Rise of the Goddess

Chapter Seven - Zariah

Zariah felt her heart twist painfully, "That's even worse," she paused, both of them stood in silence with the fires behind them, "I'm gonna ride. I'm gonna find the nearest stable or village and spread the word. I know I can't stop the fires, I just pray that word reaches someone who can," she mounted Sappho, "Please, don't follow me,"

With that she rode away, riding as fast as she could, watching as the fires rose into the skies and the sun began its descent. She rode as far as she could, reached as many villages as she could, and by nightfall she returned to the woodland stable to see determined men and women with buckets of water, gathered together to put out the fire in the stable, some gathered together to discuss plans to stop the wildfire. She was struck by their resilience, awed by simple people. She did nothing more than watch them, tiny beads among the threads, cursed to always be separated from them. As she watched, she noticed Raeden had moved on. She sighed and felt bitter regret.

She turned Sappho around and rode away, keeping her at a steady trot, she'd been through a lot that day, she'd have to mend to her later. For now, though, they rode for safety, coming to rest at a small ruin on the river.

She woke up chained to a stake. She wore a blood red flowing gown, silver chains bit into her wrists and ankles, wrapped around a wooden spear, her bare feet finding ground on a wooden plank, logs piled high beneath it. Surrounding her pyre was a crowd of thousands of people, all of them dressed completely in red with blank white masks.

She fought against her chains with a snarl on her face.

"Fighting is useless," the voice echoed in her ears as a new figure walked forward from the crowd, different only in the scarf he wore, the leather armor plates, the ragged spikes in his mask, and the black ragged sword in his hand. The voice sounded familiar, like a voice she'd heard millions of times in her life.

"TRAITOR!" She screamed at him.

"You're a fool if you really believe that," the figure said, "My loyalties were never with you, but with Hyrule,"

Her feet began to tickle with warmth, smoke rose and hit her in the face. It caught in her eyes, seeped into her nose and mouth, she coughed, suffocating on the smoke alone.

Then came the flame, licking the flesh of her feet, catching the fabric of her skirt ablaze. She screamed hoarsely, coughing back the smoke that filled her vision.

Slowly the flames ate at her flesh, ripping through her skin and organs, burning her alive. She screamed viscerally. The last thing she heard was applause and laughter.

Her eyes jerked open as she screamed, her limbs squirming in her sleep, her skin still burned.

The scream finally collapsed into a sob as she curled into herself, wrapping her arms around her crawling skin, hot tears dampened her cheeks, her breaths coming out ragged. She clenched her eyes closed.

Behind her she heard a horse neighing and come to a stop, followed by racing footsteps.

Warm hands wrapped around her and she let her eyes flicker open once more into familiar green eyes.

She sobbed further and let him embrace her, leaning her shaking body against his.

"I'm sorry," Raeden murmured, "I shouldn't have— you were right, you know? Somehow you're always doing the right thing, finding the best solution to every problem, you are amazing. I know you've been through some horrible stuff, and I know you've experienced some things I can never imagine, but if anyone can go through all of that and continue to be a great person, a strong woman, and a spectacular ruler, it would be you,"