Chapter 38: Between life & Death (PT2)

"Don't let it regroup!" Neph shouted, her voice cutting through the tension as both she and Noah moved in sync. They sprinted to either side of the Hylian girl, who was now darting toward the decaying bodies that had emerged from the swampy water, near the corrupted Great Fairy Bud.

Before the girl could reach the others, the assassin appeared from above, landing in front of her with a downward swipe of her dagger. The girl reacted with inhuman reflexes, rolling backward just in time to avoid the strike. But her retreat was cut short as Neph's axe came crashing down toward her from behind.

The girl tilted her body at an unnatural angle, allowing the axe to cleave through her shoulder, severing it entirely. Yet, to their horror, she barely seemed affected, scrambling back to her feet and continuing her sprint toward the horde, her movements as fluid as before.

She ran directly into Noah's path, and he seized the opportunity. With a swift move, he tripped the girl, sending her tumbling to the ground. He raised his sword, ready to end it with a clean strike. But just as the blade was about to meet her face, Noah froze.

Tears streamed from the girl's wide, terrified eyes, her face twisted in an expression of pure agony. White veins budged under her skin. For a moment, she looked so human. Noah's mind raced with a flood of questions. Is she still alive? What if we can save her? Is he seriously about to kill a kid?

"Link! No!" The assassin's voice snapped him out of his paralysis. She grabbed his collar, yanking him backward just as the girl lashed out with her feet, now coiled in strings, aiming for Noah's throat—mirroring the fatal strike he had almost delivered.

The three regrouped, their breathing ragged as they watched the girl limp back to the horde. Neph grabbed Noah by the arm, her eyes blazing with frustration.

"What happened to showing no mercy?" she demanded.

"I... I hesitated," Noah stammered, guilt tightening his chest.

"We seriously don't have time for that." Neph snapped, her voice rising with exasperation.

The assassin, calmer but no less urgent, interjected. "We removed her arm cleanly, yet she's still moving as if nothing happened…"

Noah's gaze flicked to the horde—at least a hundred more twisted, decaying villagers bound by the same sinister strings, each one a potential puppet. He shuddered, he had never killed a human before… even if these things hardly were counted as one.

Neph's eyes narrowed in thought before settling back on him. "Link, that ability you have... Brightstep, was it? The one you used at the wall? Can you use it to teleport directly to the Great Fairy?"

A spark of hope flickered in Noah's mind. In theory he could but in practice Noah was forced to shake his head sadly.

"A side effect of Brightstep is that I receive the emotions and mentality of anyone I teleport with. If I Brightstep through one of these creatures, there's a significant risk. Considering the monster's hypnotic abilities... I could very well point my sword towards you"

"Not that you'll pose much of a threat" Neph's face tightened as she joked, but she nodded, understanding the risk. "Then we'll have to rush in."

Noah clenched his fist around the hilt of his sword, steeling his resolve. "Lets not waste time whilst they'll still coming out of the water."

"Xello, keep to the rear and stay sharp. We'll call out targets for you. Trust your aim," Neph ordered.

Xello hesitated but nodded, drawing his bow. "Understood. Just make sure I don't hit one of you."

The trio charged into the fray; their weapons raised. The corrupted villagers, their movements jerky and unnatural, swarmed towards them. Neph, with her axe, cleaved through the horde, each swing a brutal display of power. Noah, more cautious, focused on precise strikes, his sword a flash of steel as he dodged and parried.

As they fought, Noah couldn't shake the feeling of unease. The corrupted villagers, despite their monstrous appearance, wasn't seemingly acting on instinct rather it was as if they were being physically manipulated beyond their control. He wondered if there was a way to break their control, to free them from the dark influence that had taken hold of them.

A particularly large and grotesque Hylian lunged at Noah, its claws outstretched. Noah sidestepped the attack, then countered with a powerful overhead swing. The creature howled in pain, but it didn't fall. Instead, it staggered back, then charged again, this time with renewed Vigor.

Just as the creature was about to strike, Noah saw an opportunity. He feinted a blow, then ducked under the hyulians guard. With a swift motion, he drew his sword and plunged it into the Hylian heart.

The Hylian briefly went limp causing Noah to become, relieved however the creature suddenly reanimated. Noah panicked but before the creature could bite his head off, an arrow flew straight into the creature's head causing it to flinch backwards.

