Ok guys! So I know this took quite some time, but please forgive me! I'm working on this story in conjunction with two other stories, plus college and ugh! Life! But anyway, this chapter's going to finish off the first stage of the game, so hooray! Plus, I'm pretty proud of it, since its full of all sorts of early zelink ship tease goodness and junk like that! Yay! But anyway, I just wanted to give a general THANK YOU to everyone who's followed/favorited! (Dont have time to list them all!) Now onto the reviews! (BTW I also just wanted to generally say that YES I do know that Volga uses a SPEAR and not a staff! My mistake! I won't do it again next time!)
Beforethedawnbreaks: Yeah, I kinda thought that Zelda basically telling Link: "HEY! COME ON!" was pretty funny too! :D
NoSignalBlueScreen: Glad to see you're liking it! As for the other characters knowing Link (and by extension Zelda), well... I know that at least Midna is going to confuse him for HER Link (causing both some humor and some emotional stuff for you readers!), but IDK if characters like Darunia and Ruto will yet. We'll have to see what I wanna do when I get to that point!
Link The Hero of Light: Glad you're enjoying it! :)
Ezakiel: Hey, I figured why not get a novelization out there first! :D But anyway, I'm glad that you're liking the style and characterization, since those things are very important to me as a writer. I do intend on fleshing out the villains like Volga and Cia and taking a glimpse at their side quite a bit! And as for the battles, I will try to use as much detail as I can, but I won't make them too unbearably long, since emotion and dialogue are more of my fortes (which will make this story something of a challenge for me to write but whatever) And as for the shipping, I plan on making it quite natural indeed, even despite the apparent time apart that Link and Zelda share in the game (though Zelda does spend a lot of time as Sheik, so it doesnt really count I guess). And yeah, I try to keep my updating schedule fairly regular, but there are always hitches in my plans that keep me from posting timely 100% of the time so... And yes, I do know that the bombs thing was a bit rushed, but that's just because I wanted to get to some of the more interesting aspects instead so... yeah. But thanks again for your super awesome, super long review! Those kinds are my favorites!
Pikatwig: I'm glad you like it! I do intend on working in the DLC, especially some stuff taken from villain mode! After all, Cia is my favorite Zelda villain, so I gotta take a lot at things from her side, right? :D
skyhopper: Thanks and your very welcome! Glad you like the characterizations of Link and Zelda, and yeah, you can't help but feel for Cia and Lana a little... :(
Book of untold stories: Thanks!
Marasia: Glad you're enjoying it so far!
Zelda the Wise: Impa is such a BOSS! I totally love playing as her and I love writing for her too! And YAS LINK IS SO HOT! ERMAGUD! Hahahaha, sorry, I freaked out a little there... ;D HW Link is by far my fav design though! He is just so sexy on so many levels... sigh...
Guest: Lol, even though they're the same person? ;D Hahaha, but thanks!
ShadowNinja1011: Glad you like it!
CupcakePride101: Well, the thing about Zelda fairies is (at least how I see them) I theorize that they are actually like little tiny humanoids with wings, only their human forms are concealed by the aura of light surrounding them unless you're up close to one. And yeah, I meant to say that the tuft of red hair was a part of Volga's helmet, but eh, whatevs. And yes, the OTP totally met in the battlefield! They are the definition of a battle couple through and through! :D
Volga: Yes, yes. I know! Sorry!
Skydragon74193: Yeah, it seemed to me that Link sorta seemed to kinda see through Sheik's design, but who's to say for sure?;)
mega-dark: Glad that you like it! I'm also really excited to write all of the characters, especially Cia! And I'm assuming that you're referring to what Lana did in that one mission in villain mode that took place in Hyrule Field, and so I will say yes, I will make a refrence to it in this chapter :)
Lovely girl 10: Glad that you like it!
Flameshield: Aw, thanks a ton! And as for looking to Darunia's POV then, I think I could do that... ;) And I absolutely LOVE villain mode (mostly cause its a chance to play as Cia, who is my favorite!)
Legendoffun: Thanks! Glad that you're liking my story (even if it will take me a while to get to Faron Woods, but we will definitely get there in time!) And yeah, I won't rush (as much as I can!)
Elemental-Aura: Yeah, everyone in HW is badass in their own right, so I intend to write them like that! Now, in answer to your questions (which I am certainly glad you asked!): Yes, I do intend on including the side characters in the story more, since they are important to the game and I think I'll have a fun time writing them. I haven't decided if Ruto and Darunia are going to recognize Impa yet though, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. And yes, Agitha will be there for that cutscene, mostly to sprinkle in a little humor there! (though I like the idea of her calling Cia a wicked witch, mind if I use that?) And yes, Fi, Agitha and Ruto will help out at the temple, but as for the Dark Link scene... that's actually going to go a lot differently here than it did in the game (though I can't say much more!)
knownobody: Thank you! And IDK if Lana and Zelda are going to outright FIGHT over Link! Now Zelda and Cia might! hahahaha :D
RandomButLoved: Glad you liked the enconter with Volga! And thank you SO much for your super sweet review! :,D
explodingbunnies52: Your welcome!
ultimateCCC: Hahaha, I know, right?
DarthPhoenixFire: Seriously, Impa yields that huge blade around like its nothing... O.o And yeah, Link was a little focused on Zelda's looks there for a sec, but in this chapter, they both find that there's more to like than just that... ;)
Whoo! While it does take a while for me to answer you guy's reviews, I certainly never tire of it, since it means that you guys are loving this story, and I can't thank you enough for that! Now, with all that outta the way, let's finally get started!
