p style="max-height: 999999px;"em style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"I wrote this six months ago, wasn't satisfied, and left it for dead. I came across it a few days ago, edited it severely, and well... here you go./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"em style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Enjoy!/em/p
hr style="margin: 5px 0px; border: 0px; background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear, 0% 100%, 100% 100%, from(#ffffff), color-stop(0.1, #cbcbcb), color-stop(0.9, #cbcbcb), to(#ffffff));" noshade="noshade" size="1" /
p style="text-align: center; max-height: 999999px;"strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Chapter 1: The Master/strong/p
hr style="margin: 5px 0px; border: 0px; background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear, 0% 100%, 100% 100%, from(#ffffff), color-stop(0.1, #cbcbcb), color-stop(0.9, #cbcbcb), to(#ffffff));" noshade="noshade" size="1" /
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"A lone sorcerer walked slowly down a long, dark corridor - a half-hearted, uneven beat graced his pace. The inconsistent patting of his leather sandals on the dirty stone flooring echoed softly as he trudged along sluggishly; moaning and groaning in a loud, obnoxious manner about how tough his life was:/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Putrid, infernal mail-calls!" he yelled whilst waving his arms angrily and stamping his foot. He indignantly brushed a stray strand of his lavender hair out of his face. "Of all the days for the mail to be brought the this unholy corner of the world; it had to be the day when I came! Huh! The gods conspire against me; that's what it is!"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"He walked further and further down through the dim passage as he griped continually, clutching a sealed letter in his hand quite tightly. In fact, he gripped the paper so indomitably, his knuckles were white as the snow that was falling that moment in the Overworld miles and miles above him. (It was winter for those unable to guess.) This rather staunch clench would often make one who happened to look toward this figure and the way he held the folded document in his hand jokingly state that his life must have depended on the safe delivery of the item; and actually - as cliché as it sounded - it did; much to the suprise of the joker probably./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""...Though actually... now that I think about it... I wonder what it is..." The sorcerer mused as he made his way closer to the end of the hall. "It's not often a letter arrives for the Master. Not often at all... Though that's entirely believable... who would send him mail? His mother? Ha!" These ponderous and silly thoughts alike danced around in the head of the sorcerer as he ambled along. "I'm still not sure why I'm stuck delivering it though... those spineless Moblins... They're worth more dead than alive... at least when they're dead you can sell their hides for a quick rupee... Get some leather made; support the economy..." A replay of the events that led to his current position in the lower tunnels flashed through the mind of the sorcerer; the arrival of the Postman; the cowering and arguing Moblins; and then the spears poking into his back that prodded him into the black portal. "But when they're alive... all they suceed at doing is consuming meat... And when it comes to matters of bravery and honor, they hide in the corner like children and pass the work off to others..." He'd get those Moblins for this... he would. Because unlike those pithless cretins, he didn't believe for a second The Master would murder him upon receiving his mail./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"If it was good news anyway./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"The sorcerer continued on in silence after this for awhile, lazily studying the dull, rock, torchlit walls as he plodded along. He eventually encountered something that piqued his interest./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Hey, what's this?" He had come up to an engraving on the stone barricade. Curious, he took a pale hand, and wiped away the screen of dust that the etching had collected, revealing a rather barbarous scene consisting of what appeared to be a small ensemble of horrific-looking demons, dragging a hapless victim into the agape and blood-dribbling mouth of some type of hairy behemoth. This picture, however grotesque, undoubtedly spoke verity about the place it was most likely describing./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Humph... not that far from the truth..." the sorcerer stated dryly, gazing around the slimy and putrid corridor with much disdain. He sighed as he walked away from the engraving./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""What a boorish place..." he muttered, shoving his free hand into one of his purple cloak's many pockets. The way to his master's chamber was, in his mind, unnecessary long and bleak, there being nothing remotely pretty to take his mind off of this long stroll he was unaccustomed to taking. He disliked exercise with a passion, and thankfully didn't normally didn't have walk anywhere; he could teleport instead - he was a magician after all./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"But all magic, sorcery, incantations, etc. in the city whose underpart he was currently traversing was blocked by a countering spell The Master's two surrogate mothers, the ever powerful (and often disturbing) Koume and Kotake, had conjured, so he unfortunately couldn't just warp himself in to wherever he desired. So that's why he was here, walking down a seemingly endless corridor, reduced to a common delivery-boy. This didn't mix well with his overabundant ego, and made him feel quite indignant inside./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""I cannot simply bring myself to believe such an inconceivable fact that I, Vaati the Great Wind Mage, have been forced to deliver a letter to The Master, just because some damned, impotent monsters are too feeble and cowardly to do it themselves! It is, in short, disgusting!" The sorcerer continued on, boiling in his angry thoughts. Though after a while, his umbrage grew too great to be toted around, so he stopped his trek to scream up towards the roof in a fury./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""I am not some ordinary postman!" he screeched, stamping the ground with his foot, "I am the demon sorcerer who rules the skies!" He started making gestures so wide that any person would have thought he was quite mad if they saw him. "I have subjects, counselors, bodyguards, and the largest library in the history of the universe! This is more degrading for someone of my social and economic caliber than cleaning a bathroom with my personal hygiene items! How dare I be subject to such unfathomable treatment! I vow to make all you atrocious villains who forced me down into this hellhole suffer appropriately for your crimes with slow, agonizing deaths!" Vaati, now identified, listened to his ferocious words echo through the tunnel as he seethed in silence. After catching his breath, he looked toward the rafters of the gross corridor, seeing that nothing but the common Kesee and a few rats had heard his passionate outburst. He sighed miserably and stuck his tongue out the side of his mouth to end his self-righteous spiel. "emUgh/em..."