I was going to miss being in North. The sunrise atop the destroyed tomb was a sight to behold. A simple calm wind reminded me about what I loved about the land, the cool air. I made sure I was leaving nothing behind before venturing forth. A final goodbye, even powerful as I was now, there was no certainty I was ever to comeback ever again.
"Farewell, homeland." I said to the sky as we departed into the portal. Going through it was…weird like I was at two different places at once, but even weirder, two different times. I emerged from the portal and so did Freia, I looked around. Darknuts and Moblins were gearing up for war. However the land was wicked, looked cursed by the Gods themselves. Generally no one looked happy until they started pointing their heads towards me. We began to walk, I could the other warriors whispering. I caught sight of a silhouetted Witch overlooking the portal we came through, then at us.
"You've finally arrived. I say a most welcomed time, your people just arrived days ago. I bid you welcome to the Valley of Seers. I am the Sorceress high above this place. I see you brought a pretty weapon, too? Let's see it." The voice of Cia rang throughout my head.
"Nope, not walking up anymore stairs than I need to. If you want to meet us, then lower yourself to us."
"Where can I get bottle of ale?" Freia said
"Probably, have to find the Northern camp."
"Oh, I see, had a rough day? Don't worry in about a few hours you'll get slaughter some Hylians."
We waited for her to come down, however a familiar looking Knight arrived first. I smirked I could tell he face showed he wasslightly jealous. Volga went nearly hysterical in laughing, he knew what weapon was on my back, he was probably did not expect to me to carry it. Then again, I felt sorry for him, he probably deserved it more than me. He put his chest on his arm to greet, I simply took the simplest customary Northern way of greeting, a handshake.
"Glad to meet you again. Trust me, this wasn't easy to get." I talked to him.
"I not impressed that you wield Mortality, impressed that you do hold to those Darknut legends! Goodness I could him talking about them soon as you arrived." Volga revealed.
"Well, at least that's something. Now, after we are done talking to your…commander, show us where my Kin are station at."
"I can tell they are numerous, eager, and well stocked. Your Chief did a fine job on the recruiting. The station on top the old castle ruins, they pretty much turned into a tavern. Din's fire, even the Stalfos are going there. Everyone is drunk."
"There are Stalfos? Didn't they ousted out a long time ago?"
"Ah yes, Big Poes, Stalchildren as well, my…commander as you put it, can tell you more, but she seems to be taking her time. Now, about that Scythe, just tell me how you got it, nothing more."
"Well, I and my newfound friend Freia explored an old tomb which happened to have an ancient demon dragon based off the Baneful Sword. We barely defeated the insane bloody bastard, however, my Gods gave this in return. Short story honestly, I wouldn't want to bore with all the paintings, statues, and carvings we had to go through to reach the main chamber."
"Hmm, interesting, damn, that egotistical ring that they call a wizard is coming over here, might as well shown how it is used."
"Hey, Jorgen, I heading towards the supposed Tavern, I'll catch you later." Freia said and departed. I would not blame here, I could use a couple mugs for what is worth, especially what happened last night.
"See you later Freia. Now, Volga, what is this wizard you speak of." I never spoke so eloquently, it must have been that damn scythe, Northern accents could lead you sounding more like a cow than a person, especially the O's, the damned O's. I refocused on what Volga was saying before I saw a ring land next to Volga. I nodded to the left to signal he was here.
"They call him…"
"WIZZRO! Ah, ah, ah, ha, ha-ha, master of the Dark arts, well contending for that position. Now what do we have here. A Northmen, yes, oooooh, you are pretty empty, and that weapon, so deadly!" Wizzro exploded from his ring from to form…something. A fat, floating, shapeshifting…forget it, it would take days to explain. All the prominent features were he had some torn robes and had shapeshifting eyeball mouth, thing…Genuinely disturbing what roams these days. I almost wanted to kill the wretched thing myself as my hand reflexed. I could see why Volga would not like dealing him, he is completely nonsensical, what does magic power these days.
"Yeah, real charmer you are. So what is your purpose?"
"To an insufferable ass." Volga retorted, however Wizzro was too busy remark it.
"I handle all the magic my master does care for, which means practically everything. Especially summoning King Dodongos."
"So you are the one summoned a Dodondgo and yet will still lost the siege."
"How did I know a mere boy would kill my precious Dodongo? He foiled my Armagohma as well! Then again, I would have never even conceived that you have Death literally right behind you! These times are strange indeed." Wizzro said acting all wise and prancing around like some type of pony. I hoped there was not more of his character to come.
"It's called Mortality you floating pair of clothes! It's only called Death if use it."
