Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda, its characters and locations are all property of Nintendo. Any and all OCs and original locations belong to me unless specifically stated to belong to someone else.
Soul Secrets
Chapter 29
The days leading up to Kaiza's return went by agonisingly slow. Sheik tried to keep himself occupied with the day-to-day running of the fortress and city, catching up with the many complaints and grievances that the population of such a size inevitably voice with enough time going by. There were various problems with the wall as well, mostly because the ground on which they were building it was mostly loam, requiring a great deal more stone then initially thought. The cost would be hideously expensive, but necessary, lest they wanted the thing to sink into the earth. That would be quite embarrassing, should an invading army come marching.
When there was nothing official for him to do, he occupied himself with writing reports for Zelda. There was nothing much to actually say, of course, but he felt that the princess needed to know what was happening at all times, otherwise she'd grow sick with worry. He also made sure to ask how Eren and Nikal were doing, and was pleased to receive a message back saying they were taking to the job admirably, though there were a few hiccups along the way. They seemed to have a lot of trouble with passwords, for example.
When not even corresponding with Zelda managed to distract him, he took a more active part in educating his students. Whether it was joining in on sparring sessions or holding small lectures on various subjects on which he felt confident enough, he was happy to participate...and the students seemed happy to see him as well. Trying to keep the truth about Link a secret had been folly—someone had leaked the information to the children, and now they all knew why Sheik had been acting so strangely. The tension they'd felt had deflated slightly when their Master had started involving himself with teaching them again, and he supposed he was emanating confidence, even if he didn't feel it.
It was in the middle of one such sparring session that he heard the familiar cry of his falcon. He was so relieved to hear it that he nearly managed to get speared through the gut by one of the instructors, Trian, who was barely able to veer off her attack. She gave him a disapproving glance, and he had the decency to give her an embarrassed shrug, his eyes still roaming the sky above the courtyard.
"And that, children, is not how to keep focus in battle," Trian said loudly, rolling her eyes. "As Master Sheik so elegantly demonstrated for us just now."
Sheik tried to ignore the laughter from his students and kept looking for Kaiza. He finally spotted her, having perched outside his study window. She apparently had no intention of coming down, however, looking down at him with a gaze that said to come to her.
"Trian, gather the others and come to my study in an hour," he told the instructor, who nodded gravely, understanding what was happening.
He calmly climbed his tower and leisurely entered his study, taking his time to open the window and allowing Kaiza to perch on his desk. He kept his face and demeanour calm and neutral, like nothing important was happening, but on the inside his stomach was roiling and his heart racing.
"Hey, girl," he said, fishing out the dried beef from his drawer, giving her more pieces than usual. "Did you find them?" The look she gave him then was too intelligent and pointed for it be anything but an honest answer, and he smiled gratefully, petting her head gently. "Thank you." The words came out as a mere whisper, his relief so great he could do little but collapse in his chair, watching as the falcon greedily devoured the meat.
"I'm taking a group to get rescue them, you know," he said. "I'm going to need you to lead us there."
She gave him a look that was not particularly pleased—which was understandable, she was probably tired—but grudgingly accepted. He felt guilty for having to ask it of her, but what else could he do? It wasn't like she could simply mark Link and Tira's location on a map. Kaiza found her targets in some other, ethereal way he would probably never understand, and wouldn't presume to. He was just immensely thankful that he had her.
Approximately one hour later, Trian and the others entered his office. He watched their faces closely.
Trian and Enris, who taught the spear and sword respectively, had grown up in the same village and never seemed to be too far apart from each other. They were looking incredibly focused.
Captain Rinir's face was optimistic, a small smile on her face. Clearly she was looking forward to the rescue operation.
Ryner, the archer, looked sour...but then, he always did. Being speared in the knee had a tendency to do that, and it was only the timely intervention of Doctor Kaura that had saved his leg during the war. He was a pleasant man, though, even if his facial expressions were anything but. His stance told Sheik that he was ready for anything...except perhaps another spear in his knee.
Briet, who taught the students unarmed combat, stealth, and the use of daggers, looked the most relaxed of them, like it was all a regular occurrence. Sheik wasn't surprised. She'd been part of a local thieves' guild before Ganondorf's attack, and had probably seen a lot of nasty kidnappings and rescues. She'd helped Zelda's side during the war, usually stealing vital papers and such, sometimes working with Sheik, and that was why he trusted her now.
And finally there was Orver. He didn't teach combat per se—he was in charge of physical conditioning, leading the students through endless exercises meant to build strength and stamina. One needed only to look at him and his form to see that it worked. The Eyes didn't need bulky strength—they needed wiry toughness, which Orver had in plenty. Sheik had tried to keep up with him going at his full pace once...he had failed miserably. As for fighting, the man was a brawler, through and through, though he was not above using some tricks the others had taught him in a pinch.
It was an interesting group, but Sheik knew they'd come through. They had their strengths and weaknesses, but were all competent. Most importantly, they were loyal and Sheik trusted them.
