By: The Dark Marauder

Chapter Eight: The Lost Legend of the Triforce

Link awoke to find himself on top of a tall cliff. He could see the desert out in the distance and a nearly full moon hovering above him. Chiron was lying next to him, but he was still unconscious. Link was terribly confused. He had no idea how he got on top of the cliff. He remembered running from Ormek and getting caught by the veriok, but everything after that was a blur. He was not able to piece things together till he saw a large bird flying towards the cliff he was standing on.
“Ah Link, you’re awake,” the bird said.
“Kaepora Gaebora, It has been a long time,” said Link, excited to see his old acquaintance.
“Yes it has, but unfortunately there’s no time for us to catch up,” the majestic owl interrupted, “There are some very pressing matters that I must discuss with you. As you may already know, General Ormek of Tyfiria has upset the balance of the Sacred Realm and the entire world and I fear that it is once again up to you to set things right.”
Many of the day’s events still confused Link, so he decided to ask a few questions. “I was wondering what had been happening. All day strange things have been occurring. Could you shed a little light on the situation?”
“I’ll tell you everything you need to know,” said Kaepora. “Today General Ormek entered the secluded part of the Sacred Realm, using the scepter of Sokor. An ancient and powerful relic was stored in that part of the Sacred Realm. The Triforce of Knowledge.”
“What, but how?” Link stuttered. “How can there be another piece of the Triforce? I’ve never heard of it in any of the legends I have studied. Was there another goddess who aided in the creation of the world?”
Kaepora Gaebora ruffled his feathers and began to speak. “Not quite. Long ago, several millennia after the departure of the golden goddesses and the creation of the world, a fourth god descended from the heavens. This god’s name was Sokor, brother to the three golden goddesses, Din, Nayru, and Farore. But Sokor, unlike his sisters was not a benevolent god. He did not come to this world to help its inhabitants; he came to bring them under his rule.
“Sokor, since he had first came into being, had always valued the gaining of knowledge above all else. He valued it more than all the treasure and all the living things in the universe. Sokor devoted his life to obtaining every ounce of information that existed. With the knowledge he gained he created many worlds and he ruled over them with an iron fist. Sokor soon thought himself to be the greatest of all the beings in the universe and that because of his great knowledge he should rule over all things. His sisters did not share his destructive thirst for knowledge. While they did believe knowledge was important, they thought things such as peace, kindness, love, and courage were much more valuable things. The goddesses saw that such attributes were quickly vanishing from Sokor’s heart. In an attempt to show Sokor the error of his ways they created this world. It was full of life and beauty. Two attributes Sokor’s worlds lacked. When Sokor saw the work of his sisters, he mocked it and began to create worlds after the likeness of his sisters’, but he could not recreate the beauty that his sisters had made.
“Sokor could not understand it. His knowledge of creating worlds far surpassed his sisters’, and yet time after time he failed to produce a world which could rival this one. Sokor grew angrier, with each world he created. Finally he decided that if he could not create such a world on his own he would conquer this planet and its inhabitants. The goddesses’ plan had failed. Instead of showing their brother the importance of wisdom, courage, and the power of the heart, they only angered him and caused hate to swell with in him.
“After Sokor descended upon this world, he created a great army out of an ancient race of aggressive beings known as the ulgerons. The ulgerons were a terrible people. They hated all other races and desired nothing more than to conquer the world. So when Sokor offered them the chance to become the supreme race of this world, they jumped at the chance. The army that Sokor created was unlike anything this world had ever seen before. The ulgerons terrorized the other races and forced many of them into submission. It was not until the hylians, gorons, zoras, sheikah, gerudo, and even the deku formed a great alliance that there was any hope for victory.
“With the power of the Triforce, the alliance became much greater than the forces of the ulgerons. The ulgerons were forced back and were nearly defeated. But Sokor devised an evil plan, which turned the tides of the war back in his favor. He created a fourth piece of the Triforce, the Triforce of Knowledge. He infused the Triforce of Knowledge with a part of his evil spirit. Once Sokor placed the Triforce of Knowledge in the center of the Triforce the other three pieces became corrupt. This caused great alliance to lose their strength. For they drew a great deal of their strength from the sacred triangles. As time passed the alliance fell apart and the ulgerons continued their conquest.
“One by one the races all fell, until only the sheikah and the hylians remained. In the final battle of the war, the two races defended themselves in the great fortress of Ulron-Chi that had been created by the golden goddesses themselves. The hylians and sheikah fought valiantly, but the ulgerons were too numerous and forced the defenses back to the fortress’s keep. The ulgerons were just about to take the keep when help from the goddesses arrived. Soarlec the phoenix, servant of the goddesses, descended from the heavens. He removed the Triforce of Knowledge from the other three pieces and sanctified them. Soarlec carried the Triforce of Knowledge to a remote part of the Sacred Realm and created a protective barrier around it, separating it from the rest of the realm and leaving only one path to the evil Triforce segment.
“Without the Triforce of Knowledge draining power from the rest of the Triforce the ulgerons withered and they were easily defeated by the sheikah and hylians. Sokor was angered greatly by his sisters’ interference. He attacked Soarlec and the two fought a legendary battle. In the end, both Sokor and Soarlec were sealed in the gap between dimensions.
“Fearing the evil power contained within the Triforce of Knowledge, the sheikah built the Temple of Knowledge around the gate to the secluded part of the Sacred Realm. They also sealed the gate and created three keys and scattered them across the world. Also, in order to make sure no one ever tried to take the Triforce of Knowledge from its rightful place, they made a treaty with the other races. They all agreed to never speak of the war and the Triforce of Knowledge, again in hope that the evil piece of the Triforce would drop out of the history of the world.
“The treaty worked and over time the history of the great war dropped out of legend. No records were kept of it and those who knew of the war never spoke of it. The only record of the war was inscribed on the walls of the temple of knowledge. For more than two thousand years the Temple of Knowledge remained undisturbed until fourteen years ago, when the Cyntirians discovered it.
“Not long after the temple’s discovery, a slave of the Cyntirians found the entrance to temple. He only showed the entrance to one person before his death, his grandson, Ormek. The slave made a copy of a key portion of the inscriptions and gave it to his grandson. After his grandfather was killed, Ormek escaped from slavery and joined a band of other ex-slaves. This band fought against the Cyntirians and freed their people. After the war between the Cyntirians and Tyfirians ended, Ormek dedicated most of his time to translating the inscriptions. His mission eventually brought him to Hyrule. Once there he discovered an old book containing a translation of the ancient text.
“Ormek translated his portion of the inscriptions and learned the secret to opening the gate to the secluded part of the Sacred Realm and the great power which was held within it. Still filled with hatred for the Cyntirians, Ormek set out to obtain the three keys, which would allow him to unlock the gate to the Sacred Realm. It took him years to find all three keys, but yesterday his search ended with the recovery of that blue orb and now Ormek has taken the Triforce of Knowledge from its rightful place and he has upset the balance of the Sacred Realm in the process. But that is not all, I fear Ormek is planning to use his piece of the Triforce to do something terrible to the people of Cyntir.”
“How do you know all this?” Link asked, for there seemed to be many gaps in the legend, which he did not understand.
“I met Ormek back when he visited Hyrule about two years ago. The first time I saw him I felt a strong urge to speak with him. I could sense that this was a man of great importance and that he would somehow affect the course of history. It was the same feeling I had when I first met you Link.
“I tried to have a conversation with Ormek, but he did not wish to share his designs with me. I followed him back to Tyfiria and have been watching him closely ever since. It did not take me long before I realized what he was trying to accomplish.
“So you found out about the lost legend of the Triforce by spying on him?” Link inquired.
“No, no, I don’t think Ormek even knows the whole legend himself,” the bird answered, “he’s spent too much time focusing on obtaining the prize. He hasn’t spent any time researching its origin. No, I’ve known about that legend almost my whole life. I am much older than I look, Link. I was alive back during the ancient war, though I did not have the form I do now.
“Yes, the Triforce of Knowledge is indeed an evil relic and in the hands of someone so full anger and hatred as Ormek is, it could cause problems for every nation in the world.”
“What exactly makes this piece of the Triforce so powerful?” Link asked, continuing his inquiry.
