AUTHOR'S NOTE: Two things before you start reading. First off, I'm pleased to see so many people take interest in this story. While I am flattered that some of you think I should have art to go with this story, I feel I need to remind my readers that I'm NOT looking for artists or commissioned artwork. I own neither The Dragon Prince nor The Legend of Zelda properties. Please do not use reviews or PMs as a means to communicate with me for commissioned artwork. I respect your need for business, but I'm simply not interested. Sending me a request will net you nothing. Writing this is a hobby for me. I don't need art to accompany my work.
Secondly, as an Easter gift, I've decided to post two chapters instead of one. Enjoy!
The halls of Katolis Castle were thick with worry as the sun dipped behind the horizon, casting long shadows across the stone walls. In one of the royal chambers, Woody's once vibrant green foliage had dulled to a sickly yellow, his tiny wooden frame barely stirring with each labored breath. The castle healers stood nearby, whispering amongst themselves, exchanging uncertain glances. Despite their best efforts, nothing they did seemed to ease the Korok's suffering.
"He's fading," one of them murmured, shaking their head, "I've never seen anything like this before."
"His body… it's not like ours," another added, "If he were a human, we could treat him. But this… whatever is afflicting him is beyond our expertise." Ezran stood at Woody's bedside, his young face creased with concern. He gently stroked the Korok's tiny hand, feeling the warmth slowly leaving his wooden body. Zym lay nearby, his large blue form curled protectively around the room. The dragon shifted uneasily, letting out a soft, worried growl as he nudged Ezran with his snout.
"Is there nothing that can be done for him?" Zym asked.
"Not from us I fear," One of the healers remarked. The king of Katolis swallowed hard. Woody had brought him the news of Callum's safe arrival. He had brought him comfort. Now, he was suffering, and Ezran felt powerless to stop it.
"There has to be something we can do," Ezran insisted, turning toward the healers. One of them sighed, setting down a bowl of herbal salve they had hoped would help.
"What he needs isn't here, Your Majesty. We need someone who understands his kind… Someone who knows how to heal a Korok," The head healer sighed. Ezran's eyes widened as an idea struck him.
"Someone like Woody…" he murmured. He turned to Corvus, who had been standing silently in the corner, his piercing dark eyes taking in everything with a quiet intensity. The master scout was a lean, imposing figure dressed in his signature dark leathers and a tattered cloak that barely rustled when he moved. His long black hair was pulled into a tight braid, and his sharp hawk-like eyes, strong jaw, and thin, expressionless lips made it clear he missed nothing.
"Corvus," Ezran said firmly. "I need you to come with me to Evrkynd." Corvus raised an eyebrow.
"Evrkynd, Your Majesty? Why there?" Corvus asked.
"If human healers can't help, maybe an elven one can," Ezran insisted. Corvus considered the request for only a moment before giving a small nod.
"Then we should leave immediately," Corvus agreed. Ezran turned to Zym, placing a hand on the dragon's scales.
"Zym, we need to fly. Can you take us there?" Ezran asked. The young dragon, sensing the urgency, let out a low rumble and unfurled his wings. Corvus grabbed the Korok and held him firmly.
"Leave it to me," Zym replied confidently. He crouched low, allowing Ezran and Corvus to mount. Ezran cast one last glance at Woody, his small form barely stirring. He clenched his fists.
"Hang on, Woody," he whispered, "We're going to get you help." With a powerful beat of his wings, Zym took to the sky, carrying them toward Evrkynd as fast as the wind would take them.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: OATHS OF THE BRAVE
The air in the ruined grove hung thick with the scent of scorched wood and lingering malice. Rasha stood over the lifeless body of Queen Zelda, her expression unreadable. The Master Sword lay discarded nearby, its once radiant energy dimmed to nothing. She turned toward the Great Deku Tree, its ancient form wounded yet still standing.
"You have cost me much today, old one," Rasha sneered, "But it won't matter. Your interference has only delayed the inevitable."
