Chapter 7: The Gathering Storm

As the sun beat down on the temple's courtyard, Sparrow's eyes fluttered open, his gaze unfocused and his body trembling beneath the blankets. Impa, who had been sitting beside him, immediately noticed the change in his condition. His skin was hot to the touch, and his breathing was shallow and rapid. "Sparrow, how are you feeling?" Impa asked, her voice laced with concern. Sparrow's response was a weak whisper, his words barely intelligible. "I...I don't know, Impa. Something's happening to me." Impa's hands moved swiftly, checking his forehead and chest. She had never seen him like this before. His body was wracked with a severe fever, and his hypersensitivity was growing by the minute. The slightest touch made him recoil in pain, and even the gentle rustle of the wind outside seemed to make him flinch. Zelda, who lay on the other side of the courtyard, looked up with alarm. "Impa, what's wrong with Sparrow?" she asked, her voice weak but insistent. Impa's face was grim. "I don't know, but we need to find a way to reduce his fever. It's getting worse by the minute." Link, who had been sitting quietly, trying to rest his ears, which had been ringing with a temporary hearing loss, got up and approached Sparrow's side. "What's happening to him?" he asked, his voice low and worried. Impa's hands moved swiftly, trying to cool Sparrow's skin with a wet cloth. "The milk disease is affecting him differently. I think it's getting worse." As the day wore on, Sparrow's condition continued to deteriorate. His fever spiked, and his hypersensitivity grew, making him react to even the slightest stimuli. Zelda and Link tried to stay by his side, but even their gentle voices seemed to make him flinch. The courtyard, once a sanctuary, now felt like a prison. The sun beat down relentlessly, and the air was thick with the scent of blooming flowers, which only seemed to make Sparrow's condition worse. Impa's face was set in determination. "We need to find shelter, and fast. The desert sun is not kind to him. We'll have to take turns keeping watch and trying to keep him comfortable." As the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the courtyard, the group realized that their situation was more dire than they had initially thought. Sparrow's condition was deteriorating rapidly, and they were running out of time. Link got up, his movements stiff, and began to pace around the courtyard. His temporary hearing loss made him acutely aware of the sounds around him, and he strained to hear anything out of the ordinary. Meanwhile, Zelda's gaze lingered on Sparrow, her eyes filled with worry. She knew that if they didn't find a cure soon, they might lose him. And she couldn't shake the feeling that they were all running out of time. The stars began to twinkle in the night sky, and the group settled in for a long, difficult night. Sparrow's fever raged on, and his hypersensitivity made him react to every sound, every movement. They took turns trying to comfort him, but it seemed like no matter what they did, his condition only grew worse. As the darkness closed in around them, they knew that they had to keep moving, no matter the cost. But for now, they were trapped in a sea of uncertainty, and Sparrow's fragile body was at the center of it all.