WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MAJOR TEARS OF THE KINGDOM SPOILERS!!!
TRIGGER WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS GRAPHIC DEPICTIONS OF VIOLENCE
"It's time you all learn the truth," Link sighed, "everything that me, Zelda, and your families have been hiding."
"Our families?" Dori gasped. "General, you're not making sense!" Zya joined the conversation, "What do you mean our families have been hiding something?"
"There's a part of Hyrule history that has been hidden from your generation," Link answered, "a time between the Great Calamity and our current era–the Upheaval."
"Upheaval?!" the gang gasped. Of everyone in the group, Aya noticed that Tulin had no reaction. "You knew about this, Tulin?!" she asked. "I did," Tulin sighed, "I'll let General Link finish first."
"It happened before any of you were born," Link explained, "Zelda and I were making plans to rebuild Hyrule after the Calamity when one day, examining the damages inside Hyrule Castle, we found a secret chamber that was sealed away from the rest of the castle. Zelda decided that she wanted to go there and thus we set off on an excavation mission. We discovered the unimaginable–Zonai ruins that date back to the very foundation of Hyrule, including a mural depicting what was known as the Imprisoning War. It was then when, deep beneath Hyrule Castle, we found an even bigger surprise: the ancient corpse of the Demon King."
"Ganondorf," Rhiannon interrupted. "A substance stronger and more lethal than malice was leaking from the Demon King's body," Link continued, "it was strong enough to decay the Master Sword, and it took my right arm with it."
"It decayed the Master Sword?!" Dori gasped. "It also caused the blade to shatter," Link sighed, "Zelda had picked up a stone that fell off the Demon King's body. He called our names, he was waiting for that moment... Suddenly, the ground beneath us shattered. Zelda and I fell into a chasm–she disappeared, while I was saved by the spirit of the first king of Hyrule."
He paused. "Zelda was sent to the past," he said, "to the very foundation of the kingdom where she met King Rauru and Queen Sonia, the first king and queen of Hyrule. She also met with the ancestors of the Champions: the Sages. King Rauru was the Sage of Light along with six other sages: the Zora sage of water, the Goron sage of fire, the Rito sage of wind, the Gerudo sage of lightning, and the Zonai sage of Spirit, Mineru, who was the king's sister. The last sage was Zelda, the Sage of Time."
"Is that the secret our parents hid from us?" Aya asked, "That they were the descendants of these sages?"
"Yes," Link sighed. "That makes no sense," Dori said, "why would such an important part of Hyrule history be hidden from us?"
"It was Zelda's decision," Link sighed, "being sent to the distant past, Zelda witnessed the Imprisoning War firsthand. She saw King Rauru's sacrifice and the imprisoning of the Demon King. In order to fix the Master Sword, she had to make another sacrifice herself: become an immortal dragon."
"Dragon?!" the RhiGang gasped. "Zelda knew the risks of draconification," Link added, "but she was desperate to help me. She knew her purpose was to restore the Master Sword so that in the future we could stop the Demon King once and for all."
"What about your arm?" Rhiannon asked. "The gloom had decayed my arm to the very bone," Link answered, "I woke up some time later in the Great Sky Island with a new arm attached. Then, I encountered the spirit of King Rauru, saying that he had to give me his arm because mine was beyond salvation. When I returned to the surface, Purah told me about Zelda's disappearance and that Hyrule needed saving, so I took on the task. The Upheaval had created major problems in the main areas of Hyrule, but it led to your parents' awakening as the new Sages."
"That includes me," Tulin sighed, "I am a Sage."
Everyone looked down to Tulin's ankle to see a bright green stone attached. "So, that's what it was?!" Aya gasped, "We all thought it was just jewelry!"
"I'm the Sage of Wind," Tulin answered, "my ancestor told me that my destiny was to fight alongside Link, the brave swordsman that Princess Zelda, the Sage of Time, had told King Rauru about. She said the same thing to your ancestors."
Link noticed everyone was still confused. "Can we please jump to why talking about the Upheaval became so controversial?" Rhiannon crossed their arms, "Why did you hide this from us?"
"It happened shortly after the Upheaval ended and we defeated the Demon King," Link sighed.
A few years ago
"For the sake of the Kingdom of Hyrule, I hereby declare any talks about the Upheaval forbidden," Zelda said. "What?!" the Sages gasped. "Zelda, you can't do this!" a rejuvenated Purah exclaimed, "We worked hard! We can't let this part of history just be slid under the rug!"
"Princess Zelda must have a reason why," Riju sighed. "When did talking about the Upheaval become worse than talking about the Calamity?!" Purah argued. "We must hear what Princess Zelda has to say," Sidon added, "as Riju said, she must have a reason."
"I think it is best for the Kingdom to never talk about this again and forget this all happened," Zelda sighed, "Hyrule needs to look forward into the future and not to the past."
"How are we going to explain the sky islands to the future generations?!" Purah protested again, "What about all the advances we made on the Zonai?! The ruins that fell? Princess, I'm sorry, but this is ridiculous. This just feels like a slap on the face to me, to the Sages, to the Zonai Survey Team that you created... and to Link!"
Everyone's eyes fell on Link. "I agree with the princess," he said sternly, "we must look forward to the future. The Calamity already created a lot of damage. We don't need to focus on the ones created by the Upheaval."
"This is stupid!" a young Tulin shouted, "We busted ourselves to death saving our peoples and this is how we're rewarded?! By letting our achievements be forgotten?!"
"Tulin!" Teba scolded, "Be respectful!"
"Tulin is right," Sidon sighed, "we poured blood, sweat, and tears into helping our people, just like the Champions would have done, and you are telling us it will all be forgotten?"
"Even if we forget about the Upheaval, the damage is still there," Riju added, "the chasms, the fallen ruins, the sky islands, everything!"
"They do make a good point," Link said, "especially the ruins in Kakariko Village."
"I want them dismantled as soon as possible," Zelda said, making the group in front of her gasp, "any fallen ruin must be destroyed. The valuable ones must be dropped off at the Zonai ruins in Faron. The chasms must be covered with whatever materials possible. Hyrule's restoration must continue as planned."
"I will not allow you to!" Purah shouted, "I refuse to follow these orders!"
"So do I!" Sidon protested. "And me too!" added Tulin. "We will not let our achievements be forgotten!" Riju joined. "All of you! Silence!" a voice shouted. They turned around to see Impa and her assistant, "Princess Zelda has given you a reason why: we must move on. The Calamity lasted 100 years. The Upheaval lasted about a month or two and was at least twice as painful. Not to mention that Her Majesty had to witness tragedy firsthand."
Zelda lowered her head. "It brings painful memories," she said, "I do not want to talk about them... I do not want to hear any talk about it... Our future generations do not need to know about such dark history..."
Link looked up to see his friends. They seemed much more relaxed. "My sincere apologies, princess," Sidon sighed, "I guess you do have a point after all."
"But, I don't want to be forgotten!" Tulin said. "No one will be forgotten, young man," Impa said, "we will still keep the memory of the great achievements the new Sages managed to accomplish, but they must be spoken in whispers."
"I would also like to apologize," Riju said, "I guess we were just on edge."
"I know it's hard to just get rid of our accomplishments," Link said, "but if this helps the kingdom return to its full glory, then we have no other choice than to comply. It's for the good of everyone. Hyrule still has scars to heal, we don't need to add more salt to its wounds."
He made intense eye contact with Purah. "You'll see it will all be worth it in the end," he continued, "we must make this one sacrifice."
"You're right," Purah said, "for the sake of the kingdom."
"So, it's settled then," Teba said, "no more talking about the Upheaval."
"It's going to be hard," Yunobo added, "the kids at Goron City will be talking about it for a while."
"Everyone will," Riju sighed, "I'm sure there will be people who will disobey Princess Zelda's command."
"Just as Link said," Sidon joined, "it is for the sake of moving forward."
"We can still keep our secret stones, right?" Riju asked. "That's cool and all but what about the Sage of Spirit?" Purah asked, pointing at the large Zonai construct. "Mineru," Zelda called, "I think it is best if you stay hidden with us in the castle's vault once it is reconstructed."
"I hate the idea of being sealed away again," Mineru sighed, "but I accept it."
"From now on, no more talking about the Upheaval," Zelda said, "I want it out of history books, I want no trace of it. Cover every chasm. I hope Death Mountain erupts again soon... That way it will distract people from looking up."
"We should rebuild the Shrine of Resurrection," Purah said, "just in case of an emergency."
"Oh, yeah, where did the Divine Beasts go?" Yunobo asked, "I miss seeing Rudania every morning."
"We will bring them back out," Purah nodded, "that's a promise!"
