Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction ❯ To Forge the Master ❯ chapter 15 ( Chapter 15 )

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

Link was not sure how he made it, but at this point he did not care. All he could remember was clinging to the saddle horn as Sheik ponied Nightfire in a generally western direction. He vaguely recalled passing over the canyon via a rope and wood bridge, but very little else beyond the blinding pain.

Eventually he found himself lying on a bed in a dark, quiet room with a cool rag on his forehead. Someone had given him a bowl of liquid and ordered him to drink; the contents had been terribly bitter, but a promise that it would make him feel better was enough to help him choke it down.

What felt like hours later, his head still throbbed and the pain was starting to spread. It crept down his spine and wormed its way into his limbs. A cold sweat broke out all over his body and nausea curled up in his gut. A door swung open, letting in the flickering light of the torches in the hall. Link flinched, squeezing his eyes shut and turning away with a groan. The door shut softly and footsteps padded almost soundlessly across the stone floor. A hand touched his forehead and he winced.

“Easy, Hero. How are you feeling?” Sheik asked softly.

“Better,” he breathed.

“Liar.”

Link snorted, flinching at the sound of his own voice. He groaned and pulled the blanket over his head to muffle all the other noise in the room. The blanket was suddenly jerked away and a harsh pink light streamed down around him. Link groaned, curling into a ball on his side. He heard a loud pop and the light grew brighter. Something like a feather brushed against his cheek and warmth flashed through his body.

The pain in his body lessened to a dull ache and his head stopped pounding. He turned his head to look up at Sheik, who held another fairy in a bottle and looked at him expectantly. Link shook his head and sat up on the bed. A wave of weakness washed over him and he felt dizzy for a moment. Another fairy appeared before his eyes, landing on his nose. The warmth washed over him again, leaving him feeling lightheaded but comfortable.

“You went to a fairy fountain for me?” Link asked, a bit surprised.

“You did it for me,” Sheik replied, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, but you were dying,” Link said and he stretched stiff muscles. He made a face when his back cracked loudly. “I just had a bad headache.”

Sheik shrugged. “So your head feel better?”

“Yap, good as– ow!” Link rubbed the back of his head while Sheik dusted his hands with a satisfied smile on his face. He was sure that had hurt a lot more than usual.

“Goddesses or no Goddesses, if you ever jump off a cliff again, I will break both your legs!”

“You did it!” Link protested.

Sheik snorted. “Really? When?”

“In the Zora’s Domain,” Link replied with dignity, trying to ignore the hint of a headache that had returned. “You pulled me over the cliff with you.”

“That was only thirty feet and there was a giant pool of water at the bottom. Not the same thing,” Sheik huffed.

“Details,” Link replied as he picked up his sword and shield. He quickly decided he was not as healthy as he felt. The sword, which had always been incredibly light, seemed to weigh as much as his shield. With a grunt he heaved it onto his shoulder and fastened the belt. Sheik raised an eyebrow in question. “Been lying around too long, muscles are stiff, I guess.”

Sheik grinned. “That can be fixed.”

Link groaned as he sat against the wall. It turned out Sheik’s idea of loosening tight muscles involved Link getting his butt handed to him, again. To make matters worse, another dizzy spell was washing over him and the headache was worming its way back into his skull. He told himself it was just blood loss and downed a potion. As he waited for the wonderful tingle to fade and his wounds to close, he leaned his head back and stared up.

The Rito’s Domain was amazing, and he considered bringing Raylon here if he got a chance. The huge communal chamber was built inside a long extinct volcano. The room was very tall and opened to the sky. A lazy spiraling ramp carried flightless visitors to various rooms and corridors, while other doorways were only accessible to those who could fly. Huge decorative feathers with scenes of animals, fields, towns, and one of Hyrule castle hung on the walls. The walls were a dusty gray, with the hard, black, stone like in Death Mountain underneath.

Small stands lined the walls, selling different goods. The smell of fresh baked pastries and warm cider drifted in the air and made Link’s stomach rumble. Other places sold clothes, musical instruments, small toys, and any other item someone could need or want. The atmosphere reminded him of Castle Town market.

Above him adult Rito soared effortlessly on their outstretched winged arms, swooping from doorway to doorway, or gracefully climbing into the sky through the open ceiling. Young Rito who had not yet gotten their wings, scurried around, many trying to be sneaky as they crept closer to him in curiosity.

“The children seem to like you,” a deep baritone voice commented as a rush of wind ruffled Link’s hair. He looked up to see Kite, the Rito shaman, land lightly next to him. Kite was surprisingly young for a shaman; only a few years Sheik’s senior. He had the normal beak-like nose and feathery hair of his tribe. The blond locks fell in front of kind, stormy-gray eyes. He wore the traditional costume of his profession: a thin white under robe with a decorative red and gold mantel over it. The entire outfit was tied at his waist with apiece of almost ornamental gold rope.

“I’ve always been good with kids.” Link replied, smiling at a small boy half hidden behind a stall selling apples.

Kite grunted in the affirmative as he sat down next to the young Hyrulian. “And how are you feeling?”

“Still a bit dizzy...” Link paused to rub his temples, “and my headache is coming back.”

