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"Wait a minute. Look," Link signed before pointing out an orange glow some distance away from the path they were walking on, barely visible from between the trees.
Sidon stopped and leaned forward with squinted eyes. "What is that?"
"That, my friend, is a shrine!" Link signed as he took off; veering off the path they had been walking on. Link picked his way through the underbrush and raised a hand to shield his eyes from the glaring sun as he kept them peeled on the orange glow that seemed to blink on and off from behind the swaying leaves.
"Wait up!" He heard Sidon call after him, quickly followed by the sound of rustling leaves and snapping twigs as he did his best to follow Link into the terrain he wasn't evolved for.
Link turned half around as he walked, smiling and signing, "I wasn't aware that I had missed a shrine in this area. This is great! After this I can go pray to Hylia for some more vitality."
Sidon smiled back with a slightly incredulous face, "Hylia gives you vitality? I swear I sometimes understand half the things you say."
Link waved him off as he turned back around, parting the last couple of branches that hung between them and the shrine.
Link heard Sidon stop walking and turned to see him standing and looking at the shrine with wide eyes and mouth slightly open. "It looks exactly like the shrine in our domain! There are more of them?"
Link nodded, a smile on his face from Sidon's awestruck expression. "Oh, yes. There's a lot of them scattered everywhere."
"Huh, we should go find them, then!"
"That's what I'm doing." He hesitated a second before continuing with somewhat unsure movements, "You can join if you want to?"
Sidon's smile was unwavering. "I would love to!"
Link laughed and patted him on the arm, "Don't decide before you've been inside one."
They approached the entrance to the shrine and Link noticed Sidon slowing down. He turned around and tilted his head in question at Sidon's hesitant expression.
"This shrine is the same color as the one in the domain used to be before it suddenly changed. Do you know what that means?"
Link shrugged. "Well, I activated the shrine at your domain, so it changed color."
"You what?"
"Activated it," Link signed before hesitating, debating whether he should try to explain or not. He settled for shaking his head, "Come on, I'll show you."
Sidon's confused expression gave way to a small smile, "Okay?"
Link gave a cheeky grin as he turned to walk the last few meters to the shrines entrance. "Maybe we can go inside it together," Link signed with a big smile, excited in the prospect of sharing this with someone. "One time I almost got lost in one!"
"In a shrine?" Sidon looked at the small structure in front of them with a frown, before turning his bewildered expression on Link. "But… how?"
"Well, not in the part that's up on the ground. I mean in the shrine proper," Link signed and motioned with his hands down at the ground.
"Wait… It's bigger than this? Under the ground?" Sidon seemed to think for a few seconds before continuing, "Is this the case with the shrine at our domain as well?"
Link nodded.
Sidon's eyes widened in excitement. "How do you get down there? We have studied the one at the domain extensively, but haven't managed to find any sign of an entrance."
"Well, you have to use this," Link signed before grabbing his Sheikah slate from his belt and holding it up for Sidon to see.
"Your Sheikah technology?" Sidon asked as he leaned in to get a closer look at the slate.
Link nodded and waved for Sidon to follow. They stepped up on the platform and Link put the slate against the pedestal. There was a sudden light and Sidon gasped as he took a quick step back. "What in the world—"
Link sent him an encouraging smile to show that it was all fine, and turned to watch the interlocking doors to the shrine slide open; revealing the inner room and the platform that descended into the shrine's interior.
Sidon peered inside with wide eyes before turning them on Link. "I didn't know such a thing was possible…" Sidon trailed off. "Oh! Is this how the shrine at our domain suddenly opened? So you opened it up and changed its color? Why didn't you say it was you?"
"I didn't think to mention it," Link signed with a shrug. "It wasn't important."
"My friend! It is important." Sidon said as he looked down at Link with serious eyes. "And it is impressive!"
Link looked away with warm cheeks; not used to people giving him compliments, especially not for things he himself didn't find remarkable at all. The shrines had always been obstacles to overcome— a means to an end. In his eyes there was nothing impressive about it, simply duty.
It was nice, in a way, to get taken outside his own head and see things from another's perspective. Maybe he had traveled alone for too long. To top it off— Sidon's excited eyes and big smile as he looked around the inside of the shrine in wonder made Link happy, and he found that he wasn't ready to give up on that feeling just yet.
Link found himself shuffling slightly from foot to foot as he cleared his throat before looking back up at Sidon and signing, "Come. Should we go inside?"
Sidon's eyes became, if possible, even rounder, and his smile bigger. "We can do that? Now? I would love to, my friend!"
Link gave a small laugh and directed Sidon to the pad at the back of the shrine. "It's a platform that goes down. The inside is usually massive and the sage inside poses a challenge to overcome."
