Chapter 7: Descent into Darkness

The darkness closed in around Link like a suffocating shroud, his mind consumed by disturbing thoughts that seemed to seep from the very walls of his hospital room. He couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being pulled down into a deep, icy abyss, and the whispers in his ear had grown to a deafening crescendo. As the hours ticked by, Link's body began to betray him. He felt a creeping chill that seemed to seep into his bones, and his teeth chattered uncontrollably. His skin was slick with sweat, but he couldn't shake off the feeling of being cold. The hospital room, once a sterile and impersonal space, now seemed to be conspiring against him. The doctor's face appeared above him, concern etched on his features. "Link, we need to get you warmed up," he said, wrapping a blanket around his shivering body. But it was too late. Link's body began to convulse, and he felt a wave of nausea wash over him. He tried to sit up, but a fresh wave of dizziness hit him, sending him crashing back onto the bed. The doctor's voice was distant, muffled, as Link's world narrowed to a single, terrifying thought: he was going to vomit. And when he did, it was like a dam had burst. Link's body convulsed, and he vomited violently, the sound echoing through the hospital room like a primal scream. As he lay there, exhausted and shivering, the doctor's voice came to him once more. "Link, we need to get you on some IV fluids. You're showing signs of hypothermia." Link nodded, his mind foggy and disoriented. He was vaguely aware of the doctor and nurses moving around him, their faces blurs of concern and worry. Meanwhile, across the room, Zelda stirred fitfully. She was experiencing a mild chest pain, a slight difficulty breathing, and a nagging sense of constipation. But compared to Link's dire condition, her symptoms seemed almost trivial. The doctor glanced over at her, his expression softening. "Zelda, sweetie, I'm going to get you some medication for that chest pain," he said, his voice gentle. Zelda nodded, her eyes fluttering closed. She seemed to be drifting in and out of consciousness, her body weakened by the mysterious illness that had taken hold of them both. As the doctor and nurses worked to stabilize Link, he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was slipping further and further into the abyss. The whispers in his ear grew louder, more urgent, and he felt himself becoming increasingly sensitive to touch. Even the lightest brush of the doctor's hand on his skin sent shivers down his spine. "Don't touch me," he whispered, his voice barely audible. The doctor's face was a blur of concern. "Link, I have to examine you. We need to figure out what's going on." But Link was beyond reason. He was trapped in a living nightmare, and he knew that he was running out of time. The darkness was closing in, and he could feel himself being pulled down into its depths, further and further away from the world of the living.