CHAPTER 8
General Rosburn angrily slammed the door to his room, locking it. He snarled as he remembered the Princess's last orders. There was no way he was going to risk his neck or position to save that Sheikah!
At least he had been able to delay the Princess until morning. He had used the danger of monster attacks to reschedule the operation until morning. Perhaps, by then, Jier would be dead.
Rosburn frowned. He didn't know why, but for some reason he viewed the Sheikah as a serious threat.
"Greetings, General," came a dark voice from the unlit regions of his chamber. Abruptly, all the lights in the room flickered, and went out. Rosburn flew towards his door, trying desperately to escape, but to no avail. The doors would not open.
The voice chuckled evilly. "Have no fear, Rosburn. I am no simple assassin. I am here to make you a deal."
Rosburn's eyes narrowed. "A deal?"
"Yes. For an easy favor, I will grant you what you want most." Suddenly, two brilliant, evil red eyes flashed into being. "Power." It spoke the word with a husky tone.
Rosburn moved slowly from the door. "Power...But, what do you want from me?"
"Nothing much. Just for you to kill a mere adventurer."
"Who?"
"Wynn." The voice filled with hatred at that name.
"Wynn? But, he seems so powerful..."
"He's not. At least, impede him, and kill his friends. And for that, I shall give you the power to rule, and kill all your enemies."
Rosburn grinned. "All my enemies? But, wait. How do I know I can trust you?"
"Simple. I've already done you one favor." Without warning, a vision came to Rosburn. It was of the old High General, sick and coughing in bed. "Didn't you find it suspicious that he suddenly fell ill, and had to resign, just when you would have the greatest chance of being promoted? You know that soon, the old High General would have promoted Captain Greer, and start preparing him to take his place. Then, you would have never gained your current position. So, I did you a good deed. Return the favor, and reap the benefits."
Rosburn nodded. "It shall be done." He then laughed. "Wynn shall soon join all my enemies, and I will be more powerful then ever!" He laughed madly.
The shadow smiled. Yes, soon Wynn would die. So would his friends. And Hyrule would then belong to his master.
******
Fami frowned, in misery. She was outside, standing alone in the chill of the night. She was unshackled, but two marauders stood guard on her from a distance. She sighed as she heard the soft tread of the villain behind her.
"Guards, leave us. I want to speak with Fami in privacy," came Seron's now-soft voice. The guards nodded, and walked toward the house. Fami heard Seron come up behind her, and felt him gently place his hand on her shoulder. She shuddered under his touch.
"Fami-"
"Don't say anything, scum!" She yelled, whirling to face him, her brown eyes lighting up in anger.
Seron frowned. "Fami, just listen to me. I don't intend to ever hurt you. I love you."
"You can't love! You don't have a heart!"
"Yes, I do. You will come to love me, too."
"Never! My heart belongs to someone else!"
Seron's face contorted into a snarl. "Wynn! When I kill him, you'll learn your true feelings for me!"
Fami's mouth dropped open. "No, you can't-"
Seron whirled, stalking away. "You will learn, Fami! Soon, Wynn shall be on the end of my sword, and you'll be mine!"
Fami fell to her knees. She just hoped Wynn would stay away, and not run into Seron. If he did, then one of them would die, and she didn't know which.
******
Wynn was the first to awake the next morning. He busied himself with preparations, and then waited impatiently for the others to arise. Much to his annoyance, everyone was out of bed soon, except for one crucial member: Rosburn.
When he finally did awake, he was slow in moving, moaning from some illness he had received from the cool temperature in his chambers, or so he said. Wynn knew it was a facade to delay the rescue mission.
When they finally did depart, it was without Rosburn, and without soldiers. The Princess had gone to consult the Sages early that morning, and Rosburn had then decided, without notifying her, that the mission was too risky, and would not take place.
So, that morning, the four of them departed on horseback for Kakariko. It was nearing noon when they arrived, and they rushed into the town. Kesler headed straight for the house Captain Greer dwelled in, and then had a short conference with his commander, informing him of everything that had passed. Greer, enraged with Rosburn's actions, ordered the majority of the Survivors to group up with him. They left the village, heading for Lon-Lon Ranch. They left a small detail of guards behind, to protect the village, but they knew the majority of the marauders would be stationed at the ranch.
And so, the group of them left Kakariko, banners and heads held high. Each of them, to a one, knew one basic fact: today, for better or worse, would be their final battle against the marauders.
******
Jaco sighed, looking up at the overcast sky. It looked like it was going to pour. At least the weather matched his mood.
He walked down the path to the school. His home was in a small cave just south of the school, right above the waterfall that blocked the entrance to Zora's Domain. He walked inside, heading right for his hot-springs pool. He needed to relax.
