There is a tale. Ancient and long since forgotten. A tribe which is now near extinct, is rarely remembered for its days of glory. This tale is the one of the end of its glory days. The end of the age when the great goddess Hylia shed her fortuitous light upon them with abundance. The Sheikah fall began with the missing warriors patrolling the Shadow temple that many of the Sheikah lived in and guarded over that darkness sealed within it.

With this threat hiding the cheifs began to train their warriors with greater speed and far more stern. Even now apprentices there were apprentices in the goddess' hall learning to see past their illusions.

"How much longer must I remain in here?" He asked the blonde haired girl to his left. She glanced over toward her fellow peer crimson eyes glowed through the long yellow strands in the red firelight.

"Until the shaman says otherwise, I suppose." She responds calmly while the taller silver haired male sighed.

"We are sorry Dalif but you understand." A third spoke up sympathetically.

Dalif fell silent again. He hated this temple and the rituals, he could never get them right. That among other things. This temple, however he particularly hated. It's cold hard stone, the hollow drips from the ceiling, the musty stench of mold and decay that would never leave these halls.

"Will I ever be able to see the statue?"

"Hey don't worry about it. I still can't see it if that helps." Zyne shrugs.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out!"

He went silent as their teacher passed by, his eyes looming over the trio before continuing to eye the other students. When he passed, Dalif glanced away muttering,

"Yeah, but I'm always last."

"…"

Teja looks to Zyne for advice. She receives no such help from her friend however, as her energy is once again focused on trying to see the statue. Teja however, could see the statue clear as the glistening river that ran outside of the temple. It was a woman of beauty that could only be described through the wisdom inscribed in the stone.

"Hm…. I'm sure you'll be able to see. You just have to be patient."

Before Dalif could respond a tall man with sickly pale skin entered motioning for the teacher to come by his side. A few words were muttered between the two before the teacher came over to the trio once more.

"Zyne, you have worked long enough for the present time. Please I ask you join chief Verrick and his pupil, for patrol." Zyne looks up surprised and she decides it's better to comply than argue, she gives a slight bow.

"Yes chief Aggero." Zyne walked over to the entry of the door and looked back. She hoped her friends weren't going to be in trouble. She gave them a small smile, even knowing with their backs turned they wouldn't see. She followed the other chief down the damp hall in silence.

"...Do you wanna give it another try?"

"That's all I ever do. The worst part is, I don't know what I'm doing that's right or wrong. And, if I can't see a great big statue how will I ever see the smaller stuff? Or past the higher level illusions?"

"Well thinking like that won't get you anywhere for starters. From what I've heard you have to clear your mind and focus on the area around you. You not only have to see, but feel." He glances over at her with a slight grin and a raised eyebrow.

"You pull that out of one of Aggero's scrolls?

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She smiles and crosses her arms over her chest obviously proud but it was true. It was hard not to be enthralled by Chief Aggero's scrolls.

"Rise children of shadows. Your time here is up. Please retrieve your candles and incense, and return to your homes. Ah, and Teja, a word please, if you'd be ever so kind."

"Ah… Y-yes" Before she leaves to his side she quickly whispers to Dalif, "if I do not make it bury me with my incense" It may be a joke but it was hard for Dalif to tell at times. Aggero waits until the students have filtered out of the room before speaking to the young warrior in training.

"So it has come to my attention you have completed the trial of sight."

"I cannot hide my sight from you…. But I do not want to leave my comrade's side sir."

"You will not be leaving your comrades I assure you, you will merely be joining other's. We cannot keep bright keen mind's like yours held back. Especially in these dark times."

"I-I understand but Dalif he–"

"Will reach his time at his own pace, and if he cannot, I'm sure the domestics above ground would appreciate his aid. I am assigning you to your next level class, from this point forward you will be chief Harich's pupil, learning how to hide such objects such as the statue you have seen for some time now...seven classes yes?"

"Yes… But Aggero I don't want to learn without my comrades."

"As I have mentioned before you will only be with new comrades, and meet new people who could help you become better. Now that is all, unless there is something else you wish to discuss."

"No…"

"Very good then. I hope to see you in the future, brighter and stronger than ever. Have a nice day."

As the class continued Zyne began patrol, an exercise meant to train the new recruits, protect the settlement, and have the new recruits make new alliances with each other.

"...and so I tell him, how do you not see it? Literally the pot was floating, the doofus couldn't even figure it out. He kept reaching out for it on the pedestal thinking it was there, but no. Honestly any real Sheikah with eyes could see the blasted thing."

