Link had no idea how to react to the words uttered by Medli. His father was always the well-to-do farmer, grinding at his craft at the ranch. He had no interest in anything else, certainly not politics and running an entire town. And now, he stood as the Mayor of modern Castle Town? The very idea was preposterous to Link. But before he could fully get his head around what was before him, Landon embraced him tightly. “You have no idea how long your mother and I have waited for this day! For our pride and joy to once again return to us”. But without dwelling any further, Link replied: “Look papa, I have no idea how and why you are the Mayor of Castle Town, but…”, however, he was cut off by his overexcited father. Wrapping his arm around his son, Mayor Landon dragged him past the exhilarated crowd. They turned a few corners, corners Link had never even seen before, and were suddenly in front of a huge mansion. Letting go, Landon proudly proclaimed: “See here Link, this is where your mother and I live. The Mayoral mansion!”. From the outside, the mansion was a sight to behold: Dark red bricks, a yellow roof and green patterns around the borders. The type of house he’d probably never seen before, certainly not on the ranch. Landon then grabbed Link’s hand. “Come on my boy. Your mother has been waiting eons for your return!”. Landon hurriedly opened the door, pulling Link through alongside him. “Leila dear! Look who I have brought back with me!”.
Link looked around in complete amazement. The inside was as spectacular as the outside. The main hallway was enormous, with gold-coloured walls and dark brown borders. The flooring consisted of glistening red and green tiles, and the ceilings had dangling pink and silver chandeliers. But when looking ahead, he saw a sight which almost made him faint from cringe. It was a gigantic portrait of both his parents in a romantic dance pose. Gritting his teeth, Link muttered: “Papa, what is the meaning of this?!”. But he was sharply interrupted by an exclamation. He turned around to see his mother. With shock on her face, she ran to Link and hugged him in a tight embrace. “Oh how I’ve longed for this day! For my son to come back to us”. Despite the strange circumstances, Link couldn’t help but feel emotional from a hug by his mother. He of course had missed his parents dearly. “It’s… it’s good to see you again mama”, he replied. In an attempt to lighten his mood slightly, Link remarked: “Well, times have certainly changed, right?”. At this, both Leila and Landon started laughing in an eccentric manner. “Indeed my boy! A monumental change!”. Already, Link was perturbed. His father was speaking in a tone completely unbecoming of him. “We finally made it out of that run down ranch and got this wonder of a mansion as our home, he he!”. In an instant, Link’s feelings of discomfort suddenly changed to solid anger. The ranch was their home and it had meant everything to them, none more so to his father. “PAPA!! What are you talking about?! That ranch you’re talking down about is our home…”, but Leila interrupted. “No son! It WAS our home. We have no need for such a place any longer. Look around you? Is this not far, far better?!”. Link felt his rage increasing. His mother also spoke in a completely different manner than before. “Do you even hear yourselves?! That ranch was our home, our everything. And you speak about it as it was some disposable piece of land. What happened to you guys?!”. With a sense of irritation on his face, Landon uttered: “While you inexplicably decided to disappear to who knows where, my years of tirelessly slaving away at that ranch was finally recognised. Recognised by a true leader. That leader being our most beloved Empress Ria!”.
With his observant eye, Link noticed something. When his father mentioned the name of Ria, his eyes briefly flashed purple. While he processed this, Leila continued: “Yes Link. Your father is most correct. When Her Highness Empress Ria got rid of that good for nothing Royal Family, she came to our farm. She then anointed your father the Mayor of New Palace Town and gave us everything. Power, wealth and this mansion”. Again he noticed it. Even when his mother mentioned the Empress’ name, her eyes also briefly flashed purple. Link was beginning to put two and two together. But to confirm his suspicions, he had one more trick. “But… we never needed all that. It was you two, me and Aryll. Do you not wonder where Aryll has gone?”. However, both of his parents didn’t bat an eye at their daughter’s name. Instead, Leila returned a disdainful expression. “Ah yes. Our delinquent little daughter. She just up and left. Ungrateful wench. Didn’t at all appreciate what the beloved Empress was going to give us”. Equally disdainful, Landon continued: “We’ve heard the silly little girl has grown up and shamefully for us, joined some blasphemous resistance movement against Her Excellency. We disowned her after hearing that, and couldn’t care less whether she lives or dies”. Link’s heart well and truly sank. His suspicions were confirmed. Ria had indeed cast a spell. Not just on his parents. But all the Hylians and Rito. But despite figuring it out, the words that came out of his parent’s mouths truly shattered him. Spell or no spell, brainwashing or not, how could his parents say this about Aryll? With a desolate expression, Link replied: “I’ve… I’ve heard enough from the both of you. You’re not yourselves anymore”. With that, he turned around and walked towards the exit. “HEY, WHERE ARE YOU GOING!”, bellowed Landon. Link stopped. Turning to face his father, he simply replied in an angry tone: “To put an end to this nonsense and restore normality”. With that, he stormed out. Leaving the mansion, he saw Medli and her entourage. “OK Medli, I’m ready to go and meet your Empress”. With a cheeky grin, Medli replied: “Could have just said that right from the beginning, he he”. With that, Link, Medli and the entourage walked towards the main exit of Palace Town.
