Whew, longest chapter I have ever done! hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 8: All's fair in love and war.
Midna's steps echoed down one of the halls of the palace of twilight with Link by her side. After the revelation of just who Eclipse is, the twilight princess thought it would be better to move the rest of the conversation to a more private place. Taking a glance back at the silent hero she makes note of his current demeanor.
Link walks a few paces behind Midna, eyes clouded with thought and face blank. She then notices for the first time since he got here that Link has gotten taller. Before she was about a head taller than him. Now, he's the same height as her.
'Yet...one more thing I missed in these last four months.' She then shakes her head to clear that thought away.
She can't really blame him for being thrown for a loop, gods know she was. Midna doesn't know which revelation surprised and concerned her more, the fact that the twilight sword exists. Link found and can wield it. Eclipse is talking to him inside his head. Malladus wants them all dead. Or that the two members of the dark trinity seem to be on opposite sides and going to war. And the third one, Nirvana, might not be far behind.
As the two exit the hallway, Midna looks around the main hall of the palace. Many nurses and servants rush back and forth tending to the wounded, as those who were lucky enough to get out of the battle unharmed were getting ready in case of another attack. Midna is grateful that somehow they made it out of that without suffering any loses. One of the older nurses in her mid forty's with shoulder length wavy pink hair, brown eyes and dark blue skin, noticed them come in and headed over.
"Princess Midna, you're alright!" Said the nurse looking on the verge of tears as she sweeps the princess up in a big hug. "After what happened to Max, I feared the worst!"
"Lydia, its fine, I'm ok." Midna said patting the older woman's back before a pained look took over her face. "How is Max, have you seen him yet?" She asked.
Releasing her ruler, Lydia took a few steps back and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe at her eyes. "Still in surgery. The doctors say it's too early to tell if he will make it, with all his wounds. But they are hopeful that Eclipse won't need to come and guide him away." She said trying to calm herself. Midna hears Link suck in a short breath at that part, and she takes a quick glance back at him for a moment. "I wanted to stay in the waiting room with Mia, but I couldn't just sit there doing nothing, so I'm helping out where I can." Lydia's lip started to tremble as she looked at Midna with a desperate look in her eyes. "He's going to be ok right? I already lost my brother and husband when they were turned into shadow beasts and sent into the light world, I can't lose my son too." She said as tears start to run down her face.
Midna places a hand on the older woman's shoulder and looks at her with a determined fire in her eyes. "Lydia, Max is one of the strongest people I have ever known. So, believe me when I say that he will pull through."
The words from the princess seem to do the trick as Lydia nods her head and wipes her eyes with her handkerchief and took a few deep breaths to regain her composure. When she calms enough the nurse drops to a bow. "Forgive me, your highness, I lost my head for a minute. It wi-"
"Don't apologize for being worried about your child, Lydia. I would do the same if I was in your position." Midna said with a small smile on her face. She then gestures to the green clad hero behind her. "Lydia, this is Link. He will be staying with us for the next little while, so can you have one of the maids send some food up to my chambers for me and him? I have something to discuss with him and I'm afraid it will take a while."
Lydia nods her head yes then takes a look at the hero that she just noticed is there. Her brown eyes scan his form before snapping to the black sword strapped to his back, staring at it with wide eyes.
Sensing that its best to leave before a bunch of questions that the princess can't answer are asked, Midna grabs Links wrist and pulls him with her to the stairs. As they start up them Midna says over her shoulder to the nurse. "Thanks Lydia, we will be in my chambers if I am needed."
"Wait! Your highness!" She calls across the room getting the attention of some of the others who look at the stairs just in time to see the princess and hero turn a corner, and before they are out of sight, the curious Twili get a glimpse of the dark blade that rests on the back of the green clad hero.
As Midna pulls him up the stairs and through the halls Link's thoughts continue to chase one another around inside his head. 'A God. Not just any god, Eclipse is the god of twilight. One of the Twilight Realms guardian deities that Midna mentioned after we got both Sol's back to their proper place.' Link thinks as he has been trying to wrap his head around this new info for the last twenty minutes. It was obvious that Eclipse had some ties to the twilight realm, but Link was thinking he would turn out to be a spirit. Maybe a servant of the golden goddesses like Fi. But certainly not one of the twilight gods themselves!
"Why is one of the twilight realms gods helping me?" Link tries to ask, but there is no reply. Ever since the end of the fight Eclipse has been silent, Link wonders if he might have ditched him.
"Fi, did Eclipse leave?" He asks the spirit of the master sword.
"No, master Link." Said the voice of Fi inside his head. "From what I can tell, lord Eclipse still inhabits your mind."
As the two make their way to Midna's room, at some point they went from Midna having a hold on Link's wrist to simply holding hands. Passing some more Twili in the halls their eyes lock onto the black sword and clasped hands, whispers can be heard as they disappear down the hall. "Well then why doesn't he say anything!" Link thinks while he tries to just focus on where they are going.
"I do not know, master. The reason why a god does anything is hard to understand." Fi said, her voice understanding. "I myself didn't understand a lot of what her grace, Hylia, did when she set her plan to kill the ancient demon king in motion."
Link lets out a sigh, getting the attention of Midna who turns her head around to look back at him.
"Everything ok Link?" She asks as they come to a stop at a door with the royal family mark on it.
Link shrugs his shoulders in response. "I don't know. Eclipse has stopped talking, but Fi says he is still in my head."
