The breeze travelled wistfully across the Hylian plains. The grass shuffled in waves, sending emerald ripples cascading over the gently rolling hills. Heading toward the blue sliver of the Zora's River through these hills was a mercenary lord by the name of Cyrus.
Cyrus was young, approaching twenty six. He was a Hylian by birth, with pointed ears extending out through his dark red hair. He was built tall and strong, his strength coming with the many struggles with the sword he'd had during his mercenary career. His sea blue eyes scanned the waves of hills and he took a deep breath of fresh grassy air. This place was so much more beautiful than the land of his nativity, the rocky and thin-aired Trilby Highlands.
Cyrus's roving eyes caught movement off in the distance. He saw two hunched figures chasing a taller, slender one. Squinting, he saw the tails of the two pursuers. They were lizalfos, reptilian bandits that could be seen wandering all over Hyrule. Whoever it was that was being chased, they needed help. Cyrus began to jog toward the river, where the victim seemed to be heading. Though he wished to conserve his energy from his light pace, he wasn't gaining any distance and he broke into a run.
Detail was solidifying as he drew closer. Cyrus could now clearly make out the rough, green, scaly skin of the lizalfos with their characteristic black leather hauberks, short curved scimitars and bucklers. The nicks in their iron blades made the weapons look all the more wicked. Cyrus didn't even take the time to examine whoever it was being pursued. He drew his own blade and increased his pace slightly.
As he ran, Cyrus unslung his shield which caught the light of the sun above. The reflection shone in the eyes of one of the attackers as he turned around and growled at Cyrus, prodding the other to keep to their first prey, who had just tripped over a rock.
The lizard man sprinted ahead, blade raised and ready for a powerful stroke. Cyrus had to react quickly to dispatch his opponent in time to help the lizalfos' victim, who as he could now see out of the corner of his eye, was a Zora.
The lizalfos let his sword fall, but Cyrus was quick. He swung his shield in an arc above him, diverting the blow. Following directly behind the shield was his sword, but lower, catching the lizard in the throat. The Hylian hopped over the crumpled and lifeless body of his first enemy. The Zora was still on the ground, crawling backward to escape the assailant.
"Hey!" Cyrus barked as the lizalfos spun around to meet him. The second was not so rash as the first. He raised his buckler and sword, prepared for the charge. Cyrus continued at his speed, but rather than swing his sword, he kicked the lizard in his unarmored kneecap. The lizalfos clearly had not anticipated such a strike and buckled under his own weight. His life was ended as Cyrus' cold sword sunk deep into his heart.
Cyrus pulled his blade out and set it on the ground. He wasn't the least concerned that who he just rescued was a threat to him, and he didn't want to put his bloody sword back into his sheath before he cleaned it. Pacing toward the Zora he now had a chance to have a good look at her, for he could see now that she was a female. Apparently, very wealthy as well. She had several gold ornaments, bracelets, leg rings, and a pair of triangular shaped earrings hanging off of the two fins that hung from the top of her head down to the sides. All of the jewelry was also studded with many gemstones. She wore no clothing, but no Zora ever really did nor did they need to.
"You may not have such a problem with bandits if you didn't wear your wealth." Cyrus said as he offered a hand to help up the maiden, which she took. She was still a little rattled after being pursued. "Gods know I'm not worth that much," he said with a grin. Work had been a little scarce for him as of late.
Cyrus took some time to examine the beautiful woman he had just rescued before she regained her composure. Her features were very attractive and she appeared to be about the same age as the mercenary. She was slender, but not unhealthily so. Unlike most Zora, who had a bluish tint to their skin, she was colored a soft magenta hue. The fins on her waist extended down long, to about her knees. Those above her elbows draped down and flowed slightly with the wind. All Zora have an appendage not unlike a fish tail hanging from the back of their heads. Hers hung down to about her hips.
The Zora maiden was getting some strength back as she leaned off of Cyrus and stood up straight. Her eyes were as black as coal, yet Cyrus thought their depths looked peaceful like a calm summer night. There was a piece of her jewelry that hadn't caught his eye just yet. Hanging down from her neck was an amulet, made of the finest gold and sapphire. Three gold crescents were back to back to each other and inside of each was a great sapphire. When one looked in these gems it always made them feel like they were staring into the sea.
It was this exact gem Cyrus had had just had placed upon his own neck to his surprise. "Oh, you don't need to…" the Hylian began about to remove the necklace and return it. Before he could finish, the Zora gave him a peck on the cheek and dove into the river, swimming very quickly upstream. Cyrus called out to her, but she didn't answer or even look back.
The jewel brightly gleamed in the sun. Cyrus felt strange with it on, yet it was a good feeling. He ran his thumb along the sapphires. Their luster wasn't dulled by the dirt on his hands, and he could have sworn he saw a faint glow coming from them.
Cyrus shrugged and decided to go upriver to follow the one he had saved. If anything to learn her identity and return the jewel. "And," he thought hopefully and his eyes brightened. "If her family is as wealthy as it seems, they may pay me for rescuing their daughter." Cyrus smiled. It was a time of peace in Hyrule and a mercenary like himself always found his coinpurse getting lighter at such times. He didn't dare sell the treasure he was just given. The very thought of which made his stomach turn in revulsion. This was strange because in ordinary circumstances that would have been one of the first things he had done.
As he cleaned his blade Cyrus heard the wealthy Zora splashing up the river. He looked at his reflection in his now brightened blade as he heard the splashing drift away into silence. Cyrus gazed up toward the source of the river, sheathed his sword, and set his face. He didn't know how long this trip would be, but he was confident that it would be a short one. Just off in the distance he could see the river coming down the cliff face as a waterfall.
Admittedly, Cyrus had no idea as to the way to his destination. He never had occasion to venture to Zora's Domain as the Zoras usually kept to themselves and rarely, if ever, hired mercenaries like him. He was confident that he would make it, though. He knew that the source of the Zora's River was where he needed to go, and he didn't think it would be too difficult to follow along.
The sun shone overhead. There was still plenty of daylight left. As he made his way to the waterfall, Cyrus couldn't help but wonder how the Zoras would take to him venturing into their territory. He had always heard that they were a friendly people, as isolated as they were, but he could never be sure.
Upon arriving at the waterfall and looking up and down it for some hint of a trail and finding none, Cyrus let out an audible groan. As courageous as his many years of hard fighting and battle had helped him to become, he still dreaded heights, falling, and climbing. Something urged him on nonetheless, as much as the prospect of climbing up the waterfall upset him. He carefully picked his way up the rocks. The spray from the water chilled him.
A stone gave way under his boot and tumbled down the waterfall. Cyrus yelped and gripped tightly on his handholds and shuddered as he felt around with his foot for a sure place to put it. As he felt his palms sweating he worried further that he would lose his grip, which only made the problem worse. After what seemed like too long, Cyrus planted his feet on another secure foothold. Everything was well now and his nerves calmed. He hoisted himself up onto a ledge and sat down, drying off his clammy hands on his well-worn and loose-fitting travel shirt.
As he looked down the waterfall Cyrus let out an exasperated breath. He felt he had been climbing for hours but he couldn't have been more than a few feet up from the bottom. He looked up. All he saw was more of a great wall of rock that would still have to be scaled. He hoped that it wasn't as far as it seemed.
Cyrus looked up and down the falls again. He couldn't see how any Zora, much less the one he had just rescued could make it up this cliff. They had large, flipper like feet that would make such a climb impossible, or at least extremely difficult. Unless they could swim up the waterfall, which would be equally difficult, he thought, there must be another way up here. The Hylian once again looked back down and back up. He couldn't see anything that might betray another path. He grunted in frustration and resumed his ascent.
