Vaati knows what's coming.
Four Sword in Link's possession, Ghirahim's awful little plan to break him, the cap sitting innocently in the room right beyond this door.
He knows where they're heading.
But he doesn't want to be anyone's pawn. Doesn't want to play Ghirahim's little puppet. He is tired of being a chess piece, whether he's Ghirahim's, that dreadful Ganon's, or the Goddesses'. It's taking a huge risk, bringing Link all the way here just for a chance at getting his cap back, but it's one he's willing to take. If he can just grab it and leave in all of the confusion, he'll be set. No hero to imprison him, no Ghirahim to wrap him up like a perfect little present. He'll get the cap and maybe run off to Holodrum, if the damn place even still exists.
When the door swings open, every bit of his attention moves to the hat sitting on the corner of what looks to be a recently built throne, ornate and very obviously Ghirahim's handiwork. Afterall, no one else in this clan seems to have any sort of fashion sense. Ghirahim stands just behind the throne, his arms folded comfortably on top of the back of the chair as if he's presenting it to its owner.
He has half a mind to run up to the damn thing and rip the cap off of it, but his feet stay planted to the ground. He knows better.
Ghirahim's attention is on the three of them, but it is certainly divided unevenly onto Link.
"What a ragtag bunch you have here. You're too kind , bringing me all the pieces I need to resurrect my master! Why, I'm positively ecstatic. You've just saved me a lot of time and needless effort."
Vaati feels Link tense up beside him. Well what did he expect bringing the damn Princess of Hyrule straight to Ghirahim? He may as well as have put a sign around Zelda's neck saying 'free kidnapping'. If they weren't in such hot water right now, he would even remind him what a dumb idea it had been.
There's a sudden rush of air to his right and before anyone can react, Zelda is running past them both to strike at Ghirahim with what looks like throwing needles. They fly through the air and she's already ten feet away from where she threw them, preemptively dodging any sort of attack the man might have for her. It's impressive work and the first time Vaati has ever seen Hylian royalty fight. For a moment, he thinks the woman is going to actually land a hit.
Before the needles can come into contact with Ghirahim, they hit a light barrier and fall straight to the ground. Link's already moving, but Vaati's feet are glued firmly to the floor, watching everything as if it's a thousand miles away. Everything happens faster than he can really process it. One moment Zelda is moving, doing her all to land even a little blow on Ghirahim, and the next she's on the ground, blood dripping from her cheek where she's scratched by a stray knife that knicks the skin. The magic in the room is all encompassing, smothering, dark and thick like honey. He can see the enclosure around the princess, like iron bars towards the ceiling, holding her in a little circle while Ghirahim deals with Link. And Link - running to get to her before any damage is done and failing, sword swinging just in time to miss the man that disappears and reappears in a cloud of glittering cascading diamonds.
He feels Ghirahim's hands clasp onto his shoulders, feels his hot breath on the back of his neck up to his ear. "He really does care for you," the man says. "That just fills my heart with kittens. It's so nice to see such a persistent couple fall miserably on their faces." Loud enough for everyone to hear. Zelda. Link. The damn Goddesses themselves.
Vaati knows what fighting will entail. Knows that he's lost before and that if he tries now, he'll lose again, but his eye locks with Link's for just a split second. The blonde who's got fire under his skin right now. His gaze isn't confident but it's enough to make Vaati rethink his decision.
And there's certainly consequences to fighting back, but for just a moment, Vaati thinks they might be able to win this one. That they've got even a glimmer of a chance. It's all the blinding heroics, Link's unrelenting vigor rubbing off on him. Vaati doesn't waste the little magic he's built up in the past few hours since the last fight he had (the Yiga constantly bombarding him in an effort to keep his power drained), not when he can just as easily elbow Ghirahim and step out of his hold. It doesn't do any damage. In fact, Vaati knows it doesn't even remotely hurt the guy, because his elbow is aching from the blow, as if the man's made of titanium. But it's enough to get Ghirahim to let go, if only because he's surprised by the action. Surprised Vaati's even going to fight back.
Link's by his side almost instantly, pushing a flimsy sword into his hands. He supposes it's better than nothing.
"You ungrateful shrimp ," Ghirahim shouts at him when Link rushes forward to fight. They clash blades and Vaati knows that Ghirahim's sword must be enchanted because it's flimsy and there's no reason for why his rapier hasn't snapped in half against Link's broadsword. Each move he makes is delicate and graceful, a ferocity hidden behind all of his strikes. Vaati can see Link struggling, searching for some sort of opening against him. And as they fight, there's a sort of dark coating that spreads over the man's skin, like armor, leaving him looking strange and almost like a statue. Even more inhuman than before.
Every hit Link makes bounces right off of Ghirahim without leaving even a mark behind.
