Chapter 39: Race to the River

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Link

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The little cave was almost pleasantly warm when Link awakened. Blinking groggily, he noted the icy blue light coming from the opening to the cave. His heart lurched when he noticed the wall of snow that had blown up against it, keeping him in and adding some additional insulation to the shallow space. A blessing from th'Goddesses, he thought, managing half a smile as he pushed himself to a sitting position. He set the scale of Dinraal against the side of the cliff and started pulling his clothes on, relieved that they all felt dry to the touch. More good fortune. His side ached and his head felt swollen and heavy, but his clothes were dry – he would make it another day, at least.

He realized, hefting Dinraal's scale and gauging its weight, that he would have to leave it behind. It had saved his life that night, but it would prove too much of a burden for him to carry on the run. He shook his head slowly, marveling at the gift the great spirit had bestowed upon him and dismayed that he would have to part with it.

I guess that means I must make it t'real shelter before nightfall, he realized grimly, not at all looking forward to what the day would bring.

Clothes on, the Master Sword at his side, and Zah Tori's satchel and his gun on his shoulders, he crawled to the opening of the cave and started digging through the snow that had drifted across the opening. The layer closest to him had partially melted and refrozen thanks to the heat of Dinraal's scale. It was now comprised of ice crystals, rough and jagged, painfully biting his hands as he clawed it free. But once he was past that layer, the soft snow beyond spilled freely like a little waterfall through the gap he had carved, as light and fluid as sand, leaving him with a way out.

He climbed through the gap and stood, squinting, in the daylight. The storm had passed, leaving the skies clear and blue, giving him a sprawling vantage over the surrounding lands. The sun shining down over Hyrule rendered the mountainside a blinding plane of purest white, but it also enabled him to orient himself by giving him a rough estimate of where east and west were. And with that information, he was able to scan over the lands visible to him and determine where he was.

The mountains extended to the south, beyond which he could see the snow-splattered expanse of Central Hyrule, and a hill encircled by a frozen river that, from its position and the wall and cluster of buildings around it, he guessed could be Castle Town. North, his view was obscured by the ridge of mountains he had ascended the day before, but he knew Skeldon to lie behind it. The mass of trees directly east of him, obscured by patches of cloud and fog with Death Mountain looming ominously in the background, was almost certainly the Lost Woods. From this distance he could see the patch of green in the center, as well as the massive boughs of the Deku Tree rising above the rest of the forest. He smiled, relieved. F' I can get t'th'Woods, I'm safe.

He set out eastwards down the rocky slope. The drifts were not quite so high on this side of the mountain, but that made the rocks all the more slick and treacherous. He chose his steps carefully, trying to avoid the deeper snow as well as the patches of ice frozen to the stone. But as he walked he realized that the Lost Woods were drawing nearer much faster than he expected – and he was not descending nearly quick enough.

His fears were confirmed when he came to the edge of a steep cliff, likely formed over time by the river encircling the Lost Woods – yet another line of defense, he thought, scowling. Uninjured and in the height of summer with proper supplies, climbing down this cliff to the river beneath would be a difficult task. Now, with the ice and snow and no rappelling gear whatsoever and the stinging half-treated stab wound in his side, he felt certain that any attempt to descend the cliff would end in his death.

A shadow passed overhead and he looked up to see a bird high above – no, it was too big to be a bird; it was a Rito. As he watched it glided steadily towards the Lost Woods, and he frowned, wondering who it could be delivering messages to. His thoughts darkened as he remembered the Zonai at Skeldon mentioning a large Sheikah force outside of the Lost Woods, and Zah Tori's account of the attack on the Order of the Sword, although he brightened remembering Zelda's grin when she told him about shooting the guardian. He sighed deeply, missing her, worrying about what the Rito messenger's intentions were, hoping that she and the others would remain safe in the Woods.

And as for me, I'm cut off on every side, he thought bitterly. I'll just have t'follow th'mountains south. Wait for a more gradual ascent. He remembered that initially he, Zelda, and Inpa had entered the Lost Woods from this side, and they had been able to walk straight down to the shore without any difficulty. So it had to be possible.

