I've already played and beaten Ocarina of Time. The thing is, unlike Ocarina of Time, I don't have Faore's Wind, which means I can't skip directly to the miniboss/boss room that has been driving me crazy. And ho boy, I found a miniboss that was driving me nuts.

The minibosses in Majora's Mask had a pleasant difficulty curve. The ones in Woodfall, quite easy. The ones at Snowhead, well I didn't like Wizzrobe but I could deal with it. The ones in the Great Bay, I got really nostalgic with that eyeball enemy because I had fought it in A Link to the Past, my first Zelda game. Then I got to Ikana. Ikana was strange.

Fighting the Garo Master was really fun and challenging. (I voided out trying to paralyze the guy with Zora Link because I didn't know fire did that to him. I thought it only did that to Deku Scrub Link.) I was getting sick of battling Wizzrobes, but I managed. Then I got to Gomess. Ah, Gomess. I don't know how I did it, but I somehow managed to beat him on my first try, and with the Kokiri Sword at that. So, when I realized I needed more magic power to battle Twinmold and it was already the night of the third day, I decided to reset time, grab some Green Potions from the Potion Hut, and try again on the next cycle. A grave, grave mistake, as I was yet to find out.

I booted up the game the next (actual) day, and stocked up on Green Potions. I also grabbed a fairy, just in case. Of course, since this is Majora's Mask, I need to reclaim the Boss Key, and that meant fighting Gomess again. I flipped the dungeon, stormed through it, got annoyed at Wizzrobe, and got into Gomess' room. Except, I didn't win. Not even close. My fairy was used up, and I succumbed to the vampiric mini-boss. So I tried again. And again. And again. While I didn't have to battle Wizzrobe every time I went through, I still had to navigate the same dungeon layout again and again. I tried for so long, probably battling Gomess about eight times. In the end, I got too fed up, reset time even though it was only the night of the second day, and turned off the console.

I did a couple of side quests the next day before I felt confident enough to go battle Gomess again. I had finally forged the Gilded Sword, and I had learned a couple of strategies to use when facing Gomess. But I didn't want to tramp through the dungeon and face Wizzrobe for a third time. I resigned myself to my fate, and tried to track down a video I had watched ages ago that showed a way to cheese the Gomess fight. I didn't find the video, no. I found a better one.

I could skip the dungeon crawling entirely. No more tramping, no more Wizzrobe fight, I could sidehop off an entryway and sword thrust directly onto the platform that led to the Gomess fight. This isn't technically a glitch, it's exploiting skills that already exist in the game. No frame perfect imputs. (If you want a story about my skill with those, I'll link the story here.) It was just skill. I died the first time, but I was elated, I could hop into Gomess' room and avoid Wizzrobe. I was actually able to do it! I manged to beat Gomess on my second try this cycle, and beat Twinmold. So yeah, that's the story. I think it's a funny story, while maybe not the most interesting one. I hope you enjoyed it though!

[errorwarblesrr]

I feel like moments like these are important. It solidifies that after everything he has been through in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, he is still a child. In OOT, he really was a child trapped in an adults body.

He doesn't consider himself a grown-up and doesn't really understand what's going on in the Anju and Kafei sidequest. He isn't motivated by the stakes or to help two lovers reunite but rather to just help for the sake of it.

In Great Bay, there are, unfortunately, a bunch of weirdos. He looks at a Zora man weird, but I think rather than just finding him gross, he doesn't get it as seen in the Fish Wish sidequest. He finds them weird, but he doesn't have a full understanding of it. This showcases his innocence in the game.

Along with that, there's also a moment where Sakon the thief tries to take advantage of Link. He talks about Link's sword and how cool it is, gives advice, and compliments the sword again, asking to just see it. It's obviously suspicious to the player, but if Link says yes, Tatl immediately gets hostile and attacks Sakon to drive him away instead of letting Link hand over his sword. If Link says no but tries to talk to him again, Tatl will immediately become hostile at Sakon anyway. I feel like this can show how niave Link can be.

There's also when Link receives a Keaton mask. He doesn't really get the meaning behind it and doesn't think accepting it if it makes sense, but he does it anyway. This doesn't really further any points other than he really is just a niave kid going through the motions.

Point is Majora's Mask highlights how he is still a child at heart. He thinks and acts like one still after Ocrina of Time. He didn't just grow up when he was asleep for 7 years. After everything he's been through, he's still him: a child.

[bioswear]

Some things I really like in ToTK as someone who considers Zelda games loadbearing:

the reuse of the Dragon Roost Island theme strikes an extremely specific feeling in my heart and it makes me want to cry from an emotion that isn’t quite nostalgia (it’s like the equivalent of seeing an old friend)

The reuse of parts of the tune of Faron Woods from Skyward Sword in the Korok Forest

That drop-down into the Great Deku Tree threw me straight back to the first time I dropped down the Deku Tree in Ocarina

Seeing Gohma back was like “oh fuck yeah this bitch!” And knowing exactly how to fight her 👌

The reintroduction of Sages but I wish they had kept 7 as the number of Sages as a True Callback to Ocarina of Time

The Stable Trotters really bring a Spirit Tracks/Phantom Hourglass kind of vibe and it’s probably bc of the tiny little chocolate chip of a Hylian Man that’s the conductor - his design is just so DS zelda and it tickles me

