She reached the dungeon entrance without any trouble, her unease growing greater with every step. Had the castle been… Abandoned? It didn't make any sense, she should have encountered some sort of opposition by now. Especially considering how she'd acquired the stone that softly lit the way. Zelda would have thought that destroying the Master Sword would have been something to gloat over, rather than be cause to slink back into the shadows!
Opening the thick iron door and slipping inside, she began the descent into the dungeons. No, it didn't make any sense for them to have just left the castle entirely. The rebels had just shown their hand, however: Perhaps Ganondorf and his forces knew that they had come from Kakariko, and gone to make an example of the settlement? She dearly hoped not, but the only other option she could think of was that this was a trap.
Which she couldn't rule out as a possibility, though she had to admit that if it was a trap then it was a very poor one. Doubly so, if it was even meant for her. How would they know that she would even know to come? How would they even know that she was alive? They couldn't, the only people she had talked to were Malon, the Gerudo, and Batreaux. Both the Gerudo and Batreaux would have had no problem killing her or just leaving her to die had they not meant her well, and she was loathe to suspect Malon. And Malon didn't have a deceitful bone in her body, did she?
Zelda scowled at herself. She was trying to curb the overly suspicious mindset she'd learned as Sheik, and travelling down that train of thought would get her nowhere. Even if Malon had betrayed her, she was inclined to believe the farmer had been coerced into doing so. Or perhaps she hadn't even known that that was what she was doing; the enemy was probably clever enough to arrange such.
And besides, wondering about who had set a trap she may or may not be walking into would not help her if she sprang it. Right now she needed to focus on finding Link and getting him to safety, assuming that he was even still here in the first place. It was entirely possible that he had managed to escape on his own without the Master Sword, after all, or that he had been moved elsewhere, considering the emptiness of the castle. She refused to consider the remaining alternatives.
She reached the bottom of the stairs, half-expecting to find Ganondorf himself waiting for her, only to find her immediate line of sight to be empty. Carefully she crept forward through the rows of cells, peering into each to examine the sleeping prisoners inside. Most were adult Hylians, with a few Gerudo and a Goron, but halfway through she had still seen no sign of Link.
And then she reached the end of the cells, and a numbing chill swept over her mind. He wasn't there. He wasn't there. Where had they taken him?! They had to be keeping him prisoner somewhere, because they couldn't have... They couldn't have…
Could they?
No. No, she refused to believe that he was dead. The goddesses had already allowed the sword to be broken, but letting their chosen hero die…? He had to be here somewhere, or else they must have taken him to some stronghold elsewhere. He had to be here somewhere. He was alive, he had to be alive.
Doubt began to gnaw at the the back of her mind, though, as her memory dredged up the stories that Impa had told her so many years ago. There had been once, the old Sheikah had admitted. One timeline they knew of, where the chosen hero had fallen to Ganondorf. It had happened before, in another world, and as much as Zelda wanted to believe otherwise… It was a possibility. Especially if her enemies thought that she was dead, because then what reason would they have to keep Link alive?
None. They had none.
Zelda, numb to her core, decided distantly that she should at least try to free the remaining prisoners. There had to be a key around somewhere… Hanging from the walls, perhaps? She walked to the closest wall, the one furthest from the stairs, and held up her gem to try and find anything. It had been a shot in the dark, but she supposed that perhaps the jailer had taken any keys with them when the rest of the castle's inhabitants had left. But then it just as easily could have been hung from another wall, so she turned to begin scanning the spaces between the cell doors.
When she turned, she found herself staring at an open passageway, tucked between the wall and where the last cell ended. But that… Zelda had seen the maps of the castle, that part of the dungeons had been sealed off generations ago! Fear and adrenaline pushed away the numbness and she strode down the passage as quickly as she could without making a sound, desperate to know what she would find in the room at its end. Oh, Goddess, she wanted to find him but not here, please don't let her find him here!
She turned the corner and there he was, unconscious and chained to the wall. Other than a few small tears to his clothes and a cut on his cheek she couldn't see any serious injuries, but the fact that he was here at all was more than enough cause for alarm. Instruments that hadn't seen use in at least a century hung from racks on the wall and sat on shelves, and Zelda did her best to keep down her nausea as she frantically searched for a key among them. She had to get him down, they had to get out of here, oh Goddess if she hadn't found him what would they have done to him?!
