"You monsters…" Gan, out of all the rebels in Hyrule, had the best seat to witness the destruction of the neighboring land of Calatia, and although he didn't see where exactly the beam landed, he saw its devastation. He can imagine the point of impact completely razed, and if anyone had survived, only the three goddesses themselves could know. But this destruction… No mere mage, even those blessed with a piece of the Triforce should be able to do this. Ghirahim, Zant, Horsehead, or the Wizzrobes possessed the Triforce of Wisdom or Power… Even Error and Bagu claimed that the relic itself had vanished from this realm altogether, which meant no one in the world had it.
But they did the impossible. And Gan had witnessed it firsthand. The rest of the country, sans the Imperials and the Resistance, will only think the sleeping volcano had just awakened, when in truth, the forces of the throne were stronger than they were thought to be. The Resistance thought only the enemy had numbers, but no, they had the power advantage as well.
As the beast receded into the boiling summit, Gan only had one thought in his mind. If the Resistance is weak against the Imperials, how will we win?
"'Monsters', he calls us," Zant turned to Gan, who still stared at what was left of Calatia. "From the seed of the monster himself, we are called 'monsters'. How does that make you feel, Ghirahim?"
"Let's see... I have a cup of accomplishment, a pound of anger, and a pinch of disappointment… Just put them in a blender and hit frappé." Gan glowered, which the Demon Lord found amusing.
"How can you laugh? Make jokes? You just annihilated an entire civilization! They had nothing to do with Hyrule!"
"Quite the contrary, Ganondorf. They have everything to do with Hyrule, at least up to 30 years ago. Now Horsehead, Zant, I do believe you two have to spend some time elsewhere. I'll hurry up after all; we are on the clock." Horsehead and Zant nodded, and left the Imperial general and the Resistance warrior standing and staring at each other. Ghirahim's smirk grew and grew while Gan clenched his fists tighter and tighter. Though the Demon Lord knew the Gerudo wouldn't attack him, he fiend defenselessness to see what would the boy actually do. "You look very, very, very angry, Your Majesty. Channeling that inner boar of yours?"
"If I was Ganon, I would end you right here, right now. He would be disgusted with your lack of nobility."
"Nobility? Since when was the Prince of Darkness a noble man?"
"If I am anything like you as you say, even on the side of good, then you know how noble he was. He never destroyed a country, even when he had the power to do so."
Ghirahim shrugged. "Maybe so, but surely next time he returns, he won't be Noble Ganon. Maybe a Calamity Ganon." Ghirahim's smile turned into a scowl, and he stepped up to the Gerudo. "But maybe I made a mistake: You are nothing like him. If you were, I would be trembling at my knees, begging for forgiveness. You would have saved Calatia from destruction! You would save your girlfriend from my forces right now as they attack Clock Town! But no, you are a pathetic pawn of Din. You are a failed clone of my old master, Demise. A mockery of his hatred, Ganondorf. A weakling named after his power, Ganon. Just like five years ago. You... Are... Powerless."
To Ghirahim's surprise, Gan yanked down on the demon's hair, tossing him to the ground. Gan was able to get a few punches on Ghirahim's face before Moblins came and grabbed the boy, dragging him back to his dark prison. Ghirahim stood up, wiping his hair and face. Licking his lips, he tasted something unfamiliar, something the hero of his time never make him do.
Ghirahim tasted blood.
"YAH! HA! HIYAH!" Poof! Poof! Poof!
To say that Link was honored to be witnessing his hero and namesake fight so valiantly would be correct. They young Ordonian, as skilled as he was, couldn't help but feel as if his own technique was inadequate compared to the Hero of Hyrule. As if he wasn't deserving to be told he was the "next hero of Legend."
If Link was borderline convinced that he was the Hero, he would be quickly falling back to denial.
Monsters of the Imperials stormed into the city via ground and air, and while Link knew the Imperials had the numbers and strength to batter the defenders of Clock Town, the Hero's and a small dosage of the Resistance's presence was slightly reassuring, but it didn't change the fact that out of all the times the Imperials had to attempt to sack the city, it had to be now. According to two those rebels, Kafei and Anju he believed, the Imperials had occupied the town a week or so ago, before cutting the city off from the outside world with a barrier preventing communication of the magical kind. Due to this, Ravio and Hilda were sent to infiltrate the city and find their comrades. The rebel called Midna, who had landed here after leaving a dungeon, had used the Pendant of Power to contact Hilda and Ravio, while breaching the barrier.
