Morning dawned over Hyrule, starting in the east over the Lost Woods and slowly spreading its way over the whole land. It was a beautiful morning, and under normal circumstances it would have been greatly enjoyed. But in the palace, the mood was far from normal.
Darunia, Ruto, and Nabooru paced the corridors of the castle, lost in their own thoughts. Zelda and Saria would be returning today after their journey to visit the Great Deku Tree, and the remaining Sages could do nothing but wait.
It was Ruto who broke the silence. "Do you suppose that their journey was a success? Do you think that they may return with some useful information?"
"All information is useful," Nabooru replied. "Whether or not it is good is something else.
Darunia growled in frustration, his beard bristling. "I can't take much more of this. All this sitting around, waiting for something to happen. We should be out doing something, not cringing in fear of Ganon's first move."
"Unfortunately Darunia, that is all we can do." Impa emerged from the shadows and joined their walk. "I have just been to see the king," she continued, answering their unspoken question. "There has been no change. He lies on the brink of death, but will not fall over. Whether this is good or bad…"
She let the thought linger, and they continued on in silence for several minutes. "Do you think Zelda will officially declare war on Ganon if we do not hear from Link soon?" Darunia mused.
"She must," Nabooru replied. "She cannot keep the populace misinformed for much longer. They will soon want the truth behind the destruction of the Temple of Time and of the location of their king."
"They already do," Nabooru said. "I have heard that the soldiers guarding the ruins have come close to all out riots."
"Perhaps that is Ganon's greatest power," Ruto said. "To spread dissension and chaos wherever he goes."
"He's doing a damn good job of it, that's for sure," Darunia growled.
They exited the castle and entered into a section of the royal gardens. The leaves on the trees were shades of red and gold as they prepared to fall for the winter. The Sages wandered through the gardens until the came to a large, circular courtyard surrounded by a small moat. Impa paused, and the others looked at her quizzically.
"This is where it all started…" she walked up a small set of stairs and looked in a window. Beyond she could see the throne room. "This is where Zelda and Link first met. I remember it as if it were yesterday."
"And a few days later I met Link myself," Darunia quietly stated.
"And a few days later it was me," added Ruto.
"And then me." Nabooru sat down on the cold steps. "Do you ever wonder what our lives would be like if Ganon had never risen to power? If we had never awoke as Sages?"
"Only everyday of my life," Ruto sat down beside her, flexing her fins in restlessness. "I would probably still the spoiled, selfish brat I was that day eight years ago."
"And I would still be a princess with a healthy father and no knowledge of my long-lost brother, living my days in the lap of luxury." They all turned at the voice, and saw Zelda and Saria standing in the entrance to the courtyard. Her expression was cold and hard. "But thinking about the past doesn't change it, and we have much to do here in the present."
* * *
"And that is where we stand. According to the Deku Tree, Ganon now has over five thousand men and beasts at his disposal. The Tree believed he felt a magical flux in reality that could mean someone was either entering or leaving this realm, and he believes that Ganon may be going somewhere to secure his victory. That means that we have only Rolondrof and Skorn to deal with. If we are to make our move it must be soon."
They were gathered in the war room once again, seated around the table. Zelda had not bothered to change out of her traveling attire, and had immediately begun explaining what the Deku Tree had told her. She had also told them of the potential cure for her father.
The Sages were silent for several minutes as each deliberated the possibilities. Finally, Ruto said, "How strong is our army? Unless water is involved, I'm afraid that just over a thousand of the Zora army will be available."
"I can only guarantee about that many as well," Darunia admitted. "The remainder of our forces are guarding against a potential attack from Stygia in the north."
"The Gerudo will not be much help," Nabooru said. "Only several hundred remain loyal to me, while the others are either with Ganon or refuse to take a side."
Zelda nodded at the facts. "At its full strength, the Hylian Guard number a little more than two thousand. That still leaves us with a large difference in numbers."
"Maybe we should wait a little longer," Saria offered, though they could hear doubt in her voice. "We don't know how close Link and the others are to finding the Triforce. That'll make a huge difference."
"That is what I have been thinking," Zelda said, "That we should wait another couple of days for some news from the Sacred Realm. If by then we have heard nothing…" She let the thought hang.
