Saria left for Gerudo Valley. The skies were cloudy, and a cold breeze blew across the fields of Hyrule. What few animals that could be seen looked restless, like they knew something Saria didn't. Saria pulled her cloak tightly around her body as she crossed the fields. The winds and birds continued their somber song, echoing across those vast grassy plains.
The path from Kakariko Village to Gerudo Valley took Saria south and west across the fields until she reached more arid lands of orange rock and stone. A cliff with a wooden fence built around its edges loomed over the path, as did a great tree that felt strangely empty – though Saria knew not why. Just as she reached a fork in the road, Saria bumped into a familiar face.
"Salesman! What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Why if it isn't Saria. Fancy meeting you out here," the Salesman grinned. He was in his normal attire and carrying his huge travel pack on his back like it was nothing. Several masks hung from the outside of the pack, their faces staring out in every direction. "As for me, I'm actually on a business trip. Things are getting… Too tense in Castle Town for my liking, so much that no one's been visiting my store anymore. Everyone's worried, no one's smiling. It's… A sad state of affairs."
Saria's eyes turned downcast. "I'm sorry to hear that."
"It's all right. I won't be gone forever. I just try to go where my business is most welcome. Speaking of business, did you ever find a buyer for that mask I lent you?"
"Oh! Yes, here's your fee."
Saria passed over a handful of rupees to the smiling man, who counted them and nodded. "Good, good. I'm glad we could settle things before I left. Before I go, I have one last mask I can lend you."
"But how am I supposed to pay you back later if you're leaving?"
"Oh, I'm sure we'll meet again someday. I don't know where or when, but I just have that feeling, you know?" The Salesman then reached into his pack and pulled out a soft yellow bunny ear headband. "Here. Take it."
Saria eyed the mask curiously. Not only did it have soft bouncy ears, but it also had decorative eyes between them. "I… I see. This mask is pretty cute. You really want me to have this?"
"Yes. That Bunny Hood is a rather handy mask to have in these parts. Supposedly it resembles a sacred beast and can keep monsters at bay. I don't know how much of that is true, but I did wear it quite a lot in my early years as a merchant. It's like a good luck charm."
"It sounds important. I'll take good care of it, and if I ever find a buyer, maybe we can do business again in the future."
"I'd like that. Despite the bumps in the road we've had, I would say you were my best customer. Farewell for now, Saria. I hope when we next meet, you still have a reason to smile."
Saria watched as the Happy Mask Salesman walked down the road, disappearing into a distant forest. A part of her wanted to stop him, still curious about what he was really doing in Hyrule, but… She didn't. She simply waved goodbye and hoped for the best.
"What a strange man," said Poppy, poking her head out of Saria's hood.
"Strange… But kind, in his own way." Saria looked up at the sky. The sun was already on its way towards the horizon. Soon it would be dark, and the stalchildren would be upon them. She decided to put on the bunny hood, and though she knew it was just a mask, somehow, she felt a little bit safer. "Come on, Poppy. Let's get going."
Saria continued traveling towards Gerudo Valley, sticking close to the shadows as she evaded patrols. Security was tight, and it wasn't hard to imagine why. With war looming on the horizon, it was clear the Gerudo weren't going to let anyone in… Or out.
"See any good vantage points?" whispered Saria.
"I see a cliff you can scale," whispered Poppy. "Should keep you out of sight for now."
Saria followed her fairy's advice and crept towards the cliff. The rough, rocky exterior made it easy to grab hold of the wall, and after making it to about two thirds of the way up, she found a small ledge with a boulder in its center. The Kokiri decided to take cover there and keep an eye out for movement down below.
Time passed as Saria watched groups of Gerudo warriors and monsters travel through the valley. It was slow-going due to how the valley walls bottlenecked how many could travel through the area.
"Where do you think they're going?" whispered Poppy.
"They're probably going to make camp out in the fields," whispered Saria. "I would have thought they'd stay put in the valley since it's so defensible, but… I guess they have other plans."
"What should we do? Should we go back and tell Impa?"
Saria shook her head. "I'm sure her agents would have seen this by now. We just have to wait for an opening in the march, then we'll slip inside."
The Kokiri thought of something Impa told her before they parted ways. It was a message from the supposed ally within the Gerudo. Truth shines brightest just before noon. It was a curious statement – specific, too. Saria wasn't sure how this insider operated, but it was clear they had some kind of plan. It was just a matter of watching… And waiting.
