Harun stood upon a hill, overlooking the valley below. Monsters of all kinds surrounded him, weapons drawn, drooling and snarling, waiting for his command. The monsters shared his malice, glaring down at the mass of humans gathered in the valley. The pitiful creatures had weapons of their own, and they seemed to believe they had a chance of victory.
He hated them. Of course he did. These ones had become so devoted to one of the Golden Goddesses' lackeys that they had taken to referring to themselves as 'Hylians' - the people of Hylia. He would slaughter them all for that decision. He must. After all, the Golden Goddesses themselves had already left this realm. He would not find them here, but he could still burn down some more of their creations before pursuing them to the next realm.
As he readied himself to give the command to attack, Harun saw a bright light ascend into the air from amongst the Hylian rabble. The light emanated from a beautiful woman with angelic wings, who now hovered above the humans. A glowing image of the Triforce appeared behind her as she sang for her people in a sickeningly beautiful voice.
"That is her," Harun growled in a voice that was not his own. His flowing locks of hair ignited in flame as the rage flared up inside of him. He stabbed his sword - bearing the symbol of the inverted Triforce - into the ground in front of him. "Hylia…"
The goddess protecting the humans had been appointed directly by the Golden Goddesses themselves to serve as their replacement after they left. That fact alone made her Harun's most hated being in this entire realm. She would die by his hand, as a thousand other gods had before her.
Gripping the hilt of his sword, Harun channeled his rage into the blade. The ground shook, and a fissure of hellfire erupted from the earth, opening down the hillside from the point where his sword pierced the ground. It reached the Hylians' frontlines, consuming dozens of them in seconds and sewing panic amongst their troops.
"Slaughter them all!" Harun bellowed. "Leave none alive!"
Harun threw the blankets off of himself as he awoke with a start. He felt as though he were burning up. The rage he'd felt at the sight of the goddess Hylia remained with him for a few moments, to the point where he felt robbed of his opportunity to kill her. But then his senses returned to him, and he remembered who he was.
I am not Demise. I will never be Demise.
It had been a long time since he'd had such a vivid, cursed vision. It had felt like the old dreams he used to have about The Imprisoned. Harun supposed it had been Ganondorf who had been protecting him from the dreams and visions for some time, but after expelling the third demon king's spirit, he was left without that line of defense. He had never experienced a dream from the point of view of the first demon king, either. Actually being Demise for a brief time period had been harrowing.
Such rage - the rage that killed a thousand gods. How did the Hylian Hero of the Sky ever defeat him?
There was a banging on the stone door, again reminding Harun where he truly was. He was not on some hillside in the distant past ready to fight a war with the Hylians. He was in a small living quarters that had been set up for him in the ruined temple his allies were excavating.
Holding out his arm, Harun conjured a shadowy hand to unlock the door and slide it open. "Yes?" he asked.
Kyra and Emri poked their heads in. "Prince Harun?" Kyra asked. "Are you alright? We heard… uh, a lot of screaming."
Just leave me alone, you annoying little-
Harun shook the thought from his head, knowing the anger was not his own. "No. I mean, yes, I am fine." He sighed in embarrassment. "My apologies for disturbing you. I must have been having nightmares."
"Would you… care for us to join you in bed?" Emri offered.
Kyra glanced at her, surprised and amused. "Yeah, can we?"
"No," Harun replied. "You may have someone else take your posts now if you are tired."
That got a light chuckle from Kyra. "I meant-"
"Leave," Harun said, much more forcefully than he intended to. With that, he again used his shadow hand to shut the door. He then rolled over and attempted to return to sleep, hoping he didn't need to prepare for more nightmares.
I defeated Ganon. I can defeat Demise.
The next day, Harun took another walk through the temple, with his fellow Gerudo warriors accompanying him. Given that the temple was filled with dangerous monsters, he did not wish to divide his forces, simply as a precaution in the event that the monsters turned on them. Additionally, he and his guards did not have much else to do. The monsters continued to excavate the temple, the Sheikah were studying some of their findings, and the grounds were already more than well-guarded. Harun had partaken in some strategy meetings along with the other members of this unusual alliance's inner circle, but now, they were stuck waiting to hear back from Mina's father or for the other key-bearers to arrive. All the waiting was making Harun anxious.