"Uh-huh yeah…" Zyne is absent minded not paying much mind the the arrogant rambling boy, letting her mind drift. Her thought wondered to her cousin Ralj and she hoped for his safety. He had been missing for the past week. Despite knowing his odds, she tried to remain hopeful.

"Do you know why we even have to go on these ridiculous patrols? There aren't any real threats to us, so why bother?"

"Because there is a threat, it is real and it has proven to be more than most of us can handle." She informs in a matter of fact tone as they make their way through the thick brush.

"Oh please, you don't actually believe in that do you? It's just something to scare frightened weaklings like you to train harder."

"Say what you will, however, this tale is real and I will make sure I don't end up like the others."

He is about to retort when she who was taking the lead stops.

"Do you mind not stopping in front of me? I honestly almost tripped over-"

His sentence is cut short as he peeks over her shoulder. On the ground the dirt and grass was stained a dark red, of the life that once bled onto it. Crumpled and twisted around it parts of the apparently male body is no longer human, and resembles something more of a deer, as his hands had the shape of hooves and small horns protruded from his crown. Zyne looked in horror as she angled herself to see the man's face. She saw a familiar face frozen in an unknown expression to him, eyes shut with pain and a twisted gaping mouth, this moment in death was the only time she has seen true terror upon his face.

Zyne freezes and finds herself screaming.

While Teja rests in her room, reading over scrolls, there was an alarm from the other Sheikah. Dalif came running into her room, out of breath and frightened.

"What happened?" She got up from her mat.

"...They...They found Ralj." He replies between pants trying to drag her out of her room.

"Really? That's fantastic!"

"No, he's...he-"Dalif shakes his head his voice cracking trying not to cry.

"No… Y-you don't mean he….."

"Zyne found him earlier...on patrol."

"Zyne…. Oh Hylia no…. W-we need to hurry!"

The two run to the hall of healing where the domestics ran about desperately trying remedies on a body at the end of the hall hidden behind a curtain.

"I don't get it...why try so hard giving him medicine if he's already...you know."

"If it were you or Zyne I would be doing the same…. And who knows what happened to his body."

"...I don't see Zyne anywhere...and they aren't letting anyone else come near." He says as he indicates to the domestics holding off a herd of curious onlookers.

"It might be a good thing that we can't look. I'd like to remember how Ralj was…. Come on let's look for Zyne."

"Let's try her room. Good start."

They travel to the home levels of the Sheikah underground, and stop in front of her door. They pause for a moment in silence and listen, the room is silent. Teja gives a tentative knock on the door.

"Zyne? It's Dalif and Teja. Are you in there?"

They are only greeted by silence. Teja looks to Dalif asking through her face, if they should go in anyway. He nods and they push the door open with a creak. Zyne sitting curled up on her bed, squeezing her pillow close to herself muffling the sobs and hiccups, with a steady stream of tears trekking down her face.

"Zyne…." Teja runs over to her side and places a hand on her shoulder. "Zyne? Zyne can you hear me? It's Teja, please talk to me."

Zyne looks up for a moment before wailing and burying her face deeper in her pillow, her chest heaving with her gasps and sobs. Teja looks over to Dalif and motions him over to help. He doesn't need much persuading. He crosses over to her and hugs her, she doesn't push him away and stays there.

"I know...I know...I'm going to miss him too. He was- he was like a brother. A role model, he meant a lot to me…"

Dalif's voice cracked and trembled as tears began to fall from his eyes rolling down his face and getting caught in Zyne's platinum-blonde hair. Teja's eyes soften as she finally sees Dalif crack as well and she opens her arms to wrap around the both of them and pull them into a tight embrace.

"We all miss him, especially you two. I know he is very special to you both, but we need to be strong and never let his memory die in vain. We need to become stronger, hold our heads high, and face what ever has done this to our dear companion. Ralj wouldn't want anyone to suffer like he has. But for now please let your feelings out and don't hold back, I don't mind your tears."

Her voice was soft as she gently rubbed their backs and urged them to let out their feelings. A soft unintelligible mumbling is heard from Zyne's pillow.

"Did you say something?"

Zyne says something again, but the pillow muffles it beyond comprehension.

"Zyne…. Please, the pillow is keeping me from hearing your words."

