A/N: I own nothing except a copy of this great game. Second note: A single singer is demarked in italics "like this", while a crowd singing is demarked "like this."
They sat there on the rock, milling about for what had seemed like an eternity now. The Ravagers had taken to mediating between the Hyrulians and the Gorons, making sure that the last traces of whatever dark magic had been infecting these kind people was gone for good. One of the Hyrulian captains took it upon himself to stand guard with a group of his men as Ravager shamans* gently examined the people of the mountain. Judging by the cheery (and incredibly apologetic) nature of the Gorons, it was fair to say that they were all returning to their former selves. That left the uneviable task of waiting until the Goron King Darunia awoke from his induced slumber. Judging by the sheer depth and volume of his snoring, it was unlikely that he would wake any time soon.
Impa sat against a nearby rock; her back throbbing as the adrenaline left her and the pain what she'd suffered started to leak into her system. Itami was kneeling in front of her, wrapping up the various cuts she'd acquired during her fight.
"He's out cold, isn't he?" Impa said. She cocked her head to the side to look past her caregiver and towards the snoring mass that was Darunia. "Really, really out cold." She seemed to be admiring her handiwork.
"I am not surprised, considering that he was literally choked into unconsciousness." Itami said. He had set some small bowls on the ground by their feet, and was periodically dipping his cloth into the mixtures in each bowl and dabbing it against Impa's cuts. "But for now, I think it would be better for you to focus on yourself. I've seen corpses that looked better after a fight than you are right now, Impa."
"Oh, come now." Impa said. "These are just scratches."
"Scratches that won't stop bleeding." Itami retorted with a hint of frustration, as he kept dabbing at a gash above Impa's eye that wouldn't coagulate. He frowned slightly in annoyance, and then reached for another bowl he'd set on the ground and began to sprinkle in a different batch of potpourri to form a new mixture. "By the Sage, you're going to exhaust my entire supply of medicine before the day is out."
"Perhaps someone else should step in?" Impa asked, perhaps a little too cheekily. Itami looked up from his bowl momentarily, and gave Impa a rather pointed glance.
"There is no one in the company that is better at this than me." He said. "Someone else will miss something, and then it will fester…and several months from now you'll awaken to find yourself suffering from gangrene or another nasty little problem." He returned to mixing. Impa smirked.
"Not exactly the bedside manner I'd expect from a doctor, Itami." She couldn't resist teasing him. Itami "hmmphed" sardonically.
"I'm not a doctor, Impa, I'm a war medic. There's a difference." He said. "And you are neither dead nor dying, removing the need for 'bedside manner.' And you're being a smartass. So you'll forgive me if I come off as slightly brisk." He tapped his stirrer on the side of the bowl, having finished preparing the mixture. "Besides, Ishaka would have my hide if anything happened to you while we were out here in…wherever the hell it is that we are." This perked up Impa's interest.
"Really? That scruffy old bear cares about me that much?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. Itami chuckled, and began dabbing Impa's cut with the new mixture. She winced as it stung in the wound. Part of her wondered if Itami had prepared such a sharp concoction on purpose.
"I think he's more concerned about his money than he is about you." Itami said with a wink. "And before you ask: no, there is no way for me to prepare that without it stinging, and yes it is the best way to stop a cut from continuously bleeding." He reached into one of his side pockets and pulled out another cloth, and began to wrap it around Impa's forehead. "This should keep it from bleeding again. Don't take it off for a couple of hours…and try not to get hit in the head for a while, ok?" Impa smirked, and Itami smiled. "Now, if you'll excuse me, commander, I think I should see to the rest of the army." He bowed slightly in respect, and walked away.
Impa sat there for a moment, watching the sun set in the distance and her army begin to mingle with the Goron forces. Sheik walked up alongside her.
"Are you alright, Impa?" He asked. Impa sighed, and stretched her head backwards, feeling her neck crack.
"I've felt worse. I mean, I haven't felt anywhere near this bad since I tussled with a King Dodongo, but that was worse than this." She said. She turned towards Sheik. "You don't think I crippled him, do you? He's been out a while."
"I doubt it." Sheik said. "I think he stopped being unconscious a while ago and is just sleeping. Possessions like the one that Poe put on him sort of puts you in a waking trance for a very long time. Depending on how long the Poe was in control here, Darunia could have been awake for days straight." Impa winced.
"That is cruel."
"Poes aren't known for their kindness." Sheik said. "And I would bet my life that this one in particular was summoned by that Wizzro that Cia controls." He looks contemplative in the distance. "I wonder if we'll run into the dragon warrior out here? What was his name, again?"
"Volga." Impa said through gritted teeth. She was slowly staggering to her feet now, and stared bitterly into the distance as well, towards the portal from which they'd come. "He and I have unfinished business. It ends with my hands around his throat."
"Lose a fight?" Sheik asked. Impa snarled, and spit on the ground.
"No, it was a draw. And I would have won, if Ishaka hadn't been an idiot and tried to play hero!" She said. Sheik chuckled despite himself.
"Perhaps our Ravager friend knew that it pays to have a backup plan?" He offered. When he saw Impa's annoyed glance only strengthen, he chuckled and held up his hands. "I'm just saying. At least you're both alive."
"Indeed." Impa muttered. She glanced over at Darunia, and saw that he was stirring. "Finally. I was getting worried."
.
He sat up bolt-right, startling the Goron messanger that knelt by his side.
"No, not the rum!" Darunia shouted, his face a mask of panic. He blinked once, his face now changing to a look of confusion. "Wait…why am I out here on the mountainside?" He suddenly let out a moan of pain, and smacked his hand against his cheek. "And why do I feel like I got in a fight with a pack of rabid Dodongos and lost? What in the name of-am…am I bleeding? What in the name of the Goddesses is going on?" He turned around and caught sight of Impa. He let out a relieved cry. "Sister Impa! You can help me!" Impa's eyes widened in confused shock.
"Wait-I don't think tha-HURK!"
At that moment, Darunia had wrapped her up in a massive bear hug, the Sheikah warrior's feet dangling slightly off of the ground. Her eyes were bulging out of their sockets, and it was enough to cause Sheik and Itami (as well as some of the braver soldiers in the rank and file) to start laughing. Almost in mid-hug, Darunia realized something.
"Wait a second…" He muttered. He dropped Impa unceremoniously on her feet. He stared at her contemplatively. "You're not Sister Impa!...Wait, you are…but you're not quite her. Am I making any sense? I think I am, but I can't be certain-Goddesses, I could use a drink."
At that moment, a few enterprising Gorons started racing up the mountains towards their leader's private stock.
"Um, Great King Darunia…" Impa began. Darunia shushed her with a wave of his arm.