After exiting Palace Town, Link found himself and the surrounding entourage in a medium-sized courtyard. The design of the courtyard was nothing special, in fact, it was rather bland. The grass was unkempt and bordering on withered, the walls surrounding the courtyard looked decrepit. A complete contrast to the spectacular view of Palace Town. “Well Hero… what are you contemplating? Let’s keep moving!”, taunted Medli. They made their way forward to the exit of the bland courtyard. Upon exiting, Link looked forward in complete bewilderment. In front of him was a building. Except, it was completely different from a castle. Where a castle would have multiple towers and triangular architecture, this building was flatter and squarer in nature, with circular, dome-like architecture at the top. But the source of his bewilderment wasn’t the stark change in appearance of the building, it was what he saw in front of the fountain before the entrance. It was a statue, a statue of himself. Even with all his achievements to date in the Hyrule before this new adventure, he never had a statue built in his honour. Especially a statue this impressive looking. Nevertheless, the entourage continued to lead him inside the building. Upon entering the building, Link saw a massive room. The floor was made of black and white tiles, dark purple walls and shiny pink chandeliers. But in the middle of the room, between two columns of stairs, Link saw another shocking site. It was him again, only this time as an impressive portrait. Link was now really beginning to feel creeped out. Being loved was one thing, but to have someone obsess over you to the extent of building statues and making portraits in your honour was insanity of the highest order. Link was led up the stairs and through another entrance. He walked into another room. The walls and flooring were exactly the same, and additionally, there was yet another huge portrait of him. The entourage then stopped. Medli put out her right wing. “Here we are. Her Excellency Empress Ria will see you shortly. But before that…”, a Rito then walked up to Link with some garments in hand. He presented them to Link, who grabbed them and noticed that they were the green Kokiri tunic and hat he once received from Saria. Medli continued: “Put these on. Her Majesty would be most happy to see you in these, he he”. With that, Medli and the Rito posse exited the room. To avoid any issues, Link put on the Kokiri attire. After a few moments, Link began to hear loud footsteps. He turned around to see that these were coming from another door, different to the one he entered. The footsteps were becoming louder and louder. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the door. It was the figure Link saw once before when he and Zelda first came to this altered version of Hyrule. The same purple outfit, staff and strange mask. It was Empress Ria. She took several few steps forward towards Link, until she stood merely a few yards away. She then removed her mask. Link almost gasped. Other than the blonde hair, it was a face extremely familiar to him. Of course, it was identical to Sara’s. However for him, it clearly reminded him of Saria. When he looked into her eyes, all he could see were the eyes of deep affection, yearning and desire. “After… after all these years… you… you and me. Together. Oh how… how I’ve longed for this… to… to see… my beloved. Link, my love, welcome home”.