"You cannot win, no matter what power you wield," The Deku Tree's hollow voice rumbled through the grove.
"We shall see," Rasha merely scoffed. Nearby, Claudia rubbed her temples, clearly frustrated.
"So what now? We missed our chance at the secret stones," Claudia wondered.
"For now," Rasha corrected smoothly, brushing past her, "There are always… alternatives." With a flick of her wrist, she pulled out her own Purah Pad and tapped at the screen. Seconds later, the forms of Claudia and Rasha disappeared and reappeared within the cold, metallic confines of the Drakolith's command bridge. The machine's control panels flickered with dim orange light, and the distant hum of its systems echoed through the chamber. Rasha strode forward, her presence commanding as she addressed her subordinates.
"Prepare the leveler cannon," Rasha ordered, "Target the Korok Forest."
"What for?" One of the minions asked.
"If we are to seal our victory, we need to destroy the royal family's greatest assets - the Deku Tree and the Master Sword," Rasha ordered, "Destroying the Korok Forest will accomplish both."
"But, Mistress Rasha, the Drakolith's power is nearly depleted. We barely have enough energy to maintain flight and…" Another minion pointed out.
"Did I ask for excuses?" Rasha cut in sharply, her gaze like a dagger, "Fire. Now." The crew exchanged nervous glances but obeyed. Deep within the Drakolith, gears groaned and massive energy conduits flared to life. The mechanical beast's mouth slowly opened, revealing the antenna that began to crackle with an ominous light. Back in the grove, the Great Deku Tree trembled as he sensed the disturbance and his impending doom. His old eyes darkened.
I have sown the seeds of the future. Let them grow bright and beautiful… The Deku Tree thought as he closed his eyes for the last time. From her position on the bow, Claudia's hands went to her mouth as she watched in horror as the Drakolith's cannon blast enveloped the tree, destroying it and everything around it. Rasha laughed maniacally as the great guardian's body was destroyed.
"Perfect. The rest of the towns of Hyrule shall be next," Rasha smirked when the Drakolith shuddered, "What's happening?"
"It is as I feared. We haven't the power to maintain our position. We need to land Mistress," The lead engineer insisted.
"Tch. Do it," Rasha sighed. As the Yiga worked to keep the Divine Beast in the air long enough to land, Claudia's thoughts couldn't help but go back to the destruction she had helped with.
What have I done? Claudia wondered, Did I make a mistake again?
Back on the Great Plateau, the tension between Kohan and his followers and Bowen's group and the Xadians was thick with anticipation. Kohan's gaze swept over the group, his expression tense yet expectant.
"Well?" he demanded, folding his arms, "Are you going to take the deal or not? If you don't, the Drakolith will destroy everything." The group stood in uneasy silence, exchanging wary glances. Before anyone could answer, a massive flash of energy erupted in the far distance, illuminating the darkened sky in an instant. The earth trembled beneath their feet as a thunderous explosion followed, its deep, bone-rattling echo rolling across the land like an oncoming storm. Soren instinctively reached for his sword, his eyes widening.
"What the heck was that?" Soren asked aloud. Kohan narrowed his eyes, his expression grim.
"That blast had to come from the Drakolith," Kohan warned, his voice urgent, "The choice is yours. Help me take Rasha down, and I'll help you destroy that monster." Bowen clenched his fists.
"I don't like this. Making a deal with the Yiga Clan is…" Bowen mumbled, his hand going for his sword.
"…It seems I have little choice," Elara cut in, though her expression remained skeptical, "But even if we agreed, how could we possibly destroy something that powerful? It sounds impossible."
"Not impossible. After firing the leveler cannon, the Drakolith must land and recharge. It can't stay in the air forever. The closest Yiga base to its current position is in the Aldor Foothills, just north of the castle. That's where it'll recover," Kohan smirked. Elara gave a slow nod.
"Good to know," Elara remarked. Then, without hesitation, she pulled an arrow from her quiver, notched it, and fired it at him. Kohan barely had time to react. He gasped in shock and ducked at the last second, the arrow whizzing past his ear. He stumbled back, eyes wide in alarm.