“The Triforce of Knowledge does not function in the same way that the other three pieces do,” Kaepora said. “It gives its holder the ability to take in vast amounts of information in a relatively short amount of time. It also allows its holder to process that information much quicker and more efficiently than any ordinary person. However, the Triforce of Knowledge has one major disadvantage when compared to the other Triforce pieces. He who possess it losses the ability to use any kind of magic other than the magic that is contained directly within the Triforce of Knowledge and unless its holder acquires another piece of the Triforce, he can never again use magic unless he rids himself of the evil Triforce. Although, there are legends of certain items created by the ulgerons that can extend or unlock secret powers of the Triforce of Knowledge, but even I am not sure if those legends are true. But it does not matter. The Triforce of Knowledge by itself makes Ormek a formidable adversary, for there are many hidden powers, which remain dormant within the golden triangle that he may yet uncover.
“I fear that Ormek will use the power he obtained today to destroy Cyntir, while I don’t know his plan exactly, it is apparent that the Triforce of Knowledge is not safe in his possession. That is why you must defeat General Ormek and return the Triforce of Knowledge to its rightful place.
“But how can I beat him?” Link said with a desperate tone, “The Triforce of Knowledge seems to have the power to make him invincible. When I fought him at the Temple of Knowledge he wiped the floor with me and Chiron and he did not even seem to be trying.”
“Relax Link,” Kaepora said calmly, “The Triforce of Knowledge is very powerful, but its full power can’t be utilized by anyone until their mind becomes completely synchronized with it. That would take even the most dedicated person at least a thousand years to do. Still, the longer Ormek has the Triforce of Knowledge the more his mind will meld with it and with that his power will grow. That is why it is imperative that you stop him as soon as possible.”
“All right,” said Link, “just tell me how to stop this guy and I will do it.”
Kaepora hooted loudly with excitement and said, “Off Cyntir’s southern shore on a large island lays the great Frozen Fortress. In that fortress there is a temple known as the Blizzard Temple. Somewhere with in that temple you will find the ancient relic, which can separate the Triforce of Knowledge from Ormek and send it back to the Sacred Realm. The secluded part of the Sacred Realm will then seal itself up again. Hopefully the Triforce of Knowledge will never be needed, because once that door is sealed by the relic, it can never again be opened.”
“What is this ancient relic and by what means can it control the Triforce of Knowledge,” Link asked, still a little confused.
“Soarlec knew that there may come a day when the Triforce of Knowledge may be stolen, so he left behind one of his talons and with his talon he also left an incantation. When the incantation is used on the Talon of Soarlec it will gain the power to extract Ormek’s prize from him and send it back from whence it came.
“Be warned though, Link. The writings Ormek took form the Temple of Knowledge also told of the purpose and location of the Talon of Soarlec. Because of my interference, it is likely Ormek will be expecting you to go after the talon and will send his men after you.
“Now, I suppose its time for me depart and let you begin your journey, after all you have along way to travel in a short amount of time.”
Kaepora began to flap his massive wings and was about to fly off, but Link had one last question for the great bird. “What should I do with Chiron?” he asked.
“Send him home,” Kaepora answered, “You will face a long treacherous road before you reach your destination and I fear it is not a road Chiron is prepared to take.” With that, the majestic owl raised high in the air and picked up Link and carried him to the base of the cliff. He then flew back to the top of the cliff and fetched Chiron.
“I’m sorry that I can’t take you further,” the bird said regretfully, “but I can not carry both of you at the same time, besides I lack the strength to carry someone of your stature great distances. I’m afraid you will have to travel the whole way on your own. If you head due south you should run into someone who can help you out of the desert.” With that Kaepora Gaebora flew off into the night sky. Link decided it was to dangerous to travel at night due to the verioks constantly slithering beneath the desert sands, so he laid himself down next to Chiron and soon fell asleep.
When Link awoke the next morning he discovered his mouth was full of sand. He quickly spat it out and looked over at Chiron to find him still unconscious. Link placed his hand on his companion’s shoulder and shook him fiercely. “Chiron, wake up,” Link said loudly. Chiron’s eyes opened slowly. His eyes then began to jerk around furiously surveying his surroundings.
“Wha... What happened? Are we dead? Where are we?” Chiron was full of questions like these and was asking them too rapidly for Link to answer.
“Speak slower Chiron,” Link said, “We are not dead we are perfectly fine, aside from the fact that we are in the middle of the desert with only enough water to last us a couple of days. Other than that we are in good shape.” Chiron just blinked not knowing how to react to such an odd sense of humor.
“Yeah, well all I want to know is how we got away from that veriok,” Chiron said as he turned to Link to see if he could shed any light on what happened.
“If I were to tell you how we got away you most likely would not believe me, so do not press the matter.” Link said. Nonetheless Chiron continued to inquire of Link as to what had happened. After a few minutes of constant pestering, Link finally gave in and told Chiron they had been saved by a giant owl.
Upon hearing Link's explanation Chiron turned to his companion and said, “I should never have doubted you. You were right, I don't believe you,” he then burst out into laughter. Link simply sighed.
“We better move out before the sun gets to high,” Link said. Chiron agreed, so the two started their long march headed due south. During their journey through the desert, Link told Chiron that Ormek had acquired a powerful weapon from the temple and that it would give him the last bit of power he needed to conquer Cyntir. He also told Chiron of Soarlec’s Talon and how it had the power to confound Ormek’s weapon. Link stopped his explanation of the situation there. He decided it was not imperative for Chiron to know all the details.
“Oh man,” Chiron said fretfully after Link finished speaking. “We've got to stop him. Link you can count on me to go with you to the Blizzard Temple and retrieve Soarlec's Talon.”
“Chiron..." Link said, not quite sure how to handle his companion’s enthusiasm, “are you sure you are up for this. It will be no easy task to make it to the temple and besides I am sure your parents are worried sick about you. I think it would be best for you to head home as soon as we get out of this desert.”
“No,” Chiron protested, “General Ormek has been tormenting the people of my country for far too long. No one has ever dared stand up to him. It's about time someone did something about that guy. If I back down now when I know Ormek may soon be attacking my country, I’d never be able to live with myself.
“Are you really that determined to defeat Ormek?” Link asked. Chiron simply nodded. “Very well then,” Link sighed, “you may accompany on my quest. Who knows, you may prove to be a great asset to me.”
“Thank you,” Chiron said, “I won’t let you down.
From the base of the cliff from which Kaepora Gaebora had departed, Chiron and Link had not yet traveled ten miles to the south when off in the distance they saw concentration of many buildings. Each building varied from three to five stories tall.
The two companions were overjoyed to have found a settlement on the same day they began their journey. They were so relived that no thought of caution crossed their minds while approaching the towers.
The two were not one hundred feet from the nearest structure when they heard a loud voice call out, “Hey you two, stop right there.” Both of the young men halted abruptly. On the top of one of the nearby towers stood a young gerudo. “Seize them,” she called out. Link and Chiron were almost immediately surrounded by a group of gerudo warriors. The two companions drew their swords, but dozens of gerudo spears were already pointed at them.
Realizing the hopelessness of their situation Link dropped his sword in the sand and raised his hands above his head. He ordered Chiron to do the same. “Save your strength Chiron. We will gain nothing by fighting,” he said Chiron reluctantly dropped his weapon as well.
As the two travelers were escorted to the towers, all Link could think about was the impending doom that would come if he failed in his mission and it appeared failure would be the outcome of his journey.

Chapter Nine: Ormek’s Betrayal

The sun was high in the noon sky when Shriek arrived at Admiral Shrion’s base on Kantash Island. His wings were greatly fatigued, as was Shriek. He had been flying as fast as he was able for more than a week. His flight over the water had proved to be an especially tiring ordeal. Had it not been for the Solino Islands scattered through out Karab Sea, Shriek would have never been able to make the journey form the tip of the Zora Peninsula in southwest Cyntir all the way to the Kantash Island.
Shriek’s ability to fly that long of a distance even with the Solino Islands on which to rest was another thing that made him a remarkable creature in addition to his odd defense mechanism. Few other fairies in the world could have accomplished such a task, but Shriek had been delivering messages for Ormek for fourteen years and had become accustom to the cross-country flights.
