For the duration of her stay in Hyrule Castle, Linkle was in a constant state of disbelief. She'd wanted to see what the castle was like ever since she was little. Now, not only was she actually there, but she'd been invited to stay as a guest of honor - because she was the Hero. It was absolutely a dream come true.
She'd also been personally introduced to the Royal Family. It was unfortunate that the youngest princess was still missing, as Linkle would've loved to see little Seraphina again. And it was truly awful that King Tychon and Prince Lancel had been killed. Regardless, the other prince and princesses had been kind to her. Princess Victorique was every bit the wise, elegant beauty she'd been lauded as. Prince Percival seemed a bit rough around the edges, but he was exceedingly handsome, and he had a straightforward and blunt attitude that reminded Linkle of her own brother in a way.
And then, of course, there was Princess Sophitia. She was the member of the Royal Family closest to Linkle in age. She was kind, clever, and pretty. She'd reached out to Linkle personally and taken the time to show her around the castle, and Linkle had spent more time with her than anyone else she'd met at the castle so far. Sophitia was the highest of highborn and she was clearly very well-educated, so while Linkle struggled to keep up intellectually, she found the princess fascinating to listen to.
The only thing that was somewhat disappointing had been her confrontation with the one known as Lord Remoth. When Linkle had arrived at Hyrule Castle and learned that the Royal Family believed the demon to be hiding in the form of a man, she'd been expecting to have a proper climactic showdown with him, fighting alongside the prince and princesses.
The Hero's story never ends with the demon being arrested, does it?
"Does the Master Sword need to be cleaned?"
Linkle turned around to make eye contact with Liliana. At the moment, Linkle was sitting on the steps that led down from one of the castle walls, wiping down her sword with a cloth rag.
"Well, yeah," Linkle replied. "Especially when it gets bloody. But right now, I'm just trying to get it to shine brightly again. It's been kind of dull lately, for some reason."
"Perhaps it has been too long since it's killed anyone," Liliana speculated. She pulled her own sword partially out of its sheath. "I personally feed mine twice a day. We have plenty of prisoners in the dungeon you could use."
Linkle was horrified.
"She is joking, of course," Sophitia pointed out, appearing at Liliana's side.
"Oh." Linkle laughed in relief as she stood up to greet the princess properly. Throughout her stay at the castle, she had found Princess Sophitia's round-eared bodyguard to be a bit of an odd one. Liliana would often make jokes at the expense of others, but her facial expression never really changed, so it was often difficult to tell when she was joking.
"You will have to forgive her… unique sense of humor," the princess went on. "It pleases her to shock others. Though, truth be told, her sharp tongue pleases me as well."
"Indeed it does," Liliana replied.
Linkle stifled a laugh.
The princess looked confused for a second, then she looked shocked, her face turning red. "A-Anyway. You were discussing the Master Sword. Does it require maintenance?"
Linkle hefted the sword in front of her, examining the dull sheen. "Honestly, my brother's way better at this sorta stuff," she admitted. "I usually just swing it."
"Hm. I see. Well, if you ever need help with such matters, we have a number of Goron blacksmiths in our employ who are masters of their craft," Sophitia offered.
"Really? Wow, thanks! I bought my last sword from a Goron blacksmith in Rudania. Their stuff is amazing." Linkle placed the Master Sword down and allowed it to lean against the stairs for a moment. She then pulled out the other sword she had with her. The gilded sword she had received from Lady Shadowgale was supposed to be one of the keys to the Triforce, and it had once been the property of Sage Saria's late brother. "I wonder who made this one," she mused, running a hand over the flat of the golden blade. "Do the Kokiri usually make swords like this?"
Sophitia tilted her head. "I am unsure. Lady Shadowgale is the only Kokiri in Central Hyrule."
"Hm." As Linkle looked at the gilded sword, she had the annoying realization that it seemed to be shining more brightly than the Master Sword was at the moment. Sighing in mild irritation, she sheathed the gilded sword and picked the Master Sword back up.
Maybe it could use a touch up from a blacksmith after all.
Unexpectedly, she noticed the blade glow a little brighter all of a sudden. However, some instinct told her this wasn't the good kind of glow. "Princess!" Linkle shouted, rushing forward and pushing Sophitia out of the way.
"What-?" Sophitia cried in surprise.
From over the edge of the wall, a monster appeared. The creature was humanoid, but bat-like, and it flew upwards on leathery wings. As soon as it showed itself, it screeched and lashed outwards with a clawed hand. The creature's claws slashed Linkle across the nose and cheek, but she still managed to thrust the Master Sword forward, stabbing the monster through the chest. The creature screeched in pain, smoke emanating from its chest wound as the Master Sword's holy blade seared its flesh. When Linkle pulled the sword back, the monster fell backwards over the wall.
While Linkle was busy, a second bat monster appeared. Luckily, Liliana's reflexes were quite good as well. The round-eared girl appeared at Linkle's side. With three quick strikes, she chopped the monster's hand off, then slashed it across the chest before finally stabbing it through the neck. This one flopped down onto the ground, spilling dark red blood on top of the wall.
"Achemen," Linkle pointed out, recognizing what type of monsters they were.
"There were reports of these things being spotted in the city during the attack on the night of the Blood Moon," Liliana added. "Stay close to me, Princess. We need to get inside."
"Right. Thank you for coming to my aid, both of you," Sophitia said graciously.
With their swords drawn, Linkle and Liliana led the princess down the steps and away from the wall, heading towards one of the castle buildings. As they moved, alarm bells began going off all around the castle.
"There must be more of them," Linkle realized.
"This is Lord Remoth's doing. It must be," Sophitia said, sounding confident. "These creatures must work for him. We met some others of their kind in the Breach of Demise, with the Gerudo and those other monsters."
"Do you think he has broken out of the dungeons?" Liliana asked.
"Either he has already, or this attack is meant to distract us while he is broken out."
As they approached the keep, a number of guards spilled out through the doorway. At the same time, a separate group of soldiers came around the corner - these ones wearing cloaks bearing the sigil of House Remoth.
"There she is!"
"There she is!"
"Kill her!"
"Protect her!"
A fight broke out in short order. Sophitia paused, staring at the battle in horror, clearly desperate to help the guards who were risking their lives to protect her. Linkle wished to help too, but her instinct was to save the princess first. So, she grabbed Sophitia's hand and pulled her along with her, running towards the keep.
"We need to get you inside, Princess," Linkle repeated.
"Agreed," Liliana concurred, following them and guarding the princess from behind.
