XXI – Airborne
Had Impa been a Guardian, then Sheik would have died at least a hundred times that morning. He could literally feel her red eyes burn holes into his back. Ever since he had entered the tavern that morning to get his breakfast she was looking at him, watching his every move, studying his face, his posture. It was an understatement to say that it unnerved him. No, he felt threatened by her stare. What does she know? What else did I do last night to make a fool out of myself? he thought as he desperately tried to lose her attention.
He eventually saw her getting up from her chair and walking towards the door, but before she left, he felt her hand on his shoulder and her lips close to his ears. "We need to talk."
"Has she always been that scary?" Paya asked while munching on a piece of bread, relieved to be fed something other than fish.
"Not that I remember," Sheik mumbled. "She's your grandmother. You should know."
"Where is Link? I haven't seen him since he left that annoyingly charming Zora prince last night."
"How would I know?" Sheik answered, hastily stuffing his mouth with some fruit.
Paya lifted an eyebrow, watching him closely. "Don't you share a room?"
Sheik, suddenly feeling hot, pretended to be indifferent, and shrugged. "So what? Am I his babysitter?"
"I was just asking if you knew where he was. No reason to get all flustered."
"I'm not flustered." Dammit Sheik, don't lose your cool. Just act normal.
Paya eyed him suspiciously but before she could offer another remark, Link interrupted her by bursting into the tavern, striding towards their table. His face looked serious.
"Sheik. Paya. Please meet me outside, it's urgent."
Impa gently caressed the falcon's head with the tip of her finger, holding a folded paper in her other hand. She wordlessly handed it over to Sheik and Paya, and when Sheik unfolded the slip, he recognised Robbie's messy handwriting.
"Translate it," Impa said, "for Link."
"Rito Village has been annihilated by a divine beast. The Rito are taking shelter in the Hebra mountain. Don't come back to Akkala. Make a stop-over at Hateno first. Purah is waiting for you," Sheik read out loud while simultaneously translating Robbie's message from Sheikah into Hylian.
They all exchanged uncomfortable glances, though Sheik wasn't sure whether Impa's unhappy face was due to the fact that Rito village was destroyed or because she had to meet her eccentric sister.
"We shouldn't delay then," Link said.
"Gather your things and say your goodbyes. We'll meet outside the domain in an hour," Impa said and released the falcon back into the sky. "Sheik, I need to talk to you. Alone."
They waited until everyone had disappeared and sat down on a wooden bench.
"I know you still despise me, but you should know the full story. I know you are biased against the things I did or the person you think I am, but I want to give you the chance to reevaluate your opinion."
Sheik watched her as she folded her hands. Her face suddenly looked older than usual and betrayed her actual age. She gave him a sad smile before she continued.
"As you know, Paya is my granddaughter. She is the daughter of my only son and a Hylian woman. Her mother died when she was little and I took her in and raised her. Taught her the ways of the Sheikah although there were people who frowned upon it because she is of mixed blood. But Paya is not my only grandchild, for her father had another child with his wife. A Sheikah woman. One of pure blood. Elder blood."
She took a deep breath and looked Sheik in the eyes. "That child...is you, Sheik."
Sheik's face lost all colour as he stared at her. He had expected all kinds of stories – but not this. Impa was his grandmother, and that made Paya his half-sister. As much as he wished to believe it was just a lie, he knew that it was the truth.
"So you knew my mother," he stated.
Impa nodded. "Your mother was very dear to me, Sheik. Her death pained me and still does."
"And your son left his wife and his child to rot and die because he wanted to fuck a Hylian and have a pleasant life?! Do you even know what we had to endure in that goddess-forsaken place?!"
"Sheik, please calm down."
Sheik stood up so abruptly that he almost knocked over the bench. "Calm down? She died because he abandoned her and wasn't there to protect her when those Hylian bastards raped her, killed her and burned down our houses!"
