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yukayjei · 5 years ago

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Linked Universe FanFic: No Courage Without Fear, Part 3

Please enjoy this next part of this @linkeduniverse story!

Our Heroes confront their wicked foe at last! As with all master magicians, this dark Wizzrobe has a few tricks up its sleeve, some nastier than others...

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4]

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The hooded sorcerer controlled fire and darkness. It controlled the very forest the Heroes stood in. So many unpredictable elements had been thrown their way in one night, they were not sure how to react or what to expect next.

But they had dealt with the unexpected. Today, yesterday, and in their adventures from long ago.

To the Hero of Hyrule, the Wizzrobe itself was the most unexpected element. In the past, they had always proved challenging, but the one standing just a few yards before him was on a whole different level. The common evil that infected the Bokoblins, the Moblins, the Lizalfos, and countless other monsters also afflicted this Wizzrobe.

And instinct told Hyrule he had only gotten a taste of this malefic creature’s powers.

He also knew he was ready to give it the fight of a lifetime. He reached for his sword; beside him, Sky copied.

They rushed forward at the same time. Magic and Master Swords sliced through the air so fast their movement blurred. The blows would have killed, but the Wizzrobe vanished before they connected.

“Not again,” Hyrule groaned as the shrill, maniacal laughter echoed through the trees. “This is getting old.”

“You can say that again,” Sky agreed, eyes and ears straining for any sign of their foe. Both hands tightened their grip around the Master Sword.

Without warning, it reappeared behind them. Before the Heroes could turn, a huge, dark wave slammed them to the ground. The Wizzrobe disappeared once again.

Though winded, the Heroes rose to their feet. The Wizzrobe appeared again, this time beside them, but at a greater distance. It fired the same black wave, but Hyrule’s shield reflected it. Clearly anticipating this, the Wizzrobe simply warped out of harm’s way.

So, it’s learned from before, Hyrule thought.

The foe’s movements sped up. It teleported every second, firing a magic attack each time. Hyrule was having a hard time keeping up, even with Sky parrying just as many waves with his sword.

But then, the Wizzrobe grew eerily silent. Now, it simply watched the Heroes. It might have exhausted itself, were it not for those deep crimson eyes betraying a more sinister motive. Deep in the hood’s shadows, the centers of its eyes now glowed a brilliant yellow. The wind picked up speed, and dark clouds moved to cover the moon— all-too-familiar signs of an oncoming storm.

The Heroes watched the Wizzrobe ascend, the power of its magic lifting it out of their swords’ reach.

“Maybe I can pull out my bow and shoot it down!” Sky gripped his pouch.

“Too late!” Hyrule yelled. “It summoned a thunderstorm!” As if on cue, an enormous lightning bolt struck the ground in front of them with a deafening crash.

The clearing was now a minefield. Scores of jagged white spears streaked from cloud to ground, leaving little room for movement.

The Heroes sprang back as one missed them by a hair’s breadth. Above them, the Wizzrobe’s entire form began to shine with electric light. In response, the storm intensified, if that was even possible. The wind felt like a hurricane. The boys’ ears rang from the constant, earsplitting thunder.

Hyrule brandished the Magic Sword. “I’m going for it!”

“What?” Even in his own ears, Sky’s voice was barely audible.

The Hero of Hyrule charged like he had absolutely nothing to lose. The last reserves of the Jump Spell coursed through his legs like a flood. He sprang up, his height equaling the Wizzrobe’s, and stabbed upward. The wicked sorcerer screeched as the blade tore cloth and skin. It reeled back, falling towards the earth.

As gravity reclaimed Hyrule, the Wizzrobe’s arm lashed out like a striking cobra and seized his left wrist. The young hero struggled, but the skinny, withered hand had a ridiculous vice grip.

From his position on the ground, Sky realized, with a surge of frustration, he could not attack the foe without risking injury to Hyrule. As he paced frantically, searching for an opening, lightning danced around him, dividing his attention and keeping him at bay.

The Wizzrobe, dangling Hyrule like a fish on a hook, pulled the boy closer until their faces were inches apart. Despite this, Hyrule still couldn’t see into the black void of its hood. It was deeply unsettling, to say the least.

He stiffened as the Wizzrobe leaned in even further. From the maw of nothingness, pointed yellow teeth unveiled themselves in a malicious grin. Earth-brown eyes met blood-colored pools as the demon hissed, “Remember me?”

His blood froze like a river in winter. That voice…it’s unfamiliar, and yet—! his mind raced, but it was like pulling a wagon with the rear wheels missing. Thoughts kept starting and stopping. Then why…? No! How? Could it—?

