Part VI

Onox's guards led Link down multiple flights of spiral stairs, and the farther down they went, the colder it grew. Before they pulled him away, Onox had told them to take him down to the dungeons of the Old Castle. Nobody had been taken down there in at least two hundred years, and he wasn't even sure if they were cleared out.

Near the bottom, several of the ceiling blocks had crashed onto the steps below, cracking the foundation severely. The guards pushed Link over them and down into the dungeon. Several of the cell doors were hanging open on rusted hinges while others were completely broken off. Rats skittered across the floor before them, and Link made a small groan. The guard shoved him in the last cell and slammed the door shut.

"Enjoy your stay."

Link slammed his boot into the side of the cell door angrily as they walked away, laughing. The last beam of light disappeared as the guards shut the door at the top of the staircase, leaving him in total darkness.

"Zelda!" he screamed into the cold, empty room.

The only response was the lonely echo of his cry.

Impah sat in Zelda's study, her fingers tapping on the arm of the chair. She had been sitting there for almost an hour, waiting for Zelda to meet with her. It was unlike the Princess to keep her waiting. Impah brushed it off; Zelda had had a rough past few days.

Finally, the door swung open. Zelda sauntered in with Onox at her tail, following her like a pet dog. Impah looked at the pair in surprise; she knew Zelda had never trusted Onox, and that he had always gone behind her back. Now, he looked at her like Darling looked at Honey.

Impah regained composure and stood at attention.

"Princess, I've been waiting-" she began, but Zelda quickly put up her hand to stop her.

"Princesses are meant to be waited on," she said, not even glancing over at Impah, "I wouldn't complain if I were you."

Impah's jaw dropped as Zelda spoke. She had never once taken a tone with her. After choosing her words carefully, Impah said, "I was not complaining, Princess, only observing."

"Well, Impah, observe the fact that I'm much too busy to speak with you at the moment. I need to see to other matters."

"What about Link?" she asked.

Zelda's head quickly jerked up, and the cold, golden eyes that now replaced her soft sapphire ones glared down at her.

"He's rotting away underneath the castle, where he belongs."

She turned on her heel and walked briskly out the door, Onox on her heels the whole time.

Impah shuddered. That was not the Princess she had once known. Something was terribly wrong.

"Zelda," Link croaked out.

He had shouted for hours, trying to get someone's attention, but nobody had come to his rescue. Finally, his throat cracked and swollen, he fell heavily to the ground. There was no way he'd be able to get out of this mess.

A small beam of light fell from the stairwell as the door creaked open slowly. He heard light footsteps coming down the stairs and watched as a familiar silhouette blocked the light.

"Hello, Link," Zelda said, her voice piercing the stalking silence of the dungeon.

"Zelda, thank the Goddesses you're here," he said, relief filling his voice, "I thought I was going to end up dying down here."

"That's because you will."

She continued to walk towards him, her gait slow and terrifying. The smile that had been forming across Link's face quickly fell.

"What do you mean?" he asked, "I've done nothing wrong."

"So you say. But I know the truth. You just wanted my kingdom to yourself," she said, stopping to stand in the shadows directly in front of his cell.

Incredulous, Link grasped the bars around his face.

"I've done nothing but protect your kingdom," he sputtered.

"So you could take it over for yourself."

"Zelda, you know that's not true. You're my only family, I could never do that to you," he said, choking back tears. "Whoever is telling you that I'm trying to overthrow you, they're lying. Please, you have to believe me."

"Oh I do," Zelda whispered, leaning forward into the beam of light from the stairwell. "But they never will."

Link gasped as he saw that Zelda's eyes were no longer blue, but rather gold.

"No," he breathed, leaning closer to the bars.

A smile spread across Zelda's lips and she scoffed.

"Try not to die too quickly," she laughed, and stepped away. She began her ascent back up the stairwell as Link started screaming.

"Zelda! I know you're in there! You need to overpower her! Zelda!" he screamed, but the last echoed throughout the dungeon, as the door slammed shut behind her.

Link.

"Great," Link said to himself, "the voices are starting already."

He was sitting up against the wall, staring into the nothingness of the dark.

Link.

"What?" he asked, irritated.

It's me.

He started up, looking around. "Me who? Where are you?"

In your head.

"No kidding."

Link, you need to get your head on straight. I need you.

"Why? Haven't you heard I'm Hyrule's biggest traitor?"

A moment of silence filled the room.

Something's terribly wrong.

"You can say that again. I'm talking to the voices in my head."

Link, pay attention. What did you find out in Termina?

"Why does it even matter?"

Stop being difficult. Just go through your visit to Termina.

"Well, I drank with Sakon. I talked with Madame Aroma, and I stopped in on Koume and Kotake."

Koume and Kotake? Why them?

"Because I wanted to find out why the Mayor's eyes changed colors."

And?

"I guess he was possessed."

Silence again filled his head, and he wondered if the voices had finally disappeared.

Link, listen to me. It is imperative that you not mention this conversation with anybody. Do you understand me? Don't tell anybody.

"Oh don't worry. I'm almost positive they'll think I'm crazy…which I'm pretty sure I am."

Silence filled the room once again, and the voices didn't return. Link was once again alone.