Ocarina of Time Chapter 38
After days of traversing the pass through the Gerudo Mountains, Hyrule's fertile hills gave way to dry and cracked earth, an endless plain of parched and cracked earth. The small hills that dotted the waste resembled ancient cairns that could have belonged to some long-forgotten race, lost in a clash between mortals and the divine. Before long, a spine of tall brown mountains that resembled pale clay beneath a scorching sun rose up in the west. They dwarfed the western landscape, which became drier and hotter with each passing day. Smaller bodies of water could be found amongst the mountain foothills, and it was amongst these that the Gerudo procession marched, threading their way through a mountain pass that would lead them to their home.
Link trudged amidst a crush of horses, carts, and veiled Gerudo. During the long march, flies seemed to emerge from nowhere, and the hideous unwashed smell of the Blins permeated the air. Neither the bulblins nor moblins seemed to care much for bathing or personal hygiene and the near-suffocating heat on this side of the mountains made it all the worse.
The wind brought a slight relief, chilling Link's skin as he tried to keep up with the column of Gerudo. His guards nudged him periodically when they felt he was too slow. The evenings brought a welcome reprieve from the stiflingly hot days, but once the frigid winter nights set in, Link's clothing and blanket offered little comfort. Sleep did not come easily.
The days became a blur. The Gerudo marched until nightfall and broke camp before dawn. Link ate little, nor did he have much water. After days of marching, he was sluggish, dizzy, and weak from thirst. Only the thought of rescue and his sense of duty stopped him from merely collapsing in the dirt.
There was little chance of escape. For one thing, Link feared that his ailing strength would betray him. Then there was the fact there was nowhere to go. The path through the mountain was precarious, and the only means of escape would be to clamber down the steep slopes of jagged boulders. Even if he did try that, it wouldn't work; he'd be picked off by archers the moment the alarm was raised. Then again, they might just assume he would get himself killed and not bother going after him. But that was not likely; he was valuable, despite what the witches thought. The Gerudo knew this and kept him under tight guard. Even when Sheik encouraged him to meditate, the Flow of magic and Courage proved impossible to reach, despite hours of effort.
Sheik would not have had much opportunity to escape either. She had at least six Gerudo assigned to watch her at all times. They seemed to think she might fight her way to freedom, regardless of how difficult that might be, but Sheik seemed content to spend most of her time meditating. Not even the heat appeared to bother her, despite her garments, making Link quite convinced that the Sheikah really did have ice in their veins.
The final stretch into the Gerudo Valley was across a canyon seemingly chiselled into the rugged ridges that marked the border of the Gerudo kingdom. A single stone bridge spanned the length of the chasm, flanked by steep cliffs that plunged into the river below. Two enormous gatehouses stood on either side of the bridge, and a pair of watchtowers rose high into the sky on either side of the two sentinels.
Finally, they arrived at the Gerudo Fortress. It was a small city perched on a bluff, overlooking a wide river that threaded its way through the desert and into the grasslands. Groves of palm and olive clung in loose clumps along the banks and farmers worked the narrow expanse of fields growing along the river's shore. Link could see the canals that fed the sparse scattering of arable land, and at another time, he might have marvelled at the fact that anything could grow at all in this harsh climate. He noticed many of the fields appeared abandoned, and the small smattering of trees along the river shore were a sickly colour. Left to ponder, he might have concluded that the Gerudo's water supply was cursed or poisoned, but it was Sheik who guessed this first.
There was no time for Link to consider the significance of this, for the city loomed large on the opposite shore. Buildings with broad blue and white domes peeked over the battlements and towers that watched over the surrounding countryside. The light of the setting sun brushed against the walls of the fortress, turning them a brilliant hue of gold and red.
At another time, the grand facades and the tall towers standing high above the walls would have awed Link. The city's wide gates provided an entryway into a maze of courtyards where the walls and pillars were all stencilled with a mesmerizing display of flowers and plants - from blue tulips to cypress trees.
Link was not given time to admire the city, nor was he able to get more than a glimpse of the people. Both he and Sheik were marched toward a building near the centre of the fortress, drawing a crowd the further along the streets they went. Many of the people were wearing khalats - loose long-sleeved robes of mostly blue or purple. Only the Gerudo guards wore veils, gripping their trademark halberds tightly as they surveyed the restless throng.
