Tazz had the most violent reaction. "You FILTH!" The king just barely caught Tazz's arm, the spear stopping inches from the Yiga's face. "Sire! He needs death! He and ALL his kin!" Dorephan put pressure on Tazz, who gripped his spear until his knuckles turned white, and he relented. The king knelt down before the writhing Yiga, and placed his hand upon the Yiga's chest.
"Now, Yiga, your name."
"Remove that damn spear!" Miosa pushed the spear further in, the silent queen on the same wavelength as Tazz, and wanting to kill the Yiga member. However, she understood that the king had a plan of action. "AAH!"
"Yiga, I can crush your rib cage like a child crushes a grape." Dorephan chastised, beginning to put pressure. "However, I am no child. I can restrain my strength." The king's furious eyes locked right onto the Yiga. "So I know how many ribs I can crush with you still being very much alive."
"You woul…" A crack rang out, and the Yiga screamed.
"That's one. You have 23 left. Trust me, I feel no remorse for something beneath me." The Yiga seemed to calm down, and went silent. "Well then, down goes another." The Yiga's scream was bloodcurdling, and Urbosa stood by. Upon the Yiga calming again, Urbosa stepped up.
"Dorephan, I believe you've been too kind." Dorephan turned to the Chief, who laid a hand upon the Yiga. This caused Dorephan to back away, and Urbosa casually said, "I shall not be." A burst of electricity tore through the Yiga after Dorephan backed away. "Speak." Urbosa didn't even wait for the Yiga to breathe and calm fully before shocking him again. "Elidi, twist the spear." The royal guard compiled, and there was more screaming. "Purge the electricity from the body." Urbosa commanded, and Elidi did so. The two leaders took turns torturing the Yiga for information, but got nothing.
"You'll just have to kill me…" The Yiga choked out. Dorephan had cracked every single rib that didn't pierce his lungs or heart, and had snapped his arms and legs. Urbosa had also filled the Yiga with an innumerable amount of volts. Both leaders were considering what to do, as the blood trail had stopped once the end of the domain hit, and thus had no other leads. That's when Miosa guided Mipha in, and both leaders looked.
"Dear, Lady Urbosa, I believe this set amount of pain will not convince our guest. I believe our sweet little Mi could help him experience much more." Mipha went up to the heavily restrained Yiga. She healed all his ribs, some of his arm, and closed his leg wound around Taka's spear. She was extremely tired after this, and was guided away by Muzu. "While one set of torture could do nothing, how about the promise of endless agony?" Miosa asked, and both leaders dark eyes turned to the Yiga. After two more torture sessions, and both leaders flat out saying that they could do this for days, the Yiga relented.
"Fine! Fine! I'll speak!" The Yiga cried as blood poured by his mouth. Both leaders didn't even smile, but withdrew their torture. "I am Sotosu… Hah… Hah… They're taking the boy to train him."
"Where?" Dorephan asked.
"I don't know exactly, they have multiple sites. And the boss refused to tell us which one until we got there." The Yiga said, and both leaders were skeptical. "The closest one is south of Ruto Mountain… The next closest one is south of Hyrule Field…"
"I couldn't care. Where would they take him? Most likely." Urbosa said, and the Yiga member exhaled.
"To a place where he can't use his main abilities. Most likely to the Gerudo Desert spot."
The kids, now very, very worried about the situation, were all talking. "What can we do?" Kodah asked. None of the royals, not even Mipha had come out to speak with them. The guard, both Gerudo and Zora had been put on high alert, and they had overheard the fact that Taka was kidnapped.
"Nothing." Bazz said angrily. "Taka is the only one who's trained."
"He's right, Tata is the best fighter out of all of us, and if he lost, then only the adults can help him." Kayden muttered.
"There's gotta be something!" Gaddison argued, her future sword teacher vanishing out of nowhere scaring her and the rest of the kids more than anything.
"What is the deal?" A voice from above asked, and the Zora kids looked up. A Rito landed, with dark feathers and emerald eyes, a small mailbag on his waist and a bow on his back.
"Who are…" Bazz began, when an older similar Rito landed.
"My apologies for young Revali, he's new to this." The older Rito said, looking for some adults, but finding Gerudo and everyone was distracted. "What has happened?"
"One of my men has been kidnapped, Mejora. And I have some questions." The king said, walking out to the Rito postman. "Have you seen any men carrying someone or something about this size?" Dorephan gestured to something about Taka's size.
"Yes, I did, but the pack they carried was not wriggling. You don't think…"
"He's alive. I told him not to struggle when outnumbered and kidnapped. They want to use him as a soldier." Dorephan explained. "The boy is considered valuable asset, with his extremely strong Zora based abilities."