Present day
"It took a while, but eventually all trace of the Upheaval had disappeared," Link continued, "as expected, people protested it until they eventually quieted down. Zelda was desperate to get rid of each and anything related to the Upheaval even if she knew she had to make a few sacrifices, but if that was the only way to forget the painful memories it brought her, she did anything in her power to get through until Hyrule was restored. New villages appeared while some were left as historic landmarks. She brought back the Guardians and created the Guardian Restoration Program, hoping they would help get rid of all the new species of monsters that had appeared with the Upheaval. The Divine Beasts reappeared, pointing at Hyrule Castle in case either Calamity Ganon or the Demon King reappeared, and the Shrine of Resurrection was rebuilt."
"What about your arm?" Rhiannon inquired. "It had healed for a bit," Link answered, "when I defeated the Demon King, my arm healed... for a few days until Rauru's arm reappeared on my body. The healing had actually been an illusion to put Zelda's mind at ease but it could not stay that way for long periods of time. That is when I learned to use illusions to hide it and had to get special clothes made to disguise it."
"This really can't be happening," Aya sighed, "I just refuse to believe all of this happened!"
"It seems unbelievable, but it's true," Tulin sighed, "we swear every word of it is nothing but the truth."
"Could that be the reason why Calamity Ganon disappeared?" Rhiannon asked. "It could be," Link sighed, "I hate to think that the Demon King has reappeared."
"I always thought Demon King was just another fancy name for Ganon," Dori said, "it's crazy to think he actually had a form."
"We gotta get to the bottom of this," Rhiannon said, "Ratna can detonate the Beast at any given moment. We gotta hurry."
She then headed inside the house without any further comment. Link was the one that followed her in first. He noticed that Rhiannon was no longer stumbling around nor having to touch objects and walls to guide herself. She headed directly to the basement. He found it odd, so he followed her down. "Champ?" he called, "Can we talk?"
"After you lied to me?" Rhiannon crossed her arms, "I guess we can... Since you gave me an excuse."
"It's not an excuse," Link answered, "you wanted the truth so I said the truth. You know I would never lie to you."
Rhiannon sighed. "Whatever," they said, "what do you want to talk about?"
"Your vision," Link replied, "did it improve?"
"Yeah," Rhiannon answered, "King Rauru fixed it or something. I hope he didn't go blind. At least I no longer have to fear wearing glasses."
"I'm glad you can see again, champ," Link smiled, "I missed seeing those eyes full of life and determination. Those are your mother's eyes."
"Everyone says they're yours," Rhiannon chuckled. "Everyone would say my gaze was empty," Link sighed, "your mother, on the other hand... those sparkling green eyes of hers were so lively and ready to take on any challenge, just like yours."
"Thanks, father," Rhiannon smiled softly. "Hey, would it kill you to not be so formal all the time?" Link giggled, "I'd love it if you stopped calling me father for once."
"I call you 'old man' sometimes!" Rhiannon exclaimed. "I don't mind if you call me 'dad'," Link said. "Fine... dad..." Rhiannon giggled, "Well, can I ask one thing from you, Dad?"
"Sure, what is it?" Link said. "Sometimes I don't feel, you know, feminine..." Rhiannon said shyly, "Do you mind addressing me in a neutral way? You know, saying they instead of she and stuff?"
"Of course, champ!" Link answered, "Thanks for letting me know!"
"Y-You're not mad?" Rhiannon gasped. "Why should I?" Link acknowledged, "I told you before that I am no one to dictate how to live your life. I'm glad that you're living your truth, champ. It doesn't matter what you wear or how you present yourself, you'll always be my number one little bird, champ."
"You've only ever called me 'little bird' once or twice..." Rhiannon gasped, containing their tears. "You're always gonna be my little bird," Link smiled, "you're our pride and joy. If your mother could see you right now, I feel like she would be proud of who you've become."
"I always thought I didn't have it in me," Rhiannon sighed, "I was so wrong. I wish she could see that."
"I'm sure she will," Link said, caressing Rhiannon's face, "I love you, champ."
"Not as much as I love you, old man," Rhiannon giggled, pulling him into a hug.
After spending the rest of the afternoon in the basement, making plans, Rhiannon and Link gathered the gang. "Alright, RhiGang, listen up!" Rhiannon commanded. "Are we seriously going by that name?" Daron asked. "According to every map of Hyrule, the maze in question is here," Link pointed at a rectangular structure on a paper map of Hyrule, "this here is the South Lomei Labyrinth."
"Labyrinth?!" Zya gasped, "I thought Joji said it was a maze!"
"What's the difference?" Koli asked. "Who cares?!" Dori said, "Keep going, general."
"The Lomei Labyrinth is tricky," Link said, "there are three of them in Hyrule, with the two others being in Akkala and Hebra. The South Labyrinth is a death trap if you take into consideration the harsh weather of the Gerudo desert."
"Joji said it was underneath the labyrinth," Rhiannon added, "my father said there are ways to descend down to where the beast could be located."
"I am hoping that it truly is directly under the labyrinth and not..." Link paused, "...in the Depths..."
"Depths?!" the gang gasped. "The Depths are real?!" Aya asked. "You know about them?" Tulin asked. "I don't know if this correlates to the post-Upheaval madness," Aya answered, "but there was a thing going on for a while in Gerudo Town that vais who disobeyed their mothers would be taken to a place called the Depths... I always thought it was a way to sugarcoat Hell or something like that."
"Definitely a post-Upheaval thing," Link sighed. "Something tells me the labyrinth is going to be heavily infested," Rhiannon sighed, "Corrupted monsters, Guardians, Yiga spies..."
"Gloom Spawns..." Link whispered, making everyone look at him. "What are those?" Aya asked. "If Hell exists, these things definitely come from there," Link answered, "just like malice was connected to Calamity Ganon, Gloom Spawns are connected to the Demon King."
"Trust us, you don't wanna see them," Tulin added, "those things are nightmare fuel."
"We should be preparing everything to leave," Rhiannon said, "take any supplies we need: food, water, arrows, shields, Ancient weapons, anything that can ensure our survival. We must make it to that labyrinth together and we'll make it out together."
"You got it, bestie!" Dori said enthusiastically, "Let's get this over with!"
Rhiannon reached for her shiny Starlight Sword. "Rauru, Sonia, mother, grandfather..." she whispered, "This one's for you guys."
"Do you mind if I do something before we head off?" Zya asked, "I must visit Zora's Domain really quick. In case I do not get to say goodbye to my mother."
"Yes, of course!" Rhiannon nodded. "I shall return by sundown before we leave," Zya sighed, "if I'm not back by then, leave without me. I know where to meet everyone."
She then ran across the moat. "I should probably return to Gerudo Town too," Aya sighed, "just to say goodbye to Aunt Buliara in case I don't make it. I'll meet you guys at the labyrinth."
She also walked out the door. "Do you guys mind if I go say bye to my dad?" Koli asked shyly, "Y'know... in case..."
"Go for it," Rhiannon smiled. Koli smiled back, then walked out the door. "Guess I should go talk to my mom," Tulin added, "I'll meet you guys before we leave."
He walked out the door and took flight. "Dori?" Rhiannon and Link stared at her. "I mean... I feel like I should," Dori sighed, "I also want to introduce Aunt Paya to Daron. We'll be back in a jiffy!"
She took Daron by the hand and both ran out. "Fath–I mean, Dad," Rhiannon said, "can we go up to the Sky Islands?"
"Of course," Link nodded, "any reason why?"
"Just cause," Rhiannon said, "I want to get to know my ancestors better."
After figuring out a way to reach the Sky Islands, Link and Rhiannon reached the island that Rhiannon had been stranded in. "King Rauru?" Rhiannon called, "Anyone here?"
She then spotted the Steward Construct she had talked to before. "You are Princess Rhiannon, correct?" it asked. "Y-Yeah," Rhiannon stuttered. They then looked down to see their tunic on the Construct's hands. "Queen Sonia instructed me to return this to you," the Construct said, "it has been mended to the best of my abilities to its original state."
Rhiannon took the tunic in their hands and put it back on. The tear had disappeared almost as if it had never happened. "Where are King Rauru and Queen Sonia?" they asked. The Steward Construct then turned slightly, pointing at another more enormous sky island in the distance. "Queen Sonia and King Rauru headed to the Great Sky Island," it responded, "if you are seeking them, I suggest you head in that direction."
"It was already a pain to reach this Sky Island!" Rhiannon said in frustration, "How are we getting there? I doubt Revali's Gale works sideways!"
"We might need something else," Link said. Around the golden tree, he spotted a few green devices scattered. "King Rauru left these Zonai devices behind in case they are of need," the Construct said, "feel free to use them."
"You're about to see your old man in action, champ," Link said. Rhiannon gasped when Link's arm began to glow brightly–he would aim his arm at the devices and stick them to a bird-like object. In the blink of an eye, Link had finished setting the devices. "Did you just build a mini Vah Medoh?" Rhiannon asked. "Kinda," Link answered, "hop on, champ."
