Hi all, this chapter is kinda a long so hopefully its worth the wait.
I've been pretty busy at the moment so I haven't been replying to reviews so I'll just get it out of the way.
Thanks James Birdsong for continuing to read and I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far.
AriTheDoggo that's awesome I didn't seem myself as that inspirational. I'm going through your story at the moment (upto chapter 15) I'll review when I get up to date. So far so good though man :)
Andrew you've review like every chapter so I'm super thankful. If you ever get round to writing a little more you'll be sure to get my support. I'm not sure whether to be sad or happy I'm coming to the end of this. It's weirdly been a part of my life for the past few months. Dw though after its over I do have other plans for Zelda fanfic.
RSBCS that's one long review friend, I really enjoyed reading it. I'm glad you liked all the elements. I was a little worried about it being all over the place too with the back and forth from the present, and I feel it might be sometimes but I really glad you enjoy it. Alfonzo turning was something I had in mind from the beginning and I had to try very hard not to put too many hints. But thankyou so much for leaving such a thoughtful review.
Chapter 27- Fury
The mornings were the same as always. Link got up like a machine coming to life, the unchanging buzz of the first hour of the morning drilled into his skull. He packed their bags and prepared some breakfast. Or at least all he could make from what they had got in the early morning Hateno rush.
Just has he attached the bags to the horses the routine was broken for the first time in so long. He looked towards the sleeping figure of Zelda, hair spread wide like wings across the grass, now glowing with a golden light in the emerging sun.
It was one of the few sights that could leave a person as disciplined as him breathless, and confused about what he was doing in the first place.
She was one of the few people he trusted and probably the only person who could bring Link out. Not Link the knight or the blank figure looking on emotionless. Just Link.
Only thirty minutes on horseback and Zelda's tired ramblings had reached their summit. Link had never met another person so reliant on their beauty sleep. Most people got quiet and slow when they fatigued, but not Zelda. No, she was a whole different beast. If they didn't spend so much time together Link would've thought her drunk, something he really didn't want to see again.
"…so if you think about it all the legends and stories don't really fit together chronologically. There's just no way they can exist in the same timeline."
Link groaned. There was no way he could endure a whole day of this. Last night when they had agreed under the stars to share their thoughts and feelings freely, he didn't mean this.
"…let's say the hero really did go back in time in the end. Does that world really just disappear? I personally don't buy it for a second."
I've changed my mind. I never thought I'd think this but Al' was right; at least I wouldn't have to endure this as an empty husk.
"I mean what do you think?" Zelda jabbed her finger at him.
Link jolted with panic, "Yeah… I mean yeah…"
Zelda narrowed her eyes in on him as Link began to play with the reigns. Just from a stare he could feel his body shivering in the best of ways.
"You were thinking about food again weren't you," she said.
Link laughed lightly, "You got me."
"Link! We just had breakfast. If you spent all that brain capacity towards something useful, not food, you'd probably be the most intelligent person in the kingdom."
"Food is important," Link said nonchalantly creating a slight giggle from Zelda which stopped dead when she realised he wasn't joking in the slightest.
"Well you certainly did better this morning to cook something that isn't meat on a skewer," she said relishing in Link's slight smile.
Of course Link's cooking would never be on par with the castle kitchens but he sure was getting better at it. He was getting good at adding various foods and ingredients he'd gathered along the way. Zelda was of course a help in making sure he didn't cook something toxic. Who knew maybe one day even she could manage conjuring up something edible.
Link looked to the side trying to lean casually on the saddle like he normally did it was somehow more difficult after that wonderful night. "We're going to have to stop off at a stable tonight. There aren't enough supplies to last us until Castletown."
"The inn near the Duelling Peaks…? Hey, since we're you know, more comfortable with each other, maybe we can…"
"No way," Link cut her off tautly. "If the people there even guess it's us I can say farewell to my head being attached to the rest of my body."