The Triforce is right there, yet it remains out of my reach…
As the prince and his guards passed by one of the defunct Beamos statues, Harun stopped to examine it. There was a Lizalfos who seemed to be trying to get the machine to work, poking and prodding at it in various places with a pair of thin metal instruments. The prince could sense some sort of magical power emanating from the statue, so perhaps there was still some way to activate it. He wasn't sure if that was a good idea, however. Functioning Beamos found in ancient ruins were always hostile to intruders, even if their creators were long dead and their treasures long since plundered.
"Oi. Voe."
Harun turned to see Mina Remoth approaching at the head of a group. She was accompanied by two large achemen with spears and several Hylians and Sheikah, or at least that was what they appeared to be. Also with her was Impa Sadashi, who carried her bow on her back. She was flanked by several samurai with their hands on the hilts of their curved swords.
This obnoxious little…
"Greetings, Lady Remoth," Harun spoke. "And you as well, Lady Impa. Where are you off to this morning?"
"A friend is awaiting us at the gate," the Sheikah shogun replied. "Care to join us?"
"You'll like her. Most men do," Mina commented with a snicker.
Harun raised an eyebrow, but nonetheless nodded in acceptance of the invitation. He was curious to see this person they called a friend.
Probably another monster, or another traitor, or another-
"Certainly. I would be delighted to join you." Harun gestured towards the temple's entrance. "Please, lead on." The prince waited for Mina, Impa, and their retinue to pass, then joined the procession behind them with his guards.
A line of Bigblins stood in front of the colossal doors at the temple's entrance. Mina casually waved to them as their party approached. "Open up, big guys."
The large monsters obeyed with a couple of unintelligible grunts. Each of them placed their hands against one of the giant stone doors and pushed, groaning with concerted effort as the doors slowly opened.
Harun shielded his eyes from the sun as the doorway opened to the outside world. Parts of the temple were lit by small holes in the ceiling, but he had gotten used to the relative darkness during his stay. Mina and Impa led their people outside, so Harun went with them.
Outside, the prince was surprised to find he recognized the newly arriving ally. Lucrezia, the Sage of Time, stood with two columns of robed priests behind her, along with four large knight-shaped Armos statues. Raeger, the talking Hinox, was also outside. He and a group of Blins seemed to have already welcomed the sage.
"About time you got here," Mina called to Lucrezia, snickering at her own joke.
A ticking sound that emanated from Lucrezia's staff could be heard over the silence as she curled her lips into a smile. "Lady Remoth," the white-haired woman greeted her. She removed her traveling cloak and handed it to her nearest attendant, then sauntered forward. "It is nice to see you again, little monster." She approached Impa Sadashi next. "Shogun, so nice to see you as well. How is your mother?"
"She is well, but still not much for walking these days," the Sheikah woman replied with a deep bow. "She is further in the temple at the moment. You will have to excuse her for not coming out to greet you."
"Of course. Pay it no mind." When the Sage of Time set her gaze on Harun, she gave an almost predatory grin. "Ah. Prince Harun of the Gerudo," she said with amusement. "I did not expect to meet you again so soon."
"Nor I you, Sage." Harun bowed. He had only met her once briefly during Queen Urballa's campaign. He had expected to learn something about the Triforce keys from her back when he was still in the dark about their purpose, but she had been unable to provide any useful information.
Clearly she knew much more than she let on…
"Am I to surmise that seeing the future is not among the Sage of Time's powers, then?" Harun asked, seeing as though she was surprised at all.
The elegant woman chuckled. "The future is more fluid than the past," she remarked. "It is still being written, so to speak."
"We are honored to have you here to help us write our desired future, wise sage," Impa Sadashi said respectfully. She then gestured to the Hinox standing a short distance away from them. "Have you met Raeger?
"We have had the pleasure," Lucrezia replied, looking up at the one-eyed giant. "Did you ever find Saria's brother's sword?" she asked him.
"I am afraid not, wise sage," Raeger said. "Another Kokiri had apparently absconded with it years prior. Nevertheless, Master Remoth has made contact with this fairy child, and the sword should be on its way as we speak."
"Ah. Splendid." Lucrezia gestured to Harun next. "It seems you had better luck finding the mirror shield."
