King Lannis pounded his palms down upon the table in front of him, the map of Labrynna on top of it shifting slightly. He had just received word from the front lines that Hyrulean forces had managed to push further in.
"My King, I fear there's nothing we can do." his Adviser said.
Lannis' generals and strategists had arranged pieces on the map symbolizing the forces of Hyrule and those of their own, the Hyrulean pieces getting pushed closer to the Capital every day.
"There has to be something!" Lannis shot, strands of black hair falling over his face. "I didn't start this war just have Daltus stomp all over us! You see Labrynna! The state it's in! We can't afford to lose!"
"I'm afraid we've exhausted all of our strategies, the most we can do is send more men to the front lines and hope that can buy us time to maybe sway Termina or Gamelon to our aid." his Adviser answered.
"Why would they help us? My own brother rules Holodrum and he is too afraid to help...where's Cia?" Lannis said.
"The Sorceress...er...The Queen is fighting on the front lines...I'm afraid she's needed there, she's the only warrior we have capable of magic...Hyrule has many." Lannis' Adviser answered.
"Go, tell the Generals to send all available men to the front lines." Lannis said.
"Right away, my King." his Adviser replied before hurrying away.
"This is over, I'm going to send word to the Hylians that we surrender...once morning comes." Lannis called out.
"That would be a mistake." Ganondorf said as he stepped out from behind a curtain, Naora and Shilara at his back.
"You three! you came to me promising help! You said you knew when Hyrule was at it's weakest...you assured my I could take it!" Lannis shouted.
"Quiet, lest you want the Guards to come in and find us, then we'll have to kill all of them and that would be such a shame." Naora said, tracing a finger along her scimitar.
"Send me to fight, I can turn the tide!" Shilara said, flexing her arms as flames began to burn along them.
"No, no one must know we're here." Ganondorf growled.
"I should've known this was a mistake from the beginning! Even you're afraid of Daltus, to the point you don't want anyone knowing you're here...or even alive!" Lannis said.
"Are you calling my betrothed a coward?" Naora growled, bringing up her scimitar.
"I am not fearful of the Hylian King, just...cautious." Ganon said calmly, placing a hand on Naora's shoulder.
"Listen, when you came to me five years ago and told me you wanted to serve me, I had my doubts, but after seeing the feats of sorcery you were capable of I pushed them aside in hopes you could help my people." Lannis said, relaxing his tone and locking eyes with the Gerudo man. "When you advised we try to take Hyrule, I was swayed by the promise of greater resources and influence...but that was an error, I want peace again, I want to go back to my home, see my son, be with my wife. I am asking you as the man that believed in you to go back to the Castle and send away that monster you summoned."
"We need still need Mahlik, you know that!" Ganon urged.
"To do what? Bring my men back to life?" Lannis asked incredulously. "I knew some of the men we attempted that on, they were my friends, I hunted with them, drank with them, they advised me on the closest of matters...but when they came back...they weren't themselves anymore, they weren't much of anything."
"Exacty! Mahlik can give you a soldier without fear, without attachments or anything of that sort!" Ganondorf said.
"And that's not natural." Lannis answered.
"Now you decide to get sentimental?" Shilara sneered.
Lannis sent a glare at the Gerudo woman before turning back to Ganondorf. "I'll have a carriage prepared to take you back to the Castle while I'll ride to meet Daltus to discuss terms...this is over." Lannis said, turning towards the exit of the tent.
"King Lannis, please listen...listen to me!" Ganondorf said, walking after the man. Lannis kept up his pace, not acknowledging the Gerudo man. "Don't walk away from me!" Ganondorf snarled, snaring the King in a telekinetic grasp.
"What is this? Release me!" Lannis commanded.
"We can't afford to lose! Not now, not ever...not again." Ganondorf breathed.
"This is treason...I'll have you executed!" Lannis growled.
"Oooh, I think he threatened you." Shilara said amusedly.
Ganondorf nodded, turning Lannis around to face him. "It's really too bad, the stress of this battle just being too much for you to handle." Ganondorf said.
