Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction ❯ The Legend of Zelda: Masquerade ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

“Wow,” Sheik breathed. “Just, wow.”

“It is impressive work,” Kaimana agreed. Sheik held the solid shield up so it caught the remaining light from the forge. The shield was larger than Link’s old one, but also lighter. It was rimmed in decorative gold trim, and a golden Triforce had been worked flush with the rest of the metal in the center. But most impressive was the smoothness. The surface caught every stray bit of light and reflected it back tenfold, so that it seemed to give off a light all its own.

Sheik turned and looked at Link, who was curled on his side near the door. Every couple of minutes a convulsive tremor wracked his body. Handing the shield to Kaimana, he reached down and lifted Link off the floor. Last year this would have been a simple matter, but now the best he could manage was a fireman’s carry which he suspected Link would appreciate being unconscious for.

They returned to the room, putting Link in bed and placing his new shield on the floor beside him. Sheik sank into the other bed and Kaimana gave his shoulder a pat before leaving them alone. Sheik leaned back and closed his eyes.

Link whimpered and Sheik opened his eyes again. The fire in their room had burned low. Sheik blinked, rubbed his eyes, and yawned. “Hero? You okay?” He heaved himself up and walked to Link’s bed. The younger man was trembling in his sleep, not measured shivers of cold, but violent jerks of muscles. Each twitch or flinch was accompanied by a pained whimper. But his eyelids were closed, the eyes behind them swiveling wildly.

Sheik took a leaf from his pouch and crushed it. The scent was strange, mint and spice. Prying Link’s jaw open, he placed the leaf in his mouth. After a moment Link’s eyes stilled and his body relaxed by a few degree. It had taken a lot of cajoling to get the Great Deku Tree to reveal the location of those leaves. They would not stop the pain, but they would let Link sleep deeply. He pushed some sweaty hair from Link’s face. “What am I going to do with you, Hero?”

Sheik went back to bed, dozing off and on through the night, feeding Link crushed leaves as he needed them and keeping the fire burning so the room did not chill.

&&&

Link woke slowly. He felt oddly numb. Not just a lethargy in his limbs, but as if his brain was wrapped in cotton and his senses had all been dulled. With a great effort of will, he sat up. Sheik slept on the other bed, stretched out on the comforter. Two trays of food were sitting on the table; one had already been picked at, the other remained covered.

Standing on wobbly legs he made his way to the table and sank into a chair. Pulling the cover off the untouched tray he began to eat automatically, not really tasting any of the food. He did not even realize Sheik was awake until a bottle of milk was placed in front of him. He drank it with the same reflexive motions.

“Do you need more sleep?” Sheik asked. Link blinked at him dully, then shook his head. Sheik took something from his pouch, a small white pill, snapped it in half and shoved both pieces under Link’s nose.

The smell was...strange. Not exactly unpleasant, but sharp. His eyes watered almost immediately, his head felt light, his ears rang, and lightning raced through his limbs. He shoved Sheik’s hand away. “Oh sweet Nayru, what is that!?”

Sheik calmly put the pill away. “I’ve been drugging you,” he said simply. “This is the antidote.”

“You’ve been what?” Link asked.

“Your eyes turned red and you weren’t yourself. Last time that happened you spent a couple of days in terrible pain. I decided to save you that.”

“Oh.” Link rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Thank you.” He looked around, everything now in sharp relief. “What did I do this time? I don’t remember.” Sheik turned slightly and gestured to the shield still leaning on the wall near the bed. Link blinked, then rose and retrieved it. He ran his fingers over the glossy surface, tracing the golden Triforce.

“You do good work when you are out of your head. Much less personable, though.”

Link placed the new shield on his back, shrugging a few times to settle it in place. “It’s lighter than the other one.”

&&&

Link leaned his head back and let the warmth of the sun wash over his skin. He loved spending time with the Zora, but after so many days underground it felt good to be out in the open again. The wind whipped up, tugging at his clothes and hair and he turned into it so the air rushed directly into his face.

“Farore, Link!”

Link turned back to see Sheik, his hand raised as if to cover his eyes. “What?”

“That shield,” Sheik said, lowering his hand and blinking his eyes hard several times. “It is very reflective.”

Link frowned. “It seems a shame to cover it up.”
“Then at least don’t stand in front of me.” He moved to stand alongside Link. Hylia Lake had not changed much in the time they had spent with the Zora. The sun was high, glittering off the water whipped high by the winds. A dark storm gathered on the horizon behind Death Mountain. Lightning flashed silently. “That storm isn’t going to hold long.”

“Long enough for us to make it to the next town,” Link answered. They turned away from the storm and headed to the small cave that housed the horses and hippocampus. “I haven’t tried to reach the Rito from here before. I don’t think there are any direct routes.” The elderly Zora who tended the animals met them at the entrance.

“Only by water,” the elderly Zora answered. “For easy travel over land, you’ll need to head north for a couple of days before you find an easy way west. At least that will take you to the closest bridge over the canyon.”

“Thank you.” Sheik nodded and passed the Zora a few extra rupees. They mounted their horses and headed away from the lake, passing through the canyon where they had met the bandits, and into Hyrule Field.

Heading north gave them a good look at the storm that seemed to hover over Kakariko as it lashed the earth with its fury. The proceeding winds whipped around them, bringing the scent of earth and water and smoke. Link grinned. “It almost looks like Sarken is throwing a tantrum.”

Sheik frowned. “What makes you say that? It just looks like a normal storm to me.” Link only shook his head and shrugged. They spurred the horses faster in the rising wind. The storm continued to hover over Death Mountain most of the day, swirling and churning, the blackness broken only by occasional bursts of lightning. Yet a darkness crept across the sky, oozing like spilled ink, covering the skies from horizon to horizon in a blackness that had nothing to do with clouds or night.

