Chapter five: Capture in the Woods
Link and Zelda clung to each other. They weren’t going to move from where they were. It would only make them even more lost.
“It will be okay,” Link shouted over the howling wind.
“We need to get out of here!” yelled Zelda, “or Ganon will easily take Hylia City!”
“But how can we–!?” Link suddenly stopped talking.
“What is it?” Zelda yelled.
Link didn’t answer. The elf was sure he had heard something that he heard a long time ago from a different world, but, he was sure it was not possible...he couldn’t be here...it wasn’t possible...
He then heard it again. Somebody had shouted “DUDE!”
Link whirled around, and saw, to his amazement, Maikau, the ghost of the dead zora from Termina. He was floating about 3 feet off the ground, and he was grinning.
“MAIKAU?!” Link yelled in disbelief.
“Yeah, dude!” Maikau said, “I may be dead but I’m still having the time of my life! Looks like you two need some help!”
“How...how in the name of the Triforice did you get here?”
“The same way you got back!” Maikau said, stretching out in midair, and laying on his back, “the doorway in the Clock Tower!”
“Didn’t you want to stay with Lulu?” Link asked. Zelda was staring, not having a clue about what was going on.
“I did,” Maikau said, “and I was with her for a while, but then I decided to visit you!”
“And you tracked us here,” Zelda finished.
“Right,” Maikau said, “I can see the way out of here from where I am, do you guys need a ride? I can carry you.”
“Yes, please do,” Link said gratefully. Maikau zoomed over, grabbed them both, and suddenly, he sped off so fast, that everything was a blur. Link could see nothing but sand and hear the howling of wind for five seconds until...
They stopped at the gates of the Haunted Wasteland. Maikau flew over them, and dropped them off gently at Gerudo Valley.
“I believe I have been of some help,” Maikau said, “if you ever need me Link, just call for me. I can hear you wherever I am.”
He flew away.
“I take it that was one of the souls that you saved in Termina,” Zelda said.
“Right you are,” Link said, “he gave me the Zora Mask. But all the masks are currently in my house. I don’t think I’m ever going to use them.”
“Alright, now we have to figure out how to get out of here,” Zelda said. “We can’t leave out of the front. Ganon is sure to have knuckles watching the front already.”
“Well, there’s only one other alternate route,” Link said, “but Epona can’t come. I’m sorry Epona, but you have to go out the front.”
“But the Knuckles will kill her!” protested Zelda.
“No,” Link disagreed, “he knows the laws of the land. He will not kill an animal.”
And he was right. They did not attack Epona when Link told her to go out the front. He assured Epona that they would meet again very soon.
He watched uneasily as she galloped off.
“I do hope I see her again,” Link said.
“Don’t worry,” Zelda said soothingly, putting a hand on his shoulder, “you will. And you will ride with her into battle.”
“Yeah,” Link said. “I suppose...now. Zelda, the only other way out of here is the river below the bridge. We have to jump down into it. It will lead us to Lake Hylia, where we can go out from there and get back into Hyrule Field, and from there, we can get back to the castle to warn the King about Ganon imprisoning the Gerudo’s.”
“How do you know he imprisoned them?”
“Because it’s Ganon-style,” Link said, “and because the fortress is deserted. Look.”
Indeed it was. An eerie silence had taken over the abandoned building.
“Let’s get out of here,” she said, “I don’t like the feel of this.”
“Righto,” Link replied, and he led her out of the fortress to Gerudo Valley, past the worker tent, and onto the bridge.
Link climbed up onto the ledge, and picked Zelda up. She grabbed on tight to him.
“Now, whatever happens, do not let go of me,” Link ordered Zelda. She nodded, and closed her eyes.
Link looked down at the raging waters, remembering the last time he had jumped. It had been for fun last time. This time it was because they had to. Link closed his eyes, hoping he could still make a fresh landing, and jumped.
They pelted downward, wind rushing past them in great howling, the walls of the canyon a blur as they sped downward. Zelda was screaming, and she held tighter still to Link, pressing her face into his chest, so as not to see what happened when they hit the water.
Link managed to get his mouth around the wind before they hit the water, he yelled to Zelda, “deep breath!”
And they hit the water.
It did not hurt for him or Zelda, because they had not been horizontal in the dive. They rushed downward, to the very bottom, where the current swept them up. Link violently jerked as the water made him lose control. They sped downstream, toward Lake Hylia. Desperately, he pulled and yanked and kicked his legs as hard as he could to the surface. It was slow work, but he was rewarded. Link and Zelda crashed up from the water, gasping for air. Link spat water from his mouth. Zelda, who’s hair was draped over her face, brushed it aside to reveal her water drenched face. She stared at where they were, still holding onto Link, but adding to the kicking so they would not sink underwater again. Link looked around too. The current was much faster than he remembered...