Ria continued to walk closer and closer to him. Link remained grounded, returning Ria’s gaze with a stoic expression. Ria was now mere centimeters close to Link. She then put her hand forward towards Link’s face. Before she could touch it, Link took a step back. But this did nothing to change Ria’s loving expression towards him. “I know how tough it has been for you. But Link, it will all be OK now. Now that the two of us have united”. At this, Link began to shake his head. “No Ria. Nothing is OK. This… all of this… it has to end”. Suddenly, Ria’s expression finally changed to something resembling bemusement. “End? What has to end?”. Pointing her staff towards the balcony, she continued: “This land, our land of Hyrule. All of it. I reshaped… reshaped for you, my love!”. Taken aback, Link replied: “What are you talking about? What do you mean you did all of this for me?”. “Don’t you see? I’ve ruled this land as Empress for all these years. Don’t you see how prosperous this land is? Link, you are a Hylian, and because of this, I have made life a utopia for all Hylians. I inherited a town which was merely a small residency, and it is now a bustling city. The smiles on everyone’s faces are plain to see. And not only that, but for your sake, I even made your parents in charge of Palace Town, all because they are your kith and kin”. Agitated, Link interrupted: “No Ria!! It’s not real! I know what you’ve done. You’ve manipulated everyone’s minds. This isn’t true happiness, this is slavery! Slavery of the mind! And what about the Rito? Why have you possessed them?” At this, Ria started to breathe heavier, showing slight desperation in her tone: “The Rito have always served the Hylians well. Besides, their home made for a good base of operations to help run Hyrule effectively. But… but forget the Hylians and Rito. I used no mind manipulation on the Goron and Zora. The Goron were left in the care of the dragons, a good bargaining chip to stop that fearsome leader of theirs from destroying everything you hold dear. And the Zora… I decided to keep them safe and out of the way, but I did no harm to them or their Domain”. Turning a little more angry now, Ria continued: “But those forsaken Gerudo… they were a different story. I exterminated each and every one of them. Because they are the people of that wretched Ganondorf. That pitiful man who was partially responsible for taking you away from me!”. At this, Link replied: “Partially? What do you mean?”. With her eyes now turning more bitter, her teeth gritting, Ria went on: “The others responsible were that shameless Royal Family, and that filthy Zelda. Her family I took care of, now, I will eliminate the biggest hurdle in our love. Yes, I will kill Zelda”. At this, Link quickly brought out his sword. “ENOUGH!!!”. He bellowed. “YOU WILL DO NO HARM TO PRINCESS ZELDA!! NOT WHILE I’M ALIVE”. Ria’s eyes were wide open, her mouth letting out a gasp whilst falling to the ground. “No… no… THIS CAN’T BE!!! YOU STILL CARE FOR THAT PATHETIC WOMAN!!! WHY??? WHY, WHEN I STAND BEFORE YOU NOW!!”. Suddenly, Ria began to regain her composure. She gripped her staff hard and after a few moments, she began to smile. “He he he. Link my dear…”. Her staff began to glow a dark purple. “… if you can’t be mine so easily, then I must use another strategy”. Link then also brought out his shield. Ria began to shoot multiple projectiles from her staff. Link used his shield to parry them away. Ria then charged at Link and tried to strike him with her staff. Link blocked the strike with his sword. In the weapon struggle, Link exclaimed: “Ria, this isn’t love, this is madness! This world you’ve built is an illusion. That mask has twisted your mind! Think about what is truly yours. The forest, the Deku Tree, your fellow Kokiri!”. With a cocky snigger, Ria replied: “Those people? They were just an inconvenience I learned how to put to use. Their life force served me well”. This completely shocked Link. However, hearing this revelation weakened Link’s grip, giving Ria the perfect opportunity to hit him point blank with a projectile. Link fell a few yards backwards face down. He tried to get up, but found that he couldn’t move a muscle. He could barely look upwards. Smiling, Ria stated: “My paralysis shot has completely immobilised you, my love”. Walking a few steps forward, Ria began to ready another projectile. “You will be mine Link, by choice or otherwise. I’ve used my manipulation spell on countless people. I shall do it here as well. To ensure we are together, now and forever”. Link could only grit his teeth as Ria readied her spell. However, Link felt something moving in the little keep bag connected to his belt. Just as the spell was fired towards his head, he saw a small blue light emerge before his eyes. Within a second, it expanded exponentially. “BARRIER!!”. With that, he saw someone standing right in front of him. It was none other than the light mage Sara, with her hands in front of her, manifesting a blue barrier, blocking Ria’s spell.
