The Fourth Piece
Chapter 2
Everything is hazy and cold, very cold…I try to look around only to see darkness welcome me. I try to call out but nothing is heard, no one responds, humph story of my life.
I can see a light ahead, beckoning me with its warmth. Tired of darkness I start walking for it. Walking towards it I feel like I can't breathe, like I have been running for a long time and can't catch my breath. I am panting as I try to get closer but the light does not change. I collapse on the cold ground and the light gets farther and farther away until it is nothing more than a white dot in the abyss that surrounds me.
I feel like crying but I know that won't do anything for me. I glare at the white dot and stagger to my feet, breaking out into a run. I stop and gasp as two more lights are in different directions but all are just as far as the next one. I grow in frustration. Which one do I go to? Deciding it is not worth my time I run after the first one I had seen.
I feel like I am going to suffocate but I fight the urge to rest and press on. The light is getting brighter and closer. I force my body to keep going, I am almost there! Finally I reach the light and go past it allowing its warmth to consume me.
I am blinded for a moment, but as soon as my sight has adjusted I am surrounded by a forest in the middle of the day. Just in front of me is a golden horse with a silver fox next to it. They both look at me expectantly and I am confused as to why they are there. The fox comes forward and looked at me with endless violet orbs. It looked over to our right, where I could only make out a silhouette of a person. I look back at the fox and it is glaring at me. "Get started!"
I wake up gasping. I am lying on my stomach with my face in the pillow. That would explain why I couldn't breathe. I look at my new surroundings to find I am back in my room at the inn. The sheets had managed to tie themselves around my legs and my tunic is missing.
I finally remember what happened last night and sigh. It was only a strange dream. Shaking my head and deciding to forget about it, I untangle myself from the sheets. Getting out of bed I stretch out all the kinks in my muscles glad to breathe easy again. Looking out the window I assume it's about noon.
Sighing I go over to the desk looking for my tattered tunic, knowing it would take all afternoon to mend. I frown softly seeing it folded neatly on the desk with a scroll on top. I recognized the seal on the scroll as the army's. I put the scroll aside and look at my tunic. Lifting it out of its folded state I see that it looked good as new, even better than when I purchased it.
I shrug putting it back on the table and opening the scroll. Reading through it I could see it was orders for my next mission. I was appointed to the towers tonight while the main army was gone to Kakriko for supplies.
I sigh and sit down in the chair, deciding to cheek my wounds. I pick up the small hand mirror to see my eye was still slightly bruised but the swelling was gone. Nodding with satisfaction at the healing rate of my eye, I check my bandaged hand. Unraveling the thin strips of cloth I see the cut was still very irritated and bright red. I get up and go over to my basin, filling it with water and start cleaning the wound again.
It must have been the Moblin's blood that affected the wound so much. I take my hand out and sigh knowing it won't help me. I go over to my bag to dig out a salve I kept for such occasions. I find the bottle and quickly apply the green paste to my wound.
I hiss in pain as I continue to carefully apply the remedy. I bite my lip and start wrapping fresh bandages around the wound, trying to ignore the pain. I groan as I remember my shoulder wound and unwrap that one as well. Looking at it, it wasn't that bad. It was already starting to form a thin pale scar that covered most of my shoulder. I apply the salve anyway just in case and wrap it up again with clean new bandages.
Just as I finish wrapping my injuries, my stomach grumbles loudly, announcing that I had not eaten since yesterday morning. I quickly throw on my tunic and head out into the blinding afternoon sun.
My eyesight did not adjust to the new light quick enough before I run into someone. "Excuse me." I mutter trying to walk past who ever I ran into, but the person blocks my escape.
"I believe you owe me an apology thief." he says rudely. Finally my sight returns and I see a scowling man with noble's garb looking down upon me with an annoyed frown. I glare at him and again try to move past him when he grabs my bad shoulder making me wince. He smirks down on me thinking his grip was good. Idiot. "I said you owe me an apology!" I feel myself about to snap. A strong urge develops deep within my gut to beat the shit out of this jerk. Just to show, you don't mess with anyone who resembles a Gerudo.