At long last Cyrus had crested the falls. Before him lay the long and wide ribbon of Zora's River winding its way towards him. To Cyrus' relief it didn't seem as if there were any more waterfalls along the path. He looked up at the sun. It had only moved a slight few degrees since he had began. He was glad his climb was over and that he still had plenty of daylight for the rest of the journey.
As he hiked along the trail Cyrus looked at the beautiful canyon he was hiking through. Hardy shrubs grew on their tenuous perches up and down the walls. Wildflowers grew randomly throughout the canyon, adding their own little splashes of color to the verdant scenery. Cyrus breathed deeply the crisp air coming off the river.
The sound of splashing on the river interrupted his thoughts. He saw a Zora darting back and forth between the rocks coming down the river. Following close behind was a rowboat with a young Hylian man paddling down the river toward him, his eyes fixed on the Zora. At the head of the river was a tour shop that, for a small price, let visitors ride down the river rapids, led by a Zoran guide. Cyrus had heard of these tours, but had no real interest in them.
"Hey!" he called out to the thrillseeker. "What's the fastest way up the river?"
"What?" called out the boater, looking toward Cyrus. "Unf!" he grunted when he hit a rock. "Keep your eyes downstream!" shouted the voice of the Zoran guide. He couldn't have been more than seventeen. "Sorry!" Cyrus called to the tourist as he floated down the river and shot a glance back at Cyrus. He watched the boater for a while as he drifted out of sight down the swift river before he resumed his hike.
After a while, Cyrus came to be a little numb to the clamoring of the water flowing beside him as it lapped against rocks and downed logs. He saw the occasional fish and frog hopping around. The trek was starting to feel monotonous. The sun still shone overhead, but slightly leaning to the West now. The heat of the early afternoon hours was blunted by the splashing water.
Otherwise it was an uneventful trip. Right about when Cyrus saw the sun settle just in between the canyon walls behind him he saw a pennant flowing lazily in the evening breeze. The azure standard greeted the traveller to Zora's Domain. Pretty soon the grassy shoreline of the river became pavement, signalling the official entrance into the home of the proud water dwellers. Approaching their city, Cyrus saw the occasional Zora pop his or her head out of the water to see him, and then promptly sink back down.
Cyrus regarded the Zoran guard that stood between him and the small gate that led to the city. The guard had on no armor, save a great bulky helmet that resembled the head of a fish. For a weapon the defender held a rather unwieldy looking pike. The pike seemed to be more ornamental than practical, with a spiral shell where the pole met the blade and coral inlays along the back of the blade.
The guard didn't move as Cyrus approached. He tersely asked "What is your business here?"
"I actually was given something by one of your people," Cyrus began as he was pulling out his new amulet out of his shirt. "Do you know who this might belong to?" he asked as he held it in sight of the guard.
"Don't mock me with that fake," growled the guard. "Excuse me?" asked Cyrus, rather confused. He looked at the gem again, trying to discern now if it truly was made of genuine gold and sapphire or mere costume jewelry. The sun glinted off the fine gems. The guard didn't say anything more, nor did he move. "I really don't know one way or the other if this could be fake or real," Cyrus admitted and handed over the gem. "Inspect it yourself if you wish, you probably know it better than I do."
The guard snatched it from Cyrus' hand and took a glance at it, then dropped his pike. "How again did you say you found this?" demanded the guard. Cyrus could see the gills on the sides of the guard's trunk suddenly flare out and water fall from them. "One of your people gave this to me after I saved her from lizalfos. She was wearing a lot of jewelry and had a reddish hue to her skin, which I understand is unusual for you Zora," he answered, wondering what the guard's response might be. He added "do you know who she is?"
"Let's see if the king believes you. Come with me," commanded the guard, leaving the question unanswered as he reclaimed his weapon and walked into the city, retaining the gem. Cyrus followed, he could only guess at what the king's response would be. He trailed the guard closely, saying nothing. The reflections off the water danced along the walls as they travelled down corridors and city streets and over bridged canals. The sound of flowing water was everywhere.
After a few minutes the two came to what Cyrus guessed must be the Zora King's palace. Coral of all colors lined the brilliant stonework, carved with the figures of Zoras, fish, and other aquatic life. "Wait here," the guard grunted while halting Cyrus with an outstretched webbed hand a few feet before the door. The guard entered the structure with the poise of a soldier. "On his best behavior," though Cyrus sarcastically.
He looked around the palace courtyard as he waited. Several Zora were around the grounds, all arrayed in much jewelry, Cyrus correctly presumed they were nobility. Guards stood at every entrance, looking straight ahead. A Zora child looked at him through the crowd. He was wearing just as fine jewels as were the rest and his eyes betrayed an innocence that only one of his age and upbringing could have. "If only you knew what happened to one of your own a few hours ago," Cyrus mused to himself.
A short while later the guard trotted out of the palace toward him. Cyrus still couldn't see his face under the heavy helmet, but he could tell that his demeanor had changed. The guard pressed the beautiful jewel back into Cyrus hands and bowed low as he gestured toward the door and announced "you may enter and see the King!" Cyrus was wondering just what this talisman he held was to encourage such treatment. He tentatively entered the palace with one eye still on the guard.
Every soldier stood at attention as he passed. Cyrus was feeling quite confused now. He certainly wasn't expecting this. Especially not since he was a mercenary and so roughly dressed. Straight ahead of him was the Zora King, sitting on his throne which was arrayed in great coral and carvings just as the palace was and dappled with gemstones of all kinds and cuts. The King was also resplendent in his raiment. He was ornamented with many jewels, a lot of them similar to the Zora maiden he had rescued not hours ago. He also wore a scarlet red cape that reached to about his waist.
The King rose to greet Cyrus. Unusual, he thought, for royalty to stand and greet anyone. A courtier off to the side announced loudly "presenting to the King Ralis III of the Zora, protector of Zora's Domain, Zora's River, and Lake Hylia, custodian of the great Sea Spirit Jabun, et cetera: Cyrus the Hylian of the Trilby Highlands and mercenary!" Cyrus was unabashed by the long flowery title of the King compared to his own. "Typical, trying to intimidate me," Cyrus thought darkly.
Cyrus did not bow either, he only tilted his head slightly. Hylian mercenaries do not bow as they claim allegiance to none but themselves. The King seemed to understand this and didn't comment press for the mercenary's respects. He only looked over Cyrus, spending much of his gaze on the gleaming amulet once again hanging from his neck.
"Do you know what you wear?" the King asked after a second or so of silence and after the courtiers announcement finished reverberating through the whole throne room. "I do not," Cyrus politely replied, hoping to finally find out just what this gem was. "It is called the Zora's Sapphire. It is a priceless artifact possessed only by Zoran royalty and those they deign to give it to." The King paused as if to let his words gain more power. "You have found great favor with my daughter."
Cyrus jolted. "That Zora was your daughter?" he asked in shock. "Why was she without guards? What was she even doing out of your city?" Cyrus attempted to come out with more questions, but a raised hand from the King quieted him. He was only now just noticing the the King's skin wasn't a blue-green like other Zoras, although it wasn't magenta like his daughter's either. His was of a more purple color.
"She often slips away unseen. I don't know how, but it causes me no small concern when she leaves without guards as she does," the King answered in a very even tone. The highlander was always bothered by the way that nobility never displayed much emotion, even when their own flesh and blood family were at stake. "Had you not been there I…" the great King choked on a word. "Forgive me. My daughter Ruto means much to me. Her mother died a few years ago and she is now my only family and heir." The mercenary assumed from seeing this the King may have spent many sleepless nights over the wayward princess.