He didn’t get to finish. The Wizzrobe threw him to the ground with a force many times greater than should have been possible. Hyrule did not react, did not even try to break his fall. He may as well have been turned to stone.

In what felt like slow motion, the Chosen Hero watched in horror as his friend hit the ground with a sickening crunch and did not get up.

“No!” he shouted. Facing the Wizzrobe, blood boiling, he finally spotted his opening. Quick as a blink, he thrust the Master Sword skyward. The sharp steel conducted lightning like a magnet. Instead of electrocuting its holder, the sword instead absorbed the charge. Sparks arced up and down the blade.

Without hesitation, he swung down. The stored energy released in a spiraling blue disc.

It hit dead on the mark. The Wizzrobe wasn’t laughing now; it shrieked and writhed in agony before crumpling to the ground like a sack of bricks.

Casting his focus off the monster for the moment, Sky rushed to his friend’s side. The Hero of Hyrule lay still— too still. Sky feared the worst. Then, he groaned weakly and opened his eyes.

“Thank Hylia!” Sky exclaimed. “Can you stand?”

“I’m f-fine,” Hyrule gulped in air and it felt like swallowing thorns. He struggled to his feet, feeling lightheaded and ignoring the invisible sledgehammer pounding his skull. He gingerly touched his side and winced. Unlike Sky, he was definitely going to have a huge, nasty bruise after this. He was lucky nothing was broken.

The Wizzrobe’s breathing came in ragged gasps. Despite its heavy injuries, it still managed to wheeze out a few giggles like the whole situation, even from its perspective, was somehow funny.

Slowly, it rose. Head bowed, its snorts transformed into snarls. Darkness gathered around it, dimming the atmosphere even further. “You…”

Sky reached back and unslung his Goddess Shield. Hyrule tensed, trying to ignore his trembling limbs.

“YOU!!” the creature screeched. Its head snapped up, bloodred eyes swirling like twin maelstroms. “You will die!”

And darkness enveloped the demon like a tornado, twisting and surging until its form was unrecognizable in the vortex. For a heartbeat, a humanoid figure could be made out. Then it swelled up, gaining mass and muscle. Extra limbs grew out of its body, as did horns, hair, and a weapon.

The vortex dispersed. The Heroes, shell-shocked, could only gape.

Before them towered a giant; a black Lynel easily four times their size, carrying a gleaming Great Flameblade nearly six feet in length. Its right hand held a cruel bladed shield. Its mane and stripes were the color of smoke, and its eyes were the same hellish crimson that had been haunting the Heroes since the stroke of midnight. It bared its long, sharp teeth in a menacing snarl.

Hyrule’s voice was failing him. “By the Triforce,” he whispered hoarsely, “it can’t be.”

“Hyrule?” Sky shot him a concerned glance. “You all right?”

But Hyrule said no more. He was rooted to the spot, eyes wide and face whiter than a ghost. The Magic Sword dangled loosely in his left hand.

Sky had seen this before, in the Hero of the Wild. Hyrule was having a flashback. A bad one, from the looks of it; it had him utterly petrified.

Sky glanced furtively at his friend, not wanting to take his eyes off the Lynel, which crouched low to the ground and growled. It stared at Hyrule in an almost hungry sort of way.

It senses his fear! Sky realized with a jolt. And some instinct told him the Lynel also sensed why.

Determination surged through the Chosen Hero’s blood. He stepped forward and planted himself right between Hyrule and the Lynel. Pointing his sword directly at its chest, he said, “I won’t let you hurt my friend. But if you insist, you’ll have to go through me first.”

“Fool,” the beast snarled. Its voice had grown scarily deep. “You have no idea whom you’re dealing with. Stand aside. I will face the one who knows to fear me.”

Without flinching, Sky met its ominous gaze. “No. You won’t.”

All too eager to accept the challenge, the Lynel sprang high off the ground. It aimed the Flameblade’s tip straight down, at his skull.

The familiarity of the move surprised the Hero. Hyrule often executed it against tough enemies, a more recent example being the infected Moblin.

Being a straightforward attack, it could be easily avoided. But Sky realized he had no choice but to take it. The Lynel had him pinned. He couldn’t dodge without exposing Hyrule.

So the Chosen Hero gritted his teeth and, just before the Flameblade skewered him, parried with his Goddess Shield with all his might.

The impact created a clean ringing sound. Sky and the Lynel broke apart, but only for a moment. Sky rushed in close. Sacred steel clashed with metal forged in hellfire.

