Puppet of Malus
Agahnim panted, coughing up a small amount of water. His mouth tasted heavy with iron. He must have cut his mouth open on the fall. Looking back up, he could barely hear the screeching of the monster so high on the mountain top of where he jumped. He was in a group of twenty-two when they left the country of Malus. They knew it wouldn’t be easy, but they never expected the death that awaited in the mountains. The country seemed to be created by the Devil himself to keep the Mortuus inside. The mountains that surrounded Malus were incredibly high and rocky, and, to their lethal unknowing, full of predators. The group was picked off quickly as they ran and fought to the border. Once they reached it, the surviving members found themselves at a cliff side with a sheer drop, and a river below. It was a leap of faith for all those that took it. Agahnim knew this was destiny. He had a mission after all the carry out. Hopefully, some of the others survived, as it would certainly make the tasks of the future more bearable.
Walking down the river side that fed out of Labrymma, the Mortuus flinched seeing a body float unmoving down the river. He didn’t need necromancy to know they were dead. It was then Agahnim heard coughing around the bend of the beach. “Hello! Did anyone else make it!?”
The Mortuus discovered two other survivors. Norgus and Mahen. They looked absolutely exhausted.
"If you call surviving that monstrosity 'making it', then yes, I suppose I did."
"I think the river saved us."
"It was either the water or that thing back there, and I made the decision for you."
"Yeah, by pushing me first into the water, thanks a lot."
"You wouldn't have jumped, you pansy."
"Well that's three of us so far..." Agahnim saw someone trying to swim in the water. Holy hell, it was Dio. The man watched his companion barely pull herself from the river, her arm torn apart in chunks from the fall, having to crawl to the beach.
"H-help me... out of the water."
Pulling Dio out of the water, Norgus and Mahem were soaking wet. Everyone in the group was exhausted but the mission came first. Looking at Agahnim, the two were at a loss for what to do. This was definitely not going as planned.
Dio panted, and cursed looking at her arm. "Someone... get me a corpse from the water or a wild animal."
Agahnim saw the corpse he witnessed floating down the river finally rest on shore. Going over to drag the body over, he saw it was Migal. Poor bastard had his torso cut apart by the rocks from the fall. When he finished dragging the body, Dio used blood magic to heal her arm by tearing the flesh from Migal to heal her own arm. It was an incredibly painful process, her red eyes glowing from using the magic, and her flesh forcibly being sewed together. "Frakalamos Diakanolo… Agahnim. This is all we have left. It's just the four of us."
"I know."
"Do you even think we'll be able to make it to Hyrule?" Norgus asked Agahnim. "We've had so many setbacks thus far. Not to mention, do you even think this queen of magic will help us?"
"Our people have never had to deal with these Lorleidians before, not to mention, Hylians or Gerudos."
"We've never had to deal with anyone before. We live in hell and no one even knows it. We all sacrificed much to get here. Think about this. We are most likely the first Mortuus to successfully escape the country in ages. You put your faith in me before, so I ask for you to keep it now. They most likely won't willingly help us, but we are survivors. Our magic is incredibly powerful, enough to even convince a Queen of Light to help us. I promise you; we will succeed in our mission. All of our companions’ deaths won't be in vain. We will do a great service in the name of Malus that which has never been seen before."
Dio looked blankly at Agahnim, before looking to Norgus and Mahem. "Alright Agahnim… I'm behind you. How about you two? Any regrets?"
"No, no regrets at all. We have to do this to prevent evil from spreading."
"Whatever the sacrifice, whatever is necessary, we'll do so."
"We'll follow you wherever you go, Agahnim."
"I just hope we'll have luck with this new queen. I've heard her king is something fierce."
"Not to mention, she's sure to have bodyguards."
"We need to plan how to get close."
"We'll do some reconnaissance. However..." Agahnim took a breath of fresh air, already seeing the future play out perfectly for him. "I believe we have the tools we'll need when we arrive in Hyurle. Now pick yourselves up. We have a long walk to Hyrule."
~
Klinge was not in the mood for this. Grabbing a mace, he swatted Ba'Puu on the nose rather aggressively. "I don't care if you consider yourself a war hero now. You don't get to eat out of the rations. You want fish? Then fly to the ocean. This food is for the people you damn lizard."
"It didn't have this 'peoples' name on it." Ba'puu snorted at Klinge, and then simply snatched the mace out of the undead's hand and tossed it aside, clanging into brick wall of the courtyard. "Besides, Mama said I could have all the fish I wanted."
"Ba'puu... we talked about this." Zarazu sighed as she heard Klinge and her dragon arguing. "I said you could have all the fish that I gave you. These were set aside for the citizens."
"Well, this pest here could have told me that."
"... you can read, Ba'puu."
"... I forgot."
"Ba'puu, my scaley baby, please don't eat the fish rations here, all right?" Zarazu scratched his snout and then kissed it. "Would you be a good boy and go to the ocean to fish for more? To replace the ones you ate?"
"If the pest apologizes for hitting me with a mace."