/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"After several more minutes of marching about unenthusiastically, Vaati finally came to his destination. Despite the fact that it was only a stroll taking about ten minutes of his time, the sorcerer hunched over and panted a minute, resting his hands on his knees and gasping here and there for more air./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""I emreally/em need to get into shape..."/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"When he was done, Vaati stared up at the large, black metal doors that loomed before him, and brought his hand to the bright silver knocker in the shape of a pig's head. He cocked an eyebrow when he saw it, and wondered about his master's choice of accessories. He then shrugged, figuring it was no worse than anything else in the unrefined location, and lifted the knocker, clanging it against the door three times:/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"em style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Knock!/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"em style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Knock!/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"em style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Knock!/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"The banging of the object against the steel reverberated throughout the tunnel for a few seconds, then was replaced with an erie silence. After a second or two of waiting, a loud, powerful rumbling shook the entire passage, knocking Vaati off his feet instantly. He fell onto his back and into the stone floor, where it was certain- well, more like emVaati/em was certain, that more than a few bones cracked from the impact./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Ow!" he screamed, and then banging his fists on the ground with rage, shouted, "what's the deal with the earthquake?! ...Huh?"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"After the rumbling had settled, a good distance away, from one the hall's many, many deep shadows, an echoing noise sounded throughout the cavern, it sounded like a heavy chain falling to the floor and shattering./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Vaati was almost able to emfeel/em the shards scatter across the stone. He knew that some enchantment had just been broken; he'd had experience with this type of thing. Despite a great feeling of fear suddenly washing over him, the sorcerer dared not move a muscle./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"A few seconds later, two tall, dark figures lumbered out from where the sound of the chain had sourced and marched toward Vaati. Double-edged, monstrously large battle-axes were held in their colossal, gauntleted hands. Their shiny bronze armor rattled with every step they took, the sound getting nearer and nearer as approached the sorcerer. They leered out from their spiky helmets at him with glowing red eyes that simply screamed "bloodlust"./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""D-Damn it... Iron Knuckles..." Vaati's lower lip quivered as stuttered the words, and he felt his right eye twitch involuntarily. He quickly leaped from his spot on the ground in a panic; deciding the overly-long, self-pity speech he had prepared could wait for a while. He rushed toward the big black doors and slammed his fists repeatedly into them, screeching, "MASTER! MASTER IT'S ME, VAATI! MASTER? MASTER! I COME IN PEACE MASTER! MASTER!" All the while the Iron Knuckles came closer and closer to where Vaati stood, their footsteps actually created small indents in the worn stone floor as they stomped./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""MASTER!" Vaati screamed for the umpteenth time. Upon still hearing no response, he knew as he turned and backed himself against the door he would have to kill the assailing monsters himself, or die in the process of the attempt. Of course, since he had absolutely squat in the way of weaponry - being without a wand, sword, or even a dagger - the latter option was more likely to become reality than the former. He began to sweat profusely, and started to curse his master out to take his mind off the impending doom. "Grrr... would it kill that bastard to have some sort of security check or something before sicking monsters of this strength on someone?" Vaati hissed. "I shouldn't have to die because he has what must be extreme paranoia! Iron Knuckles; the world's emstupidest/em alarm system!/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"The Iron Knuckles, despite their dire slowness, were much too close for comfort to Vaati now, only five yards were between the two of them and he, and Vaati had nowhere to run to when that short distance was closed by the Iron Knuckles - as he was already backed up against the door and helpless, one cut from either axe was enough to split him clean down the middle./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Vaati sniffled, "I wonder how I'll look cut in half," he thought aloud, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. "I should have the worn my black cloak today... black is so much more appropriate for a tragic death than indigo." He regarded the cloak he wore round himself with distaste. "This will never work for a painful, agonizing eradication... emOh/em, how abject!" He dramatically put a hand to his forehead. "emOh/em, how inhumane! emOh/em, how despondent! emOh/em, how-"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""emDesist!/em" Rang out a deep, powerful voice from the depths of the corridor, shaking the hall almost as hard as the tremor from earlier. Vaati, despite being quite startled, managed to keep a foothold by grabbing one of the pig knockers, but the Iron Knuckles, upon hearing the sound, stopped their tread and started to writhe in what seemed to be agony./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Wha-" Was all Vaati could whimper before he was frozen in his movements by the huge amounts of magical energy that had begun to encircle him. He was suddenly rendered even more powerless than he had been before, and felt suffocated by the raw power that had formatted in a strange aura about him. emWhat is this?!