Krystal winced and did her best to exhale slowly as Quill applied a balm to the cut on her right arm. “It's all right, Krystal. This will help it heal better,” he said softly. They were currently sitting on the ring going around the Tower of the Gods, the moon hanging high in the sky. Valoo was perched nearby, looking out across the ocean. He seemed tense, as if he too had been expecting Ganondorf to follow them. The King of Red Lions bobbed in the water below the dragon's head, Tetra laying on her side over the metal hatch that the sail and cannon emerged from.
As Quill was tying a white bandage around the spot on her arm, Prince Komali flew down and landed next to her, the young prince gushing about her victory over the giant bird. She couldn't help but feel a mix of pride and embarrassment that he held her in such high regard, but she also felt remorse that that strength hadn't extended to defeating Ganondorf too.
She peered over the side of the ring at the King of Red Lions, specifically at Tetra and the Master Sword sitting on his floor with her shield next to it. Quill followed her gaze and suspected she was worried about the former. “It’s all right, Krystal. She has merely lost consciousness,” he said, causing her to look back at him. He picked up her damaged bracelet and examined the hole in it for a moment before looking back at her and saying, “You might not want to wear this until you’ve healed.” She nodded, not really concerned about her damaged accessory.
Komali looked at the bracelet for a moment before looking back at Krystal and saying, “I could probably get that fixed for you, Krystal. I mean, if you wanted.” He gestured to the new necklace hanging down to his chest, indicating he knew someone who knew a thing or two about making and repairing accessories like it.
Skett and Akoot flew down and landed beside them a few seconds later. After giving a slight bow to Komali, they turned to Krystal and Akoot said, “Lady Krystal, we bring word of the pirates and your sister to you!” He looked over at Skett and asked, “Did you not hear me, Skett? Have you fallen asleep?”
Skett looked over at him and replied, “I did hear you, Akoot! I do not sleep while I am working!” He looked at Krystal, “The pirate ship has arrived safely at Windfall Island! Your sister is safe!” Krystal breathed a sigh of relief at that.
They all looked over at Valoo as the King of Red Lions spoke to him, “Lord Valoo! You arrived not a moment too soon… We are deeply grateful.’
Valoo growled and Krystal was surprised to find she could understand him. “(Still… it is too soon for us to relax. Ganon cannot be destroyed by such simple means as wrath and fire alone.)”
The King replied, “I am aware of this. Yet I believe keeping these two out of Ganon's grasp should be our top priority.”
Valoo growled back, “(I see… and I agree. Very well then! We are counting on you!)” As he began to flap his wings, Krystal wondered why she was able to understand him. She looked up at the tower; maybe it was because of that light that allowed her to read the writing…
As Valoo steadied himself and flew a circle around the tower, Quill lifted Krystal up again and carried her down to the King of Red Lions, Komali following close behind. Once she was standing in the boat, he let go and flapped around to her side. “We have to go now, Krystal, but as always, if anything comes up, don't hesitate to seek us out,” he said as she looked up at him.
Komali added, “Yeah! Hope to see you again soon.” With that, they, along with Akoot and Skett, flew off after Valoo.
Krystal looked down at the King of Red Lions as he looked back at her and said, “Krystal, there will be time to talk later. Look!” He faced forward and she peered around him. The ring of light that had transported them to the bottom of the sea had reappeared and was glowing brightly in the darkness. “We must return to the world beneath the sea!” he stated. Krystal nodded, not questioning it. They floated towards the ring on the calm waves, going under the water's surface upon entering it.
________________________________________
They soon came to the end of the path, landing in the pool of water at the back of the castle. After they moved away from the ring of light, Krystal bent down and picked up her shield and put it on her back. She then picked up the Master Sword, looking it over with a confused expression, wondering what had happened back at the Forsaken Fortress. As she slid it back between her sword and shield, she looked up at the night sky through the rippling waves above, darkness being cast across the castle and the land. Her left hand moved to her right arm, resting it on the bandage. For some reason, it felt like just standing in this lost world was causing whatever lingering essence left behind by Ganondorf’s dark aura to be cast away as her injury was already starting to feel better.
