A Note To New Readers:
Hey there! This story is currently undergoing some maintenance at the moment, and as such, what you have read up until this point may clash, be out of place or jump ahead/behind the chapters that follow. Please know that I am writing as fast as I can to rerelease these new chapters and believe me when I say that the story will be more concise and flow better, (not to mention be much more interesting from the get go). Please bear with me and enjoy nonetheless!
-Jack Knights
The Claw Shot retracted itself, bringing the two men to hang amidst the vines that clung to the mountainside. Link was about to tell Dagg to let go of his belt, but the Gerudo had already done so. Releasing the catch, the claw opened and Link fell several feet to the still-green ground, landing in a crouch, ready for an attack. Dagg had done likewise, bow drawn and awaiting an enemy. After several seconds of nothing but the sound of their heavy breathing and the distant crackle of flame, Link stood tall again, replacing the Claw Shot within his bag and drawing his sword once more. He stepped past the dark-skinned man and towards the flames anew.
"What are you doing?" Dagg asked, grabbing the Hylian's arm.
"I'm going in there after Sheik," Link explained, confused as he snatched his arm away. "Where else would I go?"
"You can't go back in there, it's too dangerous," he said with lacklustre.
"But Sheik—"
"Is already dead, most likely," he murmured, looking away with a pained expression. "He fell amongst the fire and the tree fell on top of him. Even if he missed them both, he's been knocked unconscious. You'll never find him."
"What in Din's name is wrong with you?" he shouted, yanking his arm away. "He's your friend! And I know that if that was you in there, he'd go after you regardless of the situation!"
"He knew the risks…" the Gerudo mumbled. "We took an oath to protect those in need."
"Damn the risks! Damn your oath and damn everything else! Listen to your heart instead of your brain for once!" Link said furiously as he grabbed the man by the lapels. "I won't leave him behind! I won't let someone else die for me, not again!"
Dagg thrust his hand away, his face dark and foreboding. Link faltered for a moment, his anger ebbing away. "I…"
"You said you took an oath to protect those in need, right? And what is he right now if not in the direst of circumstances," he said, gritting his teeth as he bit back his anger. When Dagg remained silent, he turned on his heel on the man. "I saw a bridge from the air. Due East. It's escaped the fire, so it should be safe. Go that way and you can make your escape."
"What about you?" Dagg said finally, his voice low.
"I refuse to be a coward and leave a friend in need," he muttered as he walked away. "He saved my life; it's time I repaid the favour."
Pulling his shirt up to cover his face, Link pressed forward, trying to keep a steady jog as he headed in the general direction from whence they came. At least, he hoped so; the smoke was so thick now that he could hardly see and the path ahead was unclear. Twice he lost his way dodging falling, flaming branches, only to burn himself on something else. Dammit… if this keeps up, I'll be the one in need of rescuing, Link admitted grudgingly.
Out of nowhere a Moblin ran at him, its skin caught aflame, screaming horribly as it dashed about frantically. Not one to be cruel, Link quickly ended its life. Nothing can escape the flames, he realized as he called out for Sheik again. The roar of the flames muffled his voice and he was unsure if he could be heard at all. It seems as if Dagg was right… Sheik is surely dead. But still he went on, searching for the wounded blonde. His head swam from lack of clean air to breathe and he coughed violently, his vision dimming.
Just as he was about to turn around and head back the way he came, he spotted something glimmering among the earth. Running towards it, he dropped to his knees to find it was Sheik's weighted chain. He picked it up, only to find it too hot to touch. Blowing on his fingers, he pulled down the sleeve of his shirt and gingerly picked it up. When he pulled on it, it became taught, having caught on something. He yanked harder and a groan reached his ears from a distance away.