After some time, King Ralis regained his composure. His voice resumed its same even tone. "You are a mercenary, yes? You shall be compensated for your service to me." Cyrus hardly understood why his next words left his mouth. It wasn't at all like him yet he knew what he said and he meant it. "My lord, you don't need to pay me. I did this out of the goodness of my own heart. Your daughter was in danger and I acted. Any decent fellow would have done what I have."
The other's face didn't change in the least, but Cyrus knew that he was stunned by what had just been said. "Very well," came the reply after a moment. "At least take lodging here for the night. There is something I would like to discuss with you, but the hour draws late. Please, follow Kalier to your room." King Ralis gestured to a Zora standing off to the side. "By your leave," said Kalier as he motioned for Cyrus to follow him. He tilted his head again toward the king and followed the guide.
As Cyrus followed the servant he noticed how his fins trailed behind as they walked. He looked at the walls as they moved down the corridor. They were lined with many relief carvings of what he assumed to be great men and women among the Zoran people. He could even make out the Hero of Time in one relief as they passed by. Each portrait had an inscription carved underneath, but Cyrus couldn't read the Zoran script.
"Who are they?" asked the highlander as he gestured at the reliefs. Without stopping, the courtier replied to Cyrus as they turned down the hall to the right "these are the Kings and Queens of our people, as well as some other heroes. Here we have the Hero of Time, and Humlah the shark-eater and others. Many hundreds of years of history are on these walls." Cyrus noted the pride in his guide's voice. "Here we have the last three monarchs of this dynasty." He introduced each monarch as he pointed to them in turn. "That is Rutella, who was slain during the Twilight Crisis a few years ago, her son Ralis II, and our current King, Ralis III. Long may he reign! He is beloved by his people. And this," paused the servant briefly as he indicated a blank spot on the wall "Is where Princess Ruto will take her place when she ascends to the throne." He paused further. "Oddly enough, this is where your guest room is!"
The servant opened the door to reveal a lavishly furnished room. The floor was a magnificent carpet that displayed many gaudy colors. A wash basin carved to look like a great clam shell rested near a bureau with a large mirror inlaid with mother of pearl. The bed appeared to be a very soft mattress with many sheets and pillows and was line by a curtain as well. Cyrus tried to restrain himself from cringing. He felt very uncomfortable in such an ostentatious room. Most often he was used to sleeping on, at best, a cot in a small tent.
"Enjoy your stay," chimed in the guide courteously. "If you need anything, tap the gong and a servant will attend to you immediately," he said as he gestured to a small gong resting on a table. "The King will see you at your leisure tomorrow morning," he added as a final thought. Cyrus nodded toward him in thanks and the servant left him.
The mercenary took some time to examine his lodgings. In addition to what he'd already seen, there was another room with a large tub. Cyrus presumed that it was used by the Zora as a chance to use their gills, as they needed frequent exposure to water to be comfortable. He pulled down a wooden nozzle on the wall. Water of a perfect warmth came flowing out and gave off a little steam when it hit the tub. He decided that he may as well take advantage of this and wash the road off. He tied the string of the nozzle down on a ring on the tub to let the water flow.
A small basket next to the tub held cloths. Cyrus gladly undressed and entered the tub. The warmth of the water prompted a sigh of contentment from the highlander. He was very glad to relax a little after his long days of travelling around Hyrule looking for mercenary work. He was anxious that King Ralis would have a decent job for him. As the highlander stretched he caught a glimpse of the Zora's Sapphire which he hung on a hook where he could see it. He now knew the name of his new artifact, but he still had no idea of its meaning. His curiosity had been furthered when he had seen many of the Zora taking a good look at it while he was in town.
A quiet knock at the door interrupted his thoughts and relaxation. "Bad time," Cyrus gruffly responded, not wanting to be disturbed. He sighed and closed his eyes, breathing in the steamy air.
After washing himself, Cyrus redressed and checked his door just in case a note was left behind. Whoever it was left nothing. He shrugged and went to bed and fell asleep almost immediately, worn and tired from all the excitement of the day.
The next morning-if it was, Cyrus couldn't tell what time of day it was because his room had no windows-came quickly. The young mercenary donned his shirt, belted on his sword, and slung his shield on his back. As he opened the door, he realized that he didn't particularly remember the way to the throne room as he wasn't paying much attention. He decided to follow in the direction that exhibited the relief carvings, as he saw many of them on the way to his quarters.
Cyrus glanced at each carving along the way. The expressions on some looked heroic, some triumphant, others stoic, a few wore kind and loving faces. Cyrus wasn't one for history, but he still wondered who these people were in life. After a few seconds of roaming down the hall he saw what appeared to be the throne room.
Once he entered, a guard flinched in surprise. Cyrus' expression hardened. As a mercenary commander he did not tolerate faint hearts among his ranks. "Some soldier you are," he thought bitterly, yet he caught himself before the words left his mouth. The guard looked at him through his large helmet while Cyrus headed toward the center of the room. King Ralis was comfortably seated on his throne and was speaking to an advisor when Cyrus approached.
"Ah, you're here," the King said as he rose from his throne. "Walk with me," he commanded as he gestured to the door. Cyrus thought this unusual for a King to do something like this. He glanced behind as he saw the entourage follow. "I trust your quarters were to your satisfaction?" queried the King in his typical level tone. "Yes," came the terse reply. "Yes, Lord," corrected the guard forcefully. Cyrus silenced him with a sharp glare. It was the same guard that flinched earlier in the throne room.
Presently the group had reached a balcony. The King leaned on the short stone wall, overlooking the teeming city below. Hundreds of Zoras were bustling back and forth in the great city going about their business. King Ralis finally broke the silence between the two. "Why did you come here Cyrus? Be honest." The highlander thought the King sounded more natural that he had yet before. He felt that no harm could be done in answering the King truthfully, yet the words didn't come without difficulty for reasons Cyrus couldn't explain. "You know full well that this is a time of peace, and in my particular line of work, I have none. After I saved your daughter I considered the vast amount of wealth that her family must have and I became hopeful that I would be greatly recompensed,"
"That's not what you told me in the palace," responded the King, sounding slightly hurt by Cyrus' perceived dishonesty earlier. He was still staring out into the city below.
"I didn't lie to you." Cyrus replied. "I saved your daughter out of my own goodness, as I told you. The thought to inquire for reward came later, yet I couldn't bring myself to ask for one-or even accept a reward when the time came."
Silence hung in the air for a moment. Cyrus finally broke it by asking "I still don't know what's so special about this Zora's Sapphire your daughter gave me. I understand that it must be extremely rare."
"The only one of its kind." the King cut in.
Cyrus continued, "...and why your daughter would give it to me, and why your people seem so astonished to see me wear it."
The King flicked off a grain of sand on the short wall then stood up and faced Cyrus. "Those questions will need to wait for another time, and perhaps by that time you'll have found out yourself. You may keep the Zora's Sapphire for the time being."
The mercenary only looked at him and he tucked the shining jewel into his shirt.
The King spoke. "Last night I told you that I would indeed have a quest for you. I doubt that you get many like it." The King paused for a moment and dismissed his entourage with a short "leave us." As they shuffled away the King resumed. "You may know that a few decades ago during the Twilight Crisis the Sage of Water was slain. What you may not know, and as many have seem to have forgotten, that each Sage holds a medallion representing their power. Ever since the Sage died, his medallion has been lost.
"This is where I need you. On behalf of the Zora people, I request that you retrieve the medallion to its rightful place here: in Zora's Domain, until a new sage can be awakened."
Cyrus let his thoughts come into his response. "I've played the gofer before, so this job is not unusual to me as you may think. Mercenaries are not all about fighting all the time. What concerns me is why haven't your own people done this? You sound like you are much more qualified to find this medallion as you are much more knowledgeable about it that I am."