Chapter 3: The Hero of Hyrule
Even despite their equal youth, both the princess and the recruit both held a steady focus in the heat of battle, something that anyone could clearly see as they held their own against the hordes on the way to the fairy fountain, not even phased by each other in the slightest. Even though Link had initially been awed by the fact that he was fighting alongside Princess Zelda herself, he quickly got over the shock as they rushed headfirst into battle once more, their plan to wipe out the enemy forces the only thing on both of their minds. Every now and then, the princess would steal a glance over at the recruit, only to find that he was fighting as skillfully as any of the other knights, even despite his lack of experience. A part of her wanted to question him as to where he acquired his skills, for certainly he couldn't have learned to fight that well within the training academy, but she knew she had to keep her head in the moment, something she had been trained to do since she was young.
While the path to the southern fairy fountain normally would have been a relatively quick trip, the monsters blocking the way made it exponentially longer. Link and Zelda both found that they were unable to simply evade the enemies in order to get to the fountain; they actually had to cut a path through them, lest they be tailed all the way there, or worse yet: the creatures catch onto their plan and reach the fountain first. And so, as they tore through the forces, they made haste, hoping that Impa and her forces would be able to hold off the creatures from capturing the castle while luring them to their vantage point.
However, as the fairy fountain finally came into view, a sudden shrill clamor coming from behind stopped both Link and Zelda in their tracks. They both spun around instantaneously, both of their clutching onto their blades tightly, as a mysterious shape made its way through the cluster of Hylian forces following after them, taking down many of the soldiers in its wake. "Attack! Destroy! Kill! Massacre!" a cackling voice commanded the enemy troops still surrounding the princess and the recruit. "Kill the royal whelp before I get impatient!"
Link and Zelda exchanged a wary glance before the being behind this violent order came into view: a strange, ghost-like creature with twisted, bony hands emerging from its dark violet, ornate robe. In place of where its face should have been was only a singular, large, piercing red eye, though that eye soon somehow transformed into a dark, menacing grin upon seeing the two youths before it. "Well, well…" the wizard-like being said, and by now both the princess and the recruit guessed that it was male, though they weren't entirely sure. "Princess Zelda… At last we meet… My mistress will be quite pleased when she hears that I've taken you down."
"Mistress?" Zelda muttered under her breath in confusion, wondering if there was someone who was even higher above this wizard, as well as the dragon knight that Link and Impa had encountered earlier.
"Oh, and look who else it is…" the wizard said, its dark grin still apparent as it turned towards the recruit, who stood ready to defend the princess against him at all costs. "That little knight who managed to chase Volga away. I don't know how you managed to accomplish that, but you should know that you won't have as much luck with me!"
"We can take you!" Link exclaimed with confidence, Zelda nodding in agreement with his bold statement as they both held their weapons aloft.
The dark wizard simply guffawed at this, not taking either of them seriously. "As much as I'd love to trade barbs with the two of you, I'm afraid I have to be elsewhere…" his sinister grin grew as he lifted his hands into the air and a violet aura surrounded them. "But don't worry; I'll leave you two kids someone else to play with in the meantime. Unleash King Dodongo!"
With one more dark laugh, the wizard vanished from sight upon sinking seamlessly into the ground, leaving both Link and Zelda confused as to why he had retreated so suddenly. However, they soon got their answer as the ground beneath their feet began to shake ominously; a sudden crash thundered from several feet behind them, causing the ground to quake even more violently, almost to the point that none of the Hylian troops were able to keep their footing. Without a moment's hesitation, the princess and the recruit spun around to see what had caused the great clatter, and both of them were utterly shocked by what they saw.
Somehow, the wizard had summoned a huge, reptilian-like creature onto the battlefield, no doubt the monster that he had referred to as King Dodongo. Its imposing, scaly yellow form towered over the Hylian troops, who all looked upon the beast with awe and fear, especially as it let out a ear-piercing roar, its beady red eyes fixated hungrily on the troops in front of it.
"That monster is blocking the path to the fairy fountain!" Zelda exclaimed as she glared at King Dodongo, backing away from it along with Link so they could come up with a strategy to stop it. "We must get rid of it!"
"I was thinking the same thing," Link nodded in agreement, examining the beast and looking for any weak points. However, before another word could be exchanged between them, the monster sucked in a heavy breath through its large, tooth-filled mouth, before letting a hot blast of flame out. Fortunately, most of the Hylian soldiers were far enough away to avoid it without incident, but the princess and the recruit both knew that they would not be so lucky the next time as it stomped forward towards them, its large footsteps causing the ground to tremble each time.
Already, some of the braver soldiers had begun to approach King Dodongo, hoping to gain an advantage upon it, though none of them really knew how or where to attack it. Some tried striking it at its thick tail, only to be swiped aside by its heavy swing, some tried to cut it down near its throat only for the monster to knock them away with a forceful bat of its sharp claws, and even more went for a head on approach only for it to ram them with its deadly horns instantly. Zelda sucked in an uneven breath upon seeing some of her men fall to the creature's might, but she understood well what the cost of war was; no matter how large or small a battle was, there would always be some who would not survive it.
"Princess, you need to go on to the fairy fountain!" Link said to Zelda as he prepared to join the soldiers in fighting against the giant Dodongo. "I'll handle this thing and meet you there."