"That is correct. Thank you for directing me to the Gerudo prince, wise sage." Raeger turned to the Gerudo. "Little prince, it was quite fortunate you were nearby when I returned from the forest."
Harun furrowed his brow. "You were the one who informed on me to this giant?" he asked Lucrezia. The Sage of Time had not been any sort of ally when last they met, and Raeger had turned into a helpful asset, but he still felt a sense of betrayal at having information about his whereabouts and his belongings relayed to what could have been a dangerous monster.
"Of course. He was one of the seekers of the keys, and you happened to appear at my doorstep with one of those very keys. It would have been foolish not to inform him." Leaving it at that, the sage looked between her four hosts, as if searching for something else. "What has become of my ocarina?"
"The Halftusk has it," Mina told her.
"I see. Then am I correct in assuming the doorway has not yet been opened?" Lucrezia went on.
"Indeed," Impa answered. "We had hoped to have collected all six keys by now, but only four of them have made their way to the temple as of yet. Prince Harun here has brought us the shield. Mother still bears the lens." Reaching behind her back, she drew her bow and held it out. "And I bear the bow at the moment."
"Do not take credit for my work, fyrirlitleg kona."
Harun and several others were startled by the booming voice coming from overhead. He'd nearly forgotten about the dragon guarding the gate from atop the roof of the temple. Mina, Impa, and Lucrezia all remained calm.
Lucrezia walked forward, turning her gaze up at the dragon. "Interesting. And who is this one?"
The dragon placed his claws on the edge of the rooftop and stretched his body upwards, posing and spreading his wings. "I am Volder the Dragonlord, rightful heir to the Eldin Mountains."
Impa turned and bowed to the dragon. "Apologies, Lord Volder," she said politely. "I merely wished to state that I was currently serving as the key-bearer, not that I am responsible for the bow's retrieval."
"Yeah," Mina said, crossing her arms and speaking snidely. "We all know it was you who nabbed the bow. You never shut up about it. Whaddya want, a medal?"
The dragon's eyes glowed red, and his belly glowed from the inner fire. Raeger moved to stand between him and Mina. Harun could feel the monster's rage as if it were his own, and he stared daggers at the half-breed girl as if it had been him she'd taunted.
No.
The prince tore his eyes away from the sight, choosing instead to stare down the endless, empty expanse of Tanagar Canyon before them.
"That is quite enough, young Mina," the Sheikah Shogun told her. "You know, there was once a time when 'Do not taunt the dragon' was a common expression in Hyrule. You would do well to take that advice to heart."
The fanged redhead shrugged her shoulders. "Alright, alright. Volder, I'm sorry."
The dragon huffed, but he breathed no fire, choosing instead to lie back down on his stomach. "The opinions of such puny vermin mean nothing. Leave me be until the door is opened."
Lucrezia seemed amused by this whole exchange, which she had observed silently while her staff ticked away patiently. "Shall we proceed, then?" she asked. "I wish to retrieve my ocarina, meet with my colleague, and view this great doorway."
"Of course, wise sage." Impa gestured back towards the temple gateway. "Right this way."
When the party reached the chamber that preceded the Triforce doorway, they found the Sage of Shadow in the middle of a meeting with some of the other Sheikah advisors. However, she was quick to silence the one speaking in order to greet their new guest.
"Ah, Lucrezia," the elderly woman said. With great effort, she climbed to her feet upon the pillow she'd been sitting on, supporting herself with a wooden cane. The strange, axe-like jewelry hanging from her hat swung back and forth with her movements. "How good to see you, my fellow sage."
The Sage of Time smiled. "Ichika. My Patron has been kind to you."
The short Sheikah woman laughed. "Time comes for us all, as you often remind the rest of us." She tilted to the side to see the rest of the party entering the room. "Is that you, Sadashi?"
"Yes, Mother," the shogun replied. "Lady Remoth and Prince Harun join us as well. Is the Halftusk here?"
"Ah. I have not seen the Butablin today. Perhaps he oversees the excavation of the upper chambers," the elder Impa said.
Mina turned to their trailing subordinates. "Alright. You and you, go get the Halftusk. Tell him to bring the ocarina. The rest of you, wait outside. We've got some talkin' to do."