That Ganon is an Active Threat again and that the world feels more reactionary to the events and ongoing caused by his return. It feels like Classic Zelda problems

The way Hyrule Castle is suspended above Hyrule is really reminiscent of its sectioned off fate in Twilight Princess

The phantom soldiers that hold weapons down in the Depths feels like the spirit soldiers from TP

Love that the Depths mirrors the Overworld like an homage to ALTP

[ikana-graveyard]

Ikana-ko -> Ikana-graveyard

[good-advice-ganondorf]

Majora's Mask and what it means to be grown up

(aka my collected analysis of the Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask)

I will say that generally I don't think Termina is purgatory, or a dream, or anything like that. To me, Termina is kind of like a Silent Hill type parallel world, where you face your deepest traumas.

First, the parallels between Majora's Mask, and the child section of Ocarina of Time.

The first dungeon for both games is in a vast wooded area, there are woodland races inhabiting both areas, the Kokiri for Ocarina of Time, and the Deku for Majora's mask. The second dungeon is in a great mountain, inhabited by the Gorons. The third dungeon is in a vast body of water, inhabited by the Zora.

Then, things split. After Jabu Jabu, Link becomes an adult. After Great Bay, there's Ikana Canyon. A land of nothing but Death.

Who caused the death of Ikana? Who else but the king, Igo Du Ikana. Ikana was plunged into disrepair, after Igos started a war with a clan of Ninjas, to receive a powerful artifact, in a great and mysterious temple. Sound familiar? It should, this is exactly what Ganondorf did, after Link was sealed away for seven years. But Ganondorf was successful.

But Ikana isn't completely occupied by the dead, no. Pamela remains, with her father, turned into an undead monster. Much like Sheik, the last Sheikah, who is revealed to be Zelda. And her father? He's never seen, but I'd imagine it would be easy enough for Ganondorf to become king, if the other one was no longer around. From a man, to a corpse.

So, if Ganondorf is a parallel to Igos, and Zelda is a parallel to Pamela, what about Link? He's a little different. I believe that, along with Kafei and Tingle, all three of the transformation masks are a representation of Link, and his feelings towards being forced to grow up.

Tingle is, as we know, a 35 year old man who thinks he's a fairy boy. Similar to how link was a 10 year old boy, who thought he was a fairy boy. I believe Tingle is a reflection of what Link could have been if he never left Kokiri Forest. An adult hylian man, thinking he's a Kokiri.

On the contrary, Kafei is distraught at the idea of becoming a child again. He's weaker, he can't marry his fiancee, and everyone treats him like well, a child, despite his maturity. I believe this is how Link feels after becoming a child again. He used to be a strong adult, and even if he's not as mature as Kafei, he still went through a lot, and knows a lot more about life now. Kafei even reuses Link's model and animations.

There's a reoccurring theme in Ocarina of Time where Link just doesn't belong anywhere he goes. He's an outsider to the other races, because he's a hylian, but he's also an outsider to the hylians, because he was raised as a Kokiri. I think the transformation masks reflect that.

The Deku Butler's Son is what he could have been as a Kokiri. He could have been a happy little boy, living with his father, and his community. But Link and the Deku butler's son both left home to explore, and as far as both the Kokiri and the Deku are concerned, neither came back.

Darmani is what he could have been as a Goron. A powerful hero to the Gorons, celebrated by them for clearing Dodongo's Cavern. A close link between the goron elder, Darunia, and their sons. Both him and Link remain after death, lamenting on their histories as heros.

Mikau is what he could have been as a Zora. Maybe not a cool as hell guitarist, but a husband to Ruto, and Prince of the Zora Who would stop at nothing to keep her happy and safe, like infiltrating a fortress, or climbing inside of a whale.

Even the Fierce Deity is just Link, but back as an adult. As if so much changed so rapidly, he felt like he transformed into something less like himself, and more like a powerful god. He could have continued being strong, and powerful, the defeater of Ganon, but he had to become a child again. He has to stay as a small, and unknown child.

The ages of the masks even match the human life cycle. According to the debug menu (and if you subscribe to the theory that Link and DBS's ages were swapped), DBS is 5, Link is 12, Darmani is 30, Mikau is 78, and, Fierce Deity is 17, likely due to his model being recycled from adult Link's. Link starts the game in the body of a 5 year old, then a 12 year old, then a 30 year old, then a 72 year old, and finally, a God.

We don't exactly know how Link feels. But I can't imagine it would be easy to go from a child, with no concept of death, to be thrust into a position where he's forced to fight and kill an adult man so much stronger than he is. And then everything was just reversed. Like that. As if it never happened. And only Link remembers the impending doom he faced. All he can do is remember Ganondorf's reign. Almost like he's reliving the same few days, again, and again, and again.

[goddesstrolls]

What sort of characters would you enjoy having in Ikana Valley?

Pretty much anyone who'd be at home in a traditional (read: no electricity, internet) village setting.

The villagers take care not to lose sight of their duty, which is to preserve the Tanikar way of life. They don't even really have access to materials from outside of Ikana Valley anyway and, in fact, have access to less than the average Tanikarite did because there was stuff being imported into Tanikar.

