Chapter 55: Cliffhead Malgyorg, Desert Leviathan

…

By late morning, Link had piloted their stolen sloop far enough from the Gelto camp that the Gelto did not seem interested in following.

Then Link crashed.

Not realizing that the sloop needed to avoid large dunes, Link tried to pilot it over one. The sloop flipped forward, throwing all three passengers before smashing into the sand. The crash snapped both the main mast (which was thin to begin with) and the gaff. The deck was also cracked, and Link did not want to chance trying to fix it, especially since they did not have any materials for repairs. Cale, being the only one without sleeves, took the jib and tied it around his shoulders for protection. After a few minutes of discussion, they decided to head east in hope of finding shelter or the Spirit Tracks, which might lead them back to the Fire Realm.

Where it would be colder. At high noon, the sun's heat beat down hard on them. Link could feel sweat over his whole body, and he eventually pulled the bandage off his back so his collecting sweat would not make his wound itch so horribly. Then, he pulled his arms into his tunic and turned it around so the sand was not blowing into his wound. He was not any more comfortable with the dry collar scratching his neck, but he found it better than inviting sand in. Cale's hair had flattened against his scalp from all the sweat, and the skin on his face burned. Sello continued on with them, seemingly not bothered by the heat and wind.

Until he flopped face-first into the sand.

"Link, wait," Cale called. Link turned to them. Cale grabbed Sello by the shoulders and attempted to roll him over. "I think he's out cold."

Link pocketed his compass and walked to them. Dropping to Sello's other side, he pressed his fingers against Sello's neck. "Hold on," Link said as his fingers probed Sello's neck. Then he gave a relieved sigh. "Yeah, he's out. Probably dehydration."

"You would think he couldn't be any moah dehydrated than us," Cale said.

"He's been peeing a lot, right?"

Cale nodded. "Yes, I've seen him urinate while walking backwahds." Cale started to pull the bottle of strange alcohol from Sello's pocket.

But Link grabbed the neck of the bottle. "No, don't," he said. "It's all the alcohol he's been drinking. That's why he's been peeing so much."

"But… we have to give him something."

"And if we walk him anymore, he'll just walk to death. That alcohol is too weird, not that giving him regular alcohol would be any better. He needs to recover."

Cale looked around at the horizon. "I don't think we should stop. This sun is too hahsh."

Link pointed to the sail Cale was still wearing. "I'll trade you my sleeves for that. We can use it to haul Sello behind us."

Cale considered the proposal for a moment. "Agreed."

Link stood and prepared to pull the Lokomo Sword to cut off the sleeves of his undersuit. But something to his right, the direction they had been walking from, caught the corner of his eye. He became dismayed at the sight of two sails on the horizon. "Uh oh."

"What is it?" Cale asked as he untied the sail.

"Company."

After a glance at Link's profile, Cale stood to better follow his line of sight. "The Gelto?"

"I can't believe they followed us."

Cale opened his mouth to voice his doubt, turning his head back to Link. However, movement over Link's shoulder caused his eyes to grow wide. "I feah that ouh problems have just gotten wohse than that," he told Link, pointing. Link, confused by Cale's words, glanced over his shoulder.

They were barely visible in the sand, but Link could make out at least four thin blades cutting through the desert. "Oh, great," he groaned, allowing the hand reaching for his sword to fall and slap his thigh. "Malgyorgs."

Cale's eyes switched between the Malgyorgs and the Gelto sails. "What do we do?"

"Can't run or hide," Link said. He drew his bow. "Do you think you can use this?"

"The bow? I-I don't know, I've nevah used one befoah. I think I'm familiah enough with the technique."

"Here," Link said, tossing the bow at him. Cale fumbled and dropped it on Sello, whacking the drunk's head with one limb. Link then unbuckled the quiver and handed it over. "You can't be any worse than me. I nearly blew up the Gelto camp."

Cale glanced at the quiver and then at Link. "H-how…?"

"If we get caught, they'll explain later. Get ready to shot that at the Gelto. I'll keep an eye on the Malgyorgs."