"What...what do you mean?" Lannis growled as he tried to break free.
Ganondorf merely moved his hand down to his waist, Lannis mimicking him. Slowly Ganon caused the King to draw his blade.
Lannis' eyes went wide as the realization struck him. "No! Don't do this! Don't you do this to me! I am your King!" he shouted.
"I have taken a knee to many King's before, and it has never ended well for them." Ganondorf said as he raised his arm and rotated his wrist, causing Lannis to raise his blade and place the point on his chest.
"Help! Someone!" Lannis called out.
"Not going to do you any good, I sealed the place myself, no sound makes it in or out." Shilara said with a smirk.
"Goodbye, Lannis." Ganondorf said, slamming his fist into his chest.
Lannis inhaled sharply as the blade pierced his chest and emerged out the other side. "Erris...I'm sorry." he breathed before falling over
"Well what now?" Naora asked, giving Lannis' body a nudge with her foot.
Ganondorf raised a hand, calling a piece of parchment to himself, once it was within his grasp he hovered a hand over it, handwriting perfectly matching that of Lannis etching across it's surface. Ganondorf quickly rolled it up before making his way over to the Raven's cage, tying the parchment to it's leg and sending it on it's way.
"What was that about?" Shilara asked.
"King Lannis just sent a message to his General...it's his dying wish that they send all available forces to the front lines." Ganondorf said with a smirk.
"I don't understand, Lannis' adviser said there was nothing that could be done, why don't we just call it off here? You still have the Blin Emperor's armies." Naora said.
"We have to see this through until the end. I couldn't afford Labrynna and Hyrule making peace again." Ganondorf said, walking to the other side of the tent. We have much to do within the borders of Hyrule, it will pay to have to Royal Family's eyes pointed here instead of their own home."
oOo
Link couldn't believe his eyes at first, the man who stood in front of him perfectly resembled the Happy Mask Salesmen in every way, and even though it had been centuries since they had last met, Link could remember the man's last words to him.
"Hero, it is indeed good to see you again." the Salesman said.
"Link, you know this man?" Zelda asked.
Without a word Link strode forward, looking down at the Mask Salesman. The group's eyes went wide as Link shot his arms forward, gripping the Happy Mask Salesman by his collar and lifting him off of his feet, shaking him in mid-air. "How do you like it?" Link shouted, before dropping the man back on his feet.
The Salesman gave his head a shake before looking back up at the Hero. "I suppose I deserved that." he said.
"He did that to me, multiple times...and I was just a child." Link said as he turned towards the group.
Zelda held a hand to her forehead and closed her eyes as she started forward, stopping next to Link. "Please excuse him, we've all been under a lot of stress."
"Ah yes, I am well aware of that, the Demon King Ganondorf has taken Hyrule and has his sights set on Termina...in fact, that's the reason I'm here. His body is serving as a prison for the Druthilidi Majora...and Majora is my responsibility." the Mask Salesman said.
"Druthulidi, that's old Hylian for Demon, do you know the language?" Zelda asked.
"I know many tongues, but Old Hylian was my first...you see, I was born over two-thousand years ago." the man answered.
"Do you have any idea what's going on?" Thrakon asked the group, most shaking their heads with the exception of Cia and Elgon, who seemed to understand.
"Excuse me, I'm sorry but how did you...accomplish all of this?" Erris asked as he started forward.
"Ah! The humbled Prince of Labrynna!" the Mask Salesman said.
"What about me?" the Prince asked.
The Mask Salesman just gave a laugh before sweeping his eyes over the group. "As the Hero could tell you, I am a purveyor of Masks, Masks that contain special abilities, I myself gave the masks the powers they contain, for those same powers were imbued into me long ago by the Fierce Deity so I could protect the mask Majora was contained in."
"And how did you come to be guardian of Majora's Mask?" Elgon asked, pushing his way to the front of the group.
