11. Caught
Only one Calatian soldier remained.
Sword gripped in both hands, Link adjusted his footing, and met the gaze of his opponent. The Calatian was young, and his green-liveried tunic clung to him, stiff with sweat.
"You've lasted this long," said Link. "Impressive."
"I d-don't run," came the reply.
The Calatian's eyes darted around, taking in his fallen companions, some conscious and groaning, others not. Stark against the backdrop of the night, the Hero's ethereal blade cast a shimmering crimson glow over their faces. It made the soldier look even more desperate.
If you're so scared, boy, Link mused. Why stay?
Grass crumpled under Link's boot. He could lower his sword as a gesture of peace, but the young soldier would probably rush in with a reckless attack. Such was the way of the young, and this one's fidgety movements didn't inspire the Hero with much confidence of him being an exception.
Link stopped himself from shaking his head. How is this boy even the last man standing…?
A whistling breeze blew, and the fabric of their tunics rustled. The Calatian tensed. Link's eyes narrowed. The spear darted in, the soldier jabbing hard, but Link swatted the blow side. Steel bit into wood with a thud, then parted with a hiss of magical energy.
Too long. Taking too long.
Link glanced over to the boulder behind which Zelda and Colin had hidden. It stood deserted now. He had to finish this.
"Old," Link muttered, shifting into a looser stance. His wounds, though slight, still stung. "Too old, Navi."
The young soldier took a step back and frowned. "What?"
"No one should live this long."
This was a fight that, in his younger days, Link would have finished quickly, no matter the numbers.
Puzzlement made the Calatian soldier hesitate, the grip on his spear slackening – and Link took his chance and pounced, sword thrusting. The soldier – surprisingly – still had his wits, spinning away, cloak aflutter, and then aimed a jab for Link's head. Ducking, the Hero rammed his shoulder hard into the young man's chest. The soldier went sprawling.
Link stood, sword up, his eyes resting on his fiery blade. A thrum of energy ran tingling up his arms.
There. It's ready.
The Hero of Time slowed his breathing. He focused on his blade. The steel grew heavy, the power building. Groaning, the young soldier pulled himself back to his feet.
The tip of Link's sword flashed with a burning white light. The Calatian shook his head, gathered his wits and dived in. Steel slicing air, Link jumped over the hapless soldier, then landed in a crouch with one last downward slash that hit the ground. The sword hadn't touched the Calatian, but the boom that rocked through the air sent him flying into unconsciousness.
Link let free a long, deep breath. The ribbon of scarlet energy around his sword dimmed, then faded clean away. Flicking his wrist, the Hero of Time sent the black steel sliding back into the hilt.
He finally stood alone.
Zelda swayed side-to-side in a darkness cloying and hot and tasting of cloth. The hood's fabric sucked into her mouth with every breath she took in, and all she could hear was the clop of hooves and the occasional snort from the horses carrying them.
"Colin?" she whispered.
"I'm still here," he replied instantly.
His muffled voice had come from somewhere to her left, and Zelda savoured the warm reassurance. She had to keep making sure. They were both on separate rides, and she didn't want their captors to part them further without them knowing.
Captain Kaltern seemed to know what she was up to, though. The horses were constantly made to switch sides, so that Zelda, disorientated, wouldn't know exactly where Colin was unless she asked.
Onward they went. Zelda's wrists were now bound with rope that prickled with a maddening itch. Hunger and thirst were beginning to claw at her. That was nothing. She was used to both. Being bound and blindfolded she wasn't.
The last grains of Zelda's patience ran out. She raised her voice. "Where are you taking us?"
She'd asked this one over and over since they'd been taken – how long had it been, an hour? More? - and had been met with a stony, yet significant silence. But this time Captain Kaltern surprised her by actually replying.
"Somewhere you won't like."
A muscle tightened in Zelda's chest. "The King."
Kaltern chuckled. "Not yet," he said. "And you can thank Auru here for that."
Auru's with us. Hope glimmered in Zelda's heart. That's something at least. If he'll help us, that is. He is with the Resistance
"We will see the King, don't worry," the captain continued, pulling her from her thoughts. "Only because he has something of mine. And now I have you, something of his."
Zelda had to bite back an angry retort.
I am not property!
Colin saved her from her outburst by asking a question of his own. "Something you want…?"
No answer.
Zelda thought she'd try, too. "What does he have of yours?"
Hooves beat against the ground. A nicker came from one of the horses. They weren't going to get an answer.
Zelda caught the sound of a stopper being uncorked and someone glugging down water. Her composure restored, she decided to ask another question.
"So," she said. "How did you even find us?"
"The Shade," the captain replied. "They're here, too."
Zelda felt herself shudder uncontrollably. She'd have asked for a fuller explanation, but didn't like the idea that the Shade were listening.