"Sheik!" he called, scanning the ground. Another moan sounded, stronger than before. He's at the end of the chain! Link realized as he pulled stood. Instantly, he taken over by a wave of dizziness and fell to his knees again. I need to find him and get out of here fast… On hands and knees, he followed the chain's length through the dirt, eventually reaching a pile of smoldering rubble. The chain disappeared beneath the debris and Link rounded it. There, on the other side of a fallen log, half-dragged out of the ash lay Sheik's form, motionless.
Grabbing him by the arm, Link pulled, trying to drag the pale man out from under the still burning wood. After a few moments of furtive pulling, he collapsed to the ground, breathing hard as his vision grew black around the edges. It's no use… I can't free him like this… Going around, he shoved at the wood that pinned Sheik to the forest floor.
"L…Link?" he heard the young blonde murmur. The Hylian looked down at him and sighed with relief. The young blonde was awake and, apart from a gash on his forehead that bled lightly, he looked fine.
"Sit tight, I'll get you out of there," he warned Sheik as he shrugged another piece of wood to the side. I'm getting weaker and there's still so much left to move before I can drag him out, Link huffed, wiping a line of sweat from his face.
"Behind you!" Sheik suddenly shouted. Whirling about, Link managed to lift his sword from the floor in time to block a spear aimed at his chest. The Moblin attacking him grinned, grunting as it shoved the spear at him again. Suddenly, its eyes went wide, growing dull as it pitched forward. Link scurried out of the way as it fell face forward, three arrows jutting out of its back.
Who—
"Link!" came Dagg's distant voice in answer.
"Over here!" Link shouted happily. Dagg appeared through the smoke, a cloth around his mouth and his eyes watering, bow still drawn and ready. His skin was blackened and his clothes were ripped and smoldering in some places.
"You came," Link stated, surprised when the Gerudo dropped to the ground beside Sheik, his expression grim. "I thought—"
"You thought wrong," he interrupted, hauling aside the heavier debris. "Sheik, talk to me; what hurts and how badly?"
"My head," he muttered, trying to wake himself. "My back and my left arm too."
Finally free, Dagg carried him away into the relative safeness of a clearing. As he set about treating the young man, Link stared at the burning trees, feeling his heart clench. My home is gone… he lamented.
No, that's not right. My home never was here, he corrected himself, looking away. For the longest time my home has been the fields, the lakes and rivers. The castle… he added with remorse. It's been as much as well… Shaking himself of his despair, he went over to Dagg and Sheik.
"He'll be fine," Dagg answered before he could ask. He nodded, looking at the pale blonde, whose eyes were closed, his chest rising and falling slowly as he rested.
"We can't stay here long," he stated. "Unless the villagers get this fire under control, it will eventually burn its way here."
"I know, but Sheik—"
"Is awake and feels fine," he answered for the Gerudo, his eyes opening warily. "He's right, we need to make our escape now before our way is cut off by the flames," he added when Dagg began to protest.
"Alright," he grudgingly agreed, helping the blonde to his feet. "We should head for that bridge you pointed out, Link. It seems like our best bet at this time. Do you think you can carry him?"
"No-one needs to carry me," Sheik said as he got to his feet. "I can still fight."
"Don't push yourself," Dagg warned him, but didn't stop him as the pale blonde stretched. When he winced, Dagg sighed. "I told you…"
"Let's get going," Link interrupted, pushing his way past the two of them.
"There's Bulblins stationed over that ridge there," Sheik called out as he climbed down a tree he'd climbed to survey from. "About thirty of them, just patrolling the path to the bridge."
"Damn… we can't take them all head on like that," Link muttered as he gritted his teeth. "Did you see any other way to get there? Was there some other path?"
"Nothing," the blonde shook his head as he jumped the last few feet to the ground. "And there's no secret passage I know of that could take us across that chasm."
"Let's go off the track and see if we can't sneak up on them from the side," Dagg suggested. Without any better plan, the three of them walked into one of the last green areas of the forest. After several minutes, a massive tree blocked their way forward, surrounded by bottomless pits. They stopped for a quick rest, deciding it was as good a place as any.
