Once again, hello! So, Apparently, if you're still reading this, you like it. Plot bunnies 3 reviews, de gozaru. ^_^. So, enjoy the fic, see disclaimer on chapter 1...SDA.
Chapter Two: Assault on the Castle
"Your highness," Link began as he knelt in front of the crown, "I have heard word that an attack is imminent on the castle."
"My son, I have something to tell you," he said, walking toward one of the large windows that opened into the yard. "I have troubling news for you."
"He has escaped, hasn't he?"
The King shook and placed his hands on the light gray stone, peering out into the courtyard. "I know that he cannot escape. I know that Impa told you your father's story... But there is more that she left untold."
"Yessir..." Link looked down, half of him not wanting to hear the story. But he knew that it was important, and that he must know. "Go on, if you please."
"The only way that Marik could be sealed in the crystal was for your father to give his energy to it. The goddesses took his blood and forged the seal that would forever hold the dark prince, Marik, in his tomb. But his army has risen under new control. It is not Marik that you will confront, for now. The attack that you spoke of will come soon. But, Link... I beg you–stay clear of the enemy, for your own good as well as the good of Hyrule. You must not be taken into their hands. Now go, mobilize the guard. As my heir and commander of the Hylian Armed Forces, lead my people to victory."
"Aye, sir."
With a short bow, the Hero of Time excused himself from the King's quarters and into the courtyard where he stood for a moment, reflecting on the King's words, but didn't have much time before he was interrupted by one of the soldiers. Link turned when he heard the door close, and faced the younger boy with a concerned expression.
"Loir? What's the matter…?"
"They are coming. I saw them. It'll be a large battle I'm sure of it."
Link furrowed his brow and shook his head, concern gracing his young features. "Then follow me, tell me all you know," he ordered as he started from the courtyard, back into the castle. Loir followed closely behind, beginning to explain what he knew about the upcoming attack.
"There are a large number, at least a thousand, maybe one and a half. Some were mounted—"
"Horses?"
Loir shook his head, "No, sir. They appeared to be demons."
"And what of their weaponry?" Link pushed open one of the doors, stepping into his quarters. He motioned for Loir to sit, while he walked to his small wardrobe, opening the oaken doors. Inside was a tunic of linked mail, the highest quality in the entire kingdom, his sword and shield, and his bow.
Loir was quiet for a moment. "I'm not sure. Our scouts didn't have a close enough look to see."
Link pulled the mail over his head and took the sword, shield, and bow from the closet, placing the sword on his back, the shield on top of it. He turned and looked at Loir, absorbing the concerned expression that graced his fair face. "Is something the matter?"
"I don't think you should fight, sir."
"Are you and Zelda in on this together? Why don't you want me to fight?" he placed a hand on his hip in a gesture of irritation.
"Your own well being, sir. If this battle is as large as I think it will be, the chances of you reopening that wound on your shoulder are going to be multiplied greatly. That is your dominant arm after all."
"I'll use the other if you're so worried. This battle is not about my well being, but the well being of the country. I shall do anything and everything in my power, as limited or great as it may be, to protect my kingdom "
Link walked from the room angrily, Loir following closely on his heels, and made his way down the hallway once again toward Zelda's quarters. He knocked on the door, opened it without receiving a response, and stepped inside.
"Milady?" he inquired as he made his way to the center of the room. "Are you decent?"
"Link?" the princess poked her head out from her restroom door. "What are you doing in here?"
"I've come to inform you—I'm taking the troops to battle."
She stepped out into her bedroom, clutching her bodice to her chest. She was taken back by Link's expression, and smiled. She couldn't remember a time that his emotions had changed so dramatically. Or so quickly for that matter. "Are you embarrassed?"
"You—aren't decent…" he stammered in reply, a deep blush overcoming his anger. He cleared his throat and averted his eyes, closing them for a moment, "I just thought you'd like to know."
"Are you taking Navi?"
"Yes, milady."
Zelda nodded, approached Link and planted a tender kiss on his cheek. Then she spoke quietly, "Be careful, and come back in good health."
"As sure as Din's Jewel rises tomorrow, I shall return to you."