Impa stood up as well and raised her voice to a menacing tone. "I am well aware that he hasn't treated you fairly and I am not defending him, although he is my son. But we are family Sheik, and so is Paya, if you like it or not. And I cannot stand to see you treat her like that. She doesn't deserve to suffer the consequences of your misery. She is an innocent child and her mother was an honourable woman who knew nothing of your father's double life."
She sighed. "Sheik, I know you hate me because I pledged allegiance to the crown, but hear me out. As the chieftain of Kakariko, it is my duty to keep my people and village safe. I wanted to spare them the fate of the exiled and hunted Sheikah. Your mother's fate. Your fate. And also Valen's fate. By bending the knee I was able to offer our people a safe haven and a comfortable life."
Sheik had a hard time controlling his emotions and holding back the tears burning in his eyes. He wanted to scream at her, punch her in the face, make her suffer for everything she ever did to him, but he just stood there and stared at her.
"Why are you telling me this? Why now?" he said, pressing his lips together to stop them from trembling.
"Because I did not want you to hear it from Purah," she simply said. "There are things I wish to talk to you about that concern your mother, but now is not the time. Come see me when you are ready."
She turned around and started to walk away.
"Do you know where he is?" he called after her, but she just shook her head. "Hurry up Sheik, we will leave soon."
The ride to Hateno was painfully long and uneventful. Impa was leading the party and Sheik had opted to ride alone, keeping a distance between him and the others on purpose.
"Did something happen?" Link asked Paya.
Paya turned her head to look back and sighed. "Even gloomier than usual? No, but Impa wanted to talk with him earlier."
"I've never met a person as moody as him. You never know if he's willing to talk to you or kill you."
Paya laughed. "Missing the prince yet?"
"You mean Sidon? Well, he's a very engaging person and has a cheerful disposition. It's easy to be around him."
"Yeah, I can see that," she said, wearing a smug grin on her face. "He likes you."
"Well, yes, he is a nice person," Link shrugged.
"I mean, he likes you. Don't tell me you didn't realise that he was flirting with you."
A blush crept over Link's face. Of course he had noticed. All the little touches here and there, the wide smiles, the obvious glances.
"Paya. He is a Zora prince. And a man," he said, hoping to sound somewhat convincing. Sheik might feel indifferent to the fact that he was gay, but Paya might not, and he wasn't ready to come out anytime soon. Link wasn't sure if he was imagining things, but Paya looked a little relieved.
"Are you seeing someone, by the way?"
Link groaned inwardly. Why was she being so nosy? He shook his head. "Not currently, no."
"But is there someone you like?"
"Stop pestering him, Paya. You should know better than to ask private questions," Impa called out from the front, rebuking her with her stern glare. "We're almost there."
When they rode through the main gate into Hateno, the sun had just started to set and painted the village in a soft orange glow. Link had never been in that part of East Necluda and in Hateno specifically, but it was a very cultured and cosy village surrounded by woods and fields to the south and west and by Mount Lanayru to the north.
They stopped when they had finally reached the lab situated on a hill, just slightly outside the village, and dismounted, leaving their horses to graze. Impa collected herself before attempting to knock on the door. Her knuckles hadn't even touched the wooden surface when the door swung open, revealing a Sheikah teenage girl with a very big smile.
"My dear sister!" she screamed and pulled the Sheikah chieftain into a tight hug. "And my great niece and neph..."
Impa pressed her hand against Purah's mouth to stop her from babbling and gave her a warning glance. When she released her, Purah quietly hugged Paya and held out a hand to Sheik and Link.
"I am Purah," she introduced herself, "Impa's older sister."
Link's jaw dropped. "Older sister?!"
Purah giggled. "I know I don't look it. I have good genes."
"You were experimenting with Sheikah runes again, despite all warnings," Impa grumbled, visibly annoyed by her sibling.
"Grumpy as always, dear sister," Purah laughed and invited them in. "Come, come. I see you've got Robbie's message. He didn't mention that your Hylian knight would be so handsome," she said and winked at Link.
Sheik groaned and rolled his eyes. He still had not gotten over the fact that he was actually related to Impa and Paya and couldn't stand another woman to drool over Link, especially not a 65 year old looking fifteen.
