"There is nothing we can do, Kafei!" Link found himself shouting desperately at the blue-haired mayor in the middle of Hyrule Field. Zega had stayed in the forest on the wish of the Deku Tree. As Link and Redaya exited the woods upon sunrise, the elven queen had spotted Kafei and about one hundred others riding in the distance across the plains.

"If we catch the army, we can delay them and buy Lankin some time."

"It won't do any good if they didn't make camp, and if they did he won't need the extra time. You will lose your life and the lives of these men for nothing! I order you to go back to the castle. I will not allow you to commit futile suicide!"

Kafei was at his throat. "I swear no fealty to you, King. They march upon my realm, and my people. If I die, I will do it protecting them!"

"Kafei," reasoned Link. "Your realm needs you alive. Your people need you alive! They need you to stay strong, it's the only way they'll survive this."

"There is no way to survive this, Link," said Kafei, pale and grave. "Not when we fight the dead. Not when we are outnumbered thirty to one!"

"I have just returned from the Deku Tree's meadow," said Link. "There is a way." He turned to Redaya. "Go to the castle and gather the captains. Tell them everything you know, and that I will return upon finding Nyre. I am placing Kafei in charge of Hyrule in my absence."

"You are leaving now?" inquired Redaya.

"Aye, our need for the god is quite urgent."

"Vittles?"

"I will manage."

Kafei wasn't giving up. "Do you expect me to abandon my realm?"

"No," Link said softly, turning back to the mayor. "I am expecting your people to."

Kafei's eyes grew wide. "Evacuate Termina?"

Link nodded. "You must gather all your forces in Hyrule Castle, and attempt to hold it until I return."

"And Clocktown?"

"The men in Clocktown must put up a fight worthy of the gods, while the rest of Termina flees east away from the Hellspawn's eye. Women and children in the city can escape through the underground tunnels."

Kafei hated the plan, but there weren't many options. "And how are my people to receive this order?"

Link paused, staring at him. "Send messenger birds from the castle to deliver the word to both Southern Swamp and Snowfall. I am riding to Great Bay myself, I will warn the Zoras. The safest thing for them is to travel west across the sea with myself. I'd have some trouble trying to sail alone."

Kafei narrowed his eyes. "My people better live through this," he said through gritted teeth.

Link bowed, relieved. "Thank you, Mayor."

"Shut up and be gone."

The king nodded silently and mounted Epona.

"Link?"

He turned back, and Kafei sighed. "Be careful."

……………………………..

Link had little intention of being careful. Termina meant almost as much to him as it meant to Kafei. He knew the only way to live and fight another day was to rid Termina of all civilians, but he wasn't going to let these Hellspawn off without some punishment from the Hero of Time.

The king was well aware that there wasn't much even he could do. The legendary Queen of Chaos, the merciless Black Sorcerer, the Great King of Evil; together, not even the Hero of Time could stand against them. All he could do was delay them, and he was hell bent on doing it.

As Epona carefully guided him through the far east regions of Termina, Link let his mind wander. What was Zega's secret? Who was the woman the Deku Tree had mentioned? The goddesses had clearly instructed Link to take the young Gerudo with him into the forest, and then he stayed there upon the wish of the wood. What was the reason behind that request?

And Nyre. Somehow, the fact that the mysterious mask salesman was something much more than he seemed didn't surprise Link in the least. But an ancient god? Maybe Nyre could answer all of the king's questions, if he was on such a heavenly level.

"Whoa, girl," said Link suddenly. Epona dug her hooves into the dirt and the Hylian dismounted. Getting down to his knees, he carefully felt the soil. "There were so many of them they marched over each others' footprints," he muttered to himself. "Now all that's left is churned dirt and mud." From the looks of things, he guessed that they had been through here earlier the evening before. If they camped for the night it would have been near Ikana River.

Link glanced up at the sun. It was almost directly above him in the sky; only an hour or so after midday. If he rode without stopping, he would be able to reach Clocktown at around sundown. Somewhere in between, however, was the eight thousand strong army of Queen Antia. Hero of Time he may have been, but he was only one man. He needed to avoid the Hellspawn at all costs until he reached the capital. But there was nothing in the king's bag of tricks that could help him fly over the horde. He would have to go the long way around.

Link swung back onto Epona. The detour would cost him at least a few hours, but it was necessary. He dug his heels into Epona's side and was off.

……………………………..

Kryn listened intently to the heated conversation outside the cell.

"Eight… thousand?" came the shaky voice of the Hylian jailer.