"You hit him with a mace?!" Zarazu huffed at Klinge. "I talked to you about that too!"
"Leave us child, just like your mother told you." Klinge pointed an arm out for Ba'puu to leave. Turning his attention to Zarazu, Klinge was rather relaxed in his response. "He can handle worse. He has the skin for it."
"Hmph. The only reason you're still here is because my Mama, for whatever odd reason, likes you." Ba'puu grumbled as he took off in the direction of the ocean. "You better be nice to her."
Once Ba'puu began his flight, Zarazu then turned her attention to Klinge. "That still doesn't mean you can hit him with a mace." The queen poked her finger against Klinge's armor. "He might be a stubborn and clingy dragon, but he's my dragon."
"If he's your child, I must wonder how effective of a mother you were with the lack of manners he has." Klinge rested his back against the wall, content to have a long drawn out debate on the woman's parenting skills if need be. War made him restless, and willing to take any conflict for the next year or so, be it fighting to the death or a verbal argument.
"Excuse me?" Zarazu narrowed her eyes at Klinge, and crossed her arms, standing on her tiptoes to look right through his helmet's slit. That comment made her feel highly insulted. "I did a very fine job, thank you very much! I raised Zolori, Zizi, and Ba'puu, all while working to put food in their bellies!" She shook a finger at his face. "You have no room to talk if you've never raised kids! Much less a baby dragon with no help!"
"I helped raise Gerudo children just fine, until they were massacred. I would have raised my own child fine, if she wasn't taken from me. In fact, I helped raise the royal family where I could." Klinge said the words so matter a fact, it came across as utterly chilling. "No, no, no. You should have been stricter with him, sterner. Now he's grown up to be a little shit disturber quite frankly..."
"Oh, and you think you did such a good job raising them?" Zarazu shot back. "Allowing them to get hurt and one to get kidnapped and other to be so ashamed of being homosexual, he left the damn kingdom?! At least Ba'puu knows he's loved and he's not terrified of me!"
Zarazu could suddenly feel death daggers shot down at her, especially when Klinge slowly grabbed her by the arms, and gently leaned down to her. "Don't. You ever. Ever say that to me again you little witch. Or I will have a reason to look the other way the next time the newest threat to Hyrule comes demanding your blood. You don’t get to tell me how I handled the royal family’s safety." Letting his threat sink in, Klinge gave her a shove against the chest to get out of his way as he walked out her presence as quickly as he could without breaking into a jog.
"Or what?! You'd fight me again and lose your other arm?!" Zarazu challenged angrily, not appreciating the fact that Klinge had grabbed her in such a way. More than anything, she hated being threatened in such a manner. Lately, Klinge had been doing just about anything to pick a fight. Well, he certainly was going to get one. "You'd go against your queen?! Figures, since you still hate Zelda's guts. You can't let go of the past, and you certainly can't look toward the future!" She shouted after him, ice forming underneath her feet. "If you ever touch Ba'puu again or threaten me, I'll find you a deep a grave to rot in!!!"
Klinge clenched his metallic fist, doing everything he could to not throw a punch. "Like the graves of the countless civilians you couldn't save from Vul'kar? Go cool off before you say something your blabbering mouth regrets."
"At least I saved my people!!!" Zarazu growled bitterly. "The Lorleidians are still here!" She spun on her heel and tromped toward the ocean. The sea spires would help her gather her thoughts. Maybe Ba'puu would even take her for a flight later... gosh, being queen was difficult.
Zarazu felt a rock hit her in the back of the head. "Be grateful you still have a people that are not only still thriving, but also not hunted down by others, you spoiled little witch!" Klinge was going to lose it, he could feel the hate rising up. The rock was the least amount of damage he was going to do, but it made him expel just enough energy. Going down the one of the intact hallways, Klinge looked furiously at the family portrait Ganondorf had made of him and his children. They won what should be their final war of their lives, yet he was still angry. People still pushed him to anger. Things were never going to get easier. Why the hell did Klinge EVER consider he could have friends, let alone with someone like her. Covarog probably begged Zarazu to be kind to him in the hospital. What a fool he was to opening up to her about his past. "Never again..."
"KISS VUL'KAR'S ASS!!!"
It was later in the day that Ba'puu found his adoptive mother at the sea spires. He always knew where to find her if there was something on her mind. Landing on the rock, he curled around Zarazu and nuzzled her. There was negativity in her mind and a sense of feeling lost. "Mama?" Ba'puu told her. "I replaced the fish I ate. I'm sorry if I made you upset."
"No, Ba'puu, you didn't upset me." Zarazu sighed, running a hand down her face. "Klinge did. I've been trying my absolute best to get along with him, but at every turn, it seems like he wants to pick a fight with me. I lost my temper with him and said some things I shouldn't have said."
"Everyone does that at some point."
"I know... but I want to be a good queen."
"You are a good queen. Everyone knows that Vul'kar wasn't your fault."
"Then why don't I feel that way?"
