Disclaimer: We doesn't own it precioussss, don't we? gollum! We wish preciousss, aye, yes, we do. But we doesn't.
A.N. Revised, improved and ready! Just add water and eat! :-P
No, really. This tale has been fixed from every little fault I could find. Special thanks to Link no Miko who is ALWAYS pecking on me…………… Just kidding! ^_^ Thank you for always pointing out mistakes! It really helps!
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The Darkest Hour: The Battle of Hyrule Field
To my lady and liege Princess Zelda of Hyrule on her fifteenth birthday.
Dearest Princess:
Joy and happiness for you on your anniversary. You have reached an age in which the transition from childhood to maturity is at its height. May the goddesses grant you peace and prosperity in the years to come. We servants of the crown rejoice for having such a wise and fair young woman as future queen of our realm.
I have recently found, deep within my personal scrolls at the library, my own father's most precious possession: his personal journal. Within its dozens of worn and yellowed pages lies something of equal value to me: the memoirs of a beloved Hylian with whom I could share precious few moments in my youth; for he was a soldier of the King and, thus, he ended his days in honour and valour, slain by an enemy sword in a distant field.
You may be wondering what could this have to do with you. Well, dear princess, it has come to me the knowledge that you have been interested of late in the accounts of the Fierce Wars that occurred ere the siege of the castle by Ganondorf's forces and the coming of the Hero of Time to the realm. It is well known to the educated that the fate of our kingdom was decided by a decisive battle that took place on the ninetieth day of summer and almost endured to the first day of autumn. In this great confrontation, the combined forces of the Hylians and the Gorons overthrew the alliance of the Zora and the Gerudo; and after a whole day of waxing back and forth, the battle ended with terrible loss and retreat by the alliance.
The realm of Hyrule should be held still by the Hylians. That is what the chronicles tell us.
But that is the truth till a certain point, my lady, till a certain point; for the battle was long and full of death and despair. And before its day another battle had been fought that was decisive for the outcome of this greatest fight. And the thing that might interest you, precisely, is that my father fought on both battles and came out alive and unscathed. Thus, princess Zelda, I present to you a detailed account of the event that set Hyrule as we know it: the Battle of Hyrule Field written by Remus captain of the second company of foot soldiers of the King, and transcribed literally by his son, Seamus.
Eighty-ninth day of summer as the sun is running for his setting point.
It has been a terrible day for the companies. The Gerudo have not been that much hurt as our King had thought. Or maybe they were, but things have come out a way that none had foreseen, for the rumors we had heard from the scouts are indeed true: the Zoras have allied with the thieves. Our company was to take the entrance to Zora's River in order to prevent an attack from the Gerudo to our western province of Kakariko and the trail to Death Mountain. Thus, we departed from the village at dawn with the hope of arriving to the river by noon and set up a garrison. Our Hylians had barely come to the western bank when the cloud of dust the thieves leave over the once grassy plains of the field was seen to the west. It was indeed surprising since the fourth company of our horsemen, led by our lord and captain Gilestel, had defeated them in a previous battle, perhaps two weeks from now as far as the shores of Lake Hylia. Such a battle, my soldiers tell me, had not been fought in years! The Hylian cavalry swept through the horse-archers like a knife upon hard bread, although that would not be strange had it not been for the fact that we were outnumbered by three-hundred or more: the thieves had brought reinforcements from the desert not far to north. But the Hylians also recall the will and decision of our captain: strange is the power that radiates from him! He may be gentle, learned in the ways of lore and peace-loving. But in battle he turns into a stern figure with the coldest gaze I have seen. This must be part of his lineage's gifts. For is he not of the race of the Hylia that dwelled in the world many an age ago? Never shall that blood become thin. Yet, even with the presence of such a mighty lord amongst us today (for the captain had come along at the bidding of the king) fear smote me and my soldiers at the sound of the approaching hooves. Our hearts were heavy with the feeling of danger that loomed above us. Why would the thieves attempt another attack after having been defeated mere days ago?
