Written in Blood

XVI . A Battle of Pawns

There's nothing to think about except making sure I don't run over people on Epona. I have my sword brandished by my side, and I can see corpses of monsters already in a small heap by the stone stairs up to Kakariko, nestled in the valley beneath Death Mountain.

It all happened so fast, the kiss, Zelda's eyes, the news of the attack, and yet everything still feels like it's accelerating. I'll have to shove all these thoughts fighting for attention in my head and focus on the task at hand.

There isn't time to think about those right now, I'm still charging into a battle I'm grossly unprepared for. I've barely been able to handle conflict in the past, and it was never as serious as this. This is a battle, it isn't some silly competition or fighting those bumbling monsters in the field.

I don't have the skills of a warrior. It should've been a red flag when the field was empty of the usual monsters on patrol around the place. In hindsight, I should've realized something was amiss. They were leaving to launch the attack, it all makes sense now, after the fact.

Ganondorf had already been planning for this attack then, and even to me- someone who doesn't understand war strategy- a move against Kakariko makes sense. Castletown was the largest concentration of Hylians, their first point in the plan, and Kakariko is the second and last concentrated town of Hylians. It's already clear that Ganondorf is targeting Hylians, if he's a power hungry as I remember, he'd want to dismantle the monarchy. He's certainly done that, although Zelda is still very much alive.

I grit my teeth as I near the bridge, there's no way I can get through this mess without clogging everything on my way across. I'll have to go around. Epona's always hated jumping over this river before, but she'll just have to do it this time.

"Okay girl, get ready."

I steer her away from the bridge and over the open river. The water is clear, even despite how fast and rough it is.

I know Epona won't like having to do this, but I know she's smart enough to understand the circumstances which constitute making her jump the river. And it's not like it isn't hard, she's had to jump farther before. For Din's sake, she jumped the fence back at the Ranch with no fuss or hesitation.

Epona jumps, and clears the jump easily. I never had any doubt. That horse...

The ground in front of the stairway is splattered with blood and corpses, and the stairway is likewise stained with blood. It's still wet too, there's a dull shine on the stairs slick with blood. I can feel my face harden further, I expected this to be as gritty as it is, as morbid, and yet all this blood just seems to be so much. So much blood.

I start to slip back into my past, but I can't afford to let myself go now. I grip the reins harder in an attempt to snap myself out of it. I can already feel my vision began to fade out, clenching the leather tighter. Even as I'm trying to be strong, I can feel the panic. It's a fear that sneaks up on me. It always sneaks up on me. Even in times of light, it still taints me in darkness. But I'm fine. I've moved on. This pain and this hurt are nothing to me. I should be over this. My past is long gone.

I manage to fend off the images and the memories, although I can tell I'm trembling in the saddle.

I'll feel better if I start moving, get my mind off it. That's what always helps.

With unsteady legs, I slide off Epona. They feel weak, and even with the weight of the war and Hyrule's survival once again forced onto my shoulders, I'm disconnected from it. Shook to the core. I was so close to slipping away again, I can feel the paranoia on the fringes of my mind.

Get a grip on yourself Link. I snarl in my head. This isn't time to get lost in my own unimportant memories.

Lives are on the line, and for the first time in years, I have to help. This sounds like a job for the old Link.