"Death or Mortality, it does not matter, it reaps the same way. Voice that came from behind the two warriors. They diverged to reveal a sultry-looking sorceress, she was carrying a large scepter, she was very immodestly to say the least showing more than enough of her toned skin with one leg tattooed, the prominent feature was the metal bird like mask she wore hiding her face, though she did had snow white hair and pair of devilish crafted lips. Her clothing was more like silky drapes than actual clothes. Her right shoulder had pauldron of red flowers and her tattooed leg was a golden thigh band connecting back up to a golden belt. Every about her screamed about attention. She walked very, very accentuated, swaying her hips from side to side. I got the point she was lovely crafted women, but this type, nope, Northmen hate it, makes one look weak, If I remembered only the shamans came even remotely close, this is because don't around a nearly half naked, one would simply freeze to death. She lid a hand my pauldron and began to spoke like a charming witch. Maybe she was trying to bewitch me or something.
"So, here I am. What do you need? Have demons got to you?" She said catering with a good but fake sounding sympathy.
"I have little games to play with you, Cia. So I guess you're a witch or something?" I said and she laughed rather loud. She lightly smacked me and turned around.
"Oh you Northmen and your Honor. So naïve, let me show what I am." She said, suddenly she gripped me and we disappeared into a smoke. I materialized onto the top of the relic, I drew the scythe, ready to fend myself. I turned around to she was standing in front of a large portal, much larger than one me and Freia arrived it. Cia began to laugh a little.
"Put your blade away, I mean you no harm if you will. I, was the Guardian of Time, now I am Cia, the Black Sorceress! Behold, the Gate of Souls, do you like it? It summons anything from the past, be it slain or not." She said as she turned around and extended her arms like some cultist. She made unnecessary…motions, before she turned around. The Lust is strong in this one, however, if it was me or that scythe I felt no primal urges.
"Oh I will put away, once you stop with the seductiveness, and get some damn clothes on!" I said while advancing to her, she rolled her head, probably her eyes to. She levitated from the platform she was on.
"Oh, I am not interested, that is someone else, very special to me. But you, you have Mortality, how cannot I be impressed. I can feel its power." She smoothly said. I slowly withdrew the scythe and placed on my back.
"I had to go through a very, traumatic battle to get it. Now, tell me, why do you need me, Fateless to do battle against the Hylians?" I questioned her, it is always good to find out their motivations before lending a head, basic folklore.
"It is Desire, I fight for, the desire to rule Hyrule, the desire to seek vengeance on the Goddesses, I desire the Triforce with it, and my pulsing broken heart will be whole again, but most of all I desire the Hero of Time." She said moving back and forth with hand gestures. She was completely driven by Lust, however, I could already see there was problems. I needed the Triforce as well and secondly the desire to rule Hyrule that places the North endangered by an empire nearly double the size of the North. There had to be compromise. But the Hero of Time stumped me all, why would she want him, after all I bet he was leading very army that wants to put sword in both of our mouths.
"Your motives…"
"I already know that you need the Triforce as well. You only need to pay a single debt to me." I began to sound very dark. I narrowed my eyes at her.
"What…is…it?"
"Submit your soul to me, give me your will. Let me rule you, own you, command you, lead you. I will lead your people from the Tyranny from of Hyrule. Your people will be spared from my wrath and you shall seek vengeance against the Goddess. All you have to do is bow to me, a symbol of your submission to my power."
I knew it, from the very first time I heard her voice there was an unquenchable thirst for power. She would bend the will of others to get what she wanted. My blood flowed frozen, and I was filled with anger. She had mocked me and now she wanted for me to submit to her! Pah, though, I did had to consider the deal, the combined powers of the North and Cia would probably be enough to overwhelm and destroy Hyrule. As for the Triforce, she claimed that she wanted to kill the Goddesses as well. She began to look at me her hand on her hips just beckoning for me to make a mistake. Both options were terrible. I made up my mind.
"Submission…that is a coward's way out."
"Is it? Are you saying no, hmm? You were already a part of my Dark Forces, let us formalize that." She mocked, I'd ignored her.
"See, I have been told that your armies had been meticulously beaten by the Hylians. This is behavior of someone being inept, cowardly, and unfaithful. You don't even lead your armies into battle but hide in the shadows." I said as looked west towards the mountains. The gale was beginning to blow fiercer. I turned back to her.
"Now you wish for a way out, you are cornered. You seek power you are unfamiliar with."
"Choose…"
"You will find the power unwieldy, it will is not a power you can tie, or even bound. The power you lust for does not console, it will only consume, it will destroy, and break your very spirit. You threaten me and my people with war, a poor choice, indeed. The North has survived because it does not consume power, we live our lives as if Death was just the side of the river. I give you an offer, we enter this battle not as lord and subject but as allies." I countered offer and rose my hand, Cia turned her back.
"No, you are beneath me, I will rule over you. This "friendship" you speak of will not do."
