Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction ❯ To Forge the Master ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Sheik ducked behind the curtain of water formed by the waterfall and Link followed. Behind the cascading water was another tunnel. This one was short and opened quickly into a huge underground lake. A wide path skirted the edge before forking into a high road and a low road. The high road continued around the lake before sharply turning into the stone wall and vanishing into another cave, while the low road sloped down out of sight.

A second waterfall, much smaller than the one outside, poured into the lake. The air was thick and humid, but not hot. In fact, Link found it quite a pleasant change from the beating sun they had been traveling under during the past few days. The walls were covered in the same blue glow as the other cave. When Link asked, Sheik said it was a special kind of moss that grew on the rocks in the moist climate.

In the water below, many Zora were going about their lives, but stopped to look up at the new arrivals. Sheik lifted a hand in greeting and several Zora returned the gesture. Link waved, but the return seemed more out of politeness than any true interest in his presence. Sheik led the way to the upper path and around the corner.

The path turned sharply upwards into a grand staircase. The walls were lined with torches that danced in the slight breeze created in the men’s wake. The stairs opened up into a small room of stone and water. They stood on a platform over a small, shallow river that bubbled out of the stone wall on the right, and raced out of a cave on the left to the waterfall in the other room. On either side of that platform were free standing torches. The golden light of the flames reflected off the rushing water and made the room sparkle.

On the other side of the river, seated on a throne that was little more than a sculpted cliff carved out of the rocks, sat a regal-looking female Zora. She had a robe of deep purple material wrapped around her shoulders. Her webbed hands were folded neatly in her lap and she studied the two over the end of her nose.

Sheik went to one knee with his head bowed and Link followed his lead.

“Rise,” the Zora said softly. “Tell me, Sheik, who is this you have brought into my domain?”

“My name is Link,” Link replied as he rose. Sheik gave him a sidelong look and raised an eyebrow.

“Link was named the Hero of Hyrule, Queen Rite,” Sheik added carefully. “We are in search of the Spirit of Water, and hoped you could direct us to the temple.”

Rite turned her critical gaze on Link and looked down her long nose at him. Link shifted his weight, but held her gaze with his own. “This skinny Hyrulian was chosen over my Kaimana? Why?”

“Uh... I try not to question the goddesses,” Sheik replied evasively.

Rite pursed her lips. “I guess you would not.” She gave Sheik a hard look before turning to Link again. “Tell me, boy, which nobleman’s son are you?”

“I’m not a nobleman’s son,” Link replied honestly.

“What he means to say,” Sheik cut in quickly, “is that his older sister married a nobleman’s son and, seeing as they have no children of their own yet, they sent him as their champion.”

“I see,” Rite replied, though she seemed unconvinced. “The hour grows late. Fetch my son, he is with Lord Jabu-Jabu. We shall discuss this temple and water spirit later.” Sheik bowed curtly, then, with a jerk of his head, he motioned for Link to follow him. They stepped off the small platform and took a narrow path around the edge of the room and slipped through a gate behind Rite’s seat.

The cave was wide and tall, obviously carved by hand. The floor sloped down slightly and soon they were walking in several inches of water. Abruptly, the cave opened into an open air lake, smaller than the one inside. It shone red and orange with as the dusk sky reflected off its surface. The entire lake was surrounded by sheer cliffs, except for where a small river poured into it in a tiny waterfall.

The water was shallow where they stood, but quickly dropped off into the lake. An altar, large enough for several men to stand shoulder to shoulder on, sat where the water became deep. On the altar stood a Zora, a wide, almost flat bowl tucked under one arm and balanced on his hip. Several large fish were stacked on the dish.

“Kaimana!” Sheik called as they moved towards him. The Zora turned, a fish hanging limp in his free hand.

“Hey, Sheik,” he returned as they stepped onto the altar. He threw the fish into the lake and it landed with a splash that seemed very loud in the quiet of the coming night. “And this is?”

“Link,” Link offered. He glanced at Sheik, unsure if he should bow or not.

Kaimana gave him a curious look. “I remember you. You’re the farm boy who became the Hero.” Link nodded. “So why are you hanging around with this lug-head?” Kaimana asked as he waved a dead fish at Sheik before tossing it into the water.
“He’s just following me around like a lost puppy,” Link replied, then ducked as Sheik took a swing at his head. Kaimana laughed. “What are you doing?” Link asked as the Zora tossed another fish into the water.

