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The day the Triforce symbol appears on Ravio’s hand is the worst day of his life.
It happens in the middle of the Okirakak market, in a big, dramatic flash of light better suited to a king or a queen than a plain old commoner like him. To suddenly be the subject of awed stares makes his heart sink when he realizes what it means.
Why me? He asks himself over and over as he scurries back to his potion shop to escape the frenzied clamoring. And why now?
The mark comes with a flurry of expectations that he’s not quite sure how to meet—how is he supposed to live up to the heroes of ages past who sealed away and killed ancient evils? To wield a legendary weapon and become a legend himself? He can’t even begin to imagine himself as anything, really. He’s just some random merchant from Okirakak Village. He knows his way around a bargain much better than he can ever hope to handle a bow and arrow, and he’s certainly not some kind of mythical savior.
If he’s anything at all, he’s a fraud through and through.
He thinks that maybe the goddess has made a mistake. She probably meant to give her spirit to his next-door neighbor or something.
But he’s whisked away to the castle anyway to meet Queen Tara and Princess Hilda, who looks very regal with her circlet and flowing black locks in perfect contrast to Ravio’s unkempt rat’s nest and grass-stained tunic. While she sits atop the smaller throne to her mother’s left, sunlight filtering through the throne room window, Ravio stands in shadow, shrinking away. It’s no place for him, with purple banners bearing the Lolian crest on the walls and gleaming silver ornaments covering every surface. The deep black drapery hanging behind the two thrones reminds him of mourning.
The princess greets him with an even, calculating gaze that makes Ravio feel about as small as an ant. He hasn’t even dared to look at Queen Tara yet, preferring to stare at his feet. Ravio drops to one knee as the queen gets up from her throne and approaches him, and clenches his teeth in preparation for judgement. A black sandal poking out from under a dress stops in front of him.
He’s pretty sure he has some idea of what Queen Tara and everyone else in the room is thinking: surely, this scrawny kid can’t really have the Hero’s Spirit? Is this some kind of practical joke?
“Show me your hand,” Queen Tara commands.
Reluctantly, Ravio pulls off his glove and holds up his right palm for her to see. He involuntarily flinches at the hushed whispers that erupt from the guards standing around him.
“Silence!” Queen Tara yells. She takes his hand and inspects it for a few minutes that seem to Ravio to last a few years. Finally, she lets go and returns to her throne.
Princess Hilda’s voice cuts through the silence. “Then it’s really…?”
“Yes, my dear. The boy truly does house Lolia’s spirit.” She turns her attention to Ravio. “You may rise, Hero. You are now a part of the Royal Guard. As a gesture of respect, I will have my daughter personally escort you to your new bedchambers, and your training will start in the morning.”
“Now hold on just a minute—”
“You are the Hero, and there is nothing any of us can do to change that. Now it is your duty to become stronger and fulfill whatever destiny awaits you. Understood?”
Ravio lowers his eyes. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Good. Now go and rest. You must be tired from the journey, and you have long days ahead of you.”
Princess Hilda descends the small staircase in front of the thrones and holds his arm in a vice grip as they leave the throne room, practically dragging him behind her as she leads him down a winding set of corridors. Finally, she stops at a bend and releases his arm.
“Ow,” is all the eloquence Ravio can come up with.
“Why are you here?” she asks him in a low voice.
“Because I was stuffed into a carriage as soon as you caught wind of the mark?”
A flicker of guilt crosses her face. “No, I mean…has Lolia spoken to you? Why has the mark appeared on your palm?”
He shrugs. “Your guess is as good as mine, Your Highness. I haven’t heard a whisper from Lolia.”
“I suspected that might be the case, but we must know what danger threatens Lorule. Come with me.”
Ravio does not like the sound of that.
He follows her down yet another series of corridors with all the fluidity of a puppet on broken strings. After a while longer, Princess Hilda pushes open a heavy wooden door and they walk out onto the stone bridge between the castle turrets. It’s painfully awkward, and Princess Hilda looks down at the stone while Ravio fiddles with his thin black scarf.
Finally, they stop in front of a massive marble door, polished to perfection and carved with the royal crest. Two pillars on each side of the door are covered in depictions of ancient legends telling the tales of the heroes of the past. Ravio spies perhaps the most famous Hero’s legacy, that of the Hero of Time who froze time and first sealed away Nonag, supposedly Lorule’s greatest enemy countless years ago. Among the carvings are numerous depictions of the legendary weapon, and artfully arranged on the walls are gorgeous paintings showing the creation of Lorule.
Ravio has a sneaking suspicion he knows what’s behind the door.
Princess Hilda motions him through and Ravio finds himself staring at the Triforce—yes, the Triforce—with wide eyes. It shines with a brilliant golden light that almost makes him want to look away, but it captivates him and fills him with warmth in a way that’s hard to describe. Almost like it’s beckoning him. Welcoming him home.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Princess Hilda says after a moment, turning towards Ravio. “But…” She frowns. “Why does it call for help? What need do we have of the Hero while Lorule prospers?”
“I…still don’t know, Your Highness.” Ravio feels very stupid and unhelpful as Princess Hilda’s dark pink eyes meet his. “I’m sorry.”
Shaking her head, Princess Hilda’s lips turn downward. “I had hoped the Triforce might speak with you, or the closest approximation to that it can get, but I suppose we must stay in the dark for now. I don’t expect you to have all the answers, but if Lolia speaks to you, please come tell me or my mother. If the heavens call for the Hero, I fear something dire may be on the horizon.”