For craftsperson roles, you'd have people making ceramics for everyday use. Weavers collecting silkworm cocoons, deer fur, and plant fibers for cloth. Making dye out of insects, plants, and stones (like lapis lazuli) available in the caverns. Stone carvers who'd be the primary builders of the caverns, repairing or replacing damaged structures and statues and carvings within the village or the abandoned kingdom.

Then for food-providers you'd have the fishermen who'd primarily breed and take care of the fish living in the subterrean lakes and rivers and making sure the water is clean and everything is healthy, since that's also everyone's drinking water. Farmers who'd grow crops which had been bred to grow in the underground conditions- Rice, tubers, fruits, tea.

Some people had no particular role or weren't specially trained, like you'd have guards that only had some combat training rather than the full warrior training like Okahni.

The Garo have no currency and, at most, trade. Things like fine jewelry would usually be given by the craftsperson as a gift OR given by the village elders for, usually, things like contributing to the village's duty by excelling in a traditional skill or other exemplary behavior. Food is also given out similarly; If one person had excess they'd give it to their neighbor or someone they knew might not have a steady supply of food. One fish might be passed through multiple people's hands before it's eaten because it wasn't needed that night.

The caverns have an extensive ecosystem of unique plants, animals, and insects, which all have developed to feed off the heightened magic within the caverns. A lot of things (esp crops) were brought in from outside during the earlier nights of Tanikar, like the deer aren't native but have evolved into a unique species.

I'm gonna stop myself here before I get too into it =w=' I'll have to write a formal info doc and try not to get too caught up in the details

[kheprriverse]

Goddess Majora, Embodiment of Chaos. Also just a really large bug.

Below the cut is some lore + a little bit of me rambling about Majora’s design (and then a little more ab hylia)

Some Majora Lore

Not created by the golden goddesses but instead came to be from Hylia and Demise’s growing conflict with one another. After attempting to take Hylia down herself, Majora was then sealed away underneath the canyons of Ikana.

She would, later on at least, be reawakened by a still-mortal Ko’jin as Hylia’s seal began to weaken. She fled deeper into Ikana’s canyons and disguised herself as one of its people. Coincidentally, Ikana’s missing queen reunited with her people around the same time.

Ko’jin is chosen by Golden Goddess Farore to be her opposition.

Design thoughts

Some changes from her previous post, a more simple design so I can draw her more often. I really like her new wing patterns, mimicking phoenix (or peacock) feathers as a couple other deities do as well. She’s just a bit more obvious about it.

A lot of the deities, spirits, and other characters that answer under Hylia (or are allied with her) have diamonds in their designs as an homage to her as a common theme (FD’s dragon whiskers as an example). Majora just straight takes the pheonix feathers and runs with it. No diamonds on this damn bug, just pure imitation.

On that note, though, it makes me kinda wanna redesign her antennae to go further. But we’ll see how I feel when I start drawing her more.

[metanarrates]

i still hate the gibdo well however

oh well. at least majoras mask is still a weird fucking piece of art

[sischan]

Zelda and Link, attire designs for the fanfiction I am writing for them. Below if my rambling about my own zelda game timeline.

Thank you for reading the following. Following is my rambling about the Legend of Zelda series in a timeline, based on my personal take on the games I played out of the full game series.

Here are the games from the Zelda series I played; Skyward Sword, Minish Cap, Ocarina of Time - Majora’s Mask, Twilight Princess, Hyrule Warriors, Wind Waker, Link to the Past, Link’s Awakening, Echoes of Wisdom, Age of Calamity, Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom. If there are parts of the series story overall, my apologies. However each player has their own take on the game series. Thank you again for reading my rambling on my own playthrough, to which my fanart, comics or fanfics are based on. Ocarina of Time is still my favorite, it was my first Zelda game on a gamecube collector's edition. Which caused me to connect all the games into a timeline of my own. ^-^ Thank you for letting me ramble away!

One of my few Timelines, but here is the main. Others are more branched off after Ocarina of Time, but share those another time.

For starting my timeline, Echoes of Wisdom shares about the series of golden goddesses that created the Triforce for Hylia to protect, and how Null didn’t like having his territory taken. Which caused him to influence other races, creating the reason for the fight of Demise with Hylia. Such events of Skyward Sword take place. With Null also being sealed by Hylia into Demise’s blade, creating  Ghirahim. Although by the end of the game, with the blade vanishing. Null was released from his seal and was able to slowly regain his power over time. 

With years passing since the defeat of Demise and Fi entering her deep slumber within the Master Sword. Soon Link and Zelda met with the Ancient Sheikah that were once supporters of Hylia, but chose to remain on the surface. Causing them to learn of a dispute between the Sheikah and the barbaric race of Zonai that resided in Ikana Canyon. With their son, Rauru from Ocarina of Time, inheriting the abilities of his mother, heir of Hylia. Sealing the Triforce into the Sacred Realm along with himself into the Master Sword. Allowing him to protect the relic and wait for the next hero. Despite being sealed in the blade, he was allowed to hear within the Temple of Time’s walls. With the Temple changing of the ages, as his Sheikah wife, Sonia, trusted the stones ,used in opening the door of Time, to trusted their trusted friend that would be the new Sages. Along with Rauru’s younger Sister who created the Ocarina of Time from a Time shift stone. By the era of war between the ancient Sheikah and the ancient Zonai were close. With the appearance of the Triforce being the trigger of it, and after the sealing of Rauru into the Master Sword. With the Triforce sealed and the war between the Sheikah and Zonai ended. With the Zonai moving to the Sky Islands, which caused the sheikah to create giant Canons to let them travel up to the sky islands. Although these Zonai became greedy, creating the secret stones that would amplify their powers, but replicas of the Triforce. With them being sealed into the Twilight Realm, which sealed the sky islands as well. Although the Mirror wasn’t created to interact with the Twilight Realm until the point of Echoes of Wisdom, I'll get to that point soon.

