Chapter Twenty-One – Rescue
Inasha, Link, and Midna barely made it out of Northern Hyrule field before the sky broke open. Wind whipped around them, tousling Link's fur and whipping Inasha's long hair all around, her long bangs blowing back in her eyes and causing her to trip several times as they ran for the pass into West Hyrule Field. She forced herself to keep going, however, for Midna's sake.
What was at first a slow sprinkle quickly turned into a steady downpour, soaking the two adventurers in no time. Inasha tried desperately to cover up her imp friend, bending double in an attempt to shield her from the rain. At least her wet hair didn't whip around so much in the wind now…
What I wouldn't give to be inside right now… she thought glumly. The terrible weather made her think fondly of the nights when she would lay in bed, listening to the rumbling thunder and reading her favorite textbook by candlelight. She could almost feel the warm embrace of her fleece covers, hear her mother singing in the kitchen as she picked up after dinner…
She tripped again, but this time not because of the wind or the wet ground beneath her. She shook herself from her memories as hot tears began to sting her eyes. She couldn't think about things like that right now!
I just want to go home… her subconscious disobeyed her.
Brief flashes of lightning were Inasha's only chances to see clearly where her wolf companion was leading her. A huge stone wall to her left assured her that they were finally almost to Castle Town. Maybe they could go inside soon… As they dashed across the wet wooden drawbridge, Inasha couldn't help but wonder how the civilians would react to the strange group that was quickly approaching the streets.
She didn't have to wonder for too long – it seemed as though everyone had already taken shelter from the storm. Perhaps their own fond memories of cozy, stormy nights had beckoned them in…
Candlelit windows provided some relief from the painful darkness they had been running through. Now even Inasha could see where they were going, though the scenery didn't mean much to her. She'd only been through the area once before, and that was when the streets were crowded with civilians and peddlers.
The rain still refused to let up. Inasha caught a glimpse of a few townspeople hiding in the shadows of the buildings, who returned her looks with fearful eyes when they spotted the large wolf running alongside her and the strange figure in her arms. She prayed silently that none of them would call the Hylian Soldiers' attention to the three newcomers…
Link veered off onto a side street, obviously familiar with the path he was on. Inasha followed suit, following him through the empty back alleys. The storm began to pick up, as they continued, the lightning and thunder becoming fiercer.
They came to a stop at an intersection, one that Inasha finally recognized. "The bar?" she questioned Link. "Why here? I thought we needed to go to the castle?"
Link growled in frustration, more so at his inability to speak than at Inasha's naivety, though judging by her reaction that wasn't how she perceived it. He shook his head, remembering a night that seemed so far away from the present. "There's a passageway that leads to the castle from in there, as well. As long as you don't mind sewers…" Telma's voice rang in his memory.
When Midna had first found him chained up in the Twilight, they had made their way to Zelda's tower from the sewers. Now, he could make his way up there again, using the shortcut through the bar. But he couldn't share that information with Inasha in his current form.
They ducked into the corridor of the bar, but stopped just outside the door. Link looked towards the half-open doorway and shook his head.
"What…?" Inasha cocked hers to the side, then suddenly realized what he meant. She looked down at the small pink bundle in her arms. "Oh…I guess they wouldn't take too lightly to a large wolf and a sickly imp…" she sighed and looked around. "I…I trust you Link, though I'm not sure what you're doing. But you need to get inside…without them noticing?"
The wolf nodded.
A shuddering gasp for air came from the dying form in Inasha's arms. "Th-there's a…shortcut…" Midna breathed out. Inasha had to move her ear closer to the imp in order to hear her. "In…the bar…"
The girl nodded, looking over at Link. He was busy staring down a very fluffy cat whom she recognized as Louise, Telma's cat. At first, Inasha was worried that his instincts had taken over and she would have to split apart a fight soon, but that feeling vanished as she realized there was no hostility between the two. She watched as the cat led Link back out into the rain and over to a bunch of crates leading to an open window, leaping to the top with ease. Link attempting to follow suit, but a wolf was sadly not as light on its feet as a housecat.
He looked around the area, spotting a crate against the far wall. Inasha laid Midna down in the shelter of the alcove and aided Link in pushing the crate against the others. Her feet slid several times, as they were now standing in ankle deep water thanks to the steady downpour.
Finally, the crate was against the others, creating stairs fit for the wolf. He climbed up first, followed by Inasha with the helpless Midna. Once Link was at the window, she handed the fading Twili over.