The half-breed girl's followers obeyed unquestioningly. The others waited for the consent of their respective masters. Harun chose to keep Kyra, Laine, and Emri with him, but dismissed the rest. Likewise, the younger Impa kept one samurai by her side, and the Sage of Time kept two of her cloaked disciples with her.
"Come and join me while we wait," Impa Ichika offered to Lucrezia, taking a seat on her cushioned pillow once again. She then dismissed her other advisors and got the attention of one of her servants. "Bring us some tea."
"At once, sage."
With the table cleared, Lucrezia, Impa Sadashi, Mina, and Harun all took a seat. After a few minutes of exchanging pleasantries, Harun raised a question.
"Sage Lucrezia, how is it that you are involved here?" the prince asked. "Are all of the sages aware of this campaign for the Triforce, including Sage Nashorla?"
Lucrezia chuckled, resting her cheek in her hand, her long fingernails elegantly painted. "No, not all of us are working towards this goal," she told him. "Nashorla is a wonderful woman, but I doubt she nor any of our other colleagues would have the stomach for what needs to be done."
Harun narrowed his eyes. "You think Sage Nashora is weak because she does not wish to kill so many people?"
"You may interpret it that way if you wish," the Sage of Time replied. "I am merely stating the truth. Our work involves looking to the far future. Not everyone can do that while seeing the sacrifices made in the present. I imagine that is especially true for someone like Nashorla, whose eyes see people's souls directly."
The Gerudo prince was not certain how to interpret that. Before he could think about it more, the door opened once again. The towering Pigblin known as the Halftusk stomped his way into the room, followed by an equally large Dogblin and a lanky Tallblin who had to crouch to fit through the doorway. The Halftusk carried a spear, while his two lackeys held large clubs decorated with bones.
"Ah, he has arrived." Lucrezia stood from the table, and her staff clicked against the ground as she walked straight towards the large monsters without a hint of fear. "Greetings. I trust you have my ocarina?"
The massive Moblin snarled, shaking his jowls. "That I do, human." He reached into his bag and produced the instrument, which looked miniscule in his large hand.
"Excellent." Lucrezia held out her hand expectantly.
The Moblin lackeys stepped forward, waiting at their master's side. "You gave it to my horde. It is ours now," the Halftusk declared
"Great Moblin, now is not the time for this," Impa Sadashi chided, coming to stand by Lucrezia's side. "We shall all have our wishes granted when the time is right. You need not hold onto your key in order to ensure this."
"If I don't need to hold it, then neither does she," the Halftusk asserted. "Why should we trust a-?"
Before anyone could offer further argument, Lucrezia snapped her fingers. In an instant, golden chains of light appeared suspended in the air, clamped onto or wrapping around various parts of the three Moblins' bodies. However, none of them struggled, nor did they seem to take notice of the situation. In fact, they ceased moving entirely, frozen where they stood.
With the monsters immobilized, Lucrezia calmly walked forward and plucked the Ocarina of Time out of the Halftusk's open palm. She then turned around and walked back to the table, returning to her seat.
"What in the hell did you do to them?" Harun asked. Clearly she had cursed them in some way, and if the Moblins were dead or irreversibly frozen like that, it could lead to serious infighting.
"They're only in stasis, my dear prince," Lucrezia replied, running her hand over the polished instrument she now held. "Here." Raising her hand once more, she snapped her fingers again. With an audible noise, the magic chains ensnaring the monsters shattered and dissipated.
"-servant of the gods anyway?" There was immediate confusion in the Halftusk's eyes. Lucrezia was no longer standing where she'd been before. After a moment, he noticed he didn't have the ocarina anymore, either. Enraged, the monster roared, raising a finger accusingly. "You! What sorcery is this?"
"Leave it be, Halftusk," Mina ordered him, baring one of her fangs in amusement.
The Moblin began shouting something in a language Harun could not understand. Several of the guards in the room began shuffling around, drawing their weapons. In response, Mina sprouted wings and flew over the table, landing firmly in front of the Halftusk and his subordinates.
