Bard of the Wild: Chapter 28

CLANG 

My sword lashes out, parrying the swing of the large armored figure. The sheer weight behind its blow is surprising, nearly knocking me off my feet. 

Linkle is there in an instant, master sword stabbing out towards the armors' face, it slips through the visor, thudding against the back of the helmet. 

"Kyaa!" 

The armor falls apart. 

"..." 

"Huh. That was the second time that 'I parry, you stab it in the face' trick worked. We might have to use that more often." I slowly look to my companions. "Anyways I don't want to hurt the armor anymore. That was cute." 

An oppressive feeling descends upon us, causing me to pause and look around. 

A ghostly figure floats up through the floor, causing me to flinch. 

She has long blonde hair... looking to be quite young. Her eyes are black like coal, lips turned down into a frown as she glares pointedly at us. She looks quite enraged, a line of white on her cheek that seems to leak her very essence for a moment before it seals. 

She wears a wispy pink dress and has four feather-like little accessories in her hair just above her ears. 

Her voice echoes out as she growls. "WHY HAVE YOU COME HERE?!" 

She looks to be barely restraining herself from lashing out. From- I assume- animating all of these armors to kill us. 

"Oh? That's... an old language..." I hear Purah mutter as something inside me seems to click. 

"A great calamity has befallen on the kingdom of Hyrule." I quickly cut in, causing the specter's eyes to slide to me. She still looks greatly displeased, but no longer preparing to attack us. "We are looking for something... anything to help us beat it." 

"Through seeking a method to defeat your threat... you will release an even greater threat out into the world?" 

"To be fair..." I begin quietly. "The Sheikah have advanced far beyond what they've used to. Creating weapons that can reshape entire landscapes. Controlling the elements themselves. Even with all that power... they lost against this new threat. We thought that with our current strength we might be able to defeat this older evil and reclaim the Triforce of Wisdom." 

"Foolish." The ghost hisses. "I know not how you managed to best the guardian... but... that was made to keep simple tomb raiders like yourselves out! To prevent you all from breaking the seal! It was never a matter of SLAYING the beast, they just couldn't! Its healing capabilities were too strong. Enhanced by the triforce of wisdom." 

"What if we already had a tri-force piece as well?" 

"..." 

"Courage... did not help." The ghost shakes her head sadly. "Only through its power were we able to seal the beast... but even it was incapable of striking it down." 

"What about knowledge?" I ask causing the specter to blink. "The Triforce of Knowledge." 

"What?" A whisper leaves her lips, causing Purah to raise her hand, the three upside-down triangles flickering to life on the back of her hand. 

The ghost floats downwards, staring into the triforce piece, seemingly trying to determine what she is looking at.  

"Impossible..." She whispers. "There were only supposed to be three... and yet... there's a new set?" 

"What is your name? What is this place?" I ask after a moment, causing the girl to turn and face me. 

"What's your history!" Purah grins, a glint in her eye. 

"My story is... mundane..." The girl admits after a long moment. "My name is Styla Hyrule... Princess of the kingdom of Hyrule. Most of my life... well... it doesn't matter... not anymore... it has been so long... I've forgotten what it's like to be... a person..." 

"And this." She gestures around. "Is the Nocturn Evernight Prison... otherwise known as... the shadow temple. As for its purpose?" 

The spectre floats above us, her lips turned downwards as she sadly gazes across the flat and boring walls of the room. "It's my prison." 

"What do you mean?" I question. "Why? Why imprison yourself?" 

"My body... is no longer my own." The girl admits. "It was taken from me and is now being controlled by a specter... a dark spirit. Malladus. The demon king. Only through the power of a great hero with the triforce of courage and three blades of great power were we able to seal my body away... locked in time forevermore." 

Her eyes flick to our weapons. "You may possess similar blades... but I doubt even you would be able to defeat this... creature my body became." 

"Compared to what we have been facing..." I admit quietly. "It honestly might not be that much stronger. We've defeated beast after beast. Creature of malice after creature of malice. We need to defeat Calamity Ganon before Princess Zelda's power runs out. She is the only thing holding it at bay and we have dawdled long enough." 

