Threads of Destiny
Chapter 4
When the sun rose, Link was already in the duel ring, geared up and ready to go. Armored in a leather chest guard with similar gauntlets and greaves, link stood with a training blade sheathed at his belt and a wooden shield resting on his left arm.. Eagus was waiting for him with the equipment that he and Groose would be using when he had arrived. To say that he was unnerved would be a lie, and that while he may have easily fallen asleep earlier last night, he didn't stay that way for long, for halfway through the night he awoke in a cold sweat. The dream had been too realistic, too nightmarish, and it was hard to keep it out of his thoughts. Unlike the peaceful one before it, that last dream could only be described as horrifying.
But that was not what he was out here for. He was out here to fight Groose. To fight to prove Groose wrong that he was not a weakling, to prove that Zelda had the right to befriend anyone she wished, to prove that Groose was not the almighty, all powerful being the oaf thought he was. But most importantly to Link, he was fighting Groose because he insulted her by saying that she would become worthless if she spent more time with himself.
That was what really set Link off. It was ok to mock him; Link didn't care. But the moment that you drag his best friend into the mix, that's when things get out of hand. That was the real reason why Link challenged the red head. Everything else was just a bonus. So he stood, waiting for Groose to arrive, so that they may be done with this once and for all.
As the sun rose above the edges of Skyloft many of its citizens began to go about their business as if the drama that the two students had caused had never happened. Some however made their way towards the academy to watch, duels were not exactly common in Skyloft. Among those coming to the spectacle were fellow students, instructors, some children and their parents, and regular Skyloftians, all taking a break from their constant day-to-day activities to observe the fight.
Among those making their way, Link noticed Zelda rushing towards and pushing her way through the crowds. Concern etched on her face as she tried to catch her breath. He gave her a reassuring smile before fixing his gaze once again in the direction that his opponent would be arriving from. Link half expected Groose not to show up, and if he did, he'd try to make big scene out of it.
When Groose did finally arrive, he did not disappoint, he brought an entourage with him. His usual lackeys Stritch and Cawlin were right behind him scurrying about like the roaches that they were inflating the red head's ego with remarks that they wouldn't dare say to Link's face, yet he still heard them nonetheless. Next to Groose was his father, dressed in a bright red silk tunic with his family's crest embellished for everyone to see. He, like Groose had Yellow eyes that held nothing but self pride and contempt for everything else. His crimson hair also fashioned into a pompadour just like his son. Further behind him were even more people, probably his father's lackeys Link reasoned.
"Huh, I'm surprised you actually showed up," Groose goaded as he entered the ring and began to done the equipment provided to him by Eagus. His cocky grin never faltered as Link held him with his stern glare.
"I could say the same considering how long you made me wait here," Link replied with no small amount of contempt for the red head. By now there was a considerable crowd forming.
"So, the no-family upstart thinks he can take on my son? This will definitely be over in no time," Groose's father nearly shouted to the crowd. His proclamation started an explosion of conservations throughout the crowd.
"Link," Zelda started as she made her way to his corner of the ring. Link acknowledged her without turning his head completely, never taking his eyes off of his opponent. "Are you sure about this? You could get seriously hurt."
"I know," Link responded.
"Then why are you doing this? Is it because he makes fun of you all the time? Because he rubs it in that you don't know who your parents are? He's a jerk just ignore him," Zelda tried to reason with the boy.
"The reason I'm fighting has nothing to do with me," Link simply responded. She was left with a puzzled look on her face as Link stepped towards the center of the ring where Eagus called him and Groose.
"I shall be the mediator of this duel," Eagus said loudly, all surrounding conversations fell silent as they let the knight commander speak. "Therefore let me lay down the ground rules. First and foremost there shall be no killing, no dismembering, maiming or any other form of serious injury. Second, the duel will go on until one side surrenders, or is defeated. Thirdly, there shall be no interference from the audience, no contact what so ever, should someone in the audience try to interfere, the favored side shall be disqualified. Lastly, using any outside equipment or weaponry is strictly forbidden, this is a trial of fair and equal combat-"Eagus was interrupted.
"This is hardly equal, that worm doesn't stand a chance against my son," Groose's father said.
"If I find you breaking any of these rules, purposefully or not then I shall intervene and you shall be disqualified," Eagus warned. "Duels are seldom allowed in the Knight Academy, especially among students, therefore if Link wins then this excursion shall be overlooked, however if Groose wins, then as the instigator of this duel, Link will be reprimanded accordingly." Link and Groose locked eyes, deep cerulean met vermillion yellow. "Any questions?" Eagus asked.
