The Master Quest - Darkness Incarnate, Part 3

<WindStrike>	*LAST TIME ON ZURPG - Darkness Incarnate*
<WindStrike>	*After receiving the Lens of Truth, Corsava, you trekked the Gerudo Desert with Bloodwind, in a most excellent adventure! You learned how the Lens of Truth worked, got through a perception puzzle, met a shady Poe not named Shady, some nuclear shenanigans happened, and you somehow bullcrapped your way into hugging Bloodwind after he saved you with the full power of Majora's Mask. Cough cough.
<WindStrike>	*And, of course, you got to see a personal window into his psyche, via his untrusty companion, Darth Sithe, or Grima Wormtongue, whichever nickname you prefer. You think the two of them are starting to get along better. Maybe even you'll make friends with him!
<WindStrike>	*After hours of trekking (read: mostly sleeping), you finally arrived at the Spirit Temple, where you were met with the spirits of many Gerudo from generations past. Ahead, your loyalties will be tested, as Bloodwind's plans start to come to fruition...
<DM>	say ready when ready
<Corsava>	ready
<DM>	-=SESSION START=-
<DM>	*The loading screen unveils itself and the curtains are drawn to the side, finally revealing the interior of the Spirit Temple to you...
<DM>	*Another loading screen! Err...
<Corsava>	Good...game?
<DM>	*Two sets of snake pillars uphold a great cave chamber with aged sandstone. Torches light your way, guiding your way up a short flight of stairs.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Huh, that's odd, could've sworn this place was supposed to be more crowded and packed in...
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Maybe all those spirits you saw have been doing renovations.
<Corsava>	[looks around] Yeah...maybe.
<DM>	*You see a pair of Gerudo spirits at the top of the stairway. They see you, then lightly bow in your direction.
<DM>	*Specifically at you, not at Bloodwind.
<Corsava>	You really don't see them, huh?
*	DM looks up and around a few times.
<DM>	gjnulotreajlogreiojag
<DM>	*Bloodwind looks up and around a few times.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Well, I've always had this nagging suspicion that someone's always watching me from beyond the fourth wall, but otherwise, no.
<DM>	[Sithe]: Maybe it's because you ignore me all day.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: I'm sorry, did you hear something? Sounded like some bug is trying to get into my ear.
<Corsava>	It was your uh...spirit interlopey thing
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: ...
*	Corsava smirks playfully
<DM>	*Bloodwind kindly ascends the stairs, phasing straight through the Gerudo at the top of the stairway. The spirits give him an irritated glance.
*	Corsava says to one of the spirits "If only I can see you, can I hear you too?"
<DM>	*You see them try to speak to you, but all you hear is silence. She lets out an exasperated sigh.
*	Corsava shrugs apologetically
<DM>	*The other one slowly mouths "Sav'aaq" towards you though. You're able to recognize this.
<DM>	*Anywho, you reach the top of the stairway, and you're met with a gold-trimmed crimson carpet the spans from here to the far end of the room. To your east side, there's some short stairways to an upper plaza, where you can see a multitude of Gerudo spirits praying to shrines of previous Spirit Sages.
*	Corsava looks around at them, keeping quiet to be respectful.
<DM>	*Some of them look over and visually greet you. Others just bow before the shrines eternally, the forms of their spirits wavering.
<DM>	*And on the west side appears to be a throne chair. Unlike the pale, sandstone linings of this temple, it's a chair befitting a dark king. Leather made from Moblin skins, bathed in Interloper ashes (that's a thing?!), with spikes shooting out the backside of the chair.
<DM>	*The red carpet runs parallel to the chair, but it does not lead to the chair, like you think a throne chair would...
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: And there's his chair. Hail to the king, baby.
<DM>	[Sithe]: *shudders*
<Corsava>	"The king..."
<DM>	*Bloodwind lets out an audible laughs as Sithe tries to back away from Bloodwind's shadow, away from the chair.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: What, surprised cause you didn't know Interlopers could have ashes?
<DM>	[Sithe]: Grr...
<DM>	*Bloodwind looks around the chair, trying to find something...
<Corsava>	"Interloper, is there something dangerous about the chair?
<DM>	[Sithe]: Y-yeah. When an Interloper dies, they fade into the darkness of the Twilight Realm, to be reborn in time.
<DM>	[Sithe]: ... this Gerudo King somehow harnessed such powers of corruption, he was able to suspend their states in permanent ashes. They're both dead and perpetually unable to rest.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: I'd say there's nothing dangerous about it at all. It's a perfectly normal chair, perfectly apt...
<DM>	*Bloodwind kindly takes up a seat in the chair, though he's noticeably a bit small for the chair. He crosses his legs and props his head up on one arm, tilting his shadowy facade back in your direction.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: For sitting down!
*	Corsava chuckles and sits on the armrest. "Aren't you a little short for a Gerudo?"
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: So, Sithe, what's it like touching the Interloper ashes yourself?
<DM>	[Sithe]: Ack, get off this chair!
<DM>	*Bloodwind looks behind him. The chair is a good two feet too high for his stature.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Ehh, I'm sure I'll grow into it.
<Corsava>	"Are you...still growing?"
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Sure, if this darned Interloper stalker would stop leeching off me.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Alright, there should be a pair of graves around here, belonging to a pair of Gerudo witches.
<DM>	*Corsava, out of the corner of your eye, you notice the other spirits start to scatter and pass through the closed doors of the temple, vacating the area.
