By the time Arall’s hands left the hilt of the Master Sword, most people had turned to look toward the large, open doors of the temple. Past the two dozen or so pews and the large columns that supported the roof. Then the first piercing scream came, and the King rose from his chair and looked over to Rowan.

“Handle this,” he commanded before bringing up his finger and pointing off in the direction of the commotion as if it wasn’t obvious what he was referring to. “ Now.” 

“ Right away, Your Majesty,” Rowan replied before bowing his head and stepping off in a hurry. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword and he began to give orders to the closest guards. Two he left with the King, but the rest he gathered and made for the entrance to investigate. He barked more orders as he went, trying to get confused people to move out of the way. 

In the meantime, the King turned to talk with Impa while Zelda looked up at Liesl with a growing look of concern. “I don’t like this,” she admitted as her lips pursed. 

Liesl didn’t either, but she knelt beside the Princess anyway and did her best to smile, even if it was a little shaky. “Whatever it is, I’m sure Rowan will handle it.” Besides, how bad could it really be? It was probably a scuffle over a place in the line that turned violent. People could be so funny about things like this. It didn’t matter who went first or second, there was only one chosen hero, right? So, getting to the sword before others wouldn’t change the outcome. 

Unfortunately, the situation sounded like it was only getting worse and the people at the entrance started trying to push their way in while Rowan and the guards were trying to make it out. They had to fight against an ever-growing stream of panicked civilians whose fear spread through the crowd inside the temple like wildfire. 

“What is going on…” The King muttered under his breath before both Zelda and Liesl stood for a better view. Some relief came once Rowan and the soldiers disappeared out the door. However, new sounds reached their ears soon after. Specifically, the distinct sound of metal meeting metal, of swords clashing and men fighting. The King shifted his focus to the nearest guard, but before any orders could make it out, the tall glass windows that lined the walls of the temple every few feet shattered in a spray of colorful broken glass. Each one depicted the journey of the last hero to quell the darkness, telling the story if you walked around and peered at them in a specific order. But now they were all broken in a matter of seconds. 

The glass raining down on the assembly swelled the panic and odd, ball-like objects came through next, emitting smoke from the top as they rolled and then came to a stop. The closest guests stopped to look at them but before anyone could investigate, a series of explosions rocked the temple. It was deafening and the light and dust kicked up were enough to obscure everyone’s vision momentarily. Liesl flinched in response, her ears ringing from the loud noise, but she managed to cover Zelda, who had crouched low following the blasts. 

“Princess! Are you alright?” Liesl asked before bringing her head back up.

“I’m okay,” came the shaky response. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for the crowds around each window as multiple, still forms lay sprawled out on the ground. Goddesses, what the fuck was happening? 

“Guards! Get the King and the Princess out of here!” This time it was Impa that started shouting commands but she had to walk up to the closest man and shake him from his stunned expression. 

“Yes ma’am,” he said before reaching out and taking the King by the arm. “Come on, Your Majesty. We’ll take you out the back.” He started dragging the King along, sword drawn and pointing in the direction of a back door that probably led into a staging area with another exit. The second of the two guards did the same to Zelda and Liesl followed behind on her heels because there was no way she was letting her friend out of her sight. Liesl didn’t know what was going on, was confused and developing a nasty headache, but she at least knew that much. 

Impa followed thereafter, her hand on Liesl’s back, pushing her forward while glancing behind them. Liesl cautioned a backward glance and her eyes went wide at what she saw. Men and beasts were jumping in through the now broken windows and yet more shocking was the fact that she recognized them. Because they were the same ones that had attacked her family all those years ago. Well, it was the same kind of horned monster and the outfits of the men (or whatever they were) matched those in her memory. But how? Who? It made no sense, especially once they began to attack the people around them indiscriminately.

Liesl had to avert her eyes from the scene and it felt like her heart was racing so fast she might collapse. They had to leave, had to get out of here before the assailants found them because Liesl doubted very much they were here for random innocents. No, they were surely here for the King or the Princess. Or maybe even kill the wielder of the Master Sword before they had a chance to claim it? A part of Liesl’s mind wondered if they were here for her, to finish the job from when she was little. But no, that was silly. She was a nobody. Motives and speculation could wait though, and Liesl’s jaw clamped shut as she kept moving forward. 

