I am too damn cold for this shit, Link thought. He stared down from the rock outcrop where he was perched. The sky was a pale gray, threatening rain or sleet if the temperature dropped any further. He could already feel icy flecks of spray misting down on him. He was out in the middle of nowhere in a desolate rocky barren canyon. A place so foreboding that even the birds looked miserable and they were the only animals he'd seen in days. He should have been alone out here. He wasn't.
A lone traveler stared up at him from farther down the outcrop. He was dressed in a thin cloak and held a sputtering lantern, blearily blinking through the icy spray. The man looked as wretched as Link felt. The hero sighed, irritated.
The Yiga clan could try changing their tactics, he thought morosely, glancing at his spear and shield. Both were in relatively good condition, and more than adequate to handle this. There was no point in prolonging it. Link stood, stretching, raising his eyebrows when the man smiled at him.
"I'm a traveler!" the man shouted up. Link huffed, stepping down.
"Oh, are you?" he asked wearily. The last Yiga clan member he'd encountered had tried to make him take one of their cult tracts. He had gone on at length about walking the path of destroying the champion and how it could be extremely spiritually satisfying.
"I- I am!" the man shouted up, "Are you tired? I have just the fruit for you! I sell magic bananas! Guaranteed to make you into a powerful warrior! Also good for male problems! Yes bananas, nature's wonder fruit!" Link snorted and pulled out his bow. Bomb arrows. That would make this quicker.
The Yiga caught sight of the bow and his grin grew manic.
"What's wrong? You don't find my offer... a-peel-ing?" he called. Link jerked his head up, appalled.
"Did you just make a pun at me?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous. The Yiga hesitated. His Hylian disguise had melted away in a dramatic puff of smoke, and though he was trying to strike an intimidating pose, the question had clearly caught him off guard and it had thrown his whole routine.
"I... I will kill you, hero, and spread your entrails-"
"Did you make a pun at me?!"
"...and spear your head on a stake so that all of Hyrule will know-"
"There can be only one pun master in Hyrule," Link whispered and stepped forward, about to launch himself at the Yiga, when the rocks around him exploded. Surprised, Link still managed to roll away and jump out into the chasm below, opening his glider. He glanced back and saw three more Yiga running down the cliff side above him, readying their arrows.
Well shit, he thought.
He wheeled around a boulder, putting it between him and the oncoming Yiga, but they were still too far above him for the boulder to act as an effective shield. An arrow whizzed by him in the air. Link shifted direction again and began looking below. His view was blocked by a wall of thick mist, but he recalled that there was a fast moving rocky river below. The water would be freezing and with the sharp rocks... Well, he'd have to be very careful. Just as he was about to close the paraglider and let himself fall a ways, another arrow passed close, this time barely missing his ear. And suddenly he was falling. With a gasp Link looked up to see a hole in his glider.
Shit shit shit.
He tried opening and closing the glider in vain. He was close now, the freezing water barely twenty feet below him. He couldn't land in it. It was too cold. And he was falling too fast. He opened the glider once more and part of it caught on a puff of air. Not enough to pull him out of his spiral, but enough to slow his fall. Desperately Link tried to angle himself down onto a bar of rocky sand. He overshot and hit a boulder outcrop hard. Blinding pain shot up into his body as his legs crumpled under him, crushed against cold sharp rock. His packs went flying, his shield, sword and spear rolled away toward the edge of the boulder, plopping into the cold dark water below. Link jerked his body forward and caught his spear before it rolled away, then managed to pull one of his packs back from the edge. The other was gone, sunk into the deep cold murky river. He turned and saw that his shield was safe, as were his quiver and bow. He tried to rise but the pain in his shins brought him back down.
Please don't be broken, he pleaded to himself, please no broken legs. Not out here.
He could hear the Yiga shouting up above, but they were so far up that the mist shielded any view he might have had of them. And they of him. Determined, Link pulled himself up, crawling to retrieve his remaining items and pushed himself into a cranny behind a boulder. At least, he had some cover and time enough to consider his options.
He didn't like the prospect of fighting the Yiga when they were positioned above him. He loved being above enemies and firing down on them and he didn't want the tables turned. He could try and run, hoping that the mist hid him while he made an escape, but the state of his legs meant he'd be slower than usual. He'd have to walk down the river bed until he found a place he could climb out. It didn't make for an appealing plan, but it was probably the best he was going to do. All the while he'd have to hope that the Yiga gave up at some point. They usually gave up if he ran far enough. But then again, these Yiga had changed their tactics. It made him nervous.
Be careful what you wish for, he thought grimly.
Link caught movement from the corner of his eye and jerked around. A blaze of teeth and claws rushed up at him and instantly he had his spear out, poised to strike. The figure halted, eyes wide, and in that instant relief shot through Link's body. His spear lowered and he sat back, catching his breath. The Prince of the Zora stood before him, hands raised in a placating gesture but he dropped them them quickly, a wide grin taking over his face.
"Excuse my enthusiasm! Please!" Sidon said quickly, "I was just so happy to see you!" The smile faded from his face as he examined Link.
"I'm glad to see you too, Sidon," Link said, "what are you-" he broke off at a shout from above. It was closer. They were moving down the cliff side. Instinctively, Sidon moved down into the crevasse with Link, his body tense and his eyes fixed up into the mist.
"Who are they?" Sidon breathed.
"Yiga," Link whispered.
"Who?"
"Assassins. I'll tell you later," Link murmured. "I hate to ask this, but could you swim me out of here?" Sidon paused, glancing down at Link, then turned and stared at the river and the jagged rocky rapids.
"I could try," he said hesitantly, "but I'm not sure you'd survive it." .
"Right," Link sighed. Sidon swung his massive head back to stare above them.
"They're getting very close," he whispered.
"Right," Link said again, drawing himself up. He opened his bag. It was divided down the middle, one side holding the clothes he'd packed for this excursion, the other side holding his foraged foods. With a groan, Link took out several soggy mushrooms and bit into them. His other bag held his prepared meals and his elixirs. He checked his sword and shield and his bow. They all seemed to have survived the fall, better than he had, anyway.
"You're going to fight them?" Sidon asked, awe in his voice.
"Yep," Link said tersely. His mind was already in battle mode. He wouldn't let the Yiga hurt Sidon. He had a defensible position and long range weapons. He ate some more mushrooms. This could work.
"You should get out of here."
"I will not leave you!" the Prince sounded hurt. Link glanced at him.
"Alright," he relented, "but get back and take cover, at least." Sidon frowned at this, hesitating.
"Why?" he asked. Link smirked and looked up into the mist above them.
"Because everything is about to be on fire."
"Oh!" Sidon sighed, his eyes shining, "Your victory will be glorious!" Link smiled and turned back to the approaching enemy.
"Well. We'll see," he said.
"I will-" Sidon didn't get any further. The rocks ahead of them exploded as few bomb arrows reigned down. Sidon crouched down again, drawing Link down with him.
