In order to retrieve one of the Dragon Balls from a mysterious alternate dimension, Dende and Popo open a portal for the Z Warriors into the land of Hyrule. Unfortunately, that portal also opens up an escape route from Hell for some of Earth's most wanted tyrants. As events quickly occur, one disaster after another, Prince Vegeta also gets an unexpected lead on the assassins who murdered his mother, and vows to exact revenge.
Rated T for gore, mild language, implications, lots of OOCness and other things for people not below twelve. Takes place directly after Cell Games Saga and two years after Twilight Princess. I apologize for screwing with the Hylian story line and timeline, but I wanted to add as many places and races as possible. Also, the Fourth Wall is out for lunch for the entirety of this fanfiction.
Hate me if you want, love me if you can, and enjoy!
Side note time. I don't know exactly who sent that flame review, but I'll say this. I had no intentions of making this story even remotely serious until much much later in the storyline. I mean, have you even seen the messed-up stuff I've put in my later chapters? And while I'm guessing you must get some sort of kick out of making me feel like garbage, I just figured you should know that there was no intention to make things realistic from the getgo. I save that for other works. I know I literally said in the paragraph above this one that you can hate me if you want, but if you're going to tell me exactly how horrible you think I am, then at least get your facts straight on exactly what type of story it is before you immediately call me a jackass.
Sorry, people who actually want to read this story. I just had to say that. Ignore the above and enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: I, JTS, do not own Dragon Ball Z or the Legend of Zelda. However, I did come up with a few OC's and spells myself, which I'll point out at the end of each chapter so there's no confusion.
WARNING: Every section following this sentence contains SPOILERSSSSSSS for both series! Read at your own risk!
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
To Dream of the Sea…
...
Somewhere in Hyrule Castle Town
Eighteen months after the defeats of Zant and Ganondorf
Six months after the Great Fairy War
...
Everyone has a demon.
Unless they are one.
The moon was dark overhead, barely more than a slim grinning crescent fading into nothingness behind the waning clouds. But besides the small strand of bad weather, the sky was relatively clear. Stars twinkled like little diamond crystals in a rock, shimmering and casting a bright light on the shoreline of Lake Hylia.
Our demon of choice, however, was not admiring the lake's wonders. No, he had a special place, a nondescript apartment in a shadowed alley of Hyrule Castle Town. To some, his place would look abandoned, just a rundown shack with an accidentally slanted roof and a chilling lack of lights. But to him, it was a base of operations, a way to see how quickly his plan was progressing. The only symbol that made the place stand out even remotely was an unkempt sign on the door, reading only three big red letters in messy Hylian.
...
H
M
S
...
Below that, another sign.
...
Customers
Welcome
...
The word all had been scribbled in red ink just before the word customers.
How was the plan going? Good.
Was it time to advance it? …Maybe.
He shivered slightly as he looked up at the skylight that had been "installed" in the ceiling. It was more like he had used an old army spatha of his to tear a hole in the shoddy patchwork above his head, adding a rustic feel to the shadows that often cast themselves upon him. Unfortunately, his lack of physical strength and agility had taken its toll on this man of mid-forties, and he had been lying on the ground for an hour before the chill had roused him to fetch a jacket. Being at least partially human, he was still affected by the cold, which sent spiked chills through him at the most unexpected of moments. No starlight shone in his dwelling, no moon sinking its bright fangy teeth into his eyes. After immigrating to Hyrule from the southern country of Termina, he had come to hate the moon, that huge devilish sphere that hung in the sky. It was always laughing at him, mocking him, just out of his reach. At least it was no longer smiling. Anything but the moon smiling for the HMS.
There were many urban legends about him. Some people said that he reeked of evil, some said that his actions simply prolonged peace in the oddest of ways; to be honest, it could have been either and he wouldn't have cared. The time for peace wasn't going to last much longer anyway.
"Tatl," he said quietly but sharply, pulling his hood over his head further as he sat in a cross-legged position on a rug just below the skylight. Nobody would recognize him like this. He reached out with one hand for the antiquated crystal ball on the floor beside him, trailing a finger on the dusty orb. "I have a question for you, let's see if you can answer it."