"You needn't use such formal tongue when speaking with me, semi-Impa." He said. "I sense the greatness of an honorable warrior within you, and thus that is worthy of you holding the title of Big Sister for the Gorons. On one condition…" He suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her back and forth with a panicked look of confusion on his face. "What in blazes is going onnnnn?"
"I-I w-wi-will e-ex-plain n-now st-sto-stop sh-sha-shake-shaking me-e-e-e." Impa managed to get out in the midst of Darunia's flailing. Darunia let go, and Impa fell to the ground on her backside. Darunia looked at her, and folded his arms across his chest.
"Thank you kindly, Sister! Perhaps in the midst of this you can explain to me who it was that caused my handsome face to be covered in cuts and bruises, eh?" He chuckled. Impa sheepishly turned towards Sheik, and knew that that masked bastard was smirking under his mask.
.
"Blow me away! A different dimension? An evil sorceress? You beat me in a fistfight?" They were in the throne room of the mountain king, and Darunia was seated upon his throne, slouching to the side as he listened to Impa's tale. "If the fate of the world didn't seem to actually rest in the balance, I would find this a most wonderful tale!" He slammed his fist on the armrest of his throne, causing everyone to jump at the sound. "Well, I am not one to stand by the sidelines as the world, or worlds, is decided without my opinion. Sister Impa, you need only say the word, and my Goron armies are at your side. And myself too!" He smiled, and lackadaisically twirled his Megaton Hammer. Impa and the rest watched this nonchalant feat of strength with rapt wonder; they had never seen anything so strong before. It was unlike anything they'd ever seen. "After all, I think that I owe this Sorceress Cia a cracked open skull or so for trying to crack open mine! What do you think of that?" He chuckled, and took a large and noisy swig from a tankard of the strongest-smelling ale Impa had ever smelt that had been set beside his throne. Impa smiled, and bowed reverently.
"I appreciate your offer, Big Brother." She said. "Right now, though, the most important thing for us to do is close this dimension's Gate of Souls. From there, we would gladly take your help in order to stop Cia." At the mention of such a gate, Darunia perked up.
"A Gate…of Souls, you say?" He pondered this for a moment. "I cannot say that I have heard of a Gate of Souls, per say, but…before I lost memory of what happened to me due to that blasted Poe…I can faintly recall the princess of the Zora coming to me to discuss a most unnatural port-oh no." He suddenly looked rather pale.
"What is wrong? What is the matter, Big Brother?" Impa asked. Darunia put his hand on his stomach, and made a face like something he ate was disagreeing with him.
"I…I think that I put her in the dungeons…" He said weakly. "Erm, uh…oh dear." He glanced around the room at the rest of the people in it, and let out a gulp. "I, uh, suppose that means I've gotta let her out then, right?" He said. Itami let out a snort.
"How bad could this princess be?" He asked. Darunia stared at him with fearful eyes.
.
Darunia had resigned himself to his fate, and began to walk down from the pristine area of the throne room and down the mountain towards the dungeon keep. Impa and Sheik agreed to follow, with Itami tagging along at Darunia's insistence (especially after finding out that Itami was the best war medic that Impa had). They made their way through a labyrinthine maze of corridors and passages deep within the mountain, and Impa got the feeling that some of the rock used to build these musty and old dungeons had never had light of any kind shined upon them. They stopped in front of a rather large and onerous looking door. Trembling slightly, Darunia fiddled with the key to the cell door and then cautiously cranked the door open.
There she was, sitting on a small wooden chair. Her arms were tied behind her back and placed around the back of the chair, rendering her defenseless. Her feet were tied together, so even if she were to escape she might be able to hop a few feet before falling on her face. And most importantly, there was a gag in her mouth. She was breathing heavily, and was positively glaring at them as they walked in the room. Trembling slightly, Darunia walked up to Princess Ruto I of the Zora Empire, and with haste removed the gag from her mouth.
They were half a mile into the depths of the earth, and her enraged scream could still be heard outside the foothills of Death Mountain.
"DARUNIA YOU GREAT BIG DIMWIT IF THIS IS A PRACTICAL JOKE IT SURE ISN'T FUNNY!" Ruto was shaking back and forth in the chair, gnashing her teeth and howling like a banshee. It would have been hilarious if the others in the room didn't think she was about to bite out their throats in her rage. "I AM A PRINCESS, AND YOU'VE GOT ME TIED UP LIKE A LOWLIFE COMMONER IN YOUR BASEMENT? BY THE GODDESSES, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CLEANED THIS DUMP? I THINK I SAW A RAT A FEW MOMENTS AGO!"
"Little Sister, I can explain!" Darunia said, cowering behind Impa. "It's, uh, it's all a big misunderstanding!"
"IT HAD BETTER BE!" Ruto shrieked. How one was able to scream at an octave that high was a mystery to Sheik and Itami, who were both covering their ears and cowering. (Sheik was, anyway. Itami thought he was going to die, he was laughing so hard) "I HAVE ENOUGH PROBLEMS WITHOUT HAVING TO DEAL WITH-" She stopped mid-rant when she saw who he was hiding behind. "Impa?"
Oh Goddesses, here we go.
"Has your ruler LOST HER MIND?" Ruto shouted. "She's gone and driven my people out of our kingdom, and is currently using it like some sort of SUMMER HOME!" She harrumphed. "If anyone gets to build summer homes, I should at least be consulted on the appropriate décor." She then did a double take, and looked at Impa again. "Wait a second, Impa…you look different. Did you change your hair? Because I love it! It looks good on you, sugar!"
Impa felt embarrassed, as all eyes were now looking at her hair and she sensed that she was going to have to tell another story. Darunia, having regained his confidence, stepped forward.
"Now, now, don't be too shocked, little sister, but this is a bit of a doozy. See, they're…well, maybe we'd better walk and talk."
.
Later that night, as the Ravagers and Hyrulians made camp in the foothills of Death Mountain, Impa sat atop a craggy piece of rock that gave her a nice view of the Hyrulian Plains that seemed to stretch across the horizon. If she squinted, she could see what appeared to be a walled community and a castle, and felt a strange pang of homesickness. That was home, all right, but it wasn't home. There was a difference, and her heart knew that.
"Are you alright?" Impa turned to see that Shiek had climbed up the rockside to sit next to her. He held his harp in the crook of his elbow, and soon began to absently tune it. Impa sighed.
"I'll be alright. I'm glad that Darunia decided to explain things to Princess Ruto. While I might not have…been as dramatic as he was, I suppose it got the point across. They know we're not really the people that they know and care about. We're…we're like a reflection in a disturbed pool of water. It looks like you, but it isn't perfect."
"Very philosophical, Impa." Sheik said. He finished tuning, and then absently started strumming his harp. Impa listened to the music for a moment, and then a look came across her face.
"I know this tune." She said. Sheik skipped a bit in his playing, but continued.
"It is a common tune." He said. He continued playing, but now what it was that he was playing was different. Impa turned to look at him, and frowned.
