Hidden Heroes Chapter 14

Hidden Heroes
Chapter 14
Calamity

 

Ellie refused to sleep that night, she was far too fearful to close her eyes. The events of earlier consumed her. Her father had always had a temper but had never lain a hand on his daughters before. Ellie trembled, the absence of her older sister ached.

 

Sensing Ellie’s distress Impa thought it best Ellie stayed in bed and refused to let her leave the castle to attend school.

 

For the first-time Ellie didn’t care about missing school, all she wanted was to be reunited with her sister. Even thoughts of Rinku’s return had been pushed to the back of her mind. She was sick with worry for her sister’s fate.

 

President Harkinian was usually tougher on Zelda than he was on Ellie. So Ellie planned on speaking with him later that evening but only when she gained the courage to do so.

 

***

Link sat staring and the guarded gates to Hyrule Castle. He’d been there since the previous night. Stunned by actions of the President and stung by his sharp words. He looked down at his slightly dirty hands.

 

Was he really vermin?

 

He hoped Zelda hadn’t gotten into too much trouble, although by the sounds of things

he already knew almost instantly that Zelda wouldn’t be allowed to see him again.

 

Maybe they would they would see each other again at school. Not that Link felt like attending again. He looked up at the grey sky and shivered as it started to rain.  Autumn had really set in and they days had started to become shorter and the weather miserable. Not that any of that mattered now.

 

He hoped Rinku was having better luck.

 

Link picked himself up off the grounds and dusted himself off. He decided to head home to wash the filth off him and get their home ready for when Rinku returned. Which, hopefully, would be any day now.

 

***

 

Ellie hesitated. The guards had told her that her father was alone in the old throne room. She was scared and prayed for courage from the goddess Farore. She took a deep breath and she knocked gently on the ostentatious doors. She was confused as to why her father was in the throne room as it was only used for ceremonious occasions. He usually tended to retreat to his study in times of stress.

 

When no answer came, she knocked again, this time a little louder.

 

“Enter.”

 

The doors swung open.

 

The person who had answered her knock wasn’t her father.

 

Her father lay bleeding profusely on the floor.

 

Lord Dornagnnorf stood over him, his large spiked halberd soaked in her father’s blood.

 

Ellie screamed.

 

Ellie lunged forward but was stopped from making it any further by a strong pair of arms.

 

“We need to get out of here.” Impa whispered in her ear. Tears flew down Ellie’s eyes and the sight of her father’s dying body blurred.

 

Ellie trying to speak but nothing comprehensible came out, she gestured towards her father.

 

“He’s gone.”

 

Ellied allowed Impa to pull her away from the scene. In almost an instant the castle burst into chaos.

 

Lord Gannondorf had returned and had brought all his minions with him. All manner of beast entered the castle battling with the minimal and unequipped guards of Hyrule castle.

 

The pair ran down the corridors unnoticed mostly unscathed. She thanked the goddesses for Impa’s Sheikah heritage.

 

“What about Zelda?” Inquired Ellie as they entered the castle’s stables. Impa located the strongest stallion and hurriedly tacked him.

 

“She’s gone.” Impa replied helping Ellie onto stallion. “She escaped.” Impa reassured her when she saw Ellie’s face fall. Ellie knew her sister would be able to surive. She was just unsure how she, herself would.

 

“We need to get you out of here.” Impa mounted the horse and kicked its flanks. The horse reared and Ellie screamed as it charge out of the stables and towards the gates of the city.

 

***

Rinku hadn’t looked up at the sky all afternoon. Instead he had kept his eyes focused to the ground. Trying to keep the image of Ellie’s beaming face in his mind. He couldn’t wait for them to watch the sunset together.

 

It was only until the smell of smoke started to fill his nostrils that Rinku decided to look ahead.

Hyrule Castle was burning?

 

Ellie’s home was on fire

 

Rinku cried out and broke out into a sprint towards the city.

 

***

Link was mid nap when he first heard the screams.

 

He leapt out of bed and tore open the curtains.

 

Despite how far away their home was he could still see the flames.

 

He could smell the smoke.

 

He could hear the futile cries of help as monsters mercilessly cut down the people of Hyrule.

 

He grabbed his bag, coat and shoes and was about to leave when his mind flashed to the ocarina sitting on his desk. Its polished surface reflecting the light of the flames.

 

He felt compelled to pick it up and bring it with him.

 

He prayed he would return sometime in the future.

 

After all this was the first home the brothers had found for themselves.

 

***

Rinku reached the unusually closed gates panting in exhaustion.

 

He yelled up to the guard tower to open for them to let him in but no response came. On further inspection Rinku noticed that the guards were slain.

 

He swore and took several strides back, preparing himself to scale the wall himself.

 

The drawbridge fell and a thundering of hooves approached. A large white stallion came racing past Rinku stirring dust as it went. Rinku coughed and tried to get a better view of it’s riders as the dust settled.