"Not to question Brother Link's success," Darunia said uncomfortably, "But by that argument, we could be waiting here until Ganon finally decides to attack. We must strike now, even if it does only lead to a small victory."
"There is one thing," Impa said, "That we could do." She turned to Zelda. "If the King Jax could be revived, it would both bring hope to our people, but also strike a blow against Ganon's plan. He will have to question if his conquest will be as simple as he planned."
Zelda fought back her tears. "You are right, Impa, but the task is much too dangerous. I will not risk any more lives just because I wish to see my father."
"With all due respect, Zelda," Nabooru said with a little smile, "Your argument is as weak as a sandworm's belly. Believe me, everyone wishes to see the king. Impa is right in its implications. Which is why I volunteer to undertake the task."
"No, Nabooru, I cannot ask…"
"And I will accompany her," Impa interrupted. It was the first time she had ever done so. "Nabooru and I are the best suited for the job. She will be able to sneak into their camp undetected as just another Gerudo warrior, and the Sheikah all but invented espionage. Our chances of success are very good, and it is a chance we cannot afford to pass up."
Zelda's emotions were in turmoil. She wasn't sure if she wanted to thank the two women or continue the argument. After seeing the equally determined faces of Saria, Ruto, and Darunia, she opted for the former. "Very well. Thank-you, with all my heart."
Impa allowed herself a small smile. "While I am very fond of you Zelda, my allegiance is to the royal family. I would have gone anyway."
"And my allegiance is to whoever the hell I choose," Nabooru laughed. "Besides, it might even be fun to scalp that little leever."
Zelda also smiled. She then looked around the table at the others, and to her surprise just noticed something that was missing. "Where's Rauru?"
* * *
Rauru, or Kaepora Gaebora, or any of the thousand other names he had possessed over the ages, sat perched on the pedestal that had once housed the Master Sword in the ruins of what had once been his home. Though most of the walls were still intact, the ceiling had caved in completely, letting natural light pour in.
"Why?" he asked three goddesses who were obviously not there. "Why did this have to happen? Surely there was another way for him to fulfill his destiny without all this pain and suffering. Why must he quest at all? He has been following the righteous path for eight long years…surely that must mean something to you."
He bowed his feathery head, a tear falling from his eye. "Surely this world must mean something to you…"
* * *
Necron and his army hovered amidst the trees of another forest, though this one was far younger than the one surrounding the castle. He sat patiently, awaiting the return of his scout. Sure enough, the female rat-creature returned exactly when he expected. "Your report," he said.
"Lord Necron," she rasped, "You were correct in gauging our distance. We are no more than half an hour behind them now, and while I am sure they are aware of our trailing them, they will not have expected us to be so close."
"Of course I was right. What are they doing now?"
"I didn't get close enough to hear what they were saying, but it seems as if they're lost."
"Lost?" Necron repeated, slightly surprised. "Aren't they following the mark?" The rat-woman wisely didn't answer the rhetorical question.
"It seems as if they have come to a crossroads of sorts. Ahead of them lies a stormy wasteland, but on either side there are more mountains. I don't think they know which way to go; either direction looks as good as the other."
"They won't take the direct route, through the storm," Necron mused to himself, "They won't risk flying in that weather, and neither would I." He sat a few minutes more, a plan forming in his mind. "This will work perfectly. They have traveled non-stop since the canyon for fear of our catching them, so they will likely take this opportunity to rest. They do not know how far behind we are, so it won't be long, but we should still have enough time." He turned to the creature. "Go. Take a hundred of my men, along with Shumbo and the weapon, and destroy them. I will take the rest and we will continue down one of the two paths. If both are of equal length, it will make no difference which one. Once you have killed them, follow our trail and catch up with us. If by some chance they should survive," here his voiced dripped with venom, implying that there really was no room for the possibility, "We will dictate the pace of the journey, and will without a doubt reach the Triforce before them anyway."
The creature nodded, and without waiting for any further instruction went to carry out her task. Necron waited patiently as she did so, grinning wolfishly beneath his mask.
* * *
Navi hung suspended above her pool, a blue ball of light. She had risen from the pool shortly after Link and the others had left her and had been hanging there since, sorting out her thoughts. She replayed her meeting with the Chosen over and over again, wondering if there was anything else she could have told them. She had told them everything she knew, but there was still a nagging feeling of doubt at the back of her mind.