Well, he was still a bit unsure about Rinir, but she seemed earnest enough, and Zelda had personally ensured to send someone who wasn't prejudiced towards him. And another sword could not hurt.
They all had their kits packed and ready, having been prepared for the call.
There was no need for any words, other than, "Are you ready?"
The sun was starting to set as they left Kakariko, led on by Kaiza flying high above them. She led them due west, across the endless plains of Hyrule. It was slow going—the heavy rainfalls from the week before had reduced the roads to muddy pits in several places, and they had not yet dried properly. In many cases they were forced to take the long ways round.
When the first day ended and they were making camp, Sheik was feeling antsy. The conditions were slowing them down, sure, but so was travelling in such a large group. Their horses weren't equally fast, either, and none as fast as Maladict. Had it just been him, he'd be much farther along by now...and he'd be lying if he claimed not to be tempted to just continue alone.
But Kaura's words kept him there. It was true; he'd made a lot of mistakes and gotten hurt because he insisted on doing things by himself. Perhaps, for once, things would go according to plan now that he wasn't alone?
Of course they aren't, he thought. But maybe no one will lose a limb this time.
There was not much talk going around the campfire. The people he employed to train his future Eyes had never been ones for excessive conversation, apart from Trian and Enris, though they spoke mostly to each other when alone. The only one who tried to break the silence every now and then was Rinir. Sheik felt a bit sorry for her, having ended up in the middle of them all. It didn't seem to dampen her spirits, however, and once Ryner began to respond to her prompts and questions—either out of pity or some other reason—she seemed to brighten up even more.
It was a restless night, and Sheik barely caught an hour or so of sleep. He was relieved when dawn came and they could continue on their way. Kaiza seemed infinitely patient in the sky, gliding gracefully through the air and waiting for them whenever they fell behind. When she continued to lead them due west, Sheik felt a creeping suspicion as to where she was leading them. He'd thought it too obvious at first, but the longer he thought about it, the more it made sense. And hadn't there been an absence of reports from that place, as well? A platoon had been dispatched to keep watch, but he'd assumed they were too busy (or lazy) to bother writing back.
He wanted to beat himself for not immediately following up on the lack of response. The roads became familiar, the surrounding area as well. Once Kaiza turned them southwest, he was all but certain.
"I think I know where we are headed," he offered on the sight of the second day. They'd made good progress, choosing to cut across the fields and forgo the roads altogether. It was risky—one of the horses might have gotten hurt, galloping on such uneven ground, but time was of the essence.
The others gave him interested looks. "Where?" Trian asked.
"Blackbrook."
"The site of the first attack?"
"On civilians, yes." He unfolded a map he'd brought, just to be able to orientate themselves if necessary. He followed the line they'd gone in. "We've turned south, towards the border. Blackbrook should be about one more day's travel from here."
"Aren't there soldiers stationed there?" Orver asked. "Wouldn't they have known if the Sun showed up?"
"I assumed they would," Sheik said, nodding. "They are the only ones from whom I have not received a report in the last few days—and I sent for word from everyone. I could be wrong, but it wouldn't surprise me if that's where they're keeping the Hero and Tira Siress."
"Where could they be hiding, though?" Ryner said. "Most of the village was destroyed."
"I can only assume here," Sheik said, pointing to a vague set of circles and small, straight lines close to the village. "There's a failed iron ore mine here. It was only open for about a year, after which they exhausted the relatively small vein."
"Iron? In the flat plains?"
Sheik shrugged. "I don't know who thought it was a good idea. I suppose the mayor wanted to put his town on the map for something other than being close to the border and being burned repeatedly by Ganondorf." Six mouths spat at the sound of the name. He ignored it. "I suppose it would make for a handy place to hide in..." He wanted to slap himself for ignoring it the first time round. "We should have sent someone to search for the missing villagers there."
"We're doing that now," Rinir said. "Who knows, maybe we'll find them alive and well."
"I can only hope so, or I've failed them all..."
That night provided precious little in the ways of rest, just like the previous one. All Sheik could think about was Link and Tira, stuck in a dark pit of a mine, at the mercy of the Sun. Goddesses knew what they were doing with them... The letter had mentioned modifications, but what the hell did that even mean?
Their arrival at the village itself was heralded by another rainstorm. Lightning flashed in the sky, and thunder boomed overhead, nearly deafening them all. It was late, hours after sundown, and Sheik couldn't help but feel a certain sense of déjà vu once they spotted the burned-out remains of what had once been the village of Blackbrook. The fire had spread to the remaining buildings, leaving nothing but the blackened skeletons behind. The small river was overflowing, drowning the remains that were close to its banks.
"I guess we don't need to wonder what happened to the soldiers anymore," Rinir said, kneeling by the body of a dead woman wearing Zelda's colours.
