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CHAPTER 1
The winds of change were blowing over the great land of Hyrule. Gone were the days of oppression and fear that were common during the rule of the evil wizard, Ganon. Gone were the days of fending off his creatures. Gone were the days of praying for a hero. This was because, to the people of Hyrule, that hero had come.
Through the valiant efforts of Link, Hero of Time, Ganon had been banished to another realm. It had been a long struggle for Link even to garner the equipment, power, and experience needed to fight the thing that had been proclaimed 'King of Evil'. The battle with Ganon had been even more horrendous. But, in the end, good had won out over evil, and Ganon was defeated.
But then, a new menace arose. A wizard named Icarnos, a former servant of Ganon, had become a threat to Hyrule. He had attempted to revive the lieutenants of Ganon, and finally bring Ganon himself back. But his plan, too, had been foiled.
This was because another hero came to stop him. His name was Wynn. He was able to stop Icarnos with help from his friends. They were Tane, the ex-mercenary; Fami, the girl with the incredible powers over plant life; Nerah, the Zora female with strong water magic; Jier, the Sheikah-in-training; and Shezarah, the Gerudo woman that had befriended the others and had captured Tane.
Wynn had stopped Icarnos from bringing Ganon back, with Link's help, but barely. After the final battle, Wynn had defeated Icarnos, and Link had prevented Ganon's return. But Wynn's tasks were not complete: his parents, kidnapped by Icarnos's henchman, Silver Knuckle, were still missing. And so, Wynn left his friends, vowing to find his parents, no matter what the cost.
Now, two months have passed since that monumental fight. Even with such a short time since the last crisis, a new trouble is brewing. In Hyrule, as with everywhere else, evil isn't hard to find...or easy to hide from.
******
Somewhere on the stretch of land named Hyrule Field, a battle was about to start. Near the town named Kakariko, a line of Hylian soldiers stood steady, armor shining and gleaming weapons at ready. In front of them, a crowd of marauders milled about, waiting for their orders. The marauders were dressed in rags, and were holding knives and swords. They all were wearing damaged armor, and many were scarred from previous battles.
Suddenly, a tall man riding a horse emerged from the group. He was wearing a flowing black cape, and brandishing a wicked-looking sword. He shouted something, the distance making it inaudible to the soldiers, and the rest charged.
The ensuing battle was fast and furious. Swords slashed and arrows flew. Wounded fell on both sides. Men struggled against their opponents, fighting blindly. It was madness.
Without warning, the man on the horse stopped his steed, waved his sword into the air, and yelled out, "Come, men! We will finish this battle another day." With that, he turned, and rode away from the battle. Without question, his men turned and followed their leader, not even sparing a glance to their foes, only assisting the wounded to follow them.
The Hylians watched them leave. Most were shaking their heads, not believing the cursed luck that had pitted the good people of Hyrule against these new enemies. They then turned to their own wounded, and began the walk to Kakariko, to heal and rest. They all knew they would be again pitted against the marauders, and all too soon.
******
The afternoon sun was beaming down on the Gerudo Fortress, and the workers creating an addition to the fort. The heat was as oppressive as possible, and the workers were all sweating heavily. Tane sighed. What did he expect? The fortress was on the outskirts of a desert, after all.
Tane wiped the sweat from his brow, and reconsidered once again why he had decided to come to this blasted fort. He had nowhere else to go, he supposed. He didn't fancy returning to his work as a mercenary, and he had no family. So, he now was a laborer/servant at the Gerudo Fortress. He looked up to the building he was helping create. It was all her fault.
Up on the addition was the Gerudo woman he blamed for his misery, Shezarah. She was the same age as he, in her twenties. She was dressed in her normal dark blue clothes, which were loose enough to not cause discomfort in the extreme heat. She had red hair, which hung to her waist. She was certainly pretty, but definitely overbearing in personality.
He ran a hand through his own red hair, and shook his head. He was wrong to blame Shezarah for this, or at least all of it. He had, unwillingly, allowed her to capture him. This also had a few benefits. For example, he had been muscular before, but he was now stronger.
Tane turned back to the beam he was supposed to be carrying. He desperately needed a rest. He was one of the hardest workers the Gerudo had, or so he had been told, yet he still didn't earn a short break. His stomach grumbled. He didn't earn extra food, either.
A figure landed next to him. He didn't even look, knowing who it was instantly. "I know, I know, hurry up." he grumbled, reaching for the beam.
