There was nothing but heat.
A burning, searing pain that radiated from his core and seemed to snake its way through his veins.
He peeked through half lidded eyes as a swarm of automatons focused their gaze his way, ready to deal their final blow.
He was only just faintly aware that the princess was speaking to him, her tone scared and urgent.
"Link, save yourself, go! I'll be fine, don't worry about me! Run!"
He had to continue. There was no choice.
There had never been any other choice but to continue.
With his last ounce of energy, he straightened his spine, groaning against the pain that threatened to steal him away, willing his body to take the defensive stance he needed it to.
As if on cue, the guardians that had flooded Hyrule Field were on them once more, the red light from their targeting system making him squint as they took aim at his forehead.
Unlike in his memories, there was no cry of "No!" from Zelda as she stepped in front of him. There was no blinding, comforting light of her sealing powers finally coming to fruition.
There was only that red light and a sickening crunch as his skull caved inwards-
Link woke up in a cold sweat as his hand instinctively flew to his forehead, the threads of his nightmare still clinging to him. It took him a long moment to shake those cobwebs from his mind and even longer to steady his breathing.
Once he had, he sat up, pulling at the hem of his sleeping shirt; it had gotten twisted around his form as he had slept and had become uncomfortably tight.
He swung his legs over to the side of the bed and stood, straightening his sleeping pants as well.
Once he had resituated himself, he took a moment to peek through the window of his room. The very first glimmers of the sun had started showing on the horizon. It was still too early for most people of Hateno to be up and about.
Resigning himself to sleeplessness for what little remained of the night, Link lit the candle on his desk as he took a seat, his attention turning to the book that lay there.
It had been just over three weeks since he had fought Calamity Gannon at the castle. Since Zelda had sealed him away.
It had been two weeks since the princess had given him the blank journal that lay in front of him.
It had been exactly a week since he had made his way from Kakariko back to Hateno to assist Purah finalize her preparations for the trek they would be making to Divine Beast Ruta.
And in all that time, Link had failed to so much as open the journal Zelda had gifted him.
Almost guiltily, he pulled the simple leather bound book towards him, opening it up to the first page. He sighed and let his head slump to the desktop, forehead resting on the blank page, letting his thoughts wander.
"What's this?" He asked, staring at the book the princess had handed him.
"Link, I would certainly hope you remember what a journal looks like." Zelda answered with a teasing smile on her face.
He silently cocked an eyebrow at her response.
"Oh don't give me that look, I know what you meant. It's a gift."
He looked back down at the book, running his fingers over the cover.
"I…well, I used to keep one myself you know? I always found it helpful to be able to keep my thoughts somewhere other than in my own head. I thought that, perhaps, you might find something like that useful too."
He didn't need to look up to know she was nervously clasping her hands together.
"Thank you." He said as he turned his attention back to her, offering a smile.
"You're quite welcome Link." She said, hands relaxing once more.
With a definitive exhale of air, Link sat back up. Taking one of the never used quills and ink wells the desk had come with, he prepped the quill, determined to make use of Zelda's gift in one way or another.
He stared at the page for a long moment, part of him unsure of even what to do with such a thing.
Slowly, hesitantly, he began to write:
I don't know what to put here.
Or, maybe I just don't know how to write in something like this?
That's just silly though I think, right? I mean, I am writing in this now, these are the words I am writing. That has got to count for something.
I remember journals being things people use to write their life stories in, but I don't know if there's a good way to tell mine.
He took his time re-inking the quill, carefully thinking on what he wanted his next line to be.
Because there was a 'Before' that I remember so little of and there is the 'Now' that still doesn't make sense most of the time.
Even after being awake for as long as I have, there's still things that I can't remember. Mostly little things.
Like stew?
Why do I know how to make that? Who taught me? Did I teach myself? If so how did I get so good at it? Did I just make it all the time? I may never know.
Some of the blanks in my memories I have been able to fill in on my own.
Like weapons. And armor. And fighting.
I knew those things the moment I woke up. I guess being a knight would give anyone muscle memory for that sort of thing.