/em/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Though it should be noted that while Vaati was burdened unbearable discomfort due to the force that had him trapped in its seemingly air-tight clutches, he wasn't actually feeling any real physical empain/em. All his appendages were in place, and though the grip he was caught in was tight, it was not crushing. This a seemed rather lucky on his part, because the Iron Knuckles who had been about to maul him beyond repair only seconds before definitely were experiencing something much more than discomfort; they were being messily disassembled before Vaati's very eyes./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"It was a disgusting sight to say the least. The beasts contorted; their limbs inside the armor twisted and turned in repulsive fashions, falling to the ground after magically ripping apart from the rest them. Their eyes lost the former glow they had previously possessed - however erie - and turned to a lifeless black. Vaati, despite having his ears covered in fear, still heard the distinct sound of snapping necks. Blood dribbled through the empty, gaping holes where bones had onced interlocked. This was gore in its purest form./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"The suffering of the Iron Knuckles though only lasted but a few brief seconds, as they almost immediately crumpled directly to the floor, where they lay dead. The dark, evil souls that had possessed the ancient armor making up the monsters soon were spirited away, to a spot where they would reincarnate into other creatures of darkness, leaving the collapsed empty bronze and Vaati alone in the dim, foreboding torchlight./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"The energy that had before engulfed Vaati faded away, restoring him his movments. The first thing the sorcerer did was gulp, he worried that this event was simply a preceeding to another attack, and wondered if he was about to perish in the same repugnant way the Iron Knuckles had. "W-Who's there...?" he asked shakily, looking around him for where the voice that killed the monsters had come from./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"The nearly forgotten ebony doors behind the sorcerer slowly opened, taking away Vaati's support. He fell again onto his back./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""emOof/em!" He grunted as his posterior once more met hard stone. He quickly jumped up and spun around to find himself now standing right on the threshold of a large room. This obviously surprised him, as he had thought just a second ago that he would never see anything marginally nice again./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"After a slight look-see, Vaati found that the room was lavish, yet dark. Everything in the room spoke that same message, from the grey stone fireplace, to the gold framed, high quality leather chairs in the rooms corners, to the enormously sized crepuscular portraits hung over the walls. Everything somehow leaked a taste darkness - which Vaati quite enjoyed. Though he quickly though noticed something - or rather someone - who was much more important than any bit of the room's décor. He greeted his master calmly, despite his nerves still being jumpy from his encounter with the Iron Knuckles./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Hello my lord," he bowed slightly, only as much to satisfy - as he spoke, "I hope you are doing exceptionally well today." These latter words were said quite mechanically and without much genuine concern. Vaati had come to the conclusion that it must have been his master who had killed the Iron Knuckles, and was no longer fearful; for he knew the man would never kill one of his own agents (in others words, Vaati,) without a purpose. It seemed now that Vaati now had opportunity to be annoyed, which he whole-heartedly took./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"It seemed Vaati's master felt the same, for he grunted in response to the cool and apathetic greeting his noble had given. "Mm..." He reclined against the soft cushion of his high-backed chair. "I probably should apologize for the Iron Knuckles' assault upon you, Vaati," he said, but without much tactility, tapping the gloved fingers of one of his on a golden arm of his seat. "I wasn't present and was certainly not expecting a visit. ...Especially not a emunannounced /emone." There was much extra emphasis on the word "unannounced", presumptively to signify that it was actually not at all his fault Vaati was attacked./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"In his head, Vaati scoffed and gritted his teeth, fully enraged that it was believed his fault he had nearly come to an untimely demise, when in his mind, there was no doubt he was through and through an innocent bystander, subject to annihilation without fair trial./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"em style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"The nerve!/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Of course, Vaati wasn't an idiot, and still knew the only safe option was a civil - and unfortunately for him - rather humbling reply, "Well, I suppose I must apologize for coming here unannounced, so I hope you accept my deepest atonement Master," he quickly added to this statement mentally:/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"em style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Though it's not like I wanted to come here in the first place.../em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"There was a moment of silence after this, as neither party felt much drive to start up any sort of small talk - each knew the other had no interest whatsoever in conversing with he./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Finally, Vaati's master broke the quiet. He leaned over his large desk and asked, "So, what did you come to see me about, Vaati? I know you wouldn't come here unless it was important; as you have that castle of yours to attend to."/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Vaati snickered to himself as his master ended his sentence with a preposition./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"em style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"What an ignoramus!/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"But the sorcerer didn't mention this little nit-picky grammatical error, and simply relayed the reason for his presence:/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Mm... I bring tidings of a emmessage, /emsir," he made air qoutes with his fingers as he spoke. He looked in front of him to the grand black desk that sat on the far end of the room, faintly illuminated by the roaring fire in the hearth behind it. It was the only light in the dark area, as there were no windows./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Message, you say?" his master asked curiously, "what do you mean?"