"The dragon was defeated by the Hero. He, his sister, and Queen Urballa attempted to negotiate with Prince Harun and the Hinox. No agreement was reached. Our forces are beginning our assault on the temple. Prince Silorn's Hydrophant has been safely lowered into the canyon and will reinforce them shortly." A Zora messenger knelt on the ground at the entrance of the strategists' tent, bowing his head respectfully.
"Thank you for the update, sir." Princess Miphela nodded her head, turning to the Hyrulean queen who sat beside her. Sophitia returned the nod, indicating that she had no further questions. "You are dismissed. Please return to your duties," Miphela told the messenger.
"Thank you, Princess." The Zora man stood and left.
"The battle is proceeding well. Almost too well," Aunt Celessa noted.
It was true that they had suffered few setbacks so far. Sophitia had not anticipated their cannons being destroyed so easily by the dragon and the Hinox, but other than that, they had achieved victory after victory. The enemy's first few waves had been defeated with minimal losses on their side, the dragon had been slain by Link, and now, the remaining enemy forces had fallen back to the temple.
Without Lord Remoth's leadership, their military forces are crumbling.
If things continued this way, then it was only a matter of time before they achieved total victory.
"Have there been any updates on the City in the Sky?" Sophitia asked. She'd been informed of the way Skyloft had been weaponized by her brother when he'd brought it to the capital. If the floating city were truly that dangerous, then it was to be considered their enemy's greatest weapon. However, while they had anticipated that threat, the enemy had made no use of it.
"Winged monsters have been spotted flying to and from it, so the enemy still seems to control it," one of Sophitia's advisors told her. "However, it has not moved. It is likely only Prince Lancel knew how to operate its weaponry."
Sophitia felt a pang of sadness at the mention of her brother.
He may have been a megalomaniac, but at least he was wise enough to ensure such a dangerous weapon did not fall into the wrong hands.
Thinking about it more, it was possible Lancel had in some way preemptively sabotaged the City in the Sky in order to prevent anyone but him from using it to its full potential.
That does sound like something Lancel would do. He wouldn't have wanted me, Percival, or Victorique to be able to use it if we had taken it from him somehow.
With her deceased siblings on her mind, Sophitia felt the need to see her sister. "Aunt Celessa, Princess Miphela, may I leave matters in your hands for a moment?"
"Of course, my queen," Celessa replied.
"We have only small matters to attend to as of now. Please, feel free," Miphela agreed.
"Thank you." The queen stood up. Liliana immediately appeared at her side and escorted her out of the tent.
"Is anything the matter, Your Grace?" her round-eared retainer asked.
"No. I merely wish to see my sister." Seraphina would not have been far from her, of course. Their camp was relatively small, and the most important tents had been set up in the center of it, including the strategists' tent.
As the queen had expected, she found her sister in the main healers' tent. Since the soldiers who had been the most severely wounded were not able to climb back up out of the canyon, the tent was not terribly full. The soldiers who were there to be healed were primarily those with minor wounds sustained in the canyon, and a few others who had been more greatly injured in small skirmishes outside their camp in Rowan Plain.
When Sophitia entered the tent, Seraphina was kneeling beside a soldier lying on some soft bedding that had been set up on the ground. With her arm extended, her hand glowed with a holy light that covered the man's wounded leg.
"Are you feeling any better?" Seraphina asked.
"Yes," the soldier replied. "Thank you, sage."
Seraphina smiled, withdrawing her hand once the wound was no longer visible.
Dame Jeanne, ever vigilant, had noticed Sophitia as soon as she and Liliana had entered the tent. "Greetings, Your Grace." The knight bowed her head.
The young girl perked up at the mention of her sister's name. "Sophie!" she called out, hopping to her feet and rushing over to give the queen a hug. "Have you finished with your meetings?"
"Only for the moment," Sophitia replied, stroking Seraphina's hair. She laughed internally at the sight of her much shorter sister latching onto her while wearing such regal sage's robes. Despite her official status as a messenger of the gods, she still looked very much like a child playing dress-up.
"Is the campaign progressing well?" Dame Jeanne asked.
"It would appear so," the queen answered cautiously.
"The Hero slew the dragon," Liliana pointed out.
"Wow! Really? Linkle did?" Seraphina took a step back from her sister, sounding amazed by the news.
"Link did," Liliana corrected.
"And the Zora have brought Prince Silorn's Hydrophant down into the canyon," Sophitia added.
"How on earth did they manage that?" Dame Jeanne asked, mildly bewildered.
"I'm told their hydromancers drained a nearby pond in order to create a massive column of water on which to lower the beast," the queen explained.
"Aww, I wish I could've ridden on its back when they did that," the young sage said.
"Is everything alright in here, Sera?" Sophitia knew her sister felt fulfilled when healing the sick and wounded, but she was always worried that seeing people in pain like this would weigh too heavily on her, especially in a battlefield setting.
"People are hurt, but we're doing our best to help," her sister replied, gesturing to the other healers making their rounds in the tent.
"Good." Sophitia put her hands on Seraphina's shoulders and leaned over to give her a kiss on the forehead. "Keep helping them, sister. And stay safe."
The young girl gave her a beaming smile. "I will, sister!"
Sophitia left the tent feeling comforted.
"Are we going back?" Liliana asked as she walked beside her.
"Yes. I…" The queen trailed off. She noticed many people in the camp around them acting strangely, looking up into the sky and pointing. They were not all pointing in the same direction. Turning her gaze up at the sky, Sophitia saw one of the notable sights that had everyone's attention. A small structure had broken away from the City in the Sky, and it was now flying slowly in their direction. Additionally, a swarm of flying monsters was accompanying the structure.
"That can't be good," Liliana deadpanned just as the alarm bells began ringing throughout the camp.
Turning her gaze west, Sophitia saw another swarm of flying creatures coming from the snow-capped Hebran side of Tanagar Canyon. However, she could see more clearly what they were. These flying creatures were no monsters – they were Rito.
The queen felt a cold sweat come over her.
Are they friend, or foe?
The Rito had not responded to her request for aid when she'd sent out messages to all the other provinces. When last she'd seen Chief Revalco, they had parted on relatively decent terms, having just agreed to allow the Rito tribes to secede from the kingdom if they wished. If the Rito were coming now, it was probably because they considered monsters to be a mutual enemy rather than out of any desire to help the Hyruleans. That was the most likely scenario. However, the cautious side of Sophitia's mind considered the possibility that the Rito were there to attack Hyrule instead, perhaps having taken the presence of their army as a threat.
Please, Hylia, let the Rito know we are not their enemy…
"Captain!" Sophitia called out to a nearby knight she spotted running towards the northern palisade.
"Your Grace?" The knight stopped, quickly saluting as he awaited orders.
"Order our archers not to attack the Rito unless they attack us first. Focus on the monsters descending from Skyloft."
"Yes, my queen."
"Dismissed."
