Chapter Thirty Seven
The Precipice of Destiny

There he was, a dark spot in the distance, on the far end of the western side of the battlefield. Lightning swirled around the Stormlord as he watched, impassive, whilst pieces of the Gerudo chariots rained down from the sky. The Lord of Dusk had come to the assistance of his troops, and dealt a devastating blow to one of Hyrule's best regiments.

The Lord of Dawn drew a deep breath, wiped the rain from his face, and closed the visor of his golden helmet. "Sun Blades!" he shouted, drawing the Father Blade from its sheath and pointing it towards his nemesis. "Forward!"

He heeled Kopus' sides and the beast charged forwards. Fifty Sun Blades rode at his back, including some of his closest friends and supporters. Wulric his Second rode at his right, and Anya at his left. Also among their number was the fiercely loyal Morin, and his elite troop of bodyguards. He had not asked this group to ride with him – rather they had volunteered for the task, full in the knowledge of the mortal peril they would be in. They knew that they very likely rode to their doom for their prince and captain.

Rael spun a shield of air ahead of them and above them, a cutting wedge that parted the rain and left them in the dry. They rode down the hill towards the battle, and banked right to ride around the western flank. Faster and faster, two hundred hooves pounding the earth. The soldiers on the outskirts of the Triple Infantry cheered as Rael rode past. The din of battle was much louder here, and its terrible reality far more apparent.

Rael and the Sun Blades banked around the edge of the ranks of the Triple Infantry and set their sights southward. Rael could see Ralis up ahead now, so very close. His resolve increased as they began to ride through the remains of the chariot regiment, pieces and parts of which increased in frequency the closer they came to Ralis. Wheels and wood lay strewn everywhere, and bodies lay in a bloody mess.

To their left the Kairin ran out to meet them. "Attack!" shouted Rael, and the Sun Blades released a volley of spears and arrows into the oncoming Kairin. The shield which was strong enough to repel rain did not slow their projectile weapons, and they slew many Kairin. However, very quickly some of the Blades were killed by arrows and spears as well. They were succeeding in their goal of protecting and drawing attention away from Rael, but at a great cost. He could not bear it. Rael strengthened the shield to repel the attacks, preventing his Blades from attacking too.

Then the lightning came. As with the chariots, Ralis unleashed a surge of power towards them. Rael braced himself, and focussed on increasing the power of the shield which surrounded his riders. The lightning struck the shield, and bounced away from it, leaving his riders completely unharmed. The waves of electricity ricocheted away into the Kairin.

Closer and closer they came, until Rael could no longer risk the safety in numbers that the Sun Blades provided. At full magical strength, he would not need them anyway. "Fall back to join the Gerudo cavalry!" he shouted.

"With me!" shouted Wulric, raising his arm. He banked right, moving out towards the open western plain. Rael allowed his shield to widen to protect them as they rode clear of the Kairin flank.

Ralis' attack remained trained directly on Rael. His horse Kopus had incredible resolve. Rael had trained him to be accustomed to violent displays of magic, but he was being tremendously brave now.

Alone now, Rael was almost completely blinded by light. All he could see ahead was a brilliant white radiance where the unceasing attack of lightning was striking his shield. He needed to see! He pushed the shield forwards, ahead of himself, pushing away the point at which his shield repelled the lightning.

Ralis' power was so great that if he ran loose on the battlefield he could devastate Hyrule's armies very quickly, and Rael knew that his own power equalled his enemy's. He needed to get Ralis away from here, and he had to achieve this soon. He needed to catch Ralis by surprise.

Carefully, using currents of air to support himself Rael clambered up onto Kopus' back, and crouched down with his feet poised to jump.

Then, as he had practised numerous times, he dragged his arms upwards in a digging motion, and the earth in front of him heaved upwards at his command. He had practised this with Kopus numerous times, and his trusted friend did not flinch at the sudden jolting of the earth. He began running up the hill. Immediately the newly created hill created a barrier between himself and Ralis, and he dropped his shield of air.

He ran higher, and higher... and then at the point which the earth crested, Rael leaped into the sky. Kopus began the descent down the hill, but Rael was no longer on his back.

Rael soared through the air.

He was not flying, but this was as close as he had ever come to doing so.

When Ramades assaulted on Shaylin Rael had fallen a great distance and survived, and months ago out at sea he had leaped a very long way between two ships assisted by magic, but this was far beyond anything like that.

