The Imperial forces vanish as if they weren't there at all. The only stragglers left is Veran and the Gerudo girl, standing still on the roof of the building adjacent to Daruk's home. Veran stares down at the Sage of Fire, smiling teasingly as the King of Labrynna struggles to raise himself off the ground. He grits his teeth as he stares back at Veran, using his sword as a crutch to help himself to his feet.
"Give her back."
Veran chuckles, leaping down to the street and walking to the kneeling king. She kneels before lower, raising his chin with a finger, rubbing his lips with her thumb. To further hurt him, she speaks using Nayru's voice. "My handsome Ralph, is that the way to talk to someone you love?"
Ralph pushes himself away, landing on his back. "Give Nayru back!"
"Why would I? This body is not as perfect as my own, but with the power of time manipulation, I am even more powerful than before. Do you know what I could do at a moment's whim? I could rewrite Hyrule's history in an instant or even the history of the world. The most minute change could bring the most drastic results. If I killed some random commoner, I might erase a distant descendant, say a great warrior whose participation in a battle shifted an entire war. He could be a king, she a queen, she a mother to the Hero. Ralph, my power her contains infinite possibilities, yet I'll tell you what I am going to do with the power of time and with Din's power of seasons. On the scale I described, nothing. I will preserve that power for myself until it is necessary. I will only manipulate time on a small scale, such as when I did to kill Din by slowing her personal perception of time."
Veran glances up to the other sages now recovering, then to the High General standing still a short distance away. She begins to walk towards Oren first as she speaks to Ralph. "Which do you think is scarier? Your enemy moving faster than you can think (Veran's body begins to move double her walking speed before she picks up Oren and throws her down the street) or your body moving slower than your mind wills it?" She walks normally towards Ravio, whose reaction speed is much slower than it should be. With the Rod of Seasons, she hits the Forest Sage in his abdomen. He falls just as slow as he moves before Veran releases him from his curse. "The speeding of time or the slowing of it? Maybe I could pause time for what is for me a few seconds but for you an instantaneous change?" Veran turns to Hilda, standing probably six feet away, but in an instant, Hilda is launched in the air, with Veran standing in her place.
Ralph, barely able to stand, pleads with Veran. "Stop, you've done enough."
"Maybe I could kill each of you one of time, and rewind time to just minutes before and give you a slim chance to change fate before someone dies again. What about skipping time?" Veran, in normal time, warps to Oren again. Before Ralph's very eyes, Veran summons her spear and impales Oren's throat.
Seconds later, Ralph is getting back to his feet, Veran is standing where Hilda was positioned, and she speaks of rewinding time again. Ralph, confused as to what is happening yet knowing what's to come, picks up his sword and rushes Veran. Next thing he knows, he's down beside an alive Oren, Veran's spear in his shoulder, his sword out of his hands. Yet he doesn't remember anything after beginning to run towards her. Did he, how she would put it, skip forward in time? Nayru didn't weaponize her ability and he himself has only seen her speed up time (like making flowers bloom) so everything is new to him.
"Gah!" Ralph looks to his left, gasping as the High General collapses. Embedded in his stomach is the young king's sword. Hilda is unconscious as she lays fallen in the rubble of the building she crashed into earlier. Ravio is still planted in his place, grasping his abdomen. Oren is the only sage still standing alongside Ralph, and in her weakened state, she barely manages to do so.
"Veran!"
"Your Majesty." Veran's voice returns to normal, and the Sages of Fire and Water see her back alongside the Gerudo. And not just her voice, but her body as well. Every trace of Nayru is gone. "Oh, don't be so stunned. She's still here, just now my body overlays hers."
"Mother, I think the theatrics can end now. Father wants us to be elsewhere."
Veran agrees with her 'daughter,' but not without a final farewell to Ralph. "If you want her back and want to avenge your pet and the Oracle of Seasons, you know where to find me. I cordially invite you to North Castle, heh heh heh. Don't be afraid to bring your friends too, The Six Sages, the Princess, the Hero, and the Thief." With a final wave, Veran and the Gerudo woman disappear.
Ralph collapses on his knees, banging his fists against the ground and letting out a roar of anger, anguish, and fear. Tears flood his eyes and face, wrapped by the arms and laid on the bosom of the soothing Sage of Water. Members of the Resistance come to Auru, Hilda, and Ravio's aid, getting them the medical attention needed.
"Ralph."
He raises himself off Oren to look her angrily in the eye. "I'm going to kill her, Oren. I will kill her. But first…" Ralph takes Oren by hand and leads her to Ravio's side. The Lorulean now sits up, still grasping his lower torso.