More time passed as night faded, and darkness gave way to comforting blue hues, later growing brighter and brighter with the rising of the sun. True to the Salesman's word, no monster bothered Saria or Poppy all night, and with no sign of marching troops and guards changing shifts, it was time for Saria to move on. She used what rock cover was available and slipped past the patrols. Up ahead, there was a small cliff where a bridge was built at the top – one that could be raised or lowered by the guards, allowing for easy travel from one elevation to the other, passing over a watery plateau beneath it. At the moment, the bridge was raised. While the water was troublesome, it was also shallow. With all the skills she had been practicing under Impa's watchful eye, Saria had no trouble maneuvering through the water without making a sound. Then she clambered up the cliff face and slipped past the bridge guards before finally reaching the true divide between Gerudo Valley and the rest of Hyrule.
Before Saria was a stretch of rocky land and a small brick path down the middle, connected to a great wooden bridge with a pair of wooden pillars holding a banner on each side. She could tell that not only were there more guards, but also a huge metal fence on the far side of the bridge. It was the only path leading in and out of the valley proper, and the Gerudo knew that. If troops from Hyrule ever tried invading, it would be a simple matter of destroying the bridge and harrowing anyone trying to make a new one with stones and arrows.
As Saria pondered these details, a thought crept into her mind. How do I get across? It's not as if the Gerudo would let her in, and the distance between each side of the cliff was far too great for even her to cover with a jump. Outside of finding a way to fly or glide across, it seemed as if Saria were at an impasse. The Kokiri looked up. It was almost noon.
Does our ally have a plan for this? Saria wondered.
The sun continued its journey across the sky. Light shined bright, and shadows shifted and darkened. Seconds before noon, something shimmered amidst a rock pile some distance away from the bridge. It seemed too well-timed to be a coincidence, so Saria approached the rocks. Sure enough, something was hidden underneath. It was a message in a bottle.
"So that's what she meant," Saria whispered. She used the rocks as cover and uncorked the bottle, reading the message. "In order to overcome great obstacles, sometimes you must take a leap of faith." The Kokiri looked over at the cliff, hearing the distant sound of rushing water. "There's no way…"
Poppy took the message and set it down on the ground, walking back and forth while reading it on her own. "A leap of faith… Yeah, I can't think of many other ways to interpret that."
"But is the water deep enough, I wonder?" Saria crossed her arms, thinking hard about what to do next. "Hm… I wonder what Link would do in this situation?"
It was then that Saria heard a familiar sound. It was the clucking of a cucco. She and Poppy poked their heads out from behind the rock pile, and sure enough, a lone cucco was grazing on what little vegetation was in the area.
"Poppy… I think I have an idea."
The Kokiri crept quietly, inching closer to the feathery bird. So distracted by grazing, the cucco failed to realize Saria was upon it until it was too late. Bird in hand, Saria made her way for the cliff furthest from the bridge, away from prying eyes. Poppy was quick to follow, and after the Kokiri jumped, she held the cucco above her head, holding tight. It wasn't the first time she had pulled such a trick. When she was helping Anju gather her birds in Kakariko Village, she had used a cucco's impeccable flying skills to hop a tall fence and reach a bird trapped on the other side. She knew the cucco could support her weight and still fly. The question was for how long.
"I can't believe I didn't have to talk you into that," said Poppy, holding the message bottle. "You're growing more brazen by the day. Pretty soon you'll be just like Fado."
"A terrifying thought indeed," Saria chuckled.
The Kokiri, fairy, and cucco floated gently towards the flowing river at the bottom of the cliff. The white rapids splashed against the jagged rocks, moving swiftly down towards a waterfall. Strangely, there was a carved-out path near the bottom of the cliff on one side. There was a Gerudo woman with short hair, a dark cave entrance, and a cow… The Gerudo woman was sitting on a stool milking the cow when she looked up and saw Saria floating towards her.
"It's you!" said the woman. The Gerudo then got up and ran towards the cave, bucket in hand.
As Saria landed on the ground, she set the cucco down and ran after the woman. "I hope we didn't just blow our cover!" said Saria.
"Well at least we have a river to escape to if you did," said Poppy.
Saria and Poppy reached the entrance of the cave. The Kokiri's eyes adjusted as she stepped in, the light of the sun fading as a new light took its place – one of softly glowing gemstones. A small path forward led to a short set of carved stairs, as well as a guard near an open door. It was a Gerudo woman wearing simple, drab clothing, as well as a cloth face mask. She gestured to the open door, and Saria nodded, stepping inside. The door led to a small cavern where the short haired Gerudo from before was talking to another Gerudo – one who was especially tall and slender, wearing pink and white Gerudo garb, including gold and red jewelry.
"And she flew down with nothing but a cucco! A cucco, of all things!" said the short haired woman.
"That's quite enough," said the taller Gerudo. "I have much to discuss with our new guest." The woman turned towards Saria, then the other Gerudo turned as well, almost yelping in surprise.
"Gah! Where did you come from?!"
"The door," said Saria, gesturing behind her.
"I-I see!" The Gerudo leaned towards the taller one, whispering, "Be careful of this one, Nabooru. She makes too little noise for one so brazen…" The short haired Gerudo then walked off, going down another passage and disappearing.