"A friend of mine told me where to hide to assure that I wasn't killed in the Demon King's attack...he didn't know Hylia was moving her people to the skies...thus I was the only person on the ground once the battle was over, it didn't take the Fierce Deity long to find me...there's no need to apologize, Gaepora." the Happy Mask Salesman said.
"Abin." Elgon breathed.
"You know him?" Admiral Ginthorne asked.
"He was my friend... back when I was the Hero." Elgon answered.
"Oh the old days, how I long for them." the Happy Mask Salesman said. "I trust you've told him?" he said, gesturing towards Link.
"Told him what?" Elgon asked.
"He knows." Din said, Farore following close behind her.
"The Hero is aware that he is the Fierce Deity." Farore continued.
"Ah, well I'm glad that's out of the way." the Happy Mask Salesman said, turning to Link before freezing on the spot and turning back towards the two women. "You're..." he said, trailing off.
Link looked on in disbelief, he got to know the Happy Mask Salesman quite well during their time together, this being the first instance he had ever seen him dumbstruck.
"By the Godesses...you're...the Godesses." he said, eyes locked on Farore and Din. "But where is...?" he began, trailing off as Din scowled at him.
"Nayru is dead, struck down by the very blade we created to destroy the one who killed her." Farore said, a downtrodden tone to her voice.
"I felt it, but I had no idea something of this magnitude had occurred." the Happy Mask Salesman replied.
"And that's the issue." Link began. "Ganon's gained far too much power, can you help us take him down or not?"
The Happy Mask Salesman resumed his wide grin as he reached into his pack, withdrawing a mask.
"Link, is that..?" Zelda asked.
"Majora's Mask." Link said, the battle between he and the ancient demon flashing through his mind. "You've kept it all of these years."
"Of course I have, it was my responsibility, given to me by you two-thousand years ago." the Happy Salesman replied.
"Is it possible to reseal Majora into that mask?" King Daltus asked, striding forward with Ralo, Aquos, Vashara and Traegen at his back.
"It is, as well as it's possible to forcibly extricate Majora from his host body with this Mask." the Salesman answered.
"Well, without a sizable army we won't be able to get close to him, now will we?" Erris called out.
"Well, we have the Kokiri, the Hyrulean Gerudo, the Terminian Gerudo, possibly the armies of Gamelon, and I find it hard to believe all of Termina has fallen in day." Trystane called out.
"It still won't be enough." Volga replied. "Ganondorf has the entirety of Hyrule, Holodrum and Labrynna as well as an army of beasts at his disposal...the Black Knights he creates have proven problematic as well."
"But we have all of the Sages present along with both the Hero and the Princess." Saria said.
"It won't make much of a difference." Zelda replied. "Before the rest of our army arrived we were vastly outnumbered, even though I was with what remained of our forces it didn't seem to matter, the sheer numbers overwhelmed us."
Saria made to respond but was cut off as a bell began to rang one of the Great Bay Guards standing atop a nearby tower. "Pirates coming this way!" he called out.
The group hurried down to the shore, the Happy Mask Salesman teleporting ahead.
"They're our friends now, right?" Link asked.
"I would hope so." Zelda answered, watching as a small group of rowboats approached the shore.
"Naora!" Kyra called out as the first boat made land, the Gerudo woman hopping off and kneeling down, Kyra throwing her arms around her as they met.
"You miss me?" Naora asked playfully.
"Yeah." Kyra admitted bashfully as the Gerudo woman stood up.
"It's good to see you." Zelda said warmly.
"What news do you bring?" Link asked.
"What news do they bring?" a bold voice called out, a Gerudo woman with long blonde hair jumping out of a the boat behind Naora, Sandrine exiting behind her.
"Link, Zelda, this is Captain Shekilah." Naora said.
"Naora and Sandrine here tell me your land has been taken over by Ganondorf." Shekilah said.
"That is correct, you know of Ganondorf?" Zelda asked.
"There isn't a single Gerudo in this world who hasn't heard his name and knows not of his deeds." Shekilah said, narrowing her eyes. "He gives us a bad name, so to speak."
