A/N: This one took me a while to write, I may come back to edit it a little if I have the time. Hope you enjoy and thanks for all the support you've been giving, all the follows, favourites and reviews mean a lot.
Chapter 22- Hitting the Ground Running
Link picked himself up finally and dusted off the sand that had caught in his clothes. The headscarf had been lost to the wind along with his water skin and enough rupees to make him die inside. With a groan he realised that could have used that money for food.
Focus Link there are more important things to think of now. He checked the rest of his possessions and began to scan the beast for any guards or clues to where the Princess and Chief were.
Nothing. The whole platform he stood on was suspended in silence, a strange sort of silence that only broke under the far-off boom of Naboris' legs hitting the sand. A few moments ago the sound seemed to ripple through Link, hitting his heart like a boulder, both because each step was potentially life ending and also just really, really loud.
Looking out over Gerudo, the desert had returned to the same calm as before. This time Link was reluctant to trust it. Here danger seemed to whip up like a harsh storm in a matter of seconds and he wasn't surviving with skill. That was locked away in his sword. Link was just getting lucky, and it wouldn't last forever.
He had admired enough of the Gerudo desert for one evening. Link walked into the belly of the beast.
The moon had reached its full height in the sky and now cast a short shadow from the mountains of the highlands. Its reach just missed the feet of the divine beast which was bathed white light.
Naboris had come to a grinding stop and now finally the swirl of sand pulled with it had finally settled. The huge mechanical creature would've been a dominating figure over the desert if not for the looming rock walls of the Gerudo Highlands.
Just on the side of Naboris curled up on a balcony slept Princess Zelda, the Gerudo spirit Urbosa watching over her as Link approached. Only the slight sound of wind could be heard from up here. As such Urbosa's voice rang out and dominated the airspace. The Knight remained silent.
The conversation was cut short as a snap cleared the air. Lightning cracked down in a terrifying clash as the deep purple sky came alight in a flashing white light.
"Urbosa! What was that? Did you feel that? Wait, what—how did you—what are you doing here?!"
Link looked down at Zelda whose face of terror soon reverted back to the same resentment he was beginning to get used to. As the scowl continued to grow she turned to Urbosa.
"You promised!" she yelled and immediately sprang to her feet, cutting short the chief's booming laughter.
Both Urbosa and Link watched helplessly as she stormed out hitting into him hard as she left. With her absence Link found Urbosa's solemn eyes meeting his own.
"I won't allow this to carry on a moment longer, you need to make amends," she glanced down at the Thunder Helm and smoothed a finger over the golden metal surface. In the meagre light of the moon the artefact seemed to glow in its own strange light as though the lightning from before had become trapped inside.
"Make amends… I won't let this machine down till you do."
Link's instinctively sent his hands to the side bag and suddenly he felt a pang of panic in his heart. Urbosa's eyes darted up to his reading his expression instantly. They both rushed to the side of the balcony and glanced over the edge.
Sure enough a small figure could be seen gliding away to the nearest sand dune and disappearing over the edge.
"Curse the sands," Urbosa muttered. "That's the third time that's happened in the past week."
"You don't know the half of it," Link grinned. He had already lost count of how many times he had lost the Princess. He would've laughed if there weren't about a thousand ways to die out here, and if Zelda hadn't have managed to get the drop on him…again.
"You don't get it," Urbosa's voice had become laced with urgency. "There's a reason the air has been so calm. A storm is coming Link and the storms here bring more dangers than just sand. I feel we're being watched more closely than any of us could imagine."
Her panic was infectious and soon Link felt his body fill with dread. There was only one thing she could be referring to, and it wasn't the monsters beneath the sand. Link began to sprint away back where he entered.
"Link!" Urbosa yelled after him. "Don't even think about—"
The chief's voice cut off as Link leapt into the central room of Naboris hitting the hard stone ground with a roll. As he finally made it to the platform he noticed the rope was exactly where he had left it. Surely getting down was going to be easier than getting up.
Letting loose the rope it unfurled with a final crack. Link watched it dangle precariously beneath him. From here the height of the creature he was on became more apparent. For some reason without the paraglider in his possession Link really wasn't feeling good looking down.
He almost got thrown off balance as Naboris suddenly shuddered and began to move forwards again.
Damn Urbosa, she's only making it more difficult not deterring me.
