The time has finally come at last. The final chapter of
Ride the Winds! has arrived! It's been close to a year now since I started writing this story. Even with a 5 month break, that's a long time to work on a single project. It's been a lot of fun, and it felt really good to finally pen down another story after how successful
The Hero of Spirits was. I know some of my readers may be sad that the story has reached its conclusion, but don't worry, so am I.
That said, there's still one final addition of content that's going to come after this! Look forward to it, and buckle in for the ride, because this chapter is the single longest piece I have ever written!
Chapter Thirty
A Fisherman, A Voyager, A Wind Waker, and A Hero
x x x
I was born different from other moblins. This fact was obvious to me from a young age.
- - -
Howling wind. Roiling ocean. Crackling fires. The only sounds to be heard on the lonely jut of rock sticking out of the sea. The newly born moblin sat on the wet, cold ground, staring into the horizon. Its stomach grumbled, its skin was dirty, and its mind was still forming. Yet, it did not cry. Instinctually, it knew that would not do any good. Its needs could not be met by crying. It knew, once that mind began turning, that it must take action.
- - -
Upon birth, a moblin is entirely on their own. No one is there to care for it, no one is there to feed it or teach it. Everything must be taken. Otherwise, all that awaits them is a quick death. No one will mourn. No one will wish they had done something. Not its own kind, and least of all any residents of the Great Sea.
To live means to take. This truth was drilled into me in my first battle. I was still young and inexperienced with fighting. I had already made some allies among my fellow moblins, and we had set out to sea to find something to feed us. We ran across a ship manned by humans, and they didn’t hesitate to exterminate us, just as we didn’t hesitate to exterminate them.
- - -
“Slaughter them all!”
“Don’t let a single one of the beasts get away!”
Steel split flesh in two as men bellowed orders. Moblins roared as they charged forward, determined to kill and take what they could. They leapt from one ship to the other, bringing blood and tears of agony back and forth. Smoke began to fill the air as the ships burned. Despite their choking lungs, neither side refused to stop spilling blood.
Only one pair of eyes watched from afar. Hungry, yet cautious, the moblin observed the violence. It wondered why.
- - -
I was the only survivor. I can still hear the battle cries my brethren sang as they leapt out into the fray. I can still hear how their bones crunched and the sound of their blood splattering on the deck of the ship. I watched from a safe distance in the crow’s nest as my fellow moblins were cut down, one by one. Each of them managed to take a human down with them, but there were more of them than there were of us. There always were.
I only survived because I didn’t attack. I fled into a lifeboat. They fired upon me with their ship’s cannons, but I avoided their shots through sheer luck. I escaped on my own with nothing. I had failed to acquire food, and my allies were dead. There is no sorrow to be had over loss in our world, but still, I was angry. I was livid, even. Absolutely seething.
- - -
Cold, wet, and alone once more, the moblin washed up on the island from whence it came. It tried to hold itself up, but tired and spasming muscles in its arms forced it down. The sea spray only served to mask the true purpose of its shivering. The moblin’s eyes looked forward, but it only saw red. The red of blood and anger and futility. Furiously slamming its fits on the rock, it howled into the crying wind for an answer.
- - -
I was angry, yes. But not at the humans for killing them. That was natural. I’d do the same thing in their position. No, the reason I was so angry was because of the utter incompetence displayed by my allies. Our misfortune of encountering humans meant a battle was inevitable. However, the damn fools just charged in like rabid beasts. They did not even stop to see how many of them there were. It was as though they had no sense of self preservation.
Why was I able to see something they could not? I was a moblin, too, wasn’t I? They died for nothing because they were foolish and stupid. I was angry because I knew I was a moblin just as they were. I loathed being associated with such brutish stupidity. But why? Was I simply born that way?
As the years passed, I began to think there was something different about me. Something better. Something special. Perhaps even something important or unique. The more I surveyed a situation before engaging, the better my allies and I fared. Before long, word passed around monsterkind that if one were to stick with me, success and fortune were to follow. Soon, I had amassed an impressive following of monsters, bokoblins and moblins alike. We even managed to claim an old, abandoned fort as our turf. I became less angry, but I didn’t get any happier.
- - -
Merriment and song filled the air, drowning out the sounds of the wind and sea at last. What was once empty and lonely had become bursting full of life and activity. Bokoblins guzzled down spirits and wine while moblins gorged themselves on smoked meats and fish. The cheer radiating from the monstrous party was not lost on the angry moblin. For the first time in its life, it knew the pleasure of good company. And yet, it wasn’t enough.
- - -
My station in life hadn’t changed. In the end, I was still a monster, and thus marked for immediate extermination on sight by anything that wasn’t a monster. I don’t think this is unjustified. Monsters would do the same to anyone else, after all. I never cared to change this kill or be killed lifestyle. That part I was fine with.
What I wasn’t fine with, however, was my lot in life. As a moblin, there was so much in the world I would never have. A comfortable bed. A consistent source of food. Influence on my surroundings. A purpose beyond killing and eating. Most of all, control over my own destiny. But the humans had all that. They had that and more, just handed to them upon birth simply by virtue of being human.
- - -
A chalice of wine shattered against the floor. Purple fluid stained the stone like a splatter of blood. A broken desk soon joined it. The wood left splinters in its assailant, the once-lonely moblin. It still wasn’t enough. It was never enough. A deep hole remained in its heart the more it thought about what it couldn’t have. It was unfair. It was insatiable. What was this?
- - -
My anger had changed to jealousy, red hot emotion turned sickly green. Why did they get to have everything so easily? What made them so special? There was nothing I could get that I didn’t have to take for myself, unlike them. What did I lack that could have made me the same way? I wanted it, whatever it was.
So I thought, I should just take it, then. I should take it for myself, that thing that I lacked. I didn’t know what it was, so I just took everything I could get my hands on. The thing that would finally give me the self-determination and worth I had been so obscenely jealous of would surely show itself to me if I did that, given time.
I did everything I could to encourage the process. I stole hordes of books and forced myself to read them until I had them all memorized. I practiced the hylian tongue for hours and hours and hours, for so many weeks and months, that I had nearly worn away all the muscles in my jaw. I used hot irons and mallets to hammer out the gait in my legs so I could stand up straight. I bleached my skin with chemicals until it turned a desirable shade of pink. I even tattooed myself with the visage of a human skeleton. All of this I did to make myself closer to being human, closer to
them, to help me find what I wanted to find.
Along the way, I began to think that perhaps owning everything there was to own would
be that something. Who else had ever owned everything in the world? If I could do that, if I could just prove that even a moblin could do something no one had ever done before, then maybe... Just maybe, the unquenchable thirst that had driven me mad for decades would finally be satisfied. I would finally have achieved my own destiny.
- - -
Merriment had been replaced with fear and awe. The once old fort had been repurposed, filled with weapons and monsters and avarice. Even its fellow moblins stood at attention, smitten with its accomplishments. Bokoblins gossiped about how it had crossed the boundary into manhood. It had become a moblin yet unsurpassed by monsterkind. A true paragon among its brethren. At long last, the moblin that was once alone had begun to fill the void.
- - -
Yes, that is just what I had to do. I would become the moblin that rose up as “King” of all pirates and monsters, who owned everything on the Great Sea. Then I would finally want for nothing, because I would have everything. I would finally be somebody. That is what I convinced myself.
That is what I am. I am not a moblin, not a man, but a King. And everything in the world must belong to me. Everything
will belong to me. No matter what it is and how I have to get it.
A King cannot be satisfied by anything less than everything.
x x x
The sudden activation of the zam spell put a dead halt on everything happening. Aside from Sofia, everyone was too stunned to react. Lana herself was in more disbelief than anyone. Had she really been carrying around the zam spell this entire time? She was completely unaware of it if she was. She wasn’t even sure what form it took.
How did it work? Was it triggered only when she was about to die? If so, could it have activated before on her journey without her realizing it? And where did that barrier emanate from? She didn’t have anything on her person that could be called a charm from home or anything else of the sort. Was it purely magic, then? There was too much she didn’t understand about it. She was hopelessly confused.
The first person to break through this confusion and act was Aamali. She tossed up her hammer and caught it with her talons, and rocketed forward straight at Jasper. Before he could react, she had slammed her hammer into his chest and sent him flying into the cliffside next to Jabun’s wall.
“Gaugh-!” he cried out and coughed up blood.
Jasper collapsed in a heap at the base of the cliff, dazed out of his mind. This sight sprung the others to action, as well. Lenzo dashed to the head of the group and spoke as loudly and concisely as he could, his mind spinning behind each word.
“Everyone! You can stand, right? You must move quickly! Follow us away from here, to a safe place!” he shouted.
After a bit of hesitation and cautious glances between each other, the villagers of Goponga rose to their feet, though their arms were still bound in chains. Manolo and Sofia did the same, rushing to Lana’s side and helping her up. The zam spell had already vanished by then.
From the village, a stampede of bokoblins and moblins was coming their way. Orca motioned for everyone to pick up the pace, frowning as he looked over his shoulder at the horde. Fortunately for them, they seemed more concerned with aiding their King.
Lana wasn’t about to let that happen. She broke out of her parent’s embrace and sprinted toward Jasper, wordlessly brandishing her sword. Anyone who caught a glimpse of her eyes would have said they were coldly focused. She was over her hesitation this time. She fully intended to end Jasper’s life, to put an end to this entire struggle in one blow.
Unfortunately, he recovered before she could reach him. “COME!” he bellowed.
A shrill squawk and a rush of wings filled Lana’s ears and reminded her of what happened last time. She tried to force-start a temporal rush, hoping to reach Jasper before it was too late, but she wasn’t in enough danger to pull it off. The resulting headache only threw her off balance.