Noah turned his head and saw the assassin behind Xello as if whispering into his ears. She seemed to be directing him so he could pick off the most threatening targets, taking out those who posed the greatest danger to the others.

Noah's gaze flicked to the horde—at least a hundred shambling villagers bound by sinister strings. His mind buzzed with panic and a flicker of hope. "Am I in some hellish version of COD Zombies? How the hell do we deal with this?"

Suddenly, realization struck like lightning. "Wait, do I even need to kill them?"

He turned to Neph, who was beginning to falter under the weight of multiple villagers dogpiling onto her. She swung her axe wildly, but the narrow space restricted her movements.

"Neph, hold on!" Noah shouted, tossing his sword into the air. Grabbing his Sheikah Slate, he activated Magnesis, pulling the blade with a surge of force. The momentum sent the sword crashing into the horde near Neph, scattering several villagers and knocking them off balance.

Neph grunted, using the brief reprieve to shove the creatures off her and retreat several steps.

Noah retrieved his sword with Magnesis, then activated BrightStep, swapping positions with Neph in a flash of light. He rolled to his feet, now standing between the horde and his allies.

"She needs space," Noah muttered, gripping his sword tightly. "I'm better suited here."

The villagers lunged at him, claws slashing and strings whipping through the air. Noah parried desperately, gritting his teeth as the blows rained down. The assassin appeared beside him, her daggers flashing as she severed strings and struck at the villagers' limbs with precision.

"We don't need to kill them," Noah reminded himself as he ducked a wild swing. He rolled onto the ground and, with a clean strike, severed a villager's legs at the knees.

The creature collapsed, thrashing on the ground but unable to pursue. A surge of hope filled Noah. "Just like COD Zombies, if we disable their limbs, they'll just crawl. And if we do the same to their arms…"

He turned to the assassin, about to shout his plan, when something coiled around his neck.

"String?!"

Noah choked, his vision blurring as he was yanked off the ground. The string tightened, cutting into his flesh and cutting off his air. His sword fell from his grasp as he clawed at the string, gasping for breath. His feet dangled, and his eyes bulged as blood rushed to his head.

"Noah!" Neph screamed, horrified, as the others turned to him.

'I've got seconds—maybe less,' Noah thought desperately. He reached above his head, following the string with his hands. 'Above… it's coming from above!'

His eyes darted to the Sheikah Slate. With his last ounce of focus, he aimed it at the assassin.

"I'm sorry," he thought, pressing the button.

In an instant, their positions swapped. The assassin gasped as the string coiled around her slender neck, tightening with deadly force.

Noah hit the ground hard, coughing and sucking in air. His vision swam, but he scrambled to grab his Sheikah Slate again. Activating Magnesis, he hurled his fallen sword toward the assassin, praying his aim was true.

The assassin flinched, closing her eyes in anticipation of death. But instead of striking her, the blade severed the string holding her aloft. She fell, and Noah caught her just before she hit the ground, groaning under the weight.

"Master Link?" she gasped, her voice shaky.

"Sorry about that" Noah gave a pained smile. "But your safe with me."
Noah didn't see the Assassin's reaction as he shouted, looking upwards "It's coming from above!"

The others followed his gaze. The cave's ceiling, previously shrouded in darkness, loomed above them.

"Neph!" Xello shouted. "Fire arrow—now!"

Neph, mid-parry with a villager, took a step back and drew an arrow from her quiver. It wasn't a normal arrow. Its shaft gleamed gold, and the crystalline red tip glowed with swirling energy.

Noah's heart skipped a beat. "A fire arrow?"

Neph nocked the arrow, aimed, and loosed it straight upward. The arrow soared into the darkness, exploding in a brilliant burst of light.

The cave roof was revealed. Thick, tangled webs of glowing strings coated the ceiling, descending like marionette threads to the villagers below. The fire arrow ignited the strings, and flames spread rapidly, devouring the sinister web.

"The strings are keeping them moving!" Neph shouted. "Don't fight the villagers—cut the strings!"

As the roof burned, the villagers stumbled, their movements faltering as the strings disintegrated.

Noah's heart pounded as he helped the assassin to her feet. "We buy time until the ceiling burns completely! Hold the line!"