"Aye, eight thousand. All warriors, all undead, all headed for this city." The second voice was gruff and urgent. Kryn guessed the speaker was a middle-aged soldier.

"Then there is no time to lose," said the guard, clearly shaken. "Captain Draton is occupying the Mayor's house, I'll warn him and raise the alarm. Kafei must still be in Hyrule, blast him."

"Last I knew he was," came the reply.

The jailer glanced at the prisoners and tossed the second man the keys. "These few will fight for us, let them out." He rushed down the hall.

The second man came into view of the prisoners.

Rift grinned. "Hey there, matey, looks like we're free."

The man eyed him. "You a pirate?"

"To be perfectly honest, mate, I am. They call me Bloodeye Torturetooth, the scourge of the Great Sea!"

"I don't think real highly of liars, but I like your creativity," chuckled the man. You rogues are lucky that guard's so trustworthy." He twisted the key in the lock. "I'm Lankin, Captain of the Pakomi Guard. Now what's your real names?"

Kryn was relieved. They were getting out, despite Rift's antics. "I'm Kryn, and this is Rift and Fan. We're sailors from the far west. Apparently we were put down here for safekeeping, though it ain't my idea of hospitality."

"Nice to meet ya, mates, but I wish it were under better circumstances." Lankin narrowed his eyebrows and explained grimly. "Somethin' bad's happened and we're facing an army twenty times our size without so much as a proper leader."

"So we're all Wolfo meat," said Rift cheerfully.

Lankin stared at him "Who in hell are you?"

Rift gave his signature grin. "Bloodeye Torturetooth, scourge of the Great Sea."

"You better hope you can live up to that name when the fighting starts," said Lankin gravely, "cause your games ain't gonna help you out there."

Kryn sighed and glanced over at Fan. She looked as if she was fighting back fear, but he could see it in her eyes. "We'll make it out of this," he said, smiling reassuringly.

She couldn't answer, but he understood.

"Head up to the armory, now, and steel yourselves." Lankin drew his own sword and looked them each in the eyes. "Good luck, my new friends, I thank you for your service."

Kryn and Rift exchanged a glance. "Maybe we'll get lucky, and those web-footed worms will come to our rescue again."

Kryn laughed. "Come on, Bloodeye, we can't keep 'em waiting."

……………………………..

"Oh goddesses," Zelda whispered as she gazed out from the highest tower of Hyrule Castle. She could feel her husband riding farther and farther away with every passing second, all alone and without so much as a bite of bread to eat. She yearned to travel with him, and she knew she would be able to help. But he was much too far away now, and there was no way for her to catch up.

Her little daughter Yuka clung to her leg. "Where is Daddy?" she asked, looking up at her mother with shimmering blue eyes.

Zelda squatted down and brushed Yuka's hair out of her eyes. "Daddy will be away for a while, honey. Don't worry though, we'll throw a big feast when he comes home!"

Yuka giggled. "With apple pie?"

Zelda smiled at the young girl. "Of course, sweetie. There will be more apple pie than you could ever dream of."

Her daughter returned the smile. Zelda stood up and looked out the window again. She gasped and flung open the shutters. A great barn owl was perched on the ledge right outside her room, glaring at her with stern yellow eyes.

"Kaepora?" she said, disbelieving. Eleven years ago, the magnificent reincarnated sage was spotted soaring over Hyrule Field after Link defeated Ganon, and that was the last anyone ever saw of him. In that time, the queen had heard many an incredible tale about the help that the owl had provided her husband. He had described the sage to her, and there was no mistaking this bird.

"Mama?" shuddered Yuka at the queen's side.

"Hold my hand, Yuka, and don't be afraid. The big bird is a friend." Zelda grasped her daughter's small hand and looked to the owl. "Kaepora Gaebora, great sage of old. Why do you now come to me, and where have you been in these times of peace?"

The owl spoke, and Zelda felt the enchantment in his voice. "My Queen, the eternal Mistress of Beauty." Kaepora performed an elegant bow, spreading his great wings to their full majestic length. "What was your wish prior to my arrival?"

Zelda thought for a moment. "I wished…" she began.

"Do not tell me," the owl interrupted. "Tell yourself. For now it is yours to decide whether you truly want to join your husband."

"You can… take me to him?"

Kaepora nodded, slowly.

"Mama?" came the soft voice of Yuka. "Are you leaving?"

Zelda had already made up her mind. She knelt down to her daughter again. "Honey, there is something I need to do. Will you be strong while I am gone?"