"The sage inside..?" Sidon's smile turned into an expression of horror. "There are actually people in the shrines? All alone?"
Link placed a calming hand on Sidon's arm. "It's okay. I think they are in a form of stasis, biding their time until their duty to the Goddess Hylia is fulfilled."
"I never knew…" Sidon trailed off, a troubled expression on his face. "I hope the sage at the domain liked our company. I hope it made them feel less alone as they waited."
"I'm sure it did." Link smiled up at Sidon and patted his arm before letting it drop back down. The other was constantly surprising him with his kindness and gentleness; something he needed in this ruthless world.
A small smile spread over Sidon's face and he looked back up at the shrine with decisive eyes. "You said something about a challenge? Is it like a small obstacle? A riddle from the lonely sage?"
Link shrugged, thinking about all the different puzzles and fights he had overcome in earlier shrines, "It's usually something new, so I don't know before I enter."
Link's mind suddenly focused on all the times he had gotten hurt in a shrine and he almost reached out to grab Sidon and stop him from getting on the platform; not wanting to put his friend in a dangerous situation if he could help it. But then he looked over at Sidon and saw the excited look in his eyes; the barely contained grin, and he didn't have the heart to tell him no. He would simply have to make sure to protect the other down there.
They both stepped on the platform, and waited. And waited. Link's smile slowly turned into a frown.
Sidon looked at him with an expectant face and tilted his head in question. "Something wrong?"
Link looked down at his Sheikah Slate and tried to figure out if he had done anything differently to how he usually did it. He had done this so many times that he didn't really think about his actions anymore, maybe he had missed an essential and obvious step? But he couldn't think about what that could be. The only difference was—
"Do you think it's only possible for one person to go down at a time?" Sidon asked in a slightly disappointed tone. Link hated that the other's enthusiasm had dimmed, even if it only slightly.
"Maybe," Link signed with a nod and before he had time to think about it more carefully, he extended his slate towards Sidon. "Here."
Sidon held up his hands in front of his body as his wide eyes looked down at Link. "I can't take that! It's really important to you!"
"Just to visit the shrine. If you want to? It can be really dangerous though…" Link trailed off as he thought. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to send Sidon down there alone when he had no idea what could be waiting for him. Link didn't particularly like handing the challenge off to someone else, it felt a bit too close to giving up; like failing before even really trying. He couldn't deny that he really wanted to bring back the enthusiasm in Sidon's eyes, though.
"I am no stranger to danger, my friend!"
"I know, I know," Link signed with a strained smile, but he couldn't help himself as he added, "But promise to come right back up if it proves to be challenging. At all. Please?"
"If it will set your mind at ease, then I will do so," Sidon said with the excitement back in his eyes. "Are you sure you want to lend me this slate of yours, though?"
"I am sure," Link said with a smile of his own as he wiggled the slate in the air between them.
Sidon laughed and carefully took it, holding it as if it was the most sacred and delicate thing in all of Hyrule. "Well, then. See you soon."
Link nodded and stepped off the platform.
Nothing happened.
Link pursed his lips in thought as he tried to figure out if he had done anything differently this time around, resulting in the platform not moving down into the shrine. Link met Sidon's excited eyes and gave a shrug as he looked around the shrine's interior; trying to figure out what they had done differently.
"Is something wrong?" Sidon asked from where he still stood on the platform, cradling the slate to his chest. His excited expression has morphed into a somewhat worried one. "Did I do something wrong?"
Link hesitated slightly before answering. "I'm not sure, I don't think so. This has never happened before."
Link went back to the entrance and checked the pedestal, but no; the light was still blue and the transportation pad activated. All as it should be.
Sidon called out from inside the shrine. "Maybe… Maybe it has to be you?"
Link's frown deepened. He remembered a conversation he'd had with Zelda a long time ago, it was one of the few memories he had gotten back, and it wasn't one he liked to dwell on. She had hated the fact that it had to be her who had to seal Calamity Ganon. At the time, Link hadn't understood; he had been happy with his role in life— and if not happy, then at least content. He had learnt a lot since then.
He thought of the sages waiting in the shrines all over Hyrule for the hero to come to them. He couldn't let them down. Not again.
Link walked back to Sidon and the other handed him back the slate with a small, almost shameful, smile on his face. "I guess some things are meant for the hero, and the hero alone."
Sidon's knowing look reminded Link that he was talking to the prince of the Zora, a man who had no doubt spent countless days and hours performing duties that only he could do. Maybe not as literal as in this case, but it still applied. It made Link feel a bit better and he smiled as he nodded. "Yes, I guess so."
Sidon nodded and stepped back from the platform with his usual smile. "Good luck in there! I'll wait for you here!"
