Chapter 7: Descent into Darkness

The hours ticked by at a slow, agonizing pace as Link lay on his pallet, his body wracked with pain and his mind clouded with a thick fog. As the evening drew in, Zelda checked on him frequently, monitoring his condition with growing concern. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the room in a warm orange glow, Link suddenly felt a wave of nausea wash over him. He turned to Zelda, his eyes sunken and his voice weak. "I'm not hungry," he whispered, shaking his head. Zelda looked at him with concern, "You've got to eat, Link. You need to keep your strength up." But Link just shook his head again, feeling a sense of disconnection from his own body. Zelda called for Elara, who brought him a bowl of warm broth. But as Link looked at the steaming liquid, he felt a sense of revulsion. He couldn't bring himself to take a sip. Elara and Zelda exchanged a worried glance, and Elara gently took Link's pulse. Her expression turned grave as she announced, "His fever is getting worse. It's higher than I've ever seen it before." As the night wore on, Link's condition continued to deteriorate. Hours passed, and the room grew quiet, with only the occasional crackle of the fire breaking the silence. Link lay still, his body burning with an inner fire. He was vaguely aware of Zelda's presence beside him, her hand occasionally brushing against his forehead or his hair. And then, without warning, Link felt it. A mild itchiness had developed on his right arm, a prickling sensation that seemed to spread from his wrist to his shoulder. He tried to scratch it, but his arm felt heavy and unresponsive. Zelda noticed his distress and gently took his arm in her hands, examining it with concern. As she looked at his arm, Link felt his breathing grow shallower. His chest felt tight, and he couldn't seem to catch his breath. He was aware of Zelda's worried expression, but he couldn't respond. He was too busy struggling to draw air into his lungs. Zelda quickly called for Elara, her voice low and urgent. "Elara, he's not breathing properly. We need to do something." Elara rushed to Link's side, her eyes scanning his body as she worked to assess the situation. Link felt a sense of panic rising up inside him, but it was distant, muffled by the fog that was spreading through his mind. As he lay there, struggling to breathe, Link couldn't help but wonder if this was the end. Was he going to succumb to the Shadow Rot, or would he find a way to fight back? The thought was fleeting, lost in the haze of his fevered mind. All he could do was lie there, helpless and scared, as his body continued its downward spiral into darkness.