King Ralis stared wistfully out the canyon. He answered Cyrus' question "We might know a good deal about the medallion, but we can only guess at where to find it. We would have to inquire of the Sages to find that out, but no Zora could ever cross the Gerudo Desert to the Arbiter's Grounds where the Sages reside, due to the total lack of water in those burning sands." The King sighed and continued. "And anywhere we suspect the medallion to be our soldiers refuse to go, saying that those places are cursed, haunted, and any other manner of things they can concoct."
Cyrus almost laughed. Zoran soldiers indeed did not have the greatest reputation, but he didn't think that they would be so bad as to deny their leaders when they could be retrieving a priceless artifact of such grand importance to their own people. Luckily he stifled his mirth before the King could notice.
"As such," as the King proceeded with the briefing, "We have few soldiers and sending them on this errand would not even leave sufficient guards to defend our city. We cannot spare soldiers to go search for the water medallion." King Ralis' even tone resumed and he looked at Cyrus directly in the eyes as if to coax out the mercenary's very soul. "You would be very well recompensed for this service to us. We would be eternally grateful to you. Cyrus… Will you retrieve the water medallion?"
Cyrus didn't even think about his answer. He needed money and he didn't think this job would be too difficult. His answer was a resounding "Yes, my lord!" The formal title came because in the culture of Hylian mercenaries, when a contract is taken on, a mercenary considers himself subject to whoever he is working for. King Ralis smiled and laid a hand on the highlander's shoulder. "You are a saint!" he said with marked excitement. "What supplies will you need and what shall your payment be?"
Since he was often out on his own, Cyrus had become quite the woodsman and could easily live off the land, so he declined supplies, but as for his payment he explained "You must be quite unfamiliar with mercenaries in general, sire. Never pay before the job is done. I'm not saying that I am, but there are a few out there that would take your rupees and you would never see them again. We'll discuss payment when I return. I thank you for this task, King Ralis. I will not disappoint you."
With that, Cyrus turned and left quickly out of the city. "Even if I'm searching for a unique magical artifact, there's still a chance of a pay day!" he thought jovially as he almost leapt out the gate. His enthusiasm was quickly dampened, however when he saw the daunting sight of the Zora's River flowing heedlessly downstream. He remembered the climb up, and that in his experience, climbing down was usually more difficult. "How am I going to get down?" the mercenary wondered aloud.
Cyrus paced on the edge of the river looking down at the flowing water. As he considered his options he heard a voice familiar to him coming from behind. "You could always ride down." Cyrus whipped around to see the face of a Zora friend of his by the name Salin. Salin was tall and strong, and about the same age as the mercenary. He had been with Cyrus on many of his jobs. Seeing his old friend up here was a welcome sight. "Salin, what are you doing here?" Cyrus asked in mock gruffness. Before long both broke into smiles and laughter, glad to see old friends again. "I should be asking you the same, Cyrus," Salin asked with a grin.
"I was actually here to see the King-" the mercenary began, but was interrupted by the Zora. "To ask for payment for saving his daughter, right?"
"Yes," replied Cyrus, taken aback. "How did you know?"
"I just put the pieces together. Yesterday Ruto came up the river telling stories of a handsome and mighty highlander warrior that had a sword within a rupee on his shield that had saved her."
"Go on…" Cyrus said patiently.
"While you're neither 'handsome' nor 'mighty,'" Salin resumed jokingly, "I knew that was your shield. I also heard that you chose to accept no payment for saving the princess." Salin could see the question forming on Cyrus' face but answered it before it hit the air "News and rumor travel quickly up here, but to the point where they are sometimes unintelligible one from another." Salin took a step forward. "Is it true, Cyrus? Did you come all the way up here for mere thanks?"
The mercenary looked at the ground briefly. For the first time since rescuing Ruto, he wondered if he was losing his edge after his friend's question. "I… No," he began. "I was originally going to ask for payment, but something held me back. It felt wrong to ask for money for doing what any decent fellow would have done."
"You've gone soft," the other declared flatly as he folded his arms, confirming Cyrus' fear.
"I have not!" protested Cyrus. "As a matter of fact he did give me a job." Salin looked stunned. He knew as well as Cyrus that the Zora didn't often hire mercenaries. The highlander continued. "It seems your people are missing something called the water medallion and the King has asked me to find it. He suggested that I first go to the Arbiter's Grounds and ask the Sages where it might be found."
Salin let out a short, mirthless laugh that almost sounded like a bark. "You and the King are crazy! Nobody has seen the water medallion for centuries, how do you even know if it's still in this world or if the Sage took it with him? And the Arbiter's Grounds? They have been a crumbling ruin since the Twilight Crisis. There's no telling how bad those dusty old stones are now." A smile then crawled up his face. "Sounds like the perfect job for you!"
Cyrus gave a small smirk. "All of us mercenaries specialize in the impossible. The problem right now is getting to the Arbiter's Grounds. Not only do I have to negotiate the climb back down the Zora's River, I also need to find a way up the cliffs to the desert, trudge across the sand while hopefully avoiding thieves and bandits and THEN navigate the ruins."
Salin wrapped an arm around his friend and began to walk him to the tour shop. "I can help with the River part at least. You could ride down," he said repeating what he had mentioned earlier. Cyrus shrugged off the arm and looked the Zora in his emerald green eyes very seriously. "Salin, I knew that you gave up mercenary work after your last little adventure, but surely you don't mean you work for the tour shop running boats down the river now?" Salin looked away and tugged on one of the fins hanging off his head.
"It's true isn't it?" Cyrus pressed.
"Look, it's all I could find," Salin declared flatly.
The highlander looked at his friend while shaking his head, then he looked down the river. "Can you get me a discount?" he asked after a while. Before Salin could answer a shout came from the tour shop. "Salin get your scaly rear end into the river! I pay you to run the tour, not jabber at the customers!" Salin looked up at the shop as his his boss emerged. The woman that ran the tour shop had a great shrub of hair atop her head that bobbed around as she walked and moved her head. She was thin and of average height. "Yes, your highness," grumbled the Zora as he dove into the river without further argument.
"Pardon the fish man," the woman said pleasantly. "Now, to business. How would you like a thrilling ride down the Zora's River? It will be the greatest adventure you've ever had. You can feel the adrenaline coursing down your arteries as the rapids surge you forward." Cyrus noted the intonations and the emphases she put on certain words. He wondered how much practice she had had with her sales pitch. "I will, but ONLY because it's faster than walking," he answered. The head of the shop smiled. "Alright, come with me I'll get you outfitted."
Cyrus was quickly equipped with a small rowboat and an oar. He shifted around trying be in a spot that would be the most balanced possible. The mercenary was wary; he had ridden on few boats before, and never was he in the vessel for the whole trip. He didn't care to repeat such an experience on this turbulent river. "Ok," began the shop head. "Your guide is Salin over there." Salin gave a brief polite wave and a big toothy smile. Cyrus knew his friend too well not to know that the gestures were exaggerated. Right as his employer had her back turned he hooked one of his fingers and pulled it on the inside of one of his cheeks. The highlander had been around a few other Zora mercenaries in his day and he knew that was a rather offensive gesture in their culture, representing the setting of a fish hook.
The woman resumed her instruction. "Keep your eyes on him the whole time and stay in the boat. Any questions?"
"Yes actually. I don't have much money. Is there any chance of a discount?" Cyrus asked. The other obviously didn't hear him since she pushed the boat out into the river and called out as Cyrus "Have fun!" as he floated away.
The boat quickly gathered up speed. Not too far in the distance Cyrus could see Salin leaping out of the water periodically to stay in sight. The river raced downstream, heedless of the rocks and logs that were its obstacles, either flowing around or over them. The light vessel flowed along with it. Cyrus hit some rapids and felt the spray of the river drench him and filled the boat slightly.
