CHAPTER ELEVEN
Reflections in the Water
Derek pulled Sarah to her feet; she opened her emerald eyes and looked at him. He was saying something but she could not hear him. Derek pulled her hands from her ears while continuing to speak.
"...said are you okay?"
Sarah hesitated, she could still hear screaming, but not as bad as when she first arrived. She looked about her, it was nighttime, the stars were twinkling above her, surrounding the two moons. She saw Jacob standing not to far away, his hand rested upon the hilt of the Master Sword. Anastriana stood next to him, pointing off into the distance. She spoke of a cavalry going in that direction. Sarah placed her eyes upon Derek.
"Yeah, I' okay, not used to traveling like that I guess." She said to him reassuringly.
Jacob and Anastriana walked back to Sarah and Derek. Anastriana had sheathed her rapier and had shifted the scabbard to the back of her belt.
"A group of riders rode off in that direction with what looked like digging tools." Jacob said, "We're going to follow them." Anastriana looked around, her ears perked as if listening to some distant sound.
"Jacob, we need to go." Anastriana said after a moment.
"Alright." Jacob said. He looked over to Sarah. "Can you do this?"
Sarah nodded.
"Good, I'll need you."
Sarah smiled inside. Perhaps there was hope after all.
The four companions dashed off into the forest, hoping to catch up with the horseback riders.
* * *
After an hour of wandering through the forest, Jacob could see rays of moonlight shining through the trees. He dashed to the nearest opening and peered out. Derek came up behind him, followed by the girls.
There was a vast lake, sparkling in the moonlight, backed by a range of snow-capped mountains. Resting in the middle of the lake was a small island, attached to the shore by a rope bridge. On the shore were the horses, devoid of any riders.
On the island, Jacob could see what he presumed the riders of the horses furiously digging at something. Jacob looked back at the others.
"Okay, we want to know what they're doing, if they attack, we'll retaliate." Jacob started. "Derek, guard the horses, if they try to retreat, stop them. Sarah, set up a vantage point near the bridge, keep an eye out for more, and take care of any threats with your bow. Anastriana, you're with me."
Sarah and Derek nodded, Jacob added, "The signal to attack will be a unsheathed sword."
Jacob, followed by Anastriana, walked to the bridge, the soldiers still unaware of Jacob and Anastriana's presence. Derek crouched next to the horses, hidden from view.
Sarah knelt next to the bridge, "Oh sure," she pulled an arrow from her quiver and set it on the bow, "I've shot a bow before, I'm the best." She pulled the string back and set it ready. "'Cause I'm Sarah."
She paused, then added: "This sucks."
"Excuse me," Jacob stated as he slowly walked forward on the bridge.
There were twelve soldiers; Jacob noticed that all of them were female. All of them were digging, except for one, which was barking demands in a language that sounded like Arabic. She stopped giving orders and looked to Jacob and spoke in a clipped accent.
"What do you want?" came her voice, melodic, yet harsh.
"I'd like to know where it is I am at." Jacob stated, attempting to start a conversation. Anastriana came up behind Jacob. The redheaded soldier eyed Anastriana, and then turned her attention back to Jacob.
The red head looked Jacob up and down, and then she turned her head and cut her eyes to the others and barked something in her language, which obviously frightened them enough to cause them to dig faster.
"Say, what are you looking for?" Anastriana asked to the redheaded soldier, looking over Jacob's shoulder.
"That's none of your concern." The redhead retorted.
"I believe it is." Anastriana ripped out her rapier and pointed it to the redhead's throat. Jacob slammed the blade away, yelling: "NO!" Too late.
Sarah saw the gleam of the blade in the moonlight. Derek ran to Sarah, in a vain effort to stop her. Without hesitation, she let fly the arrow. It flew through the air, hitting its mark with a sickening crunch into the air.
Jacob stared in shock. The other eleven soldiers looked up in the instant as their leader's body sank to its knees, then fell face first into the dirt. They stood up; each one drew out a curved scimitar from sheaths on their backs.