But other things-
He paused for another moment, cupping his chin in deep thought.
-other things, important things, remain a mystery.
Like Mipha.
I know she loved me. And I know she was important to me too. I remember that much.
But I do not remember what her favorite meal was. Did I ever make stew for her? If so, did she like it?
I do not know if I used to play with her as a child. I don't remember visiting like Sidon said I did so often.
I feel like a should remember these things at the least.
His writing slows for a moment at that thought, a frown displacing his normally stoic expression.
There's this warmth I feel when I imagine her face. When I recall how she spoke so kindly towards me. But I have so little context for why I feel that way. It's confusing. And sad.
I wish I had never remembered her.
He stops abruptly, surprised by the curtness of what he had written. He sits back in his chair, pondering the thought.
Did he really wish Mipha had remained forgotten to him?
Even as he considers that possibility further, a tightening in his chest tells him otherwise.
He re-inks his quill once more and sits forward, crossing out what he had written with a definitive line.
I wish I had never remembered her.
That's not true, I just wish I remembered more about her.
I guess I wish I just remembered more of anything.
His eye twinges at the thought of his dream. At the feeling of heat and the sight of a red light blinding him. His body shuddered involuntarily at the memory.
I take that back too.
I think I could do with fewer memories of some of these fights I have been in. I'm not sure what's changed, but I have had been having some awful dreams since the fight with Gannon.
That never happened when I was traveling…or if it did I may just not remember.
At this point, I would not be surprised if that were the truth.
Link stifled a small yawn with the back of his hand as he set aside the quill.
He turned to the window by his bed, surprised to see the soft beginnings of morning light glinting on the glass. He stood and stretched his arms high over his head, groaning in satisfaction as his muscles comfortably pulled against one another.
Purah had told him she wanted to be out of the village bright and early, before too much of the village was up and about. Partly because she did want to get to Kakariko before nightfall. Partly because she had still not come up with a solution to the backfired experiment that had turned her into a child again.
Link knew without asking that this decision had mostly to do with the fact that she had yet to let the people of Hateno know of her situation. 'They would ask too many questions that I just don't have the time to answer Linky!' had been the reasoning she had offered when questioned.
He was quick to make his bed and prepare himself for the long day ahead. As he did a final once over of his home and the bags for the trip as he idly ate through an apple, he found his eyes lingering on his desk.
He swallowed his bite of food slowly as he considered taking the journal with him. Though he had no exact reason for why he might have use for it on the road, Zelda's pleased expression came to mind for just a moment before his decision was made.
Holding the apple between his teeth, he quickly rearranged his pack to accommodate a very securely capped inkwell and journal, a quill tucked safely away in its pages.
Fastening the pack closed, he swung it over his shoulder just as there came a series of knocks on his door.
It was time for him to go.
The trip from Hateno to Kakariko was painless and was done in good time.
Despite Purah's initial displeasure of having to share a horse with Symin due to her diminutive size, she warmed to the situation when Link offered her the Sheikah Slate as entertainment.
She was quite the fan of group photos, and insisted several times that Link and Symin urge their horses closer together so she could get the shot she wanted.
The citizens of Kakariko greeted them warmly when they entered the village, beds waiting for them at the inn and a large pot of pumpkin soup being enjoyed by everyone in the community.
Koko, the eldest of Dorian's daughters, had all but pulled Link down to her level to share the secrets of her new and improved soup everyone was enjoying,
"Lots of Hyrule Herb and some honey Link! That's my secret. Koko didn't even get stung by the bees, not even a little!"
Link's compliment of her cooking earned him a beaming grin from the young girl as she scampered away to continue playing tag with her sister. He stood from his crouched position as he watched them go, pleased to see them get the chance to play together.
"Hello Link."
He all but spun on his heels at the sound of the princess' voice. She was dressed in the traditional Sheikah garb, hair pulled into a large bun like so many others of the village. The comfortable look suited her, just as her regal blue gown had so many years prior.
Muscle memory took hold of him as he silently bowed in greeting.