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""It's a letter for you sir," Vaati waved the paper around./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Ah," the Master said, calmly looking away and going back to reading a book he'd been studying before Vaati had been present./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Eh..." Vaati was confused, "uh, sir, don't you want to read it?" Vaati voiced his thoughts./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Well how about you just recite it to me," Vaati's master suggested, "after all I'm quite sure that you know the contents by heart by now anyway." he raised an eyebrow and smirked at him - Vaati looked insulted./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""What, do you honestly believe I'd pry into my own master's business?" he asked in a shocked voice, placing a hand over his chest to emphasize./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"The Master shot him a dry look; Vaati snorted./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Look, it's sealed. I never opened it," he rolled his eyes and passed his master the envelope he had been holding to prove his point./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Hmmm..." the Master studied the paper a few moments, turning it in his hands and looking at it intensely. After a moment, he suddenly narrowed his eyes and looked puzzled./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Is there a problem, Master Ganondorf?" Vaati asked, cocking his head to the side./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"The Master waited a bit before answering, still looking suspiciously at the letter. After awhile, he finally replied,/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""...I think I have seen this somewhere before..."/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Uh, well I should think so," Vaati said shrugging, amused, "envelopes are in quite a common usage when it comes to mailing things like letters and su-"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Not the envelope you idiot! The seal! The seal, halfwit!"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""emAh/em..." Vaati nodded, trying very hard not to say some very crude things in retort. Vaati was very civil in his reply - well, at least in his own opinion he was. "Well, try opening the letter, it may jog your memory of just where you saw the thing." Then looking away, he gnashed his teeth repeatedly./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Don't be sarcastic with me." The Master glared at Vaati for his comment, though ripped off the top of the envelope regardless, pulling out a piece of paper. From the brief glimpse Vaati got of the document, he was able to discern it was certainly not written in Hylian, but something incomprehensible to him. The Master appeared to begin reading it, despite the foreign language in which it was written./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Vaati shifted from foot-to-foot anxiously, wondering when - if at all - his master would share the contents of the letter. After minutes of vehement waiting, and he was worried that he wouldn't get any answers unless he inquired, the sorcerer finally asked,/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Um... what does it say, Master Ganondorf?"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""..."/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Quiet fell upon the room, and nothing was spoken for quite a bit./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""...Go and collect my father Vaati..." The Master suddenly commanded, disregarding Vaati's unanswered question./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""...Y-Your father sir?" the sorcerer echoed, "you mean-"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Yes, my father; Demise, Demon Emperor! You heard me stooge! Now go! I expect you back promptly!"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""B-but sir, what could be so important in that letter that-"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Do not question me!" the Master bellowed, actually emleaping/em to his feet and thrusting a gesture toward the doors behind his servant. The composed and proud demeanor that the man had always upheld suddenly seemed to have suddenly washed away, leaving a tense and hysteric disposition behind. "Go and gather him, and bring him here - I seek council with him! Vaati, I'll give you seven days to bring him to the castle! Take any longer, and it will be your neck severed! Understand?"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Y-yes sir I'll go r-right away..." Vaati stuttered. "Just tell me where I might find the Lord Demise and I'll-"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""strongGO!/strong" The Master screamed again, black lightning racing across the palms and fingertips of his hands as anger mixed with unerrvedeness and began to boil over./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Yes sir!" Vaati squealed fearfully as he raced out of the office, the ebony doors magically shutting behind him./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"em style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"I need to get out of here!/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"The sorcerer stopped running about halfway down the hall he had come in from. He leaned against one of the stone walls and wiped the sweat from his face as he cursed his master under his breath. "Rude scum! Not even bothering to grace me with an answer to a simple query before flinging me out! Why I should..." he trailed off, and his eyes shifted around the passage alertedly. What if someone had heard him? No one would think twice about reporting him bad-mouthing The Master. Vaati wasn't particually liked around here - or anywhere else for that matter - by the local guard. And after The Master's outburst... insulting him now just wouldn't be wise./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Vaati ranted a bit more, (this time quietly, to be on the safe side,) before calming himself down, and decided to focus on the subject of his mission./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""seven days," he reminded himself. "A week... One week to get that old man Lord Demise back here... Hmm... well... I heard a bit back that Demise was thinking of spending the winter in Rehten, so presumably he is currently staying with another noble there... So I suppose Rehten is my destination... Let's hope he didn't change his mind. I had better hurry if I want to get back here in time..."/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"So then Vaati began griping to himself about how if he had just decided to sit at home today, the Moblins would have chosen one among themselves for the delivery of the Master's letter, and he would have been spared the burden of this extremely cumbersome mission./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Though this wasn't the dominant thought in Vaati's mind as he started running again - that thought was a simple diversion to the real nagging contemplation of what, in that mysterious letter, could have made the Master become so shaken and worried?/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"... ... ... ... ... ... .../span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"emAuthor's Note: Wow... Vaati's more fun to write then I thought he would be... I'm looking forward to writing more chapters! And I hope you look forward to reading them... Oh yeah, and Ganondorf really only /emconsidersem Demise his parent. He's not actually his biological father; because that would require a whole additional fanfiction to work out. If you played Skyward Sword I think you'd likely understand the whole 'my hate will reincarnate' song and dance. Is that weird way to go about things?/em/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"em style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Reviews are always appreciated dudes./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"em style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Enjoy!/em/p