"Don't lie. You've just changed what you were playing. That little song that you were playing earlier. I know it."
"Are you sure?" Sheik asked. "I mean, perhaps you've confused it with something els-"
Before he could finish, Impa had lunged forward with ninja-like quickness, and yanked the facewrap off of Sheik's face.
There was a pause that lasted an eternity.
"I know that song because I taught it to you, Zelda."
The princess looked away, unable to meet her closest friend in the eye.
"No no no no. You don't get to look away from me now. Not when your secret is out." Impa said. "Zelda, look at me. Zelda. Zelda."
Zelda turned back to face her, looking positively pathetic.
"Why the secrecy?" Impa asked, after a long pause.
"I thought I was protecting you. She wants me dead, Impa. Not just captured, not just a slave. Dead. And I know she'd do horrible things to you and the others in order to draw me out of hiding into a trap." Zelda said. "I disappeared, and placed my trust in you to rally Hyrule in my stead. I wanted so desperately to reveal myself at the battle in the Valley of the Seers, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it."
"Why?" Impa asked. Zelda shrugged. The red eyes of Sheik had slowly faded away, and now in their place were her natural shining blue.
"I do not know. I thought that my disappearance would lead Cia to believe that I was dead, and with me dead she would become overconfident, and thus prone to mistakes? I do not know, it was a terrible plan!" She buried her head in her knees, shaking slightly. Impa heard a soft sobbing noise. "I don't know if I can do this, Impa. I thought I was coming up with a clever and ingenious plan, the kind that good rulers are capable of making and executing, and now I feel as though I've doomed countless to wasted deaths. Would…would things be different if I'd just been myself?"
"Zelda…" Impa said softly. She placed her arm around her ruler's shoulder. "What brought this on? The Zelda I've known has never run from battles. She's never been afraid to be who she was destined to be. What happened?" There was a pause. "Was it the loss of the Triforce of Wisdom?"
"I felt like a child!" Zelda said. There was true anguish in her voice. "For generations the Royal Family has protected that as our birthright, and Cia snatched it away from me as though I were a stupid kid. Like I wasn't even there. What kind of Queen could I possibly be, if as a princess I lose the one thing that has been the most important heirloom in my family's history?"
"The mightiest are the ones that see when they have failed." Impa said. "But they are the ones that do not let themselves sink into grief and misery because of that." Impa sighed. "I cannot pretend that I know all of the answers. All I know is that things are difficult, Zelda, but we will get through them. You just have to believe, I suppose. It sounds silly, but sometimes that might be all it takes."
"I must be rubbing off on you." Zelda said with a smile.
"That's because you're my friend." Impa said. "Friends tend to do that."
There was a silence. Then Zelda spoke.
"What should I do now? Do I continue the ruse, or do I reveal myself to the others and explain everything?"
"It is entirely your call." Impa said. "One of the first ways you can fight back against this crippling sense of self-doubt is by not letting her even influence your decision-making. That's the first step to remembering how strong you are, Your Highness." Impa stood up. "I'm going to bed. The attack against the forces of darkness, led by your doppelganger, begins at dawn. I will need all the rest I can get. I recommend that you do the same. Good night, Zelda." She smiled softly, and then walked away for the night.
.
The following morning, long before the sun started to rise over the horizon, Impa found herself awake and in Darunia's throne room. The Goron king was pacing back and forth, as a map of all of Hyrule was laid out on the table before him. Some of the higher ranking Hyrulian soldiers and Ravagers were there as well, and Impa was surprised to see that Ruto was awake as well. Well, awake was pushing it, perhaps. The Zora leader was struggling to keep her eyes open…and periodically leaning against the shoulder of a Hyrulian soldier, that Impa had to confess was rather good-looking, to fall asleep. Consideirng the young man's rather embarrassed expression, Impa believed that she was starting to do it on purpose at this point.
"So the scouts' report was rather precise?" Darunia asked Itami, who was leaning against the table that held the map. Itami nodded once.
"Yes. The source of the monsters is the depths of Lake Hylia. From where the Zoras originate when they emerge from the water." He said. He glanced over at Ruto, who was still half asleep. "We found that the Zoras are currently taking refuge to the south of Lake Hylia, though they are rather frustrated with the lack of success they've had in retaking their homeland…and in Darunia's fit of madness."
The Goron king looked sheepish, and offered an apologetic shrug and grin.
"Erm…Sorry about that." He said after a moment of waffling. "I don't suppose you were able to explain things to them?"
"I did my best." Itami said. "They are aware that something had overcome you, so that your actions were not your own. Nonetheless, the actions of your body, even if they were not condoned by the actions of your spirit, have resulted in an entire people being displaced from their home. I imagine that you will have to mediate the peace when things settle."
"Of course!" Darunia said, pounding the table almost with enough force to shatter it. "No measly sorceress or her bamboozling Poe can ever override my sense of brotherhood with the kingdom under the water! Whatever the cost, I will make amends with my friends."
"*Yawn*…Save the speech, Darunia…" Ruto said. She was nuzzling against the poor Hyrulian's shoulder now like it was a pillow. "All I gotta….gotta say is that…*Yaawwwwnnn* you're good and…you'll be good….*snore*…."
Quite royal, that one was.
"That is what I told them you would say." Itami said, a small smile emerging on his lips. "The people believed it…but they will still appreciate seeing it in action." He gestured to the map. "The main source is seemingly from the center of the Lake, which makes no sense because creatures need air to breathe. But these creatures…they do not live. They are reanimated corpses and piles of bones, hastily forged into an army."
"Stalchildren?" Darunia harrumphed. "I go through those munchkins like paper! I could eat a hundred of them and still have room for dessert…Not that I eat Stalchildren, mind you."
"Of course." Impa said with a smile. She turned to Itami and nodded. "Thank you for the report, Itami." She turned to the rest of the war council that had been assembled. "Based on what your legends have told us, the Gate of Souls must be at the bottom of the Lake, deep within the Water Temple. It is possible for us to reach it but…we will need to force the enemy's hand." She sighed. "Our enemy masquerades as Princess Zelda of the Hyrulian People. If there is a way for us to take advantage of that fact, we will exploit it."
"Masquerades?" Ruto said, suddenly snapping awake. "Let me tell you something, Impa. That didn't look like a puppet Zelda. That was the real deal. That was her. And if it wasn't, I'll kiss the closest man I can find!"
There was a pause, as they heard footsteps. The entire company turned around to see Sheik walking down the steps from the upper chambers. But though this person was dressed in Sheik's garb, it was most definitely not him. For one thing, "he" was in fact a "she." And though she may not have been 'their' princess, everyone saw that the woman before them was a real and most certainly true Princess Zelda. She gave a sort of sheepish smile to Impa, an implicit message sent between the two of them. The rest of the people in the room bowed their heads in reverence.
