Ok, so this one took a little while, but once I got on the ball with it, it was actually really fun to write! After all, who couldn't use more Cia!? :D Anyway, I won't keep you long here, so we might as well get started!
Chapter 18: The Sorceress and the King
The black witch, despite the mask of serenity and control she liked to put on when facing her enemies, actually had quite a violent temper, something that the two generals of her army had come to learn very quickly upon joining her ranks. When her fury was struck, it burned as hot as the sun, and all those unlucky enough to get caught within her hot wrath rarely escaped unscathed. And, as usual, the two targets of Cia's hatred at the moment, were Volga and Wizzro, both of whom she viewed as the cause of the collapse of her footholds on the other eras of Hyrule's past.
"Fools!" Cia growled in absolute fury as she stood before the dragon knight and the dark wizard, both of whom were bowed low before her as her infuriated shouting echoed through the lofty halls of the Temple of Souls. "Idiots! Imbeciles! Cretins! Dimwits! Baffoons! Morons!" The black witch paused for a moment, trying to come up with more heated insults to throw at her underlings, but her rage quickly got the better of her as she swirled around to face them, the crimson in her dark violet eyes glowing brightly. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't obliterate the both of you and cast your pathetic souls into the dark world!"
Volga and Wizzro exchanged a tentative glance, both of them knowing that they were in the same amount of trouble as far as their mistress was concerned. And, since the dragon knight had dealt with her rage the last time, the dark wizard took a venture in trying to calm her down this time. "W-well… O, beautiful, p-powerful, illustrious, uh… i-intelligent-"
"Save me the flattery, Wizzro, and just spit it out already!" Cia snapped, crossing her arms as she glared down at the dark wizard.
Wizzro bristled in fear a bit at her tone, but nodded nonetheless. "I… uh… I just wanted to point out that I only retreated because I wanted to report that I had found the princess!" he reasoned, trying to, at the very least, look better in her eyes than Volga did at the moment.
"You weak-minded fool!" the black witch shouted angrily. "You thought I didn't know that the princess had disguised herself as a Sheikah?! Please. Her ancestor tried to pull the very same trick centuries ago."
"Then… if I may ask, mistress, why didn't you simply go after her when you found out she was traveling with the boy and the Hylian forces?" Volga asked in admitted confusion, not following Cia's logic.
The black witch's fiery frustration calmed a bit upon hearing this question, though she still gave both of her generals an even look of disgust. "To lure her into a false sense of security, of course," she explained. "As you both know, I managed to shake Zelda up quite a bit after my first encounter with her several weeks ago. When she finally decided to come out of hiding, I figured I'd let her have her fun in thinking that I wasn't onto her when I really knew the entire time."
"But… isn't that rather… counterintuitive? After all, don't you want her dead?" Wizzro asked, his single eye giving his mistress a bewildered look.
"Well, of course," Cia said with a bitter shrug. "But not quite yet. After all, I'd much rather watch her suffer first. Just imagine, boys… The look of absolute anguish on her face as I at long last take my darling hero as my own… When I finally break that wretched bond of destiny and free him from her spell! And then, she'll know what it feels like to be denied of everything she love, everything she's ever wanted! Then, once I'm certain her heart is broken just as mine was, I'll put her out of her misery. Princess Zelda is about to lose everything; first, her kingdom, then her hero, and then her life!"
The black witch finally cracked a dark smile upon proclaiming this, her eagerness for this long-awaited day hard to keep hidden. However, before she could revel in her wicked designs for too long, she was interrupted by the dark wizard. "M-Mistress Cia?" he said a bit meekly, much more keen on sucking up to their leader than the more independent dragon lord was. "Please don't punish us too harshly for our… failures… Well, at least don't punish me too harshly. I don't care what you do to Volga."
"What?!" Volga exclaimed, glaring burningly at dark wizard who would so easily leave him to the black witch's wrath. "Why you little-"
"Silence!" Cia cut him off, raising a hand up as she looked between her two generals. "It looks like today is a lucky day for you both. As much as I want to, I don't have the time to give you the proper punishment for letting those eras fall out of our control. Instead, I'll leave you with a single thought. I had four generals when our strike across the ages began, and yet now I only have two left. Zant and Ghirahim perished, and yet for some reason, you two fools, who are somehow even less competent than they were, managed to survive. Consider the generous hand that fate dealt you the next time you think about retreating from battle, because I can personally assure you that neither of you will survive if you fail me again. Understand?"
Though her tone had been calm and relatively quiet, the malice behind her words was obvious. Even though neither Volga nor Wizzro wanted to admit it, they both feared Cia and the power that she wielded. After all, it was through that great power that she had subjugated them both into her employ in the first place.
