Chapter 15
Link
Link saw the screaming crowd flee away from a spot on the stands. He heard Zelda gasp beside him.
In the middle of the chaos stood a creature, three metres tall, wild red eyes, a long pig's snout and a massive club in its claws.
Link's eyes widened in sheer disbelief. A Moblin!
He saw it was surrounded by people's bodies. Some where desperately trying to crawl away. Others were still.
A second nest of panicked cries erupted on the stands to their right. People trampling over each other to get away from a second snarling nightmare that swung its weapon at everything it could see.
And a third.
And a fourth.
Where did they come from?!
"Guards to the ranks! Kill these monsters! Protect your people!" Sir Craster roared with furious rage.
"Royal guard, stay with the princess!"
Many citizens had, in their panic, jumped from the stands to the arena. Link saw that at least two of the beasts were following suit. It would be a massacre!
He jumped onto the stone banister and was just about ready to jump the five metres down when he looked back once more.
The princess stood still, immeasurable shock and pain in her eyes. Around her formed a cluster of five guardsmen. Sir Craster had already left to join the fighting force. He couldn't just remain here!
Zelda looked at him beseechingly, softly shaking her head. He hated to leave her with every fibre of his being. But she was safe while others weren't.
Together with those downstairs she had nine royal guardsmen. They would take her away. She was safe!
He jumped down and rolled on the soft sand to break his fall. He sprinted towards the pavilion, constantly followed by cries of terror and their immensely more disturbing sudden stops. In the pavilion was his sword, brought by Sir Russel for the festivities afterwards, so he would look a fighting man.
"Link!" Sir Russel ran out of the structure, sword drawn and Link's in his left. He chucked it to his nearing student, who caught it and drew it immediately.
"Don't go risking too much, boy! Choose your fights only if you've already won!" He yelled after him, then ran towards a different fight.
Link dashed towards one of the creatures that had just dropped into the arena sand. People were still trying to get up, dazed by the long drop. Link could see the giant monster bring its club down on helpless, fleeing men and women.
A fury like never felt before burned in his insides when he finally reached the thing. It immediately recognized the greater threat and came at him with heavy steps, tongue lolling out of its maw. It readied its huge log of a club to swing a wide arc but Link was too furious to be afraid. He dashed into the creature's range, ducked low to avoid its blow that would probably have killed him on the spot and slashed madly at its hands, legs, chest, everything he could reach.
The Moblin roared in pain and rage but to Link's dismay he couldn't do enough damage. The leathery skin and bulging muscles only allowed shallow cuts that would not fell this beast.
Too late Link reacted to the creatures violent kick that drove the air out of his lungs and sent him flying. The world grew numb and muffled for a second while Link hit the sand, his body strengthless while he desperately tried to remember how to breathe. He saw the Moblin approach and lift his club to finish him.
He rolled away at the last moment, the heavy weapon hitting the ground mere centimetres beside him spraying him with sand.
Slowly colour returned to his vision and the ringing in his ears made way for the normal sound of battle. His lungs filled with sweet, greatly needed air, finally and he finished his roll by quickly standing up.
The monster's club may be slow and heavy, but its kicks were of a ferocious quickness.
With still burning lungs Link dashed forward. The beast tried to counter with another kick but this time Link was ready. He twisted out of the way and hacked violently at the lifted foot from behind. He could almost feel the thing's large Achilles tendon rip in two at his cut.
The creature roared in pain and floundered when it tried to catch its weight with the destabilized foot. Link had to dive out of the way to not be buried beneath its bulk when it dropped to its knee. Crippled or not, the monster violently swung its club at him, now that he was back in range. Link had to jump over the massive log! He back flipped and only narrowly avoided being splattered. He landed on his feet and rushed back in. The Moblin was still busy handling his last swing's momentum while on his knees.