"Link, are you sure?" the princess asked with a frown, a part of her fearing for his chances since, even despite his apparent skill, he was still only a recruit.
"Yes," the recruit nodded as he left the princess's side to face the threatening beast without the slightest hint of fear. "Now, go!"
Zelda bit her lip anxiously, but nodded in agreement with this plan all the same, knowing that splitting up for the moment would be beneficial to gaining the advantage. Moving quickly and carefully, the princess began to circle widely around the beast so that it wouldn't notice her as she cut behind it in order to get to the fairy fountain. All the while, Link remained engaged in battle with the monster like the rest of the soldiers, only unlike them, he took a much more thoughtful approach as he circled the creature, keeping his guard up for any attacks as he looked for a hint of weakness. He stood apace from King Dodongo, and for several moments, he simply observed its attack patterns, looking for a vulnerable spot to get a hit in, but he couldn't see a single one. That is, until Proxi, who had also been keeping a careful eye on the beast, found one for him.
"Link, look!" the fairy exclaimed with excitement over her sudden idea, guiding the recruit's attention to the monster as it opened its mouth widely and charged its fiery breath up. "See how it's just sucking in air? I bet if you were to throw one of those bombs we found earlier into its mouth while it was doing that, you'd give it just the shock it needs for sure!"
Link grinned cleverly upon hearing this plan, seeing how it could work already. "Great idea," he said to his fairy companion as he prepared to put it into action, taking an explosive from the small stash he had gathered earlier and lighting its fuse before rushing towards the inhaling monster. And, right before it could let its burning breath go, the recruit tossed the bomb into its wide-open mouth, and, just as Link and Proxi had hoped for, its mouth snapped shut and it chewed upon the explosive as if it were just another snack.
At that moment, the bomb suddenly went off and King Dodongo let out a shrill scream of pain as he reeled back onto its hind legs before falling to its side, leaving the tender skin of its stomach completely exposed to attacks. Link didn't waste a single moment; before any of the soldiers could even come close, he was already there, hacking his blade away at the beast's belly roughly and forcefully, ignoring the spray of its dark blood with each new cut he elicited. However, all too soon the monster recovered from the shock of the bomb and began to roll back onto its feet, giving the recruit the sign to back off before he could be crushed by its massive weight. However, before Link could get away from the creature entirely, it lashed out in a provoked, enraged attack. Wildly swinging its claws in an uncalculated motion, the monster simply wished to hit anything it could, and as it did so, it just so happened to strike its main attacker. Link was unable to stifle a cry of pain as the beast ripped its claws across his chest roughly as he tried to back away, the force of the attack knocking him to the ground several feet away. The chainmail under his uniform did little to protect him from such a direct and heavy hit and already the three thick cuts that had been left across his chest were bleeding, but he ignored it, quickly rising to his feet once more, fueled by the sheer adrenaline of battle and little else.
However, upon seeing that it had managed to deal a hit upon the young recruit, King Dodongo seemed to take momentary satisfaction with this and, as if wanting to recover from its own wounds, curled up into itself and began to roll away from the soldiers at a harrowing speed. Of course, a large majority of the troops began to race after it in order to take it down before it could cause too much damage, including Link, but as he attempted to run with the rest of the knights, the sudden sharp sting of agony in his chest hindered him. With a groan of pain, the recruit tried to push it away as he wrapped his arms around his chest tightly to suppress the flow of blood so he could keep fighting, but as he tried to take another step, he quickly collapsed to his knees, his wounds and the exertion of battle finally starting to take their toll upon him.
What Link didn't know was that none of this had gone unnoticed by Princess Zelda, who had been relatively close to the entrance of the fairy fountain when King Dodongo had struck him, and even from there she had seen the whole thing. And, as the other soldiers left the young recruit alone in the middle of the field to suffer from his wounds while they went off to fight, her heart was moved with pity for him. And so, taking a brief glance behind her at the fairy fountain, Zelda decided that it could wait for at least a few more moments; after all, she had Impa up towards the northern fields, and she was confident that the Sheikah guardian could protect the castle for just a little longer while she aided Link.
Meanwhile, the young recruit merely remained in his position for a moment, desperately trying to reclaim his lost breath that would not come as the pain in his chest intensified with each passing second. Proxi flittered around him worriedly, wishing that she could do more to help him, but since she was not a healing fairy, there was really little she could do. All the while, Link silently scolded himself for not being more alert and careful, things that his uncle certainly would have gotten after him about as well. It was his first battle and he had already let the princess, as well as Hyrule down. He lowered his head in shame as he realized that perhaps the other recruits had been right when they said that he did not stand a chance on an actual battlefield. And now, he was paying the price for his stubbornness and hastiness.
"Link!" Zelda exclaimed worriedly as she rushed towards him, sheathing her rapier at her side as she hurriedly knelt down beside him, already examining his injuries. "Are you alright?"
"P-princess?" Link muttered in obvious pain, glancing up at her in confusion and wondering why she had come back for him. "What a-are you… d-doing here? Why… why aren't you at the fairy fountain yet?"
"Because I saw you get hurt," the princess answered with resolve, glancing around the area surrounding them to make sure it was clear of monsters that might seek to further injure the wounded recruit. "Now come on; we need to get you to safety."
