Darunia
"500 rupees he wakes up in seven years." Ralph held up a gold rupee, flashing it in front of his friends before placing it back in his wallet. His friends looked to each other, individually wondering how they'll match the Labrynnian's bet of how long it'll take Link to wake up. Hilda betted a month and 50 rupees. Oren, a year and 100 rupees.
"1,000 rupees and 100 years." Ravio took two gold rupees from his pocket, showing his stunned audience before laughing and placing his money away. "I think I win."
Hilda just looked at Ravio, surprised that he of all people carried so much money. "How….How?"
"Side hustles, Hilda. Remember that I used to be a merchant on the side." Ravio turned to Ralph, who was heated that Ravio of all people surpassed his bet. "Are you done?"
"2,000, same bet you made."
"5,000."
"10,000."
"20,000."
"100,000."
"I think all bets are off. Ravio, you don't even have that much money, and Ralph, you have a kingdom to spend those rupees on first." The boys looked at Princess Hilda, disappointed but knowing she was right. They sat in silence on the roof of their makeshift home, having nothing more to talk about. It was the ninth night of their stay in Darunia, and they were at the breaking point. However, they managed their anger by staying away from Zelda and the Sheikah, and as Ralph claimed, "tried their best to not assassinate Link."
Ralph picked up a stone, tossing it back and forth between his hands. "When I get married and officially coronated, only you three and Midna are invited. Oren, you're my best man."
Oren smiled while using her sharpened fin to draw on the roof. "Thank you."
"Welcome. Hilda, I know this hurts you, to see me marry another woman instead of you, and I can see it in your eyes that Ravio just isn't satisfying your needs as well as I did, but I do love Nayru. You just got to accept it."
Hilda, who was leaning on Ravio, glared her red eyes at Ralph, then cut them to Ravio. Her knight looked like he was about to faint. "Ravio!"
"Hey, he was asking questions about why the two of us seemed more inseparable than ever. It just came out."
Ralph smirked as he pointed to the Lorulean knight. "I'd admit, I never thought you'll finally do it. You have grown Deku Nuts ever since your Sage power kicked in."
Oren looked between the two foreigners of her world, her eyes widening as she realized what was going on. "Oh! You two…wow. Took long enough."
"Yeah. Congratulations." A new voice spoke, and the four sages turned to the doorway that granted access to the roof. She closed the door, smiling warmly at the Lorulean couple as we walked over to the group.
Ravio nodded, accepting her first. "Hello, Zelda. Thank you. Now, Hilda, you can stop with the death glare."
"Hmph."
Ralph turned his attention to Princess Zelda, who stood some ways off from the circle of sages. "What brings you here, Princess?"
Zelda bowed her head, sensing the animosity Ralph conveyed. It was her fault after all. She knew what the others thought about their stay in Darunia, how dangerous it was not just to them but to the people of the city. She was supposed to protect them, however, her mere presence placed them unknowingly in danger. However, she was not going to let the King of Labrynna belittle her. She rose her head, staring back at Ralph. "We're leaving tomorrow."
Ralph folded his arms, smugly turning away from Zelda. "You finally came to your senses."
"Ralph, I'm sorry you feel that way, but Link wasn't—"
"But?" Ralph whipped around, angrily walking towards Zelda. "You've endangered hundreds of your own people! All for one person! The life of one is not worth the lives of many, Hero or not!" Ralph hovered over Zelda, putting a finger to her face. "You're not fit to rule if you don't understand that."
Zelda lowered her head, then turned on her heel, heading back for the door. She opened and slammed it shut, clearly hurt by Ralph's rhetoric. As he turned around, he could see Oren hop to her feet, following Zelda inside. "You didn't have to do that, Ralph." She was inside before Ralph could respond, then faced the rising Loruleans.
Hilda shrugged as she faced Ralph. "You know I'm with you on this. Admittedly you were an ass with it, but nevertheless, she has to know. We both know that price too well."
"Thank you, Hilda." Ralph walked over to the edge of the roof, leaning over it. "I'll see you guys later." He heard the Loruleans close the door behind them, sighing as he looked down to the still-bustling city, despite the late time of night. He wasn't sorry for what he said, but Hilda might be right. He was harsh. If Nayru could see him now.
As he closed his eyes, his senses were triggered erratically. He quickly opened them, looking to his left and right before facing the above sky. He gasped at the sight, though it was one long expected. "Dammit!"