I tighten my fist ready to deliver a bone breaking blow when someone else does it for me. The man was sent across the street from the force of the blow, smashing into a merchant stall. "Don't you know it is rude to demand an apology from a woman?" I look up to see a very messy looking man. He had unkempt short black hair, kept out of his face with a dark bandana. He had a very confident smirk and a pair of mischievous hazel eyes. "It's always the men's job to offer their apology, seeing as it is usually our fault to begin with." He winks at me making me frown. I look back to see the noble running away like the coward he was, sporting a brand new black eye. I turn back to this man and sigh about ready to thank him when he looks me up and down making me feel slightly uncomfortable. "Hay, how you doin?" I roll my eyes and walk away. "No wait!"
I turn sharply, shocking him slightly. "What do you want?" I ask with barely suppressed anger. That man had really pissed me off, and I didn't get to relieve myself by hitting him. This man took it away from me. I glare harshly at him. It doesn't help that I don't feel at all rested, and I am half starved. Today is just not a good day for me.
"Hay, I didn't mean to insult you or anything, but you could have at least given me some sort of thanks." my shoulders slump and I sigh in defeat. He was just trying to help, He does not deserve my anger.
"I do appreciate your assistance, even if it was unneeded. Now if you will excuse me." I try to walk away again when he decides to block my path. Why does everyone feel the need to get in my way? "Look I am in no mood to play around with you. I warn you this once, either step aside or you will end up on the ground, and unlike that other guy you won't get back up right away."
He smiles and I just glare at him. "Quite confident to bring me down aren't you?" I snort and push him aside.
"There is no question, I can bring you down and will if you don't stop bothering me." he runs up to catch up, falling in step next to me.
"That sounds like a challenge!" He says cheerfully. "Besides, what can be so important that you have to be all in a hurry for?" My stomach answered that question for me. I blush in embarrassment and try not to look at him instead pay attention to the road ahead of me. He laughs. "Why didn't you say so? I can show you a real nice place if you're interested."
"Sorry pal, I eat alone." He feigns heart broken, making the motion of stabbing himself in the heart and the lights are going out. I will never understand men and their antics.
"You break my heart young maiden!" I don't stop for him as he falls to the ground on his back, holding a flower to his chest. Where he got the flower I didn't stay to find out. turn a corner and am out of his line of sight. What a loon.
I find a tavern and enter looking at every shady corner. Everyone else is examining me as well, seeing if I am dumb enough to not notice any missing items. I glare at each one, one hand holding the hilt of my sword, giving them a clear message. Don't even think about it.
I sit at the corner that is not occupied, my back to the wall, waiting for the waitress to notice me. After about ten minuets a wench brings a tray of food to my table and I raise a brow at her. She just smiles at me. "Courtesy of the cute man in green over there" she points and I gasp recognizing the man who smiles at me. The woman leaves, giving me a wink before she goes and Link gets up and comes over to my table. How come I didn't notice him when I came in?
"How are you wounds doing?" he asks setting himself across from me. I stop gaping at him and my stupidity for not noticing him sooner, I guess I just didn't look at the middle of the room, too busy finding people who were going to steal my purse.
"You're pretty ballsy for sitting in the center." I say grabbing a slab of steak with my fork. "My wounds are fine, and thank you for the food. Though I can purchase stuff on my own." He smiles kindly and takes a loaf of bread.
"I figured I could apologize easier by giving you something. You just happen to come to the right place so I told the waitress to put my order on this table when you walked in." I raise a brow at him.
"Why would you need to apologize to me?" I ask cutting my steak and selecting a good bite sized piece ready to savor the taste of food.
"I must have done something to upset you last night, when you left abruptly." I stop short before biting. I put my fork down, not feeling very hungry anymore.
"I wasn't upset at you, Link." he frowns.
"Then why did you leave without telling me your name?" I sigh ready to get up when he puts a hand over mine. "I know you have no reason to trust me, but since I did assist you, I deserve at least an explanation." His hand goes back over to his side of the table and he looks at me expectantly.
"Look, it isn't anything personal. I was just ready to retire that is all." his frown deepens.
"Do you really expect me to believe that?"
"No, but I thought you might just accept it as an explanation and leave it be." He sighs shaking his head.
"Can I have the truth?" I ponder his request for a moment and then frown myself.
"Why do you care so much? I'm just a no name fighter of Hyrule, I am no one special."
