Ocarina of Time Chapter 36
We're trapped.
"How many are there?" Ruto asked. Given what they'd just learned, she was surprisingly calm.
"Twenty, Your Majesty," reported the Zora who'd relayed the grim news. "Many of our remaining soldiers are in no condition to fight them. That demon left us weakened."
When the Zora's eyes lingered on him, Link looked away, unable to deny the guilt uncoiling in his stomach.
"How did they get passed our scouts?" Grop demanded of nobody in particular. "Are you telling me they saw nothing?"
"They used portals, sir."
"Meaning there is at least one mage nearby," Lutara muttered. "Ganondorf's mages have access to far greater powers than us."
"Fish guts." Grop's exclamation sounded like a curse. "Caught like fish in a net." Those words did little to ease Link's growing fear. "We either take on the Gerudo or attack their patrols ... Are there any more food stores left in the temple?"
One of the other Zora shook their head. "I'm afraid not, sir. The food caches were destroyed, and what remained has spoiled."
"Can Rauru warn Sheik that we're in danger?" Link asked Ruto, growing desperate.
"He told me he hasn't heard from Sheik since she and Impa left for Kakariko," Ruto answered. As she did, Link recalled Dark Link's words, and his insides turned to ice.
"I guess it's too bad for you that I already have a plan to deal with those Sheikah. They won't be helping you anymore."
Had it been speaking the truth after all?
"It's not unusual for Sheik to disappear for a while," Ruto continued, misinterpreting the dismay on Link's face. "She disappeared for nearly a year once, and I only heard from her just before you came back."
"I have to find her," Link said quickly, his heart beginning to race. He knew Sheik possessed a medallion that allowed her to communicate with Rauru, so why hadn't she used it?
"We have to get back to the shrine first," said Grop. "Concern yourself with our most immediate problem, Hylian, before you attempt to tackle the next. Until the lake recovers, we cannot rely on it for food. Therefore, we cannot remain here."
Link didn't retort. Grop had a point. He didn't want to leave Epona and Navi in immediate danger either.
Ruto was silent for a moment, frowning. Then she smiled, faintly. "I might have an idea."
"Your Majesty?" Lutara asked, then she added warily, "Why do I not like that look?"
Ruto held up the Water Medallion, rubbing its brilliant sapphire surface between her fingers. "The Water Medallion is a vessel that holds the flow of Water, does it not?"
"It should," Lutara affirmed. "But nobody has used it in some time, and the only one who could have told us is dead."
Ruto's smile faded slightly, but her determined countenance remained "By channelling Water, I may be able to use the lake to our advantage."
Link still didn't understand and stared at her blankly.
"Come, we can assemble on the island and discuss this further. Grop, lead the way."
Without further ado, the Zora filed out of the chamber and away from the gory remains of their fallen brethren. Some of the Zora paused to murmur a quick prayer for the dead, but they did not linger long, knowing that time was short.
Ruto, Link noticed, was the last to leave. Her eyes fell upon the dead Zora, her expression unreadable.
"Can we come back and bury them?" Link asked quietly.
"Not right now," Ruto answered, "But we will."
With that, Ruto spoke a short prayer, barely more than a whisper, and then they left the Water Temple behind.
~ 0 ~
The journey back through the cave and into the dark depths of Lake Hylia wasn't pleasant. The mask Link wore might have given him gills, but it didn't help him see in the dark, and the lake was pitch black. Even though the Zora used luminescent crystals that held Light to make their way through the cavern, the darkness seemed to press in on the light, smothering it. Link could barely see further than a few feet in front of him, and even that wasn't enough to stop him from nearly swimming into one of the Zora, or from colliding painfully with the walls of the cave. Twice, he was nearly kicked in the face by the swimmer in front of him.
It was a relief when they finally emerged into the cold night, an icy wind battering them to the bone as they clambered onto the rocky shore. Despite the cold, the breeze was somewhat refreshing, and the repugnant smell of stagnant water that once hung over the lake seemed less odorous. Clouds now blanketed the sky and Link could just see a small sliver of moonlight peeking through a break in the clouds.
How long were we in there? he wondered. The realization that they'd been inside the Water Temple for so long deepened his fears.
"Navi," he whispered, anxiously peering towards the distant shore.