Symin, Purah's assistant, greeted them when they sat around a messy table and brought tea for everyone.
"Why did you want to see us?" Impa asked, crossing her arms, "Robbie said that Rito Village has been annihilated. I hope this is important."
Purah nodded. "It is. Sheik, I need you to give me the Sheikah slate."
Sheik removed the slate from his belt and hesitantly held it out to her. "What for?"
She took it and turned it on, browsing through the system. "As expected. The slate needs a few updates, mainly for a higher performance and better maps. I created a new rune that will be invaluable for your further travels. Well, technically it existed before, but I reworked it and can download it to the slate. How does that sound?"
Sheik furrowed his brows. "What does it do?"
"It's a teleportation rune."
"Teleporwhat?" Link asked, looking profoundly confused.
"How does it work?" Sheik asked, his interest now piqued.
"Good that you ask," Purah beamed, "do you remember the ancient Sheikah towers? The ones you activated?"
Sheik nodded. Of course he remembered.
"Once the rune is installed to your slate, you can target any tower that you want to teleport to. You just need to connect the slate to the slab on a tower and then choose a location from your map. Makes travelling a breeze, doesn't it?" Purah explained.
"How many people can teleport at once?" Sheik asked.
"Originally only one. But I told you that I reworked the ancient rune. It can now teleport up to two people at once."
"Have you actually tested it?" Impa said, lifting one eyebrow.
Purah kept smiling innocently and Symin coughed in the background. "Of course," she lied.
"So you haven't," Sheik stated, "and now we shall serve you as human guinea pigs, ain't that right?"
"You're too smart for your own good," Purah sighed, walked over to the guidance stone hanging from the ceiling and put the slate into the mount of the pedestal underneath. The stone hummed softly as it started to download the rune to the slate.
"This may take a while. It's a pretty big rune after all and I need to add some updates. In the meanwhile, we should have a chat."
The small group left the lab a few hours later and checked in to the only inn available in all of Hateno. Purah had offered them to stay at the lab, but everyone had politely declined after having endured the researcher's painstaking interrogation. The innkeeper asked them if they were hungry and offered them a table outside near the fireplace where the cook was still busy slapping pieces of beef and chicken on the grill.
"I can't wait to taste some meat," Link sighed happily as he sunk into the chair and stretched his tired legs. He glanced at Sheik who was slumped down on his chair, looking still unhappy and somewhat exhausted. A first serving was brought before them and they all dug in, thankful for the tasty meal and for having a small break.
Link had just asked Impa about Purah's age experiment when someone approached their table and stopped next to his seat.
"Link, is that you?" the man, wearing a straw hat and a pair of farming overalls, asked.
Link turned around and eyed the man, his heart suddenly dropping down to this pants. He nodded slowly and looked visibly uncomfortable.
"Do you...mind if we talk in private?" the man said, digging his fists deeper into his pockets.
"Excuse me for a moment," Link said to his companions and got up from his chair, walking away with the farmer, and noticing the questioning look Sheik and Paya threw at him. When they were out of sight and earshot, Link stopped and looked at Medda, the man who had been his first – but unrequited – love.
"What do you want?" he asked.
"I...I never thought I would run into you again," Medda said, looking tired. "What are you doing in Hateno?"
Link shrugged. "Just passing through. Why?"
"Are you a soldier of the royal army?" Medda asked, having noticed the cape with the royal sigil on its back.
"A knight," Link answered, "Princess Zelda's personal knight."
Medda's eyes widened in admiration. "Wow. Congratulations, Link. You really made it."
Not because of you, Link thought bitterly. "What brings you here?"
"I live here," Medda pointed at a house close to the village's main gate, "with my daughter Aster."
"I see," Link said, "again. What do you want from me?"
Medda swallowed. "You must hate me."
Link laughed. "You made me an outcast. I was only thirteen when my father kicked me out of the house. Out of the family."
Medda looked down at his shoes. "I am sorry, Link. I really am."
Link snorted. "If you despise people like me so much, who do you even bother talking to me now?"
