This is a new multi-chapter story that will be updated every two weeks and cross-posted on Ao3. Based on posts made on my tumblr at sarcastic-sketches and my twitter sarcasticsketch. Zelink+Miphlink+Zelpha = Zelinkpha pairings (but only lets me show one)
CHAPTER 1 – Test Run
The Kingdom of Hyrule, for the most part, was a peaceful land that boasted a variety of flora and fauna and operated under the unification of its denizens through the Hylian Monarchy. The ruling monarchs were tasked with safe-keeping their Kingdom and all who dwelled within it. They were also tasked with preserving the lands history, including its many legends of past Princesses and Heroes.
The current Princess, Zelda, was the inheritor of a divine light which would one day seal away a dark, malicious entity known in this Era as the Calamity. A divine light that was, by all accounts, her birth rite… except that, no matter how hard she tried, the Princess had yet to access it. While the King assured the general populace that their plans to fight off the Calamity – should it ever return – were all in place, there was a budding unease with each day that passed where the legendary Princess failed to awaken her powers.
Thank fully, the Kingdom had the appearance of the Hero to reassure them. He had come forward with the Sword of Evil's Bane already within his possession during his early teens, so the people at least had that to fall back on. They felt safe knowing that their Kingdom was being actively protected.
Princess Zelda, was many things; studious, observant, dedicated, and tenacious. There were not many obstacles that she had not managed to overcome, and she continued to work on the ones that still blocked her way. She was open-minded and free-spirited, finding great joy in her research and sharing her knowledge with others.
However, she was also still a teenage girl, having barely just turned sixteen with an entire Kingdom's expectations on her. For nearly a decade she had been trying to get her powers to manifest to no avail and even her research could not let her forget about it for long. Because she wasn't trying hard enough.
Nobody dared say it directly to her face, besides her own father, but she knew it had to be a common thought of the people. How could they not think so when after ten years she still had nothing to show for her efforts and yet she persisted, because she had no other choice.
So, it should not have come as a surprise that the Princess reacted to her fathers latest decree with resistance and despair.
"Zelda, I will not hear another word about it," the King ordered, staring down at his fuming daughter. "He is your Appointed Knight and bearer of the Master Sword, he is to accompany you to ensure your safety both in and out of these walls. I just don't understand your dislike for the boy, I thought having a guard near your own age would have made it easier for you."
Ideally, Zelda would have preferred no guards at all but she realised that due to her position as the sole heir to the Throne asking to be left alone completely was too much. But did it have to be the one person whose mere existence highlighted all of her flaws? The boy her father always compared her to. The knight everyone seemed to like and could reflect guardian beams with nothing but a pot lid. Link, the Hero, the Hylian Champion, the one she had been made to bless for his future successes in front of the rest of her Champions.
The one who never spoke a word.
Admittedly, she probably wouldn't have minded as much if he was just mute, but he gave nothing away in his expressions either. Since he'd been inducted as her appointed knight he had performed his duty admirably and without complaint; meeting her at her door early every morning and accompanying her all over the Castle throughout the day. After observing him over the last month, she was unable to find fault in his work conduct and that just incensed her all the more. Having to officially sanctify his position with a ceremony on the Sacred Grounds had made her seethe but she had done as she was asked by her father, who had thought Daruk's suggestion was a marvellous idea. But ultimately, she knew why the Hero had been assigned to her.
As a reminder to try harder. To reach his level. The boy who had found his destiny at a mere twelve years of age.
Zelda wilted a little under the onslaught of resentment and guilt following her father's words and she said nothing more on the subject. The King's word was final, after all.
Yes father, I will go to the Spring of Courage and I will take Link with me for a – as you so tactfully put it - a test run.
It was a mild day at the very end of autumn, on the cusp of winter, so Link was packing accordingly. While Central Hyrule would not see snow for several weeks yet, the air was already turning crisper and dew collected on the blades of grass across Hyrule Field.
Thank fully, neither Link nor the Princess of Hyrule would be walking to the Spring of Courage, so he did not need to worry about waterproofing his boots against the damp. He did not mind rain after having been forced to train in all sorts of weather conditions, but damp socks tended to make one depressed.
Conversely, the Zora thrived in this type of weather which was why Mipha, the Princess of the Zora, had been happy to swim down the Zora River to Hyrule Castle in order to see Link off on his first mission accompanying Princess Zelda.