Sharp talons dug into Jasper’s shoulders and lifted him into the air. Just like before, an armored helmaroc had come to his rescue. Lana, feeling frustrated and angry that he slipped out of reach a second time, stomped her foot on the ground.
“I am not letting it end this way again!” she cursed.
Lana drew her bow and aimed for the helmaroc. She would see Jasper plummet from the air. The bird was experienced, though, and easily dodged three of her arrows before Lana decided that it wasn’t worth shooting from the ground anymore. She reached for the edges of her deku leaf, but stopped when she saw Aamali take off again.
“Oh no you don’t!” she yelled.
She was incredibly fast in the air, even while carrying that hammer around. As expected of a Rito, Lana supposed. Aamali twirled around in the air, swinging her hammer in a deadly curve that smacked the helmaroc’s armored head. The creature was stunned into letting go of Jasper.
“DAMN YOU!” he screamed as he fell back to the ground.
He landed with a loud thud in the midst of his scurrying pirates. The brutes were trained well; they immediately surrounded him and formed a wall between Lana’s group and the wounded Pirate King. A handful of moblins began charging at them, and so their priorities had to shift away from Jasper for the moment.
“I’ll make sure he can’t escape into the air! You guys get the villagers somewhere safe!” Aamali called down from the sky.
“Thanks! I owe you!” Lana said.
“Don’t be silly! This is my repayment.” Aamali winked.
With that, Aamali flew off to engage a flock of helmarocs taking off from one of the remaining pirate ships. At the same time, Jabun resurfaced and sank another one by ramming his body into it. The boat split apart like it were made of paper. His weight was too much for it to withstand. A whole mess of monsters fell into the sea, trying and failing to stay afloat.
Lana gazed at the enormous spirit, her mind still having trouble accepting the reality that he was her friend Oshus.
- Why didn’t he ever tell me who he really was? I don’t understand...
“Hey, Lana, we gotta move!” Orca said, grabbing her shoulder.
“... You’re right. The villagers have to be saved.” she nodded.
She would have to set aside all of her doubts and confusion. There would be plenty of time to talk things through later, should they all survive. She came today to make that happen. She wanted that chance to talk with everyone. She wanted them to know about her, and she wanted to know about them. Her parents and Oshus both, and maybe even the villagers, too.
The group started running, going around the cliffs that enclosed Jabun’s cove. They traveled around the edge of the island, passing by the spot where Orca’s boat was hidden, using the narrow beach and high cliffs to their advantage. The fighters in the party kept the pursuing monsters off their backs in the rear while the villagers ran ahead. Lenzo took up the lead, and he called out his plan to everyone.
“I think we should all move for Emilia’s pirate ship. It’s docked at the eastern inlet. We should be able to reach it if we follow this coastline, right?” he said.
“Yeah, we can, but...” one of the villagers said.
“Then we need to free it and make it a safe place for all of you to wait this out! I’m sure we can accomplish that! I know we can!” he said encouragingly.
“Emilia will surely help us if we save her. She’s the one who called me here.” Lana explained.
“What? How did...” another villager said.
“Kah! Don’t sweat the details, just move it!” Orca grumbled.
“Here, everyone! Let me take care of those chains!” Peeks said.
The little korok revealed a twig that he probably picked up somewhere. It didn’t seem particularly remarkable or helpful, but in his hands, he worked it like it was a professional tool. He flew to each person in turn and wrenched it between the chains, untangling them and yanking them off as he wiggled it around. It was rather impressive.
- I can always count on the ingenuity of a korok.
Lana smiled as she thought this. She found it amazing how everyone who had come with her was finding ways to help her, even the ones who couldn’t fight directly. She knew that she could never make it up to them for as long as she lived, but that wasn’t going to stop her from trying after everything was over.
“Lana...”
Her father’s voice snapped her focus back to the moment. Her parents had slowed their pace so they could join her at the rear guard. Their expressions were no longer filled with fear or confusion, only pride. Lana’s heart stung just looking at the warmth on their faces.
“My gull... I don’t really have the words...” Manolo said.
“I don’t know what you’ve been doing or how or why, but... All I can say is that I’m so relieved to see you well.” Sofia said, looking like she might begin crying again.
Lana’s lip quivered as she tried to think of something to say to them. “I’m glad I made it on time to help you. I promise I’ll tell you everything, but before that, Jasper has to die.”
“Lana... It’s, um... Hearing you speak that way is...” Sofia said, looking startled.
“I’m sorry. I must be unrecognizable to you right now... Seeing me fight like that, and all.” Lana said.
“No, never. You’re our daughter, no matter what you might do or say. Nothing could change that.” Manolo said. “The only thing I care about right now is your safety, not your explanation.”
Lana smiled. “You haven’t changed a bit, Papa. Though I guess it has only been a month. Don’t worry, my friends and I will see us through this. I swear it.”
“I believe you. I know you can do it, my gull.” Manolo said.
“Normally I’d say don’t call me that, but today can be a special exception.” Lana winked.
“Haha! You see? You’re still our daughter, after all. Not unrecognizable by one bit.” Sofia said, reaching back to caress Lana’s cheek while they ran.
That simple act filled Lana’s heart with more emotion than she knew what to do with. She wiped her eyes to keep tears from spilling out, her heart aching from a sense of longing. Still, there was work to be done before she could act on that feeling. The fiery blaze in her heart continued to push her forward, fighting tooth and nail to reach the conclusion she sought so badly. She would not fail again. Next time, she would kill Jasper for sure.
“I see the ship up ahead!” Lenzo called out!
Sure enough, the familiar sight of Emilia’s ship came into view beyond an outcropping of rocks. It looked ravaged and in desperate need of repair. It likely wasn’t seaworthy. Even from that distance, Lana was able to catch a horrible sight. She bit her lip as anger welled up from within.
Emilia’s bruised and bloody body was strung up on the mast in the center of the ship. Renazo, as the first mate, was similarly displayed on the rear mast. Neither of them appeared to be conscious. Their injuries looked severe.
- I can’t believe it... I never thought she could lose like this. Emilia, hang on. I promise I’ll save you.
There weren’t any remaining monsters giving chase. It was difficult to see the state of things in the village behind all the cliffs, so Peeks decided to go and scout it out again. Meanwhile, Lana ran to the front of the group with Orca and Ivan. The three of them would be the ones to free the ship from the monsters’ control.
They quickly exchanged a plan of attack between themselves, and put it to work before the situation had a chance to change. Lana took off into the air with her deku leaf, intending to drop down on the ship from above. Orca and Ivan would take on the stepladder that bridged the ship with the shoreline.
From her brief position in the sky, Lana could see Aamali duking it out with several helmarocs in the airspace over the village. She was concerned, but she decided to trust her friend. She gazed down at Emilia’s ship and saw a number of green and blue bokoblins marching around the deck, as well as a few moblins standing at attention. The remainder of the crew was bound in chains, sitting helplessly near the back of the ship much like the villagers had been earlier.
She glanced down at Ivan and Orca, and they were in place to spring out at a moment’s notice. And so, Lana dove down toward the ship, recalling a moment she shared with Orca in the Forbidden Woods where she attempted a surprise attack from above. This time, she managed to pull that move off flawlessly, stabbing her blade down through the back of an unsuspecting moblin’s neck.
The large brute collapsed, dead before it realized what happened. Emilia’s crew all gasped in shock, and then started an uproar of raucous cheering when they saw that Lana had come to help them. The remaining moblins turned their spears on her, angry and determined to uphold the job that Jasper had given them.
At the same time, as the monsters guarding the ladder to the ship looked away in surprise of all the noise, Orca and Ivan jumped out to ambush them. The few bokoblins were dead in seconds, and Ivan dashed up the ladder to give Lana backup. Orca stayed below and brandished his spear, as monsters at the top of the hill overlooking the inlet took notice of them.
It was Orca’s job to keep any more monsters from storming the ship while Lana and Ivan fought. His crewmates looked very pleased to see that he had survived and managed to join up with Lana. Together, the pair of them cut their way through each enemy that attacked them.
Ivan ducked under the arc of a moblin’s spear, springing forward to stab it in the gut. As another moblin closed in on him, he crouched down to allow Lana to leap off his shoulder. She soared over the moblin’s attack and cut it down as she landed. In that same motion, Ivan turned around and dashed into approaching bokoblins, cutting through their hides with his cutlass. The pair worked together surprisingly well.
Finally, there were only two moblins left. Neither of them looked like they wanted to die, so they turned tail and ran. Lana, however, had other ideas for them. She didn’t want them joining back up with the rest of Jasper’s forces, so she drew her bow and quickly loosed an arrow. Without a temporal rush, she only had time to shoot one of them. It fell to the deck face-first, dead. The other leapt over the railing down into the sand.
Fortunately, Orca was there. He didn’t let it escape his notice, and cut down that one too with the rest of the monsters attempting to reach the ship. His spear twirled through the air, sending specks of blood flying in all directions. He made it clear to the monsters that there would be no getting by him. He even made time to bounce his pectoral muscles as a show of force.
Emilia’s ship had thus been recaptured. It was easier than Lana expected, much to her relief. Ivan quickly went to untie his crewmates.
“Ivan, buddy! You made it!”
“I knew we could count on you!”
His allies said mushy things unbefitting of pirates as Lana went to tend to Emilia. She had been strung up pretty high on the center mast. She had been up there for a while, too, as her blood had trickled all the way down the mast to the deck. It was a harrowing sight. Lana clenched her teeth, feeling viscerally angry about what had been done to her.
She climbed the mast’s ladder and carefully began pulling the chains loose. As Emilia’s body slumped forward, Lana held her arm out to catch her, managing to shift Emilia over her shoulder. She was still warm, and she could still feel a heartbeat. Lana’s nerves settled a bit upon confirming this.