"None," Link answered almost instantly.
"None," Groose responded in kind, his smug grin plastered on his face.
"Very well, both of you cross your blades in the center of the ring," the commander ordered. The two young swordsmen drew their blades and let the edges cross each other in front of them. Eagus took a few steps back, the armored giant of a man watching the two teens intently. "Then you may now begin," he said.
Immediately Groose pulled his blade back and made to slash at Link's unprotected side. Link countered by knocking Groose's blade off course with his own and rushed him with his shield forward. Groose sidestepped and took another swing at the blond. This time Link caught it with his shield, the recoil from the block sending vibrations through both combatants' respective arms.
Link took a defensive step back and began to circle around the redhead, who in turn mimicked his opponent and paced, looking for a weak spot to attack. Link moved next, planting one foot forward he made to slash at Groose's torso, but the red head brushed the blade to the side with his shield. Quickly reversing the swing, Link made to uppercut just where his blade had been deflected. This time Groose batted his blade with his own, giving him the momentum he needed to quickly spin and bring his blade around and attack the now defenseless side that was provided to him.
The blade was caught on Groose's shield where it imbedded itself into the wooden shield. Groose made to attack but his slash was caught on Link's shield. The two pulled their respective blades free and began to pace each other again.
Groose moved next, with a loud war cry he made a wide cut. Link caught it with his shield but regretted it as soon as he saw the grin on his opponent's face as the force of the swing through Link off balance, his shield nearly knocked out of his grip. Taking advantage of the opening Groose reversed his swing to attack Link's exposed torso, but the blond was just able to raise his blade in time to block.
Fierce determination burned in both of their eyes as they glared ablaze at each other. "You do realize that this is pointless right?" Groose taunted. "I'm stronger than you, faster than you, and better than you." Link was unyielding to the redhead's taunt, more focused on their crossed blades.
"I don't care if you're stronger than me, if you're faster than me, or if you're better than me," Link replied managing to shift his feet to allow him to get the leverage he needed to shove Groose off of his blade. "I don't care about anything you say about me, because I don't need to be worried about what you think about me. But the moment you insult my best friend, that's when I have a problem," he growled as he readied his blade once again.
Groose regained his balance after a couple of unsteady steps back, his momentary surprise quickly replaced with the same smug look. "Is that so?" he asked. "In that case if you care for her so much then let her go." He raised his sword above his head and Link pulled his shield closer to him. "Even you should realize that her being with you sullies her name," Groose said as he brought his blade down in a vertical chop. "It will just keep on continuing to diminish her value," Groose added when Link caught his blade with his shield.
"Her value!?" Link roared as he based the red head's blade to the side with his own. In the blink of an eye Link reversed his swing. "You say that as if Zelda is nothing more than a collectable, an object!" he continued as his slash left a deep gouge across Groose's shield. Sweltering anger erupted in the blond as he pressed his assault. Groose was forced back again as Link's second and third strikes came just as fast and fierce as the first, his smug look deteriorating into surprise.
Link left no room to Groose to counter as he brought his blade down hard against Groose's shield. The wood splintered and cracked, Link's blade taking a good chunk with it as his blade embedded itself in the ground. Pulling his blade free and turning to face Groose as the redhead freed the ruined shield from his hand a couple of steps away. "I cannot, will not tolerate you talking about Zelda in such a way!" Link warned with clenched teeth and a heated glare.
Link was winded now, sweat was gleaming on his skin, and his hands were getting sore from the fight, but he continued onwards. Groose was slightly winded as well, and with his shield gone, it left Link at a great advantage. Dirt had marred both of their bodies as it had been kicked up in the fight thus far.
Groose shook his now free hand and proceeded to hold his sword with both hands. Link realized the danger in this; Groose could now swing twice as hard, and twice as fast. But at the same time it could tire him out just a quick. Groose quickly moved and slashed at Link, who barely brought his shield up in time. The force of the blow coupled with the angel it was hit at splintered Link's shield.
Removing the damaged hindrance Link flexed his now free hand and like Groose repositioned his stance. The two circled each other, looking for flaws in their opponent's stance to take advantage of. Both swung at the same time, Groose from the side, Link from a vertical perpendicular. Their blades clashing with a shower of sparks as the added force to their edges crashed together. With clenched teeth both combatants pulled away and made to strike again. The two blades met with sparks again.
The loud clashes left ringing in not only Link's arms but his ears as well, temporarily silencing the crowd's roaring cheers. Link hadn't even noticed them till they had been silenced. But he wouldn't dare to look towards the audience, he needed to focus on Groose or else he would lose quickly and painfully.
