Alagbor approached the commander of the soldiers.
“Commander! We got to get the civilians out of here now! Begin the evacuation now, King’s orders!” Ordered Alagbor. The commander nodded and soon the people began moving out of the town. Saria and her companions stood outside the gate of the town looking to the west for any approaching enemies. Behind them the town’s people were moving swiftly from the town.
“Alagbor! I can’t see a thing through this rain!” Said Lossenisel.
“Hang in there, we just need a little more time, let’s hope our foes are being slowed by this rain as we are”, said Alagbor scanning the horizon. Suddenly in unison, the four of them cried out in surprise. “Over there, upon the western horizon!”
“Move faster, get as many soldiers as you can muster over here!” Yelled Alagbor.
Now it was time for Alagbor’s plan to be put into action. The four Kokiri and about fifty soldiers fell back into Castle Town just as the last villagers faded beyond sight into the pouring rain. They closed and reinforced the gate and got up onto the walls. They rained arrows, bombs and tar onto the legions of foul creatures below. Everything was going as planned, the enemy thought the town’s population was still inside the gates. But really the town had already been evacuated. For half the night they held off the host for nearly four hours. Alagbor ordered that they distract them long enough so that the host could not catch up with the refugees fleeing to Kakariko village. When this was done they would proceed to Kakariko through a secret gate behind the Temple of Time. They would then move through the hilly terrain toward Kakariko where they would receive orders from the King. In the meantime they just needed to give more time to the villagers.
Amidst the battle Saria, who had been up on the wall firing down at the orcs and Moblins, noticed large armored beings moving toward the gate. She at first tried firing arrows at them but it was no use, their armor was too strong. She approached Alagbor:
“Alagbor, what are those?” She asked pointing down at the large armored creatures. Alagbor’s eyes suddenly widened with fear.
“Iron Knuckles, PULL BACK, WE’RE OUT OF HERE!!!!” He yelled. Hearing the order the soldiers began moving off the wall toward the Temple of Time. They approached the gate. It was closed and locked.
“Alright, open it up and let’s go!” Yelled Alagbor. Saria and Lossenisel were the last ones off the wall and now rushed over yelling, “They’ve broken through! Let’s get outa’ here!”
“The soldiers struggled with the gate. ‘It won’t budge, it’s jammed!’ They could hear the distant screams of orcs and Moblins. The soldiers began to disperse, running around all across the town. Lossenisel and Nilalkar went chasing after some soldiers. Saria and Alagbor stayed at the gate trying to get it open. Alagbor fiddled with the lock. The gate itself was only wide enough to squeeze about two men through at a time. Saria ran about putting out all the torches so they would not be noticed.
“We’ll need to bomb it”, said Alagbor standing up. Saria was facing away from him scanning the area, her bow ready.
“There’s a bazaar around the corner we can sneak in the back way and find something. They made their way down quietly to the small shop and snuck in the back door.
“I can’t see a thing in here!” complained Saria. Alagbor lit a torch from outside and entered. He looked around and found a crate. Saria took the torch as Alagbor lifted the lid off it.
“These should do”, he said pulling out a small bag of Goron stock bombs. They returned to the gate and set the bombs.
“Okay, get back and hide this will attract attention. They lit the fuse and bolted off toward a stable. The bombs exploded blowing the gate open.
“Now what do we do?” Asked Saria. Alagbor looked at the horses. Then out the door as a group of orcs ran by the stable.
A troop of Moblins marched by the bazaar. They stopped and turned around hearing the galloping of hooves. Suddenly Saria and Alagbor charged at them on horse, with many other horses without riders behind them. Saria fired arrows from atop her horse and Alagbor wielded a long sword. The two of them charged through the streets Hyrule Castle town regrouping the soldiers on horseback. With each minute the stampede of riders grew larger as more and more soldiers mounted. The group split up moving through the chaotic place; with each passing moment the enemy creatures moved further and further into the once bustling city, burning it as they went. An eerie light was shining upon the town. The mingling of fire, smoke and storm clouds. And the rain, which still poured down upon the chaotic scene. Nearly all the resistance was on horseback now, fighting when they should be retreating. The Kokiri had altogether stopped fighting and now rode sorrowfully through the city, now completely in flames; Hyrule Castle overtaken flying Ganondorf’s flag. Finally they snuck out of the gate behind the Temple of Time, abandoning the small city to the enemy.
They were now in a race against time to get to Kakariko Village. They needed to make haste for they knew that the enemy host had broken in half at Hyrule Castle Town, half captured the Castle, and the rest went after the refugees once the it was taken. On Horseback moving at great speeds, Alagbor knew they could make it in a few hours though the horses would be too weary for battle when they arrived. He was also aware that his forces had taken great casualties during the battle. Of the fifty he had at the beginning, only thirty-five had survived the fighting not including his companions.
During the fighting he had noticed surprising bravery and combat talents from Saria. He turned toward now as the group had slowed their pace.
“You fought bravely Saria, I am very surprised. Though the memories of my first fight are lost to time, I know that young Hallimacil was not nearly so bold as you in his early days”, he said in a surprised tone.
“It’s strange, I know any normal person would be in terror in such a situation, though I feel as if I must contribute to the battle, and that I am better off using my talents with a bow, for it will likely save many lives as well as my own before this adventure is over…. I think my bravery may be a result of the ring’s power”, she said looking down at the gold band on her finger. Alagbor looked at her closely, as if looking into her mind.
“I doubt it. You seem to just possess a Kokiri’s adventurous instincts. Bravery is one of those instincts, and you have a natural skill with virtually any weapon put into your hands, you have keen senses and a quick mind, but you are unusually bold and daring, in a way sort of reckless as well”, he said thoughtfully. Saria grinned and nodded with agreement. It was in an elf’s nature to be proud of their personality and to keep themselves in utmost esteem.
She rode on ahead of Alagbor who slowed allowing Nilalkar to catch up to him.
He spoke, “Alagbor, we Kokiri are natural warriors, we are bold too, particularly the girls… but she…. She is unnaturally skillful”
Alagbor nodded, “Nil, did you pick up on that symbol sewn on the collar of her shirt?” He asked pointing to his neck.
“No, I did not see”, he responded absent-mindedly.
Alagbor said, “She bears the mark of the emerald”
Nilalkar raised an eyebrow, “She is a descendant then… of the Syla Dranium”, he said, looking ahead at her.
“Most of them are accounted for, the same line is still in place for each position of the clergy… well except for the Sage himself”, said Nilalkar thinking deeply.
Alagbor looked at him with a frown, “Him?”, he said puzzled, “You don’t understand do you? Saria is the descendant of the sage, heir to the head of the Syla Dranium”, he explained. Nilalkar looked surprised and startled. “She is more powerful than she knows, soon she will know her power”