Ganondorf was tending to one of his old tridents, when he saw Klinge aggressively clawing at the armour plating on his arm.
"Commander. What's the matter?"
"Excuse me sire?"
"Oh come now, I know that habit of yours."
Klinge shook his head in defeat. He couldn't hide anything from Ganondorf. "It's Zarazu. The woman is maddening. I merely wished to discuss her parenting skills over her childish dragon, when she called me out on my failures over my protection of your own children, as well as my failure to save our people."
"Hmmm, and this upsets you?"
"Yes."
"Not because you can simply kill her like any other fool who'd dare say those things to us."
"No... because I thought she was friend."
"Do you want me to speak to Covarog about your altercation?"
"... no. You don't need to do that."
"Is there anything else on your mind?"
"Why isn't it I feel like we'll ever have peace?"
Ganondorf looked up from shining his trident. "Us... or you?"
At that, Klinge didn't answer. "I'm going to make a report to your son about reconstruction..."
"Very well, take care commander..."
~
"Considering you had no parents, I think you did all right raising Zizi and Zolori." Covarog sat in his shared bedchamber with Zarazu as she combed his long hair. "Ba'puu is... well..."
"I know, I know, Ba'puu is clingy, stubborn, childish, and a headache to you and everyone else, isn't he?" Zarazu huffed as she continued to work on the tangles. "He's such a pain, he should stay out of the way and just let everyone hit him in the nose with a mace."
"... you're very touchy when it comes to Ba'puu."
"Yes, I am."
"Why?"
"... because he doesn't have anyone else but me."
"He has your sisters, doesn't he?"
"It's... it's different, Covarog." Zarazu sighed, putting aside the brush and started to braid. "Dragons only bond with one human in their entire lifetime. Once I'm gone, Ba'puu... he..." The queen's shoulders slumped. "He won't be the same. I've seen what happens to dragons without their humans."
"Did you really need to argue with Klinge though?"
"Ugh, Klinge has been looking for a fight every single damn day!" Zarazu groaned aloud in exasperation.
"Did you know he was criticizing my handwriting a few days ago? My handwriting! Of all things!"
"He's picky about that." Covarog ran a hand down his face. "I can almost feel the tingle of the ruler on the back of my hand."
"Whether it's handwriting, sword fighting, posture, speeches, whatever it is, he's becoming worse than Zelda is about corsets!!!"
A knock came at the door, rather heavily. Klinge could hear Zarazu complaining heavily. Hopefully he could blank her out of his mind while he addressed Covarog.
"Maybe you two just need to sit down and talk these things out, love." Covarog suggested. "Klinge has certain expectations of a queen."
"I don't want him to view me just as his queen, I want him to view me as his friend too." Zarazu finished the braids for her husband. "I just don't understand why he insists at continuously picking at my faults or finding something..." She sounded defeated. "Something wrong with me."
"Just give him time, my love." Covarog gave her a kiss. "He's not used to having a good friend, much less a very sassy one like you."
"Sassy?" Zarazu quirked an eyebrow at him. "Says who?"
"Says me." Covarog grinned as his hands ran up her hips. "The sassiest queen in existence. With a perfect ass, and huge boobs, and such luscious curves..."
"Covarog!" Zarazu blushed as he flirted. "You have a meeting with---" The knock at the door interrupted her.
"Who is it?" Covarog asked with an impatient growl.
“It’s me sire.” Klinge knocked again.
"Does he have like a fuck sensor? I swear he always shows up when we're about to do it." Covarog whispered to Zarazu with an annoyed tone.
"I'm starting to suspect he does." Zarazu whispered in reply.
“I have a report to give. Put your clothes on and answer the door.”
"Do you have to give it now?" Covarog grumbled.
"Covarog, go open the door." Zarazu urged her husband. "It's probably important."
Begrudgingly, the king opened the bedroom door.
“Good. You can be faster next time.” Klinge took out a piece of paper, carefully reading off his checklist.
“First things first. Your meeting with the Goron Chief will now take place at Death Mountain instead of here. Chief Datakanuva said his son is ill, and he doesn’t want to go too far. I’d suggest packing a bag and leaving right away. The Goron’s help in rebuilding Hyrule is crucial.”
"Oh, good goddesses..." Covarog felt frustrated. All of his recent meetings had been outside of Hyrule and he was getting tired of traveling. For once, he would like to stay home with his queen and feel comfortable. Yet, as king of Hyrule, he understood that this was part of his role. "My queen, will you be able to handle things here while I am gone?"
"As always, my king." Zarazu was not looking forward to her husband leaving yet again, but she had to be patient and supportive. Rebuilding a kingdom from scratch was hard work, and allies were important. Zarazu pulled out Covarog's suitcase. "I'll help you pack."
“Second. Your mother requests Zarazu’s assistance in helping sew Princess Rinku’s tunic. Both a ‘Queenly’ hobby to pick up and learning the importance of the hero in green throughout the ages. Perhaps you can ask her why it’s rude to bring up genocide as well.” Klinge threw in that last comment, still hurt by Zarazu’s words. “And third Covarog, the carpenters want to know if you’d like new designs to the east towers.”