"Taka, son of Myushi and Kyoshi?" The postman asked, and the king raised a skin fold. "The King of Hyrule speaks of him plenty. The men with his body were spotted heading southwest. By him." The young Rito puffed its chest out.
"So he is going to the Gerudo desert…"
"Of course they are." Urbosa said, walking out with her fingers crackling. "You are the one of the strongest species there is besides the Gorons and he's one of the few Hylians in existence that can use water nearly as effectively as your kind could. They take him to the desert, you most likely can't make it there, and he needs to attempt escape on foot."
"Taka's been to the desert before." Mipha said, and the group turned, finding Jaci with her.
"He usually visits a few times a year. He has developed some matter of heat resistance." The grandmother said. "Much better than his father, anyway." Jaci was reminded of the image of Keith passed out on the floor being dragged by her grandson or daughter. Usually on his face and stomach.
"So he does has a chance to escape, but not make it far without support." Urbosa muttered, tapping her chin. Urbosa then took a deep breath. "Dorephan?"
"Urbosa?" Dorephan asked, and the chief of the Gerudo inhaled.
"What if…" Urbosa began, for once sounding nervous as the king, the new appearance of the queen and princess, and the eager eyes of all the children there made her regret what she was about to say. "What if we let the boy get trained?" She turned away, the shocked face of the king too much for her, and the looks of confusion on the Zora and Ritos faces.
"No. Not in the slightest, we can't do that." Miosa said, reflecting on the boy. "He needs to be rescued fast, or either they will kill him, or he will kill a few of them and get killed."
"The boy isn't suicidal." Urbosa said, reflecting on how Taka did know when to stop a fruitless fight.
"He knows that he is vastly outnumbered." The king noted. "He'll do what they say, all under the assumption he will be rescued." Dorephan explained, knowing he had taught the boy better to run blindly into death. "I taught him to wait for the path of least resistance with a hidden weapon. Knowing the Yiga and their want for him, he'll always have a path of high resistance to escape." Dorephan said.
"We'll also collect the other races to help." Urbosa said, her fingers still crackling with electricity. "We know a few of their bases, so we could slaughter large chunks of the Yiga. If we could torture their man a bit more…"
"If… If!" Miosa began. "If we were to do this, they may inform the boy of other places he could have gone. If not that, him learning Yiga practices could teach us how to counteract them."
"Dear, this is quite the risk… And what will we explain to Keith and Ariel…?" Dorephan said, and Miosa nodded.
"Yes, I… I don't know. However, Mejora." The postman stood tall. "Inform the King of Hyrule his men are needed in the places I shall give you soon." Miosa declared. "And for the desert and rescue, inform the Gorons to come meet with us. They would expect the Gerudo, but Daruk owes me a favor." Miosa said, and this time Dorephan wore a face of shock and confusion.
"What?"
"Remember that time the Gorons wanted an rock slide?" Miosa questioned, and Dorephan blinked.
"That was you?!" Dorephan asked in amazement, remembering hearing about an archer that gave the Gorons a feast and accidently made a new mine for them. With a single bomb arrow. "That's where you were?!" Dorephan asked in an shocked tone now, remembering when his wife had taken a paraglider, a convoy of wood, and her Golden Bow, but she explained none of her reasoning. Despite all of this, it was agreed upon. The Hylian would be trained.
"Damn kid… I need bandages now…" The blademaster muttered as he teleported again.
"At least you didn't lose the ability to walk." One of the sickle wielders said, referring to the man left behind. The boy on the back of the blademaster had gone limp, unmoving, but not dead in the slightest. He was merely thinking on how he wanted to escape. He had been knocked out initially, after trying to murder all five of them. He only slashed at the blademaster's arm, yelling for help, only to be muffled by the Yiga bowmen who he slammed his spear into. Then the blademaster sucker punched him, and he fell over, passed out.
Upon waking up in a bag, his king's training prevented him from struggling. He tried to figure out just where he was going, but he would be teleported every five seconds. So, he was tempted to try and find a way to leave his trail. Cutting himself may do good for a period, but he remembered when he passed out from blood loss from a rib wound, so he decided against that. He couldn't mark the ground either, so he decided to think about spitting, but then realized that he couldn't produce the amount of saliva that would take. He just sighed, and went to the climate focus. If anything, the further they went, it seemed to be getting hotter. He knew little of Hyrule, even with Mipha's help, but he recognized the dry, unforgiving heat of the desert.
He'd be fine. Or so he thought until he was launched into a wall. And then a Fire Arrow pierced his bag. He was slowly being burned alive, until he drove his metal covered foot into the arrow, and rushed out of the bag. His face was grabbed, and he couldn't stop himself from being slammed into the ground. "Hmph… He figured that one out quickly…" The blademaster declared, watching as the boy struggling. "Get him new attire." The master ordered, and the bowmen rushed off. Taka was lifted by his face, and he kicked as he struggled to breathe.
