Trigger Warning! (Maybe?): Descriptions of torture in this chapter, skip to the end if you don't want the graphic parts. There will also be a basic depiction of what happened in the author's note at the end, as it'll be important to know some things for future chapters.


Chapter 4

Link

Even though he wanted to sleep, he had a difficult time doing so. His nightmare and the events of earlier weighed heavily on his mind. Eventually though, the calming familiarity of his his room and the soft sounds of nature from outside lulled him to sleep.

Unfortunately, his rest was interrupted by nightmares yet again: his encounter with the Yiga seven years ago.

_/|||\_

Link ran from where he had left Zelda. He had known the Sheikah researchers for a while now. He had stumbled inside the house, overheard some of their conversation, and gave them information on what he had seen and heard of the person they were searching for (he didn't like his neighbor Vaati much anyway). He knew they would keep her safe. He knew the layout of this neighborhood like the back of his hand. He heard the men behind him, and went faster; he had to make sure that they didn't get to her.

For several minutes, he raced away from the Yiga, sometimes leading them into places only he could slip through, while they had to figure out another way to reach him. Suddenly, the larger man picked up the small lithe one and threw him to Link. The man tackled him and they skidded a few feet. Link could feel the burn of the sidewalk through his clothing.

Instead of grasping at Link's shirt this time, the Yiga tightened a fist around his throat, only barely not choking him. "Little brat... what should we do with him, Sooga?"

Sooga grumbled. "He may know the girl's whereabouts, Ghirahim, and it is imperative that we get her. We will take him back to the main hideout and interrogate him there."

The thinner man, Ghirahim grinned. "You hear that, boy? Oh, this will be fun..." He dragged a sharp blade down the right side of Link's face, leaving a shallow, stinging cut.

_/|||\_

The Yiga teleported to their base, bound Link and shoved him in a dark room. He could still feel blood dripping slightly from the slice to his face. He knew that was soon going to endure something awful, and yet... I would do ANYTHING to keep her safe. They left him there for a few hours before grabbing him roughly and chaining him to a hard metal table.

The thin man from earlier, Ghirahim, brought a sharp blade to his throat. "Okay, brat. Answer my questions, and you might just be able to go home. Now, where is your little friend?" Link refused to speak, instead glaring directly at the man.

"So we're doing this the hard way, huh?" Ghirahim undid the chains and pulled Link up. What is he doing? His question was answered soon enough. The man took chains, forced him to face the wall, and restrained him. The Yiga grabbed something Link couldn't see, and stalked over to him. The next thing he heard was a loud crack. What was that supposed t- "AAAAGH!" The shout rang from his mouth. The pain had suddenly arrived with the intensity of fiery brand.

Ghirahim sneered. "Ready to talk now, brat?" Link glared at him again. I will tell you NOTHING, you traitor. The Yiga grinned. "So be it."

For what felt like ages, Ghirahim beat his body with the whip, only occasionally pausing to ask him of Zelda's whereabouts. But he would not speak. Any... anything for Zel...da. M-y Zel.

At some point, the thin man stopped whipping him, but left him hanging by his wrists. "You won't win. We'll break you eventually, and then we'll finally have her." Ghirahim traced a finger down Link's arm, then suddenly brought his face next to Link's. He breathed on the side of his face, and Link squirmed, trying to get away. The Yiga grabbed Link's face and dragged a finger over the thin scab that had begun to form. "This... will be the most fun I've had... in a while..."

Ghirahim pushed Link's head to the side and dragged his tongue over Link's neck. Link shivered and tried to move away again, but the man and chains held him fast. "Hmm, you're no fun. Now, tell me where that girl is, or there will be consequences."

Before Link could even think of what that could be, an indescribable pain shot through his shin. He screamed and his vision grew fuzzy for a few seconds. When he was able to see again, he looked to the source of that pain. Bile rose in his throat as he saw his shin split in half. Before he could struggle more, Ghirahim snapped the other shin, bringing the searing pain to his other leg.

The Yiga grabbed his face again, but instead of dragging his tongue across Link's neck, he drew it over the slice he had made. He then drew back "Ah, so long since I've tasted blood... But I think that's enough for today, don't you think, boy?"

Link did not deign to answer him, instead glaring at the pale, angry face before him. Ghirahim sighed. "And now I have to punish you again." Link pulled himself away, trying to keep away from the splitting pain that was sure to be inflicted. The Yiga grabbed his right hand and snapped two of the fingers there, before looking at him in disgust.

"So soft, pathetic. You will not keep her safe for long, boy." And he left Link hanging there, with broken bones and swelling welts.

_/|||\_

Link awoke the next day, feeling worse than before. He honestly wasn't sure if he really could keep Zelda safe. But if I te-ell... I'll have fail-ed her. I c-can't do that. I WON'T.

The Yiga from the day before, Ghirahim, walked coolly in, clearly just as determined as Link. B-ut I can't t-tell. WON'T. "Ready to tell me where she is, boy? If not, we can arrange more... persuasion." An evil grin darkened the man's face as he came closer. Link once again glared, though it was not as fierce as before. "...All right then. Let's begin."

Ghirahim started with the breaking of the rest of Link's fingers, asking about Zelda every two fingers. Though the pain was intense, he knew that these people wanted nothing good from his friend, and he would not be the cause of her capture.

The man walked away for a second, muttering to himself. A minute later, he unchained Link from the wall and dragged him over to the metal table from yesterday, then binding him to it. He brought out a serrated black knife, and brought it to Link's throat again. Though the boy was in pain, he refused to break eye contact with his torturer.

"Why won't you just tell me where your stupid friend is?! You would be in much less pain, and you might have even been rewarded!" For the first time since his capture, Link spoke.

"I w-will never tell you traitorous cow-ards where sh-she is." Despite his shaky, cracked voice, his tone was venomous and words determined. Ghirahim snarled with unrestrained, animalistic anger. The Yiga didn't say anything, gave no warning before lashing out with his knife. He cut into Link's skin, disregarding previous injuries. The lines were random, and over the whole front side of his body.

At one point, Ghirahim wrenched the chains off and flipped him onto his stomach. His back and legs were cut again and again, bleeding profusely. Each time, he cried out in pain until his voice was too hoarse to make any noise. Once Ghirahim stopped, he slumped and began convulsing weakly. He was losing too much blood; he was going to die. The Yiga snarled in his ear: "That's what you get, you pathetic boy. We'll find the Hyrule girl without you."

Link tried to move, to stop him, but his injuries were too great, and Ghirahim too strong. He felt Ghirahim's tongue pass over him again, before the man slammed Link's head into the table, and everything went dark.

The next thing he had remembered was waking in the hospital with Zelda's hand on his, her safe and whispering comforting words to him as tears trickled down his cheeks.


A/N: Basically, Link was tortured by a Yiga named Ghirahim, who was trying to get where Zelda was out of Link. Link didn't give up and went through a lot of pain, wanting to do anything for her. Eventually, he was rescued by a team organized by Impa, a strong Sheikah woman working as an agent of sorts, who aids in the capture of Yiga and protection of the members of the Alliance Council. He gets to the Central Hospital, where he slowly recovers, and Zelda is there for him while he does. Hope you guys like this story so far! :)