"What in the name of the Calamity are you doing?!" Kohan demanded. Elara already had another arrow drawn.
"What I should have done the moment you crawled out of the shadows," Elara hissed. Kohan's hands balled into fists.
"I thought we were making a deal!" Kohan shouted.
"The Yiga Clan's entire purpose is the destruction of my family," Elara said coldly, "Making a deal with you will just trade one threat for another." Sahira and Bowen unsheathed their swords, their expressions set. The Xadians hesitated for a split second before exchanging a silent agreement. Rayla's blades gleamed in the firelight as she readied herself, Soren gripped his sword, and Callum's hands sparked with primal energy. Kohan's face twisted in frustration.
"Fine! If that's how you want it, then… Kill them all!" Kohan ordered his men. Elara loosed another arrow, and the battle erupted. The Yiga Clan moved first, vanishing into clouds of crimson smoke and reappearing all around them. The momentary disorientation nearly worked in their favor. One warrior lunged at Bowen from behind, blade aimed for his back, but Sahira was faster. With a swift twist of her sword, she parried the strike and kicked the assassin back, sending him sprawling. Rayla was already in motion, flipping over an incoming Yiga foot soldier. Twin blades flashed as she cut across his exposed back before landing gracefully, only to immediately deflect another strike from the side. Her instincts screamed at her to duck, and she barely avoided a slicing arc of a crescent-shaped Yiga blade that whizzed past her face. She countered with a sweeping leg kick, sending the masked assassin crashing onto the dirt. Without hesitation, she drove her dagger into his chest. Soren, meanwhile, was a force of nature. He roared as he swung his sword in a wide arc, shattering the defenses of three Yiga warriors at once. One tried to get clever, teleporting behind him with a drawn dagger, but Soren anticipated it. He spun, ramming his elbow into the warrior's gut, then grabbed him by the collar and hurled him straight into another assassin with bone-crushing force. Callum had no time to think, only react. He sidestepped a spinning Yiga scythe and summoned a gust of wind with Aspiro, blasting his attacker backward. Before the masked warrior could recover, Callum switched tactics and threw his hand forward.
"Fulminis!" Callum called. A bolt of lightning surged from his fingertips, striking the Yiga warrior square in the chest. The assassin convulsed violently before crumpling to the ground, smoke rising from his form. Another ran in, attempting to run Callum through with a dagger, but Callum caught the movement in his peripheral vision.
"Aspiro Frigis!" A freezing gust of wind erupted around him, coating the ground in ice. The Yiga warrior skidded, losing balance. Rayla took the opening, appearing beside him in a blur before finishing him off with a single, swift stab. Elara and Bowen fought back-to-back, their coordination flawless. A Yiga warrior teleported onto a nearby rock and hurled a flurry of kunai at them, but Elara ducked and rolled while Bowen raised his shield, deflecting the deadly projectiles. The moment the assassin moved to reposition, Elara took her shot, her arrow embedded itself in the warrior's throat before he could disappear again. Sahira engaged two Yiga Blademasters at once. Their curved swords clashed with hers in a deadly dance of steel. She weaved between them, using their own speed against them. One made the mistake of overextending his strike. Sahira capitalized instantly, sidestepping and slashing him across the stomach. The second assassin roared in anger and attempted a brutal downward strike, but Sahira dodged and twisted, planting her sword straight through his chest. Kohan, seeing his forces being cut down, sneered and reached for a small bomb tucked within his robes.
"If I can't have Hyrule, then no one will!" he snarled, preparing to ignite it. Before he could, Elara's arrow struck his shoulder, knocking the explosive from his grasp. It rolled harmlessly away before detonating in a distant burst of fire. Kohan clutched his wound, staggering backward as his remaining warriors collapsed around him. Blood dripped from his fingers as he gasped in pain.