Hesitatingly, Rhiannon hopped on board and sat next to him. "Hang on tight to whatever you can," Link said, "There's a possibility that we could crash!"
"Crash?!" Rhiannon gasped. The bird-like device then began to move. Link felt how Rhiannon was clinging to his leg in fear as he held the steering stick. "We'll be there in no time, champ!" he smiled, "Just hang on."
Zya entered Zora's Domain shyly. The Zora people that were hanging around looked at her in awe. "Queen Zya is back!" they shouted. In the blink of an eye, she was surrounded by Zoras of all ages. "Queen Zya! Can you tell us what is happening?" an elderly Zora asked. "We do not know, exactly," Zya sighed, "you must excuse me, I am here to see my mother!"
She then headed towards the throne room. "Mother? Mother!" she called. "Zya!" the queen turned around to see a bright green Zora at the entrance. "Mother!" Zya exclaimed happily, running towards her to hug her. "Lady Yona!" a black-coated female Zora exclaimed, "You must return to bed!"
"I heard you had returned," Yona said in a raspy voice, "I am so happy you are back!"
"How is your throat feeling, momma?" Zya asked. "Doing better now that you're here, my pearl!" Yona answered. "About that," Zya sighed, "there is something you must know. I'm heading for a big battle soon and I might not make it."
Yona gasped. "Z-Zya!" she stuttered, "Please do not say that!"
"The stakes are rather high," Zya said, "we're fighting a weapon of mass destruction bigger than a Divine Beast out in the Gerudo desert. I don't know if any of us are going to make it, so in case I fall, I came to say goodbye."
Yona's eyes began tearing up. She then pulled Zya into a tight embrace. "That is how we lost your aunt and father," she sobbed, "I do not want to lose you too... But I know it is your duty. You've sworn your love and loyalty to the Princess of Hyrule, and there is nothing I can do..."
"I promise I will fight to make it back alive, momma!" Zya said, taking Yona's hand in hers, "My father and aunt are looking over me! Also..." she paused, then continued, "Is it true that my father was a Sage?"
Yona's eyes widened in surprise. "Where did you learn that, dear?" she asked. "The truth came out," Zya sighed, "General Link told us everything when Calamity Ganon disappeared. I understand why you and my father hid the truth from me... You both just wanted the best for me."
She then felt how Yona caressed her face. "We swore to Princess Zelda not to talk about it," she sighed, "being the Sage of Water meant a lot for your father, but sadly he could not mention it... no one could... but maybe you can."
"M-Me?" Zya stuttered. "Have you worked on your training as of late?" Yona asked, "I know you stopped after your father died."
"I-I've been thinking about it..." Zya replied, "Is there a reason why?"
"Zya, dear, you could be the next Sage of Water!" Yona replied, "Take on your father's mantle!"
Zya looked up at Divine Beast Vah Ruta, then down at the silver statue of her father. "It is what they would've wanted, love," Yona added, "but I understand that this upcoming battle is important and you might not have time."
"I have to meet Rhiannon and the others by sundown," Zya said. "Before you go," Yona said, "there is something else I want you to have."
Two female Zoras walked in with a large silver chest. Zya opened it to reveal a beautiful Zora armor. "This is a battle armor that your father commissioned for you," Yona explained, "it was supposed to be a birthday surprise when you turned 18, but it was not finished yet."
"I love it!" Zya exclaimed, "Thank you, mother!"
She then looked up to Ruta once more. "Thank you, father!" she exclaimed. Impatiently, Zya put on the armor, adorning it with her coronation gown, a blue and golden sash, and her beautiful silver crown. The final touch to her outfit was the Lightscale Trident which she attached to the back of the armor. "People of Zora's Domain!" she yelled, "I will now head to a battle tougher than any you could imagine! There is a high chance I might not make it alive, but I will fight on with honor 'till the very end! If I die, never forget that I, Queen Zya, daughter of Sidon and Yona, niece to Champion Mipha, and granddaughter to Dorephan, fought with all my strength until my very last breath."
She then reached for the Lightscale Trident and raised it in the air. "For Zora's Domain!" she shouted, "And for Hyrule Kingdom!"
The crowd of Zoras began to cheer as Zya made her way down the stairs and towards the Great Zora Bridge. "Good luck, my dear," Yona said as Zya's figure shrank in the distance. Zya then jumped off the bridge and towards the water below.
Meanwhile, in Goron City, Koli made his way through the city and up to his house. The other Gorons would wave at him happily and he would gladly wave back, even if he knew some of them had humiliated him before. Finally, he reached his house. "Heya, pops!" Koli waved. "Koli! Thank Hylia!" Joziah threw himself over his son, "You're okay! I was worried sick!"
"Whoa, Dad! Are you alright?" Koli said, "You look like you saw a ghost or somethin'!"
"It doesn't matter," Joziah said nervously, "what brings you back to Goron City?"
"Well, here's the scoop," Koli sighed, "I'm heading to a big battle later today, and uh... there's a chance I might not make it out in one piece."
"B-Big battle?" Joziah stuttered, "What's all that about?"
"You know," Koli said, "we discovered a huge weapon that's bigger and more powerful than all Divine Beasts combined... and we gotta destroy it... but who knows if any of us will even make it out..."
Joziah looked at Koli's worried face. "Oh, and I know about my dad being the Sage of Fire," Koli added. "Who told you that?!" Joziah gasped. "General Link and my friend Tulin did," Koli sighed, "we know about all that Upheaval shebang and whatnot."
"Oh, Koli," Joziah sighed, "trust me, your ol' man would've loved passin' the mantle of Sage of Fire to you, it's just that we couldn't talk about it because of Princess Zelda's orders. But, maybe you could become the next Sage of Fire!"
"You think so?" Koli asked. "I know you're more than capable of!" Joziah nodded, "It's what your dad and Lord Daruk would've wanted!"
"What if I don't make a good Sage of Fire?" Koli asked. "You'll be a great Sage of Fire, son!" Joziah said, "I know it!"
"I really wish I wasn't headin' for that battle," Koli sighed, "I'm scared... I hate the thought of dying. What if I just bail?"
"Kolibun!" Joziah gasped, "My son is not a quitter! You have sworn your loyalty to Princess Rhiannon! She needs you out there! Hyrule needs you!"
"You're right..." Koli said, "Yeah! You're right! Goron City needs me and so does Hyrule! And Rhi-Rhi can't fight without me!"
"That's my boy!" Joziah smiled pridefully, "Before you go, I wanna make sure you're well protected!"
From an old box of supplies, he reached for a large metal chest plate. "Your ol' dad outgrew his old armor," Joziah sighed, "but I think it'll fit you perfectly!"
Without hesitating, Koli tried on the armor. Just as his father had predicted, it fit him perfectly. "If he hadn't sold his old company, he would have passed it to you," Joziah sighed, "now, go make me proud!"
"Heck yeah! I'll make you proud!" Koli exclaimed as he walked out. He looked up to see Divine Beast Vah Rudania on top of Death Mountain. "Ya hear me, Dad?!" he shouted, "I'll make you proud! I'll make Champion Daruk proud!"
The other Gorons stopped to listen to what he had to say. "I'm no longer afraid!" Koli continued, "My loyalty lies with the Princess of Hyrule! And if I have to spill my blood for the kingdom, then let it run with the force of the Hylia River! For Goron City! And for Hyrule!"
As he headed for the exit of Goron City, the Gorons that had stopped to listen cheered loudly, clapping and raising their fists in the air. Across Northern Hyrule, Tulin arrived at Rito Village. "Tulin?" Saki gasped, "What's wrong? Did something happen?"
"The secret's out, Mom," Tulin answered, "General Link had to tell my friends about... the U-word..."
"The Upheaval?!" Saki lowered her voice, "It was outlawed! What made him change his mind?"
"Calamity Ganon is gone and Princess Rhiannon was taken to the Sky Islands by her sword," Tulin answered, "we had to break it to her and the others... That means I have to resume my duties as the Sage of Wind..."
Saki sighed. "You're an adult now, love," she said, "you must do what you need to."
"You're right," Tulin sighed, "that means that my friends Zya, Koli, and Aya might take over their parents' places as Sages. They'll need me to guide them, won't they?"
"Yes," Saki nodded, "your father would be proud."
"I know he had to step down from his role as the village's elder to lead the Rito army again," Tulin said, looking up at Divine Beast Vah Medoh, "I'll make sure I make him and Champion Revali proud. I won't let Hyrule have both a second Calamity and a second Upheaval."
He paused briefly, remembering what he was initially going to tell. "Mom," he turned towards Saki, "by the time the sun sets, my friends and I will head to the South Lomei Labyrinth and destroy a mass weapon of destruction hidden underneath it... The fight's gonna be tough... and there's a chance I might not make it out alive."
Saki's smile faded away immediately, turning into a horrified gasp. "I just wanted to say goodbye in case I don't make it out," Tulin finished, "I love you and..."
