CHAPTER 10: Hyrule's Stand
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Link rode slowly up the castle steps as he followed the wide red carpet up to the throne room. Normally horses weren't allowed inside the castle, but he had earned his right years earlier.
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Link reached the top of the stairs. In front of him stood the grand double doors leading to the throne room, the red carpet snuck indiscreetly under the doors as it hugged tight to the ground. On either side stood a guard in full knight armor holding a body high lance in one hand with their other dangling loosely by the hilt of a sheathed sword.
"Edwardo" Link nodded to the guard to his right.
"Alistar" Link nodded to the other
Edwardo unprofessionally gawked at the figure in front of him. He had dealt with real centaurs before and they were nasty creatures. He had never gotten over Link's unmistakable resemblance to their kin. There 'stood' Link, tightly strapped down to his now life partner, Anopé. His lower limbs blown off, ironically enough, defending the castle from an attack of marauding centaurs. Led by Ganonthack, who, as irony seemed to currently be restless, was likely the reason he had been called.
"S-sorry sir!" Edwardo snapped out of his trance, "The King has been expecting you."
Edwardo went over to open the door on his side and motioned to Alistar to do the same.
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Link continued along the red carpet as he walked up to the king sitting nobly in his throne. Link paused a few yards in front of the king before he stopped and bowed his head in respect.
"I assume you have some notion as to why I have called you."
"Ganonthack..."
"Yes, as I'm sure you well know, the Gerudo King has re-risen to power yet again. The thieving Gerudo have once again broken their peace agreement. At night they prowl the village stealing everything they can. Ganonthack's allies have been stirring up havoc throughout all of Hyrule. He has defied me for the last time. No more warnings, they have proven ineffective. No more treaties, he has broken every one. No more second chances, we will show him what it means to be an enemy of Hyrule. Even as we speak an army is being prepared to eliminate the threat once and for all. Within a week they will be ready to ride to Gerudo Fortress and fulfill my judgement."
"You seek to attack him on his home front! There are many dangers of the desert. All of which the Gerudo are accustomed to. It is an advantage they hold that I hope you are not under estimating!"
"Indeed. Of this I am aware. Which is why I have summoned you. Link, you are the only person known to have bested Ganonthack. I want you to lead my army."
"That depends on one's definition of 'bested'" Link said, obviously referring to his legs.
"The coward fled, destruction was minimal, and there were no fatalities on our side that day. That, Link, is sufficiently a 'besting'"
"I am honored to have your confidence m'Lord, but I am afraid that I do not share your optimism in the outcome of this mission."
"My purpose for calling you was two-fold. You once said to me that you had allies within the forest that would come to your aid if the need arises. I was hoping now would be such a time."
"Those people are not easily persuaded to leave the forest..."
"And know to that we also have allies of our own. The Shiekah and the Mite's have binding alliances with us. And we also hope for assistance from the Goron and Zora.
"The Goron are on friendly terms with the Gerudo, and the Zora, like the forest people, will be hard-pressed to leave their homeland to take action against threats that do not concern them."
"It matters not. I have taken a stand. We ride the first moonless night, seven days from now. Are you with us?"
There was a long pause before Link answered, "Yes m'Lord ... You know that I will always come to the royal families aid."
"I am very pleased to hear this. I expect to see you here tomorrow at noon. I will be holding a conference with all the generals, you can catch up there. Tonight, please accept my hospitality. Edwardo will show you to your specially prepared room."
He already had a room prepared... Link smirked, "You always were cocky."
"Hoho, You forget that I am the King. I always get what I want."
Link laughed, then bowed as he left the room.
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Link lay on the ground just outside the castle. A mysterious figure watching him from the shade of a tree. Link had caught glimpses of the figure as he passed in and out of his slumber. He only slept in the loosest sense of the word. He had finally stopped tossing and turning and settled down to a comfortable rest on his stomach. It lasted maybe 20 minutes before he jerked up on his right side and curled up into the fetal position muttering "get them off, get them off, get them off." Then he fell limply on his back and stayed there shuffling back and forth for a couple minutes before his right arm flung over his body and pulled him so that he was now resting on his left side. This went on for the next hour and a half before he finally sat up quickly breathing heavily, awake for good.