The Era of Hyrule’s founding is with Rauru’s great granddaughter becoming Queen of Hyrule along with a Zonai, also Rauru, as King and also Sage of Light. With him and his Sister the remaining Zonai. With many years since their Skyloftians left them, Loftwings became the Rito. Although I have more on Zonai Rauru and his sister I will share later on.

For Ancient Ganondorf of Hyrule’s founding. He is the grandson of Groose and the first King of the Gerudo, his father being an Ordonian. With him, like Queen Sonia, being a descendant of the first Hero of Time and Hylia’s heir, Zelda. Although he didn’t know of the Triforce like his Cousin, neither was he aware of their blood connection. Although he would become great-grandfather to Ganondorf of the Era of Ocarina of Time. With him being raised by the Ancient Ganondorf’s minions, they were loyal for 400 years, Kotake and Koume. With them spending their many years studying the magic of the Zonai, allowing them to be Twinrova.

After the fall of both King and Queen of Hyrule, after Zonai Rauru sealed himself. Named after her great-grandmother and also a portion inheriting Hylia’s powers, Sonia’s brother became the next King of Hyrule. Although after being appointed by the sages that were appointed by King Rauru, his daughter would be named after Zelda, sage of Time who would transform into the light Dragon to heal the Master Sword from her Era. Would become the Princess in the Tapestry that Sheikah, that would be kept by the Royal Family until the Era of the Wild. Only being found after many generations. However, only being hidden after a new King decree for all the Ancient Technology, left by the aid of previous sages, caused conflict with their allied races and within the Sheikah tribe. 

Before the Era of Minish Cap, many of the Royal family members didn’t appear to inherit the same powers of Hylia. Until the appearance of the Minish, which was Null’s doing. With him creating a rift to a realm that housed the Minish, but only in his attempts to connect the Twilight Realm. Although doing cso allowed the Minish to aid in Hyrule during the times their realms met, being every 100 years. By the events of Minish Cap, Vatti is sealed after falling under the influence of Null. With him attempting to use Vatti in recreating his body for him to take over, but Vatti is sealed away without Null.

By the Era of Echoes of Wisdom, Null’s powers have begun to grow to the point that the Tri and his cleaning buddies were made. In attempts to keep Null’s fits under control, but leads with that Era’s Princess Zelda aiding Tri with the Tri Rod. After the events of the game, Null is defeated and the rifts have ended. With Null unable to influence Hyrule’s realm and the other. Which caused the Minish unable to return to Hyrule, but with the Tri Rod. Soon it was turned into the Dominion Rod with the aid of the Oocca. I’ll return to them when I get to Twilight Princess. Triforce is known as relic due to being lost to time, but I like to think it appears out of the sacred realm when needed, and like the Master Sword. More than one can exist at the same time, but can't interact with each other. As each is on their own adventure.

The Oocca, Skyloftians that remained in Skyloft when the Zonai took over and were moved to the twilight realm. With them transforming into the Oocca and spared from being placed into the realm. With them using the information from their time with the ancient Zonai to craft the Dominion Rod from the Tri Rod. However, by this era, another war for the Triforce began. With the Triforce becoming known again,  because few of Sheikah began to doubt the Royal Family. Beginning the Hyrule Civil War.

Before the era of Ocarina of Time, the Great Deku tree used his powers to create a barrier between Hyrule and Termina, thus the Loft woods was born. With him taking in Ordonian children that were orphaned during a previous war, and to end the war along with the crowning of a new King of Hyrule. He was able to end the war and bring peace again with the other races. Taking advantage of the war, a young Ganondorf along with his Gerudo sisters traveled to a Hyrule castle to study the Triforce. Only during this advantage is when a mother flees to the Lost Woods with the soon to be Hero of Time. Creating the events of Ocarina of Time, and split of events to occur depending on the actions of not only Zelda, but Link.

With the events of the downfall timeline, Link falls to Ganon’s form, and forces Zelda along with the sages to seal him away. With the hero that would come to inherit the hero’s spirit was the long-lost descendant of Skyward Sword Zelda and Link's second child. With their powers being unknown to them, but the hero’s spirit only awoke to one capable of wielding the weight. Why within Echoes of Wisdom that Zelda was able to use the Hero’s spirit and take on Link’s form with his sword, although it wasn’t the Master Sword.

