Chapter XVIII: Invasion

Chapter XVIII: Invasion

The wind raged furiously about them. The dark clouds became devoid of any trace of white, and prevented whatever light shone upon them from penetrating on to the ground. Deafening peals of thunder roared about them, and shook the mountain itself. THey looked at each other and with out a word, entered into the preadator's mouth.
Their footfalls echoed throughout the immense room. The hall was ill-lit and the amalagated scents of must and cobwebs rose into thier nostrils. Link felt Zelda's palm become slick with perspiration. They climbed a stairwell which stood before them. Link shook his head when he saw what lay on the next floor.
'I already beat them' he agonized
'Good, then it should be no problem! Give me your bow Link.'
Without contesting he handed Zelda his bow and quiver. The six Armos Knights formed a tight wedge phalanx. The tower rumbled as they surged towards them. Link relaesed Zelda's hand and charged directly at thier point. He leapt up like frog and slammed his sword into the head statue. It dropped back, and Link continued hammering away. When it fell, the wedge shattered.
Zelda loaded the bow with an arrow from the quiver Celtaria gave them. It flew into the chest of a statue. It the hit the ground as though it ran diretly into a solid wall.
Link rolled to evade the sword of one then He arose and slammed his sword into another. He leapt back, as they began to regroup. Link stood on one side, and Zelda was on the other.
As though they read each other's thoughts, Zelda fired a volley of arrows and Link rushed in like a bull. Without the opportunity to regroup, they were unable to mount any sort of defense. Zelda's volley's kept them on thier toes, and allowed Link to penetrate into thier ranks. They mowed down the Armos knights like parched grass before a November frost.

One now remained. It slammed it's fist into Link, knocking him against the wall. It turned it's attention to Zelda. She fired arrows into it, but it did not relent. Her fingers became slick with sweat, and her arms grew weary making pulling back difficult. When it was no more than a yard away, she rolled to the right and sent an arrow into it's head. It stagared back, and LInk sprang up and sank his sword into its helm.
They collected their arrows and stopped to catch thier breaths. Link remebered when the Amros Knights nearly killed him. It was a bout that seemed a lifetime ago.
'You alright?' Inquired Zelda
'I was just going to ask you. Yes I'm fine. What about You?'
'Just fine.'
The room rumbled again, and a door opened, revealing a stairwell. Link and Zelda stood for another minute, regrouping. They climbed the set of stairs before them to find The room was hot and the floor was blanketed in sand. Link knew what to expect.
'Aim for the head' Link advised
A crease, the length of a rope, fromed in the sand, and as per his expectations, a giant worm came roaring out. Link ran foreward and struck it's head. It winced and turned downwards back to its home. Before it dove back into the sand, Zelda fired an arrow into it.
One lanmola erupted from the ground directly beneath Link, knocking him from his feet. Another arose from the sands and encircled him, spiraling about him like a serpent. It closed in like a tighting noose as the other two headed for Zeldal converging upon her like pinching claws.
She strung an arrow, and flung it into one. She wheeled to her left and fired another. Zelda then dashed foreward out of thier way, and shot one at Link's aggressor. Instead of releasing him, it tightened it's grasp. She came up point, blank and launched an arrow. It constricted for an instant longer, and released falling onto the sands.

Link haunched over coughing up blood as he had seemingly countless times before. Zelda hovered above him and standing before him, bow ready to strike their assailants. Two more creases appeared in the sand. Link could feel thier arrival by the shifting of the sands between his fingers, and in his knees.
'I'm fine, Zelda. Let's finish this!'
He arose as the lanmola burst and came streaking towards Link and Zelda. Link charged foreward and slammed his sword into it's brow. Just as he did, Zelda fired an arrow into the throat of the other. LInk dove at the the beast Zelda stuck, sword raised, as Zelda shot the monster Link hit. Both attacks hit simultaniously. Then the room fell silent. They recovered the arrows and went on, resting only long enough to catch their breath.
The next floor held the moldorm.
'What's it's weak spot?' inquired Zelda.
'THe tail.
'I'll distract it, you take it out'
'Yes your majesty.'
'Don't start that with me.'
Zelda zinged an arrow into it's head. When it turned to face her, Link flanked it. She fired another, and irated, it charged. Link trailed it and leapt foreward, slicing the tip of it's tail in half. It turned and rammed Link, throwing him across the chamber. It pressed the assualt, not giving Link a chance to recover. With it's rear exposed, Zelda fired an arrow, pinning it's tail to the ground. It whipped about like a flail, in attempts to free itself. Link looked for an avenue of assault but found none. Still, he dashed in, Sword resonating in his grasp. He struck the head, inflicting no damage, and was flung out and onto the floor.

