The Legend of Zelda: The Return

Hey all!

Okay, first things first, sorry for the delay in getting this out, but first I had Writer's Block for a short time, then I rewrote it about thirty times because I didn't like it, and finally wound up with this version. I hope it's worth the wait!

Second things second, I apologize ahead of time, for my lapse into Third Person at the end, but I had to find someway to fit that in, and even poor old Oblivious-Link would have gotten the hint finally if he'd been there . . . let me know whether or not you liked the interlude.

Third things third, Marianne, I'm not exactly sure of what a beta-reader is (I have a vague idea . . . ) but I'm sure I wouldn't mind having one. :-) E-mail me at toraks_ if you're still up to it.

I think that's about it for now . . . again, I'm sorry for the delay! Thanks for the continual reviews anyway! You have no idea how much I appreciate that . . .

Lady Rose

Chapter 8

"This'll never work," Navi hisses in my ear, referring to the hastily formed plan which landed me in the situation I am currently in.

"Not if you don't shut up, it won't," I hiss back. Not more than a half an hour ago I crept into Lon Long Ranch and mugged the first lone Moblin I came across. Not that it was as easy as that. I pulled every muscle in my body fighting with him and got a few bruised ribs for my trouble, but the brute finally lost consciousness (I only had to hit him a million times on the head with the hilt of my sword). I stripped it down (left the loin cloth. I don't care how urgent this is, I wasn't touching that) and donned it's armor. It took me a minute to suppress my gag reflex (sweet merciful Din the smell!), and then I quickly fell into step behind the next group of Moblins to walk by.

Now, the thing is, I look nothing like a Moblin – even with the armor. Moblins are huge. Even the smallest ones have about 2 feet and 300 pounds of muscle on me.

And yet I didn't die.

Maybe they're drunk on bloodlust and adrenaline, but one way or another it just goes to show you: Moblins aren't just ugly, they're stupid.

So here I currently stand, Zelda's bronze arrow pointed at a row of prisoners tied two by two (Nabooru and Bruiser (thank the Goddesses! He's alive!), Ruto and Ingo, Darunia and Talon, and Saria and Impa), like a good little Moblin (except that the other Moblins here don't have the magic from a bewitched arrow pounding through their veins and screaming to be released), and watching the drama unfolding the center of Lon Lon's field.

Dark Link is pacing back and forth in front of Zelda – who's face is drawn, pale, and tearstained – and behind him is an ever growing pile of bodies. I recognize most of them – they're all from Castletown – and I had the privilege of watching the last two die. Dark Link dragged them out in front of Zelda, and screamed HERO OF TIME! at her in what, despite the sheer volume of the shriek, was apparently a question. However, I'm the only one who can actually hear Dark Link, so a Stalfos (those things are downright creepy) asked her in its horrible, dry, dusty, scraping voice where I was. She replied that she didn't know.

Dark Link took his time killing the people he'd dragged in front of her.

The Stalfos made sure Zelda watched.

Damn. These SOBs are serious about finding me.

All in all, I can't decide whether to scream a battle cry and charge them, or wet my pants and run the other way.

So I just stand here. And watch people die.

I'm starting to think the Sages really did mistake me for someone else.

I'm no hero.

Why did I even think I could do this?

Sometimes I'm amazed at my own stupidity. I should have known better. I'm surrounded by Moblins and Stalfos and all sorts of other mutated creatures from Ganondorf's legions of terror, with nothing but a few arrows and a sword that I barely know how to use.

I can feel my resolve and determination fading, and along with it the magic from the arrow.

I can't do this.

I can't.

I'm going to die.

And the Sages and everyone else are going to die with me.

Dark Link is dragging the next prisoner out in front of Zelda.

My breath catches in my throat and my heart stops beating.

Farore.

That's Malon.

That's Malon! They're going to kill her!

HERO OF TIME! Dark Link screams, throwing Malon down at Zelda's feet. Zelda's eyes widen and she gets the oddest look on her face. The Stalfos asks Zelda where I am. Talon struggles furiously against his bonds to Darunia, Ingo's watching the proceedings like a hawk. A huge owl soars over the Ranch, and gives one, encouraging, hoot.

Zelda says she doesn't know where I am.

Dark Link strikes Malon, sending her flying into Zelda.

Both women go down hard.