As we got into formation to receive the onslaught, the captain signaled his cavalry to follow him to make a counter assault on the Gerudo by the front. Such strategy would be irrational in any other place, but the thieves were known for their lack of real heavy cavalry. Time and again our horsemen had cloven their path among the Gerudo like wind flying through the grass, slaying many a vile woman while suffering not much from their petty arrows. So it was that our lord Gilestel motioned what little force of riders that we had brought to a staggered formation and blew his war-horn. I think they were not more than a hundred stout riders.
The cloud of dust was getting closer and closer as we drew our blades from their sheaths and those who had shields unbuckled them from their backs, when suddenly (out of nowhere I thought at the time) some dozens of Zoras jumped out the water and charged at us with their bright tridents. Taken by surprise, the least we could do was to hold them for a while whilst the riders engaged the Gerudo. My company was the second of the rear guard and I suddenly found myself battling these vicious-looking fish men with long spears and tridents, and sharp fins as blades. I do not think of the Zora as savage or wild, but when it comes to fighting they can be as ferocious as their mythical shark of legend; it was so that I lost many Hylians just in the first charge. After a few moments even more of these fish-men darted out of the water while our riders were already engaged in battle with the thieves. I held the ever appearing Zoras with what little strength we had in the vanguard, although little hope of victory lay on my heart The Zora's arms were bent in a strange shape that I found out to be the fins I had heard they could display when the need calls to. I also found out that they could be quite sharp, as one of them struck in a shield and left it badly riven with a breach by its center. The few fish-men became steadily at least three-hundred, and in my turn I slew many, perhaps a dozen by the time I realized our disadvantage. Thus the quick skirmish I had thought would be fought had become a fierce battle. The riders that had departed to stop the thieves had already been decimated, for the Gerudo attacked with poison in their arrows; and even though our armour is the best of the realm, many of the bravest knights I knew fell before this devilry. I do not know if the captain was wounded, I have not seen him since our retreat to the ranch perhaps an hour ago.
Now that it comes to me, I wonder how we did escape from the Zoras and the Gerudo. We had to run all the way from the river to the ranch, and those are a good many miles. Well, perhaps not so many.
The Zora chased us fiercely, but the goddesses know that the do not like to be too far away from the water. (I thank them for their caution). Therefore, only the Gerudo cavalry pursued us to the ranch. It is grievous to me the fact that our brave horsemen had struggled to keep away the thieves, and that by the time we had arrived to the gates of Lon Lon Ranch I could only count as much as twenty riders still in their horses. It must be noted that the Gerudo cavalry had about five-hundred riders.
Where had they kept such a force all these weeks?
Our cavalry was only about a hundred or less, and not even the finest plate armour could withstand the bodkin arrows the thieves had used in this battle.
I am being called at the moment. I hope with all my heart that it is my lord Gilestel who calls. May the goddesses protect him from any evil… and us.
Eighty-ninth day of summer, one hour after the last entry.
Alas! Alas! Our captain was wounded by one of those cursed arrows! It turns out that he was with the last riders to enter the gates, defending the foot-soldiers from the enemy cavalry, when an arrow stuck into him by his shield-arm. An arrow that can penetrate Hylian shields! Close range though the shot was at, it is ill news that the Gerudo posses such a mighty weapon now. But why our captain? Why him? There are many Hylians who would give their life for my lord. This is ill news indeed, and our hope is diminished greatly, even to less than before. I have seen already many a young soldier letting out sighs of despair about the ranch and some, I may have seen, wept discreetly.
My heart is as heavy as an anvil.
But not all is lost. Not all is evil. The watchmen at the walls report that already an army has left the castle and is heading towards here. But where did we keep such a powerful resource of soldiers? For the host issuing from the drawbridge is of at least a thousand brave foot-soldiers, and many a brave soul has passed away since this dreaded war started, so many years ago. And they bring cavalry too. My only guess is that the people of Hyrule have taken the arms along with us.