"So now that the Gate of Souls is closed, what is our next move?" Volga asked in genuine curiosity, seeing as how the black witch's major trump card was gone.
Cia grinned ominously as she held her hands behind her back, reveling in the fact that she already knew exactly what she wanted to do next. "Oh, you needn't concern yourself with that, my dear Volga…" she cooed mysteriously. "Are the pieces are perfectly put together for the next part of my plan. I anticipate that not too far into the future, the Hylian forces will eventually arrive here to face me."
"So… do you want us to stop them before they can even get close, mistress?" Wizzro asked with a confused frown.
"No," Cia said darkly. "I want them to come. For when they do, I will at last put an end to this war. Everything I've ever wanted, everything I've ever dreamed of… will finally be mine. And I will obtain it all on my own! After your most recent failures, I forbid either of you idiots from ruining my plans anymore. For now, consider yourselves regulated to minor strikes and skirmishes until further notice."
Volga and Wizzro exchanged a glance of shock and dismay upon hearing this as they both hastily rose from their lowered positions. "What?!" the dark wizard exclaimed in disbelief. "Misteress Cia, we… we're your generals! You can't just cast us aside like that!"
"I believe I just did," the black witch said succinctly, showing little concern in her tone.
"But this is absurd! You are wasting and squandering my strength!" Volga protested, taking a bold step forward as he completely ignored Wizzro.
"Excuse me?" Cia asked pointedly, her purple eyes shooting the dragon knight a sudden glare. "Your strength? Might I remind you that I was the very one who gave you that strength in the first place?! Before I came along, where were you? Oh, that's right; you were lazing around in the Eldin Caves with that pathetic group of lizafols you called an army. Face it, Volga. Without me, you're nothing."
The dragon knight said nothing in response to this, even though in his mind he wanted to fiercely proclaim that she was wrong. Her power did not hold sway over him; after all, if there was anything any proud dragon hated, it was the feeling of being owned by another. And yet, he held his tongue for only one reason alone: the fact that, even though he hated to admit it, she was still stronger than him and it was her strength that he feared. Her magic was mysterious and mighty, and when she had first attempted to recruit him within the Eldin Caves and he resisted, she had easily obliterated his defenses with a mere flex of her power. At that point, Volga knew that he could not stand against Cia and win, and so he had begrudgingly surrendered, hoping that, at the very least, he could have the chance of gaining some of that great strength by garnishing her favor, something he had apparently failed to do thus far.
"In fact, the very same thing goes for you too, Wizzro," Cia said, turning to the dark wizard after she was satisfied that she had put Volga in his place. "If I hadn't shown up, then you'd still be sealed away inside that ring of yours, hidden away from the rest of the world by those oafish Gorons. Isn't it so much better to be among the living, letting your dark, chaotic powers loose upon the world?"
"…Yes, mistress…" Wizzro said with a frown, not liking the black witch's condescending, patronizing tone. And yet, he couldn't very well deny that she was right; it was through Cia's power that he had been awakened from the cursed ring that his spirit had been trapped within centuries ago, eternally binding him to it. And he very well would have remained stuck, immobile within the ring forever if the black witch had not happened upon him, using her dark power to call his specter-like form forth from the cursed piece of jewelry. The dark wizard, being very much a creature of habit, had instantly agreed to follow his savior and serve as one of her generals as both a sign of gratitude for feeing him and a sign of respect at her immense power. And yet, even despite Wizzro's initial eagerness to join Cia, the black witch still had no problem belittling and abusing the dark wizard just as much, if not more than the dragon knight, creating a palpable level of dissention between mistress and servant.
"Very good," Cia said with a commanding nod. "Now that the three of us have come to an understanding, I do believe it's time for you both to go. I don't particularly care where it is that you go for now, just know that if I catch either of you interfering with my carefully thought out plans again, you won't have to worry about hearing me vent my frustrations to you again, because I'll put you out of your misery before I can even find the patience to say a single word."
Volga and Wizzro were silent for a long moment as Cia turned away from both of them, having nothing else to say to either of them. Both of them were scowling bitterly as they slowly turned towards the large, elaborate door leading out of the Temple of Souls. However, before they completely left the room, their mistress called out to them one last time, not turning towards them as her tone was icy, yet even.
"Oh, and Volga? Wizzro?" the black witch began as both of her generals stopped and glanced her way. "I don't want either of you to ever so much as try tolay a finger on my hero again. I don't think either of you will have think too hard about what will happen to you if you do."
