Loose Position
Despite having not truly slept, waking up just then felt exceptionally rejuvenating. He opened his eyes as if he'd never been asleep and raised his head. He heard Link stand up quickly and hover over him. He tumbled over his next words.
"How'd it go? Is she alright?" He managed breathlessly. Vaati smiled at him.
"I think she will be." They heard her take in a long breath and Link scrambled to stand beside him. Vaati continued to hold her hand, hoping. At the last second, he remembered his bet.
'Olive,' he thought to himself as visions of her face from the memories she'd shared with him flashed before his eyes. He felt a light squeeze of her hand in his. The two men held their breath.
Her eyelids fluttered for a second before she looked up at the both of them with sleepy green eyes.
"Wha's goin' on?" She asked groggily. Vaati caught himself before he chuckled. Link, on the other hand, had worry and stress etched on his features.
"Do you remember what happened?" When she didn't reply right away he threw another question at her. "Do you remember me?" At this, she gave him an indignant raised eyebrow.
"How could I possibly forget you, mister 'Hero-of-Time'?" Link smiled down at her.
"It's good to have you back." He said. She gave him a questioning look.
"I didn't think I'd gone anywhere." Her expression became increasingly troubled as she failed to piece together the events that lead to her waking up where she was. "Have... have I been asleep for long?" Link and Vaati looked between each other. Vaati settled on being to the one to explain.
"You've been unconscious for four days." He said. He studied her face, which held doubt and confusion. Did she truly have no recollection of what happened to her? About anything he had said to her within her dreams?...
What Vaati was telling her didn't feel right at all. She felt the sudden urge to move, to get up. She found even attempting to sit up quite difficult and didn't shoo away Vaati and Link as they both placed hands at her back for support.
"But," she began to say, then faltered. "What happened?" She mumbled. Link looked like he was ready to start a long story. However, he was interrupted by a voice separate from those he knew to be present.
"Hero of Time," the title was not used in jest this time, "Please, pardon my intrusion." All three heads spun to face the door where a frazzled, yet still regal, Impa stood. Her transparent form was flickering more than usual and she looked distracted.
"It's alright. What's going on?" Link asked of her.
"Your assistance is requested at the Kokiri Village." She said and Link straightened up slowly. "There is a small legion of Moblin's gathering at the entrance. The Forest Sage is there keeping them out for as long as possible, but we need your help." Link's eyes widened in fear but Marickiya was the first to gasp.
"He knows," she said in a horrified whisper. Link's head whipped around to face her.
"Knows what?" She leaned forward excitedly.
"Link! Zelda's child," she had to stop to swallow the dryness in her throat, then continued hoarsely, "She has the Triforce piece we're missing. She has Wisdom!"
There was a pause after her words and the space seemed as if it were sucking in all other sounds with it. After a lot of silent blinking, Link was the first to rouse himself from his stupor.
"How?" he asked in a breathy voice. Marickiya made an impatient noise.
"The book-" It was really all the explanation he needed, but Impa was the one to cut her off.
"There is little time. The Kokiri are in danger." Vaati, who from the moment of Impa's arrival had is eyes shut looking pensive, stood before the others could make a move.
"Right." He said, grabbing his cloak. "This is where I display the advantages of having a sorcerer on your side." He turned to Link. "I am going on ahead. I will not allow any with ill intentions near the forest." Link gave him a stoic nod and with that, he vanished in a small gust of wind that rustled many of the various objects in the room.
"I told him not to do that in the house." Link grumbled and despite the dire situation, the corners of Marickiya's lips turned up.
"Will you head to the forest as well?" Impa asked from the doorway. If she was at all surprised about Marickiya's outburst about the baby containing the Triforce piece, she did not show any sign of it. Link cocked an eyebrow.
"Is that a real question?" She nodded, apparently satisfied with his answer.
"We will speak again shortly." She vanished as well, only nothing stirred with her disappearance.
"Alright," Link made to grab his sword and shield, "Pack bare essentials. We need to move as quickly as possible." He slung his shield over his shoulder as he usually did and turned to Marickiya whom he'd just noticed wasn't responding. She was sitting very still with her feet hanging off the side of the cot, one foot on the floor like she'd made to begin doing as Link said, but something had stopped her.