The knight left to deliver her orders, and Sophitia turned back towards the healer's tent.
"We should return to your aunt and Princess Miphela," Liliana said, keeping pace with her queen.
"We will. I want to get my sister first." Throwing the flap of the tent open, Sophitia went inside.
"Sophie!" Seraphina called out as soon as she saw her. She had a worried look on her face, clearly frightened by the sudden alarm bells.
"What has happened?" Dame Jeanne asked, her arm wrapped around Seraphina protectively.
"Possible attack from the air. Come with us, please," Liliana explained calmly. Sophitia figured she was attempting to downplay the urgency of the situation for Seraphina's benefit, although that was just Liliana's general manner of speaking.
"Yes. It's quite alright, but we should get somewhere safer, just in case," Sophitia added.
Dame Jeanne nodded her ascent. "Come, sage. Let us follow your sister to safety."
Together, the four of them left the tent. Outside, archers were still scrambling into position. The majority of them were on the side of the camp that faced the approaching monsters. Those soldiers stood with their bows aimed toward the skies, ready to fire at a moment's notice. The archers facing the Rito had their bows lowered, but cautiously kept their eyes on the approaching flock of birdfolk regardless.
Seraphina let out a fearful whine, pointing upwards. Now that the floating structure and the flying monsters swarming around it were closer, it was a bit easier to make out what they were. Many were Achemen, as Sophitia had expected given the enemies they were at war with. However, she could also see another kind of bat-creature. She recognized them as the flying devils known as Vires. Additionally, the Vires were surrounded by swarms of much smaller creatures. They were too small to make out individually, but the queen knew they must have been swarms of Keese.
"Hurry, now. This way," Jeanne urged the young sage, pulling her along.
When they reached the strategists' tent, Governor Kochi and Princess Miphela were still inside. Their other lieutenants were present as well, and several guards stood at the ready by the entrance.
"Your Grace, what is going on out there?" the Zora princess asked. "Another monster attack?"
"Yes. And they fly," Sophitia answered quickly. "Dame Jeanne, Aunt Celessa, help me put up a barrier.
"Very well."
"Of course, my queen."
The three of them moved their hands in tandem, working the barrier spell together. They could only see a small part of it through the tent's opening, but they managed to erect a protective bubble of magic large enough to cover the entire tent.
"I suppose they realized our palisades were enough to keep their ground forces out," Aunt Celessa speculated.
Sophitia thought back to something her brother Lancel had once said. He'd theorized that the reason the Rito had been able to hold out for so long against Hyrulean expansion was precisely because of their ability to fly. When faced with a swarm of flying monsters, knowing their walls and their many lines of guards were useless to stop them from reaching their tent, Sophitia could understand what he'd meant.
I have fought against Rito before as well. Let us hope we do not have to today.
"Is it more Achemen?" Princess Miphela asked.
"Yes. And Vires," Dame Jeanne replied.
"Vires? Outdoors? That's quite unusual, is it not?" the Zora woman remarked.
"Though not unheard of," Celessa added. "Perhaps the Vires and the Achemen see each other as kin in some way, and wish to fight their common enemy together."
"The Rito are here as well." Sophitia still hoped that was good news, but she felt as though she were delivering bad news when she said it.
"Do we know their intentions?" Princess Miphela asked.
"No," the queen admitted, walking towards the tent's opening. "I guess it is time we found out."
Liliana, Miphela, and Celessa followed her outside. Beneath their protective magical dome, there was enough space outside for them to stand, along with several of their guards. From there, they watched as the battle began.
The floating structure that had broken away from Skyloft stopped moving, hovering in the air. It was difficult to judge its distance, but it looked as though it would have been too high for an arrow to reach, and it was not directly above the camp, still floating somewhere above Rowan Plain. The swarm of flying monsters, however, became close enough that the Hyrulean archers let loose their first volley of arrows. Many Achemen, Vires, and Keese were hit. The slain Achemen and the Keese plummeted from the sky, but the Vires simply exploded into swarms of more Keese.
With the unholy number of bat-winged monsters coming down on them, it was impossible for the Hyrulean soldiers to hit them all. Soon, the swarm reached the camp, pouring over it like a dark cloud of fangs, claws, and leathery wings. Sophitia watched on in horror. Some soldiers ended up with dozens of Keese biting into them at once. Others were impaled through the chest by the dark iron spears the Achemen carried. One Vire managed to bite a soldier's entire head off.
Soon, Keese began to ram into the magical dome that protected Sophitia and her allies, slamming their bodies against it like a flock of birds flying into a window pane. The guards beneath the dome held their weapons at the ready, preparing for the monsters to break through the barrier. A Vire appeared outside, flapping its wings to hover in place while it laughed. The creature raised a three-fingered hand with sharpened claws and pointed forward, like it was commanding the Keese to attack.
Celessa reacted quickly. With a wave of her hand, the creature burst into flames before exploding into a new swarm of Keese.
"We must do something," Sophitia said desperately, watching the slaughter occurring throughout their camp.
"Our barrier should hold for some time, so long as these minor monsters are the only ones attempting to damage it," Aunt Celessa replied.
"But what about them?" The queen pointed to those on the outside, currently fighting for their lives against the sudden swarm of monsters. She turned to Princess Miphela. "Is there something you and your hydromancers can do? Perhaps a tidal wave could sweep away the Keese without causing any serious harm to our allies?"
"There is not a large enough water source nearby for something like that, I'm afraid," the Zora princess answered.
"But what if–?" The queen's attention was brought back to the battle outside of the dome. A new rain of arrows began falling from the sky. However, nearly every arrow seemed to pierce through a monster rather than any of the Hylians or Zora. Several Achemen fell to the ground, along with dozens upon dozens of Keese.
Looking upward, Sophitia saw that the Rito had arrived. The huge flock of them now flew directly above the camp, flapping their wings and operating their bows with their talons. The skilled archers were sniping Keese out of the sky, and leaving the Hyruleans alone.
"They've come to reinforce us!" Sophitia proclaimed with relief.
Similar sentiments were shouted throughout the camp as the soldiers began to realize the newly-arrived flying archers were on their side. With renewed morale, the Hyruleans continued to fight, pushing back against the monsters with the help of the Rito.
Within a few moments of the Rito arriving, a massive gust of wind picked up. Sophitia and her closest allies did not experience it from behind their barrier, but she could clearly see the galeforce wind causing the surrounding tents to flap and tip over, some coming loose and blowing away. What must have been hundreds or even thousands of Keese were blown away along with it, screeching as they lost control of their movements and were forcibly ejected from the camp.
It quickly became apparent that, with the arrival of the Rito, the battle had swung entirely in the Hyruleans' favor. By the time the remaining monsters fled, the camp was littered with the bodies of dead bat-monsters. Regardless of their own losses, the Hyruleans cheered when the Rito descended, touching down inside of their camp.
