The Picori Plight

Chap. XIX | Gharabha, Son of Ganondorf

Romulus hesitated for a bit longer to wait if Link had anymore to say. Seconds passed and it didn't seem so. The rustle-rustle of leaves could be heard from behind. Romulus quickly veered his head to his backside and caught one of the Gerudo warriors slink forward. His hair was uneven and fell down to his shoulders. His demeanor was quite jagged and he walked with an apparent limp. Numerous cuts were upon his face and chest area. Volumes of blood rolled down from these wounds and upon the forest grounds. He gritted his teeth and growled through his teeth, "You caused this you Hylian scum! The least you could've down was help me but he just ran past me! I'll gut you like the filthy fish you are!"

The Gerudo rose his spear above him in two hands. "Prepare to die!" he taunted as he launched toward Romulus. 

Romulus, quick to act, rolled off to left. Abashed and stunned, the Gerudo stood frozen in place for several moments. With the chance to strike, Romulus, both hands wielding his blade, leaped behind the warrior and sent his blade into the Gerudo's torso. The sword tore through his backside and burst out from his torso. A gurgled scream erupted out from the man's strained vocals. Romulus pulled the sword out of the man and he collapsed to the ground where he bled to death in a heap.

After sheathing his sword,  Romulus crouched down and meandered over to the man's arms; grabbing a hold of them, he pulled him over to into the green scenery of the forest. Romulus noticed a rosebush grown off to the side of him and continued to pull without restraint upon the man's arms until he was completely hidden behind the bush.

To Romulus's surprise, the man opened but stared on dazed upon him. Opening conversation, he sputtered out: "Our t-tribe w-will kill you. T-They will d-do it."

Romulus scrunched his nose up in distaste and meandered back into the clearing. The Gerudo patrols continued their safeguardment upon the bridges connecting the huts together. They displayed no indication of the realization of what he just done. No raising of the arms, yelling, or no quick trip over to see what'd occurred. 

Good to see they don't know what happened. It perhaps could've worked in our favor but it's fine.

Romulus peered over to the far side of the forest's edge where he could someone's head pop up in the bushes. The hair was a grayish blonde shade and it reached down to the individual's shoulders. The individual himself pulled a bow nestled upon their back and readied a notched arrow into placement upon the bow. 

It must be Rutho! He was the one that acquired it from me!

Romulus scurried back into the forest and decided to walk westward. The thick branches and foliage currently added an element of camouflage for him. He gazed back at Rutho who sat in silence behind overgrowing shrubbery. Rutho himself looked around for his comrades as he veered his head off to the left and right several times. Romulus, noticing this, stood to full stature and waved a hand to Rutho. He tilted his head in response and stood up to maintain a full view of where Romulus stood himself. 

Meanwhile, Link waited upon his own friends. He shook his head in impatience and began to whistle a tune. A tune shared to him by his long-lost mother. A tune also known to him as 'Lost Woods'. He whistled the tune for several seconds before a shrill voice called into his mind. 

"DO YOU THINK YOU CAN STOP ME, BOY?!" a voice taunted whilst his piercing eerily wounded his hearing. 

Link, in response, unsheathed the Master Sword from out of its scabbard and readied his shield as he adjusted it to chest height. He looked to the sky and stepped back into the forest's foliage. 

"Who is that?" Link called out telepathically. "Vaati?! Is that you?!"

"Hyahahahaha!" the voice laughed with hints of delighted frenzy. "Address as my full title- Demon Lord Vaati! Sadly Ghirahim was always a joke. What a narcissistic joke. He may've been my friend but that doesn't mean I can't criticize him for his stupidity."