"And?" Saki asked. "...and if I die," Tulin gulped, "...I'll be watching over you..."
Saki pulled him into a tight hug. "I know," she whispered, "I've known all this time."
"Y-You do?" Tulin gasped. "Don't be afraid that I'll see you differently," Saki replied, "I love you the way you are and so did your father. Now, go. Make us proud, Captain Tulin, the Sage of Wind."
Tulin smiled, then looked up at Vah Medoh once more. "Dad, Champion Revali," he said, "This one's for you both!"
Both then flew up to Revali's landing. The people of Rito Village observed from their houses and shops. "The fight might be tough, but I'm not giving up!" Tulin said, "I swore my loyalty to Rhiannon, Princess of Hyrule, just as I once did to her father, the Hero of Legend. I'll continue to fight by their side until the bitter end! For Rito Village and for Hyrule!"
"Good luck, my dear," Saki said as Tulin took flight. He soared above Lake Totori before heading towards the Gerudo region.
Lastly, Aya walked into Gerudo Town. The women in the plaza ran towards her to greet her and ask her questions about the current situation. They stopped when they heard a claymore being loudly slammed against the floor. "Ladies, let Lady Aya breathe," Buliara commanded, "Milady, let us talk in the throne room."
"Excuse me," Aya said shyly, following the soldier toward the throne room. "How are you feeling, Aunt Buliara?" she asked. "Feeling much better," Buliara answered, "it's not my first near-death experience."
"Aunt Buliara, there is something I must tell you," Lady Aya said, sitting on the throne, "the reason I came to Gerudo Town was... to say goodbye."
"Pardon?" Buliara gasped. "My friends and I are heading for the South Lomei Labyrinth," Aya answered, "there's a weapon of mass destruction hidden under it and we must destroy it before it destroys the world. There's a chance I might not make it out alive..."
For the first time ever, Buliara dropped her golden claymore as thick tears ran down her face. She then fell to her knees, sobbing loudly. "Aunt!" Aya exclaimed. "General!" two Gerudo soldiers ran into the throne room and helped the general get back on her feet. "We cannot lose you too!" Buliara shouted, "We lost Lady Urbosa, we lost your grandmother, and we lost your mother!"
"I know!" Aya said, containing her tears, "But this is what they would've wanted, especially my mom! I know she was the Sage of Lightning!"
Buliara, as well as the two Gerudo soldiers, all gasped. "Who told you that?" Buliara asked. "When Calamity Ganon disappeared, General Link told us everything," Aya replied, "he told us that Princess Zelda had outlawed any talks of the Upheaval and that my mom had to be quiet about being the Sage of Lightning... He also mentioned a... D-Demon King..."
The soldiers gasped in unison. "We do not speak about the Demon King..." Buliara said, "Nor do we speak about the patriarchs that followed after him. They have brought nothing but shame to the Gerudo..."
"Wait, what?" Aya gasped, "Are you telling me the Demon King and the Gerudo are connected somehow?!"
"The Demon King was Gerudo," Buliara said, "he was an evil man who wanted the total conquest of Hyrule..."
"The Imprisoning War..." Aya muttered. "The Imprisoning War has been a secret only kept between the Gerudo until Lady Urbosa mandated it to be kept out," Buliara said, "and his real name is not to be spoken."
"His real name?" Aya asked. "It is because of him that Gerudo males are born every 100 years," Buliara said, "but there is a reason why a male has not been born in the past 100 years."
"What if Calamity Ganon disappeared..." Aya stuttered, "...because the Demon King returned?"
"I hate to think that the Demon King has reappeared," Link's voice echoed inside Aya's head. "Oh, Goddess," Aya gasped, "General Link was right... the Demon King has reappeared... I gotta go and warn them."
"I understand that you have a duty, milady," Buliara said, "after all, your love and loyalty have been sworn to Princess Rhiannon. I know your mother would not have hesitated to pass the mantle of the Sage of Lightning to you... All I ask is that you return to us alive."
"I'll try my best," Aya sighed. "Before you leave, please take this with you," Buliara said, "your chief outfit was just finished this morning."
A Gerudo seamstress walked into the throne room carrying a black top and a long black skirt. Both had golden finishes and traditional Gerudo designs. Aya then turned to see two other Gerudo soldiers walk in with the Gerudo chief headpiece in their hands. "You only wore it once because you refused to wear it," Buliara said, "but I believe there is no better time to wear it than this."
Without hesitation, Aya changed into the chief outfit, adding the headpiece last. She fastened the Scimitar of the Seven and the Daybreaker shield to her skirt. "I am ready," Aya sighed, looking at Divine Beast Vah Naboris in the distance. She then walked towards the stairs that led to the palace. "People of Gerudo Town," she exclaimed, "My duty as chief is to protect and secure our people. My mother and the Chiefs before me have all given up their lives so we can have a future and it is time that I do the same. My loyalty lies with Princess Rhiannon of Hyrule and it is my fate to fight beside her."
She unsheathed the Scimitar of the Seven. "For Lady Urbosa," she said, "our brave Champion that fought to the end. For my mother, Makeela Riju, the Sage of Lightning, who took the mantle of her ancestors in the fight against evil. For Gerudo Town, and for the Kingdom of Hyrule!"
The people of Gerudo Town rejoiced as Aya ran to the exit. "Bring justice to the Gerudo, Lady Aya," Buliara smiled. Aya glanced one last time at Divine Beast Vah Naboris before heading out.
"Oh, Auntie!" Dori walked into the temple. "Dori, you're back!" Paya put down a few scrolls on a shelf, walking towards the door to greet her niece. "So, there are a few things that I want to tell you," Dori chuckled, "Number one, I want you to meet my boyfriend!"
She pulled Daron from the arm gently, presenting him to Paya. "Auntie, this is Daron," Dori giggled, "he used to be Rhiannon's personal guard."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Paya," Daron said nervously. "Second thing," Dori said, "General Link spilled the beans on the whole Upheaval thing–"
"Shh!" Paya shushed her, "Don't say that word out loud! It is forbidden!"
"We already know all about it, Auntie," Dori sighed, "Rhia was taken to the Sky Islands, so Master Link had to tell us the truth."
"Especially now that Calamity Ganon disappeared," Daron added. "So I've heard," Paya sighed gloomily. "One last thing," Dori said, "when the sun sets, we're all heading down to a labyrinth in the Gerudo desert... We might not make it out alive... so I came to say goodbye in case we don't make it..."
"Dori!" Paya gasped, "Don't say that! I don't want to lose you!"
"I know," Dori said, "you're more of a mother to me than my own mother... I don't know what I'd do without you, Aunt Paya."
Paya then pulled her into a tight hug. "May the Goddess be on your side," she whispered, "Young man, promise you won't let Dori get hurt."
"I won't," Daron nodded, "I promise I will bring Dori back without a single scratch."
Up in the Great Sky Island, Rhiannon and Link soared above the island. Rhiannon noticed a large temple with more golden grass and trees. Gently, Link landed the aircraft on one of the smaller islands. "Something tells me we'll find them at the Temple of Time," he said. "Are we going back to the Great Plateau?" Rhiannon asked. "Not that Temple of Time," Link answered, "this Temple of Time."
He pointed at the temple that Rhiannon had spotted. "Whoa... So that's what it is?" the princess gasped. "Mind your step," Link said, taking them by the hand, "I don't want you falling into the abyss again."
He led Rhiannon towards the Temple of Time. When they reached the entrance, they were ambushed by Soldier Constructs. "What are these things?!" Rhiannon asked. "Soldier Constructs," Link answered, unsheathing the Master Sword, "they will attack anything that moves!"
"King Rauru didn't mention that!" Rhiannon exclaimed, reaching for the Starlight Sword. "Be careful," Link said, "they're quite aggressive!"
The Constructs began to circle them, closing in on them. "Halt!" a voice shouted, making the Constructs stop in their tracks. Rhiannon and Link looked up to see Rauru and Sonia's ghosts standing at the entrance of the Temple of Time. "Return to your positions," Rauru commanded, "these are not trespassers, these are our guests."
The Soldier Constructs retreated to their previous positions. "Link, Rhiannon," Rauru called, "we are so glad you are here."
"Rhiannon was the one that wanted to talk to you," Link said, "she wishes to get to know you both better."
Rauru and Sonia exchanged smiles. "Is there anything in particular that you would want to know?" Rauru asked. "I... Um..." Rhiannon stuttered, "...I want to know more about... the Demon King..."
Sonia and Rauru exchanged worried looks. "Is there a specific reason why you desire to know that?" Sonia asked. "I mentioned before that I saw him at the Spring of Power..." Rhiannon answered. "Ganon?" Link asked. "Ganon...dorf..." Rhiannon answered, "I've been thinking that maybe the reason why I encountered him is because he's not fully gone..."