<Corsava>	"Well, something's causing the spirits to leave, so I'm guessing it's not good, whatever it is."
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Still on about all those spirits? *sigh*
<Corsava>	"You *know* that I can see spirits. That should be pretty common knowledge at this point."
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Ya-da, ya-da. It's just... you Gerudo are all on about "spirits", while those darned Sheikah are always on about "souls". It's as if you're referring to something different, yet it's clearly the same thing, right?
<DM>	[Sithe]: Maybe because you don't have a soul.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Look who's talking, Interloper.
<Corsava>	"Are they? I don't know much about Sheikah."
<DM>	*Suddenly, from the ground, four tiles flip themselves over, revealing a quad of Beamos surrounding you. For reference, Beamos are these weird fleshy figures, with an eye on top that shoots lasers, extending off a long neck, and their lower body is this large belly with a creeptastic mouth on it.
<Corsava>	"Well, the spirits seem to have been right."
<DM>	*They look at the pair of you, but they don't fire. You hear some cackling and snickering echo off the walls. Not like the devious whispery kind of Interlopers, but more the ravings of madmen... or in this case, mad witches.
<DM>	*Bloodwind doesn't move from his new chair.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Really? Just some Beamos?
<DM>	*He calls out in a louder voice.
<Corsava>	"I still don't know what that is."
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Come on, you Gerudo witches, you know who I am, you know some motley Beamos aren't gonna do crap to me.
<DM>	*He turns to you.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Wait... you don't know... Koume & Kotake?
<Corsava>	"Is that...Hylean?"
<DM>	*Those voices appear from right behind you, Corsava, one in each ear.
<DM>	[Koume]: You don't...
<DM>	[Kotake]: Know us?
*	Corsava turns a bit red "I have a lot of glaring gaps in my knowledge, okay? I wasn't the most studious child, and after what happened with my family, it's not like people were lining up to teach me things!"
<DM>	*Descending from above and circling around you, flying on a pair of brooms, you see a pair of very, very old Gerudo grannies, with very sharp, emphasized facial features, completely grey hair, and a large gem on each one's forehead. Koume is the one with the firey gem, and Kotake is the one with the icy gem.
<DM>	*The two of them are perfectly in sync as they finish their descent, landing on either side of you. Koume is laughing giddily, while Kotake gives you a cold, sinister smile. They look towards Bloodwind.
<DM>	[Koume]: And what are you doing here, Bloodwind? Kyeeeheheeeheeh!
<DM>	[Sithe]: Aren't those two supposed to be dead?
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: I'm just... not gonna question it. Ahem...
<DM>	*Bloodwind finally removes himself from the comfort of his epic chair and stands by your side, speaking with exaggerated arm motions.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Ladies and... ladies- whatever. I require your help. It's just a small, simple little task, but I'm sure such great witches of your demeanor, standing, and long history can aid me in this hour of need.
<DM>	[Kotake]: Oh? And what "little" task do you request from us, the surrogate mothers of the most powerful king to have ever lived?
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Why, simple really! To rescue your accursed son from the Sacred Realm!
<DM>	*At that moment, all the Beamos light up, and you see four red markers overlay themselves over Bloodwind's head as they all ready themselves to fire. Meanwhile, you're standing over here in cinematic land wondering why you're even here.
<Corsava>	"Koume?"
<Corsava>	"Who..uh...who are you?"
<Corsava>	"Do you know about the mark on my hand?"
<DM>	*Koume's face distorts a century beyond her current age, which is already in the hundreds of years. Kotake just squints her eyes at Bloodwind, then notices the shrimp- oh wait, Gerudo are taller than Hylians.
<DM>	*Kotake turns to see there's a Gerudo standing tall, a foot or so above Bloodwind's short stature.
<DM>	[Kotake]: A Gerudo, who... does not know us?
<DM>	[Kotake]: Koume... KOUME!
<DM>	*Koume's face reverts to normal, as she suddenly eyes Corsava.
<Corsava>	""I...kou....mey need some explanation on that point."
*	Corsava gives a lame finger gun
<DM>	[Koume]: Me? ME? Well, let me give you an... INTRODUCTION!
<DM>	*The two of them spiral back into the air, and you hear dramatic music in the background.
<DM>	[Koume]: Prepare for trrrouble!
<DM>	[Kotake]: And make it double!~
<Corsava>	"Weird, I've heard of Kotake before."
<Corsava>	"The legendary single foster mother of Ganon, right?"
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: *facepalms his darkness* Are you frigin' kidding...
<DM>	*Your remark completely ruins their speech, and Koume just drops straight out of the air, crashing into the ground.
<DM>	*Now Kotake's face contorts at you.
<Corsava>	"I didn't know Kotake had a lackey"
<DM>	[Kotake]: WHAT?! Bloodwind, WHO IS THIS FAKERY THAT STANDS BESIDES YOU? She... she can't POSSIBLY be a Gerudo with such... such... imbecile knowledge!
<DM>	[Koume]: AUUUGGGHHH, IT BURNS, SHE CAN'T BE ONE OF US, AUUUGGGGGHHH
<DM>	*Bloodwind pats you on the back, pushing you forward just slightly.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Oh, I haven't introduced her yet? Well, apparently this young one-
<DM>	[Sithe]: She's the same age as you, numnut.
*	Corsava takes off my right glove "Am I, Sithe?"
<Corsava>	"That's sweet. I always thought a couple should be close to the same age."
<DM>	[Sithe]: About three scores of age.
<DM>	*Bloodwind ignores your little "remarks"...
