3
Ch. 16
"Hurry up!" Ganon called irritably from the corridor. He tapped a large boot and crossed his arms. "We're just sitting here. We could be found."
Haeda nodded to Zelda and they both scurried out. "Where are we going?" Haeda asked the Gerudo.
Ganon looked down on him. "As far as I know, Vaati is on the tallest point of the castle. That would be the South Tower." He answered.
Haeda nodded and started running up the awaiting staircase. Zelda quickly ran after him. Ganon looked back down the hall of the dungeon for a moment before he followed the two teens.
The boy found himself inside the entrance hall when he reached the top of the staircase. The one he just climbed faced the doors of the floating castle. All of the decoy guards had been taken out. The place was empty. Despite this, Haeda looked around cautiously and listened intently for any giveaway noises. There were none. Wasting no more time, he motioned Zelda to come up with him. Ganon was just reaching them. "Where do we head from here?" Zelda asked.
Ganon turned to his left. "We have to climb further. See how the sky has darkened outside? Vaati is conjuring a storm." The Gerudo started quickly up another flight of stairs. Haeda grabbed Zelda by the wrist and went up himself. As they climbed higher, the sky outside the windows steadily grew darker. A strange aura was emanating from their destination. Ganon growled low in his throat as he got closer and closer to Vaati.
The trio abruptly came to a landing in full-run and stopped. A ladder led from the landing's floor to a door in the stone ceiling. "We are here." Ganon said eagerly. He jumped up and rammed the door open. He landed on the stone above.
Haeda looked up for a second. "What do you think will happen?" He asked.
Before Zelda could answer, he had also disappeared up through the trap door. She sighed and clutched the hilt of her new sword. And then she followed.
When she hoisted herself up and onto her feet, Zelda stood and took in the situation. Ganon and Haeda had planted their feet; both glaring at the same point. The princess followed the trails their eyes made. They lead to Vaati, who was looking back at them. His blood red eyes were bright in the dim light. A pointed smile had been spread across the wind sorcerer's face. "Welcome to the South Tower." He hissed.
Ganon took a step forward. "I don't need an introduction to my own tower." He spat. Zelda didn't know where in the world Ganon brought it from, but his giant sword had been clutched in his hand.
Vaati just looked blankly at Ganon. "If I recall, this isn't your tower. It's the Wind Sorcerers'. Which means it's mine." He retorted. "Do you think you could maintain control over a castle under the Wind's command?" He asked snidely. The castle seemed to plummet a few feet. Haeda and Zelda yelped as they momentarily lifted off of the stone and then landed gruffly as the castle stopped. "With simple thought, I can control this castle's actions. This castle is mine." Vaati declared.
There was a moment of dangerous quiet. Ganon was standing tensely. His arms were trembling and his face started to heat up. Haeda and Zelda were close together; staring at Vaati. The wind sorcerer stared Ganon in the eye with a gleam of triumph in his one visible eye. His fists were clenched; one foot a step forward. The thick cloud around them seemed to swell a little, and a flash of lightning lit up in it's depths. The stare down lived for a few more moments, and cold sweat was forming on Ganon's forehead.
Vaati laughed and turned to Haeda. "You believe you can kill me on my own territory? I dare you to. You don't have much time." The gray-skinned man warned; letting the castle drop a few more feet.
Haeda floundered on the stone as he was tossed back into the air. As soon as he regained his feet he rushed at Vaati with the Master Sword. Vaati laughed as his ploy worked. He held his hand out, and a gale of wind blew the boy backward. "You and your friends shall die here!" He yelled.
Haeda scrambled back to his feet. He made a glance that was barely audible toward Ganon; who surprisingly was still standing still. He's not my friend. Haeda thought darkly. He was about to glare at the Gerudo longer, but a jolt from the castle below him made him turn his attention back to Vaati.
"Convenient," the Sorcerer of Winds started, "That the three Triforce Bearers are all here." He turned to face the open air beyond the tower. He rose his hands to the air and held them there for a moment. The storm surrounding the castle seemed to react to his action and became fiercer than ever. It started to snake and spread across the sky; casting a growing shadow across Hyrule. Vaati then turned back to the trio. His visible eye narrowed to a slit and the dangerous smile was still playing across his face. "You and your friends shall die here." He repeated. The castle rumbled again, and then it started to sink from the sky. The wind sorcerer took a last look at their faces. Zelda's was full of fear and her eyes were wide and shining. Haeda's expression was a mixture of disbelief and horror. Ganon was still glaring at him angrily. A muscle in his jaw was spasming fiercely, but he had still made no move to attack him. Vaati raised a hand in sarcastic salute. "Farewell." He jeered. The sorcerer disappeared in a gale of dark wind.