Well, I'm back...in the words of Samwise Gamgee, of course. So, my quest has
failed...I don't own Legend of Zelda...sucks eggses, it does, preciousss...Oh,
and there will be rather intense swearing in this chapter...and some
blood...so, just be warned...and one VERY bad f-word...be prepared!
**
Ch. 16: One to Determine All Things
"Look! An exit! I think we actually made it!" Gate explained as he whirled around in the air happily. Zelda, who had decided to keep her dignity and walk, remained sullenly silent; Link stared down at his feet uncomfortably, not wanting another death-glare from her. The sounds of battle, always present, now reached a loud pitch as all three of them stood in the doorway, eyes wide at the scene before them: Roh's fighters fought with the mountain at their back, clearly surrounded by Ganon's horde. Fighters, both friend and foe, lay strewn across the battlefield, most in gruesome heaps. Zelda put a hand to her mouth in shock.
"Dammit, we've got to do something!" Link yelled, ramming his fist into the wall in anger.
**
Steel rang upon steel as the two fighters exchanged blows with their swords; the torch upon the wall casting their moving shadows as the torchlight glimmered eerily from the two swords. Airaen moved her feet constantly, sliding her feet along the floor, first to the left, then right, another right, left again...it seemed endless to her as she moved. No matter how fast she tried to move, Ganon easily caught up with her. "You're starting to get desperate," he said nonchalantly, as if they were merely talking over tea.
Gritting her teeth, she retorted, "Desperate this, ass," and kicked him hard in the back of his knee, sending the Gerudo King toppling as his sword went clattering to the ground. Finding her chance, she brought her sword ringing down on him. Ganon, thinking quickly, summoned a spell and fired it at her. Taken completely by surprise, Airaen ducked quickly as the spell shot past her and blew a hole in the wall to the right. Pushing himself up, Ganon swung a sideways kick at Airaen's side with all the strength he could muster; Airaen was sent flying through the new opening in the wall and out into the battlefield, sliding to a painful halt as her sword skidded away from her. Ganon calmly picked up his sword.
Cursing slightly, she staggered to her feet, holding her side. "Dammit," she yelled, "that wasn't fair! You shitass little cheater!"
"What the...AIRAEN?! What the hell...?" Roh yelled as he saw her stand. Link, Zelda, and Gate were looking as well. Zelda made to move towards her, but Link put a hand on her shoulder and held her back. He was staring with a look of interest.
Ganon, who was stepping outside, was taken aback. Impossible, he thought, any other person's spine should've snapped from that, yet here this child is upset that it wasn't a fair shot...this is definitely no ordinary child...
"Anything goes in a fight, kid!" he yelled back as he ran towards her, sword raised. Airaen ran backwards, then jumped quickly to the right as Ganon's sword came down, barely missing her left shoulder. She hit the ground, rolled, then took off running; grabbing the Master Sword, she dodged again as Ganon, ever keeping up with her, sent another swing from his sword at her. She blocked the blow with the sword, but it shook under the strain as both blades pushed against each other. Airaen had been so focused on this that Ganon was able to send her flying with another unfair punch unawares. Zelda cried out as Airaen hit the ground, bounced, and skidded to a halt once more on her stomach. She wasn't moving. "You're not making this very fun, are you?" Ganon said with a laugh. He walked over to her and knelt down. "What? Sleeping, are you? Oh, come now, you're not that weak, are you?" He grinned and kicked her away, delighted to watch her bounce three times before landing on the ground again, face down. "Oh, I guess you are...well, at least you're where you belong, with your face in the dirt!"
Link balled his fist in rage, but knew he had to hold back this time. She's got to learn on her own, you fool, if she's going to have to live up to her destiny...
"Nice shot, Lord!" a fighter cried. Shocked, Link turned: he had been so enraptured with his daughter he hadn't noticed that the fighting had stopped. Ganon's men were sitting down and watching their Lord fight with grins on their faces, while Roh and the others stood in shock. Everyone was watching the two lonesome figures. A gasp from Zelda brought Link back from his thoughts.
"Link...look!" She pointed, and as Link saw it, his eyes widened. Airaen, slowly but surely, was standing up again. She staggered a little, but held her ground, wiping away a trickle of blood from her mouth.
"You are persistent, my dear friend," Ganon said, an eyebrow raised in interest.
Dammit, Airaen thought, I dropped that stupid sword again...and that idiot keeps cheating! Not fair in the least! Wait a minute...what the hell is Roh doing?! He's just standing there, and my parents haven't moved at all...Goddess, these idiots wouldn't know a diversion if it hit them in the face! She turned back to Ganon just in time to dodge another slice from his sword. As she crouched down, she barreled into his stomach, pushing him backwards, then punched him as hard as she could in his gut. Ganon staggered back, wincing in pain. Reaching upwards, she slammed her fist into his jaw, blood spewing from his mouth as he fell with a loud thud to the ground. Limping slightly, she leapt away from him. "Roh! What the hell are you doing, you asshole?!" she yelled, turning to the boy, who stared with his mouth open at her. "Get going, you moron! There's my parents," she pointed towards where they stood just outside the door they had exited out of. "Take them and go!"
"But...what about..." he began.
"IDIOT! JUST FUCKING GO!"
Roh, startled, motioned for the others to follow them. Link pulled at Zelda and sprinted over to them, quickly catching up since none of Ganon's men moved or protested. Lemmings, Airaen thought. The company, now with three new companions, nearly made it to the pathway Roh and his men had used, when there was a bright beam of light and a loud crash. The company jumped away as chunks from the mountain fell, blocking the entrance to the path. "What the...?" Airaen turned as Ganon roared with laughter.
"Well, that was a waste of your time...now, it gets interesting." At a snap from his finger, Ganon's men surrounded Roh, the fighters from Sidar, Link, and Zelda at blade point. Several of the men laughed evilly.
Airaen was shaking with anger. "You...you coward! Let them go right now, you ugly piece of shit!" Enraged at the insult, Ganon drove his knee home to her gut; Airaen fell to her knees, holding her stomach, eyes closed in pain.
Ganon grabbed her by the neck and held her to his face, glaring. "I would just kill you right now...but, I would like some fun with you first." Grinning madly, he tossed her away. "You guys better keep them in place, understand?" he said to his troops, "We'll all have some fun after this one!"
