After meeting with the childlike Kokiri and making introductions on behalf of Rena and Janus Link picked up Impa's trail which led to the southwest edge of the forest. After a few meters the trail vanished completely but Link knew already where it led. There were two great trees in the southwest of the forest just on the edge of the Deku Tree's protection whose massive roots circled each other like two fighters preparing to duel, it was the perfect place for an encampment.
Great stretches of cloth now formed a giant canopy in the midst of the roots and several men watched the entrance. "Who goes..." one began but his words caught in his throat and he merely gaped as Link entered the encampment. He could feel the eyes follow him as he walked among the hastily constructed tents as he made his way to the center of the camp. One man dropped an armload of kindling to stare dumbfounded in his wake, and everywhere he could hear activity grind to a halt, the grate of whetstones against steel, the pounding of the smith's hammer, the slap and shuffle of looms as the women wove new banners, all were silenced as they watched the knight they had thought dead walk amongst them again.
Before he could enter the large commander's tent in the center Keith threw back the flap violently and stood dumbstruck before him, "I do not believe my eyes." he whispered, "Thank the gods you're alive, it's a miracle!" He leapt on him nearly smothering him in a tearful embrace.
"Peace, Keith." Link laughed with difficulty. "I shan't be alive much longer if you continue to smother me."
"When Impa told us you lived I dared not believe it, how did you ever survive?" Link's countenance fell as he searched for the right words to describe the help he had received in the temple but before he could speak Keith raised a hand, silencing him, "It matters not, you are here now and with that sword..." He eyed the faintly shining blued steel pommel, "now we have a real chance." He threw his arm around Link's neck and brought him in the tent. "We have much to discuss," he began once the flap had closed behind them, "Hyrule is in a sorry state, my friend. Lon Lon ranch, Zora's Domain, the Mountain, all have been turned to fortresses and the people enslaved, the largest by far though is in the south, they have erected a great iron banded wall that stretches from the desert fortress to the lake's furthest shore and back. Ravd and young Grey have gone there now but I fear their numbers much too small to win a victory."
"Grey? You mean Dael Grey!?" Link asked leaping to his feet.
"The very same. You've only missed them by a half day they left in the night. We were just planning to ride out when you arrived." Keith said.
"I must leave at once." Link said making for the entrance.
Keith nodded as though he expected this but put a hand on his shoulder as he was leaving, "Link, I'll not stop you but if we lose you then Hyrule is lost, do not forget." Link nodded.
As he exited he found himself facing the entire camp who erupted in applause and cheers, and now it was Link's turn to be dumbstruck. Keith laughed, "I know that you had few friends in the palace, but those of us who were not raised in an ivory tower did not forget who it was who lifted the siege those six long years ago."
"Thank you, my friend." Link said, truly touched and humbled once again.
"Take as many men as you like, it will save me from having to postpone planning our next raid to go after them myself."
Link nodded his thanks and raised his voice to the crowd, "Your brothers now march to the south, without our aid it is likely they march to their death and I do not mean for the Demon King to claim one more soul with this darkness not while I can stand in his way!" He unsheathed his sword and held it high it caught the light and blazed brilliantly in the noonday sun. "WHO WILL JOIN ME!" he was met with a roar of assent. He smiled, and turned to Keith, "There is someone in the Kokiri forest that should be informed that her brother still lives."
Keith nodded his assent, "You will need a horse I suppose." he said.
"No." Link smiled, "I will not."