"Yes, Mistress Cia," the dragon knight and the dark wizard said in unison, their tones equally dull and exasperated as they left the black witch to her own devices.
"Whatever her plan is," Wizzro said to Volga as soon as the doors to the main palace chamber were shut and he was sure Cia couldn't overhear them. "It's not going to work. You know that as well as I do, right?"
"Well of course I do," the dragon knight said with a scoff, glaring back towards the room the black witch was still in, still feeling the sting of the verbal lashing she had just given them both. "Even if she has the golden power, the chances of her claiming that hero in the way she wants to are slim. If I can say nothing else for that foolish boy, it's that he's aggravatingly strong-willed, to be sure."
Wizzro nodded in agreement, his mouth shifting into his lone, glowing eye as he still somehow managed to speak. "And yet… she managed to subjugate both of us into her control through the lull of her power, didn't she?" he asked, the slightest bit of shame in his otherwise haughty tone. "So does that mean that the hero, a mere human child who doesn't even possess any magic at all, is stronger than even the two of us?"
"That child is not stronger than me!" Volga nearly roared in sudden anger, his pride getting the better of him as a burst of hot flame flowed out of his mouth with his proclamation. "And I shall prove that to Mistress Cia once and for all! The next time I meet him in battle, I will bring that pathetic boy to his knees!"
The dark wizard chortled teasingly upon hearing this, his mouth reappearing in a cocky grin. "Oh how cute… Looks like the little dragon knight is jealous…" he mocked callously, nudging the dragon knight with his bony elbow.
"What?!" Volga snapped, crossing his arms as he gave Wizzro a look of disgusted confusion. "Why would you even think-" The dragon knight cut himself off as his glare deepened, feeling a sudden warmth build up his cheeks as he grew even more flustered. "You cackling, old fool! Who would I even be jealous of in the first place!?"
"The hero, of course," Wizzro stated plainly, amused at the dragon knight's increasing embarrassment. "Don't think I haven't seen the way you eye Mistress Cia. It must burn you up inside to see a woman of immense beauty and power like her swoon over a meager child of men the way she does… And I bet that explosive temper of yours will finally burst when and if she does have her way with him."
"Silence!" Volga growled angrily, baring his draconian fangs as he clenched his fists tightly. "You couldn't possibly be more wrong! I couldn't possibly have eyes for Mistress Cia! She is but a human, even despite her great magic, and if you knew anything at all, then you would know that humans are absolutely detestable in the eyes of my people. I only follow her for her might, and nothing else. And if you ever so much as think otherwise, then I'll tear you to pieces myself!"
The dragon knight didn't even give the dark wizard a chance to respond as he stormed off, letting out a hateful growl as he left the temple entirely and quickly shifted into his dragon form, using his large wings to immediately take flight. Wizzro lingered for a moment as he watched Volga fly off, still chuckling coyly to himself as he shook his head knowingly. "Not if that hero tears you to pieces first, Volga," he said quietly, his tone sinister as he let out another cold laugh before disappearing in a burst of dark magic.
Cia was still frowning in aggravation even after Volga and Wizzro had left, wishing that she had more competent generals to lead her forces than the ones she had to deal with. When she had first recruited the two of them, her intention had been to let them be the forerunners of her army, commanding her forces directly while she manipulated the war from behind the scenes. And yet, how could she keep her tactical advantage up when her own commanders continued to blunder over and over again?
"It doesn't matter," the black witch said to herself with a bitter sigh as she began to ascend the elegant staircase that lead to the temple's top floor, where her private chambers were located. "The only thing that matters now is him…"
Cia smiled softly a bit as she passed by a relatively small painting of the hero, skimming it affectionately with her fingertips. She was satisfied in the intricate plans she had come up with, a plan that she had every intention of enacting as soon as she found the perfect opportunity. If everything went accordingly, then she would not only have the object of her affections, but she would have him come to her side willingly. When she was through, he would certainly abandon the princess once and for and be hers and hers alone, forever ruling Hyrule alongside her as they created an empire founded on the strength and beauty of their love.
With graceful steps, the black witch ascended the staircase to her room, a large, ornate, elegant chamber filled with the same manner of décor as the rest of the palace. The gold-accented violet walls were largely covered in images of the hero's various past lives, all of them making Cia's heart stir with love upon seeing them. There was only one large, lone window in the room, looking out towards the palace's rose garden, which was reflected in the elegant, gold-rimmed mirror resting against the wall on the other side of the room. Aside from a sizable mahogany wardrobe, the only other piece of furniture in the room was the king-sized, cushiony bed, laden with a thick, soft blanket and countless pillows. Cia grinned provocatively to herself as she imagined all of the blissful nights her and her hero would spend together in that very bed once they were finally united, when she'd never have to let him go.
