The Legend of Zelda: The Return
Hey all!
Just a quick note to let you know that the fighting abilities on the part of Karun and Acqul in this chapter are taken from Majora's Mask for those of you who haven't played the game. :-)
Thanks!
Lady Rose
A Brief Interlude
"What do you think?" Karun asked, eyeing him.
"I'm think . . . I'm worried," Hunter said with a frown, leaning with his good hand on the table the maps were spread on. He looked at Karun, squinting against the torch light in the tent. "This happened too fast. It was too easy. Moblins are stupid, but the things driving them are not. The Stalfos were at one time very powerful men. And I know they've got renegade Sheikah and Gerudo in there. Rue's numbers aren't convincing. Two more Gerudo defected this week. Two. That's two more who saw some of our new techniques. They should have been ready . . . even minimally ready. It doesn't make sense that they weren't. The battle in the Market wasn't a battle, Karun. I wouldn't even call it a fight. And our progress has been too fast. They've practically gave us the ground we covered yesterday. It's freaking me out." Karun scratched his stomach and made an ominous rumbling noise.
"I'm with you on this much," he rumbled. "But it's convincing the others . . . Acqul's convinced it was our new tactics that did it. And Dune and Rue . . . well . . . Dune hasn't been herself since Ketari died, and no one blames her, and Rue's got her hands full with watching the Gerudo with crossed-loyalties. No one wants to acknowledge the fact that this didn't go the way it should . . ."
"They're all still hyped up on Team Spirit," Hunter muttered. "They're all trying so hard to like each other that no one wants to admit that we might not be infallible as a team." He shook his head and dropped into a seat. "But the Moblins are a team too . . ." Silence descended for a moment as the two considered the ill portents of the conversation until Hunter looked up.
"Why do you keep asking me these things Karun?" He asked, peering at him curiously. "We both know I'm only an amateur at military theory. The biggest fight I've ever been in was with my Dad that time I lost my temper and called him out." He winced in remembered pain. "And I lost that one. Badly." Karun smiled at him.
"At what point," he asked, "does one move from amateur, to professional? You've a rare intellect, Hunter, and your lack of experience can, at times, be a blessing. You can see things in a situation that a grizzled old veteran like myself won't even notice, and your ideas are new and refreshing. Besides," he added with a twinkle in his eye, "I never really wanted to be a soldier. Always wanted to be a teacher. You're like . . . the student I never had. I'm rather enjoying myself." He grinned at him. "You wouldn't deny an old Goron that, would you?" Hunter returned the smile. Karun reminded him of his father sometimes . . .
"Wouldn't dream of it," he said, around the painful constriction in his throat.
xxx
Chapter 35
"Dodging the Elite, eh?"
I gasp and jump, whirling around to face Neesha, one hand clutching my chest.
"Farore, Nayru and Din, Neesha!" I cry. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"
"Hmph," she says. "You're the one doing the sneaking. Why'd you even agree to take the Elite with you if you're just going to hide from them?" She demands.
"I didn't think that when she said the Elite would follow me everywhere, Rue meant everywhere," I say shortly, peering back around the side of the building for any sign of white uniforms and red hair before slipping into the alley, Neesha right on my heels. "Din! It's been what? Half a day since she caught us on our way to the battle? I haven't been alone since . . . I hardly see a need for bodyguards when we're in the part of Hyrule controlled by us. In fact, I don't see the need for bodyguards at all, but there you go. I'm tired of fighting with her over it." Neesha rolls her eyes.
"Link, bodyguards come with being King," she says as we walk. "It's part of the job. You're important. You need protection."
"I don't need protection," I respond. "I am protection. That's what I'm supposed to be doing. 'To defend Hyrule, and all of time, from those like Ganondorf.' That's how the Sages defined my job."
"That was before we found out you were King," Neesha answers easily. "That changes things."
"Bah," I say. "It changes nothing. I'm still supposed to be the Hero of Time, and Rue's making it very hard for me to do that." Navi drops from my bangs to dangle upside down in front of my eyes, my movements causing her wild blue hair to bob as we walk.
"Why don't you just explain that to her, Link?" She asks. "As Neesha's pointed out, you are their King. They're sworn to obey you. Why not just say, 'hey! Leave me alone!'?" I sigh and jam my hands into my pockets.
"Because, Navi, it's not that easy," I say. "I told them like a million times that I'm not going to tell them what to do. I don't know why they even need a King. They've been running themselves just fine without one. So they can keep doing that. It's the only thing I can offer them that Ganondorf can't. And if they feel they need to protect me, then fine. It's their choice, and they have every right to make that choice, much as it might frustrate me. But at the same time, I've got every right to make my own choices, and currently, I'm choosing to hide from them in order to have a bit of time without the Elite hovering over my shoulder."