"Oh please, none of that." She responded with a smile and wave of a hand.
"Sorry, old habit I guess?" He said as he straightened his back.
"No need to apologize. Now, tell me, how was the trip from Hateno? Purah was just telling me how you charged her as what she called the 'Official Trip Memento Keeper'? Do tell me, what does that job entail?"
Link couldn't help the small shake of his head as he chuckled.
"I think professional photographer would be a better word for it honestly. Here." He answered, removing the Sheikah Slate from his hip, pulled up the photo section, and handed it to her.
She perused the photos with rapt interest, smiling all the while.
"She certainly has an eye for framing. I am impressed she was able to get all of you in a single shot while on horseback." She said, making to return the slate.
Link held his hand up to stop her.
"Purah's already had a chance to fix the glitches you noticed after the battle with the Calamity. It was yours to begin with, you should have it back." His statement was simple but firm as he undid the holster from his belt, holding it out for her to take.
Zelda's expression was unreadable for a moment as she stared at the offering.
"Are you certain Link? It…it was never truly meant for the Princess and I could never get it to work for me at the shrines, as I'm sure you recall. And really, you must be so use to it being with you, I am quite sure it should remain-"
"Princess," he chanced the possibility of being rude by interrupting her, "it was only ever a tool to defeat Calamity Ganon for me. The beast is gone now and so is my reason to use it. I think this will be in much better hands with you."
Her eyes met his and her features, which had slowly begun to give way to worry as she spoke, softened into a smile once more.
"Alright then, but only because you insist. Thank you." She said, taking the holster from his hand gently.
The community dinner continued well into the late hours of the night. Knowing they had another early start the next day, Link, Purah, Symin and Zelda retired even earlier then Lady Impa, who was oft poked fun of for her early bed time. Of course, she was just as likely to poke fun back with a smart one liner and a grin, all in the name of good fun.
The next morning came and went. With it, the four travelers said their farewells to Kakariko and started on the road to Zora's Domain.
Purah had decided, thankfully before they set out, that she would rather ride with Zelda, giving both women the chance to excitedly talk about ancient technologies as they continued their trek.
By late morning on the third day of their travel, they were at the figurative doorsteps of Zora's Domain, the crystal blue archways welcoming them.
It wasn't before long that they were greeted with an energetic cry of,
"Hello, hello dear friend! Up here!"
Link craned his neck upwards just in time to see a red blur falling towards them.
The horses whinnied and flicked their ears in an irritated manner as the Zora landed gracefully in front of them.
"Link! My goodness is it wonderful to see you again!" As energetic as the first moment they had met, Sidon greeted Link with a smile and a handshake.
"Likewise, Sidon." Link said, with a smile of his own. The prince's energy was just plain contagious.
"Please, I must say there is no time to dally, my father is eager to see all of you! Come with me." He said, leading the party down the long bridge.
After the proper introductions were made, with a certain amount of pomp and circumstance with the introduction of the Zelda to the King of the Domain, they immediately got to work.
The most immediate, and biggest, obstacle they came across was how to board the Divine Beast.
It stood on the mountain top, just as Link had seen it last: Trunk curling upwards to its forehead, tusks still aimed directly at the ruins of Hyrule Castle. What differed this time was the eerie stillness of the giant, the runes covering its body grey and lifeless, its four legs compressed under its immense weight, the soft churning of ancient machinery silent.
Even with its legs shortened, the height from the ground to its main body was still impressive.
"Well, this is certainly an issue." Symin had been the first to speak, unanimously voicing the thought in everyone's mind.
"I have an idea." Link said after a beat of silence, swinging the pack off his back.
He dug around for a moment before he found what he had been searching for. Pulling out his Climber's Bandana and a long, sturdy piece of rope, he closed his pack and set it aside.
"What'cha thinking Linky?" Purah asked, adjusting her glasses.
"Well, I'll have to climb the body first. Once up there, I should be able to rig the rope to pull everyone up one by one." He answered as he tied the bandana around his head.