The Yiga felt like crushing him right there. The youth was a danger, a liability. He did not simply have Gerudo blood pumping through his veins, but he had the blood of the Sheikah as well. His potential seemed boundless, with the right training. He was already a killer… He had killed, he had killed…
"Haishi, stop." A voice said.
"Sire, he…" A hand was placed on the blademaster's shoulder.
"I know. And he shall pay." Then the grip on the blademaster's shoulder tightened. "Now, drop the boy." The blademaster did as commanded, and the young Hylian gasped for air. The current leader of the Yiga Clan squatted down. "Myushi boy, look me in the eyes." Taka slowly looked up, and found the Yiga that sat on the clifftop before the monster horde attacked. "I am your leader now." The Yiga explained, with starling red eyes, blazing with anger reminiscent of the sun, as his snow white hair draped over his face. "I am Omo Sokka, leader of the Yiga Clan." Before Taka could say a word, he had a blade jammed into his thigh. He cried out in pain, and gripped the blade, yet remembering that pulling it out would only make it worse. "Take him to his cage. He shall begin training tomorrow."
"Yes, sir." Haishi said, dragging the pained Hylian to a small room with one window, through many corridors across the rough sand floors. He was slammed against the wall and left there after Haishi closed the door, and seemed to seal it shut with some Yiga spell. Taka was forcing himself to steady his breathing, and close his eyes.
"So you're the new one." Taka instantly scrambled away from the voice, quickly hitting a wall. "No need to run. Not like you could with that dagger in your thigh." The voice was teasing, and Taka dared to look at the person. They stood almost as tall as his mother, with a lanky form. The blade was removed, and the wound was stitched. Taka was forced to bite down on his wrist guard, the pain being relentless. "There, be ready for tomorrow kid. Here's dinner." A bone with a tiny amount of meat on it was dropped before him, and the Yiga vanished. Taka stared at the meat, and quickly ate that. He was still hungry, but he usually never ate the bones. He left it to the side for a moment, before staring at it. He snapped the bone over his arm guard, finding the marrow inside. He began to suck out and eat a majority of it, until he wasn't all too hungry. He checked where he hid his dagger, and curled up in a ball against the wall. He had to survive…
The room was burning. Fire everywhere. And when Taka went to breathe smoke consumed his lungs. He rushed to where he thought the door was, only to find it sealed. He just remembered the window above his cell, and rushed to where he thought as it was. He clawed to the wall, and threw himself through the bars. They barely budged, but through another three hits, they faltered, and he scrambled out. He attempted to run, and he saw a figure approaching from the sand. He quickly recognized the form of his father, struggling through the sand.
"Taka! Come on! We need to go!" The form said, and Taka burst away in the direction away from his father's form. He didn't make it far before being slammed into the ground.
"Haishi, drop the illusion. He knows something we don't." Omo declared, holding down the struggling Hylian. The blade master dispelled the illusion, and the large man glared down upon the Sheikah quarter blood. "So, boy, why would you run from your own father?" Omo asked, and Taka was quiet, face in the sand. "No answer? Hm. Throw him back in the fire. And seal the window." Taka was picked up by the neck, but then he leg locked Haishi's arm, and reeled back with all his force, snapping the appendage. Haishi roared out in pain, and before Taka could do more, he was slammed face first back into the ground by Omo. "BOY! How dare you?! You will burn fo…" Omo blinked. "Your father isn't like you… He's so arrogant…"
Before saying anymore, Omo turned to Haishi, handing him a elixir for his arm. "Thank you, milord, but what do you mean?"
"The son of Myushi would never use elixirs. And he could not survive the sands of the Gerudo so easily. He also would not come alone, or so fast… You are a smart one, boy. You may live, but you must now begin your training." Taka was still quiet, amazed that the Sheikah traitor had derived so much from so little. This training was going to be painful.
Daruk smashed the next boulder, and then smacked his developing bicep. He was slowly but surely getting stronger. He wanted to be able to reach the might of the legendary Big Goron, but chances are that would take years. However, after his training, he was sure he wanted something to eat. Some granite would go great with a hot spring ba…
"Daruk of the Gorons!" A voice called, and Daruk looked up.
"Ah! Hoho! How are you doing Mejora?!" The Goron cried, letting his old friend land and smacking him on the back. This sent the Rito flying a little, but he recovered quickly.
"Fantastic, until you smacked my back like that. I need to fly you know!" Mejora said, cracking his back before going serious. "Gather your men. And make your way to Zora's Domain. Miosa said she is calling in that favor." Daruk blinked.
"What has happened? There's no way old Mio would use up her favor so quickly." Daruk said, and Mejora nodded.
"Have you heard of the boy who fought the Yiga Clan?" Daruk nodded.
