Royal Rebel 4 ~ The Return

Chapter 26: The Sword's Hero

"It's... It's me?" I stepped forward, isolating myself from the group. But that gave enough time for Koshia to choose to completely separate us. The ground rumbled as a force field made it so I couldn't go back, and I stayed still so nothing could happen to me, but my ears perked up when I heard something hit the ground next to me, so I leaned to feel for what it was.

"Azu!" I heard Idalia call out as I lifted the Sheikah Slate up, confused about what was happening, and one more powerful shake was sent through the floor but then it came to a stop. It was only silent as I slowly turned around, trying to get a feel for any surroundings I had. But I got nervous.

"Ida?" I called as I took a few steps back, but suddenly I felt a hand grasp mine. But it didn't feel normal. It felt like... a mere presence of a hand. "Idalia!" I hooked the slate to my hip, now scared as I looked around.

"Stay calm, young one. This trial should be a breeze for a master of the dark, such as yourself."

"Monk Maz Koshia, I'm honored you chose me, but why couldn't you have picked someone like Ellet? Or King Link?"

"Because, Azu, you're the only one in Hyrule who I knew could complete this challenge with no problems. Though you may not be able to tell, this entire trial is in the dark."

"But for the other warriors, couldn't you just make it light? I'm sure anyone could complete it in the light, just as well."

"Oh, but this trial is designed to be dark. It is testing your instincts and intuition, young Master Azu."

"My instincts?" I quired, but just after I said that, I felt something under my feet. The slightest rumble, and I could hear something coming. Just as soon as I did, I ducked backwards, making myself as flat as possible without hitting the ground completely, feeling something blow over me before landing with a large thud on the ground. I pushed myself back up and gasped. "Azu's instincts."

"You may lack your ability to see, but you have incredible hearing and are very sensitive to feeling. Even Master Link does not share your enhanced senses."

"Alright. I'll go through the trial." I agreed, and I suddenly felt the presence of a hand removed from mine.

"And I'm sure you'll do wonderfully."

Everything was suddenly quiet, so I decided to try and go forward. I could hear pattering of feet running around ahead, so I was quick to get to the source of the sound, but also very catious.

As I got closer, I heard little growls and some weird monster sounds. I familiarized them with what I've been told were Lizalfoes. So I quickly pulled out my sword and got close enough until I heard one make their warning call to the others. How many there were, I was about to find out.

"YAH!" I threw a bomb in their direction and set it off, but despite my attack, I could feel the tiny pounds in the ground as one ran towards me. I leaped once I assumed it was close enough, and I slashed my sword down as I fell, defeating the first one. Then I felt more footsteps.

I did a spin attack, feeling my sword hit two away from me, and I jumped and fell, slamming my sword to the ground as I did so- causing a shock wave to knock back any others that came into it's range. I whacked one that I felt got close, and then I grabbed my ancient shield and parried the attack of another before stabbing it.

I felt something hit my foot, and based on the sound of hissing, I could only guess it was a bomb barrel. I quickly leaped up high and away from it, allowing it to explode beneath me and defeat more of them before I fell back down. One of the lizalfoes threw another hissing barrel at me, so once I felt it against my feet, I pushed off of it, giving me more momentum and giving a more impactful blow to the monsters when it hit them.