The Darkness Closes In

As the night wore on, Link's condition continued to deteriorate. He lay on his pallet, his mind foggy from the sedative, but his body screaming in protest. The Shadow Rot disease seemed to be spreading its dark tendrils through his veins, infecting every part of him. At first, it was just a slight drooling from the corner of his mouth. A thin trickle of saliva escaped his lips, and he was too weak to even try to lift his head to wipe it away. Zelda, who had been sitting beside him, noticed the change and quickly grabbed a cloth to gently clean his mouth. But as the minutes ticked by, Link's paralysis worsened. He tried to move his right leg, to shift his position and get comfortable, but it wouldn't budge. It was as if his leg had been turned to stone, heavy and unresponsive. Zelda noticed his struggle and quickly called for Elara, who rushed to Link's side. "It's spreading," Elara said, her voice grave with concern. "The disease is moving quickly, infecting his nervous system. We need to act fast, or risk losing him altogether." Link tried to speak, to protest or plead, but his words were slurred and barely intelligible. He felt like he was trapped in a nightmare, unable to wake up or escape. As Elara and Zelda worked to care for him, Link's mind began to wander. He thought of his life as a hero, of the battles he had fought and won. He thought of Zelda, of her courage and determination. And he thought of the land of Hyrule, of the people he had sworn to protect. But as the darkness closed in around him, Link couldn't shake the feeling that he was losing himself, bit by bit. The Shadow Rot disease was taking control, consuming him from the inside out. And he wasn't sure if he would ever be able to escape its grasp. The thought sent a shiver down his spine, and Link let out a weak cry of despair. Zelda heard him and quickly moved to comfort him, holding his hand and whispering words of reassurance. But even as she tried to comfort him, Link could see the fear in her eyes. Fear that he might not make it, that the disease might consume him completely.