"Are you fucking with me?!"
Captain Graves was, in his own words, royally pissed.
"You two, after hearing me order him to stay, decided that it would be fine to just let him go without me noticing?"
Diddy and Eshie stood there, staring at their feet. Both of them instinctively tried to think of a good excuse for their actions. However, even with two minds, they were too guilt ridden and timid to find one that was convincing.
Graves buried his hands in his face. "Why, just… just couldn't you have tried to stop him?"
Oulson sat on his bed, watching them. He had no idea Link had gone until he returned. While he was shocked by such a stupid act of cockiness, he had to admire his bravery. If he had watched someone murdered in front of him, he would have shut down for the rest of the week. But Link always insisted on helping everyone.
The ginger sheikah stood off to the side, watching Graves ramble on. Graves had initially told him to go get Link, but the problems simply overwhelmed him; the sheikah had acted as escorts to the trainees, following them. As soon as the signal went up, they collected them and left. Hargrave had then seethingly asked why no one had noticed no one was going to Lon Lon. All he should do was shrug.
The door opened and Nelo marched in. "Captain?"
He sighed. "Yes, What is it?"
She spoke grimly. "The dark presence. It's an army."
Graves blinked. "What?"
"An army, Captain. One moving towards Castle Town now. Get ready at the gate."
Graves stood there. After a moment, he erupted into a string of curses.
"Captain!" Nalo barked. "There are children present!"
"Yes," He hissed through his teeth. "but not all of them."
"What?" She quickly counted everyone in the room. "Who's missing?"
The ginger raised his hand. "Hi again. A boy went to Lon Lon against orders. His name-"
Nelo cut him off. "It was Link, wasn't it."
He nodded meekly.
Nelo took a deep breath, stormed out and screamed a curse into her hands.
The noise was getting louder.
The horses were moving at a fair pace, making good ground. But that echoing was growing with every passing moment. The sun was now concealed by the dark clouds, and the hot winds were building.
"What is that sound?" Ingo called out. After riding for some time, they could hear it over the drum of hooves over the ground.
"Whatever it is, I don't wanna shake its hand." Talon grunted.
Links brow was furrowed in concentration. What that noise was… it was at the edge of his mind. Was it something he had faced before? Nothing in his memory matched the sound. Too fast to be a Dodongo, too loud for a Gohma, too inconsistent to be both. What? What was that damn noise?!
Malon pointed behind her. "I see something!"
Behind them, in the distance, just beyond slowly receding ranch, was a solid line of moving shadows, behind it a cloud of dust.
Link strained, trying to see whatever that was better. His eyes widened. "Dins forge…" He muttered. "Thats monsters." He cursed. "Thats an army of monsters!"
He was right. Monsters, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of monsters, charging towards the castle. Astride skeletal horses and demonic boars, they were trampling everything in their path. The various creatures howling and screaming were too far to see, but the shadows became distinct colours. Browns, purples, oranges. The gleam of weapons could be seen from even that distance. But that wasn't what they all noticed.
"They're gaining."
Graves planted his helmet firmly on his head as he entered the main gate. This was the only way in, and it was defended with a moat, drawbridge, portcullis and two dozen hawk-eyed scouts, each one a master with a bow.
He addressed the assembled men. "Get that drawbridge ready to rise. Once it's up, we must expect a siege. Archers, get in position and get you bows strung."
The lieutenant came to his side. "Captain, shouldn't we raise the drawbridge now?"
Hargrave shook his head. "The residents of Lon Lon Ranch haven't arrived. We don't lift the drawbridge until they get here."
The lieutenant nodded before heading down to the streets, ordering knights and lance wielding scouts into formation.
"How did this happen?"
Graves jumped. Impa had appeared beside him silently. He pinched his nose. "I'm not gonna make in past forty."
"Forgive me."
He waved his hand. "Eh, I should have be ready for it." He looked over the ramparts. "What did you mean by that?"
"Link."
His eyes narrowed. "Oh. Funny story." Impa raised an eyebrow. "The reason is, children have no respect for my authority."
She sighed. "Fantastic. I'll get him."