She paused, then continued. "What if the reason Calamity Ganon disappeared is because the Demon King has returned?" Rhiannon asked, "It has to be the only logical explanation! It's too coincidental!"
Rauru then remembered the face he saw in the red beam. He knew Rhiannon was right, but did not have the courage to admit it. "I hate to admit it," he sighed, "but it seems like the Demon King has reappeared... I can feel it. Rhiannon, you might have to face a bigger fight than you thought."
"No," Link interrupted, "this is not her fight. Her fight was with Calamity Ganon. My fight is with the Demon King. It's clear to me that my fight with Ganondorf wasn't efficient... But then again, I'm the only Hero who has lived more than one lifetime... As long as I'm alive, the Demon King is alive too."
"Demise's Curse..." Rhiannon muttered. "I understand, Link," Rauru said, "I know you're going to have to put up a good fight again. Let's hope it's not as hard as the first one."
"Is that why people say you saved Hyrule twice?" Rhiannon asked, "All this time it was the Demon King who you had fought?"
Link made eye contact with the king and queen. "After my wife banned any talks about the Upheaval," he answered, "the Sages refused to let my efforts go unacknowledged. With Zelda's approval, the story of a war between Hylians and monsters took its place. We made up this story that an uptick in monster population caused a siege at Hyrule Castle during its reconstruction, hence why it is mentioned that I've saved her twice... We were just trying to fill in the holes of the Upheaval in Hyrule history."
"You really thought of everything, did you?" Rhiannon crossed their arms. "Your old man always thinks of everything," Link chuckled. "One more thing before we move on," Sonia said, "Rhiannon, the reason I called you was not only because we want to help, but because there is something about you that you do not know yet."
"Which is?" Rhiannon inquired. "I want to pass on to you the role of Sage of Light," Rauru said, "you are my descendant, after all. You have an extraordinary power that has never been seen before. I am more than sure that you are capable of holding the title of Sage of Light."
"M-Me?" Rhiannon gasped, "A-Are you sure? Me as your successor as the Sage of Light?"
"I am more than sure," the Zonai king nodded, "I urge you to take my place. You will inherit my secret stone."
A tear-shaped gem appeared before Rhiannon. They looked over at Link, who nodded pridefully, then looked back up at Rauru. "I'm sorry, I can't," Rhiannon said gloomily, "I don't think I deserve it... I've done things I'm not proud of... I'd only bring shame to your name."
"Rhiannon!" Link gasped. "I just don't feel worth it," Rhiannon explained, "I..."
She sighed, then resumed. "...I've been immature, childish, selfish, stupid... It's because of me that this is all happening... I appreciate the thought, King Rauru, but I have to refuse. Maybe another descendant will be worthy of carrying your title, but not me... I don't deserve it."
They lowered their head. "I just wasted your time, I'm sorry," they said, turning around, "Father, I'm ready to return to the surface."
"Rhiannon!" Sonia called, "Please consider the offer. It would be an honor if you were the next Sage of Light."
"Thanks, Queen Sonia," Rhiannon sighed, "but I've made up my mind... I don't deserve to be the Sage of Light. My mind's not changing."
She then walked away, swimming across the Temple of Time's moat. "I'll talk to her," Link said, "Rhiannon has been doubting herself for a while now, especially after she lost her sight. I'm–"
Rauru then raised his hand, making Link go silent. "Link, I understand," he said, "your daughter has some inner conflicts, and as a father you want to get to the bottom of them, but the least I want is for you to force her to be something she doesn't want to be."
"Rhiannon, just like her mother, still has regrets that haunt her," Sonia added, "I understand if she is hesitating about becoming a Sage, especially if she knows what her mother went through."
"You're right," Link sighed. "Maybe she'll change her mind after this is all over," Rauru finished, "she has too much to worry about."
"Rhiannon has always been like her mother," Link sighed, "Zelda used to stress herself out to the point she would doubt her own abilities. Rhiannon picked up on that too."
Rhiannon observed as Link continued to talk to Sonia and Rauru. She then looked up at the Temple of Time–it looked much different from the Temple of Time in the Great Plateau. "Me? Sage of Light?" she thought, "Sure, let Princess Zelda's shame become a Sage... That's all I've ever been known for..."
"Where the heck are Rhiannon and her father?!" Dori asked upon returning to Hateno Village. "Maybe they already headed to the labyrinth?" Daron guessed. "You two! Stop right there!" a female voice shouted, startling the couple, "Put your hands where I can see them!"
Daron and Dori turned around to see a Sheikah woman dressed elegantly and wearing red glasses. "D-Doctor Purah?!" Dori gasped, "D-Did you age yourself up again?"
"Who are you again?" Purah asked. "Oh, I'm Lady Dori!" she answered, "I'm Princess Rhiannon's best friend and Lady Paya's nie–ahem, protege! And this is my boyfriend, Daron!"
"Hello..." Daron waved awkwardly. "Oh, yes, I remember," Purah nodded, "you were the one that helped me with Linky's recovery."
"L-Linky?" Daron asked. "General Link," Dori muttered. "Why are you two inside the royal residence?" Purah inquired angrily. "We came searching for General Link and Princess Rhiannon," Daron answered, "it's an emergency. We are in the middle of a special mission, but neither seems to be home."
"Doc, have you heard what happened with Calamity Ganon?" Dori asked. "Happened?!" Purah asked, "What could have possibly happened?"
"Calamity Ganon disappeared," Dori answered, "the columns are still up which means there's still a threat around. Also, does the word Upheaval ring a bell to you?!"
"Shh!" Purah shushed her angrily, "That word is strictly forbidden!"
"Not anymore," Dori said, "Ever since Princess Rhiannon was taken to the Sky Islands, General Link told us everything."
"Linky, you bastard!" Purah muttered infuriated, "He broke the one law he was supposed to implement!"
She then turned back to them. "This... Upheaval..." she lied, "...it never happened. You're thinking about the war against monsters–"
"Cut the crap, doctor!" Dori snapped, "There's no use in hiding it anymore."
Purah then fell silent. "Where is Link now?" she asked sternly. "We don't know," Dori answered, "for all we know, he and the princess could be up in the Sky Islands or something."
She looked to the stable to see that Rhoam, Rhiannon's horse, was still in its spot. "Rhia went to the Sky Islands," she thought, "her horse is still here."
"If you see Link, tell him to visit me at the lab," Purah commanded, "we need to talk about this whole thing. It's quite concerning."
"You got it, doc," Dori said as she and Daron lowered their arms. Purah and her assistant then turned around and walked away.
"Tulin!" Zya called. "Zya?" Tulin gasped. "When did you get here?" Zya asked. "The Gerudo Desert Gateway isn't far from Rito Village, surprisingly," Tulin replied, "What about you? Is that armor new?"
"Do you like it?" Zya said as she twirled, "Do you think Rhiannon and Aya will like it?! Anyway, I just had to swim the Hylia River, then swim up the Tamio River, then swim up the Gerudo Canyon River–"
"You swam up the Tamio River?!" Tulin gasped, "As in, you swam up the waterfall?!"
"Indeed!" Zya giggled, "My vertigo is going away!"
"Yo, bros!" Koli approached them, "When did you get here?"
"I just arrived!" Zya answered. "I've been here for about an hour or two," Tulin answered, "I've been talking to people on the stable. Everyone seems to be anxious about what's happening..."
He then eyed Koli's armor. "Huh," he said, "haven't seen the YunoboCo uniform in a while. Didn't he sell the company?"
"Pretty much, yeah," Koli sighed, "but there have been rumors that it's under the control of the Eldin Mafia..."
"That sucks," Tulin sighed. "I thought Rhiannon and her dad would be here by now," Koli said, "where could they be?"
"Dunno," Tulin shrugged, "We're also missing Aya, Dori, and Daron..."
"Should we return to Hateno Village?" Zya suggested, "They might be waiting for us there."
"By the time we head back, it'll already be sundown," Tulin sighed, "I say we stay and wait here."
"Love, I think we should start heading down," Daron said, "it's almost sundown."
"No," Dori said, "I'm not leaving Hateno Village until Rhia returns."
She then ruffled some parchment. "Where is it?!" she muttered, "I know I left it here!"
"What are you looking for?" Daron asked. "Blueprints I stole from Joji," Dori answered, "There was one for a long-distance Ancient weapon that could be helpful for us. But I can't find it!"
He observed as she frantically moved every piece of parchment. "I can't find it!" she sighed, "What am I gonna do?!"
"I'm sure we'll find it eventually," Daron said, "I doubt the general or the princess threw it away. Come on, let's head down."
Dori got up from the desk and followed Daron out of the house. She took him by the hand and both teleported to the Desert Gateway. "Took you both long enough," Tulin sighed. "I was looking for something," Dori answered, "Rhiannon's not here yet?"
