Chapter 50: Shadows of the Past
"I'm going to fall!"
"You're doing fine. You came all this way before with a monster throwing itself at you. This is nothing."
"That's easy for you to say. You can fly," Link bristled. Nonetheless, he continued to step on the spinner. With one arm bound in a makeshift sling, he relied on Midna to hold him steady as he slowly climbed out of the pit. At the top Nabooru waited for them. She reached her hand out as they drew near and helped Link step off onto the floor. "Thank the godesses that's over."
"Drama queen. I said you were fine." Stowing the spinner away, Midna landed beside Link and gave him a firm pat on the back. As she walked towards the exit her posture tensed. "Come on. Let's hurry to the mirror. If Zant's here, he might be after it as well."
Spurring through the gate, a winding set of stairs carried them to a pair of heavy doors. Past there, the group found themselves outside. The sky glowed with the soft light of dawn, moving gradually towards bright morning. Miles of desert could be seen over the balcony. There was little time to enjoy the view as Midna hurried along the path. More stairs lifted them higher around the prison's perimeter until they reached the top.
Beyond a crumbled archway was a rounded courtyard. High walls ran along the perimeter while six columns stood taller just beyond. Thick masses of sand collected in various spots across the floor, particularly under a tall statue in the yard's centre. Similar to the strange key they found earlier, the idol was that of woman standing with a brazier cupped in her hands. Two bronze snakes spiralled around her height in a double-helix. At her base sat nearly a dozen spinners on their sides. Each one appeared rusted beyond use.
As they entered the chamber, a portal suddenly opened above the group. From it, dark shapes dropped to the ground. There were fifteen in total. "Shadow beasts," Midna sneered.
Nabooru reached for her sword. "Yet another obstacle left for us."
Link remained still. His eyes moved steadily across the shadow beasts. Every one of them was a twili like Midna. It was possible that none of them knew what they were doing. A jab of pain struck Link's arm. Fighting this many shadow beasts one-handed was going to be difficult.
The shadow beasts charged. Hard as it was, Link's hand went to his sword. 'I'm sorry.'
But when he drew the Master Sword from its sheath a harsh light erupted from the blade. Raging wind billowed in all directions, forcing Link to turn his face away. The shadow beasts crashed into the floor and screamed. Their claws raked viciously over the stones in their anguish.
After mere seconds the winds and light faded. Link then opened his eyes and his jaw dropped. In front of them laid fifteen twili; all unconscious. With a gasp, Midna ran towards them and pulled the closest one into her arms.
"The twili..." she breathed. "They're back to normal."
"And they're naked..." Link uncomfortably added. Not a stitch was worn as he averted his gaze from several dark and pale backsides. "Is that... normal for your tribe?"
Midna flushed at him. "Of course not! Not all of us get to keep our clothes after we get turned into beasts, you jerk! Somehow you're a freaking exception."
Nabooru went to inspect a young woman. She looked all across her body and pressed a pair of fingers against the twili's neck. "It doesn't seem like they're injured. We should get them into shelter and cover them up."
"With what? We don't have enough clothes or blankets," Midna pointed out. "But how are these twili not burning in the sun? Even moonlight used to hurt me." She then remembered the shadow beasts that attacked them at the Bridge of Eldin, as well as her later conversation with Zant. "Strange... Maybe whatever Zant did still makes them immune; even after the curse is lifted."
Midna froze as the shadow crystal abruptly appeared in front of her. Given her surprise, it was definitely not through her own intent. The crystal floated higher into the air and began to glow. Black dust rose from the sand in swirling clouds around the twili. They collected around the crystal as it absorbed them. When the last speck was drawn in the crystal then dropped to the floor, appearing slightly bigger than it was before. Midna lifted it over her hand.
"Link..." Her voice hitched as she turned to him. "Thank you. You saved them."
"I didn't really do anything," he shrugged, smiling. "It was the sword."
Midna shook her head. "Doesn't matter. I'm so glad that we didn't have to kill these people."
One by one they carried the twili into the shade of the walls. It was the best that they could do without taking them inside the prison. A chamber full of skeletons would not be an ideal place to find themselves should any of the twili awaken. Link, unable to assist, instead tasked himself with searching for the Mirror of Twilight. However, nothing stood out in the courtyard apart from the statue. Sensing a hidden secret, he walked up to examine the statue closely. He found a narrow track running along the outermost serpent. It appeared that a spinner should be used there as well.
