"I hate him!" Dira says to the sky, the trees to their left, and to the wide plains to their right. The horses glance up before moving away, while a group of birds take flight. She's been at this since they left Akyllan, and she was marching forward with no care about the rise of her voice as she raised her hands into the air, declaring her hatred. "We're going to kill The Great King, and no one is going to stop us! I'm glad I found out who killed my sister, and now I have a name, an idea, and I can't wait until we slice his neck and chop his head off!"
Link frowned as he walked with Jin and Keras. "Quit announcing our plans to the world," he said, interrupting her rant, "or his spies will find out...and it'll be easier for him to hunt us."
"And chop our heads off before we get the chance to do it to him," Jin said, raking his fingers through his dark hair, giving Dira an unimpressed expression.
She turned, placing her hands on her hips. "Fine. I'll stop." Her determination slowly faded and she turned her attention to the empty plains, the wind blowing her white hair softly against her face. "Before we do anything...can we stop at Fado Lake? I want to see if Ekos comes and tell her I won't be around for awhile."
Since the memories and the battle in Akyllan, he had forgotten about the Zora who appeared in Fado Lake. Dira was surprised and amazed to finally meet a Zora. They rarely left their Domain since the War, and even less when the Scourge took many lives.
Jin chuckled, nudging Dira in the shoulder as she glared. "You like Ekos?" he asked, wrapping his arm around her neck as they started walking once more, this time toward Fado Lake.
"I do," Dira responds.
"No, no, Dira, I mean, do you like Ekos?"
"I said, I do," she replied, nudging Jin in the rib and he moved away from her, chuckling at her response. "I like her, but it doesn't mean I'll pursue her during our journey, nor will I if she doesn't want what I want. I'm old enough to come clean with that decision, and to be responsible with the person I like." She snickered, as she said, "Unlike you."
Link had barely focused on their conversation. The Lost Woods crowded his thoughts, and mostly his worth in walking in its depths. If he was even allowed to enter and leave without trouble. Garik's stories told him that The Lost Woods were a formidable place, not many have left its grasp. Yet the memories had told him of great warriors stepping in and walking out with no damage to their bodies, they didn't even need to unsheathe their weapons. They were well disciplined, and knew the laws of the wood more than most, and they had journeyed out from their home as he was doing now.
He knew they were happy and optimistic with their decisions to do what is right, but Link also knew that by the end of their journey, they were worn down to the bone. Panting ragged breaths between cracked lips, as they struggled to hold their sword, the metal plates upon their bodies were dented and torn through. Blood sunk under their blunt fingernails, and they struggled to hold themselves on shaky exhausted limbs.
Link touched the hilt of his own blade, the one he protected Dira and Jin with when he accepted himself as the Hero. Dira told him he could keep it, hone his skill with the sword before he gets his hands on the Blade of Evil's Bane. Even that was daunting. Was he truly worthy to pull it from the pedestal? Garik's story told him that only the Chosen Hero can wield the sword. Anyone else weren't able to do it, and they were then proven that they weren't the Hero. Or at least the one who bore the Crest of Courage.
Link took off his brown leather glove and the mark sat on the back of his hand and it wasn't glowing. It was there the moment he had taken up Dira's sword to defend his friend's, even without proper training, he didn't want them to die. Was he truly worthy? Someone like him unlike the friends he's surrounded by, wouldn't it make more sense if they were chosen?
Was it because he held the Hero's spirit within him, or it because the Goddess is blessing him?
Link put the leather glove back on. He sighed. "What if I'm not chosen? What if it was a fluke?"
Dira looked over her shoulder, arching a brow. "At least we know Garik was right about his stories. They weren't nonsense, so why should you be considered unworthy for something you've proved already?"
"Maybe that's the reason why you liked his stories growing up," Jin said, locking eyes with Link, "because he was right, and he was explaining your past to you."
Link nodded as they continued walking. They were right, but he didn't know if he wanted to tell them about what he's been seeing. At least the details of his dreams, and what he seen while awake. It was troubling. How he reacted to everything for the past several days. The pain his past lives felt, the way they hated, and that hatred only grew until it exhausted them to the point of death.