Once inside, it did not take long for them to run into more hostiles. On an upper level overlooking the entrance hall, two Remoth soldiers leaned over the bannister, holding crossbows. Linkle had quicker reflexes, reaching behind her back to pull out her own crossbow. She fired off a shot at one of the soldiers. The one she hit slumped over dead, but the other loosed a bolt at them soon after.
A shimmering blue magic barrier appeared around them, shielding them from the enemy's bolt. Linkle turned to see Sophitia holding up her hand, having been the one to conjure the barrier. Linkle quickly reloaded her crossbow. Without needing to say anything, Sophitia dropped the barrier. Linkle fired at the enemy crossbowman, but he ducked behind a pillar.
"Forget him," Liliana urged. "Just keep moving."
Behind them, Linkle could see more black-cloaked soldiers coming through the door. "Oh, shit. Yep, let's go!"
The three of them ran further into the keep. As they rounded the corner, Sophitia threw up another barrier, this time blocking the path behind them. Linkle didn't know how long the barrier would last, but apparently it was long enough for them to escape, because they soon lost sight of their pursuers. They continued moving in search of someplace safe, but everywhere they went, they could still hear the sounds of clashing metal somewhere close by, and no room they came across seemed like it would be a good place to hide if a group of soldiers were to come banging on the door.
Linkle had been hoping to come across more of the castle guards who might have been able to aid the princess, but the next group of soldiers they came across were more of Remoth's men. They had been heading for the stairs, but six of the invaders came down the steps, blocking their path.
Linkle and Liliana stepped in front of the princess and raised their swords, but before they could engage the enemy, a puff of smoke erupted between the two parties. When it cleared, three Sheikah were standing before them. The two on the sides immediately leaped forward with kodachis drawn, attacking Remoth's troops. The third turned to face them
Linkle stepped back in fear upon seeing the woman's mask. "You?" she asked in confusion.
Impa Shiho stared at each of them in turn, then turned her mask to the side of her face. She ignored Linkle, choosing instead to address Sophitia. "Your sister is in the library," she told her. "Go there. Now." Without waiting for a reaction, she slipped her mask back into place, then turned around and joined her allies in the fight.
Linkle knew to be wary of this Impa from her past encounter with her, and she also knew the Hyrules suspected her of being a traitor, so she was unsure if they should trust her. "What do we do, Princess?"
Sophitia seemed to think about it for a second. "We make for the library. But be cautious."
"Of course, Princess," Liliana agreed.
Before Linkle left, she stopped to observe Impa Shiho one last time. The Sheikah woman seemed to sense her presence, turning her head to look at Linkle through the mask she wore. For a moment, Linkle wondered if they'd truly been wrong about Shiho, but she did not linger on that thought. Instead, she hurried after Liliana and the princess.
During her stay at Hyrule Castle, Linkle had spent a good deal of time in the library. There were historical accounts of Heroes she'd never even heard of, as well as countless bestiaries detailing the most exotic of monsters.
"I swear to Hylia, if someone burns down this library, I'm gonna destroy them," Linkle said aloud as they ran towards its entrance.
Sophitia and Liliana had no response to that. Once they reached the closed doors, Liliana signaled for Sophitia and Linkle to stop. So, the princess held back with Linkle guarding her while Liliana approached the door and attempted to open it. However, the door did not budge.
Liliana rapped her fist against the door. "Hello?" she called out. "I have Princess Sophitia here. We need to get inside."
For a moment, no one answered. "Is my sister in there?" Sophitia called out.
Hearing the princess's voice must have been enough to convince whoever was on the other side to open the door. The sound of a heavy lock being undone could be heard, then one of the doors opened outwards. Two royal guards appeared in the doorway, swords drawn.
"Princess," one of them spoke. "Yes, Princess Victorique is here. Please, get inside." The two guards stepped out of the way, making a path for them. Liliana went in first, quickly glanced around, then waved Sophitia and Linkle inside.
The library of Hyrule Castle was expansive. It extended across multiple floors, and it stretched practically the entire length of the castle. The guards seemed to have the place on lockdown, as each entrance had sentries posted to it and several more guards were present throughout the library. Although they could not hear any fighting in the vicinity, the ringing of alarm bells could still be heard coming from other parts of the castle.
"Well done, Lady Linkle, Lady Liliana," one of the guards said. "Thank you for bringing Princess Sophitia here safely."
"Where is my sister?" Sophitia inquired.
"Come with me. I shall escort you to her at once."
The three of them were led down a staircase to the ground floor of the library, then taken all the way across the room until they very nearly reached the end. The guard led them to a large bookshelf that stretched across one of the walls. Several royal guards were posted along it, all of whom saluted Princess Sophitia as she walked by.
"Princess Victorique is in here," the guard guiding them said, gesturing to the bookshelf.
Linkle furrowed her brow in confusion. "Huh?" she asked, glancing around her immediate vicinity in search of what the guard could be referring to.
However, Sophitia apparently knew more about the library's secrets than Linkle did. She confidently strode up to the bookshelf and reached her hand past the books. Linkle could hear an audible click, followed by a louder sound as a short section of the bookshelf was lowered into the floor.
"Whoa…" Linkle stared in amazement. "That's amazing!"
When the bookshelf disappeared from view, it revealed a sturdy iron door. Princess Sophitia stepped up to the door and gave it a knock. "Sister?"
A moment later, Linkle heard the door being unlocked from the inside. It was then pulled open. Linkle nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Impa Shiho standing before her again, but she quickly realized she was mistaken. It was Impa Ayako who had opened the door.
The Sheikah woman looked behind herself. "It is her," she said affirmatively. Ayako then stepped out of the hidden room and moved aside, clearing the way for the elder princess.
"Sister." Princess Victorique's ordinarily stoic face betrayed an obvious expression of relief as she exited the hidden room.
"Sister," Princess Sophitia said in kind as the two moved to embrace one another. "I'm glad you're alright."
"Likewise." After breaking off the hug, the elder princess acknowledged the other two girls as well. "Thank you for keeping my sister safe as always, Liliana. And you as well, Hero."
Linkle felt all tingly inside at having been thanked by the Crown Princess. "It was my honor, your highness!"
Victorique nodded, turning back to her sister. "Lord Remoth's men attacked us, so we have barricaded the library for the time being. What is the situation? Were you attacked as well? Do we know Remoth's current whereabouts?"
"Yes, we were attacked by Remoth's men. And by Achemen," Sophitia added. "I do not know his whereabouts. We ran when we were attacked. We met Impa Shiho along the way, and she told us you were here."
Shiho's sister shared a look with Victorique.
"I see," Victorique said. "What of Percival?"