In other words, the Imperials were a cat playing with a mouse. They knew the Resistance was here. They just waited a while before attacking.
What the Imperials couldn't expect was the Hero of Hyrule being alive and the civilians being prepared. From what Link saw as he, Zelda, and the rebels rushed to the frontlines, some of the monster guards were taken care well before the fighting could have started. The eruption of Death Mountain must have been the trigger to let the citizens of Clock Town recover their city.
The only problem was that Clock Town was surrounded by land, sea with the Imperial ships, and air by a large birds called Kargoracs, with Bokoblins guiding the birds. That meant that noncombatants were trapped, but as long as they stayed inside buildings, they should be fine.
Midna, Zelda, and Hilda, though, had a different plan. Link didn't know all the details. He, Ravio, Kafei, and Shade headed to the south side of the town, assisting the former human guards of Clock Town. The two teens were separated from the legendary warrior, but could see all of his feats, including shooting laser beams out of his sword, from their vantage point on the stairs surrounding the Clock Tower.
"I was told he was dead."
Link smiled. "Thank Farore he isn't, or else we would be in a bind." Hearing a huge roar coming from the south entrance to town, Link spotted more Moblins making their way. "We have to slow their march down, or else we'll be overrun."
Ravio sighed as he reached into his pouch. "Not like we can win anyway. Cover me." Ravio backed himself up, and took out a blue staff. Pointing it towards the entrance to South Clock Town, the dark-haired boy unleashed a chilly wind towards the opening. Ice crept over the sides, and met, forming a barrier several feet thick within the arch. Any monster within was fortunately trapped.
Link smirked as he struck another monster down. "That's cold."
Ravio nodded as he switched the ice-making staff for a hammer. "They needed to chill anyway. That should slow them down for a moment. It's at least ten feet thick." He swung the hammer into the shield of a Bokoblin attacking Link, breaking it and allowing Link to make the kill. "As this is the biggest entrance to town, I pray it gives us and the girls some time to figure out how to get civilians out of-"
"Well, well, well, look what I have found!" A mocking voice forced Link and Ravio to turn around, facing the area behind the Clock Tower. There stood a being familiar to Link, the one who set him off on his journey.
"Horsehead."
The bipedal stallion whirled his weapon of choice as he approached the Ordonian and rebel. "It isn't often the dead resurrect, and given that you should have died in that pond, I suspect that it was a Fairy Fountain. The gods definitely decided fate that day." Horsehead looked down to the glowing pendant around Link's neck, narrowing his eyes. "Fate would have it that I struck the new Hero of Legend, and had I realized that your looks wasn't just a coincidence, I would have made sue you were beyond saving. Now that you and your Princess have returned, I will finish what we have started."
Link gestured his head for Ravio to leave him, and once the bunny boy was away, Link got into position. "Last time we fought, you caught me off-guard. I won't fall so easily this time-or at all."
Horsehead nodded as he made his way to Link. "Nothing less is expected of the Hero."
Zant scanned the battlefield from his eastern position along the top of the walls surrounding Clock Town. There was a small battle here previously, but the civilians won the day. Currently, they were trying to send the noncombatants out the city via teleportation, most likely to the Resistance base. Zant made no efforts to stop them. He wasn't interested in taking out civies, for he was on this side of town for a totally different reason. He could sense them, he could see them, and if he wanted to, he could have taken them already.
Two of the Pendants of Virtue were in one spot, namely Wisdom and Power. How ironic that Wisdom (the Triforce piece, not the pendant), frequently associated with Courage, choses to hang with Power like it had for centuries until the last Hero found Courage within the Great Temple. The old saying about history repeating has never been so true. Wisdom was hanging off a light-skinned Hylian girl with blond hair, focusing her power upon the portal civilians were making their way through. Power had Zant's eye, though, and it was packaged with a slightly darker girl compared to the first one, with red-orange hair.
"Hello, Midna."