"Son of Myushi, yeah. He's a real marvel that kid, I heard he can swim up wat…" Daruk paused. "The Yiga got him, didn't they?" Daruk asked, and Mejora nodded. "Oh, oh, okay. I'll gather the finest men I got. Where's he at?" Daruk asked, figuring he'd have to get his weapon repaired if he was going into what would be such an intense battle.
"The Yiga the boy immobilized before getting captured assumes the Gerudo desert." Mejora explained, and Daruk nodded.
"Smart. Go where the second strongest race can't, and in a place where it'd be hard to find them in the first place." Daruk muttered. "We should be fine in that terrain. Just gotta be careful not to sink!" Daruk said, and Mejora nodded. "I'm wondering if the King of Hyrule would help with this one." Daruk noted, and Mejora chuckled.
"The Yiga are a threat, he'd love to stick his feet into a juicy proposition to kill a majority of them." Mejora took to the air, hoping to catch the young Revali on his delivery path. He was surely going to try to rush them to get to Hyrule Castle, and the older Rito could not have that.
Meanwhile, Tazz was furious. He was not assigned to watch the Yiga, who they kept alive, as everyone with eyes could see the wrath and even feel it emanating from the usually calm warrior.
Coral was also mad, but she was managing better, and trying to help her husband. "In the near 21 decades I've known you, I have never seen you this angry." Coral noted, and the lighter blue warrior paced about the room. He had been busy, having just cleaned off. To attempt to quell his bloodlust, he had gone and slaughtered every monster within a ten mile radius of the domain. It did not help at all. However, his blood was still pumping, furiously, and knowing not a two minute walk from where he was pacing, a Yiga sat. Bound in rope so thick, stripped of their mask and weaponry, hands individually bound and cut so that nothing could be performed, they were practically useless. However, they sat. They breathed. They lived. Tazz knew he could snap the traitor's neck with ease. Taka was an exception in terms of durability, but Tazz definitely had to hold back. He was extremely powerful, and a simple flick of the wrist co… "Tazz!" The blue Zora paused.
"Yes, Cora?" Tazz asked, his fists clenched and his knuckles cracking.
"Calm yourself. You will be no use as someone drowned in anger." Coral noted, walking behind and lifting her husband off the ground. Tazz wriggled a little bit, but inhaled and tried to calm himself down.
"I'm… I'm fine, Cora, I'm fine, just… Please let me down." Coral dropped him, and Tazz sat down on the ground in front of Taka's vacant bed. "Now, could you answer me a question?" Coral sat down on the bed itself and nodded. "Why is that filth still breathing?" Tazz asked, laying his head on the bed.
"He holds valuable information. After the princess regains her strength, they will ask him. If not, they will make him give up what he has." Coral explained, and Tazz nodded slowly.
"When will they kill him?" Tazz asked, and Coral paused.
"The Gerudo said they were saving that pleasure for a voe." Coral said offhandedly, and Tazz paused. There were no male Gerudo… "They mean you, dense idiot." Coral said, flicking her husband.
"Thank the goddesses…"
"Thank my father. The king was just going to treat his head like a grape it is and pop it, until your dear father in law made him promise to give you the honors." Tazz took up his wife's hand and let out of sigh of relief. "Now rest, please. That little bundle of joy will be back with us soon enough." Tazz nodded and went to his bed, quickly falling asleep as his wife sat beside him, then taking his spear and hiding it.
As night fell, Revali perched on a tree, tired and unable to make it to Hyrule Castle. He began to roost when Mejora perched on a nearby branch. "Stay here, alright? I must inform the king of Hyrule." The young Rito nodded, and his teacher flew off. Mejora made his best pace to the castle, and the guards recognized him and simply waved.
As usual, Rhoam was in his study. His daughter had long gone to bed, and his wife waited on him. "You will tire yourself out before this calamity even appears." Matilda commented, standing casually against the door.
"Well, at least the ones I've prepared shall save Hyrule." Rhoam remarked back, and Matilda rolled her eyes. Then the distinct flapping of wings filled both of the royals ears, and from the open balcony, came Mejora. "Ah, Mejo! How are you old bird?!" Rhoam wrapped the Rito in a hug, and gave him a firm pat on the back.
"Doing fine, old Rho, doing fine." Mejora then bowed to the queen, who waved. "However, I bring bad news." Rhoam raised and eyebrow, and Matilda got off the door. "The son of Myushi has been kidnapped by the Yiga." Rhoam seemed to shatter on sight.
"He… He was taken?!" Rhoam thundered, and Mejora nodded.
"How, that seems impossible. The Zora would never let their guard down like that, Mio would sooner stare down a Lynel than not make sure that boy is safe!" Matilda said, and Mejora nodded.