"You know it's okay to just say you're nervous Link," Zelda teased. "You don't have to come up with all these elaborate excuses. I mean two nights ago you seemed to handle yourself quite well… it was a pleasant surprise to find out you could—"
"Agh!" Link flushed up and turned his head back towards the road. She was way too good at that now it was getting worrying. He could almost feel her mischievous eyes looking for the weak spots. "You know how Hylians are. They'd lap up any sort of gossip like this. We could just look at each other too long and the story would be heard from every street in Castletown."
"What if we disguise ourselves enter the inn as a newly married couple? I think you could pull a farmer look off."
"Zelda…" Link grumbled trying to give her the hint to move on.
"You know… You get kind of grumpy when you're tired." Zelda said. "I've never met someone so reliant on their beauty sleep."
"Fine tomorrow you can be the one to wake up early and make breakfast" Link said jokingly, though he held himself off from launching across at the jibbing girl next to him. It was exactly what she wanted and he did want to make it to the stable eventually.
"You and I both know me making food is the last thing we want," Zelda laughed.
They rode in silence for a while. The gentle hillocks of the Oval plains stretched out beside them and Link couldn't help but remember the madness that had come over him as he led Zelda across up to the lake. If madness was ever helpful that had to be an example. It was almost like all that noise in his head had finally been drowned out.
Still, since that night Link had felt something strange. Something that was bubbling just beneath the surface of whatever messed up mind he had inside that thick skull.
Link could almost hear Zelda's mind whir away beside him. Just from her retreating posture he could tell she was thinking of the calamity again.
"Link—"
"No we're not going to fall to the calamity. Your power will show itself eventually and even if it doesn't there's no sign that Ganon is even going to be coming anytime soon. We'll be well prepared for it when it does show its face. We've been over this before… what's really bothering you?"
Zelda shrugged down with a deflated smile, "That obvious huh?"
Link smiled back as reassuringly as he could, being supportive was still a little alien to him. When she was like this he just wanted to take her up and do whatever it took to just make those thoughts go away.
They both listened to the gentle clop of their horses along the dirt path and the gentle ambience of humming wildlife. Zelda had now begun to play with her horse's mane as she leaned forwards in the saddle, hugging the mare's neck.
"We've thought so much about the calamity, we've never even considered what's going to happen after. It didn't even enter my mind until a few nights ago but now it feels like, for the first time, there's something to look forward to, something to actually hope for. Would it be too crass to ask, where do you see yourself after the calamity?"
She was right. Link had spent most of his waking life dedicated to defeating the calamity, willing or not. Not once had he considered what he would be doing after it was all over or what it would cost him to get there. They all seemed like such small questions in the face of something so apocalyptic but maybe it was time to hope, like he had barely allowed himself to do before.
"I don't know… I wanted to be a knight as far as I even remember having memories. Nothing sounded more exciting than a life of battling and adventuring, discovering the world for yourself. My life was always so obviously planned out," He touched the green charm hung around his neck. "I'm not sure if that's what I want anymore."
"I thought you loved being a knight, you're good at it too. What are you trying to say?" Zelda straightened and stared quizzically.
"I guess I'm just saying I'm starting to understand why my father wanted to go back to Hateno so badly and why he found peace in the country. It's almost too hard to think about what I'll be like after the calamity hits but these past few months travelling with you... I've been happy and I don't want that to end."
"Mhmm," Zelda was using those playful eyes again, making Link roll his own. "What exactly is it about travelling that makes you so happy?"
"Well I mean have you seen the country… It just looks amazing this time of year."
"Link…"
"You mean the villages, aren't they so full of life?"
"Really…?"
"And camping under the stars—"
"Come on really?" Zelda extended her arms to the heavens mockingly as though to token some divine intervention.
"Oh and there's you too," Link smiled forgetting about his cheeks flushing for once. "You definitely help."
"Was that really so hard to do?"
"Eh," Link shrugged and moved off a little faster from the girl eyeballing him. "Maybe I just don't want to inflate that ego any further."
"Linklon Hateno don't you dare…" She tried her hardest to put on a tough voice but Link could practically hear the smile behind him. "Get back here now!"
