Chapter thirteen: Prelude to Chaos

Link spread out the map across the round table, smoothing it out to make sure it was totally legible. Zelda, Malon, Darunia, Saja, Nabooru, and several gerudo's were gathered around, waiting for Link's explanation.

Link breathed in for a few seconds, then pointed down at a spot on the map.

"This is the back of the fortress. Me, Zelda, Darunia, Saja and Malon will sneak around through the woods and come out here. We will lead all of you," he indicated the gathered gerudo's, "over the wall. As we do this, the army must stay at the gate to the fortress. Majora won't check the gate, he doesn't think he needs to, which gives us the advantage.

"Now, once our small group is over the wall, we will split. Me, Zelda, Darunia, Saja and Malon will find a way into Majora's main tower fortress, and the gerudo's will go around the edge of the inside of the city. You will hide in a building, and stay there in disguise until I contact you with my mind, Arya," Link pointed to a tall gerudo wearing golden flanged outlandish armor. She was one of the few gerudo that he knew personally. "I will tell you when we have gained access to the tower. Then you must I very quietly /I kill the dark legion monsters in that building. Make sure that nobody hears you, for if they do, it will mean the end of the entire plan, and all will be for naught.

"After you have done this, take their uniforms, but keep your heads covered. The demons will recognize your dark skin if it is shown. Make your way to the drawbridge to the gate, and cut the ropes as quickly as you can. When the bridge is down, the army will come in, and we can attempt to take back the first part of the city. By this time, we, that is to say, our group, should be high into Majora's Tower. If we are very lucky, we may be able to find the sapphires, and kill Majora without trouble. Although this is doubtful, it's the best plan we have."

The gerudo's and others alike around the table nodded, showing that they understood the plan.

"I sense uncertainty in you, brother," said Darunia.

"Well, I can't say that this plan is all that comforting, brother," answered Link with a small smile.

"Nabooru," said Saja, "you must be ready for sacrifice. It is quite possible that we will lose this fight. If that happens, it will be the end of Hyrule. This is our final stand, and we can't turn back from here."

Nabooru took a second to take this in, but nodded her assent. It would not do now to lose their cool when the entire fate of the world was now resting upon her and her people.

"This isn't pretty," said Link lightly, "but the way I see it, it's the only chance we have left. Failure here will mean the end of Hyrule, and eventual defeat for everyone and everything else. We can't stop now. We move out in two hours. Now go and complete your tasks. Everybody."

Link sat in his room, straightening the collar on his traditional green tunic. He looked at himself in the mirror by his bed, and saw the fear in his own eyes...they were taking the final stand, and it was likely they were going to fail. In some ways, he felt responsible for all of Nabooru's people, since it had been his idea to steal the sapphires. All the deaths that would occur tonight would be his doing...he did not know if he was ready for it. But he was going to try as hard as he could to do his best, and regain his honor, and the title of Hero of Time.

He sat down on the bed, still looking in the mirror at his reflection.

"The plague is spreading...Majora's reign has only begun. And we are all that stands in his way. With his army, he could take over every land, annihilate the universe. The death he spreads is a poison, and in some places it has already been infected. There is no cure for this dark taint. In spite, or perhaps because of it, we have to take action. But how and where will it end? My sight is veiled...all the future is hidden in a dark void, impossible to look into. If the plague does continue to spread, all will perish, and that which was broken, shall come forth from the ancient seal. With the King of Evil at his side, nothing will stop them. The only thing that may truly stop evil...is light..."

Link did not know why he said this. He felt as if the words were coming from a different place...as though somebody was talking through his own mouth. Yet, despite his uncertainty, he knew the words he spoke were true. He could not understand why.

But he realized what the words meant...simply acquiring the Three Sapphires was not enough to completely stop him. To end the evil, Link needed more than just that...he needed...

Zelda opened the door, and walked inside, dressed in her black jumpsuit. She had tied her hair back to keep it out of her face, and wore blue colored gloves over her hands. These would help her fire her pyrotechnic beams faster, and more accurately.

"Are we ready?" she asked him softly. He looked up at her, the face he had known for so many years, the one he had looked upon so often...and now, when he saw her tonight, dressed up like this and ready to join the final fight for Hyrule, he saw her in a totally different way. She had ascended into a new day, as Queen.

Link stood up, and took Zelda's hands, looking deeply into her eyes.

"Listen, Zelda...I only know that we have to do this...but beyond that, I'm not..."

"I know," Zelda said quietly, looking straight back at him. "You don't think we're coming back."

