Section 6
Invasion!
"For the last time, I'm not apologizing." Link growled. "She's always telling me what to do. I know she's a princess, but she's starting to remind me of her Father! He and she always think about the life of a single person before the overall welfare of the country. That's admirable at times, but usually foolish! Besides, it was rude of her to bring up our mother!" Link said. Chain and Link were sitting on their respective beds, across from eachother. Taig was siting on the floor next to Link's. Link had been in his room almost the whole day after the fight, supposedly 'resting' like Zelda wanted.
"But still...you hurt her feelings, Link. Yelling at her like that..." Chain said quietly.
"Yeah, I've never seen you lose your temper like that, buddy. Are you okay?" Taig asked.
"It doesn't matter. Zelda needs to learn that I can take care of myself. Now I've had enough of your guys' lecturing. I understand that you want to help me but this subject has been discussed as thoughoughly as possible. We're going around in circles. Good night!" Link said loudly, jumping under his blanket and not saying anything furthur. Chain and Taig sighed, glancing at eachother. They left the room.
"We can talk to him tomorrow. He's obviously exhausted, poor guy. He acting really wierd." Taig said, shaking his head. "Probably stressed."
"Yeah...besides, if we give it a day maybe Zelda will apologize to him and save us the trouble of trying to convince him to do it. Is Navi still with her?" Chain asked.
"As far as I know." Taig said. He and Chain said good-night to eachother and Chain went back into his and Link's room. Chain turned off the light and got into bed.
"Good night, Link." Chain said. He got no reply, Link was already asleep.
"Link, what's going on?" Chain asked, rubbing his eyes. "It's not time for training yet..."
"I don't know what that sound is, but I don't like it. You'd bett-" A loud bang drowned out the rest of Link's sentence as the door to his room was knocked down. A fat but buff, armored, tall, ugly, stinky moblin stood in the doorway, grinning down at Link. It's sharp yellow, boarish teeth were at a strange angle as it bore it's canines and snorted. It only had one more second to live before Link ran it through. Orange-reddish blood spilled into the hallway and Link leapt over the monster's falling body, only to meet another moblin down the hall, to the left. Chain pulled on his tunic and ran after Link, joining him as he killed another moblin.
"We're being invaded!" Chain yelled, staring down the hall at two more moblins.
"It must have been a surprise attack," Link shouted over the squealing of one of the running moblins as he shot it with an arrow. With Link's sword and Chain's spells, the two killed six moblins before getting to the end of the hall. They burst out the hallway door into a chaotic melee of moblins and soldiers. The drawbridge was open because the chains holding it closed had been broken, and the area around the chains was charred. Link knew something must have blown them up, like a bomb or magic. Dozens of moblins and some other monsters were trying to break in, and the soldiers weren't having much luck holding them off. Without a moment's hesitation, Link slammed into the moblin closest to him, and while it was off-balance Chain killed it with a cutting spell.
Zelda and Impa suddenly showed up, and with their added strength, as well as the stength of arriving Royal Guards and Hyrule Army soldiers, they began to beat the flood of monsters out of the castle. Moblins, lizalfoses, dinalfoses, wolfoses, stalfoses, and skulltullas were all forced back, and were soon being pushed off of the drawbridge. While they were being held off, Zelda fixed the drawbridge chains with her magic. Unfortunately, a new wave of monsters was running out of Castle Town, towards Hyrule Castle.
"Retreat into the castle!" The King's voice was heard on the battlement overlooking the fight. "Get inside and close the drawbridge against the new wave! We'll take them out with arrows!" He shouted. He then yelled in surprise as a shiftbat flew over his head and dropped a few lizalfoses next to him and his five guards. About a dozen keese arrived as well, diving at the bow and sword-wielding soldiers arriving on the walls. Link risked a glance back through the entrance to the castle, and could see that more monsters were being flown over the castle walls by shiftbats and dropped into the courtyard. He also saw that for some reason half the population of Castle Town seemed to be running around in the courtyard. Taig and some soldiers were fighting the dropped monsters already, but it was obvious that they would soon be outnumbered.
"They need us in there," Chain yelled over the shouting of battle, sending a newly learned Din's Fire ball at a skulltulla creeping towards him.
"You, Impa and Zelda go and help in there. I'll fight off these monsters until the gate is closed and join you!" Link shouted back. Chain nodded. He managed to round up Zelda and Impa and head for the courtyard as the soldiers cleared the last of the monsters off the drawgridge. "Pull up the drawbridge!" Link yelled up to the soldiers on the walls, next to the controls. Half of them were fighting off a bunch of wolfoses, but after defeating the beasts they ran over to the device that closed the gate (it looked like the same kind of thing you pull anchors up with on a ship). The gate began to close, and most of the soldiers ran into the castle. Link and another soldier kept off some moblins as the drawbridge began to rise under their feet.
Unfortunatley one moblin was determined that it was not going to let the gate close without killing a Hylian. It launched itself at the soldier fighting next to Link as the bridge continued to close. The moblin pulled the struggling man to the edge of the wood as it rose to a nearly vertical angle, so they were on the top of it, the moblin on the outside and the soldier on the inside. Link clung to the edge of the gate and launched himself at the two at the last moment. He cut at the moblin with his sword and hit its face. Roaring in pain, the monster let go of the soldier. The Hylian fell into the castle as the drawbridge closed and the moblin fell into the moat. Unluckily for Link, he fell into the moat as well.
