Zelda awoke abruptly as she heard the click of a key in a lock, and she recoiled as she jerked awake. Almost immediately, pain shot through her body as she moved, and she gasped, her eyes flying open. She felt a cold, hard surface pressing into her cheek, and the rest of her body ached with exhaustion. A thick smell of rotten eggs mixed with the bitter tang of salt filled Zelda's nose as she took another breath, and she grimaced. Zelda blinked, her gaze darting through the dark, but she could see absolutely nothing. Confused, Zelda tried to sit up, but her shoulders burned and she felt fibrous ropes bite into her wrists behind her.
My hands are tied! Shuddering, Zelda tried to roll over so she could stand upright, but her body groaned in protest, and a throbbing pain shot through Zelda's head. It was an exhaustion and a pain that was almost foreign to Zelda, but she remembered a similar feeling right after she'd teleported into Hyrule Castle.
Must've been all the Kinetic Magic I used to get the Prince and the Sword away, she mused, wincing. But I didn't realize it would hurt this much.
"That's right, Zelda," a silky voice suddenly spoke. "Keep struggling, see what good it does you."
Zelda started again at the noise, still seeing nothing before her. Another bolt of pain rushed through her head as her body jerked in response. "Who's there?" She croaked, recognizing the voice. "What are you doing, what do you want with me?"
The voice laughed cruelly, and Zelda shivered. "What, the darkness didn't clue you in? You're not Blind; I am." The voice sounded smug, and Zelda's eyes widened in fear. It was Blind!
That's why it's all black, she realized. He can't see anyway.
"As for what I want," Blind went on. "Oh, nothing too terrible. Just what all thieves want. Magic and money. But you're not going to give me any trouble, are you? Not while I have the Prince and the Master Sword in custody as well."
"The Sword?" The fist around Zelda's heart tightened, then relaxed slightly. "You're lying! I made sure both the Prince and the Sword escaped!"
Blind hummed ominously. "Did you? How careless of you. I don't suspect you'd like to test your theory by trying to break out or harm me or any of my guards? I'll kill the Prince myself if you try anything, Mage."
Zelda hesitated, her heart hammering in her chest. Did she make sure the Prince escaped? What if Blind were telling the truth?
No, I saw them leave, Zelda thought, growing confident. Unless they could catch up with Ebony, he's long gone.
"I didn't think so," Blind said, misinterpreting her silence. "Now that you're awake again, I suggest you stay right here in this cell. We wouldn't want anything bad to happen to the Prince now, would we?"
Zelda scowled toward the direction of Blind's voice. "You're making a mistake, Blind. Kidnapping the most powerful mage in the Kingdom? Seems foolish."
"Oh, but you can't use any magic now, can you?" Blind sneered. "We searched you upon arrival and confiscated any Summoning Materials you may have had, there's no usable magic for Foraging in Misery Mire, and I don't expect you to be using any Kinetic Magic after the stunt you pulled earlier."
No magic? Zelda closed her eyes and reached out with her senses, searching for familiar threads of energy. A place like this should have plenty of usable resources! But everything around her felt empty and sterile-almost dead. It felt as if the place-wherever it was-was drained of any life at all. Not even the stone beneath her had any strength left. Zelda felt an eerie chill settle over her, and she forced her eyes open again. Her vision was still dark, and Zelda felt her throat begin to tighten.
Breathe, she urged herself. This isn't over yet.
"Oh, you'd think so, wouldn't you?" Blind sneered, and Zelda jumped again, realizing she must have spoken aloud. "I'd hate to disappoint, but I see this as quite over. In fact, I imagine your magic will be gone forever if you stay here much longer. Misery Mire has a way of, ah, keeping you around."
As Blind was talking, Zelda began to see a faint blue glow coming from somewhere to her left. Weakly, she pushed against her shoulder and tried to sit up, but her whole body groaned in protest. Panting, she tried harder as the glow grew brighter.
"I won't go into the specifics," Blind was saying, "But...what are you doing?"