“Your friend says you are new to magic but recently used a great deal,” Kite replied and Link nodded. “I believe you have simply overextended your limit.” At Link’s confused look the shaman went on. “Magic is like... a muscle. Everyone is born with it, but not everyone can use it properly. With time and practice you can train the muscle to do extraordinary things, but if you push it too far before it is ready you can tear it. Then it must take time to heal before it can be used again, or risk irreparable damage.”

Link stared at the potion in his hand for a minute. “So, no using magic unless I absolutely have no choice until I feel better?” Kite nodded and Link sighed. “Great, just great.”

“I thought you’d feel that way.” Kite smiled and withdrew a tiny bottle from his robes and handed it to Link. “So I brought you this.” Link studied the bottle. It appeared to be made from fine crystal and cut into a pretty diamond shape. The liquid inside was clear and seemed to sparkle with an inner light.

“What is it?”

“Great Fairy Tears. Very rare and very hard to come by. They are not a cure all, but if you find yourself in a desperate situation, drink this. They will give your body and magic a boost.”

“Thanks!” Link grinned as he tucked the bottle safely into his pouch.

Kite smiled and nodded. “Also I came to inform you that Faris is doing well. Her injuries were very minor and most were attributed to shock.”

“Faris?” Link repeated. The potion had done its work and he stood up to stretch. Kite followed suit.

“Yes Faris. King Savas’s Falcon. Your friend brought her in when you arrived.”

Link choked in surprise. “That is where that thing came from? It just showed up a few weeks back and started following me around.”

Kite’s brow knitted. “That is not right... I have been looking after Faris for years and I have never known her to be far from her keeper.” Link felt something cold drop into his stomach, but could only shrug helplessly in response.

A small tug on the edge of his tunic drew Link’s attention down. The small Rito boy flinched slightly, slowly drawing his hand away and taking a step back. Link smiled and knelt down to his level. The boy’s lips moved in what appeared to be an apology though no sound came out, taking another step back.

“It’s okay, what did you need?”

The little boy bit his lower lip and stared shyly through dark brown bangs. Behind him, Link heard the shaman sigh. “I’m sorry, but Taticus is a mute.” The boy shyly rubbed his bare toe against the ground. Link stared at him for a minute more before abruptly scooping the small boy into his arms and smiling at him.

“You know, my father used to tell me that the Goddesses hear everything, even if we don’t say a word. And everyone in Hyrule keeps telling me I am blessed by those same Goddesses. So if you have something you want to ask, how about you ask them and I bet they will happily pass the message along.” Taticus peered up at him with wide eyes for a moment, then abruptly jumped from Link’s grasp and hurried off.

Kite tilted his head and gave Link a peculiar look. “Do you really have the ear of the Goddesses?”

“They dragged me into this mess and haven’t let me die yet, so I think they like me.” Link grinned.

“Or they just want to keep you busy while also not wanting to deal with you directly,” Sheik added as he arrived, two steaming bowls of creamy liquid in his hands. “Now what I did to deserve the responsibility, is a mystery.”

&&&

“And how did we get relegated to his messengers?” Din huffed indignantly.

Farore frowned at her sister. “Don’t be so sensitive, I think it’s sweet he wants to help the boy.”

“That doesn’t give him the right–”

“He didn’t mean it, Din,” Nayru sighed. “He was just trying to make the boy feel better.” Din snorted her disapproval, but otherwise remained silent.

&&&

Link sighed as he flopped down onto his bed. The soft down mattress and warm down comforter were like heaven, but he could not sleep. The dull ache in his head was getting worse and a hint of nausea had settled into the pit of his stomach. A cold sweat was starting to break out along his brow. Turning over he could see Sheik sleeping in the other bed on the other side of the room.

Link rolled out of bed, his feet making no sound on the stone floor. He knelt next to his things and pulled the pouch from the pile. Loosening the drawstrings, he let his hand disappear into the opening and carefully felt around the huge emptiness inside. His fingers brushed against smooth, cool glass and the tingle of magic ran up his arm. He wrapped his fingers around the bottle and pulled it free.

A pink glow lit up the room, emanating from the fairy sleeping on the bottom of the bottle. Link tapped on the glass very lightly and the fairy stirred, lifting her head and rubbing small eye with tiny fists. She looked at him sleepily for a moment, then seemed to realize what was going on. Link popped the cork and she quickly soared out, coming to hover in front of him. She gave him a bright smile before kissing him on the nose.

The wonderful warmth spread through him for the third time that day, washing away the arch in his skull and leaving him feeling relaxed and refreshed. He tucked the empty bottle away and crawled back into bed, pulling the comforter up to his chin. Moments later he felt the welcome embrace of sleep close over him.

He groaned when a soft laugh invaded his ears. In irritation he rolled over and glared at the offender. He blinked several times to clear his vision, but finally could make out a small Rito boy through the sleepy haze. The boy stared at him with bright eyes before giggling again. Link frowned in annoyance, pushing the covers away and getting to his feet.

“Are you lost?” he asked groggily. Even as he asked the question he realized how silly it sounded. “Are you looking for something?” The boy giggled and ran to him, but stopped short and grabbed the hem of Link’s undershirt, tugging gently. It was then Link recognized his face – Taticus. Frowning at the small boy he knelt down. “What is it?”

