Link awoke to the sound of an explosion.
Reacting as his instincts and training demanded, he grabbed his gun and the Master Sword before crunching up near the floor of the jeep, to minimize his profile. He waited for several seconds as his rational mind woke up fully.
In the distance, Link heard screaming. From his point of view below the jeep's steering wheel, he could see an orange glow in the distance. Link sat and waited for about half a minute to see if there would be any further explosions or any attempts on his life. When nothing came, Link slowly, cautiously, peeked above the dashboard. Half of the police station was now a smoking crater, with the other half now on fire. Link observed several nervous Zora peeking out from doors and windows, but no one evident on the streets.
Slowly and quietly, Link opened the jeep's door, gently stepping down onto the ground, his rifle in hand and the master sword on his back. Perhaps not the best place to keep it, but it was his only way to find the Triforce (assuming it did exist, which he still wasn't sure about) and he had no desire to report to Zelda that it had been snatched in the middle of the night by some opportunistic thief in the back end of nowhere.
Link scanned the area for any hint of hostiles. Nothing. As far as he could tell, the only people up and about were the sleepy, confused, and somewhat panicked Zora. Of course, one of them could easily have been responsible, but Link was hardly well-versed enough in local knowledge to know who might harbor rebel sympathies. None of them appeared to be armed, so Link made up his mind and moved toward the policy station, rifle in hand, scanning the area for any sign of armed hostiles. No one shot at him or made any sort of hostile moves. Dozens of Zora where now outside and slowly creeping towards the police station ahead of Link. They acted exacted as he'd expect civilians to act when struck by a combination of horror and morbid curiosity. They wanted to know what was up, regardless of how rational or relevant it actually was. The same impulse motivated journalists to join soldiers in the middle of the fighting in the name of getting a good story.
No one appeared interested in shooting at either the Zora or himself, so Link sped up a bit. By the time he actually got near the burning remains of the station, there were already nearly 100 Zora gathered around, whispering to each other in nervous and speculative tones.
"Out of the way, Republican Guard coming through!"
That got their attention. People, as Link had learned, shared numerous impulses regardless of species. One of those was to, in a scared, leaderless situation, listen to anyone who seemed to have even the slightest bit of authority about him. Having actual rank in an elite military unit certainly didn't hurt.
The crowd parted, hushing as they watched Link walk up to the remains of the building. Several eyed the sword on his back curiously, but refrained from speaking. Link walked up as close as he dared to the burning rubble, to try and get some idea of who might have done this and how. No such luck, regrettably. The rubble was so thoroughly damaged and burnt out that actually determining where the bomb had been placed, which might have given him a clue as to who would have had appropriate access, was impossible for a non-expert like himself.
Turning to face the crowd again, Link yelled over the crackling flames, "I need you to return to your homes. As of now, the military is formally taking charge of this investigation."
At that, he felt rather than saw a brief, intense glow from the sword on his back. Fi appeared several feet above his head, looking down on him. "Master, surely you do not intend to waste precious time on such a frivolous investigation when there are far more important matters to be worried about?"
Most of the Zora had shocked expressions on their faces. Several were whispering urgently to each other and pointing at Fi, and not a few were backing off nervously.
Link held up his hands for quiet. "Please listen to me. I need you to return to your homes. I need you to remain calm for the next few days, until I can get assistance. Until then, you'll have to wait."
"Wait?" someone shrieked in a panicked-sounding voice, "Wait? Someone just blew up our police station! Without that, we've got no protection! And you want us to just sit around and wait for the military to arrive gods-know-when while whoever did this might still be lurking? They could come back and kill us all!"
"Please," Link repeated, in a louder, sterner tone of voice, "You must remain calm. Panicking and fleeing in all directions will do you no good of someone is still around who means you harm, which is by no means certain. It is easily conceivable that this could have been a timed explosion, with the perpetrators long gone. Regardless, it cannot be determined without more people and equipment – which I have to leave to go get. I couldn't protect you on my own if I stayed in any case. One man to protect hundreds? Ridiculous."
"And what if they're not gone? What if they're right here, just waiting to kill us whenever they goddamn feel like it? Huh? What then, Mr. heroic soldier?" said a different voice.
"If that is the case, then that simply confirms the urgency of my immediately leaving to go get more soldiers. I can hardly defend this town on my lonesome."
"But why do you have to go? Why can't one of us?" said a somewhat more feminine voice.