"Why do you have such a horrible vision of yourself?" I look away not meeting his eyes.
"Let's just say I have never met a person who didn't think so." I look at him in the corner of my eyes to see him looking sad?
"I don't think you're just a no name fighter." I barely manage to keep a straight face. He cares? I turn to him waiting for him to continue. "You may not yet have a name to me, but I see you as more than just another guard. You are worth the same if not more than every other person in all of Hyrule. You try to help others who can not defend themselves, you try your best at making the world a better place in any way you can. No one should think that someone who is trying for them is no one. I wish you could see yourself as you should be seen." He puts a purple rupee on the table and gets up, heading towards the exit. Just as he is about to step out I make a quick decision and stand up catching his attention. He looks over at me and I look him straight in the eye, with a confidence I thought didn't exist within me.
"My name is Lina." he looks over slightly surprised. "Feel honored, for you are the only one I have told my name to." I smirk at him. I like this new feeling, it's like nothing else but what I think matters.
He smiles and nods walking out the door. I smile to myself, a warm feeling spreading throughout my soul. I am no longer a no name. I have a real friend.
I yawn tiredly as I scan the dark fields of Hyrule. I really need a better job, this is way too boring for any warrior. I have been sitting up in this tower with two other sexist and racist bastards that I have to deal with. At least the corporal is a decent person who allows me to beat them upside the head when ever possible.
"In past your bed time sweetheart?" I swear will they ever learn? I punch the asshole in the back of the head without looking at him or flinching on my scan of the valley. "What was that for?"
"Really do you have nothing better to do than to harass a solder who is actually doing what they are assigned to do?" a deeper voice sounds behind me. I hear the other man stutter for a moment than salute and go back to his post. "I apologize, I must have slacked somewhere in their training." I smirk.
"No matter what tool you use, you can't beat out the confidence of an inferior fighter."
"Very well said, but where does that put you?" I sigh, thinking back when I first heard the statement. I look at my own hand seeing the bandage peak through the mended leather of the gauntlet and smile.
"There is confidence well placed in a balanced fighter. One, who chooses their words carefully as they pick their battles, can be considered as such." I tighten my hand into a fist and smile to myself. "I can go on forever with great quotes and pretty sayings, but I have work to do sir."
"Hmm, you could make something of yourself." he starts to walk away but lingers a moment longer. "There is more to life than fighting. Perhaps you should think about life after the fight instead of waiting for your next order." He leaves me to my thoughts. I frown thinking that I only managed to make one friend, how can I think of a future when I wasn't supposed to make it as far as I have. It is also hard to see a future when you expect to die within the next fight. All I have is the next fight, and can only hope I will live to see another one.
I have taken life one day at a time, thinking of things on the fly and living with the only thing I am good at, even if I am not that great. I had always wished for someone to talk to about all this, seeing if I am not the only one who thinks there is something more for me out there, and I just have yet to reach it. That every day, until that something shows itself, I am just biding my time…
In the distance I notice a small light. I think it is one of the other towers. It has been dark for a few hours and we were told not to light the only lantern in the tower. "Sir!" I call out and hear him approach. I sense him right behind me and point to the object of my attention. "Is that normal?"
I hear him curse as he turns to the rest of the men. "All solders prepare for battle. You go down and secure the door. You go get our ammunition. And you." he turns to me and I stand at attention. "Watch carefully, if you see so much as a minimal movement of a shadow you inform the rest of the party. Is that understood?"
"Yes sir!" I turn back to the landscape and scan it carefully. Those shadow things might be difficult to see, but my eyes are quite adjusted to using the full moon's glare as a light source. They will not hide from me.
It has been a few hours since the lantern was lit. I now have a bow and a quiver full of arrows. If I remember correctly I have about thirty arrows and a couple of extra full quivers at my side. I don't know how great a shot I am in the dark, but I know that normally I am superb with the bow. Especially a long bow.
There has not been a single movement anywhere. There have been sentries out to check for trouble, but no one would wander passed the perimeter. Cowards.
A strand of hair irritates my eye making it twitch. I rub impatiently and pull the hair away from my eyes, thinking in the back of my mind I need a hair cut. Just as I resume my scanning of the area I spot movement about fifty feet away, three feet behind a sentry. I watch the area carefully but as the sentry walks farther away I take it as just a trick of the light and my passed irritation.