Zelda froze, her neck craned up to scan the room now that she had a little light. She was in a small room with four walls of heavy stone that were covered with thick blackish vines. The room was entirely empty, save for bits of rubbish and moss on the floor. An indistinct figure whom Zelda assumed was Blind leaned up against one wall next to a door, his features hidden in the cowl of a heavy cloak. The light was seeping through the cracks in the doorway, and Zelda stared at it hopefully.
"You stopped moving. Good." Blind said. "There's no hope for you anyway."
There was a hearty knock on the door, and Zelda inhaled deeply, seeking again for any sort of energy she could Forage for aid. If she could attack while Blind was distracted...
"What is it?" Blind snapped, and the figure against the wall turned toward the door.
"We had another extraction go wrong, chief."
Blind growled, reaching out a hand toward the door. Quickly, Zelda shuffled her body closer to the wall and braced her bound hands up against it. Gritting her teeth, she pushed down and tried to bring her legs underneath her, but her abdomen burned in protest, and her legs weren't strong enough to hold her weight. Helplessly, she tumbled back to the ground.
Blind paused in the doorway, and Zelda saw the milky whites of his eyes in the pale blue light as he turned back to face her. "Like, I said," he growled. "There's no hope for you. Good luck keeping your Prince alive like this."
"Good luck keeping me here!" Zelda snarled, but Blind only laughed and slammed the door shut. The blue light faded until everything was pitch black again, and Zelda slumped herself back on the ground, letting her aching muscles relax. Her heart sank, and she closed her eyes wearily-not that it made any difference.
"How am I going to get out of here with no magic and no light?" She muttered, wincing as a rougher part of the floor pressed into her back. She shifted her shoulders again, wriggling herself sideways to get off the rock in the floor, much to the chagrin of her abdomen and neck. Did she break some ribs?
As she shimmied herself along the floor, something sharp pierced into her arm, and Zelda let out a muted shriek. Zelda could feel her senses stretching as the complete darkness threatened to envelop her-anything could surprise her at this point. Taking a shaky deep breath that shot pain through her ribs, she inched her arm away from the sharpness and contorted her bound hands to see if she could find out what had cut her. Her arms ached with every movement, and Zelda felt a surge of helplessness. Biting it down, she strained further until her fingers brushed across something pointy. Zelda gasped in surprise and encased her hands around it, searching for any distinguishable characteristics. It felt like a thick shard of glass, with one edge coming to a point and the other edge feeling particularly jagged. Sighing, Zelda let the glass fall from her fingers and rest her aching arms. Both the darkness and the lack of energy loomed silently into Zelda's mind like a stormcloud, even if she couldn't sense it. Without her eyes and her Forager senses to guide her, Zelda felt completely blind and helpless. She tried to feel her sore muscles and the occasional throb of pain from any movement she made, which managed to keep her grounded into the present and kept her mind from wandering too much on the painful emptiness of her surroundings. She fingered the shard of glass on the floor, trying to shift her focus on to the sensations of the glass on her palm, fingers, and wrists...but her whole body was exhausted, and she found it difficult to shift her attention off of her fear.
If your emotions are too strong for your body and they start to affect you physically, Kinetic Venna's warning rang in her mind, then your magic will be affected as well.
Zelda took a deep breath, ignoring the pain in her ribs. That was before my magic was sucked away by some creepy blind thief. Does it even matter if I don't have magic anymore?
Hush, she argued. I can do this. I still have my other senses.
Old Jennings had taught Zelda a simple relaxation tool to use when she was trying to gain the peace of mind to Forage effectively, one that used all five senses. She could still see his crooked grin as he numbered the five senses on his hands.
Try to find five things you can see, four things you can hear, three things you can touch, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste, his kind, crinkly voice spoke in her mind. And you'll be all set to sense whatever energy you find around you!
Zelda gritted her teeth and opened her eyes again, still seeing nothing but blackness. Well, I suppose the first one's easy enough. I can't see anything. Zelda closed her eyes again and tried to listen. The first thing her ears caught was a slow, steady drip of water somewhere to her left. Almost immediately after, Zelda heard her own shallow breath in, followed by a slow exhale. Her breathing sounded ragged, and Zelda mentally counted to three during her exhale, trying to slow her anxious breathing. Then, while Zelda was focusing on her breathing, she noticed she could hear the slight movements of her fingers as they raced along the edge of the glass in her hands. Then the faint thump thump of her heartbeat sounded in Zelda's ears, and she took another breath. There. That's four.