"At least I don't have to sew myself back together." Zarazu snorted under her breath. "Maybe he should have thought of not bringing up the past in the first place when it was someone's fault that Lorleidi was wiped off the map."
"Klinge, Zarazu, will you two please get along?" Covarog gave Klinge a disappointed look. "Stop goading and insulting my queen. Zarazu, leave Klinge be until he cools off." He then ordered. "Go attend to your other duties."
“Tell your wife to be more considerate. And to think that the genocide of our people, and the plight of your siblings affects what little of a soul I have left.” Klinge gave Covarog the paper and walked off.
"Klinge, leave her alone unless you change your attitude first." Covarog was getting tired of all this fighting. "Zarazu, just... avoid him. Now, did you pack my pajamas?"
~
"Are you using the right stitch---"
"Zelda, if you ask me that one more time, I'm leaving."
"Testy today, are you?"
"Look, Klinge has already expressed his thoughts about my shortcomings, I don't need you picking at my stitching."
"Hrm, looks like Klinge is following the same pattern with you that he used with me."
"That doesn't surprise me."
Ganondorf rolled his eyes, waiting for Zelda to be finished with Zarazu. They had more important tasks than to sew his daughter’s tunic. “Oh please. He doesn’t have that hate towards Zarazu that he once had for you my dear.”
"Then why does he insist on arguing with me? Picking at every single flaw he sees? And worst of worst, questioning my ability to parent or even be a queen!" Zarazu grabbed a pillow off the couch and released a muffled scream into it. "... I'm finally away from fighting and each time I see him, I feel like I have to put my fists up again."
"I know the feeling." Zelda shrugged her shoulders as she added the golden trim onto Rinku's outfit for extra flare. "He still doesn't care for me, I doubt he ever will."
“You put your differences aside after the War of Fire Zelda. That’s respectful enough given your histories. And as for you Zarazu, the man just wants the best for you. You have to understand he’s not like others when it comes to more relaxed interactions. Perhaps if both of you stopped being so stubborn, you’d make some common ground.”
"He's the one being stubborn!"
Zelda raised a brow at her daughter in law. "... uh-huh. And you're not?"
"... no."
"You sure about that?"
"... fine, I'm a little stubborn. Less stubborn than he is." Zarazu would at least admit that. "Though it's not his place to decide what is best for me. I decide what is best for me and I have to do what is best for the people as well. It's not an easy feat."
“And it’s not your place to decide if he failed my people and my children in the past.” Ganondorf rested his gaze on Zarazu. His daughter in law, just like his son, still had much to learn about the world.
"I suppose you're right about that issue." Zarazu rubbed the side of her forehead, getting a headache. "I shouldn't have said the things I did and he shouldn't have either. We both don't know enough about the other and he certainly has a talent for pushing me."
“I think you rival in that talent yourself towards him.” Ganondorf laughed aloud, watching Zarazu darken in the cheeks slightly. “Never would I thought Covarog would pick such a challenging woman as a lover. It’s only fair that you’d be the perfect candidate as a friend to someone as challenging as Klinge.”
"Hmph." Zarazu pouted, the color on her cheeks darkening. "Covarog did say he liked me sassy."
"And Ganondorf likes me assertive." Zelda rolled her eyes. "Men are complex creatures."
~
Searching the castle ground, Dio entered quietly undetected. It was then that she sensed something peculiar. Looking through a crack in the wall, she saw a massive man in a suit of armour. His soul radiated undeath. It was then he saw a woman in blue clothing and dark skin walk up to him. The man sounded annoyed as he swung his sword against the practice dummies. “What is it you seek Zarazu?”
"Look, Ganondorf and Zelda want us to talk and 'put aside our differences and find commonalities'." Zarazu was trying to keep from gritting her teeth as she spoke. "As the past king and queen, I promised them we would find a way to get along."
“Is that what you want?” Klinge split a dummy in half with his blade.
"Right now? No. I want to scream obscenities at you and give you that version of just how un-queenly you think I am." Zarazu took a breath, trying to keep her wits. "Yet, I have to think about what is best for everyone else, and that depends on you and I getting along for a change. So the answer is yes, I do want to get along."
“That doesn’t really sound like you mean it.” Klinge places another practice dummy to practice on. “After all, you just said no as your initial choice.”
Moving the dummy aside to get his full attention, Zarazu crossed her arms and gave him a hard stare.
"Do you want me to repeat my last statement?"
Klinge was getting annoyed with Zarazu. If she wasn’t going to be honest with him, he rather not see her. And her attitude was pushing his buttons. “Do you want to think for yourself? Have you even had friends before? Do you want one in the first place?”
"... I'll come back later." Zarazu could feel herself growing angry but wanted to please Ganondorf and Zelda. She pushed the practice dummy back into place before walking into the castle once more.
“So that’s a no then.”