"I have not seen him," her sister replied.
"No matter. He'll have gotten somewhere safe by now. Lord Remoth does not have enough of his own troops in the castle to take it from us, even if he does have some monsters bolstering his forces. We shall remain here while the Grand Protector and the Grand Watcher deal with the rebels."
"Agreed. And we shall deal with Lord Remoth if he is captured in the fighting," Sophitia said.
"I'm going back out there to join the battle," Linkle blurted out. The princesses had not said anything about what she should be doing, but even if she would have liked to stay there to defend both of them herself, her instinct was not to sit still. "Your people need my help. And I might be able to find and kill Remoth, even if he is the demon." Linkle punctuated her point by drawing both of her swords, showing them exactly why she thought she'd be able to kill him.
The two princesses shared a look.
"It might make sense tactically," Sophitia pondered. "The castle may be swarming with monsters, and she is a professional monster hunter."
"Indeed. And if Lord Remoth truly is the demon, then the Hero is the one fated to slay him, as she says," Victorique added. She turned to her retainer. "Aya, can we spare anyone to aid her?"
The Sheikah woman glanced around the room for a few moments as she considered her answer. "Six. We should still have enough to keep the library locked down if we give her six."
"Good. Sir Akrah, Dame Parcy," the elder princess called to two of her guards.
A man and a woman approached them, both dressed in the uniform of the Royal Guard. The man had black hair and a small black beard. The woman also had black hair, which was cut short like Linkle's.
"Present, Princess," the short-haired woman said. She and her partner each put a hand to their heart in salute.
"Take four of the castle guards and go with the Hero. Your job is to eliminate the rebels, including Lord Remoth if he is out of his cell," Victorique instructed.
"It would be our honor, your highness," Sir Akrah replied. He and Dame Parcy bowed, then headed for the other end of the library where the reserve guards were waiting.
Despite the severity of the situation, Linkle couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. She was going to fight alongside knights of the Royal Guard, and she may soon fulfill her destiny and slay the Headless Demon.
My legend is going to be a tale for the ages!
"Stay safe, Linkle," Sophitia said to her, speaking a little more softly and a little less loftily than Linkle was used to hearing from her.
"I'll be back," Linkle said, straightening her posture and smiling confidently. "You can be sure of that."
"May Hylia and Farore watch over you, Hero," Princess Victorique added, giving her own blessing.
A moment later, Akrah and Parcy returned. Four of the lower-ranked castle guards trailed behind them. "We are ready, Princess," Parcy said to Victorique.
"Excellent. Now go. Secure this castle," the elder princess ordered them.
"Come with me, everyone," Linkle said. "Let's go slay some monsters."
Despite the princesses' belief that Lord Remoth didn't have many of his own troops on the castle grounds at that point in time, it sure seemed like he did. Mere minutes after Linkle and the guards left the library, they encountered their first group of rebels in one of the castle's many long corridors. The enemy battalion was made up of what appeared to be four normal Hylians and two Achemen. While she'd fought with other humans several times in the past, Linkle still didn't enjoy it, so she chose to focus on the monsters while her allies dealt with the humans.
Linkle opened the fight by firing off a bolt from her crossbow. Both Achemen flew up to the ceiling immediately, so she did not hit her mark. Surprising both her enemies and her allies, she immediately sprinted forward with the magically-enhanced speed granted to her by her Pegasus Boots. When she was close enough for the soldiers on the ground to raise their shields, she pulled out her hookshot and fired into the chandelier behind the Achemen. The hookshot then pulled her into the air. As she passed by, she swung her sword at one of the bat monsters, slicing it across the chest.
She landed behind the enemy group. For a moment, all eyes were on her, still stunned by her unexpected tactics. This distraction allowed for her allies to advance on their adversaries unimpeded, and the battle began with Linkle and the castle guards having the upper hand.
While the Remoth's human troops did battle with the guards, the Acheman Linkle had wounded fell to the ground, clutching its chest. The monster's skin burned along the cut left by the Master Sword. The other Acheman, however, recovered from its initial shock and swooped down to attack Linkle. She managed to block the creature with her shield, flipping it over herself. Afterwards, she tried to slash at it, but the Acheman flew backwards and screeched.
"Ahh! Shut up!" Reflexively, Linkle grabbed her hookshot and fired it at the monster's head. The hook pierced through the monster's eye, penetrating deeply. It screeched one final time before its wings gave out and it collapsed to the floor. As she retracted the chain back into her hookshot, Linkle felt a sudden pain in her back. She yelped and spun around, realizing she'd just been slashed by the other Acheman.
The creature she'd cut down earlier was still clutching one hand to its chest, and it seemed unable to fly. However, it glared at her with intense hatred. Its free claw dripped with Linkle's blood. "You'll pay for this, bitch," the monster spoke, his voice grating and clearly inhuman.
Linkle reached into her bag and pulled out a rupee. "Fine," she said, flipping it over to the monster.
The Acheman reflexively caught the small gem, then stared at it in bewilderment. "What-?"
That moment of distraction was just enough time for Linkle to close the gap. She jammed her sword right above the wound she'd left before. The blade of light seared the monster's flesh once again, and it soon fell over dead.
When she was finished with her opponents, Linkle looked up to see her allies were just finishing up their battle as well. Dame Parcy stabbed her sword through a rebel's chest, dropping him to the floor. All four of the rebel troops were dead, but Linkle noticed two of the castle guards who'd fought with them lay dead as well.
Oh, shit.
She'd been so focused on her own battle, she hadn't noticed how difficult her allies' battle had been. She wasn't sure if she would have been able to do anything to save their two fallen comrades, but she still felt a pang of guilt.
"Are you alright, Hero?" Sir Akrah asked her, cleaning the blood off of his sword.
Linkle nodded, choosing not to trouble them with her thoughts. "I'm fine."
Sir Akrah nodded. "Let's keep going. If we can secure this wing of the keep, we should be able to stem this incursion significantly."
Bit by bit, Linkle moved through the castle with the squad of guards she'd teamed up with, slaying monsters and traitors everywhere they went. Along the way, they joined up with other squads of guards, eventually growing to a group of about a dozen, although some of their allies would fall in almost every skirmish they took part in.
As they continued to clear the castle, the enemies they encountered were beginning to flee more often. This was a good sign, as it meant they were winning the battle overall, and perhaps this siege was coming to an end. However, Linkle noticed something odd.
"Why do they keep fleeing upward?" Linkle asked after their latest battle.
"What?" Dame Parcy asked, kicking over an Acheman's body to check if it was truly dead.