“Sara? But how?”, enquired a completely confused Link. With a soft smile, Sara replied: “I couldn’t let you go and face the Empress alone now could I? Oh yes, you’ve never seen my pixie transformation. While you were being taken by Medli and company, I managed to sneak into your keep bag”. Rage etched across Ria’s face. “DAMNED SARA… WHY ARE YOU HERE AGAIN?! HAVE YOU NOT TRIED TO MEDDLE WITH MY PLANS ENOUGH THESE LAST SEVERAL YEARS!?”. Letting down her barrier, Sara responded: “Ria, this has gone on far too long now. We have to end this, it’s time to…”, but she was abruptly cut off by the enraged Empress: “SILENCE! YOU’RE TREACHERY HAS REACHED IT’S LIMIT OF IMPUDENCE!!”. Turning more sombre, she continued “Don’t you see? I’m only trying to fulfil my longing. The one who belongs to me, who I’ve worked so hard and tormented myself for”. Shaking her head, with a tear in her eye, Sara replied: “And how much damage will you do in that process? How many lives will you ruin? Just to fulfil your obsession. Ria please, listen to me. All this damage, this pain, we can fix this, together”. “DON’T YOU DARE LECTURE ME, INSOLENT CRETIN!! YOU WON’T DENY ME WHAT’S MINE, NOT WHEN HE’S RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF ME. NOW BEGONE!!!”. With that, Ria started shooting a whole batch of purple projectiles at her Light mage counterpart. Sara again blocked the attack. “LIGHTNING SHOWER”, bellowed Sara. Four blue lightning strikes surrounded Ria. “YOU THINK THESE PITIFUL ATTACKS WILL KEEP ME FROM HIM?! WHAT NONSENSE!”, shouted Ria, who brought out her scepter and enveloped the lighting strikes with her own tornados. However, once they cleared, she found herself surrounded by several horizontal slabs made of blue energy. Breathing heavily, almost looking panicked, Ria exclaimed: “WORTHLESS! ALL WORTHLESS!”. Whilst breaking the energy slabs around her, she shouted: “HE’S MINE!! MINE, MINE, ALL MINE!! YOU HEAR ME? ALL MINE!!”. Link was starting to regain control of his body as Ria’s spell was wearing off. “Ria is completely out of control and needs to be stopped immediately. However, I can’t hurt her”, he thought to himself. He then gripped his sword. “Which is why…”. Suddenly, the broken energy slabs manifested into fierce electricity. Ria let out a scream of pain. When the electricity disappeared, Ria knelt to the ground. With her sorcery book in hand, Sara calmly walked up to her dark mage counterpart. “Ria, cease this madness, I implore you”. Putting out her hand to Ria, she continued: “Now, let us put things right. Let us heal this world”. However, Ria gripped her scepter and slammed it to the ground. The mask which was resting on top of her head slowly covered her face once again.
“Heal… heal this world… you say… ha ha ha. If… if the world can’t… can’t give me him… if it insists to keep me apart from him… then… THAT WORLD SHOULD DIE!!!!”. The ground then began to shake as Link and Sara looked around aghast. Vicious thunder could be heard outside Ria’s Palace. “IF HE WON’T BELONG TO ME, THEN HE WON’T BELONG TO ANYONE! HA HA HA!! ME AND HIM, SHALL DIE TOGETHER! YOU HEAR THAT MY DE…”, but before she could finish, Ria was stunned at the sudden sight before her. It was Link, with Master Sword in hand, Triforce of Courage manifested and enveloped in green aura. He then aimed a ferocious backhand horizontal slash at Ria’s scepter. “RIAAAAA!! ENNOOUUUGGHHHHH!!”. Ria’s scepter shattered in half upon contact with the Master Sword. Ria could barely even process what had happened when suddenly, Link aimed a forehand horizontal slash. However, despite aiming the slash at the air, it was immediately followed by a horizontal beam crashing into Ria’s midriff. It sent her flying several yards backwards. “AAAHHHHH, L…LINK… YOU WOULD…!!”. The agony on her face was clear to see. She then rolled on the ground upon contact. She stopped face down on the ground and began crying uncontrollably. Sara walked up to Link. With regret on her face, she stated: “Beyond all the theatrics, the palaces and empires, she’s just a broken girl who loved too deeply. So deeply, it became obsession. Something exploited by…”, suddenly, Ria’s crying was replaced by a crazy laughter. However, it sounded extremely unbecoming of the Empress. It sounded insidious. Rias body then instantly levitated into the air. “Something is feeling off”, remarked Link. Looking very perturbed, Sara stared at her dark counterpart’s body. “He he ha ha he”. Ria’s body was now flying around in random directions. It then abruptly stopped. Ria’s body then violently flung into one of the walls. However, the mask remained suspended in midair. Link once again brought out his sword. “My oh my. That silly, lovesick puppet was really starting to grind my gears. But finally, she’s outlived her usefulness he he”. Turning to Link, the mask continued: “Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. The name’s Majora. Time to see if my puppet’s vehicle of obsession has any substance he he”.
End of Part 8