![]() Chapter 44 Race the Evil…A Chapter by DreamerChapter
44
Race
the Evil….
Gerad
could see the walls of Hyrule far off in the distance from where he and Selene
rested their horses by a stream. Calhan’s warning echoed at the back of his
mind and made his skin crawl in apprehension. As if mocking his fears the sky
was a bright azure and the birds were singing. Selene watched him concern for
him visible on her face. “You
ready?” Gerad asked turning to her. She
nodded but said nothing as she stood up and mounted Starfire. Gerad mounted
Artimus, glanced to make sure Selene was ready then kicked Artimus into a
gallop heading for Hyrule once again. The sun slowly set as they neared the
walls causing their shadows to stretch before them. Gerad
jerked hard on Artimus’s reins pulling him to a halt. Selene managed to stop
Starfire in time to keep from colliding with him. The crimson light of the
setting sun mixed with the spilt blood of the slain Hyrule soldiers. The bile
crept up Gerad’s esophagus causing him to swallow hard to keep it down. Gerad
urged Artimus forward slowly his eyes trying to comprehend the carnage around
him. Selene
lost the contents of her stomach gripping the saddle with a vice like grip. The
horses picked their way across the bodies of the soldiers nearing the ruined
gates of the city. There wasn’t any sign of the citizens as they crossed the
market. Houses were burning or burnt down completely. More soldiers’ bodies
littered the streets. Gerad turned Artimus toward the castle and Selene
followed. “Gerad!”
Calhan’s voice called to him from a window that was still standing, “Gerad, go
to the temple!” Gerad
ignored him as he urged Artimus to go faster. Calhan kept calling to him from
whatever reflective surface they passed and still Gerad ignored his cries.
Selene finally kicked Starfire to overtake him. “Gerad.”
She said pulling him up short, “We have a mission.” “I
have to see if they’re alright.” Gerad cried, “They’re our parents.” “You
don’t think I want to also?” Selene countered, “Calhan told us what we had to
do. If we don’t do it all will be lost, these soldiers will have died for
nothing!” “Selene’s
right, Gerad.” Calhan’s voice emanated from the pendant around Gerad’s neck, “You
two have to go there as soon as possible.” “You
go,” Gerad spat at her, “I’m going to find mom and dad.” With
that he kicked Artimus into a gallop down the road to the castle leaving Selene
in the dust. The smoke clouds from the burning city overcast the sky and gave
it an eerie red glow. Gerad gripped the reins in apprehension as he neared the
gates to the castle. Glancing over his shoulder he saw Selene had not followed
him. The
castle was in worse shape than the town. Whole sections of it were collapsed
and smoking. Gerad jumped off Artimus drawing his sword and shield. He quickly
got to the left side of the doorway. He glanced through the door and saw not a
soul. He quietly slipped through the door and made his way down the deserted
corridors headed for the throne room. He
stepped over the dead forcing himself to keep his wits. The dead weren’t only
soldiers this time. The main corridor was collapsed causing him to take an
alternate route to the throne room. The silence set his nerves on edge as his footfalls
echoed back to him. Coming
to the small door that opened into the back of the throne room Gerad swallowed
hard and slowly opened the door. Walking into the open space before the thrones
Gerad glanced around the room searching, his eyes caught sight of what he was
looking for. Falling
to his knees his voice cried out in grief as his mind went blank rebelling from
the reality his eyes mercilessly showed him. Slamming his fists into the ground
he cried harder with each strike. Raising his head, tears falling down his
face, he crawled towards his slain parents. “Mom!”
Gerad cried, “Dad, no!” Gerad
sat inches from his parents’ bodies for how long he didn’t know. He heard
something but couldn’t make out what it was in his grief. Again it pulled at
his attention. “Gerad
move!” Calhan’s voice rang out from the pendant around his neck. On
instinct Gerad dove to the right just as a sword swung where his neck used to
be, cutting his arm. As Gerad rolled back to his feet his grief was replaced by
rage as Ganondorf smiled at him. Ganondorf’s armor was blood splattered as was
his sword. Gerad guessed all of it was not his own. “Well,”
Ganondorf laughed, “look who we have here. I thank you for saving me the
trouble of hunting you down, brat.” Gerad
didn’t hear a word he said as he called on the pendant and made a spirit sword
and shield. Charging straight at Ganondorf he cried in fury as Gerad launched
himself into the air hammering down at his head. Ganondorf blocked him
effortlessly and hit him to the side. Gerad landed skidding a few feet then
attacked again. Ganondorf
looked bored as he blocked each attack Gerad threw at him. Gerad on the other
hand was getting more exhausted by the minute. Finally one of his attacks
landed barely scratching Ganondorf’s right cheek. Gerad
landed breathing hard waiting for Ganondorf’s move. Ganondorf touched the small
slice on his cheek and pulled his fingers away bloody. Smiling Ganondorf
laughed as he licked the blood off his fingers staring at Gerad. Gerad
blinked and Ganondorf was right in front of him. Gerad managed to block his hit
in time but it was harder than any other Ganondorf had used so far. Slamming
into the right wall Gerad felt some of his ribs crack. He
fell to the ground coughing blood. Ganondorf didn’t relent as he attacked Gerad
again. Gerad rolled forward dodging the downward strike. Ganondorf’s sword cut
deep into the marble floor. Dread started to grip Gerad’s heart as Ganondorf
pulled his sword out and turned to him slowly. Slowly
Gerad crawled backward as Ganondorf advanced on him. His mind raced trying to
think of something to do to save himself. His hand hit something sticky and
glancing down he saw his slain parents. Fear took hold of him completely as he
looked back and Ganondorf was standing directly over him poised to strike. His
breathing was rapid as he watched Ganondorf’s sword come straight for his head.
