Chapter 10: The Opponent is Revealed
Link woke up to find Ruto resting peacefully against him, Her elbow sitting in his lap. Though taken off guard, he didn't wake her. Slowly he got up and left while Ruto slept. By the time Ruto woke up, Link had returned. "Your father's men have brought the jellyfish gel. Now all we have to do is get it back to the lab. And we better hurry. I have a feeling something bad is going to happen." "Why? How do you know something is going to happen?" Ruto asked inquisitively. "Call it a hunch." Link said simply, hiding his left hand as the Triforce began to glow even brighter than before. I haven't told her about the Triforce. He thought. And if I do, she may get jealous about Zelda and me. I better keep this quiet. "We better go."
Link was right. It wasn't long before a rumor was heard among the Zora's; that a man of great evil and power rivaling that of Ganondorf himself was coming. And he wasn't happy. As they were heading back to the entrance to Zora's domain, a terrible thunderclap rent the air. All but the trio fled the scene as this man entered the Domain.
The man had solid, flaming red hair, marking him as a Gerudo. He was well built, with black armor and a flowing red cape. Only his face marked him different than Ganondorf himself. Armies of Gerudo pirates were right behind them. "Are you Link?" the man called out in a deep, booming voice. "I am." Link answered. "Then you are the Hero of Time, rescuer of many lands and the diplomat of Hyrule?" "I am." Link confirmed. "At last," the stranger said, drawing his broad blade sword. "I have found my opponent." He cam to about five feet of Link and stopped. "I am Lord Giro, the new leader of the Gerudos. I understand a rumor going about that you are the man who defeated Ganondorf, the last leader of the Gerudos. Is this not true?" "I am." Link said. "But I am not you opponent. I have more important things to do than to fight right now. So if you will excuse me, we were just leaving." Link began to pass Giro, but stopped when he found a blade pressed against his throat. "You'll fight," sneered the Gerudo. "Or I'll kill everyone in this Domain." Link eyes blazed, glancing over his shoulder at Ruto. He turned back towards Giro. "Very well. I except." He drew his Biggoron's Sword from its sheath. "Good!" laughed the evil man. " I was hoping my creation of new monsters wouldn't go to waste!" "You created those Monsters?" Link said, his rage obvious in his voice. "Then you're the one responsible for Ruto's illness! I'll make you pay." "Well, then let's see what you can do." Said Giro. "But I warn you, you won't be able to defeat me as easily as you did my father." "Your father?" Link asked, completely bewildered. But he didn't stay confused long before he was body slammed to the ground. "Ha!" crowed the Gerudo. "You're far too slow!" He slashed downward fiercely, giving Link barely any time to block. "But I don't understand." Link said, struggling against the opposing blade. "Are you telling me Ganondorf is your dad?" "He was." Said Giro. " Until you defeated him. Now I will triumph were father has failed: the destruction of the Hero of Time!"
Ruto was quickly surrounded by Gerudo guards, and watched horrified as Link battled on with the fierce pirate. It soon became obvious, however, that Giro was not as dependent on magic as his father. He blocked everyone one of Link's blows with the greatest of ease, and quickly countered with his own, usually leaving a red streak where it had struck. I have got to do something! she thought, panicking. But what can I do? Suddenly a burst of inspiration hit her, and she stealthily began to focus her energy.
Meanwhile, Link was battered and bruised, barely holding his own against the man in front of him. His blood began to coat his Kokiri tunic, staining it a dark crimson color. The leather of his gauntlets was worn through at the knuckles. He pulled away to gather his breath, and wiped his mouth, taking no notice of the blood that now covered the back of his hand. "Give up." Giro said, laughing. "There is no way you can win. And if you somehow manage to take me down, my army will be the ones who will finish the job." Link looked over Giro's shoulder; just realizing exactly how many soldiers were there, anxious to help their leader. Looks like I have failed Ruto after all. He thought forlornly. He looked over at Muleteer angrily. But I will at least see to it that he doesn't harm anyone else. Link Got back up and charged quickly, hoping to throw Muleteer off guard. Muleteer stepped aside and tripped the young hero, causing him to fall on his back. Before he could rise, Link found a blade pressed against his throat, a grinning Giro at the hilt. "Looks like you've lost." He jeered. "Know my father shall be avenged, and with the hero of time gone, I will take over Hyrule in my father's place!" Link closed his eyes, waiting to die. Giro began to lean on the sword and Link began to feel it cut his skin. Suddenly a loud yell met his ears, and he felt the blade withdraw from his throat. He opened his eyes and looked towards Ruto.