She suddenly heard Tetra shifting and groaning behind her and turned to look. The pirate girl’s eyes soon opened and she pushed herself up slightly. “Tetra!” she said as the girl raised herself into a sitting position, Krystal keeping her hand over the bandage.
Tetra looked at her, “Krystal! You’re alright?” She looked around, “Where are we…?” She then remembered and looked back at Krystal, “Hey! And Ganondorf! What happened to him?”
Before Krystal could respond, they both noticed a sudden glow coming from the fox’s Adventure Pouch. She reached inside and pulled out Tetra’s stone, the source of the glow. As soon as she pulled it out, they both heard the King of Red Lion’s voice say, “Krystal! What are you doing? You must come now to the room where you got the Master Sword!”
Krystal looked down at the stone in confusion. “Why is he talking through the stone? He’s right here,” she thought.
Tetra was also staring at the stone with a confused look. “Who is using that stone…?” she wondered. She spoke, causing Krystal to look up at her, “Just who are you?” Her tone became a bit sharper, “Krystal and I are the only ones who should be speaking through this stone! How dare you use what’s not yours?!”
There was silence for a moment and then the King asked, “Your name is Tetra, correct? You must come with Krystal to see me at once! This matter concerns you as well.” The stone’s glow dimmed afterwards.
Tetra looked up at Krystal with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. “Hmph! Well, doesn’t he sound important!” She shrugged, “Fine. We’re on our way.” She stood and turned to step out of the boat, “Hope he can wait long enough for us to get there.”
After she stepped out on the starboard side, Krystal moved forward, placing her right hand on the King’s head as she leaned around to look him in the eye. He didn’t move at all, his eyes staring straight ahead. She waved her left hand in front of him; he still didn’t react. His eyes still held that glow of life that he possessed, but at this moment, it was as if he was an actual figurehead, like he wasn’t there at all.
She heard Tetra say, “Hey, Krystal!” While still leaning over, she turned to look at the pirate girl and saw her giving her an impatient look. “What are you doing? You heard the voice in the stone. You know your way around here. Show me where he is!” Krystal blinked and nodded, dropping down into the water next to her. She led her up the nearby stairs and into the castle.
They walked into the grand hall, which was now cloaked in darkness, making it hard to see. Tetra walked close to Krystal, the fox’s night vision allowing her to see in spite of the darkness cast across the hall. “Where are we?” she asked again as they walked towards the stairs in front of them.
“I don't know exactly, but I have an idea… Oh, watch the rubble here,” Krystal said, moving towards the left as they neared the bottom of the stairs. The pile of rubble behind the statue had been pushed back up next to the stairs when the statue had been moved, and Krystal noticed that the statue had moved back again. As she led Tetra to the basement stairs, she heard the ethereal humming of the Triforce marking on the floor below.
The basement was more brightly lit due to the candles in the nooks. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, Krystal saw him almost immediately: a tall, broad figure clad in a red coat standing in the middle of the dais where the Master Sword had been, his back to them. Tetra saw him too and she moved to Krystal's side to get a better look. “Is that him?” she asked.
“He wasn't here before,” Krystal replied in a low voice. Tetra turned and ran down the stairs to their right. Krystal followed her and they ran up the steps to the dais, the blue fox standing to Tetra's left. They stood across from the mysterious stranger, his back still turned to them.
“Are you him? Are you the one who was speaking through my stone without my permission? …Answer me!” Tetra demanded.
He answered in a low voice, his back still turned to them, “That stone is an enhanced version of the Gossip Stones spoken of in the legends of the Hyrulean Royal Family. I am the one who made it.”
Tetra gave a short shrug and a huff, raising an eyebrow at his words. “You made it? The royal family’s Gossip Stone? I’m sorry, but I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said as she placed her hands on her hips, giving him a sidelong glance.
“Have neither of you heard the tales? Tales of the kingdom spoken of in the legend of the great hero… The place where the power of the gods lies hidden…” he said quietly.
Tetra tilted her head, “Yeah, I’ve heard those old stories. Why? What do they have to do with this?”
