The Bright Side of Darkness Chapter I

Hello. This was meant to be a one-shot but I found that it soon developed into something too long to be put into one chapter, so this will be a short story. It will probably be between five and ten chapters long. By the way, this is from Zelda's perspective and it somewhat alters the events of OoT. But anyways, The Legend of Zelda and all of its characters, places, items, and ideas are copyright of Nintendo. Also I know that this chapter is relatively short but don't worry the next one will be much longer. So please read, review, and enjoy.

I was perched on a ledge overlooking what had formerly been my home. Now it was all but recognizable. Where once lovely gardens and hills had been there was ash, dust, and skeletons. Where once the white, regal castle of the Hylian Royal family stood was a huge, menacing black fortress hovering over a pool of bright, angry lava. Everything I knew had been laid to waste, and all at the whim of one man. Ganon Dragmire. He was the king of the Gerudo and the greatest enemy my country had ever known, and I hated him. I hated him with a fury that I could barely contain. I wanted to throw myself from this ledge, storm the castle, and slit his throat. But I knew that that was an impossible fantasy, at least for now.

I ducked my head quickly as a pack of Lizaflos marched around the perimeters of the fortress. I secured the mask back over my face to keep from sucking in all of the ash in the air that the lava seemed to spew forth. I placed a hand over my chest to still my thumping heart and had to tell myself again that I couldn't get carried away. I couldn't let my anger take the reigns and guide me into disaster. I gulped and peeked over the rocky outcropping again to find that the guards had moved on to scout ahead. I was safe.

This was only a spy mission. Impa had emphasized that before I departed. I was not to take any unnecessary action or risks, not when we were so close to winning this seven year battle. I tucked in the few stray blonde hairs that were sticking out of the bandages and began to scurry down the slope. I kept my knees bent and my head lowered at all times to keep from being spotted. I stopped at a boulder and peered out from behind it to get a better layout of the place. The castle was impregnable, except for the glossy, transparent bridge that the sages had formed when they had united their power. It looked so thin and fragile that I was worried it wouldn't hold his weight, but I shook my head at the thought. No, the Goddesses power was not so weak that they would send their Chosen through of all this trouble just to have him stopped by such a small matter as a bridge.

That bridge was heavily guarded though; everything Ganon had at his disposal was used to guard that one weak spot in his defenses. Link would need a lot more than the light arrows that I had given him to get through that mess. I curled the chain around my left forearm and hefted the sharp knife that I always kept strapped to my thigh in my right hand. I could help him work his way through some of this. I could already see his dim, distant figure standing on a ridge farther off waiting for me to give the signal when all was clear. I let a breath out through my nose as I weighed the matter. Impa and Link had both warned me not to take any unnecessary risks, and the only reason they had let me go down here in the first place was because I was the quietest of the three. But still, there was no way the Hero of Time could cut his way through all of that without some help, and besides it would be better to lose me than him. The princess could be replaced. The Hero of Time couldn't, even though he would have profusely disagreed.

I licked my lips and nodded to myself. I was going to go for it, the consequences be damned. I bowed my head and whispered a brief prayer as my left hand went into one of the pouches that rode at my waist and grasped a smoke pellet. I took it out the small, grey mass and held it ready to throw at the most opportune moment. All of Ganon's lackeys looked so bored. I waited a few more moments and when I realized that nothing was going to change, I hurled it into the middle of the group as fast as I could. I threw down a deku nut to signal Link and Impa and hurried off into the fray. The small pellet had released a plume of grey-black powder into the middle of the group and covered them in darkness. I could hear them cursing, squawking, growling, and making other noises that were not wholly human.

I sped out from behind my cover and slipped into the thick of it. I loosened the chain on my left arm and swung it up and overhead. I brought it around and down in a full, spiraling circle. I heard more than saw the pain that it caused. I could hear the smacking of flesh and scales as it made contact and the alarm that it caused as they realized there was an enemy in their midst. A fierce smile curled my lips as I drew the chain back into myself and sent it snaking out again. That kept them at bay, but I realized that I needed to make myself more obscure or they would all attack me at once. I gave what I thought was a Staflos one last good whack before I put the chain away.