The Lynel lashed out not only with its Flameblade, but also with its shield and fists. But Sky was ready. He ducked and dodged every mighty swing, every blow that could crush his bones to dust. Every swipe that could cut him to ribbons. All the while, the Master Sword flashed like lightning as Sky slashed and cut. A hit landed every time; the Lynel would have more scars than stripes by the time this duel ended.

He’d cornered the Lynel right up against the trees’ edge. Its breathing was labored. Saliva and blood dripped from its fangs. Still, the sheer hatred in its scarlet eyes glowed ever stronger, as if that was all it needed to sustain itself.

It charged like a bull. Several hundred pounds of pure muscle barreled towards him. Sky jumped to the side only just in time. He thrust the Master Sword forward, but the Lynel evaded with supernatural speed. It slammed its shield into Sky, sending him hurtling into a tree. The Master Sword spun out of his hand like a boomerang and skidded out of reach. Trapped between a demon and a hard place, he had no room to move. Letting loose a triumphant roar, the beast raised its blade and plunged it into its foe.

Across the clearing, the Hero of Hyrule woke from his daze to see Sky pinned to the ground, struggling desperately against a ruthless barrage of attacks with his Goddess Shield as his sole defense. The shield was cracked, and it widened with every blow; it wouldn’t last much longer. Sky cried out as a mighty blow nearly shattered his left arm.

Hyrule yelled as loud as he could and charged.

Maybe he should have stopped and thought a moment. Maybe he could have drawn his bow and shot the creature instead of rushing in like an idiot, which is the absolute worst thing someone could do while fighting a monster as fearsome as a Lynel.

But Hyrule didn’t think. All he knew is that Sky needed just a few seconds to grab the Master Sword and get back into the fight, and by the Triforce, Hyrule was going to give him those seconds.

So he did something the Hero of the Wild would be proud of— he rushed up behind the Lynel, jumped on its back, and hacked and slashed like a man possessed.

In his rush to crawl away and reclaim the Master Sword, Sky paid no attention to the commotion. Relief swelled in when he at last held it again, but it changed to shock as he turned and saw Hyrule, clinging to the Lynel as it shook him like a squirrel.

“What in Hylia’s name are you doing?” he shouted.

“S-s-saving y-your life!” Hyrule gasped out, way too close to biting his tongue off. He couldn’t hold on anymore. Utilizing the Lynel’s frantic energy, he launched himself clear away from it and landed on his feet beside Sky.

Having shaken itself free of one pesky Hero, the Lynel sprang backwards, as far across the clearing as it could. Black blood poured out from many large and small wounds. Although it was weakened, a deafening roar, the loudest one yet, tore from its throat. Its eyes flashed like red lightning. The wind howled like a hurricane, shaking the cursed forest to its roots.

Taking a deep breath, Hyrule readied his sword and shield. “This is it,” he said. “If we attack it from both sides, this should be manageable.” He glanced at Sky. “Ready?”

Sky nodded, a steely glint in his eye.

But before either party could make a move, an arrow zipped between the trees and pierced the Lynel’s right foreleg. It staggered dangerously before losing its balance. Leaning awkwardly on its knees, it was down for the moment.

The Hero of Legend strode out with bow in hand, jaw clenched, and a face dark as thunder. “Trap me in a nightmare, will you?” he spat at the Lynel. “Consider that arrow your first and last warning.”

As he spoke, the rest of the Heroes emerged from all sides, eyes sharp and swords unsheathed. Each wore the same determined expression.

Surrounded by nine men and boys, each one skilled in swordplay, archery, magic, and a whole host of other strange powers and devices, the Lynel’s victory seemed uncertain. As it finally rose up, was that a glimmer of fear Sky detected behind its eyes?

The Hero of Warriors flashed a dazzling smile at Sky and Hyrule, who stood agape. “You two have been through quite the ordeal tonight! Still up for more?” He offered a hand to Sky, who still knelt on the ground.

The two exchanged glances. The sudden appearance of their friends had given them a tiny moment’s respite, allowing their exhaustion to pounce like a lion. If he were being honest, Sky wasn’t sure if he had any energy left. But one look at Hyrule’s resolute face, and he knew he had to finish this.

“You know it,” he said. He clasped Warriors’ hand and was pulled to his feet. “From dealing with this guy all night, I know it’ll take every single one of us to win.”

“Yeah,” Hyrule agreed. “Besides, we can’t let you have all the glory.”

Warriors’ grin widened. “Glad to hear it.”

Sounding a battle cry, the Heroes charged the Lynel.

#linkeduniverse #loz #legend of zelda #the legend of zelda #tloz #link

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