"I don't despise you!" he protested, "I was young and confused – and scared. Link, I...I liked you back then, I really did. I liked when you kissed me, but I was scared and I couldn't come to terms with how I felt."
Link stared at him in disbelief. "You what? You put me through an emotional hell and now you tell me that you liked me?"
Medda bit his lip and nodded. "I feel terrible for what I did to you. But that's exactly what I was afraid of if we were found out. Don't you understand? I never stopped thinking about you."
"You've got to be kidding me," Link mumbled.
Medda took a step closer and gently cupped Link's chin, looking into his eyes.
"Can you forgive me?" he whispered and then leaned in and pressed his lips against Link's.
Link's brain took a moment to process what was going on, but when he saw Sheik from the corner of his eyes, he pushed Medda away and gave him a hard shove. "Don't you dare lay hands on me, Medda!" he said angrily, "you are 10 years late to acknowledge your feelings for me. Don't ever approach me again!" He turned around and ran after Sheik who had witnessed the kiss and had already disappeared inside the inn. Dammit Medda! he cursed, why are you always ruining everything?
Sheik was already in their shared room when Link entered, and was busy packing away his weapons.
"Sheik...I am sorry."
Sheik gave him a cold look. "What for?" he asked.
"I...I didn't want to kiss him."
Sheik shrugged. "Who you kiss is your business, not mine," he said and tried to sound as indifferent as possible. "I just wasn't aware that you have lovers in each village we visit."
"What?! I don't have any lovers!" Link protested.
"As I said. It's none of my business. You don't have to vindicate yourself." He removed his traditional Sheikah overcoat and climbed into bed, turned his back to Link and pulled the covers up to his nose, leaving Link standing in the room like an idiot.
Lovers in each village we visit? Is he...jealous? Link thought as he proceeded to wash his teeth and face and get ready for bed. And as he doused the candles and climbed into the other bed, he felt, for the first time in a long time, like crying.
They arrived at the foot of the tower in the early morning. Link tightened the warm cape around his tired body and yawned. He barely had gotten a few hours of sleep, and the coffee had failed to work its magic. He dismounted and patted his horse on the neck, pulled the reins over its head and gave them to Paya. Then he removed a large bag that he had fastened behind the saddle and that contained the haul of their early shopping trip – namely warm clothes and a few provisions.
"Are you ready?" Sheik asked, one foot already in the climbing structure.
"Not really," Link mumbled. Heights still scared him and his trust in Purah's new rune, after her age-reversing experiment had gone wrong, was wavering.
"Take care," Paya said and pulled Link into a quick hug. When she released him, her cheeks and the tips of her ears were pink.
"You too," he answered.
"Keep in touch," Impa said and gently tapped against the Sheikah slate attached to her belt.
Link followed Sheik up the tower with a beating heart. After their last climb, he had wished to never set foot on a tower ever again, but here they were again. When they finally arrived at the top, he took a moment to lean against a pillar and calm his breathing.
"I hate these towers," he mumbled.
Sheik removed the slate from his belt, put it in the mount of the pedestal and activated the tower. The screen lit up and automatically switched to teleportation mode, showing a map of Hyrule with all the available towers. Link slowly walked over to the pedestal. "Are you still mad at me?" he asked, looking at Sheik whose forehead still bore a deep angry wrinkle in the space between his eyebrows.
Sheik didn't answer, but his finger hovered over the screen, then zoomed in on the Tabantha frontier and the tower it displayed. "Are you ready to try out the new rune?"
"Not really. How does it even work?" Link asked, unsure.
"Our bodies will dissipate and reintegrate in another place."
"Excuse me?!"
"Let's hope I don't end up with your head on my shoulders," Sheik said sternly, "since Purah hasn't tested the new rune and we all know how her age-reversing experiment ended."
Link groaned. "Are you serious?!"
"I am," Sheik lied and fastened the slate back to his belt. "Now, come on, we don't have all day. Give me your hand."