She slowly descended the ladder while the crew waited for them below. Some, like Ivan, had gone over to assist Renazo, but most of them hovered worriedly around Lana and Emilia in a circle. They were almost like concerned children fretting over a sick parent, which Lana found a little amusing. Despite their reputation, the crew was pretty close with each other.
- Whatever else she is, she’s very well-respected, isn’t she?
“You sure are something, Emilia...” Lana said quietly, kneeling down on the deck and resting her head in her arms.
“Is she... alive?” one of the crew asked.
Lana nodded, and a great sigh washed over the crew like a chorus. Lana smiled up at them, and then looked down at Emilia when she began to feel movement. Slowly, the surly captain’s eyes rose open, and then scrunched back shut like she felt a splitting pain.
“Ugh... What the damn hell took you so long to get here, Lana...” she moaned.
“Haha... It figures the first thing you say when you wake up would be a bunch of swears. Do you do that in the mornings, too, sleepyhead?” Lana teased.
“... Urk. I’m so gonna hit you for that later. But first, help me stand up, you damn slowpoke.” Emilia grunted.
Shakily, Lana pulled Emilia up to her feet. The captain pressed her hand against her temple and continued to groan. Her crew was elated enough to dance around the deck in joy, at least until Emilia barked at them to cut it out.
“Captain...! You’re okay... Thank goodness.” Renazo said as he stumbled over to the center of the deck.
“Do I look okay to you, dumbass? I feel like I just got keel-hauled.” she said.
“You got it worse than I did... I’m relieved that your life isn’t in any danger.” Renazo said.
“The battle isn’t over yet, though. Jasper and his pirates still have control of the island.” Lana informed them. “My friends and I were able to rescue the villagers, at least. I want to leave them here on your ship. Can you guys guard them?”
“Sure, it’s not like this ship is usable right now, anyway. Bring ‘em up.” Emilia consented.
On her word, those of her crew that were still able-bodied headed down to the beach, helping Orca chase off some remaining bokoblins on the way. They escorted the villagers up onto the deck of the ship, and many of them were quite surprised to see that Lana was on friendly terms with the grouchy pirate captain.
“Thanks so much for doing this, Emilia.” Lana said.
“Hey, consider it my congratulations. Never expected a sorry sack like you to have friends.” she smirked.
Lana could hear Renny snort from somewhere in the crowd of villagers, but she ignored it for the moment.
“Yeah, you could say that. I really am blessed to have them. They’re wonderful friends, and I never could’ve made it this far without them.” she said.
“Ugh, stop being all gross. This better not lead into you saying I’m one of ‘em.” Emilia said.
“And what would you do if I did?” Lana teased.
“Vomit, probably.”
“Ha! Even when you’re half-dead, you’re still as rude as ever.” Lana laughed. “But, I dunno... I guess I still like talking to you, anyway. Who’d have thought?”
For a split second, Emilia appeared to blush. She turned her face away, swatting Lana’s shoulder with her fist as she did. Her crew looked like they were painfully choking back the chuckles, and Lana’s parents smiled warmly. They seemed to be glad that Lana was finally able to make so many friends.
“Alright, now that we’ve retaken the ship and made it a safe place for the villagers to stay, what’s our next step?” Lenzo said.
“Obviously, we’re gonna go steamroll the rest of the monsters, right?” Orca said, slamming his fists together.
“Wait, we don’t have a lay of the land right now. Peeks is scouting. We should wait for him.” Lana suggested.
Right on cue, the little korok returned, alerting the others to his presence with the sound of his spinning leaves. “You guys!” he called out.
“Huh?! What is that thing?” one of the pirates said.
“What the heck? You got a korok for a friend, too?” Emilia said.
“I sure do.” Lana grinned. “Peeks, what did you see up there?”
“Good news and bad news. The good news is, Aamali has defeated most of the helmarocs. There’s only that one big armored one left. Also, the Great Jabun sank all the pirate ships, and he’s blocking the harbor and preventing any of the village’s ships from leaving the port. That means there’s nowhere for Jasper to run. He’s stuck on this island.”
“That’s a much more favorable situation than I was expecting!” Lenzo said.
Lana felt her skin twinge a bit. Jasper was stranded on Greatfish. There was no escape anymore. All she had to do was run him down and end him. She didn’t like how bloodthirsty she felt in that moment, but she knew hesitation at this point would cost her even more dearly than it did last time. She had already made up her mind; she was going to kill him herself.
“So? What’s the bad news, then? Out with it!” Emilia said.
“Bad news is all the big and dangerous monsters managed to land before Jabun sank their last ship. So now we’ve gotta contend with even more moblins, as well as stalfos and darknuts. This is gonna be a brutal fight...” he shivered.
The villagers were all shaken by this news. Emilia’s crew looked on edge. Even Orca seemed a bit withdrawn at the prospect of fighting all that. Some of the toughest monsters on the Great Sea stood in their path to victory. There would be no reaching Jasper without defeating them. Manolo and Sofia looked especially anxious, because they could see the look on their daughter’s face.
“Even so, we have to go.” she said quietly.
“... Yeah. Yeah, we do.” Orca said. “My student is right. We can’t allow these beasts to roam free. If we don’t wipe them out, this island won’t be habitable anymore.”
“Let’s wipe ‘em out, regardless. I owe those bastards for what they did to me, and my way is to pay blood back with blood.” Emilia rasped.
“Wait, you’re going, too, Captain?” Renazo said. “Then I-”
“No. Stay here and keep the landlubbers safe. The rest of you, too. They won’t stand a chance without you.” Emilia ordered. “Besides, they’re only in this mess because we accidentally lured Jasper here... It’s only right.”
Renazo seemed a little stunned by her words. Truly, it didn’t really sound like her. Lana wondered what had brought this on. Emilia seemed to notice her curious stares, and turned her face away.
“Very well... We’ll defend them with our lives.” Renazo said.
“Right!” her crew called out.
“I think I should remain here, too... I, uh, I don’t think I’d be any use out there at all.” Lenzo said, sounding disappointed in himself.
“It’s fine, you’ve done more than enough for us. You’re making the right call.” Lana assured him.
“I’ll fly ahead of you guys to scout the way!” Peeks said.
“Hopefully we can join up with Aamali at some point... With just the three of us, it’s gonna be rough.” Orca said.
“You’re a master swordsman, though, aren’t you? Come on, you can’t be losing to your student yet.” Lana said with a wink.
“Ah...! Yes, you’re right! Don’t you worry, I’ll cut down every single monster that crosses my path!” Orca exclaimed.
“Wow, he’s pretty easy to sway, huh?” Emilia said, grabbing some daggers from her crew.
“Are you okay to fight?” Lana asked.
“Better than any of these wimps, that’s for damn sure.” Emilia said. “You don’t doubt me, do you? Don’t you even think I’m gonna get beat again. I only lost the first time cuz friggin’ Jasper doesn’t fight fair.”
“Then I’d better not see you fighting fair, either.” Lana said.
“... Damn straight.” Emilia grinned.
Their preparations were made. They knew what they had to do. Together, the three fighters stepped to the edge of the ship. At their backs were friends and allies and loved ones; many lives that were dependent on their actions. Whatever they did from that moment on would directly determine whether those lives continued on or ended.
Bearing that weight on her shoulders, Lana took a deep breath to settle her mind. No more distractions. No more hesitation. The moment had finally come to put and end to the bitter enemy that was Jasper the Pirate King. For the sake of her family, for peace on the Great Sea, and for herself, as well, Lana was ready to seize victory and take hold of her own destiny.
“Now, let’s begin. Here we come!”
With that rallying cry, the three of them leapt from the ship. When their feet hit the sand, they took off running up the slope that led up the cliffs. Before even reaching the top, they were already beset by a horde of bokoblins. They would have to clear their path through battle.
Lana’s estoc tore through the first few monsters with ease, and as she glanced behind herself, Orca took out several more with a wide swing of his spear. Emilia, ducking under the path of his weapon, used her daggers to cut through any stragglers. The three warriors made it rain blood as they pushed on up the trail.
Bokoblin limbs tumbled to the ground separately from their bodies, rolling down the slope and piling up at the base. Lana motioned for Orca to jump to the front, so he took the lead. With him slicing his way through even more enemies, Lana had time to turn around and draw a fire arrow. Emilia noticed what she was up to, and pulled out a bottle of oil. She tossed it down to the mountain of corpses, the glass shattering and dousing them all.
Lana loosed her fire arrow, setting the pile of bodies ablaze. This served as a fiery barricade, making it difficult for enemies that got past them to approach the ship. It wouldn’t burn forever, but it would buy Emilia’s crew enough time to set up their defenses.
With that weight off their minds, the three of them reached the top of the hill. Greatfish Isle’s farmlands spread out before their eyes. What was once a peaceful field full of wheat and grains was now piles of ash and crops torn asunder. The area was overrun with bokoblins, more than the trio could count.
As soon as they stepped onto the field, all of the monsters’ attention was honed in on them. They had no choice but to fight through the horde. The opposing forces clashed together in a furious melee, the overwhelming odds putting pressure on Lana and her friends. Each time they cut down one enemy, three more would take its place. It was going to turn into a battle of attrition at this pace.
And then the leader of the horde stepped forward. Its blade crashed down, almost splitting Lana in two. She rolled out of the way as Orca jumped to her aid, defending her from a follow up attack from a pair of bokoblins. The leader was a darknut, sporting impressive shiny armor that gleamed in the light of the fires. It toted a Knight’s Crest on its belt just as Lana did. Its red, glowing eyes could be seen through the visor on its helmet, and they were trained right at her.
- Ugh, with this thing targeting me, it’ll be difficult to advance.
“Bastard... You guys keep moving. I’ll handle him.” Orca said.
“Huh? You tryin’ to die?” Emilia said.
