The journey to Dragon Roost Mountain was a living hell. Rin marched them through the day and into the night. Their feet ached fierce and their fingers felt like they might freeze off at any moment, but still the marching continued. The only rest they received was when one of them collapsed into the snow from exhaustion. Even then, their captors pushed them forward, one tired footstep at a time. The winter-covered woods seemed to stretch endlessly, one frozen tree beside another, with no end in sight. As if that wasn't bad enough, they were forced to cross the river. Their captors didn't hesitate at the icy waters, shoving their prisoners forward and snickering at their freezing pain. The only relief Colin and the others could salvage was that they didn't have the weight of their equipment; it had all been seized from them. Exhausted, cold, and hungry, the nightmare for what felt like an eternity until they finally arrived at their destination.
Even their prison cell seemed inviting as they finally had a chance to rest their weary feet. However, the warm feeling of relief quickly evaporated once they realized they were still exposed to the winter air. Ivory crossbars held them in a small cave at the base of the mountain, and it did little to protect them from the cold wind blowing through a short tunnel serving as the only way in and out. The only thing keeping them warm were two torches hanging on the wall on the other side of the crossbars. Even this small luxury was only so guards could easily see them at night.
For two days they were stuck in that cell, and Colin couldn't remember his morale being so low. Blisters pounded against his feet so hard that even walking caused him pain. His body, dragged down by the weight of fatigue and hunger, moved only through sheer force of will. The wind had robbed his skin of all feeling, and his teeth shook more than an earthquake. A giant hole ripped at his stomach; he hadn't eaten anything substantial since they arrived in Nevkah. They had been given water and morsels of bread by the guards, but it was hardly enough.
Bags hung beneath the youth's eyes and his pupils were bloodshot. Sleep seemed to elude him no matter how much he sought it. Even when exhaustion forced him to close his eyes and nod off, it was a restless and dreamless occasion. His mind raced endlessly in circles, chasing after the same thoughts but never reaching any definitive conclusion.
With everything beating on him simultaneously, the icy fingers of despair slowly clutched Colin's spirit and sucked at his waning strength. What hope was there for them now? Who would rescue them? Their equipment had been taken from them. Link and the others were nowhere around, and Atrayu certainly couldn't be counted on.
They were at their enemy's mercy, Colin concluded. The anxiety and uncertainty that brewed in the stillness of their cage was agonizing. It was like the eve before battle, when a soldier looks out over the field and sees the camp of the enemy he must face in the morning. There was little certainty any of them would see the next day. If the shifters didn't kill them, the elements certainly would if given enough time.
The Ordonian sat in a corner of the cell, drawing in the dirt with a small twig he'd found. His hand traced the same mindless pattern, the faint torchlight allowing him to see just enough to realize how bad his drawing really was.
He reflected on his last conversation with Link. His words had been less than ideal, striking just the right balance between hateful and downright cruel. During that time, his anger and confusion had clouded his judgment, impeding any sense of just how much he had hurt the hero.
But now, with the threat of death so close he could hear it whispering in his ear, Colin saw with perfect lucidity. At least, as perfect as a human can get, he thought. He could remember with vivid detail the aching of Link's expression as he closed the door for that last time. He could still hear the trembling in the hero's voice as he complimented his drawing before slipping away.
In the end, Colin had received his wish. Link hadn't come back after that.
Now more than ever, the youth felt a gut-wrenching regret that refused to leave. No matter how much he wanted to, he could never take those words back. Given the circumstances, even an apology seemed impossible now. At one point, such an argument between them seemed inconceivable. They used to be like brothers. They used to do everything together. So when had a wedge come between them?
With little else to distract him in the prison, Colin had plenty of time to search for an answer. It didn't all come at once. He had to dig at the issue repeatedly, slowly unearthing a little more of the truth each time like small gold nuggets. But gradually he made progress. The process made him uncomfortable though. For in his search, buried alongside the little nuggets were festering, slimy worms. These ugly worms represented the ugliest parts of him.
Link's outburst had acted as the catalyst for that wedge, but Colin had been the one pouring the gunpowder the whole time. It all started the moment he directed his hatred to every shifter. The more he thought about it, the more the youth realized he should have seen his fight with Link coming. There were plenty of signs that Link was a shifter: his increased nervousness, his strange disappearances, and Atrayu's blatant hints. But Colin realized his pursuit of revenge had blinded him to the conflict raging within Link's mind. Even if Link had told him, would he have reacted any differently?
"Are those the aliens?" he heard a little boy's voice ask.
Colin looked through the bars to find three young boys gazing curiously at him, none of them older than ten years. One of them, the oldest and perhaps the leader, leaned right against the bars, peering through them to get a good look. The second, perhaps the lackey, stood just behind the first, too scared to touch the bars but too curious to back away any further. The third, the one who had spoken, stood a good distance away. His foot shuffled in the ground and his eyes dared not look at the cage.
"Of course they're the aliens, you twit," the first boy said. "Can't you tell by the weird clothes they wear?"
The second boy nodded. "I heard they can't even transform. How pathetic is that?"
The first boy smiled and looked at the third. "I bet they're still not as pathetic as Soren."
His lackey quickly took up his leader's call. "Yeah, Soren. At least they have the nerve to get in a fight."