"You had to piss her off?"
Ralph scoffs. "You're alive, for Din's sake. Oren, heal the two of us. We got to aid Zelda."
Ravio looks to Oren, hoping she will rebuke Ralph for saying such insanity, yet she focuses on the swirl of water around the trio that slowly heals them. She didn't. "W-W-Why? We can't fight Vaati, we'll just get in Zelda's way."
Ralph's face darkens. "Ravio, Veran could have killed us all. Yet she let four Sages live, even with her unbeatable abilities. That means something is planned by Vaati...we must hurry."
Zelda
Having him kneel at her feet did not impress Zelda one bit. His staggering breaths and shaky movements did not make her regret her decision. He had crossed a line by attempting to kill Impa. He crossed several lines the last 18 years but using Impa as a means to incite her...he got what he wanted. With no pity does her eyes hold for him, no lingering doubt or benevolence her mind holds. She will not spare him, not anymore."The fight you desire begins now, Vaati."
With a flick of her wrist, Zelda unleashes a sword beam from the Master Sword. It hits the ground by Vaati, but it is enough to spring him to his feet. Angered, the Wind Mage holds up his hands, forming an energy blade around them. "So be it. I still am stronger than you and the better fighter. Let's see how Wisdom holds up against both its enemy and ally."
Vaati zips towards Zelda and the two battle with unprecedented tenacity. The Princess perfects her defenses, first dodging Vaati then blocking every single one of his chops. Despite the speed Vaati has himself in his powered form plus with Courage, Zelda is faster by a hair. She can see it frustrating Vaati every time she counters him, whether it is his blade attack or even the kick he tries to surprise her. To him, it is like she's one second ahead of him.
Zelda kicks Vaati back, knocking him to the ground. He adjusts at the last second to fall on his legs and warp far and high above Zelda. Summoning a horde of orbs with the sn and reaching out is right arm, several red lasers fires down on Zelda. With a disappointed sigh, Zelda raises her left hand and fires a powerful ball of light to counter. Once lasers meet the ball, an explosion occurs in the space between Wind Mage and Mortal Goddess.
Fire rains down to ignite the ground around Zelda, yet she focuses her eyes on her enemy who is absolutely stunned by her display of power. In this momentary break, the Master Sword begins to light up repeatedly. "Your Grace, Veran has begun an attack on the Sages. Seems she also can manipulate time using the Oracle of Ages' power."
Zelda wishes she could go back and assist her friends, yet they know how vital her fight with Vaati is. They'll have to manage alone this time. If Link wasn't injured, then maybe he could assist to some degree.
She met with Link before charging towards the beam of Medoh. Horsehead got a good hit on Link's left eye, injuring it severely. Whether or not he'll be able to see out of it is one thing to deal with later, but in the sedated state Sheik had put him in, she could only numb Link's pain. Once he wakes, they'll know the full extent of his injury. Speaking of Sheik, if Impa is here, where is he?
Vaati hovers about her, apparently still shaken up about his canceled attack. Did he use his full might in that attack? What about the Triforce of Power? Whatever he's thinking, Zelda allows him to make the first move. With a roar he charges her. She rushes toward him, then warps around him to take on the offensive. Vaati reacts in time to block several attacks from the Master Sword, using the Triforce of Courage to aid him. However, Zelda gets ahead of him, jabbing Vaati with her elbow, using the blunt side of the blade against his chin, then the underside of the hilt on his back. He loses some altitude, but recovers and begins firing several small blasts after Zelda while she flies around to dodge them. The volley continues, forcing Zelda to make landfall. She uses the Master Sword to reflect some of the blasts before leaping back in the air to charge Vaati. The Wind Mage charges up for a big blast and releases it, but Zelda slices it like butter and engages Vaati in a lock. Both yell at each other, vying to overpower the other, but it is Zelda who wins it by thinking a second ahead, blasting Vaati's gut unexpectedly. The Wind Mage falls at a small angle from their aerial position, landing along the southern edge of Darunia Town.
Zelda lands just feet away from the wreckage containing the Imperial King, waiting for him to show himself. A part of her wonders if this is his true might or if he's really holding back. She really hopes it is the latter. She has relied only on the Light Force and the powerful remnants of Hylia in her genes so far, barely siphoning from Wisdom. She also manages to sneak in her abilities as the Sage of Time, fast forwarding herself one second faster when defending and on a few attacks, such as the last one.
"Your Grace, Veran and the Gerudo have left. The Sages are alive, but Hilda and High General Auru are in critical condition."
