Ocarina of Time Chapter 55

 

Chapter 55

Into the Breach

The battlefield was chaos: a maelstrom of steel, fire, rock, flesh and bone. Link noticed none of this. Blood pounding in his ears, his heart raced as he realized what he'd just done.

He had killed an iron knuckle.

How did I manage that? he wondered, realizing how close he'd come to having his head lopped off.

Navi flitted over to him, looking relieved. "Link, are you-"

"I'm fine," Link gasped between breaths.

"That," Navi said, sounding astonished, "Was incredibly brave and utterly stupid of you!"

"Thanks, Navi," Link said, noticing the strong disapproval in her eyes.

Link turned back towards the Iron Knuckle. The creature lay dead at his feet with a spear shaft sticking out from its visor slit. The surge of energy Link had felt when channelling the Triforce of Courage was dissipating, leaving him drained. He hadn't meant to use it, but it had come to him all the same. Link stumbled away from the body, still caught in a daze. The dead lay everywhere, while the cries of the wounded were lost amidst the roar of battle.

To Link's relief, the boy he'd saved was still alive. He was staring at Link with an expression of total amazement, and he wasn't the only one gawking either. Link barely noticed the other soldiers crowding around him, all appearing stunned that he hadn't been killed. A ring of spears and bows formed around the wounded, pointing towards the surrounding tempest of the battle.

"Is...is...it dead?" the boy stammered. He stared at the iron knuckle, his voice weak from shock. He seemed almost oblivious to the fact that he was pinned by his dead horse.

"Yes," Link said, still breathing hard. "It's dead." Taking his eyes off his fallen quarry, Link focused on the injured youth. "What's your name?"

"Teron," the boy said. That...what you did...it was incredible.."

Link knelt down, grabbing the dead horse. He grunted, trying to heave it off the boy, but it was too heavy. He was surprised when one of the sorcerers knelt beside him and lifted the animal, while someone else simultaneously pulled the lad free. Link's stomach almost heaved when he glanced at the youth's leg. The limb was twisted at an odd angle and there was bone protruding from bloodied flesh.

Before Link could say anything, he heard Toru's voice and glanced up to see the Lord General dismounting from his horse. The man's expression was furious.

"You crazy fool!" he growled, his voice barely audible over the battle's din. "You trying to get yourself killed pulling off a stunt like that? My orders were to keep you alive, and you ain't making it easy!"

"I had to stop that thing," Link protested.

"Yeah, so I noticed," Toru said, shaking his head. "Bloody fool! Next time I tell you to get back, you get back. The Gorons could've handled that beast."

Not in time, Link thought. He glanced back at Teron's pale face, which seemed to go even whiter, and then back at Toru.

The man made no further comment about Link's actions. Instead, seeming satisfied that he had made his point, Toru addressed the woman tending to Teron's leg. "How's he doing?"

"The injury is severe," the sorcerer said, "But, he will live, provided that leg is mended quickly."

"I'm going to lose my leg, aren't I?" Teron asked, sounding terrified.

"No," said Toru calmly. "The healers will have you up and about in no time. What's your name, son?"

"Teron, sir," the boy replied. "My name's Teron."

"Just hang tight, Teron," Toru said, sounding surprisingly gentle for somebody who just scorched Link's ears. "We'll get you out of here soon."

A screech from above announced a griffin's arrival. It flew above Toru's company, veering around a man bearing a spear with a yellow sash tied about its shaft. Link wasn't sure what the signal meant, but upon seeing it, the rider turned his feathery steed and veered towards the war camp.

"One of Prince Owain's men," one of the soldiers explained to Link. "He'll bring aid. If it's safe enough, they'll strap the wounded into the saddle and fly them back to camp."

If it's safe? Even with his almost non-existent knowledge of military structure and tactics, Link wasn't sure how such a scene could ever be considered 'safe.' Everywhere he looked men rallied, fighting Blin with spears, swords, and a range of other deadly weapons. Banners flew amidst the mass of bodies, marking the different battalions and the smaller companies of the Hylian army. Where ordered ranks had stood, chaos now reigned. The sudden appearance of the portals had thrown everybody into disarray as masses of Blins, Stalfos, and Lizalfos poured into the ranks of the startled Hylians. Toru's company was completely cut off from their allies and the other battalions fighting for their lives along the river.

As Link watched on in horror, other creatures began to spill out of the portals, beasts he had never seen before. He watched as several horse-like creatures emerged into the fray. They looked like centaurs, only their heads were those of a lion, and the tallest men only came up to their broad shoulders. Several of Toru's bannermen swore loudly when they saw the monsters, and it was little wonder why. Each beast was a rippling mass of muscle, and they carried an axe that cut bloody swathes through any that stood in their path, reducing the orderly ranks of soldiers into a fleeing stampede.

"They have lynels," Toru said, offering a curse of his own. "That's just great."

"What do we do about them, sir?" one of his soldiers yelled. "Most of the Gorons broke formation when those portals opened! They're scattered."

And way too spread out, Link realized. Even for a small number of them to regroup, they'd have to wade through a tide of enemies.