Krystal, who had been looking back at the Master Sword while the stranger had been talking and thinking about his words, looked over at Tetra and said, “Because this is that kingdom…”
The man let out a low chuckle, an agreement of sorts with her words. They both looked back at him. “This is Hyrule…” He turned around to face them and Krystal recognized his face from the painting hanging in the grand hall. “And I am its king: Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule,” he said, his voice now a deep boom that seemed to echo through the basement. And it sounded very familiar to Krystal…
The blue vixen’s eyes widened with realization. “No… It can’t be… You’re…?” she breathed.
King Daphnes let out a deep chuckle and said, “Yes, Krystal. Indeed, I am the one who guided you here. I am the King of Red Lions.” Krystal stared at him in disbelief, unable to find the words she was looking for. He knew what she was trying to ask him, though, for he explained, “There was no need for me to reveal my true identity to you so long as that blade, the Master Sword, could defeat Ganon…” His face, which had held a flicker of mirth for a minute, became serious again, “But now… both of you must listen to me.”
Tetra turned her head slightly towards him, “I’m listening.”
King Daphnes began, “Once, long ago, this land of Hyrule was turned into a world of shadow by Ganon, who sought to obtain the power of the gods for his own evil ends. My power alone was not enough to stop the fiend, and the Hero of Time had vanished long before his return, so our kingdom was doomed to be destroyed, the darkness threatening to cover the land for all time.” He moved to the side slightly, looking back at one of the stained-glass windows that depicted a beast similar to the one in the book that Krystal’s grandmother owned, “Our only choice was to leave the fate of the kingdom in the hands of the gods… When the gods heard our pleas, they chose to seal away not only Ganon, but Hyrule itself… and so, with a torrential downpour of rains from the heavens…”
Tetra turned to face him fully again, her expression intrigued. “A downpour?” she asked, still a bit skeptical.
King Daphnes turned back to them, “The lakes swelled, the rivers rose above their banks… The entire land would soon be buried beneath the water, forgotten over time at the bottom of the new, grand ocean.”
Krystal breathed, “The Great Sea…”
King Daphnes nodded and continued, “Yet all would not be lost. For the gods knew that to drown the people with the kingdom would grant Ganon’s wish for the destruction of Hyrule. So, before the sealing of the land, the gods chose those who would build a new country and commanded them to take refuge on the mountaintops. Those people were your ancestors. They were the first to start a new life in the world of water that you know.”
Both Krystal and Tetra were staring at him now, transfixed by his tale. “Hundreds of years have passed since then… So long as Ganondorf was not awakened, Hyrule would remain asleep as well, never waking from its slumber.” He paused, his gaze drifting to Tetra after a moment. “Tetra, come to me.” The girl’s eyes widened and Krystal looked over at her, curious.
Tetra slowly stepped into the middle of the dais. When she was a short distance away from him, King Daphnes extended his right hand out of the sleeve of his coat and Tetra noticed a golden glow coming from under her neckerchief, the triangular piece on her necklace hovering up into view a moment later. “Hey, what…?” she gasped.
King Daphnes spoke, “This necklace you wear is part of a sacred treasure called the Triforce of Wisdom, which has been passed down for many ages within the royal family of Hyrule.” She looked from it up to his face. “Your mother passed this down to you and instructed you to treasure it… and to guard it with your life. Am I not correct?”
Tetra stared at him wide-eyed, “How did you know?”
King Daphnes continued, “The Triforce of Wisdom is none other than the sacred power of the gods that the we have kept from Ganon’s clutches for so many long years. The gods placed upon your ancestors the task of protecting it from evil’s grasp. You, too, must abide by the laws of the past… and so the time has come for me to teach you the fate into which you were born, what your mother knew but dared not tell you.”
He extended his left hand out of his coat sleeve, uncurling his fingers to reveal a small triangle that seemed to be made of the same material as the piece on Tetra’s necklace. As she watched, the smaller triangle floated over to her necklace, fitting perfectly in the groove, not even leaving a seam. It was a perfect triangle now, and as she stared, a golden light began to brightly shine from it, Tetra holding her right hand up in front of her face to shield her eyes.
The light was blinding to Krystal as well, even as far back as she was, and she turned away slightly while holding her left hand up in front of her face. When the light died down, she blinked and lowered her hand to look again, only for her eyes to widen again. “Tetra…?” she breathed.
