The Legend of Zelda- Ocarina of Time

Into the Breach

Chapter 55
Into the Breach

The battlefield was chaos: a maelstrom of steel, fire, rock, flesh and bone, yet amidst the tempest of destruction, Link noticed none of this. Blood pounding in his ears, his heart raced as he realized what he'd just done.

He stood over the lifeless form of an iron knuckle, still unable to believe it. The creature's mighty axe lay a few feet away, and the memory of how harrowingly close it had come to cleaving him in two left Link in a daze. 

How did I manage that? he wondered.

Navi flitted over to him, looking relieved. "Link, are you-"

Link managed a weak smile. 'Thanks, Navi,' he said as both of them beheld the fallen knight.

"That," Navi said with astonishment, "was incredibly brave and utterly stupid of you!"

"Thanks, Navi," Link said, noticing the strong disapproval in her eyes.

Link turned back towards the Iron Knuckle. The creature lay dead at his feet with a spear shaft sticking out from its visor slit. The surge of energy Link had felt when channelling the Triforce of Courage was dissipating, leaving him drained. He hadn't meant to use it, but it had come to him all the same. Link stumbled away from the body, still caught in a daze. The dead lay everywhere, while the cries of the wounded were lost amidst the roar of battle.

To Link's relief, the boy he'd saved was still alive. He was staring at Link with an expression of total amazement, and he wasn't the only one gawking either. Link barely noticed the other soldiers crowding around him, all appearing stunned that he hadn't been killed. A ring of spears and bows formed around the wounded, pointing towards the surrounding tempest of the battle.

"Is...is...it dead?" the boy stammered. He stared at the iron knuckle, his voice weak from shock. He seemed almost oblivious to the fact that he was pinned by his dead horse.

"Yes," Link said, still breathing hard. "It's dead." Taking his eyes off his fallen quarry, Link focused on the injured youth. "What's your name?"

"Teron," the boy said. That...what you did...it was incredible.."

Link knelt down, grabbing the dead horse. He grunted, attempting to lift it off the boy, but the weight proved too much. He was surprised when one of the sorcerers knelt beside him and lifted the animal, while someone else simultaneously pulled the lad free. Link's stomach almost heaved when he glanced at the youth's leg. The limb was twisted at an odd angle and there was bone protruding from bloodied flesh.

Before Link could say anything, he heard Toru's voice and glanced up to see the Lord General dismounting from his horse. The man's expression was furious.

"You crazy fool!" he growled, his voice barely audible over the battle's din. "You trying to get yourself killed pulling off a stunt like that? My orders were to keep you alive, and you ain't making it easy!"

"I had to stop that thing," Link protested.

"Yeah, so I noticed," Toru said, shaking his head. "Bloody fool! Next time I tell you to get back, you get back. The Gorons could've handled that beast."

Not in time, Link thought. He glanced back at Teron's pale face, which seemed to go even whiter, and then back at Toru.

The man made no further comment about Link's actions. Instead, seeming satisfied that he had made his point, Toru addressed the woman tending to Teron's leg. "How's he doing?"

"The injury is severe," the sorcerer said, "But, he will live, provided that leg is mended quickly."

"I'm going to lose my leg, aren't I?" Teron asked, sounding terrified.