Link took Sheik's outstretched hand hesitantly and interlaced their fingers. Sheik activated the rune and Link felt a tingle in his body, starting from his head to his toes. He closed his eyes and waited with a beating heart. Underneath the tower, Impa and Paya watched as the boys' bodies slowly disappeared in a blue light and then they were gone.
The first thing Link felt was a cold breeze and a pain behind his eyes. When he dared open them, he was both relieved and somewhat surprised to see himself in one piece, standing atop another tower – but with a whole different view. Vast, snowy mountains spread out before him and he knew that it had worked. And then nausea hit him, and he let go of Sheik's hand and sunk to his knees, holding the content of his stomach down.
"Are you okay?" Sheik asked. Apart from a slight dizziness, he didn't feel any different.
"I feel sick," Link muttered, taking deep breaths. Sheik knelt down beside him and put a hand on his back, gently rubbing the space between his shoulder blades. Link shuddered slightly from the touch, but the nausea tailed off.
"I'm better, thanks," he said and slowly stood up.
"Good," Sheik said and strapped the bag to his back, "then it's time for our descent."
The scale of devastation in the former Rito Village was immense. The nest-like structures of the Rito buildings had been burned down to ashes and few splinters here and there, and the wooden bridges and boardwalks bore huge holes and were no longer walkable.
"Dammit..." Link said, "only few months back, I was here and could enjoy the Rito's hospitality and now everything has been burned down to ashes."
Sheik nodded, his eyes staring emptily into the distance, as if he was seeing something completely else, yet similar.
A sudden screeching sound in the sky, like the cry of a hawk, made them both look upwards. A divine beast was circling the area, the laser cannons moving around to capture any movement.
"Stay still," Sheik said, but Link had noticed that one of the cannons had already stopped moving and was fixated on them.
"Too late. Run, Sheik!" Link grabbed Sheik's hand and dashed off. They sprinted towards an alcove in the rock and squeezed inside, just before a laser beam went off and set a tree on fire. Sheik felt like a sandwich, with his back pressed flat against the rock and Link's body pressed tightly against his chest. He turned his head away and stared at the wall. Link's closeness made him feel comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time.
"I'm sorry," Link mumbled as he reluctantly tried to put a little distance between them. Sheik's closeness made his head swim despite the threat looming outside.
They held out in the small alcove until the beast's distant screech signalled them that it was gone out of sight, and emerged from their hiding place when they heard a flapping of wings.
"Link! Is that you?" the Rito warrior asked.
"Teba," Link answered, "you are alive!"
Teba nodded, but grimaced, his left wing hanging limply from his side.
"You're injured," Sheik said.
"Yeah, Harth and I tried to take on Medoh by ourselves, and that fucker managed to graze my wing. What are you doing here?"
"We came to help," Link answered.
Teba gave first Link and then Sheik a suspicious look and then shook his head. "Not to be rude, but you don't have wings. How do you want to tackle an enemy that's soaring high in the sky?"
"We'll figure something out," Link answered, "but shouldn't we get going before it returns?"
Teba nodded. "Follow me. I'll fly low."
The further up the mountain trail took them, the gladder Link was for bringing warm clothes from Hateno. The snow crunched under their boots and Sheik wound the scarf tighter around his neck and lower face. When the outlines of a small village finally came into sight, the sky had clouded up again and started to unload the masses of snow it contained. Teba brought them inside one of the bigger lodges and made them sit down next to the fireplace. Sheik could feel the other Rito's eyes on him as he took off the warm winter coat and revealed his long, silver hair and the Sheikah symbol on his overcoat, but no one said a thing. A moment later, Teba returned with another Rito at his heels.
"Link, may I introduce you to Harth, a Rito warrior and my best friend. Harth, this is Link, a Hylian soldier and this is...?"
"Sheik," Sheik answered.
"Right. Sheik of the Sheikah?"
Sheik nodded, although he hated to be introduced by Sheik of the Sheikah, as people had often made fun of his name in the past.
"Not the best time to visit Rito Village," Harth said bitterly. His black feathers glistened in the dim light of the fire.
"We didn't come for a visit," Link said, "we came to help you with the divine beast."