Jacob pulled the scimitar from the dead leader's body and wielded it against the oncoming warriors. Several arrows flew through the air, most soared harmlessly by but two hit their mark into two of the women's chests. Those two warriors fell dead where they stood, the remaining nine that was left rushed Jacob and Anastriana.
* * *
"Derek, what should we do?" Sarah asked as she loaded another arrow onto her bow. Derek knelt next to her.
"We'll go help them." Derek said. Sarah and Derek stood up; Derek dashed across the shore to the bridge and stopped. He watched as Jacob and Anastriana's fluid motions in battle complemented each other. Sarah stopped behind Derek.
"Derek, what's up? Keep going." She urged.
Derek just pointed, and said "Why? It'll be over by the time we get there.
* * *
Jacob twirled the scimitar in deadly arcs about his body. The women lunged at him, only to have their own weapons knocked away. Four attacked Anastriana, who turned the tides when she twirled one's weapon away and landed her heel into the warrior's face. The next fighter brought her curved blade whistling through the air at Anastriana's head. Anastriana duck, and lunged out with her rapier, the smooth blade penetrating the leg, just below the knee, and protruding out of the back.
The warrior howled and fell over; she gripped her leg and screamed in agony.
Jacob had dispatched two of the five attacking him. He had done it rather smoothly. Another attacked him, with a downward strike. He caught her blade, flung it away, then slashed her twice across the stomach, and then turning away, made a reverse lunge, the curved blade slicing through her instead of just stabbing.
The two left against Jacob dove into the water and began to swim for shore. Jacob turned to Anastriana who had just stabbed one on the ground. Another crept up behind her. She stopped and looked at Jacob who took the Master Sword hilt, and flung it across the island, the broken blade impacted into her chest. Anastriana, hearing it, turned around and kicked the blade deeper into her chest.
"Bitch." Anastriana said as the body fell over. She turned to the other body and pulled her rapier out and instantly sheathed it.
Jacob looked away from her to the shore, the two escaped into the woods. He did not care.
Derek and Sarah ran up to them. Sarah immediately hugged Jacob.
"Wow, that was amazing!" she said.
Derek began to say something, he opened his mouth but nothing came out. He cocked his head to the side, listening.
"Derek, what is it?" Jacob said, easing past Sarah.
"That noise..." he said.
"Yeah, I hear it too." Anastriana agreed.
Jacob listened, he tilted his head slightly to try and pick up the sound. He heard it, a faint humming. He looked around and found the source. The Master Sword hilt. It was humming. Jacob walked over and jerked it out of the warrior's chest. The yellow jewel, right above the pommel, glowed brightly.
Anastriana looked at the grotto that had been opened by the soldiers, "Jacob, those Gerudo Guards opened this." Derek looked over into it. "It's dark."
Jacob walked forward, as he neared, the Master Sword's jewel glowed brighter and the humming grew louder.
"Hmm, must be a shard down there. That must be what the sword is trying to tell us." Jacob said to the others.
"I'm going in after it." Jacob told them. "You all stay and keep an eye out."
"Jacob," Sarah ran over to him and embraced him. "Be careful. Please." Jacob kissed her on the neck. Sarah blushed and released him. Jacob went to the grotto and knelt, preparing to jump.
"Jacob," Derek called, "Here, and good luck." He handed Jacob one of the scimitars. Jacob took it and nodded. He took a deep breath, then jumped into the deep darkness.
"I hope he's okay." Anastriana said to herself. She walked to Derek and slid her hand into his.
* * *
Jacob landed on a walkway; it was made of mirrored tile, very beautiful. On either side there ran a small stream, running through it was the clearest water that sparkled with an unearthly glow. Jacob looked into the water, he saw his reflection, it possessed an aura, possibly created by the moonlight. He turned his attention down the walkway. There was an arch that lead into a larger chamber. He began to walk towards the chamber.