"Your h-highness… no…" Link protested stubbornly, knowing that she had to focus on the task at hand instead of him. "You n-need to make it… to the f-fairy fountain… Go on w-without me…"
Zelda frowned with concern upon seeing him grimace in clear agony, not even listening to his request for a moment. "Link, no," she said, taking his hand in hers and holding onto it tightly, allowing him to squeeze her own hand in order to slightly ease some of the pain. "You must come with me. I can already tell from how much pain you appear to be in that those cuts are more than skin deep. If we don't hurry, you could bleed out and die."
"But… but what about… t-the Great Fairy?" the recruit asked, ever mindful of what needed to be done to preserve Hyrule's safety, even despite his own possibly fatal injuries, something that impressed the princess quite a bit.
"We'll go there right now," Zelda said with honesty, not trying to convince him of any falsehood now. "I'm certain that she'll be able to heal your wounds and help us in this battle all at once. Now come on, you need to get up. That's an order."
Link attempted to follow her command, but the moment he tried to stand, he let out a sharp cry of pain and collapsed to his hands and knees once more, his wounds still dripping blood all the while has his breaths came out in short, painful gasps. "It… h-hurts…" he muttered so softly that the princess could barely hear it, but she managed to catch it all the same.
"I understand that it hurts," she said with sympathy for him. After all, this certainly must have been the first time the young recruit had ever been wounded in such a way and so he was most likely not used to the intensity of such pain. "But you must push that fact out of your mind. A good soldier never gives up without a fight, even if that fight is against the limitations of your own body."
Zelda offered both of her hands to Link in order to help him up and he gladly took them, completely forgetting about her royal standing as she helped him laboriously and weakly rise to stand. His footing was uncertain and shaky, and he almost collapsed to the ground once more from the pain coursing through his chest, but fortunately the princess was quick to place a supportive arm around his shoulder to keep him upright, placing her free hand on the hilt of her rapier just in case anyone attempted to attack them. "Come on, Link," she whispered reassuringly to him, glancing over at his paled face and noticing that he was struggling to remain conscious. "We can make it."
The recruit answered her with a low moan as the two of them began to edge their way slowly yet steadily across the battlefield. Though the distance between them and the fairy fountain wasn't very far at all, Zelda didn't want to take it too fast for Link's sake, knowing that agitating his wounds too much could prove deadly if they didn't make it to the fairy fountain on time. At the same time, the last thing the princess wanted was for the recruit to slip into unconsciousness and not wake up, and so, to keep him away, she talked to him the whole way there, asking him questions and forcing him to answer them, even if he was far too exhausted to.
"What part of Hyrule do you come from?" she asked, starting with something simple to keep his focus diverted away from the pain.
"O-outskirts of F-Faron…" he answered weakly, coughing up the slightest bit of blood as he realized why she was suddenly striking up a conversation with him in order to keep him alive.
"How old are you?" she asked, though she already had a hunch as to his age.
"E-eighteen…" he replied quietly, his eyes threatening to droop shut as much as he willed them not to.
"So am I," she said, giving him a small smile. "Why did you decide to join the army?"
"M-my uncle…" he said wearily, but before he could continue he spiraled into sudden bout of violent coughing, giving Zelda the impression that the monster had managed to puncture his lungs somehow.
"I'm sorry," she said biting her lip upon realizing that he was unable to finish his answer and so she asked him something simpler. "Is this your first time in battle?"
Link only nodded, barely even able to keep his head up as the world grew burred and faded through his bleary vision. Zelda let out a sigh of relief as they finally passed through the threshold of the fountain, though in order to contact the Great Fairy, they had to make it to the magic circle at the end of the sanctum. "Well, you're doing a fine job, even despite that," she encouraged him with a warm smile, completely honest in her statement. There weren't many soldiers that, upon being injured like him, would be willing to get back up and keep going, proving that he was special, just as she had thought upon seeing him in the training yard.
"P-princess?" the recruit asked softly, his voice sounding small and broken as he slowly glanced over at her.
"Please, Link," Zelda said, attempting to quiet him so he would save his waning strength. "Call me Zelda."
"Zelda," Link said with a bit more strength forced into his voice as he corrected himself. "C-can I ask you… a question?"
"Of course."
"Why… why are you d-doing this?" he asked as their eyes met, both of them almost on the verge of tears for different reasons: his from the pain and hers from a strange feeling that had suddenly entered her heart, the fear that she might lose him. "W-why are you helping m-me? I'm j-just a… a recruit… and... you barely e-even… know me…"
Zelda was silent for a moment as she looked at him with deep concern, distracted by how striking his bright blue eyes were once more, even if they were quite possibly moments away from death. Indeed, why was she going to such great lengths to aid a new recruit that she had just met mere hours ago? While she had aided some of her fallen soldiers in the past, never before had she been so determined to keep one alive, so afraid of losing one to death's hold. After all, death was a part of war; it was as natural as the passage of time itself. And yet, even against her better judgment, the princess felt as though she had to ensure that the life of this young soldier was protected, no matter what the cost. He was different somehow, she just couldn't place the reason why yet. Tears began to stain her cheeks when she glanced down at his blood-soaked chest, her heart giving her a sign that if she wanted her kingdom to survive, then this young man had to live, no matter what.
But that was not what she told him. Instead, she merely set her expression to determined and resolved instead of fearful and worried. "Because," she said, her voice calm and collected as she kept her sights set on the magic circle just a few feet away from them. "A good leader, a good warrior, never leaves anyone behind, no matter who they are. That's why."