The black witch knew that all she had to do now was patiently wait for him to come to her and then everything else would follow. A slim smile was still painting her crimson lips as she stepped up to the window, holding her hands behind her back as she looked out into the mystically clouded skies above and the lush nursery of roses below. From her high vantage point, she wasn't able to the statues of the hero lining the rows of flowers, only the various bursts of color the roses themselves put off amidst the green of the leaves and the brown of the thorns. Cia couldn't help but feel the slightest bit nostalgic as she looked at her beloved roses, a part of her mind recalling the days not too long ago when her and Lana were still one. They had been together, as the sole guardian of time, when they had cultivated their beautiful garden harmoniously and beautifully. The thoughts of both the black witch and the white sorceress had once been in perfect unison, indistinguishable from each other. And yet, for some reason Cia couldn't quite remember anymore, something had come between them, splitting them apart into two complete separate entities. It was as though her own memory had clouded that day from her, even though it had only been a few months ago now. The harmony that had once been so strong had suddenly been torn asunder, and in turn, they had been torn apart, quite possibly forever.
A sudden pang of regret ran through the black witch as she continued to stare at the roses, holding a hand over her heart tenderly with a thoughtful frown on her face. She didn't really know how to explain it, but without Lana, she felt somewhat… empty, which did make sense. After all, a piece of her was literally gone, missing forever, and she couldn't really understand why. What had really driven her and Lana to split apart? What had destroyed the harmony between them? And most importantly, why couldn't they be reunited?
Cia shook her head to clear it from such a nonsensical thought; of course, her and Lana couldn't come together again. Their goals were far too different. Though it was clear they both harbored affections for the hero, the white sorceress was devoted to protecting him from the black witch's lust. Not only were they different people now, they stood on two entirely different sides, warring with each other more than just internally now. Whatever final conflict was about to unfold, it would certainly end with one of them perishing, and Cia was determined to make sure it wasn't her. Even if the black witch and the white sorceress had once been one and the same, their union was long over now. The past was in the past, and there would be no going back to it. After all, Cia refused to let anything, even half of herself, hold her back now.
"The Gate of Souls has been closed in each era, correct?" the dark voice suddenly spoke to the black witch once more out of nowhere. Cia jumped a bit out of surprise at hearing it, but she was quick to respond.
"Y-yes," she said a bit hesitantly, turning away from the window. "But it was not my fault. Those bumbling fools I call my servants… They were the ones who allowed it to happen! They nearly cost us everything! But fret not; I have the situation completely under control. Such failure will not be tolerated again."
"It certainly will not," her patron said, its tone suddenly hostile instead of mysterious as it usually was. "I know what you are planning next, and clearly, you must be reminded that the hero is not your only goal. There is something far more important you should be devoting your attention to."
"Nothing is more important than him!" Cia proclaimed, a harsh glare crossing her features as her voice echoed throughout the chamber. "I already have the Triforce in my hands! Hyrule is quickly collapsing under the might of my armies! What else could there possibly be!?"
"Silence, you impudent child!" the voice shouted angrily, the fury lacing its tone frightening the black witch a bit. "Do you remember any of what I've told you?! Patience is key if you wish to win this war, as is listening to everything I say. Disobedience will cost you dearly if you are not careful."
"I am not your slave!" the black witch declared, completely taken aback by the forceful manner her patron was taking with her. Before, it had only ever given her advice and guidance; now, it was acting as if she was completely subjugated to its will, something she refused to stand for. "You have no say over what I do and you never did! If I wish to go after my hero, then I shall do so, with or without your approval!"
The voice was silent for a long moment as it seemed to take in what she had said. All the while, Cia held her gaze in a firm glare against the ground, her fists clenched tightly at her sides in frustration. However, before she could have even anticipated it, a sudden burst of agony rippled through her chest, its intensity forcing a shrill scream out of her as she collapsed against her bedframe for support. "You are wrong," the voice suddenly spoke once more, cold malic dripping in its tone as waves of agony continued to spiral throughout the black witch's body, her mind starting to grown inexplicably numb as she fully fell onto the tiled floor. "You are my slave, and I am your master! Now… I do believe I have need of you once again. I need you to go somewhere for me… And since you have proved yourself to be fairly loyal to me thus far, I trust that you will go, right?"
"N-no…" Cia muttered in great anguish, her heart racing as her vision began to grow dark. But even so, she was resolved to stand against her former patron, especially if it intended on keeping her away from her beloved hero. "I… I'm done following y-your orders! Now leave me alone!"