"Guraupgrawww!" The moblin growled as it emerged, spitting water. Link quickly jumped out of the moat, and found himself completely surrounded by monsters.
"Throw a rope down to Link, quickly! Or grab a large piece of wood and hold it between a gap in the stone so he can hookshot it!" The King ordered one of his personal guards (called Wein) as he slashed at a monster with his kingly golden sword. The guard quickly saluted and ran off the find a rope. He ran down the battlement, past archers who were shooting arrows at the monsters below though the gaps. There were some battles on the way, but he got around them without injury. He reached a stone storage room which held supplies and began frantically rummaging for a rope.
The archers on the walls were trying their best to shoot down the monsters around Link, but were constantly being attacked from behind by various dropped monsters and keese. Not to mention some stalfoses knew how to use a bow and were shooting back at them from below. It was difficult enough to keep from being chopped to pieces themselves. Link, however, was in a much worse siduation. After Link had executed the spin attack twice, a stalfos had managed to hit him from the side, slashing his shoulder. Link held the wound, backed up and turned to some approaching monsters to his right, but there were too many. He simply could not fight off thirty monsters at once. He was forced back into the moat by the stalfos. Link backed up in the waist-high water until his back was to the stone castle wall next to the drawbridge. Quite a few monsters followed him into the moat, but none attacked but the stalfos that had knocked him in in the first place. Link slashed at it visciously and knocked its sword away, but it simply snatched a spear from a moblin to the left of it (which was suprised and stared at the stalfos a few moments with its eyes bulging) and pinned Link to the wall with it, holding it against his neck. The beast was suprisingly strong despite the fact that it had no muscles. Link tried to bring his sword up to kill it, but the armored skeleton kicked his wrist so hard the sword went flying.
"Now you're a dead boy!" The stalfos hissed in its raspy voice, pushing up on the spear handle so that it lifted Link off the ground. He gasped and struggled but could not free himself. His vision blurred as the stalfos pressed harder. "Get him!" The beast ordered a lizalfos to its right. The lizalfos walked forward, raising its long dagger. Suddenly a shining yellow ball zoomed out of nowhere and hit the lizard's scaley nose.
"Leave Link alone, you bully!" Navi shouted, buzzing around in the monster's eyes to confuse it. Other monsters closed in to finish Link, but a teal and black blur leapt down apon them. With several quick flashes of metal, half a dozen monsters collapsed into the water, grasping at sword-made holes through their chests. The water around was becomming increasingly orangish-red with monster blood as Cyphas cut the head off of the stalfos pinning Link. Link fell into the water dizzily and Cyphas caught him by the back of his tunic, pulling his head above the water with one hand while the other was slaying monsters with the swiftness of lightening.
"Time to play get-Link's-stupid-butt-out-of-trouble again!" Cyphas yelled triumphantly as Link coughed and regained his balance. He stood up and grabbed his sword from under the water next to him, killing a wolfos pouncing at him. Before more monsters could overwhelm the pair, the ends of two ropes were thrown down to them. Link and Cyphas wasted no time in sheathing their swords and jumping on the ropes to pull themselves up. However, before they could reach the top monsters began to shoot arrows at them and follow them up the ropes (Navi buzzed in the faces of these). An arrowhead struck the back of Cyphas's right arm and she let go of her rope, giving a short yell. Link caught her wrist and pulled her arm over his shoulder. The Zora-Hylian had enough strength to hold onto Link as he climbed up the rest of the rope and some soldiers pulled him over the wall. Thanks to Navi, the monsters climbing behind them did not reach the top before the ropes were cut, and the beasts plummeted back into the moat.
Link found to his relief that all the monsters on this part of the wall had been exterminated. He looked briefly around at the other parts and saw that most of them had been killed and few more were on the way. Was the invasion over? Were the rest of the monsters just going to sit around and get killed, with no reenforcements?
"Link, you're all right! When I heard you and Cyphas were out there by yourselves..." Link heard Zelda's voice and saw her behind him. Navi, having finished distracting the monsters, flew to Link and climbed under his hat.
"Yeah, but Cyphas's been wounded. Will you heal her?" Link asked.
"Don't be stupid!" Cyphas growled, a hand on the arrow sticking out of her arm. "I don't need...your stupid magic!"
"Cyphas, this is no time to build your strength by letting it heal on it's own. If you haven't noticed, we're under attack! You need to be in your top condition, you can't fight like that!" Zelda pointed out. Cyphas made a sour face and sighed.
"I suppose that's true...but the next time I'm wounded and our lives aren't at stake, I refuse to be fixed up with your unatural, nonsensical wizard crap!" Zelda laughed and nodded, then while she was healing Cyphas Link stood up and looked over the castle battlements again. All the monsters were dead! He stepped over to the wall and looked down into the courtyard. All of the monsters there had been exterminated as well, and it seemed that no one had been killed or permanently injured. Link was about to inform Zelda of the good news when he heard something that instantly crushed his newly found good mood. It was the flapping of leathery wings accompanied by a laugh so sadistic and loud that it froze the blood of everyone in the castle.