He gazed at her, hating that she knew he was so full of fear at the moment. He did not see how he could hide it. But he could sense that she was fearful too. He would have been surprised if she wasn't.

"His power is too great...this is just our last resort, you must understand. And if you don't want to come––"

"I'm coming," said the Queen firmly to him. "I will not back down now. I must play my part before the end."

Link felt an overwhelming desire to kiss her, but he withheld the desire. He tried to choke out the truth, but the words caught in his mouth, and he remained silent. He nodded lamely, unsure of what else he could do.

"Are you ready?" she asked him. He nodded, and they walked out of the room, arms around each other for support.

Malon stood in her own room, wearing a similar black jumpsuit to Zelda's. She had also tied her hair back behind her head.

As she studied herself in her mirror, she noticed that she didn't look at all like the ranch girl she had been only months ago, before she left Lon Lon Ranch after Ingo's attack. She looked much older, to her, and her eyes were hardened. She had seen much action since the start of this whole mess, and she also noticed she seemed more muscular. That may be a good thing in some light, but it just showed her a further sign that her life had completely changed. She had transcended her days as a simple farmer and had become what she had always dreamed of, a warrior. In some ways, she was depressed by this, yet another part of her said that this was what she was destined to do, and it was a good thing.

But she could not stop herself of thinking of Talon, and how horribly the ranch might be holding up without her. Such worried thoughts kept going through her mind, but she forcibly pushed them away, refusing to think of home. She had other things to do first. She took a sword off of her bedside table, one that had been given to her by Nabooru to fight with, and sheathed it at her side.

Saja walked in, and she turned to look at him. He was wearing all black, like Zelda and Malon. His purple hair was hanging down over his eyes as he looked at her. She noticed that his gray eyes didn't hold the hardened gleam of battle at the moment. They were softer, they seemed more forgiving. Yet she knew that he could snap back at any moment and become the ruthless fighter she knew.

"Are we ready to go?" she asked quietly. He nodded wordlessly.

"Saja," she said, walking over to him, "are you...are you as scared as I am? Because every time I think of this plan, I cant help but think...if this doesn't work, it's the end, totally and completely."

Saja looked at her seriously, and said with such conviction that it was impossible to doubt his words, "I'm scared, Malon. I have never been this nervous in my life, nor as unsure. Not even...not even after Relina was murdered."

She looked down at her feet, and said "it...it took me...fifteen minutes to tie on one boot."

The sapphire guardian looked down at her, and lifted her chin up to look at him.

"You need not feel ashamed. We could not have come this far without your help. If you and Zelda had not killed Ingo, Majora would have gotten to the sapphires faster than us, and it is likely we would already be dead."

"How did you know about Ingo? We met you hours after he was killed!"

Saja didn't answer. Instead, he just smiled slightly. Malon couldn't help but smile back. The same old mysterious man that she had come to know so well since they met.

She pulled him closer, and the two embraced. Malon silently let tears drip down her face as she realized that their final mission had come.

Less than an hour later, Link, Darunia, Saja, Zelda and Malon all rode out of Gerudo Valley for the first time in a month. The army of gerudo's were behind them. Every single gerudo warrior had been called to the army, and it was massive. Bigger than any army Link had ever laid eyes on.

The team led the army across Hyrule Field at a quickened pace, toward the red tinged sky that once had been Hylia City. As they drew closer to the fortress, Link saw with anger, that the black walls of the fortress had already extended. Now, Kakariko Village was gone too. Death Mountain still stood, but Link was sure that the gorons were now enslaved by Majora's legion. Darunia, riding a few feet behind Link, saw this also, and ground his teeth in fury. Now Majora had taken his own people...perhaps he had not considered his power as much as he should have...now that his people were enslaved, he felt obligated more than ever to help his brother defend, and perhaps save Hyrule. Though he still doubted that they could succeed, he hardened his eyes with a glare, the fierce warfire returning to his face.

Link, Zelda, Malon, Saja, Darunia and the army stood on a rise in the field, allowing them to get a clearer than ever view of the black fortress Majora had created.

The fortress was massive. It stretched from where Hylia City's borders had once been all the way to the opposite borders of Kakariko Village...and that was only the surrounding part of the fortress. Majora's Tower sprouted out from the very back, and reached very high up indeed, perhaps as far up as the Black Leaf Temple had gone. Gray billowing clouds swirled around the distant top, and lightning periodically struck the tower, sending a cascade of sparks down upon the evil town below. It was a terrible sight to behold...yet Link felt slightly reassured. The drawn gate/bridge that would soon be cut open was in the same place that it had been when Hylia City was standing. He recalled from his long past childhood, riding up in the very early morning after cutting down Stalchilds with his sword, and both watching and listening to the huge bridge gate being lowered down onto the grass to admit travelers. That was how it had been on the morning of the day that he first met Zelda...