In amazement he saw Ruto beginning to glow a fluorescent blue, her eyes squinted in concentration. Before long, the air began to vibrate with the increased magic, and her Gerudo captors began to realize something was wrong. The Gerudo's turned towards her, their spears pointed straight at her heart. But before they could attack, Ruto opened her eyes, which glowed a deadly blue color. She extended her arm, and shouted out in a loud voice. Water shot from her finger tips, and hit the nearest Gerudo in the chest, knocking it flat.
At this time Giro and Link heard the noise, and Giro backed off. Link sat up and when he saw what she was doing, he yelled to her. "Ruto, stop! You'll use up all your energy, and then you wont be able to resist the poison!" Ruto turned towards him, sweat beginning to form on her forehead, the glow in her eyes fading. "No!" she said in a misty voice, the strain obvious in her words . "I must... help... defeat him..." She turned back to the battle, and knocked a squadron of Gerudos into the water. At this point she fell to her knees, her power as the Sage of Water fading by the second. "I must...protect...the Domain." Then with one final blow, she defeated the rest of the Gerudo pirates, and then collapsed.
As soon as she fell, Link got up and limped to her side. As soon as he took her into his arms, she slowly opened her eyes and smiled. "Guess I deserve to be the Sage of Water after all." Link grinned, thankful she was alright. "Let's go. We still have to get that antidote." He helped her stand, and once Sid came out of hiding, they began to head out. Suddenly an arrow flew from a cliff, lodging itself in the tip of Sid's hat. The group looked up, and on a ledge over the door stood Muleteer, grinning defiantly. He jumped down from the outcropping, blocking the way out. "There is no way for you now!" He said, sounding triumphant. "You won't escape me now!" Link and Ruto tried to back out of swinging range, but Link stumbled and feel, finding himself helpless at the feet of his enemy. "Now you'll die!" Giro swung his sword in a fierce downward arc. Ruto's expression turned to horror as she saw the blade heading toward him. "Link, no!"
Link woke up to find Ruto resting peacefully against him, Her elbow sitting in his lap. Though taken off guard, he didn't wake her. Slowly he got up and left while Ruto slept. By the time Ruto woke up, Link had returned. "Your father's men have brought the jellyfish gel. Now all we have to do is get it back to the lab. And we better hurry. I have a feeling something bad is going to happen." "Why? How do you know something is going to happen?" Ruto asked inquisitively. "Call it a hunch." Link said simply, hiding his left hand as the Triforce began to glow even brighter than before. I haven't told her about the Triforce. He thought. And if I do, she may get jealous about Zelda and me. I better keep this quiet. "We better go."
Link was right. It wasn't long before a rumor was heard among the Zora's; that a man of great evil and power rivaling that of Ganondorf himself was coming. And he wasn't happy. As they were heading back to the entrance to Zora's domain, a terrible thunderclap rent the air. All but the trio fled the scene as this man entered the Domain.
The man had solid, flaming red hair, marking him as a Gerudo. He was well built, with black armor and a flowing red cape. Only his face marked him different than Ganondorf himself. Armies of Gerudo pirates were right behind them. "Are you Link?" the man called out in a deep, booming voice. "I am." Link answered. "Then you are the Hero of Time, rescuer of many lands and the diplomat of Hyrule?" "I am." Link confirmed. "At last," the stranger said, drawing his broad blade sword. "I have found my opponent." He cam to about five feet of Link and stopped. "I am Lord Giro, the new leader of the Gerudos. I understand a rumor going about that you are the man who defeated Ganondorf, the last leader of the Gerudos. Is this not true?" "I am." Link said. "But I am not you opponent. I have more important things to do than to fight right now. So if you will excuse me, we were just leaving." Link began to pass Giro, but stopped when he found a blade pressed against his throat. "You'll fight," sneered the Gerudo. "Or I'll kill everyone in this Domain." Link eyes blazed, glancing over his shoulder at Ruto. He turned back towards Giro. "Very well. I except." He drew his Biggoron's Sword from its sheath. "Good!" laughed the evil man. " I was hoping my creation of new monsters wouldn't go to waste!" "You created those Monsters?" Link said, his rage obvious in his voice. "Then you're the one responsible for Ruto's illness! I'll make you pay." "Well, then let's see what you can do." Said Giro. "But I warn you, you won't be able to defeat me as easily as you did my father." "Your father?" Link asked, completely bewildered. But he didn't stay confused long before he was body slammed to the ground. "Ha!" crowed the Gerudo. "You're far too slow!" He slashed downward fiercely, giving Link barely any time to block. "But I don't understand." Link said, struggling against the opposing blade. "Are you telling me Ganondorf is your dad?" "He was." Said Giro. " Until you defeated him. Now I will triumph were father has failed: the destruction of the Hero of Time!"