"What is THAT?" Cyphas screamed. Link turned to see a ball of dark electricity zooming at the princess and halfbreed. There was time for him to do nothing but jump in front of it. He wasn't about to let Zelda or his friend get hit...
"Eaaaagh!" Link screamed as the ball exploded on his back, hurling him into the women below him. The electricity sizzled and cracked as it spread over Link's body briefly, then dissapeared. Navi screamed and came out from Link's hat, backing off. The dark waves radiating from Link's attacker's body were too much for her to bear.
"AHAHAHAHAAAA! I knew you would do that - same fool of a boy!" Ganondorf's deep, mocking voice rang out. "Did you miss me, Link?! I've come back to reclaim what's mine - Hyrule!"
"Run!" Link told Cyphas and Zelda as he staggered to his feet.
"No way! I'm not going to let you fight that cheap-shot Gerudo all by yourself! Whoa!" Cyphas and Zelda jumped out of the way as Ganondorf sent another piece of magic flying at them. This one promptly turned into a shade monster apon striking the stone. The shade leapt at the women and they were forced to flee from the quick thing as it continually attacked them. Link growled in irritation and turned to face Ganondorf. Behind the Gerudo Link saw three large, black, and very evil-looking dragons circling in the cloudly sky above the courtyard. Ganon himself was not riding one. He was instead riding on his old black, armored horse; the one Link hadn't seen in years and supposed was dead. Instead, the creature seemed greatly improved. It was almost as big as a Clydesdale and had somehow grown a pair of black wings. It's hooves were red-hot and surrounded by flickers of fire. Flames came from its nostrils whenever it exhaled. Both the horse and rider stared down at Link with murderous intentions. Ganondorf looked the same as he always had, a dark-skinned giant of a man in Gerudo clothing with red hair that matched his horse's. He had cut his hair again and had a little bit of hair on his chin, and Link noted that his head looked vaguely like a fireball.
"I don't know how you survived a broken back, boy, but before long you'll be wishing you hadn't! I should have done you in like I did that Royal Guard kid, but then again, that's too quick a death for you. By the way, do you like the improvements I made to Murderisk? He's a nightmare now!"
"I don't care what he is! You won't catch me off-guard again, Ganondork!" Link felt a stab of rage as he watched Ganon sitting happily on his horse. He'd pay for killing Epona and Cosha. Ganondorf cast a condescending glare at Link.
"You dare mock me in front of my face? Prepare to die, Hero of Time!"
"Why should I prepare now? Last time you left me alive! You're not fooling me, Ganon. You knew I wasn't dead. You didn't take my triforce. Why?"
"What are you talking about, cretin? Don't you think I'd kill you if I knew you weren't dead?! I highly doubt you have any understanding of how to steal a triforce. But, it matters little now that I've found you. You'll be cold and dead under my nightmare's hooves soon enough!" Ganon urged Murderisk at Link and the horse reared up, neighing wildly. When he came back down, his fiery hooves colliding with the stone beneath them made the wall shake a bit. The nightmare charged at Link, who drew his sword but did not move, undaunted by the approaching monster. Just as the giant horse was about to reach Link, Link rolled out of the way, to the side. He struck out with the Master Sword at the nightmare's leg, and the horse snorted in pain and stumbled as it galloped past. Link tried to ignore a biting pain in his back induced by rolling as Ganondorf brought his horse around. As the horse charged again it surprised Link by jumping into the air and gliding over his head as Ganon shot a blast of dark power at him. Link slashed the magic, sending it back at Murderisk, who dodged it with a quick flap of his huge black wings. The horse turned around mid air and hovered, his flaming hooves pawing angrilly at the air. The nightmare sucked in a long breath and breathed flames at Link. Link was a bit surprised, having never heard of nightmares or their ability to breathe fire like a dragon, but had the prescence of mind to yank the mirror shield off his back and bring it up. The flames were defleced back at the horse, and whinying in rage, it flew higher to avoid its own flames.
"Quick aren't you? But don't get confident yet, boy!" Ganon yelled, making Murderisk charge again, this time swooping directly at Link.
"Too late, you flame-headed Gerudo!" Link challenged with a boldness he didn't quite feel. With a growl of rage, Ganon drew his curved, wickedly sharp Gerudo sword. Link barely leapt out from under Murderisk's red hooves in time to avoid being branded, and Ganon slashed at the Hylian as he passed. Link couldn't dodge the strike, so he blocked it with the Master Sword. "Whoa!" Link said as the powerful strike forced him backwards and nearly caused him to fall over the battlement wall. "Sheesh, that was close," Link said, staring down at the horde of monsters still swarming outside the castle. A few fired arrows at him, so he got away from the wall quickly. He turned to face Ganondorf, only to find him flying away. He and his nightmare were heading straight for Zelda and Cyphas.
"Come back here, you coward!" Link yelled, sprinting after him along the battlements. They were now relatively empty because most of the soldiers had gone to fight the black dragons hovering above the courtyard. Zelda and Cyphas seemed to have been able to defeat the shade and Zelda was firing light magic at the black dragons from atop the wall. Cyphas was gone, Link supposed she must be fighting the dragons in her own way. Link knew he couldn't reach the princess before Murderisk, so he pulled out his bow and fired an arrow at the horse's wing. The arrow hit, and with an unhorse-ish hiss, the beast began to descend into the courtyard. It couldn't maintain the weight of its own heavy body plus Ganon's with an arrow in its wing. Link ran all the way to Zelda.