Link cracked the reigns and set off at a gallop quietly hoping that just for today they could have the day off. Just for one day that they wouldn't have to deal with a whole host of monsters or Yiga or the impeding unknown deadline of the calamity.
They arrived at the inn, just as the weather turned nasty.
Bang, bang, bang. Link slammed on the wooden door as he lifted the hood of his coat up. They had arrived late, which of course was completely Link's fault. The owner had probably locked up for the night.
Bang, bang, bang. Link looked around checking for a bell or secret door that he didn't know about
Zelda shivered slightly. She was thankful for the warm cloaks Link had managed to get them. They were thick, warm and lined with rito feathers that were so comfortable, they made her just want to lie down and snuggle up under the elements. Still, even a cloak this thick could only keep her dry so long and already she could feel the rain coming through at the top of her hood.
Link looked at her with that precious concerned look that she couldn't even remember hating. It felt strange to even imagine her feelings towards the boy just after being assigned her appointed knight. Back then Link could be polarising at best. Now her feelings were so… different.
Even though he'd protested in Hateno Zelda brushed up against his arm trying to get some warmth and comfort from him. Her heart leapt as Link moved into her too. It seemed the cold weather was overriding his loyalties and fears of being discovered.
Zelda looked across the field towards the walls of Fort Hateno. Rain lashed across the ground until the ground could not hold more water and the lush green grass turned to marshland. A slick film seemed to cover everything making the whole landscape look shined like armour.
The Inn itself used to be a simple stable that specialised in the taming of wild horses. Most of the herds in the area had been tamed long ago, and so instead the owner had turned to housing those travelling to and from Kakariko or Hateno. Money had come in gradually and the Inn had expanded bit by bit, sprawling out with new rooms and halls that only just looked like they belonged to the rest of the place.
Bang, bang, bang. A third time, Link looked restless now, his body shifting side to side nervously.
Finally the door opened and a wall of noise came with it. A clatter and chatter from within ringing out into the night so loud that not even the hammering of the rain and wind could mask it.
"Travellers!" the beaming owner exclaimed as though he greeting his long lost family. "Sorry to keep you waiting. The rain has its way of masking the knocks, and we haven't exactly been the quietest inside either."
Link looked almost shocked, he wasn't expecting anyone to answer and certainly not with such enthusiasm. He stood there looking blank making Zelda realise she would have to take over.
"If it's not any trouble, we just need a room," she said repeating it again louder to cut through the noise.
The owner stepped to the side smile unmoving and waved his hands inwards. "No trouble at all. Get in and get yourselves dry, I'm sure it's been a tiring journey."
Zelda followed him in, hearing Link close the door firmly behind, immediately shutting of the wind and rain. The place was packed to the roof with people, each table full of Hylians chatting and laughing away. Most were drunk and paid the two new strangers little attention as the owner led them to the bar.
She noticed a group of Hylian guards in the corner and pulled her hood a little further forward. They were Fort Hateno garrison and chances were they'd never seen Link or Zelda before. No chances could be taken though, if word got to her father about the Hateno visit only more questions would come with it. With those questions would go even more of her freedoms and privileges and risk being locked away in that tower again.
The owner made it to the bar and leaned across, smile widening to show a missing front tooth. "What can I do for ya?"
A burst of laughter from the guard table made Zelda speak in a more muted voice, "We just need a bed for the night. We should be out of your hair by morning."
Link had brought his hood down and was staring at all the patrons one by one. His whole body had tensed up as he transformed from Link the person to Link the Knight, the pages of his book being slammed shut just as she was getting to the good part of the story. His fingers flexed in the way they normally did for a fight. Something was bothering him.
"No trouble at all," he began to shuffle through a ledger and Zelda felt the wave of small talk come. "So are you travelling to Castletown? It's the princess' birthday in a few weeks."
Zelda tapped a finger on the bar and lied, "I'm afraid not we're travelling to Hebra to see my uncle."
Link glanced sideways signalling to "wrap this up".