"Fi?" Midna asks confused.
Taking a look around Link sees that the hallway is empty at the moment save for them, but he doesn't want to discuss this where anyone could hear them.
Turning back to his princess Link said. "Are we almost to your room? There is a lot to tell you and I don't want to be overheard."
Nodding her head Midna waves her hand Infront of the door and says as it glows a cyan light and swings open. "We are already here. This is my bedchamber, no one will we able to hear us inside. It ..looks like I have missed a lot in just four months." Link noticed the odd catch in her voice and eyes at the last bit. Thinking quick he gives her hand a gentle squeeze to tell her that it's alright.
Walking into the room Midna lets go of his hand and walks to the desk as Link takes a look around the space. A four poster queen size bed rests on the wall to his left, with dark purple sheets and drapes pulled back. The wood desk and chair sits on the wall opposite the door, with a door to the right that leads to a bathroom. On the wall across from the bed a set of glass doors and windows open onto a balcony that he guesses looks out onto the main grounds.
Not knowing where to stand Link stays in the open doorway, while Midna takes off the necklace she has on. He then notices that it is the shadow crystal that he used on his journey, he didn't think she kept it.
Going to sit on the edge of her bed Midna stares at Link for a few moments before opening her mouth. "You're not going to stand there all night are you, Link? Come sit here. I get the feeling that this is going to be a long night." Midna says patting the space on the bed next to her with a smirk on her face.
"Right." Link said walking into the room and the door closes and locks behind him. Coming to the side of the princess's bed, the hero unstraps the shield and two swords from his back and leans them against the wall. Sitting himself on the bed next to Midna on her right side Link takes off his hat and puts it in his lap. Running a hand through his dark blond hair as he stares at his boots he said. "I'm not sure where to start."
"Usually, the beginning is the best place." Midna said with a smirk on her face.
Link shoots her an unimpressed look at the joke before getting a smile of his own and shaking his head.
"Right, ok." He said as his eyes roam over to the glass door leading to the balcony and stares at the orange sky. "I guess it all started the night after you destroyed the Mirror of Twilight and went back home. I had just laid down in the room we rented from Telma when..." And so, Link tells Midna everything that has transpired over the last three months starting with the dreams and going from there.
A few hours later Link paces the side of her bed. Midna is leaned back against the headboard, legs tucked under her, as she finishes her glass of wine. The treys that were used for their dinner sit stacked up on the desk, the now empty bottle that had the last of the blue potions Link had brought with him and given her to heal her injuries sits on top of the stack. As he got to the part where he and Zelda went inside his mind and saw the hero of time fighting the six shadows. (One of them, unsurprisingly being now identified by Fi as Bellum.) Sealing the twilight sword away then dying. The hero thought pacing would help him keep his mind straight. Halfway through his story they got word that Max is out of surgery and is expected to make a full recovery, minus some burn scars. He is now resting in the infirmary.
"So, Zelda can go into another person's mind?" Midna asks as she sets the now empty glass on her nightstand next to the stack.
"Yeah, it's kind of weird to tell you the truth." Answered Link, his left hand holding his chin while not stopping his pacing. "She also said that while in my mind I would basically be her bitch, and that she could do anything she wanted to me."
Midna raised an eyebrow at that. "Zelda said that you would be her bitch?"
Link stops pacing for a moment. "Well not in so many words. But it was the jist of what she said." He said, then he resumes his pacing.
Midna takes a glance at the god of twilights weapon resting against the wall. "You know, it says something about our lives that the fact that Zelda can do that isn't even the craziest thing I have seen today."
Laying her hands in her lap with her head down she says in a voice so small that the green clad hero wonders how he can hear it. "I missed so much in only four months."
Link stops his pacing and turns to face Midna. Taking the few steps to stand Infront of her bed, Link leans over and places both hands on hers. He then notices she is shaking a little. "Midna, what's wrong?"
"I can hear it." Was all she said, her voice strained.
"Here what?" Link asks in confusion.
"The pain in your voice. You hid it well, but I could still tell. You went through such a hard time, all because of me! Because I destroyed the Mirror of Twilight, you suffered for four months! Trying to find a way back here!" She said sounding on the edge of tears and not meeting his eyes.
Link is stunned at the amount of pain in Midna's words and guesses she must have been feeling the same pain being separated from each other that he was. Not wanting her to blame herself, he squeezes her hands a little tighter and tries to comfort her. "Midna, its ok, really. I know why you did it, and I was never mad at you. I'm here now, so everything's fine." Link said with a smile.
Midna just shakes her head, a few tears dripping onto their hands. "No! It's not, Link!" The volume and anger of her voice surprised Link making him lose his smile. Snapping her head up Midna continues with tears running down her face. "The only reason you are even here now is because of a whim of a god lead you to something that was not supposed to exist! If Eclipse didn't help you, there would be no way for you to ever get back into the twilight! Even knowing that there would be no way for us to ever see each other again, I still destroyed the mirror!"
Midna raised a hand and swiped angerly at her tear-stained cheeks. Locking her red eyes with Links stunned blue ones she continues. "And the worst part is I was too much of a cowered to tell you how I felt about you. We were about to be separated forever and I still could not tell you three small words. Instead, I made you a fake promise by saying, 'see you later', knowing that 'later' would never come!" Midna lowers her head to her lap again. Her anger disappearing and sorrow taking its place as her rant came to an end. "That is something I can never atone for, no matter how many times I say I'm sorry."