"So, would I be correct in assuming you'll join our cause?" Link asked.
"They have..conditions." Sandrine called out.
"Yes, we do." Shekilah said, a small smirk adorning her face.
"Name your price, the Knights of Hytopia can pay it!" King Daltus said, rushing forward.
"My, my, aren't you the eager one?" Shekilah mused.
"Spare us your games, what's your price?" Link growled.
"Watch your tongue, or I'll have it sliced from your mouth." Shekilah hissed, the pirates behind her bringing up their swords and spears.
"That's the Hero of Legend you speak to! Show some respect!" Impa called out as she dashed forward.
Shekilah scowled, looking around at the group before her. "Fine, all I ask is that once we win, you leave all of the treasure found in the Castle, regardless of where it came from, to us." Shekilah said with a grin.
"Oh wow, is that all?" Thrakon muttered.
The Gerudo Pirate's eyes landed on him, the woman sending a grin his way. "I'd also like to add, once this is over, we be allowed to set up our own ports along the coasts of Holodrum and Labrynna."
"It's not worth it, that would give a decent strategic foothold in what will be the most vulnerable areas after the war." Admiral Ginthorne said.
Shekilah remained silent, finally turning to Zelda and cocking an eyebrow. "So what will it be?"
"We agree to your terms." Link blurted out, the whole group whipping their heads towards him and staring incredulously.
"Hero, please, let's think this over." Daltus cautioned.
"Too late!" Shekilah called out. "He's already agreed, now, don't any of you think about going back on the deal, or else you'll have us to worry about once this is over." she taunted before taking on a more serious tone. "IF we win."
"Arrogant one, isn't she?" Ceryn said as he watched the Captain return to her ship.
"She has a reason to be, she commands one of the largest independent armies in the five lands." Vashara began. "Trust me, I used to be one of them."
"We are going to...go back on the deal, aren't we?" King Daltus asked.
"Of course, I can't afford to let them gain that much wealth and influence, this Shekilah can't be trusted." Zelda answered.
Just then a blue flash went off underneath Daltus' chest plate.
"What is that?" Link asked, stepping forward.
The King pulled out a Seer's Stone, looking at it amusedly. "Well, it would seem I have a message."
oOo
Marin soared over the open plains outside of the village in Seagull form, eyes flicking along the hoards of beast lead by Ganondorf's men. She quickly turned, heading back towards the village as fast as her wings would carry her.
Audrik stood outside with Doctor Garrickson, watching as Marin swooped down in front of his house, quickly morphing back into her human form and dropping to the ground.
"At least two-hundred headed this way, Ganondorf is closing the borders, it's now or never." she said quickly.
"If he's closing the borders, how are we supposed to get through?" Audrik replied.
"I'll figure something out." Marin replied as she headed in.
"Are you planning to take him with you?" Doctor Garrickson asked, gesturing towards Mikau.
"He's a prominent Zora politician from a country Ganondorf is current in the process of invading, call it a hunch but I have a feeling Hyrule isn't the best place for him right now." Marin shot back.
"I only ask because he's only just begun to stabilize, disturbing him now could lead to his death." the Doctor answered.
"Then what do you recommend we do?" Iren asked as he emerged from the bedroom.
"A have a supply cellar we could keep him in, it might end up being a better place as I keep most of my tools and medicine down there anyway" Garrickson said.
"Sounds like a plan, where is it?" Audrik asked.
"Therein lies the issue." Doctor Garrickson said, gesturing towards a door on the far side of the room. "It's not exactly well hidden."
"We can rectify that." Lemuria said as she emerged from the bedroom, causing Audrik to lift an eyebrow as she walked to Iren's side.
"Well come on!" Let's get moving! Ganondorf's forces will be coming through the village's gate any minute now!" Marin shouted.
Iren and Marin took one side of Mikau's cot while Garrickson and Audrik took the other.
"Careful." Lemuria said as she opened the door, the foursome awkwardly going through.
