Got a long one this chapter.


Chapter 29: Race against Time

There was a knot tightening in the pit of Link's stomach. His mouth was dry and his hands gripped on the ledge so hard that the stone dug painfully into his skin. The rest of his body shivered in place, although that had more to do with the bitter cold of the early evening wind than actual fear.

"So that's the guy we have to deal with, is it?" Telma inquired, her gaze fixed to the hulking bulblin marching up and down the Bridge of Eldin on his giant boar. She and Link stood side by side at the foot on a nearby amphitheatre built on the cliff face over Lake Hylia; as good a vantage point as any other place in the area.

"That would be him," Link answered.

The woman noticed the slight edge in his voice. "You okay, hun?"

Tearing his eyes away from the bulblin, Link gave Telma a forced smile. "I'm fine. Just a little nervous about this whole thing."

Telma nodded understandingly. "Do you think you'll be able to handle the brute? It's okay if you don't. Now that I've seen him for myself, I don't blame those soldiers for running off earlier."

Link squinted back towards the raider. His vision was somewhat obscured by the setting sun, and the distance between the bridge their position was too great to make out that much of the bulblin.

"I might be able to. I'm not sure," he said. "I can't see well enough to tell what weapons he's carrying, but if that bulblin's as strong as you say he is, it'll be a tough fight."

Telma eyed him sternly. "Is that a yes or a no, boy? I need you to give me a straight answer. I don't want that thing knowing we're here if you change your mind later."

Link stiffened at her sudden forcefulness. He swallowed and thought very carefully about the possible outcomes. This situation was very similar to the battle he'd fought on the Bridge of Eldin, and he had only survived by his opponent's mercy. He may not be so lucky this time around.

On the other hand, Link was better equipped now than he had been at that time. His steel shield won't break as easily as his last one, and Link had since then faced foes that were as strong as or stronger than Strongaxe. He believed that things could be different this time around.

"Yes," he finally said. "It'll be tough but I can do it."

"Good to hear," Telma said, smiling confidently. "Let's head back and let Ilia know what we're doing."

They walked up a set of stone steps towards a simple wooden carriage waiting out on the grass. A brown-and-white spotted horse was fastened to the cart while another horse, a smoky grey gelding, was tethered to the carriage by its reins. Telma led the way to the back of the carriage and pulled the rear door open.

Inside the carriage was lit by a single lantern hanging from a hook on the wall. Ilia sat on one of the seats along the sides, keeping close watch over Ralis sleeping fitfully on the floor. The zora was covered with several layers of blankets and his head rested on a soft pillow. Beside his head was a bucket full of water to be used to keep the boy hydrated.

"How's he doing?" Telma asked softly.

Ilia turned to her and Link. Her expression was worried. "I've just given him another dose of medicine but it doesn't seem to be helping him much. How long will it be until we get there?"

"Don't worry, hun. Link here's going to take care of that troll. Then we'll reach Kakariko in no time."

Link gave Ilia a reassuring smile, one that she returned only briefly before gazing back at Ralis. "He'll make it," Link told her.

"I hope so," Ilia murmured.

Link left her alone and walked over to the gelding to untie it. While he wished he had Epona with him instead, he was grateful to Telma for lending him the horse from a friend of hers. The gelding wasn't as big as Epona, but Telma promised that he was fit and even-tempered; a vital quality if his new rider was going to use him in combat. Link climbed onto the saddle and got comfortable. However, it just wasn't the same as riding Epona.

Telma climbed into the driver's seat of the wagon and took her horse's reins. "Okay, hun. I'll be following you until we get to the bridge. After that it's all up to you."

"No pressure," Link said, doing his best to smile. Before the woman could see through his facade he set his mount into a mild run.

"You'll do fine, Link," he heard Telma say. "We have faith in you." Link did not respond.

A tension grew in the air as the bridge drew closer. At the stone archway Link turned back to Telma and indicated for her to wait. She brought the carriage to a stop with its side towards the bridge, ready to bolt in either direction depending on the next few minutes. Sucking in a breath, Link urged his horse through the arch. He drew his sword from its scabbard.

The bulblin was already aware of his presence and watched Link approached from the far end. A cruel smile spread across his fat, green lips as he brought his bulbo slowly forward. His bulk was plated in full dark metal armour, complete with a matching helmet. Strapped to the bulblin's back was a large war axe.

Oh no... Link's bones chilled.

"Link Kelder!" the bulblin said heartily, as if greeting an old friend. "I had hoped we would meet again."

"Strongaxe," Link growled, recognising the bulblin king. His grip tightened around his sword.

The Orgr gave a low chuckle. "A few days ago I heard that a twilight imp had tried to cross this bridge, riding on the back of a wolf. They jumped into the lake to escape my warriors but no one knew if they survived."

Link glanced back at the wagon, wondering how much Telma or Ilia could hear.