The key was easy enough to find, glinting in her dim light, but she struggled to undo the locks on his manacles with shaking hands. Goddess, Goddess, she needed to get herself together! There were so many what-ifs that she could torture herself with them for the rest of her days, and the only thing that was important right now was that she had found him and it wasn't too late.
The second lock came free and Zelda caught him. "Link." She wanted to shake him a little to try and wake him, but how much damage had he taken that she could not see? "Link." There was nothing more she wanted in that moment than for him to open his eyes, to let her know that he would be alright, but for now she supposed she would have to settle for the steady rise and fall of his chest.
Her ears heard something from beyond the room and she froze. Footsteps in the corridor, too heavy to be a Hylian's. Zelda pocketed the gem, returning the room to total darkness, and placed Link gently on the floor before resting her hand on the hilt of her sword. Whatever was coming couldn't be good, but there was no use trying to run. It was already coming through the only way in or out, and even if there was a clear exit she would be weighed down by carrying Link. Positioning herself protectively in front of her companion, she prayed that whatever monster she prepared to face was a lesser evil. A few beginning lessons in swordplay would be little protection in the face of so much as a stalfos, especially considering that she had never used her rapier before.
It seemed, however, that the goddesses weren't answering prayers that day.
Even without light in the room she knew immediately that she had no idea what kind of monster had appeared in the doorway, as she could see it had a hair-like mane of embers to crown its head and eyes like torches. In appearance the being was half as frightening as a stalchild, appearing to be a normal man if one ignored the hair and eyes, and yet… Something in her screamed to run, to run as far away as she could; to take Link in her arms and flee to the clouds where this monster could not reach them. But that was not an option, so she drew her sword.
Light blazed, chasing every scrap of shadow from the room, and even though the sudden illumination was nearly blinding she could still see the monster flinch. Good. At least her weapon's magic would help make up for her inexperience with using it. There was a small groan behind her and she dared not look to check on Link, but she sorely hoped that it was a sign he was waking up. Unless her weapon was powerful enough to take out her opponent in one hit, and she doubted that that was be the case, the best she could do was buy him time to get back on his feet.
Her enemy recovered just as her eyes adjusted to the light, and she nearly swung at him like she would have with a normal sword before catching herself and going in for a jab instead. He stepped back to avoid the blow, reaching back for a weapon of his own. Eyes of magma widened as his hands grasped nothing but air, though, and Zelda was struck but the sheer dumb luck that her enemy didn't have a weapon. Of course, she supposed he was here to torment Link, and it wasn't as though one needed to bring a sword to do that when there were so many instruments there already.
She snarled at the thought, pressing forward with a jab at the monster's head. By the Goddess, they would chain Link up again over her dead body! Impa might have scolded her for thinking such, but Hyrule didn't need its princess. Hyrule could mourn and move on, but if the goddess-chosen hero didn't survive then the kingdom would stay under the rule of monsters. The Master Sword was broken, but surely the spirits would recognize him for who he was even with it missing. In the stories, they'd usually been able to.
Her jab missed, but succeeded in keeping her opponent at bay. Zelda heard shuffling behind her; was Link standing? "Can you walk?" She couldn't look back to check on him, not with the being in front of her being a complete unknown in terms of power, so she would just have to trust him to answer truthfully. Though, she had no idea what they would do if he couldn't walk; she cursed herself for not teaching him a teleport song when they had the chance. Then she could have somehow given him her harp and he would have been able to make a clean escape, and she would only have to worry about getting herself out alive…
"… Y-yeah." The word was rasping and faint enough that if she had had a choice, she would have questioned its truthfulness. But she didn't have a choice, so she simply let herself be relieved that he was well enough to answer in the first place.
There was more noise behind her and she assumed it was Link standing. "Good. I'm going to do my best to slay this monster, but if I can't then I want you to look for any opening you can to run." She hadn't finished saying the words when the monster's face contorted into a grin that was more bared teeth than smile, and she wondered if it cared if one of them escaped so long as it had one to keep here.
"No." The word was stronger than the last, though it sounded as if it had been formed from desperation. "No, he's…" Zelda almost looked back in concern as Link's voice trailed off, but he finished the thought before she could take her eyes off her opponent. "Ganondorf."
