Link pulled his tunic down past his waist, straightening out his equipment before reaching for his sword, tossing it over his shoulder and beginning to strap the weapon across his torso. He eyed Mipha as he did so, watching her pull her light blue Champion's wrap of fabric along her slender body, pulling it to her side to cover the large area of scaleless skin, much as she'd done ever since she had begun her labor of love.
She noticed his stare, causing her to smile before looking down at her side from between a grease in the fabric, "It's nothing. I'll just be sure to parry to the left."
Link's worried glance didn't subside, only continuing in the same tone as his speech, "Are you sure?"
Mipha grinned childishly as she shook her head, continuing to prepare, "Come on, you said it yourself: I know how to take care of myself. I've come too far and have far too many responsibilities to be careless. I have Sidon to look after, I have a festival in a few days that requires my presence; I have my people to protect beyond today."
She began to bend down to collect her bag of supplies, jumping as Link snuck his arms around her from behind, holding her tight and resting his head over her shoulder, "Just be careful."
Her lips turned wide in satisfaction, reaching up to hang her hands from the arms that surrounded her chest, "I have a man to love after today as well. A man who could probably use my armor today if it was completed."
Link sighed, "You mean I won't be able to take arrows for you?"
"While that may be heroically stupid, and slightly alluring, we can't be having that," Mipha confirmed, easily.
Link's arm pulled downward, his hand sliding down her body along her crimson scales before crossing the sudden ridge that took him to the sleekly smooth skin where her scales had been torn from, which forced her to immediately contort in a sidelong motion from such a sensitive touch, quietly whining in reply.
"Quit iiiiit," she mused, complaining behind a defeatedly weak voice.
This only caused Link to chuckle before sliding his hand back away from beneath, though before he could ultimately leave her bare skin, her hand met his, holding him against that same raw area, enjoying his warmth at a portion of her body she normally would never feel it. She cooed softly as the ticklish sensation turned to one of contentment, her head falling back against Link's shoulder as she enjoyed his touch.
"While I would love to offer you life itself from my side, to ensure you would never perish on the battlefield, the most I can offer is assurance that nothing will harm you so long as you keep me close," she spoke in a near whisper, "Even if we're apart, I'll be able to surround and hold you. keep you safe from harm."
Link turned his head to the side, reaching out for a kiss, when a quiet pop echoed through the air from out in the distance. He slowly turned toward the entrance, with Mipha following suit, the two approaching the break in the curtained door and examining what they could see of the Domain.
"What was that?" Mipha asked, confused.
Link replied with uncertainty, "I don't know, but it didn't sound-"
From beyond the great bridge that lead out onto the mainland, a soft plume of smoke ascended into the air, earning a shocked glance from both Mipha and Link. In a hurried dash, Mipha spun back into her room, nearly diving for her trident as Link rushed toward the nearby ramp, knowing Mipha would ultimately make it there ahead of him. Sure enough, exiting her room, Mipha leapt from the platform she housed upon, landing into one of the light falls of water that made its way around the Domain, scurrying up the current and bursting out from the top, nearly flying over the whole of Zora's Domain, landing at the opposing end of the great bridge with nary a sound as she stood up with her trident held tight against her back.
"Lady Mipha!" came the voice of Tovar behind her, "You heard it too?"
"And saw," she noted, jerking her head toward the plume of dark air that had nearly diffused completely.
Tovar's teeth shone in the morning sunlight as he gritted his teeth angrily, "Is it that dragon? I have a bone to pick with that son of a bitch; Lady Mipha, you should retire before any further ominous-"
"I'm staying right here," she clarified, "I didn't train under our Demon Sergeant just so I could twiddle my thumbs when my home needed defending. Besides, we have a Knight on his way to help."
Tovar spun toward her in utter astonishment, collecting himself just quick enough to shout, "Okay, there's so much wrong with what you just said. My Lady, Dorephan would have my dorsal fin if he found out that I allowed you as far as you've already come! and domt you dare say that you've released a prison of our-!"
"I had Sidon free him last night," Mipha shrugged, "Or are you not wanting as much help as you can get?"
Tovar groaned, running a hand over his face, "Rebellion by the King's own lineage…"
His shoulders fell in defeat for but a moment, shaking off both objections and simply pressing on with his duties, "Melepha and Vakem are both at your command, and with myself, that's a three-man army. Trello has taken up at the King's side."
"Link and myself make five; and what of Ronure?" Mipha inquired seriously.