"They find us?" he growled, barring his massive teeth. Another volley of arrows fell, exploding the surrounding rocks, but this time the explosions were centered on the other bank of the river.
"No. They can't see through the mist," Link grinned.
"They have exploding arrows," Sidon said, his voice sounding worried.
"So do I," Link reminded him. Sidon glanced at him.
"They're above us though."
"So?"
"So, you might cause rocks to fall-" Sidon began but was cut off again by another explosion, this one much closer. Link crouched down, his ears ringing. Closing his eyes made him realized just how dizzy he was. He opened his eyes and for the first time looked down at his legs. His pants were stuck to him, soggy and stained dark with blood. He stared a moment before he realized that Sidon was speaking to him.
"Well, I don't see a lot of options," Link said, guessing that Sidon had been finishing his protest.
"I know a safe place," Sidon said, worry evident in his voice. Link paused.
"Out here?" he revised his tone, "how far?" he asked.
"Just over the ridge," Sidon said, relieved. Link only hesitated another moment.
"Alright," he agreed. He rose and walked, though the pain was so intense that he could barely feel his feet making contact with the ground. Still, they did move and they did support his weight.
Not broken then, he told himself. They approached the cliff side and Sidon vaulted up the short rise. Link pulled his body up after his friend. He made it, but he was moving slow. Sidon watched him but didn't say anything. They moved down the bank, finding another rise to scale. Another volley of bombs fell behind them. There were shouts, echoing off the canyon walls. Wild crazed shouts. Sidon stared up, his body tense. Link took a breath, this wasn't working. Sidon knew it too. He looked up and winced at the tall cliff before him.
"Are they trackers?" Sidon asked. Link blinked.
"I don't know," he said, "yes? They do seem to be able to find me." Sidon glanced down. Link followed his gaze and saw that he'd left deep tracks in the soft earth.
Sidon bent down.
"Permit me an indiscretion, prized friend," he said. "Climb on my back. I can move without leaving a trail."
And move a lot faster, Link thought, though Sidon was polite enough not to mention that.
"Thank you. Permit me an indiscretion, by accepting," Link said, climbing onto the Zora's back and gripping his shoulders. Sidon rose and jumped up onto the cliff, climbing up fast. Link gasped at the speed, locking his grip tighter. He really was getting dizzier. If he wasn't in such bad shape he might feel shamed that he was having to be rescued but at the moment he could only feel grateful. Maybe if it was anyone else, someone who hadn't shared in his perils before, he'd feel more self conscious.
He held on tight, aware that they were climbing, still climbing somehow, when Link at his full strength would have fallen long ago, Sidon was still moving at a terrific speed. Link's mind was hazy but he was aware that they must have covered a fair distance by now. Sidon lept up and they were on a narrow ledge. Link almost slid down, but Sidon reached back, holding him.
"Not quite, hero," he said, "we are close though."
"This looks safe enough," Link said woozily. He heard the Zora Prince snort, but received no answer. Sidon darted down the narrow ledge and rounded a corner. The cliff wall dipped in to form a small cave and ahead there was a column of water, falling down the opposite cliff wall. Link stared.
"We're going up that," Sidon said, "so hold on."
"Too cold," Link warned him. Sidon paused, but only for an instant.
"We won't be in the water long," he said cheerily. Link didn't have the will for any protest. He'd just had to trust Sidon. Without another word the Zora moved forward and slid into the water, true to his word, keeping most of Link's body dry. A moment later they were up in the air. Link closed his eyes. He was going to pass out, he knew it. Sidon's arm came round and caught him.
"Hang on," he said as they fell back down, hitting the water. The air was knocked from Link's lungs. He'd never realized how hard one fell after flying up a waterfall if you didn't have a glider. In another instant, they were up and out of the water and onto dry rock. Link blinked. It was pitch black.
"Are you alright, Link?" Sidon asked again.
"Fine I think," Link replied.
"You can get down then, if you like," Sidon said.
"I," Link squinted, "I can't see."
"Oh! Of course!" Sidon sounded sheepish, "Stay a moment more, we're almost there."
"Almost where?" Link asked.
"It's a guard tower, build into this cliff."
"Your people built a tower on a cliff?"
"No. It's Hylian. At least, it was," Sidon said, moving through the dark cavern. "We found it abandoned and re-purposed it for our uses. Back when we thought we might build a second Domain out here."
"A second Domain in the Ridgelands?" Link gasped.
"It was a desperate plan formed many years ago," came Sidon's voice, "before we had much idea of how cold it gets here in winter. We only considered it because Ruta kept crashing into the dam, trying to escape. The elders were sure the Domain would be destroyed. But Ruta calmed down after a while so the plan was set aside. Here we are," Sidon announced and he ducked down, almost crawling to enter a doorway. A small sliver of light came from the tall open space before them. Link blinked at the light and slid down from Sidon's back. It was, as he'd said, a guard tower. A small sparse rounded space, with a wood stove built into one wall, slabs presumably for sleeping, and a winding staircase up to a platform above where the slit window let in a bit of light. He turned, seeing Sidon close a heavy metal door behind them, bolting it.
"I didn't imagine you meant anything as safe as this," Link said, astounded. Sidon grinned, looking immensely pleased. Link returned the smile. He liked pleasing Sidon.
"We may not need a new home now that Ruta is calmed, but my father wants to establish outposts for our people. This is one possible site."
"That's ambitious," Link murmured, sitting and stretching his aching legs out before him. Sidon shrugged.
"Once the Calamity is banished we will live in a new world. Our people will want to travel. Having outposts will make that much easier." Link smiled faintly. Sidon assumed as a matter of course that Link's fight would be victorious. He pulled off his pack and began searching through his medical supplies.
Gingerly he unlaced his pants and carefully pulled them down his legs. It was hard to tell in the dim light but in places it seemed his skin had been shredded. He sighed and pulled out a roll of bandages and the kit he used to clean wounds.
"So, why are you out here? Pretty far from the Domain," Link said, attempting to keep the conversation going, "Were you visiting this guard tower?"
"Yes, officially, anyway," Sidon chuckled. Link cast a gaze up at him and smirked.
"And unofficially?"
"I was looking for you," Sidon said.
"Me?"
"A Rito bard visited the Domain a few days ago. He reported meeting you and said you'd told him you were planning on entering a canyon in the far west, where the Tamio River flows."
"Ah. Yes. Kass. I meet him every so often. He's journeying too," Link mused, casting a grin up at the Prince."You needed to get out of the Domain, huh? Are you sharking your duties?" Sidon's eyes brightened and he grinned.
"That's very funny!" the Prince laughed, "but no. I don't consider it sharking! Ha!"
"Alright, why are you out here?"
"I wanted to see you," Sidon said. Link blinked and looked up at his friend. He was still occasionally caught off guard by the Zora's forthright and earnest affection for him. Sidon looked down at him.
"And what are you doing out here?" he asked.
"Looking for shrines," Link said, glumly.