"You're going to be fine, you know?" Mipha assured him for what was quite possibly the third time since she had arrived at his quarters. "I imagine protecting the Princess is a tall order, but you are about as tenacious as I remember her to be. I'm sure this small trip will seem like a breeze to you."
Link was facing away from her as he fastened his belt around his hips but he felt his mouth tick upwards for a moment before he smoothed out his facial features once again. Even though it was just her sat on his bed, with Sergeant Seggin standing outside of his partially closed door, he felt it was easier to keep his emotions in check at all times. Letting some through while trying to contain others would lead to slip ups, but he appreciated her encouragement anyway.
He looked over his shoulder and nodded to her, thankful that he didn't have to do anymore than that for her to understand him. Mipha was gifted in not only healing but also empathy and she had adjusted well when she discovered that her once energetic and spontaneous Hylian friend was gradually becoming quieter and more reserved in his actions. However, she never pressed him to open up just for her and would always remind him that she was there for him should he need it.
She understood the pressures and responsibilities that had suddenly been placed upon him and so neither of them felt the need to discuss it.
"I've never been to the Faron region before," Mipha lamented, tapping her feet against the hardwood floor. "It's humid enough but I've never had cause to go and now doesn't seem like a good time to be taking frivolous trips halfway across the country either."
Privately, Link thought that now was a good a time as any to see places you hadn't had chance to before, but this line of thought would also make him a hypocrite. He, like the rest of the Champions it seemed, didn't want to be seen taking a laid back approach to the threat of Calamity Ganon's return. Still, with all that was at stake, he felt it necessary to encourage those around him to live their best life. With a small sigh, he finished fixing his belt in place and smoothed out his tunic before taking a seat next to Mipha.
She turned to smile at him.
"Then again, even we should be able to enjoy days of spontaneity, right?"
Link gestured to her and then to himself, nodding again as he did so.
"The both of us, then? That sounds nice."
It was good to sit beside each other in companionable silence, imagining trips they could organise once they were freed of their obligations. As a Princess, Mipha would never be truly free of her responsibilities but she at least had those around her for support should she need time to herself. As for Link, he wasn't sure what he would be doing years from now and resisted dwelling on it, instead focusing on fictional days out with Mipha. He could practically feel his heart rate begin to slow down as his body settled.
Unfortunately, any further attempts to immerse themselves in future plans were interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Princess, it is time we returned to the Domain. Master Link will need to head out soon," Seggin said, a gentle reminder that they did not have all day to talk. As much as he would have liked to give it to them.
"Thank you, Sergeant. May we walk with Link to the gates?"
"If you wish, my lady."
Mipha beamed and Link had to repress a laugh. As if anyone could have stopped her if they tried.
However, just as Link was standing up to leave she reached out to hold his hand in both of hers. He looked down at her, a little startled at the contact.
"Link, I know that you have decided that bottling up your feelings is the only way you can deal with your new role and as your friend I wish that were not so but I do understand," Mipha admitted and Link fought with himself not to break eye-contact even though he desperately wanted to. "Our time together these days is limited so I cannot help you as much as I would like, but know that the Princess does not deal with her pressures the same way as you do."
Seeing her eyes soften as she looked up at him made Link sit back down on the bed again. He cocked his head slightly and inclined his head for her to continue.
"She feels so much and yet bears so many unanswered questions. While your path may stretch toward an unseen destination, the Princess does not yet even have a path she can follow," Mipha explained, as if imploring him to understand her words and Link was reminded that both Princess Zelda and Mipha used to be good friends when they were younger. "The Princess will feel lost and I imagine your presence will only remind her of that fact. She will be frustrated and sad but with no emotional outlet available to her and no means by which to offer distraction she may end up redirecting her stress towards you. But please, Link, do not take it to heart. Though she hides it well, she must be experiencing the same fear that comes with being a figurehead of destiny that you do."
Link did drop his eyes down to their laps at that but he squeezed one of her hands in understanding and she gave him a rueful smile. There was another knock on the door.
"Princess?"
"We're ready!" Mipha called, but before she could stand Link brought one of her hands to his mouth to kiss the backs of her knuckles and she felt his lips move against her thin scales.
Thank you.