There were about thirty of them, all showing signs of having had their throats cut without any sort of struggle. They'd set up a small tent camp just outside the village, had settled in for a night...and none had woken up again. Most of the men and women lay dead on their bedrolls, killed while they were asleep. The three soldiers standing watch had been surprised in the night, killed, and arranged so it looked they were still performing their duty, leaning against wagons or crates. The commanding officer, a second lieutenant, had been decapitated and his head put on a pike in the middle of the camp. Judging by the few signs of decay, it had been mere days since they'd been murdered...most likely a day or so before Sheik had begun his communication with the rest of the kingdom.
"Whoever did this was a professional," Briet said, her arms crossed. A flash of lightning showed a frown of disapproval on the Gerudo's face. "Brutal and efficient."
"The Sun employs all sorts," Sheik said. "From warlocks to wretches to professionals, it seems." He cast a glance towards the ruined village. "No point in going in there," he said. "The main entrance to the mines is close to the mayor's home, but going that way will be like announcing our presence with a trumpet."
"Where do we enter, then?" Enris had already drawn his sword, keeping a suspicious eye on their surroundings.
"There were a lot of open air shafts on the map," Sheik said. "I suggest we find one of them and go in that way."
"The one we choose could be sealed."
"Then we'll find another."
It took them about an hour to do so, and Sheik felt a small pang of elation once he saw a lit torch at the bottom of the long, narrow hole in the ground. That meant there was someone using the mines to hide in, at least. The walls of the pit were rough and sharp—perfect for climbing down, though getting back up was going to be a problem because of the rain slicking the stone. The torch turned out to have been placed in a sconce on the wall. The rain was causing the pit to fill up with water, and it was already up to their shins by the time Sheik's feet first touch the bottom. There was only one entrance to the mine, a gaping maw of darkness in the side of the pit wall, lit by a solitary torch. It looked inviting...a bit too much so.
"It's a trap," Trian said simply, looking annoyed. She was carrying a sword as well, her spear discarded once she'd realised they'd be fighting in cramped quarters.
"A painfully obvious one, at that," Ryner agreed. He'd brought a crossbow, and was keeping a bolt aimed at the entrance.
"Unless they truly didn't expect anyone to find their hideout," Rinir suggested.
"They wouldn't have left the army camp in such a state if they didn't," Briet said, causing the captain to wince. "It was an invitation."
Sheik bit his lip. Already things were going off the rails. "I'm going in," he announced. "The rest of you can climb up and attempt to find another route, but I've waited long enough. Our friends need to be rescued now."
A look was passed between his companions, and they all followed him wordlessly. Rinir looked a bit pale in the torchlight, probably still shaken from seeing the way her fellow soldiers had been butchered, but she steeled herself anyway.
The passages of the mine were dark and unlit, forcing Sheik to guide the others because they could not see as well in the darkness as he did. The old supports creaked from the effort of holding up thousands of tonnes, like they were threatening to give out at any moment. The air smelled stale and old.
From what he'd read about it, the Blackbrook iron mine had been quite small and not particularly labyrinthine in its layout...but the place had clearly changed since anyone wrote about it. They found new passages that had clearly been dug recently, new supports replacing old ones, and other signs of recent activity.
They'd entered a maze, Sheik realised, and one probably built just for them. The realisation made him shiver. The Sun must have known they were coming. Just how far ahead were they thinking?
They reached what appeared to be a central chamber of sorts. All around them were more passages, branching and circling and merging and Goddesses how long. Sheik called for a huddle after making sure there were no one watching or listening to them. The sounds of digging surrounded them. The mine had clearly been reopened.
"The mine has been expanded," Sheik whispered. "The old maps are useless. I have no idea where we should search."
"We split up," Orver said. "Cover more ground. Whoever finds the Hero and Siress brings them back here."
"Two teams, four and three," Sheik said, nodding. "Orver, Trian, Briet, Ryner, you take the central tunnel." He pointed towards the largest entrance. "Light a torch so you can see, but don't expose yourselves."
"And if we encounter enemies?" Trian asked.
"Capture if you can, kill if you must."
"Yes, my lord."
Sheik remained behind with Rinir and Enris, watching them go before picking one of the smaller tunnels to follow. The ground below Blackbrook seemed to have become a honeycomb at this point. There were random tunnels going off in every direction, many of them dead ends with no signs of ore or other things worth mining for. It almost looked like someone had been forced to dig simply for the sake of digging. Like they were being kept busy.
"Where are the guards?" Enris asked after a while, looking uncomfortable. Being away from Trian was clearly not agreeing with him. "The mine's bloody empty."
"If this is a trap, why hasn't it been sprung yet?" Rinir chimed in. She was shivering in the cold air of the mine. They'd all been forced to leave their armour above ground in order to be able to move quietly down here.
"Perhaps they're waiting for us to split up further," Sheik said, putting his hands on both their shoulders to make them stop. They'd arrived at another junction, and the tunnel split into three different branches. "One is easier to handle than two or three or four, after all."
"Are we splitting up?" Enris asked.