Colin watched the third boy, Soren, with special interest. He could tell by the soft sweep of his foot against the ground and the indirectness of his eyes that he was the scapegoat of the group. The boy's expression acknowledged their insults but he said nothing.
"What's the matter, Soren? Not going to stand up for yourself?"
The second boy rolled his eyes. "What else is new?"
At last, Soren spoke. "Why are we keeping them as prisoners? They don't seem all that different from us?"
The first boy just grunted. "Are you stupid? Didn't you hear about all the weapons they had? They may not be able to transform, but they're still savages. Why else do you think Alpha bans them from entering our borders?"
We're the savages? But you're supposed to be the savages! Colin thought.
"I'm getting bored," the second boy said. "Let's get out of here before one of them tries to attack us."
The first boy laughed. "Probably a good idea. Wouldn't want Soren to wet himself!"
Colin was silent as they left, the boys' mocking laughter echoing along the walls as they exited the tunnel and walked freely into the light of day.
Something about those boys troubled him. It wasn't the insults. Or even the fact they called him a savage. He expected those sorts of things from brutes and murderers. It was Soren's words that surprised him. He was the first shifter Colin had seen that was disgusted by violence. The pairing was strange to him, and caused him to question some of his previously held assumptions.
More disturbing still was how much Colin related to Soren. It took little effort to see himself standing there with Talo and Malo replacing the other two boys. He empathized with the mockery Soren received, and completely understood his utter distaste for fighting. He had been like that once.
So when had he become so obsessed with gaining revenge? Wasn't that just another justification for murder? If so, then how did that make him any different from Atrayu? A voice in the back of his mind nagged him with these questions. He tried to push them aside, but the fact he couldn't truthfully answer them made him uncomfortable. Again, it revealed a darker side to him he wasn't quite ready to confront yet.
Colin was grateful when he saw Tatl buzzing up the tunnel to their prison cell. He couldn't stand to be alone with his thoughts anymore. A distraction was just what he needed.
"I thought those kids would never leave," the fairy said, slipping through the crossbars with little effort. When she saw Colin was the only one awake of the group, she hovered over to him.
"You look like you're having the time of your life," she commented.
The youth looked at his companions but kept a straight face. "You missed quite the party. It was so fun they all passed out."
Tatl stifled a nervous chuckle. "It appears that way."
Colin leaned forward. "So did you learn anything new?"
Tatl rested on the cold, hard ground. "Well, I finally found where they put our stuff. But there's no way we'll be able to get it until we find a way out."
"Any luck finding a key to our cell?"
The fairy shook her head. "I can't find one anywhere. Wherever they put it, it's well hidden."
Their talking soon aroused the others from their slumber. With groggy eyes and long yawns, Midna, Tifa, and Rishu soon joined them in a huddle in the corner. Tatl caught them up on what she had told Colin, and then continued with the rest.
"Something big is happening today," she said. "Everyone seems in high spirits today. You'd think today was a holiday."
Midna looked at the ground while she thought. "Or a public spectacle. I don't like the sounds of it."
They spent a little time discussing what it could mean, but ultimately concluded that there was nothing they could do. So they spent the rest of the morning puttering about the cell, trying to remain sane and come up with an escape plan.
It was about midday when a dozen guards approached their cell and threw open the door. The smug grins on their faces didn't bode well for their prisoners.
"It's your lucky day," one of the guards said. "You've all been summoned by Alpha. You're the first foreigners to have such a privilege."
Per earlier instructions from Midna, they all kept quiet and didn't give the guards the satisfaction of a response. They sat where they were, staring through the guards to the wall.
The guard's grin quickly disappeared. "We'll see how quiet you are when you're begging for your life." He waved his hand for the others to come forward. "Grab the prisoners. We're taking them to the coliseum."
True to its name, the coliseum was the arena where shifters fought, sometimes to the death. Built halfway up Dragon Roost Mountain, large stone walls encircled the combatants' arena. Crusted blood was smeared on several of the large stone blocks, while a fresh layer of snow covered the arena's dirt floor. Further up in the stadium, more stone slabs placed at various levels formed seats for the audience, while hundreds of arches carved into the walls allowed entry for the crowds jostling for a coveted seat right by the action. Many of the seats and arches were chipped and cracked, betraying the true age of the stadium. A section of the stadium was even missing, leaving a large gap in the otherwise circular stone structure. This gap provided an astounding glimpse of the countryside below, where the landscape of snow-covered trees and white-filled flatlands stretched into the horizon.
Despite the chilly winds whipping through the stadium from the high elevation, the crowd was as rambunctious and rowdy as ever. Many stood up from their seat, laughing and shouting as they tried to catch a glimpse of the foreign prisoners. For many, this was their first time seeing an outsider.
Facing the large gap, on the opposite wall was a small alcove where a large throne was placed on an elevated platform. It had been there since ancient times when the first King of Nevkah constructed this stadium. Sitting upon it was the largest of all shifters. His stature was a head taller than anyone else there, and the span of his shoulders was greater than three men standing side by side. His red hair ran wild and untamed behind his neck. A great red beard covered his mouth and extended halfway down his neck. His face was rugged and hard; his yellow eyes occasionally flickered to the gate where combatants and prisoners entered. A dragon scale made of gold hung around his neck, recognition that he was Alpha. He was shirtless, but a large, majestic fur cape stitched in the design of peacock feathers hung around his broad shoulders.