The others nodded, determination gleaming in their eyes. Together, they braced for the next wave, fighting to survive until the strings were nothing but ash.

Saying something and doing it were two very different things, and Noah was learning just how true that was. The creatures, as if sensing their time was running out, grew more ferocious. Their attacks came faster and in greater numbers, spurred on by the flames consuming the web above them.

Noah was at his limit. Blood seeped from the countless cuts on his arms, and his muscles screamed with every swing of his sword. His breath came in ragged gasps, and exhaustion clung to him like a second skin. The others weren't faring any better. Neph's leg had been mangled, forcing her to rely heavily on her axe like a crutch. Her left arm hung limp, blood dripping steadily from her shoulder.

The assassin, once a fluid blur of precision strikes, was faltering as well. The horde had flanked them, and she now fought defensively, staying close to Xello, who was struggling to focus. His eyes darted wildly, as though trying to see creatures just beyond his perception. For now, he could only monitor the team's states, calling out warnings when he noticed gaps in their defences.

Noah barely raised his sword in time to parry the next villager lunging at him. But just as the creature was about to strike, it crumpled to the ground, limbs twitching helplessly. It barked and writhed, its movements jerky, but it couldn't rise.

Noah blinked, realization dawning. "The strings… It's working!"

Fuelled by this small victory, he pushed forward, weaving between the remaining villagers. His blade flashed, severing strings and disabling limbs. Slowly, he regrouped with Neph and the assassin. The three of them fought in unison, striking decisively as the horde began to falter.

One by one, the villagers dropped lifelessly to the ground, their strings burned or severed. The group held their ground, their movements slowing as the once-overwhelming tide of enemies thinned. Eventually, the last villager fell.

The three warriors stood amidst the carnage, panting heavily. They lowered their weapons, taking in the eerie silence.

"They... weren't that hard," Neph muttered, still catching her breath.

Noah shot her a tired look, raising an eyebrow. "You sure about that?"

"Their strength was in their numbers," the assassin said, her voice surprisingly steady. She surveyed the battlefield with sharp eyes, her exhaustion hidden beneath a calm exterior.

"Except that one," Noah interjected, pointing his sword toward the rotting Great Fairy Bud.

At the foot of the decayed flower, standing on its withered staircase, was the Hylian girl who had first attacked them. Her shoulder hung loosely, the flesh barely clinging to bone. Despite this, she stood upright, her face eerily neutral as her glowing eyes locked onto them.

"I thought they were all tied to the strings from the roof," the assassin mused, tilting her head.

"This one has strings under her skin," Noah replied, his voice grim. "It's holding her together."

"She's not as decayed as the others," Neph added, gripping her axe tighter. "We can handle one."

Noah glanced back at Xello, who gave a small nod, confirming he was unharmed. With that reassurance, the three fighters spread out, each taking cautious steps toward the girl.

Then, something shifted.

Behind the Hylian girl, a dark liquid began to seep from the Great Fairy Bud's tip. It oozed down the petals in thick, viscous streams, staining the decayed flower further.

Noah's eyes narrowed. He'd seen something similar before, though far less grotesque.

The bud trembled. Its withered petals creaked as they began to unfurl, expanding outward in a slow, deliberate motion.

"It's opening," Noah said, his voice tight as he reached into his pouch and gripped the rupees tightly. His resolve hardened.

The Great Fairy Bud groaned as it began to peel open, the sound a sickening mix of creaking wood and tearing flesh. Thick, black liquid gushed from the cracks, cascading down in revolting rivulets that hissed as they touched the ground. The petals unfolded slowly, revealing something moving within, its silhouette twitching unnaturally against the pale light of the cave.

Noah's breath caught as the creature emerged, its massive form heaving into view. At first glance, it appeared to be a monstrous black spider, its spindly legs coated in the same string-like substance that had controlled the villagers. But then, they saw the horror truly—its abdomen wasn't an abdomen at all.

The Great Fairy had been fused to the spider's rear. Her upper body jutted grotesquely from the creature's back, her once-beautiful form warped and sickly. Her arms dangled limply, her fingers twitching with unnatural spasms. Her face, twisted in anguish and madness, stared blindly ahead, her mouth trembling as if trying to form words. Black veins pulsed beneath her translucent skin, merging into the spider's body, as if she were nothing more than a puppet herself.

