Chapter 57: Only Choice
A chill breeze blew from the river and washed over Gan. He shut his eyes and let the cold envelop him. The last time he'd set foot on this river he'd been alone, traveling by night lest word of his journey reach the Hylians. Now he rode in the open, an army at his back, astride Storm with his black armor gleaming, so all the world could see him.
One of his mothers' earliest lessons, to fool even the wise make yourself known and obvious. Draw focus to the sword, so no one notices the dagger. Though now he meant to fool no one. At least no more than necessary to end this war without drawing unnecessary questions.
WASTEFUL COWARD. GIVING UP ON OUR DREAMS.
The wind ebbed and Gan opened his eyes. Never a moment alone when one had their failures to keep them company. Still, he enjoyed the pleasure of the breeze, as brief as it was. He put heel to Storm until the old voe brought him to the beach. Nabs' scouts had been correct, a horse could cross the waters of the bend, though not comfortably. But thus far the attempts to get even an empty wagon across proved slow and laborious.
With Nabooru gone, Bethe took her position in the vanguard and had done an admirable job setting up the crossing for the rest of the army. A dozen ropes hung across the water, letting soldiers pull themselves and their horses along. By nightfall the crossing should be over. Bethe had already led the van away to leave room for the rest of the army. The last stragglers of the mainguard were in the water muttering about the cold. All that remained were the supplies and the rear.
Then the climb to the Crystal City. The sooner they reached the Zora the sooner he could cleanse himself from the last of his great sins. Such an elegant plan, to use the child to bring him the Sapphire. One he could control that the Lord of Waters would never dare harm, and the rest of the Zora could not refuse. Shame to undo it, but freeing the Zora Princess and returning her to safety would quell much lingering doubt about his loyalty.
"Dessi," Gan found his commander overseeing the construction of the rafts, trying to breathe warmth into her hands. "How goes it?"
"Sav'aaq," she waved then returned her hands to clutching before her mouth. "Not as well as I'd like."
"The rafts look sturdy enough." Which was something of a surprise. The Gerudo army were the best in the world at the raid and bow. Second only to the knights of Hyrule in the charge. But building rafts? Most had never seen this much water in one place, much less knew how to cross it.
"They're built fine. It was finding good wood for them that was the problem. We're missing about a fourth of what I wanted."
"We can make do with that number," he looked out over the laborers and sighed. "And are you ready?"
Dessi frowned and looked up to him. "I'll be ready when it happens. Don't much like it though."
"You don't have to like it. But it is necessary. Do your work right and this will be the last of it."
Dessi shrugged, unconvinced. And in truth, Gan wasn't certain he spoke the truth either. After all, his plans with the Dodongo and Lizalfos had gone wrong. Who's to say the Lord of Tides would not also make a play for power? If the Octorok planned to betray him, he'd served them the opportunity. But if they remained loyal, the war would end in Lanayru after today. "And how about our new vai?"
"Tagoma? She's struggling to order other captains, she's not used to her position yet. But she shows promise. I think Bethe had her measure."
"She'll learn how to give orders to those she used to see as equals soon enough." Gan looked across the river to his newest honor guard as she patrolled the opposite bank. "It is not easy being plucked from the line and given command of the mainguard. I would have preferred her learning under you or Bethe first." He sighed and slipped off Storm. "Can't be helped." In truth, without Nabs he would rather the main be under the command of Mulli or Jocqueline. But Mulli was with the ancestors, and Jocquelline took ill while healing at the Oasis. She'd been too weak to join the armies when they marched from the desert.
So many he led to ruin for a failed dream. And how many more just to keep himself hidden?
"Where you going?" Dessi asked as he walked down the slopes to the sandy banks.
"If we have fewer rafts, someone will need to speed them up." Gan enjoyed the press of his boots into the thick sands of the shore. As he strolled forward some of his soldiers openly stared at him or gave a quick salute. He nodded to those he saw working hard, only stopping when he saw two of his people struggling to push a raft into the waters. They did not take notice of him, entirely focused on pressing against the raft. Their heels turned up sand as they grappled and grunted, but the raft did not budge.
"Need help, sisters?"
"Listen voe," one of the soldiers snapped before turning to face him. "We aren't your sis- My king!"
