10: The First Battle

Cia sat in her throne within the confines of her realm out of time. Her nails left gauges in the the stone rests as she gazed into her scrying crystal, seeing the strong thread that bonded her Hero and that foolish girl together, no longer red, but shining gold. She gripped her staff, making the shaft creak under her grasp.

The girl was stronger than she had first thought. Abnormally so. It had taken almost all the strength Link had in his very being to defeat the Dragon, Argorok, yet this mere slip of a girl had done so with a single shot from a bow. A bow infused with Light energy, albeit, but a bow nonetheless.

Though she felt she should be grateful to the little wench. She had saved the life of Link, even if she could have done so herself in a moment's notice had she wished.

She tapped her chin in thought as she recalled the instrument. Not just anyone could use the Goddess' Harp so effectively. She hadn't seen it used so well since the time of the first Hero.

"It matters little," she sighed to herself as she rose, "The Darkness in his heart is growing with each swing of his blade."

A dark chuckle sounded through the halls of her domain, "Do not underestimate the whelp, Cia. He will surprise you if you do that, and it will not be as pleasant as you wish it to be."

Cia scoffed, "As if he could resist me if I used my full power," she said, snapping her fingers as a portal appeared, "You shall see, my friend, you shall see!"

=x=

Dawn broke across Hyrule plains as the sun began to peek over the horizon, its orange glow illuminating the land. For Queen Zelda, to behold such a sight would have been breathtaking, as the dark of the night gave way to the dawn, the hillside was not the beautiful green it normally was.

Now, it was covered in the marching bodies of the thousands of Bulblins, Moblins, and Bokoblins. The Bulblins rode their gigantic boars in the midst of the hoard, brandishing their weapons and screeching for battle while the larger Bokoblins and Moblins roared and screamed as they dragged their weapons behind them.

Lana came up beside the young woman, her staff in hand, watching the advancing army. "Might I suggest getting down below?" The blue-haired sorceress asked, "It would ease the men's worries."

Zelda shook her head, "I mean to fight this time, Lana," she said, patting the needle-like rapier at her hip. Instead of her normal pink and white dress, the young queen was dressed in golden armor, looking every bit the warrior she wished she was. "When last my kingdom came under attack, I did very little, except during the final confrontation with Ganondorf." She smiled at her companion, "I intend to do so much more this time."

"I can't stop you from doing what you want," Lana said, smiling at the queen, "But you know what's waiting out there, don't you? Not just monsters like the Blins. Volga's going to be looking for someone powerful to face."

"I think I can give him a fine sport," she said, with a small shrug, "Besides, I can't allow Link to be go into danger all the time without taking a few risks of my own. What kind of queen would I be if I didn't defend my people with my own hands?"

Lana smiled and conceded the point, "Just don't get hurt out there," she pleaded, "Link would never let any of us hear the end of it if something happened to you."

Zelda looked at the young woman with a small smile, "I'll make no promises that I can't keep," she said as Pipit crawled up onto the wall.

He knelt to the queen and sorceress, "On your command, my queen, we are ready to launch the Groosenators." He said, flushing when he heard Lana laugh at the use of the machine's name, 'Dammit, Groose.'

Zelda smiled at him, "Wait until they come a bit closer before firing." She said, "We want maximum results. The Blins are not strong, but they are dangerous if underestimated."

Pipit nodded, and went back down below.

Ashei was waiting for him as he came back down, "What's the word, Pip?" She asked, "We attacking, or waiting?"

"Waiting, it seems," Pipit sighed, scratching his head, "She wants to wait until they're closer."

Ashei shrugged, "No matter, I just hope Link and the others are alright," she said, blushing slightly as her lover entered her thoughts, "Shad's not much for field work, and going off with Link isn't something anyone should do lightly. Not that he wouldn't protect him, mind you, but Link tends to get himself in trouble a lot, and - "

"Shad'll be fine," Pipit said confidently, "He has Link and Linkle to watch his back."