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: ... This Gerudo "imbecile" has the same powers as your son, King Ganny. Or so I hear. Would you like to demonstrate?
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: How about...
<DM>	*He points at one of the Beamos next to Koume.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: That one.
*	Corsava extends her hand to the Beamos "Awaken."
<DM>	*The Dark Mark, having expanded from when you had to absorb some of Bloodwind's madness off early, extends outwards in a literal dark arrow, quickly winding through the air before piercing the thick-armored Beamos, straight through the eye.
<DM>	*From your own body, the Dark Mark expands from your hand and snakes upwards, coiling around your full arm. You start to feel that same pain of "everything at once", but with a thought, you transfer it to the Beamos, letting it "awaken".
*	Corsava grits her teeth at the intense pain, but does her best not to fight it, accepting that she deserves it.
<DM>	*Its singular Eye goes wild, bulging out of its socket. Its lower body, the mouth, tries to eat up whatever is around it, only to reach upwards and eat its own eye off. The Beamos chomps and chomps... and... it actually ends up killing itself, a mix of eye guts and blood strewing outwards from its agape jaw.
<Corsava>	(Do I need to roll to hit this thing? Or does it auto-succeed on this kind of creature?)
<DM>	(Courtesies of it being trained on Bloodwind, you were able to skip it this time. Just this time.)
<Corsava>	"Oh wow, that sort of just happened didn't it. Gross."
<DM>	*Odd, you were expecting it to grow in size, but somehow, it just... offed itself.
*	Corsava chugs a red potion
<DM>	*Koume looks in awe at the grotesque sight, lighting up with giddy, maniacal laughter.
<DM>	[Koume]: Beautiful, glorious, MAGNIFICENT!
<DM>	*Kotake walks towards you, shaking at the sight of your arm. The Dark Mark on your arm slowly shifts back towards the palm of your hand, subtly tearing away at your flesh as it does.
<DM>	[Kotake]: You... no, it can't be.
<DM>	[Kotake]: We thought... we thought you all died.
<DM>	[Kotake]: Koume, do you see this?
<DM>	[Koume]: KYAAAAAAAHAAHAHAHHAHHH! HOW WONDROUS IT MELTED, KYEEEEEEEEEEEHH!
<DM>	*Koume goes back on her broomstick, circling in psychosis above you as she celebrates such a display of madness.
<DM>	*Kotake looks at you, Corsava, peering into... what you can assume is your spirit. She then looks up at your eyes.
<DM>	[Kotake]: You survived, Child of Darkness.
*	Corsava watches her "Well, she's not going to be much help. Kotake, what is going on? What is this place, and why am I...like this?"
<DM>	[Kotake]: Allow us to explain-
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Come on Koume, Kotake, I just need Ganondorf here, no need for sob stories about the past.
<DM>	*Kotake gives one irrate look at Bloodwind, and at once, the other Beamos fire their lasers. You see Bloodwind materialize his Fierce Deity gear right as the lasers strike, in an explosion of dust and sand.
<DM>	[Kotake]: Come now, Corsava, let's go somewhere a bit... quieter.
<DM>	[Kotake]: May I?
<Corsava>	"Alright?"
<Corsava>	"I don't know what yo-"
<DM>	*She takes your hand. You can feel each and every wrinkle on her aged, darkened skin, almost as dry as the sands themselves.
<DM>	*With a single fingernail, she lightly taps your Dark Mark, and suddenly the arrow shoots back out, but this time it circles around the two of you. Well, Koume comes crashing in besides you, so the three of you.
<DM>	*You feel yourself being taken to a new, higher ground...
<DM>	*From the nearby duststorm, you hear Bloodwind call out to you...
<Corsava>	"Huh...interesting. I've never seen it behave quite so...controlled."
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Hey, don't just hijack my partner in crime like that, get back here!
<DM>	*His words quickly fade to nothingness as you all ascend towards the light... and into the darkness.
<Corsava>	(Wait, like both at once, or like after the light, there is darkness?)
<DM>	(After light, there is darkness.)
<DM>	(This ain't Sheikah side, I can't pull that crap here)
<DM>	*You awake, lifting yourself from a cooler, dimly lit floor. All around you are pillars of various heights and sizes. The top of this new room, however vast it is, is illuminated by a great fire that torches the ceiling. The heat it gives off is similar to the sun of the Gerudo Desert.
<DM>	*Kotake emerges from alongside you, softly letting go of your hand. The dark arrow sharply returns to your hand, hitting it with a snap.
<DM>	[Kotake]: My dearest apologies. We thought you were some Gerudo pretender.
<DM>	*From behind you, Koume appears, a bit calmer than before.
<DM>	[Koume]: But you're really one of them! Yes, one of the "experiments"!
<DM>	*From the mention of "experiment", you suddenly get a brief flashback.
<DM>	*Of your Gerudo family, a mother and a younger sister, smiling at you. It flashes to them being engulfed in agonizing darkness, and then blood over your hands as you refuse to look upon their mutilated corpses.
<DM>	*You kick back to reality, feeling a little light-headed from that.
<DM>	[Kotake]: Koume! No need to bring that up!
<DM>	[Koume]: But sis, how else will she know who she is? What she is?
<DM>	[Kotake]: Young one... what is your name?
<Corsava>	Corsava.
<Corsava>	"I want to know who I am."
<Corsava>	"I don't care if it hurts."
<Corsava>	"I don't care if it's awful."
<Corsava>	"I want to know *who* I am, and why I've always been a pariah among my people."