The young girl nodded silently.

Zelda kissed her on the forehead lovingly. "I will be back before long, sweetie. I need you to tell Uncle Kafei that I have gone to join Daddy. Tell him to trust in me, and that I will do what I can for Termina."

"Yes, Mama," Yuka nodded again.

Zelda smiled. "I love you, sweetie."

"I love you too, Mama."

The queen turned back to Kaepora. "I'm ready."

The great owl looked at her with his unfaltering gaze. "Your things?"

Zelda snatched a wooden stave from the bedside. Attached to the end was an azure crystal, sharpened and shimmering in the sunset's red glow. It was a Moon's Tear, and it held the power to channel her abilities and strengthen her magic. "My lord left with naught but a weapon for protection," she said in answer to the owl. "I will do the same."

"Then climb upon my back, sweet one, and we shall go to your husband."

Zelda carefully stepped out the open window onto the royal green ledge. Kaepora stooped down and the queen cautiously climbed up onto his back, clutching his brown neck feathers tightly.

"You are ready?"

"I am."

"Then we depart."

The huge owl flapped his mighty wings and alighted from the castle roof.

……………………………..

"How many have we total?"

"Three, perhaps four hundred," Terminian Captain Viscen answered.

Draton cursed. "And our enemy?"

It was Lankin that replied to the second query. "Over eight thousand."

Draton cursed again. "How in hell does Link expect us to hold the bastards off?"

No one answered him.

"The women and children have all evacuated from the city," said Viscen quietly. "There's nothing for it but to fight to the death defending our home."

Rift, Kryn, and Fan came up next to the three captains. "When are those lard-sucking dirt-faced maggots showing up?"

Lankin ignored Rift and turned to Fan in alarm. "What are you doing here, miss? You should have went underground with the rest of them."

"Please, sir," she swallowed, staring at the ground, "I am far away from home. My friends and family are gone. I'm in a strange land, and frankly there's not much for me to live for." Expect maybe one thing, she added silently.

"I've not the right to strip you of your free will, miss," replied Lankin, "but Din protect that pretty face of yours."

A sentry's shout caught the warrior's attention. "At arms! At arms!" Lankin, Draton, and Viscen all turned toward the east wall. "They've arrived!"

Together the four hundred defenders drew their weapons and took their positions at the gate and wall.

"Look alive men!" Draton encouraged the soldiers. "Fight for Termina, for your homes! Fight for your families, whose very survival depends on your ability to stay strong all the way to the gates of Hell!"

The pounding of eight thousand pairs of boots upon the hard packed ground was deafening. The battle cries of the Hellspawn rose above the din as they spotted the defenders on the wall.

"Hold the gate as long as possible!" cried Viscen, clutching his spear. "If we lose the city, listen for the order to get underground!"

Clever of him, Kryn thought darkly. He said 'if' we lose the city as if we have a chance. The young voyager hadn't had particularly good luck since he'd been rescued from the ship. After sitting for days in a dark prison cell, he was now fighting a hopeless battle for a city he'd never heard of and people he didn't even know.

"Ready to leave?" whispered a voice in his ear.

Kryn whipped around to see Rift standing there. "Leave?"

"You weren't really planning on fighting in this little war, were you?" Rift grinned. "Personally mate, I'd rather live. You in?"

Kryn hadn't even considered running away. He glanced back at the gate; all the soldiers were concentrating on the approaching army, and the first sheet of arrows was already raining down over the wall. "Are we just going to keep turning tail like cowards?"

"Better a coward than a corpse."

Kryn sighed. "Fan?"

"I suppose she can come," winked the cloaked veteran.

"Glad I'm invited." Fan had overheard the conversation.

"We'd better get going," said Kryn. "Do you have a plan?"

"No."

"Do you ever have a plan?"

"On occasion."

Kryn chuckled. "What are we waiting for?"

No one noticed the three voyagers creeping silently away as four hundred brave Terminian soldiers whispered their final prayers and encountered the face of death.

……………………………..

"Leaving?"

"Becoming mortal."

The three women stared at their black-haired companion in disbelief. Even they hadn't foreseen this. "Why?"

"I love him."

"He isn't one of us."

"I love him! This is beyond your control, Nayru. There is someone else at work here."

"Chant?"

The dark-haired women nodded.

"And you have already decided?"

She nodded again.

"But there is work to be done now. Wait at least for the light at the end of the tunnel."

"I will, though it tortures me."

"We will miss you, sweet Leen."