The little yellow fairy known as Tatl flew up to him, the bright light emanating from her aura blinding him. "Y…yes, sir?"
"It's getting rather late, isn't it? Usually I've met with people by this time of day."
"I understand, sir, and I'm sorry—"
"How many customers have you found?"
She chimed nervously and the glow around her dimmed. Tatl didn't want to answer.
"Tatl," he replied coldly, not looking away from the orb as he stopped trailing his finger through the dust. "I am still waiting for your answer."
"I…uh…found one. For you. The Zora council representative wanted to meet with you."
That earned a smile from him. He reached up towards her, and she shied away slowly, but his outstretched hand stopped and gave her a thumbs-up. "A Hylian Councilman? The Zora representative, at that!? What an unexpected surprise! My, my, good work, Tatl. Excellent, in fact! This was just what I needed. When did they say they were coming?"
Tatl breathed a sigh of relief, happy that she hadn't been punished. "A few minutes."
"Good." He laughed softly. "Ah, when plans come to fruition! You may go, Tatl. I don't think I'll need to keep my business open any longer, not after this. You take Skull Kid and Tael to the woods bordering Termina and wait for me there."
The little pixie was brimming with pride, he could see it, but she did her best to hide it and chimed obediently. "Of course." She zoomed off through a hole in the door, the room darkening once more.
Not even a moment after, there was a single knock on the door.
He waited a moment, to build suspense.
The person at the door must have been looking around wildly, checking to make sure that they were alone. She shouldn't have needed to—privacy was easy to find at this time in this part of Hyrule.
"…Hello?"
He smiled once more and moved the crystal ball into the shadows, standing and pulling his cloak tighter around his body. "Ah, yes, you may enter."
The door creaked open quietly, and a feminine figure, also hooded, stepped through the door. The dark cloak she wore made her almost invisible in the eerie light cast by the stars, yet he could just barely see a golden crown on her head. "You are the one the young fairy told me about, yes?" she asked cautiously.
He nodded. "As a matter of fact, yes. Here to serve, madam."
She pulled back her hood, revealing a Zora female, with pale bluish skin and deep cerulean eyes that reflected the stars above. She looked eerily beautiful for a fish-woman. "My name is Laruto," she said. "I was hoping you could help me—"
"Prove that you're really Laruto."
"What? You doubt me?"
"A face isn't enough to prove it. There is always a mask somewhere among my customers, and surprisingly enough I haven't seen one in a while. So doubt is necessary in my line of work," he replied frostily.
"…Very well." She reached up for the clasp at her neck and unfastened it, revealing a long black robe and a white scarf around her neck as the cloak fell to the ground. Her entire body was see-through, like that of a spirit. She reached out a shaky webbed hand, as if to tap him on the shoulder, but her body itself began to dissipate before it was even touching him. She gasped sadly and drew back. "Is this enough to convince you that I'm not a murderer or a Hylian guard? I couldn't touch you even if I tried."
"Hmm," he said, putting a hand to his chin and purposely ignoring her little transparency problem. "You're definitely not a Hylian guard, and I don't think murderer is the most appropriate word. Alright, you've convinced me, Laruto. Although you look different than the councilmen say."
She gestured to herself with a clear hand. "If I wore my usual attire, someone would be bound to notice me."
"Wouldn't the transparency tip them off as well?" he added.
"True." Laruto stepped forwards towards him. "But that would be of little consequence. It's true that if they caught me talking to a man like you, I would be thrown in a prison cell for life; but I would survive, as I can no longer feel any pain. Or the wind. Or the cold, or the touch of a friend. It is a horrible way to live, only half alive. I am drowning, alive only in this suspended spiritual state. But being here in this world is not enough! I have to feel again or I will go mad, and I mourn the day when the Zoras no longer have me to speak for them. I beg of you to help me regain my body!"
"Well, maybe…I will…maybe…"
"Please, I implore you, sir!" Any more begging, and she'd be on her knees.
After leaving her there to plead a few more seconds, he smiled. When plans come to fruition, indeed. "Very well, then. I'll do it."
Laruto's eyes began to sparkle, helplessly hopeful. Pathetic Hylian. "Thank you, my friend—"
"Just one thing," he replied, his grin fading.