Harth's reaction was about the same than Teba's, but Teba cut him off. "How exactly do you plan on helping us get Medoh back under control?" he asked.
Sheik removed the Sheikah slate and held it up. "With his," he said, "once I gain access to the beast's internal system, I can reprogram it or set it back to its primary setting."
"The beast's system has likely been infected by a vile creature that launches the attacks," Link added.
"How do you know so much about it?" Teba asked, narrowing his eyes.
"I'm a Sheikah," Sheik said, "my people built these machines long ago."
"We've eliminated this kind of threat before," Link added, "Vah Rudania and Vah Ruta had overrun Goron city and Zora's domain, too. We know what we are dealing with."
"And how do you plan to get inside?" Harth asked, "apart from Medoh's flight altitude and the freezing temperatures, the beast is not accessible. It has produced a protective barrier around itself that is impenetrable."
"Impenetrable but disconnectable," Sheik answered.
"Is there any way that you could help us get into the sky?" Link asked, afraid of the answer.
Teba looked them up and down, put the tip of his wing to his chin and hummed. "You don't look too heavy," he said "if you rode on our backs..."
"No way!" Harth interjected, "I am not carrying humans so high up. I cannot carry such a weight and shoot arrows at the same time, it's just not possible."
"You won't need to," Sheik said, "both Link and I know how to handle a bow. If you could get us close, we can shoot."
"Teba's wing is injured," Harth began, but Teba cut him off. "I'm fine. The laser only grazed me, I can still fly. Harth, we cannot refuse help. We barely managed to damage one of the cannons. Sheik is right, we need to help them gain access to its interior."
Harth sighed but gave in. "Alright then. We will try again tomorrow."
"Just one quick question," Link said nervously, "can we do a test run before we start?"
Both Harth and Teba gave him a weird look and Sheik couldn't hold back a snort.
"He's afraid of heights," he said, ignoring Link's pleading eyes.
"Oh great," Harth moaned.
Link nervously walked up and down the place like a bear in a cage while they were waiting for Teba and Harth to arrive.
"I feel sick," he muttered and started to bite his nails.
"You'll be fine," Sheik sighed and grabbed Link's wrist, pulling his hand away from his mouth, "just don't look down."
Link rolled his eyes at him and wriggled free. "Very funny, Sheik."
"You preferred riding the Zora prince?" Sheik teased, but felt sorry for Link. He really did look miserable and scared.
"Don't start with that," he muttered, "it was necessary and you know it."
"So is this. Link, calm down. Just hold on tight."
"How will I be able to hold on tight if I have to shoot arrows?"
The flapping of wings interrupted their conversation, and Sheik was relieved that the Rito had finally come to end Link's anxious pacing.
"Are you ready for your test flight?" Teba asked, stretching his wings.
"Not really, no," Link mumbled, "but do I have a choice?"
"Come on. Just climb on my back and hold on. I won't fly too high."
Link sighed and approached Teba from behind, holding on to his shoulders.
"Alright, as soon as I kick off and change into a horizontal position, swing your legs over my back. You can press your knees against my sides if you like, but don't crush my ribs."
Link nodded but looked like a scared boy. Teba bent his knees and then kicked himself off with the strength of his legs, opening his wings. Link was thrust against him and knocked into his back. Before Teba could even get into a horizontal position, Link lost his balance and dived ungracefully into a thorny bush below, shrieking. Harth facepalmed and shook his head, and Sheik couldn't hold back his laughter, snorting like a horse. He approached the bush and called "Are you okay?". The bush answered with a grunt and an unhappy "it won't stop pricking me" and Sheik felt tears of laughter sting his eyes. When Link's hand emerged from the bush, Sheik took it and tried to pull him out, but his fits of laughter made it hard for him to muster up enough strength to haul him out. He fell inside the bush and landed on top of Link, shrieking and laughing. When he finally calmed down, he pushed himself off the ground.
"Couldn't you have chosen a softer bush?" he muttered.
"Sheik," Link smirked and reached out to touch his face, "you should laugh more often. You look absolutely stunning."
