"Master…" he hissed, struggling to breathe. "I had created the perfect monster to kill them."
"Then how did they kill it? And how did they kill Volga?"
"Volga failed to keep the first Triforce guardian at bay. She obtained the Triforce of Power, and killed Volga with it. And the monster was supposed to die, but the Triforce guardian converted the other two guardians!"
"I'm disappointed, Wizzro," she said, releasing her magic hold on him. The hand disappeared back into her scepter, and Wizzro fell to the ground. He rolled over and then floated back into the air.
"I'm sorry Master. You do know that I will defeat them at the Temple of Courage."
"I suppose you may, and that is the most important place. It is where the Hero will claim the Triforce of Courage, and then I can take it from him and the other two…"
"Yes, and then you will have the Hero to yourself, and I will…" he hissed.
"You will what?" Cia asked
"Did you not say that if I helped you I would have the dark world to myself?"
"No! This is MY land. Your payment is me not melting that ring you live in," she snapped, motioning the ring on his belt.
He shivered and disappeared. If he wanted to be ready for the Trio of Heroes, he would have to prepare his biggest spell yet.
***
Link, Sheik, and Impa walked through the wickedly strong winds. Link was ready to give in when, in the distance, maybe two or three miles away, was the answer to their immediate problems—a town. It was square-shaped and was surrounded in palisade walls to block out the fierce wind.
They sped their pace up, and they arrived at the gates within the hour.
Link breathed a sigh of relief when they received a break from the wind. He took a sip from his canteen, and Impa stepped up to the gate and knocked.
They waited a moment, and they heard a voice from above them. They looked up and saw two palisade towers, one on each side of the gate. Standing on each tower, armed with a short sword and a bow with a large quiver that was stuffed with arrows, was a Rito guard.
Link's eyes widened. The Rito were an incredibly endangered species. He had only seen one in his life, and it was only a quick glimpse, as the Rito was departing the castle.
"Who goes there?" one of the Rito guards shouted to them.
"Travelers from Hyrule!" Impa replied.
"What business do you have coming through here?" the guard shouted back.
"Royal business!" Impa cried out. "Business that, if you do not let us take care of, life as we know it will certainly end!"
"Bull!" The guard snapped. "Hiko!" he cried to the other guard. "Retrieve the chief's advisor!"
"Yessir," Hiko replied, and hopped out of sight behind the gate.
"Can you not see that we need aid?" Impa asked the guard while they waited for the Chief's advisor. "We are parched, our canteens need filling, our bellies are empty, and we desperately seek shelter from this dreadful gale!"
"We cannot trust any ‘travelers on imperative business,’ and there is no changing my mind, so lay off!"
Impa sighed and rested her back against the tall, heavy palisade walling. Link gritted his teeth and began to pace. Lana was now on his mind, and he couldn't shake the feeling that Cia may take his honor from Lana if she were to succeed in her quest. He shuddered, and Sheik put her hand on his shoulder the way Lana used to do.
"Something wrong, Link?"
"I miss my wife, and I can't shake this blasted feeling that she is…gone."
"Why do you think that?"
"She went missing the night of the attack. What if she had ventured outside the city gates? She couldn't defend herself against the hordes of monsters that attacked…"
"Maybe she just went to an inn?"
"No, she doesn't drink; it screws with her head."
"You know a lot about her; you must love her…"
"Of course I do! She is my wife! I love her, and if something happened…" He pulled away from Sheik and cupped his face with his hands. "I can't live without her, Sheik. I love her too much."
"What would you do?"
"What would I do? Oh, what would I do…I don't know! Sheik…I just…I can't think about that now. Right now I need to be thinking about what we will do if we aren't accepted by the Rito. I know Lana would want me to."
"I'm sure she would," Sheik said, consolingly.
"Aye! You three!" The guard shouted down to them, waving his arms.
"Are you letting us in?" Link asked.