"Remember what happened to the other Great Moblins who didn't listen to my father?" the redheaded half-breed asked him menacingly. "You wanna end up like them?" She then added a few extra words in what sounded like the Moblin's own tongue, which Harun still could not understand. He'd been able to understand the Bulblins at the Arbiter's Grounds when he still had the power to tap into Ganon's memories, but he was having trouble doing so now.
Despite towering over the Hylian-sized teenager, the Halftusk stopped dead in his tracks, clearly taking the girl's threat rather seriously. After a few moments of tense silence, the Pigblin growled and turned his back. He then proceeded to march out the door, punching a hole in the wall on his way out. His two minions followed after him.
"That was ill-advised," Harun warned, shooting disappointed glances toward both Mina and Lucrezia. "This temple is filled with that monster's followers. What could you hope to achieve by making an enemy of him?"
"Aww, was I too mean?" Mina giggled, flashing a glimpse of her monster form for a brief moment. She returned to her human form just as quickly. "Relax, Harun. My father's methods are very persuasive. We won't hear another peep outta that pig-man."
Lucrezia did not appear the least bit concerned either. "May I see the door that separates us from our prize?" she requested, running her fingers over her ocarina as she examined it. "I would like to see if I can open it myself."
Harun was confused by that statement, but he felt a twinge of excitement at the prospect.
Would that be possible? Could we obtain the Triforce right now?
"Certainly, my friend," Impa Ichika replied. "Daughter, please escort Sage Lucrezia to the sacred chamber."
"Of course, Mother." Impa Sadashi stood. "Sage Lucrezia, please come this way. Lady Remoth, Prince Harun, you may join us as well."
"Oh, hell yeah!" Mina cheered excitedly. "Let's go!"
Harun nodded and followed after them.
"Is it that you think four out of six keys should be enough?" Harun inquired as they approached the altar in front of the massive stone door. Admittedly, while four keys had been gathered at the temple ever since Harun had arrived, they had not tried putting all of them on the altar at once yet.
"No, young voe," Lucrezia replied, shaking her head. She raised a hand to the others as she walked around the altar. "Wait here a moment," she told them. Cautiously, she approached the door. Her staff began to glow with a magical light as she held it in front of the door. With a few deliberate movements, a series of magical runes appeared all across the door. Some remained in place on the door itself, other symbols scrolled past, hovering a few inches in front of the door.
"What is this?" Harun questioned, not recognizing many of the symbols.
"What do you see, wise sage?" Impa asked her.
"Its chronological signature does not match the rest of the temple," Lucrezia replied, apparently reading the runes that scrolled by. "It's less than two hundred years old." She turned to face Impa. "It would appear the Mask Salesman's timeline of events was accurate."
"We've had no reason to doubt him so far," the Sheikah shogun replied.
Mina quirked her brow. "The who?"
Harun also wondered whom they were talking about, but the two women ignored the question.
"Is the doorway sealed with chronomancy?" Impa went on.
"Indeed. Much like many of the devices we passed by in this temple." Lucrezia held up the Ocarina of Time. She began to play a song with it, producing a series of sweet, melodic sounds. The magic runes in front of the door seemed to react. Some of them changed color, shape, or direction. Others burst and disappeared. "The chrono-stasis enchantments appear to have been put into place with this very instrument," she concluded after playing for a short while. "By this timeline's Princess of Time, I would wager."
"The hell are you talkin' about?" Mina asked, beginning to sound a little peeved.
"Can you open it?" Harun demanded. He did not understand everything the sage and the shogun were saying either, but he did not care. If the Triforce was inches away from being in their grasp, he could overlook everything else.
"I cannot." The Sage of Time sounded disappointed. "It is clear to me that several other seals have been placed upon this door as well, likely one for each of the six keys." She turned to Impa once more. "Have you and your mother examined it with the Lens of Truth?"
"We have," the Sheikah woman replied. "It revealed a few hidden messages, but not much that we did not already know."
"So we truly require all six keys after all," Harun said dejectedly, biting back his frustration.
"Bah." Mina halfheartedly kicked the altar in front of her. "If only Raeger could fit in here. Maybe he could just kick the damn door down."
"Fear not, my friends," Impa assured them. "Lord Remoth will be returning soon with the last two keys, and then we shall all have our wishes granted."