He looked around as his citizens filled the benches surrounding the coliseum. None dared return his gaze, but their shouts of excitement and anticipation carried to his ears. There was no mistaking what they desired. Many of them had never seen a foreigner. Since its construction, the coliseum had only been used for contests of strength between fellow shifters. Never before had an alien set foot inside it. Many were curious to see what they would do and if they would fight.
The spectators were not kept waiting long. Escorted by the guards, the prisoners entered through one of the combatants' gates with their hands and legs bound with rope. Midna was first, her head tilted up in a display of flaunting pride. Colin followed behind her, his eyes scanning the exits for any chance of escape. Next was Rishu with a big grin on his face as he pondered the acoustics of performing in a stadium of this size. Finally, sagging slightly behind the others was Tifa. The Kokiri girl's knees knocked against one another while her heart slammed against her chest. Tatl wasn't with her, hidden instead among the audience, exacerbating the forest sage's anxiety even further.
The prisoners were brought before Alpha. The ruler leaned with one arm upon his throne, looking each prisoner over with only mild interest. However, his gaze stopped when it reached Colin. There was a fire in the young man's eyes. He made a note to watch him carefully.
The large shifter rose from his chair and the stadium instantly quieted in reverence. Even Midna flinched when she thought he might come towards them. His presence was overwhelming, and the absolute respect he commanded from his people was something even she didn't possess over the Twili.
"Ever since its foundation, no foreigner has ever set foot on this sacred mountain," his voice boomed like thunder across the coliseum. His gaze followed the crowd to gauge their response. They were hanging onto his every word. "But yet, now I look at four outsiders. Excuse me, four savages, which have defiled our lands."
His eyes honed in on Midna. "Why have you crossed our borders?"
The Twilight Princess stood her ground. "That is none of your business."
He raised a brow, slightly surprised by her defiance. "Is that so? Anything that occurs within these borders is my business." He sat back down and leaned against the arm chair. "You brought along weapons. Is this some pathetic act of war?"
"What could we possibly hope to gain from fighting you?" Midna responded.
Alpha leaned forward again, quickly tiring of the Twili's evasiveness. "Well, whatever you hoped to gain, it won't get far. And before you sass me again, remember your worthless lives hang on the sway of my favor."
Midna scowled. "If you let us take our belongings and leave, you would never see us again."
Those in the crowd who heard her hissed and booed.
A poorly suppressed smirk crept onto Alpha's face. "And ruin the show? I think not! You were the ones who desecrated our borders. The sentence for such a crime is death." He paused for a moment, clasping his hands in front of him. "However, I might be willing to make an exception if you tell me how you got in so easily."
Midna smirked. "Your arrogance practically let us in."
Alpha didn't even flinch at her statement. "Would you risk your only chance to live just so you can mock me?"
The Twili was silent. She was familiar with the games those with power play; she could call his bluff without even blinking. He had no intention of letting them live, so why give him the satisfaction of groveling? Plus, she had promised Atrayu. She didn't know how they would get out of this situation, but she was sure they could escape alive without breaking their word.
Alpha turned to the other prisoners. "Would the rest of you like to speak? If you tell me what I want to know, I will stay true to my word and release you from your captivity."
His offer was met by stiff silence from all of them.
The ruler's smirk widened to an amused grin. "I see how it is. In that case, I have no remorse in sentencing you all to death." Alpha turned to the guards. "Bring them to the execution chamber!"
The crowd roared their approval as the guards tugged on their ropes to lead them out. Midna didn't fight him. However, a sharp tug from behind her nearly pulled her arms off. Behind her, Colin resisted fiercely, yelling at the top of his lungs as several guards wrestled him to the ground. The Twili simply shook her head; he simply could not let things be.
Suddenly, the whole stadium became quiet again. Midna looked around, unable to figure out what had silenced the audience so suddenly. Then, her eyes caught sight of Alpha. He was standing with his arms raised, his yellow eyes looking directly at Colin.
"I believe this boy has something to say. I want to hear it."
All eyes fell on the youth as the guards grabbed him off the ground and pushed him ahead of the others. A few more scrapes marked up his face.
"I can tell you…" he began feebly, slowly gaining confidence in his voice."I can tell you how we got here. If it will save our lives."
"Deku Baba?" Rishu muttered curiously.
"Colin! What are you doing?" Midna hissed. "Don't tell them anything!" Her protest was quickly muffled as one of the guards punched her firmly in the stomach. The blow knocked the wind from her lungs.
"Speak louder, boy," Alpha laughed mockingly. "I can barely hear that feeble whisper of yours."
Colin didn't know what had propelled him to resist so fiercely and step forward so boldly. Part of it was his survival instinct. But there was another motive as well. He couldn't allow Atrayu to get away with Rusl's murder. If he couldn't extract his revenge directly, then handing her to the people that could was the next best thing. He knew he had promised not to rat her out, but the satisfaction of justice was just too great an offer to resist.