So it is, then! This war signals the end of the distinction between commoners and knights. We Hylians fight for our realm at last, not for nobility or tittles.
Eighty-ninth day of summer, maybe three hours after sunset.
It is now, indeed, doubtless that our captain was wounded by a poisoned arrow. I have been called by the King himself, who brought the host from the castle, to prepare a red potion. It is ancient lore, now, the making of this curative draught. But it seems that lore is not as spread as I thought it was and none knows how to prepare it. Therefore, I went to the house of the ranch owner, where the lord is lain. I met the owner as I was about to enter the house. He seems to be a hard-working man trying to sustain his family through the conflict. He has brown, bushy hair and a mustache equally bushy. He is not the kind of person you easily forget: he has a comical air that you just cannot ignore. But I think he would be more cheerful if it were not for our host on his grounds. He showed to the room were my lord is after a few polite questions about the battle and my own health. Upon entering the small chamber, I saw the King sitting in a small stool beside the bed. The lord Gilestel was very pale, and was sweating and shivering. He seemed to be muttering something, but I could not make out his words. The King lifted his head from his hands and beckoned me to come in. I approached him and he told me to, as quickly as I could, prepare a red potion. He said that the owner's wife also knew how to prepare the draught, and that I should accompany her to look for the plant from which the sap is extracted. I bowed and exited the room followed by the ranch owner. I think his name is Talon, but I cannot be sure.
As I went down the stairs a young woman, pregnant with a child, greeted me and told me to follow her. I did so, and we went to barn, located on the south-western part of the ranch, closely followed by Talon. As we arrived, I could see some herbs and weeds growing over the black soil; and among these the herb known as the Sacreye peered above the others. The uprooting of this plant, called the alba opjhe in pure Hylian, is an irksome work, for it needs to have all of its tiny roots unspoiled. Otherwise, it leaks its sap all over and becomes brown just a few minutes after being pulled.
The owner's wife, whose name I cannot remember, pointed at one of these foils standing over the ground. I bent down and began to remove the soil about it. As I did the slow and careful unearthing I had a few words with the woman that I should remember ere long. She contrasted very much with her husband. While he was tall and plump, she was of average stature and slender. Her blue eyes and straight facial traits made her a woman of great beauty. But perhaps the most interesting of her features was her long and abundant red hair. I fell gracefully over her shoulders and back while her bangs hung over her forehead not reaching her eyes. I still cannot understand why I am not able to recall her name, but perhaps a woman's fairness was not what I desired at the time to ease my heart. My wife is all the beauty I need to believe still that the world is fair.
"Is it true, then, that a great battle will be fought tomorrow?" she asked.
"Indeed," I answered. "Tomorrow is the day when we set Hyrule to the Hylians."
"Do you know, in the first place, why are you fighting?"
I was struck by this question. Did I know why we were fighting? The words seemed also jest to me. It even almost angered me.
"Indeed," I said again a bit annoyed. "For our king and our country."
"Not that," she said softly. "I meant for what reason. Why are you at war with the other inhabitants?"
It came to my mind, for the first time in many a long year, the reason of our war: The Triforce.
"I, I know what we are fighting for," I managed to say after having taken some time to think my answer through.
The woman smiled at me. "I may be a farm-girl, but I am not completely unlearned in our history. We have battled the enemy to stop their lust for power and guard the Triforce. It is true that the thieves began the war. But have done enough to stop it?"
These words sank me into deep thought. It is true that we Hylians have guarded the Triforce throughout the war. But, was it worth all the spilled blood? Was it worth all the lives lost?
"Tomorrow, when you fight, remember this: if you should fail, not only Hyrule, but the whole world shall be covered under utter darkness. You are our only hope. Please, keep that in mind."
I remained silent for a time. I had nothing to say.
"Here," I said to her with the uprooted plant. "It is done."
"Then I shall go and warm up the water." And she left for the house.
Talon had remained in silence throughout our conversation. I cannot be sure, but I deem he does not realize the wisdom his own wife possesses. We headed back to the house also.