"Thank you," Link signed before pausing and looking out of the entrance to the shrine; taking in the dense forest surrounding them. If this shrine had been hidden here, what else could be out there that he had managed to overlook? He was pretty certain that these woods didn't house any particularly dangerous beasts, but you could never be too sure…
He shrugged off his backpack and handed it to Sidon who took it with a slightly confused expression. Link smiled and signed, "Keep it safe for me, and feel free to use any of the materials in it. Weapons too, if you need them."
"Oh, thank you, my friend! Are you sure you won't need it?"
Link nodded. "I'm sure." The shrines were his challenges to face, and he would rather face them without all his equipment than risk endangering Sidon.
"Then I'll make sure to prepare a good meal for you until you come back. I've been meaning to practice my cooking skills and I've seen the wide assortment of ingredients that you carry around with you!"
"That sounds great," Link signed with a smile as he stepped up on the platform. It immediately lit up in a blue light and started to descend. Link waved up at Sidon. "See you soon."
The last thing he saw was Sidon's smiling face as he peered over the edge at Link descending into the darkness.
Link looked around as the platform came to a stop at the bottom and immediately sobered up at the sight of the big open room in front of him. The voice that echoed in his head a second later confirmed his fears; it was a test of strength. A major one.
He grabbed the spear strapped to his back and the sword at his side and frowned as he looked down at them; a travellers spear and his Master Sword. He cursed himself for having ruined one of his last passable weapons only hours before in a fight with some bokoblins on the road. He had foolishly counted on knowing the area well enough to not expect any more fights; he should have insisted that they sneaked by the group of monsters instead of engaging them. He should have taken them out without his weapons. Should, should, should. He brought forth his only shield, which was old and brown with rust and cursed himself internally. He really should have known better by now.
Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.
Then his thoughts turned to Sidon waiting for him up on the surface, without any weapons of his own. He didn't have time to stand around debating with himself. Besides; he had finished a lot of these tests already, he could do one more.
Link squared his shoulders and walked forward into the echoing hall; eyes fastened on the hole in the ground where the guardian would appear. He was expected to finish all of the challenges, so there was no sense in delaying it, with or without suitable weapons. He was the hero after all.
Link had barely taken three steps into the room before he heard the thud of the bars hit the ground behind him; but Link didn't even look back as he took another step forward
The tell-tale rumbling of the platform rising up echoed through the hall and Link hurriedly fastened the traveller's spear on his back and took hold of the Master Sword's handle. He raised his rusty shield in front of him just in time for the top of the guardian scout to come into view, and Link watched from over the edge of his shield as it started to power up. He took measured breaths while he counted the passing seconds as the platform carrying the guardian leveled out with the floor. The guardian's arms came into view; holding a guardian spear, guardian sword, and an ancient battle axe respectively. This would be a tough fight, but he would make sure he won.
Before the guardian had zeroed in on him, Link took off; sprinting in a semi-circle to get to its side and out of the way of its weapons. He got within a couple of meters before it swiveled its head and focused on him, firing of three light warning shots that Link blocked with the shield; praying that it would hold out.
Link raised the Master Sword and brought it down in a sweeping motion on the guardian's head, before immediately jumping to the side and out of reach as the guardian brought its sword down hard at the exact spot he had been standing. Link spun around and jabbed at one of the guardian's arms, aiming for the juncture, and the guardian jerked back at the impact. Link watched as the arm holding the axe gave off a small shower of sparks and felt a smile tug at his lips. Maybe this wouldn't take so long after all.
Before Link could deliver another blow to the same arm— and hopefully sever it completely— the guardian took a long leap backwards. It landed on the ground and in an instant it had raised its three arms as it started to rotate; quickly picking up speed.
Link immediately took off, running perpendicularly to the guardians spinning as it careened across the floor. He could feel the wind at his back as it passed him; the sound of weapons slicing through air and gears turning filling Link's ears as he skidded to a halt.
Before the guardian had completely stabilized itself after its spinning attack, Link was on top of it; bringing the Master Sword down hard on the arm with the axe; cutting straight through the joint in the middle of the arm and not being able to contain the grin that spread over his face as the arm sparked and dropped down, now harmless. One down, three to go.
Before Link had the time to raise his blade back up, he caught sight of something approaching him from the corner of his eye. Something very fast.
The guardian had swung its sword from the side in a wide arc. Shit.
Link had just enough time to raise the rusty shield in front of his face, but the force of the blow shattered it on impact; the pain in his hand as the shield flew apart was familiar, but no less painful for it.
Link staggered back and let go of the shattered remnants of the shield, taking a hold of the Master Sword with two hands. He gritted his teeth and did his best to ignore the sweat trickling down his neck. He had to turn this around. He had to.
