The Legend of Terra: Chapter 30

The Legend of Terra

Chapter 30: Ruin

Terra pulled at Alec with all her strength further into the grand hall of Hyrule Castle. Tears ran down her face, everyone she knew was gone. Almost unable to keep herself standing she pulled forcefully at Alec's body, trying to get him to any sort of safety. All around her was destruction. The once proud grand hall was in ruin. Stones had fallen from the ceiling as rooms caved in and fell. Pieces of furniture and decoration now littered the hall along with the grey debris. Tapestries, once vibrant and colorful were now torn and burnt, their masses swaying in the smoky wind that now traveled through the room. Terra did her best to pull Alec's body through the rubble. The Knight Captain could no longer stand on his own, his life force quickly fleeting from his body.

"C-C-Come on, Alec!" Terra pleaded in vain. It was growing increasingly difficult to haul the armored boy due to her own wounds. "We n-n-need to get o-out of here!" Her words were broken, only coming through in between her sobs.

Alec gasped for air, coughing up blood in an attempt to speak. After long moments of struggling the boy could finally manage words. "Terra!" He groaned in agony. "T-T-Terra…Stop!"

Coming to a halt, Terra hoisted Alec up onto his knees. The Knight immediately slouched over, unstable to remain straight in posture. The Princess knelt down in front of the Knight Captain, her eyes once again filling with tears of sorrow. For just a moment she looked onward at the once proud knight, now just a pitiful shell of what he had once been. Reaching her slender hands to each side of his helmet, Terra pulled it off and set it down off to the side. Terra's heart sank; the one she knew as Alec barely remained. Alec's eyes were almost closed and his face was colorless. He couldn't even manage to look at Terra's face. From one side of his mouth flowed a stream of crimson blood. Eye lids hanging low the young man spoke in a stuttered fashion. "Terra…" He said, straining to form each word. "…get out of here. Leave me here."

"No…No…" Terra began in a frantic response. "…I won't leave you here." She brought her hands up to Alec. Tilting the boy's head back, she looked into his eyes once more. "I'm not going to let you stay here for me."

Alec managed a very faint smirk. "I'm just going to slow you down." He eyes slowly moved down to Terra's left hand. "Take those…" He said sluggishly and painfully, mentioning the two pieces of the Triforce from her parents. "…Get those…out of…here."

"Not without you!" Terra replied again, tugging Alec's attention back to her. She shook the young man once, attempting to keep him conscious. "I'm not going to leave you!" The Princess could barely even manage words, emotions had become too much for her.

Silence slowly fell upon the castle. The furious fighting outside had stopped and now only the devilish sounds of the burning fires could be heard. A chill went up Terra's spine, she knew that the last of the Hylian defenders were gone. Alec and she were all that remained. Taking in a deep breath Terra winced at the thought of leaving Alec behind. "Alec…" She began, only to be cut off.

"No…" Alec grunted, coughing up a mouthful of blood. "…You're leaving. I'll occupy him while you escape out the back."

Terra shook her head violently from side to side in denial. Tears flew off her face in every direction. "W-W-W-Where will I go?"

"Anywhere but here." The Knight's head began to hang a bit lower with his fading strength. "If you don't continue on…Everything we've fought for will have been for nothing. Everything the sages fought for, everything the soldiers and common people fought for…" He paused for a moment letting out a long strained breath. "…Everything I've fought for…It will all be for nothing."

Terra kept on sobbing. She pressed her forehead against Alec's. "There has to be another way."

The Knight managed another smirk, fainter than the first. "There is no other way." Alec attempted to look Terra in the eyes. "I'm sorry…I can't come…with you."

Tilting her head up she met his gaze, unable to speak over her crying.

"But it's ok now…" Alec whispered softly. "…I don't feel anything anymore. It won't hurt." His body shuddered once, about ready to give in.

Sobbing, Alec's words did little to reassure the Hylian Princess.

"Now get out of here, Terra."  He mumbled. "I'll always love you. Don't ever forget that."

"Alec, I…" Terra began to say until something caught her eye in the rubble that was scattered about the great hall. Nearly hidden under a pile of debris was on familiar object. Peeking out from under a slab of stone was a demonic white eye. As soon as he gaze met the eye the same disembodied voices she had heard months ago in the Fall returned to her head. Only the voices were louder this time, like a chorus of temptation. Terra's eyes lit up and her head looked upwards. Just above her was where her parent's room should've been. The room caved into the main hall of the castle. The Fierce Deity's Mask must have fallen as well. Surprisingly, the mask wasn't crushed beneath the stones that lay above it. It seemed to be unbreakable.

Alec let out a long pained breath. "Terra, what are you waiting for? Get out of here!"