"I'm sure she will be fine," Ruto said, regarding him quietly.
Link nodded, desperately hoping that she was right.
"What I would give for fish therapy about now," Ruto murmured, turning her eyes to the lake. Link suspected she had not meant to be overheard, and nor did it seem that the Zora had noticed.
"A what?" he asked blankly.
Ruto cocked her head at him. "It's a Zora thing," she explained. "You sit in a pool and lots of little fish nibble at your scales. It's quite relaxing."
"Wait... relaxing?" Link asked distractedly, his attention divided between her and the far bank. "How is having a fish eat you relaxing?"
Ruto might have laughed at his question, but now she only smiled, the mirth never reaching her weary eyes. "They don't eat you. They clean your scales." Ruto cast her eyes back across the lake, her expression pensive. "After we survive this, perhaps I will introduce you to the idea. I've heard in some realms even people try it. People! It sounds rather silly to me."
After we survive. Link could hear the unspoken fear in those words.
Ruto didn't continue the conversation. She turned her eyes to the other Zora, and then back to him, consternation and fear clear on her face. "Well. The sooner we get this over and done with, the better for all of us."
Ruto's expression quickly turned to a mask of calm as she once again looked out over the water. There, near the shrine, the faint yellow light of a campfire beckoned to them. It promised warmth and food, both of which Link desperately craved. It was a false comfort; if he tried to draw near their camp, the moblins would attack.
"Ruto?" he asked. "What was this plan of yours?"
"I'm going to try washing the moblins into the lake," Ruto answered, raising her voice so that the others could hear. "They cannot swim very well and will doubtless die when the water snatches them."
Link remembered almost drowning in the Zora River, and the idea struck him as barbaric. For a moment, he just gaped at her, torn between horror and wonder. Just how much had she changed in the last seven years? But then he remembered her quiet prayer for the dead when they'd left the temple, and he realized just how much that had affected her, not to mention everything else she'd experienced.
"Isn't there any other way?" he asked. Although he understood why Ruto was angry, he didn't believe anyone deserved to die by drowning. Not even a moblin.
And what about Ganondorf? a small voice in his head seemed to say. Would he spare you, as you would spare those moblins?
Link dismissed the incessant thought.
"If there was another way, I would take it," Ruto said, her icy calm appearing to crack for a heartbeat, till with a deep breath, she straightened. Link was sure Ruto found the idea of drowning the moblins just as disturbing as he did. She, if anything, had more reason to despise them. Once, their smaller kin had nearly eaten her. If Link and Saria had not arrived in time to save her, they would have succeeded.
"Do not forget, Hylian, those beasts would kill us given a chance," said Grop.
"I know," Link said quietly. "I've dealt with them before."
"They are probably feasting upon our dead as we speak," Grop added, and there was no mistaking the sudden fury in his voice. There were angry murmurs and curses from the other Zora. Ruto looked sickened but held herself well.
"Do we know why they haven't attacked the Zora in the village?" Lutara asked, speaking above the angry Zora.
"Because they are not after us," said Grop. "It isn't a Zora they want."
Link didn't need to look to know that the Zora general was staring straight at him.
They're after me, he thought. Was there ever going to be a time when he wasn't endangering the lives of everyone around him?
"Ruto, let me handle them," Link insisted, despite knowing how foolish the idea was. He didn't want to risk the lives of anymore Zora. "It's my fault so many of your people died when we arrived."
"You know that wouldn't work, Link," Ruto chided him, "and besides, must I remind you that Ganondorf sent that demon, not you?"
"No, that thing, only came here because of me," Link said fiercely.
"We do not have time to discuss the blame, Hylian," Grop replied. A slight warning tone in his voice indicated that the discussion was over. "Besides, attempting to take on an entire patrol by yourself would be utter stupidity."
"Link, if the Gerudo patrols find us her, you will be caught." Ruto's voice was grim. There was no playful mirth in it now. They were in trouble, and Ruto knew it.
"What happens once you've dealt with the moblins?" Link asked.
"It's simple," Ruto said. "We swim ashore and use the shrine. If you go to the village, you should be able to meet up with Navi and retrieve your horse. Now, do not distract me while I do this."
