The Concerto of Spirits

[Azure Sage]

Chapter 33 is ready to go! I wonder if any readers will notice the pattern in this arc's structure. I hope you enjoy!

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Chapter Thirty-Three
Snow Sanctuary​

Two days after the first purification, the group was back at full strength. They had agreed to take similar breaks between the subsequent purifications, if needed. From what Sitri understood, the sacred power dwelling in Tetra’s blood was difficult and taxing to use. She’d apparently never really gotten a fair chance at learning to harness it. Sitri understood that feeling all too well.

Once again, the whole group gathered in the Tower of Spirits’ lobby. Concerningly, though, Byrne had still not returned. Anjean sighed wearily, shrugging her shoulders in resignation.

“It’s quite clear now that Byrne does not want to be found. We will have to move on without him.” she said reluctantly.

“I suppose we’ll manage somehow...” Mikhaeyla said. “I spoke with Hawthorne this morning, and the situation across Hyleigh still seems to be stable. Beelzebub has yet to orchestrate any further raids.”

“I bet he’s waiting for us to act again... He wants to keep getting in our way.” Tetra supposed.

“Good, I say let him come! I’m itchin’ for a thrilling fight again.” Zoie said, slamming his fists together.

“Oh, he’ll come. We can be certain of that. It’s unclear if he’s figured out where all of the fonts are, but all he has to do is track my signature. I’m sure today will be just as harsh as last time. Is everyone prepared?” Mikhaeyla asked.

“Yes, Your Majesty. We captains stand ready to act.” Albion said, saluting with his fellows.

“I’m ready, too!” Link said.

Sitri also nodded her ascent. “Hyleigh needs us... We’ve gotta get out there before something else happens.”

Steem, the Lokomo who was to be Guardian of the Snow Realm, rolled forward. “Very well. Then let us delay no longer! Today we purify the Snow Realm and preserve its pristine ice! The whole of the land depends on its nourishing meltwaters.”

“I know you will do well. I look forward to a favorable result.” Anjean said, bowing to the group.

With her prayer for their success, the party moved to the Spirit Train, waiting for them in the turntable. Boyle was at the helm once again, just as motivated to assist as he was before. The group felt Byrne’s absence strongly, but they didn’t have the time to search for someone to take his place. Sitri resolved herself to work hard enough for two people.

I have to do better than last time... I can’t fall behind Link and the others. I will show that I’m capable... That I’m worthy of being the Hero of Spirits!

She was jostled out of her head as the turntable spun around, pointing the train to the northwest. It was time to embark. The whistle resounded through the Tower’s lobby with an invigorating echo, instilling her with the drive to win. Whatever Beelzebub had planned for them this time, she was going to overcome it.

The Spirit Train chugged out of the large threshold into the open air. The tracks ran along the base of a small mountain range next to the Tower, continuing past a lake surrounded by conifer trees. Inside the passenger car, they were insulated from the cold, but it was going to be tough going once they had to step outside. Mikhaeyla applied a layer of magic protection on those who couldn't do it themselves.

Their destination was the recently-vacated ruins of Kakariko Village. Sitri thought about the refugees in the camp outside Hyleigh City. Their home was about to be erased from the map for good, replaced by the Sanctuary. Where were they going to go after this? She supposed that would be the Council’s job to sort out, but she didn’t have much faith in their ability to make sound decisions.

Even so, they had to keep going. The Spirit Train kept a steady pace, and its passengers kept a keen eye on their surroundings from the windows. A sudden attack from Beelzebub could come at any moment, from any direction. Anxious, Sitri rocked back and forth on her knees in the seat as she kept her face glued to the glass.

Once again, Mikhaeyla was first to notice something amiss. They had just brushed through a small patch of forest when she leapt out of her seat.

“Knights, with me.”

That brief command pulled Varuna, Albion, and Ceres to the top of the train with her, just like last time. The panicked whistle from Boyle alerted the rest of them to the danger afoot. Ahead of them on the tracks was a massive pack of wolfos. Such numbers of their kind was unheard of before. If they threw themselves at it, they would overrun a train even at full speed. It was the Grand Demonic Knights’ role to ensure that didn’t happen.

“The same tactic again? Beelzebub can’t be that stupid.” Tetra muttered.

She was probably right. Same as before, Mikhaeyla created a longbow from her magic and scattered their ranks. The wolfos’ pained howls filled the air, as did the flurries of snow her attack had stirred. The enemy was just as ineffective at stopping them as the bulbin riders had been. Why bother, then? Maybe there was something else going on.

Sitri took her attention off the battle happening in front of the train and peered around to the side she was sitting on. They were coming up on another patch of forest soon. Once they passed it, they’d have Kakariko in their sights.

Hmm... If I wanted to stop us from reaching the village, I’d put an ambush in there. It’s dark between the trees...

As if it were clairvoyance, a new wave of monsters popped up between the conifers. It was a group of Sir Frosties, living snowmen that were believed to be haunted by the souls of those who froze to death in blizzards. Despite their cutesy name, they mercilessly chucked their own heads at passing trains. Boulders of ice like that could do some real damage.

“Aunt Mikha, to your right!” Sitri shouted.

Without even needing to look, Mikhaeyla trusted her niece’s words and swung her arm to create a barrier. In the next moment, dozens of Sir Frosty heads slammed against it, exploding into puffs of snow and frozen chunks.

“Wah! That startled me...” Ceres jumped.

“Handle them.” Mikhaeyla said calmly.

Varuna and Albion nodded, pointing their magic bows at the army of snowmen scooting out from the forest. Small openings appeared in the barrier, allowing them to fire through it while still protecting the train. Gradually, the main bodies of the snowmen were ruptured by magic arrows, settling as snowdust in the forest.

Ceres, still startled, hesitated for a moment, but because of that, her eyes wandered to the other side of the train. And from there, she spotted something else of concern.

“Lady Mikhaeyla, look! A whole bunch of freezards!” she exclaimed, pointing toward the south.

Sitri ran across to the other side of the passenger car and looked where she indicated. Just as she said, the jagged icy heads of the little trolls were poking out of the snow in a swarm. Freezards were encased almost entirely in ice, and they froze anything they touched. They typically only moved as fast as they could scoot, but their bodies were so cold that the top layer of snow on the field was freezing solid under them. They were sliding toward the Spirit Train with great speed.

With the wolfos in front of the train, the Sir Frosties to the north, and the freezards to the south, the party was in a dangerous position. They were being enclosed on almost all sides.

“A three-way pincer... This is not good.” Sitri said.

“Guess Beelzebub's trying harder than last time. Should be fun!” Zoie grinned.

He didn’t wait for someone to tell him otherwise this time. He stepped out to the back of the passenger car, letting the cold air whip inside the train. He flourished his arms, and they were lit ablaze with his pink fire. One after another, he began chucking fireballs at the freezards.

Despite the fact that his flames were cold, they still melted the snow wherever they landed. That illogical magic of his kept the freezards from continuing to skate their way to the train, completely killing their momentum. That left them wide open for Ceres to fire black bolts from her magic crossbow.

Sitri watched in awe as each side of the train was peppered by magic attacks from her demon allies. Mikhaeyla finished wiping out the wolfos, and any stragglers were left limping after the Spirit Train as it passed them by. The forest where the Sir Frosties were stationed withdrew into the distance, leaving the crumbled husks of the snowmen behind. The freezards, too, were blocked from approaching the train, their frigid armor shattered to bits. The pincer was thwarted.

“Amazing... Boy, am I glad you’re on our side now.” Tetra whistled.

“Shaddup. Thank Link for that.” Zoie said, always deflecting praise.

As the two began to glare at each other, Link stepped between them with a wry expression scrunching his face. Steem nodded in approval, appreciating the hard work and cooperation he witnessed. Meanwhile, Sitri quietly contemplated her own part in the action.

Thanks to me, Aunt Mikha protected the train with her barriers, but it’s not enough... I need to do more if I wanna be the Hero of Spirits. I don’t want to settle for just being support! I have to be much more active!

Progressing past the danger for now, the Spirit Train continued west. Kakariko Village was soon in their sights. The view of it was heart-wrenching. The newly razed ruins were like a black stain on an otherwise white snowfield. No fires smoldered anymore, allowing soot-free snow to fall once again, gently blanketing a place that used to contain life.

As the Spirit Train screeched to a stop, the party exited and advanced into the ruins. Their feet crunched through the black and white debris littering the area. Steem found it difficult to wheel his way through it, but he dutifully led them to what he felt was the spiritual center of the font. Sitri kept her head in motion, turning every which way to spot Beelzebub’s next move before anyone else.

Varuna bit her lip. “I know we saved many people that night, but to see it in ruins still... leaves me dissatisfied. If only we could have done more...”

“I know what you mean. There were a lot of people we didn’t reach in time...” Ceres said quietly.

“Not just them, but their entire home is gone now. Buildings can always be replaced, but to be without a place to live is not an easy thing to overcome.” Albion said.

“And with the Sanctuary, they won’t even be able to come back...” Sitri added softly.

“Yes... That is unfortunate, but it can’t be helped.” Steem said. “The Snow Realm needs to be purified if it is to recover. Take the climate, for example. The Snow Realm always had subzero temperatures, but only in the farthest northern edges, where the Anouki used to live. The weather growing steadily colder over time is likely a direct result of the fonts being in a state of decay.”

“Wait, so if we purify the font, it’ll get warmer?” Tetra asked.

“Not to the extent of the Forest Realm, no, but it should return to how it used to be in the old days. The Anouki would be able to return home to the Crystal Mountains... if it weren’t for the Temple I’m going to have to build there.” Steem described.

“So the fonts even affect the environment...” Sitri said.

“Yes. The health of the land is directly tied to the health of the fonts and the leylines, as well as the Spirit Tracks and the seal. All of it is connected, as Anjean explained the other day. If only we had sooner understood just how far-reaching that connection truly was... Maybe we could have prevented this.” Steem said regretfully.

“It isn’t like you could have built the Sanctuaries on places people were currently living. Perhaps this is a solution that could only come about after things deteriorated this far...” Mikhaeyla pondered.

“Perhaps so... But it does us no good to ruminate on the what-ifs now. We have arrived.” Steem said.

The party came to a stop in the heart of Kakariko. Sitri knew that this place used to be the town square, where a garden of arctic blues was dutifully cared for by the townsfolk. She briefly recalled a few days spent sharing a seat at its edge with Wisterya while watching her grandchildren play in the snow. None of them were alive anymore. It had just barely passed a week since the peace was stolen from this place. She felt her anger toward Beelzebub and his despicable actions bubble to the surface once more, winding her fists tightly at her sides.

“Yes... I can sense it. This is the spot where the energy of the land gathers most densely... Tetra, the Spirit Flute!” Steem announced.

“Alright. No more belly-aching from me. I know what has to be done.” Tetra said, readying the sacred flute at her lips.

Steem nodded and produced a pipa, sharing an affinity for string instruments like Gage. He readied his fingers to pluck the notes into the air, and Tetra inhaled, ready to wield that sacred power flowing through her blood.

On beat with their first note, the ground shook violently. Their duet was rudely interrupted, just as it had been last time. As the earth continued to rumble, Sitri felt a wave of heat rushing up on her from behind. She spun around to see a giant fireball hurtling toward her and the group. She grabbed the hilt of her sword, but before she could draw it, Zoie jumped out in front of the party, already poised to swing his axe.

“Ha! Let’s fight fire with fire!” he yelled gleefully.

The head of his axe burst into flames as he cleaved it through the raging inferno approaching them. The cold from his pink fires extinguished the heat from those burning reds. However, the trouble didn’t end there. On the opposite side, Sitri could now hear something suck up the air around them with great force.

The source of the attacks revealed itself. Inhaling with the strength of a whirlwind was a large, goblin-like creature that resembled a miniblin, only its ears were far bigger and floppier, and its skin was patterned differently. It also could levitate, something those weak little imps could never dream of doing. As it took in air, its body inflated like a balloon, more than doubling in size.

Sensing trouble, Mikhaeyla quickly placed a barrier between it and the party. In the next moment, it released all of that accumulated air, and a blizzard whirled out of its mouth as it deflated. This icy blast of wind rammed against the barrier, splitting it in two halves that howled around the party. When it was finished, it laughed menacingly, baring its claws and hovering higher above the group.

“It uses both fire and ice attacks... This may be tricky.” Albion observed.

“Just like you, Zoie!” Link said.

“What?! Don’t compare me to that ugly windbag!” Zoie objected.

“Not quite, but he has the right idea...” Mikhaeyla said, trying to stifle her grin. “It seems Beelzebub has chosen another dangerous pet to sick upon us. You all know what to do.”

“Right. It sucks, but I gotta play this thing. Let’s get to work, Steem!” Tetra said.

“Indeed!” he responded confidently.

Beautiful tones floated into the air from each of their instruments. Tetra’s flute-playing had clearly improved since the last purification, and Steem led her down the melody’s path at a pace that suited her. At the same time, each of the knights took up position, spreading out to face their new foe. Sitri, Link, and Zoie were right there with them. Another battle to defend the purification was unfolding.

This time... This time, I’m going to do more than just help!

Thinking this, Sitri gripped her sword tighter, and felt her Lokomo magic flow through her veins. She had to make this borrowed power be as second nature to her, such that she could call upon it as easy as breathing. Antsily, she eyed her allies to see what they were up to. Each of them hung back a bit, sizing up their opponent. This was her chance to make the first strike and control the pace of the fight.

Just as Sitri lifted her boot from the snow, another smothering presence appeared at the monster’s side, stopping her in her tracks. Touching down in a storm of violet light was her sneering, diabolical sworn enemy. He dusted off his shoulder and stood smugly at his pet’s side, facing down the group.

“Haha! Well, well, looks like the big boss wants to join the fun, too!” Zoie said.

“Beelzebub...” Link growled.

The man in question scoffed, like their barking was beneath his attention. He raised one arm up at his side, and a spiraling drill took shape around it, glowing a malevolent purple. This magic set Sitri’s skin to prickling. Having fought him before, she could tell that he meant business.

“My dear Fraaz, you won’t be playing alone today.” he said, cooing at the monster he’d summoned. “It’s time I started taking care of you ridiculous pests myself.”

 

[Azure Sage]

Time for Chapter 34! This one is the longest chapter in the story yet. I'm really proud of it. Been waiting for a long time to serve what I've been cooking here. Enjoy!

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Chapter Thirty-Four
A Past Relayed​

Sitri swallowed dryly. Facing not just Fraaz, a monster that controlled both ice and fire, as well as Beelzebub at the same time was a difficult predicament. There was an intimidating gleam in her sworn enemy’s eyes. He was there to clean house, no two ways about it. She could not afford to let him have his way.

I lost to him last time, but I have another chance today! If I can just beat him...!

Taking down the primary cause behind Hyleigh’s current problems would surely win her the Hero of Spirits title. She brandished her sword and filled her feet with magic, tunneling her vision on him and him alone. Fraaz would be left up to her allies. She wanted Beelzebub all to herself.

Mikhaeyla had other plans, however. An intense burst of pressure ripped through the air and the ground around her, and her magic transformation enveloped her body in a curtain of red light. The air grew heavy with bloodlust as she readied herself for battle. In the face of such power and terror, Sitri could not move. The full might of a Demon King was suffocating.

Beelzebub’s sneer turned into a frown as he quickly prepared another drill around his other hand. He leapt backwards into the air as Mikhaeyla shot forward, leaving fierce tremors in the wake of her leap. Longswords made of her magic materialized in her hands in the same motion, and she swung them straight for Beelzebub’s neck.

He managed to guard at the last second, those swirling drills deflecting her blades. In the process, he was knocked back and sent careening through the air to the north of the village. Mikhaeyla glanced behind herself, her eyes falling on Sitri for a moment. The girl realized exactly what her aunt was thinking.

She knew I wanted to fight him! Why doesn’t she trust me?! I can do this!

Realizing that Mikhaeyla’s aim was to divide and conquer, Varuna and Albion flourished their spears and moved in on Fraaz. The lanky goblin wheezed out another chuckle and raised its arms, summoning large fireballs. The beast slung them at the party, one at a time. The two knight captains cleanly intercepted them, cutting through the blazes with arcs of violet light.

Sitri’s mind was pulled back into focus when the residual heat of Fraaz’s attack fizzled by her. She was frustrated and angry that her aunt was trying to coddle her, keeping the bigger danger out of her path. Beating Fraaz wasn’t going to get her the recognition she wanted. Still, it was a sound plan, and arguing with Mikhaeyla in the middle of a battle would just make her look selfish to the others. She bit back her pride and turned her attention to Fraaz.

Mikhaeyla and Beelzebub were already out of sight, but the party could still hear the thunderous sounds of their clashing. Link and Ceres moved in between Fraaz and the two performers, wanting to keep the ritual safe. Sitri followed their lead, holding her sword at the ready while observing what Fraaz would do next.

The monster began inhaling again with the strength of a veritable tornado. Sitri felt herself pulled in closer, her feet skidding through the snow. She had a hard time retaining her balance, and she noted the same was true for the others. Once more, Fraaz unleashed a deep bellow, expelling a snowstorm from its mouth upon the party.

Varuna and Albion were at the front, taking the brunt of the attack against their spears. Trying to cleave through the wind may have been possible for the likes of Mikhaeyla, but it turned out to be a futile effort for them. Their skin began to turn blue, frosting over as they fell to their knees. Ceres and Sitri jumped in next, taking their place at the vanguard. Fraaz left itself open after its attack, but their swords bounced right off its hide, even while cloaked in their magic.

“Ugh! Its skin is so tough! That didn’t do anything!” Ceres complained.

“Are you two okay?” Sitri asked.

“Urgh... I’ll be fine. Sorry about that...” Varuna said, shaking the ice off her clothes.

“That was rather unpleasant... That blizzard attack is going to be a nuisance.” Albion said, rising to his feet.

Fraaz giggled impishly, floating back out of their swords’ reach. Once more, he raised his arms to create fireballs. Sitri bent her knees, ready to dip under them and try for another hit. However, Link ran up to the front of the team, his eyes sparkling with a plan again.

“I figured it out! It keeps alternating between fire and ice attacks!” he said.

“...! You’re right! Good eye, Link.” Albion said.

Fraaz reared back and unleashed its fire next, raining down an inferno over their heads. Ceres and Sitri swung their blades with enough force to kick up a gust of wind. This pushed back against the flames, and drew some snow up into a smokescreen. The party took this chance to create some distance and strategize.

“So it doesn’t use the same attack twice in a row? That’s great, but how does that help us beat it?” Sitri asked.

“Wait a minute, remember when Zoie hit its fireball with his magic? It was completely neutralized! His fire is cold, so... If it alternates between ice and fire...” Ceres mused.

“I see what you’re getting at now! When it uses fire, it’s vulnerable to ice, and vice versa!” Varuna exclaimed.

“That’s what I was thinking!” Link said excitedly.

“That’s a good theory, but we still have to test it.” Sitri said. “It just used fire, so we’ll have to wait out its ice attack, and then next time, Zoie can try to... huh? Wait, where’s Zoie?”

When she said that, the entire party perked up and looked around. It only just occurred to them that he was not at their sides during this whole exchange. In fact, he was nowhere in sight.

Link sighed. “Oh, boy. I don’t even have to guess where he went.”

“Come on! I can’t believe he left us high and dry like that!” Ceres whined.

“I can...” Sitri grumbled.

“How vexing. Right when we have need of him...” Albion muttered.

“We will just have to do it without him. Elemental magic isn’t my forte, but maybe... There could still be a way...” Varuna pondered.

The dust cleared, and the party was in Fraaz’s sights again. The beast cackled with delight and started inhaling a vast amount of air. As its body expanded, Sitri knew they were about to deal with another blizzard. But the question of how to neutralize it was a problem they were going to have to solve in the thick of the fight.

a a a​

Mikhaeyla danced in the skies above northern Kakariko, keeping Beelzebub in a harsh retreat. Her strikes were aimed with deadly precision. It was all the man could do to block them as he darted to and fro through the air. Each time he parried her blades, an eruption of wind shook the heavens, even reaching to the ground below them.

The consequences of their midair tango were brutal on the landscape, far removed from it though they were. Cutting blasts of light peeled the ground apart, sending debris hurtling in all directions. It wasn’t long until there were more rocks sprinkled on the ground than snow. It seemed that the Demon King had her enemy on the ropes.

Watching all of this, standing amidst the hailstorm of magic and pressure, was an incredibly ecstatic Zoie. He whistled with glee as he observed their exchange, readying his axe for a little fun of his own.

“Hahaha! Now THAT looks like a good time! Way better than that pathetic windbag from earlier. The chumps can handle that one. I need a piece of this!”

He bent his knees, waiting for the opportune moment. The next time he saw Mikhaeyla and Beelzebub lock together in a power clash, he kicked off the ground as hard as he could, shooting straight up to their level.

“Surprise! Hahaha!” he shouted, swinging his axe at Beelzebub.

“What?!” he cried out, barely moving his head out of the way.

“Zoie?!” Mikhaeyla gasped, startled into backing off.

Even though his first attack missed, Zoie didn’t give up. He allowed the momentum of his swing to carry him into a spin. In a mere moment, he’d flipped upside down, and a powerful kick was barreling right for Beelzebub’s face. He tried to get one of his drills in the way, but he wasn’t fast enough. Zoie’s boot connected with his jaw, and he was slammed down to the ground with ferocious force.

“Hah! Nailed him! That’s payback for last time!” Zoie cheered for himself.

Now in a freefall, Zoie flipped himself back around and reinforced his legs with magic. When he crashed back to the ground, he landed perfectly upright and unharmed in a crater of his own making. Several feet away, Beelzebub groaned as he rose back to his feet, a purple bruise dying the side of his chin. It seemed he was unable to fully defend himself from the hit.

“Zoie, what are you doing here? What about the others?” Mikhaeyla asked, touching down gently beside him.

“They’re fine. If they can’t handle a pansy like that, there’s no hope for ‘em.” he said, rolling his shoulders and bouncing on his heels. “But this guy is due for a beating. Last time, he ran from me with his tail between his legs like the gutless coward he is. I’ll coax a real fight out of him yet!”

“There’s no time for your battle obsession to rear its head now! Go back and help them! I will deal with this!” Mikhaeyla commanded.

“If you’re so worried about those losers, go help them yourself! Don’t get between me and my fun, or I’ll start with you!” Zoie spat.

“Urgh... Once again, you oppose me... You cursed failed experiment! Begone, or I will teach you your place!” Beelzebub threatened.

Zoie winced at his words. There were a few bits in that sentence that bothered him, but he wasn’t sure if he cared enough to ask. His limbs were begging to be used, to smash his conceited face in. Resisting the call was growing more and more difficult.

Mikhaeyla, on the other hand, furrowed her brow in curiosity. “Failed experiment... Then, he really was...” she said.

“Oh, yes. The man beside you is nothing but a broken tool! Scion of Vanaheit, you were to be my strongest pawn in the bid to free Lord Malladus! Your father was to make sure of that, but he failed miserably, as well!” Beelzebub declared.

A splitting headache attacked Zoie’s brain. He fought against the urge to squeeze his eyes shut, trying to stay focused on the moment and not whatever was clawing at the back of his skull.

“So, my theory was correct... You worked with Demon King Vanaheit to turn Zoie into a warrior that would fight for your cause...” Mikhaeyla said.

“Naturally. I had hoped to unleash him upon the Lokomo and any who would stand against me, but his father’s training methods were unfortunately flawed. It seems the tool could not handle the work, and he broke. Let me tell you, having to slaughter everyone in that manor to cover his mistakes was a massive headache.” Beelzebub described.

Zoie’s arms were shaking. His foot was tapping erratically in the snow. He didn’t like hearing this. What happened in the past was just a burden on who he was in the present, and he was getting sick of listening to these two talk about him like he wasn’t there.