"That was a rather pathetic display."
Sophitia tilted her head up to find Chief Revalco lowering himself down to the ground outside of the barrier.
"I don't think it would be unfair to say you'd all be dead if it weren't for us," the Rito chieftain stated.
Sophitia forced a smile. "Truly. You have my thanks, chieftain." Sharing a nod with her aunt, Sophitia waved her arms, dispelling the magic barrier. "Are you responsible for the gale winds that drove off the Keese as well?"
"No. That would be her." Revalco pointed a wing skyward. Balla the Wind Sage descended beside him.
"Hello again, Princess," the young sage said respectfully.
"It is 'Queen' now," Celessa corrected her.
"Your contributions are greatly appreciated, wise sage. Thank you for aiding us." Sophitia gave Balla a bow. Then she gestured inside the tent. "Won't you join us? We have much to discuss."
Once inside the tent, Sophitia and the others found Seraphina hiding behind Jeanne on the far side.
"We have victory, then?" Dame Jeanne asked, likely having heard most of their conversation.
"Indeed," Princess Miphela confirmed. "Thanks to the timely arrival of our Rito allies."
"And don't any of you ever forget it," Revalco insisted.
Upon spotting Balla, Seraphina stepped out from behind her protector. "Who are you?" she asked excitedly.
Sophitia smiled. "Sister, this is Balla, the Sage of Wind. Balla, this is my sister, Seraphina, the new Sage of Light."
Seraphina gasped, likely overjoyed at meeting another sage who was almost as young as she was. She ran across the tent to hug the young Rito. "That's fantastic! We're sage sisters!" she proclaimed.
The queen was happy to see her sister recover from being afraid so swiftly, but she turned to Revalco to focus on the matter at hand. "Why did you decide to aid us?" she asked.
"I told you last time we met," the Rito chieftain said. "Monsters and demons are everybody's enemies. Even if I hated you, I wouldn't let some demon kill us all just to spite you."
Sophitia could not tell if that was an admission that Revalco hated her, but she ignored that for the time being. "I suppose that is wise. Still, as I've said, you have my gratitude, chieftain." She next turned her attention to Balla, who had separated from Seraphina at that point. "Sage, what has become of Grand Artisan Rodan?" she asked. "When last I saw him, he was at your temple."
"He has set up a workshop there, Your Grace," the Sage of Wind explained. "The locals are quite fond of him now, I might add."
"But why has he remained there all this time? Has he not received his summons to return to the capital?"
Balla tilted her head. "I am unsure. He told me he's been working on a big project for your brother, who requested he remain at the Wind Temple. Has Prince Lancel not been in contact with him either?"
Sophitia felt a pang of sadness in her heart, which was only amplified by the look of obvious discomfort on her sister's face. "I'm afraid Lancel and my other siblings are no longer with us," she informed the Rito, trying to speak as gracefully as she could. "Had you no objections to Rodan remaining in the Wind Temple?" she asked Revalco.
"Hmph. Of course I did," the Rito replied, crossing his wings in a standoffish manner. "But the Wind Temple belongs to no single tribe. The rest of the rabble allowed themselves to be fooled by that walking boulder's charm, so my protests fell on deaf ears."
"I see."
Sophitia considered herself lucky that Rodan had not been harmed in any way in retaliation for the initial incident that had sparked the conflict between the Hylians and the Rito. Perhaps Rodan being a Goron had made him appear to be a neutral third party, or perhaps he was simply too large and intimidating for any of the Rito to try to attack him. Regardless, it was good to know he was alive and well. Her Grand Council would be better off with the old Grand Artisan returned to his position.
"Perhaps now we should-" As Sophitia began to speak, Seraphina and Balla simultaneously each pressed a hand to their own face, a look of pure horror coming over them both.
"Whoa…"
"Oh, gods…"
The queen was immediately concerned. "Sister? What is the matter?"
"Sage?" Revalco asked, apparently concerned with Balla as well.
"Little angel?" Jeanne joined in, putting a hand on her charge's shoulder.
Both sages were quiet for a moment, but they soon recovered. "I think-" Balla began, but she didn't get a chance to finish her sentence. She and Seraphina once more grew uneasy all of a sudden, falling to their knees this time.
"Sera!" Sophitia threw herself to her sister's side and wrapped her arms around her.
"Guards! We need healers in here, now!" Celessa shouted to the soldiers outside of the tent.
However, neither sage appeared to suffer further after that. Sophitia kept Seraphina cradled in her embrace, even after the healers arrived and began bathing her in holy light.
"Sister, where are you hurt? What has happened?" the queen asked.
"I-I don't know…" Seraphina replied.
"Has some sorcery afflicted you from afar?" Revalco asked Balla.
The Rito sage shook her head. "I do not believe so. Er, well, perhaps not intentionally."
"What do you mean?"
"I just felt a great disturbance. Something bad has happened to someone divine." Balla turned to Seraphina. "Did you feel it, too?"
"Yes." Seraphina nodded. "Do you think another god was hurt?"
A thought occurred to Sophitia. "The Sage of Shadow might have been in that temple, right?" she asked.
Jeanne nodded, her hand gently rubbing Seraphina's back. "Could our forces have dealt with her?"
"Perhaps. If so, Karasu may be very angry," Celessa pointed out.
Balla stood up suddenly and tilted her head upward, although there was nothing to see with the top of the tent blocking the skies. Nevertheless, the wind suddenly picked up quite audibly, causing the entire tent to billow along with it.
"Young sage? What are you doing?" Sophitia asked cautiously.
"This is not my doing," she answered. "I believe there is an angry god here, but it is not Karasu." Keeping the peculiar look on her feathered face, she turned and walked outside, followed quickly by Revalco.
"Sage? Sage, what do you mean?" Sophitia followed her outside as well, with the rest of her allies joining her.
Outside, they found Balla, Revalco, and many others throughout the camp with their heads tilted skyward. Following their gaze, Sophitia could see what had their attention. What appeared to be a giant red frog sitting atop a stormcloud hovered high in the sky.
"Hey, is that…?"
"What is that thing?"
"Another monster?"
Many of the Hylians in the camp seemed confused, while none of the Rito appeared to be. While Sophitia was surprised to see him, she knew what the creature in the sky was. It was Cyclos, the God of Windstorms. Cyclos was not one of the gods Sophitia was acquainted with. He was not even a member of the Nine Patrons who watched over Hyrule. However, she'd seen artist's depictions of the god before, and no other creature she knew of matched his description.
"Lord Cyclos!" Balla called out, her voice being carried by the winds she projected outward from herself.
The frog god turned his head. With a sudden speed, Cyclos flew down on his stormcloud. He flipped himself upside down and hung from the cloud so that he would be face-to-face with the wind sage, although he was nearly three stories tall, so his face was easily bigger than Balla's entire body. Everyone else in the vicinity was forced to step away to make room for him to float there.