But the child had not given up yet; she swung her leg up and kicked him on the side of his neck. As he let go of her, she punched him in the gut, and rolled away. Looking around, she saw the Master Sword laying a bit away, gleaming slightly. Gritting her teeth, she took off at a run, knelt down, grabbed it, and sped around back towards her opponent, who was still recovering. She came at his back this time, wanting a bit of surprise as she swung the sword upwards. Before she got any further, Riut yelled out, "Ganon!! Behind!" Ganon rolled away just before Airaen swung; the blade hit the ground with a loud clang. As she was lifting her sword, Ganon summoned a spell and fired it at the child.
And then it happened: instinctively, Airaen put the Master Sword in front of her to block the spell as it hit the sword dead on. With a loud crack, the sword shattered into a thousand pieces, leaving nothing but a half inch of the blade, the hilt still intact.
Airaen's eyes widened in fear as she stared at the shattered blade, then looked at Ganon, who had an amused grin on his face. "Uh oh...n-not good...this is really not good..." she whispered, the shattered hilt shaking in her trembling hand.
Zelda's stared with wide eyes. "What....how could that even happen?! That's a legendary blade...it's supposed to be indestructible!"
Airaen tossed the blade away angrily. Piece of shit...stupid, stupid, stupid sword, she thought. Putting her hand behind her head, she laughed tentatively, "Oh, yay! J-just what I planned for...weaponless fighting! Heh..."
Ganon raised an eyebrow. "Plan, huh? Well, one of my biggest thorns in my side is out of the way...Prepare yourself!" With that, he charged at her, stooping low to punch her on the jaw, then kicked her sideways, sending her flying again.
As she struck the ground, she thought, Damn, it's the same attack pattern! Just as she hit the ground, Ganon landed on her stomach, knocking the wind out of her as she spat up blood. As he got up off her, she rolled on her side in a fetal position, clutching at her stomach, her back to him. Smirking, he knelt behind her back. "What's wrong, little Airaen? You seem troubled, eh?" he chuckled. She was whispering something; curious, he leaned forward. "What's that you said?"
Rolling over, she yelled, "Finesa Miyo!" The spell shot from her hand, enveloping Ganon in a wave of golden light as it shot towards the sky. Panting, Airaen sat up with her right hand still stretched outwards. As the effects of the spell wore off, Ganon was nowhere to be found. Cursing under her breath, she tried vainly to get up, winced, then sat back again. "Where...is that guy?" she panted, wiping blood off her face.
Gate, along with everyone else, was dumbfounded. "What the...how the hell did you do that?!" the fairy yelled.
Airaen grinned slightly, then turned to him, saying, "Would you just shut up for a minute? I'm trying to concentrate right now because I can't exactly find that idiot right now, SO SHUT UP!" Turning to the empty field in front of her, she said, "Ok, you can come out now, you know...oh, come on, enough with the hide and seek game, please!" Silence answered her. Cursing again, she got shakily to her feet, staggering a little as she looked around. Great, she thought, absolutely no weapon of any kind, Roh and the others are at knife point, and I'm exhausted...oh, yes, I have all the luck, don't I? She winced as pain shot through her stomach, and she held it. At least my hand doesn't hurt anymore, she thought glumly. Then she heard it: a shuffle of feet, the shifting of rocks to her right. "Finesa Miyo!" she yelled, casting the spell over to where the sound came from. Gone again? she thought desperately. "Where did he..." she began.
"Right here," a familiar voice said. Turning, she saw Ganon right behind her. Crap! A diversion! she thought as Ganon sent another punch- kick routine at her. As she flew into the air, she shot another spell at him wildly, missing her target completely as she flew a considerable distance, then hit the ground again near the Fortress wall. Crying out in pain as her leg hit a rock, then collapsing on the ground, she had just enough time to look up before she saw the spell barreling towards her. She had nowhere to run this time, and not enough energy to get up. Zelda screamed as the spell barreled into Airaen. Just before the explosion, Airaen heard, or thought she heard a voice yelling her name. Wha...Saria....?
Dust from the clattering rocks seeped into the atmosphere as Ganon lowered his hand, chuckling to himself. "Well, that was easy," he said, still chuckling. I could just get those Triforce pieces right now...but, I'll leave that for later.
"Hey, boss!" Riut yelled with a laugh, "Looks like we've got a bit of a clean-up duty! Let's kill off these idiots first, then you can go search for whatever's left of that kid!"
Zelda sank to her knees, tears falling down her face. "She's...she's dead," Link whispered, dumbstruck.
Enraged, Roh attacked the enemies around him wildly, cutting off limbs and slicing throats in his attempt to get at Ganon, who was walking back, a smug look on his face. "Dammit, let me go!" he yelled as Icarn held him back.
Gate remained silent. What do you expect to do now? he thought.
Ganon was just about to say something when he stopped, his eyes widening. "What...what the? Where....where is that coming from?!" He turned back to the wreckage.
"Lord?" Riut asked, concerned.
Where is that energy coming from? Ganon thought desperately. Then it happened: a bright light erupted from the wreckage, reducing the rubble around it to dust. Ganon stepped back in surprise and fear. "What the hell is going on!?" he yelled, trying desperately to figure out what was in this sudden aura. Then his eyes widened. "No way! It can't be! You're...you're supposed to be dead, girl-child!" he cried, shaking with fear for the first time in sixteen years.
Airaen stood with her eyes closed, her arms in front of her as if to block something. And, on her right hand, the source of Ganon's true fear, the Triforce mark burned brightly. Ganon stepped back, tripped, and fell on his rump, his mouth open. This can't be happening, he thought. As the aura faded, she opened her eyes, the same purple eyes she had always had, and grinned childishly at him. She took a step towards him, her head cocked innocently to one side. Standing, his eyes wide with fear, he shot a spell at the girl, as powerful as before, smiling slightly. But his smile turned to shock as Airaen knocked it to one side, sending it spinning into the Fortress, destroying a good part of it. "How...how did you...?" Ganon stuttered.
Airaen wasn't listening, thought: My awareness...what's going on with me? Her vision, her entire awareness, had heightened to such an extreme level that it almost frightened her...almost. She felt intrigued by it, and felt like a bystander looking at a new painting with interest. She smiled inwardly. My innocence...life...gone, just like that...how interesting, how intriguing.
