The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule's Hope

Chapter 40: Rhiannon's Lullaby, Part 3

"We come here seeking your help," Link said. "W-Who are you?" Father Rayne asked, "How did you find me?"

"We mean no harm," Link answered, "we are friends of Kass, the Rito bard."

"We have questions and we require answers," Rhiannon added, "can we please come in?"

"Come in quickly," he said, opening the door all the way. Once everyone was inside, he slammed the door closed, then locked it with about seven or eight different locks. "Now," he said, "how can I be of–?!"

He then gasped once he had a better view of who was in front of him. "Ch-Champion Link?!" he exclaimed, "Princess Rhiannon?! Y-You're both a-alive?!"

"I'm starting to hate that question," Rhiannon whispered. Link shushed them softly. Father Rayne then fell to his knees. "Thank the gods!" he exclaimed, "The hope of Hyrule is here to save us!"

Rhiannon looked up to Link, who looked back down at his child. "Listen, we have no time to waste," Dori said, "answer us right here, right now: who is Ratna?"

"Who?" Father Rayne asked. "Prince," added Rhiannon, "who is Prince?"

"P-Prince?!" Father Rayne stuttered. "She goes by Ratna nowadays," said Tulin, "we need to know about her. Nobody at New Illumeni could tell us about her."

"Prince is a monster..." Father Rayne answered faintly, "she is the true incarnation of evil."

"Well, she's now 10 times as evil," Dori said, "she works for Calamity Ganon."

"My gods..." Father Rayne said breathily, "she has become his Prophet of Doom..."

"Prophet of Doom?" Link thought, "Where have I heard that before?"

"You do not understand what you're going up against," Father Rayne raised his voice, "Prince, or Ratna, is extremely dangerous and extremely powerful. She is a manipulator, she can read your mind. She knows your weaknesses, she knows how to mess with your thoughts. There is no way to outsmart her, she will always be one step ahead. That is how she took me down..."

"She took you down?" The group gasped in unison. "Many years ago," he responded, "she came into my home crying, accusing her neighbor of taking advantage of her. I did not believe her at first, but I did not expect her to get so mad. She manipulated me into taking her side, and thus, she made me dye my hands with the blood of an innocent man... I will never forget her evil smirk... The way she looked down at me..."

The evil smirk of a young Ratna flashed across his memory. He could hear her laughter in the back of his head. "Not even Goddess Hylia can help you now..." her voice laughed, "...You're going straight to Hell!"

"W-W-Whoa, backtrack for a bit!" Dori exclaimed, "You're telling us she made you kill someone?"

"I slaughtered a man like an animal," Father Rayne said, "I did not know that Ratna was manipulating me then... It took me years to realize..."

"Years?!" the group asked in unison. "So... that wasn't recent?" Rhiannon asked horrified. "If I am not mistaken, she was 16 at the time," Father Rayne answered. "That means she's younger than us..." Daron said, "that also means..."

"She's 25 years old..." Tulin said, "she's as old as the second Calamity..."

"Ratna knows how to read people," Father Rayne continued, "I strongly advise you to be careful when you face her. She could turn you against each other if she wanted."

"Is there any way to take her down?" Link asked, "There has to be, right?"

"I am afraid I cannot answer that question," Father Rayne sighed, "as I said before, Ratna is always one step ahead. She knows your next move."