As dangerous as the trip was the highlander was beginning to enjoy himself. The speed the river carried him at was exhilarating. He had to paddle furiously to avoid hitting certain rocks, and this provided an interesting challenge for him. He took a moment to admire the beautiful scenery around him, but this was a mistake. As soon as he refocused his gaze downstream, there was a gigantic boulder obstructing his path and he didn't have enough time to react and pilot the boat away.
Salin heard a loud noise behind him that could only be shattering wood. He had heard this sound a few times in this particular line of work and nothing good ever came of it. The Zora turned around and only saw a few boards flowing down the river. His heart sank as he called out to Cyrus and heard no answer. More boards of varying sizes drifted past. He knew the boat was obliterated and he desperately hoped Cyrus wasn't as well.
The Zora torpedoed to the other side of the rock. Even the strong currents of the Zora's River were no challenge to an accomplished swimmer like himself. He found Cyrus pinned against the rock, completely motionless. "Cyrus!" Salin cried, but still no answer. He quickly dragged his friend away from the rock and onto the bank of the river. Pulling the weight of another full grown man was much more difficult in the rapids.
Slain laid the soggy mercenary on the cool ground and checked his vitals. "Heartbeat… breathing… Come on! Wake up!" the Zora barked at Cyrus. The mercenary shifted a little bit and his eyes slowly slitted open. "Thank the gods you're alive, Cyrus! That was a horrible crash," were the words Cyrus was greeted with as he awoke. "I think I might have lost your boat, Salin. I'm sorry," replied the mercenary absently as he tried to sit up. A jolt of pain shot across his ribs as he cried out and fell back onto the ground.
"Stay down, Cyrus, it'll help," Salin ordered as he stood up. A sudden bolt of realization came to the Zora's mind. "I'm fired after that one," he groaned.
"I didn't mean to crash," Cyrus said quietly and apologetically.
Salin turned slightly to look downstream. "It's fine. I hated this job anyway."
"What will you do now?" asked Cyrus, his head still throbbing.
"I don't know," confessed the Zora.
Cyrus' eyes widened as he felt around his shirt. "There is something you could help me out with… I've lost my necklace."
Salin knelt on the ground and faced his friend. He said very seriously to him, "Cyrus there is absolutely no way that you can get anything you lost from that crash. I don't care how valuable it was. Count it for gone. Just be glad that you're fine. You're worth more than whatever it was you lost."
Cyrus shook his head earnestly, but this caused another jolt of pain. He replied weakly, "I need that back, Salin. The necklace I had was THE Zora's Sapphire! I wish I could help you look for it."
The Zora's hairless brow began to knit together. "The Zora's Sapphire is no joking matter. If you mean to tell me that-" Salin's statement was interrupted by a thought. His eyes slowly widened in horrific realization when Cyrus' expression remained grave. "You really aren't joking are you? How did you even come to get it?" he demanded.
Cyrus struggled a little to sit up. He still couldn't do it. He looked up at the tall Zora and answered him, "I saved your Princess Ruto as you know and she gave it to me." In response, Salin began rending the air with shouts of indignation and several obscenities in Zoran. At last he addressed Cyrus with a groan, "I don't know who to be more angry at right now, Ruto for idly giving away the Zora's Sapphire so idly or you for losing it. Huhh… I'm going to look for it, but don't you move while I'm gone."
Before Salin dove into the river Cyrus spoke up. "I had it in my shirt and securely around my neck. I have no idea how I could have lost it." The Zora only huffed "Ruto," and splashed into the water. Left alone, the highlander closed his eyes and began to drift off to sleep.
Cyrus awoke a few hours later. The sun was setting and the sky was ablaze with the orange of twilight. He looked up and down the river, but he saw no sign of Salin. "Hope he's alright," he sighed. The mercenary arose. His head was still throbbing a little and his chest had a few bruises, but he was perfectly capable of movement again. As he twisted his torso he thought he saw the glint of red eyes upstream. Grasping the hilt of his sword Cyrus listened carefully. He could barely hear a faint "skrie, skrie," cry over the sound of the river. "Tektites!" he gasped.
The highlander quickly drew out his sword and readied his shield. As they got closer, he could see them better in the half-light. Blue bodies with four yellow legs studded with spines. One gleaming red eye was in the center of the body. All of the horrors locked their gazes on him and leaped in his direction.
The insectile attackers began to surround Cyrus. Tektites were not usually a threat to skilled swordsmen such as himself, but such a large pack would prove a challenge. With a mighty swing of his sword, Cyrus clove two of the monsters in half as they leaped at him. As he heard another of the beasts cry out behind him he whipped around just in time to halt its leap with his shield. Having it's path disrupted it fell helplessly on its back, legs flailing desperately to try and right itself. Cyrus ended it's life with a thrust to it's center before the tektite could get back into battle.
The tektites were closing distance now, clawed legs jabbing menacingly. Cyrus had to break out of the circle quickly to avoid taking any harm. He immediately scanned around and saw an opportunity: a tektite in the circle that was faltering a little. The mercenary roared and charged at the hapless creature, shield in front and sword raised. He brought it down before his victim could react and spun around to face the rest of them. The pack was getting angry now that Cyrus had killed four of their number.
Several at once began leaping at the highlander now. He deflected their attacks with his shield and brought his sword down upon those that tried to attack him individually. Even though he was an experienced fighter, Cyrus was beginning to lose ground. He was inching backwards as the tektites closed in, but then he felt his boot hit the cliff wall behind him. "Not good," he mumbled as he tried to put his shield in the most protective position.
The tektites began to chitter excitedly. Altogether they prepared to dive at Cyrus, but something surprised them. Barreling out of the water with the Zora's Sapphire wrapped around his left wrist, Salin bellowed as he surged toward the tektites. Though unarmed, he was still dangerous. Zoras have the ability to stiffen the fins protruding from their upper arms into a sharp edge that can easily cut through things as hard as a tektite's exoskeleton.
Grasping a part of each fin for control, the Zora rushed at the assailants dispatching them rapidly in their confusion. Cyrus took advantage of their disarray and began slashing at the beasts himself. By the time their enemies could recover from the surprise they began making great leaps downstream, making their "skrie, skrie," cries all the way down.
"I'm getting rusty," said Salin with a grin as he relaxed his arms and let his fins become flexible again. "Naw, that was great!" Cyrus replied as he smiled back. "I see you found the Sapphire," he added.
"I did," Salin answered. "Don't lose this again. The Zora's Sapphire is an extremely important artifact from my people's history. If I were lost, it would be like losing a part of our own identity."
"I understand that," Cyrus said impatiently. He knew the Sapphire was important. What he still didn't know was what it meant when Ruto gave it to him. He even asked Salin why she would have, but his only reply was "I really shouldn't be the one to tell you." Cyrus pressed him further, but Salin remained silent on the matter.
The Zora looked at the sky. Daylight was almost totally gone. "We probably ought to make camp for the night," Salin commented.
"I'll get dinner," chimed Cyrus as he made his way to the river, sword drawn. "You can't eat tektite!" the Zora called out to him. The mercenary held his sword in reverse grip, staring intently at the water. He jabbed with cat-like accuracy and hoisted up his sword which had a good-sized green gill speared on the tip. "Wow, first try," the highlander said as he smiled brightly. Salin looked at the fish in surprise. As he watched Cyrus pace toward the river again the mercenary called out to him. "I'll work on getting another one. You could probably gut them better with your fins than I can with my sword."
"My favorite part," grumbled Salin as he got to work on the fish. Shortly thereafter they had a small meal of roasted greengill. The pair had found just enough dry wood to cook the fish.