The youth raised his voice so it was loud and confident. "We were led here by someone named Atrayu. She took us through a hidden cave in the mountains. Right now, she's somewhere within these borders."
Alpha's eyes widened and his smile instantly disappeared. He rose from his chair and barked orders to an aide standing nearby. "I should've known that traitor would try something like this. Get Rin! Send every spare warrior you have and find her immediately!" The aide quickly rushed off. Alpha recomposed himself and looked down at Colin. "You've done me a great service, boy. As your reward, I will make your death quicker than the others."
Colin couldn't hide the shock on his face. "But you said…"
Alpha scowled. "You are an outsider. Why should I honor my word for someone like you?" He paused. "But I suppose I will let you live long enough to see her punishment. It's only fitting since you were the one who made it possible." He looked at their captors. "Take them away until we find the traitor."
The guards obeyed immediately and filed the prisoners out of the coliseum. Alpha slowly sat down in his chair and mumbled to himself.
"I should've killed her when I had the chance. I shouldn't have listened to Rin." He looked out at his kingdom through the gap in the wall. "But it doesn't matter. Our little conflict will finally end today."
No one said a word to Colin the entire way back to the cell. The youth hoped it was because they were too busy figuring out an escape plan. Even if it wasn't, he had no regrets about his decision. If he had to die, he was making sure Atrayu went with him.
However, as soon as they were back inside and the guards had left, there was nowhere for him to escape Midna's fury.
"What in Din's name were you thinking, Colin?" her words came out like poisonous darts. "We made a promise!"
Colin looked through the bars of their cell. His words were mumbled at best. "I was trying to save our lives."
Midna's hands flew up into the air. "A lot of good that did! Don't you think I would've figured something out?"
The youth continued to stare into space. "I wasn't sure. I couldn't take that chance."
Midna leered at the Ordonian. "Take what chance? You mean miss an opportunity to get even with Atrayu? Farore forbid you should miss that!"
"It wasn't about that."
"Then what was it about? I'd love to know."
Colin gritted his teeth but didn't answer. Midna's piercing gaze refused to relent. Rishu and Tifa looked on nervously. Right now, they wished they had a corner they could hide in.
"Why do you care so much?" he asked, finally turning to meet the Twili's challenge. "It's not like she was one of us."
Midna clenched her fist tightly. It took all her willpower to stop herself from tackling the youth right there. "Forgive me for trying to help another human being. Especially one that put herself at risk so we could accomplish our mission." Her eyes narrowed. "She trusted us, and you betrayed that trust. If that doesn't bother you even a little, then maybe you're the one who's not human."
Rishu quickly jumped to his feet and inserted himself between the two. "Now Bombchu, no reason to keep such a short fuse. Can't we all just sit down together and think of a way out of this?"
Midna turned around and stormed off to a corner. "The rest of you can. I have no desire to speak with a traitor."
The cell was disturbingly quiet after that. Midna sat alone in a corner of the cell while the others tossed around escape plans in a hushed tone. After getting nowhere for the first hour, they eventually gave up and tried to sleep the rest of the time away. But for Colin, there was no rest to be found. Not while Midna's words circled in his mind.
It was mid-afternoon when the guards returned to the cell. The prisoners were taken and led back to the coliseum.
The audience was a mixture of yelling and heated murmuring when Colin and the others reentered the stadium. There was no longer the uniform excitement of an execution that had greeted their entrance. This was the sound of an audience divided, one side in favor of the shifter's punishment, the other side not aware enough of the situation to want to pass judgment. The prisoners were shuffled close to the wall and forced to observe from a distance.
Atrayu was held at the arms and legs by two burly guards. Her hair was a frantic mess all over her face, and her cheek was streaked with blood. She seemed to be panting. Her amber eyes revealed no emotions. She didn't seem to notice them as she was brought before Alpha's throne.
Rin stood by Alpha's side. Her posture was stiff like a board, and her hands were folded neatly in front of her lap. Her eyes watched Atrayu intently, never faltering for even a second. At first glance, it seemed to Colin that she was merely performing her duty as Alpha's aid. But there was something odd about her. She was biting her lip, and he thought he detected a look of concern in her gaze.
Alpha sat smugly from his chair and looked at Atrayu. With a gentle raise of his hand, the ruler of Nevkah managed to silence the crowd once more so he could speak.
"Well…isn't this a sight for sore eyes? I never thought I'd see you again, Atrayu. Especially so soon after your banishment. Did you leave something behind? Your honor, perhaps?"
The comment produced a brief flash of anger in the mercenary's eyes, but it quickly disappeared.
He waved his hand in Rin's direction. "I thought I'd give you the pleasure of speaking to your sister one last time. Is there anything you'd like to say to her?"
Atrayu spit on the ground. "I don't have a sister."
Rin flinched. Her gaze dropped, but she retained her composure admirably.
Alpha glanced quickly at Rin. "I see. Well, I suppose that went quicker than I expected." He looked back at Atrayu and leaned forward, clasping his hands in front of him. "Then let's talk about your punishment. You were made fully aware when you left that only death awaited you if you returned," Alpha continued. He looked out at the crowd but managed to glance at her from the corner of his eye. "So why did you return?"
