-Before-

-Sheikah Estate, Kanyou-

Before the Sheikah's disappearance, Reida was still a prisoner in their mansion. There was a great deal of activity outside her door, and this awoke her from her droll stupor. "What is happening?" She asked through the door. No one answered. Men hurried by with scrolls and weapons and clothes and sacks of goods, but no one paid her any mind. Her guards were still there, so it was not because they had forgotten entirely about her.

Words of evacuation reached her ears and she feared, not understanding what was happening and desiring to.

Everything went quiet after a time where men no longer rushed by or yelled excitedly. The torches blew, the hall dimmed into darkness, and all sound ceased. In the quiet, a voice whispered, "Step back, Lady Reida."

Reida backed away from the door. A key entered the lock, turned loudly with such force it shook the door, and the door opened. Several Sheikah stood on the other side with the guards were on the ground bleeding and gagged. One Sheikah, in particular, stepped forward. He was one she recognized from his build, how he walked, his clothes were slightly distinctive, and his eyes. These were all she had to go on with his body concealed behind many clothes. He was the one to watch over her all this time and check on her often. He extended his hand.

"Lady Reida, the Shadowmaster means to commit high treason against the throne. I do not know what she has planned for you, but we do not believe it is good. We are here to help you escape."

Reida didn't need to know more. She pulled up her skirt and rushed into their midst. They threw the guards in, shut and locked the door, and made their way down the passage. Reida did not know where they were going, but she could do no more than trust in her would-be rescuers.

"What shall I call you?" Reida wondered.

"Zant." The Sheikah leader answered.

"Very well, Sheikah Zant. You have my thanks. Take me home safely and I will reward you however I can."

"The only reward I seek is to serve my king." The man whispered back. Guilt flashed in his eyes and weighed his countenance down like a physical weight.

They hurried down the passageways and ascended upstairs until they reached the surface again. Someone yelled from behind them, and Zant cursed under his breath.

"We've been caught." He whispered. "Hurry!"

But they did not make it without incident. More yells were heard, and in their hurried pace, they made a great deal of noise. The group entered the courtyard leaving the mansion but dozens of other Sheikah ambushed them at the door. The two groups did not engage in blows, but Zant's group was surrounded and could move no further.

"Zant, what is the meaning of this!?" A woman yelled from their midst. Lady Impa stepped forward, fully armed in Sheikah garb wielding two short blades.

"I ask you as well!" Zant countered. "We exist to serve the king and you mean to commit treason! Sheikah devotes themselves to serving the throne, but today we are betraying it! We are betraying ourselves!"

"I told you-"

"You gave me nothing!" Zant exclaimed. "Nothing on which I can put my guilt! To what am I supposed to shadow when I am choking the very flame I am to shadow! What am I to tell the voices that haunt me and demand accountability for my actions? I cannot cast aside it to the Sheikah mask, not when it has forsaken us! If my mask is to serve the throne, but you tell me to defy the throne, then what is my mask? You? Are you my new mask, Shadowmaster?"

His exclamation sent a stir through the group, and they whispered among themselves.

"Enough!" Impa barked. "I know your pain, and I am telling you it is not for naught! You want the truth you seek? Do you want to force me into this? Then know this, we serve the throne! The princess still lives! It is not Kyou that is the throne, but Zelda! Cast your mask on her again, and let that be your purpose!"

Zant laughed at this, and it was not a pleasant laugh. The sound of it sent chills down Reida's back like he was a man laughing without restraint, dark, and full of intention. "You mock us, Shadowmaster? We saw the body of Zelda with our own eyes! What you claim is not just doubtful, it is pathetic and we are not dumb!"

Zant stopped and scoffed. "Or perhaps you do serve Zelda... but not in the present but memory. You serve her memory and want to avenge her death. That is a good thing to do with a princess, but... it is not your purpose as Sheikah. You have failed as Sheikah. You have failed your king... I have nothing more to say to you. I banish you to the abyss."

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"You cannot do that. You are not Shadowmaster." Impa reprimanded.

"Am I not? Truly am I not?" Zant looked around. "I see the assembly is not as inclined toward your way of thinking as you perceive. You do not have me surrounded, Impa. It is I that have you surrounded."

Impa looked around her to see that most of the Sheikah had listened to Zant's words and faced towards her with weapon drawn. Those most loyal to her shielded her, but the situation has shifted against her. Most of the Sheikah were not present, but were at the palace and out of her reach.

"Take Reida out of the capital," Zant whispered. "I shall catch up."

With that Zant lunged at Impa, and the Sheikah scattered in all directions. For a moment with everyone moving in different directions, Reida could not make out who was who, and it very well may be that even the Sheikah could not tell who followed Zant or who followed Impa amidst the chaos. The only two that were distinguishable were Zant and Impa. Impa fled the complex and Zant gave chase. Several Sheikah grabbed Reida and pulled her into running.