"Sorry, Link. I was going to help you with Ganon, but that dragon was about to fry about twenty soldiers with its dark fire! I had to stop it." The princess explained.
"No problem," Link said, panting. His bruised stomach hurt horribly from sprinting and he put a hand over it.
"Link, let me heal that." Zelda said, pausing in her throwing of light magic at the dragons.
"There's no time, Zelda! Those soldiers!" Link yelled, seeing a black dragon breathe flames at a group of about five Hyrule Army men. Zelda, even though she was about seventy feet away from the men, managed to send a sheet of magic down to shield them from the fire. Without giving Zelda a chance to argue, Link vaulted over the wall and landed on the grass by the fight. His back did not like the stress from falling forty feet and rolling to reduce the impact, but Link ignored it and ran at the dragon. The two-house-sized beast's body scales were as black as midnight, and its wings were a deep, dark crimson. It's sharp, large stomach scales were the color and texture of bones, and the dragon was quite skinny. Spikes bristled from its spine and the side of its arms and legs. The creature was wicked fast as it turned this way and that, snapping and slashing at soldiers. It's eyes looked like glowing blood and on it's left horn was lodged an old human skull, pierced through the eye. A symbol that looked like a ghoul and a skull mixed was on its forehead.
As if sensing the prescence of a skilled and pure fighter, the dragon turned its burning eyes to Link and hissed, scalding saliva dripping from its mouth. Link powered up the Master Sword, channeling warm light magic into it. As the dragon snapped at Link he jumped to the side and chopped at its neck. The Master Sword tore right through the dragon's flesh and bone, severing its head. Link looked behind him and to the left. He saw Ganondorf using a strange form of dark magic to heal Murderisk's wing. Ganon had noticed that Link killed one of his dragons, yet he was smiling as he leapt back into his nightmare's saddle. Link heard the dead body of the dragon behind him move, and turned to see it writhing. Using his platinum gauntlets, Link lifted the corpse and threw it at Ganondorf. Murderisk leapt into the air and flew out of the way of the body, then, to Link's horror, flew straight at Zelda once again.
"Long time no see, Princess Zelda!" Ganon shouted, drawing his sword once again. "Will you never learn, you sad man?" Zelda asked, forming a spell in her hands.
"Injure her, Murderisk!" Ganon ordered. Before Link could think, his bow was in his hands again. He fired another arrow at Murderisk's wing, but some kind of shield spell knocked it away. Zelda sent quick, sharp magic flying at the horse, but the spell deflected that as well. Zelda screamed in terror as Ganondorf reached her.
"No!!" Link shouted at Murderisk's huge hooves collided with Zelda's chest. The horse reared up in the air and prepared to stomp the fallen princess, and Link could do nothing from this distance but fire another arrow. This time it was aimed for Ganondorf, and this time it was shining with holy magic. He let it fly right into the evil King's shoulder.
"Ahhhhhh!" Ganon yelled, clutching at the arrow as it plunged into the back of his shoulder. The light magic surrounded him, and his scream startled Murderisk. The flying horse hovered higher and pawed at the air rather then stomping Zelda. The light magic singed the nightmare and then faded. Ganon slumped forward in the saddle. Apparently the arrow had gone deep and the light magic was still hurting him. "Murderisk, fly back to the fortress!" Ganon ordered, a large hand over the wound that was spewing silvery-red blood. He looked back at Link quickly. "We'll finish this later, Hero of Time! I will paint the ground with your blood, and give you a very slow, agonizing death!" The nightmare, though it had also been hurt by the effects of the well-aimed arrow, still had the strength to fly high into the sky and back towards the desert. The black dragons still alive in the courtyard saw their master leaving, and with a few more blasts of dark fire at soldiers and the castle, they followed him. Navi returned to Link.
"You okay, Navi? Thanks for helping me with those monsters earlier." Link said.
"Sorry I couldn't help you with Ganondorf. Whenever he's around, my whole body gets numb and I can't breathe...I just can't stand his evil magic!" Link nodded understandingly and Navi went under his hat. Link looked up at the wall where Zelda was. The only stairs leading up to it were were about fifty feet to his left. He was about to dash that way when Taig showed up. Taig had been fighting the dragons until they left, and when he saw Link staring up at the wall he ran over to him. The little red dragon's tail was singed and his left haunch had a slash in it, but other than that he was unharmed.
"Taig, can you fly me up there? Zelda's hurt!" Link said. Taig nodded wordlessly and the Hylian climbed unto his back. The Prince of Dragons quickly transported Link up to the battlement and Link jumped off, running over to the unmoving Zelda. She was sprawled out and had burns the shape of horseshoes branded on her chest, which were smoking. Link took out his Arlia plant and used it, but it was not a medicine made for healing burns. It did little more than clean the wound and perhaps make it less painful. Link then took off his hat and covered Zelda's chest with it to stem the bloodflow (some of it was bleeding, but most was sealed by charred skin) and for modesty because her shirt had been nearly burnt off. Blushing a bit, he then put his cheek over her mouth to see if she was breathing. Please don't be dead, he prayed. Link heaved a long sigh of relief when he felt her light breath brush his face. "She's alive," He said, grinning at Taig. "Thanks for flying me up here."