Graves frowned. "Wait, are you needed here? With the council? Or the princess? Or the king?"
"Nelo is with the King, the council is waiting to see how things unfold, and I have a dozen of the Kings knights protecting the princess. To be honest, I would prefer two dozen more, but we're spread thin."
"Oh." He pursed his lips. "Ok." He patted her on the back. "Good luck."
Slowly, Impa turned to him. "Don't do that."
"Sorry."
"Come on!" Link shouted.
The monsters were close enough to properly see now. Link recognised Moblins, hideous amalgamations of boar and man, bloodcurdling howls echoing as they closed in. Outnumbering them were imp like creatures a slanted foreheads and flat noses. Their weapons were crude but still deadly, clubs and heavy cleavers. Link noticed this, because they insisted on waving them over their heads.
Stupid, but intimidating.
Malon noticed Link falling behind. "Link! Hurry up!"
Link unclasped his bow and opened his quiver. "I can take anyone out that gets too close." He called back. "It's a bit easier when Epona's slower."
"Link!"
"Don't worry." He grinned. "I know what to do."
Link turned away and nocked an arrow, taking aim. An imp was bolting ahead of the others on a stalhorse. Link took a deep breath, exhaled, and let his arrow fly. It spun through the air and crossed the distance in moments, shattering the steeds skull, reducing it to a group of detached bones moving at high speeds. The imp fell to the ground and was carried several meters before he stopped. Link hissed in frustration. The arrow had been too low, and he hit the horse instead. He was rusty.
A few moments later, the imp was trampled to death by the army behind him, so ultimately Link wasn't too upset.
As he nocked another arrow, he assessed the army. If he wanted to slow them down, just shooting into the masses would be pointless. If he hit those horses, he might make someone stumble, but if he could topple one of those boars…
Like the one that was barreling at him at that moment.
Link cursed and fired an arrow at the animal, piercing its snout but not slowing it, and Link guided Epona to avoid the boar colliding into the young mare. The imp came up beside Link and swung their cleaver down at him, and in a moment, Link let his bow fall down his arm and grappled with the imp, his hands clamped against the imps wrists, trying to stave of the weapon and its boney hand. Despite its scrawny appearance, it was surprisingly strong, pushing the blade closer to his face. If he tried to ride away, they would both fall and trampled into a fine red mist.
Link shifted his right hand, trying to readjust the safer hand. He pushed off the imps arm and drew his sword, slashing across their face, who reeled back howling. Link passed the blade to his sword hand and stabbed the boar in its eye. It unleashed an unholy screech and, guided by a kick to the wound, swerved away from Link and into the army, carving through them and leaving a pile of mangled bodies and toppled boars behind them.
Link turned to the others, who were far ahead of him. "See?" He called out. "Told you!"
Talon waved over. "Ya've done enough, son! Get over here!"
Link leaned over to Eponas ear. "Come on Epona. Let's catch up." Epona perked up and pushed on, slowly closing the distance between them.
As he got closer, seeing Malon beaming at him, Link felt his confidence growing. He had gone it. He had saved them. Everything was going to be
A moblin and an imp on stalhorses broke away from the chaos and charged towards Link. Ingo shouted a warning, and Link spun to them. He hastily shot an arrow at them, but they swerved to avoid. Link nocked another arrow and shot it directly into the moblin's throat, and turned to collect another arrow, but the imp was faster and threw their club at him, smacking him square in the back.
He fumbled, trying to grab something, something to keep him on, but all his hands found were arrows, and, off balance, he fell to the ground hard. He pushed himself off the ground to stare the imp down as it turned its horse around to face him. Link fumbled at the ground, struggling to find an arrow. As the imp reared its horse, Link clasped his hand around a wooden shaft and, in a split second, nocked and fired it into the imps beady little eye, toppling them over along with the stalhorse.
Link cried out as daggers of pain shot through his back. The club had done more than just thrown him off balance. He rubbed his spine, which was throbbing in pain. Every time he moved his shoulders, it sent more daggers through his mind.
He turned to the advancing army. There was no escape, he was sure of that. Odd. He didn't feel paralysed. What was the difference? Why would he continue now?