hr style="margin: 5px 0px; border: 0px; background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear, 0% 100%, 100% 100%, from(#ffffff), color-stop(0.1, #cbcbcb), color-stop(0.9, #cbcbcb), to(#ffffff));" noshade="noshade" size="1" /
p style="text-align: center; max-height: 999999px;"strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Chapter 1: The Master/strong/p
hr style="margin: 5px 0px; border: 0px; background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear, 0% 100%, 100% 100%, from(#ffffff), color-stop(0.1, #cbcbcb), color-stop(0.9, #cbcbcb), to(#ffffff));" noshade="noshade" size="1" /
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"A lone sorcerer walked slowly down a long, dark corridor - a half-hearted, uneven beat graced his pace. The inconsistent patting of his leather sandals on the dirty stone flooring echoed softly as he trudged along sluggishly; moaning and groaning in a loud, obnoxious manner about how tough his life was:/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Putrid, infernal mail-calls!" he yelled whilst waving his arms angrily and stamping his foot. He indignantly brushed a stray strand of his lavender hair out of his face. "Of all the days for the mail to be brought the this unholy corner of the world; it had to be the day when I came! Huh! The gods conspire against me; that's what it is!"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"He walked further and further down through the dim passage as he griped continually, clutching a sealed letter in his hand quite tightly. In fact, he gripped the paper so indomitably, his knuckles were white as the snow that was falling that moment in the Overworld miles and miles above him. (It was winter for those unable to guess.) This rather staunch clench would often make one who happened to look toward this figure and the way he held the folded document in his hand jokingly state that his life must have depended on the safe delivery of the item; and actually - as cliché as it sounded - it did; much to the suprise of the joker probably./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""...Though actually... now that I think about it... I wonder what it is..." The sorcerer mused as he made his way closer to the end of the hall. "It's not often a letter arrives for the Master. Not often at all... Though that's entirely believable... who would send him mail? His mother? Ha!" These ponderous and silly thoughts alike danced around in the head of the sorcerer as he ambled along. "I'm still not sure why I'm stuck delivering it though... those spineless Moblins... They're worth more dead than alive... at least when they're dead you can sell their hides for a quick rupee... Get some leather made; support the economy..." A replay of the events that led to his current position in the lower tunnels flashed through the mind of the sorcerer; the arrival of the Postman; the cowering and arguing Moblins; and then the spears poking into his back that prodded him into the black portal. "But when they're alive... all they suceed at doing is consuming meat... And when it comes to matters of bravery and honor, they hide in the corner like children and pass the work off to others..." He'd get those Moblins for this... he would. Because unlike those pithless cretins, he didn't believe for a second The Master would murder him upon receiving his mail./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"If it was good news anyway./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"The sorcerer continued on in silence after this for awhile, lazily studying the dull, rock, torchlit walls as he plodded along. He eventually encountered something that piqued his interest./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Hey, what's this?" He had come up to an engraving on the stone barricade. Curious, he took a pale hand, and wiped away the screen of dust that the etching had collected, revealing a rather barbarous scene consisting of what appeared to be a small ensemble of horrific-looking demons, dragging a hapless victim into the agape and blood-dribbling mouth of some type of hairy behemoth. This picture, however grotesque, undoubtedly spoke verity about the place it was most likely describing./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Humph... not that far from the truth..." the sorcerer stated dryly, gazing around the slimy and putrid corridor with much disdain. He sighed as he walked away from the engraving./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""What a boorish place..." he muttered, shoving his free hand into one of his purple cloak's many pockets. The way to his master's chamber was, in his mind, unnecessary long and bleak, there being nothing remotely pretty to take his mind off of this long stroll he was unaccustomed to taking. He disliked exercise with a passion, and thankfully didn't normally didn't have walk anywhere; he could teleport instead - he was a magician after all./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"But all magic, sorcery, incantations, etc. in the city whose underpart he was currently traversing was blocked by a countering spell The Master's two surrogate mothers, the ever powerful (and often disturbing) Koume and Kotake, had conjured, so he unfortunately couldn't just warp himself in to wherever he desired. So that's why he was here, walking down a seemingly endless corridor, reduced to a common delivery-boy. This didn't mix well with his overabundant ego, and made him feel quite indignant inside./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""I cannot simply bring myself to believe such an inconceivable fact that I, Vaati the Great Wind Mage, have been forced to deliver a letter to The Master, just because some damned, impotent monsters are too feeble and cowardly to do it themselves! It is, in short, disgusting!" The sorcerer continued on, boiling in his angry thoughts. Though after a while, his umbrage grew too great to be toted around, so he stopped his trek to scream up towards the roof in a fury./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""I am not some ordinary postman!" he screeched, stamping the ground with his foot, "I am the demon sorcerer who rules the skies!" He started making gestures so wide that any person would have thought he was quite mad if they saw him. "I have subjects, counselors, bodyguards, and the largest library in the history of the universe! This is more degrading for someone of my social and economic caliber than cleaning a bathroom with my personal hygiene items! How dare I be subject to such unfathomable treatment! I vow to make all you atrocious villains who forced me down into this hellhole suffer appropriately for your crimes with slow, agonizing deaths!" Vaati, now identified, listened to his ferocious words echo through the tunnel as he seethed in silence. After catching his breath, he looked toward the rafters of the gross corridor, seeing that nothing but the common Kesee and a few rats had heard his passionate outburst. He sighed miserably and stuck his tongue out the side of his mouth to end his self-righteous spiel. "emUgh/em..."