Link pulled the sword and took three steps away from Sello. He figured that if they jumped to attack, the distance would prevent them from hitting Sello or Cale. He hunched low and watched the Malgyorgs for a moment. Then he looked over his shoulder. Cale had nocked an arrow, but he did not draw it. Link signaled at him to get down, and Cale ducked low enough to still have sight on the sails approaching them.

Turning back to watch the Malgyorgs, he sighed and said to himself, "This is crazy."

They waited in silence, and it felt worse than walking. They had been walking with the wind behind them. But now, Cale had to squint to keep sand out of his eyes, and Link eventually had to close his right eye to protect it. Link tugged at his dry collar, annoyed that its itchiness only increased with the sand blasting the right side of his face.

"Link," Cale called to him. "The Gelto ah moving south."

Link stood up. "The Malgyorgs are still coming this way, though." He started walking. "Stay with Sello. Shoot anything that comes after you."

"Be caahful!"

As Link walked, he tried to think of the best way to get them out of danger. With Sello passed out, Cale and Link would have to drag him. Link remembered that he had the cloth that Soog, the Yook leader, had given him to protect against the volcano. If he gave it to Sello, it might help him against the heat. The sleeves would go to Cale; perhaps Link would cut the whole top off his undersuit just to make it easier. But he had to deal with the Malgyorgs first.

Link stopped when he thought he was a good distance from Cale and Sello. He drew himself up and brandished the sword to psych himself up. As soon as the first one was in range, it leapt out of the sand in a cloud. Link only had a second to see it and barely twisted his shoulder out of the way to avoid it. It was far too close for him to strike, and it slammed back into the sand as if it was water. The next also came close, and Link had to jump aside to avoid its maw. When the third one came to strike, Link was already spinning out of the way and swinging at the Malgyorg. The blade cut into its tail and somehow threw off the Malgyorg's jump. Instead of disappearing back into the desert, it landed awkwardly on its nose.

The next two jumped at the same time, surprising Link. Again, he spun out of the way, but his swing fell short of one tail. It did not seem to matter because the Malgyorgs bashed their rocky noses into each other. Link watched them flop on the surface of the sand twice before they both dug back into it. That was when he noticed the Malgyorg he had managed to strike still floundering nearby. At first, Link thought he had injured it more than he first believed. But looking at the cut on its tail reminded Link of the wound on his back. And he wondered if sand in the Malgyorg's wound felt as bad as sand in his. If so, then he understood how the Malgyorg would prefer not to retreat back underground.

This information could only help Link. He glanced around until he found another fin moving toward him. When the Malgyorg leapt for the attack, Link stepped forward and ducked under it. Then he whirled on it and slashed its belly, and the Malgyorg twisted before hitting the ground hard. The next one Link spotted came from behind the first one he had struck. He became horrified when he saw this one strike.

Because it was aiming for the wounded one.

It was not just that one, either. The other two (Link presumed that there were only five) joined in, and they jumped and dove back into the sand while taking large chunks out of both wounded Malgyorgs. He retreated a few steps and kept track of them as the fit Malgyorgs eventually ate their wounded companions down to their heads. Link found that he could not turn away from the sight, morbid curiosity getting the better of his twisting stomach. Even after only the heads were left, Link could still see the two decimated Malgyorgs moving, even if it was only their jaws twitching. Blood had seeped into the sand, although the feasting Malgyorgs' diving in and out had left only a few places in the sand maroon.

Link's mind jerked back into his task, but he saw that, after their meal, the other Malgyorgs had disappeared. Fearing the worst, Link quickly located a small mound and stepped atop it to look around. He saw that Cale and Sello were still in the spot he had left them. Then he looked around a bit more until he thought he saw a fin disappear around a dune. Glancing back at the heads of the dead Malgyorgs, he realized that they might have lost interest in chasing Hylians because their stomachs were full. He would have to hope that they were the only Malgyorgs in the area.

He returned to Cale, his sword sheathed. "How are you two doing?" he asked.