Taking a moment to prosses all of what she said, Link considers what to say. He knows any attempt to downplay what happened again will just end up making her more upset. He understands why she is so distraught. They might have been only separated for four months, but it easily could have been years, or forever. And she's right, the only reason he's even here now is because a god with still unknown motives allowed him to. Link can't even imagine the gilt he would feel if he had to make the choice to be separated from Midna forever, then have her suddenly show back up not even half a year later. He knows that the best thing to do now is to be fully honest with her about his feelings.
"Midna, Midna look at me." Link says trying to get her attention. When she offered no response Link decided to take a different approach. Taking his right hand from hers he brings it up to her face and gently cupped Midna's left cheek, much like she did when they first entered gerudo desert. Breathing an internal sigh of relief when her only reaction was to lift her head and finally look at him, Link uses his thumb to wipe some of the tears away. Looking deep into the scarlet eyes he loves, Link begins to speak.
"Midna, I won't lie to you. Back in the mirror chamber when I saw the first crack appear in the mirror, I felt my heart break." Her eyes shift down and away from his then, but Link continues. "After you vanished and the reality of what you did sunk in, I was mad. I couldn't understand why you would prevent us from ever seeing each other again. As I was riding back home to Ordon after returning the Master Sword to the sacred grove, I thought the reason you destroyed the mirror was that because you never wanted to see me again, and that thought shattered my heart. I thought that all the time we spent together getting to know each other as we were finding the pieces of the fused Shadow and Mirror of Twilight ended up meaning little or nothing to you. That I meant nothing more to you then a friend at best, and that thought was devastating." Midna's eyes look back at him and she opens her mouth to speak, but Link holds up his other hand stopping her before she can get a word out.
"However, as I was going over the time we spent together in my head, I remembered what you said after we got the shards from the yetis and the city in the sky. I remembered how you said that the evil in the mirror was too great and would probably be best if it was destroyed. And that made me remember how your face looked when you destroyed the mirror. You looked just as devastated and heartbroken as I felt. Realizing that you at the very least didn't want to say goodbye, but you had to remove the threat of the mirror made me determined to find a way back to you so I could tell you how I feel, no matter how long it would take."
Taking a deep breath, Link summons all his courage for this next part. He's aware that he bleated it out earlier in the heat of the moment, (him and his big mouth), but Midna deserves to hear it directly from him, the proper way. Moving his hand to her chin Link stairs deep into her eyes as heat fills his own cheeks while Midna's turn a darker shade of blue.
"I love you, Midna. And I forgive you for destroying the Mirror of Twilight."
Silence falls on them as Midna just stares wide eyed as Link waits to hear her reply. After a few moments Link begins to think maybe he should have waited a little bit longer before dropping that on her, when he sees her start to speak.
"I wanted to tell you how I felt, ever since we got stuck in that cave on Snowpeak. But, I was afraid that since I was still an imp, that you wouldn't want to be with me. So, I kept making excuses that I would tell you later and later. And then after I got my true form back, I wanted to tell you before I went back home. But I had already made the decision to destroy the mirror." Midna's eyes look away from Link's. "I kept wanting to tell you before then, but I just couldn't. Not when I knew that there was no future for us. I couldn't ask you to come with me, the Light Realm and everybody there needed you, and I had to get rid of the mirror. Or something like what happened with Zant might have happened again." Her eyes then look back at his.
"Those thoughts kept chasing each other around and around in my head the two days we spent traveling. And when we got to the chamber, I almost did tell you. Except I was already going to hurt you when the mirror was gone. I couldn't do something that was so cruel to you. And I have found myself these last four months wishing for nothing more; that I was selfish back then and asked you to come with me." She takes a deep breath then and looks back at him. Their respective blushes deepening on their faces.
"Because I love you too, Link. And I'm truly sorry for all the pain I have caused you."
Link lets out a breath, and with it all the tension he had went with it. Now that their feelings are out in the open, he feels elated, and strangely giddy. Now there is one thing he wants to do before anything else, but only if Midna wants it to. Looking deep into her eyes, he starts to lean forward.
Seeing what Link is doing, Midna's eyes widen in surprise for a moment. Before she leans forward herself and closes her eyes as she puts her hands on his chest. Seeing her reaction, Link closes his eyes, then gently presses his lips onto hers.
Links often wondered what his first kiss would feel like, but whatever he was expecting, it wasn't for it to feel this electric. Moving his right hand back to her cheek he tilts his head slightly to deepen the kiss as he wraps his other arm around her middle as the intensity of the kiss increases. Not one to be outdone by her wolf, Midna wraps her arms around Link's neck and pulls him closer as she tangles her right hand in his hair. Opening her mouth slightly, she runs her tongue across his lips, eliciting a surprised gasp from the hero as she invades his mouth. Rising to her challenge he begins to fight back, only for Midna to let out a moan and then both of them lose their balance and fall onto her bed, with Link holding himself above Midna with his elbows.
Finaly breaking apart for air, both of them pant heavily. Looking down into Midna's eyes Link sees that her pupils have almost entirely swallowed the red, and he can't imagine that his look much different.
"Midna." Link pants out. "You know I would never make you do anything you weren't comfortable with. So, if you want to stop here, I'll understand."
Midna lays there for a moment, chest rising and falling rapidly. Smirking like the imp she used to be, she reaches up and wraps her arms around Link's neck once again and pulls him down to lay on top of her. Leaning her head up she whispers into his ear. "We both know you could never make me do what I don't want to. Now, don't you dare stop."