Amazingly, the Cyntirians had never discovered the location of the Tyfirian naval base, even though it was quite large, mainly because the Cyntirians did not know to look for it so far south. Kantash was only fifty miles away from the northern Nicrosian shore, but no where near a Nicrosian port, so very few ships ever passed by.
The Tyfirian navy was one of the nation’s greatest accomplishments, especially considering Tyfiria was a landlocked country. A exceedingly great effort was needed to get a ship in the ocean. Originally the Tyfirians would cut across the northeast corner of Cyntir, carrying with them all the supplies and tools needed to build and launch a ship. This method was quite effective at first, but the Cyntirian government soon found out about what their slaves had been doing and put an end to it, so they were forced to form a rougher less efficient way of doing things. They had to travel through the desolate northern mountains to the freezing ocean. The passage through the mountains was not an easy trip, in some cases it took months to get a single ship afloat. After the vessel was in the water, it still had to sail all the way around the Bylarian continent before it could be of any use to Tyfiria in the war against Cyntir.
This method was only used for a few years, after the base on Kantash Island was established. The construction of the ships was done using resources of the Solino Islands. Eventually, after years of building, the Tyfirians succeeded in creating a larger navy than that of the Cyntirians, but the Tyfirians kept this a secret and regarded the navy as their trump card. Because the Cyntirians did not know of the massive Tyfirian fleet they felt no need to build up their own. It was one of the reasons that General Ormek felt that victory was near and it was Shriek’s job to notify Admiral Shrion, the head of the Tyfirian navy, that it was time to mobilize every ship in the fleet.
Shriek felt greatly relived when he arrived at the naval base. Compared to the military bases of the Tyfirians, the naval base was a paradise. Instead of living in mobile tents like the army used, naval personnel slept in furnished cabins on Kantash when they were not on their ships. They also had beds to sleep in, where as in the army, men slept on the hard ground.
Shriek would have loved to bask in the warm tropical sun, but he had duties. Instead he headed directly to the Shrion’s headquarters. Admiral Shrion was a strange one to serve in the Tyfirian navy for more than reason. First of all, he was not a hylian, but a zora. Even more bizarre, was the fact that Shrion was not a Tyfirian by birth, but a Cyntirian from the Zora Peninsula. Still, he was odd for a zora. While most zoras did not wear much, if any clothing, Shrion dressed in the standard blue and grey Tyfirian garb. He also wore bronze ornamental shoulder plating to indicate his rank.
“Ah, if it isn’t our beloved general’s messenger,” Shrion said as he saw Shriek swiftly flying towards him. “Tell me Shriek, what orders does Ormek have for me today?”
“The orders you have been waiting for ever since you were sent out here,” Shriek answered.
“I am to set up the blockade then?” Shrion asked. Shriek simply let out a high pitched squeal. “So I take it Ormek found what he was looking for?”
“That’s right,” Shriek said, “and he’ll be ready to start his assault soon.”
“It better be soon,” Shrion said, “our blockade will block the strait of Cyntir. By obstructing the strait we may anger the Nicrosians, the last thing we need is to have them get involved.
“True, but we’ll be ready if they do,” Shriek grumbled.
“Tell Ormek the blockade has been set up,” Shrion said, “I’ll give the order immediately to begin its formation. You may go.” Although Shriek had been dismissed he did not fly off. “Is there something else you need to tell me?” Shrion inquired.
“Yes sir,” Shriek replied, “Ormek has some additional orders for you.”
“What orders might those be?” Shrion asked.
“Ormek wants you to take five ships and your best men to the Frozen Fortress. Be on the look out for any trespassers. If you find any, don’t ask any questions just destroy them.
“What? Why?” Shrion hollered, “There is nothing out by the Frozen Fortress save a few ice monsters. What possible use could Ormek have for me there?”
“This is a mission of great importance Shrion,” Shriek said, “Unless you want Ormek’s wrath directed towards you, I suggest you follow his orders.”
“I will do as the general commands,” Shrion said as he calmed down.
“Good, I will let Ormek know all is in order,” Shriek replied, “I shall leave soon, but first I shall take leave from my duties. My journey has been a tiring one.”
Shrion nodded and sped off to begin the formation of the blockade.
Shriek rested on Kantash for a few days before he returned to Tyfiria Castle. He took his time on his trip back. With the urgency of his mission gone, there was no need for Shriek to return with haste. He took twice as long getting back to Tyfiria as he took to get to Kantash. As soon as Shriek arrived at the castle he flew directly to Ormek’s laboratory.
Now that Ormek possessed the Triforce of Knowledge he had been spending all his time in his lab, developing new weapons and battle strategies. Once he created prototypes of weapons he would send them to various blacksmiths to begin the mass production of his creations.
Ever since Ormek returned to the castle, Syrus noticed drastic changes taking place in the general. Ormek no longer confided in him. He also ignored King Talrid when he summoned him. He acted as if though he was above the king. Ormek was also shirking his duties as the commander-in-chief of Tyfiria. He had not given any orders to his troops since the formation of the blockade; all Ormek did was make sure his men did not attack Cyntir.
These changes all worried Syrus, but none troubled him more than the feeling of evil he got occasionally when he was around Ormek. Syrus had never before doubted that Ormek had been seeking Tyfiria’s best interests, until he stole the Triforce of Knowledge. Now Syrus was uncertain of what was really driving him. Was it a love for his country and a desire to help his people, or did he have his own secret agenda, using his new power to fulfill his own destructive ambitions?
“You are late returning,” Ormek said as soon as he was aware that Shriek was present. “You should have been back a week ago. Tell me, my ever-loyal minion, what is it that kept you?”
“I was tired from the journey,” Shriek answered, “It’s a long way from here to Kantash, so I decided to relax there for a little while.”
“Nonetheless, you were to return as soon as your message was delivered. I did not give you leave of your duties.” Ormek said angrily.
“I apologize,” Shriek said, “but I did not see any reason why I should return haste.”
“That is why I give the orders,” Ormek said approaching the black fairy, cornering him against the wall, “I posses the foresight that you so dearly lack.” At this point Ormek was ready to knock the fairy out of the air, but Syrus walked in first.
“General,” Syrus said, “I have the report on the current status of our troops. Would you like to see it sir?” Ormek held out his hand and took the report from Syrus. He quickly flipped through it and shook his head as he read.
“These numbers are unacceptable,” Ormek said, “We still do not have enough men for the invasion. We will have to implement a conscription if we are to have any hope of defeating our enemies.”
“But do you think Talrid will allow that?” Syrus asked, “He already thinks we’re using to many of our resources as it is.”
“Whether he decides to support it or no, it will be done,” Ormek said, once again demonstrating that he believed he was all-powerful. At that very moment a member of Talrid’s royal guard stormed into the room.
“General, the king demands your presence,” the guard said in a stern voice.
“Tell him I am far to busy at the moment,” Ormek said in a half-joking manner, “I will seek him in out in my own due time.”
“Did you not hear me the first time?” the guard said, growing more impatient, “The king demands your presence. He will not allow you to ignore another of his summons.” After the guard had finished speaking three more guards entered the room with their swords drawn. Ormek simply laughed at this. He knew he could easily defeat the guards, but he decided no to.
He turned to Syrus and said, “Maybe there is a better way to increase our numbers.” Ormek then turned to the guards and told the captain to lead on. The guards sheathed their weapons and led Ormek to Talrid’s audience chamber. Though neither Syrus nor Shriek had been summoned, both followed closely behind Ormek. Once they had come to their destination Ormek walked up to the King’s throne and knelt on one knee and bowed his head. Ormek kept his stance while Talrid looked upon him with out saying a word. After more than a solid minute of this uncertain quiet, Ormek finally lifted up his head and spoke.
“Did you want to speak with me sire, or did you just forget what I looked like?” he asked sarcastically.
“I have nearly forgotten,” said Talrid. “You have not come before in quite some time, not even when I called for you. Why have you ignored me?”
“I have been preparing plans to take the strait of Cyntir,” Ormek answered, “but you were already aware of that. You have not called me here find out what I have been doing. You merely wish to inform me that my allotted time of one month to make considerable advances towards capturing the strait is over. So, why do we not skip the small talk and get down to business.”
