Trusted Enemies
The feeling of cold slapped Link's face as he awoke. He gripped the soft sheet that engulfed him in warmth. Link's eyes fluttered open for a few seconds taking in his surroundings. He seemed to be in a hospital...but how did he get there?
Suddenly he heard footsteps approaching. Thinking fast, he shut his eyes. The steady footsteps drew closer. The empty hospital echoed the slightest sound. Not a single voice was heard. It was unnervingly peaceful and quiet. The person's footsteps quieted suddenly almost to silence.
At first Link thought it was Impa since it was awfully similar to the way she walked but something felt different. He dared a peek, and it was Impa. But something seemed off. Her eyes looked blank and dead. A hint of madness glimmered in them.
The second that Impa saw his eyes open she charged at him with a sickle. Link yelled and rolled over, barely missing it. He fell on the cold hard floor and groaned in pain. Link hadn't fully processed what was happening and his injured head wasn't helping.
Impa marched over and swiped at him again. He dodged again by rolling under the bed quickly. His fuzzy brain sharpened as the adrenaline kicked in.
(Why is Impa attacking me? What in Hyrule is happening!)
Link realized in his fuzzy frenzy to get away from Impa, he ended up being in a worse position. Under a bed.
(Maybe I could speak with Impa. Why is she trying to kill me?)
"Impa! Impa what are you doing?" Link yelled out from under the bed.
He saw Impa's feet pacing toward him then dropping down on her knee, making direct eye contact with him. Instead of an answer she swiped at him again. Link decided that Impa would not listen.
Link had to escape.
He rolled over to the right, away from Impa, out from under the bed. Link shot up quickly and shoved the bed as hard as he could towards Impa. It took a lot of force, but it went straight into her legs. It knocked her off her feet. Link stumbled back and almost lost his footing.
The dark night reflected the mood of the room. His blue eyes seemed to be the only thing illuminating the room. Link struggled to get to the door. He hadn't fully recovered from his injuries. Impa was faster and leapt up landing on the bed.
Impa had the high ground and charged down at Link. But again, Link saw it coming and dodged behind a curtain. He heard Impa growl in frustration. Link quickly crawled across the shiny white tiles, seeking a place to hide. There were no weapons in the hospital...unless.
(Maybe I could you a syringe against her. Its not the most practical weapon but it's worth a shot)
Link didn't know how to use one, but he scanned the room. He heard Impa tearing down the curtains searching for him. Shoving the beds to the side.
(Why was she doing this?)
Then he was struck with a horrible thought.
(Were there spies in the castle, was Impa one of them?
No that can't be possible, Impa has been here as long as I can remember.
Those were only rumors. Are they true?)
Link crawled under the final bed and leaned his back against the side of it away from Impa. He heard the slashing of curtains. He winced at the violent cutting. Link hoped that wouldn't be his throat if she found him.
He slowly crept his hands up the side of the bed. He gripped the side of the polished wood and lifted his head to be aware of Impa's position. Her back was faced to him, her sickle cut through the cold air. Link hadn't realized how far he was from the door until now. Impa was practically hovering right over the exit.
Now he felt afraid his breathing was too loud and glanced over at a nearby table. Lucky for him, he saw a syringe glint in the moonlight. Quickly he peeked over at Impa. He heard her grunt in frustration. He squinted at her again. Impa didn't usually act like that a barbarian, or did she?
Link crawled across the floor and tried not to make a sound. Again, Impa didn't pick up on him. He couldn't understand how she wasn't hearing him. Impa usually was very cunning and clever warrior.
How had she missed him?
The moonlight shone down on the syringe as if daring him to pick it up. Link scampered over and snatched it off the table. It felt cold against his warm fingers.
He didn't know if he had the guts to stab someone with it now that he looked at it. He heard an abrupt slam from nearby.
Link startled, dropping the syringe. As luck would have it, he accidental stabbed himself with it. He let out a screech of pain as it struck him. Link looked down in horror and ripped in out as fast as he could.
Link hissed in pain and crouched over his knees. Nearby he could hear Impa pounding over to him. She skidded to a stop right next to his hiding spot and looked down at him.