Zant didn't realize until the girl of his thoughts and the others around her looked up in his direction that he had spoken aloud. Ah, it did not matter. The masked man stood up, just as one of the girls, one in all purple clothing plus purple hair and eyes, marched away from the crowd, her hands glowing. "YOU!" Fire was blasted Zant's way, but he deflected it like one would wave away a fly. Next was water, which Zant sidestepped. An icicle zipped towards him, but Zant caught and crushed the projectile before thrusting his arm forward, paralyzing the arms of the girl.
"Wow, someone must be angry with me. I don't know you, but you know me. How?"
"Ravio told me what you did in Ordon!" Ravio?... Oh yes, the bunny boy. Zant remembered the boy clear as twilight. So this was a friend of his, huh? By the looks of it, a friend of Midna's. Zant chuckled as he dropped to the ground, walking towards the frozen girl, watching as every civilian and his two targets showcased their magic or weaponry.
"Then you must know about the woman as well. Guess we should have kept her in a zoo to prevent her race's extinction. No more red-eyed freaks now. Except the one I want." Zant walked past Midna's friend, right towards his unknowing long lost sister. She held her blade, and Zant knew he would be stupid to think she hadn't learned to use it. Based on Gan's stories, she was almost the Gerudo's equal, and if the Gerudo as a race are anything to go by, that's high praise, and the acknowledgement of a killer. So Zant did the unthinkable: he disarmed his scimitars, and unfroze the girl behind him.
Midna watched in utter confusion. "What are you doing, Imperial?"
"You are Midna Twilight, of Rauru Town? I heard so much about you."
"Gan told you about me? Is he alive?"
"He resists death like his ancestor, if that means anything. Retains the temper as well… I can take you to him."
Midna raised her sword up, leaving the tip at Zant's neck. "I'm not stupid. You come for something else. The Pendant of Power perhaps?"
Zant nodded. "Well, I was being nice, but yes. I want the Pendant of Power...and Wisdom, if you please, Your Highness." Zant, as well as the crowd around him and Midna, looked towards the stupefied Zelda, more stunned that Zant knew she had the Pendant of Wisdom more so than being called by her mother's title. Casting her astoundment aside, Zelda walked up to Midna's side, ignoring the mutters around her. Holding the stone in her palm, Zelda raised her chin up.
"If I...we give your Power and Wisdom-"
"-And Courage-"
"-and Courage, will you leave the city?"
"My, my, you are the queen's child. Wise enough to know that you cannot fight my army without harming civilians." Zant thought about it for a moment, and nodded. "On the throne, I will recall my forces if I obtain the Pendants of Virtue."
Midna, quite rudely, cast Zelda aside. "Um, hell no. You return Gan to the Resistance, and get the hell out of Hyrule. That's our offer." Zant felt heat from behind, once more from the purple-haired girl. Sighing, he turned around, facing her fury.
"What is your problem with me, missy?"
"Name's Hilda. My problem: You executed Impa in cold blood." The next few seconds were silent, with Zant standing as his accuser began moving back. Next there was a bright glow upon Hilda's face, and Zant was only able to catch a glance at the source before he felt his body fly off the ground. He landed on his side a few feet away, bouncing and sliding before he came to a complete stop. Groaning, Zant turned on his back and looked up to his attacker.
Only he would know that he bore a distressed look as he gazed upon the full fury of Wisdom. The Hero of Legend was one thing to be scared of, but something about seeing the damsel in distress walking towards you with a katana in one hand and another hand ready to brighten your day is quite frightening.
He would not be deterred, though. Kicking his body up, Zant summoned his fallen blades to him, and got into his battle stance. Zelda kept approaching, raising her left hand up. "You… You killed Impa?"
Zant couldn't help but hide his fear behind bravado. "Precisely. Would you like to know her last words? Honestly, they weren't about you. She cried out 'Stop' as your fellow Ordonians died right in front of her." A ball of light aimed for Zant's head missed. The Imperial crackled as Zelda kept firing, Zant evading them all. "Before that, before I sealed her fate, she didn't speak of you, but of someone else she has never met."
That stopped Zelda right there, her face morphing to confusion. "Who?"
