Link picked himself off the dusty floor, dazed and disoriented. His head spun as he looked around. He was in a damp cell, furnished with a table, and a shelf adorned by a vase. He stumbled to the wooden door, feebly jiggling the handle.
"Yeah, they put you in there just to leave the door unlocked. The fatheads aren't that stupid." The blonde jumped away from the door, startled at the voice. He hadn't even heard them come in. a woman stepped into the lamplight on the other side of the bars. She looked older, with short raven hair and piercing emerald eyes. She was pale-skinned and slender, with a long staff grasped in her hand.
"What're you doing in my fortress, boy?" she asked, her voice cold. The blonde shook his head, trying to clear it.
"Your fortress?" he said. The woman kneeled next to the bars, bringing her face to his level.
"Yes. MY fortress," she said sternly, looking him in the eye. Link held her challenging gaze evenly. A smile spread over her face as she stood.
"I don't know why, but I like you, kid. That door might be locked, but that vase isn't." Before he could respond, the mysterious woman turned and disappeared. Puzzled, Link took a glance at the vase decorating the shelf. He looked back to where the woman had been, then climbed the table. The boy hopped on the shelf to inspect the decorative vase. It did seem odd, an item such as this in a damp prison cell. Link pushed it aside to reveal a crawl space in the wall. He beamed as he crawled into it. A way out! He made a few right turns, and emerged o the other side of his cell. He jumped to the ground and gave a smirk. Piece of cake. He'd have his sister out in no time. The boy ran down the hall. Something snatched him by the collar of his shirt, and he gagged as he got yanked backward. He was spun around to face the same woman from before.
"You're reckless, you know that?" she whispered sharply. She placed a pale hand on the top of his head, and turned it toward a circular room. A fat-lipped moblin was snuffling around, lantern held aloft.
"Recklessness will cost you," she informed him. Link watched her silently as she observed the monster. Her emerald eyes turned back to him.
"I'll help you outta here, but you have to answer some of my questions later. Deal?" Link nodded. "Good. Follow my lead and don't say anything." Link was about to question her, but was abruptly stopped as the woman wrenched his arms behind his back and roughly dragged him forward. The moblin grunted as they approached, holding his lamp high to inspect them. Upon sighting the girl, he scrambled to attention and saluted as they passed. Link was stunned. These monsters yielded to a girl like her? But she couldn't REALLY be the master of the fortress, could she?
They continued their charade through the next few rooms. The woman finally released him outside, under a canopied walkway.
"So," she started, turning to the boy, "What's your name?"
"Link," he replied.
"All right, Link, why are you I this fortress?" Link hesitated. If she was the mistress of the fortress, should he tell her? But she had already helped him out of the prison…
"I'm… here to rescue my sister," he stated, finding his determination.
"Oh. You're the kid that girl was talking about…" Link's eyes widened.
"Aryll? You saw her? Is she okay?" he asked wildly.
"Whoa, hold your horses, kid," the woman said, holding her hands up for silence.
"Yeah, she's fine. For now. Tucked in a nice cozy cell." Link looked up at the tower of the fortress, staring at the window with seagulls flocked around it. The woman looked, too.
"You know," she mused after a slight pause, "I'm gonna help you out. I don't know why, but I've got this feeling I should." She eyed him doubtfully. "Do you even have a weapon, Link?"
"Yeah, I lost it when the pirates blasted me in," the boy told her. She snorted.
"Pirates. Wonderful. You better get that sword back."
"That's what I was trying o do before I got caught. I'm gonna need to disable the searchlights, though." A sly grin spread over the girl's lips.
"Do those pirates of yours have room for one more?" Link shrugged.
"I guess so…"
"Good. You go get that sword. I'll take care of the spotlights." The girl hopped onto the stone railing. "My name's Halym, by the way." With that, she flicked a latch on her staff and launched over the side. Link ran to a door. His success rested in the hands of this strange woman. Halym.