“No. But if you guys can get to Jasper, it’ll draw the rest of them away from here, and away from the ship.” he said. “I’ll be fine. I can handle this thing no problem.”
“Orca! You...” Lana wanted to stop him, but she cut herself off.
She recognized the strategy in this plan, and she knew it would be in everyone’s best interest to capitalize on it. She had come this far by trusting her allies to do their parts, so it would be insulting of her to stop now.
“Alright. Be careful.” Lana nodded. “LISTEN UP, MONSTERS! WE MARCH TO KILL JASPER! TRY AND STOP US, IF YOU DARE!”
Her instigating shout whipped the bokoblins into a frenzy. She knew they all admired Jasper, and so she used their loyalty to her advantage. Together with Emilia, they started running for the road that led to the town down on the other side of the farms.
The darknut moved to intercept them, but Orca stood in its way, countering its sword with his spear. The weight behind the strike was intense enough that Orca thought the shaft of his weapon might shatter, but through those muscles he was so proud of, he stood his ground and shoved the beast back.
“Oh no, you don’t. That’s my student back there. As her master and the one who trained her, I won’t let you lay a finger on that kid!” Orca yelled.
The darknut’s attention had shifted. As a creature that lived only for battle, it was captivated by the prospect of battling someone who had trained a holder of a Knight’s Crest. It aimed its sword at Orca now, brandishing it menacingly. Orca readied his spear, feeling completely unafraid. His precious student was at his back, and he had no intention of budging.
From one warrior to another, no further words needed to be exchanged. Orca and the darknut both moved for each other at the same time. Their weapons crashed together again, with the blade of Orca’s spear grinding down the beast’s sword. When their weapons parted, Orca twirled around to its rear and swung his spear at the back of its head.
The darknut ducked under the swing and raised its foot, kicking back into Orca’s stomach. He was lifted off the ground, but he managed to land on his feet, skidding to a stop in the dirt and kicking up dust. He groaned through the pain, gripping his spear tighter than before. He tanked the hit like a champ and kicked off from the ground, lunging at the beast before it could fully turn around to face him.
This time, his spear hit its mark. A metallic clang split his ears as he forced the darknut to stagger. This time, it attacked with an armored fist, trying to punch Orca’s jaw. He dipped to the side and dodged the blow, bringing his spear back around. As he moved, he saw the darknut begin to swing its sword again, so he leapt back out of the way.
The heavy steel barely grazed past his tunic as he backstepped. As soon as his feet touched the dirt again, he sprang forward, swinging his spear down as hard as he could. It slammed across the darknut’s shoulder, and the beast let out a distorted grunt. It stumbled back on its feet, but it was still able to strike back.
This time, its sword flew past Orca’s face, leaving a cut across the bridge of his nose. He winced from the pain, but refused to shut his eyes. He couldn’t afford to. He bent forward and lunged again, ramming his shoulder into the darknut’s chest. The beast stumbled down even more, this time stabbing its sword into the earth to stay on balance.
That was just what Orca was waiting for. He was already in position to strike. His spear smacked the darknut’s hand, forcing it to let go. He didn’t hesitate to advance again, pushing it further away from its weapon. Now it was disarmed, and Orca blocked its path back to its sword.
Orca began feeling more confident now that the tide had turned in his favor. He lunged forward again, this time aiming for the darknut’s head. However, it used its armored hands to block the spear, shoving it out of the way as it leaned in for a gut punch. The wind was knocked out of Orca’s lungs as he was lifted off his feet again.
His head grew fuzzy for a moment as he struggled to maintain his balance after that powerful hit. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the beast move into the stance for a roundhouse kick. Orca ducked down as low as he could and felt the blow whizz by over his head. He powered through a chill and took a deep breath to fill his lungs.
“BASTARD!” he screamed, rushing forward again.
This time he was prepared to deal with its martial arts. He caught another of its punches with his left hand. The pain was nearly enough to break his arm, but he tanked through it again and continued swinging his spear with his other hand. Finally, he was able to catch it across its face.
The darknut’s helmet spun around so that its visor was on the side of its head. Unable to see, the beast started flailing its limbs, trying to create some distance to fix this. But Orca was too agile for it. He dipped around to its flank and used his spear to cut through the bindings that held its armor together. Metal plates fell around the creature’s feet, its flesh now exposed.
In a last act of desperation, the darknut tried to use its own body to bash Orca, lunging in the direction his strike had come from. But he had outmaneuvered it yet again. He was already on the other side of it, and its chest was wide open. Orca didn’t miss this chance, and ended the fight by plunging his spear through the darknut’s chest.
The monster's body tensed up and went rigid as it grabbed the spear, trying to remove it. Orca pushed it in deeper, forcing more blood to spill from its wounds. After a few more moments of struggling, it suddenly stopped. It let go of the spear, and shakily, it raised its arms up instead. To Orca’s surprise, the darknut removed its helmet for him.
The brute’s face was dark and gruesome, twisted from pain and bloodshed. Its deep red eyes stared at Orca intensely for a few moments, and then it curled its lips up into a toothy, satisfied grin. With that, its head slumped over, and its knees gave out. It seemed to use those last moments of life to thank Orca for a battle well-fought.
Orca yanked his spear out of the beast and watched for a few moments as its body fell over, now motionless on the field. He looked around and saw that all the bokoblins in the area seemed to have pursued Lana and Emilia, as planned. He let out a relieved sigh.
“Man, I’m spent. Now it’s up to those kids.”
With those words, he fell to his bottom, clenching his stomach as the pain was finally catching up to him. He was certain some of his ribs were broken. He wasn't going to be any more use today. Still, he felt confident that he’d done enough.
“Lana is strong as hell. I know she can do this... She is my student, after all.”
Saying as much, he smiled and lay down on his back, trying his best to withstand the agonizing pain and rest.
a a a
“Tough bird, ain’tcha?” Aamali scoffed.
She flapped her arms and panted heavily, high above the chaos taking place on Greatfish Isle. For quite a while she had been engaging helmarocs in aerial combat. Knocking them out of the sky and preventing them from carrying Jasper off was the role she’d chosen to take on. There was only one left, and it was a rather big one.
This particular helmaroc was twice the size of the regular ones. It was also covered in battle scars and armor plating. The winged menace was as quick and agile as any fellow Rito would be. She had landed a few solid hits already, but it refused to fall. It had to be an apex of its kind.
It had locked onto her just as much as she had. They both knew neither could push forward without defeating the other. It was a deadlock. Aamali had seen that the others were fighting their way across Greatfish down below to reach Jasper, so she was desperate to defeat this enemy and regroup with them.
“Just fall already!” she hissed as she commenced her next attack.
With a great thrust of her wings, Aamali darted forward as fast as she could. The helmaroc beat the air with its wings to take off in the opposite direction, and a deadly chase ensued. As Aamali closed in, she swung her legs up to bring her hammer around. Like it were turning a corner, the helmaroc juked out of the way, and Aamali’s hammer only struck air.
She held her wings out straight to stop, and flapped them down with great force in order to change course after it. The two zig-zagged through the air repeatedly. With each missed swing, Aamali tired herself out more. Rito were built for long-distance flight, but that was assuming they weren’t using their muscles this intensely. She would likely run out of stamina before the helmaroc would.
Suddenly, the beastly bird flipped around in the air and sped right toward her, its dangerously sharp talons extended. Each claw was like a blade of its own. Aamali quickly maneuvered into a spin, escaping the helmaroc’s clutches with only a graze on her side. A few of her feathers were cut loose from under her shirt, and drops of her blood came with them.
She groaned and tightened her grip on her hammer. Her feet were getting tired of holding the heavy thing. She’d be at her limit soon. She needed to end this fast, so she clenched her teeth and did the same sharp flip to change direction. She was right up on its back now. She swung as fast as she could and finally landed another hit.
The helmaroc shrieked and staggered through the air, but unfortunately still didn’t fall yet. Aamali clicked her tongue in frustration, and dove in for another blow. The beast recovered quickly, however, and started another frantic chase through the skies.
Aamali was smart enough to know that this helmaroc wasn’t stupid. Unlike its brethren, it showed signs of planning and strategy. The chases were its way of wearing her down. She knew this, but she had to keep on top of it, or it would fly to Jasper. She racked her brain for something she could do to tip the scales in her favor before her strength was completely gone.
"Come on, think! What would Lana do at a time like this...?" she groaned.
Thinking about her clever friend, something clicked in Aamali’s mind. A strategy that Lana might use took shape, though she wasn’t certain if she could pull it off. It would be very risky, but there weren’t many options left. And so, she committed herself to it, with a grin that may have been forecasting her victory.
Aamali broke away from the chase and shot straight up. The helmaroc halted its advance, gazing up on her curiously. Aamali flew higher and higher into the air, eyeing the creature all the while. Just when it looked as though it was going to make for Jasper, Aamali threw her hammer up as hard as she could and dove back down at it with impressive speed.
Now that she wasn’t carrying that heavy weapon, her speed dramatically increased. The helmaroc was startled to see her catch up so quickly. It frantically dipped back and forth, trying to fly erratically enough that Aamali couldn’t home in on it. Unfortunately for it, nothing ruled the skies quite like a Rito.
Aamali reached out with her talons and dug them into the beast’s feathers. It cried in agony and tried to shake her off. The persistent Rito refused to back down and dragged the helmaroc off its course, pulling it away over the harbor. The two grappled with each other, spinning around in the air, plummeting farther down toward the surface. Aamali caught sight of the one thing she was waiting for, a gleam in the corner of her eye. The timing was right.
Using her winged arms, she reached forward and grabbed the helmaroc’s own wings, pulling them back behind itself. She planted her feet firmly on its back and pulled. The helmaroc, now unable to fly, was forced to stretch its body out. It craned its neck, trying to swat Aamali off with its armored head, and then it understood what she was doing. She could feel its hope leave its body as the hammer Aamali had thrown came crashing down through the sky at last, smashing into the helmaroc’s head on the way down. Just as planned.