“Very well,” replied the king. “Due to your failure to report to me before the end of the month. I take it that you have not been able to move the work along. Therefore I have decided to pull our troops out of Cyntir, accept the offer of the Zora Peninsula, and put an end to this pointless skirmish between Tyfiria and Cyntir.”
“I will not allow you to remove my troops from their posts,” Ormek said, “For you are incorrect in assuming I have made no progress. In fact, I have something to show you that may change your whole outlook on this war.” Ormek clenched his fist and suddenly the symbol of the Triforce appeared on the back of his right hand.
“You have obtained a piece of the legendary Triforce of Hyrule!” the king said in astonishment.
“Not exactly,” Ormek said as he smiled. “But with this ancient relic at our disposal, we will be unstoppable. Give me another month and I will not only win the strait, but the whole of Cyntir.”
“No,” Talrid said, “We shall not continue this conquest, besides I made a promise to the Cyntirian people that I would not let the campaign go further than the strait.”
“It was a promise far more gracious than those barbarians deserved!” Ormek said sternly. He then turned from the face of Talrid and began to look into the eyes of each the royal guards, but he still continued to speak to his king. “By the sweat and toil of our people was Cyntir transformed from a worthless farming nation into what it is today. Why then should those slothful Cyntirians enjoy the fruits of out labor? I tell you, it is a great injustice. And even though we are now free, we are exiled to the barren mountain lands of the north while our former captors hold lands full of rich fertile soil and dozens of prosperous seaports. It is only right that we should have what our fathers and we ourselves so dearly paid for. It is time for us to become the masters of this continent and it is time for the Cyntirians to know what it is like to be a slave.
“You are mad!” Talrid cried, seeing for the first time what Ormek’s plans truly were. Syrus was also shocked by what the general said.
“Don’t you see Ormek? If we were to bring the realm of Cyntir under our rule we would become what we hated most when we were slaves.”
“Are we not justified?” Ormek asked with a soothing voice and turned back towards Talrid. “Our people were slaves for dozens of generations. Why should we know the horrors of being slaves while those southern beasts sit on their golden thrones and enjoy the works of others?
“Besides, the Cyntirians remain a constant threat to us. Though they attempt to hide it from their allies, the Cyntirians still hate us. To them we are a symbol of their failure that must be destroyed. They are biding their time, Talrid. They are waiting for their chance to destroy us. Currently they do not posses the strength to conquer us, but that will not last forever. With our barren land and lack of resources our society will soon crumble, while theirs continues to prosper. Our country will fall apart and when that happens, the Cyntirians will strike and enslave us again.”
To Talrid’s own surprise, he found the words of Ormek to be reasonable and for brief moment he considered going along with the plan, but in the end he listened to his best judgment and stuck by his original position on the matter.
“No,” he said, “nothing you say could justify enslaving an entire nation. I have long suspected the Cyntirians would eventually come after us, but your plan is simply not acceptable. I will not allow you to pursue your foolish ambitions.”
Ormek shook his head with a sigh and said, “I feared you would not listen to reason, but I also expected it.” Ormek drew one of his swords and pointed it towards the king. “You will help me one way or another.”
“Guards, subdue the general!” Talrid cried out, and though there were a dozen guards in the room none moved save three of them, but those that did move all rushed at Ormek with long spears. Ormek chopped off the tip of the first spear with his sword, he then quickly sidestepped narrowly dodging the second spear. He then grabbed a hold of the shaft of the second spear with his left hand, and with his sword still in his right, he smacked the guard in the head with his clenched fist, knocking him out cold. Ormek then threw the spear across the room to Syrus, who could not believe that Ormek was actually threatening the king. Ormek then kicked the first guard firmly in his abdomen. The guard dropped to the ground and was unable to get up. The third guard never had a chance to attack Ormek, for Shriek had taken him down with a concentrated sonic blast.
Talrid called for the guards to attack again, but few stirred, and those that did move were torn between attacking, staying put, or running from the room all together. For there had not been one man in that chamber, who heard Ormek speak, that was not shaken by his words. Most of the men agreed with Ormek and wanted to help him. Only the three who tried to attack Ormek had not forgotten their loyalty to the king.
Ormek turned to the guards and looked into the eyes of every one of them, as if he were looking into their very souls he said, “I take it then that you wish to aid me? Then prove it, by taking the king and his three loyal companions to the dungeons.” The king’s own guards swiftly surrounded him and bound his hands with ropes and began to take him and his three loyalists from the room, but Ormek stopped them before they left.
“Do not worry,” said Ormek sheathing his sword, “I have no desire of taking your place as king. You shall be restored to your proper place once the war is over and you begin to see things my way.” It was at this moment that Talrid realized that though he held the title of king, Ormek had long been the true ruler of the country.
“What have you done, you lunatic?” Syrus cried when all of the guards had left except one. “Do you actually think you can get away with imprisoning the king? The people will notice sooner or later that he’s gone missing!”
“This is working out even better than I had hoped,” Ormek said paying no heed to the ranting of Syrus. “Instead of imposing a draft we can stir the hearts of the people to war. They will aid the effort willingly.” Ormek then walked to Talrid’s throne and picked up a grey robe that the King had lost in the struggle with the guards as well as his crown.
“And how do you plan to do that?” asked Syrus.
“Niromin,” Ormek called to the last remaining guard. Not all of the king’s guards had switched allegiances during Ormek’s speech. For some all ready were working for Ormek secretly by keeping an eye on the king for him and Niromin was one of those guards. “Go to my personal armory,” Ormek said, “find a bow and a Cyntirian arrow.” Ormek then handed him the cloak, “Then take this robe and place it on a cow that is fit to eat. Kill the cow using the arrow, but make sure it penetrates the robe in the area that would be placed over the heart. Take the cow to the butcher, but bring the robe and the arrow back to me.”
Niromin saluted Ormek and eagerly hurried off to complete his task. Ormek then slowly approached the recently vacated throne and gently placed the king’s silver crown on it. He then knelt on one knee and covered his heart with his right hand. “By the crown of Tyfiria I here by vow, that all of Cyntir will soon come under its rule,” Ormek said softly.
“All right Ormek,” Syrus said, “It’s time for you to come clean. What was that talk about enslaving the Cyntirians? That wasn’t the plan.”
“The plans have changed,” Ormek growled. “The Triforce of Knowledge has opened my eyes. I see now that if we were to merely exile the Cyntirians, they may regroup and come back with their allies. Syrus was satisfied with this answer, it seemed to be logical, but Ormek’s treachery still seemed ludicrous.
“Now tell me, exactly what you are planning to do with that robe and arrow?” Syrus demanded.
“You shall see for yourself when I announce the king’s forfeiture of the throne,” Ormek replied. “Now, Shriek, Syrus, I want the two of you to find Talrid’s heralds. Tell them to go out into the city and call the people to castle proclamation tower. I shall make my edict in one hour, be sure that as many people as possible of the surrounding populous are there.” Syrus saluted Ormek and left the hall without further questioning, though secretly he wondered if some evil spirit had possessed Ormek.
An hour to the very minute that Ormek sent Syrus away, the general walked out onto the balcony of the proclamation tower. The base of the tower was surrounded by thousands of Tyfirians, all of whom had come to hear Ormek’s pressing news. There was a great commotion about the people, rumors had already started on what Ormek was going to speak about, but none of them came close to the truth. Upon seeing Ormek on the balcony, the crowd suddenly fell silent.
Ormek cleared his throat and with a loud authoritative voice he cried, “People of Tyfiria, I have come before you today with the most grievous of news. Our righteous monarch, King Talrid, who led us out of the captivity of Cyntir, who established the great nation of Tyfiria, was attacked by his enemies earlier today.” Upon hearing this many of the people gasped in unison and some cried out in anguish, then the multitude was enveloped in a great clamor of the people talking amongst themselves.
Ormek raised his hands above his head and the people fell silent again. “Yes it is true,” Ormek said as he placed his hands on the railing around the balcony and bowed his head as though he was weeping. Ormek slowly lifted up his head after a few seconds and continued speaking. “This morning while the king was in his throne room the his enemies some how got in and ambushed him.”