The rope swung wildly as Link began to lower himself. With each foot he dropped the rope began to flail more intensely and his grip seemed to cry out in fatigue a little louder. All this climbing was really doing him in.
As Link reached the halfway point he realised his mistake too soon. He had been so focused on the rope and the ground beneath him that he had completely forgotten about the legs. As the stone pillar flew towards him, Link didn't even have time to yelp. He slammed into the stone appendage and the sand floor hurtled up towards him.
Link choked and gasped as he regained himself. Sand covered his clothes, and his bags and items lay strewn about the floor. Overhead the sandstorm was beginning to pick up and Link was only barely protected by a tall dune above him.
With a panic he gathered his items before they were ripped up by the wind. Snatching up his last bag, Link hastily ripped up a spare shirt to fashion another head scarf and tightened it around his bare head. Then with an all too familiar feeling, one of vulnerability, he realised that his sword had also been lost in the fall.
Scanning the sands his eyes locked onto the blue gold hilt buried into the sand. Link grabbed it firmly and with a sharp tug released the blade along with a bucketful of sand that washed over him like a wave.
Link struggled to keep his footing in the uneven ground and took a final sharp breath of clean air as he climbed up into the sandstorm.
The lack of oxygen hit him immediately. It seemed to cut at his lungs sharply causing a slight gasp to escape Link's lips. Then of course he felt the full force of the wind and the sand that seemed to ignore the clothes he wore, as it ripped between the gaps and bit into his skin. Link pushed through the sharp pain and kept moving forwards.
All intuition said to hunker down and wait out the storm but Zelda was somewhere in all of this and he had to find her. Only trouble was he was having difficult looking a few feet in front, there was about as much chance of stumbling on a jungle here as there was of finding the princess.
Finding a trail would be impossible in this too. Seconds after Link left a footprint the wind would immediately rip up the mark, completely obscuring any track. The only positive thing to come from this was that if the Yiga were looking for their chance to swoop in on the princess, they would be having similar difficulties in finding her.
A straight figure in the distance caught Link's eye. Its straight black silhouette stood out in the wild haze of the storm. He pushed an arm in front to shield his eyes and pushed forwards through the thick space between.
As Link got closer it soon became apparent that the silhouette was that some kind of post, likely a flagpole that was ripped of any identity.
It was when Link leant heavily on the post that he noticed the indistinguishable blue-gold fabric of the princess' travel clothes. Caught on a nail, the small section of fabric fluttered in the wind. Link pulled the patch off and began to look around.
Off in the distance there were several dark silhouettes, visible under the heavy storm, most of them were clearly rocks but one or two were for too distinguished to be any natural feature. Link squinted as the sand rattled around him and he focused on two just ahead.
Abruptly one of the figures glided to the side. Link's heart leapt and he sprinted towards the movement. The air was so thick with dust it felt like he was practically swimming through it.
The figure froze. As it turned slowly Link's stomach began to turn in knots. The way it moved was so smooth and deliberate. It was unnatural, a kind of slow and creeping slide through the rough weather. Whatever it was paused and looked towards him and Link's muscles seemed to freeze. Even if he couldn't see it one thing was for sure. It wasn't Zelda.
Slowly the figure began to silently approach and even through the violent noise of the storm Link could feel his heart begin to thump hard. This feeling was all too familiar, his body was preparing for a fight.
He reached and withdrew his sword as more dark figures began to appear from storm and they advanced forwards. Link began to back away. There were five now all moving, all watching, unease growing. His grip on the sword clenched, as if to gain the same reassurance from the blade as a hug from a mother.
Now there were other figures all around. Link twisted and turned as he tried to count them all but his mind was racing. Whatever the number, there were more than Link could handle and there was no running.
Looking forwards once again the first dark shape began more distinguished but there was little reassurance to be gained. The gleaming painted red eye of the Yiga mask revealed itself from the raging sand. It burrowed into Link like one of the ancient sand creatures and even in the absence of much light he could see the shinning vicious edge of the assassin's scythe.
The only hope would be to drive them off. It had worked in the past when he and his father had faced even worse odds against the Yiga. Link readied his stance and screamed out at the creeping figure. His voice was torn to shreds in the storm.
More eyes emerged preying on him, circling, staring. The first suddenly paused and for a moment Link managed to block the noise of the wind. The Yiga looked down at its curved blade and then to his direction. Link's ears began to ring.