Gan couldn't help but chuckle as the vai went red as a setting sun and pounded her chest in salute. "Calm yourself, no harm done. Still, let me help you here." The front of the raft had sunk deep into the sand. The more they pushed at the back, the deeper it went. "I think if I can lift the front, we can get it moving." He got to his knees and scooped away sand, trying to create a smoother path for the raft. Then he dug his fingers deep until he could cup them beneath the wooden planks. "You two, push on three. One. Two. Three."
He heaved, pulling the weight of the raft and the wagons tied upon it as high as he could. The vai shoved it forward. It lurched and caught upon the newly dug ramp of sand and slid forward. The two yelped with joy as it slid smooth into the river.
The one that had snapped at him grabbed a pole and ran forward leaping onto the raft. "Thank you, my king!" She waved as she pushed the pole into the water and dragged it back, keeping the raft moving toward the ropes and the other shore.
POINTLESS. BENEATH US.
Gan let out one long breath as he watched the raft drift away. "Come on." He tapped the other worker on the shoulder. "There's more to do."
They made good time. Ganondorf bounced between the groups of workers, tying down the wagon wheels for one, then helping shove the rafts into the water for another. Taking someone's place completely when he thought they needed a breather. After little more than an hour, Ganondorf felt the sweat pooling under his arms and running down his back. But Nabooru had been right. In the last war he had earned his respect by taking the most difficult tasks on his own shoulders. Sharing meals with his vai, taking watch, and showing that a king earned his place.
And it felt good, rubbing shoulders with his people. It almost made him forget why he was truly there.
The rise of the water was imperceptible at first, masked by the waves and the splashing of rafts. It wasn't until half of the beach was beneath water that Ganondorf noticed it had begun. He looked up the river. In the distance, white foam and small rippling bubbles streamed across the surface. Growing closer.
"Dessi!" Ganondorf called. "Dessi! They're coming!"
KILL.
The water on the beach rolled back. Some of his people slipped upon the churned sand or splashed into the waters. Ganondorf grabbed the nearest one and pulled her up. "Go sister! Get the commander!
The foam and ripples rose into a wave. A wall of water as tall as Ganondorf himself, with dark shapes swimming within it.
"Get back!"
The warning horn blared. The shrieking cry of the Gerudo answered it, but too late to protect the rafts.
The wave smashed into the wooden platforms, for some the lashing that bound them together split apart, others disappeared beneath the crashing current. When they resurfaced, many had their wagons ripped from them, or lost their rowers. In their place Bari swarmed, whipping at the remaining carts with their tendrils, while they pulsed with the lightning, they held within themselves.
"Archers!" Gan roared as he leaped from the shore to the nearest of the rafts. He landed hard on the wood, sending it rocking from his weight. Water splashed around him, he crouched and gripped the side to avoid slipping off. Before him one of the jellyfish grabbed at a soldier, pulling her from the raft and forcing her screaming into the water.
He scrambled forward, leaping from one raft to the next as he summoned his sword. With a mighty swing he severed the creature's tentacles. Blue blood bubbled up as the creature flopped back beneath the waves. Ganondorf reached into the water and tossed the soldier back onto the raft. She landed hard, sputtering and in pain, but alive. So many more were not as fortunate.
THEY DO NOT MATTER. KILL.
Someone screeched, their terror cut off as the water filled their throat. Gan looked about trying to find the source, but there were far too many who needed aid. He went for the nearest, a soldier trying to pull her sword loose from the tangling arms of the Bari as it glowed with deadly light.
Gan swung down, severing some of the creature's tendrils but not enough.
"Let go," the vai shouted. "That's my grandmother's sword. Give it back, monster!"
"Drop it!" Gan shouted to the young soldier. "Get out of the water. Drop your sword!"
But the vai would not, she hissed and spat trying to wrench her weapon free. Only for the creature to pulse again, latching itself up her arm.
LEAVE HER
"Drop your sword!" Gan reached down trying to grab the vai by the back of her neck. The water around the Bari hissed and crackled. The vai screamed. The monster's lightning shot up Ganondorf's arm, all the muscles in his hand tightened into a claw. He reeled back on instinct, releasing the vai. She thrashed in the water, her head convulsing as she sank.