After preparing the potion, I gave the lord to drink it. I could see the immediate effects, as some color returned to his pale skin. But his breathing was slow, and his fever was still high. The King asked me for his state, and though I told him I did not know, I lied.
Alas! I did lie! I have seen many a time the faces of death. Perhaps too many a time. I can be sure that our captain Gilestel shall not be drawing breath ere dawn and the breaking of day!
Fifth day of Autumn, almost midnight.
I can now sit and write in peace for the first time in many days. Since my last writings, I have been through the worst and darkest days of my existence. I have now the courage, nay, the skill to transcribe the horrible memoirs of the greatest battle fought over the plains of Hyrule Field. Although it yielded a victory for the Hylians and signaled the end of this war it has left desolated the plains of our realm and has stained forever the fields and the minds of the races of Hyrule. May Farore aid me in this account.
The horn in Lon Lon Ranch was winded short after dawn. As I had foreseen, the captain was death and the King could not suffer being in sloth any longer. He summoned all the Hylians to a last word and spoke to them of the need of victory. How splendid he looked! And what a fire did his words kindle in our hearts! He spoke about our children, and our nation, and our right as the heirs of the Hylia. His voice rang in our ears as promises of a new morning and of the brotherhood that should exist between all. It was amazing how every soldier I could see was beginning to feel the lust for battle though. I myself felt the sword trembling in my sheath as if alive. I drew it and could see its fine, polished blade gleaming in the sun.
I hated it. I wanted it to be stained in blood; not shinning like a relic, but stained like a weapon.
I tremble at the memory of my own self.
A great clamour arose from every throat of every Hylian in the ranch. The gates were opened and the host marched forth to meet the oncoming doom that awaited patiently. I was leading again the second company of foot-soldiers, but this time I strode behind the third line; I was to engage in battle from the moment it began. To my surprise and wonder, the King rode among the knights like one of them just a few feet beside us. I decided that if things turned ill against us I would die guarding the King instead of slaying mercilessly and in vain. It seems that the goddesses wished for events to test my will in this matter. But they know I passed the test.
Perhaps two hours had passed since our departure when scouts returned with the news that a great host of Gerudo and Zora awaited us near the entrance of Lake Hylia. There were many Gerudo horse archers and many foot-men of the Zora with long tridents. The King (and myself) had learned in previous battles of the powerful archers of the thieves and decided for a new strategy. All the mounted knights dismounted from their horses and joined the ranks of the foot-soldiers. In this way a heavy shield-wall was intended to be created to protect us from the bodkin arrows. When all riders had joined us we continued our march towards the entrance. I must say that the minutes passed slowly and if lust for battle was in the air just a few hours ago, anxiety was all about us now. The soldiers tightened impatiently their girths and buckled their shields in their backs, gazing about them in impatience. The King was one of the few riders not to dismount yet, but he was one of the few who seemed tired already. It must have been a sleepless night that which he had. But then again, I myself had not slept at all. I noticed that the sun, which had shone brightly at dawn, was being obscured by the clouds gathering above us. I did not like the view.
Who would like such an omen?
Impatient as we were, the time for battle seemed not to arrive, and I was running anxious also. The host carried a mist of tension and anger. I saw many soldiers begin to sing to calm down the impatience. I, for one, knew the song.
The clouds were gray and the fog about
The swords were clean and the spears were stout
The moon was blue and the stars were red
The horse was dark and black was head
The yells were heard and were thrown away
Lest our fright of war came today
The host was set and the foe was there
The fight began and lord was aware
On a bright moon
Battling on a white-faced moon
Elves had been fooled once more
Searching for the old, long lore
On a bright moon.
Perhaps some bit of nonsense was all we needed, for when I finished this short and silly song of my childhood, almost the whole host finished with me. I laughed at the silliness of the song and the King noticed this and smiled in his turn. That helped relieve the tension. Until, that is, we began our ascent to the hill.