She stared intently at her right hand. Link was about to ask what was wrong but then, seeing the bandages that were wrapped thickly around her wrist, swallowed hard. She tugged at the knot that was holding the wrappings on her arm.
"Mari," he set down his stuff and walked towards her with his hand outstretched. She ignored him and ripped the strips of cloth off of herself. She now stared at the mangled scar across her hand with a foreign expression.
"What happened?" She asked very calmly.
"Does it hurt?" He asked her. She looked up at him and fierce anger flashed across her face.
"What happened?" She said. His mouth opened then closed again in a thin line. She continued to look at her hand. "Were we attacked?" Even as she said it, a scene flashed across her memory that held the answers she sought.
"No." Link couldn't find the words to say. He tried to buy himself the time to think of them. "I'll explain on the way." The ferocity returned to her eyes.
"No you won't! Tell me now!" Another prolonged silence followed. She held both hands in front of her and gazed between them. She made a fist with her left hand and attempted the same with her right. She could not move her fingers. "I did this." She uttered weakly. Link held his breath as he strode forward and knelt in front of her. She could only stare at the floor as emotions danced across her eyes. "I've made myself useless."
She gasped lightly as Link was pulling her boots from under the cot and began lacing them up her feet.
"I'm not leaving you behind. Not after all we've been through together," he stated simply, leaving her dumbfounded. They both knew the danger they would be facing. He smiled cheekily up at her. "Are you coming along, or should I carry you?" She flashed him another angry look as she got to her feet.
"I can walk!" And she stamped her foot heatedly to prove her point. His grin widened, though behind it all, he was holding back a flow of emotion he felt toward this girl. She sat back, a little winded from getting up so quickly.
"I'm glad you're back with us." Her tense shoulders sagged the slightest bit, he noted. "Now let's get going. Our friends are depending on us."
0000
'The one scar I regret, and I did it to myself,' she thought darkly. They had wrapped her hand back up before they left. She felt a dull ache in her heart at losing the function of her right hand, her dominant hand. How could she defend herself? She didn't even understand why Link wanted her to come along for this fight. She was right, she'd be useless.
They were halfway to the forest and not a word had been passed between the two. Marickiya was riding in front of Link on Epona. He had suggested she ride with him knowing it would be difficult for her to ride fast. Not being able to even ride her own horse was pushing her over the edge. Link couldn't help but notice the sadness emanating from her, but didn't know how to cheer her up. He decided on trying to keep her mind off of what she couldn't do.
"What exactly did your book say?" He said to her. He eased Epona from her full speed so that they could hear each other. "About the Triforce?"
"A lot," she replied. He could hear the lump in her throat that she was pushing down. "When someone who is in possession of a piece of the Triforce dies, that piece finds the next of kin. That's how I found out that the baby has it." His plan to keep her focus away from her injury seemed to have worked. He could feel her sitting up a little straighter and her voice held a small amount of delight at knowing something that no one else until then had known.
"You make it sound like there's more to it." He offered to keep her talking.
"Yes. The process of obtaining a Triforce piece is very complex. There are a lot of rules," she simplified. "For instance, it isn't possible for one person to hold two pieces at once. The power is too much, and would destroy them." At this Link made a revelation.
"That makes sense. When I had to face Ganondorf before he was sealed, he took the Princess Zelda to his castle and held her captive. He didn't take the piece from her." He explained. Marickiya looked somber.
"He probably knew what would happen. If he had tried to take it, they both would have died. It is only when all three Triforce piece holders are gathered that the Triforce can become whole again." She said. Link furrowed his brow.
"Wait, I heard you say that both would have died if he had taken the Triforce piece of Wisdom from Zelda." He recounted. Marickiya nodded in affirmation.
"That's right. To forcefully take someone's piece you have to overcome their will. Taking her piece would have exerted all her power and killed her. Then having two pieces inside him would have, in turn, destroyed him." She said. Link was lost in thought for a moment. This was a lot to take in. It explained so much, but it also posed a problem for them currently.