At least they're alive. Zelda nods attentively. "Fi, have you analyzed Vaati yet?"
"I have."
"Is he using his full power?"
"Depending on what you mean by that. His natural power is close to 75%, but with the addition of the Triforce of Power, which can amplify one's power by 5 times, that's only 15% of his full power. However, he'll never reach that full might since he has already drained some mana in previous fights without recovery. At present, if he siphons the Triforce of Power completely, he could amplify his powers by 4.16 percent."
To Zelda, that is still too high. Taking a mental notes, Zelda notices the ground underneath her beginning to shudder, and the rubble before her blasting clear of the Wind Mage. He stands, his robe ripped in places, his horned helmet cast aside, and blood caked on his forehead. His red eyes burn with hatred and fury towards the Princess, and she's sure her own eyes relay the same message.
"One more thing. That medallion that hangs on his chest. I suggest you hit him there with a strong attack once you get the chance."
Ganondorf
His choice is hard, but with the limited time he has (if Ghirahim speaks true), it is only natural he goes after the Demon Lord first. Ghirahim accepts which a knife barrage, hoping to pin the Gerudo in his place. Ganondorf uses his sword to deflect the knives, then slides to the side to get out the way and retreat to the air. He charges his power and fires a beam attack towards Ghirahim.
Or as Ghirahim reads, Ganondorf's intended target is Vah Naboris' control unit.
The Demon Lord steps in between, countering Ganondorf's dark magic with his own, producing a large dark ball to absorb the force of the dark beam from Ganondorf. Ganondorf, arrogance blinding him, shouts "You will not stop with your pathetic powers! HAAAAAA!" Ghirahim makes a short laugh, then the ball enlarges. With a strong push, the ball tears through Ganondorf's beam, and the Gerudo dodges in shock with a second to spare.
Ghirahim lowers his arm, distaste lacing his voice. "Is that all you got, son of Ganon? You won't save them. They will all die in four minutes!"
Ganondorf, still in shock, takes a moment to analyze the situation. "He must have gotten stronger beneath my notice or he was holding back. If I am to save my people, I must- What?!" Ghirahim appears right in front of Ganondorf with incredible speed, cutting him across the chest with his sleek black blade. Ganondorf falls back, but Ghirahim moves faster, slicing the Gerudo's back and pushing him to the floor with a powerful blast.
Ganondorf slides out the smoke on his knees, kicking the Demon Lord in the knee just to be kicked in the face in response. He jumps out the way of some blasts and defends against Ghirahim's sword attacks until they get into a lock. "I don't see what you get out of destroying my people. You should be going after Link and Zelda. Attack the reincarnation of your old master, that's just a lack of loyalty."
"Demise had his chance twice. His 'reincarnation' doesn't deserve my loyalty. Three minutes!" Ghirahim punches Ganondorf towards the curved walls of Naboris' belly. He holds his hand out, turning his head as he hears The Imprisoned's roars. "Looks like the beast is ready." Orange light flashes in the demon's palm, and it rises in the air, increasing its spherical size exponentially. "A leader is nothing without his people. You will know that now, and Her Grace will learn it soon enough. You promise to protect her wish? There will be no need for such an unnecessary thing. Face it, Ganondorf, you have failed her. You have failed them all!"
The sphere begins to descend on Ganondorf. Ghirahim's words dig at his heart, images of his friends and everyone depending on him pop in his mind. Ravio, Hilda, Ralph. Auru, Bagu, Error. Even Link and Zelda, his partners in destiny. His mother, his father, Koume, Kotake, Riju and Aveil. Midna. Ghirahim says he's failed them all. Maybe in the past, yes that might be true, but today...Today he will do right. He doesn't need Ganon. He doesn't need the Triforce. He has all the power in his heart. Today, he will not succumb to evil...but rise above it.
The sphere dissipates as it hits Ganondorf, the young king exploding with power. He screams as he soars towards a stunned Ghirahim, grabbing the Demon Lord by his neck and pushing his face against the flooring. He throws Ghirahim in the air, relentlessly battering the Demon Lord with his fists. Once they come close to the ceiling, Ganondorf stands on Ghirahim's front and blasts his face point-blank. Ghirahim falls down screaming, but before he lands Ganondorf elbows Ghirahim.
"We are both men born out of hatred and malice, but there is one thing I have that you do not, and that's love. That's why I will defend Zelda's wish so I can get the life I should have had instead of this one!"
Ghirahim flips up and slides on the ground, growling. "Two minutes, you worm! HA!" Ghirahim throws a ball at Ganondorf, to which the Demon King slices through, surprising Ghirahim. "How?"