Getting to the Spring of Courage took about two days on horseback and the majority of the route followed well maintained roads with outposts and a couple of stables dotted along it. It wasn't until they'd reach Faron Woods that they'd need to take a path that was less supervised and Link would need to be on full alert. Not that he wasn't constantly hyperaware of his surroundings at all times.
The Princess had decided to take the lead as soon as they left Castle Town and Link was happy to follow after her, able to keep an eye on the road ahead and the area around her. Well, happy may have been an exaggeration, but he was content with his position. Making sure that his sturdy, brown mare kept pace behind the royal, white stallion he was able to keep out of her direct line of sight and still do his job. He could work with this.
Occasionally, the royal steed would grumble and start to veer away from the straight and narrow but a quick tug of his reigns from the Princess' white-knuckle grip had him back on track.
Link began to wonder whether the Princess did not like horse-riding and only did so because it was a more efficient way to travel. Given that he had already worked out that the Princess was not very fond of him he decided to keep that thought to himself. Just like all the others. She did not speak to him, probably lost in her own thoughts and he had no desire to disturb her out of them as they were probably far more important than anything he could contribute to a conversation. Besides, the very idea of trying to engage his vocal chords made his jaw clench.
Recalling Mipha's parting words, he took his eyes off of the Princess' back to scout out the surrounding area; insects chirped, birds hunkered down in the long grass to avoid detection as they passed by, a fox poked it's head up to watch them in the distance…
Nothing to report.
The day came to an uneventful close, with nary a word between them, and they secured lodgings at the Outpost stationed just below the Great Plateau. The regiment placed there were only too happy to host them, no doubt bored out of their minds, and the Princess' rooms were prepared accordingly. Yet, despite his charge's assurances that no harm could possibly befall her here with the regiment's Captain - Akela - standing right beside her, Link had felt the need to inspect her room thoroughly before she could enter.
Princess Zelda let her displeasure be known verbally.
"Oh for heavens sakes," Zelda muttered under her breath as her knight finally exited her room with a nod of approval. "This is a military installation, what exactly was he expecting?"
"Oh, I don't know, Princess," the Captain said with a twinkle in her eye as she watched the Hylian Champion take up position by her door, "one of the soldiers might have thought it funny to put a fake snake in there. Just to keep your knight on his toes."
Zelda looked up at the Captain sharply, "they wouldn't."
"Not if they know what's good for them, but I don't take offence to your knight getting used to routine."
Routine? Zelda thought, putting her things down in her room now that she was finally allowed inside, hopefully this partnership won't last long enough to form a routine.
The following morning saw the Princess setting the horses into a brisk pace across the bridge of Lake Hylia, determined to reach the Spring before sundown. The sooner she could begin her prayers, the sooner she could rid herself of her overbearing knight.
The road through the Faron Woods wound between uneven terrain and rocky outcrops, while scattered rays of sunlight broke through the tree canopy above them casting a dim golden light over their surroundings. It was a very scenic place but it held a multitude of hiding places and Link found his gaze switching from one shadowy space to another in rapid succession.
Since leaving the Castle, Zelda had managed to avoid directly interacting with her appointed knight. During their stay at the Outpost, many of the soldiers had offered to keep her company in the evening by showing her around and explaining how the place was run. She had known all of these things already of course, but she had been glad for the excuse to not be in close proximity to her own knight. He had spent the evening doing heaven only knows what knights did in their downtime far away from her.
Now she found herself curious, peering over her shoulder at him every now and then to see what he was doing.
Her father calling this excursion a 'test run' was not wholly inaccurate and she was hoping to catch him being anything less than perfect so she had grounds to complain about him. However, her quick inspections told her that Link was taking this little trip as seriously as if he were escorting her through enemy territory. Electric blue eyes skimmed over the tree line as he tried to spot any signs of danger before he swivelled his head to look at the opposite side of the road too, ears twitching. All was quiet and she highly doubted that anything dangerous would pop up so close to such a well travelled road but he was doing his job and that's all there was to it.
Further ahead, Zelda spotted carved columns that marked the start of the Zonai ruins; an ancient culture that had collapsed long ago. Once they had crossed the Floria River, she pulled back on her horse's reins to get him to stop and then pulled a little harder when he continued to trudge forwards in defiance. Seeing Link's horse obey his wordless command immediately made her want to roll her eyes, but she resisted. Instead, she pointed to the space between the stone structures that marked an entrance way into a faded path beyond.
