He was called back to the castle in the morning. A young squire, had come and pulled him out in the hotel telling him that the King wanted to meet with him once again. He had sighed before bowing and closing the door. Hopefully the Princess didn't yap away about him accidentally crushing his wine glass in front of her out of annoyance. With a fresh pair of clothes now on him and a new bandage wrapped around his hand, he decided to use the rupees that Olas had left him to pay for his daily stay. Olas.
He hadn't returned from Dayru's, or that's where Everett thought he was going. The man said it himself, it was obvious there were loose ends that had needed to be tied. He shook it off, he was going to end up seeing him sometime throughout the day. Stepping out the hotel he felt the morning chill make it's away to his skin, prickling his hairs. He made his way towards the center of Castle Town which had already been bustling early in the morning. His stomach growled, and he looked around for a food market.
He spotted it on the end of the corner, and he had quickly made his way towards the little store which had been filled with vegetables, meat, and fruit. He went to the little section of fruit, before grabbing a couple apples. In the process something rough had bumped, but almost shoved him to the side. He dropped a few of the apples, and looked at them rolling around the ground. He looked up with a readied stance to see a blue human like bird walked away from him with a fancy bow strapped to his back.
"Hey bird!" He called out. The man stopped in his tracks, before looking over his shoulder towards Everett who had now been annoyed. "You bumped into me asshole."
He kept his look on him before turning around fully. This must be a Rito. The man walked his way towards Everett who held his ground and didn't budge once. They were finally eye to eye, glaring daggers into each others eyes. Everett had cocked his head for the side with anger, this fucking guy was not gonna disrespect him and get away with it.
"So you must be Sir Everett," The bird said with some cockiness in his voice. The Rito looked him up and down. "Yes you do live up to your appearance. However, manhandling Gorons does not intimidate me at all. And I heard about that Guardian incident, seems incredible stupid and dumb of you to intervene. You must be as stupid as you look."
"Tough talk for a scrawny ass person like yourself." Everett countered.
Revali scoffed. "I am the greatest warrior among all Rito's. My skill alone will defeat the calamity. You are just a nobody." To not make a scene in public, and oh boy he dearly wanted to snap this prick into two Everett kept his death stare at the bird. The bird chuckled before turning away. He walked towards the castle and Everett had a feeling that it would not be the last time he would meet him. Everett grumbled before turning around and grabbing apples. He tied the bag up before placing a rupee on the table, the merchant nodding to him thanks.
Everett began to make his way to the castle, with a pouch full of apple he took one out and bit into it feeling the apple melt in his mouth. He swallowed it before taking a couple bites out of it. He had ate almost two apples before he made it to the gates of the castle. They had opened almost immediately when he walked towards them, he nodded at the guards standing in front of the gate before walking past them going further towards the castle.
He had finally made it to the entrance entering the large palace. It had seemed rather empty compared to the other times he was in here. Another small squire had approached him before bowing towards him.
"The King is expecting you in the throne room as of now."
And with that, the squire scurried out of his sight. Sighing, he cracked his neck before making his way to the throne room. He had wondered what his brother had been doing now that he could have some time to think.
Everett pondered at what and how Aston was doing in the past world. It was clear at this point that Everett wasn't even in the same universe as his brother anymore. A new land, new people, new tasks and basically a new life. His heart had broke a little at the fact that Aston was now all alone. No siblings, no parents. No family. Nothing.
Everett had felt his eyes become warm with tears but had quickly composed himself and fixed himself before stopping in front of the throne room. He huffed in a gulp of air, before opening the throne doors and walking towards the middle of the room.
The King had already been sitting there waiting for him, next to him was no other than Princess Zelda. Her deep scowl hadn't left him the moment he walked into the room. They had been quiet for a couple minutes before the King spoke.
"I'm glad you could join us Sir Everett. There are some things I wish to speak with you about," He stated. "The four champions of the races around Hyrule are gathering in the castle towards to meet each other in the courtyard this afternoon. I would appreciate it if you were there. My sheikah advisor has put some trials together to test you and the other warriors over the course of the next few days."
Everett raised his eyebrow. "For what your majesty?"
"To bond with the other champions. If we're going to beat the Calamity, we just have trust and confidence within each other. I would be more comfortable if the warriors of Hyrule were accustomed to each other." Everett nodded. "Have you met any of the champions so far?"
"I was able to be greeted by Lord Daruk at the ball last night." Everett informed.
"So I heard," The King sat forward. Everett had raised his eyebrow, how did the King know already? That ball was packed out, and even then he couldn't say a lot of the races despite them being taller than regular hylians. "It seems your popular amongst the gorons, and your quickly gaining a reputation in Hyrule."