Once done, he turned to Vah Ruta with every intention of climbing it…
But instead found himself in the middle of chewing on what he recognized as a piece of bread.
He swallowed his food with some difficulty, his suddenly dry. He looks around the room slowly, trying to decipher exactly where he was.
A glance at his surroundings told him he is back in the main hub of Zora's Domain, seated at a table heavy with delicious looking food with Zelda, Purah, and Symin excitedly discussing Ruta's interior workings amongst each other. His ears catch the sound of Sidon's voice to his right, part way through recounting a story to Link.
Hadn't they just been near at the Divine Beat? How had they gotten back here?
Link took another bite of bread as his skin turned cold from panic, trying his best to not let his concern show. He could figure this out, he just needed a chance to-
"Link, are you quite alright? You look pale all of the sudden."
He was startled by the sound of a quiet voice and was greeted by the concerned frown of Sidon when he turned his attention to it.
It took everything he had in his power to keep his panic from showing on his face as he forced a smile and nodded.
"Yes, just lost in thought and good food." He did not give the prince an opportunity to probe further as he dug back into his food, doing his best to ignore the nausea his panic had forced into his stomach.
It was not long afterwards that he excused himself from the table, his plate empty and stomach uncomfortably full.
He knew his sudden departure was not unnoticed by the others at the table, he could practically feel their eyes on him as he left.
His thoughts swam as he made his leave of the private dinning room, doing his best to politely greet the Zora's he passed on his way. He was thankful that he recognized where he was and made the trip back to his room quickly.
Once behind the safety of his room's door, he slumped a shoulder against it, letting out a ragged breath he had not known he was holding in.
He breathed deeply, arms wrapped around himself as he sunk to the floor.
What in the world had happened?
Stealing a quick look out the window of the room, the final rays of day light left the sky in a beautiful gradient of colors, a fact that did nothing to calm Link's confusion and concern.
It had just been afternoon, hadn't it? Where had the day gone?
Link unwrapped his arms from his torso and shifted his weight so that his back could rest flush against the door. He folded his hands in his lap, still breathing deeply, and let each passing moment calm him further.
He could figure this out, he just had to think. He just had to be calm.
He was not given a further moment to ponder his situation when a gentle knock on the door startled him.
"Link, are you there? It's me, Sidon, your dear friend!"
He felt the knot in his stomach loosen slightly. There was that infallible enthusiasm again.
As he stood to open the door, there was another gentle knock.
"My friend, you are in there, rig-"
Whatever else the prince had to say was cut off as Link swung the door open.
"Oh wonderful, this is where you went. May I come in?"
Link nodded, stepped away from the door way and allowed the prince to enter. Once the Zora was in, Link closed the door behind him with a soft click.
"My friend, what is it that troubles you?"
Sidon, Link thought, had the making of being a great king. He took on his duties with an enthusiasm and forwardness unlike any other. He was personable and well loved by his people. But, most of all, his genuine care showed in everything he did.
"There's nothing troubling me, I'm just tired."
Link, knowing what he did about the prince, did not want to trouble him further. The Zora was so good natured, he was certain he would no doubt go above and beyond any duty he had to Link. No, he wouldn't mention what had really caused him to leave until he knew it was something worth being concerned about.
Sidon opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it once more as he spoke:
"Miss Purah made mention that you did not say a single word while aboard Vah Ruta today. I know you regained some memories of my late sister when you first visited here. Perhaps you have remembered even more in your time away, I do not know. But, if I may be bold, let me say this: my people and I have had the last one hundred years to grieve for her. You were not given such a luxury before being tasked with purging Mipha's resting place of Ganon's influence. If being in Vah Ruta again is too much, you need only say so. No one would blame you."
Oh. Oh.
As Link soaked in the implications of what Sidon had said, he shook his head and made his way to sit on the bed.
"I...I appreciate your concern, I do. But, truly, I have been tired today." While not the whole truth for him leaving the dinner table in a rush, Link could not ignore the exhaustion his body felt. "For now," he continued, "I just need a good night's rest with a fully belly. The meal was delicious, I feel I should thank the cook when I get the chance." He said as he patted his stomach.
