So this weird idea popped into my head a couple of weeks ago. Has anyone ever wondered what it would be like if the Master Sword tried to break the curse on Link and Midna but was only able to do half the job? It would have been difficult for Link to go around as some wolf-faced half-man.
Chapter 49: Hell's Arbiter
The door slammed shut behind Link, Midna and Nabooru. As they turned in place, a screen of bars dropped over the exit. Two bluish flames burst to life on either side of it. The fire spread along the rounded walls, forming an eerie ring around the room. In the centre of the floor, the remains of five skeletons lay. Every single bone had been shattered into tiny fragments. Most of the pieces were unrecognisable. Shifting his gaze past to the other side of the room, Link saw a figure standing before the opposite door, tall and foreboding.
The figure took a first slow step towards them. Black armour clad its frame, making it hard to see in the dim light. Upon its head it wore a battered helmet shaped like a bull's skull. Beneath the headpiece was an ivory jawbone grinning under eye sockets like twin voids. In one hand the beast dragged an ebony sword massive enough to crack a goron's hide. The deep gouges in the floor that the monster trudged past suggested as much.
"So that's Death Sword," Nabooru muttered, gripping her sword.
Link shot her a curious glance but quickly returned his focus forward. At the centre of the room, Death Sword ceased its advance. It towered over them, with at least a foot above Midna's height. The monster threw its head back and howled at the group. Link clutched his ears as the flames flickered wildly. His hands did nothing to muffle the unearthly noise.
Images flashed before his eyes, the room fading away entirely. Link saw men, bulblins, shadow beasts, bokoblins and other creatures faster than he could count. Every one of them screamed and wailed as his sword tore through them, spilling their blood. He saw himself as a wolf, prowling through Ordon Village; breaking into houses; stealing; terrifying people with his fangs holding a sword that was not his. He wrestled with a goron, throwing him down with arms and legs almost too heavy to move. The memories cycled and melded together. Old feelings of remorse stirred within Link.
He shook his head fiercely. Through the visions he could make out the armoured stalfos lurching towards him. It gripped its weapon in both hands. Link shoved his renegade thoughts aside and ran towards the enemy. Death Sword raised its blade but he was quicker. He struck his blade against its chest and darted past before it could retaliate. When Death Sword turned around a long dent was visible where the Master Sword hit.
The monster then suddenly fell onto its hands. Nabooru appeared behind it, having slashed the back of its knee. Snarling, Death Sword backhanded her, sending her reeling. Link took the chance to strike at its head but the monster quickly blocked with its arm. Shoving him back as well, Death Sword stood up. Whatever damage Nabooru had done was either forgotten or repaired. Link scowled. Swords alone would not be enough to defeat this enemy.
Backing away from the giant, Link turned his gaze to Midna. She remained near the entrance, stiff and unmoving. Link blocked a heavy strike with his shield. Once he recovered from being pushed back he looked to Nabooru. "Something's up with Midna. Keep this thing busy."
She nodded once then weaved around Death Sword. Her sword flashed by its leg and again the monster stumbled. Link rushed over to Midna. Up close, she was trembling and breathing rapidly. Tears ran from her widened eyes as though her worst fears were laid before her. Link thought back to the visions he saw when the monster roared at them. He hadn't been the only one affected, it seemed. Link grabbed her by the shoulders.
"Midna!" he shook her. "Snap out of it!"
Her irises focused onto his. That was the most reaction he received.
"We need you, Midna. Right now!" Link squeezed her arms. "I don't know what you're seeing, but it's not real. That stalfos did something to our heads. Fight it!"
He glanced back at the battle. Nabooru was backing away from the giant, clutching her arm. Her expression was fierce yet her chances looked slim. When Link turned back to Midna she blinked and shifted her weight ever so slightly. He caught her against him before she tripped. "Are you alright?"
"I'm better," she said, her voice shaking. Slowly she managed to stand on her own. Midna turned her gaze to his. "What do we need to do?"