With the strange darkness came wind. By noon the tall grass of Hyrule Field lay all but flat to the ground and the horses had to slow to a walk. Both young men were leaning over their mounts’ necks, trying to present a lower profile to the battering gale. Link had even removed his hat, tucking it into his pouch to keep it safe.

“We aren’t going to make it to town. Not in this mess,” Sheik shouted over the roaring wind.

“Should we turn back?”

Sheik looked at the pitch cast sky and shook his head. “We need to find shelter, now.”

Link looked around, then pointed. “There.” Almost hidden in the darkness, crouched in a thick stand of trees – whose tops were bowed by the wind – was an old farmhouse. They had to backtrack a bit, but soon made it to the rickety structure. It was clear that only the trees growing so closely around it kept it from succumbing to the elements. They dismounted and led the horses inside as well.

Inside, the cabin was so dark they could not see anything and the wind whistled through the boards, making the horses snort and dance. Link brought up a ball of light. The cabin was as ramshackle as it had appeared from the outside. The floor had once been covered in wood, but most of the boards were now missing or rotten, leaving weathered dirt. A stone hearth crumbled in on one wall, unusable. The building groaned as the wind battered it and the wind that got in whipped up the smell of dust and mildew.

“I don’t think a fire would be wise in here,” Sheik said as he forced the door closed against the wind and wedged another board against it to keep it that way. Link gave a grunt of agreement.

They set up camp as best they could in the cabin. With no fire, they ate a meal of dried meat and bread. Outside the darkness deepened and brought with it cold. When the storm finally crawled over them, it brought a mix of rain and sleet. The ice pounded on the roof as if it were intentionally trying to collapse the cabin around them. The wind grew increasingly cold, soon forming icicles where the air and water met inside. Both young men pulled on their cloaks; meant to keep off a summer rain, they were only a mild help.

“I did not come prepared for winter weather,” Sheik said between chattering teeth as he wrapped his arms around himself.

“Me either,” Link agreed, his breath coming out in a puff of mist. Outside, the sheet turned into driving hail. The roof creaked and groaned overhead.

Sheik swore. “This is not normal weather. Where did Thorvald and Meredith find that nutcase?” The roof cracked and hail the size of marbles began falling through. The horses shied and whinnied. “We can’t stay here.” Another crack and more hail began pouring in. They grabbed the horses and hurried out into the storm.

Their cloaks were caught in the wind and whipped wildly. Hail came down in blinding sheets of white, beating everything on the ground into submission. In many places the grass lay flat; small trees were coated in ice and bowed to the ground. Larger trees had their branches weighted down, loud snaps and pops ringing around them as green wood buckled.

“Which way?” Link yelled over the howling wind as he threw himself onto Nightfire’s back. The horse danced under him. Sheik clamped down on Blu’s reins with one hand, trying to calm the animal while he raised an arm to protect his eyes as he tried to get his bearings.

“I don’t know.”

The earth shook and both horses froze. A loud crack like breaking glass followed. The world seemed to hold its breath, then the ground shook again. “I have a bad feeling about this...” Link groaned as the shattering crack reported around them. Out of the dark and hail something loomed. Taller than the trees, it moved in long, stilted steps. Each forward movement was accompanied by another shake and crack.

“Oh... Nayru...” Sheik breathed as the creature stepped close enough to be made out. “That is a big Freezard.” Both of the ice creature’s legs was as big around as a small tree trunk As it stepped forward the limb broke off at the knee, only to refreeze before the foot set down again. One leg came down on the cabin, crashing through the rotten roof without thought. Long arms reach out to break down anything in its way, including trees, which it ripped up and tossed over its shoulder like toys. A dragon-like head turned glowing red eyes on them.

Then it roared, the sound alone was deafening. But with it came a blast of air, snow, and ice that froze anything it touched. Both men put their heels to their horses, dodging away from the blast.

Link took out his bow and notched an arrow. Forcing fire into the head, he released it into the Freezard’s side. The arrow found its mark, going up in a plume of flames that looked almost comically tiny against the Freezard’s huge body. It was, however, enough to annoy the creature, which turned on Link with another roar and icy blast. Only Nightfire’s quick feet saved him from the brunt. The bit of wind that did catch him carried ice, and a few shards buried themselves in his exposed arms; melting away to leave the small wounds to bled.

He quickly reached back and touched Nightfire’s flanks, but his hand came away covered only in fur and water. The shards were not enough to pierce the horse’s thicker hide. The creature sucked in another breath, and was hit from behind with another tiny ball of fire. It turned on Sheik, but the man and horse had already vanished into the darkness and ice. Link used the distraction to pull up behind a clump of trees and out of sight. Sheik seemed to materialize next to him a minute later.

“Now what?” Link asked.

“Can you call more fire? Something bigger?”

Link worried his bottom lip and peered up through the trees where the Freezard was clearly still searching for them. “I think so.”

Sheik nodded. “I’ll keep it busy. When you see an opening, hit it with everything you have.” In a flurry of wind, Sheik and Blu vanished again. Link dismounted and moved through the stand of trees to crouch where he could see without being seen.

Reaching for his magic had long since become second nature, but he rarely needed more than could fit into an arrowhead or a sword. The last time he had used more had been against Ganon, and most of that day was a blur. Drawing all the magic he could summon, he channeled it into his hands and waited.

A plume of flames hit the Freezard in the face. It roared and swung toward the attack, but as it did, parallel pillars of water rose from the ground and wrapped around its arms; turning to ice on contact. Another blast of flames slammed into its throat while a lash of wind struck along the spine.

The Freezard screamed and broke both its arms at the elbow, escaping its binds. The arms grew back almost instantly, only to have the left one blown off again by a bolt of lightning. All of this happened without Link seeing Sheik, not even his horse seemed to leave prints in the snow. Furious, the Freezard roared and began blasting ice and snow in all directions.