Link subconsciously turned his head to the side to investigate the figure who had been watching him. There was nothing but the tree. Slightly confused Lnk study the rest of his area. He jumped a little when he saw two dead wolfos lying on the ground a couple of feet in front of him. He shrugged, and tried to remember why he was where he was. Probing his mind he remembered a blurry vision of Shief as he struggled to stay awake. She must have been watching over me as I slept ... sleep, I really need to start getting better sleep. He groggily forced himself to his feet. This will not do, I sleep for... Link looked up in the sky to find the sun ...six hours he guessed seeing the sun high in the sky ...and wake up barely able to stand. Link struggled to keep his eyelids open. I'm just so tired, there's no way I can go on. No, I must go on, so many counting on me.
Link picked up his backpack which had been laying there (along with the staff and shield) and fumbled thru it looking for the map. For such an obvious map it took Link a long time to decide which direction to take as his barely awake mind wandered about going nowhere. Still barely awake he sat back down. He had seen the unfinished breakfast his father packed for him when he first left ... was that only two days ago? Link sighed and pulled out the cucco sandwich. Upon finishing it he sat there for a good ten minutes as he debated with himself as to whether or not it was really necessary that he got up. He sighed again as the save-the-world side of him eventually won out.
Getting up again Link stumbled off in the general direction the map suggested.
Link woke up slightly as he continued to advance, but it never came to the point that he could honestly say he wasn't tired. Lucky for him, he went along with relatively few obstacles. He was surprised once as a Deku baba popped up in front of him. Link had a much easier time with the creature during the second round as he found a few smart whacks to the head with his staff sent the Deku baba shriveling back to it's hiding spot under ground.
Eventually, just as the sun was setting Link came up to a seemingly bottomless trench. With the sun almost out of view there wasn't enough light to see the bottom, all there was were jagged walls disappearing into nothingness. The only reason Link was able to conclude that there was indeed a bottom was sound of rushing watered that echoed up to the top.
Just to his left was a worn neglected bridge that crossed the divide, a weathered sign to the side. It had an arrow pointing across the bridge and read "Gerudo Fortress" except 'Fortress' had been crossed out by a knife and underneath was carved "Wastelands." Link's eyes followed the arrow traveling across the not so safe looking bridge. With the lack of sunlight Lnk was becoming more tired by the moment. Psh! You think I'm doing that? I am not doing that!
Link had made up his mind. He found a tree and snuggled up under it. His last thoughts before falling asleep were: It's probably not a good idea to sleep out in the open like this. Heh, If not for Shief would have already been eaten by a couple of wolfos
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"It is time for us to move. The Shiekah and the Mites have already taken leave. You know the strategy?"
"Camp outside the fortress until first light. Due to the moonless night the Shiekah and the Mites should have easily caused panic and taken care of a good chunk of the Gerudo forces."
"Very good."
Link bowed to the King and took his leave.
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"The sun shows its face! It peeks over the Eastern mountains!"
Link paced back and forth in front of the line of readied Hylians.
"The time has come men! Today we rid Hyrule of the treachery of the Gerudo and their king! Today we fight for peace! We fight for our families! We fight for our children and the generations to come! Today men will go down in history as the day Hyrule made a name for itself. The day Hyrule showed to all it's strength and what it means to be its enemy! Take the fortress! Drive them into the desert! Leave none alive!"
With that Link faced the Gerudo Fortress and charged forward, a line of screaming men in his wake. Link was right about the desert. The wind whipped sand into his eyes. He found it hard to see. And the wind only got stronger as he neared the fortress. He heard a silent whoosh and then a scream as the nearest man behind fell to the ground, an arrow in his neck.
Din! They were suppose to take care of the snipers first! And how can they see us I can't even see the fortress yet!
Even as those thoughts were running through his head the walls of the fortress peeked thru the curtain of sand not 20 yards in front of them.
Holy Sage this sand is thick. We are running to our deaths...
Even thru the howling wind the sounds of the fierce battle ahead were heard before it was seen. Charging into the gates of the fortress Link saw 100's of Gerudo bodies littering the floor as well as, to his despair, many more Shiekah than he had expected. There was a loud shuffling noise as thousands of tiny legs scurried about behind him. Link turned around to see a wave of skulltullas crawling along inside of the fortress wall pouncing on screaming Hylians as the passed thru the entrance. Link flinched back as a lone skulltulla lunged thru the air into his peripheral vision straight towards his face. Link didn't have time to react to the sudden attack, and was relieved to find the skulltulla literally crumble to his lap just before it reached his face. Starring down Link saw two deep blue spheres blink out of nowhere about half a foot above Anopé's head. Link shuddered.
