Zelda swiftly pulled an arrow from her quiver, nocked it onto the string, and lifted the bow to take aim. She pulled her elbow back, the arrow feathers brushing against her cheek, and pointed the arrowhead towards the oncoming monster. Hooves slammed repeatedly against the dirt and grass, the bones of the skeleton horse rattling as a Bokoblin bounced on its spine. The skeleton and its rider bolted towards Zelda, the spear of the Bokoblin raised high as the pair swerved around the thin birch trees, desperately trying to throw off their intruder's aim.

Zelda focused in, allowing the creatures to swerve closer to her before releasing her arrow. With a whistle, the arrow pierced through the eye of the Bokoblin. Blood pooled from the pig-like skull as it swayed lifelessly on its horse before sliding off the saddle, crashing to the ground before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Zelda smiled to herself, proud of her aim before hearing a large grunt behind her. She quickly turned to see a blue Moblin, it's club raised high as it prepared to crush the girl beneath its weight. Zelda prepared to dodge, however in a flash of yellow light chains wrapped around the Moblins body, freezing it where it stood.

The moment the Moblin had been chained, Zelda watched as another skeleton horse came barreling past them, this time instead of a Bokoblin riding, it was a Hylian.

"Watch your back!" Link called back as he advanced, swapping the Sheikah Slate for the Obliterator as he headed deeper into the third camp's territory deeper in the birch forest. Zelda smiled before turning her attention to the now yellow blinking Moblin. She pulled out the purple winged sword from her back, slamming the blade against the Moblins torso. She sheathed the blade before running after Link, the Moblin remaining frozen a few more seconds before its still body was barraged with sword slashes in an instant and flew away.

It took a bit before Zelda eventually caught up to her knight, running through the trees until she eventually spotted him. Link had finished off the camp, now standing next to the skeleton horse he had been riding on only minutes prior as bodies of monsters had begun puffing around him in clouds of deep purple smoke. Zelda's jog turned into a walk as she got closer, the ground beneath her shaking slightly as the now familiar shrine-like structure began to emerge from the ground.

"This camp seemed oddly easy, wouldn't you say?" Zelda asked as she walked up next to Link's side, both now watching the structure raise from the ground. Link, however, shook his head as he watched on.

"I think you're just getting better," Link said. "You're something with a bow, and your sword skills have really improved. You need to learn to watch your back as an archer, but that comes with time. I believe you'll become something great."

Zelda blushed a bit. That most certainly wasn't the answer she was expecting. Link gave her praise for her fighting skills? In fact, now that she thought about it, Link didn't kill the Moblin. Zelda turned to look at the skeletal beast, now rearing a bit in fear due to the shaking ground. Link had helped her, but kept moving on his skeleton horse. He had trusted her abilities.

"T-Thank you, Link," Zelda said, turning back to the now fully raised, orange glowing shrine. "I learn from the best..."

Link smiled a bit before walking towards the newly risen shrine, stepping onto the platform as he grabbed the Sheikah Slate from his waist. With a tap of the Slate to the terminal, the shrine's door mechanisms threw dirt everywhere as they creaked open to reveal the entrance platform. Link walked through, taking a step onto the pad before furrowing his eyes. He turned to see Zelda still standing in her spot in the grass.

"Zelda? Are you coming?" Link asked. Zelda stared up at him, a blank expression on her face before snapping back into reality, realizing he had spoken to her.

"Yes! Sorry about that Link, I'm coming," Zelda said as she rushed onto the platform to stand on the entrance next to him. She saw Link glance at her once more before the platform gently shook. After a few moments it began to descend, taking the two Hylians with it. Zelda watched as Link began to focus on other things, raising the Sheikah Slate to check what materials he had at his disposal for the upcoming shrine trial.

A moment after watching Link, Zelda's eyes began to gloss over as she retreated back into her thoughts. It had been repeating in her head since he had done it only a few minutes ago. Why did the smile he had given her seem sad?

...

The platform descended, merging into the flooring below as it locked into place. The two passengers looked around before taking a step forward. The moment Link's boot hit the ground, a splash could be heard as a cold, moist substance began soaking into his boots. He heard Zelda gasp at the sudden icy feeling, looking towards her to see her shiver a bit.

"Why is there water here?" Zelda asked, trying to remain on her toes to avoid the water before giving in and submerging her soles into the water below. Link turned, looking out towards what seemed to be an entrance towards a much larger room, the entirety of the room filled with nothing but the same thin layer of water they currently stood in.

"I know what this is," Link said as he brought the Sheikah Slate back out from his belt. With a tap, a basic shaped iron shield appeared on his back, the red painted bird crest shining brightly against the deep grey iron. Link took the Knight's Shield from his back as he put it on, adjusting himself to the weight.

Before Zelda could ask what Link had meant, the voice of the shrine spoke out just as the others had before:

To you who sets foot in this shrine... I am Ruvo Korbah. In the name of the Goddess Hylia, I offer you this combat trial.