Zant pointed, "Wisdom and Courage's mortal, or shall I say immortal enemy. Guess who bears it now." Zelda turned, looking at Zant's target: Midna.
Midna pointed at herself. "Me? Why would a Sheikah speak of-Zelda look out!" The blonde was warned too late, as Zant launched himself forward and hit her with the hit of a scimitar. Zelda collapsed immediately, landing front first on the ground. Zant almost bent down to collect the prize wrapped around Zelda's neck, but he heard another draw of the blade, and the telekinetic movement of Zelda's body away from him. He looked up to see Midna leaped forward. Sorry sis. Zant used his power to lurch Midna over him, slamming her on the ground. He turned around, hoping the one called Hilda would attempt to attack, but she and the civilians had vanished. East Clock Town was completely devoid of people save for Zant, the fallen Midna and… The Princess was gone as well. Zant was so close to...No, he did succeed. Turning to Midna, he could see that the Pendant of Power was still around her neck. The warrior scooped up the fallen girl, and made his way over to the eastern exit of the city. As he walked over, he heard the thundering of cannon fire from the Great Sea. Zant glanced over as his ride arrived, noting that his ships shouldn't be firing on the city.
They were not firing towards the city.
Oh sheeet!
Link could feel wood dust land on the back of his ducked head, coming from the impact of Horsehead's mace where his head used to be. The general was much better than Link anticipated, and was paying for it dearly.
The young hero was playing the role of guard, as his partner Ravio had returned to reinforcing his ice barrier. It had nearly shattered once, which meant that the Imperials were driven to get in. Making matters worse, monsters were pouring in from the west side of town. If the ice was the break, Clock Town would be immediately overtaken, and not even Shade himself could stop that.
Link was also quite startled by the distant cannon fire, which had to be coming from the Imperial ships, but never hit the southern part of the city, or any other. It was just distracting.
"For some Hero, you're quite the weakling." Link had noticed that Horsehead had not seen his former adversary, then again Shade isn't wearing his well-known garb. To Horsehead, the Hero of Hyrule is dead, and Shade is just a skilled swordsman. Link equals Hero.
Link shrugged as he raised his dented shield. "I try to tell everyone that. I be like 'Hey!' but they don't listen."
Within his cloak, he heard Spryte scoff. "Listening to you is quite the bore."
"Even my fairy agrees." Link jumped forward, colliding his shield with Horsehead's weapon. Broadsword came next, but the monster general fell back and immediately swung forward. Link was able to raised his shield, but once more Horsehead sent Link flying, this time right through the Clock Tower. Link landed on the ground below, hoping Spryte had the galls to fly off before he crushed her.
As Link struggled to his feet, the mace zipped right over his head, but it was an intentional miss. It flew, straight and true, into the wall of ice. Like Link's hopes, it shattered into bits and pieces.
As monsters poured in, they surrounded the humans, tired and weary from battle. Horsehead stepped through the hole of the Clock Tower. He held his hand out, and his mace placed itself within. Gazing down to Link, who found himself standing beside Shade, Ravio, and Kafei. He was eyed by the horse man, and Link didn't hide the contempt in his eyes. "Surrender, Link, or doom yourself, your friends, and these people."
"Not to you, Horsehead."
Horsehead was quite confused by the statement. Link was going to speak, but the one beside him did instead. He spotted the hilt of the man's sword, and tried to get a better look at it. "Who are you?"
The man chuckled. "Wow. It's been just a few days, and you think you know somebody."
Before Horsehead could comment, one of his Bokoblins riding on a Kargaroc flew into the area. "Sir, we got-" Both rider and mount turned to purple dust before anything else was said. Horsehead knew the shooter wasn't from the crowd in front of him, so he turned around in the general direction the flyer came from.
North. Only it and the east side of the city faced the sea. So when Horsehead looked, he was completely dazed. Link and the others were confused, but unlike Horsehead, could only see the harbor and Imperial ships behind the large clock tower.
Kafei rubbed his hair. "Umm… what's going on?"
"Birds!" Spryte flew right to Link's face excitedly, "I see birds with people on them!"
Link looked to Ravio. "Birds?"
"Ravio! They're here!" Hilda was spotted on a rooftop, pointing to the north side of the city.