From that height, with that kind of momentum, Aamali knew the damage would be devastating. And it was. The armored helmet shattered to bits, and from the sound of things, so did the helmaroc’s skull. Its final cry of pain was incredibly short and hollow. She kicked off its back, and it tumbled lifelessly down into the wharf.
Aamali’s hammer had landed with an incredibly loud smack, kicking up a cloud of dust in the sand. She didn’t land so much as she did fall to the ground, feeling completely drained of energy. The wet sand stuck to her feathers as she crawled through it to sit next to her hammer, now stained with the helmaroc’s blood.
“Man, I’m beat... Gonna need a minute or two before I can get back out there...” she panted. “Sure hope no monsters come over here while I rest for a bit.”
She gazed out toward the town, and the sounds of battle and the glow of fires continued to rage on. Whatever was happening, she wanted to hurry and help, but she knew she’d be a liability if she went with no energy.
“This is what Lana would tell me to do... I know they’ll be fine.” Aamali assured herself. “My debt hasn’t been repaired just yet. Don’t you dare die on me, Lana...!”
a a a
Lana and Emilia found themselves back to back in the center of Goponga Village surrounded by bokoblins and moblins, all under the command of a stalfos. The monsters formed an effective wall of flesh, blocking them off from the southwestern cape of the island. It seemed like they absolutely did not want the two of them to head that way.
“You guys! Jasper’s up ahead! I saw him!” Peeks announced as he flew down to the girls.
“Great, we’ve got him cornered now.” Emilia said. “But these guys are being a huge pain in the ass.”
“It’s the stalfos. It's the one leading them.” Lana said, glaring at the beast.
“Then it looks like you get to go on ahead again. I’ll keep these losers busy for you.” Emilia said.
“What? No, you’re injured! Orca was a different story-” Lana tried to protest.
“Huh? You think I can’t do better than that muscle head? Just who the hell do you think I am?” Emilia spat.
Lana bit her lip. It pained her to leave behind someone else again, but strategically, it really was the best option. She couldn’t waste her energy on the small fry. Jasper had to be taken care of, and fast. She relented, and made the best choice she could.
“You’re Emilia, the captain of the pirates that do whatever they want. And right now, this is what you wanna do. So fine.” Lana said. “But please, don’t die. I don’t want to lose any of my friends today, got it?”
Emilia’s jaw dropped a little when she heard that. “Y-you... Damn it, just go. I’m not gonna die, so move it!” she said.
Lana gave her an encouraging smile, and together the girls faced off against the stalfos once more. She had to get past it to reach Jasper. Stalfos were skeletal monsters, said to be the undead remains of past warriors. Malice animated their bones, making them difficult to destroy. She had already shared this knowledge with Emilia, so it was up to the pirate captain to find a way to persevere.
Together, they started running, cutting down any bokoblins that jumped in their path. The stalfos raised its great bony mace over its head, preparing to smash it down on the girls. Lana took advantage of this attack, not dodging until the last second to activate a temporal rush.
Ignoring her splitting headache, Lana moved faster than everyone else could blink, dipping under the stalfos and slashing through one of its legs. She cut through a few more bokoblins before the rush ended, and even while she panted heavily, she sprinted off toward the cape.
The stalfos stumbled over as its leg fell apart, howling in anger. Many enemies tried to chase after Lana, but Emilia leapt over the downed beast and cut them off. Her daggers flying in her hands, she made short work of any monster that dared to get by her. She now stood at the edge of town, becoming a wall in and of herself to keep the monsters away from Lana.
“That was great! Go, Lana!” Peeks cheered.
“Heh... How do you like that? Whatever the hell she just did, she created just the opportunity I needed to turn the tables.” Emilia said. “Now you freaks gotta deal with me. You aren’t taking one step past here!”
The stalfos growled at her, and started raising itself back up. The bones Lana had cut away started moving back into place all on their own, reforming its broken leg. Emilia frowned, realizing that this battle would be a difficult one. The beast’s full height was more than twice her own, and it had no discernable weak points.
Emilia tightened her grip on her daggers. She’d just have to cut it until it didn’t reform. After motioning for Peeks to leave the scene, she charged forward, slashing through even more bokoblins like they were cannon fodder. The stalfos raised its mace up once again, ready to swat her away.
Fortunately for her, the brute was slow. She took advantage of her agility to leap right over its wide swing, and sliced through its ribs with both of her daggers. She kicked off from its chest and backed off for a moment. Disappointingly, the bones she cut away also floated right back into place, as though they hadn’t been cut at all.
Even more bokoblins and moblins rushed at her while it recovered, but there weren’t that many left now. Emilia dipped under the swings of their machetes and spears, cutting through each of them with ease. They weren’t enough to pose a threat to her, even while injured. The enemy forces were dwindling down, at the cost of innumerable corpses littering the island.
The stalfos was unconcerned, perhaps because it seemed so free of death. It waited until there were no other monsters left, allowing Emilia to exhaust herself from battling them. Once the last moblin fell, Emilia stood still, trying to catch her breath. At that moment, the stalfos pounced.
It leapt into the air, crossing the distance to her position surprisingly quickly. Emilia dove out of the way despite her burning muscles, rolling back to her feet as the brute’s mace smashed into the ground. It turned to face her, bringing its weapon around into another swing. Emilia leapt over it and advanced once more.
She dipped forward and cut through both of its legs at once this time. The stalfos fell to its knees and tried to swat her away again. This time, Emilia leapt up and stomped her feet down on the mace. Using it as a stepping stone, she jumped even higher and aimed her daggers for its neck. She wanted to see if that were enough to end the fight.
However, the stalfos’ free arm shot out and grabbed her by the collar. It easily tossed her aside, and she rolled across the ground like a ragdoll to the foot of a broken-down house. She groaned in pain, feeling her older wounds opening back up. She now had several scrapes and a fractured rib to add to that.
The stalfos’ legs were already regenerating. Cursing as she pulled herself back up to her feet, she spat some blood from her lip to the ground. She began to think that aiming for the neck was the right call, since that was the first time it actively stopped her from cutting into it. As the beast lumbered toward her once again, Emilia turned on her heel and dashed up the wall of the building.
Kicking off from the wall as high as she could get, she found herself soaring in the air above the stalfos’s head. It started to swing its mace to knock her down, but she was faster than it was. She threw one of her daggers down, and it wedged itself right into its neckbone. It stopped its swing and appeared to be in pain for the first time throughout the battle.
Emilia continued falling toward the brute, and used her remaining dagger to fully slash her way through its neck. It gurgled dramatically as its body collapsed in on itself. The skull rolled to the ground right at Emilia’s feet. It was still moving, wiggling around like it were struggling to rebuild itself, so she raised her boot up and stomped down as hard as she could.
Once she had crushed the skull, the bones all turned into dust. There would be no coming back from that. Emilia sighed heavily and plopped down on her back right where she stood, dropping her dagger as she went down. She had utterly exhausted herself.
“Good grief, that thing was a massive pain. If only it didn’t take crushing the skull to kill it, I woulda been done long before this...” she complained.
The monsters had been mostly wiped out. No more bokoblins or even moblins stalked Greatfish Isle, and the fires were dying down. The commanding enemies were all defeated, save for Jasper. He was the last threat that remained on the island.
“I’m in too much pain to go help, but that shouldn’t be a problem, should it, Lana? After all... You’re the first person who was brave enough to call me their friend. If you can do that, you can do anything.” Emilia said to herself. “So you’d better not go and die... Win this once and for all, Lana!”
a a a
Lana ran along the dirt road that led out of the village, hearing the sounds of Emilia’s fight behind her. She didn’t look back. She wanted to trust that each of her friends would succeed. The fact that their opponents had not come after her thus far were testament to that.
As she headed for the cape, vivid memories of her life on Greatfish Isle rushed to the surface. This was the road she would always take to and from town. The simple dirt road and grassy surroundings had since been heavily trampled underfoot by monsters. It wasn’t long until her house came into view, too.
It was nothing like it had been when she left. The whole building had collapsed in on itself, smoldering in still-burning fires. It was utterly unrecognizable. Beyond where it sat on the cape was the small beach where she learned to fish and played with her parents. Standing there, facing out to see, was Jasper, an enemy to her, her family, and everything she loved.
Seeing him standing in the ashes of her home brought her bloodlust to the surface in full force. She had never in her life wanted to kill more than she did in that moment. She stopped running and clutched her heart, trying her best not to get swept away in a fit of rage. Killing Jasper was absolutely necessary, but it wasn’t just for her own satisfaction.
He was a menace to the Great Sea and everything that lived on it. He had made himself as such when he decided to pillage and kill for his own selfish desires, and he had no intention of stopping. There was no other option left. It had to come to this. A kill or be killed battle to the death. Lana slowly approached the King of all monsters and silently brandished her sword.
“So, you’ve come. I knew you would.” Jasper said without turning around. “I’ve ravaged your home and threatened your parents. I was close to taking away everything you love. So naturally, you’d want to come to kill me.”
At last he turned to face Lana, and the expression on his face was unlike anything she’d ever seen. His eyes were empty and hateful, and his lips didn’t form a single shape. It was as though he were hollow.
“I must admit, I feel exactly the same way.” he continued. “You’ve stolen from me. You destroyed my fort, nearly bringing an end to everything I’ve built up for over six decades. And now here you stand, still preventing me from acquiring the things I desire. My hate for you is unsurpassed. In my many long years, I have never wanted for anything the way I now want for your life.”