Sheik shook his head. "No, I've played into too many of their tricks already. We stay together."
He chose the middle branch, hoping to stay unpredictable in case someone was stalking them through the darkness. So far he hadn't sensed anyone, but he could never be too sure anymore.
He was surprised when reached a part of the mine that actually seemed to be populated...or at least used. Torches lined the walls, there were bedrolls occupying every surface flat enough, and the sounds of digging were even louder here. The passage went off in two directions. One seemed to head towards the source of the digging sounds, while the other turned into a narrow corridor with a solitary door at the end.
"Look at this," Rinir whispered, going through one of the bedrolls. She held up an item. It was a large pin, shaped like a lion's head.
Sheik took it, frowning. "Leonthal's soldiers wear these." He'd seen them on his guards several times before he left Castle Town.
"Do you think he's involved?"
Sheik gave the captain a long look. "I do not know," he finally said. "But I intend to find out, once we're done here." He looked around the tunnel again. The digging sounds were coming from the larger passage. Surely that's where they would find the other occupants of the mine as well. "Let's check out the smaller tunnel first."
There was only that one door at the end of the passage. Here, the ground, walls and ceiling weren't stone, but earth, wet and moist. The door was heavy, made of oak, and the outside of it was covered in locks and bolts. Most of them were undone, save for one near the bottom. Sheik put his ear to the wood, listening intently.
"Anything?" Enris whispered.
"Someone's breathing in there," Sheik answered, hearing the laboured gasps of at least one person. The locks on the outside suggested a cell of some kind. He carefully undid the last latch, testing the doorknob. "We breach on three," he said to the others. "Get ready."
Sheik kicked open the door and rushed inside, blades drawn and ready to cut down anyone who didn't look friendly inside, Rinir and Enris right behind him. There was no need to.
It wasn't a cell, but a torture chamber. Sheik had seen enough of them to know that. The air was thick with the smell of blood, a taste of iron immediately coating the back of his throat and tongue, nearly causing him to gag. The only light inside came from a small oil lamp set on a table by the door, the rest of the room barely visible. Racks of every kind occupied most of the floor space; tables filled with various instruments of pain the rest. Fresh blood coated most of the surfaces. While Sheik noted most of this in the back of his head, his attention was occupied by what he saw in the middle of the room.
"Link..."
The Hero of Time's head hung low, unconscious. He was held upright by his arms and legs, which were chained to the floor and ceiling. Stripped to the waist, his body was covered in cuts and bruises, his hair matted with sweat and blood. His hands were curled into fists, and blood was dripping from his right one.
"Goddesses!"
Rinir's exclamation brought Sheik back to the present. "Enris, go outside and keep watch. Captain, find some way to get him down." As he got closer, Sheik grimaced. They'd cut off the tip of Link's left ear. Why?
"Link? Link, can you hear me?"
He carefully lifted the Hero's head, hissing when he saw the bruising around his throat and eyes. Someone had given him a hell of a beating, like the cuts weren't bad enough. Link's eyelids fluttered at the sound of his name, but didn't open.
"Link, wake up, please!"
Link groaned, his split lips moving quietly.
That was good. At least he wasn't completely gone. Sheik felt the anger filling his chest, a desire to tear the bastards who'd done this apart with his bare hands...just like he'd done with the men who'd hurt Tao, all those years ago.
"Sh...Shei...k..."
"Yes, Link, it's me, I'm here," he whispered.
"Are...you...all right...?"
Sheik couldn't help but snort. "You look like hell, and you're asking me if I'm all right? Only you, Hero."
"My lord," Rinir said, "I found the wheels."
"Get him down."
Nothing could have contained the scream of agony that erupted from Link's throat once the tension in his arms and legs were released. Even Sheik heard the ugly snap coming from within his shoulder. When he nearly collapsed, Sheik rushed to catch him...and his hands were immediately covered in blood from the whip wounds on his back. Sheik carefully eased the whimpering Hero to the floor, not knowing what else to do.
"Easy, Link, easy," he whispered. "It's okay...I know it hurts, but you need to be quiet, all right?"
"You...fucking...try..."
Sheik smiled. If he was able to swear, he would be all right...or so he hoped. He couldn't even begin to describe how relieved he was to see that his husband was still alive. Goddesses knew what would have happened if he'd remained here even a day longer...
The shackles had bit into the delicate skin around Link's wrists and ankles, causing ugly welts where the skin had been torn, and his entire form shook as Sheik and Rinir carefully removed the metal restraints. His fists opened and closed, and Sheik saw to his horror that the fingernails on his right had been ripped out.
No wonder he was clenching it, he thought.
It occurred to him that he was acting a bit too mechanical, a bit cold. But what other choice did he have? They were deep in enemy territory, and if he let himself become overwhelmed by any other emotion than hate for the enemy, then chances were they wouldn't make it out alive.
"Link," he whispered. "Where is Tira? Do you know where they're keeping her?"
