The Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction ❯ Gerudo Forest ❯ Chapter 57 ( Chapter 57 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Melissa woke with a groan, staring at the dark ceiling above her. Her head throbbed as if someone had hit her with a 2x4. What had happened? She remembered seeing Jimmy, chasing after him, and then having something placed around her neck, but everything after seemed to be a blur. She kept seeing flashes of memory. The most that she remembered was houses passing by swiftly. Who had been carrying her and where had she been taken exactly? She put her hand to her throat absentmindedly, Trying to recall, only to receive a nasty shock. A scream escaped her lips as she writhed in pain. “I wouldn't do that again if I were you.” she heard a voice sound from somewhere in the room. “ The other girl has yet to wake up, after her last attempt to remove that collar.” The voice sounded hollow with a sort of echo to it. She turned her head slowly, trying to find the source. The room was dark, but even in the pitch black, she could see a shadowy figure standing in the corner of the room. It's eyes glowed bright red. Melissa didn't have to be a genius to know what that meant. Fearfully, she reached for any magic she could use to fend off the creature, only to find, her usual energy gone and the dragon within faint. “That's right. You are now powerless. So I suggest you do as your told.” The stalfos laughed at her wide eyed shock. Melissa tried to get up and back away, as the monster started to come closer, only to find her legs had been shackled to the floor. “Come, come, don't be like that. I do not plan to cause you harm. That is, as long as you behave.” She heard it chiding her. How did this creature think she was going to act? She was trapped in a room with an undead monster, and no means of protection. Of course she was going to freak out. It didn't matter if it was acting civilized or not. “If you know what's good for you, you'll stay away from me.” Melissa spat pulling at her chains, trying to put up a brave front, but the monster just chuckled. “ He said you were a lot like her, but I never imagined you would have her boldness as well. Maybe Agahnim will leave you to me, instead of that other brat.” it spoke, still closing the gap between them. “Wait... what?” Melissa stammered, stopping her efforts to break free. The stalfos came to a stop. At first she thought it was because the monster was thinking on how to answer her, but instead, it lit a candle that stood on a nearby stand. The light only made the creature more frighting and she instantly wished the skeleton had left them in darkness. It looked much like the ones they had passed on the way into the village, except its clothes were a little more intact and its armor also seemed to be well polished. Another minor difference was that this stalfos seemed to be wearing a sort of head circlet and bangles. Somehow the bangles seemed to stay on, even though they were now way bigger than its skeletal wrists and ankles. She realized looking at the circlet that this just might be king Igos. “I speak of Ziya.” It responded, bringing her attention back to the conversation. “Do you not even know from who you are descended?” Of course Melissa had no clue who Ziya was. Descended? Did that mean the woman it spoke of was her many great grandmother? “You look a lot like her, you know.” It continued coming closer. “Your a lot paler, but I see her in your face.” She put her hand to her face feeling self-conscious. The old ghost had told her that as well. “I know who she is.” Melissa responded defensively trying to hide her embarrassment. “ That is good to hear. There is few alive who remember her now. If I had known the evil that fool of a monarch was capable of, I would have found a way to make her choose me instead.” The monster said with a growl. This statement made Melissa wonder if the rumors, of the king becoming what he was over a woman, were true. Had Ziya been this woman? “Whoa! Wait a minute.” Melissa said stopping the skeleton there. “Your talking about Ziya and King Midas right? What did the king do that was evil?” “Everything!” The skeleton roared, making her jump. “Well could you be a little more specific?” Melissa asked hoping this wouldn't further irritate the stalfos, who looked on the verge of a meltdown. “I have spoke with the kings ghost and heard his story, but he didn't tell me much about her.” Melissa was a little more than curious. She knew what ever this monster would tell her might be a lie, but she really had no idea who her great grandmother was. She had asked Koume and Kotake once, thinking that surely they would know something. The two witches were over 400 years old after all, but to her disappointment, she always received the same vague answers. She knew the former queen was a kind woman. That she had put, not only her own peoples well being over her own, but the whole of Hyrule as well. But that seemed all anyone could tell her. The monster crossed