"You don't know me and I won't answer your questions unless we can both be civil." Zarazu said under her breath. "If for whatever reason you need the queen, I will be with my sisters in the kitchen. Good day."
“I am civil. I even gave your child some salmon. So how about you apologize for your attitude?” Klinge sheathed his sword, glaring behind his helmet.
"Just because you're nice to Ba'puu when you feel like it, doesn't give you the right to question my skills on raising my sisters or my dragon." Zarazu did not face him, keeping her back to him. "You might have played a role in guarding my husband and his siblings, but you are not a father yourself. You had no right to criticize me." She then had to bite the inside of her gums to keep from growling. "I will at least admit I had no right to accuse you of past failures. We both said harsh statements."
“You want to be treated with respect? Then stop acting like a child, and look me in the eye with a meaningful apology from the heart.”
"No. This is the best you will get right now, lest I be tempted to start another fight if I look at you."
“Fine. Go sulk off to your sisters than. I don’t want Zolori to burn through valuable cooking supplies, so I’d hurry.”
"At least I have people to talk to." Zarazu grumbled as she walked through the hallways and into the kitchen. There, Chef Sophie was trying her best to teach Zolori how to bake cupcakes. At least this was more peaceful than Klinge slamming into dummies.
Dio went back to her group in the sewer under the castle. “I saw Zarazu. She appears to be unarmed, and under her cycle at the moment. I’m unsure how this will affect our plan in acquiring her help.”
Agahnim shrugged his shoulders. “While you were out, I finished reading the Lorleidian text I acquired. As it turns out, the Queen has two gauntlets of great magic in her body. If she doesn’t comply, we can forcibly take them from her.”
"So the queen of magic has a weakness?"
"You know, that undead guard could be useful, don't you think?"
"I'd hate to have to force her to comply, perhaps she'd see the extent of our cause if we take the time to explain to her what is happening."
Dio and Agahnim exchanged looks, the former wondering if this was indeed an option. The woman looked to her two other companions. “After we restrain her. The undead still has a soul, although twisted. We’ll need to trap him in a powerful binding spell if we wish to use him as a tool.
“Agreed. We go ensnare him now, then use him to get close and subdue the Queen. Keep your distance if you can.”
Agahnim knew that once he had the Queen, all his problems in life would be over. The group cautiously found Klinge alone, putting away his equipment. Together with the others, they waited for Klinge to step into their rune. The Warrior never saw it coming. His nerves spiked in pain, and his mind went numb, as if he was still conscious, but not in control.
Dio conducted the undead like a puppet with hand motions. “I’ll go find this Queen now. The rest of you get in position at the library. I’ll bring the Queen to us.”
Klinge’s body walked to find Zarazu cooking in the kitchen. Dio has an easy time talking through him. “Zarazu. A moment of your time alone.”
Zarazu was in the middle of munching on one of her sister's cupcakes. It was a little more crunchy than fluffy, but she had to at least applaud Zolori's effort on not burning them black this time. When she heard Klinge's voice, she released an auidible, irritated sigh. "Can this at least wait until I'm done eating?"
“No. An emergency in the private library requires your attention.”
"...? An emergency?" Zarazu set down her dessert. This was odd. Usually if there was an accident in the castle, Captain Kelly or Tulilad alerted her. Klinge had more important things to do than deal with a mishap. "What happened?"
“It’s a messy situation. Best you come with me.”
Something was off... Klinge would have thrown an insult by now, especially since she was indulging in treats. He always had quip about her getting fat if she ate too many sweets. Zarazu had to act carefully... and keep others out of danger. "Very well." Zarazu had to act fast. There had to be a small test of sorts to see if this really was Klinge. There was a tint of... dark magic in the air. "Please summon Captain Kelly and Captain Tulilad to the library. I'm sure we could use their assistance in dealing with this matter."
Dio realized that perhaps she needed to act more in character if she needed Zarazu in a more private area. “I didn’t realize that you wanted to shirk your responsibility. Again. But if you think you want someone else to help you...”
"My responsibility is keeping my subjects safe and governing the laws of this land, not picking up books or tidying a mess, Klinge." Zarazu made a wave of dismissal with her hand, laying out her little trap. "Of course, if you have come to get me because the Widahidosyi Stone broke in the library, that's another matter."
Shit. What the fuck is a Widahidosyi Stone? Dio tried to think of something clever. “Fine. It’s one of your damn hatchling dragons. It found its way in the library and made a mess. I want you to deal with it before I do in my own special way.”
Hatchlings were not allowed in the castle unless approved by the queen herself. The last time it happened, Klinge was on the war path. He would have tossed the dragon out the window instead of coming to her. Something indeed was wrong with Klinge. Very wrong. So one last little test...
"Another one of Ba'puu's hatchlings?"
“I can’t keep track.”
Ba'puu did not have any hatchlings. Klinge was... unsure. "All right. Lead the way."
Klinge lead them to the chamber, and once they did, opened the door for her. “After you.”
