Chapter 6: Shadows of Despair

A faint tremor ran through Zelda's body as she struggled to sit up, her vision blurring. The days that had passed since their condition had taken a turn for the worse felt like a blur. The milk disease had taken its toll on them, and despite Impa's best efforts, they seemed to be slipping further into the abyss. Her thoughts were disjointed, and her memories seemed shrouded in a thick fog. Impa hovered beside her once more, concern etched on the old nurse's face as she handed Zelda a small cloth to wipe her brow. Zelda tried to focus on her companions, but her gaze drifted, her mind clouded by pain and weakness. Link, however, seemed to be faring better than before. His fever had broken, and he was able to sit up without assistance, though his ears continued to ring with the sound of a thousand whispers. Sparrow, on the other hand, seemed to be experiencing a new symptom. He looked around the room, his eyes unfocused, and his small body shook with confusion. "Where...where am I?" he stammered, his voice weak and barely audible. Zelda's grip on Link's hand tightened as she looked at Sparrow. "We're here, Sparrow," she whispered, her voice hoarse from disuse. "You're safe." But Sparrow didn't seem to understand. He looked around the room, taking in his surroundings, and his eyes widened in fear. "I...I don't know what's happening," he stammered, his small body trembling. Impa rushed to his side, trying to calm him down. "You're safe, Sparrow," she said gently. "We're all here together." Sparrow's gaze drifted to Zelda, and his eyes filled with tears. "Zelda?" he whispered, his voice shaking. "What's happening to me?" Zelda's heart ached as she looked at Sparrow. She knew that she, Link, and Sparrow were all slipping away, and she didn't know how much longer they could hold on. As night began to fall once more, Zelda's condition seemed to have stabilized, but her mind was clouded by extreme confusion and moderate headaches. Her vision blurred, and she felt like she was drowning in a sea of darkness. Link, on the other hand, seemed to be experiencing only mild diarrhea, but his eyes never left Zelda's face. He was worried about her, and his concern was palpable. The darkness seemed to be closing in around them, and Zelda knew that they had to find a cure for the milk disease before it was too late. She looked at Impa, who was hovering over them, her face etched with worry. "Find...the High Priestess," Zelda whispered, her voice barely audible. Impa nodded, her eyes filled with determination. She knew that they had to find a way to save them, and fast. As the night wore on, Zelda's condition seemed to deteriorate further. Her body felt like it was on fire, and her thoughts were disjointed. She knew that they couldn't stay like this for much longer. With a surge of determination, Zelda turned to Impa and whispered, "We have to...keep moving." Impa nodded, her face set in a determined expression. She knew that they had to find a cure, and fast. The fate of Hyrule depended on it. The group sat in silence, their only sound Sparrow's labored breathing and Zelda's shivering. Link's eyes never left hers, and Impa hovered over them all, her face a mask of concern. As the hours ticked by, Zelda's vision began to blur, and she felt like she was slipping away. She knew that she had to hold on, for Hyrule's sake, for her people's sake. But as the night wore on, she couldn't shake the feeling that they were running out of time. In the darkness of the temple, they clung to each other, their fragile bodies worn down by the relentless onslaught of the milk disease. Their only hope lay in finding a cure, and fast, before it was too late.