Oh. Her eyes widened in shock. She wasn't ready to fight Ganondorf. She was not ready to fight Ganondorf. She couldn't. He was a demon, Power Incarnate, a man who had ascended to a status that rivaled the gods themselves. Link would be able to hold his ground against him someday, with the backing of the Sages and all the blessings the gods had to offer, but he wasn't ready and she would never be. Not on her own.
And yet here she was, holding him back at swordpoint.
She could do this. It was impossible to slay him without the help of the Sages, but Zelda could get them both out alive. "Get ready as best you can, hero. I don't know how long he'll stay down." She had yet to connect any of her hits, but she had the feeling from his reactions that once she did he might be stunned for a few moments. If true, the second hit might not buy them as much time as the first, so she wanted to make the most of it.
"I'm ready." His words were still hoarse but she could tell there was determination in them, so she aimed for Ganondorf's chest and struck as quickly as she could. It hit, and her enemy dropped like a stone. Looking back just long enough to take Link by the hand, she led them through the dungeon as quickly as she thought her friend could manage.
Her heart beat wildly in her chest as they climbed the stairs, her taking up the rear as Link did his best to ascend without falter. Would the light of her sword draw more attention from anything lurking in the castle? She couldn't afford to sheath it, not with Ganondorf in pursuit, but with it out she may as well have been constantly yelling who and where they were. And for all she knew, Link might be slaughtered the moment he managed to walk out the door.
But they got out of the dungeons to find no enemies awaited them on the other side, the only sign of danger being the echoes of footsteps behind them before the door slammed behind them. "Okay," She started, taking Link by the arm and guiding him in the direction of the nearest tower as gently as she could without sacrificing speed. Zelda regretted not slowing to a hobble, the pain clear on his face when she looked over, but if they didn't get out of the castle fast then the two of them were in for far worse a time. If it really came down to it, though… Would a teleport song work the same if she guided his fingers? "Do you think you can manage more stairs? We need to climb one of the towers."
Thankfully, she got a nod in reply. Just as they reached the right door, Zelda heard the iron of the dungeon's own door slam shut. Pushing Link in so that they would not be seen, she winced as she saw his face pale further. He made no sound, though, and wordlessly began to climb the stairs.
She followed, wondering how long it would be before Ganondorf found the correct passage. Or did he already know? There had been several bends in the hallway between them when she'd heard him slam the door, so she was likely being paranoid… But it was better paranoid than dead. Besides, her sword did make an awful lot of light.
As Link seemed unable to do more than take the steps one at a time, steady but far slower than ideal, every second seemed to stretch into infinity. Any moment Ganondorf could burst through, and how long would he stay down a second time? If it was just as long then they had a chance, by any shorter and it would be an uphill battle.
But slowly, one step at a time, they crept closer to the top. Link looked about ready to pass out by the time they had reached what Zelda guessed was about three-fourths of the way up, and she made him stop for a moment. She hated taking any longer to escape, but if Link fainted they would be in even more dire straits. It was far better to let him rest a few moments than have to carry him; if she fell on the stairs trying to do so then it was entirely possible that she might accidently kill him.
The moment passed and they continued their journey upwards. The last step finally, finally came into view, and Zelda dared to hope that they would make a clean escape. There were five steps left, now, and then a door, and then the open window. She could hear her heart in her chest again and she felt almost lightheaded; as though she had been submerged underwater and only realized it now that she could breathe again.
Link was on the second to last step when she heard the door at the base of the tower slam open, heavy footsteps beginning to climb the staircase. Zelda quickly sheathed her sword despite knowing that trying to hide would be futile effort, moving in front of Link to open the door for him. He too had picked up the pace as much as he was able, shuffling into the room. His speed had diminished greatly over their journey through the castle and she worried he would keel over at any moment, but at least it was almost over. That they had been found mattered little at this point, if only they could get to the window…
He seemed confused as she led him over to said window, but said nothing. "I need you to jump," Zelda told him, voice a little shaky as the hurried footsteps grew ever louder.
"W-what?" Link's voice was barely a whisper and she bit the inside of her cheek for a moment to keep her own emotions in check. They wouldn't be here if she hadn't run like a coward, she couldn't help but think. She could have done something before it came to this, and then she wouldn't have had to rescue him from a torture chamber. Never mind that she'd come in time to save him before they went to work on him, as far as she could tell. He shouldn't have been there in the first place.
She knew that the most likely outcome probably would have been them both being captured or worse, but the guilt was there all the same. "My friend will catch you, I promise." Ganondorf was almost at the door, they didn't have time, they didn't have time. "Please, Link, jump."