"Calamity... Ganon?" The ghostly girl echoes, a frown tugging at her lips. "That... sounds familiar." 

"Familiar?" I question. "Saria. Do you know this girl? No... you knew nothing about the tri-forces and it was common knowledge to her. So she couldn't have come after you... which means that Calamity Ganon appeared a... third time? Predating even you." 

The green haired girl's eyes widen slightly. 

I look back to the ghost girl who seems to be thinking. "The Demon King... Ganondorf." 

""Wait what?"" Purah and I blink. 

I slowly turn to look at Purah as she meets my gaze. "That's not good." 

"I feel like I'm missing some things here." Linkle sighs. 

"Demon King Ganondorf." I repeat, turning towards Linkle and making sure to speak the more 'modern' language. 

"FUCK." The girl growls. 

"The dark spirit Maladus... was one of this demon king's original creations if what I can remember is correct." Styla admits. "At least... that's what the legends said about the beast locked within the statue before it broke out. As for the deamon king... that's just a legend. Although... I suppose the same could be said about the spirit within the statue." 

"So. Calamity Ganon is just power leaking out of some supposed demon king sealed under hyrule castle." I sigh. "Fun." 

"BUT. Allow me to counter-offer you, Ghost Girl. Calamity Ganon and this Maladus come from the same source, sooooo, who's to say which is actually stronger? We might be able to handle it now. Calamity Ganon created a bunch of vestiges of its power similar to how this 'Gannondorf' did and we killed one with that same exact move we just did on you. In one swift swipe and stab. Surely we could at the very least check with the Triforce of Knowledge if we have a chance... because gaining access to this... healing power from your triforce. That would certainly make our journey smoother." I clasp my hands together with a small smile, idly hoping and praying that my ranks in diplomacy manage to pull through. 

"That... is a fair point warrior. What is your name?" The ghostly princess asks. 

"I am Aurum. This is Linkle, Purah, Saria, and Impa." I introduce our little raiding party. "Can you take us to the room? Purah just needs to look over something to get a vague idea on if we have a chance or not. We promise not to touch anything." 

The ghost floats down to my level, staring into my eyes briefly. 

She turns, looking over her shoulder. "Follow me." 

I turn to the others and give them a little thumbs up and a smile. 

I re-sheathe my sword as we begin walking. We go through the chamber of armors, then into a room that... can only be described as 'locked in time' 

A massive bubble-like barrier is in the center of the room, pieces of paper hang in the air, arcs of electricity trapped in time remain static. 

I can see a man in the process of being burnt alive. Forevermore locked with blue-ish flames on his body. 

At the center of that chaos, between three swords- one of which I'm fairly certain is the Wind Waker Master Sword- is a girl with long blonde hair in a dirty ripped dress, she's a perfect copy of the ghost in front of us, her eyes closed as if she's in a serene sleep. 

Five feet off the ground while t-posing, energy crackling around her, but sleep nonetheless. 

"Well. Can we take it?" I look to Purah who is looking around the room stroking her chin.  

She is silent for a long moment. "It's... possible." 

"Wait... what?" The ghost seems genuinely caught off guard. "You're telling me the kingdom destroying threat of my day is something you can take care of with a wave of your hands?! Just what IS Calamity Ganon if it is forcing you all to rush around hyrule before fighting it?!" 

"Well, technically it beat them one hundred years ago and the princess has just been keeping it sealed for the past one hundred years. Calamity Ganon is... well... think a massive purple boar ghost the size of a castle... made out of poison gas." I rotate my wrist. 

"The size of... Hyrule castle?" The ghost squeaks. 

"Roughly." Purah notes. 

"So. How do we beat this thing, Purah?" I steeple my hands in front of my face. 

She seems to be thinking deeply. 

"It's magical abilities are roughly on par with Saria and her Sacred Stone... the tri-force is arguably the largest threat, granting extremely powerful barrier and healing magics. We might be able to get it out of Styla here if Saria manages to imprison it in vines." 

"Do not try and save me. I have come to terms with my death." Style interjects. "If slaying me gives you even a single percent greater chance of slaying this monster... do not hesitate for even a second." 