it's arms and gave her what looked to be a regarding look. At least that is what she thought it was. It was kind of hard to tell emotions on something that had no face or eyes. “You would listen to my story?” It asked curious. She nodded, not wanting to seem too eager. What ever the stalfos could tell her might help her better understand what she needed to do as a guardian. “Very well then. I guess I should start from the beginning.” It said sitting down uncomfortably close to her. “Before I was born, the kingdom of Ikana was a fairly prosperous land. Like any kingdom on this world, it was not out of the ordinary for a Gerudo woman to show up now and then. Most came on what they called a coming of age pilgrimage. Ziya's mother was no different, but something unexpected happened. The woman fell for a local blacksmith in the capital city. Usually gerudo would come, pick a man, sleep with them, and then return to where they came from. So what Ziya's mother did was unheard of. She chose to stay and married the Ikanian blacksmith. Ziya was born maybe a year or two after. Then when Ziya was only 6, her mother passed away, so she spent a lot of time helping her father in the shop.” Melissa listened intently already being sucked into the story. “The day we met, I had been in need of a new sword and a close friend had recommended her father's smithy. She enchanted me from the moment I laid eyes on her. From that day I made visits, finding any reason I could to come and see her. She was coy at first, but the more I came the closer we got. Soon we were as thick as thieves. I would bring her to the castle, or we would go to market, but what she seemed to enjoy most was the observatory near Termina. Some nights she would climb out her window and we would go to there just to watch the stars.” The stalfos paused with a sigh. Melissa smiled to herself. She had done something like that once, when she and Jimmy had first started going out. It had been Valentine's Day and her parents had forbidden her to have contact with him. She had snuck out the garage, into the cold of a February night, just to see him. This wasn't quite as bold as her grandmother, but it reminded her of herself a little. “Eventually I had worked up the courage to ask for her hand. I had planned to propose to her at the Observatory, only nothing went as plan. I reached the smithy just in time to see a group of gerudo women and that fool Midas talking to her father. I remember the look on Ziya's face. She seemed upset and so I came rushing in, but that only seemed to upset her more. So, confused, I left planing to come back that night as usual. Only she did not climb out the window that night. I thought perhaps she was just tired, but when I came to the smithy the next day she was not there.” anger was clearly in the stalfos voice now. “I asked her father where she was off to and he told me the man had taken her. That she “Belonged” to them. Can you believe that! This people, who had ignored her and her mother for years, now thought Ziya was their possession. It made me so angry. I stormed out unable to listen to anymore. I was going to get her back if it was the last thing I did, only I had never left my kingdom before. I knew of the gerudo, but not from where they hailed. So grabbing a map, I charged off blindly. If I had told my father where I was off to he might have tried to stop me or worse, he would have sent body guards, who would only slow me down. I spent many months searching for the land the gerudo called home, getting lost quite frequently. Running out of supplies and money, I starved myself some days just to keep me from having to stop the search. One would think having a map would have made this place easier to find, but it was as if some magical force was preventing me from reaching her. Eventually I collapsed. That was when I met Agahnim. At the time he seemed a simple wizard, but as we both know he is much greater.” it almost looked as if the monster was smiling at his last comment. Melissa didn't comment to that. There was nothing great about that man. The stalfos just laughed, seeing the sour look crossing her face. “I see we disagree, but I am not here to convince you. You will see in time, the beauty of my master's plan. Now where were we? Ah, yes... Agahnim had found me. He nursed me back to health and even pointed me in the right direction. I wanted to repay him, but he told me he needed nothing at the time. Though there would come a time when he might have need of me. So, I thanked him and went on my way again. This time I found the gerudo's land without any problems. What ever had blocked me before seemed to have gone, but that did not end my troubles. You see, the gerudo nation being filled of almost entirely women, were distrustful of men. I couldn't even get past the gate to the capital city. It was by chance that I ran into a gerudo that recognized me from Ikana on her pilgrimage. If she hadn't vouched for me I would have never been able to enter.” Had the wizard cunningly blocked him