Ashei nodded, "I know, I just...I worry about him." She admitted, "Shad's really all I have since Papa went back into the mountains."

"You've got all of us here," Pipit pointed out, smiling, "Come on, let's grab a bite before - "

Drums sounded across the field, and the sound of marching feet came as if a thunder storm was coming. "HERE THEY COME!" The guards roared down.

"Load up the Groosenators," Zelda yelled down, "Fire upon my signal!"

"Ballistas, ready!" Groose roared from his end of the wall, "On the queens word!"

Zelda waited as the Blin horde came closer, and drew her sword, "Ready!" She cried, holding the gleaming blade over her head, and brought it down, "FIRE!"

"Fire!" Groose repeated to his men as the first boulders were hurled over the walls toward the approaching army. "Come on, boys! Make Her Majesty proud!" He pulled the trigger on his ballista, the large bolt flying from the weapon.

"Archers on the walls," Pipit yelled, scrambling back up the ladder, "Make ready!" He drew his own bow, fitting an arrow, "Aim!"

"LOOK OUT!" He heard Lana scream.

Not a moment later, Pipit's world turned to smoke and ash as a massive fireball crashed and exploded against the wall beneath him, knocking him from his perch.

Lana watched him fall from the wall in horror, and lept down herself where he landed. He was still alive, thank the Goddesses. He'd landed in the middle of a group of Knights that had caught him on the way down, cushioning his landing.

"Pipit, are you alright?!" Lana cried as she came running over to him.

He was covered in soot, and badly singed, but otherwise, he looked fine. "I'll live. I just got the life scared out of me," he said, as another explosion rocked the ground, "What's going on up there?"

"Volga," Lana spat, pointing to a shadow passing over them in the sky. Pipit had seen very few Dragons in his life. But this one was one he could have gone on never seeing. It was smaller than usual, but the fiery visage around the beast made him realize that this beast was powerful indeed. It roared through the sky, sending flames raining down on the city as it passed over.

"Archers, take that thing out of the sky!" Pipit roared, point at the beast to both the men on the wall, and the men stationed on the ground. He tried to get back to his feet, but a sharp pain in his side stopped him, "Argh!"

"Pipit, you're bleeding!" Lana cautioned as the young man clutched at his side where a red stain was seeping through his tunic. She pushed him back to the ground gently, "Lie still for a moment, and I'll heal you."

Pipit shook his head, "No, just bind it." He wheezed, "You need to save your strength."

Ashei bounded over to them through the debris, "How bad it he?"

"Not bad," the Knight ground out.

"Bad enough," the sorceress said.

Ashei nodded, "Alright, I'll take over here, you see to getting him to the healers." She said, ducking as the roof of a building crashed down nearby. "Can you do something about that Dragon?"

Lana nodded, "I can stop him from flying around."

"Good, I'm counting on you," she scaled the wall, and took out her bow, "Archers, hearken to me! Keep that Dragon away from the city!"

A hail of arrows flew from the wall as the Dragon made another pass. Volga spun through the air, deflecting the arrows off of his thick armored hide. All the while as the battle focused on the Dragon, the army of Blins was advancing unhindered.

Zelda saw this and scowled, "Alright, that's enough." She unlsung the bow at her back, fitting it with a golden arrow. She took careful aim with the precious dart as Volga came back around, a stream of flames erupting from his maw. "Let's see how you handle this, beast!" She loosed her arrow with the sound of an angry hornet as it sped forth. Volga never saw it coming as the arrow struck him head on, exploding with a bright golden light.

He roared in pain as the light blinded him, and crashed to the ground. Shaking his head as his vision cleared, the Dragon sneered at the queen as she fitted another arrow. With a flap of his mighty wings, the Dragon was aloft again. Zelda noted that he now flew straight at her. It was a dangerous game of chance she now played with the beast as his claws extended to grab her as a falcon would its prey.

"OH, NO YA DON'T!" With a roar like a bear, Groose, the self-proclaimed coward to the Knights of Hyrule, lept fromt he wall, hammer drawn, and slammed into the Dragon, knocking him off course. Zelda shrieked as the grappling pair whipped over her, the arrow falling from her grasp.