"Anything. Anything at all."
He knit his hands together. "How much do you like the Great Sea, Lady Laruto?"
The question caught her off guard. "I…don't understand what that has to do with this."
More than you think, he mused. "Sorry, let me rephrase that," he apologized, sitting down once more and gesturing for her to join him. "You hate the Rito, am I correct?"
The mere mention of the bird-people caused Laruto's face to flush with anger, and she curled her fists up furiously in her lap. "Those disgusting bird people? Of course. They tried to take our rightful place alongside the Golden Goddess Nayru, and they paid the price by disappearing along with their 'blessed' sea."
"If you got your body back, would you be willing to put up with them?
"You mean with the Rito? Yes." She was surprisingly quick to answer. "I hate them, but I'd rather have a body than a world free of them."
"And those of the Great Sea, like the Deku Scrubs and the spirits; would you be willing to deal with them again?"
"As well," Laruto replied.
"And if even more than the Great Sea comes to Hyrule—much, much more than you bargained for, I promise you that—and causes corruption and imbalance, you would still be happy?" A raised eyebrow, but she couldn't see it.
Laruto faltered an instant, then said, "…Absolutely. Anything to truly live again!"
You shouldn't have said those words, he thought, and his grin grew larger. He reached behind him for a scroll and undid the clasp on it, unfurling it and skimming over the words. "Let me get this straight. You are also a Sage, an Earth Sage, correct?"
"Yes. My powers have diminished over the years without a body, but they are not gone. I can still use a few abilities."
"Unfortunately, I cannot do what you ask of me alone. You must be willing to give me your powers—most of it, anyway—so that I may use them in the proper way that can restore your physical form."
"You can do it though, can't you?"
He held up a hand in a calming gesture. "That's already been established, Lady Laruto. You do not possess the Ae skills to activate the spell I have in mind, while I do. But understand that this compromise will allow me practically unrestrained access to your soul's power."
"Why do you need my power?" she asked warily, eyes narrowing.
He responded with a grin. "My personal vendettas are not yours to meddle with, now are they?"
"Well, I should like to know—"
"If you still want my help, the correct answer to my question is 'no'." He held out the scroll once again when she didn't respond. "Sign at the bottom, and we have a deal." He slowly handed her a quill.
Laruto's pale fingers grasped it tightly enough to snap it in half. Then she asked him something. "One last question before I do this. The 'HMS' on your door. Does it…stand for what I think it does?"
"What do you think?" he replied, cocking his head to the side.
She waited for a moment. Looked to the door. Looked back at him. Glanced at the quill in her hand. Stared at the parchment roll on the floor ahead of her. Wondered what the hell she was getting herself into.
Signed it with a flourish, as quickly as possible. Handed him back the quill and said, "A deal. A deal with a demon."
"Those are the best kind! Well, then, our agreement is final. Let us begin!" He grabbed the crystal ball from next to him and blew off all the dust, rubbing it with his sleeve until the orb sparkled. As he peered into the orb, he said, "I look forward to doing business with you again, Lady Laruto!"
"…Wait a second, Sa—"
With a wave of his hand, Laruto disappeared, her words cut off mid-syllable. She would awake in her morning to find that she was no longer a transparent ghost, her body having been partially repaired overnight. The return of her coherence would be very gradual, so that nobody would notice until it was complete in about six months.
He sat in silence, a tiny part of him in the back of his head doubting that his plan would work. But why? Fate had never refused him before. Not with the Majora's Mask scuffle, and not with the craziness with that ocarina. He had Laruto's power now, but that wasn't the real reason that he had chosen today to begin his plan. Today was simply the right day to do it, and he was sure of it. If the Great Sea and its people were to return, but merge with Hyrule instead of drowning it, his plan would work. And if he wanted to prove that the heroes were incompetent, well; this was the perfect test.
"It's time to test the champions," he said to nobody in particular, as the image of roaring waves became visible in the crystal ball. The picture was gaining coherence and reality at an alarming pace, to the point where he swore that he could already here the waves crashing.
Offhand, he remembered something that he had said once to the Hero of Time. You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?
