Link stepped through the large door into the room with a relieved breath. Lorule Castle was, in comparison, nearly the same as the Ice Ruins, but was hot instead. He dragged the back of his hand across his forehead, taking in the sweet, cooler air. Having finally figured out how to open it, the large door at the top most level of the castle opened for him. It wasn't too hard, luckily, as his biggest challenge was how the building was set up. But for now... that seemed to be behind him.
He made his way further into the room and glanced around. It had to have been Hilda's office, as it looked just like Zelda's from Hyrule. He looked up and saw the crack in the wall he had first used to get into this Kingdom. Zelda's office was just behind it, and it was likely much neater than his surroundings. All around him, the room was in complete disarray, much like the majority of the dark kingdom.
Papers were strewn about the desk and floor, and the glass on the mirror was cracked, bits of it missing and glittering on the ground. He swallowed hard, looking to his side. Past the broken plates and overturned chairs stood a tall archway, leading to the path to where Yuga was sealed.
Link let his mind wander to those he cared about, and those he had saved. If he didn't do this now, a much, much worse fate might fall unto them. The thought made him more determined, and he made his way through to the outside of the castle, where the damp, cold wind beat at him relentlessly. The walkway was suspended between the castle and its tower, high above the ground. Yet he didn't have to walk far, because after a few moments, he turned the corner into the large tower at the end of the path.
The inside of the tower was different than he expected. The walls were brick, and the room was gigantic and circular. The ceiling tapered into a point, murals painted across the top, stopping only at the edge of the windows. He finally looked across the room to see Lorule's princess, standing in front of the golden frame that contained the princess of his own Kingdom.
"Princess Hilda," he called out across the room, making his way over.
"You have done well to come so far, Hero of Hyrule," she murmured softly, not turning to look at him. Her hands tightened on the scepter she held in her hands, and gazed up at the portrait as she spoke. "I... trust you now have the Triforce of Courage?"
"I do, Your Highness." He smiled, proud of himself. He could feel the warmth on his hand where it was, pulsating with his heart beat. But it only increased as the princess raised her hand to the portrait, much how he had done to save the other sages.
A burst of blue magic came off her hand, and he felt his hopes disappear, and were replaced by a sinking feeling of dread. No golden princess of Hyrule came from the painting, instead it was the golden power, the Triforce she had been keeping safe. It floated down to the one who had summoned it, and she turned around slowly to face him, holding the power in one hand, her staff in the other.
She looked nearly exactly like Zelda, despite her hair being a shade of dark blue, appearing to be black. Her dress was purple, and was inscribed with the various markings of Lorule. Her red eyes watched him coolly, and she took a breath as she spoke to him. "Perhaps it's only fair if I share a story with you." She smiled softly at him as he took a nervous gulp. "It's the legend of how Lorule fell to its... current condition.
"Long ago, Lorule possessed a sacred golden treasure. It could grant the wish of anyone who touched it. It was known as the Triforce in our world, as it is in yours." She sighed and looked away from the hero, who was trying to wrap his mind around what she was saying. "Many sought to control the Triforce, plunging Lorule into endless war. Our kingdom was on the verge of ruin.
"My ancestors got rid of the Triforce to stop the war," she took a deep breath. "By destroying it. Utterly and absolutely."
Link felt his eyes widen as he took a step back. It's no wonder their land was in the shape it was. Without the Triforce there to protect them...
"It was done with good intentions," she continued. "But it had disastrous consequences. The Triforce was the foundation of our world, and without it, our kingdom crumbled. Chaos has since reigned in Lorule."
She finally looked up at him, holding the Triforce of Wisdom in her hand. "We need a Triforce. So imagine my surprise when I learned of the existence of another one."
"Yours."
Link felt himself take a nervous step back.
"A Triforce based on such virtues such as Power, Wisdom and Courage." She bowed her head softly. "To that end, I have guided your destiny, Hero of Hyrule. As it is my duty as Princess of Lorule, I know you'll understand it when I say," she looked up at him firmly, something dancing behind her eyes. "I must have your Triforce of Courage!"
The princess threw the Triforce she had into the air, and the light swirled down around her, enhancing her magic. Link hurried to the end of the room, finding the door behind him had been sealed with the same bricks made to create the walls. Blue flame rushed out from the other, licking at the edges of his clothes, and she let out a maniacal laugh.
The same pattern used to seal Yuga into the floor of the room appeared again, the multicolored circles swirling around one another as they clicked into place. A rumble shook the room, and the figure of Yuga rose out of it. He still resembled the servant that had followed the princess, but his pig snout and tusks, as well as his massive size, were a clear symbol of his merging with Ganon. He growled at the hero beneath him, holding onto his trident.