 

“THE OCARINA OF TIME.” Cried a small, terrified voice.

 

“ELLIE!!!!” Screamed Rinku trying to catch up to the horse, they were too far away to hear him.

 

She was beyond his reach now.

 

Rinku sank to his knees. He sobbed.

 

All his work was all for nothing. Castle City was burning and Ellie was beyond his reach now. Only the goddesses knew where she was headed. At least Impa was with her.

 

 

“THE OCARINA OF TIME.” Her words rang through his ears, he pulled out Saria’s ocarina but it didn’t look anything special.

 

Another set of hooves approached. Maybe this was Link and Zelda.

 

He watched and braced himself.

 

A noir mare with charcoal and gold armour stood before him. It’s rider bending over sideways to grab Rinku by the scruff of his neck.

 

“Give it to me!!” Lord Dornagnnorf demanded shaking poor Rinku. He snatched the ocarina from RInku’s hand and inspected it before crushing it to dust. “This isn’t it.” Dornagnnorf sighed hurling Rinku into the murky moat like a sack of flour. Dornagnnorf spurred his horse and quickly went into pursuit of Ellie and Impa. He prayed that they had gotten far enough away to lose him off their trail.

 

Feeling lost he headed back through the gates for the first time in days. He hoped to find the one who felt like home.

 

***

Link felt a sense of calm as he waded through the anarchy. He couldn’t pinpoint why but he felt strangely drawn to the path that lead to the Temple of Time.

 

Maybe his heart ached for the happy memories with Zelda.

 

Occasionally he would find himself battling with a bokoblin trying to save some poor Hylian caught in disorder. The creatures prayed on the weak, nobody was exempt to their wrath. Although there wasn’t much Link could do. Without a weapon he was useless and he had no idea where to find one in this once peaceful city.

 

He arrived at the Temple of Time. He gazed at it’s grandeur. Even in the bedlam it stood peacefully and proud, a place of sanctuary. He felt safe and reassured as soon as he stepped into it’s grounds. The same feelings he had when he and Zelda had spent the afternoon together.

 

He wondered if Zelda was safe, surely she could escape?

 

Once more, His mind flickered back to the events of the previous night.

 

What if Zelda had been kidnapped and needed rescuing. Although by the looks of things there was not much Link could do until the President called up the army and the alliances of the neighbouring nations.

 

He watched as flocks of people made their way frantically out of the gates of the city to find safer places elsewhere. They did not give a second glance at the Temple.

Could they not see it?

 

He let his mind continue to wonder.

 

“LINK!!!” Link shook his head at the sound a familiar voice calling his name. Rinku’s small figure popped out from the trees surrounded the temple. Link reached out and pulled his wearied brother into a much-needed embrace.

 

“Ellie-“ Rinku panted.

 

“I know, Zelda too.” Link responded.

 

“What’s going on?” Rinku cried in pain. Link shook his head. The brothers went silent as they held each other. “I found them.” Rinku spoke after a few moments.

 

“I’m so proud of you.”

 

“Thank you.” Link pulled Rinku up off the floor and the brothers headed into the temple. It was possibly the last safe place in the city.

 

Despite the darkness outside, inside the temple it still felt like day. A warm light washed over the temple through several stained-glass windows that ordained the temple. Remarkably there was no sign of any sort of seating. The larger chamber was empty other than a stone alter at the other end of room.

 

Link called out for assistance but his ears were greeted with silence. Maybe the priest had escaped with the other citizens. The pair made their way up to the alter, their footsteps echoing round the room as they stepped across the marble floor.

 

The alter was a plain grey marble structure, on the side of it was the carvings of the three stones RInku held in his pouches. Instinctively Rinku placed the stones on the alter.

 

The triforce insigna was engraved into the floor just like on the entrance to the Zora’s Domain. He knew what to do, only this time he didn’t have an ocarina.

 

“Damn!!” He cursed. “If only, Dornagnnorf hadn’t crushed my ocarina!!”

 

Link stared at him for several moments until he had a revelation. He reached inside his bag and withdrew the ocarina, this one blue with a silver band with the triforce on around its neck. He passed it to Rinku.

 

Rinku looked at his brother in astonishment, where had this instrument come from?

 

Although that hardly mattered now. Rinku brought the instrument to his lips and played the familiar notes.

 

The ground shook violently, almost knocking the boys over. The wall at the back of the hall split and divided revealing a secret alcove. The pair looked at each other and after stabilising themselves they made their way into the room.

 

This new room was smaller but it felt like it contained more, spiritually. There was a raised platform the centre of the room, once again with the triforce insignia engraved into it. On top of the platform stat a pedestal with a strange looking sword embedded into the rock.

 

Now that was the sort of weapon Link needed.

 

The pair glanced at each other, they both knew what the other was thinking. Stepping onto the platform they both put their hands on the pommel and pulled.

 

It took a few attempts before the sword glided gently from its resting place.