"If he knows he will die if he tries to take Wisdom right now, then his plan is to abduct the baby." Link deliberated. "We can't let him do that." Marickiya agreed with him.
"There's something else. Even though you can't take a piece of the Triforce, it can still be passed from one to another." Marickiya added.
"How does that work?" Link wondered aloud.
"A holder can willingly give their piece to a new host, but they, in the current holder's eyes, must have a pure spirit."
"That's what we will do then." When Marickiya turned to ask him how they were going to find someone like that, Link had a decisive look about him and she elected not to question him. 'I guess we'll figure it out when we get there,' she thought. When it was clear there would be no more conversation, Link urged Epona to go faster.
In record time, they had crested the last hill and a rather gruesome display unfolded in front of them. Bodies of moblins littered the landscape. Amongst them, Vaati was still fighting fiercely, his thin sword in one hand and various types of magical attacks expelled from the other. There was still a considerable amount of enemies all attacking at once. He was amazingly holding his own.
As they approached and became close enough to see his face, Link and Vaati locked eyes for a split second, an understanding passing between them. His attention was quickly returned to the fight, and Link pushed Epona past the battle.
"What are you doing?" Marickiya shouted. "Shouldn't we help him?" She was unaware of the communication that happened amidst her companions.
"He can handle it. We need to go on ahead." Link shouted back. She turned back to watch Vaati fending for himself. She tensed as she saw a moblin take a swipe at the mage's back, though strangely Vaati didn't stagger in the slightest, and turned to remove the offending enemy's head from its body. Though not entirely reassured, she re-affixed her attention to the tunnel that they were heading through.
Once across the wooden bridge and through a second tunnel, Link stopped his steed, who was looking rather winded. He cooed some gentle words of gratitude to the beast, then they dismounted and started towards where Marickiya knew the Great Deku Sprout resided.
"How are we going to find someone for Zelda to give the piece to?" She was legitimately curious about it. Link just stared on ahead.
"I'm working on it." He offered vaguely. Marickiya, behind him, threw her hands up in the air in an irate manner. He didn't even have a plan!
As they made their way towards the east side of the village, a small green haired girl appeared at the entrance to the sacred meadow. She greeted them when they were close enough for conversation.
"Hello friends! I am glad to see you, even if it is under such dangerous circumstances." Saria said sweetly. Link smiled genuinely.
"It's good to see you, too," he said. She turned and lead them down the winding path.
"Saria!" called a voice from behind them as they entered the grotto of the Deku Tree. "Saria, what's-" the boy ran up to them excitedly and stopped to stare at the tall people standing in front of him. His face lit up. "Guys, what are you all doing here?"
"Hiya, Mido." Link greeted amiably. He smiled back but then noticed the grim air that hung around his friend's faces.
"Is everything alright?" he asked. Nobody answered.
"Come, everyone." The Deku Sprout beckoned them closer. The four made their way across the clearing, alit by the little sunlight that managed to peek through the Old Deku Tree's branches. Each step they took aroused a tuft of tiny sparkling lights to dance around their ankles that belonged to the young fairies before they grew wings. The Deku Sprout waited until all four of them were lined up before him, waiting. "Tell me, what brings you three here to my home?" Link found the question odd. Surely it could feel Ganondorf's approach.
"The enemy is at your door. They are here for the Princess." He announced. The silence was deep and pressed in after his statement. Mido gasped lightly.
"Why is that I wonder?" Again, Link found it strange, and nearly annoying, that the Sprout would act as if it had no idea of what was happening. The Deku Tree never acted so coy. Something was itching his thoughts.
"You..." Link began putting that itch into words, "Are already aware of who holds the Triforce piece of Wisdom." Saria and Marickiya both turned to Link, then back to the Sprout who hadn't said a word of denial or affirmation. "You knew before any of us. You knew when it happened."
'I know many things. Mine and my forbearer's roots run very far.' The memory of her night with the Sprout entered Marickiya's mind. The Sprout seemed to stretch it's bark even more into a wider grin.
"You are correct, Young Hero," it said. "I did not say, not even to the Sages, for that was the best way to keep this secret hidden. Ganondorf could not possibly know where a Triforce piece was unless its power resonated with his. That can only happen when it is in use. The Princess would not use the piece, and so was safe."
