Eight
Princess Zelda and Dar sprinted through the rocky tunnels burrowing through the Gorons' mountain, seeking an exit that would allow them to come to the aid of the Hero, Link.
Although she was a princess, Zelda did not much look like one at that moment, wearing a soot-stained nightgown and a pair of leather boots under a long heavy coat, with her long golden hair loose and tangled from sleep. But her appearance was the furthest thing from her mind at that moment; she was more concerned with finding a way to help the man who had been protecting her and her brother for the last several weeks to defeat the dark mage known only as the Sorcerer.
Link and the Sorcerer were fighting outside on the volcano's slope, trading both sword strikes and blasts of either lightning or magic, and Zelda was gripped with a fear, not for herself, but for Link. He was the Hero, true, and more than lived up to the legends of his predecessors, but his lack of experience still put him at risk from so dangerous a foe as the Sorcerer.
After what seemed like an hour but what was probably only a few minutes, the princess and the Goron burst out into the open. What struck Zelda first was how hellish the landscape outside was; at first it looked like nothing earthly, and a momentary superstition insisted that she'd somehow strayed into the underworld.
The night was thick and black, hanging almost like a dark blanket over the scene, and the heat and ash belching forth from Death Mountain's cone turned the air to a poisonous fume, choking her, though Dar did not seem bothered in the slightest. This was his home, after all, and Gorons were made of sterner stuff by far than Hylians.
Through the cloud of ash and smoke, Zelda could dimly make out two figures high upon the slope, standing almost on the rim of the great mountain. As she watched, squinting through the heat mirages thrown between her and the duel by the multitudinous streams of molten lava, the two figures exchanged a furious series of attacks and counterattacks, the sound of steel smashing against steel with tremendous force echoing off the rocks and ringing in her ears.
Quickly, one of the figures flashed with bright light, but when no rumble of thunder reached her ears, Zelda knew it had been the Sorcerer who attacked. His opponent, Link, went soaring through the air in an out-of-control tumble, as if he had been launched from a catapult, and as she watched in horror, he landed heavily across an outcropping on the very rim of the fiery mountain and did not rise.
She made to step further out of the tunnel, but a massive arm blocked her way.
"I don't think we can go up there," Dar rumbled, his deep voice edged with concern and anger. "There are too many lava streams to cross, and the ground is treacherous. I won't risk your safety for this, Little Sister."
Zelda gestured desperately at the ominously still shape of the Hero, draped over the outcropping without so much as a twitch. "We have to, Dar!" she shouted over the wind. "Link is in trouble!"
Dar stooped to pick up a large stone bigger around than her head. "That he is, Little Sister. But, we can still help him from here."
To demonstrate, he hurled the stone high into the air, where it soared in a long arc before crashing down with perfect accuracy between the Sorcerer's shoulders, knocking the dark mage to the ground.
The distant shape leaped to his feet and sent a stream of burning orange energy back at the Goron, though his aim was off and it impacted several yards from their position. Dar grinned widely, the smile seeming to stretch across his entire face, and he stooped for another stone.
"If you would, Little Sister, I could use your help in collecting ammunition," he said, gathering up more loose rocks in one huge hand.
Zelda immediately bent to her task, scrambling over the rough ground in search of suitable missiles for her companion. As she was doing so, she heard more heavy footsteps, and as she looked up, Zelda was surprised to see a large number of Gorons crowding out of their tunnel and more nearby, come to watch the fight.
A hearty cheer rose from the gathered rock-men, and Zelda looked up to see that Link had finally hauled himself to his feet, moving very slowly but thankfully alive. She could see only a distant, wavering silhouette, but she guessed he must have numerous painful wounds by now. This could only hurt his chances against the Sorcerer, and her fear for him increased.
Dar had this covered, though. In a loud, booming voice, he shouted to his fellow Gorons as he gestured up the mountain. "Come on, Brothers!" he bellowed. "Drive the creature over the rim!"
Shouting exuberantly, the Gorons scrambled for their own missiles and began flinging stones with great force at the cloaked shape higher up the volcano's slope. Many of them came quite close, but the Sorcerer gestured angrily with one arm and an orange shield sprang into existence between himself and the rock-men, partially obstructing the view.
Zelda watched helplessly as he charged at the staggering Hero, sword raised in deadly threat.