"That ain't for me to decide! That decision be for the Chief's advisor. Hiko!" he called out to the other guard, who had now resumed his post. "Let 'em in so the Chief's 'visor can 'ave a look at 'em."
The gargantuan gates fell into the Earth, into a hidden slot that was dug specifically for holding the gate whilst it was closed. The Trio stepped through and viewed the Rito, who was assumingly the Chief's advisor, both by the clothing that adorned the figure and the fact that he was the only Rito standing in the area, thus making him the only one able to be the Chief's advisor, unless the guards had lied about him being there.
"Hello Hylians," the Rito said. "I am Girotiho, Chief's advisor. What business do you seek here? And why are my guards so fidgety?"
"We need to talk with your Chief," Impa said, and the advisor folded his arms, irritation dawning on his face.
"You will tell me what you have to say to my Chief."
"It is long, and your Chief may as well be there when you hear it, okay?"
"Alright then." He put his hand up to the guards as they began to step down. "I won't be needing a guard. Stay at your post, and do shut that gate. This gale is beginning to chill my bones."
The Trio followed Girotiho as he walked through the streets, and Link opted for conversation between him and the Rito, but he was shot down immediately by Impa's glare. He finally gave up and then leaned over to Sheik. "Seems kind of hostile, huh?" he whispered to her, and she chuckled softly.
"Yes, it seems so. And why aren't there any people out on the streets?" she asked, pointing out to Link that the streets were barren, empty but of the sounds of their footsteps and two tiny voices.
"I wondered that myself." Link muttered, and Girotiho spoke up, thus breaking his silence.
"We have set a curfew of 10:00 p.m. to ensure no one is out in case of…problems that may arise."
Link looked up at the sky and found the moon high up, peaking above their heads. It was probably around midnight by now.
"What kind of ‘problems’ might arise?" Link inquired.
The Rito remained silent as they passed through the streets. He glanced behind his shoulder. "You will discuss the matter with the Chief, if he accepts you into his bed-chambers.”
"Yeesh," Link muttered, and continued to walk down the roads that snaked through the village.
They soon arrived at the Town Hall; Girotiho led them through its oak doors.
Immediately Link noticed the heavy sound of their feet thumping against the hardwood flooring. The ceiling of the building stood around thirty feet high, and the building was around sixty or so feet wide. The room they stood in now was about the size of his living area back home, where Lana might be waiting…
To their left was a hallway, where Link could hear heavy amounts of snoring. To the right he could smell the scents of meat drying. Directly in front of him was a door with a golden frame with Rito writing engraved into it; that was filled in with gold, to make the writing more clear.
Girotiho led them to the golden door and pulled a key from his belt. He inserted the key into the doorknob’s lock and twisted. Link heard a faint 'click' and Girotiho pushed the door open. He motioned for them to follow, and they entered a long hallway with rooms branching off from left to right. At the end of the hall was another door framed in gold with more golden engraving on it. They walked to the end of the hall, and Girotiho pulled another key from his belt. He slipped this one into the lock quietly as a door mouse, put his finger up to the
Trio, motioning for them to stay put, and then slipped through into the Chief's room. He closed the door behind him, and the Trio waited outside the door.
They heard muffled conversation through the door, and then a loud grumbling. The door soon opened, and Girotiho waved them inside. He closed the door behind them, and then whispered for them to take a seat at the table that stood in the corner of the room. Across the room from them, sitting upright in his bed; was the Rito Chief.
"Why," The chief immediately began, "are you intruding upon my sleep in the middle of the night?"
"Chief," Impa began, "We are travelers from Hyrule, we seek food, and shelter. This is all we ask for the moment, so we can move along to Faron Woods."
"What do you seek in Faron?" The chief asked, a doubtful smile creeping up on his face.
"What we seek is business between me and my companions, and Princess Zelda, your ruler."
"Just who do you think you are?"
"I," Link began, agitation growing in his voice, "am the general of the Hyrulian army."
"Where, General, is your army?"
