Hello! It's time for another exciting chapter, yay. I just want to inform you all to read the author's note at the bottom of this chapter as it is fairly important. I reconsidered Link's latest injury from broken ribs at the last minute so if anyone finds something that doesn't quite fit with the chapter's logic, let me know.

Wow, my notes are getting shorter.

Chapter 12: Groose Lets Loose

After six days of rest, Link, Midna and Groose were back in fighting form, their wounds healed and Link's shield fully repaired. The best news of all was that the Peacekeepers had finally pinpointed the location of the next medallion. Their next target was the Light Medallion hidden nowhere other than the Temple of Time. In light of their previous failure, the team set out with a new-found determination.

They wasted no time as they warped directly to the ancient ruins in the sacred grove. It was the only way to get there really, with Skull Kid gone there was no hope of navigating the Lost Woods anymore. So far nothing seemed out of place within the ruined temple but who knew whether danger was hiding behind a crumbled stone wall or not. Link drew his sword and scanned the area for any trace of the medallion but with no success.

'Master,' Fi spoke in his mind, 'I do not sense the medallion nearby. However it is probable that the Light Medallion was hidden within the temple prior to its collapse, therefore entering the Temple of Time may provide a better result.'

Midna and Groose stood behind him waiting, ignorant of the spirit's advice. "Anything?" Groose asked.

Link lowered his sword. "Fi can't find the medallion but she says that doesn't mean that it's not here. If we go inside the temple then we can tell for sure if it's actually here or not."

The Hero of Light began walking towards the archway leading to the Master Sword's pedestal. In order to open the Temple of Time he first needed to unlock the door. Link stood before the empty plinth, pointed his sword downwards and thrust its tip into the slot. A heavenly chime rang faintly from behind the Hero. He knew that the door was open once more.

Withdrawing his sword, Link returned to where he left his companions, who were staring in interest at the door frame high up on the other side of the courtyard. After getting their attention he led them up the stone steps to the gateway. The ancient doors opened on their own accord, the other side blinded from view by an intense ethereal light.

Entering the passage, the Peacekeepers found themselves inside a holy, white chamber, completely unlike the overgrown clearing they had just left. The temple has a strange tie to the flow of time itself, Link and Midna both knew, which allowed one to enter it during a period in time when it was still whole. The gateway was protected by a lock that only the Master Sword could open so the Hero was certain that no one else had been through here yet.

Link tried the dowsing function again. The sacred blade began humming as it pointed further in. "Got something," he beamed. He took the lead without hesitation.

Walking the hallowed halls of the temple filled Link with memories of his previous visit. Traps beyond his wildest imagination, the battle with the terrifying Darknut, manipulating stone statues with the Dominion Rod and fighting that horrible giant spider, it all came rushing back to him.

"Remember the last time we were here?" he smiled at Midna.

"I try not to," she shuddered. "All those spiders running around freaked me out."

The Master Sword guided them deeper towards the chamber where they had previously obtained the rod. Monsters still guarded the temple but these were only Armos and Beamos that were designed to protect it. Taking them out was mere child's play with the three Peacekeepers working together.

The continued on, wondering what secret Link and Midna must have missed before, until the sword led them to a dead end. Link looked around the room, remembering fighting the evil knight and almost dying for the umpteenth time. The Master Sword kept humming even though there was no way forward.

"There's nothing here," he said out loud. "Fi are you sure this is the right way?"

The spirit appeared before him. "I am certain Master. I detect that the source of the energy signature that I am reading lies right behind that wall there." She indicated to one side of the chamber.

Midna checked the space over thoroughly before sighing in defeat. "There's nothing. I can't tell if there's any way past this. If there's some secret switch around here, it's pretty well hidden." She was right. Usually there was something out of place like a crack or a button on the floor or even something weird like a crystal that gave some hint on how to proceed, but here there was nothing but a solid wall.

Groose's eyes twinkled and his lips twisted into a crooked grin. "Looks like this is a job for the Groosenator." He removed the cannon mounted on his back, obviously dubbed the Groosenator. He kneeled on one knee and rested the weapon on his opposite shoulder, aiming right at the offending wall. "As the family motto says; if there isn't a smart way through something, blow it up!"

Fi hurriedly turned to the Hero. "Master, I strongly suggest that you and Midna stand well back."

She did not need to explain further as Link quickly pulled Midna far away from the Groosenator's line of fire. When his companions were safely behind him, Groose pulled the trigger of the cannon, which exploded with a deafening boom. Fire erupted from the barrel and punched right through the stone, creating a gaping hole big enough for a man to stand in. Midna used a barrier spell to protect them all from the scattering debris.

Groose stood up as smoke drifted out from the end of his cannon. "Woo! That was fun." He approached the cavity and peered inside. "Hey guys check this out, there's another room in here."

It was true, they found. On the other side was another chamber that was larger than the previous. Stone pillars stood reaching to the high ceiling all along the round room. In the center towered an enormous statue resembling those that stood in other parts of the temple. It held a great stone hammer in its giant hands. Unlike other statues within the temple, this one did not have a hole through its body.