"What is this place?" Sheik wondered aloud.
"It's a temple..." Link muttered, remembering the time he'd explored it. His two companions exchanged curious look, but he ignored them. Let them think and scratch their brains all they want, he thought bitterly. If no-one knows who I am, then it's better if it stays that way. It's easier to bare the guilt that way…
"Sheik, go survey the area for another path," he commanded the young man. With a sigh, he was off, disappearing among the trees as he flitted about.
"Rupee for your thoughts?" Dagg inquired when Link had grown eerily silent. He began to shake his head, but caught himself, something coming to mind.
"When I was attacked by the Bulblin Lord… he said Ganondorf wanted me alive. Why?" he asked, his eyes downcast. Dagg looked puzzled, obviously confused. "Does he command the monsters? Why didn't the people in the hospital panic when they say them? Why did they react so… volatile towards me?"
The Gerudo studied the despondent man before him, his expression blank. Link grew quiet, his expression solemn as he stared at the ground. "It's rumoured that he commands not only the Bulblins, but most of the underworld and its creatures, including the Moblins we've fought recently. Nothing has been proven of course. He's careful to cover his tracks."
He always was good at hiding… "Where's he now?"
"In the castle, no doubt," Dagg frowned, looking to the trees. "He hardly ever leaves the citadel nowadays. Not since the last attempt on his life."
Link made to ask him something else, but Sheik came bounding back, his mouth a tight line.
"Did you see any path we could all take?" the Gerudo asked him as he got to his feet. Link looked up at him, his eyes burning for answers. But the Gerudo had turned his back to him, unslinging the bow from his shoulder.
"Over that way," he motioned with his thumb, pointing through the trees. "There's a path cut into the rock face we can follow for at least a hundred yards. I didn't get to the end, but there's an overhang just above it. It's big and sturdy enough for the three of us and it overlooks the bridge."
"Alright, show us the way," Dagg said with a nod.
Sheik bounded ahead of them, keeping a lookout as they walked through the last of the leafy greenery and back into the black and scorched forest. Once or twice they came across a small group of people, but they paid them no heed, too preoccupied with putting out the remaining fires. Link noted that Sid was not among them. He couldn't help but wonder where the Hylian had disappeared to. Sheik slowed his pace, crouching behind a boulder as he scanned the area.
"Damn Bulblins… they've got a watch set up on both sides of the bridge now."
Link looked around the large rock, frowning when he saw that Sheik was right. "They're quick to mobilize, it seems."
"Where's that ledge?" Dagg murmured. Sheik pointed to his right and led them off, back through the trees. He stopped suddenly, stumbling back.
"Goddesses, Sheik, watch where you—" Link began, but the pale blonde hushed him, pointing into the distance. Squinting, Link noticed the stout figures of monsters several yards away. "Is that where the ledge is?"
"Just before that pack of Bulblins, there on the left," Sheik confirmed, scowling.
"What do we do now?"
"We take them out, obviously," Dagg answered, unslinging his bow and taking aim. He let the arrow fly, immediately taking aim with another. It struck a Bulblin in the gut and a muffled gurgle of surprise was the only noise it managed to make before it fell, dead. As Dagg's arrows struck the farthest ones, Sheik and Link flanked the rest of the goblins, surrounding them. Within seconds the pack was decimated and the trio was free to move on.
"You've gotten better with a bow," Sheik noted as they reached scuffled along a barely foot wide ledge. "At least now you can hit your targets."
"Could you possibly have discovered a more dangerous path to follow?" Dagg said through gritted teeth. "I said find a place where we could trek easily."
"You're fat ass seems to be only one having trouble," the pale blonde noted. "Link seems to be fine."
"That's because I'm too tired to complain…" Link muttered wearily.
"'Sides, we both know you're just afraid of heights," Sheik grinned at the Gerudo as the climbed up to the overhang he'd mentioned.