Ruto was quickly surrounded by Gerudo guards, and watched horrified as Link battled on with the fierce pirate. It soon became obvious, however, that Giro was not as dependent on magic as his father. He blocked everyone one of Link's blows with the greatest of ease, and quickly countered with his own, usually leaving a red streak where it had struck. I have got to do something! she thought, panicking. But what can I do? Suddenly a burst of inspiration hit her, and she stealthily began to focus her energy.
Meanwhile, Link was battered and bruised, barely holding his own against the man in front of him. His blood began to coat his Kokiri tunic, staining it a dark crimson color. The leather of his gauntlets was worn through at the knuckles. He pulled away to gather his breath, and wiped his mouth, taking no notice of the blood that now covered the back of his hand. "Give up." Giro said, laughing. "There is no way you can win. And if you somehow manage to take me down, my army will be the ones who will finish the job." Link looked over Giro's shoulder; just realizing exactly how many soldiers were there, anxious to help their leader. Looks like I have failed Ruto after all. He thought forlornly. He looked over at Muleteer angrily. But I will at least see to it that he doesn't harm anyone else. Link Got back up and charged quickly, hoping to throw Muleteer off guard. Muleteer stepped aside and tripped the young hero, causing him to fall on his back. Before he could rise, Link found a blade pressed against his throat, a grinning Giro at the hilt. "Looks like you've lost." He jeered. "Know my father shall be avenged, and with the hero of time gone, I will take over Hyrule in my father's place!" Link closed his eyes, waiting to die. Giro began to lean on the sword and Link began to feel it cut his skin. Suddenly a loud yell met his ears, and he felt the blade withdraw from his throat. He opened his eyes and looked towards Ruto.
In amazement he saw Ruto beginning to glow a fluorescent blue, her eyes squinted in concentration. Before long, the air began to vibrate with the increased magic, and her Gerudo captors began to realize something was wrong. The Gerudo's turned towards her, their spears pointed straight at her heart. But before they could attack, Ruto opened her eyes, which glowed a deadly blue color. She extended her arm, and shouted out in a loud voice. Water shot from her finger tips, and hit the nearest Gerudo in the chest, knocking it flat.
At this time Giro and Link heard the noise, and Giro backed off. Link sat up and when he saw what she was doing, he yelled to her. "Ruto, stop! You'll use up all your energy, and then you wont be able to resist the poison!" Ruto turned towards him, sweat beginning to form on her forehead, the glow in her eyes fading. "No!" she said in a misty voice, the strain obvious in her words . "I must... help... defeat him..." She turned back to the battle, and knocked a squadron of Gerudos into the water. At this point she fell to her knees, her power as the Sage of Water fading by the second. "I must...protect...the Domain." Then with one final blow, she defeated the rest of the Gerudo pirates, and then collapsed.
As soon as she fell, Link got up and limped to her side. As soon as he took her into his arms, she slowly opened her eyes and smiled. "Guess I deserve to be the Sage of Water after all." Link grinned, thankful she was alright. "Let's go. We still have to get that antidote." He helped her stand, and once Sid came out of hiding, they began to head out. Suddenly an arrow flew from a cliff, lodging itself in the tip of Sid's hat. The group looked up, and on a ledge over the door stood Muleteer, grinning defiantly. He jumped down from the outcropping, blocking the way out. "There is no way for you now!" He said, sounding triumphant. "You won't escape me now!" Link and Ruto tried to back out of swinging range, but Link stumbled and feel, finding himself helpless at the feet of his enemy. "Now you'll die!" Giro swung his sword in a fierce downward arc. Ruto's expression turned to horror as she saw the blade heading toward him. "Link, no!"