He heard a distant shout from behind and turned around in surprise, scanning the northern ridge. At first he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. Then he realized with a surge of electrifying adrenaline, at the top of the ridge, that what he first had assumed to be distant boulders were, in fact, the Zonai pursuing him. They were moving steadily in his direction, far enough still to not be an immediate threat, but close enough that if he hesitated, if he stopped for too long, they would catch him.

His lip curled slightly. Must not be many wolves with them, f'they're inexperienced enough t'give themselves away by shouting.

Link started walking again as fast as he could manage safely, climbing higher into the mountains while heading more or less south, trying to put distance between himself and the cliff – a potentially fatal fall. He heard more distance-warped shouts from behind and saw the distant specks of his pursuers altering their path to more closely match his trajectory. He swallowed thickly, and quickened his pace.

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Zelda

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"The Gorons are a tough and practical people, but also quite friendly," Zelda mused, as she, Inpa, and Zah Tori sat counseling together in the faded dappled shadows cast by the Great Deku Tree's boughs. "Especially once you gain their respect – often through various feats of strength."

"Link's got that one down, then," Zah Tori said with a chuckle. "We'd have to ask him, of course, but he's certainly capable."

Zelda smiled, her heart warm at the thought of the Zonai warrior, but with the warmth there came a flicker of worry as well. He was with his kindred, so she reasoned that he should be just fine, but not being able to check in on him, as Zah Tori had been able to do during the Trial of the Sword, rankled. "More importantly, they've got a firm cultural belief in right and wrong, as solid as rock." She gave a slight embarrassed cough. "Er, no pun intended. But, anyway, they're also fairly direct and to the point – being deceived about my supposed death will instantly raise their suspicions. So I feel fairly hopeful that they will come to our side of things."

Inpa nodded her agreement. "And you'll have true Sheikah as well, once we can get to them and explain a few things. Having the Order of the Sword to back us up will go a long way there."

"Which leaves the Zora, in terms of our nearest neighbors," Zelda said with a sigh, rubbing her head. "And they're a very… proud people, much like the Rito. There have always been some among them that resent being a province of Hyrule, that would prefer independence. They have their own king after all, as the Gerudo do. Those feelings have, regrettably, escalated with my father in charge. I don't know that simply revealing my existence will do much to sway them one way or another."

"It might do more than you think," Inpa pointed out, "even if it's not ideal. Helping you free Hyrule from the hands of a tyrant in exchange for their independence at the end of it all, for instance."

Zelda winced. "That would make me look particularly weak in the eyes of the people," she protested. "Losing part of the kingdom at the beginning of my reign, when my goal here is to unify Hyrule…" She shook her head.

"There are old legends in which the Zora proposed the marriage of their princess and the Hero of Hyrule," Zah Tori pointed out mildly. "Technically that could be an option."

Zelda winced, feeling sick at the mere thought, her memory of the blissful kiss she had shared with Link flashing to the forefront of her mind. "Let's not plan on that," she said firmly.

Zah Tori laughed teasingly. "I figured as much. None of the past heroes were particularly enthusiastic about the idea, either – not a single one ever accepted the offer."

There came a deep groaning and creaking from the trees, and Zelda shot to her feet, grateful for the escape from the conversation. Her chest lifted with hope as she watched the newly-formed tunnel through the trees, waiting to see who it was –

The silhouette of a Rito was unmistakable. Skasha entered the Sacred Grove, holding the chest that contained Link's armor. Zelda smiled, imagining Link's reaction when he returned and his armor was there waiting for him –

"What is going on out there?" Skasha demanded, the grim tone of her voice hiding an underlying current of anxiety. "Zah Tori, the temple –"

"Is taken," the Sheikah monk nodded gravely. "Yes. Much has happened in your absence." He explained the attack at the Temple and their retreat into the Woods themselves, and Link's victorious emergence from the Trial of the Sword.

Skasha shook her head rapidly at that, her dark gaze filled with concern. "So you sent him to try and gather allies among the Zonai in Skeldon," she clarified, pacing restlessly across the clearing. "Is he… dressed in Hylian clothes, by any chance?"