Neither of them said anything else as they finally entered into the magic circle, golden designs already forming on the floor they stood together on. "Great Fairy!" Zelda called out in a loud, reverent voice, her gaze locked upon the pure waters of the fountain in front of her. "In our hour of need, please come to our aid!"
No more than a second after the princess cried out to the Great Fairy, the waters in the glistening, peaceful fountain were stirred up, and from them, the magical being herself emerged with a cheerful laugh of mirth. The Great Fairy, while as benevolent as anything came, was certainly an imposing creature in her own regard. While most fairies took up the forms of human-like beings concealed in orbs of light, the Great Fairy appeared as a large, shapely woman, clothed in green leaves and white flowers, with dark pink hair that hung freely in multiple ponytails. Surrounding her were the smaller fairies that served her dutifully and as she looked upon the princess and the recruit, a kind smile appeared on her magenta lips, always ready to listen to the pleas of the pure hearted and noble.
"Greetings, Princess Zelda!" the Great Fairy welcomed brightly, her strong voice echoing throughout the temple. "And hello to you as well, Link," she said, her smile widening as the recruit gave her a small nod, not even question how she knew both of their names. She leaned in closer to the pair as she examined Link's poor condition, knowing full well that she was more than capable of healing it. "Oh my!" she said, reverting back to her original position of floating above the waters of the fountain. "I think we better heal you up before anything else, young hero! After all, it's the least I can do as thanks for saving little Proxi from those wicked beasts!" The tiny fairy at Link's side giggled cheerfully as she bowed in deep respect for the leader of the fairies.
The Great Fairy, still smiling calmly, glanced over at several of the fairies at her side, speaking to them in a language that Zelda could not understand but Link somehow did, and commanding them to go to the young recruit's aid. All of them laughed brightly as they flew towards him and as they circled him, they poured their rich healing magic upon his wounds, instantly healing them and ridding him of the pain they caused him, as well as renewing his lost energy. With their healing work accomplished, the group of fairies glided back to their leader, who gave both the princess and the recruit an expectant grin.
"Thank you," Link said to the Great Fairy with the sincerest gratitude, feeling so relieved to no longer have to deal with such immense pain.
"Oh no, dear Son of Courage…" the Great Fairy said, spinning around as she gave him a playful wink. "Thank you for working to rid this field of those horrible little creatures! Did both of you know that when those monsters first invaded Hyrule Field this morning, they tried to capture all of my dear little fairies? Unthinkable!"
"Why would anyone try to do such a horrible thing?" Zelda asked, knowing just how important fairies were to Hyrule. They not only served as healers, but they also were said to be the messengers of the goddesses themselves, blocking evil energy from adversely affecting the land. Without their protection, Hyrule certainly would be at a great loss indeed.
"That is what I was wondering!" the Great Fairy exclaimed. "All I know is that they were led by a dark wizard and a knight who could transform into a knight, but if I remember correctly, there was a third one of them as well… A woman, if my memory serves me right. Why, I don't know what we would have done if that darling young sorceress hadn't come by when she did to push them back before you arrived on the battlefield, princess."
"Sorceress?" the princess asked in confusion, exchanging a wondering glance with the recruit. But, before either of them could ask the Great Fairy further on the matter, she changed the topic to the reason why the two of them had come to seek her aid in the first place.
"Now, you've both come to me hoping to rid the field of the rest of those monsters, yes?" she asked, to which both Link and Zelda nodded insistently. "Very well then, I'll grant this request since you both worked so very hard to get here."
"Thank you, Great Fairy," Zelda said with a thankful smile. "My attendant has cornered most of their forces into the northern fields, but the wizard managed to unleash a great beast out into the fields."
"Oh, not a problem, Daughter of Wisdom," the Great Fairy said with a relaxed smile. "I'll be sure to weaken that little nuisance along with the rest of them, making him easy work for your army to take out. Now… let us begin!" With a playful laugh, the leader of the fairies lifted her hands into the air and summoned more of her fairies to come to her, before sending them down to surround the princess and the recruit. With graceful movements, the little fairies took the bombs that both of them had on hand and glided off with them, while Link and Zelda watched with anticipating smiles all the while, as they both wondered what kind of miracle the Great Fairy was about to perform for them.
All throughout Hyrule Field, the fairies flittered about, searching for any extra bombs they could find. Simply seeing the lovely little creatures set the minds of the Hylian and Goron forces who were fighting tirelessly to ease, all of them realizing that the princess's plan was about to come to fruition.
Impa's giant blade ripped across several more monsters as she tried to thin their number out like she had been doing for what seemed like ages. A part of her was admittedly starting to grow impatient with the princess, wondering what was taking her so long in getting to the fairy fountain and praying that she was unharmed. And yet, almost the very moment that such worried entered her mind, they were set to ease as she saw the large group of fairies, all of them bearing bombs, circling several feet above the northern fields, where she had successfully managed to lure most of the enemy forces. However, as relieved as she was to see that Zelda had made it to the fairy fountain, the Sheikah guardian's scarlet eyes widened when she saw the bombs that the fairies had converge into one giant one, a bomb that would certainly be enough to obliterate all of these monsters, and all of the Hylian troops still fighting, with ease.
"Fall back!" Impa commanded loudly, and, upon seeing the giant bomb looming above their heads, none of her troops hesitated to listen. They all rushed away from the northern fields with as much speed as they could muster, and once the Great Fairy could see that they were all safe, she commanded her fairies to let their deadly creation go.
