The Legend of Zelda: Courage - Part Two

Chapter IX

Lady Impa forgot to eat again.

She was determined and restless to keep her men as prepared as possible for the first wave of attackers. Standing on the outer wall, with her most powerful advisors and warriors listening to her every move, she commanded once more they go to the front lines and ask of their scouts.

The last few never returned.

Ganondorf was marching on, leaving no survivors.

What was once preventable was now inevitable.

On the horizon, her watchmen shouted out to her. Smoke trails. A camp. His camp.

Impa narrowed her eyes, keeping them glued to the horizon since then, eating only when told to.

Ganondorf was just a rebel from the desert, that's what everyone said. And Impa wanted to believe it. Her stomach pangs distracted her, forgoing her own advice of maintaining a well rounded diet to keep her post.

It had been a week, and no movement, no curriers, no messages, nothing.

Impa sharpened her sword again, scraping it against the whetstone until it could split a hair down the middle. She wasn't nervous, she would reason, just preparing for the inevitable.

At her core, she was scared. But, imagine the leader of the strongest army succumbing to fear.

That wouldn't do.

Link was missing; Zelda insisted he go on that quest and he never returned. Why was she so insistent on choosing him of all people, on sending him away, and expecting him to return? She didn't have time to think about it, until now, standing miles away from the enemy, and Impa wouldn't have time to think more on it.

"Lady Impa!", shouted the watchtower. "I see an army of hundreds! Marching in uniform, perhaps in rows of 12."

Lady Impa took her sword in hand and observed the horizon.

"What do you think, Lady Impa? Not as impressive as I thought," said a soldier.
Amongst the short wall of soldiers, mottled together in the distance was a glowing yellow light. Impa squinted and saw it grow brighter and brighter until it disappeared into the dirt.

A few seconds after, a massive shock wave shook the foundation of the castle walls, and thunder rolled all across the sky, making birds fly and dogs bark all around.

The soldier was shaken and asked, "What was that?! An earthquake?!"

"No." Impa pointed at the glowing light again. "That was Ganondorf." Again, the light glowed and dimmed causing another earthquake a bit stronger than the last. Impa commanded immediately, "Sound the alarm, prepare your men. Lower the castle gates, raise the moats. Meet him in the middle. Now!"

"Yes, ma'am!"
The soldiers as fast as they could collected their things and went to the castle gates.

"Evacuate! That's the only option!"

Impa raised her voice. "He has a Triforce!"

The King yelled back, "The triforce is sealed away! That's impossible!"

The ground rumbled again. And Impa yelled, "He's causing the earthquakes, his army is armed and marching towards the castle as we speak. I've already raised the moat, there's no way anyone is getting in or out!"

"You, what?!"

"My liege, we no longer have time, he didn't even respect us enough to send a messenger, or even start a siege."

"So you're telling me he's marching on as if he's just going to come in and take over my throne?"

"With the triforce in his possession..." She paused as the ground shook beneath them and dust fell from the ceiling. "With the Triforce in his possession, he will. It's far too late for an evacuation now, my King. There's only one thing left to do and that's take refuge."

She walked away and he commanded his servants, "Where's Zelda? Get me Zelda. Now!"

"I will search for her," said Impa. She needed to talk to the Princess.

Princess Zelda was sitting tearfully as she watched the dark colored army dotted the hills and valleys. She prayed again and again, begging for Link to appear. The door swung open and she asked, "Link?"
Impa stood at the entrance and glared.

"No. Where is he, Lady Zelda?"
Zelda stammered, "I don't...I don't know."

"What did you think would happen if you sent him away? Why send him away at all?"

Zelda felt faint, the pressure of the emerging army, the sudden change of tides and the rumbling of the castle floors, which caused her to slip. Impa managed to grab her, and carried her to her bed; her face was red and burning up. She began begging for Link. She had never been this feverish before. Lady Impa shouted for help, imagining Zelda to be shaken by the strain of war.

Zelda felt her breath run short, and pain entered her sides. What was she feeling? Was she dying? Was he dying? In a dreamlike state she could hear him fighting something massive, a monster with no face, and struggled to picture him.

She was begging for Link to come back soon, but Lady Impa said, "Snap out of it, Lady Zelda! Face it! He isn't coming back!"

Zelda shouted back, "He will! He made me a promise!" The thought of his silent promise filled her mind and calmed her, soothed her and slowed her breathing.

Her face grew cooler and Lady Impa fanned and scolded her. "Lady Zelda, this isn't the time to argue! We need you to be safe."

Safe? She closed her eyes and clearly saw that beast Ganondorf constantly abusing the Power of the Triforce. She shivered but began to stand. She still believed in Link but needed to trust him.

Once she got back to her feet, Impa said, "You need to protect yourself from Ganondorf. Get dressed."

Zelda, her head still spinning, asked, "Where are we going?"

"We're going to the armory. Link or no Link, you need to protect yourself."