Looking back into her eyes for a moment, Link, with a smirk of his own, then leans down and kisses Midna once more as they surrender themselves to their passions.
A gentle breeze blows softly through the forest, rustling the leaves of the trees that stretch up into the green sky. A gold sun casts its light on him and his black stone throne that sits on an equally black stone dais. Eclipse watches the events in a five foot pool of water about four feet away from where he sat. Leand on his right arm and head resting in his palm, a smirk on his face.
"We both know you could never make me do what I don't want to. Now, don't you dare stop."
As the two begin to embrace each other once again, the smirk he has gains a bit of a sad look to it.
Seeing the two brake apart long enough for the Twilight Princess to pull the hero's green tunic off, then resume their embrace, he waves his left hand, and the image of the two disappears from the pool of water.
Nayru might call him a lot of things, but a voyeur isn't one of them.
Sitting up straight, Eclipse leans forward and interlocks his fingers together, resting his chin on them he considers what should be done next.
"Link and Midna deserve to have this time to, 'rest', however they see fit. When morning comes, I'm afraid there will be little time for relaxing."
Reaching around to his left side and into his cloak with his tail, he pulls out a glass orb the size of an apple, with a single terrified yellow eye inside of it, surrounded by a faint gold aura.
Holding it out before him he drops the orb into his waiting right hand, then sets his tail back to his side. Bringing it up to his face he contemplates the orb, and the eye inside of it. "You know, your plan was some measure of impressive, I'll give you that. Your Phantoms are a force to be reckoned with. But you really should have taken the Twilight Princess and the Hero of Twilight seriously." Eclipse then gains an annoyed look. "I'm still surprised my little brother pulled you idiots from not only the dead, but from the other two timelines as well. This mess will be a headache to clean up."
Slowly, he begins to tighten his hold on the orb. As cracks started appearing on it, the eye looks around franticly. Looking into the glowing purple eyes of the god of twilight, it tries to silently beg for its life as the light shining around them seems to grow dimmer. The pressure stops as Eclipse lessens his hold and stares at the mortal life in his hand. The eye, seeing the cracks stop, tears up in gratitude. Eclipse smiles at it.
Then clenches his hand, crushing the orb into thousands of specks of dust.
"Burn in hell? You should have only been so lucky."
Brushing the remits of the dust off his legs, Eclipse looks at the pool once again. Waving his left hand, an image of a brown haired princess fighting an army of the undead appears on the water surface. Leaning back, he once again rests his head in the palm of his right hand.
"Now, let's see if your blood descendant and your power will be enough to stop this, Hylia."
"DIN'S FIRE!" Zelda calls out, as a fire ball the size of her head shoots out from her palm. And collides with the Redead Infront of her, engulfing it in an explosion of red flames. Shrieking, the flaming Redead ran forward and brings its broad sword down on the princess.
"Nayru's love!" Zelda said and a spinning blue diamond barrier appears around her blocking the strike. Lunging forward as soon as the barrier disappears, the princess shoves her sword into its chest, piercing its heart. With a final shriek the undead dissolves into a puddle of darkness.
Taking a moment to breath, Zelda surveys the battlefield, and its pure pandemonium. Dozens of corpses litter the ground, both from the knights and the undead. It seems like the bodies only dissolve when she kills them. As her knights are fighting fiercely against the undead, Zelda sees Darbus and Impa tearing through them with his Megaton hammer a flame, and her katana wreathed in shadow.
WHROOOOO!
Looking up, Zelda sees another round of 30 bomb arrows fly though the sky, before they descend three miles out, and Zelda looks away.
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!
Facing away from the explosions, Zelda sees two knights fighting three Redeads three hundred meters away. With a shriek two of the Redeads paralyze the two knights, the one with the sword falling to his knees, while the third one raises its sword to strike them down.
Acting fast, Zelda focuses on the area behind the Redeads and calls out. "Farore's wind!" Disappearing in a swirl of green light, Zelda reappears about ten feet away from them. Holding her right hand up, she points her sword at them. As the Triforce of Wisdom shines from her right hand, Zelda yells. "Hylia's mercy!"
A golden triangle appeared at the feet of the Redeads, before it erupted upwards with gold light, obliterating them.
Rushing over to the knights. "Are you two alright?" Zelda said offering a hand to help the falling one up.
"A little shaken, but we'll survive. Thank you for your help, princess." Said the one with the spear, as the one with the sword took the offered hand, holding his side.
"I took a hit from one of those bastards. But I think I can continue fighting. My apologies for the trouble your highness." He said, his voice sounding like the other one.
"You have nothing to be sorry for, soldier. What are your names?"
"Cody." Said the one with the spear.
"Zack." Said the one with the sword.
Zelda looks around at the fighting still going on around them. "Ok, Cody, take Zack back to the medical team and get him treated."
"But Princess I-"
"That is an order soldier! We will not suffer needless losses. Am I clear?"
"Yes, princess Zelda!" They said in unison. Cody then puts Zack's arm over his shoulder and helps him back to the defensive line, along with two other knights that Zelda waves over to escort them.
"You know, cutting people off is starting to become a bad habit of yours." Said a voice behind her.
Turning around, Zelda sees Impa walking up to her.
"We can worry about that later. Has there been any news about the whereabouts of the one responsible for this mess?"
"No. They are still not showing themselves."
