Lance was angry with Mikao. But at the same time, he mourned him. Why did he let his anger take him over and be tortured until death? He didn't deserve that kind of treatment. That's why Lance decided that the final battle between him and Arkannas could not be at Hyrule City.
Lance thought back to the gruesome details of Mikao's death. He couldn't believe what had happened to him. His death was closer to a live autopsy. Lance cursed that foul being as he thought back to those terrible moments.
The funeral was dreary. He did mourn over Mikao, but the people who spoke there acted like they wanted it to be over. All except Lulu, who was Mikau's love before he died. Both of the Zoran brothers were now dead. One was a musician, one a warrior.
After the funeral, Lance sent for his captains and generals to meet in the war room. He arrived there before any of them.
Once they all filed in, he was very blunt and precise. He was tired and needed his rest.
"Arkannas will not get away with what he has done," Lance said. "We will send spies out all over Hyrule to locate where Arkannas is hiding. We know he's out there, so we will strike before he has the chance to regroup."
"But sir," said Portan. Lance turned his attention to the Goron commander. "Yes, Portan?" he asked.
"By the time the spies have found Arkannas, don't you think he'll have already attacked Hyrule City?" he asked. Lance slumped back in his chair.
"Yes, probably," he replied. "But that doesn't mean we can't try."
Portan shrugged in agreement and laid back.
"Now, are we all clear?" Lance asked. No one said anything, so he dismissed them and went back to the castle.
He was jaded there. And weary. He needed sleep, so after having a quick chat with Marin, he lay on his bed and slept.
He awoke to the sound of stomping feet. Lance sat up quickly, drawing his dagger.
His messenger burst into the room, panting and almost ready to pass out. He held a piece of parchment in his hand, saying nothing, just extending it out to Lance. He chuckled and took the parchment.
He was shocked at what it read:
I Lance, I have warned you several times. First at the coronation, then at Zoras' Domain. You have paid no heed to my warnings, so I have decided to take action once and for all. You seem to love that little forest, no? That one where your father lived? I have some doubt as to whether or not you'll like it black. Just a thought. Will you comply? If you come, I have a proposition for you. Think about it, Your Highness.
Dark Lord Arkannas /I
Lance crumpled the bit of parchment and threw it into the wastebasket. He didn't put on much armor, just a bit of chain mail under his tunic and steel shoulder, forearm, and shin pads.
He rode with none but his bodyguards. They, as usual, were donned in completely black. Even their horses were black.
They galloped at full speed toward the forest. He remembered the night his father left the castle after receiving word of the death of Saria. Now another Sage was dead, making five instead of seven, including his mother.
He raced over the hill and halted. Lance saw the black smoke rising into the air, choking the oxygen with the thick gas.
Lance sped up and reached the tunnel, which was ablaze. He ducked under falling, ashen wood as it collapsed over the bridge. Racing forward as to not get hit by it, he screeched to a halt when he crossed it and entered the forest.
Everything was in ruin. Chunks of smoldering wood fell from the tree houses, including his father's. Lance was horrified at the devastation Arkannas had caused.
Speaking of which, the dark necromancer himself sat in front of him, riding a fleshless horse. The cloaked being was there also, right next to him, also riding an undead horse.
Arkannas had a large number of soldiers behind him, all Dark Elven. Their purple and blue skin was not a pretty sight mixed with their blackish brown armor. They rode massive horses, also undead. It made them look much taller than Arkannas and his minion.
"So, King Lance has come, the reckless son of the prodigal bearer of the Triforce of Courage. I haven't seen you in a while," he said.
"Pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," Lance spat. Arkannas made a face of mock hurt. "Why, I thought we were friends!" he said. Lance chuckled skeptically and without mirth.
Arkannas rode up to him, the look on his face changed from mock sadness to an evil smirk.
"You know why I have sent for you, do you not?" the demon asked. "Aren't you going to tell me?" Lance asked coolly.
"Do you know why I attacked the Zoras' Domain?" he asked. Without waiting for an answer, he continued. "I know of your worship of the three goddesses, Din, Farore, and Nayru. I know of their descendants, their helpers, the Six Sages. Or rather, the Five Sages as it is now, if you include your mother and the deaths of Saria and Ruto."
"Get on with it," Lance muttered through clenched teeth.
"Well, I know it gives your nation strength, power. As do the pieces of the Triforce, Power, Wisdom, and Courage. And as you well know, in order to take over a nation, you must first eliminate all sources of power. Trap the enemy, make them powerless, defenseless."
Now Lance understood. He was shocked with horrible realization that he had to protect his parents at all costs. But what of the Triforce of Power?
Lance thought this aloud and Arkannas began to chuckle. Lance did not understand. Then, the dark necromancer of the distant land of Kalthein made the biggest mistake of his life.
"Whoever killed the last bearer or his firstborn," he replied.
Lance thought for a moment. I I killed Ganondorf. He was the last bearer of the Triforce of Power, wasn't he? Then, that means… /I
Lance smiled devilishly. Arkannas's smirk was wiped clean off his face. Something was wrong, and he knew it. Lance had no idea that he was the wielder of the Triforce of Power! How come it hadn't shown itself all these years?
Lance began to hover above his horse. Arkannas showed a slight face of fear, and then changed it to dismayed hatred.
"Retreat!" he cried. "Fall back to our hideout!"
Instantly he and his men hurtled out of the forest, looking back at the hovering form of the king of Hyrule.
Lance floated back down to his horse's saddle. His bodyguards looked at him in astonishment. Lance rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment and mumbled, "I guess we should head back to the castle." His bodyguards nodded, then took about five minutes to realize what he said.