For the first time, Link's eyes opened. They were bloodshot and dull, and he was clearly miles away. "Dead," he said.
Sheik paused. "What?" he whispered. "Link, what did you say? Stay with me, what did you say about Tira? Where is she, Link?"
"She's...dead..." Link forced out. "Cut...throat..."
Sheik settled back on his heels, clenching his jaw. He didn't doubt Link, he really didn't, but the idea of Tira being dead...was unacceptable. Tira couldn't be dead. Why would they go through the trouble of abducting both of them, and only end up killing her?
"I couldn't...save...her."
Sheik looked down. Link's eyes were tearing up. "Link..."
"They...just...killed her," the Hero of Time continued. "For no...reason..."
There were two sets of shackles on the far wall. A large, dark red stain covered the floor under one of them—coagulated blood. Sheik swallowed heavily.
I'm sorry, Tira, he thought. I was too slow...
"My lord," Rinir said, "we should probably get moving. Goddesses know how much time we've got before someone finds us."
"Right, right," he said, trying to refocus. "His...his things, we need to find them."
Rinir immediately went to search the torture chamber, quickly coming up with a small bundle containing the clothes he'd worn the day he was abducted. There was no sign of the Master Sword. It would have to be recovered later; the most important thing was to get the Hero out.
It took an agonisingly long time dress him; every movement seemed to produce nothing but agony for the Hero, and Sheik felt like a bastard for making him go through it. Nevertheless, five minutes later, they were ready to go, Link heavily supported between him and Rinir.
Enris was still waiting outside when they came out of the torture chamber.
"Nothing to report," he said, giving Link a sympathetic glance. "Digging seems to be getting louder, though."
No sooner had he said that did the sounds of running feet reach them from the same tunnel they'd emerged from.
"Go, go, go!" someone shouted as the sounds came closer and closer.
Sheik half-expected the entire Sun organisation to come rushing out of the darkness and cut them down, but instead it was Trian, Briet and Orver who came tumbling out. Briet was limping from the arrow that was jutting out of her thigh. Trian spotted them.
"We gotta go!" she shouted.
"What happened?" Sheik demanded, handing Link to Enris.
"Fuckers were waiting for us by the main entrance! Ryner didn't even stand a chance with his leg!"
"We managed to fight them off, but they're in pursuit," Briet forced out between gritted teeth. "Bloody sharpshooters!"
The ground began to shake, and there was a disconcerting cracking sound above them as dust rained down on them.
"What was that?" Rinir said.
"We found a stash of bombs," Orver explained with a shrug, calling attention to the bag he had slung over his shoulder. "Decided to level the place...or parts of it, anyway. Brought a few extra, just in case."
Nodding, Sheik looked to the tunnel they'd emerged from. "Can we get out the way we came in?"
"No, they've blocked off that way, and there's about a hundred armed soldiers between us and it."
"Right, there's only one way to go then." He pointed at the largest tunnel, from where the digging sounds came. "We power through, cut down every single person who stands in your way."
They moved as a group, with Sheik at the head. The others formed a protective barrier around Link, who was carried by Orver. He had Link over his shoulder and the bomb bag over the other. The tunnel grew wider and brighter, and soon they arrived at the main, multi-levelled shaft, where they had first found the iron ore...and where it had first run out. The chamber was filled with workers...but something was off. The sight caused Sheik to pause, as did the group behind him.
"What...who are..."
He wasn't sure who said it, but it reflected his thoughts perfectly.
Men, women, children...all Hylians, hammering, picking and shovelling. They were working at nothing but grey, empty rock, without purpose and meaning. Their movements were mechanical and precise, like they were being directed. There was a symbol on each and every forehead—the mark of the Sun. Their eyes were the worst parts. Cold and empty, almost unseeing. There were hundreds, lining the chamber walls, expanding it for seemingly no reason.
It didn't take a genius to figure out who they were. The rough counted saw to that. "The Blackbrook villagers," Sheik shouted over the din of the digging.
They descended a small ramp into the chamber proper, close to a small cluster of workers. Sheik examined them closer, keeping half an eye out for enemies. There were no one but them in the chamber...but there were dozens of other tunnel openings. He the passage to the main entrance, and briefly wondered if there was even a slight possibility that they could get out that way. Probably not, knowing their luck.
He gently tapped one of the villagers on the back, receiving no reaction for his trouble. He tapped harder. "Hey, can you hear me?" He grabbed her shoulder and forced her to turn around. Her gaze was hollow, like there was nothing happening behind those eyes. She was resisting his grip, and when he let go, she merely turned back around and continued to work, shovelling gravel.
They've been branded, he thought. The Sun symbol was burned into the skin of their foreheads, even on the children. He felt sick to his stomach. He'd known the Sun were merciless, but this was sinking to new depths.
The chamber suddenly fell silent, the workers all stopping their work at the same time. Slowly, they all turned to look directly at Sheik...and some at Link. A shiver ran down his spine, the sudden weight of over two hundred empty stares weighing down on him.