"... what's the emergency, Klinge?" Zarazu stepped into the room, the magic gathering at her fingertips. "Or should I inquire to the person behind him?"
Klinge grabbed a lantern and swung it at Zarazu’s head, intent on knocking her out.
Ice rose from behind Zarazu and latched onto the commander, intent on restraining him. She swiftly dodged his blow and kept a thick wall of ice in-between them. The last thing she wanted was to have to take his other arm.
“Be a good girl and stay still.” Klinge wasn’t using any of his weapons or skill, simply using brute force to smash through the ice. The giant man lunged to bear hug Zarazu.
"The hell I will!" Zarazu blasted Klinge with the full force of her icy talent, plastering him to the wall. "Who are you and what have you done with my commander?!"
Agahnim struck Zarazu from behind with a dark energy sphere, shocking her back. Agahnim motioned for Norgus and Mahem to start their rune around Zarazu. They wouldn’t have much time.
Zarazu released a strident shriek when the dark magic intermingled with her own, giving her body quite the shock. Groaning, she tried to keep from falling, stumbling about into the bookshelves.
“Hold her you fools!” Agahnim struck her again. About this time, Dio stumbled from the closet, letting her control of a Klinge go. She actually puked, feeling the affects of Zarazu’s divine magic through Klinge.
"Get away from me!!!" Zarazu screamed and managed to blast Norgus and Mahem against the wall with a strident slam. "GUARDS!!!"
“You froze your guard against the only door out.” Agahnim zapped her again. “Hit her with the paralysis locks!”
"How dare you control Klinge against his will and attack me in my own home!!!" Zarazu spouted at the intruders, thudding to the floor when Agahnim struck her with magic again. She was seeing black spots. As a last-ditch defense, she coated her own body in a layer of ice.
Dio reached out, using blood magic to stretch Zarazu like a doll. “Stay.... still...”
Now that she wasn’t being blasted or thrashing about, the Queen could see that these group of people looked startlingly similar to Leere.
Agahnim smiled fondly at his comrade. “Could work Dio. Hold her there as I charge my spell.”
The Mortuus! Zarazu wondered exactly how these four managed to find their way to Hyrule. There were rumors of the gate keeping anything from going in or out; at least alive. Still, she did not understand what they wanted with Klinge or her, for that matter.
"...? What are you doing?" Mahem asked Agahnim.
"We need to talk to her." Norgus said.
"She simply won't understand our cause, keep focused on making sure some fool doesn't break through the window."
Dio looked sickly, feeling a back lash of Zarazu's holy magic hit her, but she still had some energy to hold on.
"We won't know unless we try!" Norgus insisted. "We came all this way. She defeated Vul'kar, and has helped other nations. Surely if she hears our cause, she will help us! She's not cruel."
"Uh... guys." Mahem gulped loudly, tapping on Dio's shoulder. "There's... there's a..."
"There's what?"
"There's a dragon staring at us through window. And he doesn't look happy."
Agahnim looked to the dragon. No. He would be rewarded by destiny if he completed his task. He continued to charge the spell.
"It's not going to do anything with her in here. Dio, keep the restraints on her!"
Dio tightened her magic, causing Zarazu to scream. Hopefully that would make the dragon back down. Dio's eyes turned from white and red, to black and red, feeling her body give into her blood magic just to stop Zarazu's own magic from harming her. "What are we doing Agahnim? Are we stealing her gauntlets or not? I'd like it if you hurried!"
"GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF MY MOTHER!!!" Ba'puu roared so loudly, the foundations of the tower shook. It was drawing the attention of others. "I'LL RIP YOU ALL TO SHREDS!!!"
"Urg... mmhnn!" Zarazu was struggling against the blood magic. Lorleidians were of magic, were magic. She was fighting against it with all her strength. She could not even speak, but was doing her best to try to move. Suddenly, a finger twitched.
Klinge quickly assessed what was going on in the room. These damn necromancers took control of his body. They violated his mind by speaking through him. They were going to kill Zarazu. He couldn't let them get away with ridiculing him, or with hurting his friend. When he saw Zarazu twitch her finger, the ice shifted, just enough. Unlike his first battle he shared with Zarazu, he lacked the strength to blast himself from the ice on his own. However, now, he was given the opportunity.
Dio watched Agahnim chuckle to himself. His spell turned from yellow, to a dark shade of blue. For whatever reason, he was going to kill Zarazu. "Wait, what are you-"
They were all silenced as Klinge ejected himself from the icy prison. With roar of anger, he stabbed his hand in Norgus' chest. Throwing his body at Dio, her spell over Zarazu ended as she fell back into a bookshelf. With a quick movement, the massive undead Gerudo roundhouse kicked Mahem out the window towards Ba'puu.
"NOOOOO!!!" Agahnim screamed in frustration, launching a stream of dark lightning towards Zarazu.
Opening his mouth, Ba'puu chomped on Mahem's body, ripping the man in half with a crunch. He then forced his huge claw inside the window, knocking into Agahnim and dragging Zarazu toward him, causing the dark magic to miss her by a hair. Norgus was knocked silly, seeing stars, while Dio was shoving him off of her.