"But of course. That's why they caught her off her guard, off of everyone's." Mejora said. "It was the princess's birthday, and they managed to steal him away when he went to do an errand for the princess. Urbosa and Miosa were both about to fight when he was taken." Rhoam cursed to himself and Matilda winced.
"They usually do partake in battle… Of course, of course, a perfect strategy." Rhoam muttered. "Do they have any idea of where they are? Annihilating any of the Yiga would be fantastic." Rhoam said, and Mejora nodded.
"Gather your men and come to the Domain. Daruk and his men are doing the same. The Gerudo are already there, and I shall go and rally my own people for the escape." Mejora said, walking to the balcony. "It was nice to see you again, old friend. It's been a few years since I have seen you with a blade at hand." The Rito said a teasing tone, spreading his wings.
"And it's been the same if not more since I've last seen you with a bow. I cannot wait." Rhoam said, and the Rito vanished into the night.
"Now you must go to rest. You are going to need all the energy you have to cross the plains to the domain, and rally the men." Matilda said cheekily, and Rhoam, looking down at the ancient Sheikah scroll he read. And he couldn't help but laugh. "What amuses you so late into the night?"
"Guardians. It appears we have to kinds to find in the morning." Rhoam said, and the two went to rest.
Taka was breathing heavy, holding his snapped arm, not removing the blade lodged in his leg. He struggled to stand, but Haishi was still silent, holding the sickle that matched what Taka bore in his hand and flesh. Taka, having nowhere to run, was simply analyzing the situation and trying to divert his attention to all the pain in his leg. It wasn't worse than his arm, nowhere near, and that's what kept him standing. Taka stepped forward, wielding the blade backhanded as told, his left arm's pain still attempting to wrench his very vision from him. As Haishi went to step, he instantly had to catch the sickle that was launched at his throat. Taka then collapsed, the pain too much to bear.
"I can't tell if it's the Gerudo in his veins, the Sheikah, or his training, but I can tell you milord, that this boy is far too strong for his age." Haishi noted, dropping the sickle as Omo appeared.
"In both senses. He shouldn't have been able to stand after that snap." Omo hoisted the boy by his shirt, and then scoffed, launching him against the wall. "You can't fool me, boy. You're awake, in pain, yet awake. Rise, unless…" Taka rolled, screaming out in agony but dodging the blade that nearly cleaved his head in half. However, as Taka looked, he saw his dagger, lodged in the ground. His eyes widened, and he was lifted by the throat. "You think we couldn't tell you bore a blade? Is that was that king taught you?!" Omo's grip tightened, and Taka gagged. "Did your king teach you how to slaughter your own kind as if it were nothing?! Did he?!" Taka was slammed back into the wall and dropped. "Despite how much you will try to fight it, boy, you are not a Zora!" Omo declared. "You are a Hylian, with only a dash of Gerudo and a some Sheikah in your veins, no Zora!" Omo snapped. "So the fact that you would slaughter your own kind without remorse disgusts me!"
Taka merely struggled to stay awake, being extremely dazed. "Monsters..." Was his only quiet response. "Monsters…"
"What did you say?"
"You slaughter your own… All the Sheikah, Hylians… You kill without care… You're all just monsters…" Taka muttered angrily, locking eyes with the Yiga leader.
Omo was silent, but in an instant, Taka's fingers snapped, and he cried out in agony. "You are correct, boy." Omo said. "But you will be a monster. A beast. Whatever you think of us you shall become." Omo kicked him up and into the wall. "Deal with him as you will, Haishi."
Taka never got healing. It would become a simple, pain numbing process. He would learn to clench his fist with his fingers were shattered. To stand when his legs were punctured. To fight when blood clouded his vision. To breathe when his ribs were caving in on his lungs. They would not let him die, however. Whenever the light appeared to begin to fade from his eyes, he would be force fed an elixir that only served the purpose of bring him back from the brink.
He would be thrown back in his cell, his body barely usable. He be given a bone, once again. He'd barely snap it, and eat the marrow inside, and curl up against the wall, waiting for help. If it ever came…
One night he got more. A whole leg of a beast, that he recognized to be Lizalfos. It was brought in by the person would mend his body back in one place after training as well. "Not a meal, but better than usual, huh?" The slender form asked, and Taka was silent, taking the leg and eating it slowly. "I'm impressed by you child, you don't even scream anymore." The stitching began, and Taka merely ate. He missed fish. He missed the laughter of Tazz after succeeding in killing a monster camp. He missed sleeping in a home with people that cared about him. He missed his father sliding him more food behind his mother's back, and he missed her scathing lectures in Gerudo. Every little thing rang out in his mind. His friends, from the supportive Kodah, to the antagonistic Bazz. He missed the king and his jovial tones… He missed the queen and her words of wisdom. He missed Mipha, her talks, her healing, her lessons… He missed home.