"Those two who ran away. They went up the stairs, like all the others who ran. Isn't that weird?" Linkle explained.
"She makes a good point," Sir Akrah agreed. "If they were fleeing, wouldn't they be running for the outer walls in order to escape?"
Linkle had a slightly troubling thought. "None of the other guards we've met have seen Lord Remoth, right?"
"Correct," Dame Parcy confirmed.
Linkle smacked herself in the forehead. "Of course! Why didn't I think of it before?"
"What is it, young Hero?" Sir Akrah asked.
"I should've seen it before. This whole siege was way too big an act to just be a distraction. Lord Remoth wasn't trying to escape. He's somewhere in the castle still. His minions must be running to rejoin him somewhere on the upper floors," Linkle explained.
"What would be the point of that?" Dame Parcy asked as she gestured with her hands to give further orders to the other guards.
"He's trying to kill the princesses and the prince and take the throne for himself, here and now." Linkle had read more stories about Heroes battling against monsters than anyone else she'd ever met. This sounded exactly like the sort of thing a Demon King would do. "He's probably sitting on the king's throne right now."
"That's a possibility," Sir Akrah agreed. "We'll just have to keep working our way upward, then. We'll arrive at the throne room eventually."
Before Linkle could say anything else, she heard a repetitive clattering noise coming from around the corner, signaling the approach of more soldiers. She drew the Master Sword, expecting a fight, only to find it was three members of the castle guard returning to their position in a hurry.
"Dame," one of the guards said, standing at attention in front of Parcy. "We found the prince's body."
"What?" Dame Parcy replied. "Prince Percival? He's dead? Are you certain?"
"Yes, dame."
"Show us," Sir Akrah ordered. "Lead the way."
"Yes, sir." The guards turned and headed back down the hall. The royal guards followed them, as did Linkle.
They were brought to the minor throne room beside the courtyard. The door had been smashed in, leaving debris scattered around the room.
"Oh, shit," Linkle said under her breath as soon as she walked in. At least ten bodies lay scattered throughout the room, some of them chopped into pieces or crushed beyond recognition. Whatever had happened there had been a slaughter. Up on the dais at the end of the room, Linkle spotted a body wearing the armor she often saw Prince Percival wearing. The corpse lay on the ground beside the throne.
Dame Parcy and Sir Akrah knelt beside the body to examine it. "It's him," Akrah confirmed.
"Damn these accursed devils," the other knight swore.
Linkle's heart sank. She stared down at the prince's body, and all she could think of was how devastated the princesses would be.
Losing two brothers is not easy…
She turned her back on the scene before she started to tear up, wishing to project an image of courage befitting her role.
That's what Link would do here, right?
"Where is Sir Onnick?" Akrah questioned.
Linkle hadn't noticed it before, but none of the bodies were large enough to belong to the prince's famously tall and bulky bodyguard. They had not encountered him at any point in their campaign through the castle yet either.
"Well, if the prince is here, the Wall probably died protecting him somewhere else in the castle," Parcy speculated.
Linkle got the attention of the nearest soldier. "Are there any wounded?"
"No, my lady. All were dead when we arrived."
She nodded, then turned back to the royal guards accompanying her. "We need to head to the throne room as soon as possible. We have to slay this demon before anything happens to the princesses."
Despite Linkle's hunch that the demon was in the throne room, she and her allies did not head straight there. They continued to sweep their way through the castle, floor by floor. Wherever they found civilians or other guards, they did their best to aid them, and wherever they found rebels and monsters, they fought them.
It took a great deal of time, but Linkle and her group of allies eventually reached the throne room. A small group of Remoth's soldiers had fled from them, disappearing through the doors that led into the throne room. That had at least partially confirmed that their remaining enemies were gathering inside. By then, Linkle's party stood at about two dozen strong.
"This is it," Linkle proclaimed, standing several meters from the great double doors. There were no rebel troops or monsters standing guard outside. It was entirely possible that the demon wasn't on the other side of those doors, but she was confident he was in there. She could feel it.
The two royal guards who had been assigned to accompany Linkle stood beside her. Dame Parcy signaled to two of the guards. "You. Soldiers. Head back to the library. Inform the princesses the keep is secured, apart from the throne room, which we believe could hold Remoth and his remaining forces. Request reinforcements and an update on the state of the rest of the castle grounds."
"Yes, dame." The two guards saluted and ran off.
Linkle tilted her head curiously. "We're not attacking now?"
Sir Akrah shook his head. "There's no need. We have them cornered. It is better to attack when we are at our strongest, if we can afford to wait."
"The enemy can fly," Linkle pointed out. Perhaps not all of them could, but the Achemen had wings, and Lord Remoth likely had some method of flight as well.
"Then if they wanted to flee, we wouldn't be able to stop them anyway," Dame Parcy pointed out. "Do not fear, young Hero. Our victory is nearly assured. The princesses will be quite pleased with our progress."
Despite feeling a strong desire to confront her destiny then and there, Linkle managed to convince herself to listen to her allies.
Link would tell me the same thing.
While the guards set up a perimeter, Linkle sat against the wall and drank deeply from her waterskin. She hadn't realized it while she was still pumping adrenaline, but she was exhausted. They'd spent hours running through the castle fighting monsters and rebels. All of that exertion and effort was suddenly catching up with her.
As she rested, Linkle examined her two swords once more. She'd been keeping an eye on the way the Master Sword reacted todanger. While it often glowed the way she expected it to, she couldn't help but notice it was never quite as bright as it had been when she had fought the Blin pirates in the Necluda Sea, or when she'd fought the Sheikah who attacked her in Faron.
Back whenever Link was around…
Linkle cast an uncertain eye towards the throne room doors, where she suspected the demon to be. Then she examined the back of her hand, where she noted the distinct lack of any mark of the Triforce.
What if I'm rushing towards Link's destiny instead of mine? If only the Hero can slay the demon, and I'm not really the Hero, am I going to…?
Linkle shook her head, slapping her hands against her cheeks as if to wake herself up.
Even the princesses say I'm the Hero. What more do you need?
Glancing about the hall, Linkle self-consciously checked if anyone was looking at her, as if they'd somehow be able to see she was doubting herself.
This is something every Hero goes through. I'm gonna save the princess, then save my brother, and everything's gonna be happily ever after.
Sometime later, Linkle was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of Impa's voice.
"Attention!"
All of the guards turned to face the entryway, boots stomping as they all stepped into place and stood up straight. Linkle jumped to her feet as well.