Zelda felt as though a block of ice had dropped into her stomach. "Yes," she answered faintly, her heart pattering faster. "Why? What happened?"

"I don't know, but I don't think it went all that well for him in Skeldon," Skasha said worriedly. "I saw what looked like a Hylian traveler in the mountains west of us, heading southward. There was a large party of Zonai heading the same direction."

"It… could be his reinforcements," Inpa suggested tentatively.

Skasha shook her head. "I only got a quick glance, but the Hylian – Link, you said – he looked like he was trying to get away from them." She scraped her talons restlessly through the dirt, digging three deep furrows. "But that's not all. The Sheikah who took the temple have posted a watch along the borders of the Lost Woods. The largest force is concentrated around the temple itself. They'll know if we try to leave."

Zelda exchanged an alarmed glance with Inpa. How did Link get on the wrong side of his kinsman? she wondered. He's a great warrior, but if there's enough of them…

"How many Zonai?" she asked.

Skasha tilted her head towards the sky, thinking. "About twenty," she answered. "Maybe thirty. It was a large group for going after one man – they didn't look very friendly."

Zah Tori hissed through his teeth. "That's no good," he growled. "I've seen him win many fights that he shouldn't have, but… thirty against one…"

"Can we do anything to help him?" Zelda pressed, feeling more than a little sick with nerves.

"Eight Sheikah and one Zonai against thirty enemies, possibly more if Yagamura's men get involved," Zah Tori sighed, shaking his head. "Those aren't winning numbers."

"But neither is one against thirty," Inpa pointed out acidly.

"There – there's more," Skasha began hesitantly. "I'm not sure if it's useful, but as I was passing over the Hylia River where it forms the Castle Town moat, I could see Zora under the ice, just swimming around. I'm not sure what they're doing there…"

"How many?" Zah Tori asked.

"At least twenty."

The Sheikah monk nodded slowly. "Those are numbers we could win with, if it came to it," he said. "But it means we would have to leave the Lost Woods." He turned his gaze, masked by the cloth bearing the Sheikah eye over his face, to Zelda. "They're our least certain allies, Princess. But they may be our one chance here. It's your decision."

Zelda nodded slowly, biting her lip. She looked Skasha in the eye. "Try to make contact with the Zora in the river," she advised. "Tell them that I'm alive, and that we have reason to suspect a great deal of foul play in the circumstances leading to overthrowing the monarchy of Hyrule. Ask if they would fight with us. Then try and find Link – tell him to head south, towards the Hylia River and the Zora." She turned back to Inpa and Zah Tori. "In the meantime, we'll hope that the Zora will help us and prepare to leave – gather up as many supplies as we can carry with us. We'll send Beira out to round up the horses, just as Link taught her to do before he left. Then we'll ask the Lost Woods to give us a way out between Yagamura's patrols." She looked to Zah Tori for confirmation, and he nodded.

"And you'll stay here, right?" Inpa asked skeptically.

Zelda shook her head, taking a deep breath. "Should the Zora decide to fight with us, they must know that we're telling the truth," she decided. "It's time for me to reveal myself."

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Link

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Link stood on the mist-drenched shoreline, the light lapping of water against smooth pebbles and the gentle clatter of the wooden Sheikah chimes promising him that this was the right spot. The only stretch of the river around the Lost Woods not frozen. The secret path Inpa had led them to.

"Come on," he muttered, restlessly shifting from one foot to the other. The Woods did not respond. The Sheikah boat did not emerge from the mist. Link grit his teeth, glancing up the steep hillside he had precariously descended to reach the path here, waiting any moment for Zonai helmets to come into view. He swallowed thickly. Where are you?

He walked a few yards along the shore, then turned around and walked back, then stopped and squinted into the mist once more. His side throbbed with pain. His skin prickled with cold, his tunic and trousers freshly damp from the day's trek thus far. Moving greatly aggravated the stab wound, enough that he feared how his hasty stitches were faring, but keeping still for too long invited the cold to grip him ever more firmly in its deathly jaws. He shivered, feeling the growing burn in his throat, nose, and chest. He coughed.

They're not coming. He walked a few yards again, turned around and came back. They're not coming.

