Inspiration: The Cretans Paradox; The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword; The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time; The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess; "Full Metal Panic: 2nd Raid," episode 4, and epic battles.
Original Shout Outs: Vivi3030, and Venom828, and David Davidson, thanks for reviewing.
Author's Note: The original from 2012-2015 ~ZR~.
Word Count: 11,417
Chapter 43 (originally chapter 33)
The Arbiter's Grounds: Zelda's POV
Without thinking, I hurried down the landing perimeter to Elbourne and ran into his arms. He looked genuinely surprised, but relieved to see me. He held me tight when I embraced him.
"You're alright!" I whispered, trembling slightly. "You're alright! Thank the goddess, I was so worried."
Elbourne's embrace tightened even more.
"I was even more concerned about you," he replied, "I was thinking the worst with you being in Ghirahim's capture. How in the world did you escape?"
I pulled back from our hug and nodded towards the hero.
"Link came and rescued me, then nursed me back to health," I explained, "I wouldn't have made it without him."
When my eyes met the hero's, Link simply nodded back. He was very cautious with the way he was approaching, but something else I believe was making his steps hesitant that he wasn't divulging.
"I can't very well take credit," Link said modestly, "you were already free before I got to you Zelda."
Elbourne wasn't surprised by the revelation, but he showed his thanks just the same.
"Well, you have my sincerest gratitude anyway," the dragon prince said to Link, "you have no idea what a relief it is for me to see her alive."
Link stared at the dragon prince knowingly for a moment.
"We share that same relief Elbourne," the hero said.
At hearing that I turned once again to face Elbourne and tears refilled my eyes. I couldn't help but feel so emotional thinking he was once gone from this world. I couldn't bear the thought of him being dead. I reached up and caressed his cheek like it was the first time I was seeing him alive after he was resurrected or something. The dragon prince was grinning at my awe.
"I'm fine Zelda," he reassured, "please stop crying, there's no need to worry now."
How ironic I found those words to be. We were far from being free from danger, even with the dragon prince now in our company. Him being in our company was merely the beginning of making Hyrule safe again. I forced a nervous laugh and nodded at his words.
"I guess you're right," I said, wiping my eyes, "I was starting to lose hope."
Elbourne looked beyond me to Link and Hylia once again. Hylia had been silent from the onset of our conversation, and I knew it was because of the giant Lizalfos in the room, Elourne's lineage. We were all aware that he was Ghirahim biological son, how we were going to disclose that fact to him was still an enigma to me. Even Link, with his even handed approach was finding it hard to conceal his suspicion of the dragon prince. How was someone supposed to trust the son of a demon lord? It wasn't a difficulty for me because I knew Elbourne, but I could see where the conflict could come in for Hylia and Link. It was in that moment Elbourne realized their hesitation to engage him was far more paramount than they had initially led him to believe, but if that was the case, he chose not to give credence to it right away.
A notable icebreaker was the obvious one.
"What are you all doing here?" Elbourne asked us all finally.
Link then took a step forward.
"I was just about to ask you the same thing," he replied, "the whole country is in an uproar trying to find you. Dragon Roost even declared war on Hyrule."
Elbourne looked at him shocked.
"What?" he demanded.
The hero nodded.
"It begs the question as to why all these things are happening at once," he replied.
The dragon prince shook his head.
"We already know the answer," he replied, "this has to be the work of Ghirahim."
When he uttered that, everyone fell silent. The lizalfos seemed to be more apparent than ever. Link looked from me to Elbourne. Elbourne took note of the hint of distrust in Link's eyes and decided this time to address it.
"Is there something you'd like to ask but aren't... Link?" he inquired.
The hero gave him a quick once over and narrowed his eyes slightly. I could sense the tension rising.
"How did you get here?" he asked again.
Link's tone said everything.
Elbourne raised a brow, choosing to ignore it for now.
"When I went through the portal after you, it led me back to the Gerudo Desert where I was incapacitated for a little while," he explained, "I was under the impression I would be able to get to Ghirahim's lair if I followed you. Fate had another road for me unfortunately, but with the help of a friend, I was able to regain my strength and I made my way back here to go back to the Twilight Realm."
Hylia finally broke her silence with a groan.
"That was why I told you not to go," she replied, "you have to understand, that that pathway could only be accessed withholyfangs. You don't possess that ability."
I stepped away from Elbourne and looked at the goddess, afraid she was going to reveal the truth about his lineage too soon.
"Hylia..." I trailed, "please..."
She just glanced over at me, but I was sure she got the gist. Still, she said nothing to me in reply.
Elbourne caught the glint in her tone and narrowed his eyes at her slightly.
"I understood your concerns at the time, but I wasn't going to allow something I couldn't be sure of to keep me from the woman I love," he said to her in open defiance, "you will at least allot me that won't you?"
This was devolving quickly.
Hylia crossed her arms over her chest.
"Love isn't recklessness Elbourne," she replied, "it's thinking about others before yourself, you'd do well to remember that."
The dragon prince almost seemed incensed by her words.
"I don't need a lecture on love from you," he replied, "Zelda knows how I feel about her."
Link then took it upon himself to come right up to Elbourne and stare him straight in his eyes. This was not how I was hoping this reunion would go, it was descending into chaos already.
"Who was it that helped you when you got back to Hyrule?" he demanded.
Elbourne stared back in mild disbelief.
"Why are you asking me this?" he demanded.
Link gave his face a quick once over.
"Because I want to know," he replied.
Elbourne groaned.
"What difference does it make?" he countered. "The point is I got better!"
Link took another step towards him.
"I'm going to ask you one last time," he warned, "who helped you Elbourne?"
The dragon prince didn't back away.
"Or you'll do what?" he rebutted. "Huh? Are you going to force it out of me?!"
I quickly went to intercede. There was no way I was going to stand and watch the two of them fight each other again. Not now, not when the stakes were so high.
"Both of you stop this!" I said quietly, quickly standing between them. "This isn't going to solve anything."
I wasn't sure if either one of them were listening to me because they were too busy staring down each other.
"All I want is an answer to my question," Link said to me, but never cut his gaze the prince.
"And I told you it doesn't matter," Elbourne replied to him.
Afterwards, Link moved me from in between the two of them and guided me towards Hylia with one hand. This was going from bad to worse.
"Why?" the hero said quietly to Elbourne, it sounded more like an accusation than a question. "Is it because it was Ghirahim who helped you? Is that it?"
The prince's eyes widened in disbelief at the inquiry.
"You bastard!" he retorted. "How dare you?!"
The hero narrowed his eyes just then.