"I would rather not." He admitted.
The King chuckled. "Unfortunately it just doesn't work like that son. You'll probably be one of the most recognizable faces in all of the land with what your participating in."
Everett nodded. He bowed before turning around and began to walk towards the door with a quick stride but it wasn't fast enough before the King stopped him.
"Sir Everett I'd like to make a request?" His deep voice rang throughout the room. Everett simply looked over his shoulder instead of turning his full body. He was slightly annoyed, but not because the king had made a request. But because he waited until he was half way across the damn room. "Would you tell me of your story?"
"Why?"
"Surely it would be important to know who you are."
Everett huffed. "Who I am is not important." And with that he shut the throne doors. He had fully realized that the King could have his head on a pike for simply doing that. But he didn't care, he needed to get away from the Princess. Her deathly stare had only made him annoyed by the minute as if she couldn't take her eyes off him.
...
Noon had rolled around, and Everett had began to make his way to the courtyard. He waited about ten minutes after noon as he didn't like being the first one to show up, remembering all the halls that Olas showed him before he found his destination. He had seen Daruk and Zelda standing around talking to the other champions and that bird that had acted like an asshole towards him. The champion with the special sword had been standing in the corner by himself alone with his back pressed against the wall and his arms crossed. There two women standing next to each other chatting, one was a fish and the other was a very tall dark skinned woman. Impa and Purah were also present as the examined the special sword that belonged to Link that was currently sitting on a wooden table.
He stepped out of the dark before making his way towards the group. Impa had looked behind her before her eyes widened with excitement. He had hesitated walking toward them as all eyes were on him.
"Good, you're here. Everyone, if you haven't met him this is Everett." Impa said. She turned back towards the rest of the group.
"Why is he here? What makes him worthy enough to stand next to the likes of us?" The Rito had asked. "What if he's Yiga?"
"Be serious." Purah shot back.
"Because unfortunately Father has asked for his aid." The Princess bitterly said. He felt a muscle tick in his jaw.
"And that's my cue to leave." Everett didn't realize he had said the words out loud before he turned on his heel and began to walk to the courtyard exit, Impa had quickly scurried towards him before grabbing his wrist and swinging him around to the same spot he was in.
"We are all in this together." Impa said with the last word sharp.
"Come on guys, we're a team. Everett's really strong if you haven't heard!" Daruk piped up. At least someone was grateful of him being here. He glanced towards Daruk who had given him a nod of approval.
"Plus, strength can come in handy. I think we'd oughta give him a chance to prove himself." The tall lady said.
"Everyone is here, I think now we should begin." The group gathered around the table where the Master Sword had been laid. "I have called each and one of you here, as we will be doing a series of trials to determine how strong you all are. Link, you be excluded from this trial as you can already wield the sword."
Link had nodded but not before Everett caught the death glare that Zelda had given him.
"We will be testing to see if any of you are worthy of wielding the Master Sword should Link fall in battle." He stated bluntly. Everett glanced over at Link who had a expressionless look on his face. "As far as Hyrule's history goes back, in order to wield the master sword you must be chosen by the gods and must possess three qualities: Courage, Wisom and Power. Only the Princess and Hero are allowed to touch it-"
"It is quite evident who is worthy and who is not," The Rito cut in before Impa could finish which Everett see ticked her off.
"Revali-"
The man named "Revali" let his feathered wing in the air to silence everyone. He roughly grabbed the hilt of the sword before tugging at it.
It didn't budge nor move. Not even an inch.
Revali tugged at it again before looking quite embarrassed. "Just give me a sec..." He began to pull it and tug at it as hard as he could before huffing. "How asinine."
"Urbosa, how about you try?" Zelda asked with a smile. Urbosa had taken her hand off her hip, before wrapping her slender fingers around the handle and she pulled as hard as she could but to no avail, the woman named Urbosa was not worthy.
Daruk had stepped up next with a loud crack in his gigantic fingers, he carefully wrapped his fingers around the sword before pulling on it. It didn't budge, instead the table moved with it. Daruk had awkwardly set the table down before moving back where he was standing.
"Mipha?" The red Zora had stepped up and quickly wrapped her fingers around the sword and gave it a light pull. She seemed smart enough to get the memo that if she wasn't going to get it on the first pull then she wasn't worthy. She stepped back awkwardly before holding her hand towards her chest. Everyone turned their eyes towards Everett who had quickly caught on that it was his turn. Huffing, he made his way towards the table. Zelda's glare didn't leave him the whole time and not long he was in front of the table.