As the monster turned, Link saw his chance. When the Freezard turned, one leg broke off at the knee, leaving it to pivot on the other. Gathering his magic, Link loosed a fireball twice the size of his head. It slammed into the Freezard’s shoulder, exploding to several times its original size and sending the creature spinning wildly. Its other leg snapped, sending it crashing to the ground.

The Freezard hit the ground and shattered with a thunderous crash. The earth shook so hard Link had to grab a nearby tree for balance. Chunks of ice flew through the air before joining the hail raining down on them. Link gave a whistle, catching Nightfire’s mane as the horse trotted by and swinging up. He met Sheik where the largest pieces had come to rest.

“That was...impressive, Hero.”

“Says the guy who can shoot lightning.” Link raised a hand and sent a plume of fire splashing across one of the larger chunks of ice, watching until it melted to nothing.

“I hate Freezards.” Sheik sighed as he followed Link’s lead. The largest chunks of ice shuddered and began gliding towards the two young men. “You have to smash them to nothing or melt them to get rid of them.”

“How do you do the lightning anyway?” Link asked as he calmly melted another of the small Freezards.

Sheik shrugged, lashing out with a bolt of lightning that shattered two at once. Up close the sound was almost deafening and the light briefly turned the darkness once again into the noon. “Lightning is nothing more than super-heated air. All you need is to combine fire and wind magic.”

Link nodded and took aim at a particularly large Freezard. Gathering his magic, he concentrated and released. The result was a blast of air, followed by a rush of flames, then a sudden and wild crack of electricity. The shot went wide, striking down a smaller Freezard instead. Nightfire reared and whinnied. Sheik laughed. “It takes practice.”

Link rolled his eyes and finished off the rest of the Freezards with a wall of flames that rose out of the ground and crashed over them like a wave. “What else can be combined?”

“Fire and water make steam. Darkness and water make ice. Fire and earth make lava. You get the idea.”

Link nodded. “What about water and earth?”

“Mud. Water and earth make mud, Hero.” Sheik grinned. Link made a rude gesture. Sheik laughed and Link turned his attention towards the sky. The hail had stopped and the darkness was slowly dispersing, like morning mist burning away with the rising sun. Beyond, the sky had turned the warm pink and orange of evening. It also revealed they had wandered far off course.

“On the plus side, Sarken has probably worn himself out for a while. On the other, where the hell are we?”

“That... is a good question?” Sheik replied, turning in a circle to try and find his bearings. “Lost, I believe.”

“I can see that.”

Sheik shrugged. “Relax, Hero. The Rito live in the western mountains just across the gorge. All we have to do is head west.”

Link turned towards the setting sun. Even in the harsh orange light the terrain looked rough, thick with trees and hidden in heavy shadow. With the red tongue of the sun behind, mountain and forest became blackened and bloody teeth. “Not tonight.” Sheik nodded in agreement.

They made camp and ate a meager meal of dried fish and water. Sheik hollowed out a pit in the ground where they placed the fire, using the depression to conceal the light. They took turns keeping watch throughout the night, but encountered nothing more than a few nocturnal creatures scurrying about their business.

Morning broke to reveal a piece of Hyrule Link had never seen before. He had held out hope that the sun would chase away the confusion of the night, but the land still reminded him of teeth. Rough terrain of rocky foothills thrust trees skyward at odd angles.

“Are we still in Hyrule?” Link asked as they ate a light breakfast. Having expected to pass through a town, they were already short on supplies.

“Maybe,” Sheik answered. “But it is a far flung corner. Doesn’t change anything though.”

Link made a non-communicative noise as he got up and saddled his horse. “West it is then.” The going was slow, with no paths to follow and the rough terrain. Often they had to double back and find a new route. By the time they made camp they had only traveled a few miles. Link took up his bow and went hunting while Sheik made camp.

Sheik unsaddled the horses and hitched them to a long line before clearing a patch of ground for a fire. Standing up, he scanned the forest around him. The sounds of night were rising in volume as the sun cast everything into a purple twilight. He picked out landmarks to keep his bearing, and began to gather wood. The wind picked up and the trees groaned. Sheik turned in the direction of the wind, scanning the horizon.

Overhead, the tree groaned again. Sheik dodged without thinking, just as a man dropped from the branches. The man lunged after him and Sheik lashed out with his foot. The man jumped back out of reach as another man dropped from above. This time Sheik did not have time to dodge. The second man landed on his back, slamming him to the ground. Sheik twisted, but the man grabbed a fistful of hair and wrenched his head back. His mask was pulled down and a wet cloth shoved over his mouth and nose. Sheik held his breath as he continued to try and throw the man off.

“You gotta breathe eventually!” one of the men laughed. A large fist struck his kidney and Sheik gasped involuntarily. “There you go, breathe deep.” A spicy, heady scent invaded Sheik’s senses. His eyes grew heavy and the world faded to black.

&&&

Link returned to camp with his prize, a large rabbit. It would not last them long, but would get them through the night. However, when he got to where he thought camp should be there was no one there. Glancing around, he double-checked the surrounding land marks to be sure he had not been turned around in the darkness. Frowning, he placed the rabbit on a rock, his hand reaching for the Master Sword.

“Sheik?” He was answered only by crickets and tree frogs. Overhead a full moon cast the world into shadows of blue, giving him more than enough light to see by. On silent feet he moved forward, finding a patch of ground cleared of dead leaves and twigs. His fingers traced the all but invisible prints of Sheik’s soft-soled boots. He followed them a few yards to a place where the ground covering was disturbed and fresh leaves lay about. Link drew his sword as he looked above him, but nothing moved.

Walking around the spot he found a set of prints that headed back towards camp. There was a distinctive break in the boot’s sole. The same tracked returned to the disturbance with hitched steps, like the person had acquired a limp. On the other side the limping tracks joined a larger, heavier set, both heading away from camp at an angle. As he turned back toward camp he noticed a scrap of cloth on the ground. He crouched over it. Even without picking it up he could smell the heady mix of herbs, and quickly stood up before they could affect him.