When the first scout reached the hilltop an arrow flew to meet him right in the chest. He fell heavily of the horse to the ground, breaking the arrow and staining the ground with the first blood to be spilled that day. The King immediately ordered the formation to be prepared. At his word, the first company marched forth to the top. Half the way had they gone when I was commanded to follow them. We set at once, with our shields ready and our swords gleaming in the light. What light was this, I cannot tell; for the sunlight had been blocked in the sky.
Atop the hill I could see the vastness of the host we were about to engage. The silver scimitars and the golden tridents also seemed to gleam in the half-light as if the goddesses had not decided yet who should arise in victory that day. The first company was just about five-hundred feet from the Zoras when the sky suddenly turned black; not because of the weather, but for the arrows that had been flung from the Gerudo bows. At once, the captain of the company raised his sword and the soldiers disappeared out of sight under a wall and roof of Hylian shields.
How the Triforce glowed even in the twilight!
I ordered to attack with a call and the foot-soldiers of the Hylians charged against the legions of the Alliance. The first company already was charging at the Zoras with grim determination and will as I ran amongst my soldiers to their aid.
And the sky dreadfully became black again.
At my sign the shields of my Hylians were raised and the light had been barely blocked by our barrier when a rain of shafts fell upon us. A few soldiers fell with the arrows that had managed to come through, but the company was virtually untouched. The King's strategy had worked. I signaled again and after lowering the shields we charged to the aid of our kindred yonder in the field. The Gerudo realized that their strategy had utterly failed and threw aside their bows and arrows. The spears were raised and the thieves went hastily to the aid of their allies. I had already began slaying any foe that stood in my path with no mercy as I felt the need for survival flowing through my body like a chill. A Zora targeted me as his prey and stabbed me with his trident. I caught it with ease with my hand by its handle and wrenched it away from my opponent. Eyes shinning in fear, he tried to retrieve it, but I hewed him by the throat with great strength. The Zora fell lifelessly and I carried on with my battle. A Gerudo sprang towards me with a great shout and threw me to the ground away from my shield. Before she could sink her spear in my chest I lounged with my sword at the lance and clove it in half. Cursing, the thief drew a long knife from her belt and tried to fling my sword-strokes away. In one sudden movement she made me cast away my blade. Grinning, she lounged at me just as I rolled away and my hands gripped the trident I had taken from the Zora. With a sudden resurgence of power in my grasp I stood up in a quick movement and trespassed the Gerudo by her hips. Moaning in pain she fell to the ground and I quickly finished her off.
I turned my head after this toward the hill where I saw the rest of Hylians pouring down the del. The King was among them.
I quickly ran to where my liege was, cleaving my path with the sword and stopping sudden charges with the trident. The King saw me approach and even in the middle of the battle I could see him smile.
"Already with no shield captain?"
"The need claims it, sire."
"Such a need it is… They shall see that I am not King only for the sake of my lineage."
With this, he drew a long-sword and raised it above his head. The King is a tall Hylian, but he seemed to grow in stature and might then. With a cry, he whipped his steed and rode to the battle yonder. I smiled in my turn and followed him as I could. Following him I was when a horn blasted throughout the battlefield. It did not sound like a Hylian call so I looked to whence the sound had come.
I stood in horror.