* * * * *
Rain had begun to pour, it ran through the stone in torrents, splashing against the Hylian Guards' feet and ankles. They stood at the ready, arrows aimed at the oncoming troops, who appeared on the horizon, mounted on demons, some carrying flags and huge weapons. They moved as a single unit, countless numbers of them, pouring over the hills toward the castle, while the all-too-young Hylian Army stood at the ready.
Link's fairy fluttered at his side, lighting dimly the area around him, allowing him to see the faces of his army. Their expressions were set in stone, each fighting their inner demons, but at no other point would they be more ready to face the onslaught of an enemy army.
"Men," Link began, pulling his bow from its place on his shoulder, "to the ready–"
Ryans
Link started, he heard the word far back in his mind, but it had never thrown itself at him in such a way. But he shook it away, knowing well that if he faltered now, the troops would not last the battle through. He had given the first warning. The battle would begin shortly, carnage would begin, and the fate of Hyrule would be finally determined.
Link shuddered for a moment, but he couldn't tell if it was from the rain, or the incredible fear that he was the cause of this whole war. It was his father that imprisoned Marik in the first place–it was his bloodline that made the humans want such cruel revenge. He was, indirectly, the cause of this threat, and he was furthering it in his decision to fight farther–but now there was no backing down.
"Take your aim "
Reans taiu'su oerne
His head ached with what he was beginning to think was anxiety, the nervousness of his men had begun to spread to him. Or maybe it was his thoughts–or the strange words that poured into his head each time he spoke.
They were close now, so close that you could see each individual elf, each one's features began to stand out beside the others, the demons that they rode could be seen full well, and the largest of their weapons was unveiled. Link knew immediately that the fight would be almost superfluous.
"Master Link–?"
The young Hylian was pulled from his thoughts, and looked over at the knight at his side. It was Faern, one of the elder knights in the Hylian guard. He was peering down at Link with aged brown eyes, an expression of total concern overwhelming his features, as if awaiting some kind of command. But Link simply returned the gaze, locking the two in a contest of stares. Faern broke it abruptly and peered down through the rain at the onslaught of soldiers, swarming like a living wave over the hills.
"Faern, is something the matter?" Link asked quietly, waiting for the oncoming ranks to come into range. He pulled his bow from its place on his back and nocked an arrow, taking aim. "You seem troubled."
"I was about to ask you the same thing, sir. Are you well?"
"You needn't disquiet yourself with me," Link replied quietly.
"You had best give your commands, my friend. Before it is too late."
"I am waiting..." He paused for a moment, pulling the arrow back, "for the opportune moment..." He paused long enough to allow Navi enough time to slip into the small pouch at his side. "Fire "
*Tirans!*
He let his arrow fly, piercing one of the mounted warriors between the eyes and watched as three hundred and forty other arrows flew with blinding speed through the air, falling upon the enemy lines, some hitting their mark, some missing and lodging themselves in the ground. The savage mens' front lines fell in the hundreds, and the battle began.
From the marketplace, the other three hundred and eighty seven knights poured, mounted on their horses, weapons drawn to fight. They spread among their enemy, avoiding the falling arrows and enemy swords. They cut down their foes unflinchingly, but Link could see clearly that they were no match. For every two enemy men cut down, four of his men were dead. He turned to Faern and stared for a moment, watching as his expert hands nocked arrow after arrow, sending them flying down into the swarm of troops below.
"Faern?"
"Master Link, be there a problem?"
"Was Epona readied ere battle?"
"Aye, sir," Faern looked down at Link with a half-curious expression. "You don't mean to tell me you're going down there. You'll be killed for certain."
"I must help my men..."
"You're helping well enough from up here " Link shook his head. "Take command for me while I am gone. I'll return." He bolted from the wall, but stopped when he reached the narrow stone stairwell that lead to the courtyard. At the bottom he could barely make out a shadow, ambling up through the darkness as if it'd been wounded. Fearing the worst, Link pelted down the stairs, grabbing whatever it was, and threw it with a strength he barely knew he possessed against the wooden door below. The figure broke through, sending the wood splintering into shards, and Link ran past it, staring down as he went. It was, in fact, one of the humans that now laid unconscious on the ground. But he would do nothing more with it, he would allow the knights above to take care of it as it came.