"I can see that," Toru growled. "Damn it." He turned to one of his officers. "I want spears to keep those lynels busy. Archers take their flank. Be ready to get behind the infantry if those bastards charge."

"That's going to get awfully messy, sir," one of his commanders responded.

"It's already messy. Now go!"

His orders were relayed by a quick series of horn blasts, their pattern lost on Link. Even as the Hylians tried to respond quickly, their efforts were hampered by their foe's tactics. The Hylian lines grew taut, like a rope close to snapping.

And it would snap. Soon.

From another portal, Link watched as some sort of miniature Blin poured through the opening. There were scores of them, only about four feet tall, and each carrying pitchforks. Several men fell as the creatures swarmed over them. A Goron answered their yells with a bellowing roar, racing to join them with its hammer swinging to and thro, sending the angry creatures flying with each blow. Two of the Goron's companions joined him, and the small Blin were sent scattering before the onslaught. Some tried to jump onto the Gorons and bring them down, but they might have been gnats for all the Gorons seemed to care.

Further afield, a score of what Link thought were iron knuckles wielding ridiculously large swords were being harried by quick-footed spearmen, Gerudo included. A Goron punched one of the knights in the face, knocking it over, and then stole its sword for good measure.

Chaos was too smaller a word.

"Are there any creatures in this country that don't want to kill you?" one of the Mithiran mages observed mildly, keeping watch as her companion tended to the wounded.

"Could be worse," said the man who'd commented on the lynels. "Could be cuccoos-" Link distinctly saw Toru roll his eyes. "Nasty buggers, those... still, would be a nice change."

The mage scoffed, ignoring the soldier and surveying the battlefield, her expression grim.

Two of the centaur-like creatures, the Lynels, had been taken down. One had fallen to a horseman's spear, the other to a man brave enough to jump on its back. The remainder were surrounded, but they weren't going down easily, even as a tide of men threatened to crush them. At least a score of archers were harrying them, trying to distract the monsters so their comrades could attack. One man valiantly tried to take on a single lynel, but when his spear was splintered in two by the beast's sword, he ran screaming back to the safety of his companions. Another man's sword broke, and he was only spared an axe to the face by somebody thrusting a spear into the lynel's shoulder. The spearman did not survive.

I have to do something, Link thought, or else many more of the Hylians and their allies would die. What though? Toru had forbidden him from taking any part in the fighting; he was supposed to save his strength for the battle's end.

There has to be an easier way to get into Castletown, Link pondered, staring at one of the nearest portals, and wondering if they worked both ways. Would he find himself in Castletown if he stepped through one, or somewhere else?

No. If the portal collapsed before anyone else could enter, he'd be alone and potentially surrounded by foes. There were too many things that could go wrong with that plan. Link grew increasingly frustrated. He wanted to end this. He wanted to find Ganondorf. Each passing second increased the chance that Ganondorf could gain the Triforce of Wisdom. If he did, Link knew he would be hard-pressed to stop him. Link studied the Gorons closest to the portal, and an idea occurred to him.

"Goron bombs. Can we throw one through the portal?" he asked Toru, raising his voice to a near shout.

Toru regarded him, looking impressed, and soon the Gorons closest to the portal were responding to his orders. They yelled for their companions who stood guard near a wagon loaded with Goron munitions, and before long, they were lugging a small sack back towards the portal, smashing a path through their foes. One wild swing later and the bombs were through the portal. A heartbeat later, the gateway collapsed, leaving nothing but scorched earth in its wake.

"Shame we couldn't have seen the look on that mage's face," one man said as Toru's company cheered. Staring out at the writhing sea of combatants now sprawled across Hyrule Field, Link's brief elation faltered. There were still more gateways opening across the expanse between them and the city, and its walls still seemed impossibly far away.

"How are we even getting inside the walls?" Link wondered aloud.

"You'll see," said Toru from beside him. "The Gorons have one more surprise in store." Link turned towards him, but the man was already busy scanning the battlefield, his face grim. "Ganondorf's forces are trying to cut us off from the other companies. We'll be surrounded unless we can punch through," He paused before continuing with, "Once we're in the city, the other armies will keep Ganondorf's forces distracted so that you can enter the tower and finish him."

Toru turned in the saddle and exchanged a few words with the runners alongside him. Each rode off with a small entourage to relay their orders. As they did, a loud screech made Link look skyward.

There were more griffins circling above. Toru's soldiers quickly cleared a space for them to land. Exchanging a few quick words with Toru, the Mithirans began retrieving the wounded and ferrying them back to camp. They started with those who'd sustained the worst injuries, including Teron.

Link jerked his head from the grisly sight as a man on horseback cried out urgently, "Toru, sir!"

Link turned towards the soldier. He was pointing his sword towards a portal that had appeared mere feet in front of their archers. The Gorons started lumbering towards it, bombs in hand, but they weren't close enough, and nor was Link.

"Oh, for Din's sake," Toru growled, turning his mount in the direction of the portal. "Shield wall! Shield wall!"