"I only… I only wanted the glory of Hyrule for myself…" Kohan stammered. Elara fired one last arrow, striking him dead center of his mask and piercing right through him. His legs gave out, and he collapsed, the light fading from his eyes. A heavy silence settled over the battlefield. The fire from the distant explosion still smoldered in the sky, casting a haunting glow over the fallen Yiga warriors. Callum exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair.
"So… what now?" Callum asked. Elara didn't hesitate.
"We stop Rasha. No matter what it takes," Elara declared.
"I agree," Bowen reminded her.
"With all this destruction, I doubt we'll find any help at the castle. If it's still standing at all," Soren frowned. Elara's jaw tightened.
"Then we find help elsewhere. We're going to Kakariko Village," Elara ordered.
"Says who?" Bowen asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Says me," Elara answered, her voice firm, "Father put you in charge of the mission to the Gerudo Desert. But if the castle is gone and our parents are…" She trailed off, unwilling to say the words aloud. She took a deep breath and met Bowen's eyes.
"I'm the oldest heir to the throne. I'm in charge now," Elara insisted. Bowen hesitated, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his sword. But after a long moment, he sighed and nodded.
"Fine. If we're going to Kakariko, we should take the road east through the Dueling Peaks, then head north. If this Drakolith comes back, we don't want to be caught in the open," Bowen advised. Elara nodded in agreement.
"Then let's move," Elara ordered. As the group started down the road, Callum, Rayla, and Soren exchanged silent glances. The tension in the air was palpable, and none of them could shake the same sinking feeling. Something was very wrong, and it was only going to get worse.
Aylin woke with a sharp gasp, the cold ground pressing against her cheek. Everything was too quiet. Too dark. The last thing she remembered was the battle, the fire, the screams, her mother's voice crying out…
Mama! Her chest tightened as she pushed herself upright, her heart pounding painfully fast. Tall trees surrounded her, their dense branches blocking out most of the sky. The air smelled damp, fresh, nothing like Hyrule Castle. Nothing like home. She swallowed hard and turned her head, then froze.
"Papa?" Aylin whispered. Link lay motionless a few feet away, his body twisted awkwardly. His right arm and leg bent in ways they shouldn't be. His tunic was dark with blood, his face pale, barely illuminated by the slivers of moonlight filtering through the canopy. Her breath hitched.
"No… No, no, no…!" She scrambled toward him, hands grabbing at his uninjured arm, shaking him frantically.
"Papa, wake up! Please!" Her voice cracked, her throat tightening with sobs. For what felt like forever, he didn't respond. Then, a faint groan. His eyelids fluttered open, blue eyes hazy with pain.
"Aylin…" Link's voice was barely more than a breath, but it was enough. He was alive. Relief crashed over her, followed by fresh terror.
"Papa, you're hurt! Your arm and your leg… they're…" Aylin sobbed. She couldn't even finish the sentence. It was too awful to say out loud. Link inhaled sharply, grimacing as he tried to shift. His breath came in ragged, uneven gasps.
"Aylin… listen to me," Link gasped. She sniffled, wiping her eyes, her hands trembling.
"I need you... to help me," he said softly. "Can you... do that?" Aylin nodded hesitantly, even though her stomach twisted at the thought.
What if I mess up? What if I make it worse? Aylin wondered fearfully, but she had to try. Through gritted teeth, Link coached her through tending his wounds. She fumbled with the bandages, her fingers too small and clumsy to wrap them tightly enough the first time. Frustration burned in her chest.
"I can't do it," she whispered, her voice shaking.
"You can," Link murmured, barely holding onto consciousness, "Try again." Biting her lip, she did. This time, she tied the bandages properly, just like he told her. Next was the fire. She struck flint against steel, but the first spark died instantly. The second one did too. She squeezed her eyes shut, swallowing another sob.
"Papa, I... I just..." Aylin said sadly.
"You can do it. Try again," Link insisted, his voice barely above a whisper. Her lip trembled. But she tried again. This time, a spark caught, and she carefully coaxed the flame to life. She had done it. Aylin turned to tell him, but he had already fallen into an exhausted sleep. His breathing was uneven, but at least it was steady. Huddling closer to the fire, she rubbed her arms and slipped her hands into her pockets and felt something smooth and solid. She frowned and pulled them out. Two glowing stones rested in her palm.
