Legend of Zelda: Relics of Stone

Chapter 12 - First Glimpse

Vaati reappeared back at Hyrule Castle on the floor, gagging and choking as he weakly clawed at the chain around his throat. His vision blurred and started to darken from lack of air as he tried to see where he was.

The wind mage had appeared into the dining hall of Hyrule Castle right at the foot of the throne. Everything else he saw was a blur of black, grey, and white from the windows. A pair of white boots with diamond cutouts stepped in front of him as he wheezed, struggling for air.

     "Well isn't this just a dilemma," Ghirahim's familiar voice chuckled.

     "Ghira...Ghirahim...h-help me..." the choking wind mage pleaded as he reached a shaky purple hand out to the demon lord. He could feel himself slowly slipping away from the living world.

     "Oh...alright. I can't let my reincarnate die," the demon lord grinned as he reached down and tapped the chain with his pale bony hands, which loosened up at the touch. Vaati gasped for air, greedily taking gulps and filling his lungs for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. The wind mage groaned as he laid on the ground weakly, refilling his lungs with air and struggling to not cough from the trauma.

"You have no idea how much trouble you're in, my friend. The boss isn't very happy with you and Volga," Ghirahim said, his voice turning serious. Vaati weakly pushed himself into a sitting position, readjusting the chain around his throat as he glared up at Ghirahim.

     "I swear...it wasn't my idea..." he rasped out, coughing.

     "No matter. I don't make the decisions. Come along now," Ghirahim said in a sing song tone, turning around and strolling off towards a side door. Vaati internally whimpered as he pushed himself to his feet. Feeling ill to his stomach with worry for what was to happen to him he followed Ghirahim.

Vaati let his thoughts wander for the remainder of his all too short walk. Would Volga be alright? Would Link be able to help him? Or would Link end up slaying his best friend once more? These thoughts bothered the wind mage. He had waited a thousand years plus for Link to awaken and help them, as had Volga. All their patience would be for naught if the Hero was too blinded by trying to do the right thing and ended up killing them.

     Ghirahim and Vaati turned into a large room, the throne room of Hyrule castle. Down the center of the room laid a lush, violet and gold trimmed carpet. The pillars that held the roof in place were modeled to look like statues of the difference species of the land of Hyrule. Koroks, Zora, Gorons, Rito, Hylians, and even the four goddesses were some of the statues that made up the pillars. At the end of the carpet sat a throne shrouded in darkness, a figure sitting upon it and a figure standing next to it. Their features weren't visible, the only thing definite about the figure upon the throne were a pair of red glowing irises which shone through the darkness and stared deep into Vaati's soul. That's how it felt to the poor wind mage.

"Vaati," he spoke, his voice glitching and shifting but having an alarming likeness to Link's voice.

"Y-yes, sir?" Vaati stuttered, subconsciously kneeling down at the foot of the throne in a bow.

"You've been quite troublesome to me...sneaking out with your draconic friend and trying to corrupt my plans. I've been easy on you, but you've simply gone too far this time, wind mage," the shrouded figure spoke, who gave a dark chuckle.

"S-sir, I-I can explain-" Vaati said in an attempt to defend himself. The shrouded figure silenced him with a wave of his hand.

     "I saw everything, Vaati. No need to explain," the figure with Link's voice said simply, the red pair of eyes shifting upwards slightly as he raised his head. Vaati gulped as he felt his face drain of color.