“Feeding Lord Jabu-Jabu,” Kaimana answered plainly.

“It is the royal family’s job to care for the Zoran deity,” Sheik explained.

“That’s right,” Kaimana agreed. “We care for him and in return he keeps our waters clean and flowing. Would you like to try?” He offered the bowl of fish to Link. Not wanting to be rude, he took one by the tail and flung it out over the water. The dead fish spun head over tail through the air before landing with a resounding slap and sinking below the surface.

“Nice,” Sheik snickered. Link stepped to the edge of the altar and looked into the water. Using his shadow to block the reflected sky, he peered down into the depths. A huge fish lounged along the bottom of the lake, opening its mouth to accept the fish, but showing no other sign of life.

“He has been like that for many days now,” Kaimana said abruptly. The last fish hung from his hand, but he made no move to throw it in. “Just lies on the bottom. He doesn’t even move when the children come to play with him.”

Sheik frowned and started to speak, but was cut off by a loud shriek. “Kaimana!”

“Coming, Mother!” the young Zora called back, then turned his attention back to the two still standing on the altar with him. “Perhaps we should discuss these matters later.” He tossed the last fish and set the bowl down on the edge of the altar as they walked back towards the cave. “By the way, what lie did you tell my mother so she did not have a fit about me not becoming the Hero?”

“That Link’s sister married a nobleman and they chose him as their champion since they had no children,” Sheik replied, his green eyes twinkling with mirth. Kaimana rolled his eyes.

&&&

Link took his seat between Sheik and Kaimana. Next to Kaimana was his Queen Rite, then a portly, nervous Zora who kept peering around the table with obvious discomfort. Adjacent to him sat a dainty Zoran female who was examining her empty wine glass without enthusiasm. Link noticed she would steal glances at Kaimana when she thought no one was watching.

Next around the table was a regal-looking male Zora with a very green head fin. He was studying those seated around the table with almost cold interest. Directly to his right was a Zora that could only have been his twin. But he seemed far more interested in his whispered conversation than anything else. The Zora he spoke to was fairly short and stout by Zoran standards. He paused occasionally to glance at Link and Sheik.

Next to the short Zora was another female. She was leaning forward on the table and smiling sweetly at Kaimana, though he was not paying her much attention. The last Zora sat with his hands folded on the table. He was much older than anyone else there and seemed to drink in the room with his aged gray eyes.

The table itself was made of smooth black stone that had been polished to a mirror shine. It was perfectly round and a Triforce had been carved into the center. The chairs were made of very dark wood with overstuffed pillows on the seats. Each of the advisers’ chairs was just tall enough to rest their shoulders against. Kaimana and the king’s chairs were both tall enough to rest their heads against. The queen’s chair was huge, towering over all the others by several feet. Link found it kind of amusing that he and Sheik had been given tiny stools that had been squeezed into place settings.

Finally the double doors, the only doors into or out of the room, swung open and a line of Zora appeared, each carrying a covered platter. One platter was set down in front of every person at the table and the servers quickly filed out of the room.

“Link,” Sheik hissed in his ear, “this is an important meeting. Don’t speak unless spoken to.” Link nodded ever so slightly. “And stick to the story. If Rite suspects anything, she will make life difficult.”

The covers were removed from the platters, revealing their dinners. Each plate held a filet of fish on a bed of, what appeared to Link to be, tiny gray bugs. Piled neatly on one side of the plate were green and yellow leafy vegetables.

“Is this what it looks like?” Link asked as inconspicuously as possible.

“Fish, seaweed, and bugs? Yes. Now, shut up, smile, and eat it,” Sheik replied in a whisper. Link took a deep breath and picked up his fork. He cut a bite off his fish – a few of the bugs clung to the underside – and with great effort he put the bite into his mouth. The fish was good and the bugs were crunchy and slightly sweet. The seaweed was bland and chewy, but, under Sheik’s sharp gaze, Link swallowed.

“It seems we are at an impasse,” Rite said calmly, examining a bite of her fish critically as she spoke.

“What sort of impasse, My Lady?” the stout Zora asked politely.

Sheik leaned close to Link’s ear and whispered, “Tangaroa.”

