Hero by Heart

Chapter 68

The sun was really starting to set now, casting long, black shadows around them, and leaving the skies in beautiful orange and purple colours.
     Nobody was paying any attention to the beauty of it though.
     Link and Zelda only had eyes for the dark specks against the evening skies, coming closer every second.
     In a flurry of wings and feathers a large shape dropped out of the sky, but it wasn't the Rito Link had expected.
'Kass!' He exclaimed, surprised to see the colourful appearance here on the battlefield.
     The Rito made a flourishing bow towards Zelda, before grinning broadly at Link.
     'That was quite a spectacular view,' he said, gesturing his arm out over the fields. 'I can make some great songs about the two of you.'
     He grinned happily and Link chuckled, before shaking his head in disbelief.
     'What are you doing here, Kass? You are no fighter. I thought you would stay back.'
'I am,' the Rito assured him. 'I just wanted to see if I could help in any way.'
Zelda stepped forward, smiling gratefully as she put her hand on his arm. 'Thank you.'
At that moment the flapping of wings and some soft grunts heralded the arrival of the other Rito, and Teba soon found their small group of friends.
He nodded in greeting, a serious look on his face, as if he couldn't quite believe he had a moment to relax yet.
'Those filthy creatures are taken care of,' he said with a grim smile.
'Thank you, Teba,' Zelda said sincerely, before turning to look at Link.
The knight smiled at her, understanding that she waited for him to tell them his plan.
'Have you seen where their leaders are holding up?' He asked Teba.
The white Rito slowly shook his head. 'I haven't payed much attention to them. Sorry.'
Link waved it away with a shrug. 'That's alright. We will find them.'
'I know,' Kass said suddenly, stepping forward with a sheepish smile.
Link felt his eyes light up, as he turned to the bard.
'I've been watching over their army, and noticed them storming through the ranks, not too long before you all appeared.' Kass pointed his wing a little to his right. 'They were in that direction, not even that far back.'
Link nodded, already trying to come up with a plan to take them out once and for all.
     'We'll make our way in that direction. Teba, are your men okay to cover us?'
     The Rito nodded, frowning up at the darkening skies.
     'Very well. Take some time to prepare yourselves,' he said to the entire group. 'I want to get this over with as soon as possible.'
     The others nodded and turned to do as he'd said, leaving him alone with Kass and Zelda.
     'I trust you will make sure to stay out of trouble?' He asked the Rito with a smile.
     He nodded solemnly, an absent expression on his face, his thoughts probably miles away.
     'And you-' he turned to Zelda, but was interrupted by someone calling out.
     'Zelda!'
     They both looked up to find two very familiar Gerudo women coming their way, one of them with her arm in a sling.
     'Reeza!' Zelda called out, running towards her. 'Buliara! You're safe!' She carefully put her arms around the wounded warrior, before tightly gripping the other. 'I was so worried.'
     The Gerudo Captain chuckled. 'About us? Seems like wasted energy.'
     Link caught up with them and chuckled, but he could see the grimness in Buliara's eyes. She was less relaxed than she tried to show.
     'I'm alright,' he heard Reeza say, after a thorough inspection from the princess. 'It'll heal.'
     Zelda nodded, finally stepping back with a tight smile. 'I'm really sorry.'
     The Gerudo warrior waved it away. 'Nothing you could have done. I'm just happy I'm still alive.'
     'Reeza will stay here,' Buliara cut in, with a stern expression towards the person in question, as if it had been a point of discussion before, which Link thought it very likely had been. 'And I will join you in the rest of the fight.'
     Zelda nodded gratefully, shooting another sorrowful glance at her injured friend, which Reeza pointedly ignored.
     'Let's just hope we can finally end this,' Link muttered.

Within ten minutes they had reassembled a group of strong and determined warriors, who would follow Link into the midst of the enemy's army once again.
This time they would be meeting them head on, though, and exactly where their army had put the most terrible, most hateful monsters and men.
     After a quick inventory Link had discovered that nearly half of their original group of warriors had fallen, either in their fight with the giants, or on their way back through the hostile ranks.
     Of the other half, almost two thirds had been injured in one way or another.
     Those numbers were troubling him more than he let on, knowing that he was responsible for them. Knowing that he had lost many great people, because he had taken a dangerously small group into a situation where they were outnumbered at least ten to one.
     He had taken a tremendous risk, and had it played out even slightly different, none of them would likely have made the other side.
     And he was about to do it all again.
     He looked over the assembled troops once more, but saw nothing other than determination, anger and fierceness.
     Their numbers were now bigger than they had been last time, and he had a flock of Rito covering them from above. Their odds should be better now, but still his heart was heavy.
     It was impossible for all of these warriors to return, and he was knowingly sending them to die.
     With one last, deep sigh, he raised his sword and pointed forward, sending the signal for their forces to attack.
     Under loud shouts and howls their warriors charged forward, through their own defence lines, and into the enemy, prepared to give their lives for the kingdom.