Suddenly the figures exploded out from every direction swarming over the sand like ants from a kicked nest. Even through the noise Link could hear their shrill shrieks. As he prepared his blade pain once again erupted through his sword arm more intense than ever before. Ringing so intense that it forced Link to his knees, it felt like the sand was swallowing him up.
The eyes had returned to calm movements as they crowded around him in a circle. Link felt something hard hit the back of his head and his very vision seemed to be consumed by the storm. Only the red blur of the eyes above him remained.
"What's wrong with him?"
"Not sure but he'll want to hear about it."
"Don't tell us we're not killing him."
"Of course we're not killing him, the boss said so and I'd advise you not to cross the boss…"
"Who? Kohga?"
"Haw haw, if you think Kohga has power you're even dumber than I thought. No—we take him to the disgraced knight."
Soon all faded into black as Link felt his body lift into the air
The first thing Link noticed was the feeling of rope around his wrists. Next came the thumping pain in the back of his head.
There seemed to be a light behind the closed lids of his eyes, one that he wasn't quite ready to look directly into. Link's arms were held tied high above his head so that his body dangled uselessly like a draping banner. He felt his feet and legs lay slack, touching the uneven ground beneath. There was no energy inside them and Link could not bring himself to stand upright.
He was inside that much he could tell from the far distant screech of the wind that seemed to echo around the room like some distant calling voice, carrying the distant memory of what just happened. Other than that whatever room or cave he was inside was silent and Link could only pick out the scatter of some rodent or the crack of some torch's flame.
"You may as well look at me I know your awake—" The voice shattered through the silence and was all too resonant. Inside his chest Link could feel something burning, it felt small but far from insignificant.
Link pulled his head up with whatever false strength he could muster and looked into the eyes of the towering shadow before him.
Alfonzo had moved in front of the torches light and stood in the doorway of Link's open cell. In his hand he held a light of his own and he placed it gently but deliberately in the holder. As though about to have a friendly chat the man grabbed a chair and sat down quietly. His giant hulking body would've looked ridiculous on the small wooden chair if Link wasn't in such a precarious position.
That's when Link noticed it. His captor looked down and the elaborate scabbard of the Master Sword before he finally spoke again. "It's been sometime Link… we need to speak."
Link said nothing.
"You've gotten quite good at that haven't you? Staying silent, being unreadable. As all things go, despite all my setbacks you have become the very embodiment of the hero. I can almost imagine you in green tunic and tights, setting out into the world on some stupidly naive adventure. Wondering around killing monsters, until eventually you find some pathetic princess in some tall tower."
His head seemed to sink as though the sword itself was drawing the life from him and when slowly brought his head up to look at Link there was only sadness in his eyes.
"I would see you as my own you know that? If only I could show you how the world really is, only then would you truly understand everything I've done, and how we have ended up here, with you as my prisoner. I'm just so tired of it all Link."
Link wanted to avoid his eyes but could not bring himself to. There was something about the sincerity of his words, the lack of evil intent in his eyes and all the innocence that lay behind them.
Alfonzo stood and placed the point of the sword down into the ground. His back had straightened but there was still some strange sadness that remained in his posture.
"I was gifted with the sight from a young age, the same given to Impa and all those who would call themselves fortune tellers. From a young age I wanted to join them, to aid whoever would take up the fight against Ganon but, deep down I knew somehow I was different. It was only when I joined your father on our first Great Trial that I realised just how big that difference was."
Alfonzo's fist had become clenched in a ball, shaking slightly like they were keeping some explosive energy at bay. His face had clenched in the same sort of disgust you could get from eating Daruk's cooking and now his voice had become more harsh and edged like the great sword strung to his back.
"It's hard to put into words but one night as I left this world into the space of dreams, I began to see it all for the first time. The past and time itself opened up to me like a parchment that just went on and on but I could read every word of it, see every action made, every word said. Do you know what I saw Link?"
Link shook his head the words spoken had some strange magnetic quality. Though the man had lied for most of his life the words rang with a truth that could not be described.
"It's just a cycle Link, all the way from the beginning. Every decision we've all made was meaningless. We're confined to a kingdom defending against an evil that will rise again and again and again, we rebuild only to watch it all crumble down years later. All we'll ever amount to is pets locked away in a cage, for forces above us to poke at with sticks all day. We live to fight for forces we don't understand but when we cut the head of the pig it doesn't just lay down and die it just grows another head. When I opened my eyes for the first time I couldn't even look at another meaningless face."