The tall Gerudo, Nabooru, sighed. She then took a seat on a soft square pillow and gestured to another across from her. "Come, sit. We are safe in this place. You needn't worry. I know who you are."
While Saria was on edge from being in enemy territory, she played along and sat down. "So, are you the one Impa spoke of?"
"I am," the Gerudo smiled. "I take it you found my message."
"I did," Saria took the bottle from Poppy. "Was the cucco your doing as well?"
The woman laughed. "Oh goodness, no! I had thought for you to dive into the river. A perilous jump to be sure, but far from lethal. I suppose your way works just fine, though! I wonder now if a cucco could support my weight…" After the woman stopped laughing, she said, "Now then, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Nabooru of the Gerudo. And you are Saria of the Kokiri?"
"I am," Saria nodded.
"And I'm Poppy!" said the fairy.
"It's good to meet you both. No doubt Impa has told you a little of what has been going on, but perhaps my perspective would help clear things up."
"I'd appreciate it," said Saria.
"Then first of all, let me make one thing clear. Though I am Gerudo, I am no friend of Ganondorf. We may both be thieves, but we're completely different. He and his followers steal from women and children, and kill those that get in their way. This is but one of the reasons why I now work against him."
"I figured that much. It makes sense that someone as vile as him would make enemies among his own people. But then why work underground? Have you not tried fighting Ganondorf and his followers?" asked Saria.
"His forces are too strong now. He already has most of the Gerudo on his side, but recently he's been recruiting monsters and letting them live among us. Ordinarily this would be unthinkable, but there's something you need to understand about us. The Gerudo race consists only of women, you see. Only one man is born among our people every hundred years. The law dictates that such a man must become our king, and the king's word is absolute. In other words…"
"Your law allows his word to become law," said Saria. "So if a Gerudo complained about the monsters, they would be swiftly dealt with."
"Exactly. I, however, will never bow to such an evil man. Thus, I work in the shadows." Nabooru gestured to a curtain covering another tunnel entrance. "This way leads to the heart of our land, to Gerudo Fortress where most of us live. I had been helping those who did not wish to live under Ganondorf's iron fist, bringing them down here to the river and ferrying them to Lake Hylia. The waterfall is not as steep as it appears, and the waters grow gentler the further from this place they go. I met Impa when I first began this work, and as we saw eye to eye, I decided I would work with her, keeping her informed about the situation here in the valley. No doubt you've seen how dire things have become."
"Yes… I've seen many of Ganondorf's troops march out of the valley. It's pretty clear what they're preparing for."
"War…" Nabooru sighed. "I had hoped that the peace treaty would have lasted a little longer than a decade, but it seems it was never to be." Nabooru had been looking up towards the path to the fortress when she spoke. She then returned her attention to Saria and said, "We have to do everything we can to stop that man. I'll take you to the fortress and help ferry out the prisoners, but you'll have to find them on your own once you're there. Understood?"
"Of course," said Saria. "It'll be easier to sneak around by myself anyway."
Nabooru stood up and smiled. "You've got a good head on your shoulders. Impa was right to trust you with this mission. Now come! Time is of the essence."
The Gerudo woman walked to the curtains and passed through, gesturing for Saria to follow. The Kokiri did so, with Poppy sticking close. Several minutes passed as Nabooru helped Saria navigate the labyrinthine tunnels of the cave until finally, they reached the outskirts of the fortress.
"There are several entrances into the fortress, but I recommend that one over there, near the gate. No one needs to pass through that gate right now, so it's the least guarded area. Follow the path leading up near the gate and try that first entrance there," Nabooru pointed.
"I can do that," said Saria. "I hope to see you soon." As the Kokiri was about to step out, Nabooru stopped her.
"Before you go… I know Impa probably told you to focus on finding that Zora princess, but if you can… I'd like you to free as many prisoners as possible. Not only are there innocent Hylians among them, but even some of my own people. I don't want to think of what will become of them if they're left behind. So please… Save them for me."
"I will."
"Thank you. I'll try to think of a suitable reward for you once you're done here," Nabooru smiled. "Now off with you!"
Saria left the cave behind, using the cliff along the outer rim of the area for cover. Soon enough she'd be inside the fortress. And from there? She wasn't sure. Guards, traps, and who knows what else. But despite the danger, Saria was calm. Tired, but calm. When an opening in the guard patrol showed itself, she silently dashed towards the fortress entrance.
Don't worry, Nabooru. I won't let you down!
Sheik made his way to Zora's Domain. After leaving the stairs that led to Kakariko Village behind, he could already feel a faint chill in the air. Crossing the waters and following Zora's River upstream, he could see that portions of it were icy, choking the river's flow. Even snowflakes were falling. It wouldn't be long until the river was completely frozen, and Hyrule's water supply was cut off entirely.