"What are they doing?" Rinir said, her voice echoing loudly around the chamber.
"Looking at the ones responsible for their plight," said a voice from above them. "After all, you're the whole reason they're even here in the first place."
Sheik had never seen the man's face, but he knew the voice. It belonged to the warlock he'd encountered in Blackbrook, the one who'd dislocated his arm just for the fun of it. It was nice to put a face to the voice. A Gerudo and a Zora stood at his sides, looking smug. The Gerudo had Link's sword on her back.
"It's been a while, Lord Sheik," the man said, leaning forward on the wooden railing. "How is your arm?"
"Better, thanks," Sheik said, flexing it to prove his point. "Going to feel even better when I kill you."
The red-haired man looked suitably impressed. "Oh-ho, a bold threat, given your position."
"We outnumber you," Sheik pointed out. His eye roamed the chamber, praying for some miracle. Outnumbering them was of no use when the warlock could simply burn them to a crisp with but a thought. "We've got bombs."
"Certainly a few advantages," the warlock agreed, his tattooed forehead creasing. "Though still not particularly game-deciding. You outnumber us, but we are out your range; you are not out of mine. You have bombs, but are surrounded by innocents. Would you use them on the villagers, despite the husks they are?"
"Husks?" Rinir said. "What do you mean, husks? They're people!"
"Perhaps once," he said with a shrug. "Not sure what they are now, with their minds gone."
Sheik glanced at the woman he'd tried to reach. "Minds gone," he murmured. "So, you just gave up your own advantage. Why would I hesitate to hurt them if their minds have been destroyed? They're nothing but ReDeads at this point, just...less rotten." The others gave him disbelieving glances, and the words were...awful...but...also true? He wasn't sure—all that counted was to get Link out of there.
"That is very cold, even for someone like you, Lord Sheik," the warlock said, exchanging looks with the Zora and Gerudo. "Mentally, they are unrecoverable, but I have made no changes to them physically. They are still the innocent villagers of Blackbrook. Can you truly claim that killing them is like killing the dead?"
"Orver," Sheik said, pointedly ignoring what the warlock said. If he acknowledged it, none of them would be leaving the mine alive. "Give me a bomb."
I'm sorry, he thought. But I will release you from the enslavement of this man.
He'd spotted another explosives storage room, far to the right of the chamber. He would tear the place down rather than let the warlock continue as he did. Orver hesitated, but one of the fist-sized explosives was soon placed in his hand.
The warlock continued to observe with great amusement. "So, that is your true colours, Lord Sheik," he said. "Anything to save the ones who truly matter, eh?"
"Sheik..." Link's voice mumbled. Sheik didn't turn to face him. He couldn't look at Link now. Not with what he was about to do. He had his tinderbox in his pocket.
There was little else to do.
Faster than anyone could react, he lit the bomb's fuse with the tinderbox and hurled it at the open doorway to the storage room.
"Take cover!" he shouted and pulled the closest of his companions with him as he dove to the floor.
There was a deafening blast as the bomb exploded, detonating the entire stockpile within the storage room. The entire chamber seemed to leap several feet into the air, taking their stomachs with it. Smoke and dust filled the chamber and stung their eyes. Sheik tried to get to his feet, but his balance was failing him...or the floor was. Something heavy crashed to the ground next to him, and he was barely able to see that it was a huge piece of rock, a piece of the ceiling that had collapsed nearly on top of him.
They were all disorientated, but Sheik was able to gather his companions once more. Briet was bleeding heavily, the shaft of the arrow in her leg snapped clean off. He glanced up at where the warlock had been, and saw them still there, seemingly unperturbed by the collapsing chamber around them. Cursing, Sheik drew a dagger and hurled it at them—he wasn't sure why he thought it would work—and watched it bounce harmlessly off whatever shield the man had erected.
Then the soldiers came. Several dozens of them, all wearing a mix of Hyrulian and Storm Plains uniforms, as well as colours from other nations around the world. Unlike the villagers, there were no brands on their foreheads, and their eyes were fully focused as they storm towards the companions, stumbling and falling all the while as the chamber continued to destabilise. They were traitors!
"To the entrance!" Sheik commanded, meeting the first of the soldiers head-on, parrying and cutting his throat open with two strokes.
The melee that followed was chaotic and fierce. Sheik felt like he was in a daze, everything moving at half speed as he killed soldier after soldier that tried to stop him from leaving the mine. He could barely hear anything, all sounds distorted and distant. He ended up behind the group, still making sure that Link was safe. He saw Rinir hesitate to fight a man wearing the same uniform as her, barely able to duck out of his sword's way. Briet came up behind him and slit his throat, practically roaring at the captain.
Enris went down, a spear sticking out of his back. Trian saw and beheaded the one responsible, then tried to get Enris to stand up, but he was already gone. Sheik tried to stop her, but she charged blindly into the throng of soldiers, soon disappearing beneath an onslaught of swords and axes.