Ravio feels a knot in the pit of his stomach as it hits him that he really is in way over his head.
***
He misses Lorule Castle Town and all its hustle and bustle as he picks his way slowly and miserably through the damned desert. He’s sweating so much it must look like he’s just gone swimming, and his feet sink into the sand with every step, making walking all this way so much more effort than it’s worth. He has to pull his scarf over his nose just to block the constant sand clouds in his face.
It’s very tiring and quite frankly, Ravio wanted to go home two days ago. But no. Nobody bothers asking him for his opinion when it comes to Hero business. Instead, the Seven Sages simply tell him to pack a bag and hike out to the far west of Lorule to find the Master Bow to “prove his worth as a hero.” Which is totally ridiculous, because what is that stupid mark on his hand for anyway? Decoration? Party tricks?
But as it turns out, trying to haggle with sages does not work so well as it does with customers at his shop.
The sun continues to beat down with no regard for poor Heroes forced to be out in the heat, and by the time the sun sinks below the horizon, Ravio has half a mind to turn around and tell the Sages he just couldn’t find the Master Bow despite his best efforts. But he knows he’s a terrible liar and Princess Hilda would see through him in about five seconds.
Ugh, fine, he thinks as he makes camp for the night. I want a free pass to do whatever I want for a month for this.
When he wakes up the next morning, he looks around in confusion at the unfamiliar landscape as he sits up. He’s certain that sand dune wasn’t there before. And the one over there has shifted to the left…? It’s like the sand has been moving continuously, just slowly enough for him not to notice when he’s looking.
Well, he supposes, it’s not called the Lost Desert for nothing.
It’s pretty annoying though.
On the fifth day, he catches sight of a stone tower in the distance. It’s hazy through the heat coming off the sand, making it a bit hard to see, but it’s huge and gray and imposing. A geometric pattern spiders down every bit of the walls, seemingly forming a picture too big to see, and a huge pink flower bud protrudes from the top.
So you have come at last, Hero, says a high pitched voice in his mind. It has been a long time.
Ravio absolutely, definitely, does not shriek.
We await Lolia’s return once more. Come.
Ravio takes a deep breath, squares his shoulders, and keeps going, his eyes on the ground the whole way. He doesn’t want to look at the Tower of the Goddess (because that must be what that is) now or ever. But eventually the tower gets closer and closer, and he’s forced to look for the entrance. It’s a doorless entryway framed with columns decorated with the Triforce symbol and two huge stone wings protruding from the exterior wall. Something in his chest stirs as he enters, sort of a nostalgia for days long gone.
To his surprise, his feet carry him on a path like he’s walked it a million times. In a way, Ravio thinks, he has walked it a million times, but it’s not something he likes to think about. There are piles of sand everywhere, but through it he can see a mosaic floor peeking through. He catches a depiction of a woman with wings and figures that it must tell the story of how Lolia became mortal. When he comes across a winding staircase, he slowly makes his way to the top. His mouth is dry, and he doesn’t think it’s the sand.
He comes out on a flat platform with pillars arranged in an asymmetrical pattern that Ravio finds kind of strange. There’s a thick layer of sand, almost like he’s walking on the ground again, with a small dune sitting in the middle of it.
As a huge creature erupts from behind the dune, the sand shifts beneath his feet, and he stumbles back. The creature’s body is long and green with spikes coming out of it in rows, and its head Ravio recognizes as what he had mistaken for a large flower bud. Opening its pink petals to reveal smaller orange petals inside, five eyes in a circular configuration blink open and stare at Ravio.
Please, do not be alarmed, young Hero. I am the Zaganaga, guardian of the Tower of the Goddess. You come for your weapon once again?
“Uh,” is all Ravio can force out for a moment. He clears his throat, but it probably sounds more like he’s choking. “Uh, I guess so. The Seven Sages sent me.”
The Zaganaga’s petals bob up and down, in what Ravio guesses is the equivalent of a nod. It has been a long time since Lolia was reunited with her holy weapon. But are you, her current vessel, truly prepared to wield the Master Bow? We shall find out. Step forward, young one, and lay claim to it if you can.
Ravio approaches the dune, his heart beating fast and his ears ringing. The sand falls away to reveal a beautiful glass dais that catches the light of the sun, tinted purple so that colored light paints the top of the tower. In the middle of the dais in a prison of glass is the Master Bow itself. The wood is sleek black and shaped like wings, a purple wrapping tight around the middle. The string is taut and ready for battle, and a cold feeling washes over Ravio despite the desert heat.
Up until now, this whole Hero thing has seemed rather like a fairy tale, something that happens to someone else while Ravio watches from the sidelines. Sure, he thinks as he looks down at the mark on his palm, he knows that he’s the Hero. Everyone reminds him of that fact all the time. But to actually try to wield the Master Bow is different. It means real responsibility and bowing to a fate he doesn’t want.
He’d like to go home to Okirakak and make potions and sleep in his terrible, uncomfortable bed. He’d like to walk down the streets and feed his neighbor’s cuccoos and catch bugs and lie in the swaying grass watching the leaves fall from the trees.
Maybe it’s selfish, but Ravio really hopes the Master Bow rejects him.
It does not.
***
Ravio doesn’t know whether to be impressed or horrified that he’s taken to the bow and to his magic so quickly. The Seven Sages nod their approval and compliment him on his rapidly developing skill with cold, detached expressions. Sometimes, he even catches Princess Hilda and Queen Tara overlooking his training from the window, their eyes expectant in a way that makes Ravio feel like he’s going to suffocate under the pressure. Knowing that something is coming, knowing that success or failure rests on his shoulders…it’s enough to keep him up at night.