In the Adult Time. Link defeats Ganon, but is sent back to relive his childhood. Leaving the saved Hyrule under Zelda’s control as she rules over as Queen of Hyrule, until her Father the King comes out of hiding. Allowing the Kingdom to move their Castle to a new location. Despite the hero of Time no longer being amongst them, Hyrule began to rebuild. With building a location for the Master Sword, it was located back on its pedestal after the final fight, inside the new castle. Honoring the Hero, but soon the seal of the Sages came undone before the era of Wind Waker. Resulting in the King seal himself into a boat with his shard of the Triforce of Wisdom, with the relic splitting upon Zelda of Time’s era sending the hero back and the fracturing of the Triforce of Courage, and Zelda fleeing away onto a boat. With her eventually coming to rekindle the long-lost relationship between the Royal family female members and Gerudo, established in Echoes of Wisdom’s era then almost lost due to Ganondorf. Thanks to this relationship, Zelda’s lineage soon adopted the same lineage as the Gerudo. Using a small part of her powers to seal her powers into the remaining Triforce of Wisdom, she entrusted the relic to her offspring. Only entrusting the relic to their heir, until the era of Wind Waker with Tetra. Allowing her to possess her great-great-great-grandmother’s power and form, but only temporarily. 

In Child Time. Link is sent to relive his childhood by Zelda and thus begins the events of Majora’s Mask. With the Hero of Time to go on a journey searching for his companion, Navi. Although it resulted in Skull Kid, a child that got lost in the Lost Woods, to take the Ocarina of Time from Link and his horse. With the repeated three days that was inflicted on the hero, forcing him to become a hero once more. Soon Link comes to meet Romani, and slowly he gets to learn more about her sisters. Anju, her distant half-Sister, runs an Inn along with her Mother and grandmother, her father’s mother. Only after her father left her mother, but only to run off to his family’s ranch with his new wife and step-daughter, Cremia. With his new wife passing sometime after Romani was born, and due to a rivalry with another ranch. This Led to the passing of Romani’s father, and leaving the ranch into the hands of Cremia. With the Culprits being the same rivalry that were descendants of Sheikah, allowing them to use these tricks to mess with the valuable ranch owner. With this being the beginning of the Yiga-Clan, ex-Sheikah members. During the true end three day-cycle, Link aids Romani in defending the Ranch, and saving her mentally from an attack from unknown origin. Aiding and Saving Cremia from the Attack of the Gormon Brothers, who were jealous of Romani’s Ranch success in Clock Town’s Milk bar. Finally, Link aids in reuniting the Lovers by the final day, before the final battle.

With Link freeing Termina from the time loop, resulted in the Yiga following the hero of Time, but by the era of Breath of the Wild it is forgotten and confused for Ganon. Link stays in Termina, settling the regrets of the Masks. Which allowed him  to live amongst Termina, but soon he left through the Depths as he arrived at Termina. Although this leads the hero of Time to an unknown journey, more explore when I get to Hyrule Warriors’ era. 

Before the era of Twilight Princess. Link, second hero of Time, returns to Hyrule in his adulthood, but only to find it has entered a state of another civil war. Only it was to capture Ganondorf, but without the Master Sword and loss of the Ocarina of Time. He still aided in helping in the protection of civilians, Malon, Romani, and a few others that came from Termina. With the barrier of the Lost Woods slowly fading, due to the transplant of the Deku Sprout by Link. Allowing the remaining Kokiri that chose to stay with the sprout became the Koroks by the era of the Wild. With the barrier fading, allowed Termina to become one with Hyrule once more, but the forest started to take over the abandoned grounds that was once the temple of Time, but was destroyed during the war to capture Ganondorf. With all timelines having the first castle to be destroyed and relocated, but in the child's time. Four Light spirits are sent, while sending those that followed Ganondorf into the Twilight Realm with the aid of Light Sages. Using the Mirror of Twilight that was founded in the sky islands. By the era of Twilight Sky Islands has become legend, but was kept secret by the remaining Sheikah that was tasked with watching over the book of Dominion Rod. Until the hero of Twilight, descendant of the hero of Time and Malon, retrieves the Dominion Rod from the Temple of Time.  

With the era of Twilight. Lalon, name I give Twilight Princess Link, being raised by uncle and aunt while acting as an older brother to his cousin, Collin, alternative time life Wind Waker Link. Until the events of the game call for the Ranch hand to become a hero, like his great-great-grandfather. With him calling and meeting with the Hero’s Shade, soothing the regret of his great-great-grandfather’s spirit. Allowing him to rest while entrusting his skills to his lineage. Which was trained to future knights by Lalon, but only after Midna shattered the mirror of Twilight. Teachings that were still passed on by the era of Age of Calamity. With Lalon’s future lineage becoming knights of Hyrule. In his older years, Lalon would discover a means to reunite with Midna, but doing so made him unable to return. Leaving behind Ilia and their offspring that were grown. With his reunion with Midna, thanks to the ability of the Twili that merged with him, allowed Lalon to be with her once more. However during his time traversing the realm of Twilight, Lalon came to discover a lost doorway of Time. Which is used by their descendant Mineru and her kid brother used to escape the Twilight realm, but was sent to a time before Hyrule’s Founding. With her kid brother, Zonai Rauru, to come into contact with remaining Zonai members on sparred sky islands. With them sharing their history with the young Twili children in the way of the Zonai. Leaving them as the remaining Zonai with the doorway of time being unable to be used anymore. Thus they began their life as Zonai. More in the era of Tears of the Kingdom. Ilia is also a descendant of Skyward Sword Zelda and Link’s second child.