Briet was to his right, cutting a swathe through the enemy with nothing but a dagger and her fist.
Orver was still carrying Link, but had dropped the bomb bag and was lashing out with a sword taken from one of the dead soldiers, keeping them all at bay.
Something bit into Sheik's side, and he growled as he spun and severed a woman's head, her axe clattering to the floor. Her aim had been off, merely nicking him rather than cutting him in half.
Something flashed slightly above him and to the side, and he saw the Gerudo woman gracefully roll to her feet, having jumped down from the platform. She drew the Master Sword and charged directly at Orver and Link, sword already raised. Rinir intercepted her, aiming a sword strike that would have taken the woman's knee off if she hadn't jumped over it and viciously punched the captain right in the face.
Sheik tried to catch up, tried to position himself between Orver and the Gerudo, but it was too late. The sword thrust was precise and true, aimed right at Orver's back.
It never connected.
Link suddenly twisted, grabbing hold of Orver's arm and rolling off his shoulder, and threw the other man to the floor, out of harm's way. In a surprisingly graceful move, the Hero rolled, grabbed Orver's sword, got to his knee and blocked the downward stroke that was aimed at him. The Gerudo looked surprised—Link looked livid. Sheik couldn't hear the words his husband was screaming, but he had no problem reading his lips.
Give me back my sword!
The Gerudo simply smirked and continued attacking. On any other day, Link could probably have beaten her—though her skills were clearly well honed—but right now the Hero was hurt and barely able to stand. He managed to attack her a few times, but the strokes were weak and badly aimed. She parried them easily and spun. The Master Sword's wickedly sharp blade cut across Link's face in a vertical manner and sent the Hero stumbling away, hands clutching at his visage.
Sheik saw red and hurled himself forward, ignoring the nicks and cuts he was receiving from the soldiers around him. The Gerudo didn't see him as he slammed into her side, bearing her to the ground. He felt her knee connect with his stomach, forcing the air out of his lungs. Gasping and half-blind from the dust, he brought his swords up just in time to block another devastating attack from the Master Sword.
The soldiers were holding back. Their sheer numbers would have been enough to overwhelm them, but the ferocity of the remaining companions and the collapsing chamber around them were an incentive to hang back, and let the Gerudo deal with them instead.
Sheik managed to get back on his feet, all the while being forced backwards by her, unable to get back on the offensive. Whoever the Gerudo was, she was far more skilled with a sword of that size than he'd expected. It flashed and twirled, never coming from the same direction twice, and every strike was strong enough to nearly send his own blade flying from his hand.
But they were getting closer and closer to the tunnel leading to the main entrance, he could tell. They were going to make it, if only he could defeat the Gerudo.
He didn't need to. He felt a hand grab the back of his collar and viciously pull him backwards. In the passing confusion, he saw Briet's pained and angry face. He was close enough to hear her.
"Go! Get out!"
Then she was gone, and when Sheik finally got his bearings back, he saw Briet and the other Gerudo locked in fierce combat, moving faster than one could keep up with. The soldiers were on the wrong side of the fight, unable to follow them.
"Let's move!" Rinir was pulling at his arm. "Come on!"
"The others..." Sheik said.
"They're gone, let's move!" Orver shouted with Link once again over his shoulder. The Hero was well and truly unconscious now.
It all felt so distant, as Sheik led them through the tunnel, like he was actually dreaming. The explosion had truly messed with his sense of reality for a while. Ahead, the tunnel widened considerably, and the air was much fresher. The ground didn't shake, and the dust settling far behind them. They were going to make it. They were going to survive!
A figure stepped into their way. Sheik didn't stop running, not after seeing that smug, tattooed face.
"Well, what do you think of my little—urgh!"
The surprise on the warlock's face faded as quickly as it had come. Sheik's sword had gone under his ribs and straight into his heart. The Sheikah viciously twisted it, ensuring that it was truly fatal. Only when he saw the telltale slackening of his lower jaw, did Sheik withdraw his sword from the warlock's body and let him collapse to the floor.
Then they were on, leaving the dead man in their wake.
Sheik's arm did feel a little better.
The rain was a welcome sensation, despite how chilly it was. The wind was blowing and the thunder still boomed far above, but they were outside, and they had Link.
No one seemed to be following them out of the collapsing mine, but they took no chances, hurrying back to the military camp where they'd left their mounts. Luckily, no one had interfered with the horses, and within minutes they were riding hard, leaving Blackbrook and the mine far behind.
Link sat in front of Sheik on Maladict. Or lay, was a more fitting description. He had long since passed out, his head resting on Sheik's shoulder. The vertical cut on his face was still bleeding, and Sheik was worried—the Gerudo had raked the Master Sword right across Link's eye. There was too much blood to see what the damage was, and Sheik didn't dare to do anything to it in case he made things worse.
"Hold on, Link, hold on," he whispered into his husbands ear.