“I’ve already told you twice. This is the last time I’m going to say it. You will never get anything you want, ever again.” Lana rasped. “The only thing I want right now is for my family to be safe, and for that to happen, you have to die, Jasper. And today, I’m going to get what I want.”
Jasper’s rage was palpable. He gripped the hilt of his sword, seething with anger. His beady eyes were focused on Lana, as though she were now the only thing he could see. It appeared he had gotten some spare gear from his minions, since he had a shield again and the armor on his tunic had been repaired. He also seemed to have tended to the wounds he got in their earlier fight. He was back in top shape.
Lana grabbed the bottom of her hilt with her left hand, holding it firmly at the ready with both. She had two of each type of magic arrow left, as well as around twenty regular arrows. She had her estoc, her deku leaf, and she had the Wind Waker. There was nothing more she could do to prepare. She was ready. It was time to end this.
They both moved at the same time, charging straight for each other. Their swords crashed together in a frightening display of sparks, each pushing against each other. Jasper was able to shove Lana back, and she skidded in the sand to a rough stop.
Jasper lunged forward again, intending to bash her with his shield. Lana waited until the last second to dodge, initiating a temporal rush as she leapt backwards. In that same motion, she spun around in a full circle, sheathing her sword and drawing her bow and a fire arrow. She pulled back, and as the rush ended, she let it fly.
The fire arrow exploded across Jasper’s shield, but he withstood the burns and continued charging forward. Lana had to duck and roll out of his way. On her way back up, she drew an ice arrow and nocked it. She leapt backward and fired at Jasper’s head, intending for the cold to end his brain activity.
He ducked under the arrow, dodging it completely. The streak of ice sailed uselessly into the distance. He charged for Lana again, this time swinging his sword. She waited until the last second to dodge again, getting grazed in the process. Gritting her teeth through the pain, she triggered another temporal rush and used that opening to dash toward the small ledge where her house had once stood.
Lana dashed up the ledge and leapt off from the top, still holding her bow in her left hand. Jasper was already pursuing her, so she once again drew her bow in midair, nocking her last fire arrow. From that position in her freefall, she was able to do another temporal rush, at the cost of a vicious headache. She could hardly aim properly.
This time, she flipped around in the air and fired the arrow straight up. Then, she quickly put away her bow and ended the rush by grabbing the edges of her deku leaf. She flapped her arms with great force, kicking up a gust of wind and soaring right under the arc of Jasper’s next sword strike.
Jasper turned on his heel, preparing to continue chasing Lana down, but when she landed, she pulled out the Wind Waker and swung it in his direction. An intense gale whirled past Lana and pushed against Jasper, preventing him from advancing for a few moments. While that wind was still steadily blowing, Lana drew her bow again and nocked her final ice arrow.
As soon as she fired, Jasper held up his shield to block it, but that was fine. This time, her aim was something different. The gale force wind created the perfect timing she was waiting for. As soon as that ice arrow hit his shield, the fire arrow she’d fired a second ago fell from the sky, hitting the same spot.
The two opposing magical energies erupted violently when they clashed together against Jasper’s shield. Freezing and burning air mixed together, painfully searing away at anything that was caught in the explosion. That naturally included Jasper’s flesh. His screams of agony filled the evening air, as did the ear-splitting sound of the chain reaction.
Lana winced from the sound of it, but drew her sword again and rushed forward all the same. Jasper, though in severe pain, tossed the battered remains of his shield at her. Lana side-stepped past it and continued her advance, forcing Jasper into blocking her strike with his sword.
The damage he’d suffered sapped his strength effectively, as Lana had much less trouble pushing him back against the ledge. As her sword grinded down against his, she was ready to knock it back and end his life once and for all. But Jasper was still as tenacious as ever, and managed to land a solid kick right in Lana’s gut.
She choked on her own spit and staggered backwards, clutching her stomach with her free hand. Jasper managed to collect himself and rushed forward again, delivering a fierce punch to Lana’s cheek. She hit the sand hard enough for the grains to scrape her skin, and had to quickly roll out of the way when he stabbed his sword down into it.
Lana leapt to her feet and wiped the blood off her lip. She felt dizzy from that blow, but she didn’t have the time to collect herself. Jasper was already chasing her down again. She decided to meet him in another head on clash, and the two exchanged several blows over and over again.
Ducking under and parrying a flurry of sword strikes was difficult for the both of them. Neither got away without several cuts across their arms and chests. Lana waited for another chance to initiate a temporal rush, jumping back before Jasper’s sword dug into her flesh.
However, he seemed to predict it this time. He jumped back at the same time she did, forcing her to use the rush’s timeframe to close the gap. Her failed attempt left her with a headache that was only growing worse. She found herself off-balance again, and Jasper swung his arm to knock her down once more.
She was too dazed to roll out of the way this time. She’d overused her temporal rushes, and her heart was pounding so hard it was highly difficult to breathe. Her head hurt so much she was seeing double. When Jasper brought his sword down again, she had no choice but to block it from that position.
Jasper forced Lana down into the sand, stomping on her stomach as he shoved his sword. Lana coughed up bits of blood mixed with spit, trying her best to keep her arms from giving out. Her vision was beginning to fade, and she didn’t have the strength to push him off. All the while, he continued to grind his boot into her gut, squeezing the life further out of her.
- Come on, not like this! After everything that’s happened, I refuse to let this monster kill me here! There’s still so much I want to tell everyone! Still so much I want to do! No... I am not...
“I am not... done yet...!” Lana commanded herself.
She knew there was no way to get out of this unscathed. She clenched her teeth, knowing the pain would be intense. She shifted her sword so that she could start to sit up, and as a result, his blade dug into her left arm. She screamed from the cutting feedback, tears stinging her eyes. She nearly bit her own tongue. But, she managed to hold it together, and sacrificed the use of her left arm to rise up and slice through Jasper’s right.
“AAAAARGH!” Jasper roared.
Lana’s arm was still attached, though she could no longer move it. Jasper couldn’t say the same about his, though. His whole arm from the elbow down, still gripping his sword, crashed to the ground with a fountain of blood. He stumbled backward, desperately trying to stem the flow with his remaining hand. His cries were harrowing.
“You... My arm... You wench...!” he howled.
“I’m not done with you yet... It’s time for you to pay for everything you’ve done!” Lana declared.
Jasper tried to turn and run, but there was nowhere left he could run to. The oceans were off-limits thanks to Jabun, and Lana saw that thanks to Aamali, there was not a single helmaroc left in the sky. He was well and truly done. The only thing that remained was to finish the deed.
In her mind, she recalled the time she told Emilia that she preferred not to kill, but knew that sometimes there was no choice. She remembered the first time she’d killed a monster in the Forbidden Woods, and how it felt for her to have its life on her hands. She even thought back to the first time she was able to fillet a fish for herself.
All those years she’d spent looking away from death had brought her to this moment. It was a part of life she’d been forced to accept, but she still refused to compromise on her morals. She was not going to kill unless she had to. And today, she had to. This time, there was no hesitation whatsoever.
Her left arm hung at her side, limp and bleeding profusely. But she only needed one arm to do the job. She dashed toward the fleeing Jasper, who was howling and tripping over himself in a bloody mess. He tumbled down to his knees, clawing at the sand to get even a little bit further away from Lana. But, it was no use. She had cornered him at the small ledge. He was tall enough to slump over it, his back turned to her.
He was struggling to climb up in futility. “Please... Don’t do this! I’m still... I’m... I must be...!” he cried, scratching at the grass at the top of the ledge with his remaining hand.
“It’s over. Today, I’ve finally gotten what I want.” Lana said coldly.
It happened in the blink of an eye. One single swipe of her sword to the back of his neck, and it was over. Jasper’s head rolled onto the grass on the ledge, and stopped as though it were staring up at Lana’s family home. At long last, the Pirate King was dead.
Lana didn’t move for a little while. She could only stare at her handiwork. The blood continued to spill even after Jasper had stopped moving. Her sword was stained with his life, the very life she had taken from him. She didn’t know how to feel in this moment. She tried to think of something that would tell her the answer.
Jasper was dead at last. That meant whatever remaining monsters there were would likely give up the fight. That meant the people of Greatfish Isle, especially her parents, were safe. The long and hard battle was finished. She’d done what she promised to do and protected her family.
She supposed there was only one way to feel about that. Relief. She flicked her blade to remove as much of the blood as she could, but she couldn’t get it all off. She figured she’d have to clean it thoroughly later, and sheathed it. Next she had to tend to her arm. She still couldn’t feel it at all, except for the pain.
As she tried her best to bandage it with whatever cloth she had on her, she heard a parade of footsteps approaching. Her first instinct was to think it was more monsters, but luckily, it wasn’t. It was the villagers, Emilia’s crew, and the battle-worn fighters. Naturally, her parents were with them. They each stared in amazement, looking back and forth from Lana and Jasper’s dead body.
“You see, guys! I told you! Lana defeated Jasper! She’s so amazing!” Peeks cheered.
The excited korok flew over and buried his face in Lana’s chest. She held him with her right arm and smiled. Orca, Aamali, and Emilia all ran over to see her, and so did Lenzo. The fighters all had their share of wounds, but none of them were as severe as hers.
“I knew you could do it! That’s my student for you!” Orca said, patting her back.
“Lana, you’re just... Wow! You’re so awesome! You’re the best!” Aamali gushed.
“Looks like you kept your word. Good job, you.” Emilia said, grinning her usual grin.
“Absolutely extraordinary! I only wish I had brought my pictobox with me! What a splendid pictograph this would make...” Lenzo rambled.
“You guys... Thank you so much. Because of all of you, we did it! We defeated Jasper and the Forsaken Pirates once and for all! Really, thank you...” Lana said.
The tired heroine leaned forward, and Orca and Aamali caught her between themselves. The group huddled together and shared a heartfelt embrace, save for Emilia who didn’t want to be a part of something so mushy. Then, Lana’s parents ran over and joined in.