"No, it's something else. Someone is approaching the fort." Shezarah said, looking away, toward the stairs leading to the fort.
Tane dropped the beam, and turned to look at her. Although he had enough sense to realize that he shouldn't say it, he was very pleased with the interruption. He then looked to the stairs, and moved to where he could get a better view. Shezarah motioned to him, and then started toward the stairs. "Come on, let's go see who it is."
Once they reached the point where the visitor would emerge, Tane noticed a large group of other Gerudo standing around. Tane knew it was rare that a person came to the fort. It was Gerudo tradition that all non-Gerudo men that were captured by a Gerudo became their servants. Tane knew this from personal experience. Shezarah had captured him during the Icarnos quest months ago, accidentally, or so she said. He was now her personal servant, and she never let him forget it.
A clamber of voices came from those nearest the stairs. As Tane watched, the person, a male Hylian, stepped into view. Due to the shadows caused by the sun's position, Tane couldn't see the face of this mysterious person. He was dressed in brown armor, with a blue tunic underneath. A long sword was strapped to his back, and a mace was at his side. He was apparently in his late teens, and was muscular. Then, the man turned, and Tane laughed out loud, running toward the other. It was Wynn!
Wynn laughed as he saw his friend running up to him. Tane hugged his friend, and stepped back to look at him. Wynn didn't appear to have been seriously hurt in the two months since they had seen each other, which was a relief. Wynn had been searching Hyrule for his missing parents, and he had a tendency to run into trouble. Tane hadn't changed either, just gaining a few muscles due to the work here.
Tane had a hundred questions to ask his friend, but that could wait until they were in the shadier inside of the fort. Shezarah greeted Wynn, and they walked into the fort. Tane noticed the crowd dissipating. Most of the Gerudos were probably disappointed Wynn wasn't someone available for capture. Tane then turned back, and entered the fort, trailing his friends.
******
The three friends went next to the dining hall, where they sat with the fortress's population of adult female Gerudo. Near them, the children were seated, already eating. At the other end of the room were the slaves, all men. The Gerudo race only had one male child amongst them every century. That man became king, and all other men were viewed as inferior. No man was usually allowed to eat at the main table, though Wynn was a special case. He was viewed as extraordinary, after Shezarah had explained his exploits. Even though she hadn't made light of Tane's role in the quest, Tane still wasn't allowed at the main table, with tonight being an exception. Usually Tane and Shezarah shared a small table apart from all the others.
"So, Wynn, how have your travels progressed?" Shezarah asked, looking up from her food.
"Well, I have been unable to find any sign of my parents, but I have done other good," Wynn said. "I have gone from place to place searching for my parents. Every place I stopped, I would rid the area of the monsters nearby. I wouldn't demand pay, only a meal and a bed to rest in, although a few people gave me rupees for my efforts."
His friends nodded at this. These noble deeds sounded like something Wynn would do.
"So, have you made any trips to Zora's Domain? Or perhaps Kokiri Village?" Tane asked, a gleam in his eye. Those places were the homes of Nerah and Fami, respectively. Both girls were friends of the others, and both were interested in Wynn. This lead to a fierce competition between the two, and they were always fighting over him.
Wynn shook his head, laughing. "No, I haven't. I have mainly been working around Lake Hylia. I did visit Kakariko, and saw Jier there."
Shezarah smiled at that comment. "How was he?"
"Fine, busy watching over the town, and that lady friend of his." Wynn explained. Jier, the last member of their group, had claimed responsibility for protecting that town. Kakariko Village was his hometown, and he had many friends there, the so-called 'Cucco Lady' one of them. It was obvious the Cucco Lady and Jier were deeply in love.
Tane snorted at that. "You mean, she is watching over him." It was true, the Cucco Lady was a tad overprotective of Jier.
Wynn laughed easily at that. "Yeah, I suppose so." He pushed his plate away, finished with his meal. Shezarah mirrored his movement, also long done with the meal. Tane, however, excused himself, walked over to the main table, and returned with another full plate. He began eating it unbelievably fast, practically shoveling it in. The other two only watched, amused and amazed, as Tane made his food disappear rather messily. Within a minute, the food was gone. Tane eyed the main table warily, considering a third trip for food. Shezarah stood, motioning to Tane for him to stand. With a noise of protest, he stood, moving more slothfully than before the meal. Wynn joined them in standing. They began to walk toward the exit leading to the rooms, but were stopped suddenly by the arrival of a frantic Gerudo.