"My resolve is greater than yours. It will lead to me having your head in my hands!"
Ghirahim tsks. "Fine. I'll end it here, in this final minute!" Ghirahim snaps, forming a barrier around Ganondorf and piercing him with endless dark blades. The Gerudo King grunts as they cut through his defenses first and leaving thin, red lines across his dark skin. Ghirahim said this is his final attack? Ganondorf will do just the same. He rather not do so, as the risk for losing his sanity the more power he uses and the angrier he gets normally outweighs the benefits of power, but this is the extreme case benefit outweighs the risk. He searches deep within himself for the sleeping bloodlust in his soul, the shackled monster waiting to be released. Slowly Ganondorf unchains him and awakens the beast.
"Thirty seconds remain! Vah Naboris, prepare to-What's this?" Ghirahim spots the dark aura surrounding Ganondorf. He begins to scream, his body twitching to some other response other than the daggers grazing his body. His scleras turn dark, his pupils yellow. A sharp pair of canines juts out his lower set of teeth. His power grows exponentially, so high that he's sure even Vaati and Veran will take notice of it. It is so great that Ghirahim has a momentary spell of fear-a moment Ganondorf took advantage of.
With unprecedented speed, Ganondorf breaks through the barrier and punches Ghirahim. The Demon Lord flies out the central chamber to elsewhere within -or out- the Divine Beast. Ganondorf himself gathers his footing, then turns to look out the Divine Beast to the towering monstrosity Ghirahim summoned.
He wants a monster? He'll get one soon enough, just after he takes care of the Divine Beast.
Zelda
Vaati is fuming. His teeth grind against each other, his body quakes, his eyes lock on to the silent Princess Zelda. She knows exactly what he's thinking. He bested the most skilled warrior in the world, Link. The Triforce on his hand marks his victory over him. Why is it that he cannot beat Zelda with Courage alone. If he were to ask that question, Zelda would answer by stating that because Link truly had the courage to wield it. The Triforce amplifies your abilities, and surely Vaati's combative skills were amplified, but that means nothing if you don't exemplify the trait. The heroes of the past were always the underdogs, adapting to the situation present before them. Never once was there a Link as powerful as Vaati naturally. Every battle they won took courage.
Vaati never voices those thoughts, so he'll never understand. What he does voices are complaints. "This cannot be. I cannot lose! I cannot lose to you!" Zelda says nothing back, instead waiting on Vaati to stop bawling. "I am on the cusp of making the world mine! I only need your damned Wisdom. That is all I need...I won't let you deny me." Vaati flashes his fist towards Zelda, finally allowing Power to shine. "I expected you to reach for the golden power, but never did I expect the divinity of your blood. I thought it too dilute, so dilute that it would not be a factor. But I was wrong. I should have learned from Ganondorf. You want a fight between gods, Hylia? I shall give you one! HAAAAAH!" Purple energy clouds around Vaati, wrapping around him in a vortex. The wind current conducted by the vortex breaks down buildings along the intermediate area, strong enough to push back Zelda a few feet. She maintains her composure as she senses Vaati's power rise dramatically.
"Your Grace, he is going to reach a max power of 312%. It isn't the maximum of 500%, but…"
"Fi, if you're going to tell me there's not a chance of beating him, do me a favor and don't say it."
"...Master said the same thing, and he got hurt for it. Had he listened to me, there's a 99% chance he wouldn't be in the predicament he is in now. I do not mean to discourage you, Your Grace, only to offer a solution to better your chances."
Even without Fi's words, Zelda already had a solution in mind. "Siphon from Wisdom?"
"Yes. It won't augment your power's force, but strength means nothing against endurance." Zelda takes those words to heart as Wisdom glows brighter on her right hand just as the vortex around Vaati dies out, revealing the Wind Mage surrounded in an aura similar to Zelda, except purple in color instead of yellow. Courage and Power shine against their sister, and their beholder bears not a smile nor a scowl. His face is empty of emotion, and for what it's worth, Zelda prefers it that way.
They launch towards each other simultaneously, trading blows more so to test Vaati's higher power than to actually attack one another. Zelda finds it to be more than her equal and begins to use her sage ability. She jumps forward one second, positioning herself behind Vaati as he swings through his attack, but before she follows through with her own Vaati's hand is blocking the Master Sword. This surprises her so much she temporarily loses her focus. "How-"
"Time. I have forgotten about the seventh sage. To be honest, you being able to dodge my attack and not physically move out the way, or even move through time to put yourself ahead of me could have beaten me earlier, but now…" A blast flashes in Vaati's free hand and explodes in front of Zelda's body, pushing her away. As she rolls in the air Vaati fires a laser again. Zelda barely dodges and the laser scorches the ground, causing explosions underneath them. Zelda soars up, blocking another volley of blasts with the Master Sword. Now that Vaati's attacks are stronger, the blasts have their own little kickback.