With the might of his own bodyguard, the King of the thieves had flung himself into battle. I could see he wore a red cape and was clad in a black armor. His red hair flickered like a flame over a gem he bore in his forehead. He was riding a black stallion of the finest I have seen and hewing every foe in his path with a huge two-hand sword held in a single. I quickly ran towards him in an attempt to stop him from reaching the King. Fool of myself. As he saw me approach he raised his brand and swung at me. To my greatest fortune, the blade was caught between the trident's teeth. I swung and swept back trying to hold it long enough to drop him off his horse. Instead, he let go the sword and drew a heavy lance with huge pikes on both sides and lounged at me. I could only jump backwards before the lance crushed the trident into pieces as he retrieved his sword. I stood again and threw myself at him to try and dismount him. Folly by my part again, for I had not realized the huge man he was. With a laugh he caught me in mid-air and threw me back to the ground. I landed heavily but tried to stand up dizzily. He laughed again and spoke to me:
"You are a brave soldier. A fool, but a brave fool you remain." With this he hurled his lance at me with great strength. I rolled away from the pike that landed just a few inches from my throat. He rode away into the battle and I lay stricken in the ground as if wounded, terrified as I was about that man. Even if he had not shown anything I could sense an evil air about him. I tried to get up for a third time but a Zora dug his feet in my chest with great fury. I gasped, but I felt an overwhelming wrath against that cursed fish-man. Dodging his trident, I stood up and stuck my sword in the Zora's face. He fell as I ran for the King yet again. To my surprise, I found my liege battling furiously atop his steed with two Gerudo women with long scimitars. I hewed one of them as the King slew the other and I beheld him. If I had thought he looked tall and proud at the beginnings of the battle I should have seen him now. His noble traits were blended into an expression of hatred and dread, and his blonde hair was all mingled with dirt and blood. Tall and proud… and fell also. He looked at me but seemed not to know me. He just gazed me with hate in his sight and rode to slay another thief and hew another Zora. I decided to follow him to prevent him from getting caught in an ambush in his wrath.
I evaluated the battle as I followed him amidst the field. The Hylian army had indeed broken an important part of the Alliance's legions, but things were turning for the worse now, and our fury and lust for battle had betrayed us. Our ranks were being pierced, our flanks were not well guarded, and the personal bodyguard of the Gerudo King (a company of huge, plate-armour clad warriors known as Armos and wielding giant axes) penetrated our ranks like stones upon water. Each time a Hylian attempted to hew at one of these monstrosities the giant would only raise his axe and deflect the blow, almost always notching the sword. It would then swing its weapon, slicing through armour and mail like thin tin. I saw, horrified, how three Hylians and one Zora were hewed in half by an Armos sweeping with its axe. The beasts could not even tell very well the differences of friend and foe.
Seeing the King now away from me and having one of these devilries approaching, I vowed to kill one or die trying. As the Armos approached slowly to me, I dashed at it with my Hylian sword ready to stab. The creature could not stop this attack, since it was not a swing, with its axe. I could feel my blade sink deep into the giant's armour. With a terrible shout, the creature swung his axe at me wildly. One of the strokes landed on the ground and the axe sank in the stained grass. Seizing my chance, I hewed at the Armos' head. I heard a clank, and part of the monster's armour fell off. With renewed wrath, the giant charged at me again. I threw myself sideward and saw with lustful amusement how the giant, in his fury, beheaded a Gerudo that was about to slay one of my fellow soldiers. I lifted my sword and let fall the heaviest stroke I have done, perhaps in my life. The creature let go a cry and fell to his knees and onto all fours as if crawling. I saw and stood perplexed as strange flames consumed the Armos to the point of making it ashes in the bitter wind.
Looking for the King again, I clove and hacked my path through the field in search for my liege. I saw him again battling with more thieves than the last time. A few desperate soldiers were trying to defend him from the enemy spears, but were not achieving much. With a shout, I hurried to the sovereign's side to join these Hylians, desperate though they appeared. I hewed one of the thieves and retrieved her scimitar. I must confess that I have always felt fascination for other weapons aside the sword, and I felt, somehow, disappointed when the Gerudo King broke the trident I had wielded. The scimitar, to my joy and surprise, was not covered in blood. I had the chance to swing the first stroke of this great blade in its existence! Smirking, I released a whirl of slashes to the thieves that were assailing my King. When the last about him had fallen he turned to me and, to my surprise, smiled again.
"I see you like foreign arms, captain."
"I do, my liege, and I try to put them to the best use."
He laughed, and I laughed with him. But our moment of jest was paid dearly. A cursed arrow that emerged from the battle stuck on my King's arm and I saw how he fell with a noise to the ground. I hastily threw aside my weapons and went to him. He lay in the ground, but no blood was about him. I thanked the goddesses for this small favor: that the arrow had not touched a vein. I bent down and held his head in my hands. He had passed out and was pale as never. Suddenly, I heard a hoarse laugh and turned round. I saw the Gerudo King laughing evilly down at me and the King.