Giving another glance around, he whistled softly. A moment later Nightfire and Blu came out of the forest like wraiths. Link greeted them both, noting that their long line had been roughly cut and their saddles were missing. Pulling himself up onto Nightfire’s back he headed off in the direction of the double set of prints.

&&&

Sheik woke with a pounding headache. It was only years of practice that kept him from moving. Without opening his eyes he stretched out his senses. He lay on a wooden floor that smelled and felt as if it had begun to rot. His wrists and ankles were bound with heavy shackles, the metal already warm from his body heat. The air was thick and stuffy, the scents of sweat and blood joining that of the rotting wood. He could faintly hear birds, so it was likely morning. He cracked his eyes open just enough to see grey light coming between wooden planks.

The boards creaked and bent slightly under him, and he spun on his hip, lashing out with his bound feet. A male voice yelped as something heavy crashed down. Sheik continued the motion, bringing his legs under him and coming to his knees.

The man who lay before him was dressed in a traveling tunic and pants that had seen better days. He was barefoot, had a few days growth of beard, and filthy. A leather collar encircled his throat, with rope attaching him to a ring in the floor and binding his wrists. He was cut and bruised and splattered with dried blood. The man cringed and curled in on himself.

Sheik relaxed and sat back, looking around. He was in a twelve by six box with a dozen people, most of them women. They were all in a similar state as the cringing man, each dirty and fastened to a ring set in the floor. He noted a ring near his knees, but instead of rope, chains attached his wrists to the floor. They all looked at him with suspicion.

Sheik leaned down towards the man. “I apologize. Are you hurt?”

“No...” the man replied as he pulled away and leaned against the wall.

Sheik frowned. “Where are we?”

The people looked at each other and muttered. Finally a girl to his right, her blonde hair hanging in greasy curls answered him. “We don’t know. Men accosted my father and me as we traveled.”

“Adelaide, hush!” The man next to her gave a harsh whisper.

“What more can he possibly do to us, Father?” she snapped back. “They plan to sell us into slavery!”

“Look at him! They’ve chained him, covered his mouth and nose with cloth, and bound him hand and foot. Did you not see what he just did to Isiah?”

“I mean you no harm,” Sheik said gently to the room. “I was attacked in the night and when I woke I was surprised.”

“Where do you come from?” an older woman asked, her two young children huddled close. Before Sheik could answer a door behind him slammed open on squeaky hinges. A large man in dirty clothes wedged his way through the door. His tunic was stained with old food and he smelled as if he had not bathed in days. The other people in the room drew back from him in revulsion or fear. Even backlit, Sheik recognized him from the river canyon.

“Richie!” the man declared as if greeting an old friend. He grabbed Sheik up by the front of his tunic until the chains went taut and wrenched his shoulders back. “When Pike and Arrow told me they found you, I was disbelieving. But here you are! I bet rich master pay shiny rupee to get you back. Or maybe I sell you to new master. We see who give better price. Maybe he cry to daddy and start war over you. War good for business.”

Sheik snarled. “Do you know what a tempest in a teacup is?”

The man gave Sheik a rough shake. “Careful, little man, I not your kind master.”

“Link is not my master, he is my friend. He is also, incidentally, the Hero of Hyrule. He is a one man army. By now he has noticed my absence and is looking for me. What do you think he will do when he finds me, dimwit?”

The man slammed him to the floor and put his foot on his head, grinding in his heel. “Big talk, little man. We see if it has any meat.” He kicked Sheik in the ribs before squeezing back out of the room and slamming the door.

“Substance, you moron,” Sheik growled as he righted himself. “I will break both of that man’s legs.” He looked around the room, to see everyone else looking at him. He stretched his shoulders a few times to loosen them up, then straightened his arms as much as he could and twisted. After a few minutes struggle, he slipped his hands around in front of his body. He quickly ran his hands over the hiding places in his tunic. “Damn it, they took my picks.” He glanced at Adelaide. “Excuse me.” And he plucked a pin from her hair. She blinked at him as he began using his prize to work on his wrists.

“Do you really know the Hero of Hyrule?”

“Yes.”

“And you really think he will come save us?”

“Yes.”

“Then why are you trying to escape?”

“Because it could be a day or two before he finds us.” The wrist shackles clicked and fell away. Sheik grunted as he took a moment to rub his sore wrists, then turned his attention to his ankles. “Besides, I hardly need him.” The ankle shackles joined those from his wrist. He tucked his pilfered pin into his own hair and raised his hand. “Fire.”
The spark of flame filled the small room with light. He turned toward the door and got a better look. It was a simple door, but the handle, lock, and hinges were all on the outside. Sheik closed his hand around the flame and tried to peer between the slots in the wood, but all he could see was trees.

The box gave a hard jolt and he sat back down. Wheels crunched over a poorly made road beneath them making the ride very uncomfortable. Sheik leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes to think.

“Well?” the older woman asked. “Aren’t you going to do something?”

Sheik opened his eyes and gave her a cool look. “Ma’am, I am in unknown territory, against an unknown number of enemies, have no idea when backup will arrive, and I have been relieved of the majority of my weapons. It is possible still that I could escape. But it is highly doubtful I could take any of you with me. What do you think will happen to the rest of you if they find me gone?” The woman glanced at her two children and bit her lip.

“Then what are you going to do?” another woman asked. She had short cropped black hair and looked as if she had lost a great deal of weight recently.

“Change the variables.” He took the edge of his tunic and ripped off a strip. “Everyone give me a piece of cloth.” There were several looks of surprise, then one of the little boys ripped a piece out of his tunic. One by one, each person did as he asked and passed the scraps to him. Sheik quickly tied them together into a tight knot, then turned back to the door. Peering through the spaces in the wood, he assured that their prison was not being followed. A moment later he shoved the ball of cloth out a hole that had once been a knot in a board.