"A combat trial?" Zelda asked as she watched Link pull the Obliterator from his back. "I thought they only did puzzles."

"Not all the time," Link said, taking a deep breath as he tried to take his mind off the pain scorching around his body. He really couldn't get used to this level of injury. "This should be easy with the Obliterator, though."

"Well, good luck," Zelda said with a gentle smile. "I'm sure I'll be taken away in a moment."

"Do they really just make you stand next to their platforms?" Link asked as he stretched his arms out in preparation.

"Believe it or not, that's exactly what happens," Zelda said, a bit of annoyance in her voice. "The first one talked to me, and another just ignored my questions. A bit rude, honestly..."

"How was the first one rude?" Link asked curiously. Zelda held her tongue, the words of Yowaka still fresh in her mind.

"O-Oh you know," Zelda stuttered out. "Wouldn't stop talking about how you must complete the trial. Stuff such as that."

Link's eyes remained on her for a moment, as if he had noticed she was hiding something from him. However, he eventually turned back towards the Obliterator as he twirled it in his hands a bit. "Alright, well I better get to it."

Zelda waved as Link stepped out through the entrance and into the main confrontation room, water splashing at his heels with each step. She watched Link's back as he got into his fighting stance, preparing for the moment she would turn into the familiar blue lights as the monk of the shrine would eventually teleport her away. However, the blue lights had never come, and the room remained empty as Link waited awkwardly for whatever it was he was waiting to face.

"Um... Link?" Zelda called out as she took a few steps forward towards the entrance to the arena. "Shouldn't something be happening right now?"

Link, apparently caught off guard by the sudden voice, turned back to see Zelda still near the entrance of the arena. He blinked a few times before turning his attention towards what seemed to be a large angular pit in the center of the room, supposedly anticipating something to crawl out of it.

"How are you still here?" he called out, turning his attention to Zelda. She gave him a confused look, still slowly taking step after step closer to the entry point.

"I-I'm not sure," Zelda called back out, her voice now echoing in the empty chamber. "Usually I get taken away automatically. The monks choose when to take me it seems. Aren't you supposed to be fighting something?"

"Yeah I am, and it's supposed to come from there," said a confused Link as he pointed the Obliterator towards the hole. "Something's different here..."

Link's eyes darted around the room, trying to catch any unusual movement. This had never happened before in a trial of combat. Had the shrine not activated itself? That couldn't be right; the monk had greeted him when they arrived. The knight furrowed his eyes. All the shrines he had done since starting Maz Koshia's Trial had all been more extreme than any shrine he had done before this. Link raised his Knight's Shield a bit higher, his eyes refocusing on the hole in the center of the room, preparing for whatever came through.

A sudden thud, slightly dulled by what sounded like a splash of water, echoed through the room. Link's head snapped back, looking back at the entrance of the shrine. The doorway had been closed off by a gate, Zelda now standing in the water filled arena as she turned back towards the now shut entryway. Link's pupils dilated.

"Zelda, what are you doing!?" he called out. Zelda quickly turned from the gate to Link, who was now only standing a few yards away.

"I hadn't been teleported!" Zelda said defensively. "It doesn't make any sense! They've always wanted you to do this alone, but this time they haven't taken me! I can't just keep standing there at the entrance!"

Link furrowed his eyebrows as Zelda began to take a few more steps towards him. However, before she could reach him, the floor began to shake as the water rippled from the vibrations. The two turned their attention to the crater as a large platform rose, a Hylian-sized guardian standing at the center.

"What type of Guardian is that?" Zelda inquired. Link brought his shield up as the Guardian had apparently locked onto him, its head rising to reveal a bright blue glowing body as three mechanical arms popped out its torso.

"A Guardian Scout," Link called back as the mechanical arms began to spit out blue energy, creating weapons on each arm. A Guardian spear, axe, and shield appeared in their enhanced variants. Link quickly analyzed the situation as the Guardian prepared to move, his eyes quickly darting between the Guardian and Zelda. He could only come up with one explanation as to why Zelda was still in the room with him.

"Zelda, bow, now!" Link called out as he lunged towards the Guardian Scout with his Obliterator in hand, who's spider-like legs had begun to dart towards the two. The knight sliced through the air, aiming for the torso as the Guardian brought up it's own shield. The sound of Obliterator to shield echoed throughout the room, the clanging bouncing off every wall. Link jumped back as the Guardian brought it's shield down, expecting an arrow to hit the eye. However, the arrow never came.

"Zelda?" Link called out in question, catching a glance over at the Hylian girl out the corner of his eye.

"L-Link!" Zelda stuttered out. "M-My bow! It's gone!"

In shock, Link turned towards her to analyze the situation himself. There she stood, her bow nowhere to be seen. Before Link could process anything else further, Zelda's eyes suddenly grew wild.