--
--
Link saw something big and dark coming at him, and he brought up the Staff of Lightning, discharging a powerful bolt that hit the shape square in the middle and knocked it flying over the enormous crater of the volcano. He sagged in relief against the outcropping he had landed on as the deafening rumble of the thunder rolled over the cone of Death Mountain, thankful for at least a momentary respite.
If there was a part of him that wasn't aching, he couldn't find it. He was bleeding from numerous cuts and wounds, most of them on his chest and shoulders from when he'd landed on jagged patches of stone during one of his tumbles.
But, as a patch of blood on a nearby flat stone he knew he had not left proved, he'd managed to wound his opponent at least once. Link wondered where he'd managed to land a hit on the Sorcerer, and how serious the wound was. He knew it was too much to hope that he'd pierced something vital, but hopefully it would slow the dark mage some.
The Hero was exhausted; not only had he been hit numerous times and taken several painful falls, he'd had to hike up most of Death Mountain's crater in pursuit of the Sorcerer, and his leg muscles were trembling from the strain of his exertions.
Keeping an eye out for the Sorcerer, Link laid aside the Staff of Lightning and reached into his magic pocket for a bottle. As usual, the item he had been thinking of sprang into his hand almost immediately, and as he squinted at it in the dull orange light, he thought it was a bottle of red potion, one he'd purchased on his last trip to Castle Town.
He yanked out the cork with his teeth and spat it aside, then poured the chalky-tasting concoction down his throat. He coughed on it once, but didn't stop until he had drained the entire bottle. Quickly, Link felt the restorative properties of the potion surge through his body, and he felt a little less tired, his aches fading until they were dull and barely noticeable. A few of his less severe wounds stopped bleeding, and as he reached up to wipe the sweat out of his eyes, his hand came away red from the gash on his forehead, but it seemed to have closed over.
Link glanced at his bare right arm, with the bandage over the deep cut on his bicep, and as he flexed it, he thought the wound under the bandage had also closed. He absently wiped away some of the dark soot caking his skin, noting with distant amusement that his remaining sleeve was just as stained with residue, hardly any of the original white visible.
As he reached down for the Staff of Lightning, an orange blast of energy whined down and knocked the artifact away from his grasp.
Reacting with the superhuman reflexes provided by his Triforce, Link spun away and hurled the empty glass bottle in his hand in the direction of the beam. He was both surprised and fiercely amused when he heard the bottle shatter and a pained grunt from the Sorcerer.
Before the dark mage could further react, Link kicked the Staff of Lightning into his hand and quickly sheathed his sword. Whirling the staff through his hands to build momentum, Link leaped forward and smashed the ball at the head of the staff as hard as he could into the cloaked figure's stomach.
The Sorcerer's breath left him in a great rush, and he stumbled back, but Link gave him no time to recover, mercilessly striking the dark mage twice more before hooking his ankle behind the Sorcerer's knee. Link let go of the staff with one hand and punched the evil magic-user as hard as he could in the jaw as he simultaneously tripped him.
As the dark mage tumbled, he snaked out a tendril of magic and tripped Link at the same time. Link landed hard on his face, the rough stone scraping his cheek as a protuberance dealt him a blow to the stomach so severe he could not breathe for a few moments afterward.
The Sorcerer scrambled for his sword, but as he leaped at the Hero, he found Link with his own blade in hand. Link blocked the strike, surely a mortal one if he hadn't been able to bring up his own weapon, and rolled to his feet, keeping the point of his sword aimed at his enemy. He did not know where the Staff of Lightning had fallen, and he tried to get a glimpse of it at the edges of his vision as he slowly circled the Sorcerer.
So quickly Link could not react, the Sorcerer moved his hands in a quick pattern and a hailstorm of thin orange lances sprang at him like a rain of needles. Link tried to dodge, but could not move fast enough and so many of the lances hit him. He cried out in pain as the lances of fire dug into his flesh, and he stumbled backwards, collapsing hard against the unforgiving stone.
Time seemed to slow, and he watched as if from a great distance as the Sorcerer slowly stalked toward him, sword raised for the death-blow.
--
--
Zelda gasped as she saw Link fall back against the Sorcerer's assault, and desperately, she wished that she had the power of flight, so that she could soar up the mountain to help her protector.