"DAMN IT ALL!" Dael swore as two of his men were trampled by the pressing mob of Moblin. He hacked to the left and right splitting skulls and severing limbs. "FALL BACK!" he ordered as his flanks withered. "FALL BACK TO THE HILL, DAMN IT!" he turned and thrust his sword through the throat of a Moblin trying to behead his horse Rueben. As he wrenched it free Reuben let out a terrified whinny as he was pulled over from the other side and Dael toppled out of the saddle to land in the blood and muck. He pulled his head out of the bloody dirt churned into a thick slurry by pounding boots and hooves. Where in the Hell was Ravd!? He wondered as he pulled his face out of the muck gasping and slashed open a Moblin's stomach as it threatened to trample him. His men had followed his orders and withdrew leaving him surrounded on all sides, for the most part the Moblin were too focused on the retreating Hylians to notice their fallen general in their midst. Dael lopped off the head of a short Moblin in front of him and continued to press forward, hoping against hope that the enemy would continue to focus on his retreating men but as he plunged Wastrel into a Moblin's head he locked eyes with a large, fat Moblin with a huge axe. Tearing his blade free he swung it all the way around as he had seen Link do many times before and buried his blade deep into the beast's gullet but not before it bellowed a warning to its surrounding brethren of the enemy in their midst. A Moblin three times Dael's height charged him when an angry buzzing sound filled the air and an arrow hit the charging beast in the eye with such force that it tore out the side of it's bulbous head leaving a ruined crater where the right side of its hideous face had once been. Recognizing the black shaft of Ravd's arrow Dael did the only thing he could think of and dove under the toppling Moblin as a hail of arrows rained death from the sky.
The thick mud allowed him to burrow out from under the giant Moblin's bulk and he spat out a mouthful of mud silently vowing that this was the last time he would allow himself to be trapped under one of these repulsive creatures. He was still surrounded but now the Moblin were scattered and confused, He heard a horse scream and turned sharply round to see Reuben struggling to his feet, an arrow protruding from his haunch. Dael sprinted towards him vaulting clear over his hindquarters and landing in the saddle, he smacked the uninjured half of his backside with the flat of his blade and charged towards the gate. He could see Ravd's cavalry charging towards the very same gate and spurred Reuben harder trampling one of the Moblin as he leapt over a barricade and dashed through the gate at full gallop pulling a hard right as Ravd came thundering past. Dael shot the knight a dangerous glare as he rode past which was returned with only a cocky half-smile.
Dael met Diek and Teman first as he made his way up the hill, "Dael, thank the gods you're safe! When we saw you were not with the others we headed back immediately." Teman said bringing his gelding round to walk beside him.
Dael hung his head, "How many men?" He asked bitterly.
"Seven missing, three with minor scrapes, no serious wounds though." The swordsman answered.
"Their deaths are on my hands." Dael muttered heavily.
"Yes," Teman said, "as are the lives of the men you saved by ordering a retreat before we were surrounded."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Dael asked sharply.
"No, I rode with your father for many years and if I learned anything from him it is that command is not about how you feel at the end of the day it is about how many of your men will go home to their wives and children and draw breath another day." Teman looked up to the top of the hill where cheers had already erupted as they saw Dael returning. He dismounted taking a moment to work the shaft out of Reuben's rear, luckily the firm muscle beneath had prevented it from penetrating too deep, before rejoining his men.
As he joined his men he heard a horn blast from the gate and saw Ravd's cavalry turn and begin charging back up the hill pursued by a sea of angry Moblin. When no explosion followed he mounted Reuben again and went to meet the knight. He pulled Reuben up beside him, "What of the bridge!?" he shouted over the thunder of hoofbeats and distant roars.
"We were unable to reach it, perhaps if your forces had been there as planned!" The young knight shouted back accusingly. "We are making a full retreat bring your men!"
"NOT ALL MY MEN ARE MOUNTED THEY'LL BE CUT TO RIBBONS!" Dael protested.
"Then you must do what is best for your men as I must do for mine!" Ravd shouted back and spurred his black mare onward.
Dael could only roar in frustration and peel off to ride back to his men. "Ravd will not aid us in our retreat!" he raged as he rejoined them, "I need all the men with a horse on me!" Immediately the mounted men pulled up. "EVERYONE NOT ON A HORSE RETREAT AS FAST AS YOU CAN RUN!" he bellowed. The men exchanged glances, "NOW, DAMN YOU!" they scattered back over the crest of the hill.