The mercenary made no effort to hide her loathing. She scowled in Rin's direction. Her sister shifted uncomfortably, unable to return the gaze. Atrayu returned her attention to Alpha. "Because I wanted to see you dethroned. Nevkah deserves someone better."
The crowd gasped but Alpha only laughed. "I see you haven't changed a bit. Isn't that what got you banished in the first place?"
"As I recall, I was banished because a ruthless dictator was afraid that I would usurp him someday."
Alpha's smile slowly faded. "That's not how I remember it. I recall a warrior with such potential refusing to submit to her superior. Not only did she constantly disobey orders, but to make matters worse, she harbored a foreign spy and then let him go." He nodded to Rin. "I give you credit for your cunning. If it wasn't for your sister, you would've gotten away with it."
Atrayu shook her head. "That 'spy' was a naïve traveler who got himself lost. The only reason you found about him is because you had your own spies trailing my every move. All because you feared losing your throne to me. With Eidel gone, I was the only shifter who truly threatened you."
"Do not speak the name of that traitor here!"
"And what if I refuse? Your threats are empty now that you've already sentenced me to death," she said dryly.
The anger slowly receded as his lips curled to reveal a sinister grin. "So you really came back to fight me? And you actually think you can win?" He paused as he rose from his chair. "Why not find out right now?"
Atrayu looked up in surprise. "Are you suggesting…?"
Rin broke her silence and turned to Alpha. "Is this really a good…?"
The ruler turned sharply to her. His tone was respectful but firm. "I will be fine, Rin." He paused. "Unless you have a different reason for protesting?"
Rin flinched back to her former position. Fear covered her face, and her eyes looked quickly to Atrayu. She knew the outcome of this fight already and dreaded it. She had the opportunity to stop it, but at what price? In the end, rationale trumped emotion.
"Of course not, Alpha. Do as you please."
Alpha nodded his head and slowly descended the stairs to the arena. "Let's settle our score once and for all, Atrayu. If you can kill me, then you become the new Alpha and your friends go free. But if you lose, the lives of you and your friends belong to me." As his large feet touched the arena, he nodded to the guards to release her. Tentatively, they obeyed and backed away.
The exile circled her arms and cracked her neck, enjoying her temporary freedom. For the first time, Colin saw gravity to her demeanor and deep concentration in her eyes. There was no room for mockery or arrogance here. Not even enjoyment. This was the fight she had longed for since her exile. She knew fighting Alpha now was equivalent to her death. His raw power was overwhelming. But she would fight with every ounce of strength nonetheless.
Alpha unfastened his cloak and let it flutter to the ground with a thump. His powerful pectorals and broad shoulders met the cold air head on without flinching. His eyes narrowed in on the mercenary. He raised a hand and beckoned her forward.
"Let us begin."
The crowd roared its approval as the mercenary cautiously circled closer to her opponent. Her footsteps were slow and cautious, not daring to rush at him until she could be sure of an opening. Alpha merely laughed at her paranoia, standing confidently with his guard down.
At last, Atrayu took a chance and came at him from the side. Just before she reached him, she feinted right, ducked below his punch, and then spun around left. She clawed his side, but received a thundering fist to her gut before she could escape. Her attack had come with a price.
Her armor absorbed some of the punch's impact, but the blow still left her startled. One hand rested on her torso while she staggered backwards. Alpha's laughter fueled her rage and she came at him again.
This time she came from the front. His fist flew towards her, but she successfully dodged it and slid between his legs, managing to scratch both his calves in the process. Before she could get up, Alpha turned around and slammed his elbow into her back. It felt like a boulder dropped on her; she slammed into the ground face first. Alpha then picked her up by the leg and tossed her into a wall. The crowd cheered as her body slammed hard into the stone structure and stumbled to the ground.
Atrayu pulled herself to her feet, fresh bruises marking up her face. She panted heavily while Alpha walked towards her, taking slow deliberate steps to prolong her anxiety.
She was faster, but he was stronger. She could hit him, but he would retaliate. If they continued to exchange blows, he would easily win. She had to fight smarter.
Deciding to use speed to her advantage, she took to the skies as a hawk. With each flap of her wings, she gained altitude. The crowd watched in anticipation as she flew out of the stadium and eventually hid among the clouds. Alpha too watched the sky, straddling his legs and shifting his weight to brace for the attack.
Within seconds, a brown blur shot through the air like a meteor, aiming itself straight for the shifter king. The wind howled in Atrayu's face and brushed past her wings as the ground drew closer. The speed of her descent was overwhelming.
Alpha miscalculated her trajectory. Atrayu flew just past his grasp and slashed him hard across the cheek with her talons. A large red gash appeared just below his eye, gushing blood. Before he could retaliate, she flew back up into the sky, hidden by the low clouds. The shifter king stood there, eyes scanning the sky while his body prepared for her next strike. The audience held their breath in anticipation.
Flying silently, Atrayu descended for a second time. This time, she flew through a broken section of the stadium. Her talons connected with Alpha's arm this time before she flew once again out of his reach. He was closer to grabbing her this time, but not quite there. However, he knew what adjustments he had to make.
It took a while before Atrayu descended for a third time. She had flown as high as she could before beginning her dive. As she began her descent, her speed increased to dangerous levels, the wind whipping her face as she reemerged from the clouds and shot towards the stadium.