Link sighed. "Do you really think that with the situation as it is right now – riots in the major cities and large rebel offensives all over the country, that the military would even consider sending anything for months unless someone like, say, an officer in the Guard told them to?"
Several Zora whispered to each other nervously. Yet another voice said, "Then what do we do to protect ourselves? We can't just sit here and die like lemmings!"
"A good point. Who here has ever served in the military?"
After a few seconds, three male Zora pushed their way through the crowd to stand before Link.
"Your names and ranks."
"Taldar. Private."
"Hochavich. Captain."
"Yenatha. Private."
"Well, at least I don't have to assign you ranks, then. Hochavich, you're in charge. You and the other will come with me. The rest of you: go back to your homes and remain calm. These three will be your protectors until help can get here."
The Zora, both in the crowd and the newly reenlisted soldiers themselves, looked nervous at the prospect. Glancing at one another, a handful of Zora slowly shuffled off. The rest, seeing the hard look on Links face as well as their compatriots leaving, slowly and reluctantly headed off back towards their homes, whispering as they went. After about a minute, Link and the three soldiers were alone.
Link walked towards the jeep, gesturing for the Zora to follow. With obviously reluctance, they did.
When they got to the jeep, Link halted the three and began rifling through the back. He pulled out several of the weapons he had taken from the armory, including three grenades, a rifle, a shotgun, and two pistols.
Link passed out the weapons, giving each soldier a grenade, Hochavich and Yenatha pistols, Taldar the shotgun, and Hochavich the rifle.
"Here," Link said, "It's not much, but it's what I've got. I trust you're all familiar with how to use these weapons?" They nodded. "Good. I have to leave immediately. Good luck."
In all honesty, Link felt somewhat guilty about just leaving them there like this, but he felt he had no choice. He couldn't defend the town from a significant number of rebels on his lonesome, and the sooner he got to a military base the sooner they would send reinforcements to aid the town. Besides, he had a mission to complete, so he suppressed his guilt and started the engine.
The three Zora eyed Link warily as he drove off into the night, before slowly turning around and walking back the way they had come.
…
As soon as he felt they were a reasonable distance from town, Link pulled off the Master Sword. Angrily, he said, "Fi! Get out here! Now!"
The sword glowed and she appeared once more. "Yes, master?"
"What the hell was that back there? Why did you randomly decide to try to come out and tell me something I already knew in the middle of an already spooked crowd?"
"Master, I am aware that you have great compassion for the helpless. I feared that you might allow your emotions to overcome your logic and forget that you have a greater duty to the world. Had you allowed yourself to waste precious weeks investigating such an act, it might have meant the difference between life and death to the world. It was a risk I simply deemed unacceptable."
"Next time, can you just let me handle it? I wasn't going to stay there in any case."
"If I have cause to fear that your actions will endanger the world, master, I will not hesitate to say so."
"But could you at least let me try to do what I was doing before you intervene?"
"No. Time is of the essence. For the sake of all those who are and those who are yet to be, I cannot allow you to deviate from your mission. I will intervene as is required."
"Then what's the point of calling me 'master' if you won't do what I tell you?"
"Master, I am your servant, but I am also the servant of Her Grace. My knowledge is at your disposal, but I must work to ensure that the will of Her Grace is carried out. Right now, that means stopping Demise's return. All else must be secondary."
Link nodded. "Fair enough, I suppose."
"Anything else, master?"
"No, that's all for now."
"As you wish." Fi disappeared into the blade.
…
Link drove throughout the rest of the night and well into the next morning. As he rounded a large hill, he saw a plume of smoke in the distance, near a military base he had been heading towards. A horrible suspicion immediately filled his mind, but he decided to check before assuming the worst.
…
"I should've assumed the worst," Link thought wearily.
When he had arrived at the sight, he had found the charred remains of the small military base littered with corpses. Many were in military uniform, but others were simply wearing civilian clothes. The various weapons on and around their bodies made it rather self-evident what they were.
Out of the corner of his eye, Link noticed a spot of white amid the charred and burning buildings. Turning his head, he noticed that it was a piece of paper roughly nailed to the somewhat scorched post where the Hylian flag presumably used to fly.