"We were ambushed passing through Eldin, and if you didn't notice, the volcano erupted directly afterwards, wiping out the remainder of our army and stranding us on cliff plateaus. We made our way to the plains and have traveled here. We need food, water, and shelter, and we will be gone the morning after tomorrow."
"How do I know you aren't bandits who have brought Moblins to my village?" the chief asked.
"Moblins? There are no Moblins here…that I know of. I didn't even know any Rito still lived in Hyrule," Link said.
"Exactly how should you know about the troubles...that trouble us, when you don't even know we exist?"
"If I may interject," Impa spoke up, pulling a scroll from her belt, "This is a letter from the Princess, stating our business, and giving us passage anywhere throughout the kingdom."
The Chief snatched it from her hands, and read through it hastily.
"Ah fine," he muttered. "I want to talk to you three in the morning, but for now, Girotiho will show you your rooms, and he will bring you food to eat and water to drink, and he will have warm bathes drawn for all of you."
"Yes chief," Girotiho said, and he rushed from the room to find his servants.
"Thank you for your graciousness, chief," Impa said, and the Trio left the room, closing the door behind them.
They found Girotiho in the hall, servants behind him.
"Bathes are being drawn for you as we speak," He told the Trio, "when you are done with your bath, your rooms and refreshments will be ready, will you be dining in your rooms? Or will you dine in the dining hall?"
"Our rooms will be fine," Link answered, and checked quickly with the Trio to ensure they agreed with his decision.
"Alright, then," Girotiho said, and waved for the Trio to follow him, as the servants behind Girotiho went into three of the rooms branching off of the hall they were in, to clean, and prepare for the guests.
Girotiho pushed one of the doors open, and exposed a set of stairs, which he then proceeded to walk up.
The Trio followed him up the stairs and into another hallway. Link felt a burst of heat when he stepped in, and realized that the rooms branching out off of the hallway were bathing rooms.
Girotiho pushed open one of the doors, and a huge cloud of steam rolled out into the hallway, washing over the Trio. The steam from the baths licked at their wounds, and seemed to soften the stinging that echoed around their bodies.
"This bath is for you, General Link," Girotiho said, waving him into the room. Link stepped in, and looked around. The room was circular, and consisted only of a bath built into the floor. The water was boiling, bubbles bursting and hissing, and steam came out of the water in waves. Two servants were kneeling over the water, one of which was pouring soap into the water, and the other stirring the water with a big paddle.
"Are you sure this bath is meant to be…comfortable?" Link asked them.
"Yes," The servant with the paddle said, "The water is cooling as we speak."
The servant who was pouring soap stood up, and walked over to the wall, and lifted open a trapdoor. He pulled a rope up that was attached to the bottom of the trapdoor, and heaved a large bucket onto the floor. He carried it over to the bath, and poured its contents-five pounds of ice-into the water.
Link stepped back, as the water screeched from the ice rapidly cooling it.
"Wouldn't that be too much ice?" Link asked the servants.
"No."
"Oh, well, thanks for drawing my bath, but um, I can take it from here," he said, and the servants left the room.
Link pulled his armor off, easing his muscles as he did so, and then pulled off his tunic. He dropped his pants to his feet, and removed his undergarments. He slipped into the bathtub, and instantly his body was relieved of the pain that plagued him. He leaned his head back, and closed his eyes, letting him drift off into a distant memory.
***
Link walked down the narrow path to the market. He passed a few people he knew on the way. He stopped at the bakery. He pushed the door open, and headed inside. The baker, Arnold, was standing over a lump of dough at the front counter.
"Hey Arn!" Link exclaimed, and the baker looked up. He smiled broadly and walked around the counter to Link. He picked him up in a bear hug and set him back down.
"Where 'ave you been," Arnold asked Link.
"I just got back from another siege," Link said.
"Is that right? What were you doing?"
"We were simply taking down Bokoblin outposts around Hyrule, not much."
"It sounds exciting. I would join the army, but I'm too fat to move with you lot!" he said chuckling heartily. It was true, he was over a hundred pounds more than Link and didn't have the agility of any young man.