Link stared at her for a moment, eyes searching her face for something, then nodded. He was out the window just as the door opened behind them, and Zelda followed suit without looking back. She just barely heard the sound of her whistle over the rushing air but Hilda caught her before the note had a chance to be ripped away by the wind, and even without instruction the loftwing knew to dive for Link. It was a close thing, the tower not providing nearly enough height for such stunts when compared to Skyloft, but her bird managed it all the same.
It was a struggle to carry the both of them, and Zelda could tell she was pushing Hilda past her limits, but Link didn't look like he'd be able to stay on if she asked her bird to carry him up alone. The loftwing had carried her up while she was unconscious, the first time, but… Zelda didn't want to risk him falling off. That she had gotten lucky wasn't an excuse to put his life in danger, and somehow she could tell that her loftwing was determined to make the journey despite the extra weight.
By the time the moon had begun to set, they reached the safe haven that was Skyloft.
He did not know who he was, anymore, but that was fine. The fool of a woman had taken the bait, had saved the boy and been relieved enough that he was still in one piece that she hadn't thought to question why his armies had been absent from the castle. Perhaps she would question it now that she had whisked him away, but it no longer mattered. Her sword had hurt, far more than it should have been able to, but that too no longer mattered.
She had fallen for the trap his mother (Was she his mother, or a mortal pawn to be used and disposed of? He did not know, anymore. It did not matter. He would have his revenge.) had laid, and that was all that mattered. After all, the chosen hero had always managed to defeat the villain he was presented with. So long as he had seen their evil for themselves, he never failed to do everything he could to rid the world of their existence… And if that villain was the spirit maiden herself, then all he had to do was stand aside and let him destroy her.
It was a shame that she wouldn't be ended by his hand, but her destruction being brought about by her precious chosen hero was the most satisfying revenge he could have imagined.
"Batreaux!" Zelda yelled, Link half-gathered in her arms as she slid him off her absolutely exhausted loftwing. "I need help!" She didn't know if he even around, or if she was on the right part of the island, but she was so tired from holding both herself and the hero in place on Hilda's back that she wouldn't be able to carry him alone. That, and his potions would be invaluable in helping Link recover.
A few moments passed and she was about to call out again when she saw his horned figure appear. Her shoulders sagged in relief at the sight of the demon, though he himself looked deeply worried. "Oh, d-dear," he fretted, wringing his hands. "It looks like the two of you have had a dreadful time! Best get you inside, you look like you could use some rest…"
"Could you carry Link, please?" She asked as he trailed off, before he could lose himself in worried thoughts. It occurred to her, distantly, that this sort of exchange with a demon would have been unthinkable a fortnight ago, and if she hadn't been so drained she might have been amused at the irony. It was even stranger to think that she would have ever felt such relief at the instant agreement, Batreaux carefully picking the hero up and bring them into the same house he'd used to care for her.
"Now," he began, placing Link upon the bed, "If I may ask what happened to the two of you?"
Zelda took a seat on a wooden chair, too tired to care that it looked far too ancient to be safe. "I found him being held prisoner by a monster." A monster who was, apparently, Ganondorf. Last time she'd checked he was supposed to be either a Gerudo man or a half-boar beast, though, and she'd never heard anything about him having flaming hair and eyes.
Batreaux sighed. "I see. Well, I'll need to go out and gather some heart fruit to make red potion for him, if that's alright. I have some of the green left, help yourself if you need it."
She nodded in reply, eyes slipping closed as he walked out the door. Sleep wasn't an option, she knew, but she let herself have a few moments before getting up to fetch the dregs of green potion left from her last visit. The effect was immediate, and as soon as it was down she felt as though the exhausting flight had been days ago. Zelda marveled at the empty jar: It was a miracle in a bottle, but she was almost glad that it had all but vanished from Hyrule. She could only imagine the repercussions of abusing the substance…
But for now, it was a necessary evil. No longer feeling like she could fall asleep at any moment, she pulled her chair up to the side of the bed. She wouldn't be a familiar face to wake up to, not with her appearance so changed from what she'd looked like as Sheik, but hopefully he would recognize her as the one who'd saved him from Hyrule Castle. Perhaps it would help him recognize that he wasn't in danger here, despite the resident demon. He was the most trusting person she knew, but who knew what horrors he'd seen during the rebel's ill-fated attack?
