Chapter 26: The four Musketeers
Minutes passed. Perhaps not even entire minutes. Seconds, more. But to Link it seemed eternity. Houres at least. He had lost all sense of time as he sat there kneeled in front of the portal. His mind was racing past the recent events, but kept focussed at Fox's mutilated body.
Terry stood with his back against the frame of the huge portal. His eyes were lacklustre, staring at nothing, his mind too occupied with death to really control his motions. He took off his cap in a hypnotised motion before scratching the back of his head. What was the use of it? Was that spot itching? No. It wasn't. Then why did he scratch? He had no idea. He had absolutely no idea.
Mary had no idea what to do. Would she sit down? Or would she remain standing? It was a decision hard to make. She kept doubting. Would she sit down? No, better to stand... or... Sitting down had some advantages above standing... But standing wouldn't get her trousers from getting dirty. Haha! That was funny! Her trousers were already dirty! Haha! She cleared her head and noticed Zelda had disappeared from sight. Ran away obviously. She didn't blame her.
She turned her blonde head to Terry. In a veil of confusion, she asked: "What should we do now?" Her voice was calm, scary almost.
It took moments before Terry looked at her. "I don't know. Where's Zelda?"
Mary shrugged her shoulders and slowly shook her head, waving her blonde bangs.
"Must've freaked out." Terry commented. He started to walk towards the deserted camp in front of him, putting on his cap as he went.
Mary turned away from him and continued to stare at the portal. She wondered how it actually got there.
It took some time before Terry returned, though Mary and Link weren't aware how long. It was only when Terry appeared right next to Mary when the American young woman noticed him. She also noticed Terry was holding a portable radio or something, which he slowly put down. He pressed a button and the machina started to play. There was a CD in it and a random track was played, casting rusty tones across the valley. The device had to be quite old, so Terry increased the volume with another button.
It took him some time before he realised he knew the track that was playing. The tones were filling his heart. "Empty spaces. What are we living for? Abandoned places. I guess we know the score. On and on. Does anybody know what we are looking for? Another hero, another mindless cry. Behind the curtain in the pantomime. Hold the line. Does anybody want to take it anymore?" The voice struck Terry as a bolt of memories. The volume increased as the chorus started: "The show must go on! The show must go on! Inside my heart is breaking. My makeup may be flaking, but my smile still stays on."
Terry's lips followed the words. It had been a long time since he had heard that song, but he remembered it so well. He closed his eyes and kept silent and motionless the entire song, with only his moving lips to reveal that he was still alive. When the song was over, Terry opened his blue eyes again. "Queen." he murmered. I face it with a grin, I'm never giving in... The words of the song echoed through Terry's mind, making him question whether or not he would give up and walk away.
At that moment, Zelda came running towards the three friends. She seemed far from desperate. "Marth and Malon are still alive!" she yelled, making Terry and Mary look up.
"They are?" Terry asked surprised.
"Yes!" Zelda said when she reached the two Humans, catching her breath. "They're on their way back to Hyrule. We should be going too! We can strengthen there and..."
"Who says we're going there?" Terry asked with a little hostility in his voice. Zelda was way too enthusiastic for someone who had just lost three friends. And especially for someone who was too scared to kill a single opponent.
"I do." Zelda said confident, raising to her full length, which was still a lot shorter than Terry.
"You want to continue this... madness?" Terry asked with even more surprise in his voice. "You want to fight and die? Haven't you noticed we don't stand a chance against that?" Terry said, pointing a shaking finger at the portal.
"Are you scared, Terry?" Zelda asked with such an icy calmth that it frightened Terry and Mary.
"I'm don't fear an enemy I can hit. But what we faced there was pure hell!" Terry said, taking a defensive stance in front of the strangely acting Zelda.
"You are scared, aren't you?" Zelda said, turning her head down.
"Of course I'm scared! I don't want to go through that again!" Terry replied, feeling strange for admitting his fear to someone else for the first time in his life.
Zelda looked up at Terry again, tears welling in her eyes. She had tried to remain calm, but she was only mortal. However, she had seen hell. It couldn't get any worse except for actually being there. And she feared that so much! "Listen to me, Terry. If we don't fight, earth will turn into hell! Then everyone will suffer!"
Terry backed away a little. He knew Zelda was right. If he wouldn't fight, or at least try, earth would change for the worst. But on the other hand, he was scared.
But Zelda actually filled in his thoughts: "Terry, you have never walked away from a fight. And now we have to fight to safe so many people. Malon, Marth, Mai... Andy."
Terry looked up at Zelda again.
"Many people have died, Terry. And many more will if we give up." Zelda said firm.
"What can the four of us do what seven of us couldn't?" Mary commented carefully towards the younger Hylian.
"We are capable of so much more, Mary. Did you see Kyo? He understood his true..."
"Kyo's dead!" Terry yelled angry.
"I know." Zelda said softly, almost ashamed. But also sad.
"Kyo is gone. And so are Fox and Galford." Mary said concluding. "But will we give up now and let their deaths be in vain?" she continued, looking at Terry.