As he slid into the water, he sighed blissfully. It felt good to not have to worry about work for a few hours. Ever since the Battle of Zora's Domain, he had had to practically work day-long.
Plus, Nerah had gone off on that quest with that man, Wynn. His scowl grew deeper. He needed to have a little chat with that girl...
Suddenly, all light seemed to be sucked from his chamber. He floundered around in alarm, grasping for his sword, but found it out of reach.
"Calm yourself, Jaco," came a soft voice from near him. A pair of demonic red eyes lit the air beside him. "I mean you no harm. In fact, I have an offer you can't refuse."
Jaco moved away from the eyes. "What do you want from me?"
"Just a deal. I want your cooperation on a little project of mine. In return, I will give you what you desire most." A vision of Nerah came to Jaco. Visions of her and him: Talking under the moonlight, sharing a home, playing with a small Zora that looked suspiciously like Jaco.
"But...how?" he stammered.
"My powers are boundless. I can make her love you. In return, I only ask what you would have to do anyways: Get rid of the one named Wynn. Permanently."
Jaco lowered his head in thought. Finally, to have Nerah's love...at only the cost of ridding Hyrule of a simple adventurer...and at the loss of his honor.
His head snapped up. "No! I will earn Nerah's love! I will not sacrifice my honor for such a...a...a lie!"
The eyes narrowed dangerously. "Be careful. You owe me much." Another vision came to Jaco. A vision of the old leader of the Zora Defense Force. The old Zora was lying in a shallow pool. The tint of his skin was an unhealthy green.
"If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have ascended to your high position. I introduced that illness to that old fish, and only I can heal it. Be thankful."
Jaco's mouth dropped open. "Heal him at once!"
"No. He was an obstruction to my plans. He would not join me. And if you do not follow me, you will also be an obstruction that I will need to rid myself of."
"Begone! Leave me! Return to the pit from which you came!" Jaco yelled, rising out of the water. He ran to his sword, and picked it up, whirling to face the eyes.
"You annoy me." Near the eyes, a sphere of evil-looking red light crackled into existence. "Perhaps this will teach you a lesson."
Before he could move, the red energy slammed into Jaco, and he slumped to the ground.
"I will return. If you deny me again, you will not survive." The eyes slowly faded into darkness, and the light slowly returned to the room. But Jaco was not able to see it, and did not wake until hours later. When he did awake, remembering his conversation in the darkness, he shivered. Whatever those eyes belonged to, he concluded, was a serious threat to himself...and Hyrule.
******
Wynn looked over the distance between where he stood and Lon-Lon Ranch. There, gathered in front of the ranch, was a large part of the marauder army. They had obviously gotten word somehow of the plan to retake Lon-Lon, and were prepared to defend it. Wynn grimaced. The marauder army there outnumbered the Survivors, but not by much. It looked bad, but easily could have been worse.
"Well, Wynn, what have you decided?" asked Greer from behind him. The captain had apparently decided that Wynn should lead this mission, since he had the most at stake. Greer had seemed a bit more distant from the men than usual, according to Kesler.
"It's going to be tough, but I believe we can beat them. We know they are less experienced than your men, and they don't number much more than us."
"Very well. I shall notify the men." And with that, Greer turned, and walked back to the men.
Wynn looked to the ranch. He desperately hoped that Fami, Tane, Jier, Malon, and the others were still alive. He wished that he had been able to garner more troops, so they could retake the ranch sooner and more easily.
He frowned. It was all Rosburn's fault!
"Wynn, the troops are ready." Greer quietly informed him. Wynn sighed. The sooner this began, the sooner his friends would be free. He looked again, apprehensively, to the waiting marauders. Time to fight.
"Charge!"
******
Fami looked around the ranch. She was chained to a pole at the center of the ranch, with five of her friends around her. All were in good condition, except for two of them. Tane had been badly beaten, and his face was swelled. Jier had also been beaten, but was in far better condition than Tane.
She looked to the guards milling about them. She could almost pick up their conversation. Something about "army", and "battle", and "Hylian soldiers". At hearing this, her hopes soared. Wynn was coming to rescue her! She almost laughed in her joy.
Suddenly, she heard a sobering sound. Sounds of battle came from a distance, outside the ranch. It was a horrible roar, and clanging, and clamor, which scared her to her core. It sounded even worse than the earlier battle, for Zora's Domain.
She heard a moan come from beside her. She turned to her side. It was Tane. He was finally coming to. "It's O.K., Tane. Wynn's going to save us." Tane mumbled something incoherent, and his head lolled back down. Fami sighed, and prayed she was right.
******
Wynn lunged at his opponent, and attacked viscously. The marauder fell, clutching a wounded shoulder. Wynn then attacked another man, struggling to fight his way through the line of marauders.
The two armies hurled themselves at each other again and again. Men fell on both sides. Neither army would grant the other even an inch.