The Armos Statue strikes me before I can react and I go down hard, falling over the edge of the stairs, and landing on the hard stone floor below. The goddess' statue grins crookedly down at me. I suppose this is the best show she's had in years. Content that I'm not going to bother it any further the Armos hops and growls its way back to its original place.

Well, that could have been worse.

A sudden, malicious screeching above me lets me know that it's just gotten worse.

Assembling in a huge black cloud above me are several dozen Keese – no doubt hungry for blood. I'm probably the first person since Nabooru to invade the SpiritTemple. Wonderful.

"Uh . . . Navi . . ." I say. One Keese breaks off from the rest and descends on me. The others soon follow suit. "Navi?" I cry, leaping to my feet.

"RUN!" She shrieks. I manage a terrified gasp as I leap into a run in a desperate bid to make it away from the Keese.

Little buggers can fly faster than I can run.

"LINK!" Navi shrieks.

The Keese are upon me. Flapping and screeching and clawing and biting. I struggle to move across the floor, but the black cloud makes it almost impossible.

"Link!" I can hear Navi screaming from somewhere above me. I see a glimpse of yellow light off to my right. "Nayru's love!" She shouts over the screeching. "Cast it! Cast Nayru's Love!"

Well, what have I got to lose?

I call the spell to mind and the magic suddenly flares through me, caressing me, like the hand of the mother I never knew.

"NAYRU'S . . . LOVE!"

Fury and magic both burst inside me like a pent-up flood as the flashback ends, and fire bursts from the tip of the arrow. I resist the urge to dwell on my flashback like I usually do (no time), and immediately shift my aim as the Moblins scurry away from me in sudden fear and release the arrow once I've gotten Dark Link's head in sight.

And you know what?

The bastard saw it coming.

Attracted by the sudden noise, it whirls around and dives to the side just before my arrow strikes it. The Fire Arrow sails through the Stalfos instead. The bits of dead skin and tattered material hanging from its bones go up like a light and it stumbles back and away from Zelda and Malon.

I leap towards them at the same time as Dark Link jumps to his feet.

He whirls around to grin psychotically at me.

He pulls his sword out.

I leave mine sheathed.

We both know what I'm going to do. The only question is, which of us will be faster?

I bring the spell to mind and the magic bursts inside of me even as I throw myself at Zelda and Malon.

Dark Link lunges for the two, his sword extended.

I'm not going to make it!

I'm not going to make it!

I throw myself on top of both women at the same time as Dark Link's sword begins its descent.

"NAYRU'S LOVE!" I scream, pulling Zelda and Malon as close to me as I can from my position on top of them. A soft humming sound rings on the air and a gentle bluish light infuses everything around me.

Dark Link's sword clangs uselessly off of the shield of protective blue light.

"Link!" Zelda gasps. "What are you doing here, you dummy?" She hits my shoulder. Apparently the spell doesn't protect me from people in the shield. That hurt.

"Link!" Malon gasps. Her arms snake up and around my neck and she gives me the single most intense kiss I have ever experienced in my entire life.

For a half an instant everything around me disappears except for Malon.

But then Zelda drives her elbow into my side so hard I momentarily lose my breath.

"Do the two of you mind?" She cries. "We've got a bit more serious issues to deal with!"

True though that may be (Dark Link is hacking away at my ever shrinking shield like a man possessed) I can't help but get the feeling that's not the reason she's mad.

Not that I know what the real reason could be . . .

Maybe she's uncomfortable with public displays of affection . . . you never know. She is a princess. Maybe they're not allowed or something . . .

You know what's funny? She's wearing the same expression that Sheik always wear whenever he chances to see Malon and I kissing . . . or if I tell him about it . . . or mention Malon's name.

Now that's just odd.

I kiss Malon once more – partly for my own enjoyment, partly to get revenge on Zelda for bruising my side – then turn to the princess.

"All right," I say, "here's the thing. I haven't really thought this through beyond this point . . . in fact I didn't really think this through up to this point. This just kinda happened . . ." She glowers at me.

"Some things never change," she mutters. "Let me fill you in then, on what you've just done. What you've just done is put the whole of Hyrule in jeopardy because of your foolishness. That's what you've just done."

"Uh . . . Navi made me do it," I say. Conveniently the little fairy is too busy sparkling with yellow light over Dark Link's head and just outside the shield to hear me and defend herself. Zelda makes a disgusted noise.

"Hey, at least he rescued us," Malon says, jumping to my defense. "If you'd rather be dead . . ."

