Ravio, 3 hours, 31 minutes, 35 seconds remaining.
"Fighting has begun down south."
"Are we ready here?"
"Yes sir, but...we still have over three hours before time is up."
"We'll need all the time we can get. Something tells me Veran isn't interested in starting a fight… Are the forces of the other kingdoms here?"
"Only the Alliance and Calatia. Hytopia is still M.I.A."
"Okay. Bring King Elegant and King Komali in. Their generals too. Find your sister too."
"Yes sir." Din turns and heads out the building designated as the headquarters of the Resistance. Ravio sits silently in a corner, arms folded and head resting on the wall. He watches as Bagu runs his beard, and for once in this war he understood Bagu. The general, despite his title, is not a leader in heart, that's Auru. He's find with commanding, sure, but to command an entire force? Ravio could only imagine himself in such a position. His own acts of bravery were not because he isn't a coward anymore, but because he is the only one capable of fighting Yunobo, Yuga, and Stallord. He has to save his friends, just as Bagu must lead the rebellion in Auru and Error's absence.
With the barrier finally broken, magical communication is now possible. Riju and her people had entered battle just half an hour ago, Impa, Sheik, and the Sheikah are on the way (without Link, as he hadn't woken up) and Midna...is missing. Initially, this worried Ravio but after Riju explained the Twilight Princess' mission he could only hope for the best option.
With three sages captured, no Link, no Ganondorf, no Midna, and with Zelda still meditating, Ravio and the Oracles were the Resistance's strongest fighters until the Sheikah arrived. Bagu's plan reflects on that strength and will pit it against the strength of the Imperials: Vah Medoh, Veran, and Yuga.
King Elegant and King Komali enters the tent, followed by the Rito Revali, Din, Nayru, Linebeck, and a Lokomo who Ravio remembers is named Byrne. Every aspect of the latter warrior screams deadly to Ravio, though it is either his yellow eyes or the steel mechanical left arm that resonates it most.
They situate themselves around the room in a circle. Ravio keeps to his corner, get pays attention to Bagu as he addresses the gathering. "Veran is not making a move, so we must. Every minute we wait draws us closer to the 21st hour, in which she promises to destroy this city if we don't surrender Zelda. I rather forgo that action as long as possible."
"General," says Komali, alarmed by Bagu's implied suggestion, "you do not mean to give the princess to the enemy?"
"Yes."
Voices echo in the room, all of different pitches and tones yet have the same message. "That's preposterous!" The Calatian king steps in the circle in an elegant fashion. Ravio tries his best to not snicker. "That's your princess!"
"Sage of Forest," Revali calls, "do you agree with this action?"
Ravio stands, unhappy to be addressed. "I'm the one who advised it. Vaati does not want Zelda, he wants the Triforce of Wisdom. However, Zelda has most of the Triforce. A small fragment lies with Impa. It's barely a countermeasure, but for the time being it is Zelda's idea. Sending it back to the Sacred Realm isn't an option, since the Temple of Time is gone."
"North Castle has an entrance to the realm, only accessible by the blood of Hylia and those they trust. But that's irrelevant. Zelda's surrender is the final option. Until then, we have two theaters of attack. Nayru."
"The first theater shall be attacking Vah Medoh. From experience from Vah Ruta, the machine has its own defense system. We have three objectives. Sage Ravio will infiltrate the beast and rescue the Sages of Fire, Water, and Shadow. I will lead the exterior attack, in which we deactivate Medoh. Last, if she so graces us, Din and I will take down Veran."
Komali crosses his arms. "I can infer my warriors will be required. What's the risk?"
Nayru shrugs. "What's not a risk?"
Linebeck clears his throat before speaking. "Back on the ground, we defend the city, most importantly the southern entrance."
"A crude plan," Elegant states bluntly, "but Vaati will arrive."
"If Zelda is not ready to face him, I and my fellow Sages will, provided we return in time. If the Gerudo are victorious, I have her word that Chief Riju will assist. Vaati cannot defeat five of the Seven Sages easily. The Oracles can join in too if they put down Veran."
"Sure, but I'm more confident in the Hero. Where is he?"
"He won't be joining us, Your Majesty."
Elegant clicks his tongue. "I hope we fight hard enough to make the Imperial King sweat then."
Ravio nods his agreement. He knows Elegant has reasons to worry, all of them do. Yet without Link, Ganondorf, and Zelda for the most part, the battle will be hard fought.
Bagu places hands in his pockets, his eyes to the heavens. "May the three be on our side. King Elegant, you keep to the northern end, by the ports. I'll keep to the south. King Komali, your ground troops cover the east. Labrynnians and Holodrians cover the west, protecting Zelda. That's my plan for now...and may the gods be, protecting with us."