Bulblins, both riding boars and charging on foot, poured through the gateway's maw. The Hylian lines rippled, men with tall shields raced to meet the oncoming tide of monsters, each man standing shoulder to shoulder, their shields forming a solid wall of steel. A few Gorons charged through hastily made gaps that quickly closed behind them, each bellowing an ear-splitting war cry.

Not everyone was fast enough to move into position; their attackers gave them no time to maneuver. The ranks of men between Link and the Bulblins crumbled, even with the Gorons trying to clobber them in an effort to get near the portal. The Bulblin riders slammed into the shield wall, some landing upon spears, others vanishing amidst the onslaught, toppling to the ground. The shield wall buckled, and even though it managed to halt the Blin's charge, the second wave of Blin swept in behind the first.

Link watched this from a distance, blood pounding in his ears as the Bulblins got closer. If he stayed where he was, Teron and the rest of the wounded would be slaughtered. He had to close that portal.

Unable to watch any longer, Master Sword in hand, Link spurred Epona forward and joined the horsemen as they began their own charge. By now, most of the boars had fallen, spears bristling from their hides. Several escaped unharmed and charged through the widening gaps in the shield wall that weren't closed in time. More Bulblins charged in behind, making the gap even wider. One of the larger Blin riders saw Link, pointed a finger towards him and put a horn to his lips and blew.

A ripple went through the Blin as over a dozen of the beasts started heading straight for Link, intent on only one thing- killing him. Even the surviving Lynels paused in their foray and all glanced in his direction.

"Oh, crap."

Ganondorf knew he was here.

A brief flicker of alarm later, Link urged Epona into the melee, the soldiers behind him screaming a rallying cry.

"FOR HYRULE!"

Link found himself repeating their cry, Master Sword held high, an energy surging through him. The boars broke through the spearman in front of Link, and the other horsemen moved to attack the flank of the boar riders. Link suddenly found himself standing in an opening that hadn't been there a moment ago. Several boars were charging straight at him, trying to plug the hole. Even one of the surviving Lynels had broken through the men that had been trying to kill it, battering them aside as though they were sticks, arrows quivering from its hide. It roared a challenge that Link knew was directed at him and the behemoth even went so far as to send an attacking Goron stumbling, pushing it aside as if it were nothing more than a nuisance.

The Lynel thundered towards him, making a line for Epona, cutting through anyone fool enough to get in the way.

It closed the distance between itself and Link with terrifying speed. Link turned in the saddle, preparing to meet the monster's challenge, intending to sweep his sword into one of its legs- provided it didn't kill him first.

The Lynel never made it. A well-aimed spear sent it tripping ungracefully into the dirt, breaking both the lance and at least one of its limbs.

The monster's attacker, a Gerudo, offered Link a grin and a salute.

"That doesn't count!" another Gerudo shouted to her companion, who offered a rude hand gesture in response.

The swell of battle separated Link from the Gerudo and the downed Lynel. It tried to rise, but already Toru's soldiers closed in on the kill, leaving Link to face the boars that were almost on top of him.

He kept charging, sword held aloft. Instinct screamed at him to get away as one of the Bulblin riders closed in on him.

What the hell was he doing charging right at a boar?

This is insane! he thought.

"I agree, but I shall aid you all the same," Courage said, its voice a distant sound.

Two riders stood astride the closest beast. One notched an arrow, aiming it straight at him.

"Watch out!" Navi's scream vanished amidst a thunder of hooves.

Link gasped, Epona answered the reins as he steered her to one side, and the boar's tusks came within inches of grazing her belly. Link threw his shield up, and an arrow slammed into it, shaft splintering. With one quick blow, Link knocked the archer from its saddle. It fell, screaming as it disappeared beneath a stampede of feet and hooves.

The second Bulblin jumped from the boar, leaping into Epona's saddle. Link hugged Epona's sides tightly with his knees and smashed his shield into the Bulblin's face.

"Get off my horse!" he bellowed, knocking the monster from Epona, whereupon it vanished, swept beneath the current of battle.

Two more boars charged towards Link, their riders brandishing maces. Link ducked beneath a blow meant for his head, slamming his sword into the Bulblin. An arrow took the beast to his right, and its scream made Link turn in time to see a Blin swing its mace towards his face. He hunched over, barely avoiding the blow. He returned the gesture with a swing of his own, his sword connecting with his attacker's neck.

Without realizing it, he'd reached the front of the Hylian ranks. Directly in front of him, still more Bulblins were emerging from the portal.

Goddesses, he thought. How many of these things are there?

"Link, fall back!" Toru shouted from somewhere behind him.

The Bulblins took aim, their arrow shafts pointing straight at him. Behind them, a Lynel bearing a savage mace emerged from the portal.

Oh no.

It was going to crash straight into him.

Ignoring Toru's order, Link did the only thing he could think of. He let Fire flow through him, imagining a wave of fire crashing into the Blin and the oncoming behemoth. Even now the Lynel was pushing the slower combatants out of the way, apparently not caring whose side they were on. As Link grasped the Flow, an intense heat washed over him. A ribbon of fire, forty feet across, burst into existence and crashed forward like a wave. What he did felt barbaric.