He scoffed to himself and shook his head. "Terrible fate? You ain't seen nothing yet."
And that was the day that the Happy Mask Salesman brought back the Great Sea.
...
The HyCoR Assembly Hall in Hyrule Castle
Two years after the defeats of Zant and Ganondorf
One year after the Great Fairy War
...
"Members of the Hylian Council of Races, it is time to begin!" Princess Zelda of the great nation of Hyrule called. She said so while slamming a big wooden gavel down on the table once, twice. When there was no reaction, she completed the gesture, dropping the gavel sarcastically with a third thunking sound.
Nobody listened. But was that a surprise? Of course not. Diplomats wouldn't listen to her if the great goddess Hylia herself had frozen them in positions in which they couldn't do anything else. Add the fact that her personal bodyguard and Hylian Councilman Impa was not there to calm her down or threaten representatives into submission, and there was no way to get their attention.
No, instead of trying again, Zelda gave up, flopping back into her chair with a whoosh of breath and playing with the sleeves of her white gloves. Ever since the Great Fairy War, the ambassadors to all the great races had gone berserk. And ever since the Great Sea had miraculously appeared surrounding Hyrule six months ago, they had gotten even worse. No surprise there, not after that mess. They deserved to be so power-hungry and protective, if not for a while. Wasn't that what the Council was created for, to protect Hyrule?
Didn't seem like it at the moment.
Still, Zelda mused as she watched the ensuing argument that was taking place on the council chamber floor, perhaps it was getting out of hand.
"Lady Laruto, you have no right to claim the Northern Delta!" a bellowing voice called. The new chieftain advisor of the Rito bird-people, Raegef, looked positively livid, the white feathers on his arms and head ruffling in fury. The beak positioned where a nose should be on his face glinted dangerously as the Rito leaped into the air and landed hard right in front of his target, the Zora representative. "Who gave you permission to do something so rash? This will not do, I cannot speak to you on such a fragile matter. I demand to speak to Prince Ralis about this!"
If Laruto showed any indication of intimidation, Zelda sure didn't see it. The Zoras were basically the direct opposite of the Rito, being fish-people instead of birds, and their frequent arguments only made them more antagonistic to each other. Laruto was a little different than most female Zoras, with greyish-blue skin and a fin draping down from the back of her head. Two similar fins tinged slightly darker than her normal skin were connected to her elbows, draping down loosely on her sides. Although most Zoras never wore clothing, Laruto didn't like that concept at all, and wore a sleeveless lavender robe with a white scarf around her neck, along with a crimson drapery on the front of her dress with her race's emblem. A golden crown-like headpiece sat atop her head, and matching golden armbands were linked around her upper arms and wrists. Something about her looked off today, like it wasn't really Earth Sage Laruto that Zelda was seeing.
"Master Raegef," she stated calmly, stepping forward so that her smooth blue eyes were staring directly into his fiery scarlet ones. The way she said master always seemed to be in a pejorative connotation, no matter the situation. "There is no need to ask my Prince Ralis to confirm what I ask of the Council today. He appointed me himself, so I know all of his choices."
"Still, I resent the idea of a Sage as a council representative."
"…Is this really the time for you to complain over rank? My word," Laruto drawled icily. "I thought you were better than that, Master Raegef."
"I am not complaining over rank, as you believe. I hold just as esteemed of a position as you do—that of the intermediary between Prince Komali and the great dragon Valoo." Raegef seemed to swell with pride at the mention of the Rito guardian dragon, his feathers puffing up in a show of dignity.
"It's a shame that the dragon had to choose you of all Rito." As Zelda watched, Laruto fiddled with the crown on her head and turned her back on the esteemed Rito representative. "I thought that sacred beings were at least smart. Was I wrong, Master Hylian Councilman?"
Judging from Raegef's reaction, this argument wasn't over. For a moment, his proud façade seemed to implode upon itself, and he wilted over for an instant. But then he stood straight up, glaring daggers at Laruto's head fin. He shreed once more and flapped his wings rapidly, his long purple robes and cape swirling in the wind he was creating. "You, lady Laruto, are an OUTRAGE! A pure, unadulterated OUTRAGE! I demand that the Council remove you from your seat and appoint someone more proper for the position. Perhaps your ruler himself—negotiating with him has proven…fruitful in a few cases. Ralis would be able to settle this much better than you can!"