Link's guess was that not all the city's populace were Gerudo, for he spotted both men and children in the crowded streets. Their skin was darker than the Gerudo and their accents were thicker. The one thing they did have in common was that they all stared at Sheik, their looks ranging from curious to hostile. Several members of the crowd even went wild, cursing and yelling insults.
Aveil reacted quickly, ordering her guard to keep the onlookers back.
"Damn it," Aveil cursed. "Jameela was supposed to keep these people back. All of you, move!"
The guards formed a tight wall around their prisoners, doubling their pace. Several loud arguments had broken out in Gerudic between the guards and onlookers, resulting in several people being forcibly shoved back.
Sheik appeared oblivious to the disturbance she was causing, even as they were marched through a set of doors on one side of yet another courtyard. It was either that or she was trying very hard to maintain a stoic composure. Aveil's party retreated from the square, swept quickly through a gate by their entourage.
The gate permitted entrance into the fortress proper. Aveil led the way from the gatehouse and into a vast courtyard adorned with a white pavilion at one end. Within the shade of this structure, atop a platform, stood an empty throne. Link didn't get time to look closely at it as he was ushered through a blur of corridors and rooms. Though he tried to make a mental note of the route, he soon lost track of where they were going. Dizzy and lightheaded, he kept stumbling, only to be pushed onwards by his guards.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they reached the cells. Unlike the stifling hot air above, the dungeons were cold, and the repugnant smell of excrement permeated the stale air.
When the cell door creaked open and he was thrust into a cell, the door clanging loudly into place behind him, Link felt strangely relieved. Now that he was here, he wouldn't be forced to march anymore. For a brief instant, old instincts stirred, and he scanned his surroundings with a critical eye.
The cell was almost empty, the amenities sparse. A pallet of straw had been arranged against one wall with a blanket on top of it. A bucket stood nearby, and it reeked from being poorly cleaned.
Ignoring the smell as best he could, and weary to the bone, Link sank down onto the straw, draping the blanket over himself. It wasn't comfortable, even for someone who was more than happy to sleep in a stable, and to his dismay the blanket was flea-ridden, forcing him to abandon it.
Only a single torch lit his gloomy cell, hung in a sconce just beyond the door. As he lay there, trying to sink into sleep, Link thought he felt Sheik's gaze on him, but he felt too tired for conversation.
Despite his fatigue, sleep eluded Link. He was far too worried about his present circumstances to sleep well, and he was bitten by hungry insects in at least a dozen places. He wondered what had become of Halvard? What about Navi? The mask salesman hadn't appeared since their conversation. Given how creepy he was, Link was surprised to find himself longing for the man to return. Navi, on the other hand, had been taken to where the rest of the Kokiri's faeries were being kept. Aveil assured him she was safe, but Link wasn't sure that he trusted her.
At least she is with her own kind. Link thought vaguely. That thought didn't comfort him, especially when he realized why he and Navi had been separated. If he tried to resist, the Gerudo or the witches could harm her, and they knew he wouldn't allow that to happen.
Too tired to think any further, Link lay back against the straw. His thoughts became increasingly disjointed and confused from lack of sleep. Hunger gnawed at him and he was uncomfortably aware of how dry his mouth was. Despite this, he fell into an uneasy and uncomfortable slumber.
~ 0 ~
Hours later the guards changed. Link was roused from his sleep as the new guards changed the torch and then brought him some food, consisting of some bread and broth. The latter was unappetizing, but at least it was hot and was a welcome reprieve to his maddening thirst. The guards didn't offer him a word, nor did he think it was wise to ask for Aveil. If they formed a connection between him and any kind of plot, he would undoubtedly find himself in more trouble than he was in already.
Sheik, for her part, never uttered a word, save for when the guards brought her water and food. She spent the rest of the time sitting in a meditative pose and could have been sleeping for all Link knew.
How long did they stay there? He didn't know. Time was measured by the changing of the guard and the gruel he was given each day. Sheik didn't leave him to idle with his thoughts. In fact, when he wasn't sleeping or meditating, she would make him work through a rigorous routine of physical exercises that left him aching. exhausted, and all the more aware of his near-constant hunger. The guards sometimes watched in what Link hoped was just idle curiosity.