The guardian brought the spear back and jabbed it forward; but this time Link was ready and jumped to the side in time to swing his sword down with two hands on the now protruding arm holding the spear. It connected, but in his haste Link missed the joint; hitting the arm straight on. He could feel the sword in his hands vibrate with the force of the blow. It wouldn't hold up for much longer.
The guardian once again drew back and Link let it; grateful for the few seconds of relative peace where he could focus on trying to catch his breath. Then the guardian extended its arms and started spinning. Link sucked in a breath and took off; barely escaping the edge of the wildly slicing weapons in the guardian's hands as the guardian spun past him.
It was time to end this.
Link raised his Sheikah Slate and quickly tapped to stasis icon, aiming at the still recalibrating guardian. He knew he would have a few precious seconds to make his move. He pressed the icon.
The guardian froze and Link immediately whipped out his bow, glad for the couple of shock arrows he had taken with him. He immediately fired one off and felt pride rise in him as it hit true; right in the guardian's eye; short-circuiting the whole thing. Link fired a second one for good measure at it hit just below the guardian's upper body at the same moment that the stasis wore off.
Link gathered all his power and brought the Master Sword around in a mighty sweep; catching the guardian in the middle with a resonant clang— once, twice, thr—
Light almost blinded him as he jerked away from the shockwave emanating from the sword in his hands. The action was accompanied by a sharp pain in his side and Link looked down only to see a spears tuck in his side. Huh.
The guardian jerked the arm holding the spear back with mechanical efficiency, tearing the spear point from Link's side.
Link staggered, gasping as he did. He had been careless, distracted by his own weapon.
Shit. The wave of panic that washed over him was ruthless; leaving him short of breath as his sweat turned cold in an instance. He couldn't lose. He couldn't—
Link reached for his travellers spear at the same time as the guardian swung down with its sword. Link threw himself to the side, landing with a yelp as it jostled his side. He had no time to inspect the wound closer, but the need to end this fight quickly just got upped.
He rolled to his feet and leveled the spear in the guardian's direction, but it hadn't moved after him, instead it aimed with its eye, light emitting brighter and brighter and Link reached for his shield before remembering in dawning horror that it had been shattered mere minutes before.
He started to regret leaving his bag with all of his supplies up with Sidon on the surface. A quick healing potion would sit well right about now. He guessed that this was what hubris looked like; staggering, bleeding and defenseless, while staring down a murderous guardian. Link almost felt ashamed that a single guardian was able to push him this far. Wasn't he supposed to be the chosen hero? Wasn't he supposed to be born for this?
Link tried to take off running again, but stumbled as soon as his foot hit the floor. Limping it is, then.
He moved as fast as he could out of the way of the first shot, feeling the heat of it at his back. The second shot singed his foot. The third hit him on the thigh, the burning sensation spreading over his leg troublingly familiar. Link fell to one knee, still holding on to the spear with a strong grip as he resolutely refused to listen to the voice in the back of his mind telling him that this all felt extremely familiar. He would fall. He would lose. Again.
Link sucked in a breath and shakily raised the Sheikah Slate; leveling it at the now charging guardian. He clicked the button. It froze.
Link had to fight the impulse to take a relieved breath as he reached for his bow; not allowing himself to pause as he nocked an arrow and fired in a smooth and well-practiced motion. Link cursed inwardly as it sailed past the frozen guardian's head, falling to the ground with a harmless clatter. He took a deep breath and fired off two more; managing to hit the body of the guardian, but still missing the eye. The exhaustion and the barely suppressed panic were making him sloppy. Link reached to his quiver again and found it empty; he was all out of arrows.
At the same time that Link felt the panic rise inside him again the guardian in front of him broke free of the stasis. It was now or never. The guardian swiveled its head in an effort to recalibrate and Link used those precious few seconds to get up close to it; raising his spear and thrusting it hard at what passed for the guardian's head. This time he didn't miss the eye.
There was a small explosion of sparks and the guardian immediately jumped back, Link jerking the spear from its eye as it went; refusing to give up on his last weapon. Link took a couple of quick steps back as the guardian folded in on itself before starting to rise up again, spinning in place and emitting a continuous beam of hot laser.
He extended his paraglider and took to the air before immediately regretting the action. The strain in his side was immense as he hung from his arms and Link debated letting go immediately. A quick look down told him that the current had already taken him over the circling laser. Letting go would have disastrous consequences. He gritted his teeth and fought the urge to pass out from the pain as he held on for dear life. When he was about as sure as he could be with his vision swimming the way it did that he was above where the guardian was standing.
Link let go of the paraglider and dropped down while clutching the spear in both hands. He hit the ground. Hard.