"Well, if you wanted to speak to Prince Ralis, you shouldn't have even brought it up with me in the first place."
Raegef's brown face feathers turned a bright shade of red as he hissed at her. "Unfortunately, that is not an option, as I have been ordered to bring it up with you here! Prince Komali himself has chosen me for this job as well."
A tick mark appeared on her forehead. "Is that so? Maybe I should be talking to him instead of you."
"Yes, that's what you did last time in order to monopolize the Eastern Delta! And Lake Hylia! And the Snowpeak tributaries—"
"Which you gained!" Laruto pointed out, seething quietly through her teeth. Her fists clenched around her robe, crinkling the expensive fabric. "And may I remind you that the Great Sea cannot be inhabited by my people, due to excessive salinity! You can roam the islands as they please, but the only reason I was able to go there is because I am dead!"
The other ambassadors had remained silent until now, when the Mogma representative, Tanium, had to speak up. "Uh, Miss Laruto, 'bout that..." The Mogmas were a mole like race with fair skin and fur, living in volcanic areas underground. Tanium didn't look very comfortable in the bright light of the room, and Laruto's glare didn't help. "Ya look different, not all...specter-like."
"Your point?" she seethed.
"I was, uh…wondering… How did ya...ya know...get your new looks?"
New looks. That was it. That was why Laruto looked different. She had died long ago, but her spirit had lingered in this world to help see to the defeat of Ganondorf when he had appeared in the Great Sea. When she had died, she had turned see-through, like a specter that you could only see out of the corner of your eyes. But now, she was a full flesh-and-blood Zora, a living being once more.
How the heck.
Zelda stood as the remaining ambassadors quieted down, smoothing down her white-and-fuchsia dress and straightening the intricate gold plating on her shoulders and part of her neck. "I must second his comment," she said, casting a glance at the assorted ambassadors before continuing. "Lady Laruto, explain what actions you have taken to the council."
The sage glared at Tanium and Raegef poisonously before looking off into the distance, towards the doors to the assembly chamber. "I made a deal with a demon," Laruto said quietly.
For a moment, the room was completely and utterly silent. Zelda found that she suddenly had the urge to simply laugh it off, but Laruto's nervous expression quickly stilled any chuckle in coming.
Then Raegef took action and growled at the spirit, pointing an accusing feathered finger at her. As Laruto's head snapped towards him in shock and surprise, he yelled, "Fool! Lies, lies and deception! You stupid woman, no drastic action is to ever be taken before consulting the council!"
"It was not drastic action, it was none of your business." She spun on her heel as if to act defiant, but the quaver in her voice was obvious. "None of your business at all what I do with my own spirit, esteemed Master Raegef."
Tanium held up a foot to comment, his hands occupied by his standing on them. Not even a moment after his gesture, Raegef, Laruto, and Zelda all yelled a resounding "What?!"
"I..." The Mogma gulped and shifted the digging miner's pack on his back. "Ya three are psycho, ya know that?" He chuckled nervously when they didn't reply, then grinned with his sharp teeth. "I heard 'nuff. Laruto, if ya did what ya wanted to, then it's a-okay in my book."
A few other ambassadors agreed halfheartedly, but Zelda could still see the majority of the Councilmen either ignoring the conversation or making ancient hexes to ward off evil. Laruto was directly at the center of their suspicion.
Laruto appeared to have gotten tired of being the center of attention, and began to speak. "Princess Zelda, I do not appreciate the Council meddling into my personal choices. On that note, let us move on. Now, if you would be so kind as to make my plea official in regards to the Northern Delta?"
Before Zelda had a chance to decline, Raegef burst forward again. "I object! This woman has no use for the Delta—she said herself she and her people can't go there—while the Rito do! Please, I implore you to annex it as part of the Great Sea territories!"
"Raegef, I was about to agree with you," she deadpanned. "You cannot be serious right now."
"Don't be hasty, Your Majesty," Laruto shrilled. "I would not recommend supporting Raegef's people. Beside, I cannot and will not negotiate with such a territorial man!"