“When I discovered Vanaheit dead and Zoie gone, I cut my losses and began my work without them. And when Zoie resurfaced, wantonly attacking people, I figured I’d allow him to be a good smokescreen to keep people like you, Mikhaeyla, who were too smart for their own good, off my trail. But I never imagined the tool would be repurposed under a new master. How low you’ve fallen, scion!” Beelzebub continued.

“Shut your trap! I followed Link because he was stronger than me! That’s all. I don’t even remember any of that bull**** you’re talking about. Who even cares? I just wanna fight!” Zoie yelled, trying to mask the cracks in his voice with anger.

“Zoie...” Mikhaeyla whispered, noticing his trembling.

“Oh? If that’s all it takes, then why not follow me? You’ll get to fight to your heart’s content under the banner of Lord Malladus!” Beelzebub offered.

“Ha! Get real. A coward like you ain’t stronger than me! And I’m gonna prove it!”

Zoie could not restrain himself any further. Whether it was his burning desire for combat or his desperate attempt to keep the pounding in his head at bay, he lurched forward, rushing toward Beelzebub with his axe brandished behind himself. Beelzebub’s lips relaxed into a smirk, and he readied himself to grapple with him.

“Zoie, stop! We must fight together!” Mikhaeyla cautioned him.

“Stay out of this! He's my prey!” Zoie bellowed.

With his roaring, he swung his axe with all the strength he could muster. It screamed through the air in a wide arc, trailing pink flames behind itself. Beelzebub produced a drill spell on his arm again and grabbed the head of his axe. It stopped in place like it had gotten stuck on the side of a mountain. Zoie almost stumbled forward with how hard his momentum had been interrupted.

“Is that all you could do? Don’t tell me all of your fighting amounted to nothing! After all that talk!” Beelzebub taunted.

Zoie growled and pivoted his feet. He wrenched the axe away with both hands and then spun on his heel for another strike. Beelzebub knocked the axe away when it came back toward him and stepped in with his drill, ready to carve into his body. Zoie hopped back, raising his axe over his head as he did. When Beelzebub struck air, he lunged forward again, bringing his axe down to greet him.

The ground cracked beneath his feet as his axe rammed against Beelzebub’s drill again. An immense explosion of pink flames engulfed them both, but neither of them seemed to mind. Beelzebub was grinning now, looking smugly sure of himself. That drill’s spinning was rocking the axe around, making the hilt twist and squirm painfully in Zoie’s hands. Any more of that and he might drop it.

To prevent this, Zoie angled his body to gain a better point of leverage. He twisted his waist and shoved to the left with all his might. He was forcing Beelzebub’s arm down, and soon his face would be wide open. He inhaled sharply and felt a frozen lump rise into his throat. His tongue tickled from the sensation of spitting fire. If he could make his foe stagger, he’d be able to knock him down completely.

That was the plan, but Beelzebub raised his other hand now. He grabbed Zoie’s face, clamping his mouth shut and extinguishing the flames. Before he could react, he ignited a drill spell that hacked away the skin right down to the bone, violently pushing him backwards into the snow.

“Your howling is getting on my last nerve. That ought to silence you.” Beelzebub said coldly.

Zoie’s vision was sliced apart, half of it turning blood red. The cold air stung at his wounds, and his entire face felt wet. When he tried to open his mouth, his jaw fell; literally. From what little was left of his vision, he spotted the bottom half of his head sitting on his lap, teeth and tongue exposed to the world.

Before his brain could process the horror of that, his airway filled with blood. He choked and coughed, but without the lower half of his jaw, it only made things worse. All he managed to do was squeeze more blood from his neck in short, agonizing spurts. The pain and the lack of air was starting to make him dizzy. He leaned back, head plunking into the snow.

Oh, man... No one’s ever got me this bad. Am I... Am I gonna die?

A terror shook through the pain from the tips of his toes to what was left of his head. He had never felt scared of death. Not until the moment he truly got to confront it. Is this the terror he was bringing to others when he fought them? This wasn’t fun at all. He hated this. This was... familiar.

A soothing warmth blanketed him the next moment. This feeling was also familiar. He’d experienced this after his last fight with Beelzebub, back in Kakariko. Mikhaeyla had healed him after the fact. She must be doing it again.

His gut reaction would normally have been frustration. It was none of her damn business. Where did she get off, butting in and ruining his fun? But that wasn’t what jumped to the front of his mind this time. He wasn’t having fun anymore. He was scared, and now that he’d been healed, he felt a humbling outpouring of gratitude.

Gratitude. He was glad she saved him. He didn’t want to die. He was scared of dying. He couldn’t believe himself. The Laughing Reaper, afraid of death? When his vision finished fixing itself, he could see her face hovering over him, looking genuinely worried for him. That was another thing he wasn’t accustomed to. There were too many things happening for him that he didn’t like lately. Too much new. Too much different.

“Feh. How disappointing. All your boasting, and look where you ended up. You really are weak.” Beelzebub scoffed.

“Weak... I’m weak?” Zoie said breathlessly.

“Well? This is the part where you submit to me now, since I bested you, isn’t it? Don’t keep me waiting, tool.” he said coyly.

Zoie clenched his jaw, which was back in its proper place now. He lost again. He was weak. His father’s face floated to the front of his mind, and he shut his eyes to make it leave. It still didn’t go away. It drew closer and closer to him, haunting him. Reminding him of his place. Reminding him that he was weak.

“That’s quite enough.” Mikhaeyla said. “Zoie, you rest now. I will take it from here. I don’t want you doing something this reckless again, understood? We still need your strength in the days to come.”

His strength. What a joke. He covered his face with his arm, squeezing his fist so tight that his nails punctured his skin. He listened to the sound of snow crunching under Mikhaeyla’s feet, and in moments, a gust of wind blew across him, dousing him with dust. They were fighting again. The strong ones were fighting, leaving him to cower on the ground in defeat. He had never felt so humiliated in his life.

Weak, huh... Damn it all. Even after all this time, I still can’t get away from him, can I?

As he thought that, he felt that familiar sensation again. The world around him melted away, bit by bit, replaced with a stagnant smell like dried blood and sweat. The cold from the snow turned into the unrelenting hardness of stone below his back, and the echoes of the fight grew farther away, replaced with the subdued sound of flames flickering on sconces. He knew this place. Yes, this place... The place he never wanted to think about again.

In his own mind, he was home again.

x x x​

A fierce punch to Zoie’s gut had him coughing up spit. The person this rigid fist belonged to emotionlessly barked out another order.

“Weak. Your guard must never drop. Try again.”

The result was the same. Zoie raised his arms, but his father was faster. Another powerful punch brought him to his knees, wheezing and gasping for breath.

“Get up. There’s no time to rest. Your unique magic requires a strong constitution. Again.”

Zoie’s arms shook as he hoisted himself back up. Before he was even fully standing, he was knocked off his feet by another punch, in the same spot as before. He cried out sharply and fell to his side. Defensively, he curled up into a ball and moaned in pain.

“What did I tell you? You must be ready for anything. Your enemies won’t wait for you to compose yourself.” his father criticized.

“Uuuuugh... What enemies?” Zoie groaned.

“The enemies of Lord Malladus, of course. They are our enemies just as much as his. We are his faithful servants, as we’ve always been. The most powerful demon of all time will be free again, and by our hand! For that, you need to be at your best!” his father explained.

Zoie slowly sat up, still clutching his throbbing stomach. “Lord Malladus’s enemies...”

He glanced behind himself, where the portrait of their True Lord loomed over him, watching him with cold, merciless eyes. It made him shudder every time he looked at it.

“Father...” he continued. “I want to be strong, I do. But... I can’t take much more of this! Can’t there be another way we can-!”

“Silence! I will hear none of your weak drivel!” his father shouted.

Zoie cringed from the sudden increase in his volume, but he didn’t back down. “But I don’t think this is working! And I haven’t left the basement in days! This is too much! What about Mother? What does she think of this?”

When Zoie mentioned his mother, his father’s face hardened into anger. He reached out and grabbed the boy by his collar, and punched his face as hard as he could. When Zoie hit the floor, he pinned him down and punched some more. Over, and over, and over again.

Ah. This wasn’t more training. This was just a beating.

“Your mother... You damn fool! You’ve been down here so long, you haven’t even realized she’s gone! And it’s all your fault!” he screamed. “She always objected to this! Always said I was too hard on you! But you’re already sixteen! Beelzebub needs a warrior if his plan to free our True Lord is to come to fruition! That wench should have understood that perfectly, but she went and said she couldn’t take any more of this! She left me and took your sister with her! And that child was just starting to come into her magic, too! Argh! Damn her! That filthy traitor!”

He paused his rant to catch his breath. When he looked upon his son’s face, it was almost unrecognizable. His skin was black and blue, swollen and caked with fresh blood. Bruises kept his eyes clamped together, and his breathing was hoarse and shallow. He was still conscious, but just barely.

His father looked at this sight for a moment or two. He released his grip on his collar, but grabbed his hair instead and pulled him up until he was level with his own face.

“But you understand, don’t you? Training to serve Lord Malladus is an extravagant honor. That makes you happy, doesn’t it? Well? You’re happy right now, aren't you? Your snake of a mother was wrong, wasn’t she? Go on! Say it!”

Zoie coughed, and though woozy, he forced a shaky smile to spread across his cracked lips. “Y-yes, Father... I-I’m... happy. Th... This is fun...”

His father nodded approvingly. “Good lad. That’s what I want to hear.”

He tossed him to the ground and stood up, his shadow draping over the boy like chains. When Zoie was able to sit, his father gestured to the far wall, to what was resting on display under the portrait of Malladus.

“Do you see the axe with the head shaped like the sun? That is our family's treasured heirloom. When you are strong enough, you will wield it in service to Lord Malladus. Until you are worthy of it, you are not to leave this room. Do you hear me? Until you can prove your strength to me, I don’t have a son. Now let’s continue.”

* * *​

Years and years passed. Zoie grew taller and wider. His muscles filled out, and in time, he could take a hundred of his father’s punches without batting an eye. But once his body had been fully crafted, it was time to start training his magic. That was worse. Way worse.

Zoie was born with pink-colored magic aura. This was an anomaly the likes of which his father had never seen. It filled him with expectations. And these expectations drove him to pummel his son with fists covered in magic reinforcement. This made them hurt dozens of times worse than they did before. Zoie had to learn how to reinforce himself with his magic until it stopped hurting so much.

And when that was done, he had to learn how to use it to attack. That was when the sparring began, and his father continued to beat him to a pulp. Some days, Zoie wasn’t sure if it was training, or just his father venting his anger. He had never seen the man smile, not since he was a small child. And true to his father’s word, he had not left the basement once in many, many years. Not since he learned his mother had left them.

More years passed, and his father still wasn’t satisfied with him. Every day was another beating. Whenever he woke up, whenever he ate, whenever he slept, all he knew was his father’s fists and angry shouting. It was daily routine. Just a natural part of his everyday life. It was normal. It was fun. His father was strong, and as long as Zoie was weak, he’d be at his mercy. That was how the world worked. This was how things were supposed to be.

Then, one day, in the rare, fleeting moments where his father wasn’t whaling on him with his fists, he thought about his mother again. From deep in the recesses of his mind, where he thought he’d buried it for good, a memory resurfaced. He felt the gentle touch of his mother caressing his hair. It was nice, and it was soothing. He remembered that it was one of his favorite things in the world.

And suddenly he craved it again. He wanted to feel that again so badly that he couldn’t breathe. His throat closed up with a yearning so powerful it brought him to his knees. His mother was gone. He could never feel her kind, caring touch again. He was going to be stuck with his father’s brutal fists instead, for the rest of his life.

This realization hurt him so much that he cried. He couldn’t hold it back any longer. He had to cry. The tears needed to come out. And his father saw it.

“You...! You damn, pathetic weakling! What are you crying for?! This is not strength! This is weakness!”

He was on the boy in seconds, pinning him to the floor and throwing punch after punch, digging his fists as deep into his face as they could get. Blindsided, Zoie was helpless to resist. He could only lay there and take it until his father ran out of steam, as always.

“You useless, sniveling coward! All the years I’ve poured into you, and this is the result I get?! You rotten failure! You waste of life! You worthless loser! If this is how you’re going to repay all my efforts, YOU SHOULD JUST DIE!”

In that moment, Zoie broke. Something deep inside himself told him that this was wrong. This was not how things should be. He was not having fun. He was hurting. Everything was hurting. It had to stop. He had to make it stop.

These emotions bubbled to the surface and exploded into a raging inferno. His magic manifested from the depths of his heart, taking shape as pink flames. They forced his father off of him, and lifted him off his back up to his feet. The flames were spreading across the entire room, lapping at the floor and the walls.

Yet, nothing burned. Instead, everything was cold. The tortuous anger he felt couldn’t burn anything, but it sapped the warmth from the air and sent shivers down his spine. This hopeless, uninviting cold spilled out from his soul, taking aim at the one who caused him to feel this way.

“What... What is this? Cold fire?! Has your unique gift finally awakened?” his father said, astonished. His face scrunched into a delirious smile, unaware that Zoie had begun limping toward him. “Yes, this is good! This power has great potential! Lord Malladus will surely be pleased by-”

Zoie’s hand had grabbed his throat before he could finish speaking. He squeezed as hard as he could, forcing his father to kneel at his feet.

“Ack! Y-you! What are you doing?! Unhand me!” his father wheezed.

Zoie began to grin. “Ehahahaha... What’s wrong? Isn’t this fun?”

He punched. He punched, and punched, and punched. With every hit, his laughter built up. Higher and higher, hitting harder and harder. Wherever his laughter bounced off the basement walls, his father’s blood followed it, splattering and splashing. But Zoie did not stop.

“WELL, FATHER?! ISN’T THIS FUN?! HUH? ISN’T IT? AHAHAHAHAHA!”

He punched. He punched, and punched, and punched some more. He continued to punch until his knuckles were bare. Until the cold flames had completely enveloped the room. Until his father was nothing but a lifeless, bloody hunk of pulp and viscera on the floor.

When Zoie finally stopped punching, he stared at his handiwork. His breathing was haggard and uneven, and his arms hung at his sides, his bones peeking through the fraying skin on his fingers. He looked at his accomplishment, his victory, and he laughed some more.

“Hahahaha! I did it! I killed you, Father! And it was so easy! I must be strong, after all! Finally, I’m strong! I’m... I...”

Silence took his body for itself. He stood stock still, staring down at his father’s fresh corpse. The stench of blood filled his nose and invaded his brain. Soon, the gravity of what he had done started to reach him. His body shook uncontrollably, and his lips quivered with unspeakable emotions. Finally, a sound came out of him.

“Ahaha... Hahaha... HAHAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAUGH!”

All he could do was laugh.

x x x​

The past that Zoie had forgotten-- that he tried to forget-- forced itself to the surface, finally clawing its way out from the back of his mind. Much of what happened after he killed his father was still a blur. He had grabbed the axe on his way out without thinking much of what he was doing or where he would go. A fog cloaked the years he spent wandering after his escape, but some pieces were tangible to him.

Over time, an aching desire to prove himself manifested in his heart. His father, a Demon King, died by his hand, but was he truly strong? He didn’t defeat him in a proper fight, after all. How could he be sure he was actually strong unless he put it to the test? He challenged anyone and everyone he thought looked tough, and soon people started calling him the Laughing Reaper. In time, he developed a gourmet’s palate. Only the strongest of the strong could satisfy him. He lived for fighting. It was fun, and when he won, he proved his worth to the world. It was how he knew he deserved to exist.

And yet, even after all that, I still lost to Beelzebub... Maybe Father was right... Maybe I should have just died...

A blankness overtook his brain. He stopped thinking for a few moments, just stewing in his apathy. The idea of death was beginning to look more tantalizing than scary now. If he was weak, he didn’t have a place in the world. No one would need him.

“Zoie, you rest now. I will take it from here. I don’t want you doing something this reckless again, understood? We still need your strength in the days to come.”

Mikhaeyla’s recent words to him jumped out from somewhere in his head. She said she needed him. But why? He lost. Maybe she was just pitying him.

“You can pay for your crimes by helping the people you hurt! And you’re strong, so we could use your help!”

Link’s words when he recruited him were the next to spring forth unbidden. Even though he defeated him, he still called him strong, and he wanted him around. It always bothered Zoie to play nice with them after spending all his life at odds with everyone around him, but he could remember wondering if Link actually had the right idea all along.

“You saved me from monsters in Kakariko! Thank you so much! You were so strong and cool! You're the best!”

A little girl said something like that to him recently. All of these memories coming out were starting to beat back the face of his father looming over him. Saving someone gave him a feeling he’d never experienced before, and he wanted to pretend that he didn’t like it. Helping people and gratitude and kindness and all the mushy stuff like that were far beneath him. That was the karma of the weak. But were those his true feelings, or was that his father’s ghost talking?

Ugh... I don’t know anymore. But one thing I do know is...

He rose up at last. Unsteadily, he wobbled to his feet, gripping the hilt of his axe tighter than ever before. His burning emotions took shape as fire, embracing him in all their bitterness and desperation. And he embraced them right back.

This sudden spike in power surging from him brought Mikhaeyla’s fight with Beelzebub to a screeching halt. They both turned toward him in surprise, not expecting this development.

“I... am not weak.” Zoie said.

Beelzebub snickered in amusement. “What’s this now? Have you forgotten your place so quickly? I thought you were to bow to whoever defeated you.”

“I am not weak.” Zoie said again. “I lost to you, but... Even so... There are people who need me... People who want me around... People who count on my strength... I’ve never had that before, and I don’t want to lose it! This isn’t how things should be! I need to make it right! I need to do better! And I will do better... I will be better than my father... Because I AM STRONG!”

Mikhaeyla inhaled in quiet reflection, truly stunned by his renewed vigor. On the other hand, Beelzebub frowned in disgust, turning his attention away from his current opponent. A pulse of cold fire exploded from Zoie’s feet, washing over the two of them with a coating of frost. He shot forward the next moment.

His speed was blinding. He could hardly believe he was capable of moving so fast, but he relished the moment and took another swing at Beelzebub. Caught unprepared, it was all he could do to raise his arms and protect himself with his drill spells. The sheer force of Zoie’s strike pushed him back through the snow several feet, and they locked together in a struggle for supremacy.

“Zoie! Wait!” Mikhaeyla said.

“No! This isn’t like last time! I... I have to do this! I need this! So please... Just let me TAKE HIM DOWN!” he screamed.

“Argh! You rotten husk of a tool!” Beelzebub rasped.

The drills from both his arms swirled together and expanded in size rapidly. Zoie recognized this spell from his last encounter with the man. He knew it was going to put him back on the ground if it hit, and he wouldn’t be getting up again. So he would just have to send it right back in his face.

His muscles bulged and veins on his forehead popped. A deep, animalistic howl rose up from his gut as he pushed back against the tremendous power ripping away at him. Mikhaeyla was counting on him. Link was counting on him. Even Sitri had warmed up to him and accepted him, despite everything he’d done to keep people away. Finally, he found somewhere to belong. Somewhere full of people that looked past his supposed strength. He had found people willing to be his friends.

“Now that I have this... I’m never... ever... going back to how I was before! You hear me?! I might be strong, but I finally met people that don’t care if I am or not! I can finally stop trying to prove my worth, because they already see me as worthy, just the way I am! And you’re getting in the way of all that! That’s why... YOU NEED TO GO!”

With another full-force shout, Zoie’s flames surged forth from his axe. They coiled around Beelzebub’s spell, tangling the drill and slowing down its speed. His cold fire could now even sap the strength away from magic. This newly awakened power was not going to be squandered; not by Zoie’s hands.

By the time Beelzebub understood what was happening, it was too late. The framework that kept his drill stable had been drained away, and he lost control. The drill spun out and unraveled, and at last, Zoie could push it back. The magic energy had no direction, save for the way he was shoving it. With a devastating eruption that tore open a crater beneath his feet, Zoie reflected the massive drill right back to where it had come from.

Beelzebub screamed in pain, taking the full brunt of his own power combined with the fire Zoie hurled at him. The sound of the impact shattered their hearing for a moment, leaving a ringing sound reverberating in their skulls. Zoie could feel trickles of blood seeping out from his ear canals. Even so, he grinned in satisfaction. His enemy was now down on the ground, blood pouring from a spiral of deep gashes across his chest.

In the next moment, Mikhaeyla lunged forward, aiming her longswords for his head. Beelzebub flinched from her rapid approach, and even as he coughed up blood, he quickly faded into a purple mist. Mikhaeyla’s blades cleaved through it, but it vanished right after.

She righted herself and scanned the area, eyes darting around in all directions. They soon narrowed in frustration.

“I don’t sense him anymore. Seems he fled.” she said.

“Hah... Like I said. Gutless coward.” Zoie breathed.

The fight was now over, and his body finally allowed itself to relax. Zoie swayed to and fro for a few moments before he collapsed to his bottom, dropping the axe at his side. He leaned back and gasped for breath, feeling utterly exhausted. And to his great relief, he could no longer hear the voice of his father echoing in his brain.

Mikhaeyla shed her transformation and strutted over to him, hands on her hips. He thought she was going to admonish him again, but instead, she smiled brightly for him.

“Well done, Zoie. You’ve really grown. I’m very proud of you.” she said, beaming.

Zoie felt his throat close up. He didn’t know how to respond, and he still wasn’t used to this. All he could do was turn his head away. Mikhaeyla giggled when she saw that, and she reached out to gently ruffle his hair.

Something indescribable welled up from Zoie’s heart when she did that. And this time, he felt like he could accept it for what it was.

“Thanks...” he said, smiling a genuine smile.

a a a​

Sitri circled around the vicious windstorm blowing out from Fraaz’s stomach. Link and Ceres were right at her side, with Varuna and Albion leading the charge. When the blizzard died down, fireballs came next. After they burned away, another blizzard surged out. They repeated this process several times, and in the intervals, the magic-wielders tried to grasp hold of a strategy.

Conceptualizing elemental magic was next to impossible for Sitri. She had only just received her power, so advanced tricks like that were beyond her understanding. Ceres was her age, so she had little more experience than she did. Varuna and Albion were both over two hundred years old with plenty of insight to draw on, but even they failed to create any fire or ice. And as for Link... He appeared to be studying their enemy with great focus once again.

Did he come up with another plan? But how? I don’t see a way around this unless Zoie comes back...

Contrary to her expectations, Link excitedly spoke up right before another volley of fireballs. “I’ve got it! I know how we can win!” he said.

“What? Do you have a tactic in mind?” Albion asked.

“When it attacks, it leaves behind traces of the elements. Can’t we turn that back against it?” he asked.

A dawning realization overtook the demons’ faces. Looking back and forth between each other, they nodded in understanding. It seemed Link was on the right track. Sitri felt herself momentarily jealous of him again. He was so good at seeing through to the answer, even in the heat of the moment. That was a skill she wanted for herself.

There was no time to dwell on such thoughts. The fireballs missed their marks and scattered to the ground, lighting up some wooden debris from the ruins. Ceres brandished her swords and filled her blades with the black light of her magic. She swung them through the fires, and a strange, gooey substance trailed in the air after them. The black light coating her swords took on the properties of this sticky matter, and the flames clung to it when it touched them.

“I-I can make my magic take on different physical properties... I’m still not good at it, but like this...!” she explained.

Her swords were now burning with Fraaz’s fires, attached to the blades like glue. When Fraaz inhaled for his blizzard attack again, she rushed toward him. Varuna and Albion positioned themselves behind her, holding up the rear. They stood parallel to each other, spears crossed in between themselves, awaiting Fraaz’s frigid whirlwind.

“Elemental magic is hard, but that type of magic is even harder, Ceres! As expected of someone Her Majesty chose!” Varuna said.

“And you’ve given us an idea of our own. We shall follow up!” Albion proclaimed.

Fraaz deflated, exhaling the blizzard upon the party. Ceres was fast, though, and kept herself low to the ground. She slid under the blizzard’s path and jumped up, her swords still burning fiercely. With a confident glare, she unleashed a spinning slash upon her foe, and at last, Fraaz took major damage. Its hide was cut clean through, and it shrieked in agony.