"Then give me a goddamn answer Elbourne!" Link shot back. "If it wasn't Ghirahim who helped you, who was it?! Stop being evasive! You're only looking more and more guilty!"
Elbourne didn't bother answering him right away and pushed at his chest. Link flexed through the recoil and pivoted his heel so he didn't move, but these muscular theatrics were only going to do more harm than good.
"Will you two-" I tried.
"You still don't trust me do you farm boy?" Elbourne interrupted. "You still think you're the only one with entitlements here, don't you? Well fine if that's how you feel about it, because I no longer care. If you must know it was a young woman who helped me! A girl from my past who found me in the desert and nursed me back to health before I left her company and made my way back here! Her name was Mystere!"
For some strange reason Link's eyes widened at the revelation.
"What?" he demanded.
At the same time, Hylia looked over at me and saw that I was puzzled. The name wasn't familiar to me at all. Link took another step towards Elbourne when he didn't reply.
"Her name was what?" Link demanded again.
Elbourne just narrowed his eyes at him.
"I didn't stutter the first time," he replied.
Link's breathing suddenly accelerated and he grabbed Elbourne by the collar of his cape in a sudden discontented anger. I had no idea why he was reacting this way. Who was Mystere? Why was the mentioning of her name such a powerful disclosure to Link?
"Where is she?" the hero demanded.
Elbourne looked at him taken aback by his actions.
"Get your hands off me!" Elbourne nearly shouted.
The hero's grip tightened.
"Whereis she Elbourne?!" Link demanded again. "I swear to you, if you did anything to hurt that woman I'll-"
"Why would I do that?!" Elbourne interrupted. "She's been nothing but a kind person and a dear friend to me for years! Years!"
"Where is she?!" the hero asked again.
The prince pulled Link's hands off his collar by his wrists.
"I don't know where she might be now!" he replied. "But when she helped me she was living in the forest alone! She may still be there!"
Link stared into his eyes and I couldn't for the life of me understand what was going on. I slowly walked back towards the two of them to try to get some understanding of what was truly going on, but I was only met with strained angry faces.
"I-" I tried once more to no avail.
"I need for you to step away from him and stay back Zelda," Link interrupted me suddenly.
My eyes widened stunned at his words.
What in the…?I thought.
"Link what are you...?" I trailed.
He glanced over at me.
"Stayback," he warned.
I stared into the hero's eyes and saw the determination there. However in an act of defiance, Elbourne then grabbed my wrist and pulled me to him. His grip was unusually tight and cumbersome. I winced slightly.
"No," he said quietly to the hero, "she's not going anywhere."
I looked up at Elbourne not necessarily surprised but taken aback, and tried to pull my wrist away to no avail. I didn't understand why Link was acting like this, but Elbourne was not making this situation anymore revealing by being so unnecessarily presumptuous.
"Elbourne..." I trailed, hoping he'd reach a reasonable concession.
The dragon prince then looked into my eyes.
"I'm tired of him trying to turn you against me," he said through gritted teeth, "even now his insinuations are to incite doubt in your mind!"
After having his say, he then abruptly let me go and pushed me away from him. I stumbled slightly, but didn't fall. Hylia was there to catch and she was strangely more observant than I thought she should have been. I found it strange that she wasn't doing more to prevent this. Why wasn't she saying anything? Why wasn't she intervening at this time?
Link looked over at me to check on me.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
I merely nodded, looking between both him and the dragon prince.
"I'm fine," I said quietly.
Elbourne scoffed at the notion of the question and narrowed his eyes at Link. Afterwards, he did the unthinkable and pulled out his double axe and readied it in front of him. I looked at him stunned.
"I'm so tired of you and meddlesome ways!" he said angrily. "It's time you and I settled this nonsense once and for all farm boy! We'll see at the end of it all who will be the last man standing!"
Link seemed to have no qualms with the request and unsheathed the Master Sword, he then took his battle stance.
"That's fine with me," he replied, "I've been wanting to put you in your place for a long time...demonprince!"
A subtle gasp escaped from me and an overall hush fell over everyone after Link uttered that. I couldn't believe the hero said those words in that fashion to Elbourne. I felt my breath caught in my throat for a moment, and I immediately stared at Elbourne to see what his response would be. The prince was very quiet regarding his words, but his eyes... his eyes said everything. There was a silent anger brewing there, an anger I had seen before. It dimmed his handsome features suddenly.
"What did you call me?" Elbourne replied.
Link rose the sword slightly.
"I didn't stutter," he replied, "you heard what I said."
Elbourne's eyes suddenly widened and that was when Hylia finally reacted. She finally stopped being a silent spectator and hurried between the two men to intervene. She faced Elbourne with what I hoped would be a intervention and not an instigation. This situation was tense enough. Her face and demeanor seemed to carry such.
"Elbourne you have to listen to me," she said, "it doesn't matter what your true birthright is if you choose the light. I believe you were led down here not by your own will, but by Ghirahim's. He desperately needs you to make complete his plans to destroy Hyrule. You must come with us to protect you. I know you struggle with your duality, but don't let your struggle turn you the other way. You're so close of being free from him."
Elbourne's gaze cut to the goddess, and surprisingly, he wasn't shocked by anything she was saying. He didn't seem stunned that she all but said Ghirahim was his real father. This was incredibly intriguing. Did he already know? And if so, how? Did he find out through his own channels? Or did he find out inherently? I couldn't be sure.
"I..." he trailed.
The goddess took a small step towards him.
"It's alright," she said quietly, "I promise you, it's alright. We just need to get you out of here."
Elbourne looked past Hylia and Link to me just then, and when he stared at me I saw that bit of remorse he hoped to convey. The same remorse he always had when he was truly sorry for something foolish he had done.
"I... I'm so sorry Zelda, I would never intentionally try to hurt you, ever," he said to me sincerely, "I'm not a monster, I swear."
I felt my throat tighten at his words. I knew he was trying to apologize again for what happened at the lagoon, but it wasn't just him who was a guilty party there. If I hadn't been so insensitive towards him and been a little more insightful with what he was truly feeling, none of that would have happened.
"I know that," I replied, "I would never think of you as a monster even... even with you being Ghirahim's biological son."
With the full disclosure now out there, Elbourne cut his gaze from me and looked to the ground. Then slowly, he began lowering his axe, his body language was that of a conceded man. Hylia then took another small step forward.
"I know where your heart truly lies even if I can't read it," she soothed, "I've seen your love and labor for Dragon Roost Elbourne. I wouldn't keep you from what is your natural calling in life."