"I can see your partner isn't the chatty type." The barkeep stared at the Knight and Zelda watched his smile crumble a little. "Young romance warms my heart, for such a lovely couple I can do forty rupees for our best suite. It really adds to the romance."
"Two rooms," Link leaned across the bar making the owner jump. "And we're not a couple I'm just here to protect her."
"I didn't mean nothing by it," the owner protested his darkened expression was made a little lighter when Link pushed across three red rupees, which he quickly pocketed. "One room is first door on the left; the other is at the end of the corridor."
"Still doing food?" Link asked.
"There's should be a little stew left in the pot. It's best you get at it quickly before the King's men have their way with it."
Link nodded to him and led Zelda to a table in the corner. He sat down back to the wall and continued to scan the rest of the room. Something was definitely up with him.
"What's with you tonight?" Zelda asked. "You've been acting strange the minute we got to the door."
He continued to scan and said mutedly, "We shouldn't have come here it was stupid."
She continued to scan over his face and said, "Link, there's no need to be so worried about my father—"
"It's not that," Link said firmly. "Things got personal down in Gerudo and the Yiga want blood. Al' kept them off me for a while, probably the best thing he ever did for me, but they don't care about the rules anymore. If they find out I'm outside the capital they'll send their best to kill me, chances are they won't think twice about killing you either."
"That why we've been keeping away from civilization this whole trip…?"
Link nodded, still not even meeting her eyes.
"Fine… maybe you're right but we're here anyway and I don't see any scythes flying our direction," Zelda showed her hands up finally getting Link to look at her. "But that doesn't give you the right to act curt with the owner, he was just trying to be nice and—"
"He just wants your money."
"What's with you?" Zelda said.
Link sighed. "Look I'm sorry, just something doesn't feel right. It's like all my senses are firing off right now like I'm getting ready for a…" he trailed off.
"Fight?" Zelda finished.
"Right." He felt his back to see if the sword was still there, took a deep breath and sagged his shoulders a little.
When Link was worried it almost always meant trouble. She knew it was stupid to mistake it for fear, he was known as being fearless for a reason. Often Zelda wandered if that part of his brain was missing. Something had to help him charge headlong into some of the most feared beasts in the kingdom with not even a second thought. Still the storm wasn't letting up and there weren't any obvious threats.
"Those rooms are ready if you wanna take a look," the owner called from the bar.
After a few seconds Link had seemed to calm himself a little and got up from the table, shifting his coat back a little. "You coming?" he asked.
Zelda smiled at him, "I'm fine just please try not to make too much of a mess when you're searching the place."
Link faked a smile back even though he knew Zelda could tell and followed the owner into an open door.
Zelda looked back to the table and towards the pot of stew in the centre of the hall. Her stomach gurgled a little and she understood what it was like to be Link around food. Stretching her sore legs she got ready to get up.
"You mind if we join you?" Zelda looked up in surprise at the two guards stood in front of her table. "Don't worry we ain't selling anything, just curious is all."
Both men looked pretty rough but had faces she didn't recognise. The one on the right had a well-groomed thick moustache that had to be several years out of date, and the other a little grizzle. Moustache-man was tanned and had to be from the south, either Lurelin or part of the merchant tribes in Gerudo. The other looked more like Link, probably a local boy. Both had the colours of the Hateno garrison and if they had seen Zelda before they would've recognised her already.
"Sure, we could always use a little company," she said in the Hebran accent Link got her to learn. It had taken a while now but it seemed Zelda could pull it off pretty convincingly now, so long as neither of the guards were actually Hebran.
"Great!" the southerner replied. "L get some drinks for our new friend here."
The gruff Hateno man grunted and turned towards the bar.
"That's kind of you," Zelda smiled, the one she had practiced a thousand times in the mirror.
The guard smiled back. The silence seemed to drag on infinitely but eventually "L" made it back from the bar with four tankards.
"Here...we…are." The guard said slowly taking the drinks from his friend and handing to Zelda. "This is some of the best ale in the Kingdom, though they don't make booze quite like they do back in Gerudo."