Link pointed at the monster, still focused completely on Nabooru. "We've tried cutting that thing down, but it's putting itself back together. I need you to hit it with everything you've got. Maybe we can break off its armour." He checked her over in concern. "Can you do that?"
Midna nodded in answer. She began to look more like herself. Warning Nabooru to move out of the way, Midna fired a spell at Death Sword. The attack struck the monster's back, making it stumble. Death Sword straightened and turned to face them. Midna attacked again. She hit the stalfos' chest. Black armour became warped at the point of impact, yet it advanced without care.
"This isn't working," Midna said. Stress and strain was getting to her. "That armour is stronger than it looks."
Link reached a hand to his quiver. "Keep trying. Let's attack together." He grabbed his bow and nocked a bomb arrow. Clicking the lighter by the arrow's head, he took aim at Death Sword. It was almost upon them. Link and Midna backed away.
"Ready..." Link flicked his gaze to the burning fuse. "Now!"
At his call the arrow flew alongside a stream of black. Both collided with Death Sword, throwing it backwards in a great explosion. A shower of metallic shards rained across the floor like shattered ice, clicking as they hit stone. When the dust cleared Death Sword laid flat on its back. A large, jagged hole had been cracked into its breastplate.
Link's hand hovered over another bomb arrow. Again, Death Sword rose. Its movement's was sluggish, though, and its body shook unsteadily. Within its chest cavity something crimson glowed. "It's like a poe's soul," Link murmured. To the others he cried out, "Go for its heart!"
Being the closer of the three, Nabooru ran at Death Sword with her sword high. The monster's blade arced upwards but Nabooru ducked at the last second. Spinning on her heel, she then drove her sword into its chest. Death Sword collapsed instantly.
"Did you get it?" Midna called.
Nabooru retreated from the lifeless armour. She glanced over her shoulder, her features tense. "No."
Before Link could ask what she meant, a blue inferno erupted over the enemy's great sword. The weapon leaped into the air, flipped itself over and smashed heavily into the spot Nabooru stood an instant prior. Flames morphed into a tall figure swathed in a smoke-grey cloak. Atop its shoulders, the wraith's head took form as a horned demon's skull. A thunderous howl ripped from its maw, bringing hands to ears. Blood and screams flooded Link's head again.
Nabooru's firm hand against his shoulder pushed him back into clarity. He grabbed Midna's hand and pulled her from the great sword's path. She crashed into him and didn't respond. One look into her face told him she was still lost in her horrors. When Link failed to rouse her, he instead focused on Death Sword and stood between them. Nabooru came up beside him. In her hand was Midna's staff. She must have dropped it a moment ago.
"Think you can shoot it down?" Nabooru asked Link, handing him the sceptre and replacing it with her bow. Link managed it into Midna's clammy grip before taking out his own bow.
"I can try. I'm not that great of an archer, though. The only place we can hurt it is its heart."
Death Sword flew overhead with its weapon raised. They paused to drag Midna out of the way and regain a safe distance. Nabooru nocked an arrow and took aim. "If that thing keeps flying around, we don't have many options. Midna. Can she hold it still for a few seconds?"
Midna leaned against Link's shoulder, shaking in place. Her head was bowed. "I can't..." she whispered distantly. "I can't..."
"We're on our own for the moment," Link shook his head. It felt pointless to try and reach her now.
Nabooru came to the same conclusion. She looked away and fired at the phantom, missing her mark but stopping its advance. The phantom backed off a little, covering its core with one clawed hand. "Never mind, then. Do your best. Keep her safe."
She then pursued Death Sword, shooting arrows after it. None of them reached its heart, though. Between shots Death Sword charged at Nabooru with its sword. She evaded easily. When Link began shooting as well the monster returned its attention to him. Two archers placed it on the defence. Death Sword climbed high in the air and howled once more. Link saw the flashes but that did not stop him from firing another arrow. To him, a redead's scream was far worse.
