Chapter II -Gerudo Woman-

Brown boots covered his feet. Dark blue pants covered his legs and a belt matching the color, but made of scales, held the pants together. His green tunic was covering his body, but underneath the green shirt was a breast plate. His hands were covered with these rock-like grey gauntlets. A ring was nestled around the index finger of his left hand. And of course, Link still wore that green hood over his head. Now his weapons were located across his belt, but also a bag hung from it too. It was also dark blue with star and moon shapes covering it. A sheath for his sword was strapped across his back, along with a large quiver that held many arrows. But now one arrow was missing from the bunch. It was locked in the bow Link was about to use. Still holding that smile on his face, and eyes sharply targeted on the beast, his fingers begin to slip.

The fingers that held the arrow to the string, opened. Lit bright blue and sparkling, the arrow flew down with swiftness toward the hind leg of the Nightmare Beast. Glistening lights of different shades of blue exploded over the hind left leg of the enemy. The arrow quickly froze the leg to the ground. The ice spread like tree roots up and down the leg of the beast making the leg look like, an ice sculpture. It was so thick and quick in movement that the nightmare beast didn't have time to react. Quickly the second hind leg fell to the same fate. Link put away his bow on his back and reached for his belt and his hook shot. Blasting the head peace into the rock wall and a tight grip on that handle, he jumped over down to the ground. Before hitting like a rock would from a forty foot drop, the swordsman pushed a button on the handle that locked the chain stopping him quickly. He then let go of his grappling devise, and in a moments had his sword and shield ready in front of him as he ran at the creature that threatened the city.

Seeing this little creature run at him, the Nightmare Beast opened his mouth wide and many lighting bolts zapped from its throat straight for Link. Though the elf was quick in rolling to his left in an effort to dodge the attack, he was still hit, and knocked back several feet. Getting back up, Link was running back on his way toward the beast again. Jumping high with a side flip, Link aimed his right hand at the beast and hit it with a huge explosion of fire then landing on the creature's back. The beast not hurt responds with a quick buck throwing Link into the trees. The creature looks over its shoulder to see where his enemy lay only to find him not in sight.

Sharpe pain came to the beast as Link had jabbed his sword deep into its belly. Roaring in response, again another nova was bellowed out of the beast, but it missed Link completely. Again Link's sword slithered its way into a different area of the beast's stomach. This did something to the beast. It got really quiet. Its head lowered to the ground, and a rumbling of the ground began. Then the whole body of the Nightmare Beast began to glow a brilliant bright white color. Link rolled away from the sight of all this, to make sure he kept his safety. The rumbling of the ground got more violent as time pasted. The ground was rolling in tremors. Blindingly bright, the beast's body explodes. Link is thrown far and everyone that could see the beast was knocked down.

After returning to his feet, and checking himself for injurers sustained, Link reproached the Nightmare Beast. He came to the remains with caution, sword and shield drawn ready for anything. Link knew the battle was not over. Only the entrails of he beast were scattered all around the gates entrance and the forest near by. Thinking things were safe Link began to sheath his sword when he noticed something strange, a sword. It was big, and odd shaped. A dark blade of wicked magic made it. But what was most interesting about the beast's remains, was a hand protruded out of the corpse. The hand was attached to the weapon. Returning his sword to its ready position Link ventures closer to get a better look. When he came closer to it the hand twitched. Suddenly the sword swung at Link with great force. Of course Link blocked it but the blow knocked him so hard, he had to take a few steps back to stay his balance. After the blade retracted back, the rest of what belonged to the hand stood up and shown its terrible body.

The creature that held this blocky sword was about eight feet tall and wore heavy armor, dark as the night, which covered its entire body. A black aura surrounded it as it stood there staring at Link. In a slithering voice that could frighten a whole house of children into nightmares, it spoke, "You recognize this sword Link? It is the one that your mortal enemy used. The same sword you fought against many years ago. Ironically, it is here today to kill you." The sword he was speaking of came quickly towards Link's right side. In reaction to this, Link bent forward, letting the blade just pass over his back. He rolled forward to strike this foe, but only found himself being hurled into the air, coming to a stop against a wall. This knocked the wind out of him. Staggering to his feet, Link stood again. When he looked up, this armored creature was in a full sprint right after him. Extending his sword straight, a beam of light surged out of it, striking the creature. This only stopped its movement forward, but it still stood its ground. Letting his sword down, the swordsman put his hand on the megaton hammer on his belt. He then ran towards the tall creature in a full sprint. Link jumped high into the air way before he was close enough to the armored creature, only to throw the hammer at the creature's head. When it hit, the swordsman rolled under the beast, stood up, and then he swung at the creature's head. The hammer knocked the creature's head way back, so far that it was bending over backwards. This did give Link the opportunity to use his sword against the creatures head, once. The blow knocked its helm clean off. Long red hair streamed down from the head of a woman.