Zelda fired an arrow that hit the midsection, still hurting nothing. It broke free, and surged at Zelda. She twanged off arrows, but they glanced off. Her feet and shins quivered as it rumbled closer. Out of despiration, Zelda grabbed an arrow and lunged foreward, sinking it into the Moldorm's eye, just as Link drove the Master Sword into it's tail. With another stroke, he severed it completely. It winced and spasmed but soon decrecendoed, still and taciturn.
'WE do make a good team.' Remarked Zelda
'We do don't we.' They recovered their arrows 'I wonder if Agahnim's next?'
'I hope he is. You have no idea how I've longed to tear his black heart from his chest.'

The following level held a Ghoma. It stood claws snapping, ready to devour its intruders
'What about this one?' asked Zelda
'I don't know, I havent faced this one before, but that eye looks like a nice target. You stike it from a distance, and I'll end it.'
'Just as I was thinking?'
As they planned, Zelda twanged two arrows into it's eye. This proved enough to stun it. Link charged foreward and plunged the Master Sword into its eye. He thrashed his sword about within the eye, yanked it out and delivered a couple more strokes. He saw that it began to recover, and sped back. As soon as he cleared, Zelda launched two more arrows. Link sprang in again and delivered three more strokes. It began to recover only to recieve another arrow.
IN despiration, it whipped out its claw, cathing Link's knee. He cried out, and haked away in attempts to break it's grip. Another claw, slammed into his broken ribs. Zelda pivoted about, scoping a joint in it's claw. She looked carefully so as not to hit Link, and let her arrow sail. She hit the joint dead on, severing the claw. LInk coughed up more blood as Zelda fired an arrow she gave him an oppurtunity to escape, so he pulled back
Link circled like a prowling wolf, and Zelda walked the opposite direction, arrow caged upon it. Link dashed in, as Zelda fired, his feet carrying him swifter than the arrow's flight. The Ghoma dodged the arrow, and caught LInk in it's vise. The Master Sword fell from his grasp, as it tighted, soaking the air from his lungs. Zelda charged, arrow nocked eyes focused. Seeing her, the Ghoma slung Link at her. She leapt up and fired her shot over LInk, praying he'd be safe. Zelda would not be able to live with herself if she killed her Hero. Link, as he flew, saw the arrow screaming towards him. He curled into a ball, and sent a prayer like a flair.
Zelda's wind was knocked from her lungs as she slammed against the stonewall, and a sweating, bleeding Link struck her full force like a blitzing linebacker. The fluids in her head swirled and throbed, as Link lay quiet draped upon her.
'I'd ask if you're okay, but I know you won't give me a straight answer.' Zelda opined.
'I'm fine. I don't want you to worry about me any more than you already do.'
'Oh LInk.'
'What about you? I didn't mean to ram into you.'
'Is that so?'
'Well I know you're enjoying this position as much as I am, probally more.'
'I can't believe you! Well I am in better shape than our friend over there, and don't make me remind you you have a job to do Hero.'
'I know Princess, we have to win back your kingdom'
'OUR kingdom' she amended.
Link snapped up, and helped Zelda to her feet then they collected their arrows and continued.

'Agahnim's here. He has to be I can feel him. How are you doing?' Link wanted to know.
Her thighs burned, and her stomache began to tangle. She flet thorns sink into her shoulders as she raised her arms, and they dug deeper when she drew back her heavy bow string. Zelda's shins had thorns up and down them, side felt constricted by a steel vise, and her mouth started to fill with cotton.
'I'm fine. We've got a kingdom to take back.' She expelled a long lungful of air 'Who did you face next?'
'Three giant eyeballs.'
'That's just wierd'
That was what lay in store for them atop the next stairwell. The Kholdstair stood as much chance as the Ghoma did. It was not encased in ice as it was when Link fought it, but it still glared with heavy hatred. Before it had a chance to split into three, Zelda filled it with arrows, and Link swung away. It flashed a broad swath of lightning that swept the room from corner to corner. Link dove for Zelda, pulling them to the floor and covering her from the torrent.
It divided itself, and the three eyes went on the offensive. Two ganged up on Link. One was immeadatly struck by Zelda. It retorted with a surge of thunder. She hit the ground, and it stampeded towards her. Zelda rolled aside, bridged up, and shot an arrow.
LInk dodged a blast, and ran at an eye, impaling it. He felt a stream of lightning crackling towards him. He pivoted and slung his captive at the blast. One remained and between the two of them, it could mount no offense.