Taticus tugged on the fabric still in his hand again before turning and running out the door. Confused, annoyed, and tired, Link climbed to his feet and followed. He found the boy just outside the door, but as soon as Taticus saw him he hurried farther up the corridor. Link pursed his lips and sprinted after him. He was startled to find that no matter how fast he ran, the young Rito managed to always stay just out of his reach.

His lungs burned, his head throbbed, and his vision refused to clear. Finally he stopped, too tired to go any farther. Panting, it took several minutes for him to catch his breath and look around. Link was startled to find himself standing on the platform atop the mountain. Behind him was the ramp that led back down into the extinct volcano. In front of him was an abandoned café and seating area that overlooked Hyrule.

Overhead was a blanket of stars, brighter and clearer than Link could ever recall seeing them. Millions of tiny diamonds twinkled down on him, his sleepy haze making them slightly fuzzy. The land of Hyrule stretched out to meet the stars as they bowed to the earth. The land was bathed in the silvery glow and pale shadows of a crescent moon. A wind – sweet with the rich smell of earth and water – wrapped around him, running its long fingers through his hair. Link smiled, closing his eyes and breathing deeply.

A bright flash made him look around. His mouth dropped open slightly as all the stars began to rain from the sky. They darted across the heavens, all rushing to a single point which became brighter and brighter until it was blinding and blotted out everything else. Link tried to cover his eyes, but the light forced its way through, turning the insides of his eyelids red even behind his hands.

When the light dimmed, Link peeked between his fingers. For a minute all his saw were fuzzy dots against a dark background. But as his eyes adjusted, the place where the point of light had been became a pale tower that reached into the sky. It shone like a second moon, giving the land an odd mix of shadows.

“It is the Tower of the Goddesses,” a small voice said. Link turned to see Taticus standing behind him. The small Rito moved forward to stand next to him before tilting his head up to look Link in the eyes. “Your long journey will soon come to fruit, but it may still be bittersweet. More rides on your shoulders than you yet know.”

“I thought you were mute...?” Link replied. Taticus smiled slightly and gestured back towards the tower. Link looked.

“Time is running short,” the boy warned. Behind the Tower and to the left, beyond Lake Hylia, the black dome loomed against the darkened sky. It pulsed and crackled, black lightning leaping into the heavens and turning it blood red. The color spilled across the sky, blotting out the stars and moon, giving the earth an eerie glow.

Then the dome exploded. It tore the land before it, tossing the fragments aside like discarded toys. Link tried to shield himself and Taticus from the blast, but it did no good. The black wave threw them from the top of the mountain. Link screamed as the darkness clawed at his skin, ripping deep and slicing into his soul.

They landed hard, the small Rito tumbling from his arms. When Link looked around the boy was gone. All around him the land of Hyrule had changed. The sky burned red, the earth scorched black, and the rivers flowed with lava. The air was unbearably hot and thick and Link gasped for breath. Everything smelled of smoke and decay.
A horn cried over the land and Link turned. The shadowy figure of a man on a dark horse loomed on the hilltop. He laughed, a deep, reverberating sound that chilled Link to the bone. The figure charged and Link scrambled to get out of his way, but was still knocked aside by the horse, crashing painfully to the ground. Neither the man nor the horse seemed to have noticed. He pushed himself up just in time to see the man dive into the fray of battle.

Link’s mouth opened in horror as he watched as Zora and Goron, Gerudo and Hyrulian clashed. The black ground was muddy with blood, bodies being crushed underfoot as each group struggled for supremacy. Overhead, Rito dove into the melee, grabbing random people and taking them into the sky, before releasing them to plummet to their deaths.

Over the din another noise rose – a soft rushing sound that was quickly becoming a roar. Link turned again and his eyes widened. A wall of water towered over the land. It raced forward, swallowing everything in its path. There was no escape. The wave crashed into Link, sweeping him away. He swirled around, helplessly in churning water before he was finally forced to the surface where he gasped for breath.

The red sky reflected on the water, turning it into a sea of blood. Link bobbed in place for what seemed an eternity, his breath echoing in the vast emptiness. When a log floated by, he climbed on, lying down and resting his head on the wood. Everything hurt, and he was sure some of the red water around him was his own blood but was too tired to care.

“Hurry,” a breathy voice said. Link looked up to see Taticus standing on the end of the log. “Hurry,” Taticus repeated. Link reached for him, surging forward on the wet log. He slipped and saw the log rushing up to meet him before everything went black.

Link’s eyes snapped open suddenly. His chest was heaving and sweat was pouring from his body. He looked around wildly. The room was just as he had left it, except Sheik was sitting on the edge of his bed giving Link a critical look.

“You okay, Hero?” He stood and crossed the room. “You look like shit.”

Link gave him a flat look as he pushed himself up right. His arms felt weak, but he did his best not to show it. “Thanks... and I’m fine, just a bad dream.”

“Okay,” Sheik said dubiously, but did not force the issue. Link rolled out of bed. He felt sticky and his shirt and pants were clinging to his skin. Grimacing, he grabbed his things and headed for the communal bath.

It was early and no one else was around, so he stripped down and lowered himself into the water. The bath was cool and felt good on his hot skin. He sighed. The sound was eerily like his dream, making him frown. Squeezing his eyes shut he dunked his head, trying to clear his mind. The water seemed to sweep away the darkness that still clouded his mind. He surfaced and settled into a place on the edge of the pool, sinking up to his chin, and closed his eyes.

