Author's Notes: I don't own the Zelda series or its characters, Nintendo does. The story and characters I add here are my own. Please read and review, it's what keeps me writing. My thanks to all that do so.
Chapter 11: Sand, Sun, and Swords
I had to save and stop for the night after our talk. I didn't mind too much as I went to bed. Work didn't bother me much either, though I was a little out of it since my thoughts were about Hyrule so much. I wondered if anyone in that mystic land ever noticed me leaving or suddenly shifting from one place to another when I stopped playing. Though it was hard to call it 'playing' anymore, I didn't really know what else to call it. I sweat a few bullets at the dinner table that night, for my little sister, Karin, was giving me odd looks. Did she know something? Was my body absent from our house now when I visited Hyrule? My nerves didn't stop me from getting to the Wii, though, and I started across the blazing hot desert.
The sand humped and retreated as worm-like monsters swam beneath the surface, jumping to attack me periodically. My Clawshot served me well, pulling them near so I could slice them in two. When their numbers increased, I just ran, avoiding them as they became more bothersome. I was able to catch a golden bug before reaching a plateau which had a large white stone projecting from the top. I grappled my way up to within a few steps of this mysterious structure, when the familiar thud of pillars landing reached my ears. I looked up to see a portal appear, dropping three shadow creatures from it.
"Midna, it's wolf time!" I called as I stepped back from their advance. The shadows concentrated around me and I fell forward onto four paws. Magic was already being sent to mark the three beasts; Midna was really on the ball. I smiled internally as I leaped, tearing through the monsters one by one. They all collapsed, dispersing into darkness to reopen the portal. It was still satisfying when I felled those things. I climbed up the two ledges in front of the strange pillar, in front of which Midna floated, inspecting it.
"What is this thing?" she asked out loud, more to herself than anything else. "It does seem to be man-made. I wonder what it is. Why is it there? It doesn't look like it's been there long, does it?"
I jerked my head to get her attention and she landed on my back for a moment. "It's the piece of Eldin's bridge that was taken after we had crossed it," I explained.
"So that's why you wanted to open that portal," she said in an understanding tone. "Guess we better put it back then."
"Yes, but bring us right back here, alright?" I requested as she left my back again.
No matter how many times I saw it, I was still amazed that girl so small could heft something so large. Her magic hoisted it into the air before it dissolved into the portal, the two of us quickly following. She must have gone ahead of me to place the stonework properly, as I landed securely on it a moment later. I tried to look around for the imp, but she was already taking us back to the desert. "Great," I thought sarcastically. "Back to sand and sun."
"It's not that bad, once you get used to it," was Midna's reply as she landed on my back again.
"Easy for you to say. You're not wearing a fur coat," I retorted, already panting to ease the heat.
"You want to be human again? But you look nicer like this." She giggled at her own old joke. I'll have to admit I would have found it funny had I not been roasting.
"While I agree with you, I still would rather sweat it out than die of heat stroke," I replied dryly.
She changed me back without another word and I headed north for the distant structure of the prison. I stopped on a ledge when I spotted a fire in the distance. I pulled out the Hawkeye mask and fit it on my face to see it better in the afternoon light. Four moblins sat around it, accompanied by two boars. Two more moblins kept lookout on wooden towers. 'I always did like sniping,' I thought to myself as I pulled out my bow. I don't know where the crosshairs came from, but I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. I took each sentry out with a single arrow. I'm not sure it helped since the four around the fire were alert anyway. They mounted the two boars and began riding around.
Removing the Hawkeye, I jumped off the ledge and started forward, arrow on the string. The sound of hooves caught my attention, and I turned my head to see one pair riding at me. I quickly raised my bow and eliminated the front one. With no one driving, the boar went off to crash into a stone wall, taking care of its other rider as well. After a moment, the beast of burden got back on its feet, apparently unharmed. I didn't feel like walking in the sand anymore, so I got on its back. It responded much like Epona did, that is until I gave it a gentle kick in the ribs. The boar took off and it was all I could do to hang on, let alone steer. We crashed through flimsy wooden structures and the nest thing I know, I'm being hurled through the air to skid on my front. I sat up with a groan, rubbing my head. I was now on a ledge above the camp, the boar below me, having stopped upon running into it. Poor dumb beast.
I brushed myself off and got up, turning to my left to see a familiar white wolf. I drew my sword and readied myself as I neared him. I still blanked out for a moment when he jumped at me, opening my eyes to the surreal plain once more.