The fight was not over yet, though. Diabolically, Fraaz split into two independent halves, almost like it cloned itself. They were much smaller, but they appeared to wield the same powers as the bigger whole. One readied flames, and the other readied ice. It was going to attack with both elements at once now.

However, the blizzard attack from a moment ago had not subsided yet. It continued on past Ceres, straight for Varuna and Albion. They flourished their spears and waved them through the air, light on their feet. Earlier, they had tried and failed to cleave the blizzard apart, but this time, they used their spears as a guide, twirling around and redirecting its flow. Working in tandem, they sent the blizzard right back at the two Fraazes.

The one using fire took the brunt of the attack, and it fell victim to its own magic. It evaporated into purple steam, starting to float back to its companion. Sitri inferred that if they didn’t defeat both of them simultaneously, Fraaz would be able to reconstruct itself. Fortunately, the fires on Ceres’s swords had not been extinguished yet.

Once more, Ceres leapt toward Fraaz. The one that was left had been trying to use ice, so it was vulnerable to her. Just like before, she spun her blades through its chest, and it also turned into purple mist. These two leftover globs fizzled away, never to return. Their enemy was defeated at last.

“Yes! We beat ‘em! Great work!” Link cheered for his allies.

“Phew... I’d say that settles that.” Albion said, resting the pommel of his spear on the ground.

“Hm. Admirable performances all around. I’m especially impressed with you, Ceres!” Varuna said.

“Eheheh... Thanks.” the girl said shyly.

Sitri was relieved the danger had passed, but she was left feeling unsatisfied. Fraaz was defeated through the group’s teamwork, but as for her part, she barely got to do anything. The Grand Demonic Knights held all the glory this time, though they rode it on Link’s coattails. His strategy was what truly won the day. It frustrated her to no end.

First Aunt Mikha takes Beelzebub for herself, then Zoie ditches us to go after them, and now I still didn’t get to win the fight for us... How am I supposed to show that I’m worthy of being the Hero of Spirits if I keep getting upstaged? This isn’t fair! I need to do more... I have to...

She looked back at Link, and she saw none of what she was feeling on his face. He didn’t seem to mind at all that he wasn’t the one who got the last hit in this time. In fact, he was earnestly excited for his fellows for how well they fought. His innocence only aggravated her further. She felt ashamed of herself, but that wasn’t enough for her to change course. Her heart was set on her goal, and there was no stopping her. She would just have to try again on the next purification.

On that note, a change in the atmosphere took hold of her senses. A silver glow blanketed the environment, and the landscape seemed to repair itself under their feet. It was just like what happened in the Forest Realm. The ruined buildings were swept away by the wind, leaving the group standing in a pure white field of snow.

“Mhm! It seems the purification was a success.” Steem said, appearing before the group with Tetra at his side.

“Man... These duets really take it out of me. I’m so beat.” she complained. “But it looks like y’all did good in beating that freakshow! We’re on a roll!”

“Yeah!” Link agreed.

“I wonder how Lady Mikhaeyla fared in her fight with Beelzebub... It would be nice if she’d managed to end him.” Varuna said.

“Let’s not get our hopes up. He’s as slippery as he is evil.” Albion said.

“But we’ll get him someday! I know we will!” Ceres encouraged.

Sitri nodded, not saying aloud that it was going to be her job to take him down. She still couldn’t see her aunt, but she trusted that she was safe. And something inside her made her feel certain that their troubles were not over yet.

Not by a long shot.

 

[Dizzi]

Omg zoie!!

 

[Azure Sage]

And now we come to Chapter 35! This marks the halfway point for the Fourth Movement! There aren't many chapters left now... It feels so good to be almost done. I'm so excited to finish up! Hope you enjoy!

---

Chapter Thirty-Five
Ocean Sanctuary​

“Zoie is a Grand Demonic Knight?!” Sitri exclaimed in abject shock.

“Hehe. Yes, I saw fit to appoint him as a new captain, the same rank as the others.” Mikhaeyla said.

“Jeez, I didn’t ask for that, and I didn’t say yes, either...” Zoie complained, shyly rubbing the back of his neck.

“Is it just because he helped fight off Beelzebub the other day...?” Sitri asked apprehensively.

“Not only that. He’s shown incredible maturity since recovering his past memories. I think the Knights are just what he needs to get back on his feet.” Mikhaeyla told her.

“That’s so great! I’m happy for you, Zoie!” Link said, jumping up and down in place.

“Man, this is embarrassing... I decide to be a little bit less abrasive, and suddenly I get dogpiled with all this mush.” Zoie said, hanging his head.

“Of course, whether he wishes to stay with us or not is his choice. But as the leader of the Knights, I will keep a position open for him.” Mikhaeyla winked.

“I have to say, I was highly surprised. I almost thought it was a jest at first. But, that’s very on track for Her Majesty. I can’t complain.” Albion said, with Varuna nodding her agreement.

“I-I’m fine with it, too! As long as he doesn’t go fight-crazy again...” Ceres said quietly.

“Heh. Don’t get me wrong, I might be on board with your goody-two-shoes goals, but that doesn’t mean I don’t wanna enjoy a good fight now and then. Not to prove my worth or anything like I was doing before... Just for fun. Your promise still stands, right Link?” Zoie asked.

“Sure does! I’m down to spar whenever you are!” he said cheerfully.

Sitri lowered her eyes to the floor, feeling smothered by the jubilant atmosphere filling the lobby of the Tower. It was always someone else. Her Aunt Mikha kept finding favor in others, and not her. She was being left out again. It felt isolating and painful beyond measure. She should have been the one getting lavished with praise. She wanted to prove herself as soon as possible and show Mikhaeyla that she was the one most worthy of her attention. Not just her, but Anjean and the Spirits of Light, too. They would all see soon enough.

Today is the third purification... This time for sure...!

Anjean wheeled forward, accompanied by Carben. She nodded approvingly.

“I am pleased with your progress thus far, everyone. Things are going rather well. Let us pray that they continue to do so.” she said.

“With a lineup like this, I’ve no doubt it will! The Ocean Realm and its waters await! The sea is a mother to all kinds of life, and its health impacts even the rest of the land. We must purify it with utmost haste.” Carben said.

“Yeah, but... Where’s Tetra?” Sitri asked, quickly noticing the pirate captain’s absence.

“She requested that we meet her at the ruins of Great Bay City, and took off before I could ask why.” Mikhaeyla said.

“Heh heh heh. You’ll see!” Link said knowingly.

“In any case, we can trust that she will do her part. Now it is time for the rest of you to do yours.” Anjean said.

“Yes, I suppose we must. Then let us be off.” Mikhaeyla nodded.

“Aw, yeah. Time for some more fun. Hope we get a bigger monster to fight than last time.” Zoie said.

“Don’t say that! Especially not when you didn’t even help us fight the last one!” Ceres cried.

“That’s enough you, two. Zoie, you are a knight now. Please try to conduct yourself with the proper dignity your position demands.” Varuna reminded him.

“I didn’t say I was joining you guys yet! I can conduct myself however I want!” Zoie barked back, imitating her formal tone.

With such banter flitting between their lips, the group boarded the Spirit Train, counting on Boyle to once again ferry them to their destination. This time, the turntable spun to face the southeast. A sharp, encouraging whistle signaled the party’s departure on their next mission. Sitri was jostled around in her seat by the force at which the train started chugging. Mikhaeyla settled her with a gentle hand on her shoulder and a smile. That act of kindness made her heart feel a little lighter.

After exiting from the Tower’s southeastern threshold, the Spirit Train found itself immediately over the blue waters of the Ocean Realm. They would follow a shallow curve, and then it was a straight shot due south to Papuchiya Village. From there, they would travel due east to the remains of Great Bay City. It was a very simple path, but that also made it dangerous. There was nowhere to take cover if things went awry.

Anxiously, Sitri scanned the horizon for signs of an enemy attack. Zoie may have wounded Beelzebub very severely two days back, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t be able to come at them full-force today. A demon of his caliber was like to be well-versed in healing magic, and his injuries would already be a distant memory. Assuming that was the case, she refused to let her guard down for even a moment.

Nestled between the edge of the Forest Realm on their west and the edge of the Desert Realm on their east, the Spirit Train was funneled down a narrow strait leading to the full majesty of the sea. The modest mountains of the Desert Realm kept their view of the ocean shielded for the moment. They wouldn’t see any problems until they got past them.

With bated breath, Sitri watched. The Spirit Train advanced onward, its loud and repetitive engine drowning out the playful waves below them. Boyle, too, looked terribly antsy in the engineer’s seat. He kept stealing glances at the end of the mountains coming up on their left. Before long, they were there. And waiting for them was a vast pirate stronghold, with massive cannons aimed right for them.

“What?! That wasn’t there before!” Boyle shouted.

“Uh-oh! They’re gonna-” Ceres started.

She was cut off by the ear-splitting sound of cannonfire. The guns on the stronghold blasted without mercy, intending to send the Spirit Train down into a watery grave. Mikhaeyla barely had the chance to put up a barrier outside the train. It shuddered violently when the cannonballs exploded against it, and their view of the fortress was obscured by the fires and smoke that followed.

“I’ve never heard reports of a monster fort in this area. That Beelzebub... He must have set them here knowing we would have to pass through.” Mikhaeyla grumbled.

“Tch. That was a cheap shot. Guess that’s what we should expect of him.” Zoie complained.

“I’m gonna take the Spirit Train as fast as she can go! Hold on tight!” Boyle alerted them.

He shoved the speed lever to its limit, and the party lurched forward with the sharp increase in velocity. As the cloud of smoke cleared up, they could see the cannons on the fort moving to track them. Mikhaeyla flicked her wrist, and more barriers formed behind the train. The thunderous cannonfire sounded off again, shaking the waters and threatening death. However, they were no match for the strength of a Demon King.

Safely continuing south, it wasn’t long until the Spirit Train left their range of fire. But that didn’t seem to deter the monster pirates. A veritable fleet of enemy ships poured out from the maw of the place, making quick chase by riding the winds. They were barreling down on their prey with ravenous persistence.

“Each of those ships is equipped with a cannon of their own... Where did monsters get the technology to make something like that? They’re extremely hard to come by!” Sitri said.

“Yes, if cannons were more widespread, defense against raids would be a lot easier. Unfortunately, with the Gorons in the state they are, their production is almost nonexistent. First the anti-magic armor on the Stagnox, and now this... How does Beelzebub continue to pull this off?” Mikhaeyla wondered.

The Spirit Train may have been out of the fort’s reach, but they were in range of the speedy pirate ships in a matter of minutes. Despite how fast Boyle was pushing them, they could not evade the pursuit. A hail of cannonballs was soon raining down upon them again. It was clear that they’d need to do more to shake them off.

“Just throwing out barriers isn’t going to cut it here. Knights, you know what to do.” Mikhaeyla commanded.

“Wait! Don’t go up there yet!” Boyle warned them. “We’re coming up on the turn past Papuchiya Village! At this speed, the train’s gonna tilt! You’ll get thrown off!”

“It’s gonna what?!” Ceres cried.

“Oh, dear. I suggest we all hold on to something.” Carben advised.

Sitri ran to the front of the train, and the landscape of Papuchiya was rapidly approaching them. Never mind tilting, she was worried the train would fly off the tracks altogether.

“Boyle, this is too fast! Slow down!” Sitri begged.

“Don’t you worry, little lady! I am the engineer driving this train, and that means I’m entrusted with your lives! There’s no way I’m gonna fail you now! You hear me, Spirit Train? We’re gonna get the job done!” Boyle yelled with pride.

With a deep bellow, Boyle manned the controls with expert precision. He slammed on the brake just as the curve began, and as the wheels screamed below the train, the whole contraption tipped dangerously to the right. Link tumbled face-first into the window, and Ceres collapsed against Varuna and Albion’s outstretched arms. And poor Carben almost fell out of his wagon. Meanwhile, Zoie grinned like he was enjoying it as he sat comfortably in place on one of the seats. Mikhaeyla was similarly unfazed.

“Boyle!” Sitri cried out, clinging to a railing for dear life.

“Here we go!” he shouted, shoving the speed gear forward once more.

With another fierce jolt, the Spirit Train kicked back to life and shot forward, the force of its propulsion straightening itself out. Mikhaeyla bent backwards a bit, but quickly straightened herself out and gracefully returned a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Zoie, Varuna, and Albion were similarly collected, but Ceres and Link both fell to their backs on the floor of the cabin. Carben rolled backwards, but caught himself on one of the seats.

“Whoa... That was crazy!” Sitri breathed, still clinging to the railing.

“Haha! What’d I tell you!” Boyle said proudly.

Sitri found herself impressed with her engineer friend once again. Even amidst the hail of cannonfire, he kept his composure and led them away from the danger. The enemy ships were following the wind before, but now that the Spirit Train had changed directions, they lost their advantage. They were going to be left in their dust before long.

As they passed by Papuchiya, a cacophony of voices rose into the air. Sitri looked out to the village and found that the entire population had come out to the train station to see them. Cheers and hollered words of encouragement sang out from every person, even the kids leaping into the air with joy.

“Yeah, that’s the way!”

“Keep going! You can do it!”

“We’re counting on you guys!”

Their fervent support filled Sitri’s ears and heart both. She knew that the Council had given Hyleigh’s people a rough explanation of what was going on, but this was a bigger procession than she could have imagined. It stoked the fire in her chest that drove her to succeed. She had people counting on her. On her. She wasn’t going to fail again.

Her burst of motivation was swiftly dampened when she looked ahead of the Spirit Train. There were more enemy ships lying in wait for them on both sides of the Spirit Tracks, all moving to blockade their way to Great Bay’s ruins. Her stomach tied itself into knots as she wondered how they were going to fend off such great numbers.

The entire sea was covered with them. There were more than twenty ships on either side of them, and the ones chasing them from earlier were still pursuing. They were going to be choked into a pincer very quickly. Even Mikhaeyla looked ruffled by this turn of events. She frowned deeply as she prepared to head to the top of the train and do whatever she could.

There’s too many, even for Aunt Mikha... Is there anything I can do? Anything at all? I can’t let us fail like this! Everyone’s counting on me... There has to be something...!

Try as she might, Sitri’s brain-racking was for naught. The cannons on every one of the enemy ships were pointed straight at them. Mikhaeyla and her Knights were on the roof, pouring everything they had into a barrier that could shield the entire train, but with how fast it was moving, it was going to be difficult to protect it completely. They were at their wits’ end.

Link patted her shoulder, smiling confidently. “Don’t worry. We’re gonna be fine!” he said.

“What...?”

She was surprised, and a little frustrated, to see that he was still radiating positivity, even under such pressure. What made him so confident that they could pull through? Before she could open her mouth to ask, he gestured with a nod to the south. Sitri turned to look through the windows of the passenger car, and when she saw where he was indicating, her jaw dropped.

“Of course... That’s why she isn’t with us!”

A revelation occurred to Sitri. She had been so preoccupied by the Papuchiya resident’s cheers that the location of Tetra’s pirate ship escaped her notice. Evidently, it wasn’t in its former place next to the village anymore. It was now sailing south alongside the Spirit Tracks, outside of the encircling enemy fleet. And their cannons were primed and ready to fire.

“Heheh! We thought something like this might happen, so Tetra and I got the crew together yesterday! We’re not in this fight alone!” Link announced.

Right on cue, Tetra’s pirate ship began its barrage. As it was a far bigger vessel, they had more speed and power than any of the individual enemy ships could hope to muster. Watching from the train, Sitri could see Tetra herself standing on the ship’s bow, aiming her cutlass where she wanted the crew to fire. And they complied with efficiency. She observed Gonzo, Senza, Mako, Zuko, and Niko man the cannons while Linebeck did a bunch of supportive victory poses behind them.

A rain of fire unlike what the Spirit Train previously withstood was unleashed on the enemy fleet. Wood splintered apart and miniblins were scattered into the air, dropping like rocks into the sea below. The sound was deafening enough to rattle the train’s windows. With just one volley, half of the ships on the south side of the Spirit Tracks had been sunk.

Mikhaeyla grinned. “Very well done. I see they don’t title themselves pirates for nothing. Now, then... We may be Knights, but we will not fall behind.”

She turned on her heel and prepared for a volley of her own. Now facing north, she waved an arm to erect a massive barrier, successfully blocking the enemy’s cannonfire. They were cleverly staggering their shots so there were very short lulls between attacks, but Mikhaeyla could attack and defend at the same time. With her other hand, she readied dozens of bright red orbs. With a swift wrist rotation, they all burst forward at once, piercing through the northern fleet as beams of light.

At the same time, Varuna and Albion had turned to their rear. The first fleet of enemy ships were their targets, and like before, they created magic bows to shoot at them from afar. They didn’t want them closing the pincer while their liege was busy dealing with the north. Meanwhile, Ceres created her crossbow again, though bigger than last time. She fired destructive bolts of magic, one by one, slowly picking off the ships on the south side between Tetra’s rounds of fire.

Just like that, the fleet was decimated, and their path to Great Bay was free of further obstacles. Sitri allowed some of the tension to leave her, but not all of it. She couldn’t get complacent. This wasn’t over yet. But she couldn’t restrain herself from peeking over at Link again, a touch of envy on her lips.

That’s why he’s always so confident. He trusts that his friends will pull through for him... But I’m different. I’m supposed to be the Hero of Spirits. I wanted them to be my friends so they could help me win the title, but at this point, I need to prove my worth with my own power. If I can’t do this, I’m not worth anything... Alphonse may not have saved the world alone, but he could still hold his own. I need to do the same. I have to...!

Her mind racing with aspirations, Sitri steeled herself for what was to come. The Spirit Train screeched to a rough halt in the train station at Great Bay City’s remains. Tetra’s pirate ship, too, pulled in close to the land so she could get off and join the party. The rest of the crew remained behind, on standby in case their seafaring expertise was still required.

Wordlessly, the party followed Carben into the ruins. Sitri glanced over and noticed Tetra chewing on her bottom lip, a visage of pain overtaking her face. Link was much the same. This was the first time they’d been back to this place after Nudge’s death. The wounds were still fresh for them.

Sitri clenched her fists, remembering how powerless she was to help that day. Not only was she late to arrive, failing to save him, she was also completely at Zoie’s mercy back when he was still their enemy. Today was going to be different. She was done lagging behind everyone else. Beelzebub was surely going to come after them again, and when he did, however he did, she wanted to be the one to win.

The ruins were quiet, save for the party’s footsteps. Occasionally, they could hear the cawing of seabirds in the distance, and the gentle sound of the waves filled in the space that was left. But the dead resting below their feet were a stark reminder of the life this place once held. Its tall concrete buildings were collapsed into piles of rubble and the wooden floats surrounding it had nearly all sunken below the water’s surface. There was truly nothing left here, nowhere for its people to return to. And soon, a new Sanctuary would stand in solemn guardianship where its people once lived. Whether that was the right thing to do or not was still simmering in the back of Sitri’s mind.

At last, in the central square, Carben came to a rest. He examined the area closely, and then nodded in satisfaction.

“Mm, yes. This place has the highest concentration of Force. This must be the spiritual center. Tetra, your flute!” he said.

“On it. This one’s for you, Nudge...” she said softly.

Once again, Tetra readied the Spirit Flute, holding it more confidently than ever before. Carben, too, whipped out an instrument of his own. He was a master of the flute himself, though he preferred a standard one compared to the pan flute that Tetra was using. The long and slender instrument gleamed under the light poking through the cloudy sky. Together, they blew into their flutes.

The ground shook erratically, interrupting them right as they were just beginning. Here we go again, Sitri thought. This time, the danger presented itself as massive vines, sprouting up from the ground all around them. They behaved like tentacles, seeming to whirl around with minds of their own. They were covered in deadly thorns, and they were swinging straight for Tetra and Carben.

The party wasn’t about to let any harm come to the performers. Mikhaeyla lashed out with a longsword made of magic, repelling three massive vines at once. Zoie twirled his axe over his head before unleashing a torrent of fire, singing several vines and slowing their movements. Varuna, Albion, and Ceres each managed to repel one of their own. Sitri, too, did her part to keep the two of them safe, cutting through the squirming green tendrils with a burst of golden light.

Something felt weird about the feedback from that hit. Link, who had just finished hacking away at one himself, seemed to pick up on it, too. The sensation didn’t feel like cutting into a plant. That was flesh. Those vines were actually limbs.

A horrifying shriek pierced the air and their ears. South of Great Bay, the sea began frothing and bubbling like mad. From below the blues, a mass of purple globs rose up, dying the water a sickly color. More poison like Stagnox used, perhaps. This enemy was far bigger, though, almost encompassing the width of the entire island. It towered over their heads, revealing itself at last.

“It’s a massive leviathan... I remember reading that Alphonse slew one of these back in his day.” Sitri observed.

“He did, but this is not like the one he had to deal with. It’s far more deadly.” Mikhaeyla warned.

“A plant-like body, thorny tentacles, and that purple muck covering its head... It must be a Phytops. They’re native to the Mystic Realm, and exceedingly rare and elusive. I can’t believe Beelzebub managed to summon one.” Albion described.

“For a guy working alone, he sure has a lot of resources. We’re in for another rough battle.” Varuna said.

“Hah! We can take this thing! Should be a good time.” Zoie said.

He rolled his shoulders and drew his axe. Something about the way he carried himself seemed calmer than usual, but his eyes showed a thirst for battle that was still unquenched. Even if he’d finally come around to the group, he was still the good ol’ Zoie they were used to. With his newfound enthusiasm for their cause, perhaps this battle would be that much smoother. Unfortunately, the troubles didn’t stop with just the leviathan.

“REAPER! I HAVE YOU NOW!”

Striking with lightning-fast precision was Kuudo, appearing from out of nowhere. Sitri did a double take when she heard her shout like that. Zoie just barely managed to duck under her strike and leap away.

“Seriously?! How did she even find us?” Sitri exclaimed.

“Unbelievable... As if we don’t have enough on our plates.” Mikhaeyla growled angrily.

“To think she’d ignore such a beast and go straight for Zoie... Her obsession must be deep, indeed.” Albion said.

“Shut up! I’m tired of watching this degenerate prance around with you fools! He needs to die if Hyleigh is to be safe!” Kuudo roared.

It was clear by the look in her eyes that her hatred had not abated, not even a little. Sitri grinded her teeth in ire. Seeing Kuudo again brought all the unpleasantness back to the surface. Her stinging words, her unreasonable attitude... It was almost enough to make her forget about the Phytops.

What snapped her back was the sound of cannonfire. Tetra’s crew had brought their ship back around, and they were aiming straight for the massive beast. This time, the party had a strong support. Even though they had to deal with both the Phytops and Kuudo, there was a path to victory. And Sitri was more determined than ever to reach out and grasp it for herself.

 

[Dizzi]

So these bosses are recovering for Link to beat in spirit tracks after generations??

 

[Azure Sage]

Time for Chapter 36! This is another really long one, but it brings us the conclusion to one of the story's main conflicts since the beginning! I think it turned out really well. Hope you enjoy!

---

Chapter Thirty-Six
A Fight Allayed​

The melodies of the third purification floated into the cloudy domain above, setting the stage for a new battlefield. With Phytops to the south and Kuudo to the north, the party was wedged between hostile forces. Sitri bit her bottom lip, wondering which was the more pressing foe for her personally. She utterly despised Kuudo and everything she stood for, and there was no room in her heart for forgiveness or compassion. On the other hand, Phytops was the actual threat to the purification ritual. She was torn between who she wanted to fight and what she should be fighting.

Defeating Phytops is important, but Kuudo said all those horrible things about me! That I can’t be Aunt Mikha’s family, that I’m an embarrassment to Alphonse’s memory... She has to pay for it! I can’t leave her alone!

Sitri was about to turn toward her, but once again, Mikhaeyla stood in her way. Even from behind, she could tell that her aunt was furious.

