Chapter 11: Ominous Portent
Hellscape in Hyrule Arc
Disclaimer: I don't own The Legend of Zelda; this is just a Fan Fiction
Featured Music: "Footsteps of Fate" – Fire Emblem XI: Shadow Dragon OST. Chapter Briefing.
"Castle Oblivion" – Kingdom Hearts RE: Chain of Memories OST. Scene 1 (First Half).
"Bombing Mission" (No intro) – Final Fantasy VII OST. Scene 1 (Second Half).
"Gladiator Fighter" – Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise OST. Scene 2 (First Half).
"L's Idealogy" – Death Note OST. Scene 2 (Second Half) and Scene 3.
"Enter Eve" – No Straight Roads OST. Scene 4 (Second Half).
In their attempt to free the continent of Aurelia from the horrid clawed grip of the shadowed order, the Himitsu Shakai, the heroes christened as Aurelia's 'Light Bringers' push on to Palashia, Kaiohdrahl, The Kirkway Pacific and Draerith. All of these old locations the heroes once visited on their original pilgrimage a mere two years prior. They encounter these maddened men and women, devoid of all empathy for Aurelia's people, and attempt to put them down.
Unfortunately for the heroes, however, the Himitsu's operatives prove far more resilient than anything they've even dreamed of.
With former Hylian martial arts champion Raynard Van Garrick's assistance, the party somehow manage to eliminate Grier Sinclair and Ravim Asteria. On their way they also encounter former foe Kaius Torquatus, having gone into hiding from his last stint at playing conqueror in the lands of Gylomecia. In their previous adventure across Aurelia and in Link's own former flights across the world, they have encountered altogether seven members of the Himitsu Shakai.
Ravim Asteria, Grier Sinclair, Valquis Andre, Norogumi Arashima and those only known as 'Kale', 'Ellys' and 'Ellyn'.
With only 'Kale', 'Ellys', 'Ellyn', Grier and now most recently Ravim having been eliminated, only Valquis, Norogumi and, according to remaining intel on surviving members of the Shakai, Dalton and Juannelle still remain within the ranks their fated foes. These people, all once devout members of the Sorcerer of the Divine Divide's and the three Golden Goddesses' peaceful religion, have been warped by the depraved teachings of their god, Alphanion the Absolute.
A man only spoken of in the Hylianis, bible of the world. Said to have been born with the sacred abilities to manipulate fire and ice, Alphanion was also said to be the only person having been recorded as possessing all three holy triangle pieces at one time; a concerning worry for the group as they grow closer to the capital of their continent of Aurelia and many of the remaining group's homeland.
Hyrule.
In their own pilgrimage across Aurelia, the Himitsu Shakai have finally opted to launch their malevolent attack on Hyrule, led by Dalton of the secret order. Link and his friends encounter Norogumi Arashima and Ravim Asteria on the way back through Palashia and Hylashia Falls before doing battle with the Gerudian woman herself. Norogumi sics Ravim on the heroes like an animal to be called and ordered before fleeing, leaving the group with no choice but to eliminate her. Now left with the bitter knowledge that their homeland is now most certainly in a dangerous and precarious position, Impa the Light Bringers approach Hyrule with hearts held heavy…
Scene 1
HYRULE
[Inside Hyrule Castle]
~The Throne Room~
"At long last…,"
The sound of the man's deepened bass extended out forth within the beautiful halls of Hyrule Castle throne room, leaving the listeners around them intent and mixed. The man wore a deep-black cloak fitting the darkened organisation he was a part of, joined by three other members all wearing similar cloaks. Kneeling in front of each member were Aurelians and government officials; members of the alliance themselves.
Lavrentius Marino of Palashia, Alabaster & Ophelia Kaiohdrahl, Sonya Tarasova of Stralanavia, Baltus, Freda & Eryll of Gylomecia and Qin Ying of Draerith all were knelt down in submissive positions, their arms and hands shackled. Only king Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule sat atop Hyrule's throne itself, seemingly unchained. As the long-haired cloaked bass-voiced man approached however, signs of magical braces were in place on the grey-haired man's hands, seemingly locking him to the throne itself, as if to puppeteer him.
"To see you all gathered here so neatly and so well-behaved… surely is the blessing of lord Alphanion…," the long-haired man began again, smiling briefly as he did, long arms outstretched to both sides as he did, tilting his head to the side. "Don't you think so…?"
Daphnes rose his head and gave the terrorist a hardened scowl across his face as he did, opting instead not to open his mouth to respond.
"Not the talkative type, hm…?" The long-haired man smiled eerily before chuckling lightly and re-opening his mouth. "Well… I'm sure that will change, when your daughter returns."
Daphnes at last responded in a way his captor required, darkened-blue eyes widening slowly and gradually as he did. "She's coming… here?" He finally spoke, his deepened bass carrying a hint of concern inside of it.
"Oh yes," the captor smiled again, his energy renewed, tilting his head as he did. "Your little party of adventurers have finally crossed the threshold and taken the bait," he continued. "By the time they approach this castle… you all will be dead," he spoke again, arms outstretched in an eerily calm and inviting gesture. "Sacrificed to our beloved lord Alphanion, the Absolute."