Link's eyes became wide and he could keep silent no longer, "Your year had more deaths than any other... and the bodies were never recovered."
"Can't you see it? All of their lives were meaningless. Before they were born their whole lives had been planned out, they had no free will, no meaningful future."
"You killed them all…" Link breathed.
"Sure I acted irrationally but could you blame me? If they didn't matter and if they had no choice then what was the point of them even existing at all, what was the point of us all existing? I struggled with that for a long time and it took me even longer to find the answers I was looking for but now I know the endgame. I can get us all out of this perpetual loop but I need you Link and you're just not ready yet."
Alfonzo withdrew the master sword grimacing as his life was sucked away but the blade continued its path and cut the rope holding his prisoner up. Link fell to the ground and watched as his blade clattered to the ground in front.
"Go on…take it, strike me and take your revenge for all I've done."
All he had done. His mother, his father, the years of ruthless training and beatings, they were all him. Everything that had happened was down to this man. Link grabbed the sword.
Before he could evens stand the ringing penetrated his head and vision began to cloud as pain erupted, this time from every nerve.
"Remarkable…it's not the sword that's refusing you, you're refusing the sword," Alfonzo twittered. "After everything you're still haven't let go fully. You're still holding on."
Link looked up at the Knight as he felt fury flow through his body. All the memories of his childhood all the horrors of it bubbles beneath the surface. They were so within reach and all Link wanted was to reach out and feel them like he hadn't felt in a long time.
"PATHETIC!"
The back of Alfonzo's hand cracked down onto Link's face sending him sprawling. It was a blow that knocked the air from Link's lungs and took with it the anger and the memories.
"You were designed before time to be a vessel, even after all that's happened you still resist it like an arrogant child."
The anger began to rise again in Link's cheeks but a kick to his side sent Link rolling with a grunt. He was slipping back there again to the place in his dreams, that expanse of nothing and the figure in the distance. It called to him, and though Link could still not discern the words, its voice had become louder, ringing out like the bell on Castletown's temple.
Alfonzo's crushing hands gripped Link's limp body and brought him up as the Master Sword clattered to ground beside.
"Why won't you let go?" the knight stared firmly at him but deep within his glare Link noticed something the man was trying to hide. He was confused about something.
Link closed his eyes as he struggled with the lack of air. The figure in the distance called to him now, their name just evading his mind like a cautious rabbit. Its glow washed over him like the rays of a summer's sun, high up in the sky, and even in this danger the sight of it made him feel a strange comfort, the sort that was so unexplainably tangible. Their voice was now ringing out all around him and Link could see the outstretched hand from the now visibly blue spirit.
"Why won't you let go? What is it you're still holding onto?" Alfonzo whispered.
Link was screaming now though he was unsure whether it was in the cage or in the expanse of nothing. Bit by bit the nothingness began to bend to his will. With his hand reaching forwards Link tried anything to get closer to the spirit. All this time ever since he had first arrived at the academy the fear of not living up to his father, not living up the heroes of the past, that had been his driving force. For all his courage and bravado Link was terrified that all he was wasn't enough. The image of the spirit became clear before him.
"WHAT ARE YOU HOLDING ONTO!" Alfonzo screamed into his face frustration burning through any remaining self-control. His eyes fixated onto him like the rabid poise of a mad dog.
The answer washed over Link like a calm breeze, the sort that blew over him in those long evenings in Hateno and when the words came out they didn't fall out in a rasp or bellow but with gentle warmth.
"Zelda…"
Just as Link began his decent into unconsciousness he felt the tight grip of Alfonzo's hands release him and Link fell to the ground like a heap of rags, his sword but a foot away. The knight took a step back in shock.
"This is quite unexpected…" Alfonzo murmured dazedly. "It doesn't make any sense, how could she be—"
The traitor regained his posture as his eyes began to narrow in on Link and the edges of his mouth began to move up in an all too sickeningly familiar grin. Grabbing the torch he moved from the doorway.
"If you won't take your true potential then I'll just have to give you a helping hand," his grin widened impossibly. "Sweet dreams hero."
Link felt his boot crack down on his face.