“Kuudo... I thought I warned you not to show your face before me again, as long as you still clung to your misguided crusade. Do you take me for a liar? I will not show you mercy.” she rasped.

Kuudo shuddered and took a step back, but she still pointed her blade at Zoie. “C-come at me if you must! But can you afford to waste time with me when you’ve a mighty leviathan to contend with?”

“So you hope the Phytops keeps us occupied while you do as you please? You do realize you’re jeopardizing Carben’s life by doing so? He’s one of your own.” Albion asked her.

Kuudo looked conflicted, but she shook her head nonetheless. “His fate was sealed when he foolishly allied himself with you demons. There is nothing I can do for him now.”

“My, you’re awfully good at creating convenient excuses. I wonder what you see when you look in the mirror.” Varuna spat.

“Hah! Gotta respect her drive, if nothing else. It’s fine, we can play.” Zoie said, stepping forward to face her.

Kuudo looked surprised for a moment. “Oh? You wish to face justice, after all? Then by all means. You will die by my blade!”

“As if! Though it’s true that we’ve got to settle this, one way or another.” he said.

Mikhaeyla studied Zoie’s face for a few moments. “Are you certain? I’d prefer not to give her the satisfaction.”

“It’s fine. You guys deal with that big thorny freak. He looks fun, but this is important, I think. Right now, I wanna try things a different way.” Zoie said.

“Different how? What are you playing at, cretin?” Kuudo asked, staring daggers at him as he approached closer.

“You’re way outta line, lady. You’ve gone off the deep end. I can tell, ‘cause I was there, too, not that long ago.” Zoie said, a hint of a new motivation behind his words. “So I’m gonna take a page from a friend’s book! I’m gonna set you straight, just like Link did for me!”

Saying this, he rested his axe’s hilt along his shoulder line and raised his left hand up, gesturing for her to come at him. When Kuudo saw that, her entire body shook with rage. She clenched her teeth so hard, it sounded like she’d chipped one. Her voice exploded from her throat with a horrific tenor that even made Sitri feel a chill.

“YOU, SET ME STRAIGHT?! I WON’T SUFFER YOUR MOCKERY FOR A SECOND MORE! I WILL KILL YOU, WHATEVER IT TAKES!” she screamed.

Zoie grinned mischievously, and set off away from the group, heading toward the north end of the island. Kuudo immediately gave chase, bellowing deliriously all the while. At the same time, Phytops slammed its massive tentacle arms down, trying to encircle the party. There was no longer an opportunity to object to Zoie’s one-on-one clash with Kuudo.

“He’s gonna be fine... right?” Ceres wondered.

“Kuudo is incredibly relentless, but I don’t believe Zoie would lose to her. Besides, his attitude for this battle seems far more restrained than it used to be. I think we can leave this in his hands.” Mikhaeyla said.

Link nodded, and faced down the Phytops confidently. Sitri, too, could sense that something was different about Zoie now. He was fairly calm when he engaged her, and wasn’t laughing the way he always would when he'd fight. Perhaps he really did grow a little, but the situation still made her angry.

I wanted to take care of her myself, ugh... Every time I decide to do something, someone gets in my way! I’m so tired of this! I'm not letting anyone else get ahead of me! Phytops is going down, and it’ll be by my hand!

Letting her anger guide her, Sitri was the first to move in for a strike. Wreathing her blade in gold, she rushed out and slashed into one of the barricading tentacles. It writhed and wiggled, and Phytopcs hissed, but it didn’t retreat. Instead, it lurched toward her, one of the thorns aiming right for her chest. She leapt back without much trouble, but something about the purple hue of that spike gave her a sinking feeling.

“Be careful! The thorns are poisonous!” Albion warned, confirming her suspicions.

“Ugh, not again with the venom!” Ceres complained.

“You seem to know a bit about the Phytops, Albion.” Sitri observed.

“They’re from a remote sea nearby our hometown in the Mystic Realm. It’s not often that they appear, but when they do, they’re a big headache.” Varuna explained.

“I remember seeing one when we were children. Unfortunately, they’re very resistant to magic attacks.” Albion continued.

Mikhaeyla humphed to herself and readied a longsword from her magic. She swung it up in a wide, diagonal arc. A ray of red light shot forth, blasting against the purplish-pink muck covering its head. True to Albion's warning, that had little to no effect, even with her power.

“I see what you mean. This is going to be frustrating.” she said.

The Phytops became agitated from that attack, and raised up new tentacle limbs over the group. It kept the ones on the ground in place to box them in before it started slamming the others down in a bid to crush them. Link expertly dodged and rolled around them, avoiding even the slightest graze from those thorns. Sitri was able to follow his example and stay out of reach, too.

On the other hand, the composed Demon King did not budge from where she stood. Instead, she chose to deflect its flailing limbs with barriers quickly placed in the opportune locations. When it suited her, she lashed out with her magic sword, carving away the flesh lining those tentacles, and even hacking off some of the thorns. It really did not seem to like that.

Screeching with intimidating force, the Phytops threw three of its limbs at her all at once. The result was the same. Mikhaeyla scrunched her brow, and a wave of pressure knocked all of them out of her way. She continued to stand in place, one hand on her hip, completely unfettered by its ferocious attacks.

Wow, Aunt Mikha is so cool... I need to be just as strong!

Each time the Phytops attacked her, it was met with the same repelling force. However, it seemed like she was holding back while in such close proximity to her allies. She still hadn’t used her magic transformation. Sitri wanted to perform well so as not to slow her down. She gripped her sword with both hands and moved in to attack again.

Once Mikhaeyla reflected another vine arm, Sitri leapt up and cleaved into it with all her might. Her aim was to sever it, taking it down one limb it could use to sling at them. As she hoped, the tentacle split apart like the stem of a plant under the weight of her magic-powered slash. The beast howled in rage as the large end of its arm fell to the ground and curled up.

“Yes! One down!” Sitri said excitedly.

Unfortunately, she was wrong. The bleeding stump left behind where she cut started crusting over with a green film, and in its place, a brand new arm sprouted back out, complete with new thorns. She couldn’t believe her eyes.

“What?! I didn’t know they could do that!” Varuna gasped.

“I-I’m sorry. I had no idea, either. I can’t believe my knowledge has failed us...” Albion said ashamedly.

“It seems cutting the limbs is pointless. We should try another approach.” Mikhaeyla advised.

On cue, Tetra’s pirate ship had managed to turn around and resume an offensive position. Gonzo was the one in command now while his captain was busy with the ritual. By his order, the cannons on the side of the ship blasted Phytops from behind. It howled in anger as it bent forward, but it turned around toward them like it didn't even feel that.

Now its ire was concentrated on them. Smoke drifted from the skin on its back, and Sitri could see scuffs of soot where the cannonballs hit it, but no damage to speak of. Its hide had to be ridiculously thick to pull that off. Meanwhile, the pirates contended with deadly tentacle arms swinging toward them. Senza had to cut the wheel of the ship to evade, but as big as it was, it would be hard to keep that up for long.

Mikhaeyla quickly shot it in its back with her magic to pull its attention back away from the vulnerable, slow-moving ship. Her attack was just as ineffective as the cannons were, but it certainly did the trick at making it madder. It turned back toward the group, roaring with frustration. The beast raised its limbs high in the air again, a clear sign that it was about to start swatting.

Link and Ceres frowned, grouping up together with their swords brandished in a defensive stance. It didn’t seem like they had any solid plans yet. Sitri found herself backed into a corner with this one. They couldn’t cut off its tentacles or harm its main body, and they couldn’t remove the purple globs protectively coating its head with magic. How were they going to defeat it?

Wait... Not with magic? But then, what about...

A new idea started to form in Sitri’s mind. She eyed Link, and his face told her he hadn’t reached this conclusion yet. A little gratification filled her spirits, and she worked out the words to convey her strategy before she let anything slip.

If I’m right, this could be how we win! I’ll get the glory today for sure!

a a a​

Kuudo’s head was pounding so much, she was getting dizzy from every pulse. But she couldn’t afford to be. Not today. At long last, she was going to face down her mortal enemy and end his life on the tip of her sword. The distractions were well out of her way now. It was unlikely that any of the fiend’s allies would be coming to save him, not with that giant leviathan threatening their schemes.

She didn’t really get what they were up to, exactly, but it made her furious that the Lokomo were assisting the demons. Any plan that those deceitful monsters were invested in had to be bad for Hyleigh. It was unfortunate that Carben, Anjean, and the others had fallen for their lies, but at least she was still thinking logically. Rescuing Hyleigh from its predicament had to fall on her shoulders. It certainly wasn’t going to happen by the hand of any demon, or by Sitri Beldine’s, that blood traitor. Seeing her with them made her sick with anger, too.

But the Laughing Reaper was the real matter of importance here. Sitri, Mikhaeyla, and the rest of the demons could all be saved for later. The Reaper was the one she really needed to kill. Urgently, immediately. He was the biggest threat to Hyleigh since Malladus. He was practically the second coming of Malladus. Every single thing he did reminded her of that devil. The way he talked, the way he laughed, the way he grinned; every little mannerism of his brought her back to two thousand years ago, beating against the inside of her skull so violently that just thinking about it was enough to make her want to throw up. She couldn’t take this anymore. It had to stop.

And it finally would today. Last time they fought in Great Bay, she lost to him, but that was because of Byrne bumbling around and interfering. He was not made for battle, he shouldn’t have even been there. His attempts at helping her only made it harder for her to fight, and because she had to look out for him, she couldn’t fully defend herself from his raucous onslaught. But now it was just the two of them. This time, this time for sure...

At last, Zoie stopped running from her. If he had been leading her into some kind of trap, she didn’t care. She just had to kill him, and whatever else happened would have to be taken in stride. But surprisingly, he turned to face her with a weirdly calm expression. In fact, it was downright neutral. He was smiling, but it wasn’t the kind of grin that reminded her of the Great War. This wasn’t right.

It was so off-putting, she skidded to a stop, despite fully intending to keep running until she ran him through. “What are you doing?” she asked, in spite of herself.

“Just thought this would be a good place. We’re practically on the other side of the island now. No one’s gonna get in the way. That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?” he said, twirling his axe between his fingers.

Kuudo peered around. Behind Zoie was the northern shoreline, with some wooden wreckage clinging to the surface of the water. Surrounding them on every other side were the debris of concrete buildings and cobblestone roads. Nothing was left standing, and there were no places to hide. No traps lying in wait, after all.

“You’re actually isolating yourself by choice? Didn’t think you had the guts, after the way you cut and ran when you attacked the Sacred Realm.” Kuudo said warily.

“Hah. You’re still holding onto that, huh? Yeah, guess you would... I made sure of that, didn’t I.” he said wistfully.

Kuudo raised her brow. Something was different about him. It prodded the trauma swirling in her head. He shouldn’t be like this, he should be more... Boastful. Antagonizing. He wasn’t even laughing. If this was some kind of psychological tactic, it was working irritatingly well. She had been so angry before, she wanted to jump straight down his throat without any further delay. But now she was too disturbed to follow through on those urges, even as her anger continued to build inside her.

She ground her teeth a bit before she continued. “So? What, then? Are you gonna try to appeal to me? Beg me for mercy? Tell me you’re sorry for what you did? That you’ve changed? You’re not the person you used to be? Don’t waste your breath. I won’t hear any more of your lies. I’m going to slay you no matter what kind of trick you try to pull on me.”

“Nah, no way. You’re right, it would be a waste of breath.” Zoie agreed. “And I don’t really regret it, anyway. All the things I did were awful, but they still led me to where I am today. And honestly? I really like where I’m at now. Wonder if you’ll say the same when this is over. I guess that’s what I wanna find out right now. What I wanna do differently.”

Kuudo couldn’t stop her fists from shaking. His words were just the fuel on the fire she needed to burn away the glue keeping her feet where they were. Pure, unadulterated rage broke down the dam inside her heart, and she raised her sword toward her enemy once more.

“When this is over, you’ll be dead, and I’ll finally have peace of mind again! I don’t care what you want to try, you will be a cold corpse at my feet before long!” she rasped.

“A cold corpse, huh? Heheh. So you finally admit this isn’t about Hyleigh. It’s personal. What else have you got buried deep inside? Go on and let it out! Hit me with everything you got!” he declared, gesturing for her to come at him again.

That was the final straw. If she listened to one more word of his, her head would surely burst clean off her shoulders. A hoarse, gut-wrenching scream rang in her ears, and she kicked down on the ground as hard as she could. As she shot forward at breakneck speed, his grin grew a little wider. He quickly flicked his axe around out of its twirls and gripped the hilt tightly. Their weapons slammed together with a force that cracked the ground around them.

The head of Zoie’s axe clashed with Kuudo’s blade. She remembered what would happen next, but she was ready for it this time. When his axe exploded with pink flames, a thick coating of her own magic kept the chill from sapping her strength. His mighty cold fire was reduced to just a gust of chilly wind as it whipped around her. She pushed her blade harder, scooting her feet in closer to try and wrest his weapon out of her way.

Zoie was eerily quiet during this exchange. In her mind, she expected him to be cackling madly and ranting about how much fun he was having. But he kept that passive smile closed tight on his face, even as he pushed back against her. This was contrary to the expectations she’d built in her head about their encounter, but she didn’t want that to slow her down.

Kuudo focused her magic, and a golden chain materialized and coiled itself around her left arm. She pivoted her feet and let Zoie’s weight carry him forward. They switched positions, and she found herself behind him. First, she struck out with her sword, but as she figured, he was too fast to be caught by that. He hopped forward, and then hopped backwards into a spin. That was what she was waiting for.

Next, she jumped back and loosed the chain from her arm. Zoie swung his axe in a horizontal arc, pink flames flickering in a trail behind it. Her chain was waiting for it in the space she’d just been standing, and it tangled itself well around the spikes protruding on his axe’s head. Another burst of pink fire erupted when they made contact, but his weapon was good and hooked now. She pulled with as much strength as she could muster, trying to disarm him.

He pulled right back, and she found his core strength to greatly outmatch hers very quickly. But this was fine. She remembered trying this when they first fought, with little success. Her true aim was to control how much distance he could put between them. She rolled her wrist, shortening the length of the chain.

As they were tugging against each other, Kuudo kept gradually pulling herself closer to him. With his axe caught in the chain, tension pulling on it from both ends, he couldn’t take a swing at her. All the while, she was inching closer. With her right hand, she filled her sword with golden light, and got ready to thrust it through his gut. With the gap closing every second, there was no way she could miss.

Just before her arm jabbed out, he let go of his axe entirely. This was also an event that had played out before, in their last fight. Back then, she was able to swing it around and send it straight back to him, and she considered doing that again, but only for a moment. Unlike last time, Zoie immediately lunged forward, balling up his hands into fists primed to strike.

This, too, was within her calculations. He was faster than anticipated, but nevertheless, she was ready. When he unleashed a flurry of punches, she was able to duck past them all. She swung her sword, parrying his fists and trying to move in for a slash across his gut. But he was just as slippery as she was, evading her blade deftly and without effort. For several moments, this high-speed exchange continued uninterrupted. But in that time, Kuudo let his axe slip from her attention. It had been pulled into the air by her chain when he let it go, and finally, it hit the ground. Pink flames billowed out from its place of impact, smothering the both of them and obscuring her vision.

“No!” Kuudo yelped, quickly abandoning all offense in lieu of defense.

Not a moment too soon. Zoie appeared from the flames poised differently than she’d last seen him. Instead of punches, she was met with a fierce kick to her gut. If she hadn’t reinforced herself, she might have been knocked out in one hit. His attack still had enough force to lift her feet off the ground and send her hurtling backwards. She flipped backwards and maintained her footing when she landed, but they were back to square one.

As the flames died down, Zoie’s axe appeared right at his side. He snatched it back up and leveled it at her once more. Still, he was not laughing. His smile was indicative of his enjoyment, but he was so unbelievably tame this time that she just couldn’t comprehend it. It made absolutely no sense. This was not what the Laughing Reaper was supposed to be like. Highly skilled and cunning in battle? Definitely. But humble? This had to be a sick joke.

Kuudo clenched her teeth harder than before. She was familiar with his tactics, and she thought she’d learned her lessons in their past bouts. But it wasn’t enough. He was still in control of the fight, and his demeanor being what it was only served to make her angrier. Visions of Malladus flashed to the front of her mind again, and she desperately tried to keep attaching them to Zoie.

Whoever said that time heals all wounds was a fool. Even after two thousand years, it still haunts me... I need to make this stop! I have to kill him, no matter what it costs me!

Her rage continued to boil inside her. He had to be mocking her, acting unlike himself just to rile her up, just to make her confused. Malladus’s face swallowed up Zoie’s whenever she looked at him, painfully reminding her that she failed to stop him back in the Great War. She couldn’t fail like that again. Not just for Hyleigh, but it was the only way she could think of to quiet the discord in her mind. And to that end, as if her subconscious was starving for it, her magic evolved a little bit.

A sharp pain cut into her wrist. She looked down and observed that the chain on her left arm had transformed. Each link was now lined with jagged teeth, rotating like a saw at high speed. It was peeling away her own skin, dying the chain red with her blood. It was excruciating, but... Perhaps this was what she needed.

I don’t care if it hurts. It’s nothing compared to what’s pounding in my head right now... If I can use this...

“If I can use this to kill him... Then SO BE IT!” she howled with tears in her eyes.

As fast as she could, she lashed out with her left arm. The now blood-soaked chain whirred with a piercing metallic sound as it stretched and snaked through the air toward her mortal enemy. Zoie raised a curious eyebrow and tried to test the waters by swatting it away with his axe. It coiled around the head again, causing a burst of flames as usual. But this time, the chain continued to move.

As if it were propelled by those spinning saws, her chain of blood quickly encroached away from the head and down the hilt of the axe. With every new inch it grew, the blades cut deeper into Kuudo’s arm, draining more of her blood. But she didn’t care. Even with her labored breathing, she brandished her sword and started closing in on him.

Zoie shook his axe to try and untangle the chain, but it moved like it had a mind of its own. It wrapped itself around the hand that gripped the hilt, and blood sprayed into the sand as its rotating teeth bit into him, too. He winced from the pain, but he didn’t let go. He adjusted his stance and prepared to meet Kuudo’s incoming assault.

When she entered his space, she unleashed a flurry of deadly sword slashes, all aimed for his vitals. Zoie’s movements were restricted as the blood chain continued eating its way up his arm, digging in deeper and creeping closer to his neck. He managed to use both his axe and his free hand to deflect Kuudo’s strikes, but she was persistent. The pain her new power was causing her only grew more immense as the battle progressed. Soon, there was a pool of blood beneath her feet.

“Hey, slow down. You keep using this thing, and you’re gonna kill yourself before you can lay a hand on me.” he warned.

There were tones of genuine concern in those words. That only infuriated Kuudo further. How dare he pretend to care for her well-being? Just how far was he going to push this mental scheme of his? It was driving her ill. All of the blood being fed to her chain wasn’t helping matters, either. She was beginning to get light-headed. Her vision was swimming, too. This fight had to end, and fast.

Her ferocious assault continued, swinging her blade wildly at him, trying to get even one clean hit in. All the while, her chain continued to slither across his body, reaching his right shoulder. It would touch his neck soon. She wanted to see that happen so badly, she could almost taste it. The sight of it choking the life out of him as the blades sawed his head off might finally put an end to her nightmares.

A splitting pain erupted from her left arm, where the chain was attached. It was so intense, she could hardly breathe, and she fumbled with her sword. Zoie took this chance to grab the blade with his left hand, and now they were grappling with each other in a deadlock. Her chain continued to creep forward, but the price of its movement was nearly severing her hand clean off her wrist. The sight of bone peeking out between the chains almost made her gag.

“Seriously, you gotta stop!” Zoie warned her again.

The anger his unwarranted advice brought her snapped her back into focus, just enough to remain conscious. “Damn you, shut your mouth! I am not... I don’t care if this kills me! All the better if it means I can forget about all the pain you’ve caused me! You hear me? I’m taking you down with me, Malladus!”

When she called him that, his smile vanished. He was stunned still for a brief moment. She didn’t know why, but she aimed to take full advantage. Focusing her magic into her left arm, she tried to feed her chain even more of her blood. All of it, maybe. She wanted to pour in as much as it would take to finally push that chain far enough to strangle him.

Zoie growled with anger. For a moment, she thought she finally had him cornered, but before she could enjoy the thought of that, he headbutted her. His forehead crashed against hers, and she staggered backwards and cried in pain. She lost her focus on her magic, and her chain loosed up. He swiftly let go of her sword and grabbed a clump of it that had clung to his right arm.

Even as the blades cut into his hand, he gripped it tightly and pulled. With Kuudo dazed from that headbutt, he was able to rip it off, peeling away his tattered clothes and some of his skin in the process. Now broken, the chain dissolved away into nothing, leaving a puddle of her blood in its wake.

“Nuh... No...!” she breathed, collapsing to her knees.

Zoie took a quick second to catch his breath, gazing down at his hand and arm. Blood dripped unabated from both of them, spilling down into the pool left behind from Kuudo’s chain. He felt a trickle of it run down between his eyes, too, from where he headbutted her. He sighed deeply, and stomped his foot down into the puddle. It splashed them both. They were stained equally in each other’s blood.

Kuudo wanted to stand again, but she didn’t have it in her anymore. Her head was brutally pounding, and she could hardly keep her breathing steady. In the same spot as Zoie’s, her forehead was smeared red, too. The pain coming from her left arm was suffocating the rest of her sensations, though. Her wrist hung limp, completely coated with her blood. It was so red, she couldn’t even see her skin through it all.

She could feel Zoie’s eyes on her. This was it, then. He was going to kill her. She couldn’t even take him down with her. Her failure was complete. Was a horrific end to her miserable life. But at least the pain would be gone soon, forgotten by whoever she’d become in her next life.

Zoie gazed down on her, examining her face closely. His eyes were oddly sad, and maybe even a little apologetic. She didn’t like that look. How long was he going to make her wait for death? Enough was enough.

“... I am not Malladus.” he said quietly.

“Huh?”

She wasn’t expecting him to talk to her. Wasn’t he going to kill her?

“You called me Malladus a bit ago. I’m not him.” he said again.

Kuudo lowered her head, biting her lip. Hatred seeped out of her as she spoke. “You might as well be. You’re the spitting image of him! That same, nasty personality that thrives on other people’s pain! That same laugh that keeps haunting me in my dreams! I can’t stand to look at you a second more! Just kill me already and be done with it...”

“I’m not gonna kill you, moron.” he spat.

“Wha... What?! You... Why not?” she asked, unable to believe what she was hearing.

“I said I was gonna set you straight. Why the hell would I kill you?”

She stared up at him, completely at a loss. She tried to form some kind of response, but the words just wouldn’t come out. Instead, her lips just trembled, cracked and bleeding though they were. Her mouth tasted like iron and her throat felt like it was closing off. Heavy tears filled her eyes, and she tried to force them back in by smushing them with her arm. No matter how she puzzled over it, this didn’t make any sense to her.

Zoie frowned as he watched her. He rubbed the back of his head, and then flinched when he felt the blood smear into his hair. After he grimaced over that, he drooped his shoulders and inhaled a little bit, like he wanted to keep talking.

Instead, his eyes flicked to the side like he noticed something. He spun on his heel and brandished his axe. Appearing behind him was another demon, a man in a green suit. Kuudo recalled seeing him fight with Sitri and Zoie in Kakariko. His purpose in showing himself to them became clear very fast.

“You’ve done my work for me, wearing yourselves out. I can kill you both at once now. Good riddance!”

In a matter of seconds, a massive drill made of violet light appeared around his arms, and he launched it forward. It was so wide, it was going to wipe them both out for sure. Kuudo could scarcely move. There was no way she would survive.

That was what she thought, until the unthinkable happened. Zoie, rather than dodging on his own, stood his ground and planted himself in front of her. He raised his axe and wreathed it in a pink blaze that chilled the air around them, crystalizing the puddles of blood they were soaking in. With a deep roar, he cleaved his axe down into the drill, and a huge burst of pressure shook through their bodies.