"Are you listening?! Hey!" Ganon yelled. She looked up at him, her new awareness detecting fear that lingered on his tongue, slept on his words. Why do I not feel any fear towards this man as I had had just seconds ago felt? I feel so...calm. She held her steady gaze as her mind opened all patterns, as time itself seemed open to her. Ha, she thought, her soft grin playing across her mouth. The tone has changed dramatically now...surely he feels it? He cannot be that slow. Time has opened its door to me...would he not feel it? Eternity...ah, blissful eternity...surely the goddesses feel it...Goddess, what has happened to me? Why do I not feel any fear?
Ganon advanced towards her. Look how obvious his moves are now! He is afraid...beyond fear...what does he fear? she thought, narrowing her eyes as she searched the answer. Energy seemed to swarm around them like mist, though she knew no one else could feel it. True, Ganon could feel his own energy, as well as hers, but she also felt it in everyone present there, in the plant life around them, even in the rocks; the very earth seemed to surge with a sleeping power. I am no longer human, am I? The thought thrilled her, like a child before an unwrapped present. Yes, she thought, the tone has definitely changed now...
"Quit your smirk, girl-child...what are you about? You should be dead," Ganon was saying as Airaen was brought back from her inner thoughts. Ah, death, she thought, fighting a burst of laughter. This is not what he fears...no, he fears failure before death. Ah, failure! Yes, that must be it: failure. The answer was so obvious that she couldn't help but giggle at her previous blindness to it. Ganon stomped his foot childishly. "Stop laughing and answer me!" he yelled.
"What would you have me answer to you?" Airaen replied innocently, knowing full well that he would not sense the underlying message in her words.
"Stop mocking me!" Ganon spat, balling his fist. She raised an eyebrow at him and giggled again. He missed it completely, the fool, she thought. "I said stop laughing!" he yelled as he charged at her. Airaen stood still, waiting until the last minute before she stepped lightly away. Caught by surprise, Ganon slowed to a halt, then looked back at the child, his eyes wide. He thinks I was fast...now there's a question to consider: was I the one with speed, or was he simply too slow? She giggled again.
Zelda narrowed her eyes at Airaen. She's completely different...how...? she thought tentatively, biting her lower lip.
Airaen placed her hands behind her back, her head cocked to one side. Shall I save his dignity for him and try to underestimate him? Should I give him that honor?
"Tricky, child..." Ganon said as he faced her. "Very tricky. Yes, you've got some new tricks, I see, but that won't save you from me."
"Won't save me, you say?" Airaen spoke again, weighing her words carefully. I must keep with this ploy as long as I can...he is dangerous when backed into a corner, she thought. "Shall we have a battle of words, then? Is that your request?" she asked innocently, the smile never leaving her face.
A venomous smile, Zelda thought, Is this the "destiny" Link spoke of before? Should we try to interfere? But, why is she so passive now? Or is there something she's trying to gain? As if sensing her thoughts, Airaen glanced at her mother and gave her a warm, reassuring smile.
"Tell me, child," Ganon said, his voice betraying a tremble of something between hate and fear, "Do you plan on taking the Triforce for yourself? Is that your plan?" His voice shook.
Airaen threw her head back and laughed, slapping her knee. "Oh, come now," she said as she laughed, "What would I want with that? I have nothing to gain with it...probably would forget about it! You truly are dense, aren't you? All muscle save for one important one! Pity." This will not last long, she thought, sensing Ganon's desperateness in the change of his energy. He's seen a glimpse already...will he continue? Pride or life...ah, that is his trap, she thought. "Ah, now I see! What you truly want now you can't have, like the unreachable apple on the tree. Very cute," she said, cocking her head to one side as she studied his face. Ah, he will act now, she thought as she watched him disappear in a flash of light. Airaen stood alone on the field, the grin still remaining on her face. "This is your own folly, sir," she said, her words echoing. She took a step forward as a dark mass came striking at the place she once stood at. There was another flash, then silence. Airaen narrowed her eyes. Truly desperate, she thought, I pity him. She stepped to her left to avoid another attempted blow.
What is Airaen trying to gain? Zelda thought. She clenched her fist, saw that they were moist. Looking over at Link, she saw how his eyes were narrowed in concentration as he watched the scene play out before him. "Damn it all," she heard him say under his breath.
Gone again, Airaen thought, too long this time...why? She focused on any changes in the air, however subtle. Where are you? The air remained still, unmoving in her new awareness. He is waiting...ah, but where? Oh, this is my own weakness, she thought with an inward chuckle. There was a sudden change in the air, so subtle, signaling that Ganon had moved again. "You're avoiding me," Airaen said quietly. Where to now?
She waited patiently, still focusing on the air around her. There was another subtle change in the air. Summoning a spell, she shot it to her right. "Huh...I missed completely," she said with a laugh. Curse it...a little too much energy, she thought as she felt fatigue from long traveling and long periods of fighting creeping into her body. I cannot keep this energy up as long as I had hoped for...I'll have to let it go soon. She sat down, crossing her legs, placed her chin in her hands and yawned. I'll wait for him, then...he'll come from desperation, but I think I just let the world know I'm tired...ah, sacrifices for this awareness of mine.
A dramatic change in the energy around her brought her attention. Looking up, she saw a spell coming towards her, and she dodged it by placing her hands on the ground in front of her and rolling forward, turning her head slightly to watch the spell strike the ground, sending a flurry of sparks upwards. A weak spell...wait...a diversion! Too late. Ganon grabbed her from behind, placing his arms under her armpits and hoisting her upwards in a tight hold. Gritting her teeth, she glared at him. "Even you have your weaknesses, don't you, little Bearer?" he said with a triumphant smirk.
"You're...a lot smarter than I first thought," she replied, finding it hard to breathe. He still has fear, she thought.
"Now, what to do with a disobeying little girl? I know!" he said in mock consideration. Pushing himself backwards, he flipped over and sent the two of them crashing into the ground, Airaen first.
"Foul play!" Roh yelled out, gripping his sword.
Ganon leaped away, leaving Airaen face down in the dirt. "What now, girl-child? Will you mock me now?" he yelled with triumph plain in his voice.
Gripping at the dirt, Airaen pushed herself upward to her knees, then sat back, looking at him. Treachery is his forte, she thought as she involuntarily winced as a sting from a fresh wound across the top of her wound sank home to her. He is a true fool if he can't see how tired I am right now. She studied the subtle movements of his breathing and his hands, thought, He has energy to spare, damn him. And yet he is still afraid...yes, he is a fool.