I looked at Hylia surprised. Was she still entrusting him with the kingship even with his true lineage in mind? Even with Xavier still being king? This was unprecedented, but who had higher authority to grant such than the goddess of Hyrule? Nobody.
"What... what are you saying?" he asked her quietly.
Hylia attempted a smile just then.
"I'm saying it's time to get you out of here so you can be healed of this curse," she replied, "this curse you've been living with for far too long."
Elbourne looked at her taken aback and even Link lowered his sword slightly at her utterance.
"Is that even possible?" the hero asked.
However, before Hylia, or anyone for that matter, could reply, a strange ray of light suddenly came forth from the multicolored mirror. It was brilliant and blinding, making everyone bearing witness to it cover their eyes.
What in the world-?I thought dreading the worse.
Suddenly, the source made himself known.
"It's very possible," replied a deep booming voice from across the chasm, "but as touching and motivating as your little moment was, it's all for naught. You inexplicably belong to me now Elbourne."
I gasped and felt my blood run cold, knowing who that voice belonged to immediately.
"Oh no," I whispered when I got up.
Link quickly came over to cover me, while Hylia went to cover Elbourne. The hero never lost his battle stance.
"I don't want you doing anything drastic," he told me.
I just nodded.
"I know," I replied.
Elbourne however looked on at the monster in sheer disbelief.
"Ghirahim!" he whispered.
The tall imposing demon lord stalked from his hiding place in the bowels of the crypt and smirked confidently at his prey.
"How are you... my son?" he taunted.
Elbourne dropped his axe completely and became dumbstruck.
Hylia immediately went to his aide.
"Don't listen to him!" Hylia warned. "He's only trying to bait you!"
Ghirahim raised a brow.
"Am I?" he taunted again.
This situation couldn't have gotten any worse. This was exactly what we were trying to avoid.
We have to get him out of here!I thought.The demon lord's going to kill him!
As if having read my mind, Hylia suddenly grabbed Elbourne's hand and yanked him towards the escalator. Elbourne was taken aback at the desperate gesture of the goddess, but followed in step anyway.
"What are you-" he tried.
"We have to get you out of here before he tries to absorb you!" she replied, trying to hurry.
Elbourne was slightly aghast when he heard that.
"What?" he said surprised. "Absorb me?"
"Your energy!" she said with more clarity. "He wants the dark energy inside of you!"
However, the goddess's actions were unfortunately too late.
"Permit me to demonstrate what she means," Ghirahim said with subtle grin.
At the monster's beckoning, a long muscular vestige sprung out of his disgusting mouth and landed on Elbourne's shoulder. The prince stared at it in complete disbelief. I recognized that appendage instantly, it was Ghirahim's tongue.
"We have to do something!" Link said, grabbing my hand and heading for Elbourne.
Dear Hylia!I thought.
Link rose The Master Sword, ready to cut into the tongue.
"Elbourne!" the hero shouted in alarm. "Get that thing off you!"
Elbourne dropped Hylia's hand and went to yank the deplorable vestige off him. However, when the prince touched it, a surge of energy pulsed from his body to the muscle attached to him.
"AHHHH!" Elbourne screamed in agony and fell to his knees.
Link then came and attempted to cut through the tongue, but when his blade made contact with it, it was like clanging of metal to metal. I began to feel dread well within my belly when after a second cleaving attempt nothing happened. I was fearing the worst.
"No!" I shouted in panic, trying to run to Elbourne.
However, Link grabbed me by the waist to hold me back.
"Zelda wait!" he said.
I tried to get away from his grasp.
"We have to help him!" I cried out.
"There's nothing we can do for him now!" Link shouted over the energy pulse. "It's too late!"
I looked back at Link in complete disbelief.
He was right.
It was too late.
Now all hell was about to break loose.
~SSS~
Meanwhile near Snowpeak: Ashei's POV
Several hours had passed before we hit the shelter at the base of the mountain. In that time, the children had warmed up to the beautiful stranger and were talking her ear off. Aura was telling her all about how she was going to be a queen someday like her good friend 'Zelda'. The young woman listened intently and just smiled at Aura's chatter. My second child was talking about the time he played jacks with his 'uncle Link' and won. It was one of his favorite stories to recall because it was the only time he won Link at anything. My eldest was still more reserved than the other two, but he opened up a little by discussing his desire to be a horse breeder since he enjoyed the animals so much. The young woman seemed fascinated by all the talk, though I still thought it was a little strange that she still had her face covered. It was obvious there was something about her identity that she was very uncomfortable with. I couldn't imagine what, but maybe she had a scar from a previous accident she was trying to conceal or something. Such incidents could leave severe trauma.
Once the horse was placed in amongst the trees for safe keeping, the children, the young woman, and I headed inside the shelter. I was grateful such a bungalow was still in existence and useful. The shelter was a long under ground bunker dug out and reinforced with wood beams and stone apertures. A tunnel from the main foyer led to the mansion, but it was only accessed through a complicated network of junctions. It was very easy to get lost if one didn't know the way. In the main foyer there were several large closets that held supplies like pickled food, clothes, dried wood for fire starting, and blankets. There was enough supplies there for the five of us to last several weeks, which was promising, though I hoped the conflict wouldn't last but a few days. Even so, it was important that my children and I got settled with our new surroundings, though I knew it wouldn't be ideal. These were the times I really missed Bastion and my father. They could make any negative into a positive. However, I was about to be surprised by the young woman accompanying us. As soon as she came inside, the first thing she did was offer to make supper.
"If you like," she started softly, "I have an excellent recipe for a vegetable stew and flat bread."
I looked at her genuinely surprised, having already promised my babies some custard tutorials once we got here. However, I was always open for suggestions, and before I could reply, Aura was all for it.
"That sounds amazing!" she exclaimed.
My second eldest agreed.
"Yeah!" he added. "Can we help?"
The young woman nodded.
"If it's okay with your mother, of course," she said, "after we get cleaned up, I'll have you two gather the vegetables while I start the fire."
Even the eldest wanted to get in on the action.
"I'll start the fire for you," he offered, "if we all help we'll get to eat faster."
The young woman chuckled.
"Such pragmatic logic and very true," she replied, "thank you ahead of time."
I still had to make sure they understood the undertaking was not mere child's play. Cooking was serious business.
"I'm glad you all want to help our new friend," I started, "but that happens only after you put your things away and get organized, understood?"
I received no arguments.
"Yes mommy!" they all said in unison.