Link shared his thoughts with the others. Agreeing with him, Midna flew up to the top of the statue, where she found a large gear-shaped hole. Fitting the spinner inside, she mashed her foot down until the statue began to sink. The chamber rumbled as it disappeared into the floor, soon being replaced by a massive shape that rose from behind the statue. Supported by a thick, gilded frame, a block of flawless, black stone cast its shadow over the group. Behind them, a small platform also appeared with a circular frame facing the monolith. Stepping off the spinner, Midna turned to the dais and her eyes grew wide.
"No..."
She walked slowly towards to platform, pushing past Link as though he weren't there. "No..."
At the side of the dais, Midna placed her hands atop it and looked up at the frame. Her mouth twisted into a snarl. Tears ran down her face. A scream tore from her throat and Midna slammed her fist angrily into the stone. "Zant! Damn you!" Above her, the jagged shard of a mirror glinted in the light.
Approaching her, Link put a hand onto her shaking shoulder. "Midna... It's going to be okay."
"How, Link?!" She swatted him off. "How is any of this going to be okay?! The Mirror of Twilight is broken! Zant beat us to it! There is no way for us to get to the Twilight Realm now! What are we supposed to do?!"
Combing his fingers through his hair, Link sought hopelessly around them. "What about a portal?" he pointed to the sky. "Zant sends shadow beasts from your world through them. We could use that."
"It doesn't work like that, Link!" Midna answered. She massaged her temples in a desperate attempt to calm herself. "I've tried to go home that way but it's impossible. From his side, Zant can keep us from entering the Twilight Realm. It's advanced portal magic. I've done the same to keep him from using the portals that we've found."
"But Zant is able to make more elsewhere."
"And I can't. Not between different worlds." Midna sat upon the dais. Her head fell into her hands. "The Mirror of Twilight was our one chance to get through. Now it's destroyed."
"No... Not destroyed." The group spun around at the voice. Behind them, the shining image of an old, bearded man stood. His milky eyes glimpsed simply at the hands gripping weapons before him. "If you mean to send me to the next life, you are more than welcome to it."
Seeing the spirit was not a threat, Midna relaxed and stowed her staff. Her face remained hard. "Who are you? And what did you say about the mirror?"
Expelling a sigh, soft and weary, the spirit folded his hands into the flowing sleeves of his robes. "In life, I was the Sage of Water. My name I no longer remember. It has been too long since I last heard or spoke it." His gaze moved to the mirror frame and hung there. "The Mirror of Twilight has been broken, but it is far from destroyed. Only a true monarch of shadow can shatter the mirror utterly, as was decreed by the goddesses."
"How do we fix it, then?" Link asked.
"The man from twilight split the mirror into four parts. His creatures then scattered them across Hyrule, to places where few dare to venture." The sage closed his eyes and held his head towards the sky. His arms spread out wide. "I can sense the echoes of their power. One has travelled to the mountains in the frozen north. Another to the south, deep in the ancient groves of Faron. And the last was taken to the heavens. Gather the fragments and the Mirror of Twilight may become whole again."
"That narrows down the search, but it's still a lot of ground to cover," Nabooru remarked. "Can you be more specific about each fragment's location? Or perhaps how we might find them more easily?"
The sage shook his head slowly. "I'm afraid I cannot. Yet I hope what little I've given will help you. For if you can restore the mirror and defeat the evil that shattered it, perhaps it will right the mistakes I have made."
"What are you talking about?" Midna asked.
He looked to her. "The one who scattered the fragments did not use magic belonging to your kind, Twilight Princess." Midna flinched in her surprise. "The power he wields derives from another enemy. I have forgotten much, but never will I forget the malice that I felt. Somehow, Ganondorf Dragmire has returned to the world. And he has taken your kin as his pawn."
"Impossible!" Nabooru snapped. "Ganondorf was sentenced to death here centuries ago. Even if he escaped, how could he possibly still be alive after all this time?"