The flames crashed into the Blin and the Lynel, incinerating arrow shafts, bows, and searing through flesh like oil soaked cloth. The Bulblins shrieked and wailed in pain, writhing in agony as they fell. Some tried to run back to the portal, but it collapsed before they could make it. Link felt a moment of horror at what he'd done.

The lynel bellowed its agonized fury, still wreathed in flames, and Link ducked low, avoiding the flailing arms that could've crushed him to a pulp. Its weapon lay forgotten where it had fallen, for now at least, and seeing his chance, Link let his sword swing into its hind leg. There was a crunch, a jerk of resistance as the blade cut through flesh and bone. Then there was nothing, and the Master Sword came free, dripping with ichor.

Link didn't need to look to know what he'd done. The heavy thud of the lynel hitting the bloodied earth was enough. He was spared the instinct that compelled him to go back and end the creature's misery as Toru's men came sweeping in from behind.

Cheering at their ally's heroics, they charged into the surviving Bulblins, and were finally able to join up with the bedraggled battalion that the Lynels had been so recently trying to butcher.

Epona came to a halt, and when she did, Link nearly retched at the smell of blood and scorched flesh.

No, he thought, swallowing. Now wasn't the time for weakness.

"What is he?" Link heard one of the soldiers gasp. Those who fell back around Toru looked at him in astonishment. "How'd you do that?"

"He's like a god," another said, and Link felt a stab of annoyance.

I'm not a god, he thought. He did, however, possess the essence of one.

Toru was not nearly as amazed, nor as impressed, as his men. After a few choice words to the man who'd been attributing Link to the divine, he rounded on the youth.

"Damn it, boy!" he growled. "What did I say about following orders?" He shook his head, then frowned. "You all right?"

"Yeah. I'm fine," Link answered. In truth, he felt dazed, cold, and numb.

"Good. Just don't let this divine nonsense go to your head," he said more quietly. "It's bad enough with one bloody person thinking that. We both know what happened to him."

Except I'm not like Ganondorf, Link thought, and the Triforce of Courage isn't cursed.

Link glanced down at the dead, unable to shake the intense feeling of sickness that bubbled inside of him.

"Do you ever get used to it?" he asked quietly, not really intending to be overheard.

"That?" Toru eyed the charred bodies of the Blin, his face grim as he chuckled darkly. "No. The day you get used to it is the day you lose your humanity. You'd be no different to them, in a way." He turned away from the corpses and eyed the still churning sea of chaos around them. "Just stay close."

Link gazed over the hills, beyond the press of bodies, and his heart sank. The Hylian army was in disarray. Only two of the seven battalions had managed to maintain some order. One near the riverbank, launching wave after wave of arrows into the monsters materializing behind them, and the other attacked the wall, aided by both Zora and Gorons.

He heard one of Toru's captains shout something, pointing towards the northern hills and towards the forest. The bulblins attacking their northern flank had focused their attention elsewhere, and Link saw why. Dark canine shapes crested the hill, joined by great lumbering bears that ripped through the Blin with tooth and claw, scarcely slowing. Behind them came figures Link recognized, their distinct antler-shaped boughs making them stand out.

Between the enormous wolf pack and the bears, the bulblins were sent scattering in all directions, some to fall upon the Hylian's spears.

Despite their earlier misgivings, the denizens of the woods had joined the battle.

Thank you, Saria, Link thought. Still, he couldn't help the sickening dread in his stomach. The Kokiri's elder kin appeared to be directing their combatants rather than joining the fight, but Link still knew what it might cost them. What it might cost all of them in the end.

The battlefield was thick and suffocating with the stench of blood. The air rang with the cries and moans of the wounded and dying. It made Link recall the terrible night Castletown had burned, of how the night had been thick with screams and the roar of hungry flames.

He looked to see Navi land on his shoulder.

"This has to end," he told her quietly. "It has to end."

And soon.

Or else there would be no one left to call Hyrule home.

~ 0 ~

"Dig faster!" Jemite bellowed, encouraging his clanmates on.

The Gorons were digging, their enormous shovels scraping against rock and dirt as they dug beneath Castletown's walls. It was one of several tunnels that they had set up along the town's wall. Here the river followed a wide arc away from the city, and the hollow husks of warehouses that clung to the riverside was all that remained of its docks. The nearest gate was sealed shut, its still sturdy frame halting even the most determined efforts to gain entry, and the ram the Gorons had fashioned earlier was now a blackened husk of smoldering timber, destroyed by mage-fire.  

The Gorons only needed to dig an access tunnel to reach the main chamber, which they'd been digging for days now. It was noon now and progress had been painfully slow.

Not much longer.

A small contingent of Gorons approached, flanked by Gerudo, who were using their Mirror Shields to slam blasts of mage fire back to their owners. More teams arrived, all of them bearing an enormous Dragonfire barrel between them. These enormous barrels of powder were similar to Goron bombs, brought to Hyrule by one of Darunia's distant allies, and far deadlier.