"There must be something else," she concluded, "Something the goddesses didn't tell me. But what?" So embroiled was she in her thoughts that she barely heard the padding of small feet approaching her fountain. She soon recognized the presence. "Bazillo? What are you doing here?"
The little creature stepped up to her pool and bowed deeply. "Hmm, as always Bazillo will go where he pleases, as fickle and random as meddlesome sneezes." He stood up and looked upon her. "Hmm, the Chosen I saw yesterday, with my very own eyes, along with the enemy we both so despise."
"How? They left here days ago…how could you have seen them and returned here so quickly?"
Bazillo chuckled. "Hmm, how often must I tell you, oh Navi my dear, that in cleverness and skill I have not a peer?"
Navi sighed at the sprite's riddlesome manner. "Were you able to help Link and the others?"
"Hmm, as many a hint as I could I supplied, but even to me the full truth is denied."
"Meaning you know no more than I do." Again, Navi sighed at her own inability to aid her dearest friend. "You have been here almost as long as the Triforce, Bazillo. Surely you have some insight in into the goddesses' plans."
"Hmm, right you are, here long have I been, but even for me the future is unseen. As with you, the holy ones do not answer to me, and hold tight the secrets of what is to be. You and I are but pawns in their game, and for Link and the Chosen, that truth is the same."
"We are missing something, Bazillo. Something of dire importance to their success. If neither you nor I have any inkling as to what will happen, then perhaps the goddesses themselves are not yet sure of whether Link will succeed or fail. His destiny is complete once all this is over, but what does that mean? What?"
Bazillo shook his beaked head solemnly. "Hmm, that, I'm afraid, is up for the Chosen to decide, for you and I, my dear friend, are just along for the ride."
* * *
"This," Malon said, "This just doesn't make any sense."
"What does in this place?" Zakro grumbled.
"I mean, I can accept a forest turning into a glacier that turns into an ocean," Malon went on, disregarding his comment, "But this…this just doesn't make any sense."
After the canyon, the six of them had traveled the short distance through the woods and now stood at its edge. When they looked forward, the saw a blackened desert with thunder, rain, and lightning erupting from the darkened sky. When they looked to either the right or the left, they saw a short plain bordering a mountain range. They had been landed there for over an hour, and needless to say, it was disorienting, but Link's mark wasn't helping any.
"Maybe it was always like this," Numaru suggested. "It isn't like we ever bothered to look, we always just went in a straight line."
"I don't get any different feelings from any of the choices," Link said, rotating his hand through each direction. "It feels like they're all the same distance from the Triforce."
"Do you get the feeling that someone is playing one big game with us?" Mattalla said bitterly. "Just moving us along in whatever direction suits destiny or fate or whatever it is that guides us?"
"There's no point in trying to understand it right now," Shrike said, his mask lowered to reveal his face. "All we need to worry about is finding a way around the problem."
"Easier said than done, I'm afraid," Mattalla replied, leaning on his hammer. "We better make a decision soon; I would rather that Necron doesn't gain any more ground on us."
"How do we know that he's even following?" Zakro offered stubbornly. "He could still be back at that ice fortress, or even just crossing the ocean. Who's to say he's tailing us closely?"
"It's what I would do," Link answered. Zakro seemed about to say something but was silenced by a look from Malon. Finally, Link let out an exasperated sigh and mounted his air-bike. "I'm going to fly out a little ways in either direction. Going through the middle is out of the question, especially on air-bikes, and I really don't want to leave them behind. Hopefully further on I'll get a stronger feeling."
"I'll go with you," Numaru offered.
"No, don't bother," Link assured her. "You guys get some rest. I won't be long." With that, he lifted high into the air, but before heading off he cast Farore's Wind, creating a warp point should he get lost. The others watched as headed for the left mountain range.
"And there he goes again," Mattalla said, taking a seat on the ground.
"What giant monster do you think he'll bring back this time?" Zakro said.
Malon gave him a reproachful look. "You brought back the last one, remember? The giant sea snake."
"Not to mention getting us captured," Numaru added with a grin.
"Alright, alright, point taken."
Shrike, who was still standing, looked uneasy. "What's wrong?" Malon asked, noticing his agitation.