"Not quite yet," the voice said ominously as an all new flash of pain filled the black witch, one that was enough to render her into semi-consciousness. As she lay upon the floor, her body paralyzed and her mind growing ever dimmer, she could feel a great power stirring within her, one that could hardly keep itself contained as it all too soon began to take over, knowing she was too weak to do anything about it. "If only you had listened, child… Then maybe I would have let you have your hero and lived… What a pity…"
The last thing Cia heard before she slipped into complete unconsciousness was the voice's hateful, wicked, triumphant laughter, ringing in her ears as her mind unwillingly tossed into a darkened void. In its place, something else rose within the black witch instead, seizing control over her body as it callously pushed her mind aside for the moment. This malevolent presence let out a chilling laugh in the black witch's own voice as her eyes opened, revealing that their deep, reddish violet had been replaced with a shining copper. The force that had possessed Cia slowly lifted itself off of the floor, still getting used to existing in a physical form as it turned her towards the mirror. A wicked smirk appeared across the black witch's face as she looked upon herself in the mirror, even if a different set of eyes were the ones looking upon her reflection. Cia herself was still incognizant to the world around her as the evil force let out a powerful, triumphant laugh, satisfied that its plan had succeeded. However, it also knew that it had no time to lose.
Not even needing to call upon the black witch's scepter, the evil one called upon its own power as opposed to Cia's, a dark aura surrounding her as her laugh grew in volume steadily. And, as darkness enshrouded her form, she disappeared from the Temple of Souls entirely, her icy laughter still echoing inside of the lofty room long after she was gone.
When Cia regained control over her own body once more, she did so slowly and painfully as her form materialized in a burst of dark magic. The black witch let out a pained groan as she stumbled forward a bit, the world blurry through her returned violet eyes. Her entire body ached as though it had been beaten brutally, to the point that it took her several moments to compose herself enough to realize she was no longer in her bedroom in the Temple of Souls at all; instead, she was in a place that was completely unknown to her. It was a large, darkened stone hall, an old and relatively barren place filled with dust and debris. In confusion, Cia glanced around, gathering that this mysterious place might have served as the throne room for a fortress once upon a time, but had since fallen into decay and ruin. A large portion of the ceiling had caved in, allowing the bright light of the full moon to poor into the chamber, particles of dust sparkling in its silent glow. Whatever this place was, it was clear that it had served some important purpose at some point, as a strong aura of power seemed to fill every inch of the room, somehow growing with each passing moment.
Cia only had a moment to take all of this in however, for before she could even wonder how she had gotten here, a new rush of pain pounded in her chest, causing her to double over in agony, letting out a gasp of pain as she nearly collapsed once more. She shut her eyes tightly as she tried to will it away, refusing to let the darkness inside of her try to lay claim once more. However, that wasn't what it wanted anymore.
"The time has come…" the voice said, seeming to rumble from outside of the black witch instead of within her as it usually did. Cia's eyes widened as she looked around in fear, realizing that it sounded quite different than it usually did. Instead of a soft, undiscernible whisper or beckoning, it now took on a clear sound, one that could not be denied. It was the voice of a man, deep and powerful, yet haughty and clearly malicious. The black witch didn't recognize it whatsoever, and as she heard it echo throughout the stone chamber, she quickly regained her composure and looked around for its source, trying her best to hide her growing fear.
"Who…?" she asked, her voice much softer and more timid than she had wanted it to sound. Her heart was racing wildly as she felt the sinister presence seem to grow within it, to the point that she could scarcely contain it any longer. The lingering pain she was feeling suddenly climaxed within her chest, as though something as boiling just beneath her skin. With a soft cry of pain, Cia threw her hands over her heart, desperately trying to keep whatever it was held back, but it was far too late. The agony only grew fiercer, to the point that she could no longer take it anymore. She let out a piercing scream of immense pain as it finally burst from her body, unable to keep it from escaping.
Three glowing red orbs ripped out of Cia's chest violently, yet somehow, they left no wound or scar. All at once, the terrible pain was lifted from the black witch, leaving only a gaping sensation of emptiness and a heavy wash of weakness instead as she tried to catch her breath. She didn't even watch as the three orbs circled above her head, steadily rising higher into the air as they glowed even brighter and steadily spun faster. She didn't even know that they had left her body until she heard the man's voice speak once more.
"I now have three fragments of my spirit…" he said, the twisted excitement in his tone easy to hear. With a gasp of surprise and terror, Cia looked above her to see the three orbs spiral at an incredible speed, gravitating away from her and to the platform right before her instead. "My power may not be whole…" the voice said, his malevolent laughter growing as the orbs shined ever brighter and as the black witch watched in both fascination and fear. "But my body is returned!"