Just in case though, I continue to watch the one sentry as he continues on. Something he does troubles me, he doesn't really walk the same as before, I have been watching these guys pace all night, he usually walks upbeat, like he is singing a song to himself or something. Even after the lantern was lit in the other tower he didn't falter on his rounds. Now he walks a little drunken like. Swaying slightly on each step, as thought trying to be careful where he puts his foot, or he is not used to his legs.
"Sir." the corporal walks up behind me. "That sentry there" I point to him and the corporal squints to see him. "He is pacing differently, and his route has changed from a few minuets ago."
"I will send someone to question him." He turns and orders one of the other two to go and talk to the sentry. Not moving my sight from the strange sentry I watch as the man runs over to the jittery and clumsy solder. Just before he gets within range an arrow brings him down. "What?!" the man falls apparently surprised.
I watch shocked as he pulled the arrow out. It was black like a… "There here!" I announce loading an arrow and taking aim to the supposed sentry. It looks up at me just as I let the arrow fly. The corporal is yelling at me, calling me mad when the thing burst into a cloud of darkened dust. I look down to see all the guards are walking as the first one had. Scanning passed the hills I can see a large shadow heading toward us. "Sir they have taken all the sentry below and are going to overwhelm us!"
As the larger shadow grows closer, it splits into hundreds of smaller shadows, all with darkened weapons and gleaming red eyes. I knock another arrow and let it fly, straight into another open helm.
Within half an hour I have spent all my ammunition and am left with only a bow. "Sir I am out, I'm going down to the party!" I say just as I leap from the tower.
"Wait!" I can hear the corporal shout out just as I unsheathe my sword and drop on a shadow trying to break open the door. I cut the thing in two and turn on another that was trying to advance me from behind. I block its downward arch and throw it aside going in for a killing forward thrust. My aim is perfect as it cuts through making a gaping hole in its gut. I turn to face the hord of shadow and charge.
It seems like hours since I joined in the fight. It also feels like I am the only one fighting these things. The main army is gone, securing our supplies for the next month. There is no help besides these towers, and the Castle Town guards. The town guards wont leave, they must protect the town. The other towers wont abandon their post in case they get attacked from that side as well. I was pretty much alone in this fight.
I pant looking at five of these shadow fighters as they advance on me. I have been cut in many places, I don't know how much blood I have lost, but I have yet to retain any serious wound and I am tired, very tired. I glare defiant at these creatures and am prepared to attack once again. A chain whips out from behind me and catches the closest shadow around the neck. The chain tightens and the head is cut off in an explosion of shadow.
I turn to see the man from this afternoon who had hit the noblemen for me. "Having difficulties?" he smirks down at me pulling his chain back and putting it away. I glare at him.
"Who asked you?" he pulls out a sword that was at least eight feet in length. With a battle cry he attacked the remaining warriors. In one slash of his sword the other four are dust. He turns back to me with that arrogant smirk.
"I saw a damsel in distress, and figured I might as well help out." my shock over him defeating all those shadows in one swoop is gone as I glare at him with a newfound hatred.
"I.." I jump over him finding new energy and slashing away six new enemies taking my anger out on them. "Am!...no!...Damsel!" I take out a shadow for each word. The other shadow creatures back away seemingly frightened of my viciousness. I turn back to the man. "And I am most certainly not in distress!" his look changes from looking arrogant to an amused look.
He walks up to me and takes my free hand in his and raises it to his lips. "Just wanted to make sure." I blush fiercely as he kisses my hand avoiding the spiked studs on the knuckles. Whether it was from flattery or embarrassment I did not know. He threw his sword over his shoulder. "The name is Izic." He glares behind me and pushes me aside, attacking a shadow that was trying to sneak up on me. Izic turns back to me and smiles. "We can have a proper introduction later!" he disappears into the mass of shadows leaving me to be stunned.
"Since when did I suddenly become popular?" I say to no one in particular and continue on with the fight. Something though makes me want to run. A horrible feeling worse than last night creeps into the front of my mind, making me falter on a couple of attacks, adding new scars. I feel like this is going to be my last fight. I glare at the next target and dispose of him quickly. It better be something better than these things, cause Goddess help me, I am not dying to a shadow!
