-- CHAPTER 11: The Haunted Wastelands --
Link wearily trudged along the rocky valley vaguely aware that the further he pushed forward the stronger the wind whipped about, bringing up grains of sand, stinging his face. Even as the sun began to rise in the early morning visibility was steadily declining as the air became more and more clouded with dust and his eyes more and more blurred from exhaustion. He leaned heavily against the high scaling walls of the valley for balance forced himself further. Only half awake and not fully aware of his surroundings Link fell hard to the ground as he continued to shift his weight on his right arm that suddenly found no wall for support.
He groaned in pain as he lifted his head to find a weathered staircase cutting upward through the canyon wall. Fumbling thru his backpack Link found his map and drew it out. A blinking arrow pointed in almost the exact opposite direction. Link had carefully studied the map before and knew that he had to go up further before he got to the opening of what was labeled the "Haunted Wasteland" and then turn around and backtrack along the other side of the left canyon wall. Studying it further (which took all the concentration he could muster) Link found the narrow passageway on the map cutting off from the path he was taking at the spot where he was. It led directly to the "Gerudo Fortress." Link had long since regretted his decision to enter the Gerudo Valley on such an exhausted note, and concluded that he was going to need some more rest before braving anything called the "Haunted Wastelands." Since the Fortress wasn't really too far out of his way he knew he'd better seize the opportunity for a sheltered rest. Besides the staircase protected him from the wind and his face stung. He was tempted to follow the staircase for this reason alone.
It was a well known fact that the Gerudo were driven out of the fortress generations ago during the 'Banishing Wars.' The often-told story explains that the Gerudo's Fortress had slowly been overcome by the cursed winds of the Haunted Wastelands making their home decreasingly hospitable. In retaliation the Gerudo forcefully attempted to relocate on the outskirts of Hyrule Field. Being thieves by culture they were already on bad terms with the Hylian Kingdom. Needless to say the Hylian King was strongly opposed to their new establishments. The Queen at the time had compassion for the Gerudo and insisted that they be allowed to stay as long as they signed a treaty that they would cease their thievery. Like all smart men the King obliged to his wife's wishes, but placed heavy taxes on the Gerudo establishments. Certain Gerudo rebelled and certain Hylians retaliated. Things continued to escalate until the inevitable happened - millennia of heated tension in the making – all out war was declared. Easily outmatched the Gerudo retreated to their fortress for any advantages possible and called upon their allies. It wasn't enough, under the leadership of Sir Link XXIX the Hylian race and their allies drove out the Gerudo once and for all.
Link eventually made his way up the staircase. Stepping out into the Gerudo grounds Link noticed the scaling stone walls disappearing into the dust-thick sky behind him. He recalled that they were originally built to blockade the cursed winds when it first began to consume the fortress. But a 'cursed' wind by very nature isn't easily conquered. The winds would run high over the wall and swoop back down or swoosh in threw the two entrances. It even broke thru 20 feet of stone in more than one place. Link twitched. He couldn't even see the abandoned fortress in front of him yet a sense of despair and gloom whipped thru the winds sending a chill down his spine.
Link held his hand in front of his face to shield from the wind and walked forward. The walls of the fortress came into view when he was about 15 yards away. He walked along the edge until he found an entrance. Stepping in Link began to wonder just how much 'safer' it would be to rest inside. Though substantially less, the wind still managed to lash about the inner fortress. Sand covered the floors so fully that not a single tile of the original flooring was exposed. He could almost imagine waking up from a long rest to find himself buried alive in sand. He also noted the collapsed ceilings and fallen walls. Those that did still stand didn't really give Link much encouragement as they looked like they could fall too at any moment. This fortress had taken a beating.
Not that he was particularly fond of exploring deeper this Goddess-forsaken stronghold, Link decided it was probably safest to find a spot to rest where the winds weren't so strong. Twisting back and force thru the maze of hallways and rooms Link eventually found a small room where he found bare floor in one of the corners and the ceiling didn't look to collapse. Even though the sand might have been more comfortable Link had built a strong distaste for it and decided to curl up on the small oasis of stone tiles.
- - - - -
"It's no use, Link. He's too powerful. Leave why you still can. I've prepared a boat for you just outside. Perhaps you'll be so lucky as to see tomorrow"
"Get out of my way. You do not what of which you speak."
"I know that you can't win! I know if you go up there and face him you will die ... or worse...end up like me. He's inside me, inside my head, always there. I feel his evil presence. I feel his tug. I fight so hard, but sometimes I get so tired of fighting... Link just don't go up there... please..."
"There is no tomorrow for me! And if Ganon survives the night there is no tomorrow for anybody! I have no choice!"
With that Link sprinted past the objectioner in his way and up the stairs.
As he continued spiraling upward, it became increasingly obvious that this staircase was leading much higher than it should judging from how tall the fortress was from the outside.
Mind games. Link thought as he continued to climb. I won't give up. I won't give in.