The force of it travelled up his legs and Link dropped to both knees—refusing to let go of the spear that had managed to lodge itself in the guardian's side— even as the pain from his burned thigh almost made him pass out.
The guardian jumped back again and the spear was torn from Link's aching hands. He reached back for another weapon and found his hand grasping air. The guardian started charging up for its last defense and Link found himself utterly defenseless.
Shit. Shit, shit, shit.
He debated trying to run back towards the platform and get out— break through the bars keeping him from Sidon and the surface and safety— but as soon as that thought registered Link felt something clench inside him. He couldn't. He couldn't simply turn and run. Before he could think more on the subject, the guardian fired. Again and again.
Link avoided the shots as best he could, running in what could almost pass as a straight line while praying that his side and burning thigh would hold up. It was agony. One beam clipped his shoulder, another hit his right ankle. He wouldn't be able to outrun them much longer, and in the state he was in he wouldn't be able to take a direct hit.
He fumbled to get the Sheikah Slate up again as he continued to avoid the beams— pressing at the screen in desperation while aiming it in the general direction of the guardian. After several horrifying seconds he must have aimed right as the guardian froze in place.
Link hurriedly hobbled the few meters separating them, tore out the spear still stuck in the guardian's side, and— using the last remnants of his strength— jabbed it in its eye as hard as he could. The action made Link almost collapse on top of the spasming guardian as it shook and sparked electricity. Link winced as a jolt of it struck his right hand, but he didn't let go of the spear, not willing to let go of his weapon before being completely sure that the trial was over.
He got his answer a second later as the guardian exploded. The force of the explosion threw him back several meters; ears ringing and vision going white for… he didn't know how long. Link blinked his eyes open and couldn't contain the small whimper that escaped him. His head was killing him. He reached up a shaking hand to feel at the back of his head and I came away wet.
The action of raising his hand also brought with it a plethora of unpleasant sensations; the stab wound in his side made itself known, together with several new pains littering his body Link groaned and tilted his head to look at the damage done and felt his own eyes widen.
The exploding guardian hadn't only thrown him halfway across the room, it had also managed to imbed a few parting gifts in his skin. Link raised an aching hand and experimentally tugged at a cog sticking out of his left shoulder. He winced and dropped his hand to the ground with a thud. Best to leave it in for now.
His miserable musings were interrupted by a booming voice in his head telling him that he had mastered the challenge and Link was once again reminded how much that specific part of his body ached. Now he just had to get the spirit orb from the sage.
Link laughed. He was lying on the floor on his back, a couple of meters from the entrance to the arena. The distance between him and the sage's seat could just as well have been infinitely long for all the chance there was of him making it there in his current state. Link laughed until the pain turned it into gasps, tears beading at the corners of his eyes as he lay on the floor and stared at the ceiling high above.
How would he get out of this one? He had no bag with potions and food, no one else were able to come down here except him, and he was painfully aware of the time ticking by as he lay on the ground, simply breathing through the pain that seemed to emanate from every part of his body.
After several long minutes Link slowly and painfully fought his way into a sitting position, wincing as he did and doing his best to ignore the various painful wounds trying to get his attention, trying to tell him to lay still. He could feel several trickles of blood making their way down his skin and he frowned. He should probably make sure to get patched up soon, or this could get a lot worse.
Link sat on the floor breathing for a long minute, eyes trained on the scattered weapons from the guardian and the few springs and cogs that hadn't decided to embed themselves in his skin. He mentally calculated the effort it would take to make his way over there and pick the things up, and blanched at the mere concept.
He slowly turned his head and looked at the platform leading outside instead; no longer obscured behind bars keeping him in. The exit was closer than he had realized, the blast of the exploding guardian had done some good he supposed: at least managing to almost kill him in the right direction.
Link groaned and gathered all off his willpower, all of his strength, and slowly, painstakingly, struggled to his feet. He desperately wished he still had the spear in hand; to use as a walking stick if nothing else, and started hobbling towards the platform that would take him away from this echoing and empty chamber, up to the fresh air. Up to Sidon.
The mere thought of his waiting friend made him limp faster, resolutely— and with gritted teeth— ignoring his broken body telling him to just lie down. Just rest.
It felt like an eternity before he reached the platform and whether it was from relief or pure exhaustion— his knees gave out as soon as he stepped on to it. Link sank to his knees and thanked his past self, whoever he had been, for giving him the ability to continue on even though his whole body screamed and ached and protested. But for the first time he was also glad that he couldn't remember how he acquired that skill.
The platform started to ascend and suddenly Link almost regretted getting on it; what if Sidon was disappointed in him? For almost failing the trial?
He took a shuddering breath and looked down at the room beneath him; taking in the scattered cogs and scorch marks adorning the floods and walls. Link resolutely pushed his doubts away as the room disappeared from view; at least he was alive to try again.