"I see our leader has trained your voice out of you." The Yiga member said, and Taka was still quiet. She had finished, and now was just watching him. He flinched and jerked away when his hair was messed with, and the Yiga member withdrew. "You look like he did. At least when he was younger." Taka was quiet, but blinked in confusion. "Make your hair as white as the snow of the mountains, and you would have been a dead ringer for little Mitoshi." The woman laughed. "Alas, he was no longer little. Stood taller than his father, our little prince did. He was so happy when he was finally allowed to take his bow and go fight, for our savior, Ganon. However, he was dragged down a mountain and killed by the Zora's boy." The woman remarked, and Taka remembered. They did beg for their life, however, he didn't care. It was his life or the Yiga's. He slaughtered him. And the more he thought upon it, he was shocked, if not a little scared to think that… To think that he didn't regret it.
"Our lord is doing fantastic for a father in mourning, his only child, dead by another of his kind. And of course the body couldn't not be retrieved immediately. It was sent along the river, like everybody who makes enemy of the Zora and dies. I have never seen our leader so fraught with peril and rage, but he withheld his wrath, as vengeance would soon be his." The woman said, standing, and making a symbol. "Goodbye, Myushi boy."
Taka was left to think quietly, and his finished the Lizalfos leg, and snapped it in half.
Dorephan was hesitant, but with a nod from his wife, he knocked upon the door. Keith answered, shocked to find the royals there. Usually a soldier came with Taka's pay, not the king and queen. "Milord, milady. A moment, I will get Ariel. You may come in."
Both entered, and instantly Dorephan could not take it anymore. "Taka has been kidnapped by the Yiga." Keith froze, shuddering from the statement.
"Pardon me, milord?" His voice was shaking with anger.
"I have failed you in every facet, my friend. And your child has been taken by the Yiga." Keith hands trembled, and he gripped the door frame. It an instant it was broken off, and he roared out in pure unfiltered wrath. Ariel rushed and found the royals and her husband with splinters in his hand and his teeth being ground.
"Taka has been captured by the Yiga." Miosa repeated, and the usually calm Hylian woman felt the air leave her lungs.
"No… He… He can't have…" Keith had risen, holding onto his wife for support as she struggled to fathom how it occurred.
"Where?" Keith asked, not turning.
"What will you do when I…" Dorephan began, but he then thought quietly about how he would be if Mipha had been kidnapped after he trusted her custody in others. "He is in the Gerudo Desert. Where exactly, we do not know." Keith nodded slowly, and both parents inhaled. Both retreated into the house, and came back armed for battle. "Where are you going?" Dorephan asked, and Keith had his blade and elixirs wrapped around his waist.
"I shall gather all of my people, and we will slaughter the Yiga." Ariel said quietly, walking by the Zora royals.
"As will I. They will pay with their lives." Keith remarked, and upon exiting their home they were shocked. "Lady Im…"
The white haired woman shook her head. "Keith, we owe you more than our lives could cost. We shall be glad to assist you in some way shape or form."
"Vehvi keg Kyoshi, our strongest guard." Urbosa remarked, holding out a shield for Ariel. "We shall slaughter them all, shall we not?" Urbosa asked, and Ariel nodded in a stern silence. "We must reconvene in the domain. We shall explain everything, and why they are not already dead."
"We must retrieve my son, they will kill him if they haven't already!"
"That, my friend, is not true." Rhoam said, walking forward with a broadsword strapped at his waist. "Come. We must organize."
Tazz was not expecting to see the children of the domain outside his door. "Children?" He asked, squatting down.
"Mr. Tazz, please, train us." Bazz asked, and all the children bowed their heads, there was even a new addition to their ranks, a dark green Zora, and Tazz recognized him as Trello's son.
"Now is not the ti…"
"Please… We failed Taka…" Kodah said quietly.
"We loved going with him. He was always so strong, we never thought about getting trained ourselves. Him and Mipha were always unstoppable together, so we didn't go with him…" Kayden admitted.
"We're sorry, Mr. Tazz. We just want to be able to help." Gaddison said, and the last Zora was quiet. Tazz was banned from doing anything, for a mix of his rage and the fact that there was already an overage of guards in the domain, so this would not hurt.
"Fine. But when we train, there will be no usage of softer weaponry. You will start off…"
"Like he did." The newest Zora finished. Tazz nodded quietly, and they went to his father.
Elsewhere in the domain, Coral attended to Mipha, who had gone remarkably quiet. She hadn't mentioned why, but anyone could tell. She had lost her half. Mipha never really considered how much Taka meant to her. They were great friends, he was her guard and she his princess. However, now, she felt it. Not being able to find him swimming, go hunting with him and their group, or even find him at all… It hurt. No physical pain. Just a small spear that drove into her mind the more and more she thought about it. Coral had been assigned to watch her and help her while the royal parents went to gather Taka's parents for the battle.
