Chapter Six: Manhandla

"Get up!" the guards dictated to Chiron and Link, as the ropes binding their hands and legs were cut. They were forced to their feet and their hands were bound again, this time behind their backs. They were led to the tent door and shoved out with such great force that they both fell face forward into the sand. The Tyfirians picked them up and forced them to their feet again.

Link quickly looked around the camp, trying to find something he could do to free himself. Unfortunately all he saw was the sun beginning to rise in the east and General Ormek standing directly in front of him.

"Good morning boys," Ormek said with a smug look on his face, "I hope you two slept well last night. But alas, you shall soon be resting for all eternity." Ormek laughed and turned to one of the Tyfirian soldiers. "Tell me Lieutenant Argom," he said, "What method have you chosen to dispose of these pests?"

"I thought we might cast them into the manhandla pit, sir," Argom answered.

"Very good," Take them there immediately," Ormek said. Argom saluted Ormek, who saluted back and ran off.

Ormek met Syrus, Lucrus, Shriek, and the scout at the northwest end of the camp. "Good morning, sir," Syrus said to Ormek as they mounted their horses.

"It certainly is," Ormek replied. Once they were all mounted, the scout kicked his horse's side and took the lead. The others followed closely behind him, but none closer than Ormek.

Meanwhile, Link and Chiron had begun their journey to the manhandla pit. Five soldiers, including Lieutenant Argom, kept them in line. Argom and two of the soldiers were mounted on horses, but the other two walked behind Chiron and Link, with spears in hand.

They traveled for two hours or so, during this march, Link had time to think. He did not think about how tragically his life was about to end, nor did he think about his life and his many adventures. He did not even try thinking of a way to escape. He was too disturbed to think about any of that. All he could think about is that feeling he got when he saw Ormek holding the blue orb. Link somehow knew that the orb was something of great importance and that Ormek was going to upset the balance of the entire world. Link felt that he had to stop Ormek from accomplishing his designs and soon, but he could not stop thinking about what Ormek was planning long enough to develop a plan to escape.

It was not until they arrived at the manhandla pit, that Link began to seriously think about a means of escape. Link quickly surveyed his surroundings, looking for something that he could use to his advantage. When he found nothing but the desert sand he began to study the manhandla itself. The pit the manhandla resided in was twenty feet deep and twenty feet in diameter. The manhandla had four heads; each one resembled a giant deku baba. The manhandla was buried in sand all the way up to its heads. This gave the heads very limited maneuverability. Each of these heads faced a different direction. This way, no matter what side of the pit its prey fell in there was a manhandla head there to gobble it up. The manhandla also possessed many tentacles putruding from the sand in several places, which were used for grabbing its prey if its head could not reach or if something was just outside the pit.

As Link studied this vile creature he saw a possible escape or at least a delay of his execution. "Let's throw 'em in one at a time," Argom said, "I want to savor this. Now then, who's first?"

"I'll go," Link said boldly. Argom gave Link a look of bewilderment. He was shocked anyone would want to speed up their demise, but he ordered his men to throw Link in anyway. The two soldiers pointed their spears at Link and began push him in to the pit, but Link leapt into the pit before he could be forced in. He got enough lift from his jump to land in the exact middle of the pit, right in the middle of all four of the manhandla's heads. All four of the heads thrashed around, trying to get a bite of Link, but none of the heads could turn far enough to get him and none of the tentacles could reach far enough to ensnare him.