Link blinked his eyes open as he felt the rush of fresh air reach him. He hadn't even realized that he had closed them, but as he looked up he saw light from above came closer and closer as the platform ascended the last few meters to the surface. He couldn't contain the small smile that teased up the corners of his lips as Sidon's smiling face came into view. It didn't falter even as Sidon's smile morphed into an expression of horror.
"Link! My friend! Are you okay?!"
Sidon bent down next to him the moment the platform stopped moving, hands hovering all over Link's body in a fretting, and ultimately useless, motion.
Link still smiled. It had been worth the struggle to get there if only for the sight of Sidon's smile. He raised a badly shaking hand that he could hardly feel and hoped that the signs came out legible, "I'm okay."
"You are not okay!" Sidon said and Link's smile finally faltered slightly at the horror in the other's voice. Sidon wasn't supposed to sound like that. He was supposed to be happy. Sidon turned to drag Link's bag towards them, rooting around in it with desperate haste.
"Really, it's okay," Link signed, but Sidon didn't see it. Link debated poking the other to get his attention, but his hand seemed to stop responding as it fell back to the ground. Huh. That might be a bad sign.
"Aha! Here!" Sidon exclaimed as he triumphantly held up a small bottle containing something red.
Oh, that's nice, Link thought. A healing potion. Who's that for?
He wondered idly if he should be worried that his thoughts were so muddled. He decided that it didn't really matter.
Sidon held the flask out for Link, but Link simply stared at it. He tried to will his hands to move up to grab it, but they refused to obey.
"Oh, I'm sorry friend," Sidon said and his voice contained more pain than Link had ever felt himself. He hated that he was the cause for it.
Sidon carefully, with the gentlest of hands, tipped the drink into Link's mouth and Link obligingly swallowed it down, even as his confused mind had already forgotten what it was. But if Sidon gave it to him, then it must be good.
It wasn't, really. It tasted quite bad, but as soon as he swallowed he could feel it working its way through his body and he desperately wished it wouldn't. The feeling returned in his limbs enough to remind him of how much they hurt, but not to really alleviate that pain. Link sucked in a breath as he closed his eyes.
He could hear Sidon mutter to him, "It's okay. There, there. You will be fine. Just stay still, okay?"
Link didn't think he had much choice at that moment as his limbs resolutely refused to follow his commands. He tried to tell Sidon as much, but he was fairly sure that his hands merely twitched where they lay at his side. Sidon still seemed to get the idea that Link tried to talk to him and he suddenly felt a gentle hand stroking over the top of his head; which was, surprisingly, one of the only places on his body that didn't ache. "Shhh, you don't have to talk. Just rest, okay? I am going to look through that big bag of yours for something else that might help. I will be right back my friend."
The hand disappeared from his head and Link wanted to reach out and grab it, force it back to its previous position where it seemed to elevate at least some small degree of the pain in his body. But off course his body didn't move, and the soothing hand stayed out of his reach.
Link drifted, he didn't know how long his eyes had stayed close, but after a while he felt a light touch on his head again and his eyes snapped open. His right hand instinctively scrambled at his side for a weapon that wasn't there, and Link could have laughed if he had the energy left for it— that this was the first time his body followed his command since he had arrived back at the surface. And it was to fight. He guessed that he really was born for war.
Sidon's worried eyes looked down at him from where he was crouched in front of him again, and he carefully took a hold of Link's hand, "It's okay, it is only me, Link. I found this in your bag," he said while holding up another vial. "Do you think it would help?"
It was red, just like the last potion had been, but even in his exhausted— and surely slightly delirious stage— Link could see the slightly purple color of it. This was a heat-resistant elixir. He didn't have the heart or the energy to correct Sidon, instead simply smiling at the other; lips fighting to stretch up in his exhaustion. It seemed to work though as Sidon smiled back, relief flooding his face as he raised the bottle to Link's lips and carefully tilted it.
Link dutifully swallowed it down, grateful for the moisture, if not for the effect it granted. Sidon put the now empty bottle down and turned back to Link with a hesitant smile. "So I take it you… finished the trial?"
Link gave a small nod. He had beaten the trial, even if he would have to come back to talk to the sage at a later date. He would do that, just not right now. Now, he would sleep, safe and content under Sidon's watchful eyes. Sleep…
Link jolted into a sitting position only to immediately fall back down again as his whole body seemed to scream in protest at the movement.
There were hands on his shoulders that gently held him in place and his immediate reaction was to fight, get off me. His darting gaze struggled to relay information to his muddled brain and he was starting to really panic when his eyes focused on a pair of big, yellow, eyes right above him. Before he had managed to place them, he felt himself starting to relax against the ground beneath him, and when the realization hit that it was Sidon looking down at him with wide eyes he tried his best to procure a shaky smile to reassure the other.