The giant bomb detonated the moment it touched the ground, killing hundreds of the monsters almost instantly and severely wounding many more. Even King Dodongo, who had managed to wander into those parts of the field, received the blunt of the blast and was weakened even more in addition to the wounds that Link had inflicted upon it early. Upon seeing the devastating blow dealt to their foes, the morale of the Hylian troops instantly rose as they all rushed headfirst back into the fray, ready to take care of the last of the invaders.
Back at the fairy fountain, the Great Fairy let out a bright chuckle of triumph as she gave a small parting wave to the princess and the recruit, before disappearing back into her fountain with one last message for them: "If battle has made you weary, please come back to see me!"
Without wasting another moment, Link and Zelda both rushed outside of the fountain and they were immediately able to see the effects that the Great Fairy's magic had on the battle. It was as if the tides had been turned instantly; to the north, the Hylian troops were prevailing over the monsters and towards the south, the fleeting number that remained was in a full scale retreat, all of them vastly outnumbered by the Hyrulian forces now.
"We did it!" Zelda cheered triumphantly, watching with pride as her soldiers took the lead in this fight. "The enemy's forces have suffered a great loss!" Unable to contain her joy and excitement any longer, the princess hastily embraced Link tightly, completely taking the young recruit by surprise as she hugged him, though he had to admit that he enjoyed it as he hesitantly hugged her back. "Thank you so much, Link…" Zelda whispered to him as she closed her eyes, slightly leaning her head against his shoulder. "I knew that you were strong…"
"Ahem…" Impa's disapproving voice caught both of them off guard from behind. They both immediately broke up their embrace to see the Sheikah guardian standing a few feet behind them, her arms crossed as she gave the slightest hint of a warning glare to the young recruit.
"Impa!" Zelda exclaimed nervously, trying to hide the blush on her cheeks from Link more than anyone else. "W-when did you get here?"
"Just now," Impa said nonchalantly, though she knew there was little time to dwell on her suspicions as to what might have occurred between the princess and the recruit when they were alone together. "But that matters little. Princess, the enemy forces have been greatly weakened. It's my guess that we'll be able to drive them back within the next hour or so. It is for that reason that I must ask you to pull back to the castle. We can manage the battle from here."
"But Impa, I want to fight!" Zelda protested, drawing her rapier once more. Though she knew that her guardian had her best interests at heart, she also knew that Impa often worried for her safety a bit too much, something that had always aggravated her ever since she was little.
"And I know that you can," the Sheikah guardian said with understanding as she placed a hand on her young ward's shoulder. "But this fight is almost over. You have fought enough today. Now, you must return to the castle and serve as its last line of defense in case they break through. Please princess, Hyrule cannot afford to lose you."
The princess glanced down despondently before briefly glancing over at Link, who simply frowned at her, understanding her position well. After all, he had been in the very same spot when his commanding officer had told him that he couldn't fight. And yet, he knew that Zelda indefinitely had more respect for Impa, which was why the princess merely nodded in relent as she sheathed her weapon. "I understand…" she said with the slightest hint of remorse in her tone as she turned to head back to the castle. "May the goddesses protect you… And Link…?" she glanced over her shoulder once more to give the recruit a small smile, one that was full of hope and kindness. "Good luck…"
Without another word, Zelda turned around and hurried off, much to Link's dismay. He wasn't sure why, but something felt off about her leaving so suddenly. A part of him felt as though he wouldn't see her again for quite some time, which meant that he wouldn't be able to thank her for saving his life and giving him hope when he had been on the brink of death. And it was because of that possibility that he was prompted to start to head after her, hoping to catch up with her so he could show his gratitude properly. "Zelda, wait!" he called out to her, but before he could chase after her, he was stopped by Impa placing a firm hand upon his shoulder.
"Let her go, Link," the Sheikah guardian said reassuringly. "You know as well as I do that she must be kept safe at all costs."
The young recruit remained silent, frowning as he watched the princess disappear into a keep and out of his sight. He wasn't sure why, but he wanted to be near her, to be by her side and to protect her just as she had protected him. And yet, Zelda was strong and capable in her own right; certainly she could keep herself safe, no matter what the occasion.
Impa noticed Link's melancholy and let out a small sigh, already realizing what was starting to happen here, as much as it aggravated her. But nonetheless, she had no time to focus on that now. Instead, she simply pushed her way past Link, turning to glance back at him as she beckoned for him to follow. "Come on, recruit," she said with a determined grin, her hand on the hilt of her giant knife as she faced the battle ahead. "We've got an overgrown reptile to take care of."
With as much haste as possible, Link and Impa rushed towards the northern fields, where King Dodongo still ran free but mildly injured thanks to the Great Fairy's massive strike. Most of the Hylian soldiers were taking care of the last few stragglers remaining from the enemy forces, making it clear that only the massive beast needed to be brought down in order for this battle to be won. As the Sheikah guardian and the young recruit approached the monster with their weapons already poised to attack, they stopped several feet away to watch it writhe in pain, though clearly it was more enraged than ever.
"How did that wizard transport a creature of that size to the battlefield so quickly?" Impa asked incredulously as she kept her sights set on the monster alone.
"I don't know," Link replied, already taking more caution in standing against the monster, lest he be taken down by its deadly claws once more. "But I do know what its weak spot is: its stomach."