Training becomes more serious the more time passes. Everyone is on edge, waiting for a sign that whatever he’s supposed to fend off is coming. Is Nonag back from the dead? Is Lorule about to be under attack?
Summoning and nocking arrows becomes second nature, and more and more targets find themselves with arrows nestled in the bullseye. Even when his hands are raw and shaking from training so long, he can’t seem to get away from the need to do more, to be more. Something is coming, and what use is he if he can’t be like all those past Heroes and jump in to save the day? What if he fails?
If living and training at the castle has taught him anything, it’s that the world might be hanging from a thread, and he’s holding the scissors. So many people are depending on him to deal with…whatever it is. He has magic, the legendary weapon, and the Triforce on his hand. And yet, it doesn’t change the fact that he’s still some random merchant from Okirakak.
Or maybe more accurately, he used to be. He hasn’t seen Okirakak in so long.
Can he even call himself a merchant anymore?
Knowing that his body houses Lolia’s soul, sometimes he’s left to wonder if he’s ever done anything himself in his whole life. Perhaps he takes to the bow so well because he’s done it all before in a past life, or perhaps he’s so adept at making potions and infusing them with magic because it’s something that Lolia knew how to do.
His spirit is not his own, but it doesn’t need to be, does it?
Your spirit and Lolia’s are one and the same, Queen Tara had told him once. And that means that you serve our people. You belong to our people.
He shakes his head to dispel the thought.
After a particularly intense round of magical training with the Sages, Ravio is on his way to the throne room to report today’s progress to Queen Tara when he hears yelling. The guards at the door eye him as he approaches, but don’t stop him when he pauses and listens to the commotion inside.
“The Triforce is for everyone, Tasei,” Queen Tara says, displeasure evident in her voice. Ravio recognizes the name as the chief of Noteah Village, the main food supplier to Lorule Castle Town and the castle itself. “The royal family is not ‘laying claim’ to it. I have never used my wish, and neither has any ruler before me. I assure you that we let it be. It’s only kept here for safety.”
“Safety? From whom? The Lorulean people?” Tasei bites back. She sounds angry but tired, and Ravio suspects that this isn’t the first time this argument has happened. “This is ridiculous. I do not ask for much, Your Majesty, but on this point, I must insist. However you view it, you are locking the people out of the goddesses’ gift. What kind of a queen—”
“Get out.” Ravio winces at Queen Tara’s tone even if it’s not directed at him. “Get out now. I will not be insulted while I sit on this throne, and I will not give in to unreasonable demands. I certainly would not have the power to stop the Silver Goddesses if they truly wanted the Triforce to be housed elsewhere.”
Ravio jumps out of the way as Tasei storms out of the throne room and down the hall, joined by one of the guards outside the door.
“Tasei is volatile, so all this can be smoothed over. I am sure all will be well in the end, Mother,” Princess Hilda says softly in the throne room. “This is what the royal family is for—to protect the Triforce from one generation to the next.”
***
There are rumors.
At first, Ravio doesn’t pay much attention; rumors are generally nothing more than an exaggerated tale of pointless and avoidable drama. Besides, Ravio is worried about a lot more than who the local innkeeper was caught sleeping with.
He’s in Lorule Castle Town on his day off of training, sitting in The Dragon’s Horn Tavern and missing The Milk Bar back home as he drums his fingers against the counter. The bards play a song he doesn’t recognize, though he’s not really listening through his musings.
A group of young Lolians take the table directly behind him, and at first they giggle and talk among themselves as people are wont to do in a tavern. But then they begin to whisper, and rather than the usual giggly rumor mill, they sound almost frantic. Ravio knows he probably shouldn’t eavesdrop, but his brow furrows as his interest is caught.
There is unrest. Talk of power, talk of taking the Triforce from Lorule Castle.
“They say that Tasei of Noteah wants to lead a militia to threaten Queen Tara herself,” one of the Lolians says. His eyes dart back and forth. “I’m not sure if it’s true, but apparently Tasei has been gaining allies to take her on.”
“No way. No one can take on the royal army, especially not with the Hero on their side.”
Ravio stiffens. He’s immensely thankful that he left the Master Bow at the castle to avoid being identified right away, but he pulls his glove down tighter anyway.
“Maybe, but look—there are a lot of people who stand to gain something from the Triforce. I’m not sure it would really be such a bad thing if it were housed outside Lorule Castle—it has the power to end poverty, hunger, you name it. I mean, Tasei has a point, right? Everyone should have access to it.”
“Hey, come on, you can’t talk like that in the middle of Lorule Castle Town! Is that really the way to do it? You’ve never been to Noteah Village, Lazu, but Tasei…well, she’s ambitious. I don’t know what she wants the Triforce for, but I’d be wary of her.”
They’re just rumors, Ravio tells himself. It’s nothing to worry about. But he still feels sick as he stares at the ale swirling around in his glass.
***
All of a sudden, they’re not just rumors anymore.
Tasei stands in the throne room once again, this time accompanied by several other village chiefs, including the one he knows personally: Nibo of Okirakak Village.
Ravio has a really bad feeling about this when Nibo refuses to meet his eyes.