Finally, after hours of combat, it seemed that the marauders were going to win. The Survivors were backing down, moving slowly toward Hyrule Market. It was then that Greer fought to the front, and yelled, "For Hyrule! For freedom!"
The rest of the men repeated his battle cry, and rallied behind their commander. They fought with new-found determination, and began to push the marauders back. Finally, a section of the marauder line broke, and Wynn, along with his friends, Greer, Kesler, and a small group of soldiers, broke through, and entered the ranch.
The line sealed behind them, and the two armies continued fighting. Now, they were evenly matched, and it was uncertain who would win. But neither side would ever give up.
******
Kesler lead the group into the ranch. He ran forward, with his mind set on one goal. So determined was he, he didn't even notice the marauder standing in front of the group of guards until he ran right into him.
"Get off me!" the marauder yelled, shoving Kesler off him. Wynn glared at the marauder on the ground.
"Get out of our way, Agno," Wynn demanded.
Agno's scarred face lit up in a hideous smile. "Wynn! Finally, I will get my revenge."
"I'll handle this worm, Wynn," Kesler said, standing. Agno frowned at him. The two leapt at each other, and the guards behind him charged at the Hylian soldiers.
Wynn, Greer, Nerah, Shezarah, and most of the soldiers moved on, leaving Kesler and the others to battle Agno. Wynn spotted Fami and the others chained to a pole in the center of the ranch, and increased his speed.
Halfway there, though, he heard a shout from near him. "Halt!" He looked. There, running to intercept them, was another group of guards, Tekitons, lead by a marauder, Captain Merce.
"Traitor!" Greer bellowed. "He's mine, Wynn. Free your friends." The Hylian then lead the rest of his soldiers toward Merce.
Wynn finally reached his friends, and started to free them. He first freed Fami, while Nerah went to release Jier. "Tane!" Shezarah cried, running up to him. His eyes opened, and he looked up to her.
"What a sight to see when you first wake up," Tane mumbled. Shezarah answered him by wrapping him up in a bear hug.
"Well, well, well. You've finally came back, son of Baro," said a voice from behind Wynn. He whirled.
"Seron!" Wynn drew his Biggoron sword.
"Little hero, you've stopped running. Good. I finally get to kill you," Seron gloated.
"Over there. I'll finish you, like I should have in the stable." Wynn pointed to an open area, a good distance away from his friends.
"I'll see you dead, and then I'll take care of your friends." Seron's gaze fell to Fami, who grimaced.
Wynn's face lit up in anger, and he moved toward the area he had indicated. "Come on, then. I want to finish you, now, before you can hurt anyone else."
Tane watched his friend go. He knew Wynn would be fine, Seron didn't stand a chance. He sighed. He had other worries.
"Well, little coward, looks like I get my chance to finish you." Tane closed his eyes. Deihawk.
"Well, come on, little brother. Aren't you going to say anything?"
"'Little brother'? Tane, what is he saying?" Shezarah asked, shocked.
Tane dropped his head. "Shezarah, when I told you about my past, I left out one detail. The man that killed my parents, and nearly killed me...was my brother, Deihawk."
Shezarah glared at Deihawk. "So, you're the monster that nearly killed Tane. I'll destroy you myself!" She drew her scimitar.
"Tane, your girlfriend sure is feisty. And pretty. Better hold her back; I don't want to hurt her." Deihawk's arrogant smile grew ever larger under his mustache.
"Shezarah, stop. He's my responsibility." Tane stood, balling his fists. "And its time I stopped running."
Deihawk laughed cockily. "Well, now. Stand and fight." He drew his sword.
"You never were one for playing fair, Deihawk. If you hadn't noticed, I don't have any weapons. Or will I have to use rocks, like last time?" Tane's face gained a cold smile. "I can give you another scar, to match your last one."
Deihawk's face grew livid with anger. He drew a sword from his belt, and tossed it to Tane. "For that one, I'll make you suffer!"
Tane grabbed the sword from the air, and looked at it. He remembered it vaguely. Then, it came to him. That sword had been his father's.
"Deihawk, you may have been my brother, but you are not now. You are just the murderer of my parents, and I'll avenge them."
"Tane, don't you know? When they died, they cursed you for not being there. Do you know what their last words were?" Deihawk chuckled. "'Goodbye, son.' They were talking to me."
Tane felt the rage rise inside of him, but quelled it. He knew Deihawk was just trying to anger him.
"But before they died, they called out to you. They wanted you to save them. But YOU WEREN'T THERE!"
Tane frowned as Deihawk continued. "You always were a disgrace to our family, Tane. The puny little runt that couldn't do anything. Too bad you haven't changed."
"Same to you, Deihawk. You were the true disgrace. And now, it seems even my big brother has joined my parents in a grave. Now, a fiend without a heart has replaced him." Tane looked into Deihawk's eyes. "And soon, he will be dead, too."