so as to have this man indebted to him, or had it been a spell cast by the gerudo to keep out unwanted guests? She couldn't quite decide. “Once in, I took off straight to the castle. It was a grand thing, as big as Hyrule and Ikana's castle's combined, but I didn't let that distract me. I was going to demand Ziya's release. I didn't know why they had taken her, but I could only think she was being punished for her mother leaving the tribe. I knew if I was caught, I would probably be thrown out of the city and then any chance of rescue would be for naught. So, I carefully snuck through a side window. I did pretty well avoiding guards and almost made it to the throne room, before being spotted. I would have never thought women would get the best of me, but they had me on the flat of my back before I could even blink.” Melissa stifled a laugh. He wasn't the first man to think that and she didn't know why, but the thought of this cocky man being thrown on his ass seemed comical. The stalfos didn't seem to share her sentiment. He eyed her for a second before continuing. “I woke in a dungeon while they were to decide what to do with me. I tried to look around through the tiny window on my door, thinking Ziya might be in a cell like I, but it was impossible to see anything. So I called her name. That of course got the jailer's attention. I learned from that women what really had happened to my Ziya. She was no captive in a dungeon, but instead a prisoner to an arranged marriage. I swore then and there I would get her out. I am... as you probably have guessed by now, King Igos Du Ikana.” The monster paused to let that sink in, but Melissa had already guessed as much. “I thought that, surely, being the future king of a kingdom would give me just as much claim to her. Besides I had spent more time with her. This other man wouldn’t know her at all. If I could just get an audience with the king, and somehow persuade him to let Ziya make her own choice, surely we would both be going home together before the sun set. At least that was what I had convinced myself. Instead when she was faced with the decision, she chose that bastard! She claimed she had fallen for him. That there was more at work here than I would understand. That this was her destiny. She told me to go home. That I would find a woman better suited to be queen of Ikana. To me, this sounded like a bunch of brainwashing. I had heard the two witches of the court specialized in that magic. So I challenged Midas to a duel to the death, but the coward would not fight me. Instead I was kicked out. Dropped off on the border with a few supplies with which to make it back with. For a few days I tried to get back in, but it was impossible. The only way would be with an army of my own. So, I made the journey home again. When I arrived I found my country in disarray. In my absence my father had died and the court had selfishly tried to take over. I was so angry. It was this gerudo king's fault that I had missed that time with my father. So with a heavy heart I took the throne. I know my people were looking to me to right the wrongs the court had committed. To bring the kingdom back to prosperity, but I was so full of rage. My first decree was of war. I would get my revenge and win back my beloved Ziya. All my hopes and dreams rested on the outcome of what is now known as the “Great War of Ikana.” Ziya came once to try and convince me to stop, but like a fool I turned her away. I told myself that she would see me when this had all ended and not a second before, but I was a fool for not letting her in. I won many battles, but my kingdom only suffered more. It got to the point even my loyal knights tried to convince me to stop, but I could only see red.” Igos stopped, as if he was remembering a horrible memory, but shook it off. “My first life ended on those battle fields not having even faced the gerudo king. I laid in a pool of my own blood. My knights all slain. I thought of Ziya and how I would never see her again. That I would never get my revenge, but then as if by magic Agahnim appeared. He promised that he could give me the power to take what was mine. I should have let myself die there, but I selfishly agreed. When I woke the next day I felt better than I ever had before and to my surprise my knights were alive again as well. Agahnim was nowhere to be seen though and I knew with a spell as strong as this, a hefty payment was sure to be involved. After our initial shock wore off we patched ourselves up and made our way back home to restock. The first night of the journey we found that we were no longer hungry. By the second week we noticed our wounds would not heal. Some thought we were cursed and tried to end their lives for a second time, only to find they could not die. Upon returning home we locked ourselves away in the castle, sending away all who once inhabited it's stoney halls. We began to look no better than re-dead, and if my people were to see us, a panic might ensue. So I watched my people leave the land