"Link, watch out!"

Link turned to see the bright blue edge of the Guardian axe slicing through the air towards his torso. As fast as his arm could lift, Link brought the shield up as the axe collided against the hero's defense. The hero went flying and landed in the water a few meters away. His arm vibrated as he stood, disoriented from the sudden hit.

Link quickly stood from the watery ground, facing the Guardian down once again. The mechanical beast jumped back, extending its arms horizontally. Link brought his shield up yet again, expecting its next attack. However, upon clear inspection, the Guardians eye was not focused on the bright red Hylian crest of the Knights shield. His eyes grew wide as he realized the target the Guardian had locked onto.

"Zelda!" Link yelled as the Guardian bolted towards Zelda, its arms now rotating at a fatal speed. The girl stumbled backwards in fear of the mortal danger coming her way as she tried to escape, tripping as she crashed into the water below. She rolled onto her back as she brought her hands up, shielding herself the best she could as the death machine's blades closed in on her.

However, the echoes of cracking began to fill the room as a sudden pillar of ice came exploding from the water below. The Guardian Scout slammed into the pillar, shattering the ice tower as the machine crashed down, sparking and jerking violently as it attempted to reconfigure itself.

"Zelda, hit it!" Link called out, dashing over towards her and the Guardian. Zelda fumbled in the water for a moment before getting to her feet. Link watched as she reached for the Master Sword on her back; however, the moment before Zelda's fingers could wrap around the green strapped handle, the sword flashed blue as it dissipated into nothing but strings of blue energy. Zelda's eyes filled with horror as she looked at her now empty back. She quickly turned to the Guardian, who had now restored itself as it towered over her, inching closer as it raised its axe high.

Time seemed to slow as Link watched the Guardian bring its axe down, Zelda's eyes slowly closing as she brought her hands up. The splashing echo seemed to dull as the water droplets floated in the air from his splashing feet. Link furrowed his eyebrows as he gritted his teeth. She needed him. Now.

Still in slowed time, Link gripped the handle of the Obliterator. His knuckles began to turn white from the pressure as the veins in his body began to pulse. Blood slowly spurted from his mouth and open wounds, the veins in his eyes growing more bloodshot as he locked on to the slowed Guardian. Link suddenly rushed the Guardian in lightning time as he cleared the distance between him and the mechanical automaton.

Zelda didn't even see the multiple-hit barrage Link blitzed the Guardian with. The Guardian flew back, slamming against a wall as it burst into a million different gears and parts, its weapons splashing into the water. The gated exit on the opposite side of the room opened, revealing the monk's chambers. In a flash of blue light, Zelda's bow and the Master Sword had been returned to her back once again. However, Zelda paid no attention to her backside as she watched Link crash into the water, blood pooling from the knight's body as the Obliterator and shield slipped from his fingers.

"Link!" Zelda cried as she fell to her knees in front of the hero. Link coughed as he pushed himself up, his arms shaking from the pain. "Link what was that? Was that the time stop thing?"

"Oh yeah," Link coughed with a smile as he brought an arm to his bleeding stomach, the water around him turning red. "I never told you. It's my special ability... Bullet Time. I call that move a Flurry Rush. That's infuriating, though. They used you as part of my trial..."

"Don't change subjects! You pushed your body way too far! Why would you do that!?" Zelda cried as she once again inspected him. Link smiled as he fought to stay conscious.

"Because it's my job to protect you," he said weakly. "No matter how strong you get, I want to make sure no harm comes your way. It's what I'm here for."

Link forced himself to his feet, grabbing the shield and Obliterator as he began to stumble towards the exit door where the familiar glowing blue cage stood ready to be shattered by his touch. Zelda watched on, still sitting on her knees in the water as she watched Link fight to stay stable as he walked across the arena, the words of Yowaka Ita still echoing in her mind:

Protecting the one with the blood of the Goddess is not the job of the chosen hero.

"You have it wrong, Link," Zelda said quietly as she stood, beginning to follow the hero towards the blue square home of the monk. "It's not your job. Whatever your job as the hero may be... protecting me isn't your responsibility… Eventually, you'll have to leave me."

...

Uh Oh... Looks like both link and Zelda re in the mindset after everything that they will eventually separate. Not looking too good for our protagonist! How you guys feeling so far?

I hope changing this shrine was okay? I know this shrine had like a while maze and there were a ton of guardian lasers, but the point of this chapter was very more centered around the monks basically making Zelda into a crutch. I hoped that was a bit more interesting than Link just avoiding lasers while Zelda sat with the monk for a third time.

Don't forget guys! Join the discord to get daily updates, we've already got a lot quite a few people in there! My Skyward Sword stream will be starting in a few days on Twitch, and elements from SS will eventually end up in this story! Stay tuned! All links in my Fanfiction front page!

Kenny Boi