"I believed they did," Strongaxe continued, "so I came to find them. And now I bump into you in this very same place." He grinned widely at Link. "Isn't that just the darnedest thing?"

Link gritted his teeth. "Let us through, Strongaxe. I don't have time to deal with you." He cringed at the shakiness of his own voice.

The bulblin faked a look of hurt. "Oh, is that so? I was really hoping to play with you again." A smirk quickly replaced the facade and Strongaxe laughed. "Have you ever wondered why I didn't finish you off last time? Why I just... walked away? It wasn't because of your little friend, I promise you. I have ways of dealing with her kind; like with this armour I'm now wearing."

Link went rigid in his seat. He could almost see Midna do the same within his shadow.

Strongaxe spurred his boar into a slow walk. "What you did that day was a marvellous thing to see; riding head-first into impossible odds; putting down trained warriors left, right and centre; and let's not forget the moment you leaped onto my bulbo just to save your little grem."

The bulblin waved a hand in small, casual circles. His gaze turned up and away in a daydream. "At the time, I thought to myself: this human is a survivor. He's strong; skilled; ballsy. He would do anything to win. That's the kind of foe I love to cross blades with."

The boar halted. "So I then tell myself: 'Let him live. Give him time to grow stronger. And when you meet him again, he'll give you the fight you've always dreamed of; the one where absolutely anything could happen.'" Strongaxe reached for his axe and held it, poised to face off against Link's left-handed style. "Now let's see if the fruit's ripe yet."

"That's what this is about?" Link shouted. "You left me there just so I can give you a better fight later?"

"Got it in one," the bulblin grinned.

A growl rumbled in Link's throat. It disgusted him to be thought of as simple entertainment. "So are we just going to talk all night, or are we going to fight?"

Strongaxe chuckled. "See? You've got more of a backbone, already." He lowered the mask of his helmet. "Let's do this." The bulblin king howled a battle cry and charged his boar forwards. Link did the same with his horse.

The first clash came fast and hard. Link's shield intercepted the axe head, deflecting it to one side. His sword sliced at the Orgr's side but rebounded off a timely-placed gauntlet. The two beasts sped apart with neither rider wounded. Link checked his shield, pleased to find it still in its original shape. His horse was coping well with the situation, also.

The same outcome was repeated with each proceeding bout; Link would block an attack and counter; Strongaxe's armour would take the hit with no harm to his body. Link kept his opponent guessing by changing the side from which he attacked, but Strongaxe was quick to adapt. The bulblin was enjoying himself, laughing after every indecisive round. In contrast, Link was growing more and more frustrated.

"Link," Midna spoke as he raced down towards the southern arch, "we're running out of time."

"I know that!" Link turned the horse around. "I just can't find a weakness when we're running past each other like this."

"I'm going to help you."

The bulbo was rushing towards them again. Link hurried his horse into another charge. "If you do that, Telma will see you," he warned.

"Relax," Midna said. "I've gone and switched your arrows around. That should be enough. No one will notice."

Link veered away from an overhead swing, not attempting to attack. "My arrows?" he said skeptically. "How are they going to help?" Midna gave no answer as they came to the bridge side near the wagon.

"You can do it, Link!" Telma hollered. Ilia had poked her head out to watch the battle. Her hand covered her mouth with her eyes widened with fear.

Link's lips turned into a small smile from the cheer. Encouraged, he sheathed his sword and shield and replaced them with his bow. When Link picked out an arrow, he found a metallic ball fixed to its tip.

A bomb arrow? he wondered. Using an explosive arrow on a single enemy felt like overkill, but Link glanced at Strongaxe and shrugged. Overkill with this guy was fine by him.

Strongaxe tilted his head to one side, intrigued by the human's change of tactics. Either he didn't recognise the true threat of the opposing bow or he simply didn't care, the Orgr charged at full speed with blood raging through his veins.

Once his horse was moving in a straight line, Link let the reins drop and nocked the arrow. Aiming the bow was difficult while bouncing up and down on a galloping horse. It was almost impossible for Link to keep the arrow in line with his target. The distance between him and Strongaxe was closing and there wasn't time to be perfect. Link pulled the trigger alongside the bow's grip, igniting a small flame that caught the bomb's fuse, and released the arrow.

The shot went wild and his timing was off. The arrow sailed past Strongaxe by half a metre then exploded well behind him. Strongaxe yelped as his bulbo panicked from the noise of the blast. As the bulblin fought to regain control of the beast, he passed Link by without attacking.

Link berated himself all the way to the end of the bridge. That shot was sloppy and it could have cost him everything. Turning around, Link drew another bomb arrow and loaded it onto the bowstring. He stared Strongaxe down fiercely.

The Orgr turned and quickly charged again, undeterred by his opponent's bombs. This time Link remained stationary. He wasn't going to ruin this last chance with disruptive jostling. Link ignited the bomb but held the arrow, counting the seconds under his breath.