Terry hesitated a little before he said: "You're both right. It is better to fight. But it won't make a difference. Within a few weeks, earth will fall and we will be death."
"That's not the Terry I know." Mary said, crossing her arms under her brests. She waited to get Terry's attention before she continued. "The Terry I know would fight bravely against all odds. He would head first into battle to protect his loved ones. Terry, please..." she said as she started to stand closer to him. "Don't waste this opportunity to avenge the death of our friends." She spoke the words bitterly, the vision of Fox's body still on her retina.
Terry's eyes narrowed. He had to protect Andy and Mai and... Mary. He had promised his father! And he had to avenge his good friends. Yes, those who had murdered them would pay! He slightly tugged his cap. "You're right. The bastards will pay!" he growled.
Mary smiled slightly. "That's the Terry I know." she said. "Count me in as well, princess." she said to Zelda.
Zelda smiled in relief, but when she turned to Link, she saw him still kneeling in front of the portal. Her face turned grim. She feared he would not come. Fox had been his best friend! She walked to him and stopped in front of him, facing his left side.
It took a few moments for Link to look up and when he did, his expression didn't really make things easier for Zelda. She swallowed and remained motionless as she said: "Link, please come with us."
Link slowly stood up and looked at the portal before he looked at Zelda. Against Zelda's expectations, he said: "You know you can count on me, your majesty. I won't have that filthy scumbag touch you."
Zelda knew Link meant Ganondorf and a wave of joy overwhelmed her as she heard him say it. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Link." she said with the most happy voice she could muster in the situation. What would she have done without her hero?
Terry thought the scene was kind of... sweet. He swallowed away his emotions and felt a dig in his side. When he turned at the source, he saw a grinning Mary. "Dry throat." he said with a monotonous voice, already knowing it was a very weak lie. When he looked back again, he saw Link and Zelda standing in front of him.
Before Terry could say a thing, Zelda beat him to it: "We're going back to Hyrule. To my father's castle where we can strengthen a bit before the fight." Zelda knew seeing her father after such a long time would provide emotional burden and perhaps even stress or conflict between her father and her, but she knew Hyrule Castle was the best place to rest a little after the horrorfying experiences. And yes, she wanted to see her father.
Terry nodded. "Right, guys. We've got to do this. We now know what we face and we will be ready."
"Yes." Link confirmed. "And we must not forget that we still have each other."
Mary nodded. "We've lost so many good friends, but we're not yet defeated."
"Indeed." Zelda said.
Terry slightly grinned. "I feel like the three musketeers. Only that we're with the four of us."
Mary chuckled. "One for all..."
"All for one..." Zelda finished softly, with a gentle smile.
Minutes passed. Perhaps not even entire minutes. Seconds, more. But to Link it seemed eternity. Houres at least. He had lost all sense of time as he sat there kneeled in front of the portal. His mind was racing past the recent events, but kept focussed at Fox's mutilated body.
Terry stood with his back against the frame of the huge portal. His eyes were lacklustre, staring at nothing, his mind too occupied with death to really control his motions. He took off his cap in a hypnotised motion before scratching the back of his head. What was the use of it? Was that spot itching? No. It wasn't. Then why did he scratch? He had no idea. He had absolutely no idea.
Mary had no idea what to do. Would she sit down? Or would she remain standing? It was a decision hard to make. She kept doubting. Would she sit down? No, better to stand... or... Sitting down had some advantages above standing... But standing wouldn't get her trousers from getting dirty. Haha! That was funny! Her trousers were already dirty! Haha! She cleared her head and noticed Zelda had disappeared from sight. Ran away obviously. She didn't blame her.
She turned her blonde head to Terry. In a veil of confusion, she asked: "What should we do now?" Her voice was calm, scary almost.
It took moments before Terry looked at her. "I don't know. Where's Zelda?"
Mary shrugged her shoulders and slowly shook her head, waving her blonde bangs.
"Must've freaked out." Terry commented. He started to walk towards the deserted camp in front of him, putting on his cap as he went.
Mary turned away from him and continued to stare at the portal. She wondered how it actually got there.
It took some time before Terry returned, though Mary and Link weren't aware how long. It was only when Terry appeared right next to Mary when the American young woman noticed him. She also noticed Terry was holding a portable radio or something, which he slowly put down. He pressed a button and the machina started to play. There was a CD in it and a random track was played, casting rusty tones across the valley. The device had to be quite old, so Terry increased the volume with another button.
It took him some time before he realised he knew the track that was playing. The tones were filling his heart. "Empty spaces. What are we living for? Abandoned places. I guess we know the score. On and on. Does anybody know what we are looking for? Another hero, another mindless cry. Behind the curtain in the pantomime. Hold the line. Does anybody want to take it anymore?" The voice struck Terry as a bolt of memories. The volume increased as the chorus started: "The show must go on! The show must go on! Inside my heart is breaking. My makeup may be flaking, but my smile still stays on."
Terry's lips followed the words. It had been a long time since he had heard that song, but he remembered it so well. He closed his eyes and kept silent and motionless the entire song, with only his moving lips to reveal that he was still alive. When the song was over, Terry opened his blue eyes again. "Queen." he murmered. I face it with a grin, I'm never giving in... The words of the song echoed through Terry's mind, making him question whether or not he would give up and walk away.