Death Sword flinched as the shaft entered its chest. A second arrow followed soon after from Nabooru, hitting the sword protecting the phantom's heart. The bomb head on the arrow then exploded. Fire shattered steel and Death Sword fell to the ground nearby to Link. He rushed forward and struck his sword onto its core. The orb split and Death Sword shrieked. Then the creature became still and burned away.
Around Link, the flames along the walls began to fade. A bright, yellow light replaced them as Nabooru quickly lit her lantern. Link then turned to where he left Midna, finding her fallen to her knees. She was crying. In haste he went to her side and held her. Midna's arms tightened against Link's middle and his shoulder was soon soaked with her tears. Link caressed her back slowly with a hand as his teeth gritted painfully in his jaw.
"I hate this place," he whispered.
Wood split and crackled within the campfire. At the centre of the chamber, the bright light drove away the haunting gloom, making it easier to forget for a spell. A mounted pot heated over the pile. From it, the smell of a simple beef stew provided a little more comfort to the heart.
As soon as Midna calmed down, Link and Nabooru agreed that ending the day was the best call for everyone. A spacious room with two sealable exits was a safe place to make camp, and once they removed the lifeless skeleton the chamber felt much more peaceful. From there, Link threw dinner together and swept around the room to retrieve discarded arrows before fixing a few with spare bombs. Afterwards he went to check on the stew and came across Midna sitting beside it, knees tucked between her arms.
She did not acknowledge Link when he approached. She simply stared into the fire as she had since it was made. Her eyes reflected its glow, yet they lacked any of its warmth. If anything, the light only made her look tired.
"You know, they say that a watched pot never boils," Link tried with a light smile. He picked up a ladle and began to stir, loosening some vegetables that had settled at the bottom. Midna's head lifted marginally.
"It's been boiling for a while now," she murmured. "They should start saying something else."
Link looked to her then chuckled. "True. I don't know of other phrases about cooking pots, though."
Midna merely shrugged and returned to her staring contest with the fire. Link hid away a sense of concern. He was doing a horrendous job of making conversation. Normally Midna to mock him for it. This response, though...
"Is something the matter?" He sat down next to her. "You've been a little out of it."
She turned the other way. "No. It's nothing."
"Has it got anything to do with that thing we just fought?"
One of the logs snapped loudly in the pile. A stray flame licked the side of the pot before collapsing again. "I screwed up. I'm sorry I didn't help you guys more."
"Midna, nobody blames you for anything. That monster made us see things we didn't want to. You froze up. That's all it was."
"And that's all that it was!" she snapped. "I was the one who froze. You didn't. Nabooru didn't. You both kept fighting while I stood behind like a useless git!
Midna gripped at her sleeves, balling the fabric so tightly that it groaned. "I didn't even watch you fight. The only thing that I could see was..." Her hand flew over her eyes, rubbing them fiercely. "Fucking damn it!"
Gently, Link touched her shoulder. "What did you see?"
"I was home again. Zant had just attacked the palace. Twili were dying and getting turned into shadow beasts everywhere I looked. I saw their faces. I heard their screams. And I could do nothing to save them." She choked on her words and took a breath before continuing. "And when my people needed me most, I abandoned them by coming to this world. I left them to suffer."
"Midna," Link shook his head. "There was nothing you could do."
"I know that! But that's not what it feels like!" She wiped her eyes. "There was more, though. You know, for a long time after we met, I treated you like crap. I kept running through all the times I taunted you, insulted you, kicked you around... Goddesses, I don't know how you put up with me for so long."
"You didn't make it easy," Link chuckled. "But you became better. And I don't hold any of it against you anymore. You're one of my closest friends now. Dwelling on the past isn't going to change that." He smiled and so did she. "Was there anything else?"
"A few things. Mostly stuff we did together; or the pranks I pulled when I was a kid. Those didn't feel as bad." Midna shook her head. "I don't know how you and Nabooru dealt with that so well. I felt so horrified with myself that I couldn't move."