Link plowed through the crowd of fighting elves and humans, broad sword drawn, and slashed at anything that moved wrongly, sending the savage humans to the ground without a second thought as he made his way toward the stables, where he hoped and prayed Epona would still be. But he didn't get far before he found himself surrounded.
A circle of at least twenty enemy troops had encircled him, and were closing in quickly. He stared at them for a moment, and something in the back of his mind panicked. They were much more horrifying than he'd thought they would be, they appeared to be Hylians, but they'd been tainted in some way. They were huge things, broad shouldered with muscles the size Link had never before seen. Their faces twisted into terrible, malicious grins as they gripped the hilts of their swords with filthy, calloused hands. Sharp teeth glinted in the firelight when their mouths were open, their lips contorting into terrifying expressions as they spoke to one another, yelling insults and threats at the young elf. But he was not so easily daunted.
I'll let them get close... he thought to himself, a barely noticeable grin pulling at the corner of his mouth. He reached for one of the lesser of the leather pouches at his waist as he crouched, digging through the three orbs inside to find the right one. Then they'll burn...
"Master Link "
NO
Link turned impulsively, his guard thrown down by the scream. He peered through the circle of humans, catching sight of Loir, falling to the ground, a gaping wound in his side. Blue eyes grew wide with rage, and Link cried out, finding somewhere the strength to battle the all of twenty men around him. He swung his sword around in an arc, and sliced diagonally, decapitating several of them, and charged into them as they drove in on him with sheer brute strength. He jabbed and parried and sliced as hard as he could, and once he had defeated the ones in front, he whirled on his heel to face those that had just come behind him. He jabbed one of them in the chest, pulling his sword out and to the left, slicing him nearly in two, and used his extra leverage to catch another in the side. But this one was harder. He had to use both hands to push the sword through, and nearly vomited because of it. Each time he pushed he could feel bones crush, the tip of his sword catching against muscle and tissue. But the task was done shortly, and he ran back toward Loir, throwing himself down at his comrade's side.
"Loir..." He stared down at him through teary eyes, pushing the dark hair from his eyes. "Loir? Answer me..."
He looked up at Link, eyes only half opened, and stared for a long while, absorbing the look of despair that had crept over his leader's face and now was absorbing his very being. He cried out and grabbed hold of his arm, breaking his gaze. Link grabbed the fallen warrior's shoulders and held him, watching as he winced and struggled to keep himself calm. But there was little that Link could do to help him, there was no nurse there to fix the wound. The only thing Link could think of was Nayru's Love, a spell granted to him by the Great Faerie from his previous adventure. It was Loir's only hope, at least he could get someplace warm–like the stables, and die in peace rather than on that bloody battlefield.
Link cast the spell.
A flash of blue light engulfed the two Hylian warriors, protecting them for a few short moments from the attackers. Loir was scooped with great care into Link's arms, and was run quickly and carefully through the ongoing chaos of battle. Over the stone streets and through the rivulets of blood Link sped, his boots and leggings being stained with drops of the thick, crimson liquid as it flew from the street. He rushed through the stable doors, just as the spell wore away, the blue glow that once provided a comfortable shelter from the progressing battle dissipating before him. Link placed Loir down on the hay in one of the stalls and knelt next to him, and touched his fingers delicately to his forehead.
"You'll be safe in here, Loir."
"Master–"
"Don't speak. Rest now, your sword wound will not be fatal so long as you do not move." He was lying, and he knew it.
"You're hurt–"
Link was startled by the comment, as Loir reached up, pulling the mail away from the royal blue tunic. He felt pain sear through his shoulder, something he'd not realized was even there. But what scared the warrior more was that even in his dying hour Loir was still trying to help Link, provide as much care for him as he could, when in all honesty, it should have been Link doing the caring. Loir had shown such undying devotion in the past, but this was absurd. No one had ever cared so much for Link before, Zelda herself hadn't even shown the courage and strength that Loir had, aside from a few short instances in the future that never was–when Ganon was still there, and she had risked herself to help him conquer the temples.