'Have you always been so keen with an arrow?'
'Well a Princess can't be completely helpless, now can she?'
'Then what do you need me for?'
'I could never wield the Master Sword, or defeat Agahnim. So I need you, I've always needed you. You know that.'
'Alright. If you're ready then, let's move on'
'I am. So tell me Link, Who came next?'
'It was something with three heads and a snake for a tail.'
'Oh a chimera.'
'I guess.'
'I thought they'd all been hunted'
'Like I'd know'
'Well, let's do this'
'You haven't hit me yet' He chided.
'I can change that' she returned
'It'd be your loss'
'I guess it would be.'
By this time, the chimera had even less of a chance that the Kholdstare did. The second they reached the next floor, Link and Zelda swarmed like an angry duo of wolves. She attacked one side, he attacked the other. When it would turn it's attention towards him, she'd attack it and draw it away from him. The Chimera disregarded Link and converged upon Zelda.
When it was a good five yards away from him, he charged in and sliced off its tail. It winced and cried, and Link pounced upon it's back like it was a bronco. Zelda looked on with an open jaw as Link grabbed it by the nape of the neck and swung away. It bucked and rampaged like a rabid tornado and His grasp upon it loosened as it trembled. As it rumbled Link was thrown completly off, and Zelda slid beneath it's chin and ended their bout.
She ran over to him, concered, yet she knew he was fine.
'Why did you do that?'
He shrugged, shoulders on the floor. 'Why else? to Impress you.'
Zelda rolled her eyes.
'Did it work?'
'Yes. It did.' She slapped him upside the head. 'I am very impressed'
'I wonder who is bringing these old beasts back. Ganon should know they can't defeat us.'
'Link, I won't even begin to try and figure out that evil bastard!'
Without even bothering to catch their breath, they ascended the steps and Link and Zelda next stood against the Gleeok.
'Guess he doesn't know what he's up against.' stated Zelda
Link laughed 'Aim for the center head. You stun the outer two, and I'll take out the middle one.'

Before it knew what was happening, three arrows were lodged in the perimeter heads. She fired two more into the middle. Link dashed in and flailed away. After a few strikes, Link realized that it began to recover. He drew back and let Zelda at it again. A stream of ice came pouring out, seperating LInk and Zelda. Link came charging in, running next to the ice. He dove at the center head, sword leading.
THe outer heads launched their barrages of flame and frost. Zelda held out an arrow, tip cathing the stream of fire. The arrowhead shone like a star, and she could feel it begin to sear her hand. She fired it into the icy dragon, it moaned and trembled. Enraged, It recovered and unleash a cold blast. Zelda held forth another arrow, and let the ice coat it's point. The arrow was heavy as granit, and flew like a bullet into the firey head.
After the left and right heads had been nuetralized, Link struck again. This time he had enough sense to back away, since Zelda had been veritably wowed by his last exploit.
He sprinted towards her.
'Get down!'
She did, and he sheltered her with his frame and uplifted shield.
An explosion with the force of a train rocked the tower. When the dust cleared, they felt the wind rushing upon them thru a vast gaping hole.
'So I guess Ganon is next?' said Link.
'I guess so. Are you ready?'
He stopped to ponder for a moment. 'Remeber the last time you asked me that?'
'Yeah, you said it didn't matter.'
'It still doesn't. Let's take your kingdom back'
'OUR kingdom!'
Atop the next set of stairs stood an old familiar enemy.

