Shatter the Sky - Legend of Zelda | Twilight Princess

Plagued Lands

He was sorry to see Tara go, Link admitted to himself as he bounded back toward the village in a hurry. She was a fresh new face and personality, two things uncommon to his rural Ordon life, and he was left happy and floating from the encounter.

Link returned to the his small clearing, to find the tots of the village waiting for him there. Poor Colin was being shunned as always, and blocked from the spring by the human barricade of Beth, Talo, and Malo. A silly arrangement was soon made, resulting in Malo having Link's wooden sword. With Colin in tow, Link made his way back toward the spirit's spring.

"She's barred the gate, and she won't let you in, Link. But I'll talk to her for you. She'll listen to me," Colin said softly, and in gratitude for Link's kindness. "There's a tunnel right over there that you can crawl into the spring through."

"I know. Good luck with her, Colin. She was pretty upset." The small blonde child nodded, and boy and teen parted. Link found the tunnel entrance, and crawled on all fours through it. By the time he stood in the spring, coughing and dusting dirt off of himself, Colin already had explained the situation to Ilia. Link gave a small smile, pleased at his result. Ilia turned, and spotting Link, moved toward Epona. The mare, also sighting her master, snorted and tossed her head. Ilia paused as she glanced at Epona.

"Still prefer your master over me, huh, Epona?" she spoke, barely above a whisper. Looking towards Epona, she continued. "Don't worry about your horse, Link. Fortunately the injury isn't too serious, you two can go on together. But Link..." she said, closing her eyes, "Can you at least promise me this? No matter what happens on your journey, don't do anything... out of your league. Please. Just come home safely," she finished with a pleasant smile, looking at him squarely. Link returned her smile, and gave a nod.

Before he could reply verbally, a thunderous peal of hooves shook the ground. Epona whinnied, tossing her head as she looked toward the gate. Link, Ilia, and Colin turned as well, just as an enormous boar crashed through the gate. Beady-eyed creatures in strange clothing were mounted on the thing, with bows and clubs. Right before his eyes, Ilia was shot down as she tried to run, and Link bolted for her. He was struck from behind, and the ground spun as the pain and unconsciousness whirled and grasped him.

***

Tara kicked herself inwardly. Your horse? You let him borrow your damn HORSE? It's a hell of a job tracking down a target or THREE on Willie with your meager skill, but now on foot? All because your silly girlish mind was swayed my a charming farm boy. Tara inwardly kicked herself twice. She marched through Faron Woods, taking the path toward Forest Man's clearing, and also Hyrule Field.

"Good day, Miss Foreigner!"

"Hardly," she said in short, stomping toward the entrance to Hyrule Field. From the corner of her eye, she saw Forest Man chuckle.

Once in the pathway to the field, she drew her sword and hacked malignantly through some tall grasses and was met with a beady-eyed mug of ugly. Gasping in surprise, she halted in her spot as the creature made strange growling noises. She barely had enough time to dodge as an arrow whizzed by her head. Springing into action in a trail of invectives, Tara tucked and rolled as another arrow whirred by. She advanced, thank the goddesses for adrenaline, and did the monster a good one-two with her short sword. Injured and no good with its bow, the creature took to retreat, but was stopped with a killing blow from behind. Seething after wiping the nasty black blood off her sword in the grass, Tara kicked over the monster's body as she continued into Hyrule Field. Odd, she thought as she furrowed her dark brow. What was a bulbin doing this far from the desert? Having never actually been to Gerudo Desert herself, she had never seen a bulbin in person before. But her training had educated her on them.

Perking to the sound of a thundering horse, Tara looked up as she spotted a steed and rider coming toward her. Stepping back nervously, she gripped her sword tightly.The ground rumbled as the horse did not slow, and Tara quickly threw herself out of its path with a shout. She landed on her side, rolling, and propped herself up in time to see the rider of the wide-eyed beast fall out of the saddle and crumble to a heap in the grass. The horse itself stumbled and collapsed. Eyes wide in alarm, Tara approached cautiously. The brown stallion, worked to death, lay snorting and panting, foaming and sweating in exhaustion. Tara went to its rider. She gave a gasp as she fell to his side.

"Feo!" she cried, her gut clenching painfully as she knelt beside the bloodied and beaten Head of Criminal Affairs. "Oh Feoryth... what happened to you?" The man wheezed, coughing up blood as Tara helped him right himself so he would not choke. After gaining the ability of speech, he grasped her peasant blouse.

"Tara..." he choked, "The Castle has been overrun, the Princess has fallen to our invaders..." Tara listened in shock. "Hyrule is done, our entire world as we know it is being transformed by these dark invaders... you must listen to me, child..." He fell into a fit of coughing, staining her cream-colored shirt with his blood.

"I'm here, Feo... I'm listening," she ensured him, grasping his arm and shoulder.

"I do not have much time, my child. You must take the blade," he said, reaching a weak hand toward the still horse a few feet away from them. "You must keep yourself safe. Retrieve it, now..." Upon his bidding, Tara crawled to the horse, dead from days of nonstop riding, and tore through its saddlebags to find a peculiar sword. Grasping it tightly, she returned to Feoryth's side. Breathing heavily, he took the sword from her.

"Yes, this is the one... Rauru's Blade..." With shaking hands, he held the sword tightly. "Tara... this blade is infused with sage's light. It will keep you safe from the invaders..." in fear, Tara stared numbly. "The Princess herself gave it to me... to give to my best hunter. I chose you, Tara..." She gasped in fright, shaking her head.

"No, Feo... No I can't! I'm a borderline failure at my job, why did you choose me!" She shrieked, grasping Feoryth tightly. His soft voice soothed her.

"Hush. Hush now, Tara, do not be afraid... And do not question me. I know in my heart you should be chosen to do this and- No, Tara, do not cry. Silence, child, be still. I was not lying when I told you that you have promise. I was not lying when I told you that you can learn. That is just what you shall do, and none of the dark beings will come after you. Do you understand me, Tara?" Holding back her frightened sobs, Tara nodded.

"Keep this blade hidden. Learn to use it, learn to master it. They will not suspect you as a threat. The best hunters have probably already been killed. They themselves are being hunted. I could not destroy our information on them in time. Tara... you must promise me you will not give up in mastering the use of that sword." Tara gulped down her tears, promising Feo that she would obey. Another fit of throat-tearing coughs hit the man, and Tara tried to pull him up.

"We must get you to Ordon, Feoryth, they will help you..." she pleaded.

"No..." he protested, "I'm done, Tara. I have fulfilled my duty to the Princess."

"Feo," Tara whispered, "You are loyal and patriotic to a fault..." Feoryth chuckled grimly, before grimacing and coughing. His shaking form slowly ceased its movement, and Tara's heart clenched painfully as Feo slumped gently against her. His ragged breath ceased, and Tara fought back tears as she laid him down on the grass. The wind tossed her dark brown hair about as she looked up, and once her tears spilled from her blue eyes, they widened at what she saw. Far in the distance, in the direction of the castle, golden swirls of a barrier coated the land, far and wide. Tara's breath caught in her chest as she looked around in horror, seeing the strange, foggy barrier cover Hyrule.