She quickly directed the Zora into two groups, one to go ahead and scout the shore. When the Zora affirmed they were ready, Ruto turned to face the distant campfires clustered like fireflies upon the distant shore. Her face grave, Ruto stooped to her knees, her head bowed. She extended her arms out, water still dripping from the tiny fins that ran along their length. In the faint glow of the crystals, Ruto looked serene and beautiful as she took up a meditative pose. Her stature bore a striking resemblance to some of the statues inside the Water Temple.
Link stared at the dark expanse of the lake, wondering what Ruto was doing. Then, suddenly, the lake seemed to convulse as though some unseen force had struck the water, pushing it towards the far side of the lake. Distantly, he could hear the moblins cry out, their guttural screams shattering the peaceful night. In a heartbeat, their cries were cut short by a roar of water, the lake heaved, and an immense wave came crashing down on top of the surprised beasts with a tremendous crash. The fires went out in a hiss of steam, extinguished as the lake trembled and then went still. In the wake of Ruto's spell, a terrible and chilling silence hung over the lakeshore.
Goddesses, Link thought. That is one nasty way to die.
Without hesitating, a company of Zora dived into the lake and swam towards the shrine.
Ruto opened her eyes, looking strained and tired. She got up, wavering on her feet. Her guards quickly offered their aid, but she brushed off their concern with a wave of her hand.
"I cannot be certain that was all of them," she said, breathing heavily and looking towards Grop. "But it will have cleared any around the shrine, and I doubt any survivors will choose to linger. Grop, take Link and ten of your guard. Go to the village, find the others and meet me at the shrine."
As the Zora began to spread out, only Link's eagerness to be as far away from the Water Temple as possible, and his desire to see Navi, kept him focused. He was still stunned by what Ruto had just done, and he hoped that it had worked. What would happen if Ganondorf found out that Ruto had just drowned an entire patrol?
"Are you coming, Hylian?" Grop asked. "Or are you attempting to make a target of yourself?"
Without a word, Link followed Grop into the water, placing the mask back on his face and diving into the cold, inky black waters. He followed the Zora, swimming as quickly as he could. Fortunately, Grop didn't take off at full speed, and Link was able to keep up.
They made their way through the still waters without incident. No more giant creatures with dozens of tentacles awaited them, nor any demon with red eyes. Tired, Link dragged himself from the water, letting the mask drop from his face once again.
He was standing by one of the burnt-out jetties, water sloshing against its blackened frame. The Zora crowded around him, including Grop. There was a flurry of questions as the Zora guarding the village tried to find out what had happened, but Link paid no attention to this, unable to understand Zoran. Instead, he focused his attention on a solitary figure flying towards him his heart soaring with relief.
"Link!" Navi exclaimed, darting around his head in a fluster, no doubt trying to see if he was injured. She hovered near the tear in his tunic, but she didn't draw attention to it. "What happened in the temple? Ruto... Did you-"
"Ruto's fine," Link told her, trying to stop the abrupt onslaught of questions before they could begin. "She's meeting us back at the shrine."
"What about you?" Navi asked, still sounding frantic and bobbing up and down in front of him. "Did you stop-"
"Dark Link's gone," Link said, sounding colder than he'd meant to and almost flinching. "He's gone, and he's not coming back."
Navi almost froze in mid-air as she stared at him, frowning. He could tell she was worried, but he didn't want to talk about it.
"You sure you're okay?" Navi asked.
"Yeah," Link lied, not really wanting to talk about his encounter with Dark Link. He knew she didn't believe him, but still he added, "I'm fine."
"What happened before?" Navi asked. "I was with the other Zora, and then we heard the moblins screaming... then, this will probably sound crazy, but it was like the lake attacked them. I've never seen anything like it."
"I can explain later," he told her and left it at that. They were safe for now, and that was all that mattered. "Did Ruto's attendants get the wounded back to the woods?"
Navi shook her head. "Not yet. They were cut off before they could reach it, but the moment we realised the path was no longer blocked, the Zora started moving as quickly as they could."
Even with some of the Zora already making their way towards the shrine, getting everyone back to the forest would be slower than Link would have liked. Well, there was nothing they could do about it now.
"Where's Epona?" Link asked, looking about the ruined cluster of blackened buildings, their cold skeletons devoid of any sign of life.