For this reason, getting the barrels to the wall was tricky. The teams carrying them looked nervous, as though they expected the barrel's contents to explode at random. Their fear wasn't entirely unwarranted; if mage-fire struck that barrel, the resulting explosion would kill everyone in the immediate vicinity.

The plan was suicidal. At least, Jemite thought it was.

Din preserve us, he thought. This better work.

One by one, the teams started down the tunnel, all anxiously gazing up at the wall that loomed over them like an angry giant.

The Mithirans kept the Blins on the wall busy, and only the occasional stray arrow bothered them. The crews rose shields in a tortoise-shell formation to protect themselves and pressed forward.

Jemite was still afraid he would hear an explosion signaling that one of the Goron crews was down. Further upstream, where the river narrowed, the Hylians began crossing the bridges, archers mainly, who began trading arrows with the Blin. Ladder crews followed, all of them looking like ants from Jemite's vantage point. A horn called in the distance, and Jemite looked to the south where Zelda's red and blue banner rippled in the wind.

Jemite returned his attention to the tunnel. One of the last Goron crews was approaching it when a portal opened to their left. Jemite froze, eyes going wide as Dodongos, led by an armour-clad Moblin, began pouring through. Thick plumes of smoke washed over the battlefield, making it difficult to see the enormous lizards as they lumbered on, unfazed by the chaos around them.

"Hey, Jemite!" Malechite called from nearby. "I thought you said Dodongos dislike smoke?"

Indeed, even as they watched, several Dodongos backed away. Hissing madly, the cowardly reptiles turned and fled while the Moblin commander bellowed at them to turn back around. Someone had evidently tried training the lizards, but their success had been minimal.

"Not all of them," Jemite noted, slightly amused.

"Well," Malechite said, without worry. "I could use some roasted Dodongo about now."

"Why is it always about food to you?" Jemite asked, feeling disgusted. The thought of food was far from his mind, especially amidst this carnage.

He roared a challenge as the remaining Dodongos lumbered forward, their panicking companions hobbling towards almost certain death in the river. The remaining beasts strode towards the Dragonfire barrels. The crew handling the barrel saw this and dropped their cargo, running in a mad frenzy.

Din preserve us, Jemite thought.

Jemite rose his hammer and crashed it over the first Dodongo's skull, crushing it with a single, swift blow. The other Dodongos belched white-hot flames from their mouths, aiming straight towards the Dragonfire.

The twisting column of flames struck the first barrel, igniting the contents. Light flashed around Jemite, blinding him while a tremendous roar drowned out the sounds of battle. He was thrown onto his face, exposed to the archers on the wall.

An arrow slammed against his rocky hide, nicking his shoulder. It bounced off, the wooden shaft splintering. Jemite blinked, staring at the scorched earth in front of him. Bits of Dodongo lay strewn across the ground. Some of the Gorons and Gerudo had been caught by the explosion too, unable to flee in time.

Other Gorons stood in a daze, looking at the carnage as more portals opened. More Dodongos appeared. Five, ten. No, fifteen. They turned their attention towards the remaining Dragonfire barrels, and the remaining crews ran, the barrels forgotten. At least one crew flung their cargo into the portal, its fuse ignited, and the portal collapsed.

Stalfos began pouring out of several portals, snapping weapons against their shields before they too entered the fray.

Jemite realized then that Ganondorf was now aware of their plan. If they were going to blast the wall, it was now or never. Another barrel was thrown into a portal, dispelling it, but it wasn't enough. The portals and the beasts spilling through their maws were too numerous.

Beside him, Malechite was getting to his feet. Jemite turned and shouted an order to the Gorons standing at the tunnel's entrance.

"Jemite, I'll light the fuse. Just hold those demons off!" Malechite yelled.

Jemite nodded. Picking up his hammer, he roared a battle cry and charged. The Gorons nearest him emulated his example, leaving Malechite a clear path to the tunnel. Another barrel of Dragonfire exploded, taking both Gorons, Stalfos, and Dodongos with it.

Jemite swung his hammer in a wide arc. Bones cracked and shattered as the hammer slammed into Stalfos after Stalfos. The monsters snarled, their jagged blades bouncing harmlessly off Jemite's hide.

With another jarring, splintering crash, another Stalfos was crushed beneath Jemite's hammer. He struck a Dodongo next, shattering the beast's jaw. He turned to the one beside it, just in time to see the torrent of flames rushing towards him. He turned, trying to get out of the way, but it was too late. The flames crashed into him, burning his side. Jemite roared in pain, nearly dropping the hammer, pain surging through his rocky hide.

With a roar, Jemite slammed his hammer into his attacker's face. There were more Dodongos behind the fallen beast, too many for him and his brothers to fend off.

Jemite turned towards the ruined city just as a thunderous roar split the earth. The wall lost all solidity, rising as the earth convulsed and exploded. Stones broke and cracked as the wall heaved. Bulblins and their larger cousins were tossed into the air as the wall trembled. Then it crumbled, stones tumbling earthward as though smashed by the fist of an enormous giant. The world was lost amidst a terrible roar. Dust burst into the air, debris and stone slamming back to the earth.

