The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule's Hope

Chapter 50: The Reawakening, Part 3

WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS GRAPHIC DEPICTIONS OF VIOLENCE. THIS CHAPTER ALSO CONTAINS POSSIBLE TEARS OF THE KINGDOM SPOILERS!!

"Wh-Who's there?!" Rhiannon shouted, "Show yourself!"

Her hands were shaking and her heart was racing. "You made it!" Avel's voice startled Rhiannon. "Avel!" Rhiannon gasped, "Good gods! You have to stop doing that!"

"I'm very relieved that you were able to make it here!" Avel smiled, taking off his Yiga mask, "Ganondorf was furious that you escaped."

"Figures," Rhiannon sighed, "Is he still looking for me?"

"I don't know," Avel answered. "I think he found me," Rhiannon said, her voice trembling, "I heard him roar... I need to get out of here... But I have to go back and find something inside the vault..."

"I have an idea," Avel said, "As part of the Yiga Clan, we can shapeshift into whatever person we have in mind. I can disguise myself as you and distract Ganondorf while you enter the vault."

"Okay, what about Ratna?" Rhiannon asked, "She can read your mind. She'll know you're not me."

"You are right," Avel sighed, "Ratna is hard to pass by..."

"I can do this alone," Rhiannon said, "I just have to wait until the Master Sword's energy replenishes..."

"I will keep an eye out on those two," Avel said, "I'll let you know if anything happens before you return to the castle."

He then disappeared. Rhiannon took a seat on a wooden stool, looking at her still-bleeding wound. Near the beds, she noticed what seemed like bandages, so she wrapped one around her thigh to stop the bleeding–the blood stained through the bandage. When she began climbing the ladder, the hatch above her opened on its own, making her stop in her tracks. "Rhiannon!" Zelda exclaimed. "M-Mother?!" Rhiannon gasped, "How did you get here?"

"This young man brought me here!" Zelda answered. Avel appeared next to her. "I figured you would need some support," he smiled, "it was hard to convince your mother to come."

"I never imagined I would have to trust a Yiga Clan member..." Zelda sighed, pulling Rhiannon out, "Oh, goodness! Are you okay?!"

She looked down to see Rhiannon's blood-soaked bandaging. "Had a little accident..." Rhiannon chuckled nervously. "I knew letting you come alone was a bad idea," Zelda said, "I am taking you home."

"No, wait!" Rhiannon said, "I have to head to Korok Forest! The Master Sword is waiting for me!"

Zelda froze in her tracks. She noticed Rhiannon was missing the Master Sword. "It ran out of energy," Rhiannon said, "it told me to shatter it. Ganondorf was after it."

"Why would he–" Zelda stopped mid-sentence, "Oh, dear..."

Rhiannon noticed the horrified expression on their mother's face. "M-Mother?" they asked. "Without the Master Sword, Hyrule is defenseless..." Zelda answered, "During his imprisonment, King Rauru warned Ganondorf that a hero with a sacred blade would appear to stop him... Years later, the Master Sword was created and passed down to every hero to stop his reincarnations... He knows that the Master Sword is the only thing strong enough to stop him..."

"Princess Rhiannon, Princess Zelda," Avel interrupted, "if you are both heading to the Great Hyrule Forest, I suggest you take off now. It's getting late. I'll track down any spies that could be stationed on the way there, just say the word and I will eliminate them."

Rhiannon and Zelda exchanged looks, then nodded. "You have our permission," Rhiannon said, "eliminate any potential danger."

"With pleasure, Your Highnesses," Avel nodded. Rhiannon and Zelda then took off in the direction of the Great Hyrule Forest.