They were almost to the door when it suddenly opened and for a moment, Liesl thought it might be help finally coming to find the royal family. There were probably guards out the back way, right? But instead of the gleaming armor of a soldier of Hyrule, it was the black and red uniform of the attackers. The white mask with the red eye stared back at them for only a moment before a wicked, curved blade came up to point in their direction. 

“There she is, get her!” 

So, they were here for Zelda? Goddesses help them…

The guard at the front was quick on his feet and shoved the King aside before raising his sword and bringing it down with a grunt of concentration. A clang rang out as the other blocked it and kept their blades locked while each man fought for leverage. However, a second masked figure appeared from behind, ducked under his struggling comrade, and dispatched the guard with a quick slice across his neck while he couldn’t defend himself.

“Fin!” The other guard shouted the name and then hurriedly left Zelda’s side to move to intercept. The first attacker swung his blade in an arc, but the soldier simply raised his arm and let it hit uselessly against the side of his breastplate. Not that it wasn’t a hard blow, evidenced by the grimace that followed. But he quickly locked his protected arm down over the blade and killed the masked man with a slash of his own. 

The second attacker received his own surprise once Impa pulled a dagger from her sleeve and shoved it into his back as he circled the remaining guard, no doubt trying to size him up. He died with a grunt and then fell forward, taking the dagger with his limp form. It all happened so fast that Liesl could hardly believe her eyes. Three men were dead in not even as many minutes. Not even one minute. The victory was short-lived though as black and red-clad attackers continued in, this time with the vicious horned monsters at their side. Who they let lead the next charge. 

“Get the Princess out of here, now!” Impa shouted back at Liesl. 

Liesl hesitated for the briefest moment and watched as the handmaiden picked up one of the curved blades. Then the King did the same with one of the knight’s swords but turned to Liesl as well.  

“You heard Impa, get my daughter out!” 

But where was Liesl supposed to go? What was she supposed to do? She couldn’t fight, only run. Just like she did last time. Without answering, she turned and yanked Zelda’s hand in the direction of the other side of the altar, hoping that both sides were mirrored and there was still an exit they could get to. But no, more attackers opened the door and saw them a moment after scanning.

Shit!

So, Liesl changed course, making for the stairs instead. Maybe they could get lost in the crowd?

“Look, over there!” Zelda’s free hand came up to point at the circle around the Master Sword where there was more open space. A few guards and noblemen were making a stand there while the rest waded into the crowd with swords drawn to try to save as many people as they could.

“Right!” Liesl tugged them in that direction, shouldering aside a panicked woman with blood smeared across her dress. Not her own, judging by the way she was able to keep going. For a moment, guilt sprung up in Liesl’s chest, but she quickly pushed it aside and kept her mind focused on her goal. Getting Zelda to safety.

They had to push by a few other people as they ran about trying to escape the carnage, but when they got close enough, it was none other than Sir Arall that spotted them and waved them over. “Princess, here! Come here,” he shouted while waving his free hand. Blood covered his sword, and a freshly slain monster lay at his feet. Whatever ill-will Liesl had for that man didn’t manifest and she didn’t hesitate to get her friend somewhere she was protected.

Except, it didn’t feel very secure in this circle despite those fighting around them. The pair ended up off to one side, hunkering down in between Arall and one of the armored guards at the end of a pew. Once they came to a stop, Liesl brought Zelda in close and wrapped her up in a hug, hiding her face in Liesl’s neck. She felt hot tears there but was too busy frantically looking around for any kind of exit to console Zelda. They needed a way out, any way out of this.

What she found only had her heart sink lower. The monsters appeared to be no match for the more skilled Hylians, but whoever the masked assailants were outclassed both. Especially when up against any guest not in armor. Of course, those men weren’t soldiers and even if they’d had training, Liesl doubted very much it would be to fight against this. It was so chaotic and the fighting was up close and personal. Not to mention the screaming and the mix of civilians in the fray.

“There she is, in the center!”