It was then that he realized it.
Loir had been trying to help when he was felled. He had been running into the brunt of the battle, only to be cut down on his way in. Such a thought was humbling, but Link knew that he couldn't simply sit and ponder what had happened. He had to keep moving, else the fell humans would find him.
It was with that thought in mind that Link stood, giving a nod of final regard to Loir, and made his way across the stable to Epona's stall. She was there, saddled, ready to be taken into battle. He opened her gate and stepped in, allowing the horse to nudge him gently as she always did, but that did not last long. Her gesture of friendship had hurt him, the wound in his shoulder had been hurting since Loir had first pointed it out. But link quickly shook the pain off and mounted, urging his horse sternly from her place in the stall, once again entering the battlefield.
He was in constant battle from the moment he left the stable, being shot at from all sides, a few of the savage men even daring to come close enough to attack with broadswords. He was the only mounted knight in the marketplace, but he wouldn't be there for long.
"Epona Go " He screamed over the din of battle, slapping the flank of her hind leg to make his point clear.
The horse obeyed without a second thought and ran with the speed she was so well known for, through crowds of fighting elves and humans. She trampled those that didn't move, and those that she missed were killed with a swift blow from Link's blade. He swung the sword with incredible force at anything daring to come within range. Using those tactics, it wasn't long before Epona was able to break through the chaos of the marketplace and into the field. It was there that Link needed to be from the start. He could see that point clearly.
Blood ran through the grass, washing away with the rain and mud into the moat that surrounded the castle. Two thirds of his men laid in that mess, wounded or dead on the ground, being crushed under the fighting elves, humans, horses, or otherwise. But the thing that caught Link's eye more than anything else was that single, huge weapon that they had carried in. He remembered it being called a catapult, and he remembered seeing it in books of old wars. But the name didn't mean anything to him–it was what it was being loaded with that startled him the most. Its ammunition consisted of a raging fire ball, something he knew would be sent into the marketplace, if not into the wall to kill the other half of his knights.
"Faern " He screamed, peering up at the wall. "Faern, are you well? "
The old man poked his balding head over the wall, finding Link in an instant. "Aye, sir, for the moment."
"You must get off of the wall Get to low ground immediately "
"Aye, sir "
It was at that moment that the catapult was released, launching the flaming orb into the wall. It broke through with ease, and Link could see through the gaping hole it left where it landed. On top of one of the buildings, the bazaar, where he'd first bought his Hylian shield as a boy.
But his attention was turned within moments. The wall was collapsing. His men were falling under the rubble and stone, being crushed under its weight and their own. There was nothing he could do but watch–and that could not help them now. So he turned Epona toward the battle, momentarily stopped, and cried out with a rage unmatched by the mightiest of demons. It was with that rage that he charged in, slicing at the enemy troops with quick strokes. He plowed through their men and toward those operating the catapult, and sheathed his sword, pulling his bow out in its stead. He expertly drew one of the arrows, nocked it and aimed it with care. If his way was had, he would cut down all five of them with one shot.
The arrow flew. Five men fell, the arrow lodged in the final one's neck. But it did not stay there long. Link rode over, retrieving his arrow from the wound, and placed it back in his quiver. He turned Epona round, and began sending a barrage of arrows through the battling armies. But he was stopped short.
A dozen horses, black as the night itself, galloped out of the marketplace, jumping over the collapsed drawbridge without any trouble at all. On the center horse rode a knight with chain mail of a type that Link had never seen, a helm of matching gold, and a sword drawn in his left hand. In his right he held Zelda, unconscious, and was riding away with her.
Link was stunned. Fear and anger and worry shot through his body, overwhelming his mind. For a brief moment, he found himself unable to do anything at all but stare. How could he have been so stupid? To have left both her and the king at the palace virtually unguarded was an idiotic move, and now she was in their hands.
Go after her
It was the voice again, the words struck at his mind with incredible force, and forced him to move. He kicked Epona's side with his heels and sped off, in angry pursuit of Zelda's captors. He pushed his horse to speeds he didn't know she could reach, but found that she wasn't moving fast enough to catch them.