Ganondorf howled in rage and pain, witch-fire erupting from his undamaged hand. The darkness launched toward the Bari, enveloping it, choking out its strange glowing light. Gan dived down, his chest landing hard on the raft, causing it to shake. Gan plunged his hands into the waters and pulled the soldier out. Where the tendrils touched her arms, the skin bubbled up or was completely burned off. The trail of seared flesh spun up her chest, over her neck, and across her face. Her eyes were open, but they stared out empty. Dead.
KILL THEM KILL THEM KILL THEM
"Loose!" Dessi called from the shore. Iron soared.
Some arrows struck true, piercing the frail bodies of the enemy, but more plunged into the waters. They sunk only a foot or two deep, losing all momentum and turning from the current. If they found anything below the waves it was only to bounce off the fleshy sacks of the Bari's skin.
Arrows would not be enough. Dessi knew what to do, but how many would die until the weapons were set and ready?
Ganondorf dove into the water. Ignoring the screams and doubt in his head, he found one of his people trapped unconscious in the undertow. Thankfully, no monsters near her. His armor sunk him to the bottom, he pushed off the mud and swam to her. Every movement grueling from the weight. When he reached the vai, he grabbed her under the arms and managed to turn about and push off the ground.
He grabbed onto the side of the nearest raft. The Bari took notice. He pushed her up, she flopped dripping and gasping for air on the raft. Her eyes unfocused, but open, her body convulsed as a fit of coughing took her.
The raft dipped, as Gan tried to pull himself up. "Are you-"
Tendrils wrapped around his leg and his stomach. He shouted as the creature pulled him back into the river.
Gan twisted, the creature crackled with lightning, glowing through sediment. He gave a war cry, but only bubbles spewed from his mouth. He tried to stand, the river was shallow enough to ford. If he rose, he could get his head to the surface. But his feet slipped. He'd never fought beneath water before. Everything moved so slow. Reaching toward the monstrous jellyfish, it did not attempt to avoid him. His fist connected with the fleshy sack, and he called his witch-fire.
Whose magic is stronger Bari? That which runs in your veins or mine?
The Bari glowed. Gan's arm crackled with strange energy. Fury and pain danced together. The creature tried to wrap around Ganondorf's throat. The lightning burned, and so did he. Waves of black fire pulsed in the black water. Stronger, deeper, more powerful and deadly than any beast of the sea. He was Ganondorf Dragmire, and this creature was beneath him.
He pulled his arm free of the carcass, raised his head and breathed deep. There were more beneath the waters. There had to be.
"Light them!" Dessi shouted from the shore. "Release!"
I'm too late.
First came the blinding light. On the surface of the water, the Goron's weapon erupted. Before the sound reached him the force of the explosion did. A wave of air that would have knocked him off his feet were he not swimming. Then a wall of water, made not with magic or the tides, but the sheer force of the bombs, rocked into him. Pieces of Bari that had been near the weapon flew through the air or carried along the new rapid current.
Gan smashed into the raft. Rushing water filled his mouth and nose sending him sputtering and coughing. Unable to do anything but watch.
"Load!" Dessi shouted on the shore. Beside her a small catapult had been wheeled onto the sands. Several teams cranked the catapult's arm and filled it with a mass of bombs all tied together. "Light!" They lit them each in a blaze of motion. "Release!"
The cluster hurtled into the air and splashed onto the waters. Several of the wicks were doused upon their impact. But only one needed to keep alight.
GLORIOUS.
Fire and death blasted into the water. Gan grabbed onto the raft and pulled himself close. A hand took hold of him. The Gerudo he had saved. She gripped tight, her head pressed down so all she could see was her eye, utterly afraid as the waves smashed their raft, sending them hurtling back.
"Load!"
By the third explosion even the mindless Bari fled. By the fourth the battle was over. When the water died down, he gently pried the still terrified soldier's hands away from him. "You did well," he told her, before letting go of the raft and trudging to the shore. Water poured out of his clothes and armor, splattering as he collapsed onto the sand.
Several hands found him and rolled him to his front.
"Give him some air," Dessi shouted. "My king, are you wounded?"
"I'll live," he said and wiped his eyes.
She embraced him, angling her mouth at his ear and whispered. "I didn't know you were out there. What were you thinking? This was your plan!"
"Saved one of them."
"Madman," Dessi pulled away. "I'm sorry, Gan. Nabs isn't here to say it and someone must. There were few out on the rafts. The attack was short, I doubt we lost more than a dozen."