Ormek then cast out the king’s blood stained robe and the arrow into the crowd. The crowd gasped.
“The king is dead!” a man cried out as he fell to his knees.
An old man then picked up the arrow and garment and examined them carefully. “This arrow is of the loathsome Cyntirian craft! I’d bet my life on it!” the old man yelled.
“Oh it can’t be!” wailed a woman who clung to the king’s robe.
The people began to cry out again, but Ormek swiftly silenced them. “The Cyntirians will pay for the fall of our beloved king.” He cried with such great emotion that even those who knew the king was not truly dead were compelled to believe that his death should be avenged.
“Long have our people been oppressed by the wicked Cyntirians,” he continued, “They have enslaved us, tortured us, and slaughtered our loved ones. Even now, as we are free, we are forced to live in the most barren of lands. Now is the time to bring the Cyntirians to justice once and for all. But our armed forces are not yet strong enough to accomplish such a task. That is why I must call to all able bodied Tyfirian men to take up arms against our enemies. If any man does not have good reason to stay behind and not fight, he shall be known as a coward not fit to eat cattle droppings.” The Tyfirian people cheered and applauded Ormek’s comment, but one man in the midst of the crowd called out at the top of his lungs until the cheering died down.
“If Talrid is now dead, who then takes his place as king then?” the man shouted out.
Ormek took in a deep breath and said, “I shall take his place temporarily, until the war is over. As you know Talrid had no heir, therefore an elected council of common folk shall be created to name Talrid’s successor. Now then my friends, I must go, for there is much I must see to before the beginning of our campaign.” With that, Ormek turned and sped back towards his quarters. On his way down from the tower Ormek spotted Syrus.
“How could you lie to our people like that?” Syrus asked stunned.
“I did not lie,” Ormek contested, “I never actually said the king was dead, nor did I say the Cyntirians were the king’s attackers. The people arrived at those conclusions on their own.” Ormek then continued on his way down from the tower, but Syrus grabbed him by the arm before he got too far.
“This isn’t going to work,” Syrus said sternly.
Ormek suddenly seized Syrus’s hand and twisted it back, forcing the colonel to relinquish his grasp. Ormek looked coldly at his servant and said, “Mark my words, before the end of the next month, Cyntir will be utterly destroyed.

Chapter Ten: Attack of the Sarudon

Link slowly opened his eyes as the first rays of the sun’s morning light came pouring in to his cell. He and Chiron had been trapped in the gerudo towers for two days over a month. Link was beginning to lose all hope, he had already lost a whole month and he had not even found his way out of the desert. Link was not aware of the blockade that had been set up by the Tyfirian navy, Ormek’s coup d'état which had given him complete control of the country, or the first Tyfirian troops mobilizing in the north, but he could sense that things were not going well. Each day that Link remained in captivity, his hope diminished a little more. Nonetheless he would not give into despair just yet. He had to stay strong, at least until he could find a way to escape.
Link wearily turned his head to the right, there he saw Chiron who was being kept in the cell right next to his. Tears were streaming down his cheek and his head hung down sickly. The captivity had been especially hard on Chiron, for he was very worried about his family and he longed to return home. He had almost forgotten the quest he had vowed to help Link complete.
Link could not bear to talk to Chiron in his current state. He felt guilty for putting him in such a situation. Thus, the longer they were incarcerated in the gerudo prison; the more silent the two became.
Link and Chiron were simply sitting on the floors of their cells when they heard the loud, yet feminine voice of a gerudo. “Chiron! Chiron is that you?” the gerudo said. Chiron jerked his head up and he smiled for the first time in over a month.
This particular gerudo was not dressed like the others that were around the towers; she wore a cloak made of silk and was dressed in dark orange as opposed to the standard white of the gerudo that lived near the Cyntir-Tyfirian border. She also wore her hair longer than the other gerudo and carried with her two short scimitars, which were both attached a belt that she wore about her waist.
“Vialla, what are you doing here?” Chiron asked the gerudo ecstatically.
“That was the question I was going to ask of you,” Vialla said.
“I’m mainly here because of this guy,” Chiron said in a half-joking manner as he turned his head to look at Link.
“And who might you be young traveler?” Vialla asked of Link.
“I am Link, I am an employment scout for a band of Calrigan mercenaries,” Link said with no hint of emotion in his voice.
Vialla briskly looked at her surroundings and then turned her gaze back to Link, “Strange place for an employment scout,” she said, “especially considering the gerudo of Bylar would never accept help from men. Why are you interested in them anyway?”
“I am not even supposed to be in this country,” Link explained, “I was on my way to Nicrosia when my ship was sacked by Tyfirians. I would tell you how the two of us got here now, but it is a rather lengthy tale.”
Vialla shook her head and said, “Those Tyfirians have to ruin everything!” she paused for a second and then gasped. “I’m sorry, I didn’t properly introduce myself. I am Vialla of the gerudo tribe. But don’t think me like my sisters. I have given up the thieving way of the traditional gerudo. I do not believe that stealing from others is any way to make a living.”
“Vialla,” Chiron interjected, for he had already heard Vialla explain how she was different than the other gerudo many times before. “Do you think you could speak with the head gerudo here and see if you can get us released?”
“Oh, yes, of course. I’d imagine you are very anxious to get out of here,” said Vialla. She then smiled at Chiron and hurried out of the room.
“If she fails to get us out,” Link thought to himself, “I fear General Ormek will succeed in his accomplishing his designs. It may already be too late as it is. Vain was Kaepora’s trust in me.”
“Don’t worry Link. Vialla will get us out of here. She has a way with people,” Chiron said trying to cheer up his companion. He could sense Link was feeling low.
Link and Chiron both anxiously awaited the return of Vialla, but the longer they waited the slower time seemed to pass. Vialla did not come back until after dark, but her arrival was well worth the wait. She had been successful in her attempt to secure the young prisoners’ freedom. She returned with two keys and the equipment they had with them when they were captured. She unlocked both of the cells and helped Chiron and Link out. They stretched for what seemed to them was the first time in an eternity.
“I can’t possibly thank you enough for freeing us!” Chiron said.
Vialla laughed, “Well then I can’t wait to see how you thank me when I tell you you’ll being spending the night in a nice warm bed, courtesy of the gerudo thieves.”
“No, we can not stay!” Link protested, “I have already wasted too much time in this blasted wasteland. I will not wait any longer!”
“Link, have you forgotten about the verioks?” Chiron asked trying to calm down the mercenary. “We can’t head out until the sun rises. Besides, we’ll need the rest. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t had a good night’s rest since we came to this awful place.”
“All right fine,” said Link, “we will wait until the break of dawn tomorrow, and then I am heading out.”
Vialla then led the two young men to separate rooms. Once Chiron arrived at his room he collapsed on his bed and almost immediately fell asleep. Link on the other hand had a tough time falling asleep. He could not get his mind off leaving. Eventually he did manage to find sleep, but it was only for about two hours and Link only felt worse when he awoke. Link decided to head out early so he packed up all his equipment and started to leave the towers. He would have set out on his own had he not ran into Vialla on his way out. She was eager herself, but for different reasons.
“Where are you headed off to, Link?” Vialla asked.
“I can wait here no longer. I must go now,” Link snapped.
“Suit yourself,” Vialla said, “I was planning to go with you and Chiron in the morning, I had even borrowed a few horses from my sisters that you two could ride, but if you simply can’t wait for me to prepare them, I’ll understand.”
“You have horses?” Link asked excitedly. Vialla confirmed that she did and Link said, “In that case, I guess I could stand to wait a bit longer.”
“So where is Chiron anyway?” Vialla inquired.
“He is still asleep,” Link answered.
“You weren’t going to take him with you?” asked Vialla.
“We do not share the same path,” Link responded, “Furthermore I did not have the heart to wake him. He has been going through a lot lately. I figured the least I could do is let him sleep.”
“We can let him sleep a bit longer, come now Link, let’s get the horses ready,” Vialla said.
Vialla and Link had just finished saddling and feeding the horses when the first rays of the sun crept over the eastern horizon. Chiron found his way out to the stables a short time later. He, being a rancher, was used to waking with the dawn. As soon as Chiron arrived the three companions mounted their horses and ventured out into the desert, heading southeast.