"Welcome back, young warrior," came the rasp of the shade. "It is time for you to learn the next skill. I know you just learned the last ability, so I will not test you." I raised an eyebrow at that. The game wasn't in control of him anymore it seemed. "Instead I will ask you this: Why have you changed?"
That question brought me up short. "What do you mean by that?" I asked with a confused look on my face.
"You are not the same as when I saw you a few hours ago," he replied. "Your hair is shorter and darker, your eyes are not as blue, and your voice is changing as well."
In that moment, I realized that it had been some time since I had taken stock of myself while in Hyrule. I took a breath to remain calm as I looked down at myself. I was dressed in the full garb of the chosen hero; green tunic, leather gloves, and simple boots. I also realized that I had been this way here for a while, probably since I had pulled out the Master Sword. I raised the blade to look at my reflection and blinked in surprise. My hair was half brown mixed with half blonde, longer than my own, but shorter than Link's, and the blue of my eyes was tinted with a bit of hazel.
"It's a long story," I answered at last. The only way I could describe my voice was that it was only a quarter mine and three-quarters someone else. I had never heard Link speak so it was hard to tell.
"I see," said the shade after a moment. "I will give you time to think about it. You may answer me the next time we meet. In the meantime, I believe that I can still trust you with the ancient skills, even though we now enter the realm of true secrecy. Do you still wish to learn this skill?"
I took a breath to put my thoughts out of my mind. They could wait until later. "Yes."
"Good. I shall now teach you the Mortal Draw. Let it be hewn into your mind! If an enemy is quick, as well as well armored, it can be difficult to use other skills. To use this technique, one must cast away the most basic of sword skills: the Z-targeting. Sheath your blade and wait for your foe to approach without Z-targeting him. And then, while his guard is down…"
There was a clang that echoed for what seemed to be an eternity. The ghostly teacher had drawn his blade and brought it toward my head with a speed I did not think him capable of. But his face had a look of surprise, as he saw my blade against his, for in the instant of his movement, I had raised up my own sword to block.
"Do you not trust me with your life?" he asked with amusement.
I couldn't help but chuckle. He reminded me of my martial arts teacher. "Yes, but instincts can be difficult to overcome," I replied with a smile.
The shade stepped back. "True. There is no defense against this technique. The Mortal Draw means death. Now, come at me!"
It took a couple tries to get out my sword fast enough from the scabbard on my back, but I had it down within ten minutes. I took a few deep breaths to cool down as I put away my sword and shield, still watched by my tutor.
"You are a mystery, I must admit," he stated plainly. "But I must admit that I look forward to the time when we shall meet again. Keep working until that day." I could only nod in reply before I found myself back in the desert. I blinked as the setting sun cast it rays across the rocks around me, getting used to the light before moving on.
The dusk deepened as I came onto the outskirts of a fortress. I looked through the Hawkeye again to spot more sentries on wooden scaffolding.
"So how are we going to get by them?" I nearly jumped out of my skin and almost alerted the guards as Midna popped up next to me.
"Don't do that!" I whispered harshly. "You almost gave me a heart attack."
She blinked at me for a moment before shaking her head. "You use odd phrases in your world."
"Yeah." I shrugged before turning back to look at the moblins again. "Why do you care how we get in there? I am the one risking my neck."
I felt her lean on my shoulder as she peered to look in the same direction. "I know. I don't want to go looking for another crazy hero."
I rolled my eyes before drawing my bow. "Watch and learn." I sniped the two guards before moving further in, Midna retreating to my shadow. The twilight deepened as I took out every monster in my path, none of them showing signs of what had killed them. Sure, I could have been gung-ho and charged in laying about me with my sword, but knowing that my own body may now be on the line made me more cautious. Besides, I was having fun. I found a key to unlock a square paddock of sorts, in which a single boar stood. The doors slammed shut behind me as I stepped inside and the chunky leader that I had defeated twice already stood before me with a very large battle ax in his grubby hands.
The battle was fairly short. I jumped over his ax when it was swung low, applying the Helm Splitter as I passed his head. When he swung it high, I would roll beneath to Back Slice his rear. I pressed my attack relentlessly, until he dropped his ax and gripped his arm. My heart was still racing and my palms sweat as he left. I blinked as the heat increased suddenly; the place was on fire! I looked for a way out and only saw the boar. I didn't like it, but it was the only way. A minute later, the oversized pig was barreling out of the enclosure with me clinging to its back. Fortunately, it slowed down once we were a ways from the flames. I found myself looking up at the crumbling structure that was once a prison. I dismounted and ascended the steps, steeling myself for what lay ahead. I didn't like the undead one bit, but that didn't keep me from entering.