Ganon clenched his fist in anger. This child is mocking me! A mere child has nearly mastered the power hidden away inside her Triforce pieces in mere seconds! How is it possible? It shouldn't be possible! He gritted his teeth. "Damn you! I hate you!" he yelled. Airaen was still trying to steady her breathing when she looked up at him, her eyebrow raised questioningly. He has betrayed himself openly now, she thought, pity suddenly wrenching through her awareness. Ganon raised his hands, focusing. Narrowing her eyes, Airaen stood, trying with all her strength to not show her fatigue. She narrowed her eyes, thought: Where have I seen him do that? Raising his hands like that...
She searched her memory, trying to remember...rain hitting the windows, firelight dancing on the walls...the ranch! Now she remembered: her father had told her the whole story of his fight with Ganon in perfect detail, describing his range of attacks, especially one that Link referred to as a "void of darkness that hit randomly." She was thankful she had listened to him with rapt attention, realizing now why her father had explained that battle in such detail. He knew what my destiny would be, she thought.
Now she stared at the face of her adversary, his face twisted now in madness as a dark mass formed above him, looking every bit of a "void of darkness" as ever. She sighed, knowing she couldn't dodge it if it was a bit of free energy. As Ganon finished his summoning, he laughed, then pulled his hands behind him, yelling, then thrust his hands forward and the shot the spell outward. Light exploded from it, shooting outwards like shattered glass. Airaen half-skipped backwards to avoid one beam of energy, then jumped backwards again as another came at her. Then she realized her mistake: jumping into the air left her unable to move in any other direction. A beam came streaking down towards her, and before she could cry out, it drove home to her side, ripping through her shirt, tearing through her coat of mail until it drove through her flesh, sending a wave of electric shock through her body. She arched her back as she cried out in agony, screaming as she plunged into a world of pain she thought could never exist, should never exist. Warm blood splashed against her as she fell to the ground, the electric currents still running through her body. Somebody's screaming besides me...a woman's voice...a man's...a young boy's...
Her mind drew a blank as her awareness escaped from her, her previous energy dying as much as she knew she was dying. Death, she thought, the word seeming to bounce around in her skull. This is what death is like, she thought again, risking more pain. She stared up as her vision began to cloud over, saw Ganon poised for another attack. The dark mass was forming again above him. No, she thought, though her body was paralyzed with pain. I can't...I can't let this happen... She clutched at the ground, tried to sit up, but a new wave of pain shot through her body. More blood from her wound leaked from her side as she fell back again. She stared at the clouded sky, wishing she could see the sun again. What an awful place to die in, she thought calmly as her eyes closed.
"Airaen." The voice was familiar, quiet yet strong.
"Here," she replied, feeling lost in the darkness.
"Get up...they need you now," the voice continued. Airaen searched to put a face on the voice, found it.
"I can't, Saria," she said matter-of-factly, "I'm too tired. I can't get up." Her own voice seemed far away.
She could sense Saria crossing her arms as she stood in the Sacred Realm, surrounded by the other sages. "Yes, you can," the Kokiri girl replied, her voice warm with encouragement. "Come on, little one, you can do it. Just get up...you have enough energy to beat this guy..." There was a clamor of agreement from the other sages. They began to fade away. "You just need to get up."
As she opened her eyes again, Airaen gripped at the ground and hoisted herself up, blood dripping from her wound to the floor. I can't see him...
The darkness was enshrouding her like a dark sea, lapping around her vision, blocking all light from it. She could sense herself staggering, but it felt as though the sensation came from far away, as if she felt it through a heavy cloak. Steadying herself, she looked forward through the blackness, trying to focus. The world spun around her. Someone called her name in the darkness, but it was far away. She didn't answer it, stepped forward in the darkness. A bright light formed in front of her, blinding her, yet she would not turn away. Focusing all she had left of her power, her own awareness, she discerned a figure, a dark figure that the light could never touch; above him lay the dark expanse of light-in-dark that so blinded her. There, she thought, the idea echoing in the darkness. She placed her hands before her, focused. But she felt no life there, no spark of anything; she hesitated.
Ganon stared at the dying child, her unfocused eyes, and her futile attempts to survive. "Fool," he whispered, lifting his spell higher above him. "What do you plan on doing, child? You stand at the very door to Death, yet you still deny it...here is the folly of your heritage!" He brought his hands behind him, drawing his arms along his side, gathering all the energy he had, more than he had ever done.
His words reached her, shattering the very darkness around her. She could feel the air shifting around her. Trickery...yes, I can use that as well, she thought, a grin playing across her face. She took a step forward as she sensed his energy rising. Another step...another...each step sent wave upon wave of pain, but she fought it off. Someone called her name again, but she ignored it.
"Is this your final plan, girl-child?" Ganon laughed. "Here! Have it!" He threw the spell at her, laughing madly. Airaen was ready; playing off the energy around her, she disappeared even as Ganon had done before, reappearing to the side of her opponent, barely aware of her.
Placing her hands forward, she smiled. "This is my plan..." she whispered. Even as Ganon turned towards her, fear so plain on her face as his mad smile faded into shock. Summoning the rest of her power, she released her own spell, enveloping her enemy in a bright, golden light. Ganon was thrown backwards, screaming in agony as he could feel his clothes, his very skin ripping apart. No! he screamed out in his mind. I won't lose...to this..."child"...damn her! He threw his right fist in front of him as his own Triforce symbol burned on his hand; he screamed again as more of his flesh ripped away. A green light enshrouded him as he could feel himself slipping away; he hated running away, but survival was his best hope. Before he disappeared, he yelled out, "Damn...damn you!" Then he teleported away, cursing his cowardice.
Airaen fell backward, her eyes staring at the moving sky, her back arching. Ever on the ground, aren't you? she asked herself with scorn. Damn my own failure...my own ignorance...
The dark sea swallowed her whole, her body numb as she hit the ground. Is this what death is like? she asked, knowing she would not get an answer until later.
"Airaen!" Someone called her name, but she couldn't see through the darkness. A woman? Who? She did not receive an answer. Silence only.