Walking up to the note, he read:
Dear Goons of the Hylia Regime,
This is but the first taste of what is coming for you. We the people are tired of being tyrannized by the illegal oppressor Daphenes, and now his bitch of the daughter, Zelda. The people are rising everywhere, and though you thugs may try, you will never destroy the people's revolution. We will fight you mercilessly, striking everywhere. You pathetic regime lapdogs and your bitch of mistress, along with all who support you, will pay dearly for your crimes. You will be dragged out into the streets and shot or hanged from your own gallows. We will never stop. We will never negotiate. We will never surrender. You will be overthrown. Liberty! Justice! Down with the tyrant!
-The World Revolutionary Front
Link looked at the carnage around him mournfully. It didn't make sense to him, why so many people would spend their lives and kill others to overthrow a government that only sought to bring the world together in harmony.
He walked over to a rebel corpse. It was a Moblin, clearly rather young. He wouldn't have guessed more than 14 or 15.
"So young," Link thought sadly, "So much wasted potential. Now just one casualty in thousands. You threw your life away. And for what? What did you gain from this? All you've done is kill others."
Turning away, dejected, Link walked back to his jeep. Starting it up, he drove further along the road back to Hyrule City, intending to stop at the next military outpost to summon help for the village and inform them of the other outpost's destruction.
Around an hour later, Link caught sight of a tank lying by the roadside. Three Zora in uniform appeared to be examining it. When they heard the sound of his engine, they turned and waved frantically at him. Link slowed down and pulled over beside them. He hopped out of the jeep
One of the Zora walked up to him. Link observed that her uniform, along with those on the other Zora, seemed to be ill-fitting.
"Strange…" Link thought briefly, before the Zora snapped a quick salute.
"Lieutenant Harastria of the 201st armored brigade, sir!" she snapped briskly.
"Lieutenant Link of the Republican Guard."
"Guard eh? What's an elite like you doing out here in the ass-end of nowehere, if you don't mind my asking?"
"That's need to know only, I'm afraid."
She shrugged. "Fair enough. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you a favor, Lt. Link. That is, if a big important guardsman like yourself has time for lowly grunts like ourselves."
"What do you need?"
"Come here and I'll show you."
She lead him to the opposite side of the tank. The other two Zora soldiers seemed to flank him. Link began to get nervous at that. He kept a hand near his pistol.
Harastria gestured at the tank. "Ok, sir, what we need is-"
*WHAM*
Link felt a tremendous kick to the back of his knee and fell to the ground. Rapidly, the two Zora "soldiers" grabbed his arms, pinning them tight.
Harastria smirked triumphantly. "What we need, sir, is for you to die. But first," she kicked him hard in the guts, "We need you to suffer." She punched him in the face. "And don't think you're going to get away." She plucked his pistol from its holster. "You know, I think after we're done playing with you, you little pig, we'll kill you with your own gun. What do ya say, boys?"
The two Zora behind Link cheered. Link paled.
"So, what's the bitch-queen got you doing way out here, eh?" She looked at the sword on his back. "Stealing more from her people? Doesn't surprise me. The little bitch wants her luxuries, even during the revolt. I suppose a spoiled little brat like her would be used to getting whatever she wanted. So, what poor unlucky sap did you steal this from?"
Harastria grabbed hold of the Master Sword and pulled it off of its strap. She turned it over, examianing the intricately carved detail on the pommel and hilt. "Real nice work here. Must be real old. Probably valuable. I think it'll fetch a pretty penny for our revolution. So now then, what - argh!"
She dropped the sword and shielded her eyes as it glowed brighter than Link had ever seen it. The two Zora holding Link down likewise reflexively let go and shielded their eyes. Curiously, Link could still see fine.
Acting on some entirely unknown instinct, Link seized the sword as its glow began to fade. Spinning around, he moved almost faster than the eye could see, striking off the right arm of one of the Zora. He screamed and went down. Link thrust the Master Sword through his companion's heart before he had time to react, then rapidly withdrew the blade.
Link turned to face Harastria. She had an astounded, panicked look on her face. She was backing off, and she aimed Link's pistol directly at him and fired. Link reacted faster tha he would have thought possible, bringing up the Master Sword directly into the bullet's path. It pinged harmlessly off the blade.
Before the dumbfounded Harastria could fire again, Link rushed forward and removed her head with one swift stroke. Her body crumpled to the ground.
Breathing hard, Link looked around at the three Zora, then the Master Sword.
"How the hell did I do that?"
…
AN: Seriously, I'd really like some feedback, please. Is it really so hard to spend half a minute typing out some comments or criticisms? I really want to know what you guys think you the story but you make it so hard to tell. So please spend 30 second anonymously reviewing this thing if you want, but just give me some feedback.