"Do you think you can make it back to the tour shop tonight?" asked Cyrus as he threw the fish bones into the river. Salin sighed. "Why bother? After losing another boat, this one beyond repair and almost losing a customer, I'm as good as fired." He fitfully tossed a fistfull of dirt on the fire which popped and crackled. "I'm sorry," Cyrus said quietly.
"It's not your fault," Salin dismissed with a wave. "Besides I was getting tired of working for that hag anyway."
Cyrus' face brightened. "Hey, maybe if you can't go back to work at the tour shop, how about working as a mercenary again? Don't you remember all the good times we had when we were working together?"
The Zora deeply contemplated the question. "I'm torn Cyrus. Mercenary work is all I've really done and enjoyed, but I'd rather not be in a line of work that would bring me to meet the gods before my time." He absentmindedly flicked a pebble. "Let me sleep on it. I'll let you know in the morning."
"Sounds good to me," said Cyrus as he cleared away a small patch of ground. "Good night," he yawned. Cyrus fell asleep very quickly, even after having slept a few short hours ago. Salin on the other hand, was leaned up against the cliff wall deep in thought. Soon enough though, sleep overtook him, too.
That night, Salin had a dream. He was perched atop a fortress wall in the Gerudo Desert. A small pool of water was prepared for him so that he could survive there. He was dressed in his full combat gear. His armor was made out of thin plates, allowing for ease of movement and also had vents on the sides of his abdomen for use of his gills. Salin had this armor specially made to be very lightweight so he could still swim in it. Even so, the sun was beating down on the plates and made him very hot.
The Zora stared out over the arid dunes. There were absolutely no landmarks around save the fortress he was in currently and the ancient ruins of the Arbiter's Grounds far into the distance. A voice came to him from the side, the voice of a Gerudo warrior. She was very slightly muffled by the scarlet red veil she had over her face. "Sir, our scouts report that Cyrus' army of mercenary pigs will be here inside the hour."
As dreams often go, Salin knew things in this dream that had never happened before. He had been captured in battle a few months ago and under threat of the eradication of his people, he was forced into the servitude of the army of foul and evil creatures that were threatening Hyrule and was given command of this fortress in the desert.
"Thank you, corporal. Tell the soldiers to prepare for battle," Salin replied as he dismissed Gerudo. "Understood," she saluted crisply and handed the Zora his favorite weapon. It was a polearm, with a head consisting of a very long spike and two blades opposing each other. These blades extended to points that ended a little before the spike did.
The soldier he had just spoken with was now shouting down to a mixture of all the evil creatures of Hyrule. Gerudo with their billowing clothes made to keep off the harsh desert sun. These warrior women wore no armor, but their scimitars were made to be very wide and could block as well as a shield. Among the crowd were also stalfos, large armored skeletons with wicked blades; bokoblins, brutish, stupid and hideous creatures. They were often placed on the front line to be used as pawns to weaken the enemy. Bulbins which were of equal status to the bokoblins, and the biggest threats were moblins, massive warriors with boars heads that were feared for their charge, and darknuts, great heavily armored knights that had proved themselves in many battles.
"Prepare yourselves! Cyrus will be here soon! All but a few guards will meet the enemy a half mile out in the desert so they can't get close enough to deploy siege engines!" yelled the Gerudo. Salin was still looking out over the desert, hating the bind that he was in. He had absolutely no love for and no desire to serve this evil army, but he had no choice. He quietly spoke while his soldiers were preparing themselves down below. "Cyrus, my old friend here we will be on the field of battle once again, but now as foe and not as friend as we should be."
The Zora thought he could see the glint of metal a good distance out. A watchman beside him cried out "The enemy is here! What's the order, sir?" she asked as she turned to face Salin. He answered loud enough for the whole of the army to hear. "Open the gates and to your ranks in the desert! You thirst for blood and you will have it!" The odd cheer could be heard in the crowd as the gates groaned and creaked open slowly as the evil denizens of Hyrule formed up and marched forward into the sands.
Out in the dunes, Salin stood at the head of his army. He took a quick drink from his canteen and showered himself with a little water. A Zora needed hydrated skin just as any human would need a hydrated throat. Behind him he could hear his forces shifting and murmuring impatiently. In front, the footsteps of the opposite host were getting steadily louder. The other army gradually took shape.
Cyrus was indeed leading the approaching forces. He wore his full suit of armor as well, which greatly added to his already imposing stature. The wind billowed his flowing red cape. The soldiers behind him were composed of all the tribes loyal to the Hylian crown. Hylians formed the bulk of the infantry, all in chainmail armor. It was the best they had to protect themselves and at the same time not be too warmed by the harsh desert sun. Salin could also see several mighty Gorons. These were to be the most feared of all of Cyrus' army. Though unarmed and some unarmored, their rocky bodies withstood most blows and they could punch so hard they could break through rocks. Salin even thought he saw the odd Zora. Many pennants and banners were tossed by the desert breeze. Each tribe had their own flag, but all were led by the proud banner of the Hylia, a triforce with wings and talons.
The highlander halted his troops several feet away from Salin's army. He called out to the Zora, "Here we are. I'll give you a chance at surrender to us. I know where your heart truly lies, Salin. Don't make this mistake."
The Zora looked at the ground and then locked his eyes on his friends, for they still were even though they were on separate sides of the conflict. "You know I can't do that," he replied. "I and the whole Zora people would face their doom if I did."
"Then," Cyrus sighed, "I'm sorry my friend, but one of us has to die here."
Each of the two friends signaled their troops to charge. Many shouts, roars, and battle cries were heard. Massive darknuts dispatched many with each swing of their greatswords, and Gorons rolled like gigantic boulders through the monster horde, carving great paths and tumbling back to safety among their own ranks. Steel clashing against steel banged out in deafening rings all throughout the battlefield.
Cyrus and Salin spotted each other across the open and sprinted for each other. Cyrus with his sword raised and shield forward, Salin with his polearm in a defensive position. He didn't dare have the blade out. He knew very well how Cyrus fought and he knew that his weapon would be knocked aside with a shield bash and he would be dispatched almost instantly. Instead when they got close, Salin dug one end of the weapon into the ground and vaulted toward Cyrus with both feet out.
The highlander leaped backward to avoid the kick. Losing his momentum would cost him. He swung his sword in a mighty arc before him, missing his opponent by inches. The two were nearly equally matched. Cyrus' sword was a much faster weapon, and he had additional protection afforded by his heavier armor and shield, but these would slow him down slightly. Salin on the other hand, was more nimble and had a slight height advantage and greater reach.
Salin now had his tip forward, and he had choked up on the pole somewhat and angled his weapon a little so he could quickly recover from a shield bash. The battle raged all about the pair, but their only focus was on each other at this moment. The Zora lunged forward, but feinted as Cyrus moved his shield to intercept and swung his pike in a great half-circle. The Hylian ducked just in time to avoid the lethal assault. "I'm not that easy!" Cyrus shouted as he tried to jump forward to get Salin within reach of his sword.
"But you are easily distracted." the Zora shot back as he swung the butt of his weapon and struck Cyrus on the side of the head. The blow made the mercenary's helmet and ears ring, but he was otherwise unphased. With a speed that only many years of battle could give him, he raised his shield above his head as the other brought his long weapon down on him. The highlander angled his shield and pushed the weapon aside and charged Salin.
Cyrus was now too close for Salin to do much with his polearm, but he still had his advantages. As the highlander swung his sword, the Zora absorbed the blow with the haft of his pike. He took quick advantage of Cyrus' recoil and jumped back, jabbing his pike as he did. Cyrus could do nothing about the attacks, but they only left superficial damage on his armor. The highlander was getting frustrated. He grabbed the pole as Salin made another thrust. They struggled with it for a while, but the Zora had more than just brute muscle to regain his weapon. He made an edge from his fins and slashed at Cyrus' right hand, piercing the mercenary's right glove and leaving a deep furrow across the back of his hand.