"Fine, I suppose," Cale replied. He indicated Sello. "He's still unconscious, though. What happened to the Malgyohgs?"

"Disappeared," Link said, glancing at the horizon behind Cale.

"I wish the same could be said foh the Gelto," Cale said. "I thought I'd seen theih sails a moment ago."

Link used a hand to indicate smoke on the horizon. "I think we're saved, though," he said.

Cale looked over his shoulder. "Could it… do you think that's the Seventeen?"

"It looks like it's moving. Unless the Gelto have some kind of steam engine to get over the sand, I don't think it can be anything else."

"But it's so fah away…"

Link busied himself with removing the blue cloth from his arm. "Hurry, take that sail off."

"Okay, but—"

"No buts. We've gotta get over there. If Luggard sees us, he should stop the train." He managed to undo the tight knot. Then he took in a gasp of air upon realizing how hot the desert atmosphere really was. "Yikes! It really is hot out here."

Cale nodded as he unwound the rope from his stomach. "Now you undehstand my hesitation."

"No problem," Link said as he stepped around Sello. He slid the Yook charm under Cale's sling and tied a knot into its corners. "How's that?"

Cale froze with a surprised look on his face. Releasing the rope, he wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. Then he felt his forehead with his fingertips. "It's… I've-I've lost feeling!"

"It's the charm," Link said, tugging on it. "The Yook gave it to me."

Cale glanced down as Link pulled the sail from his shoulders. "That's… that's amazing!"

"Give me a hand," Link said. "If we wrap Sello in this, we can drag him."

"But… will you be all right?"

Link finished laying the sail flat on the sand next to Sello. "I haven't had to take the heat until now. I think I can make it."

Cale nodded, and they pulled Sello onto the sail and rolled him in it. They made sure to cover his face and tied the bundle around him so his dragging feet would not pull him out. Then they each took a rope and started pulling him across the sand in the direction of the smoke. Link had taken the bow and quiver back, although he felt that his sword would be enough for any Malgyorgs that decided to try their luck.

HIIIIIIIIIiiiiiiiiiiiiir! The whistling caught Cale and Link's attention, and they stopped to turn toward its source. A flash of red light led a trail of grey smoke hanging in the air. The light appeared small, leading Link to believe that it was some distance from them.

"What's that?" Link asked.

"I-I can't be suah," Cale said. "I've nevah seen such a display befoah. But that might be the direction the Gelto had disappeahed in."

Link nodded. "I didn't feel like investigating anyway."

They continued on without giving the light a second thought. Link eventually started admitting to himself that he was not as tolerant of the heat as he had expected. While he could feel the heat when he was wearing the Yook charm, without it felt more like being thrown into a boiler. His body grew steadily heavier and harder to move. Sweat completely coated his body, making his clothes even more uncomfortable. The wound on his back stung seemingly to no end. He wished he could take off his clothes, and his concerns about the desert heat setting his skin ablaze grew steadily less. His eyes had begun to sting even though they were traveling perpendicular to the wind now. On the bright side, Cale appeared to improve thanks to the charm. But the desert had already taken its toll on him. The skin on his unbandaged hand and his face was bright red, and a red outline of the rope had formed on Cale's bare stomach and chest. His movements were stronger, though; he was overtaking Link at points and had to slow his pace so Link could keep up.

"Link, Link, wait," Cale spoke up a while later.

Link stomped to a stop and nearly dropped into the sand when he doubled over. He had never breathed so hard before, and each breath raked his throat. So when he turned to ask Cale the inevitable, it came out in a rasping voice. "What is it?"

"You didn't feel that?"

"What?"

"It… it almost felt like an eahthquake."

Link's face was a blend of annoyance and exhaustion.

It changed quickly when he saw a massive form leap over the high dunes in the distance.

Cale saw Link's change in expression and glanced over his shoulder. "What? What is it?" he asked.

"It's that-that giant one!" Link answered. "It's here!"