"Well, Hyrule needs you here Arn," Link said.
"I suppose it does, and me wife needs me ‘ere too."
"Yeah," Link said, nodding in agreement.
"By the way, 'ave you met a nice lass yet?"
"No, not yet Arnold."
"You need one, cause before you know it, you'll be old and fat like me, but wifeless! Get one now while you're still a good sight."
"Yup, who knows, I might even meet her today!" Link said, laughing.
"Oh, then you might need a little something to get ‘er attention besides that mop of ‘air, so why don't I make you a…Strawberry pastry, light on the cream and ‘eavy on the fruit?"
"You know how I love 'em Arn," Link said, "I'll be back to pick up my pastries when I'm done shopping, okay Arn?"
"You bet, Link," he said, and Link went out the door. He headed down to the market and heard a commotion coming from one of the vendors. Link rushed over and found a rugged-looking man with shaggy brown hair and a long beard. He was shaking a knife at the vendor and shouting at him.
The vendor handed over a few fruits, and the thief turned and ran down the path toward Link. Link rushed toward the thief and tackled him to the ground, knocking the knife from his hands. The thief elbowed Link in his face, and shoved him over. Link didn't have a sword at his side, as his rank didn't allow it. The thief grabbed his knife and leapt down on Link. He plunged his knife into Link's shoulder, and Link yelped in pain. Link kicked his knee up, slamming it into the thief's waist. The thief cringed, and Link shoved him off his chest.
By now, three guards had arrived at the scene and had drawn their weapons.
Link yanked the knife from his shoulder, letting blood flow from the wound, and the thief stood back up. Link waved them away. "Stay back, I have this!" Link called out to the guards. Link walked closer to the thief and slashed his blade at him. The thief jumped back and then lunged at Link. Link swept the knife up, burying it in the thief's stomach. He let go of the knife, and the thief's body fell to the ground.
The thief lolled his head back and moaned. Link stepped back, clutching his shoulder with one hand, as the three guards closed in on the thief.
/> One of the guards put his finger to the now unconscious thief. "He lives," the guard proclaimed, and the other two guards hefted the thief up by his arms and legs and carried him in the direction of the prison.
The third guard turned to Link. "Lieutenant," he said, "would you like me to aid you to an apothecary?"
"No," Link replied, "I can get to one by myself, but thank you for the offer." Link turned and headed off in the direction of the nearest apothecary.
He found the small wooden building with green and blue smoke drifting out of the front window. He walked up the thin steps to the door and pushed it open. He entered a light room with shelves crammed on the walls, all packed with potions and herbs. Kneeling at the counter was a thin woman with light-blue hair done in a ponytail. She was wearing a thin skirt that was about three inches above her knees, had gray tights that went to her feet, which were covered in thin blue and gray shoes. Her belly and the small of her back were exposed, and she was wearing a thin shirt that covered only her chest and the top of her back. She had two silver bracelets on each wrist.
"Um, hello?" Link said quietly, and the woman turned her neck to look at Link.
Her eyes widened, and she stood up, wiping her pants off when she did. "Lieutenant!" she said, "um, what uh, what can I help you with today?"
He removed his hand from his shoulder and revealed the stab wound.
"Oh!" she cried out. "Oh what happened?" she said and rushed over to him.
"I uh, got stabbed," not sure what to say.
"Obviously. How'd it happen?"
"Thief."
"A thief? Did someone try to break into your home?"
"No, not really. I saw a vendor being robbed, and I stepped in."
"Did he get away? The thief?"
"No, he got stabbed in the process, as did I, and I had two of the guards take him to the prison."
"Oh wow. Uh, I should probably take care of this," she said and rushed behind the counter. "Oh, and by the way, my name is Lana," she said, and gave him a short wink before going.
***
Link awoke with a start, the door to the bath creaking open. He turned his head to look and saw Impa's braid through the crack between the door and the wall. "Uh, do you need something, Commander?" he asked groggily.