"Not far," Navi answered, already zipping ahead of him. "I'll take you to her."
Eager to be as far away from the lake as possible, Link made his way up the slope and along the road that thread its way between the broken buildings of the ruined town. His heart felt heavy as he wandered along the rubble-strewn streets. Doors hung loosely on their hinges, many damaged where they'd been kicked in, and the wind moaned through the empty alleys.
Link arrived at a building that had once been a stable. It was still relatively intact with soot-covered stalls and the odd piece of discarded tack. It wasn't the most comforting place to set up camp, Link thought, not with the ruins reminding everyone of what had happened here. He could almost hear the angry spirits of the villagers.
"Avenge us," they seemed to cry. "Avenge us!"
Link shook his head, dismissing the thought and casting another look at the decrepit ruins. Why had Ganondorf even attacked this village? Had they tried to resist his rule? Was it destroyed as a warning to those who dared take up arms against him? Link shivered, pushing his scattered thoughts aside.
Epona was tied to a picket line strung between two wooden stakes beside the stable. She nickered as he approached, apparently pleased to see him. He scratched her muzzle, and she nudged him, sniffing his hand in eager anticipation of an offering of food.
"Sorry, Epona," Link said apologetically. "I'll give you something once we're back in the forest."
She glared at him, and he sighed. Was he really expecting the horse to understand why he couldn't get her food just yet?
"Did you find the Sage of Water?" Navi asked.
Link nodded. "I did, it was Ruto."
"Ruto?" Navi asked, sounding incredulous. "Ruto's the Sage of Water?"
"I get the feeling Sheik is not going to like that," Link mused. Not after the way Ruto had viewed her as a woman of inferior rank.
"At least it wasn't Grop," Navi said, "I'd be worried about Darunia turning him into fish paste if they got into an argument."
Link almost laughed. "Come on. We have to get out of here." He didn't want to wait until Grop or Ruto got annoyed.
~ 0 ~
Soon Link joined the Zora moving back towards the shrine. He walked between two guards while Grop ranged somewhere ahead and other Zora helped carry their wounded comrades in stretchers. Link was two-thirds of the way back to the shrine, the pale light of dawn just creeping over the eastern horizon, when the impossible happened.
There was a sound like the buzz of an angry bee, and then suddenly one of the guards made a horrible gurgling sound. Link spun and saw one of the guards sprawled on the ground, an arrow protruding from his throat. Horror paralyzed him as blood spilled onto the Zora's armor, staining the blue scales a dark red. He didn't even notice one of the other guards grab their bow and dispose of the offending archer within moments of his comrade going down.
"Archers!" one of the Zora screamed.
"There," Navi yelled. "Blin! Behind the rocks!"
Only the Zora closest Link heard her, but by then, their attention was already on the Blin.
In that moment, the world exploded around them in a torrent of screams, yells, and horn blasts.
No, this is not happening.
The Zora were under attack again.
"Link, get to the shrine!" The Zora on Link's left yelled as more Zoran soldiers moved to surround both him and the wounded. "Go with the others and get the queen to safety."
Ruto.
Link's eyes darted toward the structure. It wasn't far away, the pale white marble just visible in the feeble light. He had only just awoken the Sage of Water, rescued her from his shadow, and now she was in danger. He could almost picture Ganondorf sneering at him, amused and triumphant.
Link glanced at the Zora, knowing that leaving them was a death sentence. He also knew that any indecision on his part would end up getting himself killed too.
"We'll be right behind you," the Zora told him.
With a nod of acknowledgement, Link retrieved his bow and quiver, mentally berating himself for not thinking to put it on earlier. Forgetting all thoughts of stealth, he mounted Epona and spurred her into a gallop, the Zora following in a frantic retreat.
As the sky lightened with the coming dawn, Link could just make out shadows moving beyond the ruined village. It was just as he'd feared: one of Ganondorf's patrols had found them.
Link knew the Sages could utilize the magic in the medallions to see Hyrule, even while stuck within the Sacred Realm. Why hadn't Rauru sent him- or Ruto- a warning? Was he unable to see what was going on without Sheik or Impa to aid him? Link wanted to call out to the Sages, but as he tried to draw on the power of the medallions, nothing happened. Something was blocking his ability to channel magic.