After what must have been a few days, Link waited for some sign of Halvard, or news of Sheik's fate. After yet another session of Sheik's meditation, he lay back in his pallet, wishing he could distract himself from his thoughts. The silence made it impossible. Were the Sages and Impa trying to rescue him? Would Halvard keep his word and come to their aid? That was if he wasn't totally mad, as Navi suspected, or in league with Ganondorf. Since his arrival, Link hadn't heard anything.
Link did not remember falling back to sleep once more, but it wasn't restful.
"Wake up."
Somewhere through the sleepy haze of his thoughts, Courage stirred inside of him. Link could see the familiar eye of that Golden Wolf, staring at him, irritated.
"Can you move?" the spirit asked, almost sounding concerned. "I've been trying to reach you, but you shut me out again."
"I'm sorry," Link said, confused. What did it mean by being shut out?
"No matter," came the reply. "For now, you need to focus on escaping. The river might be the easiest way."
"I haven't seen a way out," Link thought, his thoughts a haze.
"Have you thought about it?" the spirit answered. "I wasn't really sure in between all the moping earlier"
Link felt a rush of indignation. "I wasn't moping."
"It looked like moping to me," the wolf replied. "Never mind... I can sense someone coming. It's time to wake up... she was right. You are a lazy one."
There was a sensation of amusement from the strange entity, and Link was left confused.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.
The enigmatic spirit's presence faded, and Link found himself jerking awake with a jolt.
"Link?"
It was Sheik. She was staring at him, her face barely visible in the faint light.
"Are you alright?" she asked. "You were talking in your sleep."
"I..." Link wasn't sure how to explain that he was having a conversation with some entity in his head. Despite being no stranger to some of Hyrule's more mysterious inhabitants, Link wasn't sure that he could explain what was happening without sounding mad. Sheik had no knowledge of this being in his mind and the only person who might was Rauru or possibly Impa. There was too much he didn't understand, and even in Hyrule, Link was sure hearing voices in your head from a creature no one else could see, was a sure sign of madness. Link had given Sheik and Navi enough cause to believe he was losing his mind.
Link tried to relax and offered her a tired smile. "I'm fine."
Footsteps drummed against the stone and all thoughts of explaining himself to Sheik were quickly abandoned. Adoor creaked on old hinges and Link jerked upright as someone stepped into the doorway of his cell.
A Gerudo stood in the doorway, looking down at him with her arms folded. Disapproval was written across her face as she appraised him and then turned to the guards.
"I do love what our dear king has done with this place," she said, her voice rich with sarcasm. The two other guards glanced at her warily.
"Don't look at me like that," she rebuked them.
Link blinked a few times, shaking out of his stupor, and then realized the woman standing in front of him was Aveil.
"Sleep well?" she asked casually, flicking him a small smile.
"Well enough," Sheik replied flatly.
Before Link or Sheik could say anything more, an annoying and familiar chuckle caught their attention. Aveil scowled, gritting her teeth, and then spun around to face the newcomer.
"It's about time you showed up!" she snapped. "What took you so long?"
What is going on? Link wondered, still dazed.
"Escape. Now is your chance." Link shook his head, clutching at his forehead, aware of the strange voice in his mind again. He quickly regained his composure, sure that nobody had noticed his brief lapse in concentration, or if they did, they didn't voice it.
"I had to make sure I wasn't seen," Halvard was saying calmly. He looked to her two guards, then back at her, his sinister smile gone as he gave her a questioning look.
"They're fine," Aveil said with a wave of her hand. "I made sure the guards on duty were loyal to me."
Link pulled himself to his feet. He had to use the cell bars for support, his legs wobbling in a moment of dizziness. "What... What's going on?" That was when he noticed that Navi wasn't with Aveil or Halvard. His mind was so sluggish he hadn't realized she was missing. "Where's Navi?" he demanded.
"Are you always so full of questions boy?" Halvard asked pleasantly.
"Just tell me where she is," Link demanded, wanting nothing to do with the man's eccentricities. Aveil said something to one of her guards who came forward with a small goblet which she pushed into Link's hands. From the next cell, the other guard gave Sheik a goblet of her own.
"It's a potion," Aveil explained. "It will help clear your head."
Link stared at the goblet, grimacing as he recognized the smell of healing potion.
"Staring at it won't make it taste nicer," Aveil told him, almost sounding sympathetic. "It's quite safe."