"We need to go down here to reach the Spring. It's not a direct route by any means and nobody else is allowed to travel to the Spring without express permission so we will be undisturbed from here on out," Zelda declared, tapping her heels against her horses flank to get him moving again.
She heard Link's horse fall into step behind her but she did not turn around, taking a greater interest in the Zonai structures around her. With little else to take her mind off of what was awaiting her at the end of their travels, Zelda began to talk out loud regardless of whether her knight was paying attention to her or not.
"Very little research has been conducted on these ruins due to their proximity and significance with the Spring of Courage. You'll notice that most of the motifs carved into the stone here bear a draconic resemblance. It seems as though the aspect of Courage was associated with dragons, while the aspect of Wisdom is denoted by an owl. Given that the Zonai were primarily a warrior race it makes sense that they're architecture is focused around the Spring of Courage, though no-one is sure what happened to them."
Even as she continued to relay details about the lost culture, she couldn't help but internally berate herself. He's not going to care about any of this, nobody else does. He's just here to babysit you. Bearer of Courage he might be, this place holds no significance to him and serves no purpose other than helping you to unlock your powers.
Given their location, perhaps his presence would be beneficial to her for once.
As they continued on the path, the ground began to rise up on either side of them forming a pass through which they travelled, hemmed in by rock. The enclosed space made Link uneasy and he directed his sights up to the edges of the rock walls on either side of them. It was a perfect spot for an ambush but he hoped that what the Princess had told him was true and this area was devoid of any people besides themselves. While he tried to listen out for any disturbances above them he couldn't help but tune in to what the Princess was talking about.
He was used to hearing her speak even when there was only himself to hear her, and he knew that she wasn't speaking directly to him per se rather than simply voicing her thoughts aloud. But he couldn't deny that he had actually learned a lot by listening to her spontaneous monologues, even about the most specific of subjects. So, he found his concentration wandering a little bit as he took in what she was saying.
"You have to wonder if perhaps the Zonai didn't have some sort of inside knowledge to the legends considering that their symbol for Power is a boar and the Calamity once took on the form of a great boar and that an owl was once-"
The sudden cut off in speech had Link whipping his head back towards her again, chastising himself for getting distracted but it was just because their path had come to an end. They were now facing the Dracozu River, which ran through a gorge worn through rock over hundreds of years by the constant flow of water and lined with yet more dragon heads. Moss and lichens grew all over the exposed rock, thriving in the humid conditions of the Faron jungle.
"The Spring is just at the end of this river. As long as we're careful we should be able to get our horses to walk along the edge," the Princess said, looking rather pointedly down at her own mount.
Link decided he would follow with a little bit more space than usual between them so that the stallion didn't feel pressured with another horse so close behind it.
In the end, following the river turned out to be no trouble at all and it eventually opened up into Dracozu Lake. There in the centre, beyond a small wooden bridge, sat a large dragon sculpture that had been built over the Spring of Courage. The maw of the dragon's head was open wide, granting access to any who wished to visit the Spring, while it's front feet gripped the ground on either side of it's head. It was an impressive sight and the natural wilderness of this protected space was a pleasant reprieve from the incessant control of plant growth surrounding well-travelled roads and towns.
Crossing over the wooden board walk to reach the other side of the lake, the remnants of the Zonai culture were evident all around them. While the Princess admired the detail and symbolism hewn into the columns that still stood tall and proud, Link couldn't help but feel that the tiered walls encircling them made the whole place feel like an arena. Remembering what his charge had said about the Zonai valuing warriors and strength, perhaps the idea was not so far fetched. He briefly considered sharing this thought but decided that it probably would not help the Princess' already sub-zero opinion of him. Maybe when they were on friendlier terms with each other, if that moment ever came to pass.
Zelda guided them over to a cluster of palm trees next to the giant dragon's head where they could leave their horses. Looking off to one side, she couldn't help but notice that Link even managed to make dismounting off of a horse look graceful. She refrained from tutting as she climbed down from her own mount and walked up the stone stairs that led into the dragon's mouth and the large chamber inside, leaving Link to settle and feed the horses.