***
Whooo baby! That was something different...but, I had so much fun writing this chapter...I know it seems "different" than what I've normally been writing. But it was necessary...don't worry if you're confused...all will be explained! Please Read and Review! I love feedback, as usual! Toodles!
**
Ch. 16: One to Determine All Things
"Look! An exit! I think we actually made it!" Gate explained as he whirled around in the air happily. Zelda, who had decided to keep her dignity and walk, remained sullenly silent; Link stared down at his feet uncomfortably, not wanting another death-glare from her. The sounds of battle, always present, now reached a loud pitch as all three of them stood in the doorway, eyes wide at the scene before them: Roh's fighters fought with the mountain at their back, clearly surrounded by Ganon's horde. Fighters, both friend and foe, lay strewn across the battlefield, most in gruesome heaps. Zelda put a hand to her mouth in shock.
"Dammit, we've got to do something!" Link yelled, ramming his fist into the wall in anger.
**
Steel rang upon steel as the two fighters exchanged blows with their swords; the torch upon the wall casting their moving shadows as the torchlight glimmered eerily from the two swords. Airaen moved her feet constantly, sliding her feet along the floor, first to the left, then right, another right, left again...it seemed endless to her as she moved. No matter how fast she tried to move, Ganon easily caught up with her. "You're starting to get desperate," he said nonchalantly, as if they were merely talking over tea.
Gritting her teeth, she retorted, "Desperate this, ass," and kicked him hard in the back of his knee, sending the Gerudo King toppling as his sword went clattering to the ground. Finding her chance, she brought her sword ringing down on him. Ganon, thinking quickly, summoned a spell and fired it at her. Taken completely by surprise, Airaen ducked quickly as the spell shot past her and blew a hole in the wall to the right. Pushing himself up, Ganon swung a sideways kick at Airaen's side with all the strength he could muster; Airaen was sent flying through the new opening in the wall and out into the battlefield, sliding to a painful halt as her sword skidded away from her. Ganon calmly picked up his sword.
Cursing slightly, she staggered to her feet, holding her side. "Dammit," she yelled, "that wasn't fair! You shitass little cheater!"
"What the...AIRAEN?! What the hell...?" Roh yelled as he saw her stand. Link, Zelda, and Gate were looking as well. Zelda made to move towards her, but Link put a hand on her shoulder and held her back. He was staring with a look of interest.
Ganon, who was stepping outside, was taken aback. Impossible, he thought, any other person's spine should've snapped from that, yet here this child is upset that it wasn't a fair shot...this is definitely no ordinary child...
"Anything goes in a fight, kid!" he yelled back as he ran towards her, sword raised. Airaen ran backwards, then jumped quickly to the right as Ganon's sword came down, barely missing her left shoulder. She hit the ground, rolled, then took off running; grabbing the Master Sword, she dodged again as Ganon, ever keeping up with her, sent another swing from his sword at her. She blocked the blow with the sword, but it shook under the strain as both blades pushed against each other. Airaen had been so focused on this that Ganon was able to send her flying with another unfair punch unawares. Zelda cried out as Airaen hit the ground, bounced, and skidded to a halt once more on her stomach. She wasn't moving. "You're not making this very fun, are you?" Ganon said with a laugh. He walked over to her and knelt down. "What? Sleeping, are you? Oh, come now, you're not that weak, are you?" He grinned and kicked her away, delighted to watch her bounce three times before landing on the ground again, face down. "Oh, I guess you are...well, at least you're where you belong, with your face in the dirt!"
Link balled his fist in rage, but knew he had to hold back this time. She's got to learn on her own, you fool, if she's going to have to live up to her destiny...
"Nice shot, Lord!" a fighter cried. Shocked, Link turned: he had been so enraptured with his daughter he hadn't noticed that the fighting had stopped. Ganon's men were sitting down and watching their Lord fight with grins on their faces, while Roh and the others stood in shock. Everyone was watching the two lonesome figures. A gasp from Zelda brought Link back from his thoughts.
"Link...look!" She pointed, and as Link saw it, his eyes widened. Airaen, slowly but surely, was standing up again. She staggered a little, but held her ground, wiping away a trickle of blood from her mouth.
"You are persistent, my dear friend," Ganon said, an eyebrow raised in interest.
Dammit, Airaen thought, I dropped that stupid sword again...and that idiot keeps cheating! Not fair in the least! Wait a minute...what the hell is Roh doing?! He's just standing there, and my parents haven't moved at all...Goddess, these idiots wouldn't know a diversion if it hit them in the face! She turned back to Ganon just in time to dodge another slice from his sword. As she crouched down, she barreled into his stomach, pushing him backwards, then punched him as hard as she could in his gut. Ganon staggered back, wincing in pain. Reaching upwards, she slammed her fist into his jaw, blood spewing from his mouth as he fell with a loud thud to the ground. Limping slightly, she leapt away from him. "Roh! What the hell are you doing, you asshole?!" she yelled, turning to the boy, who stared with his mouth open at her. "Get going, you moron! There's my parents," she pointed towards where they stood just outside the door they had exited out of. "Take them and go!"
"But...what about..." he began.
"IDIOT! JUST FUCKING GO!"
Roh, startled, motioned for the others to follow them. Link pulled at Zelda and sprinted over to them, quickly catching up since none of Ganon's men moved or protested. Lemmings, Airaen thought. The company, now with three new companions, nearly made it to the pathway Roh and his men had used, when there was a bright beam of light and a loud crash. The company jumped away as chunks from the mountain fell, blocking the entrance to the path. "What the...?" Airaen turned as Ganon roared with laughter.
"Well, that was a waste of your time...now, it gets interesting." At a snap from his finger, Ganon's men surrounded Roh, the fighters from Sidar, Link, and Zelda at blade point. Several of the men laughed evilly.
Airaen was shaking with anger. "You...you coward! Let them go right now, you ugly piece of shit!" Enraged at the insult, Ganon drove his knee home to her gut; Airaen fell to her knees, holding her stomach, eyes closed in pain.
Ganon grabbed her by the neck and held her to his face, glaring. "I would just kill you right now...but, I would like some fun with you first." Grinning madly, he tossed her away. "You guys better keep them in place, understand?" he said to his troops, "We'll all have some fun after this one!"