The person standing in Tetra's place was a stark contrast to the pirate leader Krystal had come to know. She still had blonde hair and tanned skin, but that's where the similarities seemed to end. Her hair, which was once curled up tightly atop her head, now hung down past her shoulders. Her swashbuckling attire had been replaced with a dark pink dress that went down around her legs. Her hands were adorned in white gauntlets that went up past her elbows. If she'd been able to see her front, she'd see that she had a gold metal piece on her forehead like a crown as well as a V-shaped piece across her chest and a belt around her waist made of the same material. She had two white wing-shaped accessories on the sides of her head next to her ears.
As Tetra's vision cleared, she opened her eyes and looked at the back of her hand. The Triforce of Wisdom had become a part of her as the three triangles now appeared on the back of her hand, the bottom left triangle filled in. She gasped, not only at this, but as she took in her new appearance as well. “My… fate…” she uttered as she looked back at Krystal.
King Daphnes spoke in a slightly softer tone, “You are a true heir to the royal family of Hyrule… a link to the past. Your true birth name is Zelda.”
Tetra looked back at him, her pink lipstick-coated mouth still hanging open. “Zelda? I'm… a princess?”
King Daphnes spoke, “You are confused, aren't you? I suppose that is to be expected.” He looked over at Krystal and said, “Krystal! I am terribly sorry that you have been caught up in these events. But now that he knows that Tetra is indeed Princess Zelda, Ganon will be searching frantically for her in order to obtain the power of the gods that she possesses. He will not rest until he has found her. If he succeeds, my ancient kingdom will be lost forever, stripped of the waves that were meant to protect it and buried under the shadow and despair he will bring. As the world below will be lost, the world you know above the waves will be lost as well.”
Krystal looked down for a moment before looking back up with a determined expression. “What must I do?” she asked.
King Daphnes responded, “I need you to lend me your strength once more in this dark hour. I have a suspicion about what has caused the Master Sword to lose its power. I need for you to come with me back to the lands above the water and return the power to repel evil to the Master Sword!”
Krystal nodded, “I'll do it.”
King Daphnes’ gaze lingered on her for a moment before turning to Tetra. “Zelda…” he began, causing her to turn to him. “It is far too dangerous for you to join us in this task. Fortunately, this sacred chamber is not yet known to Ganon.”
Tetra realized where he was going and it caused her mind to focus after the shocking revelations. “You want me to stay… here? By myself?” she asked.
King Daphnes nodded, “That is my wish, that you stay hidden until we return.”
Tetra stared at him for a moment before she raised an eyebrow. “So… what? I'm supposed to just sit here while you two take however long it takes to do whatever it is you need to do? What am I supposed to eat? How am I going to get used to all of this? And how do you know Ganondorf doesn't know about this place?” she asked.
King Daphnes blinked at her words and brought his head back slightly. He hadn't expected her to refute him. “It shouldn't take long for us to return. And the Master Sword being here when Krystal found it is proof Ganon doesn't know about it,” he tried to say.
Krystal cleared her throat, causing both of them to look over at her. “With all due respect… Your Highness, I do think there's a chance that he does know. Those monsters were trying to get in here, and several came down here after time started moving again.” Her gaze drifted off to the side, looking at one of the Moblin spears and the Darknut's Sword, still lying on the floor untouched. She looked back at King Daphnes, “He did mention the monsters. It might only be because his power has been restored, but I think the chance of him knowing does exist.”
Tetra looked back at King Daphnes and said, “There. You see? You have no way of knowing if this place is safe. He could come here while you're gone and you wouldn't know until you got back, at which point you could be too late. If this is a dark hour, then I think the safest place to be is with the girl who's trying to restore the blade that can put an end to him.”
King Daphnes closed his eyes, the faintest signs of irritation on his face. He was so certain this would not take too long, yet their words had some merit, and the memory of Greatfish Isle's destruction was still fresh in his mind. What was he to do?
The irritation was replaced with a calm expression, and suddenly, he vanished. Tetra gasped, holding her right hand up to her mouth, and Krystal ran up beside her, staring at where he had been. “Come! We must go!” King Daphnes’ voice boomed behind them. They turned to look; he was standing at the foot of the stairs, looking up at them. He vanished into thin air afterwards a few seconds and reappeared and disappeared several more times as he exited the basement.