Harun had been told that the City in the Sky was headed their way, but even so, he found himself surprised to see it. At the bottom of Tanagar Canyon, he was about as far from the sky as he'd even been, and the floating sky islands that made up Skyloft still seemed grand and impressive. It was not his first time seeing it. He recalled seeing it floating above the Gerudo Highlands once when he was a young boy. It had seemed like such a wondrous thing back then. Now, however, it filled him with a different feeling.
Cowards.
The memories and emotions of Demise seeped into his mind before the prince even realized it. Before his eyes, he saw visions of the goddess Hylia carving out great pieces of the earth and raising them into the sky, allowing her chosen people - and only her chosen people - to hide from the war Demise had waged upon the realm.
How many died so that the Hylians could live in safety and comfort?
Harun growled in frustration. He hated having those thoughts - thoughts that weren't even his. Worse still, he could see some level of sense in them. He could not tell if that thought had been his genuine feelings or if it had been another of the curse's effects, and that worried him even more.
However, despite his seemingly baseless anger, he felt a small sense of comfort when he felt a pair of hands on his back.
"It will pass," Laine told him, laying a gauntleted hand down upon his shoulder. Apparently, his retainers had grown used to his episodes, and were able to recognize when he was having one.
"Yes," Emri agreed, cautiously placing her fingertips against his back. "We are here for you, my prince."
He appreciated their words, but Harun could not bring himself to say anything in return. He merely nodded, keeping his gaze fixed firmly upon the floating city.
One of the structures broke off from the sky islands. It sailed through the air for a few minutes, then it began to descend. Most of the Blins who were outside mining in the canyon stopped to stare along with everyone else, but several of them ran away to clear the area when they could see where the large flying structure would be landing.
After the tower-like sky lift set down upon the canyon floor, Mina strode confidently forward, with Raeger at her side. Impa and Lucrezia joined her, with the Halftusk begrudgingly following behind them. Harun felt compelled to go along as well. He remained cautious, however. He still had not met the infamous Lord Remoth, but everything he heard about the Acheman Master did not paint him in the best light.
When the sky lift's door opened, several people stepped out of it. The first through the door appeared to be a young Hylian girl. She was closely followed by a man in dark robes and a headwrap, as well as a large Acheman who did not bother to disguise himself. Harun assumed that must have been Lord Remoth. However, several other Hylians, Sheikah, and Achemen came out of the structure afterwards, so the true Acheman Master could have been any one of them.
Impa was the first to greet the new arrivals. "Socicila," she said, addressing the robed man. "Welcome."
"I have much to report, Impa-sama," the man called Socicila replied with a bow. Harun could see the blood red eyes and the snow white hair peeking out from his headwrap, indicating that he was a Sheikah as well, and clearly a subordinate of Impa's.
"We shall debrief you with my mother momentarily," Impa assured him. "Allow us to greet your companions first."
The short Hylian girl who looked about 11 years old stepped up next to Socicila. She wore finely crafted armor and clothing and carried a sword on her back. Her stance was proud, standing with her arms crossed behind her back as she surveyed the area appraisingly. "You are the ones who are gathering the keys?" she asked in her high-pitched voice.
"That is correct," Impa confirmed.
"Hey, don't I know you?" Mina asked, sounding amused as she eyed the young girl impishly.
The well-dressed child gave Mina a contemptuous look. "I am Mila of House Shadowgale, Lady of Shadow Hamlet and Slayer of the Earthquake Sage." Reaching behind her back, she produced a glorious gilded sword and held it out in her hands. "I come bearing this sword, a weapon forged in the realm of Termina. It is one of the keys you seek."
"Ah! I do know you. You're that fairy child!" Mina snapped her fingers, pointing down at the little girl. "Nice job with the sword. You got the hookshot, too?"
The fairy child furrowed her brow. "No, I have no such device."
"The Hero still holds the final key, Mistress," the towering bat-like monster standing behind Mila informed her.
"Dammit! We're so close now," Mina remarked, stomping her foot in frustration.
Harun was similarly disappointed. They were one step closer, but having five keys was just as useless as having four keys.
"Well, whatever," Mina went on. "Gagaim, where's my dad?" she asked, leaning to the side to try to get a peek behind the undisguised Acheman. "Didn't he come with you?"