Marickiya was feeling sick to her stomach. She was the first one besides the Sprout to know of the baby's secret. Ganondorf now knew because of her, because Lana had sifted through her memories to find a weakness and found so much more. Her guilt must have shown on her face. The Sprout addressed her next.
"I am sure you are aware of your part in this plan's undoing now, Marickiya of the Desert," it said to her. She bowed low in reverence.
"I am. I have no excuse." She stated to the ground. Link looked toward her with a concerned expression. He was beginning to piece together what was going on. He did not think it was at all her fault and wanted to comfort her. To tell her she could not have known this would happen. The Sprout beat him to it. A single vine slithered to her and lifted her up by her chin back to her standing position.
"Now is not the time for apologies or guilt. You have much more to learn. It's time to move on with what fate has offered us." Marickiya stood, holding her breath, but also looking a bit relieved. Link took that at his cue to take charge of the conversation.
"We have discovered a way to remove the Princess from danger. If we find someone who she deems pure, she would willingly give up the Triforce piece she holds." Link explained. He turned to Saria, "I was thinking you could give it a try." Saria raised her eyebrows.
"Link, I don't think that's a good idea." She stated simply. His face fell.
"Why not?" He asked, almost childlike. "Of all people, I thought you would be most pure." The Kokiri blushed.
"That isn't the problem." She said quietly. "I don't think I can do it, Link." She said softly and yet with finality. Before he could say anything about just trying, Mido spoke up.
"Maybe I could try. I'm not really sure what's going on, but I want to help!"
Link and Saria both turned to the boy. Saria smiled sweetly at him and Link gave him a long look. He had never considered his childhood bully for this task, though his list of candidates wasn't very long in the first place. Looking at Mido just then, seeing his bright face looking to his friends, something he had recently come to value more than anything, he knew that this boy would probably be considered worthy in the baby's eyes.
He couldn't do that to him.
He knelt down in front of Mido, adopting a serious face. "It is very noble of you to volunteer for this." He placed a hand on his shoulder. "I don't want to put you in any danger." Mido made a face when he realized what Link was saying.
"If I can help I want to! I don't care about the danger." He said. "You're treating me like a child. I'm older than you, Link!" Link raised his eyebrows and Saria stifled a giggle.
Marickiya looked on fondly at the three green clad figures. It was truly wonderful simply being near Link and his friends. Such a divergence to what she grown to know. She would have been perfectly content with watching them had the thought of Ganondorf's fast approach not interrupted her musings. She was debating on bringing this to everyone else's attention when something brushed her arm. She looked down to see the same vine from earlier hovering next to her. Moving on it's own, it snaked under her fingers and lifted her hand, leading her.
'Come,' a voice said between her ears. She did not recognize the voice, but obeyed nonetheless. It wasn't just the command that she was following, it was the familiarity of the invitation. She took a short walk at the vine's guidance past the Deku Sprout who looked as if it were giving her a knowing smile. Just behind the Sprout, nestled at the base of the late Deku Tree's roots, was the infant Princess who was looking up at her with curious eyes.
Link was the first to notice Marickiya's detachment from the group. He stopped speaking mid-sentence and stood to watch as she was led away.
"Link?" Saria asked of him but then she too quieted when she saw what was happening.
"How goes things?" Vaati had appeared then at their side just as Marickiya knelt out of sight behind the Deku Sprout.
"I take it you finished up outside?" Link asked casually.
"Yes. I offer my gratitude for your assistance." He replied sarcastically. Link grinned at hearing more of Marickiya's influential mockery in his words.
"I figured you could handle it," he nudged the mage with his elbow. Vaati smirked in return.
"You were correct." He said smugly.
Marickiya came back into view then and Link was mildly surprised to see the Princess cradled in her arms, although it was not altogether unexpected. He saw her smile sweetly at the infant and thought she looked all too motherly for her own good. A sort of serenity washed over him; he thought he knew what was about to happen.
"What is she doing?" Vaati made to step forward towards her but Link placed a hand on his arm to still him.
"Hold on," he said softly. Vaati eyed him quizzically but remained where he was and returned his gaze to the Gerudo.
