Disclaimer: See chapters one and two.
A/N: Now, back to the main storyline.
A/N: Turning into a song-fic. Damn. Hope it doesn't turn into a habit.... :/
Title/Lyrics: Incubus, with 'Stellar'.
*****
Pardon me while I burst,
Pardon me while I burst,
*****
"There, on the horizon," the boat said. It had been less than twelve hours since we set sail from my lonely island. Twelve hours since I had ended the self-imposed isolation that had been my life for the last two years.
"He's overconfident," I murmured. "He doesn't expect any real opposition."
"Looks like it."
I stared at the dismal fortress for a few moments before pulling a tunic from my pouch. The King looked on without understanding as I settled the blue tunic on my shoulders. When
I stepped over the side and into the water, his eyebrow arced.
"Don't worry," I reassured him. "They won't expect me."
*****
A decade ago, I never thought I would be,
Twenty three, on the verge of spontaneous combustion, woe is me
But I guess that it comes with the territory,
An ominous landscape of never-ending calamity.
I need you to hear, I need you to see...
*****
Wearing the Tunic of the Zora, I swam easily beneath the surface of the water. The enchanted weaves kept me from needing air, and the sentries never saw me as I swam directly beneath the re-enforced gates. I pulled myself from the water, then glanced around. Already, the first part of my infiltration was complete. I was in, an he didn't know.
The first thing I encountered was one of his foot soldiers, a pig-faced humanoid that wielded a spear. Two quick slashes with Soul Caliber, and the thing was dead. Still, no alarm was raised, so I continued. My pace was steady and unhurried as I stalked the halls of the Forsaken palace.
*****
Pardon me while I burst into flame,
I've had enough of the world,
And it's people's mindless games....
*****
There was nothing in the palace that was prepared for a skilled and deadly warrior, and I took full advantage of that fact. The closest battle I faced was against an armored warrior that took four swings of my blade to put down. At the barricaded door to the upper palace, I took a deep breath, prepared for the worst as I pushed open the oaken door.
The girls in the cage looked to me almost eagerly. I had no fucking clue what to do with them. I didn't have enough room to take them all in the boat I took here. I guess fate has a way to work it all out.
*****
Not two days ago,
I was having a look, in a book,
and I saw a picture of a guy fried right up to his knees.
I said I can relate,
"You've changed," came a small, feminine voice. I spun quickly, Soul Caliber still held easily in my sword arm. A small blonde girl, dressed as a pirate, met my gaze without fear. The two pirates with her apparently knew better, taking a small step back as I looked them over.
"Take them out of here," I told her as I glanced upward. The bird that I had spied during my slaughter.
"I drew him off," the girl said, her hands on her hips. "What should I do with you're sister?"
"I'm not the boy," I said, my gaze remaining to the upper part of the chamber. "He's on an island a few miles north of Onset."
"Who are you?"
"Take a wild fucking guess," I answered. "Get them out of here. The bird should have been here by now."
"I told you I distracted it."
I looked at her, my eyes and stance hard.
"I didn't want it distracted. I needed it to come at me now." I looked at the girls in the cage. "Now I have to keep it busy while you leave."
Her silence was answer enough for me. Her guards quickly began escorting the imprisoned girls from the room. They knew what had to be done, an reacted quickly. I couldn't be more thankful.
"You're the Hero of Time," the girl stated after her men had led the other girls from the room.
"No shit," I answered.
"Well," she stammered, "Good luck."
"Get out of here," I said. Already, I could hear the return of the overly large bird.
She quickly left, closing the door behind her. I drew my hook-shot as the door closed, preparing for the battle ahead. The giant bird didn't disappoint me, descending as soon as she left.
"Hi," I raised the hook-shot above my head and fired, riding to the upper part of the chamber. "Come on, you son of a whore."
*****
'Cause lately I've been thinking of Combustication.
as a welcome vacation from,
the burdens of the planet earth,
gravity, hypocrisy, and the perils of being in 3D.
*****
Once again, I wasn't disappointed. The bird followed me up, meeting me on the roof. Stone slabs slide forward, closing the hole in the roof and providing a level field of battle.
As the bird circled, I drew my hammer from my pack. The thick steel mask the bird wore had to be the weak point, and I intended to make it pay for challenging me. After all, I was the fucking Hero of Time, and the Destroyer of Soul Edge. Fuck this, I wasn't being stopped here.
The bird tried to stab me with it's beak, but I danced back as it struck only the stone. My hammer sung as it battered the mask, shattering it with one strike. There was no conscious thought as I dropped the hammer and lashed out with Soul Caliber, killing the bird with one strike.
My heart was beating heavily as I watched the bird die. I already knew that the boy would have had a much more difficult battle if he had made it this far, and a part of me was glad. He didn't need the heartache that came with being a hero.
I put my hammer away, and turned to the only path leading from the roof. With Soul Caliber in my hand, I felt invincible. How wrong I was.
I pushed open the door to the room at the top of the tower, prepared for the worse. As I had expected, Gannon's back was to the door. How fucking predictable.
"I'm impressed, boy," he said without turning. "To seek me out within my stronghold, with no idea of what you truly faced." He sounded smug as hell. "The Hero of Time couldn't kill me, so what hope to you really have?"
I said nothing, and neither did he for a few moments. Without turning, he continued to speak.
"I commend you for trying to save your sister," he continued, "But it wasn't her I sought. You gave me a good view of the one who carries the Triforce of Wisdom."
When he turned, his eyes widened. I knew what he felt. Surprise; confusion, fear; hatred.
"We've been here before, Gannon," I said, readying my blade. "Let's end this."
I leapt at him as he drew his twin blades. For long moments we traded blows, each unable to gain the upper hand. It was when I drove both of his blades high and thrust that everything changed.
Soul Caliber shattered.
*****
Pardon me, as I burst....
Pardon me while I burst into flames,
I've had enough of the world,
and it's people's mindless games....
*****
"Fool," Gannon sneered, "Only the Master Sword can hope to wound me." His blades descended with frightening speed. I did the only thing I could. I kicked.
Gannon stumbled back, and I moved my shield with desperate speed, knocking his attacks back. This couldn't last forever, and my mind filled with regrets. One in particular consumed me. I would never see Talim again.
His left blade knocked my shield out wide, and the right blade moved forward in almost slow motion. I steeled myself for the deathblow, but it never came. Something changed everything in that moment, when I thought I died. I could never be sure why or how it happened, but what I thought was my last thought turned to be my salvation.
Talim, her eyes blazing with righteous wrath, blocked the thrust. I backed away as she spun her elbow blades, facing Gannon.
"Fool girl," he growled, "You've merely delayed his death."
"I don't think so," her voice rang sweetly as she turned to the open rail and ran. I didn't need any prompting, and followed her. Leaping out, my free-fall was suddenly stopped by powerful claws grasping my shoulders.
A great dragon swept in towards the rail I had leapt from, breathing fire for all it was worth. It would not kill Gannon, but it would by me time. What would come next, that was beyond me.
Talim's gaze found mine, and suddenly, my doubts shrank. Smiling, I looked towards the horizon, and towards a new dawn.
*****
So pardon me as I burst....
Pardon me,
Pardon me,
Pardon me.....