In addition to Impa Ayako and Liliana, a number of other royal guards passed through the entryway, spreading out to check that the area was truly secure. Following them, the princesses entered. Both of them appeared extraordinarily regal in Linkle's eyes. Victorique had a look of both dignity and iron-willed focus, clearly ready to complete the task at hand. Sophitia looked just as determined. However, Linkle could see the sadness hidden behind the younger princess's eyes.
They've been told about their brother already.
The Hero wished she could comfort her and promise to do whatever she could to make things right, but the setting was too public for such a thing. She would have to offer her condolences later.
"Princess Victorique, Princess Sophitia." It was Dame Parcy who stepped forward to address them. "I thank you for the reinforcements you have brought, but I must protest the presence of royalty here. We believe the remaining hostiles to be gathered in the throne room, so the area is still too dangerous."
"Your caution is appreciated, dame, but my sister and I have already made our decision," Victorique told her.
"If Lord Remoth is here, we shall force him to answer for his crimes," Sophitia declared, her voice remarkably unwavering given her situation.
"Very well," Dame Parcy replied. "What is the status of the rest of the grounds?"
"The island is secure. The rest of Lord Remoth's forces have been killed or captured, as far as the scouting reports tell me. If you are correct, the throne room should be the one area left to clear," the elder princess said.
Linkle took note of the weapons the princesses had with them. Victorique had the Bow of Light slung over her back, which Linkle recognized from accounts of the Twilight Princess's battle against Ganon. She also had two rapiers on her waist that glowed with a brilliant light, like the Master Sword would. Sophitia had a similar rapier on her waist as well.
They intend to participate in the battle.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Linkle couldn't help but feel excited by that notion.
"Let us proceed. We wish to speak with Lord Remoth before attempting to apprehend him, so kindly refrain from engaging the enemy unless they attack us first," Princess Sophitia instructed. She then turned to Linkle. "Hero, please join us."
Linkle's heart raced. "It would be my honor!" she declared, rushing to the princess's side.
The doors to the throne room opened. As expected, they were not alone on the other side. Almost immediately, the princesses' guards moved into a semicircle in front of the entryway, shields up and weapons drawn.
Much of the gallery was filled with Lord Remoth's soldiers. They hung back, far from the entrance, so no immediate fighting occurred. However, like the Hyrulean guards, Remoth's soldiers likewise held their weapons at the ready.
The twin staircases on either side of the room that led up to the royal thrones were filled with Achemen. Some stood up straight with their wings spread, others perched on the banisters like gargoyles ready to strike. Also present amongst the Achemen were two hooded figures, one standing at the top of each staircase. Both wore white robes, but one had red designs while the other had blue. It was difficult to make out the figures from so far away, and their robes concealed their features considerably, so Linkle couldn't tell if they were Sheikah or anyone she would have recognized.
Lastly, Lord Remoth stood at the bannister in the center of the upper floor. Rather than sitting atop the king's throne as Linkle had expected, he leaned against the railing, glaring down at the princesses and the Hero with a look of frustration on his face.
"Lord Remoth." Princess Victorique spoke first, her voice carrying effortlessly throughout the large throne room. "Your coup has failed. Surrender now and we will grant leniency to the remaining Hylians under your command."
The dark-haired man sighed. "I suppose it has failed," he said, clearly irritated. "All because of that snake Socicila. If he hadn't abandoned us, we may have won."
"Socicila?" Princess Sophitia questioned skeptically.
"Yes," Remoth replied. "You have fewer friends than you know, Princess. But then, so do I, as it transpires."
Linkle stepped up next to Sophitia. "Why did you do all this?" she asked with righteous anger. "So many people died. What was the point?"
"I was trying to change the world, I suppose." Lord Remoth leaned against the bannister, sighing defeatedly. "When this was all over, I intended to create a world in which my kind and yours could simply live in peace."
"Peace?"
"Peace?"
Sophitia and Linkle repeated the word one after the other, both clearly finding the notion ridiculous.
"How the hell were you gonna make peace by killing everybody?" Linkle forcefully questioned.
Lord Remoth rolled his eyes. "I suppose the Hero is meant to be courageous, not wise."
"Hey!"
"Killing everybody, as you say, was never my intention. Only those who stood in the way of our peoples joining together," Remoth explained. "The Royal Family, the Hero, the Sage of Light - all of you speak of monsters as though we are merely dangerous beasts to be eradicated. My goal cannot be accomplished while you remain in power."
"Even if you killed us, it would change nothing," Victorique replied, speaking calmly and rationally despite the clear hatred in her voice. "Monsters raid our villages and kill our people at every opportunity. It is their actions that vilify them, not our words."
"True." Lord Remoth made no attempt to deny it. "I have made contact with the leaders of a hundred different monster tribes. Too many of them speak of the Children of Nayru as though you are meat - spoils to be taken and destroyed. And you know what? Those monsters - I'll kill them, too. The scum who rule my kind need to be eradicated as much as the scum who rule yours."
"If you hate monsters so much, why do you even give a shit about them?" Linkle asked. "Why not just join us instead?"
Lord Remoth stared down at the Hero for a moment. Slowly, his form began to shift. Wings sprouted from his back. His ears became large and bat-like, and his hands became claws. He soon looked no different from the other Achemen filling his side of the room. Once he'd revealed his true form, the Acheman Master raised his hands, gesturing to his brethren.
"Why should my kind be the only ones to be enriched by the glory of civilization?" he asked. His voice was different now, clearly inhuman. He began to pace back and forth in front of the throne. "After the First Demon War, the Acheman race retreated to the Depths of this land, where we remained for centuries. Then, my great ancestor struck a bargain with a demon sealed inside a statue. It gave our kind the ability to blend in with yours, and we have since learned your ways. The Children of Nayru live in a completely separate world from us monsters. A better world. A world of law and order; of peace and prosperity. A world that should belong to everyone."
"Nayru offered everyone that chance millenia ago," Princess Victorique countered. "We accepted civilization back then. The monsters rejected it. They will reject it again."
"You are wrong, child of Hylia," Remoth disagreed. "I have seen it. The Doctor's work is a miracle of science. Even the simplest of monsters can learn to be more than what the gods have decided them to be." As he spoke, he said the word gods with complete and utter disdain.
There was a heavy silence throughout the room after Lord Remoth concluded his speech. Linkle clutched the Master Sword so hard her knuckles turned white, but she had no idea what to do. Some of what Remoth had said sounded sane - reasonable, even. But on the other hand, everything he'd said was his justification for mass murder. Her gaze instinctively turned to Sophitia, believing the princess to be smarter than she was.
She'll know what to do.
