The shadow monster clutching Link's chest let out a shriek that sounded like nails scraping against a chalkboard. The evil creature's claw came down, seeking his blood.
Link instinctively tensed, closing his eyes and waited for the inevitable. But instead of a sharp claw through his chest like he had anticipated, the shadow monster jerked back from him. It tumbled over the side of him and let out another scream like it was in pain.
…Huh?
He opened his eyes just in time to see several flashes of silver and the shadow monsters surrounding him started to panic as they fell one by one. Looking around Link saw what was causing the chaos.
Are those…knives? But where are they coming from?
Link spun his head in every direction, looking for the source of the small blades. But he couldn't find one.
They seem to be coming from somewhere near the gate but I don't see anyone there.
The shadow monsters holding his feet suddenly fell, releasing them. Taking advantage of this, Link started to kick wildly. He easily dislodged the ones below him.
Now for the bastards holding my arms…
Link was running on adrenaline once again and began using every ounce of it. He twisted his body so he was awkwardly facing the shadow monsters that were holding his arms in place. The move released his right arm and with a quick punch, was able to free his other arm. He hissed and stumbled back, grimacing as it jarred his injury.
With a deep breath, he made a sharp turn and made a wild dash over the bridge near Ilia's house. He began to head toward the ranch, trying to avoid the shadow monsters as he went.
Everyone must have retreated to the ranch! Might have even grabbed the kids while I wasn't looking. I was busy enough not to notice it.
He barely made it past Ilia's house when he felt something familiar attach itself to his ankles and tripped him yet again. His left arm shot out in front of him, causing him to narrowly miss landing on his injured arm.
This is getting old…
Suddenly he heard a loud snap to his left. The sound was followed by an extremely bright flash of light, stunning him momentarily. He took some satisfaction from the fact that the ankle biters seemed to be having the same issue.
Link blinked several times, trying to clear his sight of dancing spots of light. He grunted in frustration when he noticed the group of shadow monsters converging on him. Link started to push himself off the ground when someone suddenly appeared next to him. Out of thin air. The person immediately crouched low to the ground. Link blinked a few times.
He'd never seen a magical means of travel that didn't generate some kind of discharge once completed. Like those strange floating black shapes that appeared before and after Midna would take them someplace through the Twlight.
Or he was hallucinating. Both were viable options at this point.
The person crouched before him threw at least five knives so fast that it seemed like they all flew forward at the same time towards the closest approaching shadow monsters. The stranger's aim was deadly accurate and easily dispatched the front line. The stranger spun around and threw what he now saw was a deku nut at him again. Link was stunned but so were the ankle bitters that were hitching a ride on his legs. The stranger quickly planted their hands firmly against the ground and swung a leg toward him and he felt the ankle biters being kicked from his back and lower legs. Using the momentum, the stranger swung themselves on top of Link with a foot on either side of his waist.
There was a hand pressed against his back and the next thing the hero felt was the sensation of being squeezed through a narrow passageway. Colors began swirling together before stretching to a point he couldn't see. His heightened senses threatened to overwhelm him, turning his stomach.
The sight of a burning Ordon overrun by monsters was suddenly replaced with trees. Link was still sprawled on the ground with the mysterious stranger crouched over him but this changed very quickly. The person stepped aside and offered a hand.
"Come hero, we must make haste. It is not safe here," whispered his savior. Link blinked a few times, trying to get his blurry vision to stop creating multiple hands extending toward him. His eyes closed as he covered his face with his hands to stop the world from spinning. It only worsened as the move jarred his injury, making him groan in pain and become more aware of the blood soaking into his tunic.
Stay where you are dinner...what was that? It didn't bother me this much when Midna would take us places through the Twilight...
He heard a soft sigh. His pointed ear twitched when the stranger crouched beside to him. Then he felt something damp quickly wrap around his arm, making him hiss in pain. The smell of rosemary, chamomile and sage reached his sensitive nose, soothing some of his nausea and helping his pain.
"Forgive me, hero. I had forgotten how intense the sensation would feel like after traveling for the first time." Whispered the stranger. There was a hint of fear in that tone as his savior would occasionally pause from trying to wrap his wound to glance up and scan the area for danger.
