Written in Blood

XXII . Back in Nightmare Land

I feel something soft underneath me as I open my eyes, blinking in the dim light of an unfamiliar place. But it feels like I've been here before. That's when the pain flares up out of nowhere.

It takes me by surprise, and I bite my tongue to keep from crying out in pain. Geez... what did I do?

I slowly sit myself up, feeling something that was dug into my back, up near my shoulder blades. I bring my hand to the spot, and feel the shaft of an arrow embedded in me, the wood snapped and splintery to the touch.

The pain is overwhelming, and as I look around, I realize where I know this place from, what I landed on, the small pool of water laps in slow waves against the soft petals. The memories of this place are seared into my head, and no matter how hard I've tried to forget it all... they're still so clear, and they come on fast, pelting me like raindrops. More like hail though, since it's more than something light, they sting.

My vision twists and turns in lazy circles, and I see the princess lying in an unconscious heap next to me, face down. I don't want to be alone down here, not again. I tentatively reach for her shoulders to shake her awake. Amidst the hail in my mind, I hope she'll wake up. I don't know what I'll do if she's out cold. The way into the town is impossible in our forms anyway... its platforms over another endless pit. I really didn't think this through. Well, I did think enough to decide I didn't want to go here. But we were desperate.

I feel her startle into wakefulness, picking herself off the ground, looking about as good as I feel- which is to say horrible.

"Are we?" I know what she's asking. I don't know if we're safe. I'd rest easier once we're in town, as ironic as that is.

"We need to get out of here."

I stand myself up, which exerts me more than I expected, doubling over from the pain, stars crackling in my eyes. But I keep myself upright, trying to breathe through the unrelenting waves from the buried arrowheads in me and the other cuts and gashes and bruises.

Zelda pulls herself up too, not doubling over but with a sickly pallor to her skin.

This is exactly why we need to get out of here. If the Gerudos were still managing to keep up, they'll end up down here soon. We're definitely in no condition to fight, they'll kill us if we run into them again. That wretched town will be our savior out of the very real possibility of death. The odds aren't looking too good though.

Since I'm the only one of the two of us who's fallen down here before, I lead, wading through the water until I reach solid ground. It's excruciating, but I push through it. The two torches have long been unlit from the looks of it, but the two spotlight beams of dim light still stream down, making a circle on the ground. Somehow we make it out of there, through the dark tunnel and to the platforms, reaching down into the gloom.

Normally, because of her Sheikah training, Zelda might have been able to make at least the first jump, but she's too injured for even that. As far as I can tell, there's no way for us to get across. I don't have any of the masks anymore. Those lunar children wanted them so bad, I didn't want them. I would've hidden them somewhere anyway, left to be forgotten. They wouldn't have any use where I was headed anyway. Back to Hyrule.

"How'd you get across this?" She's staring across the cavern and at the entrance.

"I flew."

"Shut up. Stop kidding around." Her voice lowers in anger, betraying her crummy mood.

"I wish I was."