“Just stay behind me! I’ve got this!” he shouted as he pushed back against it.

“Wha...”

Once more, she couldn’t process what was happening. He was protecting her. The Laughing Reaper, of all people, was protecting her. Somehow worse than that was the other demon in green, who had used the exact same underhanded tactic she did in Kakariko; waiting until her prey was cornered before sneaking in to finish them off. The irony of that wasn’t lost on her. It made her so revolted with herself that she could no longer keep her stomach juices down. She bent over and vomited spit into the sand and frozen blood, her throat stinging just as painfully as her wounds as it all came out.

Zoie roared once again, expelling more pink flames from his arms. These turned into tendrils that worked their way around the drill, sapping it of its energy and reducing its mass. He was able to make short work of it then, flinging it back where it had come from. The effort clearly exacerbated the wounds covering his arms, but the man seemed unfazed.

The spell barreled back at its originator, who gasped and leapt aside. It kept going past him, tearing up the ground as it went before finally fading away into violet particles. He grumbled in aggravation, hsi surprise attack now a failure. When Kuudo was finished throwing up, she wiped her face with her sleeve and stared at Zoie’s back. That power he used to drain away magic was not something he’d ever tried on her. She couldn’t guess at his thinking. Why wouldn’t he have used that in their fight?

“Beelzebub again... Jeez, you don’t ever learn, do you?” Zoie taunted.

“Damn you, accursed scion. Your wounds haven’t slowed your reaction time at all, have they? But no matter. In your current state, you’re no match for me.”

Just then, a frightful howl reached their ears from the far side of the island. It made the man in green turn pale, and Zoie flash a confident grin.

“Heh. Sounds like your pet’s having a rough time. But that’s nothing to worry about, right? Stick around and fight me! I’m sure Mikhaeyla’s gonna be here any minute now, so you’ll get to have double the fun!” he teased.

The man didn’t look thrilled to hear that. He chewed on his thumb in vexation, his scowl intensifying by the second. At last, when it seemed he’d finished mulling over his options, he turned and vanished through a magic portal, just as abruptly as he’d arrived.

“Hah! One little bluff is all it took to make him run? Coward, through and through.” Zoie said, sounding relieved.

He was quiet after that, still staring at the space where the man had been as though he didn’t believe he was really gone. His body language told Kuudo that he was on edge, and certainly not fit for combat. That power he used to turn that drill back where it came from must have taken quite a toll. For a brief moment, she pondered the idea of rising up and stabbing him from behind while she had the chance, but the thought quickly died in her mind. It left behind a sticky veneer of shame in its wake.

Finally, she worked up the nerve to ask. “Why... Why did you save me?”

He turned to face her, looking a little consternated. He exhaled some air through his nose and stabbed his axe into the sand, letting it out of his grasp. No pink explosion followed, likely because of his own will. The act of disengaging its enchantment spoke volumes. He clumsily sat down next to it and rolled his shoulders, humming in his throat like he was preparing his words.

“It’s funny. My old man used to beat the **** out of me, you know. Tried to make me into a warrior that would serve Malladus. Wonder if that’s why I remind you of him.” he said.

She stared at him with a furrowed brow, actively listening to him for the first time. When it seemed like she’d taken in his words, he continued.

“But I don’t want to be like him. There was a time when I thought I had to be the strongest, or I’d be worth nothing. Then Link came along and set me straight.” When he said that, he tapped a scar under his left eye. “Since then, I’ve met people who like having me around, people I don’t have to prove myself to. It’s great. Makes me feel good.”

Kuudo frowned. “And?”

“And it made me wanna try things their way. Sure, I might’ve just killed you and thought little of it before. But I don’t really wanna be that person anymore. You were right, the old me probably was a lot like Malladus. But the me of today is fighting to stop Malladus from reviving. So is Link, and so are Sitri and Mikhaeyla and the rest of them. And I’m sure you don’t want him to come back, either. We all want the same thing.”

“What...? Wait, is that what you’ve all been doing?” Kuudo asked. “Then that man from before... Is he...?”

“Who, Beelzebub? Yeah, he’s trying to break the seal. You didn’t know? Guess you’ve been too focused on hunting me down to pay attention to what’s goin’ on around you.”

Kuudo bit her lip again. His words reminded her of what Anjean said the last time they met. Was it really true? Was she fixated on the wrong enemy, all along? But...

“But that can’t be... I... What have I done?”

Tears of immense regret spilled down Kuudo’s face, diluting the blood wherever they splashed in it. The force of this revelation was closing up her throat again. Her vision blurred into a wet, bleary mess, and her heart felt like it was being wrenched into pieces. The pain in her head plaguing her since the Great War spread to the rest of her body, from a weighty pit in her gut down to the tips of her fingers. She was completely overcome by this remorse.

“What... What have I done...?” she said again, hardly managing to squeeze the words out.

“Nothin’ you can’t take back. If I’m anything to go by, you can always try again, on the right path. Link taught me that, you know. His kindness made me wanna try paying it forward a bit.” Zoie said.

Kuudo sniffled and hiccupped a few times before she could speak further. “Is... that what you meant when... you said you’d set me straight?”

“Yep. You might not wanna hear this, but I think we’re a bit alike.” he told her. “I dunno, maybe I just didn’t wanna see you end up like me? And I still wanna see where you’ll go from here. So? What do you wanna do?”

In asking this, he extended his hand to her. She never imagined that the Reaper, or rather Zoie, would ever do such a thing. None of his actions this day lined up with the vision of him she’d come to despise. If he wasn’t what she thought he was, then what did that make her? She didn’t want to know the answer. But even so...

She stared at his hand. She stared so hard she could’ve bored a hole in it with her gaze alone. An anxious hesitation crept into her, and she quickly glanced up at his face again. She felt like she was finally seeing his real face, the likeness of Malladus no longer interlacing with it. Finally, she could look at him head-on. After a time, she started to lift her own hand, reaching out for his.

a a a​

Sitri and the party continued to dance around under a storm of massive tentacles raining down over them. Phytops was getting angrier and more frustrated that it couldn’t swat its enemies away. Mikhaeyla, too, was furrowing her eyebrows deeper and deeper as she could do naught but defend. They were at a standstill. Luckily, Sitri had a plan to turn things around.

Once Phytops had run out of steam, there was at last room to speak. “You guys! I think I figured out what to do!” Sitri called out.

Mikhaeyla’s eyes widened a bit. “Have you? What did you notice?”

“I-it’s head is protected against magic, but... We haven’t tried physical attacks yet!” she explained. “Ceres, you can change the properties of your magic and make it sticky and stuff, right? Could you try using it like a whip? Attach the thorns we severed to it!”

Ceres was shocked by this novel suggestion. “I should be able to make them stick, yeah... But I don’t know if I can make it long enough to reach up there. Still... Maybe I could...”

As she pondered, she coated the longer of her two blades with black magic. When she moved it through the air, the light trailing after it appeared jelly-like and wiggly, and she nodded in satisfaction. Next, she swung her blade at one of the dislodged thorns laying on the ground, and a whip made of black aura stretched out from the tip of her blade. It attached itself to its mark and affixed together like glue.

“Okay... Now let’s try this!” she said excitedly.

She raised her sword, and the whip floated into the air, carrying the thorn with it. Spinning it like a lasso over her head, Ceres built up a lot of momentum before flicking her wrist when the thorn was at the perfect point in its spin. It detached from the whip and was sent flying tip-first toward Phytops’s head.

The beast squealed in terror and tried to lurch out of the way. The seas trembled as it slithered around, but it wasn’t fast enough to dodge it completely. The thorn nicked the side of its head, and one of the purple globs burst like a bubble, revealing the soft skin underneath. The sight lifted the morale of the entire party.

“It worked! Great thinking, Sitri!” Ceres cheered.

“I will defend you. The rest of you, work on chopping off as many thorns as you can!” Mikhaeyla instructed.

A rousing battle cry served as the party’s response, each one leaping straight to work. Ceres filled both of her swords with that sticky black light now, and began expertly twirling her thorny whips around through the air. Meanwhile, Varuna and Albion helped pry as many thorns off the encircling tentacles as they could.

Sitri felt a high unlike any she’d experienced in a while. A strategy she cooked up actually worked. She hadn’t felt so intoxicatingly good since she was first granted the Lokomo’s magic to use as her own. At last, she was contributing in a big way. It was her time to shine now. She glanced over at Link, wondering what kind of face he made as she pulled ahead of him. But he was preoccupied with something else.

Link blew a shrill whistle through his fingers, alerting the pirates out in the water that he needed their attention. When he saw that Gonzo was looking at him, he motioned some kind of signal with his arms and pointed at the Phytops’s head. In less than a minute, the crew could be seen scrambling across the deck, turning the ship and angling the cannons in a new way.

Whoa, that’s a good idea, actually... The cannons didn’t work on its back, but maybe they can damage its head! ... Hm. I should have thought of that myself.

Not wanting to lose her place as the star of the fight, Sitri focused on building up magic inside her body. She let it cover her from the top of her head all the way down to her toes. Both she and her sword were glowing a brilliant gold. As she focused this power, she watched the others take action.

Mikhaeyla was still creating powerful patches of barriers to protect Ceres. Varuna and Albion had cut off dozens of thorns, and Phytops had wised up enough to remove its tentacle arms from their reach. Still, Ceres had plenty of ammo now. She was able to fling thorns at its head with almost no delay between shots.

The Phytops could not possibly dodge such an onslaught. A few of her shots missed, but the vast majority of thorns Ceres managed to throw hit their marks dead-on. More and more, those purple globs were bursting apart and exposing the Phytops’s weakness. A single massive eye began peeking out from behind the muck. A soft body part like that was a clear target.

Before the beast could raise its arms to protect itself, Gonzo had led the ship into a strong position for a new assault. The cannon barrels were now pointed up, and the rest of the crew unleashed hell upon the back of Phytops’s head. With each blast, more and more muck disintegrated. In seconds, nearly all of it had burned away.

That wasn’t all. The beast left out a horrible, frightful howl as it toppled down onto the shore. Its head hit the sand hard enough to kick up a whirlwind of dust, sticking to its wet skin like grime. Its eye was now on level with the ground. That was exactly the moment Sitri was waiting for.

At last, she unleashed what she’d been preparing. She erupted forward at blinding speed, crossing the distance to the beast in less than a second. Her sword was primed with magic and ready to thrust. With a fierce roar, she stabbed her blade straight through its eye and poured every ounce of magic she’d accumulated right into its skull.

Once again, the Phytops screamed terribly, paining everyone’s ears and stirring up more sand into the air. Sitri ripped her blade out of its eye, and a radiant shower of both her golden aura and its blood sprayed out from the wound. The damage she dealt inside its head was fatal, and the leviathan’s body quickly went sill. It was over.

Sitri backed away, her arm throbbing and sore from that attack. She stumbled backwards, nearly falling to her rear, and she was completely out of breath. But after a few moments, her victory sunk in, and a wide smile overtook her lips.

“I... I did it! Aunt Mikha, I did it!” she yelled in joy.

Mikhaeyla had her arms wrapped around the girl in a tight hug before she could blink. She always was fast to show her affection and worry. But Sitri was beyond elated to finally have it directed toward her again. It felt like it had been years since she last made her aunt so proud.

“Excellent work, Sitri! That final blow was spectacular.” she praised.

The girl’s heart leapt into her throat. She was so thrilled, she could hardly speak. And then came the smug sense of superiority. They won by using her strategy, and she got to be the one to finish the monster off. At last, she’d outdone Link and the others.

She glanced over at the boy in green, wondering if she’d get the chance to gloat. But the look on his face put a damper on her good mood. He was innocently grinning from ear to ear, pumping his fist to cheer for her accomplishment. There was not a hint of frustration or envy in his eyes. Sitri couldn’t look directly at him, he was so dazzling.

That only made her feel crummy. Most of her good feelings deflated in that moment. Link didn’t care about glory or his own personal success. He was just as happy to see others succeed as he was himself. Sitri knew that, and she knew he wasn’t trying to usurp her position in her aunt’s favor, or with Anjean’s, but she couldn’t stop herself from competing with him. Even if it was completely one-sided.

He’s making this harder than it should be again... It would be easier if he would just get jealous... But still, I came up with a good strategy, and I dealt the killing blow! This is definitely gonna win me some points with the Spirits! It won’t be long now until they announce me as the next Hero of Spirits... Eheheh...

Her attention was pulled back out of her head when a soft, indigo sheen blanketed the sands and waters surrounding Great Bay. This light felt warm and comforting, and it was the portent of the purification ritual’s success. After the Phytops’s corpse dissolved away, Carben and Tetra returned to the group.

“Well, now! You folks are just as reliable as I’ve heard! It’s no wonder the other purifications went so well!” Carben said gratefully.

“I wouldn’t call getting attacked by a giant sea monster as something that ‘went well’, but yeah... Y’all did good. Especially you, boys!” Tetra said, waving to her ship as it began to pull in toward the shore.

“Just two more to go, now... We’re making steady progress. I saw no sign of Beelzebub today, though. Perhaps next time...” Mikhaeyla said, thinking aloud.

“Nah, he was here! He up and ran as soon as he showed his face, though!”

Those words were spoken by Zoie, startling the group as he returned. Mikhaeyla eyes his wounds, which were worryingly severe. She swiftly blanketed him with a healing spell, and his body knit itself back into shape in no time.

“W-well? What happened to Kuudo?” Sitri asked nervously, hoping she would get the answer she wanted.

“I took care of her. She won’t be bothering us again!” he said, crossing his arms and nodding to himself.

So she’s dead... Thank goodness for that, though I wish I could’ve done it myself. I’m just glad I’ll never have to see her again.

Carben eyed him suspiciously, but he soon smirked. Sitri wasn’t sure what he was thinking about, but there was no good opportunity to bring it up. In any event, the third purification was very good for her. Just like Mikhaeyla said, there were only two to go. If Sitri kept at it and managed to win the day in the next ones, too, that Hero of Spirits title would be well-deserved.

Surely, that had to be the case, right?

 

[Dizzi]

Ohhh epic!!!

 

[Azure Sage]

I have to share this here, too. I woke up this morning to discover a friend of mine drew fanart of Kuudo from ch 36! I am completely over the moon about it!!!

The Concerto of Spirits - Chapter 1 - AurumFlow - The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms [Archive of Our Own]

“If I can use this to kill him... Then SO BE IT!” I woke up to this AMAZING fanart of a scene from chapter 36 of The Concerto of Spirits drawn by my friend @torabdos! This made my entire month,,, I'…

www.tumblr.com

It's like they saw right into my head with this! Im gonna go insane over this for a good while...

 

[Dizzi]

I have to share this here, too. I woke up this morning to discover a friend of mine drew fanart of Kuudo from ch 36! I am completely over the moon about it!!!

The Concerto of Spirits - Chapter 1 - AurumFlow - The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms [Archive of Our Own]

“If I can use this to kill him... Then SO BE IT!” I woke up to this AMAZING fanart of a scene from chapter 36 of The Concerto of Spirits drawn by my friend @torabdos! This made my entire month,,, I'…

www.tumblr.com

It's like they saw right into my head with this! Im gonna go insane over this for a good while...

Thats amazing!! I thought youd posted a new chapter so i was settling in!!!

 

[Azure Sage]

And now for Chapter 37! I can't believe there's only four chapters and an epilogue left to go... So close now... Hope you enjoy the ride!

---

Chapter Thirty-Seven
Fire Sanctuary​

The lobby of the Tower of Spirits was tense yet again. After another two-day break, it was time to begin the fourth purification. They were getting closer to complete victory, but Beelzebub still being at large hung over each of their heads like a black cloud. For Sitri, none of it would be worth a damn if they didn’t get him. Even if the land’s Force was fully restored, the people wouldn’t be safe with him still skulking around.

More importantly, she didn’t see herself winning the Hero of Spirits title without his head as her trophy. Her victory against the Phytops the other day didn’t get her enough attention. Nothing about her role in the party had changed, and that was beyond frustrating. Only Beelzebub’s utter defeat could bring her what she deserved. That was what she’d come to believe.

He better show up this time. If he does, I hope Aunt Mikha doesn’t try to keep me away from him like she did in the Snow Realm. After the way I killed the Phytops, she should trust me more! I know I can do this!

Cutting through the tension was Embrose’s sudden, booming laugh. “Bah ha ha! It’s a glorious day for an epic battle! I can’t wait for you each to show me the strength you displayed in the past three rituals!”

He certainly is a lot more excitable than his fellows... Sitri couldn’t hold back a pout when she thought that. But he was right, it was getting to be about time for them to head out. She looked toward the Spirit Train parked in the turntable, and Boyle seemed to be almost finished with his preparations. He had to do a little maintenance after how hard he’d pushed the train on their way to Great Bay the other day.

Anjean rolled forward next to Embrose, a playful grin on her face. “Yes, you all are extraordinarily capable. But I’m sure you wouldn’t turn down an extra pair of hands, would you? I have a new ally to add to your midst.” she said.

“A new ally? Did Byrne return?” Varuna asked.

Anjean shook her head, and gestured toward the top of the stairs that led into the higher floors of the Tower. A figure appeared from the darkness, and a great deal of hesitation and anxiety filled their every step. Their face made a plain display of awkward, complicated emotions, unable to look at the party as they descended the stairs to join them. Sitri’s mouth hung open in utter disbelief when she saw who it was.

“Ku... Kuudo?!” she shouted.

“Well! I certainly didn't expect this.” Mikhaeyla said, placing a hand on her cheek.

Sitri immediately grabbed the hilt of her sword, but Anjean held out her hand to stop her. “Calm down, dear. She is not your enemy anymore.”

“I, um...” Kuudo started, her voice trembling.

She took a place next to Anjean, but she still couldn’t bring herself to look at the group. She rubbed her left arm and chewed on her lips, her eyes wavering and misty. Could it be possible that she actually felt remorse for her actions? Absolutely not, Sitri thought.

“No way! I refuse to work with her! Zoie, you told me you killed her! What’s going on?!” Sitri yelled.

“Huh? That is not what I said!” he protested. “Wait, what did I say, again?”

“I believe your exact words were, ‘I took care of her. She won’t be bothering us again!’, weren’t they?” Albion said.

“Oh, right. Yeah, see? I knew what I said.” Zoie nodded.

“Hehe. I suppose he wasn’t lying, then. If she is our ally now, she truly won’t be bothering us any further.” Mikhaeyla said.

That annoyingly misleading wording made Sitri furious. “I don’t care! I won’t work with her! I don’t want her here!” she spat.

“Didn’t you say that about me, too?” Zoie smirked.

“I-it’s different! She’s just... The things she said to me...” Sitri continued, running out of breath from her shouting.

Mikhaeyla approached her and placed a gentle hand on her head. “I understand there’s bad blood between you two, and I must admit, I have mixed feelings about this, myself. But the fact that Anjean is now vouching for her tells me her change of heart is genuine. If so, then I am willing to forgive and forget. Shouldn’t we give her a chance?”

Sitri screwed up her face even more and hung her head. “No...! I don’t want to! I can’t forgive her! Not ever!”

Saying I can’t be Aunt Mikha’s family... Saying I’m an embarrassment to Alphonse... That’s just unforgivable! I won’t ever live that down! Never!

Kuudo finally moved her eyes, and they settled on Sitri. Her lips quivered a bit as she worked up the courage to speak.

“I know I said some horrible things to you... I’m sure you’ll never forgive me, but even so... I have to tell you that I’m truly, truly sorry for it... I was just so angry, so hurt by everything going on... I, I just... I’m sorry.” she said quietly.

Sitri glared at her, not wanting to accept her words. She crossed a line that marked her as an enemy for life. Even right there and then, Sitri badly wanted to cut her down and make her pay for insulting her connection to Alphonse. That was the core of her very being, and it was not a wound she felt she could, or even wanted to, shake off.

Kuudo continued speaking, even as her voice buckled under her heavy words. “I know I’ve already said it, but... I have to apologize to you again, Zoie. At the time, I thought my actions were righteous, but that was just an excuse to cope with something I couldn't let go... I’m ashamed of myself for being so blind, so caught up in a prejudice born from my past... I treated Mikhaeyla and the other demons unjustly because of it, too, and I even went so far as to turn my back on my fellow Lokomo. I don’t... feel like I even deserve to stand here with all of you.”

You sure don’t... Just get lost already...

Sitri gulped those words down, kind of fearing the face her aunt would make if she’d heard them.

“Kuudo and I spoke at great length about this yesterday. It seems her recent fight with Zoie finally pried her eyes open, and I’m truly relieved to have her back with us.” Anjean said. “I will think of an appropriate penance for her actions later, but for the immediate future, I want her to atone by assisting you with the remaining purifications.”

“Yes... I vow to do my utmost to pay for my sins and earn your trust.” Kuudo said.

Sitri frowned, letting out a quiet grumble from her throat. It didn’t seem like she had a choice. She hated this so viscerally she wanted to scream, but if she got on Anjean’s bad side, it might affect her standing with the Spirits of Light. She absolutely loathed the fact that her chance at becoming the Hero of Spirits was now dependent on her cooperation with Kuudo, of all people. It was so unfair.

Against her wishes, the conversation moved on from this topic. Mikhaeyla cleared her throat and provided the group with new information.

“Right, then. Before we depart, I must tell you all that Kuudo is not the only ally we’re gaining today. Earlier this morning, I received an update from Rasta. It seems Sir Darius himself has gone ahead to Goron Village. He wants to organize a band of volunteers to assist us.” she explained.

“Really? A Council member taking direct action? Color me impressed.” Tetra said, crossing her arms.

“According to Rasta, when he reported that all of the enemy ships that swarmed us on our way to Great Bay had cannons, Sir Darius had a frightful look on his face. After a bit of investigation, he learned that the stores of gunpowder and steel the Gorons were protecting had been broken into. Most of their stock had gone missing. It wasn’t hard to connect the dots.” Mikhaeyla clarified.

“What? So Beelzebub stole from the Gorons so he could better equip his monsters? That’s crazy!” Ceres said.

“Indeed. How he got into their stores is still unclear, but the short of it is, Sir Darius feels responsible and wants to make up for it.” Mikhaeyla said.

“Hey, the more, the merrier!” Link said.

“Having the might of the burly Gorons on our side should prove to be a huge boon for our venture today.” Albion said.

“Doubly so because they know the lay of the land. Hopefully, this means our task will be that much easier... Though that’s probably just wishful thinking.” Varuna said.

“Nevertheless, we will do what we must. Is everyone ready?” Mikhaeyla asked.

The whole group nodded confidently. Kuudo hesitated briefly, but she also gave a tiny nod. The only one who didn't was Sitri. She was still seething over Kuudo’s inclusion. The idea of sharing space with her on the Spirit Train alone was enough to make her gag, but working together with her was still out of the question.

Why can't Aunt Mikha understand? We don't need her! I should be more than enough! If only they'd named me the Hero of Spirits already, I wouldn't have to deal with this! I bet they'd listen to me then! Why haven't they done it yet? I'm losing my mind waiting for it...

Mikhaeyla placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, gazing down on her with her with those familiar worried eyes. Sitri pursed her lips, still vehemently against this. She still didn't even like the plan to begin with. But what choice did she have?

“Sitri?” Mikhaeyla said quietly.

She slumped her shoulders. The last thing she wanted was to slow everyone down. Just the thought of everyone looking at her like she was the problem made her want to crawl into a hole. And so, despite being unable to look her aunt in the eye, she nodded. Mikhaeyla smiled and patted her head, an act of kindness that didn't quite reach the girl's heart this time.

I still don't want to... I'm just gonna stay as far away from her as I can...

However reluctantly, Sitri boarded the Spirit Train with the rest of the group. Embrose was rather boisterous about his encouragement for their mission, and Boyle was as motivated as ever. The trip to Goron Village from the Tower of Spirits was the shortest one of all, but it ran up a steep incline, which still put them at a disadvantage.