As I continue to slash through the creatures, sporting new scars every step of the way, I spot green. "Link!" I call out trying to fight my way over to him.
He turns to see me coming towards him and gasps throwing himself on me. "Look out!" just as we hit the ground a giant explosion erupts behind him. I must have almost stepped on one of his bombs. "Lina you really need to watch where your going!" He stand quickly hacking at an enemy and then offering me a hand up. "Just remember, if I am surrounded I am most likely going to have a bomb somewhere." I smile sheepishly.
"Sorry." I push him away and jump attack a shadow that was about to cut his head off. "And sorry for that one." I offer him a hand up as well. "Look we need to get out of here, something really bad is going to happen."
"What makes you think it hasn't already happened?" my blood runs cold as I hear that familiar voice. I turn quickly and see the object of my hatred smirking down upon me.
"Gannondorf…" I glare harshly up at him. "So what has his royal majesty come off his throne for?" I say, my knuckles turning white from how hard I was gripping my sword. This must be the better than shadow thing that is going to defeat me.
"heh…heh…heh. I have come to collect what is rightfully mine. If you don't step aside I will have to kill you. Traitor" I stand more firmly in my battle stance and hold my sword out ready to attack.
"You're the traitor! You have betrayed our people with all your selfish deeds!" I grind my teeth trying to get my anger under control. "I won't ever step down, not for you!" Link pushes me out of the way and attacks Gannondorf himself. "Link no!" I try to get up but a few shadows have grabbed my arms and are trying to rip them off. "Ah!" I can feel my muscle giving to the pressure from them playing tug of war with me.
Not feeling like being a toy I throw all my weight on the ground forcing them off balance. Getting my arms lose I punch the first one and pick up my sword cutting off his head easily. I swing the blade around cutting the second one in half. I turn back to the fight between Gannondorf and Link. Something in the back of my head aches as I watch them fight. Before I know it the pain consumes me forcing me to my knees clutching my head as I see something.
Oni Link counters Majora Gannon's downward swing easily and pushes him away. Majora Gannon was laughing like a lunatic and lunges Oni Link. Oni Link glares trying to block the blow with his sword, but because of the massive difference in power Oni Link buckles under his weight. Majora Gannon quickly grabs the white mask forcing Link back into his normal form. Link grunts with the effort to not get stabbed but managed to sneak a deku nut out and slams it in Gannon's face rolling away while he is confused.
Link tries to grab the oni mask but Majora Gannon recovered faster than he should have and quickly slices Link's arm off, the mask flaying form his dead arm. "Link!' I call out and run after him when the mask hits me in the chest. I manage to catch it and look at the fierce deity mask. I look back up to see Majora Gannon about ready to make the killing blow. Without even thinking I quickly put on the mask just as Gannon is inches from stabbing Link…
I cry out in pain holding my head trying to focus on the now. What was that? I hear Link shout in agony and look up to see he has been wounded and Gannondorf is stepping on the deep gash making it more painful. "How does it feel hero?"
I growl charging at Gannondorf. He must not have been expecting me to come at him, because he did not try to stop me from tackling him. We both fall heavily to the ground and I had raise my right hand and punch him in the face as hard as I could. The spikes on the knuckles leave four bloody gashes on his face.
I didn't get a second chance to punch him as he picks me up off of him and throws me in the direction of Link. I barely manage to catch myself, I am on all fours keeping him within my sights. He is smirking at me whipping the blood off his face. "You want a piece of me?" he stands up and holds his hands out, his sword in one hand the other free of any burden. "Then take it." his sadistic smile angers me further and I charge, gathering power within my ring and ready to release it. He changes his stance into that of a defensive ready to receive anything I can throw at him. I smirk.
I roll under him missing his downward swipe. I jump off a tree, that was behind him, barely escaping his side sweep and watching as splinters from the tree fly from his hit. I do a backward arial narrowly missing his upward arch and see my opening. I take full advantage of this. "Eat this!" I scream releasing the power from my ring, and hitting him with all my strength in the face just as the ground erupts beneath his feet smashing him into my fist. He goes down hard into the pile of rubble, buried.
