A Smash of Kings

Chapter 5: The Battle For The Iron Gate

Following their High King over the smooth terrain, Luigi rode a horse. He was alongside Link, who was on Epona, Zelda, Peach and Sonic, each of which were on the back of a white stallion. They were to meet the battle commanders of the Gerudo-Koopa forces that they had driven back so far from their initial point in Kakariko. Since that date weeks ago, they had been on the run. The suggestion of a strategic retreat worked, allowing the Gerudo-Koopa Army to regroup behind the Iron Gate. The Iron Gate stood in the middle of the road, between two large, rocky cliff sides that wrapped around the entire ground border between Hyrule and the Gerudo Valley. In the middle of the field were the battle commanders for the enemy: Lord Bowser, who too adopted a scarf due to the weather; his son and knight, Sir Larry Koopa himself dawning silver armor over his shell and a helm that mimic his long, blue mohawk; his other son and Spare, Lord Morton, dawning black armor which left his spiky shell exposed with no helm; Lord Mewtwo, sporting light leather armor; and, to their surprise, Kirby, still wearing his traveling cap.

When the two opposing sides met, there was silence for a few seconds with the commanders on both sides attempting to intimidate each other. Seeing that the opposite side would not talk, Luigi spoke up to break the silence on the field, "You know why we're here, My Lord. Thousands of soldiers don't need to die tomorrow, and you don't have the numbers to win a battle."

"We will not surrender," Bowser snapped in a low, monstrous voice, "We may not have the men that you do, but we're not here to negotiate terms of surrender, but rather the terms of battle. It will begin at nine o'clock tomorrow morning, no sooner nor later."

More silence followed, both sides eying one-another down maliciously. Zelda broke her gaze on Bowser and Mewtwo, turning to Kirby, who looked as if he could stand on the saddle of his horse and still be the same height. She nodded towards him and spoke, "Lord Kirby, you're not one to choose a losing side... Or an inherently evil one at that... It is Lord Kirby now, isn't it?"

"I'm only here to observe, Your Majesty," Kirby answered quickly, almost as cold and calculating of a voice as the one Zelda was known for, "After tomorrow's battle, maybe it will be time for Warden Dedede to choose a side. And, depending on the results, I suggest that you watch your words; you don't want to say anything that may hurt your chances of being backed by Dreamland."

"We don't need Dreamland," High King Mario responded bluntly, "I expected better from you, My Lord."

"You don't need Dreamland? Are you sure about that?" Kirby asked. The tone of his response unnerved Luigi; Zelda and the issue of Dreamland confused him, especially since nobody bothered to inform him about what the problem between the two lands were, "Perhaps you should speak to your Lady Zelda. It seems to me that, at least she believes, you need Dreamland."

Hoping to move on, Luigi began to clear his throat and turned to Lord Bowser, "My Lord, we have sixty-thousand men, with tens of thousands more in reserves. You have, what? Half that? Or one-third? You don't have the men, you don't have the horses; there's no need for a battle."

"We will be ready at nine o'clock, My Lord-Hand," Lord Bowser sternly announced, "I suggest you lot be ready by then as well."

With that last announcement, Bowser and the others rode back towards the fabled Iron Gate. When High King Mario turned around and headed for the Hylian-Toadstoolcamp, Luigi hung back with Peach and Sonic. The other three (Mario, Zelda and Link) did not notice that they were riding slower purposely.

"What's the deal between Hyrule and Dreamland?" Luigi asked quietly, "We can't talk about post-war plans without Princess Zelda bringing up Dreamland."

Thinking, Sonic said, "They are the third largest territory, after Hyrule and the Smash Territory. I'm told that the Warden leans towards supporting King Ganon. Zelda must perceive anything remotely associated with Ganon as an enemy. In her defense, they have Lord Kirby on their side... Even if he is just spectating."