As the volley ceases, Vaati rises above the smoke and reattempts his earlier laser barrage. This time, the lasers from the orbs converge with the one from his hand. Zelda holds her hands out and produces her own beam. The beams collide, and the fighters push their full might into the power of the beams. Zelda believes she would hold out, as she can endure producing this much power for significantly more time than Vaati can, but as the seconds pass Vaati's power starts to overwhelm her strength. As much as she tries to balance the scales, it wears her out.
"Now it is over!" With a final push of power, Vaati overpowers Zelda, catching her in his attack that causes an enormous explosion in the center of the city. Vaati smiles as the explosion slowly dies out, with no trace of the reborn Hylia. "Hmph."
Ganondorf
The Imprisoned doesn't see the Gerudo coming.
Ganondorf land in front of the monster with such force the Imprisoned actually stops moving momentarily. It glares down at the feral king, opening its mouth to bear the many rows of teeth and roar. It raises its right foot to attack, causing red lightning to circle its foot after stomping it. Ganondorf leaps out the way, and the Imprisoned continues on its path towards Mido Town.
Ganondorf throws out his right hand and fires a blast towards the monster's right, enormous white toes. All four pop instantly, yet the monster continued to stand. He fires at the other leg, destroying the toes. This time, the Imprisoned loses balance, hissing as it falls on its back. Ganondorf flies around to the monster's head, raising his sword skyward and at its tip forming a dark ball. He throws it down, right into the beast's open mouth and down its throat. If it has a belly, that where the low rumble of an explosion is located.
The Imprisoned, despite its gassy belly, rises up and lands on its anterior. It shimmies along in the sands, sliding itself a few hundred yards closer to the city. The Gerudo, thanks to the forward thinking of Buliara, already began their retreat minutes ago, but any unfortunate Imperial in the way iz instantly killed. After a few seconds of sliding, the Imprisoned raises itself up and roars loudly as it regenerates itself. The white toes reappear, but it doesn't end there. Two buds appear higher up on the body, elongating several yards before ending with the growth of the same white digits that are on the toes.
To prove it knew how to use it arms, it used both to attempt to grasp Ganondorf. With his bare hands he manages to hold them back, but even in his animalistic state Ganondorf struggles to hold them back. "Haaaaaaaaa….Geeeeeyaaaaah!" Explosions emit from both of Ganondorf's hands, breaking the fingers of Demise. Freed, Ganondorf soars down and strikes the ground, creating a pulse wave that breaks all of the Imprisoned's toes.
With the beast back on its posterior, Ganondorf creates a stronger magic ball, forcefully shoving it down the beast's gut. The blast is more audible, but it doesn't defeat the Imprisoned. Instead, it flops over to its belly and slides ever closer to the Gerudo city. In just a few steps, it could possibly reach the city's fortifications.
Ganondorf catches up to the beast just in time for it to regenerate its fingers, toes, and to grow a tail. As Ganondorf comes to its front, the left arm rises out of his line of sight and smacks the feral Gerudo King to the ground. He recovers quickly as he slides on the ground, but the anger Ganondorf gains allows more of the beast within to slip out. Dark power surrounds Ganondorf and takes the form of a shadow boar from the waist up. One of its claws raises and eradicates the Imprisoned's toes in one swipe.
However, the Imprisoned did not fall. No, it begins to fly. A dark halo hovers over its head as it takes to the air. Ganondorf watches as the beast slowly covers the final distance to Mido. Red energy collects in its mouth as it charges its power to destroy the city. He needs to destroy it now. Previously, he used dark magic to attack it, but light magic should be strong enough to kill it, and luckily for Ganondorf, he has that. He takes the Sage's Sword in hand, flies up to the monster's head, and tries to impale it. The scales make it difficult, and the Imprisoned catches wind of the king's plan. Shaking its head, it manages to knock Ganondorf off, sending him several meters away.