"Nope," Zya answered, "Were they not at Hateno Village?"
"No," Daron replied, "I thought they were down here already!"
"Rhia's horse was still in the stable with Smokey," Dori added, "that means they're probably somewhere else, like the Sky Islands."
They all looked up to see the Sky Islands above the Gerudo Canyon. Then, they turned around when they heard noises coming from the desert. "A Gerudo soldier said she saw you guys here," Aya said, stepping off from a sand seal and retrieving the Daybreaker. "Aya!" Zya gasped, "You look lovely!"
"Thanks," Aya chuckled, "It's my chief outfit. Where's Rhiannon?"
All five pointed upwards. "Sky Islands?" Aya asked. "Most likely," Dori answered, "I hope Rhia and General Link hurry up and come back down. The sun's about to set."
Link and Rhiannon then returned to the house in Hateno Village. Both of them had been quiet on the way home. "Listen, Rhiannon," Link spoke, "I don't want you to feel pressured, but you cannot just let this opportunity slide! King Rauru thinks you're worthy of becoming the Sage of Light, why don't you feel the same?"
"You want a simple answer?" Rhiannon replied, "It's all here."
She tossed at him her old diary. "...Your diary?" he gasped. "A record of my stupidity," Rhiannon said, "I had forgotten about most of these things... I was so stupid..."
Link opened the book, skimming through some pages. "Dear diary," he read, "today my mother locked me up in the dungeon. She also called me a menace to society. My father had to bail me out."
He looked back at her. "You were 15 years old," he said, "I remember. You had beaten up a guy who was making fun of Dori. You got so angry you broke his nose and jaw. The castle guards had to hold you back."
"And then, what happened?" Rhiannon crossed her arms, "My mother locked me up like I was a criminal!"
Many years ago
An angered Princess Zelda dragged a 15-year-old Princess Rhiannon by the forearm across Hyrule Castle. "Ow! Mother!" Rhiannon cried, "You're hurting me! Let go! I'm sorry!"
Zelda then took a sharp turn, leading Rhiannon into Lockup. The young princess gasped when she saw where her mother was leading her. At the sight of the first open cell, Zelda threw her in. "What is wrong with you?!" she asked, "Beating up people?! Are you a Moblin?!"
Rhiannon did not reply. "If you want to behave like a monster, I will treat you like a monster!" Zelda exclaimed. "I'm sorry!" Rhiannon sobbed, "I didn't know what got into me! I'll take whatever punishment you'll give me but please don't leave me here!"
"You are a menace to society," Zelda hissed, "The only place anyone will be safe from you is here. Until you correct your behavior, you will stay here."
"No! Mother! Please!" Rhiannon pleaded, "Don't leave me here!"
"Close the cell," Zelda commanded, turning around as a guard locked the cell. She then headed towards the exit. "Mother! Wait!" Rhiannon cried, "Let me out, please! I promise I'll change! Let me out!"
"I'm sorry, my little bird," Zelda thought, trying to ignore Rhiannon's cries, "but you're dangerous even to yourself."
"Princess Zelda," Dori approached her, "please let Rhia go. She was just trying to defend me! That boy was provoking her! She did nothing wrong!"
"Stand back, miss," one of the guards said, pushing Dori away from Zelda, "let the princess through."
"Princess Zelda! Wait! Let me talk to her!" Dori said, failing to reach for the princess, "I gotta tell Master Link..."
She spun on her heel and went outside. As she made her way down Hyrule Castle, she ran into Link and a few other soldiers. "Master Link!" she called. "Dori?" Link responded, "Is everything alright?"
"Princess Zelda locked up Rhia!" Dori said, "Rhiannon was trying to defend me and she got too angry because someone provoked her and–"
"Calm down, Dori," Link said, "we can talk about that later. Now, you're saying Rhiannon is locked up?"
"Yes!" Dori said, "She's at Lockup right now!"
Link then took off with Dori following him. Rhiannon sat at the back of the cell with her head down. "Open the cell!" Link's voice made her look up, "Let Princess Rhiannon go!"
"I have orders from Princess Zelda to not let her go, sir," a guard said. "I am her father!" Link shouted, "I'm also your superior officer! Let her go right this instant! It's an order from your general!"
"Y-Yes, sir!" the guard said nervously. He then unlocked the cell, letting Rhiannon out. "Father!" she threw herself over him, "Thank you! I'm so sorry, I'm so–"
"It's alright, champ," Link said, "now, tell me what happened."
Later that day, Link and Rhiannon reunited with Zelda at the sanctum. "Are you crazy?!" Link asked angrily, "Why would you lock her up as punishment?!"
"Rhiannon has to learn to be less violent," Zelda answered, "she's a menace to everyone including herself!"
"That is no way to treat her!" Link argued, "You treated her like she committed a crime! She was provoked and was standing her ground!"
"She behaves like a monster!" Zelda argued back. "She's our daughter!" Link roared, "How dare you treat our daughter like a monster?! What would your mother say?!"
Zelda then gasped. "Apologize to your daughter," Link commanded, "we can find a way to hold her accountable for her actions, but I want to hear you apologize first."
"Fine," Zelda sighed, "Rhiannon, I apologize. I acknowledge that I did not react the correct way. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me."
"Now, champ," Link said, "what do you have to say?"
"I forgive you, I guess," Rhiannon lowered her head, avoiding eye contact with her mother, "I'm sorry that I reacted in such a rageful manner when I was provoked... I should have walked away... I will take any punishment you decide to give me."
"I understand that you were trying to defend Dori's honor and were provoked," Link said sternly, "but my reports indicate that you beat him to a bloody pulp. You'll be up in your room thinking about what you did for the next 3 weeks. No horse riding, no shield surfing, and no training, am I clear?"
"Yes, father," Rhiannon nodded. The princess then walked towards her room, still avoiding any contact.
Present day
"And that's just one," Rhiannon said, "It's so embarrassing to read what I used to do. Nobody knows me as Princess Rhiannon. Everyone knows me as the renegade princess or Princess Zelda's shame. My friends will take over their parents' mantle but me? People will always remember me as a shame..."
They then sat down on the table, laying their head on their arms. "Nobody will forget that I could've avoided all this," they sobbed, "and I did nothing to stop it when I could... Because I didn't try hard enough... Becoming the Sage of Light would only add a new title to my bad reputation..."
"Which is?" Link asked. "...King Rauru's shame..." Rhiannon answered, "I'm just going to embarrass him... the last of the Zonai and the first king of Hyrule choosing the black sheep of the herd to be his successor... Yeah, right. No one's going to take me seriously."
"Rhiannon Amatola Hyrule," Link shook his head, "you disappoint me..."
He then slammed his hands on the table. "I did not raise a quitter!" he shouted, "I raised a soldier! A fighter!"
"Can you not start?" Rhiannon groaned. "I raised a strong and courageous daughter," Link said, "I raised you to go beyond any expectation and smash it! I raised you to be a better soldier than I ever was! Do you think I would be here if I listened to what others think of me?! Before anyone called me General Link or even Champion Link, you know what they called me? A brick wall. My own father disowned me and called me a disgrace. And Hylia, don't get me started on all the crap Revali made me go through!"
He paused momentarily. "King Rauru wants you to be his successor not only because you're his descendant," Link continued, "but because he knows that you're worthy. He saw something in you that you can't see in yourself, yet here you are, questioning if you even deserve it. If anyone in this world deserves it, it is you. It's time you stop doubting yourself and leave the past in the past. I believe in you, champ."
Rhiannon then began weeping loudly. "I'm sorry," they said. "No need to apologize, champ," Link said, pulling them into a hug, "I hate it when you tear yourself down. I know you'll be a great Sage of Light."
The princess held on to him tightly before breaking apart. "We should head down now," Link said, "Come on, let's go."
As the sun went down, Link and Rhiannon traveled to the Gerudo Desert Gateway via shrine. "Oh, they're here!" Zya exclaimed. "What took you guys so long?" Dori asked. "I had to do some stuff up in the Sky Island," Rhiannon answered, "Long story."
"Well, it's time," Link sighed, "everyone ready?"
"Yes," the gang said nervously. "Yes, what?" Link crossed his arms. "Sir, yes, sir!" the RhiGang shouted. Link smiled with pride. "Alright, then," he said, "forward!"
The group then marched forward toward the Gerudo Desert and then turned eastward. "The South Lomei Labyrinth is up ahead!" Link said, "Remember, it'll get cold once it's night! Be prepared!"
"Yes, sir!" the gang nodded. "General!" Aya called, "I know this desert better than anyone. What if we run into a Molduga?"
"We fight it," Link answered, "we are not giving up."
Rhiannon looked to see some Gerudo ruins and saw something moving underneath the sand. "Um, father?" she asked. Before Rhiannon could continue, Link spotted the same thing. "Keep moving," he answered, "but move slowly. Moldugas are extremely sensitive and can feel any vibrations on the ground."