A brilliant golden light suddenly erupted from where she stood. Although it was very bright, none of them felt the need to shield their eyes from it. They watched in varying states of alarm and wonder as Marickiya's eyes were enveloped in the light, like a presence was coming over her.
Link felt a tingling sensation on the back of his hand that he had experienced only once before. He didn't have to look to know what it was but he brought his hand to eye level, grabbing the attention of those close to him. The same glowing that emanated from Marickiya was also shining in the form of the Triforce there, the portion that signified Courage was filled in.
The power of both pieces resonating in the others presence could be felt by every creature within the forest. Vaati worried that there were plenty outside of the boundary of trees that could feel it as well.
The light dimmed until everything seemed darker than before the exchange had taken place. Every living thing that had stopped to witness this event began moving about again. Marickiya took a confused look around at everyone staring at her.
"Wh-what's going on? Why are you all looking at me like that?" The baby she held let out a light little laugh and she looked down as if she suddenly realized she was there.
"The Princess has deemed you worthy to hold the Triforce piece of Wisdom." The Deku Sprout announced happily. Marickiya, still with a look of bewilderment, glanced down at the joyful baby she held who was grabbing at her fingers. She relinquished them to the Princess' whim and saw the proof of what the Sprout had said in the form of a shining Triforce on the back of her hand. She gasped lightly.
"I don't see how that's possible." She breathed.
Everyone was suddenly pulled from their reverie at the new development by a pained scream. Marickiya jumped and held the Princess closer to her in reaction and Link put a hand to the hilt of the Master Sword. It took them all a second to realize that Vaati had been the one to let out the yell; he was on his hands and knees and shook slightly.
Marickiya trotted over to her friends, Saria offering to take the baby off of her hands, and she and Link knelt next to their companion. He lifted his head at their arrival and revealed a nasty slice across his face. Marickiya gasped.
"Ganondorf is here. He is knocking on the barrier I placed on the forest entrance." He was already standing and his magic was doing its work of putting his face back together. He wiped the blood that had fallen into his eyes.
"Looks like we don't have a choice but to answer," Link said.
"Be careful," called a worried Saria to their retreating backs. She and Mido watched them walk away with anxiety etched into their faces...
Marickiya was feeling sick. For so many years of her life, she had lived under the rule and tyranny of the man they were about to face. Then she recently learned of his misdeeds in Hyrule which made her own experiences seem so insignificant in comparison. This evil man was powerful. What could she do to defy him? She questioned even more Link's decision to include her in this little excursion. They surely had a fight on their hands. She could feel herself beginning to tremble.
She felt something nudge at her hand, and then fingers creeping around her own. She looked down to find a pale hand holding hers. It gave a gentle reassuring squeeze. She looked up to Vaati's face and saw him staring straight ahead resiliently. Then his hand slipped from hers.
Marickiya settled down her breathing, feeling quite foolish. How could she react so cowardly now? Even if she wasn't able to do much, she would support her companions regardless. She had to be strong in her weakness. Vaati had simply reminded her that they were there for her, too.
They had cleared the boundary of trees and found themselves in the midst of what once was a battlefield. The Moblins that Vaati had single handedly taken out were strewn about in differing positions of their last moments. Everything was quiet save for the whistling of the wind.
"You defeated all of these monsters? All on your own?" Marickiya whispered.
"You sound surprised." Vaati offered back and her cheeks colored a bit. Link looked over at the two of them. Where he once would have been annoyed at an exchange like this, he extended his own addition to the conversation.
"You should have seen him at the village the day you were attacked." He said.
Before Marickiya could further entertain the distraction, movement caught all of their eyes. A brilliant blue flame was enveloping one of the deceased moblins in the center of the carnage. They watched, all tense and with hands at their weapons, as the moblin's corpse burned into nothing. The flame didn't touch the grass, it simply petered out once there wasn't any more flesh for it to consume. They didn't have to wait long before another flame erupted upon more and more of their former enemies until all of them were aflame. They watched them all burn to cinders, unnerved. Then a slow haunting laugh chilled them all to their cores, echoing and reverberating around their surroundings.
