"Unlike you, Rose darling, I don't draw my magical power from inside myself. I draw it from elsewhere. I'm at full capacity at the moment. You on the other hand, must be getting near your limit by now," Oztaz said.
"I still have enough power to stop you!" Rose declared, taking a step forward. Oztaz laughed.
"I would be rather impressed if you did. Go on. Give it your best shot," he challenged with a smirk. Rose took a deep breath.
"Bryp ans Tyns bih Syrkniss, Diyl Pawir onsa Osim," Rose commanded in a loud voice while making a strange symbol with her hand. As soon as she finished speaking, she fell to the ground. Pala circled her head frantically, but Rose's eyes remained closed. Evidently, the spell she had just cast had spent her power. Throm waited hopefully for Oztaz to be hit with the effects of the spell. Oztaz shuddered for a moment and grimaced, and he temporarily vanished. But only a moment later he reappeared, as sinister as ever. He glanced at Rose who was lying on the floor.
"I'll admit, I'm rather impressed. You have some serious potential. But for the moment, I have more important business to attend to," Oztaz said. He pulled out two bottles, and both Gor Tarrin and Rusl became slightly transparent. First Gor Tarrin vanished into a bottle, and Rusl soon followed. It all happened so fast that none of the gorons or Throm could react. When Throm finally came to his senses, he drew his sword and took a step forward. Wasn't that why he had the sword? To stop Oztaz and defend everyone? So far, Rose was the only one who had done any real fighting. Now it was Throm's turn to face Oztaz. Oztaz laughed as Throm raised his sword.
"Do you honestly expect to challenge me? You, a mere mortal boy, against me, an all-powerful sorcerer?" he asked. He waved his hand, and Throm was thrown into a row of gorons. Oztaz glanced at Rose, and she floated into the air.
"Now you . . . you are interesting. I think I'll take you," he said. Throm climbed to his feet and charged Oztaz, but Oztaz only laughed and vanished, taking Rose and the bottles with him. Throm's sword only cut through empty air. The gorons and Pala watched silently while Throm kicked the wall. When Throm finished with his tantrum, one of the gorons spoke.
"Where will you go now?" he asked. Throm sheathed his sword.
"I'm going to Hyrule Castle. Maybe I can still save the queen and princess," Throm explained.
"I'm coming with you," Pala said. Throm didn't argue. Between himself and Pala, he was sure that Queen Zelda would listen to him.
"What do you mean?" Pala complained loudly in an outraged voice. She and Throm were standing at Hyrule Castle gate, their way barred by two castle guards. The guards were both dressed in chainmail and carried spears. Throm didn't see how that would stop a sword from cutting the spear in half, but that was beside the point.
"Unless Miss Rose is with you, we simply cannot accept your story," one of the guards repeated.
"But I'm Pala! Rose's fairy friend!" Pala declared.
"I'm afraid that we can't take the word of a fairy. And this questionable young man is bearing a sword. If you wish, we can send a message into the castle to Queen Zelda's advisers," the soldier said.
"How long will that take?" Throm asked.
"Three months to process and determine if your claim is sufficient enough. Then it could be another two months before her highness can see you."
"We can't wait that long! Zelda and Tanti are in danger!" Pala shouted.
"Listen, I'm Throm. Queen Zelda's son. And since I am, I order you to let us in!" Throm said in his most commanding voice he could manage. The soldiers both blinked for a moment, and then burst out laughing. Throm felt his skin start to burn. He had admitted his heritage, yet they still didn't believe him?
"Kid, Queen Zelda doesn't have a son. She had a daughter. Princess Tanti. She never had any more children because the king ran off with some other woman. An otherworlder no less," the second soldier said. Throm's hands began shaking. He may not be happy with his parent's decisions, but he didn't want this soldier insulting his dad.
"My father did not run off with-" Throm growled in a dangerous voice, but he was cut off by someone clearing their throat behind the guards. The guards stepped aside, revealing a young girl. She looked to be about eighteen, and she was wearing a billowing white gown. She had long golden blond hair and shocking pale blue eyes. Her shoes were sandals made of some sort of metallic violet metal that was twisted into intricate designs. She also had two similar bracelets on her wrists and two more decorating her hair. She was either the princess, or someone else very important.