"So we meet again, brave one!" he said with scorn and insult. "But there shall not be a third time."
He lifted his huge sword as I prepared for the last stroke of doom. I a sudden time, my movement I regained and flung at him a lying stone on the ground. It hit him on his forehead and his gem was shattered. With a curse. He threw his sword at me as I struggled to grab my own, not very far away. The Gerudo blade landed inches away from my head, making this encounter the second time he nearly slew me. I grabbed my brand and turned to him. He had drawn yet another sword from his stallion and was about to hew the King. I ran in terror of my lord's death and swung at the thief's blade. As they made contact the Gerudo's weapon was cloven by its middle and sparks flew in the air. Cursing again, he drew yet another sword and stared at me with hatred in his sight. But before he could swing his blade, or even mutter a word of insult at me, another horn rang throughout the battlefield. I forgot for a split second about the King of thieves and gazed again at the hill.
I was amazed at what I saw.
A smaller host of Hylians was running down the hill, fresh and ready for battle. And behind them ―Praised be the Goddesses and Nayru for her creation― an army of Gorons wielding huge battle-axes and clad in sturdy armour made of leather and even stone! I laughed in joy and cast my sword in the air and retrieved it as it fell. It was such a rejoice and surprise of my fellow warriors that a huge roar swept through the field carrying song and laugher, and every Hylian in our army felt his feet leave the ground by the lightness of his heart. The Gorons had come not an hour too soon to our desperate aid. And so it was that the great leader of the Stone-bellied people met with the King amidst the great battle and lifted my liege over his foes and carried him away from battle. I had sworn to protect my King in battle and had fulfilled my oath. I could now return to the fray untouched by remorse or anxiety.
And now the battle waxed furiously to and fro in the great field of Hyrule. The Gorons were of regular stature most, but there were ones of greater size among, and one them (one that came late) was as big as the drawbridge of our beloved city. Our foes shrieked in fear at the sight of this huge Goron and hails of darts and arrows flew onto him. He seemed to take notice indeed of these, but not more than the notice a man gives to a bee-sting when he is working hard and concentrated. The Hylians charged at the Alliance's ranks with renewed vigor, and this was the result of the coming of the Gorons: upon the east rode our knights, mounted again, cleaving their path as their adversaries attempted, in futile efforts, to stop them. To the west the axe-gorons engaged the Armos, with bigger ease that out poor foot-soldiers, sweeping and sweeping back their mighty axes against the easily-broken armour of the giants. To the north, where the main Gerudo host was set, myself and the greater part of the foot-soldiers battled the enemy with the fire kindled in our hearts anew, hewing and swinging and stabbing and prodding and even punching!
But the coming of the Gorons only tipped the balance to our favor as much, the battle was not over yet. The Gerudo and the Zora are fierce fighters and did not cow, not even if they were then outnumbered; still the silver scimitar and the golden trident slew many a Hylian and Goron. The north, were we fought, was almost overrun, and the King of the Gerudo had long before disappeared leaving his army at the mercy of his increased foes. The east was also being won by our brave knights with the aid of the Big-Goron and one they called the Hot-Rodder Goron who curled himself into a ball rolled his enemies away and to death. The Zoras could not withstand this kind of charge (not even with a full formation of trident-men) and were quickly forced to retreat to the center. Our Knights then chased them and slew many in their terror and disorder.
