Hero by Heart

Chapter 44

He was too late.
Link had never for a second considered the possibility that Zelda -behind the Gerudo lines- would be in more danger than he was, but the world played a cruel trick on him.
Ever since the conversation he had overheard the night before he had tried everything in his power to get back, but it was like his luck had finally run out.
Despite his rush and the threat of imminent danger constantly at the back of his head, it seemed like everything on his path had tried to slow him down.
First he made his way to the exit, where he learned that the day outside had passed. He was stopped by a guard who wouldn't let him leave at night without an official order. At first Link persisted, but once the guy grew annoyed he became less and less inclined to be friendly as he told him to bugger off.
Link then searched for a hidden exit, but in vain. In the end he was forced to hide among the shadows of the stalagmites to try to get some sleep.
When he woke in the morning after a turbulent night, he once again tried to leave. This time the boulder was removed without question.
Once outside, Link discovered that his biological clock had been knocked out of whack, as it was already well past sunrise.
Silently cursing himself and his fate, Link started the laborious walk back to town. He searched the sands for any sign of a sand seal lounging there, but they seemed to know to avoid the area. Nothing moved in the simmering heat at all.
As if the loose sand and oppressing heat weren't enough to slow his progress, Link soon found the desert to be littered with small groups of monsters, who attacked him as soon as he was spotted.
With only his dagger and bow to defend himself, he was in no mood to engage them. He tried to avoid fighting as much as possible, but he couldn't go out of his way to get around them forever.
     In any case, it cost him way more time than he was comfortable with.
Eventually he managed to defeat a group of three Bokoblins and raid their weapons, which weren't much to begin with.
Link lumbered through the desert, sweaty and exhausted, with the sun burning down on him. He realized he hadn't eaten since the day before, nor did he have any water with him.
     It was horrible. Frustrating. Infuriating really. Even more so whenever he thought of Zelda, trapped in Gerudo Town with some unknown terrible threat at the doorstep.

As far away as the Bazaar Link could already hear the clashing of weapons and the shouts of monsters and women. From the top of a dune he could see the black mass spread out over the sand, indicating for the first time just how massive this attack really was. Countless monsters were pressing in on the walls, pushing and pulling each other in an effort to get there first.
     Link had fought many monsters in his journeys, but never before had he seen something as terrifying as this.
     His stomach dropped like a stone, causing his breath to hitch.
     Zelda would be down there. Behind that sea of evil.
     He could not let them get to her.
With new determination he rushed on, no longer caring what monster would get in his way, convinced that it would soon regret doing that.
He was nearly upon the first of the monsters, most of them still with their backs turned towards him, when he noticed the Hinox.
     The giant creature lumbered through the sand, swinging its hands low over the crowd.
     Link instantly forgot any and all inconveniences.
He ran as hard as he could, painfully aware of how much damage that thing could cause inside the town's walls.
From a long distance still, without slowing down, he took out his bow and fired two bomb arrows. Both collided with the thick skin of the giant in one massive bang, although it seemed to do little more damage than toppling it.
Link now had a clear view of its eye though, and quickly sent his regular arrows towards it. His hands became a blur in the air, but he knew there was no time for hesitation. He had to rely on all those hours of practice to guide his fingers and keep them steady.
The arrows flew true, striking the creature in the eye and blinding it further.
In its panic the Hinox hardly reacted as Buliara climbed on top of it, quickly putting it out of its misery.
Link didn't take the time to pause or even catch his breath. He kept running as fast as he could, determined to find the golden-haired princess and make sure she was safe.
It wasn't long though, before he spotted the Moblin sneaking up on the Gerudo Captain. She sat in the sand, looking a little dazed, with no one around to even notice the danger.
Link threw any skill or technique out the window and simply barreled himself into the monster.
They both went sprawling to the ground, sand flying in all directions. He felt something strike him in the chest, but ignored the dull pain that flared up. In an instant he was back on his feet, rusty sword raised and ready to strike.
The Moblin never stood a chance.
Finally Link stood still, panting hard. His mind was buzzing. He glanced around, taking in the situation, searching.
That was when he saw her.