I strengthened my grip on the knife and slipped under a swinging arm. The smoke was still as thick as pea soup, but I could hear their grunts and groans. I rolled between something's thick, stocky ankles and slit its hamstring with the keen edge of the dagger. I saw the bright red blood spurt as the thing cursed and fell. I dodged the thrusting of a rusted sword and slammed my elbow into some creature's stomach. The thing doubled over, and I drove the dagger into its skull double-fisted. I drew the slick weapon out of the mass of brains and moved onto my next target.

I remained tangled in the mass of monsters for a while, just hacking and slashing. I cut off fingers and arms and slit throats but nothing satisfied the deep need in me. I wanted all of them to be Ganon. Every time I heard something I wanted it to be him, but it never was. I spun on my heel to avoid being hit over the head with a shield and dug my knife into the side of a moblin. Then something quite unexpected happened. The thick smoke began to clear. It began to evaporate miraculously fast, and I knew at once that it was the work of his magic. I could smell it burning in the air.

I realized the danger I was in soon and began to weave my way out of the crowd of creatures to reach shelter, but it was too late. The dumb beasts could see clear enough now, and they began to grab at me with hands, claws, and things that were neither. I could feel my heart pounding frantically in my chest as I thrust my knife into a hand that had been gripping my upper arm. I kicked a lizaflo in the stomach as it sought to block my exit. I tried my best to unhook the chain, but it was no use. Whenever I got rid of one obstacle five more popped up in its place. Hands and bodies were all over me, covering me, smothering me. I couldn't see anything anymore but dirty fur and slick, green scales. I couldn't see the sky or the hills or the castle. I could hear the jingling of armor as Link came to rush forward to save me, but he and I both knew I was lost.

I sucked in a deep breath and doubled over as I felt a heavy fist collide with my stomach. I fell to my knees as a booted foot kicked me from behind. Then I felt chains being wrapped around my wrists and locked. Finally, a huge moblin with a flat, stupid face had the sense to remove my mask, and I knew I was doomed. His thick fingers curled over the material and pulled it down. I heard a collective gasp as they studied my face and then a cry of triumph and laughter as two staflos grabbed my arms and hauled me to my feet.

I began to scream and curse as they dragged towards the entrance of the fortress. I dug my heels into the ground and jerked as much I could to upset their balance, but they continued to hold onto me with their cold, boney hands. Eventually, they grew so tired with my struggling that one of them backhanded me across the face and pointed his rusted dagger to my throat that left no question as to what he was threatening. I grew quiet as my face began to throb, and I could feel a huge bruise forming.

The inside of the fortress was nothing like I had pictured it. On the interior, it was luxurious and rich. There thick carpets everywhere and Gerudo tapestries hung on the stone walls. The main hall had four huge fireplaces big enough to roast an ox and in its center was a set of onyx steps that led up to a huge set of mahogany doors. The guards dragged me up those steps, and one of them kicked the doors open. They led me down a long corridor hung with the same tapestries, with torches guttering on the wall in iron sconces. I eyed the grotesquely ornate sets of armor that lined the walls and tried to focus on anything but the set of doors at the end of the hall. Finally, we entered those doors too soon and began to descend into what I assumed was the dungeons of the castle.

I could feel my heart beating so fast I thought that it would burst as my mind cursed my stupidity. I was going to die. I knew that much, but I didn't want to die in a smelly, filthy dungeon. I didn't want Ganon to have the satisfaction of knowing that I had been dumb enough to fall into his clutches. I lifted my head to look at my guards and thought of making a run for it, but I could see other guards below us waiting for any new prisoners.

At last, we came to the bottom of the stairs and the skull-faced guards examined me with a smile, if skeletons could smile. One of them made a coughing sound and jerked its head towards a cell door. The guards holding me nodded in agreement and marched me to it. They unlocked the door and unceremoniously tossed me in. I caught myself on my hands and looked behind myself to see the light grow narrower and narrower as they shut the door on me. I heard the door lock as I crawled into a corner where there was a heap of straw.

I curled up into a ball and looked around for anyway out of this place. I loosened the straps of the bags that I wore at my hips and searched through the supplies in there. There were bombs, darts, a little extra food and water, and a lock pick. I felt over it with the tips of my fingers and decided that I would try my luck. I crawled over to the door as quietly as possible and inserted the small instrument into the keyhole. I wriggled it around for a moment but nothing triggered. Finally, I had to force myself to stop fiddling with it as I heard the scuff of booted feet marching outside of my door. I crawled back onto my straw heap and wondered what Link and Impa were up to. I knew Link was probably somewhere lost inside this huge place facing the challenges that Ganon had set up for him, it would probably take him days maybe even weeks to pass them.