He fired the shot and his aim was far better. The bomb exploded where and when Link intended, but Strongaxe steered his boar away the same moment the arrow took flight. Expecting this, Link nocked and triggered another arrow immediately after shooting the last one, then fired as Strongaxe straightened his charge. The explosion made contact.

The split-second before the bomb went off felt incredibly satisfying. Surprised by the additional arrow, Strongaxe jolted in his seat and desperately tried to veer his mount to the left. The bomb arrow exploded right next the bulbo, the blast hitting it fully on its flank. A monstrous squeal bellowed over the din and the pig was knocked aside. Flame and shrapnel struck Strongaxe with force as well, throwing him from the saddle and flat onto the stone floor. Cringing at the crash of flesh and metal, Link waited for the bulblin king to get up. Half of a minute passed. He did not.

At first, Link sat in dumb silence. A shallow grin spread across as his face as he realised he had defeated his greatest adversary. He didn't take pride or joy in the act itself, but now the guilt of failure had finally been lifted from Link's shoulders. He had beaten the one responsible for the attack on Ordon Village and his friends' kidnapping. He could finally put those fears and memories to rest.

Link snapped into reality at the sound of hooves and wood on stone. Telma brought the carriage across to him, her expression beaming.

"Aha! Link, you were fantastic just now!" Telma cried. Link scratched his neck bashfully.

From the wagon's rear, Ilia leaned out to stare at Strongaxe's limp form. "Is it dead?" she asked hopefully.

Telma checked the bulblin over with a pitiless glance. "After a hit like that, I'd say so." She turned to Link and the merriment returned to her face. "What did I tell you, girl? I knew we had the best man for the job. Look at him; he's got the eyes of a feral beast and the tenacity to match. Nothing's going to stop us from finding that shaman."

Link was taken aback by Telma's comment and self-consciously touched his fingers to the corner of his face. Did he really look like a wild beast?

"Alright, Link. Time to move," Telma roused him. "Night's nearly on top of us, so we can't stay put. Lead the way."

Link nodded and steered his horse towards the south. As they rode, Telma maintained a comfortable distance behind Link. She was far enough away to give Link space to move and fight, but was close enough for him to defend the carriage should it be attacked. A set of lanterns fixed to each corner of the wagon lit the space around the horses. Nothing would be able to get close without being seen by at least one of the three humans.


Ahlkrog Strongaxe's world was a dizzy mess of darkness and nausea. Pain burned all across his body though there was little sense to it. It was sharper in some areas, duller in others. In some places he could feel nothing at all. Coherent thought eluded the bulblin as he tried to recall how he had gotten into this state. He had been in battle. Things must have gone far south if he felt this bad.

Muffled noises could be heard from just beside him, yet Strongaxe could not identify them over the ringing of his ears. One sound was rhythmic and steady like an animal's gait. That was the best he was able to make out. Bothered by this confusion, he forced his eyes open despite the agony pushing to keep them closed. What he could see was a wide stretch of ornately carved stone. The bridge. More pieces of the mental image came together.

With great effort, Strongaxe brought his arms under him and pushed up. Every muscle screamed in protest but he persisted until he was sitting upright. Strongaxe looked to where the sounds had come from and saw two shapes shrinking quickly into the distance. One shape resembled a cart, while the other was a man on a horse. The sight of the latter brought the full memory to Strongaxe with marvellous clarity.

The Orgr glanced down at himself. Parts of his armour had been blown off, exposing bloody flesh on his right side, while others remained cracked and battered. His head felt off-balance as he checked the rest of his injuries. Strongaxe raised a hand to one of his horns. It had broken off a palm-width from his skull. Strongaxe swore softly. That would take years to grow back.

In spite of his wounds, Strongaxe began to laugh. It hurt like hell but he chuckled long and low. "You clever bastard," he said aloud, grinning. "I wonder, was that all you? Or did the imp help you this time, too?"

Obviously he received no answer. Kelder was already long gone. It did not matter, though. Strongaxe got what he wanted; a good fight. The human had beaten him and did it spectacularly. Yes... He had been right about the boy.

Grunting in more pain, Strongaxe got to his feet. His legs shook but they held his weight as he leaned against the bridge wall for support. He looked over to his bulbo lying not far from him. Blood ran from gaping wounds all over its body. The eyes in its tilted head were closed, never to open again. Strongaxe breathed a heavy sigh. That bulbo had been the best mount he'd ever had, from a fine heritage as well. Damn shame it was to lose the beast.

Shaking his head, the Orgr stripped off the pieces of his broken armour and removed what essentials he could carry from the boar's saddlebags. He then lurched towards the closest of the stone arches, where he had taken shelter for the past several days. Stumbling a couple of times, Strongaxe moved as swiftly as he was able. It would not do if he was found wounded like this by an enemy; or worse, a rival.