"I don't know how to feel about that." I weakly protest. "You've... done nothing to us. You've spent so long protecting Hyrule. So much of your life has been wasted. You never got to live. It feels just... wrong to kill you." 

"That is as touching as it is Naive." The ghost girl frowns. 

"And, well, the princess of this generation, Zelda... she has nobody else left." I continue. "You're her last living family member, even if you're over ten thousand years old. I want her to be happy as well." 

The ghost stares for a long moment as I turn. "Purah, the Tri-Force appears on the back of the hand, right? Would it stop working if we just like... cut it off?" 

"Yes?" The woman tilts her head. "Hrm... that could... work... the second it loses access to the triforce of knowledge it'll be far easier to take down, Styla here might even be able to force it out of her body in that moment of weakness. You do have the sealing magic that your family is known for, right?" 

"I do... but it has been some time since I have used it. I will... I'll try. For you. And for all of Hyrule." The girl confirms.  

"The barrier will go down as soon as any of those swords are pulled out." Purah gestures forwards. "We need to prepare the battlefield before that. As long as the runes between those swords are untouched we can do pretty much whatever we want to the room." 

"Out of the three, which of them are the strongest? So we pull that one out and use it in the fight if needed?" I question. 

"They are all relatively equal, but the one closest to us right now has a slight edge over the rest." The white haired scientist answers. 

"How strong is it?" Impa asks causing Linkle to nod. 

"Yeah, how does it compare to that thing in Vah Ruta?" The hero questions. 

"Oh, it's far stronger than that." Purah notes. "The master sword you hold now is technically stronger than everything down there so it appears we have a slight edge over what they had in the past. Then there's our technology. And the Sacred Stone." 

"Wait! We have a second sacred stone!" I suddenly gasp. "Styla, can you use this?" 

I hold out the tomoe-shaped piece of jade-like crystal, the spirit stares down at me and reaches out. 

Her hand passes through the stone. 

"No." 

"Oh... right... ghost..." I frown, shoulders slumping. 

"Good attempt, Aurum." Purah huffs. "It would have made this easier." 

"Now, Saria, follow me. I'll show you where to grow some plants." Purah slowly walks away. 

"..." I watch the two wander off, then look to Linkle and Purah. 

"Sooo... uh... should we just sit around?" 

"This will probably take a while, so Aurum, Linkle, you'll probably need to activate your mask's effect again." Purah calls over her shoulder. 

I look around slowly before walking over to a nearby wall and taking a seat. "Man... I kind of wish I had the foresight to bring like... a book or something." 

Linkle sits next to me. "Maybe next time we're in a town or something we can grab one." 

[Split] 

Pov: Elsewhere. 

She... 

She doesn't know how much longer she can do this. 

So much evil. 

So much power. 

A girl with long blonde hair in a white robe sweats, her hands shaking as she struggles against the sheer weight smashing up against the barrier she had placed around a strange mutated creature, some mechanical, some seemingly organic or made of some horrid purple miasma. 

She doesn't know how long she has been like this. 

It's... endless. The torent of anger and rage. 

Its- 

Where... 

"Where are you Linkle." The girl whispers. 

Her vision grows hazy. "Ahn! Fuah! Harder! Harder! Aurum! Break me! Break my pussy. Paint my womb white with cum!" 

"Eh?" Princess Zelda blinks twice. 

"GROOOOOAAAAAAH!" 

She flinches back, cringing as the Calamity smashes into the barrier her creation, a growl leaving her lips. "N-NO! I won't let you- leave!" 

If that was a vision of what Linkle was doing right now... She's going to have some explaining to do once this is over. Just... goofing off- and possibly getting pregnant- while her best friend is fighting for her life over here. 

[Split] 

Linkle is practically glowing, the ghost girl is floating behind us giving Linkle and I an unreadable look. 

I have no way of proving that she watched us, but judging by her slightly flustered face- as flustered as a ghost could be I suppose- I have a pretty good idea that she did. 

I mean, it's only fair that she gets to watch, we kind of used her room for it. 