With a cold trickle of dread, he knew. Only a mage could do that.
No, Ganondorf can't be here. Not now.
Forcing his fear aside, Link surveyed the hills as Epona streaked swiftly towards the shrine. Monsters were cresting the hills that clung to the lakeshore, their numbers far greater than that of an ordinary patrol. They resembled a swarm of black ants marching towards the lake, a staggering swarm of death that was thundering swiftly towards him.
Link clutched Epona's reins so tightly that, if not for his gauntlets, the leather would have cut into his fingers. As the first Blin came in range of bowshot, Link hugged Epona with his knees, steadied himself and raised his bow.
We can still get out of here, he thought desperately. They just had to get to the shrine and hold it long enough for everyone to escape through the portal. Link drew Courage, feeling its familiar essence. It was no different from drawing magic, except that the effect was quite different. His senses became keener, his eyes able to make out the snarling figures of the monsters clambering over the ridge, a mass of flesh and steel. Link let an arrow fly, notching and letting loose. Notch. Loose. Notch. Loose.
"How are you doing that?" Navi asked, startled by Link's sudden mastery of the bow.
A strange sense of familiarity settled over him. Despite having only tried shooting from horseback on one occasion, and missing every shot, he felt as though this was something he'd practised for a lifetime. Now, every shot struck home, felling Blin after Blin.
Strange. When had that started?
No time to think on that. Blin fell, some to Link's arrows, but many more to the Zora.
Link was almost back at the shrine when the sight of familiar figures emerged from among the bublins. Tall, brown-skinned, and garbed in clothes that would have blended into their desert homeland, were the Gerudo. They were still far away, their crimson banners billowing in the chill breeze. There were two figures at the head of their army, fire and ice streaked from their outstretched hands as they bore down on the few brave Zora who made the fatal mistake of challenging them.
Sorcerers.
As Link watched in growing dismay, the two sorceresses cut down any resistance that came their way, their path bringing them closer and closer to the huddle of Zora. Ruto's people looked like they were trying to fight back against an oncoming wave, knowing that at any moment, it would sweep them all to their doom.
Without breaking stride, Epona quickly bore Link to the battered Zora. A ring of guards stood around Ruto, their spears, and bows pointing outward towards the approaching army. It was as if they hoped a mere force of sixty-three Zora could fend off an army of hundreds.
Small chance of that.
The Zora parted to let Link through. The circle closed as Epona's hooves drummed the earth and came to a stop meters in front of Ruto.
"What took you so long?" Ruto demanded. "I've already sent the first few groups through the portal, but we do not have time to dawdle."
As if to emphasize her point, there was a shout as some of the bulblins came in range of Ruto's archers. The Gerudo and the two witches were hanging back, using the bulblins as fodder. Bulblin after bulblin, some upon their bestial boar-like steeds, were falling.
"We don't have long, my Queen. We must leave. Now! " Lutara said, her expression getting grimmer by the second. "Anybody left will have to hide in the lake until the army passes."
"I fear that will not be possible," Ruto said. "One of those witches is a Water mage. If my suspicions are correct, and she is the one who froze Zora's Domain, then the lake may become a tomb."
"Even one as big as Lake Hylia?" Link asked, surprised by Ruto's words.
"Yes," she answered simply.
"What about the temple?"
"Ganondorf can't curse it again, not while I hold the medallion," Ruto told him. "Come on, we must get out of here."
They made a break for the shrine, climbing the steps and hurrying inside, the Zora bearing the wounded now joining them. As they entered, a Zora offered Ruto Sheik's harp and she took it, quickly moving to stand on the dais.
The Gerudo had joined the fray now, mercilessly cutting down the Zora where they stood. The two witches watched from the edge of the fighting, and Link wondered why they were holding back.
Soon the soft enchanting notes of the Minuet of the Forest floated through the shrine as Ruto plucked the harp's strings, but Link could barely hear over the battle's din.
Link joined the archers as they too fired arrow after arrow. Ruto stepped off the dais when the flames erupted along its rim, and a group of ten Zora vanished with a flash.
Link kept shooting shaft after shaft towards the bulblins, his supply of arrows dwindling fast. A group of Zora ran to the front of the shrine, raising their shields and levelling spears to provide some protection as the Zora continued their slow retreat. The second group fled, followed by the third.