"And I will not cooperate with one who made a deal with a demon!"
"My personal choices are none of your business, Master Raegef!"
"Agh!" he cried. "You're impossible! Why couldn't our respective rulers simply argue this point themselves?" Raegef fumed, asking the same question that Zelda was wondering. "Honestly, that Ralis of yours is such an impetuous boy, sending you of all people to negotiate on the Hylian Council."
Laruto opened her mouth to say something biting, then sighed.
And somebody decided to say it for her.
"Now then, ol' 'Master Raegef'—nice title, by the way—that's not nice to say at all. That deserves a response of equal insult! Ya know…word gets around my desert faster than you'd believe. Would ya like to know what Prince Ralis thinks of your esteemed young bird-boy, Raegef?" a voice drawled.
Zelda held back a groan, but Laruto wasn't as fortunate. Of all the people to butt into the fragile conflict between the Rito and Zora tribes, it just had to be the Gerudo ambassador, didn't it?
"Kyrior," Zelda seethed, poison in her words as she searched the council room for him and eventually found him sitting atop a pillar. "I swear to Hylia, if you say anything that could—"
"Aw, shut it, Your Highness. You talk too much—let someone else have a say, would ya?" The dark-skinned man grinned at Zelda's livid expression as he jumped down from his perch atop a pillar and landed soundlessly between the two warring representatives. As he scanned the faces of the terrified ambassadors scattered across the hall, he laughed, running his fingers through his short red hair. A short grey cloak with red and blue markings on the hem was over his brown tunic, which was secured by a grey cloth sash around his waist. He wore brown baggy pants under the tunic, a sword attached to the side for more than just show. And she knew—she had seen him use it before, and he was a swordsman to be reckoned with. Cloth wrappings wound their way around his wrists and ankles, stopping at his hands and bare feet for maximum mobility. A large number of piercings decorated his ears, and a red diamond sparkled directly in the center of his forehead.
Kyrior Ambala, the most recent male Gerudo to be crowned Gerudo King. Oh, how Zelda hated him. He was a real "special" case, at least to a degree—apparently the young man had appeared before Ganondorf and Zant had surfaced, but had remained hidden for the entire time until his predecessor had died. Then he had simply appeared from Great Bay's pirate fortress a few weeks later announcing himself as the true Gerudo King, and the Gerudo women had fallen all over him after that. Besides being known for his vital role in ending the Great Fairy War, he was known to be the playboy of Hyrule—exactly the opposite kind of person to one who should be on the HyCoR. He also tended to get in the way of her making decisions a lot, as she was the same rank as him.
Yep, Zelda couldn't stand the guy.
"As I was sayin' before Zelda had to interrupt me," Kyrior said, golden eyes flashing with mischief, "I heard some juicy tidbits on Prince Ralis's true feelings for the wonderful, wonderful Rito. Something about…drowning them all, takin' 'em back under, to where they should have stayed?"
As was only appropriate for this situation, Zelda facepalmed.
The look on Laruto's face would have been priceless at another time, but right now it only confirmed what he said.
You could have heard a pin drop.
Raegef looked about to explode. "King Kyrior, I suggest you stay out of our matters. This is strictly between the Zoras and the Rito—"
"It got worse than that, of course." With a shark's grin, he looked directly at the youthful Kokiri representative, who shrank back and hid behind her chair to bury herself under the seat. "I could repeat what my sources told me. But there's children in this room, and I wouldn't want 'em to hear such foul language."
The entirety of the Hylian Council of Races let out a strangled gasp, was silent for an instant, and then simultaneously exploded into an uproar. Ambassadors took this chance to start fights over disjunctive opinions, some of them even beginning to throw punches and draw weapons. All around, the meeting that had started out fairly orderly showed signs of being a disastrous failure.
"That is a lie, Kyrior!" Laruto yelled, pointing an accusing webbed finger directly at his face and trying to cover up for her prince. "You have no right to butt into the Zora Prince's personal life and use his own opinions to your mischievous advantage!"