Link's smile faded away. "It wasn't like I wasn't affected. I saw a lot of the monsters and people that I killed in the past. For a minute there, it felt like what happened when we first travelled to Kakariko Village." He gave the pot another stir. "But things have changed for me since then. I now know that I did what I needed to, and I've accepted that. I think that's what helped me wake up from those visions. I know I've done bad things, but they were for good reasons. And I've forgiven myself for it."
Midna listened with full attention. He turned to her gaze again. "I think the reason you struggled so much is because you're still beating yourself up. You've failed and made mistakes, and you want to make up for it. But you still haven't forgiven yourself yet." Link gently shook his head. "You don't have to keep holding on to this shame you're feeling."
"Link," Midna sighed. "I wish I could. But I can't. I am the crown princess of the twili tribe. It's my responsibility to keep them safe. And for every second that they continue to suffer, that's on me. So I can't forgive myself. Not until I defeat Zant and turn each and every twili back to normal."
She turned back to the flames, glaring at them. His hand moving through his hair, Link let out a long, soft breath. "Alright then. I'm sorry. I was just trying to help."
"I know. But Link...?" Midna gave him a minute smile. "Thanks... For talking."
He returned the smile with his own. "My pleasure."
Behind them, near the far wall, Nabooru sat cross-legged with her gaze resting upon the pair. Eavesdropping on their conversation had not been her intention. However, the acoustics of the chamber made it impossible to do otherwise. It brought a smile to her face, listening to them confide in and comfort one another. They reminded her of a time long ago when days were somewhat sweeter.
As Link loomed over the cooking pot, filling a set of three wooden bowls, Nabooru's expression fell into a frown. They were good kids; both of them. Far too young for the hardships they've had to face. Yet here they were; fighting; hurting; enduring; despite the unfairness of it all. 'Then again, when has life ever been fair? Eh, Michael?'
Link soon called her over, an offer of steaming stew in his hand. They ate slowly in silence, simply enjoying the peace of the moment. Nabooru rarely gave much thought for the creator gods. When respect was due she gave it, but never on a whim. Now, though, she sent up a short, unspoken prayer to guide her companions with good fortune. They would need it. They most certainly deserved it.
"What is so urgent that you had to wake us up?" Midna complained irately. "Couldn't it wait until morning?"
Link scratched the back of his head. He did not dare look her in the eye at the moment. In fairness, she had only been given a couple of hours of sleep.
"Sorry. I thought this was important." He glanced at Nabooru walking beside him. Fortunately she did not appear annoyed at him as well. "So I stepped out for a bit to... do my business..."
"If you're going to show us what you made, I'll rub your face in it," Midna grumbled behind them.
Link frowned over his shoulder. "And I found something interesting," he finished. "It's just over this way."
A short distance from their campsite, Link led the others into a room illuminated with several torches. Round indentations lined the walls on both side. One of the spaces was filled by a circular object on a brickwork shelf. The device bore the shape of a bronze gear, larger in size than a standard buckler. Two small handlebars stood on either side of a large button. Pressing it with Nabooru's hand resulted in the gear's teeth to spin along its circumference. She lifted it from the pedestal, revealing a pointed underside, and lowered it to the floor. A dull ring sounded as the metal touched stone.
"It's heavy," Nabooru grunted. She inspected the spinner carefully from all angles. "Strange. Why would something like this be here? What purpose does it serve?"
"I'm pretty sure there were more of them," Link said, gesturing to the other cavities across the room. Judging from the dust that had collected inside, they had all been empty for a great amount of time.
Midna raised a finger to her chin, her earlier mood forgotten. "If there were more of them, then that means this thing must be important. Maybe we should take it with us?"
"Might as well." Link reached into his pouch and slipped on his power bracelets. He lifted the spinner easily to his chest then made his way to the door. Midna creased her brow at him.
"Link? Where are you going?"
"I want to find out what this thing does. There's got to be something we can use it for around here."
"Don't you think we can do that in the morning?" Nabooru criticised. Link, however, did not even pause.
"I won't go too far."