A wild and crazy look was in her eyes as she drew her sickle again. Before she even had a chance to strike him, a quick flash hit her. She toppled over and grunted in pain.
Link tried to get himself to move. He had no idea what was happening. He fought against his weakened legs and ran past her. Link glanced down at her again and she tracked him like a wolf spying her prey.
Link saw a blur whiz pass him again almost hitting him. It hit Impa again, knocking her back on the ground. Link realized they were knives. But she didn't seem to be bleeding? Instead, she was gasping and clutching her chest.
Link whirled around and squinted in the dark hospital. Only the moonlight provided vision. Across the room he saw a figure with a weapon drawn. The moon shone through the windows on the flat white tiles. A blue aura played on the side of their shining weapon.
The figure stood in complete darkness and vengeful brown eyes glared past him at Impa sprawled on the floor near him. The figure in the darkness swiftly walked over. When they entered the vicinity of the bright moonlight, Link blinked two times in surprise.
(Impa?)
It was another Impa? He took a step back from both. The other Impa glared down at Impa and seemed to stare into her soul. Link observed that the other Impa was gripping her knife as she neared Impa. Impa looked up at the other Impa in terror.
(But how are there two of them. That's impossible?!)
Still not a single word was uttered in the room amongst the three people. Link glanced outside and could see the sky was slowly lighting up in a soft orange.
The other Impa harshly pushed her foot into Impa's chest. Impa squirmed under the other Impa's foot but couldn't move. The Impa on the floor reached for her sickle but it was kicked out of the way by the other Impa.
The Impa on the floor was breathing heavily and staring up at the other Impa. But the other Impa's eyes showed no mercy. The warm brown eyes Link had seen the other day diminished into cold ones.
The ones that could kill you in a heartbeat.
Quickly the other Impa raised her knife. Link saw a murderous look flash across her face as she plunged the knife into the Impa on the floor. Link gasped and his face showed a look of horror.
It hadn't been the first time he had seen someone die and it wouldn't be his last. He remembered the other time that he saw someone die. It was a vague memory. Link only remembered a hand tugging him along.
Link had looked back. He remembered a Yiga group heading towards a woman and a small girl. It happened so fast. The little girl had been shoved away by the woman. Then the sickle entered the woman's body.
It was a horrific scene and one he had never truly forgotten. Link remembered his father feeling horrible that he couldn't save an innocent life. He felt like it was his fault it had happened. Link's mother had comforted him.
But the assuring words didn't lift the blanket of guilt that had settled over his father. Another memory tugged at Link in the back of his mind, but he failed to recall it.
The other Impa lifted the knife out of Impa's chest. For a minute time stood still. The other Impa stared down at Impa. Link could not see the other Impa's full expression.
Impa slowly became distorted, and her body started to flicker. Slowly a bright crimson color splashed over the traditional sheikah clothes. A pure white mask appeared over Impa's face. A red Inverted Eye slowly gathered on the mask.
The Inverted Eye dripped upward, painted as though the eye was spilling blood. It seemed ironic since the Yiga had spilled so much blood for an unworthy cause. The Yiga on the floor had been disguised as Impa!
The Yiga was still but was breathing since their chest heaved up and down. Yiga were usually slender and very flexible especially well suited for assassination attempts such as this one.
"Who are you and what was your mission?" Impa demanded. Her face was filled with rage.
The Yiga tilted their head to look up at Impa but stayed silent. Link tried to decipher what their expression was under the mask. Impa suddenly pushed her foot harder into the Yiga's chest. A sharp exhale escaped under the mask and their body tensed. They were restraining themselves from showing any pain.
"I asked you a question, Yiga," she spat in a nasty voice.
Impa overshadowed the Yiga. She loomed over them in a threatening way. Link stood rooted to the spot. His mouth and legs refused to move. Link noticed that Impa was being awfully vicious towards the Yiga.
The Yiga looked up at Impa. Link imagined the Yiga's eyes were filled with hate. A loathing that only Yiga and Sheikah would understand. Still the Yiga's lips stayed sealed with silence. Impa's eyes narrowed in anger and frustration. Her gaze showed the most hate Link had every seen. Hate that he hoped he would never understand.