The young Gerudo, one Tane recognized as having guard duty that night, ran straight to the leader of the Gerudo, and began whispering in her ear. A look of shock came across the leader's face, and she whispered a quick order to the guard. She then turned back to the main group, and cleared her throat, getting everyone's attention.
"Attention! I have just been given horrible news. The village of Kakariko has just been attacked! A large group of marauders has just attempted to loot the town, but thankfully they were stopped by a group of Hylian soldiers. However, many of the defenders were injured, and are unable to fight. We are sending some of our fighters to aid them immediately, and we would like more volunteers. Would any warriors like to accompany them?"
Many of the Gerudo raised a hand, and Shezarah began to join the group, but stopped when Wynn placed a hand on her shoulder. "Wait a second," Wynn said loudly, "how are you sure you aren't walking into a trap? Perhaps it would be wiser to send an advance group, to scout for ambushers."
Some of the Gerudo glared at the outsider they thought was insulting their courage, but the leader obviously saw the wisdom of his statement. She nodded, and again spoke to the group assembled before her. "Yes, a group powerful enough could potentially capture any warriors traveling to aid Kakariko. We will need a small group of scouts to discover any harm that can befall our soldiers, and report back. Any volunteers?"
Wynn stepped forward, and loudly proclaimed, "I will go."
Shezarah smiled, and nodded, saying only, "I will."
Tane smiled. This was a chance to get away from the fort's labor, visit an old friend, and maybe get into a little trouble. He couldn't let this chance pass him by. "I'm going!" he shouted.
The leader nodded, then said, "That should be enough. A small group can avoid detection better than a larger one. We shall gather supplies, and you shall leave soon. Now, hurry up, and get what weapons you are taking." She turned, and left the hall. The room became a blur of activity, and Wynn and his friends went toward the rooms that belonged to Tane and Shezarah. They were going on another adventure together, and none of them could wait.
******
Wynn stepped out into the moonlight a short time later. The sun had recently set, and they were going to make the journey to Kakariko in the darkness. The leader had debated waiting until morning to journey across Hyrule Field, but decided against it. Kakariko would be defenseless tonight, and an attack by the marauders would probably be successful.
He looked back to the fort's entrance. Shezarah and Tane were exiting together, accompanied by the leader of the Gerudo. They walked up to Wynn, and then, the leader gave them their final instructions.
"Now, try to be as quiet as possible, and avoid all conflicts if possible. My soldiers will be able to watch themselves, but any advance notice would help them. Now, go, and be careful," she said, looking with concern to Shezarah as she said the last part.
"Don't worry about us," Wynn told her soothingly. "We'll be fine."
The leader nodded solemnly. "Well, then, may your journey be victorious and easy. Farewell." With one last look to Shezarah, she turned, and re-entered the fort.
"All right! Let's get going! No time to waste!" Tane said, excitedly.
Shezarah shook her head, and mumbled, "Why can't he be this energetic when he's doing work?"
******
And without any other words, the three friends left the fortress. They walked on through Gerudo Valley, and entered Hyrule Field. They hiked silently, each alert and searching for any sign of an ambush. They found no such signs, and the trip was uneventful.
As they walked, they noticed the weather was becoming progressively worse. Clouds blocked the moon, and an almost solid fog cloaked the field. They traveled without even a torch, for fear the light would be seen through the fog, and they would be discovered. They carefully tread along, trying to avoid being tripped by an unseen obstacle. It was a bad night to be out, but their quest was very important.
It was steadily approaching dawn when they neared Hyrule Market, which was near the path to Kakariko. The light from the torches on either side of the drawbridge had barely came into view through the gloomy night when they stopped for a short rest. They had nearly completed their journey and had seen no sign of ambush.
Wynn stepped away from his friends, and squinted, looking for any signs of the marauders. Something was wrong here. The night was completely silent. The sounds of the crickets and other small animals that shared the field were absent. He tried to hear anything, but nothing was moving. Suddenly, he picked up an almost unnoticeable rumbling. It seemed to be coming from somewhere near them...closer...right beneath them!
A skeletal hand burst from the ground, wrapping itself around Tane's ankle, and a roar split the air. The hand yanked Tane to the ground, and the ground near it roiled as the owner of the hand pushed itself into view. It rose up, and stared at the man it had attacked. It was a skeleton, but not one of a normal man. It was shorter than any of the heroes, a child's height. It was in bad condition, looking as if in danger of crumbling. Several bones were cracked or missing. A dull red glow lit the eye sockets, shining with an unthinking hunger.