"That I have pondered, myself. True, Ganondorf was to be executed. My brother sages and I oversaw the proceedings. We chained him, here, to the Stone of Boundaries. And to ensure he experienced the full punishment for his crimes, we had him impaled with a sword forged with our own blessed magic.
"However, even run through, Ganondorf did not die. By some divine prank his hand then shone with the light of the Triforce. He broke free of his restraints. And before any of us could react, he pulled the sword from his chest and took my life with it. From what I learned after, my brothers used the Mirror of Twilight to banish Ganondorf from the world. My soul has remained bound to this place ever since. And it is only now, whilst the dead walk, that I am able to commune with the living."
An odd feeling tickled the back of Link's hand. He rubbed it away with the fingers of his other. "So Ganondorf had a piece of the Triforce. That doesn't explain how he could still be alive."
"Do not underestimate the Triforce's might," the sage frowned. "Even with only a piece of it, a person can bend the laws of nature to their will. It is possible that even death could be stalled if one possesses the strength and skill for it." He shook his head. "There cannot be another explanation. The darkness in the Twilight King's power is too similar."
Midna fell back onto the dais, her face sinking low. Across from her, Nabooru paced around furiously. Link watched them both and shook his head. "It doesn't matter." He felt all eyes on him. "Whether or not Ganondorf is behind all of this, it doesn't matter."
"Midna." Link knelt beside her and gripped her shoulders. "We're going to find the other three pieces and fix the Mirror of Twilight. Then we're going to get you home and save the rest of the twili. I promise, Midna."
She stared unblinkingly into Link's eyes. Her voice having left her, Midna simply nodded in answer.
"If you wish to continue this path then you must train hard and gather strength," the sage spoke. "Farewell, heroes. May you not face the same fate as I." Then he faded.
Climbing fully onto the platform, Midna approached the mirror shard. She stared into its slivery surface for a long moment, seeing her reflection among the intricate runes carved into it. Then she waved her hand across and the fragment disappeared. Link could have sworn that some strange tension left the air.
It seemed too early in the day for flies to bother them, yet a small swarm assaulted Link in turns as he sat against the chamber wall. The sun grew brighter quickly, which led to a swift rise in heat. He was grateful for the shade he shared with the twili. Not one of them had stirred yet. Nabooru sat by his other side, though she had been silent with the deepest frown on her brow since meeting the sage. She was no more likely for a conversation than anyone else present. That left Link with little to do other than nurse his wounded arm.
He wondered if Midna had reached the fortress yet. She had flown off an hour earlier to gain help from Nabooru's tribe. Even if she did arrive, it would still take longer for the gerudo to organise themselves and make the journey back. Link hoped she was alright. Midna still seemed out of sorts when she left.
Lost in thought, Link began to doze. A sudden ringing startled him awake and he lifted his head in time to see Midna appearing from beneath the portal. With her came four gerudo warriors, who bowed to Nabooru before making their way towards the twili. Midna brought forth an assortment of clothes that she laid on the floor, all of various styles, sizes and colours. Link rushed over as she teetered on her feet dizzily and held her arm to steady her. When he asked if she was feeling well, she brushed him off with a simple yes. However, Link could see the exhaustion that painted her face paler than usual.
"I've set up a portal back at the fortress," Midna said breathlessly. "It won't last long but it'll get us there easier."
"You're amazing," Link beamed. "But wait... Didn't we leave our horses down near the front gate?"
Midna pointed to the gerudo helping Nabooru dress the twili. "That's what they're here for. They'll stay behind and bring the horses back for us."
Despite her state, Midna insisted on tending to her people herself. An older man with a wispy, dark beard stirred slightly as she pulled a tunic over his head. Surprise took him at first glance of Midna, then he seemed to smile and cry at the same time. She spoke to him in a tongue that Link did not understand. There were a few words similar to Hylian, but not enough to convey their meaning more than what he guessed. The man's face screwed in confusion at something Midna said. He then looked around himself, growing further dumbstruck, until his eyes fell upon Link. He gave the twili a nervous wave.
"Hi."
"Hello..." the man answered, seeming uncertain.
"Link, this is Vyel," Midna introduced. "He works at the palace library back home. Vyel, this is my friend, Link."