Afterwards, my children then went to put their things away and I watched as the young woman watched them. She looked to be smiling, but she was still keeping that wrap firmly fixed around her face. And now, she was beginning to make me a little suspicious as to what she was trying to conceal. I walked over to her without her really noticing me and stood next to her. I decided to ease in on the subject without trying to make it a big deal.
"You know," I started, "you can get comfortable yourself. You look very austere in those wears and from your nature you don't seem to be that type. I don't even know your name."
She looked over at me surprised by my statement, and her blue eyes were even more magnificent up close. She seemed a little uncomfortable with unveiling herself, but she did get a little more at ease when she saw my grin.
"I'm so sorry," she apologized, "my name is... is Mystere."
I raised a brow at hearing that.
"Mystere?" I repeated with a hint of cynicism.
She nodded anyway.
"Yes, I should have said so from the onset," she replied.
There was something about that name that seemed... odd. Who named their child Mystere? That seemed a more appropriate pseudonym for a person with a sketchy past, but I didn't want to assume anything about her.
"That's a very unique name," I said and grinned at her again, "well Miss Mystere, will you permit us the honor of seeing your lovely face?"
Mystere's eyes widened at the request.
"Uhh..." she trailed.
It was then I placed my hand on her shoulder to comfort her.
"Look if you're in some kind of trouble, I don't care because it's none of my business," I reassured, "but my children have taken a liking to you and I would appreciate it if they could communicate with you face to face instead of behind a mask. Besides, how are you going to eat with your mouth constantly covered?"
She seemed genuinely surprised at my request and question, and hesitated, but then she reluctantly nodded after a few moments of contemplation.
"Alright," Mystere replied, "but will you promise me no questions if I do?"
I looked at her taken aback by the remark, that seemed strange to say right away, and I'll be honest, I was a little uneasy with the inquiry.
"Why would your face bode questions?" I asked.
Mystere looked away from me just then.
"It always has, that's why I keep it covered," she replied.
My unease was beginning to deepen and we were followed by a silence that Mystere promptly broke when it became too uncomfortable.
"Will you promise?" she asked again.
I took in a deep sigh and hesitantly nodded. It was in that moment she undid her headdress and I indeed understood why she was trying so hard to keep a low profile.
"My word," I whispered shocked.
Mystere faced me at my utterance and there was no denying her remarkable resemblance to the queen of Hyrule. When my children came back to the room they all looked at Mystere surprised, but then their surprise melted into happiness, especially my Aura.
"Hey, you look just like Miss Zelda!" she said excitedly.
Mystere smiled at my daughter, but Aura took the words right out of my mouth. With the exception of her darker skin and lighter eyes, she was Zelda's spitting image. I couldn't believe such a doppelganger existed. The familiarity of her face seemed to make my children even more comfortable with her, because they all came to her now, eager to have an assignment for the supper she promised.
"I'll go start the fire now," the eldest restated.
"And we'll go get the vegetables!" Aura said in unison with my middle child.
They all hurried to get their work done, while I stood there staring at this young woman in amazement. Mystere just turned to me and grinned, she had a perfect smile.
"You're very fortunate," she said, "your babies are amazing."
Not as amazing as this current mystery I was sitting upon. I merely nodded as she went and got herself comfortable by procuring a pot and some utensils to cook with. And even in the next proceeding moments, I couldn't get over my shock at her unveiling.
Who is this woman?I wondered.Who is she?
~SSS~
Dragon Roost Impasse: Gunter's Dilemma
Panic was a soldier's enemy, a person couldn't think rationalize or reason when they panicked, and this new occurrence was only inciting fear. I was trying to cast off the anxiety starting to riddle the men throughout my brigade. The black ball of mist that we encountered moments ago stayed stationary for several long minutes before something even stranger started to happen. The cloud suddenly got bigger and bigger, until abruptly it stretched out, elongated, and created a large black wall. As we all watched mystified, the wall slowly began to solidify, splinter, crevice, and crack. And when the fissures reached the breaking points, the wall inexplicably exploded. What the hell was going on? I quickly raised the signal for my men to raise their arms and cover from the falling debris. However, the peculiar thing about the occurrence was, the contents of the wall refracted back into itself causing no damage. There essentially was no debris.
What in Hylia's name was that?I thought, notifying my men to keep their ranks.
"Stand your guard!" I called out.
When the cloud of sublimation subsided, there was an army of Twili warriors waiting on the other side. Shadow beasts of all types and kinds were armed and grouped for battle. The Roostians were nowhere to be found.
"My goddess," I whispered in utter disbelief.
However, the army of shadow beasts and Twili in and of itself wasn't what was so shocking to me. The true disbelief was residing in the center of the division, sitting on a midnight black Gerudo stallion. The mist cleared away completely so his visage and presence was unquestionable. The man we were searching for so fervently was now in our midst...Elbourne.But even still, his now known presence wasn't the alarming thing. What was so untoward was who he had in his capture. King Xavier was wrangled by the dragon prince by the neck with a sharp blade stationed at his throat. This was unprecedented. The last thing, and I do mean the last thing, I, the queen, or anbody for that matter was expecting to see was siege from within. I knew the father son duo had issues, but I had no idea it was as ugly as this. To risk open war with a neighboring kingdom perpetuated by rebellion? This was preposterous.
My men looked on in utter shock.
"What is going on here?" a few of them murmured in amongst each other.
I shook my head not having an answer for them.
"I thought the prince was missing," a soldier said from behind me, "why the hell is he here?"
I don't know,I thought,I don't know.
~SSS~
Tensions rising on Hyrule Field: Midna's POV
There were very few things that surprised me, very few, but I couldn't say I had answer for this. I narrowed my eyes in slight confusion as to what was taking place. The aerial black ball that dive bombed us stayed hovered over the grass of Hyrule Field without moving.
"What kind of progeny is this?" I whispered to myself.
Just then, General Maximillion turned and rode close to where I was to inquire of my safety. He was just as perplexed with this apparition as I. I had no idea what was going on.
"I think we should draw back and head for safety your majesty," he suggested, "there's no telling what will come of this."
I took in a deep sigh and was beginning to agree with him. However, before I could reply the black cloud giving us so much unease suddenly dissipated. My eyes widened in disbelief at the sight
"What in the-?" I cut myself off.
Maximillion immediately went to guard me, but there was no need because the blow back from the implosion was almost nonexistent. This was getting stranger and stranger by the minute.
How is this possible?I wondered.
When the mist dispersed, Maximillion and I both looked on stunned onwhowas now there to greet us. I raised my brows in complete shock.
"This cannot be… how?" I whispered.