"No problem, buddy." Taig said. "The Great Prince of Dragons is always willing to help! By the way, I was single-handedly holding off a demondragon! Well...Naltha and Kars helped a tiny bit," He said. As if on cue, Naltha and Kars came into view as the flew over the wall and landed next to Link and Zelda. Chain and Cyphas jumped off their backs. Chain rushed over to Zelda and used a recently learned healing spell on her. It wasn't entirely successful because he was still very new at it, but Link could tell the wound had gotten a tiny bit smaller.
"Well at least it did something, Chain. I think she'll be alright until she wakes up now." Link said. "Man, she had me worried. That's one huge horse Ganon's got."
"Yeah, what was that thing? He had a black horse back when put an evil spirit in me, but nothing like that!" Chain said.
"It was a nightmare," Zelda said. Everyone looked down at her in surprise. She was awake but very tired-looking.
"Zelda, are you okay? What can we do for you?" Link asked, kneeling next to her and gently holding her head up. Zelda layed a hand on her chest and healed herself. Though the burns were gone, the powerful strike had knocked her senseless and she was still very dizzy. She was also exhausted by using so much of her magic. "Just take me to my bed, please." Zelda said weariliy. "I'll heal the wounded after I've gotten my magic back with rest." Link nodded and lifted her. This time he didn't even notice the pain in his back. He walked to the stairs leading off the wall, followed by Chain, Cyphas, and Taig (The griffons had gone to the courtyard to help the wounded). Cyphas was muttering about something irritably.
"What is it, Cyphas?" Chain asked her. She had a large slash on her calve, but Chain had the feeling that wasn't what she was mad about.
"Just annoying Hylians, that's all. A dragon grabbed me. I had everything under control and I was about to cut it's stupid fingers off, but Mr. Captain of the Royal Guard thinks I need help and cuts the dragons hand! Stupid man..." Chain snickered under his breath. Of course 'I had everything under control' probably meant the dragon was about to eat her. Chain knew she would never admit it, though. He was just glad she wasn't biting off his head for even talking to her. When they reached Zelda's room, Link lowered her slowly into her bed, covering her with a blanket.
"Please wake me up in four hours," Zelda requested quitely. "In that time I will be rested enough to perform healing spells without fainting." Link smiled and gazed into her pretty blue eyes.
"Okay. You get plently of rest, understand? I'll make sure nobody wakes you before four hours are up. Don't worry about the wounded. We'll take care of them while you sleep." Zelda thanked him and then felt something on her chest, looking under the covers she saw Link's hat. Blushing, she gave it to him.
"Ehehe thanks....I didn't see anything!" Link said, taking it and turning away to hide his own blushing. Zelda laughed a bit.
"Don't worry, I believe you." Then she closed her eyes, and Chain, Cyphas, Taig and Link (after casting one last glance at Zelda) went to clean up the courtyard.
"King Ganondorf, are you alright?!" A Gerudo asked with concern as Ganon leapt off of Murderisk. Grimacing, the king yanked the deep light arrow out of his shoulder.
"Do I bloody look alright?!" He growled in rage, shoving past her. "Put Murderisk in his area and bathe him." He ordered gruffly.
"But Your Majesty, that horse responds kindly to no one but you! Two Gerudos were injured the last time we-"
"I don't have the patience for your pathetic whining, Linura! Do it now!!" The woman started in fear and bowed.
"Yes, Your Majesty..." She muttered as he left. Cursing and blasting inanimate objects, Ganondorf entered the improved Gerudo's Fortress and climbed towards his tower. Many of his servants, monster and Gerudo alike, had to dive out of the way to avoid being turned into a little pile of ashes. Two poes flew ahead to his tower to warn the servant there.
"You'd better watch out, Raptyrant. Ganondorf's in a bad mood." A poe said, gleefully flying in circles around the monster's head.
"Why?" The creature asked.
"Foolish lizard. He's Ganondorf! He doesn't need an excuse to be in a bad mood!" The other poe said, grinning crazily and waving its lantern around as it joined it's brother in his orbit around the dinosaurish beast's head.
"Begone, you whisps of stupidity!" Ganon growled as he reached the top of the stairs. He fired black magic at the poes, but as they were evil ghosts, the blasts went right through them.
"Heheheheheeee! Yus, surrr!" A poe said, saluting with its lantern hand and hitting itself in the face. Irritated by this mocking behavior, Ganon shot lightening at them. Because it was made of bright electricity, the magic had the power to tear holes though them. Screaming girlishly, they stretched to cartoonish positions to dodge the magic, then flew off.
"Erm...a less than successful invasion I take it?" Raptyrant asked. He was Ganon's one and only dinalstalfos. He looked like a raptor's skeleton wearing armor and a sword. He had used to be an ordinary dinalfos, but had been perticularly guileful and skilled. He had personally forced Link to use a red fairy once, and Ganon didn't want him gone when Link killed him. So, Ganondorf had used his dark magic to resurect the dinosaur and make him into a powerful dinalstalfos.
"OBVIOUSLY!" Ganon raged, punching the dino's head off. Raptyrant's body felt around for the head, and when it found it, put it back on.
"Sir, is there anything I can get you?" The dino asked. Ganon turned to face him and discovered he had put his head on backwards.