"It's amazing that you come out to a place like this with when the weather has turned so cold," he closed his eyes, "such dedication."
"Dedication and greed," Link chuckled, "There's supposed to be a powerful blade out here somewhere," he paused and cast a glance over at the Prince, "So, what have you been up to since I was last in the Domain?"
"Not much," Sidon frowned then brightened, "Oh, but we've been able to organize patrols to clear the roads."
"I'm glad. I never liked that there were beasts so close to your home," Link said. Getting no reply he glanced up to see Sidon watching him thoughtfully. "What?"
"You were truly worried?" Sidon asked, watching Link extract bandages and unroll a set of shiny metal needles and scalpels.
"Of course," Link answered. Sidon grinned, baring his teeth.
"You don't have to worry! We Zora can take care of those beasts. Everything is getting better. Ever since you came to us. Our world has been so much brighter!" Link looked up at that, a smile ready. Sidon smiled back. Link dropped his gaze, returning his attention to his legs. He'd staunched most of the worst of the bleeding but there were two deep gashed along his right calf. Those would need stitches to heal properly. He hesitated.
"I'm going to have to sew up these wounds, but to do that I'm going to have to chew a leaf that will dull the pain."
"A leaf," Sidon mused, "I see."
"I don't like to use it out in the wild because it slows me down, makes me light headed," he took a breath, "so don't be alarmed if I can't seem to think straight." Sidon nodded solemnly.
"Very well. Do what you need to."
"And, if something happens in the next hour or two, like the Yiga find us and we have to fight, well, I won't be much use in a fight." As he said it Link realized absurdly that he wouldn't be much use in a fight in his present condition anyway.
"I don't see us being attacked here," Sidon said carefully, "but if we are, know that you can depend on me."
"Thank you." Link went back to his pack, withdrawing the small bundle of dried leaves. Impa had given him the bundle along with several warning about the effects. He'd only used it once before to sew an injury closed. He hadn't felt safe using it until he could get to Hateno and barricade himself in his own home. Even then he'd had second thoughts, wondering what would happen if the village was attacked while he was incapacitated. But now, out in a far wilder part of the world he felt more at ease using the leaf, allowing himself to be vulnerable. He trusted in Sidon much more than he trusted in the village's defenses. He put a bit of the leaf in his mouth and began chewing.
"While you're doing that, I'm going to go and look and see if I can see any of those Yiga," Sidon said, "The tower gives a wonderful view of the whole canyon." Link watched the Prince rise and go to the winding stair, almost too small for him.
"Take my slate," Link said, drawing out the little slate. He glanced at it, checking for cracks, but miraculously, just as it had survived everything else he'd been through, the slate was unscratched.
"Your slate?"
"Here," Link held it out as Sidon returned to his side to take it. Link pointed,"This here, you can use it to see farther than your eyes can. And here," he paused, "touch this to take a picture."
"You want a picture of the Yiga?" Sidon asked. Link nodded.
"These Yiga were different from the others. The slate can sometimes tell me about things that I take pictures of."
"I see," Sidon held the device carefully in his large hands. He met Link's eyes, "I will be careful with it. I could not bear to damage something like this."
"You won't damage it," Link chuckled.
"Yes. I've sworn not to," Sidon said, turning away and climbed the stair. Link smiled and returned to his work.
"Do you see anything thing?" he asked.
"Yes," Sidon said, his voice low.
"Yiga?" Link asked.
"I don't know," Sidon said, his voice troubled, "they're... people... Your people."
"Yes. Yiga are people," Link said in a low voice.
"People attacked you?" Sidon asked, his voice stricken.
"The Yiga are Shiekah who swore themselves to Calamity Ganon."
"Why?"
"I don't know," Link mused, "I guess they thought he was the better bet." There was silence. When the silence stretched too long he added, "they've sworn to kill me. I usually run into them out in the wild. In the lonely places. They pretend to be travelers and then attack me. The first time it happened I was surprised."
"If I met a Zora in the wild and they attacked me, I'd be more than surprised," Sidon said, his voice a low growl.
"I guess I was more than surprised," Link admitted, "the people of Kakariko warned me about them, but even so..." he trailed off, not knowing how to describe what he'd felt. Sidon was silent. "Are they down where we were?" Link asked.
"They are. Exactly where we were," he said. Link shivered. He wasn't one to be afraid of the Yiga, but these Yiga were spooking him, more and more.
"How many?"
"I've counted eight," Sidon said, and Link heard the creak of the steps as the Zora began to make his way down.
"Eight," Link breathed. He'd never encountered so many outside of their hideout. What were they all doing out here in the middle nowhere all together? Had they been tracking him? Or had he surprised a group of them? He frowned, feeling the first tinglings of the drug come over him.
"Link?" Sidon said and Link jumped, realizing the Prince had appeared next to him.
"Yes?"
"Anyone who bets against you is worse than a fool," he said in a hard voice. Link blinked up at him, rooted to the spot.
"Thank you," he said, cautiously. The Prince relaxed.
"I got a picture," he said and bent, handing Link the slate. It had been too distant for the slate to identify the Yiga, but Link could make out their forms. "Is it a good picture?" Sidon asked.
"It's a fine picture," Link told him, smiling, "thank you." He set the slate aside. "I guess a fire is out of the question," he sighed. The smoke would give away their position, even as well fortified as it was. He didn't want those Yiga knowing where they were. "Do you think a lantern would be alright? I need to be able to see my legs."
"A lantern should be fine. We've tested it. You can't see the light from below," Sidon said and rose, taking one of the lanterns from a shelf as he returned to his spot beside Link. He lit it with a flint shard and set it beside them. Even this little bit of light made Link feel better. Safer.
"Thank you," Link said as he carefully drew out one of his two precious metal needles. Contentiously, he dipped it in the small vial of alcohol that he kept in his medical roll and took out his gut twine, threading the needle. He drew his leg up to examine it.
Sidon moved the lantern closer to help Link see what he was doing. The leaf was well into his system. He could feel the pain melting into a dull throb and his thoughts slowed. The upside was that the drug didn't seem to effect his coordination. Bending, he began to work. Sidon had fallen silent, engrossed it seemed in watching Link suture the wound.
"You ever had to do this?" Link asked woozily.
"No," Sidon replied, "The times I've been hurt like that the Zora healers tended to me. And once when I was young, Mipha healed me." Link felt a pang of anxiety, the same pang he felt whenever people talked about friends he'd forgotten. "I'm sorry," Sidon murmured, reading his reaction.
"Don't be sorry," Link said quietly, "you should be able to talk about your sister around me."
"But you don't like it."
"No, I," Link sighed, not able to call up the words he needed.
"I'm sorry, I'm distracting you," Sidon said, "please don't mind me." Link closed his eyes, pausing his work.
"I don't like not being able to remember," he said, "that's all." Sidon regarded him, apparently judging his words before reaching out and setting his large hand on Link's back. Link relaxed. He liked that Sidon didn't try and offer him platitudes, the way that Impa or the King had. Even some of the other Zora that remembered him would tell him that it was alright that he'd forgotten them or ignore his missing memories. They carried on treating him like the Link they'd known a hundred years ago.