"You pathetic zealots…,"
The voice of the old Draerithian knelt down in front of the hard-scowling, folded-armed Valquis spoke up, re-rising his white-haired head as he did.
"Even if you somehow overtake this continent's capital…," he began again, his white moustache and beard moving with his Asian countenance. "Do you really think the rest of us will follow suit?"
"Quieten down old man…,"
CRACCCCK
"ARRRRGH!"
The mezzo-soprano that responded was a blonde woman that briefly left her own charges to slam a kick into the older gentleman's lower stomach, a smirk written across her sadistic face. She placed her gloved hands across her hourglass hips and tilted her own white-haired head down at the fallen Draerithian.
"The only reason we haven't killed you all yet is because we're still confirming how useful you all are. That's all," she began again, chuckling, re-raising her head to face the scowling Valquis. "I'm sure the big bad Val would suggest you shut your fucking mouth."
As crude as she was it was enough to make most of the surrounding captive members of the council and alliance to keep their heads lowered and their own mouths plated shut.
"How long until the ritual ceremony can begin?"
The listening group all turned, including he who the question was directed at, to find the ever frowning-faced Norogumi standing far down at the castle throne room entrance. He began marching down the long hallway as his fellow comrades opened their mouths to respond to him.
"Not long," the smiling Dalton replied with, about-turning his head over his shoulder to face the spiky blue-haired man behind him, his own long-haired head moving with him. "We have successfully spread all of lord Alphanion's blessings and heralds across Aurelia. We are just in need of the three holy triangle pieces to complete the ritual… that is all." He answered, ever in his welcoming smile. In an eerily-similar response, the blue-haired Norogumi smiled back, nodding.
"Then you all will be greatly rewarded for your service in the one true God…," Norogumi responded with. "I want you all to know that those of you that have fallen, Kale, Ellys, Ellen, Siah, Grier and Ravim… they will all be remembered in God's paradise when he is resurrected."
While the watching Dalton and Juannelle both seemed convinced enough, the ever-scowling faced Valquis narrowed both eyes at the talking Norogumi. Words of his enemies from his last encounter rang true within his memories.
"You, my brother…," Norogumi began again, walking forward to face his fellow Hylian, the watching Dalton. "You shall be given the greatest honour of us all,"
The remaining watching group, including those within their captive all swerved their attention his way now, curious.
"You, brother Dalton, shall be given the chance to be our lord's vessel… and bring about the Second Divide…"
Juannelle turned to face them, a kind of half-annoyed frown on her face, seemingly uninterested, her arms folded. The watching and thus-far silent Valquis tilted his wild-brown haired head to the side, his own muscular cloaked arms also folded. While Juannelle seemed to have an uninterested, uncaring expression on her face, Valquis seemed to possess something near unreadable.
A look of doubt hung around his eyes; something in the scene before him made his deep-red eyes turn a certain way.
Before the listening and enraptured Dalton could even open up his mouth to respond however, without warning, two captive members of the alliance around them scrambled to their feet and rushed for the throne room door. Freda and Eryll of Gylomecian native, their arms bound behind them both, rushed clean for the exit, desperate and gasping. The knelt-down Baltus previously next to the pair of Gylomecians snapped his head 'round in their directions, opening up his mouth to call out to them both.
"No, wait!" He exclaimed, eyes widened, leaning forward and attempting to reach out somehow with bound hands to gesture. "Freda! Eryll!"
The previously-frowning Juannelle, her attention successfully garnered, smirked as she rewarded the pair of women with a single gesture of her own; she rose up her left cloaked arm and formed a single pointing index finger at them. Like magic, a projectile of rapid-fast intangibility shot at them both, lightning in nature. Before the poor pair even reached the doors, the projectile their enemy fired caught them and, as it did, so too did screams of agony rent the building, accompanied by a flash of bright-white. When the flash dissipated, the watching Baltus, Qin, Sonya, Lavrentius, Alabaster and Ophelia all witnessed the very end of their comrades' lives, fear beginning to set in within their eyes.
"Now do you see…?"
King Daphnes, his growing apprehension now triggering the perspiration threatening to block his vision, sat on his exposed throne, mouth opened up in sheer shock and consternation, seemingly unable to form words at such a time.
"The more you struggle, the more you suffer…,"
The voice of the simple yet oddly-calming baritone came from the eerily-smiling Norogumi; he sauntered slowly forward, away from the similarly-smiling Dalton on his right almost as if to face Hyrule's king.
"And that goes for you all," he spoke up again, this time slightly upping the sound of his voice's volume, briefly turning his eyes around the room as if to direct his words at the listening captive alliance members. "Why not join our collective… and forgo your need to worship the fake Golden Goddesses…?" He began, his smile never leaving his cracked and marred expression. "All they have done is allow this senseless destruction to happen… they have done absolutely nothing to protect you all."
The listening alliance, their faith beginning to wane, all turned their eyes downward, almost as if their foe's words began to ring true within them. Only the glaring Daphnes seemed resolute in his seat.