"Ah, if it isn't my brother's sage," the wind god said.
All of the surrounding Rito fell to one knee and bowed their heads, including Revalco.
"My lord," Balla spoke again. "You honor us with our presence. Have you come to aid us?"
"No," Cyclos answered, flipping right side up in his cloud. "My old sage is here, so I thought the battle might be fun to watch."
Balla lifted her head, looking at the frog god with confusion. "Your old sage?"
"That's right." Cyclos's cloud lifted a few feet higher into the air, turning to face the other way. "As, there she is now."
As if on cue, something flew upward out of Tanagar Canyon. It was too small and too far away for Sophitia to tell what it was, but it appeared to be a person, and it was flying quite fast. It also seemed to be headed straight for the City in the Sky.
"Well, I've got some smiting to do. See you on down the road, little sage."
"Wait!" Balla called out before Cyclos could leave, clambering to her feet. "My lord, I implore you. We face a demonic threat that could destroy all of Hyrule. Please, aid us in at least some small way."
The frog god stroked his chin in thought for a moment. "Fine." The moment after he spoke the word, the wind suddenly picked up. It appeared to blow him away, taking him up into the sky. He flew backwards for a moment, his gaze still lingering on Balla, but as he climbed higher into the sky, he turned to face Skyloft. However, on his way, he passed by the floating structure that had flown towards the camp and unleashed the flying monsters that had attacked them. With a half-hearted flick of his wrist, Cyclos sent the floating structure spiraling out of the sky, causing it to crash down into Rowan Plain.
Cheers went up from the Rito and the rest of the Hyruleans alike.
"Praise Cyclos!"
"The gods are with us!"
"Victory is assured!"
Revalco stood beside Balla, reaching out a wing to pat her once on the shoulder. "Nice work, sage. Let's hope the big idiot destroys the rest of the enemy base as well."
Balla chirped in a way that came off as a gasp. "Chief Revalco, you mustn't speak that way of the gods!"
"If he doesn't like it, he can smite me himself," Revalco replied.
Sophitia did not know how many enemies had been left aboard the structure that had been destroyed by the wind god, but she hoped his aid had been useful. Regardless, she was worried about the being that had flown out of Tanagar Canyon. It hadn't looked like an Acheman or a Vire or anything else with wings, and Cyclos had referred to this mysterious person as his old sage.
"Does Lord Cyclos have a sage?" the queen asked Balla.
"No. I did not know he did, I mean," the wind sage answered.
"I see."
Unsure what to make of this development, Sophitia decided to call Revalco and her advisors back into the strategists' tent. However, they only had time for a brief discussion of the current state of the campaign before they were interrupted by the arrival of a messenger asking to see Sophitia.
"My queen," the messenger said, taking a knee alongside two other scouts. "The battle below is over. The Heroes have fled the temple in pursuit of one of the enemy leaders. Lady Remoth and Prince Harun are with them."
"What?" Sophitia was confused. "Have the Heroes made peace with Lady Remoth and the Gerudo Prince?"
"It is unclear. They are discussing terms out in the plains now," the messenger went on. "Prince Silorn requested your presence to help resolve the dispute."
Despite the apparent ceasefire, Sophitia was still unnerved as she was escorted out into Rowan Plain. Two small armies stood facing each other. The Hyrulean army stood further south, while the enemy army was further north. With a large gap separating them, four people stood in the open space between them. They were still far away when Sophitia spotted them, but she recognized them as Link, Linkle, Mina Remoth, and Prince Harun.
Sophitia and her retinue were led to the back of the Hyrulean army's position. There, they were greeted by Prince Silorn and Chief Darote.
"Brother, I am relieved to find you in good health." Miphela came forward to embrace the Zora Prince, who returned the greeting.
"Fear not, sister! Victory is at hand."
Although Sophitia was glad to see them as well, she noticed a conspicuous absence. "Where is Queen Urballa?" she asked, seeing only a portion of the Gerudo forces among their remaining troops.
"She fought valiantly, but sadly, she perished in the battle," Chief Darote informed her. "The enemy set off some sort of trap within the temple, killing many of our warriors as well as their own."
Sophitia nearly panicked upon hearing that. Relations with the Gerudo were rocky enough as it was. If she ended up getting blamed for the death of their queen, she didn't know if they'd be able to recover from it. "I see. And the Gerudo prince is here?"
"Yes. Him and the traitorous Remoth's daughter," Silorn told her. "She refuses to even entertain holding a discussion with us."
"Very well." The queen turned to her advisors. "Wait here, please. I have met Lady Remoth a few times before. Perhaps I may be able to find an agreeable end to all of this." She glanced at Chief Revalco.
At least I have some experience with matters such as this…
"Liliana, attend me." With that, the crowd parted for the young queen, and she and Liliana walked out into the center of the area where the Heroes were conversing with the enemy leaders. As she got closer, Sophitia could see the four of them were arguing.
"Are you out of your mind? All of this is your fault!" Linkle asserted, jamming a finger pointedly at Mina Remoth.
"Oh, that's rich coming from the scourge of monsterkind," Mina responded. "You people followed us to the temple. If you'd just left us alone, there wouldn't have been a battle to begin with!"
"You think we'd just let an artifact that powerful fall into the wrong hands?"
"Why do you get to decide whose hands are the wrong ones?"
"Oh, wow, I dunno. Which of us is on the side that murdered a god recently?"
The sound of thunder rang out in the distance, and Sophitia could see dark clouds had formed above Skyloft.
Throughout the argument, the Gerudo prince simply looked distraught, although a pained and irritated expression was growing on his face. Link, likewise, had not spoken.
"Your highness," Link said as he spotted Sophitia approaching. There was an obvious hint of a plea for help in his voice.
Linkle's face lit up upon hearing her brother's words. "My queen!" she said excitedly, taking a knee to bow respectfully.
Mina still looked furious, but her expression softened slightly. Prince Harun had no visible reaction to her presence.
"Greetings." Raising her arm, Sophitia pointed towards Skyloft. "Could any of you please explain that situation to me?" She figured it would be prudent to ask about the strange event involving a chaotic wind god first, and she also thought it would be useful to distract Linkle and Mina from their argument for a moment.
"It's a long story, Your Grace," Linkle answered, standing up again. "Turns out the Triforce wasn't hidden in the temple at all. Instead, it was a magic mask that can kill anything, even immortal souls. And it was stolen by that Kokiri girl."
Sophitia blinked. "Pardon?"
"Oh, we'll get to her," Mina said. She stepped forward and threw out an accusatory finger towards Linkle. "This bitch killed my father," she told Sophitia.
The queen was somewhat baffled by the situation. After everything Lord Remoth had done, it seemed absurd to her that anyone would have the audacity to claim that killing him had been any sort of a crime.
But then again, we are talking about the girl's father…
"Well of course I did!" Linkle said in her own defense. "He worked for the demon! He tried to kill me!"