So far away that Ganondorf was sure it will fire its beam before he returns to his sword. Pissed off, the last of Ganondorf's rationality begins to give way to the beast's influence as he flies back to the Imprisoned. As expected, the beast prepares to fire, but at the last second, explosions rock the monster's body, distracting the Imprisoned. Ganondorf turns to the city wall, where every able Gerudo raises a bow with a bomb arrow. Leading them is the revived Sage of Spirit. Just seeing her allows Ganondorf to grasp to the last of his sanity long enough to remember something he did earlier. He turns his head to the distant Vah Naboris, and points to the Imprisoned. "Vah Naboris, the time is now. Strike the Imprisoned!" The Divine Beast responds, firing its powerful beam at the Imprisoned, hitting it with enough force to knock it out the air. It lands hard enough to generate a small earthquake, causing minimal damage to the outer parts of the city but relatively Mido is unharmed.
Landing at the monster's head, Ganondorf grips his sword and desperately tries to push it in. He calls on the full strength of the beast, even if it will cost him the last of his mind, and with a roar, Ganondorf implants his mother's weapon. The Imprisoned begins to flash white as it stands up, roaring as light magic courses through it. With a final bright flash, its body disintegrates.
Ganondorf drops to the ground, exhausted after fighting and exceeding his peak for over half an hour. At that point, he feels a sharp headache, growling as the beast within tries to overtake him. "Gah! No! Ah...AHHH!"
Hands touch the boy's temples, and a soothing voice penetrates his ears. "Power of Spirit, soothe the rage of the beast, and return control to its host." Ganondorf slowly feels the call of the beast simmer until it sleeps again within him. His eyes and teeth return to normal. The savior now the saved, Ganondorf looks ahead to Riju, the girl smiling sheepishly as the boy sighs in relief.
"Thank you."
"Almost lost you there. You did amazing. But tell me, how did you take control of Naboris?"
Ganondorf smiles, then hugs her. They stand up to the cheering of their people, smiling as they realize that the impossible is a reality. The Gerudo won. Yet the task is only halfway complete. Ganondorf turns his attention deeper south, where he senses two great powers rivaling his own. As much as he would like to join that fight, he's exhausted.
He shall place his hope in Zelda.
Vaati
The dense screen of smoke vanishes instantly. Vaati sees a yellow flash of light before Zelda returns to battle. "How?!" Zelda swings the Master Sword ferociously at Vaati, the Wind Mage dodging by a hair. He warps to a short distance away, bringing his hand blade up against the Bane of Evil's Blade. Vaati smiles, well-impressed with Zelda's fighting ability. "You really are a marvel, Princess Zelda. Persistent as hell. But you are nothing against the combined might of Courage and Power!"
Zelda pushes Vaati away and throws a ball of light at him. Vaati reels his arm back and punches the ball back towards Zelda/ It connects and spirals the Princess out. Vaati warps behind Zelda, kicking her to the ground and sending a beam down her back for added measure. She lands east somewhere to the east, a huge impact crater the result of the demigod landing back on earth. From his position, he can see Zelda is down.
He descends to the edge of the crater, catching his breath as he watches for any signs of movement from the fallen princess. Her only visible movement is her body swelling and compressing when she breathes, and maybe some movement of the limbs, but she makes no motion to stand. Sighing, Vaati decides it is time for the battle between them to end. "You have fought well, Princess Zelda Hyrule. Your mother and father should be proud of you. Matter of fact, you're the only one of the three to fully earn my respect. I should kill you now, grant you the honorable death you deserve...Yet you shall live on in the new world. All I need is to take your Wisdom." Raising his right hand, Vaati forms a small yellow ball. "But if you don't live, I hope you are remembered in the final moments of this world, and in the waking moments of the next. Now give me the final Triforce." Vaati turns his palm and fires the ball towards the prone form of Zelda.
An explosion occurs at the crater's center, much to Vaati's surprise. The ball is meant to extract the Triforce of Wisdom, not attack the girl. Something is wrong. As the smoke around the center starts to clear, furious red eyes are the first thing the Wind Mage sees. He shudders in shock and awe, not believing who he sees before him. "Impossible! You should not be able to stand!"
"I told you, I will protect my child." With one swing of her blade, the smoke clears away, revealing a battle-worn Impa. The woman truly has the courage to fight with such impairing injuries, but the Wind Mage will spare no mercy.
"How is it that you can still stand before me, Impa?"
"Link, Her Majesty...they're putting their trust in me. But it is my love for Zelda that keeps me going! There is nothing in this world I would not protect her from."
"Love?! You fool. Such a thing is meaningless without strength." Vaati warps to Impa, attacking him from behind, yet the Sheikah ducks underneath and begins to run out the crater. Vaati follows her, the two trading attacks as Impa leads Vaati away from Zelda.