Maybe it was better if he kept all that to himself.
They reached Fado Lake, and while they wait for Ekos, they set down their packs and took off their cloaks. Keras wanted to test Link's fighting skills, and remark on his stances. He was still new to fighting and a small part of him wished he trained with Vollon instead of lingering between the bookshelves in Eren's bookshop.
An hour went by, and Link wiped away sweat from his forehead. Keras stood, unshaken by the exertion. She did wipe sweat from her own face with the back of her hand, the bright sun made her hair looked so much brighter in the light, a beautiful red shined upon brown skin. Her amber eyes were inquisitive as she watched him with each movement, she was swift and careful, and didn't go all out on him as she had done in Akyllan against the horde of Bokoblins, Moblins, Chu-Chu's, and Keese.
"I'm impressed," she said, giving him a smile, "you never wielded a sword before today, and yet you hold basic skills. Enough to qualify you as a prodigy swordsmen."
Flustered, Link smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. "My memories, at least the ones from my past lives, have helped in that regard." He shrugged. "It feels more like muscle memory. Like I've always known how to wield a sword."
The most relevant ones who knew how to wield a sword, the ones who were taught it an early age and never let go of its practice was a soldier for Hyrule, another had grown up around soldiers and later became a Knight. They trained for many years, even how young they were, they were disciplined, determined, mature enough to understand their responsibilities to the Kingdom. It was in their right to do what needs to be done.
It only made sense that he knew how to wield a sword because of them. They held the sword in their hand, the one bestowed from the Goddess and only the spirit will accept. They pulled it from the pedestal and wielded it perfectly.
Link looked down at his hands when he sheathed the sword. "Maybe it'll feel better when its hands."
"Keras! Link!" He turned at Dira's horrified scream as they turned toward the water's edge where he last spotted Dira and Jin. However, they were no longer there and the both of them were in the water, swimming towards three Zora's, dark blood trailed behind them, and it seemed it was coming from the main Zora they were holding. He recognized her as he and Keras sprinted toward the water, that it was Ekos. She was badly injured as the Zora's, Dira, and Jin returned to the shore.
The two other Zora's were wounded as well, yet more fresh than the one they were holding who Dira was caressing with shaky fingers.
"Ekos, Ekos?" Dira murmured, breathing heavily as water dropped upon Ekos skin.
"Our names are Alura, and Ero," the female Zora spoke, they both stood to the side, and Ero's wore an anguished expression as he looked down at Ekos whilst covered in her blood. "Zora's Domain is under attack, the Prince ordered us to leave with any injured. She told us to take her to Fado Lake. We just never knew a Royal Guard had come into contact with other…"
Link disregarded her pause, and was surprised to hear that Ekos is actually a Royal Guard to the Zora's Domain. When they first met her, she didn't seem like it, but more friendly. The Zora's that brought her here felt more hostile yet they had hit a wall.
"Take us to your Domain," Keras said, already heading for her pack and sword left on the grass.
Link nodded to the Zora's. "We'll help with the ensuring battle." He sprinted after Keras and grabbed his sword and placed his light leather armour back on.
"You know what this means," Keras said, sheathing her sword.
"Yes," Link said, looking up at her and ready for a fight. They headed back to the Zora's with the thought that the Great King decided to attack the Zora's after he wreaked havoc on Akyllan.
"I'll stay," Dira said with tears in her eyes and resolution.
Alura and Ero decided to stay as well, in case something were to happen to the two. Dira didn't object and decided to check out Ekos's wound. Ero explained where they can find The Zora's Domain, and to be swift, they were afraid for their Prince.
Jin changed and was catching up as Link kept in stride with Keras they headed for The Zora's Domain.
Link panted as he ran, hand on the hilt of his sword, and with each step he took, a memory seemed to flicker before his eyes. The same panting breath and fear burning in his veins during a cold night. He opened a trap door inside a dim lit house after he slain many monsters that evaded the town. And what he found within the trap door was a young Prince in the arms of a farm girl. Her eyes were wide as she clutched the Zora Prince in her arms, and Link saw no recognition in her eyes as she started to plea for his help.
The Prince was dying.