"The rest of you form a line!" there was shuffling and the anxious whinnying of horses as this was done. "We will charge and break the enemy line and immediately retreat and regroup! We will do this as many times as it takes for our brothers to make a retreat! ON MY SIGNAL!" He raised wastrel high and it flashed in the last of the dawn as the sun disappeared into the blackened sky. "Any regrets my friend?" he asked Teman.
"Only that your father is not alive to see what a fine man his son has grown into." The swordsman said beaming with pride.
Dael smiled back silently thanking him, "And you?" He turned to Diek.
"Only that I own a horse." the woodsman smiled gruffly.
Dael laughed too in spite of himself and brought his blade down pointing it's damning edge at the line of charging moblin, "CHARGE!"
"Sir, if you need a horse..." one of the men offered.
"She'll come." Link reassured him smiling. Sure enough the sound of hoofbeats came distantly and soon the rust coloured mare could bee seen barreling over the rise fast as anything. She stopped in front of him rearing and whinnying in joy and nuzzling him so hard he almost fell over. "I'm happy to see you too, girl." He laughed. He swung himself into the saddle and turned his attention to the battle. going on outside the forest. Dael had charged the Moblin line thrice now and they were just bringing their mounts around for another charge. It was a good strategy giving their foot soldiers time to retreat but Link knew the horses would tire quickly from repeated charges like this. "Jerred, the horn." the man on his left handed him a polished Hylian horn and he pressed his lips to it and sounded three clear blasts.
For the fourth time Dael charged the line of Moblin, they had already lost one horse, though it's rider survived and was now retreating on foot, their line was still one short. As the dwindling cavalry leapt once more into the fray he heard a clear Hylian horn from the forest. He turned to look, thinking Ravd had returned. It was not Ravd, fifty or so mounted men burst from the woods flying pennants of ten or so houses, their leader's horse pulled swiftly ahead and the others fell in behind him forming a deadly wedge as they drew closer he raised a brand as bright as daylight and slammed at full speed into the flank of the Moblin force. If he slowed at all it was not noticeable as he seemed to tear through the disorganized beasts like a hot brand through vellum. The rider looped around and road straight for Dael. Now that he was closer Dael could see his tattered black leathers and his bronze and golden hair. "I don't believe it..." He murmured under his breath.
Link brought Epona to a stop right next to Dael who could not stop the tears from streaming down his face, "I can think of better mornings to pick a fight, little brother." He said smiling broadly.
"I thought..." He began choking down a sob.
"I know, so did everyone else, myself included. This is hardly the place for conversation, though, let's get back to camp there's someone waiting for you."
"Wait, Link!" Dael caught his arm before he rode away. "Ravd got the barrels as far as the bridge if we can destroy it then we will be able to cut off the lake from the desert!"
Link gazed out across the battlefield, "The bridge?" He sighed as yet more Moblin poured from the gap in the wall. Dael nodded. "How good of a shot are you?" He asked handing him a sturdy bow.
"Better than my father." Dael grinned.
"You forget I knew your father, but I suppose it will have to do." He handed him a black arrow that made his fingers tingle to touch it and was etched on both sides with runes that glowed like dying embers. "Your only job it to hit those barrels."
"But without flame..." Dael began.
"Oh there'll be flame, stay close behind me." He spurred Epona and charged through the gates. Dael had seen Link fight before but never in a battle, the lightest flick of his wrist was lethal as he swung his sword with unmatched swiftness and ferocity while charging at full gallop towards the bridge. Dael had little time to watch however as his eyes were fixed on the barrel as soon as he knew he wouldn't miss he shouted at Link to duck.
Link rolled in his saddle until he was parallel with the ground and swung his sword clean through a Moblin's leg the size of a tree trunk. Dael loosed the arrow and it cut a bright iridescent arc through the faded daylight striking the base of the stack of barrels he shielded his eyes as first a burst of white-hot flame and then an explosion turned the dim morning bright as noon for an instant scattering the Moblin. "On me!" Link shouted as he plunged into the dazed Moblin rushing for the gate as they burst through they passed the rest of the cavalry Link had brought who already had bows drawn. They loosed as the two thundered past and the barbs decimated the Moblin lines five ranks deep.
