The Heroine and the Prince

Chapter 24 Wild Pursuits

Oh Hylia. It's the Lizalfos...they're going to kill me...

It felt as though she was kicked in the stomach. Her breath came in ragged gasps. Their eyes watched her greedily. She was to be their meal. From where she was treading, she could smell their foul breath. It smelled like death and decay. She would be torn apart by these Lizalfos piece by piece, her limbs mingling with dead bodies in their stomachs and then digested. The only thing that would accompany her dead and digested skeletal remains was flies.

Her stomach lurched in disgust, her eyes stinging from the salt water, and she was freezing to the bone. Zelda felt as if she would rather fight Ganondorf for 100 years than die like this. Not only would she be eaten but she would feel their teeth tearing at her body, piece by piece.

She knew she was outmatched, and that her speed in the water would be no match for them. Although, the odds were slim that she'd escape she preferred slim to none, so she took off and plowed through the murky waters in the other direction. 

She saw the true form of the Lizalfos as they leapt out of the water in anticipation at catching at their prey. Their scaly bodies of green, blue, and silver shimmered. Zelda's arms cut through the water like knives and her feet kicked to propel her forward away from the Lizalfos. Her blood roared in her ears, her heart leapt in her chest at an irregular pace and a primitive instinct for survival took over her body.

A silver Lizalfo tried to bite her right hand off, but her malice-infested left hand was quicker. As the jaw of the Lizalfo neared within an inch of her flesh, her left hand reached out and grabbed its neck. 

The Lizalfo shrieked in pain and writhed in Zelda's hold. She gritted her teeth and squeezed its neck. Only when the monster's eyes rolled back into its head and its body went limp did she let go. It fell back into the water. At the sight of their limp comrade, the other Lizalfos gnashed their teeth, enraged at Zelda's actions.

Zelda screamed when teeth dug into her boot. She could feel pointed teeth piercing her skin. She shook the Lizalfo off though it did take her boot with it. Her foot screeched in pain she couldn't use her right leg anymore.

I'm not going to make it.

The young heroine stopped trying to flee anymore, she closed her eyes. This was it. She was too tired to fight anymore. She'd never been so tired, so depleted, so absent of stamina. Zelda couldn't fight anymore. This is how she would die: eaten by Lizalfos. 

Although Zelda would have preferred to die either peacefully or in noble combat her wish obviously couldn't be granted. The Lizalfos didn't waver in their chase. They grew nearer and nearer with hunger laced in their eyes. Zelda gave a soft cry and her hands reached futilely above her as she felt her body sink below the surface.

Hello, Hylia.

"ZELDA!" Zelda's eyes flew open at the sound of her name. To her great surprise, she saw Prince Link standing on...an ice block? The ice block shimmered in a crystal blue that lit up the cavern in a beautiful glow. To Zelda's dismay she saw the two Yiga standing beside her prince on the ice block. Prince Link outstretched his hand to Zelda. "Come on!" Zelda didn't hesitate to take it.

A Lizalfo snapped at her feet though it was disappointed since now Zelda was safely on the ice block. Zelda stared confused at the ice block beneath her feet. How was this possible? She was alone a moment ago and now she was standing on a solid block of elegantly carved ice.

Prince Link seemed to read her mind, "Oh...yeah." Prince Link showed her the Sheikah Slate which was in his hand. "Don't you remember inventing this together. You can summon an ice block with it, remember?" The Yiga behind Prince Link didn't seem to question how he was able to make an ice block. "For a scientist Zelda you are very forgetful."