"Who?"
"It's the Resistance!"
"Men, we fight these dumb Imps in this city to keep 'em from gettin' their filthy claws on Labrynna. Now, we stumbled onto somethin' they're so hot for, that they're scramblin' over each other and us to get it. Well, I don't care if it's Hylia's own anti-son-of-a-bitch weapon, some time-twisting harp, or some season changing rod, we're not gonna let 'em have it! What we will let 'em have is a belly full of arrows and a pool of their own blood to drown in! Am I right, Labrynnians?"
"Yes sir!"
"Damn right I am." Ralph Ambi has never felt so alive. Flying on his trusted partner, Moosh the Bear, Labrynna's prince soared over the burning, wrecked ships of the Imperial fleet, thanks in part to the ships flying the colors of the Phantom Isles, lead by an old friend of General Auru, Admiral Linebeck. Ralph also brought in assistance, in the form of the Royal Labrynnian Air Force. The airmen and women flew on large birds called Loftwings, painting the horizon like a rainbow.
Ralph could bet the Imperials are pooping their pants seeing how the "threat" they've ignored for half a decade just became real.
"We're almost in attack range, Your Majesty. We're ready to make them regret!"
"Dear world: We regret being monster bastards. We regret taking over Hyrule and other kingdoms in the realm. And we most definitely regret that the Resistance just blew up our raggedy-ass fleet!"
"HOORAH!"
"Ralph... Prince Ralph, you have incoming enemies. For Hyrule, give them hell."
"Yes, General." Ralph could see Imperial flyers darkening the sky above Clock Town, and drew his bow. "For the Queen and all of Labrynnna and Holodrum! Let's rock these fools! Full speed Moosh!" Moosh increased his speed, and the birds following joined in. Within seconds, the once organized color schemes blended, igniting the first battle between the Resistance and the Imperials.
Those on the ground watched in awe as the air forces collided, while the Imperials on the ground took up their bows and heir to aid their flying brethren. It was all cool until a giant form of a Kargaroc was shot down and came crashing down into a large of monsters on the east side of the square. Monsters around the humans began to fall to arrows raining from above afterwards. Shade tapped Link and Ravio. "C'mon, we have a fight still." He raised his sword, and shot a Moblin out of existence.
Link was astounded. "That's so cool. You gotta teach me that."
"Will do. Now go find that stallion."
Ravio made his way to Hilda's position using is hookshot to get extra aerial time to snipe the monsters around her. As he landed by Hilda's side, they both looked up as a Keese prepared to shoot them with fire, but it exploded as the blue bear with small wings began an arc in the sky. The rider took out three Imperials as it rose in the air, two more as it descended. Coming down to the southern entrance of the city, a bomb arrow zipped from the bear's back to a trio of Moblins, killing them and the surrounding Bokoblins. The bear flipped, and two more Kargaracs became dust. As it flew over Ravio and Hilda again, the male Lorulean began to cheer. "Yeah! That's one hell of a... Wait, Ralph?!"
Ralph raised his arm as he soared upon Moosh's back. "Woohoo!"
Back on the ground, the battle resumed. Link avoided the fight, searching his way back to Horsehead. The warrior might have bested Link twice now, but the boy believed third time's the charm.
But he was also worried about Zelda. He hadn't seen her since the battle began, and she hadn't appeared at Hilda's side. Link reasoned she was busy protecting others, but Hilda had the same job as well. He hoped she was okay.
From the sky, riders upon birds (and a flying bear?) shot down the distracted monsters on the ground, also while taking out their opponents in the sky. Link did not know how a rebellion gone unnoticed have managed the resources they have now, but he wasn't going to complain. They kept monsters from bothering him on the port as he searched for his target.
"There you are." Link found Horsehead attempting to hitch a ride on a boat. Link wasn't going to let his father's killer get away. Taking his bow, a bomb, and an arrow in hand, Link tied the rope of the explosive of the arrow, and tap it to start the magical ignition of it. Seeing as the Imperial general had chosen his transport, hustling to raise the sail. Link directed his aim at the hull of the boat close to Horsehead, and fired. The bomb arrow made contact, and the ship burst into smithereens as its rider was tossed overboard. Link quickly packed his bow and drew his sword as he jogged to Horsehead's last known position.