The Acheman known as Gagaim put a clawed hand to his heart and bowed deeply. "Regrettably, Mistress, your father perished at the hands of the Hero."
For what felt like the first time since Harun had met her, he witnessed Mina Remoth's playful smirk drop from her face in favor of a serious expression. She looked shocked at first, then angry, her yellow catlike eyes turning to a piercing glare. "What?" she asked, venom dripping from the single syllable.
"You witnessed Lord Remoth's death?" Impa inquired. She did not sound shocked or particularly disheartened to hear of the man's passing, asking the question as though it were a simple request for information.
"No," Gagaim replied. "We left before the Master engaged the Hero in combat. The twins stayed behind and confirmed his death before they caught up with us."
As if on cue, two bizarre-looking robed creatures popped into existence, standing in midair above the other new arrivals. The two of them spun in place, humming a tune, before stopping to pose with the magic rods in their gloved hands held aloft.
"Zaum, Thaum," Mina barked at the floating, sunken-headed monstrosities. "You watched my father die?"
"For the deed, we did not see." The creature whose robe bore red designs spoke first.
"Saw the corpse, we do decree." The one with blue designs on his robe joined in, rhyming with the first. "Fled we must; deliver news."
"Better battles, we shall choose."
Harun witnessed Kyra roll her eyes in annoyance at the way the creatures spoke.
"You stupid fucks!" Mina shouted angrily, producing a pair of daggers from within the sleeves of her overcoat. "What the hell was the point of you if you couldn't even keep him alive?"
Upon seeing their mistress drawing weapons on them, the robed creatures spun in place once more, then vanished from sight. Gagaim, however, took a knee and bowed his head. "I apologize for their failure, Mistress."
"Oh, shut up," Mina replied, turning her back in irritation. In doing so, she found herself face-to-face with the Halftusk, who had approached her during the encounter. "And what the hell do you want? Get the fuck out of my face, pig."
"The Spikelord is dead," the Moblin reiterated. "None of us have any reason to listen to you anymore."
"Wanna bet?"
"You are not even a real monster," the tusked Pigblin spat out.
"No, but I am my father's daughter." With that, Mina quickly lifted her arms, as if she were tossing something up into the air. However, eight separate concealed knives flew out from upon her person, whipping through the air with magical direction and speed. The knives simultaneously pierced the Halftusk in various places upon his head, neck, and chest. With another movement of her arms, Mina's knives flew back into her overcoat. Blood burst from the Moblin's many wounds, and he slumped over dead on the spot.
"Hmm. Ruthlessly efficient. Well done," the fairy child complimented her.
"Yes, a fine kill, Mistress," Gagaim concurred.
Wordlessly, Raeger knelt down and scooped up the Halftusk's corpse. He then unceremoniously overhand tossed it towards the roof of the temple. The dragon roosting atop the temple sprung upwards, snatching the body out of the air with his massive jaws, before settling back down to swallow his meal.
Mina took a few steps forward. Many of the onlookers took a step back to clear the way. "Anyone else?" she asked.
Harun feared that the Blins who'd been in service to the Halftusk would retaliate, but none did. Most left the scene, returning to work mining the canyon rocks. The armed guards who'd accompanied their chieftain did not move a muscle in defiance. They were either too frightened, or they'd already abandoned their dead master in favor of a new one. When no one challenged her, Mina transformed and took on the appearance of an Acheman, then flew off, heading back into the temple.
"Is she… going to be alright?" Harun asked, directing the question to nobody in particular. He had felt every second of Mina's rage as if it were his own, and the feeling had only gone away once she'd left. Despite the circumstances, he was still surprised by the half-breed's reaction. She did not seem the type to take anything so seriously, but he supposed anyone would have to in this case.
Anyone who knew their father, anyway.
"Time heals all wounds," Lucrezia replied, stepping into the center of the gathered crowd. "I assume you all have other pertinent information to share with us," she said, addressing Mila Shadowgale, Socicila, and Gagaim. "Perhaps it would be best to head into the temple and discuss our situation further."
"Yes," Harun concurred. "I want to know what it will take to obtain the final key and open the way to the Triforce."
"Very well." Impa Sadashi stepped back and gestured towards the temple. "Honored allies, please follow me."