“You owe me big time, Chiron,” Vialla said as the gerudo towers began to disappear out of their range of vision.
“That reminds me,” said Chiron, “how exactly did you get the gerudo to let us go?”
“All I had to do was promise them a good discount on all of my merchandise,” Vialla replied, “Oh and by the way, I except to be well compensated for my sacrifice.”
“What were you doing at the towers anyway?” Link asked, for he was quite confused what exactly Vialla’s profession was and how she knew Chiron.
“Well you see, I’m a type of traveling merchant,” Vialla answered, “My partner and I travel all over the world finding the rarest priceless treasures the world has to offer, we then wander the globe searching for someone to buy our hoard at top dollar. But I digress; I was not in the desert on business this time. Occasionally I like to return home and visit my sisters at the gerudo towers. So when my ship landed on the coast of Cyntir I decided to pay my sisters a little visit.”
“You have a ship?” Link asked ecstatically.
“Well the ship actually belongs to my partner,” Vialla answered.
“Where is Balris anyway?” inquired Chiron.
“Never mind that,” Link interrupted, “I am in great need of a ship, If you were aid me in my quest, I am sure my legion of mercenaries would gladly compensate you for your troubles.”
“Really,” said Vialla, “All right, If you follow me to East Port Town, I’m sure I could help you out. Where was it you said you needed to go?”
“The Frozen Fortress,” Link replied, “It is not far from East Port Town from what Chiron tells me, It should not be too much trouble for you.”
Vialla gave Link an inquisitive look, “What reason do you have for going there?” she asked.
“That business is my own,” Link said. Vialla did not question Link any further, though she was very suspicious of him from that time forth. “You never did tell me how you know Vialla,” Link said to Chiron.”
“When Vialla first decided to turn away from a life of thievery, she left the desert with nowhere to go,” Chiron answered. “Eventually she found her way to our ranch. My parents took her in and gave her a place to stay until she got back on her feet. She’s been a friend to the family ever since.”
Link then lost interest in the conversation, but Chiron and Vialla continued to speak one with another. The three of them rode well into the day, resting only a few times and only for a short while. They did not stop until the sun began to set. Once they halted they built a small fire to keep the verioks away, using kindling they had brought from the gerudo settlement.
When the sun arose the next morning the three were off again. After traveling for about three hours the group finally came out of the desert into dry grassland. As they continued to ride the grass slowly became greener and thicker. The three companions continued to travel through the plains for two more days, only stopping to rest for a few hours during the night to eat and rest. Vialla occasionally complained about their pace, but then Link would remind her of the money she would receive if she went along with him and she would stop griping.
Early in the morning of the companions’ fourth day of travel, Link noticed a group of horsemen headed towards them. They were approaching swiftly on the group’s left side. Link felt uneasy about the approaching horses. As if he could sense that the horsemen were up to no good.
“We must change our course,” Link said calmly. When asked why by Chiron and Vialla he yelled, “Just follow my lead.” Link changed directions from southeast to southwest, so that his horse was running in the same direction as the horses in the distance. The others followed with out further question. The band did not ride much further before they saw a second group horsemen coming in from the east. Link changed his direction again, heading due south. Unfortunately at this point, Link’s horse and the horses of Chiron and Vialla were beginning to fade, while the horses of their pursuers remained strong.
“No,” said Link, pulling back on the reigns and bringing his horse to a stop. “We have been surrounded, but how did they know we were here?”
“Who are they and why are you trying to avoid them?” Inquired Vialla.
“Never mind,” answered Link, as he feverishly studied his surroundings. “Off to his right he noticed a dirt road. The road seemed to suddenly drop off about three hundred feet from its starting point. “That way!” exclaimed Link as his horse began running for the road.
To the right side of the road there was an old sign which read:
DANGER! NOW ENTERING SARUDON CANYON!
BEWARE OF AVALANCHES AND SARUDONS!
“We can’t go that way,” pleaded Vialla, “We’ll be trapped!”
“Trust me Vialla, I know what I’m doing,” said Link. He darted into the canyon, but Vialla did not budge.
“Trust you?” Vialla objected, “I barely know you,”
“Just do what he says,” cried Chiron as he raced into the canyon after Link. Vialla stared down into the canyon anxiously for a moment before she reluctantly followed after her friend. She did not know who was chasing her, but she did not want to be the only one to get captured.
As the three companions rode further down the path the walls of the canyon slowly rose until they were two hundred feet high. The walls were incredibly steep rising almost directly up making it impossible to climb out of the side of the canyon unless aided by someone standing on the top of the canyon wall. Had it not been for the many caves at the base of the canyon, its walls would have almost been completely flawless. Luckily for the three fugitives though, there were indeed many caves, each one digging deeper into the base of the canyon than the last.
“In here!” Chiron called out pointing to a random cave that was quite far from the canyon entrance.
“I suppose that one is as good as any of the others,” said Link as he followed Chiron into the darkness of the cave. Vialla simply sighed and followed after them. The three compatriots delved deep into the cave moving rather slowly, for they had no light to guide them or reveal any unexpected hazards, and their horses were quite reluctant to venture into the foul smelling cavern. And though they could have lit a torch they did not, in fear of being spotted and captured. Thus they clung close to the walls of the cave and used them to get around.
They did not get very far before the first pursuer rode into the canyon. He was followed closely by two others, who were joined shortly after by nearly two dozen more. Each of the men was clad in blue and grey and leading these men was none other than Major Lucrus.
“It appears we’ve been thrown of the trail of our prey,” Lucrus belted, addressing his troops, “Due to the stony canyon floor we can find no tracks. We do not know whether they have ridden deeper into the canyon or taken refuge in one of the caves. We must find these fugitives even if means searching every last cave in this canyon. Split up into groups of five, my patrol shall block off the canyon entrance and guard the horses whilst another rides to the other end of the canyon. The remaining three patrols will begin searching the caverns immediately, now get to it!”
The Tyfirians quickly dismounted, except for the group that rode to the other end of the canyon. They divided up and began searching. “Sir, are you certain that these are the escapees we’re looking for?” inquired a soldier of his commanding officer. “These two men have not been seen in a month. Surely they would have already passed through here. Besides, we are looking for two men, but there were clearly three riders who came in here.”
“Simple minded fool,” Lucrus snapped, “There are many things that could have delayed them this long and they easily could have acquired another companion. Regardless they were clearly trying to out-maneuver us. I am sure who ever these people are, they are running from someone, and it will be up to us to find out what. Whatever it is I’d like to know. Now cease questioning my orders, lest I feed you to the sarudons.” The soldier did not speak again.
Several hours later the group that rode to the end of the canyon returned as the sun began to fall low in the sky. “We did not find any trace of our little friends,” said one of the horsemen. “They are indeed still in the canyon, unless they somehow managed to make it to the Shadow Woods in which case they are doomed anyway.”
“Very good,” said Major Lucrus, “These fools will be in our custody by tomorrow morning.”
Meanwhile in the depths of the caves, Link, Chiron, and Vialla had settled down. They had determined it would be of no avail to them to travel any farther into the cave. If their hunters were willing to venture as far into the cavern as the three fugitives had already traveled, undoubtedly they would search the whole of the cave.
“Who were those men and why do you think they’re after you?” asked Vialla.
“Shhhhh,” whispered Link, “It is still to risky to be talking. I will explain it all to you once we are out of here.”
“No,” said Vialla, “You will tell me what’s going on now, or else I’ll turn both of you in.”
“Fine, fine,” Link said quietly, “Just keep it down.” Vialla agreed and Link commenced to explain that he and Chiron were running from the Tyfirians and that they knew at least a portion of their secret plans to conquer Cyntir. Link went on to explain that General Ormek was responsible for all of this, he also explained he was the only one who knew how to stop the general. He did not go into further detail at the time, for he did not feel safe explaining his situation in depth. Fortunately Vialla had heard enough, she felt contempt for the moment, she was at least satisfied with the explanation enough for her to know that she must keep Link and Chiron hidden.