"What..." Sheik stuttered and found that he couldn't tear his eyes away from Link's intense gaze. It felt like staring into a deep pool of calm waters, and a knot started to form in his stomach.
"Are you done laughing and falling into bushes?" Teba called out impatiently, "we don't have all day."
Harth shook is head when the two young men climbed out of the thorny bush. "It's gonna be a catastrophe," he groaned.
Sheik felt surprisingly at ease on Harth's back, soaring through the sky. The temperatures had dropped quite dramatically, and the cold stung his cheeks, but it was still bearable. Medoh soon came into sight underneath them, a huge mechanical bird. It was, just like the other beasts, an impressive war machine. He looked to his right, checking on Link and Teba. Link had his knees pressed tightly against Teba's side and his fingers dug into his shoulders, but apart from the uptight position, he looked alright.
"We're drawing near," Harth shouted against the wind, "ready yourselves."
"Aim at the cannons," Teba shouted "and use the bomb arrows. We're bringing you in now!"
Both Rito warriors sped up and dived down, closing in on the beast, and Sheik could see the protective barrier and the exact position of the cannons. There were four of them, two facing east and two facing west. Teba motioned Harth to fly left while he took on the other side. As soon as the Rito came into eyeshot of the beast, the cannons started to move from side to side, trying to fixate onto them. Sheik nocked two bomb arrows at once and kept them pointed at the laser cannon.
"As soon as you hear it click, move out of the way!" he shouted to Harth, and the later nodded. They were close now, the cannon was fixated on them and then he heard the soft click and the humming sound, and Harth shot up into the air. Sheik pressed his knees into the Rito's side and aimed. The laser beam went off but failed to hit its target. Sheik let go of the arrows and they hit the cannon, exploding at contact.
"Yes! You did it!" Harth screamed against the wind and dived lower again, approaching the second cannon. On the other side of the beast, Link and Teba were teaming up to get rid of the cannons as well, and Teba was impressed by how quickly Link switched from being a boy terrified of heights to being a man who was determined to eradicate the cannons. Link's arrow hit the cannon and exploded, but Teba failed to get out of the way in time. The blast sent them both uncontrollably through the air and knocked Link off Teba's back. He plummeted down with a cry. Teba caught himself mid-air, turned around in a looping and flew like an arrow underneath the falling Hylian, catching him on his back.
"Hold on tight, Link! I got you!"
Link's hands and legs were shaking as he managed to get back on Teba's rear. To his surprise, he had held onto the bow when he fell and most of the arrows were still in the quiver.
"Are you alright? Do you need a moment to recover?" Teba shouted but Link shook his head.
"No. Let's get rid of it once and for all."
Teba nodded and closed in on Medoh once again. "I will try to go higher before you shoot so that we don't get thrown back by the blast."
Link gritted his teeth as the last cannon came into sight, targeting the pair. Link heard a faint clicking sound and Teba shot up in the air. Link pressed his knees together and let go of the Rito's shoulders, fiddling to get an arrow out of the quiver. He quickly nocked it, aimed and released it with so much force, that it whizzed past their ears and hit the cannon. The barrier began to waver and then slowly dissipated, and Medoh soared quietly through the sky.
"Let's get you down," Teba said and he sounded exhausted. He landed next to Harth and let Link get off. As soon as the Hylian knight felt solid ground under his feet, his knees buckled and he let himself fall down on the flat surface, closing his eyes.
"Teba, your thigh..." Harth noticed.
"Yeah, seems like I got hit pretty bad," Teba grimaced.
"Harth, you should get Teba back to the village. His wounds need to be tended to. Link and I will be alright on our own from now on," Sheik said.
"Are you sure?" Harth asked with a glance at Link, who was still lying on the ground with his eyes closed.
"He's tougher than he looks right now. He'll come around," Sheik answered, smiling.
"Alright then. Good luck. We'll see you later then."
Sheik watched them fly off the divine beast and disappear under the clouds. Sighing, he approached Link and grabbed him under his armpits, hoisting him up.
"Come on, Link. We got work to do."