The spring itself sat at the end of a long walkway running up the centre of the chamber, lined with crumbling columns on each side. At the back of the spring was a Goddess statue, hands clasped together in a pose of motherly affection as she gazed down at the waters below. She stood upon a plinth with her stone robes gathering at her feet just above the surface of the water, which supported a couple of water lilies and some stray leaves that had blown in from outside. Creeping vines were beginning to wind their way around the edges of the pool and the cracks and crevices of the dilapidated walls were showing the first signs of moss.
The Spring had an ethereal beauty about it, as if it were located in a place disconnected from the rest of reality. It gave Zelda a smidge of hope.
"The clerics would be appalled if they could see the Spring looking so unkempt … but I quite like it. Farore brought forth life into our world, who are we to restrict it?"
As Link ascended the steps into the temple, he just managed to make out her words and while it was evident that she had been speaking to herself Link couldn't help but agree. He enjoyed immersing himself in the wilds and the more rural areas of Hyrule far more than the busy towns. As the Hero, Farore was his patron Goddess so this innate inclination towards nature was perhaps expected and yet he had never been a particularly devout person.
A ripple of guilt followed this thought but Link pushed it aside, noticing that the Princess was indicating a patch of floor for him to set up camp while she got ready for her prayers. She moved deeper into the temple, with a stern command for him to keep his eyes averted as she clutched her white prayer gown to her chest.
They had been on the road for the majority of the day, only stopping for a quick lunch of pre-pared sandwiches, so the Princess was probably hungry and Link knew he was. He dropped the saddlebags he had taken off of the horses onto the ground and started rifling through them to find cooking utensils and some packaged food. The ingredients were simple to survive days of travel but Link had had many years of experimenting with cooking and was confident he could make something at least halfway decent with what he'd been given by the kitchen staff.
By the time Zelda had returned with her travelling gear folded neatly in her arms, a fire was sputtering to life and their bedrolls had been laid out on either side of it. Link was searing some food on a metal plate above the fire and the smell was extremely enticing after a day of straight travel. Zelda placed her clothes down by her bags and then turned to Link, looking at him directly for the first time that day. It hadn't occurred to her that her knight would be required to provide food for her but then who else would have?
She wasn't completely helpless when it came to feeding herself, and she knew what plants in the local area were safe to eat, but actually preparing food was something she did not get to try very often. If the smell was anything to go by, her knight was actually a decent cook. But of course he is.
Just as she was about to declare that she was going to pray now and eat later, her knight took the food off of the fire and placed the mix of cooked vegetables and rice into two bowls, holding one out to her. Her stomach rumbled and while the more prideful part of her wanted to reject it, in the end she would only be hurting herself with such actions. She took the offered bowl with a small 'thank you' and knelt down to eat.
It really was good, warming her to the core which would be useful when she later walked into the waters of the Spring.
"Does this have warm safflina in it?" Zelda asked, before her mind could catch up with her mouth.
Link looked surprised, either because she was talking directly to him or because she had noticed but he nodded either way.
"Who gave it to you?"
Link swallowed a mouthful of food before responding.
"Telma, Head of the Kitchens," Link explained, eyebrows furrowing a little as if he were trying to guess what she was after with her questioning. Zelda herself was a little surprised that he had actually deigned to give her a verbal response.
"You're on first name basis with the Head Chef? Why does that not surprise me…"
Even though the last part of the Princess' comment had been muttered into her spoon, Link heard it anyway and he gathered that his input was unwanted from that point onwards.
With their meals finished, the utensils and bowls cleaned and put to one side, they both stood up from the campfire. Link waited to receive his orders, while the Princess smoothed out her prayer gown, even though he had already been briefed on what to do once they reached the Spring of Courage from both the King and his General.
General Tapidor was a patient man but he had seemed determined to stress upon Link just how much was riding on the outcome of this excursion. His first escort mission outside of the Castle. Not only would his actions determine whether he was suitable to guard the Princess, in the King's eyes, but his conduct would also reflect upon the General himself, who had been the one charged with overseeing the young Hero's training. Link hoped he could do the man proud, as without him Link would have found himself thoroughly overwhelmed in the years after coming forward with the Master Sword.
Still, he wished the General could have braced him for the Princess' immediate dislike of his person and Link readied himself now as the Princess opened her mouth to speak.
"I am now going to pray. I will likely be in the Spring for a few hours and under no circumstances are you to disturb me. You will stand guard at the Temple entrance and I will call for you once I am done."