When Link woke up this time he awoke gasping for air and already scrambling for a footing. Without realising it his hands had already enclosed around the Master Sword, his sword. It glowed a bright blue as he stared into it. Link's body was wrecked with a mixture of emotions that threated to overwhelm him like an overwhelming tide but there was one thing he was latching onto.
"Shouldn't we do something?" one of the Yiga asked. He stood to the side of his much larger friend who held a sword strapped to his back. Unwavering, the Yiga Blademaster looked down at Link with utter contempt.
"Don't you listen to anything? The kid can't even swing the damn thing, there's no point in even closing the cell door."
Link looked down at the blade. There was one thing he could fight for.
The Blademaster folded his arms, "How many of our kind has he killed, I've lost count of the brothers and sisters he's laid into the dust. I want to see his face, see the anger in it when we've killed the princess he's sworn to protect."
Zelda… That's who Link was meant to protect. It's wasn't his duty or his prophesy, he never had to fight for her. He wanted to.
Link looked up with staunch glare as his eyebrows arched down violently. The blade wasn't ringing or screeching or filling him with pain, it was singing to him. For the first time in forever it just felt like nothing but a sword in his hands. Link lowered himself into a ready stance.
The smaller Yiga leapt back with a yelp, his friend didn't react before it was too late. Link came forwards like a whirlwind of fury slashing through the proud assassin like he was nothing. The other couldn't even draw his weapon as Link slammed him against the wall.
"Where is she?" Link asked his tone a calm type of menacing.
"How did—you're not supposed— YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO FIGHT."
"Where is she?" he repeated unwavering.
"You can't save her, the order was issued by Alfonzo himself and she's in our territory now," the Yiga had to be grinning under that stupid mask. "She'll be dead within the next hour."
"Where?" Link brought the sword up to the red throat and the Yiga glanced at the remains of his friend scrupulously.
"Kara Kara."
Link was already at the exit and rushed out of the clan hide out following the gentle gush of air that had to be coming from the entrance. This time he wasn't going to let anyone he cared about die. The thought was a little overwhelming. He cared about Zelda in spite of her tempers and all the many times she had found creative ways to ditch him. Link let that feeling drive him.
A rush of air hit him when he entered the hot midday air. Link had little time to wonder about the weather as an arrow whizzed past his head.
He looked in the direction of the firer and all around there seemed to be Yiga hemming the edges of the canyon. There wasn't enough time to fight them, but it wouldn't do him much good to just die out here. Something in the doused campsite next to the entrance caught his eye.
No way that's the worst plan yet
Another arrow missed him by millimetres.
Okay never mind that's the plan
Link rushed forwards and with a roll grabbed the pot lid, his forwards momentum carrying him into a roll. He had little time to think before the heads of two arrows slammed through the wood but an inch from his face.
He began to sprint forwards as more arrows slammed into the wood but his makeshift shield was holding up. Link had always hated shields, they seemed to always slow him down, but now he was looking at them in a different light.
The incline of the canyon had begun to slump down and the arrows were getting closer and closer to the edge of the small circle of the lid. Link brought his sword up cutting the shafts of the arrows clean off the lid and leapt onto its surface. He hurtled down the sand surfing down as the wind rushed past him faster and faster.
There was yelling behind him and arrows whished after him as he passed an overpass. The Yiga had reacted too late and now their arrows fell short behind Link's fleeing board.
He was making good time but eventually the slope of the canyon would level as it opened out into the desert and with no sand seal Link couldn't use his shield to get there. If he just ran he wasn't going to make it in time. The Yiga were ahead and he was going to have to find a better way to make good time.
The canyon began to open out and the wind was picking up more and more sand in the air. Link had little protection for another sandstorm and little energy either. Now only adrenaline was carrying him forwards. The board was beginning to slow down as it's scratching against the sand intensified. Link looked around frantically and noticed what was really bringing the sand in the air.
Over in the distance something was churning up the sand. There was only one monster of that size, Molduga. Link's head began to whir; a very stupid plan was beginning to take shape in his mind.
Is that even possible?
Experimenting would take time and Link didn't have any to spare. He scrambled off his board and began to sprint over the sunken remains of some ruins. Screaming at the top of his lungs the giant blob of sand turned towards him. His legs carried him up one final fallen pillar.
Now this will go down as the most stupid thing I've done
As the beast erupted from the sand Link leapt to the side and threw his grapple onto its thick hide. The air rushed past him as he hit the sand hard.