"Unfortunate. Then we will have to just keep fighting. Get ready." Zelda said as she saw a group of seven Stolfos rushing at them.
"Right!" Impa said, her katana covered in shadows once again. And together they charge to meet their foes.
Vaati was pacing the length of his room in Telmas bar, anxious, as the sound of more explosions come from the west wall. It's been like this for the last two hours. With every new round of explosions, he feels more and more restless. So, he thought pacing would help relieve some of his anxiety.
"You have to calm down, Vaati." He said to himself, as the feeling of needing to do something resurfaced from deep within. Ever since he first heard the explosions, he has had this weird feeling of needing to do something. Of some force pulling on something deep within him. But he doesn't know exactly what. It almost feels like he wants to go out there and, fight?
"Maybe I should just go to sleep and try to figure this out tomorrow." He said stopping his pacing and walking over to his bed. Unclipping and tossing his cloak onto the floor he then lifts the covers. Hopefully everything will turn out ok and he can talk to Zelda about what he's fee-
[...ti.]
Vaati's head shoots up at the sound of the voice and he drops the covers.
[...ati.]
Looking around the room, Vaati doesn't see anybody else. Cautiously, he calls out into the empty room. "Hello? Who's there? Show yourselves."
[Vaati.]
A little frightened now, Vaati slowly makes his way over to the desk that came with the room. Grabbing one of the objects on it, Vaati said to the voice that sound like it was coming from all over. "Who are you and how do you know my name?"
[Vaaaatiii.]
"I'm warning you, I'm armed!" He shouted, holding up the butter knife from his dinner trey.
[Vaaaaati. Come.]
Looking at the door that the voice seemed to now be coming from behind, Vaati slowly made his way over to it. Grabbing the knob, he counts to 3 before he rips the door open, butter knife at the ready.
Only to see nobody there.
"What?" He said, looking down the one path of the empty hallway. It's about 100 feet to the stairs that lead down to the second floor, and he didn't hear any footsteps running away from the door. So the odds of someone making it there before he opened the door are unlikely and his room is at the other end of the hall.
[This way. Vaati.]
Vaati looks down the hallway again as the voice sounds a little further away. "Why should I fallow a disembodied voice?" He said to the empty air.
[To find a different path forward.]
Curious as to what this voice wants from him now, Vaati rushes back to his discarded cloak on the floor and clips it back into place. Closing the door behind him, Vaati begins to walk down the hallway. Fallowing the voice down the stairs he comes out into the closed bar.
[Vaati.]
Fallowing the voice out the front door, Vaati makes his way out into the night.
Walking passed the fountain in the plaza Vaati stops in his tracks when he feels something. Looking to the west wall he sees a flash of gold light shoot up in the distance. He doesn't understand why, but he just knows that came from Zelda.
"What is going on with me?" He asks himself in worry.
[Vaati.]
Looking ahead to where the voice is coming from, Vaati continues to fallow it. Passing under an arch and heading toward the castle.
Walking into the main courtyard Vaati stops by one of the tall metal and stone structure with a gold triangle in it.
'Why does this look so familiar?' He thinks as he puts his hand on the structure.
[You are close, Vaati. This way.]
Looking up to at the sound of the voice, Vaati hears that it is coming from the open gate on the right. Walking through it Vaati continues to fallow the voice until he reaches the main gardens of the castle.
[Almost there. Keep going.]
Vaati makes his way through the maze of shrubs and hedges until he reaches an ivory gazebo, gleaming in the silver light of the full moon.
"Ok, now what?" Vaati said to the mysterious voice. "Do I just stand here all night? Or is th-!" Suddenly a horrible heavy feeling overcomes Vaati, and he fell to his knees.
"What is this?!" He said as the feeling grew massively in size.
It was so horrible, so twisted, so dark, so cold, so, evil.
Just when he thought the weight of this presence would crush him, he suddenly felt it lessen to a large degree. As a warm feeling blossomed from his chest.
[Hurry, Vaati. Time is short.]
Standing back to his feet as the warm feeling subsided, Vaati looks around the gardens. He still doesn't understand the reason why, but he knows Zelda is in trouble. Focusing is attention back on the gazebo, he demands to the voice.
"What am I supposed to do?! I don't understand anything that's happening to me!"
[Calm yourself, my dear lost child. All things will be made clear in time. Now call to the ill gotten light within and let it illuminate your path.]
Taking a few breaths to calm down, Vaati tries to do as the voice said. 'Hey, inner light? If your there I could use some help? ...please?'
"...I feel like an idiot." Vaati said after a few moments of nothing happening.
Just as he was turning around and going to call it quits. He suddenly felt that warm feeling come from his chest again, and the gazebo flashes once with a gold light and starts to move backwards. When it reaches ten feet back the gazebo stopped, reveling a hidden staircase.
Walking to the start of the stairs, Vaati looks down the unlit staircase. as the voice sounds from the shadows.
[Come, Vaati.]
"Well, I've come this far. Might as well see where this all leads." Vaati said as he begins to make his way down the steps, right hand braced against the wall for support.
When his body is fully swallowed by the shadows, the gazebo slides back into place. Covering the entrance once again.
Deflecting the strike of the sword, Zelda brings up her left hand, palm alight with magic power, and punches the Stalfos in the chest, blasting it into pieces. Turning around quickly, the princess lunches another din's fire at the Redead trying to sneak up behind Impa while she is distracted fighting two Stalfos.