The staff split, and Halym was soaring through the air. This kid could be her ticket out. Through him, she could access the pirate ship and be out in no time. Now for some good old-fashion fun…
She landed at the base of a ladder, and scaled it after recovering her staff. She walked casually to the bokoblin on the spotlight platform, and just as equally casual, thwacked him over the head. He reeled backward, falling off the platform. She hauled his smelly bulk over the side of the tower. It hit the water with a satisfying splash, and Halym hopped up to the controls. She turned the lever, and the golden beams shone toward the heavens. One down, two to go. Halym took a running leap over the side of the tower, and glided to the next on an updraft. The next two towers were disabled like clockwork. Bokoblin out, light up, bokoblin out, light up.
Halym was poised on the edge of the third tower, crouched and holding her staff for balance.
"Good luck, kid," she said softly. Her gaze shifted up the fortress to rest on the giant nest. Her green eyes widened. She launched herself off the side of the tower, unclasping her staff. Halym glided to the base of the prison tower.
Link delivered the last blow to the bokoblin, sending it spinning to the ground. Its body exploded in a cloud of purple and black plumes of smoke. The bar across the doors rose up. Link brandished his sword triumphantly, and pushed open one of the large wooden doors. He peered cautiously around the frame, and beamed as he spotted his sister in the cell. Excited, he stepped fully into the room. Aryll turned and spotted him. She gave a gasp, her face lighting up.
"Big brother!" she cried.
"Link!" a sharp voice shouted, and he heard the door close. All three occupants of the cell gazed past him. He turned to find the girl, staff in hand and breathing heavily. "Quickly, get your sister and-" Her voice was drowned out by an ear-piercing cry. Startled, he looked up in time to see the great bird of the fortress descending over him.
Halym launched herself at the boy, hooking her arm around him and raising her staff. The Helmoroc King landed heavily beside them, blasting them with feathery gusts of wind. Despite her attempts of defense, the great bird clamped one clawed foot around Halym, pinning her arms to her side. She cried out as one of his talons dug into her side. Scattering feathers, the Helmoroc King flew out of the prison, and up to the top of the fortress. Halym squirmed desperately, trying to relieve the dizzying pain. Th ebird hovered by Ganondorf's quarters. The lord of the fortress was there on his balcony, regarding Link. With a flick of his head, the order was given.
"No…" Halym gasped, as Helmoroc tossed the boy. In one quick motion, the bird released Halym, and snatched her in his beak. Her side burned, and she clung to her staff. Ganondorf's cold eyes widened.
"Give her to me," he ordered menacingly.
"No!" she cried, grasping the bird's beak and staring it in the eyes. "Throw me, Helmoroc!" she urged. The bird made a guttural sound deep in its throat, momentarily confused.
"I'm sorry, Roc," Halym whispered. With a scream, she rammed the butt of her staff into the bird's eye. It gave a horrified squawk of pain, and with a mighty toss, sent Halym hurtling through the air. The cries of the bird became faint as she plummeted to the Great Sea. She fumbled with her staff that she miraculously still clung to. The wind whipped her hair around her face, but she finally managed to open the staff. She parted the sides, holding it aloft. Her arms wrenched painfully as it caught the wind, and it took her a few moments to gain control. Her head spun as she desperately searched the dark sea for link. He was nowhere in sight. Halym turned her head back toward the fortress. With a swelling heart, she saw that it was far behing her. Her fingers became numb grasping the glider, and with every small dip or turn, sharp pain bolted from her side. She closed her eyes as the dizzying sensation increased. Halym jumped as her feet skimmed the waves, the water startling her. The cold liquid seeped into her boots, sending chills up her spine. The girl's strength was failing, and she glided deeper into the water. The cold water numbed her side. Exhausted, Halym clung to her glider, using it as a raft. Her arms ached. Her head spun. She was in the middle of the Great Sea. She lifted her head up feebly, and felt unconsciousness starting to take a hold of her. She heard a whooshing sound, and dizzily made out beating wings above her. Terror gripped Halym.
"Helmoroc…" she croaked, wondering if Ganondorf sent him for her. Most certainly. To keep his precious fortress safe. Halym slowly closed her eyes, letting the darkness overtake her.