"Well, this looks easy enough."
Derek pulled Sarah to her feet; she opened her emerald eyes and looked at him. He was saying something but she could not hear him. Derek pulled her hands from her ears while continuing to speak.
"...said are you okay?"
Sarah hesitated, she could still hear screaming, but not as bad as when she first arrived. She looked about her, it was nighttime, the stars were twinkling above her, surrounding the two moons. She saw Jacob standing not to far away, his hand rested upon the hilt of the Master Sword. Anastriana stood next to him, pointing off into the distance. She spoke of a cavalry going in that direction. Sarah placed her eyes upon Derek.
"Yeah, I' okay, not used to traveling like that I guess." She said to him reassuringly.
Jacob and Anastriana walked back to Sarah and Derek. Anastriana had sheathed her rapier and had shifted the scabbard to the back of her belt.
"A group of riders rode off in that direction with what looked like digging tools." Jacob said, "We're going to follow them." Anastriana looked around, her ears perked as if listening to some distant sound.
"Jacob, we need to go." Anastriana said after a moment.
"Alright." Jacob said. He looked over to Sarah. "Can you do this?"
Sarah nodded.
"Good, I'll need you."
Sarah smiled inside. Perhaps there was hope after all.
The four companions dashed off into the forest, hoping to catch up with the horseback riders.
* * *
After an hour of wandering through the forest, Jacob could see rays of moonlight shining through the trees. He dashed to the nearest opening and peered out. Derek came up behind him, followed by the girls.
There was a vast lake, sparkling in the moonlight, backed by a range of snow-capped mountains. Resting in the middle of the lake was a small island, attached to the shore by a rope bridge. On the shore were the horses, devoid of any riders.
On the island, Jacob could see what he presumed the riders of the horses furiously digging at something. Jacob looked back at the others.
"Okay, we want to know what they're doing, if they attack, we'll retaliate." Jacob started. "Derek, guard the horses, if they try to retreat, stop them. Sarah, set up a vantage point near the bridge, keep an eye out for more, and take care of any threats with your bow. Anastriana, you're with me."
Sarah and Derek nodded, Jacob added, "The signal to attack will be a unsheathed sword."
Jacob, followed by Anastriana, walked to the bridge, the soldiers still unaware of Jacob and Anastriana's presence. Derek crouched next to the horses, hidden from view.
Sarah knelt next to the bridge, "Oh sure," she pulled an arrow from her quiver and set it on the bow, "I've shot a bow before, I'm the best." She pulled the string back and set it ready. "'Cause I'm Sarah."
She paused, then added: "This sucks."
"Excuse me," Jacob stated as he slowly walked forward on the bridge.
There were twelve soldiers; Jacob noticed that all of them were female. All of them were digging, except for one, which was barking demands in a language that sounded like Arabic. She stopped giving orders and looked to Jacob and spoke in a clipped accent.
"What do you want?" came her voice, melodic, yet harsh.
"I'd like to know where it is I am at." Jacob stated, attempting to start a conversation. Anastriana came up behind Jacob. The redheaded soldier eyed Anastriana, and then turned her attention back to Jacob.
The red head looked Jacob up and down, and then she turned her head and cut her eyes to the others and barked something in her language, which obviously frightened them enough to cause them to dig faster.
"Say, what are you looking for?" Anastriana asked to the redheaded soldier, looking over Jacob's shoulder.
"That's none of your concern." The redhead retorted.
"I believe it is." Anastriana ripped out her rapier and pointed it to the redhead's throat. Jacob slammed the blade away, yelling: "NO!" Too late.
Sarah saw the gleam of the blade in the moonlight. Derek ran to Sarah, in a vain effort to stop her. Without hesitation, she let fly the arrow. It flew through the air, hitting its mark with a sickening crunch into the air.
Jacob stared in shock. The other eleven soldiers looked up in the instant as their leader's body sank to its knees, then fell face first into the dirt. They stood up; each one drew out a curved scimitar from sheaths on their backs.