He could not remember ever being this tired. It was not exhaustion, like a hard day’s work brought, but weighty sluggishness – like heavy chains wrapped around his soul, binding it to a failing body. Sinking lower in the water, Link blew bubbles in frustration before climbing out.

A stack of fresh towels sat on a small table next to the empty basket meant for the used towels. He dried off and dressed, feeling cleaner if not entirely better. The dream still played across his mind and thinking about it was bringing on another headache. To make matters worse his sword still felt like a lead weight. Strapping the sheath to his back, he shrugged it into place as best he could.

He opened the door leading back into the hall and was almost run over by Sheik, who looked confused and a bit harassed. “Good, you’re done. The chieftain is demanding your appearance on the peak. Something about a white tower.”

The bottom dropped out of Link’s stomach. “White tower?” His voice sounded higher than he expected. Sheik raised an eyebrow, obviously noticing.

“You know something, Hero?”

Link made a strange choking noise in the back of his throat in reply. With clipped steps, he all but pushed past Sheik and hurried towards the main room. Behind him, he heard Sheik mutter something about it being too early before he fell into step. Link could not think, could not breathe, as he marched towards the peak. Every hair stood on end and he surreptitiously pinched his own arm in hopes he would wake from this new nightmare.

As he stepped onto the platform at the top of the mountain, he did not need the crowd of curious Rito to point him in the right direction. The tower stood right where it had been in his dream, still as white and gleaming as a new star, nestled beyond the mountains and reaching into the sky.

“Holy...” Sheik’s voice trailed off. “Where did that come from?”

Link started to answer, but changed his mind and closed his mouth with an audible click. His eyes strayed to the left of the tower and every muscle felt on edge, waiting for something, anything, to happen. But there was no black dome to be seen. The sky remained blue, the land remained intact, and the water levels remained unchanged.

“What does this mean?” the chieftain asked. Link was startled when he realized the question was directed at him. He turned to look at the Rito chieftain. He was a large man by Rito standards, with broad shoulders, a hard face, and hard gold eyes. His hair was white with age and his robe and blue mantle well worn, giving him a dignified air.

“I...” Link started, then stopped. A strange protectiveness rushed over him, but for what or from what he was not sure. He stared the chieftain in the eyes as the crowd of Rito looked at him for an answer. Link half turned his head to find Sheik giving him a curious look. “Sheik, can you ready the horses? We need to leave and there is something I need to do.”
“Sure, Hero,” Sheik replied slowly, his mouth turning into a hard line behind his ever-present scarf.

Link nodded, then looked back at the chieftain. “What is the fastest route from here to there?”

The old Rito, and several of the younger ones, looked taken aback. “Since you lack wings, you have two choices. You can go back across the bridge and skirt the canyon and mountains until you reach the Desert Pass. That will take you to the other side of the mountains and into Gerudo territory. Or you can take the Mountain Pass and achieve the same result. The former is safer, but the latter is more direct.”

“What’s the danger of the Mountain Pass?”

“Rockslides mostly,” the chieftain answered, his mouth tight and he brow knitted. “But moblin have been using it with increasing frequency lately and are becoming a serious problem.”

“Aren’t moblin always...” Sheik agreed dryly, still eyeing Link strangely.

“We’ll take the Mountain Pass,” Link said firmly, then turned on his heel and made a beeline for the ramp. Sheik was too bewildered to do anything but follow. The Rito stared owlishly after them.

“Hey, Hero, I thought you were worried about being rude on this trip,” Sheik teased. Link did not respond, his lips pressed together tightly and his gait hurried. Sheik frowned and grabbed Link by the shoulders, forcing the younger Hyrulian to look at him. “What’s wrong? What do you know?”

“Not here,” Link replied firmly, not breaking eye contact. “Later. Just get the horses. There is something I need to do.”

Sheik nodded sharply, releasing the younger man to go their separate ways. Link took a detour down a corridor, not knowing or caring how he knew the way. The hallway was very short, making one sharp turn before opening into a large room. On one side was a line of five neatly made beds, on the other was a long table covered in books and bottles. In the corner, Kite sat in a well worn wing-backed chair reading from a thick tome. Faris perched on the back of the chair, her head tucked under her wing.
“Kite, can Faris leave yet?”

The Rito shaman blinked as he looked up pulling himself back to reality, before focusing on Link. “Faris? Oh! Yes, she’s perfectly able to travel. Is there a problem?”

“Yes, and we are leaving immediately, but I have a favor to ask you.”

“Go ahead, I’ll see what I can do,” The shaman answered, setting aside his book and standing to move to his worktable.

“I need you to test Taticus for spiritual powers. I can’t explain right now, but it is important.” Kite stared at him strangely for a minute then gave a slow nod. Satisfied, Link whistled and turned away. Faris fluttered from her perch and landed on his shoulder. His errand complete, he made a beeline for the stables, ignoring all attempts to divert his attention.

Sheik was just pulling the horses from their stalls as he arrived. “You went back for the bird?” the older man asked skeptically.

“In part,” Link replied, pulling himself onto Nightfire’s back. Faris took off, dipping out of the stable and flying up toward the peak. “Kite said she belonged to Savas. I owe him that much.”