Liesl didn’t know who was shouting or who the mysterious “she” was, but the call out made her heart drop all the same. I mean, who else would they be referring to besides Zelda? Goddesses, Liesl felt useless! Run, run, run. That’s all she did with Rowan and now more than ever she wished he would’ve let her train with a fucking sword! How many times had she asked? And yet the answer was the same every time. No .

At least her reflexes were good and Liesl managed to turn Zelda away from another of the strange bombs as it rolled by in her peripheral vision. It went off nearby and the blast knocked them, in addition to the soldiers and monsters around them, to the floor. A dazed moment later Liesl lifted her head and opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was a growing pool of crimson that might have reached her face if she hadn’t moved it. The next was an expressionless Sir Arall where he lay next to her, eyes open but unseeing. 

Dead. 

He was dead, wasn’t he? However, there was no time to ponder his fate when a piercing scream rattled Liesl’s mind further. A scream that sounded like it belonged to Zelda. Liesl’s head whipped around in time to see that one of the masked figures had grabbed the Princess by her braids and was currently dragging her away. The very same braids Liesl had done this morning. Of course, Zelda kicked and screamed, but most of those who had been fighting around them were either still or were trying to slowly rise.

“No.” At first, it was only a whisper, as if Liesl couldn’t believe what she was seeing. However, the adrenaline and rage prompted a much louder shout. “No!” She pushed herself to shaky legs and looked around. There had to be a weapon she could pick up, something she could use to stop the stranger from taking Zelda. Never mind the fact that Liesl had no idea how to use one. And though there were plenty of swords and clubs scattered about the floor, one in particular called to her. The sword that sat upright in the stone, the one that countless individuals had tried to pull free.

The magnetism was undeniable, and without any hesitation, Liesl lunged for it and grabbed the hilt with both hands. She didn’t know what she was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t for the blade to slip free as easily as if she were removing it from softened butter. Well, it was heavy, but there was no resistance as she tugged. Once the tip was fully out, a flash of blue light filled the temple and she once again had to shut her eyes. But it wasn’t painful, at least not for her, and she hefted the Master Sword and immediately took off running.

No indecision, no stopping to ponder why in the world she was able to wield the damn thing and the logical conclusion that followed. Most of the fighting died in the subsequent confusion; however, one monster who was either too foolish or too confident in its abilities tried to get in between Liesl and her Princess. Liesl saw him but never slowed and did the only thing she could think of, lift the sword high before bringing it down with all the strength she could muster. Which was admittedly more than the creature might’ve expected.

It raised its makeshift club to block the blow, but to its (and Liesl’s) surprise, the blade passed right through as if it were kindling. The slash took the monster across the face and sent it to the ground to flail as it died from the wound. Blood splattered across the front of Liesl’s dress but she didn’t spare it a second thought. This display, in addition to the fact that the “hero” was now revealed, was enough for the strange raider to release Zelda and start running for the exit alone. Only to meet Rowan and his blade a moment later.

Then it was the attackers’ turn to fall to panic, in contrast to how orderly and disciplined the initial surprise had been. Those who couldn’t escape back through windows or doors were hunted down by the returning soldiers and the surviving guards and nobles. Some of the masked individuals did manage to escape, but none of the monsters did. Either lacking the intelligence or skill to manage it. 

Now that Zelda was safe, Liesl let the Master Sword fall to the ground with a thud and followed soon after so she could wrap the Princess in a fierce hug. However, it wasn’t reciprocated and Liesl took that to mean Zelda was injured instead of in a daze at what her friend had just done. So, Liesl leaned out and ran a few fingers through the messy blonde hair, checking for signs of injury. “Are you alright!? How bad did they hurt you!?”

“Liesl…” Zelda’s voice was soft but full of disbelief. She shook her head in answer to the questions and momentarily looked past her friend to the Master Sword, now lying on the floor. “You…you pulled it from the stone. You saved me.”

“Well, I couldn’t let them take you,” Liesl replied as if that was anywhere close to being an appropriate explanation. But of course, it wasn’t and Zelda promptly ignored the original question while staring at her as if this was the biggest shock of the past twenty minutes.

“It’s you,” Zelda said before bringing her eyes back to Liesl. “It was you this whole time…”