Shock came to Link when he noticed that it was a gerudo inside the suit. The beautiful eyes and dark skin gave it away. Though her eyes were beautiful, anger filled them as she turned to see Link. This kind of control over someone hasn't been seen since the twin witches I fought so long ago. He thought while also dodging attacks from this viscous female. Link rolled near his hammer and grabbed it while on the move, and placed it back on his belt. Back flipping back towards the castle wall, Link was trying to come up with a plan to stop this woman.

Fireballs chased the swordsman from the woman in armor, as he moved back, closer to the walls. Then it all stopped. Link stopped too in his tracks to find out why it was so quite. He came to find the woman in armor to be gone. She had disappeared completely. Link began to feel a sharp pain in the back of his head, right before he blacked out.

"Leave him alone!" screamed a voice. At the gate, which was now opened, the woman Link saved stood there with her hands outstretched. Two glowing balls of light, formed in the palms of her hands, as she too gave and angered look at the gerudo woman. The woman in armor started at a full sprint toward the young woman standing alone. "Now you die!" both balls of light got a little brighter before they became one huge blast of energy that engulfed the woman in armor, and stopped her from moving. The light she produced began to rip the metal armor off of the gerudo's body and tarring her body to pieces. In just moments the woman in armor was gone, destroyed completely.

The woman at the gate let her arms down, and stood just a moment longer before she too fell unconscious.

Back at the castle, King Howten had his best healers attending to Link and his mysterious companion. When the healers first got to Link he was almost dead. The hit he received was so damaging that it might have cracked his skull.

Paltin joined the King in his study as they spoke of the night's events. "Can you believe what happened tonight? That woman Link was fighting, she was not normal in any way." Paltin began.

"I heard of the woman from one of the message soldiers. How is it that Link has found a match for his skill?" the King said in response.

"I don't know my lord, but by what I heard from my men, it has to be someone from his past."

"What makes you say that Paltin?"

"Well my men said that the woman in the suit had expressed a mentioning of the sword she was using was from his past. Funny thing is sire, is that the weapon was no where to be found around the remains of the woman."

"From the reports that I saw, she is a gerudo from Link's home land, Hyrule. That is quit puzzling. I wander if...no he can't be back so soon...he just can't be..."

"Who do you speak of my lord?"

"An old enemy of Link's...his name was Ganondorf..."

"Was that the same man that Link was said to have put away only a year ago?"

"Yes, we never heard of any of it until we met Link years ago. The Castle of Hyrule stopped sending messages, and stopped trading about eight years ago. We never knew what happened, and it wasn't extremely crucial that we lost them as a trade, but it was strange."

"How long has it been since the day that we met Link, or should I say, since that blue dragon attacked the city for the last time?"

"It has been...well I think four years, but it seems just like yesterday. From that day up to now, Link has become very different and much more powerful. What my query is, how much power he has, and what is he meant for."

"My lord, my lord, the man from Hyrule awakes." A servant entered the room quickly to tell the King."

"Why do you intrude without knocking servant?" asked Paltin.

"Sorry lord, but the reason is that the man wants to leave immediately. So I figured you would want to know. He is getting his things together as we speak."

Paltin went for the door, then turned to the King and said, "I will return shortly after finding out what is going on with Link. If it is alright with you that we finish at a later time?"

"Yes Paltin, that is fine," replied King Howten.

After getting permission to leave, Paltin left the King's chambers and headed down the long hall to a set of stairs that led to the main doors of the castle. After reaching the outside, Paltin was approached by a soldier and was told that Link was at the stables getting his horse. Paltin already knew where Link was, this wasn't the first time he was just going to leave without a word. Now running, Paltin was on his way to the stables. When he entered through the doors, he found Link leading his horse outside.

"Link stop. We need to talk before you leave this time, it is important to our cities protection. We, the King and I, need to know what we are facing here. You seem to know what it is that is going on, so please, enlighten us."

"The creature that was after the girl was not normal at all. That gerudo was a woman I fought when I was in search of Ganondorf, years ago. But when I fought her, it was really about one year ago," as Link spoke, he tied up his horse outside the stables. "She was the gerudo protector; I had to beat her to gain their approval so I could move on to my next objective. That sword she had was not a normal sword in the least. It belonged to Ganondorf. I know I fought against it before. The strange thing is, she was faster and must better than I had anticipated. That is the reason she knocked me down."