slowly. They knew the kingdom was doomed and to my sadness there was nothing I could do. Eventually Ikana faded into obscurity. Forgotten by all, as we waited, till one day the wizard showed up once more. He apologized for my condition. Apparently the spell had some how gone awry, but he assured me he would find a way to fix it. He then told me news of my Ziya. I learned that the bastered king had sent her to another world just to save his own skin. After that news I refused to hide any longer. I would live my unnatural life regaining what I had lost if it was the last thing I did. It hasn't gone quite as planned, but the wizard has recently given me some promising news. He believes he has found a way to control the triforce. That I will be one of his followers to receive a piece, and with it I will be able to reverse the curse upon me and my men. I have a chance start over.” Igos finished sounding much happier. Melissa couldn't help but feel that her own story was on the way to becoming much like Ziya's. Was this how her life was destined to play out as well? She looked to Igos who now studied her. She found that she pitied him instead of the fear she had been feeling. She was sure Agahnim wasn't sorry about the king's condition in the least. Everything the wizard had done up to now had probably been a set up. She just couldn't quite figure out how creating a stalfos army fit into the wizards plans. There had to be more to the story that Igos just wasn't saying. He mentioned the wizard promising him a piece of the triforce. That had to be a lie. Even if Agahnim gained control of the triforce, the dead could not possess a piece. She knew that just from the comment Midas had made when she had asked him to send her home. The king seemed so hopeful for a new start and she couldn't bring herself to be the barer of bad news. Melissa brought her thoughts back to Jimmy. If Agahnim got to Jimmy, would he become her king Igos? She couldn't let that happen. She needed to find him and somehow keep him safe. She turned back to Igos. She hated to change subjects without even discussing the story she had been told, but she had to know if he was okay. “Where is he?” she asked quietly. “Who?” Igos responded sounding confused. “The guy I was chasing before you caught me.” she clarified, making the stalfos tilt his head to the side. “There was no one there but you, silly girl.” The skeleton replied. “ No! I was following someone and I know you had to have captured him. Please, if you would only let me see him. I would give my word not to put up a struggle.” Melissa lied at the last part hoping that maybe, if she promised to be a good girl, that she would be allowed to see Jimmy. If she had been caught, surely he had as well. Why else had he not come to her when she had called? Unless, he knew the stalfos were there and he had been hiding, but that didn't sound like him at all. Jimmy wasn't one to leave someone high and dry. The only answer that made sense was that he had been captured before she could reach him. Somewhere in the back of her mind though, a little nagging thought tugged at her. What if they had used him as bait, knowing she was here? Could he have been a trap? But then how had they known Melissa was associated with Jimmy? Ganon, as far as she knew, was the only person who knew what he looked like. “Not struggle huh?” The Igos laughed finding humor in that. “ Nothing you could do now would be considered a struggle. Especially with that collar doing it's job.” Melissa looked down disappointed. She had nothing to bargain with. “You should be happy he is not in this dungeon.” The stalfos continued. “You I need. Him... well, not so much.” She looked away sad. She should be happy Jimmy hadn't been caught. Maybe Ganon would find him in his search for her. Then again, Ganon might not feel obligated to help someone who had been and might still be competition. Ganon had changed, but she knew him well enough to know he would keep anything from interfering with his plans. That was, if this last insubordination hadn't made him change his mind about wanting her. “Ah, there you are Captain Keeta!” the Igos spoke, pulling her from her thoughts. She hadn't even noticed the door swinging open. In the hallway stood two stalfos. One was small with worn leather padding for armor. The other, was much larger and she recognized him as the guard that had stood at the town's entrance. “We have intruders. Two women and a man. I recognize them from this after noon.” the bigger one spoke in a deep voice. Melissa's heart leapt at that news knowing exactly who these intruders were. Igos stood up quickly and looked at Melissa. “It seems the incarnation of my woes has come to steal you away again, but I will not let this happen again.” the stalfos spoke sounding quite mad. “Keeta! Take our guest here to a safer location. I shall join you when I have dispatched of our pests.”With that Igos left. This monster was delusional. He was now treating her as if she was Ziya herself, and that worried her a little.