"Come on, fight me."
Link stared down the grim challenge issued by Horus, who, regardless of Link's unwillingness to attack him head on, continued his assault on the hero. Both Shard Knives swept in front of Link as he parried blow after blow in an attempt to disarm the masked man. Confusion pilled into Link's mind as to who the man really was, since the Shard Knives were, as Horus had said, made from the Master Sword. Link fought on, not to kill, but for an explanation.
"You're weak, Link," Horus sneered, unwilling to give Link even a moment's rest as he once again lunged at the hero. "If you really were the great 'Hero of Winds' you would have had the guts to kill me by now. But instead, you try to disarm me, instead of doing what must be done to save yourself. You're puny while I am strong. I, unlike you, can do what must be done."
Link boldly answered, "Value in life is never a weakness!" knowing that Horus was just trying to taunt him. He picked up his pace, striking faster and faster in a ballad of sword thrusts. Moving with grace and precision, he fought on, unwilling to give Horus the slightest opening.
Horus noticed the change, and thus began to redouble his own blows in his mission to spear through Link's body. Both fighters slashed at each other, blades clanging, as the battle raged on for hours, neither side willing to admit defeat. But, eventually, Link started to show signs of fatigue, and began to slow down. Horus, on the other hand, remained unfazed, and continued to pummel Link with the Shard Knives, each blade strike only missing Link by hairs. In one last desperate move, Link thrust his Mirror shield at Horus' head for a final attack. Horus, noticing the maneuver, blocked it easily with one knife, giving Link the opening he needed to swipe at the man with his sword. As he swung, Horus saw the sword coming and blocked that to using the second knife Link forgot about. Then, with both weapons trapped, he flicked his wrists and sent both the Mirror Shield and Link's sword flying off across the room, away from Link's hands, and leaving him completely defenseless. Both knives out, the cloaked man began a slow approach to Link, the knives aiming hungrily at his neck. Moments from death, Link braced himself for his fate, when Horus began to laugh.
Horus' voice filled the castle with a deep, resounding laugh, unlike the sneering, evil voice he had been using. When he finally stopped, Link felt more confused than ever. Horus flung out a hand, signaling he wanted to help Link up. Awkwardly, Link grasped the hand, retrieved his weapons from the floor, and then looked again at the stranger named Horus.
"Link," Horus said, "you're a great fighter, and I was greatly challenged by your skills and strength. It has been a while since I've faced an opponent like you, but you lack a crucial element necessary to make yourself invincible. You cannot care about your victims. If I had been trying, you'd be dead now along with everyone you love."
"So," Link said, slightly offended by the man's advice. "What are you?"
Horus thought for a moment at the odd question, and then finally answered, "I'm many things to many people, but you want to know what I am, not who I am, a fine quality to have. A name is just a title, but what a person is can never be kept secret for long, so here!" And with those words, he threw off the black cloak that concealed his shape from view. In the place of the dark man that had tried to kill Link, there now stood an old man of Link's height. Horus was old, a man of at least seventy, but held a great strength that Link could tell from the blue eyes on his face, shrouded amongst the wrinkles that adorned much of him. The grey hair was similar to Link's own hair, but had two long bangs on each side, giving the impression of a falcon. The moustache and beard were also grey, the beard coming down to touch the top of his tunic, which was, like everything else about him, grey. The face carved into a small grin as Horus said, "I am Horus, I could've sworn I told you that. Anyway, I am dually honored to meet the famed Hero of Winds, though I wish it was under better circumstances."
As Horus wrung his hand, Link still felt very confused. All sorts of questions arose in his head, but only one finally made it out-"Better circumstances?" he asked, still unsure about all the information.
"Yes, Link," Horus said, releasing his hand from Link and becoming very serious. "Link, you are in grave danger, along with the rest of New Hyrule. Terrible times are about to arise in this land, as Ganon prepares to attack it-"
"WHAT?"
Link's confusion was destroyed, as the thought of Ganon returning was enough to wake him up from any haze surrounding him. " Ganon's back?" he asked in a shaky voice that he never knew he possessed.
"Not yet," Horus answered. "His power is growing, though. As the Master Sword dies, his power and malevolence return. Look at the shards. Do you see that they no longer shine as they once did?"
Link looked, and to his horror, saw that Horus' statement was true. The Master Sword shards still gave light, but it was dim and weak. Link, terrified, asked, "What can we do? The shards cannot be repaired. Trust me, Tetra and I tried to fix them in every way possible, but they're broken."
"Wrong," said Horus. "When you broke the Master Sword, its power did weaken, but it can be repaired."
"How?"