Part of the merchant tribes it was. They were hardy people; the sorts who never stayed in one place for longer than a week and in such a hard environment life would constantly be a struggle to survive. Still Zelda found them to be quite pleasant or maybe that was just a show to get you to buy.
He opened his mouth again and said in a purring voice. "My apologies I forgot to get your names, you and your friend."
"Mine is Tetra and my friend is… Bryne," Zelda cursed herself silently as she stumbled over the last name. She was better than that, using his father's name it was like asking for the guy to figure it out.
"Bryne huh." the guards thought for a moment. "Funny we know a guy called Bryne he died a few years back unfortunate stuff. Your friend there doesn't look to different to him now I think about it."
Zelda changed the direction quickly, "So what exactly are your names…? If you don't mind me asking?"
"Certainly my dear," he smiled. "As you already know we call my friend here is L and me, my name is Asser."
Asser paused as a sudden burst of noise came from a table by the door. A drunkard had climbed up onto the table and began to give an impassioned speech to his companions. The rest of the hall seemed to find it amusing enough to pause their conversations. The Gerudan Hylian did not.
"Now Tetra… You both look well-travelled, I know Hebran coats when I see them I come to think of it I did see your friend there Fort Hateno with a cloaked figure not too long ago. So tell me, what brought you to this fair region of ours," his voice continued to purr.
Zelda swallowed, "My uncle has a farm here we were just—"
"You hear that friend her uncle has a farm," Asser turned to L with a smirk and as he turned back Zelda watched as the goodwill faded from his face. "Now I'm sorry to listen in because I'm a little nosey but I just overheard you telling the bartender you was travelling to Hebra to see an uncle."
"Yeah I did—"
"That's a lot of uncles you got there."
Zelda felt the atmosphere bomb and narrowed her eyes, "What? Can't people can have family all over."
"I meant nothing by it," He held his hands back the smile looking more artificial by the second. "... As I said, just curious is all."
The large room began to close in but Zelda kept her breath steady. There was no way she was giving them any information, whether it be from talking or anything they could gage from her body language. She glanced over to the door for a moment wishing Link would just wrap up and come down those stares.
Asser took a swig and zoned in, "Say your friend there sure is a curious figure, come to think there's just something about him I recognise and I just can't get my head around it."
"He's here to protect me," Zelda said as a calm threat only making Asser grin a little wider. She was playing right into his hands.
"Of course it's dangerous anywhere outside of central Hyrule and of course—" he held a hand to his chest. "—we are in the business of protecting folks. In fact there have been sightings of Yiga in the area. They hide in plain sight disguising themselves as normal Hylians. Of course they try to keep out of the way a little. There's only one thing that helps us find them… they travel in pairs."
Zelda's stomach plummeted. The guard thought she was a Yiga assassin. That meant more prying and it would only be so long until her put the real picture together and that meant more danger here, and a storm when they got back home.
"So what did you say your family does?"
"I didn't," Zelda said quickly and then continued as the guard raised his eyebrows. "My family are just ranchers."
Asser spat to the side and took another swig, his face was getting nasty and his friend's wasn't much better. "Now Miss Tetra you better not be lying to me."
"Of course not."
"Then tell me why in the twilight a rancher family would hire some goon to protect their daughter and how in Hyrule they can even afford it on a farming wage? Come to think about it how do they afford coats lined with Rito feathers?"
Zelda hesitated.
"There a problem here?" Link slammed his hands on the table his stern voice making the two men jump a little.
"Maybe there—" Asser paused as he glanced to Link's blue earrings.
His friend grunted at him waking him back up out of whatever weird trance he was in.
"We'll take our leave," Asser announced standing up to his friends surprise. "Have a good night."
They watched the two guards take their leave and return to the table stacked with the Hateno Garrison. Link's eyes lingered on them for a while until finally he unclenched his fists and brought his hands up off the table.
"What's going on," he growled.
Zelda swallowed even with them on the other side of the room the tension was palpable. Link himself looked poised to leap across at them.