“It seems the goddesses have chosen this... Hyrulian to be their Hero. He claims he needs to see the Spirit of the Water, but, of course, he cannot do that.” Link started to reply, but Sheik kicked him in the shin. Rite continued undisturbed. “As we all know, only members of the Zoran royal family may enter the temple. And that is totally aside from the fact it is at the bottom of the lake.”

“It would seem the only clear option,” the female Zora, Sheik called her Iolana, who had been staring so intently at Kaimana earlier, spoke in a soft but firm voice, “would be for Prince Kaimana to go in his place.”

“I disagree,” the twin Zora who had been engaged in conversation before the food arrived said flatly. “Prince Kaimana is the last of the royal family line. It is unwise to place him in danger without good cause.”

“That’s the Zoran general Ikaika,” Sheik said softly as he pushed his plate away and shifted his scarf around his face.

“And what would you consider a ‘good cause’?” the other twin snapped sharply.

“And that is his twin brother Moana,” Sheik continued. “Those two couldn’t be more different.”

“Lord Juba-Juba is weakening,” Moana went on. “The fish are disappearing from the lake, and the Zola are getting out of control. How bad do things have to get?!”

“What’s a Zola?” Link asked. Sheik only shook his head sharply as he glanced around the table.

Ikaika looked at his brother, unmoved. “We all have seen what happens when the ruling family becomes unsettled.” His eyes slid ever so slightly across the table and Sheik shifted uncomfortably. Link raised a confused eyebrow, but held his tongue “We cannot afford that happening with our race as well.”

“I agree,” the female Zora seated next to Moana added in a rather high voice. Though she spoke with confidence, she seemed to be looking everywhere but at the Zoran prince.

“That’s Leilani,” Sheik whispered. “And if you’re interested, there is pot for when Kaimana will finally dredge up the guts to ask for her hand.” Link glanced at Kaimana, who was studying the far wall.

Rite frowned. “I see. The fact remains that the Hyrulians cannot breathe underwater, so a Zora must be chosen to go in their place. And since the temple is a holy place, Kaimana is the best choice.”

“My Lady,” Tangaroa said politely. “I have been working on a project that will allow non-Zoran races to breathe underwater. It is untested... but I’m sure it will work.”

“Greeeeeeat, one of Tang’s experiments,” Sheik said flatly. “With luck we won’t drown.”

“That still does not solve the fact that they are not of royal blood,” Rite replied simply. Then she smiled. “I have the solution. Kaimana will take the Hero’s sword and go to the temple. Then everyone will be satisfied.”
“No,” Link said suddenly, surprised at the conviction in his voice. The entire room turned to look at him in surprise, curiosity, or distaste. Sheik raised an eyebrow

“What did you say?” Rite asked in disbelief.

“I said ‘No,’” Link replied. “You can’t have my sword.” On his back he felt an answering pulse and a gentle warmth seeping into his skin.

“Who do you think you are?” Rite snapped. She stood up, glaring down at Link with venom in her eyes. Link set his jaw and glowered back.

“I could say the same to you, My Lady,” the elderly Zora spoke for the first time. Again the heads at the table turned as one to look at him.

Rite turned her glare on him, but he only stared back impassively. “I expect such impudence from a Hyrulian boy, but from my own adviser? Explain yourself, Kekoa!”

“What is there to explain?” Kekoa replied, leaning back in his chair and pressing his fingers together. “Whatever our thoughts on the boy, he was chosen by the Goddesses for this task. If we stand in his way, we stand in the way of the Goddesses and their plans for Hyrule, whatever those may be. If we displease them, Lord Jabu-Jabu can only do so much to protect us. He is tied to the water as much as we are. If our rivers and lakes run dry our time on this earth will be at an end.

“I have been around a long time, My Lady. I have seen the rise and fall of many kings and queens. Do not let what you want fog your judgment of what is best for your people.”

Rite turned an incredible shade of blue around her cheeks and ground her teeth together. Kekoa blinked back unmoved. For a moment Link thought the Zoran queen was going to explode, but suddenly she slammed her chair back and stormed from the room. The king quickly scrambled from his own seat and scurried after her, spouting how she was a good and loving queen and mother.

“Oh, she’ll be pleasant for the next few days,” Kaimana sighed.

“Good job, Kokea,” Moana said sarcastically.