"Nice to meet you," Link said, offering his hand. Vyel looked at Midna for another moment before accepting it.
"Yes. Nice to meet you." His words came slowly as if he considered each one with care. "Forgive me. I have studied your language. I am not used to speaking it."
"How do you feel?"
"Tired... Like I have woken from long illness. And warm... Never have I felt so warm before."
"He doesn't remember anything since he was cursed," Midna explained. "Although I'd say it's better that way."
"My daughter," Vyel said to her. "Meenna... Do you know where she is, Princess? If she is safe?"
Midna shook her head. Hope faded from his pleading face. "I'm sorry. You're the first ones we were able to save from Zant's curse. She's six years old, right?"
"Seven," Vyel whispered.
"I'm sure she's alright. Not even my brother would send a girl that young into war." Though she acted reassuring, Midna cast a brief glance at a twili boy in the group. He did not appear to be much younger than Colin.
Vyel, however, continued to sit with his head hung low. While he did not say anything more, he did rise to aid the other twili that awoke as well. Within a few minutes they were all prepared for transport. Midna sucked in a breath and initiated the warp process. When the darkness lifted they arrived in the middle of the fortress yard. Link barely caught her when Midna then collapsed. His broken arm screamed in agony but he did not drop her. Those twili that could stand unaided flocked around Midna. Their worry made it difficult for Nabooru to push through and view her condition for herself.
"Get these people to the healers' quarters immediately," she barked to the gang of gerudo that rushed to meet them. Two took Midna from Link and carried her near-unconscious over their shoulders. The other twili, frazzled already, herded together into a fearful circle against the gerudo trying to tend to them. It took Link longer than a moment to convince Vyel that the gerudo only wanted to help. Once he understood, Vyel then spoke to the others and the twili started to relax. Then then followed the gerudo into the buildings. Alongside, Link walked briskly to catch up to Midna.
Nabooru remained behind as a page approached her. "Milady, will you need a healer as well?" the girl asked.
"No. My injuries can wait," Nabooru shook her head. "Summon the council to my office in an hour. Tell them that I have urgent matters to discuss with them."
"Anything else, Milady?"
"Have water taken to my chambers for a bath. Then have ready some clean clothes, a hot meal..." Nabooru rubbed her eyes and gave a heavy sigh. "And a stiff drink if you can find one."
It was a windless night. An uncommon occurrence but still welcome, for it meant Nabooru could sit upon the battlements without a cloak. She gazed out to the moonlit sand thinking of nothing and took satisfaction in that. It was always calming to watch the empty landscape at night. With the events that transpired since that morning, Nabooru felt she needed this quiet moment to herself.
Informing the tribal council of Ganondorf's return had been trying. Getting them to believe her had been even more so. Fortunately, as Nabooru shared the sage's story her sisters slowly began to heed her words. Talk of how they should act continued into the early afternoon. By this time fatigue had Nabooru struggle to stay alert to the conversation. Ending the meeting there, she then endured a visit with a healer before retiring to her bed. A servant later woke her carrying supper in his hands. Feeling the mood for a walk after eating, Nabooru found herself atop the fortress wall, where she had remained for the past hour.
The sound of footsteps stirred her from her dreams. They were light but did not match the gait of a trained gerudo warrior. Nabooru glanced over her shoulder. "You are looking better."
Midna shrugged as she approached. "Feeling a lot better," she said, leaning on a parapet beside Nabooru. "Let me tell you; the worst thing about today was fainting in front of my subjects. That was embarrassing."
"Given all you've done for that to happen, it's understandable." Nabooru's mouth formed into a smile. "Though if you want to hear about embarrassing... I did ride through a town once when the wind tore someone's bloomers off a clothesline. Blew right into my face in front of half the clan."
Midna laughed. "That's terrible."
"I can't stand the sight of polka dots anymore," Nabooru shook her head. "How are your people?"
"None of them are hurt, thank the goddesses. But they're all really shaken and confused. It's taking them a while to get used to the fact they're now in the Light Realm. They don't even realise that it's been months since Zant turned them into beasts."
"I couldn't imagine what that must feel like. What do you plan to do with them?"
