Never Forget Who They Were
Link leaned back against the barn as he watched the two women hug and mourn. He had not expected Lelyan to show up here. In fact he didn't expect her to show up anywhere, though he did have to admit that Hyrule was not really that big of a country. Even more unexpected was the armored and veiled woman that accompanied her. Had it not been for the Triforce he wouldn't have known that it was the Princess. Why she was here was his number one question at the moment. However he wasn't going to press the issue against the schianova hanging at her side. Despite the fact he was a master swordsman, he knew that the lighter blade would be able to cause some embarrassing injuries if she was inclined to.
Looking over at Jericho he was amazed to see the man had slid down against a wall and went to sleep. There was a time and place for everything, and while someone is mourning in front of you is not the time for a nap. He definitely wasn't going to press his luck lecturing him though, he had seen the results of a human being shot with a rifle once, it still gave him shivers. It looked like he was the one who was going to have to get things rolling. Until the wind shifted and he got the smell of burning flesh. Shutting his eyes he started breathing through his mouth to keep the worst of the odor from his nose.
"I often wonder how the people are kept from rising against him," Zelda said as she rested herself against the wall next to him, "And how the people who follow him are capable of such evil as this. Bjorl and Kaysa were far from being angels, but they were good to everyone that treated them with respect."
"I wish that I knew Zel. The only thing people used to criticize me about character wise was my hatred of shallots. I will eat anything else, but if there are shallots in the dish, I won't touch it. Looking at this, I realize how minor a character flaw that truly is. These men are brainwashed, chosen for their muscles and malleability into living extensions of Ganon's will. Kill one, and it only inconveniences him temporarily. These two who died today showed they were worth ten of them though," he said in response.
He heard the shifting of steel plates next to him, "I want to apologize for how I was acting the day you left, I was being selfish. You are needed out here, fighting against men like this. I was raised as a 'Ruler in Exile' my whole life, taught to believe that everything that I surveyed belonged to me. It wasn't until you refused to yield that it struck me that I truly owned nothing. Those that I lay my eyes on don't belong to me, I belong to them. I am meant to lead and protect them, else I am no better than the man that we fight against."
"Zelda, Ganon has not been a man in many centuries. The Hero of time was his first opponent, and in that time he sold his soul to evil. He has caused many ripples of evil in time. In our past he orchestrated the Twilight War. In another he was sealed into the Sacred Realm, and corrupted the Triforce itself. And in another he gave the Goddesses cause to flood Hyrule, leaving it lost to its people. He is a monster, one that must be destroyed. That is the reason the Hero exists. To protect this world that the Goddesses gave to us. Even after he is finally destroyed the Hero will exist, because there will be people that seek the same power he does. That is why it is important that you survive. For as long as there is a Princess Zelda, there will be a Hero."
"If that was a long winded pickup line, you need to hang around some of the soldiers in The Haven," the girl said with a giggle.
Link smiled, "You seem different. Like when you put that armor on you are only a soldier, not a princess. You speak more freely, and seem more in touch with the rest of us."
"I don't wear it enough. I was trained to fight from the time I was ten so that I could defend myself if it came to that, or so that I could lead a battle."
"My father started me at six. Under him and Garth, he was kind of my uncle and my master, I became considered a master at sixteen. I've gotten even better in the last few months. I worry about how good I will be against Ganon though."
"Why, every Hero except the last was able to beat him?"
Turning his head he reached over and lift the veil and looked the woman dead in the eye, "He has had over four thousand years with which to master the blade and his magics. I have only had about thirteen years. I know that you believe in me unconditionally, but I am not someone who thinks they are invincible because of their station."
Jericho watched Link as he talked with the armored woman. He couldn't hear what they were saying due to the distance between them, but they seemed to know each other, and if the way the armor was formed was any indication, her body might compete with the Goddesses. He looked at the other two girls. They were starting to come to their senses, and the tears seemed to have stopped.
"Young lady, I know that your parents died in just the last few hours, but it would be unwise of us to remain here longer than a few hours. I will check the field right quick to see if there appears to be anyone approaching, but you should gather everything you can realistically use, and we leave," the man said as he stood using his rifle as a staff, silently cursing age and the abuse he had put himself through over the years.
The two girls entered the house. Walking to the large wall that surrounded the ranch he prayed to Farore that the Elites had only sent the one group. He had no doubt that he could deal with a group that small quickly before they even came into bow range, but he wasn't under the impression that he was immortal. He had been lucky so far, but it would only take one bad enough injury for him to join his wife. He had too much to do before he could do that.
Withdrawing a telescope from a holder on his belt he brought it to his eye and scanned the horizon. He saw a darknut, two bokoblins, and a moose. Out of those the moose was unexpected, but he decided not to question its presence there, after being taken into servitude by a goddess there was little that could surprise a person. However there did not seem to be anyone approaching the ranch. Climbing down he returned to the house. He saw his son saddling some horses, some with riding saddles, the others with pack saddles.