Sheik only grunted in reply as he mounted Blu. The two waved goodbye to the few Rito who were still hanging around and then set off. Nightfire quickly pulled into the lead and Link followed the chieftain’s directions to the Mountain pass. Heavy hooves drummed over a poor dirt road that wove like a serpent between the mountains.

When they had put some distance behind them and the horses were blowing from exertion, they slowed to a more sedate pace. For a while they rode in an uncomfortable silence. Finally Sheik huffed and leveled Link with a flat look. “Okay, Hero, when are you going to tell me what has you acting so... scared?”

“I’m not scared,” Link defended immediately.

“Everyone is afraid of something,” Sheik persisted, “So what has your hackles raised?”

Link did not answer right away, instead leaning his head back to stare at the tower rising over the peaks around them. “You know that dream I had?”

“That one from last night that had you waking up in a cold sweat?” Sheik asked and Link nodded. “Yeah, my memory isn’t that bad yet. Go on.”

Link sighed. “Last night I dreamed... I was standing on the peak, looking over Hyrule and then there was this flash and the tower, THAT tower,” he gestured to it to emphasize his point, “formed out of star and moonlight.” Sheik raised an eyebrow. “I know it sounds crazy. Anyway,” he pressed before Sheik could stop him, if he stopped now he was not sure he could start again, “there was also this big black dome. Then it exploded in dark energy, and tore Hyrule to ruins, and there were rivers of fire, and all the tribes were going to war, and blood everywhere, and then a huge wall of water or maybe it was more blood, swept over the land and swallowed everything whole.” Link was panting by the time he stopped.

Sheik stared at him, not saying a word.

“And there was this... man,” Link said slowly. “At least, I think it was a man. He was... evil. I could feel it... like...” he shook his head, unable to find the proper words.

“Forare, Link. No wonder you’re losing it. That’s one hell of a dream,” Sheik replied.

“What makes it worse is that Princess Zelda said something very similar the first time I met her; about war between the races and a dark lord... I can’t remember the rest.”

Sheik’s mouth formed a hard line behind his scarf and his brow knitted low over his eyes. He opened his mouth the speak, then shut it again. Finally he gave the younger man a hard look. “Link, how did you end up at the temple that day?”

Link blushed without knowing why. “The Princess summoned me.”

“She summoned you?” Sheik replied. His face was tense but he did not seem mad. Finally he shook his head. “Dammit, Zelda.”

“What?” Link asked in confusion.

“It is a little known fact, but the Goddesses saw fit to bless our Princess with prophetic powers. They aren’t always clear and have at times been very cryptic, but I’ve never known her to be wrong. And if you are having the same visions...”

“I don’t think I had them, per se,” Link replied and Sheik looked at him quizzically. “Taticus, the mute Rito boy, he led me to the peak and he said ‘time is short.’”

“Okay. Either way, two very similar visions is not a good thing.”

Link nodded and sighed. The headache was starting to throb behind his eyes but he did his best to push it aside to deal with later. “So, to the tower.”

Sheik frowned and grunted. “Yes, let’s just hope it’s not too deep in Gerudo territory.” Link gave him a questioning look and he went on. “We aren’t prepared for a long desert crossing. The only place to stock up on those kinds of supplies would be at the Gerudo Fortress. Unless Savas has shown back up, they aren’t going to let us in. If one of his guards escaped capture and made it home, they may just shoot us on sight.”

“Goody,” Link said flatly.

The rest of the day passed mostly in silence except for the steady plodding of the horses’ hooves and the returning echoes from the canyon around them. When they did speak, it was brief. By the time night fell and they were forced to make camp, Link’s vision was going fuzzy from the pain in his head. When Sheik drew his swords for a nightly spar, Link offered a game of chess instead. Despite the pain and fuzziness, he played well and Sheik remarked on his growing skill at the game.

Link rested his throbbing skull against his bent knees, listening to the muted sounds of the world around them. He had taken first watch for the night knowing he could not sleep. Once Sheik’s breathing evened out, he dug into his pouch and pulled out another bottled fairy. Frowning, he popped the cork and reveled in the healing warmth that followed. It had been close to midnight when he gave in and used the last fairy; this time the sky was not yet fully dark.

He tucked the empty bottle away and sighed. Either the pain was getting harder to take or it was reaching its climax faster. Neither option seemed better in his mind.

The next morning they set a quick pace, but the canyon made their travel seem almost stagnant. The same gray walls stood on either side, unchanging no matter how far or fast they moved. The only indicator of distance was the tower and it was quickly becoming apparent that it was going to be deep in the desert. They traveled for another day and a half before the canyon released them on the other side of the mountain range.

Nightfire and Blu snorted at the soft sand that shifted below their hooves, displeased by the change in landscape. Link was shocked by the hot, dry air. It shimmered and danced in the distance, giving the illusion of water far away. Beyond the silvery veil was a massive block of red-brown, but Link could not make it out clearly.

“That is the Gerudo Fortress,” Sheik said to the unasked question. “I know it looks close, but the water vapor in the air is magnifying it. We probably have a miserable hour-long ride ahead of us.” Link nodded. They let the horses set the pace, not wanting to overexert them in the oppressive heat. It did not take Link long to realize the extreme heat was making his head hurt faster as well.