"No… no way…" Noah whispered, his grip tightening on his sword.

The spider jerked forward, its legs stabbing into the ground with horrifying cracks. Its movements were both erratic and calculated, as though it were testing its newfound body. Then, with a wet, guttural shriek, the creature tore free from the bud entirely. The petals crumbled inward as if the flower itself had given up, collapsing into a heap of rot and decay.

Black strings dangled from the spider's legs like dripping cobwebs, snapping against the ground as it crawled. The fairy on its back let out a garbled moan, her head lolling forward unnaturally. For a moment, the creature seemed to hesitate, its grotesque body shuddering in place.

Then, with terrifying speed, it launched itself upward, slamming into the ceiling of the cave. Its legs pierced the stone, anchoring it high above. The strings dangling from its limbs began to spread out, fanning across the roof like an expanding web.

The spider twisted its body, turning to face them. The Great Fairy's head jerked upward, her glowing, vacant eyes locking onto the group below. Her mouth opened wide, far too wide, and a blood-curdling scream erupted from her throat—a sound that wasn't just physical but seemed to claw at their very minds.

Neph staggered, clamping his hands over his ears. "What is that thing?!"

The Assassin gritted her teeth, her gaze locked on the monstrous figure. "That… that's the Great Fairy?"

Noah, trembled recoiling in fear whispered hoarsely, "It's not just her. It's… something else."

Above them, the spider's body quivered as if laughing, its grotesque form twitching with unnatural glee. The strings dripping from its legs descended like sinister tendrils, swaying hypnotically as though testing the air for prey.

Noah's body froze. His heart thundered in his chest, and his hands gripped his sword so tightly his knuckles turned white. The blade trembled in his grasp, not from exhaustion but from sheer terror. This wasn't some grand, awe-inspiring battle against a divine beast—it was pure, unfiltered madness.

"What is this bullshit?" Noah hissed under his breath. His mind spiralled, grasping for anything to make sense of the situation. This wasn't in the game. There wasn't even supposed to be a threat in the Hylian region!

He glanced at the others, their faces mirroring his fear. Even Neph, unshakable in her brute strength, seemed rattled.

"L-L-Link…" The assassin's voice wavered, her daggers shaking. "What's the plan?"

Noah's mind raced. Run away? Fight? Scream? The words jumbled in his head, but none dared leave his lips.

Before he could respond, the spider moved. It didn't lunge or attack—it began digging, its legs tearing through the stone roof of the cave with an ease that defied belief. Each strike of its legs sounded like thunder, reverberating through the cavern.

The ground beneath their feet trembled violently. Xello's voice cut through the chaos. "It's destabilizing the cave! The whole thing's going to collapse!"

Noah snapped out of his paralysis. Survival instincts took over as he yelled, "Everyone! Get out of here!"

Without waiting for a response, he bolted toward the cave's exit. The others followed closely, their footsteps echoing behind him as the tunnels began to collapse. Stones fell from above, narrowly missing them as dust and debris choked the air.

As they reached a fork in the path, Neph shouted, "We didn't come this way!"

"The original entrance is too deep to climb out of with the time we've got!" Noah barked back. "We need another way!"

He hesitated for a moment, unsure of which path to take, but the pink fairy darted forward, pointing the way with its glowing light. Trusting its guidance, Noah led the group through the unfamiliar tunnels.

The rumbling intensified, and the air grew heavier with dust. Just as it seemed the collapsing cave would swallow them whole, they burst out into the open. The group stumbled out of the cavern's mouth just as the entire structure collapsed behind them, sending a plume of debris into the sky.

Breathing hard, they turned back to the ruins. From within the rubble, a blood-curdling scream tore through the air, causing all of them to flinch.

"Was that the cave spider?" Xello muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Cave spider?" Noah echoed, glancing at Xello in confusion. But before he could press further, the assassin's voice rang out.

"The village!" she screamed, her tone laced with urgency. Without another word, she took off, sprinting toward the distant lights of the settlement.

Noah exchanged a quick glance with Neph and Xello, their expressions reflecting his own exhaustion and uncertainty. "We're not done yet," he muttered, shrugging off the aches in his body.

With a resigned groan, he took off after the assassin, the others close behind him. The night wasn't over, and neither was their fight.