"Fine, if you won't answer my questions then I will make you answer them!" Impa shouted.
She drew her knife again. Her knife flew into motion as it soared downward towards the Yiga's arm.
"Wait! Stop!" a voice called out. The knife barely had time to stop, but it did. Impa held it steadily over the Yiga's arm. The Yiga had tensed their body preparing to meet the pain of the blade but it hadn't come.
The Yiga turned their head towards Link as if the Yiga was questioning something. Impa turned her head as well following suit. Impa stood fully straight and dared to glare at Link.
"Why..." Impa paused trying to find the right words "Prince Link why didn't you-" Impa attempted to finish.
"Because its vicious. They may have tried to kill me, but I don't want them to be brutally forced to give information. You should not take this matter personally. The conflict between you and Yiga should stay out of it. I want a proper investigation!" Link argued.
"I think Prince Link it is time for a wake-up call. Do you realize how much damage you have done with your little adventure in the lockup! This Yiga attacked you, they deserve no mercy!" Impa started.
The Yiga suddenly jerked to the right. In one quick and sudden motion they were armed. The sickle flew toward Impa but Impa was faster. Impa jumped to grab the sickle. She was able to lock the Yiga's arm back before they could inflict damage.
Their arm was pinned to the placid white tiles. The shining sickle was soon pried from their hand with Impa's nimble fingers. She threw it across the room into a corner.
(What damage did I cause?)
Impa released her grip but threw the Yiga back against the cold white wall. He inhaled and looked back at Impa again. Impa kept her knife drawn as an extra precaution. The Yiga stood up and looked around.
"Now back to the original question who are you and what is your mission?" Impa demanded once again. Expectedly they didn't answer.
"Answer it!" Impa yelled.
Still no answer escaped their lips. Impa gritted her teeth in frustration. Without warning she stepped forward and ripped off the Yiga's mask. It came clean off as the powerful strings that held it on broke. Link stared at them in surprise. No one had ever truly seen what was under the mask before. The scene only frightened him more. Impa stood there with her mouth gaped wide open.
There stood a boy though not exactly a boy. He seemed to be around 20 years old, but he still had boyish features. The Yiga's eyes were dark brown, almost a hollow looking black. His sharp eyes darted between the 2 of them.
Noticeable scars were indented around his face. A long streak across his left cheek and another one was a jagged line right near the side of his nose. His white hair was very messy and all over the place. Sweat beaded down his forehead.
He looked eerily like a sheikah. Neither Link nor Impa had ever seen a true Yiga under the mask. A hint of fear flashed in the Yiga's eyes even as hollow as they were.
The orange sky slowly seeped into the room and the windows glowed in the sunrise. The sunrise flooded the room with warm and comforting light. But a cold mist of feelings still lingered in the air.
Impa grasped the Yiga mask at her side. Link was utterly dumbfounded.
(Why does the Yiga boy look so much like a Sheikah?)
The Yiga inhaled deeply as they stared at him.
Impa took another step forward causing the Yiga to take another away from her. His body was plastered against the placid white wall.
"Let me ask just one more time what is your mission and who are you?" Impa demanded.
Both answers seemed obvious but Impa kept pressing on.
"Answer it and both of our lives will be much easier" Impa growled, shaking her knife at him.
"I was sent here to assassinate the Prince of Hyrule. I am a member of the Yiga clan" the boy answered in a dull voice though a hint of fear lingered in his voice.
The voice seemed to be not too deep but not too squeaky. The boy sounded more like he was dreading his fate and was fearful but kept a somewhat calm voice.
"Are there others?" Impa pressed.
The boy hesitated before answering, "No."
The word hung in the air for a time before Impa glanced at him suspiciously and asked again.
"Are you sure?" Impa asked, doubtfully.
"I was sent here alone. All alone. On some fool errand to kill the Prince. Though I am not sure why he would be worth it. Master Ko-" The boy stopped himself abruptly before finishing his sentence.
"What were you going to say? I insist please finish," Impa leaned her head forward towards him in a threatening way.