The heroes drew their weapons, and Tane kicked at the hand clutching him, breaking the arm off. The monster didn't react, merely reaching for him with its other hand. Shezarah caught it with a quick flash of her scimitar, slicing it in half. A groan came from the monster's maw, and it collapsed into dust.
A much louder rumble sounded, and many more of the skeletal beasts pushed them selves from the dirt. The heroes attacked them, destroying several. But for every one killed, three more would rise.
The heroes battled back to back, helping each other. They were putting up an impressive fight, but it was obvious they would lose. Many of the monsters didn't attack, merely acting as witnesses to what seemed to be the prelude to a slaughter.
Wynn hacked away at a monster, cutting it diagonally from shoulder to hip. As it collapsed, another charged him. He met it with a horizontal slash, beheading it. It paused, then attempted to club him with an arm. He blocked it, and jabbed it in the spine, and watched as it collapsed like so many of its brothers. Wynn paused, amazed. These things didn't give up!
As quickly as it began, the monster's attack ceased. The three heroes watched warily as the remaining monsters grouped into a large crowd, and turned to them. They slowly started forward. Wynn grimaced. There were dozens! He and his friends would be overwhelmed. He had only one choice.
Wynn stepped away from the others, raising his arms above his head. He had to call upon his magic; the powers he had inherited from his father and the ones he had used in his final clash with Icarnos. The monsters stopped, watching him cautiously as a bright light encased his body. Suddenly, the light vanished, and a twin pair of spheres made of the same light appeared above his outstretched hands. They began orbiting him, moving faster and faster. He slowly lowered his arms, pointing to the crowd of monster spectators. The globes followed, circling his hands at incredible speeds, moving closer together. He slowly placed his right hand above his left, and felt his power build inside him. He released at the moment the two spheres met, forming one much larger globe. The globe hurtled toward the skeletons, slamming through to the center of the group, where it exploded in an immense flash, eliminating every last one of his foes.
Wynn shielded his eyes against the onslaught of dust and bone chips from the explosion. His friends merely stared at him, amazed beyond comprehension. They, unlike Nerah, Fami, and Jier, had not seen Wynn use his powers. They had known he had some magic, but this?
Wynn turned back to his friends. "Well, that's that. Let's go find the Gerudos, and warn them." He stepped back toward his friends, but stopped when he heard a roar come from near them. Many, many more of the creatures rose from the ground near him. They attacked Wynn, slashing relentlessly. They ignored Tane and Shezarah. Wynn fought wildly, trying to ignore the pain from the attacks he couldn't block. He sliced whole groups of the beasts, killing them instantly, but it wasn't enough. His friends moved to help him, but could merely attack the outer members of the crowd. Wynn flinched as a monster slammed its hand into his shoulder, and he killed it. He heard a roar behind him, and turned to kill the monster making the noise, but was too slow. The hand clubbed his head, and he crumpled to the ground. The monster roared in victory as it raised its arm again for the killing blow. Its victory was short-lived, however, as an arrow shattered its skull.
Tane looked, surprised, to the source of the arrow. Three horses, with riders, galloped to their rescue. One rider, small in stature, held the bow that had shot that saving arrow. Another held a short sword, and the third a torch. Tane noticed the creatures shied from the light. The monsters noticed the riders, as well, and turned to attack them. The rider with the bow held back, firing arrows, but careful to avoid hitting Wynn's unmoving body. The one with the short sword hacked at the monsters charging him, his horse kicking several others. The torchbearer plowed through the crowd, pushing the monsters back with the torch's light. He dismounted, careful to keep the monsters back, and hauled Wynn's body onto the horse. He climbed back onto his steed, and rode away, toward a large structure across from Hyrule Market. The short sword-user rode up to Shezarah, allowing her to mount the horse, and followed the other rider. Tane dashed to the last horse, and scrambled on. He held onto the person controlling the horse desperately as they rode away from the monsters. Several rose up to stop them, but the horse trampled them.
Tane looked back to the receding monsters, and then shouted above the wind, "Excuse me, but where are we going?"
The rider looked back to him, and Tane was looking into the brightest blue eyes he had ever seen. "Why, Lon Lon Ranch, of course. We will be safe there." The girl then turned her attentions to the horse, and Tane turned his face as her long red hair blew into his face.
Tane mentally prayed that she was right. He had had enough adventure for one day.