Sidon's eyes bore into him for a long moment before he flashed him his characteristic smile once more.
"I am very glad to hear this, my friend. Please, though, should you still feel weary or tired tomorrow, do not hesitate to visit the infirmary. Our healers are known to be some of the best in Hyrule and will help you if you need it. I will let them know you may need to stop by during your visit!"
"I appreciate that, thank you."
Sidon left shortly after, leaving Link to his rest. With the prince gone, Link's expression shifted into a frown as he turned his thoughts back to his situation as he began undressing for bed.
He had been in Vah Ruta all day and had not said anything. He figured it was better to know what he had done with his day then to have remain a complete mystery. But, having to learn such simple information second hand was troubling. He had only been gaining memories since he had awoken in the Shrine of Resurrection, he'd never had a gap for something that had just happened.
Perhaps it was another unknown side effect of the shrine?
Link nodded to himself definitively, satisfied with that reasoning.
While still a concerning idea to mull over, it was concrete enough to finally calm the panic that had been clinging to him.
He crawled into bed with a sigh and rested his head on the pillow there. In a matter of minutes, he was fast aslee-
The air smelled foul and stagnant as he and Calamity Ganon fell through the floor of the Sanctum.
Quick thinking had him instinctively pulling out the paraglider, slowing his descent considerably. He was already on the defense as his feet touched the ground, pulling the Master Sword from its sheath and his shield to his chest as the beast turned its attention towards him.
The battle was the most intense Link had ever been a part of. Calamity Ganon's body moved in grotesque and unnatural ways that were hard to predict, but Link stood his ground. Movement for movement, hit by hit, Link kept up with the Beast, slowly cutting away at its health.
He was beginning to learn its tricks, starting to recognize what its movement hinted at, when something grabbed at his ankles.
Chancing a look, Link glanced down, freezing at what he saw.
From the black mass of Blight that encased parts of the room, two slender arms reached for him, the small hands holding his ankle in a vice grip. A face stared up at him from the muck, the face painfully familiar.
"Where did you go Link? Why did you let me die?" Mipha's normally sweet voice was twisted with malice and hatred; it was painful for him to even hear.
It was only a moment later that a blade plunged through Link's abdomen, skewering him like a fish.
He watched in silent horror as the glowing blue light from Ganon's blade twisted in his gut, the pain so great that his scream caught in his throat, effectively knocking the wind out of him.
Ganon's face twisted into something that might be called a smile as it yanks the blade to the left, an inhuman cackle bursting from it as Link felt his guts violently tumble out of the gaping maw of a wound, splattering on the floor with a sickening-
He awoke in a cold sweat, his hand flying to his abdomen, putting pressure on the wound he was so certain was there. His breathing was heavy and ragged as residual pain radiated from where his hand pressed.
He raised the hem of his shirt, exposing his stomach as he looked down, heart beating painfully against his ribcage. He expected to see something, anything, the pain had been so real, too real.
But no, there was no blood, no organs spilling from him, no wound what so ever.
He swallowed hard and took deep breaths as he lay himself back down on the bed. He pressed a palm over his eyes, his temples pounding in tandem with his heart as he began the process of calming himself.
While his previous nightmares had been unpleasant, this had taken it to a level he had not yet experienced and hoped he never would again. His senses had played some sort of awful trick on him; that pain had seemed so real, too real, for his liking.
It took Link a long time to calm his body from the dream. Even when his heart had slowed to its normal cadence and his body had stopped sweating, his head continued to stubbornly pound to a painful rhythm.
He pulled his palm away from his face and sat up, the motion making his vision swim for a moment.
'Wonderful.' He thought to himself, dryly.
He chanced standing up, pleased to find that the action did not make him feel any worse. As he looked out the single window of his room, he saw that the sun had already begun its climb into the sky. With another deep breath, he decided he should take Sidon's recommendation and visit the infirmary. He had no desire to try and tolerate the pounding in his temples for an entire day if he didn't need to.