But the child had not given up yet; she swung her leg up and kicked him on the side of his neck. As he let go of her, she punched him in the gut, and rolled away. Looking around, she saw the Master Sword laying a bit away, gleaming slightly. Gritting her teeth, she took off at a run, knelt down, grabbed it, and sped around back towards her opponent, who was still recovering. She came at his back this time, wanting a bit of surprise as she swung the sword upwards. Before she got any further, Riut yelled out, "Ganon!! Behind!" Ganon rolled away just before Airaen swung; the blade hit the ground with a loud clang. As she was lifting her sword, Ganon summoned a spell and fired it at the child.
And then it happened: instinctively, Airaen put the Master Sword in front of her to block the spell as it hit the sword dead on. With a loud crack, the sword shattered into a thousand pieces, leaving nothing but a half inch of the blade, the hilt still intact.
Airaen's eyes widened in fear as she stared at the shattered blade, then looked at Ganon, who had an amused grin on his face. "Uh oh...n-not good...this is really not good..." she whispered, the shattered hilt shaking in her trembling hand.
Zelda's stared with wide eyes. "What....how could that even happen?! That's a legendary blade...it's supposed to be indestructible!"
Airaen tossed the blade away angrily. Piece of shit...stupid, stupid, stupid sword, she thought. Putting her hand behind her head, she laughed tentatively, "Oh, yay! J-just what I planned for...weaponless fighting! Heh..."
Ganon raised an eyebrow. "Plan, huh? Well, one of my biggest thorns in my side is out of the way...Prepare yourself!" With that, he charged at her, stooping low to punch her on the jaw, then kicked her sideways, sending her flying again.
As she struck the ground, she thought, Damn, it's the same attack pattern! Just as she hit the ground, Ganon landed on her stomach, knocking the wind out of her as she spat up blood. As he got up off her, she rolled on her side in a fetal position, clutching at her stomach, her back to him. Smirking, he knelt behind her back. "What's wrong, little Airaen? You seem troubled, eh?" he chuckled. She was whispering something; curious, he leaned forward. "What's that you said?"
Rolling over, she yelled, "Finesa Miyo!" The spell shot from her hand, enveloping Ganon in a wave of golden light as it shot towards the sky. Panting, Airaen sat up with her right hand still stretched outwards. As the effects of the spell wore off, Ganon was nowhere to be found. Cursing under her breath, she tried vainly to get up, winced, then sat back again. "Where...is that guy?" she panted, wiping blood off her face.
Gate, along with everyone else, was dumbfounded. "What the...how the hell did you do that?!" the fairy yelled.
Airaen grinned slightly, then turned to him, saying, "Would you just shut up for a minute? I'm trying to concentrate right now because I can't exactly find that idiot right now, SO SHUT UP!" Turning to the empty field in front of her, she said, "Ok, you can come out now, you know...oh, come on, enough with the hide and seek game, please!" Silence answered her. Cursing again, she got shakily to her feet, staggering a little as she looked around. Great, she thought, absolutely no weapon of any kind, Roh and the others are at knife point, and I'm exhausted...oh, yes, I have all the luck, don't I? She winced as pain shot through her stomach, and she held it. At least my hand doesn't hurt anymore, she thought glumly. Then she heard it: a shuffle of feet, the shifting of rocks to her right. "Finesa Miyo!" she yelled, casting the spell over to where the sound came from. Gone again? she thought desperately. "Where did he..." she began.
"Right here," a familiar voice said. Turning, she saw Ganon right behind her. Crap! A diversion! she thought as Ganon sent another punch- kick routine at her. As she flew into the air, she shot another spell at him wildly, missing her target completely as she flew a considerable distance, then hit the ground again near the Fortress wall. Crying out in pain as her leg hit a rock, then collapsing on the ground, she had just enough time to look up before she saw the spell barreling towards her. She had nowhere to run this time, and not enough energy to get up. Zelda screamed as the spell barreled into Airaen. Just before the explosion, Airaen heard, or thought she heard a voice yelling her name. Wha...Saria....?
Dust from the clattering rocks seeped into the atmosphere as Ganon lowered his hand, chuckling to himself. "Well, that was easy," he said, still chuckling. I could just get those Triforce pieces right now...but, I'll leave that for later.
"Hey, boss!" Riut yelled with a laugh, "Looks like we've got a bit of a clean-up duty! Let's kill off these idiots first, then you can go search for whatever's left of that kid!"
Zelda sank to her knees, tears falling down her face. "She's...she's dead," Link whispered, dumbstruck.
Enraged, Roh attacked the enemies around him wildly, cutting off limbs and slicing throats in his attempt to get at Ganon, who was walking back, a smug look on his face. "Dammit, let me go!" he yelled as Icarn held him back.
Gate remained silent. What do you expect to do now? he thought.
Ganon was just about to say something when he stopped, his eyes widening. "What...what the? Where....where is that coming from?!" He turned back to the wreckage.
"Lord?" Riut asked, concerned.
Where is that energy coming from? Ganon thought desperately. Then it happened: a bright light erupted from the wreckage, reducing the rubble around it to dust. Ganon stepped back in surprise and fear. "What the hell is going on!?" he yelled, trying desperately to figure out what was in this sudden aura. Then his eyes widened. "No way! It can't be! You're...you're supposed to be dead, girl-child!" he cried, shaking with fear for the first time in sixteen years.
Airaen stood with her eyes closed, her arms in front of her as if to block something. And, on her right hand, the source of Ganon's true fear, the Triforce mark burned brightly. Ganon stepped back, tripped, and fell on his rump, his mouth open. This can't be happening, he thought. As the aura faded, she opened her eyes, the same purple eyes she had always had, and grinned childishly at him. She took a step towards him, her head cocked innocently to one side. Standing, his eyes wide with fear, he shot a spell at the girl, as powerful as before, smiling slightly. But his smile turned to shock as Airaen knocked it to one side, sending it spinning into the Fortress, destroying a good part of it. "How...how did you...?" Ganon stuttered.
Airaen wasn't listening, thought: My awareness...what's going on with me? Her vision, her entire awareness, had heightened to such an extreme level that it almost frightened her...almost. She felt intrigued by it, and felt like a bystander looking at a new painting with interest. She smiled inwardly. My innocence...life...gone, just like that...how interesting, how intriguing.