"Through the Elemental Medallions that are scattered throughout the continent of New Hyrule," Horus said. "Centuries ago, the Shana foresaw this apocalypse and, in secret, created the medallions to revive the Master Sword. There are seven, each containing one elemental power, hidden in the land. They house the powers of earth, fire, wind, forest, water, spirit, and death, and together, all the medallions hold the strength and power to reawaken the Master Sword."
Link's heart gave a leap, as there was a way now to save the Master Sword and New Hyrule. But doubt plagued his mind at the truth of the story. "How, Horus? How do you know these things will come to pass?"
Horus' gaze fell, answering only, "Have you not guessed it? I am from the future." Link's gasp at his words did not stop Horus from continuing. "Fifty years ago, in my time, Ganon invaded New Hyrule. The shards of the Master Sword could no longer hold him imprisoned in that stone. His armies were already in place, and he conquered New Hyrule without so much as any resistance, except for this castle. It held on for about a week, thanks to you, but it wasn't long before you fell, as well as the guards. After that, Ganon killed everyone in the castle; the servers, the cooks, and the pirates, who were all executed, their heads put on spikes on top of the castle walls. The princess was also killed, her body skewered on the drawbridge gate when she tried to escape, where it remained, unmoved and broken. I saw it all, Link, and the scene shall never leave my thoughts. Your death was pitiful and horrible, the worst of all. I had no choice, so I stole the Master Sword shards and ran away, hoping one day to change my past. The Triforce of Courage was passed to me for some reason when you died, I never knew why. After that, I trained for the fifty years I spent in exile from New Hyrule and Ganon's evil. Thanks to an old friend, I traveled through time to warn you all. That's how I got in here, and that's my story." As Horus finished recounting the story, he saw the effect it was having on Link.
Link's fists were curled into tight balls, the anger swelling inside him. "And my Triforce chose you? The coward that ran away?" He lunged at Horus, hatred for the old man's actions droving Link's attack. Horus dodged the attack, almost as though he'd been expecting it.
"I don't deny it, Link. I did a horrible thing by leaving everyone to die, but the Shards needed to be saved. Now calm down." Horus' words didn't soothed Link, but he allowed Horus to continue. "Only with that dear friend was I able to come and warn you of this. Ganon's bitterness and hatred is great, and we must work together to save the land." Horus extended his arm in a handshake, hoping that Link would join him on the mission.
Link hesitated for a moment, still not sure of Horus, until his common sense won over, and he grasped the arm. "Yes, Horus, I accept." After they shook hands, Horus began a second explanation.
"Link," he said. "Time is of the essence in this fight. Ganon will rise from his stone prison in two months, but the magic that binds me to this time will hold as long as you live."
"Why?"
"Link, I don't have the Triforce of Power. As of now we share the Triforce of Courage, and thus have created a fourth Triforce, breaking a sacred law of the Goddesses." Horus' words rang true once again, and with that, Horus walked over to the pedestal and began gathering up the Master Sword shards.
"What are you doing?" asked Link. "It is forbidden to touch the sacred shards."
"We need them Link," said Horus, "Ganon's spies could steal them if we leave them here, and we will need them to forage the sword anew." Link fell silent, ashamed at himself for not realizing that crucial factor, and was silent until Horus finished loading them into a pack stored inside his grey tunic. "Now, Link, we must go. I think we should make for the Earth Medallion in Madra City. There, we can get information as to where the others are."
"Can I say goodbye to my friends?" Link asked.
"No," Horus said. "It is your duty to conduct this mission with me in secret. No one else can know, for the enemy has spies everywhere. Your friends may already be in serious trouble without knowing about the mission. Now come, the journey begins!"
Horus and Link left the room and made it out of the castle without being seen and, once outside, began the long trek south to the desert, where Madra City was located. As they dashed along, the graveled roads they walked on slowly changed to luscious green grass and then again later into the all-consuming sand of the desert. In the distance stood Madra City, a plain city with high walls the color of sand. There, Horus had said, they would find the Earth Medallion. The two decided to camp outside the city for the night, and venture in when morning came.
"Get some rest, Link," Horus said, settling into the sand. "We have a difficult day ahead of us, and we need to relax." Link muttered his agreement, and soon fell fast asleep onto the rough sand. Horus observed him for a moment, and then laid back into the nest of sand he had chosen, and knew no more as sleep crept upon him. The sun fell from its place in the heavens as the two drifted softly into dreams.
(NEXT: Horus and Link enter the City of Madra to recover the Earth Medallion. What evils must they peril? I know, but you're going to have to read the next chapter to find out!)
Chapter Three- Madra, City of Nomads Coming Next Week!