They soon flew out into Hylia Lake, and the water calmed. The clear water beneath them was very clean and fresh. Link had always loved this lake.
They swam toward the shore, and got out. Link was sopping wet, along with Zelda, who, since she was wearing a dress, was having trouble walking.
Link looked over at her, and saw that Zelda had been wearing a thin layer of clothing, and her shirt was now see-through.
“Let’s go get you some new clothes,” Link said, “I’m sure you won’t want to go back up to the castle in a wet dress.”
Zelda had become aware that he could see this. She was embarrassed, but said nothing. They walked up toward the fishing lake that stood beside the lake. Link supported Zelda as they walked.
Once they reached the door, Link took a piece of cloth from his pocket, and wrapped it around Zelda. He did not want prying eyes to stare at her.
Zelda smiled, and thanked him.
They walked inside.
Link and Zelda both gasped in amazement.
The pond was no longer a pond. It was filled with the disfigured Zora’s that had attacked Zora’s domain the day previously. Link and Zelda backed against the door. The Zora’s had not seen them yet. He turned his head at where the person who ran the fishing lake used to stand, and, horrified, saw his mangled white and bloody body hanging from the wall. His eye socket’s were bare, the eyes still hanging from them attached still by the nerve, many teeth were missing, one arm was gone, and he was covered in black and blue bruises. He had blood caked all over his body. Link stared at the once friendly man who had talked to Link when he had caught the biggest fish ever in the pond.
Where he used to stand, was a short, shriveled man, with a weird blue hat on, and he had many eggs beside him.
Link’s eyes widened with shock.
“YOU!” he yelled, pointing at him.
It was the old man from the laboratory at Great Bay back in Termina. He was the one who had helped Link recover Lulu’s eggs. Link instantly figured it out. He had cloned the eggs beforehand, and was creating deformed Zora’s for Ganon’s bidding. Zelda quickly read Link’s mind, and realized this too.
“Yes,” the man said with an evil smile, “me. And now, since you are outnumbered, you shall be taken and imprisoned in the forest like all the others.”
“You mean the Gerudo’s,” Link said, shaking with fury.
“And the others,” the man repeated.
“What oth–“
Two strong mail-wrapped hands seized Link and Zelda, and pulled them to the ground. Iron Knuckles stood over them. Zelda screamed, and Link yelled in surprise, but the Knuckles brought their fists down heavily on their skulls, and they were both knocked unconscious.
* * *
Link awoke in a dark cell, his head aching and throbbing. He tried to sit up, but the aching in his head instantly brought him back down. He groaned, and forced his head up, making him lightheaded.
The blank brick walls of his cell gleamed in the moonlight shining through the bars on the high window. Link could just make out trees. So they had brought them to the east woods.
Link dully moved from the rotting bed he was sitting on, and got up. He moved to the bars of his cell, and looked at the opposite one. Zelda sat there, watching him.
“Zelda!” Link said, relieved that she had not been hurt.
“It is good to see you awake, Link,” she said warmly, “we can attempt our escape plan now. But before we do,” she stopped.
“What is it?”
“My cell is different than yours, Link. It’s wider. I can see more cells. You can’t. Even though we are imprisoned, this should make you very happy,” she said. She paused for a second, then, smiling, said, “the Kokiri are alive.”
“What?!”
A small voice in the cell beside his spoke up, rasping.
“It’s true, Link.”
“S-S-SARIA?!”
“Yes,” the little voice said, pleased.
“How come I couldn’t contact you before?!”
“They have my ocarina in the other room, with your weapons. I have to have the ocarina with me to hear you.”
“Hey, is Mido here?!”
“Here,” said a small male voice to his left. He smiled.
“Good to hear you Mido!”
“You also, Link. Look, I’m sorry for being so mean to you all those years.”
“That’s fine,” Link said reassuringly. “Are the know-it-all twins here?”
“Here,” said two voices at once. Link grinned enthusiastically.
“We are going to free every one of you,” Link said. “Zelda! How do we escape?”
“I could feel the Master sword and your shield, and my dagger in the other room, unguarded,” she explained. “With my powers, I am going to give you your two weapons, and give me my dagger. The dagger isn’t powerful enough to cut through these bars, but the Master Sword is. Here we go!”
Zelda closed her eyes, and Link waited. A couple seconds passed, and then, the Master Sword went flying into his cell. Zelda’s Dagger flew into hers. She still kept her eyes closed, and, after a couple seconds, Link’s shield flew into his cell too. He caught it, not wanting it to clang loudly and wake up the guards that were sure to be nearby.
As if to drive the point home, a banging on the door to the cell room averted his attention, and a gruff voice that Link remembered as a Dinalfos yelled “QUIET IN THERE! NO TALKING!”
Link picked up the Master Sword carefully, and as quietly as he could, slit 3 bars in half. He caught the pieces, and lightly set them down on the floor. He climbed out of his cell, setting his shield on his back, and did the same for Zelda.