"I saw no one approaching, so we should be safe until they start missing this unit, I still think we should try to distance ourselves from here before nightfall though," he said as he approached.
Link looked over, "That's why I'm saddling these horse, we will make better time than on foot. We might be able to make thirty miles if we stick to level ground. Luckily Elites travel on foot, something about them having to push themselves to the limit at all times."
He nodded as the two others left the house. He noticed the packs stacked by the door and the two each carried. Link took the packs from them and started distributing them between the pack horses. He admired how he took pains to match the pack to the size of the horse. He had heard that the old monk had taken him as an apprentice, which meant that loading wagons and horses probably fell to him most of the time. He was impressed, his son had grown up well without him, and he wasn't sure if he should ever tell him. He knew that his view of reality had already been warped with all of this happening.
Link chose the chestnut mare completely at random, but it seemed funny to Malon. He ignored her ill disguised laughter and kicked the horse into a lope, the pack horse he was leading falling into step behind him. The other four followed suit setting off toward Swordhaven. Link felt that it was the safest place for them to get everything in order before parting ways. Despite officially belonging to the Empire, Swordhaven had always been more independent than other towns, not relying on Imperial troops to protects.
It had grown up around a fort that had been established right after the Twilight War to train frontline troops. As such a thriving weapon-smithing industry grew up around it. During the fall of the Royal Family the fort was destroyed, however the town stood stoically against all attacks, and after his rise to power Ganon had not been inclined to allocate the troops necessary to conquer them. It was more profitably to just trade with them and give them their space. They weren't taxed, and their business dealings with subversive and rebellious elements were overlooked. Were the quality of their wares not so fine then it may have been a different story.
"Link, do you want to know the name of the horse you are riding," He heard Malon ask as she brought her horse alongside his.
He shrugged, "Why not?"
"Her name is Epona, the horse the Heroes have long ridden."
"Because she is black maned chestnut."
"You know the legends better than any of us no doubt."
He chuckled, "Malon, you have no clue."
The rest of the ride was relatively silent. In about an hour and a half they had passed into a completely open grassland. The fort had been built in this area since there was plenty of room to maneuver and no cover for any assaulting force. It was a very advantageous position. If it hadn't have been for the almost endless hordes that the Emporer commanded then the fort would have stood. But they could see the tumbled walls and scorched watchtowers from where that sat their horses at the edge of the grassland.
"Over three thousand men occupied that garrison, and not a one of them lived. They took over one hundred thousand of Ganon's monsters with them before the end though. It showed how much they were worth," Zelda said, a note of sadness in her voice.
"Do you see black smoke just beyond the fort," Link asked looking beyond the ruins.
Everyone turned their eyes to the skies and saw it. Smoke from forges and chimneys was white, black smoke was from buildings. Kicking their horses into a gallop Link, Jericho, and Lelyan passed their pack horse to Zelda and Malon and headed towards the smoke. They started smelling the stink of burning flesh, and knew that the town had been attacked. The closer they got the worse the smell became.
"Link, I don't like this. Everything you told me about Swordhaven made it sound impervious to outside armies," he heard Persephone whisper from his shadow.
In truth the people of Swordhaven all belonged to the militia there when they became old enough to swing steel. There were children as young as ten years old that were battle hardened. If there was something that could lay them low, then even Link may not be able to fight it. Monsters were nothing, the Elites had very little actual skill, and that left only one thing that it could be, Ganondorf had decided to take a walk outside the castle.
The green grass soon gave way to char and chaff. Taking the reins in his left hand Link drew the Sword of the Stars from its sheath, the flawless steel catching the light, hearing a click he saw Jericho had cocked his rifle, and a creak of wood told him Lelyan had nocked an arrow. A roar made Jericho and Lelyan's mount shy, while Epona thundered on, her steel shod hooves tearing furrows as they pounded the ground relentlessly. Between the burned buildings he saw what had laid low the village, a dragon.
The mare reared on her hind legs as Link pulled her up. The two beings eyed the beast. It was easily three times the size of the horse, and could breath fire. Neither shied though. Noting movement on top of the beast he saw something he didn't expect. A shade. Another version of Dark Link. Looking at the beast he noted something in the rough shape of a set of quillons, the two pieces of a crossbar, though he was too far away to see their exact shape.
He saw the dragon suddenly jerk as something hit it in the side of its snout. Easing the horse between the burned out carcasses of house he saw something he didn't believe. A goron with a giant hammer. He saw the being raise the hammer above its head and bring it down upon the dragon's head, barely staggering it.
Looking at the beast's underside he made a rough plan as he heard a sharp crack and saw the beast's rider fall to the ground dazed. An arrow followed striking the dragon's left eye, blinding it and giving Link the opening he needed.
Kicking Epona's side he gave a yell, "Yhaa," and sent the horse at a dead run, her shoes striking sparks against the cobblestones of the square.