"I'll try to keep whoever's in the bar occupied. Just…be careful Link. I suppose this is a mission for you alone. Come back for me when you are finished…" she pleaded softly, constantly brushing rainwater out of her face as she spoke..
Of course, Link offered her a wolfish grin and licked her cheek, bringing about a blush that would have been hidden in the dark night if it weren't for a bolt of lightning that lit up the world as though it were daytime. Link's grin only grew wider, and stayed with him even after he slipped in through the window.
Dazed, Inasha stumbled back towards the bar. She stood outside and began to breathe hard, as though she had been running. Making a huge show of throwing open the door, she "tripped" over the threshold and fell to her knees dramatically, calling all attention towards her. Telma, a Goron, and a small group of Hylians were the only ones in the bar, and all rushed to her side.
"Inasha?" the barkeep gripped her shoulders. "Inasha! Tell us what's wrong!"
Gears turning in her mind, she formed the story as she spoke. "M-monsters…in the streets of Castle Town! They…they ambushed Link and I…" she paused dramatically, her heart rate increasing with her forced panting. "He told me to run here…but…he's still out there!"
Telma turned to the others. "I need some dry clothes and a suitable cot for her. I'll take care of feeding her and calming her down. Now, Inasha, I'm certain that Hero of ours will be just fine…"
"Hero?" a scholarly looking boy no older than 19 questioned as he eyed the shivering newcomer. "I don't suppose this is the same swordsman as you spoke of when you returned from Kakariko?"
"Yes, Shadrian, that would be him. Now please, go help Auru set up a cot!" she responded with irritation, holding the younger woman close to her. Inasha was already quivering from being out in the storm for so long. She upped her ante by thinking of her passed parents to bring about tears. As Telma comforted her, she stole a glance upwards. She could just barely make out the darkened form of a wolf crouched in the window.
He was just about to step out over the rafters when Telma caught her looking up, and followed her gaze. "Inasha? What's wrong?" she asked again. Link ducked back into the shadows, the chain on his paw left over from his imprisonment so long ago rattling harshly against the rafters. There was no doubt it had caught everyone's attention.
Before Telma could comment, Inasha let out a huge wail. "What if he's not okay? I ran like a coward!"
Her distraction worked. Telma walked her over to the bar, running her hands through her wet, matted hair. "Shh. It'll be okay."
The only other female in the bar brought fresh clothes over, which the barkeep passed on to her young charge. "Here honey, let's get you out of that armor and into something comfortable. The Hero will be back around soon."
Inasha escaped into a back room to change, leaving the rest of them in the main bar area. "She's not usually this distraught," Telma explained to her companions. "I've met her before and she seemed incredibly calm…nothing like she's acting now. I'm worried that there's more to this story…"
Ashei, the woman with black hair and dressed in a suit of armor who had brought the fresh change of clothes, shook her head. "She strikes me as an airhead, yeah? Maybe last time she was putting up a front to be 'cool' in front of her Hero."
Telma shook her head but said nothing further. Ashei wasn't familiar with Inasha like she had become. Even in the dire situation they were in when they trekked to Kakariko, the young girl hadn't broken down. She resumed her place behind the bar, absently wiping down the counter as she thought. Her fellow Hylians headed back to a conference room, leaving the Goron to pace the floor and mumble to himself.
The barkeep eyed the small gathering in her bar. "How's it come to this, huh? Monsters walking in the streets of town… What in the world are the soldiers of Hyrule doing?!" Her eyes fell on the Goron, pacing and mumbling to himself about his homesickness. Her lips twitched in a dry smirk. "The Gorons are so much more reliable than they are, it's not even funny!"
With everyone in the bar occupied with their own thoughts, Link began to sneak his way over the rafters, wary of the pots that Telma had left up there. One false footstep could sent on tumbling down below and jeopardize him and his imp partner even further.
Finally out of her borrowed armor, Inasha began to creep quietly back into the main room, but not before dropping in on the conversation between the three Hylians in the back. There was a scholarly looking red-haired boy – Shadrian, as Telma had addressed him – facing an older looking man and the woman in armor. Telma had addressed the older man as Auru. Their backs were all to her, but their words drifted over to her clear enough.
"…as though they brought Telma and her young ward to Kakariko Village, where that girl originated from."
"And here I was, thinking Hyrule was empty of men of valor…" the woman's words brought a small smile to Inasha's lips. "And it sounds like that girl has some fight in her too, when pushed. From what understand, she made it all the way to the village with an arrow in her back and was still very able to use her bow."