"I can't help but notice that this isn't a very efficient system," Navi mutters, raising an eyebrow at me (though in her upside-down position she looks more foolish than unimpressed).
"So sue me," I respond. "I'm still new to this, all right? It's not like I wanted to be King." Navi gives a disgruntled sigh, unsatisfied with my answers (as per usual) and pulls herself back up into my hair. Neesha frowns at me.
"Are you saying it's a bad thing to be King?" She asks, her eyebrows drawn down into a frown in an expression that means I've either offended her or I'm confusing her. A lot of Gerudo give me that look, a lot. Jinni used to do it all the time. "I suppose you never wanted to be Gerudo either than?" I frown back at her.
"How did I know you'd take that the wrong way?" I ask her. "Neesha, I don't not want to be Gerudo. I have no problem with being Gerudo. I kinda like it. It's better than being nothing. I just . . . I'm not . . ." I sigh. "I just liked it better when people didn't pay much attention to me. Sometimes I think it would be nice to go back to the days when I'd just play by myself in the Lost Woods. No responsibilities, no people counting on you, none of that. I'm not saying that I'm going to shirk those responsibilities, or that I'm going to let everyone down, it's just . . . sometimes it's frustrating. I can't do what I want anymore. I can't go anywhere without asking someone, or telling someone. I can't say anything without first worrying about whether or not someone's going to read into it. I can't even breathe without worrying about it. I'm not even Gerudo, I'm King. Apparently there's a difference. I can't just be Gerudo. I can't just be Sheikah. I can't just be anything. Everyone wants me to be something else, to the point where I forget who I am. Is this even making sense?"
"I think you just need to go to bed," Navi comments from my head. Neesha nods, eyeing me.
"I'm with Navi on this one," she says. I frown at both of them.
"And I think you two need to –"
"There you are!" I freeze and wince, slapping my forehead with my hand.
"Dammit," I hiss. Rue rips into the alleyway, silver hair flying and wrinkled face furious.
"I thought we had a deal, Highness! You're supposed to be with the Elite!"
"Technically," I say, turning around to face her, "I never actually – what is it? What's wrong?" I demand, interrupting myself upon seeing her face. Her fury isn't directed at me. Something's happened. Something's gone wrong.
"Karun was right," she says flatly. "We've been fooled. You need to come back to the tent now." I stare at her in surprise for a moment, and then immediately push myself into motion as we start trekking back
"What happened?"
"It was a ruse," she says angrily, breaking into a jog, Neesha and I following suit. "Their supposed defeat at the battle yesterday was a ruse, and we fell for it. They wanted us to move the bulk of our force into the city, and we've played right into their hands."
"Rue!" I cry. "What are you talking about?"
"Karun can explain it better than I can," she says. I growl in frustration but don't bother complaining any further until we burst into the general's tent. Everyone else is already in there and they all look up at our arrival.
"We're in trouble Link," Hunter says darkly.
"What's going on?" I demand. "What's happened?"
"The battle in the Market was a ruse to –" I wave my hand impatiently and cut him off.
"I know this," I say. "Rue told me this. How do we know this? What's tipped us off? What are we going to do about it?"
"Three of a Zora patrolling party of ten just arrived back here," Acqul says. Is it just me, or does he look older than he did few days ago? "One of them has died already, and the other two are in serious condition, but they managed to relate what happened to them. There is a large Moblin force massing to the west of us and they ran into it. A Sheikah Patrol arrived back just after them and reported a second force massing to the east of us. They managed to avoid it and suffered no casualties, but their news does not bode well."
"I suspect," Karun rumbles, "that there will also be Moblin forces to the north of us, close to the palace. The purpose of the battle in the Market was simply to force us to draw most of our force here, in the center of the city, so they could then surround us, as they've no doubt done." I stare from one face to the other and then look down at the maps on the table. I swallow thickly and point.
"Show me," I say. Hunter grabs two bottles of paint laying on one side of the table. He lifts the blue.
"This is us," he says, and spills the paint on one of the maps of Castletown, covering the Market, the Gate and everything in between in an almost wedge shape. I stare at him.
"Hunter, we had more than that," I say, my voice going hoarse. "We fought and bled and died for that ground. We had more than that!"