As soon as the voice uttered these words, the trio of orbs drew even closer together as they emitted a bright red light, one that flashed out across the entire chamber, blinding the black witch completely. And, when she was able to see again a moment later and once the dust had settled, Cia was unable to conceal her gasp of shock upon seeing the being who had manifested before her.
"You!" the black witch exclaimed, taking a step back as she summoned her scepter to her, knowing that the man who stood before her was one of the most dangerous beings who had ever lived. Though she had not recognized his voice, or even the influence he had once had upon her, Cia immediately recognized his appearance. He was certainly intimidating in his physical form: of a strong, very muscular build and tall, towering over the black witch by several feet. His skin was of a dark greenish pigment and his long, thick fiery red hair hung down his back a ways, a sharp, multi-pointed golden crown set within it, which connected to a red gemstone on his forehead. His bright ginger hair connected to his short beard and thick eyebrows, both of which highlighted his cold, cocky grin and his bright, greedy copper eyes that seemed to glow in the darkness. He was clad in sturdy, dark blue armor with red and gold accents and heavy clawed gauntlets, and from his belt hung a short crimson cape, bearing the mark of the largely-extinct Gerudo tribe upon it, signifying his heritage. Overall, the man held an aura that exuded both great power and respect, as well as untold treachery and cruelty.
Cia shook her head as she gripped onto her staff tightly, wavering a bit under the man's calculating, soul-searching gaze as he stared at her with intrigue. "I know you!" the black witch declared as fiercely as she could, remembering watching as this very man before her laid waste to Hyrule countless times in the past. "You're… you're…"
"Ganondorf," he finished for her, his malevolent grin widening as he noticed her obvious fear of him. "King of the Gerudo."
The black witch was unable to rip her gaze away from the self-proclaimed Gerudo king, having no idea what to do in his powerful presence. "It… it was you… this whole time…" she said in absolute disgust, glaring up at him as she realized that this wicked man had been her supposed patron all along. "You… You used me! I listened to everything you said, and you led me on, but clearly you were lying to me all this time! You didn't want to help me! You only wanted me to bring you back into the world! I can't believe it! I-"
"You served your purpose perfectly, Cia," Ganondorf said cruelly, amused by her realization of his betrayal, something he had planned from the very starting. "I have had many puppets in the past, but by far, you have been my favorite one yet."
"W-what?!" Cia exclaimed, completely aghast as she gripped her scepter even tighter. "I… I can't just…" She shut her eyes tightly, hatred and rage coursing through her. She couldn't believe that she had allowed herself to be fooled by him so easily. She had let him lie to her and persuade her to follow his bidding under the guise that she would be with the one she loved, but it was clear to the black witch now that the Gerudo king never had any intention of keeping up his end of their bargain. She knew all too well the kind of games he liked to play, and she refused to be a player in this one any longer. "You're wrong. I am NO ONE'Spuppet, especially not yours! I know who you are and what you do. You manipulate and then you destroy, seeking to quench your insatiable lust for blood. Your hands have soiled this land countless times, but what I cannot forgive is the blood of the heroes that you have so callously spilt. They courageously strike you down time and time again, and yet you still have the nerve to return each time. But this time, I can promise you that there will be no return for you, even if I have to cast you down myself!"
Ganondorf smirked mockingly at this, keeping his stoic composure up much better than Cia was. "Such noble ambitions," he mused haughtily. "You're right, of course. I've faced many a hero in my time, each weaker than the last. Nothing but a bunch of overzealous little boys deluded into thinking they hold courage when it is nothing more than brash foolishness. I'm sure whoever the hero of this age is will be no different."
"How dare you speak of any of them like that!" the black witch hissed hotly, refusing to let anyone speak ill of the heroes she loved so much. "Not once have you ever managed to successfully cast one of the down, and do you know why? Because they have hearts of iron and spirits of steel! Their courage and determination are unshakable, and unlike you, their true might is always natural and never stolen! Believe what you want, but no matter what era and what battle you face him in, the hero is always stronger than you!"
"So you say," the Gerudo king said, still unphased by her boldness. "But what a shame it will be when your precious hero finally meets his end by my blades."
"No!" Cia exclaimed, taking a large step forward as the tip of her scepter glowed with increasing darkness. "You will NOT touch him! I will do whatever I have to in order to protect him from you. You will not win! I'll make sure of that!"