The determined exile and the arrogant ruler clashed with a mighty blow. The impact of their collision stirred up dust which obscured the fight temporarily. When it finally cleared, everyone gasped to find a deep gash from Atrayu's talons across Alpha's chest. Blood poured out from his wounds, but he paid them no mind. His hands were wrapped tight around the hawk's neck. The attack had been painful, but now Atrayu was deep within his clutches.
Atrayu quickly returned to her human form, but it was little help. His iron-like grip was fastened around her neck, and there was nowhere to run.
"Is that the best you can offer?" he mocked.
Atrayu slowly felt her lungs suffocating for air. She gasped for breath, but his grip only tightened. Her legs flailed in the air.
"I thought you wanted to kill me?" Alpha mocked.
He held her with one hand and punched her firmly in the face with the other. Her head reeled back with his fist.
"I want your very best!"
This time, he kneed her hard in the chest. She gasped and grunted, and her whole body convulsed.
"That way, when I kill you, there will be no doubt about which of us is the stronger shifter!"
He threw her again. She rolled weakly along the ground. This time, she did not rise to her feet right away.
"Now show me what you can do before I end your miserable life," Alpha challenged.
Colin almost pitied the shifter as he watched her slowly rise to her feet one more time. Her entire face was pale. She shook horribly and could barely keep her balance. Her entire face was bloody and bruised, and there were large dents in her chest armor. He had never seen her so badly beaten before.
He almost pitied her. There was still a pleasant satisfaction in watching her suffer. After all the difficulties she had given him, it was nice to finally see her get what she deserved; even if he wasn't the one giving it. A small smirk crept across his face as he watched the battle approvingly.
"You want my best?" she replied, stumbling like a drunkard. "Fine. I'll give it to you!"
Summoning what strength she had remaining, she transformed into her dragon form. For the first time, she successfully dwarfed Alpha. The king was at her lower chest at best.
She created a ball of fire in her mouth and fired it right at her adversary. The ground erupted with an explosion, throwing dust into the air again and scattering debris over the stadium.
Yet, even before the dust cleared, a black silhouette slowly emerged from it, growing taller and more ominous. A large flap of the figure's wings blew the dust away, revealing a large black dragon. It's scaly, black head loomed taller than Atrayu; its mammoth size seemed to clog the stadium. Clouds of hot smoke snorted from its nostrils. Alpha's yellow, reptilian eyes looked down on his adversary with contempt.
Atrayu summoned another fireball and launched it straight at the black dragon's chest. The attack landed directly, and the explosion knocked him over. The ground shook as his large body hit the ground. Before she could take advantage of her fallen opponent, Alpha's long, black tail swept across the ground and pulled the exile off her feet as well. Atrayu flapped her wings to slow the fall, but even their powerful gust wasn't enough to regain her balance. Her body tumbled to the ground with a loud thud.
Both dragons rose to their feet at roughly the same time. The crowd cheered Alpha's name as the two combatants stared one another down.
With several powerful flaps, Atrayu suddenly took to the skies. Alpha soon followed. When they were out of the confines of the stadium, the shifter king let loose several fireballs. Atrayu dropped altitude to avoid them, listening to the great explosion behind her as they crashed into the side of the mountain, sending debris tumbling towards the stadium and its occupants. Atrayu followed up with several fireballs of her own, but Alpha spun around to avoid them.
Colin watched with anticipation as the two dragons soared through the air. Alpha was larger and more powerful, but Atrayu's smaller size and speed kept her competitive. The youth knew it was wrong, but he couldn't help but hope for the shifter king's victory. Every time one of his blasts came towards her, he tensed with anticipation, secretly hoping it would hit her.
"This doesn't look good," Midna said to no one in particular as she watched the dragons dance in the skies.
"For who?" Colin's curiosity was aroused.
The Twili seemed slightly surprised someone had overheard her comment. Now she was forced to elaborate.
"For any of us," she replied. "If Atrayu doesn't win, I don't know how we'll leave here alive."
The Ordonian furrowed his brow. "I thought you had an escape plan."
Midna looked back up to the sky. She shielded her eyes as another explosion rang in the distance. "That was before I saw how powerful Alpha really is. Do you honestly think we can fight him? Or escape without him noticing?"
As he thought about it, he realized Midna was right. If Atrayu couldn't win, what chance did they have? The Twili's words dragged his spirit down like an anchor. Suddenly, those desires for Atrayu to lose felt incredibly selfish, especially now that he realized she might be their only hope. Their fates were intertwined now.
There was another loud crash and a sudden roar from the crowd. A shadow grew in the center of the arena, pulling Colin's gaze back to the sky. One of the dragons had been hit and was spiraling towards the ground, but the sun made it impossible to tell which one. He clenched his teeth and watched as it hit the ground with a large crash.
The dragon slowly shifted back to its human form. Colin's heart dropped when he realized it was Atrayu. Her face was deathly pale and she was gasping for breath. Her right sleeve was completely burnt off, and a dark red colored the now exposed skin. She clutched her arm tightly, grimacing as she examined her wound. Then she looked up as Alpha came crashing down beside her.