"Careful, there's a corner there." Garrickson said.
"Can you twist it a little?" Iren asked.
"I can turn it...kind of." Audrik answered.
"No, we need more room on this side." Marin replied.
"Okay, lift it gently on the left side, then push." Garrickson said as they managed to navigate the corner.
"We're lucky we didn't dump him off the bed." Audrik remarked.
"This is why I hate moving furniture." Garrickson said as they made their way down the stairs and set Mikau down in the middle of the room.
After checking on the Zora man, the four ran up the flight of stairs, Lemuria shoving a bookcase in front of the door with minimal help from Princess Kayala.
"That'll hide it from the beasts and those without magic, but if one of Ganon's hire-ups pays you visit, you may not be so lucky." Marin said.
"Yeah, I know, but why would the big bad Demon King be interested in small town Doctor like me?" Garrickson asked with a smirk.
"You still have the Seer's Stone we gave you?" Marin asked.
The Doctor ran over to his desk, throwing open a drawer and withdrawing a blue crystal secured to a string. "Haven't used in a good while." he said, tossing it to Marin, the woman nodding in response before heading out the front door.
Audrik approached Lemuria, the Sheikah woman leaning against a wall away from the rest of the group.
"I saw you come out of the same room as Iren." he said.
"So? We were in the same room." Lemuria answered.
"It was a bedroom." Audrik replied.
"A bedroom with Mikau in it." Lemuria replied with a smirk.
Audrik sighed, closing his eyes before turning to the Sheikah woman. "I'm sorry...it's just. I worry sometimes."
"Worry that I'm going to head off with Iren?" she asked.
Audrik gave a short nod, turning his eyes ahead.
"I know there are very few Sheikah left, but that doesn't mean I'm going to give up what we have just to produce another generation of my people." Lemuria answered.
"It's not just that, I feel like I've been a drag during this entire thing, and meanwhile Iren's been taking point, going ahead, making sure everything's safe before we move on, he's a born warrior and I'm just the sheltered Prince." Audrik said.
"Of the two of us it sounds like you fancy him." Lemuria said with a laugh. "And you're anything but a sheltered Prince, you took part in the Battle of Kokiri Forest, I remember how cross your sister was when she found out. Besides, Iren is just doing what we Sheikah are sworn to do, protect the Royal Family at all costs."
Audrik smiled. "I guess the fact you and I have had so little time to ourselves since this began was beginning to eat away at me." he said.
Lemuria turned, grabbing the Prince by the collar and locking her lips with his. "Hopefully that will hold you over for now." she said with a grin.
"You two should get a room." Princess Kayala said derisively.
"Not in my house." Doctor Garrickson said as he kept watch through a window.
oOo
"We need to make an exit and we need to do it fast." Marin said.
"I understand, I'm just not sure what I can do." King Daltus answered.
"Ganondorf's forces are at the gate, we need to go now." Marin pressed.
oOo
"I'll see what I can do." King Daltus answered as he turned towards the rest of the group.
"Father, what's wrong?" Zelda asked.
"The Goddesses, have they recovered yet?" he asked.
"They're still healing from what Kanthos did to them, but they should be back to full strength soon, why?" she asked.
"I ask because one of my Knights has found your brother and his friends, but they're in danger." the King answered.
"You've found Audrik?" Zelda asked, her voice full of hope.
"Yes, but it won't matter if we can't help them escape immediately.
Link's ears twitched as he listened in on the conversation before turning to rest of the group. "Who among you has the most powerful teleportation abilities?" he called out.
Everyone exchanged glances before turning to the Goddesses.
"Our powers are too drained right now, I'm afraid even we can't help." Farore said sadly.
"I could use the Gate of Souls, it just depends on where we're going." Cia answered.
"We have to open it well within the borders of Hyrule." Link answered.
"Last time we tried the Gate of Souls, we intended to arrive in Hyrule Field but found ourselves in Peak Province." Trystane said.
"True, but there was only one of us then, we're both here now." Cia said, turning towards Erris.