I'm running out of arrows here, Link thought. He would have no choice but to run when that happened. There was no way the Master Sword would be of any use against an entire army.
Link shot his final arrow just as the bulblins reached the steps. The Gerudo were charging forward now, still heedless of the Hylian standing amidst the Zora. Abandoning his bow, Link reached for his sword and cut down the first Blin that got too close.
"Fall back!" Grop shouted. "Back into the shrine!" His next words were for Link, "Go with them. Ruto will have my head if I let them harm you."
Link opened his mouth to voice a protest-
"GO!" Grop bellowed.
Hastily, all but a few of the remaining Zora broke into a retreat. A boar slammed into the row of shields the Zora had formed. The wall of steel trembled, buckling. Zora screamed. Link sprang towards the dais as rider and beast were slain amidst a flurry of spears, tridents, and jagged blades. The last of the Zora ascended the steps, most of them outpacing Link whose side was flaring with pain as his muscles and skin tugged against the stitches keeping his insides together.
He sprang towards the dais, along with the Zora, but just as he came within mere feet of the steps that would lead to safety, a scream caught his attention.
One of the Zora was falling as a Gerudo withdrew a bloody scimitar from his chest. A second fell, an arrow shaft protruding from his shoulder. It was Grop.
Link took a look back at the dais and then glanced at Grop, torn between leaving the injured Zora and running. He could hear Ruto playing the last notes of the Minuet of the Forest. How she maintained her composure and kept playing Link did not know.
The Gerudo were meters away. Link could still save Grop but doing so would be risky.
He knew he should leave the wounded Zora, but something stayed his feet, and he found himself sprinting down the steps, where he grabbed Grop under the arm. His side flared with pain, and he clenched his teeth, groaning.
Grop looked up at him in surprise. "What are you doing, Hylian? I told you to flee!"
"I don't leave people behind," Link grunted as another Zora rushed to help him, pulling Grop onto the platform.
As Link made it to the portal, a scimitar fell towards his chest in a blur. He fell to the side, the blade skimming through the air above him. There was a loud CLINK as Lutara fired her Hookshot, leaving a gaping wound in the chest of the Gerudo who'd attacked Link. The harpoon withdrew with a horrible wet tearing sound. Seeing the Gerudo's ruined chest, Link's hold on Courage slipped like canvas torn in a breeze. A voice in his mind cried out in warning. Link didn't even realize his mistake, and all he could see was the wound in the Gerudo's chest, the harpoon having torn flesh and shattered bone.
Blood. So much blood. Screaming.
Something burned.
Why could he smell smoke?
"LINK!" Navi screamed. "MOVE!"
A shimmer of motion alerted Link to a second Gerudo just as they thrust a spear towards him. He swung his shield down, blocking the jarring blow that sent him stumbling into the wall. Ruto took several strides towards Link, but Lutara stopped her and took aim at Link's attacker. The hookshot, however, never fired.
One witch had entered the shrine, a stream of fire billowing from her outstretched hand. The Zora dodged the curling tongues of fire as they slammed into the stone and seared the heron carving. Mere feet away from the blast, Epona was spooked and bolted off the platform, just as blue fire leapt up along its rim.
Link shouted a wordless cry as he struggled upright and dashed towards the portal.
"Link!" Ruto yelled as Navi flew over the flames.
Link didn't notice the witch send a blast of fire at him. Mere feet from the platform, Lutara reached out a hand to grab him, her fingers almost touching his.
Link crashed in a painful heap.
Confused and dazed, he looked up, expecting to see Ruto, Lutara, and the other Zora. His eyes sought the sight of the Sacred Meadow, but he only saw cold white marble.
He had not made it in time. Ruto and the others were gone.
No.
Navi was still beside him. Epona was neighing, her eyes rolling in fright as a third Gerudo attempted to settle her down with the help of one of her sisters.
"Well, well, well. What do we have here, hmm?" the witch asked, an unpleasant smile twisting her haggard face. "A Hylian and a fairy. What an odd sight."
She took one glance at the sword at the Gerudo's feet. There was a peculiar expression on her face as she beheld the glowing gem in its hilt.