There, as if appearing like a phantom from the night, standing in the middle of Hyrule Field wasElbourneof Dragon Roost, and with him was a battalion of Twili warriors.MyTwili warriors, both land and aerial alike. My blood began to course.
How in the world did Shadow Beasts and soldiers from my realm get here?I wondered.
Maximillon next to me looked just as bewildered. It was one thing to fight a Hylian soldier, it was quite another to fight a Twili. Even so, the general was a man for the country first, and gathered his courage to rally his men. He rose his hand and readied his men to take position. I had no explanation as to why creatures from my realm were here. This promised to be a disaster in the making.
"Fall into formation!" Maximillion called out. "It seems the dragon prince has been found and he brought some friends with him!"
I looked over at the general and couldn't shake the shock from my body. This was not the way this was supposed to go. Elbourne was not supposed to be found under such impervious circumstances. I looked over at the dragon prince who was now looking straight at me. Something about this wasn't right. Something about this was highly unusual. There was clearly something else at play here... but what?
Elbourne?I wondered, looking at him only deepened my confusion.
I was given no concessions or answers to my questions.Elbournestared back at me and merely smirked, that smirk he always gave when he knew he had done a job well done. His eyes never left mine when suddenly he snapped his fingers and two aerial Shadow Beasts followed behind him as he started walking towards our brigade with his army in tow. My eyes widened but then narrowed slightly as black and orange electricity surged from my wrists. General Maximillion saw the evidence of my anger and matched it with his own. He snapped his fingers and gave the signal for his men to move in. How dare Elbourne usemyforces to incite war upon Hyrule! This indiscretion would never be forgiven, never, and if was a fight the dragon prince wanted, it was a fight he was going to get. I immediately put up my guard in the form of a shield as did the general.
Whatever you're planning,I thought,you will not get past a queen of twilight.
~SSS~
Hyrule Castle the Underground City: Shad's POV
The guards I assigned remained at their posts, but it did little to quell the fears of the people. And in fact it did little to keep the black hole at bay, the strange force of nature was getting bigger and bigger. I saw the increased restlessness of the crowd, and the fear of this new unknown was spreading. So, to combat it, I ordered for everyone to go deeper into the walled city away from the displacement of space. Of course I was met with some opposition, but it was immediately tempered with the help of Zelvious. Once everyone was cleared out and safer in the deeper recesses of the catacombs -with the exception of the military aide and Lydia- I sought to find a way to contain the problem. But if was a hole in space, how could that be contained? This was going to be harder to deduce than I thought. However, it seemed scholarly scavenger hunt wasn't necessary, because as my team and I were brainstorming something very strange happened. The men guarding the space suddenly came to me and stated the hole refracted in an odd way then turned in on itself.
I was dumbfounded by that revelation.
"What?" I asked.
The men pointed to where they had just come from.
"Come see for yourself," one of them stated, "it doesn't look to be there anymore."
My sense of dread was deepening and I nodded towards the direction.
"Please lead the way," I said.
The trek led us back to the familiar spot, but it was just as the men stated. There was very little evidence of the large hole that was once here.
"Perhaps this is good news?" Lydia attempted behind me.
I took in a deep sigh.
"Perhaps," I replied.
Just then, with all of us watching the space moved in on itself again. The general then rose his hand to back us behind him.
"What in the world…?" Zelvious started.
Lydia stayed back, but I could tell by the look in her eyes that she was slightly fearful, who wouldn't. However, I went to reassure her that we were doing what we could to solve this mystery.
"We will figure this out," I promised.
She shook her head doubtfully, a pang of fright pierce through her.
"What if you can't?" she whispered.
I raised a brow.
"Don't talk like that," I said.
She looked beyond me and her eyes widened.
"Why is it doing that?" she asked suddenly.
Before I, or anyone for that matter, could answer the question the hole exploded and black mist dispersed everywhere. Zelvious quickly went to cover Lydia and me, by pushing us to the ground. The rest of the men dropped for cover. However, we all soon realized it was for naught because there was no evidence of any debris fallout. We looked to where the explosion happened and there was no evidence of a black cloud ever being there. However, it its place was something or someone else far more mystifying. We all now felt a surprising sense of shock.
What in the world?I thought, as if I were seeing an apparition.
Lydia's eyes suddenly grew wide in fear.
"Dear lord!" she whispered. "Isn't that- isn't that the missingdragon prince?" she asked startled.
Zelvious immediately stood up and took his guard. He wasted no time showing his distrust.
"It would seem so," he said, "you two stay behind me." He then directed his attention to his men. "All of you fall into formation!"
I then stood up as well, too stunned to really say anything. There, standing in the midst of the limestone catacombs, wasElbourneof Dragon Roost with two Shadow Beasts alongside him. This was obviously the work of some other worldly matters, but that derail the current danger we were now in. The prince had a mysterious smirk on his face.
Something is terribly wrong about this,I thought, feeling sour apprehension settle in my stomach.
"Well," I whispered to myself, "I wish I'd known it would have been this easy to find the prince, we could have called off the search party. He's right here among us."
~SSS~
Trouble brewing on Ordon Bridge: Collin's POV
Colin stood behind his father waiting to see what was about to take place. The black misty cloud suddenly broke apart and dispersed across the sky. Everyone covered their faces, but felt nothing in response to the explosion. However, when Colin lowered his hands, his eyes widened in confusion.
What the hell-?he cut off his perplexity.
There, suddenly standing on the other side of the bridge, wasElbourneof Dragon Roost. Collin knew it was him because he caught a glimpse of him once before when he and his father went to Dragon Roost on business. However surprisingly, the prince was alone and he had a strange, almost knowing expression on his face. What in the world was he doing out here and what sort of magic was he using to travel in such a fashion? It seemed they were all about to find out. Everyone gasped at the sight of his royal highness, especially Beth and Ilia.They had never seen the dragon prince before and had no idea he bore such a striking resemblance to Link. It would be surprising to anyone.
"Link?" Ilia said surprised and impulsively stood up.
"Sit down!" Rusl ordered. "Thatisn'tLink!"
Rusl didn't bother to explain any further.
Colin readied his hand on his blade, but his father put a hand to his son's chest to stop him.
"I'll take care of this Colin," Rusl said to him and then walked a few steps ahead.
Colin wasn't sure if that was a wise decision to go at this alone. They had no idea what he was capable of, and he was considered the greatest double axe wielder in Hyrule. Even so, Collin followed his father's lead, but kept himself ready anyway. This was beyond strange and the question boded itself: what in the world was the dragon prince doing in a remote area like Ordon?