"Groose!" Ashei yelled.

Groose struck the Dragon Knight with his hammer, small blasts of fire erupting over the beast's skin, but the damage meant very little to the beast as he craned his head back, blasting a mouthful of flames at him. Groose ducked low as his back was charred by the flames, roaring in pain as he held on for dear life. He clambered further up the Dragon's back, and grasped him around the neck.

Choking under the large Hylian's grip, Volga dove toward the ground and rolled, throwing Groose off, tumbling to the ground in a cloud of dust. Volga landed close to the fallen Knight, shifting to his human form. His halberd struck the ground in anger as a mad smile formed on his lips.

Groose, his lips bloodied and crusted with dirt, rose to his feet, his hammer in hand. He reached up and removed his helmet so he could see clearly, his glare on the now human Dragon Knight.

Volga chuckled, "You are very different than many Hylians I've bested," he hissed, leveling his halberd at the young man, "You fear for your life, yet here you stand before your own demise. Why is that?"

Groose coughed and spat a glob of blood, "A wise woman once told me that to be a coward wasn't to run from a battle, but doing so, and abandoning your comrades." He said, taking a stance with his weapon, "If I'm to die, then it won't be with my back facing the battle!"

Volga roared and surge forward, his halberd thrust out to impale the Knight. Groose sidestepped the weapon, swinging the hammer around, and slamming it into the Dragon Knight's side. Volga skidded on the balls of his feet from the power behind the swing, but was uninjured. He whipped around, using the pole of his weapon to smash Groose aside as he tried to defend himself with the grip of his hammer.

But the sheer force behind the blow was enough to knock the burly Knight off of his feet and send him rolling across the fields. He staggered back to his feet only for the armored boot of the Knight to strike him in the gut and send him back to his knees, coughing and hacking.

The laughter of the Blins echoed through his ears. He reached for his hammer, but Volga kicked it away, grabbing him by the hair and hoisting him up. Groose groaned as he was brought up to eye-level with the Dragon Knight, the tip of his blade at his throat. "Of all the Hylians I've fought...you are the most pathetic." He sneered, "Now die with the knowledge that by day's end, Hyrule will fall to my army, and lay in ruin beneath my feet."

Groose spat in his face, "Go back to your hole, Worm!"

Volga hissed and brought the blade up -

"Volga!" A clap of thunder erupted across the meadow as lightning struck the Dragon Knight, knocking away from the injured Knight. Groose groaned and raised his head to see his savior floating down in blue robes. Lana was a sight to behold, looking every bit the sorceress that she was as lightning sparked from her staff. Volga growled and staggered back to his feet, snarling at the woman.

"You dare attack me with magic!?" He snarled, "You weak little harlot!"

Lana touched the ground, as if stepping down from a carriage, "Am I weak?" She asked as she strode forward, "If I am, then you are weaker, or have you forgotten that you asked for magic to turn yourself into a man!"

Volga roared with a stream of fire erupting from his lips, but Lana snapped her fingers, and the moat around the castle rose, and surrounded her as the flames crashed against the wall of water. It then surged forth in a wave that washed over the Dragon Knight and those near him.

Lana knelt next to Groose while Volga was recovering from her attack, "Come on, we need to get you back to the castle!" She grasped him under his arms.

"Watch out!" Groose grunted as Volga lept toward them, his halberd held high. He was then knocked out of the air by another arrow from Zelda. He crashed to the ground, blinded once more as the two made their escape.

Ashei saw them getting clear of the army, smiling, "Archers, keep those Blins in check! Fire at will!"

Down on the battlefield, Volga was furious. His sight was gone! All he could do was feel the arrows clinking against his armor, and do nothing but let the little annoyances continue!

"Damn you, Zelda!" Volga roared, "I'll have my revenge for this!" Zelda peered over the wall at the enraged Dragon Knight, "I'll pluck your eyes out of you skull, and wear them as a trophy!"