Raising his blade a torrent of blood fell as it sliced through the large animals throat, draining its life giving fluid to stain the ground a sickly crimson color. Pulling the mare up he dismounted and turned toward the shade. Burning crimson met cerulean as the two locked eyes, the shade starting to stand. Reaching behind him Link brought forth his shield and slapped Epona's rump, sending her into the ruins away from the battle. The shade drew forth its own weapon and shield and charge the youth.
A small piece of wood caught as a spark flew from where the two blade met. The meteoric steel of the goron forged blade digging into the softer steel from the shadows blade. Link searched the face to determine which hero this one belonged to. The way it carried itself was almost wolflike in its ferocity, so it could only belong to the Hero of Light and Twilight. Twisting the blade he used the weak open stance necessitated by the left hand against him. Sliding the length of his sword against the cutting edge of his opponent's blade down to the pommel he flicked his wrist leaving a long open gash across the things stomach, spilling a black colored ichor to mix with the crimson liquid already staining the cobbles. The shade looked up only to receive Link's sword rammed through the back of its mouth, the crimson light in the things eyes fading.
He heard four sets of pounding footsteps approach him. Turning toward them he saw the others. Jericho and Zelda with drawn swords, Lelyan with two long knives, and Malon with her shotgun. Suddenly he felt a burning sensation in his lower back, just below his kidney, and heard a loud crunch and felt something slide out of the area. Turning his head he saw the shades corpse mangled by the goron's hammer. He fell to his knees, barely percieving Persephone leaving his shadow as he reached them, and then fell forward onto the stones, light leaving his world.
Persephone knelt by him in shock, not even caring about the stares she was receiving from the others present. The only thing she knew was that Link was hurt bad, and she didn't know what to do for him. Her breath came in short gasps, and she started to hyper ventilate. She felt hands gently pull her away from her companion, and heard the rustle of his mail as the wound was checked, and then she fainted.
"He is going to live. He is tough, Did more damage to that dragon with one swing of his sword than I did with my hammer in an hour. He is definitely the one I came searching for. Lets let him and the girl rest for now."
Persephone let her eyes drift open slowly the light slightly bothering them. Suddenly she shot straight up with a cry. Turning she saw Link dressed only in his leggings with bandages wrapped around his stomach. Stumbling from the pallet she lay in she managed to crawl to his side. His breathing was slow, but strong and steady. She didn't know how the corpse had managed to impale him on the tip of its blade, but she wasn't even able to give him a warning as she watched it happen.
"Link, I'm so sorry. I am supposed to watch your back, but I let you down when you needed me to warn you. I wasn't ready for something like this. We lost Obel, I cant lose you as well now," she said quietly with tears streaming down her cheeks.
"He will be fine. Being stabbed like that shocked his system, but the wound wasn't deep enough to cause him any permanent injury. If it is no bother to ask, who are you," she was so focused she hadn't even heard the Princess enter the room.
Shakily she replied, "I am Persephone, his companion, Princess of the Twilight Realm, and descendant of the Great Twilight Queen Midna. I was supposed to watch out for him, make sure he was warned when something like this was about to happen. What good am I if I can't do what I am supposed to be here for?"
The older girl knelt down next to the twili and rested a hand on her shoulder, "Persephone, I know this may not seem like the best time to ask this, but how were you able to cross over from the Twilight Realm? The mirror was broken almost six hundred years ago. Is there some other way that we don't know about?"
"I replaced it," the words shocked the girls.
"Link! You're ok? Does it hurt anywhere? Do you need anyth..."
"Pers, I'm alright. My back is a little sore, but he didn't even drive the blade a full inch into me. I'm going to live," he said reassuringly.
Zelda cleared her throat, "Link, what do you mean when you say you replaced the mirror?"
"The Goddesses gave the Hero of Light and Twilight a coin made of obsidian. He left a promise with Twilight Princess Midna, that in the future one of her descendants would have to accompany the hero that appeared in front of them. I'm the Hero, she is the companion. Like Navi to the Hero of Time, or Midna to the Hero of Light and Twilight. The coin effectively replaced the mirror so that one could cross between the two places."
"Could we, say hide the resistance there?"
Persephone answered, "They wouldn't be able to survive. The Hero has been touched by the twilight, in a stone that turns him into a blue eyed wolf. Anyone else would either die, or turn into one of my people."
Link thought for a second, "If the Arbiter's Ground could be cleared, then it might make a decent base. Or Ordon Village."
"Ordon Village, it still stands? I would have thought it would have been looted by now," Zelda said curiously.
"I think people are still worried that the sickness lingers. Any traces would have died out many years ago, the disease needs living beings to survive in and pass between. Monsters biology won't sustain the disease for some reason."
"Link, if you don't mind, I'm going to kiss you," and before he could gather any complaint against the act Zelda had kissed him full on the lips.
A/N: For the record I am actually more of a MaLink over ZeLink, so let us watch where this goes. Remember I don't actually do any chapter planning, it never seems to work well. The story evolves itself. I may take up this one exclusively for a while, until I can get some inspiration for my other fics. I really need to cut down to one active one.