"If the scouts are right," he answers grimly, "we don't anymore. When we moved our main force we left an opening in our flanks and the Moblins jumped us. The regiments we had stationed to the east and west have been completely decimated. None of them have made it back." He picks up the red bottle. "This is the Moblins." And he almost carelessly throws the paint over the rest of the map. I watch with a horrible, empty feeling in the pit of my stomach as the red and blue paint bleeds into each other and begins to change color.
"This is bad," I whisper. I look up again. "How long have we got?"
"Five hours at the most, three at the least. They're not completely set up yet and they need some more time. They're probably waiting for dark to fall before making their move. We only have a few options to counter," Karun says, looking grimmer than Hunter. "If we –" Whatever he'd been about to say is interrupted by a shrill scream from outside. We all whip around and stare at the door as the scream is followed by another shout.
"Damn." I bolt out the door, the others on my heels, throwing the tent door aside so violently that the tent shudders. My blood runs cold as soon as I step out and I don't even have time to react as the reason for the scream leaps at me from the body of the Elite it's killed, crimson eyes narrowed in hate in its ebon face.
Where the hell did he come from?
"LINK!" Bellows a voice from behind me as Dark Link lungs at me. Two great hands grab my shoulders and throw me violently to the side. Two Elite are suddenly there, catching me and righting me as Karun roars furiously and throws himself at Dark Link, the speed at which he's moving belying his bulk.
"HOW DID HE GET IN HERE?" Rue shrieks, ripping her scimitars out of their sheaths as Dune pulls her rapier from its. There's an audible snap as the barely visible fins on Acqul's arms suddenly snap out like a cat stretching it's claws. He raises his arms cross-wise in front of his face so that his elbows are parallel to the ground and suddenly throws them violently out to the sides, sending the fins on his arms ripping from his arms and flying through the air, circling around Rue and Dune – who've thrown themselves at Dark Link – and Karun – who's dropped back to let them through and has curled up into a ball and is building up speed by rolling around in a circle around him – and aiming at Dark Link. He raises his sword and blocks one, but the second grazes his shoulder. It doesn't even phase him as he turns to deal with Rue and Dune, his black blade moving fast enough to fend off both of their attacks. Acqul leaps forward, holding up his arms, as his blades reattach themselves. He aims them again, waiting for an opening in the fight.
HERO OF TIME! Dark Link screams at me. I stare at him as the Generals fight him furiously and freeze suddenly.
"Hunter!" I gasp, reaching out and catching his shirt. "Hunter! They'll kill him!" He blinks at me in surprise.
"So what?" He demands. "He deserves to die!"
"No! They can't!" I cry.
"What?" He cries. "Link! We're talking about the bastard who killed Jinni and Ketari! How can you –" His voice dies off and the angry fire fades from his eyes when he catches on. "Your dad . . . Link . . . you don't actually think you can save him, do you?" I glare at him defiantly, not liking his tone.
"Why couldn't I?" I demand, turning back to the fight. Dark Link's having a rough time of it. He's only just managing to avoid Karun (who's become a rolling blur of spikes and death) whenever Rue and Dune leap back and give him room to barrel through and try and hit Dark Link, let alone Acqul's fins, and Rue and Dune's blade. I get the distinct impression, however, that he's not trying that hard. He's not here to fight.
"What do you want?" I shout at him. "What are you doing here?"
HERO OF TIME! He screams. Rue gasps as Dark Link's blade grazes her arm. Dark Link wraps his hand around her throat in the momentary opening and throws her into Dune. Thrown off balance, Dune manages to catch Rue but the two of them stumble backwards into Acqul who had just stepped behind them in an attempt to find and opening to throw his blades in. It's the opening Dark Link wanted and he takes it, throwing himself at me and Hunter. I've only got a split second to react. It's long enough to shove Hunter behind me at the Elite there, but not enough to draw my sword. My arm's only halfway there when Dark Link finally makes it to me.
He forgot about Karun however.
The Goron General comes ripping past Rue, Dune and Acqul at about a thousand miles an hour and spins his way between Dark Link and I, sending Dark Link flying backwards. Karun, however, suddenly de-spikes, and comes out of his ball, skidding to a halt and clutching at his side, his hands already stained with red.
"KARUN!" Hunter cries, ripping past me and over to the Goron. Dark Link's cold laugh echoes harshly on the night air even though I'm the only one who can hear it. It looks at me as Rue, Dune and Acqul move to jump it, its eyes crimson slits of hunger.
Welcome home, Hero, it hisses at me. Meet me at the Temple . . . I have the Seventh Sage . . . meet me at the Temple, Hero of Time . . . or it will be she on the altar and not you. It laughs again and disappears in a swirl of black mist just as Rue's scimitar would have sliced through it. Rue lets loose a line of violent swear words as Dune stares at the spot where he'd been and Acqul rushes over to where Hunter's kneeling beside Karun, who's lying frighteningly still.