Ruto glanced at Zelda, and then looked at the Hyrulian she'd been leaning against.
"Eh. You're good."
.
Ignoring the fact that one of their allies was at the moment rather passionately living up to her word on a rather confused (but most definitely not upset) soldier, the rest of the people in the room welcomed Zelda to the war table. Darunia coughed.
"I imagine that there is a reasonable explanation to this, your highness?" He asked with a warm smile. Zelda was about to speak, when Itami cut her off.
"It means that my commander owes Impa twenty five rupees."
Impa's eyes widened in panic, and she'd been motioning for Itami to shut up before he finished his sentence. Zelda's rather regal expression devolved into childish annoyance in record time.
"Whuh-jgb-hr-guh-you bet on this?" She asked. Impa tried not to make eye contact.
"Well, not on you revealing your identity…but…" Impa's voice gradually lessened in volume and higher in pitch. "…rather, who would…find you…first?" That last word was practically a squeak. This admission did not help matters.
"You-you…what am I, a scavenger hunt?" Zelda managed to get out after a few moments of incomprehensible and unprintable angrish. She facepalmed, and let out a long and loud sigh.
"Are you alright, your highness?" Darunia asked. Zelda nodded.
"Yes, Big Brother Darunia. Surrounded by children, maybe." She glanced rather pointedly at Impa, who was doing a terrible job of concealing her smile. "But I am okay. Unfortunately, I do not think that I am your princess Zelda. If that makes sense."
"Considering the insanity that's been going on today, I'll believe everything I see and hear!" Darunia said with a laugh. "I did think that it was rather odd that you had left your yearly holiday in…where was it…Holodrum? Something like that. Anyway, you needn't explain yourself about this whole thing. You and I are on the same side: killing bad guys!" He chuckled, and swung his hammer up on his shoulder. "I defer to you, your highness. Someone seems to be dressing up as you. Might be time to show the world your face, hmm?"
Zelda nodded. She reached forward, and in a small flash of light, her trusty rapier emerged from the trans-dimensional pocket she'd hidden it. She casually twirled it around once or twice as if to reclaim the feel of it, and then expertly sheathed it by her hip. That was all the answer she needed to give.
.
They made camp in the foothills of Death Mountain on the edge of Lake Hylia as the sun was beginning to rise. The orange and red shades that the sun colored the fields and rock in reminded Impa of the old days, back when her tribe was more numerous and lived in the southern deserts. She was content to watch the world awaken as the armies around her mustered themselves for the inevitable assault.
Zelda was standing next to her, still clad in Sheikah armor. She had borrowed some additional leather and metal attachments from the Goron armory, in order to protect herself a little bit better. Impa could tell that she was uncomfortable wearing even that much armor (and it really wasn't that much), but Darunia had insisted on her being properly protected. Zelda turned towards Impa and smiled a little bit.
"Will you follow me, even after I played an unfair trick on you?" She asked. Impa smiled, and drew her Biggoron Knife.
"Of course, Zelda. It's just…I should have always known that it was you. The things that you said…the things that you did while you were with us…it should have been a dead giveaway." She smiled. "Especially you talking Lord Grantham off of the ledge over losing you. Goddesses, the look on his face when he finds out who you were!"
"Oh dear, that will be something." Zelda said, starting to chuckle. "What will he think?"
"I'm not sure, but I imagine he'll find that comment about him doing well in the position he is in rather patronizing when he learns that it was you that said it." Impa added with a wink.
"Did I come off as too overbearing there?" Zelda asked.
"No, it was good. Exactly what he needed to hear." Impa sighed. "Wonder how he's doing?"
"Holding the line." Zelda said. "That is the Lord Grantham that I know and that I've grown up knowing. Even when I was but a child by my father's side, Lord Grantham was there as a kindly sort of uncle for me. Now he's going to be my second-in-command…funny how things change."
"And yet they still remain the same." Impa said. She glanced at the ground rather impatiently. "I hate waiting for allies to maneuver into position."
"You mean the Ravagers?" Zelda asked.
"I mean the Gorons." Impa said. "Goddesses, if the Gorons were even half as good as the Ravagers were in maneuvering and planning out their attacks, we'd have never to worry about enemy attacks again. Why did we take so long to find them? Whatever the price would have been to hire them, it would have been worth it."
"But would they have been led by Ishaka?" Zelda asked. "The Ravagers are good at heart and in practice, but a good part of that is thanks to their leader. Whom I notice you tend to converse with quite a bit." She gave a sidelong glance towards Impa. The Sheikah warrior recognized but did not take the bait.
"Generals converse frequently. It is important for good rapport." Impa said. "It isn't quite the same as the way you've ogled the hero, Zelda." That comeback caused her ruler to turn a bright shade of crimson. Impa smirked. "Can't say that I blame you. He is a rather good-looking fellow."
"Impa…"
"Very nice and polite, too."
"Impa…"
"Still, you falling for a knight trainee? A bit on the cliché side of the scale, isn't it?"
"Impa!"
They were interrupted from their arguments by the sound of brisk footsteps. It was Itami and another Ravager, who had scaled this craggy slope with remarkable quickness. Itami wasn't even out of breath.
"The Gorons are in position. We've rendezvoused with the Zora. They'll be doing everything that they can to raise the Water Temple from its resting place. But it would be wise to capture…" He gestured towards two dams to the west and east. "Those dams there. Close them, and there won't be as much water keeping the temple down. The Zoras won't have too much trouble with that, then."
"Good to know." Impa said. "Have Darunia lead his army down the middle, towards the area that the Temple will rise. If the maps and drawings that the Gorons have are accurate, there will be a stone ramp that leads down into the depths of the lake and through the front door of the temple. Darunia and his men can just roll right through."
"Literally or figuratively?" Itami asked. Impa was about to laugh when she realized that he was somewhat serious. "Whichever is easier for them." She decided. "That leaves us and the Ravager forces. Let's split it. Zelda can take the Hyrulian forces to the eastern dam: that's the one that seems to have the lowest number of forces defending it. It's also the closest. Itami, you and I can take the Ravager portion of our force and hit the western dam." She turned to Zelda. "Stay back, will you? I cannot afford to lose you for real, this time."
"I'll do my best." Zelda said. No one noticed her crossing her fingers.
"What about Ruto?" Impa asked.
"Aside from canoodling with half of the men in the army?" Itami asked drily. "She's going to infiltrate the temple through an old and secret passage, and then help unlock the inner sanctum from the inside. That should be where this mystical Gate of Souls is."
"How do we close it?" the Ravager alongside Itami asked. Impa smiled.
"A concentrated blast of light magic. Lana gave me the spell. It would have been difficult before, with just your shamans to conjure up the spell, but now that we have an unexpected ally…" She glanced over at Zelda, who smiled. "It will be no problem."