He's been watching enough from the sidelines to know where Ghirahim will move next. He'll duck this time and try to grab the blade again which will leave him open to the side.
Vaati doesn't know if his sword will break skin, but he needs to test things out for himself. Feel the armor and see if he can break it down without wasting all of his energy. When Ghirahim grabs Link's blade, Vaati rushes forward and thrusts with his own. The other man grunts, glancing down at Vaati in surprise. The sword doesn't pierce him but it further leaves an opening for Link who pushes forward and makes the man lose his balance. For a brief moment, the dark armor that's coating his skin lightens into a feint grey and Vaati takes the opportunity to try to dig his sword in again.
It hits. It doesn't go in deep and it doesn't do enough to really hurt, but it's a hit . Vaati could almost yell out in joy, if he wasn't now staring straight ahead at what is very likely to be his death. Ghirahim roars with fury and swings his blade, but Link manages to block the attack before it can slice Vaati in two, grunting with effort as he strains to keep Ghirahim back.
He doesn't dawdle in getting out of the way. When there's enough space that he knows he won't be cut down the middle, Vaati takes the time to regain his breath as Ghirahim's focus shifts back to Link.
He's yelling. Something about Link always getting in the way. How he just can't seem to get a break from the twit.
Vaati can almost relate, but for once him and Link are on the same side.
Briefly, he wonders if Ghirahim could get a second chance. If he'd even want one. What is the strange man's story? Are they any similar? But then he remembers Ghirahim wants his head on a plate and all his contemplating goes out the window. No. Fuck this guy. No one threatens him and gets away with it .
" Fun and games are over, Sky Child! " Ghirahim's voice bounces off the walls, a terrible explosion of rage.
"Link," he calls out as the blonde stumbles and plays the defense. Ghirahim's attacks are vigorous, holding a whole new energy now. He's got the intent to kill.
Vaati can weaken his armor. If Link can just keep Ghirahim still for a second, Vaati can paralyze him just long enough for Link to get some real work in. " Hold him still! " he calls out.
The hero turns his head for a moment and Vaati curses inwardly because he's trying to focus now and it's kind of hard to keep his attention on the spell he's building up in his hands when Link's about to get himself killed. Vaati sees Ghirahim's eyes narrow in his direction and knows he's got to move. The man disappears in front of Link. Vaati starts running, cursing to himself. Idiot. Idiot . He needs to learn to control his loud damn mouth, if it doesn't get him killed right now.
Would Zelda be any help? Could he cause a distraction to keep the man from going after him? Try to break her out of the makeshift cage Ghirahim's built around her? No. One quick glance and he knows it's going to take a lot more time and power than he has right now.
He feels magic on his right and hears Ghirahim yell as he just narrowly misses him with his blade. Vaati throws a ball of electricity at Ghirahim's feet but it's still not enough to hold him for more than a few seconds. But it works. He sees Ghirahim's skin fade back to a more normal color - or at least, normal for the man that's been holding him prisoner these past few days - and he knows it could work.
They can do this.
He charges up another attack but before he can throw it, Ghirahim's gone from the spot. He reappears in a flash but Vaati's not fast enough this time to dodge the sword that comes swinging down on his left. The blade cuts right through his clothes and into his side. Ghirahim's laughter is booming in his ears while he takes another swing at him, but Vaati stumbles away, the spell dead at his fingertips. Fuck. Fuck.
Link pushes past him, wasting no time or words in an attempt to try to get to the villain.
It's all overwhelming. He's out of his element. It's faster when you're not a main player in the fight and Vaati finds it hard to keep up as sidekick. He's got one hand on his bleeding side, trying to heal the wound before it becomes a problem (though he was never much of a pro at the spell) and staggers forward. His sword is loose in his other hand in some miserable attempt at helping or self-defense.
He can't cast the spell fast enough. Can't take another step forward, it hurts so damn bad. Did Ghirahim do something to the blade or did he just hit something important?
Ghirahim doesn't disappear or make any effort to dodge Link's attack as he comes towards him. In fact, the man's boot connects with Link's chest and sends him to the floor.
He lifts the sword and looks for some sort of opening even though he knows the results will be less than desired. His side still isn't healed up but he has to do something. Everything he's learned over the past dozen lessons goes right out of his head. He can only hope that Ghirahim will be too caught off guard to block any sort of attack. He staggers forward and tries to push the sword forward into the man's leg, the armor looking just a little weaker there than the rest of him. Sends out a quick shock but it doesn't even affect him.
Ghirahim holds Vaati's blade inbetween his fingers. Scoffs at the sad attempt and shakes his head with this awful little pout like he's really upset for him . Pitying him, the son of a bitch. Before he can process what's just happened, Ghirahim raises his other hand up and slaps him hard across the face, knocking him to the floor as well.