“That's a… neat trick,” Tetra commented.
“Suddenly, him being a talking boat doesn't seem like the strangest thing he revealed,” Krystal agreed.
The blue fox had only taken a few steps when Tetra spoke, “Krystal…”
Krystal stopped and looked back at her. The look of remorse on her face was unfamiliar to the vixen. “What's the matter?” she asked, concerned.
Tetra started, “Before we go, um…” She took a moment to gather her thoughts before continuing, “I don't know how to say this, but… Everything that's happened to you and your sister… It's because of me.” Her gaze turned towards the floor and she placed her right hand on her chest, “I'm so sorry…”
Krystal stared at her. She knew some of this admission was partly due to what the King had revealed to them, but the way she had spoken made it clear this was something that had been hanging over her for a while. She stepped closer to her and reached over, taking her hand in both of hers. When Tetra looked up at her, she said, “Tetra…l can't say that everything that has led up to this point is the way I would have had things go if I had had a choice, that this is how things should be, but… all things considered, I'm glad Ganondorf’s bird didn't capture you that day. I've seen how far his influence has spread across the Great Sea, and I feel better doing something to stop him instead of watching his darkness cover the land without knowing why.”
Tetra's eyes widened at her words. “But…” she started to say.
Krystal moved closer. “Listen… I accept your apology, even though it's not necessary. I know you didn't intend for that to happen, or anything that happened afterwards. Can we just let it be?” she asked, her voice a bit shaky. Tetra searched her eyes for a moment before nodding. “Good. Now, let's go.” She turned and gave Tetra a slight pull as she headed for the edge of the dais, both of them making their way out of the basement. The statue of the Hero of Time slid back over the entrance after they exited, resuming its solitary vigil in the dark, empty castle.
Tetra had a little trouble keeping up with Krystal as she ran, not used to running in a dress yet, but they soon reached the King of Red Lions, who raised his head to look at them as they descended the stairs. Krystal looked at him expectantly, so he started, “Krystal, listen well… The fact that the Master Sword has lost the power to repel evil suggests that something has happened to the sages.”
Krystal tilted her head, “The sages?”
The King explained, “Before the gods sealed Hyrule away, not all they spoke to were commanded to take refuge on the mountaintops. Some were told to remain here.”
Tetra asked, “Like you?”
The King nodded, “Yes. Me… and others, like the sages in the Wind Temple to the north and the Earth Temple to the south. They were commanded to go to the deepest depths of the temples and offer prayers to the gods, to maintain a connection between Hyrule and the heavens, for it was the gods who imbued the Master Sword with the power to repel evil.”
Tetra asked, “Where are the temples?”
The King answered, “They are here in Hyrule.” He turned his gaze to the right, looking past the grass and trees in the terrace and out towards the land. “Unfortunately, it seems Ganon has erected a magical barrier around the castle. It will not be possible to reach the temples.”
Tetra refrained from letting out a frustrated groan and asked, “Then what are we supposed to do?”
The King turned back to them and said, “There is another option. Each temple should have another entrance built atop the mountain it is set in.”
Krystal spoke, “Which are now islands in the Great Sea.”
The King nodded and said, “You must go to the temples to see what has happened to the sages and attempt to restore the power to repel evil to the Master Sword. As always, Krystal, I will mark the locations on the Sea Chart in your Tingle Pad.” His gaze drifted to Tetra, “Now then… let us go before I change my mind about all this.” She felt a pang of indignation at his words, but she and Krystal climbed in without another word and Krystal guided them to the ring of light.
________________________________________
They reemerged and floated out of the ring of light, stopping a short distance away. Both Krystal and Tetra, the latter sitting against the starboard side of the boat, looked back as it vanished, sealing the entrance to Hyrule once again. Above them, the moon was approaching the other side of the horizon, the first hints of the next dawn beginning to seep into the sky.
As they faced forward again, the King swung his head around to his left to look back at Krystal. “Krystal, what do you know of the Hero of Time?” he questioned.
The vixen blinked at the unusual question and replied, “Only what’s been passed down in the legend. He appeared as if from nowhere, defeated Ganondorf, and wasn’t there when he returned.”