Sidon eased his grip on Link's shoulders and smiled back, but it was strained and worried and not at all containing his usual carefree happiness.
"Welcome back, my friend."
Link wanted to ask exactly what he meant by that, but Sidon continued talking before he had managed to muster the strength to raise his hand. Link guessed that was for the best, considering his labored breathing and jumbled thoughts; he had no idea what he would have answered.
"We are still inside the shrine entrance. I didn't want to risk moving you too much. You were… are pretty badly hurt."
Link could see the other bend down and grab something, coming back up with a genuine smile and a bowl. "Here, I made you some soup! Do you think you can eat some?"
Link doubted it, but he didn't have the heart to refuse that smile so he gave a minimal nod, clenched his teeth through the pain of Sidon helping him to sit up, and then sipped dutifully at the soup until he almost fell asleep sitting up.
The next time Link blinked his eyes open darkness surrounded him.
He turned his head to the side and came face to face with the inner wall of the shrine's entrance; a faint flickering light casting dancing shadows on the smooth surface. Link took a deep breath and felt relief as the action wasn't accompanied by pain.
Link looked over to his other side and his eyes landed on Sidon sitting by a small fire at the entrance and staring into the dancing flames.
Link gave a small grunt as he propped himself up on one aching arm and Sidon immediately focused his attention on him. "Link! I am happy to see you awake. How are you feeling?"
Link raised a hand and was happy to notice it obeying his will, "I'm better. Thanks."
"No worries," Sidon said with a smile as he got up to crouch next to Link again. "Do you wish to eat some more soup?"
Link nodded and this time he grabbed the bowl himself, sipping the soup and feeling the warmth of it spreading throughout his body. He did feel a lot better, the soup and the sleep having worked wonders.
Link let his gaze wander and frowned as they took in the sky outside; it was pitch black. The realization was accompanied by a sudden rush of adrenaline and shame; how long had he been out for? How long had he left Sidon alone?
Link set the bowl down and signed, "I'm sorry. I went into the shrine by myself, leaving you out here, and then you've had to care for me. I apologize."
Sidon laughed. It was a good sound and Link found himself smiling, despite the shame and disappointment swirling inside him. "That is of no matter! I am simply glad that you're okay. Or, at least that you will be."
"I've had worse," Link shrugged with a smile, attempting to brush the other's worry off with a joke.
Sidon's smile was still there, but his eyes turned sad as he looked down at Link. "I know."
Link quirked an eyebrow in question, it felt like there was something special that Sidon was referring to. Sidon's eyes slid away from Link's and landed on the ground between them, a small crease between his eyes. "I had to remove your shirt to treat your wounds. I am not entirely familiar with Hyrulean customs, so I hope I did not offend you terribly."
Link's mouth formed an "oh" of understanding. He knew that his body, especially his torso, could be off-putting for some people as it was littered with small scars— taking up almost every centimeter of skin— but all of them dwarfed next to the big patch of pink stretched skin; a physical reminder of his failure as the savior of Hyrule.
Before Link could continue, trying to brush it aside, or minimize the pain of it, Sidon spoke again, "That is an impressive scar! I am infinitely grateful you survived it."
Link hesitated a second longer before allowing himself to relax. "Me too."
"You all faced such horrible trials… I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm glad one of you made it out alive."
Link didn't have to ask who Sidon was talking about. He placed a hand on Sidon's arm in an attempt to show sympathy and understanding. Even if he wasn't always best at expressing himself, he counted on Sidon understanding the gesture.
The smile Sidon gave in response confirmed this, before he took a deep breath and held out a bottle; clearly deciding to change the subject. "I may not be an expert potion maker, but I know a thing or two about it. While you slept I took the liberty of going through your bag and found the ingredients for this. It should at least help with some of the pain."
"Thank you," Link signed with emphasis as he let go of Sidon's arm to take hold of the bottle instead. He felt a lot better already, and was used enough to feeling pain that it didn't bother him that much, but the thought of Sidon making a potion just for him made him grab it without hesitation. He was grateful— both for the healing potion and for the kind words. For him personally, the scars were a constant reminder of his failure and not his triumph over death. It was nice to hear another perspective.
Sidon sat down heavily next to Link as he drank from the bottle, and he looked down on him with kind eyes. "You know… You don't fail just because you back down."
Link angled his head to the side to hide his face from view, feeling shame rise inside him. Where did this come from? "I know."
Sidon placed a hand on his chin and continued with a more insistent voice. "You know, at the palace we don't always come to an agreement at once when we are discussing new policies or laws. Sometimes we have to call the meeting off and reschedule it for later so that we can come back with clear heads and new ideas. This doesn't mean that we failed to pass the new laws, it just means that it took a bit longer."