Link nodded and downed the potion, shuddering and nearly retching as he did so. He wondered vaguely how Ingo had ever managed to convince a horse to eat feed contaminated with the stuff.
As his head began to feel less like it had been filled with a horde of angrily buzzing hornets, Link passed the goblet back to the guard with a murmured thanks.
"Where is Navi?" he asked again.
Halvard pulled a pouch from his robes, the small bag bulged as something inside of it moved.
Navi.
It seemed cruel and undignifying for her to be in there, even if it was necessary.
"Why have you put her in there?" he asked angrily, wanting nothing more than for Halvard to release her.
"You do realize a fairy flying around will attract far too much attention?" Halvard asked mildly. "Don't worry she is perfectly safe. As it were, I suggested a bottle might be more comfortable, but she insisted on this pouch. An odd choice to be sure, but she did threaten me with certain death if I bottled her, though I am puzzled as to how she intended to carry that out."
"Hurry up, we need to get these two out of here quickly," Aveil said cutting short any further conversation.
"A moment, Aveil," Halvard said wearily, as though the Gerudo's impatience was really annoying him. He reached into another pocket of his robe, pulling two objects out and displaying them in his hand. The first was a violet medallion which Link recognized instantly: Impa's amulet. The second was a white stone engraved with a weeping eye.
Sheik's eyes went wide when she saw the medallion. "Where did you get that?" she demanded. "Who gave it to you?"
"Impa was kind enough to lend it to me," Halvard said calmly, "She is alive. She said you would know how to use this. I trust you do, don't you?"
"Impa saved it for emergencies," Sheik said, almost snatching the medallion out of Halvard's hand as he passed it to her. When he proffered the white stone next, Link stared at it blankly.
"What is that?'
"This is a portal stone," said Halvard, holding it out for Link to see more closely. "One of many odd trinkets our people made, and quite a marvel I might add. Far beyond the craftsmanship other..." Aveil glared at him ."Well... that aside, I had to make sure I cast the spell on the other side of the river, away from the Gerudo. There are those who are still not loyal to Aveil and they would no doubt come after us."
"The spell will not work from here, or anywhere close to the middle of the fortress, if that's the case," Sheik pointed out. "Their range is limited, and the further away it is the harder it becomes to trigger the spell that will send us to where we need to go."
"Ah. Yes. I was coming to that. We will have to get to the wall closest to the river."
Link couldn't help but spot a glaring problem with that idea. Even if Sheik could use the medallion to turn invisible, he still stood out like a lone Goron in a market square. Well, maybe not quite as badly as a Goron, but it was enough to get the Gerudos' attention.
"How am I going to get out of here?" he asked. "The Gerudo aren't just going to stand around while I try and escape or retrieve my equipment. I don't see many Gerudo dressed in green garbs."
"With a sock for a hat," Aveil added, a tiny smile curving the edges of her mouth.
"Have a little faith boy," Halvard said. "I've already thought of that."
"And everything else?" Link added with slight annoyance.
"Naturally," Halvard replied, appearing not to care for Link's irritation, "and it is quite an audacious plan at that."
Aveil's smile broadened. Link stared at her. He didn't have a clue what was so funny.
Halvard, who seemed to have a talent for stuffing all sorts of things in his robe, was now holding another mask in his other hand. Link hadn't noticed it before, but as Halvard held it up so that it caught the torchlight, Link saw it was fashioned in the exact likeness of a Gerudo's face, complete with the gem on its forehead.
"How is that supposed to help?" Link asked, feeling more than a little perplexed.
"Oh. This is grand," a voice whispered in his head. If Link didn't know any better, he would have sworn that Courage was amused. He didn't see how that was possible for an incorporeal being. "I can see it already."
Link tried to block the spirit out, and as he did so, his hand itched. He resisted the temptation to scratch it.
"It is a mask of illusion," Halvard explained. "Those who see you, except for a Sheikah, will see you as a Gerudo woman."
"You mean it will turn me into a..." Link began, his face going pale with horror. Somewhere in his head, he could sense a lingering presence, and its amusement wasn't lost on him. "Wait... No, we are not doing that."
"It could be worse," Courage offered. "You could be stuck in it."
Ignoring that voice again, Link stared at the mask, almost grimacing. There was just something really wrong with that idea. Link didn't like it at all.
Aveil snorted, rolling her eyes. "Ah," she said in an undertone, "The joys of arguing with a youth."