"What's this?" the witch asked nobody in particular as her white-haired companion flew into the shrine. The red-haired witch flew onto the portal, looking at the sword.
"Looks like we have found ourselves quite a trophy, sis," said the other witch, almost crowing with glee, her bulging eyes examining Link closely. "If it isn't the pesky Hero of Time. We should brainwash him! Imagine what we could do..."
"No!" Navi shouted.
"Nobody asked for your opinion, you annoying sprite!" the red-haired snapped, shooting a blast of fire towards Navi. She zipped out of the way, letting the spell slam into the wall in a spray of stone.
"Leave her alone!" Link shouted. In his haste to spring to Navi's aid, he was heedless of the woman standing beside him until she slammed the shaft of her spear into his wounded side, ripping the stitches. Link fell to his knees, breathing through the intense agony.
"We should punish him Kotake, after all the trouble he's caused," said the red-haired witch. "I have just the plan."
She smiled. It was a predatory grin that chilled Link to the bone. Link did not want to know what she had planned. It seemed the Gerudo didn't want to know either for they were gazing at each other with thinly veiled disgust.
"Sorceress? Forgive me, but should we not wait?" one of the Gerudo dared to ask. A sharp glare sent the woman stepping back. She paused again, eyes flicking between Link and the witches. "I mean... he might know where Zelda is and Lord Ganondorf will be displeased if you kill him."
"Kill him? I never said we'd kill him," Koume said, as if the Gerudo were saying something foolish. "I just intend to have a little fun first."
"But-"
"Get on with it!" Kotake snapped, her eyes turning from Link to the Gerudo, "And you girl, be quiet! That goes for all of you!"
Her eyes swept across the heads of the Gerudo.
Link tried to pull himself together and get a better look at the woman who'd spoken. He rose his head but the slightest movement made his side burn, and then Koume flicked her hand.
It happened in an instant.
The gem on the witch's forehead began to glow. A strange warmth flooded Link like the scalding heat of a fever. His skin flushed red, and in seconds, he broke out in a sweat and suddenly found himself gasping for breath.
"What..." Coughing, he tried to focus on getting to his feet so he could get his sword. "What... are you doing?"
But then he could speak no more. It was as though lava was flowing through his veins and they burned with a pain that blinded him. He screamed as the fire grew more intense and his heart raced faster. Somewhere Navi shouted.
The pain was relentless, Link coughed, sending a spray of blood onto the floor. He twisted and writhed in a paroxysm of agony. The witches chuckled, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.
Navi sprang at one of the witches, nearly poking her in the eye, but it wasn't enough to break the spell. She dove again, Link unable to help her. With a flick of her hand, the witch slapped the fairy away.
Navi went spinning into the wall. One of the Gerudo broke ranks, kneeling down to examine the injured sprite, and if not for his predicament, Link would have been surprised by the way she tenderly picked the sprite off the ground. Whatever was said between the two, the Gerudo straightened, spun to face the witches and shouted something.
Link hardly noticed, hot blood streaming from his nose as the fire inside of him grew with intensity. It was as though the witch was trying to literally boil his blood. A pressure was building against Link's eyes and head; he could not scream any longer, reduced to a spasm of coughs that brought up blood each time. His lungs struggled to take in air. Then they couldn't. The silence was worse. His eyes watered, and the muscles in his throat felt torn as he convulsed. It reminded him of nearly drowning in the Zora River.
Courage burned inside Link, its essence trying to counter the spell. Link clung to the final vestiges of consciousness, stubbornly refusing to let go, trying to somehow break the spell's hold and reach his sword. Then something happened. His hand burned and Link could feel a presence in his mind, both alien and familiar. He heard Kotake cry out in confusion. He sucked in a ragged breath, suddenly able to breathe, though it was like blades were being driven through his ribs. He tried to move, but his limbs were too heavy, his strength spent.
A single Gerudo, garbed in white, entered the shrine. Her mouth opened in shock at the sight of Link. The Gerudo who'd tried to intervene joined her, and together, they rounded on the sorceress.
"What are you doing?" the white-garbed Gerudo demanded. "We need him in one piece!"
"You're no fun at all," Koume complained.
The Gerudo knelt down beside Link, and their eyes met briefly. By then dark spots were dancing across Link's vision, growing larger.