Nervously, the RhiGang continued walking. "Hey, Tulin?" Zya asked, "What exactly can you do as the Sage of Wind?"
"When I was younger, I developed a special ability," Tulin answered, "I was able to create my own wind gusts! My ancestor called to me and gave me my secret stone and I became the Sage of Wind, pretty much."
The others around gasped in awe. Link then stopped abruptly. Making the rest of the gang stop as well. "The entrance to the labyrinth is in the back," he said, "we have to go up this road."
The gang saw a few Guardian Stalkers walking up and down the road. Each Stalker had a Yiga spy by its side. "What a nightmare," Dori sighed, "the Yiga getting a hold of the Guardians."
"I mean, it's Sheikah technology after all," Rhiannon said. "Yiga members don't even deserve to call themselves Sheikah," Dori crossed her arms, "they're traitors to our tribe. Therefore, they shouldn't be even using our technology!"
"How are we going to get past them?" Aya asked. "Leave it to me," Tulin said. He took flight and drew out the Great Eagle Bow. In his head, he began counting the number of Guardians. "I gotta be careful," he thought, "Dad, Champion Revali, lead my arrows to their targets, please."
He loaded three arrows at once and hit the first set of Guardians–the machines would explode and would take the spy with them. He repeated the process three more times until the road was clear. "Road's clear," Link said, "let's move forward!"
The gang followed Link up the valley as Tulin continued clearing the area off Guardians. However, he was losing visibility as it got darker. "General!" he called, "I cleared the road as much as I could! I'm losing visibility."
"You did well, captain," Link smiled, "we can handle anything from here."
"Whoa," Rhiannon said, "this place is bigger than I thought!"
The group walked to the entrance of the labyrinth. "Are these also Zonai ruins, general?" Dori asked. "No doubt," Link sighed. "Why would the Zonai build a labyrinth in the middle of the desert?" Aya inquired. "Each labyrinth in Hyrule is a test," Link answered, "the ancient Zonai wanted to test challengers in mind, body, and strength. There's a Sheikah shrine in the middle and a Zonai shrine in the sky labyrinth."
Everyone looked up to see a massive squared structure floating above them. "Ah, so that's what it is," Aya said. "Let's go," Rhiannon said, "There's way too many options and there's eight of us. We gotta split: Zya, you'll go with Aya. Tulin, you'll go with Koli. Daron, you'll go with my father. And Dori, you're coming with me."
"Aya, let's get moving!" Zya said, taking Aya by the wrist. "I'll be your eyes in the darkness, brother!" Koli said, picking Tulin up and heading into the lab. They headed in the opposite direction of Aya and Zya. "Be careful in there, dear," Dori said, giving Daron a soft peck on the kiss. "I'll meet you in there, champ," Link smiled, "be careful, okay?"
"I will," Rhiannon said, pulling him into a hug, "be careful too, okay?"
"Don't worry about me," Link chuckled, "now, go. We're losing time."
Rhiannon and Dori went one way while Link and Daron went in the opposite direction. As soon as Rhiannon and Dori took the first turn, they were ambushed by Yiga spies. "What the hell are you doing here?!" one of the spies asked. "We could ask the same thing!" Rhiannon and Dori said at once, drawing out their weapons. "Where's the entrance?!" Rhiannon shouted. "You'll have to kill me to get the answer!" the Yiga spy said. "You're all filthy rats!" Dori exclaimed as she swayed her Ancient battle axe towards the second spy. On the other side of the wall, Zya and Aya ran down a corridor when they stopped abruptly. Two blademasters appeared before them. "Going somewhere, ladies?" one of them laughed. "Let us through!" Zya commanded, "Or else–"
"Or else, what?" the other one chuckled. "We won't hesitate to fight!" Aya shouted as she and Zya reached for their weapons. Across the labyrinth, Koli ran down the corridor as two blademasters ran behind him. He was carrying Tulin on his shoulder. "Come back here, big guy!" one of the blademasters shouted. "Hang on, brother!" Koli said as he saw a corner turning ahead, "I'm gonna lose them!"
He took a sharp left turn, making the blademasters run directly into the wall. After running into a dead end, he turned right. As he ran down another corridor, Tulin saw a gap in the wall that caught his attention but Koli was running so fast he only got a quick glimpse. "Wait! Koli!" he said, "Turn around!"
Koli turned his head slightly to see the two blademasters running behind him. "No can do!" he said. He turned left once more, running into a dead end. "Give up," one of the blademasters said, "there's nowhere to run!"
Before they could attack, Tulin drew out the Great Eagle Bow and shot an arrow at the same blademaster, shooting him directly in the chest. The other blademaster then charged towards them; with his free hand, Koli drew out the Boulder Breaker and bludgeoned the blademaster. His blood ran down the walls as Koli repeatedly attacked him with the heavy claymore. "Go back the way we came from," Tulin said, "I think I found the entrance."
Lastly, Link and Daron walked down a corridor on the opposite side of the labyrinth. They could hear the struggles of their friends echoing from different directions. "Thread carefully," Link commanded, "sounds like the others were ambushed."
When they turned a corner, Link spotted a moving speck of malice. "Crap!" he whispered, pulling Daron back into the corner. "What's wrong, sir?" Daron asked. Link peeked over the corner to see a Gloom Spawn. "Were the Yiga trying to ambush us?" Daron inquired nervously. "No, worse than that," Link answered, "listen, Daron. If you see a moving puddle of malice, turn around and run away."
"Moving puddle of malice?" Daron gasped. "They're called Gloom Spawns," Link explained, "they haven't been seen since the Upheaval. If you come in contact with them, they'll take your life force until you're nothing but a cold corpse."
"You mean, like that thing?" Daron stuttered, pointing at the Gloom Spawn just inches from them. "Stand back!" Link shouted, "Don't let it touch you!"
One of the Gloom Spawn's hands tried to reach for Daron, missing him by less than an inch. He stared in horror into the screeching malice eye on the spawn's palm. On the other side of the labyrinth, Rhiannon and Dori had finished off the Yiga spies when they heard a loud screech–they looked up to see that the skies had turned red but the moon was still silver. "What's happening? What's that noise?" Dori asked. Rhiannon recognized the screech from the Gloom Spawn they had seen by Kolomo Lake. "Stay back! Back!" Link's voice echoed. "My father!" Rhiannon gasped, running back to the exit. Across the labyrinth, Zya and Aya also finished the blademasters. Despite being the furthest into the maze, they could hear Link and Daron's struggles. "Is that General Link?!" Zya asked as they both noticed how the skies turned red. "We'll find out," Aya said as she took off, "come on!"
Meanwhile, Tulin and Koli found the gap in the wall. They looked up to see a staircase. "I think we found the entrance," Tulin said. Koli walked up the staircase, still carrying the Rito captain on his shoulder. He stopped abruptly when he heard the loud screeches as well as Link and Daron's straining and grunting. Through what seemed like a barrier, Koli and Tulin spotted the two Hylian soldiers fighting the Gloom Spawn. "Holy rock roast!" Koli gasped, "Just what in Hylia's sake is that thing?!"
"It's a Gloom Spawn!" Tulin said, "Remember when General Link mentioned them during the meeting?"
"That's what that thing is?!" Koli gasped, "What are we gonna do?!"
"General!" Tulin called through the barrier, "Do you require assistance?"
"No!" Link shouted, "I have it under control!"
"Father!" Rhiannon called. She and Dori ran down the hall when they were joined by Aya and Zya. "What in Sheik's love is that?!" Dori gasped in horror. "Is that one of the Gloom Spawns that General Link told us about?" Aya asked. Rhiannon was the first one to jump into action, slashing one of the hands. Zya and Aya followed shortly. Dori hesitated momentarily, then jumped into action. "Stay here," Koli said, "I'm gonna go help 'em out!"
He then went back down the staircase and back to the entrance, heading to the battle. There was one last gloom hand to defeat. "Take this, jerkface!" Koli shouted, swinging the Boulder Breaker at the hand until it was defeated. "I-Is it defeated?" Zya asked. "No," Link sighed, "there's more..."
"More?!" The gang gasped. A tall, terrifying, Gerudo-like figure emerged from the gloom. "What the hell is that?!" Dori asked. "It calls itself Phantom Ganon," Link answered, "Be careful! It's extremely hostile!"
The Phantom Ganon attacked Link with a long sharp sword. He dodged the attack by mere inches, blocking a second attack with the Master Sword. "Leave my father alone, bastard!" Rhiannon shouted, swinging the Starlight Sword at the phantom. The Phantom Ganon was not phased by Rhiannon's attack–it kept targeting and attacking Link. "A Phantom Ganon has spawned," Tulin muttered, "I gotta do something to help!"
"Why is it only attacking the general?!" Daron asked, "We've attacked it left and right but it is completely fixated on General Link!"