"Yuga!" Hilda shouted from behind him. "I command you! Seize the Triforce of Courage from him!" The beast let out a roar, and blue vines traced up the walls, preventing them from merging into them. The princess disappeared from sight with one last cry, "Lorule shall be reborn!"
Link swallowed nervously and gripped the Master Sword firmly in his hands. Images of his friends drifted to his mind. Gulley. Irene. Ravio. He took a deep breath, letting the merchant's memory linger. He couldn't be defeated, if not for himself, then for them.
hr
Ravio cringed at the loud roar, nearly dropping his bag of rupees. He had been outside of the door during the princess' speech. But he had no way of getting in, no matter how badly he wished; The door had been replaced with bricks.
He reached out and placed his free hand on the bricks, closing his eyes as he heard the clanging of metal, and the cries of his dearest friend. "Sheerow," he murmured. The bird looked to him with a soft chirp. "Let's... look to see if we can't get up to a window."
hr
Sparks flew as Link blocked a swing of Yuga's trident, causing his feet to skid against the ground. He hurried out of the way of another attack, breathing hard. He hadn't been expecting the other to become so strong in the time he spent in the seal.
The beast swung his weapon again, and nearly missed the blond. He gasped as his hand went up to his shoulder, feeling the wound there. He was quick to deflect the next attack, grimacing as he knew he had to be faster. Without a moment to spare, he lunged forward with the next opening and slashed up the side of his foe.
Yuga let out a pained groan, mingled with a roar as he dropped to the ground. There was a bright flash of blue behind him as Hilda reappeared.
She held her hand out to him. "Give me your Triforce of Power, Yuga! We mustn't be defeated! If we are, then Lorule will be lost forever!"
Link took step back, catching his breath as he watched them. Yet the beast on the ground did nothing with her orders.
"Come now, obey me!" She sounded nearly desperate. "Give it to me at once!" She abruptly flinched back as a dark, deep chuckle resounded from within the beast.
"My dear, sweet, deluded Hilda!" Yuga growled, turning around to her. A grin spread across his face, revealing his pointed fangs. "What care have I to save your crumbling kingdom? It's no better than that hideous Hyrule. When the Triforce is mine, I plan to remake Lorule in my image!" He started towards the princess, who stumbled back with a gasp, her back hitting the portrait of Zelda on the wall. "Now you, my dark beauty, must serve your purpose."
Hilda let out a cry as the beast swung his arm at her, using his magic to seal her into another painting, as he had done with the sages and the Princess of Hyrule. The magic swirled around it before it faded, revealing her portrait to have the image of the Triforce she possessed on the front of it. Link, staring in shock from the back of the room, fixed his grip on his sword with a nervous gulp.
"I can hardly decide which of my princess portraits is prettier," Yuga grumbled to himself as he admired the frame in front of him. "But I do know which one of you foolish royal girls has what I need. And now it will be mine." He held his arms out, and the painting drifted towards him, encompassing him in the swirling blue flame that Hilda had before. The blue turned to black as he let out a loud laugh, feeling the magic of the sacred treasure coursing through him.
Link raised his sword and shield to deflect the flames, skidding back a bit. As if the fight from before was hard enough... He swung his sword with a huff, deflecting the rest of the flames as they disappeared.
The blue vines that had surrounded the walls disappeared, but reappeared on the beast's skin as though for protection. He held his arms out with a maniacal laugh, floating into the air. "I shall soon take my rightful place among the Gods!" he cried, his voice filling the room. "And then the beauty of destruction will rain down upon this world!"
All the images of his friends flashed through Link's mind as he raised his sword determinedly, the glow of the triangle on the back of his hand glowing through the glove. Yuga looked down as the light caught his eyes, and let out another dark chuckle.
"Now I'll be taking that last piece of the Triforce from you, worm! How far you've wriggled!" He took a menacing step towards the teen, letting his words have malice in them. "But at last you know your true destiny; to give me what's mine."
Before the hero had time to react, the beast held one arm into the air, and a massive, blue ball of energy began to form in it. He raised his shield into the air and skid back a bit with the force of the magic, grunting as it burned his skin through the metal. The ball burst into multiple parts and flew out around him, hitting the walls. As soon as the flames disappeared, a new orb was being created.
Link took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then dived to the side. The glimmer of Zelda's golden frame flashed high up on the wall, as it had been moved with the burst of flames. He looked to her, then to Yuga, determination lighting up in his eyes. He had to do this, no questions asked.
As the beast swung the orb forward again, Link parried it with a shout, swinging his sword in return. To his surprise, the orb flew back, striking Yuga in the chest. He crumpled to the ground, only to step back, merging with the wall.
The hero dashed over to the wall, only to skid to a stop as he remembered he couldn't attack him. He took a shaky breath as he stumbled back, trying to see the logic in waiting for him to pop back out. A bright, glowing light emanated from his side, and he turned to see Zelda's picture, a radiant golden light coming off of it.