The elderly Zora remained impassive. “You are still young, Moana. I doubt you, or the queen, remember the poor judgment exhibited by the family that held the throne before the current line.”

“What happened?” Link asked without thinking, then winced when Sheik kicked him in the shin again.

“It was complicated, young Hero, but let us say that all of Hyrule suffered for the choices.”
“That aside,” Ikaika cut in. “What are we going to do?”

Before anyone could answer, however, the doors were once again thrown open and three Zora walked in. The one in front saluted sharply to the two generals. The two behind him had their hands full with another struggling figure. At first glance it looked like a Zora, but its skin was scaly and a sickly green and its webbed fingers and toes were tipped with long deadly claws. It let out a horrid screech, showing rows of sharp teeth. The creature bit and scratched wildly at the two Zora holding its bindings, and it was all they could do to keep out of its reach.

“That is a Zola,” Sheik said whispered the answer to Link’s earlier question. Link made a face.

“Your Majesty. General Ikaika, General Tangaroa. Ladies and gentleman,” the Zora not trying to control the captive said firmly. “This Zola was found in the river right below the falls. He was stalking the stables, sir.”

“Nightfire!” Link gasped.

“There were no casualties,” the Zora responded promptly. “Livestock included.” The Zola hissed loudly. “What are your orders, sir?” Ikaika and Tangaroa looked at each other and exchanged a quick word in low voices.

“Perhaps,” Iolana said slowly as she looked at Link in a way that did not make him feel entirely comfortable. “Our Hero should have the honor. It would be a good chance for him to show his capabilities to Her Majesty”

“Are you suggesting an arena battle?” Tangaroa asked carefully.

“Those have not been done in years,” Ikaika added with equal caution. “It would take a lot of time just to make the preparations.”

“It is a fair idea,” Moana agreed with a grim smile.

“What do you think I am?!” Link snapped. The room turned to look at him once again. “I don’t care what your laws are, but I will not torture some creature that can’t escape just to amuse you – or anyone else. Tomorrow morning Sheik and I are going to find the Spirit of Water with or without your consent!” He stood up, sending his stool clattering across the stone floor in his haste. Even the Zola was startled into silence as he stormed from the room.

Link walked blindly through the stone corridors, following the sound of the waterfall without thinking. He finally stopped when he reached the edge of a cliff that overlooked the main pool several hundred feet down. Across the room, the waterfall poured out of the wall; on his left and right was a smooth expanse of stone with no way down. He swore in frustration.

“That was beautiful,” Sheik said. Link jumped as the other man melted out of the shadows behind him.
“Don’t do that,” Link huffed.

Sheik’s cheek bones rose and his green eyes danced as he grinned behind his scarf. “That was just classic. Yell at the advisers, throw your chair about, and storm from the room!” he threw an arm playfully around Link’s shoulders and gave him a melodramatic look. “I’m so proud of you. My little Hero has a spine!” He even threw in a loud sniffle.

“I hate you,” Link replied as he fought a grin of his own. Sheik was not fooled.

“So, Hero, tell me, what is the plan now that you have dramatically stormed from the room? Bed perhaps?”

“You’re going to make me say I’m lost, aren’t you?” Link said flatly as he crossed his arms.

“You’re not lost, just took a wrong turn. But if you want to get to the guest quarters you’ll have to go back by the council room. Or...”

“Or...?” Link asked cautiously.

“Or, we can take a shortcut.” Before Link could even register the words, Sheik had taken a flying leap off the edge of the cliff – and with his arm still around Link’s shoulders – brought the other man with him.

Despite his surprise, Link managed to twist around and to dive into the water rather than belly flop. He hung in the water for a moment, as the bubbles rose around him, and was surprised by how deep the water was. On the other side of the pool a group of young Zora stopped in their game with an air filled sack to look his way.

With a swift kick he surfaced, gulping down air as he did. Sheik bobbed next to him in the water, his black hair matted to his skull and dripping water down his face. Link glared, but Sheik only laughed as he began swimming to the shallower end of the pool.

“Race you!” Sheik called as he splashed water in Link’s face and took off. With a mischievous grin Link dove back under the water and motioned to the young Zora.

Sheik was almost in shallow enough water to stand in when something grabbed his ankles and yanked him under with a yelp. He spun in the water to see several young Zora dragging him quickly into deeper water. When they released him, he was farther back than when he started. Link stood in ankle deep water shaking the water from his hat as he waved and smiled. Sheik made a rude gesture in return.