But the Triforce of Wisdom granted its bearer no such power, and so she was forced to stay next to Dar, watching helplessly as all hope seemed to fade. At the back of her mind, Zelda saw in a vision what would happen if Link fell beneath the Sorcerer's blade this night.
The dark mage would come first for her, and the Gorons would not be able to resist him. They would all fall beneath his dark powers, and then he would kill her, quickly but cruelly. Next he would go after her brother, and the line of the Hylian Royal Family would perish completely.
Hyrule would fall under darkness, though she could not see if it was the Sorcerer himself sitting in the dark mockery of her family's throne room she saw in the vision, all draped in black and gray. The Dark Lord who came to rule the Golden Kingdom would use its power to spread darkness over first the continent surrounding them, then across the world.
The Triforce would be forced together and bent to an evil will, she saw, though she still could not see the face of the grim man who wielded it. The vision showed her a single man draped in black and dark purple standing against an army in unfamiliar uniforms on a wide green field under a thick pall of clouds. As Zelda watched, horrified, a golden triangle made of three smaller triangles blazed upon his hand, and he swept into the army with all the force of a hurricane, scattering men like leaves as blindingly bright energy swirled about him, incinerating hundreds more.
Next, she saw the faceless man in black and purple standing on a high platform constructed of black stone, arms crossed over his chest as thousands of wretched people passed before him, herded off into a series of smoking foundries to be used as slaves to make weapons of war. A number of grim guardians stood behind the Dark Lord, swords, pikes, and other weapons in their hands as they watched their master's plans unfold with satisfaction.
The world would fall into a terrible darkness for a thousand years if the Triforce were wrenched away from its guardians, Zelda understood through the vision. Enemies beyond count desired to seize its power for themselves, she knew, and the only place it was safe was here in Hyrule under the protection of the Goddesses, her family, and the Heroes.
Just as suddenly as it began, the vision left her, and Zelda blinked in momentary disorientation, reaching out to steady herself against Dar next to her.
"Are you all right, Little Sister?" Dar asked, looking down at her with concern.
"I'm fine," Zelda replied, still puzzling over the vision. "Can you see what's happening?"
Dar shook his head. "I can't see anything up there," he rumbled, concern still tingeing his deep voice. "But I fear Little Brother may have met his end."
--
--
Back up on the rim of the volcano, Link watched as the Sorcerer slowly stalked toward him, sword poised to strike. He could not summon the strength to move, it seemed, and could do nothing but wait.
The Sorcerer took another slow step, his glowing orange eyes glaring down at Link with murderous intent while the gleaming length of steel in his hand reflected the lava streams around them. He almost seemed to be prolonging his stalk, enjoying seeing his victim helpless before him.
Link felt drained, utterly spent. His body hurt so much that he felt like every breath was an agony, his muscles afire, and he knew they would pain him even more if he tried to move.
The Sorcerer took another step closer.
Something metal nearby caught his eye, and he saw the Staff of Lightning lying on the rocks next to him, just out of arm's reach from his current position. The way he felt, it might as well have been on the other side of Hyrule.
The Sorcerer took another step closer.
Link noticed his sword lay nearby, also. If he stretched, just a little, he would have both his weapons in hand, and he could fight back. Or he could just lay here and wait for death to come to him.
The Sorcerer took another step closer. One more step, and he would be close enough to plunge his blade into Link's heart.
Link suddenly felt a great surge of strength and determination flow through him. Pain be damned. It was time to end this.
The Sorcerer finally reached him and stabbed down, but Link rolled to the side and seized the staff. He whipped it around and planted it in the center of the Sorcerer's chest, then let loose the wards sealing the power of lightning inside the weapon, pouring all the energy he could into his foe.
The whole mountain lit up with a bright white flash as electricity poured into the dark mage. It seemed to Link as if he could sometimes see the Sorcerer's bones through his skin and clothes, the lightning crackling and hissing as the Hero sent it raging in.
A high, agonized keening tore out of the Sorcerer, almost like a scream of anguish but oddly echoing and strangely pitched. The ghastly noise was nothing a mortal throat could have produced, and Link shuddered involuntarily, disturbed at hearing such an unnatural sound.