Up ahead, boulders were blocking the left path – no doubt left behind by Ganondorf's minions. Hopping over the boulders was easy for the Sheikah. On the other side, Sheik saw a shivering cucco and a frightened shirtless man scarfing down beans from a sack. The man sat near a cliff face and a metal fence.
"You there!" Sheik said upon approach. "Have you seen anyone come through here?"
"Gah!" The fat man raised his hands in a fright. "Don't hurt me! I'm just a humble bean seller!"
Realizing he needed to calm down, Sheik took a breath and said, "Listen, I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to know what's going on."
"O-oh, okay. Well just earlier, I saw a bunch of monsters march through here. I didn't see who was leading them. I just hid behind this fence until they were gone. I was going to leave, but as they were passing through, a big one smashed a part of the cliff and closed off the exit with rocks!"
"All right. I'll make a path for you, then. Head to Kakariko Village once you're through. You'll be safe there."
Sheik approached the boulders once more. They were an ordinary enough type of rock, one that Sheik was used to practicing on. Impa had Sheik train for many long hours to hone his hand-to-hand techniques. Such training paid off when fighting foes in the Sheikah dungeon, and it would pay off here as well. After taking a wide stance and a deep breath, Sheik drew his right fist back and punched the boulder in front of him, shattering it to pieces. Sheik shook his hand, feeling pain in his knuckles, but it was done. Better this than making the large man risk harm on the still-forming ice.
"Thank you, thank you! I'll go to the village straight away!" The bean seller took off running, with the cucco following after.
No doubt everyone from here to the waterfall heard that. I'll just have to make do, thought Sheik.
The boy continued following the river, taking cover where he could. Low growls and jingling chainmail kept him on alert, and it wasn't long until Sheik saw the monsters the bean seller mentioned. They were tall, muscular creatures with brown skin, dog-like faces, and red eyes, wearing a mixture of spiked leather armor and chainmail.
Moblins! thought Sheik. They must be working for Ganondorf.
The beastmen wielded spears, pacing and sniffing around what land there was beside the river. Sheik had never encountered a moblin before, but he had learned a good deal about them from Impa. Monster tribes like the moblins led raids on encampments during the Hyrulean Civil War. They were rarely if ever allied with one side during the war, and merely took advantage of times when soldiers were too tired or wounded to defend their supplies. Moblins earned a reputation for being especially bloodthirsty, but their aggressive nature acted as a shield for their weakness. A single well-placed needle to the back of the head was enough to take one down. The moblin guard crumbled to the ground, burning up into nothing. Seeing one of their own taken down, the other moblins in the area marched over to where it died. By the time they were done searching, Sheik was long gone.
The path continued its incline, rising higher and higher to eventually meet with the waterfall further up. A single wooden bridge connected one side of the path to another, and it would have been simple enough to cross, but as Sheik reached the bridge, a moblin turned the corner and saw him. Sheik's eyes went wide as the moblin charged, howling like a demon. It stomped its way across the bridge and forced Sheik to leap away. While Moblins weren't difficult to kill when their guard was down, they were near-impossible to take down when they charged.
Once the moblin came to a screeching halt, there was a moment where it dropped its guard and had to look around. Sheik took advantage of this and pulled out his chain, whipping it around the moblin's leg before electrifying it, shocking the moblin into unconsciousness. A single blow to the back of the head was enough to finish it off. Unfortunately, the moblin's charge had alerted the other guards from before, who Sheik could already hear marching up the path towards him. Sheik ran across the wooden bridge and severed the rope, causing it to collapse into the river below. After that, Sheik kept running. He wasn't so naïve as to think the coursing river would deter the moblins forever, but it would at least slow them down.
After fully circling around the cliff's path, Sheik found himself before the snaking paths in front of the waterfall. Most of the waterfall was frozen solid, though parts of it were thinner than others. The freezing process wasn't complete, it seemed, as some water could still be seen flowing beneath the ice. Looking down at the river's icy waters, Sheik got an idea. He hid in a high-up area behind a gossip stone – one of many ancient Sheikah carvings left all over Hyrule. Below, Sheik could see the other moblins wading through the water, lifting their spears overhead as they barked and growled at each other in their own tongue. When they were right where Sheik wanted them, the boy hopped down unseen, charged magic into his chain, and struck the river, electrifying the water and shocking the moblins. While they were stunned, a few needles helped finish them off. With the guards dealt with, Sheik breathed a sigh of relief.