The Yiga glared at her and gulped.
"What's your name, Yiga?" Impa demanded. A nasty edge crept into her voice.
"How dare you! You Sheikah are blind aren't you! You don't know me, and you demand answers. Don't you know anything about honor and loyalty?" the Yiga yelled. Impa was taken aback by the sudden outburst though Link thought the outburst had been fated to happen any minute due to her rudeness.
The Yiga spat at Impa and pointed towards Link "Those Hylians are the enemy, you fool! They locked us out and didn't accept us for our amazing feats! Those fools became fearful due to our power and your forsaken tribe stepped away from all of it. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. You work for the enemy. Like a tamed dog that obeys their every command! They use you since you are simple minded and blind. But us Yigas knew better! We-"
"That's enough!" Impa spat in anger. "Know your place!" A furious expression appeared on her face.
The Yiga fell silent again. The sun was still rising. It bathed all their solemn faces in the warm and pleasant sunlight.
"If you won't give me your name, I think an investigation should be put in order. Thank you, Prince Link, for the suggestion." Impa spat at the Yiga not looking at Link.
Her eyes were glued on the Yiga not trusting him. The nurses would be here soon, and it certainly wouldn't be a particularly good thing if they saw that a Yiga was in the hospital. It would most likely spark more fear than there already was.
Impa rounded on Link "Prince Link, you are to meet with your mother 8 o'clock sharp. It is strongly recommended you attend. Until then you are to be confined to your bedroom until further instruction."
Her eyes flashed back to the Yiga. She grabbed him gruffy by the arm and pulled him along. Link glanced outside. It had to be at least 5 o'clock maybe even later. He knew some background about the conflict between the Yiga and Sheikah. It was not a pretty thing either. Link found it astounding that a Yiga got within the castle walls. Was their defense not as good as he thought?
(What even happened? I only had been asleep for-wait I don't even know how long I have been asleep!)
Link stood in the middle of the hospital. He felt his body tensed into an uneasy feeling. How long had he been asleep?
(Had there been other attacks? What else happened?)
Link's fuzzy memory slowly pieced it together.
(The man, the man that tried to choke me. Did he cause this. Who is he? Oh, dear what did I do? Impa told me I had done damage but what kind of damage?)
Link found himself alone in the empty hospital room. He glanced around the scene. It looked completely ransacked and a mess. Curtains hung sideways from their hinges. Some were in ripped heaps on the tiled floor. Beds were thrown over and splintered wood littered the floor. Frankly, it looked like a terrible mess.
Link decided it would be best if he left before the nurses and doctors came. They would be confused and likely furious at the mess. It was always awkward when Link explained things to others, he reflected.
Carefully placing his feet in the few clean spots on the floor, Link made his way across the tiled room. When he got past all the obstacles, he felt a sense of relief. At least he was alive after all that crazy Yiga stuff. He opened the grand oak doors leading out of hospital and walked back to his lonely room. Many guards were awake but most of the staff still slept soundly.
A pounding headache erupted in his skull. It was excruciating as he made his way to his room. When he entered his friendly doors again, he quickly shut them behind him locking it. The remaining time until he had to go see his mother, he sat by his window in his velvet chair, contemplating the events of that morning.
For the first time he was somewhat not dreading to see his mother even if he was in for a scolding. Maybe she could explain what was happening?
Link checked the time and almost had a heart attack. He only had 30 more minutes! Quickly he cleaned himself up and put a respectable outfit on for his meeting. As he trotted towards his mother's room, he wondered what she would say.
(Would she be able to shed light on what had happened? Would she know who that man was?)
Before he even knew it the dreaded doors of his mother's room appeared in front of him. Surprisingly, no guards were seen beside his mother's door.
That only meant one thing.
It was going to be a very very private conversation.
Link felt his body tense as a heavy feeling in his heart set in. From outside of the door, he could hear three voices.
Two of them he recognized but the other he did not. Link wondered who was beyond the door. If only he knew. One thing he did not know was everything from that moment on would not be simple anymore.
It would be more complex than he had ever imagined.
From this moment on he would never be alone again.