Tovar's face went dark, "We've never allowed an enemy step foot atop our bridge in many millennia, since the ancient men of Akkala tried taking our home. She was adamant that she would remain at its patrol over on the mainland to repel any invader while we prepared."
Mipha sighed, frowning, "…very well. What preparations have been made?"
"Sadly, not much; many of our defenses require skilled defenders, most of whom are currently away," Tovar spoke, treading carefully, not dating to even imply blame upon Mipha for her birthday being the reason for such absences.
Mipha put on a serious face, "I may be the cause of our ramparts remaining bare, but I will not-"
Her voice shot to a halt, her face transfixed, peering over Tovar's shoulder, down toward the opposing end of the bridge. Tovar slowly spun around, an ill feeling welling up within him as he noticed what the Princess had seen. There, just coming into view from around a stack of dragged rocks, strolled a man, a Hylian, one hand barring a long staff at its middle as his other hand grasped ahold of something far more grotesque. Tovar's vision blurred behind a sickening blast of adrenaline that consumed him at the sight, leaving Mipha to only look on in horror.
The Hylian took a step onto the bridge, walking along toward the two of them, his hand wrapped around Ronure's head, dragging her body along his side. Mipha felt a chill scorching the tips of her spine, her eyes trailing down the unmistakable arm of Marco, his palm resting against Ronure's scalp as his fingers curled into a blackish gash that had taken the place of the warrior's face, allowing the man to find a well-placed grip as he carried the corpse along.
Link huffed heavy breaths as he rushed to Mipha's side, gasping exhaustedly enough to keep from noticing her horrified expression, "What did…I…"
His face fell as he noticed what the two other's had, bending low as he gripped his knees to support himself with a angry look plastered across his face. Sure enough, the man was Marco. Back from the dead, it appeared, albeit worse for wear. Tovar whipped his arm up before him, readying his spear with a snarl.
"This ends here," he growled in ultimatum, "I've been witness to too many deaths these last few days."
He curved his arm downward, swinging the tip of his spear along the platform below with a fierce skriiii before throwing his hand into the air, the action being a signal that ordered Melepha and Vakem to ascend the tiny waterfalls that lined the bridge, the two of them swooping into the air and falling to the lengthy platform, each one a ways away from Marco on either side, both clutching their spears with deepening eyes.
Marco stopped his advance, standing still as though blankly taking stock of the situation, Vakem being careful not to get too close, being at his front, though he was sure to examine the staff in his hand, eyeing its elegantly dark design with suspicion. Tovar turned toward Link with downcast eyes, stepping backward toward the others.
"You know what to do?" he asked plainly.
Link nodded, much to Mipha's confusion, allowing Tovar to spin back around and dash his way down the bridge, his spear held horizontally as he readied a massive leap if need be.
"What was that about?" Mipha asked, seriously.
His eyes remained still as Link replied, quietly, "They're hunting a dragon."
Mipha's eyes widened as she realized what roles her three soldiers were taking, her feet about ready to rush out to join them and protect them, but Link was quick to reach out and take her shoulder with a tight grip, ensuring she remained safely away from whatever this Marco had up his sleeve. Until they knew what or where this "dragon" was, Link knew these soldiers were prepared to pay the price in order to allow Tovar, and by extension Link and Mipha, to understand this enemy. Still, coming to this realization only served to quicken Mipha's heart as she watched in worry as Marco's face contorted into a furious expression, probably annoyed by being surrounded.
As though understand the increasing numbers upon him by Tovar's approach, Marco quickly threw his body side-long, throwing his arms out to either side, sending the corpse in his hand right into Melepha, sending her crashing into the bridge, compelled by a split-second decision to not damage the body of her companion by bracing herself. Marco's other arm flew up toward Vakem, tossing his staff into the air to catch its thicker end, the opposing side suddenly exploding into a enormous blast of intense flame and choking smoke, as though a dragon had, indeed, spat out in a charred breath into the atmosphere.
Just as instantly, Vakem cried out in pain as his shoulder blew apart, sending him flying backward and into the bridge, his voice extinguished as his body hit the ground with a sickening thud. Tovar slid to a stop, so suddenly that his feet flew out from beneath him, sending him falling down onto his backside as he stared in horror as Marco returned his staff to his torso, almost stroking its top with his thumb as he looked on emotionlessly, continuing his walk toward the Domain.
"By the goddess!" Tovar shouted, scurrying to his feet, waving toward Melepha to remain where she was, noticing her own recovering, "Stay back!"
