QOTD (sent in by UnknownCharactre ♥):
Why did you decide to read this story?
►lol it's kinda egotistical of author-chan to ask this //shot
so? well??? *flips hair*
•
"This is ironic, isn't it?" [Name] commented, admiring the ornate portraits of Hyrule's previous monarchs scattered across the crumbling walls. Zelda hummed, following the red-eyed girl's line of vision.
"How so?"
"Shouldn't the Sheikah be the one saving the princess?"
"Oh..." Zelda's face darkened, guilt nibbling at her conscience. "No, I owe you this and more. It's my ancestors' fault your kind has gone nearly extinct."
[Name]'s breath hitched.
"No, it's not..." she soothed, but not even she herself knew what had happened to the other members of her tribe. Even Auru - the wise mentor who had the privilege of mentoring the princess herself - had little information regarding the subject.
Zelda sighed. "I can't leave the premises. Just continue on from here; you'll make it outside. Remain cautious, though. I'm certain you'll encounter at least a few monsters."
[Name] stopped walking, staring ahead at the castle's exit. She furrowed her brows. "And the barrier..?"
"Doesn't reach that far." The brunette nodded reassuringly. "Oh, and, take this."
From inside her cloak, she pulled out a narrow longsword. [Name] recognized it as her own, which was lost when Ghirahim plucked it out of her grasp hours ago. Back when she thought they were going to the past together. . .
She accepted the weapon, deciding against explaining that it was rightfully hers anyway. She then began walking toward the castle's exit.
"It's regrettable I can't go with you," Zelda called. "Please, tell whoever you can that I'm alright. Best of luck!"
"Same for you, Zelda!"
Normally the princess would have corrected anyone who'd refer to her without proper honorifics. But for now, she let it slide. After all — for the time being, her title as monarch no longer existed.
*le timeskip*
Din dammit, my leg's stuck -- HOLY GODDESSES WHAT IS THAT?? No... You know what? This is cool. Everything's cool...
[Name] strode through the castle (after removing her leg from a crevice she had stepped into), eyes alert and focused on any little thing that moved. Of course she'd come back; she wasn't about to just leave Ghirahim here. As insolent and violent as he was. He said he never loved her yet he came back and freed her of her bindings. For that, she wanted an explanation.
Wait, what if he didn't, and you're just making up excuses to see him again?
Shut up, me.
Okay ;-;
This castle made her head all fuzzy.
"Wouldn't it be awkward to run into Zelda again, aha..." She chuckled to herself, snapping her head to the side when she caught sight of a tapestry, gently moving in the breeze. She sighed. "Very awkward..."
Her sword was tucked safely in her sheath, resting against her hip. So far, she hadn't run into any enemies. So far.
But she made sure not to jinx that. She wasn't in the mood to deal with ---
"Oh?" A voice called out. Hnngh.
"...No," [Name] answered, squeezing her eyes shut. Her head tipped downward, before she spun around to face whoever had spoken to her. Her brows furrowed upon meeting the large chameleon helm belonging to Zant, unsheathing her sword.
"There seems to be a loose mouse scurrying around," he continued, stepping toward her. She tensed, fingers wrapping tighter around her weapon. He... giggled? Did she hear him right? It was a cutesy-type chuckle, like a young child's.
But the eerie giggle faded into the air, leaving her to ponder if she actually heard that or if she was just hearing things.
"Put that thing away," he muttered. "It reeks of him."
"Of Ghira?" [Name]'s eyes flicked upward, genuine interest coursing through her. It somehow irritated Zant that she - subconsciously, mind you - gave a nickname to the Demon Lord. Masked behind his headgear, his eyes narrowed.
"Who else?" he snarled.
[Name]'s lips flattened, attention faltering for just a moment. Her appearance remained determined but her eyes drifted away, studying the embellishments of his armor. His hand reached up, fingers brushing against her cheek.
"But this leaves us to ourselves..."
"BWA!" Too startled to piece together coherent sentences, [Name] babbled whatever infantile gibberish rolled off her tongue first. She backed away from the Twili King — far, far away. "You're a pedo like him!!" she accused.