The Moblin seemed to decide that they had suffered enough losses for one day and retreated back inside the wall.
On the ride back Dael regaled his friend with the tale of everything that had happened to him since he had last seen him that stormy day in the village, when he reached the part about Ravd's retreat he saw Link's eyes flash with an emotion he didn't quite recognize.
When they reached the camp Dael brought Reuben to the stables where he set about dressing the tired old warhorse's wound when he heard a stifled cry behind him. He turned and his heart leapt in his chest. Link stood behind him grinning ear to ear and beside him, her eyes red from tears was his sister.
"Rena!" he shouted, joyfully.
She ran to him and threw her arms around his neck, "Dael, when I saw you at the village... I thought...I thought that you had."
She broke down in sobs and Dael stroked her head soothingly. He looked up at Link to thank him but Link's gaze was drawn off to the left where Ravd and his men sat carousing. "It was a good battle anyway." Ravd was saying, "It would have been a good victory if it hadn't been for the cowardice of the young Grey." The men laughed and Dael's ears burned, he made towards them but Link was already storming across the camp.
"Oh, if it isn't the woodsman," Ravd said upon seeing the hero, "they had told me you were..."
He didn't get much further as Link grabbed the front of his tunic and lifted him to chest height, "You honorless wretch!" he spat and began to strike him repeatedly in the face. All of Ravd's men stood but no one moved to help their lord. Ravd tried to throw up his hands to stop the rain of blows but Link continued to strike. Keith and Josan came running out of the tent with a handful of guards but they stopped just outside the circle of Ravd's men.
Ravd's arms finally dropped to his sides and as Link drew back to strike him again he stopped, his clenched fist quivering with rage, "Link, don't..." Rena pleaded. Her voice was small and frightened but in the ensuing silence of the camp it was loud enough to carry.
Link lowered his fist and released Ravd's tunic, the beaten knight slumped over in the grass and Link stormed out of the camp the guards and Ravd's men parting to let him through. Dael could only watch him leave, his mouth hanging open in shock, he'd never seen his friend fly off the handle like that.
Keith ran his hands through his short cropped hair and puffed out his cheeks as he exhaled, "Someone pick Ravd up off the ground." he sighed. Two of his men moved forward nervously as Ravd let out a groan.
Keith shook his head and left to find the hero. He didn't have to look far however as Link was just outside the encampment staring up at the sky his clenched fists still shaking. "I will not apologize." He said before Keith could get within a hundred feet of his friend.
"I'm not asking you to." Keith assured him, "Hell, I could barely stop myself from joining you. I've wanted to beat that prick since the day I met him."
"He treats his men like servants and still they worship him, blind fools." Link wasn't sure why he was still so angry. It was almost as if it was coming from outside himself like someone else's anger was fueling his own, giving it life when it would've normally died out long ago. Unbidden the images of the burning field filled his mind. He wished he was still back in the Deku Tree's grove. Taking a de opened his mind to the guardian spirit's beneficent protection and felt his emotions calm somewhat.
"You've been on edge ever since you're return, old friend." Keith said placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong."
Link took a deep breath and smiled though it felt forced even when he couldn't see it and it didn't seem to convince Keith either, "I'm sorry my friend, I just...haven't felt like myself lately. I never thought I'd be fighting in another war so soon."
Keith nodded, "The gods have asked much of us in recent years, at times I wonder if they hear us at all." He gazed up and saw immediately what Link was looking at. The black clouds were barely visible through a break in the trees, though they did not yet cross the borders of the forest they seemed to be gathering in the north. Keith ran his fingers through his hair as he was wont to do when his nerves were frayed. "This time they may have asked too much." he muttered darkly.
