Link's Arc

Chapter 2 of 5

Link rode toward the red light on the horizon. Then Epona faltered. He looked back. The three hunters had not shrunk into the dark. They had gained on him. The swamp beast loped through the grass on all fours, its yellow eyes burning. The wrapped figure glided behind it, red eyes glowing. The ghost girl floated between them, black hair streaming, her small mouth open in a scream. Link could not outrun them. He would have to turn and fight. He reined Epona to a stop. On his back he carried a sword and a bow he had found earlier on his quest. He had never drawn them in a real fight. His hand shook as he pulled the blade free. "Come on, then," he said. His voice cracked, but he held the sword steady. The swamp beast reached him first. It lunged, claws wide. Link swung Epona sideways and slashed. The blade bit deep into the creature's shoulder. Green sludge sprayed. The beast howled and stumbled back. Link did not wait. He dropped the reins, drew the bow, and nocked an arrow. The ghost girl drifted closer, her scream rising. He loosed. The arrow tore through her thin chest. She burst apart like smoke and was gone. Only the wrapped figure remained. It raised both bandaged arms. Link remembered the earth splitting under him before. He kicked Epona hard. She charged. The ground cracked open where they had stood a breath before. Link leaned low and swung his sword as they passed. The blade caught the wrapped figure across the chest. Its red eyes flared, then dimmed. It crumpled into a heap of gray cloth. Link pulled Epona around, breathing hard. The swamp beast still lived. It crouched in the grass, clutching its torn shoulder, and hissed. Then it turned and fled toward the red light. Link had won. Three had hunted him, and now only one ran, and it ran home to warn its master. He sheathed the sword and looked at the horizon. The red light no longer sat still. It rose. Behind it, a shape lifted from the black hills. A castle of stone, its towers wrapped in carved serpents, their eyes glowing green. Snakes coiled up every wall. The whole mountain seemed to breathe. A new figure stood at the castle gate, small against the dark. It was thin and gray, with a large smooth head and huge black eyes. It watched Link across the field without moving. Then it lifted one long-fingered hand and pointed at him. Link felt cold run down his back. He had beaten the hunters, but he had shown their master his face. Now the thing at the gate knew him. It knew he was coming. Link patted Epona's neck and pointed her at the serpent castle. "We go to it," he said. "Before it comes to us."