He didn't respond right away, just stood staring down the path they had taken to get there. Pulling his mask up, he said, "I'm going to have a look around. I won't be long." And before any of them could object he had disappeared into the underbrush.
Malon just sighed and shook her head. "And there he goes. Why do they always do that?"
"Must be a Sheikah thing," Mattalla offered, absently chewing on a bit of rock. "They trained together, remember?"
The remaining four sat in silence, lost in their own thoughts, as if they too had that same feeling of unease as Shrike had. He had not been gone ten minutes when they heard a crashing of branches behind them. Suddenly, Shrike flew from the trees, but he was mounted on an air-bike, beating on the head of its Hylian rider. "Ambush!" he yelled as he crashed the vehicle into the ground. As soon as his feet touched earth, his swords were drawn and he was charging back into the trees. The others also drew their weapons and followed after him, already hearing the sound of their enemy approaching.
Almost immediately they were set upon by dozens of rat-creatures and Hylians, most of them on foot. Behind their ranks, Malon could see and old man who had to be Shumbo strapped onto some giant metal machine. Jutting out from one corner of it was a large barrel, like those found on a canon.
She had little time to wonder about its purpose, however, as she quickly joined the battle. She blocked high as one Hylian attempted to decapitate her, and immediately followed with a slash at his torso, opening him up. As he crumpled to the ground, she had already moved onto her next foe. Out of the corner of her eye, she could she her companions battling on. Shrike and Zakro were blurs of movement, darting in and out of the enemy ranks. Mattalla stood in a single position, sweeping a wide arch with his battle hammer, knocking back a handful of enemies with each swing. Numaru had climbed a tree and was picking off their airborne enemies with her bow. Malon had killed five attackers when she saw Shumbo and the strange contraption begin to shake. And the barrel was pointed directly at Shrike.
* * *
Shrike saw Shumbo at the exact moment as Malon, and didn't like what he saw. He blocked two more attacks, but kept his eyes focused on the magician and his machine, waiting to see what would happen. And then it started.
From inside the barrel, a pinpoint of bright blue light formed. It steadily increased in size until it filled the whole circumference. Then with one final shake, the weapon fired.
"Son of a…" Shrike didn't have a chance to finish his rare curse as he dived out of the way at the last instant. As he rolled, he saw the blue beam of magic strike three of the enemy. The shot back in the air, their bodies disintegrating even as they landed.
"By the Eye," he whispered, before he was once again set upon. His attacker stabbed at the ground where Shrike was laying, but he managed to roll out of the way and drive both his swords up through the rat-man's stomach. "He's channeling his magic through that weapon," he continued in awe. "Numaru! Kill Shumbo! Now!" He didn't have a chance to see if she had heard him, however, as another three enemies approached.
* * *
Numaru didn't need to hear Shrike's order to know what he had said. She had seen the weapon fire, and knew what was needed. She fitted an arrow and fired, the shaft flying straight for Shumbo's heart. To her amazement, it halted a foot from its target, bouncing off an invisible shield.
"Damn it," she cursed. "Shrike, he has a magical shield! My arrows can't penetrate!" She also didn't have a chance to listen for a response, as she leapt into a higher branch as three arrows passed through her previous perch. Charting their directory, she saw that they had come from a ring of archers hidden in a tree surrounding Shumbo and his weapon.
She fitted three more arrows onto her bow, but was unable to fire the shot. Another bolt of magic fired, this time from above, and she had to shimmy across the branch to avoid it. The last airborne attacker. She had completely forgot about him. She refitted the arrows and fired all three into the air. They all connected, and the assailant fell to the ground. That threat taken care of, she focused on the three hidden archers. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw another air-bike flying into the battle.
But this one approached from the opposite direction.
* * *
Zakro was not having a good day.
Neither were the others, he assumed. He had been with them long enough to know that none of the Chosen ever went looking for life and death situations; they just always seemed to find them.
"Life's funny like that," he mused as his arm fins sliced into a husky female Hylian. He pivoted on his foot and decapitated another. He had to admit, however, that things could be going much worse. It actually seemed as if he and his companions were winning. He had taken out close to fifteen enemies, and if his quick glances around the battlefield were any indication, the others were doing just as well. Shumbo himself was killing his own men every time he fired, his shots barely missing their intended target, Shrike. It seemed to Zakro that Shrike for some reason was at the top Shumbo's hit list. That suited Zakro just fine; Shrike was a much harder target than the rest of them.