Zelda rushes over to Impa as she dispatches the skeletal warriors. Noticing her approaching, the sheikah gives a tired nod.
Taking a much need breather, the two survey the battlefield. The knights are putting up a good fight, just as they were an hour ago. But slowly, they are starting to be pushed back as less and less bombs are fired.
Breath labored, Impa speaks. "We can't keep this up for much longer, princess. And it doesn't seem like the undead forces are thinning much anymore."
"Agreed." Zelda said. Breath short as well. "If we don't find the main enemy soon. We'll have to retreat. And that could put us in a dangerous position."
Looking at Zelda Impa said. "Well, do you have any ideas how we do that?"
"Well we cou-." Before Zelda could finish, she saw a massive fire ball the size of her body heading right for them. Acting quickly, the princess grabbed onto Impa's shoulder. "Naru's Love!" She yelled as the blue barrier flared to life once again, and the fire ball collided with it, causing a large explosion of fire and dust.
After the dust and fire settle, Zelda drops the barrier, and her and Impa look at the 20 foot blast zone.
Eyes wide, Impa walks a few feet forward. "What was that!?"
Just as stunned Zelda said. "I do not know, Impa."
"Just a simple way of getting your attention, Princess of Light." Said a deep voice behind the two.
Startled, the two turn around and see standing about a hundred feet away, is a familiar orange and silver knight to the princess. Blood dripping from the great axe that rests on his shoulder.
Impa quickly moves Infront of Zelda, katana at the ready. "Who are you!?" She demands.
The knight ignores her and addresses the princess. "You know, I'm disappointed."
"What?" Zelda said, also readying her sword.
"You have been valiantly fighting this losing battle for the last four hours. Losing so many of your knights in the prosses." He said as he walks toward them, his heavy steps somehow audible over the sounds of battle. "I myself have killed about five dozen of them." He chuckled darkly as he shrugged his right shoulder, gesturing to the blood dripping axe. "And yet, after all this. Your 'hero' hasn't shown himself. I thought all the heroes were paragons of courage. I'm disappointed that this one seems to be a coward." Stopping 20 feet away he says to them. "Tell me where he is princess and I'll let a few of you live to see the sun rise."
"Why you bas-!" Impa began, before Zelda put a hand on her shoulder.
"Wait, Impa." Zelda said, stopping her before she could charge him. Walking Infront of the general, she speaks to the knight.
"And just whom am I speaking with?"
"Onox." Said the knight.
"Well Onox. My 'hero', as you put it, is not coming. He is away on another journey. So if you are waiting for Link to show up, you are only wasting your time." Zelda said bringing her sword up and grasping it with both hands. "I'm going to assume that it was you're doing that brought these undead down upon my kingdom."
"Correct."
Smiling she said. "Then if I kill you, this nightmare will finally be over."
Chuckling he said. "Thats an big IF, princess." Hafting is axe over his shoulder; he holds it in both hands. "After I kill the two of you. You can rest easy knowing I will tear this kingdom apart, stone, by, stone. Life, by, pathetic life. Until I find where the Hero of Twilight is hidden. Then I will rip his still beating heart from his mangled corpse!" And with that he charges them.
Splitting apart, Zelda leaps to the left as Impa goes to the right, dodging the axe as it comes down on then. Striking with her sword Zelda attempts to cut his leg. But Onox blocks the strike with the shaft of his axe.
Jumping back quickly, Zelda held up her left hand. "Din's fire!" She calls, and another fire ball shot out and sped toward him.
Swinging his axe up. Onox bats the fire ball away into the sky where it explodes. He then brings his axe around in a single handed horizontal swing, aiming at the princess.
Ducking under the swing, Zelda then launches off the ground, aiming a stab at Onox before he can recover. The sword makes contact, but bounces off his armor. Recoiling, Zelda steps back, only to be backhanded and flew a few feet away.
Looking back at Onox as she stops skidding on the ground, Zelda sees him deflect a swing from Impa with his axe and then throw a punch at her that connects.
Standing quickly to her feet Zelda casts another Din's fire. The spell flies off and collides with Onox's back in a fiery explosion.
Turning around as the smoke dissipates Onox said. "You'll find that fire is ineffective on me, princess." He then opens his mouth wide as he inhales, and a fiery orange light ignites in it. Breathing out, a massive stream of orange fire erupted form his mouth.
Acting quick, Zelda calls out. "Naru's love!" And the blue barrier springs up right before the fire engulfs her.
After 10 seconds Onox closes his mouth and cuts off the flames, reveling the unharmed princess.
Onox puts a hand on his chin. "That barrier spell of yours is going to be annoying to deal with. Guess it doesn't matter much since your fire magic is useless on me."
"Well how about shadows then?!" Yelled Impa as she jumped onto his shoulders. Bringing her katana to bare, wreathed in shadow, the general stabs it down onto the space in between his shoulder and neck.
*Crack!*
Only for the blade to snap in two.
Stunned for a moment, Impa didn't get out of the way in time before Onox reached up and grabbed her right arm and pulled her off him.
Holding her out before him he said. "They don't work either." He then slams Impa into the ground, hard.
"Gah!" Impa cries out as blood flies from her mouth.
Picking her back up, Onox looks her over. "You are quite tough, for a human."
"Fuck...you." Impa said, blood dripping down the corners of her mouth.
"Thats original." Onox said. He then starts to tighten his grip, aiming to crush her right arm.
"Gaaahh!" Impa yells form the pain. Swinging her leg, she kicks out to try and get him to release her, to no effect.