"I will bandage your wound properly once we reach a safer place but now we must move," whispered his savior. Then Link felt a hand gently grab a hold of his uninjured arm and helped pull him to his feet.
The hero blinked, feeling a bit better but then was taken aback at the sight before him. Almost hidden behind long sandy blonde bangs and the folds of a white shawl that covered the bottom half of the stranger's face were a pair of striking ruby colored eyes studying his face. What they were searching for was lost on Link but soon the stranger swiftly turned and headed up the path.
The hero followed, taking a good look at his savior now. The stranger wore an exoskeleton that consisted of multiple shades of blue. It stretched easily as they moved, but stayed hugging their frame. Hinting at the flexibility hidden within. The white shawl covered the stranger's entire head, masking everything except those piercing red eyes and sandy blonde bangs. A white tabard lay over the exoskeleton. Both sides beheld a single red eye with a tear dropping from the bottom and three red triangles over each eye. Black leather boots covered sure-footed feet that stepped almost silently. An impressive feat in a forest.
With such a feminine body, Link guessed his savior was female.
"Thanks for saving me. You swooped in at just the right time." said Link sincerely as he started to scan the area himself.
"It's not very often I meet a girl who can kick ass like that. Oh, I'm Link by the way," said Link as he tried to keep up with his saviors fast pace. The stranger sighed, as if annoyed.
"I am Sheik. It is my duty now to keep you safe…and I would appreciate it if you would not call me a girl," replied Sheik softly.
"Why? That's nothing to be ashamed of," said Link. He missed the quick glare Sheik turned to give him since he was focusing on searching the area for danger.
"I would agree with you…if I had been a girl," stated Sheik as he rounded a corner and put up his fist, signaling Link to stop. The hero blushed, cursing his poor perception.
"Goddess! I'm so sorry! I just assumed by your femininity that you were-I mean-!" Stuttered Link but Sheik shushed him.
"Think nothing of it, hero. We have more pressing matters." muttered Sheik as he inspected the bridge before him.
Wait…the bridge?
Link then realized where they were.
"Wait! We past Ordona! It can help us! Maybe even tell us what's going on," said Link. He turned and headed for Ordon Spring. It wasn't very far but suddenly felt a hand grasp a hold of his shoulder and halt him.
"The Light Spirits of the forest are inaccessible right now, hero. We must leave," replied Sheik, gesturing toward the bridge.
"What? What do you mean inaccessible?" asked Link. His body faced Ordon Spring while he turned to look at Sheik in confusion.
"I will explain but first we must leave. They are surely searching for us," said Sheik urgently, still gripping Link's shoulder. The hero shook his head stubbornly.
"There could still be survivors! What about Faron then?" shouted Link desperately, staying rooted to the spot.
"Both Light Spirits of the forest are inaccessible, hero. They cannot help us. Now, please don't shout," said Sheik calmly, trying to pull the hero toward the bridge.
"Then I have to do something! I can't just leave! Not without knowing if they got away or not!" Hissed Link frantically. Sheik heard the bellows of several enemies alerting others that they obviously heard Link's shouting. The hero heard them too, making him start dragging his savior behind him as he hurriedly tried to find cover.
"Hero! Even if they are alive you can't do anything for them! You can't save them right now but we can go and tell someone else and perhaps bring reinforcements later!" hissed Sheik desperately through clutched teeth, trying to get Link to see reason. He dug his feet into the ground, slowing the hero's progress.
"It could be to late by then! I have to do something now! Let go of me!" hissed Link angrily as he tried tugging his uninjured arm out of Sheik's iron grip. Rows of Bulblin's and Bokoblin's started appearing down the path but Link wasn't giving an inch. Sheik felt the hero coil his muscles, getting ready to bolt away from him. He was certain the only reason Link hadn't shaken him off already was because the hero was weakened by blood loss. In a fit of desperation, Sheik did the quickest and most effective thing he could think of.
"Forgive me hero, but this is for your own good," muttered Sheik as he unsheathed a long dagger. He brought his arm back and bashed it hilt first against Link's head, instantly knocking him out.
Hoisting the hero on his back, Sheik disappeared into thin air.