20 minutes later, Bagu
"Move! Move!"
"Everyone get in position!"
"Have your weapons ready!"
"Eyes ahead of you!"
Bagu stands on the roof of the makeshift headquarters, his eyes on the sky. With the leaders of Calatia, Labrynna, and the Great Sea Alliance away in their respective sectors, the moment the day calls for is imminent. He has many worries on his mind, yet he focuses on the goal before him.
"Confirmed sighting of Imperial forces spawning from the city's center. Some equestrian beast is summoning them." Horsehead. That bastard somehow lives.
"Hylians, eyes open, weapons ready. They're coming. Nayru, Din, make the run."
Nayru
"Yes sir." Nayru nods to Din and Ravio, and snaps the reins of Moosh and soaring to the air. Loftwings and Ritos follow. Soon, the skies are swarmed by the Resistance just as the ground below.
As they leveled off in flight towards Medoh, Nayru addresses the fighters with her. "Okay, remember our mission is to deactivate Vah Medoh and to get the Sage of Forest onboard. However, no heroes. If everyone got that, then let's fly on!"
Veran
The Imperial Queen stands on the head of Medoh, actively watching the Resistance forces fly towards Vah Medoh. They took the luxury Veran gave them to prepare their defense and to initiate the battle. She smiles in anticipation for one rebel, in particular, the blue-haired beauty leading the charge.
Now as Nayru and her rebels come and Horsehead begins his ground attack, the queen issues her own orders. "Medoh, prepare your defenses. Allow the tail entrance to be open for the little boy that Yuga awaits. Oh, send the Skywatchers. No one harms the blue bear. That is mine."
Medoh responds with a bird cry, opening the hatches it holds the Skywatchers within and turning its turrets towards the Resistance."
Ravio
"A barrier?"
"Guardians!"
"Red lasers! The beast is targeting us!"
Ravio determined that the main laser wasn't being aimed towards, else everyone would be panicking about it. That means Medoh has other methods to shoot down Ravio and his comrades. "Nayru, there is axillary weaponry on Medoh."
Nayru nods. "I know. But they must lock on before firing accurately. I made plans for this. Revali! You're up!"
"Alright!" The master archer flaps his wings with gusto, zipping ahead of the pack.
"Continue forth, Sage of Forest. The two of you together shall be enough to conquer Medoh's defenses. The rest of us will take care of the Guardians and defend the Rito."
Ravio gulps before nodding. "Alright. Be safe."
Din chuckles as she waves the Rod of Seasons in her hands. "Oh, she will. It's me you should worry about."
"Ok."
"Sage Ravio, one more request. Please save His Majesty. Labrynna and Holodrum need their king."
"Hyrule needs the Sage of Fire, and I cannot believe that I need him as much as I need Oren and Hilda. I'm bringing everyone back." Ravio snaps the reins of his Loftwing, dashing after Revali. Dark clouds begin to gather around Ravio, a byproduct of Din's magic. Skywatchers had spotted him and began their targeting procedures, but once Ravio and Revali were enveloped by the clouds, it seems the lock-on sequence was disrupted. The Oracles were quite strategic in mind and impressive to Ravio. No wonder Ralph is a great fighter, the Labrynnians in general.
Once they were done dodging confused Guardians and out the clouds, Revali and Ravio slowly confront the massive machine before them. Now they can assess the situation. Medoh indeed had exterior defenses, a bright red barrier held together by three visible turrets and additional unseen one at the front, back, and sides of Medoh.
His eyes back on the front of Medoh, Ravio could make out a lone figure standing on the bird's head. "Veran."
"I see," Revali states, "but we can worry about her later. Focus on the guns."
"How shall we run this?"
"I follow you. It can only target one of us, so the other will shoot the cannon. Bomb arrows, got it?" Ravio nods as he takes his bow in one hand, directing his Loftwing to the left with the other. With a final glance to the queen, Ravio leads the attack on Vah Medoh.
Veran
The first cannon is destroyed quickly, yet it does not faze Veran. She cares not for the pair flying around Medoh. Their success is part of her plan, after all. There are more important matters to attend to.
"Horsehead, how fares the battle below?"
"The rebels mount a considerable defense around the city."
"Have you located Zelda?"
"Heaviest defense is to the south and west. The south is the main entrance to town and where the Hylians fight. That makes the west a more probable location, but the Labrynnians and Holodrians fight there."
"Conquer them both. Find the princess. When done, alert me." Cutting the connection, Veran watches as the boy and the Rito make way for the backside of Medoh. She turns on her heel, and wraps herself to the dorsal side of Medoh, standing by the terminal that controls it. She will wait for whosoever lands here.