His mind screamed for his body to move. Time slowed as the sword got ever
closer and still he couldn’t move. Suddenly Ganondorf was blown sideways by a
giant orb of light. He had pulled his sword back to block it and when it
disappeared he glared at who had shot it. Selene
gathered her energy again and threw a light spear at Ganondorf. He blocked it
easily but she didn’t relent as she threw one after another at him. Gerad
watched stun as his sister screamed in rage at Ganondorf pushing him back. “Get
up!” She yelled at Gerad. He
found himself responding to the authority in her voice as he scrambled to his
feet. He ran to her side as she threw more spears at Ganondorf. He thanked the
goddesses that she had come. Selene gathered more sage energy and began to glow
brighter and brighter. “Close
your eyes.” She said to him over her shoulder. She
clapped her hands together and her light burst. Gerad hid his eyes but it still
came through blinding him. He felt her grab his hand and jerk him sideways. He
put one foot in front of the other being led by his sister. His
sight slowly came back and he was able to run on his own. The two of them ran
full speed through the corridors of the castle. Gerad heard footfalls behind
them and glanced over his shoulder to see Ganondorf round a corner. “Faster!”
Gerad cried picking up his pace to the protest of his broken ribs. Selene
jumped and turned firing off a light spear at Ganondorf. He had to stop as it
hit the ceiling above him causing the corridor to collapse. She landed and kept
running. The two of them made it out of the castle. Selene mounted Starfire and
waited just long enough to make sure Gerad made it onto Artimus before tearing
off toward the town. Gerad kicked Artimus to match her speed and the two of
them raced through the streets. Glancing back over his shoulder he didn’t see
any sign Ganondorf had chased after them. The
two of them made it to the Temple of Time and jumped off their mounts. Running
up the steps to the door both of them pushed open the door and ran inside. They
slammed the door shut behind them and Gerad pulled down the beam to bar the
door. Both
of them were breathing hard and Gerad slowly slid down the door to the floor
trying to catch his breath. Selene leaned her forehead against the door
concentrating on slowing her heart rate. Gerad swallowed hard and climbed to
his feet. He coughed up more blood but started walking to the altar at the back
of the sanctuary. Selene followed him and grabbed his arm. “Wait.”
She said softly and touched his ribs. He
hissed in pain but as her hands glowed the pain eased and he was able to
breathe easier. He caught her when she faltered after she was done. She shook
her head and stood on her own continuing toward the altar. “Alright,
Calhan,” Gerad said out loud, “we’re here.” “There
should be three gems on the altar.” Calhan’s voice said from the pendant. The
three gems of time floated serenely on the altar. The Kokiri Emerald, the
Goron’s Ruby, and the Zora Sapphire. “Yeah,
they’re here.” Gerad replied, “What do we do?” “Selene,”
Calhan called to her, “play the song of time to open the door of time.” Selene
nodded and pulled out her ocarina. Putting it to her lips she took a deep
breath and began to play the song. Gerad closed his eyes as his sister played
letting the music soothe him. The song filled the sanctuary, dancing around the
rafters. Moonlight filtered through the stained glass windows giving everything
an otherworldly glow. As she finished the moon once again went behind a cloud
and the sanctuary dimmed. Gerad
opened his eyes, nothing had changed. He looked to Selene who shrugged. Before
he could say anything the temple started to shake. The triforce symbol on the
wall began to glow and the back wall slowly parted. As the dust settled Gerad
felt something drawing him to go through the door. Slowly
he walked up the stairs to the left of the altar and approached the opening.
