Chapter Four
Link awoke several hours later to loud, thudding steps that sounded like hooves. It was dark, and the nighttime pressed all around him; he could not see, and was frantic not to be taken by surprise.
He leapt to his feet and withdrew his sword, his heels brushing the waters. He backed up, hoping to absorb the spring's healing powers in case he was attacked.
The hooves stopped, and the sound of someone dismounting followed. Link waited, his heart hammering, until he recognized the lumbering gait.
He lowered his sword, but just a little bit, and saw the large, green orcish being trudge into view. He was weaponless, but still wore his horned helmet. It was King Bulblin, who Link had battled several times last year. He had surprised Link by displaying intelligence; however, the boy was still wary of his former foe.
"I no longer know the strongest side."
This was an odd greeting, and for a second Link did not know how to reply; but then, King Bulblin's parting words came back to him: "I serve the strongest side; that's all I'll ever know."
"So…you came to me?" Link glanced around cautiously. "Did anyone else come with you?"
"Only Lord Bullbo and me." King Bulblin gestured a huge hand towards the entrance of the spring, where his brown boar-like mount was idly pawing the ground. "I do not have any Bulblins with me."
"Why did you come to me?" asked Link softly. "What could you possibly want?"
King Bulblin eyed Link's sword suspiciously, as though nervous he would attack. "I am hearing of troubles. I want to serve the strongest side. Is that you?"
Link lowered his weapons, ignoring King Bulblin's questions and quickly asking, "Troubles? Where?"
"My friends tell me. I ask them if stuff is going on, and they say so."
Link was beginning to feel impatient with this beast, but did not let it show. "Where is this trouble, Lord Bulblin? And why are you telling me?"
King Bulblin flapped his heavy hands. "Too many questions, too many! I answer one at a time."
"Fine. Why did you come to me, then?"
His smile was almost clownish. "Because it happened where we once fought. I hit you with a big axe, and lit the place on fire."
Link's eyes grew wide, and he could hardly suppress his gasp of delight. "Arbiter's Grounds?"
King Bulblin nodded. "Yes. There are not nice things there."
"One could say the same about you," pointed out Link. "But that doesn't matter. What sort of, ah, 'not nice' things are there?"
King Bulblin lowered his voice. If Link didn't know any better, he might have said that the being was frightened. "Creatures who hurt King Bulblin. Those who did not serve the strongest side, because they thought themselves stronger."
"What are they?" asked Link, now interested. What being could be stronger than Ganondorf? It had been brutal fighting that man, and sometimes Link still had ghost pains…
"They are not alive, but not dead. I don't know their names," murmured King Bulblin, his brows furrowed in thought.
"ReDeads?" suggested Link, feeling a small bit of fear prick at his heart. If there was one enemy that he had always dreaded fighting, it was those strange, ethereal corpses. He did not know why they spooked him so much, simply that they did.
"No…those things can die."
Link stared at King Bulblin, hardly allowing himself to believe those words. "Wh-what did you say?" he rasped faintly. "These c-can't…die…?"
King Bulblin shook his head. "I don't know. I fought and fought. I chopped off heads and they didn't stop. They kept on moving, even without their brains on. So I got on Lord Bullbo and ran here." He shrugged. "I don't know what they want. But you will help me." It was not a command. King Bulblin was asking for Link's help.
He sheathed his sword and folded his arms. "Why me?"
"Because," replied King Bulblin in a matter-of-fact voice, "I think you are the strongest side. And I serve the strongest side. That is all I'll ever know."
Link bowed his head, thinking. After a few moments, he picked it back up and looked King Bulblin straight in the eyes. "I will aid you. When shall we set out?"
"As soon as possible," answered King Bulblin eagerly. "I will make my own way to the desert, where we can meet with more Bulblins. Tomorrow, I will meet you there, in the encampment. I have seen the not dead beasts there, mainly, although there are some wandering around." His small eyes furtively darted around. "You should be careful. Make sure they don't come after you."
"Why would they come to Ordon Village?" whispered Link, thinking about the innocent residents. They did not deserve such horrors…
King Bulblin looked Link full in the eyes, speaking in an equally low voice. "I came to here once, too. Coincidence?" he suggested quietly.
Link folded his arms. "I still don't trust you, really. Why should I help you?"
"I told you. I serve the stronger side. I have already acknowledged you as the strongest. Shouldn't that be enough?" he asked simply. King Bulblin turned around and walked out of the Ordon Spring. Link heard him mount Lord Bullbos and gallop away.
Hey; sorry this chapter wasn't up yesterday. I don't know if I can keep up the schedule of a chapter per day: I'll probably update 2 times on the weekends, and 3-4 times during the weekdays. For some reason, my teachers have decided that this term is a marvelous time to load us with homework, so I don't always have time to write.