By the time they reached the massive fortress gates, the ground was starting to rise and fall, like the surface of a lake on a windy day. He shaded his eyes as he leaned his head back to look up at the battlement, wondering why desert dwellers would need such heavy fortifications.

“Link, I need you to keep your mouth shut,” Sheik said quietly. “Relations between Hyrulians and Gerudo are very delicate at the best of times. Without Savas here they are going to be even more touchy than usual.” Link nodded. They turned their eyes skyward again and could see several dark-skinned faces crowned in red hair peering over the wall at them. Through the wavy heat Link could not be sure, but none of them looked inviting. “Hail!” Sheik called. “We come in the name of Princess Zelda.”

There was a pause before they responded. “The King is out, no entry.”

“His Majesty is out?” Sheik sounded surprised. Link cringed inwardly. “That is unfortunate. But we are merely passing through on our way to the tower. Our horses need water and we are ill-equipped to travel your sands. Would you deny us the opportunity to lighten our pockets?” Link had to try very hard not to laugh at Sheik’s light-hearted tone. One of the heads disappeared back over the battlement, but two more replaced it. Along with spears held at the ready. Link cast Sheik a nervous look, but the older man’s relaxed expression did not falter.

With a loud creak that made Link’s head felt like it was splitting and his hair stand on end, one huge door swung open just enough to let a single Gerudo out. She was old for a Gerudo, easily closing in on her fifties. Her long red hair was streaked with gray. Wrinkles were forming at the corners of her eyes and edges of her lips. Even over the shifting sand she seemed to prowl, no foot moving out of place, as she approached them. Her eyes were hard rubies that glinted at them with every movement. The twin scimitars at her hips glistened in the desert sun. She was dressed in traditional Gerudo garb of deep royal purple. Link did not know a lot about Gerudo culture, but he could tell this woman was of high rank and not someone to play games with. Sheik did not seem bothered.

The woman stopped in front of them and gave each a long measuring look, her lips tight. “State your business,” She ordered shortly.

“We come at the behest of Princess Zelda to investigate the mysterious Tower. We do not mean to burden you, but we are ill equipped to cross the desert,” Sheik replied easily.

The Gerudo woman raised an eyebrow, turned to look at the tower, then back at them. “Do you take me for a fool, Hyrulian?” she growled. “That tower appeared just days ago. You could not have crossed Hyrule in that time.”

Sheik’s relaxed expression did not falter and Link wondered how he kept it up. “Of course not,” he piped. “My friend here was named Hero of Hyrule and we were making the rounds of the races as a matter of ambassadorship. We were on our way to your glorious fortress to meet with His Majesty, King Savas, when we received the message.”

Her eyes narrowed dangerously and Link had to use all his willpower not to shift under her gaze. “So tell me, what magic does the Hyrulian Princess now possess that she may send orders across the land in less than a day?”

“No magic, it was carried on the wind.” Sheik indicated the sky and Link felt like hitting him. Circling slowly above them was Faris. If it were possible the Gerudo looked even more dangerous and her thumb was starting to slowly rub the hilt of her scimitar. When Sheik saw her face, even he winced.

“Tell me, how is it you have come to command King Savas’s falcon, a creature he prizes more than his own life, and yet did not know our King has not returned to us?”

It was a loaded question and Sheik knew it, but he smiled his best disarming smile. “She was a gift to the newly knighted Hero.”
Link wanted to bury his head in his hands. The Gerudo’s sword hissed as it left its sheath. On instinct Link grabbed for his own sword, grinding his teeth together against the painful shock that raced up his arm. His vision blurred from the pain in his arm and head and he just barely blocked a scimitar as a spear landed next to him with a thump. He pressed his heels into Nightfire’s sides and the horse spun and dove back the way they had come. Sheik followed.

“You can’t lie for shit, can you?” Link snapped as he slammed his sword back into its sheath and cradled his throbbing arm. It did not take them long to outdistance the Gerudo spears.

“Sorry,” Sheik huffed. “The Gerudo aren’t very friendly and the only one I’ve had any real contact with is Savas.”

“Well now what?” Link asked, his fingers inching towards the pouch and the few fairies still hidden within, before he curled his hand into a fist and growled. The sound of his own voice was even starting to be painful again. “We can’t go traipsing across the desert like this. We’d dehydrate before the sun goes down.”

“I know, I’m thinking!”

“Fat lot of good that’s done us!”

“What’s your problem?” Sheik snapped.

Link ground his teeth together and let out a slow breath. “Nothing, sorry. I’m just... overheated, I guess.”

Sheik grunted. “We need to back off and regroup. They aren’t going to let us in there and we will definitely die if we try to cross the desert as we are now. First things first, we head back to the Desert Pass. If I remember correctly we can get water there. After that we can plan our next move.” Link nodded in agreement.

&&&

Link splashed the cool spring water on his face and sighed. It felt wonderful and eased the pain in his head just a bit. His arm was still throbbing, but had eased enough that he could use it without wincing. On his right, Sheik was drinking handfuls of water and on his left, the horses stood knee deep in the spring gulping down the liquid as fast as they could.