"Then you should have died!" Mina produced a dagger from within her sleeve, causing Link to immediately step in between them.
"Mina!" Sophitia said quickly, erecting a barrier to stop her from advancing any further. "I am sorry," she said in a more calm voice, locking eyes with Lady Remoth. "I know how it feels to lose one's father. But the Hero had no choice. Toren Remoth was a murderer."
"You don't know what he was trying to do," Mina asserted, lowering her weapon. Her voice was somewhat shaky, and Sophitia saw a tear fall down her cheek. "He would've fixed everything. Once we had the Triforce, we could've brought everyone back anyway."
"But the Triforce isn't here," Sophitia said, reiterating what she'd been told only a moment ago.
"I know that!" Mina shouted at the top of her lungs. She threw her hands up and turned away from everyone as she made her outburst. Clenching her fists, she let out an anguished scream. Everyone remained silent, then she turned back around. "They lied to us. The Impas. They were never looking for the Triforce. They never cared about us. They just wanted to kill all of you," she said, gesturing to Link, Linkle, and Sophitia. "Everything we fucking did was all for nothing!"
The young queen waited a moment for Mina to calm down. "It doesn't all have to have been for nothing," she said gently. "We have all been deceived, manipulated, and betrayed. But all of us know the truth now. We, the three of us, can lead our peoples on the correct path, together. Starting here and now." Sophitia turned her gaze to Prince Harun, hoping to get him to agree to pursue peace as well.
The Gerudo voe scowled. "My people will never accept me now. Their true queen died as a result of my betrayal."
"Are you sure? I mean, you're the one who killed the person who was actually responsible for all this," Link pointed out.
"Yeah!" Linkle agreed. "You've avenged Queen Urballa and Princess Sabah. Surely that will mean something to the Gerudo, right?"
"Hmm." Prince Harun grunted noncommittally, but he seemed to be mulling over the Heroes' words.
"So what do you think we should do?" Mina asked Sophitia through gritted, fanged teeth.
"Prince Harun shall return to his people and lead them as king. Gerudo shall have its independence, just as Queen Urballa was promised," Sophitia replied. "And you, Lady Remoth, shall serve as the representative of the monster clans you and your father have united. We have no reason to fight anymore. The wisest course of action now is to work together." She was only reiterating what she'd said before, but with the added specifics, she hoped it would be enough to sell them both on the idea.
Harun was the first to give an answer. "Fine. If my people will have me as their king, then that is the path I shall take."
He did not at all sound confident that her idea would work, but Sophita smiled regardless, bowing her head slightly in gratitude. "Excellent. I look forward to working with you, King Harun." She turned back to Mina. "And what say you, Lady Remoth?"
Mina sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Fuck it. Dad always wanted me to take his place." She cast her gaze downward. "Guess you finally got your wish, Dad."
The Hylian queen was thoroughly relieved. "Splendid." She addressed the Heroine next. "I trust you have no objections?"
Linkle gave Mina a skeptical side-eye, but she did not raise any issues. "If that's what you think is best, my queen."
"I do indeed. Thank you." Sophitia raised a hand to the sky, pointing to the increasingly darkened Skyloft. "Now, then. Might I request a more complete explanation regarding that other matter at this time?"
Over the next few minutes, Sophitia was given a more detailed description of the events that had transpired in the temple, from the beginning of the Hyruleans' assault up until Lady Shadowgale stole the mask that had been hidden in the temple vault. Even after hearing that the Triforce had never been there to begin with, she was still surprised by many other events that were described to her.
"So two more sages have been killed," Sophitia thought aloud. "My sister and Sage Balla had a negative reaction to something earlier. I suppose that explains it. We will have to find a way to commune with Chronodormi and Karasu after all of this. I hope they were not directing their sages to be involved in these schemes. I do not wish to make enemies of the gods."
"Being an enemy of the gods is easier than you might think," Mina told her, smirking.
Harun also grunted in response. Sophitia got the feeling he'd had his own share of hardships relating to the gods.
"You say the mask Impa Sadashi wore gave her god-like strength?" the queen asked.
"It appeared that way to me when I fought her," Harun confirmed.
"How did Sheik manage to hold her back, even temporarily?"
"I think it was the blessing your sister placed on him," Linkle said. "He glowed bright when he got stabbed. I think the God of Light was protecting him somehow, although it didn't save him in the end."
Sophitia nodded, still taking in everything. She would have to inform her sister of the Sheikah man's sacrifice before the day was out. "I worry about the power vacuum that will be created amongst the Sheikah Clan now that the heads of the Impa House have fallen," she said, continuing on to her next thought. "The Impa Family has many lesser branches that will be eager to take over. Perhaps one will wish to renew their oath of fealty to the Crown, or-"
"Your Grace." Liliana interrupted her, tapping her on the shoulder and pointing skyward to remind her of more pressing matters.
"Right. Apologies." Sophitia turned to the Hero siblings. "Do we know what Lady Shadowgale's intentions are? Is she a danger to our kingdom?" While Sophitia had possessed a minor interest in Lady Shadowgale prior to this incident, she really did not know much about her. Mila was notable for being a Kokiri who had left the forest, and she had apparently risen to a minor noble rank by serving in the Akkalan military. But she had served under Percival while she was stationed at Hyrule Castle, and Sophitia hadn't had that much contact with her during that time.
"She said she had some gods to slay," Link answered.
Sophitia furrowed her brow, turning to Mina and Harun. "What reason does she have to kill gods?" she asked, hoping the Kokiri girl's former allies would be able to shed more light onto her motivations.
Mina shrugged. "No idea."
"Same reason as anyone else, if I had to wager," Harun speculated. "Perhaps she blames them for her hardships in life."
The queen put a hand to her chin ponderously. "When Cyclos descended to speak with Sage Balla earlier, he referred to Shadowgale as his former sage. Perhaps she is angry with him for revoking her sage status."
"She mentioned something about the Deku Tree cursing her with a meager form," Harun added. "That must be another of the gods she wishes to slay."
"If the artifact she has stolen is as powerful as you all describe, then we cannot allow a potential god slayer to run rampant in our lands," Sophitia declared, hoping that much was obvious. "We must stop her and retrieve that artifact."
"Of course, my queen," Linkle agreed. "Defeating those who threaten the peace of this land is the Hero's duty!" Looking skyward, she gazed at the floating city in the distance, clouds swirling around it menacingly as Lady Shadowgale did battle with the God of Windstorms. "But how do we get up there?"
Sophitia thought about that. On her last journey to Skyloft, she had ridden inside of a skylift that her brother had designed, which required the magic of the Rito wind shamans to operate. Sage Balla was present, so all they needed was a skylift. A similar structure had been knocked out of the sky by Cyclos earlier, but Sophitia doubted it would be in working condition after the crash. "Grand Watcher Socicila was in Skyloft when it was flown here from the capital," she said, thinking aloud. "He must have gotten down somehow. Was there a skylift down in the canyon we could use?"