"Are you listening?! Hey!" Ganon yelled. She looked up at him, her new awareness detecting fear that lingered on his tongue, slept on his words. Why do I not feel any fear towards this man as I had had just seconds ago felt? I feel so...calm. She held her steady gaze as her mind opened all patterns, as time itself seemed open to her. Ha, she thought, her soft grin playing across her mouth. The tone has changed dramatically now...surely he feels it? He cannot be that slow. Time has opened its door to me...would he not feel it? Eternity...ah, blissful eternity...surely the goddesses feel it...Goddess, what has happened to me? Why do I not feel any fear?
Ganon advanced towards her. Look how obvious his moves are now! He is afraid...beyond fear...what does he fear? she thought, narrowing her eyes as she searched the answer. Energy seemed to swarm around them like mist, though she knew no one else could feel it. True, Ganon could feel his own energy, as well as hers, but she also felt it in everyone present there, in the plant life around them, even in the rocks; the very earth seemed to surge with a sleeping power. I am no longer human, am I? The thought thrilled her, like a child before an unwrapped present. Yes, she thought, the tone has definitely changed now...
"Quit your smirk, girl-child...what are you about? You should be dead," Ganon was saying as Airaen was brought back from her inner thoughts. Ah, death, she thought, fighting a burst of laughter. This is not what he fears...no, he fears failure before death. Ah, failure! Yes, that must be it: failure. The answer was so obvious that she couldn't help but giggle at her previous blindness to it. Ganon stomped his foot childishly. "Stop laughing and answer me!" he yelled.
"What would you have me answer to you?" Airaen replied innocently, knowing full well that he would not sense the underlying message in her words.
"Stop mocking me!" Ganon spat, balling his fist. She raised an eyebrow at him and giggled again. He missed it completely, the fool, she thought. "I said stop laughing!" he yelled as he charged at her. Airaen stood still, waiting until the last minute before she stepped lightly away. Caught by surprise, Ganon slowed to a halt, then looked back at the child, his eyes wide. He thinks I was fast...now there's a question to consider: was I the one with speed, or was he simply too slow? She giggled again.
Zelda narrowed her eyes at Airaen. She's completely different...how...? she thought tentatively, biting her lower lip.
Airaen placed her hands behind her back, her head cocked to one side. Shall I save his dignity for him and try to underestimate him? Should I give him that honor?
"Tricky, child..." Ganon said as he faced her. "Very tricky. Yes, you've got some new tricks, I see, but that won't save you from me."
"Won't save me, you say?" Airaen spoke again, weighing her words carefully. I must keep with this ploy as long as I can...he is dangerous when backed into a corner, she thought. "Shall we have a battle of words, then? Is that your request?" she asked innocently, the smile never leaving her face.
A venomous smile, Zelda thought, Is this the "destiny" Link spoke of before? Should we try to interfere? But, why is she so passive now? Or is there something she's trying to gain? As if sensing her thoughts, Airaen glanced at her mother and gave her a warm, reassuring smile.
"Tell me, child," Ganon said, his voice betraying a tremble of something between hate and fear, "Do you plan on taking the Triforce for yourself? Is that your plan?" His voice shook.
Airaen threw her head back and laughed, slapping her knee. "Oh, come now," she said as she laughed, "What would I want with that? I have nothing to gain with it...probably would forget about it! You truly are dense, aren't you? All muscle save for one important one! Pity." This will not last long, she thought, sensing Ganon's desperateness in the change of his energy. He's seen a glimpse already...will he continue? Pride or life...ah, that is his trap, she thought. "Ah, now I see! What you truly want now you can't have, like the unreachable apple on the tree. Very cute," she said, cocking her head to one side as she studied his face. Ah, he will act now, she thought as she watched him disappear in a flash of light. Airaen stood alone on the field, the grin still remaining on her face. "This is your own folly, sir," she said, her words echoing. She took a step forward as a dark mass came striking at the place she once stood at. There was another flash, then silence. Airaen narrowed her eyes. Truly desperate, she thought, I pity him. She stepped to her left to avoid another attempted blow.
What is Airaen trying to gain? Zelda thought. She clenched her fist, saw that they were moist. Looking over at Link, she saw how his eyes were narrowed in concentration as he watched the scene play out before him. "Damn it all," she heard him say under his breath.
Gone again, Airaen thought, too long this time...why? She focused on any changes in the air, however subtle. Where are you? The air remained still, unmoving in her new awareness. He is waiting...ah, but where? Oh, this is my own weakness, she thought with an inward chuckle. There was a sudden change in the air, so subtle, signaling that Ganon had moved again. "You're avoiding me," Airaen said quietly. Where to now?
She waited patiently, still focusing on the air around her. There was another subtle change in the air. Summoning a spell, she shot it to her right. "Huh...I missed completely," she said with a laugh. Curse it...a little too much energy, she thought as she felt fatigue from long traveling and long periods of fighting creeping into her body. I cannot keep this energy up as long as I had hoped for...I'll have to let it go soon. She sat down, crossing her legs, placed her chin in her hands and yawned. I'll wait for him, then...he'll come from desperation, but I think I just let the world know I'm tired...ah, sacrifices for this awareness of mine.
A dramatic change in the energy around her brought her attention. Looking up, she saw a spell coming towards her, and she dodged it by placing her hands on the ground in front of her and rolling forward, turning her head slightly to watch the spell strike the ground, sending a flurry of sparks upwards. A weak spell...wait...a diversion! Too late. Ganon grabbed her from behind, placing his arms under her armpits and hoisting her upwards in a tight hold. Gritting her teeth, she glared at him. "Even you have your weaknesses, don't you, little Bearer?" he said with a triumphant smirk.
"You're...a lot smarter than I first thought," she replied, finding it hard to breathe. He still has fear, she thought.
"Now, what to do with a disobeying little girl? I know!" he said in mock consideration. Pushing himself backwards, he flipped over and sent the two of them crashing into the ground, Airaen first.
"Foul play!" Roh yelled out, gripping his sword.
Ganon leaped away, leaving Airaen face down in the dirt. "What now, girl-child? Will you mock me now?" he yelled with triumph plain in his voice.
Gripping at the dirt, Airaen pushed herself upward to her knees, then sat back, looking at him. Treachery is his forte, she thought as she involuntarily winced as a sting from a fresh wound across the top of her wound sank home to her. He is a true fool if he can't see how tired I am right now. She studied the subtle movements of his breathing and his hands, thought, He has energy to spare, damn him. And yet he is still afraid...yes, he is a fool.