He was making his way toward Saria’s cell, when she help up a hand and said “wait! You can’t free us yet.”
“Why not?” said Link impatiently.
“Because,” she said, “we can’t leave the forest. We’ll die. Remember, we are Kokiri’s. We would not be safe wandering around the forest while Ganon patrols it. Look, bring me my ocarina, and I can talk to you whenever you want, Link. But for now, we must remain in this hell hole.”
Link was surprised at hearing sweet little Saria saying that, but shrugged it off, nodded, and Zelda brought the ocarina into the room with her magic. She slipped it into Saria’s cell, and she pocketed it happily.
Link was still not comfortable with leaving them.
“Do not worry, Link,” Saria said, “we shall be free soon. Escape now, and do not greave for us.”
Zelda touched Link’s shoulder lightly, and Link nodded. They waved goodbye, and walked to the door. They opened it up, and walked...right into a pair of Dinolfos.
“Shit!” Link said, and drove the Master Sword into one’s back. Zelda swiftly drew her dagger and slashed it viciously in the neck, cutting it’s head off before they could make a sound. Zelda sighed in disgust. Her and Link were now splattered in blood.
“Come on,” she said, turning into Sheik, “we have to get out of here by stealth.”
2 Iron Knuckles slammed their way into the room at this moment, and yelled in surprise and anger seeing Zelda and Link standing over the dead lizards.
“God dammit!” yelled Sheik, as the Knuckles gave the warcry, and charged. Link dodged under one’s leg, and stabbed it in the back where it was unprotected by armor. Blood spurted from the wound, and the knuckle screamed in rage and pain. Link yanked the blade out, again noticing how swiftly he could bring the blade around now.
Sheik turned to him, reading his mind, as the slaughtered Knuckle that she had just impaled in the forehead slid against the wall and onto the floor, leaving a bloody line on the wall.
“It is a trick that I gave to you after the battle at Zora River,” she explained, “I made you stronger. But that is all I can do. It is a useful trick, and cannot be undone. Now quick, let us escape before more monsters close in on our position.”
They rushed out of the room, and through the many trees that suddenly engulfed them. It was nighttime, and hard to see where they were going. They rushed as fast as they could through the forest, Link knowing where the exit was.
Torch lights and spears glinted in the forest, and Link suddenly forced Sheik down, and they hid behind a tree. Many minions rushed past, yelling angrily. Once they had passed, they got up and dashed off, Link leading the way.
Their legs pumped as fast as they could, trying to reach the exit before they were discovered. Torches gleamed yet again to their right and left, then shouts and a warhorn. Link cursed, and pushed Sheik’s head down as an arrow zoomed past them, a hairbreadth away from Link’s nose.
“They saw us! Hurry and follow me. It is not in their nature to let prey escape.”
They ran as hard as they could, arrows raining down on them all the while. Link felt a hot pain in his left shoulder, and grabbed it by instinct. An arrow had pierced the muscle, and was lodged firmly in him. He broke off the head, and swiftly pulled the shaft out, screaming in pain. Sheik showed signs of sympathy, but Link yelled “DO NOT STOP!”
They dashed through the underbrush. Link ran backwards, his shield up, blocking the arrows.
Link suddenly crashed out into the Kokiri Clearing. He grinned, but it faltered as he saw it was filled with Knuckles, Dinolfos, Lizolfos, Stalfos, Keese, and Deku Baba’s that were springing up from the ground lethally.
Link froze for a second, then dove through them, dragging Sheik with him. The element of surprise was in, and they slammed through all of them, easily bursting out on the other side, a good 10 feet from the exit, which was all clear.
Suddenly, Ganon dropped down in front of them, blocking the exit.
Link roared, and swung the Master Sword at him. He blocked it with his sword, but Link did not choose to fight. He side kicked Ganon so hard that he sent him at least 10 feet into the air. He dashed with Sheik out of the forest, arrows once again raining. They dashed after the pair, but they had gotten too good of a head start. As they crossed the bridge, they heard Ganon’s scream of rage.
The monsters continued to follow them. They burst out into Hyrule Field, and as they ran from the advancing army, Link pulled out the Ocarina of Time and played Epona’s Song.
She came running immediately, not hesitating once when she saw the army. Link seized the saddle and swung on, and Sheik jumped on after him. She turned back into Zelda, and they rode away from the army, which quickly shrank into the distance.
“We made it,” Link said weakly, putting a hand over the bleeding hole where the arrow had impaled him.
“Are you okay?” Zelda asked sympathetically. “We have to get that treated when we get up to the castle. You are so tough, just pulling an arrow back out of you and still going. I’m proud of you.”
“Yes,” Link said with a small laugh, “I’m proud of me too. We can worry about the wound later. For now, let’s concentrate on getting back up to the castle.”