A surge of confidence surged through Zelda as her breathing grew slower and deeper, and she felt as if she was regaining control of her mind again. The sound of her own breathing and heartbeat was grounding in a way Zelda couldn't really describe.
If nothing else, her thoughts whispered, you're still alive and breathing. Let that motivate you!
Zelda inhaled deeply and smiled slightly. Good. Now, what can I feel? The cold stone continued to press up against Zelda's cheek, and she resisted the urge to roll over, knowing it would only bring more pain. She concentrated on her hands next, feeling both the sharp edges of the glass and the tight ropes against her wrists-
Zelda's eyes shot open in alarm-even though it was still dark. Hylia! she cursed. What was I thinking? Flexing her fingers and closing her eyes again-it was easier to just keep her eyes closed rather than to be confused every time she opened her eyes-, she gripped the glass and tried to push it up against the bindings around her wrists. Her shoulders spasmed at the effort, and she gritted her teeth, trying to breathe through it. She pushed harder, twisting her wrists both up and down to put more tautness into the rope, but the rope refused to be cut.
Come on! Zelda clenched her jaw.. You can't be that strong! She started to saw at the rope with the sharp edge of the glass, and she felt the other side of the shard cut into the palm of her hand. Clenching her jaw, she sawed faster, ignoring the pain in her hands, wrists, and shoulders. The rope was vibrating against her wrists until it suddenly snapped, and Zelda gasped in relief as the pressure on her shoulder and wrists was released. The snap of the rope sounded deafeningly loud in Zelda's now-attuned hearing, and her eyes flew open again. Still seeing nothing but darkness, Zelda let her eyes slide closed again and brought her hands to her chest, rubbing her hands up and down the stiff fabric of her dress.
Well, I'm making progress, she thought, panting slightly and rolling onto her back, exhausted. But let me catch my breath.
Link had been riding all day following the trail of the thieves that took Zelda, and Ebony's flank was spattered with moisture. After quickly procuring another scarf and reassuming his Sheikah disguise, he had spoken with several Ordonians that had seen some men drive a large wooden wagon out the west side of town. His pounding headache had lessened to a muted throb as he continued to ride, and he had wrapped a rough bandage around the gash on his head, which he had carefully concealed underneath Sheik's white cap.
The wind rustled his Sheikahn scarf, bringing a fresh scent of grass with just a whiff of fish. Link grinned and pulled his scarf down from his mouth, inhaling deeply. Was this what all travelers felt every time they got on the road? A thrill of freedom and adventure burned in Link's chest, and it seemed like it was just him, his horse, and the world.
Is this what Zelda feels? He wondered idly. She's always been free to go wherever she wants, do whatever she chooses...
At the thought of the mage, he felt a fresh wave of guilt. Well, she can't right now. Anxiously, he glanced back down at the road, searching for the faint wheel ruts he'd been following for the past several hours. The road was empty, which helped for following the wheel ruts. At least, Link thought he was following the right set of wheel ruts. The Western Road was dry and unyielding, leaving little opportunity for impression, but Link managed to pick out the faint lines of ruts that hung to the right of the road. The route ran alongside the coast of Lake Hylia, which made it a popular trade route heading towards Skyloft and eventually the old fae ruins.
But Link was still fairly confident that the vague trail he was following would put him where the bandits went. There were only so many ways a large group of people could travel on the road, after all.
You're assuming too much, a thought struck him. They could have also just escaped off into the woods and taken a boat across the lake. Or transported themselves to their hideout with Zelda, they obviously were at least familiar with magic.
Link grunted, trying to shove the doubts back down. He could do this. All he needed to do was keep following the road until...until he found Zelda.
You're being too optimistic! The voice accused him again. You should just turn back now, let the witch fend for herself.
Link inhaled sharply, a wave of nausea rushing over him as a particularly painful throb surged through his head. We're not going through this again! We're going to get Zelda, and that's final.