By the era of Hyrule Warriors. Ilia and Lalon’s grandchild Link, who inherited the powers of Twili Light, becomes a knight of Hyrule. Although he catches the attention of Null’s daughter, who causes a merge of timelines. Resulting in the connection of past Eras, and heroes. However this era was short, but collided with the split time back together, temporarily . Mostly due to the playthrough story once, I need to replay again. 

By the era of Age of Calamity, without Terako. Link is born into a family of knights, but he grew up in Hateno village. With this Link is a normal knight, but he has a deep connection with Mipha. Learning to rock climb, so he could race with her when it came to waterfall racing. Although she beat him every time, he enjoyed watching her swim. Soon Link came to be Zelda’s appointed knight. With him holding Sheikah blood, with this Link being a descendant of Cremia. As events play out as Calamity Ganon, born through the built-up malice from Ancient Ganondorf, took over the uncovered ancient technology. Only dug up after the rediscovery of the tapestry of an era that passed, with barely any records left. With Queen Zelda, while still alive, began to research the location of the Divine Beasts and the Guardians. After the era of Twilight, the Sheikah numbers like the Gerudo were scaress thanks to the civil wars. After the era of Twilight, past Queen Zelda helped build the relationship with the Gerudo that lived far in the desert or at sea. Which led to last Queen Zelda and Urbossa’s close friendship. Also the reasoning for Zelda and Riju’s friendship, despite Riju’s feelings towards Link in the era of Tears of the Kingdom. Despite being able to uncover the Divine Beasts, Guardians, and even teach Zelda how to craft Terako. Queen Zelda was captured by the Yiga and resulted in Zelda being unable to learn how to control her powers. I thought Link’s father was secretly a Yiga spy and he was the one to kidnap Zelda’s mother. With them falling in love and Link was their love child with her passing in childbirth, but that is an if scenario. 

As the Era of Breath of the Wild begins, depending on the version of botw alters the timeline between Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. My version of Breath of the Wild Wii U and Tears of the Kingdom Switch, this is the heartbreak timeline. While if you own both on the Switch then you get the True ZeLink Ending. Link awakens from his hundred year recovery sleep, which leaves him without his memories. With each memorie Zelda shared with him, and the ones off Mipha shook Link to his core. Awakening his spirit, allowing him to aid Hyrule.

As the Era of Tears of the Kingdom, seven years later. Link has developed the Monster Control-Crew, to combat the Blood Moon that was born during the Calamity. Along with aid in the construction of Mipha’s Court, with abandoning his Hateno home once more. Which allowed Zelda to move into, recovering for her broken heart. With learning of the Musician’s secret love for her and for Link’s rejection of her feelings. As his heart was still suffering the loss of Mipha, but he still held Zelda close as his connection to his other friends. Link's brotherly connection with Sidon was known through the Zora, with him feeling connected to Mipha. Upon the events of the Tears of the Kingdom, with the Gloom appearing. Which causes Zelda and Link to separate once more, causing Link to relive the loss once more. Causing him to gain the hand of Zonai Rauru, after losing the other to the Gloom of Ancient Ganondorf. Upon Gaining all of Zonai Rauru’s abilities, Link is able to awaken his own using the borrowed Zonai/Twili power from his hand. Grinding him the ability to swim upwards, like a waterfall. Allowing Link to feel Mipha with him in his adventure to reunite with Zelda and save Hyrule.

Princess Zelda of this era was the pure born lineage of first Zelda, and descendant of the hero of Twilight. While Impa and Purah are also descendants of the hero of Time as well. 

Riju is a descendant of Anju and Kafei, with her father being a Yiga Clan member. Disguised in Gerudo clothing, but watching over Gerudo Town instead of infiltrating to cause mayhem. Instead he infiltrated to catch a glimpse of his daughter, but with her being well guarded disallowed him from approaching. Upon meeting Link, entrusts him with some of his disguise to help infiltrate. Although soon as he discovers he is the same Link that all the Yiga despite and he aided him with his daughter. Resulted in his fellow Yiga members getting rid of him by the era of Tears of the Kingdom.

Tauro is the son of Kohga, leader of the Yiga Clan, but he was more interested in research than stopping Link. Which ended up with him ending the Yiga Clan and Sheikah feud, with him crushing on Paya. 

In the heartbreak split, if you have Breath of the Wild Wii U and Tears of The Kingdom Switch, Zelda and Link don’t end together, but they have a deep bond. In this split, Link treats Zelda like a sibling. With Zelda taking over Link’s house in Hateno Village, he moves to live outside Terry Town. In view of Mipha’s Court, and Link becoming Riju’s Voe. While Zelda settled down Numar in his split.

In the Lover split, if you have Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom Switch, Link and Zelda settle down together and rebuild Hyrule. 

During the Time Zelda was the Light Dragon, when she swallowed the secret stone. She carried the secondary Master Sword and Triforce with her, from the point she became a dragon ,until she was recalled to her original state.

In the Age of Calamity, with Terako, playout as the game events is to prevent the Calamity and the era of Breath of the Wild. Although they succeeded in beating the newly formed Calamity Ganon from the corpse of Astro, the musician corrupted in this split from the calamity. It didn’t help Hyrule with the awakening of the Ancient Ganondorf as the events play out differently. Although I’m still working on how that would play out. 