“Your Majesty, we have all discussed the future of the Triforce and have come to this conclusion: the people of Lorule have a right to access it. Its power belongs to the people, not to you, as you would have it. It is selfish of the royal family to keep it under wraps here.” Tasei’s eyes are narrowed as she challenges the queen. “I protest not only on my behalf, but on the behalf of the village chiefs you see before you now. Together, we have decided, Your Majesty, and now the choice is up to you. If you do not give up full control of the Triforce, then we will cut off supplies to the castle and take it by force if necessary.”
To her credit, Queen Tara keeps her face neutral as her gaze sweeps over all the chiefs in the room. “You realize what you are saying?”
This time, Nibo steps forward and nods, a steely resolve worked into his expression that Ravio knows means he is ready to stand his ground. “With all due respect, Your Majesty,” he begins, “the Triforce is a gift meant for all, and Lorule Castle is accessible to few. I have always remained loyal to the throne, and I do not wish to cause strife, but this is big enough that I will do my part to bring about a better Lorule for all of us.”
“You would disobey the queen’s directive?” Princess Hilda asks from the smaller throne beside her mother’s, her lips set in a grim expression. “Are you asking for a war, Nibo?”
“If a war is what it takes.”
The throne room is an uproar after that, though it all seems far away to Ravio.
***
The castle is buzzing with activity as preparations are made. Ravio watches what feels like every soldier in Lorule Castle Town and beyond rush by carrying axes and spears and swords and bows and every manner of weapon. Ravio isn’t sure if Nibo really means what he says (there’s no way, right? He must have misread his expression), though he supposes that they need to be ready for anything.
It’s nothing, he keeps telling himself, almost like a mantra. Tasei and the others will stand down, and there will be some negotiations to bring back peace, and everything will be fine.
The Seven Sages bring Ravio’s magical training to the next stage even though they say he’s not actually ready yet.
Tasei’s alliance grows.
***
The first attack is on Elurin City, a port town in the far east with strong ties to Lorule Castle in various trade partnerships. It also happens to have a lot of people loyal to the crown.
The news comes in the form of a breathless messenger, a half-burnt scroll, and a bloody arrow.
Ravio’s not sure why the messenger has come here to the training room instead of the throne room, but the Seven Sages immediately drop the lesson and lay the messenger down against the stone wall.
“Tasei has taken Elurin City,” she croaks out. The arrow in her torso has left a rapidly growing red circle on her tunic, and her breathing sounds harsh and wheezy. “She left a message for Queen Tara. It’s…it’s a formal declaration of war from her alliance.”
Two Sages leave to fetch the queen, and Ravio watches the remaining Sages try to heal the messenger with their magic, firing off spell after spell. Ravio is told not to try himself since he’s not that advanced yet, and so he sits by and watches the first casualty of the war die in front of him.
It all happens so fast that Ravio can’t even think. All he can do is numbly stare at the lifeless body on the floor, his head spinning. Is this the great disaster? A civil war?
Queen Tara bursts into the room and takes the scroll with an order to give the messenger an honorable burial. Movement springs forth around her, and in an instant, the body is gone, with only a red stain on the white floor left behind. Her hands steady, the queen carefully reads the words, and when she looks up, her gaze settles on Ravio.
“This declaration has been signed by many village chiefs, including Nibo,” she states matter-of-factly, a hardness in her eyes. The unspoken question is there: Where does your loyalty lie?
Ravio is asked to make a choice.
***
Everything moves at breakneck speed after that.
Tasei moves fast, and they need soldiers.
The circles under Queen Tara’s eyes get darker, and so does her temperament. It’s not hard to see that everyone is at a loss of what to do except fight. Negotiations are out of the question now, and with each passing day, the butterflies in Ravio’s stomach grow more restless.
Being the Hero feels more and more like a prison closing in on him, with no key in sight.
He’s in the middle of his archery training trying not to think about what tomorrow’s target will be when Princess Hilda storms out of the castle and across the training grounds, demanding to speak with him at once. The Sages, though obviously dismayed, let him go, and as he walks next to Princess Hilda, he’s reminded of when he was first summoned to the castle. If it weren’t for the circumstances, it might even be serene, surrounded in the castle gardens by carnations and lilies and silent princes as they are.
This time, though, she won’t meet his eye.
“They say that Tasei intends to move inland and begin making her way towards Lorule Castle Town,” she says, only the slightest hint of a waver to her voice. “So far, the Sages have wanted to keep you back to focus on your training, but…people are beginning to wonder where you are, Hero.”
The formal title. Ravio starts breathing faster.
“My mother has given the order that you are to join the battle in a week’s time on the front lines.” She lowers her voice. “Officially, we have full confidence that you’ll turn the tides of the war. But I think that you should make sure that you take care of all of your affairs. Just in case. Tasei is ruthless.”
“Oh,” Ravio manages to squeak out. He had known that the order would come eventually, but he still feels like he’s been knocked off his feet. “In only a week? I don’t know, Princess. If I’m not around to steal sticky buns from the royal kitchens, then who will take my place?” He laughs weakly.
Princess Hilda doesn’t. Biting her lip, she stares at her feet. “I know that it’s a lot. But you do carry the Hero’s Spirit, after all, so I know that we have Lolia on our side. I am sure that she will protect you and heal your wounds, even in the heat of battle. I know that you will do us proud, Hero.”
She walks away before Ravio has a chance to respond. But what would he say, anyway? He’s no legendary soldier and everyone knows it. They just pretend that it isn’t the truth.