"You have insulted the people of the North as did the Hylians, you are no better. The blizzards from the mountains shall reign upon you. The winter has come, prepare for war." I concluded and began to leave the place. Cia gave one last look before raising her arms.
"Then perish with the rest of them!"
I continued to walk but turned my head she was beginning to summon creatures, Stalfos, moblins, poltergeists, and other creatures. I began to run, if I could tell the people down at the basin we could had prepared a counterattack. I quickly ran down the stairs off to the side, but on the second floor began to grow walls of purple morasses of tentacles. I readied my scythe, dashed towards the wall, and swung Death for the first time. There was a rush, I zoomed through it. I turned around to see the wall gone. The eyes of the Lion were just faintly glowing a deep purple now.
"The more it feeds, the more powerful it gets, then when at maximum power its next swing will kill anything instantly, even the Goddesses. However, you must keep attacking." The voice of Gar spoke into my head. He gave me an invaluable piece of advice on the blade. There was a second wall, I blitz through that as well. The scythe retain is emitting brightness level. I ran down the final flight of stairs. I could see the army. Quickly I began to shout.
"The Sorceress has betrayed you all, rise up against your oppression!" I continued to say those words repeatedly, some came to follow me, and the others I did not know.
"Subjects, the Northmen are Hylian mercenaries, they will kill anyone of you when their main army arrives. Kill everyone and all the ones that support them!"
I headed straight for the Northmen camp, there was a sizeable force following. As expected a large amount of Darknuts joined my band. I went into the middle of the square where I saw a large amount of tents set up.
"Hey look it is the Unbound Warrior, and by the Gods he has Death and following as well!"
"Jorgen, good to see you!" Huri arose from a table near me. I shushed him, I did not want to but there was no time.
"Brothers, Elders, Sisters, we have been deceived, we must fight against the betraying witch and put her head on a pike! The scheming Sorceress wishes to enslave all of us! I have the Scythe, Mortality, Death, the Gods themselves have chosen our day of Victory. Prepare for battle, For Gar, for Ulur, for the Ronnourth! I here say that the Second Northern League"
"The dirty bastards! Where is my axe! I want to run it down her neck!" Huri said, the rest of the warriors got extremely angry as well, and the righteous type!
"Those cowards will pay for this. Give them steel!"
"I going to pillage all of their gold. Time for some raiding!"
"About time I saw some action, let's do this!"
"I AM ANGRY! LEAVE NONE ALIVE!"
"GET THE BOATS READY, wreath them in fire!"
Everyone began to grab their spears, pikes, axes, swords, and shields. We began to form an angry mob. I turned around and said the exact same thing for the followers that were with me. They got angry as well! Everyone filled with rage.
"It is about time something stood up! Make this day a bloody one! A Moblin said.
"For the Unbound Warrior, we fight!" The Darknuts said.
The morale was high, I expected to a bit lower, considering our supposed ally just crossed us. Freia managed to find in this colossal mess. I met up her, she was calmer than the rest.
"So, I guess negotiations broke down?"
"There wasn't any negotiation it was a simple demand. Give up the North or die, I chose to fight."
"Don't make a fool of yourself out there, be quick to the kill, we need to destroy them fast, the Hylians are coming."
"The Gods be with you."
"They already here."
Was worried about the Hylians, but the battle hand was first. We did not want to have the Hylians come in and pick off the scraps. I knew that the only why this world end was Cia's death or mine. It became obvious I was the symbol of this resistance, if I went down, Gods know what happens. The horde that formed began to assemble on our side of the gaping crevasse. I made it to the front lines, Huri was there and on the other side lie thousands of Stalfos and lesser moblins, but thankfully there were no Darknuts. Who made up of the front up line quite well? Then I saw the two enemy commanders, the one that plucked me off from my capture, Volga, it would be hard fighting him. Wizzro I did not give a flying fish about.
"She's been summoning untold amounts of undead and moblins. It will be a long slog, we will need to capture the basin before we can push up into the main area, however once their line collapses, they we will be in, that is the plan. So you're not riding a horse this time, aren't you?"
"Maybe I snatched one, give myself a black cloak and hood too, and then those boneheads think I am reaper or something."
"Actually that would be a great idea, however, our stables are under their control, so have split up."
"No we need to stay together, I hardly doubt the gimmick is going to change the battle." I said and the war horn of the enemy blew its foul notes into the air.
"No time left now, let's do this. Sound the horn!"
"Sound the Horn!"
The oxen bone war horn blew its chilling call into the air. We began to march rather loosely down the main pathway. That marching soon become a sprint, then it became a full on charge. Then everyone began to scream their batttlecries. I could see the Stalfos and hostile Moblins in tight formation, they began to brace.
"Charge them head on! Run them down!" I said, the battle had begun.