The fight was over. With the creature's head now in reach and no threat of a kick, Link jumped past and used all his impetus to slash at its throat. It tried to drop the club and swat at him with its claws but he had been to fast. Blood welled up from the deep cut and the monster gave a gurgling roar and attempted to lunge at Link one last time, but he had already moved out of range. It heavily fell into the sand, trying still to claw its way forward towards him but with every bubbly breath its endeavours weakened. To Link's battle focused mind it seemed to take hours until the creature finally lay still. Only now did he notice the people lying around him and the beast. Men and women with punched in skulls and smashed ribcages lying in the sand, unmoving, their last moments of terror clearly visible on their faces.
Link felt cold bile rise to his mouth but the still going battle sounds made him force it back down. He looked around. The other Moblins that had dropped into the arena were all engaged, so were most of the ones on the stands by now.
Then he saw something that made his blood freeze in his veins. A humanoid figure, covered in light clothes had just entered the door to the royal terrace. The door guarded by four royal guardsmen, who now lay still before it.
As if in a shocked trance, Link started to run. He had just barely seen the person vanish into the door.
No.
They had dispatched the guards while everyone was busy with the Moblins…
No!
They were here to kill her!
No!
Link sprinted over the entire arena a second time, this time with infinitely more cold fear pulsating within him.
A couple of guards passed him! He just yelled "Princess!" at them but didn't slow a bit.
He reached the door, paying no heed to the four downed royal guards and stormed in. His eyes needed a moment to adjust to the sudden gloom under the terrace but he could already hear fighting noises up ahead.
He darted forward. He felt one of these adversaries in his way, more than he saw him. He snarled something in a hylian voice and Link's hairs stood on end. He felt something thrown and suddenly a dark purple cloud erupted in front of him.
From within came a maddened roar and out jumped another Moblin, swinging his club madly.
Link heard a shrill cry from somewhere ahead and he felt his rage burn painfully inside. With a furious roar he dived at the mindless creature. It tried to fell him with its club but it might just as well have tried to swipe at dust. Link weaved around the massive weapon which to his eyes was nearly frozen in time. With one anger filled vertical swing he cut through the monster's wrists. It shrieked in pain and surprise but Link wasn't done. Without stopping his motion he brought his blade back up, switched to a two handed grip, rammed its tip inside its stomach and ripped it violently across until it broke through the thing's side.
Without breaking stride he continued forward. The attack still stood there, rooted to the spot. Now Link could see him clearly, even though only three seconds had passed at most. He wore a sandy coloured set of clothes with a white mask covering all of his face. The mask had a red triangle painted on it.
"You!" he snarled in hylian.
Link couldn't care less what he had to say. He advanced rapidly while his opponent drew a short sword. It was almost ridiculously easy for Link to sidestep the first attack and stick his sword into the man's neck up to the hilt.
He didn't waste a second to yank it back out and continue, his righteous rage propelling him forward.
Below the stairs he found an open doorway, from where the sounds of battle still came loudly. He dashed inside with no hesitation.
He came around a bend in the corridor and saw carnage.
Five more of the attackers had already incapacitated four of the remaining guards. He last injured man stood protectively in front of Zelda, who had a sword drawn and looked deathly scared but determined.
Link sprinted forward. Two of the assailants turned immediately and brandished their short swords at him. Link jabbed the first one's weapon aside and smashed his right hand through the mask and whipped his head back. The second one tried to swing at him but Link caught his hand with his razor sharp blade and disarmed him. The assassin tried to draw a dagger with his left but stopped when Link drove his blade through his chest.
Right at that moment a third attacker stabbed at his back and ripped through the flesh over his right shoulder. He didn't even feel any pain. Right now he was unstoppable.
Link whipped around and beheaded the man, just as the last guardsman fell to the floor.
Zelda stood, her sword ready and she stabbed at the attack just as he tried to finish the guard. He dodged, but too late. Her blade sliced through the side of his neck. He clutched at his bleeding wound and recoiled, right into Link's who stabbed him in the back.
The last assailant threw himself on the princess, hacking at her until he managed to catch her arm, twisted it behind her back and held his blade at her neck.
Link stopped cold. His rage made way to overpowering fear.
With the fear came the pain. The Moblin's kick had done more damage than he had noticed. Every breath sent a line of fire across his chest and the cut at his shoulder hurt like hell.
But nothing felt more painful than the dreadful certainty. He would lose! He would lose her!