"I also wanted to know, why couldn't our healers touch you for about thirty minutes?"

"Neru's love, it is a spell given to me when I was very young. Whenever I fall in battle, it casts itself upon me to protect me. If I was under an attack, the magic would have tried to wake me so that I could get away from danger, though, that woman hit me really hard," a half smile crept up on his face as he spoke those last words.

"Well you could have died. Well anyway, that doesn't matter, what matters is, what the hell is going on?"

"When I speak with the King, you may be present to hear what I have to say."

"And when is it that you will speak with the King, Link? Tomorrow, in a year, when?"

Link only continued on toward the castle. Through the main doors, down the corridor, up the stairs, and into the King's study chambers, Link and Paltin met with King Howten.

"Ah Link!" exclaimed the King, "You have come to talk I am guessing?" he approached Link with an open palm. Link took up his hand in a gracious hand shake. After the greetings, Howten spoke again, "So, you are here I suspect to tell me of what you think is going on, and what you plan to do about it? Am I right Link?"

"As always. Let me begin. I have a feeling that the girl I picked up is from my home place of Hyrule. I was headed there anyway, but for some strange reason, I think something bad is happening. My only guess at this point is, is the gerudo are going to wage war, or already have, against the princes Zelda. That woman I fought last night was one of the gerudo. I have fought her before, but this time she was enhanced...enhanced a lot more then I remember. The weapon she fought me with was the same one my greatest foe used years ago. It was Ganon's Black Sword of Power. I have another fear, but it can't be true..." Link was interrupted by the King.

"So you are saying that Ganon...might be back or has some influence on the land of Hyrule?"

"Maybe...but unlikely, it is probably just the gerudo fighting in honor of their leader. Well I plan on traveling straight to Hyrule to see what is going on. I am going to ask you to do me a favor."

"Of course Link, what is it?"

"I want you to ready your army, I might need their assistance...actually I should say, Hyrule needs your assistance."

Paltin steps into the conversation now, "You are asking us to ready our army to be on call. Why should we be on call for Hyrule? Your home country has never once helped us, or any other country before in all of our known history."

Link speaks quickly with a small sign of anger in his voice, "Hyrule has given you a person that has fought many battles for not only your country, but many others. If it wasn't for me, this palace would be rubble. So keep your temper to yourself so you don't have to see mine, Paltin."

"What! Link you can't just threaten me like that. You may be powerful, but you are still just an Elf, and I know Elves can be killed. I know...I have killed one before."

"If you have, that is your business with that Elf, but I am not an ordinary Elf by any means. King Howten, I only ask that you make your army ready to march to Hyrule, or ready to defend its walls. You now have no choice. Those Orcs are probably headed back to their home to get ready an army to come back here. The only way I will be sure is to first see where their tracks lead, then travel to Hyrule to see what is going on. All I can say is that you will get a message from me within two weeks. I promise."

The King walked around his study, examined a book on his desk for just a moment, then lifted his head and spoke, "Link, I will ready my armies to protect my home, but I will wait for you message before I ready them to leave. I am concerned now about the Orcs. I have been since I first found out they were here. Ah...but I will only fight a battle that I can win. Link I will not send my men to a place where they will be eradicated."

"I don't ask that. Just...have them ready," after saying that, Link started toward the door, but before he could go through it, Paltin was in his way.

"You're not leaving until all our questions are answered Link. I won't let you..." annoyed, Link swiftly just uses his left arm to grab Paltin, and toss him aside as if he was just an object in the way of a tornado. Howten just shook his head as he sat down in his big chair behind his desk. Paltin rose up quickly to pursue Link but was stopped by a quick word from his King.

As the swordsman was just exiting the building, he was shocked to find his horse standing at the gates ready for him. But the horse was not alone. The girl he had saved was on its back. She was dressed in a full outfit again, hiding her body and face from his viewing.

"What are you doing?"

In a quiet voice, she responded, "I am headed to Hyrule as you seem to be. Plus, by being here, I only bring danger such as the creature you fought last night. Besides, I think you can use my help..." and under her breath she says, "...again..."

"I think that will work. You can explain what is going on, but you have to promise that you will tell me everything. Agreed?"

"...Agreed..."

Link was quickly on his steed, turned her around, and galloped toward the entrance of the city. They were outside the city walls in just moments, and Link was riding north once again.

End of Chapter.