The courage to find me - The fate of us: Part I

Chapter 18: Who needs rescuing now?

POV Zelda

The water from the Spring of Courage is lukewarm. I suppose it's because of the volcano nearby. It's comfortable being in it, so I allow myself a few minutes to enjoy the sensation before starting my meditation.

We arrived at the Spring after a day and a half of travel, coming from Kakariko. We traveled faster than usual to mask the strange silence between us. Not that Link used to talk much, but I would generally fill that void. Not anymore—if he wants to hear something, he should start talking first.

The emotions inside me are in turmoil, battling to see which will prevail. First, I feel a desire to be close to him and hear his voice; then, I want him to just shut up and say nothing more. I want to feel his hands on my body, making me his; the next second, I want to make him feel as much pain as I did when he left. I want to chat about trivialities and hear his laughter, but then I want to curse him with all the names I know.

I am a mess, and I don't know if bringing him on this journey was a good idea. But, just like he said, I can't stay away anymore. If it's going to be like this, so be it. For the first time in years, I feel alive—so I will savor every second.

Link is waiting at the base of the Spring's staircase, giving me space and privacy. I close my eyes and repeat the process that allowed me to connect last time. Today, it's easier, and within seconds, I feel the water rising around me again. My consciousness expands, and soon I hear that familiar voice.

"He's here," it says, happy and distracted.

I frown, confused.

"Who?"

"Well done, Zelda," it continues, ignoring my question as usual. "I see you've learned more about the Triforce and retrieved one of the memories. You and Link will need to cooperate to piece together the whole story. It won't be easy to remember what transpired, and I hope you have the empathy to understand why things happened the way they did."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Back to the Triforce. As you've learned, it was a relic left as a gift to the earthly peoples by the goddesses of creation. When someone without balanced qualities of Courage, Wisdom, and Power tries to take it, it splits into three parts. Each part goes to the individual with the corresponding most pronounced trait. For example, many who bore the Spirit of the Hero also bore the Triforce of Courage. Well, that's how it used to work, at least."

"Before what?"

"To understand that, you first need to understand the story you are uncovering."

And just like last time, the connection is cut. Anticipating the energy drop that follows, I stayed closer to the pedestal where Hylia's small statue stands. I lean on it, waiting for the dizziness to pass.

"ZELDA, WATCH OUT!" Link shouts.

I turn and see a Yiga soldier walking toward me. Unlike the ones who ambushed me before, who were small and agile, this one is gigantic. He must be twice my height and three times my weight in muscle alone. The other Yigas usually carry small scythes as weapons. This soldier carries a huge sword—its blade over a meter long and wavy. It must be heavy, as he wields it with both hands.

The Yiga raises the sword to strike me, and one of Link's arrows flies, hitting him in the shoulder. He looks at the wound with disdain. He pauses to pull out the arrow, as if he feels no pain at all. I hear Link's footsteps splashing in the water, but the Spring's depth makes it hard to run. The soldier observes the situation nonchalantly. Terrified, I see him extend his arm, grab Link by the throat, and lift him; and as he struggles for air, Link drops his weapons into the water.