"My lord, what now?"
Orver was riding right next to him, his face disturbingly calm, like the last few hours hadn't occurred at all. Rinir was on his other side, though she looked positively disturbed by the events in the mine. Sheik didn't blame her. He was probably in shock himself; it was just a matter of time before he would feel it as well.
"You two head back to Kakariko," he shouted over the storm and thundering hooves. "Fortify the city as best you can!"
"You think they will attack?!" Orver asked.
"I don't know!" Sheik replied honestly. "But I just killed their leader, I think, and I doubt they'll take that lying down!"
"What about you?!"
"I'm taking him to Castle Town! There's only one doctor I trust him with!"
"All right, best of luck to you, my lord!"
"And you, Orver! Thank you both!"
Rinir didn't say anything, but gave him a shaky nod as she pulled away with Orver, the three riders splitting up with two heading north east, the last one directly north.
Sheik's gaze became vacant as he mindlessly rode on, urging Maladict to go faster and faster. They had to reach Castle Town, Link needed help! Unbidden, the events in the mine began to play before his mind's eye, the people who had died. Soldiers, villagers, his own companions...all their faces came to him.
My fault, Sheik thought. My responsibility.
He tightened his grip around Link's middle, aware that the whip marks on the Hero's back were rubbing against his chest. He had no other way of holding on, and stopping was out of the question.
"Hold on, love," he whispered into Link's ear. "Hold on, just a little longer."
The rain continued to pour, unheeding of his plight.
The main chamber had long since collapsed, and it took Zendine hours before she found the one body she was looking for. Iari's eyes were wide and unseeing, staring directly up at the ceiling. Sheathing the blood-stained Master Sword on her back, Zendine sighed and crouched down by the man's body, giving him an annoyed look.
"So much for the gloating, huh?" she asked, flicking his nose. "Should've known better than to stand in the Sheikah's way when he's determined."
And so she waited...at least for several minutes, until she got impatient.
"Get up, you bastard!" she shouted and slapped his face as hard as she could.
The effect was instantaneous.
"Gah!" Iari exclaimed, sitting up and clutching his chest and cheek, looking at her with a most offended expression. "What is the matter with you?!" he demanded, sounding out of breath and pained.
"You didn't wake up fast enough," she said, grimacing.
"You've never slapped me before!"
"That's because you caused your own death this time," she pointed out in a deadpan. "That deserves no sympathy."
"Fine, fine," he said, sighing. "Help me up, will you?"
His body was stiff and sore—being dead for a few hours usually did that to him, Zendine knew, and he took to stretching as he spoke:
"His aim is perfect, I will give him that." Iari touched the hole in his bloody robes. "Right under the ribs and directly into the heart—well done, kudos, and so on and so forth. Did they make it out?"
"Just like you wanted."
"Excellent. How many dead?"
"Thirty of ours, soldiers and villagers, give or take a few from the collapse; four of theirs. Sapphire led the rest of them out."
"So, we still have enough of the villagers for the next stage."
"I would say so, yes."
"Good...feed them the compound and unleash them to the east. That will give Her Majesty something to worry about."
"Will do."
"Good, good. Where is Ogre?"
Zendine shrugged. "Beats me. Haven't seen him since yesterday."
"I hope he made it out," Iari said, finally done with his stretching as his spine gave several alarming pops. "Bloody hell, that hurts. Now, you and Sapphire are clear on the next stage, I hope?"
"I'm going west, she's going south-east."
"Right. Your target?"
"Princess Aveil and the other high-ranking officers."
"And Sapphire?"
"She knows perfectly well what to do, I assure you. She laid that particular plan, after all."
Iari nodded, and they started off into the side-tunnel he'd emerged from when surprising the intruders. "I just hope her judgement won't be clouded by feelings of kinship—"
"It won't—she hates them all."
"So she says, but actions speak louder than words. I won't believe it until I receive the report."
"She will do it," Zendine insisted. "You're losing your cool."
"I am not, I am simply trying to ensure that nothing goes wrong—we are entering the critical stage of our plan now, and should it fail we have no other backups in place".
"Apart from—"
"Yes, that, but I'd rather not use it. The rebellion must be...untainted. Otherwise, what is the point?"
"Fair enough."
"Well, then, I wish you luck." He made to leave her at a junction, but her hand on his shoulder stopped him. "What?" he asked.
"You're going to Castle Town?"
"Obviously—Silver must be reined in."
"Right, but you can't go like that," she pointed out. "They know what you look like now."
Iari seemed confused for a second, and then understood what she meant. "Oh, I see. That...that is a pity. I was starting to like this face."
"So was I, but we can't always have what we want, can we?"
He smiled at her, and felt the bones in his face beginning to rearrange. She had to look away—the process of changing his appearance was always disturbing to others. "You are so right, my dear," he said. "More than you know."
To be continued...
Wow, long chapter! Probably riddled with typos and such, but I am far too tired to bother with that right now, so apologies for those!
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