<Corsava>	"I want to know what I'm for, what good and what evil I could do, and where my own ability to choose fits into all of it."
<DM>	*She gently takes your hands, both of them this time, then closes her eyes.
<DM>	[Kotake]: Young Corsava... you are the child of war. The product of power incarnate, of great things to come, but... it went wrong.
<DM>	[Kotake]: You must've been a child at the time, the youngest among those our King chose.
<DM>	[Koume]: No more than ten years, yes yes!
<DM>	[Kotake]: Twenty years ago, the Hyrulean Civil War nearly burned Hyrule to the ground.
<DM>	[Koume]: We were winning, too! King Ganondorf, our wonderful son, would become the greatest king ever to rule the land, kyeeheheheh!
<DM>	[Kotake]: But then the Fire Nation- I mean the Interlopers attacked...
<DM>	[Koume]: Two hundred... nay, three hundred. Sis, how many of our sisters fell that day?
<DM>	*Kotake looks down sullenly.
<DM>	[Kotake]: More than half, sis.
<DM>	[Kotake]: Our son, he felt their loss. It pained him so. He swore that the Interlopers would not take another life.
<DM>	[Koume]: And so he came us, his mothers, for power. Unlimited... power.
<DM>	*Kotake taps one palm with the tip of the other.
<DM>	*There, you see the exact same Dark Mark appear and swirl into existence on her palm.
<DM>	[Kotake]: We have long steeped into this sort of dark powers, its madness, its corruption, you see, kyeeheheheheh...
<DM>	[Koume]: Decades, nay, centuries!
<DM>	[Kotake]: It's how we've lived so, oh so long...
<DM>	[Kotake]: Do you know what we did? Would you like to know truly, who we are...?
<DM>	[Koume]: Is it really something you're willing to know, to stand with us? Kyeeeheheheheh!
<Corsava>	"Yes. I suspect that I can only know who I am if I know who you are."
<DM>	*Kotake opens her eyes, staring unapolegitcally..... hold on
<DM>	*Staring unapologetically back at you.
<DM>	[Kotake]: It was us.
<DM>	[Koume]: We selected you.
<DM>	[Kotake]: Gave Ganondorf his powers of darkness.
<DM>	[Koume]: Random sisters, warriors, mothers, even children...
<DM>	[Kotake]: And he imbued you all with our powers.
<DM>	[Koume]: If he could have the power, surely all the Gerudo could have the power!
<DM>	[Kotake]: The power to fight back.
<DM>	[Koume]: To protect the world from devastation!
<DM>	[Kotake]: To unite all peoples within our nation!
<Corsava>	So...how many of 'us' survived?
<Corsava>	Because, this mark is something that is known to be 'my' mark among the Gerudo. I'm the only one.
<DM>	*Koume turns away, while Kotake counts on her fingers. You seem them start from some tens, and counting down and down and down...
<Corsava>	Which makes me feel like something went wrong.
<DM>	[Kotake]: There were three score of you, then uhh, well, uhh, err....
<DM>	[Koume]: *sullenly* Only you.
<Corsava>	"Why is that?"
<DM>	[Kotake]: I... we don't know. Actually... we thought you all died.
<Corsava>	"We were wiped out pretty hard. So much that the rest of the Gerudo don't even know the mark outside of the fact that I have it."
<DM>	[Koume]: You were never found, your body never discovered! Clearly eaten up by the darkness, just like the rest of them!
<Corsava>	"Eaten up by-"
<Corsava>	"So, this power didn't even work then? Or it did and didn't help?"
<DM>	[Kotake]: It did, but only for our son, Ganondorf.
<DM>	[Koume]: The rest of you all that tried it, it gobbled you all up, one by one, each and every one of you!
<DM>	[Kotake]: Except... you.
<Corsava>	"Why me? What's different about me?"
<DM>	[Koume]: That's what we thought. But now... you stand here! Here, before us! You... you lived through the chaos, through the dark times, through the madness and despair!
<DM>	*Kotake shakes her head.
<DM>	[Kotake]: I... I do not know.
<DM>	[Kotake]: What's different about you, young one?
<DM>	[Koume]: You are Gerudo, just like any of all of us!
<DM>	[Kotake]: I sense a connection within you. Deeper somehow to our son than we do.
<DM>	[Koume]: What could it be, what could it be?
<Corsava>	"Well...fuck I wish I knew the lore better!"
<DM>	[Kotake]: It is only natural your people would withhold such history from you.
<DM>	[Koume]: They wanted it buried, forgotten, lost to the echoes of time!
<DM>	[Kotake]: Do you... forgive us?
<DM>	[Koume]: They were desperate times, desperate measures, yes yes!
<Corsava>	"Am I him? Is he me? This mark slithers upon my skin, my flesh shifts with it, as it dances its agonizing dance across me. Sometimes I even lose track of my mind while I'm drenched in the pain, and I feel like I understand less than I did to begin with! What, is he my father or something?"
*	Corsava pauses
<Corsava>	"I do."
<DM>	*Kotake nods in acknowledgement. You hear a very soft "thank you" from both her and Koume.
<DM>	*They look at each other at the mention of "father", in confusion.
<Corsava>	"I don't fully know what this is, and it's made my life immeasurably harder. But I'm not...angry that you did what you thought was best at the time."
<DM>	[Kotake]: Did he have a daughter?
<DM>	[Koume]: Did he have a wife?
<DM>	[Kotake]: Did he have a life?
<DM>	[Koume]: Or a body double!