The Prince threw up his hands as all eyes turned to him. "I only opened the Gate of Souls once, and it was forced, I don't know how to do it again." he said.
"Well you have to try." Zelda said as she joined Link.
"Please, you are the only one that can help." King Daltus said.
"Fine...but I'm not doing it for you." Erris said, narrowing his eyes at the King.
Cia walked to Erris' side, the group clearing a space for them as Cia raised her staff, Erris holding out his hand. "Take my hand." Cia said.
"Take your hand? Is that really necessary? I'm not a child." Erris retorted.
"Just do it!" Cia growled.
Erris quickly grabbed hold of Cia's hand, a shiver going up his spine as a violet energy travelled through his mothers veins and into his, spreading throughout his body.
"Ready?" the Sorceress asked.
"As I'll ever be." Erris replied.
Cia closed her eyes, finding the Prince and closing in on his location. She and Erris both thrust their free hands forward, a large arch taking form in front of them.
"Get ready, we're opening the portal now." King Daltus spoke into the Seer's Stone.
Cia and Erris cried out as the Gate of Souls flickered and faded in and out, fighting against Ganondorf's magic suppression field that now covered most of Hyrule.
Thrakon ran up behind the two, gritting his teeth as he watched the Gate fade away.
"What are you doing?" Zelda asked as she watched him raise his hands.
"My mother was a Great Fairy, my strength has to come from somewhere, and I'm going to find that place." Thrakon said as he closed his eyes, he shut out all sound, searching his spirit more than ever before, slowly reaching deeper, images of his mother coming to his mind, he thought of her power, how he could sense it the moment she appeared. Little by little he felt the same energy rise inside of himself, suddenly his vision was filled with a green flash. Thrakon opened his eyes, an emerald aura rising around him.
"Zelda, can you feel that?" Link asked.
"It's just like the Great Fairy." she answered.
Thrakon thrust his arms forward with a shout, lending his energy to Cia and Erris, the Gate of Souls finally stabilizing.
oOo
"Go! Go now!" Marin yelled as she leapt from her perch atop the house next door, a group of Ganon's soldiers being two houses away.
Audrik looked on in shock as a portal opened in front of them, a sunlit beach visible on the other side.
"Where are we going?" Lemuria asked.
"Does it really matter? You go through that portal, you live, you stay here, you die. It's simple, now go!" Marin said.
oOo
Zelda ran to the portal as Audrik came through, throwing her arms around her brother. "I was so worried." she said.
"Sister, I've missed you so." Audrik admitted.
Link smiled as he watched the scene, giving a wave as Audrik caught sight of him.
Aren strode up to Iren, both brothers smiling as they regarded the other. "I thought you were dead." Aren said.
"Please, if one us were to be struck down, it would be you." Iren answered, grabbing his twin's hand and pulling him into a one-armed embrace.
Oren and Impa raced up the beach, both embracing their daughter as she made her way through the portal.
"Mother, Father, I'm fine, I really am!" she protested.
"Be that as it may, we're not letting you out of our sight again." Impa said with a grin.
King Daltus walked towards his children, feeling a sort of nervousness rising inside of him.
"Audrik, it's father, he's alive." Zelda said.
"I cannot express how overjoyed I am to finally see you again, my son." the King said, a stunned Audrik staring quietly.
Link made to make his way over to them, stopping when he saw her. The blue armored woman who accompanied Audrik, Princess Kayala and the Sheikah was looking directly at him, he locked his eyes with her's, but she didn't look away, instead, her gaze intensified. The longer he looked at her, the more familiar she seemed, but he couldn't quite figure out why that was.
"You don't remember me." Marin thought as she turned away and headed towards the other Knights of Hytopia. "I didn't think you would." she muttered.
oOo
Shilara hacked away the underbrush, making her way through the southern swamp. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find an adequate way to describe how much she hated swamps...or forests...even open fields, she craved the hot sun, dry winds and warm sand of the desert. The Gerudo territory was her home, and unlike her brother, didn't covet what the Hylians had, she only hated for them what they were and what they've done.