However, it was Princess Victorique who spoke next, taking a step forward. "I believe I understand your perspective now, Lord Remoth," she said. "I do not disagree with your desire to change the world. Perhaps someday, we shall reach this new world you speak of - but it will not be as a result of your actions. Not after everything you've done."
Princess Sophitia stood next to her sister. "You murdered my brother, my father, my uncle, and countless others in pursuit of this dream of yours. If you surrender now and face judgment for your crimes, I swear on my divine ancestor, I will work with your daughter to pursue peace properly."
Lord Remoth's bat-like eyes narrowed at the princess with the mention of his daughter. "Apologies, child of Hylia," he replied. Holding his arm out to his side, a large dark-iron spear suddenly flew off of the ground and into his hand. "My trust has already been betrayed once today. I do not intend to allow it to happen a second time." With that, he let out a terror-inducing roar. That was evidently the signal to attack, and his forces charged forward.
The humans among Remoth's forces clashed against the line of soldiers forming a defensive semi-circle in front of the princesses, but many of the Achemen took to the air, flying over the ground-bound soldiers. Before any of the flying monsters could reach the princesses, Victorique drew the Bow of Light from behind her back and launched an arrow directly at Lord Remoth. The arrow left the bow in the form of a fast-moving beam of light. One of the Acheman flew in front of Lord Remoth in an attempt to block the arrow, but the beam effortlessly pierced the bat monster's chest.
However, despite the power of Victorique's bow, her efforts were in vain. The robed figures standing on either side of Lord Remoth each raised a wand, and a shimmering purple magic barrier appeared around him, blocking the beam of light.
Immediately afterwards, Princess Seraphina used a similar spell, erecting a blue barrier resembling a crystal around herself and her sister. Several Achemen collided with the barrier, hacking against it with weapons and their elongated clawed hands, but the barrier did not budge.
With monsters this close to the princesses, that was Linkle's cue to act. Most of the Achemen were focused on trying to crack the barrier, so Linkle was able to Pegasus-sprint into one of them and stab it in the back with the Master Sword. Liliana and Ayako likewise sprung into action. The round-eared girl sliced through one of the monsters with her sword, and the Sheikah samurai impaled one with her naginata.
After their initial confrontation, many of the Achemen turned their attention away from the princesses, choosing instead to focus on the Hero and the bodyguards who were attacking them. Linkle quickly found herself surrounded by three bat monsters, two of them wielding spears and one of them unarmed. The two that carried weapons lifted themselves into the air with their leathery wings, and Linkle realized they meant to dive bomb her. So, she Pegasus-sprinted directly into the unarmed monster, bashing the creature out of the way with her shield while also dodging the incoming spears. The monster she'd knocked over tried to climb back to its feet, but Linkle managed to swiftly decapitate it, leaving smoke rising from its neck stump after making contact with the master sword.
Within the princesses' protective bubble, the two sisters pressed their hands together and spun around, weaving spellwork with their free hands. The magical barrier surrounding them ignited, blasting the nearby Achemen with a burst of fire. When the flames faded, both princesses emerged wielding their holy rapiers, with Victorique's extra rapier floating beside her and attacking enemies on its own.
Linkle could not help but be impressed.
So. Amazing!
The sound of a woman's scream accompanied by the thundering sound of something heavy hitting the ground snapped the Hero out of her reverie. Quite close to where Linkle was standing, she saw Dame Parcy had just been impaled by Lord Remoth's spear. The Acheman Master still stood up on the balcony. He had thrown his weapon hard enough for it to stab deeply into the stone floor when it landed. He did not fly down to retrieve his weapon. Instead, he merely held out his hand, and the spear flew back into the air, returning to its master. When the spear was pulled out of her, Dame Parcy's body lifelessly slumped over onto the ground.
You bastard!
Linkle parried the oncoming attack from another Acheman, but she had already decided on her next objective.
If I can kill Remoth, this battle is over.
Shoving the Acheman off of her and quickly slashing it across the chest, Linkle sprinted away, rushing straight towards the crowd of clashing soldiers. However, she did not stop to fight any of the humans under Remoth's employ. She pulled out her hookshot and fired it towards a chandelier on the right side of the room. This allowed her to pull herself over the battle, landing on the right-hand staircase.
There were two Achemen standing guard upon the stairs, but they were taken off guard by Linkle suddenly grappling over to them. She managed to take advantage of their surprise and cut down one of them before they had a chance to react. The second one hefted an axe above its head and chopped downwards, attempting to cleave Linkle in half. She quickly slammed her body into the railing to dodge out of the way, and the monster's axe crashed against the carpeted stairway. Thinking the Acheman was probably off-balance as a result, Linkle drew her hookshot again and shot the monster in the chest. It screeched in pain, then Linkle tugged on the chain, pulling the Acheman forward and causing it to fall down the stairs. She slashed it with her sword on its way down.
Remoth is close. I've almost got this.
Hoping to make her way to the upper floor before her enemies caught up with her, Linkle hurried up the staircase. The path before her was clear, but suddenly, the two cloaked figures who'd magically defended Lord Remoth earlier appeared out of thin air. They seemed to be floating a foot above the stairs, but Linkle could see some sort of magical effect beneath their feet, like ripples on the surface of a pond.
Seeing them up close now, Linkle realized the robed figures had no faces. Their hoods stood up as though covering a head, but there was simply nothing there. The hands that held their wands were covered by gloves, making identification even harder. The left figure's wand had a ruby attached to the end of it, which appeared to be on fire. The right figure's wand was encrusted with a sapphire that seemed to make the air around it colder.
"The Hero's here, the Hero's there."
"To face the Master, she wouldn't dare. A dull sword, a dull brain."
"To face the Master, she'd be insane."
Linkle was too confused to continue. "What the fuck? Did you just rhyme at me? Even Link and I aren't that annoying." She and her brother were nearly twins, being born only ten months apart. They even spoke in unison at times, which others sometimes taunted them for. But to speak together in rhyme? That would just be creepy.
The faceless beings cackled.
"Her story ends, it's time to burn."
"A fatal lesson, she shall learn. The time has come for her to freeze."
"She cannot live unless she flees."
The robed figures cackled once more, raising their wands.
"Would you-" Linkle was about to tell them to shut up when she noticed something peculiar. Just barely peeking out from beneath the robes covering each figure's chest, there was a pair of eyes that glowed the same color as the designs on their robes. They were not headless. Their heads were merely sunken into their torsos, with the empty hoods acting as a bit of odd misdirection. At once, Linkle realized what these creatures were. "Wizzrobes!"