He was thirty feet in the air, and descending to the Earth at only a gradual incline, as though sliding swiftly down a long slope.

He could see the Stormlord clearly now.

Ralis had not expected Rael to do this, and Rael used the surprise to his advantage. He unleashed a torrent of bright fire towards Ralis, and the other man only just had time to spin a shield to protect himself.

Rael rushed down through the sky towards Ralis, gradually giving gravity back control...

...always towards Ralis...

...he saw his eyes widen...

...and then smashed into him with all of his power.

Rael wrapped his arms around Ralis' waist and intensified the fire. Ralis screamed and wrestled helplessly as he was dragged along with Rael. Further and further away from the battlefield... away... away...

Ralis tensed his muscles and lightning surged through both of their bodies. Rael screamed now. The pain was excruciating. Further away... further away...

Then, Rael could soar no longer. His momentum failed, and they crashed into ground with tremendous force. Both men yelled in pain at the impact, and they rolled along the ground. The integrity of their bones had only been maintained by their mingled shields, but their fire and lightning had ceased in that moment of agony.

Pulling his face out of the dirt, Rael rolled away from his Ralis, and stood up quickly to face him.

Ralis was on his feet in seconds as well and turned sharply to face Rael.

In the same instance, the two men spun massive protective shields, and stood staring each other down, each daring the other to make the next move.

......

The Marshal of Hyrule gripped the hilt of the Master Sword uneasily. Rael had finally engaged Ralis in combat, and now the direction of the battle could turn at any moment. He needed to control this fight, but as the battle raged on he began to fear that he was losing his grip on the situation.

The mounted Gerudo attack against the Kairin had failed dramatically. The chariots had been completely obliterated, and the General of the Gerudo army was either dead or seriously wounded. Link cursed himself for allowing Jevilla to fight in combat herself. He needed control over his armies, and now the ranking member of the Gerudo army was directing their efforts in the thick of the Triple Infantry.

"Get Colonel Lerenna up here!" he barked at the closest Gerudo runner.

Jaendral was probably better suited to lead the Gerudo army, but it looked as though Jaendral's regrouped cavalry were planning to make another run along the Kairin flank. He was pre-occupied. Lerenna would have to lead the Gerudos at least until he learned Jevilla's fate.

"Link," said his wife, still by his side. "Stay calm."

"I am calm," he said stiffly.

Zelda was clearly unconvinced, but said nothing, and simply watched him with serene eyes. After a few moments he succumbed to her gaze and conceded. "Forgive me," said Link.

The Queen shook her head. "You're in control," she said, "focus yourself."

Link drew a deep breath and nodded. "Yes," he said. Refocusing his mind he turned his attention to the clear plight that the Gorons were now in. The initial wall had been broken, as the huge warriors were overcome. One by one the Gorons had fallen, until their numbers began to appear much weakened. Almost half of them had been overcome now, and what was once a wall had become pockets of resistance within a sea of Kairin. He hoped that his namesake Chief Link was still fighting strong.

"The Gorons must pull back!" he shouted to the nearest mounted messenger. "Send the command, the Gorons must pull back!" The messenger rode away immediately to deliver the message.

"So many Gorons have sacrificed themselves," said Zelda, mourning.

"Their deaths will not be in vain," said Link. "None of this can be in vain."

......

Jaendral was still in a state of shock and dismay. It had all been in vain. The cavalry attack had failed and the chariots had been obliterated. When Prince Rael had led the charge against the Stormlord he had hardly even noticed. It was not until the Prince had dragged the Stormlord away from the battle and his Sun Blades ridden out westward to join his own riders that he fully regained his senses.

"Lord Jaendral!" shouted Wulric, the Second of the Blades as they approached. "What are you bloody sand dwellers doing, standin' around like half-dead donkeys."

"Easy, Wulric," said a female Blade riding up alongside him. Jaendral had forgotten her name, but this one always seemed to be at the Prince's shoulder giving him advice. She pulled off her helmet as she came near, and drew reign ten feet away from him.

"Which of you is in command of this bunch of Taraner stable boys?" Jaendral asked, as the Sun Blades arrayed around his own troops. He had no time for this. He had to find Jevilla.

"I am," said Wulric, "an' watch yer tongue you old pretender."

Pretender? Jaendral seethed, he could feel the anger burning in his chest. "Don't you dare talk to me that way!" he roared. "Fall in line!"