"Alec…Just stay here…" She replied softly. Within Terra's head she began to draw a plan. She vividly remembers the stories her father had told her about that mask and how horrifyingly powerful it was. The young woman thought that maybe she could harness that power and save Alec at the same time. Pushing herself away from the boy the girl made her way toward the mask. As she drew near she began to pick out more and more of the details, the tribal tattoos and the silver white hair. Terra could only hope that the mask was enough to fight the darkness of Majora and Ganon combined. Reaching out with her left hand Terra could feel the burn of the golden triangles as they came closer to the demonic device. It was as if her hand was engulfed in fire, the skin began to darken as two dark triangle shaped burns seared into her skin. Her hand gripped the mask, and in one swift motion she yanked it out from beneath the rubble.

Holding the mask in her hand Terra looked into its eyes. Glaring back the mask seemed to stare at the girl with a soul of its own. The chorus that filled Terra's head was nearly unbearable. Her head began to feel light; the combination of two pieces of the Triforce as well as the mask sent emotional waves of power, both light and dark, through her body. Stumbling back Terra knelt down in front of Alec again and cautiously held the mask in both hands. She examined Alec closely. He wouldn't last long without aid, his eyes were now closed and his breathing became shallower. "Alec please…" Terra sobbed. The Princess slowly began to bring the mask up to the boy's face before she froze. Her father's words flowed back to her about the mask's horrifying power. She wasn't sure if she put it on, that Alec would be able to handle such a thing. It might destroy the boy rather than save him.

Alec coughed up another mouthful of blood and spit. "Just get out of here!" He groaned slowly and quietly. His body began to slump over.

Terra's hand trembled at the thought of Alec as some sort of monster. The burn marks on her hand became darker, almost black in color. Although the pain was gone, she still could feel the sensation of fire on her fingertips. There was suddenly a massive slam against the wooden door of the Great Hall. The time for action was now. Still shivering, Terra pushed the mask forward toward Alec's face.

"W-W-What are you doing Terra?" Alec mumbled nervously.

"Alec…" Terra whispered just before she placed the mask on the boy's face as a feeling of regret and sorrow took over her. "…I'm so sorry."

The mask pressed up against Alec's face with a hiss. Slowly, the device seemed to conform against his facial structure, twisting and molding itself to each little detail. Alec let out a low groan of agony; clearly such an event wasn't pleasant. Terra took a step back and watched. The Knight's muffled voice couldn't be heard. When the mask slowly began to fade from existence, Terra's heart sank. The device began to vanish into thin air, still attached to the boy's face, but becoming ghostly, then nothing. Vanishing, the mask was gone, disappearing right off of Alec's face.

Alec let out one final huff of air, before closing his eyes. Slumping down, the Knight no longer responded to Terra's pleas.

"A-A-Alec?" Terra whimpered, grabbing the Knight by the shoulders and giving him a small shake. She was wrong; the mask didn't work on the boy. "Alec…Please…Say something!"

There was no response. The Knight only breathed shallowly and twitched in pain, unable to respond.

Leaning back away from the boy Terra began to sob harder. Giving no response back, she knew Alec was gone. Thoughts ran through her mind about what was her next move. There was another slam against the great wooden door. Terra was running thin on time. Almost unable to get to her feet Terra pulled her gaze away from Alec. She felt numb. She hadn't lost someone like this before. Continuously she watched Alec twitch and shiver; he wasn't dead, but close. Moving away she tore her gaze away from the boy and to the end of the great hall, where hopefully an exit would be open. Stepping through the rubble she made her way towards the two thrones that sat motionless in the room.

Terra stopped. Her feet froze as she reached the front of the area where the throne stood. Turning her head she looked at Alec, nearly dead in the center of the room. The memories of her nightmare began to return to her. Another slam on the door only deepened her trance. The great hall of Hyrule castle was in ruin. Blocks of stone had fallen from the ceiling, falling from rooms above. Bits and pieces of wood and furniture were scattered inside the rubble. Terra inched backward, heart pounding against her chest. She was alone now, no longer anyone to take care of her or save her. Now she knew how helpless she really was. Backing against the queen's throne, the girl sat. There was no use in running. This was the end.

Her eyes wandered to the torn and burnt tapestries that adorned the walls. Blacked and burnt, the once colorful decorated were a testament what once was. They swayed almost lifelessly in the smoky wind. Terra looked out of the holes in the stone walls. Just like in her nightmare there was an orange red haze from the fires that engulfed the castle town inferno. There was another loud slam against the great wooden door. Jerking back, Terra looked toward the door. She knew what came next.

Finally, the door burst open. Snapping of their hinges each door segment of the flung itself into the room. Each piece barely missed Alec who shivered helplessly on the floor. The loud snap from the event made Terra cringe. Her hands tightened against the throne where her mother used to sit. The two pieces of the Triforce she held began to burn again. Smoke began to roll into the room, entering in from the outside like a forbearer of doom. Once again, Terra remembered these events vividly from her nightmare.