Mama's secret stones… Aylin realized. They pulsed faintly, a soft warmth spreading through her fingers. Her heart clenched. Tears blurred her vision, but before she could start crying again, the stone of time let out a quiet hum. At the same moment, something else responded. Aylin gasped as her Deku seed necklace shone with the same golden light. The glow from the secret stones stretched toward it, threads of magic weaving together. Before she could react, the stones fused to the necklace, embedding themselves into the wood like they had always belonged there. She clutched it tightly.
"W-what just happened?" Aylin wondered aloud. A soft beep from the Purah Pad broke her thoughts. She grabbed it from her father's belt and squinted at the screen. There was no map data, but there was a blinking marker nearby. Her heart pounded.
Could it be help? Aylin asked herself. She turned back to Link. He needed a healer. She couldn't carry him, and she had no idea where they were. She put the Purah Pad in her pouch. She hesitated before reaching for his wrist, carefully unfastening his paraglider bracelet.
"I'll be back, Papa," she whispered, her voice trembling, "I promise." She wiped her eyes, took a deep breath, and ran to a nearby cliff's edge in the direction of the signal. Her gaze locked onto a city in the far distance. Her hands clenched into fists. She was scared. More scared than she had ever been in her life. Steeling herself, she fastened the bracelet around her wrist.
"I can do this," Aylin told herself. With one last glance at her father, she took a leap of faith and soared toward the unknown on her dad's paraglider.
Ezran adjusted his grip on Woody's unmoving form as he and Corvus hurried through the winding streets of Evrkynd. The town bustled with merchants and travelers, but Ezran barely noticed. All he could focus on was the weak rise and fall of Woody's chest.
"There," Corvus said, pointing toward a large wooden building nestled against the roots of a massive tree. A sign above the door bore a symbol of a mushroom inside a glowing rune, "Mukho will know what to do." Ezran nodded, and they pushed through the door without hesitation. The air inside was thick with the scent of damp earth, drying herbs, and slightly pungent mushrooms. Shelves lined the walls, filled with vials of glowing spores, bundles of dried roots, and various fungi of different colors and sizes. Behind a worktable covered in mortar bowls and freshly cut mushrooms, a squat elf with earthy brown skin and a beard resembling a cluster of tiny white fungi looked up. His large, round eyes brightened beneath the wide mushroom cap he wore like a hat.
"Corvus! Ha! You still alive?" Mukho said with a laugh, tossing aside a pestle.
"Barely," Corvus said dryly, holding up Woody's still form, "But I'm not the one in trouble."
"We need your help," Ezran explained, "This is Woody. He's a…"
"A Korok… And definitely worse for wear," Mukho immediately noticed, his cheer vanishing. He stepped forward, humming thoughtfully as he placed a hand against Woody's bark-like skin. A faint green glow flickered around his fingers.
"Hmm… Earth arcanum deprivation," Mukho muttered. Ezran's stomach dropped.
"Can you help him?" Ezran asked.
"I've seen this before. His connection to the earth has been severely damaged, probably from separation from his homeland or some kind of magical interference," Mukho explained. He turned and shuffled to a shelf, pulling down a squat, glowing mushroom.
"What is that?" Ezran asked.
"This should do the trick," Mukho insisted. Carefully, he pressed it against Woody's mouth. At first, nothing happened. Then, with a soft pulse of light, Woody's tiny arms twitched. His breath deepened, his chest expanding more fully, his mask-like face regaining its color. A faint groan rumbled from within him as his eyes slowly blinked open. Ezran let out a relieved laugh.
"Woody! You're awake!" Ezran laughed. Woody groggily turned his head, blinking at them as though adjusting to his surroundings.
"You had us worried," Corvus exhaled. Woody slowly sat up, shaking his head slightly.