"They think we're Yiga," Zelda whispered. "There's no need to worry Link they're not going to hurt me. They're my father's men if they knew who I was, all it would do is cause a row with him."
Link nodded but still kept his eyes on them, "Let's get to our rooms, food will have to wait until tomorrow."
Zelda's protests lasted only a few seconds when she realised Link wasn't shifting. In fact, it was probably better to put as many doors between the knight and the two men as possible; Link looked ready to kick off. He led her up the stairs and to the right, opening the door into a short corridor with four hefty doors.
"Lock the door and don't open it unless you're sure it's me," he said firmly in a tone that did not invite a reply.
Zelda slipped into the room and felt it close heavily behind her.
The celling seemed to swirl above him. Link stared at it wide open, his eyes barely even blinking. The spread of the comfortable bed felt like rocks beneath him as he tried to calm his body down.
They were just guards after all. They didn't even know who they were and they wouldn't just attack Hylians at random, under suspicion of being a Yiga agent. Zelda was right even if they did figure it out, the most that would happen would just be an argument with her father about wasting time. Since the King himself was fond of Link there would be few consequences for him. That was even if the garrison bothered to report to the King anyway, Link's father had headed it when he was much younger and had complained to Link many times of their idleness.
The only thing Link had to worry about was the King finding out how close he and Zelda had gotten over the past few weeks. He had practically taken a dump on the rules, regulations and common etiquette of an honourable Knight.
Even that did little to explain the surge of adrenalin passing through him. Why was he so hopped up all of a sudden? Ever since the owner had opened the door his body had been on overdrive, and it didn't look like it was going to stop anytime soon.
He shifted to one side and then to the other before sitting up. Nothing was working. Maybe this was a consequence of letting more emotion in. He had dialled all his instincts to eleven, all because he was terrified of something happening to Zelda. Was this what Al' was talking about when he told him to kill that side of himself.
There was a clatter from outside and Link was already on his feet ready. His sword had already found its way to its hand. The dark silhouette of the door seemed to come closer, getting larger but Link blinked away the illusion. Maybe he was just tired and hearing things, he had gotten a lack of sleep over the past few days; his head had been particularly busy.
Never mind, he had already slipped through the door, one hand on the hilt of the Mastersword, the other around its sheath. The corridor stretched out before him and the darkness and silence dragged out the seconds into eternities. Link crept across the floor shifting his weight slowly from one for to the other, making no sound at all. There were no sounds only the blood pounding away beneath his ears.
"Hey…" Zelda threw her arms around Link's side warming him up instantly. "I was going to sneak into your room but it looks like you had the same idea. Pretty risky huh? If my father knew what was going on we'd be—"
She looked at Link for a moment. Link's body was ready to lash out at something, even the slightest micro movement in the corner of his eyes. Something was wrong, he could just feel it. Though, all through there the darkness there wasn't a sight or sound, only Zelda there beside him.
Zelda placed a palm on his chest and felt Link heart beating madly beneath.
"Hey you know it's okay to be a little nervous," she whispered her hand trailing up towards his face.
Normally it would've been enough to send Link crazy but instead he ignored her and homed in on the curtains towards the end of the corridor. He stared over them, arms itching to move at anything.
"Link what's—"
A rustle of the fabric and Link lunged forwards in a wide slash slicing through the curtains and whatever lay beneath them. The rustic fabric fell to the ground flat revealing nothing but a window looking out over the dark road.
Zelda laughed a little, "Well done sir Link if I ever I need protecting from curtains I'll be sure to ask for your courageous services. Now will you please calm down and—"
Link saw a light in the distance, far out along the road. Something was wrong, something was very wrong. His senses had to be doing this for a reason. There had to be a reason. He turned and ran down the corridor still keeping his feet a light as possible.
"Will you tell me what the—"
Her voice faded as Link rushed into the main hall leaving the door wide open behind him. His legs flew down the stairs as he came into the light of the hallway.