Chapter Two: Assault on the Castle
"Your highness," Link began as he knelt in front of the crown, "I have heard word that an attack is imminent on the castle."
"My son, I have something to tell you," he said, walking toward one of the large windows that opened into the yard. "I have troubling news for you."
"He has escaped, hasn't he?"
The King shook and placed his hands on the light gray stone, peering out into the courtyard. "I know that he cannot escape. I know that Impa told you your father's story... But there is more that she left untold."
"Yessir..." Link looked down, half of him not wanting to hear the story. But he knew that it was important, and that he must know. "Go on, if you please."
"The only way that Marik could be sealed in the crystal was for your father to give his energy to it. The goddesses took his blood and forged the seal that would forever hold the dark prince, Marik, in his tomb. But his army has risen under new control. It is not Marik that you will confront, for now. The attack that you spoke of will come soon. But, Link... I beg you–stay clear of the enemy, for your own good as well as the good of Hyrule. You must not be taken into their hands. Now go, mobilize the guard. As my heir and commander of the Hylian Armed Forces, lead my people to victory."
"Aye, sir."
With a short bow, the Hero of Time excused himself from the King's quarters and into the courtyard where he stood for a moment, reflecting on the King's words, but didn't have much time before he was interrupted by one of the soldiers. Link turned when he heard the door close, and faced the younger boy with a concerned expression.
"Loir? What's the matter…?"
"They are coming. I saw them. It'll be a large battle I'm sure of it."
Link furrowed his brow and shook his head, concern gracing his young features. "Then follow me, tell me all you know," he ordered as he started from the courtyard, back into the castle. Loir followed closely behind, beginning to explain what he knew about the upcoming attack.
"There are a large number, at least a thousand, maybe one and a half. Some were mounted—"
"Horses?"
Loir shook his head, "No, sir. They appeared to be demons."
"And what of their weaponry?" Link pushed open one of the doors, stepping into his quarters. He motioned for Loir to sit, while he walked to his small wardrobe, opening the oaken doors. Inside was a tunic of linked mail, the highest quality in the entire kingdom, his sword and shield, and his bow.
Loir was quiet for a moment. "I'm not sure. Our scouts didn't have a close enough look to see."
Link pulled the mail over his head and took the sword, shield, and bow from the closet, placing the sword on his back, the shield on top of it. He turned and looked at Loir, absorbing the concerned expression that graced his fair face. "Is something the matter?"
"I don't think you should fight, sir."
"Are you and Zelda in on this together? Why don't you want me to fight?" he placed a hand on his hip in a gesture of irritation.
"Your own well being, sir. If this battle is as large as I think it will be, the chances of you reopening that wound on your shoulder are going to be multiplied greatly. That is your dominant arm after all."
"I'll use the other if you're so worried. This battle is not about my well being, but the well being of the country. I shall do anything and everything in my power, as limited or great as it may be, to protect my kingdom "
Link walked from the room angrily, Loir following closely on his heels, and made his way down the hallway once again toward Zelda's quarters. He knocked on the door, opened it without receiving a response, and stepped inside.
"Milady?" he inquired as he made his way to the center of the room. "Are you decent?"
"Link?" the princess poked her head out from her restroom door. "What are you doing in here?"
"I've come to inform you—I'm taking the troops to battle."
She stepped out into her bedroom, clutching her bodice to her chest. She was taken back by Link's expression, and smiled. She couldn't remember a time that his emotions had changed so dramatically. Or so quickly for that matter. "Are you embarrassed?"
"You—aren't decent…" he stammered in reply, a deep blush overcoming his anger. He cleared his throat and averted his eyes, closing them for a moment, "I just thought you'd like to know."
"Are you taking Navi?"
"Yes, milady."
Zelda nodded, approached Link and planted a tender kiss on his cheek. Then she spoke quietly, "Be careful, and come back in good health."
"As sure as Din's Jewel rises tomorrow, I shall return to you."