Cale glanced over his shoulder again, this time catching sight of the giant Malgyorg as it rose and ducked in the distant sand again. "Oh, goddesses above no," Cale breathed. He turned back to Link, his face molded into a pale expression of terror. "W-wh-what do we do?"

Link looked back towards the train. Even though the smoke was still clear, the heat from the desert surface made seeing the train itself difficult, never mind the Spirit Tracks. But the smoke gave him an indication of directionality, so he pointed far ahead of the smoke. "Take Sello and go in that direction," he told Cale. "If you can reach the train, get on and tell Luggard to go as fast as he can."

"Link, you… wait, you'h not thinking of attacking that thing, ah you!?"

"I'm just going to distract it," he replied. He pulled out his bow. "Don't worry, I'll try not to be very close to it. Maybe I can slow it down by wounding it. The smaller ones won't dig into the sand if they're bleeding, so maybe this one will be the same way."

"Ah-ah you suah this is a good idea?"

Link gave the smallest smile he could manage and shrugged. "No. But I'm just going to wound him and then run."

Cale gave a tentative nod. "Be caahful."

They parted. Link did not get too far before he began to regret his idea. His one fortune was that he no longer had a thick rope digging into his shoulder. His backwards collar and sword belt were beginning to chafe his neck. The sword was getting heavy. His whole body felt like it was covered in a layer of sweat, and he entertained the idea of holding onto the back of the Seventeen and sliding barefoot along the tracks. Then he dismissed the idea as a result of the heat messing with his mind.

The large Malgyorg had yet to jump again, probably waiting for the Seventeen to venture further down the track. Link still had an idea of where it was. After watching the Gelto fire two more lights into the sky, he reasoned that the lights were meant to be a warning to trains that the Malgyorg was nearby. He wondered if they were out here for that reason instead of hunting him, Cale, and Sello.

The sand in the air started to thicken. He managed to glance to the east long enough to see a bank of brown clouds in the distance. If he wanted to avoid the sandstorm, he would have to loose the arrow and run as fast as he could. He hoped that, if he was caught in the storm, it would at least provide protection against the sun.

Atop the next dune near where he thought he had seen the Malgyorg, he saw that the two Gelto sloops were moving further west. No immediate sign of the Malgyorg, though.

Until the sand to his left rose.

Link did not have time to set up an arrow. The dune he stood on shook a moment. The large blade of the Malgyorg's dorsal fin was still some distance away.

Then Link felt himself rising in the air before he realized and collapsed to his hands and knees. Wind shoved him across the Malgyorg, and he tumbled along its golden-brown body until he landed back in the sand. His head spun, reminding him of his adventure down a steep incline inside an empty barrel.

Pff-HHHIIIiiiiir! Link looked up at another light sailing through the air, but this one was blue instead of red. He turned around and saw the Malgyorg's fin follow the wave of sand as it flipped in the other direction. Aware that it could jump out of the sand again at any moment, Link pushed himself back to his feet and recovered his bow. He hustled to the top of the dune as the fin approached. He barely had time to nock an arrow before the Malgyorg jumped, so he just made sure that the arrow at least flew in its direction. Then he had to duck. The pectoral fin sailing over him brought a lot of sand into the air, and Link could feel the light blanket sweep over his back just before the Malgyorg disappeared into the sand. When he looked up, the Malgyorg was traveling away from him, and his arrow was nowhere in sight.

So he chased it.

Link clambered into the trench its dorsal fin left behind and ran to catch it. Well, he tried to run, but between his exhaustion and his boots sinking in the loose sand, there was no way for him to keep up with it. With fortune to his lack of energy, the Malgyorg was intrigued by the presence of some small thing behind it and slowed to let it catch up. Link, after seeing that he was catching up to it, climbed out of the trench and nocked an arrow. He did not know how to guess distance with an arrow, even without a moving target; that had been part of his failure in the Gelto settlement. He just released and hoped it made the distance. He could see the arrow's black form sailing through the air in a bit of a wobble, likely because of the wind blowing from behind. But it was too far left. It had the distance, but Link felt he would be firing again as he pulled another arrow.