<DM>	*They stare at each other, completely confused.
<DM>	[Kotake]: ... excuse us.
<Corsava>	"I don't fucking know!! I barely even know what the fuck Hyrule is! Is it a country or a continent or a region or the world?!"
<DM>	*The two of them turn their backs towards you and walk away a bit. They bicker in the subtle darkness.
*	Corsava mutters in frustration "oh fuck me."
<DM>	(country, continent, region, world, is that a reference to something? I swear I've heard something like that before)
<Corsava>	(It's a question that I ask sometimes because I can't tell. It feels like it's all of the above sometimes XD)
<DM>	(Well to answer your question on which one it is...)
<DM>	(...)
<DM>	(Yes.)
<Corsava>	(Die in a hole.)
<Corsava>	(XD)
<DM>	(Hey, that's frigin' Zelda lore, blame them, not me!)
<DM>	(Frigin' inconsistencies off the wazoo!)
<DM>	*The two of them return back to you after some rather heated bickering. Kotake looks exhausted, while Koume looks like she's calculating all the mental possibilities in her head simultaneously.
<DM>	[Kotake]: Anywho, young one, we've decided...
<DM>	[Koume]: You're ready. Ready indeed!
<Corsava>	For what?
<DM>	[Kotake]: I don't like Bloodwind in the slightest, and I know this fits in with his plans, whatever grand schemes they may be...
<DM>	[Koume]: Great plans, WORLD DOMINATION! ... we think?
<Corsava>	He said he wants to become a god, so, any idea how he would do that?
<Corsava>	Is that even possible?
<Corsava>	As far as I know, there's three goddesses, wouldn't they just lay the smack-down on him?
<DM>	*They look at each other, about to bicker once more.
<DM>	*Kotake manages to resist the urge and turn back to you.
<DM>	[Kotake]: He's trying to collect the God Artifacts.
<DM>	[Koume]: All 8 of them!
<DM>	[Kotake]: What I don't know is why he wants to break Ganondorf out of the Sacred Realm.
<Corsava>	"Does ganondorf maybe have one of them?"
<DM>	[Koume]: He remains sealed there, by the evil Goddesses, what horrible monstrosities!
<DM>	[Kotake]: No, he possesses none of them. Only...
<DM>	*She stares into the air, blinking a few times. She makes a "triangle" drawing in the air towards Koume.
<DM>	[Koume]: Oooooohhhhhhhhhhhh..........
<Corsava>	He wants to have a threeway?
*	Corsava grins
<Corsava>	Okay, how do we bust Ganon out?
*	DM decides to have them NOT react to that.
<DM>	[Kotake]: Well, we have a direct connection to Ganondorf ourselves...
<DM>	[Koume]: But we're old, our power fading away.
<DM>	[Kotake]: You, Corsava, you are young. Yet full of power, rife with it. You have control over it somehow, just like Ganondorf...
<DM>	[Koume]: Not mad like the other Gerudo that were felled by its dark power!
*	Corsava nods to myself quietly.
<DM>	[Kotake]: You know, we considered killing you.
<DM>	[Koume]: Melting you, dissolving you, BLOOOOOD AND FLESH!
<DM>	[Kotake]: But you forgave us. And we're, well... too curious to know how you're connected to our son.
<DM>	[Koume]: Bring our son back, yes, yes!
<DM>	[Kotake]: Tell me, do you have anything else that connects to Ganondorf?
<DM>	[Koume]: Anything in your possessions, or even your desires!
<Corsava>	"I have this."
*	Corsava shows them the Broken Bow
<Corsava>	"His sister lives in it."
<DM>	(in sword form or bow form?)
<Corsava>	(bow)
<Corsava>	(well, I'll have to click it into bow form)
<DM>	(so sword form and then into bow form?)
<Corsava>	(yup)]
<DM>	(cool
<DM>	*You draw a pair of seemingly normal Gerudo blades, with fine sharpness and great craftsmanship, but nothing out of the ordinary. And then...
<DM>	*You click them together, and in a flash of golden light, the two swords combine and transform into an elegant, golden bow.
<DM>	*Their eyes almost pop out of their sockets as it glitters and gleams into their spirits.
<DM>	[Koume]: So... so pretty!
<DM>	[Kotake]: That... that's the Broken Bow!
<Corsava>	"I often use it in conjunction with my trident."
<DM>	[Koume]: GOOOOOOOLD!
*	Corsava pulls that out in case it's relevant.
<Corsava>	"The trident accepts the madness of my mark more willingly than most weapons."
<DM>	*They take one look at the trident and scoff, going back to the Broken Bow.
<DM>	[Kotake]: It's not shiny.
<DM>	[Koume]: Saaaaaaaaaad.
<Corsava>	"It's literally made of silver with rubies, sapphires, and emeralds in it."
*	Corsava puts it away. "whatever."
<DM>	*They ignore your comments about the gems.
<DM>	*They look into the dormant spirit that rests within. You feel them actually somehow connect with Destra Dragmire, despite her spirit being put to rest by you already.
<Corsava>	(Is that his sister?)
<Corsava>	(I'm really bad at the lore XD)
<DM>	(Not in the official lore, though technically, all Gerudo are his sisters)
<DM>	(Destra is made up in ZURPG)
<DM>	[Kotake]: Yes, yes... this... this may be it, sister!
<DM>	[Koume]: We... we can sell this, and gain UNLIMITED RUPEES and finally open up a potion shop to shut out the other pretender Koume & Kotake!