Though she knew she should at least check to make sure Hilda was alright, sitting vigil was the least she could do. She was convinced Batreaux wouldn't hurt a fly, but Link didn't know that. He deserved to not have to wake up alone or with no one there but a demon, after where she'd found him.
She didn't know how long it had been when her unlikely friend returned, a jar of fresh red potion clutched in one hand. "How is he?" He asked, handing her the potion.
"Thank you." The jar was a comforting weight to hold, the potion inside still warm from its brewing, and she curled her hands around it. "The only damage I can see is the cut on his cheek and where his wrists have been rubbed raw, but it's likely that he has bruising elsewhere." She could have kicked herself for not checking for further injury, and Batreaux began to gently prod as he checked Link over for broken bones. "I know his legs aren't broken," she added, to which her friend replied with a nod.
She watched with baited breath, dearly hoping that what she could see was all he had. His right arm and chest passed Batreaux's examination, but the demon frowned when he came to Link's left wrist. "I'm afraid he has a broken wrist. Red potion does wonders for knitting flesh back together and healing bruises, but it does nothing for bone."
Fear crept into her mind: Even if they set it and it healed smoothly, a broken wrist might mean he would never wield a sword again. A slightly decreased range of motion was the best they could hope for, but sometimes strength never returned to the hand. "He… He might never wield a sword again, Batreaux." There was a long pause as they both thought over the implications. The chosen hero had no Master Sword, but to have no sword at all? She could try and teach him some magic, but… She doubted they had the kind of time that would be necessary for him to achieve the kind of mastery he would need to face Ganondorf with magic alone.
Batreaux said nothing for another moment, busy gathering materials to make a split. "There is… Someone else who might be able to help him, if it comes to that. In the Era of Sky there was a guardian spirit who went by the name of Faron. The Link of that time used to tell stories of how he helped her fetch water that could heal all ills." The demon hesitated. "I do not know if she still lives, but perhaps you could still find her sacred water."
Zelda thought about the suggestion for a moment. "What of the Fairy Fountains? I'm sure a Great Fairy would be happy to help him." The chosen hero had always been linked to the fae of Hyrule, for reasons long chalked up to the favor of the goddesses, and she couldn't think of a single instance in the stories when they had turned him away.
It seemed the demon had never heard of the fairies, though, as he merely blinked at her. "It's been a very long time since I last walked the surface. If you know a way, it would be better than chasing old tales." With that he finished up Link's split, taking a moment to inspect his work before nodding in approval. "That should do, for now. I'll go check on your loftwing, poor dear…" And with that he shuffled out of the house, leaving Zelda to her thoughts.
Malon was waiting for them in Lanayru Province, but Faron Province wasn't very far from there. The Fairy Fountains had changed locations throughout the era, though one had always remained within the confines of the Lost Woods… Perhaps it would at least be worth it to check Faron Province for the water Batreaux spoke of. With a loftwing, it would be easy enough to slip into the province capital and ask around; if nothing turned up then a visit to the Lost Woods wouldn't go amiss. The only problem was that the longer it took, the more likely Link's wrist was to permanently give him trouble.
She was so lost in thought that she didn't realize Link was stirring until she heard him groan in pain after trying to stretch. "Hey, hey, shhhh." Zelda didn't know what to do to get him to stay still, knowing that touching him was probably a bad idea. "Don't try to get up just yet, you're not in the best of shape." He eyed her with confusion but obeyed, thankfully.
"Who're you?" His voice was groggy, but better than when they'd been in the dungeon. She didn't have time to answer him, though, as his eyes widened in surprise. "You're from the dungeon!" His voice was suddenly more alert, but he winced in pain from the outburst.
Zelda uncorked the jar in her hands and offered it to him. "I need you to drink this, alright? I promise it'll make you feel better." And then she took a small sip of it herself, just to show that it was safe. Link may have been trusting to a fault, but for now she was a stranger to him. And considering where she'd found him… It wasn't hard to imagine that he might be a bit hesitant to drink something strange offered to him by a stranger.
He took it with his good hand, but she had to help him hold it as he drank. Though she knew the effects first-hand, it was still amazing to watch as the flesh on his cheek knitted itself back together, as the pink-red swelling from the manacles disappeared from the unbandaged wrist. Color quickly returned to his face, and even though he couldn't watch the changes take place he still looked at her with awe. "What was that?"
