Chapter 3
Link felt as though he was swaying from a great height. It was like being in a hammock, except hammocks do not bounce and curse. The young mouse opened his eyes to see the ground flying past him. He lifted his head to gaze at a sword blade. "You're awake. Enjoy your last moments of freedom, mouse, because we've tied you up, we have that sword you were carrying, and our leader will have no mercy on you." The rat smiled coldly and swung the sword at Link. He ducked, but the blade nicked his face. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I cut you?" The young mouse lifted his head again to glare at the rat. "I've had worse. Go ahead. Take me to your leader. When I'm free of my bonds, I'll come and find you, then I will make sure that you feel what I have felt, a thousand times over. Do you understand, rat? Do you?" Hastred began to feel frightened and moved away from the mouse. "When Ganon is finished with you, you'll be lucky to be alive!" At the rat's words, chills ran through the mouse's form. "...He's your leader?" Hastred nodded, enjoying the sudden look of fear on the mouse's face. "Yes, Ganon is our leader, and he has been waiting for your arrival. You can try to fight us, mouse, but you won't win." In sudden desperation, Link strained at the ropes binding him to the wooden stake, but fell back. "...You shouldn't waste your energy, young one. I see strength in you-don't let your fear overcome your wisdom." Another mouse was being taken to the horde's camp, and was being treated worse than Link. His clothes were tattered and ruined, and untreated wounds gleamed in the moonlight. "Yes. Look at my sorry form. I have lived much longer than you. I've seen more beasts die that I should. You come from Redwall, do you not? I saw that rat with the sword, curse him. After whatever He shall do to you, find me. I know a few healing remedies that these vermin would kill me to get." The horde was nearing the camp and the old mouse was taken to another section. Before Link lost sight of him, the old mouse shouted. "And remember this: Whatever you do-don't surrender to the pain! Fight through it!" Then Hastred's group marched through the main gates, and the old mouse was gone.
The sorry-looking raiding party approached the wooden throne in the center of the camp. "We have him." A cloaked beast nodded. "Very good, Hastred. Set him upright. I want us to look at each other for a while." The rats strained to lift the wooden beam upright. After some time, the cloaked beast stood up and threw back his cloak. The red cloth fell to the ground, and the owner clopped up to the tied mouse. "If you think that you can escape me, you are mistaken. Look around you, Link-I have warriors stationed everywhere, beasts looking in every direction, and I have something special planned for you." The beast began to circle around the wooden beam and the mouse tried to follow him with his eyes. "Yes, I have no doubt that you know of me. Ganon, the Savage Demon King. The mousemaiden is here, locked away, guarded day and night under lock and key. You will be tied here for as long as I wish." Ganon stopped in front of Link, stepped backwards, and leaned close to the mouse. "Let us see if Hylia can save you here." Then Ganon began to roar with laughter, and across the camp, another mouse looked out of her cell and began to wonder if at last, someone had come to save her.
Numerous sounds of doors being opened and shut could be heard around the abbey. "He's gone!" "Who's gone?" The inhabitants of Redwall came upon Skipper kneeling in front of the famous Tapestry of Martin, staring up at the place where the sword rested not too long ago. "What do you mean, Skip? I saw him a few hours ago. Perhaps he's gone off somewhere by himself." "No." The otter slowly stood and faced the group in front of him. "He is not here. I've looked everywhere for him." Abbot Tintson padded up to Skipper. "Are you absolutely certain of this?" "Yes." Tintson turned to face his friends. "I fear the worst for the young mouse. And what is worse, he wields the Sword of Martin, which has kept Redwall safe beyond seasons. If something has happened to him..." The entrance doors slammed open, interrupting Tintson. A group of hares ran in, gathering around the now-confused beasts. "Laird Frederick sent us to help you, sahs! He says that you have a lost warrior that needs to be found?" Tintson nodded. "We do." The leader of the hares bowed low. "Captain Varya at your service. The Long Patrol of Salamandastron will find your lost warrior and bring him home, sahs!" Varya turned to his hares. "We leave at dawn! Find someplace to rest, after a good meal, we'll start off!" Friar Douglas groaned softly. "First our next warrior appears on our doorstep, next he goes missing and about twenty hares show up-what next?"
