Dragon vs. Dodongo
Shin had jumped down into the circle of hardened lava to battle the King Dodongo a battle he had already claimed for himself. He wanted to show his new found friends what he was capable of; Sieg already had that chance in the last temple. He wielded the powerful Portal Gauntlet for this challenge, something capable of creating a warp zone to anywhere he aimed. "Ready big guy, first move is yours" Shin said with a bow.
With almost no warning, the King Dodongo charged forward trying to eat Shin! However, Shin just stepped forward through a portal and appeared behind the beast. The King Dodongo noticed this and gave out an angry roar. It immolated itself in fire and prepared to strike again.
Shin just smiled, "Going all out are you, might as well match you" he said as he held up his arm. His Dragon Mark, the Dragon Head of Spirit glowed and gave Shin power, he skin became covered in dragon scales that matched his skin tone, his eyes became even more draconic and he grew claws on his hands. He then pulled out his spear and prepared for battle; "Let's get dangerous lizard face" he stated as he darted for the King Dodongo stabbing and hitting it.
Hina and Yama both realized something was off with the fight as Zelda marveled at what the Dragon Marks bestowed upon their wielders. "Master Shin seems to have broken his naginta after that fight in Xang before he was brought here" Yama mentioned pointing to how small the blade on his spear was. "Master is proficient in use of the katana and the naginta, but he prefers the naginta sense it helps with his balance. This fight but be difficult for him" Yama ended.
Shin continued to battle the King Dodongo fiercely, both not giving an inch. The new form Shin took seemed to give him a strength boost as well as he grabbed the mouth of the King Dodongo and held him in place as it charged him. "Man, your breath stinks, let's wash it out" Shin joked as he threw a water talisman into its mouth causing water to explode out of its mouth.
Link and Sieg could tell that Shin was as skilled as he seemed he was keeping the beast at bay long enough for Princess Zelda to not only break Ganondorf's hold on the temple but she also appeared to be performing an enhanced "Farore's Wind" spell to teleport the beast somewhere else. "The Princess sure is a feisty one" Link admitted happily.
"Didn't know the "Fiesty Big-Boobed Girl" was your preference" Sieg joked showing that even he was starting to warm up to his companions. This caused Link to freaked and defend himself.
Shin seemed to notice Zelda's plan, but so did the King Dodongo as it charged her. "No you don't" Shin yelled as he created a portal underneath the princess and sent her falling into Link's arms. "Bit of fanservice for you buddy" Shin yelled as he performed a "Spirit Style: Dragon Dance" attack on the beast. After a moment Shin's attack caused the beast to fall into the lava apparently killing it. "Yeah, no way it's that easy" Shin deduced.
Without another moment, The King Dodongo jumped up to swallow Shin! Shin was clever though, he created a large portal and jumped threw it but the King Dodongo's head followed through. As Shin escaped through the other side, the King Dodongo came through as well. Shin then activated the last of his plan. He simply shot another portal anyway closing the portal he created on the ground, while the King Dodongo was still coming through. With no portal connecting the portal the King Dodongo was coming through, his head simply was separated from his body killing it.
Everyone stared at Shin's uncharacteristic genius planning. "Tell me that was not EPIC!" Shin announced as he handed Link the Portal Gauntlet that won him the fight. "I'm bored of it" he said as Zelda used Farore's Wind to transport them outside to Colonel Samson.
Colonel Samson instantly grabbed them and started to comically cry, "Oh Proncess and great heroes, I tried my best to help you, but it wasn't enough, I shall run one thousand laps around Death Mountain while Gorons mock me for my weakness as punishment!" he declared. Zelda tried to stop him but he ran ahead and did so anyway prompting the princess to use her spell to teleport them back to the castle.
Back at Hyrule Castle, things were in chaos as they arrived. Before them stood a woman in light armor who wielded a rapier but it didn't have the look of a broadsword like Zelda's rapier. She had brown hair, slender full figured build, and a tough expression. She had her arm in a sling and some bandages on her. She looked at Zelda and gave a bow, "Colonel Elle reporting your majesty, but I admit I failed you Princess, I was unable to defend the North" she confessed shocking Zelda.
Kyle then came in with Abigail, "Princess, heroes, you guys might want to come to the meeting room" he said with sorrow. "But Garin, Ganondorf's assassin has stolen Titania's Mirror from the royal vault" he revealed.
Before going, Shin made an announcement, "If you guys need help, perhaps I can convince my father Emperor Ling of Xang to give some aid, our Dragon Samurai make our army the strongest in the world" he said.
Kyle, Elle, and Abigail were stunned, "…You're a prince?" Abigail asked.
"Get used to it, we were surprised too" Sieg said as they made their way to the meeting room. Yama then sent a small dragon messenger to Xang revealing Shin was in the process of forging an alliance between Hyrule and Xang. This news was met with much celebration from all of Xang…except Shishio
Shishio was angry; he stormed around the halls of the House of Might which he ruled, the only place he would rule now. There may have been a chance for him to reclaim his "birthright" and become the heir, but not after this. Shin had done what no other heir had ever done; he had made an alliance between the Empire of Xang and Kingdom of Hyrule, and not just any alliance an alliance of friendship!
This was too much, he would have conquered their neighboring country; he would have made them Xang's slaves; he should've have had the honor of going past the Great Dragon Wall. But Shin had beaten him to everything, and above all else he made Xang look weak in his eyes.