Link soon lost track of how long he'd been running. Minutes? Hours? Days? Years? Link found himself to be at a complete loss. Suddenly he couldn't remember anything but running. It was all he knew. Has this been my entire life? Running ever upwards? How pointless. I'm so tired. Why don't I just stop? But ever fibber of his being rejected the notion. It felt so wrong to stop. No! his conscience screamed. You cannot stop! It is too important that you reach the top of the stairs!
It was sheer subconscious will power that broke the spell. With his next step The doorway at the top of the staircase came into view from behind the spiraling walls.
Exhausted, Link finally reached the top of the stairs. Catching his breath he glanced at the back of his hand, the Triforce was no longer even visible, just a light scar where the mark had been. No matter how this final battle played out, it was all over for him before sun up. Determination glazed over his eyes, it was time to end this.
"Ganon! This ends tonight!"
Ganon, unflinched by the challenge continued to stare out the window, hands resting on the window sill, a sinister grin across his face.
Link knew he was hopelessly outmatched. He took advantage of his opponent's disinterest. This was no time for nobility, such a thing could only be selfish considering what was at stake. Link quickly fitted his bow with an arrow. His shot was true, it would pierce his enemy dead-center thru the neck. Link sighed.
Finally, it was all over. Suddenly. There he stood facing Link, grinning wildly, a fist clenched around the mid-section of the arrow. Impossible! How could this be?! How could he move so fast?!
"Hahahahaha! If you insist little boy...we end this tonight!"
Link unsheathed his sword and charged.
"Don't you understand Link? I possess the powers of the Triforce entire! I am God!"
"No! You do not yet harness its complete power! You are not yet God! You are not yet invinc..."
There was a horrible bright flash of blue. Link felt himself flying backwards thru the air. Then the back of his head hit the wall and all went black.
"Close enough."
- - - - -
Link jumped too his feet, sweat dripping down his face. Did I just here something? A screech? It startled me awake. No....only the howling of the wind. This place has long been deserted. No creature could live in a place like this. But then he heard it again, a piercing cry of agony, and an echoing pitter-pattering of feet. It sounded so far away as if it were carried thru the wind from many miles away, and yet so close. The footsteps echoed in the back of his head as if some tiny creature was literally running atop his eardrums. Something was coming for Link. Link felt its essence, and that essence consumed Link with panic and fear.
He quickly backtracked thru the maze-like fortress, and then, exiting it hung a sharp right – the general direction he knew the entrance to the Haunted Wastelands to be. The footstep seemed to be in hot pursuit. This made Link run faster. The footsteps quickened as well. Link broke into a mad dash thru a wide gate that Link only half noted to be the entrance to the Haunted Wasteland completely blowing off a sign that read "WARNING- DO NOT ENTER" He thoughtlessly headed southward back along the high mountain walls that separated the desert from the Gerudo Valley. His path had been burned into the back of his mind that he followed it on instinct. Like one might mindlessly drive from home to work once the route has been engrained into their memory.
Link's running slowly died down and he fled the haunting footsteps as fast as his legs would carry him. Over the next several hours (or even days) he became less and less aware of the footsteps, in fact he became less and less aware of anything. He had long since lost track of how long he'd been stumbling thru the desert. The sand-laced wind whipped about so thickly he couldn't see two feet in front of him. Moreover he couldn't even tell night from day. There was only sand relentlessly lashing at his numbed face. Still he pressed on, struggling to even stay on his feet. Each step was more of a shuffle as he dragged his feet atop the loose sand. He didn't know where he was. He didn't know where he was headed. He wasn't even fully conscience. He was merely driven along by the single idea of water. Primal instincts told him he needed a drink, and those primal instincts would not let him stop until he found something to quench his thirst.
But it was inevitable – Link eventually collapsed.
- - - - -
Link blinked up his eyes, not entirely sure where he was. He rose to his feet and starred up at the starry cloudless sky, A gorgeous full moon illuminated his surroundings – sand as far as he could see in any direction. ...Sand? The desert, I'm in the middle of the haunted wastelands. But this can't be the wasteland. There's no wind, everything seems so calm and surreal. ...surreal? As if in a dream. I must be dreaming....
He spun around slowly checking for anything within view besides sand. His gaze locked onto a fortress off in the distance. Funny...that's exactly how I'd picture The Fortress of the Healing magi to look like... Seeing as how there wasn't anything better to do, he casually set off in the direction of the mysterious fortress.
Link was enjoying his rare serene walk when a soft pitter-pattering began resounding in Link's ears. It was so soft at first that he didn't pay any it, but the noise persistently thumped louder until all at once memories of the eerie footsteps swarmed into his head. And suddenly the night didn't seem so peaceful. Without thinking he was running again, as fast as he could toward the fortress. He knew if he could just reach the gate he'd be safe.