Selene walked up after him but stayed outside the door. Gerad took a sharp
breath as he realized what it was that was calling him. Majestically in the
center of the room the Master Sword gleamed in the moonlight. “Take
it.” Calhan whispered to him, “It’s yours.” Gerad
swallowed and slowly extended his hand toward the sword. He pulled his hand
back after hesitating a second. Selene watched him from the door and walked to
his side when he backed up a step. “What’s
wrong?” Selene asked him. He
looked at her with a pained expression on his face, “I can’t do it.” “Why
not?” She asked him, “It has to be you. You’re the new Hero of Time, Gerad. It
can only be you.” He
took another step back from the sword staring at it, “What if I’m not? What if
I can’t? Ganondorf just handed my butt to me on a silver platter not thirty
minutes ago!” Selene
set her jaw and slapped him across the face, “Man UP!” Gerad
starred at her in surprise as he slowly brought his hand to his stinging right
cheek. She glared at him in return as she put her hands on her hips in
aggravation. He was sharply reminded of their mother who would do the exact
same thing when she was mad at their father. “What’s
with all these ‘what ifs’, huh?” Selene demanded, “I don’t remember my brother
being a useless ninny!” She
poked him in the chest, “You are MY brother, the only person I’ve ever trusted
with every fiber of my being.” Tears
gathered at the corners of her eyes as she continued, “I’ve followed your lead
these past three months because I KNOW that you are the Hero of Time and you
WILL save us, you hear me?” Gerad
starred down into her eyes, the emerald eyes that had always watched him, his
victories and failures. Not once did these eyes ever doubt him and they
definitely didn’t now. Confidence came flooding back to him as he drew on the
strength in her eyes. “You’re
the hope we have for a future.” Selene continued softly. Selene
took a deep breath and wiped the tears from her eyes. When she pulled her hand
away she sniffed then punched Gerad lightly on the shoulder. “Now,”
She said looking at him smugly, “get your backbone and do what needs to be
done.” Gerad
smiled at her as he shook his head, “Mom would be proud.” She
smiled at his back as he walked back to the Master sword. “Your
sister is quite the woman.” Calhan said quietly in awe. Gerad
chuckled, “You don’t know the half of it.” Slowly
Gerad grasped the hilt of the Master sword. Pulling the sword out of its
resting place he felt a surge of power flow into him. The rush of power felt
incredible. His euphoria was interrupted by a sudden sharp pain in his back. “Hope
I’m not interrupting.” Ganondorf whispered into Gerad’s ear. Gerad
starred down at the sword sticking through his chest. Blood fell from between
his lips as he sank to his knees. Slowly he turned to look over his shoulder he
saw Selene encased in crystal her hand outstretched to him a scream on her
lips. Ganondorf pulled his sword from Gerad’s back. Ganondorf
sneered, “Now there is no more hope.” Gerad
blacked out as he fell forward, Ganondorf’s laughter echoing in his ears.
* * *
Gerad opened his eyes slowly and
found himself once again in the Chamber of Sages. He rolled over and slowly got
to his feet, he could hear liquid hitting the floor but didn’t give much
thought to it. He was so tired. “Oi, Hero!” He heard someone call to him
from his right, he turned dully toward the sound, he wanted to sleep, to give
up. He tripped over his sluggish feet and fell to the ground. He didn’t know why but he pushed himself
back up onto his hands and knees then rolled to the left and fell heavily onto
the floor into a sitting position. His left hand propped him up while his right
rested on his knee. “I think he’s a goner, there ain’t much
left in his noggin.” He heard a female voice sneer. “Din, shut up.” He heard another one
retort in an angry tone. Gerad tried to make his lips form words,
to ask them what they meant, who they were talking about, but his lips didn’t move.
His voice didn’t sound. “Gerad.” He heard a cold voice speak to
him; he saw a shape in front of him. He tried to focus his gaze but his sight
had a will of its own. He could hear the other two female voices bickering back
and forth but knew it didn’t need his attention. The one thing he needed was to
focus on the voice in front of him. “Gerad, do you know me?” Gerad knew the voice, why couldn’t he
see her, why couldn’t he say her name, “Ngh” “Gerad, do you want to live?” Gerad’s sight began to black out; he
could still hear something dripping onto the floor, “Yes.” “Gerad, do you have something to live
for?” Gerad gasped in a breath, and forced his
eyes to focus on the woman in front of him, “I….have to…save...my
friends…Nayru…” Nayru stared at him in cold emotionless
silence as the blood ran out his body through the hole in his chest. She stared
into his eyes as they closed and he fell backward flat on the floor, the
remainder of his blood pooling around him. “Oh, cripes, now we’re screwed.” Din
cried in frustration as she blinked back to their home dimension. “I was sure he was the one.” Faror
sighed as she followed Din. Nayru stared down at Gerad’s face in
silent contemplation. She closed her eyes and rested her chin on her fist. She
was silent for a while. Opening her eyes Nayru smiled warmly,
“That’s the correct answer.”
The End © 2014 Dreamer |
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Added on October 4, 2014 Last Updated on October 4, 2014 Author |