"Such language. That is spoken by those who are imperfect and cannot be fixed. Here, let me help perfect you." Ralph turned around, sword drawn. However, he was too late to act as an unseen force knocked him against a barrier. He felt himself merging with the barrier, and with a final effort to warn the others, launched a fireball towards the door. He screamed as loud as he could once the fire melted a hole in the door, but it didn't last long as the merger was complete, and the King of Labrynna was silenced.
Hilda and Ravio were the only ones close enough to the door to hear Ralph's scream and smell the cinders he unleashed. A bright flash followed the scream before they couldn't hear the young king anymore. Concerned, the couple rushed back up the stairs, hoping he wasn't playing with his abilities.
Ravio was first to the door, knocking it out of his way. "Ralph?!... Ralph?" Hilda joined him, following his eye. Before them was the back of a caped person, red locks covering the back of his head. In his right hand, he held a scepter with a burning flame, while he bent down to pick something up with his left. To the Loruleans, there was something familiar about him, but they couldn't pin it. However, Ravio drew his sword, Hilda held her own scepter, and they stood ready to fight the newcomer.
"Who are you?"
The newcomer eyed the red object he held, chuckling as he analyzed it. "Ah, as I suspected, you're even lovelier as a painting. I think that Her Majesty with be most pleased." His head turned, showing his face to the young rebels behind him. They gasped as they recognized the man, just as he recognized them, flashing the portrait of their friend to them. "Wouldn't you say this is beautiful, Your Grace?"
The dark robes. The face full of makeup. The gold circlet with a red ruby within. The painting in his hand… Hilda grunted as she understood who was before them. "You… You are Yuga."
"In the flesh," Yuga chuckled. "You can call me 'father,' as I'm told we share the same name. He must have been a true portrait of perfection, a work of art to bear my name."
"Don't you dare disrespect my father! Give Ralph back, fiend, or I'll send you back from whence you came."
Yuga raised an eyebrow. "Your Grace, such boldness. Do you want that? You and him, of all rabbits in the land, want to fight me? You think the coward will stand by your side?"
Ravio, offended by Yuga's claim, stepped forward. He only took one glance to the sky to see that Yuga wasn't alone. Turning to Hilda, he gestured her eye towards the sky. "Get her out of her."
"Ravio."
"I will fend this Yuga off. Get her out the city before the real attack begins. Go!"
Hilda, starstruck by Ravio's bravery, rushed to the exit. She swung open the door, turning back to her friend once more. "Ravio, don't you dare…"
"…I won't." He heard the door close behind him, allowing him to solely focus on the scourge of Lorule. The villain chuckled some more, apparently amused by his opponent, but Ravio wasn't going to falter, for Hilda and his friends' sake. For Ralph's sake. "You have been warned. Give us back Ralph."
"Ha! How about I bring you to him!" Yuga waved his specter, forming two portals beside him. Out of them came a flock of Keese. They swarmed Ravio, causing him to stumble backward as he tried to fight them off. His foot caught the edge of the roof, causing him to trip and fall off the side of the roof. Yuga smiled as he heard the boy scream, and the resulting collision of his body of something loud and metallic was music to his ears. Allowing the Keese to cause trouble elsewhere in the city, Yuga stepped towards the interior of the house. "Cowardice has fallen. Foolishness, you're next. You, Princess Zelda, Hero Link, the Sages, they shall be a fine collection of masterpieces."
"We got to go."
"Not without evacuating the city, I am not leaving!"
"The safety of the Princess is our priority. Since her priority is Link, he is also ours." Impa glared at her successor, both pair of red eyes battling for dominion. Impa and Sheik were prepared to leave the city with Link and Zelda. Angered, Hilda looked to the Sage of Water, who had her back turned.
"Oren?"
Oren turned her head, and for the first time since she met Oren back at Lake Hylia in South Hyrule, the Princess of the Zoras showed anger herself. "You know my answer. This is for Ralph."
Impa looked to Sheik, who was carrying Link. She faced the wall behind her, forming a portal. "Go with him."
"Farewell, Sages. I hope you know what you're doing." Sheik walked through the portal with Link, vanishing behind the golden light. Impa turned around next, placing a hand on Zelda's shoulder, and escorting her to the portal. The Princess of Hyrule said nothing nor resisted, being led like a dog to her escape.