Sheik made his way up to the front of the waterfall, stopping on the metal plate embedded in the ground. He had visited this place many times in the past, escorting members of the Royal Family who had business with the Zora. A familiar tune would normally be enough to open the entrance, but as it was covered in ice, a bit of brute force was in order. Using the same technique Sheik shattered the boulder with, the boy struck the ice covering the waterfall, breaking off huge chunks and revealing the flowing water beneath. That, of course, was merely the first step. Next, Sheik drew his harp. It was an old harp, one passed down throughout the generations. Gold in color, the tips of its handles curled like bird beaks, and ancient engravings like that of a bird spreading its wings decorated the harp from its bottom to its tips. As Sheik strummed the notes for the song, his mind wandered back to the past…
"Keep up now, you're falling behind!" said Impa.
"Of course, master," Sheik whispered.
Many years ago, Sheik had taken his first trip to Zora's Domain, staying close and out of sight of the Royal Family. Among the people they were watching over included the King of Hyrule and the young Princess Zelda, as well a pair of guards that bordered them at all times. The guards, of course, were mostly for show. The true guards were Impa and her apprentice, the young Sheik.
Sheik finally reached the gossip stone platform where Impa awaited. The woman said nothing, but that was enough to know he had not erred. At that point, he simply stayed close and watched the others walk up the path towards the waterfall. King Emmerich was imposing as ever, wearing fine robes, his resplendent cuirass, and a crown atop his flowing blonde hair. Zelda was wearing a beautiful lavender and purple dress, as well as a matching headdress. The girl was nervous, tightly clutching a blue ocarina. After the group reached the front of the waterfall, they stopped, and King Emmerich looked at Zelda.
"Now, go ahead and play it, just like I showed you," he said.
"A-all right. I'll try," said Zelda.
The young girl then put her lips to the ocarina and began to play. Despite her nervous demeanor, she played wonderfully, and the magic song parted the waterfall, alerting the Zora inside to extend a bridge and let the Hylians across.
"You did well, Zelda," said the king. Then with guards in-tow, the king and princess crossed the bridge.
"It's time," said Impa. "We'll cross once the bridge recedes."
"Are we not allowed on the bridge?" asked Sheik.
"No. Such niceties are reserved for the Royal Family."
"I see… Why are we here, anyway? Aren't the two guards enough?"
"We're the King's protection, of course. In an ideal world, we would have no reason to be here, but even though the Zora have been allied with the King for years, we can never afford to let our guard down – even for a moment. You would do well to remember that."
"I'm sorry…"
"Don't be," smiled Impa. "I would rather you ask questions than blindly follow everything I tell you. At least it means you're paying attention. Now, let us be off."
Impa hopped down to the ground and swiftly crossed the path, passing through the waterfall. Sheik did much the same, doing what he could to keep pace with his master. He would return to this place many times afterwards. Sometimes with Impa, sometimes without. The many trips blurred together. But the song that opened the way to Zora's Domain… That was something he would never forget. It was soft and gentle… Just like a lullaby.
The song complete, Sheik's mind returned to the present. The waterfall split down the middle as if by magic, and the way into Zora's Domain was open. There was no bridge today… Just silence. Cold, chilling, eerie silence. Unsure of what fate had befallen the Zora, Sheik steeled himself for what lied ahead and dashed through the waterfall.
Zora's Domain, a place known for its beautiful flowing waters and shimmering rocks, had become something of an ice cavern. Its waters frozen, the ground coated in thick layers of snow, and all throughout the cave, Sheik could see Zora frozen in crystals of red ice. Monsters, mostly moblins, were living inside the cavern as if it were their own, either standing guard at key points, resting on stools, or even warming up next to a large fire. Sheik dared not think of what kind of meat the monsters were roasting, and instead mapped out a path to take. Unlike along the river, the monsters were more relaxed here, so sneaking and taking them out would be easier. Sheik's main concern were the icy statues roaming the cavern called freezards. These horned blocks of ice were the work of magic and patrolled along paths set by the magician who created them. Occasionally, a freezard would spot an area that didn't look frozen enough, breathe a mist of icy cold on that spot, then continue along their patrol. More than once did Sheik spot a freezard approaching the campfire in the cave, only for a frustrated moblin to pick it up by its head, spin it around, and send it on its way.
Let's see… The freezards won't alert the whole cave if they spot me, but their absence will be noticed. The moblins are a much greater concern… Right now, I'll avoid conflict as much as possible and focus on finding the source of this ice. Sheik patted one of his hidden travel packs. Hopefully this blue fire will come in handy.
Sheik stayed low to the ground and followed the path leading to the stairs. Further up, a moblin was standing guard, holding his spear to the best of his ability. He was clearly shivering from the cold, which was why he stood so close to a standing torch. Occasionally a backdraft from one of the freezard's breath attacks would blow upwards and threaten to snuff out the flame in the torch, which the guard used his free hand to shield the flame. Noting this, Sheik silently crawled up to the torch, and while the guard was looking away, blew out the flame and slipped back behind cover. The guard growled and shook his fist at one of the freezards passing by below him before stepping away in search of a new flame. Sheik used his whole body to stay suspended in the upper reaches of the cave tunnel, his hands and feet pressing against the rock. After the moblin passed under him and disappeared further down the stairs, Sheik dropped to the ground and ran up the path, closing the distance to King Zora's chamber.