He remained in his dragon form, using his immense size to intimidate her. The mercenary was too exhausted to avoid him, so he toyed with her to his heart's content. This was much to the crowd's delight. His tail acted like a whip, throwing her off her feet and striking her hard in the back. The desperate cry she let out was one Colin had never heard pass through her lips before. . Chills shivered down his spine.
Alpha continued to brutally assault Atrayu, this time grabbing her with his claw and displaying her to the crowd like a trophy before slamming her into the coliseum. She emerged back with blood gashing across her forehead and dirt covering her face. Guilt continued to nag Colin, making him regret ever rooting for Alpha in the first place. It was now apparent to him who the true monster was.
As he watched Alpha mercilessly crush Atrayu, he was surprised by what he felt. The initial stages had been satisfying, bringing him a small taste of the justice. That was all he really wanted.
But then the massacre just kept going. This wasn't how Colin had imagined it in his head. Alpha seemed to have no concept of mercy. The more he beat and mangled her, the less satisfying it became, until eventually it became too overwhelming to watch.
Eventually, even Alpha grew bored of the fight and finally tossed her aside. He returned to his human form and marched arrogantly over to her. The mercenary was a bloody mess now, her face badly bruised, bleeding, and barely recognizable. Her armor was cracked in several places, and her right arm was badly burnt. She was powerless as Alpha knelt down and grabbed her hair to pull her head up. He quieted the crowd with a wave of his hand.
"Atrayu!" he mocked, his voice carrying loud enough for everyone to hear. "Before you die, would you like to know how I knew of your presence?" She had no strength to respond, so he turned her head forcefully towards Colin and the others. "You can thank the blonde-haired kid. He willingly sold you out." Alpha paused to enjoy the shock etched into her face. "I guess you should've chosen more loyal friends."
Colin felt hot enough to be standing in the middle of Death Mountain. Atrayu's gaze pierced right through him. It was not one of anger or shock, only quiet resignation. Her eyes very clearly conveyed the message she had for him.
"You finally got your revenge."
He had it. He had finally inflicted the same kind of pain on her that she had caused him. If that look wasn't an admission of defeat, nothing was.
And yet, now that his revenge was finally complete, he felt no satisfaction from it. If anything, the guilt made him feel worse. It made his victory feel hollow like a moldy log.
If this is where revenge ultimately left him, on the seat of death feeling no better than when he started, Colin wished he had never pursued it. It had driven away his friends. It had consumed his happiness. And ultimately, it would cost him his life. He had been expecting a feast of satisfaction but received only the moldy bread of guilt and regret. Was this really how he had chosen to live his final days?
All Colin could do now was hang his head in shame. Who was the true monster? Alpha for his ruthlessness? Or him for making it possible?
Alpha smirked triumphantly and shoved Atrayu's head back to the ground. Placing a heavy foot on her chest, he leaned forward and listened to her gasping for air.
"Are you afraid to die, Atrayu?" he asked. "Tell me. Is this how you imagined you'd meet your end?"
She coughed and gagged, moaning as pain overwhelmed her body. Her strength was gone now, and so was her hope. Now she knew how Rusl and countless others had felt in their final moments. All she could do was hope for death to come quickly so that her shame might finally end.
Alpha pressed harder against Atrayu's chest, taking pleasure in watching her squirm. "You should have never come back. Your sister spared you from my wrath once, but she won't come to your aid this time." He looked back to the throne, where Rin watched with conflicted concern. She paced back and forth. Inside her head, her loyalty to her country clashed against her bond with her sister. Her indecision seemed to paralyze her from taking action either way. Alpha looked back to Atrayu. "It must hurt to be abandoned by everyone close to you."
He laughed at the flash of anger that crossed her face. "That is the perfect look to have before you die," he said. "I will end this now before you have the chance to change it."
"You have such a brutish and disgusting way of treating your subjects, Calvin," a voice said.
Alpha looked around furiously. "Who dares call me by that name?"
Mudora suddenly appeared in front of the shifter king. "What's the matter, Calvin? Are you not used to that name anymore? "
"Who do you think you are?" Alpha barked, taking his foot off Atrayu to deal with this new interloper.
"One who looks on you with disgust and contempt," Mudora responded casually. He bent down and examined Atrayu's wounds. "Does your cruelty know no bounds?" A mysterious aura glowed from his hands as he began to heal her. The shifter felt strength slowly return to her. "Your desire to hurt and torture those weaker than you angers me more than anything else. You must be taught a lesson in humility."
Alpha folded his arms and grunted. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."
A sly smile spread across Mudora's face. He continued to heal the mercenary. "Actually, I know exactly what I'm doing, and I promise you won't like it."
Meanwhile, the entire crowd erupted into mass chaos at this new stranger. Several of the guards abandoned their posts to deal with the crowd while others rushed to Alpha's aid. Only a fraction of the prisoners' escort stayed behind to guard them.
It was Rishu who realized the situation first and took advantage of it. Snuggling up close to the guard next to him, he generated an electric field from his body strong enough to knock the guard unconscious. From there, it was a simple matter of cutting his ropes on the guard's claws.
Only two guards remained. When they noticed Rishu was free, they quickly moved to restrain him. The Zora simply performed the same trick with his electric shield as before, and they soon joined their buddy on the ground for an extended nap. Within a minute, Rishu freed the rest of his companions.
