[b]Chapter 2: Back to Back[/b]
Link and Tetra continued to run. The SS Hyrule and the cove on which it rested swiftly disappeared from sight as they headed further inland. A sheer mountain rose up ahead of them, looking imperious. Tetra came to an abrupt halt, Link almost running into her. "What is-" "Shh, I think I heard something." Tetra silenced Link. She paused, listening...
BANG! An ear-splitting explosion rocked the ground beneath their feet, causing them to stumble and fall to the ground. The woman's voice screamed again, causing Link's face to go white. "I know that voice." he said anxiously. Tetra pointed in the direction of the mountain's east side. "That way...the voice came from over there." she revealed. They got up and sprinted, faster still, in the direction that Tetra had pointed. "So, where do you know that voice from Link?" she asked as they ran. "I've never heard it before." "If it's who I think it was," Link replied "then there's no way you could've ever met them". A small cove opened up ahead of them, and they skidded to a stop. The prow of a sinking ship was aflame. "I know that ship." Link gasped. "But it can't be...no..."
Link turned away from the sinking ship and saw an opening in the mountain, that seemed to lead inside to a dark cavern or a tunnel. "I'm going to rescue her. And by the looks of it, there's more than one person who needs rescuing here." His jaw was set. "I'm going with you." Tetra said. "We don't know what it is we're facing, but we need to face it together. There looks to be too many enemies here for one to overcome alone." Link nodded. Both of them dashed to the cavern's yawning mouth, and entered. The tunnel inside was lit with burning torch brackets. They dashed along the tunnel, until theiy heard the sound of raised voices. "...how could you do this to us, Jolene? Why would you marry a Hylian? You know this is against our code. We Gerudo only use Hylian men for child bearing. We do not marry them. Why must you force this upon us? You know perfectly well that we do not wish to have you imprisoned." Link and Tetra peered through an opening in the tunnel as the Gerudo called Jolene choked "Because...because I love him!" The room was full of about 30 women with tan skin and varying shades of red and brown hair, the Gerudo, as they called themselves. One of these, presumably Jolene, was in chains. Kneeling on the floor, tied up in front of the Gerudo chieftainess, was a man with long, dark hair, and a moustache and beard. There were many cuts to his face and hands, and his blue coat was tattered and torn.
Tetra stole into the room, creeping along the wall, unnoticed by the Gerudo, whose attention was fixed on Jolene and this man. The Gerudo chieftainess said "You love him, you say. He is beneath you, Jolene. And now he shall be executed, in order to teach you what happens when you fall in love with those who are beneath you." The man on the floor looked up as the chieftainess drew her sword, aghast. "NO! LINEBECK!" Jolene screamed. At that moment, Link leapt into the room, wielding the sword that Orca had given him, many years ago. He leapt over the Gerudo, placing himself and his blade between the chieftainess and Linebeck. The guard behind him advanced towards Linebeck, but suddenly, there was a flash of silver through her chest, as Tetra's cutlass sliced through her. "Link?" Linebeck and Jolene gasped in unison. "KILL THEM!" the chieftainess shrieked. The Gerudo drew their blades as one, except for one, who leapt over to Jolene and Linebeck, and slashed their chains. "So, you have decided to side with her, Joanne?" the chieftainess enquired. "Of course. She's my sister after all." the Gerudo called Joanne replied, her jaw set grimly. Joanne leapt at a nearby Gerudo, and another, stabbing them in the stomach. "Here" she said, taking their blades and tossing them to Linebeck and Jolene. "Take these."
Link and Tetra, and Jolene and Linebeck stood back to back, with Joanne in front of them, as they were swiftly surrounded by the Gerudo. "I'm glad it's like this." Tetra said to Link. "What do you mean?" Link said, puzzled. "Well, if I'm going to die, I'd rather die at your side than anywhere else. "That's a comforting thought." Link replied with just a hint of a smirk on his face. "Here they come." Jolene muttered grimly. The defendants leapt at the advancing Gerudo, disarming them of their swords and killing them with a stab and a slash. Soon 27 Gerudo lay dead on the floor of the cavern. All except one. The Gerudo chieftainess leapt at Joanne, stabbing her in her back. Jolene gave a howl of terror as Joanne's unconscious body fell to the ground. Link and Tetra caught her as she fell, and together wih Linebeck managed to support her out of the cavern as the chieftainess advanced on Jolene. Jolene's yell of hatred echoed off the cavern walls, as her blade, sharpened by her hatred of the chieftainess, slashed at her face and chest, causing her to fall to her knees. "All...we wanted was... for...you to...be happy...Jolene. Is that...so wrong?" the chieftainess begged of Jolene. Jolene, didn't answer, and, turning her back on the chieftainess as she breathed her last, walked out of the cavern.
Meanwhile, outside in the sunshine, Tetra had wrapped her jacket around Joanne to help staunch the wound, but she was still bleeding copiously. She, Link and Linebeck were facing a race against time to support her back to the SS Hyrule, where she could be treated properly. They headed resolutely onwards, with Joanne's life hanging in the balance...