/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"After several more minutes of marching about unenthusiastically, Vaati finally came to his destination. Despite the fact that it was only a stroll taking about ten minutes of his time, the sorcerer hunched over and panted a minute, resting his hands on his knees and gasping here and there for more air./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""I emreally/em need to get into shape..."/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"When he was done, Vaati stared up at the large, black metal doors that loomed before him, and brought his hand to the bright silver knocker in the shape of a pig's head. He cocked an eyebrow when he saw it, and wondered about his master's choice of accessories. He then shrugged, figuring it was no worse than anything else in the unrefined location, and lifted the knocker, clanging it against the door three times:/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"em style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Knock!/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"em style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Knock!/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"em style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Knock!/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"The banging of the object against the steel reverberated throughout the tunnel for a few seconds, then was replaced with an erie silence. After a second or two of waiting, a loud, powerful rumbling shook the entire passage, knocking Vaati off his feet instantly. He fell onto his back and into the stone floor, where it was certain- well, more like emVaati/em was certain, that more than a few bones cracked from the impact./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Ow!" he screamed, and then banging his fists on the ground with rage, shouted, "what's the deal with the earthquake?! ...Huh?"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"After the rumbling had settled, a good distance away, from one the hall's many, many deep shadows, an echoing noise sounded throughout the cavern, it sounded like a heavy chain falling to the floor and shattering./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Vaati was almost able to emfeel/em the shards scatter across the stone. He knew that some enchantment had just been broken; he'd had experience with this type of thing. Despite a great feeling of fear suddenly washing over him, the sorcerer dared not move a muscle./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"A few seconds later, two tall, dark figures lumbered out from where the sound of the chain had sourced and marched toward Vaati. Double-edged, monstrously large battle-axes were held in their colossal, gauntleted hands. Their shiny bronze armor rattled with every step they took, the sound getting nearer and nearer as approached the sorcerer. They leered out from their spiky helmets at him with glowing red eyes that simply screamed "bloodlust"./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""D-Damn it... Iron Knuckles..." Vaati's lower lip quivered as stuttered the words, and he felt his right eye twitch involuntarily. He quickly leaped from his spot on the ground in a panic; deciding the overly-long, self-pity speech he had prepared could wait for a while. He rushed toward the big black doors and slammed his fists repeatedly into them, screeching, "MASTER! MASTER IT'S ME, VAATI! MASTER? MASTER! I COME IN PEACE MASTER! MASTER!" All the while the Iron Knuckles came closer and closer to where Vaati stood, their footsteps actually created small indents in the worn stone floor as they stomped./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""MASTER!" Vaati screamed for the umpteenth time. Upon still hearing no response, he knew as he turned and backed himself against the door he would have to kill the assailing monsters himself, or die in the process of the attempt. Of course, since he had absolutely squat in the way of weaponry - being without a wand, sword, or even a dagger - the latter option was more likely to become reality than the former. He began to sweat profusely, and started to curse his master out to take his mind off the impending doom. "Grrr... would it kill that bastard to have some sort of security check or something before sicking monsters of this strength on someone?" Vaati hissed. "I shouldn't have to die because he has what must be extreme paranoia! Iron Knuckles; the world's emstupidest/em alarm system!/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"The Iron Knuckles, despite their dire slowness, were much too close for comfort to Vaati now, only five yards were between the two of them and he, and Vaati had nowhere to run to when that short distance was closed by the Iron Knuckles - as he was already backed up against the door and helpless, one cut from either axe was enough to split him clean down the middle./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Vaati sniffled, "I wonder how I'll look cut in half," he thought aloud, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. "I should have the worn my black cloak today... black is so much more appropriate for a tragic death than indigo." He regarded the cloak he wore round himself with distaste. "This will never work for a painful, agonizing eradication... emOh/em, how abject!" He dramatically put a hand to his forehead. "emOh/em, how inhumane! emOh/em, how despondent! emOh/em, how-"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""emDesist!/em" Rang out a deep, powerful voice from the depths of the corridor, shaking the hall almost as hard as the tremor from earlier. Vaati, despite being quite startled, managed to keep a foothold by grabbing one of the pig knockers, but the Iron Knuckles, upon hearing the sound, stopped their tread and started to writhe in what seemed to be agony./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Wha-" Was all Vaati could whimper before he was frozen in his movements by the huge amounts of magical energy that had begun to encircle him. He was suddenly rendered even more powerless than he had been before, and felt suffocated by the raw power that had formatted in a strange aura about him. emWhat is this?!