"Don't just stand there you fools, kill him!" Argom yelled to his men. The two spearmen ran to edge of the pit and threw their spears at Link. The first spear tore through one of the manhandla heads, killing it. The head soon fell to the ground lifeless. The second spear hit just next to Link's foot. Link kicked the spear over and used its sharp tip to cut the bands that bound his hands. He then used the spear to viciously stab another of the heads of the manhandla. Argom then motioned to the other two soldiers. They dismounted their horses and armed themselves with a bows and arrows. The archers ran to the edge of the pit and began to fire their arrows at Link. Link was forced to leave his safe spot between the manhandla heads and find refuge next to base of the pit wall that the archers were firing from. Link was now safe from the Tyfirians arrow, but vulnerable to the tentacles of the manhandla. Just a few seconds after running to the wall of the pit, Link's ankle was grabbed by a tentacle of the manhandla, but the hylian quickly stabbed it with his spear and the tentacle pulled back and began swinging wildly through the air. Link saw his opportunity and ran to the base of the tentacle and ran it through with his spear. Once Link stepped away from the wall, he was immediately fired upon again by one of the Tyfirian archers. The other archer was repositioning himself, to get a better shot at Link. Link dove back to the base of the wall for a moment more of protection. Link had caught a glimpse of the other archer running to the other end of the pit. He knew he had to do something quick otherwise he would soon be an easy target for the other archer.

Link took a chance and ran along the base of the wall to the nearest moving tentacle. As he had hoped, the tentacle seized Link by the feet. It lifted Link high above its remaining heads, preparing to drop him into its mouth, but before it could, Link threw his spear at one of the manhandla's remaining heads. The manhandla howled in pain and its tentacle began to whip around wildly, flinging Link to the pit's edge. Link landed next to the archer that was repositioning himself. He was too stunned to think of stringing an arrow. Instead Link tackled him by the knees and brought him to the ground. The archer's arrows spilled out of his quiver and onto the ground. Link grabbed one of the arrows and stabbed his adversary in the arm. The Tyfirian let out a scream before then Link knocked him out cold with a fist to the face.

Just as Link had defeated one enemy, he became aware of another. An arrow from the other archer whizzed past Link's head, missing by just a few inches. Link picked up the unconscious archer's bow and notched an arrow. Before Link could get a shot off, another arrow flew by him, this time grazing his left shoulder. Unfazed, Link let his arrow fly. His shot was perfect. It hit the Tyfirian right in the heart.

At this point, the other two soldiers were fast approaching Link. They were no longer armed save their shields. Link fired a few arrows at the Tyfirians, but the Tyfirian shields deflected them. Link determined arrows could not stop them, so he decided to charge the soldiers instead. As Link drew closer to the soldiers, he lowered his shoulder and knocked one of them into the pit. The soldier was immediately wrapped up by a tentacle, and fed to the last remaining head of the manhandla. Link easily defeated the last soldier. He quickly crouched to the ground swept the feet of the soldier using a powerful kick. The soldier fell backward knocking his head on the ground, which caused him to lose consciousness.

Lieutenant Argom was in awe. He had never seen anyone fight with such skill. Still, Argom did not forget his task. He pulled Chiron in front of him and held a knife up to his captive's throat.

"Don't move," Argom shouted to his prisoner. When Link discovered Chiron's plight, he stopped dead in his tracks. "Drop the bow and put your hands up," Argom ordered. Link was not willing to endanger his companion's life, so he did as he was told. "Now start walking back here slowly," Argom continued. Again, Link reluctantly obeyed.

As Link approached, Argom regained his confidence and loosened his grip on the knife. Chiron realized his captor mistake and elbowed him in the gut. Argom dropped the knife and Chiron slipped away. Argom was quick to recover. He snatched the knife out of the sand and pointed it at Link and Chiron. Link slowly approached Argom and Argom started to back up.

"Stay back!" Argom shouted nervously.

"Don't worry," Link said with a soothing tone, "We will not hurt you if you let us go."

"Ha, I won't believe your lies," Argom said still backing away from Link. Argom continued to back away until he reached the edge of the manhandla pit.

"Watch out!" Chiron cried out, but it was too late. Argom had fallen into the pit. He hit the ground with an awful "thud" and he rolled right into the mouth of the manhandla.

Thoughts of General Ormek then immediately began coming back to Link. "Chiron, we need to get back to the Tyfirian's camp right away," he said with urgent voice. Link and Chiron ran over to the Tyfirians' horses and mounted them. "We have to find Ormek," Link said.

"Why?" asked Chiron, not understanding Link's exigency.

"I will explain later, let's go," Link replied. He then kicked his horse's side and sped off closely followed by Chiron.