Chapter 4: Future's Shadow
Kasuto wandered around the brunt buildings, what had happened? "Where am I?" She muttered, "Wasn't I at the shop a minute ago?" she asked herself. Looking around at the remains of what looked like a city, "This looks like Hyrule Castle City"" Kasuto moved through the ruins, scorched walls, blown out windows, boarded up doors, the works. A ravaged city, complete with a dark feeling of despairs which hung over everything like a poison.
Kasuto shook her head, "What happened here?" She couldn't remember where she had been last, or how she had gotten here. All she had were blurred memories of people, places, and things. She couldn't even remember what day it was or how long she had been wandering. Minutes? Hours? Days? Years? Time was just blurring together.
Finally, she heard sounds of life. Some people approached, she couldn't tell if they were Hylians or Sheikah in the dim, strangely red tinted, light. But they were moving in a tight group, as if on patrol.
"Hey!" She called out, "I'm a little lost, can you guys help me out?" Running over to the group, she realized that they were Hylian, their blue eyes standing out now for some reason. What was strange about them is that they were armed, not with the powerful looking armor and weapons of the Hylian Army, but cheap swords with rusty armor.
They eyed Kasuto in a way that made her nervous, giving her glares of anger that seemed to consume them, reducing them to nothing more then hateful faces.
"Um, is there something wrong?" She asked nervously.
"I'd say something's wrong, wench." One of the Hylians said.
Kasuto glared at the one who said that, "There isn't a need to be rude! I'm just a little lost and need some help."
"Oh, we'll help you alright." Another Hylian said, drawing his sword. "We'll help you go to hell!" All the other men drew their swords as well.
Kasuto stumbled back, "What?" She shouted, "What did I do to you?" She demanded.
"You're a Gerudo, that's enough." The one who had drawn his sword first, apparently the leader, said.
"But," Kasuto thought for a moment, "I'm only thirteen, and unarmed! Would you really kill an unarmed child?" She asked, hoping that some decency existed in these men.
"Yes, thanks for telling us that, now we know this is going to be an easy kill." The leader grinned, but it was more like he was merely baring his teeth.
Kasuto stumbled back, she wanted to run, but something was holding her back. "But, why? Why would you want to kill every Gerudo?"
"Actually, wench, it's every animal race out there. So don't think you're so special." He dashed forward, ready to attack.
Kasuto drew back her arms, ready to cast Soul Lance. It wouldn't hurt him much, his armor would block a lot of the magic, but it would stun him. Hopefully long enough for her to get away.
She never had to do that though, a wave of blue light shot over the men, incasing them in a thin layer of frost. "What the?" Kasuto wondered.
"Come on!" a voice yelled, before someone suddenly grabbed her, before a strange green light incased them. For a moment Kasuto couldn't see anything but that bright green. Then, they were somewhere else, Hyrule Plains.
"Are you alright?" She turned around to the source of the voice, the girl that had saved her nearly jumped in shock. "Kasuto?"
It was Malon; only, she looked a few years older. She was taller, with a more mature body. Her red hair had been cut short, with a boyish hairstyle. She was wearing a small black top, with her stomach exposed, and grey jeans. Her Fire and Ice Rods were strapped to her side like swords. Her face had hardened, with eyes that no longer shone with impish delight that Kasuto remembered. Instead there was a tired look.
"Um"hi Malon." Kasuto smiled weakly, suddenly Malon grabbed Kasuto and hugged her so tightly that she was sure that something had cracked.
"Oh Kasuto! We thought you were dead!" Malon cried, releasing Kasuto from her death grip. "It's about damn time that something good happened." She said seriously.
Kasuto regained her breath, "Wait, what do you mean you thought I was dead?" She asked.
Malon sighed, "Well, it's just that you vanished shortly after Zelda died, and no sign of you was ever found. We assumed-"
"Wait a minute!" Kasuto interpreted, "What do you mean by Zelda died!" A dark feeling was forming in her soul"
"Kasuto"" Malon looked at the Gerudo with sadness clearly shown on her face. "Zelda, she died three years ago."
"What!" Kasuto screamed, "That's not possible! Just not fucking possible!" She shouted in Malon's face. "I remember seeing her! However, I don't remember this!" She waved her hand around, showing the scorched field, with dead things scattered around it. "This can't be true"" Kasuto said, her voice becoming quieter.
"I'm sorry, believe me, If there was some way to stop this from happening, I would do it." Malon comforted Kasuto, who was now starting to sob.
"It can't be true." She cried, "It can't be""
"Kasuto"" Malon sighed, "It's painful, I know. It's always painful when loved ones are gone""
"I"I never even"" Kasuto broke down into more sobs.