"Please… you must understand," Norogumi started once more, this time swerving his spiky-blue haired head to face the Hylian king on his centre, tilting his head and his cloaked body to the side as he outstretched a gloved hand forward, palm opened. "Take my hand, king Daphnes…," the Paradoxical Avenger smiled bizarrely. "And end this needless suffering…"
SPIT
Norogumi failed to react or even twitch when he felt the disgusted king's saliva hit his exposed gloved hand; his smile, however, soon faded in response.
"I see…,"
His disappointed tone of voice heralded the next course of action he would undertake; a hardened frown on his cracked face, pulling his right arm back as he faced his Hylian leader on his right.
"Brother Dalton… please continue with our grand procedure as originally planned…," he spoke, drawing an assenting nod from the listening named man. "Perhaps king Daphnes' opinion will shift… when his daughter is involved…" Norogumi finished, his eyelids lowering as he briefly eyed the scowling king on his left. The listening Daphnes, though glowering as he was earlier, very soon widened both eyes again and began to struggle in his prison-like throne. Unable to move very far of anywhere, he grunted endlessly as he endeavoured deeply to attack the man before him; a visceral reaction indeed.
"Of course, brother Norogumi…," Dalton smiled obediently, bowing forward respectfully. "As lord Alphanion wishes."
HYRULE
[Hyrule Field]
~Thoroughfare~
"This is not good…"
The screams of Hyrule Castletown's people rent the air, the area behind the drawbridge before them as well as the actual city itself burning orange with the shade of fire. The standing Impa, Raynard, Link and the rest of his companions all stepped to the side to allow the shouting Hylians ahead of them room to move and flee into the vast depths of Hyrule Field behind them, watching their poor scared countrymen as they did.
"Things are really bad here right now," Barkner spoke up from the side, eyebrow rose as he eyed the young man on his right. "I'm pretty sure it's not good Raynard."
"We must press on…!" The watching Vassia hissed out, deep-black eyes narrowing at their destination like a determined cat. "My father and mother must be in there!"
"We move with care," Impa corrected, turning her own ruby-red eye on the pushy Palashian princess on her side, as if talking to a petulant young child. "I'm sure I don't need to tell any of you how risky it would be to just rush in here…"
"Commander…"
The narrow-eyed Alwyn's quick response, though simple, was enough to make even the most inattentive member of the group turn their eyes forward to the Zoran's pointed direction; indeed, ahead of them all seemed to be the unforeseen reason as to the chaos and seeming destruction of their homeland's capital city. Stalking straight out of the smoke of burning Castletown was the hard-eyed, muscle-bound reason for Hyrule's destruction in Link's original timeline. The watching Hero of Time could barely believe his sky-shaded eyes, memories of their clash flashed through his head as he exchanged his shocked stare with the tall caped man's low-held glare.
His long, flowing crimson hair was a herald to the blood-red cape he wore, both trailing loyally behind him, matched only by the beautiful yellow jewellery studded around the man's brutal-black and brown Gerudian armour. Similar Gerudian tattered white cloths with red and turquoise design sat around his shins wrists over his arms' and legs' armour; a true omen to the man's unforgettable identity. Former king of the desert thieves himself and former ruler of Hyrule's averted ruined future.
Ganondorf Dragmire himself.
As he marched forward ominously, a large intimidating aura of powerful Aegir filling his body like an outer coating, he cast the watching Link a slow glaring gaze, his hardened scowl soon upturning into a satisfied-seeming smirk.
"What the hell…?" The watching Barkner murmured out. "Isn't that… him…?!" The shocked Goron hissed out, snapping his rock-skinned head in the narrow-eyed Impa's direction.
"How is this possible?" The frowning-faced Veronika questioned, tilting her silky-haired raven-shaded head to their Sheikah leader on her left. "Wasn't he sealed in the former timeline?"
"Yeah…," Link answered for his mentor, the only survivor of said timeline present in the party. "He was."
Their marching foe, seemingly giddy at the thought of re-engaging with his mortal enemy, could only extend forward the massive open-mouthed smirk ready to break his face before pulling out a large great-sword from his broad-shouldered back. Out of instinct Alwyn, Barkner, Link and Raynard all stepped forward to meet the man's confrontational glare, all watching knowing of the inevitable incoming altercation.
2
~Rage Fuelled Warlord~
GANONDORF
Alwyn and Barkner began the first attack; by charging forward, Zoran first then Goron, they attempted a pincer-style assault, the rolling Barkner on the marching Ganondorf's right side and the flipping Alwyn on his left. As the Zoran brought his somersaulting worn boot down directly on the man below, his closest companion Barkner followed it up with a forward rolling spiked assault. The former usurping king let out a low-voiced chuckle before bringing up a darkened barrier made of Aegir and light with his free left palm. Utilising the great-sword on his left, he simply used it alone to block the rolling Barkner's own attack, somewhat ambitiously so.
