The Legend of Zelda
The Winged Ones
Chapter 11: Fire and Ice
The group recoiled from the attack. "What do we do?" the Sheikah warrior said "What I always do, attack and a see what happens." Link said taking of running as Sheik stretched out a shocked arm to stop him. Before Link could even get close the huge dragon prepared to spit flames again. Link was glad he had switched out the huge double helix blade for his trusty Master Sword and Hylian shield for the shield was made to withstand the likes of this.
As Link raised the shield he compacted himself behind it as best he could, wings spread straight back. The flames deflected to the sides and the shield glowed with heat but the wood and leather backing protected Link's arm. The force of the attack threatened to snap Link in two as he braced himself against the blow his core screaming as he fought to stay standing. The tunnel of flames split as it hit the shield the blast sliding off to either side barely missing the bulk of his form and scorching the tips of his feathers staining them black.
As the dragon prepared another blow Link rolled behind it and slashed at the dragons tail nearly severing it at the middle. The dragon roared in pain as it wheeled around knocking the hero off his feet a sending him across the gritty stone tile, Link tumbled across the floor and stopped with a crunch. Sheik approached to help but Link cried out "Stay back!" he said his voice holding fear, his hand aimed towards Sheik in a desperate halting motion. The creature was fully prepared to spit fire again.
Link was too close this time with no chance to get out of direct range fast enough, surly he or at least his wings would take the full force of this blow.
Link quickly braced himself for the worst, compacting his body as best he could under the shield, he prepared himself for the agony he would surely suffer as the wings burned. Link readied himself for the drain he would experience from the long sustained Tenshioni form which would surely dispel upon taking so much damage. Link was wrought with angst as he worried and hoped Sheik and Chirin could hold their own without him. Chirin screamed.
As Link closed his eyes and braced himself beneath the shield, his ears were met with a giant thud and a roaring screech, when he opened his eyes the dragon had disappeared from view.
As Link turned to look his face was lit with worry and shock, he saw the bulk of the orange fire beast entwined with that of the smaller soft blue dragon. Yubreit prompted by Chirin's cry of fear and love for his father had put himself in an impossible situation.
The sound that came from the quarreling creatures was unreal.
Like a pair of fighting dogs the dragons thrashed around the room crashing into the walls, the rocks crumbling as their massive bodies struck, their claws dung into the stone floor and into each other, kicking each others underbellies while at the same time trying to bite into each others throats. Steam hissed in the air as the cold radiating from the flesh of the ice dragon met the heat that was given off by the flesh of the fire dragon.
"Dad do something!" Chirin screamed, the boy had only known the dragon for a short time but it was clear to Link that the creature and Chirin already shared a unique bond, and Link did not want to see his son deal with anymore emotional turmoil.
"Then help me." he said his sharp eyes reaching out to his son, Chirin looked on in shock "If you want to save him then help me." Chirin's face grew calmer and more serious "Mom" "I'm right behind you." Said Sheik removing the chain and hook that was bound to the warriors hip.
The group strode head first towards the dragons, they sprinted across the floor which was now smeared in the blood of the dueling beasts. Chirin flew alongside the orange dragon and saw his chance, the boy flew along its neck letting the blade bite into the scales drawing a line of blood as he ascended. The dragon screeched and its gaze found the source of the pain. The boy stopped above the quarreling pair and began firing arrows at the orange dragon's head as it glared in annoyance standing atop the now exhausted blue dragon. The arrows bounced right off the scaled creature, but the plan was not for them to pierce flesh but rather to distract the huge beast.
Sheik swung the chain, with the skills both inherent within the mask and within Zelda herself ensnared the creature around the neck at the base of its head with a single precise toss of the weapon. The chain biting deep into the gash Chirin left as the hook caught turning the chain into the loop of a lasso.
The dragon was not prepared for this and thus yielded to Sheik's tug despite the fact the red eyed being was a mere fraction of its weight and size.
Link knew he had only a moment to act for the dragon would regain its composure and there would be no way for Sheik to hold it in place any longer. Link saw its chest begin to glow, it was preparing to spit flames again.