"It doesn't quite work like that," Halvard said slowly, ignoring Aveil. "True, some masks can turn you into something else entirely, but they usually require dark magic to make... Exceptionally dark magic-"
"Perhaps you can explain that at another time?" Sheik suggested quickly, before turning to Link, "If you are concerned about embarrassing yourself, I won't notice any difference."
Well, I guess that counts for something, Link thought.
"We need to hurry," Aveil interrupted his thoughts.
"Of course," Halvard replied with a small bow. "First, we will need to retrieve Link's equipment. Aveil and I took the liberty of hiding it in the stables... with some help, of course. We should head there first."
"You realize the witches will see right through this mask?" Link said as he took it in his hands.
"Koume and Kotake believe they were summoned to Ganondorf's tower. When they arrive, they shall discover they were never summoned at all," Aveil said, sounding unconcerned. "And we will be long gone before they get back. There is one other thing, however. The Mithiran's are heading towards the fortress, using a flotilla of barges. My lieutenants believe they will attack tonight, but I plan to be out of here before that happens, otherwise, my absence will be noticed."
Resigning himself to their plan, he allowed Aveil to steer him towards the door. Sheik gripped the shadow medallion, and the air around her shimmered. She vanished.
"Why can't I do that?" he asked. Becoming invisible would have made things a lot easier.
"Because you are not Sheikah," Sheik replied. "Besides, the magic infused in the medallion would drain too quickly, and with Shadow is still tainted, we will have no have no way to replenish it."
"Hurry up and put the mask on," Aveil said impatiently.
Link stared at the mask, not liking this plan at all. "What about the other Kokiri?" he asked. "Aren't we going to rescue them?"
"And just how do you intend to do that? Getting three people out is going to be difficult enough." Aveil looked at him as though she thought he was slightly thick-headed. "Until you break the curse on my people, letting them go would be difficult, and either the Twinrova sisters or Ganondorf would interfere."
"Who are the Twinrova sisters?" Link asked.
"Koume and Kotake, the two witches," Aveil explained. She sighed, exasperation clear on her face. "Look, wait until we're out of here, okay? Once we are, we can play twenty questions to your heart's content."
Taking a deep breath, and ignoring the fact that Aveil now seemed quite convinced he was a semi-witless child, Link placed the mask on, shuddering as a chill rippled through his body. It was not as unpleasant as putting on the mask he'd used to dive into the depths of Lake Hylia, but it was still unsettling.
"Well, don't you look nice," Aveil sounded deeply amused as she stared him up and down. "I'm glad you went for a more tasteful attire than a sparring uniform. Most Hylians think we have no sense of dignity whatsoever... It's a shame we don't have a mirror, you do look quite catching."
Blushing furiously, Link looked down but saw no difference in his appearance. That was confusing. Maybe he'd notice if he took Aveil's suggestion and looked in a mirror - but a part of him really didn't want to do that.
"Sheik, can you go ahead and ready the horses?" Halvard said.
They didn't hear her go, and Link waved his hand through the air where she'd been standing.
"She's gone," said Halvard. "Let's hurry."
~ 0 ~
Walking through the labyrinth of corridors, Link was glad he wasn't expected to find the way out on his own. He would never have made it. Anyone attempting to escape the dungeons would have been likely to die from thirst and hunger before they got out. Finally, they stepped out into a corridor, moonlight splashing through windows and bathing the white walls. The two guards that had been assigned to his and Sheik's cell went towards one end of the corridor while Aveil took the other direction. Link and Halvard followed closely on her heels.
A strange feeling twisted Link's gut into knots as he walked past guards, all of whom greeted him with a nod. None of them actually spoke to him, for which Link was glad, as he couldn't speak Gerudic. That small dilemma, which Halvard had neglected to mention, was sure to be a dead giveaway if anyone spoke to him. Was that why Aveil was doing her best to look like she was in a very foul mood? Almost everyone darted out of the group's way. Even the several servants who came out of side passages into their corridor gave a squeak and scurried off in the opposite direction. One dropped a vase, fumbling and catching it before it could shatter on the floor. With one frightened glance at Aveil, the young girl disappeared down the passage.
"Might I point out that it's only a matter of time before somebody wonders why you are doing that?" Halvard whispered.
"Be quiet" Aveil hissed.