'I must do something!' Zelda thinks in panic. 'I should have enough mana to at least fire six light arrows. Better make them count!' Stabbing her sword into the ground Zelda hold up her left hand, and in a flash of gold light, the Bow of Light appears in her hand, along with a quiver of six arrows strapped to her side.
Taking an arrow from the quiver and knocking it, Zelda pulls the string back and shouts out as the arrow charges. "You will release Impa!"
"No. I don't think I will." Onox said with a smile, enjoying the pain he's causing.
"That was not a request." Zelda said, releasing the fully charged light arrow.
Like a golden comet, the arrow flies though the night and strikes Onox full force in a flash of gold and white light.
"Arrgg!" Onox crise out as golden lightening races across his body, dropping Impa in the process.
"Gha!" Impa cries as she falls on her now broken arm.
Standing straight as the lightening fades, Onox sneers out. "You want this woman back? Fine then!" He then kicks Impa across the field, and right into Zelda. Causing both of them to crumple to the ground.
"This farce has gone on long enough!" He yells, as the orange skull mark on his chest and the three holes in his helmet starts to glow. A viscous orange and black fire begins to engulf the head of his axe.
Zelda quickly rises back to her feet again and stands Infront of Impa, Bow of Light at the ready and arrow charging.
Hafting the axe up, its unnatural light casts an eerier shadow on the twisted smile he has on his face.
"Let's see how you fair against the power that the god of darkness, Malladus, has granted me. While your 'golden goddesses' sit back and do nothing as I burn this kingdom to the ground!"
Coming down the steps, Vaati enters a long hallway, lit by 8 large crystal pillar and two small crystal lights on both doorways. Casting the place in a calming blue light. Eyes wide, Vaati takes a few steps forward.
"What is this place?" Vaati said, stunned. Suddenly, he feels something calling to him. It's right ahead, through the other doorway.
[Go Vaati. Hurry.]
"Ok, ok." Vaati said, walking slowly down the hallway.
Walking through the doorway, Vaati enters a large chamber. Lit with the same blue crystals. Looking around in awe, he takes in the room.
Four knight statues, with their swords drawn in an honor salute, stand Infront of a large stone dais. With four three foot pillars at each corner and a four feet pedestal in the center. And imbedded in that pedestal is a three foot sword with a gold guard, a red gemstone in its center. A circular pommel with a three gold triangle mark he seen at the fountain on it. With white cloth bandages wrapped around the handle and two strands a foot long hanging off near the guard.
Moving forward as if in a trance, Vaati climbs the five steps. Coming on to the top and walking around the pedestal and up the three steps, he stands before the sword.
'Why does this place and sword seem so familiar?' Vaati thinks as he takes another look around the mysterious chamber.
[Draw the Four Sword from its pedestal, Vaati. Let it be your guide on the path back to the light.]
"Ok. Whatever that's supposed to mean, I'll try to." Vaati said as he grabbed the handle with both hands. With grate effort he pulls the sword free from its pedestal. Holding the sword out before him, Vaati feels something click in to place inside of him. And for some reason he doesn't understand he feels that he can now use the power of the Four Sword.
[My time is almost up. Now Vaati, go to the princess. She will need your help. This will be the last time we will be able to speak in this world. I wish you luck on your journey. My dear lost apprentice.]
"Apprentice?" Vaati said to himself, stunned. Looking up he yells out to the voice. "Wait! You know who I am!? Tell me, please!"
There was no answer.
Desperate now, Vaati begs. "Don't go! I don't know who I am or what I'm doing! Please, I need help!"
There was still no answer, the voice had gone.
"RRRRAAAA!" Vaati screamed in rage. Throwing the Four sword down, its blade chipped the stonework as it clattered to the floor.
"HOW AM I GOING TO HELP ZELDA AGAINST AN ARMY OF THE UNDEAD?!" He yelled into the empty air. "I'M JUST SOME RANDOM GUY WHO DOSEN'T REMEMBER ANYTHING ABOUT HIMSELF!" Falling to his hands and knees, Vaati slammed his fist onto the ground repeatedly. "What, what can I possibly do!"
With rage filling him, he slammed his fist onto the ground once again, and a strong pulse of wind blew out around him. Shaking the chamber and blowing the Four Sword down the steps. As the warm feeling returns to his chest.
Stunned, Vaati stays still as knowledge of magic spells fills his mind from the warm feeling. Standing up Vaati looks at his hands, as wind swirls around them.
"I know magic?" Vaati said, voice low and eyes wide. Before a huge grin takes over his face. "I know magic!" Suddenly, he feels that evil pressure from before increase once again.
'Zelda's in danger!'
Snapping into action, Vaati rushes across the platform, and jumps down the steps. Landing at the bottom, he runs over to the Four Sword that landed by the feet of one of the statues and picks it up. Looking around for something to put it in, Vaati is surprised for a moment when a scabbard with a symbol of a gold four leaf clover on it, appears in a flash of white light strapped to his left side.
"Ok, I'll roll with that." Vaati said as he sheathed the sword. He then runs out the doorway and toward the battlefield.
In his hurry to leave, Vaati never noticed the ghostly vestige of the old man dressed in green robes, with long snow white hair and beard, holding a cane, standing Infront of the pedestal where the sword slept.
A hopeful smile upon his wrinkled face.
Zelda lets lose the light arrow as Onox charges at her and Impa. Dodging to the right, Onox is only slowed for a moment. Jumping into the air, he brings his axe down on the two.