Then Jemite knew no more.

~ 0 ~

The Hylians stared in astonishment as a chunk of Castletown's wall heaved and collapsed with a thunderous roar. The wind carried the dust away, revealing a gaping hole where the wall had been. There was nothing there now except a heap of broken and shattered stone.

"What just happened?" Navi asked.

Link could barely hear her over the din, even though she was hovering just beside his ear. He shook his head. "I don't know."

Link wasn't cheering or elated like those around him. He'd seen the Gorons near the wall and it seemed impossible that they could have survived that. How many Gorons had just perished?

"Men, wedge formation!" Toru yelled, sending the order down the line of horsemen. He turned to several of his runners, youths in leather jerkins and bearing a brightly colored badge marking their office. "I want battalions three and four on either side of us in a wedge formation. We're going to punch a hole through their lines. If we keep sitting here, they'll bloody well pick us off one by one," Toru said, "And I'll be damned before I let them do that...How are you doing back there?"

The last question was aimed at one of the griffin riders. He turned and yelled back, "We will need more time!"

"Damn it," Toru said. "Battalions six and seven can stay and defend the injured until the Mithirans get them out." He called for several runners, who quickly ran off to deliver his missives. "The rest of us ride to Castletown."

An explosion roared in the distance.

"Toru, sir!" a younger officer yelled, pointing towards Castletown.

Link followed the man's gesture just in time to see another section of the wall on the eastern side heave and come crashing down, dust spewing into the air as the stone fell.

"Ride," Toru yelled. "To the bridges- we charge into the breach!"

A rallying cry rippled through the assembled troops. There was time enough to quickly check Epona for injuries. He mounted, joining the ranks of Hylians, who assembled to ride. At a signal, they charged.

The scene was still chaotic. All he could hear were screams and battle cries as the men charged forward. Steel crashed, both horses and men screaming as the charge gained momentum. They thundered towards the river, crashing straight through lines of Blin and Stalfos that had mobilized to stop them.

Greater mayhem ensued as the two forces met, the cavalry in front slamming straight through Ganondorf's army. Stalfos, Bulblins, and Moblins fell, crushed and broken beneath the charge. The other two battalions followed on either side of them, attacking the Blin and Stalfos hordes as they tried to counter Toru's charge.

A volley of arrows fired towards the left, followed by the right, and the Hylians kept riding onwards. The arrows came and darkened the sky, falling like birds upon hapless prey. As they came towards him, Link sought Fire. He sent a blast of curling flame towards the arrows, incinerating many of the shafts. It wasn't nearly enough.

Horses fell, tumbling and screaming as arrows struck them.

Toru shouted an order, but Link couldn't hear over the din. He simply fell into line as soldiers around him formed rank and marched toward the wall. Soon, Epona's hooves pounded against wood rather than earth. Without realizing it, Link had reached a bridge, and Epona's hooves thundered across the wooden planks. Castletown loomed ahead. There were enormous holes in its walls and a mess of crumbled and shattered stone splayed across the ground.

More soldiers poured across the other bridges and were greeted by the other battalions who'd ridden across before them. There were Gorons amongst them, many missing chunks from their rocky hides, blood trickling from dozens of wounds. Several bore painful burns where a Dodongo had attacked them.

The Gorons that spotted Link cheered. Behind them, the Zora were clambering onto the riverbank, weapons bristling as they forced back any Blin stupid enough to get in their way. The general that led the Zora- distinguished by his height and ornately polished armour- was carrying a large trident. He grinned when he saw Link, showing off his white teeth, and then held his weapon aloft in a salute. Link returned the gesture with a simple salute of his own but was given no time to wonder who the Zora was before Toru's men formed up around him.

They formed a tight formation and then marched into the breach, towards the heart of hell- the black monolith rising above all else.

By the time they reached he city, it was close to dusk. Another hour or more and they'd have a hard fight through the darkened streets. The Blin defenders lay tossed and broken across the shattered stone. Link rode past jagged and scorched rock as he made his way into the town's blackened ruins, and through the path the Gorons had made. The wind howled, stirring dust and ash into the narrow streets. It was cold here. Bitterly cold.

The Hylians gathered behind Toru, the archers taking aim to make sure any defenders on the wall didn't attack their rear.

The city's inside was just as chaotic as the outside. Bulblins and Stalfos stood beside open windows and on the roofs of the buildings that remained standing, raining down arrow after arrow. Other buildings had temporary scaffolding built around them, hastily erected in preparation for the siege.

Packs of Ganondorf's minions, including Wolfos and Lizalfos, patrolled the streets. They kept to the shadows, pouncing and then fleeing into narrow alleys as the men gave chase. The first time Link saw this, Toru ordered his soldiers to hold rather than pursue, knowing it was the perfect spot for a trap.