"Damn it, Kelder. You got me good," he grinned painfully. "Still... I can't wait until our paths cross again. That'll be fun."


The rattling of the carriage and the beating of the horses' hooves were consistent as Link led the way through the night, so much so that the sounds seemed to become one with his thoughts. The noise was still clear and audible, though, which made it a strain for Link to keep aware of other sounds that may signal danger. What's more, it was getting darker as the moon took to hiding behind the clouds above, forcing Link to ride slower so that he didn't steer his horse into a hazard. The slower pace increased his concern about the group being attacked.

They rode through a pass in the shallow mountain range of Lanayru's border with the Faron Province. Years of use had beaten the path smoother than the rest of the rugged natural terrain, but it still featured rises and dips to be cautious of in the gloom. Rich forest grew along the sides of the track, with plenty of trees and large rocks to conceal a potential ambush.

Link shook his head furiously. He was seeing monsters where there weren't any. Stop jumping at shadows, he growled at himself.

"We should get out of this forest in a few minutes," Telma hollered over the racket. "Just keep going straight ahead."

Link acknowledged her with a silent gesture, never taking his gaze off the track. Every significant feature in the scenery became a milestone, marking their steady progress towards the clear fields beyond the trees. As they approached a crossroad, a breeze brushed them from the front and Link's horse began throwing its head around nervously. Link tensed at the sign and as they passed the intersection, he spotted the band of bulblin riders waiting on the connecting road.

Crap! "Bulblins!" he cried out, drawing his sword.

The bulblins howled with bloodlust and spurred their bulbos. They steered onto the main path behind Telma's cart, laughing and jeering at easy prey. Ilia screamed and Telma whipped her horse to run faster. The cart's speed increased, but nowhere near fast enough to outrun the pursuing boars.

Link looked back, alarm riddling throughout his body. "Telma, get in front of me!" he called and reined in his steed.

As soon as the wagon had overtaken him, Link did the first thing that came to mind and took out his bow. He had momentarily forgotten that Midna attached bombs to all of his arrows, but that was a more than welcome surprise. Link twisted in the saddle, ignited the arrow and counted before firing. Some of the bulblins veered away or fell back at seeing the sparkling bomb, but the majority stayed put and were hit by the following blast.

Link's horse screamed and nearly stumbled at the force of heat and air coming from the explosion. In a flash of panic, Link latched his hand onto the horn of his saddle and threw his other arm around the horse's body to keep from falling. As he recovered, Link noticed that the trees around them were thinning out. Seconds later, they broke out of the forest cover and onto the plains.

The remaining bulblins began to spread out. They surrounded Link on both sides and those with bows took aim at him. Picking sides, Link shot a dead bomb arrow at an archer on the left, knocking him off balance with the force similar to a small metal fist to the gut. While the struck groblen hunched over in pain, Link veered sharply to the right, blocked an arrow with his shield and brought his sword down into the archer's shoulder, then through the neck of the frightened bulblin steering the boar.

Pain suddenly exploded in Link's leg and he screamed horribly. He glanced down to see an arrow stemming from the middle of his right thigh. The bulblin that shot him aimed another arrow, but before he could fire he was struck into the air by a black sphere. The blast spooked the archer's bulbo, which turned away and collided into another giant pig, sending it and its riders to the ground.

Link caught movement directly behind him as Midna threw more balls of shadow magic at the bulblins and bulbos, hitting them in various places to wreak havoc on the enemy. It was hard to see her clearly in the darkness, and that fact added to the bulblin's shock and fear.

"How bad are you hurt?" Midna asked, not taking her eyes off the battle.

Link grabbed the shaft in his leg and gave it a tentative pull. Agony flared around the wound and the arrow held fast. "Bad," he grimaced. "But I'll be alright."

"Well, try not to get hit again," Midna chastised.

Hearing a bulbo approaching from the left, Link turned and beat away a spear then stabbed the lone bulblin through the gut. "I'll try," he grumbled.

A high-pitched scream drew both their gazes to the wagon. Ilia held the rear door open, staring fearfully at a bulblin that was brandishing an axe at her from bare metres away.

"Ilia!" Link cried out. The girl slammed the door shut as the troll inched closer.

Link fired another arrow, yet the metal ball tip simply bounced off the bulblin's leather armour before landing in the grass. The impact knocked him off balance, giving the wagon time to pull away, but the bulblin was still alive and conscious. Link swore in fury.

"I'll take care of these guys," Midna said as she took down another two boars. "You go protect the others."

"Can you give me some normal arrows?" Link quickly asked. He snatched out the wind waker and blew a gust at the bulblin attacking the wagon, buying additional seconds.

Midna halted her assaulted and flicked a hand at his quiver. "There. Now hurry."