Settling back down, he picked up the shackles and locked himself back up.

&&&

Tracking by night had proved to be a futile effort. The rocky, leaf-covered ground hid most tracks, and the dark of night hid the rest. But morning dawned with new opportunity. He had long ago lost the trail, but there were other ways to locate someone. Leaving the horses, he climbed a tree as high as he could. Peering out through the canopy, he scanned the sky.

After a minute he found what he was looking for. A thin, nearly invisible column of smoke curled towards the sun. Orienting himself, he returned to the horses and set off at a clipped pace in the direction of the smoke. As the smell of smoke reached him, he turned the horses loose again and crept closer on foot. Slipping into the undergrowth, he crawled as close as he dared.

The camp he found had been used often but abandoned recently. The firepit was still smoking, and assorted garbage littered the ground. The foliage had been ravaged where horses had been hitched, and the ground was rutted by wagon wheels. He did not see a soul around.
With one hand on his sword, he stepped out into the clearing. Still he saw no one nor heard anything out of place. With careful steps he began moving around the camp, taking in the many and overlapping foot prints. There had to have been more than two dozen men here, and perhaps twice as many horses. There had been one cart or wagon that was weighted down heavily, judging by the deep ruts it made. Link crouched down and trailed his fingers over the fire ashes.

He was not sure if it was a shift in the wind or the groan of the tree, but something made him throw himself to the side. He hit his shoulder and rolled, drawing his sword as he came upright. A dart quivered near his knee, embedded in an unburned piece of wood. Link’s eyes swept the forest, raising his shield to ward off any more unseen attacks. The polished metal caught the morning sunlight and danced it across the foliage.

The light glinted off something else in the trees and Link focused on it. Faintly, he picked out the outline of a cloaked figure crouching on a branch in the foliage. With a slight shift of his weight, his shield reflected light directly into the figure’s face. The figure flinched and Link moved. In one smooth motion he scooped up a rock from the fire circle and flung it. The projectile struck the figure in the stomach and knocked him from the tree.

By the time the figure hit the ground, Link was on him; his boot on the man’s chest and his sword under his chin. The man wore dirty traveling clothes and tattered boots under a cloak of deep green, stylishly tattered to look like leaves. His eyes were wide as he looked down the length of the blade and he nervously licked his lips.

Link showed his teeth in a smile that was not at all friendly. “Let’s talk.”

&&&

By midday, the crowded wagon had turned into an oven. Despite the poor construction, scant little air came through the cracks. Everyone sat as far from each other as they could manage, panting and miserable. Sweat plastered Sheik’s clothes to his body while thirst made his throat dry. Closing his eyes, he dragged sweaty air into his lungs, then rolled on his side. Drawing his knees to his chest, he lashed out at the door. The wood cracked and groaned. “Hey! For Nayru’s sake, we need water in here!” He struck the door again and the wagon lurched to a stop.

“What have you done?” the older woman asked.

“Buying time.” The door was flung open and several hands reached in and grabbed him. Sheik was yanked forward until he hit the end of his chain; the sunlight blinded him as someone twisted him around and disconnected the chain from his shackles. He hit the ground shoulder first and was instantly dragged up and a fist slammed into his gut. On instinct his feet came up and connected with a chin. He was shoved down and a foot connected to the back of his head. He saw stars and tasted leaves.

He twisted, throwing the surprised man off him and knocking him down with his bound legs. As he came to his knees another boot hit his skull, and this time they piled on top of him. When they pulled him up, a man had each arm and another had a fistful of hair. Sheik spat blood at the man to his right.

“We got a feisty one here, boss.”

“So Richie wants water,” the large man laughed. “Give the little rich boy some water.” Those holding him tightened their grip as another man without a tunic approached him with a waterskin. The man holding his hair pulled down his mask and pried his jaw open so the skin’s contents could be poured in. The water was scalding and tasted rancid. Sheik gagged and choked, twisting away so the water, that he could now see was brown-green in color, hit his cheek.

“What’s the matter, Richie?” the man holding his hair jeered. Sheik jerked his head backwards, smashing the man’s nose and sending something warm and wet across the back of Sheik’s neck. “Son of a bitch!” The man released his hair to clutch his broken nose. Sheik started to twist away again, but a sharp point under his chin made him still.

“Richie,” the boss cooed, his foul breath washing over Sheik in an almost visible wave. “Tonight you gonna learn a bit of respect.”

“Blow me.” The fist that connected to his gut was like a hammer blow and took his breath away. He retched as he doubled over in pain. The men laughed as they unceremoniously chained him back into the wagon.

“What did that possibly accomplish?!” the mother hissed. “Now you’ve really made them mad. Do you have any idea what they are going to do to you?”

Sheik coughed as he caught his breath and sat up. “Nothing... that hasn’t been...done before, I’m sure.” He winced as he twisted his arms back in front of him and used the pin to pick the locks open again. “Besides, I learned a lot.”

“Like?” Adelaide asked skeptically.

“There are only about a dozen of them, none combat trained. I saw more horses than they could ride, probably stolen from assorted places. Neither my horse, nor Link’s horse was among them. Which means they are with him and he will be here even sooner. They have a few weapons, but if they have anything but sidearms, they are keeping them elsewhere. Not to mention a couple of those guys are going to be leaving a blood trail for Link to follow. Also,” He finished picking his wrist shackles and reached behind his back to pull out a short dagger. “They are easy to pickpocket.”

The knife was dull and it took Sheik most of the day to cut everyone’s bonds and retie them with slip knots.

&&&

Link knelt in the dirt as he examined the knot of cloth. The clean blue piece was definitely Sheik’s, and he counted another dozen in assorted states of disrepair. It easily explained why Sheik had not freed himself yet. Link stood, tucking the knot away, and climbed back on Nightfire. His new deep green cloak swirled around him, falling well past his boots. The cloak was cooler than it had first appeared, with little slots under each leafy tatter to let in the slightest breeze.