"But now we lost one fewer." Gan shut his eyes and let his head flop back into the sand. Almost over.
The meeting took place on a beach less than two miles from the camps. As they approached, Gan nodded to Dessi. She sighed, signaled to Caeiti and the two slunk out back into the grassland above.
Ganondorf sat down on the shore and waited. He waved for his companions to do the same, though only a few joined him. Others preferred to mill about, glaring out over the water or checking their weapons. The sun was low, and as the wind picked up Gan shivered, still remembering the chill of the water that felt all the colder once the heat of the battle had worn off.
If they had a pyre, he could have stayed for hours. A great hot fire to cook and tell stories around, while a pleasant, chilled breeze swept over him, mixing cool and warm. Alas, too risky to set a flame, and he had more important matters than his comfort.
From the tide rose bulbous eyestalks, followed by heads of red and purple and blue. The Octorok stayed in the water, just offshore.
Gan stood and walked toward them. Stopping just before his boots got wet. Dousing them once that day was more than enough. It took them hours to dry since the skirmish. "Well met."
The nearest of them pulled its head further out of the water and spoke in a voice of squelches and gurgling wet grunts and moans. "Was the king, glulp, satisfied?"
"I was. I hope the battle did not see too many losses on your side."
"Only two-sgluuuggp- bari wranglers. Unimportant."
That did not sound correct to Gan, he had killed two himself. "There had to be more than that."
"Only two Octorok -lssplipt- Bari are animals. Do you count-plibbt, your horses among your dead?"
Many among the Gerudo did. Gan thought of losing Storm, a friend he'd had longer than any other besides Nabs. That death would sting as sharp as the ten he lost in the skirmish. His anger started to rise, to the glee of his dark thoughts. But he quelled the rage as best he could. The Octorok had not betrayed him as King Dodongo had. They were heartless, but he knew that when he aligned them to himself. He should celebrate the ruse took so few, and the deception was almost at an end. And yet, he could not help himself but hate that his people suffered more than them.
"My master wishes," the creature ducked its head underwater, streams of foam surrounded it before it raised its head again. "Ploooosh- to know what is next."
"Tell the Caller of Tides that he is to leave, claiming it was fear of the new weapon the Gerudo demonstrated in this battle. That way if any of your people are taken by Zora scouts or skirmishers, they have an excuse."
"Master will not understand."
"It is not his place to understand, but to follow."
"The Zora- squickt- are weak. Their champion. Banished. Victory if we invade -splep- in full."
"That is not my wish. Does your master need a reminder of what happened to Moqut the Thrice-Cursed? Or the armies of King Dodongo?"
"No."
"Then I expect obedience."
"What of your promise?"
"I vowed that the rivers will be yours, and I mean to make that so. But new information has come which delays our plans somewhat." With any luck, long enough for the cohesion of the Octorok to falter, and they fall to infighting instead of seeking further trouble. Octorok did not live long, and the current Caller of Tides' reign has already lasted longer than most.
"But how long to wait?"
A shout came from behind him, somewhere above the beach in the dark. The slamming of fists silenced the voice, then came a tussle as a body struck the ground. The other side of him laughed in satisfaction, and Gan himself could not help but smile at the fortuitous timing. "I understand the Caller of Tides will not be happy but let me put any of his apprehensions to rest. The game is still being played."
Three figures appeared from the dark. Two warriors dragged one other through the tall grass and onto the sand of the beach. Gan gave Dessi and Caeiti a warm smile and tapped his chest in respect as they dumped their captive at his feet.
"I didn't do anything!" The merchant held her hands up, half-shielding her face as she cowered. "I was just curious. I didn't see anything. I didn't hear anything."
"I seek understanding. One of -slurg- yours?"
"No," Gan squatted down to get close to the woman. "But she's pretending to be. This one's a Sheikah. You know them?"
"We do."
"I'm not!" she wailed in perfect Gerudo. She even had the accent of the eastern clans. And the fear in her voice, that sounded real. "I'm not. I spit on them. I curse them. I do. I- I shouldn't have followed you. I was just curious. I didn't mean-"
Ganondorf struck her across the face, sending the captive spiraling into the sands. "You've already lost. Even if you weren't a Sheikah, you've seen too much. I could not just let you leave. Wouldn't you prefer facing your end as your true self?"
