LoZ: Bermuda Triangle ch. 40

Little did Cleo and Kaepora know they were being carefully watched by two people driving a boat, who were previously wondering how to get past the barrier. They saw it happen with their own eyes, through the binoculars. "Are you ready?" the taller one asked the shorter. The latter nodded as he prepared his slim blade. "It's show time."

Cleo rode Kaepora on toward the island, they soared over the Faron Woods, expecting to be attacked any moment by bokoblin archers. They could clearly see them down in the trees, by the light of the moon, but they were not firing their arrows. They continued their flight to the center undisturbed until they landed at the main entrance of the Diamond Palace. "I don't get it, Kae. Why didn't they--"

"I suspect Ghirahim told them not to hurt you, which means he's going to let us in." Sure enough, the large doors slowly creaked open. "He must have a trap planned, we'll have to tread carefully." Cleo nodded and walked in without fear as the doors closed up behind them. For Ghirahim to openly invite them into his lair... He must be pretty confident that whatever trap he'd prepared would work flawlessly. But she couldn't worry about that now, not until she reached the end.

The whole place was multi-themed, a dungeon that had everything it could throw at Cleo, enemies, traps, puzzles, and various environments from previous dungeons. It required all the items, equipment, and skills she had to get through with careful timing and precision. It was the most difficult she had ever been through with near misses and close calls. The door that would lead to Ghirahim needed four pieces of the big key, but this time, it was in the shape of a star-like diamond that she needed to insert. After the long struggle through the palace, Cleo had what she needed to advance to the final room.

As she entered, she gasped out in surprise, it was like she had stepped back in time, back to the very beginning of her adventure. It looked exactly like the same room Ghirahim had stayed in at the hotel in Miami. It was the penthouse apartment with his signature design of the interior. There was the same table placed where she had once sat with him, and a large round mirror chandelier hanging overhead.

"Mind boggling, this room, isn't it?" Cleo spun on the spot to see Ghirahim standing in that same shadowy corner as last time. "Like ashes to ashes, dust to dust, everything we went through, as we fought, clawed, sweat, and bled... would end in the same way as it began... With. This. Conflict... between good and evil... right?" As he talked, he strolled to the table just as he did on that first day.

"It would seem so," Cleo calmly replied.

"Yes... but I have been deep in thought... about this..." Indeed, Ghirahim sincerely looked it as he sat down. "It may not have to... end like this. Not... really..."

"What are you implying?" Cleo too sat down.

"That we don't have to fight. Why must we? It doesn't have to be this way. 'Why must we be enemies' I asked myself, 'Why can't we be friends?' You and I, our fate could end differently, you know." He sighed and gently stroked his hair. "In all honesty, I'd rather not fight you... not when there is a possibility of a trustworthy partnership between us." He leaned forward, looking Cleo in the eye. "I am making you an offer, and it is going to be a once in a lifetime offer, mind you. Just join my side, Cleo. If you would accept my hand of friendship, I would be more than jubilant to give you whatever you wish, whatever your heart desires... And... against all odds and impossibility, I would find the power to undo the wrong I did the day I tried to kill you the first time... and bring your dear old mother back to life. Not only that, but when we win, you could live like a queen and rule over the new world we will create together. What do you say..."

"This is a tempting offer, at least to a less determined person," she remarked. "You don't get it, do you. Friendship can't be gained through bribery, ever. Even if you do have the power to bring my mom back, I would never join you... I know she wouldn't want this... You wouldn't understand, because you never had a friend and you're a fool for thinking I would fall for your ruse." She stood up. "But... I will forgive you for what you have done."

An angry growl rumbled in his throat as he also stood up, eyes narrowed. "Do you honestly think I want your forgiveness. It is you who are the fool!" He inhaled deeply to keep his calm. "Oh Cleo, when will you learn. It would seem, the loss of one of your kin is not enough to abolish your heroism as I originally thought. But no... Once again, you shall have butterflies something terrible."

"What are you--"

"I took a beloved family member from you before and I can do it again." He snapped his fingers. The chandelier was vanishing away, revealing something moving inside. There was someone up there, bound and gagged, suspended from the ceiling.

She recognized him instantly. "Finn?!" He was struggling to get free, trying to shout something to his sister but his words were muted. Then the floor opened up and a gaping dark hole appeared below him, the table and a couple of chairs fell into the pit. Finn started panicking when he looked down, at the bottom were sharp spikes. "Let him go, please!"

"Well, if you insist." Ghirahim snapped his fingers again and Finn started to drop.