Not hearing any of it, Melepha threw herself into the air toward the invader, Marco swinging his body around tossing his staff in the air, catching its thin end and winding it up like a club. Melepha extended her spear to split his head in two, though instead of winding up to take out her body, Marco swung his staff into her spear itself, shattering it as he quickly grabbed ahold of her head in mid-air, spinning around and throwing her in front of himself, just as an arrow came flying toward him, its sharp edge catching Melepha's back instead.
Link's eyes went wide in shock as he lowered his arms, a hazardous glance upon Melepha's body hanging there beneath Marco's raised arm with his arrow embedded into her back. Marco lowered her body as he peered along the bridge, his eyes constricting as he seemed to, for the first time, catch who was on the other end. His lips jumped into a sinister grin as he dropped Melepha's body onto the ground below, her body splashing into the small ravine of water than channeled along the whole of the bridge, before Marco snarled, amused.
"Something funny?" Tovar muttered as he walked toward the savage man, deliberately strutting ahead in a straight line, stretching his arms in invitation, "What keeps you your beast from taking another snap out of the air?"
Marco's face darkened as he brought his staff close to him, fiddling with the top of the contraption as Tovar, as well as Link and Mipha, watched in intrigue. Tovar grinned as he advanced, shaking his head in dismissal.
"Ammunition. You're no better than a bowman."
Marco's stare nearly charred a hole through the Zora and his hand grabbed a bolt that came from outside the staff, yanking it straight back to ready himself before rising his arms in aim. Tovar reached close enough to peer into the man's eyes, a disparate gloom coming over him as he noticed the two dark spaces of nothingness sitting where his eyes should have been, the façade of evil magic enough to strike fear into anybody's heart, except, perhaps, Melepha.
Marco threw his staff up before his eyes, taking aim, as Melepha struck the shallow water beneath her with her forearm, the glittering liquid coiling around her arm and suddenly dragging her body into the air, leading with a fist as she flew the diagonal path, striking Marco right in the chin as his staff blew course flames in through the air, striking nothing as his body fell over, nearly clear off the bridge.
Having submitted herself to what little water was beneath her, Melepha's body fell back to the ground, having expelled all of her energy with such magic. Tovar continued his dash, hoping to grasp the staff out of Marco's hand, though with an uncharacteristic, inhumanly speedy move, Marco pushed himself up from the ground, throwing his body into Tovar just as a sickly looking black arm with brightly lit red veins jumped out from Marco's body, hitting the ground and allowing him to contort his body so that he came up upright, the grotesque arm slithering back into him as he spun around toward Tovar patting the club-end of the staff as he approached, readying to perform a coup de gras upon the warrior.
His attention square on Tovar's shaking body, Marco lifted his arms just as Link readied another arrow, releasing the long bolt whistling through the air as it burst through the atmosphere, Marco wholly oblivious to the arrow that had been aimed dead-center.
Suddenly, the same crimson-veined jet-black arm burst from Marco's chest, grasping the arrow clear out of the air, the entire act not even moving Marco from his state, though he did turn whatever bit of light remained in his eyes toward the Domain proper.
"Marco!" Link shouted, feeling Mipha's hand taking his as she stood beside him, "Leave them. It's us you want, isn't it?"
The hand of the cosmically black arm snapped the arrow in two before slurping back within Marco, the Hylian dropping his arms to his side as he stepped over Tovar, who queasily rolled to his side, eyeing his Princess through wavy eyes. Marco rolled his head around his shoulders as though to stretch his muscles, bringing his firearm up to ready it once more as he walked nonchalantly toward the two defenders.
"It's her I want," his speech broke, finally, revealing a revolting sort of voice, as though in a chorus of squirming earthworms, "Give me the pilot."
Mipha's hand clutched tighter around Link's, though her stare merely narrowed as she simultaneously gripped her trident with a tight hold, spewing angrily, "You took much of my innocence; I'm not about to let you take Vah Ruta."
"By the time I'm done with you," Marco spoke lowly, "You won't have much of a choice."
A/N: I feel the need to apologize whenever my stories enter into 'action heavy' chapters, since I know I'm horrible at describing such things xD So, I apologize; but if you'll bear with me, we may yet enjoy the conclusion of the story as a whole :D
Oh, and I can already sense the question: "Melepha" is not related to "Mipha"- I used Fantasy Name Generator and liked it despite its resemblance to the main character :p My bad!