The Hero did not have much time to dwell on what kind of monsters she was fighting. Just as she figured it out, the Wizzrobes waved their wands and unleashed a torrent of fire and ice in her direction. The only thing Linkle could think to do was leap over the railing to jump off of the stairs, landing in the gallery. She rolled when she landed, managing to minimize the pain. When she looked back up at the stairs, she saw the Wizzrobes waving at her tauntingly.
"You little shits!" she shouted up at them. Taking a moment to survey her surroundings, she recognized that she was still several meters behind the enemies who were battling with her friends. She also saw the other staircase was unguarded. Her objective was to kill the Acheman Master, not his minions.
Forget the twins. I can deal with them later.
Once again making use of her magic boots, Linkle sprinted across the gallery and began climbing the set of stairs on the other side of the room. However, once she got halfway up the staircase, the Wizzrobes appeared at the top of it once more. They must have had some way to teleport, or otherwise move quickly and unseen. Either way, she wasn't getting past them that easily.
Linkle didn't have a whole lot of experience with fighting sorcerers, but she knew magic required focus. So, hoping not to give them time to prepare their spells, Linkle quickly drew her crossbow and fired at the blue Wizzrobe. The creature waved its wand, and a magical barrier appeared and blocked the bolt. Meanwhile, the red Wizzrobe spun in place and disappeared.
However, Linkle could see more of those strange magical ripples moving through the air. She thought it looked like footsteps. The red Wizzrobe was still there, she realized. He was just invisible. Hoping to catch him by surprise, she reloaded her crossbow, but before she had a chance to use it, the blue Wizzrobe attacked. Acting on reflex, Linkle raised her shield to block the oncoming barrage of icicles and cold air, and she sprinted up the stairs towards her attacker.
When she reached the top of the staircase without ramming into anything, Linkle realized the ice Wizzrobe had pulled the same disappearing act the other one had. She could now see Lord Remoth towards the center of the platform, although he was preoccupied with throwing his spear while dodging Princess Victorique's light arrows. She wanted to attack him right away, but with the Wizzrobes actively targeting her, she knew she wouldn't stand much of a chance in a three-against-one battle.
Gotta deal with them first.
Linkle examined her arm. It felt frozen. She could see her shield was covered in ice and snow, which she did her best to shake off.
If only I had a mirror shield.
However, the incident gave her an idea.
When the Wizzrobes appeared again, they were each hovering several feet above her, and they cast their spells to attack Linkle simultaneously. Rather than attempting to fight them or block anything at the moment, Linkle simply ran out of the way. As she focused on avoiding the attacks, she tore off the hood she was wearing and crudely wrapped it around her shield.
The Wizzrobes disappeared once more after their attack, but Linkle kept an eye on the ripples to keep track of where they would be. When the monsters reappeared, Linkle fired a bolt from her crossbow at the ice Wizzrobe, forcing it to block rather than attack. As expected, the red one unleashed another fireball, which Linkle blocked with her shield. The cloth wrapped around the shield immediately caught fire.
Success!
Having a flaming shield attached to her arm hurt like hell, and she'd probably have injuries afterwards, but it would be worth it if this crazy idea of hers worked. Paying close attention to the timing, Linkle waited until just before she expected the ice Wizzrobe to reappear. Then, she unstrapped her shield and tossed it as hard as she could. The shield spun through the air, and right when the blue-robed wizard showed itself, her flaming shield collided with him. The Wizzrobe made a pained groan, and his robes immediately caught fire. Whatever magic he was using to keep himself in the air stopped working and he plummeted to the ground.
"Yes!" Linkle pumped her fist, pleased with her success. She hadn't thought of another strategy for the fire Wizzrobe yet, but luckily, she didn't have to. The red-robed wizard appeared beside his burning companion and hefted him over his shoulder. He then jumped upwards through the air, as if climbing an invisible staircase, and went straight out the window, abandoning the fight completely.
Well. That makes things easier.
With all other obstacles seemingly out of the way, Linkle was finally free to focus on Lord Remoth. He was still distracted by the ranged battle he was having with the princesses. If she could manage to take him by surprise, she could end all of this then and there. Gripping the Master Sword in both her good hand and her frozen-then-burned hand, Linkle charged.
Unfortunately, Lord Remoth was not as distracted as he seemed. As soon as she came near him, he swung his spear in her direction, as if he intended to whack her with it rather than impale her. Linkle was barely able to react in time. She moved to duck, but the speed of her Pegasus Boots made it too difficult to stop. She ended up tossing herself to the ground and rolling past him, landing in a heap.
"Oww…" Linkle rubbed the back of her head as she climbed back to her feet.
Lord Remoth stood by the throne, having moved away from the balcony, out of range of the princesses. "Stand down, Hero," he demanded coldly.
"Or what?" Linkle challenged. "Sage Lucrezia said you lot can't kill me. You need me alive!"
"Killing the current Hero would be an impermanent solution, but a solution nonetheless," the monster lord countered. He raised his spear and trained it on her. "Do not make this more difficult than it needs to be."
The Hero was undeterred. If the gods were truly on her side, then it was her destiny to slay him, and for the moment, she needed to believe that was true. "I'm not afraid of you."
"I have the heads of a thousand people who didn't fear me decorating the walls of my city," Remoth boasted matter-of-factly. "Sometimes it is wiser to have fear."
"Sorry, but wisdom's their thing." Linkle tilted her head in the direction of the princesses. With that, she charged again.
Remoth leaped into the air and flapped his leathery wings, flying upwards out of Linkle's reach before she reached him. Thinking quickly, Linkle pulled out her crossbow and fired at him, which he easily dodged. However, now that he was higher in the air, Princess Victorique had a clear view of him. Another beam of light from her bow streaked through the air. He still managed to dodge it, but only by throwing himself back to the ground, landing with a thud.
Hoping to follow up before he could recover, Linkle approached the monster and attempted to stab him with the Master Sword. Remoth thrust his arm out to block the attack. The sword pierced through the palm of his hand, sizzling at the touch, and causing him to scream in agony. He then swiped at Linkle with his other hand, adding a second set of claw marks to her already scratched-up face. The blow knocked Linkle back, and with her hand injured, she easily lost her grip on the Master Sword.
Remoth stood to full height, gripped the hilt of the sword, and tore it free from his palm with another gasp of pain. He tossed the bloody weapon to the ground. With one of his massive clawed hands, he grabbed Linkle by the face, then used the other to grip her shoulder. "I am so sick of this castle," he rasped. "The princesses can die later. I'm taking you back with me now." With that declaration, he spread his wings, lifted Linkle into the air with him, and flew out the window.
