Through a Nightmare Darkly
Chapter 5: March Towards Freedom
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The Gerudo Army rushed to the front of the canyon after the screams had subsided. They saw Zantorian breathing heavily, slightly hunched over and looking at the ground, with the black barrier in front of him. After a few minutes, he drew up to his full height and stared at the black mass.
A small swirl began to spin in the barrier, slowly growing bigger with each passing second until it was a big as Zantorian. The portal began spinning faster and faster and then…it returned back to its steady pace.
Faint breathing was soon heard and a figure began to emerge. A horse, as black as the void it came from with glowing red eyes walked towards Zantorian, stopping a couple of feet in front of him. The horse, who was already geared up with an ornate saddle and sword strapped to the side of it, was larger and much more muscular than the average Hyrulian horse.
Zantorian smiled. "Shadowbane, you serve me now."
The horse waited a few seconds before snorting, accepting Zantorian as its master. Again, Zantorian smiled and mounted the horse.
"Today is their last day," Zantorian's haunting voice echoed. "The Hyrulians have marched on our land and spilled our blood on it. They killed our friends, murdered our families, and mercilessly slaughtered those who we hold dear. Today is the last day that a Hyrulian will ever set foot upon Gerudo lands, unless deemed worthy.
"It all ends today," he continued. "We will march on their lands and make them pay for their treachery and deceit." He drew the double-edged sword that was attached to the saddle. It gleamed menacingly in the moonlight.
"We will not conquer lands, we will not claim Hyrule to be ours, but we will do what they have done to us tonight!" The barrier behind him dissipated. "Now join me, on our march through Hyrule!" A bridge, made of the same substance that the barrier was made of formed in front of Zantorian, spanning the chasm.
"We will claim freedom from their wretched hands! Onward my sisters!" he spun the horse around to face the entrance to Gerudo Valley. He pointed his sword in the direction of Hyrule, "To war! To freedom! To revenge!"
The Gerudo soldiers let out a war cry before following Zantorian's march to Hyrule.
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Zantorian's Army rode through night; swiftly and silently. Zantorian skid Shadowbane to a halt as a village came into view. The army was surprised at the sudden move and nearly rode past him. He turned his horse and began riding among the ranks of the Gerudo Horsewomen.
"Tonight, we begin our revenge and our march or terror on this pathetic land." His voice echoed over the ranks of the Gerudo, instilling courage and anger with each word. "This land is dotted with hundreds Hyrulian villages; we will raid each and every one of them. The first will be the village Nathasa," he beckoned to the warmly lit village behind him.
He twirled his sword above his head. "Now ride, my sisters! Pay the Hyrulians back for their treachery! Charge!"
Zantorian's Army rushed wildly for the village, the night sky making the army nearly invisible.
The once peaceful and sleeping village was awakened by the sounds of the army. Panic and fear drove families from their homes, stupidity and bravery caused most village men to try and hold the army at bay, while their families escaped.
The Gerudos showed no mercy for the Hyrulians. Most of the defending men fell within the first charge; only the skilled held their ground, and even then, their efforts were suicidal.
It took only minutes before the whole village was ablaze, lighting up the once peaceful night sky. Zantorian's face was twisted up in anger and hatred; his sword found marks each time he swung it.
The image of his dead mother flashing through his mind each time he swung, only adding intensity to when he thrust and swung his sword, when all of a sudden, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head, only confirming his suspicions: a Hyrulian women was running for the Lost Woods. Zantorian laughed out loud at the sight.
"What a stupid woman. She's better off dying by my blade then by the creatures of the Lost Woods." He raised his hand and cast a purple ball of energy towards the woman: it struck her square in the back. She tumbled head over heals and dropped the baby she was carrying. The woman lay there for a few seconds before crawling to her baby. She picked it up and continued crawling to the Lost Woods.
Zantorian laughed again. "She seems so eager to die there. I think I'll let." His thoughts turned away from the woman as he sheathed his sword in a nearby defender.
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This is what Hyrulian Scholars mark as the beginning of the Hyrulian Civil War, or what the Gerudos call their March Towards Freedom. Many of you might be wondering of what became of the woman and child. They died; well, at least the mother did. The boy, as legend tells it, would be raised by the great forest spirit himself and grow up become the legendary Hero of Time; the one who ultimately defeated Ganondorf.
Not killing that woman can truly be called Ganon's second mistake. And yes, you read that correctly, his second mistake. His first mistake was letting the power and corruption of his magic get the better of him. But we'll leave that for a later chapter...
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Wow, sorry about the wait for the update. It's just that I've started taking college classes and my schedule has become pretty tight. But don't worry, I can promise you that this story will continue on till the end!
Now, for the story. I'm not sure I really like this chapter that much (especially the fact that it's the shortest chapter with such a long wait for an update). I felt as if I kinda rushed it, like I didn't give you enough detail, or I left you hanging at some parts. Most of all, I feel that this story is getting pretty bizarre, like it's becoming more of a supernatural-type story than anything else. I hope that that's not the case, and, if it is, I'll do my best to swing it off that path.
Well, let me know what you think of it and, especially, constructive criticism is always welcome!