"We'll do no such bloody thing," said Wulric, indifferently.

"Yes we will," said the woman, firmly, glaring at Wulric. "There's real fighting to be done here." She looked at Jaendral and added, "Sir."

There were about forty Sun Blades in all, and they had arrayed themselves in a half-circle in front of the Gerudos. Jaendral supposed that they would replace some of the Gerudos that he had just lost from his regiment.

"Look there," said Jaendral, pointing towards the Goron wall. "The Goron wall is failing, and they are falling back towards the Triple Infantry. They made a great sacrifice for us, and we will honour them by holding back their pursuers." Jaendral pulled his black helmet over his head and checked his reins. "If there are any charioteers still alive down there I won't let the Kairin overrun them."

"Well that's bloody brave," rumbled Wulric, "I'll give him that."

"It's bloody suicidal!" retorted Anya, widening her eyes at the two men. "Cavalry shouldn't charge the thick of the enemy ranks until we have at least half a hope of routing the enemy."

"You're right. It's a death mission," said Jaendral. He shut his visor.

"It's not the Marshal's orders-" argued Anya.

"I don't answer to the Marshal," said Jaendral. "I answer to the Amethyst Queen. And her best commander is down there somewhere. So fall in line or stand aside."

Wulric spoke up, clearly angry that his subordinate was supposing to speak on behalf of the Blades. "Fall in with Lord Jaendral!" he shouted to the rest of the Blades, and at his command the forty or so white-clad riders rode to take up positions on the right flank of the Gerudos. Despite their orders, and apparently against their better judgement, the Sun Blades would increase the Gerudo ranks. Jaendral was pleased, but he had no time to let it show.

"You're a bloody great brute," muttered Anya at Wulric.

Wulric looked at Anya impassively. "Yer welcome to go back to the Marshal if the fight's too hot for yer," he said.

"Pah!" spat Anya. "I couldn't desert you, you dirty great bandit. The Kairin would turn you into beefsteak in seconds."

Wulric laughed heartily. "That's what I thought," he said.

"Fall in!" shouted Jaendral at the pair. "We ride!"

......

A mighty explosion flashed on the horizon, and a giant dome of flame erupted up from the earth. Lightning blazed across the sky and was answered by heavy peals of thunder. Out there, the Lords of Dusk and Dawn were duelling for the fate of world, and all the Queen of Hyrule could do was watch.

She looked to Link and saw his fingers were tightly clenched around his sword. The old grey-haired warrior was growing restless, and his mind was distracted from the battle.

"Link," said Zelda, taking hold of his sword arm.

Her husband gave her a warning look, but she did not release him. His blue-grey eyes revealed to her a mind fogged with indecision.

"Not yet," she said.

......

"Keep pressing forwards!" shouted General Destan of Hylia. "Forwards to the Goron line!"

"Sir!" shouted Colonel Lerune, rushing towards him through the ranks of Hylian infantry. "The Gorons are overcome. They are pulling back!"

"Nothing changes," said Destan, to his colonel. "Maintain the advance."

Lerune shook his head, looked very concerned. "Fresh Kairin troops are pushing forwards from the Legion. They're Western Kairin - tough, well equipped, hardened in their Valaskian wars."

"I understand," said Destan, not flinching at this revelation. "But we stand our ground. Bombard them with arrows. Bring up the fresh spears. We will not yield this ground."

"Yes sir," said Lerune, saluting.

"And Colonel," said Destan, "look." He pointed towards the sky. "The rain has stopped. I think the Stormlord isn't as strong as he supposes."

Lerune looked sceptical, but he said "Yes, sir," before turning and marching away purposefully.

......

"Yaaah!" Jaendral shouted as he spurred his horse Rama onward. The Kairin ahead had retreated under the cover of a wall of shields, and their spears bristled out menacingly, but he would not waver. He was filled with an unrelenting hatred for those murdering bastards.

There were pieces of chariots and dead Gerudo bodies on the plain around them, and Jaendral was conscious to try and pick a line of attack that seemed largely clear of their fallen comrades. If there was a chance that some of them were still alive, he could not risk them being trampled under hooves.

A few more moments and he would be upon the Kairin. He drew up his sword, and braced himself, and kept his head low. The cry was taken up, "The Amethyst Queen!" Five hundred riders Gerudo and Sun Blade charged at full speed towards the enemy. Two thousand hooves pounded the earth, five hundred swords were unsheathed, and then they were upon the foe.