With a sigh, Link returned to his work, moving slowly and methodically from one end of the wound to the other. They sat together in silence as Link worked. He finished the first wound and tied his stitch off. As he prodded the second wound, blood spurted up suddenly from a broken clot and pooled. It was a lot of blood.
"Shit," he murmured under his breath. Sidon sat up, alert. Link tried to think through the problem but setting one thought in front of the other without getting lost was hard.
"Do you have anymore bandages?" Sidon asked, seeing Link struggle.
"No," Link managed. He had something else though, didn't he? Something that would help...
"I know a river grass that will fix this," Sidon said quickly, rising as he did, "There should be some out in that stream we came up. I'll be right back."
"Don't leave," Link said tightly as he held his leg to staunch the blood. Sidon froze.
"Link?" he asked and Link had never heard the Zora sound so unsure.
"Please don't leave."
"I won't go far. Just outside the door and down to the stream," Sidon said soothingly. Link closed his eyes against the strange fear coming over him.
"Please," he said again. Sidon only hesitated a moment more before returning to Link's side.
"I won't leave," he said. Link let out a breath he'd been holding. Sidon watched him, then bent and took Link's pack, rummaging through it.
"Excuse me," he murmured. Link watched, silent, trying to order his thoughts and failing.
"Ah," Sidon said and pulled out a piece of bark. Yes, there was something about that bark. Sidon drew out one of Link's dull knives and began scraping at the underside of the bark, fluffing the fibers until he had a small bundle of fluff. He passed it to Link.
"Staunch the wound," Sidon told him gently. Link took it and pressed it to his leg. The bleeding would stop in a few minutes. Then he could continue his stitching. He sat still and breathed. Slowly he became aware of Sidon watching him and he turned to meet the Prince's eyes. Sidon dropped his gaze.
"I'm sorry," Link murmured. Sidon shook his head.
"You told me that the leaf would affect you," he said.
"It makes me so that I can't defend myself," Link sighed, "Being able to defend myself is all that's kept me alive."
"It's completely understandable."
"When I'm able to think again I'm going to be very embarrassed," Link chuckled dryly. Sidon looked stricken.
"Please don't be. Trust me enough to know that I won't think badly of you," he said. Link regarded him.
"I do trust you," he murmured, "I trust you enough to let myself be like this in front of you." Sidon blinked, his cheeks tinging a little bluer. He made a soft sound then drew closer, putting his arm around Link's shoulders. Link looked up at him.
"Thank you," Sidon said. Link smiled and leaned into the embrace. He was tired, Link realized, and he wanted to sleep. But his wound needed his attention before the leaf wore off. Link drew back and cautiously pulled the bark away from his wound. Only a small trickle of blood oozed up, the rest having clotted. With determination, Link set back to his task of stitching up the rest of the wound.
"Can I look at your slate again?" Sidon asked quietly. Link glance up.
"Sure," he said and bent back to his task. Sidon reached forward and retrieved the slate, settling back beside Link. "It's got a map, and a compendium," Link murmured.
"I want to see the pictures," Sidon said. Link smiled wanly.
"Touch the left arrow," he said, "It should take you to the pictures."
"Oh, is this your map? It shows so much," Sidon marveled, "what do all the red X's mean?"
"Uh," Link paused, "treasure."
"Incredible! Oh yes, here we are, I found the pictures," he said, delighted, "you have so many!"
"I've been taking more lately."
"You have pictures of dragons! I've only heard tales," Sidon gasped. Link chuckled, finishing his stitching.
"I like watching the dragons. That's Farosh."
"He's beautiful," Sidon breathed, "I would dearly love to see him one day."
"You could. He's not dangerous. Unless you get too close," Link said, tying off his last stitch and stowing his medical kit. He leaned back, moving closer so he could see the screen as well.
"Were you near a lightening strike?" Sidon asked. Link leaned against Sidon's shoulder and glanced at the screen.
"What?"
"It's just, there are a lot of pictures of fire," Sidon squinted at the screen, "and... are you posing in front of the fire?"
"Doesn't it look cool?"
"It looks amazing!" Sidon grinned, "But why?" He paused his eyes narrowing suspiciously, "Did you set it? On purpose?"
"Setting everything on fire is a legitimate battle strategy," Link murmured.
"I see," Sidon said thoughtfully. The next image showed Link sitting on a bear, grinning and waving as the bear reared up, trying to throw him.
"Fearless champion. That you would test yourself against such a beast," Sidon breathed.
"I bearly made it out," Link said in a flat voice. Sidon blinked, glancing at him. He bit his bottom lip, trying and failing to stop a grin. Link cackled. The Prince scrolled forward and paused on an image of Link standing in a fog bank, red lights glowing in the fog around him. Sidon's grin faded. The fog only partially hid the massive mechanical creatures, clambering over the jagged cliffs, their single eyes seeking him out. Sidon shivered.
"Guardians?" he asked. Link nodded. He went to the next picture and Link winced. He'd taken a picture of himself up a tall tree, while at the base of the tree stood a silver lynel. It eyed him angrily, raising it's massive sword.
"Link," Sidon hissed in dismay.
"I got away," Link chuckled. The next image showed Link standing in a circle of bokoblins. He watched as lightening hit each of the enemies around him. Sparks flying around the hero.
"What was that?" Sidon asked. Link grinned, tiredly.
"While they were down, I dropped a few pieces of iron ore in their pockets. I felt the charge in the atmosphere. Knew a lightening storm was approaching. It's one of my favorite tricks, getting my enemies to hold metal in a lightening storm," he chuckled.
"You called lightening down on them?"
"It's just the way that nature works."
"It's still amazing and brilliant! The things you do!" Sidon gushed.
"I'm glad you approve. I've been told I only win by using dirty tricks," Link sighed. Sidon gave him a sidelong look.
"Some Rito say that?"
"Maybe."
"Don't pay them any mind. They'll learn, just being strong won't always be enough. They'll have to learn to be like you- strong and clever and brave." Link chuckled, liking the praise. Sidon moved to the next image. It showed two peaks rising in the distance and before them, Korok forest. Sidon moved to the next image, which showed the same view except that Link had retreated up a rise and moved west. In the next image he'd moved a little farther to the west.
"What's this?" Sidon asked. Link sighed.
"That place seemed familiar," he said quietly, "sometimes if I can stand where I stood a hundred years ago, I can remember a little. Not much. Just fragments."
"You really want to remember?"
"Of course," Link said, then paused, looking up at Sidon.
"Of course you do," Sidon sighed, "you're brave and wonderful. Even though you know terrible things lay waiting for you in those memories, you wouldn't try and avoid them."
"It's not just bad things waiting for me in those memories," Link laughed, "It's people and places that I loved. It's the person that I used to be. I don't want to forget those things."