For a half a second I can't move. I can't move, I can't think, and I can't breathe. Nothing registers, and nothing makes sense. All I can see or hear is Dark Link's words.
. . . it will be she on the altar . . .
The altar . . .
The altar at the Temple of Time . . .
The altar from my dream . . .
The Triforce mark on my hand burns fiercely and the vision slams so violently into my head it drives me onto the ground with a pain-filled cry. Ganondorf's voice fills my head and the world around me disappears completely except for the cold, cruel, mocking sound . . .
A half-century's research into Shades, a demonic life-form from a plane of existence apart from our own, has finally come to a head. What started out as idle-interest has turned out to be of great use to me. I discovered recently two ways of manipulating a Shade: how to control it's hungers and focus them on one objective, and how to bind a Shade to a creature from this plane of existence. Initial experiments proved to have rather interesting effects ranging from instant death to insanity to a gradual decomposition of the subject's body, however recent experiments have proven highly successful . . .
Images tear through my mind, fast, furious and painful. I see my father, forced on his knees in front of Ganondorf by Detsu. Brayden's face is a mask of hatred and fury and he stares at Ganondorf with all the rage of a man who's had everything he loves taken away from him.
I've perfected the method for combining a Shade with a creature from this plane! I bound the Shade to the Sheikah's body, and suppressed his will while focusing the Shade's on one simple thing: find the boy, Brayden's son, and destroy him. Utterly. The focusing had an interesting effect, however. The physical appearance of my new pet shifted. According to Detsu he looks like the adult Hero of Time who arrived in our time recently and apparently thwarted Detsu's attempts to kill the boy. Perhaps the focus was so strong that it manifested itself physically. I'm not sure. More experiments may reveal the answer, but until then, it would appear that through my experiments, I have created a . . . Dark Link . . . .
"You won't succeed," my father hisses at Ganondorf. "You're a fool if you think you can take Hyrule with this petty war of yours! Hyrule will survive, Ganondorf! My son yet lives and you can't touch him! He'll destroy you." Ganondorf raises his hand and brings it down hard across Brayden's face, sending the Sheikah spinning backwards. There's a bright flash and the images are replaced with new ones. I see Brayden, trapped in a circle of runes. Ganondorf speaks several words from a book, he's chanting something, and blackness suddenly explodes from the runes, blocking my father from sight, and all I can hear is him screaming as though something horrible is ripping him apart . . .
The Hero's blood . . . It's ironic that the key to breaking the seal holding the Shade and the Sheikah who houses him together, would also be the key to breaking my –
I see myself lying on the altar at the Temple of Time, Dark Link's Sword embedded in my stomach, my blood all over his hands, a violent shade of crimson set against the ebon background. I hear my father's scream again as Dark Link's form blurs and shifts, separating into two forms – Dark Link and Brayden of the Sheikah.
"Link . . ." My father whispers, falling to his knees. "No! Link!" His hands are coated in my blood as well. Dark Link laughs, the sound mingling with another laugh, until once again all I can hear is Ganondorf, laughing . . .
Your blood . . . he hisses, will open the seals.
The world suddenly comes crashing back into focus and I drive myself to my feet, tangled in something and struggling to get out of it.
"Dammit!" I cry, fighting with the thing, which turns out to be a blanket, but I'm not swearing at it. "Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!"
"Farore, Link! Stop thrashing!" Hunter's irritated voice sounds from somewhere outside the blanket. He rips the blanket off of me and stares at me with a questioning look on his face. "What's wrong with you? What happened? Why did you pass out? Sit down! You're white as a sheet!"
"I can't!" I cry, clutching my head and wishing it didn't hurt so much. "I can't! I know! I figured it out! I can do it, Hunter! I can save him!" He's staring at me with wide-eyes.
"What are you talking about?" He demands.
"I can save him!" I gasp. "I know how! Farore, I'm so stupid! The dreams! Ganondorf's journal! Why didn't I connect it before?"
"Connect what?" Hunter cries.
"All of it!" I cry. "He wasn't talking about Ganondorf's seal! He's never been talking about Ganondorf's seal! I can still save him! Don't you see?" My strength suddenly gives out and my knees buckle. Hunter's on his feet in an instant and catching me with his good arm, forcing me back onto the cot. I blink. He's not wearing his sling. His arm must be getting better . . . maybe he'll actually be able to fight now . . .