Then the Malgyorg decided to turn left.

The arrow, still descending, struck the fin and bounced off as if it was nothing. The Malgyorg appeared to react by ducking and jumping out of the sand. Link could see its rock-laden nose and thick hide from this distance. If he had to guess, the creature could easily match the height of the Grand Sails while being double its length. It had turned north, and Link thought it would be going after the Seventeen.

Then he realized that the Malgyorg was circling him. Its dorsal fin only changed shape once Link realized this, narrowing as the moving mound of sand turned in his direction. Fear spurred Link's mind to renewed life, and he raced to his right to get out of the Malgyorg's path. The Malgyorg jumped, and the spot where Link had been standing disappeared into a pit as the Malgyorg dove back under the sand. The jumping had amazed Link before, but the pit left Link frozen in pure terror. The Malgyorg had jumped high enough to show Link its light, flesh-toned belly. If he had been standing there, the Malgyorg would have either crushed him or eaten him whole like the Seventeen's office car.

Link watched the Malgyorg start its circle again. But when the Malgyorg did not turn for another attack, it occurred to Link that it might not be sure it had eaten him. Link was surely small enough that a creature that size would never be certain. So it circled, waiting for some kind of sign that Link was alive. He needed to attract its attention again.

He pulled an arrow and started jumping side-to-side, careful not to fall into the sand. His eyes tracked the Malgyorg. The Malgyorg did not turn to him right away, but it eventually did.

And Link ran for it, nocking the arrow. He hoped that the Malgyorg did not like swallowing a mouthful of sand as it occurred to him that all it would have to do is shove its nose above the surface in order to catch him.

Instead, the Malgyorg jumped in the air perhaps far too early than it needed to catch him. Link ducked and spun as the Malgyorg's titanic form flew overhead. He drew and took a split second to aim at the creature's belly. He released, assuring himself that he would not need more time to aim at something as large as the airship decks he used to fall on.

Link did not see the arrow penetrate, already covering his face from the sand the creature threw up with each jump. But he felt the ground shake as the Malgyorg landed on the same sand that it could so easily swim through. After he was sure the sand had cleared, he looked up. The Malgyorg lay on its side, and Link could see that his arrow had actually penetrated its fleshy belly. At first, Link was confused that it did not jump around like the smaller Malgyorg did.

Then it started thrashing. Its tail sent up a cloud of sand that covered the Malgyorg in seconds. Link felt content to leave it in that place.

As he turned around, he saw a swarm of smaller Malgyorg approaching him fast.

Link only had a second to respond. So he ran for the cloud surrounding the larger Malgyorg, replacing his bow. He was not sure what he would do, but if he presented a wounded Malgyorg just as before, he had a chance of filling their stomachs while he escaped. He bowed his head against the rush of sand the Malgyorg kicked up. He could hear the Malgyorg slamming against the sand, which seemed softer than he expected when considering the tremors it had produced just by jumping. He found a point between the Malgyorg and the sand where he could see. And, upon identifying the Malgyorg's belly, he drew the Lokomo Sword. He only hesitated a moment, which was the time it took for him to determine the best time to strike at the thrashing creature.

Then he stabbed the sword into the Malgyorg's belly the moment it was still and on the ground. The Malgyorg gave off a grunt before choking itself off. Red blood squirted from the open wound, and Link decided to repeat what he had done to the massive insect in the woods and pulled the sword in one direction. The creature's flesh parted, showing a pink inside that blood immediately stained red as it sprayed out of the Malgyorg's body. It was like cutting open the side of a leather flask just to make water spill out, but the scale was far more powerful and impressive than Link thought it would be.

And after he made a cut comparable to a mast from his last ship, Link bolted. He ran long, and he ran hard. He never looked back to see if the smaller Malgyorgs were chasing him. All he could think was run, Link, run. Out into the heat, out into the sandy wind. He had forgotten about the approaching sandstorm. He did not even know which direction he was going.

He just ran.