He was quick to change out of his sleeping tunic and into his day clothes, leaving the room shortly after.
It was still early enough in the morning that only a few of the Zora were up and about and, for a moment, he worried it might be too early for the healers to even be present at their posts.
He had to stop once to get directions, the older Zora he asked was polite, but to the point, and he found himself to the location in no time.
As he approached the counter he had been directed to, the young Zora woman who sat there did a quick but noticeable double take.
"Oh, oh my goodness, good morning Master Link!" she said as he approached, standing up, "Prince Sidon told us you might be stopping by during your visit, I had no idea it would be so soon! How can I help you?"
"Uh, well, I just woke up with a headache and-"
"Ah, oh my, I'm so sorry, I forgot! S-since this is your first time visiting us, I'm required to do a general assessment of your health. S-so we have a base-line for you in our records. Oh my, how could I have almost forgotten." She hurriedly explains, muttering the last of her statement to herself.
"That's fine. Does the assessment take long?"
She shook her head, wringing her hands together.
"Only takes a few m-minutes, if you'll just follow me, please."
She led him behind the desk she had been sitting behind and down a long, elegantly decorated hallway lined with doors every fifteen feet or so. After forty feet or so, the healer turned to a door and knocked on it, opening it only when no response came.
"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry Master Link, I never did introduce myself, did I?" the Zora woman asked as she gently closed the door behind them.
He shook his head in response, trying his best to ignore the pounding in his temples.
I'm Lundie, lovely to meet you. I'm so sorry, I must seem so scattered brain to you. It's only my second w-week doing practicals and I'm just still so nervous all the time and, oh no, there I go rambling again-"
"It's ok." He says simply, shooting her a smile.
He can hear her take a deep breath before continuing.
"Thank you again for your patience with me. N-now, like I said earlier, this assessment should be quick. T-to start, please remove your tunic, I'm required to document any previous injuries and corresponding scars for our records."
Link nodded and turned away from her, listening as she continued to go into detail about what the rest of the assessment would entail.
Lundie's chatter stopped mid-sentence as Link finished removing his tunic, blowing his hair out of his eyes as he does so.
He turned his head towards her, noticing immediately the look of almost horror that graced her features. Link knew he had his fair share of battle scars, some of them vicious looking, but surely it was nothing to warrant such an expression.
"M-Master Link, happened to your back?" she asked in a hushed tone, her hand rising to cover her mouth.
Link could not help the confused look that crossed his face.
"You mean my shoulder?" He turned his body fully to face her, gesturing to the large burn mark that had permanently pinkened the skin on his right side. A hazy memory reminded him that it had been from a kitchen accident as a child, not the battlefield.
She shook her head, her mouth opening and closing silently.
"My side?" He questioned further, raising arm to further show a large scar encompassing the right side of his torso, the center puckered and red. That, unfortunately, he remembered vividly receiving from one of the Guardian Stalkers while protecting Zelda when Calamity Ganon had first awoken.
"N-no, I mean your back, y-your neck, there's a-"
She cuts herself off mid-sentence again and makes a hand gesture ushering him to turn around. He obliged, a small stone of worry sinking into the pit of his stomach as he does so.
He listened as she shuffled closer to him and jumped slightly in surprise when her fingers prodded at a spot just below the nape of his neck.
"Did that hurt?" She asked, her hand retracting at his reaction.
He shook his head in response, this time prepared when her fingers continued gently pressing against his skin.
"What's there?" He asked after a beat of silence.
There's a long moment before he gets an answer.
"It looks like…like black lightning? Oh, I know that must sound odd." She says, muttering the last part under her breath as she moved away from him.
He only had a moment to wonder what she was doing when he finds her passing him a mirror, nearly identical one in her own hand.
"L-let me just show you." She says, holding her mirror to face his neck.
He spends a second angling his own mirror as best he can to catch the reflection from the one in Lundie's hands.
What he saw turned the stone in his stomach into a boulder of a knot.