The Hylians split into smaller companies, each charging down the different streets. Link went with Toru's company along the city's main southern road. They entered a graveyard where the bustling market had once stood. Castletown stood like a long-abandoned tomb, its crumbling ruins a testimony to the destruction that had unfolded years earlier.

The temple itself rose above the bones of the dead city. The Southern Market, perched just beyond the palace gates, had born the brunt of Ganondorf's destruction. All that remained were the burnt out shells and blackened husks of former grand inns and busy shops. Where the Silver Mare had once stood, only a mess of blackened timber and stone remained. Link could just make out the soot-covered remains of a shutter tossed amidst the wreckage. Further away, the Happy Mask Shop was an unrecognizable lump of stone and timber.

Link wasn't the only one staring at the ruins. All around him, soldiers stared grim-faced at the rubble, perhaps remembering a shop, a favorite tavern, or somebody who died in the siege. They hadn't forgotten what happened here, or in many cases, forgiven those who did it. Some cursed and muttered under their breaths.

"It looks bad," Toru said loudly to them. "I agree, but," and here he breathed a heavy sigh, "We'll rebuild. As the queen said, we're Hylian. It's what we do, no matter the storm."

There was some quiet agreement. Other people stared at the ruins, no doubt pondering how they could ever rebuild the once grand city. More than likely, Hyrule's capital would be moved, and Castletown left to the mercy of time and the elements.

They had barely reached the street's end, which led into the market with a fountain's crumbling and broken remains, when Toru called his company to a halt. Link found his gaze lingering on the place where he'd first seen Sheik, or rather Zelda, but quickly redirected his attention to one of the many side roads that led into the square. There was a group of Gerudo pouring into the ruined marketplace, carrying their red and white banner. They paused at the entrance, their leader signaling for Toru's men to stay back.

That was when Link heard the first scream. A ReDead's cold, bloodcurdling call rattled his eardrums, and the reason for the Gerudo's caution became clear. Horses whinnied in terror, twisting and thrashing like hares caught in a hunter's trap. Toru barked an order as riders were thrown from their animals, the normally obedient warhorses going wild.

"Archers!" Toru roared.

ReDeads began emerging from the shadows of the ruined structures. The abominations lumbered forward, crooning their unholy song. Half the men were frozen on the spot, others picked themselves up and notched bows.

The Gerudo started moving to their aid, trying to intercept the ReDead from behind, but before they could, Stalfos began pouring around another corner, charging straight at them.

Channeling the Triforce of Courage again, Link tasted its sweet essence. An image flashed in his mind, an impossibly tall figure- Hylian- gazed back at him with burning white eyes. With a roar, flames blossomed in front of him, slamming straight into the ReDeads.

The ReDeads shrieked as they died, erupting in flames, their skin burning like paper. Link's stunt drew the Stalfos' attention. They split up, half of them charging right for him.

Uh oh.

Epona, who'd seen ReDeads before, didn't panic or bolt. Link charged, Master Sword humming with Light as he swept through the Stalfos' lines. The Hylians who hadn't fallen during the ReDead's initial attack followed him.

Arrows flew, their tips aflame. They slammed into the remaining ReDeads, cutting short their horrendous cries. Link cleaved the Master Sword through the neck of one Stalfos, and then through the ribcage of another. Around him, the Hylians fought the remaining stalfos. When the men realized that some of the undead were wearing Hylian armour, they cursed, spewing all number of obscenities.

Toru rode towards him, a bloody gash on one cheek. It didn't seem to be bothering the man too much. He didn't reprimand Link- not immediately- but instead focused on the Stalfos trying to slay his men.

"I swear, boy," the General growled when he got close enough to Link. "If you were under my command, I would bloody well have you cleaning out latrines for a week for insubordination, Goddess-damned hero or not."

Gross, Link thought. Was that really how Hylians punished recruits who couldn't follow orders?

He never got a chance to ask, but he could sense Courage's amusement. The Gerudo finally caught up, cutting through the last of the Stalfos. Their leader approached Toru. She wore her hair down, and Link recognized her as Shinju, one of Aveil's younger officers.

"Lord General," Shinju said, addressing Toru with a nod. "I am Shinju. Nabooru left me in charge of this battalion. We are trying to secure the first few levels of the tower. I've already sent a few companies inside."

"Have you found Zelda?" Toru asked, brushing away the concerned exclamations of a field surgeon who tried to look at the gash across his cheek.

"No," Shinju said, her voice grim. "Ganondorf has made navigating the tower difficult."

"What do you mean?" Link asked.

"There are traps and monsters all over the place," she answered. "The quickest way to the top is usually by portals, but they're proving difficult to navigate." Shinju glanced at him before gazing at Toru. "All we need now is a dragon."

"A dragon?" Toru asked. "What are you talking about?"

Shinju shrugged, smiling faintly. "Isn't that what happens in Hylian legends? Whenever a princess is locked in a tower, there's always a dragon guarding her? Knowing Ganondorf, his breath probably killed the poor beast."

A few men behind Link snickered, but a pointed glare from their commander silenced them instantly.

"Any sign of Ganondorf?" Toru asked without any trace of amusement.