"Link, you're freaking me out," he says with a frown. "What are you talking about?" I blink suddenly.
"Where's Karun?" I demand. "What happened? Did Dark Link come back?" Hunter lowers his gaze.
"Dark Link hasn't come back. I don't know what he wanted, but whatever it was he must have accomplished it. You've been out for about a half-hour. And Karun . . . Karun's been hurt pretty badly, Link," he says softly. "Dark Link slashed him up the side when he rolled by him. He's . . . Rue doesn't know if he's going to make it . . ." I stare at Hunter, suddenly feeling very, very weak.
"He's . . . he's . . ." Hunter looks up suddenly, his eyes fierce.
"Link, I want you to promise me something," he says. "You need to promise me, that if and when you meet Dark Link, you're going to kill him." I stare at him, too shocked to say anything. "You can't save him, Link. Don't try. Dark Link has killed two of our friends, kidnapped one, and put another on his deathbed. He's single-handedly driven Hyrule almost to ruin, and forced my father into slavery in my old home. I want you to kill him Link. He's too far gone to save. Whatever Ganondorf did to him is permanent, and it's not worth the risk to you to try and save him."
"Hunter . . ." I whisper.
"Promise, Link," he says, clenching his fists. "Promise me!" I stare at him, trying to find my voice.
"Hunter . . . I . . . I can't," I whisper. "I can't . . . I can't kill him." Hunter's eyes narrow and I force myself into a sitting position. "He's my father, Hunter! I can't!"
"What kind of a father tries to kill his own son?" He demands. "Link, he'll kill you as soon as you give him the chance! You can't do that!"
"What kind of a son tries to kill his own father?" I cry back. "You don't know what you're asking! I can save him, Hunter! If it was Bruiser, wouldn't you? Would you give up on him? I wouldn't ask that of you Hunter, don't ask it of me."
"Link!" Hunter cries. "If you won't do it for yourself then think of everyone else! If you die, then Ganondorf comes back! You said it yourself, you have a duty to protect Hyrule from Ganondorf! It's your duty to kill Dark Link!"
"Dark Link was once a part of Hyrule," I hiss, glaring at him. "It's my duty to protect him as much as it is to protect you. Don't you dare throw that back in my face. Bad enough everyone else does it Hunter, I won't take it from you too!"
"Then who will you take it from?" He cries. "Dark Link has to die, Link! Are you going to let Jinni and Ketari's deaths go unavenged? Did they mean so little to you?" I can feel my face losing the little bit of color it had at this and I clench my fists in fury, unable to find my voice due to the inarticulate rage pounding through me.
"You were the one," I hiss through my teeth as I climb to my feet, "who said he didn't care about Jinni. You're a fine one to talk about them meaning so little to me, now aren't you?" He gets angrily to his feet, sending his chair skittering backwards, his blue eyes flashing furiously.
"Why don't you understand what's at stake?" He cries. "Dark Link is beyond redemption! He proved that when he slaughtered Ket and Jinni!"
"I can save him," I hiss at him. "I can save him! I'm not just going to sit back and leave him trapped with that Shade, Hunter! I won't! I can't! He's not beyond redemption! I can still bring him back!"
"You can't!" He cries. "There may have been a time when you could have, but not any more! He's nothing but a demon now! A heartless, uncaring, demon! Let him go, Link! You have to kill him!"
"No!" I cry.
"You have to!" He hisses at me.
"I won't!" I cry, shaking my head angrily. He doesn't know what he's asking! I can save him! I have to save him! I can't kill him! "I CAN'T!"
"THEN I WILL!" He shouts furiously. His eyes narrow and his voice is filled with more venom than I've ever heard there. "If you won't do it," he hisses slowly, "then I will."
"Don't do this," I hiss back at him. "Hunter, don't DO THIS! I won't let you do this!"
"Are you going to fight me, Link?" He demands. "Will you fight me to save him? He's a demon! He's not worth it!"
"I can bring him back, Hunter," I growl. "That chance in and of itself is worth it." Hunter shakes his head furiously.
"Do you know what Jinni said to me when she died, Link? After Dark Link ran her through?" He's trembling but I don't care anymore, so am I. "She told me to tell you something. To give you an answer to a question you asked her back at Zora's River. You wanted to know why she followed you. She said she followed you because she believed in you. Because you gave her a choice." His fixes his gaze on mine, fury in his eyes. "If you won't do the right thing and kill Dark Link, then you're tossing her belief in you aside like it doesn't matter. If you won't kill Dark Link then you're spitting on her choice to follow you." He shakes his head slowly, never releasing my gaze. "Tell me you won't do that, Link. Tell me you'll kill Dark Link. Please." I'm shaking uncontrollably now.