Where her fingers had prodded at was a viciously dark spot on his skin, no bigger than the size of a rupee. What had caused her shock, though, wasn't the spot itself, but the skin surrounding it.
Just as she had described, black lines radiated from the mark, as jagged and irregular as bolts of lightning.
Instinctively, he reached his hand back to touch it, pressing his fingers along the dark lines. The skin there was raised, just ever so slightly, and felt cool to the touch. Pressing down harder yielded no feeling on the affected skin; no pain, no sensitivity, nothing.
After another moment of observation, he lowered the mirror and faced Lundie, hand still on the back of his neck.
"I've not seen anything like that before. I-please wait here Master Link, let get one of my elders." Link watched as she left the room in a hurry, mirror still clutched in her hands.
Lowering his hand from his neck, he carefully placed his mirror on the nearby table. His brow furrowed as he wracked his brain, trying to remember if anything he had done recently would explain the mark.
There had been no injury in the last few days he could think of that would have any effect on that area.
He had fallen out of a tree in Hateno helping local children collect apples for their mother, just the day before he had left. But that couldn't be it, he had fallen right on his rump.
He thought back farther.
Perhaps it was something that had happened before his fight with Ganon? No, that couldn't be it either though. The Hylian armor he had favored most often during his travels would not allow for something to injure that spot on his neck.
Link raised his hand and traced the lightning pattern with his fingers once more. He should be able to remember something like this happening…
As if his frustration were a piece of struck flint next to a pile of dry wood, an ember of a memory roared into a fire and his thoughts turned to his battle with Calamity Ganon.
The heat from the Malice that rolled off the foul beast was almost unbearable. Its cries were unlike anything he had ever heard before: loud and terrible enough to vibrate the very bones of his chest. He could not blame his horse, Belphia, for pawing nervously at the ground. He could not blame himself for the slight shake of his hands or the almost too tight grip he had on the reins.
But he must continue. There was no choice.
There had never been any other choice but to continue.
He spurred his horse into action, his heart beating in time with the thundering of her hooves.
With Zelda's voice ringing in his ears, he took aim with the bow she had bestowed him, hitting the beast again and again with arrows made of holy light.
The beast let loose another cry and, with speed Link did not expect from something of its size, swung its head towards him and his steed.
In a split-second decision, Link urged his horse to go faster, faster than he had ever asked of her before, and lay his upper body flush with her neck. The quickness of his actions paid off as, not a moment later, the tusks of the giant swung just overhead. The heat of its Malice was so close it felt as if it had burnt the back of his neck or might catch the collar of his Champion's tunic ablaze.
Link paid no mind to that small pain as they pulled away, his eyes focusing back on the beast's weak points, drawing the bow once more as his horse galloped forward-
His thoughts came to a screeching halt and his hand clenched around the back of his neck as realization dawned on him. He had a sinking suspicion as to where he got that mark from.
He was not given long to fight the rising panic he felt as he caught the sound of approaching footsteps.
As was oft to happen, Link's muscle memory took over for him when he drew a blank as to how to behave. He found his face forcing its expression into something unreadable and his hand removed itself from his neck just as Lundie walked back in.
She was followed by a considerably older female Zora, her old age showing itself in her hunched shoulders, bowed knees, and deep wrinkles.
"Madame Meeda, this is Mas-"
The elder of the two waved her hand dismissively, a kind smile on her face.
"This young man need not be introduced my dear, I know who he is."
Link studied her face, searching for anything that might tell him if he had once known her.
"Lundie here tells me you have a mark on your neck she's not sure how to identify. Would you mind turning around for me, Master Link?"
He obliged her request with a silent nod, face forcibly stoic.
Her hands, while less gentle then Lundie's hand been, had a certainty to their movements that would have only come to her with years of practice.
"Well," she began after a solid half minute of examination, "I have certainly seen this before."
She removed her hands, sighing as she did so.
Link turned to face the two healers as he reached for his shirt and, slipping it back over his head, covered the offending mark.
"I'm sorry to say this, Champion, but this does not bode well for you."
Link swallowed dryly, bracing himself for what she would tell him.