The Legend of Zelda - The Tainted Blade (Season 3)

Rangtar's Regret - (S3:E13) SEASON FINALE PART 1

Despite Adara's magically heightened strength, amplified speed, dual-wielding of swords, and the Triforce of Courage, she found no advantage against Endrick. In her dominant hand, she gripped the Four Sword, lighter than it should have been, and landing blows with twice the force her muscles gave. In her other hand, she held her Damascus blade, a gift from her father when she joined the Hyrule Royal Guard. It was comfortable and true, a good secondary weapon to the Four Sword though not as quick through the air or powerful with each strike.

Wielding only the Master Sword, Endrick met her stroke for stroke and blow for blow. Like a choreographed dance they circled each other, swords soaring through the air in blurs, faster than mortal eyes could follow, and blue energy from the Four Sword crackling down Adara's arms and splashing into the air with each clash. Endrick's best soldiers, the elite of Hyrule, kept their distance, preferring instead to spar with one of Adara's clones, Calum and his soldiers, or one of the fearsome Gorons.

An unnatural power strengthened Endrick. The acidity of its evil polluted each blow, threatening to numb her muscles. The Demon King Demise empowered him, flooding him with toxic taint from the failing sword. The intensity of Endrick pushed Adara's skill, despite her magical enhancements, but he did not overtake her. They met with equal magical power. Skill alone would determine the contest, and Adara felt confident her skill outmatched his.

She fought alone at the moment, comfortable in her ability to keep him at bay and best him by herself. Two of her clones fought with Calum, their actions and memories flooding into her brain as they happened. The fourth clone pursued Rangtar after two versions of herself confronted him when he finally revealed himself. With her magically enhanced abilities, one was more than enough to dispatch the lynel and the second Adara clone had returned to the front line to fight with Calum. Whichever clone found herself free first, would follow to help her with Endrick should the dual still be continuing.

One consciousness, four experiences.

Though they spent much of their time circling, King Endrick kept the higher ground more than she. Adara peeked over her shoulder and found he had led her further up the mountain, away from the Bridge of Eldin. As she chanced the look, Endrick ran.

He managed a dozen paces on her, flying up the mountain at an unnatural speed. Her Pegasus Boots matched him, but she failed to gain ground. Rounding a corner, Endrick leaped upon a boulder fifteen feet high. He planted his feet on the side near the top and leaped over Adara's head to grasp a ledge single-handedly another twenty feet above.

Adara hesitated at the maneuver, losing her momentum. As she attempted the same feat, she fell short, missing the second ledge and landed back on the snowy path. Cursing, she sprinted a few feet back toward the bridge, shoved both swords into their scabbards on her back, spun, and launched herself at the boulder again. She planted her feet, launched back, and caught the ledge. But Endrick had vanished. His footprints in the snow led up the mountain. Adara lowered her jaw and pursued.

***

The purple-eyed Adara slid her Damascus blade from the belly of the soldier in front of him. She didn't know his name, but she recognized his face. He served as one of Endrick's personal guards. He had fought well, far better than most soldiers, and might have given her problems if not for her magical enhancements. She defeated him quickly, regretting the necessity of taking the man's life.

He was the fourth to have fallen at her hands so far. She cast to Calum who still dueled his first. He held his own and she recognized fatigue in his opponent's face. Calum would win so she moved on to the next soldier in reach.

On Calum's far side fought the red-eyed version of herself, felling her third opponent since rejoining the front line after confronting the lynel. The memories of her other self fighting entered her thoughts as they happened. The sensation of seeing the event from two perspectives at once dizzied her mind.