Walking through some curtains drawn over the chamber's entrance, Sheik's blood ran cold when he saw the state the chamber was in. King Zora De Bon XVI was encased entirely in red ice, his face frozen in a state of shock. Near the gigantic frozen fishman was… Princess Ruto, also encased in red ice. Sheik stepped up to the top of the platform meant for those speaking to the king in a state of utter disbelief.
Wait… But Princess Ruto was supposed to have been taken to Gerudo Desert. It's clear she's still Ganondorf's prisoner, but why the bluff? Unless…
Metal bars slammed down, sealing all exits of the room.
"It's a trap!" the Sheikah muttered under his breath.
A pair of white wolfos suddenly manifested in the royal chamber, leaping towards Sheik with their claws and fangs. Their red eyes gleamed with hunger and malice as they attacked, swiping and biting at the Sheikah in a maddened fury. Sheik backflipped away from the initial onslaught, throwing a volley of needles at the beasts. They covered their faces with their thick arms and deflected the needles, no worse for wear. After landing on the ice, Sheik drew his blade and readied himself for the next attack. The wolfos then charged, one after the other. Sheik side-stepped the first, swiping at them with his blade before ducking a claw attack from the second one. The ice was slippery, and it took all of Sheik's concentration to both dodge the incoming attacks and not fall while on the ice. Unfortunately, the white wolfos were not impaired by the ice as Sheik had hoped, so he formulated a new plan.
There's no opening for me when they're both on the attack. I need to separate them somehow. Perhaps…
Sheik eyed the path hugging the right wall of the royal chamber, which eventually led to where King Zora and Princess Ruto were frozen. It was a narrow stone path – far too narrow for a pair of wolfos to stand shoulder to shoulder. Sheik charged one of the wolfos, sliding between its legs as it attacked, and hopped onto the stone walkway to reach the narrow path further up. The wolfos followed, with one quickly slipping down in its attempt to stay close to its brother. With one below scrambling along the ice, this freed Sheik up to fight the other wolfos one on one. The two traded blows, with Sheik's blade and the wolfos' claws cutting through the air and deflecting off of each other. The two foes ducked, stepped back, and parried one another until the wolfos swung too hard with its claws, pivoting around. With its tail exposed, Sheik sliced it off, slaying the first wolfos. The other one grew enraged at this and rushed up the path towards Sheik. While the wolfos swung with greater force, it proved far too clumsy to keep up with Sheik and was dealt with just as swiftly as the first. The second wolfos fell to the ground, burning up in flame before disappearing.
With the second beast slain, Sheik looked around. The barriers blocking all exits had receded – likely because their magic was connected to the lifeforce of the wolfos – but there was no sign of any monsters rushing to the royal chamber. Sheik thanked his good fortune and continued up the path.
As the princess would be easier to escort if necessary, Sheik decided to free her first. He was at least somewhat familiar with red ice, and the blue fire that Impa kept on hand was said to be able to melt it, so after dousing the ice crystal with the flame, Sheik stepped back, waiting for the results. In a matter of seconds, the ice crystal melted away, freeing Princess Ruto – who slumped to the ground. Sheik darted to her side, catching her just before she hit the ice.
"Huh! W-who are you?" asked Ruto.
"Shh. You're safe now, but I need you to be quiet," whispered Sheik. He then helped the princess to her feet and looked her over. She seemed relatively unharmed. No icy burns marked the pale white and blue skin of the princess, nor were there any signs of damage to her fins or large head. The princess stared Sheik down with her purple eyes, blushing and clenching her fists.
"W-what are you staring at?!" The princess's voice echoed throughout the chamber, and Sheik could already hear the confused growls of the moblins.
"Listen, we don't have much time," Sheik whispered. "What happened here? Why is the river frozen?"
"Ah, I'm sorry! It was all that witch's fault, the one who made Lord Jabu Jabu sick!"
"Witch?"
"I can show you! This way!"
With moblins racing up the stairs towards the royal chamber, Sheik found he didn't have much choice. He followed after the fleeing Zora and exited out of the cavern, finding himself in a secluded icy and watery area. A large and very sick-looking whale with a jeweled headdress was resting its head on a block of ice in front of a stone altar.
"That's Lord Jabu Jabu?" asked Sheik.
"It is," said Ruto, walking up to the altar. "He's our guardian deity, the protector of our people and of Zora River. That must be why that witch hurt Lord Jabu Jabu." Tears in her eyes, Ruto turned to Sheik and said, "We have to help him! If we don't… This place could be frozen forever!"