Either they had run into trouble of their own and could not open a path through the Lost Woods for him, or the Woods were not permitting him entry, or… or any number of things. Absently he put a hand to his side, wincing from the pain as his thoughts turned to Zelda. Let her be safe, he prayed, gazing into the indiscernible mist and wondering what he should do next. It wasn't as if he could go all the way around the Lost Woods and try and find another way in – the Zonai had mentioned a strong Sheikah presence in the east, although he wasn't sure how far east he would have to go to reach them.

A sharp and all-too familiar sound like a lightning strike shook the valley, and something whooshed by him to splash into the river. Link whirled around, his heart hammering, and saw a cloud of gunsmoke swiftly dissipating in the slight breeze. The Zonai had reached the northern rim of the valley that he'd climbed down minutes ago. His heart lurched as another shot struck the ground a few yards in front of him and he burst into a desperate run, crying out at the sharp pain in his side and nearly losing his stride. He started up the southern side of the valley, not as treacherous as the north. The Zonai would have a better shot at him until he reached the top, but when he did reach the top, he could descend down the other side and be completely hidden from view – until they caught up with him again.

He slipped on the soggy snow in his haste and fell hard with a grunt to his knees. At nearly the same instant a third shot rang out, striking snow and rock on the hillside just above him. Heart threatening to burst within his chest, pattering fast as a rabbit's, he scrambled higher up the hillside, praying that they didn't have more guns and needed time to reload. He knew well what a musket round would do to a human body. His breaths came in desperate, panicked gasps that sucked frigid air straight to his aching lungs.

The slope leveled out, still climbing but no longer as steep. Link broke into a full run, sliding on the slippery ice and snow but managing, arms wheeling wildly, to keep from falling again, his feet landing in time with the frantic beats of his heart. He heard one last shot, but he was far enough away now that the round went significantly astray, no real threat to him at all. The wind carried to him the distant sounds of the Zonai scolding the warrior who had taken the shot – they should have known that he was beyond musket range at that point.

He kept running, his side and lungs and nose burning angrily. He pushed the pain down, kept his eyes on the top of the hill drawing steadily closer. He knew the Zonai behind him would be actively giving chase by now; they would be descending the hillside into the valley and then climbing up this side after him. Every inch of distance he could give himself –

He reached the top and kept going, pushing himself as fast as he could, warmed by the heat his body was generating while simultaneously deeply chilled by the sweat all across his skin. Then his foot struck a buried rock and the ground beneath him dropped away suddenly. He lurched forward with a startled cry, falling face-first down the steep, rocky southern side of the hill. He managed to curl his arms protectively around his head, his shoulders and back and legs striking partially snow-drenched rocks as he tumbled painfully down the uneven slope, coming at last to a halt in a deeper drift of snow. Winded from the fall, he took a moment to get his breath back and then gingerly pushed himself back to his feet, wincing, rubbing fresh bruises on his legs and arms and brushing off the snow that had collected across his tunic.

His breath caught, and he looked closer at his side, dread pooling in his gut. Blood. Just a small spot, and it wasn't growing that he could see, but it was fresh. He'd burst stitches, either during the run or on the fall down the hillside afterwards. The wound twinged painfully and he grunted, wincing, covering it with one hand in a futile attempt to ease the pain. Fantastic. Just what I need.

And then he saw figures hurrying westward atop the ridge of hills encircling the Lost Woods, now north of him. Squinting, he could see Sheikah armor, and the white-and-red colors of Yagamura. He scrambled to his feet with a surge of frightened adrenaline, but quickly realized that they didn't actually seem to be heading towards him directly – they were heading towards the Zonai pursuing him.

Link swallowed, a painful pang of guilt and regret squeezing his gut. I… I led them right int'th'Sheikah, without even knowing it, he realized, biting his lip. Dragons… I am a traitor.

Or… or maybe it was no less than they deserved for falling so far into evil's grasp, he thought as more gunshots rang out, this time striking true among the Sheikah. He shook his head slowly, refocusing. He hadn't seen enough Sheikah to win against that many Zonai – they would continue chasing him once the skirmish was over, likely with even more reason to believe he had betrayed them. He set out again, southward, away from both groups, walking swiftly, favoring his injured left side.