She shot a spell at a groblen that had gotten too brave, knocking him and his partner off their bulbo. Link gave a brief word of thanks and aimed a fresh arrow at the bandit near the wagon. The bulblin was about to smash his axe into one of the wheels when the sharp broad head pierced into his back. He fell from his boar, dead, while the animal began to drift off on its own.

Another bulblin cast Link a wary sneer as he rode up towards the wagon. He raised a shield over his body, preventing the human from getting a clear shot. Link laid his bow on his lap and equipped his own shield. He then charged up to the bulblin and smashed his shield into the other, his power bracelets making it easy to send the enemy flying.

With their numbers dropping rapidly at the hand of a shadowy monster, the rest of the bulblins decided to abandon their pursuit. They turned their boars away from the carriage and fled into the darkness. Breathing a relieved sigh, Link rode up next to Telma.

"I guess they learned we're not worth the trouble," the woman smirked, her tone strained with a tense edge. "Not sure what you did to scare them off, hun, but it was one hell of a racket." Telma paused and eyed Link seriously. "You weren't hurt, were you?"

"I'm fine," Link lied, hiding the arrow in his leg from Telma's view. "You?"

"Still whole and hearty, thanks to you," Telma winked. She reached back and slid the panel behind her open. "What about you, girl? Everything okay back there?"

"Yes," Ilia replied shakily. Link couldn't see her, but he imagined that she was huddled on the floor next to Ralis, trying hard to keep her wits. "The boy hasn't stirred the entire time. I'm not sure if that's good or bad, though."

Telma nodded grimly. "Keep an eye on him and let me know if anything changes." She closed the panel and turned to Link. "Do you reckon those bastards were with that one from the bridge?"

Link thought about it and shook his head. "Could have been, but maybe not. There's no telling at this point."

"Suppose you're right, there," Telma shrugged.

They rode in silence after that. Link, irritated by the arrow bouncing as his horse galloped, shrunk back behind the wagon and snapped the shaft in half. The head was still buried in his thigh but it helped to keep the rest of the arrow still. Concerned about the blood oozing from the injury, Link took out a bandage and bound the surrounding flesh as tightly as he could while riding. Treating the wound properly could wait until later.

There was no further trouble over the next several hours. The plains were perfectly quiet, which in itself was unnerving. Yet being anxious during peace was preferable to constantly fighting for their lives, so Link took his blessings. Ilia reported Ralis's condition to Telma every now and then, though apart from that there was no conversation had.

At some point, Link roused from the stupor he had fallen into. He could see the lights of a town in the distance. What made him curious, though, was that Telma was leading them directly to the settlement. Surely they weren't anywhere near Kakariko Village yet.

When they were closer, Link saw a crude blockade of stakes and wooden crates stretched around the cluster of buildings. A gate had been placed where the main road fed through the town and was guarded by two sentries bearing spears. Telma responded to their call to stop and brought the carriage slowly before the gate.

"Who are you? What are you doing coming here at this hour?" one of the guards demanded. He was a roundly shaped man with a thick, bushy beard.

Telma held his stern gaze evenly. "My name's Telma. I run The Green Swordsman in Castle Town. We've got a sick zora child with us who needs urgent medical help. We're taking him to Kakariko Village where a shaman may be able to save him."

The portly guard maintained a skeptical look. In the light of the torches burning nearby, Link could see several thin scars along the man's face. They were old, faded and looked like sword wounds, meaning he had some experience in combat. The man turned to his partner. "Dan, check the wagon," he instructed.

Dan was younger than the first guard, but was taller and more muscular. He walked around the wagon and opened the rear door, finding Ralis and a wide-eyed Ilia. "Got a zora back here, Manning, and he don't look too good. There's a girl, also, but she looks harmless. Quite pretty too..."

Link frowned but said nothing as Dan closed the door. Manning then studied Link and noticed the broken stick jutting out of his leg. "That's a pretty bad wound your friend's got, there."

Telma's brow rose as she turned and saw the arrow. Her eyes bulged. "Gods damn it, Link! When the hell did that happen? Why didn't you say anything earlier?"

Link shifted in his seat, avoiding her glare. "It wasn't a big deal," he said weakly, rubbing his neck.

"Like hell it was!" Telma scolded. "An arrow in the leg can kill you if it cuts the wrong vein. What do you expect us to think if we get to Kakariko and find you near-dead behind us?" When he didn't answer, she continued. "The next time you get injured, you had better tell me straight away! Do you hear me?"

Link flinched. "Yes, ma'am..."

Manning walked up beside Link and examined his leg. "I've seen plenty of arrow wounds during the old war, and I can tell you this sucker is stuck in deep." He tugged the shaft gently, watching Link double-over from the pain.

"Jagged edge on the head," Manning deduced. "The only way this is coming out is if it takes a piece of you with it. You'll need a doctor to treat this, and soon. I don't want to know how long you've been bleeding out for."