"It's called red potion." She answered, taking the jar back with a small smile. "How do you feel?"
In exchange for her smile, he returned a grin. "My wrist still hurts, but everywhere else feels great."
Her smile disappeared at the mention of his wrist. Though he had probably already knew it was broken, either from remembering it breaking or from the split, she still didn't want to have to tell him. "It's broken. I'm sorry, the potion only heals flesh; it can't do anything about bone. You might never wield a sword with that hand again."
His grin disappeared, but he didn't seem distraught. Instead, he merely sighed. "Yeah, I figured. They used to try and make me use my right hand for everything, though, so if I relearn how to do that… It'll be a pain, but don't worry about it." There was a pause as she processed what he said: The situation wasn't as bad as it could have been. He was likely much better with his left hand than his right, but if they couldn't find a Great Fairy or sacred water in time then it wasn't the end.
The hero was somber when he spoke again, the touch of lightheartedness that had been present earlier gone. "Thank you." Though she should have expected it, being thanked surprised her. She watched him with wide eyes, and he continued. "I don't think I can ever repay you for saving me back there. I have no idea why you did it, going in alone like that for a stranger, but I don't want to think about what would've happened to me if you hadn't shown up. I don't know how you knew where I was or that I needed help or why, but thank you."
She bit the inside of her cheek and looked away, guilty. If only she'd stayed, would he have had to go through that ordeal in the first place? "I'm sorry, I…" She shouldn't have run, she shouldn't have left them to face the King of Evil alone. "I came as fast as I could. I ran into your friend, Malon, and she was worried about you. I… She looked like she'd lost so much already, so…" It was a flimsy cover, one he'd be able to see through if he thought about it for even a moment. Zelda wasn't sure why she didn't just tell him the truth, but…
Her free hand slipped into her dress' pocket to absentmindedly fiddle with the gem. Not yet, something faintly whispered in the back of her mind.
A hand reached out for her, then seemed to realize what it was doing and pulled away. "Don't be sorry, you had nothing to do with it." He exhaled. "I'm Link, though I guess you already knew that."
Zelda nodded. "I did, Malon told me quite a bit about you." And then she hesitated. Common etiquette was that she now gave him her own name in return, but what would she say? Only members of the Royal Family bore the name Zelda, and he knew her alias of Sheik… And she was sick of lying, anyway. She'd never lied to him about anything she hadn't had to, but it felt wrong to throw up another veil of deceit now that she knew him personally. "Ah, excuse me for a moment. Now that I know you're alright, I need to go and see if Batreaux needs help with the loftwings."
"Batreaux?" He asked as she stood, and she stopped. How was she supposed to explain Batreaux? With what Link had witnessed and endured the past few days, she doubted he would react well to the idea of a friendly demon… And yet, she'd just decided to be more honest with him. Besides, Batreaux deserved better than to be treated like a skeleton in the closet.
"He's…" She looked Link in the eyes, not sure how to broach the topic. If she had to, she would forcibly remove him from Skyloft to protect the demon; though she doubted it would come to that. "A friend. He made that red potion, and he's saved my life before. You're safe, here, and I need you to know that." He seemed puzzled by the way she was going about it, but he nodded for her to continue. "Batreaux is demon."
Link exhaled, breath a little shaky. "Alright."
She blinked, surprised that he'd accepted it just like that. In fact, he'd been doing surprisingly well in almost every regard considering how she'd found him. She suspected that he was trying to move on and pretend it never happened, at least in the company of strangers; but Zelda had difficulty believing that he would really just take her word for it that Batreaux was a friend. And yet, it was Link. She'd just have to wait and see.
"Whistle if you need anything." The resident demon had mentioned last time that Link's loftwing was crimson, after all, and she figured she would notice such a flashy color descending on the house. "I won't be gone long."
And then she left to go check on Hilda and Batreaux, the gem from the Master Sword still clutched in her palm and its gentle warning still clear in her mind.
Hello again! Sorry for the wait, but I hope the longer than average chapter makes up for it! Alas, I have returned to college, so two to three weeks is probably a realistic wait time for the next few chapters. I switched from aerospace engineering to software engineering, though, and I dunno yet if the workload for that major will give more or less time to write. No more physics based classes for me, though! :D
As always, thank you so much for reading and supporting this fic. If you like it so far, please let me know! (If you don't and have constructive criticism for me, that would be welcome too!) I love getting feedback.