Midna blew a breath through her nose and shook her head. "I really don't know. I can't just take them with Link and me while we find the mirror pieces. It would be too dangerous. And there's nowhere in Hyrule that's safe for me to leave them. The whole kingdom thinks the shadow beasts are evil."
"I understand," Nabooru nodded. "I would like to help you. Perhaps there's something my tribe can do for yours." Midna turned to look at her. Her lips hung agape before forming a small smile.
"I'd appreciate that. Thank you."
"We can discuss it more in the morning when everyone is rested. But if there is anything that I can do for you, Midna, you only need to ask." Nabooru then swept her gaze around them. "Is Link not with you?"
"Don't know where he's gone off to," Midna shrugged. "The healers put his arm back together pretty well. They say it'll mend in a month or so."
"That's good to hear." Nabooru looked back to the desert as a smile turned her lips. "He's an interesting young man, that Link. He's not like many who I've met before."
"He's a weird one, I'll say," Midna smirked. "He used to be a timid little guy who didn't like fighting. Now he goes and does crazy things like jumping on monsters all the time. I'm pretty sure I'm to blame for that."
"The two of you are quite close. Aren't you?"
Midna shuffled. "Yeah. I guess. We didn't always get along, but we looked out for each other. I saved his life a few times and he saved mine. Over time we got to trust each other. Now Link's one of the closest friends I've ever had."
"Just friends?"
A smirk stretched across Nabooru's lips. Midna's own expression soured. "Yes, just friends. What else would we be?"
"Oh, nothing. If the two of you are friends then there's nothing else you have to be." Nabooru turned away as she spoke with an innocence that sounded paper-thin. "I merely thought since you were so close, you might be..."
"Well, we're not," Midna bristled. In better lighting, Nabooru wondered if her cheeks were flushing.
"If you say so. I suppose that's good news, though. Some of the younger girls seem quite taken to Link. Not surprising, really. He's strong; capable; handsome. And he appears to enjoy their company when they meet around the camp."
Nabooru looked over to Midna and wore a wide smirk. "If you're poker face is that shabby all of the time, you'll make a very honest queen."
Midna wiped the stony glare from her face. "I guess I never actually told you I was royalty..."
"It's alright. I never asked and you weren't obligated to tell me. I overheard you and Link last night in the temple." The wind blew a stray hair into Nabooru's face. She paused to tuck it behind her ear. "Just so you know; I was lying about the girls. But it's clear that you feel something for Link. Your goal is to save your homeland; I'm not forgetting that. But almost everything I've seen you do has been to look after him. You watched over him when he was sick. You stayed by his side when he was injured. And on the night we surveyed this fort, you came along because you wanted Link to be safe. Tell me honestly, do you care for him? More than just a friend?"
For a long time Midna said nothing. She gazed out over the wall, making it hard for Nabooru to read her face. Suddenly she growled out loud and her hands tore at her scalp. "I don't know! I never really stopped to think about it before."
"How about you do this for me? Close your eyes and picture Link in front of you. How would you describe the type of person that he is?"
Frowning for a moment, Midna did as she was asked. "Well... He's kind... Honest... A bit of a dork... He does stupid things sometimes... But he's always puts other people before himself. He cares a lot about his friends, and it's easy to talk with him about things." She opened her eyes and frowned again. "What?"
"You're smiling," Nabooru smirked.
"That doesn't mean anything!" Midna said, soon realising that she spoke too loud, too quickly. She breathed a ragged sigh and leaned back onto the ledge. "But even if I did like Link... And I'm not saying that I do! How would it even work? I'm a twili. He's a human. We're two different races from different worlds. It would be like putting a cat and a dog together."
"An apt comparison. But I wouldn't be so sure. A horse and a donkey will breed a mule, and those are common enough. Remember that almost all gerudo are women. Courting outside of our race is the only way we have to find love and thrive."
"Wait... Are you calling me a horse or a donkey?" Midna glared. "Never mind. It doesn't matter. I'm still the princess of my tribe. Everything I do has to be for their good, especially who I 'court.' I can't just give my heart out to someone just because I like them."
"I know what you mean. When you're a leader, responsibility often comes before desire." Nabooru tapped her finger against the bricks as an idle thought beckoned at her. "Of course, if you do love someone and that person could be of use to your people, you could take advantage of that."