"No of course not," Sidon murmured.
"I'm taking pictures of the people and places I don't want to forget," he said ruefully, "you wouldn't know it from the pictures you saw. Those mostly just show me being a jackass." Sidon laughed briefly before his smiled faded.
"You think you'll lose your memory again?" he asked softly. Link shook his head.
"There's no telling. It could happen, couldn't it?" he said, "I'm scared of it. It was terrifying starting at nothing, without anyone in my life except the ghost of an old man." He took a breath, feeling his throat tighten, "I could forget you... I don't want to forget you." Link stopped himself from babbling. He'd thought his head was clearing but seemingly that wasn't the case. "Don't pay me any mind. It's the leaf talking. I'm rambling," Link sighed, embarrassed. Sidon bent and nuzzled him. Link smiled at the gesture and lifted his chin to press back briefly.
"What was that for?" he asked mildly. Sidon looked slightly embarrassed.
"Seeing you like this, it's making me feel," he pausing reaching for the right words.
"Pity?" Link asked.
"No," Sidon snorted, "Protective maybe. And that I wish I could make things easier for you," he laughed, "I know. You don't need me."
"I do right now."
"Well, if I hadn't been here, you would have found a way out of that canyon. You would have taken care of yourself. You always do."
"I'm thankful that I didn't have to," Link said quietly, "It's nice." Sidon stilled, then bent, meeting Link's eyes for a moment before nuzzling him again, this time more firmly, lingering, and rubbing his cheek against Link's forehead. Link closed his eyes and enjoyed the closeness. It wasn't everyone who could claim such affection from the Zora Prince.
"Sweet Hylian," Sidon murmured.
"Kind, brave Zora," Link said, looking up into the Prince's face. Sidon looked mildly flustered.
"You're flattering me."
"You flatter me all the time."
"I mean everything that I say about you," Sidon said.
"I know," Link smiled and put his arms around Sidon's arm, leaning against him. Sidon didn't seem to mind. He'd never been bashful about taking Link's hand or embracing him and it felt right to return that affection.
"How are your wounds? Do they pain you?" Sidon asked.
"Not right now."
"Do you think you'll be able to walk tomorrow?"
"I suppose that depends on what happens tonight," Link murmured, chuckling. He really was off his head. Sidon's gills flared, his expression clearly distressed. Link sobered at that.
"Is there anything I can do?" he asked.
"I'll be fine," he said, looking up at the Zora, "my legs aren't broken. The cuts from the rocks are cleaned and stitched." Sidon watched him, skeptically.
"It caused you pain to walk," he said. Link sighed. "That wasn't only because of the cuts."
"I may have cracked a bone in my leg," Link closed his eyes. His right leg throbbed and would have been driving him to distraction if not for the leaf. Sidon hummed.
"You must come back to the Domain with me," he said.
"It's a long way," Link murmured.
"If you ride on my back, I can get us there in a few days or so. Barring any misadventures."
"Really?" Link asked, ignoring the voice in the back of his head sternly telling him that he always had misadventures.
"Truly. It's all by river. And I'm fast," Sidon said. Link chuckled.
"I know you are," he said.
"So... you'll come back to the Domain with me?"
"Yes," Link said. Sidon blinked, looking surprised. "What?"
"I thought you would offer a bit more protest. You always seem in such a hurry to continue your journey."
"I'm hurt. My paraglider is torn. And half my gear is gone. If I'm to continue my journey I need to visit a safe haven."
"Oh," Sidon looked relieved. Outside, Link heard a light rain begin, deepening quickly into a pounding rain. He sighed. It was nice to be in a dry safe place. If only it weren't so cold. If only they could build a fire.
"I don't know how you do it," Sidon murmured in the near darkness, "such a wild creature. Always out in all weather." Link almost laughed. A wild creature? This from the intimidating Zora Prince.
"I thought rain didn't bother you," he said.
"It doesn't bother me, but I know it bothers Hylians."
"I have gear. And I can usually find a place out of the rain if I need too." Sidon hummed thoughtfully. Link glanced at him. "Don't be so worried about me. I'm used to all this."
"Well I'm not," Sidon said in a small voice, "And I can't help but worry. If I'm honest." The Prince looked pained, "It's not that I don't trust in your abilities. But I know you are facing danger and darkness on a scale that the rest of us can't imagine. I adore you and it pains me- the idea of you not coming back." Link winced. "I just want you to know," Sidon paused, frowning and staring ahead, "you don't have to be so wild. Not all the time. Not if you don't want to."
"I'm not wild," Link said quietly. Sidon glanced at him and Link could see the concern in his friend's face. The pictures flashed before his eyes; the massive fires, the guardians, the deadly horrific beasts...
"You don't need to spend every night out in the wild. Or among strangers." He bowed his head, "you're always welcome in the Domain."
"I know," Link said, his voice sinking down, "You've always made me feel welcome."
"Any hour. Any condition. I'll always want to help you."
"Sidon," Link grinned, bashfully.
"I'm serious. I-" Sidon broke off abruptly. Link looked up at him, puzzled. The Prince wasn't looking at him, his head was up and he was sniffing the air. Link watched him, woozily wondering how well Zora could smell, then remembered that Sidon could scent an injured fish in a river from a half mile away. He stilled, fear creeping up his spine again.
The door jolted hard against it's hinges. Link jerked in surprise, falling back against the wall. Sidon was on his feet, towering above Link, his body tense and his teeth bared. The door jolted again. Someone was ramming it. Or throwing themselves against it.
It couldn't be the Yiga. They couldn't have come up the waterfall. It had to be an animal, Link told himself. But then an eerie cackling reached his ears and something metallic hit the door. From beyond the door one of them spoke a word and Link's lantern went out. He gasped in surprise but his gasp died as a red light filled the tower from the small window slit. The blood moon broke through the rain clouds and shone in. Link felt the hairs on his arms stand on end.
Was this some dream from the leaf? Impa hadn't said it could make you see visions. And everything was so clear. And it was so cold.
"Fear not," Sidon murmured in a low voice, "If they have magic enough to break this door they will meet me." His voice dropped lower into a snarl, "And they will not survive the meeting."
"They don't need to break the door," Link blinked, trying to focus, "They can..." All at once a mass of red burst into the room and a tall masked Yiga appeared between them. It clutched a razor sharp scythe and turned, focusing on Link. Link gasped and reached for a weapon, his hand closing over the hilt of a short bladed sword.
"Ha!" the Yiga cackled in triumphant, and lunged at Link, raising his blade. "Death to the Hero!" He didn't get any farther. Sidon brought down a massive clawed hand, ranking it down the Yiga's back. His teeth flashed and he sprang on the prostrate Yiga, forcing him down. Claws and teeth ripped, shredding the creature on the floor. It gave one last gurgle as Sidon gored it.