I worked my mind around in a frenzy trying to decide what to do. Staying here just wasn't an option. I refused to be Ganon's leverage. I took up one of the small smoke bombs and rotated it in my fingers for a few seconds before deciding to carry out the plan that I had been rolling over in my mind. I crept into the corner of the room right beside the door. I readied the bomb in one hand my knife in the other. I began to groan and wail and do anything I could to indicate that I was injured. Ganon might not like me, but he knew that I was too valuable to waste. So the guards would come, and then I would spring. Sure enough within a few seconds, I heard the thumping footsteps of a moblin. He banged on the door and told me to keep it quiet but when I continued he muttered some obscenity under his breath, and I could hear him struggle with his key ring. He put the key in the doorknob turned it and took one step in.

I threw the bomb to the ground as hard as I could and flung myself onto the creature's back. He flailed for a moment in surprise and I took the opportunity to stab the knife into his throat. He screamed and collapsed to the ground. The smoke had begun to spread through the room, and I could hear more and more guards coming my way. I could hear the creaking of the staflos' armor as they moved. I knew that they would be harder to kill and evade. The only way to kill a staflos is to sever its head from its neck. I bent my knees and loped out of the place as fast as I could. I didn't even bother to take any of them out. Ganon's guards were incredibly strong and ruthless, but they were also incredibly dumb. I had little trouble working my way around them.

I ran back up the stairs from where I had come and pushed the doors open. I peeked around one cautiously and saw that the place was lined with redeads. I suppressed a shudder and darted through to exit out of a side door that I had seen jutting open. I flew down the narrow little passageway and didn't even bother to check my surroundings. I turned a corner at lightning speed and pushed open the nearest door I found. I knew this wasn't the smartest strategy, but it was the only one I could think of at the time. All of my instincts were telling me to get out of here as fast as possible. I skidded to a stop when I heard the familiar gurgling of disgusting like likes and the sucking breaths of fire-breathing dodongos. I back tracked and returned to the original little passageway. I followed its twists and turns until it felt like my lungs would burst and my legs would fall off. I bowed my head and pushed myself further. A keese flew down from its perch on the ceiling, and I sliced it open without a second thought.

The little passageway finally ended in a flight of stairs and I was faced with the decision of either climbing those stairs or returning to the hallway where the like likes and the dodongos were. I thought that at least if it led up it might lead out to a balcony, and I could scope out a way to escape. I leaped up the steps listening to the ever present thumping of feet that seemed to be chasing me. Now the whole castle was in attack mode. I saw the door at the landing of the stairs and shoved it open. I looked both ways and decided to go left.

My breathing became ragged as I struggled to draw air into my failing and weak body. The rush from my fear was starting to wear off, and I paused for a moment to catch my breath. I pressed myself against the wall and slid down it to place my head between my knees. I could feel a wave of nausea roll over me, and I swallowed quickly to keep from vomiting. Once that had passed, I got back on my feet and resumed running. I made so many twists and turns I couldn't keep track of them all.

All I know is that one second I was running headlong to a door that I was sure would lead me out of the castle and then I smacked into a wall of armor plated flesh. The impact stunned me and knocked me back a little ways. Out of instinct, I hefted the knife in my hand prepared to fight it, thinking it might be an iron knuckle. The first thing my eyes encountered was a thick chest and stomach covered in steel armor the color of ebony. I then looked up and up and met the face of my most hated enemy. Ganon stood before me, and I stood there for a moment in sheer shock and amazement.

His skin was a dark olive color and his hair a flaming red. He had let it grow out and now it went past his shoulders. He wore his typical headdress with the bright yellow topaz hanging just between his eyebrows and his bitter copper eyes studied me incredulously for a moment. I felt just like how a rabbit must feel when it knows the wolf's jaws are about to snap its neck.

Well, please read, review, and enjoy. I hope you guys liked it. I've never really done a story that focuses on Zelda. So tell me what you think of her.