There was a whistling in the winds. It was a questioning, almost curious-sounding tweet. They all turned in the direction from whence it came: in the ravines below them, and being relayed across the line.
"That's the signal." Impa said. "They're all ready and in position." She turned to the nameless Ravager. "Escort the princess to her side of the battlefield. Itami and I will make our way for the Ravagers." She turned towards Zelda. "Stay safe, Zelda. Please don't get into any trouble. Promise?"
"I'll do my best." Zelda said with a cheery wave, as Itami and Impa began to climb back down the hill. As soon as they were out of earshot, Itami spoke.
"She's totally going to get herself into trouble, isn't she?"
"Without a doubt." Impa deadpanned.
.
Darunia stood there in the middle of the ravine, listening. Waiting. He tapped his foot repeatedly against the hard ground, and ran his fingers across the top of his Megaton Hammer. It was a fine weapon, supposedly crafted by his ancestors from a fallen piece of meteorite that was said to have been knocked out of the air by the Golden Goddesses themselves, and he relished the chance to use it. It was an ancient weapon, but it was a strong weapon, and it had served his predecessors well. It had served him well, and it would serve his eventual successor well when it came time for him to pass on his role as king of the Gorons. But now was not that time.
A rustling noise could be heard somewhere to the east. Then, a soft whistling. It sounded like a melodious bird, the kind that were brave enough to roost on the foothills of the Goron kingdom. Darunia held his hand up as they all listened, waiting to see if it was just a piece of nature that had stumbled upon their machinations…or the single to attach.
Then it came.
Wheeessht!
The quick and sharp whistle blew through the air, and as soon as the Goron hornbearers heard it, they went to work. A deep and baritone horn could be heard across the battlefield, and the Goron army let out a synchronized roar.
"FORWARD!" Darunia shouted. He was at the front of the army, exactly where he belonged, and as fast as his feet could carry him, he led the charge.
From their vantage point above the battlefield, Impa and Itami watched the Goron army crash into the unsuspecting forces of darkness like a tidal wave. The sounds of enchanted bone shattering into pieces and even dust as the Gorons surged forward was a welcome sight indeed.
"We'd better get moving." Impa said. "If we don't have the dams raised to drain the lake, Darunia will hit a dead end."
"Agreed." Itami said. He whistled sharply, and from the grass and land surrounding them countless camoflagued Ravagers began emerging from their hiding spots and racing down the hillside towards the western dam. One can only imagine the shock felt by the Stalchildren forces as the hills came alive with the roars of their living foe. That is, if Stalchildren could think that critically.
"Power forward! Power forward!" Impa yelled. With each swing of her knife, several Stalchildren were positively crushed into a fine powder. It was like taking a sword to an expensive piece of pottery. In the midst of this insanity, Impa was beginning to have fun again. Itami opted to lurk on the fringes of the battle, tossing rocks and anything that he could find to stun the fell creatures before his allies could come in for the kill.
It did not take long before the last of the Stalchildren was forced from their keep. Impa peered across the waterfront, down the shore of Lake Hylia, towards the eastern dam. She could see Zelda right in the thick of things, leading her Hyrulian soldiers in a full-frontal charge against the Stalchildren. Precisely what Impa had asked her not to do, the Sheikah warrior noted with a trace of exasperation. Sometimes Zelda was too stubborn for her own good. There was a terrific explosion that rocked the dam, the shockwave enough to make Impa and her force flinch in defense. Horrified, Impa stared into the smoky wreckage. Her horror once again turned to exasperation when Zelda seemingly poked her head out from atop the ruined walls of the dam, giving a wave that everything was clear. Impa signaled back that she understood, and with that took a peek at Darunia's progress.
The Goron army was reaching the shoreline of Lake Hylia, and was running out of enemy to chase. The Stalchildren were so far pushed back that some of them were pinned in the middle of their own force, while the poor unfortunate souls to the back were getting pushed into the water, where a few enterprising Zora warriors would descend on them with knives and spears. Impa had relayed message to the Zora people earlier in the day to not worry about sending armed forces, but apparently their sense of duty trumped the chance for a free military intervention on their behalf.
"Start turning the pump! Lower the water and reveal the temple!" Impa said. A pait of burly Gorons, both clad in Ravager garb and warpaint, grabbed the two sides of the wheel crank and began to turn mightily. Impa hopped atop the ramparts and frantically waved over to Zelda for her force to do so as well. As soon as a team of Hyrulians set forth on the same task, Impa took a moment to regroup with Itami.
"Most likely the enemy keeps the bulk of its force in the temple. When we reveal the ramp and entrance, they will try to counter-attack and might even attempt to overrun Darunia. What could we do to help him?"
"Support." Itami said. "Have him wait before charging into the breach. Try to lure them out first."
"Then what?" Impa asked. Itami gave a curt whistle, and as many Ravagers as could fit on the battlements of the dam raced forward and began nocking their bows. He stared at his commander with a sly smile, and the Sheikah thanked the Goddesses that Ishaka had sent her a most perceptive lieutenant.
From her position up high, Impa began whistling loudly and signaling to get Darunia's attention. As the majority of the Gorons were just ganging up on the few remaining Stalchildren, Darunia was able to take his attention away from the battle to hear her signal. Praying that the big Goron was versed in basic battle signals, Impa gave the request to hold until further notice. Darunia squinted as he deciphered what it was that Impa was trying to get across, and then to the relief of the Sheikah warrior proceeded to blow into his battle horn. He gave a standing order to regroup, and wait for the charge.
No sooner had he done that did the two teams assigned to raising the dams finish their job.
With the flow of water cut off, slowly Lake Hylia lowered its level to a mere puddle of its true depth. Impa stared in wonder how, despite everything else around it looking like a natural lakebed, the entrance to the Water Temple was a large and ornate ramp, nocked and marked with ancient inscriptions in long-lost languages and symbols. The door to the temple opened, creating a massive groaning noise.
There was a hideous roar, and spilling forth from the entrance of this place like a cancerous miasma was one of the largest armies of Bokoblins and Moblins Impa had ever seen. They began racing up the incline, intending to push these invaders back from wherever they had come.
Impa resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Truly amateur tactics. She looked at Itami, who knew exactly what she wanted.
"FIRE!" He roared.
A volley of arrows went arching through the air, easily soaring over and past the Goron force and with plenty of room to spare towards the armies of darkness. It did not do critical damage to the force, so dense was their number, but it did halt their advance. As they hastily put up shields and other forms of defense, another wave of arrows came crashing in from the other dam. Impa looked over to see that what few Hyrulian archers that were with the princess had opened up a volley of their own. Leading the way, of course, was the princess herself. After everyone had fired, she took it upon herself to draw another arrow. She nocked and held, stared at her target with cool precision, and then let loose. The arrow flew through the air at a dizzying speed, and then embedded itself in the exposed neckline of the Moblin captain's armor. It gave a gurgling roar, and in its death throws began to flail about, its spear crashing into and disrupting much of the hasty defensive positions that its army had created. They were disoriented, discombobulated, and Impa could practically smell the fear.