He had scarcely been walking for five minutes when he heard his name. Stunned, he looked around in shock, his gaze settling on a Rito woman gliding rapidly towards him from the south. She landed several yards from him, her dark brown eyes piercing and determined. "You're Link, right?" she clarified.

Link nodded slowly, one hand on the Master Sword's hilt. "Who are you?" he asked, unable to keep the suspicion from his voice.

"Skasha, of the Order of the Sword," she said with a bow. "I forget we haven't met – I've heard quite a bit about you. The Princess sent me to bring you word of our plans. She and Zah Tori are leaving the Lost Woods; I'm going to find them again once I finish here. We've reached an alliance with a platoon of Zora currently stationed in the Hylia River, to the south." She glanced at his tracks and tilted her head. "I… I see you've already started heading that direction."

"Th'other directions weren't feasible options," he explained drily, still not entirely certain whether he should trust her. "South was th'only route available t'me."

Skasha nodded. "Well, you're doing great, then," she encouraged him. "Zah Tori and the others are heading down towards the river, too. The Zora are prepared to help you in battle should you need it – you won't be alone."

She took flight again, and Link considered his options. She had certainly seemed sincere, and her bodice had the symbol of the Sheikah eye. She hadn't attacked him, despite the longbow and quiver of arrows she carried. If she was telling the truth, there were allies in the south. If not… south was still the only direction open to him.

Decision made, he continued southwards.

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Zelda

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They crossed the river at a fairly narrow point, the water conveniently frozen thick enough to carry their weight easily. On the other side, Beira waited with a wagging tail, Hofthrean, Storm, and several other horses milling around behind her. Zelda made sure to give the dog a quick hug when they reached her, thinking anxiously of Link. "Good job," she whispered, and Beira licked her nose affectionately.

"We'll have to make do without any tack," Inpa frowned, hands on her hips. "Can your men manage that?"

"Of course," Zah Tori said, affronted. "They're just as expert with horses as they are with swords."

They mounted up, packing the most cumbersome supplies to Link's horse, who would go without a rider for the time being. Zelda rode with Inpa, not particularly confident in her skills riding bareback. Then they set out, riding at a light trot up the shallow ridge forming a sort of natural wall around the Lost Woods.

No scarcely did they reach the top than a shout pealed out across the snowy valley, and Zah Tori cursed. Zelda looked under Inpa's elbow to find a group of mounted Sheikah warriors riding out towards him. The Order of the Sword urged their horses faster, into a swift canter, veering more east than south to get away. Zelda flinched as arrows struck the ground behind them and wished she was more skilled with her own bow, currently packed in with the supplies on Inpa's back.

Then she noticed a dark shape in the sky, rapidly drawing nearer, and recognized Skasha's gray plumage. The Rito held her own bow at the ready, and Zelda watched in astonishment as she shot at the Sheikah from the sky, using her feet in a way that Zelda never could have imagined possible to fire arrows in midair. Each arrow found its mark, sending Sheikah tumbling from the backs of their horses, killing or injuring enough of them that the force turned back, ending the pursuit.

Skasha flew lower, gliding in the air above Storm. "Link's heading south!" she called, and Storm snorted uncertainly, tossing his head. "The Zora have agreed to help us!"

Zelda sighed in relief, smiling gratefully at the Rito. Good, she thought, the noose of worry around her neck loosening. If he can get to the river, he'll be safe. She pushed the doubt from her mind. Not if. When he gets to the river, he will be safe.

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Link

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The sun was sinking in the west, casting long shadows behind the many knolls and ridges rolling out on the slope down to the river. Link could hear the Zonai behind him and knew that he was well within musket range by now, but he managed to keep enough shallow dips and rises between him and them that they couldn't get a clear shot.

He couldn't run anymore, though he tried each time a shot rang out, driven by a weary surge of adrenaline that, at this point, made his limbs shake more than giving him energy to escape. His arms and legs ached from cold and fatigue, his calves chafed above the top of his boots from the soaked material of his trousers rubbing against his skin. The spot of blood on his tunic had grown throughout the day, and his mind drifted like blowing snow, his ears and nose well beyond numb. He was cold and sick and exhausted, near the end of his limits.