Another burst of red and a second Yiga appeared in the small room. He wasted no time, turning immediately to Link bringing down his blade. Link's reflexes, impaired as they were, still jolted to life and he jerked to the right, feeling the blade sink into his shoulder, when the Yiga had been aiming for his heart. Link snarled and pulled his own blade up, sinking it into the Yiga's side. He screeched in pain and fell away. Sidon roared, but the Yiga was already dead, it's body blackening into dust and shattering on the floor. The same dust coated the Zora from the first Yiga.
Sidon went to Link and stood over him, his eyes and senses on edge. Link wheezed, weak and in pain from his fresh wound but he stayed silent. There could be more. There must be more. Sidon had seen eight of them. A minute passed and there was no sound. Or at least no sound that was audible to Link. Sidon was still tense, his body freezing whenever he picked up something. Link shuddered, unable to keep himself quiet any longer.
"Sidon," he cried. The Zora Prince lowered himself, turning his back on the door, facing Link. His gills were flared and his eyes were dark.
"Ah," Sidon groaned in dismay, his eyes lighting on the blade still protruding from Link's shoulder. "Oh, Link."
"Clothes in my bag," Link gasped. Sidon moved to comply, opening the pack and drawing out several articles of clothing. Link pointed to the plain cotton shirt, the one he'd found in the Shrine of the Resurrection. Sidon gave it to him. He loved this shirt but now he held it, trying to rip it into shreds. His whole right arm refused to move without excruciating pain. Sidon took it back from him and made short work of the shirt.
"Medical kit," Link ground out. Sidon found the little kit and held it up.
"The alcohol," Link gasped. Sidon nodded suddenly.
"Right," he said. Without any more instructions Sidon knelt close and took hold of the knife.
"Just do it," Link gritted his teeth. Sidon pulled it out with one swift motion and in the next instant he was pressing the alcohol soaked cotton into the wound. Link cried out, seeing stars but kept his cry from becoming a scream by sheer willpower. He couldn't scream. There could be more of them out there. Sidon cooed wordlessly to him. It was a somewhat alien sound to Link's ears, but oddly comforting. He felt Sidon tie the bundle to his arm and draw away.
Sidon was in his pack again. Link only barely registered it. His vision crawled with darkness around the edges. He'd been through too much tonight.
"Link?" Link opened his eyes, seeing Sidon hold out the little bundle of leaves. "Do you need this?" the Prince asked. Link closed his eyes again.
"No," he gasped.
"But the pain-"
"No. It's not safe to have it again."
"Oh." Sidon replaced the bundle in his pack. The Prince stood, prowling around the small space. Link watched him through half open eyes.
"Sidon?" he murmured.
"How did they find us?" Sidon growled. "How did they get up here?" He took a breath, his gills flaring. "It doesn't make any sense. I didn't leave a trail. Not one that a Hylian could follow. And how did they get up the waterfall?"
"They're magic," Link breathed. Sidon snorted, impatient, stalking.
"I have to get you out of here. I have to get you back to the Domain... or... or somewhere!" Sidon said through gritted teeth. Link groaned. Traveling at night was risky, even if Yiga weren't trailing you. Sidon might be fast but Yiga were smart enough to set traps. Smart enough to...
Link gasped, going ridged.
"Link?" Sidon asked, alarm in his voice.
"My paraglider," Link sat up, looking for it. Sidon knelt again, reaching behind Link's discarded shield and pulled out the glider. Sidon huffed in dismay at the hole but Link reached for it, drawing the thing close. He needed more light than what the moon could provide.
"The lantern," he croaked. Without questioning him, Sidon found matches and lit the lantern. Link's hands moved over the glider, feeling the material.
"Ah," he gasped, spotting a barb, embedded in the fabric near the hole. Carefully he pulled it out. It must have happened when they shot at him.
"What is that?" Sidon asked.
"Yiga charm," Link hissed, holding it away from him. The barb had a small bundle of cloth attached to it and something hard inside. Link eyed it with disgust, and spat, "burn it." Sidon took it from him and put the little bundle into the lantern. It sparked and a red cloud of smoke rose as the bundle blackened and disintegrated. The smoke rose and dissipated, leaving a smell of death and rot behind. Sidon's lips curled into a grimace, his teeth shining in the lantern light.
"Is that how they found us?" he growled.
"I'd say so," Link sighed, "I've seen this before. A few weeks ago, I kept getting attacked by the Yiga, day after day, until I found one of these things attached to my cloak. Once I'd burned it, the attacks stopped." Link bowed his head, and added, "there could be more." Together they carefully examined the glider and Link's clothing and pack and everything else he'd been carrying. They didn't find any other charms. The rain grew heavier and Link could hear thunder in the distance.
"I'm sorry," Sidon murmured, "I thought this was a safe place. It wasn't. And you could have been..." He trailed off, shuddering and moved closer to Link.
"It' alright," Link sighed, leaning against Sidon.
"You said they were people," Sidon said, curling around Link. "But they fell away into dust. Like all of the calamity spawn."
"Yes."
"I hated to attack a person like that, but when it went for you," Sidon said mournfully. Link put a hand on Sidon's arm.
"Thank you," Link sighed.
"Do you think it's safe to stay here?" Sidon asked softly.
"Safer in here than out there," Link murmured quietly to him. He pulled his clothes bag over and drew out some of his warmer clothes, wrapping himself in them.
"Are you sure? I will carry you back to the Domain. I can do it," Sidon said through barred teeth. Link patted his arm weakly. When they made that trip he wanted to be able to help Sidon fight. He wouldn't be able to do that right now.
"No. I feel safe here," he said. Sidon looked perturbed. Despite his words, Link felt discomforted as well. Not enough to make him want to risk traveling, but something on the edge of his thoughts bothered him.
He frowned in silence. It was probably that he felt so unsettled from the Yiga and that he had Sidon to think of, when it was usually only his own life he needed to worry about. That had to be it.
Sidon sighed. He doused the lantern and the chamber filled with darkness.
"Sleep. I'll keep watch," he murmured. Confusion registered for a moment in Link's tired mind. Keep watch in the dark? But of course, Sidon could see in the dark.
"Wake me in a few hours for a shift?" Link murmured. There was a moment of hesitation, then Sidon grunted in an affirmative. Link relaxed and curled up beneath his warmest doublet.
...
Light trickled into the little guard tower and Link opened his eyes. It was dawn. He frowned and shifted, but found he couldn't move much. Sidon was wrapped around him. At his movement, the Zora Prince loosened his grip and looked down at Link.
"You didn't wake me," Link complained. Sidon looked unconcerned.
"You needed rest," he said. Link grumbled wordlessly and tried stretching his aching limbs. He winced not only from the pain but from the cold. Without Sidon wrapped tightly around him the chill in the air bit into him. He began to pull on some of his heavier layers but the pain in his arm stopped him.
"You needed rest too," Link groused, "If we're going to travel today." Sidon pushed air out through his gills.
"I don't think that's happening," he said quietly. Link was instantly alert. "We're alright," Sidon said quickly, "it's just that you may have noticed, the temperature dropped. All that rain from last night froze and early this morning it started snowing.