Rama leaped forwards into the shields and knocked two Kairin soldiers onto their backs. All at once Jaendral had spears thrusting up all around him. Purple cloaked strangers eyed him with fear and rage. He swung his massive sword with his powerful right arm, batting the shafts away. He picked a target to his right, and with one fell swoop of his blade cleaved the man's head clean off.

His faithful horse was unafraid, and charged onwards with great courage. To his left and right his Gerudo brothers, crashed through the Kairin ranks, sending the foe into a fearful frenzy. They leaped left and right, trying to avoid being trampled under the unstoppable Gerudo cavalry. The Kairin fired arrows, and Jaendral felt strike them hit his armour, but the plating was strong, and the arrowheads could find no exposed flesh.

The cavalry became less regimented as they rode onwards. They broke up into pockets of mounted fighters, beating back Kairin resistance. Jaendral knew that he had led his men to almost certain death, and already he could see his fellows falling to bow and spear and sword. "Stay strong!" he shouted out, as he dealt a skull cracking blow to another Kairan.

He had to keep moving forwards. He could see the groups of Gorons up ahead, moving slowly through the endless hordes of Kairin, maces swinging and fists flying. "Forward!" Jaendral shouted, as he kicked out at a Kairan to his right, and stabbing at him with the point of his sword. A fellow rider rushed past him, snatching up a Kairin spear and spinning it around to stick the foe in the back.

The Gerudos and Sun Blades were rushing through the Kairin with great momentum, like tidal wave breaking over the shore. It was a dangerous attack, but they would devastate those who stood against them. If they fell in battle here, it would be an honourable way to die.

Suddenly, a Kairin spear was thrust fully through Rama's back right leg, and his poor horse stumbled to the ground with a great whinny of pain. Jaendral cursed, "Son of death!" as he fell backwards towards the ground. He half-rolled down Rama's back until he hit the ground. He rolled over and saw the dark sky above... so dark... so very dark...

A blade swung overhead, and Jaendral rolled aside, drawing up his own weapon to punish the attacker. He leaped up and spun his sword around furiously, trying to keep the space around himself clear. Five Kairin faces were glaring up at his towering figure, swords in hand poised to strike. "Desert dog!" shouted one, as they pushed in.

"Get back!!" bellowed Jaendral, sweeping his blade around himself.

The Kairin pounced. There was a brief struggle, but in moments he hit the floor again.

So, this was how it ended...

An honourable way to die...

......

On the eastern other side of the battlefield, Hannary was leading his cavalry away from danger, rather than directly into it. He had completed the task that the Marshal had given him. He had been instructed to suppress the Kairin trying to move around the Goron wall, and that is exactly what he had done. With his orders fulfilled he was pulling the main Sun Blade cavalry out of danger way until he received new instructions. Both horses and riders needed to rest before they could fight again.

The Third of the Blades surveyed the battlefield. The Triple Infantry, which was the main bulk of the Hyrulian force, had closed the gap between themselves and the Gorons. From his limited point of vantage on the eastern side of the field it seemed to Hannary that the Kaira had suffered many more casualties than Hyrule. This was good, but he knew that it was by no means an indication of things to come.

Kaira had entered into the battle with forty thousand soldiers to Hyrule's thirty thousand. That Kairin advantage was distorted by the fact that Hyrule had mounted riders on their side, as well as the incredible brute strength of the Gorons, but it was an advantage nonetheless. Hyrule was slowly wearing down the Kairin advantage, but it was far too soon to estimate which side would dominate this battle.

The battle had been raging for a long time, but would not be decided until the fall of the early winter dusk.

There was a terrific boom on thunder. It was followed by another, and then another, and another. Hannary looked away to the south. On the horizon, a heavy darkness had covered the land. The sky was flashing violently, unsynchronised from the crashing thunder. The cloud covered sky flashed red, then white, then red, then white.

It seemed to Hannary that the powers of heaven were being unleashed upon the world.

......

In the distance thunder beat like ten thousand drums. The black clouds in the distance were lit up blood red. The Queen of Hyrule and the Hero of Time watched as the horizon was rent in fire and water.

The very fabric of reality was being bent to the will of the Lords of Dusk and Dawn... and the world they had sworn to protect was tearing along unseen seams.

And as they watched, it seemed to them that all that was...

.... and all that is...

... and all that was to come...

... was being fought for... on the precipice of destiny.