I hit the ground hard away from his body, feeling so weak. I try to get up, my body shakes in protest, wanting nothing more than to rest. I force the feelings aside and look up hopefully. "Please don't get back up." I mutter to myself praying to all Goddesses who were willing to listen. No luck for me. I groan seeing him stand up with only a bruise to add to the gash I made earlier, which was healing quickly.
He is frowning darkly at me. He starts to walk towards me. He is finally in front of me looking down upon my crumpled form. "Why do you betray me? Why not be with the powerful and rightful King?" I laugh harshly.
"Your idiotic army wouldn't accept me just like you. I never liked you, or what you represented, selfishness, cowardice, and fear. Because of you I never had anything go right in my life. Why do you think I hate you so much? Why do you think I have joined ranks with a racist bunch of pigs? Why would I deal with their crap and continue to help them? Why take their allegiance over yours?" He raises a brow. I look up at him with confidence and defiance of his authority over me. "Because they offered me something your race never even could consider for me."
He smirks. "And what would that be?"
I smile despite my pain and fatigue. A feeling of right wells up in my heart and the answer to my question I really never could answer escapes my lips "A chance." His smirk was whipped from his face. He looked as though I had hit him or done something to him. But the look was gone as soon as it came. He was back to his smirk. I could see a purplish black energy build up in his hand.
"A chance huh? Too bad you were never worth a chance!" I wince, trying to prepare myself for the coming pain.
Just before he was going to release the power an arrow came from his chest shocking him out of his spell. I take this chance and quickly roll away. I try to get to my feet but only managed to get shakily on my knees. "Lina!" I look up to see Link with his bow out running towards me.
Everything then feels like it is in slow motion as I see some sort of purple glow behind him. I try to find my voice to warn him, but it is already too late. The energy strikes him hard in the back sending him flying over me and skidding to halt in the mud. As soon as he stops everything goes back to normal. "Link!" I cry crawling clumsily to his still form. I slip as I approach the mudded area and can't find the strength to right myself. I lay there looking at him. He isn't moving, his chest is not rising…
I glare at the form, a searing rage overtakes me. It can't be, I couldn't have just made a friend only to watch him die in front of me! I grip the cold earth beneath my fingers as I hear foot steps approaching me. "Now I shall get what I wanted…" I hear him mutter walking passed me.
I feel power rising within me, it is hot and burning every inch of my being, yet it doesn't really hurt. I grab Gannondorf's boot surprising him. He was about to say something when he sees the power rolling off me in a silver glow. My right hand burns severely, yet I can only think of one thing. Take his right hand, take his power. I keep hearing a voice repeat this in my head and I am not one to argue if it means ridding the world of this monster!
I see him start to sweat and a new look crosses his features, fear. I smile and reach with my good hand, my left closed in a fist, as I rise. My right hand closes around his and I hear him scream in pain. A satisfied smirk crosses my features as I watch him feel the same burn I do, except I can't feel pain anymore. "You killed my friend…" his eyes widen as he looks down at our joined hands. A golden triangle appears on his gauntlet the feeling in the back of my hand burns and I think I can see a faint glow on the back of my hand. The golden mark is solidifying over his hand.
I didn't notice he had collected energy until it was too late. He raised his left hand and the power slammed into my chest. I grunt losing my strength and fly ten feet away stopping only because of a tree.
I use the tree to help me up and lean against it. I hold my right side feeling the blood damp my tunic. I watch as Gannondorf approaches me. His eyes were burning with anger, resembling a fire. "What did you do?" he growled at me. He stops just out of my reach, his power collecting in his hand again.
I glare at him and spit out a mouth full of blood. "Would…wouldn't you like to know?" I pant feeling every burn and scar cry out in protest making me grunt in pain as all of it attacks me at once.
"You will never do it again!" I weakly bring up my arms to block the oncoming blow as he throws another purple ball of pain at me. I guess this is where it ends for me. Suddenly the burning energy comes back, but this time I feel every sting intensified with all my wounds and injuries. Just as his ball hits me I am thrown another yard away. I feel like I am flying and some sort of warmth comes over me. I must have died from that. I sigh a smile coming over me, I guess I was not good enough in the end…at least I gave it my best…