<DM>	[Kotake]: Yes, we c- ... what the f-
<Corsava>	"Uh..."
<Corsava>	"What?"
<DM>	*They bicker in hyperspeed at each other briefly before turning back to you.
<DM>	[Kotake]: We're going to perform a ritual, you see.
*	Corsava is so confused
<DM>	[Koume]: A ritual that once gave you powers, the very same one that slaughtered your sisters, kyeehhehehehhh!
<Corsava>	"This can only end positively."
<DM>	[Kotake]: Are you prepared, young one?
<Corsava>	"Well, if I say no, I feel like the GM's plans are ruined so...sure."
<DM>	(oh trust me, there's backup plans)
<DM>	[Kotake]: I don't like how we're playing straight into Bloodwind's request... but if it's for you, we would gladly offer our powers for you!
<DM>	[Koume]: And bring our son back!
<DM>	(contrary to belief, this is not a railroad. You can and still are able to change your mind.)
<Corsava>	"What if instead of do the ritual, you figure out what the fuck the plan could be first?"
<DM>	[Kotake]: As in... what Bloodwind whats?
<DM>	[Koume]: Clearly it's power, isn't it?
<Corsava>	"What power?!"
<DM>	[Kotake]: But what does he do with all that power afterwards?
<DM>	[Koume]: Rule the world, obviously!
<Corsava>	"He wants to become a god or something?
<Corsava>	Maybe he just wants to travel back in time and save his goldfish from being overfed. I don't know what he wants. and *that* is a problem"
<DM>	[Kotake]: Well then, we'll wait on the ritual.
<DM>	[Koume]: Waiting in the Great Hall he still is. Impatiently trying to reach you.
<Corsava>	Do I have a way to contact you in the future when I need you?"
<DM>	*They look at each other, then laugh maniacally in perfect sync with each other.
<DM>	[Kotake]: How about we match that shadow of his?
<DM>	[Koume]: With our own shadow?
<DM>	[Koume & Kotake]: Kyeehehahahehehhahh!
<Corsava>	"Uh...what?"
<DM>	*Kotake grabs your hand again, and taps it with her fingertip, causing it to once again portal back out. Except this time, separate circles of darkness surround Koume and Kotake, and you're descending from darkness towards the light...
<DM>	[Kotake]: You'll see...
<DM>	[Koume]: And hear!
<DM>	*Their laughter fades out, echoing into the distance, and then...
<Corsava>	"Uhh...I'm not so sure I like that...well, I guess I'll try anything once."
<DM>	*You emerge from the light, this time lifting yourself off the warm, sandstone floor of the Spirit Temple. Looking around, there's a little more destruction than before, in the forms of blast marks where the Beamos once were, as well as scorch marks from laser shots around the temple.
<DM>	*The Gerudo spirits are back, shaking their heads disapprovingly at Bloodwind.
<Corsava>	"Well, now I'm haunted too."
<DM>	*Bloodwind notices you appear nearby, turning just his head.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Oh finally, you're back. I almost nuked this darn temple to the ground. Those Beamos are a little more armored than I last remembered...
<Corsava>	"So, I'm sure that's not going to be frustrating."
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: So, where's the witches? Actually... hold on, did you guys even try to do what I requested?
<Corsava>	"Oh, we tried. But you know, sometimes magic is just weird."
<Corsava>	"And now I'm haunted."
<DM>	*You hear a whisper from inside your head.
<DM>	[Kotake]: That dastardly Bloodwind, he's damaging our temple!
<DM>	[Koume]: How monstrous!
<Corsava>	"Not that I understand what in the Twilight Realm is going on."
<DM>	[Kotake]: Don't worry, he doesn't know we're still here, kyeheheheh...
<Corsava>	"Which, what exactly *was* the point of all of that anyway?"
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: ... whaddya mean?
<Corsava>	"If they could wake their son up at any time, why wouldn't they have already?
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Cause they're weak and old, and they need someone with the same powers as them to help them out.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Enter: you.
<Corsava>	"Doesn't being old mean they know more magic?"
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: They already tried once, right after Ganondorf was sealed. Know what happened? The best they could do was poke a hole into the Sacred Realm. Their power alone is weak without their King.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Sure, more experience, but it doesn't matter if... ooooh, that must be why.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: I could've sworn they died to the Hero of Time. They must've spent most of their energy bringing themselves back to life first.
<DM>	[Kotake]: *in your head* He's perceptive...
<DM>	[Koume]: *in your head* Never liked him, never once did...
<Corsava>	What was that? The Hero of Rhyme?
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: The hero of... you know about Link, right?
<Corsava>	"When have I ever responded to 'you know about blank right?' with anything in the affirmative?"
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: What, did you hit your head on your trip with your grannies? Where are those two fools, anyways? I need them back here now.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: ... good point.
<DM>	[Kotake]: *in your head* Stop beating around the bush already.
<DM>	[Koume]: *in your head* And ask him!
<Corsava>	So, why do we need Ganondorf back, anyway?
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Huh? Didn't I tell you already?
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: To have you absorb his power.
<Corsava>	I know who *he* is obviously, but I don't get how bringing him back helps us."
<Corsava>	...Oh, uh, no. You never actually mentioned it.
<Corsava>	How?
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Well, admittedly... I doubt that process will go over smoothly, but as is...
<Corsava>	Like...he's got to be *way* more powerful than I am.
<Corsava>	He's the big sexy god-king of the Gerudo. I'm just me!