&&&

Link laid his clothes out to dry and pulled on a spare red tunic Sheik had loaned him. Sheik had put on a new blue tunic and leggings, as well as a dry scarf around his face.
The guest room they shared was not far from the main pool. Like the rest of the cavern, the room was carved out of stone, with the luminous moss giving the space a soft ethereal glow. There was a small table and two chairs, and two ‘beds.’ The beds were unlike anything Link had ever seen. Each bed was a small, shallow pool of water with a very large, thick leaf floating on top. The water was heated somehow so a blanket of any kind was unneeded. Link was unsure about sleeping on it, but Sheik assured him it was quite comfortable.

“How about a few games before bed, Hero?” Sheik asked as he set up the chess set.

“Why not,” Link shrugged. “It’s the least I can do after that race.” He took a pawn at random and moved it two spaces forward. “You know, I don’t get it. Why do you want to play this game with me so often? I’m not any good at it.”

“You’ll get better,” Sheik replied with a shrug as he moved his own pawn one space. “Besides, it’s a good mental exercise.”

“It’s an exercise in futility is what it is,” Link corrected blandly as he moved another pawn.

Sheik paused with his hand on a knight, then slowly retreated. “You really don’t get it, do you?” He reached across the board and pushed the pawns back into line. “Link, you’ll never win if you only react to the moves I make. You have to try and predict what I’ll do and move to counter, you need backup plans in case I do something you aren’t expecting. Know not only what you have on the board, but what I have and how those pieces can potentially interact. Know their strengths and their weaknesses, and how you can bend both to your advantage.”

Link looked down at the board and frowned. He had just reached out to make his first move when the door to their room opened and Kaimana walked in. He glanced at the board and laughed. “It seems Sheik has found someone new to play his twisted mind games with.”

“It’s not twisted,” Sheik defended as he made his first move. “And it’s not like I created it.”

Kaimana shook his head and turned to Link with a sober expression. “I just wished to apologize for my mother’s behavior. She wanted so much for the Goddesses to recognize me that she got out of line. Please forgive her, Hero of Hyrule, messenger of the Goddesses.” Link’s cheeks reddened as Sheik laughed. Kaimana looked confused. “Have I said something wrong?”

“No... I mean...” Link stuttered. “She just wanted what she thought was best for her son. Any mother would feel the same.”

“Thank you for your kindness.” Kaimana smiled and bowed. Sheik’s laughter shook his shoulders as he lay his head down on the table. Kaimana frowned. “I fail to see the humor in this.”

“You would,” Sheik choked.
Still blushing, Link played with one of his knights. “What if... what if you came with us tomorrow? To the temple I mean.” Kaimana froze with his mouth slightly open. Sheik stopped laughing long enough to look up with a raised eyebrow. “I mean, it makes sense really. He knows where the temple is and how to get into it. And it will make his mother happy.”

Sheik shook his head. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Hero.”

&&&

Savas watched as the girl crept across the dungeon floor with her tray of food and water. She seemed skinnier than before, and the contents of the tray rattled with each unsteady step. At an agonizingly slow pace she made her way to his feet and set her tray down. She lifted the bowl of mush with shaking hands and gave it a stir with the spoon and raised a gooey mouthful towards him.

“You eat it,” he said in a low voice. “You need it more than I do.” Her eyes became impossibly wide and she shook her head vehemently and cast frightened glances over her shoulder. Savas glanced in the direction she was looking. He could just make out a door in the darkness and shadows. Something large moved past a tiny, barred window in the top half of the door. Keeping the incline of his head down towards the girl, he spoke in a loud voice that cracked slightly thanks to his parched throat, “Last time I ate that it made he sick. How do I know it isn’t poisoned? You eat some first.”

The girl’s eyes were as wide as her sunken sockets would allow. Her cracked lips worked to form words, but no sound came out. She glanced between him and the door, desperate for a sign.

“I’m not going to eat any until you do,” the Gerudo king insisted in the same loud voice. “Try the water too. I won’t take any chances.” Looking nervous, the girl brought the tiniest of bites to her mouth. With a pleading look she peered up at him. “That’s not good enough. You have to eat enough to prove there is nothing in that food.” The girl let out a diminutive whimper before taking a large bite of the mush, then several more under Savas’s glare. When the bowl was half empty and the girl looked on the verge of tears, he relented, letting her feed him the rest and drinking the water.