Linkle's eyes went wide and she slowly raised a hand to point upwards. "I don't think we're gonna need one."
The queen followed the Heroine's gaze, then watched in horror as the great City in the Sky began to lose altitude. It listed to the southeast, breaking into pieces as individual structures and sky islands split off from the main landmass. The pieces rained down upon the side of Mount Drena and the Aldor Foothills below. Loud murmurings picked up around them as nearby soldiers from both armies began to take notice.
"Holy shit," Mina said aloud, watching the pieces of Skyloft descend into the mountainside.
"Is this Lord Cyclos's doing?" Sophitia asked with a slightly shaky voice.
"No, it's that stupid little girl's fault!" Linkle asserted.
"With any luck, she will have perished in the fall," Harun remarked.
Upon the falling sky island, there was a visible disturbance as rubble was suddenly sent flying in all directions, as if a bomb had gone off without any fire. Then, from behind her, Sophitia heard the sound of a Rito girl screaming.
"Sage Balla?" The queen turned to look back towards her allies. She could not see the wind sage in the crowd, but there was a clear disturbance with several people gathering around in one area. "My apologies, but there is something I must attend to," she said, addressing those she'd been conversing with.
If Balla has been affected by something, Sera may have been too.
Sophitia left, rushing back to her retinue. Liliana and both Heroes followed her, leaving Mina Remoth and King Harun behind.
When Sophitia made it back, Sage Balla was lying on the ground, clutching her head in pain. Sophitia knew what this meant before anyone said it.
"It would appear as though Lord Cyclos is dead," Chief Revalco pointed out.
Even though she'd been told that the artifact recovered from the temple was powerful enough to kill a god, Sophitia was still rather stunned to have that intel confirmed. "Lady Shadowgale must be stopped," she declared. "Mobilizes our armies immediately. We make for the ruins of Skyloft."
With Queen Urballa dead and Harun no longer an enemy, it remained to be seen how the Gerudo people would receive him as their potential new king. However, both Gerudo factions agreed to accompany Sophitia's forces as they surveyed the wreckage of the fallen city. Mina had convinced most of the remaining monsters to join in as well, although some had simply fled as soon as the battle had ended. There had also been a large number of monsters on the floating city. Some of the flying ones may have escaped during the battle between Lady Shadowgale and Lord Cyclos, but there were numerous monster bodies strewn about the ruins of Skyloft. It looked like a battlefield.
Many people had fallen in the earlier battles as well. Despite the grim situation, Sophitia could at least be glad that the fighting was nearly finished. It seemed as though they had only one person left to fight, if she had even survived the crash.
"It is possible she fled," Liliana pointed out. She, Sophitia, and the Heroes were riding alongside one another on horseback, keeping a relatively safe distance away from the ruins as the soldiers searched it.
"That's not a bad point. She can fly," Link agreed.
"True. If Lady Shadowgale lives, she may be quite a distance from here by now," Sophitia said, not happy to consider the possibility. "However, the God of Windstorms was creating a hurricane around the city at the time. I imagine it would have been difficult to fly through that. And no one witnessed her flying away after the storm dissipated." The queen couldn't tell if she was being logical or optimistic. She knew very little of Lady Shadowgale's aeromantic capabilities, especially with the unknown factor of the mysterious and powerful mask she had apparently obtained.
"I hope she's dead. But do Kokiri even leave bodies behind when they die? They're technically fairies, aren't they?" Linkle asked.
"So we won't even find her if she's dead?" her brother responded.
"Perhaps not, but if there is no body, we'd still find the mask," Sophitia pointed out. "Is there anything more that we know about this mask? I have never heard of such an object. What are its origins? Why was it in that temple? Why was it sealed using numerous artifacts belonging to previous Heroes?" She still had so many questions, and her inquisitive nature was taking over in this moment of peace.
"The Sage of Time said it involved a previous Hero known as the Hero of Time," Linkle answered. "He used the Ocarina of Time at some point. That's part of how he got his name."
"Didn't Sage Saria say her brother carried the Ocarina of Time with him for a while?" Link added.
Linkle looked amazed for a second, then she started snapping her fingers, acting as though an idea was coming to her. "That's true! See? I'm not crazy! I'm pretty sure all the keys were once owned by the same Hero!"
"Who is in possession of the keys at the moment?" Sophitia inquired, wishing to keep track of all the important artifacts she wanted to investigate further.
"I've got the hookshot and the ocarina," Linkle answered, pulling out both keys and presenting them to her. "My brother's got the bow and the lens."
Link still had his Lynel bow on his back, but he tapped his hand against a second one that was sticking out of the carrying bags on the side of his horse. He then reached into one of those bags and pulled out a strange-looking magnifying glass. "I don't know what this thing does," he admitted.
"Harun took the mirror shield back, so he's got that," Linkle went on. "And Shadowgale had the real gilded sword. It transformed into a bigger weapon when she put on the mask, but it should turn back to normal once she takes the mask off, like the shogun's did."
The mask was still the most important artifact in question. "So what is this mask? Where did it come from? You said its powers were god-like. Does it depict the face of a god?"
"Sorry, Your Grace, but it seems like only the Impas and Lucrezia knew anything about it," Link told her.
"I know someone else who knows about it," Linkle said, reaching into one of her carrying bags.
"You do?" Sophitia asked. She'd been worried that a great many important secrets had died with the Impas, so she was relieved by the notion that someone else might have held the answers to her many questions.
"Yeah." The Heroine pulled a mask of her own out of her bag. "The Mask Salesman. He gave me this," she said, waving the mask in her hand for emphasis. "He was also the one who told me that the Impas were after the keys because they were trying to steal an artifact with god-like power. I thought he meant the Triforce, but I guess he knew it was a mask the whole time."
Sophitia remembered that the Heroine had mentioned this mask salesman before. She hadn't thought to press for more details since it hadn't seemed important at the time, but given the recent turn of events, it certainly seemed important now. "Who is this mask salesman? How did he know so much about the Impas' plans?"
Linkle scratched the back of his head. "Well, I don't know his name. I think he's a mage, like you. I don't know how he knew the Impas, but he said he made a deal with them. The Impas wanted to use the mask for something, but the Salesman just wanted the mask. He knew where it was, but he couldn't get it himself. So, he told the Impas where it was so they could get it for him."
Sophitia remembered more about this mask salesman from Linkle's earlier mentions of him. "He was also the one who gave Shiho her mask - the one that allowed her to read minds and transform into a demon."
The one she used to kill Victorique and Lancel…
"If the mask Lady Shadowgale now possesses is anywhere near as powerful as the one Impa Shiho possessed…" Sophitia could see how large of a threat the Kokiri girl truly posed.
As the queen continued riding with her escort, she kept an eye on her soldiers who were surveying the wreckage in the nearby area. When she noticed several of them looking skyward, she knew something bad was happening. Sure enough, a funnel cloud had formed in the sky, stretching downwards over the next ridge.