"I am surrounded by imbeciles!" Ganon yelled angrilly, gripping the dino's head rather hard and twisting it back around. Yelping in fear, Raptyrant backed off.
"Sorry sir, just trying to make you laugh..."
"FOOL! The only time I will laugh or feel happiness is when my hands are coated with Link's warm blood! Or Zelda's blood! Or the sages' blood! Or maybe YOUR blood! I will make sure you grow sensitive skin and die a second time if you attempt humor again!"
"Y-yes sir! I hope you get your happiness the next time you meet Link, sir." The dinalstalfos said, falling silent.
"By the way, have you recieved word from Llance yet? He will pay dearly for his lateness. He should have been here with his army long ago." The undead dino shook it's head. "Get me a drink before I slowly exterminate your soul," Ganon said. Nodding, Raptyrant gladly ran off. The furious Gerudo King's anger was somewhat abetted by what he saw as he pushed the door to his room open. His experiment was progrssing nicely. "Well, at least some good came from my raid this morning." Ganon growled, channeling dark power into his hand and placing it on his shoulder to cancel out the light magic there. "Or should I say some evil? Link will be sorry for using so much legendary magic after my first attack on him when he sees this. No matter how hard he tries to beat me, he won't be able to win when my weapon is complete. I will hold him powerless, watch him suffer and bleed on his knees...AHAHAAHAAA!"
Section 7
The Lure
Where am I, exactly? This place is so dark...if I hold out my hand one inch in front of my face, I can't see it. Yet I have a strange feeling that the darkness isn't causing this...Suddenly something gold looms up in front of me, filling my vision with its metallic glare. It seems to be the golden symbol of Royalty. It's the symbol of my Father and I; shaped like a phoenix that has a triforce for a head. The symbol gradully fades into nothingness and I see something else: Link. What is he doing here? I try to say something but can't even talk. I get the feeling that I'm witnessing something that I'm not even close to, like I'm here in spirit. Link looks determined about something and is walking away from me.
The vision changes. Now I stand in a damp, dirty jail cell. The walls around me are made of stone. I feel rather than sense someone standing next to me. I turn and if I were able to make a sound, I would have screamed. I stand next to Ganondorf! He has a sadistic grin on his face. He's looking at a strangely-shaped object, perhaps a weapon, which flares with purple light every now and then. He says something but all is silent. From the moving of his lips I think he said something about Link. The object he's staring at vanishes and he looks forward, anticipation written on his face. I hear something far away; it sounds like a horse whinying. Then I hear something else from within the room: footsteps. Link comes around the corner and looks into the cell I'm standing in. He smiles and his mouth moves, but I hear nothing. Everything is covered by a strange, soundless blanket in this place. He comes toward the cell and pulls out a key. What's he doing? Doesn't he see Ganondorf? Ganon pulls a long, very sharp and slightly curved Gerudo sword from his belt. Link, stop! Don't open the cell! I scream, but the frustrating silence is not broken. He doesn't hear me and opens the cell. Ganon takes the chance and drives his sword straight through Link's stomach. As this happens a frighteningly loud sound shatters the quiet: Link's scream. Blood runs down Ganon's blade and starts soaking the ground even as the Evil King stares into Link's shocked, wide eyes, grinning evily. He laughs maniacally and kicks Link off his blade. Link hits the ground and coughs thickly, his eyes closing for the last time. Then I see nothing but light.
Link walked by himself down to Zelda's room. His friends were still helping the physicians tend to the wounded, but it was time to wake the princess up. Link had discovered why he had seen citizens running around in the courtyard that morning. The monsters that now surrounded the castle (but were being slowly picked off and scared away by archers) had first invaded Castle Town. The soldiers stationed there had managed to hold off the flood of monsters long enough for the citizens to flee from their homes, across the castle's lawn and into the safety of its walls. After that, the soldiers couldn't hold them off any longer and were forced to retreat to the castle. The monsters had a few intelligent ones among them (primarily stalfoses) and one of them had brought a bomb, which they had blown up the chain on the drawbridge with. That was when Link and Chain had woken up to join the fray.
When Ganondorf and his evil dragons showed up (Taig had called them 'demondragons'), the dragons had gone straight for the citizens. With the help of soldiers and Zelda, however, they had managed to hold the beasts at bay. A score of men had been injured and a few people had died, but most were okay. Some of the castle walls had been damaged as well, but the attack could have been much worse. Link hoped Ganondorf didn't have any more dragons where those ones had come from. Link was brought out of his thoughts as he reached Zelda's room.
He pushed the door open quietly and snuck inside. For some reason, he wanted to see her sleeping before waking her up. Link was startled to find himself comparing her to an angel as she lay there, golden hair surrounding her pretty face. The only way she could look more pretty is if her eyes were open and she was smiling, Link thought to himself. But I can't allow those kind of thoughts. She's the princess and I'm her protecter. If I let myself get distracted by such things, it will put us both in danger...Still, Link couldn't help but kneel next to her to get a closer look. He had never really noticed how long and dark her eyelashes were and how soft her skin was. It reminded him of a flower petal. Enough of this! Time to wake her up...Even as the thought entered Link's head, he bent down and kissed Zelda's forehead. Why'd I do that? I need to control myself! Poor Zelda...a mere commoner like me kissing her in her sleep...