As he left their sight, Midna and Nabooru shared an uneasy look. They followed him out and down the hall. After a short distance they arrived at a dead end. In the floor before them was a small hole. The opening's metal rim was shaped like the outline of a gear. Quizzically, Link lowered the spinner into the hall. It was a perfect fit.
"Okay," Midna said, hands on hips. "Now what?"
Link loomed over the spinner, his focus fixing onto the button at its centre. He pressed his foot down upon it and the gear wheel spun. Mechanical parts creaked under the floor. Along the back wall, a plume of dust rose as stone shifted slightly. Again and again, Link stepped onto the switch. Slowly the wall began to rotate in front of them. An opening formed until the wall shifted to a stop. The sound of it boomed down the new passageway that gaped before the group.
"Okay. We found out what this does and where to go next," Link remarked. He pulled out the spinner and turned to the others. "What do you guys want to do? Keep going or head back to camp?"
"Hmm..." Nabooru stepped past him and peered down at the empty hole. "I remember seeing a similar hole back near the gate. I'd like to know what might be hidden there before we venture any further."
Link glanced from her to Midna. "What do think? We can go or rest a bit longer, if you want. It can wait until tomorrow."
She shook her head. "No. I can manage. Let's check out that other room. There might be nothing, but it could also take us to the mirror chamber."
"It's worth checking," Link shrugged. "Alright. We'll go and have a look."
Midna broke the spinner down into particles and led the others to Death Sword's chamber, where the collected the rest of their things. The return trip to the gate was swift, with the path having already been cleared. While approaching the spike traps Nabooru glanced at Midna. Her expression appeared distant.
"How are you doing, Midna?" Nabooru asked. "It's been a taxing day for everyone, hasn't it?"
"It has. And I'm feeling a lot better. Thank you for asking." Midna's eyes flicked briefly towards Link. He made no show of it but Nabooru could tell he was listening keenly.
There was more behind the pleasant response. Sensing when a person was guarding themselves was not difficult for Nabooru. She had done it herself for years once upon a time. "You've done well today. It would have taken more people to make it this far safely without you."
"It's no big deal," Midna shrugged, sounding automatic. There was a lull in the conversation as they navigated the last of the traps. "Hey, Nabooru? Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"When we were fighting that monster... Back in the chamber... You saw visions just like Link and I did, right?" Nabooru nodded. "What did you see?"
Nabooru breathed a long sigh. It was a fair question though not a desirable one. "Past mistakes. Old regrets. Things that I wish I could take back." She drew her companions' full attention then. "I mentioned earlier that I've done time as a criminal. Back when I was your age, I was part of a group of bandits. We robbed people. We killed them. And sometimes we kidnapped them and sold them off into slavery. I... was a different person those days."
"What changed?" Link asked.
"I rediscovered my conscience. I left the group, then I was caught by lawmen and sent to prison. Once I served my sentence, I moved on to start a new life."
"It's hard to imagine," Midna remarked. "When we first met, you never struck me as a criminal."
"Since then I've tried to set a better example to other gerudo. Somehow that led me to becoming matriarch." Nabooru grew a soft, small smile. "It's funny how greatly people can change over time."
Dropping her face, Midna turned to look away. "Yeah... Funny..."
"Back when we were fighting that monster, I heard you call it Death Sword," Link then remarked. "How did you know that?"
"I've been reading the journal we found earlier." Nabooru reached into her satchel and raised the yellowed book. "One of the entries spoke of someone who worked here in the prison: the executioner. He called himself Death Sword; no mention of his real name. Apparently he had a poor reputation with the other guards. The stalfos we fought seemed to match the profile.
"From what I could gather, Death Sword was a vindictive person with a twisted sense of justice. If any of the prisoners broke a rule, even a small one, he'd punish them brutally. One time he even whipped a guard for stealing food from the storerooms. I imagine that wasn't the only incident with his peers."
"Nice guy," Link grunted. "That might explain the visions."
"Hopefully he stays dead this time." Midna added darkly.