Deihawk roared in rage, and lunged at his brother. They locked swords, and their final battle began.
******
Fami watched as a crowd of Tekitons walked up to the remaining seven of them. "What do you want?" she demanded, crossing her arms. The leader of the Tekitons, the one that had fled from the snake, squeaked at her, waving its sword.
"You want to fight? Fine. Come on, everyone, let's teach these things a lesson."
And so, Fami, Nerah, Talon, Ingo, and Jier began to battle the monsters. Meanwhile, the remaining two stood silent and still watching the goings-on. Malon stood with her eyes glued to the battle involving Kesler. Shezarah stood alone, gazing at Tane's dire combat with Deihawk, hand on her scimitar. She wanted to help Tane, but there was nothing she could do, save watch.
Meanwhile, Seron and Wynn stood near each other, far from the others. Each had a look of determination on his face, and their hands grasped the hilts of their swords. Finally, Wynn spoke.
"You know you will die, apprentice."
Seron cringed at that label. "I will kill you for that. You have not seen the full extent of my powers."
Wynn smiled. How ironic. Seron didn't even know that Wynn had magic, as far as Wynn knew. That would give Wynn the advantage.
Seron drew his sword. Without another word, he dove at Wynn, making a wide horizontal slash. Wynn deflected the blow, stepping back, and then moved forward, slashing down and to his left. Seron met this with a block, then dropped a hand from the hilt of his sword. From that hand came a blast of lightning that blasted Wynn back several feet.
Wynn slowly stood, wincing from that shock. He looked at Seron. "Not bad. Dirty trick, but your magic seems to be getting more powerful." He smiled at the former apprentice. "Of course, you're still half the wizard Icarnos was, and I beat him."
Seron smiled. "You haven't seen anything yet." He pulled something from his neck. It was a medallion, with a stone as black as midnight. "Try this!" From the medallion came another blast of lightning, this one wider than Wynn. The hero desperately scrambled out of the way as the bolt sizzled past him. Seron laughed, and sent another blast after Wynn, and then another.
Wynn paused, wiping the sweat from his brow. This was harder than he had expected. He then dodged another blast, and again, as Seron continued to assail him. It didn't look good for the hero.
******
Gold Knuckle slowly walked toward his master, holding his ax. He stopped, thinking hard. It was his job to protect Deihawk, but he had other considerations.
He looked to the battle Deihawk was in. It was more of a brawl than a swordfight. However, Tane and Deihawk looked evenly matched. Gold Knuckle could easily defeat Tane, and save his master the trouble. But if Tane killed Deihawk, then Gold Knuckle was assured to take his place.
Gold Knuckle smiled under his helmet. Yes, he would lead the marauders. And then, no one would ever forget him again!
******
The clouds above Lon-Lon Ranch slowly darkened. Before long, it was as dark as night on the ground. Soaring high in the sky was a dark shape, so high no one could make it out.
The Winged Wolfen looked down on the battle below it. It let out a low growl. It was time. It swooped to the ground, behind the ranch, where the rest of its kind were waiting restlessly. It addressed them with a series of growls and barks. They nodded, and readied themselves for the coming battle.
The Winged Wolfen looked at its clawed paw. Soon, it would complete its task, and then...It looked to the ground. Then, its master would have no need for it. It slumped its shoulders. No matter the outcome of the battle, his end would be the same. It looked to the wall of the ranch. It would all be over soon. It could do nothing but wait.
******
Seron laughed triumphantly. "Well, Wynn, ready to give up?"
Wynn stood again, looking to his right, where the ground was a steaming crater. "Well, Seron, I think it's my turn now." He smiled easily. "I'll go easy on you." Wynn turned his hand so it was pointing upward, with the back facing Seron. Two spheres of energy appeared, circling Wynn's hand. They moved faster and faster, coming closer together.
"What? You...have magic?" Seron gawked, mouth dropping open. He waved a hand in front of him, and a wall of his dark magic appeared.
Wynn pointed his hand at Seron, as the spheres came together. They formed a beam of light that easily penetrated Seron's sheild. The beam slammed into Seron, and threw him to the ground.
Seron climbed to his feet, clutching his chest where the beam had hit and staring, shocked, at Wynn. "How..."
"How do you think I beat Icarnos, your master? I inherited my magic from my father. Now, I can use it to rid Hyrule of parasites, like you." Wynn raised his hand again. "Now, give up, or I will use my full power to totally eliminate you."
Seron's face grew red. "How dare you? I will see you dead!" He raised his medallion, pointing it at Wynn. He used his magic to call forth the true power of the medallion, releasing it all at once. A large ball of the medallion's dark magic formed in front of the medallion. Wynn frowned. The ball of power was larger than him!
