Walking along the dirt road, Lord Ghirahim came across a stone wall dozens of meters in height and with no end in sight from both ends. In front of him was a grand gate house, with exquisite details such as arches and beams etched on its surface and yet an entrance large enough only to fit four Hylians side by side.
He approached the gatehouse, boots sinking lightly into the snow laden, stone path as the chilly plateau winter winds tugged at his cloak. Snow flurries swarmed around him, but not a single flake dared land on his immaculate skin.
Two Hylian guards stood by the gatehouse, posted rigidly despite the stinging cold. Their cloaks fluttered like torn banners in the biting wind and frost had clung to leather padding,
Their gaze strayed towards Ghirahim.
The red mantle he usually wore had transformed into a large luxurious cloak. Aside from his weird skin tone and a lack of a carriage he appeared like a rich hylian noble.
Seeing Ghirahim's supposed status, the guards heeded no mind to the strange noble traveler. Although he did look suspicious, all Hylian nobles had some sort of weird quirk. The two guards did not dare offend those nobles, they were low standing cannon fodder not even qualified to fight in the war to the west.
Passing by the two averting guards Ghirahim saw the streets were nearly deserted. Wooden stalls sagged under snow, and smoke from feeble hearth fires curled into the gray sky. Hylians trudged through icy streets, carrying bundles of wood or meager rations. Frostbite reddened their cheeks and fingers. The settlement's market square was nearly abandoned. A few merchants huddled behind carts, their goods mostly bowls of thin porridge shared sparingly, and quiet murmurs of complaint of poor business.
Scoffing at the inherent weakness and hypocrisy of the Hylian race, he continued up the path's steps towards the religious buildings overlooking the settlement. Without the Goddess Hylia, the Hylians fell from being the herald of civilization to the spreaders of filth and disease on the surface.
After a half an hour, Lord Ghirahim stood in a melancholy manner in front of the temple of time, brushing the stone church door with his finger tips. After traveling around the continent for months, Lord Ghirahim got a general understanding of the state of the light world. In this temple, he may find clues of the artifact he needs to revive his master.
Showing no more hesitation, Ghirahim dissolved into gem-like particles.
…
"May the Goddess forever smile upon us!" A dozen priests were chanting priest-like prayers to a large goddess statue, hoping to get the goddess's blessing to help the plateau survive through the winter.
Suddenly Lord Ghirahim's figure appeared in front of the goddess statue, with a black broadsword in hand. With a wave of his sword, the statue burst into pieces.
With Ghirahim's disturbance, many of the priests began to flee with terror. But Ghirahim would not let them get away that easily. With another wave of his sword, a dark circular energy barrier appeared, trapping the priests.
In front of all the priests Lord Ghirahim suddenly vanished, only to reappear behind the most elderly looking priest. "Where is it, the Gate of Time!" he threateningly whispered.
"I never heard of any Gate of Time!" The elderly priest stammered before gesturing to the wall behind the pedestal of the destroyed statue. "But, we do have a Door of Time!"
Grabbing the priest by the collar of his robe, Ghirahim dragged the priest towards the door of time. Putting away his sword, Ghirahim used his previous sword wielding hand to open the door forcibly but it would not budge. A time traveling artifact would never be so simple. "How do you open it?" Ghirahim demanded as he shoved the elderly priest up onto the wall.
"I'll never tell you! Blasphemer of the Goddess!" The elderly priest shouted with righteous fury.
"SLAP!"
"Please don't hurt me! I'll talk!" The priest pleaded, with tears running down his face and a bright red palm mark on his left cheek. To open the Door of Time you need the Ocarina of Time, the three spiritual stones and the full Song of Time. Without them the door will not open!"
"And where may these artifacts be?" Ghirahim questioned.
"The three spiritual stones are in the possession of the Hylian Lords of Hyrule, kept in their arms at all times. The Ocarina of time is kept only by the Royal Family. As for the full Song of Time, it has been long forgotten throughout the passage of ages." The elderly priest solemnly answered.
"What a joke!" Lord Ghirahim pounded his is fist next to the elderly priest hanging from his other hand. "How terribly inconvenient, nonetheless I will find a way."
"Yes! Yes!" The frightened elderly priest nodded panicky with agreement.
Ghirahim's grip loosened, and the priest slid down the wall, collapsing onto the cold floor. The chamber echoed with the man's wheezing breaths.
Ghirahim stepped back, eyeing him with amused contempt before turning to leave the temple.
"You won't get away with this!" one of the younger priests cried out, his voice trembling. "The Goddess will stop you and your plans will fall into fruition!"
Next to him, the other priests were sitting down with black faces, staring with resentment at the stupid guy who could not keep his stupid mouth shut. Really, most of the priests in the temple were there not to become devout followers of the goddess but to gain benefits and power for their families. This guy can't possibly be an actual fervent worshiper of the Goddess?
He must be stopped before he gets them all killed!
"Mmmph!" The young priest attempted to cry out before being bound and gagged by the hands of the other priests. From a distance it almost appeared they were doing something naughty.
"Apologies for his improper manners, esteemed guest, he is simply a young priest! He truly did not mean what he had said. I will personally take manners to educate him later!" The eldest priest bowed towards Lord Ghirahim.
"Heh!" Ghirahim scoffed at the spectacle before him. How low had the followers of the Goddess truly fallen? "This Lord understands, young people these days are utterly unruly. But next time, I may beat you senseless. I'll make the affair so excruciating, you'll deafen yourselves with the shrill sound of your own screams!"
At once, the bound young priest went rigid, eyes widening with pure terror. The other priests, as one, bowed so deeply they nearly kissed the floor.
"Your mercy is boundless, my lord!" the eldest priest said quickly, beads of sweat forming despite the cold. "We shall ensure it never happens again!"
"Yes, never again, never again!" the other priests echoed hastily, each shooting their bound colleague a murderous glare, silently promising him the most savage 're‑education' session of his life.
The young priest wriggled, protesting through the hands covering his mouth "Mmmph! Mmmph!" but his muffled cries only made the elders press down harder on him, as though trying to flatten him into the floor to prevent further offense.
Ghirahim, understanding the looks the priests were giving out to each other, smiled. "Good. Then consider this matter resolved. Pray harder if it makes you feel better, It won't help you, but it may keep you busy. I have more pressing matters to attend to but I will return for the Door of Time."
"Goodbye!" With a final snap of his fingers, his form broke apart into shimmering gem-like motes that spiraled into the air, fading into nothing.
The moment he vanished, the dark barrier collapsed, leaving the priests slumped and shivering on the cold floor.
For a long moment, no one moved.
Then the eldest priest exhaled shakily and rounded on the hand bound young man. "You fool!" he hissed, smacking the back of the priest's head. "Are you asking for death?"
The other priests immediately chimed in. "Yeah! Let's get him!"
The young priest whimpered, eyes teary as they lifted him by the collar for a "proper talk."
"Let the 'Education' begin!" The elderly priest announced as he flung his robe off.
Behind a pillar Lord Ghirahim forcibly stifled a laugh while observing a 'tussle' happen in the main hall.
With a real final snap of his fingers, he teleported in the direction of his first target.