“My gull, you’ve really done it! I’m so proud of you!” Manolo said.
“Oh, but honey, you’re hurt! Are you... Are you okay?” Sofia asked.
“Not really, but I can live with it.” Lana said. “The important thing is, you guys are safe.”
“And so are you. That’s the most important thing of all.” Manolo said as he smiled at his brave daughter.
“Holy smokes, she really beat him...” Renny said, staring in awe at the results of the battle.
“I can’t believe this is really the same Lana...” Margo said.
“Really, what in the world have you been doing?”
Faced with such a question, Lana couldn’t respond right away. Her adventures flashed through her mind, as did her departure and her goals and dreams. There was no simple explanation for everything. The only thing she could do was force a wry smile and an awkward laugh.
“Ahah, well... It’s kind of a long story.”
* * *
Five days passed by, filled with rest and hard work in equal proportions. Thanks to everyone’s efforts, there was not a single casualty. Some called it a miracle, but others knew better. It was a direct result of hard work. The villagers and Emilia’s crew worked together to cart off the remains of the monsters, as well as to slay any stragglers. They were all piled up together in the eastern inlet and in the center of town, and then burned until there was nothing left. That was the most efficient way to clean up the aftermath.
As the townsfolk and pirates worked together to start reconstruction, the valiant fighters all convalesced in a makeshift tent in the town proper. Orca did indeed have broken ribs, Aamali had to get the cut on her side stitched up, Emilia was severely battered and bruised, and according to the town doctor, Lana would likely never fully regain use of her left arm.
That part was a bitter pill to swallow. Lana was able to move her fingers, but making a fist with her left hand was now beyond her capabilities. She also had difficulty raising it. She tried to play it off as a worthy sacrifice, but deep down, it wasn’t that cut and dry for her. Never being able to fully use that arm again was certain to be a major adaption.
Thankfully, the others’ injuries were much more manageable. Even Emilia was back on her feet by the second day. Orca had to admit she’d outdone him in that regard. She personally oversaw the reconstruction efforts, splitting some of the work away to repair her own ship without hindering the town’s progress. By the third day, she had half the homes back up with roofs. The farmland was a different story, though. The villagers were going to need a while to sort that one out.
During her recovery time, Lana’s parents visited her frequently, bringing some of that nostalgic home cooking with them. Even the townsfolk stopped by when they could. Many of them expressed sincere apologies for how they used to treat her, while others were still unable to believe she was the same girl. It was almost unsettling how much her actions had changed their attitude toward her and her family.
At long last, she was able to have that talk with her parents about what she’d been doing since she left. The entire town listened in one evening, almost like it were some kind of grand show. Predictably, it was difficult for a lot of them to swallow. But before long, Lana’s tales of disasters and adventures sunk in, and by the next morning, she was a bonafide hero to the entire island.
Sofia also finally explained about the zam spell. Unbeknownst to Manolo, she had brought it with them when they left their motherland in case of an emergency. She’d held onto it herself until the day Lana supposedly drowned as a child. That night, she’d cast the spell on her sleeping daughter, and it would only activate upon fatal damage. She showed Lana how to remove it; placing a hand over her heart and chanting the word “zam”. It took on the form of a small, purple crystal with black intricate writing. She could still hardly believe she’d had it nearly her entire life without ever knowing.
Finally, everyone was back on their feet again. This marked the thirty-first day of Lana’s journey, and the time came to make a decision. Would it continue, or would she stay content to live with her family on Greatfish Isle once more? The night before, she had a long discussion with her parents about it, and finally, she made her choice.
The dawn of the thirty-first day came around quietly. Most of the work on the buildings had finished, so the townsfolk were all plowing the fields, salvaging what they could and starting anew. Lana’s first stop was to visit Aamali and Peeks, who were together in the center of the village. They were bonding over how they both lived to serve a Great Spirit.
“Oh, here comes Lana!” Peeks said.
“Hey! How’s your arm?” Aamali asked.
“Totally numb. This is gonna take some getting used to...” she said. “How about you? All better now?”
“Fit as a fiddle, thanks to the doctor! I’m good to go now.” she answered.
“I am, too! I’ve gotta get back to work spreading the Great Deku Tree’s seeds!” Peeks said.
“And I’ve gotta get home. Dad’s probably worried sick about me. I’ve got some explaining to do about these stitches when I get back, haha...” Aamali said.
Lana smiled. “Thank you both so much, really. I never could have succeeded if you hadn’t come with me.”
“Hey, you’ve thanked us enough already, really.” Aamali said. “Besides, I owed you for saving my life and helping my people. I’m not quite ready to call this a debt repaired, but...”
“Nonsense. You helped save my family and my entire home. That’s more than repaid, in my eyes.” Lana assured her. “Really, thank you. I mean it.”
Aamali’s eyes got all watery, and she leaned forward to pull Lana into a hug. “I’m really gonna miss you, you know. Good luck with everything. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”
Peeks leaned in for the hug, too. “I’ll never forget you, Lana! You’ll always be a friend of the forest! Stay safe out there, you hear?”
Lana returned the hugs, tearing up herself. “I’ll never forget you guys, either. I’ll carry our memories with me for the rest of my life. Thank you again for everything.”
With those parting words, the two fliers took off into the sky. Peeks headed north, likely back to Windfall to resume what he had been doing when they reunited. Aamali flew northeast, back to Dragon Roost Island. Lana watched them until she couldn’t see them anymore, and then wiped her eyes. There were still more goodbyes to be said.
Next, she came across Orca and Lenzo together in the harbor. They’d managed to drag his boat out from its hiding place behind the rocks and pulled it up to the docks. He was going to give Lenzo a lift back home before he headed home himself. When they saw Lana approaching, they each broke out into a huge smile.
“Hey, look who it is! It’s the heroine herself!” Orca teased.
“Haha, yes, the heroine indeed!” Lenzo chimed in.
“Guys, come on... Don’t you start, too.” Lana said, blushing. “It’s already weird enough that the villagers all call me their hero.”
“Well, what else would we call you? You’re a total badass who saved the whole island.” Orca said.
“Indeed, your actions are worthy of being called a hero. You certainly are one to me.” Lenzo agreed.
Lana pouted to show them she didn’t want the conversation to continue. The boys laughed and changed the subject for her. “So anyway, yeah, I’m gonna take this guy home and then I’m going back to Outset. I’m sure my brother probably thinks I’ve gone and gotten myself killed by now.” Orca explained.
“Say hi to Sturgeon and Anna for me, okay? And tell Anna the tunic she gave me saved my life in the Forbidden Woods.” Lana said.
“Will do. You’ve been a wonderful student, Lana, and it was an honor to teach you and help you reach your full potential. I’ll never forget this experience.” Orca said.
Lana smiled warmly, and removed the Knight’s Crest from her belt. “Then let’s make sure of that. Take this with you. It’s yours.”
“Wha? But... I already told you, I don’t deserve it...” he said.
“You do. You helped me save my home and my family. You stuck your neck out to fight for me. You’ve more than earned it. And you were the only reason I picked it up in the first place. Please take it, Master Orca.” she said.
Orca’s eyes welled up. He bit his bottom lip like he was trying to hold the tears in. “Th-thank you... I’ll gladly accept a parting gift from the best student in the world.”
Lenzo grinned and put his arms around their shoulders. “What a heartfelt goodbye. Good stuff, good stuff!” he joked, imitating the time when Orca did that to him and Lana. They got a good laugh out of that.
“Thank you for coming with me, too, Lenzo. You were a big help. Don’t tell yourself otherwise just because you couldn’t fight, got it?” Lana said.
“I promise I won’t. I know better than that now, thanks to you. I swear I'll continue to work to make Windfall a better place. If you ever do come back, I hope you like what you find there.” Lenzo said.
“Windfall is in good hands with you, I know it.” Lana said. “Goodbye, you guys. Thank you again so much. I’ll miss you!”
With that, the boys departed on Orca’s boat. Lana stood on the pier, waving to them until they vanished on the horizon. She felt like crying, knowing she’d never see them again, but she had to hold it together. There were still other goodbyes to make. She headed on to her next destination, walking all the way across the island to the eastern inlet.
When she arrived, preparations for Emilia’s Pirates to leave were already well underway. Renazo spotted Lana coming down the slope and called out to his captain. He got kicked in the leg for his trouble as Emilia grumbled down to the sand to meet with her.
“Yeah?” she said, already sounding choked up.
Lana had to hold in a laugh. “I have something I need to return to you.” she said, slipping the gossip stone off of her wrist.
“Oh, right, you had the other one...” she said. For a moment, it looked as though she hesitated to take it back. But she snatched it from Lana’s hands nonetheless. “Good job on not losing it.”
“Well, you said you’d kill me if I did.” Lana teased. “If it weren’t for you, I would have never known that my home was under attack. Thank you for being here to stop it, and for calling me to help.”
“You... Damn it, why’d you go and say that?” Emilia said. “If I didn’t think to come here in the first place, Jasper probably wouldn’t have found out your parents lived here. This whole mess is my fault, you got it? You shouldn’t be so damn nice to me.”
“You did say I shouldn’t thank pirates when we first met.” Lana said. “But this time is okay. I’m not thanking a pirate, I’m thanking a friend.”
Emilia’s face flushed with color. “Wh... You... Ugh, I... Ugh! You’re unbelievable!”
Lana couldn’t hold in her laughter anymore, which only made Emilia angry. The pair wrestled for a bit, before finally, Emilia started laughing, too.
“Damn, what the hell even are you, anyway? Jeez... I’m gonna have a hard time forgetting you.” Emilia said.
“I know I’ll never be able to forget you. You were the first person who extended their hand to me on my journey, even if you only did it on a whim. You’re the reason I ever made it this far. Thank you so much for everything, Emilia.” Lana said.