/em/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Though it should be noted that while Vaati was burdened unbearable discomfort due to the force that had him trapped in its seemingly air-tight clutches, he wasn't actually feeling any real physical empain/em. All his appendages were in place, and though the grip he was caught in was tight, it was not crushing. This a seemed rather lucky on his part, because the Iron Knuckles who had been about to maul him beyond repair only seconds before definitely were experiencing something much more than discomfort; they were being messily disassembled before Vaati's very eyes./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"It was a disgusting sight to say the least. The beasts contorted; their limbs inside the armor twisted and turned in repulsive fashions, falling to the ground after magically ripping apart from the rest them. Their eyes lost the former glow they had previously possessed - however erie - and turned to a lifeless black. Vaati, despite having his ears covered in fear, still heard the distinct sound of snapping necks. Blood dribbled through the empty, gaping holes where bones had onced interlocked. This was gore in its purest form./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"The suffering of the Iron Knuckles though only lasted but a few brief seconds, as they almost immediately crumpled directly to the floor, where they lay dead. The dark, evil souls that had possessed the ancient armor making up the monsters soon were spirited away, to a spot where they would reincarnate into other creatures of darkness, leaving the collapsed empty bronze and Vaati alone in the dim, foreboding torchlight./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"The energy that had before engulfed Vaati faded away, restoring him his movments. The first thing the sorcerer did was gulp, he worried that this event was simply a preceeding to another attack, and wondered if he was about to perish in the same repugnant way the Iron Knuckles had. "W-Who's there...?" he asked shakily, looking around him for where the voice that killed the monsters had come from./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"The nearly forgotten ebony doors behind the sorcerer slowly opened, taking away Vaati's support. He fell again onto his back./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""emOof/em!" He grunted as his posterior once more met hard stone. He quickly jumped up and spun around to find himself now standing right on the threshold of a large room. This obviously surprised him, as he had thought just a second ago that he would never see anything marginally nice again./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"After a slight look-see, Vaati found that the room was lavish, yet dark. Everything in the room spoke that same message, from the grey stone fireplace, to the gold framed, high quality leather chairs in the rooms corners, to the enormously sized crepuscular portraits hung over the walls. Everything somehow leaked a taste darkness - which Vaati quite enjoyed. Though he quickly though noticed something - or rather someone - who was much more important than any bit of the room's décor. He greeted his master calmly, despite his nerves still being jumpy from his encounter with the Iron Knuckles./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Hello my lord," he bowed slightly, only as much to satisfy - as he spoke, "I hope you are doing exceptionally well today." These latter words were said quite mechanically and without much genuine concern. Vaati had come to the conclusion that it must have been his master who had killed the Iron Knuckles, and was no longer fearful; for he knew the man would never kill one of his own agents (in others words, Vaati,) without a purpose. It seemed now that Vaati now had opportunity to be annoyed, which he whole-heartedly took./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"It seemed Vaati's master felt the same, for he grunted in response to the cool and apathetic greeting his noble had given. "Mm..." He reclined against the soft cushion of his high-backed chair. "I probably should apologize for the Iron Knuckles' assault upon you, Vaati," he said, but without much tactility, tapping the gloved fingers of one of his on a golden arm of his seat. "I wasn't present and was certainly not expecting a visit. ...Especially not a emunannounced /emone." There was much extra emphasis on the word "unannounced", presumptively to signify that it was actually not at all his fault Vaati was attacked./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"In his head, Vaati scoffed and gritted his teeth, fully enraged that it was believed his fault he had nearly come to an untimely demise, when in his mind, there was no doubt he was through and through an innocent bystander, subject to annihilation without fair trial./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"em style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"The nerve!/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Of course, Vaati wasn't an idiot, and still knew the only safe option was a civil - and unfortunately for him - rather humbling reply, "Well, I suppose I must apologize for coming here unannounced, so I hope you accept my deepest atonement Master," he quickly added to this statement mentally:/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"em style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Though it's not like I wanted to come here in the first place.../em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"There was a moment of silence after this, as neither party felt much drive to start up any sort of small talk - each knew the other had no interest whatsoever in conversing with he./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Finally, Vaati's master broke the quiet. He leaned over his large desk and asked, "So, what did you come to see me about, Vaati? I know you wouldn't come here unless it was important; as you have that castle of yours to attend to."/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Vaati snickered to himself as his master ended his sentence with a preposition./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"em style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"What an ignoramus!/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"But the sorcerer didn't mention this little nit-picky grammatical error, and simply relayed the reason for his presence:/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Mm... I bring tidings of a emmessage, /emsir," he made air qoutes with his fingers as he spoke. He looked in front of him to the grand black desk that sat on the far end of the room, faintly illuminated by the roaring fire in the hearth behind it. It was the only light in the dark area, as there were no windows./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Message, you say?" his master asked curiously, "what do you mean?"