The Gerudo woman groaned audibly as she took a step forward, not checking her footing and plunging one of her legs into the swamp's murky waters.
"Goddesses damn this place." she growled, taking a step back, reaching an arm behind her to make sure the Master Sword was still secured.
"I almost didn't believe Master Ganondorf when he told me you betrayed him." a voice said calmly.
Shilara spun around, her breath hitching for a moment as she saw Kanthos, the man standing under a willow tree, his orange irises piercing through the shadow cast over him. Quickly composing herself, the Gerudo woman scowled. "Don't call him Ganondorf, I knew Ganondorf, he was my brother, that thing, with it's grey skin and horns is not my brother."
"Well, it matters not, I've come to take the sword back to him." Kanthos answered.
"You'll have to kill me first." Shilara hissed.
"To be perfectly honest, that is the plan." the Foreign Sorcerer said with a smirk.
"I suppose that monster masquerading as my brother ordered my death?" Shilara growled.
"Indeed, and I intend to follow through." Kanthos replied.
Shilara made to reply when suddenly it felt as all the air was knocked out of her, she landed on her back, placing a hand on her sternum, still feeling where Kanthos' fist landed. She growled as she leapt to her feet. "That was a cheap shot!" she shouted, sending blasts of electricity at Kanthos, the sorcerer dodging the first two and intercepting the third with his hand, deflecting it back at her.
Shilara faded to the side, the bolt flashing passed her shoulder, the Gerudo woman spun around, throwing a massive ball of energy at the Sorcerer. Kanthos teleported to the side, this turned out not being enough as the resulting explosion threw him onto his back. Shilara summoned a dagger into her grip, teleporting to Kanthos. She dropped to one knee, plunging the blade towards him. The Foreign Sorcerer caught her arm telekinetically, throwing her across the clearing and into the willow he stood under.
Shilara clenched her teeth as she slammed into the tree, slowly staggering to her feet.
"Oh come now, where's all that bravado you've been known to show?" Kanthos asked.
"I'm going to make you beg for death!" Shilara shouted, teleporting behind Kanthos and hurling a ball of flame directly into his back, sending him flying onto his stomach, the Sorcerer made to stand, crying out in pain as Shilara shoved her dagger into his back.
The Gerudo woman growled as she twisted it, her hands beginning to shake as Kanthos' screams turned to laughs.
"Can't say I was expecting that, what was it you were saying about cheap shots?" he taunted.
Shilara made to grip the underbrush as she was levitated into the air, Kanthos regaining his footing.
"You should be dead." Shilara hissed as she watched the blood seep out the wound on his back.
"My body stopped working like that ages ago, you know how I gain my immortality, don't you?" he asked.
"By draining it from people who can't fight back...like a coward." she answered.
"Finding someone who can fight back against me has been difficult, but yes, I'm closing in on seven-hundred now...and the thing is, I have no intention of not making it there but I haven't fed in a while." he said.
Shilara began to fight against his telekinetic grip as the realization of his plans set in. "No!" she shouted.
Kanthos raised a hand as she shot a blast of flame from her mouth, easily stopping it. "Don't fight it." he growled as he gripped her throat.
Shilara inhaled sharply as she felt all of her energy being sapped away, her magic reserves were the first to go, her own life force being next as she slowly felt her body weaken, her eyes closing slowly.
"That's right, just go to sleep." Kanthos said softly, watching in satisfaction as her life-energy streamed into him.
Shilara's eyes were about to close when she heard it. "Don't give up, use me." it said. The voice sounded like that of a young woman's but it was as if she were far away. The Gerudo woman listened as the voice repeated it's message. She quickly closed in on it, feeling her energy return, an external force restoring her.
Kanthos grinned as the process neared completion, his smile shrinking as he noticed a spike in her energy. "What is this?" he growled.
Shilara flung her arm back, gripping the hilt of the Master Sword and drawing it, the cloth she covered it with falling away. "I'm going to end you once and for all." she growled.