CLANNNNNNG-SKRRRRRRRRRR
SLAMMM-VRRRRRRRRR
The cacophony sounds of hard steel and Aegir clashing roughly with Barkner's own elongated spikes and Alwyn's powered up leg sent the watching group to take a step or two back, an artificial wind kicking up into high gear as the grinning Ganondorf exacted his next move; a counter-attack. By wearing out Barkner's rolling momentum, he successfully used his great-sword to scoop up the Goron and, using him as a projectile, first pushed the gasping Alwyn further up defencelessly into the air before swinging the great-sword and crashing Barkner directly into the wide-eyed Alwyn.
CRASSSSSH-FWEEEE…
They let out a shocked, surprised yell as they were sent rolling and tumbling through the air back whence they came, opening up the road for the rapidly-approaching Vassia and Veronika. The Stralanavian woman pulled back her arm and, amplifying her Aegir, tossed it forward, snap-opening her light-brown eyes almost as if to assist the incoming attack.
"Soul Spark!"
As Veronika's projectile flew toward the narrow-eyed Ganondorf, it was her companion whom assisted it by leaping atop it, almost as if to ride it as though it were a board. With widened eyes, the Palashian princess pulled her legs back and executed an athletic back-flip, supporting her Stralanavian companion behind her with a second projectile, this one of her own making.
"Sunset WHEEL!"
WHOOSH…!
Now powered by each other, both Veronika's Soul Spark and Vassia's Sunset Wheel techniques joined forces and flew forward at an exponential rate. The watching Ganondorf let out a tiny huff before reaching his free left palm to bring up the darkened barrier he did before and, like magic, the two joined projectiles mashed against it, colliding roughly and kicking up air and smoke everywhere once more.
SKRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Very soon however, the watching Ganondorf let out a boisterous laugh and, almost as if planned, widened his yellowed eyes as the projectiles soon phased into his arm. The shocked Veronika and Vassia could only stare back at him as he pulled his arm back and grunted out, yanking it back forward, as if he were tossing a ball at his foes. Sure enough, the two projectiles that the young women tossed at him were now flying back at them both, this time enlarged and enhanced with Ganondorf's own Aegir. Unable to move in time to avoid it, the two women yelped out noisily as they were sent flying and tumbling backward, joining their Zoran and Goron companions.
TMP
The sound of Raynard and Link's pairs of boots clicked noisily from the ground as they both leapt in tandem and synchronisation, Gilded Sword and Silver Halberd both in hand. As the pair of rivals brought down their weapons on the larger, taller man, the grinning target wide-opened his yellow Gerudian eyes before responding; first the narrow-eyed Link's downward slashing strike was parried by the former king's very right arm itself, sending the blonde Hylian staggering to the right safely before Ganondorf responded to Raynard's attack on his own right side. He brought up his left muscled arm to block this one, parrying and pushing the raven-haired rival backward.
Link took the initiative to press forward with a swift number of strikes with his Gilded Sword, quick and clean before Raynard joined him; a stark contrast to Raynard's wild and untamed double-handed Silver Halberd swings. The smirking-faced Ganondorf parried, blocked or somehow evaded most of these interactions, leaving the frowning and scowling Link and Raynard both exchanging a look as they were sent back a few yards whence they came, sliding against the beautiful field's ground. The watching Raynard glared back at his foe from another time, pursing his lips in disgust.
"Hmph!"
With that utterance he leapt forward, halberd in hand, and slammed a horizontal swing in his enemy's direction; a notion shared by his younger blonde-haired rival; Link flew similarly, crashing his Gilded Sword directly across his adversary's raised right arm. Ganondorf himself chose to block both assaults with simply his armoured arms, smirking as he pulled the pair in. Sparks of silver and gold emanated from both sides and the former Gerudian king simply huffed out as he effortlessly pushed the pair of Hylians back with a simple show of force.
CLANG-CLANGGG
The sound of Link's silver and gold sword clashed madly with Ganondorf's armoured arms as he simply parried and blocked, sending him back. Perhaps opening him up mid-swing for a second attack, Raynard came hard descending downward, Silver Halberd plunging down with him.
SLAMMMM
The beautiful field's ground spit up rocks and boulders everywhere from the sheer level of strength the last of the Van Garricks possessed, eliciting a second reaction from his blonde-haired rival; Link shut his blue-shaded eyes as he spun forward through the air, Mirror Shield and Gilded Sword making trails with him before clashing his weapon with Ganondorf's arms.
TSSSSSH-SKRRRRRR-FWIP
The former Gerudian king smirked again as he simply pushed his eternal foe backward through the air whence he came, opening him up for a second assault by the narrow-eyed Raynard; the raven-haired rival rushed forward and slammed his halberd against his enemy's armour three times, leaving them in a single clash together, sparks emanating from their equipment.
"Hmph…," the watching Ganondorf finally spoke, the side of his mouth upturning into a violent smirk. "Is that truly the Van Garrick's best…?"
SKRRRRR-WHOOSH
Simply pushing him backward, Raynard skid against the field's grassy-ground before coming to a stop next to his closest companion on his right, leaving him simply glaring back at the older man ahead of him.
"What are you even doing here?!"
The group of three swung their heads to find the voice interrupting them belonging to the seemingly-clueless Malon watching from a safe distance. She glared similarly, unable to hold her contempt any longer.