And that they can find me…
She fought the urge to just topple back off the horse and make an escape. It wouldn't work, even with Auru there - not that he wouldn't have caught her and handed her over to the Resistance if he could. Zelda settled for a frustrated sigh, but all that did was heat up the hood with her own breath. Left alone with her thoughts, she felt her mind whirl from all the mystery.
At least now she had something new, and it would keep her from thinking of the Shade. Zelda ran the new knowledge through her head.
Captain Kaltern wanted to use her as a bargaining chip with his own King. What was going on?
And why?
Dawn began to spread from the eastern horizon, tendrils of light filtering into the retreating night. A cool breeze blew over Hyrule Field, ruffling Link's silver hair as he peered down at the points were the Calatian spears had hit home on his skin. It wasn't too bad. Certainly nothing too deep, and they were beginning to scar over already.
A wry thought came to him. Another dozen for the collection…
Now he had to find Zelda.
"Sounds familiar," he said to himself.
The Hero of Time took a slow walk over to where he'd last seen the two young Hylians. He rubbed his chin in thought as the creeping sunlight revealed crushed grass and gouged up dirt. A struggle, then. And no blood – that meant they were both taken alive.
The notion made regret gnaw at his heart. Zelda could have been killed, and he'd been too busy fighting. The fact that she clearly hadn't been was of little comfort.
Caught in the thrill of battle – is that all I have left, Navi?
"Old…" he said again.
The disturbed earth had left a hint of a trail that led to a pair of hoofprints. He had a direction, then. He could track them. Link began his trek, aware that they'd be moving faster since they were on horseback.
Who, though? he thought. Who has her, and how did they find us?
Someone who needed her alive, clearly. The Resistance, then? Had Colin betra-
Link heard the scuff of a boot at the very last moment. He whirled around, blade snapping out from its hilt and igniting instantly. The sword sliced through wood, cutting it cleanly in two. In the faint light Link spied the Calatian squadron commander stumble back, half a spear, smoking from where it had splintered, clutched in his hands. The other half - the one that still held the metal tip - lay on the floor.
The commander dived , and reaching it, his trembling hands pointed it straight at his own chest. He closed his eyes, muttering –
And with a swift kick, Link sent the spike spinning out from the Calatian's grasp. He then shoved the man flat onto his back.
"Don't," said Link, his voice dark. "Don't do that."
Snarling, the commander's eyes flew open. "Leave me be," he spat.
His face hard and grim, Link shook his head. He retracted his sword and crouched, his fingertips steepled, elbows resting on his knees.
"You deny me?" the commander spluttered. "You've defeated my men. You've defeated me. Let me die a true death. Give me that at least."
"Why?"
The Calatian commander bared his teeth. "Why? Why?" He laughed. "So the shame of losing to a Hylian can be expunged, of course."
The Hero sighed "Winning. Losing," he said quietly. "Life is short enough, and you fill it with cares like this." He watched him for a heartbeat. "My name is Link. And you are…?"
The Calatian barked another short, harsh laugh. "I am not your friend. Do not even try it."
"Not friends, no," said Link. "But two people conversing. Names help."
The fallen man raised his chin in defiance. "Just let me have my honour."
"You, who have no honour, now demand it yourself?"
The commander glared, his chest heaving. "I have left my family and my home to come to this backwater and bring light to your darkness. I did not have to do that. My honour is self-evident."
"How noble," Link replied, a wry twist to his voice. "You're so clearly on the side of right."
The Calatian bristled, face aflush. "You rich Hylian scum have always treated us with disrespect. Our prince - King - offered your princess an olive branch, a proposal that she so arrogantly rejected. We knew then that something was wrong with you people."
"Knew?" said Link softly. "Or just needed to believe?"
"We have done Hyrule a favour," the Calatian insisted. "When have you ever done the same for us?"
The commander clenched his jaws shut and glared, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes.
Link returned it with a cold, level gaze of his own. And held the gaze until, unnerved, the commander was forced to speak again.
"What's that look for?" His voice trembled. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Link said nothing, and that seemed to chafe the commander even further.
"Stop it!" he cried. "What- what, do you think you Hylians are better? Is that it? That your-your Triforce and your legends make you superior" His voice rose, braying. "Say it! Say you think you're better! I know you all think it!"
Link's lips tightened into a humourless smile. "Calatian. Hylian. I wasn't talking about either," he said, voice icy and quiet. "It must hurt."
The man's face began to shudder. "What must?"
"To be so utterly empty." Link curled one gloved hand into a fist. "You want to die? My friend, you've never truly lived."
A quick jab knocked the commander out. The sun rose over Link as he and his re-ignited blade turned the Calatian's swords and spears to smouldering piles of ash.
When he was done, Link looked off into the distance. He folded his arms.
"Well, Navi," he said. "It appears we have to go rescue the princess again. Are you with me?"
The only reply came in the lonely whisper of the wind. The Hero of Time hadn't expected anything less.