Trusting his instincts he rammed the sword into its chest where the glow had started. The dragon screamed as thick black smoke blasted from its mouth, Link quickly removed his sword as what looked like lava began to ooze from the wound. The blade and then the hilt became red hot and Link dropped the sword as he recoiled his hand grasping it in pain. The dragon faltered and caught itself, lava dripping onto the floor. It tried to spit flames again but the attack backfired and it only screamed in pain as flames pored from both its mouth and the hole in it chest.
Link had hit its fire lung, the creature was mortally wounded but still alive and in control enough to kill them all. The great orange dragon turned away from the winged man and the red eyed warrior, its attention brought back to the smaller cold toned beast where it stood injured alongside Chirin.
The dragon roared as it made its way back across the room. Link dropped the shield and reclaimed his sword from where it fell and dove towards the dragon on his feathered wings. He stopped and landed in front of the beast stabbing the huge form as it was still in full stride. With the momentum of the dragon's stride the sword was flung deep into its chest, hot lava poured from the wound and down the blade almost to Link's hands.
The lava may not have reached his flesh but the hilt of his sword was still clasped tight with both hands when the hilt became red hot, this time burning through his gauntlets. Link let go with a gasp bringing his scorched hands to his body and watched the precious blade hit the ground hot lava still coating half the sword.
The dragon blew an intense hot black cloud of smoke, Link backed off as the dragon toppled over squealing, the lava gushing from the wound. The form of the dragon laid still, the lava cooling, the fearsome creature was dead.
Link signed with relief and fatigue as he let himself drift backwards and sat with a hard thud, his wings spread out with the burnt tips curled up along either side of him. shoulders limp, his body felt tired and heavy.
Link looked over to where he last saw his son alongside the Ice dragon, it was only then that he saw how bad Yubreit was hurt. The kind creature was covered in claw marks, his belly all but torn open, the blood was both freezing to his skin and dripping off his body. Chirin was holding the dragons sleek head in his hands, the beasts eyes were closed with a look of pain and relief on its face as the boy comforted him.
"I think we need to take a break. We will rest here for the night… And continue by day break…" Link said solemnly looking up at the darkening hints of sky he could see through the small holes in the ceiling. Link dispelled the wings, his armored form shifting back to his old green tunic, his hair becoming blonde once again. His form changed and with it a whole new wave of weakness and pain washed over him as the Tenshioni drained the power it needed from his Hylian form, still leaving behind the injuries he had sustained.
"Sheik" Link said, once again heading Zelda's wish to have her new form be referred to as such "Can you keep watch…I think…I think… I am going to pass out." he said letting himself half consciously fall the rest of the way backwards onto the floor, "Sure is nice to not do this alone…" Link whispered closing his eyes with a weak smile growing on the hero's face as his eyes closed.
Link's weary sleeping face was lit with a soft smile, a smile brought on by his new found appreciation of not having to fulfill this task in the same manor as he did in the past, knowing that this time there was some one to protect and watch over him when he was defenseless.
When Link awoke he found his quiver propped up under his head and his boots, gear and gauntlets had been taken off, but most interesting of all….he smelled food.
Link sat up with a groan, as he looked around he found Yubreit asleep, the worst of the ice dragon's wounds were bandaged up and frost had formed on the wrappings where the blood had dried. Link smiled with relief at the sight of his family around a small fire eating…that is until a moment later when he realized just what was for dinner
"Oh dear gods you're eating it." Link stated with flat shock "What, Navi said it was edible and we need to eat something to keep our strength up. We were not prepared to stay overnight." Sheik said picking at the meat on a finger bone "Tastes like cucco." the Sheikah said through a mouthful.
Link crumpled his face still sitting where he woke up "Whenever anyone wants you to try something strange they always say it tastes like cucco, according to the world everything tastes like cucco…" Link mumbled "Well I am not going to touch it."
"It's not that bad, really" said Chirin "...it's just really weird to think about what you are eating." the boy said as he paused and frowned having reminded himself of just what he was chewing on "No way." Link said "I'll fight my way back to the second room and make myself a deku baba salad if I have to." the Sheikah's red eyes stared Link down "Eat it or I'll make you." Sheik said sharply, Link stiffened up and coyly scooted closer to grab a toe that was roasting on the fire. Zelda could be really scary when she wanted to and Link did not want to know just how much more scary she could be while in the form of Sheik.
"Huh….it does taste like cucco…."