Because she believed in me . . .
She's dead because she believed in me . . .
I look at Hunter; he's waiting for my answer, trembling as bad as I am.
"I. Can't," I say again, each word driving an icy nail of guilt into my gut. "I can't."
"Then you've betrayed us all," he whispers furiously, turning on his heel and storming out of the tent. All I can do for a long moment is stare after him, unable to comprehend what just happened.
"Link?" Navi says softly, peering at me from her position on the little table by my cot. "Link, are you –"
"Just . . . leave me be, Navi," I say, closing my eyes. "Go away. I need to be alone right now."
"Link . . ."
"Please," I whisper, my voice breaking on the one syllable. "Please . . ." She hesitates for a moment, then flutters up and out of the tent, leaving me alone. I sink to my knees and wrap my arms around my stomach, suddenly feeling sick.
What the Hell just happened?
xxx
By the time I get my act together and walk back into the Generals' tent, (in which Acqul, Rue, Dune, Hunter, Neesha, Malon and Navi are all standing. I've no idea why Neesha Malon and Navi are here, but a heavy feeling in my gut tells me I'm not gonna like it when I find out) there's already a heated argument going on.
"Why are you all looking at me?" Hunter demands suddenly. "You're the generals."
"And you are Karun's prodigy," Acqul tells him, meeting his gaze calmly. "Karun trusted your judgement Hunter and perhaps you didn't notice it, but half of the tactics we've been using are your own design. With Karun out of the action . . ." Hunter glares at them.
"Don't push this on me," he says. "I'm not ready for this. I'm just a . . . student. This is a hobby! Without Karun I'm not . . . I don't know . . ." He shakes his head. "I can't. I can't bail us out of this one. I haven't got the experience. I can't make these decisions."
"You've got skill, Hunter," Dune says. "You've got a gift – you're a natural at this."
"Do you have any idea what's at stake here?" Hunter demands, his voice just above a whisper. "We're talking this entire campaign, Dune. We're talking this whole goddess damned war! If this isn't done right . . ." His voice dies off when he sees me and the other generals all turn to look. Hunter doesn't quite meet my gaze.
"Karun thought you were capable, Hunter," I say softly, wishing he would look at me. "I don't know if it means anything at this point but you've got my vote too." He hesitates for a moment, and I suddenly get my wish as he looks at me and his eyes narrow.
"It doesn't," he says flatly. I can feel my own eyes narrow as well.
Fine.
If he wants to be stupid about this, then fine!
"Hunter!" Malon gasps. Rue frowns dangerously but I stop her with a look.
"Forget it," I snap. "Just forget it. Hunter, why don't you just suck it up and get over it, will you?" I demand. "We've only got a couple of hours left until we all die, we don't have time for you to turn chicken on us now. Everybody in this room knows you've got what it takes to plan this attack, so just do it. Stop wasting our time." He – and everyone else in the room – stares at me in shock.
"Are you ordering me?" He demands incredulously.
"Make of it what you will," I say with a frown, crossing my arms over my chest. "If I have to order you, then I will. We haven't got time for this."
"You're pulling rank," he says, his eyes narrowed. "I can't believe you're pulling rank." We glare furiously at each other for a minute, and then he scowls and jabs the map with his finger.
"Fine," he snaps. "We've got two choices here. The first is to turn tail and run before they attack. We still control all the ground between here and the gate. We'll lose a lot of men, but most of us will survive and there's a slim chance if we escape now we can come busting back in and give it another try – with less men and less supplies."
"And the second?" Acqul asks, still looking back and forth from me to Hunter and back again in confusion.
"We charge the forces in front of us and make a non-stop run for the palace. If we can take the palace gates we can jam our forces in there and shut out all the Moblins out here." He looks up from the map. "But that's the biggest if in history. The odds of us taking that gate are about one in a million. I'm not planning anything else until that choice is made. It's come down to fight or flight. We've no other options left." Though the next thing he says is directed at all of the generals, he looks up at me. "Make your choice," he says. "And make it right."
"You know my choice," I say softly. "I won't run anymore. But I don't hold anyone else to that." Hunter shakes his head and once again refuses to meet my gaze as the other generals begin heatedly discussing our two, rather pathetic options.
"I don't understand why you're being so stubborn about this," Hunter says, just loud enough for me to hear.
"About what?" I demand quietly back. "About this fight?"