A Mite. Those things give me the creeps. I'm sure glad they're on our side.
"Aim for their underside if you can, it is where they are weakest. But there heads are not impenetrable. Give them a hard enough whack and they will split! Just don't let them bite you!" Link gave orders to his men as he rode forward to aid the Shiekah. Unsheathing a blade in both hands He charged forward. He had one obvious advantage as he trampled thru a mass of Gerudo to the half dozen Shiekah fighting back to back a thick ring of advancing enemies. There were no horses in the desert save Anopé. Even the Gerudo couldn't train horses here, at least not since the desert winds consumed their fortress. But Anopé was special. Her and Link were inseparable. It was almost as if they had become extensions of each other – one body and mind. Link never had to order or guide Anopé in the direction he wanted to go. She just always did. By now Link had almost taken it for granted. He thought about it about as much as the average Hylian wonders over his command over his own two legs.
Joining his comrades Link easily picked out a familiar face.
"Ishna! As the royal body guard I expected you to stay at the castle!" he shouted over the strong winds and sounds of battle.
"The King did not trust any other Shiekah, he wanted me to lead the campaign!" Ishna yelled back.
"Where is Ganonthack, I haven't seen him!"
"Neither have we! We think he learned of the attack and fled before we came!"
"Ganonthack's on the loose?! The King sent his entire force! The Castle is defenseless!"
"The Royal family can hold their own better than you'd know! They can handle Ganonthack!"
"I hope you right." This last remark Link muttered under his breath to himself.
The battle rage on as Link and the six Shiekah held their position. Overwhelmed straggling Shiekah periodically found their way to the small band of Shiekahs and Link. With the Mites taking care of the skulltullas the Hylians had since joined the battle occupying many of the Gerudo and giving the Shiekah a chance to take a more offensive stance. Link was shocked to see that things were actually going very well. He should have known better.
He didn't see the centaur. He didn't even see the fireball that came crashing down near Anopé's hooves in an explosive rage. But, flying through the air, Link knew exactly what had happened – it was, after all, how he lost his legs in the first place. He crashed to the ground about 20 yards away landing on his side. Numerous explosions told link that there was more than one centaur. Unable to get up Link thrashed at Gerudo legs wildly as he fended for his life. All at once the Gerudo backed off, paving a way for the smiling centaur as he walked up to Link with an explosive orb flaming above his open palm. He stopped just short of Link's reach. Link stiffened as impending death loomed over him.
Just then a green blur zoomed over Link's face towards the centaur. The fairies! Link's heart jumped.
The centaur's eyes shot wide open as it flinched backwards. With it's free hand it tried to backhand the fairy, an attack that was easily dodged. The fairy perched on the centaurs shoulder, reared back it's head, and opened it's mouth revealing inch-long fangs dripping with a dark green venom – a sight one rarely saw and lived to tell about it. Link turned around to the screams of the surrounding Gerudo as a bright multi-colored cloud of angry fairies engulfed them, pale and withered bodies dropping to the ground. There was a loud howl as two Wolfos broke thru the crowd of Gerudo and jumped the dizzied centaur sending it crashing to the ground and leaving it helpless as the two beast ate at it's flesh. A short green figured looking no older than ten emerged from the rainbow veil.
"Mido!" Link exclaimed, "I did not expect your aid! You know as well as I do the legend of what happens to Kokiri who leave the forest!"
"Sic!" Mido shouted and the two wolfos got off the centaur and began attacking the surrounding enemies. Out of the corner of his eye Link noticed more small children emerge as well as packs of wolfos. "Well first the Great Deku Tree said we'd all die if we even left the Kokiri Haven! Obviously he turned out to be wrong about that. I think he's just full of crap!"
Link laughed, "I never understand how you manage to tame those things!"
"Tame?! Hardly, all we do is promise them a better meal than if they eat us!"
