Chapter Nine
Two Enemies

The fires of oblivion burned in the black dawn, licking up at a sky devoid of starlight. The putrid stench of smoke drifted eastward across the plains of Hyrule, a shadow beneath in a dark sky, blighting the path of those who fled from destruction. Grey's Watch had been overrun by monsters. Wave after wave of moblins and bokoblins had swarmed the streets with blades and forks, burning and slaughtering everything in their way.

Women and children led a column of townsfolk on the eastward escape, while the men covered the trail behind them, ready to repel any creatures who followed behind. A pursuit would surely come. Their only hope was to flee to the nearest town, and seek sanctuary.

The sun was peeking above the horizon as the weary refugees arrived at the outer reach of Highstone, a quarry town, nestled among low-lying hills. There was no warmth in the yellow half-disc, and it gave its light begrudgingly, through mist and cloud. The sun was tired. Its late coming light showed the weary townsfolk the way up the hillside.

Highstone had a larger town guard, and was buttressed by an encircling stone wall. It was thought that the town and would have a better likelihood of repelling Ganondorf's monsters. A place of refuge. An alarm call rang out in the hills as the gates of the two opened for the lost souls crossing the plain.

...

Rael propped his hands on the table, head bowed over the map of Hyrule. The table lamp was casting an orange glow over the map, and flickering shadows were dancing across the paper. A glance out of the window of the inn showed a deep blue sky. The sun had been in the sky for no more than three hours, and already the dark of night was setting in again. Rael knew that if he looked up into the night sky he would see fewer stars than the night before. He pressed his thumb and forefingers to his eyes, and pulled them together across the bridge of his nose, trying to relieve his feeling of tiredness.

He focussed his attention on the map, tracing borders with his fingers. The paper felt good to touch, something solid and definite. He traced the outer border of Greater Hyrule, the vast grassland plain, heartland of the Hylian nation. Beyond the western border was the Gerudo desert lands. Across the eastern border were the Lost Woods and the Zora marshlands. In the South, the Grey Forest. Deeper south were the borderlands, stretching from Baradale down to Taran Kaey and the ocean.

In the North was the capital city of Hylia, nestled beneath the mountains.

'I had a vision, Jaendral,' said Rael, looking up at his Gerudo companion. Across the table, Jaendral folded his arms behind his back, and raised his eyebrows. 'When I was in the Grey Forest, I was attacked by a stalfos.'

'Stalfos...' said Jaendral, narrowing his eyes.

'A skeletal demon,' said Rael. Rael shut his eyes, picturing the lumbering, iron-clad foe. It had pinned him against a tree, and put him under a spell of delirium. 'It showed me Hylia. The sky was full of black clouds and red fire, and there were dead bodies in the street. Rats and ravens feasted on rotting corpses...'

'Black magic,' said Jaendral, slowly. 'Was it a taunt from Ganondorf?'

'I think it's more than a taunt,' said Rael. If Grey's Watch was overrun by monsters so easily, and Hylia is the source of his power, Hylia itself must be under his control.'

'Yes,' said Jaendral. He planted his fists on the table. 'He's already winning.'

'Yes,' said Rael. 'And the people of Hylia – well… I can't imagine what he would do to them…'

Silence fell between the two men. They could hear the hustling and bustling out in the streets as refugees sought to make shelter in makeshift lean-tos and stables. Children were crying.

'And,' said Jaendral, 'Ganondorf is causing these dark days, and the starless nights.'

Rael looked up at Jaendral and raised an eyebrow. The nights were going longer every day. The sun had barely crept above the horizon today before once again sinking beyond sight. 'Perhaps it is Ganondorf,' he said, 'though maybe not.'

'If not him, then-'

'Ralis,' said Rael, his arms trembling with anger and apprehension. 'The Stormlord.'

Jaendral drew a deep breath, and looked down. He tapped his foot on the floor, folded his arms. 'You do not believe he died,' said Jaendral.

'No,' said Rael. He waited for Jaendral to raise his eyes again. 'He lives. Somehow. Somewhere.'

Jaendral drew up to his full height and clasped his arms behind his back. 'So, we face two enemies.'

'Ralis,' said Rael, pointing at the Southlands where he had watched Zelda obliterate Ralis' body. 'And Ganondorf,' he pointed at Hylia.

'The Stormlord and Ganon,' said Jaendral, 'and Ganondorf's monsters have spread to Grey's Watch already.' Jaendral gestured to Grey's Watch on the map, and then drew his figner southwards. 'And in the Forest, and in Baradale...'

'If they're that far south, he could have spread to anywhere in Hyrule by now,' said Jaendral.

'Yes,' said Rael. 'Whilst the majority of our armies are camped outside Baradale.'

'Our armies are too concentrated,' said Jaendral.

'Indeed,' said Rael.

'We could not have foreseen that we would face another threat so soon after the Kairin,' said Jaendral, resting a hand on his forehead.

Rael tilted his head. 'After the Kairin?' he said. 'I would not say "after". They're still a threat. We mustn't forget that thousands of their troops are scattered across the Southlands. They're leaderless and divided; but they're not broken.'

'Do you fear a rally?' reflected Jaendral.

'Perhaps,' said Rael. 'Don't forget, Ralis parted the sea for them to walk here. They don't have boats to go home.'

Jaendral nodded in agreement.

'But,' continued Rael, 'perhaps without the Stormlord to bully them on, they won't want to fight anymore. Before I left Baradale, Destan told me that a Kairin nobleman was leading a bid for a peace treaty. It's probably part of a scheme to gain political control among the Kairin if he returns home; but if it ends the fighting between our peoples, then it's good news.'