"I would rather die a thousand times, than watch what Ganondorf will do to Hyrule if he gets his hands on Link," Zelda hisses. "Our lives don't matter in the grand scheme of things."

"And what good is Hyrule if all of its people die due to an unwillingness to risk one life?" Malon shoots back. "Maybe Hyrule will be safe, but it'll be pretty empty." The argument immediately dissolves into a glaring contest.

Is it just me, or is there something going on here that's over my head?

"Hey! I've got an idea!" I say brightly. They both turn their glares on me.

"What?" They ask. I draw my sword and leap up off of them and at Dark Link as the last of my shield fades away.

"Go free the Sages!" I shout, slashing at Dark Link. I don't notice whether or not they listen to me. I'm a little involved in keeping my head attached to my body. Dark Link was ready for me when I leapt at him (surprise, surprise) and it's taking all my focus to fight him.

Not that I can really call it fighting.

More like getting my ass kicked, that's a bit closer to the truth. The vague flashes of inspiration I get from time to time on how to use this hunk of metal in my hand aren't nearly enough to let me compete against Psycho Me. I might have inspiration, but he's got experience and skill. I don't remember my experiences, and therefore don't have the skill.

Case in point:

I slash at him with the Master Sword. He blocks with his shield and slashes at me with his sword. I block with my arm . .. and subsequently start to bleed.

Memo to self: When engaging evil dark shades in battle, having a Shield is important.

I cry out and stumble backwards, resisting the urge to drop my sword and clutch at my arm.

Oh my Goddess that hurts!

I can't believe my arm is still attached!

Owwwwwww . . . ah!

I raise the Master sword and wince when Dark Link's sword strikes it. I lose my balance and fall over, the Master Sword flying from my hand and skidding across the grass.

HERO OF TIME! Dark Link cries triumphantly, taking advantage of my prone position and leaping at me, sword extended.

I'm dead.

No wait . . . I'm not . . .

Bruiser and Darunia have double-teamed Dark Link . . .

Bruiser's put Psycho Me in some kind of wrestling hold and Darunia's beating on him.

"RUN KID!" Bruiser bellows at me in that tone of voice he always uses when he fully intends to kick my ass if I don't.

I've never disobeyed that tone of voice.

I've no intentions of doing so now.

I scramble to my feet and run towards my sword my hand reaches out and wraps around the hilt just as something hard wraps around my neck from behind me and lifts me, kicking and struggling, into the air.

It's the Stalfos.

It's not dead.

Or . . . whatever it is happens to an undead being after you kill it again.

It's grip tightens on my throat and my vision starts to swim, I tighten my grip on my sword before I can drop it again and struggle frantically to get out of its grasp.

Farore . . . it's getting really hard to breathe . . .

Suddenly a furious whinny splits through the fog pervading my head and suddenly I can breathe again as I topple towards the ground.

"Fairy-boy!" Malon cries, leaping off of Epona (who, I notice, is busy pummeling the Stalfos to a pile of bone dust with her hooves. Goddess, I love that horse . . . ). I cough weakly as Malon helps me to my feet, rubbing my throat in pain with my good hand. "Are you all right, Link?" Malon asks, looking at me in concern, her hand warm and comforting as she pulls my hand away from my throat and looks at it critically.

"Never better," I say hoarsely.

"Yeah right," she says with a wry grin, ripping off a piece of her (already very tattered) sleeve and tying it around my bleeding arm. "You're probably going to need stitches," she tells me. "But that doesn't matter now. "Your new girlfriend's right. You shouldn't be here. Bruiser told me all about the Hero of Time business while we were . . ."

"Woah, hold up a second," I say, frowning at her. "Zelda's not my girlfriend," I say flatly. She raises an eyebrow at me.

"Could have fooled me, the way she was acting," she says with a dark frown.

Hmmm . . . I definitely missed something. The way she was acting? Let's see . . . she hit me . . . she elbowed me . . . she yelled at me . . . oh yeah, we're a couple all right.

"No seriously," I say. I throw her a crooked grin. "Besides, she's blonde. I prefer red heads." Malon gives me a kind of sad smile.

"Sure thing, Fairy Boy," she said. "But the Hero of Time business isn't the only thing Bruiser told me about you." I frown at her.

"Malon, I'm serious," I say. "I don't know what Bruiser's been telling you, but there's nothing between Zelda and I. Nothing. She's not my girlfriend. If anyone's my girlfriend, it's you." She hesitates.