The west, on the other hand, was not being easily taken; the Armos had met their match in battle, but the main force of the Zora was there, and was being held against the entrance to Gerudo valley and the desert. With their paths to retreat back to the lake closed, they fought with overwhelming fierceness and despair, and, thus, they could not be conquered. The army to the north, now under my command, was now forcing the Gerudo to retreat to their desert. Amidst yells and curses the thieves were slowly giving back the ground, leaving many a soldier dead or dying in the soil. After a time we even met with the knights in pursue of the front-line Zoras. Trapped between the anvil and the hammer, the Zoras flew in panic back to the lake only to be met by the Goron host blocking their exit. The Gerudo were far braver than their allies, but hope was no longer in their hearts, and many were already fleeing back to Gerudo Fortress. The trapped Zoras fought no more. They cast aside their weapons and cried and sued for mercy. By the state of their host, anyone could tell about their terror for the might of the Hylians and the Gorons. The Gerudo, at last, won back the entrance to the valley and retreated back to their stronghold.
And so it was that the great battle of the fields of Hyrule was come to an end. The Zoras that had given up were shown to the lake after pledging their service to the King of Hyrule with an oath. Nevertheless, their weapons were taken from them. The bodies that lay in the field were beyond count, but the soil was later esteemed by a counselor of the King to have held about five-hundred Hylians (not counting the ones back at the entrance to Zora's River), eight-hundred Gerudos, a thousand Zoras and three-hundred Gorons. And though the victory was ours, to look at the disaster of the field and to find not a dear friend of yours among the living was enough to forget about the glory of having saved Hyrule (and, as the ranch owner's wife would have said, the world). The loss of so may lives was mourned the very next day as the King and the Chief of the Gorons swore perpetual alliance between the Hyrule Castle and Goron City. They also became sworn brothers, and Hylians and Gorons cheered and sang in clear voices a song of victory.
We hope, we that dwell beneath the stars
For a world without dread, conflicts or wars
I can only remember as much, for I could not still remove the memories of the battle the day before. I have met the Gerudo King of thieves; he has spoken to me. Now I cannot find relief or peace until I see such an evil removed from the world. I think that the next battle shall take place in the siege of Gerudo Fortress. If so, then I myself shall slay the King of thieves or die in the attempt. I cannot tell why, but I feel that if he is not banished from this realm, great evil will come in many other ways aside war. He is ever after the Triforce, there is no doubt about that. But he has no army now to enforce his desire now. That may slow him down, for a time.
The following days we set to the task of burying the bodies. Each Hylian dug a grave in the hill where the battle had begun. There, the bodies of our kindred were lain not to be disturbed for ever. For the corpses of the Zoras and the Gerudo, though, a huge pit was dug. With no such memory even as a prayer we cast the Alliance's soldiers as we could. I was tempted to set fire onto them, but the King forbid me to do such an out of custom act. Common act or not, I would have done it.
I have just received the news from a Goron errand-runner. We set forth to Gerudo Fortress tomorrow. I have nothing more to say other than I shall serve my realm time and again.. May Din protect us, may Nayru counsel us and may Farore aid us.
Here ends the account by Remus.
P.S. As you may know, my lady, Gerudo fortress was taken shortly after in a short but furious battle between the Gerudo and the Hylians. There, caught in an ambush, my father died in the service of Hyrule. After the war was over, the King mourned him and in his grave were lain a Gerudo scimitar, a Zora trident, a Goron axe and a Hylian sword.
Thus concludes the account of the Battle of Hyrule Field as told by my father Captain Remus of the second company of foot-soldiers of the Hylian Army. As you can see, my father had some gift for small foresight: he was able to feel the evil that Ganondorf would cause to the people of Hyrule. Though he was not able to do it himself, his wish was carried out, and the King of thieves was banished from the realm.
A fact that I am sure will get your attention is the person of the Captain Gilestel. Do you know who he was, dearest princess? He was none other than the husband of the lady Dainúviel of the Woods, mother of Link, the Hero of Time. Was it not a great coincidence that such a great lord and fair lady perished in a war started by the Gerudo King of Thieves only for their son to overthrow his realm of darkess? I myself find this very interesting.
Sincerely yours,
Loyal sage of the Library, Seamus Remus' son.
A.N. Just for the record, Gilestel is an elvish word for star of hope. I wanted to give a proper name to Link's father.
Well, newcomers, how was it? Did you like it? Hate it? Just review with your comments and you will make me a very happy person.
The Writer.