I wonder if Link ever got my bow… The young blonde suddenly remembered, itching to feel it back in her hands.
"Oh, no, I don't believe he's from Hyrule proper at all," Shadrian corrected her. "No, my understanding is that he's from the small neighboring province of Ordona. This may sound horribly elitist…but people who do not know the city simply do not know fear."
Anger bubbled beneath her skin. "Actually, I'm afraid that is a VERY false claim," she growled, stepping from her place in the shadows. "When your village is ransacked by beasts you have never seen even in your worst nightmares, when you are left to die at the shore of the spring in such a state that not even the Light Spirit can assist you, when you watch your mother's head ripped from her body in under two seconds, then it does not matter where you come from. You know fear."
Without waiting for any response from the stunned trio, Inasha turned on her heels and strode into the main room, where the barkeep had her head down, focused entirely on wiping down the bar and trying her best to act as though she hadn't heard the exchange in the back.
"Telma…" her voice was much quieter and held fatigue. It had already been such a long day for her. "Could I trouble you with holding on to this until Link gets back?" She laid the Zora Armor on the counter.
Inasha's change in attitude was not lost on her. That's more like the girl I know. "Of course, honey. Why don't you let me get you something to drink?"
The young girl was a little taken aback. "I…I'm only 16. I don't drink…"
"Here in Castle Town, you're of the legal drinking age," she told her. "I'll get you something light. Just to help calm you down. You were pretty traumatized when you busted in here."
The young adventurer fought to keep her cheeks from turning red. She hated lying, especially to someone who had always been nothing but kind to her. "Um…yeah…"
Handing Inasha a small glass of something amber colored, the barkeep leaned forward and dropped her voice. "Now…why don't you tell me what's really going on."
Inasha's face grew redder. "I'm not sure what you're talking about, Telma."
"You are quite the actress, missy," the older woman laughed and rested her elbows on the counter. "But you're also a brave little one, and I've never assumed you to be the type to go into hysterics. Is something the matter? Where is the Hero really?"
The blonde gulped down a bit of her drink, scrunching her nose at the burning sensation in her throat. How much can I really tell her? "He…he's on some…important business…in the castle," she confessed softly.
Telma raised her eyebrows. "Are you sure? How does he plan to get in? The guards have strict orders not to let anyone in."
"He…has a plan…" her long bangs fell over her face as she looked down at the wooden counter. "He'll be back for me when his…business is finished. I'm not supposed to discuss it."
The older woman smiled and straightened up. "Well you're more than welcome to stay here and rest up until he returns. The Resistance group has already set up your cot in one of the back rooms. Tomorrow I can introduce you, if you'd like."
With a small smile, Inasha replied, "I'm afraid we've already been…somewhat introduced."
Telma barked out a laugh. "Oh, don't worry about it. Tomorrow you can all start again on better terms." She looked down at the drink she'd gotten for the teen. "I take it that you're not too fond of your drink? It's just a little bit of rum mixed in with some sparkling cider."
"It's um…I think it's more of an acquired taste…" the girl admitted with a bit of embarrassment.
"That's alright, honey! Not everyone enjoys liquor! Why don't you rest up now?" She took the glass and emptied the drink. "It looks like you've had a rough day."
Inasha couldn't help but chuckle darkly as she made her way to her cot. You don't even know the half of it.
X-X-X
Though he'd been worried about his blonde companion when she'd started jumping around and wailing, Link felt entirely secure in her wellbeing when he'd caught her outburst at the group in Telma's bar. That had sounded more like the Inasha he knew. She had been shaken up by the events at the spring, but it was apparent now that she would be just fine while she awaited his return.
He made a mental note to compliment her acting skills later. She had seemed so far out of character that he'd hardly believed that the wailing in the bar had come from her.
She had done such a great job at distracting everyone though. He'd had no worries of being spotted once he'd made his way across the rafters in the bar.
At the other side of the small bar, Link found himself standing in a room that looked more like the inside of the Royal Treasury than a house. Gold coins were literally piled all over the room, making for unsteady footing and dangerous battle with the Poe that he'd found lurking in there. A solid gold statue of a man with a golden cat upon his head sat on a throne at one end of the room. Near the door, where there were less coins and slightly more stable footing, water was beginning to flood into the house, belly-height with the wolf. It seemed to be coming in through a break in the floorboards in the corner.
Mindful of his fading passenger, Link lured the Poe closer to him instead of charging forward and attacking, and brought the spirit down, ripping its soul out before it could escape him. He looked back at Midna, who had tangled her fingers into his fur. He whined just a little, nudging her hand.
