Lights In The Dark (Midlink Fanfic)

Chance Meeting

John woke up on cool sand, his head was throbbing and he could feel sand in several wounds that crossed his body. He looked around weary of anyone left to kill him, but he was alone in the heart of the desert.

Getting to his feet he removed his useless plate armor but left his tunic and mail shirt. His horse had been killed not far off from where he lay, the once proud beast slaughtered needlessly.

"Forgive me my friend. I failed you." He mused as he took his canteen off it as he walked on his way back towards Hyrule proper.

***
It took him two days to reach the cliff over looking lake Hylia. He breathed a weak sigh of relief as he attempted to climb down the rock face in the late day. He was almost to the bottom of the basin when he lost his footing and fell into the waiting water below.

Sputtering when he came up he managed his way to dry land and laughed. "I won! Haha! I beat the king! From now on he will hunt in vain for a man that can not be killed by the harshest storms Din threw at him, he will search for me though I have the wisdom of Naryu in my mind and the courage to do what is right, granted to me by her majesty Farore." his laughter shifted sometime later to tears of ecstasy, "I'm alive! Praise above! I'm alive! I will hunger tomorrow but right now I am alive and that is all that matters." he rested his head on the soft grass and sleep took hold of him without hesitation.

There was a nudge to his foot sometime in the early morning of the next day causing him to awaken to a Zora standing over him. "Good morning my friend. Is there anything you need? I took the liberty of cleaning and patching your wounds." he said casually.

"I could use something to eat before I am on my way. Thank you for your generosity." John said back, pushing himself into a sitting position.

"Rest, I will be back." he said as he dove into the water, only to return a moment later with two trout on his spear. He immediately went to work making a fire and cooking the fish.

When he was finished he gave one to the wounded soldier and removed his mask to eat the other.

"Do you mind if I ask what occurred in the desert that you got those wounds?" the Zora prodded, looking over John with worry "It wasn't those raiders was it? Do we need to add more patrols around lake Hylia?"

"No, I was sent to broker peace with the Gerudo by the crowned prince himself, but I was betrayed by my men by order of the king. That is all I will tell you to keep you from being targeted as well. Forgive my vagueness" John replied, grunting in effort to sit up, giving no useful information to him.

"I see... But seeing as if he targeted me, he would cause war with the Zora people. Because I am the crowned Zora prince after all." he said with a chuckle as John's eyes widened and he rolled over to kneel before him. "No, rest my friend. You don't have to tell me anything else. We have known that the king has started to 'Lose his edge' as the phrase goes... Anyway would you like for me to give you a ride to Hyrule field. From there you can vanish any direction you need."

"Thank you m'lord. I would appreciate that very much. I am in your debt for what you have done for me. When I settle I will send word if ever you have need of me." He said as he put on his undershirt, careful to not have it touch the fresh wounds. He left his Chain mail on the ground. It would only add weight and attention that he didn't need. Finally his sword found itself back on his hip before he lowered himself into the cool waters of lake Hylia.

"Hold onto the back of my mask, this won't be the smoothest ride you've had. Lets be on our way then."

They stopped frequently along their route upstream for John's wounds to stop aching and the prince to let his muscles recover. When they reached the splintering point of the tributary for lake Hylia and the river to the castle they stopped on a rock outcropping.