Vialla ceased to question Link and did not speak any more, and so the three refugees did not speak to each other in fear that their voices would give away their position. The group sat in the dark remaining silent and motionless for hours upon end, too afraid to sleep. They all anxiously waited and hoped they would not be discovered. The anticipation of their imminent detection by the Tyfirians was so great, that Vialla and Chiron almost felt relived when they heard the first sounds of approaching footsteps. Their relief was quickly replaced by terror as Link rose to his feet and drew his sword and shield. Chiron and Vialla rose and drew their weapons as well. Vialla wielded her two gerudo scimitars, which was a common choice of weaponry among gerudo of great skill.
A dim orange light began fill the cave and as the light grew brighter, the footsteps became louder and the three companions grew tenser. As the Tyfirians were about turn the last corner in the cave and locate their prey they suddenly halted their march. The sound of footsteps ceased and silence once again prevailed in the cavern.
The silence was short lived though; it was suddenly broken by a “twang”. Link instinctively held up his shield, just in time to block a blue feathered Tyfirian arrow. Two Tyfirian archers then turned the corner and began firing arrows at the three fugitives, but due to the inadequate light they were unable to find their marks. Vialla decided to turn and run at this point, Chiron followed shortly after, Link followed as well even though he did not think traveling further into the cave would work to his advantage. Especially considering he had to leave the horses behind along with most of the group’s supplies in order to catch up with Vialla and Chiron.
“They are here, send for reinforcements!” cried one of the archers before he chased after Link and his companions. Two of the Tyfirians dashed out of the cave to alert the rest of the troops to their find. The remaining three Tyfirians pursued their targets further into the cave, firing arrows whenever they thought they had a clear shot. Luckily for Link and his group they were in a particularly windy cave. This prevented the Tyfirians from getting off any clear shots. However, the curving of the cave walls did not last. The path came to a long stretch of flat ground one hundred and fifty yards long. In the middle of this path there was what seemed to be a large boulder standing in one of the narrowest parts of the cave, it blocked the way and prevented anyone from continuing further into the cave.
“We have no choice but to turn and fight,” Link said authoritatively, not showing any sign of fear. He was tired of running and was very eager to do battle. The three runners all turned to face away from the boulder and readied themselves for coming onslaught. Link sheathed his sword and drew his trusty bow and strung it with an arrow, he waited for the light of the Tyfirians’ torch to take aim. As soon as the first Tyfirian popped around the corner, Link let his arrow fly. The soldier was struck just above his heart. He fell back and released his hold on an arrow that he was ready to fire. The arrow flew high and fell behind Chiron and struck the boulder.
The boulder then began to stir. It seemed to be breaking apart at first. The next two Tyfirians had arrived by this point, but they did not stay long, as soon as they saw the boulder, they spun around and ran. It was clear to Link by this time that it was not a boulder that was moving, but rather a large lizard that had been curled up and napping.
The lizard’s skin was leathery and black. It was twelve feet long from its head to the tip of its tail. It was four feet high when standing on all fours. On its back were five large spines, which could fold back to form a protective shield. The spines could also stand up, adding another foot to the lizard’s height. Many hard scales grew out of its skull, which caused the lizard look as if it was wearing a helmet.
Chiron and Vialla followed after the Tyfirians, fearing the large beast more than the might of their hunters. Link was more hesitant to leave. He ran to the passage that would allow him to flee and stopped. He studied the creature for a second, but then ran like the others when it began to charge.
“What was that?” asked Link when he caught up to the others.
“I’m not absolutely sure,” said Vialla, “but I think it is safe to assume it’s one of the legendary sarudons.”
The sarudon was very fast considering its short legs. It was able to keep right behind Link, snapping at him whenever it got close. Link, Chiron, and Vialla made it out of the cave and felt the cool night air on their faces, but they were shocked to find nine Tyfirians surrounding the cave entrance waiting for their prey to emerge. A rain of arrows was fired immediately after the three could be seen. Three of the arrows flew past them and bounced of the sarudon’s thick hide, but one of the arrows struck Vialla in the shoulder. She howled in pain, and fell back, Chiron caught her and the two of them fell to the ground. The sarudon was angered greatly by the Tyfirians’ projectiles, though the sarudon was not harmed. It extended the spines on its back and opened its mouth wide. The spines began to glow with an eerie red light as the sarudon lifted its head up as if it were looking to the sky. It then brought its head back down and roared loudly, it then spat out a powerful gust of wind. Link dropped to the ground just in time to dodge the sarudon’s blow. All of the Tyfirians were knocked to the ground by the attack and those mounted on horses were thrown off.
Chiron picked up Vialla and carrying her on his back, he began to head for the canyon entrance, but the sarudon was to quick, it cut Chiron off before he could escape. The sarudon opened its mouth and prepared for another blast, but Link shot an arrow down its throat before it could muster another gust.
Chiron turned and ran away from the sarudon and headed deeper into the canyon with Link following after. By this time the Tyfirians had recovered, at first they were all enveloped in panic, but Lucrus was able to rally them. He ordered them to go deeper in to the canyon and his men did so in haste. No Tyfirian horse was left. They had all been either killed by the sarudon or had fled from the canyon.
The Tyfirians slowly began to close in on Link and Chiron, but they were too worried about the sarudon to be concerned much with them. The sarudon speedily grew tired of the chase and let lose another blast. The blast knocked Lucrus into the canyon wall and left him temporarily incapacitated. The sarudon ignored him and continued to chase the rest of the Tyfirians.
Chiron felt an extra burst of energy as he heard the sound of the sarudon’s second blast. He knew the next gust would not miss its mark. Chiron slowly began to pull away from the Tyfirians, even with Vialla’s additional weight. Link was right on Chiron’s heels, for he could have already left the Tyfirians in the dust, but he did not want to leave his companions behind. The sarudon was beginning to lag behind at this point. It had already used up most of its energy. The sarudon stopped again to charge for another blast, thinking that if it did not catch the invaders now it would lose them and allow them to return later. The sarudon prepared for one extra powerful blast. It took a few seconds longer, but the blow was ten times as strong as the first two. The burst was aimed high; it slammed right into the canyon wall, causing it shatter and splinter in many places. The wall then collapsed on itself, causing a massive avalanche. The rocks fell upon and crushed every single Tyfirian. Luckily for Chiron and Link they had both been far enough ahead to avoid getting smashed.
Upon seeing its enemies destroyed the sarudon went back to look for Lucrus, but he was nowhere to be found. The major had gathered enough strength to crawl into one of the caves. The sarudon soon gave up its search and returned to its cave, dragging back a few horse carcasses with it to use for food.
“Well,” Link sighed upon realizing how disastrous the avalanche had been. It completely blocked off the canyon. The rocks were piled high and were too unstable to risk climbing over them. “It looks like we are not going back the way we came in. How is Vialla?”
“She’s still alive,” Chiron said, laying Vialla on the ground, “but the wound is deep. She has lost a lot of blood already. I don’t think she’ll make it if we don’t do something to stop the bleeding.”
Link knelt beside Vialla and he examined her wound while he removed a knife from his belt. Link, carefully dug through the muscle with the blade and removed the arrowhead. Link then pulled out a bottle from behind his shield and pulled the cork, He poured a red liquid from the bottle onto Vialla’s wound and then some into her mouth. Link then tore up Vialla’s cloak into strips and used them to bandage the lesion. The cloth quickly sopped up the blood and slowed the bleeding. A few minutes later, Vialla slowly came to and sat up.
“How are you feeling?” asked Link.
“Like I just got stung by a bee as large as a goron,” she said rubbing her shoulder, “but I’ll be all right.”
“Good,” said Link, “now we can focus on getting out of here. Tell me Chiron, is there another way out or is this a box canyon.”
“It might as well be,” Chiron groaned, “The only other way out of here is through the Shadow Woods. An ancient forest full of gruesome beasts that no man has ever seen and escaped from unharmed. It is said that no light can enter those woods and that any that dare to venture in must pay a great tribute to the keeper of the woods if they wish to pass through, those who do not pay are eaten by the forest keeper. I will not go that way, Link. ”
“Don’t be such a child!” Vialla snapped, “You speak only of legends that old men use to frighten children. There is no keeper of the woods. One thing that may cause us problems is that the woods are quite large and it takes weeks to get through them. I fear we are too unprepared to make it through. We lost our horses in that cave and they had most of our supplies.”