His head started to feel faint. Everything turned around him.
He had to drop to one knee, panting heavily.
The assassin seemed unsure what to do. He looked at his fallen comrades, all cut down by Link.
If he killed her, he would die as surely if he disobeyed his master.
"Stay back! Or that pretty neck will spout blood like a fountain!"
Behind him, Link could hear people approaching. People in armour! He dared a quick look over his shoulder. Sir Craster had arrived together with Sir Alistair and a handful of men. They all stopped dead in their tracks when they saw the situation.
Link, between heavy gulps that tried to keep his stomach down, attempted to reason. "You are caught. If you harm her, your life will be forfeit before you can even take another breath." He attempted to stand back up, but his vision was swaying violently. Was he losing so much blood? He couldn't care, not now. He had to save her. He was only three steps away, a painfully long distance, but still much closer than the two knights. If anyone could reach him in time it was Link.
He battled with the sheer panic that tried to come over him. He couldn't reach her! Not even he was fast enough.
"Stay where you are!" the assassin yelled shrilly and pressed his knife firmer against her neck.
A tiny trickle of blood ran down Zelda's throat.
The world turned cold.
All colour drained away from Link's vision apart from that crimson drop and Zelda's sky blue eyes. He could feel her heartbeat racing, while his own heart seemed to skip a beat, then turn ice cold. He no longer felt his bruised ribs, neither his injured back, nor the fatigue that had built up. He could hear his own blood rush in his ears and the tiny inaudible whimpers from Zelda's throat with each quick breath.
His breath turned calm like the eye of a massive storm.
Time had stopped.
He would reach him.
He would kill him.
He would save her.
It could not be otherwise.
He caught the princess' gaze. For an instant their minds connected and they thought as one. He saw understanding in her wonderful eyes.
He jumped forward. Death came for the assassin. It was as inevitable as destiny itself.
Link's jump propelled him the entire way. He could see the shock find its way to the assailant's eyes. He saw his muscles contract, one by one along his arm, but it would be too late. Link's fingers found their way between the blade and Zelda's delicate neck, his right hand closing around the knife. He let his momentum carry him past. Slowly, time stretched thin, the violent dagger was pulled away from her throat. Link turned midair and slammed his sword grip in his left against the man's now stretched elbow. He felt bones shatter and crumble below his fingers.
The masked face followed him, immeasurably slowly and looked uncomprehendingly at his arm, twisted at an impossible angle.
Link drew his sword back, just as this opponent started to gasp in surprise. He ended his life with a lightning fast stab through his mask.
It took incredibly long before the assassin's body became limp. When only Link's blade was holding him upright, time finally took another breath.
Link stood, swaying. Zelda whipped around and took a step back from her attacker. Link saw that the knights were starting to move in, still confused about what had just happened.
He lost his grip on his sword. His arms and legs felt frail and soft. He fell to his knees once more. His brain only now had time to catch up to what had happened in the last split second. The world regained its colour and sound returned. The overpowering smell of blood flooded Link's nostrils. He looked down on himself and saw that he was soaked with it. The floor around him was swimming in it, and there were corpses everywhere.
With dreadful certainty he realized that he had killed. He had ended the life of not only a couple monsters, but Hylians! Yesterday he was playing with swords and today he had viciously murdered at least five people! With sudden clarity he remembered the shocked, disbelieving eyes of the first assassin he had killed with his sword through his neck. The sheer terror in them! The way life had faded from them when he had drawn his blade back out!
The smell was too much!
His stomach turned and he vomited violently. Everything hurt.
His breath came laboriously and painfully. His right arm failed to hold him up and he nearly fell face first into his sick.
He could feel himself drift mercifully close to unconsciousness. Through blurry eyes he saw someone kneel down before him and steady him. It was her! He looked at her face, which he could hardly make out. She said something but he couldn't understand it. She looked worried.
"Why?" he thought dazedly. He had won. She needn't be worried anymore!
"You are safe." He breathed.
Even if he couldn't see her for all this blur, she was still beautiful. He dizzily touched her face lightly with his left and smiled.
"You are safe."
Then he remembered nothing more.