Chapter 35: Erim Gains Control
"You will tell me where you've taken them!" Gannon shouted, still reclined against the throne.
"No, I don't think I will. " Erim voice was level and clear, as though speaking to a child.
Anger raged within the "King." His hands gripped the cushioned armrests of the throne. "Fine," he growled through clenched teeth, "If you don't tell me, I'll find them myself." He stood, his left hand raising. The Triforce of Power screamed with glee in his head, an ear-splitting sound that nearly through him unconscious. Darkness flared around it, engulfing his hand.
Erim took a step back, before gathering his wits together again. "No," he said. "You will not."
Gannon roared with anger as the darkness dissipated. Why?! Why did Power still listen to Erim?! He had to calm down. Calm down… He took a deep breath. "Director of Military Affairs," Gannon said with a small frown. He stepped away from the throne, closer to the Gerudo. He stepped over the corpse of the king. He paused, but didn't look down at it. "How long have you been planning your usurpation? How long have you been so corrupted? At what point in your childhood did you turn into a monster?" He took a pause, "I have a defining moment." He grabbed the king's throat and tossed the body to the table. Gannon stepped as well onto the table, following the corpse, then passed on without a glance to the other side. He paused at the other side of the table, kneeling. "But I'm sure you changed slowly, so slowly. Greed and power slowly corroding your skull," Gannon tapped the side of his head with his pointer finger, "until it consumed you."
Erim watched Gannon, not completely confused by his words, but was more intrigued.
"Go ahead, take the Triforce." He held out his hand, pulling off the dark gauntlet that covered it. It was black against the paleness of his hand, which had been covered so long not getting tan. Gannon grinned, then let out a laugh. "Take it," he said once more.
Erim said nothing in reply, just watched Gannon's curious actions. The air grew tense, and neither of them backed down. It was Sheik that shattered the silent war-of-wills:
"Why?" It was soft and muffled.
"He wants to watch me turn into what he is," Erim answered staring back at Gannon's grinning eyes. "But I won't. Because something him and I both know, but he does not want to consider." Gannon's rage-filled mirth slipped away from his eyes. "No, I am going to let you keep it," he pushed away Gannon's hand, "while in the meantime, I watch you continue to turn into what you are." Gannon's glare watched the Gerudo walk to the throne, then gently feel the cushioned armrests with the tips of his fingers. "One can control Power," he turned to Gannon, "and pass the consequences to another."
"We're here." Colin said. They had finally made it to the Temple of Time, the sun setting behind. The boy nodded, rubbing his eyes as the Sage let him down. They began again. Link followed the Sage's flowing cape, still trying to remember that important thing.
As they drew closer, Impa and Princess Zelda came into sight. They were accompanied by two horses, one would be for them and the other for Impa and the princess. "Your Highness," the Sage bowed.
"There's not time for formalities; we must reach Hyrule field quickly." Link's eyes widened in realization, as the memories of the vision he had had returned… Remembering his future destiny, and the field!
"NO!" Link shouted. "We can not go to the field. There's an army of strange monsters coming. We can't go there…"
"How do you know this?" Impa required of him.
"I saw it… the hoard." His eyes grew determined, holding a sort of maturity that someone his age shouldn't usually hold. "It covers the desert, and is coming quickly. I should have said before, but I couldn't remember at the time. I was kind of woken to fast to keep things in my head."
"Where else can we go?" the princess wondered quietly, as the Sage asked the same question to the Sheikah. The adults began to discuss amongst themselves the next course of action. Slowly, her head turned to the Temple of Time. Quiet footsteps drew Link's attention to the princess as she walked towards the grand Temple. She looked back at him, her eyes seemingly looking at him, or through him. Then, she began her trek again.
"Princess?" Link asked. The Sheikah was startled by his words, and quickly tried to locate her charge. Then, Impa tried to catch up to the princess.
"Zelda!" Impa shouted as the girl stepped into the Temple doors. They swung closed behind her and just before the bodyguard could reach them. They were locked. "Princess!" Impa tried to yell through them, to no avail. The bodyguard's arms fell limp. "The doors have never been locked!"
"Sheikah!" Colin breathed. They appeared around them, at a frighteningly growing speed. Impa turned and, upon seeing her former pupils, her expression hardened.
"Sage, Hero… I will hold them off. You must leave here. Regardless of the monsters, you must flee through Hyrule Field; I don't trust any other way."
"But you…"
"The Princess is still in the Temple," Impa answered with a steely resignation. Link took a deep breath. He had hardly even talked to Impa, but she had just made it onto his list of those he greatly looked up to. Hold. Count to thirty. Let go at count of thirty.
Colin nodded, picking up Link, and running away. They didn't bother with a horse for some reason. A group of the sheikah pulled off to try to follow them, but the Sage expertly used a spell that misdirected them.
Everything seemed to be happening so fast, yet so slow. In increments of thirty steps, breathing and holding and breathing and holding. The world spun; but, when closing his eyes, Link always felt upright. Where are we going? He wondered to himself. This isn't the way to the Field! They quickly entered a bar-it was called Telma's bar. He'd been here before.
"We need to get to the Gerudo Desert," a breathless Colin informed the bartendress. "And you need to get out of here too. We need the town evacuated; there's a hoard coming from Hyrule Field. Who knows what it will do when it reaches here." Telma nodded in agreement. With purposeful stride, she set up a ladder to a passage above them.
"I thought we were going to the Field," Link said, confused.
"Mistress Impa said that as a diversion, a trick, Link. She knows we're not going that way."
Telma cut into their discussion. "This will lead you to Lake Hylia from the castle dungeons. May the Goddesses watch your journey."
"And to you as well, Mistress Telma." Colin and Link quickly climbed the ladder.
"So this is what has become of you all." Impa stared impassively around her.
"We don't want to harm you," someone said. "We're just here for the Princess."
In the growing twilight, the shadows stirred. Impa moved to a defencive position, as well as slipping a sword from it's sheath at her back. She was prepared to fight, but none of them ventured forwards.
"You can not take her. All those that try will be cut down. You have already been blotted out from my memory as my brothers and sisters and have as well been removed from the ranks of the sheikah; I will have no remorse for what I will do." Whispers fluttered among the group, upset perhaps? Whatever the dispute was, it was settled. The shadows dropped from their hiding spots, coming forwards in small groups. The woman, with a steady breath, invoked the blessing of the Goddesses in her defense.
Impa jumped towards her attackers.
Author's Note: Eek, sorry for my absence. Well, I might be gone for a bit again, cause I have a funeral coming up and then I'm heading to Disneyland for the first time. I'm not so excited for the funeral, but very much so for the trip to Disneyland. I've never been a super big fan of Disney, but after playing Kingdom Hearts 1 & 2 I've come to have a love for it.