"Love needs not strength. It is stronger than any power you can ever obtain." Impa pushes Vaati away with a punch of shadow magic, then throw a water ball after him. It adheres to his chest, allowing Impa to come forth with incredible speed and strike the eye medallion. While Vaati is stunned, she sheathes the large blade for a small knife. "Sheikah Dance!" She unleashes a lightning-quick barrage upon Vaati, focusing mostly on his medallion, then ends the attack with a powerful strike with the larger sword.
Vaati falls back quite a distance. When he somewhat collects himself, he finds out he's in a slightly ruined area of the city. A short distance away from him lies a deceased body, yet it isn't human. Vaati blinks, his vision becomes clearer, and he can see that the body that lays there is that of Horsehead's. "So that's what happened to you. But who...oh." Between Horsehead and Vaati lies a green cap soiled with blood, and just below it…Vaati's eyes widen and the Wind Mage begins to scoot himself over towards it. Just behind him, he hears the footsteps of the enraged Sheikah. Lucky for him, he reaches where he wants to be before Impa catches up to him. He faces her, falsifying his fear. "Impa...if you are going to kill me, do it."
"I definitely will. You'll join the horseman."
"Maybe it is the sentence I deserve. It is right that I die by your hand, after all. So come close, and avenge Her Majesty and her beloved Hero of Hyrule." Impa steps over Vaati, drawing the dagger again.
"For Hyrule." As Impa draws back the dagger, a hand catches her wrist while cold steel tears straight through her chest. Impa gasps as the hand withdraws, and Vaati stands up laughing. As he rises, he lets the fallen Sheikah glance at her attacker. It is Vaati, but instead of his robes being purple, they are green. She turns to the purple-robed Vaati, who flashes the golden hilt of the Four Sword.
"Impossible, you want to say, that I can wield such a sacred blade? It isn't. The Master Sword is the goddess' sword crafted for the Hero, but the Four Sword has no master or mistress. You can wield it, a simpleton could wield it, yet it is I who shall wield it." Vaati calls off the clone and steps away from Impa as she chokes on blood. "Love is strong Impa, I will agree. But love does not conquer all. What conquers all is will. Only the sharpest of wills can rule this world, and I shall rule it." As he hears Impa take distant breaths, Vaati mocks the farewell Impa performed for Sheik. "Farewell, Impa."
"They...Link...Zelda...will beat you Vaati."
"For your sake, I won't bet on it."
"Impa!" Vaati turns and blocks the flaming sword of the appearing Sage of Fire. Behind him, the other Sages unleash their power as beams. He swings his sword, deflecting the young king and his allies' attack. As he stares at the four Sages, an explosion rocks his right side. Moving just a few feet, Vaati faces the perpetrator, growling as it is revealed to be the injured Hero of the Resistance.
"That's for Impa." Link draws his old Ordonian sword, coupled with the Hylian Shield. Without either sacred swords, Vaati knows Link is now the weakest of the bunch physically and, with the wrapped damaged eye, skillfully. Vaati shakes his head as he raises his hand to the sky, eyeing the group of six that stand before him, either ready to fight or trying to get the dying Sheikah out the way.
"All of you have done your best, pathetic as the showing is. Especially you, Hero." Vaati's clones hover in the sky and all four rain down a heavy barrage of blasts. The children run for cover, but as they soon find out, running is futile. Explosions rock the immediate area, leveling buildings, cratering the earth, and after the barrage ends, not a single Sage or Hero is left standing. Forest and Water, the Sages that took Impa, have various body parts stick out of rubble; Shadow, and Fire fall in the streets, and the Hero's body is hidden. Lowering his hand, Vaati observes the area, pleased with himself. Somehow, all of the victims are still alive, that's for sure, but it is as he wills it. Now with no other distractions, he proceeds to return to Zelda.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Vaati pauses and turns to see Link standing. His form is sluggish due to his injuries, but somehow he stands up to Vaati. The Wind Mage sighs and points the Four Sword at Link. "Give up. There's no honor in fighting a battle in your shape."
Link shakes his head. "I told you, no matter how worthless it is to fight you, I will do so."
"A hero to the end. What a fool." Vaati summons all three clones and directs them towards Link. With a cry Link runs towards the Vaatis, blocking the blows of the three clones as he closes in on the original. As he gets past Red Vaati, Link holds his sword with both hands.
"Now!" Out of nowhere dust flies in Vaati's eyes, blinding him. He hears Link yell out and tries to block the boy's attack, to no avail. Steel rushes through Vaati's neck, choking him out. Dropping to his knees, Vaati tries to speak, yet with a sword stuck in his neck, it proves to be difficult. Link, along with Spryte, stands over Vaati, holding the hilt of the sword impaling him. Vaati drops his head, gasping weakly as he sees the purple-hilted Master Sword in Link's hands. He must have called for it at some moment during his attack. Link catches his breath as he glares down at Vaati. "'With courage, I will stand before you.' That is what I told you. Now I stand before you, victorious." Link pushes the Master Sword deeper through Vaati's throat, the Wind Mage screaming weakly in anguish. He could see Link take some satisfaction in it. However, he still had some words to say.