"You really mean that?" She asks. I think about it for a minute. Do I mean it? I mean . . . Malon and I fool around all the time . . . but we've never actually said . . . I mean, it's never been official . . .

"Yeah," I say. "Yeah I think I do. If you don't mind that is . . ." She smiles at me.

"Why would I mind, Fairy-boy?" She demands. "That's the best news I've had in weeks." I grin stupidly at her and open my mouth to reply but we're cut off by a cry from our right. We both whirl around and Malon's eyes widen in horror when she spots Talon being set upon by thee Moblins at once.

"Dad!" She shrieks, and immediately takes off at a run. I slam the Master Sword back into its sheath and start to run after her, but someone grabs the back of my shirt and hauls me back.

"Not so fast kid," Nabooru says. "We've got to get you out of here."

"No," I cry, struggling furiously against her grip. "I've got to help them. Malon and Talon aren't fighters . . ."

"Neither are you," Bruiser says, materializing out of the smoke at my side. "Not yet. I'll help the Lon Lon's, kid," he said. "You go with Nabooru." Before I can argue he lifts me up by the scruff of my neck and practically throws me on Epona. Nabooru hops up behind me and promptly wraps her arms around me and grabs the reigns, effectively holding me in place.

"Bruiser! Wait!" I cry desperately. I try to fight Nabooru but with one good arm it's just not happening. "Bruiser!" Bruiser fixes me with an odd look.

"When they came to me seven years ago and asked me to take you in, I agreed out of duty. I never actually thought . . ." He stops and rubs his head ruefully, unaccustomed to sappiness in our relationship. "When you didn't come back after delivering the arrows, I panicked. That was the single, worst night of my life. And then the Moblins attacked . . . I was sure you had died. I don't think I've ever been that upset in my life . . ."

"I don't know, you were pretty upset the day I put that deku nut in your shoe and it exploded when you put it on . . ." I say, unaccustomed to the sappiness myself. Bruiser smiles at me – a rare thing – then looks at Nabooru.

"Take care of him, hey?" He says. Nabooru offers him a smile – another rare thing – and nods once before flicking the reigns.

"I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF!" I shout uselessly back at him as Epona takes off and Bruiser heads off to help the Lon Lon's. Nabooru shakes her head at me but doesn't say anything (a fact for which I am thankful).

I turn back to face the area ahead of us as Epona runs right through the Moblin ranks and heads for the entrance to Lon Lon Ranch.

Why do I get the feeling I'm never going to see Bruiser, or Malon, or any of the others ever again?

xxx

A Brief Interlude

Zelda stares at Malon in surprise. The red-haired girl has an odd expression on her face.

"He asked me to be his girlfriend," she says quietly, staring at the princess. "He meant it too. I just wanted to let you know." Zelda keeps her face carefully expressionless as the Moblins close in around them.

"I'm happy for you," she says. Impa suddenly bursts through the Moblins, seated on back of one of Lon Lon's horses, her sword flashing and dancing as she cuts through their ranks. She gallops up to Zelda.

"Princess! We have to go!" She says crisply. It's not a request. Malon and Zelda continue to hold each other's gaze. Tears suddenly spring up in Malon's eyes.

"You'll take care of him?" She asks. "Promise me?" Zelda nods once.

"You can come . . ." She starts to say but Malon cuts her off with a sharp gesture.

"Bruiser and my Dad are caught again," she says. "I have to go with them. I'll have to surrender. Besides . . . I'd only be in the way . . . of you and him."

"He might not . . ." Zelda starts to say as Impa drags her up into the saddle, but again Malon cuts her off as she steps back towards the Moblins.

"I know Link," she says. "I know . . ." She shakes her head suddenly and turns around and charges the Moblins.

"MALON!" Zelda cries.

"JUST GO!" Malon calls back, as the Moblins surround her. "TAKE CARE OF HIM!"

Impa digs her heels into the horses flanks and she and Zelda take off, running towards the entrance of Lon Lon Ranch.

Zelda can't resist casting a glance over her shoulder. Talon, Ingo, Malon, Bruiser, Darunia, Ruto, Saria and the rest of Castletown's residents are all captured once again. There's no sign of Nabooru and Link.

They might have gotten out.

She turns back to face the front as tears start to fall down her own face.

They had to have gotten out . . .

They just had to . . .