For the third time their blades met, Link momentarily faltered, but quickly regained himself not a second later. It was too late however; Groose saw it, felt it. Link was tiring and now Groose knew it. He knew that if he pressed hard enough then Link would break before him. Pulling back the two returned to their circling.
"For all your talk about Zelda, you sure can't back any of it up," Groose taunted. "You're weak; you spend too much time lazing about with her. A knight should train all day long till he drops, like I do. A knight shouldn't be a lazy good for nothing. A knight needs pride, a knight needs honor. But you have none of those, you can't. You have no name, no family, no worth," Groose continued. "A person like you is nothing to me. All you'll do is end up tarnishing the history and honor of the Knight Academy and all those near you."
Link clenched his teeth. "A knight is someone who protects others, who helps others, who puts others before themselves, who holds others dear to them long before they brace pride and honor. Pride and honor are as nothing before friends and family," Link rebuked.
"You say as if you actually have a family to speak of," Groose challenged as he readied his blade. He could see the anger coursing through Link, the self-righteous fury that was bubbling behind those fierce blue eyes. "All you have is your measly red chicken and a girl whom you corrupt more every day until she'll be just as filthy and unworthy as you."
And just like that, Link felt something snap inside of him. He no longer felt tired, filled with renewed vigor he closed the distance between himself and the redhead. With refined agility and speed he brought his blade down hard against Groose.
Before Groose could retaliate however Link backed away just enough for him to see his face. The once angered complexion now replaced by an almost impossible serene calm. His eyes shown not with fierce anger but with calm tranquility coupled with determination, as if looking onto a distant field of victory. Link's blade came faster than he thought possible.
"I warned you Groose, you can talk trash to me, but the moment you disrespect those I care about then we have a problem," Link spoke. For each strike that Groose managed to block, he was sent two feet back, each blow sending recoils up his arms. The blows came as fast as lightning, Groose's last second adjustments were the only thing stopping the blond swordsman's strikes. The sparks flying as if it were a raining storm at each clash. Link's attacks were frighteningly fierce and quick, leaving no room to retreat or to attack.
When the assault haltered, Groose planted his feet in the ground, his once cocky grin now mixed with confusion, and uncertainty. The red head was slightly disturbed by Link's calmness despite the temper that he seemed to radiate just moments ago. Steeling himself he readied his blade for an attack. With a loud cry he charged and aimed for Link's torso. But his blade was deflected off course like it was nothing as Link side stepped him.
Groose quickly stopped himself and turned around. Realizing he needed to calm himself and think clearly, he began to take a few quick breathes of fresh air. He met only a meager amount of success before Link set upon him again. Their blades met again and again causing showers of sparks at each meeting, neither overpowering the other.
Groose grinded his teeth together as he tried to come up with a strategy. Like's composure was too calm and it unnerved him, and deep down he knew that Link was doing so on purpose. Studying his opponent's stance throughout the entire fight he figured that Link's feet were the biggest giveaway to what he would do next, so if he could keep an eye on them then he could get the drop on the blond.
But Link wasn't stupid; he could easily change his attack to a parry or block. With a grin he finally came up with an idea.
Link stood, waiting for Groose to make a move, taking advantage of the momentary calm to let his muscles gain the much needed rest that they needed. He may not feel as sore as he did a few moments ago, but that didn't mean that they were in peak condition. When Groose did move, he made to parry the blow but was surprised when the opposing blade swiftly changed course and aimed down towards his calves.
Jumping back Link barely dodged in time to avoid injury, but his greaves gained a nasty scratch protecting him from the edge of Groose's blade. With a small scowl Link readjusted his stance to better guard his legs. Groose was no longer staying center mass, so he had to defend accordingly. Making a move to attack, Link decided to try and end the fight here and now, with a loud war cry of his own he made to slash at Groose's torso.
Groose, likewise noticing his opponent's change in stance, changed his accordingly. Seeing Link get ready for a final confrontation he made to do the same. With a war cry of his own he made to match Link's blade.
Like roaring thunder the two swordsmen clashed once again, but the familiar clash of metal was met with a different sound. Both them, as well as the spectators were amazed to see that both of their blades had broken in the final assault.
I know I haven't updated in a long while, so if anyone is still following this story, thank you. I suppose I can troll you and leave you hanging in suspense as to what happens next. Anyway, how do you like this chapter, please let me know. And if you have any questions, I'd be more than happy to answer them! Your feedback is always appreciated.