A week later, he leaves Lorule Castle Town on horseback with a lot of fanfare he’d rather do without. There are people lining the streets to see him off, and he can see that everyone’s spirits are up, knowing that he’s about to join the fight. Ravio can’t say that he feels the same way as he wipes his sweaty palms on his blue tunic and his shoulder aches from the weight of the full quiver on his back. He clutches the Master Bow tighter, his heart pounding in his chest as he leaves the town behind to face the unknown head on.
(Though he wishes he had a choice)
***
A lesson quickly learned on the battlefield is that there is no glorious death. The bards at the Dragon’s Horn are completely and utterly full of it with all their songs and tales of brave warriors and incredible victories.
The war rages on, and Ravio has yet to see a knight in shining armor.
If anything, he’s supposed to be the knight in shining armor, but he sure doesn’t feel like it as arrow after arrow flies from his bow with eerie accuracy, never missing the target. He’s the Hero—he’s supposed to bravely step forward and fight, to shoot without hesitation. But there’s always the horrible reality sitting in the back of his mind that he is aiming at a friend, a sibling, a parent. He might have killed someone he knows, but it’s too hard to tell with the bloody mess in front of him day after day.
He really, really wants to go home.
But even if he did, he always reminds himself, his hands have already been stained with blood. Would his friends in the marketplace look at him with fear, drive him out because of the bow he carries? Could he blame them, now that he’s seen the destruction that it brings—no, that he brings?
Nothing can ever go back to the way it was. That hope bled out along with the bodies on the ground.
Even when they walk away from the battlefield victorious, all his fellow soldiers do is eat in tense silence around the campfire. He hears whispers of family pitted against family, and a letter from home that comes from the other side of the war. As their numbers thin, so does their will to fight.
And yet, no one backs down.
Not even Ravio, who feels like he’s being pulled along on a string and there’s nothing he can do to stop it.
He’s the Hero. This is his duty.
Right?
***
The whole camp is an uproar when Queen Tara rides in on horseback, Princess Hilda not far behind on her own horse. They’re both dressed for battle, and Ravio can see the purple hilt of the Sword of Light sticking out from the ornate scabbard strapped to the queen’s back.
Does this mean…?
Queen Tara opens her mouth. “As you all know, my royal title comes with the responsibility to protect Lorule to the best of my ability. And right now, Lorule needs power more than it needs a queen. So, my daughter and I have decided to join you all on the front lines. Please remember that we are soldiers just like everyone else here. I hope that we can fight as equals and end this war together.”
A loud cheer resounds throughout the other soldiers, and Ravio watches as everyone goes about their business with more energy than he’s seen in some time. He feels like he should be getting that same warm feeling in his chest, that pride of fighting alongside the queen in a gambit to restore Lorule’s peace and honor. But all he can feel as his eyes are glued to the Sword of Light is an intense, searing dread that not even it can mend such a chasmic rift.
“It is an honor to battle with the Hero,” he distantly hears Queen Tara say.
“With the power of the Sword of Light and the Master Bow together, how could anyone stand against us?”
“I know that we will be victorious in the end. Lolia is on our side.”
Can’t anyone see that they shouldn’t be fighting at all? Doesn’t anyone notice that Ravio is a murderer more than a hero?
But he lowers his head and fights.
People are depending on him—on Lolia.
The war continues, and the sky burns with fire. The ground beneath his feet turns red.
***
“What will you do when the war is over, Hero?”
The question catches him off guard. Ravio looks over at Princess Hilda seated beside him at the campfire, absently nibbling on her ration. The firelight brings out the purple highlights in her hair, and the sharpness of her features. It’s a quiet night, save for the footsteps of the night watch.
“Why do you want to know, Your Highness?” he responds. “I don’t think it really matters to anyone so long as I’m here to fight now.”
Princess Hilda’s eyes bore into him with an expression he can’t quite put his finger on. “I’m only curious. I know all about your magic and your progress in handling a bow. I see you every day on the battlefield. But I don’t really know you, and neither does anyone else here. I only want to know a little more about the boy I fight alongside.”
Ravio laughs dryly. “There’s nothing to know.” Crackling softly, the fire is so unlike the raging fires of fire arrows. “I’m the Hero, and that’s all there is to it.”
“But I don’t even know your name,” Princess Hilda protests.
“It’s Lolia.”
“Your name, Hero.”
“Ravio.”
“Ravio,” Princess Hilda repeats, tilting her head to the side. “And what will you do after the war?”
“What will you do?”
“Go back to the castle and someday become queen. Except for the reparation arrangements with Tasei and her cohorts, I don’t expect much will change.” Gesturing towards him, Princess Hilda settles down further on the log. “Now tell me.”
To be honest, actually, Ravio has thought about it extensively. It’s a little embarrassing to voice is aloud, though. It seems a little silly in the face of everything he’s been through
“Well.” He hesitates. “Before all this happened, I had a little shop where I sold my homemade potions. I think I’d just like to go back to the way it was. Maybe I could make some renovations, and learn some new potions. I just want my own little corner of the world is all—I could plant some roses in front of the shop, or go to Lake Lolia and throw stones on the water. It would be nice.”
Princess Hilda hums in agreement and turns her eyes towards the fire. In the corner of his eye, Ravio sees a soldier cleaning blood off his sword. “That does sound nice. Would you mind too terribly if I visited you at your shop? I’ve only been to Okirakak Village once, you know, and I didn’t get to try the famous festival cakes.”
“Fortunately for you, Your Highness, I know the best baker in town. I’m sure I could persuade him to give me a discount.”
Princess Hilda chuckles before standing up and dusting off her purple tunic. “That sounds all right to me. Between you and me, Ravio, I think that it’s a good thing not to forget peace. This war is terrible, but brighter days will come.”