The owner of the laugh, none other than the detestable Ganondorf, appeared at last. He kept his distance from the entrance where they stood, all ready for an attack. Ganondorf was the first the speak.
"Well," he began candidly, "Isn't this a reunion for the ages." The tall and dark man licked his lips in anticipation.
It was a bit of a stand off. Ganondorf looked between his adversaries that stood between him and his query, all tensed and ready to hash it out. If what his source said was true, the late Princess' child that resided within the protective trees of the forest possessed the missing Triforce piece of Wisdom. However, judging from the surge of power he felt from his own Triforce piece of Power not too long ago, something had happened to it. He didn't think the infant could figure out how to use the Triforce's power. His only other guess was that the Hero of Time had somehow figured out how to get the kid to hand it over. It wouldn't be with Link. No, it had to be with one of his companions...
"So which one of you now bears Wisdom, I wonder." He deliberated slowly. Link looked even more fierce at his words. His guess was correct. "I could make you tell me, but that would cost me a bit of effort."
With a leering grin, he lifted his right hand, displaying for them the back of it where an outline of the Triforce was beginning to glow.
It was useless to try and resist, Link knew what was coming. He felt the burning on his own hand and knew that his Triforce piece couldn't help reacting again. He fruitlessly looked to Marickiya who's gasp told him that she was also experiencing a similar phenomenon for the first time. Ganon's attention was solely on her now.
'Well, well,' he thought to himself, 'The failed experiment. What an interesting development.'
"If you would be so kind and hand over the Triforce piece, I'll be on my way."
"That isn't happening," Link declared loudly, and he drew out his sword as a sign of resistance. Ganondorf cackled then redirected his attention. "Marickiya of my own tribe. Wouldn't you like to retake your place at my side?" Not eliciting a response, he continued. "I could give you powers you've never know. I could even remedy your little," he paused for a second, "Disability."
He relished in Marickiya's shocked expression as she held her right hand to her chest. The mage was the first to step in front of the girl and shield her from view with Link quickly following suit. He expected as such.
What an annoying situation. He could not simply kill the girl now, as was his former plan. She had a piece of the Triforce and he didn't feel like going on another hunt to locate it. If he attempted to capture her, he'd have a fight on his hands. As painful as it was to admit even to himself, he was not yet strong enough to take on the mage. He wouldn't make it out unscathed, let alone with the girl. He was thinking over his options.
Marickiya and Link become solely focused within his vision. Something was familiar about the two of them standing beside one another. He racked his brain for exactly why he felt that way, the reason just beyond his reach. Then...
The trio were a little put off when Ganondorf suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter. He was literally holding his sides from laughing so hard. They looked between themselves, quite perplexed, but still on guard.
"Something has been made so abundantly clear to me just now." He said through his guffaws. "Oh gods, you are really going to get a kick out of this." He quieted himself enough to clear his throat. "Let me tell you a little story.
"Once upon a time, there was a woman and her knight husband. The woman was special, as a prophecy had been made about her," he began, still grinning maliciously. "A prophecy that said she was the beginning of a line of Heroes."
Marickiya gasped rather loudly, gaining the attention of her two companions momentarily before Ganondorf continued.
"Though special, she was rather foolish. Her foolishness led her to be taken from her home," he said. Then he leered viciously.
"No," Marickiya breathed, "Not like this."
"She was brought before someone who had been searching for her. You see, he had a plan, and didn't want this prophecy getting in the way of it.
"Knowing she had already birthed a son, the man decided a good countermeasure to the 'hero' was to have her birth a child just for him. Ah, but some good plans have to go to waste." He was giddy again as he looked between Link and Marickiya. "It seems that his little experiment had acquired a mind of her own and united with her long lost brother, who had grown up to greatly resemble his father, against her creator." He couldn't hold back his giddy laughter then. "How touching!"
Link was stunned into silence. What Ganondorf was saying, that he was related... It couldn't be true. How could it? He glanced back at Marickiya. Tears flowed down her face and she would not make eye contact with him.
She... had known. She knew. And now he knew as well. His breath deserted him. He felt sick to his stomach and at first could not comprehend why. Then he realized the implications of how Marickiya came to be. Was this the reason his family was gone? He felt the color drain from his face and he looked away from Marickiya. He stared wide eyed toward the ground and clutched at his chest.