"Get... off... you idiot." Dio hissed, pissed at Agahnim. What was killing her going to accomplish?
Agahnim gasped as Ba'puu knocked the wind out of him. Looking to his two remaining comrades, the man screamed at them. "You fools should have died in that mountain if you were going to be so useless! Kill the Queen! If you don't, we'll never return our country!!!" Agahnim charged up another chain of lightning, when he was sucker punched by Klinge. The undead proceeded to beat the shit out of the man, leading him out of the room, away from Zarazu. The Mortuus' blood sprayed across the new carpets as Klinge kept punching him.
Dio felt a massive headache, and charged her hands. "Norgus you idiot. Stop being a fool, and get up."
"I think I broke something..." Norgus squeaked as Dio pushed him off to the floor. Reaching around, he felt the back of his head. There was blood on his fingers. "Well, that's not good."
"Mama! Mama!!!" Ba'puu held Zarazu in his massive claws and watched intently as the ice started to melt away from around her body. "Are you all right?!"
"I..." Zarazu felt like dead weight as her companion held her so gently. "Can't move..." The queen felt a slight panic at the prospect of not being able to lift her head or any other limb. The dark magic really had stunned her numb.
Agahnim felt confused. How could he fail? He was chosen by the master. He was promised luck on his side, and that he was destined to do anything. The queen should have been dead? How was he losing to an undead? Desperately he tried to control Klinge.
The commander could feel the pull of his strings, but he fought through it. Every punch he landed on the Necromancer, he loosened the control the fiend had on him. Finally, Klinge beat the man's face so deeply in that there was nothing but lumps and blood. Gripping him against the wall, Klinge pulled his fist back and smashed forward, turning the Necromancer's face into mush. The group of knights that had come to assist nearly fainted. Klinge quickly turned to return to Zarazu. "Someone clean this filth up."
Dio held Norgus' body, calculating desperately for a plan. "Heal your wounds. Give in to your blood magic damn it! Do something you fool!"
Agahnim was dead. Norgus felt a chill go up his spine. This Klinge, this commander, was definitely bad news if he could break the control over his body. Still, there was one question unanswered; why did Agahnim want to kill the queen? She could help them! It did not make any sense! His only option now was to run, or else, the undead might kill him too.
Dio considered her options. Agahnim tried to kill Zarazu, most likely as an easy way to complete his quest. His way was utterly foolish. And now, because she let his ego take the lead, they had lost all advantages. The woman felt a vein nearly pop as Klinge slowly entered with a near battalion of armed and shielded guards. "D-damn it all to hell. I was lied to. Who'd have imagined this queen would be so powerful in her own abilities and in allies."
"I don't understand, why would he want to kill the queen? She could help us…" Norgus hissed under his breath, knowing the two of them had to escape. "Got a plan B?"
"No one has stepped foot in Malus... no one would do anything to ever cleanse it. It's a place of darkness and evil Norgus. Perhaps the inner tribes are right. Accepting what the land is, and that power is needed to thrive was the only way we could have truly lived..." Dio watched Zarazu find her standing. A plan B, however, was indeed slithering its way into her mind.
"It doesn't mean it can't be done." Norgus argued with Dio. "We have to have hope that the darkness can and will be expelled one day."
Dio looked down at Norgus. He was losing a lot of blood, and was most likely wasn't going to live for long. "I don't think we'll make it out of here. We failed Norgus... so how about a kiss, for the end?"
"What's... going on?" Zarazu's head was absolutely spinning. The dark magic was working its way out of her system, but it still made her feel downright awful. The queen knew she was safe in Ba'puu's claws.
"Klinge... is he okay?"
"When is he not okay?" Ba'puu grumbled. "He's still Klinge."
"Yeah... a kiss would be nice..." Norgus felt like sleep was pulling on him. "What... do you say?"
"I'm here Zarazu. Ba'puu, make sure they don't run out the window." Klinge motioned the guards to slowly approach.
"Be of use to me one last time." As Dio kissed Norgus, she used her blood magic to drain his energy. It would a somewhat peace experience given how close to death the man was anyways. The women radiated sinful magic, and sparks of red lightning sizzled around her. "Goodbye, Queen of Lorliedi. Not many see a Mortuus, so enjoy the last you will ever see of my image."
Reaching down to the ground beneath her, Dio summoned a portal, letting whatever forces of hell take her. It would be better than dying here.
Klinge was too late to stop her, merely slicing at smoke and electricity in the air as her body disappeared.
It took the rest of the day for Zarazu to feel like herself again, but by night fall, she was feeling quite normal. At least her toes and fingers were not tingling anymore. It was a horrid sensation, something akin to her whole body being asleep. Ba'puu refused to leave her alone for long, so he was resting outside her chamber near the balcony.
"Let me see her Ba'puu." Zarazu could hear Klinge being firm, yet soft spoken with the dragon.
