A/N: To my beloved fans *coughcough*. The next few chapters, for those of you who have read this before I updated it to its current state, are redone versions of the one big chapter this used to be. For those of you who are new to my story, ignore this and please, read and review!
Hyrule, the palace (Vaati POV)
Looking through the eyes that are no longer mine, I realize with a nasty shock that we, I and the demon controlling my body, are at Hyrule castle, in the palace garden just in front of the front hall's entrance. Standing before me are a blonde, green-garbed young boy, a beautiful maiden (also blonde), a rather…pudgy… older man in red wearing a crown (I assume this man is the King of Hyrule), and an old, short, bespectacled little man. We are surrounded by guards, who are blocking the paths into the hedge maze. 'Why so many…?' I wonder. They are fools, Vaati. They will bring what I desire right to us… and then, none will be able to stop us. All will fear our name. 'Oh, shut up, demon,' I say bitterly. The demon laughed, then we were both distracted by a sudden commotion at the castle entrance.
Four guards advance, staggering slightly under the weight of a large, red box marked with the Hyrulian Royal seal, three golden triangles arranged into a larger triangle. Embedded in the box is a sword, golden hilt, silvery steel blade, four colored gems on the hand-guard. But what shocks me about this remarkable thing is not the sword or the seal, but the sheer power radiating from the box itself. The power reminds me of the demon possessing my body, for some reason. Shielding my thoughts from said demon, I ponder this, 'Isn't the… Light Force, as the Hylians call it… supposed to be incredibly pure?' The demon opens my mouth, speaking in my voice, "And to believe it went so well… The mighty Sword and the Golden Light of Hylian Legend brought before me. Now, if you foolish guards would kindly step aside, I will relieve you of the contents of that box."
Through "my" eyes, I watch, horrified, as the Cap spirit shoots down guard after guard with dark lightening, drawing on my own power with each blast. 'Why do you need my power? You have plenty of your own," I ask the demonic being. It does not answer, being too focused on wreaking havoc attacking the palace guards.
When the last guard fell away from the crimson box, the demon laughs aloud. "Fools, you cannot stand against Vaati's power! Now, for the contents of the box…" The Cap beast charges up a particularly powerful magic blast. I do my best to interfere, pulling all the power I can into myself, but the damage is done.
In one swift movement, the demon manipulates my limbs into hurling the magic directly at the scarlet box. With a sound like a hundred bones shattering, the magic sword snaps in two, and the lid of the box opens.
Thousand of monsters pour out by the hundreds, and even we are forced to erect a powerful shield to protect ourselves. The king and the little, old, bespectacled man are flung away, out of my sight. Only the little boy, with his tiny shield, and the girl (who I assume is the princess) who is protected by a strange, golden aura, are left standing. My inner demon (as I have named it) advances, using my body to threaten them. "So… the tales were true… a princess with a golden aura. If I leave you be, you will just become another problem. So, TO STONE WITH YOU!"
Black magic of the most horrible kind shrieks into life. I resist the pull of energy, 'No! Stop it, demon-beast! Leave them alone, they have done us no harm!' Silence! The demon tightens the mind-chains around my soul, squeezing me until I can do no more than gasp with pain and struggle feebly.
The dark magic blast whistles toward the princess. I haven't enough strength left to resist, only watching weakly and praying that the demon misspoke the incantation. No such luck. With my every memory at its disposal, the Minish Cap fiend makes no error in any spell. I stare helplessly as the evil spell zooms toward its target.
Then, the boy jumps in the way, shield up to block the magic. Does he really think that puny thing will save him, or his princess? The demon scoffs at them, pouring more of my magic into the spell in hopes of petrifying them both. The blast, for some strange reason, has no effect on the boy. Perhaps it is the shield he seems so proud of. Still, as the powerful blast of black magic passes through him, the child faints from mental overload, and the princess behind him screams, and transforms into stone.
My mind begins to fade a bit from the demon's eternal pull on my weakening strength. I still do not understand why he needs my power, when he has enough to smother mine easily.
"Now, to see what the box contains…" the demon's voice shatters my thoughts for an instant. Soon I will be strong enough… "What? Empty? There was nothing but a rabble of monsters?" The demon rants for a bit, venting its rage on my helpless soul. Then, calming down somewhat, the demon continued, "No matter. I can search the lands for it. I've got all the time in the world…" Thanks to you, dear Vaati.
Northern Plains (Link's POV [third person])
Link left the castle, the White Sword newly imbued with the powers of Earth and Fire. Suddenly, he stopped, and stared at the pale, familiar sorcerer before him. Vaati was muttering to himself, his words along the lines of "Oh, shut up… can't you stop squirming around for one minute? …Stop that, boy!" For a few minutes Link stared, then Ezlo spoke up. "Vaati!"
The sorcerer whirled around, and Link caught a moment of pity and pleading within his blood-red eyes. Then, the kindness disappeared (perhaps he had only imagined it) and Vaati smiled coldly. "Ah, Ezlo, my dear old master! And Link too! Come to slay me? Well then, you'll have to catch me first!" With that the sorcerer sped away on the wings of his magic. Link dashed after him, only to be caught in a ring of stones that had not been there before. Two dark Moblins appeared inside of the ring, spears out. Link drew his sword and prepared to meet the enemy.
After the Moblins were dead, Ezlo hopped down from Link's head and said, "Link, I think I owe you an explanation…" Ezlo told Link the story of how Vaati had stolen the Minish Cap, how his former apprentice had turned against him and transformed him into an odd, talking hat. "What was Vaati like before you made the Cap?" Link asked. Ezlo, surprised with the question, responded, "That's what confuses me. He was a kind, caring boy who devoted himself to his studies and would never dream of causing harm to another living thing. He even refused to eat fish I had caught for dinner, because he felt sorry for the fish." Link giggled at the thought of the bloodthirsty Sorcerer being a vegetarian.
Ezlo continued, "His transformation from such a kind boy to this cold-hearted monster shocks me. What's worse, he was blessed with enormous magic powers. No matter what task I set him to, he could complete it with ease by using that magic. If he decides to use that power against us…" the talking hat shuddered, his voice fading and leaving Link with no doubt as to their fate. "Well," said Ezlo, "Enough of that! Let's go find that third Element! To the Castor Wilds!"