'Ah Hero, Princess, so good of you to make. Would not want you to miss your own demise.' His voice had not changed. It was still as deep as a river, and scratchy like broken glass upon raw gravel.
Link's hand held fast to the hilt. 'You honestly think you can get the best of me?'
'No Hero I do not. One of me has no chance against the two of you.'
Drops of sweat formed upon his brow. Zelda had an arrow already strung.
'Three of me though; now that's a differnt tale.'
Agahnim raised his arms as his figure began to shift and blur. Zelda fired an arrow which passed through it as though it was not even there. Where one stood, three stood, Each laughing a deep, gutteral, throaty laugh.
Two of them disappeared, and the other one fired a blast of energy at Link. He collected it, but before he could return it, it disappeared. One materialized behind him, and smashed it's forearm into the center of his back, sending him face first into the fist of another. Before he could retort, it was gone.
One appeared before him, and Link slung the energy he collected at it. He held his breath anticipating a hit. He released when he saw that it stood in front of him unscathed.
It disappeared and Link wheeled about to find another in his face. It unleashed, full force, point blank upon him. He crashed against the wall, and spat up a ball of blood. Zelda looked on desperatly seeking something she could do. One appeared and she shot an arrow. Nothing.

About in mid-shift, it found it could not completly disperse, as though it was locked. Agahnim fought, teeth grinding, veins bulging, anything to break the bonds upon him. It was almost into nothing when it was jolted back into three dimensions so hard, it's shoulders were nearly pulled from their socket. It found it could not raise it's hands nor arms to begin a new incantation. It's chest would not even move when it breathed. yet it could not fathom why. Sweat poured out as it strained to move. It saw it's adversary closing in. It had to move or it would be finished, yet it could not.
Link seized the oppertunity. He rushed in and rammed his sword into it's chest. It could feel the heat of it's own arcane power searing its insides. How could it have lost control of it's powers? It let free a groan as the Master Sword did a quarter's turn within, causing Agahnim realized its err. It was so focused upon the Hero, it compelty disreguarded her.
Link removed his sword, and it fell to the ground. He stood tall, panting voraciously. Zelda came over and put her arms about him, helping him to stand.
'It's over at last.' Stated Zelda.
He turned his attention towards her, placing his arms about her angelic frame. She rested her head upon his shoulder. LInk was so weary, he would have fallen to the ground, had Zelda not been holding him. He drew in deep breathes, greatful their plght was now finished.
'You did that didn't you?'
'You mean keep it from vanishing?'
'Yes that?'
'Yes Link I did.'
'Why didn't you do that earlier?'
'Because then it would have known.'
'Good call!'
'Well, it was time for me to start living up to my title.'
'And you couldn't've picked a better time.'
They stood silent, savoring their victory when A chilling wind entered into the room, like a wolf returning to it's den. It sent goosebumbs up and down thier spines and suspended the breath in their pipes.
'It's Not over.' Declared a voice, its tone was shadowy and abrasive, and each word crecendoed steadily.
They turned towards Agahnim's battered corpse. It sucked in all of the surrounding light and trembled. A tear formed in it, and from spewed a dark mist, that spiraled and like a host of ravens. They stood silent, thier grasps tightening upon each other. It then pulsated, and came into a solid form.
A creature stood before them. It was as large as a mountain, armoured in head to toe in an obsidian mail, and a helm as dark as midnight. It donned a flowing crimson cape trailing like a raging flame. It's eyes shone like the fires of Lucifer's grotto. Niether one could move, but only clave to the other. It raised it's palm and sent a crackling blast of magic cometing towards them. They were thrown back like leaves in a storm, losing thier hold upon each other. It swooped in like a vulture, and scooped up Zelda. With her in tow, it rocketed out of the top of the tower.
Link arose, as the debris and wind and rain descended about him. Immeadatly he pulled the amber bead that Celteria had given him.
'Celteria! I need you!'

End Chapter

Link snapped back up, and was confronted by two Agahnims. They fired simultaneously. He cought both of their barrages, and returned them. Still nothing. They disappeared and a third one materialized before him. It rocketed a shot square in his chest, and knocked him into the other two.
They pummeled away at him. Thier fists crashed into his back, ribs, head. Zelda fired an arrow into one. It writhed and disappeared. One Agahnim fired a blast at Link. He absorbed it, and threw it into another one. It shuddered and faded away.
One remained. It fired a blast of magic at Link, which he took upon his sword. He knew he'd have to fire before it would disappear. He cocked back his sword only to see Agahnim begin to fade away.