"What's going on here?" she asked in a soft voice.
"This young man and fairy claim that they're friends of Rose's and that they have news for Queen Zelda," the first soldier explained.
"I can take it from here," the girl said while looking at Throm and Pala. The soldiers looked like they wanted to protest, but they compressed their lips and stepped aside. Throm and Pala followed the girl into the courtyard.
"I'm sorry if the guards gave you any trouble. I really wish they would allow more people into the castle, but security has tightened lately. And without Rose, I'm rather lonely," the girl explained.
"Are you another handmaiden for Queen Zelda?" Throm asked. It made sense. Rose was one of Zelda's handmaidens, and she wasn't very old either. She was also dressed as nicely as this girl, though perhaps without as many bracelets and ornaments.
"No, Zelda has only two handmaidens. Rose, and an older woman named Nushala. I'm Princess Tanti," the girl explained. Throm did a double take and glanced at her again. So this was his sister. His little sister of course. She was sort of better, and a little worse than he expected her to be.
"Queen Zelda should be just inside, in the throne room," Tanti explained. She led Throm and Pala into the castle, and then up several slights of stairs and down a few halls. When she finally paused, they were standing before a richly decorated door. Tanti opened it without hesitation and stepped inside. After a moment, Throm and Pala followed.
There was a lavish carpet leading to a throne on one side of the room. On the other side of the room, there was a large balcony overlooking Hyrule. On the balcony stood Queen Zelda herself. She had brown hair and a circlet on her head. She was also wearing a lovely cream and light pink dress.
"Mother, a boy and Pala have come. They say that they have a message for you," Tanti said. Queen Zelda turned, and Throm saw several emotions flash across her face. Curiosity, shock, alarm, and love were only a few of them. Throm even thought he saw a hint of regret in her eyes.
"Is it really you?" Queen Zelda asked, walking slowly forward. Throm nodded.
"I can't believe it. After all these years, my son has finally come home," Zelda said happily.
"So he's telling the truth?" Tanti asked. She didn't seem at all shocked that her long lost brother had just come into the castle.
"Yes, he is. But where is your father, Link? And where is Rose? Has she fulfilled her mission?" Zelda asked.
"I don't know where he is, but Rose was captured by Oztaz. He successfully captured a zora, yeti, human, and goron. That's why I'm here. He'll be coming here next, hoping to get a royal vessel," Throm explained. Zelda's eyes widened.
"I hoped I had assumed the worst, but this . . ." she said, and then trailed off.
"What is it? What now?" Pala asked, speaking up for the first time.
"Oztaz won't be coming here. He won't be collecting any more ingredients for the ritual. He already has everything he needs for the full moon tonight," Zelda said in a quiet voice.
"What are you talking about? He still needs the royal vessel, and then Link or me or Tanti," Throm pointed out. But Zelda was already shaking her head.
"It was a grave mistake on my part sending Rose to warn the races. I knew she wouldn't give up. And now it's my fault that she's in danger," Zelda murmured.
"What are you talking about?" Throm repeated anxiously. Zelda met his eyes.
"Rose is no ordinary human. She is Amnythist, Princess of the Twili, daughter of Queen Midna," Zelda said.
"Does she know?" Pala asked.
"No. She was found in the Mirror Chamber, along with a note from Midna. Rose was half human and half twili. Rose was no longer safe in the Twilight Realm, so she was sent here. That's why she has magic powers when others do not. The only exception is Oztaz."
"But Oztaz still needs Link, right?" Throm asked hopefully.
"Epona, Link's treasured horse, was found dead earlier today. She had been almost to the castle town gates when it happened. Poor Epona was hardly recognizable. There were signs of a struggle nearby, and something being dragged away. Our best guess was that Link had been ambushed and captured," Zelda told them.
"Isn't he supposed to be the most powerful hero of all time?" Pala asked.
"His age has been catching up to him. Needless to say, Oztaz has everything he needs for the ritual. Without intervention, Ganondorf will rise again, and Hyrule will fall into darkness," Zelda finished sadly. Throm took a deep breath and gripped his sword.
"I guess it's up to me to stop him then," he said boldly.