"I'm fine…" she breathed. "Just hurry…"
Looking around the room, Link could find no escape. The window he'd come through was too high, and there was no other obvious way out. If it hadn't been flooding, he might could have dug his way out through that broken patch in the floorboards…
Didn't she say that there was a way to the castle through her bar?!
The wolf growled in frustration. He couldn't just stay here and let Midna die!
A voice called out to him, startling him and sending him into a defensive crouch. "Oh… Th-Thanks for beating the ghost. Can I call you…doggie?"
Link's blue eyes widened as he realized that the source of the voice was the golden statue of a man. He crept up to it cautiously. "I'm Jovani," the statue continued. "I…became consumed by greed long ago, and sold my soul to a dark creature that did this to me… I can't move… I can't go see my girlfriend… My pet cat Gengle is frozen on my head… I don't think I could be more miserable!" he wailed. Link had to keep himself from rolling his eyes. Misery did come in all forms…though some sounded petty and even self-wrought next to others. His thoughts flashed to Inasha's predicament.
"I have to ask you a favor, doggie… Can you find and defeat the 20 ghosts that lurk in the dark for me?" the expressionless statue requested. "I think if you can free the pieces of my soul from the ghosts that hold them, I'll be free... Oh, but it's raining out now, so I don't think you can go outside directly. I'll open the door to the underground waterway for you…"
Link's ears perked up. Perhaps this man was part of Telma's resistance?
A treasure chest behind him creaked open as though by magic. Peaking over the edge, Link could see the dark sewers far below. Before he prepared to jump in, the statue continued to speak. "Once the rain stops, you can come back in here by digging around the front wall where the cats gather… Understand, doggie?"
Link nodded in agreement, making a note to remember to search for more Poes. This man's house was connected to Telma's bar and held a way to the castle. He would be a valuable ally to have once he was unfrozen.
The man's cyan eyes suddenly blinked red a bit, then faded into black. Mystified by the strange showing, Link hastily jumped down into the chest. He had no time to lose!
He found himself caught in a current of shallow water, pushing him down a winding slope. He did his best to maintain his balance and keep Midna on as his paws were scratched up by the concrete waterway. He tumbled down into a small pool full of rainwater, nearly losing his weak rider. Rats and Keese lurked the sewer system, providing no real danger but were an extreme nuisance, as he couldn't fight them and assure that he wouldn't lose his Twili companion in the process.
He spotted a switch that would open one of the gates, hopefully taking him closer to the castle. The current immediately caught him and ushered him down another, much wider water tunnel. Midna was losing her grip, he could feel it.
"Just hang on!" he tried to bark at her, but she didn't understand. I hate this form!
Her heavy breathing was interrupted when she found herself with a mouthful of water, shocking her so much that she released her hold on the wolf. He barked out for her and tried to nudge her back onto him, but the current was pulling her away.
The two tumbled down another waterfall. Thankfully, the stream of water they were in only had one destination. He nosed her onto solid ground, pawing her chest gingerly to help her resume breathing. She coughed up a bit of water and rolled over onto her side.
Link settled down beside her, attempting to push her back onto his back with his nose. With great effort, the frail imp hoisted herself onto his back and buried her face in his wet fur.
Two huge spiders – Skulltulas – had taken notice of the two newcomers and more specifically, the weakened imp. In their minds, it was an easy meal. One pre-poisoned snack with only one other creature to defend it. There were two of them.
Easy.
Link growled, knowing that he couldn't afford this fight right now. He spotted a torch burning within reaching distance and lunged for the burning stick. The flame startled the two spiders and gave him an opening, which he promptly took. One of their huge webs blocked off his exit, but it wouldn't for long. One touch of the flaming torch, and the web was history. He streaked out of the spider's liar, mindful his clinging rider's labored breathing.
I have to hurry.
He continued to dash through tunnels, largely ignoring the pesky Rats and Keese in favor of protecting his dear friend. After digging through a strange hole in the ground, he finally found himself in a familiar place: the sewers that he and Midna had first ventured through, at the start of all of this. Confident now that he was going in the right direction, Link's dash became even more urgent. He no longer stopped to debate forks in the road or wonder if he should turn back.
We're almost there! Thankfully, not only were they finally in a familiar place, but they were almost directly under Zelda's tower now. He dreaded the climb up the crumbling stairs, knowing he would have to make these leaps without Midna's assistance this time. At least there was more water at the bottom now to catch him, thanks to the rain, though he wasn't too sure he wanted to take the plunge into the mixture of waste and rainwater. The smell alone was awful enough to make him sick.