"So... are we ready?" I ask slowly. 

"As ready as we could possibly be." Purah nods. "Cast any magic you need right now before Impa pulls that sword out." 

"Extend..." I whisper as a trail of spectral swords follow the path of my blade. The spell is mirrored through Linkle's Master Sword as she stands about ten feet behind me. "Extend... Haste!" 

"Ready! Do it now my spells will only last two minutes." I call out. 

Shhink 

"AAAAAGHHHHH!" The burning man screams as he falls back, the cursed flames eating him alive in mere moments. 

Numerous clones split from my body as I spend ever last drop of Ki I have left, four copies of me are created, three darting forwards at high speeds while the last hangs back pulling out the Hyrule Aria and inspiring courage for us all. 

I hang back for just a moment, allowing them a little distance as our opponent's eyes snap open allowing me to take in her full appearance. 

Dark circles frame her eyes, her hair is messy and frazzled, skin pale, the eyes themselves... oh they are downright horrifying, looking as if two eyes of sauron gazing out into the world. Fiery, slitted pupils, with dark reddish sclera. 

The girl raises a hand, a triangle flashing brightly on her hand and creating a barrier... one that cracks as my three clones stab forwards with their weapons, trails of light streaming down the edges and hammering the barrier with magic. 

As they draw their swords back to slash again, I activate bladed dash. 

An arrow of light shoots from the barrier, nearly piercing the head of one of my clones but he parries it to the side. 

I reach the barrier first, my enhanced speed allowing me to barely break through, creating a gap just large enough... 

Linkle blurs past me, entering the dome the demon had created. Its eyes lock onto her but its too late. Her sword swings through the air- 

CLANG 

And strikes a barrier, shattering it, sending sharp shards into the demon-possessed girl, but not severing the arm like we had planned. 

Numerous tendrils of shadow rise from behind the girl, wrapping around her arms, legs, and neck.  

Linkle slowly raises her crossbow in her offhand. 

BSEEEEEEW 

A blue laser streaks from it, using the single moment Styla's body is restrained to shoot an ancient arrow at her point-blank. 

It punches through a hasty barrier, losing quite a lot of its force, but... 

It does the job.  

A small hand flips through the air, severed at the forearm. 

A shriek leaves the girl as it thrashes, it's genuinely unsettling, the scream of a girl in pain but also some sort of massive beast that has been enraged Linkle darts backwards, getting out of the way of a back-handed swipe that is followed by a surge of magical energy. 

In that moment, the ghostly form of Styla slams into her possessed body and all is silent for about five seconds. 

Blood spews from the girl's mouth as a massive burst of energy spews from her back. It looks as if the ghostly figure tore itself from her body injuring her greatly. 

'SHIT!' 

I slide to a halt beside the girl as she falls, the mass of energy coalescing on the other side of the room, dropping onto four powerful legs. 

Healing magic pours over the girl as her shaky, uneven breaths become more uniform and calmer. 

She looks up at the creature forming in the middle of the room, gritting her teeth, pained gasps leaving her lips as her eyes water. 

The creature- which is now fully formed despite the beams of light from numerous massive sunflowers and the explosions from my clone's using my bardic power to conjure thunder- looks... well... if I had to describe it, I'd say 'Behemoth' from Final Fantasy. 

A massive horned cat bipedal thing with blue skin and a muscly body like some sort of cyclops or ogre. 

It lets out a roar as numerous ancient bombs explode over it, a wave of magma strikes it in the chest and causes it to stagger backwards. 

It trips and falls backwards as vines explode from the floor and grab onto its ankles, the stone torn to pieces from Purah's earlier remodeling and allowing Saria easy access to the dirt below. 

My clones all dart forwards as I help the girl to her feet, she still looks woozy despite the fact I just spent two 'Cure Serious Wounds' spells on her. 

She shakily raises her remaining hand, a pale white light forming in front of her fingers. 

I turn and quickly rush forwards, flanked by Linkle after she had run out of shock arrows to pelt the beast with. 

Its skin is scorched, the shafts of arrows stick out of its back like it's some sort of porcupine, vines curl around its body, and its sides are skewered by my clones. 

