Chapter Three: Battle at Zora River


They stayed in the castle that night. Link was so sad and angry that he could not sleep the entire night. When the sun finally rose, he had not gotten an ounce of sleep. Yet we was not tired in the least.
He walked out of his quarters and in to Zelda’s as usual, and found her laying on a sofa, her eyes staring at the ceiling. She looked around when Link entered.
“Good morning,” she said softly, so as not to make him angrier than he was. But his grief had washed away, and only one word was burnt red hot into his mind, and he could not get rid of it if he wanted to: ‘REVENGE’.
“Good morning,” Link said back, and sat down on the chair beside her.
“Have you gotten any sleep?” she asked.
“No,” Link replied bluntly.
Zelda looked at him with concern showing in her deep blue eyes. He looked back at her. They watched each other for a while, when finally, Link said “what are we going to do today?”
“We are going to try to contact the Zora’s, unless Ganon drove them into hiding, which I sincerely hope he hasn’t, and try to make them join us and increase our army size. And after that, the Goron’s,” the princess replied tiredly.
Link stroked her hair slowly.
“Are you okay?” he asked her tenderly.
“I don’t know,” she said back, “I want this to all be over, but every time I think trouble is ended, it always comes back!”
“I know,” Link said, “you should’ve been there on some of the adventures that I was on. You wouldn’t believe how frustrated I got!”
“Yes,” Zelda said, looking up at him as he continued to stroke her hair, “I wish I could have accompanied you many times.”
“Oh, I don’t think you would have liked to see the many things that I saw.”
She was silent.
They left the castle at noon. They trudged over toward Lon-Lon Ranch, where Malon was currently watching Epona.
As they walked, Link looked over at the distant forest. It looked normal from where he was, but he knew once he crossed into it, he would meet Ganon’s minions infesting the place. Zelda noticed him looking, but said nothing.
They entered Lon-Lon Ranch, and Link immediately saw Epona gallop very fast toward him, between the two houses that surrounded them. She reached him, and allowed him to pat her.
Malon came up behind Epona and greeted Link.
“Hello, Malon,” said Link.
“Where in Din’s Fire have you been, Link?”
Link quickly explained that they were from the future, and what they were here to do.
“Well,” Malon said, “I will be happy to assist you in any way that I can.”
“Come again?” Link said.
Malon drew out a thin long-sword, and twirled it expertly.
“I’ve been practicing,” she replied, sheathing it.
“I can see that,” Link said.
“Well,” Zelda said impatiently, “we will call upon you when we need you. Thank you for your willingness to help the Royal Family.”
Link leapt upon Epona and helped Zelda onto the back of her.
“I will see you soon,” Link said to Malon, who smiled at him, her red hair shining from the sun overhead.
Zelda wrapped her arms around Link’s waist, and they galloped out of the ranch. They then made their way toward Zora river.
Once they got there, Epona leapt the river, and continued through the dense passages and twisted paths that led to the entrance to Zora’s Domain.
Once Epona had leapt the final gap, they were on a ledge directly across from a massive waterfall. Link knew what to do though. He dismounted Epona, followed closely by Zelda. He walked to the center of the grass ledge, and took out the Ocarina of Time.
He played Zelda’s Lullabye as quickly as possible, Zelda listening to it, an odd faraway look in her eyes. When he was done, the look vanished.
A hole in the waterfall opened up, and the water slid around it. Link jumped the gap, followed closely by Zelda. They both proceeded inside Zora’s Domain.
They made their way up the long stairs, past the other Zora’s who were just minding their own business. Once they were at the top, they arrived in King Zora’s Chamber. The fat king sat upon his water throne, staring down at the warrior and the princess that stood before him.
“Yes,” he said gruffly, “what is it that you need?”
Link, now growing slightly annoyed by having to tell everyone the story, told the king the story. Once he was done, the king sat back.
“Yes, we know that Ganon has already taken the east woods,” the King said slowly, “and we know that a war is brewing. It will soon be upon us.”
“Tell us what we want to know,” Zelda said quickly.
“WE ARE NOT CREATURES TO RUN AND HIDE WHEN OUR LAND IS BEING THREATENED BY EVIL!” bellowed the Zora King.