"I know you feel like you failed. Failed Hyrule, failed Zelda, failed the champions, and all the different races," Sidon said and Link felt his shoulders rise up as the words rang a bit too true. "But that's not the case. Not really."
Link didn't answer, instead focusing on forcing down the sudden lump in his throat. Sidon placed a comforting hand on his shoulder as he continued speaking in a soft voice. "It was never your burden to bear alone. You did not fail alone. Even… Even Mipha failed."
Link shook his head. That was one thing he couldn't agree with, not even hypothetically.
Sidon almost looked angry at this, but he kept his hand on Link's shoulder and his voice calm as he spoke. "But by your definition she did. She went up against Calamity Ganon and she lost."
Link shook his head again, pressing his lips together with a frown as he signed, "She did her best."
"And you didn't?"
"That's not the same thing."
"We both know it is," Sidon said as he gave Link's shoulder a light squeeze.
Link was quiet for a while before heaving a sigh and shaking his head, this time in exasperation. "What do you want me to say?"
"Nothing." Sidon shook his head. "I simply want you to understand. You didn't fail and you're not alone. These things are very important."
"I—" Link hesitated. "I know."
"In theory, maybe. In practice, though? I doubt it."
Link was silent and still at this. How did you respond when someone suddenly cared for your well-being after being alone for so long? How did you thank them?
Sidon seemed to take his silence to mean anger as he hurriedly removed his hand from Link and looked down on the ground. "Forgive me for speaking so freely."
"There is nothing to forgive," Link hurried to assure him, "You're my friend, and you're acting like it. Thank you."
The silence stretched between them once again, but it wasn't as heavy as it had been.
Link felt like he should offer something in return, give Sidon some proof that he cherished their friendship. He took a deep breath before he spoke, partly to stabilize himself, and partly to gain Sidon's attention.
"Zelda often talked about how she felt stuck in her role in life. Everyone expected her to be a certain way and do certain things, even if she herself had no idea who that person they were all talking about, all seeing in her, was. It was frustrating and lonely. She asked me if I could relate. And I… couldn't. Not then, anyway. I had never seen an option for me, and I never wanted one. I was comfortable in my role. I was at home. But ever since I woke up in the Shrine of Resurrection, I have felt lost. Everyone sees someone in me that I don't know. I understand how she felt now. How lonely she must have been."
"Can I hug you?" Sidon asked in a serious tone and Link found himself nodding before even having to think about it. Sidon gingerly embraced him and spoke in a kind voice, "Thank you for telling me, my friend."
Link didn't know how he felt about having shared some of his feelings with the other, it was something he preferred not to talk about. But despite the feeling of unease, he couldn't deny that it also felt good. Light.
Sidon let him go and leaned back, looking down at him with serious eyes and a kind smile. "Do you feel like you ran away from handling this on your own?"
"Actually, kind of?" Link signed with a wry smile.
"We've got to get you used to accepting the fact that people care about you!" Sidon said with a laugh that didn't quite manage to hide the sadness in his eyes. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Thanks. Again."
"No problem!" Sidon beamed, and Link felt some of the weight inside of him lift as he smiled back. "Are all of the shrines you visit this challenging?"
Link shook his head with a slightly self-conscious smile. "No, they're not."
"I do remember you saying that the shrines were challenges posed by sages of Hylia herself?"
"They are."
"Then how come they are so very dangerous? Aren't they supposed to make you stronger? I can't imagine they are supposed to… kill you."
"They are meant to be a challenge, but I was being careless. This was a test of strength, a battle test if you will, and I almost failed." Link found himself looking up at Sidon in worry; did he think Link almost sent him down to possible death? Knowing how hard the challenge would prove to be?
But the emotion that spread over Sidon's face wasn't anger, but worry. "Battle? What did you fight?"
"It was a guardian scout—"
"A guardian?!"
"Scout. They are smaller than regular guardians."
"But still! That's impressive!"
"And didn't you just have your sword and a spear?"
"Yes. Like I said, I was being careless."
"You still won! You've won all these challenge all alone."
"I almost failed this time."
"But you didn't."
The smile that spread across Link's face was soft and honest. "No, I didn't."
Sidon smiled back at him, eyes warm and kind. "Can you stand?"
Link nodded.
Sidon extended his hand to him and smiled. "Then let's go."
Link grabbed it with a smile of his own and gladly allowed Sidon to help him to his feet. They quickly packed up their things, or as quickly as Link could make his body move right then, and found their way back to the path they had been walking on before this whole excursion. It was waiting for them as if nothing ever happened; leading forward.