~SSS~
Back at The Arbiter's Grounds: Zelda's POV
Link held me tight as I watched in horror as Elbourne's energy continued to be taken away from him. At the same time, however, something strange was also happening to his appearance. His platinum blonde hair was now no longer platinum blonde. It was instead saturated with color and changed to a very rich dark brown. The pigment transfer happened more and more as energy pulsed from his body. Along with his changed hair were his changed eyes. His once crystal hazel eyes were now bright green. The brownish grayish hue that accompanied them were gone. I was stunned with what was taking place before my eyes, because now Elbourne looked more like his mother. This was most unusual because the familiarity of his features were there, but he also looked completely different if that made sense. He was Elbourne, but he looked like a new man, even though he still bore that striking resemblance to Link. Had Ghirahim taken all the evil away from him and rescinded it back to himself with it now manifesting in the prince's appearance? It was merely a theory I was entertaining, I had no idea, and before a word could be uttered from the weakened prince, Elbourne's body fell forward onto the ground unconscious.
I gasped, fearing the worst when he didn't move.
Is he dead?I wondered.
Link finally released me when the appendage disconnected from Elbourne and slithered back into Ghirahim's mouth. I was near panicked when I hurried over to him, blind to what I was doing, and dropped to my knees to see about him. I turned Elbourne over onto his back and saw that his eyes were now closed, but was relieved to find that he was still breathing. I was grateful that he had once again been spared, and I hugged him tightly, hoping his life force would sustain him.
"Thank Nayru you're still alive," I whispered.
However, my relief was short lived.
Ghirahim grunted at my summation.
"Of course he's still alive," he taunted, "why would I kill my own son?"
I looked over at the sadistic demon lord, and couldn't have hated a creature more.
"You're deplorable," I whispered, "how could you treat your own flesh and blood this way?"
"It's very simple my queen," the monster said quietly, "I had a use for him."
Hylia listening behind me wasted no time changing form, she snapped her fingers and instantly transformed into her Sheikah gear. She then quickly came in front of me to and stood guard. She glanced over her shoulder while still in her stance to address me.
"If you care about defending your kingdom you will put him down now! You need to transform!" she ordered. "The important thing in this moment is stopping this monster at all costs!"
I couldn't argue with her there and placed the unconscious prince gently on the ground.
She's right,I thought,I need to be focused.
"It's going to be okay," I whispered to Elbourne, "I'm not going to let him hurt you."
Afterwards, I stood up and transformed into my Sheikah gear like Hylia before me and stood my ground. Link came and stationed himself in front of the both of us and I couldn't help but admire his staid bravery. However, before any of us could attack, Ghirahim had done a little changing of his own. It was subtle in how he did it, but as he walked towards us his clothes and countenance began to shift. His garments were no longer the standard platinum white that he was usually dressed in. Instead, it was now a mixture of dominant dark brown, gold, and small pockets of orange especially at the legs and torso. The sequins of his garments were still diamond patterned, however now accompanying it was a large golden flashing diamond shaped crystal in the center of his chest. His face seemed the most changed, with his eyes no longer being black, but instead a clear white, with golden varicose veins crevicing his eyes. In fact, the crevices marked his now brown skin tone along his chest, shoulders, and parts of his legs.Bothof his ears were now pointy like a Hylian, it was no longer just the one like before. And a small golden diamond substantiated at the center of his forehead to finish the look. The demon lord just looked all around menacing.
We all stood our ground stood: watching, waiting, and analyzing what he would attempt to do next. Ghirahim was completely unpredictable and now that he had his full powers back there was no guessing what he would do. The demon lord stared at us like a group of uncivilized children and just smirked. His confidence had no marker at this point. And even so, there was something serendipitous, almost cavalier as it were, about his manner. He just scoffed at our challenging him then suddenly snapped his fingers. It was an unprovoked action, but the outcome caught us off guard. Behind us Ghirahim had levitated Elbourne's body and made it aerial. The three of us turned shocked.
Oh no!I thought in fear of his life.
Link growled at the monster.
"Put him down!" Link ordered before I could. "Your purpose with him is over!"
Ghirahim merely raised a brow.
"Is it?" he taunted.
This time Hylia took a step forward.
"Let him go!" she reiterated. "You have no real interest in him other than your need for power!"
The monster chuckled.
"I find it amusing that you Hylians want to tell me what my plans are," he replied, "but if you really want me to release him very well."
After his utterance he suddenly freed the dragon prince from his spell. Unfortunately Elbourne's body hit the ground hard, but as goodwill would have it at least he didn't break any bones. However he groaned softly from the impact. I couldn't see about him, and even if I did it wouldn't do any good right now. Ghirahim was going to use my concern for him as a distraction. I couldn't allow that to happen.
"Hang in there," I said underneath my breath of Elbourne, "just please hang in there."
Hylia grunted in anger while Link touched her shoulder to hold her back from any irrational action. Ghirahim smirked at our reactions and then turned his attention to the Master Sword.
"So, you saved me the trouble of looking for it," Ghirahim said to Link, "thank you."
Link proceeded back into his battle stance.
"You won't be saying that for long Ghirahim," he warned, "you know as well as I that you're no match for this sword. You shouldn't be thanking the man who is going to kill you."
Ghirahim laughed at the notion.
"And there you go with your assumptions again," he replied, "you should ask your girlfriend if what I say is always what I literally mean. I've gotten to know her very well when she was in my company." The monster cut his eyes to me and licked his lips. "Very beautiful... verytasty. Do you have fond memories of my tongue my lady?"
I narrowed my eyes at him repulsed, but I could only imagine Link's face.
"You twisted son of a bitch!" he growled in response before I could.
The demon lord grunted.
"You didn't like that too much did you?" he went on. "Well I'm sure your queen can tell you all about what I did to her and what she did in return in the name of the crown. It was almost too much of a pleasure all that needed to happen was for you to be there to see it."
Link's breathing was increasing with every word.
Hylia turned her head to try and calm the hero down.
"Don't give in to your anger Link," she warned, "that's what he wants."
At this point I don't think he was listening.
"If he... if he..." he couldn't even finish.
I spoke from behind him.
"He's just trying to get into your head Link," I promised, "nothing happened that we hadn't already discussed."
Link glanced over his shoulder at me in slight disbelief.
"I promise," I reassured.
Link didn't reply and I knew it was because he was struggling to keep his priorities in check. The last thing I wanted was a shift in focus from our objective.
Ghirahim saw the look on Link's face and went to ensure further doubt.
"You're not really sure are you?" he taunted. "Not sure if she just wants to protect you from the thought of me ravaging her body or if Ireallydid it."