At that moment a cloud of Fairies flew up underneath Link and Anopé and lifted them up. Standing back up Link felt the weariness of the long battle dissolve. Even with the addition of the centaurs Link and his newly fortified army were making quick work of Ganonthack's forces. Before long The Gerudo had started retreating deeper into the desert. As Hylians chased after them Link called them off.
"Let them go! The desert only becomes more dangerous past this point. Let it take care of them. We will set up a camp here. Kill any Gerudo that try to return! The rest of us will return ho..."
Link was cut off as a bright golden Fairy rammed into his side. The Fairy Back up and then repeated the action over and over again.
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Link woke up to the sharp poking at his ribs. When the poking stopped Link opened his eyes. It was still night, but the moon and stars provided enough light for Link to see the dull blade hovering inches above his midsection. He followed the blade up to a skeleton arm. He recognized the creature in front of him as a Stal Child. Skeleton children that roam Hyrule Field at night looking for prey.
The Stal Child was currently looking over his shoulder and twitching his head in a motion that appeared to be motioning for others to come. Link watched in silent horror as two more bony monster crept up behind the first Stal Child while he frantically patted his hand around the ground looking for his staff. Just as one of the Stal Children noticed what he was doing Link found the staff and with a "hiya!" Thrust it up into the nearest skeleton's ribs. There was a crushing noise as debris of bone crumbled to the ground. This only seemed to infuriate the Stal Child as it whipped down its blade hitting the ground as Link barely rolled out of the way. Hopping to his feet Link crouched into a defensive position. Fortunately for Link his staff had about three times the reach as the Stal Children's swords. He waved it about frantically trying to prevent the skeletons from coming any closer.
If the Stal Children were smart they would have surrounded Link spreading themselves out, lucky for Link, skeletons don't have brains. Link hopped to the side and smarted the monster in the back of its skull knocking it clean off its torso. The headless skeleton went into a blind charge towards link with its two partners following close behind. Link easily blocked the blind swipe of the first and managed to bring his staff up in time to stop the second's attack, but the third, the one with the broken rib, managed to get a good slice into Link's right arm. With a shriek of pain Link reflexively swung his staff at the offender. Hitting it in the same spot it had already been weakened Link broke the Stal Child in two. Ribs and above sitting helplessly on the ground as two legs connected by a pelvis scurried about in any direction. Bringing the staff down on the middle of the pelvis Link separated the legs which fell limply to the ground. Then he turned around a clubbed the head off the upper body of the helpless creature sending it sailing far off into the night.
Link turned to see The full-bodied skeleton had managed to skid to a stop and recharge. With only one to deal with Link easily blocked the attack and countered the slow creature. After several swings Link had completely disembodied a skeleton for the second time in his life. Clutching his arm where he had been cut Link finally allowed himself to relax. Surveying Link saw the headless skeleton on his hands and knees humorously patting around the ground for it's head that was 10 or so yards off. Link walked up to the skull, put his foot on top of it, and stepped down crushing it. With that the skeletal body crumbled to the ground.
Right ... I don't care how tired I am ... I'm not doing that again...
Link stumbled wearily across the bridge clutching his arm preparing to defy the Gerudo desert
-- WRAP UP --
Well, that was a lot more dream than I intended. I just got carried away with my 'little' back story I guess. Ha! Yes I know, I have numerous back stories, None of them are useless information I assure you ... well, ok, so the Maple/Jaber ones are. Anywho, I gave you a long one. As always, please review and thank you much for making it to this point. I really planned on making it to the Fortress of the Healing Magi by the end of this chapter, but, alas, it was not meant to be.
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Thag – Woo! I just noticed that my quote is in your bio! Don't I feel salty now – that quote had a typo! Eek! It was supposed to say 'stink' not 'stick,' oh well, it's not like the quote was really supposed to make any sense anyways... I'm almost sure you were 21 in your last bio ... so HAPPY BIRTHDAY WHENEVER IT WAS! But yeah, thanks for reviewing again. You don't know the half of it when it comes to my take on the Forest Fairies ... Well, hopefully not ... at least if my knack for subtlety is indeed as good as you say it is. :P
George – Heh, yeah, I originally didn't have anything saying that the passage was a dream, but reading over it I decided that it might be too confusing so I threw those HTML tag looking things hoping people would know what I meant by them. So thanks for reading and reviewing! I hope to see you again! :P