It was time to strike.
Darunia, it appeared, needed no extra signal. He led the charge himself down the ramp, roaring like a dragon as he raced far and ahead of his forces. He had begun carving a massive swath through the enemy forces well before the rest of his army caught up, and the combined effort was enough to get them to retreat back into the temple.
"They will try to raise the water level, but won't be able to if we have their dams…" Impa said. She turned to Itami. "Pick your stoutest men and women and tell them to hold this position. Most of your archers too. The best men and women you have for close encounters? They're with me."
Itami nodded, and gestured. Roughly a third of his force broke off from their post to fall in behind him and Impa, who had left the dam and was racing for the entrance to the temple.
They met at the head of the ramp with Zelda and her Hyrulian force, some of which Impa was thankful to see were trained Seegs. Ordering them to the front, Impa took point as their coalition descended into the abyss to join the Goron assault.
.
It was dark, massive, musty, and cold. Despite the sacred nature of this place, Impa could see that Darunia and his men were now taking delight in violently bludgeoning their foes out of the way. Zelda stared directly ahead.
"There." She said. Across a large and deep pool of water in the center of the atrium was a doorway, with two large locks on it. "That must be the entrance to the inner sanctum. Ruto will sneak in there to unlock the door from the inside. It is upon us to capture the two rooms that control the bridge that crosses that pool.
"Can we not just swim across?" Itami asked.
"The Zora do not dare." Zelda said.
"They don't dare? Why, is it so sacred that they wouldn't want to-" Itami was cut off by a most horrifying sight.
One of the Moblins Darunia was facing off against was knocked into the pool in question. Gasping, the creature managed to start treading water. Only to let a most terrible squeal as something yanked it underneath. There was a bubbling and thrashing underneath the surface, and then the water where it once floated turned a dark red. Impa thought she saw a terrifying silhouette just under the depths*, but perhaps it was just her mind playing tricks on her. Zelda turned back towards Itami.
"The Zora do not dare." She repeated. Itami looked pale.
"Bring down the bridge?" He managed to say.
"Bring down the bridge." Impa affirmed. She looked to the left. "Down that hallway I am sure is the room where one of the control rooms has to be. Let's take our company there. Itami, take the Princess and her forces that way. I'll rendezvous with Darunia."
"Will you tell him of the plan?" Zelda asked. Impa shrugged.
"I'm not sure I need to tell him much of anything. Just keep him pointed in the general direction I need to go, and he'll crash into it."
.
Her father had shown her this passage once, long ago. As she sidled through the claustrophobia-inducing vent, Ruto tried not to pass out in fear. She was not a little girl now; it was harder to get through this vent. How her father ever did it was a mystery. Shuddering, Ruto tried to ignore the fact that the walls seemed to be closing in on her and instead focused on happier thoughts. Like, maybe running into that soldier from this morning again. He was cute. Or, if she couldn't find him, then maybe take a shot at that grumpy-looking Craol that was apparently Impa's lieutenant on this Goddess-forsaken mission. He was cuter.
She reached the end of the passage, and tried not to panic as she read the runes on the little doorway. "Speak friend and enter." The words read.
"Amice."
The doorway melted away before her, and with a squeal Ruto was sucked through the opening.
The doorway sealed again just as she passed through, preventing the entire temple from being flooded. Ruto took control of the water around her, and fashioned it into a rather comfortable pillow of sorts to cushion her fall. As this opening was in the ceiling, this was the final trick. Any fool could learn to speak Zora and open the passage. But unless you were a water-weaver like Zora royalty, then you would be dashed across the stony ground with an unceremonious splat.
Ruto bounced once, and then burst the bubble to look around. She was in the inner sanctum, alright. She stared ahead, above the Tomb of the First Zora*, and looked on in wonder at the strange portal pulsing above it. If she peered into it close enough, she could see…well, it looked like Hyrule, but it wasn't the Hyrule that she knew. Maybe it was the Hyrule that these guests of theirs had come from?
It was a good thing that, for all of her fascination with living the royal life (and enjoying the perks that came with it), Ruto was blessed with uncanny reflexes. For if she hadn't, the sword coming down for her face would have embedded itself deep in her skull.
Ruto rolled out of the way, summoning from her wrists two sharp Zora Scales for attack and defense. She stared at her attacker.
"Zelda? What are you doin-oh, right." Ruto said as she rolled out of the way of another attack. The Zelda lookalike, dressed in dark monochrome and purple armor, let out a most unpleasant hiss as she prepared for another attack. Despite feeling her heart pounding in her chest, Ruto could not resist getting off a barb.
"I don't know what you are, but it's unladylike to snarl like that. You should've taken notes in charm school."
.
"HYAH!"
With a roar, Darunia lunged forward with his hammer, catching a Moblin right in the forehead. The poor beast was turned into an impromptu pancake, as Darunia followed through with his swing all the way down into the ground.
"Brother Darunia!" Impa raced forward, taking care to duck under the former's hammer swing that killed a half-dozen Bokoblin.
"Sister Impa!" Darunia roared. He was practically dancing around the battlefield at this point, haphazardly smashing things left and right. Impa was both dodging his swings, as well as conveying the information she needed to.
"We need-to get-into-the bridge-control room!" Impa punctuated each of these few words with an avoiding of Darunia's hammer. Darunia laughed.
"Why, Sister Impa! Why didn't you just say so! That's the place we were gonna hit next!" He let out a cry of exuberance. "Forth, Gorons! CHAAARRRRRRGGEEE!"
He raced headlong into the room in question. Impa was about to race in after the Gorons, but then realized that…watching the spectacle was a little more entertaining. She curbstomped a Stalchild that had escaped the massacre somehow, and then stuck her Biggoron knife point-first into the ground. Resting her hip against the hilt, Impa allowed herself a moment's rest…and quite a bit of morbid entertainment at the wreckage in front of her.
.
Zelda parried a swing of a Bokoblin knife, and with an expert lunge pricked the creature right in the neck with her rapier. The little beast went down, its vital artery having been ruptured. Zelda twirled like a ballerina, effortlessly deflecting a few sword strikes at the same time, and proceeded to duel a rather savage-looking Moblin.
That was ended, unfortunately, when a small knife came out of nowhere and embedded itself in the Moblin's knife. Zelda whirled around to see where it came from. Itami had already pivoted around from throwing that knife to facing against his next foe. While most of the soldiers had some sort of sword or other kind of weapon, Itami had something rather odd. He wore armored gauntlets, that formed a sort of sleeve-shield that protected his palms and fingers when he closed his hand into a fist. From there, he would essentially block a strike with his forearm, before lunging forward with his free arm. There was a small knife hidden under his wrists, and he used both liberally and with extreme precision. When his enemy was too far away, he expertly and swiftly threw a knife with lethal accuracy. It looked like a strange form of hand-to-hand combat.
