Gerudo Desert Gateway — 5:25 AM; Sunny.
"You know, we really mean it when we said that you're welcome to Korok Forest," Olli told him, as they stopped under the naturally formed archway of the Gerudo Desert Gateway. Before them was what seemed to be the beginning of a very windy day, as the red dunes shifted places every so often and dust was starting to partially obscure their view.
Link smiled at the offer, but if he was being honest to himself, he didn't feel like making that journey at the moment. However, he wasn't in a hurry to return to the Yiga either.
He frowned. This… was a troublesome feeling.
Despite his words claiming that life with the Yiga wasn't bad, well, it had been clear to him for some time that he wasn't well liked within the clan. He had completely severed all ties with his traitorous family and even underwent several trials in an attempt to gain favor, all of this with varying degrees of success.
But it wasn't enough, was it?
The slate hanging on his hip seemed to weigh more in that instant.
He… could still return a hero, right? He thought with despair. Even though he was unable to kill the Hero, the Hero was dead. And, and he had the Slate. No one would be able to defeat the Calamity if they did not have the Beasts at their side!
He thumbed the device, pulling it out of its holster. As expected, the screen came to life, but it remained empty except for a little golden dot. The instructions on the left corner read: "Follow the Sheikah Slate".
Link sighed. Who was he kidding? He was wandering about the desert without a mask, low on supplies, without a purpose, and now, with nowhere to return. If he went back, the chances of being deposed of were high, and if he didn't…
Leaving the clan was punishable by death.
Never enough, Link paled. Nothing he did seemed to be enough for these guys.
"H-hey, are you okay?" Olli tugged at his suit in worry.
No, Link had wanted to tell it, but they were interrupted by mocking laughter.
Three Yiga foot-soldiers and blade-master surrounded them, appearing in an instant among clouds of red smoke and paper spells. They were all armed with Demon Carvers.
Even though no one could see it, the korok hid itself behind Link's legs. Meanwhile, the boy's breath hitched. How had they known he was here?
They approached him in a circle, as if they were coyotes stalking their prey. It was then that one of them noticed the slate on his hip. "Is that…?"
The blade-master shook their head. "Master Kohga was right in suspecting you," he spat venomously, "Acting all dutiful when in reality you were trying to dismantle us from the inside!"
"That's not what I…" Link tried to explain himself, but two of the foot-soldiers had lunged in for the attack. He reached into his pack for a weapon but having broken one sickle and forgotten his spare on the Plateau, all that was left for him was his duplex bow. With no time to knock an arrow, he swung the bow at one of them, clubbing them on the side of their head and knocking them out of balance, while managing to dodge his second assailant.
The third foot-soldier was readying their bow when they were hit by pellets. "Ow! What the…?"
Unseen, Olli hovered above the Yiga, spitting the golden pellets through a reed.
"You can't fight all of them, Mr. Hero. You gotta get out of here!" it said.
Link didn't need to be told twice. Swiftly, having covered some distance, he shot one of the foot-soldiers on their chest and ducked under the massive swing of the blade-master's Demon Carver. Time seemed to have slowed as the battle heightened his senses. With a quickened pulse, he snatched a handful of paper amulets from the blade-master's pouch. It was all he dared to do before making the run.
"Olli!" he called behind him.
The little korok terrorized the Yiga archer one last time by throwing the reed at their head and flew towards its friend. By the time it caught up, Link had already activated the paper spell and they both disappeared in a cloud of red smoke.