New Horizons - A Skyward Sword Aftermath Story

8 - A Rough Start

For the first time ever, the pair made it out of the vast woods on foot. Ahead of them was an otherworldly sight: a landscape that younger Zelda could only have ever dreamed of. Like a perfect painting, in front of them laid miles upon miles of bright green, grassy hills, followed by layers of mountains, that faded into the clear blue sky.

Zelda ran ahead, holding her arms out wide as she frolicked through the tall grass. She had never felt so free before. This world was huge, and there was something that she just loved so much about it's serene emptiness. The girl lost herself in the sea of yellow grass. She enjoyed the warm morning sun on her skin, and the wind that blew through her hair.

"I've wanted this for so long." She sighed happily.

The journey ahead of them was incredibly demanding physically. Despite the beauty of these lands, that didn't mean monsters hadn't taken up residence there. Every now and then, Link would run ahead and take them out immediately. Along the way, the pair crossed many rivers, climbed many rocks, and stumbled a few times while hiking up steep, rocky trails.

As the day progressed, Link felt his strides turning into mere dragging of his feet. His leather satchel, that was filled to the brim with items, felt like it grew even heavier with time, which made each step more agonising than the last. He found it embarrassing that he had grown so weak, but functioning off of near to no sleep is nearly impossible. His eyelids were heavy; he yawned so often that he had to repeatedly wipe his watery eyes. On top of all that, the intense midday sun beamed down onto his back, sucking any remaining energy he had left.

The boy's struggling didn't go unnoticed by Zelda, who gave him a pitiful look. She suddenly stopped walking, which prompted the other to as well.
"Hey...are you feeling okay?" She asked him hesitantly. Her voice was soft.
Link wiped his eyes again.
"Yeah, I'm fine."

Zelda stepped closer to him. A heavy feeling resided in her chest from seeing him look so rough. After so many times of him reassuring her that everything's fine, perhaps she became delusional, and actually started to believe him. Now, after spending several hours hiking with him, she was starting to realise that maybe this was more severe than she ever thought.

Maybe she should've been a better friend and noticed how severe this was sooner. Maybe she shouldn't have burdened him with her responsibilities after all.

She tried to push those negative thoughts away before her feelings got the best of her, and tried to stay focused on the current situation. There was no turning back now, they were already hours into their trek. For now, all she could think of, which could help, was for them to rest. The heat was overwhelming the girl too, especially in her new trousers. So, she was more than happy to stop and let the weather cool down before continuing their journey.

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The pair found a perfect spot beside a small river, shaded from the harsh sunlight. Upon reaching their destination, they threw down their belongings and headed for the river. Kneeling down beside it, the hero splashed water on his face, while the girl scooped some up with an empty glass bottle. Walking for so long in the sun was incredibly dehydrating, so it felt so relieving to sip on the cold, clear water.

Link hoped the sudden sensation of ice cold water on his face would wake him up. He rubbed it into his red eyes, but even the tingling on his skin wasn't enough to make him feel any better.

Zelda sadly watched her friend. She tried to hide the concern she was feeling deep down, for she knew he would only lie to her again. She spoke up.
"I think we should take a break."
Link forced a small smile.
"Are you sure? I don't mind carrying on if you don't."