***
The spark of determination that had shone in Queen Tara’s eyes that first day has begun to die, and everyone can see it. Seeing her still fight furiously, Ravio knows that she won’t quit, but war is an ugly sight that poisons the soul. To use the Sword of Light, a sacred artifact, to spill the blood of her own people…Ravio thinks he understands a little bit what that’s like as his eyes shift to the Master Bow in his hand.
Princess Hilda carries a similar wariness about her as they return from a skirmish in the woods outside Witches’ Cavern.
“Do the goddesses still not offer you guidance?” Princess Hilda asks him as she splits off from her mother. “Surely, there is some other way to solve this if Lolia would speak. If the Triforce were to fall into evil hands, I shudder to think what would happen to Lorule, but what can we do to stop it? The fighting is endless.”
“The fighting does end, but only when we’re all dead,” Ravio responds. It’s blunter than it is really appropriate for a princess, but everyone is well beyond that. “Princess, if the goddesses were going to help us, they would have already. You and I both know that Tasei won’t stop, and we can’t go on like this. But there’s nothing else to do, so we will.”
Princess Hilda gives him a look that he can’t quite identify as she pats her horse. “What about your dreams for after the war?”
That seems a little unfair. Princess Hilda has seen the same things he has: villages burned to the ground, piles upon piles of innocent corpses, the tears of those left behind. It’s not exactly promising, is it?
Ravio brings his own horse to a halt. “Why should I be optimistic? I’m not a hero. I’m not a grand figure off in the distance valiantly fighting evil. Because you know what? This is evil. Is this what the oh so amazing Hero is supposed to do? Slaughter people until the job is done? I can’t even remember the faces of the people I’ve killed anymore. It’s madness, Princess, and I never wanted to be dragged into it.”
“…I know,” Princess Hilda mutters as she looks away. “But we must follow the destinies given to us by the goddesses.”
***
In the end, Queen Tara is just another casualty. As she is carried back to camp in a bloody shroud, the rain plasters Ravio’s hair to his forehead.
Princess Hilda takes the Sword of Light and declares that she will end this war.
The blade glows along with the mark on Ravio’s hand.
***
Nothing changes except the body count.
Well, there’s one other thing.
They’re losing ground. With seemingly the whole world at her disposal, Tasei has managed to gain the upper hand.
Inch by inch, they are pushed back towards Lorule Castle Town, and it’s only a matter of time until Tasei suffocates them.
***
“We’re at the end of our rope!” Queen Hilda Tara shouts from her seat at the table.
Ravio wishes it could be a relief to be sitting back in the castle instead of fighting out on the battlefield. It’s strange to be back after so many months of nothing but bloodshed, and once again be surrounded by propriety and stiff castle rules.
He doesn’t even care enough to break them anymore. All he does is sit and pick at the peeling paint at the edge of the large war table.
“I understand that, my queen, but do you know what you’re suggesting? The Triforce is—well, the Triforce is sacred! It contains the essence of the goddesses! We cannot simply destroy it!” Eria, one of the Seven Sages argues. Her one eye is narrowed.
Queen Hilda Tara folds her hands in front of her. “I understand your concern, not only for yourself but for the Ku, but what choice do we have? As we speak, Tasei continues to expand her territory and her alliance against us. But if there is no Triforce, then there is no war. She will be forced to stand down, and we can once again know peace.”
“How would we even do such a thing?” another Sage pipes up. “While I have my reservations about this plan, though I mean no disrespect, Your Majesty, I understand the logic. But no one has ever attempted this before.”
More shouting blasts his ears out as all seven Sages angrily voice their support or opposition.
To destroy the Triforce is unthinkable. It’s probably not even possible. And definitely not a good idea.
At the same time, he too is desperate to end this war. He wants to make tonics and settle down in his shop again.
He’s so tired.
***
No one says a word as they make their way down the stone bridge.
Even a whisper is enough to unravel the whole plan. If they don’t voice it out loud, then maybe they can convince themselves that what they’re doing isn’t so bad.
Personally, Ravio is sick of trying to reason with himself.
That elaborate door comes into view, and Ravio’s head begins to buzz. This time, as he looks upon the carved face of the Hero of Time, he only feels pity.
He, the queen, and the Seven Sages all step into the room with grim expressions.
Tasei has taken Nodro Village just south of the castle, and everyone knows that it’s only a matter of weeks? Days? Until she makes it to Lorule Castle Town and finally, Lorule Castle itself.
The Seven Sages gather around the Triforce, still shining with its golden light that casts shadows all around the chamber. Unlike the first time Ravio was here, the room looks too harsh, like the light is threatening to spill out and blind the whole world. The air is heavy with anticipation.
One by one, the Sages’ staffs and palms and wands light up with a white glow that brightens the room even more, darkening the shadows.
“Do it,” Queen Hilda Tara orders.
Ravio shields his eyes with a hand as the light becomes too bright to look at and engulfs the entire room. A deafening melodic ringing resounds through the room, like the music of a crystal wine glass, and with it comes a searing pain, like someone is scraping at his skin with a knife.
He ignores it, and it fades as the light does.
The Triforce still floats in the middle of the room, but its glow is dimmer. If Ravio had never seen it before, he would think that it had taken the hit easily.
“It’s not enough. I told you that this was impossible,” Eria says as she lowers her hand. “How can we destroy something made by the goddesses?”