Feeling better, Link brought the next handful of water to his mouth more slowly than before. It was then he noticed the palm of his left hand. The skin where the gauntlet did not cover was red and starting the blister. Flexing the hand slowly he could feel the taunt skin that spoke of unseen damage. He cursed at the magic burns, taking a quick glance at Sheik to see if he had noticed – he had not.

“Now what?” Link asked, fisting his injured hand so the older man could not see his palm.
Sheik sat back on his heels and sighed. “I’m not sure. We’d have to offer them something... big. Something...” He ran a hand through his black hair as he trailed off.

“Something big, like a lot of rupees?” Link asked.

Sheik shook his head. “No, something they would respect.”
“Like what?” Link prompted in annoyance, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

Sheik began to answer, but was cut off a small cough. Both men looked up in surprise. Coming towards them through the heat waves was a group of girls, none older than twelve. They were dressed in rags, their skin dirty and bruised, dried blood clinging to them in places. Most of them were Hyrulian with eyes and hair of various colors. But the girl leading them was clearly Gerudo. Even with her red hair chopped short, her dark skin gave her away. They stumbled forward as a group and fell upon the stream like a beast on a kill.

Both men watched in silent amazement as the girls slurped the water down noisily, sounding more like horses than little girls. It took a full five minutes before any of the girls noticed them. When they did, they instantly huddled together and began to edge away.

“It’s okay,” Link said gently, reaching a hand out to them. “We won’t hurt you.” The girls stopped at the edge of the water, looking amongst themselves for reassurance.

“Where did you all come from?” Sheik added, standing up. They scurried back as a group and said nothing. Sheik dropped back to the ground and the girls froze. For several minutes the two groups stared at each other in a stalemate.

“Are you hungry?” Link asked, pulling cheese and bread from his pouch. The girls leaned forward, all eyes focused on the food. Link set it on the ground at the water’s edge, took Sheik’s arm and moved back. The girls watched them warily until they were several feet back, then lunged at the food. They splashed and wrestled among themselves over the small meal.

“What are we going to do with them?” Link asked quietly. “We can’t leave them here.” Sheik shrugged helplessly.

They turned to look back at the girls when the ground began to shake. It started as a soft rumbling, but quickly grew until it sounded like thunder roaring through the canyon. The girls screamed and huddled together. Startled, both men turned to see a cloud of dust rolling around the bend a moment before half a dozen moblin mounted on huge boars barreled into view. Each moblin wielded a net and a spear or sword.

“Get them out of here!” Link shouted as he grabbed his bow and notched an arrow. Sheik lunged for the group of girls, shoving them away from the charging moblin. It was all the incentive they needed. They dashed past Link as fast as they could. Link drew the shaft to his cheek and fired, catching the lead moblin in the throat. The pig-like creature tumbled from his mount and under the hooves of those following. One of the boars tripped and crashed into another, sending both mounts and riders sprawling.
Link grinned, notched another arrow, and let it fly. It sank deep into the chest of the lead boar. The creature squealed and stumbled, bringing down several moblin and boars behind him. In the chaos, Link turned and jumped on Nightfire’s back. A spear flew past the horse’s head and he balked, sending Link shoulder first into the canyon wall. His vision swam as pain shot through his body.

He lifted himself up in time to see the moblin charge past. The one bringing up the rear reined his boar in and growled down at Link, raising his spear. Link rolled to the side as the weapon came down. He ripped his sword from its sheath, ignoring the electric shock, and slashed the moblin across the thigh. The pig squalled angrily, swinging his spear. Link dodged, but pinned between the boar and the wall he had little room to maneuver and hissed as the point brushed past his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood.

Link growled and lunged, driving his sword into moblin’s side and twisted the blade. The moblin pulled away, losing his balance and tumbling over the opposite side of the boar. With the flat of the blade, Link slapped the boar on the rump, sending it charging off. The pig was just picking itself off the ground when Link slammed his shield into its head, crushing its skull.

Cursing, Link leapt back on his horse and raced after the rest of the moblin. Exiting the canyon, he quickly took in the scene. Sheik had backed most of the girls into a crevasses in the cliff wall, using the narrow space to keep the three attacking moblin at bay. The other moblin was charging after the Gerudo and a small Hyrulian girl who had escaped and were making a mad dash for the fortress. Link clenched his teeth and put his heels into Nightfire’s sides.

The horse lunged forward across the sand. Lighter than the boars, he practically flew and quickly overtook the moblin. As he drew alongside, Link lashed out with his sword, but bounced off the armor on the moblin’s chest. The combination of the steady shock and the vibrations from the clash almost made Link lose his grip on the sword. His vision spun wildly from the pain and he thanked the Goddesses he did not fall off his horse.

The strike had, however, distracted the moblin from the fleeing girls and it turned on him with a roar. Link caught the spear across his shield, gritting his teeth against the horrible scrap and clang, and struck back blindly. He smiled when his sword broke the spear. Not wanting to lose his advantage he kept striking at the moblin. He was so focused on his attack that he missed the broken spear until it struck him in his injured shoulder and sent him to the ground and sliding across the sand.

Lifting his head, he tried to blink the sand from his eyes, but found the edges of his vision had gone black anyway. He held himself on his hands and knees, panting and trying to find the strength to stand. Two cloven feet appeared in his line of sight and he rolled his eyes to see the moblin standing over him. The giant pig smiled darkly as it raised its broken pole, ready to ram it through his exposed back.