She's enjoying this too much, Link thought.
They passed an armoury and Link caught a glimpse of polearms hanging on racks. Mounted on the walls were shields of luminous silver, a band of red around its edge gleaming like a ruby, and there was a sunburst engraved into the centre. Link could see his reflection in the shield - or rather the reflection of a Gerudo in a simple blue and white dress, a grey cowl drawn back and resting against his shoulders.
"What-" he exclaimed, struggling to stifle his shock and almost choking on it in the process. "What did you-"
"Mirror shields," Halvard whispered when he saw what Link was looking at. "They can reflect magic from their surface. You can imagine what a start that gave the poor unfortunate mages who first came across them."
He gave Link a sharp nudge on the shoulder, and the youth kept walking, knowing time wasn't on their side. He was busily pondering this when he tripped on a loose stone and nearly fell. Aveil quickly caught him under the arm and he whispered his thanks.
"Anybody would think you really were wearing a woman's boots," she said quietly.
Link said nothing and kept moving. He'd barely made it a few more steps when a cackle from behind made him turn. Link's breath caught in his throat at the sight of an old witch, a red ruby encrusted on her forehead.
Koume.
Her long crooked nose seemed to add to the look of wild delight in her large bulbous eyes. She was standing a few feet away, leaning on her broom as if it were a staff.
Oh, Goddesses.
They had been so close to escaping. Koume was eyeing him with a predatory grin, the same expression she gave him right before torturing him. Link's heart sank into his stomach, an icy wave of horror flooding into him. A tingling sensation burned on his left hand, but at that moment, Link didn't register its significance.
"Ho! What do we have here?" Koume cackled, waving a sleeve of her fine blue and grey robes towards Link. "Thought we'd take a nice stroll, did we?"
Koume wasn't supposed to be here, he thought. She was supposed to be at Ganondorf's tower.
There was another cackle as Koume's sister materialized out of thin air, holding her broom like a staff. They turned to Halvard who, oddly, was still smiling.
Is he mad? Link thought.
"Ah, hello. I don't suppose you fine mistresses can tell us the way out?" Halvard asked pleasantly with that incessant grin of his. "You see, we seem to have taken a wrong turn."
Aveil looked like she wanted nothing more than to smack him over the head.
"Heh, nice try!" Koume snickered at him.
"Traitor! I'll burn you!" Kotake screeched, earning a mocking smile from Koume.
"I was never on your side to begin with," Halvard said, while Link and Aveil backed away, Halvard stepping between them.
"Ho! You are an insolent one aren't you?" Koume said.
Two Gerudo rounded the corridor, stopping Link in his tracks. They froze at the spectacle, their eyes darting from the witches to Link and his companions. Aveil didn't even bother pulling her veil up. She spun around, unsheathing a knife and sent it flying towards Koume.
"Run!" Aveil yelled. "All of you!"
Link obeyed, running towards the wall as fire blossomed from Koume's outstretched hand. The flames danced and twisted through the corridor and struck the two Gerudo, their ear-splitting screams all too familiar. When Link chanced a look back, he saw nothing but a pile of charred and smouldering bones. Shock turned to outrage as he realized Koume had just killed two of her own without any remorse.
Aveil swore loudly.
"Run!" Halvard yelled as Aveil sent her second knife flying towards Kotake.
Link dashed forward, dodging another stream of fire that gushed past him. He did not have Impa's ring and knew being hit by the fire now could well be fatal.
"What do we do?" he asked.
"Head into the armoury," Aviel ordered. "Both of you!"
"I shouldn't need to tell you that fighting in a room full of magic-repelling mirrors is a bad idea," Halvard deadpanned.
"They can't fight either," Aveil told him. "Quick, inside."
Link darted for the doorway to his left, dodging a frigid blast that struck the wall, leaving a sheet of ice across the stone.
"Use your eyes, Kotake!" Koume screeched. "Can't you see properly, sis?"
"Your aim is not much better!" Kotake retorted.
Both witches gripped their brooms and flew towards the fleeing trio. But by then Halvard, Link, and Aveil were almost in the armoury. Leaping to avoid the flames that washed through the corridor, Link crashed into a suit of armour. Pain blossomed across his side as the suit of armour hit the ground, clanging and crashing with enough noise to wake the dead.