Seron roared in anger, sending the ball roaring toward Wynn. The hero was barely able to dodge it, charging his own magic as he ran. When the energy sailed past, Wynn released his magic, but with a new target. He now aimed for the medallion, instead of Seron. The beam contacted with the talisman, and it was destroyed with an explosion of light and shards.
Seron again was sent to the ground. He stayed there for a moment, and then sat up, holding the now-wounded hand that had held the medallion to his chest. "You...are so powerful...I have lost..."
Wynn nodded. "Give up, Seron." As he said those words, the magic Seron had sent at Wynn collided with the wall of the ranch. The resulting explosion was enough to reduce the wall to gravel, and the shockwave knocked Wynn down.
Seron jumped to his feet. He waved his healthy hand, and a portal of dark energy appeared. "Goodbye, Wynn. I will see you again, and you will then die." With those words, Seron jumped into the portal, followed by a familiar Tekiton.
Wynn watched him go. He then stood, and shook his head. Seron was gone, but he hadn't lied. Wynn would see Seron again, and then, one of them would die.
*****
Tane blocked his brother's slash, and followed it with a blow of his own. Deihawk deflected it, and punched his brother in the jaw with all his might, knocking Tane down.
Deihawk smiled down at his brother, confident in his success. "So, Tane, you still aren't good enough to beat me. Too bad for you." He raised his sword high, ready to finish his brother.
Tane realized what was about to take place. He was about to die at the hands of the same man who had killed his parents. The same man that had haunted his dreams ever since he was a child. The man that had ruined his life.
Tane dove past Deihawk, to his right. Deihawk's serpentine sword whistled past him. Tane landed, and quickly turned to face him. Deihawk whirled, sword poised to finish Tane.
(I'm sorry.) Tane jabbed with his father's sword. The next thing he saw was the look of utter shock and amazement on his brother's face as his sword found its mark and slid into Deihawk's chest.
Behind him, the entire ranch brightened as Seron's poorly aimed fireball contacted with the ranch wall. That moment, as Deihawk's face was fully visible in the light, was forever etched in Tane's mind. And then, Deihawk fell to the ground.
"I'm sorry...my brother..." And Deihawk was gone.
Tane stood, looking down at the thing that had once been his brother. He nodded solemnly. "I forgive you."
And then he turned, and walked away.
*****
Shezarah watched the battle between the two brothers. She nervously clutched her scimitar. She watched as Tane dove past his brother, turned, and stabbed Deihawk in the heart. She watched as Deihawk fell, and died. And she watched Tane walk away.
Shezarah ran to Tane, grabbing and holding him. Tane returned her hug, closing his eyes. She wouldn't let him go, nor he let her go.
Suddenly, she saw two dark forms running at them. It was two wolfhounds, the two that had belonged to Deihawk. They were snarling and baring their teeth.
Shezarah released Tane, and used her scimitar-spear to knock one of the hounds aside. The other lunged at her, but she caught its fangs on the bar of the spear, and tossed it into the other. The hounds stood again, and began to circle the pair. Shezarah frowned. The hounds were too agile to fight, and this battle wouldn't be easy.
******
Malon whirled as she heard the explosion. Her mouth dropped open as she saw the wall crumble and fall. She then realized what that meant. The wall had been the only thing that had held the monsters out of the ranch. And now, that it was breached...
She then noticed several dark figures jump over the remains of the wall, lead by what seemed to be a wolf with wings. The one flying went right for Wynn, while the others spread out. She then turned again, looking to Kesler. He was still in the thick of a battle with a marauder, fighting for his life.
Malon sighed, and then ran toward Kesler, picking up a dropped sword on her way.
******
Fami frowned in concentration as her vines beat two more Tekitons to the ground. She didn't hear the footsteps behind her until the monster was almost on her, and she then jumped to the side. A clawed paw ripped the air where she had stood.
She looked at the monster that had attacked her, her mouth dropping open in recognition. It was one of the wolves, the ones that had attacked her and Wynn in the field.
Before she could move, two Tekitons had hurled themselves at the Wolfen, slashing and shrieking. The Wolfen merely chuckled, and easily ripped the two monsters to shreds. Fami swallowed loudly, and charged up her magic as the beast looked to her. It pounced, and her vines caught it, tossing it away. It stood again and came at her. She fought it off again, her vines lashing at it.
All around her, her friends were fighting similar battles, even the Tekitons that had just earlier been their enemies. But no matter how hard they fought, the Wolfens just seemed too strong. The heroes were fighting a losing battle that just seemed to be getting worse.
******
Shezarah tiredly knocked one of the wolfhounds away. Behind her, Tane was holding the other one at bay with his sword, but the hound kept trying to get past the weapon. Shezarah braced herself as the monster jumped sailing over her weapon and straight for her throat. She moved to the side, and the wolfhound sailed past her. It landed next to its fellow in front of Tane. Shezarah stood next to Tane, weapons at ready, while the hounds faced them.