At that moment, Zelda came running towards the three friends. She seemed far from desperate. "Marth and Malon are still alive!" she yelled, making Terry and Mary look up.
"They are?" Terry asked surprised.
"Yes!" Zelda said when she reached the two Humans, catching her breath. "They're on their way back to Hyrule. We should be going too! We can strengthen there and..."
"Who says we're going there?" Terry asked with a little hostility in his voice. Zelda was way too enthusiastic for someone who had just lost three friends. And especially for someone who was too scared to kill a single opponent.
"I do." Zelda said confident, raising to her full length, which was still a lot shorter than Terry.
"You want to continue this... madness?" Terry asked with even more surprise in his voice. "You want to fight and die? Haven't you noticed we don't stand a chance against that?" Terry said, pointing a shaking finger at the portal.
"Are you scared, Terry?" Zelda asked with such an icy calmth that it frightened Terry and Mary.
"I'm don't fear an enemy I can hit. But what we faced there was pure hell!" Terry said, taking a defensive stance in front of the strangely acting Zelda.
"You are scared, aren't you?" Zelda said, turning her head down.
"Of course I'm scared! I don't want to go through that again!" Terry replied, feeling strange for admitting his fear to someone else for the first time in his life.
Zelda looked up at Terry again, tears welling in her eyes. She had tried to remain calm, but she was only mortal. However, she had seen hell. It couldn't get any worse except for actually being there. And she feared that so much! "Listen to me, Terry. If we don't fight, earth will turn into hell! Then everyone will suffer!"
Terry backed away a little. He knew Zelda was right. If he wouldn't fight, or at least try, earth would change for the worst. But on the other hand, he was scared.
But Zelda actually filled in his thoughts: "Terry, you have never walked away from a fight. And now we have to fight to safe so many people. Malon, Marth, Mai... Andy."
Terry looked up at Zelda again.
"Many people have died, Terry. And many more will if we give up." Zelda said firm.
"What can the four of us do what seven of us couldn't?" Mary commented carefully towards the younger Hylian.
"We are capable of so much more, Mary. Did you see Kyo? He understood his true..."
"Kyo's dead!" Terry yelled angry.
"I know." Zelda said softly, almost ashamed. But also sad.
"Kyo is gone. And so are Fox and Galford." Mary said concluding. "But will we give up now and let their deaths be in vain?" she continued, looking at Terry.
Terry hesitated a little before he said: "You're both right. It is better to fight. But it won't make a difference. Within a few weeks, earth will fall and we will be death."
"That's not the Terry I know." Mary said, crossing her arms under her brests. She waited to get Terry's attention before she continued. "The Terry I know would fight bravely against all odds. He would head first into battle to protect his loved ones. Terry, please..." she said as she started to stand closer to him. "Don't waste this opportunity to avenge the death of our friends." She spoke the words bitterly, the vision of Fox's body still on her retina.
Terry's eyes narrowed. He had to protect Andy and Mai and... Mary. He had promised his father! And he had to avenge his good friends. Yes, those who had murdered them would pay! He slightly tugged his cap. "You're right. The bastards will pay!" he growled.
Mary smiled slightly. "That's the Terry I know." she said. "Count me in as well, princess." she said to Zelda.
Zelda smiled in relief, but when she turned to Link, she saw him still kneeling in front of the portal. Her face turned grim. She feared he would not come. Fox had been his best friend! She walked to him and stopped in front of him, facing his left side.
It took a few moments for Link to look up and when he did, his expression didn't really make things easier for Zelda. She swallowed and remained motionless as she said: "Link, please come with us."
Link slowly stood up and looked at the portal before he looked at Zelda. Against Zelda's expectations, he said: "You know you can count on me, your majesty. I won't have that filthy scumbag touch you."
Zelda knew Link meant Ganondorf and a wave of joy overwhelmed her as she heard him say it. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Link." she said with the most happy voice she could muster in the situation. What would she have done without her hero?
Terry thought the scene was kind of... sweet. He swallowed away his emotions and felt a dig in his side. When he turned at the source, he saw a grinning Mary. "Dry throat." he said with a monotonous voice, already knowing it was a very weak lie. When he looked back again, he saw Link and Zelda standing in front of him.
Before Terry could say a thing, Zelda beat him to it: "We're going back to Hyrule. To my father's castle where we can strengthen a bit before the fight." Zelda knew seeing her father after such a long time would provide emotional burden and perhaps even stress or conflict between her father and her, but she knew Hyrule Castle was the best place to rest a little after the horrorfying experiences. And yes, she wanted to see her father.
Terry nodded. "Right, guys. We've got to do this. We now know what we face and we will be ready."
"Yes." Link confirmed. "And we must not forget that we still have each other."
Mary nodded. "We've lost so many good friends, but we're not yet defeated."
"Indeed." Zelda said.
Terry slightly grinned. "I feel like the three musketeers. Only that we're with the four of us."
Mary chuckled. "One for all..."
"All for one..." Zelda finished softly, with a gentle smile.