"It doesn't matter!" Rhiannon said, "My father can't do this alone!"
The gang continued attacking the phantom even though it would not stop attacking Link. At last, Link delivered the final blow when he slashed the Phantom Ganon with his sword. "Is everyone okay?" Tulin asked. "We're fine!" Rhiannon answered, "How did you even get in there?"
"I think I found the entrance to this thing," Tulin replied, "Koli will lead you here!"
"Follow me!" Koli said enthusiastically. He led them back the way he came from until they found the gap. "Tulin? Are you here?" Rhiannon called. "Over here," Tulin said, "I'm surprised that Gloom Spawn injured nobody! Been a while since I last saw one."
"We gotta be careful," Link said, "we might get ambushed again."
He led the RhiGang into yet another staircase. This one was darker and the steps were made out of wood and rocks. "I'm more worried about these steps," Aya said, taking Zya's and Rhiannon's hands. Link's arm began to glow, illuminating the darkness ahead. With every step they took, the wooden staircase would make a creaking sound. "I'll be surprised if we make it down in one piece," Dori said, "It feels like this thing's gonna break."
Just as predicted, one of the steps ahead fell off the wall and into the abyss. "Watch your step," Link commanded. "How deep is this thing?" Rhiannon asked. "It makes me nervous," Aya sighed, "if it's that deep down, then that Beast must be very big."
Suddenly, another step broke, making Link fall into the darkness. "Dad!" Rhiannon gasped. "General!" the others gasped as well. "I'm alright!" Link said, "We're at the bottom now!"
"Huh?" the gang gasped, jumping down the gap. "So, my guess is that it is not very deep, after all," Zya said. They then looked up to see a dimly lit hallway with torches on the wall. "This place might have traps," Link said, "Thread carefully and stay alert."
He then led the RhiGang down the hall, taking one of the torches off the wall and using a fire arrow to increase the flame. "More Zonai ruins..." Rhiannon said, "I never thought this could be here."
"There is very little information on what this maze used to be," Link said, "we just know it was a test of courage."
"I forgot my mother got rid of everything related to the Zonai," Rhiannon rolled her eyes. "Actually, she didn't," Link said, "It's all archived somewhere. She banned talking about the Upheaval but not about the Zonai."
"So, why didn't you tell me about King Rauru and Queen Sonia?" Rhiannon asked, "How come no one knew the first King of Hyrule was Zonai?"
"Nobody knew, even before the Upheaval," Link said, "before the Calamity, your mother managed to track down her lineage back to the very first king of Hyrule. Only his name was known, but there were no records of who he was or even of what he did, aside from founding Hyrule, of course. His only title was Rauru I."
"I understand Princess Zelda wanted to move on from what she witnessed," Dori sighed, "but there is so much rich history that she sealed away!"
Suddenly, Link felt an acute sharp jolt of pain in his right shoulder. The gang looked down to see he had been pierced by an arrow. "Father!" Rhiannon exclaimed, "We're being ambushed!"
Before they knew it, they were surrounded by a group of Yiga spies. Some of them were holding bows, and some of them were holding their sickles. "Inform the witch that Princess Rhiannon and her group have found our hideout," a blademaster told a spy. The spy in question then disappeared into thin air.
Across Hyrule, the spy appeared in a dark hallway inside Hyrule Castle. He walked down the hall and stopped abruptly at a door. He could hear wood creaking loudly. Shyly, the spy knocked on the large wooden door—the creaking suddenly stopped. The door opened; Ratna appeared at the door, wearing a black tunic with Gerudo designs that was way too oversized for her small, skinny body. "Can I help you?" she asked, "I'm in the middle of something. That something is my honeymoon."
"Princess Rhiannon just found the Beast," the spy said; Ratna's eyes widened in anger, "We have surrounded her and her team."
"We'll be there in a second," Ratna hissed, slamming the door behind her. "What the hell was that?" Ganondorf asked, emerging from nearly-ripped red sheets. "Rhiannon just found the Beast of Destruction," Ratna answered at once, "I'm not letting her take away another victory from me."
"Get dressed," Ganondorf commanded, "If there is a moment to get rid of Rhiannon and Link, it is right now."
"You don't have to tell me twice, master," Ratna smirked, "and after we're done with them, we can resume, right?"
"Sure," Ganondorf answered, "now, let's go."
"We're surrounded!" Rhiannon exclaimed, "What do we do?"
"What else can we do?" Dori answered, "We'll fight until we can't!"
"There's too many of them!" Aya added, "I'll be surprised if we make it out in one piece!"
"Well, well, well," Ratna chuckled, "if it isn't Princess Rhiannon and her band of nepotism babies."
Rhiannon looked up to see the witch up on a higher platform. "Sick outfit," Rhiannon said sarcastically, "it really suits a witch like you."
"Do you like it?" Ratna giggled, "It's my wedding dress!"
"Wedding?" Dori scolded, "Who would ever want to marry a psycho like you?"
"I feel sorry for the person who decides to spend their life with someone like you," Zya added. "You'd be surprised!" Ratna giggled, "Anyway, I'm not just dressed up because I recently got married. I'm dressed to see you and all of Hyrule fall! We'll surely enjoy seeing you die!"
"We?" Rhiannon asked. "The Yiga Clan won't be the only ones witnessing your downfall," Ratna answered. The gang gasped when a tall, intimidating, evil-looking Gerudo male walked out of the shadows. "No way!" Dori gasped. "Is that...?" Zya stuttered. "He's alive..." Link muttered in horror, "...Ganondorf..."
"That's the Demon King?!" Aya gasped. "Why is it not surprising to me that you'd ally with the Demon King!" Rhiannon shouted. "Don't be silly!" Ratna laughed, "I'm not just allied to him! I'm his wife now!"
The RhiGang gasped in unison again. "I guess that makes me the Demon Queen!" the witch laughed even louder. "Drop the jokes and get started," Ganondorf said sternly. "I'm coming!" Ratna said, "Anyway, hope you have a good Judgement Day! Start the Beast!"
Bright lights came on, illuminating the place. Rhiannon and the others could hear machinery whirring, which reminded them of the Divine Beasts. "We're inside the Beast!" Dori said. "Quickly!" Link commanded, "We have to find a way out! Once we're out, we'll find a way to destroy it!"
Ratna noticed that there was no action happening. "Why is it taking so long?!" she asked. "The Beast has to charge up," a Yiga spy answered, "it's barely at 10%."
"10%?!" Ratna gasped, "What do you mean it's at 10%?"
"I don't know!" the Yiga spy answered, "I didn't design this thing!"
"Joji, you bastard," Ratna muttered angrily. "How long will it take to charge?" Ganondorf asked, "I need Hyrule to be destroyed before the Blood Moon tomorrow night."
"I! Don't! Know!" the Yiga spy exclaimed angrily before being strangled to death by one of Ratna's malice tentacles. "We should give Joji a little visit," she said.
It was past midnight on Eventide Island. Joji crawled through the sand after having caught a live crab. He then impaled it on a wooden stick and held it over a bonfire. Before he could finish roasting the crab, his fire went out. "Oh, come on!" he groaned. As he reached for a piece of flint, he noticed a slim and dark figure in front of him. "Hey there, Joji," Ratna grinned, "we came here to have a talk."
"Huh? We?" Joji asked. He gasped when he felt a brute force lift him up in the air. "New friend?" he asked when he came face to face with Ganondorf. "My husband, actually," Ratna answered. "Oh!" Joji chuckled nervously, "Is that you, Lord Ganon?"
Ganondorf then violently slammed him against the ground. "You never stop failing me, don't you, Joji?" he hissed. "Yep, that's Lord Ganon, no doubt..." Joji groaned. "A slow-charging weapon?!" Ratna roared, "We need Hyrule reduced to ashes quickly! The thing's barely at 10% of its power! How much longer is it going to take for it to be at 100%?!"
"...maybe up to 36 hours..." Joji answered faintly. "You incompetent piece of shit!" Ratna shouted, "There is a Blood Moon in less than 24 hours and you think we have 36 hours?!"
"In case you're wondering," Joji said, "there is no way to make it power up faster."
"Even if there was, it doesn't matter!" Ratna thundered, "We're sacrificing Princess Zelda, maybe her blood will power the Beast."
"I asked for one simple thing and you failed," Ganondorf said, "I told you what would happen if you failed me once more."
"P-P-Please have mercy on me, Lord Ganon!" Joji pleaded, "Take me to the Beast and I'll power it up myself!"
"I will not give you another chance!" Ganondorf exclaimed, "You have a price to pay!"
"You can't kill me!" Joji said, "Princess Rhiannon kept me alive to live while suffering!"
"Princess Rhiannon is Princess Rhiannon," Ratna said, "you had one job to do and you couldn't do it. Now, say goodbye."
"No, please!" Joji cried, "Have mercy!"