He put his heels to the horse and set off, his cloak flying. With the advice of the man in the clearing, it would be simple to find where the other men had taken Sheik.

&&&

It had long since gone dark, turning the box pitch. Only a few lines of firelight slipped through the slots between the boards. Sheik sat with his back to the wall, his shackles had been rebound but with the lock jammed so they could no longer lock. It would only take a firm tug to break them off.

He closed his eyes and listened. The men outside had grown louder over the last hour and he wondered if they were getting drunk. A hand touched his and his eyes snapped open. Adelaide looked up at him in the darkness. “You don’t have to do this.”

“Do what?” Sheik asked in a benign voice. He could almost see her grinding her teeth together.

“I hate men like you!” she hissed. “How is letting them beat you bloody going to help anything? What are we supposed to do, sneak away into the wood while they are busy torturing you? If they don’t catch us, we’ll probably starve or be eaten by Moblin!”

Sheik smiled behind his mask. “They won’t touch me. But if it comes to that, yes, run. Head back the direction we came from. You’ll meet a young man in green. He will take care of you.”

“You are so sure this Link, this man you are convinced is the Hero of Hyrule, will come.”

“I know him.”

The door jumped open with a crash revealing a man silhouetted in firelight. He grabbed Sheik by the collar of his tunic and yanked him out. Another man took hold of him, grasping the back of his neck, forcing him to walk bent double, as they each took an arm. Sheik looked up as best he could as they led him.  They had built their fire near a thick tree where a metal hook had been embedded. The large boss stood there, a horse whip in hand.

“The tents!” someone yelled. “The tents are on fire!” Everyone turned, even Sheik. The canvas tents that had been set up away from the wagon and fire were turning a bright orange as flames danced gleefully from one to the next. Coming up between the rows was a man, his oversized cloak whipping wildly around him, a gleaming broadsword in hand – already dripping with something dark and reflecting the blaze.

&&&

Following the blood trail Link caught up to the caravan by late afternoon. Five wagons formed the train, each worn and in as much disrepair as the last. Each was painted the same dark shade of green, but the axels squeaked so loudly it mitigated any camouflage the paint allowed. Dirty men rode alongside the wagons, each leading two or three more horses. In the driver’s seat of the lead wagon was a large man Link recognized.

He took up pace alongside, far enough into the woods to go unnoticed, especially in his cloak, but close enough he could see what was happening. The caravan did not stop until almost dusk, and then the men built fires, pitched tents, made themselves meals and began drinking. Link left the horses in the forest, and crouched in a tree, watching.

Finally the large man stood up and walked around the camp. He found a tree that seemed to suit him and hammered a hook into the trunk. A barked order sent two men to the back of one of the wagons. They yanked the door open and dragged out a dark figure in chains. Link took his cue, dropped to the ground, and drew his sword.

Link stepped out of the forest into the camp. In his stolen cloak, the men around took him for one of their own. He reached out and ran his fingers along the plain canvas, calling on his power. The fabric easily caught fire. With measured strides he moved on, touching each tent he came to.

A man came at him, a dagger raised to strike. Link lashed out, his blade carving a furrow from shoulder to hip. The man died without a word and Link stepped over him without breaking stride.

“The tents!” someone yelled. “The tents are on fire!” The men gathered near the camp broke as they turned to look his way. The two dragged Sheik, bent double and chained, to the tree with the hook turned as well. For a long moment, everyone stared, even Sheik seemed shocked.

“Kill him!” the large man yelled. Link was not sure who he meant. Stabbing his sword into the dirt, he grabbed his bow and notched an arrow. The bow twanged and the shaft buried itself in the throat of the man holding the back of Sheik’s neck. The man dropped with a gurgle.

Sheik stood up stiffly and yanked at his bonds, which fell away easily. Link grinned as he picked up his sword and started forward again. Sheik spun, sweeping the legs of the other man who held him, catching him by the throat as he fell and slamming him down on his back. As he rose he drew a single, rusty dagger.

For a long moment the world stood still. The flames crackled, the forest sighed, but not a man moved. Then the wind whipped up, blasting through the camp. Link’s cloak billowed around him like a set of wings and the flames at his back roared higher. Half the bandits lost their nerve and ran; the rest reached for weapons.

Link charged. The first man he met had a spear. The weapon’s shaft was broken in the middle and had clearly been discarded for that reason. Link batted the point aside with a sweep of his sword, grabbed the shaft and yanked it from his grasp. He brought the sword back around to slice into the man’s gut.

Another man came at his back and he spun easily to engage, slapping the man away with his shield. He moved on, forcing his way through the press of bodies to where Sheik fought with his single dagger. The battered weapon did not seem to handicap him any. He lashed out with the blade in quick attacks that sliced throats or opened guts. Link shoved his sword through the chest of a man coming at Sheik’s back, kicked him off the blade and spun to put his back to his friend’s.

“Hey, Hero. How was the hunting?”

“Bad,” Link replied with a smile as he parried a blow with his sword before sweeping the wielder’s legs. “All I got was a rabbit.” The bandits backed off as the two men whirled around each other, blades flashing in a symphony of violence. “You’re slowing down,” Link noted casually.

“I haven’t had a decent meal in days. What’s your excuse, farm boy?”

Link rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the bandits. Those that were still standing formed a loose ring, weapons ready but stances weary. Near the tree, Link saw the big man still standing with the whip in hand. The man made a slight gesture and Link frowned. Suddenly, all the bandits surged forward together, converging on the two young men.

“Down!” Link shouted. Sheik dropped flat as Link shoved power into his sword and spun. The circular arc of energy sliced through the men around them. As he came around he saw a man that had stayed back from the fight holding a bomb. He smiled as he lit it and ran toward the wagon.