Having said her piece, Zelda turned on her heel and strode towards the Spring, not bothering to look back to see whether her knight had obeyed. Her steps were a lot more confident than she actually felt but she would be damned if she showed any sign of weakness or hesitance in front of the chosen one.
Sure enough, she heard the clinking of her knight's gear and the sound of a sword being unsheathed as he settled in to stand watch at the top of the stairs. There he would remain until she was done. Zelda spared a second to consider how boring it would probably be but then again her knight so far had given no sign that he actually thought of anything.
Stepping down into the tepid waters of the spring, she cast aside all other concerns and tilted her face up to look into the empty eyes of the Goddess statue. With a deep inhale, Zelda knitted her hands together and began to pray.
Goddess Farore, I come before you today in the company of your Champion; the Hero. Please, tell me how I can unlock my sealing gift so that I may protect this land and all those who live within it. Please, show me what it is that I am missing so I can save that which you created.
The statue remained impassive, it's benign smile unchanging in the face of her pleas. So, she tried again.
Please, I have been devoted to the higher powers for the majority of my life and I have still yet much to learn but I need your guidance now. My mother and her mother before her all had this power, but they are not here to guide me now. I need a sign, anything!
Again, there was only silence. Not even the ambient sounds of the Faron jungle could reach her here. Still Zelda tried, repeating herself endlessly as she begged for the Goddess' help while the sky dimmed and clouds gathered overhead. The first fork of lightning that illuminated the spring and the following boom of thunder did nothing to deter her, singularly focused on her goal as she was.
But after so much time, even Zelda's focus began to waver.
You're not even there are you? I'm not sure which would be worse. Having spent all this time praying to you only for you not to hear me, or knowing I wasn't even worth a response.
Zelda's face crumpled and she ripped her hands apart, as if the action would break a spiritual connection to the heavens that her prayers travelled through. Instead, her hands clenched in rage.
So, I am to be made a mockery of in front of your Champion instead? To remind me that I will never compare to him. Why do you favour him? Have I not proved my worth to you yet, why is he so special? Why?! Taking in a shuddering lungful of air, Zelda tried in vain to control the vicious thoughts clouding her mind but there was no redirecting her resentment. Of course you would favour him, he is a warrior and the perfect model of a Hero, what do I have to offer in comparison? He is the embodiment of courage, and I am nothing but a foolish girl.
Zelda felt all of her energy drain from her as her last thought consumed her and she sagged a little where she stood. She was unwilling to leave the waters just yet and instead she let her mind wander to a world less fraught than this one. Five minutes, she just needed five minutes to regain the strength she needed to face her knight and admit that she had failed. Again.
Meanwhile, Link had been entertaining thoughts of a very different nature.
During his watch he had neither seen nor heard any sign of approaching travellers or the tell-tale noises of encroaching monsters. Standing guard with the Master Sword held point down against the floor, he had been occupying his time with trying to identify the local fauna and watching the flight patterns of passing insects. The humid mists of the jungle were making him regret not using his packed change of clothes, but they gradually dissipated as the sun started to set and the temperature dropped.
Distant thunder made Link turn his head up to the sky and he watched silently as a bank of dense cloud swept towards the spring, obscuring his view of the vibrant sunset. He took this moment to glance behind him quickly to see that Zelda was still deep in prayer, before he re-sheathed his sword and moved outside to get the horses under cover. The horses could weather rain no problem, but he didn't like leaving them outside against the elements if it could be avoided and the Faron region was well known for it's tropical and turbulent storms. It wouldn't be surprising if there was lightning on the horizon.
Link bribed the horses up into the Temple and left them a couple of carrots to encourage them to stay put before he returned to his post. Not long after, the sky was fully covered and it began to pour with rain. The distant trees almost completely disappeared under the deluge, becoming nothing more than vague silhouettes against the ever darkening cloud cover. All the while, Link kept watch as the rain became heavier and soon the only sound he could hear was the rush of falling water. While the sound of water cascading down onto the ground greatly reduced his ability to hear, he also doubted that any wayward visitors would want to stay out in these conditions.
A croak to his left had him turning his head languidly to observe a frog casually sitting out in the open, enjoying the sheets of rain that pelted it's back. Soon, yet more frogs joined in the chorus, their many eyes blinking out into the storm from they're places along the banks of Dracozu lake.