Thank you for reading one of my Legend of Zelda ramblings about my personal timeline. =v=

Please feel free to share your own with me, or build on one. Please let me know in a comment.

I have multiple timeline takes, as I got a few Link ships and Zelda ships that make the connections between each game interesting. That is not including the downfall timeline. As I know Link’s Awakening is after Link to the Past, but when I first played it. I felt it could fit after Ocarina of Time as well, but that is my personal timeline. ^-^ My apologies for the long read! Thank you for reading! Please share your favorite pairing! My toop Zelda Pairing at the moment besides Skyward Sword ZeLink, is Zelda from Echoes of Wisdom and the Stamp Guy. Along with the River and Sea Zora are both very cute when they interact with each other.

Thank you again for reading my Zelda Timeline. Each Player has their own take of the Zelda game series and Timeline. ^-^) That what makes connecting the games fun, to me at least.

[portraitofalinkonfyre]

Pretium Divinitatis

Chapter 1: Darkness Falls

Main Masterlist | Fic Masterlist | Next Chapter

Silver moonlight broke through cracks in the leafy canopy, bathing the ground below in a ghostly light. A red-haired girl trekked through the brush, hugging her cloak tighter as the shadows seemed to dance in the night, flitting between the trees like ghosts. Her father had warned her of the forest bordering Ikana Canyon, land of the dead, but when hide-and-seek with her younger sister Romani had taken a turn for the worst, she found her options running low. 

“Romani?” Cremia called into the night. Every nerve in her body was tight with apprehension, ready to spring at any given moment. She brushed her bangs from her forehead, silently cursing herself for not bringing a lantern. The two sisters hadn’t intended for their game to extend past dusk, but Romani had convinced her to venture past the safety of their ranch in search of better hiding spots. 

Never again, Cremia promised herself in the darkness. She would find her sister and she would return home–one way or another. 

“Romani!” It was as if the whole forest could hear her desperation, her anguish. Fear was a powerful motivator, guiding her to the first tan impressions of the canyon. Cremia’s apprehension only increased when the trees began to fall, giving way to the sandy wasteland of the fallen kingdom of Ikana. 

Once a bustling hub of trade and art, the kingdom had grown greedy, straying from the very giants that had given them life. Their downfall came from the war with Garo, a rival kingdom–a lifelong conflict that would forever stain Termina’s history. She had also heard rumors of Ikana worshipping a great evil in place of the goddesses, but it was all speculation that her father cautioned her not to wallow in. 

Steeling herself, Cremia made her way to the canyon. Tall, craggy cliffs lined the thin road, stretching upwards as if they intended to touch the very sky. The moon hung low on the horizon, heralding the first golden rays of morning. She called her sister’s name again, her words bouncing against the rocky walls. 

Cremia’s heart was heavy in her chest as she followed the road, already knowing what awaited her. While technically rumors, the tales of Ikana’s undead soldiers were the closest thing to fact one would get on the ranch. She kept her eyes peeled for any sign of trouble, but the canyon was… deserted? It was exactly as it should have been, a barren kingdom of the undead, which concerned her to no end. The thought that Romani had ended up in such a place filled her with fear, but Cremia pressed on, lightly jumping over rocks and discarded weapons alike. Her boots left soft indentations in the sandy ground, trailing behind her like crescent trackers. 

Like the Garo ninjas themselves, Cremia slipped past yet another bend in the road, only to dart back to safety, hand pressed tightly against her mouth to muffle the terrified gasps slipping past her lips. After a couple excruciating seconds, she peeked around the corner to get a better look at the area beyond. 

In the center of the road was her sister, laid on the ground like she was merely sleeping. Cremia knew better, and every muscle in her body screamed for her to save Romani, but the imposing figure next to her sister made Cremia reconsider that idea. 

He was tall–at least six-and-a-half feet, if she had to guess–with stark white hair draping down his face, secured loosely by a gray cap. His armor was the same color as his hat, two crescent moons emblazoned on either side of his breastplate, shining with a ghostly light that seemed to have been bestowed by the very moon itself. There was something impossibly regal about the man standing over Romani, just as much as there was something inexplicably terrifying in the way his head snapped to meet her frightened stare. Cremia could only hold his iris-less gaze, heart nearly hammering itself out of her ribcage. She wanted to bolt, to fight, to freeze–or maybe all three at once. 

So the man choose for her. In one fluid motion, he dipped his head and turned on his heel, striding deeper into the canyon. A few agonizing seconds passed before Cremia had the nerve to scamper to Romani’s side, checking her shaky pulse with trembling fingers. 

“You would do well to never return,” the man’s voice cut through the night like the sharpest blade. His back was to them, but Cremia had no doubt that he could see her as clearly as she could see him. There was a pause, then the man spoke again in a tone that sounded suspiciously close to regretful. “This is not the place of the living.”

He didn’t have to tell her twice! Cremia hoisted a sleeping Romani in her arms, emboldened by the first twinkle of dawn on the horizon. She turned course for home, ignoring the shiver running up her spine. Only when the rays of dawn reflected on the canyon walls did she sneak a glance back, but, like the ghost he appeared to be, the man was gone. 