* * * * *
Rain had begun to pour, it ran through the stone in torrents, splashing against the Hylian Guards' feet and ankles. They stood at the ready, arrows aimed at the oncoming troops, who appeared on the horizon, mounted on demons, some carrying flags and huge weapons. They moved as a single unit, countless numbers of them, pouring over the hills toward the castle, while the all-too-young Hylian Army stood at the ready.
Link's fairy fluttered at his side, lighting dimly the area around him, allowing him to see the faces of his army. Their expressions were set in stone, each fighting their inner demons, but at no other point would they be more ready to face the onslaught of an enemy army.
"Men," Link began, pulling his bow from its place on his shoulder, "to the ready–"
Ryans
Link started, he heard the word far back in his mind, but it had never thrown itself at him in such a way. But he shook it away, knowing well that if he faltered now, the troops would not last the battle through. He had given the first warning. The battle would begin shortly, carnage would begin, and the fate of Hyrule would be finally determined.
Link shuddered for a moment, but he couldn't tell if it was from the rain, or the incredible fear that he was the cause of this whole war. It was his father that imprisoned Marik in the first place–it was his bloodline that made the humans want such cruel revenge. He was, indirectly, the cause of this threat, and he was furthering it in his decision to fight farther–but now there was no backing down.
"Take your aim "
Reans taiu'su oerne
His head ached with what he was beginning to think was anxiety, the nervousness of his men had begun to spread to him. Or maybe it was his thoughts–or the strange words that poured into his head each time he spoke.
They were close now, so close that you could see each individual elf, each one's features began to stand out beside the others, the demons that they rode could be seen full well, and the largest of their weapons was unveiled. Link knew immediately that the fight would be almost superfluous.
"Master Link–?"
The young Hylian was pulled from his thoughts, and looked over at the knight at his side. It was Faern, one of the elder knights in the Hylian guard. He was peering down at Link with aged brown eyes, an expression of total concern overwhelming his features, as if awaiting some kind of command. But Link simply returned the gaze, locking the two in a contest of stares. Faern broke it abruptly and peered down through the rain at the onslaught of soldiers, swarming like a living wave over the hills.
"Faern, is something the matter?" Link asked quietly, waiting for the oncoming ranks to come into range. He pulled his bow from its place on his back and nocked an arrow, taking aim. "You seem troubled."
"I was about to ask you the same thing, sir. Are you well?"
"You needn't disquiet yourself with me," Link replied quietly.
"You had best give your commands, my friend. Before it is too late."
"I am waiting..." He paused for a moment, pulling the arrow back, "for the opportune moment..." He paused long enough to allow Navi enough time to slip into the small pouch at his side. "Fire "
*Tirans!*
He let his arrow fly, piercing one of the mounted warriors between the eyes and watched as three hundred and forty other arrows flew with blinding speed through the air, falling upon the enemy lines, some hitting their mark, some missing and lodging themselves in the ground. The savage mens' front lines fell in the hundreds, and the battle began.
From the marketplace, the other three hundred and eighty seven knights poured, mounted on their horses, weapons drawn to fight. They spread among their enemy, avoiding the falling arrows and enemy swords. They cut down their foes unflinchingly, but Link could see clearly that they were no match. For every two enemy men cut down, four of his men were dead. He turned to Faern and stared for a moment, watching as his expert hands nocked arrow after arrow, sending them flying down into the swarm of troops below.
"Faern?"
"Master Link, be there a problem?"
"Was Epona readied ere battle?"
"Aye, sir," Faern looked down at Link with a half-curious expression. "You don't mean to tell me you're going down there. You'll be killed for certain."
"I must help my men..."
"You're helping well enough from up here " Link shook his head. "Take command for me while I am gone. I'll return." He bolted from the wall, but stopped when he reached the narrow stone stairwell that lead to the courtyard. At the bottom he could barely make out a shadow, ambling up through the darkness as if it'd been wounded. Fearing the worst, Link pelted down the stairs, grabbing whatever it was, and threw it with a strength he barely knew he possessed against the wooden door below. The figure broke through, sending the wood splintering into shards, and Link ran past it, staring down as he went. It was, in fact, one of the humans that now laid unconscious on the ground. But he would do nothing more with it, he would allow the knights above to take care of it as it came.