"Shut up!" the hero snapped.
I knew we were starting lose ground if Ghirahim continued with the head games.
"The only reason you're doing this is because you want to stall for some reason," I said to him, "you're attempting something with your silly attempt at preoccupation. You forget, I know how you operate."
The demon lord raised a brow.
"Well bravo, and here I thought you wanted to help me," he said sarcastically, "Demise would love to have you as a servant my lady."
Link interceded once again.
"Why are you stalling?" he demanded. "What the hell are you trying to do?"
In that moment Ghirahim looked beyond us to Elbourne's body and shook his head innocently.
"Am I stalling?" he inquired.
I wasn't going to let this devolve into that.
"You're not starting any mind games here," I said to him defiantly, "it's quite obvious you're stalling, and only cowards rebut in such a way."
After my utterance Ghirahim grunted and smirked.
"Touche, well said my lady," he said, "maybe you're right, maybe I am stalling, but then again you'd never know with...all Hylians being liarsafter all."
I looked at him surprised when he divulged that.
"What?" I whispered to myself. "What did you say?"
There was a brief silence after that that left us all pondering. Why was Ghirahim disclosing this? What was he hiding? Why was he bringing up what ancestral father and Hylia disclosed to me?
Link was the first to break the silence.
"What the hell are you talking about?" he demanded.
Ghirahim's smile suddenly faded and that's when I knew the lantern had been lit.
"All Hylians are liars," he repeated without clarification, "that's what I'm talking about."
I drew back a little at his words, not knowing what to make of them. Hylia standing nearby just narrowed her eyes and said nothing.
'All Hylians are liars?'I wondered perplexed.What true significance does it have? And why is he choosing to say this now? What is really going on?
~SSS~
Dragon Roost Impasse
Negotiations weren't my particular brand of politics, but I knew what was taking place now was nothing more than a nightmare scenario. Coming up here and seeing this was something I was not anticipation.Elbourne,the dragon prince,was holding his father, King Xavier hostage, grappling him by the neck with a steel blade pressed tightly against his skin. The deceptive young man was staring straight at me as if daring me to test him. I couldn't sit here and watch a king be assassinated in cold blood, but for all rights and purposes this wasn't even a Hylian affair. This was obviously years of pent up rage and hatred spilling over into a political mess involving only the Roostians. Even so, I was here now with my men, and there was something that needed to be done for the sake of the king.
"Your highness," I attempted wanting to approach this carefully, "what exactly are you trying to prove here?"
The dragon prince just scoffed at me.
"No need for the small talk my good man," he replied, "have you come to rescue my father?"
I looked to the captured king and saw that if he was in distress he wasn't showing it. He kept his dignity and pride intact.
"Does his majesty need rescuing?" I countered.
Elbourneonly grunted at my question.
"You'd watch a monarch get murdered?" he taunted.
I was still trying to reel from the shock of what was going on. This was completely unorthodox.
Why is he doing this now?I demanded of myself.In front of an army? Why?
"No," I replied finally, "no I wouldn't."
There was more to what was going on than what met the eye and a flicker of that inference was evidenced by what happened next. Through our conversation Xavier mustered up enough strength to release himself slightly fromElbourne'shold. What he had to say was revealing to say the least.
"This man is an impostor! Henotmy son!" he revealed. "Elbourne would never think to do this to me! Don't worry about my safety! You must kill him!"
This was more than a revelation. The news was a complete shock.
"What?" I inquired. "That isn't Prince Elbourne sire?!"
However, before Xavier could utter another word,Elbournetook the blade he had in hand and slit the king's throat. I knew he cut through all three layers of flesh because blood sprayed into the air from the wound immediately. Xavier's eyes widened and he quickly clutched his neck in shock. Blood splattered onto the face of the false dragon prince. Then, without waiting for the repercussions of his actions,Elbournetossed the severely wounded king off his horse onto the ground below. I stared on astonished. I couldn't believe it, I was too dumbstruck to absorb what I just bore witness to. Did this radical impostor really just murder the king of Dragon Roost in cold blood? Did he really just set his spire not only against Dragon Roost but now against Hyrule because they were allies? And all the depraved monster did in return was stare at me.
I stared back at him in complete disbelief.
"You bastard!" I shouted.
Elbournelicked the blood of Xavier off his lips.
"Fitting words," he said to him, "but I wouldn't be one to talk if I were you, with you being Hylian and all. The bastardization of Hyrule is in affect becauseall Hylians are liars... all of them."
There was something in the way he said that that was laced with encryption. It wasn't just an arbitrary statement. I looked at the dragon prince in slight confusion for a moment.
"What?" I demanded.
Elbournesmirked at my reaction.
"All Hylians are liars," he repeated.
The repetition did very little in the way of solving the mystery. Why was he saying this now? What was this supposed to mean? I shook my head flummoxed, but knew with what I just witnessed I did not have the luxury to sit here and play a guessing game. I needed to avenge the fallen king and defend this menace from going any further. I wasn't sure who this impostor was, but he wasn't going to step one foot farther into Hyrule. I snapped my fingers and readied my men to attack.
"I don't see liars here whoever you are," Gunter said to him, "I see a traitor and an attempted murderer who's going to pay for his crimes here today. You just tried to assassinate the king of Dragon Roost and now I have to assume you're going to try to usurp the throne of Hyrule."
Elbournesimply grunted at my words, his grin never went away. He didn't bother to reply.
"Be prepared," I warned, "this will be your resting ground," I unsheathed my sword just then, "men of Hyrule attack!"
~SSS~
Hyrule Field: Midna POV
I was still reeling from the shock of what was being presented in front of me. How in the world was this even possible? How could Elbourne betray me this way? We were supposed to be working for peace and consolidations within ours countries, not insurrections. I was livid, and this was going to have far greater implications than what was being presented here. The Hylians could have possibly started thinking that I was somehow involved in this coup. Elbourne was using my armies as a hedge and he was acting against the interests of Hyrule. This was going to sour what political relations I had left with this country. He was not going to get away with this. However, I knew now wasn't the time for such matters. I had to think about how to help in the here and now.
From what I garnered from General Maximillon he was a Hylian that proceeded with caution. He wasn't just an 'all in' soldier without a plan. However, battle informatics and the usual rules of engagement were not purveyors of reason right now. We needed action, and with the dragon prince conveniently found, it wasn't certain what action needed to be taken. What wasE;lbourne'spurpose of appearing this way? Did hehonestly think he was going to win? He was asking for a death sentence by instigating open war. It seemed I just gave myself the answer to my question, there was probably only one real way to deal with this and that was fight.
