The Heroes' Rebirth - REVISITED | BOTW Sequel/Zelink (The Legend of Zelda)

Chapter 8: Recover

Another silence.

"100 years... I can't imagine what that must've been like."

The man sighed.

"The flow of time is always cruel... Try opening your eyes now."

He opened them. Link turned his head to the man. He could finally see.

The man's dark red eyes looked into his.

"I'm Sheik."

Sheik

———————

Elusive Rescuer

Sheik sat criss-cross on the ground next to where Link was laying. He appeared to have a similar build to Link, but he was a little thinner and taller. His face was slightly longer than Link's as well and had extremely dirty blonde hair. It was tied up with a blue band and formed a bun on the top of his head, except for some stray strands that hung down near his right eye. Link also saw that he wore very similar clothing to his own stealth armor he had bought in Kakariko. It lacked the white wrappings on the arms, had no mask to cover his mouth, and didn't have the giant sheikah eye on the front. It was more loose fitting as well.

Link could also see that they were in a cave... of sorts. The more he looked around, he realized they were in a large skull: it was an old bokoblin camp. Snow swirled around outside through the eye openings. It appeared to be around morning. He was laying on the right side of the skull on a sleeping pad, similar to the one at home. Across from them was a pile of what looked like supplies: small bags, some bottles, maybe food.

"How are you feeling now?" Sheik said with his dark red eyes looking at his.

Link sat up. He quickly examined his body. His insides still felt a little weird, but other than that he felt completely normal. He nodded at Sheik.

"Here," he said. "Have some water." He handed Link a small container.

Link took a long drink from the container and peered out of the empty eye sockets that lead to outside.

"We're at the edge of the Gerudo Highlands: in between the Laparoh and Zirco Mesas," Sheik explained. "We're far enough away from them."

Link continued to look at this mysterious person that sat in front of him and said the first words he had uttered since he had fallen asleep on the rooftop.

"Who are you?"

Sheik sighed and looked down. "Well," he started. He looked around as if he was stalling his answer until he looked outside and shot up from the ground. "That's not important right now. We should probably get you back." Sheik turned to his things and started to pack them into a dark blue bag.

Link's eyes went wide. He had remembered everything that had happened. The capture, the malice, Zel-

Wait. Where was Zelda? Had she been captured too? Was she still in the village? Had she told anyone?

He raised his hands and put them behind his head as he began to breathe harder. Sheik noticed the hero become frightened.

"Woah, calm down. We can head out right now if you want. We'll head straight to Kakariko to warn Impa."

Link sighed. How could Zelda know what had happened? Link could imagine Zelda worrying over him missing. He wished that he was able to tell her that everything was ok.

Wait.

An idea had formed in his mind. He cleared his throat, to which Sheik turned around.

"Can you give me one second?" Link asked Sheik.

"Sure, hero," Sheik said as he started to roll up the pad that Link had laid on.

Link stood completely still in the middle of the cave. He cleared his head and closed his eyes. Zelda had done it to him many times. Why couldn't he try?

Please work.

—————

Zelda paced the floor as Paya sat on her bed. They were both silent. Paya was still shocked at what her grandmother had said.

"I can't take it, Paya," Zelda started. "I'm leaving."

Paya stood up. "W- What do you mean? To save him? In the desert? Zelda, you can't!"

"I can't just sit here and wait, Paya! I need him to be ok!" She turned to the stairs.

"Zelda, wait! Maybe my grandmother is right. I may not agree with her now, but she might be correct! Z- Zelda?"

She had froze at the top of the stairs. She turned around, flipping her hair behind her. She wore a face of concentration. Her legs moved fast to the middle of the room. Her head tilted slightly, and her mouth hung open.

"Zelda?"

"Paya SHH!"

She stood completely still in the middle of the room. And listened.

"..."

"zelda..."

"Zelda..."

"Zelda, if you can hear me, please listen. Please don't worry. I'm fine. Go to Kakariko as soon as you can and tell Impa if you haven't already done so. I'll be there in about two days. I will explain everything when I get there."

—————

Link opened his eyes. His breathing was short and deep. A feeling he had never felt before engulfed him and held him, standing there bewildered. It wasn't the feeling he would sometimes get when he was with Zelda; that one was different. This was... it was almost like a connection. He could feel the anxiety and worry she was feeling and could feel the enormous relief when she realized it was him. It was like they were one and the same. Could she feel him when she talked to him as well?

He walked out of the skull and saw Sheik looking out across the snowfield. He wore a blue scarf that covered his mouth. Small snowflakes fell in the air.

"Good. You're ready."

He set off towards the opening in between the mesas. They had to walk a little way to reach the edge of the cliff. Sheik looked out across the land.

"Grab on," Link said.

Sheik turned to him. "What do you mean?"

"Jump when I tell you."

Sheik looked at him weirdly and walked behind him and wrapped his arms around Link's body.

"Ready?"

"For what?"

"Now!"

They both jumped off the cliff. Link could feel Sheik's grip tighten around him. He internally laughed and quickly pulled out his paraglider. The wind caught the sail perfectly and they started to glide through the morning air.