Link plowed through the crowd of fighting elves and humans, broad sword drawn, and slashed at anything that moved wrongly, sending the savage humans to the ground without a second thought as he made his way toward the stables, where he hoped and prayed Epona would still be. But he didn't get far before he found himself surrounded.
A circle of at least twenty enemy troops had encircled him, and were closing in quickly. He stared at them for a moment, and something in the back of his mind panicked. They were much more horrifying than he'd thought they would be, they appeared to be Hylians, but they'd been tainted in some way. They were huge things, broad shouldered with muscles the size Link had never before seen. Their faces twisted into terrible, malicious grins as they gripped the hilts of their swords with filthy, calloused hands. Sharp teeth glinted in the firelight when their mouths were open, their lips contorting into terrifying expressions as they spoke to one another, yelling insults and threats at the young elf. But he was not so easily daunted.
I'll let them get close... he thought to himself, a barely noticeable grin pulling at the corner of his mouth. He reached for one of the lesser of the leather pouches at his waist as he crouched, digging through the three orbs inside to find the right one. Then they'll burn...
"Master Link "
NO
Link turned impulsively, his guard thrown down by the scream. He peered through the circle of humans, catching sight of Loir, falling to the ground, a gaping wound in his side. Blue eyes grew wide with rage, and Link cried out, finding somewhere the strength to battle the all of twenty men around him. He swung his sword around in an arc, and sliced diagonally, decapitating several of them, and charged into them as they drove in on him with sheer brute strength. He jabbed and parried and sliced as hard as he could, and once he had defeated the ones in front, he whirled on his heel to face those that had just come behind him. He jabbed one of them in the chest, pulling his sword out and to the left, slicing him nearly in two, and used his extra leverage to catch another in the side. But this one was harder. He had to use both hands to push the sword through, and nearly vomited because of it. Each time he pushed he could feel bones crush, the tip of his sword catching against muscle and tissue. But the task was done shortly, and he ran back toward Loir, throwing himself down at his comrade's side.
"Loir..." He stared down at him through teary eyes, pushing the dark hair from his eyes. "Loir? Answer me..."
He looked up at Link, eyes only half opened, and stared for a long while, absorbing the look of despair that had crept over his leader's face and now was absorbing his very being. He cried out and grabbed hold of his arm, breaking his gaze. Link grabbed the fallen warrior's shoulders and held him, watching as he winced and struggled to keep himself calm. But there was little that Link could do to help him, there was no nurse there to fix the wound. The only thing Link could think of was Nayru's Love, a spell granted to him by the Great Faerie from his previous adventure. It was Loir's only hope, at least he could get someplace warm–like the stables, and die in peace rather than on that bloody battlefield.
Link cast the spell.
A flash of blue light engulfed the two Hylian warriors, protecting them for a few short moments from the attackers. Loir was scooped with great care into Link's arms, and was run quickly and carefully through the ongoing chaos of battle. Over the stone streets and through the rivulets of blood Link sped, his boots and leggings being stained with drops of the thick, crimson liquid as it flew from the street. He rushed through the stable doors, just as the spell wore away, the blue glow that once provided a comfortable shelter from the progressing battle dissipating before him. Link placed Loir down on the hay in one of the stalls and knelt next to him, and touched his fingers delicately to his forehead.
"You'll be safe in here, Loir."
"Master–"
"Don't speak. Rest now, your sword wound will not be fatal so long as you do not move." He was lying, and he knew it.
"You're hurt–"
Link was startled by the comment, as Loir reached up, pulling the mail away from the royal blue tunic. He felt pain sear through his shoulder, something he'd not realized was even there. But what scared the warrior more was that even in his dying hour Loir was still trying to help Link, provide as much care for him as he could, when in all honesty, it should have been Link doing the caring. Loir had shown such undying devotion in the past, but this was absurd. No one had ever cared so much for Link before, Zelda herself hadn't even shown the courage and strength that Loir had, aside from a few short instances in the future that never was–when Ganon was still there, and she had risked herself to help him conquer the temples.