His ears perked, directing his attention behind him. He saw Talon and Malon calling out to him, distraught, and Epona sprinting back to her rider.
This is the difference?
Painfully, he stood up and waved. "Go! Shoo!" He shouted to Epona. "Go to Malon! Leave me!" The stubborn mare tilted her head, but didn't slow. Link hissed. "Get out of here! You're killing yourself!" Realising Epona wouldn't listen, he bent down and picked up a bone. "I'm sorry." He threw it at Epona, who came to a swift stop. "Go!" He threw another bone at her. "Please! Go! Malon needs you!" Slowly, the horse began to sulk away from her rider, before galloping away.
"Thank you."
Link searched the ground for arrows. Many of them had been snapped or splintered when he had fallen, but Link quickly collected a dozen that were in perfect condition. Collecting them in one hand, he drove them into the ground and nocked his bow. Gritting his teeth in pain, he drew back the string and chose a target; a moblin on a boar. He took a deep breath, breathed out, and released. The arrow met its mark, burying itself in the monsters collar, but rather than making the boar swerve like before, it bucked of its rider from the sudden movements. Link nocked another arrow, ignoring the pain, and selected a new target. He aimed at a boar, ignoring the rider, and fired at its face. The arrow lodged itself into the boars shoulder, but it didn't slow down. Hissing, Link fired another arrow, which glanced off its skull. Once more, he painfully drew back an arrow and released.
This arrow managed to find its way through the boars muscles and pierced the poor creatures heart. With one last horrific squeal, the beast toppled over, crashing into the monsters beside in and creating a blockade of bodies, alive or otherwise.
Good. That would get Malon and the other some more time.
A moblin managed to escape the carnage and charged at Link on a stalhorse. Link plucked an arrow from the ground and aimed. But he stalled.
As the moblin came close, something moved pasting Link quickly and, with a furious howl, Ingo speared the moblin with his pitchfork and pushed them to the ground.
Link creased his bow. "What?"
Ingo glared. "What were you thinking?!" He shook his head. "Doesn't matter, I don't care. Get on!"
Grabbing the remaining arrows, Link leapt onto the stallion and they bolted, once again, to the castle.
Impa stared at the advancing army. Still too far to assess, Impa paced up and down the ramparts. Link wasn't dead yet. She knew that much. But if they hadn't arrived by now, then that was even more disconcerting.
A movement caught her eye. She squinted, focusing on the small object. Was it a scout? Were they faster then they thought?
No… That's a human.
Talon and Malon, their steeds side by side along with Epona, were heading directly for the drawbridge. Though she couldn't see them, she was sure Ingo and Link were close behind.
"Captain." She called out. Captain Graves ran to her side.
"What is it?"
"I see them. Prepare to raise the drawbridge on my command." She stepped onto the ramparts.
"Wait, wait!" Hargrave stopped her. "What about the command?"
"You'll get it. So be ready."
Graves looked to his feet in confusion for just a moment, but when he looked up, Impa was already gone.
Talon blinked. "What?!"
He looked behind him. A second ago, there had been nothing. Now, there was a woman with white hair and armour. This was confusing.
"What is it dad?" Malon called out.
He shook his head. "Nothin'. Just keep going darlin'!"
Impa walked ahead, collecting caltrops from a satchel, planning there placement. From here, she could definitely see Ingo and Link quickly closing the distance between them, and jogged to meet them.
As they drew closer, Link saw her and tried to hide behind Ingo. It didn't work.
"You are in so much trouble." Was all she said as they passed.
Clear of all civilians, Impa tossed the caltrops in a wide arc in front of her, repeating multiple times. As the army drew closer, she emptied her satchel and, with a satisfied nod, departed. As skilled as she was, she knew that she would last no longer than a couple of minutes against such a dense force.
She stepped onto the the gateway entrance and walked to Captain Graves.
"Please tell me thats you, Impa."
"It's me."
"Oh thank the goddesses." He grinned as he turned to her. "You're driving me mad."
Impa gazed out onto Hyrule Field. "Is the drawbridge prepped to to be closed?"
"Yes."
Talon, Malon and Epona came closer and closer to the entrance.