"Zelda." She stopped right there, turning around to the light call of her name. Between Hilda and Oren hovered Spryte. The fairy had her arms crossed, looking at her human with disappointment. "I'm staying. It is what I should have done years ago, and it is what both Links will want of me."
"Zelda," Hilda said, pointing a finger at the Hylian's right hand, "Ganondorf asked you if you would do anything to save Hyrule. You said you would. He believed you and only you could beat Vaati, and that's something coming from Dragmire' arrogant mouth. Your father believed in you. Link believes in you. For once in your soul's entire history, don't be the damsel in distress." A distant explosion rocked the house, surprising everyone. Hilda turned around, gripping her scepter. Yuga must have gotten inside…Ravio! "Oren."
The Sage of Water nodded, watching Shadow and Spryte leave the room. She turned to Zelda, delivering her final argument. "Hilda and Ravio lost their kingdom. Ralph nearly lost his. I lost mine. But we fight for yours. Those people out there are your subjects. Because of you, the Imperials are here. Because of you, some will die. You will have blood on your hands, but are you going to run, or will you protect the blood that still runs warm?" Oren departed, catching up with Hilda and Spryte as another explosion occurred.
"Princess, we must—"
"No." Zelda looked up to Impa, her face set. Her friends were right, she had a duty to stay and fight. "I'm staying. I order you to leave. Take Link and protect him, for he is our last hope should we fall. No argument."
Impa bit her lip, then closed her eyes and smiled. "Your mother issued me a similar command when I left the castle with you."
Zelda took Impa's hand. "I must protect my Triforce, and I'm not ready to fight with my power, but…while leaving will fulfill that quest, I cannot go down the same path you and my father followed. I must stay and fight." Zelda reached around her shoulder, ready to give Impa an item but the Sheikah held out her hand.
"Keep it. You might need it before anyone else."
"No. I cannot protect them both. I do have a plan, and this is the first part. As long as you have this and Link, victory is possible."
Impa sighed, grasping the object in her hand. "Whatever you plan is, Princess, I hope it is worth the sacrifice you are making." Zelda nodded and proceeded to walk out of the room. "Oh, and Princess."
"Yes?"
"If you see Vaati, make him remember my mother." Zelda nodded, then turned down the hallway in the direction of explosions in the house. Impa sighed, then turned towards the portal, taking a glance at the hand Zelda held. "You better wake up, Hero. You got a job to do."
Hilda's entire backside ached. Bricks, wood, and dirt surrounded her entire being. She brushed the debris off her, attempting to get up. That's when her upper chest felt like a thousand sharp needles all being implanted at one spot at once. She lowered herself, preparing herself for the pain that might come again, and rolled over to her front.
"Your Grace!" Yuga sang his title for Hilda, chuckling as he exited the gaping hole in the wall of the house. "I have fresh fish for dinner. Catch!" The villain tossed a beaten Oren by Hilda, the latter reaching out for her bruised friend. How was…he so strong? Hilda is, after Zelda, the second strongest in terms of power, yet Yuga was treating her like a play doll. Tapping into her powers as the Sage of Shadow would make her stronger, but it being day instead of night, it wouldn't do as much as it could. And Oren too, the person with most experience with her abilities as a Sage… Hilda ignored the alarming bells of pain, grabbing her scepter, pushing herself to her knees and then to her full height. She turned to Yuga, amused by her confidence to continue to face him.
"I am not 'Your Grace.' I am Hilda Lorule, Princess of Lorule, and your doom." Hilda formed several shadow darts around her, sending them towards Yuga. The man blocked them with a barrier before attacking on his own, sending several beams of pure dark energy towards Hilda. She did the same, using light magic similar to what she did back in Midoro. The two types canceled and vanished in the air between the Loruleans, but it took a toll on the princess. Light magic was always her last resort, for the power it rewarded matched the mana it drained. And she wasn't Zelda, who had the affinity for it. Hilda was more in tune with the spiritual type of shadow, making it a perfect match with her Sage powers. At the cost of using such extensive powers, Hilda's exhaustion revealed itself, kneeling on the ground, dropping her scepter, helpless before her ancestor's nemesis.