The Peacekeepers walked closer to the colossal figure to get a closer look. Without warning, the statue turned its featureless head down towards them menacingly. Stone grated against stone as it rose its arms high. Link and the others dashed to avoid the falling hammer. The crushing impact shook the chamber violently and sent large chunks of the floor flying.

Link turned to Fi with a panicked expression. "What the heck is that thing?"

The blue and violet spirit stared at the golem indifferently for a few tense seconds. Already it had raised its weapon again, preparing for another attack. "This automaton appears to be some form of guardian protecting the Light Medallion," Fi assessed. "I sense that the medallion is inside its body, most likely acting as a power source."

After dodging another lethal strike, Midna looked at them. "So if we remove it, that thing will stop attacking us?"

"I predict a 70% probability that that conclusion is correct," the spirit replied.

"Then let's do it," Link said as Fi returned to his sword. "Okay, now we need to work out how to get that medallion out. Any ideas?"

"I've got one," Groose shouted. He raised his cannon to the giant and fired. The blast knocked it back a couple of steps but when the smoke cleared there was not even a dent made in the golem's body. Groose swore at the disappointing result.

"Keep trying," Link encouraged as he proceeded to attach bombs to his arrows. When he had a good quantity ready, Link lit and notched one onto his bow then took careful aim. He shot the bomb arrow at the giant's head but the only thing that the attack did was attract its attention to the Hero.

Link had to jump to escape the statue's following attack. "There has to be a weak spot somewhere," he called to the others. He then attempted to convey his thoughts to Fi. 'Can you work out where that thing's armor is the thinnest?' If they attacked the golem where its exterior was the weakest then they may be able to crack it open before their ammunition ran out.

'I am able of scan the automaton's body for vulnerabilities,' she confirmed, 'however it may take a few minutes for me to obtain accurate data.'

He instructed her to do it anyway and shouted to Groose to conserve his ammo until she was done. Midna flew around the giant, attempting to find its weakness herself as she sent one powerful blast of shadow magic after another without achieving anything. The boys tried to help her using their own spells though they lacked the level of power that Midna demonstrated. The guardian seemed to have had enough of being assaulted as it swung its hammer around through the air, hitting Midna and causing her to fall.

"Midna!" Link screamed in horror, watching her limp frame hurtle to the ground.

"I've got her!" Groose shouted. He ran towards her, jumping in order to prevent her from crashing into the unforgiving stone. After a few heart-stopping moments Groose looked towards Link. "She's still conscious, though I think her arm's broken."

Link sighed in relief, glad to know that Midna was still alive. That feeling disappeared however when he saw the guardian turn to finish off his love. He quickly notched another live arrow and shot it in the pit of its elbow. The stone limb slacked from the explosion, causing the raising hammer to fall again to its feet, safely away from Midna and Groose.

The giant went to pick up its fallen weapon but the damage Link inflicted on the joint of its now cracked and useless arm made it impossible to lift the immensely heavy weapon. Giving up on the hopeless effort, the guardian leaned down towards the Hero then swiped him with its good hand, catching Link and sending him flying across the room. He tried to pick himself up when his leg flared up in pain. He knew from experience that it was broken.

If the golem had a face then it may have worn an expression of triumph. It clenched its hand into a threatening fist and raised it to end the Hero. Link stared up in fear, there was no way for him to escape in time unless he... Yes, that might work. Link focused as best as he could within the little time he had left.

"Farore's Wind!" In a whirlwind the Hero vanished just as the gigantic fist came down, leaving a crater in his place. Link reappeared behind the behemoth, sitting next to Midna and Groose. His leg still hurt like hell but he was alive, for now.

At that moment he felt Fi's presence in his mind. 'Master, I have completed my analysis. I have found that the automaton's shell is the least dense around its power source, located on the chest. However, I predict a 23% chance that you will be able to penetrate it with your bombs alone. Combining the power of your teammates' attacks with your own will perhaps prove more successful.'

Link thanked her quickly then looked to his friends next to him. "Fi found a weak point on its chest but we need to attack it at the same time for us to punch through it." He eyed Midna with concern. "Can you still fight?"

She tried to stand up, using Groose for support. "I think I can manage." She held her injured left arm and winced. "What about you?"

Link hissed at another jolt of pain. "I'm fine but I can't walk. I don't know how long we can keep this up so we need to finish this now." His companions nodded in unison. Groose moved away from Midna once she was standing more steadily so that he could be free to aim his cannon.

The golem had been confused when Link suddenly disappeared earlier and it been slowly searching the room for its missing enemy. As it turned around at a snail's pace, Link drew another bomb arrow. "Wait for my signal," he told the others.

The golem was now fully facing the three intruders and raised its fist to squash them all. Link tried to take careful aim despite the torment he was receiving from his injury. "Now!" he shouted and released the drawstring. An explosion roared from the Groosenator whilst Midna, using one arm, sent forth all the magical energy she could muster in a storm of black lightning. All three attacks collided with the giant at once with enough force to knock it off of its feet. The ground quaked from the impact of the falling body.