"You…You..."
Link steps closer. "I what?"
"Foo...You...You fool...You should've gone for my chest." Vaati raises his arm and fires, releasing a blast on Link. The boy flies away, landing several meters from Vaati. Gripping the Master Sword by the blade, Vaati struggles (due to the magic of the sword reacting with his dark power) but it takes some before he's free. Coughing as he heals himself with the Triforce of Power, Vaati picks up the Four Sword and points it at Link who tries to get back on his feet. "Stay down!" He charges a blast at the sword's tip and fires it at the prone Hero.
"No!" It hits short, with a blue light falling out the air. It collapses by Link, the Hero panicking as he crawls over to the flickering light.
"Spryte!" He scoops up what Vaati sees is now the Hero's fairy in his hands. "Why? Why would you do that?"
"Because I now remember the old days, and it had to come too late for me to save one Link. But I was saved by another. I raised him as much as he raised me. He was my first Hylian friend in a new world. Though he gets on my nerves, I love him, and I will not let you hurt him."
Link gasps as he looks down at Spryte as her glow dies out. "No, Spryte, don't."
"Save...them, Link. Save...Hyrule…"
"Spryte!" Link cries as he lowers his head on the fairy's body. Vaati scoffs as he watches the scene before him.
"It's just a fairy, boy. Nothing to cry over. If you ask me, she's been around too long anyway."
"Just a fairy?" Link raises his wet face, his tone deeper and darker than Vaati has ever heard it. "Just a fairy? This fairy was a mother, a sister, and a friend to me before I met Zelda. She was a constant companion. I was made fun of as a kid for being a 'fairy boy' yet as long as it did not bother her, I didn't let it bother me. I loved her. She was the final reminder of home, of the days before my destiny...and you have taken her away from me." Though it is with one visible healthy eye, Vaati can see the wrath of Link bubble up underneath his hot tears. A lion, sleeping for countless generations, stirs once again. Just for a moment, it frightens the Wind Mage, and he makes the mistake of showing it on his face. "I hope Zelda doesn't kill you, as I will like to take the chance myself."
Unexpectedly, light rains down around Vaati. He growls as he tries to protect himself, then is forced away by a powerful attack. He flips himself and lands on his feet, then glares up to the sky to the glowing light. "You can come after me, that I can take. You can attack Link, that I can take. But you went after Impa again," Zelda says as she stretches her arm out, catching the Master Sword, "and while earlier I could have let it go, you killed her and Spryte. For that, I will never forgive!" Zelda charges at the speed of light, attacking with a renewed tenacity. They race across the city, their fight was taken to new heights. Destruction to the city comes with each clash of blades, with every blast fired, with every beam collision.
Yet every battle must come to an end.
Vaati ducks underneath the Master Sword and palms a blast at Zelda. She casts Nayru's Love in time, reflecting the attack back at Vaati. He loses altitude and watches as Zelda reveals her personal sacred weapon, the Bow of Light. With all her power she charges an arrow and fires it down upon Vaati, the Wind Mage screaming as the heavenly light envelopes him on his way to the ground.
Zelda
Vaati lays on the ground, severely weakened by Zelda's all-out attack. He groans as the remnants of Zelda's power ransack his body. Zelda lands in front of him, another light arrow aimed for his chest. "You have lost, Vaati."
"No."
"In raw power, you win, and if our battle was simply that, you would win. Yet that isn't the case. You forget that stronger attacks require more drawing of power, and while the Triforce of Power can compensate a bit, you still have to rely on your own store. You drained yourself so much at this point now that if you unleashed another powerful attack, you will start to draw from your lifeforce. You won't last long much after, and your goal will be for nothing. Our battle wasn't of strength, but of endurance. With my near-limitless access to mana, I won the moment we started." Zelda's aura vanishes, but her Bow of Light stays trained on Vaati's medallion. Despite his reluctance to stay down, Zelda knows Vaati understands what has happened. Five years ago, it was a dream. Two months ago, it became the beginning of a legend. Eleven days ago, it assembled the world. Two days ago, it seemed impossible. Yesterday, it was a gamble. Earlier, it was a lost hope. Now, as Zelda stands above Vaati, it is a reality.
"Vaati, you have lost."