Cyrus howled in pain and let go of the weapon. "I should have worn my gauntlets!" he cursed to himself as he reclaimed his sword before another blow could be struck. The wound in his hand wouldn't bother him for much longer. He came from highlander stock and he could tough it through pain. He had done so in many battles before and emerged victorious.
Angry with pain, the mercenary rushed forward again, this time deflecting every blow and making powerful swings with his sword and shield. Cyrus knew how to use his shield for defence as well as offence. Salin dodged and blocked every blow, but his stamina was waning. He knew that at this point, speed was the key and he had the slower weapon, but he had a trick ready.
In the midst of his attacks, the highlander brought his sword down with as much force as he could, but the sword landed between the spike and the blade on the polearm. Salin quickly reacted and twisted. Cyrus yelped in pain and surprise as the force sent waves of pain down his arm and tore the sword from his hand. Before he could position his shield to defend, the Zora had his pike ready pointed directly at his friend's heart, prepared to lunge with the force required to pierce the armor. Both were panting.
"I suppose this is it, then." Cyrus said. "You have to kill me." The mercenary had faced death many times before, he was so numb to it that even right now he wasn't as afraid as most would be. Salin answered with a lot of regret in his voice. "I would have it any other way, but the fate of my people is in the balance."
"Do it, then," Cyrus ordered. Then he began muttering in his native highlander tongue "Ruha, Ruha, Eulia naie shrai…" but his personal last rites were interrupted as a thrust from the pike ran through him. The spike hit his heart, and he fell without a sound.
Salin was torn from sleep. "Cyrus! No!" he shouted as he sat bolt upright, heaving great breaths to help regain his composure. It was only a dream, but it felt so real, so vivid. Almost to confirm he was still alive, Salin looked at his friend a few feet away. He was still sleeping peacefully, despite the outburst.
Just then the Zora noticed a strange robed figure standing a foot or so in the air. His robes were old and worn. He could make out no facial features because the mysterious figure had his face wrapped up. The only thing that he could see of his face were that his eyes were completely white, no iris and no pupils. This person made Salin very uneasy.
"Who are you?" the Zora asked suspiciously as he hardened his fins. The other replied in a voice that seemed to come from everywhere. "Peace, Salin. What you have seen will only come to pass should you take up the path of a mercenary once again." Salin had many questions, but he decided to repeat his original one. The mysterious man didn't move but only answered "I am an oracle. I've been sent to tell you of the darkness that would result should you return to your mercenary ways. Should you do this, you would be captured and become a tool of a great evil that will come in the land."
Salin was still suspicious, but he lowered his fins slowly. He cautiously stepped toward the other, but the oracle moved back at the same speed Salin approached. Another question escaped his mouth "What should I do then?" he asked. Though the Zora was apprehensive, he somehow felt that this robed spectre could be trusted. The oracle responded with a direct answer. "I am not permitted to say. I can only tell you what I have been sent to."'
The first rays of sunlight peered through the canyon, ready to burst forth into the new day. The oracle looked over to the rising sun and evaporated, but the sound of his voice came to Salin one last time. "Remember Salin, do not hire out your sword again." The Zora stood still for a few moments, muddling through the events of his dream and this strange visitor.
His thoughts were broken when a cuckoo crowed loudly to herald the new day. Cyrus stirred slightly, grunted, and sat up. "After that I'll never complain about sleeping on a bedroll again," he groaned, massaging his back. The Hylian looked up at Salin, who appeared to be wide awake. "How long have you been up?" he asked. "Not too long," the Zora replied distantly. After a moment he added "I can't go with you."
"What? Can't?" Cyrus asked, a little surprised. He felt sure that Salin would eventually decide to come with him, at least after he left the desert. "Why can't?" he pressed.
Salin was still mulling over the events of the night. "I really don't know myself," he replied absently.
Cyrus shrugged at this and rose. Stretching out and belting on his sword again. Hoping to lighten the mood a little, the mercenary dug a root out of the ground a beat the dirt off of it and tossed it to Salin. "Can't leave without breakfast," he said cheerfully. Salin rubbed a little bit more dust off of it and broke off a small piece. "What is it?" he asked taking the bite. He choked on the root and spat it out.
"Nasty," Cyrus replied with a smile, "but it will give you more than enough energy for several hours. Salin tried the root again, and he was trying very hard to swallow this bite. "Because its awful taste wakes you up?" Salin mumbled through a mouthful. Cyrus chuckled and began to gnaw on a root of his own. His facial expression changed almost imperceptibly in reaction to the bitter taste and rough texture of the fare.
Both finished the bitter meal, saying little to each other. They almost felt that if they opened up their mouths the root would fly out. When both had enough, Cyrus rose and slung his shield over his shoulders. He shrugged it into place and said, almost to himself while looking down the river, "Just my luck that I can't make this trip without at least one climb." Salin looked at him. He was still thinking about his dream the previous night.
Finally, Salin rose and turned back to face Cyrus and said "I'll accompany you to Lake Hylia, then I may need to head back up river. No matter how much of a hag my employer was, I'll need to at least tell her what happened." Cyrus began walking with him. "Thanks," he replied.
They weren't very far from the Zora's River's final waterfall that emptied into Lake Hylia. Once they reached it, Cyrus looked down the waterfall with apprehension and shuddered and put several feet distance between himself and the edge. Salin tried to offer encouragement, but also tried baiting his friend as well. "It's not that far of a drop. And even if you did fall you'd most likely fall into the water. You're not afraid of a little swim, are you?" he said mockingly. Cyrus only glowered at the Zora in answer.
Salin kicked a rock down the falls. As he watched it tumble down into the lake below, something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. Strung to a nearby tree was a coil of rope. "This will help," Salin called out encouragingly as he tossed the rope to Cyrus. The highlander's face brightened slightly. He began to tie it to the same tree that the Zora pulled it off of. "No sense wasting time up here," he mumbled, making very sure that the knot was secure.
Salin took the rope from the mercenary's hand. "I'll go first," he offered. Cyrus nodded, and watched as the Zora gracefully rappelled down the cliff face. "How can he do that?" the highlander wondered. Once his friend touched bottom and called out, Cyrus knew that it was his turn. His legs were shaking as he gripped the rope so tightly his knuckles turned white. He wished he could close his eyes for the descent.
Still maintaining a death grip on the rope, Cyrus began to very carefully make his way down. He risked a look, which made him slip as his heart jumped. He regained control and was panting with fear. Salin called to him from below, "Don't look down. I'll tell you when you're getting close. Right now, you're about halfway." The mercenary gulped as he began to ease his way down again. The reassuring comments from his friend made the trip a little easier.
After what felt like an eternity to him, the highlander reached the bottom. Almost the instant he did, he fell to his knees and thanked every god he knew of and kissed the ground. Salin smiled and helped his friend up. "It wasn't that bad, was it?" he asked with a grin. Cyrus shook his head and tugged at the rope. "When you get back, up, can you throw this down for me? I may need it," the highlander asked. Salin nodded and slapped Cyrus on the back. "Good bye, my friend. And good luck getting the Water Medallion. The Zora will be eternally grateful for that," he said. Salin then swam up the waterfall and dropped the rope down shortly thereafter. Cyrus wondered just how difficult and how strong he had to be to shoot up the waterfall the way he did.
The young highlander coiled the rope around one of his shoulders and then turned around and surveyed the scenery. Sunlight reflections danced off the cobalt-blue surface of Lake Hylia. Many different kinds of plants lined the shores, and the occasional island poked up out of the water, as if peering above it to make sure it was safe to come out. Birds and insects made their calls and songs while fish leaped out of the water, gulping up flies as they did. Cyrus decided to sit for a while and enjoy it and to relax from the descent that had rattled him so much.