Shortly they arrived at the mural room and Link set the spinner inside the cavity. As expected it fitted seamlessly. He then proceeded to stomp on its switch, which caused the mural to slide sideways. It slowly revealed a small, circular room with a ceiling several storeys high. Around the walls there had once been a wooden staircase, though most of it had deteriorated long ago. Only a few landings remained intact.
"Great," Midna frowned. She and Link looked up to the highest point of the room, where a large door was visible over a stone balcony. "Now we need to find a way to get up there."
"Hmm... You could fly up," Link thought aloud. "Maybe the clawshot can help Nabooru and me. But on the other hand, it might not be long enough... What if you carried us up with you?"
Midna expression became doubtful. "That's a long way to lift someone. Plus I'd only be able to carry one of you at a time. There has to be a better way."
"Come over here," Nabooru suddenly called. Surprised, Link and Midna turned to the wall, where she stood near the base of the old stairway. Her hand ran along the bricks above a long groove. It spiralled around the room, reaching all the way to the upper level. "Link, bring that spinner here."
When he did so, Nabooru peered closely at the spinner's edge. She then instructed him to insert the spinner into the groove. It clicked into place and held fast, remaining upright as the spinner's base rested against a smooth slope in the wall underneath. Nabooru rolled the device along the rail with the ease of a cart wheel. Appearing pleased, she then climbed up to stand on top of the spinner. It held her weight. Once she steadied herself with the handlebars, Nabooru kicked down on the spinner's switch. Instantly she jolted up the rail a short distance before gravity started to roll her back down.
Nabooru assaulted the button over and over until the spinner brought her higher. She soon scaled to the top of the chamber, where the spinner ran off the end of the rail and onto the stone landing. Nabooru hopped off in time and let the device spin into the opposite wall. Letting out a short breath, Nabooru then waved down to her companions. In barely any time Midna flew up and retrieved the spinner for Link to follow. When he sailed onto the platform Nabooru was waiting with a small object inside her palm. It appeared to be a small bronze statue of a woman. Draped over the idol's shoulders was a long serpent with tiny ruby eyes that almost looked alive.
"This was lying in front of the door," Nabooru told them.
Link glanced at the large lock beside them. The hole in its middle was irregularly shaped. "It could be the key to get inside. We've seen some really strange doors in places like this."
"Usually that means something special is on the other side," Midna added. "Maybe that statue was left behind by the prisoners heading for the mirror?"
Walking up to the keyhole, Nabooru slotted the idol's head into it. The lock began to turn and the door slowly opened. "We'll find out soon enough."
Upon entering through the passageway, they arrived in a great chamber the size of an arena. Pale light shone from a hole in the roof down into a massive pit. A slender bridge spanned the hole to another doorway on the other side. While crossing it, Link peered over the side and saw the bones some giant reptile half-buried in sand. Large as a house with four twisting horns on its skull, the beast's remains were fearsome in their own right; especially with the four heavy lances protruding from its crown.
Link's ears perked at a sudden crackling sound. An instant later the bridge under him went slack. He fell screaming as wind tore at his face, unaware of the others' screams joining his. Link landed flat onto the sand with pain numbing his body. Nothing felt broken as he pushed himself up. Nabooru did the same not far from him as Midna floated gently to the ground.
"Are you okay?" she exclaimed to them both. Link spat out sand from his mouth. He and Nabooru barely groaned their answers as a fourth body descended onto the giant skull.
"You're alive," Zant spoke, his gaze drifting from Link to Midna. His voice gave no hint of emotion.
Stepping in front of Midna, Link drew his sword at him. "Touch her and I'll kill you!"
Zant continued to stare down at Midna, who trembled faintly behind scowling teeth. "I cannot allow you to interfere with my lord's plans. I'm afraid that your meddling ends here."
The group prepared themselves to fight as a great, black sword appeared in Zant's hand. Raising it over his head, Zant then thrust it into the giant skull. Blood red lines spread down the blade and across the bone. Zant slowly turned his back from the group and without another word he warped away.