Ganondorf's renewed laughter brought his attention back to their enemy.
"Oh my, did I hit a nerve?" He shouted callously and doubled up again.
While the others were distracted, Vaati could feel it, the accumulating magical energy. It was like the air that was charged just before a lightning strike. Assuming this surge of power was emanating from their enemy, he was about to adopt a defensive stance. But then, he realized the energy was not coming from Ganondorf. No, it was much closer. The hairs on the back of Vaati's neck tingled.
Just as the realization hit him, Marickiya suddenly reared her arm back and threw something hard in the King's direction. It was quicker than the eye could follow, there was a flash and Ganondorf's taunts ceased abruptly as that something Marickiya had thrown exploded near his face causing blood to erupt from his left shoulder. Screams of outrage replaced his merriment.
Before anyone had time to react, Vaati sensed she was about to attack again. In the mere seconds he had before she let out another blast of wild magic, he could feel the pressure, like all matter was being drawn into the spot where she stood. She was about to unleash something big.
Without time to explain, he took to the air and rushed towards Link.
"Va-oomf!" was the only thing that came from Link's mouth when the sorcerer lunged forward, grabbed Link around the midriff, and flew skyward.
He had expected the worst, but it turned out to be so much more. The eruption was catastrophically loud and just the sound was enough to knock them a bit farther as he used his own sorcery to propel himself and Link out of harms way. More than any of his usual senses could perceive, he felt with every fiber of his being just how powerful an attack Marickiya had released. He didn't even think of stopping his ascent until he was sure it was over.
When magical energies were no longer present, Vaati finally slowed and came to hover in the air, maneuvering Link to hang from one arm so that they could both view the wreckage. They had stopped several hundred feet above where they had left Marickiya, able to see much of eastern Hyrule field including the outskirts of Lon Lon Ranch's village.
The dirt was settling, revealing a ruinous display. Behind where Marickiya had fired her attack was flattened. Devoid of grass, the shock wave's path led all the way to the forests' edge where a few trees had been partially uprooted.
The true desolation lay ahead. The earth had shifted apart as the severity of the magical attack tore through the air. Where it had hit its target, Ganondorf, a crater now resided as wide as the castle market and just as deep. The silence was unnerving.
The dust was almost completely cleared when Vaati decided it was safe to descend back to the decimated earth. When they touched down, Link seemed to be regaining his wits. A scowl displaced his shock.
"That wasn't enough." He said quietly. Vaati couldn't help but agree. As destructive as that was, they weren't dealing with anything that amounted to normal when it came to Ganondorf. The Evil King could not be taken down through regular means.
"What was all that about? What he was saying about Marickiya," Link's scowl deepened, "And you?" he finished hesitantly. He felt the need to divert, there would be time later for that subject, preferably when Marickiya was present. He took a sweeping look around for the girl.
"How long has she been able to use magic?" Vaati asked. When his gaze rested once more on Link's face, he noted that he had the same enraged expression Marickiya had worn before she started firing magic.
"I don't know." He replied slowly, yet curtly. Vaati pressed his mouth into a thin line. This wasn't the time to converse with Link, apparently.
A faint moan reached their ears and they both turned and rushed to the listing trees behind them. It wasn't long before they spotted her lying on her side among some of the roots. She'd been thrown back by the ferocity of her own spell. The two approached her prone form, but Vaati stopped in his tracks within a few feet of their fallen comrade, unsure of himself. Residual energy emanated from her being in waves. He didn't understand why it unsettled him, but it did and kept him from approaching further. Link who hadn't stopped, was already kneeling beside the girl and checking her over. He seemed fittingly worried, but his frown never left him.
"We should get her back to the forest until she wakes up." Link hefted her out of the dirt, much like he had a few days prior in the Kakariko graveyard. Vaati wasn't keen on dwelling on that particular memory just then. He could only nod as he followed Link farther into the trees. "Looks like we have a lot of talking to do," he heard the Hylian say in an aggrieved voice. Vaati agreed silently with his statement and the emotion behind it.