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: He wouldn't be sealed up in the Sacred Realm if he wasn't.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: ... powerful, that is. Not sexy... ..........
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Do you know what the Sacred Realm is- stupid question, of course you don't.
<Corsava>	"A...realm that is sacred? Probably a holy site of some sort?"
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: The Sacred Realm is the realm of the Goddesses. It's where they themselves directly watch over this world from. Also referred to as "the heavens".
<Corsava>	"Is that where the goddesses live?"
<Corsava>	"Oh hey! Got it in one! Yay context clues!"
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Yes. It's almost where the Triforce resides, the very embodiment of their power. A sacred artifact that spawned a war two decades ago.
<Corsava>	How would I even absorb Ganon's power?
<Corsava>	"Would it be just like pulling the madness out of anything else?
<Corsava>	The Triforce?
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Something like that, yes.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Oh do you not know what the f-
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: *SIGH* The Triforce, an object of such great power, it threw all of Hyrule into chaos, everyone tried acquire it once they found out about it. Sparked a big ol' war, even the Interlopers dropped in from the Twilight Realm to pitch in.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: *mutters to self* Frigin' history retard... ANYWAYS.
<Corsava>	"Oh, seems like it was a big fuck up for it to exist. Why did they make it?"
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: That's what I wanna know!
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: It doesn't make a lick of sense the Goddesses created that thing. And then to make it worse, they divided its power into three pieces...
<Corsava>	What, your goal is to attain all this power so you can ask the goddesses a question?
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: The Triforce of Power, Courage, and Wisdom. You know what they did with those pieces?
<Corsava>	"No."
<Corsava>	"Did they hide them in exciting adventure locales for some strapping young hero to plunder?"
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Might as well!
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: They gave the Triforce of Courage to some hippie elf in the woods, the Triforce of Wisdom to the most passive princess in history, and then they gave the Triforce of Power to Ganondorf, the guy that wanted to take over all of Hyrule!
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: You know what happened after that?
<Corsava>	"They thought each other's tri forces would make an excellent addition to their collections like a bunch of fucking nerds who collect rocks?"
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: A second war, only a decade after the previous one! Ganondorf became the King of Hyrule, conquered the land with denizens of darkness, and ruled with chaos. Slaughtering countless innocents. You ever wonder why each village and city in Hyrule has a such a low population? Two wars, back to back!
<Corsava>	I thought it was due to memory issues.
<Corsava>	...not important.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Hmph, most don't want to admit what happened. The Goddesses betrayed them. And yet so many fools still put their faith in such war-thirsty deities.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Well then, that's enough of a rant on the Goddesses...
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: I suppose you wonder where in the world I'm going with all of this, yes?
<Corsava>	"Among other things."
<DM>	[Kotake]: *in your head* Don't tell me...
<DM>	[Koume]: *in your head* He wants to kill the Goddesses?!
<Corsava>	"I'm assuming you think you can do a better job."
*	Corsava in my head thinks. "NO FUCKING SHIT YOU IDIOTS!"
<DM>	*The voices in your head go silent.
*	Corsava thinks "He's said he wants to be a god. Obviously they would try to stop him, which means he wants to kill them first."
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: What, serving as God? All the Gods and Goddesses have brought upon this world is despair, destruction, false hope, cycles of repeated doom...
*	Corsava thinks "I have no idea if it's even possible, but if we assume that he wants to be a god, the only way for him to do so for more than eight seconds is to kill the goddesses"
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: I have no interest in serving as God.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: What I want for the world is peace, just like everyone else.
<DM>	[Sithe]: You're being dodgy with your answer, partner. How vague of you, as usual.
<Corsava>	"So what, you'd kill them and then leave the world to its own devices?"
<DM>	*Turns out, you can still hear Sithe.
<Corsava>	"Or kill them and everyone on the world? So that it's at peace forever?"
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: No, just the Gods and Goddesses.
<DM>	[Sithe]: And...?
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Shut up, Sithe.
<Corsava>	"I just don't see how them being dead results in peace. People fight war for stupid reasons, like...really stupid ones.
<DM>	[Sithe]: Aren't you forgetting to tell your friendy about her inevitable fate if she keeps going along with you?
<Corsava>	There must be more to it."
<Corsava>	"Well obviously I end up dead in this scenario, Sithe."
<DM>	[Sithe]: Oh, so she's not a total idiot.
<Corsava>	"I've known he's been planning on killing me eventually this whole time, Sithe. Since not long after we met."
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: True, we'd then be putting a lot of trust in the idiots remaining in this world. Now that you mention it, perhaps...
<DM>	*He materializes his artifacts, eyeing them from under the hood of darkness.
<Corsava>	"I just think that peace is an unrealistic goal unless you have a real, sustainable plan to enact long-term change in the realities of scarcity of resources as well as long term cycles of violence."
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Maybe I should rule over them... oh, I don't really know. But first things first, I'm killing those wretched Gods and Goddesses. They do the world no good.
<Corsava>	"So...let me ask something that might seem pretty basic."
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Unrealistic, yes, but someone's gotta put an end to their madness. Every war that's ever happened in this land has been caused by them.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Shoot.
<Corsava>	"Can the goddesses actually *do* anything?"
<Corsava>	"Surely if they could, they'd be...you know, interacting with the world."
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Yeah, they define who gets each piece of the Triforce, who becomes good and evil, and then start the fighting.
<DM>	[Kotake]: *in your head* That doesn't sound right...
<Corsava>	If I shit on a statue of Nayru, is she going to strike me with lightning?"