The merchant spat into the sand before turning back around to glare at Ganondorf, her lip cracked open and a bruise forming on her cheek. "How did you know? What gave me away?"
"I suspected since the first moment I saw you."
"How?"
"You bowed. It was quick. You caught yourself and stopped, but that was enough."
The Needle hissed something in the Sheikah's snakelike tongue, likely a curse if Gan had to guess. "Then why didn't you kill me earlier?"
"Well, I could always be wrong. Perhaps you were just some Gerudo merchant who spent too much time trading with the Hylians. Gotten used to scraping before every lord that passes by. Besides, if I kill you, they'll send another."
"They will. And they'll know everything, word could be reaching the king right now-"
"Don't bore me." Gan squatted so they looked eye to eye. "Do you have a name?"
"Sidaj. I don't suppose it matters now."
"Well, Sidaj, how many messages have you sent and who are your carriers?"
The Sheikah glowered. Her mind must be racing with all the possible ways to free herself or to attack him. But if she tried either, she would never survive. He'd faced tougher Sheikah than this one. Though, she kept her silence. Not craven enough to give up the names of other spies the Sheikah arranged around the kingdom. Almost admirable, even facing her death, she used her dignity as a shield.
THEN WE WILL BREAK IT.
The Octorok was less impressed and spat. "If she doesn't talk. Kill her."
"Patience." He studied the vai a moment longer. Stoic, a fierce expression to her, but there was something in her eyes. The way she did not look directly at him. Never waste a tool that still has some use to it. "The Gerudo believe our ancestors watch over us. Guide us. But you know that."
Sidaj's expression shifted momentarily to confusion, but she did not look up.
"I think that's why I've always been comfortable around death. What we do, who we are, that lasts. When my sisters die, I sing their names, so they know I still think of them. And when I die, I know that I will be able to hold my head high when I meet the kings of the past. The Hylians, they have the goddess that gave them their name, don't they? They believe that their souls meet with Hylia or the Three and they will be judged, given rest, before they return to the world. But what do the Sheikah believe, I wonder?"
This time her eyes flickered up to meet his, but only for a slight terrified moment.
"Well Sidaj, think carefully about what will happen to you. Because I'm going to offer you a choice. There is this spell my mother's taught me. I've always disliked using it. Killing someone, that's simple. They go to their goddess, or they join the ancestors. They still are who they are. But I've seen what happens to people when they've lost everything. Still living, but soulless. All their works in life washed away, scattered into meaninglessness as they work against all they hold dear. Back in the war, I never used such a spell against even the most bloodthirsty of knight, I always gave them a quick death, even when they deserved far worse. But you're no knight, you don't have honor. I've seen what you Sheikah hide in your pits and behind your lies of service. I know what magic your Inquisitors weave. You deserve no such mercy."
He stood up and summoned his sword to his hand and placed its edge on the woman's shoulder.
"Just do it already!" She cried, her shoulders shaking. "Stop toying with me and do it."
"You haven't heard your choice yet. Because I'm giving you one, Sidaj. Which do you want to keep today? Your life or your soul? You can't have both."
"What kind of sick choice is that?"
"A fairer one than any given to my people by yours." He pressed the blade into the vai's skin, just enough to draw blood. "Choose. Life or soul?"
"What happens if you cast your mother's spell?"
"You'll live. And if your spirit is strong enough, you can break free. I've seen it happen." Briefly, after years of torment, by one of the strongest men ever born beneath the sun. "It's the only chance you have, truly."
She swallowed and closed her eyes. Shaking her head. Shivering, as if she didn't trust herself to speak.
"Well then," Ganondorf signaled to his soldiers. "I guess I'll choose for you. Pull her down!"
Dessi grabbed one of the Sheikah's arms and Caeiti the other. The Sheikah wailed as they pressed her face into the sand. Tagoma stepped on her back, and a wild cheer came from Gerudo and Octorok alike. Sidaj screamed and writhed, trying to get herself free. Not that one Needle ever had a chance against trained soldiers.
Ganondorf stood tall and raised his sword high. He nodded to Dessi, his commander grabbed Sidaj's head and pulled it up, letting her see the blade that would be her end. "Enjoy whatever comes next for you."
"No! No! Life! I choose life!"