Savas watched as she picked up the tray and made her way out of the room. Beyond the door he heard a loud grunt and a mournful cry, then silence. It was so quiet that when a small stone clattered to the floor, he jumped in a way he hoped his clan would never witness.

Looking up, he saw his falcon silhouetted in the tiny barred window. Surprised the bird had located him, he gave a small whistle, calling it down to him. “Faris, you have come far, my friend.” The bird clicked its beak as it landed on his arm and hung almost upside down to look him in the face. “I am glad to see you as well, but you can’t stay here.” The bird tilted its head to one side and gave a short, sharp cry. “If they find you, they will kill you. Fly, my friend, find the boy with the sword. Guide him.”

The bird clicked it beak again, then took off. At the window, it lighted on the ledge and looked back. Then with a final cry, it took to the air and vanished from sight.

“Be safe, my friend...” Savas whispered into the silence, “And may Din give your wings strength.”

&&&

Link carefully tied the strip of blue cloth around his face, so it covered his nose and mouth. General Tangaroa said the cloth was perfectly designed to convert dissolved air in the water into breathable air for land dwellers. Link was skeptical at best, but said nothing.

“Ready?” Sheik asked. Link looked up to see Sheik had tied his own blue cloth over his usual scarf.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Link replied with a shrug.

“Then let us be underway,” Kaimana said as he began wading into the water. Link and Sheik followed. “Keanu will have our mounts waiting.”

They swam out into the deeper water. Link could not help feeling a bit envious of the ease with which Kaimana moved in the water. Each stroke was effortless and seemed to cost him nothing. When he suddenly dove straight down, he sliced through the water like an arrow, leaving the other two still bobbing at the surface.

“Sheik,” Link whispered, “what are the chances we are going to drown wearing these things?”

“Probably about 60/40.”

“Comforting.”

“You asked,” Sheik chuckled. “Shall we?” Link took a deep breath and dove under. Unlike Kaimana, who was now waiting for them at the very bottom of the pool next to the elderly Zora who was caring for their horses, they had to fight their way down. The water fought their intrusion, trying to force them back to the surface.

But worse than the water, was the fight against his own instincts. Despite the fact the cloth was supposed to help him breathe, it was too counter intuitive to try to breathe. Even when his lungs began to scream for air and his muscles began to ache. And as his body began to beg for air, his brain reminded him, that if the cloth failed, he could not breathe water.

Slowly his vision began to blur and he stopped. Looking up, the surface suddenly seemed so very far overhead. Next to him, Sheik seemed to be experiencing the same indecision. But even as they both moved to return to the surface, Link gave a desperate cough – air rushing past his lips and then involuntary inhaled a fresh breath.
Link froze, fully expecting water to fill his lungs in an icy rush. But instead he could almost feel the moist air, cool like a foggy morning, soaking into his blood and spreading rapidly through his body. Cautiously he slowly sucked in air. When he had filled his lungs, he let out the air and took another, more confident breath. He looked at Sheik, who was breathing in the same slow deep rhythm, and sighed. Sheik gave a half shrug.

Together they dove down towards Kaimana again. His shoulders were shaking in amusement, and they could hear his laughter before they reached him. But the descent was easier now that they could breathe properly.

“You looked like a pair of baby Zora learning to breathe air,” Kaimana commented as they arrived.

“Humph,” Sheik huffed.

“Your mounts, sirs,” Keanu said, holding out the reins of the three hippocampus he held. Link recognized the creatures from the stables. The one he gave to Kaimana was as white as sea foam with a mane of silvery blue, like clear spring water under the moonlight. His neck was perfectly arched and he was dressed in a saddle of the finest fish leather. Bright scales of silver and gold decorated the saddle and bridle.

The hippocampus Keanu handed Sheik and Link were not nearly as regal. The one Link took was a pale blue-green with an algae-green mane. Its saddle was plain and the only dressing looked like a Zoran version of chain mail. Sheik’s mount was mud brown with a sand-colored mane and wore a saddle almost identical to Link’s.

“Let’s get going. Even by the shortcut it is a long way to Lake Hylia,” Kaimana said as he mounted his steed.