Slowly, the beast entered the room. The combination of Majora and Ganon stepped ominously into the once great hall of Hyrule Castle. In its hand it held the massive blood soaked blades. The large glowing fire-like orange eyes burnt into Terra's head. With horns ornate around its face, and flesh-like dreadlocks that dragged along the floor from behind its head, it left a trail of thick crimson blood behind them. It was only now, at the end, that the sinister dreams message became clear.
Taking only a short note of Terra's presence the beast spoke nothing, but only chuckled. The sound vibrated the entire hall. It knew by Terra's stance that she had given up, she wasn't going anywhere now. She simply sat one the throne and waited. Soon its gaze turned to Alec who knelt on the floor in the ruins and stone. Ganon and Majora stepped closer, hands growing tighter around the dual blades it held. Creeping ever so slowly up to the disabled Knight Captain the beast stared downward, taking in the sight like a long awaited meal. It savored the moment, taking its time as it began to raise its blades. Terra wanted to scream out, but she emitted no sound. Only tears showed her emotions. Starting the downward swing the blades traveled to their target, Alec. Cutting through the air with speed nothing Terra could possibly do could stop what was about to happen. The Hylian Princess closed her eyes, unable to watch Alec and his fate.
Echoing about the hall was the loud and distinct sound of metal colliding against metal. Terra's eyes snapped open. She thought it was over. But she was wrong. Wide eyes she watched on as Alec's arm seemingly held an invisible object, an object that had blocked the beast's blades. Astonished she couldn't believe what she saw. Small wisps of light circled around where both object met. Alec's breathing became stronger, his body rising up and down with renewed vigor. Terra didn't understand was she was seeing.

"W-W-What is this?!" Majora and Ganon growled in unison, looking on horrified as somehow the boy had blocked their strike with an object that didn't seem to exist. They too seemed astonished at the Knight's renewed strength. The abomination stepped backward, confused.

Alec's breathing became faster and faster, stronger and stronger. A soft wind picked up in the great hall, seemingly radiating form the boy. His body began to crack and shift, the bones breaking and reassembling at the same moment. Muscles began twitching and convulsing in a horrific inhuman manner. Alec's head tilted upward, and a rage filled face glared at the beast that stood over him. Slowly, the boy's brown eyes began to shift color, shifting to a pale white. Grunting, the Knight stood up, body still seemingly breaking and healing itself during the act.

"What magic is this?!" Majora and Ganon demanded.

"You…" A disembodied voice rang out from Alec's mouth. The voice was that of Alec's yet changed, deeper and it seemed to echo even though it touched no surface. "…You!" He shouted angrily, pointing toward the beast. Stumbling where he stood Alec gritted his teeth and let out an agonized scream. His body seemed to convulse, growing more built with each passing twitch. The wounds that covered his body began to vanish, healed by some untold power. "I'll kill you!" Alec repeated, still sounding in pain. "I'll make you suffer!" The hair on his head began to grow devoid of color. "I'll rip that Triforce of Power straight from your body!" Suddenly the boy dropped onto all fours. Alec breathed deeply, almost unable to cope with the changes.

Terra watched in horror, yet she knew the cause of the event, the mask. But she didn't know the mask would cause such pain. She could only look on as Hyrule's final hope took its ghastly shape.

Reforming, Alec's armor mended itself. It twisted and turned, the holes slowly resealing and becoming complete again. The metal shifted color from the once bright Hylian Blue to black. Designs emerged upon the surface, designs of unknown origin and meaning. Almost out a nightmare itself the armor morphed and changed, conforming to Alec's body while taking on a new horrific design. The once elegant and smooth style turned into something out of an ancient story, the edges sharpening, twisting upward into strange spikes and curves. Alec began to mutter incoherently. His body still twisted itself into something larger. His fingers bent and curled. Looking from gloved hand to gloved hand Alec shook his head. In one swift motion his hand latched onto his Hylian helm that sat off to the side. The moment his hand met the metal the helmet changed, taking a similar color and design to that of the new armor he wore.

"No…No…No!" Majora's voice rang out, separate from Ganon's. "This mask, this mask!"

Alec slammed his helmet upon his head with a metal clang and the world fell silent. The transformation stopped. Alec's howls of pained ended. "You…You're going to regret what you've done." The voice rang out from under the helmet. Gradually, Alec stood up. He was taller now, more built. The armor he wore shined with a faint demonic light. "I'm going to make you suffer." Alec reached out into the air besides him, palm open. Little by little the small specks of light began to form an object, a double helix shaped sword. With one hand the new Alec grasped his blade. Moving his arm he pointed the blade tip toward the abomination that stood in the great hall. "I'm going to cleave that Triforce from your body."