The King nodded, “I see.”
Tetra looked at him and asked, “Why wasn’t the Hero there when Ganondorf returned? Was he too old?”
The King responded, “No. Only the royal family members were ever told why the Hero of Time ceased to exist after his victory, why the Triforce of Courage was shattered.”
Krystal and Tetra looked at each other before looking back at him, the former asking, “The Triforce of Courage?”
The King explained, “Much like Ganon and Zelda were chosen to carry a piece of the complete Triforce, the Hero of Time was also chosen to carry a piece, known as the Triforce of Courage. It imbues the holder with an indomitable will and the spirit to succeed in the face of all odds. When the Hero of Time vanished, the Triforce of Courage was said to have vanished with him, but its essence remained. Whatever had happened, it was broken into eight pieces that were scattered and hidden across the land, waiting for a new hero to restore it.”
Tetra asked, “So… what, then? It’s gone?”
The King answered, “No. I do not know where the shards rest, but I do know they lie hidden somewhere in this Great Sea.” He looked at Krystal, “If you collect all the shards, Krystal, they will fuse together and restore the piece of the Triforce. By doing so, you will be able to open the door to Hyrule once more, and its magic will allow you to save Hyrule! You must find them for the sake of everyone in this world, above and below!”
Krystal and Tetra exchanged a glance after he faced forward again, both of them wondering what else he knew and wasn’t telling them. They silently decided to drop it for the time being, though; the Master Sword needed to be restored if they were going to have any hope of defeating Ganondorf. The sun began to peek over the horizon as they left the Tower of the Gods.
Following the marks the King had placed on the Tingle Pad, they located the islands where the Earth and Wind Temples were located, only to find their progress blocked at the entrances. A large, indestructible stone blocked the Earth Temple entrance and fearsome gale kept them from approaching the Wind Temple entrance. The Fishmen hanging around the islands hinted that there was a way to get past these obstacles on other islands that they helped point them to, but getting to them required them going to another island.
As they were heading to said island, they stopped to get info from the Fishman swimming around Northern Triangle Island. After throwing him some bait and getting a section of the Sea Chart filled in, he asked Krystal, “Tell me, small fry, have you ever been caught in one of those cyclones?” She shook her head, so he said, “The wind deity, Cyclos, uses those cyclones to fly across the sea, or so I’ve heard. Could be just a rumor.”
Tetra remarked, “Wouldn’t it be nice to have that kind of power? It would really cut down on all the sailing time. Of course, I doubt a deity would share his power so easily.”
The Fishman said, “Nope, no way! They say he hides in his cyclones, so you wouldn’t even be able to get close to him! You’d have to shoot him from a distance. Don’t you have a weapon that can pierce things from a distance? You know, fffwip? FFFWIP, I tell you! You get my point, fry?!” His gaze suddenly locked on Krystal’s Adventure Pouch, noticing something sticking out. “Hey, what’s that?” he asked, pointing one of his flippers at the pouch.
Krystal followed his pointing and pulled her bow out. “Oh, this?” she asked, holding it up so he could see it better.
The Fishman let out a chuckle and said, “Why, that’s a fine-looking bow you got there, small fry! Where’d you get that? Say, if you’re not in any kind of hurry, why don’t you stop and play with me a bit?” Krystal agreed and played his shooting game to help him work out some kinks with the arrows he provided her. She managed to hit him with all ten arrows and he, begrudgingly, gave her a Silver Rupee for her perfect performance, but she got more than just money out of it. She had noticed the sound her bow made when she used it and she realized what weapon the Fishman had been talking about.
Arriving at the Mother and Child Isles, they found the Mother Isle was surrounded by an unscalable cliff face. There was also a cyclone in the area, the wind in the area swirling around as the twister glided over the surface of the water. Krystal looked at Tetra, the pirate-turned-princess’ expression showing her uncertainty about this, before she faced forward again, taking a deep breath to steady herself. She clutched her bow tightly as she glided the boat closer to the cyclone, soon getting caught in the swirling winds that began to drag it closer.