Kyrior was ignoring everything, one hand on his chin. He was purposely thinking out loud, just riling everyone up as he paced the length of the floor. "…Or maybe it wasn't Ralis who said that bit, maybe it was Princess Ruto? I can't be sure of things anymore. And then—you'll like this bit, Zelda—I found out that Komali had a similar opinion of his fishtailed predecessors. He said the fish in Lake Hylia looked tasty...if ya know what I mean. And something about Link disgracing his hero title every time he wore the Zora Mask—he looks stupid in a skirt, by the way…"
That was it! Zelda had had ENOUGH. You didn't disrespect the Hero of Time in front of her, ever. Especially not after all Link had done, not only as a HyCoR ambassador and informant, but as the savior of their country dozens of times over. Especially when he had saved her life time and time again. So if Kyrior wasn't going to shut up, she would make him.
"Kyrior!" she roared, stepping away from her seat to face him on the floor. Her yell was so loud and pronounced that it instantly halted the commotion of the Council. The 41 remaining Hylian Councilmen, including Laruto and Raegef, slowly took their seats, watching the Hylian princess and Gerudo King.
She reached for the long bejeweled sheath on her hip and withdrew her sword, an ornamented golden longsword that had been passed down her family line for generations. Kyrior watched the glimmering metal with an amused expression on his face.
"I told you not to say anything, Kyrior. Maybe those words haven't sunk in because you're not threatened by me yet."
Tanium looked up and said, "I'm very threatened by ya, Princess."
"With all due respect? Shut up, Councilman Tanium."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Kyrior let out a brusque laugh at this exchange. "Ha! Now that's funny."
"Maybe if I knock some sense into you, you'll think differently?"
"Double ha! You would challenge me, the Gerudo King, hero of the Great Fairy War, to a duel? Over what? The gossip's already out; and even if you somehow won, killing me wouldn't help either of us. Killing you, however, would win me a throne."
She faltered a little at that when his statement actually carried a little validity, and faltered even more when Kyrior drew his sword. It was a pure black katana, shining brightly despite its dark color, with a fuchsia hilt and a golden hand guard inlaid with multiple shining amber and ruby stones. The amount of blood his blade had spilt was unparalleled—even Link himself had defeated fewer enemies than Kyrior had.
As soon as Zelda saw the blade unsheathed, she recalled a moment of the recent war that had befallen their land. The Great Fairy War was a battle of Terminan independence that had been sparked by the Great Fairies of Termina almost immediately after Ganondorf's defeat. They had believed in Termina holding a superior magical power that granted to, and had requested their removal from the Provinces of Hyrule to start their own empire of what they claimed to be "other worlds worthy of the Terminan blessing". After the HyCoR's stolid refusal—a vote of 39 to 4 against due to their claim to Terminan supremacy—the Terminan Great Fairies had attacked their Hyrule equivalents and massacred them as a warning. This prompted a yearlong and painful war that had called for the greatest heroes of true war; Link, however, was not one of these, as he had never stood among an army of soldiers and charged the enemy.
But then Kyrior came along, out of nowhere, and brought the fight to them. Winning skirmish after skirmish soon turned to major victories against the corrupted magical forces of Termina, who had been unable to advance past the barrier forest between their worlds. Zelda had joined him in battle numerous times, although they had scarcely ever worked together.
Everything had ended swiftly after the last attack called the Hellfire, in which Kyrior had slain the Great Fairy masterminding the battle by singlehandedly tearing through her woodland forces, neatly cleaving her in half, and burning the remains to ashes with his magic. Zelda had been there, about to fire a Light Arrow at the Fairy and banish her to the Silent Realm as punishment, when Kyrior had attacked. And Zelda would never forget his expressionless appearance as the Gerudo King killed a god on Earth with little to no difficulty. She had called out to him in fury, and he had snapped around at her and stared at her with those horrible bright eyes of his, burning with malice and loathing and mischief. And glee, pure unadulterated glee. He had enjoyed killing her.
The sheer horror of a deified Great Fairy being murdered by a mortal was enough to scare the remaining forces into surrendering. However, they had gotten their wish anyway—all Hylian maps counting Termina as a province were burned and replaced with new ones that distinguished the country as separate. No Terminans were allowed into Hyrule, and no Hylians into Termina—no need for a law to point it out, because no Hylians wanted any contact with the pompous Terminans anyway, and vice versa. The two were as separate as could be, save for the lawless merchants who dared to traverse the woods in between.