“Then you will help us,” Link said, grinning.
“We do what we must,” the King replied. “But I must remain here, because, alas, I am embarrassed to say, time has spent a great deal of my strength, and added to my girth. I will not leave my Domain, for I will surely die if I do. I do however, order my soldiers to take up lodgings in Hylia City until this war subsides.”
All of the Zora’s got this news relatively quickly, and though they did not like the fact that they had to leave their Domain, they knew they had to. So they got their armor and weapons together, and waited for Link and Zelda’s orders to have them proceed to Hylia City. Link and Zelda told them to go ahead. They would be behind them, on Epona. But as they watched the army move towards the entrance to leave, they heard a growl, unlike anything they had ever heard before.
All the Zora’s froze. The growl had been very loud. It echoed around the Domain.

“What in Forore’s–?” Link said, but at that moment, the entrance to Zora’s Domain roared with angry voices, and hundreds of creatures suddenly ran inside, swinging their swords and spears at the Zora army.
Link and Zelda gasped.
The army looked like disfigured Zora’s. They had 5 fins on the back of their heads instead of 1, like the normal Zora’s did, and they had 4 arms and legs, with faces that had many vampire-like fangs protruding from their top lips. Their eyes were scarlet, and had slits for pupils, uncannily like Ganon’s.
“In the name of the Triforice,” gasped Zelda.
The Zora’s, though unprepared for this, leapt into action immediately, and the two armies collided on the ledge overlooking the water raging below them in the many caverns.
“WE MUST JOIN THEM!” yelled Link over the noise. “COME ON!”
Zelda turned into Sheik, and drew her dagger. Link brandished the Master Sword, which gleamed in the dim light of Zora’s Domain. They rushed into the battle, and were engulfed in pandemonium.
Link whirled the sparkling blade above his head, and brought it down on one of the creatures heads, cutting it’s skull into two pieces. Black blood spurted down the swords length, drenching Link’s hands and sleeves. He dashed toward another one, and cut it’s left arm off, in a shower of blood which drenched his tunic. He stabbed the same one through the heart, then, pulling the scarlet blade from the demon, rushed toward 4 at once and battled through them, leaving a trail of blood in his wake. He fought past Sheik, who was twirling around almost as fast as Link was, her dagger flashing venimously as she cut through many of them at once. When one fell, she dove to another, and seemed to be as good at fighting as Link was.
Sheik dodged a sword swing, stuck her dagger through it’s heart, and lunged for another, but Link saw one that she had not seen, sneaking up behind her. He desperately threw the Master Sword with superior strength and speed. It flew into the back of the monsters neck, splattering the ground, and Link, with blood. He ran forward, pulled the blade out again, and dove into others, continuing the reckless onslaught.
And so it went on, for another twenty minutes, Link soaked with demon blood, his tired limbs aching as he again and again impaled his enemies and battered around the army. The Zora’s lost a few men, but eventually, the demon tide ended, and, with one final blow of his sword, Link knocked the last one to the floor of the ledge, and stabbed it through the neck. Blood pooled on the ground benieth him, but he gave a fierce victory cry, and the Zora’s around him erupted too.
The mess was quickly cleaned up. They piled the bodies of the demons outside on the banks of Zora river, and burnt them. After a couple hours, all that was left was a pile of ashes. The Zora’s left the Domain completely, heading toward Hylia City, to find lodgings to await further orders.
Sheik turned back into Zelda, and her and Link stood by the pile of ashes on the banks of Zora river, watching the smoke rise into the setting sun.
“You did fantastic,” said Link to Zelda.
“So did you,” she replied back, with a smile.
“But where did those beasts come from? I am sure that Ganon sent them, but who created them? Surely not Ganon. His beasts are nothing like that.”
Zelda had no answer.
“We will soon know,” she assured him.
They stood there, looking at the blood red sunset. Link turned his head to Zelda. She looked up at him too.
“Thank you for everything that you have done for me, Zelda,” Link said.
“I should thank you,” she said, “you are my hero.”
The two leaned in slowly, and before Link knew it, he was kissing Zelda. He wrapped his arms around her, and they stood there, kissing until night fell.