Telma clicked her tongue and shook her head. "I hope that shaman can handle two patients at once." She looked to Manning. "We need fresh horses before we move on. Is there any way we can get some, here?"

The guard thought for a moment then nodded. "Jack owns the stables just down the road," he said, pointing into the town. "I'm pretty sure he has a few mounts he can trade. Tell him that I'll forget about what he owes me if he helps you. That man will do just about anything to pay off a debt."

Telma thanked the men as they allowed them through the gates. Not long afterwards, she and Link found the town's stable on the main street. A dog in the pens barked aggressively as Telma approached the owner's house and banged the knocker several times. Minutes passed before the horse breeder finally opened the door, holding a burning candle in one hand and a foul expression on his face.

Although the man, Jack, initially told Telma to leave – a polite rephrasing of what he had actually said – his attitude quickly changed when she passed on Manning's message. He became even more cooperative when Telma offered the horses she had in exchange for two of his fastest mounts. Jack took a minute to check the exhausted horses over, scrutinising every body part in the weak candlelight for any other ailments. When he was satisfied, the deal was made.

Still in his nightclothes, Jack led Telma into the stables and showed her what he called his finest animals. The horses did not look as though they were as fast or enduring as the ones Link and Telma currently had, but they were better than they could have hoped for. As the horses were switched, Link tested his injured leg to find it struggling to bear much weight. Ilia climbed out of the wagon to help bind his wound properly, and did so with more skill than Link had known her to have.

When at last they had the horses saddled and ready, Ilia returned to Ralis's side while Link climbed up onto his new mount. He acquainted himself with the animal with a gentle pat along its neck, to which it accepted contently. Link then gave his previous horse a saddened look as it was led into the stables with its new master. In that moment, Link was glad that he hadn't been riding Epona for this trip. The thought of exchanging her for a stranger beast was too horrible to dwell on.

With a curt shout, Telma flicked her horse into a gallop. Link followed close behind as they raced out the far side of the town. A temporary sense of safety had filled them during their stop, but that feeling was gone now. Once again, they faced dark isolation and uncertainty with determination driving them forward.


Dawn came several hours after the group had left the town they'd stopped at. Since then, the only break they had taken from the gruelling run was to eat and squat in the briefest time possible. Tired, sore and agitated by the arrowhead in his hamstring, Link trudged on behind Telma with a face as dour as his thoughts were dull. Were they close to Kakariko yet? He wasn't sure. The landmarks and milestones all seemed to blur together the way he saw it.

Most of the time, Link's gaze was fixated on the cart. He wondered how Ilia and Ralis were faring inside. The last time he had heard from Ilia, she said that the boy's mutterings were becoming more fitful. Both Link and Telma took the news grimly. They were swiftly running out of time.

"Link..."

Link snapped into alertness at his name and looked down to Midna hiding low near his horse's shadow. She wore an urgent frown. "We've got company," she told him, pointing a finger past him.

Link glanced over his shoulder. In the distance, he saw a group of large shapes racing towards them. Alarmed, Link straightened in his seat. "More bulblins?" he asked.

"No. They're humans," Midna answered. Link looked again, squinting until the shapes became more distinct. Indeed, the unknown riders were human on horseback; at least a score of them; and were gaining ground quickly. As they crept closer, Link spotted a number of weapons glinting in the early sun.

"Telma!" Link called. "We've got riders coming up behind us!"

"Can you tell if they're friendly or not?" he heard back.

A memory flashed before Link's eyes. "No. But the last time I met strangers out here, I ended up fighting for my life."

Telma was silent for a moment. "Then we best not take our chances. We're almost there, though, hun. Just keep them back if they get too close."

"Sure thing." Link loosened his sword and grabbed hold of his bow. Shifting in the saddle, he kept one wary eye on the horsemen.

He felt as though they had been through enough trouble, already. After dealing with Strongaxe and the bulblins, Link had also fended off kargoroks as well as a group of bokoblins that they had unwittingly gotten too close to. Link developed a new fondness for his right ear after almost having it pecked off.

Getting closer now, some of the riders began to grip their weapons. All doubt extinguished, Link nocked an arrow and pointed it towards the group, but not at any man specifically.

"Keep your distance or I'll shoot!" he warned in a firm voice.

Apparently the horsemen didn't care for Link's warning. One pointed a bow at him and Link shot him in the chest before he could fully draw. Like a spark on kindling, the remaining outlaws charged in a shouting rage. Link shot another man then switched his bow for his sword and shield.

When the first bandit reached him, Link blocked the incoming sword cut and stabbed him through his side. As the man fell dying from his horse, his comrades began to surround Link, hoping to overwhelm the lone swordsman. One of the men behind him was thrown into the air as an unseen black sphere struck his horse's legs and tripped it. Link used the shock and confusion to cut down two more outlaws.