"Please Kasuto, would she want you acting like this?" Malon smiled weakly.
"No"" Kasuto said, the cries slowing down.
"She wouldn't." Malon helped Kasuto up, "Mourn for lost loved ones, but stay strong, for their sake."
Kasuto wiped away her tears, "Alright, but can you please tell me what's going on?" She asked, still trying to hold back her emotions.
"Alright," Malon looked up at the sky, which like the rest of the world, had a strange red tint to it. "It all started three years ago. On Truen Day." Truen Day, the anniversary of the signing the end of the War of Unification, the day when the Hyrulean Confederacy was founded. "All the races leaders gathered, like every year, to talk and enjoy themselves." Malon's face became haunted, "They were all killed that day, an assassin struck, so many people died that day"" She looked off into the distance, where Castle City, or what was left of it, stood. "Chaos erupted, by the time Spring had come, the whole country was in Civil War." Malon laughed bitterly. "The whole damn country killing itself. Not what I expected the future to hold."
Kasuto turned away, staring at the countryside, devastated by three years of war. "I don't believe it." She said, feeling strangely dead. "I remember, like it was yesterday, everything being, well, not perfect, but still pretty good." She walked over to Malon; a few tears flowed down her cheeks. "I wish I knew what was going on." She whispered, as Malon wrapped her arms around Kasuto. "I never even got to say goodbye to her." She said, "Never got to tell""
"I understand"" Malon said softly, "I know."
Kasuto cried louder, by now she was wailing and screaming. Her whole world had collapsed; just when it had been the happiest it had been in a long time.
The next thing Kasuto knew, she was laying on a bed, in a strange room. "Where am I now?" She asked, the last thing she remembered was crying, with Malon trying to comfort her. "How'd I get here?" she muttered.A knock was heard, someone was at the door.
"Um, come in." Kasuto said, maybe whoever was coming would explain where she was.
"Hello?" a green haired girl peered into the room. "I see you're awake." She walked in, she was familiar to Kasuto, having seen her from somewhere.
"My name is Saria." The girl smiled weakly, "We met once, I think." Her eyes, like Malon, held a tired gaze.
"Oh, I remember now." Kasuto said, "I really don't remember what you look like though, heck, my whole memory is hazy." Kasuto looked at the girl, "Can you tell me how I got here?"
"Oh, Malon brought you here, you were asleep. We all thought you were unconscious, you're a heavy sleeper, you know that?" Saria smiled, though her eyes still remained the same.
So I cried myself to sleep. Kasuto thought, "I see." She sighed, "I take it the world has still currently in hell?"
Saria laughed, "You guessed it." She sat down next to Kasuto. "This is the Village of Sentuarn. It's a place where those who are tired of the fighting can come to rest." Saria sighed, "This is Malon's home."
"Tired of the fighting?" Kasuto asked.
"Anyone who's sick of this damn war." Saria growled, "They come here for a place to stay, where there is peace."
"What about everyone else?" Kasuto said, "Wouldn't they not like their people fleeing here?"
Saria shrugged, "Most of the sides don't care." Her face quickly shone with anger, "Well, the ORW cares." She spat.
"ORW?" Kasuto wondered, "What in the name of the Three Goddesses is that?"
"The One Right Way." Saria said with a sneer. "A group of Hylians that decided that they are better then everyone else simply because they're Hylians." Saria sighed, "The Followers, as the members of the OWR like to be called, are constantly attacking the village."
Kasuto watched all this with some amount of surprise, this was horrible! "Why would they think that?" She asked.
"I don't know." Saria said, "Though, recently, they've changed from ‘We're going to rule over all you other races' to ‘We're going to kill all you other races.' It's been even worse since then." Saria stood up, "I need to go now, you can go whenever you want." The green haired girl turned and left the room. A permanent air of sorrow around her.
Kasuto sighed, this was all wrong. "I hate this place." She said. She pulled herself out of the bed Kasuto wasn't going to lie there like an invalid, she moved out of the room, and downstairs.
It was a nice house, though it had fallen into slight disrepair. People of all races were moving back and forth through it. Kasuto could see Malon talking to a verity of people. Saria could be seen weaving through the crowd.
Kasuto moved through the mass of people, she just wanted to go outside. Waving halfheartedly to Malon. Leaving the house, Kasuto looked around. The village looked pretty new, with small houses being built all around. Kasuto could see barns and stables in the distance as well. The whole area appeared weary, everyone was just tired of life, it seemed.
Some burned buildings could be seen near the edge, with people working on repairing them.