As he ran the chasing footsteps didn't echo so much inside his head as they did outside. A loud screech confirmed Links worst fear. Whatever was chasing him was right behind him. Several more loud screeches increased that fear even more – there was more than one. Link didn't dare look back – he didn't need too. Undistinguishable shadows began to dance in the back of his head becoming more and more vivid as the creatures gained on him.
Panic and replaced sanity as he began to loose it. He reached out his hands towards the nearing gate. If he could only reach it... He was vaguely aware of the busy atmosphere in front of him. Voices droned from the fortress and people began running to the gates entrance in response to the call. Time seemed to slow as Link strained toward his goal. He didn't realize he tripped over his wobbly exhausted feet until he hit the ground face first.
Link quickly tried to pick himself back up, but it was too late. The shadow was upon him. A wicked screech that was unmistakably a laugh vibrated above his head. He flipped himself over to finally see his pursuers face to face, and it made him scream in hysteria.
Looming above him stood a 4-foot tall spider looking down at him with its 20-odd misshapen unorganized eyes. Its face was horrendously misshapen. Eyes dotted the top half sporadically in no apparent order. The entire right side of his face drooped low and was heavily scared . On the left half uneven pincers snipped about wildly inside it's wavy mouth. Eight legs of different sizes twitched about as the spider restlessly surveyed it's prey. Behind that 'spider' wobbled up several others, all equally horrendous.
Link screamed again and then covered his eyes with his hands waiting his death, but it didn't come. A swift swoosh buzzed past his ear and then the creature above him let out a loud cry of pain. He opened his eyes to see an arrow lodged in the beast's leg. Looking up he noticed the spider focused malevolently ahead of him. Link heard the people of the fortress scream war cries as they charged toward Link and his stalkers. Another arrow whizzed by hitting the creature in the mid-section, just missing its face causing it to rear it's head upward and screech loudly. Other angry screeches could be heard from the giant spiders behind. Link curled up into the fetal position and whimpered as the spiders charged forward to meet their attackers
He remained so until he felt a gentle nudge and then a soft voice saying "That sure was a close one little guy. It's ok now. Nothing to be afraid of. They're gone now."
The man helped him up. Once on his feet Link saw two of the grotesque monsters twitching spastically on the ground. Spinning around he saw the remainder of the spiders, about a dozen quickly limping off over a sand dune. For such deformed, uneven bodies they sure managed to cover ground quickly.
"See," said the man who had helped him up, "Nothing to be afraid of."
There was a long pause. Link just stood there shaking uncontrollable, a blank stare on his face.
"Forgive me for being nosy, but what's a young kid like you doing out here alone?"
No answer.
"Alright, alright, I see, it's ok, let's just take you back to camp and get you some rest."
The man wrapped his arm around Link's back and helped him towards the fortress gates.
Another voice: "Is that the newcomer Colba told us about? Is it really true? Is he actually healthy."
"Quite shaken up that's for sure. But, yeah, appears to be that way, the little tyke did make it all the way thru the desert after all."
"Fascinating."
Eventually the man was able to bring Link to the entrance. Passing under a large stone arc the man smiled and exclaimed, "Welcome to Fenykes, the Fortress of the Healing Magi!" but let out a soft sigh when he got no reaction from Link.
People from all around began swarming in whispering "poor guy" or "is he actually healthy? He doesn't look that healthy..." As the crowd began massing around Link, he finally hysterically bursted, "Those...Things?!"
"Yes," said a voice that parted the crowd, "Nasty creatures." The man to whom the voice belonged stepped forward. He wore a long red robe with a golden insignia of the Triforce embroidered on the back. "They are the Bane of the Desert, formally known as the Gerudo Tribe."
-- WRAP UP --
Woo... yes, I know, it's been forever and a half since I last updated. At first I was just so extremely busy, and then when things died down, I was just so spent and wanted to spend my free time longing about not doing anything that took any work...even mental work. And then, I had to get myself back into this thing once I decided that I've recovered and really need to stop being so lazy. I've found laziness a very quick habit to pick up and a very hard one to break. But, yeah, it's here now. Sorry for making you wait. Hope it was worth it though crosses fingers
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Thag- Yeah, I have to admit the battle was " "Lord of the Rings"-ish" If I remember right I had just scene Return of the King like the night before I wrote that chapter. I swear I already had the basic concept of the different alliances involved in the battle before hand, but the movie did influence the way it all panned out. And, I probably wasn't clear enough, but to clarify things up now. The Link in the dream wasn't actually a centaur. He had his legs blown off earlier and then for transport reasons he was permanently strapped to Anope, and over the years the two formed a special bond-mentally, like they new each others thoughts. Anyways, thanks as always for the kind review.
Snowsilver- Well I'm glad you found it too!
Dark Cross- No need to apologize. I'm just glad you got to them when you did.
Angelic-faluna- Brace yourself, cause spiders are going to be a recurring theme ;) In all honesty I hate spiders too, ask anybody, I'm an 18-year-old proud male and yet I still make my mom kill spiders for me.