Leaning his massive head down, he sniffed the undead. "Yep. Still you." Ba'puu wanted to make sure the commander was not an imposter. "Still smelling of rot and spite. You never change, do you?"
"I just had my entire mind and body pulled like a puppet due to being made of rot and spite. Can you please desist your hostilities towards me? At least for the day so I may check in on my friend?"
"And risk losing my title of being the sassiest dragon on the earth? Klinge, I cannot believe you'd ask me to do such a thing." Ba'puu craned his neck, pretending to be insulted. He moved his tail out of the way to reveal Zarazu resting against his belly. The water dragon was not letting her out of his sight anytime soon. "Very well. She's still tired, so make it quick."
"I'm sorry they let them get to me. That I while I was aware, I couldn't control my actions... and they hurt you because of that." Klinge took a knee, leaning close to the Queen. "How are you feeling?"
"You have nothing to apologize for, Klinge." Zarazu told the commander, looking exhausted. Lorleidian bodies were not equipped to handle such massive amounts of dark magic. Luckily, little by little, her own magic was expelling it from her system. "We had no idea that the Mortuus were even coming, and even if we did, it still would have been a possibility." She closed her eyes, trying to will away the awful headache. "I will be fine. Nothing that hasn't happened to me before. It's you I'm worried about."
"I'm not fine with what happened. Leere alone scares me with her power. Those people had far more malevolent intentions in what sounded like a neutral stance. One wanted to kill you." Klinge held his head downcast, ashamed at the state he allowed Zarazu to fall into under his protection. "My first reaction was looking into how our armies could invade this kingdom of Malus... but I stopped out of fear. How can I ask the men and woman of this country to fight a threat that easily dominated me."
"We do not need another war on our hands, Klinge." Zarazu really did not want to think about having to fight another battle in her lifetime. "I understand what happened scared you, it scared me too. At first, I thought they were here to use you in a bribe against me. There are some who like to exploit the fact that Lorleidians value all life, and I wouldn't put it past them for wanting to use you against me in any conceivable way."
“I hate that. I... I’m sorry I hurt you.”
"This wasn't your fault. If anything, I should be the one apologizing." Zarazu admitted to the commander. "I let my temper get the best of me. Still, you tried to help me."
Klinge sighed. “I didn’t want our last interactions after our fight to be one of us killing each other. I apologize for pushing your temper.”
"I think maybe we need some more time to learn about each other." Zarazu tried to think in a positive manner. "What each of us like, what we dislike... and definitely learn which buttons not to push."
“I’d like to stop fighting...”
"I'd like the same." Zarazu then suggested. "How about we start over?"
“No. I’m going to remember how much of a pain in the ass you are.” Klinge chuckled. “How about we be mature and just be better from now on?”
"I consider it a compliment that I'm the 'pain in the ass', while you're the classic 'perfectionist' and somehow manage to interrupt any alone time I have with my king." Zarazu laughed at his suggestion. "Mature? Now, now, commander, where is the fun in that? Perhaps mature when the time comes for it, but otherwise, I will still be your annoying friend."
“Good grief.” Klinge rested next to Ba’puu beside Zarazu, tapping his chest. “I’m going to keep this situation from your husband. No one know what happened accept for the guard. I think it keeping panic contained would be for the best.”
"Oh goddesses, if Covarog knew, he'd refuse to leave me alone for the rest of my life." Zarazu gave a most unladylike snort. "I love my husband, though he thinks I'm made of glass sometimes. I do think he's forgotten that I was the one who broke his nose and stole artifacts from the castle those few years ago." As Klinge took the spot beside of her, the queen rested her eyes again. She was so tired. "Do you mind if we continue our conversation later, Klinge? I would very much like to rest a little more."
“Very well. So we’re agreed than?”
"Mmm-mhh..." Zarazu mumbled as the lull of sleep pulled her off into dreamland. Her head tilted to one side, resting on Klinge's armored shoulder. Indeed, the queen was exhausted, and even started to snore lightly.
Klinge looked to Ba’puu. He wasn’t going to move an inch from the dragon. Closing his eyes, he rested as Zarazu against him. “Get all the rest you need...”
~
Dio felt her body burn as she crawled over the dirt she landed in. Her body was in agony, yet she found herself enjoying it. Her body was becoming fueled by it. The pain of the sun ceased as someone stood over her.
“You are not Agahnim, yet you lived where he could not.”
Dio tried to get a good look at him, but her eyes pained her too much.
The figure’s voice was a whisper. “You come from Malus. A wound in creation itself. I’m impressed by your fortitude. Perhaps I should have approached you over your comrade.”
“W-who are you?”
The figure leaned close, and Dio gazed into a masked figure, locking her sight with two black and golden eyes staring back at her. “I am the inevitable destruction that will cleanse this world. Come with me, and I will give you a purpose child.”
Dio watched as this figure raised a frail hand. When she tried to look into his soul with her magic, she found a void vaster than her imagination could handle. The figure gave a light laugh. “Hee, hee... I look forward to you working at my side, Dio of Malus.”