"Good thinking!" Colin exclaimed. "Let's get out of here while Mudora's distracting everyone!"
Midna nodded her head. "Agreed. We may not get another chance like this again."
Tatl flew down from her hiding place in the crowd. "There you guys are! I was afraid I'd lose you!" Tifa rushed at her and hugged the fairy. While in the embrace, it took her a moment to realize they were unbound. "And you're free!" she said through Tifa's sleeve.
Midna nodded. "We need to get out of here now! Can you lead us to where they put our equipment?"
The fairy left Tifa's side and flew on ahead. "Of course! Follow me, everyone."
The forest sage looked back. "But what about the animal lady? She looks hurt!"
Midna and Rishu had already rushed ahead, so only Colin was present to answer her question. He looked back and felt a wave of guilt rush over him. "There's nothing we can do for her now, Tifa," he said, scooping her up on his back. "She's on her own for this one. She wouldn't want our help anyways." Without another word, he chased after the others.
The roars of the stadium slowly dimmed as Colin and the others put as much distance between them and Alpha as possible. Their hearts raced as they sprinted along the mountain trails and through the tunnels that Tatl lead them.
For the whole way, there wasn't a shifter to be found along their path since they were all in the coliseum. As such, the group felt safe enough to pause and catch their breath. According to Tatl, their equipment wasn't much further anyways.
"I can't believe we're almost home free," Colin exclaimed.
Rishu looked at his fins and groaned. "I can't believe it's been four days since I played my guitar. I think my chalices are starting to disappear. I don't want to have to build them up again."
Tifa looked around. "When are we leaving? I want to go back to the forest. I don't like this place one bit."
Tatl looked sternly at the Forest Sage. "You'll have to tough it out a little longer. We're not out of here yet."
There was a soft thud somewhere nearby.
"What was that?" Midna asked. She looked behind them but saw no shifters.
"It's Mister Serious!" Tifa exclaimed with delight, pointing to the path ahead. "He's back!"
"Kari?" several of them asked together.
Sure enough, the Sheikah was standing alone in front of them. One of his arms was tucked into a piece of fabric like a sling. Bruises and scratches covered his face while dried blood soaked the eye of the Sheikah on his tunic. The Wind Waker twirled restlessly in his good arm, while a storm of conflict raged within his red eyes.
"What happened to you?" Colin asked. "You look terrible."
"We all do," Tatl said. "The important thing is we finally have some help."
The Sheikah shook his head. "I am afraid I'm not here to help, Tatl. I have come here for one purpose only." He reached out his hand towards Tifa. "I require the Ocarina of Time."
Rishu laughed. "You caught us at the wrong time, Minish. We don't have any of our stuff yet. Want to help us find it? I don't think I can go another hour without playing a song on my guitar."
Midna scowled. She didn't like the looks of his injuries, nor the fact he had returned without the hero. Something didn't seem right.
"You're here for the ocarina?" she asked. "Why don't you tell us where Link is first?"
The Sheikah was quiet for a moment. "Even if I knew for sure, you could never reach him."
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Where was he? Was that the sound of waves?
Caaaaaaaw! Caaaaaw! Caaaaaaaw!
And seagulls too?
As Link slowly opened his eyes and lifted his head, he felt grains of sand sticking to his neck. Was this a beach? A vast ocean stretched out before him, gently caressing him with a warm ocean breeze. Yes! It had to be! The water looked crisp and clean. He resisted a strong urge to jump in it. Instead, his eyes followed a group of gulls that flew in the skies overhead, crying out to the water before returning to the shore for a brief respite.
"Oh! You're finally awake!" a young woman's voice grabbed his attention. "How are you feeling?"
The voice startled him and caused him to jump. As he looked to the side, he saw a young woman kneeling beside him. Her hair was light orange with a small red flower tucked in her ear. Her eyes were bright and full of energy. Her clothes were simplistic, consisting of a blue dress that extended down to her ankles and a red necklace around her neck. Her voice was like a melody, blending with the ocean waves to soothe the hero's spirit.
"Zelda?" Link stuttered. He looked around, observing what looked like a tropical island paradise. Palm trees stretched along the entire beach, while a tall mountain stood in the distance. "Where am I? How did I get here? I don't remember a thing."
The girl simply giggled. "Who's Zelda? My name is Marin." She examined Link's forehead. "You must've hit your head pretty hard if you don't remember anything." She smiled. "But that's okay. We'll get you fixed up in no time. After all, it's not very often we get visitors to Koholiant Island."
And so the plot continues onward. I have to say my trip to Italy to see the Roman coliseum really inspired me as I was writing the descriptions for this chapter. Hopefully you guys were able to visualize the coliseum as I saw it while writing.
I'd also like to take a moment and give a special shout out to Little Kunai and Link-the-Lightbringer. Your reviews have consistently encouraged me to keep writing this story. There have been times when I thought it wasn't worth finishing, but then I'd remember that there are still people like you guys who enjoy reading it. Just wanted to let you know I appreciate your consistent feedback. Of course, this is not to exclude my other awesome readers. After all, anyone who has read this far has my sincere gratitude. Which is why I'm doing my best to finish this story in a timely manner. The end is in sight!