Emilia’s laughter settled down, and she faced Lana directly now, as a friend. “Yeah, it’s been real, Lana. Best damn decision on a whim I’ve ever made. You take care, alright? Don’t expect me to come save you again.”
“I promise I won’t need it next time. Goodbye, Emilia!”
With that, the two parted ways once more. Emilia returned to her ship, and her crew set sail. As the ship pulled out of the inlet, the pirates all waved goodbye to her and cheered for her. Every last one of them, including Emilia.
Lana waved back, watching them sail away and out of her life for good. She was starting to reach her breaking point, but she still wasn’t done yet. Saying goodbye while knowing it's the last one was always difficult for her. Still, she had to keep going. Her next stop was Jabun’s cove. She had an old friend to visit.
When she arrived, it was eerily quiet. Only the sound of the waves could be heard. The great stone wall that blocked off the cave was still intact, but the ocean outside of the cove bubbled and roiled. Sensing her presence, Jabun rose up from the sea to greet her.
“Hello, Oshus. Or should I call you Jabun?” Lana said.
The Great Spirit looked down on her with sad eyes. One of its whiskers extended out from its face, touching Lana’s forehead. She began to hear the voice of the man she’d known fill her mind.
“I am sorry for never telling you the truth, Lana. I was keeping my identity a secret from the entire village, borrowing the guise of an old friend to observe how the islanders lived. In truth, I regret not taking a more active role. If I had shown my true form to the villagers, surely they would have stopped harassing you and your family.”
“It’s not your fault, Oshus. You’ve got a role to fulfil as a Great Spirit. I know you don’t always have the luxury of choice. Having met the other two, I can say you all are saddled with a responsibility I don’t think I’ll ever fully understand. But let me just say this... Thank you for being my friend. Growing up with you watching out for me means more to me than I could ever say.” Lana told him.
Jabun’s eyes sparkled as they looked down at her. “Your kindness is ever a pleasure to behold. I am so proud of the young woman you’ve become. Watching your growth was truly the highlight of my years spent in observation. As the Great Spirit of the ocean, I will continue to watch over you for as long as you sail on these waters.”
“Thank you so much, Osh- Uh, Jabun. Heh, sorry... Thank you.” Lana said.
“Call me what you wish. Great Spirit I may be, but you will always be a treasured friend.”
“Thank you, Oshus. I’ll really miss you.”
Jabun seemed to smile at her as he receded back underwater. A blue light gleamed from below the surface, and then traveled through the cove and slipped under the wall that blocked off the cave. It seemed he had returned to his proper place at last. Lana wiped her eyes as she remembered the time she and Oshus had come to pray at this spot, the day she first left.
- Your prayers will always be with me. Thank you, friend.
Finally, there was only one stop left to make. She’d promised to meet her parents at their family home before leaving. The townsfolk, in their gratitude to her, gifted her the best boat they had. They even gave her father a new fishing dinghy, his old one having sunk in the chaos of the battles.
Lana’s new boat sat alongside her fathers at their little cape. It was twice the size of his, with plenty of storage space below deck, a pulley system to control the sail, and the kind of steering gear she liked. It was the best she could ask for. She giggled to herself, remembering how much they’d fawned over her when they gave it to her. Quite a turnaround from their past behavior. She felt confident that her parents would have better lives from then on.
And there they stood, waiting for her on the beach, just as they did on her first departure day. Manolo and Sofia smiled widely when they saw their daughter approaching. Lana couldn’t hold herself back and ran straight into their arms, embracing them both tightly.
“We’ve said it all before, my gull. I’m so very proud of you.” Manolo said.
“I know that things will be different for you this time. You can do this.” Sofia said.
“Is it really okay? After everything that happened, is it right for me to keep trying?” Lana said, starting to cry.
“Of course it is, honey. It’s what your heart wants. You’ve got to follow it.” her mother said, stroking her hair.
“To be without you is painful, but knowing that you’re seeking your dreams is the greatest happiness a parent can ask for.” her father said, squeezing her in his arms.
“And so is knowing that you’ll be safe. I don’t think there’s a single thing left on the Great Sea that could stand a chance against our daughter now.” Sofia said, smiling.
“Too true. You’ve grown so much this past month. There’s nothing you can’t do if you set your mind to it, Lana. I know you will find our motherland.” Manolo said.
Lana sniffed. “You’re right... Thank you both for always supporting me. I love you so much.”
“And we love you.” Manolo said.
“Now go out there and finish your journey.” Sofia said.
Lana gave them one last hug for good measure before finally separating from them, one last time. She climbed aboard her new boat and checked to make sure everything was in order. It was fully stocked with food and water supplies, as well as protection against inclement weather and a sea chart to help her find her way.
On her person, Lana carried her estoc, her deku leaf, and her bow and arrows. She also still held the Wind Waker, and the zam spell was tucked safely in her satchel. There was nothing more she could do to prepare, and she had said all of her goodbyes. It was mid-afternoon, and the wind was at her back. It was prime time to set out.
Lana unfurled the sail, and it caught the wind splendidly. Her father had already painted a new huarere on this one, but now there was no need to worry about that, since those who sought it were now gone from the Great Sea. Now it could finally serve its purpose as a fair weather charm, and a reminder of home.
Manolo and Sofia cried their eyes out as they waved goodbye to their daughter. They knew this would be the last time they ever saw her. They knew she would succeed this time. Just as they’d said, there was nothing left that could stop her. And Lana knew it, too. The fire in her heart couldn’t be doused with farewell tears. She had a journey to finish, and nothing was going to slow her down anymore.
And yet, there was still one final loose end. Once Lana had sailed out of Greatfish’s local waters, she had an encounter. On the horizon ahead of her appeared a vividly red boat, with the crested mane of a lion adorning its bow. Lana smiled heartily when she saw it, and furled her sail so she could pull up next to it.
“Hello, King.” Lana greeted.
“Hello, Lana.” the King of Red Lions said. “You doubtless know that I watched the whole thing from your gossip stone. Do I even need to say it? You and your friends were absolutely amazing. Just as expected, of course.”
“Thank you for saying so. It’s comforting to know you continued to watch over me.” Lana said. “But now I’ve returned the gossip stone to its rightful owner, so that won’t be happening anymore...”
“Indeed. It is a shame, but that’s how it must be. Speaking of which...” he began.
“Yeah, I know. You’re here for this, right?” Lana said, removing the Wind Waker from her belt.
“Indeed. I am grateful for your understanding.” King said, taking it in his mouth and vanishing it just as he’d done before.
“You’re such a mystery, as always.” Lana said. “But you’re one of the best friends and allies I’ve made on this journey. It really means a lot that you’ve continued to stick around for me, even after our business together was finished. I can never thank you enough.”
“I share the same feelings. You have been an invaluable companion to me, Lana. And I must thank you again from the bottom of my heart. Because of you, the Great Sea is safe and ready to accept the Legendary Hero in the future. My debt to you can never be fully repaid.”
“Haha, seems like we’re both in debt to each other... What can we do about that? I’d hate to leave you on uncertain terms.” Lana said.
“... Perhaps I have an idea.” King said.
Then, his body began glowing in an eerie blue light. It took Lana by surprise and reminded her of the ethereal flames she’d seen surrounding the ghost ship. To her amazement, the visage of an elderly man appeared, hovering in the air above the wooden hull of the boat. He was very fancily-dressed, had a large white beard, and even wore a crown on his head. His robes were the same red color as the boat.
“I can say goodbye to you in my true form. I am Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, king of a land long since gone from this world, swallowed under the Great Sea.” he reintroduced himself.
Lana's mouth hung agape. She didn’t really know how to react. King was actually a real king, or at least the ghost of one? She didn’t see that coming at all, though in retrospect, she felt like she should have.
“So that’s what you really look like... Wow.” she said. “Somehow, this makes so much sense, and at the same time, I feel like my head’s going to explode...”
“Hahah, yes, I understand what you mean...” King Daphnes said. “I am sorry if I shocked you. However, I felt as though I owed you this much. I wanted you to know the truth about me before you left.”
“Thank you for doing that. I really appreciate it. Now I kind of see why you do what you do. All for the Legendary Hero...” Lana said. “You really are amazing. I’m glad to have known you, King. Thank you for everything.”
“You’ve taken the words right out of my mouth, Lana. I wish you luck and success on your journey. Looking at the person you are now, I have the utmost confidence in you. Godspeed, and safe travels, my dear friend.”
And so, the visage of King Daphnes vanished back into the hull of the King of Red Lions. The head of the lion smiled at Lana warmly, and then slowly drifted off into the distance. This was truly their final goodbye. And with that, there was not a single loose end left. Nothing remained to tie her to the Great Sea. She was finally fully ready.
This time, Lana didn’t watch him until she could no longer see him. She looked ahead to her own horizon line, and unfurled the sail once more. She stood up on the deck of her ship, gazing up at the wispy white clouds in the sky. She shut her eyes and listened to the sound of the waves. She allowed the wind to blow through her hair, relishing the soft touch of the breeze. She breathed deeply in through her nose, and when she exhaled, she opened her eyes and looked straight ahead, sailing on to reach her destiny.
Everything she’d been through on this journey had made her strong. From one disaster to the next, from one adventure to the next, from every fight and every quest, from every person she met, she gained something precious and irreplaceable. Lana was not the same girl she was when she first set out. Now she was more herself than she’d ever been before.
She was a fisherman once. She was also a voyager. She discovered that she was a Wind Waker. And she had become a hero. But, despite all that, she was still Lana Kaimi. And that was what she’d chosen to be. From that day on, Lana was herself above all else. And that was just how she’d find her motherland.
“Alright, here I come. I’ll find it, wherever it is.”