Shumbo had apparently come to the same conclusion. Zakro watched as the barrel shifted its position to point directly at him. Zakro desperately looked for some cover, but he was surrounded by enemies, and it was all he could do hold them back.
"No one to save you this time, Zakro old boy," he thought as the magic began to form in the barrel. "I'll miss you Ruto," he said aloud as the weapon reached its capacity. Suddenly, he felt something grab him around the waist and pull him to the side, just as an air-bike flew directly into the path of the beam. The bike shattered, and its shards impaled the ring of attackers that had closed him in.
"Don't worry Zakro," a confident voice said from beside him, "Ruto's not going to become a widow today."
"Link!" Zakro couldn't keep the relief out of his voice. The Hero of Time was already on his feet, the Master Sword blazing with blue fire as he battled back their opponents. Zakro regained his composure and joined in the battle. "This doesn't mean I like you, though."
Link chuckled as he impaled another foe. "Didn't think it would. How are the others?"
"Still alive, or at least they were thirty seconds ago. Shumbo's the real threat. Numaru's trying to take him out, but she said something about a magic shield or something."
Link smirked, pumping more magic into his blade. "Leave him to me. Where's Malon?" He quickly scanned the battlefield, looking for something with red hair. He spotted her, and was about to breath a sigh of relief, when she saw what she was doing.
"No," he whispered in horror. She was heading directly for Shumbo and the weapon.
Zakro followed his gaze and cursed. "She doesn't know about the shield!" His eyes roamed upwards, and cursed even harder. "Or the archers!"
* * *
Mattalla and Shrike stood back to back, fending off the attackers. There were only a few more left, no more than thirty. "Shrike my friend, I believe we just may win!"
"Not unless we take out Shumbo," the Sheikah replied. "Can you see if Numaru found a way around his shield yet?"
Mattalla was able to look over the heads of everyone on the field and looked in the wizard's direction. He was still standing, but he looked like death, as if drained completely, no doubt due to the abundance of magic he was using to fire the weapon. He scanned the trees around the device and saw that Numaru had killed all but three of the archers.
And then he saw Malon.
The little warrior had fought her way through the attackers and was charging at Shumbo, Fairy Sword poised to strike. Mattalla gasped as he watched the remaining archers point their arrows at her. "Shrike!"
The Sheikah saw, and for the first time in his life was overtaken with fear. "Hurry, Mattalla, hurry!" The two of them began running towards her, killing the occasional foe, but they were still too far away. Suddenly, they saw a blur wearing a green hat charge right by them, a flaming blue sword in his hand.
* * *
"NO!" Numaru yelled from her perch, frantically fitting three more arrows. Malon was almost at Shumbo, and the archers were taking aim. Numaru wasn't sure if the Fairy Sword was magic enough to break through Shumbo's barrier, but she knew for a fact that it couldn't deflect arrows that its user didn't see.
Numaru took aim and pulled back on the string, silently praying she would be in time.
She knew she wouldn't be.
And then she saw Link.
* * *
"Almost there" Malon thought, "Almost there…" If she could reach Shumbo, then the fight would be over. She and her friends could easily take out the remaining attackers, and without Shumbo, Necron wouldn't be able to teleport back and forth between realms to heal himself. He would become mortal.
Shumbo saw her, and instantly began to channel what little magic he had left into the weapon. "He won't be in time," she thought, "I can do this…"
Suddenly out of the corner of her eye, she saw a blue streak fly past her head and felt someone pull her to the ground and cover her with their body. The Master Sword seemed to halt in mid-air for a fraction of a second, but then continued on its path. The sword impaled Shumbo, staking him to the metal machine. A small gasp escaped his lips, as blood trickled from his mouth.
But Malon didn't see any of this. Her vision was blocked by the body covering her, and she felt it give a small lurch. Turning her head, she saw who it was. "Link!" she cried in relief, "You made it!"
But Link didn't answer.
* * *
"NO!" Numaru screamed. She had fired her arrows, the truest shot she had ever made, and struck the three archers dead.
But not before they had fired theirs.