The two guards from before, Asser and L sat on the tables, still drinking. Link's hand clasped tight around the sword. Zelda rushed behind him fear wild in her eyes.
"Ah good to see you again friend!" Asser swayed a little but his voice remained unaffected by the alcohol. "Care to have a drink? The barkeep said to just pay when we're done."
Something was wrong, just looking at the guard sent his senses crazy. His sword arm was itching like crazy now.
"Link!" Zelda called out. "Don't they're just guards. I don't know what's happening but it's okay, they're just guards."
Asser looked at Link now with extra caution. "It's you? Look I'm sorry about before we had no idea. The lads are just a little rustled about the Yiga infiltrating everywhere, can never be too careful you know…"
Link stared at him hard. It wasn't helping, the Mastersword was calling to him to strike now, strike hard. It was him, it had to be him. Without the element of surprise he'd be nothing and they'd be one less Yiga down.
"If he was a Yiga he'd have attacked already, Link please calm down," Zelda was moving forwards to him slowly treating him like Link treated horses, soft voice gradual movements.
There was no calming down. They were in danger, his senses never lied, and they never came alive unless something was wrong. Worst of all though, the fight focus had left and all that remained was a raw unmoving anger.
Asser opened his mouth again and Link was on him in a second, slamming him against the wall and waiting for the Yiga cards to fall and that red painted eye to stare back at him.
"Link…" Zelda called.
He wasn't changing. They always changed at this point. Instead of a red eye two fearful dark brown pearls stared back at him. With dread Link realised he was wrong. His senses had betrayed him. The only remaining question was what was making him be like this. Was he going crazy?
"Link…" Zelda croaked.
Asser's fearful eyes weren't looking at him and Link let him fall to the ground and turned. L had gone and now all that remained was the skin-tight red painted garb and that ever gleaming eye staring at him. Scythe curled around the princess' neck.
"Drop the sword," the Yiga hissed.
Link held the sword in front and brought it down calmly. Asser was gasping for air beside him, Link had shoved him hard. The sword was almost on the floor now.
"I thought I was done for, you were close boy just not close enough," he laughed hideously beneath the mask. "I can't believe I've actually got you."
Link glided his hand up his leg, slowly removing the knife strapped to his leg and bringing it up out of view.
He shifted from one foot to another, he was a rookie, likely just came across them by chance.
He loosened his grip on Zelda, "Don't worry we won't be here for long. They'll be here soon. Call for help and I won't hesitate to paint the floor with a lovely new red. I know you won't though, even if it means you'll just both be dead in a few minutes."
Link paused cocked his head to the side and smiled. Be ready. Zelda smiled back. With a rapid motion the knife flew and lodged into his shoulder. Zelda slammed her elbow into the Yiga's stomach and he crouched over with a choke and splutter.
He barely had a chance to recover as Link ran into him sending him barrelling across the floor thumping at the base of the stairs.
"Link!" Zelda shouted, kicking the Mastersword over.
He grabbed the blade with a roll and sliced through the Yiga watching him dissolve into a mist of black magic and cards.
Link stood there, frozen in position panting. Finally the sounds of the room flooded in around him. Asser was sitting by the wall head in his hands, wondering how he had fallen for the lies of his friend for almost a year.
"What did he mean 'they'll be here soon'?" Zelda asked.
Link's blood still wasn't settled. Everything was in overdrive. The assassin's words, that light in the distance and finally he remembered the last time he'd been like this before. Finally that emotion, the one bubbling beneath the surface showed its face, plummeting through his body like a falling rock.
"OUT HERE KIDDO"
It dropped to the bottom and exploded out in pure rage.
"DON'T TELL ME YOU DIDN'T MISS ME"
Link wiped off his sword, hands physically shaking. The hammering of the rain seemed to increase in intensity.
"He wants you to follow him. If you go you'll be handing the control over to him," Zelda breathed her breath going almost as heavy as Link's.
Link wasn't going to listen though and Zelda knew it. He barged through the front door and into the night, rain quickly reducing Zelda's calls to nothing. All that mattered were the riders in front.