"NO!" He immediately stopped falling. "Ghirahim, this is seriously getting old! Attacking innocent bystanders is no way to win, so you leave my brother out of this!"

"I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request... It means 'no'."

"I know what it means!"

"Then you know that unless you surrender, your big brother will meet whatever god you hold sooner than expected."

Cleo reached for the Master Sword but hesitated, not sure what to do. "Don't!" Kaepora warned. "I know you do not want to lose him... it's not worth it." Her hand fell.

---

In no time at all, Cleo, Finn, and Kaepora were dragged into the dungeon and shackled to the wall (Kae was hanging upside down by his talons). Finn's knee bumped against a heavy cardboard box. "Ow! Watch it!" The bokoblins ignored him and left the cell.

Ghirahim stood before them, holding Cleo's backpack. "I shall do away with you, your brother, and your pet after the morning's ceremony. Too bad you'll be missing it, it's going to be beautiful. And to make sure you can't escape, I'll be taking this." He took out the fox mask. "The Keaton spirit, such elusive creatures. Too bad he won't be helping you this time."

The mask began to glow, but the demon lord took one swipe with his blade and cut it cleanly in half. "Akairo!" The two halves fell onto the floor. The aura Cleo felt from the mask had disappeared... which meant that Akairo was dead. "Akairo..."

"You God damned spawn of Smithy!" Finn bellowed at him. Ghirahim let out a wicked laugh before vanishing. "Cleo, I'm so sorry! It's my fault we're in this mess... I should never have listened to that... that..."

"It's all right... I know you didn't mean this to happen." She sounded very bereft at the loss of one of her friends.

"Some birthday I had... Is it true, what I heard? Was mom's death really his doing?"

"Yes... but he was trying to kill me... because I was part of an ancient prophecy... I have been trying like really hard to fulfill it... and I blew it."

"And now Zelda's going to be possessed by this Death Eye thing." Cleo looked at him. "Ghirahim was boasting about it after he tricked me into thinking he had you held prisoner."

"Well, now we're both prisoners. And I have no idea how to get us out of here."

"Don't you worry sweetheart, I'm here now."

"What?" Cleo looked at Finn but knew it wasn't him who spoke. Finn turned and looked toward the source of that unexpected voice. It was coming from the cardboard box. The box lifted up and the two siblings' jaws dropped in utter surprise.

"Dad?!?" they both exclaimed at once.

Indeed, it was David Hayster in the cell with them. Right behind him was Joseph, holding a real katana. "Man, it was cramped in there!" he grumbled.

"Joseph, you're here too?" Cleo asked. David went over to his kids and got a lockpick ready. "How'd you two get in here?"

"Well we had to wait until you removed the shield before following you in."

"Since when can you pick a lock? Isn't that a skill for a thief?" Finn found it unusual for a police officer to possess this kind of trick.

"If something's good, it's good. Denying something's obvious worth out of disregard is foolish." David succeeded in freeing Cleo, then worked on Finn and Kaepora.

"Um, dad..."

"I know you owe me an apology Cleo, but it can wait. You have a mission to accomplish, so you need to finish what you started. But after this is all over, you and I are going have a serious talk. Okay, young lady?"

Cleo smiled. "Of course," she nodded. "I actually can't wait to tell you everything finally."

Her dad smiled back. "With your permission, I would like to assist you."

"We need to hurry, Zelda is still with Ghirahim and it's almost dawn," warned Kaepora.

"The owl's right, if we don't stop that ritual, we're screwed!" said Joseph.

Cleo retrieved her backpack and, despite the hopelessness, picked up the pieces of the mask. David armed his son with a gun. Then they all left the dungeon and hurried to get to the top of the palace (which was where she knew Ghirahim and his captive would be). On the way, they ran into a group of bokoblins. Before she could react, Finn began shooting at them and they started running for their lives. He gave chase, running ahead.

"Wow, your brother's got as much courage as you do," Joseph admitted.

"It won't do any good if he gets killed!" she responded in worry.

The bokoblins ran full pelt down a hallway followed by Finn giving out a war cry. He turned a corner and screamed even louder. He'd just ran into a whole army of them which fired arrows at him. He ducked behind a wall and fired back, trying to thin their numbers. David joined him. Once they killed enough of the horde, Cleo and Joseph rushed in to finish the rest. They cleared their way through until they finally reached the rooftop.

And there, they could see Ghirahim already performing the ritual with the chained Princess of Hyrule.