Sheik nodded, stepping forward. "All right, I'll gladly help. Just tell me what to do."
"I saw that witch take some monsters inside Lord Jabu Jabu. We need to go in after them!"
"You want to go inside the whale?"
"I don't see you coming up with any ideas!"
"All right, all right." Sheik turned, hearing the sound of the approaching moblin guards. "How do we get inside?"
"Leave that to me!" Ruto dove into the icy waters and returned with a fish. Holding the fish up while standing on the stone platform, she said, "All right, Lord Jabu Jabu! I have another offering!"
Sheik watched as the whale opened its large toothy mouth. Ruto walked towards the whale as if this were normal, but then the whale started breathing in deep. The force of the breath was so powerful, it sucked Ruto straight into his maw. Try as Sheik might, he too was sucked inside the whale, disappearing behind its closed fangs before the moblins arrived.
Saria had expected much tighter security, given how important the fortress was to the Gerudo, but she had no complaints. If anything, she thought, they probably don't have enough people to guard the fortress now since they all marched off. But despite the surprising ease with which Saria was able to sneak through the fort, she still kept her guard up. A certain Gerudo had gotten the jump on her too many times for her not to be cautious.
The Gerudo Fortress was a very angular and practical building, appearing like several stone blocks stacked on top of each other, all embedded into the side of a huge cliff. Rooms and halls were connected in strange ways, seemingly built to confuse intruders. Many a times a path that Saria thought would lead her further in twisted around, leading her right back outside. Thankfully, there were crates of supplies that she could use as cover when she stepped out, so luck was on her side.
Within a high-up room, Saria waited for just the right moment to knock a guard out. Afterwards, she dragged the Gerudo away, hiding her inside a crate indoors. She also hid the guard's weapon in case she woke up faster than Saria anticipated. After moving down a hall and taking a left, Saria found herself in some living quarters. The cold grey brick that made up the building was decorated with beast skulls and tapestries, and a fire pit in the center of the room was being used to cook stew.
"Mmm, smells good," whispered Poppy. "You don't think they'll miss a spoonful, do you?"
"We don't have time to eat," whispered Saria. "Now come on!"
The disappointed fairy floated meagerly after Saria, who climbed a stairway leading to a new room. It seemed like a dead end at first, but Saria's instincts were telling her to take a closer look. She pulled out the Lens of Truth and peered through it. Sure enough, there was an illusory wall that led further down.
"So that's why I haven't found any prisoners despite all those cells," whispered Saria. "There are hidden rooms in this place."
"Good thing Sheik let you keep that!" smiled Poppy. When Saria's smile faded, Poppy said, "Sorry, I-"
"No, it's okay. I'm just worried about him."
Poppy landed on Saria's shoulder, putting a hand on the girl's ear. "Me too, Saria. Me too."
With a new path to explore, Saria and Poppy passed through the illusory wall and made their way down. Slowly but surely, the pair moved closer to the heart of the fortress. It was easy to tell, because there were far more guards in this place, and plenty of torch sconces too. Shadows were few and far between. Saria had to swiftly knock out guards then rush to new cover, moving back and forth around patrols. After the guards were all unconscious, Saria stepped down one last hall, which opened up into a large room full of prison cells. It wasn't long until a familiar face called out to her.
"Saria!" cried Malon. "Over here!"
Malon and Talon were in a cell with other Hylians, and the girl was reaching an arm through the bars trying to wave at Saria. Talon quickly pulled Malon back and shushed her, whispering, "Quiet, my girl! The guards might hear you!"
Saria ran across the room to where Malon was and crouched down, saying, "The guards are out cold for now, but we don't have much time. I have a place I can take you all, but make sure to keep quiet and do as I say."
"Of course," whispered Malon.
Saria had a ring of keys she picked up from one of the guards. As she searched for the right key, she heard a rapid pair of claps from behind her. Saria stood up, watching as a metal gate sealed the room shut. Gerudo warriors then appeared from the shadows, one after the other, until finally, Kitoga stepped out in front of the pack. Strangely, she was wearing an eyepatch over her left eye.
"Kitoga! I knew you'd show up," said Saria. "Is this trap your doing?"
"Of course! Lord Ganondorf, in his wisdom, knew that as soon as he demanded a ransom for the Zora princess, someone would come running to save her. How fortunate that it is you who would come here." Kitoga drew a pair of scimitars, gesturing for the other warriors to stand back. "Now I can finally have my revenge!"
Kitoga dashed forward, her right scimitar held high. Saria drew her own, blocking the attack, and the two pushed against each other for a moment as sparks flew.
"Why the eyepatch? I don't recall cutting your face the last time we met."
Kitoga pushed Saria's scimitar aside, swinging horizontally with her left blade. Saria ducked, swung upwards with her sword as she stood up, and Kitoga backflipped away. The two circled around the room, each waiting for the other to make the next move.