Ganondorf let out a cold chuckle at this, clearly not taking the black witch's resolve seriously. "How amusing… You know, Cia, your… blind lust for that hero served me well. Without your childish fantasies of being with him, I might have never found a way to return. And for that, you have my thanks."
The black witch's glare deepened upon hearing the mocking sarcasm in his tone, hating the air of superiority he was taking with her. And yet, as much as she was disgusted with Ganondorf, she was also ashamed of herself for allowing him to return. If she had known that he had been the one calling out to her heart all this time, then she never would have listened to a single word he had said. After all, by expediting his revival, she had certainly put the life of her hero in great danger. Even though she had wanted to save him from the cruel destiny he was always a part of, she had inadvertently thrust him into this violent battle yet again by her own foolishness. And the worst part of it was that she wasn't entirely sure she could even stop it on her own.
"Whatever the case," the Gerudo king continued, his malicious grin turning serious. "Our… alliance is over. Your usefulness to me reached its end the moment you decided to rebel against me. And so, I will break the barrier sealing away the final piece of my spirit myself, without your aid."
"What?!" Cia exclaimed, her eyes widening as she realized that, without the last piece of his evil spirit, Ganondorf was weak. Certainly, if she acted quickly enough, then she could put a stop to this before it even began.
The Gerudo king ignored her as he held his hand up, a fiery aura surrounding it as he spoke. "This body lacks its full potential…" he began, the magic around his hand quickly intensifying as he gave an ominous grin to Cia.
Before the black witch could even see it coming, Ganondorf flung the burst of magic at her in a flash of light. The spell hit her roughly, sending her staff flying out of her hand as she was sent flying back into the large wooden doors of the room. Cia let out a cry of pain as she was knocked brutally against the door, but before she could even collapse to the ground, something restrained her. She let out a gasp of surprise as she realized that she was bound to the door by thick, glowing chains forged of strong magic, to which her own power was absolutely resilient to.
"But that will change…" Ganondorf went on as he finally began to slowly walk down the platform, more burning magic surrounding both of his hands as he held them up. As Cia struggled against the bonds tightly holding her back, she gasped as she felt a great shift in her energy. A golden glow suddenly surrounded her clenched fist, and before the black witch could even do anything, her hand suddenly opened up to reveal three small triangles hovering above it.
"N-no…" Cia muttered in pain as her hand trembled, desperately trying to catch the Triforce before Ganondorf could get his greedy hands on it. After all, she knew all too well that if the Gerudo king were to obtain the golden relic in full, then all would certainly be lost.
"I shall know true power…" Ganondorf said, his wicked grin growing as he continued to approach Cia, completely prepared to the steal the power she had claimed and then dispose of her. "Once I wrest the Triforce from you and conquer all!"
The black witch was nearly in tears of fear as she watched the disjointed pieces of the Triforce begin to float away from her, glowing brightly in reaction to the Gerudo king's great magic. "No!" Cia shouted louder this time, pulling hard against the chains holding her back. "I won't allow this! The Triforce…" she began, closing her eyes tightly as she summoned every ounce of magic she could find, her resolve burning bright as a dark aura surrounded her. "Shall be MINE!"
With an explosion of power, Cia broke the chains upon her, clenching her fist around the Triforce tightly so the Gerudo king could not claim it. For the first time, Ganondorf's confident expression changed to one of surprise, as he certainly had not expected the black witch to actually resist him now. Cia was fueled by adrenaline, her magic, and her determination to protect the hero as she flew forward towards the Gerudo king, her scepter reappearing in her hand as she aimed it towards him, more than ready to destroy him once and for all. However, what the black witch underestimated about her foe was the power he already had. With a mere wave of his hand, Ganondorf repelled Cia without even having to use much magic, sending her flying backwards. The black witch landed in the dark corner of the room roughly, her scepter clattering out of her reach once more. However, instead of letting out a cry of pain, Cia immediately raised her head and glared burningly at the Gerudo king, a new idea overwhelming her thoughts as her heart raced with panic and fury.
The black witch said nothing as Ganondorf began to head towards her once more, intent on claiming the Triforce without resistance this time. However, before he could, Cia did something that he never could have expected. Still scowling bitterly at the Gerudo king, the black witch held her hand out, allowing the Triforce to hover above her palm once more. And, with a powerful shout, Cia threw her hand out, allowing two pieces of the golden relic to fly away from it, shooting upwards to the open ceiling of the chamber at a frightening speed. Ganondorf's eyes widened as he watched the two pieces of the Triforce fly away, leaving the area entirely and all too quickly disappearing out of sight.