After that, the bandits' tactics became more vicious. Groups of two or three attacked Link at the same time, pushing his limit in repelling the blows. Several times Link failed to block an attack completely and sustained multiple minor cuts across his arms and upper body. Occasionally he gave a good few hits back, but more often the assailers broke away before Link could retaliate. If he wasn't already on his last legs, Link would have taken down twice as many men as he'd done.

Midna did her best to protect her partner's rear, knocking down several more horses and riders, but her aim and stamina were also failing due to exhaustion. No longer could she keep up a stream of lightning and the orbs she threw barely had more power than firecrackers. Worse still was that there were too many bandits for her to fend off. For every one that Midna eliminated, another two were busy wailing on Link.

Up ahead, Telma had her horse running at top speed. One of the riders came up beside the wagon, but before he could do anything Telma steered it sharply into his mount, toppling it over with a loud scream from both man and beast.

"On your left!"

Link, locking swords with a scar-faced brigand, glanced past his shoulder as he heard the warning. Another of the bandits was coming up to his exposed side. Link quickly caught the second blade with his shield. Breaking his sword free, Link cut deeply into the first man's arm then twisted around to impale the second through his chest.

"Thanks for the heads up," Link called to Midna, turning his attention to another foe.

"What are you talking about?" she shot back. "I didn't say anything." Link glanced at his shadow, bewildered.

"What the hell was that?!" one of the bandits yelped. The others closest to Link's horse glanced around in alarm to the foreign, disembodied voice.

"Damn it," Link hissed as he quickly slew two more riders. Cursing herself, Midna took out another few horses.

The confusion created by Midna's reply drove the brigands away from Link. While they tried to make sense of the strange goings-on, Link had an easier time picking off individual fighters. The bandits still fought back, but their attacks were hesitant and uncoordinated.

"Help!" Telma suddenly yelled. "We're under attack!"

Link's gaze snapped forward. The wagon wasn't being assaulted by anyone at the moment, so Telma wasn't calling him. So who was her cry to?

In answer to the question, a low rumbling soon joined the battle's noise. Men screamed as their mounts collided with large boulders rolling towards them. Glancing around, Link saw the gate into Kakariko Village up ahead, where gorons were charging out from with fearsome force. The gorons wove skilfully around Link and the wagon, ploughing into bandits and clearing a path to the town. Telma reached the gate safely, and Link followed not long after. Once they were through, more gorons blockaded the road, stopping the remaining outlaws from getting in.

Link and Telma slowed their horses as they turned into the village thoroughfare. Renado, Beth, Talo and Luda were there to meet them, running up from the inn wearing shocked expressions.

"Link!" Renado exclaimed. "What's going on? What's all that noise about?"

"Bandits..." Link panted, slumping heavily in the saddle. "Barely made it... Renado... in the cart... Help him."

The shaman looked to him in puzzlement. "The cart? Help who?" As he spoke, Ilia opened the back door, hauling Ralis in her arms.

Beth and Talo both jumped. "Ilia!" they cried and ran up to her.

Ilia stared blankly at the children for a moment then turned to Renado. "Please! This boy is very sick!"

At the plea, Renado's years of healing kicked in and he focused fully on the zora child. His skin was deathly pale for his species and the jagged rate of his breathing was frightening. Renado pushed past Beth and Talo then took Ralis from Ilia's hold.

Telma then approached them, turning her gaze to the boy. "Can you save him?"

Upon looking at her, Renado flinched away from Telma. Recovering quickly, he glanced back at Ralis and frowned deeply. "I may, but I'll have to act quickly. Let's get inside the sanctuary. Tell me all you can about his condition."

As Link climbed down from his horse, he touched the ground with his injured leg first. He collapsed to one knee, yelping in agony. Partway towards the sanctuary, Renado spun around and saw the shaft in Link's thigh, along with the lad's other injuries. "Link, you're wounded!" The children gasped in horror.

Link waved the man back. "Forget about me," he said through gritted teeth. Just save the kid."

While most people may have hesitated, Renado simply nodded and took Ralis into his home, viewing him as the greater priority. Telma and Ilia were close behind him, only the former glancing back at Link in concern. Link struggled to his feet, using the horse for support. The children turned away from where Ilia disappeared and hurried up to him.

"Link, you did it! You found Ilia!" Talo beamed.

Beth looked at Link worriedly. "Is everything okay? She didn't look happy to see us. Did we do something wrong?"

Link cringed as he realised he would have to tell them the truth about Ilia's memory loss. Damn it... It would only do harm if he kept them ignorant, so it'd be best to tell them now. "No, Beth. It's not about you guys, I promise. But something's happened to Ilia that you should both know about."

"What is it?" Talo asked, losing his earlier cheer.

Breathing a heavy sigh, Link crouched down to their level. Unfortunately, his leg gave out again, flaring with a hot lance of pain. "Son of a bit-!" he growled harshly. He barely stopped himself as he remembered present company.