"I think we found her," Liliana said in her deadpan voice.
"She's summoning a tornado?" Sophitia couldn't help but say aloud.
"We have to stop her!" Linkle called out. "Come on, brother!" Tapping her Pegasus Boots against the side of her horse, she rode off with her brother chasing after her.
Sophitia hesitated for a moment, unsure if it would be wise to follow the siblings. "We must help them," she decided.
"You are the queen," Liliana pointed out.
Sophitia knew her companion did not mean, 'You are the queen; you can do whatever you want.' It was clear to her that Liliana had meant, 'You are the queen; it is too dangerous for you to go over there.'
"I know, but I was able to resolve things peacefully with two of our enemies today. Perhaps I can do so with a third." Although she could have simply ridden off, she waited to hear if Liliana disapproved.
The round-eared girl was clearly not happy about it, although her face did not change expression. Regardless, she signaled for the remaining royal guards in the area to form up around them. Once their escort was ready, Liliana nodded.
Sophitia smiled gratefully. "I hope we can end this day without losing anyone else."
By the time Sophitia arrived on the scene, Mila's tornado had already touched down. However, it was not moving. The whirling cyclone remained stationary, only tossing debris from within the small area it covered.
Despite having charged in ahead of the queen, the Heroes were not currently battling the crazed Kokiri girl. Instead, they were within one of the gathering crowds of soldiers taking shelter behind the scattered ruins a safe distance away from the tornado.
"What has happened?" Sophitia inquired as soon as she caught up with Link and Linkle, dismounting from atop her horse. "Is Lady Shadowgale within the tornado?"
"We're not sure," Link answered. "She's not talking to anyone, and I don't know how we're supposed to get inside there."
"If I can find a pair of super heavy iron boots…" Linkle mused, glancing around as if expecting to find such items somewhere nearby.
The queen had more questions, but she lost her train of thought as the crowd parted. King Harun, attended by three Gerudo guards, made his way to the front. "Have we located the enemy?" he asked.
"Possibly," Sophitia said.
Harun stared into the swirling mass of dust and debris. "I might be able to counteract her magic."
Linkle looked surprised. "You can stop something like that?"
"Perhaps." Harun nodded. "What becomes of the mask after we kill her?"
"We may not need to kill her," Sophitia interjected quickly. She had just rode across the plains with the intention of talking the mad Kokiri down peacefully, after all. "Let me try to speak with her first."
"Fine. But what becomes of the mask?" Harun repeated.
The queen did not have a definite answer for that. "Someone went to an awful lot of trouble to seal that mask away," she pointed out. "It is easy to see why. Perhaps it should be sealed once more."
Harun stared at her for a moment, and Sophitia wondered if he disagreed.
"Maybe the Mask Salesman should have it," Linkle suggested.
"Elle, you can't trust that guy," her brother told her. "He already admitted to making deals with the Impas."
"So did Harun and Mina," Linkle countered.
"I agree with Link," Sophitia interjected. "If what you say about him is true, he has already demonstrated questionable moral judgment by gifting Shiho's mask to her."
Linkle nodded. "Good point."
As they were talking, Harun stepped through the crowd, accompanied by his guards, heading out into the open.
"Wait! What are you doing, King Harun?" Sophitia called after him.
"We accomplish nothing by waiting here," was his response, not turning to look back. "We must face the storm fairy."
Linkle was already following after him. "He's right. Let's go." She waved to her brother, who came with her.
"Wait!" Sophitia repeated. She hurriedly signaled to Liliana and her guards, who got back into formation around her as she pursued her allies. The young queen had no idea what Harun's plan was, but then, she did not know the full extent of his abilities. Regardless, she still wished to give them a chance to resolve this peacefully.
Eventually, they were so close to the tornado that it became difficult to hear. Hoping to act before Harun, Sophitia shut her eyes, trying to remember the spellwork her sister had always used for her voice enhancement spells.
"Lady Shadowgale!" boomed the queen's voice over all the background noise. Harun, Link, and Linkle halted in response, stopping to listen. "As Queen of Hyrule, I request an audience with you. Will you not cease this windstorm and treat with me?"
"Fuck off," a distorted voice with a god-like quality to it called out from within the tornado. "I have no more business with you petty little things."
Sophitia exchanged a look with Liliana, taken aback by Lady Shadowgale's demeanor. She cleared her throat before continuing. "We have come to reclaim the artifact that was discovered within the temple. It is dangerous. I ask that you remand it to our custody."
"I said fuck off."
A gust of wind was sent out from within the tornado. Luckily, King Harun was at the front of their party. The powerful Gerudo sorcerer raised his arms in a crossed, defensive stance, using his own magic to block the Kokiri's.
Sophitia was still a bit stunned, and more than a little frustrated.
How am I supposed to negotiate with someone who refuses to even speak with me?
"You have served this kingdom well," Sophitia called out to Mila, hoping the fairy child would be receptive to praise. "You fought for my uncle, and you fought for my brother. They–"
A derisive laugh erupted from within the tornado. "I killed your brother," Shadowgale declared. "And your uncle? Well, that wasn't me, but I watched him bleed out on the carpet. I never liked him anyway."
The queen was stunned. She knew Lady Shadowgale had betrayed them at some point, but she hadn't expected the Kokiri girl to be her brother's murderer. She struggled to find something to say, but she was too horrified to think. From behind her, she felt Liliana's hand grip her shoulder comfortingly.
"I believe we are past negotiations," Harun said to the party, his disdain for their enemy quite plain in his tone. Facing the tornado before them, Harun raised his arm. His clothing billowed in the wind as he began channeling his own aeromancy spell. Sophitia could see a dark aura building up around him, getting darker and darker the more power he summoned. The queen was worried he might do something dangerous, but before she could voice her concern, Harun stepped forward and thrust out his arms. A column of wind cut through the air like a knife. When it hit the tornado, the swirling dust cloud scattered in all different directions. A grunt of pain could be heard from within the tornado, Harun's attack likely having hit Mila.
The tornado hadn't even completely died down yet, but Linkle charged forward anyway, unleashing a battle cry with the Master Sword drawn. Wearing her Pegasus Boots, no others could keep up with her, but she was soon followed by her brother and Harun. The Gerudo king signaled for his guards to stay behind.
A metallic clang could be heard as Linkle reached her opponent and clashed swords with her. After a few more, enough of the dust had settled for Sophitia to see them both. Lady Shadowgale was not what the queen had remembered. The Kokiri no longer resembled a child, but instead had the appearance of a full-grown Hylian woman. On top of that, she wore strange armor, and she had unusual markings painted on her face. She also wielded a large sword of a design unlike any Sophitia had ever seen before.
"My queen, should we aid the Heroes?" one of Sophitia's guards asked.