Ganon clenched his fist in anger. This child is mocking me! A mere child has nearly mastered the power hidden away inside her Triforce pieces in mere seconds! How is it possible? It shouldn't be possible! He gritted his teeth. "Damn you! I hate you!" he yelled. Airaen was still trying to steady her breathing when she looked up at him, her eyebrow raised questioningly. He has betrayed himself openly now, she thought, pity suddenly wrenching through her awareness. Ganon raised his hands, focusing. Narrowing her eyes, Airaen stood, trying with all her strength to not show her fatigue. She narrowed her eyes, thought: Where have I seen him do that? Raising his hands like that...
She searched her memory, trying to remember...rain hitting the windows, firelight dancing on the walls...the ranch! Now she remembered: her father had told her the whole story of his fight with Ganon in perfect detail, describing his range of attacks, especially one that Link referred to as a "void of darkness that hit randomly." She was thankful she had listened to him with rapt attention, realizing now why her father had explained that battle in such detail. He knew what my destiny would be, she thought.
Now she stared at the face of her adversary, his face twisted now in madness as a dark mass formed above him, looking every bit of a "void of darkness" as ever. She sighed, knowing she couldn't dodge it if it was a bit of free energy. As Ganon finished his summoning, he laughed, then pulled his hands behind him, yelling, then thrust his hands forward and the shot the spell outward. Light exploded from it, shooting outwards like shattered glass. Airaen half-skipped backwards to avoid one beam of energy, then jumped backwards again as another came at her. Then she realized her mistake: jumping into the air left her unable to move in any other direction. A beam came streaking down towards her, and before she could cry out, it drove home to her side, ripping through her shirt, tearing through her coat of mail until it drove through her flesh, sending a wave of electric shock through her body. She arched her back as she cried out in agony, screaming as she plunged into a world of pain she thought could never exist, should never exist. Warm blood splashed against her as she fell to the ground, the electric currents still running through her body. Somebody's screaming besides me...a woman's voice...a man's...a young boy's...
Her mind drew a blank as her awareness escaped from her, her previous energy dying as much as she knew she was dying. Death, she thought, the word seeming to bounce around in her skull. This is what death is like, she thought again, risking more pain. She stared up as her vision began to cloud over, saw Ganon poised for another attack. The dark mass was forming again above him. No, she thought, though her body was paralyzed with pain. I can't...I can't let this happen... She clutched at the ground, tried to sit up, but a new wave of pain shot through her body. More blood from her wound leaked from her side as she fell back again. She stared at the clouded sky, wishing she could see the sun again. What an awful place to die in, she thought calmly as her eyes closed.
"Airaen." The voice was familiar, quiet yet strong.
"Here," she replied, feeling lost in the darkness.
"Get up...they need you now," the voice continued. Airaen searched to put a face on the voice, found it.
"I can't, Saria," she said matter-of-factly, "I'm too tired. I can't get up." Her own voice seemed far away.
She could sense Saria crossing her arms as she stood in the Sacred Realm, surrounded by the other sages. "Yes, you can," the Kokiri girl replied, her voice warm with encouragement. "Come on, little one, you can do it. Just get up...you have enough energy to beat this guy..." There was a clamor of agreement from the other sages. They began to fade away. "You just need to get up."
As she opened her eyes again, Airaen gripped at the ground and hoisted herself up, blood dripping from her wound to the floor. I can't see him...
The darkness was enshrouding her like a dark sea, lapping around her vision, blocking all light from it. She could sense herself staggering, but it felt as though the sensation came from far away, as if she felt it through a heavy cloak. Steadying herself, she looked forward through the blackness, trying to focus. The world spun around her. Someone called her name in the darkness, but it was far away. She didn't answer it, stepped forward in the darkness. A bright light formed in front of her, blinding her, yet she would not turn away. Focusing all she had left of her power, her own awareness, she discerned a figure, a dark figure that the light could never touch; above him lay the dark expanse of light-in-dark that so blinded her. There, she thought, the idea echoing in the darkness. She placed her hands before her, focused. But she felt no life there, no spark of anything; she hesitated.
Ganon stared at the dying child, her unfocused eyes, and her futile attempts to survive. "Fool," he whispered, lifting his spell higher above him. "What do you plan on doing, child? You stand at the very door to Death, yet you still deny it...here is the folly of your heritage!" He brought his hands behind him, drawing his arms along his side, gathering all the energy he had, more than he had ever done.
His words reached her, shattering the very darkness around her. She could feel the air shifting around her. Trickery...yes, I can use that as well, she thought, a grin playing across her face. She took a step forward as she sensed his energy rising. Another step...another...each step sent wave upon wave of pain, but she fought it off. Someone called her name again, but she ignored it.
"Is this your final plan, girl-child?" Ganon laughed. "Here! Have it!" He threw the spell at her, laughing madly. Airaen was ready; playing off the energy around her, she disappeared even as Ganon had done before, reappearing to the side of her opponent, barely aware of her.
Placing her hands forward, she smiled. "This is my plan..." she whispered. Even as Ganon turned towards her, fear so plain on her face as his mad smile faded into shock. Summoning the rest of her power, she released her own spell, enveloping her enemy in a bright, golden light. Ganon was thrown backwards, screaming in agony as he could feel his clothes, his very skin ripping apart. No! he screamed out in his mind. I won't lose...to this..."child"...damn her! He threw his right fist in front of him as his own Triforce symbol burned on his hand; he screamed again as more of his flesh ripped away. A green light enshrouded him as he could feel himself slipping away; he hated running away, but survival was his best hope. Before he disappeared, he yelled out, "Damn...damn you!" Then he teleported away, cursing his cowardice.
Airaen fell backward, her eyes staring at the moving sky, her back arching. Ever on the ground, aren't you? she asked herself with scorn. Damn my own failure...my own ignorance...
The dark sea swallowed her whole, her body numb as she hit the ground. Is this what death is like? she asked, knowing she would not get an answer until later.
"Airaen!" Someone called her name, but she couldn't see through the darkness. A woman? Who? She did not receive an answer. Silence only.
***
Whooo baby! That was something different...but, I had so much fun writing this chapter...I know it seems "different" than what I've normally been writing. But it was necessary...don't worry if you're confused...all will be explained! Please Read and Review! I love feedback, as usual! Toodles!