Change of fate : A The Legend of Zelda Story

Chapter 7 : What time does to us

He let go one hand, then the second one. He lifted his right foot and tried to make a step. He did the same with his other foot. One step at a time, he regained slowly his motricity. After a while practicing in the abbey, he could slowly walk without problem. In the meantime, he admired the silent beauty of the ruins in which he slept for so long.

Then, it hit him... What was happening? His last memories were of being pursued and fearing incoming death. This dilemma was one he couldn't figure out by himself alone, so he decided to ask questions about it later with others. He left the abbey and travelled through the forest.

While he was walking, the trees seemed less large than in his memories. Most of the snow once present melted, which seemed odd, because being near the Snowy Mountains, it was always there. Finally, after fifteen minutes, he made it out. However, nothing could've prepared Luminex for what he saw.

The sky was silver-gray with no sun piercing through. The grass seemed bland and the dirt colorless. Only the oppressing wind could be heard, no travellers or animals could be seen. He looked around, hoping to see another soul wandering, yet no one was there. Such desolation saddened Luminex.

He decided to go south, to the east's town. It was the closest place he could go. He stretched what was left of his tunic, which got stiff from not moving for so long. He started to wonder what happened in the kingdom to be in such a state. Obviously, things don't change in the snap of a finger, there was always reasons to the why and the how.

When he finally arrived, the iron gate was removed from the entrance. Instead, a barricade was placed, with two guards standing behind it. One of them alarmed the other as Luminex approached.

Guard 1 : Halt! Who are you and what are your intentions, trespasser?

Luminex : I... want somethin' to drink... My name's... *cough, cough* It pains me to speak...

The two guards looked at each other, shrugged and opened a small trapdoor in the barricade.

Guard 2 : Here, enter quickly. We can't risk monsters to come in.

Luminex ducked and entered through the opening. Once inside the walls, he noticed the shameful state in which the town was. Half of the woodhouses were in a pitiful shape while the others were mostly taken apart. Some of them had no privacy, since most of the walls were taken down to fuel the chimney inside the house.

Like each town, a fountain was placed at the center of it. When Luminex got closer however, he had a bad surprise. The water was dirty and he knew that for hygiene reasons, he wouldn't be able to clear his throat with it. That's when he heard shouting next to him.

He turned around and saw two farmers holding pitchforks facing three soldiers wearing light-blue armor. New Militia's soldiers.

Farmer 1 : What do you mean? Another tax increase?!

Farmer 2 : We're already half dead both on our health and financially, and now we have to get back at it?! And all that for what, just so the king can get richer and us a whack?!

Soldier 1 : Calm down, sir. We execute orders, that's all.

The second farmer took a bag out of his pocket and held it in front of the soldiers.

Farmer 2 : I've spared money as much as I could for six week in order to get this bag of nuts, but y'know what? I'm not gonna give it!-

He got interrupted by one of the soldiers punching him in the nose and grabbing the bag.

Soldier 2 : Serves you right, peasant!

Farmer 1 : Hey, you alright?

Farmer 2 : No...