Link heard Sheik shout but ignored him. With all the strength he could summon, Link shot to his feet, his sword raised. The blade went through the moblin’s chin and exited through the top of its skull. Link dropped back to his knees, panting and bringing his sword down with him. The moblin slumped into the sand with a dull thud.

Link wiped his sword on his pant leg and sheathed it, letting out a sigh as the pain stopped shooting up his arm. He forced himself to his feet, slipping and sliding on the soft sand, and looked around. Sheik was coming towards him, blood dripping from his swords and the girls gathered closely about his legs.
Towards the fortress the Gerudo girl lay on the ground, her small Hyrulian friend kneeling over her prone form. Link blinked hard and, through the haze of heat and his fuzzy vision, he could make out a muddy redness under her. His breath seized as he stumbled towards her and fell to his knees at her side. A deep gash in her side was oozing blood and turning the sand around her to mud.

Gently he lifted her, pressing her against his body to put pressure on the wound with his chest, and stumbled in the direction of the fortress as fast as his legs would carry him. He vaguely heard Sheik calling for him to stop, but ignored him. Cradling the small girl against his body he slammed his fist against one of the huge steel doors. No one answered.

“HEY! Open up! There is a wounded girl out here,” he yelled, but was only answered by the whisper of the wind and the bite of sand blowing against his cheek. Growling he yelled louder, feeling the desperation rise in his voice as the blood began to seep down his clothes.

“Link, stop, they won’t let you in.” Sheik said gently as he approached.

Link glared at the two Sheiks in his vision, then shoved the girl into his arms. Sheik was too surprised to protest. “Then I’ll let myself in,” Link snapped. Calling on all the magic in the gauntlets, he laced his fingers together and drew back. He hit the door with all his might. The door bent under the force. Link stepped back and hit it again. This time the door swung open to reveal a small army of startled Gerudo. The leader, the Gerudo they had spoken to earlier, stepped forward and drew her scimitar.

Taking the injured girl back from the still-bewildered Sheik, he stepped into the fortress. “I thought all Gerudo were sisters. Are you just going to let her die?” The lead Gerudo dropped her gaze to the bleeding girl for a second, then nodded to a young Gerudo on her right. The younger woman hurried forward and took the girl from his arms, then vanished into the fortress proper.

Link met the lead Gerudo’s eyes and waited. She seemed to study him, looking between his sword on his back, the shield still attached to his arm, his blood-smeared tunic, and finally into his eyes. Behind her, the rest of the Gerudo waited for orders. Link did his best to stand perfectly still, even as the ground seemed to sway under him. His magic-burned hand clenched, ready to reach for his sword if he needed it.

“Why?” the Gerudo barked.

“Why not?” Link replied evenly. The Gerudo tilted her head and narrowed her eyes as if she could not figure him out.
Finally she spoke. “You have one night to prepare for your journey. Shula, show them a room.”

&&&

“I don’t believe it, I just don’t fucking believe it,” Sheik said as he carefully packed the supplies he had bought. After their horses had been put into a stable the middle-aged Gerudo woman showed them to a room. It had two hard beds and one table. “You are either the bravest or the stupidest man I’ve ever met,” Sheik continued. “Maybe both.”

“Thanks,” Link hissed, rubbing his temples and willing his companion to shut up. His whole body hurt in ways he had never thought possible. As if every part of him was trying to turn itself inside out. His eyesight had reduced to blurry tunnel vision, his ears rang like he was in a bell tower, and even his breath seemed to burn his throat.

“You hungry?” Sheik asked, pulling some food from his pouch. Link looked at the large wedge of cheese and felt his stomach turn. He managed to shake his head, but did not open his mouth for fear he would be sick. A hand pressed against his head and Link yelped; not only had the touch been unexpected, it felt like rubbing salt into a fresh wound. Sheik eyed him critically as Link glared at the three men who swam in and out of his vision. “I guess you did overdo it today.”

Link watched as Sheik dug a bottled fairy from his pouch and released it on him. The ringing in his ears dulled, his vision cleared a little, and his breath came easier. But he did not feel good, just better than before. It still felt like his insides were trying to become his outsides. This time, when Sheik touched his forehead, he forced himself not to flinch or pull away. Still the older man studied him through narrowed green eyes.

“I’m fine,” Link huffed, pulling away. Sheik frowned behind his scarf but said nothing. He handed Link his dinner and they ate. Link dutifully ate what he was given, but only kept it down by force of will.

Hours later, after Sheik had fallen asleep and Link had emptied his raging stomach, he pulled another fairy from the pouch and released her. Finally the ground stood still under his feet and he could hear sounds beyond the room over the ringing. Still he could not sleep; his body hurt too much and he did not dare use another of the quickly shrinking fairy supply. So he lay awake staring at the ceiling and hoping for sleep that would not come.

&&&

“Nayru...”

 220;No, Farore, you can’t help him,” the older goddess answered the unasked question.

“But–”

“I’m well aware of his condition. You knew about this before we started. He must do this on his own.”

“Let it be, Farore,” Din added, giving her sister a soft look. Farore sighed and leaned back over the water to watch Link’s fitful night.