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""It's a letter for you sir," Vaati waved the paper around./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Ah," the Master said, calmly looking away and going back to reading a book he'd been studying before Vaati had been present./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Eh..." Vaati was confused, "uh, sir, don't you want to read it?" Vaati voiced his thoughts./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Well how about you just recite it to me," Vaati's master suggested, "after all I'm quite sure that you know the contents by heart by now anyway." he raised an eyebrow and smirked at him - Vaati looked insulted./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""What, do you honestly believe I'd pry into my own master's business?" he asked in a shocked voice, placing a hand over his chest to emphasize./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"The Master shot him a dry look; Vaati snorted./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Look, it's sealed. I never opened it," he rolled his eyes and passed his master the envelope he had been holding to prove his point./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Hmmm..." the Master studied the paper a few moments, turning it in his hands and looking at it intensely. After a moment, he suddenly narrowed his eyes and looked puzzled./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Is there a problem, Master Ganondorf?" Vaati asked, cocking his head to the side./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"The Master waited a bit before answering, still looking suspiciously at the letter. After awhile, he finally replied,/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""...I think I have seen this somewhere before..."/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Uh, well I should think so," Vaati said shrugging, amused, "envelopes are in quite a common usage when it comes to mailing things like letters and su-"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Not the envelope you idiot! The seal! The seal, halfwit!"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""emAh/em..." Vaati nodded, trying very hard not to say some very crude things in retort. Vaati was very civil in his reply - well, at least in his own opinion he was. "Well, try opening the letter, it may jog your memory of just where you saw the thing." Then looking away, he gnashed his teeth repeatedly./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Don't be sarcastic with me." The Master glared at Vaati for his comment, though ripped off the top of the envelope regardless, pulling out a piece of paper. From the brief glimpse Vaati got of the document, he was able to discern it was certainly not written in Hylian, but something incomprehensible to him. The Master appeared to begin reading it, despite the foreign language in which it was written./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Vaati shifted from foot-to-foot anxiously, wondering when - if at all - his master would share the contents of the letter. After minutes of vehement waiting, and he was worried that he wouldn't get any answers unless he inquired, the sorcerer finally asked,/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Um... what does it say, Master Ganondorf?"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""..."/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Quiet fell upon the room, and nothing was spoken for quite a bit./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""...Go and collect my father Vaati..." The Master suddenly commanded, disregarding Vaati's unanswered question./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""...Y-Your father sir?" the sorcerer echoed, "you mean-"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Yes, my father; Demise, Demon Emperor! You heard me stooge! Now go! I expect you back promptly!"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""B-but sir, what could be so important in that letter that-"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Do not question me!" the Master bellowed, actually emleaping/em to his feet and thrusting a gesture toward the doors behind his servant. The composed and proud demeanor that the man had always upheld suddenly seemed to have suddenly washed away, leaving a tense and hysteric disposition behind. "Go and gather him, and bring him here - I seek council with him! Vaati, I'll give you seven days to bring him to the castle! Take any longer, and it will be your neck severed! Understand?"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Y-yes sir I'll go r-right away..." Vaati stuttered. "Just tell me where I might find the Lord Demise and I'll-"/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""strongGO!/strong" The Master screamed again, black lightning racing across the palms and fingertips of his hands as anger mixed with unerrvedeness and began to boil over./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Yes sir!" Vaati squealed fearfully as he raced out of the office, the ebony doors magically shutting behind him./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"em style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"I need to get out of here!/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"The sorcerer stopped running about halfway down the hall he had come in from. He leaned against one of the stone walls and wiped the sweat from his face as he cursed his master under his breath. "Rude scum! Not even bothering to grace me with an answer to a simple query before flinging me out! Why I should..." he trailed off, and his eyes shifted around the passage alertedly. What if someone had heard him? No one would think twice about reporting him bad-mouthing The Master. Vaati wasn't particually liked around here - or anywhere else for that matter - by the local guard. And after The Master's outburst... insulting him now just wouldn't be wise./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Vaati ranted a bit more, (this time quietly, to be on the safe side,) before calming himself down, and decided to focus on the subject of his mission./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""seven days," he reminded himself. "A week... One week to get that old man Lord Demise back here... Hmm... well... I heard a bit back that Demise was thinking of spending the winter in Rehten, so presumably he is currently staying with another noble there... So I suppose Rehten is my destination... Let's hope he didn't change his mind. I had better hurry if I want to get back here in time..."/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"So then Vaati began griping to himself about how if he had just decided to sit at home today, the Moblins would have chosen one among themselves for the delivery of the Master's letter, and he would have been spared the burden of this extremely cumbersome mission./span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Though this wasn't the dominant thought in Vaati's mind as he started running again - that thought was a simple diversion to the real nagging contemplation of what, in that mysterious letter, could have made the Master become so shaken and worried?/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"... ... ... ... ... ... .../span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"emAuthor's Note: Wow... Vaati's more fun to write then I thought he would be... I'm looking forward to writing more chapters! And I hope you look forward to reading them... Oh yeah, and Ganondorf really only /emconsidersem Demise his parent. He's not actually his biological father; because that would require a whole additional fanfiction to work out. If you played Skyward Sword I think you'd likely understand the whole 'my hate will reincarnate' song and dance. Is that weird way to go about things?/em/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"em style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Reviews are always appreciated dudes./em/p