"Gerudo's! Ride to the gate and wait for the opening! Everyone else, come with me."

The two groups parted. The army galloped down the hill toward the distant black drawn bridge/gate, while Link led Darunia, Malon, Zelda, Saja, and the small group of gerudo's led by Arya down the other way, toward the forest to the west of the black walls of the fortress. Link remembered vividly that they were coming very closely to the place where he had first glimpsed Majora in his shadow form decapitate Malachai because of his incompetence. Despite his anxiousness and how long ago it had been, he remembered every detail perfectly.

Within ten minutes, they were on the edge of the forest, the huge black walls of the fortress towering high above them, reaching up so high that they had to crane their necks to see the tops.

They all got off their horses and tethered them to individual trees. As the others trekked into the trees, Link lingered at Epona's side, his hand on the back of her neck. He was reluctant to part with her, knowing that this may very well be his final moments with her. Saja walked over to Link, and put a hand on his shoulder, saying quietly, "we must go, hero."

Link nodded, then hugged Epona. The horse snorted, and lowered her head onto Link's neck. They stood there together, animal and elf embracing each other, then Link let go of his faithful friend, patted her on the back, and walked into the woods, refusing to turn his head back.

For a half hour, the big group walked through the woods, Link directing them in the right direction. Nobody spoke a word the entire time, keeping to themselves, refraining from distracting from the mission at hand.

They eventually reached the very back of the fortress wall, and Link peered up through the dense foliage, the red rosy light filtering down through the canopy from the plagued sky above them, the black clouds seething around. He could just make out the very top of Majora's Tower, but it was blurry in the clouds, and he had to crane his head back all the way, and had to lean back a little ways. He lowered his head, then beckoned to everyone to come forward to him. When they had all gathered around in a tight circle, Link told them the plan.

"We have to go over in pairs. The only way to scale the wall is my Longshot. I can carry only one person, and I don't want to risk breaking it. Here's what we'll do. Me and Saja will go up first, and stay on the ledge. I'll shoot the Longshot down, and with luck, it should hang down far enough to let two people get onto the chain. Then I'll withdraw the chain, and bring two people up at a time. Once we're all up on the ledge, we'll do the same thing, except I'll be on the ground shooting the Longshot up to you guys. Clear?"

They all nodded silently, not needing to respond in words. Saja put his arm around Link's neck, and Link put his arm around Saja's. Link fired the Longshot up toward the high top of the huge black wall. He managed to stick the Longshot into the wall just a foot under the top. As Link put his finger over the release trigger that would send them up and over the wall, he looked down at the grass, knowing full well that it may be the last time he touched grass.

He pressed down on the button, and both elves shot upward impossibly fast.

Twenty minutes later, the entire group were standing inside the city, clustered at the back of a large building that reeked of smoke. Most of the place now was smokey.

The main structure of Hylia City hadn't been changed, apart from the fact that all the buildings were black, the whole place was smokey, it was about twice the size it once had been, and all the elves that were still alive were on chains, cut, bruised, and were being dragged around by black demons of Majora's creation. Majora's Tower rose high above the entire city, making sure that every single person saw it at all times. The tower was massive, and it's enormous wideness even took over where the Temple of Time had once been.

Link peered around the building they were behind. They were in the very interior of the city, and the middle of the city, where the Market had once been, was at least 200 yards away from them. But the interior of the city had many black moblins, Iron Knuckles dressed all in black armor, black stalfos, and other beasts that Link had never seen before, dressed all in black, like all the others. The unknown beasts were seven feet high, looked to be more powerful than even the biggest Knuckle, their skin was a horrid yellow-green, and they had monstrous swords slung across their backs. These were the majority of the monsters walking around. A few of them were smacking the elven slaves around, punching them against buildings for their own amusement.

To Link's horror, he even saw several elf bodies lying on the ground in pools of their own blood. Their organs had been ripped out their stomachs, some were decapitated, some were missing several limbs...

Link turned away, tears blurring his vision. They had to save this place before the violence spread to the rest of Hyrule.

"Alright, now listen," he said, speaking to the group. "The legions aren't going to come to the very back of the city, so i stay near the wall at all times /I . Get as close as you can to the bridge, and sneak inside the back of a building, it doesn't matter which building. Make sure that you kill the legions inside the building before they see you, or they may raise the alarm. Once you've killed them, hide their bodies, take their clothes, wait for my okay, Arya, then get to the gate as fast as you possibly can. Even though you're disguised, try not to be spotted. Find the ropes, cut them, and the army will be able to flood inside. With some luck, this plan may be able to be carried out without too much trouble...but it won't work if any of you are seen."