"Coward!" Nabooru shouted. "Come back here!"
Sand began shifting under their feet. Around the skeleton it rippled more violently. Two crimson lights came to life in the beast's skull as it started crawling out of the dust. Rising onto two legs, the beast stared down at its prey and roared with a dragon's ferocity. Link glanced quickly around for a way out. There was nothing but round, stone walls around them. There was no escape.
"Hey, guys?" Midna tightly gripped her staff, aiming it at the beast's head. "I think I worked out what that 'death's maw' line meant."
"Watch your sides!" Nabooru warned. Around them bodies were digging themselves from under the sand. Dozens of stalfos, all wearing ancient hylian armour, shuffled towards them with broken weapons. The beast took a heavy step forward, crushing several stalfos in the process.
"Never mind the soldiers!" Link yelled. "Just move!"
Midna carved a path through more stalfos with a dark wave. Link and Nabooru ran after her as the beast smashed a clawed hand where they had been. Sand flew high into the air, raining down on Link as he cut through a knight with a studded mace. He turned back to the monster as it slowly stood again.
"Any ideas on how to beat that thing?" he asked. A stalfos approached his left side holding a spear. Link slammed it with his shield before severing skeleton's neck.
Midna turned her staff to the sword on the monster's head. Her magic hit home but fizzled without causing any harm. "That sword Zant used is what's animating it," Midna tutted. "We need to destroy it, but my magic isn't doing anything. Link's sword might be able to break it, though."
"Then we need to bring the monster to our level." Nabooru spoke. "It's big, but it's still a skeleton. If we break its joints, the beast should fall apart." Glancing to her side, she then picked up a small axe and threw it. The blade smashed into a stalfos pointing a bow at her.
"Duck!" At Link's word, all three dropped to the sand. A massive tail swung over their heads. It swept into a group of stalfos that just emerged from the ground, clearing them away. "Midna, how many water bombs do we have?"
Midna conjured a bag then peeked inside. "About a dozen. Plus, I think we still have some normal bombs left."
"Stick the water bombs onto arrows and pass them around. Then both of you target the giant's spine. It looks pretty brittle to me."
Nabooru nodded and began defending Midna as she got to work. Meanwhile Link broke away to draw the beast's attention from them. His arrows did nothing against it but they served their purpose. The beast struck its claws at him. Barely, they missed him each time. Though running across sand slowed Link down, the monster was slower still.
An explosion erupted from the monster's back and caused it to stagger. Black lightning then struck it again and the beast fell to all fours. Behind it, Nabooru and Midna aimed their weapons. They fired together, hitting the spine once more. Several vertebrae shattered and the beast's top half plummeted. Bones flew apart upon hitting the ground. Among the rubble, its skull laid on one side facing Link. Its eyes still burned with crimson light.
"Link! Hurry!" Midna shouted.
Link ran forward as fast as he could. Alas, the skull lifted itself into the air before he could reach it. Parts of the skeleton rose as well. They surrounded the skull like a haphazard shield. Through a gap at the front the beast roared before several bones started flying at Link. He fought for his balance as the rippling sand threatened to topple him. Midna shot a rib away before it crushed Link, and he came up beside her with his earnest thanks. Nabooru fired another bomb arrow, though all that did was crack a shoulder blade that got in the way.
"What's the plan, now?" she asked, gritting her teeth. Midna erected a barrier around them as Link assessed the situation.
"No way to knock it down. We don't have enough bombs to break through. My clawshot won't help either. I'd be a sitting duck before I got up there." The barrier shook as giant bones pelted it. With each hit Midna buckled under the strain. Stalfos began to surround the shell, hammering it with swords and axes.
It was while looking at the skeletons that Link noticed the far wall. A thin, metal groove ran across it, spiralling upwards to the top of the pit. Link turned back to the beast. Grappling straight towards it would get him killed. However, if he climbed up in another way, outside of its direct line of sight...