"No," Shinju replied, her eyes narrowing. "We suspect he's at the top of the tower, controlling the traps."

"Of course he's at the bloody top," Toru growled. "Royalty always have to be at the top of everything."

Shinju's jaw tightened.

"He is not a king," she said, her voice hard with all trace of humor gone.

"Anyone ever told him that?" Toru asked mildly.

"I believe they did- by running a sword through him," Shinju replied flatly.

"A bloody shame it didn't work," Toru growled. "Would've done the lot of us a favor."

"Sorry to disappoint you," Shinju replied, her tone cool. "My people will focus on finding Zelda, and the rest of us can clear a way to Ganondorf."

"Alright, that's set then." Toru turned to his lieutenants who were gathering around him. "We're going to take the tower. We have Ganondorf cornered, but he's still dangerous. Nobody is to engage him except Link or a mage. It's time to end this war."

The men cheered. More Hylians and men wearing uniforms from several different kingdoms had joined them, crowding the entrance to the tower.

"Move the horses back to the gates. We have too few as it is and I won't have them wasted," Toru ordered to his attendants. "Link, that means you too. I'll have someone take the animals to the rear guard."

Though he felt extremely reluctant leaving Epona in the hands of someone he didn't know, Link nodded. Dropping the reins, he swung himself from the saddle. Epona whinnied, nudging Link as he handed the reins to one of Toru's attendants.

"I'll be back soon," Link murmured softly. Epona nudged him again, sensing his anxiety. He scratched her nose soothingly. "Go on. Take good care of Malon for me."

With a few tugs of the reins, Toru's attendant finally got Epona to move. She glanced back at Link once and then was led away, disappearing beyond the gathering crowd.

Link stared at the gates in front of him. Just beyond stood the open iron doors leading into the tower. Link craned his head upward, taking in the tower's distant peak, a sense of dread rising inside his chest.

This was it.

He had to find Zelda and finish Ganondorf. The first part didn't seem nearly as difficult as the prospect of killing the most dangerous sorcerer in the world.

"We're in this together, Link," Navi said quietly, hovering beside his ear.

"That we are," he replied, sensing a note of affirmation from Courage.

Above them, a griffin strayed too close to one of the tower's upper tiers. A blue beam shot through the sky. The bird never shrieked, and before Link could even blink, its ashes were falling from the sky.

It was a disconcerting sight, to say the least.

"Come on," Navi said, urging him onward. "We shouldn't keep Ganondorf waiting... or Zelda."

"No," Link said. Keeping the fear out of his voice was an effort. "Wouldn't want to offend him, would we?"

Link shared a rueful smile with Navi before glancing at the doors near the tower. Soon, he realized, the fate of Hyrule and all the Ten Kingdoms would be decided.

Around them, the storm finally came surging inward. Thunder roared, rain pelted down, tiny droplets splashing off Link's shield. That moment, as he stood there staring at the tower, seemed to last for an eternity.

Then, with a deep breath, Link stepped forward and walked beneath the doorway. The corridor was long and unlit, except for torches carried by those behind him. Distantly, he heard fighting inside the tower. It wouldn't be safe to summon the Sages until he could assure they'd be relatively safe, or at least as safe as he could make it for them.

This was it. One way or another, Link intended to find Ganondorf and bring this war to an end.

Next Chapter

Reviews

SunPraiser31 chapter 56 . Apr 1, 2017 Aww man, did Jemite and those Gorons die? I liked those guys! Still, I suppose it had to happen, with a big final battle and all. Link was an animal this chapter. Killing monsters left and right when he once would've cowered before them. The Triforce probably has something to do with that, but he's really turned into a warrior now. Just in time too. Only one more big challenge to face. You do such a good job of building the hype for the finale. I'm really pumped up to read it.

Cyan Quartz chapter 56 . Dec 19, 2015 It might be a bit redundant at this point, but this is one of the most beautiful and well written stories I've read in a long time. Triple A.

Shaveza chapter 56 . Dec 19, 2015 Ooooh, woooow. I can just PICTURE the wall falling in my head. It's amazing and disconcerting how powerful the Dragonfire must be. Especially for the sort of time period OoT takes place in. There is so much anticipation in the last line. And kind of a fullfilling cliffhanger...which probably sounds weird, but it's like a brief moment of calm in the storm before it crashes right back over you the next moment. It's the only way I can think to describe the way I feel reading that line. Link's mental 'eww' in response to Toru's what-I-would-make-you-do-if-I-could-YOU-CRAZY-KID made me laugh. The common soldiers completely going in awe of Link's feats and the lines wondering about his divinity - is it a Fierce Deity reference?

Lord Darth Yoda chapter 56 . Dec 18, 2015 Gotta love a good old fashioned war chapter! Well done but it seems we're taking a bit too long to get into the Tower I think. War but I wanna make that crazy way up.

TheHero136 chapter 56 . Dec 18, 2015 Awesome. Only thing I would say is that there are a few word errors in some of the lines. Like where you forgot to add a him or a try in a certain sentence. Otherwise, good work.