Finally, he cut off the flow of electricity and painfully hauled himself upright. His sword in one hand and the Staff of Lightning in the other, Link slowly moved toward the Sorcerer, who staggered away gasping, both hands pressed to his chest.
With all the strength he could muster, Link struck the dark mage between the shoulders with the head of the staff, letting a bolt of energy out upon contact. For Majacen.
Before the Sorcerer could fall on his face, Link hit him again in the center of the chest, letting out another bolt that knocked him in the other direction. For Gareth.
Again, before the Sorcerer could fall, Link whirled the staff over his head and smashed the ball at the top hard into the place where the dark mage's neck met his shoulder, pouring hot electricity in a near lightning-strength bolt upon contact. For Zelda.
The Sorcerer let out an odd, ghostly grunt, a weirdly echoing noise, and stumbled back on the rocks.
Jaw set in determination, the wind swirling around him and setting his clothes and hair fluttering, Link locked eyes with his enemy and took a slow step forward. With all his remaining strength, he rammed his sword straight through the center of the dark mage's chest, piercing his heart.
The Sorcerer's head fell back as he let out another bone-chilling shriek, screaming in pain at the mortal blow.
When at last the howl faded away, Link planted a boot next to his sword and shoved the Sorcerer off his blade, sending him toppling backwards over the rim of Death Mountain.
Still as a statue, Link watched as the Sorcerer tumbled, his dark robes and cloak fluttering from the speed of his descent before he finally fell into the lava below, vanishing in an instant.
The Hero of Lightning heaved a great sigh of relief; his task was done. Zelda and her brother were safe at last, and his struggle was over.
It seemed as if the entire world went silent for a moment, a deep breath before a cry of jubilation.
In the next moment, a great burst of sickly-looking orange light surged upwards from the place where the Sorcerer had fallen, and a sound like the crack of thunder rent the air. Lights flashed in a dozen explosions as the energy contained within the Sorcerer's body released itself back into the world.
The next several moments were filled with such explosions, streaks of light soaring over the volcano like a storm of fire, hissing and popping before finally exploding with another ground-shaking blast.
Link stumbled back, unable to keep his footing as the mountain rumbled and shook, groaning ominously. He heard a deafeningly loud sound like bubbling and popping, and then a tremendous fume of ash spewed out of the top of the mountain, knocking him flying backwards with its force.
He tumbled down the mountain, bouncing several times, and he screamed in agony as something snapped inside him. Around him, the world shook violently, something terrible deep within the earth straining to get out, building up pressure and heat until he felt like his skin was roasting off his bones.
A great roaring, crashing boom like the very earth itself being ripped apart rolled over Link, and he watched from his awkward, painful position as an impossibly long streak of fire leaped up from the top of Death Mountain, seeming to stretch up to burn the very clouds.
Black swarmed around the edges of his vision, and Link felt himself start to fade away. Just before he slipped down the black abyss, he thought he saw a momentary flash of a familiar face, and then he knew no more.
--
--
During the climax of the duel, Zelda watched with soaring spirits as Link suddenly stood from where he had fallen under the dark magic blasts, weapons clenched in his hands. The echoing shriek she thought the Sorcerer had made slowly faded away, and as she watched, Link struck the dark mage once, twice, three times with the Staff of Lightning, bright white light flashing with each strike. As the Sorcerer stumbled, Link plunged his sword through the evil mage's heart.
Dar threw up his arms and bellowed in triumph, cheering raucously along with the rest of the Gorons as Link planted his boot on the Sorcerer's chest and shoved him back into the volcano.
Zelda heartily joined in the cheer, rejoicing along with the crowd of mountain people in sheer joy. The nightmare was finally over, and their hunter was dead!
But, a moment later, a swirling pyrotechnic eruption screamed out of the volcano's cone, bursts of magic soaring through the air and exploding as the Sorcerer's vile power released itself back into the world. Zelda had never seen its like before, and to see the power their foe had contained was terrifying.
What happened next sent a whole new wave of terror surging through the princess. Death Mountain rumbled ominously, shaking violently, and Zelda felt with a sinking sense of dread what was about to happen.
A nearby Goron gave voice to her fear: "The mountain is erupting!" he bellowed.
Dar's eyes were wide with astonishment. "The volcano hasn't erupted in a thousand years!" he said disbelievingly.