“Shit!” Sheik snapped, scrambling to his feet. Link grabbed his bow and notched an arrow as he ran forward. As the man raised his hand to throw Link loosed the bolt. He hit the bandit’s hand, pinning it to the wagon door behind him and knocking the bomb to the ground. Link kicked it farther as he passed, and slammed his fist into the man’s jaw. The bandit slumped bonelessly, held up by only his hand. Link yanked the arrow out, allowing him to finish falling. The bomb landed near the burning tents and exploded, sending a small mushroom cloud into the night sky.

Link turned and peered into the dark wagon. Carefully, he stepped inside. The wagon smelled of sweat and urine and blood. Inside, it was all but pitch black, but he could make out a few vague shapes and hear the scrape of something shifting.

Suddenly, something hit him in the head. He stepped back in surprise and fell backward out of the wagon to land flat on his back in the dirt. Link looked up to see a young woman with long blonde hair standing in the doorway, her hands still bound as they clung to a raised chamber pot. Sheik cackled.

The blonde lunged and Link scurried backwards to avoid her attack. His hand landed on his oversized cloak and he hit the ground again. The pot came at him and he raised his sword. With a quick twist he flipped the impromptu weapon from her hands, but it did not stop the girl. She came at him with her bound fists.

Sheik hauled the girl up by the waist while she kept fighting. “Damn, Hero, if this is the effect you have on women it’s no wonder your stepfather can’t marry you off.” Link made a rude gesture as he got up. He took a quick look around and his eyebrow rose as he saw the large man pinned to the tree with a dozen daggers through his clothes. He hung limp, but Link could see his chest moving.

“What are you doing!?” the girl screeched and Sheik scrunched up his face as he leaned away from the sound. “He’s one of them!”

“Actually,” Sheik corrected as he set the girl back on her feet, but kept a hold of her arm. “He’s Link. The Hero of Hyrule, and a good friend of mine. Though, he does seem to have stolen a cloak.”

“I didn’t steal it,” Link sniffed as he cleaned his sword and put it away. “It was a gift.” Sheik gave him a flat look. “Okay, a bribe. A man was very afraid I would kill him.”

“You, threatened to kill someone...?”

Link grinned. “I held my sword to his throat and failed to mention I wouldn’t kill him. He was quite helpful.” Sheik laughed as he gave the rope binding the girl’s hands a sharp tug.

“By the way, Link, meet Adelaide,” He made a gesture toward the wagon where an older man was stepping out. “And her father.”  Link took off his hat and gave them a formal bow. Sheik snorted as he went to help the older man release his hands. One by one the people began to climb out of the wagon. Even in the pale moonlight and the flickering flames they had to squint to protect their eyes.

Link turned back towards the flames and raised his hand. The flames leapt, then lowered as he dropped his hand back to his side, leaving behind the charred, smoking remains of tents. With the lights lowered he moved to the next wagon and reached for the door. Abruptly he stopped and removed his cloak, stuffing it into his pouch, before pulling the door open. Though it was too dark to see, even for him, he heard the shuffle of feet and sounds of breathing.
He called forth the dimmest light he could, just enough to see by in the dark wagon. The people inside were even dirtier and thinner than those in with Sheik. They flinched away from him and he gave them his best disarming smile before moving to cut them free. He had to help some of the weaker people out to sit on the grass. Sheik motioned for him to check the other wagons as he began to build a small fire.

The next wagon held weapons of every description. A few hung on the walls, but most had simply been piled in the floor where they had mixed with other sundry items. Link briefly searched through the mess, and came up with several blankets and one of Sheik’s swords. Closing the door behind him, he returned to the others, passing out the blankets to those who seemed to need them most.

Sheik frowned when Link returned his sword. “What where they using it for, cutting wood?”

Link shrugged. “Found it in a pile with a bunch of other weapons and junk.” Sheik let out a long suffering sigh that made Link grin as he went to check the next wagon.

This one was filled with provisions, mostly hard breads, cheeses, and dried meat. Link’s stomach rumbled and he tore a piece out of some bread and ate it. Dry and thick it was not very satisfying. Stepping out of the wagon, he closed the door. The people huddled close to the fire Sheik had built. Most sat, but a few stood. They were all thin and scared. As much as he wanted to, opening the wagon to them would be a mistake. They would need to ration the food evenly for everyone’s safety.

He knew before he reached the next wagon he was not going to like what was inside. The smell of rot and mildew and filth hit him in an almost visible wave when he opened the door. Inside there were only two creatures, both wretched. On his right was a Zoran boy, chained to a tub of liquid that had once been water; he sat with his knees drawn up to his chin and his head hidden in his crossed arms. On the left was a Rito girl. She lay on her side, curled in a tight ball. Most of her feathers were battered or missing. Neither child could be more than a few summers old.

Link stamped down his rage, it would not do him any good right now. As he stepped into the wagon the children looked up and cringed away. Link smiled gently as he knelt near them. “My name is Link, and I’m here to help.” He picked up the chains and examined them with a frown. Then he stood, wrapped the chain around one hand, planted both feet on the floor on either side of the anchor ring, and pulled. The wood groaned then gave way with a crack as the anchor came free.

Tossing the chains over one shoulder, he scooped up one child in each arm. A few brittle feathers crumbled off the girl while slimy water soaked into his tunic from the boy. The night wind whispered through the trees and both children huddled closer as he walked back to the impromptu camp. Sheik looked up at his return. His eyebrows shot up before drawing together.

“Found them in the last wagon.”

“I’ll take care of her, find some fresh water and get him washed off,” Sheik took the Rito girl from his arms and hurried her to a place near the fire. Link followed his instructions and headed for the burned out camp. In all of the camps he had passed through there had been a public bath of sorts. Though few of the men took advantage of it. It stood on the outer edge of the camp and had escaped most of Link’s rampage.