"Snowing?" Link gasped. "It's only August." Sidon snorted.
"I hate to tell you, but winter comes earlier now. Ever since the Calamity."
"That's..." Link frowned unable to continue his thoughts. His stomach growled.
"Hungry? Me too," Sidon chuckled, "I think it might be safe to venture out, at least as far as the pool. I'll catch us some breakfast," he paused, "if you've no objections?"
"No objections," Link said quietly. Sidon carefully drew away, and went to the door. He unbolted it and cautiously exited, closing it behind him. Link sat back and examined himself. The rest had done him good. Despite the deep aches, he could feel a certain strength in his legs that he hadn't had the night before. His arm was another matter. It hurt to raise it higher than chest level and moving it all was a chore.
From out in the corridor Link heard a crack. He tried to spring up but his legs shook so badly he had to ease himself back down. The door opened again and Sidon put his face in the opening.
"They built a ladder!" he growled.
"A ladder?"
"A ladder. I broke it though," Sidon grinned. He turned away and began dragging pieces of splintered wood into the guard house. It had to have been a tall ladder. There was a lot of wood.
"Fire wood," Link breathed. Sidon nodded, dragging in the last of it.
"I'll be back," he said and left once more. Link stared at the wood pieces and selected a thin long piece. He pulled out twine that he kept in his forage bag and made a crude splint. If his leg was fractured he didn't want to stress it more than he needed to. The fact that he felt strong and that the pain had faded gave him some hope that he'd only sprained something. Splint made, Link turned to start a small cook fire.
When Sidon returned, he brought several large Hylian bass and two dark brown fish that Link had never seen. He lay them down by the fire pit and went to bolt the door behind him. Link noticed the Zora was shivering.
"Cold?" Link asked frowning. Sidon nodded coming back to the fire pit. "I would have thought Zora do okay in the cold. You swim in cold water."
"We do alright in cold, to a point. When it gets cold enough to make ice then no. Zora aren't built for that." Link paused as he was about to spear a fish on a stick he'd sharpened.
"Wait," Link frowned, "So you came out to the Ridgeland knowing that it gets cold and snows in August and you can't handle snow and ice?" Sidon looked sheepish. "Sidon!"
"I thought there were a few more weeks before the snows set in," Sidon demurred.
"You were taking a chance then," Link grumbled, "Really, just seeing me isn't worth all that."
"You take much worse risks for even less," Sidon snorted. Link refused to rise to the bait.
"Sidon," he groaned, "why are you really out here?"
"I wanted to see you!" Sidon said emphatically, "and see if, well," he swallowed, glancing away, "well never mind. It's not important now. I just had something to ask you."
"We've all the time in the world."
"Well."
"Sidon come on, now I'm curious," Link grumbled, leaning against him.
"Alright," Sidon sighed, "I wanted to ask you to come back with me to the Domain. We're having a feast for one of our larger holidays and I wanted you to come. Or at least to be invited. I know you have important business to attend to but I thought if you were able, and would be in the area for a while, then it might be nice." Link paused. He'd never heard the Prince sound so nervous. "But with you so badly hurt, we must get you to the nearest village. The Domain is too far."
"I'm okay. I just need to rest a day or two and rebuild my strength," he said and glanced at Sidon, "listen, this feast is important? I'm fine. If you need to go then please don't miss the feast on my account."
"No," Sidon frowned giving him an appalled look, "I'll not leave you. I've been to many feasts. I only have one most treasured friend. Besides," Sidon frowned, "the wound in your shoulder is deep. It's beyond your skill to treat it, is it not?" Link winced.
"Without my elixirs, yeah, probably."
"Then we will rest here until you are strong enough to travel and I will take you to the closest haven."
"Thank you, Sidon," Link said. The Prince nodded, sinking into silence once more. Link stirred the fire. "I would have come," he said. Sidon turned to regard him.
"To the feast? Truly?"
"Sure," Link smiled, "I like eating. And I like being in the Domain." Sidon relaxed. Link glanced down at the minuscule cook fire. They were only able to cook two fish at a time with such a puny fire. The first two were done and Link handed one to Sidon. The Prince took it and snapped it up whole in two bites. Link nibbled at his fish as he skewered two more and put them over the fire.
"We're both getting too cold," Link frowned, "I think we've got to build a real fire."
"Agreed," Sidon said, his voice cheerless. "Perhaps the Yiga have moved on, since we haven't heard anything more from them?"
"Maybe," Link said, his voice troubled.
"You really think they're still after us?" Sidon asked. Link shrugged. The Yiga were determined.
"It's strange that only two attacked us."
"Maybe they didn't tell their companions about the charm. Maybe they wanted the glory for themselves."
"Maybe."
"Not convinced?"
"The Yiga do work in small groups, but I've never seen anything that makes me think they wouldn't cooperate with one another."
"Then maybe it's the weather," Sidon sighed.
"Could be," Link groused, "I'll think I'll go set up a few traps in the corridor." Sidon squinted at him.
"You can do that without hurting yourself?" he asked. Link shrugged. Eating had made him feel much better. "Alright, but I want to come with you. You could be attacked out there."
"I'm fine," Link said absently, rising to go to the door. His legs didn't shake under him this time. He lit the lantern and took it with him.
"Yes, but you only have use of one arm," Sidon said, hurriedly joining him. Link snorted. He'd killed lots of things only using one arm. "And these traps... what if a Zora comes up the falls? This is a place known to my people." Link did pause at that.
"Non-lethal traps?"
"How about traps that don't injure the victim at all? And we disarm them when we leave?" Sidon asked in a low growl. Link chuckled and nodded. He was sure he could devise something.
He walked out into the corridor, his mind working to devise a trap with what he might be able to find. He enjoyed making traps and his silent delight must have been apparent to his larger companion, who grinned at Link's joy. Link stepped around the corner and his smile froze. The corridor was empty but his keen senses told him something was near. Sidon stopped behind him, and Link could feel the question coming from him, but Sidon was canny enough not to speak. Link moved back, silent as he went. Sidon did the same, though he wasn't quite as silent. Link's ears had identified the source of his alarm. Breathing. Breathing coming from the chamber with the waterfall.
They moved back into the guard post and Sidon gently closed the door, bolting it. Link's mind was racing. Something on the edge of his thoughts, the discomfort from lat night lit through him with a vengeance.
"Link?" Sidon whispered, "Yiga?"
"No," Link breathed. The lungs making the breath he'd heard were large. Too large. He closed his eyes. The discomfort stabbed at him again. Something he was forgetting. Something that he'd known...
And then it hit him. He stood still, staring ahead.
"Link?" Sidon said again, worried.
"The blood moon," Link hissed. "Damn."
"Then it's some monster out there? Something you defeated?" Sidon guessed. Link winced. It had been two days ago, when he'd first entered the canyon. He'd come up the cliff side, wanting to explore from the high ground. But when he climbed up onto the plateau he'd found that he wasn't alone.