Moving quick, Zelda grabs onto to Impa and shouts out. "Farore's wind!" And the two disappear in a swirl of green light before the axe can hit them, then reappear 40 feet away as the axe slams into the ground, causing a huge crater.
"Blast those goddess spells!" Onox growls out. Standing up he rips his axe from the crater he made, and turns to stare at them. "A fire ball that can be ten times stronger than any bomb, the ability to teleport wherever you want in a certain distance, and an impervious barrier that not only protects you from magical and physical attacks but can also reflect those very attacks back at the enemy. You are one irritating bitch to fight."
Stading to her feet, Zelda knocks another arrow. "I take that as a complement." Narrowing her eyes, she says. "How do you know so much about the goddess spells?"
Chuckling darkly, Onox replies. "The Hero of Time used them against us when we chased him down like the pathetic dog he was. Gave me and my comrades a bit of trouble with those spells of his, until he nearly ran out of mana that is. He had to resort to his little mask after that." Raising his axe high into the air, the unnatural fire begins roiling on the blade, he said. "I wonder, just how much longer do you think you can keep those spells of yours up, Princess of Light." He then swings the axe down, and a wall of orange and black flames speeds out toward them.
No time for a Naru's love, Zelda fires the arrow at the fire. When both magical attacks collide, it causes a huge explosion of orange and white light. Down to three light arrows now, the princess knocks another one and charges the next shot, as the light fades.
Looking at the new 15 foot hole dug into the ground, Onox chuckles.
"Well, you managed to deflect that one. But I'm afraid if that's the best you can do, you will never win this fight, let alone the war, princess."
Getting up into a sitting position as she cradles her broken arm, Impa says through gritted teeth. "You said there are more of you. How many of you monsters are there?"
Onox frowns at the Sheikah woman. "That knowledge is of no use to the dead."
Taking aim at Onox, Zelda said to her guardian. "There are six of them, not including this 'Malladus' that we must deal with, Impa."
Frowning deeper, Onox said. "And just how do you know that, Princess of Light?"
Zelda said nothing, only releasing the light arrow, hopping to take Onox by surprise so he doesn't dodge this one. Good news, he didn't dodge. Bad news, he smacked away the light arrow into the sky with his axe like he did the fire ball the princess shot.
As it flies off into the distance, Onox puts his left hand to his chin. "You should not know our numbers. Your Triforce piece does not give you omnipotence. Otherwise the Twilight Invasion would not have happened. I may have to reframe from killing you until I can uncover how you know such things. It would be, troublesome, if a certain relic were to be unleashed on the world again, and not be in our control." Fire pulsing on the axe, he points it at them. "I'll just kill the white haired women. Then take you back to my lord. He will tear apart your mind to figure out what you know."
Zelda thinks quickly. 'Impa's too injured to continue fighting. I need to find some way to get her back to the medical team. But how? Onox won't just let me carry her, and I don't have enough mana left to use Farore's wind that many times and still be able to continue fighting with magic.' Looking far behind him, Zelda sees her sword still stuck into the ground. 'Guess I will just have to keep him away from Impa and look for an opening to get her to safety.'
Clipping the Bow of Light onto her back, Zelda holds out her right hand. Her sword shakes a few times, dislodges itself from the ground, and flies fast the 50 feet back to Zelda's hand.
"Cute trick. Not that it matters." Onox said, raising his axe high once again.
Preparing to use another Farore's wind, Zelda hears a loud rumble coming closer.
Launching high into the air is what looks to be a giant spinning boulder. Uncurling, the form of the goron patriarch Darbus makes itself know. Reaching the highest point of the jump, he takes his hammer from his back, a spinning drill like red hot flame igniting on it. Holding it with both hands as he falls, he brings it down on Onox, while yelling out.
"Volvagia smasher!"
Bringing his axe just barley up in time. Onox was able to block the hammer. Unfortunately, with Darbus's weight and the pull of gravity, he was unable to stop the hammer from striking him, causing a large explosion of fire and smoke.
Jumping out of the cloud of dust, Darbus lands right next to Zelda and Impa.
"Sir Darbus!" Zelda said in relief. Grateful to have another ally.
Not taking his eyes off the cloud he speaks to Zelda. "I smelled a powerful evil. For it to make itself known above this mess, I knew it must have been the one to start this hell. So I came as soon as I could. Sorry for the wait, tiny princess and tiny general."
"No apologies needed. I'm just thankful your here. Impa's badly injured. We need to find an opening to get her out of here." Zelda said, not looking away from the cloud as well.
"I can still fight!"
"Understood." Darbus said, ignoring Impa. His stone like face then gets a deadly serious look. "There is one other big problem, tiny Princess."
"What's that, sir Darbus?"
"When a Goron is selected as the next patriarch. We are familiarized with the scent of our greatest enemy. So that we know should if they ever make their return, we would know and be ready."
"And what is your greatest enemy, sir Darbus?" Zelda askes, but she's pretty sure she knows the answer.
Darbus speaks as the cloud fades and Onox's eye holes blaze with a rage fueled orange light, as he stands back to his feet with a large scorch mark on his armor.
"A dragon."
This chapter was going to be the full war of the undead, but I felt that it was getting way too long. So next chapter will be the end of the war and what happens the next day.
That's it for now!
Leave a review and let me know how you are enjoying the story!
Join us next time for!
Chapter 9: The four lights.