It wasn’t until she returned home to recount the tale to their frightened father that she learned the origins of the destroyer of Ikana, popularly known as the Fierce Deity. 

Two-thousand years earlier…

It is said that the founders of Ikana slept beneath the shadow of a mighty stone tower, so tall that it blocked out the very sun and moon in certain places, and that it was under that tower that the first of Termina’s civilizations came to be. Maybe that was why you felt a rush of unease as you watched the tower from the castle balcony, a forgotten tray of tea on the table before you. The sun shone high in the cloudless sky, bestowing the land with rays of gold that reflected off the rushing waters of the Ikana River, bouncing up to light the world in countless ways. A lone hawk circled the castle grounds, its cry shaking the air like the sweetest of horns. 

“Princess?” The soft voice of your maid, Nara, called from the safety of your room. Her head peeked around the balcony doors and her expression grew relieved. “There you are.”

“Is something the matter?” You didn’t bother with small talk; she typically left you to your studies until lunchtime, which meant something important was afoot if she had tracked you down this early. 

“It is the day of the Stone Ceremony,” she responded politely, and you could have kicked yourself for forgetting such an event. “The King has instructed me to prepare you for an audience with the Garo ambassador beforehand.”

“Of course,” you recovered quickly. Situated East of Ikana, the Garo people had long been a part of your nation’s history. Recently, however, tensions over territory had strained the relationships between them and Ikana to the breaking point. It was clear to you that this was a last ditch effort at peace, and you vowed that it would not be wasted.

Inside the castle, a flurry of preparations occurred. Nara dressed you in your finest ceremonial gown, fit for any crown princess, hushing you softly as she practically strangled the life out of you with the damned strings. The only recorse was that it was more lovely than the setting sun or rising moon–settling around you in large swathes of star-kissed fabric that swished enchantingly with every movement. 

“Beautiful,” Nara whispered, skillfully tucked a protection amulet in the folds of your skirt. She wiped her chocolate-colored bangs from her face and grinned proudly at you through the mirror. “Knock the stockings off of them, princess.”

“I will try,” you responded, watching your bejewled reflection for a few precious seconds. It wasn’t uncommon to feel nervous when it came to matters of the court, but you would be a fool to let it show, even to Nara. That didn’t mean you didn’t give her hand a squeeze when she laced her fingers with yours, guiding you out of the room. 

The throne room was a grand expanse of gold and stone. Delicately-carved pillars stretched upwards to connect with the ceiling, practically glowing with the very opulence that reflected across the kingdom. In the back of the room sat King Igos du Ikana, supreme ruler of the land, flanked by Captain Keeta. The Garo ambassador, dressed in dark robes, stood just before the throne. All eyes were on you as you made your way to the front, bowing low before turning to the ambassador with an expression of diplomatic concern. “Welcome to Ikana. I trust your journey was pleasant?”

The ambassador, a man of stern features and sharp, sea-swept eyes, inclined his head. “Thank you, princess. My journey was uneventful, but there are many pressing matters to discuss here.” 

“So I have heard,” interjected King Igos with a lazy drawl. It wasn’t hard to see the calculating gleam in his eyes, having lived under his care your entire life. “You may speak, Ikana will listen.”

“Many thanks, your grace,” began the Garo ambassador slowly. “My master would like to discuss the temple of stone on your lands, particularly the contents it holds.”

King Igos raised an eyebrow. You waited dutifully for his next words. “And what contents would those be?” 

“We believe a lost Garo artifact has been hidden within it’s walls,” the ambassador explained. “My master would like the permission to retrieve it and end this tension between our nations.”

“The stone temple has not been opened since Ikana’s founding,” King Igos was unimpressed, but you caught the suspicious undercurrent of his tone. “What authority have you to expect this of us, on the eve of the celebration of our founders?”

The tension was so thick you could cut it with a broadsword. You watched as the ambassador seemed to falter, as if caught in a lie, then quickly recover within the same beat. “I can assure you, we have no intention to offend–”

“Then I suggest you offer us the courtesy of reasonable demands,” was the king’s response, cutting through the air like a knife through butter. You released the breath you didn’t know you had been holding, hands fisting in the fabric of your dress. It didn’t take a genius to know where this was going. “Or you may leave and tell your master that the King Igos du Ikana is no such fool.”

The very walls themselves seemed to wait on bated breath for a response, plunging the throne room in an oppressive silence. You knew enough of the Garo to be wary when the ambassador turned his burning gaze to you, then the man on Ikana’s throne. “This won’t be the last–” he produced an egg-shaped object that Captain Keeta immediately recognized as he dove to stand before the king. “–of the Garo Tribe!”

You cried out as he smashed the object. An explosion of foul black smoke filed the throne room, punctuated by the yells of the captain and coughing of the king. Your lungs burned as you frantically covered your nose and mouth, hacking like there was no tomorrow. 

When the smoke cleared, the ambassador was gone, leaving behind nothing but the scattered shards of the smoke bomb and King Igos’ brewing rage, though he kept it well in check. With hardened eyes, he turned to address Captain Keeta. 

“Sound the war bells,” your heart could have stopped, it really could have. “I will tolerate their impudence no longer.”