Ebony's ears flicked backwards as Link moved, and she nickered through the froth that was seeping out of her mouth and onto her neck. Guilty, Link realized he'd been cantering for several hours now, and Ebony deserved a break. Thankfully, the voices in his mind silenced as he pulled back on his horse's reins, urging her to a full stop. Ebony snorted, her sides heaving, and Link slipped down out of the saddle, taking care to be gentle. He could see the lake in the distance as the road gently sloped down to trace the water's edge, and he figured Ebony could use some water. He led her down the road for a ways before pulling off and walking towards the beach. Crabs and sea birds scuttled away from him and Ebony as they drew nearer, and Link smiled in spite of himself. Ebony's ears flicked forward as he released her reins, and she trotted happily into the water, the water sloshing up onto her legs.
Link glanced down the road then up at the sun to tell the time. Judging by his calculations, Zelda had been missing for about 13 hours now, and he knew he couldn't spend too much time at the lakeside if he wanted to find her before...before anything happened. But Ebony needed to rest, and Link found his eyes growing heavy and his pain growing weaker as he watched the waves crash on the shore. Blinking, he forced himself to stay on his feet, promising that he'd only give himself ten minutes before leaving again.
"What is your beast doing in the Hylia?"
Link started, whipping around and reaching for the Master Sword. An indigo colored figure stood on the beach next to him, pointing a strange blue spear at Link. It didn't wear any clothing, and large fins were on either side of its head and running along its sides. There was a strong musk of fish and seaweed around the creature.
"I-I.." Link stammered, lifting his hands innocently. "Are you...what?"
"Your beast," the figure pointed toward Ebony, who was now bent and drinking from the water. "It is in the water. Why?"
"Oh." Link still stared at the fish-thing, his mind flying. He had heard legends of people that lived in the waters, like the Zora of old, but he'd never seen any. Was that who this was? "She-she just needed some water. I'm letting her take a break before we keep moving."
"Ah." The fish-human nodded, its nostrils opening and closing like doors as it relaxed its hold on the spear. "So you are caring for your beast. There are other men that run their beasts into the sea after making them drag heavy woods behind them." The creature bared its fangs, thin needles that shot out before retracting back into the folds of its mouth. "We do not welcome their kind."
Link swallowed. "Nope. I'm-I'm good to my beast." Then the creature's words registered to him, and he felt a surge of satisfaction. "Wait, you said men that drag wood? Like wagons?"
The fish-human's fins shook. "Large groups. They have a tribe in the Lakesedge, deep underearth." It spun the spear into a sheath on its back. "They are not welcome."
"Did a group of these men ride through earlier?"
The fish-creature eyed him curiously. "I know not. Take care of your beast." It turned back to the water, heading for a deep tidepool further down the shore.
"Wait! Can you show me where their...tribe is? In Lakesedge?" Link shouted, running after the creature. "I'm trying to...seek revenge."
The fish-creature paused, turning back over its shoulder to stare at Link. "Our kind do not travel to Lakesedge. The water is filled with dirt. But I wish you fortune." The fish-creature raised its fin-like arms and dove into the tide pool, the water splashing up onto the sand.
Link exhaled triumphantly. He was going in the right direction! Now he just needed to find this Lakesedge and find the thieves' hideout. It couldn't be that hard, right? Whistling, he called Ebony back and mounted quickly. He guided her back to the road, still musing on what the fish-creature had said. So Lakesedge had too much dirt to house very much sea life, but the creature made it sound like it was close by. Was there a marsh or a swamp nearby?
The road continued to run alongside the lake, and Link kept his eyes locked on the coast. There had to be a little swamp or a muddy patch of land not too far, otherwise Blind wouldn't have released his horses too soon.
You're assuming too much again, his thoughts accused him. The Zora could've been talking about anyone that drives a wagon with horses.
Shut up, Link advised his thoughts, still scanning the shoreline. There! On the far side of the lake, the water turned a mucky shade of green as the foliage grew closer to the water's edge, and Link could see the thick green of vines and low hanging trees. Eagerly, he urged Ebony into a gallop up until the treeline grew thick before throwing himself out of the saddle and heading into the trees himself.
And here's where we should be now! Thanks for reading ~~
Let me know what your thoughts are! This dungeon was one of my favorite to write. I know I keep saying I'll catch you up, so I'll start posting weekly.
Cheers!