"It's not so much the height," Dagg gasped as he hauled himself up, "as it is the bottomless pit below that frightens me."
"Well, what's the plan?" Sheik asked as Dagg scanned the area.
"There's definitely too many for me to take out with arrows alone," Dagg said after several minutes. He looked at his quiver, which only had about ten arrows left in it. "We could charge the bridge, but that would end in disaster, no doubt."
"What about a sneak attack?" Link offered. "This ledge leads right up to the bridge. We could launch an attack from the middle and charge forward."
"Again, not a good idea," the Gerudo shook his head. "We'd be surrounded before we could make a dent in their forces. That is, if they don't see us coming; the ledge is exposed and narrow. If one of them glanced our way while we were on it, we'd be attacked from a distance without being able to defend or strike back."
"I've got a second Claw Shot," Link rummaged around in his pack, withdrawing both of the devices. "Sheik could grapple your way under the bridge to the other side and take out the monsters on that side, while you and I advance from the front."
"Huh…" Sheik muttered, brows furrowed as he contemplated the Hylian's suggestion. "It could work. I can take the guys on the ground, Dagg could provide cover from behind and take out any archers and Link could charge the rest on the bridge."
"I've told you, I don't have enough arrows," Dagg huffed. "I count at least twenty archers, but there could be more. I might be good with a bow, but no one is that good."
Sheik huffed and scowled before lowering himself down to the ledge and going back the way they came. Before Link or Dagg could ask him where he was going, he was back, a quiver full of arrows in his hands. He tossed it to Dagg, who stared at them in surprise. "They're small, and roughly hewn, but I can't honestly expected better form the Bulblins."
"Never mind that," Sheik batted his observations away. "Can you use them?"
"They're not ideal, and a bit too short for this bow, but I should be able to."
"Great, problem solved. Let's get out of here."
Sheik scurried along the cliff side, faster than either of them could have possibly gone and was well in position before Dagg and Link reached the path before the bridge. Link's keen ears picked up on the Claw Shots being fired and he watched the pale blonde make his way across the gorge from underneath the bridge. Luckily, the Bulblins heard nothing and continued patrolling aimlessly.
"Now," Dagg said, letting the arrow fly. It hit a Bulblin, who fell on one of its fellow warriors with a crunch. The Claw Shots sounded again, latching onto the cliff face far above and Link ran forward, shouting a war cry to distract the monsters from Sheik. Several of them turned, surprised; Link cut the down posthaste. As he continued his advance, he noticed a handful of them drawing the bows, but Dagg's arrows sunk into their bodies before they could release their volley. He slashed widely at the Bulblins in front of him, slicing them open. The air soon reeked of blood, the goblin's life running freely over the edge of the wooden bridge. Link saw Sheik out of the corner of his eye, engaging the Bulblins on the other side of the bridge.
As he sliced the stomach of the last Bulblin on his side of the bridge, Sheik looked up. Seeing several Bulblins firing arrows from a perch on the mountain, he took a Claw Shot and aimed at them. The claw struck a monster in the head and the monster reeled, pitching forward. The creature fell from the cliff, landing with a sickening crunch several feet away from Sheik. He slowly began picking them off in this manner, the monsters too stupid to realize that their comrades were falling to their deaths. As he took aim at the last one, a monster on the bridge charged at him, crashing into the blonde from behind. The two fell to the ground, now fighting with their fists. Sheik struck out with the hand that still clutched the Claw Shot, striking the monster in the chin. Its head whipped to the side as its arms flailed about, knocking the device from the young man, sending it clattering across the floor. Forgetting about the device, Sheik pushed the body off of him, grimacing at the smell of the monster.
Their attack was swift and well-coordinated, and within minutes the amassed monsters were dead. As Sheik went to retrieve the Claw Shot, something in the distance caught his eye. What in the world? He wondered as something deep within the forest shifted.