"You know what I'm talking about Link, don't play dumb," Hunter says back. He looks at me suddenly. "Link, you don't even have two options when it comes to Dark Link. Either you'll kill him or he'll kill you."
"Or you'll kill him," I respond caustically. "Or have you changed your mind about that?"
"I haven't changed my mind about anything, Link," Hunter responds. "I meant what I said. If you won't kill him I will."
"He's family, Hunter," I hiss at him. "Can you really just kill him?"
"He's no kin of mine," Hunter says coldly. "Ketari was family. Jinni was family. Karun was family. Dark Link is a monster that deserves nothing but death for what he's done."
"It wasn't him," I cry desperately. "What don't you understand about the fact that it's a Shade possessing my father? My father's not doing these things, Hunter. He's just trapped. I can't leave him that way. I won't leave him that way!"
"What can you do?" Neesha demands suddenly, she and Malon flanking Hunter. I blink. I see what's going on here. Hunter probably left my tent and went straight to them. He couldn't convince me so he recruited help. I can feel my face darken. "Link . . . you've seen Dark Link. You know –"
"All I know," I explode, "is that my father's in trouble and I'm not just going to abandon him now!"
"Link . . ." Navi and Malon both start together but I turn on them.
"You two too?" I demand. "You, Malon? Navi?" I narrow my eyes at them. "What would you do if it was me in his place? Would you be so quick to abandon me? Some friends."
"You're being a fool!" Hunter cries, slamming his fist down on the table. "He's going to kill you, Link! I don't want to see you die! Nobody wants to see you die!" I clench the edge of the table so hard in my hands that I can feel the edges of it cutting into my palm through my gloves and squeeze my eyes tightly against the fury pounding through me.
"So why don't we just leave Talon in the dungeons then," I hiss slowly, opening my eyes and glaring maliciously at Malon. "Why don't we just abandon him there. We'll leave him to the Moblins so he can be tortured for the rest of his life. Or how about Bruiser?" I round on Hunter. "When he finishes his rebellion at Kakariko how about we shove him back into a cell and let him deal with that. We'll just leave them both there, to rot. Or better yet, how about we give up now, and leave everyone where they are because there's a chance we might die trying to save them. Is that what you want? Is that what you're trying to tell me?"
"That's different Link," Navi says rebukingly, "and you know it."
"You know," I say flatly, trying to keep my voice from trembling, "I think I could handle it if it was just these three breaking faith . . . but not you, Navi. What happened to following me no matter which way I run?" She attempts to look defiant but there's a tremor in her wings and her eyes widen just slightly with guilt. She knows. She knows I'm right. How can she do this to me?
"So not one of you is going to let this go, are you?" I demand. "Not one of you is going to trust me on this one." I glare at them. "Fine," I hiss. "Go ahead and fight me on it. Fight me until you hate me, but it will change nothing!" I punctuate my shout with a violent slashing of my hand. "I don't care if you all give up, but I won't! I refuse! I won't let Ganondorf take anything else away from me!"
"He's already taken him!" Hunter explodes back. "Accept it Link!" He glares at me. "Your father's dead, Link. You're an orphan. You never cared about it before, why do you care so much now?"
"Because apparently," I hiss, "I'm the only one who does." I turn around furiously and stalk towards the tent door – I have to get out of here before I lose it completely – but Hunter's having none of it.
"Link!" He shouts, pushing forward and grabbing my shoulder, wrenching me around. "Don't do this," he hisses. I yank myself violently out of his grasp.
"I'll be sure and tell Bruiser when I see him that he's got a coward for a son," I respond coldly. That, apparently, was the last straw because Hunter lunges at me in fury and we both tumble to the ground, grappling furiously with each other. The generals are on us in an instant, Acqul holding back the girls as Dune and Rue rip Hunter and I apart, Dune grabbing Hunter's hands and holding them still while Rue shoves me roughly out of the tent.
I had completely forgotten about the Generals.
They must have heard that whole thing.
I don't know how they couldn't have.
"Do you want to explain to me –"
"No," I say shortly, ripping my Ocarina out of my pouch.
"What's going on?" She demands shrilly. "Link! You've got three seconds to –"
"Nothing's going on," I snap. "Nothing. They're all two-faced and stubborn and cowards, that's all." Epona's song bursts angrily from my Ocarina as I play it. I need to move. I need to ride. I need speed right now. Granted I can't leave the city, but at least I can ride around it. Maybe for a while nothing will touch me. I can't be gone long . . . we haven't got much time . . . but they don't need me for this part. I'm of no help planning things, and I can't think straight right now anyway.