He barely made any progress before he was rudely cut off by an angered bublin. After shoving it off the side of the stairs, he gazed up at the long, spiraling staircase. Sure enough, there were tons of bublins and bublin archers wandering the steps.
With a frustrated growl, Link began to move even faster. He couldn't afford to be hit by anything. Not now. They were too close!
A series of ropes tied from side to another on the stairs provided easy shortcuts for Link, though he was troubled with the notion that at any moment, one of the creatures could decide to cut the rope. He used the ropes anyways, saving him time and effort, praying the whole ascent that he would manage to make it across without interference.
The squeaking of a door caught his attention. Yes! They were so close to the top! His adrenaline spiked, giving him a new energy and the desire to move even faster. He'd run out the door, across a few rooftops, and then he'd reach Zelda. She would save Midna, help him return to being a human, and then he could run back and grab Inasha, and they could continue their journey.
He remembered the promise that they would take a short "vacation" to the fishing hole in the Lanayru Province. Would that have to be put on hold until they found Zant and defeated him?
That brought about another important thought. What now? Where would they go from here? He'd already proven that he was more powerful than these Shadows that Midna had forced him to go running around for.
And then there was the sudden mystery that Inasha was holding on to. Midna apparently already knew about it, and so did the light spirit Eldin…
Was he just oblivious or did everyone have something to hide?!
A cold, wet gust of wind stuck his muzzle. He'd finally made it outside, where he noticed plenty more bublins patrolling the rooftops. Thunder rumbled through the dark grey skies. Everything looked terrible and dark, shrouded in a blanket of deep gray and black. Even the usually blue spires of the castle appeared black.
Avoiding the clubs and flame-tipped arrows of the monsters, Link sprinted for Midna's life across the wet stone, a harsh wind threatening to send him toppling to the unseen ground below.
Two very royally pissed-off Kargaroks pursued the wolf and imp duo who dared to charge into their territory. They screeched their hatred as they glided behind the wolf, though they were entirely helpless against the fierce wind. Their huge leathery winds caught the gusts and caused them to tumble into one another, bringing about a raging fight that led them to forget entirely about their original prey.
Finally across the rooftops, Link leapt in through the window of Zelda's tower, finally out of the terrible weather once again. He continued up even more spiraled stairs towards her room, where the two wood and metal doors were cracked open as though awaiting his arrival.
He noticed with a sinking heart that the princess was not at her window. Before he could do a thorough investigation of the room, Midna slipped from his back, panting and curling into a ball. He circled around to face her, whining in question.
His gaze caught Zelda, who had been seated beside her unlit fireplace. She still wore her black mourning robes, covering all but her eyes. She knelt down beside the poor Twili and laid a hand against her cheek.
With some trouble, Midna turned to face the princess. "Please… Please tell me…" she reached up with one tiny hand, which Zelda covered with both of hers. "How do we break…the curse on this one?"
Link lowered his head at her words. She was dying, and her first concern was his well-being.
"This…is the one… You need him…to save your world! That's why… Princess… Please… You must help Link…"
The princess lifted her gaze to the worried beast and reached out with her right hand. The Triforce glowed brightly on the back of her hand as she swiped it over him.
"What binds him is a different magic than what transformed him when he first passed the curtain of twilight. It is an evil power." She lifted her gaze to Link. "Our world is one of balance… Just as there is light to drive away darkness, so, too, is there benevolence to banish evil. Head for the sacred grove that lies deep within the lands guarded by the spirit Faron. There you will find the blade of evil's bane that was crafted by the wisdom of the ancient sages…the Master Sword."
Link's ears twitched as she spoke, the realization that he could not immediately return to collect Inasha crashing over him like a wave. Perhaps he could send Midna to deliver the message to her…
"The Master Sword is a sacred blade that evil can never touch," the Princess continued. "Evil cloaks you like a dark veil…and that blade is the only thing that can cleave it. Link… Hero sent by the goddesses… Like you, I have been granted special powers by the goddesses…"
"Fine… Link… You can… You can get to the woods…on your own right?" Midna's words were laced with pain. Link whined and took a small step forward, but stopped as she continued to speak.
"Princess… I have one last request… Can you tell him…where to find the Mirror of Twilight?"
