Author's random messages: Yeah! FF.net is back up! I was getting upset there for a moment. What was I going to do without my slash? Yes, I am an adorer of slash, Lord of the Rings slash to be precise. Don't ask me why, I can't answer it myself…It's a strange indulgence. Anyway, this has nothing to do with the story, so I'll stop.
Chapter Seven: The Beginning of the End
Link braced his hands on his knees as exhaustion fell over him and his breakfast came upon him for the second time. The acidic taste burned awfully in his mouth as he wiped the vomit from his lips on his sleeve. He had been training since before sun-up that morning, as he had been doing so more and more frequently in months past. His young body was toned down again, as hard and as limber as when he was seventeen and facing Ganondorf Dragmire for the first time. Gone was the evidence of a lazy lifestyle, gone was the extra weight he had filled out with, and gone was his hair. The bright bristles glistened with sweat as Link was forced to sit on the ground to stop the world from spinning.
He needed water and with a clumsy hand he groped for it sitting by a nearby tree. Out in the Lost Woods no one would bother him, not even the Kokiri whom knew the paths well. When his head had cooled down and his stomach settled Link made himself stand again and pick up the sword and shield. The sword itself sagged in his left hand, as his arm was beat and weak from hours of labor. Looking up Link saw through the opening of trees above him that the sun was close to two o'clock. Eight hours he had been training none stop; no wonder his body had finally had enough of him. It was then that he realized he was desperately hungry and thought better of returning home. He could not punish himself any more today though he truly felt he should.
Despite himself Link ended up dozing in bed until nearly five o'clock that evening. Navi at that time had returned from business of her own and found him sleeping so heavily that she decided to leave him be. It was an earthquake more violent than all the others that had shaken Hyrule's land in recent months that woke him. Link shot out of bed fully clothed and weak in the legs as he saw his books go flying from their shelves onto the floor. After the tremor had ceased Link was filled with a sudden dread that he could not explain and he ran outdoors with Navi in tow. The Kokiri were out of their houses as well and were starting to assemble at the Deku Tree's Meadow where they would be protected. Indeed the energy sensitive children felt the tension thick as tar as well. None of them tried to stop the Hero of Time when he raced out of the forest on Epona with urgency.
Link rode like the wind across the Field as the evening sky grew darker and darker around him. It was when he was nearing Kakariko that he noticed the unnatural silence around him. Not one bird sang, not one leaf moved in a breeze, only he and Epona's labored breathing echoed in the silence. The air was close and confining feeling though it was just air. Link wiped his sweaty brow and reined Epona to the right toward Kakariko when the sky lit up with fire and the earth jolted beneath him. Thunderous claps reverberated in the dense air and sounded like the land itself was splitting open. Epona reared up in fright and Navi flew close to Link in the confusion.
Link spun around to face Death Mountain as the first, huge plume of volcanic ash rose up from the crater. The hero could hear the frantic voices of people screaming now and he urged Epona onto the billowing towers of smoke and fire.
Thick, black clouds blotted out the setting sun, sending the inhabitance into panic. Link ran onward through the crowds, hurrying people along, shouting at them to move and get out of their homes. They must leave everything; there wasn't any time. He looked up the mountainside where the billowing stacks of smoke loomed ominously above and wondered, prayed, that the Gorons had found shelter deep within the caves. There was no way he could have known when this would have happened, the Future Sages had not specified when. Now he could only pray to the Goddesses for aid.
"Move!" Link shouted at a couple of young boys as they stood gawking at the flames jumping and spitting out of the top of the crater. He shoved them along until they were moving with the rest, then Link returned through Kakariko's gates to help with the rest. He saw Impa and Nabooru through the crowd, shouting like himself. This was most definitely a situation to leave the Sacred Realm for. But with Rauru gone everything still felt off-balanced. Marcus appeared behind him suddenly and clasped Link firmly on the shoulder.
"Everybody's almost out Link, but the livestock is scared, some of the cows won't move. We'll have to leave them." Marcus was panting heavily from running around, and now the smoke started to settle in and make the air unbearable.
"Agreed, leave them, just leave as many gate doors open as you can, I don't want to give them no way out. But don't risk yourself, I want you out of here in five minutes, no more! Where is Sanders? I haven't seen him." Link started to cough now and covered his mouth as the smoke began to sting his eyes.