Link found the horse-man bent over on the pier, coughing up the bitter seawater. He looked up as Link made his way down to him. Horsehead sighed (neighed to Link) as he looked to his wrecked ride. "You have courage, boy. So much courage."
"So I have been told."
"But it is displace by fantasies only an academic could muster. You wear Farore's pendant, you have her blessing, you have the capabilities, yet you disbelieve you are the Hero?"
Link dropped his blade to Horsehead's neck. "I am not the Hero of Legend."
"Then… What are you? Is it because you do not wield the Master Sword, or wear the green tunic? Link, you have slain monsters, died yet live, and most of all, have an undying passion to protect Zelda, yet you think your not the Hero? What more evidence do you need?"
Link looked at Horsehead with confusion. "Why are you saying this?"
"I rather admit defeat to the greatest fool in the land than to some child." Horsehead bowed his head expectantly. "Doesn't matter anyway. Go on ahead. Finish it."
Link raised his blade, pointing it downward to Horsehead's forehead. "I didn't ask to be the Hero. At one point, I wanted to be him, but that was being a child. I will continue to deny that I am him. But if saving Hyrule from the likes of you requires me to become him, then we are one and the same. I didn't ask, and I didn't want: I was chosen. This will be my message to your king, that I am coming for him." Link drew back his arms, and quickly brought the sword down.
"No."
Link had his strike interrupted by a hand on his arm, and slowly looked to the owner of the hand. "Shade?" Confusion quickly burned into anger. "Why? Why stop me? He deserves to die."
"He might, but his death will mean nothing." Shade looked down to Horsehead as he removed his hood. "After all, he was only the first boss of my second adventure. Very meaningless, he is."
Horsehead frowned as he looked up at Shade, finally recognizing him. "So you have returned."
Shade smiled. "C'mon, old buddy, I know you missed me. We had a great time in Parapa Palace and Calatia, did we not?" Horsehead grunted, deciding to not give an answer. "Fine then." Shade stood, turning to Link. "He will pay, but for now, he is a prisoner of the Resistance, and proof that the throne can be beaten. Today, freedom has won."
"Or so you think." Link and Shade turned back to Horsehead, only for see him dive into the water.
"No!" Before Link could react, the pier began to shake, and Link felt himself lurched from the ground by some unseen force into the liquid. Water poured into his lungs as the boy was carried away from the pier, and a few seconds later, was tossed out. Felling land on his back, Link turned over, coughing the intruding water out of his lungs. He now knows how Horsehead felt earlier. Looking around, Link found himself on a small isle not too far from Clock Town, but far enough he wouldn't dare swim back. As to how he got here, Link didn't know. It was so sudden.
"Hero of Legend number two." Link turned his head left a bit to see Horsehead… standing on a fish. A huge as fish with body armor, and a horn Link believes will make quick work of him.
This is why Link denies being the Hero. Everything dangerous comes to you. Sighing, Link stood on his feet. "You stupid crowbait. I should have killed you."
"I should have done the same to you, child. But now, I have you all to myself. No heroes of old, no fairies, nothing to stand in my way of finishing you."
"There's still Zelda, and if I fall, you will have to deal with her."
"Yes… The Princess. She's next, then her line is forever severed. Once the blood of Hylia returns to the heavens, Hyrule will never know the light again."
"Then I only have one thing to do." Link reached up to his pendant and looked down on it, rubbing his thumb over the symbol of DIn. "There have been many heroes, some willing and some unwilling. Some had destiny thrusted upon them, while others chased after it. However, we all have four things in common: One, our name is Link. Two, our spirit is unbreakable. Three, our courage is undeniable. Four," Link dropped the pendant, whipping out his sword and shield, "we will protect Zelda, no matter what the challenge is."
Horsehead chuckled. "Well then," he said as he bent down, patting the side of the fish, "have a grand time with the Gargantuan Masked Fish: Gyorg." Horsehead vanished just as the fish dove under the sea, leaving Link in a state between anger and worry.
Actually, he was glad Spryte hadn't joined him, because if she did, he would probably admit to pissing his pants.