But before they could clash, the hounds turned to the side, growling at a dark shape that Tane and Shezarah hadn't noticed before. It was a wolf-like creature, but stood on its hind legs. Its long arms dangled toward the ground, and were tipped with lethal claws. Its eyes glowed a smoldering red.
The two hounds threw themselves at the monster, snapping and snarling. The monster caught them with a swipe of one enormous arm, sending them flying. They landed with a yelp, and were still.
The monster then looked to Tane and Shezarah. It let out a deafening roar of challenge. Tane and Shezarah looked to each other, and then advanced on the monster. The creature began attacking, and they fought back as one. They fought, oblivious to all other battles, and fought, never letting up. They would not lose, exhausted as they were, if they fought together.
******
Gold Knuckle chuckled as Deihawk fell. He was now the leader of the marauders. He had gone from nothing to the best. But now, he had to command his troops, to 'avenge' their former leader, and kill the two that had embarrassed him in the marauder dungeons.
Suddenly, he noticed the monsters pouring into the ranch. Uh-oh, he thought. Time to leave.
Unbeknownst to him, a person very familiar to him had entered the ranch, going past the battles being fought and straight at him. The person was nearly to him when Gold Knuckle heard him coming.
"Who...You?" Gold Knuckle said, incredulous.
"Well, well. Time to face your worst nightmare." the figure said, arrogance in his voice.
"But you're dead!"
"Really?"
"It doesn't matter! I'm better than you, you're just second-best!"
"You are an imposter. I know who you truly are, a mere weakling, a horrid little man in that armor. I know how you fight, and how you will die." Silver Knuckle, the figure that was speaking to Gold Knuckle, hefted his ax. "And it will be at my hand."
Gold Knuckle seemed close to panicking. "I've done nothing to you! You were my idol! That is why I wear this armor."
Silver Knuckle chuckled. "Ironic. You slay me, then become me. If only you had become my former self."
Gold Knuckle stepped back, confused. Then, he got angry. "Well, I will kill you! There is no room for you one Hyrule as long as I exist!"
Silver Knuckle again laughed. "That can easily be fixed. I will finally avenge myself. Prepare to face Solan's vengeance!"
"Solan is dead."
"No more, fool. But if he is, then you shall join him. Now, die!" Silver Knuckle charged, weapon at ready.
The two attacked each other, falling back and charging. They at first seemed evenly matched, but it became obvious that Silver Knuckle was the more skilled.
"Argh!" Gold Knuckle cried as Silver Knuckle easily blocked another attack. It was almost as if Silver Knuckle was toying with him.
Silver Knuckle dodged another attack. "Time to finish this," he said, lashing out with his ax.
Gold Knuckle moved back, and Silver Knuckle's ax missed. Gold Knuckle charged, and his foe met him with another attack. Their axes locked, but Gold Knuckle's momentum took him past the other. As he moved by, Gold Knuckle drew a sword from his side and struck Silver Knuckle. The sword merely clanged off Silver Knuckle's armor.
When he was past his enemy, Gold Knuckle whirled. So did Silver Knuckle, ax out in a calculated attack. The ax smashed into Gold Knuckle's armor.
Gold Knuckle fell to the ground with a loud clatter. His helmet bounced off as he hit the ground, revealing the hideous face that he had hid behind the helmet so long. His eyes stared unseeingly up to the clouded sky.
Silver Knuckle smiled. He had won. Now, he knew. Silver Knuckle, like Gold Knuckle, was dead. He was now, and forever, Solan.
But before he could celebrate his victory, he was again attacked. A Wolfen tackled him, howling. Solan stood, and began to fight back.
******
Everyone on Lon-Lon Ranch was in battle. All across the area, people and monsters were struggling for their lives. There was only one place that had peace, and even that peace wouldn't last.
Wynn watched as the Winged Wolfen flew up to him. It landed, and addressed him in a series of barks.
"Let me guess. You want to fight, right?"
The Winged Wolfen just looked at him, then to the sky. It reluctantly nodded. Wynn sighed.
"Well, let's start, then."
The two circled each other, analyzing their foe. They looked each other in the eye. Then, they both lunged. They fought, claw versus sword. They were near the same height, and strength. Neither could gain an advantage.
Finally, the Wolfen took to the air, flying about, regaining its strength. Wynn quickly charged his magic, releasing a beam of light at the monster. The Winged Wolfen tried to dodge, but to no avail. The beam contacted solidly, and the monster plummeted to the ground.
"You have failed me!" Wynn whirled, searching for the source of the booming voice. He frowned when he found it.
"Who are you?" Wynn demanded of the shadowy figure.