A red-haired Sage looks over at Ravio and furrows his brow, pulling his staff closer to him. “One needs diamond to break diamond, yes? Perhaps only a goddess can destroy it.”
All eyes turn towards Ravio, and words tumble out of his mouth.
“I’m not Lolia,” he stutters. “Maybe I have her magic, and maybe I’m her vessel or whatever, but I’m not Lolia. What makes you think I can do this?”
What he doesn’t say is that sometimes, after the sun sinks below the horizon and no one is watching him anymore, he sheds tears for people and places that haven’t existed in thousands of years. That he can feel her below the surface, lending him her power.
In a way, he is Lolia.
He pushes her down.
“We can try it.” Queen Hilda Tara walks across the room, her cape billowing behind her and her crown reflecting the glow. To Ravio’s surprise, she bows her head and closes her eyes. “Please, Hero. It is the only way to end this—you have seen the horrors that this war has brought upon this kingdom. The Triforce chose you, but it is time to rise above it. This is your final duty as Hero of Lorule: use Lolia’s power to end this once and for all.”
The final demand.
A way out of this.
Goddesses, how long has he waited to hear someone say that?
He doesn’t know if this is the right thing or not, but maybe it’s the only thing he can do. It’s his duty. He’s the Hero.
Ravio summons an arrow as he readies his bow. The Sages use their power alongside him.
The Triforce begs him not to do it, screams into his mind in three voices.
He shoots.
***
“What have I done?” Queen Hilda Tara often says now, her voice wavering. “What have I unleashed onto Lorule?”
The world is broken. Tremors shake the earth as if in a fit of rage as earthquakes tear the ground apart, as cracks spiral out from underneath the spot where the Triforce used to be, leaving a dark slate behind. The chasm growing wider every day devours the northern end of Lorule Castle town along with one wing of the castle.
Twisted and thirsty for blood, it seems like the stream of monsters crawling up from out of the chasms never stops. Hordes and hordes of them, overrunning Lorule and killing countless more people.
In a way, Ravio supposes bitterly, they’ve gotten their wish; someone else is fighting Tasei’s army for them, but Queen Hilda Tara’s army too is fighting forces beyond their ability to control. All of a sudden, they have a completely different fight on their hands, and once again, everyone looks to Ravio to win it for them.
He can’t face them. He’s the one who’s brought about the end of the world, and now they want him to save it? He still has his magic, but the Master Bow has lost its own power, and so has the Sword of Light. Even the Lost Desert itself is shrinking without its magic; he's heard news of the flooding. They’re well and truly on their own now. The Triforce on his hand has faded and disappeared, and there’s no one left to save them.
Their resources quickly dwindle as well. The Seven Sages flee and disappear completely, and the farming villages are quickly infested with monsters that leave no survivors. No one is safe, not even the people living in the barely contained Lorule Castle Town—they turn against Queen Hilda Tara in droves as news of the Triforce’s destruction reaches the masses. The fighting in the streets has gotten out of control as factions in fierce opposition form.
Despite it all, Ravio tries so hard to hold Lorule Castle Town. The monsters keep coming and never stop, never tire, never stop fighting until they have an arrow through their heart. In the sky, dark clouds swirl constantly, threatening vicious storms, with the sound of thunder booming over the sprawling streets of town.
The Royal Guard fights by his side, but no one gives him looks of awe anymore.
There will be no songs, no poems, no scrolls about Ravio’s legacy.
They’ve done a terrible thing.
***
Even with a thousand monsters standing in their way, Tasei’s still army comes to Lorule Castle Town. Her eyes burn with vengeance, and her hair is tangled and matted with blood. Whose blood it is, Ravio couldn’t say.
“Hilda!” she screams through the closed portcullis, her army standing silently and threateningly behind her. Any regard she might have once held for the royal family is gone. “Come and face me, coward! Face your punishment for what you’ve done!”
One guard rushes off to fetch Queen Hilda Tara as Ravio approaches the gate to gauge the size of the army and how well supplied they are. He can already tell that it’s only a matter of time until she breaks through the gate.
“Hero,” Tasei calls, her voice sharp as a knife. “Why do you continue to serve the traitor queen? What’s done cannot be undone, but justice can be carried out.”
How many units? How many horses? Do they have magical weapons?
How many of their loved ones has he killed?
He was supposed to be free.
Tasei grabs the portcullis and rattles it. “Answer me, Hero! Our kingdom is falling apart in front of our eyes, and what does your precious queen have to say for herself? Oh, that’s right! She doesn’t say anything at all, staying holed up in her castle among her luxuries while the rest of us die!”
“Queen Hilda Tara didn’t destroy the Triforce,” Ravio responds wearily. His fingers are blistered and his scars keep growing in number. “I did.”
Taking a step back, Tasei almost stumbles into the soldier behind her. “What?”
“I’ve been a killing machine this whole time. Didn’t you notice?”
***
Lorule Castle Town burns and the sky glows an angry red. Soot and ash are thrown high into the air, cloaking the town in an ominous fog. From where Ravio stands at the window, he can see homes and livelihoods disappear in the blink of an eye. The portcullis is open and the surrounding wall has been torn down at the sides.
Ravio is losing his home again, losing his whole world to the appetite of war, and yet all he feels is numb. He’s just one more weapon, so he picks himself up and carries on like he always does. Even without the mark of the Triforce, he is forever and always branded with the name “Hero.”
“This was never supposed to happen,” Queen Hilda Tara says as she appears in the doorway and strides over to stand next to him. Shaking her head sadly, she turns away from the window. “What am I to do?”
