Link's Arc

Chapter 4 of 5

Link rode Epona hard across the cold moor. The city lights glowed far ahead. Then something crashed through the trees beside the path. The swamp beast burst out, mud dripping from its huge arms. It had escaped him once. Now it blocked his road to the grimoire. Epona reared. Link jumped down and drew his sword. The beast swung a fist like a boulder. He rolled clear and slashed its wrist. Black slime sprayed the grass. The beast roared and charged again. This time Link stood his ground. He waited, then drove his blade deep into its chest. The beast shuddered and dropped face-first into the mud. It did not rise. But the fight had drawn watchers. A cold laugh cut the dark. A thin figure in a purple hood stepped onto the path. Bright orange fire burned in his skull's eye sockets. This was Skeletor, master of the monsters who had hunted Link's ally Princess Zelda's homeland. Beside him stood a small sorceress with black hair and a glowing purple staff. Evilin. Her grimoire held the true name Link needed. She should have hated Skeletor for losing her book. Instead she stood at his side now, staff raised. "The boy killed our swamp thing," Skeletor said. "Kill him, witch." Evilin pointed her staff. Purple lightning cracked toward Link. He dove behind a rock. Stone shattered above his head. "You want my book back?" she called. "It burned my coven. It will burn you too." Link came up swinging. He cut the staff in half. The purple light died. Evilin screamed and stumbled back. Skeletor lifted his own black rod, orange flame gathering at its tip. Then the ground split open. A giant hand tore up through the mud. Green skin. Iron spikes on the wrist. A huge shape climbed out, wild orange hair burning like a torch, red eyes glaring. Gannon. He should not have been here. Link's chest went cold. Gannon looked at Skeletor, not at Link. "This one is mine," Gannon growled. "You do not touch him." Skeletor hissed. "He serves no one but the master." "I serve the master," Gannon said. He swung his armored arm and struck Skeletor across the chest. Skeletor flew back into the trees. Evilin fled after him into the dark. Gannon turned to Link. "You beat their little monsters. You will not beat me." Link did not stay to test it. He whistled sharp and clear. Epona thundered out of the shadows. He grabbed her mane and swung up as Gannon's fist smashed the ground where he had stood. Link kicked hard and Epona bolted for the city lights. Behind him, Gannon roared and gave chase on foot. The swamp beast was dead. But the master had sent something far worse to guard the road. Link bent low over Epona's neck. He had to reach the grimoire before Gannon caught him.