After a false moment of hope the behemoth began to stand up again. Though all previous efforts had been in vain, this time the guardian's torso was lined with multiple tiny fractures highlighted by a golden glow emanating from within. Groose fired another shot at the statue, decimating the rest of the broken casing. Trickles of light became a mighty flood as the golem's chest opened wide.

Within the light, in the place of the giant's heart Link could make out the shape of something small and round, the golem's power source. Link discarded his bow and equipped one of his clawshots. He aimed at the shining object and pulled the trigger of the item's launch mechanism, causing the steel talons to shoot out. When they grabbed hold of the Hero's target, Link released the trigger to retract the device's chain. With its battery yanked out, the statue's movements slowed until it stopped completely, slumping lifelessly before the Peacekeepers.

A smile broke out on Link's lips as he looked down at the prize in his hand, a golden disk just too big for him to wrap his fingers around. On the disk's face were three triangles with points joined at the centre. Three circles evenly dotted the space between the triangles. The Light Medallion shone with a divine light that warmed the Hero to his very core.

"We've got it," he beamed. He held it out for Midna and Groose to see, who each grinned as widely as he did. All smiles were wiped away when the sound of clapping filled the chamber.

"Bravo. That was very impressive indeed." Link's head snapped towards the speaker, expecting it to be Ghirahim. It was not but there was a man walking through the ruined wall they had entered through earlier, still clapping.

He was tall and well-muscled, though not what one would call bulky. He wore the same robes as the Demon's Flames, but unlike the others this man had is hood down and his face was visible. Long, wavy brown hair draped partially over one hazel eye. The man smiled at them though there was little about it that was friendly.

"Brandon," Groose spat venomously. 'So this is Brandon,' Link thought, 'the traitor who is behind all of this.'

"Hello Groose." Brandon spoke as if he had just bumped into a friend in the street. "How is your grandfather these days?"

"Doing great, especially since I'm going to give him your backstabbing head as a present," he snarled in reply. Groose drew his sword, charging at the betrayer with the intent to kill. Brandon made no move in self-defense until the young Peacekeeper was almost upon him. He shot his hand forward at Groose, striking him with a bolt of energy. Groose was thrown back through the air, slamming into the floor right where he had started from.

"Groose!" Midna cried out. He groaned in pain but otherwise he was alright.

Brandon proceeded towards them. "You should be more concerned about yourself, girl. I knew that waiting for you to open the temple and following you would make things easier. Let the children playing Peacekeeper locate the medallion and take care of its guardian then make my appearance when my adversaries has worn themselves out. And the only other help I required was directions from my partner, Ghirahim."

He held out his upturned palm expectantly. "Now I'll be taking that medallion if you don't mind."

Link glared up defiantly from where he sat. "There's no way in hell I'm giving this to you," he said, holding up the Light Medallion.

A slight frown creased Brandon's face. "That was not a request. Thunder Strike!" Another burst of lightning flew from his hand and struck Link squarely in the chest. His body convulsed as electricity coursed painfully through his already exhausted body.

In a screaming fury, Midna sent a beam of magic at Brandon only for him to block it easily with a shielding spell. She collapsed in fatigue, having spent so much of her energy already. She could do nothing as the traitor picked up the medallion that Link had dropped. As he made his departure, Link managed to regain some control of his body.

"Where do you think you're going?" Link struggled to sit up. "Get back here."

"I suggest you stay put," the traitor said with his back to the Hero. "You are in no fight state to fight, nor stand for that matter." Cursing silently, Link knew he was right, he could not even gather the strength to lift himself higher much less take back the medallion by force.

"You won't get away with this," the Hero said as he tried with great difficulty to stay upright. "I will stop you, you and Ghirahim both."

Brandon turned back to look at him with a condescending chuckle. "You are just as idealistic as your father, boy. You may try to impede our plans but Demise will rise again and soon my vision of a perfect world will be realized."

Link could not believe what he had just heard. "What do you know about my father?"

The former Peacekeeper faced him fully, genuinely surprised. "You mean he never told you?" He gave a short bark of laughter.

"What's so funny?" Link growled.

"Oh it's nothing really. It's simply that after witnessing your previous escapades and having you join the Peacekeeper Order, I would have thought that Callum would have wanted to claim his own son."

Link froze in shock, unable to think or speak. "You really did not know?" Brandon said. "Well then, you two will certainly have something interesting to talk about when you return to Skyloft." He continued towards the exit, laughing quietly as he went. "Farewell Hero, until we meet again. Give Callum my regards."

"Link...?" Midna said hesitantly. He gave no response, merely sat as still and empty as the powerless golem, while he allowed another medallion to slip away from him.

And here's our next big cliffhanger. Believe it or not, this turn of events is not something I just came up with, I've been building up to this moment since the beginning. Now that we know Callum's secret, go back to chapter 1 and reread the story. Pay close attention to how Callum is described, what he does, what he says and, just as importantly, what he doesn't say. I swear this puts everything into a completely different context and you will be wondering how you didn't pick up on it sooner.

Have fun,

EquinoxWolf