"You'll have to find me first," Zelda commented to herself as she lowered herself to the ground to attend the wounded. The Bulblins were in full retreat for the moment, but it wouldn't last. Volga was mad with rage, and would take the next opportunity to strike back at them with his full might.

Rusl was rallying the cavalry men with their horses, ready to ride out at her word, but for the moment, things seemed to be fine. "Ashei!" She called over to her female Knight, "How many wounded?"

Ashei smiled at her, "Surprisingly, very few." She said, jerking her thumb at the town, "It was mostly just damage to the town that was done. Pipit and Groose go the worst of it."

Zelda sighed in relief, "No casualties, then?"

"None."

"How are Groose and Pipit?" She asked, worried for the two friends, "Groose took an awful beating out there. And I heard Pipit was badly wounded."

Ashei nodded grimly at this, "Groose has some broke ribs, and some horrible burns, but he'll be fine after the healers are done with him," she said, looking down sadly, "Pipit's not doing so well. He took some stone in the stomach when Volga blasted him off the wall. He's bleeding pretty badly, but the healers say he'll be fine after a day or so of rest...so long as he doesn't fight."

Zelda frowned, "Lana can't heal him?"

"He won't let her." Ashei sighed, "She's already used up a lot of magic against Volga, and mending some of the men that were hurt during the first attack, and he didn't want her taxing herself."

Zelda sighed and moved off toward the medical ward, "I'll see if I can't do anything for them." She patted the woman on the shoulder, "Good work out there today. Take food and water, and keep watch for the next wave."

=x=

Link's feet touched down on the last branch as he swung down from the forest tops. "Okay, we're across," he said to his passenger, smiling as Linkle released her hold on his neck. "You doing alright?"

"Mm," Linkle hummed happily as Shad floated down beside them, "You're getting really good at that, Mister Shad."

Shad sagged to the ground tiredly, "Not the easiest spell to use, but very useful." He sighed, sweat beading his brow.

Epona whinnied at them in greeting as she trotted over to them, Thunder close behind her. The mare dipped her head over Link's shoulder in a kind of embrace as the young commander patted her neck. "It's good to see you, too, girl." He chuckled as a moment later the young mare did the same to Linkle, making the girl laugh in delight. Thunder snorted, pawing the ground in agitation.

Shad took hold of his reins and swung up into the saddle, "We should get going," the scribe said, "We've been gone far too long for my liking. Who knows what's been going on."

Link nodded and hefting Linkle up onto Epona's back before swinging up behind her, "Let's go then. It's a few hours ride to get to the castle." Epona whickered and started off at a gallop as Thunder hurried after them with Shad clinging to the saddle.

=x=

Pipit's breathing was coming in ragged gasps as the healers left off their treatment of him. Lana was by his side dabbing his face with a wet cloth. He wasn't in any danger, but he was left weakened by the loss of blood.

"He'll be fine," one of the healers told the young sorceress, "He just needs some warm food, and a good rest." She said kindly, "I'll see if I can have some porridge brought in for him."

"Thank you," the young woman said tiredly.

Pipit cracked his eyes open, "You shoulder rest."

Lana smiled at him, "So should you." She said, "So much for afternoon tea, huh?"

"Rain check?" Pipit joked.

Lana nodded, "However long it takes," she said, smiling as she dabbed his face again. She looked toward the town walls, "It's so quiet. I wonder why they're waiting so long to attack?"

Pipit shrugged, wincing, "I won't complain." He said, smirking, "Maybe they decided to give up?"

Lana shook her head, "Volga never gives up." She said, "We'll be lucky if he still can't see."

Pipit nodded. He wished he could have seen the battle for himself. Groose had certainly proved himself this last battle that he was by no means a coward.

Just then, Ashei burst into the room, "Hey, guess who's back!" She laughed, "Commander Link and Shad just rode in, and they're had a big success!"

A triumphant battle, and a triumphant return. But what does Cia have up her sleeves? And what has Link returned with? Find out next time.

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