"Is this all a dream?" She asked, "Is it real? Am I insane?" Kasuto looked at all the people, who had gone through horrible things. "Will I remember this? Or will I go to sleep and forget everything that happened?" Kasuto saw two injured Zoras, standing in front of a well, so they can keep their skin from drying out and harming them. "What is truth? What is happiness? Why should you even try to keep order and peace, when one event can so easily shatter it?" Kasuto said, her voice getting louder as she spoke. "Why do people have to be so stupid!" She screamed in pure rage, an orange glow swirled around her, mixed with pink. "Why do people have to fight and kill and hate and destroy!" Mana was building up around her, she never even noticed. Her anger at the world merely grew. "Why do they have to take those who are loved, those who never deserved death!" A terrible power coursed through Kasuto's body, a small part of her noticed it, and was horrified, but the rest of her paid no heed. Accepting the deadly force that was building up within her soul. "Soulless Dea-" she began, before a piercing light shot her down. The Mana she had built up left her as quickly as it had came.
The flat side of a sword, charged with Light Magic, slamming into Kasuto's back. The force of the blow knocked her into the ground, while the Light Magic canceled her spell.
"I've seen more then one person killing themselves with their own power going out of control." A young man said, one which Kasuto also recognized. Link.
Kasuto pulled herself up, her whole body aching. She stared at Link, he had changed like everyone else she knew. He, like everyone else, was tired.
"Shut up." Kasuto snarled, "I'll do what I damn well feel like."
"I'm not letting you kill yourself." Link said calmly. "You're a friend of Red's. I'm sure that she wouldn't like seeing you destroy yourself with your own hatred."
"What gives you the right to tell me what to do, it isn't worth it! I have no reason to live anymore!" Kasuto shouted in Link's face."Give me a reason for me to still live on this earth." She hissed.
"You're alive, that's all I can give you." Linksimply said.He gave her a glare that frightened Kasuto like nothing else. "If you still want to kill yourself, do it where I can't see you. Just remember, the Goddesses do not take suicide lightly." He turned and left, leaving an emotionally drained Kasuto.
What's wrong with me? She thought, her anger had taken over her again. Has this happened before? She stumbled forward, faint memories of losing her temper in the Market, Sheik yelling at her. No tears flowed; she was too drained for tears. "I"I love you"" she whispered, falling down to her knees. "I'm sorry"" Kasuto finally stopped speaking.
There was no need for any more words.
Three hours passed.Kasuto had sat there, nothing affecting her. Just leaning against a wall, staring out into space. Watching the daily comings and goings of the people. Nobody paid her much attention; they had probably seen people who acted like her before.
"A Rupee for your thoughts?" Malon came up to her.
"Hello." Kasuto said dully. "Glad to see you're here, to bother me I assume?"
"Link said you might still be in a bad mood." Malon said, "I take it he was right."
"Sorry for being angry, but my world's been shattered." Kasuto snapped.
"I understand." Malon said, sitting down next to her. "It hurts, but things will get better."
"But then what?" Kasuto said, "Eventually people will just start it again. War and hatred. It can't be stopped. All we can do is delay it, but it will come back." Kasuto sighed, "What can we do?"
"Delay it, if that's all we can do, we'll do that." Malon answered, "We do what's right, we never give up." The shine returned to Malon's eyes. "Remember that." She said. Before standing up, "I have work to do, you're welcome to spend the night at my home until we get you your own." Malon left, with a slight smile on her face.
"Is she"right?" Kasuto asked.
An answer didn't come, instead, warning bells rang. People began running around, a group of people could be seen marching towards the village.
"What the?" She said, before seeing Link, Saria, and Malon running by. Without giving a second thought, she followed them.
It was an army, like the small group of Hylians she had run into in Castle City, they were poorly armed, but that didn't matter in a village with no defense. There was one man who actually looked like a real solider. A Hylian in his forties, with strong looking armor and a fine sword strapped onto his side. The man was in rather good shape, about five feet tall. He had brown hair with streaks of grey lining it. Her pale eyes looked on with contempt at the village, his eyes finally lowering on Link, Saria and Malon. Kasuto stood a short distance behind them, watching with a little bit of horror.
"So," he sneered, "I had heard rumors that this village of animals and traitors was led by children. But I can't believe their true."
Link snarled, Well, I've heard rumors that the One Right Way is lead by a senile old man. I'm not surprised that they're true." He countered.
The man growled, "You're quite the little brat." He snapped. "I hope the girls are more reasonable then you." He snapped.
Saria and Malon raised their middle fingers.
"I think that answers your question, old man." Link said. "Now get out of our village."