As if mockingly going against his words, a tremendous plume of ash spewed high into the air. Something crackled within it, and for a moment the entire cloud was webbed through with snaking bursts of lightning, lighting up the night sky for miles around.
Zelda was nearly overwhelmed with the breath-taking display of the mountain's power, but Dar's thoughts were somewhere else.
"Link!" he shouted. "Link is up there!"
Moving faster than she had thought Gorons could, Dar sprinted off up the mountain, jumping over some obstacles and smashing others out of his way as he ran for his sworn brother, bellowing mightily along the way.
Zelda stumbled as the mountain shook again, falling painfully to her knees with the violence of the tremor.
A Goron seized her around the waist and threw her over his shoulder, turning to run back down the tunnel. As the Goron moved off, Zelda heard the other rock people shouting to each other, bellowing instructions over the earth-shattering rumble of their volcanic home.
Zelda's shaken mind caught that they were going to try and dig a trench to divert the lava flow before the Goron who had picked her up passed out of earshot, running with long steps deeper inside the mountain.
Then the world was all sound and light, fire and thunder, and she mercifully passed out.
--
--
Hours later, Zelda and Gareth stood with the Patriarch and Gor Ignus on the edge of the long canyon the Gorons' village and Kakariko occupied, watching in stunned disbelief as the lava flow buried the Goron village under a great river of molten rock.
The Gorons' trench had succeeded in diverting the flow away from Kakariko below, but at the cost of their own village, which was being completely destroyed. The sky was heavily overcast with clouds, and the stench of smoke hung thickly in the air. It was several hours after sunrise, but the great cloud of ash and smoke hanging overhead blotted out almost all light, making it seem night still.
Through the rest of the night, Zelda and Gareth had helped a veritable army of Goron youngsters and elders bring box after box away from the village, all that they could save of the countless irreplaceable treasures the Gorons watched over. Thankfully, no one had been killed that she knew of, and it looked like nothing that could not be replaced and rebuilt was being lost.
"The destruction is horrifying," Zelda said, watching as several buildings crumbled into the lava flow.
"This village stood for more than a thousand years," the Patriarch rumbled, massive arms crossed over his enormous chest. His features had a pained set to them as he watched the village he had protected be destroyed.
"It was built after the last eruption wiped the previous city away," said Gor Ignus. "The Gorons are used to this cycle, so most things are stored so that they can be brought quickly and safely away in case of an eruption." The ancient Goron smiled, his wrinkled face taking on a sad but accepting expression. "The Gorons' village has been rebuilt many times over the millennia," he said. "Now we can make it anew, built however we want."
The Patriarch nodded. After a moment, they fell into silence again.
They had had no word from Link or Dar at all since the eruption, and Zelda feared the mountain had taken them both. A great sense of sorrow welled up in Zelda's chest at the thought of this, and she felt a tear slide down her cheek, washing a thin trail through the soot caked on her face.
A soft set of footsteps approached their group from behind, crunching through the gravel scattered along the top of the cliff. Zelda turned to see the wizard Majacen approaching, his own face streaked with soot and his clothes torn and burnt in places. His long, graying black hair was tangled about his head, partly matted with blood from a gash on his forehead, and part of his long beard had been singed.
The wizard looked exhausted, barely able to keep his eyes open, and she noticed that he kept a hand pressed to his side, his fingers streaked with blood. He still gripped his ornately engraved sword in one hand, its hilt and blade smeared with some dark, oil-like substance she dared not guess at.
"Princess Zelda," he said in greeting, his voice tired but warm. "It is good to see you are safe."
"It is good to see you as well, Majacen," she replied, relieved that the wizard had survived the eruption.
He nodded tiredly as he wiped his sword off on the ragged remnants of his gray cloak and then sheathed it. He wiped his hands on his dark brown robe, leaving black smears on the singed and torn fabric. The wizard moved over to place a comforting hand on Zelda's shoulder as he stood next to her, watching the inexorable flow of the slowly cooling lava.
"Has there been any sign of Link?" he asked.
Zelda shook her head sadly. Gareth put his arm around her and sighed, sniffling. She squeezed his shoulder, fighting back tears of her own for their protector.
The small group watched for a few more minutes, their hearts heavy.