Across the water he could see the cliff face that held up the Gerudo Desert and the Arbiters Grounds. The mercenary huffed at the prospect of another climb. What would inevitably total to four climbs seemed like too many in a year to him, much less all within three days of each other. Off to the side he could see the Giant Cannon. This was one of the tourist attractions of Lake Hylia. This massive machine could blast an individual up the cliffsides that surrounded the Lake and land them safely on the rim. Cyrus had also heard rumor that the Cannon could send someone to the desert as well, but nobody ever really wanted to go there.
He carefully measured the options. Being shot from a cannon sounded very dangerous, but flying through the air would take much less time than scaling the cliff. In addition, if what he heard about just how well-placed the Giant Cannon's shots were, that option carried much less chance of injury.
Before he made his final decision, though, he heard distant splashes in the water. These sounded like whatever was making them was a good deal heavier than the small fish he had seen jumping. The mercenary screwed up his eyes and saw that it was a Zora. He would have just dismissed it, but the sunlight glinted off several jewels that the Zora was wearing, and she had a magenta tint to her skin. Unless there were more like her, Cyrus recognized who this was. If anyone could tell him what this Zora's Sapphire that she had given him would mean it would be her.
"Hey, Ruto!" Cyrus called out, projecting as much as he could because of how far away the princess was. She fell into the water once more and when she surfaced she looked around anxiously. Cyrus called out to her again, and she headed toward him like a shot. "She certainly is a fast swimmer, even for a Zora," Cyrus thought as he saw Princess Ruto rapidly closing distance.
Before the highlander could properly greet the Princess, she bolted out of the water into him and embraced him with a force that winded him and almost knocked him over. "My love! My betrothed!" she exclaimed as she began kissing the bewildered Cyrus. "My- your- what?" the highlander stammered, struggling to free his arms. "Don't tell me that you've forgotten the vows we made to each other, dearest?" Ruto asked, with a little hurt in her voice, yet very heavily laced with affection.
The surprised highlander finally managed to recover from his bewilderment. He pushed Ruto away, gently enough to not offend, but firmly enough to get her loose and let her know that he didn't appreciate the forward approach. "What vows are you talking about?" he finally asked.
"Why Cyrus-that is your name is it not?" she began. The mercenary curtly nodded. The Princess began to reach into his shirt. He snatched her arm before she got too close. "What are you up to?" he growled. The she-Zora seemed entirely unaffected by Cyrus' gruffness. "The Zora's Sapphire is what I was reaching for," she replied directly. "May I see it, please?" The highlander proffered the shining gem into her open hand. He thought that she was acting very strangely and was rather perturbed by her extremely romantic approach to someone she had only met a few days earlier. She barely even knew his name. Nevertheless, he remained polite to her because she was his employer's daughter.
Ruto held the Zora's Sapphire up into the sunlight. It glimmered brilliantly, as if it's greatest wish at that time was to be exposed to the light of the sun. She let it down gently and it fell back onto Cyrus' torso. "It fits you well," she said softly as she caressed his jaw with a webbed hand. "The Zora's Sapphire represents the vow of marriage between the Zora princess and whomever she chooses," she whispered to him as she came closer. Cyrus jolted back and held up the Sapphire by the chain so he could see the gem. He looked at it with shock, which caused him to blurt out, "Is THAT what this jewel means? Why would nobody tell me?"
"I'm afraid I don't know, dear Cyrus," answered Ruto as she approached again. Now Cyrus really wanted to be rid of the Sapphire. Marriage had never been a high priority for him as he felt that his career wouldn't allow him to raise a family. This and that he was going to be married to someone he knew little more about her than her name caused him some distress. Indeed Princess Ruto was very cordial to him, he found her rather attractive, and she was very wealthy but he was extremely put off by how forward she was, and the fact remained that he knew little to nothing else of her personally.
A thought came to Cyrus' mind as he continued staring at the Sapphire. "If she gave this to me so idly," he wondered, "how many other hands has this jewel been in?" He looked down at Ruto, who was fawning on him and stroking him. Her breathing was deep and peaceful. The mercenary untensed his shoulders. He wasn't planning on marrying Ruto at all, but he thought it would be best if he retained the Zora's Sapphire. Judging by how Ruto had so quickly given it to him, it could well end up in the wrong hands one day if he had it returned to her.
The princess tugged on Cyrus' arm. "Come with me, I know the perfect place for our wedding," she said. Cyrus shook her loose and stepped back a pace. "The only place I'm really interested in right now is the Arbiter's Grounds," he answered.
The princess gasped. "How dangerous! What for?" she asked, pulling the highlander close and looking up at the desert. As persistent as she was, Cyrus wasn't going to give up his own personal space. He shrugged off the lover once again. To answer her question, Cyrus was as brief as possible. From what he had heard of her at least, Ruto had a loose tongue and he felt that might jeopardize his mission. "Something your father sent me to do," he replied tersely.
Ruto smiled. "An act of valor to prove your worthiness for my hand, perhaps?" she asked as she placed a hand on Cyrus' shirt where the Zora's Sapphire was. "No," Cyrus answered curtly as he removed her hand. He was holding his patience as long as he could from her continuing advances. "It's not?" the princess asked, now sounding hopeful. "Whatever it is, then, I shall accompany you!"
Finally, Cyrus' inner feelings showed up from behind the polite facade. He laughed out loud, and quickly tried to stifle it so as not to offend too deeply. The princess really didn't seem to mind, however. She still had the same sweet expression on her face and her head was tilted to the side very slightly. "I can't let you do that," the Hylian said once the mirth drained from his face. "No Zora can ever make the trek through the desert and come out alive. You coming with me is completely out of the question." In spite of not wanting the Princess to come to begin with, he told her the truth. "You'll be sun dried within hours," he added.
"Our love will keep my fins damp," the princess answered, sounding like she was stating a very obvious fact. The mercenary had to stifle another laugh. "She sounds like a character from a bad romance story," he thought, trying to restrain himself. "Completely out of the question," Cyrus firmly repeated. For the first time since they met again, Ruto took a step back away from him. "Very well," she said. The highlander thought he almost saw a tear form in one of Ruto's midnight-black eyes. "I shall await your return, dearest. Return soon, my champion," the princess hung on the last two words for a moment and then very passionately kissed Cyrus on the lips. The mercenary's eyes widened in surprise.
When the Princess was through, she turned and left without a word. As soon as he was sure she wasn't going to turn around, Cyrus began to wipe off his mouth with his sleeve. Almost as soon as he had started, the Zora whipped around to face him. Cyrus froze. He thought that what he was doing must seem extremely rude to the princess. His mind raced for a solution. Doing the first thing that came to mind, he inhaled sharply and faked a sneeze.
When he finished, Ruto asked "What will you give me, Cyrus?"
"Excuse me?" asked the mercenary, a little confused and upset that she wasn't leaving.
"I believe it's tradition among your people to give your fiancee a ring before matrimony, is it not? However," she paused and widened her and and looked at the webbing. "I don't think I could wear one."
Cyrus lowered his arm. He managed to stammer out "Er… I'll think about it." He winced slightly when he said this. He thought he was probably encouraging the princess with that comment. To his relief, Ruto only smiled at him and then dove into the water and swam away.
The mercenary turned toward the cannon, shaking his head. This was certainly the most interesting thing that had happened to him in several days. As he approached the Great Cannon the operator came into view. He was an elderly man dressed up in a vibrant pink and chartreuse harlequin outfit. His gaudy makeup enhanced the smug smirk on his face. He had been watching the whole exchange and was thoroughly enjoying himself. "I'll break your legs if you say anything," Cyrus growled. The clown's expression didn't change with the threat.