"Midna, clear a path and give me the spinner."
She gave no response, but with a growl of effort Midna pushed the barrier outward. Stalfos flew back from the force, scattering where they landed. Midna then summoned the spinner near Link feet. He grabbed it quickly.
"Keep that head distracted." Link then bolted towards the wall. When he reached the rail he jammed the spinner into it. Explosions rocked the skull above as he beat the spinner's trigger relentlessly.
The skull's red eye locked onto Link and a bone flew at him. Black magic diverted it into the wall just out of his path. The impact almost shook Link off but sheer fortune kept him onboard.
"You better have a plan, Link!" Midna shouted. She targeted her next shot at the skull itself. Its attention shifted back to her.
The distraction bought Link time to become level with the beast. From there he could see its bones amassed at its front and underside. Above the skull, though, was exposed. Zant's sword shimmered with a thin, dark haze. "Try to bring it closer to the wall!" he hollered.
A ring of sand spread across the ground as Midna blasted every stalfos in sight away. She soared into the air, coming beside the beast and ensnared its bones in shadow. Midna reeled them in as the beast pulled back. Nabooru fired a bomb arrow behind the skull, crashing it into the wall. When Link drove above it he leaped from the spinner onto the beast's head and grabbed the black sword.
Hard and wild the skull thrashed around. Even with his grip strengthened by his bracelets, Link barely held on. The swords edge cut his legs when he grazed it, adding pain to the mix. Unable to draw the Master Sword, Link planted both feet firmly against the skull. He pulled at the cursed blade. It held fast as if actively resisting him. Midna did her best to keep the skull still but the effect was minimal. Yanking harder, Link inched the sword slowly out. His palms burned from the strain. Suddenly Midna's snare lost its hold and the skull threw itself to one side. The force lifted Link from its top and the sword flew free with him. Link fell backwards into the pit below. Midna screamed but he barely heard her. The beast roared too loudly as it plummeted to the earth.
Pain struck. Senses vanished. The ground shook and sand rained from the air. There were voices and someone touching him, though for the moment Link was unable to tell who or what. Later when he opened his eyes and the haze lifted from his vision, he found Midna and Nabooru both leaning over him. He tried to sit up but a sharp pain in his right arm made him fall back down screaming.
As Midna helped him up, Link looked at his arm with gritted teeth. It hung twisted from his shoulder. Nabooru touched joint gently. Link hissed as new pain spiked through him.
"That's definitely broken," she frowned. "Luckily nothing else is."
"Yeah, lucky," Link repeated acidly.
He managed to stand on his own. The pit was a mess of buried soldiers and scattered piles of giant bones. On the far side, the skull of the beast sat in two overturned halves, its eyes empty once more. Zant's sword laid smoking near the centre of the pit. Nursing his arm, Link strode up to the blade.
"We should get rid of it," Midna said. "No good would come of leaving it here." Link nodded and drew the Master Sword. Steel struck steel and the black sword shattered in one flashing blow.
Two halves remained on the sand, plain and powerless. Midna swept her gaze across the pit. Not a single skeleton moved; as it should be. Then she turned back to Link.
"You're a bloody idiot, you know that?" Her frown was deep. It then softened a moment later. "Let's fix up that arm."
I know that at least one person was itching for Midna to take the sword from Stallord, but to be frank that was not going to happen. It's cool if people want to write stories with that concept, but I've done it twice already in the past and it no longer feels right. Peacekeepers was an amateur's work featuring a rush-job of a plot. Meanwhile in Forever Together Midna had years to learn sword fighting, making for a more realistic skill development.
Giving Midna a sword halfway through the Strength of Courage would mean she would have to learn to use a new weapon proficiently in a short amount of time before the battle against Ganondorf. That wasn't feasible. Regardless, I want to focus this time on Midna's greatest strength; her magic; and build on that.
I'm sure that plenty of people would still urge me to reconsider, but I've got enough elements complicating the next half of the story without throwing that major dynamic into the mix.