Sophitia shook her head. "No. They can handle it. We mustn't get in their way." Three powerful warriors like them should have been more than enough to quell a single opponent, regardless of how powerful the mask may have made her. Sophitia did not want to risk the lives of her loyal guards if it was not necessary.
It was actually a little impressive the way Lady Shadowgale managed to hold her own in a three-on-one fight. The mask she wore obviously enhanced her physical abilities considerably. Her strength, her speed, her reflexes - all of her capabilities seemed to exceed what could have been expected from a normal Hylian, let alone a Kokiri. Throughout the fight, Lady Shadowgale constantly made use of her wind magic to shove her opponents back, minimizing the number of people she had to fight at any given time. For a moment, Sophitia considered changing her mind and sending a few of her guards to back up her allies just in case.
However, despite Shadowgale's strength and battle prowess, it was clear her enemies were beginning to overwhelm her. Even at the very start of the fight, she had looked exhausted and beaten down. There was blood that likely belonged to her on a few parts of her armor, and her face was covered in dirt and bruises. Although she had defeated Cyclos in the end, the fight against the wind god had clearly taken its toll on her, as had the crash when Skyloft had fallen to earth with her atop it. Summoning that tornado earlier had likely drained her of what little remained of her strength. At this rate, it would only be a matter of time before she was defeated, regardless of how powerful her mask may have been.
Maybe I still have a chance to end this without anyone else dying…
Sophitia walked forward, telling her escort to come with her. Once she was closer to the battle, she raised her hand and summoned a barrier around Lady Shadowgale. The appearance of the glowing blue crystal halted the battle, with Mila's opponents taking a step back to assess the situation. Mila, with her eyes glowing white, glared in Sophitia's direction.
"You think this can stop me?" the Kokiri asked, sounding insulted. She hadn't moved to strike the barrier with her sword yet, but Sophitia imagined Mila could break out quite easily.
"I do not mean to hold you indefinitely, no," Sophitia answered. "It is clear you are a capable warrior, but this cannot go on. Please, good lady, remove the mask and surrender. I implore you."
"Never!" Mila shouted immediately. "I'm not like you mortals. I'm destined for more than this. I've spent far too long having to obey the commands of lesser beings. If you want this mask, you'll have to-"
King Harun did not let her finish her sentence. While she was distracted, the king thrust his sword through Sophitia's barrier, shattering it instantly. The blade penetrated Lady Shadowgale's strange armor, piercing through her chest. Mila had time to turn and face Harun, surprise evident on her painted face, but she did not have time to scream. A bolt of lightning suddenly came down from the sky, striking Lady Shadowgale and forcing those present to shield their eyes.
When Sophitia opened her eyes again, Lady Shadowgale's appearance had shifted. She looked like a child again. Her face no longer bore war paint, and a mask with similar markings had fallen into the grass beside her. However, while her body had returned to normal, she now lay fatally wounded on the ground. Wisps of green magic poured forth from the open wound in her chest, spilling into the atmosphere.
The fairy with the appearance of a little girl held her arm up in front of her face, watching as her hand slowly dissolved into a green mist. "I guess I'm really going this time," she said, a tear falling down her face, and her voice having returned to normal. "I couldn't do it. I'm sorry, Luft. Maybe in the next life." The Kokiri girl closed her eyes.
Harun did not wait for the body to disappear. He reached down and snatched the mask off of the ground, taking several steps away from his allies.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Linkle asked.
Harun's three guards soon joined him at his side. They didn't look like they had orders to do anything, and they exchanged uncertain glances with one another, but they were ready to guard their king regardless of the situation.
Everyone froze. Sophitia wasn't sure what Harun meant to do. She stood there, watching as Lady Shadowgale's body faded completely, leaving only her clothing and the gilded sword behind. Harun stood completely still, staring intently at the strange mask he held in his hand.
"King Harun," Sophitia spoke up finally, breaking the silence. "It's over now."
"Yeah," Linkle joined in, holding out her hand. "Give me that mask."
There was silence again before Harun replied. "What if the Sheikah shogun was right?"
"What are you talking about?" Link asked. "You helped us fight her."
"I know." Harun took a deep breath, a dark aura gathering around him again. "The Curse of Demise… it lives through me." He looked up from the mask, dragging his gaze over Link, Linkle, and Sophitia. "But it continues because of you."
Sophitia did not like where this was going. "Is that what Impa said to you?" she asked. "She lied to everyone at every turn. Can you really trust her?"
"It is not her words," Harun answered. "We all know the story of Demise." He traced his hand over the mask, as if considering whether or not to don it. "We all know the same story that keeps repeating, over and over again. I can use this mask to end the whole cycle. You three, the Sage of Light, and me. We all give our lives. No more heroes, no more princesses, and no more demons. One last act to change the world, forever."
"What?" Linkle sounded as though she thought the idea was as offensive as it was insane. "You want to change the world by killing us, and then yourself? Are you out of your fucking mind?"
"Harun…" one of his guards muttered, sounding concerned.
"I was the one chosen to bear this curse," the Gerudo king said, raising his voice in anger. "I can choose to end it once and for all. Why shouldn't I?"
"Look." Link sheathed his sword and stepped forward, raising his hands disarmingly. "I never wanted to be dragged into any of this either, but if there's one thing I've seen since all this started, it's that everyone keeps trying to change the world, and everyone keeps fucking it up. If something this big is gonna change, maybe it shouldn't be up to just one person."
"He is right." Sophitia took another few steps forward, jumping at the opportunity to build on what Link had said. "There is more than one way to break a cycle, King Harun. This whole conflict occurred because everyone wanted to change everything themselves instead of trying to change it together. We can fix that. We can find a way to break the Curse of Demise together."
The grim look on Harun's face faltered, and Sophitia knew he was considering it. "How do you intend to break the curse, Queen Zelda?" he asked. "The curse will continue so long as your bloodline and the Hero's reincarnation cycle continue."
"I cannot have children with the one I intend to marry," Sophitia answered. "And my sister has already taken her vows as the Sage of Light. Our bloodline shall end. But it need not end today."
Harun seemed to accept that answer, but he turned his attention to Link and Linkle. "And what of the Hero?"
"Something weird has already happened with the Hero's cycle," Linkle pointed out. "My brother and I each possess half of the Hero's Spirit. If you could bring us to see the Goddess of Spirit, maybe she can tell us what's going on. And maybe she knows a way we can use it to get around the curse."
The Gerudo king stared down at the mask again. He hesitated for quite a while, pondering everything he'd heard. Finally, he tossed the mask to Linkle. "Fine," he spat out. "We shall speak with Alkawbra together. Perhaps she will be able to provide a solution. None of this helps me be rid of the curse, however."
Sophitia breathed a sigh of relief. At least for the moment, the conflict was finally over. "I thank you for your cooperation," the queen said diplomatically. "And I swear to you, I will do everything in my power to save you from this curse."