"Whatever it is," Rue says, eyeing me with a concerned frown, "your friends are just trying to protect you." Epona's nicker is audible suddenly and she trots up out of nowhere, nudging me, concerned at my expression. I pull myself up into her saddle, shoving my Ocarina back into my pouch and taking her reigns, glaring at Rue, though my anger isn't directed at her.
"I have no friends," I say furiously. "YAH!" Epona takes off at a dead run and we leave Rue with nothing to do but stare helplessly after us.
It's kind of funny really . . .
After everything I've been through, after all the distance I thought I'd come, I'm right back where I started . . .
Alone.
It's so funny I could cry.
xxx
A Brief Interlude
Rue watched her petulant young king take off on his horse, his face set in a mask of defiance and hurt and felt her own face harden. Something was going on, and she intended to get to the bottom of it. She stormed back into the tent and joined the other two generals in glaring at the three miserable looking children (and one positively pitiful looking fairy) in the tent.
Two miserable looking children, she corrected herself. Hunter looked fit to be tied. If he was feeling any kind of misery he was hiding it beneath a mask of anger and frustration, not unlike the one Link had been wearing.
"For as long as I've known you, right up until yesterday," Rue hissed, narrowing her eyes, "the five of you were attached at the hip. I couldn't find Link without finding at least one of you hanging around like a shadow, and the same could be said of any one of you. And now, suddenly, today, it appears as though some kind of mutiny has taken place, and there's been a rift in your little club. Any one want to tell me why?" All four of them stared at her, their expressions ranging from guilty to sullen. Hunter got to his feet and moved over to the maps.
"Have you three decided what you want to do?" He asked. "Do we run or do we fight?"
"Do not ignore me, Sheikah," Rue hissed, her eyes narrowing. "I want to know what that was about." Hunter dropped his head for a moment, then looked at her with a frown.
"I'm mad at him, Rue," he said softly. "I'm furious with him. If I see him again I'll strangle him. But I don't hate him, and his secrets are still his secrets." He shook his head and looked back down at the map. "They're not mine to tell." An uncomfortable silence reigned in the room for a long moment, until Acqul cleared his throat.
"I think," he said, "that we all know that at this point, running isn't really an option." Everyone looked at him, some gratefully, some not, but his next words pulled everyone back to the problem at hand. "We all came here knowing that it would eventually come down to this. This is the way things work. I'm not going to back down now. I vote we try and take the palace." Dune and Rue exchanged a long glance with each other, and then as one, nodded.
"I agree," Dune said. "And I know that Karun would as well. The Gorons don't know how to run."
"The Gerudo will fight," Rue said flatly. "There is no honour in running away." Neesha blinked and gave her an odd look, then rubbed her face tiredly. Hunter stared from one to the other and back again, still hesitant.
"You know the odds," he said. "I told you we've only got a one in a million shot at pulling this off."
"Sometimes Hunter," Acqul said, a gentle smile splitting his bluish face, "if you've got the right company, one in a million happens nine times out of ten. And I, for one, have never been in better company than what we've got now." Hunter met his gaze and took a shaky breath.
"All right," he said. "Then here's what I think we should do . . ."
xxx
Chapter 35 (cont.)
I perch on Epona, at the front of the army of Hyrule, and take in a deep, shuddering breath.
This is it.
This might be the last sunset I ever see.
Ha . . . I should be so lucky.
Despite the fact that I'm flanked by Gerudo Calvary (Elite, naturally) on either side of me, and the rest of the army behind me, I can't help but feel naked.
Hunter and Neesha and Navi are supposed to be here . . .
Neesha's riding with the Red, and Hunter, assuming he proved to Dune his arm didn't hurt any more, is probably over with the Sheikah. Malon's being ushered out of town with the rest of those who can't fight (Karun among them). Navi . . . I don't know where Navi is . . . but wherever it is, I really wish it was here.
I suppose it doesn't really matter . . .
I never needed her, or any of the others, before . . .
I don't need them now.
It's funny though . . .
Things you thought you'd never need when you didn't have them . . . once you get them . . . you suddenly find you can't live without them . . .
I take another breath and steel myself, ignoring the sudden surge of loneliness that sweeps over me.
This is it.
This is really it.
Despite the situation I grin, just a bit, to myself.
I'm finally going to do what I've wanted to do since this whole thing began.
What I've been waiting to do since this whole thing began.
What I'm meant to do.
I reach over my shoulder and draw the Master Sword. It leaps into blue light at my touch. I raise it high as the sun finally sinks below the horizon and give a short, wordless shout, that needs no translation.
The army answers me.
As one we surge forward, into the night . . .