With one final surge of magic, I and Linkle rush forwards, slipping under and over the swing of a large reptilian tail. 

The master sword plunges into Malladus' back, causing it to let out a roar of pain as I hop and slash at the back of its thigh, the trail of spectral swords carving deep gashes as the demon moves. 

Linkle drags her weapon upwards, cutting through the shoulder of the beast with a spray of purplish blood. 

Two quiet booms echo out as its eyes are shot by Purah. 

White chains coil around its body as I leap up, bounding off the creature's knee as I climb upwards, the tip of my weapon just barely cutting it across the chest as I land on its shoulder, ensuring that the following weapon echoes cut it deeply. 

I take my sword in both hands, looking towards Linkle on the other side. 

With a single slash we both swing downwards. 

My sword gets caught on the bone, but Linkle's swing manages to cut through a majority of the neck. 

CRACK 

The surging energies crackling along our swords slice downwards, I can feel the bone crack and pop, Linkle's sword reaching it on the other side. 

The entire monster is surrounded in a white glow as with a jerk, we barely manage to sever its head. 

It begins falling downwards, body turning into mist. 

SCREAAAAAH! 

The mist is collected into a ball as Linkle and I fall downwards. 

She hops off one of Saria's thorny vines while I use one of my clones as a platform. 

The four copies of me fade as I land with a crouch, Linkle coming to a stop just beside me. 

"I... WILL NOT LET YOU LIVE, MALADUS!" I can hear the blonde past princess roar, her fist clenching as the light intensifies, becoming near blinding. 

There's a violent screech from the trapped beast that grows quieter and quieter. The light from the girl erasing the remains of Maladus completely. 

She stands there, heaving breaths leaving her mouth, blood dripping from her severed arm. 

She sways on her feet as I move forwards, making use of the last few moments of my haste to come to a stop beside her. 

I manage to catch her before she hits the floor. 'ah shit.' 

I hold out a hand, my first level spells quickly lowering as I try and stifle the bleeding from her injured arm. 

By the time I've run out, I managed, but the girl is still unconscious. 

"..." 

A quest has been completed! 

Darkest Wisdom: 
You are on the trail of one of the Triforce Pieces. The Triforce of Wisdom. It appears that something truly vile was sealed in a hidden prison centuries ago. What could have happened? Why has the Triforce of Wisdom, something that predominantly resides in the hands of the Princess here of all places?! There is only one way to find out. 

Objective: 
Find the hidden passageway within the Sheikah Storage Vault: [x] 
Fully Explore the Nocturn Evernight Prison: [ ] 
Defeat the Tormented Guardian, Congo Bongo to gain access to the innermost parts of the Prison: [ ] 
Defeat the Phantom Princess, Styla: [x] 
Slay Malladus The Demonic Behemoth: [x] 
Reclaim The Triforce of Wisdom: [x] 

Bonus Objective: 
Save Princess Styla: [x] 

Rewards: 20000 Exp, +2 to your Wisdom Stat, One Third Party Bard spell of any level you can currently cast added to your spell list, One Item worth up to 30,000 Gp 

Bonus Reward: 
5000 Exp, Styla Route Unlocked, One Item worth up to 20,000 Gp 

And... that's a level up. 

But Level eleven doesn't actually give me that much honestly. 

Sure, I can cast one additional level three and four spell, plus I know one more fourth level spell, but that's about it, really. 

Also... 'Styla route unlocked'? Really? 

Okay, whatever, I was kind of planning on it anyways.  

"Well..." I breath out, looking between my companions as I make use of my additional third level spell to cure some more of Styla's injuries. "What now? Do we take the triforce of wisdom? Give it back to her? Uh..." 

"Slight issue with that." Purah calls out, holding- holding Styla's hand.  

"What?" 

"It's gone." 

"..." 

"What?" Linkle squeaks. 

"But. This is actually a good thing." The sheikah scientist presses on. 

"How so?" Impa frowns, crossing her arms, eyes slightly narrowed. 

"I believe that it has bought us more time." Purah smiles.