Sitri took a seat next to Mikhaeyla and clung to her arm, trying not to look back to where Kuudo was sitting. The Lokomo in question chose a seat in the back of the train, close to where Embrose rested but otherwise not near anyone in particular. It was likely hard for her to buddy up with everyone, and for good reason. Sitri wasn’t the only person her hatred had slighted.

Still, as aggravating as it was, everyone else was willing to follow Mikhaeyla’s lead and tolerate her presence. Link in particular had re-introduced himself to her with a friendly smile and a handshake, which only made her angrier. She was starting to feel a bit betrayed by him, even though she knew that’s just how he was. But he was supposed to be her friend, wasn’t he? He shouldn’t be getting chummy with the likes of her. Things were gonna have to change once she became the Hero of Spirits.

The Spirit Train whistled with determination and lurched forward, jostling its passengers around. This time, the turntable pointed it toward the northeast. Sitri scooted closer to her aunt, resting her head on her arm. She hoped a little comfort from her beloved aunt would lift her sour mood. Today was another opportunity to display her worth, and she didn't want to miss it.

Upon exiting the threshold of the Tower, the group was instantly met with rugged, rocky terrain and a steep hill. To their immediate south were impassable mountains walling off part of the Desert Realm. The Fire Realm rose high across the horizon line ahead of them, localized on a single volcano. Partway up was Goron Village, and from there they would have to walk north on foot to the site of the old Goron City, or what remained of it.

But before they were going to get there, they had to contend with some unwanted company. They had barely begun their ascent when Mikhaeyla leapt to her feet, beckoning for her knight captains to follow her to the top of the train.

“Already? Beelzebub must be getting impatient.” Tetra said, cracking her knuckles.

“I would be if I were him. Bet he’s mad we keep thwarting his pathetic little plans! He should try harder. Would make it more fun, at least.” Zoie grinned.

Boyle erratically blew the train’s whistle to warn them of the impending danger. Ahead on the Spirit Tracks were piles of rubble blocking the way forward. It wasn’t possible to damage the tracks themselves like that, but those boulders could absolutely destroy any train foolish enough to crash headfirst into them.

“Just keep us going. I’ve got this.” Mikhaeyla said, unflapped.

She calmly raised one of her hands, aiming toward the obstruction. On its right side, she erected a large, flat barrier. When she moved her hand to the left, the barrier followed suit, and it scraped the wreckage clear out of the way. The rocks tumbled downhill alongside the tracks, safely and uneventfully.

“Really, now. Did he honestly think that would stop us?” Varuna said.

“Uh... Those might!” Ceres said, pointing skyward.

Everyone raised their heads, and were met with an alarming sight. High above in the air was a massive flock of surngles. These rotund creatures were large and colorful, with huge, floppy wings that also served as ears and a long serpentine snout. They could be called cute... if they didn’t have the habit of lifting trains off the tracks and dropping them to their doom. These ones, however, were hauling massive boulders with the intent of raining them down on the group from above.

“Mm. That’s definitely bad.” Albion said.

“Barriers up, all of you!” Mikhaeyla commanded.

In the nick of time, the four of them poured all of their energy into a singular shield covering the Spirit Train. The snurgles dropped their payloads from such a height that the momentum of their fall reached a deadly velocity in no time. They slammed against the barrier like meteors, cracking it after just one volley.

Boyle utilized his knowledge as an engineer and blasted the whistle as loud as it would go, in one short tone and then one long tone. He knew snurgles hated that sound, and it was a train's best defense at deterring them. Unfortunately, these ones didn't react to it at all. Beelzebub’s brainwashing spell must have dulled even their sense of hearing. The boulders continued crashing down uninterrupted, steadily chipping away at the barrier.

Mikhaeyla grimaced. “This is going to be rough. Zoie, Kuudo, Sitri! See if you can target them from down here!”

“Aunt Mikha... There’s more than just the snurgles!” Sitri replied.

To the dismay of everyone, a horde of bulbin riders appeared further up the mountain. They kicked up a storm of red dust as they descended in a mad dash. There were even more of them than the horde they ripped apart on their way to the first purification in the Forest Realm. With the riders coming from the front and the snurgles attacking from above, the group was forced to divide their attention.

“Damn, he’s actually got us good this time. Hey, I’ll jump out and deal with the pests up front. You two try to help the knights out.” Zoie said to Kuudo and Sitri.

The girls looked at each other, but Sitri averted her eyes in a heartbeat. There’s no way I’m gonna help her do anything...

Kuudo tried to open her mouth, but a loud sound interrupted her. This was no whistle, but a war horn. Those who could spare their attention looked beyond the bulbin riders, and spotted their saviors standing in position atop craggy peaks. It was Darius himself, leading a small dozen Goron warriors.

“Yes! Backup’s here!” Link cheered.

“Alright! We’ve got the bastards in a pincer now!” Tetra said, pumping her fist.

Darius thrusted out his arm in a magnificent pose, and teams of two Gorons each started tossing boulders as big as they were down the mountainside. They were using the enemy’s tactic against them. From their position, and accounting for the mountain’s slope, their boulders picked up incredible speed faster than the bulbin riders could charge. The horde was flattened under their weight.

Mikhaeyla smiled approvingly and briefly diverted one hand to form a barrier in front of the train, deflecting any stray debris from the attack. Around half of the riders were wiped out with that one move, which gave the party plenty of breathing room. Zoie leapt off the train, using his magic to reinforce his jump, and then used Mikhaeyla’s barrier from a moment before as a springboard to leap even further. He tore into the remainder of the horde in a vicious spin, showering them with his pink flames.

The interior of the riders’ formation was stalled to a frozen crisp thanks to his spell, and when the Spirit Train reached his position, he deftly hopped back aboard. As they passed by, Sitri and Kuudo swung their blades to fling magic projectiles from opposite sides of the train, cutting into them before they could move again. Ceres blasted as many as she could from her position on top of the train, too.

However, the snurgles were now beginning to target Darius’s group, as well. Unlike the Spirit Train, they had no form of protection from their deadly rain of rocks. The Gorons rolled aside and retreated back toward the village, narrowly escaping being crushed to death. Still, they had played their part well, and brought the party a much-needed reprieve. Now, Sitri and Zoie could climb to the top and start aiming at the snurgles.

Zoie used his axe to toss as many fireballs as he could sky-high. Some exploded upon impact with the snurgles, spreading the flames to those nearby. With their joints frozen, they couldn’t stay airborne, and crashed down to the ground in splatters of blood. Sitri contributed by firing arcs of golden light into the air. Many missed or fizzled out before they reached their targets, as she wasn’t accustomed to casting magic across such large distances yet. But the few that did land were able to slice through the snurgles’ wings, sending them plummeting to their deaths all the same.

As their numbers were culled, the force hitting the barrier was also greatly diminished. Varuna and Albion took this chance to channel their magic elsewhere, and created bows of violet light to strike them down. Soon, the snurgles were raining from the sky instead of the boulders. Expert and practiced teamwork cleared the path forward at last.

“Yes! Great work, everyone! We’re almost at the village!” Boyle announced from the driver’s seat.

With the defeat of the snurgle flock, the surviving bulbin riders lost their spark. They couldn’t keep up with the Spirit Train as it raced out of their reach. They shrunk into the scenery, no longer a threat. The party could hear the Gorons’ hearty cheers as they approached the village. Boyle put the Spirit Train into an abrupt stop in the station, and the group quickly disembarked.

Darius awaited their arrival with his arms crossed and a wide grin on his face. “Good of you all to come. Seems we were able to help you out of a tight spot back there!”

“Yes, your assistance was invaluable. Thank you, truly.” Mikhaeyla said, bowing her head to him.

He puffed out a confident breath and grubbed his fluffy mustache. “I gotta say, Lady Mikhaeyla, your Grand Demonic Knights have been an incredible help to us! I apologize for my prior words and lack of faith. You’ve all lit a fire in me. Now, let us make for the former Goron City!”

“Wah ha ha! I like the cut of this feller’s jib! Yes, let us depart with all due haste!” Embrose said.

“Hehe, those two are pretty similar.” Link chuckled.

“Who would have guessed that blowhard had so much energy? He should bring that to the table next time they have a Council meeting.” Tetra whispered to him.

Mikhaeyla’s company of Knights remained stationed in the village proper as they were before to defend the noncombatants, while Darius led his Goron volunteers out of the north gate. The party was right behind them. They had to pass through a cave and cross bridges suspended over rivers of lava, but the trek was quiet and without obstacle, for the moment. No one was unwise enough to drop their guard just yet.

After leaving the cave, they came out into a vast valley carved into the mountainside. The group beheld a wondrous sight there; a ruined city made of stone. Houses and buildings of impressive splendor jutted out from the walls and popped up across the valley floor, displaying intricate detail and craftsmanship. This was once the home of the Gorons, before a volcanic eruption buried the northern half of the city in magma. Frequent monster raids forced the survivors to abandon the rest of it and take root in a smaller but more well-defended alcove to the south.

Sitri felt overwhelmed by the history of this place. Once upon a time, Alphonse and his friends visited this city and enlisted a blacksmith to repair the broken Lokomo Sword. They also worked together to solve the murder of said blacksmith. Learning of this adventure had brought a lot of joy and fascination to little Sitri years back, and now she was there in the flesh.

Yet another painful reminder that the Sanctuary plan is going to cover up that important history...

Doubts still plaguing her, Sitri hung around the back of the group as Embrose led the search for the spiritual center of the font. Before long, they reached the town square, half-covered in hardened lava from an eruption of years past. Embrose stopped before this wall of igneous rock, studied the area for a few moments, and nodded.

“Yes, this is it... The power of fire is strong in the land here, but it's flickering away. We must restore the Force, and quickly.” he said, revealing timpani drums from his robes.

“Guess it's my turn again. I'm sure we're gonna see another one of Beelzebub’s pets, so stay on your toes, you guys!” Tetra said, readying the Spirit Flute.

Everyone got their weapons ready and spread out, protectively surrounding the two performers, keeping a weather eye out for what may come next. If they could be sure of one thing, it was that Beelzebub was not going to give up so easily. But as Tetra and Embrose began to play, the next threat came from somewhere beyond their imagining.

The ground started rumbling beneath their feet, putting everyone on high alert. However, the epicenter was clearly not nearby. After spinning themselves around trying to deduce its source, the summit of the volcano erupted into a tower of flames.

“What?! Don't tell me...!” Ceres exclaimed.

“There's no way Beelzebub could actually cause an eruption... Could he?” Sitri said shakily.

Her fears were made real as flowing magma burst forth from the volcano's mouth, spewing and trickling down the mountain toward them. But that was not the only thing to come out from within it. Emerging shortly after was the head of a gigantic monster.

This beast had a body made entirely of rock, and it was glowing red from being submerged in the magma. In the center of its head, a single massive eye opened, staring down the mountain toward the party. Even from such a distance, its gaze was piercing. Two arms followed it, grabbing the rim of the volcano and pulling the rest of its body up and out.

The entire Realm shook violently with each of its movements. Darius and his troop of Gorons could do naught but panic at the sight of such a gargantuan behemoth. Sitri, too, found herself shaking in her boots. She couldn’t conceive of a way to attack something so overwhelmingly large. How were they even going to begin?

The gigantus had fully lifted itself out of the volcano’s mouth and began slowly stomping its way down the mountainside. Each step rocked the earth and echoed in their skulls, and the flowing lava beneath its feet threatened death as much as it did. The terror of such a monstrosity even had Mikhaeyla at a loss for words.

But not Link. He stood tall and marched to the front of the group.

“Don’t worry! It’s big, but nothing is invincible! We just gotta find its weak spots! Come on!”

With those words of encouragement, he pointed his sword at the colossus and nodded confidently at the group. His determined grin somehow put everyone at ease, and the Knights rallied behind him. Tetra and Gage put their faith in him and began to play, starting the purification ritual even under such extreme circumstances. His valor was nothing short of impressive.

Sitri bit her lip, the sight of him courageously pushing forward making her green with envy.

He always does this... While I was too scared to think, he inspired everyone to keep fighting... It’s not fair! How does he do it? It should be me leading everyone like that! I won’t be outdone!

Her heart twisted up into knots as she watched him. Not even a volcanic eruption and the giant of all giants were enough to dampen his enthusiasm. She couldn’t afford to be left behind. Swallowing down as much anxiety as she could, she prepared herself for another intense battle against insurmountable odds.

 

[Azure Sage]

Chapter 38 is here! After this, there's only two more chapters for the Fourth Movement... The story is rolling to a close pretty fast... I'm so excited! I hope you are, too! Please enjoy!

---

Chapter Thirty-Eight
A Vow Repaid​

The giant’s booming steps and the creeping flow of magma struck terror into the hearts of the entire group, but Link’s fearless words of encouragement kept them from falling apart. He shined like a beacon before their eyes, lighting their way on a path toward victory. Mikhaeyla composed herself, inspired by his gallantry, and donned her magic transformation in a flash.

“I will hold off the lava. Sir Darius, you and the Gorons assist me. Everyone else, return to the Spirit Train and do everything you can to keep that behemoth away from us!” she ordered.

Sitri found herself in awe of her aunt’s ability to give commands under pressure. Her words were brief and effective, and left no room for questioning or hesitation. That, along with Link’s courage, were qualities she felt she needed to emulate to be the Hero of Spirits. With that prize at the front of her mind, she and the rest of the group raced through a portal of Mikhaeyla’s making that led them back to the train station where Boyle was waiting for them.

Once they explained the plan to him, he had them off in less than a minute. Despite the way his hands were shaking, he kept the Spirit Train steady as it took off from Goron Village. They would have to travel east for a good while before they could start climbing the mountain. Each minute dragged on painfully as they observed the slow-moving colossus steadily stomping its way downhill. The magma was moving faster than it was.

It was difficult to speak in a moment like this. There was nothing any of them could do to reach the giant faster. They were at the mercy of the Spirit Tracks’ layout. The warriors inside the passenger car were quiet and patient, glaring out the windows at their gargantuan foe. Sitri wondered what thoughts were hiding behind each of their faces as they watched it march. As for herself...

An enemy that made even my Aunt Mikha hesitate might actually get me a little recognition if I beat it... I still don’t see Beelzebub anywhere, but I bet he thinks the giant and the lava will be enough to take us out. It’s up to me to prove him wrong! I will be the Hero of Spirits we need, this time for sure!

At last, the first turn came. Boyle handled the steering gear with expert dexterity, slowing them down just enough that they didn't flip over, but still keeping them moving with the appropriate haste. They traveled due north up a steep slope, and then made a hard left to go back west again when they were further up the mountain.

The giant was closer now, about halfway to its destination. They could see the lava already approaching the ruined Goron City of old. However, Mikhaeyla was hard at work. In her transformed state, she used a massive greatsword crafted from red light to dig out a deep trench in the ground, separating the font from the oncoming magma. Darius and the Gorons busied themselves with creating bulwarks out of rocks to stop any of it from slipping around the edges. It was a race against both time and nature, and it was Sitri’s group’s job to keep the giant from interfering with it.

The lava was swallowing up the Spirit Tracks on the western side of the volcano. Boyle made a right turn to start heading north again. At this angle, they were parallel with the giant. This was their best opportunity to draw its attention. Varuna and Albion climbed on top of the passenger car again and put their hands together, creating one massive greatbow out of their combined magic energy.

Sitri hurried to the back gangway of the car, wanting a better view. A brilliant violet light radiated from the two bowmen, and a large magic arrow appeared before them. When they drew back on the bow with it, the entire car shook dangerously. Sitri clutched the railing of the gangway so she wouldn’t fall. When enough power had been stocked, they fired that one arrow with so much force that it nearly knocked the passenger car off the tracks.

The violet arrow streaked through the air at blinding speed. It slammed into the giant’s chest, dead center, and the force made it stagger for a moment. Its ominous eye locked onto them, and a deep, gravelly bellow rumbled up from its throat. It changed direction and started stalking toward the Spirit Train, just as planned. With perfect timing, Boyle reached the next turn and changed course, luring the behemoth to the eastern side of the volcano where there was no lava.

However, even from a devastating attack comparable to something Mikhaeyla might have whipped up, there was no visible damage to the giant. None of the stone forming its body had chipped away, and it kept marching unencumbered. The pair of Knight captains returned to the inside of the passenger car, winded from using such a powerful spell.

“Well... At least we have its attention.” Albion panted.

“It must be protected with anti-magic ore again... Just like the Stagnox’s armor...” Varuna hypothesized.

“But you made it stumble. Physical attacks should be effective. We just need to figure out how to strike it...” Kuudo said.

Sitri listened to the discussion from outside on the gangway. She glued her eyes to the pursuing giant, scanning its body for any sign of weakness. She watched the way it walked; how it lifted its leg, the way its head bobbed on its shoulders, even the way its eye blinked. In fact, that eye in particular was looking rather vulnerable. It reminded her of the single eye on the Phytops.

“Supposing we could reach it... I bet hitting that would hurt it real good.” she said to herself.

She looked back over her shoulder. It was hard to tell if they’d heard her speak, so she decided to keep that to herself. Having a trick in her bag to pull off the last hit would be valuable in making sure she got her deserved accolades. Magic didn’t work on its body, but what about the eye itself? It was worth a try.

Drawing her sword and leveling it at the giant, Sitri poured her magic energy into the blade. Feeling the flow of power rush through her veins was exhilarating, and it made her wonder if her ancestor also felt this way in the heat of battle. Anything to help her be more like him, she thought. When her sword was good and powered up, she thrusted it out and fired a projectile beam of golden light.

The distance this time was growing shorter by the minute. It was much closer than the snurgles had been, so she felt confident that her attack would land. Her beam of light rocketed toward the giant’s eye, and when it saw this, it seemed to glare in anger. It shut its eye, and her spell bounced off a sheet of what had to be anti-magic ore serving as an eyelid.

“Tsk. Guess it won’t be that easy.” Sitri grumbled.

“Hey, what are you doing back there? Don’t attack it recklessly until we understand what we’re-” Albion tried to say.

Too late. The giant suddenly increased its speed, leaping forward into a long jump. It raised a fist into the air, intending to slam it down when it landed. As if its body weight wasn’t enough of an impact. It fell short of reaching the Spirit Train, but the tremors caused by its feet hitting the ground shook the entire volcano so severely that the train was lifted completely off the tracks.

“What?!” Sitri cried.

Those few brief seconds the train spent airborne were a blur. She hardly wanted to breathe, but the screams of the other passengers did break through the fuzz in her consciousness. By some miracle, it landed back down on the tracks with its wheels in perfect alignment with the rails, but Sitri had not been holding onto the gangway’s railing when they were sent sky-high. She didn’t come back down with the rest of the train.

The next things to enter her mind were a splitting pain and intense vertigo as she hit the mountainside on her back, tumbling downhill. The giant’s fist was coming down now. It narrowly missed the Spirit Train, owing to Boyle’s expert engineering. Even with the horrible quaking it caused, the train stayed on the tracks this time. But the tremors lifted Sitri off the ground and sent her reeling away to the south, far away from the safety of the train and her allies.

a a a​

“Sitri!” Link screamed.

He could do nothing but watch on in horror as she fell out of sight down the mountain. He wanted to ask Boyle to bring the train around to search for her, but the giant was still chasing them. They couldn’t afford the diversion, and knowing that stung.

What’s more, the volcano began shaking horribly again, independent of the giant’s footsteps.

“Oh, no. Don’t tell me...” Ceres said. “Did the giant jumping like that... possibly cause another-”

The volcano answered her question for itself. Another geyser of magma shot out of the summit, billowing fumes into the sky and raining down more red-hot lava across the mountain. Now it was flowing on the eastern side, too. They were running out of space to travel, and fast.

“Urgh... I’m gonna bring us to the northern end of the Realm, but we might be outta luck if we don’t finish that thing by the time we reach it! It’s up to you lot!” Boyle informed them.

Racing against the lava, Boyle pushed the Spirit Train faster. The giant increased its speed, trying to keep up the pursuit. Sitri attacking its eye ended up being a severe provocation. Its burning wrath was honed entirely on the train now. They had to make some distance, but that sadly meant Sitri would be left behind, wherever she was.

“I... I’m gonna look for her.” Kuudo said.

This was a surprise to the group. “... Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Varuna asked.

It was clear she didn’t mean to inquire about the act of searching for Sitri itself. She, along with everyone else on the train, were questioning if it was Kuudo they should be sending after her. By all accounts, that seemed a very bad idea. But the girl was adamant, and shook her head.

“I think it needs to be me. We can’t go on like this... A-and besides, I’m worried about her. I know you all are, too. But I think each of you are better suited to fighting the giant than I am. Please, leave Sitri to me.” she pleaded.

Her argument was convincing. Given the distribution of abilities, she probably was the best person they could spare. Link grimaced, imagining the kind of reaction Sitri would have to it, but they didn’t have time to discuss it. She had to go immediately, before they pulled too far away from where she fell.

“Be careful. And bring her back safe.” Link urged.

Kuudo nodded and quickly leapt away from the train. She used her magic to reinforce her body and soften her landing, and then took off sprinting in the direction they last saw Sitri. While Kuudo was doing that, Link and the rest of the group had to find a way to put that giant out of commission, and the erupting magma was continuously shrinking their window of opportunity to do it.

Knowing that time was of the essence, Link took Sitri’s place on the gangway and stared hard at the colossal beast. He knew it wouldn’t get so mad at Sitri targeting its eye if its eye wasn’t important. That had to be the weak spot. The problem was in reaching it, and preventing it from counterattacking when they tried.

He examined it closely, observing each step it took as it lumbered after them. His gaze was drawn to its joints, watching the way its knees reacted when it lifted its legs. Its arms, too; it had elbow joints, despite being made of rock. It had to have them if it were going to walk and move around. And he knew that in a suit of armor, the joints were often vulnerable.

That was it. He had to think of the giant as if it were wearing a suit of rock armor. Rock armor laced with anti-magic ore to prevent the likes of the Grand Demonic Knights from damaging it. It was the same principle as the Stagnox. They were able to expose its unprotected belly, and Mikhaeyla exploited the smallest crack where Zoie had split the horn. In order to defeat the giant, he had to apply the same logic.

Thinking this, Link reached for his bow. He hadn’t gotten many opportunities to use his archery skills in Hyleigh, but this could be the best chance he had. As he continued to study the giant, calculating the distance his arrow would fly and the angle at which he needed to fire it, he noted something new.

Certain spots on the giant’s body were glowing. The harder he stared at them, the more his heart seemed to squeeze to a stop. His breathing became labored, and he was suddenly afflicted with a splitting headache. He touched his hand to his forehead, recalling a memory. This wasn’t the first time he experienced this odd sensation. In his final battle with Zoie, he felt the same excruciating symptoms when he dodged away from danger at the last second.

If that’s appearing again now... Then maybe...

Link gulped nervously, a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek. He was close to grasping hold of something, something new. He could feel it in his bones.

a a a​

“Uuuuuugh...”

Sitri groaned, her head and stomach both still doing somersaults. She felt like she was on the verge of vomiting, and tried to move her hand to cover her mouth. When she did, her face became sticky and her lips tasted like iron. That was not a good sign.

Steadily, she tried to squirm up to a sitting position. The effort it took to do just that was enormous. It felt like something was beating on a drum inside of her skull. She was so dizzy that she couldn’t hold in the contents of her stomach any longer. She threw up between her fingers, and on the edge of her vision, she noticed the brown fluids that came out were swirled with reds.

“So much blood... Ugh...” she groaned.

She scraped her hand against the ground in a vain effort to clean it. Finally, her senses were beginning to return to her. Every part of her body ached in horrible pain, and most of her clothes were wet and grimy with a mixture of blood and dirt. It was hard for her to believe she was still alive after the fall she took, but with her mess of a condition, she probably wasn’t going to stay alive for much longer.

“Everything hurts... This sucks...”