"Lynel," Link hissed. Sidon gasped.
"What's it doing here? They stay in their territory," he whispered.
"This is his territory," Link groaned.
"This cavern?"
"No," Link sighed, "usually he's further up. But he scented me."
"And he remembers you?"
"Oh yes," Link closed his eyes. When the lynels he'd slain came back, they seemed to remember him, unlike the other calamity spawn. And they seemed to have a special grudge when he met them again. They even traveled to stalk him sometimes. It was chilling normally, but now...
"Shit. Shit. Shit," Link hissed. "This is why we haven't heard any more from the Yiga. No Yiga would dare enter this cavern with a lynel in here."
"But it must have just gotten here. I was out there at the pool just a while ago."
"You weren't it's prey," Link said grimly. Sidon's face went slack. They were silent a moment.
"If this thing has made you its prey," Sidon said between clenched teeth, "Then I will make it my prey." Link smiled.
"No my friend. This fight isn't for you," he said.
"I assure you-"
"My plan for taking this lynel down involves a lot of electricity. I don't want you anywhere near." Sidon paused.
"Electricity?"
"It's in a cavern with a large pool of water," Link said slowly, "yes. Electricity."
"But can you fight this beast with your injuries?" Sidon worried. Link snorted.
"I've fought plenty of battles with worse injuries," he said. Sidon only cringed more. "Look, I'm planning on going in and hitting this lynel hard before it even knows what's coming. It's not going to survive long enough for a counter attack."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
Sidon's smile spread slowly over his face until he was beaming. Link glanced up and returned the smile.
"What?" he asked. Sidon blinked.
"I await your victory then!" the Zora Prince said happily. Link laughed, reaching for his spear and shield.
...
Link slipped the door open and closed it silently behind him. Sidon waited, barely daring to breathe. He knew of course that Link confronted beasts like this lynel everyday. Worse monsters too. Yet, a creeping worry that Link's injuries would cause him trouble kept him alert and ready.
Sidon made himself stand still and stop fidgeting with the straps secured around him. He had both his bags and Link's tied to his back in case they needed to make a hasty exit. He didn't like to think about what a hasty exit might mean for them, but he wasn't going to be caught unprepared. Silently, Sidon went to the door and opened it, peering down the corridor, straining his ears for any sound.
The lynel's roar made him flinch. Link shouted and the sound of his spear smacking against the lynel's steel shield rang through the cavern. Sidon bared his teeth, the sounds of battle making his blood pulse. His body recalled the near misses he'd had with the lynel close to home. The sound of the raging beast, the whiz of electric arrows wheeling through the air toward him.
There was a bright flash from the end of the corridor and the cavern was rocked as the boom of an explosion shook the mountainside. The breath in Sidon's lungs froze and he waited to hear Link's triumphant shout.
It didn't come.
Instead the lynel quieted and Sidon could hear the beast moving. Not moving gracefully, but moving. He couldn't hear anything from Link. Sidon took a breath, stepping into the corridor, caught in indecision for a moment, when the smell of blood hit him. Link's blood. He was running before he fully knew what he was doing, propelled forward by the blood scent that washed over his senses and soaked his brain with the urgent need to fight. Electric arrows or not, he'd face this beast and tear it apart if it meant saving Link's life.
Sidon entered the open cavern at a run. He briefly took in that the lynel was up, holding a thick cleaving sword above its head as it stared down at Link's crumpled form. Sidon roared in fury and the lynel sprang back in surprise. It moved quickly for something so large, but Sidon's rage propelled him almost as fast.
In one fluid motion he lowered his body and scooped Link up from the cavern floor and threw himself into the air, off the cliff side, falling down to the Tamio River below. He could hear the lynel roaring behind him, recovered from the shock of seeing a battle furious Zora rush at him. As frightening as Sidon knew he might look in battle, with his eyes pitch black and his gills frilled and all parts of his body working to make him larger and stronger than his opponent, a lynel was not something he wanted to test himself against.
He stared down at the winding snake of the river and his stomach dropped in alarm. He was used to diving, even from great heights, but this was too much even for him. He'd always admired Link's ability to glide gracefully down from heights. He wished he had that ability now.
Instead they both sank like stones down to the dark waters below. Sidon had a moment of panic when he realized that Link's bones would likely shatter if he hit the water at this speed. At the last moment he flipped around and his upper shoulders took the brunt of the impact. Link was ripped from his arms and Sidon turned at once, his senses locating the hero, and in the next moment Sidon snatched him back into his clutches.
He was in pain, but his body was too much in the power of his instincts to take much notice. His legs worked and he wasn't so injured that he couldn't swim. Sidon surfaced for Link's sake and propelled himself down the river at a speed he hoped would outpace any chase from the lynel. He hauled Link up and bent him over his shoulder. Link was limp. Very limp. Sidon frowned, gritting his teeth. Maybe that's just how Hylians felt when they lost consciousness? Regardless he had to keep Link's face above water. He knew that much.
The water around him lit with sparks of blue and white and yellow. Sidon spat a rare curse and swerved to avoid the electrified area. A volley of arrows rained down and Sidon had to duck under the water and go deep to avoid their deadly range.
He glanced at Link, who was still lifeless. Not good. He needed air. Sidon rocketed down the river, hoping that the lynel would be all he'd have to worry about. He surfaced again, still moving in blind panic.
Link's body jolted in his arms and Sidon cried out in alarm. Had an electric spark touched him? The Hylian's body jerked and his eyes flew open. But there wasn't any recognition in those eyes. They only stared blankly into the distance. Sidon swam harder, not understanding was happening, only wanting to get away. Link's body seemed heavier.
And he wasn't breathing.
Sidon's insides froze in horror but he didn't know what to to do. He couldn't stop swimming, he could still feel the arrows falling around them. He didn't know how to treat a Hylian. What did you do when they stopped breathing? Pain and panic wrecked through him, and all he could do was swim.
A blue green light clouded his vision and at first Sidon thought he must have been hit by an arrow. But there was no pain. There were green flames now, flickering in the air and moving along with them. He blinked, trying to clear his vision.
"I'll protect you."
If Sidon hadn't been focusing all his will on swimming and staying conscious, he might have lost control. Mipha. That had been Mipha's voice. Link's body lightened and his limbs moved, clutching at Sidon.
And he was breathing again.
"Thank the goddesses," Sidon gasped, "Link?" There was no answer. The strength in Link's limbs had gone slack again and he lay heavily against Sidon's shoulder. His eyes stayed closed but he was breathing.
"Don't you worry now," Sidon murmured and pushed on. After a moment, he risked a look back. The craggy cliff side was receding into the distance but Sidon could still see the small angry figure of the lynel, roaring in fury. He had, it seemed, finally reached beyond the creature's range of fire. Still, Sidon didn't let this triumph slow him down. Link had said lynels would stalk their prey relentlessly. If you wanted to escape, you needed to run fast and you needed to run for a long time. And then keep running.
Sidon had every intention of following that advice.