She scrambled down the tree and joined Mattalla and Shrike as they sprinted towards Link and Malon, only five soldiers blocking their way.
* * *
Zakro pulled the point of his fin from the chest of his last attacker. While Link had dashed off to save Malon, Zakro had placed himself between the Hero and the five attackers. With the last one dead, he was able to turn around and see what had happened.
He saw Mattalla, Shrike, and Numaru charge into the five remaining assailants and begin to fight them. Then he saw Shumbo, impaled on the Master Sword, the weapon bucking and jerking as the wizard attached to it slowly died. Blue energy began to seep through the cracks, as pieces shot off.
Then he saw Link and Malon.
Sucking in a sharp intake of breath that he did not need, he ran to join his other comrades.
* * *
"Link…" Malon repeated, fear and panic creeping into her voice. He lifted himself off of her—slowly, ever so slowly—and knelt before her, eyes vacant. She lifted herself up and shook him by the shoulders. "Link…Link!" Only then did she see the three arrows protruding from his back.
She would have screamed then, if the sound had not been caught in her throat. "Are…" he rasped, "Are…you…alright…"
"I'm fine," she managed, tears beginning to streak down her face. "You killed him, you saved us…you'll be fine…"
Link nodded slowly and looked over her shoulder. The others had dispatched the last attackers and were sprinting towards them. He looked over his own shoulder and saw the weapon and the wizard convulsing, as the magic within threatened to explode. He saw what was happening, and saw what he had to do.
He looked at Malon, stared into the reddened eyes of the woman he loved. "I…love you, Malon…" he whispered. "I…always…will…" With that, he struggled to his feet and began walking towards Shumbo and the machine.
Malon knelt there, in shock, her body refusing to move. Link had reached the wizard, and placed one hand on the weapon and another on the hilt of the Master Sword. A faint, green glow formed around both him and the weapon, and she realized what he was about to do. "LINK!" she screamed in agony, "NO!"
By that time, the others had reached her, their faces equally pained at what Link was about to do. Malon screamed again and scrambled to her feet. Shrike and Zakro grabbed her, tears also falling from their eyes, but she still managed to move forward. Mattalla came and wrapped all three in his arms, and still she struggled.
The green glow increased, until Link, Shumbo, and the weapon could no longer be seen. In a flash of emerald light, they were gone. Malon twisted her head around, looking up past the canopy into the bright blue sky where Link had created his warp point. Suddenly, the sky exploded in flash of fire and blue magic, the explosion reaching over to where they stood. Metal shrapnel rained down upon the earth.
Malon broke free and ran back to where they had left their air-bikes, where Link had left his warp point. The others struggled to keep up to her. Malon broke through the clearing out onto the field preceding the stormy plains. She halted in her tracks when she was something lying on the ground, right below the warp point, and fell to her knees. The others converged around her and saw what she had found. Lying in the grass, among other metallic shards, was the Master Sword, the blade no longer silver, but black. It was broken in two. Next to hit lay a long, green cap.
In the silence of the midmorning, the only sound that could be heard was the agonized wail of one, simple, farm girl.
* * *
In the war room of the castle of Hyrule, Saria began to scream in agony. Zelda followed suit. The rest of the Sages grabbed their heads in agony, as the symbol of their temple blazed and then blackened on their palms.
* * *
In the ruins of the Temple of Time, Rauru lowered his feathered head and for the first time in his long life, he cried.
* * *
In his tent on the front, Ganon grinned from ear to ear as the bottom left triangle of his Triforce mark blackened and disappeared.
* * *
In the glade of the Great Deku Tree, the Kokiri and the tree cried, though the children did not know why.
* * *
Throughout Hyrule, all the people, be the Hylian, Goron, Zora, or Gerudo, stopped what they were doing and felt a great sadness sweep over them. Babies wailed. Grown men wept. Hardened criminals fought back tears.
* * *
Navi felt all of this, felt the pain of every living creature in Hyrule. The holy light in her chamber dimmed, as did her own. Bazillo sat on the ground before her, head between his knees, sobbing.
"Not like this," Navi managed to whisper, "It wasn't supposed to be like this…"
The chamber fell silent once again. But then Navi heard something…like the cry of a turtledove that has lost its mate. Navi sank into her pool, trying unsuccessfully to drown out the cry.