Sitri started to hiccup and sniffle. It didn’t take long for her to realize that the Spirit Train likely had to leave her behind. She was alone, stranded at the bottom of a small gorge or crevice of some kind. It was impossible to tell where in the Fire Realm she ended up. The chances of anyone finding her were slim, and she knew it. She couldn’t even stand, much less climb her way out.

“Why does this always happen to me? It isn’t fair...” she cried.

She was reminded of that night in the Forest Realm when she was attacked by Zoie. She was at rock bottom then, truly broken and in despair. This situation had to be a new low for her. Either she was going to succumb to her wounds, or the lava flow would reach whatever hole in the ground she was in and burn her to death. There was no way her Aunt Mikha could come to her rescue this time, especially not when she was busy defending the ritual. This was the end of the line for her.

“It’s not fair!” she shouted, becoming angry at those thoughts of death and defeat. “It wasn’t supposed to be this way! I’m supposed to be the Hero of Spirits! I can’t just die in a ditch like this! I don’t want to! I’m not... It wasn’t supposed to go like this... Why does nothing... ever work out for me? I hate this...”

She ran out of steam fast. With her wounds, she didn’t have the energy to keep shouting like that, or to do much of anything. She could feel her life slipping away, little by little. Was it going to take long? Would it hurt this bad the whole time? Those thoughts were starting to terrify her. She didn’t want to know the answer.

“Why... Alphonse, I wish you could tell me... Why...” she cried.

Sitri bent forward and buried her face into the ground, clenching her hands into fists. She sobbed into the dirt, spikes of pain rocking their way through her body every few moments. The thought that this was how she’d spend the remainder of her life dug into her gut like a blade. The last vestiges of hope bled out from the girl as she cried, all alone in the darkness of the chasm.

“Sitri...”

She shot straight up when she heard that voice. Complete and utter astonishment took over her face when she saw Kuudo standing over her. When did she get there? How did she find her? No, those weren’t the most important questions.

Why was it Kuudo that found her?

“I, uh... I’m glad you’re alive. But you really don’t look good. Um... I don’t know any healing magic, but maybe I can try to...” Kuudo said, finding it hard to look her in the eye.

All of the despair that had been smothering Sitri up and vanished, replaced by confusion and hatred and gratitude in the worst emotional cocktail she’d ever experienced. Kuudo, of all people, was the one who came looking for her. Who found her at her lowest point. Who was trying to save her life. It was making her head spin.

“Why... are you here?” Sitri asked, her lips trembling.

“I... When I was searching, I heard you shouting, and I noticed this crevice, so...” Kuudo started explaining.

“No. Why are you here? Why would you come to save me? Why are you... Urgh...” Sitri growled.

Just as she tried to raise her voice again, another intense bout of pain shot through her body and she crumpled over. Kuudo gasped and quickly placed a hand on her back, trying to pour her magic energy into her. But Sitri wriggled out of her reach.

“Stop it! I don’t want your help! Not from you!” she spat.

“Sitri... I...” Kuudo said, looking conflicted and saddened.

That expression just made Sitri angrier. “Stop looking at me like that! Don’t you dare pity me! You... If I wasn’t so hurt right now, I swear I’d kill you! Just get lost! Leave me alone!”

Even though every shout made her body throb with agony, she couldn’t restrain herself. Her words looked like they were venom to Kuudo, her face twisting further into one of regret and sorrow.

“I... I’m sorry, but I can’t respect your wishes. I don’t want you to die.” she said, scooting closer to the girl.

“Get away from me!” Sitri yelled, swinging her arm at her.

Kuudo grabbed her arm before it hit her. “Sitri... We’ve had our differences, but I’m not going to leave you like this. Please stop fighting me!”

“Our differences? Is that all this is to you?! The things you said to me don’t even matter to you, do they? You insulted my connection to Aunt Mikha... To Alphonse... To the only family I have! My whole reason for living! For being me! How do you expect me to forgive that?!” Sitri screamed.

Kuudo bit her lip, averting her eyes again. But she tightened her grip on Sitri’s arm, and she did not back down.

“I’m sorry. It was wrong of me to dismiss your bond with Mikhaeyla. And I shouldn’t have said what I did about Alphonse, either...” she said softly.

“I don’t want you to apologize! I want you to get lost and stay away from me!” Sitri argued.

“Even so, I can’t do that. I want to save you. And you... You want to live, don’t you? To live on and become the Hero of Spirits?”

Sitri abruptly stopped struggling and stared at her in shock. “Huh...? How did you know that?”

“I, um... heard you shout it, a bit ago... Sorry.” Kuudo said, feeling a little embarrassed. “I don’t know if you can do it... But if it’s a reason for you to cling to life, then please... Stop fighting me and let me help you.”

Kuudo began pouring her magic into Sitri again, and the girl was too stunned to resist any further. Not that she had the energy to, anyway. She steadily let herself slump over onto her back, and Kuudo moved to sit beside her and do what she could to apply first aid.

For several minutes, neither of them spoke. The awkward silence hung thick in the air between them, occasionally broken up by the giant’s footsteps in the distance. Kuudo’s attempts at healing magic were terribly ineffective, but bit by bit, Sitri could feel the wounds inside her body closing. It was nothing compared to Mikhaeyla’s power, though. She wasn’t sure if her healing could outpace her bleeding.

Still, Kuudo’s face was scrunched into extreme concentration. She was really putting her all into it. The sight of her determined eyes finally softened Sitri’s heart, just a little.

“Kuudo... Why did you hate demons so much?” Sitri asked quietly.

Kuudo flinched at the sudden question. “You... want to know? Are you sure...? Anything I have to say might just sound like an excuse...” Sitri nodded, so Kuudo took a deep breath before continuing. “I might’ve mentioned this when we spoke in Mayscore, but I lived through the Great War. I was one of the few Lokomo that survived every battle I participated in, so I have all my memories from it. And they’re... very unpleasant.”

“I remember you said you were there when Alphonse defeated Malladus...” Sitri said.

“I was... His defeat brought me peace, for a time, but those wretched memories began to haunt me. Malladus wasn’t just brutal, he was downright sadistic. Vaati was much the same whenever he was fighting. The rest of the demons didn’t want to get involved, but they didn’t want to help us, either. Most of them hated humans, and many still do. I guess, over time... I conflated them all in my head. And then Zoie came along, and he reminded me so much of Malladus that I just... lost it.”

“That’s why you were hunting him so aggressively?” Sitri asked.

“Yes. Maybe I thought I could make up for my past failure to defeat Malladus if I could defeat Zoie... But I realize now how foolish that was. Especially when Zoie had his change of heart. Honestly, I really just wanted to make the memories stop. Such a shallow, selfish reason, and I did so many horrible things for it...”

Sitri stared at her quietly, not sure how to take in her words. As she tried to digest them, gentle tears rolled down Kuudo’s cheeks. Seeing her cry in remorse was something Sitri couldn't have imagined before, but the more she listened to her talk, the more she began to see past her grudge, into who Kuudo really was.

“Zoie wasn't that different from me. He was acting out because he was hurting. That's no excuse, for either of us, but still... Even when Sir Gage and Byrne and Lady Anjean tried to help me, I turned my back on them... Just kept stewing in my obsession... I let people die in Kakariko so I could take Zoie by surprise when he was weakened... I tried to let the leviathan take the rest of you out so I could have him to myself... I'm so ashamed I could die. But that's why I have to do better. I vowed to atone for my sins, and that starts with helping you right now.”

Kuudo was in pain, both from her past experiences and her present actions. Her voice cracked as she talked, trying to stifle sobs between each word. Sitri stared into her eyes, and saw a reflection of herself staring back.

I see... She was lashing out, too... I did something stupid because I wanted to get attention... It’s my own fault I ended up here, for attacking the giant on my own. For wanting to have all the glory to myself. Because I wanted to prove my worth. Maybe... Maybe we are a bit similar.

Sitri reached up and grabbed one of her hands. This act of kindness made Kuudo cry harder. At long last, there was a measure of understanding between them, small though it was.

“I, um... I'm sorry I was so mean to you... Thank you for coming to save me.” Sitri said meekly.

Kuudo wiped her eyes and managed to wear a smile when she heard those words. “And thank you for letting me help you. A-although, I'm still not very good at this...”

She gestured to her attempts at healing. Sitri giggled and finally smiled again, too.

“It's enough. At least for now...” she assured her.

Silence crept between them again, but it was far more comfortable than last time. Sitri let herself relax and focused on the sensations filling her body. Kuudo's magic only just managed to stop her bleeding, so progress was being made, slowly. Her pain was still immense, and every once in a while, her brow would twitch from the sharp jolts zipping through her limbs. But things were definitely getting better.

Their relationship was starting to mend in the same way. Sitri's hatred slipped away from her, no longer making a home for itself in her heart. Perhaps now, she'd be able to fight by her side. It truly was a strange thought; at Kakariko, she swore that Kuudo would never earn her trust the way Zoie did. But there she was, all the same. She felt a bit silly for clinging to that grudge as desperately as she did.

Maybe I just didn't want to accept that I'm not like Alphonse... I don't know if I'll ever really be like him. But I don't want to stop trying. I still want to be the Hero of Spirits, one way or another. I wish I knew what to do to get there...

As she pondered this, she recalled their conversation in Mayscore again. Kuudo had seen Alphonse in action. Before, she didn't want to ask because her perspective was poisoned by her disdain for demons. But maybe now it would be okay.

“Hey, Kuudo...” Sitri asked. “What was Alphonse like when you saw him?”

This question gave Kuudo pause. She closed her eyes and hummed in her throat, like she was trying to bring the memory to the surface of her mind. When she opened her eyes again, she looked at Sitri and smiled, brushing back a bit of her hair from her forehead with her finger.

“I think I said this already, but you really do resemble him. Especially your eyes...” she began. “The only time I ever saw him was the end of the Great War. He and his friends busted onto the scene from out of nowhere and helped us Lokomo fight back the monster army. I’m sure I was just a face in the crowd to him, but it was hard for me to look away. My first thought was, ‘That’s him?’, since he looked so unassuming. I wouldn’t have picked him out of a Hero of Spirits lineup if you gave me a hundred years.”

Sitri chuckled at that. “That’s funny... He looked ordinary, huh?”

“Well, he was just a sixteen-year-old kid. I still can’t believe the Spirits actually chose someone like that.” Kuudo continued. “But then... I’ll never forget it. He marched forward and started shouting up at Malladus, even as he was locked in combat with the Spirits themselves. ‘Get down here and face me’, he said. When Malladus approached him, he was the only one who didn’t back away. He walked toward that monster instead. His courage left me speechless. Even now, when I think back on it, I find myself inspired.”

Sitri’s mouth hung open in awe. “That's amazing... He sounds so brave... I wish I were more like that. But I got frozen stiff just by looking at the giant. I wonder if there’s any hope for me...”

“Well, as a Lokomo, I can say you’re definitely one of the more courageous humans I’ve met. You’ve been by Mikhaeyla’s side helping this whole time. That takes a lot of guts. I think you’re on the right track.” Kuudo said.

“Really?! You... You think I can really do it? Can I really be the Hero of Spirits?” Sitri asked, sitting up and grabbing Kuudo’s hands.

Her sudden burst of enthusiasm startled Kuudo a bit. “Th-the final call isn’t up to me. Only the Spirits can decide. You want to be the Hero of Spirits that bad?”

“I do... It’s all I’ve ever wanted since I was a kid... That’s why I’m here. It’s why I’m trying so hard. It means everything to me...”

Sitri caught herself before she started unloading her past onto Kuudo’s lap. She hadn’t let her secret desire out so much since she spoke about it with Link and Tetra before. Was she getting that comfortable with Kuudo already? Even though she was at her throat mere minutes ago? She had to pull herself together.

“I’m sorry. I got a bit carried away...” Sitri said, looking embarrassed. “But it’s true. That’s my whole reason for living.”

“I see... Then I’ll wish you luck. Personally, I think your chances are pretty good.” Kuudo smiled. “Just be careful. I don’t want to see you end up like me or Zoie...”

Sitri didn’t quite register that last bit. She was over the moon and lost in her own head now. Kuudo had validated her deepest wish, and that was enough to earn her trust.

She said I have a good chance! Then I really am on the right track! I wasn’t wrong, after all! If I keep going... I know I’ll get to be the Hero of Spirits soon! Maybe even when we finish with the Sanctuary plan! I can’t wait!

A slightly eerie giggle escaped Sitri's lips as she laid back down, with a concerning grin plastered across her lips. Kuudo’s smile faltered. She continued with the healing, but her hands trembled a bit in the process. Sitri didn’t really notice any of that, though. She was just happy to be on the right track. There was no way the Hero of Spirits title wasn’t going to be hers now. It was all but confirmed at this point.

Yeah. Any day now.

a a a​

The giant’s pursuit grew more fervent as the Spirit Train reached the northern side of the volcano. There was nowhere left for them to go now. The east and west tracks were covered in lava. It was time to do or die, and Link felt he finally had a plan of action.

“Hey... I’m not the only one who can see that, right?” Link asked, pointing to the giant’s right knee.

“Huh? See what?” Ceres asked.

“That white glow.” Link said.

She and the others looked where he was pointing, but they all scratched their heads in confusion. Their faces told him that he was indeed the only one who could see them. That set it in stone. Whatever was going on was a new ability he was discovering. Well, he would be remiss if he didn’t make use of it.

Even despite the pain it was causing him, Link nocked an arrow in his bow and aimed for the glowing point. He waited for the lull between the train’s rocking and the giant’s stomping, and fired at the glowing point on its knee. His arrow whizzed through the air, below the beast’s attention. Perhaps it didn’t think a regular wooden arrow would be a threat.

Something odd happened again. As the arrow drew closer to its target, time seemed to slow down all around Link. The movements of the giant turned sluggish, and even the chugging of the train sounded warped and drawn out to his ears. His heart throbbed in his chest, and his throat nearly closed up on him.

At last, the arrow hit its mark, with destructive results. It chipped away a fair chunk of the rock forming its joint, and the beast buckled under its own weight. It collapsed to its knees, unable to support itself on just one leg. The ground shook horribly again when it fell. Link could see that the ball joint composing its right knee had been smashed flat between the two parts making up its leg once it lost some of that structure.

“What?! With just one arrow?” Varuna exclaimed.

“Astounding... How did you know where to hit it?” Albion asked.

“I can see it... It feels like time is slowing down, and I know exactly where I need to fire. It really hurts, though... Like my heart’s gonna stop.”

“Huh... That reminds me of what you did when you beat me. You were so fast all of a sudden, I couldn’t track you with my eyes. And that’s saying something. My eyes are damn good.” Zoie said.

“Yeah, it’s the same sensation from when I did that!” Link agreed.

The giant roared in anger, putting an early end to their conversation. It slammed its fist on the ground and started dragging itself after the train. Its rough movements made the volcano unstable again, and it erupted once more. Balls of fire were raining down on the north now, endangering their entire operation.

“Not good. We need a barrier, and fast!” Varuna said.

“I’ll assist you.” Albion said, raising his arms with his sister to erect a shield. “Link, whatever you just did, it worked. You seem to be our best shot at defeating the vile thing. I place my faith in you!”

“Just tell me what I need to do, and I’ll see it done! Your ideas always go well!” Ceres said eagerly.

“Heheh. Things are getting good now! Tell me where I can wreck that bastard!” Zoie said, slamming his fists together.

“Alright... Follow my lead!” Link said, nocking another arrow.

His eyes narrowed onto the giant, howling and crawling after them. The train shook severely from the impact of the falling magma bombs, but Varuna and Albion kept them at bay with their barriers. Boyle, too, kept the Spirit Train moving into a loop so they wouldn’t get caught by the giant or the lava flow. His allies’ efforts created the perfect conditions for victory.

Glowing points appeared before his eyes again as his heart was squeezed in a vice. One on its left elbow joint, one on its right shoulder, and one at its neck. He knew what had to be done to ground it for good. He gave his orders quickly, even as his voice wavered under the pressure contracting inside his chest.

“Zoie, left elbow! Ceres, right shoulder! Now!” he shouted.

“Right!” they rallied in tandem.

In the same breath, they both leapt from the back gangway and zeroed in on their marks. Zoie gripped the hilt of his axe with both hands, readying a real wallop of a hit. The giant reacted by moving its right arm to grab him. However, Ceres dashed down the length of this arm, and with magic reinforcing her steps, she reached her goal in less than a second. She brandished her dual blades and kicked off into a spinning slice, carving into the shoulder joint. Its rocky body may have been protected against magic, but the connecting points were weaker, just like in a real suit of armor as Link had theorized. Her blades were real, physical objects, so there was nothing its protection could do against them. Propelled forward by magic, her attack had enough force to cut clean through its joint.

The giant’s right arm split off from its body and fell to the ground with an ear-shattering crash. Zoie grinned widely and unleashed the power he’d been stocking. His axe exploded without touching anything; a forced detonation by his own will. This blast gave his attack extra momentum, and he snapped the giant’s left arm clean off with a precise and lighting-fast cleave.

Link squinted, focusing even harder on the last glowing point; its neck. His perception of time slowed down again. Even the arm Zoie severed appeared to be falling to the ground in slow motion. Link’s heart felt like it was going to burst right through his ribcage, but he kept himself steady and fired his arrow. It flew blindingly fast, and hit the target dead-on. The giant reeled back from that hit, and at last, fell to the ground in a daze.

Its eye was exposed now, spinning in its socket as the sclera flashed in different colors. Zoie, being the way he was, didn’t waste a second to pounce on it. He dug his axe straight into it, ripping through and blasting it full of his pink flames. It writhed in agony, and in the commotion, the top part of its head crumbled off like a lid, exposing soft flesh.

Ceres was still on its shoulder, so she was in a good position to take advantage of that. She jumped down and stabbed both of her blades into its skull, gleaming with black light. The giant screamed in agony, rocking around and thrashing madly in a bid to defend itself. Zoie had to jump back, but Ceres made her magic sticky and glued her swords in place, implanted in its head. She also stuck her hands to her hilts and her feet to its body for good measure. Even as it lurched frantically around, she would not get thrown off.

At last, what was left of the giant’s eye lost its light. Its movements slowed to a rough and clumsy stop, until all was quiet, even the mountain. Ceres panted heavily, completely out of breath after an intense rodeo like that. But she did it. Finally, the seemingly-insurmountable giant was dead.

“Haha! Yeah! Nice job, kid! That was sick!” Zoie applauded her, raising his hand for a high five.

Ceres looked like she was about to faint, but she grinned brightly and slapped her hand into his. “Couldn’t have done it without you!” she said.

Link waved to them both excitedly, jumping up and down on the gangway despite how tired he was. Varuna and Albion finally relaxed, too, bumping their arms together in celebration. Boyle used one of the tracks’ loops to bring the Spirit Track back around to pick up Ceres and Zoie, and he was bawling in both relief and admiration.

“That was amazing! Every other time, I had to watch from afar, but getting a front-row seat in this one was... Phew! Unforgettable!” Boyle said, ruffling Link’s head.

“Hehe. You didn’t just have a front-row seat, you were a big help! If it weren’t for you, we’d be dead and buried under lava!” Link told him.

“The same can be said of you, Link. Once again, we owe our victory to your brilliant mind and heroic leadership.” Albion praised him.

“Hear, hear! It was a team effort to be sure, but you were undeniably the crux of our battle, Link. I thank you, truly.” Varuna said.

“Yeah, you totally rocked it with that bow! I need to get better at using my crossbow spell... I wanna be able to shoot like that, too.” Ceres said.

“Hey, this is the guy who kicked my ass, what do you expect? And I got to have a hell of a fun time thanks to you, so no argument here.” Zoie said, nodding and crossing his arms.

Link giggled bashfully, his cheeks turning pink from all the high honors. He felt like his friends were too dazzling to look at. Most of his dungeon-crawling and monster-slaying escapades weren’t such public spectacles, so he was terribly unaccustomed to being lavished with attention like that. He thought the same thing about when he helped defend towns against raids before. Being put under the spotlight wasn’t his style. Still, he bowed his head in gratitude, appreciative of their words.

Then, the environment underwent a spectacular change. A gentle red light blanketed the entire mountainside, and the giant’s body dissolved away into nothing. The Spirit Tracks started glowing with the same shade of red, and this light burst out and cleared away the lava that had been smothering them. Not even superheated rock from a volcano could damage the tracks. It was an amazing sight that had Link’s jaw on the ground.

“Wow... That must mean the ritual’s done, right?” Varuna asked.

“That would follow with our previous ventures, yes. Now that the tracks are clear again, we should go see if we can find Sitri and Kuudo, and then meet up with Her Majesty.” Albion suggested.

“Good idea. I sure hope Sitri’s okay...” Ceres said.

Link nodded his earnest agreement. Truth be told, it was difficult for him to keep the girl’s fate in the back of his mind. He was beginning to jitter from how worried he was. The party climbed back aboard the Spirit Train, and Boyle took them back the way they’d come from, praying that retracing their steps would lead them to the missing girls.

Hopefully they hadn’t killed each other, Link thought. But it was probably fine. Maybe they were even getting along now. He tried to be optimistic about it. After all, she and Tetra were friends in spite of everything.

Yeah, it was probably fine. He closed his eyes, and he pictured the two of them limping their way back toward where the Spirit Train had left them, Sitri’s arm draped over Kuudo’s shoulder, gazing at the purified landscape in awe. It wasn’t difficult to imagine that Mikhaeyla and Tetra, as well as Embrose and Darius and the other Gorons, were all gazing upon the Fire Realm with the same wonder in their eyes. He trusted his friends and full-heartedly believed that they were all alive and well.

This was their fourth victory now. There was only one more to go. Soon, Hyleigh would recover from its maladies and be on the path toward renewal. And he couldn’t wait to keep helping it along the way.

a a a​

Beelzebub observed everything from a distant corner of the Fire Realm, roiling in anger. He slammed his fist into the boulder he was propped up against, his entire body shuddering from the force of his rancor and frustration.

“DAMN them! I can't believe they slew the Cragma! They even managed to stem the lava flow... WHY are these gutter pests so difficult to exterminate?!”

He took a moment to catch his breath and compose himself. After a dry sigh, he straightened his cravat and adjusted loose strands of his hair. Glowering in the direction of the mountain, he rested his chin on his fingers.

“They only have one more region to purify. If they succeed, all of the effort I put forth draining the land’s Force will be undone.” he rasped.

His mind raced with plans to outwit his opponents. The biggest threat was surely those shameless Grand Demonic Knights, and especially Mikhaeyla, that damnable turncoat. If he could just remove them from the equation, the rest of the vermin should fall like weeds by the wayside. Yes, he knew just what he had to do next time. Really, he should have done it from the start.

“His Majesty, Lord Malladus, suffers and rots away in his seal even now... I cannot allow them to keep strengthening the Spirit Tracks. I will have to try a new approach...”

 

[Dizzi]

Ohh biy!!

 

[Azure Sage]

Now it's time for Chapter 39! The Fourth Movement is almost done... I hope you look forward to seeing how it will all wrap up! Enjoy!

---

Chapter Thirty-Nine
Sand Sanctuary​

“Trusted friends and allies, the final hour has come. Today is the last purification.” Mikhaeyla announced.

One more two-day break was all it took for the party to get back on their feet. Sitri's grievous wounds were erased from both body and spirit thanks to her Aunt Mikha. She was more motivated than ever today, due in no small part to Kuudo's support of her goal. The once-relentless Lokomo had proven herself a stalwart companion, and the girls shared a confident smile as they stood at each others’ sides.

Mikhaeyla was relieved to see them getting along. Next to her stood Varuna, Albion, and Ceres, her loyal Knight captains. Zoie was grinning with delight, clearly looking forward to today's mission. Link and Tetra were as devoted as they always were, waiting patiently for the time to depart. And of course, Boyle was once again at the helm of the Spirit Train, ready for one last foray into certain danger.

Anjean rolled to the center of the group, accompanied by Rael. She looked at the faces of everyone gathered around her, and nodded seriously.