The figure chortled softly. "That is not of importance. It matters not to you, a man to soon be dead."
The Winged Wolfen had stood, and walked over to Wynn. It stepped next to Wynn, and raised a paw, pointing a single accusing claw at the figure. It snarled loudly. Wynn almost grinned when he noticed this defiance.
"Insolent fool! You will die for that! But first..." The figure raised a hand. A blast of magic emanated from the hand, hitting the Winged Wolfen. It let out a yelp of pain that slowly changed into a roar of anger. Wynn stepped back. To his surprise, the monster was growing, changing, mutating...
"Ha ha ha! Face my best, my ultimate Wolfen! Die, Wynn, son of Baro! Farewell!" The dark figure slowly disappeared, leaving behind only the echo of his last maniacal laugh.
Wynn turned back to the Wolfen, and then stepped back in shock. His mouth dropped open as a roar of sheer agony and rage sounded. He frowned. This fight was not going to be easy.
The Ultimate Wolfen was much larger than its previous self, twice its former height. Its arms were as long as Wynn, and were tipped with horrible claws as long as swords. Its limbs were covered in grotesque bulging muscles, which were covered in wild gray hair. Dagger-like fangs jutted out of its maw. Red eyes, burning madly with pain and hate, focused on the only source for release it knew: Wynn.
The two stared at each other, trying to gain an edge over their opponent. Then, without warning, the monstrosity lunged at Wynn, its mammoth claws reaching for the hero. Wynn dodged, but was immediately attacked again. Wynn was soon on the defensive totally, without any opportunity to attack the monster.
Wynn flipped over another thrust paw. The monster was astoundingly agile, moving faster than Wynn could think. Wynn was resorting on instinct to stay alive.
Finally, the beast paused, charging up black magic. Wynn charged his own, and then desperately jumped to the side as an enormous beam of energy exploded where he had just been standing. He shot the beast with his own magic. It hit, but, to his despair, had absolutely no effect. The monster growled in what seemed to be an amused laugh, and attacked again.
Wynn fought with all his might, but it was obvious who was to be the victor. Finally, a backhand from the monster sent Wynn to land a good distance away. Wynn groggily sat up, dazed. The Ultimate Wolfen gazed at him, gathering magic for his final attack. It charged up a deadly fireball, and sent it flying at Wynn. And Wynn didn't have the strength to move out of its way.
Wynn...
Without knowing how or why, Wynn felt a surge of energy. He swung his Biggoron sword, sending the fireball careening back to the Wolfen, flooring it. Wynn then looked around, searching for the source of the voice he had just heard.
Wynn...I shall give you some of my power. You must not lose this battle. Hyrule is depending on you.
That voice...! Wynn nodded, smiling as he felt his power increase to new levels.
The Ultimate Wolfen returned to its feet, glaring murderously at Wynn. It charged its magic again, ready to kill.
Wynn quickly unleashed his magic, the two spheres combining to release a beam of energy several times more powerful than the one that had defeated Icarnos. The beam slammed into the monster, knocking it down again. The monster stood, charging Wynn, unleashing its own magic as Wynn sent another beam at it. Wynn's beam connected, but the Wolfen's magic hit a hastily constructed sheild of light protecting Wynn.
The two attacked each other again and again, using magic, and then resorting to physical attacks, and magic again. It wasn't long before both were exhausted, but they kept on fighting. Their lives depended on it.
Then, the Ultimate Wolfen again took to the air. It hovered, charging a powerful blast of magic to finish Wynn. Wynn smiled. This was the chance he had been waiting for.
He raised his arms above his head. The two spheres appeared, circling faster and faster. But instead of lowering his hands, he kept them raised. The beam shot straight into the clouds.
The Ultimate Wolfen grunted in confusion. It lowered its sheild, preparing to blast Wynn into oblivion. It never got the chance. A lightning bolt crashed downward, striking it and sending it again to the ground.
Now, Wynn! Finish it!
Wynn nodded solemnly. He again raised his hands, but this time, his hands clutched his sword. The globes of light, speeding in orbit of the sword, combined. The sword then seemed to be composed entirely of that light.
Wynn dashed at the monster, but, before he could reach it, it awoke. It wearily raised a paw, as if to cast more magic, but instead let the paw drop back down.
For miles, one could hear the Ultimate Wolfen's death cry, full of pain and agony. The monster knocked Wynn away, flailing its limbs, trying to rip the sword imbedded in its chest out. Wynn sat up, looking at it. It met his eyes. The monster stopped moving, meeting Wynn's gaze. In its gaze, Wynn found not the expected hatred, but instead, pure gratitude. And then the monster's gaze went blank. It was suddenly enveloped in a black flame, and, when the flame disappeared, the Wolfen was gone.