Grunting with pain, he got up and fled as Koume sent another wash of flames through the doorway, almost blasting Kotake off her broom. Watch out!" Kotake shrieked, and Kotake looked just in time to see Koume's spell slam straight into one of the silver shields adorning the far wall. Kotake dodged the spiralling tongues of a flickering flame, shooting higher into the air.
The torrent of flames struck one of the mirror shields. Just as Halvard had predicted, the spell bounced off the shield, heading straight towards the witches.
"Eek!" Kotake screamed, steering her broom out of the way, "You trying to kill me, sis?"
"Don't get in the way next time," Koume shouted back. The flames washed harmlessly over her only to hit an unfortunate Gerudo outside. One glance at the Gerudo writhing on the ground, and the pungent smell of burning flesh, Link knew that the woman was well beyond any help.
"You'll pay for that!" Aveil snarled, trying to reach her fallen comrade. A continual bombardment of ice and fire barred her way, and she cursed.
Link could hear Navi's indignant squeaks emanating from Halvard's pocket. The man took cover and quickly released the sprite. She shrieked with alarm as Kotake zipped around the rack that was sheltering herself and Halvard. The mask man darted out of the way while Navi ducked to avoid a spray of sharp icicles. She turned to Link to mouth a question, and then nearly fell out of the air in shock.
"Link... that dress... what-" she exclaimed.
"Not now!" Link yelled, snapping Navi's attention to the two witches.
Koume aimed a spell at a nearby stone statue that resembled a hideous fusion of lion and man with rippling muscles.
The armoured giant trembled, coming to life with a roar. It lumbered towards Link, brandishing its giant war axe.
Link swore and jumped away just as the weapon came crashing down, gouging a line through solid stone. He rolled, landing hard, the mask falling from his face. This was enough to make the statue pause for an instant giving Link time to get up, right before savage swing came within inches of beheading him.
"Navi!" he yelled. "A little help here!"
He grabbed a polearm and threw it clumsily at the creature. The stone beast's axe cut Link's weapon through its shaft, splitting it in half.
You've got to be kidding me, he thought, looking at the broken weapon and casting it aside. Then he saw the monster coming towards him, its axe whistling through the air again. He dodged. Barely.
"I could really do with a Goron bomb or two about now," he exclaimed, snatching another spear to fend off the monster's axe. Predictably, the axe cleaved through the spear shaft like a knife through warm butter.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Link exclaimed, out loud this time.
Aveil threw Link one of the silver mirror shields, and it landed beside him. Snatching it up, Link deftly sidestepped a frigid blast of ice that bounced off the mirror shield and into the wall. Navi was looking panic-stricken as she surveyed the scene, a sure sign they were in deep trouble. The stone statue's axe came down again.
"Navi?" Link called, trying to break her trance.
"Umm... hang on," she stammered. She looked around the room, no doubt searching for something that might be useful.
"I was hoping for something a little more helpful!" Link growled. He was growing more desperate and irate by the second. An axe became his next weapon, and it too broke.
Seething now, Link tossed the ruined weapon aside.
"Just hit its weak spot!" Navi suggested.
That wasn't helpful either.
"IT'S A ROCK, NAVI! IT DOESN'T HAVE A WEAK SPOT!" Link bellowed as yet another weapon shattered against the beast's hide.
"Well, I don't know!" she screamed back. "Try deflecting the witch's spell into it with one of the mirror shields."
That drew Kotake's attention.
"Stop helping him you stupid insect!" she screeched, flying towards Navi. The fairy cried out and flew behind Link's shield.
Another fireball sent a suit of armour crashing to the ground, making enough noise to alert the entire fortress to the commotion. Link knew that not all within the walls would be loyal to Aveil. He ducked beneath another rush of fire that sent Aveil onto the floor, shrieking and cursing as the side of her clothing caught fire. She rolled on the ground, trying to smother the flames while grabbing a mirror shield of her own. Link jumped in front of Aveil just as Halvard did as well, both raising their shields to deflect the Twinrova Sisters' attack.
"Are you alright?" Halvard called over his shoulder to Aveil.
"I'll be better when those two hags are dead!" Aveil called back, and Link chanced a glance to see her gingerly climbing to her feet.