Midna rolled her eyes. "I think you're getting ahead of yourself. There's nothing between me and Link. You saying different isn't going to change anything."
"No. But it's food for thought, at least." Swinging her legs around, Nabooru slide down from her perch to stand before her friend. "Look, whether or not you fall for him or someone else, you shouldn't just turn away because it might not work out. There are some things you should take a chance with. And even if it doesn't work, or ends sooner than you'd like, at least you can enjoy yourself for the short time it lasts."
Nabooru's face then fell. Her arms folded against her chest. "Take it from me. I've lost someone once. It hurt me greatly when it happened. But I'm still happy that I got to be with them. And I believe it was better than living the rest of my life thinking 'what if?' and never knowing."
All trace of guardedness left Midna in an instant. "Who did you lose?" she asked, softly.
"My husband, Michael. He died six years ago; though some days it feels like less. We didn't exactly meet under... typical circumstances. When I was living as a bandit, Michael was one of the people my group captured. He was walking alone between towns. He was an easy grab for us."
"This isn't one of those stories where the guy convinces the wayward girl to change her ways and fall in love with him, is it?"
"It wasn't quite that straightforward," Nabooru smiled. "At first I didn't think much of him. He was just another weak man to catch and sell for a cosy profit. But he was different to the other people we kidnapped. The rest either tried to fight, beg or barter with us to escape. Michael didn't do any of that. Instead he just sat in his cage and talked with us as if we were all having drinks at the tavern. He was a storyteller, so he often told some tales he knew. I'm certain he was trying to appeal to our better nature. He never told me, though."
"Did it work?" Midna smirked.
"Some of us found him amusing. So we held onto him for a while. Part of the charm was that Michael's stories weren't about heroes and villains like most are. His often had men and women taking dangerous journeys to find treasure. Sometimes they were about people slaying monsters for glory, or stealing from corrupt dukes and getting away with it. They were the kind of stories that we liked. And they were the kind of stories that made me start thinking about things."
A soft sigh left Nabooru. "When I first left my tribe, I did it because I wanted adventure. I wanted to see the world, make money and have a few thrills along the way. Michael's stories reminded me of that, and I started asking myself if being a bandit was what I really wanted in life. Things I did everyday stopped feeling right. People I hurt started looking like people again. It was like I was slowly waking up, and all around me was a great, ugly mess that I couldn't stand to look at.
"I still don't know why, but I began talking to Michael about it when everyone else was asleep. He didn't judge me or tell me to do anything. But he listened and helped me think about some hard questions. Then one night, I finally left the group and carried Michael away with me. I took him home. It was the least I could do. And when we got there the local guard arrested me almost on the spot. I went to prison shortly after, but that didn't matter to me. For once I felt proud of myself."
"Was that when you get thrown into isolation a lot?"
"It was. I played by the rules most of the time, but if another inmate wanted to punch my teeth out I wasn't going to take it." For show, Nabooru planted a fist into her palm. The cracking of her knuckles made Midna cringe. Nabooru snickered at that.
"Michael came to visit me often. He didn't have to but I was grateful that he did. He'd talk about how his family was doing and told me stories that he knew were my favourites. When I told Michael I wanted to return to my clan someday, he said that he would go with me once I was released. It was returning the favour, I suppose. I couldn't change his mind so I let him.
"Once I got out, we went searching together. It took us months to track down my clan. And in that time, things blossomed between us. I wasn't sure at first if it was wise for us to be anymore than friends. I still felt guilty about kidnapping Michael and holding him prisoner for so long. He didn't have those same reservations, though. Eventually I gave in and took a chance. I ended up happy for it. As soon as we found my clan Michael asked me to marry him. I said yes."
"What happened to him?" Midna asked.
"He died of a scorpion sting. We couldn't save him," Nabooru said, old sorrows filling her.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. But thank you." A voice from behind Midna then pulled their attention. A gerudo warrior approached to tell Nabooru that a clan elder wished to speak with her. Nabooru dismissed the woman then turned back to Midna.
"All I'm trying to say is that if something good appears in your life, don't let doubts and worries get in your way of it. You might not get a second chance, otherwise." Nabooru placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "You may be a princess, but you're also a person. You have a duty to your own happiness. Think on that."