"This will probably get ugly my lady," the general warned as he unsheathed his sword, "you might want to make your way to the rear where it's safer."
I understood his sentiment completely.
"I'm sure it will," I replied, "but I have no intention of doing that. I'm going to help defend you right here."
Maximillion then glanced over at me before addressing his men.
"Are you sure that's your position good queen?" he asked.
I nodded.
"I wouldn't have it any other way," I replied.
He paused, possibly hoping I'd reconsider, but soon conceded when he saw that my decision was final.
"Very well," he replied, "please know that we will do whatever to keep you safe."
I nodded again.
"I will look out for all of you as well," I replied.
The general grunted at my resolved but then turned his attention to his men.
"It seems the prince of dragons has positioned himself as an enemy to Hyrule! Take aim men!" he called out. "You will fire on my command!"
I felt a little shuttering in my bones at the general's words. This was definitely the last thing I was expecting. Elbourne had always been my friend and ally. Why was this happening? He couldn't have been a traitor... he just couldn't have been. Something else had to be provoking his actions. Something beyond what any of us were seeing right now. To be honest, how could any of this be trusted? With the way this... thismanmade his abrupt substantiation was he truly to be trusted as he appeared? What if this were a clever ploy of some kind? What if this were some kind of trap from the real danger encrypted over us? My suspicions about this situations only deepened when the so calleddragon princespoke again.
"The twilight encompasses a world of truth,"Elbournesaid, "you embrace that truth wholeheartedly your majesty. That's why... that why you understand thatall Hylians are liars."
After his utterance I looked at him perplexed.
"What?" I whispered more to myself than anyone.
General Maximillion narrowed his eyes and raised a brow, possibly familiar with the strange expression.
"You will find no liars here your highness," he replied to him, "but you will find defenders of her majesty's crown."
I hesitated wishing we had a little more time before we had to act to irrationally, but it seemed the prince was giving us no choice. But the more I looked intoElbourne'seyes, I knew there was something soulless and unreal there. This couldn't have been the man I kept company with for three years. He wouldn't do this. Elbourne would never betray the throne of Hyrule.
Who the hell are you really?I thought.
But Maximillion didn't give me much time to contemplate further.
"Fire!" the general commanded.
And so the conflict began.
~SSS~
Hyrule Castle the Underground City
I stood behind Zelvious, and pulled Lydia to safety along with me. Zelvious unsheathed his sword and immediately got into his battle stance. In that same moment,Elbourneof Dragon Roost stood there smirking at the three of us with two Shadow Beasts in tow. I had no reasonable explanation as to why this was happening. What was he doing here, and why was he positioning himself this way? We were hopefully about to find out.
"What brings you to Hyrule your highness?" Zelvious asked sarcastically, looking between the two Shadow Beasts. "Diplomatic negotiations?"
Elbourne'sgrin suddenly faded at the inquiry and he initiated his battle stance sans his axe.
"You could say that," he replied.
Zelvious raised a brow at the action.
"You really wish to fight me with no weapon?" he stated incredulously. "Are you that foolish?"
At the inquiryElbournetook off his cape.
"Why not?" he taunted. "Isn't this the usual consideration before the coup? Isn't this the general route before the deception? The general grievance beforeall Hylians show themselves to be liarsanyway?"
After hearing that Zelvious narrowed his eyes.
"What did you say?" he demanded suddenly.
The dragon prince never wavered.
It was obvious that that saying was something significant.
"You heard me," he replied.
Zelvious readied his hand with his sword.
"Oh really?"
Elbournereengaged his battle stance.
"Yes, really."
A terrible feeling suddenly flooded my gut.
Oh no,I thought,this is going to get ugly quick.
I pulled Lydia closer to me in an effort to protect her, as other Hylian soldiers hearing the conversation began migrating around their general. However, Zelvious held up his hand to hold his men back.
"You speak with a lot of confidence dragon prince," Zelvious said, "but know this, the man you are coming up against is Zelvious Blacknight of the Hyrulean army. I trust you know who you face, if you are not worthy of fighting me, you are only wasting my time."
Lydia and I looked at Zelvious surprised. That was quite a boast.
Elbournesmiled once more and merely nodded.
"We shall see," he replied.
"Yes dragon prince," the general replied, "we shall see."
With that, Zelvious attacked, and no more questions were asked.
Let the boasting fly.
~SSS~
Ordon Bridge
Rusl approached slowly with his sword drawn. The dragon prince didn't move. Colin was uneasy with his father approaching alone and went to follow after him. Rusl couldn't openly scold his son due to the circumstances, but he was not pleased with what he had just done.
"Go back Colin," he said in a low voice.
Colin shook his head no.
"I can't do that father," he said in respectful defiance.
"Colin-" Rusl tried.
"I'm not leaving," Colin interrupted.
Before Rusl could rebut,Elbourneinterceded. "You might as well listen to your son," he said and then imprudently unhinged his double axe. "It will take the both of you to defeat me anyway,ifthat is even possible."
Rusl and Colin both narrowed their eyes at the dragon prince.
"Why the hell is that necessary?" Rusl demanded. "Why are you deliberately trying to start an act of aggression with a peaceful village?"
Elbournenarrowed his eyes at Rusl and readied his battle stance.
"It's simple Rusl of Ordon," he said, "it's becauseall Hylians are liars."
Colin looked at the dragon prince taken aback.
What?he thought.What in the world does that mean?
Rusl was well aware of what the term meant and initiated his battle stance. "Last time I checked you were a Hylian Elbourne, even if you do live in the kingdom of Dragon Roost," he said, "but if you have betrayed the world of light, it is my job to stop you."
Elbourne grinned at Rusl and didn't answer. Colin immediately readied his attack formation. There was no way he was going to stand there and let his father take a beating from a traitor.
All Hylians are liars huh?Colin thought upset.You're about to find out how much truth there is in this sword!
With that, Colin didn't wait for his father's signaled and went to attack first.
"Colin!" his father shouted. "No!"
~SSS~
The Arbiter's Grounds
Link, Hylia, and I knew that everything was riding on how the situation transpired here at the Arbiter's Grounds. We stood there ready to let Ghirahm know that he couldn't just wreak havoc on our world because he saw fit for it. No, he was going to understand that Hyrule wasn't going to be his private hunting ground for deviance and blood lust.
We stood there ready to defend, but only time would tell.
Time, and hope.
With that being our resolve, the question that still begged an answer was Ghirahim's cryptic utterance: whyall Hylians were considered liars?
What did this possibly mean?