“Beelzebub is well-aware of his imminent defeat, and you can be sure he'll come out in full force today. You must be prepared for anything.” Anjean advised.

“In the interest of caution, I've taken a little time before we met this morning to destroy the monster fortress that surprised us when we traveled to the Ocean Realm. It should not be there to block our path to the desert.” Mikhaeyla informed everyone.

“‘A little time’, she says... Bet she blew it away in one shot.” Tetra said wryly.

Mikhaeyla winked at her, and continued. “The Desert Realm sits between the Ocean and Fire Realms. It is much smaller than it used to be, ever since the Great Flood swallowed half of it up. Nevertheless, it is a part of our Hyleigh, all the same.”

“Do not overlook the importance of deserts.” Rael said sagely. “They are vital for supporting the mineral health and biodiversity of the land. Even if no people live there now, it must be purified for Hyleigh to reach true recovery.”

True recovery. That was the purpose of the Sanctuary plan, and Sitri knew it. Even so, the cost still nagged at her mind. She still hadn’t voiced any opposition, but after the Sand Sanctuary was completed, Rael was going to construct the Temple on top of the former home of the Gerudo, Nabooru City. That historic place was part of Alphonse’s travels in the past, and it would soon be wiped off the map, just like almost everywhere else he’d been.

It hurts to think that I’ve been helping them wash away his history... Is this really for the best? I guess I’ll find out at the end of this... Once I become the Hero of Spirits, I’m sure I’ll know the answer then.

“Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I’m rarin’ to go today. Think I’m finally actually good at playin’ this thing!” Tetra said, tapping the Spirit Flute hanging from her hip.

“Hoho! Glad to see you so enthused. I look forward to performing with you.” Rael smiled.

“I must admit, knowing this is the last one has me terribly nervous.” Varuna said.

“Eh, it’ll be fine. Whatever that coward tries to do, we’ll wreck him. Can’t wait.” Zoie said eagerly.

“I am sure that Beelzebub will be extra desperate today. Lady Anjean is right, we must exercise extreme care.” Kuudo said.

“I’m ready to fight him with all I’ve got! He’s not getting away today!” Sitri said, pumping her fist.

Mikhaeyla smiled heartily at her allies’ display of energy, and then opened her mouth to speak. But she flinched out of it and quickly looked to the south side of the lobby. This made everyone follower her gaze, and to their surprise, a magic portal opened up in the room. Stepping out was a young member of the Grand Demonic Knights.

“Your Majesty! Urgent news!” he shouted, running to her side in a panic.

“What happened?” she asked.

“A massive horde of monsters appeared on the field south of Hyleigh City! There’s too many to count... There must be more than a thousand of them! We need support!” he cried.

Sitri felt like the temperature had dropped in the room as everyone’s blood ran cold. Mikhaeyla pursed her lips and put a hand on her chin. Everyone else looked back and forth between each other, unsure of how to proceed.

“So that’s his game... He really is pulling out all the stops today.” Mikhaeyla grumbled.

“A force like that will surely overwhelm your Knights. How do you wish to handle this?” Anjean asked.

Mikhaeyla was quiet for a moment. Sitri stared at her, not sure of what the plan could be in this situation. Beelzebub hadn’t opted for a battle on two fronts before, possibly to maintain his strength. If he divided his powers to a raid somewhere else, he would have a harder time interfering with the purifications. The possibility that he might try it anyway was what led Mikhaeyla to station her Grand Demonic Knights at every town in Hyleigh in the first place. And now, her precaution was paying off.

But even still, this was far too many. No raid in the history of Hyleigh ever threatened over a thousand monsters at once. The ones that wiped out Whittleton and destroyed Great Bay and Kakariko probably approached or even surpassed a hundred or two, but a thousand was a mind-boggling figure. Beelzebub had to be far more powerful than he'd been letting on. There was no telling what else he was capable of now.

The silence in the air felt like it was going to choke the hope out of the party, but the gleam in Mikhaeyla’s eye told Sitri that she wasn’t giving up without a fight.

“Varuna, Albion, Ceres. You are to go to Hawthorne’s side at once and help him defend Hyleigh City and the refugee camp.” she ordered. “And you, go visit every town and grab two men from each. That is all the support we can spare you at this time.” she said to the news-carrier.

“Yes, Your Majesty!” all four of them replied together.

“So we’re still gonna go ahead with the purification?” Tetra asked.

“We have no choice. If we fully occupy ourselves with this new raid, Beelzebub may sabotage the intended site for the Sand Sanctuary. And there’s still a chance that he may be able to instigate raids at other towns at the same time, so I cannot withdraw my forces from them.” she explained.

“Yes, this is likely the best option we have available to us.” Anjean agreed. “If you are fast with the purification, you will be able to go to Hyleigh City when it is over. I will send some of the Lokomo warriors to aid them in the meantime.”

“Sounds like a plan, then... So, who’s going to the Desert Realm?” Tetra asked.

“I am. I won’t leave your side, Tetra! I’ll keep you safe!” Link said, earning a bashful hit on his arm from his captain.

“I’m going, too. A thousand monsters sounds like a hell of a fun time, but I still owe Beelzebub a beating, and we’re more likely to see him there.” Zoie said.

“I will go, as well. I still must atone...” Kuudo said.

“And you know I’m not sitting this out! I have to see it through to the end!” Sitri said.

Mikhaeyla nodded. “Very well. Including Rael and myself, that makes seven of us. That will have to be enough.”

“Then delay no longer. Go, and save Hyleigh!” Anjean beseeched them.

“Right!” everyone shouted together.

Mikhaeyla opened a gate for her three Knight captains, and the news-carrier left through a gate of his own. Varuna grimaced, knowing she was going to suffer motion sickness once she stepped through it, but she had her brother at her side to help her. Meanwhile, Ceres looked apologetic. The three of them had been with the group for the first four, so it was a shame they were going to miss out on the final job.

But they each knew how important this was. The three of them rushed through Mikhaeyla’s gate without any further hesitation, and the remaining seven boarded the Spirit Train with all haste. It was time to finish things.

“I’m worried... The city has a big wall, but the encampment is another story.” Sitri said, sitting in the passenger car next to her aunt.

“The refugees will surely take shelter inside the walls, as well. In such an extreme situation, I doubt the Council would turn their backs on them.”

“More than they already have, you mean...” Tetra spat under her breath. “But my boys are there, too. They’ll pull their weight, or there’ll be hell to pay.” she said louder.

Link nodded sincerely, his faith in his crew shining on his face. The Spirit Train bolted forward the next moment, taking off to the southeast once again. In order to reach the Desert Realm, they had to retrace part of the same path they took to enter the Ocean Realm. This time, though, when they reached the end of the small mountain along the eastern shoreline, they’d turn left.

As soon as the train exited from the Tower, the atmosphere changed completely. There was a thick cloud of dust hanging in the air, making it difficult to see. Sitri observed the way the wind was blowing, and deduced it was being carried in from the west. Strands of grass mixed in here and there supported her theory that it was coming from the Forest Realm. There was only one reason that would be.

Everyone pressed against the right side of the passenger car, peering out the windows to get a look. A horrific, dismal sight unfolded before them, causing Sitri’s heart to jump into her throat. Just as was reported to them, a despairingly massive force of monsters flooded the field to their west. A thousand might have been an underestimation.

Miniblins and big blins stalked together beside bulbin riders and geozards. Snurgles filled the air above them, most carrying rocks or other large, blunt objects. Just their march was enough to tear up the grass beneath their feet, kicking up the dust storm blanketing the Spirit Train even from so far out.

“Oh, man...” Zoie breathed.

If even Zoie of all people was at a loss for words, it was bad. Sitri bit her lip, full of anxiety and fear for the citizens and her allies. Their coming fight was not going to be easy. She didn’t want to consider whether any of the faces she knew would still be there once her mission was complete.

Despite surely feeling the same, Mikhaeyla turned her head away from the west and looked onward, to the path ahead of them. One by one, everyone else did, too. They knew what was at stake. They each understood what they had to do before they could go and help. And so did Sitri.

I can’t let myself drown in worry. I have to trust that they’ll survive this. Somehow... We have to finish the last purification, and fast!

The Spirit Train reached the end of the strait, and thus the end of the border mountain. They came upon the still-smoldering remains of the monster fort that once ambushed them at this spot. Tetra whistled in awe. Mikhaeyla’s handiwork was impressive as always; hardly anything of the foundation remained, much less cannons to shoot at them or pirate ships to chase them. They made the hard left and chugged on past it, completely uninterrupted.

Sitri moved to the other side of the train for a better view. At last, they were entering the Desert Realm. She had never been there before, and was highly curious to see the kind of sights Alphonse once did. In the past, the desert used to be home to komodo lizards, huge reptiles the size of an adult person. But they had died out over the years leading up to the Gerudo's departure from Hyleigh, leaving the dunes empty and lonely. Perhaps it was a consequence of the land's waning Force.

As they traveled further inland, a dreading sense of unease swept over the party. The arid region was sweltering, but the cloud of dust was blocking the sun from beating down on them. Foreboding winds whipped around the train, mixing sand in with the dust and grass. It was dim and visibility was low. There was no telling when something might catch them by surprise, obscured by the haze.

Yet, they arrived at their destination completely unobstructed. Nothing jumped out at them from the sands, nothing swooped down at them from overhead, and nothing was waiting for them where they stopped. The trip being completely monster-free left everyone more nervous than before they left. Sitri wondered if Beelzebub had reached the limit of his monster-taming abilities with that enormous raid in the center of Hyleigh.

Of course, they couldn't count on that being the case. They had to stay vigilant. Boyle stopped the train along a small section of tracks deep in the center of the desert. They were a long ways away from anything of note. The dunes surrounded them on all sides, stretching on to the horizon, or whatever they could see of it through the dust. Only the Spirit Tracks decorated the sandy landscape now. From all appearances, they were alone.

“Are we sure this is the right spot?” Sitri asked as everyone disembarked from the train.

“Oh, yes. I can sense the power of the minor font. We are close. With me!” Rael said, heading off away from the tracks.

Despite traveling in a wheeled wagon contraption, Rael had no issue carting himself around through the sand. Sitri’s feet sunk into the ground a bit with every step. She found it difficult to walk, and by the look of things, so did mostly everyone else. That might be problematic if they were attacked. Luckily, after climbing one of the dunes, they came to a flatter and rockier space. The ground beneath their feet was much more solid there.

It was at this place that Rael nodded and turned to the group. “This is it. The Sand Sanctuary must be erected here. Tetra, the Spirit Flute!”

“Alright! Let’s finish this job with a bang!” she said excitedly.

Tetra raised the Spirit Flute to her lips, ready for one final performance. Rael produced an oboe and prepared himself to play. Together, they would purify the Desert Realm, and Hyleigh’s Force would at last be fully restored. The Spirit Tracks, the leylines, and the fonts of power would be strengthened, and so would the seal keeping Malladus locked away.

To rebuke their efforts, the ground began shaking violently as soon as the two started their duet. Beelzebub wasn’t going to let his plans go up in smoke that easily, it seemed. The group expected this, so they were ready. Everyone drew their weapons and prepared to face down whatever adversary stood in their way this time.

North of the Sanctuary site, the dunes started to crumble. Particles of sand spilled down, collapsing and spraying everywhere. Rising from beneath them was the gigantic, skeletal head of a frightening monster. It was almost as big as the giant from the Fire Realm. The eyes and mouth of the skull glowed in a bloody red light, imprinting a visage of terror onto the party.

The skeletal beast continued to tower higher and higher over their heads. It was capped with a spiked war helmet, and its body was shaped like a spine. Each link was braced with armor plating and spikes, and what appeared to be the barrels of cannons were welded into the hollowed-out interiors of the vertebrae. When it finished climbing out of the ground, it let out an ear-splitting shriek, shaking the air and whipping up a sandstorm around them.

“So, this is what he decides to throw at us now... That armor is all made from anti-magic ore, I expect.” Mikhaeyla assessed calmly.

“But it’s just this one, and then we win. We can do this!” Link encouraged them.

“He’s right! The giant scared me last time, but I’m not going to mess up today! Let’s all fight together!” Sitri said.

“Hahaha! He really prepared somethin’ special for us, didn’t he? Let’s rock!” Zoie shouted, flourishing his axe.

“Only the five of us can fight right now... It’s up to us. We mustn't fail!” Kuudo urged.

“And fail, we will not. To arms!” Mikhaeyla rallied.

The skeletal abomination roared once more, signaling the start of what may be the final battle to defend the rituals. Immediately, the cannon compartments on its vertebrae opened up. In rapid succession, five shots were fired at the party, one for each of them. Behind them were Tetra and Rael, so the party had no choice but to evade and circle around. They needed its attention on them, not the ritual.

Each cannon shot exploded into the sand, sending tremors through the ground and making Tetra stumble. But she did not let herself miss a beat in her song. She kept going unfazed, showing the true grit and skill she built up over many performances. As everyone else moved north, the monster turned its body to track them, grinding bone through grains of sand with an ugly scraping noise.

Screeching and gurgling once again, the beast fired another round of five shots. Sitri leapt away from one, the force of the explosion causing her to lose her footing and fall to her knees. Link backflipped away, landing on his feet the same as when he first jumped. Zoie simply cocked his body to the side, letting it narrowly miss. At the same time, he readied a big hit with his axe, the head of it bursting into flames. Meanwhile, Kuudo leapt high in the air above her shot, reinforcing her jump with magic. She wreathed her weapon in golden light, getting ready to strike.

Mikhaeyla, on the other hand, elected to raise a barrier to defend herself. She stood with one hand out to keep it steady, while the other was creating a longsword out of her magic. Her usual grace and confidence shone through in her poise, but this time, the unthinkable happened. The cannonball shredded through the barrier like it was nothing, crushing straight through her chest and leaving her a bloody heap on the ground.

“Wha... NO! AUNT MIKHA!” Sitri screamed hoarsely, tears in her eyes.

She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. The seemingly invincible Demon King, defeated so easily? It had to be a mistake. Some kind of sick, humorless prank. She didn’t want to accept what she saw. Link looked on, jaw agape in pure horror. Kuudo, too, was stunned into lowering her weapon, still in midair. Zoie clicked his tongue, but he didn’t let this slow him down.

“Kuudo! Aim for the same spot I do!” he barked.

The girl in question flinched, surprised that he didn’t seem to share their concern for Mikhaeyla. But she did as asked, and brandished her sword again. Zoie swung his axe, and she flung her blade out, both firing projectiles of magic right into the middle vertebrae’s opening. The cannon compartment snapped shut, and their attacks simply bounced off ineffectively.

“Damn. Guess she was right about the armor being anti-magic.” Zoie complained as Kuudo landed next to him.

“No... Aunt Mikha...!” Sitri cried, crawling toward her body through the sand.

“Not just the armor... The ammo, too, apparently.” Mikhaeyla said, her voice gravelly and scratchy.

“Wah?!” Sitri yelped, falling backwards on her rear.

Mikhaeyla rose to a sitting position, her body reshaping itself out of a red aura. The pieces of her body were joined together once more, bubbling and cauterizing at the seams. As her skin began to recover its typical color and appearance, she quickly donned her magic transformation to prevent an inopportune disrobing. Sitri crawled back to her, unable to believe her eyes once again.

“You’re... You’re alive!” Sitri said in shock.

“I’m sorry for frightening you, Sitri.” she said, patting the girl’s head. “My healing power is significant, you know. As long as I don’t die instantly, I can regenerate from any injury. Of course, that doesn’t make it hurt any less... Urgh... Repairing internal organs is not a pleasant experience.”

“Aunt Mikha...” Sitri cried again, this time in relief. “I thought I’d lost you...!”

“That type of regeneration power... The only other Demon King I’ve heard of with that level of strength was Malladus. Is she really...?” Kuudo wondered.

“Hey, not that this isn’t heartwarming, but it’s about to fire again.” Zoie warned them.

Just as he said, the skeletal beast let out another ferocious screech and fired another five shots, this time all concentrated on Mikhaeyla. She used one of her barriers as a springboard to shove Sitri and herself safely out of harm’s way. The two of them landed on their feet, and were back in the fray once more.

“I must say, I’m in a rather foul mood after that...” Mikhaeyla rasped. She snapped her fingers to create a pair of massive greatswords, one for each hand. “I think I’m due for some payback, aren’t I?”

Sitri got chills from her aunt’s sudden shift in demeanor. That always seemed to be the case whenever she was transformed. Malice hung as heavy in the air as the dust did, radiating from her. Mikhaeyla did her part to display it through her actions, as well, lunging forward without any further delay.

Another volley of shots met her charge. She used her wings to fling herself out of reach in the middle of her leap, and then beat against the air with them to shoot forward. Her speed outmatched the cannonballs themselves. She cleaved both of her greatswords together into a cross strike at one of the connecting points of the spine holding up the skull.

Her greatswords shattered into particles of light, unable to stand up to the anti-magic armor. However, the force at which she swung them continued to rage forth. The air turbulence she kicked up sent the monster reeling backwards, tilting on a dangerous angle. She nearly knocked it right onto its back with just the wind pressure from her swing.

Zoie and Kuudo didn’t miss the opportunity this created. As the beast toppled down, they charged up the front of its body, winding up their weapons behind their backs. Unlike Mikhaeyla’s, their blades were real, so the only thing preventing them from working on the monster’s body was the wielders' own strength. And both of them had that in spades.

The two of them used their magic as boosters, propelling their strikes forward with far more force than a person could ever generate physically. They attacked with a cross strike of their own, cutting into the center vertebrae. They managed to snap it in two, and the upper part of the monster’s body collapsed to the ground with a massive thud.

As sand filled the air once again, the beast shrieked in anger and desperation. It madly fired volley after volley into the sky, raining down a barrage of anti-magic cannonballs over the party’s heads in a bid to protect itself from further damage. Zoie and Kuudo were forced to leap away, almost getting blasted at point-blank range.

Now it was Link and Sitri’s turn to try and close the distance. The two of them weaved through the cannonfire, rushing forward as fast as their feet could carry them. At the same time, Mikhaeyla danced in the air above them, targeting one of the falling cannonballs with a swing just as powerful as before. The air above her exploded into a spiral of winds, pushing back against the cannonball with so much force that it completely killed its momentum. She reached out and plucked this cannonball right from the air with her bare hand.

A fierce glint in her eye told the others what she intended to do with it. She started rolling her arm like a windmill to generate some new momentum of her own. Even this was enough to kick up another gale. When she felt she was ready, she threw it with all her might, right at the skeletal beast’s face.

To describe the impact as a simple cannon blast didn’t do it justice. It hit so hard, the sound felt like it cracked Sitri’s eardrums. It was more akin to a meteor strike, and its aftershocks generated so much wind that it completely cleared away the sandstorm. Sitri, Link, Zoie, and Kuudo all staggered to the ground from the intense quaking it caused, and it left a gaping crater beneath the monster’s body.

But the skull was still intact, even after such an insanely powerful hit. She did manage to shatter the helmet to pieces, though, and that exposed a glowing red crystal on the back of its head. This had to be a magic stone of some sort, compelling the dried, ancient bones of the monster to motion. In other words, the weak point.

Every single one of them moved in for the kill at once. Link and Sitri were the closest, and so they were the first to arrive. In the same beat, they both stabbed their swords into the red crystal, and pushed them in as deep as they would go. The skull bucked wildly and flailed around in the crater, trying to dislodge the two of them. But Zoie and Kuudo arrived in the next moment.

Kuudo created a golden chain from her magic, and used it to entangle the entire skull in one swoop, halting its movements. Without that anti-magic helmet, there was no longer anything to stop their spells from harming it. She pulled hard on the chain, keeping it as still as she could. Zoie took the chance she created to leap up over it, gearing up for another massive strike. The head of his axe became ablaze in pink flames, and he slammed it down between Link and Sitri’s swords with all his power.

The force of his strike made the skull thrash more violently than ever, finally throwing all four of them off itself. But the moment of its doom was still nigh, as Mikhaeyla appeared above it. Her eyes were cold and angry, still unsatisfied with the pain she’d dealt to it already. She raised one hand up, and a flashing orb of red light flickered into existence before her. Once everyone was clear, she fired.

The skull was hit with a blast that fully outdid the scope of her last attack. The entire thing was disintegrated, right down to the smallest scrap of matter. The sound was deafening, and it echoed in Sitri’s head for several moments after it was over. A tidal wave of sand was lifted into the air, and poured right back down on top of the party. The tremors from that attack surely had to have been felt throughout the entire Desert Realm, as even dunes on the far-off horizon started shifting around and falling apart.

Even through all of that chaos, Mikhaeyla kept her allies safe from being buried alive in the sandfall by encasing them in barriers. These spherical lifelines popped back out on the surface of the newly-restructured dune, which had completely swallowed up whatever remained of the skeletal beast. And just like that, it was over.

As the barriers fizzled away into particles of red light, Sitri finally started breathing again. Seeing her dear Aunt Mikha fight so mercilessly was scary for her. It was a side that she didn’t really get to see, always clinging to her leg as she grew up alongside her. The kindness endlessly beaming from her face was nowhere to be found now. She wondered for a moment if that really was her aunt up there, hovering indifferently in the gray sky above.

Zoie whistled in astonishment. “Demon Kings really are somethin’ else. If I had actually gotten her to fight me for real, I’d definitely be dead right now! Hahah!” he said, laughing in spite of himself.

“Good thing you lost to me first, huh?” Link joked.

“That was certainly something to behold... I’m honestly not sure what to say.” Kuudo breathed, still slightly in shock. “Though, I do share Zoie’s sentiment... I’m so glad she showed me mercy that day in Kakariko...”

“Ahaha... That was pretty scary, huh?” Sitri said, feeling glad that she wasn’t the only one put off by her aunt’s show of strength. “But hey, we won! This means the Sanctuary plan is a total, one-hundred-percent success, right?”

She got her answer the next moment when the land began glowing in a soft yellow hue. That comforting warmth that accompanied the other purifications spread through their bodies as they were embraced by this light, as if to sing of their victory. At long last, every region in Hyleigh had been purified. The land’s Force had to be fully restored now, and not a moment too soon.

Sitri and Link exchanged giddy, excited giggles and jumped up and down, holding each other’s hands in celebration. Zoie grinned, wiping some grime off his nose as he watched the two of them goof around. Kuudo couldn’t hold in a pleasant smile herself, starting to raise an arm in the air to join in their festivities.

“Aunt Mikha, we did it!” Sitri called up. “We...”

Her voice trailed off. Mikhaeyla floated down closer to the ground, but she didn’t land. Not yet. Her tense gaze was affixed past them, a serious scowl bleeding onto her lips. Sitri felt a lump rise into her throat. The rest of them abruptly stopped their celebrating, as they could feel it, too. They all turned to face where she was looking, and without a doubt, there he was, levitating in the air as if he belonged above them.

It was Beelzebub. And he was well beyond the point of fury now.

“You... You wretched, vile, disgusting insects... Look at what you’ve done!” he snarled. “You’ve slain every single pet I’ve sent after you... The Stagnox, the Fraaz, the Phytops, the Cragma, and now even the Skeldritch! You so rudely ignored the special raid I prepared just to slow you down, and impudently reinforced the seal on my master! This is unacceptable!”

His body alighted into a violet aura, trembling with hatred and evil. The pressure emanating from him was suffocating, and nothing like anything Sitri had felt from him before. True terror, in its purest form, manifested before her. Beelzebub was finished holding back. He had lost completely, his plans in total and utter ruin. But he wasn't going to just slink away in defeat. No, he appeared before them seeking one thing only; a single-sided slaughter. Revenge, plain and simple.

“I cannot allow your interference to go unpunished. You have just wasted years of my pain-staking effort! The only recompense now is for me to steal every year that remains from each of your lives! In the name of Lord Malladus, I will kill every last one of you! And I am going to make it hurt.”

 

[Dizzi]

jeeze!!! okies az you can come outta the cheese box now!!!