It was then that he realized it.
Loir had been trying to help when he was felled. He had been running into the brunt of the battle, only to be cut down on his way in. Such a thought was humbling, but Link knew that he couldn't simply sit and ponder what had happened. He had to keep moving, else the fell humans would find him.
It was with that thought in mind that Link stood, giving a nod of final regard to Loir, and made his way across the stable to Epona's stall. She was there, saddled, ready to be taken into battle. He opened her gate and stepped in, allowing the horse to nudge him gently as she always did, but that did not last long. Her gesture of friendship had hurt him, the wound in his shoulder had been hurting since Loir had first pointed it out. But link quickly shook the pain off and mounted, urging his horse sternly from her place in the stall, once again entering the battlefield.
He was in constant battle from the moment he left the stable, being shot at from all sides, a few of the savage men even daring to come close enough to attack with broadswords. He was the only mounted knight in the marketplace, but he wouldn't be there for long.
"Epona Go " He screamed over the din of battle, slapping the flank of her hind leg to make his point clear.
The horse obeyed without a second thought and ran with the speed she was so well known for, through crowds of fighting elves and humans. She trampled those that didn't move, and those that she missed were killed with a swift blow from Link's blade. He swung the sword with incredible force at anything daring to come within range. Using those tactics, it wasn't long before Epona was able to break through the chaos of the marketplace and into the field. It was there that Link needed to be from the start. He could see that point clearly.
Blood ran through the grass, washing away with the rain and mud into the moat that surrounded the castle. Two thirds of his men laid in that mess, wounded or dead on the ground, being crushed under the fighting elves, humans, horses, or otherwise. But the thing that caught Link's eye more than anything else was that single, huge weapon that they had carried in. He remembered it being called a catapult, and he remembered seeing it in books of old wars. But the name didn't mean anything to him–it was what it was being loaded with that startled him the most. Its ammunition consisted of a raging fire ball, something he knew would be sent into the marketplace, if not into the wall to kill the other half of his knights.
"Faern " He screamed, peering up at the wall. "Faern, are you well? "
The old man poked his balding head over the wall, finding Link in an instant. "Aye, sir, for the moment."
"You must get off of the wall Get to low ground immediately "
"Aye, sir "
It was at that moment that the catapult was released, launching the flaming orb into the wall. It broke through with ease, and Link could see through the gaping hole it left where it landed. On top of one of the buildings, the bazaar, where he'd first bought his Hylian shield as a boy.
But his attention was turned within moments. The wall was collapsing. His men were falling under the rubble and stone, being crushed under its weight and their own. There was nothing he could do but watch–and that could not help them now. So he turned Epona toward the battle, momentarily stopped, and cried out with a rage unmatched by the mightiest of demons. It was with that rage that he charged in, slicing at the enemy troops with quick strokes. He plowed through their men and toward those operating the catapult, and sheathed his sword, pulling his bow out in its stead. He expertly drew one of the arrows, nocked it and aimed it with care. If his way was had, he would cut down all five of them with one shot.
The arrow flew. Five men fell, the arrow lodged in the final one's neck. But it did not stay there long. Link rode over, retrieving his arrow from the wound, and placed it back in his quiver. He turned Epona round, and began sending a barrage of arrows through the battling armies. But he was stopped short.
A dozen horses, black as the night itself, galloped out of the marketplace, jumping over the collapsed drawbridge without any trouble at all. On the center horse rode a knight with chain mail of a type that Link had never seen, a helm of matching gold, and a sword drawn in his left hand. In his right he held Zelda, unconscious, and was riding away with her.
Link was stunned. Fear and anger and worry shot through his body, overwhelming his mind. For a brief moment, he found himself unable to do anything at all but stare. How could he have been so stupid? To have left both her and the king at the palace virtually unguarded was an idiotic move, and now she was in their hands.
Go after her
It was the voice again, the words struck at his mind with incredible force, and forced him to move. He kicked Epona's side with his heels and sped off, in angry pursuit of Zelda's captors. He pushed his horse to speeds he didn't know she could reach, but found that she wasn't moving fast enough to catch them.