"Zelda. Wake up, Zelda." Link said. Her deep blue eyes fluttered open and she sat up, stretching.
"Ah, that feels much better. Hello, Link." She said, a pretty smile covering her face. "What's the damage?" She asked, getting out of her bed. Link looked at the floor sadly.
"Three were killed," He began. "One Royal Guard named Fren, one Hyrule Army soldier named Hunter, and one citizen named Alina. She was Garret's sister and Ector's aunt."
"I didn't know they were related. That's terrible...Ganon's monsters attacking innocent women like that..." Zelda said, leaving her room with Link following her. The two talked on the way to the infirmary.
"Twenty-one were wounded, including Impa and your father. They'll be alright, though. The only one who was permanently damaged is an old soldier who got his hand bitten off. The dragons put a hole in the north wall so you can walk right into the castle's hall from it, and destroyed the second set of stairs leading up to the battlements. They also put a dent in the stone hallway connecting the castle and the army soldier's barracks." The Hyrule Army and the Royal Guard barracks were next to each other and connected to each other by an inclosed stone hallway. Both were also joined to the castle by similar hallways. They led straight into the courtyard so the soldiers could go there and train in the morning.
"Well, it could have been worse," Zelda said. "We should be grateful only three were killed. If Ganondorf had attacked soldiers and citizens rather than me and you, I'm sure the casualties would have been much higher." Link nodded somberly.
"I'm going after Ganondorf very soon. He can't be allowed to continue this."
"Link, are you daft? You can't just go charging into the Gerudo's Fortress! You'd only get killed. We must wait for the races of Hyrule to gather here and make a counterattack."
"What good is that? Ganon probably has an unlimited amount of monsters at his fortress. Even with the combined might of the races, we don't have that great of chance-"
"Link, are you thinking about what you're saying? We have dragons, griffons, and calwots on our side! It's not just gorons and zoras anymore. I think we'll have Ganon sorely outmatched when the races get here. There's so many we'll have trouble making accomodations! Good thing father told the dragons to bring their flying fortress. It's the only building large enough to house a force, and I don't want armies camping all over Royal Field, where they're open to an attack."
"I guess you've got a point, but I can't help but wonder what Ganon's got in store. I think he attacked today knowing that he'd be defeated. He was just checking our defense or something..."
"Well even so, you can't go to the fortress by yourself." Zelda stopped walking and lowered her voice. "I had another nightmare that I suspect is prophetic like the last one." She leaned up against the wall, half-crossing her arms.
"Was it bad?" Link asked, looking at her.
"Oh yeah. You ...died again, and I saw light again at it's end."
"So, was it the same as the last one?"
"No. In this one you walked away fromt he Royal Seal and came to a dungeon. You unlocked a cell with Ganondorf in it, and he killed you. Obviously that's probably not exactly what will happen to you, but perhaps Ganon will trick you somehow..." Zelda looked very distressed. Dreams of Link dying were the worst kind of nightmare for her. Link put a hand on her shoulder.
"That's very disturbing...if I go there, I'd better be careful." Link said. Zelda shook her head violently.
"Link, don't go at all! You walked away fromt the Royal Seal, away from me! Don't make my dream come true, Link...please promise me you won't go." Link was silent for a moment. How could he make such a promise? Ganondorf was him nemesis, he had to go fight him...
"Ah Link, I found you. Come with me, will you?" It was Cyphas, coming from out of nowhere like usual.
"Cyphas? W-where'd you come from?" Link asked, quickly taking his hand off Zelda's shoulder as Cyphas raised an eyebrow. "I need to help with the wounded..." Link began.
"No, you don't. I already asked, and they've got plenty of help. I need to talk to you." Link nodded.
"See you later, Zelda." He said quickly, glad he didn't have to make a promise he wasn't sure he could keep. "Hey, I just remembered...I've gotta check on Malon and the Kokiris sometime today. I'm worried about them."
"Wait, Link. You don't have to check on the Kokiris. After my dream ended, I contacted the Sages while I was still sleeping. They're all fine, including Saria. I'll see you later," She said, waving. Before she turned away, she stared pleadingly into Link's eyes. The stare tore at him, begging him not to go to Ganondorf.
"You coming or not, Link? Or are you going to stare after her all night, lover boy?" Link was startled and a little indignant at being called that. Nevertheless, he followed Cyphas.
"What are you talking about? Me and Zelda were talking about something scary and I was reassuring her. I didn't put my hand on her shoulder because we were going to kiss or anything!"
"I wasn't implying that you were going to kiss her. Guilty conscience?" Cyphas asked, displaying that cocky grin that showed all her pointy teeth. Link glared at her.
"This isn't a joke. I'm telling the truth!" Cyphas would've liked nothing more than to mock Link furthur, but she had a stony image to maintain, and by Link's expression it seemed she had gone too far already.
"Alright, alright. Don'y get touchy, okay? Sorry." Link was almost surprised at this response
"So...you don't really want to 'talk' to me, do you?" Link asked as they reached the courtyard.
"Of course I'm going to talk to you, but that's not the only thing. I'm sure you've guessed I'm going to punch you, too."
"Yeah, I figured as much." Link said less than happily. The two came to a stop by the courtyard wall opposite the one that was being repaired. "Oh well, I'm ready for it. I think I've healed a bit since last time..."