“There’s only one thing left to do at this point, Your Majesty.”
“Steal sticky buns from the kitchens?” she suggests, with the ghost of a smile on her face.
Ravio doesn’t laugh.
“All right.” She sighs heavily. “It seems we are both bound by the chains of duty. Are you ready to go?”
As they descend the staircase and exit the castle, Queen Hilda Tara draws the Sword of Light beside him, which lacks its usual sheen. “Hero,” she says, her tone resolute and her feet ready to spring into action. They lock eyes. “You know what to do.”
Ravio nods and plucks the Master Bow from his back. Even without its sacred power, it’s a fine bow that slips into his hands like it’s an extension of his body. Together with the queen, he races headfirst into Hell.
The streets of Lorule Castle Town are nothing short of a war on all fronts. Moblins and wizzrobes howl and screech all over, flooding the air with noise and killing indiscriminately while Tasei’s army marches towards the castle. Bathed in sticky red, Ravio’s hands do what they do best and let arrows fly. Whether through the hearts of men or monsters, it doesn’t matter anymore. He doesn’t matter anymore. He is nothing without the Triforce on his hand, yet its grip still suffocates him.
He fights. He fights forever, because he has no breaking point.
His brain feels like putty.
You must protect her.
It is your destiny.
Tasei rushes past him, her thirst for blood insatiable.
So one foot after the other, he makes his way towards the castle. He passes the rubble of the Dragon Horn’s Tavern, smashed cups and tables barely visible among the wreckage. He passes a baker’s cart on fire, the sign warped almost beyond recognition and a dead body on the ground under it. He passes what once was the best potion shop in Lorule Castle Town, its brickwork smashed and blood spattered on the window.
Everything he’s done is all for nothing.
You must protect her.
Fulfill the cycle.
The leftmost turret of the castle is on fire by the time he arrives, but much of the castle looks relatively intact. On the stone bridge leading to the main entrance, the lanternlight illuminates the impressive array of soldiers fighting to protect the last stronghold: Lorule Castle. The Royal Guard is losing ground, and anyone can see that Tasei’s army is going to break through and swarm the castle any second.
He drops his bow as he sprints towards the bridge, his eyes glowing gold and his right hand peeling and cracking under the raw magic coating it. Without thinking, without breathing, he throws waves of power at Tasei’s army, his soul burning in his chest. All he can think is that he must protect her.
As he pushes his way through the din, he finally spots Queen Hilda Tara locked in battle with Tasei. They circle each other like predators, both blades poised to strike at the slightest opening. Making the first move, Tasei lunges forward, and Queen Hilda Tara dodges and smashes Tasei’s head into the bridge railing.
Ravio runs forward, his teeth bared as he strikes Tasei on the side of the head, the magic burning her hair and her skin. Queen Hilda Tara steps back in surprise, her gaze lingering on Ravio with a tinge of fear he’s never seen from her before. Tasei scrambles back to her feet, only for Ravio to beat her down again and again. Behind him, Queen Hilda Tara cuts down masses of soldiers with the Sword of Light. One by one, Tasei’s army picks off the Royal Guard until it’s only Ravio and the queen left alive on the bridge. Tasei is slumped on the ground with no strength left to fight as her army surrounds them.
“I hope you’re happy with the Lorule you’ve given us,” Tasei snarls, panting. The golden glow from his hand reflects off her face, and she spits on the ground beside her. “Go to Hell right along with your precious queen.”
Ravio grabs her throat with his destroyed golden hand. There is a crack, and Tasei is no more.
“Hero!” Queen Hilda Tara shouts behind him.
He whips around, and the world seems to slow down as one of Tasei’s elite swings her sword towards Queen Hilda Tara, who is completely trapped between a horde of soldiers. The Sword of Light is knocked out of her grip and sent spiraling across the bridge at the same time Ravio surges forward.
You must protect her.
It is our last hope.
Your last calling.
The sword in his back feels like the fires that burn around him, tearing through his muscles and his organs. The breath is knocked out of him, and he gasps as he slams onto the stone beneath him. As he tries to get up, his limbs fail him, and he spends the last of his strength sending out another magic pulse that sweeps Tasei’s soldiers off the bridge, leaving them alone for the moment.
Queen Hilda Tara’s face appears above his. “Ravio…?”
“Been a while since I heard that name. Didn’t know you’d remembered it.” His blood feels like molasses, moving sluggishly through his veins.
Queen Hilda Tara’s hands touch him for only a moment, before pulling away. It’s too late and they both know it. Instead, she kneels on the bridge beside him, the regal mask beginning to drop.
“I’m sorry I got you into this mess. I never wanted this,” she says softly, and somehow, Ravio hears her over the distant noise. She bites her lip. “What will we do without you?”
“There will be others.” Ravio’s eyes slide closed. “Lolia’s spirit will pass on to someone else.”
The darkness is alluring.
“But there won’t be someone else like you. You and I haven’t gotten to know each other so much, but you know…I really did want to try those festival cakes.” Queen Hilda Tara clasps his hand. “I wanted you to achieve your dream. You deserved it most of all.”
Ravio laughs, and it sends a burst of agony through his lungs, turning into a cough. “I admit, I really wanted my happily ever after.”
“You’re only human,” Queen Hilda Tara says, but her voice is far away, drowned out by the ringing in his ears.
Am I really?
“Ravio…”
It’s too late.
He tries to imagine a little rose garden blooming under the morning sun in Okirakak Village until the pain goes away.