"Men!" Graves called back to the men in the street bellow him. "Prepare for civilians and a spare horse! They're coming in fast, so clear a path!" They complied, clearing a path between them. "Archers! Nock and draw!" The order was followed with the sound of wood creaking and strings being stretched.
The ranch hands surged ahead, straight towards the gateway. Not far behind, Ingo and Link.
"Steady."
Malon, Talon and Epona shot through the gateway, leaving just Link and Ingo. While the caltrops had slowed down the more dangerous boars, monsters on stalhorses had been undeterred, and were close behind them.
"Take aim men!"
Link and Ingo were close, within a hundred meters of the gate when Graves gave the order.
"Release!"
"Get down!" Ingo warned, and they leaned as low as they could. The sound of arrows whistling above them filled the air, and somehow Ingo managed to keep the stallion on course and, with the monsters behind them being turned into pin cushions, they easily made it through the gate.
Without a second of hesitation, Impa shouted "Raise the bridge!"
Gears and cogs creaked and moaned as the drawbridge slowly, painfully, moved, up and closed.
The rest of the army had caught up and were moving as fast as they could to get to the bridge before it closed. And at the rate it was closing, they could make it.
"Release!"
Another volley of arrows arced overhead and slowed the advancing army. They forged ahead, only for another volley to pin them down once again.
The Drawbridge was high now, further than any monster should be able to reach. However, in an act of madness, an Imp launched itself off it's steed towards the drawbridge, grabbing onto the bridge as it rose up. However, instead of climbing up and dying by being run through by a spear, it was too slow, having it's fingers crushed as the gate fully closed, sending howling into the moat, where the stupid creature drowned.
Impa nodded. "I believe you can handle things here?"
Graves crossed his arms. "Yep. Thanks for helping."
Impa grunted, before heading down the steps. Talon and Malon were hugging each other, father comforting his daughter, and Ingo was leaning against his horse, exhausted. A little further on, Link was hugging Epona, his eye closed. Impa walked up to him and picked him up by his collar.
"Hey!" He exclaimed in surprise.
"Be quiet." Impa hissed. "You are in so much trouble."
"But I-" Impa cut him off.
"I don't care." She glared at him. "Do you believe yourself immortal? You could have killed yourself. If you truely want to be a knight-" Link sighed, and Impa brought him to her eyes. "Listen to me! You must learn that, at least! You're not a hero anymore, you are a child! Until you body catches up with your delusions, you will not challenge me, or those unfortunate enough to be duty bound to protect you! Have I made myself clear?!"
Link went silent before his lip began to tremble and tears began to build up, and Impa feared she may have been to forceful. She pushed away the thought and set Link down. "Now take Epona and go to your dormitory, and stay there unless told otherwise."
Link, forcing back his tears, grabbed Eponas reins and hurried off, furiously trying to hide his tears.
Impa sighed. He meant well, but he was too young, even after all he'd gone through, to be so reckless. She spun on her heel and headed towards the castle. The council would need her in time, but she needed some time to herself, and simply decided to walk there.
Why does this chapter feel, I dunno, underwhelming? Maybe it's too long, but I don't know, I'm just a silly fanfic writer.
Anyway, I tried to do the thing I said I would do in the last chapter, but I didn't because it just wasn't as... fun, I guess. Weird. This silly thing is more fun for me then something I think I'm more passionate about.
Weird.
BTW, thanks for sending me the best pair of reviews ever "Z". Look them up on the reviews, they published on September 18 2017. It's hilarious.
Not much to say here, really. Um, scared of the swordsman? He's nasty, isn't he?
Ugh, I'm really not feeling it right now. I feel like this isn't that engaging, like that chapter with Link trying to convince people to vote. Well, this is a little better I hope, but still, I feel I could have done better.
Um, the only thing I can really add is how old the king is.
54.
He's 54.
Also happy I got to make Link a little more childish with that last scene. He IS still a kid. Sometimes I forget that.
Anyway, things are picking up, next set of chapters will be full on. Later on there will be a time skip or two, but I've got plans in between. In the meantime, play Devil May Cry 3. Why? Because I love that game shut up.