"Wait, wait, no!" Linkle cried as she was taken, leaving her most sacred and powerful weapon behind. Her mind went into overdrive immediately, scrambling to reach for the hookshot at her waist before they even made it through the window. Struggling against the monster's grip, she frantically pointed the hookshot at the building and fired it. Luckily, it got caught on something. As soon as the chain went taut, Remoth jerked against it and lost his grip on Linkle. She screamed, briefly in freefall before feeling the tug of the chain swinging her back towards the castle wall.
She ended up swinging directly into a stained glass window on one of the floors below the throne room. The window shattered, and Linkle lost her grip on the hookshot. She landed on the ground and rolled across the floor, back inside the castle.
Linkle groaned in pain as she got her bearings. She had pieces of broken glasses lodged inside of her, which caused her to yell as she yanked them out. Knowing she only had a moment before Remoth would be upon her, she quickly wiped the blood from her hands and loaded her crossbow.
As expected, the bat monster soon rammed his way through what remained of the stained glass window, roaring in anger. Linkle quickly fired at him. Either because he was blinded by rage or because he hadn't anticipated the attack, he made no effort to dodge Linkle's crossbow bolt. It hit him in the shoulder, causing him to flinch, but not enough to throw off his flight path. He collided with Linkle, knocking her back to the ground.
"You don't want to be taken alive? Fine!" the Acheman Master shouted, wrapping his monstrous hands around her neck.
Pinned beneath the giant bat creature, Linkle struggled as he strangled her, his claws digging deeply into her skin. She kicked rapidly against his stomach, but it seemed to affect him very little. She wished to the gods that she still had the Master Sword. If anything could slay this monster cleanly, it would be the Sword of Evil's Bane. However, given her circumstances, clean wasn't much of an option.
This one will have to do…
Amidst her strangled cries as she struggled not to lose consciousness, Linkle's hand reached beneath her body and found the gilded sword. Her hand drew the sword from its sheath and held it up. With no elegance or grace to it, she desperately jammed the sword into Remoth's face from the side. She succeeded in piercing him through the jaw. When the monster reared back and loosened his grip, Linkle quickly inhaled a gulp of live-saving air, then wrestled herself on top of her enemy. She pulled the golden sword out from his jaw and repeated her actions, but this time, she stabbed him repeatedly in the heart and upper chest. Remoth gave her no final words apart from his screams of anger and pain. Blood splashed upon her face as she ruthlessly stabbed him, and she did not let up until he had not moved in almost a full minute.
When she finally got tired, her grip loosened, and the sword fell from her hand. She rolled off of the monster's corpse, landing on the ground beside him, panting for air. Her whole body ached. She was a mess of blood and torn flesh. Tears fell from her eyes as she began to sob, not exactly knowing why. She did not feel particularly heroic after everything that had just transpired.
Wishing to return to the princesses upstairs, Linkle stood up, then immediately stumbled over to the wall. She realized she was in no condition to move, so she slumped back down into a seated position with her back against the wall, still sobbing and bleeding all over. For some time, she watched Lord Remoth's body, expecting it to move. Perhaps it would wake up once more and transform into the Headless Demon she had heard so much about. However, the body remained still.
Although Linkle had only been waiting there for what must have been a short while, it still felt like a long time had passed when the door opened at the other end of the room. For a moment, Linkle wondered if she would need to get up and fight again, but the first people through the door were Liliana and Impa Ayako.
"She's in here," Liliana confirmed.
The princesses entered next, followed by several other guards. "Linkle!" Princess Sophitia shouted, immediately running across the floor to come to her side. Linkle felt an instant wave of relief wash over her.
"Secure Lord Remoth's body," Princess Victorique ordered.
"Yes, your highness," her guards agreed.
Sophitia put her hand behind Linkle's head and used her other hand to examine the rest of her body. "She needs healing!"
"On it." Liliana said. She and Ayako both knelt beside Linkle, each of them pulling small bottles from their pouches. The Sheikah samurai began applying her bottle's contents to Linkle's wounds, while the Ordonian girl pressed her bottle to Linkle's lips. "Drink this."
Linkle did as instructed. The taste was less than pleasant, but she could feel its healing magic coursing through her.
"Are you alright, Princess?" Linkle asked as soon as she was able to, her voice extremely hoarse from her recent strangulation.
"Yes, I am unharmed. Do not concern yourself with me," Sophitia told her.
After she put the empty bottle away, Liliana reached behind her back and produced the Master Sword. "I believe this belongs to you, by the way," she said, placing the weapon on the ground beside the Hero.
Linkle smiled, infinitely grateful to see the sword again. "My hookshot," she said, turning her head towards the shattered window. Sure enough, the key to the Triforce she'd been carrying with her since her visit to the Water Temple was still hanging by its chain outside.
"Liliana-" the princess began.
"I got it." The round-eared girl stood up and went to retrieve the item.
"How are you feeling?" Sophitia asked.
"He wasn't the demon." Linkle ignored her question, her mind too distracted with other matters. She weakly lifted an arm and pointed to the body of Lord Remoth, which the guards were currently wrapping in chains.
"He doesn't appear to have been, no." Victorique walked over to the Hero, and her bodyguard returned to her side. "Based on the situation, I now suspect the demon has been Grand Watcher Socicila this whole time."
"Well, he was your spymaster," Liliana commented as she returned, bending down to place Linkle's hookshot on the ground beside the Master Sword.
"He has been loyal to the crown since before Father took the throne," Sophitia pointed out, sounding as though she could not believe it.
"As was Lord Remoth," Impa countered.
"It seems the betrayer has been betrayed," Liliana added.
Sophitia helped Linkle climb to her feet. "Lord Remoth made it sound as though he and the Grand Watcher had been working together," the younger princess commented. "Why would Socicila betray Remoth now?"
"Socicila is a demon. Remoth is a monster," her elder sister answered. "Demons only keep monsters in their service for as long as they are useful." She turned and watched as Remoth's body was carried out of the room. "It seems Socicila determined that these monsters have outlived their usefulness, and he decided to leave them behind as a distraction while he spirited away with the City in the Sky."
Linkle collected her hookshot, the Master Sword, and the gilded sword. She wasn't quite sure how to feel about these new revelations.
If killing Lord Remoth was not my destiny, then my real destiny is still yet to be fulfilled.
She stared at her reflection in the Master Sword as she contemplated that fact. "Then I guess I still have a demon to slay," Linkle declared, as strongly as she could manage given her condition. She lowered her sword and looked to the princesses. "Where do I find him?"