I'm back! After a long hiatus, chapter 8 is done! This chapter focuses solely on Koto, and the revealing of an ancient enemy. Enjoy!
Koto started to slow down again, becoming hazy in his thoughts. Sudden images of Link dying by Zelda's hand flashed through his mind. The number Seven kept reappearing and disappearing in black flames, and a face which he had never seen before appeared to be laughing and grinning, but before Koto could grasp who the face belonged to, it vanished, the widening grin flickering off in the deep reaches of his mind.
He fell to the ground again, the rough gravel beneath him felt like quicksand. He sunk and sunk, his short brown hair disappearing beneath the ground. What he ended up in was something he couldn't comprehend, a visibly oxygenless realm, yet he was here, breathing perfectly fine. An illusion, or reality? What came down from nothingness soon answered his question.
"Welcome Koto. Welcome to the Realm of the Gods, the Realm of the Seven." The Sage of Fate giggled maniaclly, floating around Koto.
Kotos eyes shot wide open, seeing the Seven with his own eyes. Rauru, Saria, Impa, Darunia, Ruto, Nabooru, and The Sage of Fate.
"This is unbelievable! What trickery is this?" Koto shouted, to which The Sage of Fate laughed.
"No trick here my dear dear Koto. This is reality. This is truth, this is the future." He said quietly, as he started to fade out of Koto's sight.
"What the hell are you trying to do?" Koto yelled, struggling to move, but found himself unable to move any of his muscles. He grunted heavily, wincing in the constant pain.
The Sage of Fate reappeared behind Koto and whispered in his ear. "Me? Oh, I'm just trying to create a world where only The Seven populate it."
"Don't you have one here?" Koto grunted out.
"In a sense. But with virtually nothing else in here, it gets kinda boring. Get me?" He chuckled and disappeared again.
"Yeah, I get you. You're fucking crazy." He spat out, struggling with all his might to move.
"Oh now now Koto, you don't mean that." Rauru said, stepping in front of him.
"And what if I do, old-timer? You going to do something?" Koto mumbled.
"No, I'd never waste my time on a low mage such as you." Rauru said, turning around and disappearing.
"You're a fool Koto. You know you won't be able to stop us, and neither will Link, Zelda or Ganon." Darunia shouted, his eyes ablaze.
"Only fools deal in absolute." Koto said, grinning and spitting in Darunia's face.
"Whatever. My time here is done." He stormed off, disappearing as well.
"Do what you shall. It won't matter in the long run" Ruto said, floating in front of Koto.
"Every little bit counts toward my goal. Once I find Link, all of you shall be punished." Koto said, growing irritated.
"The same goes for you puny humans. Enough with this insolence." Ruto said, floating off.
"You see Koto, nothing you say or do can change anything. Nothing at all. Prepare to meet your demise...your plan will fail, and this world shall be ours." The Sage of Fate said, floating before Koto.
The Sage of Fate stayed there, dormant for a couple minutes. And then lifted his mask up slowly. Revealing who he was, only to Koto.
"I-Impossible...it can't be. How!?"Koto shouted, struggling to move. As a last ditch effort, he sent out a telepathic message to everybody down on the earth, using his last bit of energy.
Everybody. Listen to me. It matters naught if you know me. What is important, is that I have found out the true identity of The Sage of Fate. Link...Hey! Listen! Link, it's you...Dark Link. Those were his last thoughts, before his body was burned horribly. Flame met flesh, flesh met ground. Screams filled the silent air.
The Sage of Fate replaced his mask and turned around.
"It seems we have to up the ante a little bit. Everybody, let's get down to earth, and PARTY!" He shouted, his red eyes penetrating the mask.