<DM>	[Koume]: *in your head* We hate the Goddesses, too, but that sounds off to us, too.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: No.
<Corsava>	If I go out and slaughter the entire Dinnite priestesshood, will the goddess seek vengeance in blood?
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: No, they're just going to keep sticking to their cycles of- okay, what's your darn point.
<Corsava>	My point is that if the goddesses could stop you from trying to usurp them, the obviously would.
<Corsava>	Which means one of three things.
<Corsava>	Either they aren't actually capable of doing anything.
<Corsava>	Your plan can't possibly succeed, and so they aren't worried about it.
<Corsava>	Or they don't actually exist, and what we attribute to them is actually an artifact of our collective faith, rather than their power being real.
<DM>	*He pauses a bit after that last point.
<Corsava>	And in two of those situations, you're seeking vengeance against nothing, while in the other, you're doomed to failure.
<Corsava>	I don't know anything about anything, really, but I know how to think, and it seems to me like if these goddesses aren't able to stop you, then maybe whether or not they exist is purely academic anyway.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: So... what you're saying...
<DM>	*He's eyeing the edge of his blade, feeling its touch upon one of his shadow-veiled fingers.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Is everything I've done, everything I'm doing is for nothing...
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: All this power, just to end up for naught...
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: In the end, it turns out... you're just like everyone else.
<Corsava>	"If they were capable of creating the tools you're going to use to become a god, why wouldn't they create tools to stop your plan and give them to someone who wants to stop you?"
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Whaddya think they've been doing?
<Corsava>	"Someone *competent* who wants to stop you. Sorry."
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: *sigh* Alright then, since you're clearly not going to go with my plans anymore... looks like I'm going to have to go for Plan B afterall.
<Corsava>	"I don't care what the plan is Blood. We can chase artifacts forever, or we could go and hang Princess Zelda's skin from Hyrule Castle for all to see. But I don't like not being in on the process."
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Well, seeing as the plan would end up killing you, of course I didn't want to break your heart.
<Corsava>	"Obviously I knew you were going to kill me."
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: And you never really asked before now, so what changed?
<Sephiroth>	Your face changed.
<DM>	(TOUCHE)
*	DM shoves Sephiroth back behind the fourth wall.
<Corsava>	Because I'm starting to get a bit frustrated knowing I'm supposed to die for this plan, and I'm not even sure it's been thought out completely. What if you get up into the Spirit Realm and there aren't even really goddesses? Just withered ancient old bones?
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: ... I suppose that would just be disappointing.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Only one way to find out.
<Corsava>	Blood, level with me.
<Corsava>	What happened that made you decide to go on your quest to kill the goddesses?
<DM>	[Sithe]: It wasn't just me, was it?
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: What, you wanna know my "tragic backstory"?
*	Corsava thinks at the two spirits. "If you have any ideas on how to get me the fuck out of here, I'd appreciate hearing them, by the way. I know I talk a big game, but I super don't want to die."
<DM>	[Kotake]: *in your head* Well, I know it's technically what Bloodwind wanted...
<DM>	[Koume]: *in your head* But we're on your side, sis!
<DM>	[Kotake]: *in your head* With us by your side, and the King returned, who would never harm you...
<DM>	[Koume]: *in your head* Bloodwindy doesn't stand a chance!
<Corsava>	Honestly, I would settle for knowing just what would make you drop this whole thing and want to live a quiet, peaceful life with a loving wife and a family. I know I would drop all of the power I've ever held just for the chance to live a life where I didn't have to be hated by everyone that looked at me, and I don't understand what could make that not bother you."
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Simple logic and the history of the world. No tragic backstory involved. An introspective on just how twisted the higher beings who've tried and failed to guide this world.
<DM>	[Sithe]: Still being vague, I see. But she doesn't really understand. She hasn't seen what you've seen, experienced what you've experienced. Isn't that right, my dear Wind?
*	Corsava thinks in my head. "He has an excessive amount of Legendary Artifacts. Unless you've got a *plan*, not just assurances, I'm going to have to veto. Because he *has* a plan, and it clearly involves potentially having to take out all four of us at once, which leads me to believe that he could."
<DM>	[Kotake]: *in your head* Then... how about all of the Gerudo?
<DM>	[Koume]: *in your head* You're in the Spirit Temple, the grounds of your very people.
<DM>	[Sithe]: There's no point dealing with her any longer. We don't need the Triforce of Power. We can settle with the Triforce of Wisdom. That is... after we rid these three of any hope.
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Huh... they are being rather... uncooperative...
*	Corsava thinks "Let me answer your question with a question. How did they get into this temple in spirit form? Because I'm willing to guess that it wasn't by- oh you know what, fuck it. let's do it live."
*	Corsava thinks "But I also don't know what I'm supposed to do, so..."
<DM>	*He raises his sword. You begin to hear a ringing sound, and the Fierce Deity Sword start to vibrate the air around it.
<Corsava>	"Huh..."
<DM>	[Kotake]: *in your head* For now...
<DM>	[Bloodwind]: Looks like this is the end of the road for you and me, Corsava. For the record... it was truly nice knowing you.
<DM>	[Koume]: *in your head* DODGE!
*	Corsava imbues madness into Sithe
<DM>	*You try to make a roll for it, but as your spirit reaches for the dice, a different hand has grasped it.
<DM>	-=LOADING=-
<DM>	-=LOADING=-
<DM>	-=SESSION END=-
<DM>	..... okay, that..... completely went the direction I did not think it would