"What the hell is this?" Kanthos hissed. "You shouldn't be able to use that!"
Shilara charged forward, sending a diagonal downward slash at Kanthos, the stunned Sorcerer bringing up his blade to block it. Shilara performed a series of stabs, Kanthos blocking them with a force field before dematerializing it and performing a spin attack, Shilara teleporting away before sprinting back towards her opponent and using a jump attack, Kanthos deflecting it and fading to the side, rushing in with a vertical slash, a stab and a horizontal strike, Shilara evading the first two and blocking the last.
"This is impossible! You can't be this strong! You should be dead!" Kanthos shouted.
"I've also never used a sword before, it's either beginner's luck or you're just not that great with a blade." she taunted.
Kanthos roared as he charged her, swiping his free hand horizontally, Shilara leaping back as a ridge of stone burst from the ground towards her, she brought the blade up, countering Kanthos' diagonal slash before sending multiple bolts of energy at him, the Sorcerer deflecting each before teleporting in and performing a jump attack, Shilara's knee's buckling as his blade met her's. "I see what's happened, the Sword Spirit allowed you to use the blade so you could return it to it's Master...but it won't allow you access to it's power...what a pity." he said.
The Sorcer spun away before flying back in with a diagonal slash, Shilara countering it before leaping back to avoid a blast of lightning from Kanthos. He continued to barrage her with balls of fire, blasts of electricity and bolts of energy while shooting spikes of rock from the ground.
Shilara blasted away the stalagmites with energy blasts while deflecting the energy blasts with the Master Sword. She jumped out of the way as a large column of rock shot towards her, bringing up the sword to deflect a ball of flame when it suddenly burst right in front of her, the Gerudo woman flinching away when suddenly Kanthos emerged from the burst of fire, flying towards her. The Gerudo woman brought up her blade to defend herself, but Kanthos managed to knock her off balance with a powerful horizontal slash, he then spun around on his heels and put his blade through her chest, the Gerudo woman lurching forward before coming to an abrupt stop.
"You're ego exceeds your power." Kanthos said.
Shilara coughed, a metallic taste filling her mouth. She smirked, spitting the blood into Kanthos' face.
The Foreign Sorcerer grimaced before wiping it away, thrusting the blade further into her chest before giving it a turn, Shilara's defiant grin disappearing as she fell lifeless onto Kanthos, the Sorcerer, shoving her off of his blade. He quickly retrieved the cloth the sword had been wrapped in, securing the blade into it once more.
"I'm taking you back to the Master...and who knows, you might get to see your old friend Ghirahim again." Kanthos said with a laugh, looking at his reflection in the blade before covering it with the cloth completely. He strode over to Shilara's body, taking a hold of her shoulder before teleporting back to Ganondorf's Castle.
oOo
Hello everyone! Sorry for the wait, this chapter has been a longtime in the making! I was out of the country for two weeks so I didn't have a much of a chance to update, so thank you for your patience!
Gerudospirit: Really liked the scene with the Great Fairy, I debated including her, but I decided that they needed a secret weapon like her, especially with a raging Kanthos around, and the scene with Thrakon, I feel like I needed to develop his character a little more, so I'm happy you found it so touching! The Gerudo genocide I feel like is something that very well could have happened due to the overwhelming lack of Gerudo in TP, I also wanted to make Ganondorf's character a little more sympathetic. Erris doesn't really want to reconcile with the King, but he has to in order to get his Kingdom back, you can expect some more drama between them! I hope you liked the Link-HMS reunion, I'm hoping it answered your questions about "violent flashbacks"! Thank you for praising the way I added onto one of his quotes! Thank you so much for your kind words, it makes me very happy to hear you call my story complex and astounding! I hope you liked this chapter just as much!
Thank you for reading everyone! I hope you enjoyed it!
A special thanks to all of those who checked off follow and favorite on my story and I! You make writing this as enjoyable as it is!
-Prometheus17