"We have to get into Hyrule Castletown!" She called over angrily. "Get out of our way!"
Ganondorf's initially-curious eyed frown merely upturned again into another maddened closed-mouthed smirk, something he was seemingly known for by this point, before he re-opened his own mouth to respond.
"Yes… I can see that," he answered with, turning his gaze out and across the big group of adventurers, his smirk ever-present on his expression. "I have seen what lays before you all…," he began again, his smirk finally slowly dissolving in favour of a hardened frown. "And you all cannot begin to even hope to attempt to stifle the Himitsu Shakai's attempts… they have already won," he spoke before chuckling wryly, folding his big muscled arms as he re-rose his long-haired head in some display of arrogance. "They now sit where I once did… in my own ruined time."
"We have to try,"
Ganondorf's yellowed-eyed gaze snapped 'round to lock glares with the staring Link; the young blonde stood in a hardened glower of his own, equipment at his sides as he leant to the side.
"You could have said the exact same thing about your rule if you remember," he continued with, a hard tone to his voice. "But we still beat you, Zelda and I."
Listening in from the back and at a safe distance, the Zelda of this time, dressed up in her disguise as 'Sheik', could only raise both dark-blonde eyebrows from the outfit she wore, intently curious.
"While I'd absolutely love to test that notion now…," Ganondorf began in response, scowling as he did before his expression soon loosened up. "I think you, I and your little… group… could do with a change."
Raynard's raven-haired eyebrow rose. "What kind of change…?"
Ganondorf's own frown upturned at the side of his mouth into yet another smirk, lowering his head lightly as he did. "An alliance."
3
"When you say 'alliance'…,"
Ganondorf turned his long red-haired head to his side, only to find the suspicious-eyed Impa approaching him, arm on her hip as she did.
"You're talking about joining us… aren't you?" She asked again, a hard frown on her face, further punctuated by a single narrow of one of her ruby-red eyes. The listening Ganondorf shot her a side-on smirk, glancing at her as he leant his head to the side.
"Yes…," he began in response. "For I believe it is the only avenue available to any of us in place of annihilating what lies ahead…"
"Oh really…?" The indignant Vassia spoke up, arms folded as she did. "And what, pray tell, do you think 'lies ahead'?"
Ganondorf's smirk soon fell into a disapproving and mildly-irritated frown as he beheld the impudent Palashian princess. "It's not about what I think," he replied with. "In your companions' homeland and mine, this group threatens to overtake it completely," the large, tall man spoke in response, re-opening his mouth to continue. "Perhaps you should think more with your brain… and less with your emotions… child…"
The reaction he garnered from the impetuously and ill-angered young woman was enough to make the wide-eyed Malon reach forward and attempt to pull her back from rushing the Gerudian man before them all.
"How is this even gonna work…?"
The voice that interrupted them this time was the ever-pragmatic Alwyn, firmly-frowning in a similar way to his former foe as he marched forward, ocean-teal coloured eyes set on the man.
"We know what you want," the Zoran simply stated back, slim blue arms raised up halfway as if in gesturing. "As soon as we take down the Shakai, we'll have to take you down too."
"Hmph…," Ganondorf huffed back, his prideful smirk returning to his expression. "I'd like to see you all try…"
The atmosphere understandably shifted back to a confrontational one very quickly, eliciting the expected reaction from each party member surrounding him.
"You can't take down Alphanion or the Shakai by yourself… can you?" The firmly-scowling faced Raynard spoke up, single eye narrowing in a similar way to their Sheikah leader. Some in the party, surprised by this revelation, registered it by exchanging similarly shocked glances with one another.
This time Ganondorf's smirk fell again in favour of an angered scowl of his own. "No…," he admitted to honestly and through frustrated, gritted teeth. "These people, these… maniacs," he began again. "They need the powers of the holy Triangle pieces that I… and you two possess."
The former usurper to the Hylian throne turned his glare and pointed directly and suggestively at the wide-eyed Sheik in the back as well as the frowning-faced Link.
"How do you even know I still have mine?" Link countered, tilting his blonde-haired head to the side as he did. "For all we know it's missing; it's been decades," he claimed before lowering his blue-shaded eyes in realisation to his careless delivery. "Well… figurative decades anyway."
"I know she still has hers," Ganondorf responded with, nodding his long-haired head in the disguised Sheik's direction before re-facing his ever-mortal enemy Link. "And I know you have yours because of one simple thing," he began again before audibly chuckling, his scowl up-turning into a low-eyed, creased smirk. "The Sacred Realm…"
Link's brow furrowed as he listened, attempting to make sense of his foe's words. "The Sacred Realm…?"
"You, I and Daphnes' brat all have one thing in common," the former king of thieves started, raising up his head as he did. "We all share a kinship…"
"What do you mean by a 'kinship'…?" The curious-eyed Barkner spoke up from the back, marching forward to join the rest of his companions as he did.
"Just like those Niylahns of years past, all three of us possess a connection due to the holy Triangle we all share…," Ganondorf began in response to the frowning-faced Goron, raising up his left open-fingered fist as he did. "An age-old prophetic connection… one can feel when the other is near…" He finished, closing the fingers around his fist and allowing the beautiful top piece of the holy Triforce to shine on the back of his left hand; the Triforce of Power.