Zyne pulls the pillow down from her face, but her eyes remained shut, and her voice croaking and raw,

"You didn't see him. He- he…" She pauses a moment sobbing before regaining the ability to speak. "He was the best, of all of us. And it...he...it looked like he was just toyed with. He was barely recognizable, H-how are we supposed to face something that did that to him." She wails again before retreating back into her pillow. Her eyes never opened during her explanation.

"I-I, I don't know…. I just…"

"Zyne." He asks gently getting eye level with her. She doesn't respond. "Zyne." He says a bit more assertively and she meekly raises her head and faces him once again, her eyes shut. "Look at me. Please." She looks down and her head sobbing harder. "Zyne I need you to look at me. Now."

"No."

"Why not. Zyne, what's wrong?"

"It's not fair."

"Why, what's not fair."

"Everyone's eyes…" She stops for a moment sobbing.

"DALIF EVERYONE'S EYES ARE THE SAME! Everyone has his eyes. But they're alive, with life and his, his aren't anymore…" She doubles over with tears.

"Zyne…."

"Zyne," He sits her up to face him again. "Zyne, I need you to look me in the eyes now. I promise nothing is going to happen, just look at me. It's going to be okay."

Zyne slowly and tentatively opens her eyes, the crimson darker and clearer from tears, and red almost consumes her eyes as the whites are bloodshot.

"We are going to take care of this together. We- we have the power to do this. And if not us, one of the chieftains or even shaman will get this guy. What ever the case I promise this guy, he's going to be caught."

"Dalif is right."

She looks at them her crying had stopped, or at least calmed for the time being, and she finds once again she is overcome by tears. As she hugs her friends.

"Wha- wait I said, it'd be okay!-I don't-"

"Dalif you need to learn to read the mood." She smiles and hugs Zyne back.

"Thank you guys. Thank you guys so much." She squeezes them closer as Dalif follows Teja's lead. After Zyne pulls away from the group she tries to regain some level of composure.

"I'm sorry, I didn't, mean to make you worry… I just- it's hard. And...thank you."

"What friends would we be if we didn't worry?"

"Yeah, I owe you after all the time you've helped me out. And I mean I get what you're going through, I mean I don't think I can ever understand the whole of it, but I get part of it."

"Thanks...also...I'm sorry."

"No don't say that. You shouldn't be sorry over this."

"What for?"

"I might've gotten snot all over you're robes...Sorry."

"Ahhh I didn't like this robe anyway."

"I plan to wash our robes today anyway."

"Thanks, I love you guys so much…" She lays down her head on the pillow.

"You should get some rest, you had a rough day." Zyne nods as she curls up with the blanket pulled over her head. Teja and Dalif both leave her to her room. As they gently close the door Teja turns to Dalif.

"Hey Dalif… Can you make me a promise?"

"Uh, yeah, sure."

"Can you promise to protect Zyne?"

"Wha- of course. Why would you even question it?"

"W-well I'm not a very good fighter…. I'm pretty useless in that category, but you're really strong and just– I know I can rely on you more than anyone else. And I think you're a lot more capable of taking care of Zyne than I can."

Dalif: Don't worry I got both of you. With, Zyne is more or less on par with me, especially in shadow technique. And you have some above average intelligence from swiping Aggero's scrolls, I'm sure we can be an unstoppable team.

Teja: H-hey it's not swiping! I'm j-just borrowing out of interest! I always give them back…. But Dalif.. There's something I'm trying to say.

Dalif: Sure. What's the matter?

Teja stops walking for a moment and takes in a deep breath. She didn't like this at all. Having to leave her close friends behind because she's a quick learner.: It may be selfish but she didn't want to leave them behind. But Dalif… He should know.

"Starting tomorrow…. I'll be moved to the next level class."

"What? But, I thought you couldn't see the statue?"

"I-I was lying…"

"Why? I don't get it, it's-it's not a big deal if you can see it. And, now we'll need that more than ever. So, why lie? I'm not going to get offended by it...I mean unless...is there a reason why I should be offended?"

"I didn't want to leave you and Zyne behind. Aggero said that I won't have any classes with you two ever anymore, and our schedules will be different. I'll be leaving you two behind…."

"Hey, it'll be okay. I'll work more on the statue seeing thing, and you can work on battling, then we can be in the same classes again."

"I know but…." She sighs running her hands through her choppy blonde hair. There was no way she could ever hope to be as strong as either Dalif or Zyne.

"Alright… I'll do my best to catch up." She smiles and takes a turn.

"I-I have to go.. Th-there was a scroll I wanted to start reading."

"Of course there was a scroll you wanted to read."