There was a large tub that took up most of the tent, but it was empty and looked like it had not been used in the recent past. A rusted water pump stood nearby, mostly a home for spiders. Link set the boy on a rotting bench and raised his hand. The water here was buried deep, but it was easier to bring it up then create it from the air.

Water, stale, black and smelling of rot, snaked out of the end of the pump. Link directed it away from the tub, dumping it on the ground until it began to flow clear, then directing it into the tub. The Zora did not wait for the tub to fill, but climbed in to sit under the flow. Link found the tub was so out of use, it was no longer water tight, and he had to spend some power holding the water in as well.

The tub, filled to the brim, was big enough for the young Zora to swim a few circles. When he surfaced, he was breathing hard, but smiling. Link smiled back as he helped him back out. “Better?” The Zora nodded as he wrapped his arms around Link’s neck. “Good, let’s see if Sheik can get those chains off.” Without Link supporting it, water began leaking from the tub on to the ground.

Outside, the night had grown colder and Link picked up the pace as he headed back to the fire. Link heard the twang of the bow a split second before the arrow embedded itself in his shoulder. The force was enough to make him step back. The second arrow sliced into his stomach. The third missed but lay open the flesh of his upper arm.

The Zoran boy screamed as Link dropped into a crouch and raised his shield. The next arrows came from behind, one in his left tricep the other just above his right butt cheek. Link swore and called up his magic to create a vortex around him and the Zoran boy. More arrows zipped out of the night, but the swirling air batted them away. On impulse, Link reached out and drew in the water he had let spill on the ground, adding it to the whirl.

Link flung out his arms, sending the wind and water out towards the trees. Mid flight, the water froze into shards that tore through the forest. Link stood, shield ready as he scanned the forest. Nothing moved. Even the nocturnal animals had decided to find somewhere else to be. He took the boy’s hand and hurried toward camp. Sheik met him halfway. He swept the child into his arms and moved to cover Link’s unguarded side.

There were arrows all over the ground around the fire, and no sign of the people. Sheik went to one of the wagons and handed the child through the door then pushed Link in after him. He shut the door and lit a lamp that hung from the ceiling.
In the light Link could see the dark stains as blood soaked into his tunic. Somehow, that made them hurt worse. “Hold still, Hero. This is going to hurt.”

Sheik put his hand on Link’s shoulder a slowly backed the arrow out. Link swore but held as still as he could. Sheik came up with a bloody arrow and a frown. He dropped it at their feet and moved to the one in Link’s gut, which came out much easier, and instructed Link to put pressure on the wound as soon as the arrow was free. The one through his arm was easiest, Sheik simply snapping the head off and reversing the shaft. The last arrow had struck bone and fallen out, leaving only a shallow but biting wound.

Sheik dug into his pouch and came out with a mostly empty potion bottle. “All I have is a swallow of green. It isn’t much, but it will stop the bleeding at least.” Link took the bottle, but scanned the rest of the people there. “Drink it, Link. You won’t do them any good if you pass out from blood loss.” Link drank the potion. Sheik was right; it stopped the bleeding, but was not enough to close the wounds.

The wagon shuddered as more arrows rained against the sides. Link huffed. “Yeah, yeah, we know you are still there.” He pulled his new cloak from his pouch and wrapped it around himself. It was so long it pooled around his boots and the cowl threw all his features into deep shadow. “Cover me.”

Sheik raised an eyebrow. “What are you going to do, Hero?”

“Finish this.” He snuffed out the lamp with a wave of his hand and slipped out into the night, vanishing into the moonlit shadows. The fire Sheik had built was still burning. A wave of his hand doused it as well. Pulling the cloak closer, he crouched in the shadow of the wagon and placed his hand on the ground.

He felt the first tremors in his boots. Closing his eyes, he focused all the magic he had left into the earth. The tremors grew, first making the wagon shudder then shake. Leaves rustled as if in a stiff breeze, building into a violent rattle that broke branches as they clashed together. Men yelled as they were thrown or abandoned their suddenly precarious perches.  

Releasing the power, Link darted from his hiding place and into the woods. It was easy to find a group of fallen men, and in the confusion they did not notice him adding to their numbers. When the apparent leader made a motion with his hand and everyone began moving back into the forest, Link followed without comment.

When one of the men fell behind, he seized his chance. One hand snapped to cover the man’s mouth and he struck out with the other, cold-cocking him in the temple. The man dropped like a stone, and Link paused long enough to dump the body into some bushes. On impulse, he waved his hand and the earth opened enough to suck in the man’s feet, before closing again.

Link hurried to catch up before he lost the group. They met another group in a small clearing. Link took a quick head count, and frowned. Two dozen armed men was a lot to take on alone, but it was too late to go get Sheik. He reached down and felt for his magic, and found it lower than he ever allowed and he hoped it would be enough.

Letting out a breath he focused on the forest. Slowly, carefully, he began to draw water from all around. Taking water from a source like a pond was a simple task, like picking up a ball. Even taking it from the air was easy enough. But extracting it from leaves, pulling it from the trunks of trees, and collecting it from between the grains of dirt was a totally different task.

He began to sweat and his head began to throb as he pooled the water underneath the bandits, but he kept pulling, even as his field of vision began to narrow. Then he released the magic. Water melded with earth directly under the men’s feet, turning solid ground into liquid mud in an instant. The bandits all dropped three feet with a yelp and a thick glub. Link slashed his hand and the water all rushed back to where it had been, leaving the group of men trapped in solid earth.

Link called on the smallest ball of light – even as it made his head twinge – he could manage and pushed the cowl away from his face. Even if he could not see most of their faces, the startled gasps of the bandits rang in his ears. Idly, he noted that he had torn open his wounds and was bleeding again.

Drawing his sword he moved towards the trapped men, who all leaned away. “Night night, boys.” Then he brought the pommel against the first man’s head.























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