"It's true…,"
Zelda, speaking through her disguise as Sheik, managed to make them all turn their heads in her direction; she lowered her dirty-blonde haired head, almost as if in guilt somehow.
"I could feel when Ganondorf returned to the Light World… tell me you could too Link."
The named youth exchanged a frowning look with his companion of old before re-facing the smirking Gerudian king.
"Yeah…," he answered simply, nodding. "I could."
Ganondorf's smirk returned to his face, satisfaction dotting his hardened complexion. "Besides… you should know…," he began again, chuckling as he re-eyed the frowning-faced Link. "You and I… are not from this time," he spoke, drawing a more hardened look from the young Hylian. "We're the only ones that don't truly belong here…"
Feeling his own kind of guilt, Link's hard-eyed gaze lowered briefly to face the beautiful grassy ground of Hyrule Field below him. Choosing to ignore the man's claims, though as accurate as they were, the narrow-eyed former mentor of the blonde youth stepped forward, arms folded as she did.
"And what happens when and if we do take down the Shakai?" The Sheikah questioned curiously, tilting her silver-haired head lightly and firmly. "Will we have to take down you straight after?"
A corner of Ganondorf's listening smirk upturned as he re-opened his mouth to respond. "We'll see."
"Stop right there,"
The now shaky-allied group, led by the ever-stoic Impa did just as they were requested, all halting their march through the now derelict Hyrule Castletown. Buildings sat left unattended, debris lying everywhere, some fire hanging on them as if to signify the Shakai's true presence here. Ahead of the group, situated in the centre of the fountain area stood two operatives of the Shakai themselves, dressed in their signature black cloaks and hoods, their heads and faces revealed.
One on the right, bulky and muscled, stood with his buffed-up arms folded, glaring back at the group in what seemed to be a mixed look of admonishment and regret. His wild brown hair, short in length, blew around in the chaotic wind surrounding them; the watching Link recognised this man only as Valquis Andre, a towering figure and intimidating one for the standing group in previous exchanges.
Standing next to him, leaning to the side, her own slim arms folded was a young woman, short-white hair adorned on her head. Rather than simply glowering at her foes, she cast them all with a knowing closed-mouthed smirk. Juannelle of the Himitsu Shakai stood before them all.
"Lord Dalton has ordered us to execute you all here if you choose to keep going from here," the owner of the initial warning spoke up, the smirking Juannelle. "Don't make it easy for us…"
The firmly-frowning form of Impa furrowed her brow back at the pair before turning to her group, ruby-red eyes never leaving her foes'.
"All right… I think it's obvious here," the Sheikah began, glaring back at the pair as she spoke under her breath, directing her words to her group around her. "We split our teams up to deal with these."
"What about the throne room…?" Ganondorf spoke up quietly, briefly turning his own red-haired head to face the Sheikah on his left. "She mentioned a third accomplice."
The listening Link exchanged a nod with the firmly-frowning Raynard on his own left before speaking up to assist. "Ray and I can deal with him. I guess we got the best shot."
Impa looked pensive for a few moments before finally nodding and turning to the side to speak to the rest of the group. "What do you people think?"
"I think that's fair," the folded-armed Alwyn spoke up before re-opening his mouth. "I think Barkner and I should at least have a shot at Valquis, after last time."
SLAM
The smirking-faced Barkner spoke up in favour of his closest companion, slamming his rock-like fist into his open-palm. "I second that!"
"All right," Impa agreed with, turning briefly to face the frowning Vassia and Veronika behind her. "You two will join Alwyn, Barkner and myself; we're going to go at Valquis with everything we know and everything we have."
Although the watching Veronika looked doubtful, she nodded; the smirking Vassia nodded back confidently.
"I suppose that just leaves you and I, princess…" The folded-armed Ganondorf spoke up a second time, lowering only his hard-eyed yellow-orbed gaze down to his lower left; standing on his left was the glaring-eyed Zelda in her full Sheik disguise.
Realising what a mistake she may have made in the match-up calling, Impa's hard-red eyes darted between the two before she re-opened her mouth to speak her worries.
"It's okay, Impa…,"
Zelda, reading her mind, spoke up behind her greyed scarf, shaking her dirty-blonde head at her mentor.
"I can handle this."
The watching Link exchanged an unsure look with his close companion; when she smiled back at him behind her disguise, he expelled a light silent sigh through his nose before nodding out of necessity.
"We should split them up…," Veronika spoke up, shaking her raven-haired head lightly. "One group should fight here and one in Hyrule Field."
"I agree," Barkner nodded in a hard-eyed glare. "It's already a bad situation… don't wanna make it worse."
"Ray and I'll move superfast through 'em; I have a technique that can help us get through. Just us two though." Link clarified for the group, eliciting a hard-eyed nod from the listening Raynard on his side.
"All right then…," Impa nodded similarly before re-facing the glaring pair of enemies before them. "You! Valquis!"
The named man rose a wild-brown eyebrow at the Sheikah woman.
"Outside! You, I and my group."