Jacob pulled the scimitar from the dead leader's body and wielded it against the oncoming warriors. Several arrows flew through the air, most soared harmlessly by but two hit their mark into two of the women's chests. Those two warriors fell dead where they stood, the remaining nine that was left rushed Jacob and Anastriana.
* * *
"Derek, what should we do?" Sarah asked as she loaded another arrow onto her bow. Derek knelt next to her.
"We'll go help them." Derek said. Sarah and Derek stood up; Derek dashed across the shore to the bridge and stopped. He watched as Jacob and Anastriana's fluid motions in battle complemented each other. Sarah stopped behind Derek.
"Derek, what's up? Keep going." She urged.
Derek just pointed, and said "Why? It'll be over by the time we get there.
* * *
Jacob twirled the scimitar in deadly arcs about his body. The women lunged at him, only to have their own weapons knocked away. Four attacked Anastriana, who turned the tides when she twirled one's weapon away and landed her heel into the warrior's face. The next fighter brought her curved blade whistling through the air at Anastriana's head. Anastriana duck, and lunged out with her rapier, the smooth blade penetrating the leg, just below the knee, and protruding out of the back.
The warrior howled and fell over; she gripped her leg and screamed in agony.
Jacob had dispatched two of the five attacking him. He had done it rather smoothly. Another attacked him, with a downward strike. He caught her blade, flung it away, then slashed her twice across the stomach, and then turning away, made a reverse lunge, the curved blade slicing through her instead of just stabbing.
The two left against Jacob dove into the water and began to swim for shore. Jacob turned to Anastriana who had just stabbed one on the ground. Another crept up behind her. She stopped and looked at Jacob who took the Master Sword hilt, and flung it across the island, the broken blade impacted into her chest. Anastriana, hearing it, turned around and kicked the blade deeper into her chest.
"Bitch." Anastriana said as the body fell over. She turned to the other body and pulled her rapier out and instantly sheathed it.
Jacob looked away from her to the shore, the two escaped into the woods. He did not care.
Derek and Sarah ran up to them. Sarah immediately hugged Jacob.
"Wow, that was amazing!" she said.
Derek began to say something, he opened his mouth but nothing came out. He cocked his head to the side, listening.
"Derek, what is it?" Jacob said, easing past Sarah.
"That noise..." he said.
"Yeah, I hear it too." Anastriana agreed.
Jacob listened, he tilted his head slightly to try and pick up the sound. He heard it, a faint humming. He looked around and found the source. The Master Sword hilt. It was humming. Jacob walked over and jerked it out of the warrior's chest. The yellow jewel, right above the pommel, glowed brightly.
Anastriana looked at the grotto that had been opened by the soldiers, "Jacob, those Gerudo Guards opened this." Derek looked over into it. "It's dark."
Jacob walked forward, as he neared, the Master Sword's jewel glowed brighter and the humming grew louder.
"Hmm, must be a shard down there. That must be what the sword is trying to tell us." Jacob said to the others.
"I'm going in after it." Jacob told them. "You all stay and keep an eye out."
"Jacob," Sarah ran over to him and embraced him. "Be careful. Please." Jacob kissed her on the neck. Sarah blushed and released him. Jacob went to the grotto and knelt, preparing to jump.
"Jacob," Derek called, "Here, and good luck." He handed Jacob one of the scimitars. Jacob took it and nodded. He took a deep breath, then jumped into the deep darkness.
"I hope he's okay." Anastriana said to herself. She walked to Derek and slid her hand into his.
* * *
Jacob landed on a walkway; it was made of mirrored tile, very beautiful. On either side there ran a small stream, running through it was the clearest water that sparkled with an unearthly glow. Jacob looked into the water, he saw his reflection, it possessed an aura, possibly created by the moonlight. He turned his attention down the walkway. There was an arch that lead into a larger chamber. He began to walk towards the chamber.
"Well, this looks easy enough."