Itami let out a grunt, and whipped a knife that he had hidden in his coat towards the last fleeing Bokoblin, and it struck the creature in the back of the neck. From there, he swiftly ushered for his men to move in and pull the lever for the bridge. Upon doing so, they all watched as what looked like the skeletal frame of a bridge was raised up from underneath the briny depths of the forbidden pool. All that remained was Darunia's side.
At that moment, there was a terrific crash. The wall across the pool from them exploded, as brick and stone and several unfortunate Bokoblins were sent crashing into the briny deep. They, too, met a most unpleasantly unexplained fate beneath the water's surface. Ignoring this horrific event, Darunia was cheerily waving to them across the way. Then he singlehandedly yanked the lever down, and caused the bridge surface to fall from the ceiling and land on its support rails with a loud bang.
"Thank the Goddesses." Zelda said. "I think we're starting to run low on supplies."
"I'll say." Itami said. "I'm down to my last good throwing knife." Zelda motioned for the forces to follow her lead, and they regrouped with Impa and Darunia across the way.
"This is no good." Impa said. They all made their way across the bridge (most of the soldiers stayed, keeping as far away from that accursed pool as possible. Itami did not blame them) "What is taking Ruto so long?"
.
"Augh!"
Ruto rolled out of the way again, as a tendril of dark magic shot forth and slammed into the rock where she had just been standing. Standing upright again, Ruto scowled.
"Now I know you aren't Zelda. She'd never use that wicked crap!" She said. The Zelda doppelganger sneered.
"Too bad you'll die before anyone knows!" She shrieked. A jet of black lightning erupted from her fingertips. Ruto's eyes widened, knowing that a direct hit from that stuff could kill her. But she too had a few tricks up her sleeve…
Ducking under the blast, Ruto hit the ground hard and summoned what little water that had come from that opening in the temple with her. It formed at her feet, and served as a single-person slide. Racing around the room and ceiling at breakneck speed, Ruto avoided every one of the dark Zelda's attacks. She was waiting for an opportunity.
Sensing a moment that the dark Zelda needed to recharge, Ruto tossed one of her two Zora scales. It smacked the Zelda right in the chest, who howled in pain. Taking advantage of this distraction, Ruto rocketed forward towards the ancient lever that would lower the door-
-Only to feel something yank her by the ankle, and pull her violently from her watery ride. The water fell into a nearby drain, now out of her reach. Ruto saw that the dark Zelda had wrapped some sort of dark magic whip around her ankle, and was currently yanking Ruto towards her. The Zora princess had one Zora scale left, but only time to make a single choice. Open the door, or break free? She wasn't sure she could avoid another lightning bolt without watery help, and yet she wasn't sure that the lever would react to a thrown Zora scale.
Time's up.
Right before she felt the dark Zelda grab her, she twisted her body around and looked towards the lever. While she was being pulled away, Ruto heaved her final Zora Scale. It whistled through the air, and struck the lever perfectly. The old metal rod was knocked flat, and with an ancient groan the door opened.
That was right when she felt the dark Zelda's hand around her throat.
.
The door opened, but Impa's sigh of relief turned to a cry of panic.
"Ruto!"
Sure enough, there was a being that looked like Zelda, wreathed in dark aura and looking positively demonic, trying to choke the life out of the Zora princess. Impa had nothing that she could use to save Ruto, and there was no way that she could cover the distance in time…
Itami frantically kicked his leg up towards his hand, as if he were bouncing a hacky sack off his foot or reaching to pull off grime from his boot. Impa barely caught the silvery flash before he'd already pulled it from the sole of his shoe and thrown.
The knife arched through the air, and perfectly found its mark. It just missed striking Ruto's nose, but instead cleaved right through dark Zelda's wrist. It loped the hand right off, and Ruto fell to the ground in an unceremonious lump.
The Zelda lookalike stared at stump that was once her right hand, a look of blank confusion on her face. Realizing that she had new threats to deal with, she snarled and drew her rapier.
"How fitting. You wear the skin of a human, and yet you do not even know how to react when the body of one is harmed."
It was a clear, cold and powerful voice. Princess Zelda, still clad in her Sheikah armor, walked forward towards her dark imposter. She drew her rapier, and held it so that it pointed towards her lookalike's throat.
"I do not know what fell beast you are, but I know this." Zelda said. "You have taken my name, creature. I would like it back."
Dark Zelda finally made eye contact with Zelda, and her eyes widened.
"YOU!" The creature hissed in a very familiar rasping voice. It pointed the hand that had not been cut off at Zelda in an accusatory manner. Zelda was unfazed.
"Yes, me. I live, despite your best efforts Wizzro. And you can run along and tell your mistress Cia that she has something that belongs to me. Mark my words, I will take it back. From her or through her; whichever she'll have." She thrust her rapier forward once to excentuate the point.
Wizzro's disguise disintegrated, revealing it in its bulbous and disgusting form. Its single eye gazed in shock and awe at this occurance, and again pointed a crooked finger at Zelda.
"You…this cannot be! It was a perfect plan! How did-never matter. Hiya ha ha!" It cackled. "You might have halted me, but you cannot stop Mistress Cia's plan! For even as we speak, she has-"
"-Opened two other portals and sent her forces into both of those dimensions?" Zelda asked. Her bored tone seemed to physically wither Wizzro. "Yes. We know of those, too. And we have armies to close them as well. So my advice to you, my dark, despicable little friend, is to run and hide. Or so help me I will run you through where you float."
There was a hissing sound, followed by a bang. Wizzro disappeared, leaving behind a dark stench and a dark gas in its place. Zelda walked towards the spot where it stood, and dismissively waved at the air.
"Itami, check on Princess Ruto." Zelda ordered. Itami had already raced over to her, and rolled the Zora princess onto her back. He was kneeling by her side, and with a quizzical expression leaned in closer to see if she was breathing.
That was answered rather quickly. Ruto's eyes snapped open, and with a squeal she had flung herself into Itami's arms.
"Ohhhh my HERO!" Ruto said breathlessly. "How noble of you to save me from that disgusting freaky wizard thing!"
Itami's face could best be described as a kabuki mask: utterly, utterly devoid of emotion. Well, except for annoyance. Sighining mightily, he laid Ruto back down on her back.
"Let me check to make sure you aren't hurt at all, your highness." He didn't say that last word so much as he spat that last word, causing Impa to nearly double over trying not to laugh. Darunia was already chuckling.
"Oooh, do you need to give me a physical?" Ruto asked, making a rather sultry look. Itami sighed.