Link lay on his back still holding the rope. Everything had gone silent. Had he missed? The rope tightened suddenly.
"Uh-oh…" was all Link could manage before he began to shoot through the sand.
He howled as the sand ripped through his exposed skin cutting him. Link flailed around trying to gain some control the floor zipped past him at a breakneck speed. After tumbling through the sand and swallowing enough of it to make a Goron proud, Link finally got a firm footing on the ground placing his makeshift shield beneath his feet.
As the air rushed past him Link couldn't help but yell in excitement. He was Molduga surfing. A shudder of the board dragged him back into concentration. With some strenuous effort Link directed the beast towards the walls of Gerudo Town. How this whole thing was working Link had little idea. The beast only worked through sound seeing as he moved with it, the monster probably didn't even notice him. He was certain of one thing, Zelda wasn't going to die.
The pot lid under Link's feet began to shudder and splinter, it probably wasn't going to hold out much longer. With the stone walls fast approaching Link thought it best not to bring a giant burrowing beast to the town. He didn't really fancy running from born warrior women for the rest of his life.
He unhooked the grapple and allowed the wooden slab beneath him to come to a grinding stop in the ground. From here the tall rock spire could be seen shimmering in the distance. Link began to sprint towards Kara Kara, ignoring the blistering heat of the sun.
Panic rushed through Zelda's body as she scrabbled through the sand and dry rocks. If she could make it to the oasis she might have a chance, though even if she did the people of Kara Kara were traders and travelling merchants not the types to take up arms against trained assassins.
Zelda made a rapid glance backwards as her legs continued to take her forwards. They were rushing after her but for some reason she got a dreaded feeling that they weren't really going as fast as they could. Unlike them she was not used to running on sand. It felt like the desert itself seemed to be drawing energy from her with each step. Were they toying with her?
They had pursued since she managed to escape the storm. It had taken a few seconds in that storm to regret leaving Naboris. When the air had cleared she had barely had the time to gather her breath before Zelda noticed the figures hemming a distant dune. It was clear even from there that they were Yiga. She had heard that Link had fought off hundreds of them and seen the dead bodies of the assassins left in the wake of Alfonzo's betrayal. It was the first time she had seen them alive and threatening her life.
Already her throat felt she had drunk a cup of sand and the heat was beginning to get to her head. The world itself seemed to spin like the calamity had already come and was breaking it up to swallow up in smaller and smaller chunks. Ahead she thought she could see the waters of the Kara Kara oasis but was she just hallucinating? Urbosa had said to watch out for the mirages and that they made men go mad from thirst. Regardless it was the only chance she had. No one was coming to save her.
As she peaked a dune and lost her footing, rolling and flailing to the bottom, this was hardly what Zelda meant when she said she wanted to get out of the Castle more.
She continued a few more meters past some rocks putting as much distance between her and the pursuers behind. Zelda turned back once again to check how far they really were and as she turned her head forwards she stumbled backwards in a blind panic. A Yiga moved in front cutting her off, brandishing a seethe. Zelda turned back but there to her other side were the other two assassins.
She felt the hot ground beneath her as she held up her hand in a pathetic defence. For all her efforts and struggles this was where she would die. A feeling began to draw upon her heart as her eyes closed tightly. Some accepted death gladly, she had heard about the brave Knights and heroes of old who gladly lay down their lives for the kingdom. She always thought herself the same but in the seconds where death was certain, Zelda only thought about all she had been unable to accomplish.
She had failed to adjust Ruta, failed to discover the secrets to controlling the guardians, failed to unite the champions. Despite all that and her failure to save the Kingdom and to reverse the disappointment of her father, Zelda found herself strangely thinking about Link. Maybe if they had more time they could've fixed things. Maybe they could've been close.
Zelda winced as she heard the whoosh and clang of a blade and then… nothing.
There was still a red darkness beneath her eyes and all around there was not a sound. Is this what death was, no sound, no pain.
Tentatively she opened her eyes. The dead body of her attacker lay before her and but a few feet ahead he stood sword drawn, held tightly between two hands. The other two assassins stumbled back shocked as he held a ready stance.
The blue fabric of his tunic rippled in the gentle desert wind and concentration was etched on his face.
Zelda let out a light breath of relief and wonder as she glance over her appointed Knight and then very gently and cautiously a smile began to wash over her.