Suddenly, they heard a commotion as a lookout behind them spotted something moving. They turned to see, and Zelda squinted at the far-off shape, slowly able to make it out as a walking Goron carrying something in his massive arms. What little sun was able to make it through the clouds glinted for a moment off of something metal in the Goron's arms, and Zelda felt her heart leap.
The Goron moved closer, walking at a slow, steady pace with a bit of a limp. The sentries shouted back that it was Dar, and he had the Hero with him. A tremendous cheer went up from the gathered rock-people, and the Patriarch's bellow was almost painfully loud behind her.
Zelda could barely keep herself still, excitement swirling within her as she waited impatiently for Dar to come closer. But, when he was only a dozen yards away, she felt her heart sink. Link was motionless in the Goron's arms, limbs contorted painfully with his hands clenched like claws around his weapons.
She broke away from the group and ran over to meet Dar, the rest of them following close behind. Zelda gasped in horror as she saw that Link had been badly burned on his back and legs. He was alive, but his breathing was ragged and pain wracked his face, his eyes squeezed tightly shut.
"We were trapped," Dar said, his deep voice hoarse. "A great plume spouted up behind us, and I tried to shield him, but…" he trailed off sadly, looking helplessly at the battered Hero in his arms. "I… I do not know if he will live," he said quietly.
Zelda blinked away new tears, deep emotion wrenching within her at the thought of the pain Link must be in, all for her and her brother, all because of the Sorcerer and whatever plans had driven him.
"Come," said Majacen. "Bring him inside, and I will do what I can for him. The healing arts are known to me, though I do not know if I will be able to take away all of his injuries."
"I… I know some healing spells also," Zelda said. "I'll help you as best I can."
The rest of the Gorons watched somberly as Zelda and the others followed Dar, who carefully carried Link inside the nearest surviving building.
--
--
Majacen and Zelda spent the next several days healing Link, who drifted in and out of consciousness, sleeping fitfully.
The two were able to heal the worst of the burns, though Majacen grimly reported that Link would bear the scars for the rest of his life. Fortunately, he was able to make most of them faint, and almost all could be easily concealed under clothing.
As Link rested, Zelda talked with Majacen, deciding what to do.
They sat in the Hero's room, the princess at the head of the bed next to Link, and Majacen in the other chair next to the door. A small round window let the bright spring sunshine in, a cloudless blue sky visible above.
"We will be able to move Link soon," Majacen said, taking a sip of his tea. "He should wake up any time now."
"I've received the reply from the Prime Minister," Zelda said, holding up a piece of paper. "He says he's made an announcement letting everyone know Gareth and I are alive, and that he's begun organizing my coronation. We can return to Castle Town whenever we're ready."
"I will help you for a little while," Majacen said, "but I cannot stay long. I must be off again before summer begins."
Zelda was about to reply, but Link stirred beside her, shifting in the bed. Slowly, he opened his eyes, and the deep pools of blue sought out her face, lighting up as he recognized her.
"You're safe," he murmured. "That's good."
Zelda smiled, reaching out to brush some of his hair off his forehead. "Thanks to you," she said softly. "You saved us."
Link raised one arm, indicating the clean white bandages encircling his forearm. "Some Hero," he said, a tinge of amusement in his voice. "I had to be saved myself."
Almost as if summoned by his words, Dar poked his huge head into the room even as Link finished speaking. When he saw the young warrior moving around, he nearly slammed the door open in his excitement.
"You're awake, Little Brother!" he boomed, grinning happily. "We have all been very worried about you."
Link smiled tiredly. "I'll live."
Majacen chuckled merrily as he got to his feet. "Yes, young Hero," he said, "you will. You and I have many things to discuss, so you had best get your strength back quickly. There is much to be done."
"Yes, there is," Zelda agreed. "But let's let him have his rest."
She gestured for the others to leave, and was about to go herself when Link spoke again.
"I really did it, didn't I?"
Zelda smiled back at him. "Yes, you did. My brother and I owe you our lives many times over, as do many others. But for now, sleep."
Link was nodding off even as she left, falling into a well-deserved rest.
--
Author's Note: The last two parts of this story are finished, so I'll be posting them within the next few days. Thanks for reading, everybody!
Also, for those of you who are interested, the sequel to 'The Fourth Piece' is about to launch: the first chapter of 'The Secret War' will be posted 06/25/09. I hope you enjoy it!