“Have you forgotten the food and water we packed, when we were in the caves?” Link asked. Luckily, Link thought they might need to have their supplies on them in case the horses were lost. The three companions packed away a little food and water before they were discovered by the Tyfirians.
“I do not think what we packed enough to get us through the woods,” Vialla said. “Perhaps Chiron is right. The Shadow Woods are not safe to venture into.”
“We have no other choice,” Link said sternly. “We can not stay here, not all the Tyfirians were slain. It will be awhile before they find away to chase us, but I have no doubt they will not give up so easily. Besides, I will not be content to just sit here and wait for our supplies to run out. You two may stay and die if you wish, but I am going through the woods. I will not allow Ormek to accomplish his designs.”
“You’re right Link,” Chiron said softly, “We can’t give up now. Too many lives are at stake. I will go with you.”
“I shall also accompany you,” Vialla said humbly. “That is, if you tell me the rest off what you know about General Ormek’s plan.”
“All right,” Link said, “Now let’s get going. We need to put some distance between us an the Tyfirians.” The three companions walked for three more hours while Link explained what he knew of Ormek’s plan and the Triforce of Knowledge in detail the before they finally settled down. Vialla was not sure whether or not she believed Link about the Triforce, but she was quite confident that he was telling the truth about Ormek’s plan to conquer Cyntir. Eventually the companions found a cave that only went twenty feet into the canyon wall and decided it would be sufficient shelter for the night.
“We should be safe if we stop here,” Link said, “Hopefully it will be a little while longer before the Tyfirians find a way to get past those boulders.” Link said this in an attempt to put Chiron and Vialla at ease, but they were already half-asleep when they stopped for the night and had little trouble in taking some rest. Link on the other hand was wide-awake, so he decided to take the first night watch.
Unfortunately for Link and his group, the Tyfirians already knew how to get around the boulders. “Our only option is to exit the canyon then swing around and travel along the top of it till we pass the obstruction,” Lucrus dictated to his remaining fifteen men, “We will then repel down into canyon and continue our pursuit. The road may be rough, but I have confirmed these are indeed the people were looking for. Our targets have only one way to go, thus we need only be faster than they are and we will catch them. And with their injured friend that should prove to be no difficult task.”
“Sir, should we send for reinforcements to go around the Shadow Woods and block off the exit?” asked one of the soldiers.
“No,” Lucrus replied, “that path would take us too close to Cantarus and Cyntir Castle. General Ormek has given strict orders to send no troops there. Moreover, that area will be crawling with Cyntirian soldiers. Not that any of it matters. We should easily be able to overtake these cowards. Now all of you get some rest. We have a long march a head of us.”

Chapter Eleven: The Hunters and the Hunted

Lucrus and his troops awoke before the first light of the sun crept over the eastern horizon. The Tyfirians were all very eager to capture their prey, for major Lucrus had confirmed that they were indeed the ones General Ormek sought.
Most of the Tyfirians’ horses had been killed or injured the night before by the sarudon. There were only five horses left unharmed and still able to carry large loads, but those horses had been frightened when the sarudon attacked and ran off on their own. The five horses that fled were found in the morning near the canyon entrance. Luckily for the Tyfirians all five horses happened to be packhorses carrying a large amount of their supplies.
The sarudon had also claimed the lives of nine Tyfirians the previous night, leaving sixteen in the squad. Although the remaining Tyfirians wished to stay and mourn for their fallen comrades, they felt compelled to continue on and complete their objective.
The Tyfirians began their march at the break of dawn. They first advanced out of the canyon, which did not take long, and then turned and began to hike up to the top of the canyon wall. As the Tyfirians approached the top of the canyon the path became steeper, narrower, and rockier, making it impossible for the horses to make it to the top. The soldiers then decided to take up the horses’ burden themselves and send the steeds back down the path. The trek up the canyon wall was long and strenuous, but that did not stop the former slaves, who were used to such physically demanding activities. At the top of the canyon the ground was very flat and with a few trees scattered about the way, making travel much easier and allowing the Tyfirians to move along their course quicker. Once the Tyfirians had successfully marched past the blockage of boulders hampering the canyon path they began to tie many ropes end to end to make one extremely long rope. They then tied one end of the rope to a tree near the edge of the canyon wall and cast the other end down into the canyon itself. The rope reached all the way to the canyon floor, allowing the Tyfirians to safely descend to the bottom. Two Tyfirians remained at the top of the canyon to guard the rope and make sure it was still there when the others needed to get out of the canyon. Every other soldier followed Lucrus into the depths of the canyon.
Each Tyfirian carried with him his weapons of war and his share of food and water rations. The Tyfirians’ detour took them about eight hours to complete, meaning they needed to gain that much time on the renegades before they reached the end of the Shadow Woods lest they would escape.

Link and the others began the day’s journey around the same time as their predators hoping it would take the Tyfirians several days instead of just a few hours to find a way past the obstruction created by the sarudon. Nonetheless, they still traveled as fast as they could, however they were slowed down somewhat by Vialla, who had not yet recovered completely from the loss of blood she had suffered the previous night.
The thought of the trek through the Shadow Woods weighed heavily on the minds of each member of the group, but it worried none more than Chiron. All the terrible stories he had been told about the Shadow Woods when he was younger still concerned him, even though he was aware that most of the stories had probably been contrived simply to scare little children. Link was not so much concerned with the woods, as he was with the fact that the group was very low on food and water. They were certainly not carrying enough to make it out of the woods with out finding some way to replenish their supplies.
The march along the canyon floor was long and tiring, but it held many advantages to traveling in the desert. First, the high canyon walls kept the heat of the sun of their backs for most of the day also the ground was very firm and did not suck their feet in with every step like the sand did.
The group was beginning to feel hungry towards the end of the day. They did not eat anything the day before and had only had little something that morning. The lack of food did not bother Link much. He was used to going long periods of time with out food. Chiron and Vialla on the other hand were used to eating at least two meals every day; still they were able to drudge through the canyon at a fairly speedy pace.
Night came, but the group continued on. Chiron and Vialla wished to stop, but Link forced them to press on further for several more hours during the calm of night. Eventually Vialla could travel no further because of her wound, so Link finally decided to stop for the night. They took refuge in one of the more shallow caves in the canyon wall and settled down for the night. Vialla and Chiron dropped right off to sleep, but Link remained awake and stood guard as his companions rested. After three hours Link finally drifted off as well.
Link was still the first one up, even though he had the least amount of sleep. He awoke the others at the day brake, they ate a very small portion of their rations and drank a bit of water and set out again. They walked on the barren canyon floor for five hours stopping to rest only once, when they came across the entrance to the Shadow Woods. The trees seemed to abruptly form a wall in the middle of the canyon. A narrow path located in the middle of the wall of trees, led into the eerie forest. Each tree was extremely tall and loomed over the earth as if they were great towers. From the trunks of the trees sprung many branches bearing lush green leaves. The branches formed a thick tangled mess, making sunlight in the woods a rare occurrence.
“Do we have to go through?” Chiron asked nervously as Link began to approach the entrance.
“There is no other way out of the canyon, Chiron,” Link answered calmly. Chiron closed his eyes and shook is head before reluctantly following Link into the dark forest with Vialla close behind him. The group traveled for many hours in the dim forest when the path suddenly became very steep and rocky. The canyon walls, which could still barely be seen through the trees, were beginning to come lower to the ground. Link and Chiron were easily able to handle the road’s incline, but Vialla was still a little weak and her shoulder was still bothering her making it difficult for her to keep up with the pace of the others. Chiron noticed Vialla was struggling to keep up and hurried back to help her.
“Link,” Chiron yelled out, “slow down. Vialla needs to stop for a minute.
Link sighed and called back, “We can not afford to stop. We need to get out of these woods as fast as possible. Besides, with those Tyfirians on our tail every minute counts.
“Vialla can’t go any further,” Chiron pleaded, “she needs to rest for awhile if she’s going to survive our journey through the woods.” Link shook his head and walked back to Vialla and sat down with her and Chiron.