However, what shocked the Gerudo king even more was the glowing circle of violet light that had suddenly started to surround him. "What!?" Ganondorf exclaimed in rising fury, quickly spinning around to face Cia once more as the black witch picked herself up off the ground, a look of vengeance and muted satisfaction upon her face. "NO! What did you do!?"
The black witch's violet eyes burned with hatred as she watched her spell take effect, her magic spiraling around the Gerudo king, freezing him in place. "I've put an end to your ambitions," she said firmly, proud of what she had done. "Courage and Wisdom have been returned to their original owners. They are out of your reach."
"You fool!" Ganondorf shouted in absolute rage, watching with shock as the swirls of darkness around him quickly turned into darkened chains. "Do you have any idea what you've done?!"
"I've evened the playing field," Cia said, holding her hand out as she allowed the only remaining piece of the Triforce left in her possession, Power, to float above it. "So long as I draw breath, I will never let you hurt him ever again!"
"How dare you!" the Gerudo king screamed, unable to do anything as the black witch's sealing spell took hold of him. "You treacherous wench! I swear by the power of the Triforce that I will destroy you and your precious hero! This kingdom will belong to ME!"
"This kingdom will never be yours," Cia said coldly, knowing that even if she couldn't destroy Ganondorf at the moment, she could at the very least lock him away to prevent him from wreaking any more havoc. "And neither will the Triforce!"
Ganondorf let out a shout of absolute rage, unable to even think of anything else to say in his blind fury. Though he tried to struggle against the black witch's magic, he could do nothing as he sink into the seal the Triforce of Power had made. His infuriated screams died out as the Gerudo king disappeared, finally sealed away as the black witch was left alone.
Cia let out a deep breath as the marks of the seal faded away without trace, as though Ganondorf had never appeared at all. She was still a bit shaken from this encounter, but she couldn't help but take pride in her momentary victory, even if she knew it wasn't a permanent fix. She also knew that what she had just done had come at a great risk to her, and had even set her plans back quite a bit, but it had been necessary. In the moment of truth, she had panicked, and in her fear for what the Gerudo king might do, she had sent the pieces of Wisdom and Courage back to the princess and the hero respectively, leaving her with only Power now. All of her work in claiming them in the first place had been undone, and yet, Cia knew she still had the advantage. Ganondorf was gone for the moment, and if and when he returned, she would be ready for him. The hero once again would have the Triforce of Courage, and with it, he could stand much more of a chance against the wickedness of the Gerudo king. And even more than that, the black witch was resolved to stand at his side and oppose Ganondorf with him, for certainly in rising against him, her and her hero would be united, even if they were not united in anything else. She could not allow that evil man to win, lest the only thing left she truly cared about be lost forever.
"I WILL reclaim the Triforce," Cia said with resolve, speaking more to herself now that Ganondorf was gone. And certainly, the black witch had every intention of doing so. She would slay the princess and retake the Triforce of Wisdom, and then, once the hero was in her arms, he would be more than happy to give the Triforce of Courage over to her. And with its great power, she would destroy Ganondorf and conquer Hyrule once and for all. "It shall be mine and mine alone!"
Cia grinned darkly as she clenched her fist, concealing the Triforce of Power once more as she turned away from the place Ganondorf had been, her mission clearer than ever. Even despite this setback, her end goal was in sight. Very soon, she would have the prize she had been after all this time. And then, everything would at last be perfect. "As will the hero…"
Ok! So we at last meet Ganondorf! I honestly have to say that writing the interactions between Ganondorf and Cia was so much fun and there certainly will be more of them! Next time around, we'll of course get more bonding between our various heroes, as well as the start of their first mission together to obtain the Master Sword! Now, I actually have quite a lot to say before I go, so listen up! Firstly, I want to announce that I'm going to start replying to your reviews again, since i have more free time these days, so feel free to ask anything in your reviews!
Next up, is of course the fact that today was Nintendo's E3 direct which, I have to admit, was very disappointing. Of course, there was no news on Zelda Wii U (what a bummer), but I wasn't really all that excited about that new 3DS game, Triforce Heroes, either. Now the one thing I'm REALLY excited for is actually quite relevant: Hyrule Warriors 3D! :D I'm SO psyched for this, and I'm REALLY excited for the fact that Tetra and the King of Red Lions are getting included as I had wanted both of them from the start! Which leads me to...
The chapter question! Ok, so I've already told a few of you guys that I plan on including some of the DLC characters, like Twili Midna and Young Link (but not Tingle cause hahah no). BUT how would you guys feel if I happened to bring Tetra and KoRL into this story? I won't do it unless you guys are all for it, so please let me know how you feel about that, as well as your E3 thoughts, in the REVIEWS! Until next time!