He exchanged a curious look with the listening Juannelle, almost as if to confirm. She merely shrugged, smirked and chuckled.
"Do whatever you please; they can't stop us." She simply lamented for the group before her. He huffed before unfolding his arms and marching forward, presumably to leave for Hyrule Field nearby ahead of him. Raynard and Link opted to stay behind very briefly, the awkward confrontational air threatening to overtake them as he marched by them, joined by the group that would engage him in combat. When they all withdrew, only Ganondorf, Sheik, Link, Raynard, Sena, Malon and Juannelle were left.
"Malon…," Link began in whispering, eyes never leaving Juannelle as he began to channel his inner Aegir, his aura changing colour as if to signify entering the 'Loftwing King' form again. "We gonna need you to hang by and stay out of sight. Go into the back alleys. We'll come back for you."
Realising she'd only get in the way of their important duels, the frowning-faced Malon merely sniffed and nodded back, turning to leave presumably for the back alleys as instructed.
A period of uneasy silence descended down upon the remaining group; Link, Raynard, Ganondorf, Sheik and Juannelle all stood watching their respective foes, awaiting the next movement. Link very briefly swivelled his blonde-stubbled exterior to face Sheik, almost as if to double-check on her welfare; she merely nodded at him, a smile hidden beneath the beautiful grey scarf she always wore. He sighed again through his nose, yellowed Loftwing eyes briefly glaring at the frowning-faced Ganondorf, the muscled man's arms merely folded fiercely and glowering over at the white-haired woman before them.
"Now Ray…"
Link's whisper was enough to make his raven-haired rival briefly edge his head 'round before nodding in response; a silent affirmation. The watching Juannelle darted her eyes between the pair, watching and waiting for them as well as the remaining group to move. Without another word the narrow-eyed Link, grabbing at Raynard's arm roughly, rapidly built his Aegir aura to a boiling point before widening both yellowed eyes and suddenly shooting forward in a deft leap, his sheer body acting like lightning.
Juannelle's bright-white eyes widened and she made an attempt to grab at the pair before they escaped to the top end of the ruined marketplace, but a stray orb of magical energy seemingly shot by the smirking Ganondorf collided with her hand, pulling an angry quick-jerk reaction from the woman. She snapped her short-haired head 'round to glare at the last remaining two standing before her, only to find the disguised Zelda deeply-frowning behind her Sheik camouflage and the smirking Ganondorf both staring back at her. The former Gerudian king kept his buffed-up muscled arms folded at her, his cape blowing roughly in the wind surrounding them all.
"Forget about them," he spoke up, his deep-bass carrying his authoritative voice over to the irritated woman. "They're just the runt of the pack…," he began with a low-eyed chuckle, his natural yellowed eyes narrowing as he spoke. "This is what you want…"
Although he edged a thumb in his large chest's direction, the hooded woman narrowed a single eye at him suspiciously before briefly turning her head backward, presumably for one more look. Nothing remained of the pair of young Hylians, not even debris was left in the super-fast Link's speed in having rushed toward what seemed to be Hyrule Castle. The watching Juannelle could only glare at the far-off structure, her mind only making curious estimates.
They must be rushing for Dalton, she thought to herself, sighing through her nose.
She let a similarly superior-faced smirk grace her features and, as she shrugged melodramatically, finally turned her head back to face the pair left before her.
"Well…," she began with a low-faced, eyed-shut smirk. Her eyes re-opened however when her mouth did for her final response. "You asked for it…"
4
"Goddess-damn!"
Raynard's gasping shout came when he wrenched control of his right hand from his blonde-haired rival's shaking his head as he did, almost as if to regain control over his surroundings.
"Next time warn me!" He called, annoyed. Link's face turned a certain way and he sighed through his nose.
"I did," he insisted, edging his blonde-haired head back in the way whence they came. "I'm sure you heard me."
"Whatever,"
Raynard's half-annoyed realisation on his mistake made him turn his head from his former rival's, eyes beholding the fiery plains of the fields before them both.
"Looks as though they've came this far already…," the raven-haired youth claimed, chestnut-brown eyes narrowing as he did. "I shudder to think how bad it is in the castle."
The pair, joined by the small blue orb that resembled Navi, began marching forward through the ruined pathway to Hyrule Castle.
"We have to be careful…," Sena, the little blue guardian fairy at last spoke up, following between the rival pair, re-opening her mouth behind the small blue light she provided between them. "The Shakai have most definitely pushed through to the main castle…"
"I think that much is obvious," Raynard spoke out lowly as the group began to make their way across the long plains above the entrance. "If they think they'll be getting away with this…," he began again, eyes narrowing as one of his fists clenched. "They got another thing coming."
Link remained in light silence, feeling an odd sense of sad nostalgia as he walked these particular plains, acutely aware of not only the danger they were in but the memories he recalled on walking these plains as a child on his way to see the young princess Zelda for the very first time. His cerulean blue eyes shut briefly as he thought of those days, longing entering and settling sadly within him.
"Yo,"
Link's dirty-blonde eyebrows lifted and he swivelled his head 'round to find both Raynard and Sena staring back at him curiously.