As they got closer, a red frog-like creature rose up in the center of the cyclone, letting out a deep laugh as he hovered at the top of it. Krystal immediately noticed how similar he looked to Zephos and knew he was Cyclos. He made a threatening remark about sending them to the farthest reaches of the sea before he sat back, content to watch them get pulled in. Krystal raised her bow and readied an arrow, taking aim. Her aim was true, hitting the wind deity with three arrows before he lost his balance on his cloud, the cyclone dissipating as well.
He soon regained his balance, but instead of conjuring up another cyclone, he floated down, his form absolutely dwarfing them. “That’s a heck of an arm you’ve got there, girl!” he boomed. He shrunk, being much closer to them in size, and floated over to them. “I’ve appeared before, but no one’s ever been able to do anything to me until now! You obviously have mastery of the air. And now that we’ve established that you’re quite the Wind Waker, let’s see if you can handle this!”
He floated up and moved in a series of directions. Krystal recognized this and brought out the Wind Waker, switching to 4/4 time and copying them. In response, Cyclos let out a joyful shout before floating back down to them and saying, “In the hands of a Wind Waker like you, my adorable little cyclones will be as happy as can be! If you need to move like the wind over the ocean deeps, just use that tune to call on my cyclones! Guess I’ll head home for now! See you on down the road!” With that, he shot off into the distance with a laugh.
Tetra turned to Krystal and said, “Wow, nice going, Krystal! You actually got him to share his power with you!” She looked towards the Mother Isle, “Do you think…?”
Krystal nodded, “Let’s try it.” She conducted the song, known as the Ballad of Gales, and closed her eyes, focusing. Seconds later, a cyclone rose up out of the water and spun the boat around as it lifted it up into the air, dropping them in a small fountain on the inside of the island. There were a few fairies there and not much else, though both Krystal and Tetra sensed there was something special about this place.
Suddenly, they heard a humming sound coming from the center of the fountain followed by a myriad of sparkles rising up out of it. They both stared and Krystal tensed up while Tetra rose to her feet, both of them watching the sparkles as they rose up closer together. They suddenly spread out with a flourish and the figure of a young girl who looked like she was made of crystal appeared out of thin air. She was holding a Great Fairy doll in her right hand, and when she turned to look at them, her eyes looked like empty voids that were the same faint green color as her hair and dress.
She raised her left hand to her mouth after a few moments and giggled, her laugh sounding exactly like a little girl’s. “Greetings, children! Tee hee hee! It seems the door of fate has already swung open for you both, has it not?” Both Krystal and Tetra looked at each other before looking back at her. She introduced herself as the queen of the fairy world and said that, since she liked them, she was going to give Krystal new power. She brought her Great Fairy doll in front of her and brought her hands together around it, turning it into a pair of fairies, one giving off red sparkles and the other giving off blue sparkles. They both flew into her and she felt both warmth and cold afterwards, though the sensations settled shortly afterwards.
The fairy queen hovered back and forth like a swaying pendulum for a moment afterwards and explained, “Ice Arrows can freeze the hottest flames, and Fire Arrows can melt the coldest ice.” She gestured with her left hand, “The fairies in this fountain will ease your weariness. Use them as you need to.”
Krystal bowed and Tetra did the same after a moment. “Thank you for this gift,” Krystal said.
As they stood up, the fairy queen said, “Child… I must tell you… You really are pretty. Tee hee hee! I’d love to pet your fur!” Krystal couldn’t help but blush quite a bit at that, both Tetra and the King looking at her while she looked away, her cheeks bright red. The fairy queen’s body slumped forward, letting out one last giggle as she faded from view.
“What’s the matter, Krystal? You don’t get complete strangers saying they want to pet you very often?” Tetra smirked.
Krystal looked at her, her cheeks seeming even redder. “N-No! That’s… well, from her, it’s one thing, but it would be weird if anyone else did that!” She cleared her throat, trying to will some of the red out of her cheeks, and said, “Come on, let’s get out of here. We have to find a way into the temples.” The King nodded in agreement.
“All right. Let’s get going then, cutie,” Tetra remarked, leaning back in a relaxed manner. Krystal’s ears flattened against her head as she glared over at her, hoping she wasn’t going to keep doing this for very long. She used the Ballad of Gales to call upon another cyclone, the wind picking them up and taking them off the island, carrying them out to sea.