"Link, what do you—" he began, approaching the Hylian. But his question died in his mouth when the first grunts reached his ears. A looming shadow was advancing through the forest. "Moblins! Dagg, run!" he shouted, dashing towards the big man. Link heard the cry and looked into the distance, and upon seeing the same thing, ran for the other side of the bridge.
The Gerudo stopped, confused; when the sound of approaching hooves reached his ears, he turned and looked behind him. As a wave of Moblins crashed through the trees, Dagg did the opposite of running away. He knelt on one knee, bow at the ready. Taking five arrows, he drew them back simultaneously and let fly. All five of the projectiles hit with deadly accuracy, dropping the front-most monsters. Link reached the man first, just as an approaching Moblin dodged an arrow of Dagg's club swinging towards the defenseless man's head. He parried the blow with his sword, crashing his shoulder into the monster before slitting its throat.
"Move!" he commanded Dagg, who surprisingly obeyed, albeit running backwards while still taking out as many of the foul beasts as he could. Sheik stayed by the man's side, protecting him from any monsters he wasn't able to take out with his arrows. Dammit… there's too many of them! Sheik realized as they finally reached the bridge.
"I'm almost out of arrows!" Dagg shouted as his bow twanged, firing at the army drawing closer. As if they didn't have enough to contend with already, a much larger Bulbin astride an impossibly large boar suddenly crashed through the trees. Goddesses dammit! Not the Bulblin Lord! Sheik nearly cried out. The massive Bulblin ploughed through the Moblins in his path as swung a massive hammer above his head, bellowing madly.
"Forget them, just run!" Link shouted at his companions, who stopped fighting and ran like mad. "Sheik, start cutting the ropes on the other side!"
"Right!" Sheik shouted, putting on a burst of speed as he ran for the other side. Sword drawn, he immediately began hacking at the thick ropes keeping the bridge from collapsing. Link shouted at Dagg and the two ran for the bridge, ducking blows from the monsters, the Bulblin Lord roaring in anger as they made to escape.
Despite their speed and the apparent slowness of the enemy, Link and Dagg were only able to keep several feet ahead of the monsters. At this rate, they'll overtake us! Link realized. As he ran, he noticed the Claw Shot Sheik had dropped earlier laying against the wood. A risky plan began forming in his head.
"Dagg, grab hold of my belt," he ordered the Gerudo, who did so without question. The left side of the bridge dropped suddenly, the ropes keeping it upright snapping as they strained with the weight the supports had previously held. The entire bridge lurched, sending several Bulblins to the deaths as they fell off. Link and Dagg crashed to the floor, several feet away from the Claw Shot. An angered roar sounded behind them as the Bulblin Lord, who hadn't fallen off the bridge, began charging at them. The floor beneath their feet began undulating as the heavy creature stomped its feet and they gripped the wood desperately, trying to keep from rolling off.
Link spied the Claw Shot bouncing across the wood, ever so close to him as the Bulblin Lord drew nearer. He strained his arm, trying desperately to grab hold of it, but the device was proving difficult to catch as it skidded around madly, slipping away from his grip. He saw Sheik begin to abandon the right side supports of the bridge and he shouted angrily at the blonde.
"Cut through them completely!" he shouted at Sheik, who'd been looking on with apprehension, unsure whether to go back and help or continue with his task.
"I can't, the bridge will collapse with you on it!" he protested.
"Just do it!" the Hylian yelled as his hand closed on the Claw Shot. With a wordless shout, Sheik swung his sword through the last of the supports keeping the bridge up. Time seemed to slow as the ropes on the right side of the bridge groaned in protest, but held. The Bulblin Lord was nearly upon them and Sheik watched on, unable to do anything. Suddenly, the last of the ropes broke and the floor beneath them gave way. As Link and Dagg plummeted through the air, tumbling as they fell, the Hylian struggled to get a clear shot.
Don't fail me now… he begged, praying to the Goddesses as he released the catch on the Claw Shot.