"NO!" He shouted. That alarmed her, too; this time because of the shrill volume of his tone. "No," he whispered now, softly now. Her nose twitched. Of course she had decided to back into a corner, and Zant was now closing the distance between them.
She darted to the side, attempting to rush past him. But he caught her by the dominant arm, pulling her toward him. "I let you escape twice," he stated. His fingers were like ice against her warm, slightly charred wrist. It was relieving in some uncanny way but still sent shivers down her spine. "There won't be a third time."
"Sure there will," [Name] offered a snide smile, passing her sword to the other hand and jabbing it into his side. It wasn't hard enough to pierce his skin but still threw him off balance. He released her in order to catch his footing, and in that second she bolted away.
I hate this castle, she grumbled to herself, jumping over piles of debris. When she made it up spiraling staircases and twisting corridors, she realized she was close to the throne room.
A sudden surge of confidence fueled her actions. She swung open the heavy double doors, staring up at the center of the vast room.
As cocky as ever, the Gerudo King smirked from his place atop the throne.
"You're rather troublesome. Much like this fool," he motioned to Demise's sword. Her heart ached at thought. Ghirahim was fighting hard for an escape.
"Are you that desperate for my attention?" he sneered.
"Why are all of you so fucking lewd?!" she blurted out, body twinging with fury. She immediately regretted her words; she had to remember the King was able to dominate a Demon Lord with thousands of years of experience. What could he do to a simple human?
Respect yourself, ugly, [Name] thought, reminding herself that she was a trained warrior. Her fears couldn't erase that fact.
"Lewd?" A deep chuckle left his throat. It was a discordant, husky noise. Her jaw clenched. "You've no right to speak to your king that way."
He stood up, striding down the staircase. From behind her, [Name] heard two darknuts shuffle around, guarding the exit. She didn't move from her stance. Her eyes glared into Ganondorf's, though internally her emotions were a wreck.
What am I doing?? Run, idiot! I obviously don't stand a chance against him — whoa, he smells like musk — and . . . and I can't get over that smell, though, damn. Ugh...
He halted feet away from her, reaching a hand out. She straightened her blade, expecting the poisonous shadow again. But that never came. Instead, it was a bright light. Phantom ball? she wondered.
Her feet were firmly planted to the ground; it felt as though she couldn't move them. She tried to run but they wouldn't budge, and a new flurry of panic erupted within her. Her eyes flicked down to her boots, one mistake that would have gotten her killed if—
"Ah—!"
Ganondorf had hurled the ball of light, aiming for the young Sheikah. But that scream was not her own, nor his. Her gaze snapped up again, to find a cloaked figure collapse.
Zelda.
"I told you to go..." the princess murmured, voice laced with venom. Whether that was directed at her or at Ganon, [Name] didn't know. Whatever spell was keeping her immobile was lifted, but she restrained herself from rushing to Zelda's side. "Don't make this sacrifice meaningless..."
"I'm...sorry," [Name] choked out, before she sprinted up to the throne. She wished to make her farewell more meaningful but her mind was clouded with one thing now: Ghirahim. She couldn't even fully comprehend the fact that her royal princess was just murdered before her eyes. Or the fact that she could have healed her. But time was limited with the Gerudo King involved.
She grabbed Demise's blade, and was shocked at how the power within seemed to wrap around her body. It certainly helped boost her morale.
At the moment Ganondorf was busy cackling, still in front of Zelda's body. Which gave [Name] the chance to dash ahead, approaching the two darknuts. It only took one clean horizontal slash to knock both to the ground.
As she dashed away, her eyes were wide open. With Ghirahim inside, the blade's capacity was incredible.
He... was still inside, right?
Stupid anxious self, she dismissed. As she traveled down cracked stairs and avoided ruins of shattered statues, the exit Zelda was speaking of earlier came into view.
"We're safe," she breathed out, making it outside.
For now.
•
a/n
this unintentionally turned into an almost exact copy of ghira's meeting with demise
whoaoaoaoa
RUSHED CHAPTER IS RUSHED BLEGH
idk bout u but im tired of these chapters w/o ghira
where is he ;-;