"Can't brute force your way through this brute." Revali said with a sneer.
"I will skin you alive chicken." Everett gritted through his teeth which made Revali's anger show in his face.
"Enough!" Zelda scolded both of them before she looked at Everett with a look of irritation. "Will you take your turn? Or will you make us wait all day?"
"I should make you wait." He muttered.
"What was that?"
He shooed her away making her face scrunch with annoyance. He pulled on the handle and felt it move a bit, he had raised his eyebrow before quickly scanning everyone in the room. Still eyes on him. He felt the sword's weight considerably lower and he felt like he was able to pick it up.
But he didn't.
He didn't want to pick it up, they already looked at him as some type of alien. Him picking up this so called sacred sword would probably make them lose their minds. He had faked a grunt before picking it up slightly before letting it drop heavily on the table again. "Seems like I'm not worthy."
The questionable state from Impa didn't slither pass him, and he had gave her a side look of his own briefly before stepping back away from the sword. Link had stepped up before taking it off the table and sheathing it with a slick.
"Well, I guess we have matters to discuss on this certain topic that I'm sure we'll be able to discuss later, but for now this trial is complete as we now know if any of you are worthy of wielding the sword should Link fall."
Revali scoffed once again. "I'm sure we won't be needing any of his help with my skill, once the Calamity watches me display my abilities I'm sure there's no way we lose." He said with a confident grin.
Everett chuckled under his breath, and it didn't go by Revali. The Rito shot the man a glare before sneering.
"Something I said that has you so amused?" Revali challenged.
Everett chuckled again before he let a breath out. "I find it hilarious how you think shooting wooden arrows is gonna somehow stop this monster you all have been crying about."
"Do you really think my abilities stop there?"
"I haven't heard you brag about anything else, have I?" Everett said with a hint of cockiness in his voice. With his new abilities, he found a new pair of balls if it made sense. Taking on any challenge he could find, or was presented. It made him feel good, and confident, something he didn't feel in his first life.
"Well surely I hope your abilities go behinds lifting things, I'd ask if your brain wasn't the size of an Moblins." Everett laughed at that one. He truly was getting under this cocky bastards skin. Watching the Rito throw insults at him which barely made him flinch was amusing, and it time that someone had to stick it to this asshole.
"You say you're confident in your abilities, yet you project your insecurities onto everyone else." Everett spat out. "You know what I think?"
Revali gave him a death stare. He had honestly forgotten that the Princess was still here and that the champions just watched as the two butted heads. Everett took a few steps forward now face to face with Revali who had held his composure but Everett could sense him boiling inside.
"I think your scared. Scared to fail, and so you project every tiny little insecurity that runs through that smooth brain of yours onto other people. Your scared, scared because your useless beyond flying around and shooting arrows at your target. You have no type of expertise anywhere else. You're scared because if you don't accomplish what your suppose to do, every little boy who looks up to you will think your a sham. You'll bring shame to your heritage and race. You haven't been humbled yet, you haven't been humiliated and you sure as hell need to be.'
Revali smirked before he scoffed with every amount of cockiness he could muster before he leaned closer to Everett. "I am the greatest warrior of all the Rito. I have accomplished things that no other Rito has, I am the pinnacle of a Rito warrior. You are nothing compared to me, you have done nothing in your life to accomplish anything that comes anywhere near to my achievements brute. We will settle this one of these days, and I will humiliate you and crush your pride."
He suddenly felt the air around him begin to pickup in a swift upward motion before Revali had quickly retreated in the air before he vanished in the sky. Everett looked at the sky with a hint of amusement before he chuckled and looked at the ground. He looked back to the group before he chuckled and looked back towards the sky.
"What an absolute asshole."
"Well, that was eventful." Urbosa suddenly cut through the silence.
"Now we have the champions fighting each other now, how great." He heard the Princess mumble under her breath with clear anger in it. "I told Father this would be a bad idea. You're going to jeopardize everything."
Everett shot a deadpan look at Zelda. "You're joking right?"
He eyebrows furrowed at that. "Do you think this is a game!?" Ironic. "Do you not know what's at stake?"
Everett scoffed. "Honestly, the more I learn about it and all of you, the less I'm beginning to care what happens to you and your kingdom."
"So why are you even here?" Impa asked with a challenging voice.
Everett looked towards her. "I didn't ask to be here nor did I want to be here. All I did was participate in a dumb strength contest, I won and I happened to catch the King's eye. I don't want to be here as much as the rest of y'all do, that's a mutual feeling we all share."
"He's right, none of us asked to be apart of this." Mipha spoke up, walking a couple inches toward him. "It's best if we all had a mutual goal instead of a mutual feeling."