'I would rather hang him from a tower,' said Jaendral.

Rael nodded, understanding the sentiment. 'Me too,' he said. 'At least in my darker thoughts. But for now, it's better to have peace than to provoke Kaira.'

'Well… yes,' said Jaendral.

'I fear that we don't have the time, or numbers, or strength, to launch a full counter attack against our own capital city,' said Rael. He trailed off.

'If I may speak freely, sir?' asked Jaendral.

'Of course,' said Rael with a nod.

Jaendral pointed at Hylia on the map. 'Attack now,' said Jaendral. 'With full force. Don't wait for Ganondorf to make the next move. Throw all of your strength against him before he has time to build up his stronghold.'

'Yes,' said Rael. 'I agree.'

'And my lord,' said Jaendral, 'I am a soldier. But I have seen enough by now to know that this war will not be won by the sword alone – perhaps not at all.'

Rael nodded. 'I know.'

'I know that you will not stay here. Nor will you lead your armies.'

Rael folded his arms behind his back and crossed the room, to look out onto the melancholy dusk. He heard Jaendral hum deeply behind him, a sound that Rael could recognise as deep concern. Jaendral knew of the troubles that were on Rael's mind, but could surely not appreciate the deep emotional turmoil that now racked him.

This is a crossroads, thought Rael, to himself. This is my war room, in a quiet corner of a kingdom under siege. This is where the final decisions are to be made, the last roll of the dice, and after this events will unfold as we direct. If Zelda were here, she would be a leader. She would take command of her people and cry liberty and courage into the prevailing dark. But he was not his mother.

He had embarked on a personal mission, and he could not abandon it. This war was about more than soldiers. In the end, what was Ganondorf? He was a demon, with power that transcended the physical realm. What use were soldiers against that? And Ralis… He could feel the persistence of his spirit, unable to rest, but not taking form in the flesh. A being beyond death by steel and fire. Rael remembered the beam of light that he had released from his hands when Link died. He had only done it once. Light…

'Jaendral,' said Rael. 'I'm the Queen's son. But I'm no king. Not really. I'm not the leader that Hyrule needs.' He turned to face the towering Gerudo. 'We must have faith that we'll overcome this darkness, and on that day, when we shatter the shadows, Hyrule will find its real leader. But for now, I need you to be the leader that you were born to be – for both of us.'

Jaendral nodded slowly, and narrowed his eyes. 'As ever, I stand to serve,' he said. 'What would you ask of me?'

'Ride. Leave tonight. Go back to Baradale with all speed. Find Marshal Destan. Tell him that we must make war on Ganondorf now, before he gains any further ground. We cannot waste time.'

Rael reached under his shirt, and pulled out a cord from around his neck. On the end of it there was a grand golden ring embossed with the symbol of the royal family. Zelda's ring. 'When we first met in Shaylin, I carried this ring as a sign that I acted with the Queen's authority.' Rael pulled off the cord and handed it to Jaendral. 'Now I'm giving it to you. You are to be the voice of the King.'

Jaendral hesitated for a moment, eyeing the ring with a mixture of desire and suspicion. It was the same look that he had on his face when Rael tried to give him Zelda's old sword Eversharp to use in the fighting. 'Jaendral,' said Rael. 'Please.'

Jaendral shook his head. 'Sir, I am not sure that I understand.'

'I'm giving you my authority because I have things I must do alone.' Rael put a hand on Jaendral's shoulder. 'I trust you, Jaendral. I know you'll do what's right for Hyrule. Have courage.'

Jaendral took the ring from Rael. 'Yes sir,' he said.

…

Rael said nothing more to Jaendral. He needed some fresh air. He slung his pack over his shoulder and fastened his three blades into place on his back. He was glad that at least Eversharp felt weightless when being carried. The Master Sword and the Father Blade were less considerate.

He quietly stepped out onto the cobbled street of High Stone, and strolled along the main road. Despite the dark, the craftsmen and labourers of the city were still hard at work. A prominent sound was the clash of hammer and chisel, as the stonemasons of this quarry town plied their trade. The blacksmiths too were hard at work, mending and sharpening swords, spears and arrowheads. The air was thick with the smells of dust and burning coals.

A group of children were playing in a yard, under the watchful gaze of their mother. Two boys and their big sister play-acting at fighting a dragon. They ran and jumped and laughed and taunted each other playfully. If they knew about the real danger on their doorstep it did not show on their gleeful faces. This is why we must fight, thought Rael. Children should be free to grow up in this world, learning and playing without fear of evil and pain. They should play their games, and never have to face the true horrors of war.

Rael turned and walked on up the road.

…

When he had been standing at the map table with Jaendral, thinking about his points of decision, Rael had known the gravity of his instructions to Jaendral, but he had not fully reckoned that tonight was a night of special significance in his journey.

He had almost forgotten about his shadowy stalker, the robed stranger that had been following him at least since he entered the Grey Forest, that he had concluded must be one of Ralis' nightmare assassins.

So when he saw the black-clad figure, standing at the end of the street, illuminated by the flickering torchlight, stock-still and face shrouded, it took him a moment to draw the connection. But a moment only.

It was definitely his pursuer.

'You!' shouted Rael, unsheathing the Master Sword, and rushing forwards. 'Stop there!'

The figure turned and bolted away up the road, then disappeared into a dark alleyway. Rael ran in fierce pursuit, and threw himself down the alleyway after the fiend. There was crashing and banging in the shadows as the target leapt over crates and carts, emerging out ahead into another road. Rael refused to relinquish the chase. 'Don't run! I'm going to catch you this time!' he yelled. He knew that he must.