"Hear me, Link!" he heard her voice echo out to him. "It is I, Princess Zelda." Her voice sounded far away, and like it took a lot of effort for her to speak. He scrambled over to her, knowing Yuga wasn't about to return anytime soon. "Your current weapons will be useless while Yuga is a painting. So I bestow upon you, my hero, one more gift."
Another bright light burst out from the picture, before a elegant, golden bow drifted down to him. He caught it, and gingerly looked it over. It seemed to have no substantial use as it was too think to pull the string, but she started to speak again. He looked up at the painting, holding tightly onto the weapon.
"This bow is imbued with the power of the Triforce and can be fired only while you are merged into a wall. Yuga cannot escape its radiance, not even in his painted form. Now for the sake of our worlds, let fly these arrows. And may your aim be true, Link!"
As the light faded, he looked down at the bow. Only inside a wall could he shoot it... The light glimmered off of Ravio's Bracelet, and he sighed, putting a hand over it. If it weren't for him, none of this would be possible... He looked up to Yuga determinedly, then rushed to the wall, diving into the magic. His first shot missed as the other held his hands up, blocking the magic. As it pushed him along the wall, Link saw his chance and surfaced from the bricks, only to merge again behind the beast, aiming once again at him.
The light coursed over Yuga's body as he let out an angered and pained yowl, slowly emerging from the wall before falling to the ground. Without a moment to waste, Link dove on him from the wall, bringing the sword down hard with a cry. The slash made the other being flail and let out a roar of pain. He swung the sword a few more times, each hit not missing its mark, before he abruptly disappeared.
Bright, white and pink flames burst out from the walls around the room, making the blond flail to avoid them. Several of the balls of flame burst out at him quickly, flying across the room as their tails licked the edge of his tunic.
Moments later, Yuga reappeared. He didn't give Link a chance to adjust, swinging another orb at him, and this time it was much faster than the last one. The hero grit his teeth and returned it to the best of his ability, each hit against his sword skidding him back a ways. After a few more of the volleying, Yuga couldn't strike the orb back, and retreated back into the wall as he had done before.
Link merged with the wall as well, knowing the drill. He pulled the bow up and shot at the other, only to gasp and jump back out as the beast dashed towards him. He turned to watch him skid to a stop, sliding across the wall a ways. He furrowed his brow, and stepped into the wall, shooting at the other again. Yet this time, as he was charged, the he jumped out only to re-enter the wall, aiming at the beast's back again.
A sense of relief washed over the hero as he saw his idea worked, and he did as he had before. The sword glinted in the light of the flames around the room as he worked on bringing the beast down, his shouts ringing around the room, muffled only by the other's voice. He took a deep breath as the flames started up once again, and dodged them until Yuga reappeared.
The next tactic the beast had was to use two of his magic orbs, throwing them nearly at the same time. Link held his breath, having a vague idea of how to parry the attack, and held his sword to the side. He spun as they drew near, knocking them both back, and as they returned, he swung his sword furiously.
Both orbs hit Yuga in the chest, sending him to the ground once again. He seemed to hesitate as he looked up at the hero, then slipped back into the wall once again.
The blond ran over and shot the bow at him, ready to jump out to surprise attack him from behind as he had been doing... Only to have him block the arrow. He paused, and shot it again, to no avail. He freed himself and looked around, panting. There had to be a way...
His eyes widened as he saw the shape of the room. There had been no faults that he'd caught on as a painting on the wall, and he felt his being renewed with hope. He slipped into the wall again, and raised the bow to Yuga, who chuckled at him. But right at the last second he turned, shooting it the other way. He watched the light-covered arrow make its way around the entire room, circling them... Before embedding itself into the beast's back.
He slipped out of the wall with another roar, only to have it ended with a swing from the Master Sword.
Link let his arm fall limp as he panted, watching as Yuga disappeared in plumes of smoke, just as the other creatures in Lorule had. Yet he flinched back as there was an abrupt burst of red and blue flames where he had been, and when he looked, he saw Hilda collapsed on the ground. She was still breathing, but she looked like she wouldn't be able to get up anytime soon.
He turned towards the portrait of Zelda on the wall with a gentle sigh and walked forward, glad that it hadn't gotten damaged in the fight. He raised his hand to it, and the bright, golden glow surrounded him once again.
AN: For those of you who know the ending... I might have made it better worse for you XD
Many thanks to those who have reviewed once again!
Another notice! I've decided to go ahead and create a Tumblr for... well pretty much this account and story. XD It'll have updates on when I post a new chapter/story if you don't use your email, as well as possibly doing... An ask/rp portion with Ravio and Link?
If you're curious, the username is dorks-between-worlds X'D Thanks in advance if you follow!