"I sent him out with some of the women who were having trouble. I didn't want him in here; he has a baby on the way." Marcus left after that and ran into the thickening smoke the wind was blowing down to them. Link ran to Impa who along with Nabooru was herding out the last of the villagers at the town gate.
"Link!" Impa shouted, "they are safe, come, we must go!"
"I can't yet, not without Marcus, don't wait for me, I'll be right behind you!" Link clapped her on the arm and she nodded, turning and running down the steps with Nabooru in tow.
The heat was starting to intensify and the entire sky was lit up with brilliant red and orange flames that were spewing out from the volcano's mouth. A stray cow lumbered by Link, mooing frantically and ran past him into the smoke. Fire started to alight on the tops of houses and buildings as Link made his way into the village. He wandered until he made out Marcus's form tearing open one last gate through the smoke. Link tugged at his shoulder and together they were the last to evacuate Kakariko. Link glanced over his shoulder one last time to see the flames soaring behind them toward the sky.
Everyone had gathered in huddled, panicked masses on the Field, watching in an odd silence as their homes burned underneath a blanket of volcanic ash. The only blessings the Goddesses did grant was a northeastern wind, blowing most of the poisonous ash away from the Field…but not strong enough to save their homes. The molten lava was moving down the mountainside now, picking up speed as it went along.
Impa stood along on the field and watched her people's village being destroyed by the flames. Her expression was somber and placid at the same time so that no one dared to approach her, not even Nabooru. A group of the King's soldiers came riding across the field with aid and supplies for the injured and with them rode Zelda, wrapped up so tightly in a cloak her figure was nearly indistinguishable as her own. She instructed the villagers to follow the soldiers out further onto the Field and away from danger where they would set up a camp and shelter until further notice. Everyone listened but found it hard to tear their attention away from their burning homes at the foot of the volcano.
"Captain Viscen, are you well enough to lead and take charge here?" Zelda spoke softly from atop her white steed that pranced nervously in the constant commotion. The Princess was very pale and weak looking. Link noticed that she struggled to sit up straight in the saddle and her riding cloak was her thickest and heaviest.
"Yes your Majesty," Captain Marcus Viscen nodded and cleared his throat from the last bit of choking smoke that reeked on his coat. He mounted the horse that one of the soldiers had brought up for him next to the Princess and called out above the crowd, "to me soldiers! Let's get these people out of here! Hie-ah!" Spurring his horse he rode away from Link.
"Please, everyone! Follow Captain Viscen!" Zelda commanded, knowing full well that she was a sign of encouragement. "Link, go with him, the people will need a hero's strength." Her kind blue eyes smiled from behind their tired gaze. All of the commotion, all of the noise, it all hit Zelda in one dizzying psychic blow.
"Shouldn't I stay with you Princess?" Link held Zelda's reigns to keep the horse from pacing too much.
"Help me, Link," Zelda groaned and started to dismount. Link's strong hands shot out to help his princess to the ground and he lifted her from the saddle easily. Her footing was weak and she leaned on the Hero of Time clutching hold on his tunic. She had to get off her horse before the dizziness knocked her off on its own. When she looked up Link's image was swirling around her and the sounds of the people's cries echoed in her ears.
"Link," Zelda's voice wavered and she struggled to hold onto him, "hold me for a moment, I…I can't see straight." By this time the panicked villagers had taken notice of their princess. Link brought her cloak around both of them to block her from view while Captain Viscen, noticing what was wrong, has his soldiers hurry the crowd along more quickly.
"Zel, what's wrong?" Link's voice croaked from breathing in the smoke. "Why can't you stand? Here, hold onto me, that's it." He propped her up against his shoulder and the crook of his elbow. By this time the spell had began to pass and the world stopped spinning around Zelda. When she looked up at Link there was one of him again.
"I, I'm fine now. Come, we must get these people to safety," she said, but when she let go of Link's tunic her feet stumbled beneath her again. Link's hero-fast reflexes saved her once again.
"Zelda, what's wrong?!" Link demanded again as Marcus reigned his horse up next to them.
"Princess, Link, is everything alright? We're about to start moving everyone into the relief camps," he paused and added in a softer tone, "the people want to see their princess your Majesty."