That excited Yuga. "You will be my greatest masterpiece, Princess of Lorule." Yuga waved his scepter around before pointing it towards Hilda. Magic zipped towards Hilda from the flame of the scepter but barely missed as the princess was knocked back to the ground. Groaning and feeling like she might have increased her injuries, Hilda turned to the mass that was on top of her.
"Ravio?"
"AH!" Yuga stumbled forward, nursing an injury to his back. A vine sprouted from the ground, wrapping itself around the mage's body, lifting into the air. Ravio stood up, a light green aura surrounding him, hand raised as he controlled the vine mentally. Hilda sighed in relief as the Sage of Forest stepped away. Being in daylight, as it would for any plant, was a good thing for Ravio, as it made him much stronger. But that wasn't the only thing. Hilda could only watch as Oren used Ravio's body to pick herself up, the light blue light around her as she lends her own power to further strengthen Ravio's. Above Ralph hovered Spryte, lending her power as well. Last, the reason Yuga was initially distracted stepped out to join the other Sages and fairy. Hilda smiled before her exhaustion caught up to her again, proud to see the Princess of Hyrule standing with her friends.
"You cowardly fool! Unhand me from this filth this instant!"
Ravio tightened his hand, in turn increasing the grip the vines hand on Yuga. "I'll kill you, right here, right now!"
"Ravio," Oren said, calmly as she could, "remember he has Ralph."
"Ha ha ha ha!" Yuga's laugh regained their attention, the mage pointing to the west of the city. "The invasion has begun. Darunia will fall tonight, and there'll be nothing you Sages could do! Two down, five to go."
"Two?"
Ravio turned, seeing Hilda collapsed on the ground. He faced Yuga again, who waved his scepter as best he could. "Two." Magic flashed from the flame, soaring above the trio's head. They watched as it hit Hilda and screamed her name as she levitated in the air in front of a blank, purple-edged easel. Hilda flew back, merging with the easel until they became one, the Princess of Lorule now a mere painting created by Yuga.
Distracted, Ravio had inadvertently loosened the vines, so they were surprised when Yuga appeared before them, picking up the painting of Hilda. Ravio, angered by his lapse in attention, drew his sword and ran towards Yuga. "Let her go!"
"My, my, Your Grace, would you look at the time." Yuga vanished just as Ravio was set to strike, the boy barely catching his footing after his swing. He hastily looked around the area, searching for any signs of Yuga.
"Yuga!"
Oren, clutching her sides, tried walking to Ravio. "Ravio, he's gone."
"NO!" Ravio thrusted his sword into the side of a wood building, dropping to his knees. "No…no…no…" Tears rolled down Ravio's face just as Oren got to him, hugging him from behind as he continuously repeated that one word.
"Ravio… We'll get her back. Hilda and Ralph."
"I'm supposed to protect her… But I couldn't do that. I got to get her back. I got to keep my promise." Ravio stood up, and took off his bunny cloak, throwing it to the ground. He took back his sword, placing it in its sheath and walking towards Zelda, who silently stood facing the western sky.
Oren looked at the cloak, then back to its owner. For the month and a half she knew him, Ravio had never been seen without it on. If he was taking it off now, the boy known as a coward was about to become just the opposite to get his girl back. She had to follow suit to get her best friend. She followed Ravio back to Zelda and Spryte, placing a hand on his shoulder as some means of comfort. Meanwhile, Ravio took her hand, siphoning power from the vines to heal Oren. They all looked to the mechanical bird in the sky, where at any moment, the Imperials will begin launching their invasion of Darunia.
Zelda turned to her only allies left. "There will be no reinforcements. Not for some time, if General Auru ever shows up."
Ravio gripped his sword's hilt. "I'll do whatever it takes to get Hilda back, and to drive my sword through Yuga."
"And for Link." Spryte landed on Zelda's shoulder, pointing to the bird. "For both of them, I have a bone to pick with those monsters."
"And Ralph," Oren added. "You can kill Yuga but add me and him to the reason you will run your blade through his heart. Zelda…if Vaati is on board the bird, are you ready yourself?"
"Oren, contact Riju and Midna, and give them the news. Mido is surely next to be attacked." Zelda turned back to the Imperial war machine. They were going on a suicide mission, one that'll most likely have them end in death. But even if she and her friends fall, her one mission would be complete. "Forest, Water, and Time. We aren't the last of the Seven Sages, but we will fight as if we are."