They ran out of the capital and in the distance she could see the palace was in flames as small explosions riddled it. The flames were matched by the explosions and flames of the Sheikah manor. The Sheikah guided Reida to a hidden alcove outside the capital, and in the night they were practically invisible. She could not perceive the moon in the night, as the smoke of the flames covered her surface. It was as though in the chaos of the night even Nayru's gaze dimmed and refused to watch as her people turned on themselves in all manners of ways.

The smoke lasted till morning. It was the second hour of the day that there was movement outside the hideout and Zant entered their midst. The men and women were relieved to see him. He cradled his arm and had blood on him. He collapsed on a rock and leaned against the wall. A few other Sheikah stood outside the alcove.

"What happened?" Reida asked.

"Impa escaped us," Zant said. "We tried to stop the traitors from sabotaging the palace. We killed a number of them and forced them to scatter, and we stopped them from destroying the throne room... but the palace is still damaged."

"Could be worse." A man said.

Zant nodded. "Yes, it could have been much worse. Thankfully it was containable."

"How many are dead?" Another asked.

Zant hesitated, his hesitation giving enough of an answer, "Enough. My loyalists were able to turn or ambush many of Impa's traitors, but she had most of our handpicked elite on her team. The causalities are high. Plus the Royal Guard is hunting us all down. The loyalists and the traitors are indistinguishable now, so we all should stay in hiding until we can approach Prince Kyou with Impa's head."

"What are we going to do?" The group wondered.

"The pieces are moving against Prince Kyou... but we are in a place to influence it." Zant looked to Reida. "We need to get you home. That will prove our loyalty and ease the prince's mind. Then there is the matter of Chancellor Ryo."

"He will make a move against Kyou." The group determined.

"You are right. He will. He has already started. He will march on Genyuu Pass if he hasn't already. Ketsu will have his army move to stop him. Until we know the position of both armies we cannot move lest we be caught in it."

Zant continued, "The third matter is that of the traitors. We cannot return without Impa's head. That is a fact."

After some discussion, Zant sent out some Sheikah to find clues of Impa's whereabouts with orders to not engage. None of them could handle Impa. Zant and their strongest would have to kill her when she is found.

Others were sent to scout out Ryo and Ketsu's armies.

The rest was sent to set up a safe house in a region. This left Zant alone to watch Reida.

It was several days that passed before any scouts returned. They were the ones from the second group. Ryo was marching on Genyuu Pass and Ketsu was personally leading the opposing army to meet him. Ouki had already stationed himself on the gate.

"Ouki..." Zant whispered. "He is a volatile one. I don't know his desires or where his loyalty lies. I think no one truly does. Despite it all, best to leave him be. Too risky to try to take him out, and he is most likely to do nothing and side with no one. Do you believe we can sneak Reida through?"

The scouts reported it would be impossible. Ryo's army was efficient and watchful. The mountain was steep and they were unprepared to take her over. The only way around would take weeks on foot.

"Why don't you hand me to Ketsu?" Reida asked. "Ketsu is a slimy bastard, but he has Kyou's ear. He will pass on your token of loyalty and will want me kept safe."

Zant was begrudged the idea for a reason beyond Reida, but accepted it. He motioned to those present, "I will assassinate Ryo tonight. You all take her to Ketsu when I return. This way we can bring him both Ryo's head and Reida's."

"With mine more intact..." Reida gulped.

"Right, yes. That is what I meant." Zant chuckled.

Zant left. Understandably it was a great deal of time he was gone, having gone on foot to traverse a great distance, sneak into a heavily armed camp, kill a high-profile target, and escape. Reida feared he wouldn't make it at all.

He returned. Physically, he was well. Mentally... something was very wrong.

Zant did not respond when talked to. He did not say anything. His eyes had a far off gaze look, and to their amazement the cloth around his head was loose. No Sheikah ever revealed their faces, but he could not notice it was unraveling itself from his head.

Zant started mumbling and rambling, and what he said made no sense. He went on in his own broken speech about how Impa was a traitor, and it was all a conspiracy. The only proper sentence Zant could string together was, "If Kyou hadn't killed Zelda... I would do it myself." A thought that startled Reida and disturbed the other Sheikah greatly.

The morning sun rose, and Zant had disappeared. The other Sheikah could not make an account of him. With no other option, they safeguarded Reida to Ketsu's army, who welcomed them with open arms and promised to keep her safe in his carriage.

Ketsu was a pervert. His eyes roved her, but he was wise enough to keep his hands to himself. Reida was a little fearful to be witnessing conflict and was more terrified than Ouki was seemingly not doing anything to stop Ryo, and that Ryo was winning the battle.

Her entire reality changed when a great explosion rippled through the earth, a wall of vines erupted from the ground, and Zelda stood in plain view yelling loud enough for the hushed crowds to hear that the war was over. It was as if she had returned from the dead.

The carriage coming alive was also terrifying.