Chapter 9: Fowl vs Fowl
"Killing my friends will not be tolerated," said Helmaroc.
"So you've come steal him?" asked Kaepora.
"Ha! Don't be absurd. What would I want with a statue?"
Kaepora kneeled down and picked up a fallen enemy's machete.
The king started to walk closer.
"I've come to take your kingdom."
That's when Zelda noticed Helmaroc's finger nails. They were long and sharp. Helmaroc leaped at Kaepora. The king covered great distance with the leap. Kaepora shuffled slightly to the left. He pivoted himself diagonally toward the approaching king. Helmaroc swiped at Kaepora, who was just out of arm's length. Kaepora swung one of his blades up. The king pressed palms against the blade, stopping it. The king jumped horizontally and spun. The sword flew from Kaepora's hand. Kaepora's second blade sliced across Helmaroc's chest. Only the boiled cow skin under the blue feathers protected Helmaroc.
Kaepora jumped kicked the king, pushing them both backwards. He slipped his boot under a fallen soldier's sword and flipped it into his hand. Kepora stared at the king with no expression.
"How dare you stare at me with unloving eyes!"
Helmaroc rushed Kaepora. Kaepora swung his blades inward. The king caught Kaepora's wrists and then headbutted him.
"Ahh!"
Blood welled up on Kaepora's forehead. Helmaroc jumped up and repeatedly kicked the knight in the chest. Kaepora didn't scream. He rotated his wrists and cut into the king's arms. Helmaroc backed up.
"Boss! You're hurt!" screamed one of the enemy soldiers.
"Your arms!" yelled another.
"The cuts weren't that deep. I'll be al-"
"Protect the king!"
The rank and file enemies ran at Kaepora. Four of the five remaining Hyrulian soldiers ran to Kaepora's side. Hena stayed with Zelda while she carried Ganon. Kaepora sliced open the necks of the first three enemy soldiers with one broad swing, He ran to the right, moving out of the general direction of the enemies' charge. He then ran behind the first wave with his sword held low. The entire row's legs were cut before they could react. This caused a general toppling of soldiers. The enemy started to climb over their fallen first wave. They were met with sword from the four Hyrulian soldiers. The blond soldier immediately lost his head. Kaepora jumped off the shoulders of one of the enemy combatants. He brought his arm all the way back, and launched his sword at Helmaroc. Helmaroc did not see the blade. It struck the mask. The steel mask split in two and fell to the ground. Blood fell from Helmaroc's face, and so did the sword.
"Stop!" Helmaroc yelled to the soldiers, with hand on head.
Hena snatched Zelda's hand and ran down the stairs toward the side door in the back of the room.
She turned around. Enemy soldiers cleared from the center of the room.
"This fight has been fun," said the king. "However, there is a rule on the Onset Isles, one that I will not allow any others or myself to break. You have earned the right to see my true form. For that you must die."
Helmaroc brought hand to mouth. The king bit at the skin between the index finger and thumb. Black smoke swirled around. The smoke exploded into wind that pushed back everything in the chamber. Zelda shielded her eyes. She opened them again. A bird five times the height of a man stood in the middle of the room. Most of its feathers were blue. Its head and tips of wings were red and white. Three green and yellow feathered tails poked out from behind it. Helmaroc shrieked. Kaepora kicked a second sword into his hand.