So, she broke her silence. "Ms. Coral?"
"Yes, little one?" Coral asked, gently caressed Mipha's head as the princess rested against the lime green Zora's side.
"Why… Why do I feel like this?" Mipha asked.
"You miss him. It's normal." Coral said with a soft smile. "He is your guard, and he has been for quite some time now." Coral explained to the young Zora girl. "He's become a part of you, even if accidently." Coral explained, remembering when Tazz had first had to escort the royals to the Hylian castle for a month after their marriage, and she had fallen into a deep confusion of why she felt quite empty. Only to find out that Tazz had it even worse and would spend nights pacing. "I know he misses you, little one." Mipha nodded, thumbing at her gift from Taka. The cold metal of the necklace seemed like almost an insult now. "Now, rest. You must not worry yourself about such things." Mipha gave a quiet nod again, and she heard them come.
"Um, heyo! Is anyone here?" A deep, yet kind voice called, and Coral rose to check. "Ah, Miss…"
"I am a royal attendant. The king and queen should be…"
"I'm glad to see you've arrived swiftly, Daruk." Miosa said, appearing off a waterfall, and her husband landed. "We have brought everyone." Impa appeared, and an instant later, Keith, and 15 other Sheikah tribe members. Daruk turned and found the Gerudo approaching, lead by Urbosa and Ariel, with Elidi behind them. The king of Hyrule and a platoon of his men brought up the rear, and from the skies came Mejora leading a squad of 20 Rito.
"I wish it was on better terms, but I'm glad to see all of us here." Mejora said, landing.
"Yes, so we must begin." Dorephan said, and the others nodded.
Ariel and Keith were the only non-leaders allowed in the meeting. Both were itching for battle, and would scour every inch of the desert in order to find their son. "We have a Yiga in our custody." Miosa said, and Keith instantly rose, drawing a blade,
"Hold, Myushi…" Impa said, turning to Keith and grabbing his arm. "Remember what we must not do with resources."
"Squander them." Keith muttered as he sat back, drumming his fingers against his arm guard impatiently.
"We have not killed him because he holds valuable information. And we have not gotten all of out of him." Miosa said, and she looked to Impa. "I assume you can coax it out of him."
"Of course." Impa said.
"We have promised his death to another, my apologies Keith, Ariel." Dorephan said, and the husband and wife scoffed.
"We will get our rewards soon enough, milady." Ariel said, and Urbosa chuckled beside her.
"So, what information have you discerned?" Rhoam asked, intrigued with what the Yiga had offered and under what circumstances the Zora and Gerudo had gotten it out of them.
"They have multiple training bases, all across Hyrule." Urbosa said, and the other leaders were shocked,
"And we haven't found a single one of them?! Even by accident?!" Daruk asked in a shocked tone, and Mejora sighed.
"But of course. As despicable as they are, they are an offshoot of the Sheikah. And as Lady Impa can testify, if they want to stay hidden, they easily can." Impa nodded, remaining silent. "But now the next question is, where?" Mejora asked.
"South of Hyrule field, south of Ruto Mountain, and somewhere within the Gerudo Desert." Dorephan recalled. "We made him stop right there as we were looking directly for Taka."
"Understandable. The boy's life was at stake." Daruk said, stroking his beard. "We can do this then. If we split our forces."
"We're going to rescue Taka. We owe it to Keith and Ariel." Miosa said, and both other parents were shocked.
"No. You shall not." Ariel said, turning to the royals. "He can't survive there without elixirs, the desert would end your life." Ariel said as she gestured to her husband, who nodded.
"We deserve it." Dorephan admitted. Both other parents shook their heads, and Miosa inhaled.
"Ariel, Keith. If Mipha was kidnapped and hidden beneath a river, while you had promised everything you had to protect them, and had the possibility to save her only to choose not to, wouldn't the guilt weigh you down? Haunt you?" Both parents were quiet. "It does us. We could not stand by after failing our single job. We are not even your king and queen. We consider you friends, allies, and fellow parents. So, our lives? Forfeit." Miosa admitted, and the other leaders stared at the Zora royals.
"The strongest of the Yiga could not stand to me. They went to the desert as to avoid combat with me, but they have only strengthened my resolve."
"We will have to discuss that, because I am not about to lose two of my closest friends." Daruk said, and the rest of the group except for Impa nodded. "Now, regardless, I've heard good things about the kid, but what's he to do if he gets attacked once they find out we're assaulting their base for him?" Daruk asked.
"My son is not only durable, but after their training, if it's anything like the results he got from the Zora training…" Keith looked to Daruk, eyes dark with a multitude of emotions. "He will have no trouble surviving. They will have made a weapon they cannot control effectively."