"It was a punishment for my failure," said Kitoga in a harsh tone. "I was tasked with returning with both the Kokiri's Emerald and Goron's Ruby – but I only brought back one. A jewel for a jewel, and an eye for an eye."
Kitoga then pivoted on her heels before leaping forward, spinning her swords around. Saria waited until just the right moment, hopping to the side as Kitoga sprung on her. Saria slashed at the Gerudo's exposed backside, but Kitoga reacted in time, only taking a cut to the shoulder.
"Ganondorf did that to you, didn't he? Are you sure you're on the right side?" asked Saria.
"You would never understand!" shouted Kitoga. "Lord Ganondorf is not just some king to us, he is our god, the god that will lead us to victory! But in order to grasp hold of that victory, there can be no weakness, no failure. The pain I suffer will only make me stronger!"
Kitoga rushed Saria once more. When Saria blocked the Gerudo's scimitars, Kitoga kicked Saria in the stomach, knocking the Kokiri across the floor. Kitoga followed this up with another attack, leaping on Saria with her blades. Saria blocked, doing her best to hold off the Gerudo warrior.
"Is that really the kind of world you want to live in?" asked Saria. "A place where you can never take it easy, never get sick, never let your guard down? You're not working for a god, you're working for a tyrant!"
Saria used her legs in tandem to fight off the Gerudo – one for a sweep, and the other for a strike. Saria got back on her feet and readied her blade. Kitoga stumbled back, clutching her side where a bruise was forming.
"Tyrant? Don't talk to me about tyrants. Do you think I'd forget about all the bloody deeds the Royal Family carried out just because there's been a decade of peace?" Kitoga spit blood, wiping her lips with the back of her hand. "I would rather die than stay under Hyrule's heel." Despite her injuries, Kitoga kept up the fighting, rushing Saria and swinging wildly with her two scimitars. Saria was forced on the defensive, dodging and parrying the Gerudo's onslaught. "Before my mother died to those Hylian dogs, she told me I was destined for greatness! That I would help our people in their time of need! Whether I will lead the Gerudo one day or merely play a part in their history, it matters not. All I care about is crushing that despicable Royal Family once and for all!"
"Why do you hate the Royal Family so much?" asked Saria. "They united Hyrule, didn't they?"
"They didn't unite Hyrule, you fool, they conquered it! Were it not for Lord Ganondorf, we would have been wiped off the map! Though I hated him for bending the knee, I understand now why he did it. You can call him a tyrant if you want, but if working for a tyrant means the survival of my people, then so be it!"
Saria gritted her teeth and shouted, "You idiot!" After continuing to parry Kitoga's blades, she struck one of the swords out of the Gerudo's hands before slashing Kitoga across the chest. The scimitar fell tip-first, piercing the stone ground as Kitoga stepped back, blood hissing from her wound.
"You… Why can't I… Beat… You…" Kitoga fell to one knee, clutching her chest as she breathed heavily. One of the Gerudo warriors moved to help Kitoga, but another blocked them, shaking her head. Saria felt a terrible sinking sensation in her stomach as she saw blood dripping from her blade. She swished the sword to shake the blood off, and sheathed it, stepping over to Kitoga. Before Saria could help her, swirling magic manifested around the wounded warrior, forcing Saria to step back.
"Why can't you beat her, you ask?" said an old woman's voice out of nowhere. Saria looked around, but no source of the voice could be seen. The old woman then said, "It's because you're weak, Kitoga! You always have been. I never understood what Lord Ganondorf saw in you."
A witch on a flying broom manifested, spinning in the air before settling and circling around Kitoga. She looked like an ancient Gerudo woman in a black robe with white Gerudo patterns near the hems, and a large red jewel decorated her forehead above her beak-like nose.
"K-koume, what is the meaning of this? I can still fight!" shouted Kitoga, who was slowly sinking into the ground.
"Haha, how foolish can you be? You'll be dead before you ever defeat this one – and you're no good to us dead. I'll find a use for you yet, foolish girl! Now begone!"
Kitoga disappeared and the spell dissipated. Then the witch set her sights on Saria.
"As for you, you've done well to make it this far, but your journey ends here! Guards, seize her and take the Goron's Ruby!"
"Jokes on you, we don't have the Goron's Ruby!" said Poppy.
"What?! No matter. We'll figure out what you did with it one way or another."
As the other Gerudo warriors closed in on Saria, she whispered to Poppy, "You know, you really didn't have to say that."
Though Saria put up a fight, it wasn't long until the guards had her tied up, disarmed, and thrown in a cell. Poppy was stuffed in a bottle and taken by Koume, and as Saria watched the witch disappear from behind bars, she hoped against hope that Sheik was faring better.