Zelda gasped, her violet eyes widening in shock. When she did speak, her tone was hushed and her words whispered. "Midna… I believe I understand now just who and what you are… Despite your mortal injuries, you act in our stead… These dark times are the result of our deeds, yet it is you who have reaped the penalty."
Our deeds? Link wanted so desperately to voice the growing mountain of questions in his mind, and for the thousandth time he cursed his inability to speak.
"Accept this now, Midna. I pass it to you…"
She placed her hand back on Midna's, a golden glow originating from her chest and streaming down her arms. Midna's eyes widened as she attempted to pull her hand from Zelda's soft grasp.
"No! Link! Stop her!" the imp begged as her body began to rise from the cold stone floor. The wolf and the princess merely looked on, Zelda's eyes apologetic and kind. As her body began to fade, Midna's coloring returned, along with her strength. She landed lightly on the ground in her solid form, a form previously impossible to maintain in the light world for the Twili.
They both gazed at the spot where Zelda had rested once before. After a few moments of silence, Midna glanced over her shoulder at Link. "We go back, Link!" she growled with determination. "Back to Faron Woods! Inasha can wait."
With an easy flip, Midna was back on her wolf mount. Before he padded out of the room, the pair swept their eyes over the empty room.
"Zelda…" the name crossed her pale lips with a sigh. "I've taken all that you had to give…though I did not want it."
X-X-X
"Inasha! Inasha, wake up!"
The addressed girl groaned and pushed away at the hand that was shaking her sleep away. She buried her face in her pillow.
"You need to get up, yeah! You need to see this!"
Exasperated at being denied sleep, Inasha threw back her covers and turned to face the black-haired girl from the night before.
"Alright, alright. What was your name again?" she asked, following the taller girl out of the bar after grabbing a robe for herself.
"Ashei of the Snowpeak Province," the girl told her, leading her out into the cool morning air.
"What's outside that's so important?"
Ashei led her out onto the southern road of castle town and out towards the square. "It's this!"
Even before they reached the square, Inasha saw it: a huge diamond prism surrounding Hyrule Castle. People began to fill the streets, doorways, and windows of the buildings in town, gazing with stunned awe at the strange energy field that now surrounded Hyrule Castle.
"That's where your Hero friend went, yeah?" the taller girl asked Inasha, though she didn't hear her. She was too stunned to register her surroundings.
"No! Link!" she suddenly burst from her frozen state, dashing straight past people and Hylian Soldiers alike, rushing towards the energy field.
Her collision with the field sent painful currents through her body, as though she'd just been struck with lightning. With a cry of extreme pain she fell back onto the stone ground.
"Inasha! What do you think you're doing? You could get seriously hurt, yeah!" the black-haired girl ran up to her and helped her up.
Inasha fought to withhold tears. "No…"
Have I not lost enough of my loved ones yet?
"Why did you do that?" Ashei asked the younger girl, wrapping her arm around her shoulders. A few soldiers ran up to the two women.
"I'm afraid we have to ask you to leave the premises," one addressed the two, lifting the visor of his helmet to reveal deep gray-blue eyes. "I will escort you two ladies personally, if I have to," he added when he saw Inasha glance back at the castle.
"That won't be necessary, yeah. We know our way back. Inasha, come on. Let's get you out of here, yeah?"
The girl was silent as they made their way back to the bar, her embarrassment at her earlier actions silencing her and drawing her into a state of complete submission.
Once they were back inside, Ashei sat the stunned girl down at an empty table. She stared down at the wood in front of her while Ashei went to inform Telma of the news.
"She's a strange one, yeah," Inasha heard the words, but they didn't register clearly in her mind.
Had she just lost Link for good?
X-X-X
The morning sky had yet to even pale with the approaching sun when Midna and Link warped from the castle. The storm from the previous night had cleared finally, leaving the land replenished with water. Dew clung to the grass beneath Link's feet, and the whole of Hyrule Field looked just a little greener after the rain.
Link had not managed but 2 or 3 steps before a sudden noise behind them called their attention back. A huge, sickly yellow diamond energy field cracked into existence, blocking off Hyrule Castle from the rest of the world. Startled cries could be heard even out in the field. The duo scowled at the sudden appearance, angered by their ever-worsening predicament.
Midna clenched one tiny hand in to a fist, then let go, her face softening slightly. She turned back to Link. "Let's go," she whispered.
X-X-X
Revised 12/23/14
I think it was only typo fixes here. Maybe minor detail adjustments here and there.
I wanted to be the flight through the sewers to feel hurried, to add to the severity of the situation. I hope I accomplished that.