Kasuto looked up on the man, with no small amount of hatred, something about this man she just despised He somehow made her a bomb, with the fuse begging to be lit.
"I don't think I will, brat." The man said. "You see, this whole village is filled with animals and traitors."
Kasuto growled, "I'd say you're the animal!" she shouted. Instantly all eyes turned to her.
"What did you just say?" The man said.
Link grinned, "I think she said that you're an animal." He laughed "Though you're hearing isn't that good is it?"
Kasuto could feel so many eyes turn to her, some looking on her with horror, some with hatred, and others with admiration.
"You"little"" The man stammered, his face turning red. "Get her, but keep her alive, I want the pleasure of killing that whore myself." He pointed to Kasuto.
Two soldiers, a brute of a man and a cruel looking woman moved forward, they didn't even get close to Kasuto. Link moved, there was a flash of steel, and they both fell over, dead. "I don't think that's going to happen." Link said calmly as he wiped the blood from his sword. "Anyone else want to die today? Just take another step foreword still armed."
Many of the solders, being little more then poorly trained vigilantes, looked frightened by Link's display of skill. The man however, merely growled. "So, the child has some skill with a sword." He snapped.
"Yes," Link said, "I do. Now will you let us be?" He said.
"I think not." The man said, hatred filling his voice. "I am going to exterminate every traitor and animal that plagues this world. That has been my goal for a long time, even back to the founding of the One Right Way." He smiled nastily.
Kasuto's eye's widened, "You!" She shouted, a terrible thought entering her head. "You and your little group"they killed Zelda! Didn't you!" She shouted, a horrible feeling rising from her heart.
The man smiled a horrible smile. "Well, you figured it out, whore. I did purge the world of the worthless traitors that called themselves the leaders of us." He smiled, "I wouldn't call it killing though, which implies that they were worth anything while alive." He laughed cruelly.
Kasuto felt the rage building up within her again. Nothing she had felt before could compare,"Die!" She shrieked, magic swirling around her, she charged at the man, ready to vaporize him.
However, Kasuto forgot one thing. Despite the poor state of the man's "army," he still had one. Seeing their leader threatened, some archers fired. Within a minute, Kasuto stumbled to the ground, ten arrows in her.
"Kasuto!" Malon shrieked, "Saria, go help her!"
Everything was fading, she was dieing, it seemed. Well, can't say I expected to go like this. It was strange, everyone said Thente's touch was cold, but Kasuto only felt a comfortable warm feeling. "Well," she choked out, coughing and hacking as she tried to breathe, "Goodbye Malon, sorry about this, I really didn't want to die. I'll say hi to Zel for you." Kasuto closed her eyes, letting everything go"
Comfort.That was the only way to describe what Kasuto felt, like a mothers embrace, only more loving.
"Is this the afterlife?" she spoke, without really speaking.
-No, my Child's Child.-
"Hey, whose there?" Kasuto would have looked around, but she couldn't see anything, so it was a moot point.
-I bore the earth, crafting it with my own hands. I created the life beyond with my sister, filling it with Shadows. I raised the Moon, letting it rule the night. From me comes fire, and passion. I am your Mother's Mother, and I have come to release you from your first vision.-
"Vision?" Kasuto was still confused;"I don't recognize any of what you said."
I have clouded your mind and memory; you will not remember what I have told you until you are ready. Only what you learned in the Future's Shadow will stay with you.-
"Wait, what? What does that mean?" Kasuto asked, "Tell me! Please!"
-All in due time, Child of my Child.- The soothing voice said, and with it, a pure and wonderful light appeared. â€"One day, you will remember all.-
And Kasuto woke up.
She opened her eyes, sitting up quickly. Her whole body was covered with sweat, she quickly looked around, she was back in her room, in the Happy Mask Shop. "What happened?" Kasuto looked around; she remembered a strange dream"yet something about it."Oh, by Din, Nayru and Farore." She whispered. "That's what they're after."
She got out of bed, "I need to tell Zelda!"
Zelda eat her breakfast in silence. Her father was, as usual, busy this time of day. By now it had become so routine that she just accepted it.Suddenly, a Guard spoke up. "Presenting, Lord Andire Alexander Hyrule." He announced, as is the tradition when members of the Royal Family enter the dining area.
A Hylian in his forties entered the room, he was in rather good shape, about five feet tall. His brown hair had some silver streaks in it though, he looked around the room with a neutral look.
Zelda smiled, "Uncle Andire!" She said cheerfully, standing up and running over to him. "It's wonderful to see you again!" she said happily, hugging her uncle.
"Yes"" Andire said, smiling coolly, "It is nice to be here"
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