It's humiliating. Disorenting. How did he get here? How did he go from the Greatest Sorcerer in the World to this? Pathetic, crawling, bleeding out, about to die just under Ghirahim's boot. He tried so hard to get away from this. How did it all go wrong? Where and when? He tried so many things and nothing worked . He's still just a mouse.
Ghirahim bends down and grabs a fistful of Link's hair and Vaati can't hear the furious whispers boiling out of the man's mouth while he slams Link's face down into the pavement over and over again. It's bloody. It's brutal. It's infuriating. And Link's trying to hold on, but Vaati watches him lose consciousness fast. Still breathing, but for who knows how long. He thinks he hears Zelda screaming. Not 'maiden in distress', damsel watching her valiant hero die, screaming, but 'friend who's ready to tear someone apart' screaming. Furious and scared and broken and Vaati cannot do anything but watch this all unfold like some terrible play because he knows he's next as Ghirahim lets go of Link and stalks towards him.
"You," he says in a calm fury. Quiet cold anger. The kind Vaati's never been much of an expert in. "You really thought you could play hero ," Ghirahim doesn't touch him. He bends down and grabs out one of those throwing knives. Makes a big show of it, running his finger up and down the blade before he gives it one long lick, looking Vaati right in the eye. "Do you have any idea what that makes me feel inside, seeing a servant of the Demon King try to turn over a new leaf? Disgusted , insulted - Oh. I'm rambling again. It's a bit of a character flaw of mine, please excuse me."
Ghirahim plunges the knife into Vaati's hand and he screams. Squeezes his eyes shut but only sees red. Is it possible that everything's a little more painful in a Hylian body than it is in a monstrous form?
"See, I thought we could be friends, you and I. Allies, even, in due time. You seemed an opportunist. Actually, I was under the impression that waswhy you were with dear Link ," he says the name with all the contempt in the world. Looks like he's going to lose his cool for a moment before he composes himself again. "But I see you're just as imprudently optimistic! " Another knife buries its way into Vaati, making itself at home in his other side. "I'm going to take pleasure in punishing you," his voice rises. "Of dragging that silly little idealism out of your small feeble brain . Oh- but you must be thinking right now; ' Demon Lord, sir,' ", he continues in a mock tone.
Vaati tries to focus on staying awake. His side from earlier is almost closed up. The other's bad but not nearly as damaged as the first wound. If he can just get the knife out of his hand, he can move.
"'Won't it be hard coming up with something different than Link's torture?' Don't you worry. I'll make sure to personalize your torment." He punctuates the sentence by grabbing onto Vaati's hair now, forcing him to look back at the man's face.
Just past it he sees movement. Link struggling to get up.
It's no use, though. Even if the hero gets up they'll never win. They're both too damaged. Both underpowered.
Ghirahim is right.
He can't do things this way.
It's not in his nature. He doesn't have the power, the wisdom, or the courage to be a hero. To be any sort of force of good.
He's a coward. He's weak and he's desperate and he's so damn tired of being tossed around like a ragdoll.
Vaati uses what little energy he has left to take a play out of Ghirahim's book. It takes a lot of concentration and drowning the other man's rambling out, but just as Ghirahim brings his damn tongue up to Vaati's face, Vaati disappears, leaving the man empty-handed.
The knives are still stuck in him.
He's still bleeding bad.
Link's still trying to stand.
But none of that matters when he reappears. Right next to that gaudy looking throne.
"You rat-. "
Vaati grabs the cap and pulls it hard onto his head.
Fits like a glove. Comforting. Strong. Warm. An old friend.
No. He's tired of playing by everyone else's rules.
Vaati throws out his hands and what comes out of them is beyond a gust. It's an explosion, an eruption of air that bursts forth and sends everything flying. He laughs. Feels energy returning to him. The cuts and slashes and bruises and everything else vanishing.
He can take Hyrule too.
Destroy this silly little hideout and Ghirahim and then have Hyrule for his own.
Can take whatever he wants once this bastard is out of his way.
It's easy.
Like a dream come true. Like a wish from a blown out birthday candle. Ghirahim is snuffed away.
No swords, no bad plans, no terrible coordination. All it takes is a little wish and he's gone.
The power of the Wishing Cap gives Vaati all the magic he could ever need. Everything that he could want.
He's unstoppable. How did he ever get it into his head that he'd change? That it was better to change? This is him. Who he's always been and always will be.
The most powerful Sorcerer in the world.
Vaati , a God among Hylians.
He is someone that should be worshiped, not someone who begs before the Goddesses .
A man who takes what he wants, not asks nicely.
He doesn't train under the hero .
He's Vaati .
King of the clouds.
A/N:
Guest: ;_;' I'm so terribly impatient lol. Hope you enjoy!