She prays the Oracles arrive.
Ravio
One cannon was deactivated. Ravio now follows Revali towards the second cannon by Medoh's tail. It seems Nayru's intuition is sound; one man plays bait while the second destroy the cannons. Best of all, it plays perfectly with Ravio's general plan of running away from danger. Yes, two months of fighting a war, and Ravio somehow still finds a way to show his cowardice.
"Here we come upon the second cannon. Go forth Ravio!" Revali swallows his fear and takes the lead. Seconds later, he comes within the sight of the cannon and sees the red laser point in his direction. Any moment now, Revali will swoop in and shoot bomb arrows.
That plan went to hell quicker than either Lorulean or Rito expected. The targeting laser vanishes before Revali completes his run, and to their surprise, the cannon fires rapidly. Ravio panics as the zipping blue lasers come in hot. In his fear, he makes the wrong call with directing his Loftwing, making a lateral turn instead of either rising or diving. Several of the lasers hit the Loftwing, causing it to shake and spin in its pain and shock. Still a novice in aerial combat, Ravio doesn't know how to calm his ride, and as a result, is thrown off the Loftwing's back.
Once more, having the ability to summon a gigantic leaf has it merits.
Now slowly descending in the air, Ravio sees the destruction of the tail cannon. He searches for Revali, the winged warrior nowhere in sight while thinking of a way to not end up landing in the battlezone below. The latter situation is quickly resolved by the appearance of the former, Ravio now seated upon Revali's back.
"Hylians, always doing something stupid."
"I'm Lorulean."
"Same breed. Now that we're together again, the plan must change. It seems Medoh is adapting to our strategy. As soon as it has a target, it is going to fire."
"So we must adapt to." Ravio looks towards the barrier and the gears in his head begins to churn. The cannons can fire above, below, and outward, but not inward. If Revali flies over the barrier, they could sneak up on the cannon before it can target. "Fly over the barrier. We can hit the final two from there."
"Can you now?" Ravio blinks absently at the challenging voice of the Rito. "You'll have to shoot the cannons, I can't carry you and do that as well."
Ravio nods. "I can shoot some arrows."
"Good. Hang on!" Like a knife through soft butter, Revali kicks up speed and cuts through the air towards Vah Medoh's back. Once they are above the barrier and headed for the right wing, Ravio takes his bow and sets a bomb arrow on it. Arcing the bow about 30 degrees, Ravio fires the explosive. Seconds later, it makes an impact, and just to be sure the cannon was destroyed, Revali and Ravio soar over it.
Three down, one to-zero to go. As they head towards the final cannon, they see the destruction of the fourth and the red barrier drops in response. The Resistance had broken through. Revali chuckles to himself. "Seems we might save the day after all."
Ravio rubs the back of his head. He doesn't know about their chances, but if they manage to deactivate Medoh, they will greatly improve. "Yeah."
"I think I saw an opening on the tail. It'll be dangerous to set you near Veran, so let's head back around." Revali turns around for the tail while Ravio mentally prepares himself. Once they land, he is on his own. Fear slowly begins to creep up his spine, dread wraps long, thin fingers on his neck. As Revali lands on Medoh's tail, the Sage of Forest slowly disembarks from the Rito's back. He checks himself before gazing up to the opened entrance to Vah Medoh's interior.
"You alright there, Ravio? You look pale."
"This is normal for me. I'll be fine." Ravio steps forward, breathing in and out to calm himself. To conquer fear is to conquer yourself, he remembers being told.
He's going in for Hilda, his beloved princess.
He's going in for Ralph, the princely asshole.
He's going in for Spryte, the bubbly fairy.
He's going in for Oren, the calm princess.
He's going in for Link, Zelda, Midna, Riju, and Ganondorf.
Fear slips away, dread loosens its grip, and with a big exhale, Ravio marches within Vah Medoh.
Moosh settles down on the back of Vah Medoh, allowing the Oracle of Ages to disembark. Din's Loftwing settles beside her, and the two protectors of Holodrum and Labrynna confront the lone dark-dressed woman standing beside the large terminal. Nayru brandishes a spear while Din takes out twin scimitars.
"Din and Nayru. It has been a while for me, but I guess you want a little payback for your predecessors. Very well," Veran stretches her arm out, producing a black spear imbued with dark magic. She steps away from the terminal, standing between it and the Oracles. "Shall we?"
Nayru faces her sister. "Din?"
Din grins. "Let's kill this bitch."
2 hours, 54 minutes, 36 seconds remain.