"Do you really know where she is?" she asked, keeping her voice low enough so that the witches didn't overhear, her lips barely moving. "Is she safe?"
Link tried to speak, but all he managed was a barely perceptible nod. Something in her tone told him to agree with what she was saying, despite being too far gone to realize what was going on or what he was even agreeing to. Who was she talking about?
"What did you say?" Kotake asked, having noticed the Gerudo speak. "We may be old, but our eyes and ears are still as sharp as ever."
"I said he better damn well stay alive, and you best hope he does, otherwise I will make sure Lord Ganondorf learns that you lost our best chance of finding Zelda!" The Gerudo was seething now. Those closest to her took a step back, not wanting to get in the way of a fight between their commander and the witches. Only two of the woman's officers remained at her side, and she quickly snapped an order, "Get me a healer, quickly!"
"We sent for a healer before you arrived," one of the Gerudo replied. "But I fear it won't be enough."
"Then find me more! Now!" the Gerudo officer looked down again, and then frowned, noticing something on Link's hand. "If he knows where Zelda is, then I'm not having him die on us!"
Link could not have said what happened next. A bright golden light exploded across his vision, his head burning. He shut his eyes, the pain subsided, and all sound seemed to cease. When he opened his eyes he was standing on an endless plain, blanketed in curling white mist, its white tendrils brushing against him. His hand throbbed, and when he looked down, the Triforce mark upon his gauntlet shimmered.
"Where am I?" he said aloud, not really anticipating an answer.
A voice came from somewhere in the mist. A voice Link knew. He could sense a presence in his mind, a being that was both alien and somehow familiar. "Farore's power can lend you the strength you need. Take hold of it!"
Without really knowing what he was doing, and without awareness of doing it, Link embraced Courage, letting it course through him, surrendering to the Shard's magic. Despite his earlier caution, and despite knowing the dangers of drawing too much magic, he let it take hold, his awareness of all else slipping away like an ebbing tide.
A figure emerged from the fog, white mist curling around it. Golden fur gleaming in the strange mist, the wolf approached.
It approached Link, and within a few strides, its muzzle touched his hand, and it looked up, its fierce golden eyes meeting his own.
"Who are you?" Link found himself asking, even though he'd asked this question before. There was too much he didn't understand.
"I am your past, your present, and your future," the spirit answered, to Link's growing confusion. "Remember my words, chosen of Farore, and do not forget who you are. Even if Courage must be a mask you wear, embrace that mask. Become one with it. As you are now, the Triforce of Courage cannot help you unless you allow it to."
Whatever else the wolf said, Link never heard it, for a white light seared across his vision. He became briefly aware of voices speaking with a Gerudic accent and then all was lost in infinite blackness.
~ 0 ~
Link stirred. It took some time to get his bearings. The one thing he'd never understood about healing magic was how it sometimes drew on his own strength, accelerating the natural healing process at the cost of his body's reserves. At other times it drew on the strength of a healer, weakening them instead. However his body had been mended, he felt utterly spent, and his head was pounding relentlessly. Every part of him ached, but he was certain the majority of the damage done to him was healed.
After a few moments, he dared to open his eyes to find himself blinking in the gloomy confines of a tent. His back was against something cold and hard. Except for his clothing, he was stripped bare. The Belt of Sages was gone. Without it, none of the awakened Sages could reach him. That revelation jolted him.
I'm alone.
He tried to move, only to discover his wrists were tied to a pole, the bindings cutting into his skin. Somewhere beside him, somebody else stirred.
"Link?"
That voice both concerned and familiar belonged to a woman. The one person he'd been counting on to rescue him, unless he could somehow manage it himself.
No.
He closed his eyes. This can't be happening.
"Link, can you hear me?"
The voice didn't go away, Link's heart sank as he opened his eyes and turned to behold the person sharing his prison.
Sheik.
Next Chapter
Reviews
 SunPraiser31 chapter 37 . Feb 1, 2017Well. Shit. That's not good. Not sure how they'll get out of this one... Sorry for the shorter review, but I need answers! That's too big of a cliffhanger! | ||
  T chapter 37 . Jan 3, 2015Awesome! Sorry couldn't read cause I was banned from the Internet.(by my parents)
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