"I'm guessing that's how it got all of those cuts there then?" the Sheikah guardian asked, giving a slight look of approval to the young recruit beside her.
"Yeah," Link said with a modest grin and a shrug. "I also know how to get it onto its side; just throw a bomb into its mouth when its open and that will stun it almost instantly."
"Very resourceful…" Impa mused with a pleased smile. "A plan befitting a master tactician. Let's do it then; I'll work with the bombs while you go in for the attacks. Since it's already wounded, this shouldn't take too long."
"Got it," the recruit said, following behind the Sheikah leader as they began to carry out their plan. Even though they were the only two really fighting against King Dodongo, it quickly became clear that they didn't need any help from the other soldiers. The giant beast's movements had grown slow and clumsy thank to the injuries it had sustained, making its attacks much easier to dodge than before, and thankfully, it still telegraphed its flame attacks, allowing Impa to quickly slip a few bombs into its maw. Once the explosives had its effect on the monster's insides and it collapsed to its side, Link quickly went to work on it as he had before, brutally slashing away at its tender flesh and taking great care to distance himself from it before it reclaimed its footing. After the wear monster attempted to lash out at its opponents once more, Link and Impa repeated this cycle with quick precision, until, with one deep, fatal blow landed almost directly at the behemoth's heart, it let out a ear-splitting cry of agony and rolled onto its back, before instantly vanishing into a thick puff of smoke, finally vanquished.
All of the nearby soldiers cheered in triumph upon seeing King Dodongo meet his end, signifying that this battle was over and that they had emerged victorious from this attack. Both Link and Impa sheathed their blades as the Sheikah guardian turned to address the troops, a satisfied grin on her face. "Excellent job, everyone," she said with pride to her elite soldiers, glad to see that most of them had survived this strike. "This is why we never give up without a fight!"
"Lady Impa!" one of the captains suddenly ran up to the Sheikah guardian breathlessly, clearly distraught as he knelt before her in respect. "We have just received a terrible news! The enemy wizard somehow managed to penetrate the castle!"
"What?!" both Impa and Link exclaimed in unison, both of their concern immediately going towards Princess Zelda.
"How could such a thing happen!?" the Sheikah guardian growled in fury, clenching her fists tightly at her sides. "I am certain that we had ample guards stationed in and around it!"
"That monster must have been a distraction while they attacked the castle," the young recruit surmised with an angry frown.
"I'd bet anything that it was," Impa said crossly. "Where is Princess Zelda!? Is she safe?!"
The captain looked up at the Sheikah leader with both fear at her reaction to what he was about to say as well as obvious panic that told Impa everything before he even spoke. "We… we can't find the princess anywhere!" he exclaimed worriedly.
"What?!" Impa nearly shouted in alarm, her already fiery red eyes growing large with unbridled rage for their foes. This disheartening news struck the Sheikah guardian very hard for several reasons. Firstly, as the princess's caretaker and attendant, it was her responsibility to protect Zelda at any and all costs; with the princess missing, she had failed at this responsibility something that brought her great shame and disgrace. But even more than the damage that this loss had done to her pride, Princess Zelda was also very dear to Impa's heart; after all, she had served the princess ever since they were both young and the friendship and care that they had towards one another was undeniable. The greatest concern for the young monarch filled the Sheikah guardian's heart as she prayed and hoped that the enemy had not gotten their foul hands upon her and brought her any harm.
"Search everywhere for her!" Impa demanded harshly to all of her nearby troops. "Spread the word! I want everyone on the lookout for the princess! This kingdom will not rest until she is found! Link, I want you to-" However, as she turned toward the young recruit, she cut herself short upon seeing that he was no longer at her side. After glancing around in confusion for a brief moment, she saw him running towards the direction of the castle, already following the Sheikah guardian's orders and searching for any signs of the princess that he could hope to find.
Keeping his eyes wide open, Link entered into the threshold of the castle keep, glancing around to see if he could spot Zelda, despite what the captain had reported moments ago. Certainly, in the brief time that they had been fighting against King Dodongo, the enemy couldn't have broken into the castle and made off with the princess that quickly, could they?
All the same, the young recruit was certainly worried for the princess, for even more than the obvious fact that the kingdom was now missing its beloved young monarch. The words that she had softly said to him when she had been escorting him to the fairy fountain still rung clearly in his mind: "A good warrior never leaves anyone behind". Of course, it was quite clear that no one intended on forgetting about Princess Zelda herself in the aftermath of her disappearance, but all the same, Link was resolved to do anything it took to find her. After all, she had believed in him when few else did, she had encouraged him onward when he thought that he could go on no longer, and she had saved his life when he had been on the brink of certain death. These were great, selfless favors that the young recruit refused to leave unrepaid. He was determined to return these favors in any way he could, and if that meant running headfirst into any danger in order to bring the princess of Hyrule home, then so be it.
However, as Link made it to the center of the keep, he didn't find a sign of Zelda anywhere; instead, the area was completely abandoned, or so it appeared upon a first glance. A sudden shriek emitted from the back corner of the enclosure, alerting the recruit to the presence of a small group of bokoblin that had somehow managed to survive the defeat of their brethren. Immediately, they all rushed towards Link with their weapons raised, but of course, the recruit wasn't about to be taken by surprise too much. As the monsters began to pounce, he quickly spun around, his hand flying to the hilt of sword, but before he could cut through them, another blade did instead.