"Oh no! Link!" Beth cried as she and Talo came up beside him.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." Link said quickly, trying to ease their worry. "But gods my leg hurts."

Luda inspected the broken arrow and Link's bloodstained trousers. Always the calm and collected one, she did not shrink away from the wound. "You should stay off that until my father can look at you. Talo, help me carry Link."

The boy did as he was instructed and grabbed Link around his middle, trying to pick the young adult up until Luda told him to support Link, not to actually carry him. Grinning sheepishly, Talo planted his shoulder under Link's arm while Luda did the same with his other side. Together, they helped Link stand and led him towards the inn.

"We're not going inside the sanctuary, too?" Link asked the healer's daughter. Luda shook her head.

"My father can concentrate better if less people are around. That zora boy needs his full attention, so we need to give Father as much space as possible."

Link nodded in understanding. He then turned to Beth trailing behind them. "Beth, go and fetch Malo. I might as well tell all of you about Ilia at the same time."

"Okay, Link," the girl replied.

"Is Colin still stuck in bed?" Link quickly added. Beth shook her head. That was some good news. "Then find him as well."

The young girl turned and sprinted to the local store. Luda and Talo then escorted Link towards the inn. Each step made was agonising, though Link fought through it, biting back a series of sharp hisses so as not to worry children.

Inside the inn, Link was led to a chair where he slumped onto gratefully. He gripped his leg with one hand, rubbing it to alleviate some of the throbbing. Meanwhile, Luda eyed the bloodstained cuts across Link's tunic with a concerned frown.

"We need to slow the bleeding," she said. "Father keeps some bandages in the storeroom. I'll go get them."

Link raised a brow as he watched her leave the room. "She takes after her dad a lot, doesn't she?" he remarked to Talo. The boy made no reply. He stared fixedly at the protruding arrow, pale-faced and deathly still.

"I'm okay, Talo. Don't worry," Link told him, forcing a smile. "It's not as bad as it looks."

Again, Talo did not respond. Sighing, Link glanced around the room as he waited. Someone had fixed and replaced the broken woodwork, including the counter, banister, shelving and other tables. The inn looked almost as good as new, though there were places where damage was still evident.

Luda soon returned with a number of items in her arms. After instructing Link to remove his shirt and mail, she began cleaning his wounds and swabbing them with a thick, pungent paste. There wasn't much that the girl could do with the arrow in Link's leg, which was oozing fresh blood, so she settled with him holding a clean rag against the shaft.

Beth entered the building as Luda was tying the last bandage. With her were Malo and Colin walking with a pair of crutches. Both boys rushed up to Link excitedly; though it wasn't as obvious in Malo's case. Colin threw his arms around his brother in a fierce hug, which Link returned fully.

"Link..." Colin began quietly. "Beth said you found Ilia. "

Link gave a sad smile. "I did. I found her safe in Castle Town." His smile then faded. "But I need to tell you all something important about Ilia. I'll warn you, though; this won't be easy to hear, and I really wish things were otherwise."

The children became frightened by the sombre seriousness of Link's tone. None of them spoke and the silence made it difficult for him to continue. It was as though their fear was smothering him. Unconsciously, Link reached for his shirt and put it over his bare, bandaged torso. He then swallowed and took a deep breath.

"Beth," he said, turning to her, "when Ilia first saw you and Talo, you saw that she didn't respond like she should have. You then asked me if something was wrong." He paused briefly. "Well, something is wrong. But hear me when I say it is not your or anyone else's fault."

The children's attention was fully on Link at that point. Even Malo appeared visibly worried. Link inhaled again.

"The truth is, guys, that Ilia has... Ilia has lost... her memory."

"What?" The shock was shared across the room.

"I don't know when or how this happened," Link went on. "But when I found her yesterday, she didn't recognise me. She just looked at me as if I was a complete stranger. She forgot who I was."

"So, Ilia's forgotten who we are, too?" Colin asked. Tears brimmed in his eyes.

Link cupped his hands and pressed them to his face. "It looks like it, Colin. From what I've learned, Ilia doesn't even remember her own name."

Everyone's gazes fell at that. Beth sniffed sharply as she fought to keep from crying. "Will she get her memory back soon?" she choked.

Link shook his head. "I don't know. I want to believe she will, but I just do not know." Beth hiccupped as she started wiping her eyes.

A long silence lingered before Talo took a shuddering breath. "So what do we do now?"

Link pondered the question for a moment. "Ilia doesn't remember us, but we all remember her. Memory or no, she's still our friend and that's how we should keep treating her as." The children slowly nodded.

"However," Link continued. "Ilia has a lot on her mind at the moment, so I think we should give her some space for now. I'll ask Renado if he knows anything that might help."

Again, the kids all nodded. No one spoke after that. No one wanted to. Link spread his arms and everyone came in for a group hug. They stayed that way for a long time, sharing their sorrow for their beloved friend.