But the river was near enough – if he could just make it there, if that bird had, indeed, been sent by Zelda, if there truly were allies there… He clung to the little flame of hope, letting it warm his soul the way it could not warm his body.

A bout of harsh coughs wracked his chest and tore at his throat, and he crumpled to his knees, wrapping his arms tightly around his middle and shivering violently. He grit his teeth, struggling to muster the strength to push back to his feet.

It took a shout from behind, much too close, to get him to stand up again. His vision blurred and smeared and he staggered like a drunkard, nearly falling over again. He stumbled to a large boulder and half-draped himself across it, leaning heavily on it for support. He closed his eyes, breathing hard, and when he opened them again he took a step forward. He looked over his shoulder again and wished he hadn't. His heart dropped to his toes.

The Zonai were closing in on him, thirty strong, too close for him to outrun. He scowled, eyes narrowed, and slipped his gun from his shoulders, feeling as though a flame within him was flaring brighter, grim and determined. I'll not go down without a fight.

His first shot sent one man crumpling. Predictably they raised their guns next in response; he dove behind the rock he'd used as support moments before and rapidly reloaded his gun as their shots struck either the rock or flew through the space he had been standing in moments before. Then he scrambled out from cover, aimed, and fired again, striking a warrior that had been attempting to reload his own gun. He smirked grimly, feeling a calm confidence in his skills. These men had never seen the front lines, and it was fatally clear.

He ducked behind his rock again as those who hadn't fired on the first volley fired again now, counting the shots he had heard as he reloaded. When he emerged from cover again, he noted with grim satisfaction that they were coming closer. They've used up all their shots, and they know I can't reload f'they're near enough t'engage at close quarters.

But he had one more shot. He took aim and fired, sending a third Zonai tumbling backwards with a pained cry. His heart was stone – this was a battle, life or death, and he couldn't afford to think more than that.

And as his last shot left his gun, he heard footsteps behind him as well and whirled around in shock, snatching the Master Sword from its sheath.

Several Zora in sleek silvery armor and wielding gleaming spears and shields stood there, at least twice his height, and more were approaching up the slope. The slitted golden eyes of the nearest Zora were focused on the Master Sword, and the Triforce of Courage shining on the back of Link's hand. Link wondered fleetingly how he appeared to them – half frozen, wearing a tunic splattered with blood, a sacred blade in his right hand and his gun in his left.

"You must be Link, the Zonai," the nearest Zora said elegantly, his tone friendly. "I am Dorphos, fourth son of King Phaidon."

Link nodded curtly, watching them warily. "I was told y'might be willing t'fight with me," he said carefully.

Dorphos nodded and signaled to the warriors at his side. They rushed to meet the approaching Zonai in combat.

The skirmish was swift, but deadly. The height of the Zora compared to the Zonai, and the length of their spears, left many fatally wounded in moments. The Zonai gathered up their injured and retreated back the way they had come. The thundering of horse's hooves coming up from the east at first had Link stiffening in dread, then relaxing when he spotted the familiar silhouette of Zah Tori, Hofthrean's deep read coat and flaxen mane and Beira bounding at the stallion's side, and the striking silver coat of Zelda's horse.

"Looks like we missed the fight," Inpa said with a chuckle, grinning broadly as she dismounted. Her expression swiftly turned from relief to alarm as she took in his appearance, but Link gave a slight shake of his head in warning as Zelda rushed towards him. The Princess hugged him tightly, and he returned the embrace, warm relief flooding his soul.

"You're alive," she murmured into his shoulder, holding him tight. "When we heard Skasha's report, I thought…"

He shushed her gently, running a hand soothingly through her hair. "It'll be alright now," he said quietly, feeling more exhausted by the second. He managed a soft chuckle, fighting back a cough. "I'm just glad you're all safe."

She laughed lightly, pulling away, and then she took a moment to truly look at him, and the worry he had anticipated drained her smile away. "Link…"

"I'll be fine," he said, forcing a reassuring grin. "It's been an… enlightening couple few days."