Zelda had mumbled something under her breath before she had sighed deeply.
"Do not worry little bird," Urbosa laid her hand on Zelda's shoulder. Zelda looked up at her with a softened gaze while Urbosa had a look of assurance on her face. "One of these days you should come to the desert. We'll have an entire spa day to ourselves."
Zelda's face brightened. "Thank you Urbosa."
Impa stepped up. "Well I guess we can call it day, since Revali left. I will leave information about the next trial within the next few days. I'll see you all then."
Everett was already out of the room before she could get the sentence out.
Zelda wasn't one to let her emotions get the best of her, but after the conversation she had with her Father, he's lucky she doesn't try to destroy Hyrule Castle herself. Traveling to the 3 springs and four races around Hyrule didn't bother her as much as the fact that her Father order the brute and hero to accompany her the whole way.
It made her feel weak. Angry.
"You will visit each spring to unlock your powers and travel to the four races to strengthen your bond with the champions. Everett and Link will accompany you." He said. His hard facial expression didn't soften at any of the words.
"I would much rather you send me with royal guards instead, I do not want to be limited to only two guards." She said annoyed. Her real reason was because she couldn't stand those absolute idiots.
"You will not argue with me." Was all the King had to say for Zelda to clench her fist in annoyance. Was he dead set on ruining her life? Making sure her life was as abnormal as possible? A life where he couldn't let her be herself. Do what she wanted. It made her blood boil and she had turned away from the King on a swift heel before leaving the sanctum. "Link is by far the most accomplished swordsman in all of Hyrule. Everett appears to be able to outmuscle even the strongest of them all. It would be an idiotic move for me not to send you with someone that I know will let no harm come to you."
"I have been fine under the protection of the Royal Guard before. This will be no different." She said stubbornly making the King sigh with a hint of exhaustion.
"Since the spike of monsters around Hyrule has soared. The guard tell me there everywhere and the number of solider deaths don't help either daughter." Zelda huffed. Deep down she knew Father was right and that there was a recent spike in monster numbers. She looked back up towards the throne at her sitting Father who bored his eyes into her. "Do I make myself clear? You will be accompanied by those two, and you will unlock your powers. I am sure of it."
The Princess nodded her head before she turned on her heel and began to almost run out of the throne room with how fast she's walking. She could already feel the angry tears before she left the sanctum. Impa had been leaned against the stone wall fiddling with her sheikah blade before she heard the Princess's soft steps. She looked up at her before concern washed over her face.
"Princess what's wrong?" Impa almost shrieked. She took Zelda's wet face in her soft hands, and wiped a tear from the Princess's face.
"They all doubt me..." Was all that the Princess could get through her quivering lip. "They all believe I'm a failure. Even Father thinks I'm one. Wanting to surround me with those two idiots because he believes I'm not able to take care of myself."
Impa sighed before she let her hands drop from Zelda's face. "Hyrule has been more dangerous these past few months, so I can understand where he's coming from when he wants Everett and Link to accompany you."
Zelda's eyes widened. "You knew?"
Impa laughed. "Of course I know I'm the King's advisor, I know everything that goes on!" Impa's laughter died down, and the two walked towards Zelda's chambers in silence before Impa spoke again. "Weird isn't it?"
"What's that?" She said wiping her tears with her hand.
"Everett. Mystery man." Impa said with a wave of her hand making Zelda huff, it was dreadful to even hear his name. "They've tried looking him up, going to towns to see if anyone knew him personally."
Zelda waited. "And?"
Impa shook her head. "Nothing, we've found nothing on him. No backstory, No family, no friends, no anything. It's like he suddenly appeared that moment me and Purah had ran into him which resulting in him bashing a monster to death with that stick."
"So is his name even Sir Everett?" Zelda asked with a hint of annoyance.
Impa shrugged her shoulders. "Wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't. He's practically nonexistent. Every time I've tried prying his past from him, he'll look at me and say "My past is not important."
Zelda remembers that same line he said the other day to Father when asked about his background. It was almost the same nonchalant way that Impa portrayed. She barely knew anything about Link, but she knew absolutely nothing about Everett. At least Link had a file, and though it wasn't nearly filled like all of the other castle workers, he at least has a name for himself. Everett doesn't.
A mysterious person indeed, she agreed with Impa. A six-foot wall of muscle that covered the real him. Who was he? What's so special about him that Father asked him to aid in the fight to seal the Calamity? Sure, he wrestled evenly with Gorons but what did that have to do with him being able to fight such evil? Why choose such a lowlife?
