The Legend of Zelda - The Tainted Blade (Season 1) | WATTYS WINNER 2018

A Pit of Rot - (S1.E8)

Despite the exhilarating and terrifying experience of riding the back of a savage lynel, despite the sun rising and bathing the land in tender warmth, Zel could not quite wake up. The gentle swaying of the lynel's stride lulled his muscles into numbness. A fog encased his mind, making everything feel distinctly dream-like. Even in this state of lethargy, Zel could still feel a nausea building in the pit of his stomach, like a growing rot.

Suppressed emotions bubbled inside the rot...anger, frustration, pride. With great swells, the emotions came to the surface. With the first wave of pride awoke a little, rejuvenated in a way he had never felt. Then as the swell retreated back to the rot inside of him, he fell back into the mindless fog.

"What's happening to me?" he croaked as the pride ebbed...pride that he could successfully wield the sword and control the power trapped within.

"It is the darkness," said Rangtar in his deep bass. "It grows within you. Soon you will become like me."

"Like you? A lynel?"

"No. Something different."

"I don't understand," said Zel, his mind drifting deeper into the fog.

"My people weren't always as we are," said Rangtar. "We were once a proud race that lived alongside the others in this land. Perhaps it was the pride that destroyed us. We became obsessed with power. We sought both the light and the darkness, but in the darkness, we perceived a better chance for greatness. The more we pursued the darkness, the more the darkness consumed us, until nothing of our former race survived. We became monsters whose only desire was to serve the darkness."

"All of you?" asked Zel.

"Not all. But the darkness is a disease. Once the infection begins, it spreads."

Zel thought about the pit of rot inside of him and as he did a swell of anger began to rise. "Why have I never heard of your people before?"

"Most were hunted and destroyed," said Rangtar. "Only a few of us survive."

The anger surged to the front of his thoughts, bringing with it renewed clarity. "Why? Who would do such a thing?"

"People fear what they do not understand. The Hyrulians only saw us as monsters."

"But you're not monsters!" Zel shouted, his face burning with an internal fire. To his right, he saw the towers of Hyrule Castle looming in the distance, but the lynel seemed to be headed in another direction. "Maybe I shouldn't bring them the sword at all! Maybe they don't deserve it! It's mine! I want to keep it!"

Rangtar grunted as the wave of anger subsided and pushed Zel back into a fog.

"What are you going to do with me?" Zel asked.

"I am taking you to a gathering."

"What will happen?"

Rangtar only grunted again.

Zel glanced back toward the distant castle as a wave of paranoia flowed up from the rot. He had to get out of there. He had to get away from the lynel. He couldn't go to the castle either...everyone wanted his sword. He had to hide somewhere, to keep it safe.

Before he could talk himself out of it, before the fog returned, Zel swung his leg over the lynel and jumped to the ground. He landed hard and fell to his knees, but he wasted no time bolting toward a copse of trees not far away. As he ran, he listened for pursuit but heard none. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Rangtar still on the road watching him. He passed through the trees and kept pushing up the hill just beyond. As he topped the hill he glanced back to the lynel. Rangtar still just watched.

At the crest, he slowed and peered down, hoping some great sanctuary might appear, but what he found turned his heart cold. A band of mounted soldiers thundered up the hill. Their armor gleamed in the sunlight. The sweat on the flanks of their chargers glistened. Upon seeing him, half drew long swords and half lowered spears. Near the middle of the band, the crest of Hyrule flapped at the end of a long pole.

Zel spun around and sprinted back toward Rangtar. Rangtar rushed forward to meet him.

The soldiers topped the hill, ground rumbling. Before Zel could reach Rangtar, soldiers passed him to intercept the lynel. Rangtar pulled out his massive weapon and braced himself.

Zel slid to a halt and watched. For a moment he panicked. He needed to help his friend...to chase the soldiers away. Then the rot disappeared with such suddenness Zel's breath caught in his throat. It was as if the sword had sucked it all away, and now he suddenly awoke from a deep nightmare.

Rangtar spun in place, spewing fire as the soldiers surrounded him, their warhorses nimbly dodging the flames. Rangtar charged forward and the soldiers in his path fled while the others behind attacked. It was easy to see that Rangtar could not win this fight, and for some reason, Zel felt responsible in a way.

For the first time, he became aware of people at his side. He looked up to find two soldiers to his right and left. Behind him waited two more. The soldier immediately to his right wore the right shouldered cape of an officer.

"Please," he said. The officer looked down, face hidden behind a face guard. "Don't kill him."

"Why?" asked the officer, a voice higher pitched than Zel expected.

"He saved my life, isn't that enough?"

"This monster wiped out an entire garrison."

"A garrison that tried to kill me to take the sword!" Zel shouted, rounding on the soldier and planting his feet. He held out the Master Sword and pulled the wrapping back from the hilt. "If you won't save the lynel because he saved me, then save him because he knows what's wrong with the sword. If you kill him, you may kill our only chance to stop the darkness from leaking out."

The officer's eyes narrowed. Blue eyes.

"I have to get this to the castle." Zel pointed to Rangtar. "He has information that can help."

The officer faced forward and raised a gloved hand. Zel couldn't see the signal the officer gave, but the men around Rangtar began shouting at each other. Some of them stowed their weapons and pulled out long catch-poles. As they hemmed Rangtar in, the catch-poles were slipped over his head. Rangtar reached for the rope around his neck, fire bellowing into the sky. Five small arrows thudded into the lynel's chest. Rangtar collapsed forward, panting, then he fell sideways, unconscious. The soldiers closed in to wrap him with rope.

Zel gazed back up at the officer. "Thank you."

The officer reached up to remove the helmet. Long red hair spilled out. A young woman near Zel's age, with a round face and light skin, glared down at him. "If evil comes of this, I will kill you myself."

Zel's eyes widened and he nodded.

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