As the dead bokoblins fell to the wayside, Impa landed deftly before Link, placing her tall blade upright beside her as she held onto a bundle of green with her other hand. She gave the young recruit a small nod, accepting his unspoken apology for coming to his aid before she spoke. "As you heard, we can't locate Princess Zelda anywhere," she said bitterly, getting right to the point. "I pray that she is safe…"
"I hope that she is too," Link said with a small remorseful sigh as he sheathed his sword and glanced down fretfully. "What do you think could have happened to her?"
"It's hard to say…" Impa said with a frown, though there was still clearly frustration and guilt behind it. "If the other soldiers do not find her by nightfall, then we must assume that she is not anywhere near the castle. I am unsure if the enemy managed to capture her, but at the moment, that is my best guess as to her fate. Which is why I must ask your help in finding her, recruit. I trust that you are willing?"
"Yes," Link said with firm resolve, not even hesitating for a moment to accept this task. "I'll do whatever it takes to help find her."
Impa smiled sharply upon hearing this, giving him a small nod of gratitude. "That's what I wanted to hear," she said with clear confidence for him. "Already you have shown that your abilities and skill in battle far excel many of my own troops, even despite your youth and lack of experience. Did you receive prior combat training before enlisting?"
"Yes," the recruit said, though he was careful not to show too much pride in his abilities. "My uncle had been a retired captain and he taught me everything I know from the time I was young."
"It shows," the Sheikah guardian said with a nod. "You have certainly proved your worth and courage in this battle, far more than I have ever seen out of a soldier so young before. And so I have to ask… how would you feel about moving up through the ranks?"
Link frowned upon hearing this, knowing that he was not worth of such an honor. "I can't," he said, being completely honest with the high general herself. "I'm not even a part of the army anymore."
"What are you talking about?" Impa asked, raising an incredulous eyebrow at him.
"I got kicked out for insubordination," he explained. "I disobeyed my commanding officer and came out to fight even though he ordered me not to."
The Sheikah guardian merely grinned cleverly upon hearing this, somewhat amused by the irony of the circumstances. "Well then," she said, holding the bundle of green clothing she held in her hand out to him. "Won't your former commanding officer, as well as the rest of your fellow recruits be surprised to hear that you've just been promoted to second-in-command over the entire army?"
"What?!" Link exclaimed in completely confusion as he glanced up at her in total shock.
"You heard me," Impa said, giving him an instant nod to take the bundle of clothing in her hand, which he hesitantly did. "These clothes that I'm giving to you are very special. The green tunic and cap represent the strength, honor and courage of the spirit of the noblest hero of the land. The blue scarf, however, is a new addition to the garb, sown by Princess Zelda's own hands. Before she disappeared, she told me that it was to bestow the title of second general of the Hylian army upon its wearer, and I can think of no one more worthy of that position than you, Link."
"Wow…" the young recruit said in absolute amazement as he looked to the clothes in his hands, bewildered at what the Sheikah guardian had just told him. "Lady Impa, are you sure? I just don't think I'm worthy of such an honor..." he said humbly, knowing that there certainly must have been more deserving of such an illustrious title.
"And why is that?" Impa asked him inquisitively.
"Because… I… I'm just a new recruit," Link said with a frown, glancing down to his feet in depreciation. "Because this was my first battle and I almost died fighting in it… Because… because I don't want to let you, or Zelda, or Hyrule down…"
The Sheikah guardian was silent upon hearing this, for even despite his honest, rational fears, his words were certainly those befitting the kind of hero that her and the princess had been looking for. Not only was he strong and steadfast in battle, he was also humble, yet devoted, qualities that defined someone worthy of taking on this difficult mantle more than anything else. "Link…" she said with the smallest hint of reassurance in her otherwise gruff tone. "Are you afraid of the trials and difficulties you may face on the path ahead of you?"
Now it was Link's turn to be silent as he thought about this question. In truth, the bloodshed and intensity of war did not do much to faze him. Facing the strange, malevolent enemy that now threatened Hyrule did not intimidate him. Even standing up in the face of death itself did not bring him much fear. What he truly feared above all else was failure, and the possibility that lives, including the life of Hyrule's own princess, could be lost if he did not succeed in the mission that Impa had presented to him. But even if he was afraid, he knew that he had to stand up in the face of those fears and rise to the occasion, even if no one else would. "No," he said firmly, resolve entering his tone as courage shined through his blue eyes once more. "I'm not afraid. I'll fight for Hyrule and Princess Zelda, even if I die trying."
Impa smiled at this bold, noble statement, knowing that he was nothing less than genuine. "Then I trust that you will," she said, glancing down at the mark of the three golden triangles still glowing on the back of his hand, the mark of the Triforce of Courage itself, yielded by only the truest heroes of Hyrule. "And I know that you will be a hero worthy of wearing this tunic, a general worthy of bearing this scarf, and a warrior worthy of saving Hyrule in its time of need."
Yay! Long chapter is long, but also EPIC and romantic and dramatic and awesome! Yay! Next time around we're gonna have Link and Impa heading to the Eldin caves, so horrah for that! In the meantime, as I work on my other stuff, might I make a recommendation for you all? If you want to read a really sad, AU oneshot based around the SS prequel manga, go check out the little oneshot I wrote the other day entitled "Forever", which you may find on my profile. For now, I must work on more W&C and L&S, but please do not forget to REVIEW if you liked! Until next time! :D