If I'm not careful, I might fall asleep standing here, Link thought to himself, feeling his heartbeat slow under the calming effects of rain. A flash of light and the answering clap of thunder made his breathing hitch for just a moment before he settled once more, a small smile appearing on his face. Thank you, Farore.
The rains were now causing tiny streams that run down the insides of the temple, dripping off of the stone dragon's prominent fangs. Some morbid part of Link's brain thought it made it look like the dragon was drooling.
Gross.
Shifting his stance a little to force blood back into his feet he suddenly noticed that over the sound of the rain, the frogs had stopped chirping. In fact, all of the sounds of the jungle that he had previously blocked out as background noise had stopped. His eyes swept over to look at the horses; they were stock still with their heads raised high and their ears flicked up. But they did not move.
Instantly on guard, Link gripped the hilt of the Master Sword tighter. He peered out into the storm, trying to locate the approaching danger that had made all the wildlife go silent. If there was something out there in the rain it was doing a remarkable job of being quiet, but then again any self respecting assassin or predator would be. After a couple of minutes searching, Link angled his view upwards, trying to discern if the threat was in the sky.
While he couldn't see anything obvious he did feel the hairs on the back of his neck begin to rise and his clothes started to stick to his skin. Reaching a hand up, he pulled his tunic away from his body only to feel the fabric slide across him as it clung to his frame with static.
Static? Link wondered, looking about him to check that he wasn't standing in a puddle of water, but the floor was still dry inside the Temple. But then where-
Out of the corner of his eye, Link saw movement above him and all of his thoughts came to a halt.
A set of claws had curled around the edge of the temple's roof. A set of giant, razor sharp claws that glowed with bioluminescence. Facing the storm head on, Link brought the Master Sword up, unsure of what he was about to face but willing to defend the Princess against it at all costs. At first, it was just the claws, wedged behind one of the two stone fangs that hung down from the mouth of the temple. Then an enormous head descended into view; a long scaled face, a large protruding horn, and a pair of soul piercing, violet eyes.
All the air in Link's lungs seemed to vanish and his jaw dropped open a fraction as the grip on his sword loosened.
Farosh, the Dragon of Thunder, the golden spirit attendant to the Spring of Courage was floating just above the entrance. The mighty creature gazed down at Link from where he hovered, his dual-ringed irises appraising him as if he were a curious oddity. Which he probably was, as Farosh must not get many visitors but Link couldn't even process such thoughts, consumed in utter awe by the sight of this majestic being.
The horn on the great dragon's head glowed as if it were powered by thousands of fireflies and crackled with latent energy from the storm. Farosh huffed out through his nostrils and Link felt a breeze brimming with power pass over him. He managed to briefly consider calling out to the Princess; was she seeing this? But any attempts at motion were aborted before they even began. Here in this moment, Link was beginning to feel the first tendrils of fear seize a hold of him and he wasn't sure how to overcome it.
Farosh was huge.
The Dragon of Thunder continued to stare at him and Link knew without a doubt that this mighty creature could see straight through him. He could only hope that Farosh liked what he saw.
Another flash of lightning rent the sky apart just as a crash of thunder reverberated through the ground of the spring. The vibrations startled Link's body out of it's stupor and he tightened his hold on the Master Sword, steeling himself for whatever challenge the Envoy of Farore had for him.
With the change in Link's demeanour, Farosh moved his head to the side slowly, fixing Link with one of it's eyes intently, before he turned away to fly back up into the sky. The raptor-like claws retracted from the temple roof and the static atmosphere fell away, yet Link remained standing there with his sword at the ready as the rest of Farosh's long body swept out of view.
It took several seconds of Link looking out into the rain, prepared for something to happen, and seeing nothing but the dark outlines of the nearby palm trees for him to relax his stance. The rain continued to fall but the sounds of the jungle had yet to return and the horses remained subdued.
For just a moment, Link allowed himself to breathe. The tip of the Master Sword's blade rested against the mossy floor again and the Hylian Champion tried not to sag with relief. Relief that was short lived. As Link lifted his head up he came face to face with Farosh once more.
The Dragon's body was glowing brightly and arcs of electricity danced across his scales like ribbons caught in a high wind. A bolt of lighting screamed down from the heavens and Link's world became obliterated by white light as his lungs seized and his heart stopped.
Then he felt and saw nothing.