"I was lost… unrooted…" Woody admitted. He flexed his tiny fingers as if feeling them for the first time.
"You're going to be okay," Ezran assured him, "Thanks to Mukho."
"Little Bird…" Woody hummed, then suddenly stiffened. His glowing eyes flickered brighter.
"What?" Ezran frowned. Woody turned his head toward Corvus. Corvus narrowed his eyes.
"Who's Little Bird?" Corvus asked, "Another Korok?"
"No, she's human and my friend," Woody replied, "She's not here, but close. I can feel her. Though I don't know why…"
"How do you know she's here?" Ezran asked.
"I gave her a magic necklace made from Deku seeds. I can sense it no matter where I am," Woody insisted. Ezran and Corvus exchanged uncertain glances. Mukho, having observed the conversation, crossed his arms.
"Sounds like you've got another rescue mission on your hands," Mukho remarked.
"Wouldn't be the first," Corvus muttered. Woody suddenly looked thoughtful.
"If I go with you, I can guide the way," Woody offered.
"Are you sure?" Ezran asked.
"She's my friend. That's all I need," Woody nodded. Mukho clapped his hands together.
"Well then, let's make sure you don't keel over on the road," Mukho insisted, handing over a small satchel of glowing mushrooms, "Eat these if you start feeling weak." Woody accepted them gratefully. With careful movements, he reached into the crevice of his wooden body and pulled out a small, glowing Deku seed.
"For your kindness," Woody said, placing it in Mukho's palm. "Plant it somewhere special, and it will grow."
"I will," Mukho said.
"OK then. Let's move. We have someone to find," Corvus said, and with that, they set out, Woody leading the way.
Rasha stood alone in the quiet of the Drakolith's shadow, her gaze fixated on the distant horizon as the mechanical beast recharged. The air was thick with tension, a restless energy building as she waited for her opportunity. She had been patient so far, but her resolve was growing ever more focused on what lay ahead. The soft footfalls of one of Maluk's scouts broke the silence. He approached quickly, his figure cloaked and purposeful as always, exuding the quiet confidence of someone accustomed to delivering important news.
"Report," Rasha commanded, her voice cool and demanding. The scout nodded, stepping forward and lowering his voice to ensure their conversation went unheard by any nearby ears.
"The Arbiter's Grounds... we found what you wanted," he said, his eyes flickering with a mix of pride and unease, "The sources of power the Startouch elves left behind... they're real." Rasha nodded, her face betraying no emotion.
"I see Maluk did not return with you. He is dead, then?" Rasha asked, her tone was calm, even though her mind had already anticipated this outcome.
"Yes," the scout confirmed, "And Kohan abandoned his post. We could not track him."
"Not surprising. Kohan has always been more concerned with his own survival than with our cause. Continue," Rasha smirked slightly.
"There's more. We discovered the artifact you were searching for... but there's a complication," The scout hesitated. Rasha's patience tightened like a coiled spring.
"What kind of complication?" Rasha asked. The scout lowered his voice even further, speaking carefully.
"In order to activate it, we need three specific primal secret stones: earth, ocean, and sky," The scout swallowed nervously. Rasha's eyes narrowed in thought. She quickly pieced the puzzle together.
"We know Claudia has the earth and ocean stones," she muttered, her gaze darkening, "But we still need the sky stone… the one that the Xadian prince holds." The realization was swift and furious.
"Is he aware of the power that site holds?" Rasha snapped.
"We have to assume so or he will once he consults the Zonai Survey Team," The scout guessed.
"…I will not let him stand in my way. No matter the cost," Rasha ordered, "Find me some kind of leverage to get us his aid or find a way to get that stone from him." The scout nodded and turned to leave, but Rasha's eyes lingered on the Drakolith, her mind already racing with plans to control the power of the Tower of Stars. As the scout disappeared into the shadows, Rasha remained still, her fingers twitching slightly with anticipation. She did not notice the subtle rustling sound behind her, nor the figure silently moving away from her observation point.
Claudia had heard everything, and she wasn't pleased.