Wynn slowly stood, sending a look of thanks to the sky above. He then looked around him. Everywhere on the ranch, the Wolfens were following their leader, dying with howls of frustration, and then vanishing with black flames. Wynn looked around, smiling. All the fighting was ending. The Wolfens were dead. The Tekitons were, too. The marauders were either out cold, captured, or fleeing. From the amount of Hylian soldiers entering the ranch, it was obvious the battle outside had also ended. Wynn laughed. It was over. They had won.
EPILOGUE
Wynn looked around the ranch. Everyone was working to repair the damage the battle had done. The ranchers were fixing the stable and house. The soldiers were escorting the captured marauders to the castle. Wynn smiled as Greer passed, hauling a chained Captain Merce off to the dungeon.
Kesler and Malon were standing off to the side, smiling and talking. Kesler had told Wynn that Agno had escaped, running for his life. The rest of the marauders that hadn't been captured had escaped, but they would never be as strong a force. Without their leader, they would dissolve and no longer be a threat to Hyrule.
Seron hadn't been heard of since he fled his battle with Wynn hours before. With any luck, they would never see him again, but everyone knew it was useless to think that.
Tane and Shezarah were also to themselves, talking quietly. Shezarah and Tane had been together constantly since the battle. Tane had told everyone the truth about his past, and Deihawk.
Wynn had congratulated Nerah, Fami, and Jier on their good team work. The girls had responded by smiling at him, and sticking their tongues out at each other. Jier had thanked Wynn, and had said his only regret was not getting a chance at Seron himself.
Now, their job was finished. They were leaving the ranch, saying their goodbyes to the Survivors and the ranchers. Malon and Kesler waved to them as they walked off.
Soon, the six of them were out in the field. "So, Wynn, where are we going?" Nerah enquired.
"I don't know. I must continue my quest to find my parents." Wynn said.
"I should return to Kakariko. Certain...people there will probably be glad to see me," Jier said, a hint of a smile on his face.
"I wonder, who?" Nerah said sarcastically. Everyone chuckled easily.
"I have...something I have to do," Tane said, a shadow coming over his face.
"I'm coming too, Tane." Shezarah informed him, a smile tugging at her lips.
"But-"
"You're not getting rid of me that easily!"
Tane laughed. "I suppose. I never knew how pushy Gerudos could be till now."
Shezarah gave him a playful punch to the shoulder, and they smiled at each other.
"Well, I'm coming with you, Wynn," Fami said.
"Not without me!" Nerah yelled, hands on her hips.
Wynn sighed. Here we go again, he thought.
And so, they said their goodbyes, promising to visit each other soon. They went their separate ways, but each, deep inside, knew they would be paired again. And that day, they would have another adventure, one they would never forget.
******
"Master, I am here."
The shadowy figure looked down on its minion. "Report," he ordered.
Two red eyes looked up to the figure. "I have convinced the Hylian general to support us. He is now under your power," said the owner of the eyes, then hesitating, "But the Zora resisted."
"It is no matter. Even after my Ultimate Wolfen's defeat, my plans are still assured to succeed. Now, go. Do your work, and soon our deeds shall come to fruition. Then, Hyrule will be mine."
The red eyes glowed even more evilly. "Yes, master." The eyes vanished, and the shadowy figure was alone.
Soon...he thought. Soon...Hyrule will be mine!
******
"You!" Solan whirled, hand automatically reaching for his ax.
"Wynn..." Solan stepped back.
They were both surprised when neither attacked. Slowly, they both relaxed, moving their weapons to their sides.
"You should thank me, Wynn. I got Gold Knuckle for you."
Wynn stepped back, surprised by the kindness from the voice of who he believed to be Silver Knuckle. "Yeah, thanks."
Solan nodded. "Wynn..." He paused. "You will see me again. And then, you shall learn why I helped you. Until then, farewell."
Wynn watched him go. Somehow, he felt as if he had lost another enemy...
******
Tane slowly sighed. He looked at the small gray stone that had been so recently placed in the ground. The stone was the third nearby. He looked solemnly to the other two, and stood from where he had been kneeling. He then turned, and walked away from the recently unearthed patch of ground.
Shezarah watched him come up to her. "I'm ready," he said, sorrow on his voice.
"Come on, Tane. Let's go," She said, slipping an arm around his shoulders. Together they walked away, leaving the three grave markers behind.
Silently, the winds blew over the grave of a man, and his parents.
*****
Wynn...
Through his mind's eye, a figure of light watched Wynn walk away from Solan. The figure smiled. Thanks to his help, everything had gone well. He had been the one to give Wynn power, and he had alerted Solan at Wynn's time of need.
But his task was not done. The true fight was yet to come. And Wynn's quest was far from finished.
Baro turned, and disappeared.
Whew.....book 2 is all finished now. I'll try to get book 3, Hero's Fall, up soon. Thanks for reading!