"Good. Now then, remember to do everything I've taught you. Here we go!" Link tightened his stomach and quickly exhaled before Cyphas's fist drove into his stomach. He also turned slightly so that the punch hit the very tip of his ribs. If the punch hit the center of the ribs full-on they would break, and if the punch hit nothing but gut it could damage organs. To Link's surprise, the punch didn't hurt all that much when he did what Cyphas had taught him. It didn't move him much, either. "Great! I think you've finally got it though your thick skull! Amazing! We should post a public announcement that Link displayed intellect!"
"Oh be quiet," Link said, scowling at her.
"Now for a hard one."
"Aw, man..."
"Stop complaining!" Cyphas yelled, punching again, but much harder. Link did as he was taught and again, the punch didn't move him much. When he inhaled it hurt, but he restrained himself from showing it.
"Nice! You've graduated from Cyphas's 'taking a punch' class! How about one more for extra credit?"
"Are you kidding?!"
"I thought you wanted to get stronger..." Cyphas said, looking away.
"Fine then! I hate you. Ugh!" This punch was brutally hard and made Link double over. "Dangit, Cyphas! You just like punching poor innocent Hylians, don't you?!"
"Heheh...yes! No, I'm just kidding. I really do want you to become stronger. The people here depend on you. I can see it in the way they look at you. Besides, I have a graduation present for you!" Link sat on the ground, rubbing his stomach.
"I hope it's letting me get this healed by Zelda-"
"No!" Cyphas leaned down and pulled Link's boots off.
"H-hey! My present is getting my boots stolen?!"
"Will you shut up and wait for me to explain, you twit? I'm going to put blades in your boots, just like mine. They come in very handy."
"Oh, really?" Link said, brightening up. "Those blades are pretty cool."
"Well, it's going to take a day to install them, so I suggest finding some different footwear in the meantime."
"No problem. I have hover boots," Link said, putting them on. The white-bottomed winged boots could hover on thin air for a few seconds, but had very little traction on the ground. Link would gladly bear the sliding around for a day if he had blades like Cyphas's the next. He decided he would check on Malon tomorrow the first thing. He wasn't about to cross Hyrule Field in his hover boots when there was a great chance he could be attacked by a gang of Ganon's servants. Without another word, Cyphas vaulted over the wall to go to wherever she went when nobody saw her, and Link stood up, groaning as his stomach throbbed. Zelda's going to murder me if she finds out, Link thought, sitting down again to rest for a minute. Navi woke up and yawned, coming out from under his hat.
"Hello," She said sleepily.
"Hey Navi, why do you sleep so much? Is it because you're away from the forest?" Link asked his partner. It sounded like a casual question, but the fairy's condition had been bothering link for quite some time.
"Yes...being away from the forest drains me now that you're not carrying the forest medallion anymore."
"Well, if I took it from the temple again it would fall more easily to an attack, so I can't get it."
"Yes, it's where it belongs."
"Navi...I know we're partners and everything, but being away from the forest is unhealthy for you, and you have a life of your own. It's time to stop thinking about me and think about yourself. What if you die away from the forest?"
"Don't be rediculous! I can't leave you by yourself! Yet...you did survive after I left you at the Temple of Time...but I'm just fine!"
"Navi, I can feel you almost just like you feel me. You're getting weak and you're trying to hide it. You sleep all the time. I'll understand if you go back to the forest. I can't be a burden on you anymore. No, don't look at me like that. You know you can't follow me around much longer or you'll keel over!" Link held out his hand and Navi fluttered down into it.
"But I missed you so much when I left you...how can I stand to be away form my partner? You're my Kokiri."
"We both know I'm not a Kokiri. There's lots of fairies in the Lost Woods...go find yourself a husband!"
"You know, after being the Hero of Time's partner, I bet it wouldn't be too hard to find a man..."
"Just make sure he's right for you, Navi. You deserve the best!"
"You're trying to give me advice in that department? After running away from every advance Zelda's made on you? Hehehehe!"
"What are you talking about?" Link asked, pretending to be ignorant.
"Never mind...I'm going back to sleep. I'll go back to the forest sometime Link, but just now you need me. Good night!" She said preremptorily, flying back into Link's hat. He shook his head, hoping she wasn't overestimating herself. He then got up and walked to the opposite side of the courtyard to help rebuild a large hole. The rest of the day passed with repairs and ended with funerals. At dinner the King announced that the races would no doubt start arriving any time and once they did he would discuss tactics with their leaders. He also said that Kakariko village would be evacuated before it was attacked, and its inahbitants would stay at the castle. Link thought the process was all too slow. He wanted to fight Ganon as soon as possible. His inevitable and probably deadly yet strangely inviting confrontation with Ganondorf was calling to him. After the King made his announcement Zelda had once again warned Link not to go to the Fortress. This time he had gotten out of promising not to go by changing the subject and talking to the King. It irritated Zelda, but she didn't think he was stupid enough to actually go. Link thought he probably wouln't go just yet, either. He had to heal first, but one thing was for sure: it would not be long before the Hero of Time met the King of Evil once again.
-hello, thanks for reading! Read next time for the end of this story, when Link can't resist the urge to go to the Grudo's Fortress anymore! Will another encounter with Ganon in his condition be his last? Bwahaha corney rhetorical question!! er, sorry. Cya next time -Talonclawfange