Kotake flew into the corridor while Koume cackled and sent a stream of fire towards Link as he was busily sidestepping another blow from the statue. Link raised the mirror shield to intercept the fiery blast and the flames bounced off the surface of the shield, crashing into the knight. The stone exploded, bits of it slamming into Link, knocking him over.
Dazed, Link struggled to his feet. His head was swimming, his eyes stinging from the smoke caused by numerous small fires about the room. There came a laugh from behind him, and he realised Kotake was there. Not wasting a moment, Halvard jumped between them with his shield raised. From somewhere beyond the armoury a horn blew. Its cry was quickly followed by a crash of gongs that reverberated through the fortress, trembling into the stone foundations.
Beside him, Halvard whispered urgently. "The witches are vulnerable to each other's attack. We need to make them hit each other."
"How?" Link asked.
"Just do exactly as I say," Halvard replied, a blast of ice bouncing off his shield.
"This has been an entertaining display," Kotake chortled, "But it ends here."
"With my flame, I will burn you to the bone," Koume declared.
"With my frost, I will freeze you to your soul," cried Kotake.
"Really sis, that's getting old," Koume complained.
"Yeah, well, it's better than yours," Kotake snapped back. "Now shut up while I kill these outrageous-"
"Wait, I want to finish what I started," Koume cut her sister off, smiling cruelly at Link. He gulped, knowing what was coming.
That was when Navi flew straight in front of him. "No, I won't let you hurt him!"
"Navi," Link hissed, stepping forward. "No!"
Koume laughed, looking thoroughly excited. "It looks like I have a volunteer, sis. Very well, I've done this to a fairy before. He screamed and squealed for ages while I set his blood on fire. Wasn't a pretty sight afterwards. Shame the little runt of a boy got away, or he would have been next."
Navi went rigid with shock, a faint and feeble whisper escaping her throat. "Arden."
Link seethed at the mention of Forenz. He couldn't believe the witch actually sounded disappointed. Something inside of him cried out, urging him to rush forward and attack the witch, hitting her with everything he had, but another part of him bade him be cautious.
They'll regret that, he thought savagely. It took all his will not to rush at them and attack, knowing that was probably what they wanted him to do.
He scanned his surroundings for a bow. Even a hookshot might have come in handy, but he found nothing.
Koume shot forward, hands raised towards Navi.
"NO!" Link bellowed, snatching Navi from the air as a hot prickling pain spread through him.
Goddesses.
It was happening again.
"Link, get down!" Halvard yelled, turning the attention of both witches on him.
Link dropped to the ground just as Kotake let loose a stream of white light. Koume unleashed her own attack. The two streams of magic shot through the air in a mesmerizing dance of ice and fire. The energy from the attacks rippled through the air, singeing Link's fringe. He flattened himself lower to the ground.
The witches shrieked, almost in unison, both trying to throw up some form of magical shield to block the other's spell. Kotake formed a rippling shield in the air in front of her. It withstood the brunt of the impact. Koume, however, was not fast enough. A loud crack reverberated through the air as the witch was turned into a hideous ice sculpture. Then the ice shattered, leaving nothing left of Koume except small puddles of cold water. Kotake gave a horrible scream of anguish, her eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets.
Halvard helped Aveil up and started sprinting out of the armoury. All the while, Link kept his mirror shield aloft and snatched up the Gerudo Mask. Seeing that it was still intact, he donned the mask on.
"You! You killed my sister! You killed her, I'll kill you!" Kotake's scream chased Link into the corridor as he bolted after Aveil and Halvard. "I'll get you! I'll get you and your little fairy too!"
Link scraped a scimitar off the floor as a stream of ice cut its way towards him. It missed, the ice melting as it came close to a weapons rack still alight from Koume's attack.
Navi hid in Link's pocket, and he ran. He met the others outside the doorway, just as Gerudo after Gerudo poured into the corridor, weapons bared and veils raised. Most of them relaxed at the sight of Aveil, if only a little. She shouted an order. Whatever was said, they obeyed, most of them running back the way they came while the rest went to investigate the armoury. As he moved towards a flight of stairs, Link dared a look back to see Kotake being chased off by a dozen Gerudo, their spears level with the ground. She fled, and Link continued running. He darted up the stairs and down a corridor until he reached a door into one of the many courtyards.
It opened onto a scene of madness.
Next Chapter
Reviews
Lord Darth Yoda chapter 38 . Jan 3, 2015
Comments
Post a Comment