Midna looked at her silently. Her expression was sullen though not as dour as before. "Sure," she finally said.
With a smile, Nabooru walked past her towards the stairs. She heard Midna's sigh carry on the wind and released her own. With hopeful thoughts for her friend, Nabooru began her slow descent.
It was quieter than Link expected as he walked down the hall. He expected to have heard angry voices through the bars of each door. Yet all that he did hear was some soft whisperings and a great amount of snoring. Several green faces glared silently from inside their cells, their red eyes piercing into Link. He did his best to ignore them. Instead he focused his gaze to the gerudo walking with a torch in front of him. She escorted him to the very end of the hall, to a door of solid metal.
"He's in here," the gerudo spoke, reaching for a ring of keys at her belt. The lock clanged as she turned it. The sound echoed down the corridor.
"Thank you," Link replied. "Do you mind if I speak to him alone?"
The gerudo shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me. You caught him, after all." She then opened the door for him. "He hasn't said much since we threw him in here. Don't know how much you're going to get out of him."
Without answering, Link stepped into the room. He heard the hinges squeal as the door closed behind him. He set his lantern onto the floor and gazed at Strongaxe's bulky figure slumped against the opposite wall. Heavy shackles cuffed his hands and feet with another linked to the collar around his neck. There were so many chains that it almost looked excessive. Strongaxe sat with his head bowed. He then rolled his gaze up at Link and a dark smirk curved his lips.
"Well, what do you know? The great hero has come to visit me. What an honour."
Link frowned. "You seem to be in a good mood," he replied with a crisp tone. "The guard said you haven't been very talkative. Guess she was wrong."
Strongaxe's eyes fell onto Link's sling. "Broke your little arm, did you? Now how did you go and manage that?"
"I ran into your buddy, Zant, in the old prison. He tried to kill us with a fifty-foot skeleton."
"Don't lob me in with that leech!" the Orgr snarled. "If he can't kill a couple of runts himself, he sends in his pet freaks to do it for him. And even that he can't get right."
Link's brow furrowed. "Aren't the two of you on the same side?"
"HA! Aye, we might be working together. But don't think that makes us friends."
"What do you mean?"
The chains rattled as Strongaxe shifted into a more comfortable position. "Zant is no orgr. He commands with power that isn't his own. And what's worse is what he's done to secure that power. Cowing those who won't follow is a part of life for my tribe. But Zant's way of turning his people into mindless beasts is just disgraceful. It shows his weakness more than it does his strength."
"After you attacked my village I tracked your group through the Eldin Province." Link's tone was level but crisp. "My friends you took told me that shadow beasts attacked you there."
The darkness in the ogre's look deepened. "Those beasts are nothing more than demons. All they know is how to kill. It doesn't matter to them if their prey is friend or foe."
Link crossed his good arm over his other. "If you hate Zant and his shadow beasts then why work with them?"
"The choice was not mine." Link was surprised by the grudging way that Strongaxe spoke. "The one that Zant follows, I do as well. It was his doing that brought us together."
"Ganondorf."
Strongaxe cocked his head slightly. "So you know his name."
"Only recently. Even then we weren't sure how Ganondorf was involved. So he is still alive?"
"If you could call it that. When I first met him it was not as a man. He was more like a presence. Something you could see but wasn't fully of this world. And yet he wielded a power unlike any I faced before. I trembled before it, like I haven't since I was a young grem. His strength far outweighed mine. I submitted to him without even fighting."
"Where is he now? What is he planning?"
A fresh grin appeared on the Orgr's face. He started to laugh. "You're asking me to give away my liege's secrets. That's not going to happen. Not without something in return, that is."
"Let me guess," Link frowned. "You want to be set free. You know the gerudo aren't going to agree to that."
"That's not my concern." Strongaxe leaned forward as far as his restrains would allow him. "I want every bulblin in this fortress to be released. I want our weapons and bulbos returned, along with enough food and water to get us out of the desert, unfollowed. That's my price."
At that moment Link could feel every fibre in his body growing taut. "And how can I be sure that what you'll say is the truth?"
Strongaxe continued to watch him, his grin stretching wider. The answer he gave shocked Link to his core.