The gerudo's nodded. Link turned to Zelda, Saja, Malon and Darunia.

"You guys are coming with me into the tower, as you know," said Link. They all looked at him determinedly, and he knew that they weren't going to back down now. They would see this through till the end.

He stared at them for a second, then shook himself.

"We have tarried too long. Arya, take them and go. Once your in the building, wait for my signal."

She nodded, drawing out her dagger, and beckoned to her warriors. They all pulled dark cloaks out of their packs on their shoulders, letting the packs drop to the ground, unneeded. Once they all had gotten the cloaks firmly on their backs and over their faces, they started off, around the city.

As the gerudo's hastened away, skirting along the black wall, Link said, "I do hope I see them again."

Zelda laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, I promise that you will."

He looked back at her, smiled, then turned to Saja, Darunia and Malon.

"Let's find our way into the tower, then," Link said. They all drew their weapons, and hurried off toward the huge base of the back of Majora's Tower.

Several minutes later, they stood at the massive base of the tower, searching for an entrance inside.

"Perhaps if we could find some sort of back door he might have made it easy for us," suggested Darunia. Saja nodded, but he doubted that there was a back door.

The team split up, moving along the base, searching for a crevice or indent that would give away to a kick or a stab. They looked for well over ten minutes, and Link grew frustrated. They couldn't enter through the front, or they would be seen by Majora's legions.

Zelda suddenly lifted her head, and her arms grew rigid. Link looked hurriedly over at her, as did Saja.

"What is it?" Link asked, but at the same time, he sensed what she did. His eyes grew wide, and he raised his sword, putting his back to the wall of the tower.

"Legions! Heading this way. Everybody get on the wall and prepare to fight!" whispered Link urgently.

They all hastened to the wall. Darunia raised his huge axes, ready for battle again. Zelda readied her pyrotechnics, Saja had his twin blades out, and Malon had her own gerudo-made sword out.

Harsh shouts broke the stony silence, and they heard several of Majora's black demons coming around the bend in the tower. What they were doing back here, Link had no idea, but he knew they had to dispose of them very quickly.

As a black foot appeared, one of a moblin, Link sank his blade through the foot. The moblin was about to cry out in pain, but Link slammed his shield into it's face, standing up suddenly. The moblin tumbled backwards, and knocked several stalfos over. Behind them, six or seven of the unknown beasts Link had seen from behind the building were running at him.

Zelda leapt in front of him suddenly, releasing a blue beam of faded light. It struck one of the monsters, plowing through it's chest, leaving a sizzling hole. It fell face forward, but several more beasts came running toward them.

Zelda and Link backed up, and ran behind the tower again, toward Malon, Saja and Darunia. The team rushed to face the other beasts. They rammed into the things with all of their efforts. Saja managed to sink both blades through the chest of one before it could let out a warcry, then yanked the scarlet blades out and attacked another. Darunia and Malon with their combined efforts rent one to pieces with their weapons, then turned to see Zelda blast two at once with her beams. It took three or four shots to bring both beasts down. Link dispatched another beast with a thrust through the heart, but was not quick enough to turn around and block the final beast rearing up to strike down on his head...

"YAAH!" roared Darunia, hurtling one of his huge axes through the air. It sank deep into the beasts back. It howled, moaned, then dropped to the ground.

This quick yet intense battle left them all with tense arms and coiled muscles. Darunia walked forward to pull his axe out of the beasts back. They watched as he yanked at it, then pulled and groaned as his muscles bulged with the effort of pulling it out. But the axe had sunk too deep into the black armor.

Snarling, the goron grew angry, and swung the dead body around through the air in a big arc, smashing it into the wall of the tower. The wall that the body slammed into crumpled in the shape of an oval, leaving a clear opening, sucking in the smoky outside air.

It was complete blackness through the hole, and they all hesitated, staring at the suspicious hole.

"Must have been a weak section in the wall," noted Malon. They all stared at it, still slightly dazed from the battle, then Saja and Link started forward, and jumped through the hole. The others quickly followed.

As they walked into the darkness, Link called out with his mind, linking it with Arya's.

Arya was in a small building relatively close to the gate of the city. They were wearing cloaks around themselves, and were sitting at a bar, their faces covered. Arya lifted her head slightly when she felt waves of mind power race through her head...

i We're in. Get moving. /I