Today was a day before the anniversary of the Hellfire, and you can be sure that Kyrior was drunk on his past glory. He had enjoyed killing a Great Fairy? He would certainly enjoy killing Zelda, the mortal embodiment of Hylia's power. The fact that it would be basically a public execution would make Kyrior even happier.
"C'mon, then," Kyrior sneered, shifting his katana in his hand so he was holding it with the blade up against his arm and the hilt facing the floor. She had seen him in that stance too many times to ignore his menacing aura now. If she just barely squinted and looked directly at the tip of his blade, she could almost see the dark and cold energy surrounding the newest Gerudo King. "Let's see what you're made of! It's an even battle; your light magic and justice-dealing sword that hasn't seen a drop of blood whilst in your hands, and my fire magic and notorious blade that fell a Great Fairy."
To prove his point about the level playing field, he held out the katana. A bright spark lit up the tip of the blade, glowing brighter and brighter until the spark exploded in a burst of flames. Magic, just like hers, but darker, colder. Fire against light. She hated that type of magic.
"I've been dyin' to fight you, Princess Zelda of Hyrule. Or kill ya. Either works in my book. But it's gotta be quick, because Nabooru's visitin' later and I'll need to clean up before I see her."
She clenched her hands tighter around the hilt of her blade. Well, he was certainly serious about killing her, and about fighting at the best of his abilities. But if she fought him, there was no guarantee that she would lose either. The Gerudos would be enraged if she killed Kyrior. The entire kingdom would be furious if Kyrior killed her. No way to win this situation.
What else could she do?
Ignoring the dark energy and flames around his body, Zelda walked up to him slowly, stopped when she was about a foot from him. The shadows around him were suffocating her, making the air hard to breathe. Kyrior was about six inches taller than her, looking down on her with an amused but cold expression.
"You got somethin' to say, your Highness?" he whispered, as the flames flickered a little brighter.
After a few moments' silence, she looked directly into his painful glowing scarlet eyes and growled, "Kyrior, you think you're perfect, don't you? Wise up, right now. Who cares if you're older, a better warrior, more famous for being my kindgom's sex idol? I'm the better leader here, and that's what matters. For crying out loud, I haven't seen a Gerudo guard on duty in months. You're slacking off, not even attempting to be the king your people need. Even Ganondorf's better than you—at least he knows his limits. If I were you, I would watch my mouth while I was still part of this Council. Be careful though; that could change at any moment. I am the ruling body of this council, me and only me. I'm feeling nice today, though, so I think I'll let you play king for a bit longer. Don't EVER make me change my mind."
The Skyloftian representative whistled a cat-call and was rewarded with a death glare.
His flames flickered out instantly, just like that. Struck by her threat, Kyrior took a step back, and Zelda sheathed her sword as she walked towards the doors. She sent a few glares at Raegef and Laruto, who both looked furious and as embarrassed as their minds could physically allow at the same time. Finally, something those two can agree on.
"Anyone else have any complaints as to today's…we'll call them 'events'?"
Silence on the floor.
"That's what I thought. Meeting adjourned until all of you learn what cooperation and sanity are," she fumed, slamming the door behind her.
Kyrior scoffed and hurled his katana at the door with a whoosh of fire, where it lodged itself in the wood. "We gave up on those the moment we agreed to even create this stupid thing!"
...
Hey, JTS here! What do ya think? Feel free to let me know how it is or if you have questions or anything. It's my first story, so I'm open to suggestions for other stories and the like. This story will be long, and most posts will be fairly frequent. If they're not, feel free to rant.
That's right, I said I'd point out OC's! So... Kyrior Ambala is an OC, simply because I like the idea of Zelda having to work with a Gerudo male with the same rank as her. Raegef is also a new character, and Tanium, but don't expect them to come back so often. They're just part of the HyCoR, or the Hylian Council of Races that Zelda created to control problems in Hyrule before things get out of hand. There will be many more OC's, just a warning. Stay tuned for the next chapter, finally with some Dragonball Z-ness!
JTS out!