"I agree. That boy is nothing if not tenacious." Miosa said, earning a nod from Ariel and Keith. "We know not their num…"
"Most likely ten bases, split throughout Hyrule." Impa spoke up, and all turned. "Most likely hundred or so per base. They defected a while ago, before my own birth, but not long enough to multiply enough to be very numerous. If anything they have a maximum of 200 per base, but I will acquire this information." The others nodded. "However, a platoon of my warriors…"
"Is about equal to 10 of mine." Rhoam muttered in distaste. "Yes. Splitting resources would not be good until we get a taste of their strength in their base." Rhoam turned to the king and queen of the Zora, Miosa furiously working on a scroll and Dorephan reviewing a map that was brought to him by one of the Zora. "How did they fight against you all when they invaded? My apologies, I couldn't discern all too well."
"That was a reconnaissance squad. Not a true testament to their skill." Dorephan said casually, and Impa raised an eyebrow to him. "I've fought many people in my years, admittedly few Yiga, since they've only spurred the nerve to fight now. Regardless, I've learned to tell the difference between true combat."
"Bowmen had loose form, even their blademasters were arrogant enough to just toy with Taka instead of at least knocking him out." Miosa noted, and everyone in the room was reminded of the age of the two Zora. "I'd assume their leader would be on the same level as Keith, or Impa."
"You haven't seen either of us fight, milady."
"I've observed you move." Miosa responded, her amber eyes quietly dancing over the scroll as she notated possible locations of Yiga bases. "Keith, you use brute force as a guise. However, in every other interaction, you stand tall, refined. You've been trained excessively, I'm assuming." Miosa explained, looking up to Impa. "Impa, of course, your speed is unrivaled. You're only beaten in water, and even so, I know you aren't slow there. You two are powerful, and if their leader is at this desert base, I'm afraid I'll have to ask one of you go take care of them."
The group nodded, and Daruk glanced over to Dorephan, who was studying the map he had. "Hey, uh, what are you doing, Dor?"
"Narrowing places down, considering where, and doing checks on what I've seen. Hylians in unexpected places, marks of battle or training, I need all the information I can get." Dorephan explained, and the rest nodded.
"You have any more maps?"
"It can wait." Urbosa said, finally speaking up after sitting quietly by Ariel. Urbosa had been quite embarrassed by the fact that the Yiga were right under her nose, but right now she wanted one thing. "Impa, all the information out of the Yiga. Whatever resources you need, we will provide."
"I already have what I require. I shall return." Impa vanished to a majority of the council, but Keith, Ariel, Miosa, and Dorephan managed to track her movements. One was able to do a similar technique, and the other three had gotten used to it via experience.
"Now, our plan of action…"
Days had passed and no one had come. Taka had resigned himself to his meager existence now. He never spoke, speaking was dangerous. He never even bothered hiding whatever he had. They had stripped him of all his armor, and he walked barefoot and defenseless. Even as his body grew exceedingly numb to pain, the damage still had effects. Haishi didn't care for the boy, only training him at his leader's request, and Taka never looked his trainer in the eyes initially, and Haishi would knock his head up with a blade.
"Better form, little demon." Haishi ordered, showing the proper way to wield a sickle. Taka copied, and the two practiced their attack on a dummy. Taka ended up easily slicing the wrists, jugular, and ankles, all in a few swift movements. "Better, but not fast enough. A Zora, a skilled Gerudo, and especially a Sheikah would catch you midway." Taka didn't give any response and watched as the dummy was healed with a hand signal. He repeated the action, and suddenly he flicked his arm up, blocking the standing kick from Haishi, which launched him into a wall. "Did you just…"
"Papa!" A young voice cried, but not that much younger than Taka. A little one ran up, and saw Taka, who was still silent as he glared at the boy maybe a year younger than him. "Our leader wants you and him! What's his name?" The boy asked, and Taka kept silent.
"It doesn't matter, Inkosi, we shall come." Haishi said, lifting up the boy on his shoulders, and dragging Taka by his neck. Omo was quiet, working on something when the three entered.
"Haishi, your son has requested a playmate." Omo said, and Haishi looked up to Inkosi, who grinned. "He wants the boy."
"Milord, I cannot trust this demon with my son!" Haishi declared, and Omo looked to Inkosi, who dropped to his knees.
"You have a playmate, after he is does with his training." Inkosi was happy and his father was enraged, but Omo gave no response. Taka suffered immensely for something that was not his fault, receiving sixteen stab wounds in the midst of his training. And he sat quietly and Inkosi threw knives into the normal Sheikah symbol.
"What's your name?" Inkosi asked, and Taka blinked in silence. "Come on, I wanna know! I'm Inkosi Selula!" The Yiga declared proudly, extending his hand to a still silent Taka.
"Taka." The Hylian muttered, and Inkosi grinned. This would be fun for the young Yiga!