She huffed in annoyance once again making Impa catch on. "What is it Princess?"
"I don't understand what Father sees in him." She blurted out.
Impa raised an eyebrow. "Maybe he sees potential. Maybe he's just using him for his strength. Who knows what the King is planning. Obviously he was so impressed that he's sending him along with you and the hero."
"Maybe he's just really good at sending people to their death." Zelda remarked.
They turned down a long hall and they finally were in the same hall as Zelda's chambers were. Zelda stopped before looking at the elegant double doors. Impa had came to a halt a few feet behind Zelda, before she clasped her hands together in front of her abdomen.
"Do not worry Princess. I believe you can unlock your powers and seal the darkness. You have every drop of my faith in you." Impa assured with a small smile.
Zelda nodded before giving her smile in return. Impa bowed before she hastily walked away and turned the corner of the castle hall. Zelda wiped the smile off of her face and sighed before opening the heavy doors to her bedroom. Moonlight seeped its way through her window, giving her room a very cozy and gray setting. She sighed before beginning to take her dress off and settled with a white nightgown. She walked past her bed and headed straight to bridge that led to her office, her bare feet landing on the stone walkway made them cold and the stone being harsh against them didn't help.
The stars shone bright above her head. Thousands filled the star making it a beautiful sight. The cool air was enough to cool her down as it was summer in Hyrule and skies knows the summer heat was overwhelming sometimes. She leaned against the wall that had blocked her from falling to her doom, with her elbows propped up.
She looked up at the sky, dark eyes bored a hole in the sky as if she was looking at Hylia herself. "Are you even up there?"
"Man, you really are doomed." Olas chuckled, he blew smoke from his mouth and into the air. The breeze swept through Hyrule Field as Everett took the blunt from Olas who still had smoke coming out of his mouth as he talked. "So Rhoam wants you, to accompany the hero and Princess to the three springs around Hyrule and also to the four races and also fight the Calamity? Man, I don't know if that strength contest helped you or sealed your fate."
Everett chuckled inhaling some of the smoke. "I've accepted it at this point. Didn't think it would get this crazy, but here am I mixed in with royalty."
Olas laughed louder. "Wasn't this you plan? To do something in yer' in your life that you couldn't do in your past one?"
"Yeah, but I was hoping to be known to people. Not literally fighting a world ending monster that we probably have no chance of winning." Everett passed the leaf rolled cannabis. Olas took it gently.
"Welp, those are the twists and turns of life. I didn't expect to be dismissed from the castle because of myself."
"You told me you lost that job fair and square. You believe that?" Everett asked.
Olas nodded before plucking the tiny blunt from his fingers. "Absolutely. It was my choice to get shitfaced every night I could and show up hammered to the castle."
"Well yeah.."
"One thing my hard ass of a father taught me was to recognize my wrongs. I won't sit here and act like I was fucked over by the kingdom. Sure, the castle is filled with a bunch of useless and Moblin droppings of people but they weren't making me drink myself to death every time I could grab ahold of a mug."
Everett sighed still looking at the castle which had shined in the miles away which felt like a million miles away. "At least you recognize your wrongs."
"Would you even be human if you didn't? I don't understand people who can't take a look at themselves and say "Am I the problem?" Like Hyrule would definitely be in a better place if people did take a look at themselves."
Everett couldn't agree more. He appreciated having Olas as a friend in this world he still felt he didn't belong in. He felt real. He felt real because he is essentially in a video game that was now his reality.
"You really think the Kingdom's doomed?" Olas asked cutting through the silence.
"I'm not sure. I just got here not too long ago." Everett answered with a shrug of his shoulders. "But, no one in that group seems to be on equal ground. Like everyone has they're own agenda."
"They've got their people to protect."
"Still. They act as if this Ganon monster only wants Hyrule Castle."
"People will always have they're own agendas. Doesn't matter how nice they are, people always have they're selfish needs." Olas said looking towards the stars that littered the sky. "So what about the Princess?"
"Insufferable," Everett quickly replied. Olas laughed. "I can't stand her. She's an asshole."
"Give her break man. She has a lot of shit on her shoulders for a teenager."
"Doesn't mean she gets to wipe her shit off on everyone else. Not my problem Hyrule's gods hate her." He said bitterly. Olas pursed his lips at that.
"Give her time, she'll come around."
"I doubt it." Everett said quickly.
Olas sighed. "So when does this whole fiasco start?"
"Within the coming days." Everett answered. "The King said to report back to the castle in two days."
"If that's the case," Olas fished a couple rupees out of his pocket. "Drinks on me, tonight."
Everett chuckled.
"I could use some of that."