"Keep your head in the game," Raynard warned, frowning deeply forward as he did. "We're gonna need you when we get in here."
"Yeah…," Link responded with a light wan smile, nodding. "Sorry."
The drawbridge leading to the main castle itself had been brought down forcefully from the looks of the ruined hardwood ahead of the trio; a signature calling card of the Himitsu Shakai. When they stepped the threshold ahead, the three soon found themselves deep within the castle walls; Link's yellowed Loftwing eyes behold the royal-blue carpet beneath his feet, still oddly pristine whereas the rest of the exterior were ruined.
Another wave of nostalgia hit him when the three marched past one of the many windows in the long and winding corridor, his Loftwing eyes widened when he spied the very pathway he walked and infiltrated through as a child, weaving past soldiers of yesteryear.
This must be where Ganondorf first walked through to meet with king Daphnes, he pondered.
When the silent trio finally reached the end of the walkway and corridor, they found the very throne room itself; a modest-sized one, Link thought, in comparison to the others littered all around Aurelia after their previously-long journeys together. There, seated on his throne was king Daphnes himself, locked in place with what seemed to be magical seals unable to be broken. Standing around him threateningly were two men; one Link recognised and one he did not.
The one seemingly leading the pair was a short-brown haired Hylian, donned in the black robes of a Shakai operative. He turned his head to lock his light-brown eyes with Link's deep-cerulean, hands raised and coated in an unholy Aegir. Below him the ground's rock and beautiful marble had been spit up to reveal a summoning from the ground; an ominous portent. Standing next to the man was a long-haired man, also dressed in the deep-ebony of their shared organisation.
This one Link knew almost intimately by this point.
A man of reputation like no other; a name he had been told of numerous times in the past and most important by king Igos Du Ikana once before.
Norogumi Arashima.
He stared back at them, his long serrated deep-sea blue hair knocking around wildly in the wind as he did, leant to the side. His deep-yellow eyes, a similar colour to Link's own, locked firmly with the former Hero of Time's, seemingly almost looking through him. As before, cracks deep in the man's face revealed the man's corpse-like existence; seemingly he was nothing more than a raised cadaver.
It would certainly add up, Link thought to himself.
With his history in Hyrule and Termina somehow.
"Ah yes…," the first man spoke up, re-directing attention to him on the right. "You must be the Hero of Time we've all heard so much about," he began again, this time his firm-faced frown switching to a eerie and light-faced smile. "And the last of the Van Garrick clan… you've been a particular thorn in our sides for a while now…"
"Dalton…,"
The first man briefly turned his light-brown eyes over to face the similarly frowning-faced Norogumi, the long-haired man's own eyes never leaving the intruders'.
"I will keep these men busy," he claimed, very briefly turning to face the summoner on his right before soon re-facing his charges. "Only you can do God's work…"
Dalton smiled back eerily, nodding. "Yes, sir Norogumi… as always, you are correct," he began again, re-facing the group of heroes, chuckling. "If only we had become acquainted… if only we had more time," he began, smiling strangely. "I would have loved to have sent you both to the promised land… with my own hands…"
Raynard huffed out, single chestnut eye narrowed in disgust, drawing a hard-eyed stare from the watching Link.
"Where's everyone else?" The former Hero of Time demanded out loudly, eliciting a curious reaction from the two before them.
"Why… who?"
Link's brow furrowed fiercely. "You know who, stop pretending otherwise. The rest of the alliance. They have to be here."
An odd kind of worrying silence descended down upon the group, drawing out concern; Raynard exchanged a look with his blonde-haired rival and shook his head. A look that they knew all too well.
"They're all dead!"
Finally king Daphnes spoke atop his throne, eyes widened from his seat of prison, leaning forward as he did.
"They've been made as sacrifices!" He screamed out over the din of the summoning Aegir Art in front of him. "You both have to stop them! You have to!"
"Don't worry Daph!" Link fired back impolitely and with an old confident grin. "We'll get you outta there!"
"Link…,"
He turned his head briefly to face his raven-haired rival, curious. Raynard shook his head as he spoke.
"It might already be over for him…," he murmured out quietly. "We may have to give up on our king."
"B-But…," Link murmured back, sky-blue eyes widening. "That's Zel's dad…!" he whispered out shocked. "We can't give up!"
"Raynard's right…,"
Sena's interruption made the listening youth raise his blonde-haired head to face the blue guardian fairy above him.
"We have to prepare for the worst case scenario… all the Plagues of Aurelia have already come to fruition. All that's left is Alphanion's revival."
Link's inner morals began to fight with one another.
Save Zelda's father.
Or sacrifice himself?
He shut his eyes tightly before re-opening them and reminded himself of his harder choices throughout his life.
The standing Norogumi stepped forward, eerie and calm. He lifted himself into the air, cracks in his face beginning to show again. A kind of unnatural Aegir and wind began to kick out around him, similarly tame.
"This will be a confrontation for the ages, everything from the interlopers, to Ikana to now…," he began, hard frown marring his features before a smile slowly broke out, similarly uncanny. "Bow to him… bow to the only lord God."