"No. I might need to check for internal injuries, though. Let me prepare something for tha-"
"Oooo, internal injuries? Sounds like you do need to give me a physical. In that case, at least buy me dinner first, baby…"
Zelda rolled her eyes with a smile. She gathered the Ravager shaman around her, and soon they were chanting the spell of containment. The Gate of Souls began to fluctuate widly, but then there was a bright flash and it was no more. Zelda smiled.
"One down." She sighed, feeling the stress of battle and the adrenaline leaving her. Impa placed a hand on her shoulder.
"It's good to have you back, Zelda. I'm sure that Link and the others will be happy to see you as well."
"I agree." Zelda said with a smile, ignoring the small blush creeping on her cheeks. "So, what happens now?"
"What do you think?" Darunia said, suddenly lumbering up behind them. "I follow you through the portal, and then help you crush that Sorceress!"
"Oh Darunia, you needn't worry about-" Zelda was cut off.
"Ah bup bup bup! No chance convincin' me otherwise. You know how rock-headed us Gorons are. So long as you need me, Darunia, King Under the Mountain, is yours to lead!" He practically shouted that last line, causing the entire temple to echo.
"And you can count me in too…" Ruto said. "Where else will I find men as handsome as this doctor?"
"I'm not a doctor, your highness. I'm a war medic."
"Ooooh…That sounds even hotter."
"Odi dampnas officium.*"
Ignoring Itami's grumblings, Zelda turned towards Impa.
"I wonder how the others are doing?"
A/N: And another chapter is in the books! You might notice a few differences from the game and the story at this point. I've done away with the Mirror of Truth angle to reveal Wizzro, as I found that part of the game (staying alive while Ruto took FOREVER to find the damn thing) very frustrating.
Also…
I pulled the trigger on revealing Zelda's identity early, as you can tell. I did it for a number of reasons, but the biggest one is this: The "Sheik is Zelda" plot twist is so well-known by fans of the game that it has essentially become an "untwist," much like the secret to Citizen Kane is that "Rosebud" is the name of his childhood sled, representing the childhood that was the happiest time in the eponymous Charles Kane. (Sorry if I spoiled it for you.) But more relevant to the Legend of Zelda: the truth of Sheik's identity is so deeply ingrained in the Zelda fanbase that it would be a bigger twist if Zelda was once not Sheik, but instead it is always played straight.
And this had the unfortunate side-effect of making some of my characters seem like incredible dumbasses. Especially Impa, who really should know better.
Thus, I cobbled together as feasible an explanation as I could to explain the wool over everyone's eyes, until it was no longer feasible to maintain the charade. And in its place, I present Sheik as less a neat little wink to the fanbase and mythology of the games (because, let's be honest. I do that a billion times throughout this story ), and more as an arch for Zelda: she disguised herself partially as strategy, and partially due to the fear of Cia's power, as well as a fear of "Am I really deserving of my destiny?", and this chapter helped her get her groove back. Watch out world, this ain't no damsel in distress no more. Might be a damsel of distress, you know?
Hahahaha…hah…ahh…I'll shut up now.
Hope you enjoyed reading Darunia and Ruto as much as I enjoyed writing them. Darunia in particular is a blast, to the point that every time I write his dialogue I grin. And if I can cross a line with Ruto and innuendo, I will find that line and cross it dammit.
Poor Itami. Looks like he's become the Eeyore in my rapidly growing cast of characters. It's also quite fun to write.
As always, reviews are much appreciated. If, in leaving one, you indicate to me which branch of the story to take next, it might have a factor in whose side of the story you see next. A lot more direct than those silly polls, huh?
Thanks for reading, and see you next time!
HYRULIAN CODEX
Shaman culture – The fringes of spirituality in Hyrule and elsewhere in the globe do not necessarily ascribe to the more traditional "cleric" sense of magic. Instead of formal schooling and training, these brave souls instead ascribe to a blend of religious belief mixed with displays of magic, forming a syncretic blend. Shaman in less-civilized societies tend to take on the role of warrior-priest in some areas, or even walking deity in others. The Ravager shaman adhere to a much more moderate position: they are well-skilled in medicine, storytelling, and offer a form of religious expertise for the more spiritual members of the culture who don't necessarily ascribe to the religion of the Golden Goddesses or even the One Great Goddess.
The Zora Water Temple – A sacred place of worship for the Zora People during the Era of the Hero of Time, it was at the bottom of Lake Hylia and was also supposedly the domain of the sacred Sage of Water. It is a revered place amongst Zora, who tell tales of its intricate design as a sign of Nayru's love for their people, and they boast of the intellectual stimulation such a place of worship must require. Outsiders, and other snarky groups, view the Water Temple as less of an architectural marvel like the Zoras would and instead refer to it as, in rather blunt terms, a "Goddess-damned labyrinthine nightmare" that is "nigh-incomprehensible" or "a back-tracking cesspit" to decipher based on the floor plans available through historical preservation. The truth is probably somewhere in between. Either way, it is remembered fondly by the Zora people.
The Watcher of The Water Temple – Almost nothing exists to describe the creature in question. There are a few allusions to such a being that lives in the depths of the Water Temple, guarding the Tomb of the First Zora with fanatic loyalty…but that is where myth and fact start to blur. No official picture exists of this creature, and based on the scant descriptions, artists have either come up with an eerie tentacle or a nightmarish monstrocity. There is no point of convergence, and there might never be. No one is certain, other than the fact that it never left the Water Temple and that the Zoras of this time period were petrified of the water that guarded the Inner Sanctum of the temple. Some contrarian theorists posit that whatever this creature is, perhaps the reason for the construction of the Water Temple was not necessarily to keep people and invaders out…but to keep this abomination in.
"Amice" – The Zora word for "friend."
The Tomb of the First Zora – There is little known about this mythical figure in terms of fact, but there are plenty of myths that surround him. Perhaps the most famous figure in Zora literature and art, The First Zora was allegedly the first sentient Zora blessed by Nayru Herself to serve as her first champion. This intrepid soul then conquered the nightmarish beasts that roamed the bottom of the endless oceans that covered the planet during its early years, slaying or taming them in order to make the water a safe domain for the Zora to live. The most famous story is of him besting the Kraken, a legendary creature that was apparently Din's favorite pet, in order to secure a future for the Zora people. The story goes that after slaying the beast, an enraged Din appeared before the First Zora demanding to know why he'd done so. The first Zora allegedly winked and said "Mare enim in omnibus," or "For the sea in all" in ancient Zora. Impressed with the fellow's chutzpah, Din agreed to let a race of those like him to exist. The story usually stops there, but other tellings suggest that Din also gave him "a beast most intemperate and frightening to ride," leading to the creation of the Watcher of The Water Temple (see above.)
"Odi Dampnas Officium" – A phrase from an old Craol dialect that has long since been forgotten to the margins of language, only kept alive by a few tribes. Roughly translated, it means "I hate this damn job."