Shin had to be stopped; and he knew how. "Shadow, show yourself, I know you've been watching me" Shishio called out. Without hesitation the Shadow appeared and this time, he had…friends. "Oni! What are they-" Shishio tried to make sense out of when he saw the kanabō wielding ogre-like creatures.
The shadow chuckled, "Oh these guys, they will be in your new army if you choose to join us". Shishio still tried to make sense of it as the Shadow continued, "You see Leader decided that you shouldn't have an army of betrayers who side with your brother work under you. So Leader used his invincible power to "convince" all these monster of your nation to serve you in your new invincible army" he ended. "Of course your answer is needed" he corrected.
Shishio instantly grabbed the Shadow by the throat and started to choke him, "I don't need you to talk down to me vermin, I am Prince Shishio, master of the Daishō, great leader of military forces if they would only accept my planning, and if I am to join this organization, I want to talk to the boss" he said as the Shadow nodded.
Back at Hyrule, Princess Zelda was horrified at what news was given to her by Colonel Elle. "That is what happened Princess, the man in black destroyed the Water Temple, wiped out the Naga, and used the Trident to lower the water levels around Zora's Domain" Elle explained. Elle looked to the hero trio that were equally shocked, she gave a salute, "Forgive me, my forces were unable to stop him, I take full responsibility"
Kyle calmed her, "Colonel Elle, there is nothing to be punished for. Terrible things are happening in Hyrule, and it appears that Ganondorf is behind it all again". Elle shot him a look before turning away.
Sieg was confused though about this "Titania's Mirror" and asked Zelda believing it belong to an ancestor of hers or something. "No, Titania is Queen of the Fairies, the Ferfolk" she explained. She wanted to continue until she realized Sieg was just horribly annoyed with her answer. Apparently, he didn't believe in fairies, "Fairies are real!" the princess defended.
Link looked at the Trident he'd been given, "So, he used one of these to do all that damage and wanted you to give me the other?" he asked confusingly. "Man, having a trident that controls water levels would have made that temple full of puzzle solving and hard, but using two must have allowed him to wreck havoc like no tomorrow" Link deduced.
Zelda was more concerned for the lives of the Zora and the theft of Titania's Mirror, in her eyes, Ganondorf had a powerful item in his hands. Despite Sieg's belief in her fears or not, something had to be done and fast, "I move that we attack the Pyramid at once, Ganondorf has lost the barrier around him and the more we wait, the more powerful he'll become" she declared which was met with numerous cheers.
Elsewhere, at the castle of the Brotherhood
Zauber returned to the fortress of the Brotherhood, he seemed rather happy until The Stallord appeared. "How did destroying Cruora the Blood Goddess's temple go, heard SHE beat you to it. Is it true that the peninsula of Umbria is filled with Vampires? If so, I should have gone, I look the part to aid into a horror show" Stallord said as Zauber just quickened his pace and ignored him. "Jerk" he uttered as The General walked up from behind him and stayed with him. Stallord found Zauber to be an asshole, he knew nothing of the Leader's apprentice Cain, but he found the silent General to be of pleasurable company. "Even though you don't talk, at least you show up unlike Cain and her" he ended quickly as he noticed in the large meeting room everyone was present except for Cain.
A beautiful woman was among them, she wore a dark suggestive gown with red outlines that showed much of her sizable cleavage; apparently she wasn't conservative like the other girls mentioned thus far. Her belt with the skull buckle hung on her waist as she stood very angry in the room. "What's this all about, calling me out of the blue like this? I have things I need to do!" she demanded. It was clear the other Elite members found her as irritating as she was beautiful.
In the darkness of his throne the leader could not be seen but his presence was felt. "Lilith…you look about late twenties to early thirties right now" he calmly said. This caused Lilith to panic as she took out a pocket mirror and immediately examined herself. She wanted to leave right away to "fix" herself. "You will stay here, if you are a good girl, I'll let you leave early" the Leader commanded. When he could see she submitted so he continued, "Allow me to introduce our newest Elite member, Prince Shishio of Xang" he said.
Instantly Shishio stepped out of the darkness, clad in dark samurai armor and Daishō blades at his sides. He stared at the others in the room and expected them to treat him with proper respect. "What, no applause, I am only giving you the privilege of working alongside me"
Right away Zauber used magic "Rauf!" throwing Shishio in the air and hit the ceiling. "Brat, get something straight, YOU ARE NOT ABOVE ME" he announced. The Stallord wanted to stop this fight, but even he thought some "establishment" of the hierarchy was needed.
Shishio pulled out his blades and went to work "Might Style: Dragon Slice" he used as he darted to Zauber and forced him back a few steps. Both stared each other down, Rune Eye of Trickery and Dragon Mark of Might burning with the desire for a fight. Shishio wanted to attack so badly he could feel his hands tremble.
"If you two destroy more of this beautiful décor, I won't forgive you" the Leader calmly said. Both Zauber and Shishio felt chills go down their spines. Zauber knew this feeling well but Shishio was new to it, but instantly they stopped and apologized! "Good, now let's get down to business" the Leader said. An image of Ganondorf was shown on the large crystal; he seemed to be staring at a sword in a pedestal alongside the mysterious "Titania's Mirror" inside the pyramid. "Now, here's the plan" the Leader began.
To be continued in "Puck the Trickster"