Royal Rebel 4 ~ The Return

Chapter 34: Water and Fire; Vah Ruta

The Zora army clashed with the monsters scattered across Ternio Trail from the South, while the Goron army attacked from the North. My father and Ellet headed further up the path and had Azu and I split up to find a way to enter Vah Ruta near Cephla Lake. The Divine Beast hadn’t yet been taken over by Ganon’s forces, which was good news according to my father. It meant we weren’t too late, at least for now. 

“Ida!” I heard Azu call out as I was fighting the Black Moblin that was on my path. “Watch out!” The moblin’s sword clashed with my shield, and I glanced over at the Sheikah in the air as I held the monster off. He had a blue light at the edge of his fingertips, and fire surrounding his hand. I used all my strength to push the moblin back, and then I leaped and flipped backwards to get out of the way when Azu sent his firebomb to the ground. 

It took out all the bokoblins in the area, but only weakened the moblin. It marched out of the smoke and back towards me, and I waited for it to attack so I could parry. Doing so gave me an opening, and I lunged forward and stabbed it in the chest, finishing the job. 

Azu headed off down the path again, and I followed with my sword ready for more monsters. Up ahead, I saw another explosion, and I saw ice spike balls fly a short distance before breaking into frost and shards. Must’ve been wizzrobes. 

“Princess! There’s an outpost up ahead!” A zora captain ahead of me pointed down the path to a tall wooden fence and gate, and other soldiers banded together near him after defeating some of the Bokoblins. “Would you like us to go ahead and clear it?” 

“I’ll take care of it. Go touch base with the Goron soldiers at the west bases.” I told them, and they nodded and headed back towards the west end of the trail. I hurried ahead to reach the outpost and heard screeches from even more bokoblins. I stopped once I reached the gate, and as I was getting ready to attack, I saw Zari slicing through the crowd. “Zari!” 

“Idalia! Mind helping me with these guys?” She asked, and I smiled and gave her a firm nod before slashing at the little gremlins that came towards me. A larger bokoblin came towards her once we had gotten rid of most of the little ones, and she blocked its attack with her silver longsword. She pushed it away from herself and gave me the chance to kill it, freeing the outpost. 

“Let’s keep going. I’m sure my dad is somewhere ahead.” We kept moving forward, slaying each monster that got in our way. Azu kept flying up the path to clear as much as he could for us, and to also find out where Ellet was, since he followed my dad up into the North to take out the outposts in that direction. 

We continued up the path and I eventually spotted my dad standing on the edge of a metal platform with Robbie at his side, examining the situation with Vah Ruta below. 

“Dad!” I called out once we reached the top of the hill, and both him and the Sheikah researcher whirled around once they saw me. “How does it look? Are we able to get in yet?” I joined his side along with Zari, and we both looked down in shock at the malice swamp surrounding the Divine Beast. 

“There isn’t any way for us to get in with that Malice Swamp there. However...” Robbie glanced down at the Sheikah Slate, which revealed the paths we had and needed to take to reach each Champion. “If the three of you can find a way to get rid of the malice that blocks only the entrance to the lake, you may just be able to get in.” He zoomed in and pointed to two spots that connected to the pools of Malice surrounding Ruta. “These may be sources, but I can’t be entirely sure.” 

“The only way to find out is to go check. Zari, go find Ellet and Azu and bring them back here. Idalia, you’re coming with me to find a way to get rid of that malice.” We agreed to his plan as Robbie handed him the Sheikah Slate.” Let’s go!” My father and I started running up the trail while Zari headed back down to find the boys. We’d need all hands on deck if we were going to rescue Sidon and Yunobo.